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Prose Equus | Confidants. | The snow to the east of the Celestial Ridge upon which Canterlot sat was the result of Artic winds coming down from the Griffin Kingdoms to the north as well as the moisture blown up from the Bridle Shores to the south. The ridge itself blocked most of the winds from reaching the more populated western area of the Kingdom, probably helped by a smattering of Princess and Pegasus magic.
The Ridge itself, with Stalliongrad in the shadow of the peak furthest to the east, was a chaotic mess of mountains seemingly attempting to climb over each other forming half peaks, broken trails, and sheer drops from whatever mess of tectonic activity formed them. Old legends told of a colossus who scraped the sky and devoured the land forming them with his footprints.
But that was patently ridiculous. Right?
Somewhat equally as ridiculous was how much time you've spent scaling through these peaks.
You take a breather at the face of a cliff and let the blustery wind blow through your hair "At least Asgard was nice enough to give me some furs..."
Kinda itchy though.
"Alright, enough of that."
You slide your helmet back on and stand up, gripping your borrowed mace and buckler shield tight. "Alright, review the situation..."
The Argus Panoptes, the hundred-eyed horror you were here to handle before it killed somepony, was loose somewhere in these mountains.
"From the way they describe it, it might be moving on its tentacles? Or maybe it can fly somehow..."
If it was landlocked it'd be slower but flying would mean you'd have to hurry. You glance to the west, the sun was already beginning to set and cast the long shadows of the peaks over the valleys below.
"Running out of time..."
You turn on your heel and start heading down the way you came to check another direction "And worse I'm talking to myself..."
The path you walk takes you down the peak you used for reconnaissance and through a valley towards another in the next ridge.
"If I can cross over here into the lowlands, I may be able to find something to eat along the way..."
You glance up at the sky, past the clouds. "And I am ONLY talking so that you have updates on my status, Heimdall. You or the Queen, I know you're watching."
Yes, that was the reason you decided on for self-narration.
Continuing along the path gives you time to think. What was this creature? And why was it even potentially out here?
Your career as a guard was spent hunting down monsters as much as it was spent on domestic problems, probably moreso. Knowing Princess Twilight as you had also meant that you had been involved or involved yourself in many of their more dangerous outings and adventures.
The day that sticks out in your head presently is the Royal Wedding, when the Changeling's tried to enact a coup d'etat that eventually just turned into an invasion. You and the rest of the girls were fighting in the streets when Shining and his wife saved the day.
"Heh...just as good you did, you never could fight, Armor."
You sigh and push those thoughts out as you'd gotten used to, all they did was remind you of how long you've been doing this and your encroaching age. Before you died and went to Valhalla, you had wandered off to find your death in defense of Equestria rather than having your body betray you in a crucial moment during some future crisis.
"I mean, I'm happy to be "alive" again, but..."
Being alive again meant another opportunity to fail when you were needed most. You had taken note that you weren't feeling your age in Asgard, but you weren't pious enough to believe that would stay that way forever if nothing was done. You spend so much time in your own head as you cross the ridge that you almost don't notice your foot hitting something that feels different.
"Mm? Now what's this?"
You kneel and brush the snow off whatever you stepped on. Beneath your foot you find a square cut stone with a worn and faded symbol carved into it, reminding you specifically of-
"A brick? What in the Hel is a brick doing out...?"
You hear someone below you and close sneeze. Your instincts tell you to hunker down close to the ground as you inch yourself towards the edge of the small drop near you.
Further investigation reveals to you that you're apparently as blind as a bat pony. These rocks at the edge of the drop weren't rocks, they were keystones. Carved keystones. You rub your hand over the smooth edges when the sneeze echoes through the valley again And it's coming from right below you.
You stay low and circle around, sliding down a snow embankment to get around to the entrance of the cave the sneezing was coming from. Wait, no, not a cave. The entrance was a perfect rectangle and the stones leading up to the keystones you were at are uniform and perfectly geometric. Beneath your feet you can feel the smooth stone of a weathered floor and carvings within it which would make this-
"A temple? Here?"
Another sneeze mixed with a surprised whinny comes from the doorway into the temple and out comes its squatter. "Who in-?"
He's wearing pristine polished silver armor that compliments his resplendent gold mane. His shoulders are broad, and he's got a decent bit of muscle on him, which does NOT go with the classical rapier at his side. "Who goes the-" he begins to shout in a high society voice before beginning to look you over and his face growing befuddled. "What...manner of creature are you?"
"Prince Blueblood?"
He's slightly taken aback by that. "How do you know my name?"
You really ought to be running away or knocking him out and passing yourself off as a cold-borne hallucination to preserve your continued existence a secret, but he seemed to barely recognize you.
"I...was a guard in the city for a few decades? The only human?"
"Well I don't recognize you."
"I worked for your aunts for probably longer than you've been alive?"
"You did?"
You instinctively shrug "I was at there at the Changeling invasion?!"
Blueblood rolls his eyes back like he'd just been caught doing something embarrassing. "Yes, well...I was not. Dreadful business that, I'd come down with hay fever just two days before and couldn't attend such a wonderful affair, so sad..."
Right.
"What the Hel are you DOING out here, Your Majesty?"
You probably didn't need to call him that, having died and all, but old habits were harder to shake than the mortal coil. Blueblood straightens and for a moment looks as regal as his position would demand. "There is word of a monster loose within these mountains that puts Stalliongrad in danger. I have come to confirm these suspicions and, if needed, slay the beast!"
You chew that over for a spell "So EVERYONE else was busy with something else and you came out to snag a bit of glory is what you're saying?"
Blueblood is silent for a moment as he thinks over his response. "...A little recognition WOULD be nice."
You knew of Prince Blueblood, knew of his reputation for being a prick at times and a showboat at others, but you also knew of the stories behind those of his unparalleled fencing skills and unwavering support for those who managed to penetrate his outer shell and become close to him.
And at the frigid roof of the world here, you couldn't exactly afford to be picky.
"Alright then, we're here for the same reason. Let's head inside and get warm while we figure out a plan, and I guess make our introductions."
You quizzically tilt your head to the side.
"That looks like a hot bowl of soup..."
"It is a MONSTER, Sir Anonymous. At least try to pretend you're taking this seriously!"
"Oh like looking for glory, boy? I am taking this seriously."
Blueblood's artistic rendition of the monster he saw just...left a bit to be desired. "If we can watch out for the steam clouds-"
"TENTACLES." Blueblood insists.
"If we can stay out of reach of THE TENTACLES then, we should be able to observe it with at least some safety..."
"We also need be aware of its thousand eyes and acid spray."
Oh. So those weren't you hearing things from your war-god induced concussion.
"Great..."
"I was in the process of thinking of a plan when you arrived." he says.
"Mm..."
You close your eyes and lean back against the temple wall, tapping your foot to think "What are you even doing here?"
"I told you that!"
"I mean HERE! In this temple! What is it? It looks older than old."
Blueblood looks up to the roof and glances around. "Aye, indeed...the carvings inside tell that it was a hidden temple from the old world, but I could not say from which culture. As it was, I simply saw it as shelter from the winds and sought to catch my breath." He says, pushing his satchel back with his legs.
You tap your foot as you stare into the fire and try to think of an idea. The dance of the flames cast umbral shadows on the wall and sting your eyes as you look at it for too long.
Lightbulb.
A glance outside the door of the temple washes you with orange sunlight reflecting off the snow, giving you further idea and telling you that you had a time limit before it was gone.
"I have it."
Blueblood glances over to you as you quickly climb up.
"Get your things and put that fire out. We have one shot to make this work and not a lot of time."
Music
"That is downright unsettling..."
Blueblood and you observe the monster you were both after from behind a rock. It was...a vile thing, floating through the canyon in a gelatinous sac above the ground by some arcane means. Dozens upon dozens of eyes stare in every direction from within the sac, never blinking and observing everything within its proximity. The objects of interest it wraps in its tendrils longer than you twice over, which it holds to one of its eyes to examine before tossing it away. It drifts along the snow and rocks of the mountains, cloaking itself in the shadows of the peak to your back.
"One of those could squeeze a stallion in half..." Blueblood says grimly.
"Aye, and look at its eyes. The fluid in that sac must keep them moist enough that it never has to blink."
"I see...perhaps it is not even able."
You glance beyond the Argus Paneoptes towards the end of the canyon, at a rocky crag wall "Alright...that gives me the idea. Let's go."
You slide off the rock and stay low as you creep through the snow in the direction of the monster. Blueblood audibly winces behind you and hurries to catch up.
"What are you doing!?" He shouts in a whisper "At least tell me what your plan is before you enact it!"
"I need to get closer first."
"For WHAT?"
You crouch behind another rock and signal for Blue to get lower, to which he complies. You take a runic marking from your belt and hold it at an angle in your hand towards the Argus. You estimate you were about a hundred or so feet from it now.
The setting sun's brilliant orange light catches on the polished metal and reflects across the canyon and onto the jellified sac of the Argus.
The beast wriggles in discomfort, something that would possibly be cute if anything else were doing it, before unleashing a high-pitched screech that makes your blood run cold. While you grit your teeth and fight through the effects of the scream, you spot something flying at your location. An attack, surely.
Your legs will not move, but you force your shield arm to action. In a flash your buckler intercepts the splash of green, viscous liquid with a splash. The snow behind you melts in places the liquid hit and your buckler smokes as even the magic wood begins to pulp.
"For THAT." You answer Blueblood finally.
You knew you heard mention of acid.
"What. In Celestia's name. Are we to do against THAT?" Blueblood wonders aloud.
You dap your shield in the snow to smother the effects of the acid. You were surprised how quickly it could site and shoot at you.
As well as how quickly it was recovering.
"Right now, move!"
Blueblood follows you as the two of you take off running and the rock behind which you were hiding melts in a rain of acid.
"Plan! Now!" Blueblood demands as panic sets in.
You however were fine as the icy chill of your combat rush set in. "Split up! Avoid the spray and try to make some tears in that sac of its!"
"Are you mad!?" Blueblood when you run away from him.
You didn't blame him for the legitimate question, you probably were.
Closing on the Argus Panoptes, you drag your mace along the ground and catch a fist sized stone with it, batting it through the air until it strikes the Argus dead in the eye-sac. It makes that same sound as before, the sort of cough you'd hear from a disgruntled child, as it turns its tendrils to you.
"Hah! I told you!"
You duck under a swipe of a noodly appendage and gesture to your companion. "I told you it would work, now go the other way! Push it down canyon and into the light!"
Music
Blueblood begins to gallop down the snow field, drawing the attention of the Argus by the glisten of his armor. The monster turns its mouth to him to spit-
"Oh no, that's too soon!"
You leap up and swing your mace, catching a bit of skin on it with the edge of your weapon and drawing a thick blue blood.
"Heh! Ironic."
The other, friendly Blueblood continues to gallop as his horn begins to glow, he scoops up long streaks of snow in his grip. He presses the snow together into shards of ice and rime that streak through the air towards the Argus as its distracted with you, dragging lines of cobalt ichor along its skin and spilling it to the ground in a frothy gruel of fluid and blood.
The Argus screeches again, but in pain and surprise more than outrage, and you see the eyes where Blueblood cut begin to squirm and dart around.
"Keep the pressure on!"
That was the wrong thing to say, as it draws the attention of the Argus to the much closer target: You.
"Uh oh."
You dash forward to avoid the strike of one of its tendrils and swear to yourself for presenting your back to your enemy.
Hazarding a glance behind you, the Argus raises both its long tendrils above its body, the speed you've seen it move at tells you that you won't have time to get away from it. The Argus unleashes a gurgly roar in its slowly draining fluid sac as one of its tendrils hits the ground next to it. Blueblood races around the crippled side wielding an ornate rapier in his magical grip. "It turned it's back!"
"And you saved my life!"
You skid through the snow and take a hard right, heading up a ride and back the way you came towards the Argus.
"I'll set it up, keep going! We need to get it past the mountain's shadow!"
The Argus spots you with one of its still functioning eyes and spits a green mucus in your path. Your old body is too worn to dive in time without loosing a leg at the speed it was coming, but your life is saved once again when some instinct overtakes you and you send your buckler sailing off your arm and through the air with a flick.
The acid overtakes the shield, but the momentum from your throw impacts the acid and slows it enough for you to slide down the ridge and closer to the monster.
"You need this more than I!" Blue calls, getting your attention
His fancy saber comes spinning at you just as you turn your head and your arm snaps up to grab the hilt. "Thanks!"
Just what you needed!
You whip the saber forward and slice off the tip of one of the remaining tendrils, slicing clean through with the expertly honed edge of the weapon. The rest of your momentum carries your mace and its considerably higher mass which you slam into the remainder of the tendril, knocking it out of the way and crippling the appendage.
You plant your forward foot in the ground and step forward as you bring Blue's saber up over your arm and stab it into the face of the Argus, piercing one of its central eyes low in the sac.
"Paydirt!"
The Argus screams in pain again and resolves to crush you with its remaining tendrils or melt you down to your bones, but you distract it long enough to escape its proximity by dragging the blade across its body, tearing into the next two eyes before ripping it out and running.
If it wasn't going to follow you before, it would now.
"Get ready, Your Highness!"
"What??" Blueblood turns to you in the field of snow just beyond the shadow of the mountain. All around you was fresh, untouched powder dropped by local weather ponies without end that was left to peacefully pile up due to how little anyone came up here.
You have to lift your legs high to slog through this deep snow, slowing you considerably as you rejoin Blueblood and toss him his sword.
"It's coming."
If you were still running, the Argus would be sure to catch you. But running was the last thing on your mind. The Argus floats towards the two of you in the shadow of the mountain, bleeding from half its eyes and leaking fluid from the sac it lived in that stains the snow. The eyes that still function dart every direction as the cold air begins to dry them.
"Be ready...Aim for the lower eyes still moist."
"What are we doing, Anonymous?"
"Wait for it..."
Your eyes dart up the side of the crag you were beside as the Argus encroaches, gripping the handle of your mace tight.
The Argus halts mid-flight once it reaches the edge of the shadow and squeals in pain. It's top eyes are red and bloodshot as they fail to focus while freezing over and the snow all around you, shining like a torch in the light of the sunset, catches the others.
"Now! Angle your blade and keep it off balance with light to the last of its eyes!"
Blueblood obeys your command and bounces the sunlight right into the last eyes on the Argus still moistened while you take your mace in both hands and arc it back over your head. With a mighty heave you hurl your mace through the air as hard as you can and send it sailing up the side of the mountain, it spirals through the air and strikes a collection of boulders you'd eyed when you entered the valley.
"Now! Down!"
You grab Blueblood and tackle him to the snow.
The mace rebounds on contact, but jostles the boulders free, which fall from their precarious height and knock bits of mountain off on their way down. The Argus has time to notice that it is no longer fully blind and look up before it gets crushed under the jagged stones.
"Cover your eyes!" you hear Blueblood yell when the wave of blood and acid from the creature's death looms over you.
The sounds of fading magic and snow dissolving in acid meet your ears as Blueblood's ward falls.
"Your highness, never let anyone call you a lackabout who rides on his royal reputation ever again."
"Not...not, dammit." You hear the Prince grumbling next to you.
You lift your head up and behold him fighting a spark of emerald magic at the top of his horn. His coat is flashing between black and white while his entire form shifts until the spark explodes over him and his spell fades, returning him to a form you were much more familiar with.
A silence passes between the two of you. He looks at you with his milky eyes while you register what just happened. As soon as the moment passes, the thought cements itself in your head and you're on your feet, hand wrapping around your mace for another battle.
"What have you done with the prince!" you demand.
"It's fine!"
You leap at him with your mace, but he hops back before you can reach him.
"Where IS he!?"
"CALM DOWN!"
"I have not lived this long taking suggestions from Changelings!"
"And if I were attempting to deceive you, you'd be dead again already!"
You bit your teeth as you come to that realization yourself, as well as another. "'Again'?"
The Once-Prince takes a deep breath and speaks with a double flanged voice. "Yes, you fool. I know of how you went off to the far North to meet your end, everyone does. The Princesses held a ceremony in honor of all you've done for the Kingdom."
That made you feel warm inside, you ever so slightly relax your stance.
"I will ask again, bug. Where is Prince Blueblood?"
You see him roll his eyes. "At his chateau in the hills more than likely! I've never even been near him, just saw his photograph and knew his form would be helpful!"
"Helpful for what?" you ask.
The Changeling looks to the runic inscriptions on your belt and breastplate and opens his mouth to answer, but a call from down the valley catches both your ears.
"COME THIS WAY! STRELNIKOV HEAR RAGING BATTLE JUST OVER THIS RIDGE!"
"Dammit!" exclaims the Changeling.
"The Stalliongradians!"
The Changeling runs over to his bags, a flawless recreation of the bags a Canterlot prince would have and digs around in them. "We do NOT have time for this. You need to GO."
"I beg your PARDON?"
You didn't like this insect giving you orders, but he looks back at you over his shoulder with fury in his eyes. "YOU are dead, I am an enemy of the crown, and I know where you come from!"
Wait WHAT?
He trots over to you literally hissing. "I presume this beast was YOUR mission, but it was not mine! I stumbled onto this mayhem by accident and if we tarry ANY longer then they are going to find out we're BOTH here and this corpse will be in every newspaper by tomorrow morning!" he says, pointing to the approaching sounds of the locals. "So are we REALLY going to dig up animosity from years ago until we're both found out, or are you going to take this thing away with you, let me assume the Prince's form to turn THEM away, and let everyone get what they want and be happy!?"
You were a soldier, not a politician, and this smelled a lot like politics. Changelings were untrustworthy, this one especially since he had the shape of a prince and seemed to know how you were alive again, and both of those made you nervous.
But soldier as you were, you weren't an idiot.
"I have no choice, do I?" you ask with a sigh.
"No." he says. "Now hurry!"
The Changeling uses his magic to assume Blueblood's form once more and gathers his props for his disguise. You run over to the corpse of the Argus and look to the sky.
"Heimdall! It's dead and the mortals are coming! I need you now!"
As the clouds above you swirl in the pattern you recognize as the opening Bifrost, you look back to your unlikely ally.
"Just tell me, what in the Hel are you doing out here, Changeling?"
His answer comes as he uses his magic to toss something to you, a glistening orange jewel that you catch with your hand.
"Tell Lady Loki that Thorax's debt has been repaid!"
You're shocked stiff twice in the past ten minutes as the Bifrost spirits you and the Argus away.
You blink away the mountains of the Celestial Ridge and find yourself back in the Bifrost Keep in Asgard. Others are here as well, Heimdall watches from his perch behind you and Tyr stands before a group of hooded unicorns who have the corpse of the Argus suspended in a force field above the floor, to keep the acid from eating through, no doubt.
Before them all was Queen Sleipnir, looking over the corpse of the Panoptes with an expression that could be at best considered "mildly interested". She turns her head to you shortly you register her presence, possibly detecting that you were aware now. "What does this make, the second time you have killed something with a rock instead of a weapon?"
You lower your shieldless left hand and silently place the jewel that Changeling gave you in your pocket, you were intent to figure that mystery out yourself after what you'd gone through.
But that meant you needed to handle this situation now, so you fall to a joke.
"We had sharp rocks before we had swords, Your Grace, I dare say they're the weapon we have the most experience in."
An almost laugh escapes the Queen's nostrils before she strides over to you. "You slew the beast and solved the problem my son too cautious to do, you as well do not need to be put back together again this time. Well done."
"Your son was nearly right to leave it."
Sleipnir cocks an eyebrow.
"The sounds of the battle drew the attention of the locals, they nearly spotted me before Heimdall pulled me away."
Sleipnir looks over her shoulder to the other war god. "Fortunate then that we have the both of you here. One to remain cautious and voice concerns, and the other to ignore them and slay the beast."
Tyr nods his begrudging agreement with her assessment as the Queen walks past him. "Throw that in a pit where it belongs, then arrange a feast, we will commemorate No-name's deed today."
"As you wish, Mother."
That gets your interest, you were never one to turn down free food...
The meal lasted long into the night and featured more guests than any event at the royal palace. They hailed from all walks of the city and congratulated you on your slaying of a Tartarian beast. Warriors you'd seen at the Ulfirborg, visiting diplomats from other realms, even Baldur and Tyr had offered their word.
Sleipnir informed you that one of her children, Hermod, offered much the same and that the strong gust of wind you'd felt when they brought out the third boar you were eating was him, but that he had to return to his duties.
That was fine with you, as you needed to get out of there to investigate further.
You walk down the hallway Baldur had shown you on your first day and stop before a section of wood inside of a door frame with a splash of green paint on it in a runic shape. You had seen Loki walk into this sigil when you first saw it, but could she hear you through it?
"Loki?"
No harm in trying. No response though.
You look both ways down the hall to ensure no sentry would spot you and, content that they were off getting drunk, rap your hand against the wood.
"Loki, it's No-name, I need to speak with you."
Still nothing. It was like you were talking to a wall.
You sigh at how foolish you must look, but resolve to try one last thing. "I met Throax, he gave me something he said would clear his debt."
The instant the words leave your mouth, the sigil on the wood alights in a flash of green. You don't have time to shout in surprise before you're whisked away.
Music
"Show me!" is the first thing you hear.
You blink the spots away to find yourself comfortably standing on the other side of the sigil doorway in a room that had a lot of attention poured into it. Books, tomes, and ancient scrolls are stacked in almost every corner of the. Next to the bed, the table stocked with fruity drinks and ales, by the window. Plants and greenery made the room smell fresh and natural and on the fall wall there was a tank of water populated by a half dozen slithering eels.
"Charming..."
"Hey!" Loki, absent from her helmet and finery and looking uncombed, leaps into your vision from below your belt and you notice she wiggles her legs when she jumps. "Show me the jewel, you oaf!"
"Alright! Settle down! By the nine..."
You reach into your pocket and hold the jewel to her eyes between your fingers. Her eyes light up like Hearths Warming as the light from her room catches the facets, no doubt seeing something you didn't. "Beautiful...just beautiful."
She reaches her hoof to it, but you pull it back just as fast. You get a puffy cheeked face of anger for your troubles.
"Oh no, not yet. First you tell me what this is and why you had a Changeling getting it for you."
"I am sure you're aware that I can simply make you give that to me, No-name."
"Just as I'm sure YOU are aware that the first one to find out after you do would be your Mother, Lady Loki."
She tightens her jaw when you say that.
"So start talking."
Princess Loki silently considers your words. "Very well..." She turns and goes to a stack of books near the wall, digs behind it, and produces a chest. Using her magic, she manipulates a complex lock on the chest and produces a single flat talisman with an empty socket in the center.
"The jewel goes in tandem with this mystical talisman I spent nine months tracking down from Alfhiem and had to beg my older brother to win in a gamble for me. I simply told him I thought it would be a pretty necklace and shed some tears."
"How cute. Keep talking."
Loki sneers at you and continues. "A lie, obviously. The two pieces together form a talisman dubbed Palantir. The tales say that the first king of the Elves crafted it to relive the memories of the older races of the world...and was driven insane by it as a result."
"And now you want it? There are easier ways to go mad, Princess."
"I am not looking to go mad, OAF. I need it for...reasons."
"Yeah? Like what."
Loki narrows her eyes at you "You are annoyingly persistent." She remarks, trying to change the subject.
"QUEEN SLEIPN-"
"STOOOP!" she cries with both hooves out, suddenly very much a young filly. You laugh in your head.
Loki composes herself and takes a breath. "The REASONS...are that according to the tales, the Palantir will transcend time and space when called upon to view anything the wielder wishes."
"And the "insanity" thing?"
"Stare into the sun for too long and you'll burn your eyes, No-name. This is much the same."
"On today of all days, I'm very familiar with the idea." You say.
"Why then? Why does this interest you?" you ask.
Loki heaves a heavy sigh and looks away from you. "I am adopted."
"I know."
"And what you do not know is that I was adopted the day I was born, the same day my birth-parents died." Ah...
Loki continues. "I would use this to answer...questions about my past, and provide me direction in...my future."
It may have been a trick of the light, but Loki seems to lower her head and look sadder from where you stand.
Looking down on her with the gem in your hand makes her seem much smaller than the goddess who'd nearly gotten you eaten by Timber Wolves, smaller than the large room she was in by herself all this time.
"...No, it's fine, me too."
Loki's head perks up and she looks to you. "Excuse me?"
You approach the goddess from across the room, noting her still apparent distrust of you by the way she raises her leg and grits her teeth, but you extend the jewel out to her.
"I said me too. I came here when I was a young boy, no older than you were now, but I didn't remember a thing about where I came from or why I was here."
Loki continues to look up at you, though her eyes dart to the jewel.
"I remember the nights staying awake wondering what reason I had to be alive in Equestria, or questioning the kindness of those who took me in. Growing up isn't easy, and it's harder when you have all that going on."
You tilt your head to the side. "You think I didn't wish for a magic spell that could tell me all the answers I wanted? I did, but I didn't get it, I had to grow out of those the hard way." You shake the gem at her again "So if I can make your road down that path easier, I'm going to."
Loki looks at you like you have two heads. "And you...trust my words?"
"You're a brat, Loki. But I can tell a frightened and confused child when I see one after so many nights in front of a mirror."
Loki's face of disbelief melts off into an annoyed one. "And now I regret speaking."
"You'll regret more if you don't hide this somewhere your Mother can't see it."
Loki's eyes bug wide open as she realizes that. "...Yes, indeed. This room is enough sanctuary for me for normal life, but even I cannot hide something like the Palantir if it's complete and inside the palace..."
Her face shifts once again back to the composed, condescending face of a lifelong royal. "You trust me, No-name?"
"Until you give me reason not to."
"And you could have given this to Mother but instead came here..."
"Yep."
Loki approaches you and looks you up and down. "Keep the gem."
You cock and eyebrow.
"The pieces are safer from Mother separate than together. I propose a...contract of sorts, No-name. I will keep the base, you will keep the jewel, and we will only use the Palantir together to learn what we desire."
"And we'll both have enough on the other that the Queen would bury us if she found out."
"Which will keep either of us from telling her." Loki says, extending her hoof. "Do we have a deal?"
You contemplate her words, actions, and the look in her eyes before you pocket the gem and shake her hoof "We do, Princess."
Deep inside you, you feel the faint embers of a mutual bond forming with the princess. |
Prose Equus | Through The Stomach. | You rapidly spin the midsections of the striking dummies in what is rapidly becoming your favorite courtyard in the palace until they look like they'll go on their own. You take a deep breath and pluck your sword from the ground as you dive between the two of them.
Iron striking limbs hit at you from all angles, requiring you to parry from forward and backwards with your ice sword and a sparring blade you'd borrowed. The tornado of steel and wood becomes your entire world as you focus on your rhythm. Strike, strike, reverse strike, turn, strike, practice dummies get stopped by gold magic, strik-
Wait hold on.
You stop your flurry and look to your guest, the God Queen of Asgard.
"You spend more time alone with these training tools than you do with others." she says.
You snort and rise, sheathing your blade and swinging the borrowed one. "The same could be said for yourself, Grace. You spend so much time as a Queen that I never see you rest or spend time with your friends."
"Because all my friends are dead, No-name."
The silence in the courtyard is palpable.
"...Really?"
Sleipnir does what you construe as a shrug. "No, not all of them. But most."
"I'm sorry."
Sleipnir signals for you to follow her, to which you obey.
"Do not be." She says. "They were gone long before you were born."
"Then you have my sympathies."
"Something I neither require nor desire."
Either you made a face or she read your mind, but the Queen of Asgard knew how you felt and continued to speak as she walks with you.
"We die, that is the way of all things. Some may pass sooner, others later. But all things are destined to end, one day. So says the God of Death."
You mull that over for a second as the two of you walk "Pessimistic nihilism, if you ask me."
Sleipnir stops in her tracks and looks back at you with a tempests eye, so you make quick to explain yourself. "Yeah, people die, sometimes we can't stop it, but that doesn't mean we submit ourselves to it either. Prevent it wherever you can, accept it when it happens, but never, EVER resign yourself to it."
She continues to stare at you, you put your fists on your hips and puff your chest a bit.
"So says No-name, God of Nothing."
Sleipnir continues to stare, until she doesn't and just continues on her way. "Come, we're late for breakfast."
The Queen leads you into the feasting hall which is entirely empty, with places set for only two.
"Didn't think we were THAT late..." you muse.
"Normal breakfast was early today, we required the room." Sleipnir gestures to one of the seats. "Sit."
You hang your sword on one of the hooks by the wall and sit down.
"Early, eh? I can never eat so soon after waking up, it makes me feel sluggish."
"I do not sleep." Sleipnir says.
You ponder the logistics of that when two others enter the room.
"I've retrieved her as asked!" Baldur proclaims.
Next to him, Loki grimaces and rubs her head near her horn. "Not so LOUD, brother..."
"Hey! Welcome back to the land of the living, Princess." Loki grunts as she walks around the table and takes a seat next to you.
"No meal in your room today?"
"Nothing MORE obvious to state today?" she asks.
"Enough, the both of you." Sleipnir silences the both of you as she approaches from the other end of the table, floating a golden chest the size of your head. She places the chest before you on the table and eyes Loki sternly.
"Tell me what it is you did wrong."
Loki squirms in her chair and looks away from her mother.
"Now." She demands.
The princess closes her eyes and lets it all come out. "I wandered down to Midgard and tried to trick the mortals to me because I wanted SOMEONE up here to take my magic seriously for once in my life and that seemed the best way to do it OKAY? Honestly...how am I to make myself known as a magister when you are here as well, Mother?"
"You don't." says Sleipnir, echoing through the empty chamber. She leans her head down to Loki's level and looks her in the eye. "You are not prepared for the role you seek, child. The throne takes more than a magister to occupy." Loki breaks eye contact with her mother and nods with a sigh. "If you wish to be noticed, then be something worth noticing."
Loki is about to object before she continues. "There are enough magisters in this realm, you are a goddess, a princess, and my daughter. Surely you can come up with a role you wish to be."
"Now, eat." She commands as she opens the chest.
Inside the resplendent chest on a cushion of red silk was a single apple, about the size of AJ's back home. Unlike hers, however, this one was the same color as the chest it came in.
"What in the world-"
"The Golden Apples of Iduun. Called Ambrosia by the Equestrians and the source of the might of the Aesir. The grove where Iduun cultivates them is one of our most closely guarded secrets, as the power they hold within them the power to make a mortal into a king."
You look between the apple and Sleipnir.
"And?"
The Queen grabs a knife with her magic and stabs it into the table in front of you.
"You can't be serious."
"She's always serious." Loki says.
"She JUST said it would have the power to make me a king."
"Half of one." Sleipnir corrects, taking the knife and floating the apple up. With gentle care, the Mother of All cuts the heavenly fruit in half first, then begins slicing it.
"Beg pardon."
"The apple does indeed have the power within it to make a mortal a king, but only those of Aesir blood may have the fortitude to contain it all." Sleipnir places the slices gently in front of you both. "You two will make due with half of such power."
Loki simmers and grabs one of the slices. "Mother! I am not a little filly anymore, cease treating me as one at once!"
"No." is all the response she gets.
You snicker under your breath.
Sleipnir goes around behind your chairs. "When you are my age, daughter. Then I may consider your request. Baldur."
"Yes'm!" you hear.
"When your sister finishes her apple, spend the day with her outside the palace. Take No-name with you to ensure that the apple does not harm him."
Loki's ears perk up at the idea of not being grounded.
"Should she behave herself for the day, she will be permitted to walk the city again."
You'd never seen anyone dig into a sliced apple meal so fast, but Loki certainly tried.
"Hah! Well, bon appetite, I guess..."
You pick up the odd fruit between your fingers and pop it into your mouth.
Hmm. Tasted like sunshine.
After your meal, the three of you walk from the entrance of the palace along the path to the city, between the golden statues of heroes from ages past that tower taller than the palace in Canterlot.
You look at your hands, flexing them and trying to feel the power the apple had carried into you. "I don't FEEL any different."
"Give it a bit of time, No-name!" Baldur assures you. "The nectar of the Golden Apples is like a gentle drip carried by the clear waters of the Aesir through our bodies! Yours might just take a bit of time since your blood is more like...uhm..." He chews on his tongue a bit in thought before he gets something. "Mud! Blood like mud! Hehe."
"You're too kind, Majesty."
"Baldur to you, No-name! Just Baldur!"
The prince walks along the path with his head held high and you look down to his sister, keeping her gaze low as she trots along.
"Bit for your thoughts."
Loki blinks away her haze and looks up to you. "Were you addressing me?"
"Yes?"
She scrunches her nose. "My thoughts are none of your concern, No-name!" she says in her haughty princess voice.
"Right, right. Humor me with a question then."
Loki looks back to you with one eye open, the action form of a question mark.
"The Queen called you her daughter so...assuredly, but you told me you were adopted, so..."
A shade of crimson comes from under Loki's cheeks and her horn sparks. "You have some nerve on you, Mortal! To think that you would ask a goddess such-"
"Settle down, sister!" Baldur chides, stopping ahead of you both. He extends a calming hoof out and pats her back. "He doesn't know, alright? Settle down."
"I get the feeling you two know something I don't." you say.
Baldur gives you a big smile and laughs. "I believe this may be what you mortals call "cultural differences", my friend." Baldur pulls Loki a bit closer, the princess clearly not enjoying the physical attention. "In Asgard, so many may die in wars or battles, that bonds we form must either form quickly and deeply, or not at all. Because of that and any familial deaths within those wars to be "adopted" does not carry with it the stigma it may in other realms." He explains.
Baldur smiles down at Loki, who does her best impression of a rock wall. "Sister has been accepted as one of us! That means she is of our family, by heart if not by blood."
"Being of the same family as you, brother...I can hardly contain my excitement."
You chuckle. "You both act like family, at least."
"His fault." Loki assures. "He was here since I was a newborn and I am only able to withstand so much of him after the years."
She removes her brother's hoof and continues down the road. "Come! I would use my first day of freedom for something other than the cultural enrichment of a braindead peon."
You and Baldur exchange a look and a half-sigh.
"If she gets in trouble and stays grounded, she'll never let us hear the end of it."
"So we should get in the trouble before her since we're not being punished! Come, No-name!"
Baldur gallops after his little sister, with you not too far behind. |
Prose Equus | Miracle Duty. | "KILL IT! KILL IT! WHY AREN'T YOU KILLING IT!"
"I heard you the first time, hold on!" you chide
You prop your foot upon a rock and lean your weight into pulling your war hammer free as another deafening roar echoes through the cave. The hardened magma bursts around your hammers head as Loki lets out another yelp. "HE IS BURNING MY CLOTHING!"
"Then stop wearing such long robes!"
You hold your hammer tight in both hands and rush the magma-beast low. The first order of business was getting it away from the small cave Loki was hiding in that it was trying to cram its arm into.
"Blow it back when I say so!"
"WHAT?!" Loki calls as you slide into action.
You plant your foot next to the sweltering leg of the magma elemental as it slowly takes notice of you and swing your hammer from as far back as you can with as much force as you can. The silver head of the hammer impacts the molten flesh of the colossus and presses against the liquid rock held inside. The force of your blow depresses the creatures leg as it crumples beneath you and the hammer tears out the other side, obliterating the monster's ankle.
"Gooooo!"
You hear Loki scream in either fear or rage before a sub-zero wind quickly blasts from the mouth of the cave she secured herself inside and impacted the golem center mass. The creature groans a surprised and frustrated dirge as its weight gets the better of it and sends it toppling to the ground where you're reading for the second hit.
You lock eyes with the creature for a moment as you raise your hammer above your head and zero in. "Just needed your head a bit closer!"
The beast moves to stop you, but doesn't get more than a few inches before you bring the hammer down on top of it and crush its head as easily as its ankle.
As the magma creature's hand falls to its side, the cavern falls silent.
"Is it dead?" Loki's voice squeaks, breaking the silence.
"Hrmm. Interesting question."
You set your hammer head down on the ground and rest your foot on it, tapping your lips "Flesh of stone, blood of lava, heart of fire. Was this creature ever truly "alive"?" you ponder.
Loki scrambles her back legs to climb out of her hiding spot, grunting from the rare physical effort. "I'm ignoring you now."
The princess approaches the corpse of the Mag-man, a term you had just thought of and are incredibly proud of, with extreme caution that betrays her raw age.
"I colored the floor with its head, highness. It won't be getting back up, of that I assure you."
"Yes, well, see to it that it does not, No-name." she huffs out.
You choose to ignore her attitude and watch her do her thing.
Loki retrieves a pair of items from her saddlebags within her magical grip, a long narrow metal rod and a pair of tongs.
"What in the world are those?"
"A magic chisel forged in the heart of Muspelheim that can endure the heat of a dying star." she answers.
"And those?"
"A pair of tongs that I borrowed from the blacksmith when he was not looking."
Loki swings the chisel up high and strikes it deep into the chest of the Mag-man, it sinks in nearly to the hilt.
"A-huh. "Borrowed" is it?"
"With every intention of returning them once I'm done with it." Loki grasps the chisel with the tongs and begins to pull for leverage, exerting herself with her magic in a way she's not used to. "What. Do I. Need. With. Tongs. Anyway?" she grunts.
"Here."
You approach her side and take one of the handles of the tongs. "Together."
Loki silently puffs her cheeks a bit but doesn't push you away.
"Okay one, two, THREE!"
With your added muscle, the two of you pull and feel the insides of the golem shift around. The chisel lists slightly from the effort and deforms the torso of the Mag-man until the entire side of its body wrenches free and drops an orange-hot, glowing geode onto the floor in an oozing pool of burning blood.
Loki sighs in exertion and pulls the chisel out with her magic, picking up the stone with the tongs. "The heart of a magma elemental...just what the Griffons need."
You wordlessly grab your hammer while she makes for the entrance to the cave, content, it seems to let whatever else lived in this cave have the Mag-man.
A short while later Loki and you are wordlessly treading the peaks and ranges that make up most of the Griffin Kingdoms. The times you'd been in the kingdom made you recall how the structure of it all seemed to be vertical in its entirety. Keeps and fortresses built 500 years ago went straight up the side of the mountains, all while the ever-agile Griffons darted in and out of strategic entrances at all altitudes.
You pause your stride a moment and look behind you over a smaller crag, just spying the tips of the stone spires of Gryphus peeking through the clouds.
You sigh and shiver the chill out of your bones. "Damned birds have it easy."
"Hurry UP no-name!" comes Loki's impatient call ahead of you. "I am not in the mood to drag your frozen corpse along with this thing!"
"Settle down, highness!"
You trudge closer to her, enjoying the ambient heat from the Heart she carries. "It will take more than that to be rid of me."
"I'll keep that in mind." She says with a smug look before turning and continuing on.
"I notice you haven't told me why we're out here, Loki."
You're a bit surprised Loki gives you a straight, if sardonic answer. "Miracle duty." She groans.
"I'll need a bit more than that."
The princess rolls her eyes and huffs but continues on. "Has a thought ever crossed your mind wondering how all the godly miracles that make it into the tales you mortals tell came to pass?"
"With the magic your Mother wields, I presume she simply speaks and things happen."
"Tch. Hardly." Loki answers. "One of Mother's favorite things to say is how "power requires sacrifice"." Loki says, imitating her mother's tone of voice perfectly with her own magic. "However those who will take it to such an extreme as her are few and far between, mostly dead."
"I can't say I disagree with her, though."
Loki looks back at you, you flex your arm. "Everything in life worth having is something you work for. Think I could have crushed that beast before it ate you if I didn't sacrifice my time and effort into honing myself?"
"You would if your fragile mortal body could handle the Apples of Iduun better than it is."
The apples you and Loki ate have been affecting you much slower than they have her, but you did feel a bit of spring in your step lately.
"And you'd not be rubbish with a sword if you picked up something heavier than your head, that hot air must weigh a stone!"
Loki gnashes her teeth at you and wings the heart of the Mag-man near your head, but she's far too slow to hit you.
"I'm kidding, relax!"
Loki grits her teeth and continues. "I do not have time for this." She bites out through her teeth.
You follow Loki along.
"You were telling me about this miracle duty of yours?"
Loki keeps her eyes forward and mouth shut.
"Come on, I'm sorry."
Still nothing comes from her.
"I could start singing to pass the time..."
Loki still doesn't respond.
Alright, she asked for it. You take a deep breath of the mountain air.
"THREE MONTHS OF WINTER COOLNESS, AND AWESOME HOLI-gah!"
You brush the snow thrown at you out of your mouth and spit. Loki stands before you looking livid. "Utter ONE more syllable and I promise that this mountain will be your grave!"
A silence passes between you two with only the wind to keep you company.
"You ready to talk now?"
Loki hangs her head and seems to accept that you aren't giving up. "You are more tiring than my sister...fine." The princess resumes her path along the ridge and down the side away from the wind on a hewn stone road with you in tow. "The source of miracles you suggest is only the result of those mighty enough to do so. More often than not, miracles for you mortals are the result of foresight on our part followed by a not-inconsiderate amount of walking, occasional killing, and using a big fire stone in some ritual or another."
"And you're doing it because?"
"I am doing it because someone has to keep you mortals from dying so damned fast and my number came up."
"You're trying to use this to get less grounded, aren't you."
Loki is silent for a moment. "That is a beneficial side effect."
"Of course. And I'm here?"
"In the event I needed something smashed? And would you look at that! I did! Congratulations minion, your purpose is fulfilled, and you may die happy now. For the rest of today, you must simply accompany me to the druidic shrine up ahead where the ritual may take place."
"So glad to be of service, your grace."
Music
A short while later, Loki and you arrive at the destination she was seeking out with the magma heart intact.
"The druids who built this place died out some hundreds of years ago so no one should come knocking." She says while approaching the trio of stones in the center of the room.
"Just the same I want to look around to make sure..."
"Be my guest, just be silent so that I may work and we may go home."
You let Loki be and look around the shrine. Like many things in the area, it was located in a cave carved out of the stone of the peak by either wind, time, or Griffon talon. The stones in the center of the shrine hum with a natural resonance you associated with magic and Loki fussed over, while the walls are adorned with detailed tapestries and paintings in between the rare lush greenery.
Your attention goes to the paintings. You see giant creatures and hordes of ghouls rampaging across the landscape towards brilliant light in the distance and lead by a horned beast of pure darkness. The field before the brilliant light is littered with illustrations of the bodies of the dead while nightmares rip the sun and moon above their heads from the sky. Behind it all a colossal red devil towers, wielding a sword of midnight and marching with the demonic host.
"Not a pretty sight."
"Ragnarok never is."
You turn to her as she performs her ritual.
"That's the most confident you've spoken about something all day."
"It is one of our oldest and our most retold tale. I ought to." Loki grumbles. "Father drilled it into all our heads many times..."
"Tell it to me."
Loki sighs and attempts to focus on her ritual, but you can see something behind her eyes that makes you believe that might be the last thing on her mind. The girl needed to talk to someone. "I do not have the time to recount for you a story you should already know."
"I will know it if you tell me."
Loki chews over your logic for a minute but refocuses on the Heart. "There is not much to tell. The dead rise, giants descend on Asgard from all corners of the Nine Realms, there is a final battle and then everyone dies and the world returns to ash. There, that is the long and short of it."
"I'm told there are no Frost Giants..."
"There aren't." Loki states. "But there are more giants than simply them. The ones who live in the hills, for example or the fire giants from Muspleheim. There is also the dead from Helheim and Nifflehiem as well as the Nidhogg himself."
"Lots of names."
"Every enemy old and new Asgard has ever known is said to rise during Ragnarok and pull the home of the Gods down before they spill out over Midgard and like a tide, and it all begins when one of them uses a sword to pull the heart of Asgard out."
Loki's face catches your glance. The girl is focusing on the ritual spell before her, but her eyes seem different. Not a spark of life exists behind those green windows and the bags under her eyes look like the kind of tired that sleep cannot fix. You think about what she said earlier, about her father telling her this story so much, and how much a teenager being forced to think of her own grisly demise would ruin them.
Can't have that.
You put your fists on your hips and puff your chest a bit.
"Nothing to be done about any of that, then?"
"No. It's fate."
"I'll believe it when I see it. I haven't met a fate I can't fight yet."
"It's Mother who tells the tale most, do you think you can fight her?"
You let the silence sit for a bit. "...I can probably get a hit or two in."
Loki lets a smile pull the corner of her mouth and lets out a single snort of a laugh. "I would like to see that."
"Then I promise you that before the world ends and we both die, I'll let you watch me fight your mother. How's the ritual going?"
"Nearly...done." Loki announces as a warm wave of orange light erupts from the Heart and seeps into the floor. "The heat will find its way to the land and thaw the snow; the animals will return after and the Griffons will have their food back. We just need to return here in the summer to retrieve this."
"We can worry about that later. No point in concerning ourselves with summer or apocalypses today, neither of them are happening right now."
Another snort-laugh. "Keep thinking like that and you'll live half as long as you normally would."
"Twice as bright though, I'd rather a bright life than a long one."
You make a show of glancing from side to side and leaning down to Loki. "Does anyone REALLY want to be as old as your mother?"
Princess Loki does the unthinkable by going even further and laughing. It's short and only a few chortles, but unmistakable. "You're lucky you're down here while she's up there."
"I'm sure she'll be there you glower at me once we return, which we ought to be doing by my clock. Are you ready?"
The shimmer in Loki's eyes returns. "Aye, we can call Heimdall from outside."
The two of you walk out of the druid's cave and shout Heimdall's name to the sky. The clouds above you swirl as the Bifrost opens and you prepare to return.
"I bet we could float ourselves to Asgard if you filled your head with more hot air."
The spark in Loki's eyes becomes an inferno as she tries to scream at you, but the Bifrost scooping you both up silences all.
-Elsewhere-
Shining Armor floats his breastplate up and over his head with a tired sigh, telekinesis going through the familiar motions of fastening the harnesses and belts that keep it in place. Normally, as a prince, he'd have aid doing this, but today his role was that of a guard captain and advisor.
A grim glance out the window of his room in the royal palace, at the dark skies and the whipping winds, makes him glad that he left Cadence and Flurry up north.
With a final check to make sure everything is in place, he steels himself and heads outside to his escort.
"Smiles."
"Armor."
Sunshine Smiles pushes himself off the wall he's leaning on with his leathery bat wing, already in his armor and waiting to go. Shining could tell even when looking into Smile's eyepatch that he was impatient, so he wastes no time in starting down the hall.
"Any change?"
"Nothing. I've sent two flyers from the extreme weather unit into the skies, but they both came back with nothing more than "these clouds aren't natural"."
"How did you get Valkyries all the way from Stalliongrad here so fast?"
Smiles keeps his head forward when crossing over the courtyard. "We are our master's pupils. Just because you won't lean into that for a favor here or there doesn't mean I won't."
Shining looks up to the clouds now that they're out in the open; low and boiling, like the breath of a sleeping dragon, but with the faint air of decay and sinister intent in them.
"Speaking of, will Tempestra be joining us?"
"No. Master is on far deployment and can't be recalled."
Shining nods. "That's too bad, she might be able to scare the clouds away."
"You'll just have to manage with me."
Shining Armor winces at his choice of words. "Sunny, I didn't mean-"
"I know."
He turns to Shining and gives a rare smile for a member of the Night Guard, let alone a captain. "How long have we known each other? I've got you figured out too well to think you'd want to offend me."
Shining returns the smile and jostles Sunshine a bit in a shadow of the roughhousing play the two of them would do back in training.
"Where's Flash?"
Sunshine groans. "Far away from your sister, I told you I'd take care of that so can you please stop pester-"
"I mean NOW, Sunny."
"Oh...I have him scouting the AO down south with a team."
"Is that safe?"
"It'll have to be."
The two guards enter a long hallway at the foot of the central palace, a private hallway lined with paintings and memorials to comrades lost.
"I guess I'm worried...It's just the three of us left now."
"Anonymous was older than the both of us and twice as active, we can't exactly say his decision was surprising in our line of work."
The two continue their path.
"Just...after Captain Gaeus..."
Sunshine Smiles nods. "That one, no one could see coming...Do you miss him?"
"Every day."
"Do you resent that he chose you as his successor?"
Shining Armor shrugs. "The job can keep you down sometimes, but I met my wife through it, so..."
"So two negatives?"
Another laugh shared by the friends while Shining pushes Smiles with his hoof, who smacks Shining with his wing.
Below Canterlot Palace, surrounded by a womb of concrete, magical spells, and the stone of a mountain, sits a single room. The room is said to be able to withstand the attack of an Ursa Major and is only used during the direst of emergencies. Such as now.
The two guard captains descend from the secret entrance in the palace and usher themselves into the room. In attendance around a war table with a map of the region sits the Royal Sisters, Princess Twilight Sparkle, along with the High Jarl of the Griffon Kingdoms and the chief of the Buffalo.
"Thank you all for coming." Shining says. "I hope you can understand dropping the pleasantries and getting right to business?"
Everyone in attendance nods as the two approach the table.
"Any change?" asks Sunshine.
Princess Twilight steps forward and her older brother registers the concern in her face, she isn't used to dealing with things of this magnitude. "The doors have opened another five degrees, the rate they're spilling out is even faster now!"
"The preliminary forces we have sent are having great difficulty already, I fear they will not last long against this sudden surge." Princess Luna adds.
"What about the Elements bearers?"
Twilight shakes her head. "The girls and I are ready to do whatever we need to do, but I've poured over every tome in both my library and the royal one here and I can't find ANYTHING that could seal the gates back up short of a miracle!"
The two captains share the same grim expression.
"What are the projections?"
Princess Celestia steps forward. "If the gates open fully, the southern settlements will be overrun within a week, and Canterlot will be in a month."
Shining looks to one of his oldest friends and meets his single eye, the two brothers-in-arms share a nod in agreement of their non-verbal assessment.
"Then the situation couldn't be clearer." Sunshine says.
Shining Armor turns back to the gathered council and begins moving pieces on the map. "The Gates of Tartarus are open, and it's the fate of Equestria on the line for us to close them. Tonight, we plan and at dawn, we march to drive the tide of whatever is behind them back."
The sky above Canterlot rages with grief while a desperate plan is concocted beneath a mountain. |
Prose Equus | Death's Door. | "Come on, throw it!"
"Baldur, I really don't think this is a good idea."
"Frightened children don't get a seat in Valhalla, No-name! Throw it!"
You twirl the spear you held between your fingers and take a deep breath, sending it slicing through the air with a mighty heave. "Pleasedontdie!"
Baldur closes his eyes and juts his chin out with an expression so self-satisfied that you'd only seen it on cats before.
The spear strikes the prince's chin and rebounds with a CLANG, spinning through the air and landing some feet away in the courtyard.
"Tadaaaah!" Baldur explains, flapping his wings out triumphantly.
"Did you even feel that?"
"Like a breeze on my coat, friend!"
You walk over to retrieve the spear. "And everyone does this? Throws weapons at the crown prince?"
Baldur rolls his hoof as he recounts. "Rocks, weapons, the occasional barn. It's all in good fun if I cannot be hurt!"
"You're one of a kind, Your Highness."
As you bend down to pick up the spear and inspect its head for chips, you see Crownsguard dashing along into the central hall of the palace on the veranda above you. It sets the hairs on your arm off.
"...Baldur, what do you make of that? The armor of those warriors looked different..."
Baldur hops upon a rock and gains some altitude, looking into further into the palace. "That's peculiar...those are the markings of the Wolf Brigade, brother's hoof-picked warriors."
"Lord Tyr's personal army?" you ask "What are they doing here...?"
Baldur lands next to you, the time for games at an end. "I cannot say! It is rare to see them out of the Ulfirborg unless it is out in the frontier."
You look up upon the golden walls.
"What say we take a closer look..."
You step silently along the rich crimson carpet of the Asgardian royal palace and make your way deeper in. The Wolf Brigade were keeping themselves to the hall closest to your favored courtyard, requiring you and Baldur to go all the way around to the opposite end of the palace to avoid them. As you sneak closer to the throne room they were protecting, the walls subtly shift from polished brass to gleaming gold, and the glow reflecting off them gets brighter.
You glance back at the Living Lightbulb before he ruins your stealth.
"Could you not do that?"
The God of Light closes his eyes and suppresses his divine radiance back to a normal level. "Sorry."
"No sneaking operations for you, Baldur."
"I will have you know that I-"
You shush Baldur as a new sound enters your ears, the double-time clipping of someone with eight hooves.
"What is it you would have me DO, my son?"
You and Baldur sneak your heads around the nearest door and peer into the hall, where the Allmother was walking next to Lord Tyr. The queenly war god wore her usual stern face, while her counterpart kept pace with her despite the difference in size trying to instill some of his own emotion into it.
"Do NOTHING, Mother! Simply allow my warriors and I to travel to Midgard so that we might prevent this tragedy!"
"Midgard...?" Baldur whispers.
"What tragedy?"
"Lords of the Nine Realms we may be, Tyr, but you know the price of interference with them." The Queen states. She looks down at her son with the softest eye you've seen from her. "I beg you, remember what transpired the last time an Aesir interfered with another realm to this magnitude, this is greater than simply slaying a few rogue giants."
Tyr's face falls and his head hangs. "I will never be able to forget that day, Mother..."
The Gods of War share a silent moment together before Tyr raises his head. "But she is still down there."
Sleipnir frowns and turns away from Tyr to silently chew his words and contemplate this mysterious "she". Her eye looks back at her son with a question.
"Are you certain it is her you are trying to save?"
Tyr's eyes widen and his head hangs, you hear Baldur suck the air through his teeth behind you. As you're about to ask him what that meant, the Queen reaches out and places a hoof on Tyr's shoulder. "You give these mortals too little credit. They have repelled Tirek before."
That gets your attention for a change, you remember the underground martial resistance you'd formed to get civilians to safety when Tirek rampaged through Equestria those years ago. If he was returning then-
Tyr cuts off your thoughts with a second blow. "He was never at the back of a horde of demons."
Sleipnir nods and lowers her hoof, Tyr continues.
"Mother...the Tartarian gates are open, and every minute sends them wider. Your birds themselves saw that the mortals stemming the tide are beginning to break against it."
Time has taught you many things, patience, calm, and confidence; you are not one easily shaken.
However the thought of your friends down in Equestria falling against an army of Tartarian spawn, or facing the Desolator again while you were trapped here, chills you to your core.
Your conscious mind catapults back to a week ago, with Loki in the Griffon cave where she told you the tale of Ragnarok.
Horde of ghouls. Horned beast of darkness. Fields of dead.
End of the world.
"We must leave the realm of the mortals to the mortals for now, my son..." Sleipnir says, while Tyr simply sighs.
You feel your hands break into a sweat and your breath catch in your throat.
"We need to save them..." you whisper.
Baldur's ears flatten. "Mother thinks that the Midgardians can handle this threat..."
"Well she's wrong."
You turn back to Baldur, his cheeks are puffed in surprise at your sacrilege.
"I've seen this terror with my own eyes, it has only grown worse. We can't just stay here and do nothing!"
Baldur nerves must be getting to him, he scrapes his hoof on the floor. "We...cannot! Mother hath decreed that we shall not interfere and Tyr will abide by her will! So will Heimdall! There's simply no way DOWN to Midgard right now!"
You feel you can no longer spend another moment here and push past Baldur, heading towards your room.
"I refuse to accept that!"
After an hour, you set your plan in motion. To the south of the palace, at the edge of Asgard, the watchpony Heimdall kept his eyes turned towards his rainbow well. Through the mystical Bifrost, he saw all that transpired in all the realms, but nothing right now was more worthy of observation than the battle that held Midgard in its grip.
Until you arrive.
With both hands, you throw the doors to his keep open and meet his gaze as he looks up. His eyes go between you, the heavy armor you wear, and the multiple weapons strapped to your person that you'd gathered since arriving in Asgard, from the icy blade you'd retrieved alongside retrieving Loki to the spear you were just playing with Baldur with.
Heimdall sighs. "No-name."
"Watchman."
"I suppose you're here to join your friends in Midgard."
You take a deep breath, continuing to block the doorway with your body. "I am."
"The Queen has decreed that we are not to interfere, No-name." Heimdall says. "You know I can't let you pass."
"I know only one thing, Heimdall."
You reach into your satchel and retrieve something you'd stolen from a butcher after getting your weapons, a succulent cut of red, dripping meat.
"I know you can only stop one of us."
A flick of your hand sends the venison sailing through the air, spreading its rich aroma across the keep.
You duck as the flap of wings at your back sends a freed and hungry young Manticore through the air.
"Gah!"
Svaofali's hooves can't exactly stop his momentum as he overshoots the meat and crashes into Heimdall.
"What is the prince-!"
"He's here because I freed him."
You leave the doorway and march towards the well, strapping your shield and chestplate tighter to your body one final time.
"Everyone here may not want to engage with the demons down there, but you'll just as happily watch them, to the ignorance of things right under your nose by the looks of it."
You stop before the well while Heimdall tries to push Svaofali off him, the Manticore Prince now thinking he's playing.
"I'll keep them safe from anyone, Heimdall. Even all of you."
You ignore any response he had, leaping into the Bifrost.
-Midgard-
"Shore up the left flank! Fall the wounded back and reinforce from fifth company!"
"Shining!" comes a call from above you as Sunshine Smiles lands at your back. "Fifth Company has been fully deployed! We have no one to reinforce with!"
You summon an Ethereal shield to protect you from a hurled fireball.
"How did we go through them that fast!?"
"Perhaps the horde of demons had something to do with it!" Sunshine pounces on a fiery hound and pushes his clawed weapons through its chest. "There are too many of them! We're getting more wounded than we can treat here!"
Dammit.
"Where's Twiley? We need a bombardment to fall back!"
"While the Princesses hold the skies with the Jarl, Flash reports that she went towards the gate!"
Your stomach drops. "What?!"
"She snuck along the crags to our right flank! She has to be trying to go close the gates!"
You push your barrier forward, keeping the infernal hounds at bay a few moments longer so your men can fall back. Chaos reigns all around you as the tide of demons prices the souls of the royal guard and begins to overwhelm their ranks.
"You need to get to her, Smiles! She's our only hope of retreat!"
You snag a lance from a fallen guard and thrust it through your barrier and through the skull of the dire beast behind it.
"I'll hold the line here, but hurry!"
"You can't hold this front all your own, Shining!"
"I'm going to have to! Get to Twiley!"
Smiles looks to the sky for his opening. "Too thick! We're choked with-"
Your friend doesn't get any further as one of the demons climbs over your barrier and tackles him from behind like prey. You see it happen in slow motion and for a moment, your panic overwhelms you and your barrier falters.
The demons spill over and close on your ranks as you try to dive to Sunshine's aid.
But it was too late.
Music
A shaft of rainbow light hits the ground like a meteor and blows dust and dirt into the air. The sounds of Sunshine's struggle with the demon cease and for a moment, you fear the worst, until a voice calls out to you.
He stands up to his full height, towering above any pony on the field. "You're letting them shake you, Shining. With as few guards as you have here, you could never hope to defend this line."
Another demon charges from its brethren into the smoke as the voice steps forward into a ghost you thought long gone.
"You have to ATTACK!"
Anonymous uppercuts the demon in the jaw with a mace and sends it careening back into the masses. The hounds that it lands on snarl and snap to get to their feet, but Anonymous whips his arm back and then forward, throwing a polished golden buckler off with incredible force that impacts the head of one before rebounding into another, its sharpened edge embedding deep inside.
In rage, a pack leader in the back leaps over its fallen friends and aims to fall on Anonymous. With a grim smile, he reaches back and pulls a golden tipped spear along with the corpse of the hellspawn that attacked Smiles out of the dust, twisting it in his hands and thrusting it up into the gullet of the diving alpha.
He's just as quick to lower the skewered beast down where it drops on another.
A cough from your side calls your attention.
"Sunny!"
You help your friend to his hooves and get his helmet off him, he's been bloodied a bit, but his remaining eye is still there.
"Did I take a hit to the head, or is that what I think it is..."
"You're fine, Smiles...Anon is back."
Your once-dead friend ducks under a swipe and retrieves his shield, using it to bash back a demon into a retreat. He turns to the both of you and holds his arms out.
"Is this what Equestria's finest have become since I've been gone?"
You feel a smirk tug at your face and a fire in your heart ad the old man's audacity.
"Smiles, go find Twiley. We have it here."
"You on your own, I doubted. With him? Maybe just..." Sunshine says before taking to the air.
Anonymous locks eyes with you as the demonic horde charges at his back and the thunder pounds in your ears. "Let's get to work, "captain"!"
-Anon PoV-
Shining Armor lowers his horn and charges at you while dragging sparks of the weird out of the air to the tip. Tired as he is, he powerful legs still let him leap, armor and all, over your head.
A magenta barricade forms before Shining as he crashes into the ground behind you, crushing the infernal demons into ashes on impact.
"Weapon!" he cries, your arm already reaching back behind you.
"Left side!"
You throw your war hammer, tested and true against Chimera, along Shining's side and crush the skull of another demon. Your feet move on their own bringing you to his side where you lance another.
"Good to see you!"
"Likewise, you look well!" Shining responds as he gets the war hammer in his grasp and sends its head through another demon's torso. "Remind me how that came to be? Because last I heard, you were dead."
"Was, didn't take." You drive your spear through the neck of one of the demons and get the eye of the one behind it. "As for the rest? Clean living, and eating my apples."
Especially golden ones.
"Ah, of course. How foolish of me."
Shining sidesteps a hound and brings the hammer down onto its head. "Cover me!"
"At your back!"
You step in front of Shining and raise your shield, getting between him and the horde.
Shining turns to the guard behind you. "LET'S GO YOU RUNTS! DON'T YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER!?"
A few of the guard get to their feet as their captain calls.
"I SAID STAND UP! THE ANGELS HAVE FALLEN TO AID US IN THIS BATTLE, THEY WATCH OVER YOU STILL!"
A resounding cheer erupts from the Equestrian Guard. Weapons are grabbed, hearts are steeled, and the Tartarian Hordes pushed back against the hooves of Equestria's finest.
But for Shining and you, a different priority.
"Move!"
You kick Shining out of the way and duck yourself back just in time to avoid losing a foot when a beam of destructive energy ripples through the air and scorches the earth behind you among a chorus of screams.
"Well! I could scarcely believe it when I heard what stopped our charge!" a voice calls.
You get to your feet, but remain behind a nearby rock to get eyes on the speaker. A pony, it seemed, taller than the others and bulkier, wades through the battlefield. From the sides of his head sprung two massive bull horns that widened his wingspan. His blood red eyes scan the scene as his hooves leave a trail of fire in their wake. In the center of his head, a gnarled unicorn horn that held a miniature sun atop it.
He chuckles as he sees Shining getting to his hooves while the demons at his back break around him like a stream on a stone to attack the guard.
"The Captain of the Guard and his former lackey, it was my understanding that you'd died."
You push yourself up with your spear and ready it.
"I got better.
"Clearly." He replies, puffing himself up. "Rejoice then, Equestrian! Your second death comes at the hooves of the mighty Trihorn Demoneye, servant of Lord Tirek himself."
A pregnant pause passes between you and Shining as you exchange a glance. Supressing yourselves.
"Y-you can't be serious." Shining says.
"Are you sure you don't want to be the one dead, with a name like that?"
The orb swells in size. "And now you die."
You spin your arm and send your spear flying. Your aim is slightly off, but it strikes one of Demoneye's horns and throws him off balance, sending the beam of energy into the sky.
"Rear!"
"I'll take front!" Shining calls.
Shining and you cross over with one another as you charge Trihorn. The demon's namesake eyes open and spot you cursing past his side. His horn alights with his cursed magic, but he gets the head of a hammer to his face.
Demoneye turns his attention to Shining who blocks his blast with another barrier.
You draw your ice blade from your waist and look around. "Spear's too far off!"
"Then we do without! Number 23!"
"Got it!"
Trihorn hears the glint of steel behind him and turns his head, his pupils shrinking as he sees you. An attack on two fronts was something even a demon would have trouble with. And so he does, bucking back and sending a wave of fire into the air, which you block with your buckler.
Just as planned.
Being in position before you, Shining can strike the demon's skull with your hammer, letting of a resounding KRACK against it. He turns his blood red eye back to the captain to incinerate him, but instinctively closes it in pain as a frigid blade cuts slices out of his hide.
An attack on two fronts is what any soldier wants to avoid, and that's what Trihorn finds himself in now as he had to engage between you and Shining. The moment he could get one of you in his sights, the other would land an attack that would require him to turn his attention if he didn't want to lose his head. And each time he was forced to turn his back, he'd take a hit from one of you, slowly wearing him down.
You catch his eye one time when he turns to you and smirk.
"What's wrong, darling? Getting tired?"
The blood red orb turns into an inferno as all three of Trihorn's namesake light up with infernal fire.
"You just had to say it, Anon."
Trihorn Demoneye rears back and slams his hooves onto the ground, sending a wave of force from the impact and flinging you back into a rock wall while Shining Armor is sent end over end back to his men.
"Gah!"
Your sword and shield fall to the ground amidst the piles of demons as you slide to your ass. Even in armor, the impact on stone took the wind out of you.
"Shining...SHINING ARMOR!"
You blink through the battle haze and delirium from the impact as you get to your feet, the boiling sky rolling above you past the flying hordes.
You could see Princess Celestia and Luna each doing battle with flocks of the Tartarian spawn, but holding their own.
You silently wonder what would happen if you died here again, would they notice?
"O-on your hoves, soldiers!" you hear.
"Shining!"
You push yourself up to see Shining Armor standing in front of his guards who caught his fall. His head is bleeding over one eye and his horn sparking, but he locks eyes with the enraged Trihorn. "Shining Armor" he muses, his horns alighting with fire. "Let us see if the slag I reduce you to shines as brightly as you do now."
Trihorn Demoneye unleashes his fury at Shining Armor and the remaining Equestrian Guard.
"NO!"
A flash of light from the sky descends on Shining and the beam of destructive magic breaks on it.
Music
Magical forces from the demonic commander blow apart the dust of impact. A pulsating hexagon of radiant light stands inches before Shining's face and breaks the unholy energy against it effortlessly.
Sunshine looks up at his savior, his red mane whipping in the breeze his magic makes.
Stance wide and protecting the guard, Baldur strikes his front hooves into the ground. "FACE ME, DEMON! I STAND FOR ALL OF US!" he cries.
With a stomp oh his hoof, Baldur's barrier repels the attacking spell, while he looks no worse for wear.
"No-name! Let us take him!"
"BALDUR LOOK OUT!"
As Trihorn prepares another volley, Baldur lets out a childish yelp and opens his eyes as wide as you've ever seen them.
"Headlights!" Brilliant beams of light flash from Baldur's eyes and illuminate the entire area, but they're directed at Trihorn himself.
You run looking for a weapon that wasn't melted already, but they seem to have been blasted away by Trihorn.
"Baldur what in the Hel are you DOING here!?"
"The God of Light will not abandoned his closest friend, No-name!"
"Anonymous, what in the world-!?" shining starts.
"Baldur! This is Shining Armor, captain of the Equestrian Guard!"
"Greetings, Captain! Gah! Eyebeams!" Baldur's holy light drives Trihorn back down the hill he was atop, the magic on his horns fizzling.
You however keep looking for a weapon.
"And this is Baldur! God of Light in Asgard and totally in..vin...cible..."
An idea dawns on you, one that you hope the queen can't see.
"Keep flashing at him, Baldur!"
"I never stopped!"
You run over behind Baldur and grab his hind legs. As a Unicorn, he was lighter than most. With a heave, you get him off the ground, though he flaps his hooves wildly in surprise.
"Whoa! Hey! Bad touching!"
"It's time to put on your war face, your highness!"
You unleash a terrible howl that Baldur is all too happy to mirror as you rush Trihorn with the God of Light held above your head.
The demon sees your makeshift weapon just in time for you to bring it down on him. Again and again and again.
You stand up tall and look down at Trihorn's bleeding face. You spit on him.
"Stay down."
A toothy gurgle is your response.
"Hey! Hey! Turn me around and let me see!" your weapon cries.
You chuckle and indulge Baldur as you sit yourself down. The Princes ooh's and aah's at the defeated demon and then nearly jumps a foot as a soldier runs past him, charging into battle and screaming a victory cry.
"Whoa-hey!"
Another soldier follows him, then another, and another, before a routing charge materializes and attacks the demons.
"Anon! Let's go!" Shining calls, getting to his feet.
"After you, old man!"
In moments, your sword is in your hand and you're off after the others.
And in due time, you're crouched to one knee in the middle of a combat zone.
"Anon!"
"No-name!"
Your friends rush over to you, you hold up a finger.
"Just...give me a moment...to catch my breath." The pounding in your chest rings through your entire body, even with the magic of the golden apple. "I've got a few years on the both of you...hehe."
The Equestrian forces around you, rallied by the arrival of a bonafide god and the defeat of the demonic commander, quarrel with the demons on even footing. The demons themselves have the opposite effect, staying distance and cautious after one of their own fell as they plan their next move.
"Just need...one more minute to-"
"No, I think you need some space." A voice says.
You, Baldur, and Shining are encased in a mystical bubble and floated off into the air.
Baldur contorts in the bubble. "HELP! MOTHER! STRANGER DANG-"
"Relax, Prince Baldur!" Shining says "This magic belongs to-" You're deposited in front of the spellcaster, a purple alicorn in a fancy hat. "-Twiley!" Shining Armor is the only one not on his flank when the bubble lets you out, instead running up and embracing his little sister. "You're safe..."
Sister hugs brother back before she sees who he came with. "Anon! Holy Celestia, you're alive!"
A moment later she's wrapped around you.
"Heh, in a manner of speaking. Hello Twilight." You say, patting her mane lightly. "This is my friend, Baldur."
You gesture to Baldur who is already prostrating himself out. "Your Royal Highness!" he says emphatically.
Twilight giggles. "He's certainly polite."
"He's well groomed."
You push yourself to your feet a bit wobbly.
"Twilight is the one who found me when I arrived in Equestria, Baldur. She helped me even though she was just a filly."
"Then my most magnanimous thanks for aiding my future best friend, Princess!"
Another girly giggle from Twilight escapes her before she composes herself. "Anon, I'll be brief."
"Then can I be-" Baldur starts before you get your hand over his mouth.
"Please continue."
"Anon? Briefly? What the BUCK is going on?!"
Shining grimaces at her language, but she continues. "You died! DIED died! We had confirmation that you went into that cave and never came out! Then you show up here with someone calling himself a god-"
"Not "calling"!" Baldur shouts.
"-right as the gates of Tartarus are opening?? Serendipity of this magnitude only exists in stories!"
You look over the battlefield of soldiers fighting demons, once weary and now galvanized by the arrival of two souls at the right time. You shrug.
"It's miracle duty, Twi."
Twilight rolls her eyes.
"What? It's the most apt... How have you been since I've been gone?"
"Oh you know. Finding the Pillars of Equestria, establishing a school for friendship. I was investigating a strange offucrance near the Crystal Empire some weeks back; a beam of pure cosmic magical energy shot from the sky and obliterated one of the peaks in the mountain range! Theories abound, but I've heard legend of a magical sword of ice that was kept up there-"
"That was me."
Twilight pops up. "Excuse me?"
"Yeah, that big magic. That was my fault."
"...You can do that now after you died!?"
"No no! Someone I know can! She did it to scare the witch at the top of the mountain."
You think.
"Who could wield such awesome power?! Not even Princess Celestia can do that and she's...THE BEST!"
"Oh oh! I know!" Baldur chimes in. "It was my Mother, Queen Sleipnir of Asgard! All-Mother, Skylord of the Eastern Cosmos, Living Daughter of Fire and Lord of the Day and the Night!"
There's another pregnant pause in the air as Twilight sits herself down and rubs her head with her hooves.
You hold a hand out and count off on your fingers. "Right...so just a recap; Asgard is real, I've been there the last little while, you might be able to blame any strange happenings on me lately, and his Mother is the most frightening thing I've ever laid eyes on."
You snap your fingers. "Oh, and we're here to help."
A great roar from the gates catches all your attentions. You see the massive Adamantine doors push open a bit more in herald of more demons spilling forth.
"No! The doors!" cries Twilight. "More of them are coming through, Anon!"
You reach for your weapon. "We need to get to the front!"
Twilight runs back to a blue tent stocked with books. "Before Commander Smiles found me, I was trying to close the gates by force, but that won't work now! You need to keep them at bay while I figure out a way to close them! Before Tirek arrives!"
You nod and pick up your sword and shield, sliding a spare helmet over your head. "They won't take another step this way."
"I hope so. " Twilight looks back at the two of you with worried concern etched into her face. "I'm happy to see you, Anon but...it's hard to believe any god sent just you and a novice fighter like your friend to us in an hour like this."
"Oh-ho, they did not." Baldur says in a teasing tone.
All eyes turn to the prince who points smugly at a whirling gap in the clouds, you know what's coming from that hole in the sky.
"No one sent me, friends! I ran away to help No-name, just as planned." Baldur looks to the rainbow lights seeping from the cloud with a tired but assured smile. "Being prevented from leaving the city as I am, I knew someone would have to come get me..."
Music
The stream of light from the Bifrost scorches runes into the ground on the field of battle, dividing the Equestrian Guard from the demons and leaving angels in its wake. Lord Tyr stands before ten of the most massive ponies you'd ever seen, wearing the armor you'd seen at the edge of the palace before your ill-advised jump.
The Equestrian Guard drop to their flanks in awe, though the demons don't hold such fear in them. A few of the brave ones charge forth only to be but in two when Tyr transforms the cap on his hoof into a mighty broadsword.
This was not the Tyr you had seen in his keep training men. This God of War raised his weapon to the sky and bellows "WOLF BRIGADE, ATTACK!"
The ten guards with him joined their commander in their charge. They formed a perfect spear's head formation as they drove into the demons, either skewering them with magical thrumming weapons or stomping them under the soles of their mighty horseshoes. The entire battle becomes just this front as demons pour from the heavens to try and reinforce their brothers making the push, only to be grounded and burned by the magic of the unicorns within the Brigade.
What would take an army hours takes them but scant minutes as they divide the enemy line almost to the gates themselves, each warrior a flurry of motion as they tore demon flesh from its hides and sent the beasts screaming back to the abyss they pulled themselves out of.
Shining Armor stands next to you agape at the spectacle, and you're not too far behind him.
"Baldur...what-?"
"My brother Tyr commands all the legions of Asgard, No-name." Baldur begins, coming up to your side. "If, in any of those legions, he discovers one of extraordinary talent, then they are offered ranks among his personal unit, the Wolf Brigade. Mightiest warriors in the realms clad in the most powerful armors and for use against the fiercest foes. They used to travel to the other realms as often as they could! Battling foes and righting the wrongs they could find as the swords of justice! ...Until, well, something happened..."
Baldur goes quite.
"And they're here to help us?" Shining says in shocked disbelief, probably the first good news he's heard all day.
Baldur sucks his teeth a bit. "Theeeey are probably here to retrieve me as I disobeyed Mother, and in such force due to my closeness to the Gates of Tartarus. But they'll help while they're here! The Wolves love a good hunt."
You sigh a tired sigh. "Well I won't turn down their help here...they can court martial me when everyone is safe."
You start to breathe easy when Twilight comes and ruins everything. "Uhh, guys!?"
Shining rushes over "What is it, Twiley?"
A magical apparatus Twilight is adjusting with her horn explodes in a shower of sparks. The Princess of Magic turns around frantically. "That astrolabe was the only way I could think of to close the doors! By all logic it SHOULD have worked, but something must be holding them ba-
Twilight is interrupted by thunder speaking.
"WELL WELL, IF IT ISNT THE LITTLE MORSELS COME TO PLAY AGAIN."
Dread crawls into your stomach as orange eyes filled with hatred alight inside the Tartarian gates, their glow highlighting hellish red skin and rippling muscles that forces open the gates more.
"Tirek!"
Twilight points. "He's going to force himself through!"
"We need to get all our soldiers out of-What? What is it? A spontaneous storm cloud isn't our priority right now!" Shining Armor shouts at a subordinate behind him.
A sphere of fire hot as the sun forms between Tirek's horns and fires through the gate, impacting with nuclear force at Lord Tyr's hooves.
"MORE MORESELS THIS TIME, YOU EQUESTRIANS DO SPOIL ME!"
Baldur reaches his hoof forward. "BROTHER!"
Like a bullet, Baldur is flying off over the battlefield to Tyr. Like Baldur did for you, you run right after.
"Twilight figure something out fast! Call the Princesses if you need to! We'll hold him off!"
Platitudes, you knew, but your body wouldn't let Baldur run off into certain death to save his brother that protected your family without you.
"Anon! Baldur! Get back here!" you hear Shining Armor cry.
"Fear denies faith, Captain!" Baldur cries back.
"What he said!"
And faith was all you were running on right now.
You run past the site you did battle at earlier and spot a battered demon rising. "You cannot defeat Lord Tirek!" Trihorn jeers. "All the power in Equestria could not hope to best him in combat and you three have so much less than that!"
"Shaddup!"
You'd give it all you had, even if it wasn't enough. Demon or no, God or nothing, you'd die standing like you did before.
Another of Tirek's beams hits Tyr's hoof, now transfigured into a large banner shield that he ducked behind while his Brigade weathered the atomic storm with the wards on their armor. You and Baldur get behind the shield and press yourselves against it, offering what resistance you could against the unstoppable force bearing down on you all.
Through the squinted eyes of effort, you meet gazes with the Battlelord.
"Lord Tyr." You get out through gritted teeth.
"No-name." he bites back, pushing against the shield.
As you feel your legs pushing back into the dirt and your hands burning through the metal, you make one final call to the sky.
"I don't suppose you have any more miracles left for me, do you All-mother?"
The All-mother doesn't answer, but the sky does, with a mighty clap of thunder.
Something races across the battlefield from behind you, breaking the sound barrier as it blows past Twilight and Shining's camp towards the Gates of Tartarus.
Trihorn's mocking laughter is cut off as the object barrels through his head on its approach to the gates. A moment of shock crosses Tirek's face as the object discharges a force of impact and forces the gates shut moments before it impacts them itself.
Silence falls across the battlefield save for the sound of melting metal and discharging energy, but you can't see what in Equestria is going on behind this shield. Tyr pulls the shield away as the object falls to the ground in a cloud of dust and steam before the gates.
You look up at them. The black metal, said to be unbreakable Adamantine, was fused by some great heat down the center of the door, connecting both doors together into an unbreakable lock.
"What could have done this..." you ask aloud.
"Oh dear..." Baldur says.
"By Mother's eye..."
Spoiler Image
Music
You look down at the clearing smoke and see what saved you all. Even you, a novice, recognize it in an instant.
"Is...that what I think it is."
"OH YES." Baldur says emphatically.
You hear a whistle off in the hills and the mallet floats off the ground, sparking electricity.
"We should run." Tyr says.
"I agree!" echoes the invincible god.
With those two decided, you weren't going to argue. The three of you turn and start beating feet back to safety as the hammer begins to spin at high speed.
The hammer sins and spins, pulling wind and gale from all corners of Equestria towards itself in a mystical cyclone that tears at the very ground itself. You must fall to your knees and hang on to rocks for safety, as do your comrades, but the demons still outside were not so lucky to escape the storm's wrath. The infernal hounds get pulled from the ground and sucked into the vacuum made by the mallet.
In what feels like moments, the battlefield is cleared of demons and the storm shoots up into the air. A hypersonic burst of air explodes over the valley as the hammer gains altitude, pulling the cyclone of demons behind it.
Ponies below stand in silent awe as the hammer suddenly ceases its gale and expels all wind from the valley. Demons hang in momentary stasis, the ones still alive from not suffocating in the vacuum clawing at the air, before they slowly begin to fall to the ground.
"What in...the Nine Hels..."
Baldur looks to the sky with tears at the corner of his eyes, smiling his most earnest smile. "The Princess wished for a real miracle, did she?"
Even Tyr mirrors his brother's gaze, watching the demons fall to the ground with the same astonished expression you saw Slepnir obliterate a mountain with.
Far off, you hear a single distant voice in the nearby forest the cloud of demons was over shout.
"Hammer DOWN!"
The hammer falls streaking a trail of lightning. The night of the battlefield from the acrid smoke of war becomes a brilliant day as the largest lightning bolt you'd ever seen erupts from where the hammer landed and into the clouds above. It didn't stop there. The clouds themselves, fed this raw power, eject the same streaks of electricity through the sky and strike every single demon still in them.
The Equestrian defends drop to knees, flanks, and more watching the storm incinerate the demonic host. Even the princesses watch astounded as the lightning flays the demons of their flesh and reduces them to ash in the wind.
Howls of the hounds die with the lightning as their remains scatter into the air.
The ground rumbles beneath your feet rumbles as the hammer shoots off into the sky and breaks through the clouds like it did the Tartarian gate. The force of its passing so great that a wide area of sky is pushed away, letting the light of Celestia's setting sun bathe the battle-weary soldiers.
And then it is gone.
An explosive cheer of joy bursts from the mouth of every pony across the battlefield, marveling at what just happened and grateful to be alive.
Yourself, Baldur, Tyr and his warriors remain near the gate watching the sky.
"That...just happened."
"Yes No-name, yes it did." Baldur says.
The light god looks to his brother excitedly "Do you know what this MEANS, Tyr!!"
Tyr looks less than optimistic, locking his jaw. "Yes brother, I do."
One of Tyr's wolves approaches behind him and speaks with a deep, hollow voice. "My lord, the Midgardians approach."
You straighten up as Shining Armor, Sunshine Smiles, Twilight and even Flash Sentry race down to meet you. The Princesses approach from above to see all the commotion.
"Hey Flash."
"Hey old man."
"ANON THAT. WAS. AMAZING!" Twilight explains, jumping for joy. "Whatever that was, it sealed the gates and killed every demon in the area! You were RIGHT, it IS a miracle you're here!"
"What happened?" Sunshine asks.
You look to Baldur who just smiles at you, then to Tyr who is avoiding your gaze by examining the clouds.
Guess it falls on you then...
"Well, you see-"
The Bifrost opens up and pulls the lot of you back to Asgard.
-A bit later-
"Ow! Ow ow ow!"
You're floating above the Bifrost well in the emptied keep bend over backwards and in an inescapable magic grip. You can feel your spine screaming in protest as you get bent in more terrible ways.
"A bit louder, No-name. They couldn't hear you in Vanaheim."
Queen Sleipnir continues to trot around the well, her eyepatch glowing as she holds you and bends you more, while Loki watches from the floor.
The irony isn't lost on you.
"You're loving this..."
"I'll admit to a slight pang of joy over this."
"Let me remind you that when you were here, I saved yoU-AAAAHHHH!"
Your body contorts in ways it shouldn't as Sleipnir approaches and holds her head next to yours. "Tell me what it was you did wrong, No-name."
You think for a minute. "Got caught?"
Sleipnir spins you around into a ball and bounces you off the wall a few times before returning you to your place above the well.
"She hates that answer..." Loki says.
"Probably because she heard it so much from you."
"Silence." She demands.
Sleipnir turns you around so you're looking at her upside down, still in a pressure pose. "What you have done, human, is reveal our existence to the Midgardians by dragging not yourself, not one, but TWO of my children along with you to a place where all eyes were upon. They know of you know, know of US."
You nod in pain. "That...sounds right, yeah."
"Your actions go in the face of my rule back for hundreds of years. Gods have been banished for less."
She lowers you down just over the event horizon of the well and continues to squeeze, so you continue to scream. "Perhaps, if the mortals mean THAT much to you, I will return you to them...in low orbit. We can see if half an Iduun Apple is enough to survive re-entry."
Loki watches and grimaces, too frightened to speak.
"AAAHHH! YOU DON'T DESERVE THE PRIVACY!"
Sleipnir pulls you from the horizon and holds you before her face. "What."
Either it was the battle or your shoulders getting singed by extradimensional energy, but your patience has worn too thin.
"I said you don't deserve the privacy, you one-eyed mountebank! "Queen of the Gods"! Ptah! What good are you if you lead your gods to let them die when a Devil breaks out of Hel!"
Your wriggle in your binding. "Maybe it's a matter of perspective, Your Highness, but I was on Equestria when Tirek last set foot on it and he put the fear in me when he drained the Princesses of their magic and nearly destroyed the kingdom! I had to learn to fear him when we were organizing what amounted to a suicide run just to drown him in bodies!"
Loki watches you rant, Sleipnir remains stonefaced.
"So you're damned right I'll throw myself right in front of every pony I've ever met to try and stop him from returning! And I'll drag any of your children along with me, they all want to get out of here often enough! Hold me back long enough and I'll even drag you down there, O Lord of Asgard! My life is given so that those ponies may never know a day where they must feel that fear! And so should yours and everyone else in this city!"
You jerk your body forward and get a centimeter closer to Sleipnir's face. "So throw me or get the HEL out of my way, because I'll tear down every veil of secrecy you have if it means saving ONE of their lives.
"As you wish."
Sleipnir throws you.
You impact on the keystone of the doorway into the keep and smack into the stones on the ground.
"Ow."
It is Loki, surprisingly, that is at your side first. "If you lost an eye then Heimdall owes me a golden helmet!
You lift your head and offer a quick, tired smile with both eyes, much to Loki's disappointment.
"So." Queen Sleipnir starts, her eye still glowing as she approaches you. "You wish to be a meddler? Stick your nose in the business of the nine realms and impose yourself on them? An unpopular life, I assure you, it's why everyone hates me."
You don't touch that bait and just shrug your hands. "We can't put the past back, My Queen...the genie is out of the bottle. They know, and they need help."
"Indeed we can't. I detest time travel."
"She really does." Loki chimes in.
Sleipnir continues. "In your arrogance, you have revealed us to the mortals and you DO speak truth, we cannot put our secret back to the way it was...so we will control how the mortals are made aware of us, and you will spend the next eternity in penance for your misdeed."
"I beg your pardon."
"You will not receive it." Sleipnir extends her neck down to you, regarding you as a bug. "Did I perhaps stutter? I am say that you are now my PEON, No-name. You will do what I command when I command it and it will be recompense for revealing yourself as you did."
"I hope you turn out better than the last peon..." Loki bemoans.
"...I'll bite, what happened to him?"
"I turned his skin into fire and then cut off his head." Sleipnir answers, walking over you and out of the keep.
"Be better, No-name. Loki, get him to a healer. Our No-name has changed more than he realizes by revealing us, and there is much to do..."
Loki gets you onto her back and follows her mother, letting you asses the weight of today in your head in peace. |
Prose Equus | Ave, Imperator. | You dangle your feet over the back of the flying chariot as it sails over hills greener than the deepest emeralds under a sky of radiant opal. Even here, so many miles from the city and under the perfect clear sky, the shadows of the branches of the world tree brush the landscape. Whenever you look up to try and catch it, the ephemeral world tree eludes your gaze.
"I didn't know Asgard had farmland." You ask.
Baldur turns from the front of the carriage and smiles at you. "Of course it does, where else would the food we eat come from?"
"Your mother once mentioned some "Hall of Eternal Hunt" or something."
"That's only our meat."
The other passenger of the carriage lifts her head up and gives you a look. "Honestly No-name. Have you ever known a city to have no farmland in it?" Loki asks.
You could explain hoe the Griffon kingdoms used a system of hydroponics for indoor farming, but that sounded like a headache with her, so you just turned back to the view.
In the two weeks since the mortals down in Equestria had learned of the existence of their gods, in that time Asgard has been a busy place. Legions were gathered, the realm below was constantly watched, and you'd been told that Queen Sleipnir has been even more busy than normal.
You say told because you've been confined to your quarters until yesterday when the Queen came through one of your walls while you were trying to take a bath and told you that you, Loki, and Baldur were to travel south of the city and call her son home. You sensed it was easier said than done, but you came unarmed just the same.
When you turn to ask Baldur how much longer, you see a sight just beyond the clouds. A large farm in the shadow of a truly massive mountain covering many hills that would make AJ weak in the knees.
"I don't know which the odder sight is, that farm or the goat pulling our carriage."
The animal brays a response while Baldur takes his place at the front again. "He has a name! Onward Toothgnasher! Let's go find Vidar!"
Some minutes later, your carriage lands at the front of the farmhouse and you now see how big it is. Almost half the size of the royal palace in Canterlot, you could only assume that a prince of Asgard lived big.
"Well, so much for humble living." You remark.
Loki looks to you and cocks a quizzical eyebrow, you gesture to the massive home. Loki simply chuckles at you. Not concerning at all.
You follow her as she in turn follows Baldur as he walks over towards the fields. "Vidar! Brother it is I, Baldur! Get your massive flank out here and speak to me!"
The three of you pass onto the fields and let you examine the crop more closely.
"Turnips?"
"They do the body good." Loki tells you.
The leaves atop the crop begin the shake as the earth rumbles.
"What in-?!"
"Relax" Loki says "It's only the children."
A pair of ponies with peculiar, curved horns on either side of their heads gallop over the hill towards the two of you. They're taller than any pony you'd ever seen save the Princesses, and twice as wide.
"Uncle Baldur!" they exclaim with glee.
Baldur's smile grows into a giant, open-mouthed grin as the two run towards him and he bounds out to embrace them himself. The brawn of the ponies meets Baldur's invulnerability and smacks the two of them to the ground where they roll around and laugh.
You and Loki watch the affectionate exchange.
"Is that normal?"
"It is for ten year olds."
"Riiiight. Wait what?!" You look at the two massive stallions rolling around with Baldur, himself of average size and dwarfed by the two "Ten!?"
"They're their father's children."
The earth rumbles again as a nearby hill approaches.
He strides among the treetops and is taller than the trees and his hulking body shakes the ground as he walks.
"Ajax, Kastor. Off him now." He thunders across the land.
The mountain of muscle approaches you, with positively scores of gathered turnips in satchels on his back, and stops before you all as his children obey his command. He must tower over 50 feet tall by your estimate, with a coat of deep auburn and a mane as fiery as his glare. His face, hooves, and peculiar horns were all jet black. A low feeling of dread washes over you, like how the Queen makes you feel.
"Baldur" he rumbles.
"Brother!" the light god exclaims, running over and hugging his massive leg. "It is so fantastic to see you once more, Vidar! It has been years!"
"Yes, it has." Vidar answers. "Many quiet, uneventful years away from the palace."
The feeling of dread under the giant's gaze crept back up, so you bow your head.
"My honor to meet you Prince Vida-"
"I am no prince, Two-legs!" he roars, the mountains nearby sending snow down their summits as his voice echoes through the canyon.
While you're still holding your ears, Loki steps forward. "Vidar renounced his title and claim to the throne some decades ago, shortly after Baldur was born. He has not spoken to Mother in person since then, and only responded to a summons once."
"How'd that go for the deliveryman?"
"I threw a barn at her palace." Vidar answers.
You stand up straight and look back behind you at the small speck of gold on the horizon marking where the palace was.
"And you hit it? Color me impressed."
"This is No-name." Loki starts, introducing you. "A greater enigma than even I've ever seen. First he appears in Midgard some, oh, twenty-odd years ago-"
"Flattering an old man like me gets you nowhere, Princess."
Loki hisses at you to be quiet and continues. "He served with the mortals until he died, then Mother pulled him from Valhalla."
Vidar snorts, it's enough warm wind to blow your hair out of the way. "Did she now."
"I will tell you later brother, Loki promises."
Vidar nods. "Though we all know how much those are worth." And Loki doesn't even look offended.
"Come." The giant god says as he heads for the massive barn house. "While you're here, you can help prepare supper."
Supper consists of, as you anticipated, a fair number of turnips and dishes that involved them. However your hosts saw fit to break out the meats, cheeses, and other things that actually hold some sort of flavor in them thanks to having company over, so you presume Vidar must not be as icy as he initially came across. The family themselves were pleasant enough, even if your mind was on the patriarch thanks to your mission. Vidar's two sons, Ajax and Kastor, were almost always enthralled by their uncle's tales, and their mother Ariadne was more than happy to let them focus the unbridled energy of youth on something else for a change.
Throughout the entire meal, not once did either of your companions mention the reason you were even here; bringing Vidar back to the palace for whatever Sleipnir wanted him for. After the glimpse of his temper at even calling him a prince, you didn't even want to mention his mother's name. The dissonance of it gives you a headache, so you make an excuse while Baldur starts up another tale and step outside for some fresh air.
The mountain behind Vidar's home creates a shadow even from the moon as its peak scrapes the very sky and beyond it you see the flashes of the unleashed cosmos connected via the world tree.
You hear someone approach behind you.
"Easy to get lost in all of it."
"Mm." she responds. Loki walks up next to you and looks to you. "They say that nowhere in the nine realms minus Midgard has the same sky."
"Why is that?"
Loki rolls her head thinking over her answer. "The realms exist...close to one another, occupying similar spaces however on different planes, like different colored bits of cloth stretched over one another." She looks up to the sky. "The sky is like...lenses of glass, unique to each realm. This high atop Yggdrasill, we see through each of them in unison."
"Huh. So that's why I see the moon?"
"Midgard is a part of the world tree, just the same as all the others. I see constellations from Alfhiem, clouds from Muspelheim, and nebula from Svartalheim just here alone."
"Beautiful sight...it makes it easy to understand why your brother retired this far out, if he sees this every night."
"Mm...Vidar was already gone by the time I was welcomed into the family."
You turn to look at her. "I bet you still know why he's out here."
"I do."
"And does it relate to why no one's said a word about our mission since we got here?"
"It does."
An uncomfortable silence passes between the two of you and you get the feeling you're not being told something.
"Sharing is caring."
"I don't care." She responds.
"I'm hurt."
Little Loki sighs and closes her eyes. "I don't care because our mission is a predestined failure. Vidar won't set foot in Asgard, even if Ragnarok comes for him. His hatred for Mother runs far too deep for that.
"Why though? What makes him that way?"
Loki looks up to you. "Are you daft? Can you not figure it out? Vidar is born of mother, but his father was a giant. The last king of them, to be exact."
You stare back at her for a moment. "...And?!"
Did she think stating the obvious made her smart?
"Clearly he's some sort of giant, he IS giant! There aren't any frost giants but what does that have to do with the Queen?"
Loki sighs explosively again and levitates a stone amulet from beneath her robes. "To Hel with it! It is easier to show you. Do you have your piece?" You recognize that amulet from all the work you went through to get it. Your hand already going to secret pouch woven into your pocket where you keep your half of the Palantir.
"I keep it on me, but what will looking into the past show?"
Loki levitates the jewel from between your fingers and plugs it into the talisman. "Just...watch the mountain."
You blink as the mountain starts to disappear in a haze of fog.
Music
"Loki! Where are-"
"Relax, No-name. It's just a vision. It can't hurt you."
As she speaks, the fog around you begins to lift and reveal more of your surroundings. Loki stand next to you, as she was before and with the amulet in her grip. The field behind Vidar's house now stretches out towards and past the horizon, unplowed and populated by peaceful trees and meadows. The mountain who's shadow you were in is no longer there.
"When is this?"
"Considering Vidar's age? Oh...a few decades? Watch your back."
"Wha-"
You turn just in time to see the mountain thrown over you. With a clamoring crash and a mouthful of swears, it lands in its spot and flails around. Through the dust and fog, you see horns and limbs that clue you in. It wasn't a mountain; it was a massive horned creature.
You suddenly wish you were in possession of your sword, even if this was just a vision.
"I take it that's-"
"The former king of the giants." Loki answers.
"Former why?"
"Look up." Loki answers glacially.
You look to the sky and see an eight-legged figure descend from the fog. She walks upon the air like its stone and orbits a dozen glimmering weapons around her body in her magical grip. "We had a PACT, Asterius." The Sleipnir of your vision calls. "Should I even expect a good answer?" she asks with a tilt of her head.
The Giant King attempts to push himself to his hooves, only for streaks of golden light to pierce through his legs at the knees, impaling him with a pair of golden spears.
Through gritted teeth, the king speaks. "Peace! A farce, and you know it. We're both pulled upon strings that only we may see, One-eye! Why pretend any different!?"
"Indeed, because it was not your command to have your giants descend from the hills and raid the elves." Sleipnir says on her way down to the ground.
The crystalline growths on the Giant King shimmer with magical light, and rocks as big as houses fly towards the Queen. Without stopping one of her eight legs, the blades and weapons encircling her deftly cut, bash, and deflect the mounds of earth as if they come at her. You note that the chunks of earth being removed make the plains look like the farm you saw.
"I have seen it all, Sleipnir! The commands of a king mean nothing in the face of a god! And those of a god mean nothing to that which lays above them!"
A massive towering mace spins through the air and strikes the king upside the jaw, sending his teeth flying into the air and embedding into the ground. Queen Sleipnir snorts and narrows her eyes in anger. "Oathbreaker! You do not deserve your son!"
The Queen unleashes a lance of white hot flame from the head of a scepter beside her that breaks upon the king's body.
"All of them are BLIND, All-Mother! While you, you who sees all hides the truth from them!" The king rips the spears from his body and hurls himself at Sleipnir, only to be rebounded by a mighty blow from a massive axe.
The king lands in a heap behind you and speaks from his bleeding mouth. "I declare you Oathbreaker, Sleipnir Borsdattir, All-mother of Nothing! You who saw all that there is to see and LIED TO US ALL! This ruin! All of it! Your doing!"
The All-mother's good eye glows stark white and the ground beneath your feet rumbles, even in the vision. A massive chunk of earth on the horizon rips itself from the ground and soars through the sky towards you.
"Fate or no, Asterius, knowledge or not. The choice to debase yourself was yours and yours alone!"
"WHAT CHOICE?!" the king spits back.
The mountain falls from the sky atop the crippled giant, shaking the very roots of the world tree itself.
When the smoke clears, you and Loki are standing next to the All-mother as the fog begins to creep back in. She stares at the rocky face of the newly positioned peak as if she were still speaking to the one beneath it. "That perfection does not exist...is no reason we should not reach for it, husband..." she says as the fog overtakes you both.
The vision ceases, the Palantir goes dark, and your face to knees with another giant though this one is smaller than the last.
Vidar looks down at the two of you. "You are both louder than a dying pig."
He and his booming voice catch you off guard.
"Sorry about that Milro-"
"Not another word!" he shouts, punctuating by stomping his hoof.
You look up to his simmering eye as he scrapes his hoof along the ground and snorts. "I am not your "lord". I am no prince. I want nothing to do with Mother or whatever she sent you here for." Vidar stomps in anger again and sends a tree in his orchard falling to the ground, your weaponless brain tries to back away with your hands up in a vain attempt to deescalate.
Several tense seconds pass between you and the giant god as he glares down at you, contemplating whether to gore you on his horns or not.
Loki intervenes between you two. "Be at peace, brother. No-name is simply...out-of-sorts." She floats the Palantir into Vidar's view. "He wanted to know why you hated Mother so...I showed him with this."
Vidar looks between the amulet, Loki, and you.
"No name." he begins. "Why are you here. I would hear it from you."
You swallow. "The Equestiran-the MIDGARDIANS know of the existence of their gods now."
"Thanks to him." Loki interjects, you ignore her.
"Your mother wants you to return home...she didn't specify why."
"How like her." Vidar retorts. The giant god takes a few steps, which carries him several dozen feet and lets him pass you as he walks towards the mountain.
"You wish to know why I hold such hatred for Mother within me...? Look before you."
Vidar gestures to the tip of the mountain with his horns. "My father entered into a pact with her and saw something that drove him to madness...something she may well have known of, and she killed him for it. Dropped a mountain on him as a grave marker." He turns back to you and glares at you, but you sense his anger isn't in your direction. "Every. Single. One of her children, everyone in her LIFE, is nothing but a pawn in a game that only she knows of. Not a year after she killed my father, she birthed Tyr, to "try again". She will do that to you the moment you no longer serve her needs, No-name."
You cross your arms and stare at your feet, thinking that over. You think back to the battle at the Tartarian Gates, hunting that Manticore, even retrieving Loki. You think all the way back to the first conversation you'd had with her after exiting Valhalla.
"I don't believe that."
Both Loki and Vidar turn their heads to you.
"I was ready to die and have my long sleep...and she roused me back. She has a reason for that, I'm sure. However whatever that reason IS, it has never conflicted with what I've always been driven to do."
You finally lift your head and meet their eyes "So I'll keep doing as I please with this second life of mine. If the Queen has a problem, she can take it up with me."
Another long silence passes between the three of you, until Vidar lets out a sharp snort. He looks down at Loki. "I like him."
"Statistically, someone has to." she replies.
"Quiet, you."
Vidar turns from his father's grave and walks back to his home. "You may stay the night, but I want you gone come morning."
"What should we tell the Queen?"
Vidar stops, but doesn't turn to you. "What she expects, I refuse her summons."
"As you wish Pr-Vidar."
The giant continues back to his home.
"I hope there's no hard feelings!" you call out.
"Disturb my peace again like this and you'll find out, No-name."
Vidar shuts the doors to his home behind him and leaves Loki and you alone outside. |
Prose Equus | Communion. | You step off your train to Canterlot station and look around puzzled. Normally when you get summoned to Canterlot by a personal letter from Celestia, somepony is here to meet you to tell you what's going on.
"That's...weird."
It didn't take a Princess of Friendship to notice something was off.
The platform at the station was mostly empty of other ponies and none of the freight workers were out by their trains. Even the guards by the entrance were absent, like the entire city was neck deep in something else "I'll just...go see what's wrong. It can't be too serious if they aren't here freaking out about it."
You manage one step before a teleport spell whisks you to the palace and you have Celestia's face an inch from yours.
"TWILIGHT!" she shouts.
You jump out of your skin and nearly spill your saddlebags. "Gyah! Princess!"
Behind her is chaos. Princess Luna rallies a group of guardsponies with gleaming ceremonial armor while behind her, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence adorn themselves in their regalia in a room across the hall.
Celestia floats over a scroll that rolls down to the floor and out the door. "Thank goodness you're here."
The Princess zips over to her own armoire and beings the process of placing her own regalia on while she talks to your reflection. "We've got so much to do and only so many hooves to do it with! The list you now hold is everything we have to do before noon, we need your help, Twilight!"
You start to read over the list instinctively as you would any list, but a question plagues your brain.
"Princess Celestia...did you bring me here...for a scheduling problem?"
Celestia looks over her shoulder at you, face heavy with concern. A silent moment passes between you both. "Are you mad?"
"I'd be mad if you hadn't."
Celestia smiles a warm smile at you, knowing she chose well. "With you here, we may just pull this off.
You look to the clock; 10am. Two hours to get all this done.
"What exactly are you trying to do with all this, Princess?"
A low crack of thunder rolls in from the balcony and silences everypony in palace. Celestia looks out to the swirling clouds gathering above Canterlot.
"We're entertaining guests, Twilight...the most important guests in the history of the kingdom."
-Two hours later-
Music
You watch from the top of the stairs to the palace. The entire city gathers to watch the clouds swirl above the plaza in front of the royal palace. The sky burns and boils before a gap forms at noon on the dot. A shimmering beam of energy from the clouds impacts the plaza grounds and kicks up wind and dust in its wake. Canterlot's citizenry shield their eyes and hold onto their hats as the spectacle unfolds.
Familiar figures emerge from the beam one at a time, most that you'd seen at the Tartarian gate. First the massive armored ponies that pushed the hordes back almost singlehoofedly create an honor guard line, then out comes their one-legged commander and that sunny fellow in the glittering armor.
You smile when the next figure emerges. Clad in a freshly polished suit of silver armor and letting his hair out, Anonymous walks next to a unicorn you'd never seen before who was wearing a horned helmet. Despite the circumstances, you're sure you see him grin and wink at you. When they were all out, the beam cuts off like water from a tap and leaves the real guest of honor in the plaza. Clad in a silver neck regalia and wielding a golden spear, she looks over the gathered onlookers with her single eye.
Queen Sleipnir strikes the ground with the pommel of her spear, signaling her escort to turn and face her as she walks through them. More than a few of the ponies watching her arrival think they should bow when she does that. You take the opportunity to size her up as she walks along the stairs up to you. You're familiar with the legends relating to her, but they failed to capture her...intensity. Ruler of Day and Night, All-Mother of all things...and one of the more brutal depictions in myth and legends you'd read, most with her list of deeds ended up in Tartarus. Either despite or because of that eyepatch, you felt your legs shake under her gaze.
"Twilight Sparkle." She says as she reaches you, snapping you out of your trance.
"Yes!"
She continues to watch you as two jet black ravens descend from the sky and land on her shoulders.
"Uhm...I'm a bit surprised you know my name, your grace." You bow to her to show respect.
"I know many things, little one." Was her response. "Come, take me to them."
You throw the doors open into the palace and lead the procession through. The Queen clips along on her eight legs next to you while Anonymous and the others walk behind you both. This was a massively important part of your duty here, as hosting the Queen for the next few minutes was your responsibility and yours alone.
Visiting dignitaries and nobles' line some of the halls along your path to bow to the Queen, but the guards along your path stand resolute and keep them back, even if it means fighting the urge themselves.
Queen Sleipnir ignores them as she walks, using the bottom of her spear to keep rhythm with her legs even though she had eight of them.. "I know many things, Twilight Sparkle. I would know more from you."
You've prepared for all contingencies, so you'd of course planned to answer a few questions. "Well! The palace was built some 900 years ago after Princess Luna-"
"About you." The queen interrupts. "When did you ascend?"
You nearly stumble. "Ah-Begging your pardon?"
She nods down to you. "The wings on your back."
"Oh...a few years ago."
She grunts in acknowledgement as the two of you round a corner to the throne room. "Friendship, mm?"
"Y-yes."
The Queen keeps her eyes forward as you lead her in. "Could have used you back when the world was forming."
You push the Queen's comment to the back of your head and walk into the throne room ahead of them. Celestia and Luna sit on their twin thrones at the top of the royal spire, while Shining and Cadence sit one level up.
You clear your throat and turn as the Queen and her followers stop in the center of the room. The armored honor guard spread themselves along the back of the room in silence.
"May I present to you, honored guests, Princess Celestia of the Sun and Princess Luna, of the moon. Alongside them, Princess Mi-Amore-Cadenza, Princess of Love and her husband Prince Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard."
The four of them nod, you place your hoof to your heart.
"And I am Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle. Former bearer of one of the Elements of Harmony."
For all the pomp and circumstance, declaring the names and titles of any who visited the kingdom was an essential part of the diplomatic process. It let everyone know where they stood.
Anonymous clears his throat and begins to step forward, but a raised hoof from the Queen sends him right back.
"I am Sleipnir Borsdottir; All-Mother, Queen of Asgard, Skylord of the Eastern Cosmos, She Who Brunt the Old World, God of War, Poetry, Magic, and Death."
That sounded...lovely, you guess, save for the magic part.
The Queen gestures to her side and the two stallions step forward. "My sons. Tyr, High General of Asgard and God of War and Justice. Baldur, Lord of Lights."
You got a much better look at them now that there wasn't an apocalypse going on. Tyr closes his eyes and nods stoically, while Baldur places his hoof to his heart and gives a heavy bow. "It is my honor to be within your presences, Princesses."
You think you see Sleipnir roll her eye as she gestures to her other side. "My daughter, Loki, one of our most talented spellcasters in Asgard despite her young age and No-name, with whom you are all acquainted."
"Charmed." Is all Loki says.
Anonymous however, smiles. "Good to be back."
You feel the others smile at him, but you're hung up on her. Familiar as you were with their stories, the name Loki sets off bells in your head. The last thing you need is another-
"HELLOOOOO EVERYPONY!" shouts the last voice you wanted to hear.
Discord, the ever-present pain in your and your friend's flanks, materializes out of a stained-glass window wearing a golf caddies' uniform and hoisting a net full of chicken eggs.
"My my, look who it is!" he says, gesturing towards the throne. "Celestia, Luna, Prince and Princess whats-their-names, and my favorite little friend, Twilight...So good, so good to see you all!"
"Discord!" Shining shouts, getting low and ready to throw him out, or at least try.
"We're a little busy here!"
"Well this is how you can UN-busy yourselves! I have this great idea to spice things up around here and the only thing all of you need to do is meet me on the roof facing the Griffon King-"
"Discord."
Discord makes a sound akin to a rubber chicken being squeezed and poofs away his props before turning around. "...Hello Mrs. S." he says, pawing at his...paw.
Queen Sleipnir locks eyes with Discord even as he tries not to meet hers and looks him over.
Everyone else in the room watches the exchanged, astonished at how quickly and how completely the chaos spirit capitulated. As Discord prepares to open his mouth again, the Queen interrupts. "You've lost weight."
"Oh...you know. Clean living, down here." He says to make an excuse.
She grunts to him again and looks out the window. "I am meeting with your friends now. Leave, or I will call your mother."
Discord's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he turns back to all of you. "So sorry, my friends, but I just remembered that I have to...water my socks! Yes! So long!"
Discord snaps his fingers and manifests a knapsack over his shoulder before he winds up and zips out the window he came through. The last thing you hear from him is "You look loveley, Mrs. S!"
The Queen watches him go before she turns her attention back to you. She reads the room and offers a small explanation.
"I am acquainted with his mother. Continue."
She steps forward and signals for one of her sons, the bearded one, to follow. "The most pressing matter is the incursion from Tartarus and Asgard's...intervention." Anon shirks away from the Queen a bit, hoping not to be noticed. "We will begin there. Summon your warriors, I would speak of this in solitude."
Celestia nods and looks down to you. "Twilight, can you take care of everypony not in this meeting?"
You nod your head; you could do with the air.
You quickly gather up your charges and head for the veranda, taking a deep breath once you see the sky again.
"Aaaahhh~..."
Anon chuckles next to you. "You learn to get used to her."
"I'm not sure I want to..."
"Now you know how we feel." Loki responds, walking past you out onto the deck.
At your other side, Baldur runs past you to the railing. "Wow! Look how far you can see! Haha! I can see all the way to the next city!"
You suppress a giggle.
"That would be Manehattan, one of the biggest ports in Equestria."
"Aahh! What's that?"
"The Everfree forest."
"What's that?"
"That'd be Galloping Gorge."
"What's that?"
"That-"
"-Is enough of that, please." Anon finishes. You give him a questioning look, to which he answers, "This will keep up all day if you let it."
"And night." Loki answers, sitting at a table. "Though who knows how long we'll be stuck behind Mother only to be ushered out like schoolyard hens."
"But she's not upset, we swear." Anon chides, going over and sitting nest to her. Baldur notices and heads over as well.
"I have every right to be! Dragged halfway across the realm just to walk in after Mother and then be told to leave while she discusses important matters! I am a Princess of Asgard, why am I not allowed to take part in shaping it?"
"Because you act like a spoiled brat and whine too much. Have an apple." Anon hands Loki an apple that she bites into, albeit with a snide look on her face.
You smile and sit across from them. "I see Anonymous has had no trouble fitting in."
"He's my best friend!" Baldur shouts.
"He's VERY insistent on it." Said friend responds.
"Though why do you call him that?" Loki asks.
"What?"
"Anonymous is just what they call me, Loki." He says. "No-name is what all of YOU call me."
"Which do you prefer?"
Anon shrugs with his palms to the sky.
You nod and help yourself to an apple. "I have to thank all of you again for what you did at the Tartarian Gate. Without all of you, I don't know where Equestria would be."
"On fire, more than likely."
Anon elbows Loki to admonish her. "It wouldn't kill you to be nice."
"It very well might."
"Not if I do it first."
"I'd like to see you try, monkey-boy!"
Sparks fly between the two of them while Baldur digs apple seeds from his teeth.
"Is that normal for them?"
"Yesh." He answers with a gulp. "Sister has a habit of bringing out the worst in people. Not me, though."
"I will hex you to RAGNAROK, Baldur!"
"Yes, yes, I love you too, sister!"
The prince chuckles and looks to you. "Children, am I correct?"
"MOTHER!" Loki cries. "BALDUR IS HITTING ON THE MORTALS!"
Wait what?!
"Oh you little-!" Baldur tries to leap across the table at Loki, but is held down by Anonymous. Loki's horn sparks futilely in his armored hand as the two of them try to escape to beat each other.
Anon sighs as he holds them apart. "And people ask me if I'd prefer to have stayed dead...SIDDOWN!" Anon pushes the two of them back to their seats. "Enough! We're guests here, behave yourselves!"
The two godlings stare at each other and turn away in unison.
"I will if Loki stops being a pain."
"I will if Baldur keeps it in his pantaloons."
"Are these two really gods?"
"Oh I promise Twi, they're all just as crazy like this. I've had to learn to make due."
Faaaaaantastic.
Just as Anon prepares to sit, someone else joins. "Is everything alright back here?" You look over to see who it was, but Anon is already out from behind the table heading over.
"Armor!" Shining smiles his brightest and embraces Anon's hand with his hoof. "You son of a-"
"Watch it, Anon." you say.
Anonymous snickers and looks back to your brother, both trying to out-macho the other one.
"You know I can win." Anonymous says.
"I know you THINK you can." Armor retorts before releasing him.
"Is everything alright, Shining?"
The Prince-Captain returns to his serious persona and nods. "The private meeting is finished. The Queen wants everyone in the room for what comes next."
"Finally..." Loki groans, tossing her apple core off the side of the veranda.
Back in the throne room, Queen Sleipnir stands before Celestia and Luna, having come down from their thrones. Overall, the air in the room was a tad bit more casual.
The Queen interrupts her conversation to address the five of you as you return. She does not look when she does. "Loki!"
The Asgardian Princess stops in her tracks. "What?"
"Apologize to your brother."
Her cheeks immediately inflate in a rage. "Wha-Buh-How did you know about that?!"
"I know everything you whelp! Apologize, NOW!"
"But he was trying to make whooppy with the mortals!"
Whoopy?!
"He is old enough to have children! You were not! Apologize to him NOW!"
Loki groans aloud. "Fine!I'msorryBaldur! Are you happy now?!"
"Content. Join us."
You walk next to Loki to try and get your mind off...THAT as she grumbles under her breath.
"Hehe, I remember what it was like being that age around my parents..."
"I assure you, living with my mother is different from anything you experienced." She says.
"I don't doubt it. But still! A respected magister at your age, you must know so much!"
Loki puffs herself up, making her helmet go up as high as it can go to add a few inches to her. "I am the wisest of all my siblings! I can't count how often they come to me asking for my advice! No-name too! Even my parents!"
"Oh, how interesting! I handle lots of friendship problems with my friends and family too, I'd love to compare notes one day!"
Loki's eyes snap open and she looks confused. "What."
Anonymous leans down and whispers to her. "She says she wants to be friends with you, you doof."
The Princess keeps her eyes focused forward as you all reach her mother before a small "Sure" escapes her lips.
"What was that?"
>"I-I will allow this. Be greatful."
You give her the warmest smile you can and make silent note to never let her and Trixie in the same room together.
The Queen clears her throat and turns to all of you.
"It has been decided." She says.
Baldur is the first to speak. "Are...you going to leave us in suspense?"
The Queen shoots him a look before she continues, Baldur does the same thing Discord did and flattens his ears..
"In the past, Asgard has stood silent vigil over the realms of Midgard and beyond. From No-name's interference, we three have determined that things will not get better on their own."
Celestia and Luna step forward on either side of the Queen. "Tirek only got as far as he did because the locks on the gate somehow failed, that couldn't have happened by accident."
Anonymous crosses his arms and nods. "Someone wanted it to happen."
"Indeed." The Queen answers. "So it is, and so shall it be that Asgard will, from this day forward, go forth and defend our charges in Midgard from those in our realm that would mean them harm. Each of you, my children, will be called forth in the coming days."
Baldur is nearly jumping out of his skin in excitement. "Does that mean I get to leave the palace!?"
The Queen sighs. "Yes, son."
The son says nothing, but his smile only grows and his hopping intensifies.
"We will rely on the mortals for their aid in this endeavor, such control over their realm as they have already established." Sleipnir states.
Celestia and Luna nod. "Canterlot will stand with you."
"As will the Crystal Empire." Cadence says. "We'll do everything we can to keep everyone safe."
"Here here!" Anon says.
"Aye." States Tyr.
The Queen clenches her jaw and looks out one of the windows. "In return for our aid...I ask but one request of you mortals."
Celestia and Luna look to each other, both clearly unprepared for that. "What would you ask of us, All-Mother...?"
You glance at the Queen's eye, but quickly wish you hadn't. The steely determination simmering from it could level a mountain and made your knees shake.
"The one responsible for sealing the gate to Tartarus is my eldest daughter. She has been living amongst your kind for nearly a year. I want to find where she is."
Beyond the window, thunder cracks in the sky despite the sun shining. Next to you, Loki swallows a knot in her throat. |
Prose Equus | True Strength. | You open your eyes as the Bifrost deposits you beneath the trees of the Everfree Forest. The rainbow light seeped through your eyelids even when you squinted them shut. Time moves differently for forests and mountains. It'd been years since you last set foot in this place, but every inch of it was as you remembered like it hadn't even been a day. Thoughts such as that wander into your head every so often. Would your life even register as a blip to the forest? Or would the entirety of your existence be to it as the flies currently in your face were to you.
You suppose that, considering your current divine company, you may have more impact on the forest than you realize. Queen Sleipnir was responsible for sending you down to Midgard this day with a quick and simply stated task.
"You are familiar with the mortal settlement Ponyville. Travel to it and return my wayward daughter to me." She had commanded.
When you told her that Ponyville wasn't exactly a small place, she at least gave you a name to go off of.
"Mmmmmjolna."
You turn the name over your tongue for a bit, getting a feel for it and imagining what its owner may look like. If she was Sleipnir's daughter and a wayward one at that while also, she believes, the one responsible for saving your ass at the Tartarian Gate, then that certainly colored your perception.
"Anyone mighty enough to do that is...what? Nine feet tall? Should be easy."
You swing your arms and begin walking towards civilization. No weapon hangs from your hip and no armor straddles your chest this time, having told Heimdall to send you down close to the boarder. Close enough to avoid Timber Wolves but far enough from town to avoid making a spectacle.
However, a rustling of the bushes makes you momentarily regret that choice.
You drop low behind a fallen tree in the hopes of getting the jump on whatever creeps towards you, but quickly feel foolish as you see what it is.
Or rather, who they are.
"Ahm tellin' ya, there aint no way we're gonna see a magic wind cave with a pig-bear in it out here! All'a those rumors are just horse-apples!" a little filly states.
Another, oranger one jumps over her excitedly. "But Rumble says he SAW it out here! Saw it with his own two eyes and said it was knocking down trees to clear its home!"
A tiny white one trails behind the two. "Rumble Thunderlane's brother?"
"Yeah!"
"How are you sure he didn't just hear that from his older brother? Would YOU trust anything Thunderlane said?"
The three young fillies all look at each other silently for a moment before they begin giggling in unison. Recognizing the little crusaders, you stand up.
"Girls?"
For a moment they seem panicked at the surprise, thinking that whatever cryptid they were discussing might indeed be real, but their mouths turn to smiles at the sight of you.
"It's Anon!" they exclaim.
In a second you're mobbed by young girls. Applebloom tries to show you how tall she's gotten, Scootaloo tries to show you how long she can hover for, and Sweetie Belle just wants you to look at her. It's more chaotic than the battle of the Gate.
"Girls, GIRLS!"
The three of them freeze.
"It's nice to see all of you, but one at a time. Please. I'm an old man."
The girls all run in front of you and turn their smiles up.
"We haven't seen you in f'r ever, Anonymous!"
"You've GOT to tell us all the adventures you've had with those god guys." Sctootaloo exclaims.
"Yeah! Is that why you're here now? Do you have some super special mission you gotta do?!" Sweetie asks.
They knew about the company you keep? Word travels fast. The questions begin to ramp up again so you raise both hands to quickly calm them.
"Hey, hey!"
They silently look up at you with expectant eyes. "I'm just here to...meet someone, girls. Just a social call."
All three of the Crusaders groan in unified disappointment.
You cross your arms. "Don't give me that. What are you three even doing out this far from town? And in the Everfree no less."
Scootaloo dismissively waves a hoof at you. "Aw, you worry too much, Anon. We're with our councilor!"
You blink. "Counciler?"
"Yeah!" Applebloom pipes up. "We're in an after-school camp for young adventurous fillies, they let us go out WAY farther than our sisters do so long as we have a councilor with us watching us!"
"Do you want to meet her?" Sweetie asks. "She's just over there."
You follow the hoof she points to through a small copse of trees, but shake your head.
"Gotta find my friend, girls. Sorry. Business comes first."
You shrug as they groan again, but pet their heads as you pass by on your way. They should be alright out here if they're supervised.
"Be good! And don't drive your councilor crazy!"
You leave the edge of the forest and make your way into town. The familiar buildings and sights of Ponyville greet your eyes as you approach. From here, you can even see some of the townsfolk in the distance.
Including one very very pink one.
That has now noticed you and is galloping towards you at full tilt.
"Uh oh..."
In all Equestria there is a saying. "There is no party like a Pinkie Pie party because a Pinkie Pie party will go until the police break it up."
You're trying to escape that fate this time.
The entire block was now engulfed in a raucous party that echoed through the entire town. Ponies danced, laughed, and even got a dj to perform. You'd been forced to the head of no less than three conga lines. You've no idea how long the party lasted since Pinkie dragged you into a welcome back celebration that seemed to spring from nowhere. Minutes? Hours? Everything was a haze of cake and confetti.
Leaning back in the chair you borrowed, you rub your head. "Pinkie, if they ever let you in Valhalla, I think they'll learn that eternal merriment can, in fact, be a bad thing..."
"Don't be so down, Annie! It's your super special "Welcome-back-we-thought-you-were-dead-but-you're-really-not-and-secretly-helping-to-protect-Equestria-just-like-when-you-were-alive" party!
You spin one finger around. "Woo."
The rolling storm in your stomach caused by the 18 cupcakes you were forced to eat at this thing causes you to reach for a beverage. Looking at what you grabbed, a super sugary chocolate shake, makes you put it back with a belch to release the pressure inside you. Pinkie, to her credit, was still going as she slide more treats into her Pattented Pinkie Portable Party Oven If Pinkie Pie was good at two things, it was knowing ponies and parties.
Hmm...
"Hey Pinkie, you know everypony, have you ever heard of someone named Mjolna?"
"Gesundheit, Annie." Pinkie says.
"Very funny."
Pinkie chokes a laugh back. "I know. What was her name again? Mee-yol-na?"
"There abouts."
Pinkie thinks as hard as she can and taps her chin. "Mmmmmmnope. The name isn't ringing any bells. Who is this pony, Annie?"
You sigh dejectedly, realizing you ate 18 cupcakes for nothing.
"She's the daughter of a...friend. I'm here to find her and bring her home."
A rare worried frown crosses Pinkie's face. "Aw, that's so sad, Annie. If she's the daughter of your friend...family shouldn't be apart."
You feel your old friendship with Pinkie tugging at your heart strings as you remember that she herself is separated from her family, hearing this can't be easy for her.
Best to change subject.
"How's life, Pinkie?"
The dark clouds pushed away, Pinkie snaps back to her happy standard like taffee. "Aw, you know. Life is life. Workin' at the shop, helping Twilight with some friendship problem, throwin' parties."
"How're the twins?"
"Bigger EVERY day, Annie!" she happily exclaims. "I was worried about business at the shop when Mr and Mrs Cake have to take care of them in their Terrible Twos, we were able to sell out almost our ENTIRE stock of pastries after I got Sandy to help me!"
You nod slowly. "Friend of yours?"
Pinkie nods back, you hear a been in a tin can when she does.
That made you smile, honestly even after the confectionery nightmare earlier. You may be here on a divine mission, but you'd also wanted to see the town with your own eyes, make sure everyone was alright.
"Okay Pinkie, it was fun, but..."
You push yourself up and stretch "I really do need to find Mjolna, or at least someone who's seen her. She's in this town somewhere."
"Oh oh!" Pinkie says, bouncing up and down. "You should DEFINITELY go ask Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres! Ever since Big Macintosh joined that acapella choir, she's been putting up help wanted signs for farmhands! Maybe she's seen your friend!"
It's as good a lead as any. You give Pinkie a thumbs up.
"Thanks Pinkie. Keep your ears open in case she Mjolna comes here, okay?"
Pinkie waves to you as you walk away, you smell smoke as you go. "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my-AH! MY CREPES!"
The Everfree sits to the South of the town while Sweet Apple Acres lies more to the West. You head back to the center of town to escape Pinkie's block party and then head along the road that takes you past the police station. You're both amazed and relieved that the town finally got a real police station to handle problems.
"Maybe now they won't need to call Royal Guard and a bunch of show fliers to save them."
Really, Wonderbolts? Against Tirek? Come on.
As you approach the outer edge of town, the houses become slightly further apart. One of the houses has two brown asses milling about the front moving some groceries from the market inside.
Though you guess the polite term is donkey.
"Need a hand there, Matilda? I'd hate for someone to slip a disc."
You hear Cranky snort before he even finishes turning around. "I'll have you know that my disc is-"
"Oh calm down, Darling. Anonymous was just trying to be helpful." The female donkey turns and smiles to you. "Thank you dear, I would love it."
You pick up your pace down the road and scoop up the bags of food in your hands. You hear Cranky grumble, but he doesn't turn down the help.
"Nice to see you haven't changed much, Cranky."
"Still sticking your nose in other's business, aren't you Anonymous?"
Cranky was fun in an "angry bulldog behind a fence" sort of way.
"Oh don't my him, dear." Matilda chimes as she ushers you inside her home with all the bags under your arms. Making two trips was for neophytes. "He's been particularly grumpy ever since he couldn't get our new couch indoors."
You glance over into the living room. Three bodies wide, rich red velvet, high back and positioned right by the bay window. It was a nice couch.
"Well, we all have those days."
Matilda leads you to the kitchen where you deposit the groceries.
"How'd you get that beauty over there then?"
Cranky finally chimes in. "Eh, that Shores girl was wandering by and lent us a hand."
"Who now?"
"A bit of a new girl in town."
"A big girl from the sound of it."
"What is it the kids say? Earth ponies strong?" Matilda shrugs. "Thank you for the help, Anonymous."
Matilda hugs you and even Cranky offers a dour "Thank you." After he rolls his eyes.
You wave to them both and head out the door, continuing to Sweet Apple Acres.
You hear Applejack before you see her, picking up the sharp THWOCK of steel horseshoes against bark as you enter the orchard.
Sure enough you find the farmpony deep inside her orchard with a cart filled with barrels of apples.
She doesn't see you and so you watch for a moment.
"Does that hurt?"
AJ pauses and looks over her shoulder, growing a cocky smirk. "Naw, with how long I been doin' this and these fancy horseshoes, barely feel a thing."
You smile and stroll over.
"How about dyin', s'that hurt?" she asks.
"I've had worse."
"Like what?"
"Too many Pinkie Parties."
The two of you share a laugh. Afterwards, you flex.
"Though these days, I'm not really feeling too much pain, even at my age. The golden apples they have up their make me feel like I could wrestle Big Macintosh any day of the week."
AJ's brow furrows a tad as she leans against her cart. "Aint better than my apples."
"I don't know, AJ..."
Her craftsman's pride wounded; she points a hoof at you. "Prove it!"
You swing your leg back and give the tree she was working a resounding kick. From above you, the remaining apples in the tree fall to the ground as if they were pulled by a mighty force.
Applejack inspects your handiwork with a stern gaze.
"...Still couldn't have tasted better than mine."
"You've got me there."
The two of you share another laugh together. Applejack takes her hat off and fans herself in the summer heat. "So what're you here for, Anon? Gotta say you being back here at all is pretty odd. Twilight gave us the skinny on your uh...unique circumstances, but it's still hard t' believe."
"Odd how?"
"Odd as in "crossin' the boundaries of life and death where nopony should walk" odd."
"I'm not exactly a pony."
"Point stands."
You shrug. "I don't really know. I can't remember how I "died", even if I remember how I planned it, but I know that I can see and hear and talk to and touch everyone now so I might as well be alive."
To prove a point, you reach out and tap Applejack's nose with your finger. "Boop."
She scrunches her noise and shakes her head out. "Don't do that."
"No promises."
You snigger and loop your thumbs into your pockets. "I'm here looking for someone, the daughter of my new...boss, I guess. Has there been anyone knew in town?"
AJ mimics Pinkie Pie and taps her chin. "Let's see, new? Not really. Folks don't really move out all the way to Ponyville. Even with all the element bearers and the Tree of Harmony and Discord and the Princess of Friendship here, we're still too far out for most folk to make a life."
"Funny, I don't exactly hear you complaining."
"Keeps land prices down, f'nothing else."
AJ sets her hoof down. "Near as I can figure, the newest face I know is Sandy Shores, she's my repairpony."
"Wait, who now?"
"Sandy Shores? Young girl, maybe...18 or 19 by my guess? Lives in a house off Unicorn Range with Quick Fix."
"I thought Quick Fix was the repair pony!"
"Quick Fix has an engineering degree, Anon!"
Of course, how foolish of you.
"What's she do?"
AJ gestures to the edge of the orchard. "Diamond Dogs busted up my fence a couple moons back, Sandy came 'round to fix it up and even helped me chase 'em off. Why?"
You stroke your chin.
"Just...hearing a lot about this girl today."
"Aint surprised, she's been a big help 'round these parts."
"Where is she now?"
AJ tilts her head a bit. "Probably off near the Everfree boundary with Apple Bloom and her friends? Sandy works part time as the councilor for that camp a' hers."
Sunuva!
You bid farewell to Applejack and hurry towards the place you came in at, apparently Heimdall was more accurate than you'd been led to believe.
You hightail it through the orchard and hop the fence back to the forest, relying on your sense of direction to take you back to the area you saw the girls at.
Sure enough it takes you less than ten minutes to hear the sounds of Apple Bloom urging her friends "Pull harder!" You peak through the brush.
"Girls!"
The three little fillies stop pulling on the strange looking plant that they're tugging on in unison to look at you.
"Mister Anonymous?"
You realize your rush to get here was not their rush. "...Where's your councilor?"
Scootaloo rolls her eyes. "This again? We told you, we're fine! She's watching us!"
"Yeah but can I meet her?"
The girls look to each other and shrug, who could understand what an old man wanted?
"Miss Sandy!" they call together.
"Coming girls!"
You size her up as she crosses through the treeline. Younger, about as young as AJ said, but larger than most of the earth ponies you'd seen. If you guessed, she'd come up to just under Mac's height with a stocky build. Her mane was bright gold and seemed to catch the sunlight that creeps through the trees and hits her body, which contrasts with the smooth tan of her coat.
She seems nice by the big smile she wears and how the girls trot up to her. Were it not for one thing, you'd simple figure her to be a normal, if slightly bulky mare.
Were it not for the cutie mark of a familiar mallet on her flank.
"What's up girls?" she asks "Who's this?"
Sweetie Belle is the one to answer. "This is Mister Anonymous! He's a friend of our sisters and helped protect Equestria and stuff."
She chuckles. "And stuff?"
"I also have a lovely singing voice. Girls, can I talk to Miss Sandy alone for a minute?"
The four girls cock an eyebrow.
"It's about the fence she fixed for Applejack."
"Sandy" pats the girls on the back. "Why don't you guys head off to the lake over yonder, alright? But stay within earshot!"
The Crusaders run off through the brush. "Okay Miss Sandy!"
"Sandy" watches the girls trot off before turning her attention back to you. "So! What can I do for you, Anonymous?"
You decide to play it cool. "It's just about the fence you helped Applejack fix...something about Diamond Dogs?"
She trots past you and examines a tree nearby. "Yeah, irritating little blighters. They knocked down a section of the fence along the western edge and even stuck around in the area while I was fixing it! I Applejack was around so she helped me chase them off." Sandy pumps her hoof. "We showed them what's what, I promise!"
You offer a simple smile. "I'm sure, I just wanted to know in case...you know, keeping an eye out."
"I guess a guard's work is never done?"
"Never ever. Even dead, I still serve."
The two of you share a small chuckle.
"Your cutie mark, the hammer means you repair things?"
Sandy nods. "Yeah, that's it. The lightning bolts are because I do it lightning fast!"
You nod your head and cross your arms as Sandy trots past you towards where the girls went. "Can't hear them all too well...those three had better not have gotten lost!"
"We could always ask Heimdall to take a look."
Sandy keeps her back to you.
"Failing that, ask the Queen to send her ravens out."
"Sandy's" shoulder's fall and her stance and demeanor change with the wind.
"You know." She starts, turning around and walking towards you. Her mane shines with a brighter golden glow now and she moves with a previously unforeseen grace. "I was having a really good day until you showed up, Mister Anonymous!"
"Oh really?"
"Yeah! I woke up early, the bakery had my favorite jelly doughnuts in stock and Miss Cake gave me an extra one TOTALLY for free. The weather was nice and Rumble couldn't make it to camp today because his brother was sick which means I DON'T have to get hit on by Thunderlane today. I was looking forward to a nice quiet day with the girls, a nice days pay earned, and then maybe I'd go for a walk at night. But here you are."
"Sorry to disappoint "Sandy"."
"Yeah, whatever." She says, rubbing the back of her head. "So you know my real name?"
"Mjolna? Yeah."
"That's the one."
"Why the pseudonym?"
"Pot to kettle? Hello "Anonymous"."
"I took it to, you know FIT IN? I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a pretty studious resident in this town. I didn't need her hearing about her new neighbor that she read about in books."
You look at her and lean on a tree. "Fitting in, huh?"
"Uh, yeah? I like it down here, it's nice and quiet. I'd like to blend with the townsfolk."
Can't fault her for that one, you loved it down here too. This daughter of Sleipnir was certainly different from the other one you're used to.
"So, I have to ask. The Tartarian Gate, that was you?"
Mjolna sighs a bit. "Yeah, it was. The guard were marching just outside of town and scaring everyone. Once I heard the commotion and heard everypony praying just to survive, I stepped in."
"You can hear prayers?"
"Gods can do a lot of things, alright?"
"Well, still, thanks for the assist. We wouldn't be here having this conversation if not for you, you saved a lot of lives that day."
"Yeah, welcome to my life. It really do be like that sometimes."
You laugh. "What?"
Mjolna shrugs. "I don't know, something the kids say."
You shake your head. "Well, I've been sent here to tell you that your Mother wants you to return home."
"Pass." Mjolna says.
A pause hangs in the air as you chew that unexpected answer over.
"She's...not really the type to take no for an answer."
Mjolna looks over her shoulder and shrugs. "She better figure it out then. Trust me, she's used to it from me."
"That sounds like a story."
Mjolna sucks air through her teeth and blows her mane from her face. "It's why I was banished here..." The godling sits herself on the ground. "Long story made VERY short, Frost Giants killed my father. I wanted to go to Jotunhiem to find out why from the horse's mouth."
"I understand there are no Frost Giants."
For a moment, a grim shadow crosses over Mjolna's face that makes you think of Sleipnir. "Yeah. There aren't." Mjolna lets out another deep sigh before continuing. "I got into a fight with Mother about it, in anger, we came to blows. After it was done, I was banished here."
You let out a low whistle.
"Takes a lot of guts to take a swing at your Mother."
"Tch. So? I don't care how old she is, I'm not letting that crone take the wheel on MY life and decide what I can and can't do. If she deserves a welt, I'll give her one."
Now Mjolna reminds you of her Mother even more.
"Am I sad that I can't see my family? Yes, of course. But it was the right thing to do, and I'd do it again."
"Alright, alright, easy." You raise your hands to calm her. "Look, I get it. But the Queen wouldn't call for you or send me if she didn't need you back. Whatever your Mother may be, a moron is not it."
"True as that may be? I don't CARE, Anonymous. A moron she might not be, but my Mother IS a pompous, posturing pain in my ass and the collective ass of everyone in the nine realms. I'm so over being her attack dog that she uses to strongarm other realms because I have a big hammer. Besides, I'm helping out around here." She says, gesturing to where she sent the girls.
"Equestria was getting along fine without the gods for years down here, barring a few princesses. Your family needs you NOW."
Mjolna keeps her eyes from yours and lets out a quick verbal space. "Yeah, well, I really like being "normal", whatever that is, and this might be my only chance to do it. In Asgard I was the God of Thunder first, the scion of the crown second, and my Mother's successor third. Here I'm just Sandy."
"That doesn't change the facts."
"Well change can go to Hel. All I want to do is help, damn the politics."
You sigh and rub your brow.
"So that's it?"
Mjolna shrugs. "The only hero I'm interested in being right now is one to those three girls, sorry..."
Silence lingers in the air between the two of you before it's torn asunder by a deafening roar and three high pitched filly-screams.
The two of you are running in that direction before either finish.
Music
The two of you break through the treeline where you heard the girls and indeed find them. Cowering in fear behind a rock as a truly colossal grizzly bear made of starilight roars with the ferocity of the black hole in its gullet at them.
"Ursa Major!"
"I see it!" Mjolna shouts from atop a rock she perched on.
The girls were a few hundred feet away and the Ursa, a good mile or two, but its massive gait could move it that distance in seconds if it wanted to.
As if in queue, the Ursa snarls and begins to charge towards the tiny ponies it spotted in its territory.
The girls cling to each other in sheer terror before they see you and Mjolna on the hill. "Help!" they cry.
An electricity moves through the air of the forest. "Get to them."
"Wha-"
The rock Mjolna stood upon explodes as she leaps off it with such force that she rockets through the Everfree towards the Ursa.
"Oh, damn!"
You waste no time and slide down the hill, dashing towards the Crusaders. "HANG ON, GIRLS!"
A mighty wind screams through the river clearing and turns into a squal. A barrage of debris is ejected from the forest at the Ursa, uprooted trees and massive stones that fly through the air and strike it in the head in an effort to discourage it. The beast slows from the assault but falls upon you just as you reach the girls.
Hands around the three fillies, time slows to an eternity as Mjolna shoots from the forest and body-checks the Ursa Major in the jaw, sending it soaring over the trees into the side of Everfree Mountain.
"Whoa!" Scootaloo shouts.
"HOLY CRAP!"
"Hey! Watch your language, Sweetie!" Mjolna lands in front of the four of you and cants her head to the hill. "Get to safety, I've got this!"
"It's an Ursa Major!"
"And I am the God of Thunder!"
The Ursa rights itself from the impact it suffered and roars another challenge. Mjolna stops paying attention to you and leaps into the forest.
You scoop up the girls and run back the way you came from, hazarding a glance back only when Scootaloo cries "Look!"
Mjolna leaps through the forest like a gazelle, her mighty legs pushing her forward at a speed you'd never seen any pony reach on land, galloping or otherwise. The Ursa Major suffers an uppercut impact to the jaw as you reach the top of the hill. You stop and stare in amazement while the Crusaders jaws hit the dirt. The Ursa Major is pulled up the side of Everfree Mountain by a small dust cloud near its head, one you presume is Mjolna grabbing it with what you can only figure is her teeth.
At the peak of the crag, the Ursa is thrown down the slopes as a tremendous "GET LOST!" echoes among the trees. The Ursa roars all the way down the mountain and bounces when it hits the ground, sailing over the trees and impacting the river you'd just crossed.
You duck down and shield the girls from the falling debris with your body. Apple Bloom screaming in terror calls you to look over your shoulder.
The Ursa has sighted you once again, and dives towards the four of you with its jaws agape. You hold the girls close in an effort to trade your life for theirs perhaps, ready to die again if it was like this, but a crack of thunder and a sonic impact from beside you stop the Ursa in its tracks.
In all your years alive, through all the times you'd seen Twilight talk to Celestia, none of those moments combined could equal the number of stars in the eyes of the tree fillies in your arms as they watched their camp counselor with her hoof pressed into the snout of an Ursa Major that she stopped from eating them.
"Can you not hear?" Mjolna asks the beast. "I said. GET! LOST!"
Like you'd seen Applejack do earlier, Mjolna plants her hooves and rears back, bucking the Ursa Major in the mouth with both of her hind legs. Thunder cracks and the Ursa feels what it's like to fly, shooting through the air like a bullet and soaring over Everfree Mountain on its way to the Badlands, now a problem for the Changelings.
Mjolna sets her legs down and smirks in the rain of water from the Ursa's landing falls down on you all, content that she'd sent the threat away. Three gasps come from your arms as she turns her attention to her campers.
"Are you three okay? I was so worried! I'm sorry I took so long, but this is why I said stay close!"
The girls hear absolutely none of that and leap from your arms, mouths wide in excitement as they dance around Mjolna, unable to contain their glee.
Scootaloo just repeats "OMIGOSHOHMIGOSHOHMIGOSH." While Applebloom tries to recount everything she just saw while catching her own breath.
Sweetie Belle spins while she bounces, exclaiming to the world "OUR COUNCILOR IS THE COOLEST COUNCILOR EVER!" Mjolna spins with them as they celebrate. "Easy! Easy! There's no reason to-- I just had to keep you safe, I'm nothing-"
"Special?" you interrupt, falling on your ass. "Eh, agree to disagree, from what I just saw, but I'll say this."
You point a finger-pistol at her. "Who you are? What these girls love so much? That can never change, no matter what you do. You can do...extraordinary things, truly beyond my comprehension, but that doesn't preclude you from being who you are or who you want to be."
Mjolna laughs as the girls hug her but says nothing.
"Right now, Asgard is in need of the extraordinary things you can do. Your Mother has promised to help keep the peace down here in Midgard, and I can't imagine she isn't looking to include you in that."
The godling pets Apple Bloom's head. "Did she now..."
You see the thoughts cross Mjolna's mind as the gears in her head turn. "I will...speak to her, but I want to continue living down here, in Equestria." Mjolna looks at you. "If these three will accept me and what I can do, I want to at least try with the others."
You shrug and smile. "My mission was just to get you to your Mother, that satisfies me just fine. Let's get back to town so you can grab that magic mallet of yours and we can head out."
Mjolna apologetically bares her teeth and averts her eyes from yours. Yeah...about that..." |
Prose Equus | When it Rains. | Music
It's raining in Asgard.
Down in Midgard, most places considered rain and thunder an ill portent, signaling mudslides, flooded crops, and miserable times indoors. Asgard, however, always saw rain as a reason to celebrate, as it was a symbol of their beloved princess turned God of Thunder, especially when she just returned to the palace after an extended time banished.
With her return brings an end to the reign of Loki, sole Princess of Asgard.
You sigh and rest your head upon your hooves, looking down at the city from your balcony while hiding under the veranda so as not to get soaked.
No-name returned from Midgard with Mjolna in tow the evening prior and the rainy celebrations had persisted since then. Even from here you can hear every tavern in the city drinking their fill of mead and grog at the return of their princess. You hadn't left your room.
You sneer as you think.
"Mjolna..."
You'd been adopted into the royal family as a newborn, and Mjolna was about two or so at that time, meaning you'd grown up sometimes literally in the shadow of the pride and joy of the realm. In your studies, your training, even speaking to the populace, you had always trailed behind your older sister. It was only in your studies of magic and sorcery that you were able to excel, she choosing to play the part of the dumb brute with that mallet of hers.
Your sneer deepens. You loathe that mallet.
No matter what you were doing, no matter what mischief you attempted to enact to brighten up your day, no matter what achievement you strove for, Mjolna and her self-named mallet had always been there to stop you growing up. Praise would be lavished on her while you were scolded and forced to sit under her hammer for hours as punishment.
Her mere PRESENCE stifles your own and now No-name was the one to bring her back here, to YOU.
"I met him first sister so GO AWAY!" you shout to yourself and your pet eels.
You will NOT hand over the sole living thing in this palace to give you the time of day in 15 years to her so easily!
Not counting Mother and Baldur. Baldur's attention was annoying and attention from Mother was never good
You blow your mane out of your face and think, which you do best by talking to yourself.
It wasn't weird at all.
"If No-name were here...at the very least I could have him aid me in slaying some rock troll or something...I know where a few of those still are."
Unfortunately for you, No-name had been tricked into Mjolna's returning revelries and had passed out in his room around sunrise. Another thing your sister took from you.
You look back to your bed where the box containing your half of the Palantir is hidden. "Without him here I can't even peer through the amulet to spy on what Mjolna was doing now.
Another sigh and you try to think what No-name would suggest you do. You close your eyes and try to picture what the lumbering oaf would say to you.
He would stand before you, hands on his hips and chest out as far as he could put it before saying something like "HA! SITTING AROUND ALL DAY WON'T SEE YOU GET YOUR DREAMS DONE! LET'S GO RUN SIX MILES TO WARM UP FOR THE DAY! HAHA! FRIENDSHIP! YOUR MOM SUCKS!"
You open your eyes again.
"Or something like that..."
As your eyes drift over to the magical gateway you use as a door, you conclude that your image of No-name was right about at least two of those things. You hop to your hooves and done your robes, preparing to head out. You say a last word to your eels before you go.
"Drifter, Woody, I am leaving. Bite anyone dares who enters here."
Maybe this time they will listen to you, Baldur was decidedly un-bitten the last time he barged in.
Your horseshoes clink against the metals of the stones floor as you make your way down from the tower where your room is kept. You first try to go find No-name in his room, but you hear his snoring from down the hall and quickly decide against that.
"I'd prefer not to kill him today."
And Baldur was OUT of the question.
"Can't even kill him if I tried..."
A rumble in the stones tells you that the storm outside is still ongoing, and heavy above the palace heights, meaning that your sister was more than likely close at hoof.
"Better to avoid her if I can help it..."
You continue to move through the palace as you think of a plan when the shadow of an approaching guard begins to round the corner. Princess though you were many were cautious at seeing you outside of your room, believing you to be up to something. Even if they're right, it's still annoying, so you extend your magic and shed your form as easily as one would a pair of saddlebags. By the time the guard can see you, all he sees is another of his comrades patrolling the halls.
Your brain tells you "make small talk to keep suspicion low!" as you pass him.
"...Nice weather today."
The guard stops in his tracks and you can almost hear his neck strain to turn back to you. "It's...raining?" he asks, confused.
STUPID BRAIN!
"Yyyyyyyyyyesss..." You turn back and give him an I'm-so-normal smile. "I like the rain?"
The guard sizes you up with his eyes, still visibly confused, before he turns back to his route. "Queens honor, friend."
"Y-you too!"
A spark of genius goes through your mind. The quee-Mother! You could find her and whisper in her ear to maybe at least get Mjolna kicked out of the castle!
"There has to be something she did to make her angry! Everything makes her angry!"
You hurry along to the throne room and lose your disguise along the way.
The Throne Keep sits at the center of the Asgardian palace, with layers and layers of walls and other defenses insulating it from an outward attack so that Asgard's symbol of power would stand in the face of any catastrophe short of Ragnarok.
A little known fact was that the palace was once just a single keep built by your forefathers in ages long past and that over time, additional keeps were built adjacent to it and absorbed into the central structure. The Throne had stood since the first founding of the Golden Realm and would stand until its last breath.
You think, anyway. The door was shut.
The doors tall enough for a frost giant, if any of them were around to use it, tower over you. You've never seen these doors closed, ever. Even when Mother entertained visiting dignitaries, the doors remain open in the event of an emergency.
You look to the guard on duty.
"You there!"
"Yes, Princess Loki?"
"The doors to the throne are closed, why?"
He straightens. "All-Mother Sleipnir has decreed that the doors are to be closed this day."
"Why?"
"I do not know?"
You frown in disappointment. "Do you take your job so flagrantly that you will not even inquire as to why you are being ordered to do something like this? What if there's an attack?!"
"Your highness." He begins. You sense the unyieldingness in his eyes through his helmet. "What I take seriously is my life. If the All-Mother demands the doors be closed without another word, I obey Her."
Your frown deepens, but his logic holds sound. No one argued with Mother, not even vicariously. "To Hel with you then."
You leave the guard to his silent fate and travel up the hall bordering the throne. A slight hiccup was this, nothing more. A wry smile crosses your lips. For a sorcerer such as yourself, pushing your way through the atoms of the wall and into the throne was a simple matter.
You glance either way down the hall and, when you're sure none are looking, slip through the space between realms and show that no barrier can keep you from entering this room.
Upon entering the world shakes and you wish you had stayed out.
"YOU. DID. WHAT?" the booming voice of your Mother calls, threatening to bring the palace down on your head.
"Eep!"
You quickly hide yourself behind one of the pillars nearby before you're spotted.
Mother stands low on all eights with her face mere inches away form Mjolna's. Sister looks confrontational too as she thrusts her own snout against Mother. She was, as ever, the only one stupid enough to do that. "FIRST OFF. Say it! Don't spray it, you old crone!"
You hear Mother snort from here.
"SECOND OFF, did I stutter or have you just gone as deaf as you are blind since I've been gone? I LOST. THE DAMN. HAMMER. I don't have it anymore!"
WAIT SHE WHAT?? You instinctively look out again at hearing that. Mjolnir, the great mallet that means "Smasher of things" was a near beacon for Asgard in the hooves of Mjolna "she who smashes". Its raw power and adaptability made it a superweapon in Asgard's arsenal that kept enemies of the crown out for years.
If it was gone, that meant... You suddenly feel like you don't want to be a part of this conversation and make for the wall to escape.
Your blood turns to ice as you hear "LOKI. DON'T MOVE."
How the Hel did she know you were here?! You look up and see a single raven looking down at you from the throne. It caws at you. Stupid bird!
You have to act fast, but fast action often meant stupid action. "That's alright Mother, I'll just see myself o-" A flash of magic envelops you and deposits you next to Mjolna, in the scornful gaze of your Mother "...-ut." You manage to squeak.
"Stay still. Stay silent. This will be a lesson for you both." Mother says.
Mjolna begins to protest, probably trying to get you out of her presence. "Oh Mother, don't bring HER into this, she wasn-"
"SI. LENCE." Mother demands, cutting even the brave Thunderer off. She whistles once and a pair of ravens, the one who spotted you and its twin, fly out the window. Mother thrusts her head close to the both of you. "Explain to me. How you lost. THE HAMMER." She demands. "NOW."
A silence hangs in the throne room before Mjolna speaks. "...So, did you want me not to be silent now or-"
Mother shuts her up by headbutting her to the ground.
"OW!"
"DO NOT TOY WITH ME, YOU ARE STRONGER THAN THAT. WHERE IS THE HAMMER?"
"Sistershesshoutingnow!"
"Grrrr I told you I LOST IT!" Mjolna shouts as she stands up from being floored. "I intervened in the mortals attack on the Tartarian Gates and I COULDN'T FIND IT AFTERWARDS!"
"IT FLIES TO YOU WHEN YOU CALL IT, GIRL!"
"WELL IT DOESN'T NOW!" your sister shouts.
Mother grits her teeth and you can physically see the sparks of blue and gold lightning flying between them. You want to run before you're obliterated, but a pair of ravens flying in through the window stay Mother's wrath.
They land on her neck and caw quietly into her ear and just like that, she loses interest in Mjolna.
"Hmm? You have? You're sure?" The birds flap their wings.
"Finally."
The same flash of magic as before envelops all three of you.
Music
When the flash subsides, you, Mother, and Mjolna stand at the shore of a water blasted island. Titanic waves crash at the shore and the dark clouds, ripe with rain, hang overhead preparing to discharge themselves. A jagged castle rests nuzzled in a small range of mountains along a pathway that seems to be made of beaten bone.
"...Where are we?" Mjolna asks.
"South of Equestria. Where the hammer is." Sleipnir begins walking along the path. "Follow me. Now."
The ice in her voice freezes over the fire in Mjolna's blood and you and your sister follow your Mother while lightning flashes in the clouds.
You can't shake the feeling you're being watched, probably because you are. Nerves secretly playing at you, you sneer at your sister.
"Not a day back and you RUIN my life again. Why am I being punished for your failure? How do you even LOSE a hammer like yours!?"
Mjolna rolls her eyes. "Nice to see you too, sister. Do I have another bastard nephew these days?"
Your own fury explodes from your heart in a way even Mother cannot tame "DO NOT. INSULT. MY SON!" you shout, grabbing at her. Mjolna uses her superior strength to push you down.
"I'm not! I love Svao! That doesn't CHANGE how he was born, Loki!"
You seethe and pick yourself back up.
"See to it you CONTINUE to love him. Another word from your lips about him and I'll turn your mane into melting cheese."
"I'm shaking." She retorts.
"Both of you, quiet." Mother says. "We're here."
In the center of the island, in the shadow of the castle, the three of you stand amidst the battlements of an army. Massive bipedal beasts line the hills and metal walls woven into the ground itself. The armor adorning them crackles with a familiar blue energy that collects in sigils upon their bodies and shoulders. Through beady eyes of cold malice, they glare at you and growl.
You stay close to Mother, while Mjolna glares them down.
"Why are we here again...?" you ask.
Mother steps forward, stomping her hoof down and silencing the canyon. "I am Queen Sleipnir, All-Mother of Asgard. You have something that belongs to me, I would see it returned."
The beastly soldiers look to one another and jostle their shoulders, then lean from their battlements and rush you at an unheard command.
"Heads up!" Mjolna says, snorting her nose and lowering her head.
"Hold." Mother says.
As the enemy closes, they stop some hundred feet from you and encircle you in their stocky bodies, forming a wall of flesh and metal that surrounds you.
"Well, it's rare our enemies walk straight up to our door."
The wall of soldiers opens enough to let two creatures through, an armored unicorn with a shattered horn and some...gerbil thing in a smock. The creatures show deference to her as she approaches Mother, who composes herself as she does all her approach her. "Now...Sleipnir was it? All-Mother of blah blah...somewhere or another. Commander Tempest Shadow. You're in the territory of the Storm King now, I suggest you show the proper respect."
"Hey-!" Mjolna starts, but Mother silences with a single stomp of her hoof.
"Consider my "respects" shown." Mother says.
Tempest Shadow narrows her eyes. "Right. Why are you here again? Something we have of yours?"
"A hammer." Mother answers. "Metal, wooden rod, inscriptions upon the side."
Shadow's eyes widen in recognition. "Ah, you mean the Holy Smiter? I wondered where that came from."
"You mean you admit you have it?" you ask Tempest.
"Oh we do." She answers. "The Storm Kingdom tend to take what we want. Our king found it laying in a field over in Equestria after the recent commotion at Tartarus and was able to move it by calling on the storm inside it."
"Yeah! MY storm!" Mjolna shouts. "I unleashed that to save all those ponies when the gates were going down! Give it back!"
Tempest Shadow chuckles. "Haha...If you wanted to keep it so bad, you shouldn't have thrown it like you did. We traveled inland to try and blindside the Equestrians while they were tied up at the gate, maybe take the Princesses hostage. Imagine our surprise when we found the Smiter in the ground after all that noise."
Mjolna growls and digs her hooves in.
You just want to go home and get away from Mother when she had that look in her eye, and you'll do whatever it takes to do that.
"They clearly it here, tell me where and I can grab it!" you whisper.
Mjolna sucks her teeth. "It's...not on the island, I feel it out at sea."
"The Storm King, taking it for a practice spin." Tempest Shadow who apparently has excellent hearing says.
"Commander!" the little gerbil says, holding up a magical device. Shadow walks over to him and examines it, her eyes widening at what she sees. "Mother of mercy...you three have more magical energy than half the kingdom!" she exclaims. Shadow turns to her armored soldiers. "Present ARMS!"
From their armor, the soldiers produce small orbs that emit a noxious looking green smoke. It sets off your senses immediately.
"Mother, magic from thos-"
"Hush."
The little gerbil next to her laughs as Tempest smugly remarks you all. "Any last words?"
"Just one." Mother answers.
"Afraid that was two." Shadow answers with a cruel turn of her head. "Fire!"
The hundred-fold armored guard throw their magical orbs in unison and rain a barrage of noxious magical fumes towards you. Mjolna tenses up to leap at them, you reach through the space between realms to get your knives to defend yourself, Mother stands still as a statue and all the orbs freeze in the air in a golden magical grip before being propelled away with such force that your eyes cannot track them.
"What!?" Tempest Shadow watches the orbs sail away and almost misses her and her gerbil being grabbed by the same golden glow. She pulls away as best she can, fighting Mother's grip, but the Queen drags her through the acrid dirt until she sits before her.
Still holding the Commander tightly, Mother bends her neck down next to her ear.
"Last words..." she mumbles. The Commander's eyes widen as Mother turns her cyclopean gaze to meet them.
"Megidolan."
You clench your teeth as the sky opens.
To the south of Equestria, there was an island where the Storm King schemed.
It's gone now; replaced by a hundred feet of land and the crashing waves that rushed in to fill the gap left by the force that just rained down from the heavens and pulverized the island. Rocks crash to the sea alongside the shattered remains of the castle that once covered the land, alongside the charred corpses of the monolithic Storm Guard under the command of Tempest Shadow.
The Commander watches in terror as the remains of the empire she served fall to the surface in bits no larger than her head while she and her gerbil remain safe under a shimmering hexagon of the same golden magic that binds them alongside you, Mother, and your sister.
"Wh-wha...?" she stammers out while the gerbil faints. Mother keeps her held still and stares, unblinking, into her soul. "You worship your usurper king as some kind of idol, little pony." Mother releases Tempest and lowers her shield. "Perhaps it's time you embraced a new deity."
Words continue to fail Tempest Shadow. "How-"
"The All-Mother speaks; the world answers." Mother explains to the shell-shocked soldier. You feel some faint kinship with that wide eyed and manic gaze when one first sees what Mother is capable of, you had been there more than once.
"You stole from your betters, whelp." She says. "Now, once more, before I punish you again. Where. Is. My. HAMMER?"
The sky itself answers Her as thunder claps at your rear. "FORGET YOUR HAMMER, WHERE'S MY ISLAND!?"
The four of you still conscious turn to face the noise. High in the sky, another biped covered in white fur and emanating lightning from his antlers grasps a sparking mallet in his hands.
The thief, it would seem.
"Tempest!" he roars "Where did my island go!?"
Tempest Shadow babbles nonsense between her liege and Mother, eyes darting between the two.
"You won't be getting words from her any time soon! Just put down the hammer and give up, you can't win here, Storm King!" you shout.
He grits his teeth as he spins the hammer, calling the lightning to him. "Oh I'll put it down! RIGHT ON YOUR HEAD!" he cries before he falls from the sky, screaming murder and winding up for a strike.
You sigh, the fool. From the corner of your eye you see Mjolna tense up again for a confrontation. Poor thing, she must have forgotten.
"Don't bother."
"Huh?" your sister answers.
Behind the both of you, Mother glares at the attacking king. "Mjolnir, drop."
The enchanted mallet is ripped from the hands of the Storm King and drops to the earth, landing with a thud next to Mjolna.
The storm King, now bereft of his weapon, blinks as he continues to fall towards the three of you. "...What?"
"Leviathan." Mother's voice echoes around you.
The crashing waves around the island coalesce from their waters into a polished silver trident made of the bones of a fish next to Mother's head. You catch the eyes of the Storm King for just a moment before the trident erupts towards him, catching him in the chest and sending him away as fast as the orbs until you lose sight of him.
Tempest Shadow's eye twitches as she watches her lord fly over the horizon. "...Where did he go?" she finally asks.
"Saddle Arabia." Mother answers, casting her eye to look down at the former-Commander. "He went to Saddle Arabia at Mach nine."
Mother walks past Tempest towards the hammer where Mjolna is already examining it. "In a day's time, the natives of that land will find the sun-bleached bones of a creature they do not recognize, they will bury him and pray their deeds bring them good luck. That will be the end of the Storm King."
Mjolna looks up to Mother the way she did as a girl as Mother nods towards the hammer. Mjolna leans down to grasp it in her mouth, but finds one of Mother's hooves shoot out to hold it down.
"Mother?" she asks in a technique she somehow learned that allows her to still be understood with something in her mouth.
"Lose it again and I'll make you get it by yourself." The All-Mother answers.
Mjolna flashes her teeth incredulously. "Fine, whatever."
Mother releases the hammer and lets Mjolna retrieve it before she turns her attention to you. "Loki, this is a lesson for you in keeping the things most precious to you safeguarded. Learn it well."
"I will learn any lesson you want if we can get OUT of here!" you plead. "All this death is...offending my princessly sensibilities!"
Mother is silent for a moment before letting out a single, brief laugh that chills your body. "Very well.
The sky above you rolls and unleashes another torrent of energy, less destructive this time as a Bifrost tunnel forms some feet from you all.
Behind you, Tempest squeaks. "W-what about us?"
Mjolna looks over her shoulder and frowns a genuine frown of regret. "You stole my hammer...but...I'm sure the Equestrians will take you in like they did me. It...has to be better than here." She says before she turns and gallops off into the Bifrost.
You hurry behind her with Mother taking up the rear. As you enter, you can hear Tempest Shadow's final question and silently give thanks that you aren't her.
"You destroyed the island and whipped up the sea! How will we get to Equestria?!" she cries."
Mother pauses before crossing into the Bifrost and looks over her shoulder.
"Swim." |
Prose Equus | Divine Arms. | The halls of Asgard royal palace welcome those from all corners of the Nine Realms on their business to see the All-Mother. King Aspen of the Deer of Alfhiem was present not two days ago and the emissary of the Ever Burning Queen was seen all the way from Muspleheim. The Fog Lords of Niffleheim had been reported among the halls, but they were an ephemeral and transitory sort. One whom was not welcome in the Golden Realm it seems was No-Name, Lord of Drunks and King of the Functioning Alcoholics. At least not with these blasted golden halls being so bright.
You wordlessly groan as you make your way through the halls to the front of the palace, leaving breakfast behind before you threaten to vomit on the table.
The revelries for Princess Mjolna's return were...more than you were used to and you were still feeling the effects a couple days later.
"Did that rock troll have two heads or...?"
Your hazy ponderings turn to stabbing white pain in your head the minute you reach the outdoors and a crack of thunder spikes through your skull.
Hands to your ears, you nearly drop to the floor and lean against a wall as the thunder pushes every conscious thought out of your head.
"God...d-dammit..." you mutter.
Your vision spins and the world inverts on its axis as someone lands on the ground next to you.
"Anon? Anonymous, are you okay?!" they call.
This was no time for your reputation, so you keep it simple.
"Hangover...thunder...head..."
"Oh crap!" she says. You see her reaching for something on her belt out of the corner of your eye before something cold and silver is placed to your lips.
"Drink this!"
You feel a burning liquid force its way down your throat before the world goes black.
The blackness blurs away at the edges of your vision as you slowly return to consciousness, finding Princess Mjolna standing over your head looking down on you. Concern plays in her eyes.
"Anon, are you alive?"
You cough. Your throat seemed dryer than the Badlands suddenly and your blood was on fire, but your mind was clear and focused.
"What was in that." You gasp out.
Mjolna rolls her eyes and grimaces. "It's...better if you don't know, but it should have cleared your hangover!"
You cough a few more times and sit up on your way back to the living. You feel your blood pounding and your eyes bugging out a bit, but your mind registers everything it did not before. The blue of the sky, the soft clouds sliding by overhead, the golden light coming off the palace walls that no longer hurt to look at.
"...It seems it has." You say.
"And you are most welcome for that!" the princess jovially answers.
Your heart begins to calm as you push yourself to your feet.
"So, is that it?"
You nod to the mallet on Mjolna's belt. "Mm?" she wonders, as if barely noticing it was there. "Oh, right...yeah, this is it." The old birthright.
You'd seen the Mjolnir up close, but not in the possession of its master. Just by how she spoke, it seemed that the two were extensions of one another. Mjolna noticed Mjolnir like you would notice you had an arm.
"Looked bigger on the ground."
Mjolna playfully hits your shoulder, amazingly not dislocating it.
"You didn't have it when we returned here, what changed? And what are you wearing?"
Mjolna rubs her foreleg a bit. "Mother...found it and returned it."
That wasn't sinister at all.
"And I'm wearing a royal raiment you tool! A princess of Asgard has to look the part."
"Ah. I just thought Loki was vain and liked to look important."
"I mean yes, but..."
You and Mjolna share a laugh. You liked this feeling, she was easy to get along with in a different way from Baldur.
"So, what's on your agenda for today, Anon?"
"I hadn't given it much thought considering I couldn't think."
"Well-" Mjolna starts, as the hammer on her hip flies up next to her head on an invisible string." -how about you come take a look at what I can do with the proper tools? You saw me use my hooves, are you ready to see me when I'm REALLY showing off?"
You put your hands on your hips and puff your chest a bit. "I think I'd like to see you try and impress me, young lady."
Fire flashes in Mjolna's eyes. "Great! Come on, I know the perfect spot to-"
"No." calls the voice of supreme authority.
Mjolna rolls her eyes and groans heavily, turning to face the Queen of Asgard that had appeared behind you both. "Here come the fun police, right on time."
The Queen remains stoic. "That I allow you to speak to me in such a manner should be evidence of my limitless mercy." As a punctuation point to that sentence, Mjolna's hammer flies from her to Sleipnir and sits.
"Hey!" the daughter cries.
"Hush." The mother responds with an added glare. The moments pause she buys is used to explain further. "You will accompany to the Vault where I will use the Twilight Anvil to alter the enchantment upon thine hammer to ensure the...mistake that resulted in you so carelessly losing it never occurs again."
Mjolna scrapes her hoof on the ground. "Don't just take my hammer and do magic to it without asking!"
"I could take YOU down to the anvil and rectify the flaws in you, if you wish."
The pause of the Queen's threat silently sizzles between the two until Sleipnir turns and walks back inside the palace. "Come, the both of you."
"Why do you need me?"
She doesn't answer you, Mjolna does.
"Let's just get this over with. It's best not to fight her when she's like this unless you want to be turned into a house plant."
"Has that happened?"
"It has, and I was the one who had to water Baldur twice a day."
Music
The Queen leads the two of you through the palace to the throne room and a three-cornered marking on the floor. She orders the room sealed before having you stand on it so you knew it was serious to some degree. A light not entirely unlike the Bifrost emanates up from the marking once Sleipnir stands upon it and you have the sensation of falling forever through a field of infinite refractions of yourself, though you know your legs have not moved. The spiral into the infinite stretches before you and warps your vision before depositing you at the top of a staircase from a triangular portal at your back.
You shake your head and snort.
"I think I may still be hungover..."
Mjolna laughs next to you. "Yeah! It's like that your first time. You should see Pitios."
"Do not wish for any to see the Prison of Angles, Mjolna." Sleipnir calls ahead.
"Where are we?"
"See for yourself!" the princess says, extending her leg.
You look down the stairs into the room you now occupied to see it stretch out before you. A simple path lead deeper into the room from the stairwell with stone dais' placed periodically along the sides. Above each dais rests a single weapon of immaculate design and beauty stretching out along the entire path.
"Where...are we?"
Mjolna hops down the stairs while Sleipnir continues her trek, you continue your stunned examination of the room.
Your eyes drink in the sights; Neighponese style longswords and glittering maces. Towering shields and scepters that spark with magic even now.
"This is amazing!"
Mjolna offers a giggle back to you. "Mother, if you don't tell him, he's just going to keep gushing."
The All-Mother stops and looks back to you. "You are in my vault, where the royal Armiger rests. Each of these arms from the first to the last has brought peace and order to the Nine Realms through the destruction of our enemies. This is where the Gods keep our tools of war."
You point to a shuriken the size of your own massive torso that seemed to be made of silver wings and polished moonlight.
"What's that one?"
The Queen answers after pausing in her path, she glances over to you. "Ishtar. Once an angel ran across all creation from me and hid behind the sun, I had to pull it down to retrieve her and I made them both into that."
"The SUN?"
Sleipnir shrugs. "I put it back."
"Amazing..."
"The history of Midgard and our own is deeply intertwined, even if you are not wholly aware of it. The Argus you hunted, at the mountains you mortals call Celestial Ridge?"
You nod. "The ridge Canterlot is built on."
Sleipnir nods to a towering war maul, blackened with use and adorned with metal fists as ornamentation on all sides. "In life, the colossus Asura rampaged across the lands, leaving mountains where he set his feet. That was one of the last before he was done away with."
You picture the Celestial Ridge and imagine the size of such a creature.
"How?"
"Banished." She says. "To an infernal realm where he was beset by demons for ten thousand years. When I returned to that place, I found him slain and his burning blood ignited the land. I stripped him of his golden flesh and forged it into a weapon in the fires he made."
You glance over the collection of weapons, each seemingly once something that shaped the world you grew in and now serving as the final monument to those titanic creatures."
"What about that one?"
You point to a greatsword taller than you were with jagged metal teeth running down one side like a chainsaw.
Again, Sleipnir answers. "Ragnar. A raging beast of a warrior from long ago ages past. He slew so many that the mortals believed him to be either divine or demonic. I grafted his teeth onto the blade after I fell him, they move when swung, the result of his anger I believe."
That was LITERALLY the coolest thing you've ever heard.
You point to every other you can as you pass. The Neighponese sword, the towering shield, a dual sided blade.
"Those?!"
"Yamato, Arahabaki, Ardhanarishvara." She replies.
You lack the words to formulate how you're feeling.
"Gesundheit."
Sleipnir meets eyes with you and lets out a single mirthful snort.
"Did you just make her laugh?!" Mjolna exclaims with her jaw dropping.
"You don't understand, Princess."
"Yes, I don't."
"You've used one weapon all your life, I've studied everything I can in mine! Seeing so many finely crafted pieces of storied arms here is...exhilarating."
Mjolna stifles a giggle. "You sound like Tyr."
"That would require your brother to enjoy things in his life, dear."
Angels must be getting their wings because a joke was the last thing you ever expect to hear from the Queen, but Mjolna laughs all the same. All-Mother watches her daughter chuckle even though minutes ago she was quite literally threatening to pound her into a new shape with her own hammer.
You feel the closeness between the two, despite their conflicts, at least as close as the Queen could be.
"No-name's enthusiasm for his craft is...appreciated. I relied upon it enough to drag you back here."
"Only because you were too lazy to get me yourself." daughter retorts.
"I deigned to reserve my strength for retrieving your hammer, fool girl."
That insult doesn't catch as the three of you continue to walk past a large intricate crossbow.
"How about that one."
Sleipnir pauses and lets a small smile tug at her mouth. "Temperance."
"What's its story?"
"None." She says to your surprise, turning back down the path. "It was a gift, from my oldest friend..."
As you reach what you presume is the center of the grand vault the three of you were in, you behold an anvil sculpted from the blackest moonlight upon a raised platform.
"Come, Mjolna. We shall reshape the enchantment upon the Uru and you may continue with your duties."
"This won't mess up my form, will it?"
"Not if you are as practiced as you should be." You hear Sleipnir say as your foot catches something.
You glance down at what you tapped into. The tip of your foot rests on something solid, yet is clearly past the edge of the path you walk over the abyss at your feet.
"...What?"
Enough time around Twilight has made you at least somewhat aware of invisible paths, so you mentally calculate the trajectory of the unseen stone to where it would logically rest. At the edge, before the abyss, you see the shape of an outlined mass. Your foot moves forward to get closer and hopefully see what the shape is.
The darkness of the vault slowly recedes as you make your way closer, making out the edges of a guard and the sharp point of a blade in a sheathe. You feel almost hungover again as you move towards the hidden sword, as if it drew you towards it like the fresh air drew your unconscious mind for the promise of freedom from your vice-grip of a headache.
Just when you begin to make out some details, a great white coat steps in front of you and an ornate eyepatch meets your gaze.
"STOP." Commands Sleipnir.
You stumble back. "Your Highness-!"
She steps forward, clearly upset. "Do you do this to all whose guests you are, No-name? Wander through their homes unpermitted to examine their private affairs?"
"I didn't-"
"YOU WILL NOT. LOOK. AT THAT. BLADE. Is that understood?"
"I was drawn to-"
Fury sparks behind the All-Mother's eye. "Undraw thyself, warrior! The blade that sits upon that pedastal is never to be wielded again, by anyone. If you are "drawn" to it then perhaps Pitios is where you truly do belong-"
"Children, CHILDREN!"
Mjolna flanks you and pushes herself between you and her Mother, standing on her hind legs and keeping you both separated from each other with her forelegs. She looks to the Queen. "Mother. He does not know what you're talking about, nor the source of your anger. Perhaps, if you inform him, he will understand."
Sleipnir glares at her daughter and shifts her withering gaze to you, then snorts. A deafening silence fills the still air save for your own thundering heart. "You will hear this once and that will be the end of it."
You nod. "Yes."
Queen Sleipnir takes a long, deep breath. "It is Mistletain and it is locked away due to the danger it poses."
"What danger is that?"
"If ever unsheathed, it will bring about the end of the world." She says matter-of-factly.
"...How?"
"Anon-" Mjolna starts.
"Because I once used it to end the world." Sleipnir says. She continues speaking after that bombshell silenced you. "Magic is...a curious thing if enough believe in a thing, the thing will become what they believe."
Sleipnir nods to the black blade. "This one grew beyond control. The old world was ended by its blade, now it hungers for the flesh of the new."
Sleipnir ushers the two of you back to the central platform, the darkness overtaking Mistletain again.
"It's hard to believe I'm standing among things so mighty..."
Each of these arms made Mjolnir look like a simple mallet.
"Power requires sacrifice, No-name. If one cannot offer it...it will be taken."
You chew over the Queen's words in your mind. To grow stronger, you had to sacrifice effort to work. To grow wiser, you sacrificed time to learn. In sacrificing your own life to save Equestria, you had been given a way to transcend the mortal coil and return mightier than ever before.
"Yes, I understand..." you say.
"Good."
Queen Sleipnir climbs the platform to her anvil. "Because that is where you will next go."
"Your Highness?"
A star erupts within the anvil as Sleipnir looks down at you. "This vault is filled, but not full. Over countless millennia, relics with a place here have been lost to the realms beyond, Midgard among them. By your actions have we begun policing the mortals, and so we must retrieve these artifacts before they may cause harm.
You think of the troublemakers and villains you've dealt with or seen over the years getting even one of the items in this room and the effects that could have on the home and ponies you love.
Heart fortified and Mjolna beside you wearing the same expression, you look up to the All-Mother.
"Where do I start?" |
Prose Equus | Helpful Hermit. | You step out of the Bifrost tunnel onto the steadily charring grass and wipe your boot on a root.
"You know, eventually, someone like Zecora who lives out here is going to get upset that we're making so much noise and burning her land."
"If she choose to live out here, that her fault."
Your...traveling companion steps out of the tunnel wrapped in a heavy cloak. You're tall, but he's taller still on his hind legs as he adjusts a wrapped boardsword on his back.
"Your compassion is inspiring."
"This the Everfree. No compassion here." Rover says.
"You're both too dour!"
Baldur gallops out as the Bifrost closes and prances around you. "All this talk about who we'll offend or what we'll break! We're on a quest, my friends! Enjoy it a little!"
Silence passes between the three of you and Baldur is eager to fill it. "Or is this because of the history you told me about?"
You glance over. "I don't get along with Diamond Dogs."
"Rover get along worse with guards."
You meet his green eyes and feel the weight of years of animosity between you both.
In life, you'd mopped up and chased out more Diamond Dogs hiding in caves forests and rivers than you could ever hope to count, and the animosity is shared with the Diamond Dogs. For as long as you can remember your time in Equestria, the Diamond Dogs have been outlaws, rebels and general pains in the ass. Which made Rover volunteering for this directive from the Queen extremely strange. You decide to keep an eye on him.
"Baldur, tell me about this axe we're after."
The prince hops enthusiastically as the three of you head towards the edge of the forest.
"Most gladly! We seek the Freikugel! An axe crafted after the first great dragon hunt out of one of the bones of their mightiest chiefs! Stolen by thieves during the war with Svarthalheim, it fell to Midgard where we now have its traces again! Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to track down the Freikugel in this area and return it to-YAH!"
Your hand is over your sword in a flash when you turn around to see what the noise was. Rover had his he was about to lose on Baldur's shoulder and was holding him back, the surprise causing the Prince to yelp. Just as you begin to draw steel, Rover speaks.
"Careful." He says, casting his head to a field of blue flowers on the forest floor. "Poison joke."
"Huh?" Baldur looks down to the flowers and pulls his hoof back from touching them. "Eep. Wait, I'm invincible, they can't hurt me."
"Won't hurt." Rover says. "Will play a joke on you, make quest harder."
"No-name?" Baldur asks.
You slowly slide your sword back into its sheathe and stand up again.
"...Poison Joke is no joke, Baldur. He's right."
The prince accepts your input and smiles. "Right! Thank you Rover! It's a good thing he's here, right No-name?"
"Fantastic, Baldur."
Rover keeps his snout shut as the three of you hike to the edge of the forest, but you hear him bark right as town comes into view.
"Wait."
You and Baldur turn to see Rover kneeling down near a pile of...what looks like animal droppings, he fetches a crystal vial from inside his cloak and scoops some of the pile of goo up into it, corking it shut.
You and Baldur both exclaim your disgust.
"You did NOT just do that."
"What?" Rover asks standing.
"Picked up...whatever-poop!"
A low chuckle escapes the wraps around Rover's head as he laughs at you. "What wrong, human? No like get dirty? Don't worry, not poop."
"What is it then?" Baldur inquires.
Rover pockets the brown liquid. "Rock sludge. Rare, useful. Think it will help."
Baldur's eye sparkle at the goo and you rub your face. "Come on, let's get to the castle..."
The sooner the better.
At castle in the center of town, Twilight floats several texts of ancient lore around her head trying to help you.
"Uhhh...what did you say this was called again?"
"Freikugel!"
"...Gesundheit." Twilight says, checking another tome. Baldur stands by her, eager to help however he can.
You and Rover, a bit more aware that there's no way you could help being as out of your elements as you were, sit back against the wall.
As you have for two hours.
"Twilight, have you got ANY good news for me?"
"Well "good" is really subjective, Anon. I think I might have news, but if it's good? Weeellllll..."
"I'll take anything at this point, Twilight. I've counted the books on the walls seven times now."
Twilight giggles. "Only seven?"
You groan.
Twilight floats a scroll over to you. "The axe shares its name with the dragon chief who its apparently made of. Based on my research, Chief Freikugel's anger and aggression were notorious, and according to some old magical theory, that may increase the aggression of whomever is holding it as well, if they're unprepared for it."
"That sounds dangerous..." Baldur chimes.
"Where could it be, then?"
Rover wastes no time pulling the twig he was chewing from his mouth. "Diamond Dogs, more than likely."
All eyes quickly turn to him
"The Dogs? Why?"
Rover pulls his cloak down and rubs his snout. "Diamond Dogs not stupid, smarter than ponies believe. Dogs are split into lots of different packs wherever they live, always fighting, as dogs do."
That was for sure.
"If one dog had magic axe, he would be Top Dog. He could get lots of other dogs in his den and they would follow him. If he aggressive, dogs would be too."
The other three of you in attendance think.
Twilight rubs her chin. "An aggressive leader of the Diamond Dogs...WOULD explain how often Applejack's had to chase them off her orchard."
"If Dogs that close, they going to get closer. Packs didn't go near ponies when Rover was around, too much magic."
You, Twi, and Baldur exchange glances. "The Diamond Dogs are close here, in the rocklands to the south..."
"And if he's right, they'll keep coming."
"What do we do?" asks Baldur.
You chew your teeth and stand up. "It's a hunch, but it's also all we have. If Fido here is right and whoever has this axe comes knocking, the Guard won't be able to get here fast enough."
Rover stands after you. "Know how to get in, we can get axe."
The thought of siding with the Diamond Dog isn't one you really enjoy, but...
"Thank you, Rover!"
Baldur zips over and takes Rover's paw in both hooves, shaking it with gusto. "I know we can count on you to help us retrieve the axe!" He turns to you. "We cannot leave the village unprotected. If I remain to ward off any attack with the princess, can you and Rover infiltrate the Dogs den and retrieve the Friekugel?" Baldur flexes his legs and glows slightly. "I fear I'm not equipped for a stealth mission."
You look to Rover again. The dog snorts at you, but doesn't seem to have any anger in his eyes as he tugs his cloak up over his face
You were severely lacking in options here, so you guess it's time to take the dog for a walk.
The Everfree Forest stretches around Ponyville to the west and the south, with the rocklands and quarries just past it. You and Rover leave the castle and pick up an accelerated pace towards it, crossing through the forest. You were you worried about some Everfree monster derailing your excursion along the way? Mildly, but watching Mjolna flatten to Ursa's the last time you were here made you braver.
The toppled stone column of an old ruin is no obstacle for your trained body with the power of the golden apple flowing through it, letting you leap over it in a single bound. You're off on a tear, intent to find these mutts, get the axe back, and keep Ponyville safe from whatever they have hatching. That makes Rover saying "Stop" hard.
You skid a bit on the vines covering the floor of the ruin and have to grab ahold of the ground.
"What?"
Rover pulls his cloak down a bit and sniffs at the air. His emerald eyes sharpen as he gets closer to one wall in particular and keeps sniffing.
"We don't have time for this, Rover!"
"Yes we do, wait."
"Any longer and we're going to be up to our eyeballs in dogs ready to burn Ponyville down, we can't let that HAPPEN!"
Rover stops sniffing and looks to you over his shoulder. "Bright-pony there, he protects them."
"Baldur is..."
Baldur.
"He can't keep them all safe from a colossal pack of dogs.
Rover sighs while seeming to needlessly paw at the wall he was at. "You have soft spot for ponies. Rover understands. Rover had soft spot for dogs once."
"It isn't a "soft spot", we're supposed to prote-"
"Soft spot lasted until Rover got bit in the neck by Mandragora plant and left by the dogs he was with then ended up in Pony sky-palace." Rover says before tearing down a blanket of vines hanging off the wall, revealing a clawed out hole behind it that descends down into the shadows below the ground. Rover glares at you from behind his cloak with the silent bubbling anger one reserves for a hypocrite. You swallow your shame and walk over to him.
"...What is this?"
"Hidden tunnel. Dog dens use for fresh air and secret exit. Ponies know where front cave is, but not all the exits."
For all your years of serving as a guard, you'd never even heard of tunnel systems like this being employed by the dogs. You glance up to look at Rover as he stares silently down the shaft and have to accept that you may not be the expert here. You fought dogs, but he lived with them.
"Can we use it to get in?"
"If quiet."
You squat down and feel out the width of the tunnel. Just big enough for you to crawl in.
"Keep close behind me, then."
Music
The reason you told Rover to stay behind you was because he was bulkier than you, meaning it'd slow you both down if he got stuck.
That's what you told him.
The real reason is you didn't want to crawl on your hands and knees with a Diamond Dog's rear-end in your face.
"Watch out, more crystals up ahead."
You gently place your gauntleted hand around some of the crystalline growths protruding from the floor of the tunnel as you proceed.
You hear Rover grunt in acknowledgement as he comes across the same ones.
"Why do Dogs even want gems anyway?"
"Shiny." He says.
"Do you eat them? Like dragons?"
Rover grunts as the passage tightens a bit. "No. Just want the shine."
"That's stupid."
Rover's growl echoes through the tunnel. "Dumb ponies want their shiny coins. Even sky palace ponies have silver bits they hoard."
You open your mouth to respond but find nothing comes to mind.
"You got me."
Rover continues. "Gems mean good den, good den means smart or lucky dog, smart or lucky dogs have better packs."
"Which kind of dog were you? Smart? Or lucky?"
Rover simmers a bit. "Rover just wanted a quiet life away from other packs. Small pack, no headaches."
"So a smart one then."
You crawl along a bit further until Rover grabs your ankle and stops you.
"Wh-"
You look back to see what's wrong and find him with his finger to his mouth, then pointing further down the tunnel.
Straining your ears, you hear the barking conversation of other Diamond Dogs.
Rover and you sneak further down the tunnel to a small area where it opens up a bit into a hole in the floor. You put your hand in old spiders-web once you get there and are forced to rub it off on your shield.
"Euch..."
Rover wordlessly silences you with a paw on your shoulder, directing his attention to the three Dogs around a fire beneath you.
"Shouldn't we move cart to the bottom of the mine by now?" one asks.
"Taking a break, nothing wrong with that." Another responds.
"Boss not like that at all..."
"Boss can go sniff poop."
"You wish Boss would sniff your poop."
The bigger one snarls. "You be careful or I make you sniff my poop."
Rover narrows his eyes.
"What?" you whisper.
"Dogs from two different packs...brought together." He whispers back. "And look."
Rover points just past the relaxing dogs to a mine cart loaded full of gems by the edge of a cliff, a bit further down is a makeshift pulley elevator, something significantly more advanced than you'd seen Dogs produce before.
"So this is what happens when lots of you get together."
"Mm. Trouble. Why I didn't do it."
You look the dogs over and your eyes settle on the fire, sparking an idea in you.
"Cover your nose...maybe your mouth too."
Rover smells what you reach into your pouch and grab and complies quickly.
The plant inside the little bombs you dropped into the fire the dogs were kindling had some scientific name, you're sure. Perhaps you'd ask Twilight when you got back to town.
Rainbow Dash called them "liquid ass" in the past, which will do for the time being.
The fire bursts the seals on the bombs and releases the stunningly noxious fume into the air. The sensitive snouts of the Diamond Dogs inhale the particles and send them howling backwards in shock.
"Now!"
You and Rover drop from the ceiling and descend on the dogs, kicking or pushing them to the ground and getting their weapons away from them. The dogs yelp and whine as you push them into the ground.
"Intruders! Intru-gak!" the one underneath your fist cries, choking on the stink in the air.
"That's it Fido, breathe deep."
"This one not Fido." Rover says, forcing his two down with his large arms.
You shoot Rover a look of displeasure before turning back to the Dog.
"I've got more where that came from. Tell me which of you has the magic axe and I won't make you eat them."
The dog gasps. "How you know about Precious and magic axe?!"
Rover snorts at the name. You look back.
"Friend of yours?"
"Know her. She's a bitch."
Great. Female Diamond Dogs were hassles.
The one under you squirms. "Stop talking about boss like that!"
You push him down again.
"Let's make a deal. Tell me where Precious is and you won't hear another word out of me."
The dog glares up at you, so you waft a bit of the gas towards him. He whines in protest as his resolve melts away.
"Bottom of the mine! Stop stink-gas now, its digging into my nose!"
His comrades growl and bark at the snitch.
"Thank you for your service..."
You ponder what to do with him and already feel your hand going towards your sword. The Dog here is at the perfect angle for a stab through the back of the neck, like you'd done many times before. But...
The thought of the reluctant ally at your back who lead you through the secret entrance just the last hour stays your hand.
You sigh. "Dammit..."
You press down on the dogs neck with your knee and fight him as he flails around. Quickly his eyes roll back and he passes out, letting you let up.
You stand up and look back to Rover who's already done the same to his dogs. The two of you nonverbally communicate with your gaze.
"We'll need to bind them."
"Mm."
"Got anything?"
"No."
"Well we're gonna need some-"
Strands of white silk from the ceiling descend onto the dogs and stick to them. "Hey you'se need a hand there soldja guy? We got a couple." You hear from above.
Familiar fear bubbles up from your gut as the tarantula terrors lower themselves from further up the hole you and Rover had come out of. They wrap the unconscious Diamond Dogs in their webs and pin them to the walls while their leader, too big to drop down, eyes the two of you.
"You guys got any ideear how late it is? Whataya doin' way down here at this ouwwah?" You see his mustache curl into a smile. "Don' tell me, sometin with dem mutts, eh?"
Rover looks back at you, hoping for perhaps some clarification as to what accent that spider has. He must see your face because he asks "What wrong?"
You swallow the stress lump in your throat.
"Spiders were how I ended up in Asgard, alright? So these ones are bringing back some...unpleasant memories."
The spider hears that. "Ohhhhh you must mean Packie! That louse is the only udda nest 'round these pahts. He's a bum, I tell ya! Gahbage!"
That's...comforting, you guess.
You take a breath and look up to him. "Yeah, we're here to do something about the dogs."
"Top dog has magic axe. We need it."
The spider laughs and swats some of his underlings down the hole who skitter past you. "Ha! Mutts clearin' out mutts. Will wundas neva end? Lemme tell you somethin' pupp-o. These caves was mine before that bitch moved in and pushed me and my boys up to the attic with that STUPID magical axe'a hers! You wanna clear her outa here? Then you an' me?" He points his legs at the two of you then himself. "Solid."
"...Thank you?"
"Hey don't sweat it! Hahaha!"
The underlings begin spinning strands of web and letting them drop over the edge of the cliff this makeshift camp was near. Their boss keeps talking.
"This mine is one big empty space and Big Bitch is down at the bottom! My boys'n I will lend a leg since yer doin' us a service...but don't go countin' on it in the future!"
Rover walks over to one of the spiders and looks down into the bottom of the mine. "We won't."
Without another word, Rover grabs the line of webbing and lets himself start being lowed. You go grab the web produced by the second one and silently push down your revulsion.
"It's fine...it's just a bit of fabric, don't think of it as a secretion..."
The spider servicing you makes an almost offended face while his boss skitters up the hole out. "Good luck boys! Give're a pop for me, eh? Hahaha!"
The sounds of spiders fade into the ambiance of the mineshaft as you and Rover get lowered down. The strands of silk in your hands were a bit tough to grab, but they hadn't given out yet.
Rover remains silent next to you as he kicks off a wall to slide down more.
"How old were those dogs?"
"Mm?" Rover looks over. "Pony years? Maybe two."
"Mm..."
You felt a bit better letting young pups go, even if they might just end up back in your way eventually. They'd at least get the chance to live better.
"How old is Rover in pony years?"
"Eleven." He says before hopping further down.
"Wow, you might even be older than me."
"Mm."
Silence falls again, but you try to push it way.
"Why'd you come down to do this mission, Rover? You avoid everyone in Asgard, they tell me."
Rover sucks his teeth behind his cowl. "Pony guards pick fights. Rover just wants to be left alone, that all Rover ever wanted." Rover continues to hop down, the floor getting ever closer. "But can't live a life without doing stuff for others, need gems for food and silver bits even after Rover's dead. Have to learn to use a sword, learn to fight, just to keep living after Rover already died."
Rover spits. "All crock. Rover never prayed to ponies, don't know why he's stuck with them after he died."
You slide down after him.
"If you're called, there's got to be a reason. Maybe you just haven't met it yet."
Rover heaves a long sigh. "Better tell it to hurry. Rover is too old for this poop anymore-"
A twirling missile from below arcs up and strikes the wall, momentarily radiating red lightning before the wall explodes outward and severs the lines you and Rover have.
You twist in freefall to try and land in a way that won't break your legs, settling for impacting on your shield which you're sure only just dislocated your shoulder. Rover lands in a heap next to you as rubble peppers your heads.
"What in-"
"Hey now! What we got here, pair of blighters come for a thrashin'?"
"Precious" is anything but. Standing on the top of a protruding stone at the floor of the mine and holding her arm out. Like you'd seen with Mjolna, the weapon that struck you off the side of the wall flings back to her and lands in her paw.
Unlike Mjolna, this sickly weapon of bone and wood thrums with an ethereal presence, radiating crimson lines of energy through itself just waiting to get out that go all the way down the hilt up the Diamond Dog's arm. You look and see her heavy panting in time with the power, telling you they're probably too close for comfort already.
"Come on then, get up, ya bastards!"
You both push yourself to your feet. Precious hops down from her rock, resting the Friekugel on her shoulder. "Come for me treasure? That's a right mistake there, innit? You see what I did to that wall?"
Rover coughs and stands to his full height, letting his hood drop off him. "Don't care why you're doing this. Give Rover the axe, or he's going to hurt you."
You draw your sword from its sheath, the ice blade Loki gave you.
"If she's anything like the other mine maniacs, she's trying to "unify the dogs" or something."
Precious hears that, then laughs heartily. "You thinkin' I wanna LEAD this lot! I could find a better crew in the rocks 'round here, least they listen! I scored this wicked axe off an old tomb or another and look how strong it made me! Now these idiots just follow me around, tryin' ta put puppies in me or get walloped by me. They can hang around so long as they bring mummy her gemmies!"
You glance over to Rover.
"I stand corrected."
"Mm."
"You know?" Precious says "I think they might be a bit puckish. Dinner's on, boys!"
Precious throws her head back and howls up into the mineshaft, a howl that's quickly joined by every other voice it can find until it becomes nearly deafening, followed by the rapid advance of a stampede of Diamond Dog paws racing towards the passageway to your rear.
Rover turns to the noise coming from the passage and hisses. "Buy me a minute!"
"That's all you get!"
You draw your blade along with the rime of winter and charge low at Precious while Rover digs his paw under his cloak. Ice trails through the air as your weapon clashes with Precious' and you gasp when you see it up close. Energy wasn't the only thing flowing from Freikugel into Precious, growths of bone from the weapons hilt were extruding from it and piercing into her skin as anchorage.
"What in the Hel are you doing?!"
"Heh, like it?" she asks. Precious pushes against the head of the axe and sends sparks of power up into your face, forcing you back. "I think it fits me!"
Clearly this dog was a few bones short of a pile.
"Maybe I'll show you how I do it when me boys're tearing you apart."
"Boys can watch." You hear Rover say behind you.
The friendly Diamond Dog produces a small vial of brown goop from his cloak and throws it behind him. It shatters against the top of the passageway and emits a sizzling sound with accompanying smoke as the gunk chews away at the foundation stone, bringing the ceiling of the only way into the arena down. The dogs almost through screech to a halt to avoid getting crushed.
With his other hand, Rover reaches for the greatsword on his back, more a slab of metal than a weapon now that you see it shed its wrappings, and lets it slam into the ground. Orange runes thrum to life on the blades body and you feel the temperature rise.
Precious laughs a howling laugh and takes a proper grip of the axe.
"I don't think she's willing to surrender."
"They never are."
You and Rover charge Precious.
Music
Within seconds you learn something you wish you'd known earlier. Rover is MUCH faster on his feet than his size would suggest.
Despite you being ahead of him, Rover is able to charge past you and meet Precious's axe with his own blade. He follows with a flurry of strikes so wide you nearly need to duck his follow-through to avoid a beheading. Sparks and licks of flame break off the surface of Rover's sword as it meets the Freikugel and singes its wielder. She pushes back and grins up at Rover. "Get why ya wear a cape now."
"Mhm."
Another set of sparks from the weapon drives Rover back, but having seen it before prepares you. You charge in behind your shield to avoid the worst of the damage and slice at Precious's chest, leaving chilling gashes at the edge of your blade.
"Grah! Smarts!"
"Mind if I cut i-ah crap."
Precious grins a sadistic grin as she raises the Friekugel above her head with both arms. Sparks fly from the weapon when she brings it down in a strike that shakes the entire mine. The force of the attack disrupts your footing and pushes you back, leaving you open for an uppercut that cuts a line clean through your breastplate.
You suck in as much air as you can in momentary panic before hopping back and hazarding a glance down, seeing the clean cut and singed chainmail beneath letting you know how many centimeters your life was saved by. One of the slabs of stone kicked up by Precious's attack has a flaming line cut through it as Rover pushes towards the top dog's back. Her eyes wide with anticipation of the strike, she raises her axe. What she does not anticipate is Rover grabbing one of the large stones and slamming it into her head to send her flying into the wall.
Rover snorts in your direction. "Still alive?"
"Same to you, Fido."
The Diamond Dog growls as sparks erupt from the dust where Precious landed.
Banter would have to wait; you needed a plan now and a Diamond Dog isn't exactly an articulate ally.
You think run through everything you know as the dust starts to clear and settle on something.
"Get her attention!"
Rover finds that request not difficult in the slightest. Precious dashes out of the cloud of dust, empowered by the Freikugel and foaming at the mouth mad, towards Rover. The dog you're not here to kill barely brings his blade up in time to deflect the oncoming attack, raining a shower of sparks and power raining down over the arena.
The lights and flashes illuminate the eyes of the Dogs watching from the levels above like rabbits in the torchlight after dusk. Precious' underlings watch enraptured by their leader in her mindless fury swinging a glowing axe like a thing very probably possessed. Their nature to follow the strongest overpowering their desire to win, watching and waiting to see which dog would come out on top, their insane leader or the mysterious newcomer with the flaming sword.
Rover has experience over Precious, but the bitch has youth on her side. Her axe swings in fast and deadly arcs that only barely get deflected by an edge of Rover's sword. Your ally grits his teeth as he's pushed further back by the relentless assault of Precious until a single massive strike from above forces him back a good eight feet.
Rover pants as a trickle of blood runs down his head and Precious lets her jaw hang. "GOTCHA!"
She rushes towards Rover just as you make your move that you pray works.
With a small leap, you angle your arctic blade downward and drive the tip into the stone at your feet. Ice explodes from your sword in a radius around you and rapidly expands far enough to get under Precious's feet.
Paws not designed for traversing ice scrape and claw for purchase while her momentum continues her towards Rover. The Diamond Dog, catching on quickly, rotates his blade and thrusts it forward.
A startled yelp covers up the sound of a blade piercing through Precious's body
Precious mouth hangs agape as tears well up near the corner of her eyes that look to the top of the mine. She futility paws at the blade sticking through her chest as the blood drains from both ends of her body onto the floor, its warmth rapidly melting the ice.
With her final breath, the former top dog sneers at the sky she can't see.
"D-dammit...it was supposed to be...easy..." she says with a final cough.
As the light leaves Precious's eyes, her grip on the Freikugel laxes until the axe clatters to the ground, the red jewel in its head dimming until it sits inert.
Rovers breath comes in rapid pants as he relaxes his blade arm, finally sure that the enemy is dead. With a deep, calming breath, he looks up to the pack that watches. Rover barks once, loud and sharp and echoing through the mine. The dogs each in turn drop their weapons or tools, get on all fours, and run for the exits.
You chuckle and pull your blade from the ground. "So...does that make you top dog now?"
Rover lets out the breath he's holding and begins to try and pull his blade from Precious's corpse. "No."
"I see. You're welcome for the assist."
"Didn't thank you." Rover says, finally freeing his blade from Precious's torso and looking down at her. "...How she like this? Stronger, faster, more vicious."
You follow Rover's eyes to the dead dog, now looking more pathetic than her jacket and attitude would suggest in the embrace of death.
"Power requires sacrifice...so they say. I suppose she couldn't give enough for the axe."
Rover nods grimly and re-sheathes his sword. The two of you examine the axe in closer detail, you see the gashes in Precious's arm where the axe ripped its bone protrusions out as well.
"Euch...let's not touch that. Give me your cloak."
Rover poker-faces, but obliges and removes his shroud, beneath which he was wearing a simple tunic and armor rig.
Carefully, gently, you wrap the Freikugel in the cloak of Rover and heft it up upon your shoulder.
"I've had my fill of this place, you?"
Rover looks to his dead kin one final time and nods. "Too much. Let's leave."
"If we can find the entrance." You say, walking in any direction.
"We call for spiders, they show us the way."
"Wonderful, lead by spiders...we'll be lucky to have this back to Twilight by sunrise."
Rover gets grimmer. "You know she will be talking once she looks at it."
"I'd rather that than have to deal with that bitch again, wouldn't you?"
Rover is silent for a bit before responding. "Eeeeeehh...barely."
Your laughter echoes through the mine system as the two of you search for a way home. |
Prose Equus | Magic Musings | Ponyville, the school of friendship. Inventory day.
"Magic gems."
"Check."
"Ancient scrolls."
"Check..."
"Summoning catalysts."
"Check, Twilight."
"Saint Quartz crystals."
Spike's eyes go wide and he looks at you like he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Oh...were those uh...not just out for whoever needed them? Hehe."
"Spike!"
You trot over to him and give him scolding eyes. You knew you should have asked Glimmer for help.
"You can't eat every gem you find laying around!"
"B-b-but! They were so shiny and they were just sitting right there and I-..." in time, he hangs his head and his shoulders slump. "I'm sorry Twilight."
You sigh "It's fine, I'll just need to collect more."
It was only a pile of THIRTY crystals.
Spike's stomach rumbles up into his chest where he unleashes a gout of green flame accompanying a belch. "Heh, tasted good though!"
You roll your eyes
A tune plays through the castle on magical chimes, indicating someone at the front door.
You give Spike your best princess face. "You can make it up to me by getting the door."
Spike gives you an exaggerated salute and heads out of the room. You sigh again, but a bit more contentedly this time and check off some items on your favorite list. You aren't exactly mad at Spike per-se. You'd rather he occasionally scarf down some magical components than some of the behavior you've seen out of other dragons.
You hear the front door opening through the halls and Spike calling up to you. "Uh, Twilight! I think it's for you!"
"Bring them in, Spike!"
"Yeah ok-HEY!" he calls.
You turn your attention to the door into the room as you hear someone's metal horseshoes clinking against the floor.
"...Spike?"
Your horn sparks with magic at the possibility of an intruder, but she enters the room in her long scarf and gold horned helmet before your spell is prepared.
"You have the Friekugel here, right? Let me see it."
-Loki PoV-
"Put me down!" the lizard in your magic shouts.
"Twilight, there was a pest at your front gate. Are you aware of it? I can let my son loose if you need them cleaned up."
Twilight makes a strange face and hurries over, grabbing the rodent with her own magic. "Spike is my assistant and my friend! Put him down!"
Assistant? FRIEND?
Did this little mortal tame a dragon and nobody told you about it?! Stupid No-name! He's supposed to tell you these things!
"Oh..."
You swallow and try to keep your cool.
"My mistake, Asgardians hunt lizards like this for...sport, yes." You drop the reptile and bow your head a bit, your helmet almost slips off. "Please accept the apologies of the crown for this...faux pa."
Twilight helps her servant to his feet with a concerned look, you keep bowing.
Buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it.
Eventually Twilight looks to you. You can't let yourself screw this one up or else your only into Midgard would be broken. "What...brings you here, Loki?"
She bought it! Yes!
You let yourself have a small smile. "No-name tells me he returned the Friekugel here and left it with you? I've come to inspect it to...make sure it's safe."
And get a closer look at the magics inside it, but she doesn't need know that.
"Is there a reason for it not to be safe?" Twilight asks.
"It's an ancient weapon made of the bones of dragons, what would you wager?"
When trying to string someone along, it's best to leave vague hints at threats if they don't follow your line of thinking. Fear is an excellent motivator.
Twilight's worried look returns. "...Spike, can you go get the key? I didn't detect anything on the axe, but better safe than sorry if Loki's here and feels it's best."
"Spike" gives you a sneer and goes to comply. "Yeah, one sec."
Haha. Yes. It's working.
Twilight takes you down to her cellar where the lizard sticks a key into a vast magical lock. You hear the gears and enchanted weights pulling aside beyond the steel. The gate slides open, revealing the relic placed carefully on a simple stand beyond it.
You admire the craftsmanship as you creep towards it. A blade of dull bone still so sharp it hurts to look at fastened to a strong metal grip, probably Adamantite like the doors to Tartarus. In the center rests a jewel, the eye through with Freikugel's rage manifests.
"You said you examined it? What did you find?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. The axe was empowered in the hands of Precious but when we gave it some test swings, we could only get a few sparks.
Your mind races at connecting these dots. Sparkle wasn't much for aggression.
"Who tried?"
"Me, Spike, and Rainbow Dash gave it a whack. Spike was the one who got a reaction from it."
The lizard crosses its arms and looks at you smugly. "Try to contain your excitement."
"That should be easy."
"What I don't understand..." Twilight begins. "Is why it effected the one holding it so intensely? Anonymous said that the Diamond Dog who had the axe was almost rabid and exhibited a level of physical power never before recorded."
"A simple matter."
With your magic, you tilt the axe a bit so you catch your reflection in the sheen of its metallic segments.
"The axe imitates the one it was made from and in doing so, creates anchors of aggression that align with Freikugel himself."
You look to Twilight and her manservant.
"It reacted to him because he is, despite his looks, a dragon. He acts like a dragon, looks like a dragon, and has the same spiritual presence as a dragon. You mortal ponies are...essentially the opposite."
Twilight taps her chin, intrigued at your words, and looks at herself in the axe as well. "Hmm...That hypothesis is entirely dependent on old magic idol theory..."
You nearly stumble over your scarf turning so fast.
"WHAT."
"Whoa! Careful now."
You feel your eyes narrow and a gob smacked sneer part your lips. "What do you MEAN "theory"?"
Twilight tilts her head. "The...theory of idolts representing objects of power resonating with that same power?"
Your eye twitches.
"Is...that not a theory the gods agree with?" Twilight asks.
"Twilight Sparkle, next you'll tell me you backwards mortals think gravity is simply a theory!"
Twilight turns her eyes away from you "Weeeeeeeeell..."
UHG.
You take a deep, calming breath as Mother occasionally taught you and carefully space out your words.
"I will explain this...only once...so ensure you have a way to remember."
A broad smile parts Twilights lips. "Can you say it in another room?"
SOMEHOW you now found yourself standing at the front of a large lecture hall with a blackboard at your back and about a dozen other mortals sitting in the desks before you.
A bead of sweat forms beneath your helmet and you knees slightly shake seeing as many eyes turn to you as there were now. Most often that many eyes on you heralded some form of punishment hurtling towards you, and you did not like being the focus of attention to this many.
Damnable Midgard Princess! She tricked you!
Twilight walks before you and presents you to her class. "Students, today I'd like to welcome a guest lecturer. I'd like you to give her your undivided attention as she...clears a few things up."
Your eye twitches again as all the students look to you even more expecting. Thoughts run through your mind, about how if you were any of your family that this would be easy, how they were truly divine while you were some orphan that was adopted in pretending at it.
You push those thoughts out with a small breath for confidence and lift your head. Pretending to be someone you weren't was what you were best at.
"Who in attendance here knows what an idol is?" you ask.
One of a race you're somewhat familiar with, a Changeling you believe, raises its hoof. "They're representations of powerful things, right? Like how letters are representations of the words we use for our language."
That answer surprised you, you didn't expect anyone to know the answer to that.
"Right! Very good, you get credit for not being entirely hopeless."
You take a few steps towards the class and float some chalk to Twilight.
"Sparkle here tells me that you believe the study of idols to simply be a "theory". Well I am here from on high to tell you that it is more than that, it is the very underlying mechanism of the systems of magic themselves."
You look to Twilight now.
"Draw for me the symbol of your monarch."
As Twilight agrees to do so, you turn back to the class.
"However, what IS magic?"
All their hooves shoot up, you call on none of them.
"That was rhetorical! By Mother's eye..."
You glance back at Twilight who finishes drawing the sun sigil that adorned the home of the other Princesses you met. "Done! I've got a lot of practice. I hope I got the curvature the right number of degrees..."
Yes...right. Back to the class.
"Magic is the art of telling a lie and having the world believe you."
"Idol "theory" as you call it works so simply that even you mortals may grasp it. Simply put; an imitation of any subject or "idol" retains properties and attributes inherent to the source of that object."
You gesture to the drawing. "Were this sigil an idol, one could use it to call upon the power of the sun, if appropriately used."
You see some confused faces, so you prepare another example by dragging your horn through the air and creating glowing lines in the shape of a rune that bursts into flame.
"Behold! The Rune of Logi, God of Fire. No relation. To each of you, this is simply the rune one must call forth to conjure a spark of flame, but what you do NOT know is that this rune is, in its reality, the word Logi would speak to manifest his fire!"
The same Changeling opens her eyes wider. "I think I get it...! The magic was tether to his word and the rune is a representation of it, so it calls the same magic!"
"Once again the bug is correct! Why is she not the one teaching you?"
Twilight shrugs but has no answer, the Changeling's classmates giggle like the simpletons they are.
"Runes, spells, magical items, leylines, blood magic, ritual sites and altars. Every single way in which you interact with magic traces back to the study of idols. It is no mere "theory"."
Another, this time a gryphon, raises his talon. "What's that make you or the princesses or Discord? I heard you guys were gods or something."
"Or something" he says. You let that slide.
"We are, as simply put "apex idols", the pinnacle of how such power manifests itself in your world. The source, in some case."
Cases like Mother spending the last eternity killing or subjugating anyone that stood up to her and hoarding the power in Asgard. Not that you complained.
"So if we call on you for magic power..." he continues.
"I might choose to listen, if you carry my favor." You give him a sly smile to put him in your place.
This time Twilight speaks up. "Can you hear prayers?"
"O-of course. All gods can."
Not that you could. Not that you were a "god" like them.
Another student scratches her face. "I'm a bit confused...so what are the princesses?"
You answer her question by reaching between realms and pulling a pair of knives out, driving them into the wooden podium.
You step forward to quell any panic from brandishing a weapon.
"These knives are mine, their name is Nyx."
Twilight examines them, ignoring the damage to the podium when there's knowledge to be gained. "That's a nice name, it almost sounds familiar..."
"It ought to. Nyx was the name of a primordial moon goddess, and a powerful one at that. She was slain, long before your tribes gathered under one banner, and formed into these blades through a process called Demiurgy."
The students look to each other.
"In many young faiths, a demiurge is an artisan responsible for building the physical universe, a "creator". The practice is adapted here, at the heights of idol magic, to permit the reforming of an idols power into a new shape. Your princesses are similar beings to what Nyx once was, before being slain."
"Attuned to the moon and sun..." the changeling says. "And when you make an idol of one, you empower them both."
"Twilight why ISN'T that one teaching? She understands, at least."
"Wait, hang on." The gryphon interrupts.
"If Nyx was a moon spirit, what does that make Luna?"
UHG.
"I said they were similar, yes? When Nyx was taken from the moon at the time of her death, there was a vacancy, one that your princess with the large behind filled, isn't that right?"
The facts dawn on him, the age of his world and how those more powerful than him interacted with it.
"Oh."
Yeah. "Oh."
"How are idols empowered to be idols? Is it just age?" another student asks.
"Age plays a part in it, but it is more so than that, it is about faith."
You pocket your knives away again and continue.
"Each idol you call upon has a story tied to it that has been passed down through hundreds of years by you or your ancestors or your ancestors' ancestors. With each telling of the story, another hears it and associates that magic with whatever the story is about, like Logi and his word of fire, until it is ingrained into your culture."
You turn and walk over towards Twilight.
"That is where the Friekugel comes in, Princess. Friekugel was a dragon of unmatched ferocity and power, an idol in his own right, and the axe made of his bones is a representation of it."
Twilight perks up. "Making his power manifest through it into whomever found it!"
"Precisely."
With a whip of your scarf, you exit towards the door. "Class dismissed!"
After leaving the class, each of Twilight's students had a question for you, some even brought graphs.
You trip backwards through their questions until the day passes by and Twilight sends them all home. Now you were tired, your throat soar, and your mind fuzzy while Twilight walked you to the edge of town.
"I can't believe you taught them the entire day!"
"I can't believe you made me...I just came to see the axe..."
"Well all the students appreciate it. To think, learning from a bonafied god! It's a once in a generation opportunity!"
Bonafied...
Though a thought quickly strikes your mind.
"Teachers...receive compensation, don't they?"
"Would you like to be paid?"
You thrust your snout up.
"I believe it customary for a service rendered! Especially in a divine presence!"
Twilight simply chuckles. "Well, I left my coin purse at home. But I have a story you may be interested in, one from way back when I was a filly..."
"I am listening, I suppose..."
"It was back more years ago than I care to admit. I was a filly who, even though she didn't know it, was about to be enrolled in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I was studying in the park when I thought I'd heard something from the trees."
You and Twilight cross over the bridge that exits the town.
"At first I was afraid that it was a bear, from the sound of the growling. Imagine my surprise when a two-legged hairless ape stumbled out of the bushes."
Your attention is instantly grabbed, but you try not to make it seem like you're desperate to know.
"No-name? Truly? THAT is how he ended up here?"
You'd nearly convinced yourself that he literally congealed in a gutter.
"Haha, yep! He was in rags and didn't understand a word I said, but he looked at me like a lost animal."
"He's not one now?"
Twilight chuckles. "He was young then. Well, I've never seen him YOUNG, younger, a young adult. He was taken in by the crown and we kept in touch as I continued my studies."
So No-name mysteriously appeared in Midgard, got himself associated with a young spellcaster, and began a life of smashing and slaying things for a living.
That sounded...honestly blander than you expected.
Also familiar.
For No-name's boorishness, stupidity, and poor body odor, you'd noticed the speed at which he associated himself with virtually all of Asgard. He and Baldur are attached at the hip, Mjolna and Tyr respect him, Mother relies on him for services and even Vidar didn't gore him when you came to visit. He even learned how to work with a Diamond Dog, which he was SUPPOSED to hate. The only member of your family that hadn't taken a shine to him was Hermod, and good luck holding him down.
You find it impossible to ignore that the origins of the two of you were closely mirrored, yet in a few short months, No-name has become friendlier with your family than you have, despite more egregious acts of rebellion.
You sigh and look to the ground, your mask slipping around the mortal despite your efforts. Tears would not dirty your eyes, not around her, you're sure you'd run out by now anyway.
"He is...charismatic, I guess..."
Twilight nods. "Yes. Anonymous was always good at making friends when he was alive down here, I like to think that it's because he didn't have any memory of where he came from or who he was when he came here, and that let him connect with just about everyone that he met."
"Wait what? How?"
Twilight stops at the edge of the forest, pondering. "He's the tabula rasa, the blank slate that everyone sees a bit of themselves in. His personality now is the result of everpony he's ever met." She smiles at you. "You just have to get passed all the yelling and bravado."
Something past that, huh...
"Yes...well, I think I've had enough of Midgard for today. Until next we meet, Twilight Sparkle."
You turn and head into the forest so Twilight doesn't see your scheming face.
"Until next time, "teacher" Loki!" she calls behind you.
Now you duck behind a tree so Twilight doesn't see your gagging face. |
Prose Equus | Buried Secrets. | Music
"No-naaaaaame!"
"Did you call me, Princess Loki? My ears are burning."
"Yes well my EVERYTHING is burning! It's too HOT!"
"It's the Badlands, Princess! The name implies a land that is bad! Our next outing can be to "It's-not-the-heat-it's-the-humidity land!"
"UUUUHHHHHGGGGGGGG."
Right, just complain, that helps.
Today found you and the princess trudging through the steps and sand of the Badlands south of Equestria, ranked number to on the list of "Worst places to walk with metal boots on" after the Bone Dry Desert and even then, just barely. Your spear today doubles as a walking stick to keep your balance while you lead the way, glancing over your shoulder at Loki.
"What?" she asks.
"Making sure you didn't abandon me."
"I thought about it."
"Will you answer to the Queen if you do?"
"Oh be quiet."
You shake your head and allow her request. Queen Sleipnir hurried the two of you down to Midgard earlier after telling you that a Changeling Hive nearby had exploded and that you were to retrieve something from the area.
When you asked what that was, you only got told "Don't open it".
Which paints SUCH a lovely picture.
Even more strange was that Heimdall wasn't the one to send you down, the Queen herself directing the Bifrost at the edge of the Badlands and telling the two of you to hoof it and make sure you weren't followed.
"I don't like one bit of this..."
"That makes two of us."
As the two of you walk, the countless rocks in your paths go from a flat brown to a sharp black, like someone had swung a hammer and broken the night sky over the land below.
"Look. These rocks are charred black." Loki says.
"They're not rocks."
Experience tipped you off the minute you saw the sun shine off them. You swing your spear and lop the top off one of them, slicing it easily.
"Changeling chitin. A fast hardening substance the drones secrete to build and reinforce their hives. Brittle unless there's a lot of it and upsettingly flame retardant."
Loki looks around at the field of twinkling black obelisks stretching along the sands to a steel hill beyond the mesas. "Which makes these..."
"Evidence that there was once a Changeling hive here."
You point to the hill with your spear "That was probably in the place that hill is now. Come on." You press on forward and find Loki not complaining anymore.
At the top of the far-off mound of sand, you get a better view of the once Changeling hive. Fragments of chitin dot the landscape for miles from whatever caused the hove to explode, and one of the mesas a ways away has the central spire impaled into it. You don't see any bodies, Changeling or otherwise, and sand already begins to flow into the crater to reclaim it
"The force needed to produce an explosion of this size would be..."
"Just short of colossal." Loki finishes.
The wind howls behind you and you look to the sky, no clouds blocking the sun which means either it was another day in the desert, or that the explosion forced them away with an airburst, the wind only now coming back.
"Now like we can ask any natives."
"I don't believe even you would be stupid enough to live out here, No-name."
"We need to get a closer look, come on."
You hop off the lip of the crater and let yourself begin to slide down the dune. Loki helps behind you but follows along. You look to your side, seeing the princess of trickery struggle to maintain her balance.
You stifle a laugh. "Hold all four of your hooves together and let gravity do its work."
"I am FINE."
"Yes, clearly."
"Loki knows enough about hives and holes to fill a library, No-name! Show respect!"
That reminds you of something.
"Hey!" you call to her. "What is it with you and Changelings? I know you're connected to them."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't play dumb with me! Thorax! The Changeling that had a debt to you to get the Palantir crystal? You have dealings with them so what is it? Are you their matron saint? Their god? The shapeshifting made me curious..."
Loki rolls her eyes and adjusts her feet, sliding down to a bit of large chitin, a former hallway by its construction, still stuck in the sand where she can stand on to take refuge.
"Oh yes, of course! Because I may freely change my shape as they do, I MUST be their god! Just like all Zebra's must speak in meter right?"
Wait, is that not true?
"If you MUST know..." Loki starts as you slide to the platform she found. "Yes, being a shapeshifter as they are makes it easier to coordinate them, we have similar modus operand."
"You like sneaking into cities and staging a coup at royal weddings too?"
Loki sticks her tongue out "FAR too grandiose for a scheme. Revealing yourself before your master stroke? Amateur hour."
"I'm sure you'd do SO much better."
"I would, yes. Regardless, what is the old saying? Find the smile, teach the skill? Well I'm not a good smiler and the Changeling's already have the skill I needed to act as my influence in Midgard."
You cross your arms. "Influence, huh?"
"Yes, No-name. Contain your mistrust. I hear many secrets through the realms and yet until recently, I was locked away form Midgard. If not for my connections with the insects, we wouldn't have the Palantir at all."
"Mm..."
Loki rolls her eyes again. "Let me simply answer the question you're too afraid to ask. No, I did not have anything to do with your little wedding invasion nor did I ever deal with your "Queen Chrysaswiss" or whatever. The tithe she sent to me always ended up falling to tatters. I only deal with independent agents, they're much easier to manipulate."
You've known Loki for a while now and felt a connection with the Princess others seemed not to have, you want to trust her...but you know her.
"Is that it?"
"Of course it is it, No-name. But it doesn't matter now. Midgard is open to me and you are my proxy now."
Right...Wait what.
"Along that line of thought..." Loki's eyes blink open. "Aha! Do you have the jewel?"
"Eh?"
Loki begins bouncing up and down, excited at the prospect of magic. "The Palantir jewel, you clod! I have an idea!" You reach into the pocket you hide the magic opal in and hold it to her, letting it catch the golden rays of the sun. Loki smiles a sly smile and produces the Time-seeing amulet's base from a space that shouldn't exist and carefully puts the two together.
"Why spend hours rooting around for answers when we may simply peer through the past and see things as they happened?"
"I can think of a few reasons."
"Are you going to act on them?"
You cross your arms and lean against the chitin wall of the hallway, letting that be your answer.
Loki smiles. "I knew I kept you for a reason." With a click and a flash, the Palantir activates and a white fog rolls in at the corners of your eyes.
"Work faster you fools! Or I'll feed you to something that can!"
You take an instinctive step backwards as a Changeling with all the markings of a queen materializes out of the fog. Taller, legs starting to split, and a sharper horn. You'd been familiarized with Chrysalis considering the threat she posed to the kingdom, but this wasn't her.
Loki smugly leers at your trepidation at the illusion, you sneer back.
More Changelings appear around you from the fog, as well as your surroundings, one of the many passageways inside of a Changeling hive. The queen rears back and hisses as her drones move piles of earth and rock through the corridor like a line of ants. "Move the earth, minions! The temple must be revealed!"
"Temple?"
Loki shushes you.
The queen of the past grins a wicked grin looking down at her subjects. "Soon the power sealed away from ages past will be MY power! We'll see what that fool queen to the north thinks when I'M the one standing over a conquered Canterlot! And from there, the world!" The queen leans her head back and unleashes an ear-piercing cackle through the tunnel.
In the old adventure serials, this would be where the scene cuts, but the queen's laughter is interrupted by a loud ringing that smothers her mirth and echoes through the entire hive, like a gong the size of a building being rung.
"Wha-" escapes the queen's mandibles before the ringing rapidly closes towards her, throwing workers and debris into the air as it tears through the hive like paper.
"Guh!"
What feels like a hoof to your chest knocks you out of the visions of the Palantir and sends you back a few steps. Loki laying on the ground rolling back and forth tells you she had a similar experience.
"Ow. Ow. Ow..."
"Nngh. Are you alright?"
"Stupid gem isn't supposed to do that!" she says, pushing herself to her hooves.
"Whatever hit them must have hit even us..." You look around the gravesite crater "They were digging for something...and it sounds like they found it at the end."
Squinting your eyes to combat the sun, you look to the lowest part of the crater at the very center. There, beneath the sands flowing into the hole, do you spot the slightest hint of chiseled stone casting a shadow beneath it.
"Hey, look."
Loki follows your finger. "Is that a bug? It's so small."
"Like you're one to talk. When this place exploded, the sands were disturbed and must have fallen into the bottom and buried that...whatever it is."
"Well I'm not digging it out." Loki says.
"Well I didn't bring a shovel and only one of us has magic. So if you want to get home before you're your Mother's age, I'd start flexing my brain muscles." You hop off the bit of ruined hive you're on and slide down the dune, leaving Loki to glare at you before following.
You reach the bit of carved stone, no higher than your hips but clearly artificial before Loki does. You kneel down to inspect its sides, but find that any symbols or sigils carved into the side have been worn away by the sands of time and the literal sand.
There is one thing you can figure out though.
"From the positioning here...this was one of the load bearing beams for a roof once."
Loki joins you and rolls her eyes. "Oh, he's an architect now?"
"I dabbled."
"Well dabble yourself away so someone with a brain can take a loo-" Loki ceases her chatter and looks down at the sand.
"What was that, O' Brain-Haver Mi-"
"Shut up, No-name." Loki commands. She tilts her head to the side and squints a bit. "There's something beneath these sands."
"The temple?"
"No...something older, with power inside it." Loki's horn sparks a glow as she reaches down below the sand.
"Careful..." you warn. "The bugs hit SOMETHING that made them blow up."
"If you knew the depths of how careful I could be, you would be pushing those words back into your mou-LIGHTERTHANITHOUGHT."
Loki shoots backwards and nearly falls over as a shining golden orb rockets from the ground in and escapes her grip before settling in the air.
You kneel and help Loki up, falling this many times a day would get her moody.
"You alright?"
"Stupid thing didn't fight at all when it was pulled."
Once Loki is upright, you take a look at what she pulled out. You squint through the golden light it emanates from its ethereal glow and the desert sun. It's a bit bigger than your head, a solid gold urn wrapped in what look like equally golden leaves or wings. It floats maybe twelve feet from the ground and softly thrums a distinct chiming sound you can feel in your teeth.
"Loki, what is this?"
The princess keeps her eyes on the object and circles around it. "...A container of some kind, a powerful one. I can't detect what's inside..."
"Is it floating by magic?"
Loki rejoins you. "Partly...you see the extraneous bits on the sides? That is a golden fleece, a metal lighter than air but extremely strong."
"Why'd whoever built this do that?"
Loki looks to the ground and gathers a small bit of sand, throwing it at the golden urn. The reaction she gets is immediate, with the urn's melody increasing in pitch until you're forced to cover your ears and a wave of pressure emanating off it that nearly blows you both back.
"DON'T do that again."
"Gladly..." Loki says. "The urn must be enchanted with a defensive measure that repels any physical contact it experiences back...several hundred times fold, if that is what happens when you throw sand at it."
You nod, understanding. "So they make it float because setting it on top of something would blow the place up."
"Precisely. The Changelings must have struck it when they were digging down here and drawn an appropriate response."
This was clearly what you were sent here for.
"Any ideas how we get it down?"
"Listen..."
You do as she says and listen to the quiet chime coming from the urn, its pitch is different now but you can clearly place the resonance of-
"The explosion from the vision."
"Precisely."
"What are you getting at?"
"Did you know that Loki has a highly tuned ear? It's how I imitate the cadence and verbiage of those who's forms I take." Loki walks closer to you and strikes her hoof on your shield. "Sound travels in waves, No-name, especially in stone temples where this was once held. My hunch is that if we can produce the counter-wave to its own?"
"Then it'll get through its defenses and we'll be able to grab it."
"By Mother's beard, he can be taught! Present your shield to me, I need an instrument."
You do as instructed and crouch down behind your shield a bit, Loki turns around and stands still save for slightly moving her flank from left to right.
"Let's see...a bit high, but not too high, consider the shape of the crater aaaaaand...D flat!"
Loki shoots her hind legs out and strikes your shield slightly left of center, sending a resounding low note echoing through the crater. The urn freezes in the air as the sound washes over it and one by one, the pieces of the Golden Fleece fall to the ground, gently letting the urn down with each one that drops. Loki quickly engulfs it in a magical grip so you don't get blown up.
"I'm impressed."
"Good, you should be."
You and Loki approach the urn and examine it. In place of a normal cap, you find that the urn is sealed with what appears to be gold hastily dripped down into a vague skull shape overtop of the urn.
"What do you suppose that's about?"
"If I knew the answer, I'd tell you."
"Should we call Heimdall? Get it back to your Mother?"
"Considering how we were sent here, I doubt that idiot even knows where we are. At the risk of inciting Mother, I'm afraid our safest bet is to make the trek back to where we arrived here and call Mother from there."
You sigh. "Guess we're not making it home for dinner."
"I am going to need so many baths to get all this sweat and sand off me..."
You're about to turn and head back up the dunes when something on the urn catches your eye.
"Loki?"
"Hmm?"
"Is that a crack?"
Music
The crack in the urn allows the contents to see you and shake its golden prison. Black tar begins to spill forth from the infinitesimal crack by the top of the urn, where the Changelings hit it no doubt, and breaks free of Loki's magic.
The princess is thrown back by the rebound and lets the urn drop to the sand.
"Loki!"
You check to make sure she's still in one piece before looking back at the urn. Tar spews from the crack like a geyser and forces the skull topper off, exploding outwards and engulfing the urn as the Fleece did, but swelling in size.
Oleaginous tentacles form at the end of the black mass of magic alongside a thick animalistic foreleg.
"Princess get up! We have a fight on our hands!"
You hear Loki groan as she gets to her hooves for the umpteenth time today. "Uhg...I can't take you ANYWHERE, No-name!"
The tar creature pushes the skull from the urn to its "face" and roars at you, now as big as a Timber Alpha.
You brandish your spear in one hand and raise your shield to protect your torso with the other. "Come and get them!"
Loki rushes to your side as the beast leaps over you, leaving a thick black mud in its wake that washes over your boots and sticks to you. The princess nearly slips but finds her hoof sticking to the mud. "Eeeeewwww!"
"Ignore it, here it comes!"
You turn as quick as you can and block glancing attacks from its tentacles with your shield, retaliating with slashes from your spear.
"Let's see if it likes this!" The princess shouts as she traces an orange rune in the air with her horn. "Logi! Consume my enemies!"
From the rune comes sparks that herald the arrival of flames. A dragon's breath worth of fire shoots through the air at the creature and breaks upon its tar skin. Any normal animal, even of that size, would be wounded by such an attack. This one however jumps through it and swipes at the two of you, missing you by scant inches when you duck down.
"My magic doesn't work!" Loki shouts, stating the obvious. You get a grip on your spear and jab it upwards into the stomach of the beast. Where she fails, you find success, poking holes in its carapace and letting the two of you jump to the side. You splash into the mud on the ground and wipe it off your face. Something told you that you didn't want it in your mouth.
"Asgard steel does!"
Loki skids over the ever-expanding tar on the ground and faces the creature. Two small magical gateways open over her shoulders and throw a lance of light from each of them. The lances hit the tar-beast in the shoulder with a heavy impact, getting a roar of pain from it. You look up to see a pair of short swords sticking from the beast.
"Where'd those come from?"
"Mother's Armiger! I can't be expected to hold back against something that resists my magic!" she cries back, throwing two more weapons at it.
You slash one of the tendrils from its mane off and avoid it as it wriggles on the ground before being absorbed back into the tar.
"You're stealing the Queen's weapons!?"
"They're small ones she won't miss! Eep!" The tar creature rakes a paw through the ground and impacts Loki, who scatters into a haze of green light and reappears next to you. "And I'm BORROWING them!"
"Move!"
You shove Loki with all your might, sending her falling into the tar and sliding away just as the monster crashes down into the space she once occupied and shaking the earth, knocking you off your balance. If you ended up on your back this was over, it'd pounce on you and crush you flat, so you better improvise.
"Not today!"
You spin your spear around backwards and brace it beneath your armpit, driving it through the tar behind you and into the ground below to offer enough support to push yourself back up and catch the enemy off guard. Using your shield, you deliver a rapid succession of hits with either the broadside of the shield or the honed edge, carving away chunks of tar with each swipe.
No howls of pain get a chance to escape the monster as five more gateways open above its back, raining shortblades and knives down upon it from above. Whether by luck or divine providence, the Asgardian steel clearly has some effect on it and lets you escape its proximity.
"Nice work, Princess! It's off balance!"
"I was aiming for you, oaf!"
"What."
You catch Loki's eyes across the battlefield, they were pinpricks of anger and she was gnashing her teeth. "You SHOVED ME!"
Oh for the love of-
The tar monster slowly turns itself and locks on to Loki, heaving like a cat with a hairball and opening the golden skull it wore for a face to begin emitting a yellow beam of energy. Loki turns sheet white as the oily tendrils on its back shrink away, reappearing at her hooves and wrapping around them before it begins to turn to aim it at her. You decide there'd be time to deal with the teenager later. No way with her level of physical activity she'd be able to shake those off in time.
"Hang on!"
You drop your shield into the tar, lest it weigh you down, and rush the tar beast with spear in both hands.
A dozen more gateways open around Loki and she screams in terror and determination as she throws hatchets, spears, and everything but the kitchen sink at the head of the beast to knock its aim off before the beam roasts her. You plant your spear in the ground again and press down, bending the deer-wood in the haft and leaping up, springing into the air when the tension released and soaring up over the top of the creature's back.
"KILLITKILLITKILLITKILLITKILLITKILLIT!"
"I'mgoinggoinggoinggoinggoinggoing!"
You scoop up one of the swords Loki dropped onto the beast and jump in the air to both gain momentum and force yourself to commit as you drive the sword down. Sword pierces tar and sinks down so far into the monster that it goes up to your shoulder. There's a yelp of pain as the air grows still and the beam of light shorts out, followed by a rush of air. The mask tilts and nearly melts off the creature's face, attached by gooey strands of tar as the rest of its body oozes into itself bit by bit. The tar on the ground flows back into the creature through its legs, or perhaps the creature sinks back into the tar on the ground? The end result is the tar flowing back into the golden urn impaled at the end of the sword in your hand, the tip piercing through the crack in it and sealing it up.
Loki and you look to each other, covered in the black mud and panting.
"What...the Hel was that?"
"I have...no idea..." the princess answers.
You're amazed you stabbed the right spot to seal the urn back up.
"Pretty lucky, huh?"
"Don't touch me with that arm until you've washed a dozen times or lopped it off." Loki says, ignoring you.
Teenagers.
You let the sword go, your entire arm covered in black tar, and let the urn rest in the sand. The moment you do, the sky opens with a crack of thunder and your eight-legged monarch stands before you both.
You're too tired to do anything but look to her, but Loki instinctively shrieks backwards "Mother we were just on our way back! Be patien-"
Loki gets no further. The urn and sword both envelop in a momentary golden glow before they explode off into the air faster than you could ever hope to see.
Loki, you, and Sleipnir all stay silent, albeit for different reasons. You're the first to break the pause.
"...I guess you're right princess, she DIDN'T need that sword."
Mouth agape and gaze slowly turning down to her Mother, Loki quickly gets belligerent. "Why...WHY!? WHY DID YOU DO THAT? WHY ARE WE EVEN HERE IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO THAT?! WHAT WAS THAT THING!? WHAT WAS IT MADE OF?? WHY ARE YOU BEING SO SECRETIVE!? WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE DONE THIS YOURSELF?? AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
You get to your feet while Loki screams and go to the remnants of the urn. "Golden Fleece huh? I can probably do something with this..."
You retrieve your spear and shield and return just as Loki runs out of breath. Sleipnir seems content to let her daughter tire herself out. Her eye glances between Loki and you, sizing the both of you up to some standard only she knows and twisting her grimacing mouth.
"It was Etir, Loki."
The princess stops her tantrum and lets fear into her eyes. "E-Etir? Here? On Midgard?"
"Not anymore, by the looks of it..." You look to the sky.
"Where did you send it?"
The Queen's good eye looks to you. "The sun."
You look back to the sky at the heavenly body that's been oppressing you all day. "...Nice aim."
Loki looks shell shocked. "E-etir here? Why didn't I know about it? I know so much, I-"
"Loki." The All-Mother lives to her name and puts a hoof of comfort on her daughters back. "This is the first I've found any of that vile substance since long before you were born, I intend for it to be the last. Calm yourself."
Loki takes a deep breath and gets steady.
"What's Etir."
The Queen looks to you both again, scrutinizing you. "Later, No-name. You have both done well today by my request and have earned my favor. Wash yourselves. Recuperate. Rest for the next day's trials."
"Let's listen to her, No-name." Loki says, getting to her hooves and still shaken by the revelation about whatever that substance was. "I want to go home..."
Curiosity burned within you, to know what you'd just risked your life for and what the gods were hiding, but if a one-eyed old mare could see a rattled teenager who'd nearly died, you could too.
You walk over to Loki and stand tall next to her. She needed the reassurance.
"At your side, your highness. Wherever you need me."
"...Yes, see that you are." She says.
Queen Sleipnir opens the sky for a Bifrost bridge before you and you slot these questions you have into the back of your mind for another day as you walk away from this haunted waste. |
Prose Equus | Festive Fracas. | It was the night before Hearthswarming and in one corner of land, something strange was occurring that no one had planned. The colts and the fillies of Derbyshire nearby have spent each moment of night with an eye to the sky. They search and they search for a streak of red and jingling, the heralds that mark the coming of Krampus, the Hearthswarming King.
Each year it's the same, a tale known by all, Krampus travels around bringing gifts to good ponies, the big and the small. But alas, each year, just like the last, the stamina of children at night begins to fade fast. As watchers for Krampus fall to dream one by one, their parents take them upstairs talking of the next day's fun.
It was a practiced tradition near the forests of Derbyshire; nestled snugly next to the Crystal Empire.
With children asleep, they would get to work fast, placing gifts under tree like had been done for them in the past. Each year they'd not notice the odd gifts none could recall, perhaps a new hat for a colt or for a filly a doll. They simply sigh in contentment and let warm memories form, after all overbuying for children leaned towards the norm.
For mothers and fathers, once children themselves, had long stopped believing in tales of Krampus and his Hearthswarming elves.
But...
The Kingdom is different these days, with more myth and more wonder, and tonight was a night with the odd clap of thunder.
Perhaps if they'd bothered, looked through the fresh snow's fleck, they'd spot you out in the trees with your foot on King Krampus' neck.
Music
Queen in Valhalla, this guy was a mountain of muscle! It's all you can do to keep your foot on his neck to push him down and stay standing yourself.
The King's of Hearthswarming lays in the snow and dirt before you, having taking a blow to the head from one of your partners as you all try to subdue him from the rampage he was on as he crept closer to Derbyshire. Heimdall had come warning of an insane creature who would destroy the town if something wasn't done, and that'd make a crappy gift.
You adjust your footing a bit.
"I need some help over her-"
His turquoise eyes cut through the dark of the night and lock onto you as his eyes snap open. In that moment you feel a deep and unnatural thought force its way into your head.
NAUGHTY.
Your body moves before your mind catches it, kicking off with your boots and propelling back on an invisible force an inch from the ground to safety as the hulking behemoth rises from the snow and snorts, leveling his horns at you even as they're adorned with wreath leaves.
"INCOMING! OVER HERE, WIDE LOAD!"
A crack of thunder warns Krampus enough that he's able to rear back and evade the sparking hammer that spins through the air before him.
Mjolna lands next to you in the snow. "That was some quick footwork I saw!"
"Thank the smithies." You clink the pommel of your mace against the golden metal adorning your boots. "They were able to graft the Golden Fleece expertly."
Mjolna calls her hammer back to her and catches it in her mouth. "Yeah, they do that. He looking like he's slowing down?"
You stand up and smack your mace against your shield. You'd had to abandon more lethal means of combat once you saw what the rampaging beast was.
"No, but I learned he's exceptionally strong."
"Well hauling gifts in a sack'll do that."
The King shakes his head, stomping around and roaring as he knocks over trees with his massive horns and powerful frame
"King Krampus! Please! Contain yourself!"
"He keeps up this much noise and we're gonna be caught!"
"I've seen to that!" a shadow speaks. Snow from the branches of trees flies off its perch and collects on King Krampus' face, forming a perfect sphere on his head before a barrage of tiny stones fires up and finishes the head of the snowperson.
Loki materializes to your right and stands as tall as she can, trying to look imposing. "I've established a finite field around this area. Any noise we may should be directed back in so as to not scare the mortals."
"Good, I don't want to be the one who shows a bunch of kids what it's like to beat up Krampus."
"He might not be the one getting beat, look out!"
The head on Krampus the Snowperson explodes in a rageful cry as the King stomps his hooves, he takes a few steps towards you all and slams them down again, cracking the ground and sending forth a wage of magical energy that mixes with the snow. "MERRY ATTACK!"
"Move!"
Loki vanishes into the shadows and Mjolna takes to the sky, letting you dash away on a pad of air under your Fleece.
"We don't want to fight you Krampus, but that doesn't mean we won't!" Mjolna says, touching down on a rock.
The King roars at her and charges, his horns glowing green and red. The princess easily evades as he smashes through the boulder and shakes his headache free. He stomps forward, his horns glowing a festive green and red as he whips them towards you and arcs blasts of kringle magic at you.
You try to track the blasts, but they go wide before sharply turning in to hit you from either side. No way you can get both.
"Have no fear, I am here! Get the green one!"
Your body obeys the new voice, turning to face the green blast of energy and swatting it into the snow where it explodes, the red energy pops behind you and is overpowered in a soft golden glow.
"Your work is meant to be done in a single night, dear fellow!" Baldur says, stepping forward "And dawn has come!"
"Thanks for the save."
"My pleasure. Do we know why he's like this? I thought King Krampus was meant to be a jolly old soul."
"He is, we haven't the foggiest why this happened."
"It HAS to be a curse." Loki says, coming out of a shadow. "The fool must have stumbled onto something."
"Any clue why he's so strong?" Mjolna asks on her way down from the sky.
"Holiday spirit." Loki says dryly.
King Krampus lowers his head and breathes heavily, charging at you while the bells around his ankles chime in the wind.
"Well, let's give him his seasons beatings! Baldur, cover me! Princesses, you go from the sides!"
"Tallyho!" Baldur shouts. He lowers his head and intensifies his glow, charging at Krampus.
You raise your shield and follow behind him.
The prince's aura of invincibility shimmers against the freshly fallen snow and repels the attacks of the Kringle King, the exploding ornament balls that shoot from his beard, the eight foot candy canes that jut up from the ground, and a pelting of old fruitcake from the sky.
"You'll have to do better than that!" he challenges.
Baldur leans forward and continues his charge, breaking through Krampus' attacks until he's right on top of you.
The following heartbeats happen slowly. Your mace reaches the apex of your backswing as you prepare to slam it into Krampus's face, but you trip on something.
Or someone.
Baldur's charge stops on a dime, the prince digging his legs into the ground and suddenly wanting to be anywhere but here. The sudden stop is too fast for you to correct against in the snow and so your momentum carries you into his ass and over his head into the snow. Using your last moments before you hit the ground, you see Baldur staring at Krampus' beard as it sheds a torrent of holly leaves. Baldur's eyes are transfixed on the bits of plant raining down and his pupils shrunken to the heads of pins, you could feel the fear coming from the invincible prince's eyes.
You land in the snow like a sack of potatoes.
"Baldur, what the Hel?!"
"BACK! STAY AWAY!" he shouts.
You get yourself up and see Baldur's hind legs shakily taking him back away from King Krampus.
The King shakes his head, raining more holly onto the ground as he trudges towards Baldur. The god of light backs himself into a tree that prevents any further escape as Krampus towers over him.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" you hear over your shoulder.
Like she'd done with the Ursa Major, Mjolna flies over your shoulder and impacts Krampus hammer first. The two go barreling through trees over a hill.
Loki wades through the snow after them. "No name, see to Baldur! I have to aid the idiot!"
"What's going on!?"
"Just see to him!"
Loki hops through the snow and you crawl over to Baldur, who's still shaking against the tree and panting heavily.
"Baldur, Baldur it's me. Calm down."
"Heh. H-hello No-name."
You give the prince some room to breathe, recognizing combat fear.
"It's all right its-- he's gone. Take a deep breath and hold it for ten seconds."
Baldur nods and listens to your instructions, puffing his cheeks out as he sucks in.
"Now slowly release it."
Baldur exhales and steadies himself, his shaking stops.
"There...can you tell me what that was?"
Baldur chuckles. "No. I cannot. I know what it is, but I cannot."
More secrets from the royal family.
You hear an unholy sound from over the hill and the shriek of a Loki, meaning now wasn't the time to take care of this.
"Baldur, listen. I believe you when you show me this fear, but the battlefield isn't someplace we can deal with it. What happens next will depend on your answer, so I'll ask once. Can you still fight Krampus?"
Baldur takes several deep breaths and pushes himself to all fours, his back two legs still shaking. "I...am afraid, not something I feel very often." He says. "But to be brave is not to never feel fear, but to overcome it! That is what I believe." Baldur's radiance returns, and he flashes his shining teeth to you. "Come! Let us see what has my sisters shouting so!"
"YOU KILLED HIM!" you hear Loki shout as you crest the hill. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KILLED HIM YOU STUPID CLOD!"
"Oh no."
"HE'S NOT DEAD!" Mjolna shouts back. "HE'S JUST...not moving..."
"YOU BEAT THE INSIDES OUT OF HIM!"
"THOSE AREN'T ORGANS YOU LITTLE IDIOT!"
"YOU CLEARLY LIQUIFIED THEM!"
"What in your Mother's Eye are you two arguing about over here?!" You stomp around a tree and find Mjolna and Loki nose to nose glaring at each other over the body of Krampus. Krampus's eyes are rolled back into his head and his mouth open, and a large puddle of a beige liquid pooled around his body.
"Mjolna killed King Krampus and RUINED Hearthswarming!" Loki gets in first.
"I TOLD YOU HE'S NOT DEAD!"
"WHO WILL FIX TEENSY TIM'S WHOOPING COUGH NOW, MJOLNA?!"
You walk over and look at the King. "He LOOKS pretty dead. What did you do to him?"
Mjolna bites her bottom lip. "...I hit him in the stomach with my hammer."
"How hard?"
"Eeeehhh..."
"Sister? Don't most things you hit with your hammer die?"
"You're not helping here, Baldur."
A foul stench carries up through the air, everyone but Mjolna gags and it hits you.
"Oh lord we just killed Krampus."
"That's what I was TELLING HER!" Loki shouts, starting to lose her composure. "We need to do something now! Before the mortals find out and get their pitchforks!" The princess paces around looking to the ground to think, with her helmet sagging a bit over her eyes as it sometimes did. "We need to get the body away! Far away! We'll need to chop it up and bury it in several different areas so no one finds it. Oh, are there any carnivorous animals here? We can feed him to them!"
"Loki!" Mjolna scolds. "We are not feeding the Krampus to any dire wolves!"
"You admit you killed him!"
"SHUT UP!"
The two sisters shoot sparks at each other from their eyes while their brother sniffs the death-liquid and recoils. "Surely nothing would want to eat something so repulsive!"
"It doesn't look like any intestinal soup I know...but it sure smells like it."
"Oh right, that reminds me."
Mjolna bends her neck down to sniff the liquid and makes a face, then sticks her tongue out and dips the tip into it.
Loki's cheeks immediately fill up and Baldur looks away. You join him to avoid seeing the horrid display.
"Eeeewwwwww! Sister, why would you-"
"This is eggnog."
A silence hangs in the forest air as that settles into your ears.
"...What."
"Eggnog, this is eggnog. About...forty different kinds of it, too."
Mjolna smacks Krampus's body with her hoof and gets a low groan from the Kringle King. "Muckle...damn...raindeer..." he groans.
"King Krampus is...drunk?" Baldur asks.
"Was drunk, I imagine." Mjolna corrects "Now he's just...really unhappy."
You look between the King and Mjolna, relieved that he's alive but curious. "How could you tell it was eggnog."
"Because I'm an alcoholic, No-name."
Right, Norse pony.
You look down at the king again and ponder.
"...Kick him again, we need to learn more."
After several bucks to the back, you and the other godlings put the situation together. King Krampus, on the eve of the holiday, had gotten into a massive argument with the reindeer who pulled his sleigh. Apparently, they wanted to unionize. The argument turned heated, as they often did, and Mrs Krampus had taken their side and thrown the King out of their home.
And so bereft of a sleigh, reindeer, or wife and with a kingdom's full of deliveries to make, King Krampus decided to steal as much eggnog as he could and black out through the night.
Leaving you and your partners in a precarious situation, one you couldn't let alone as a former Royal Guard with a duty to Equestria and its population.
It was up to you to save Hearthswarming.
Acting fast, you found Krampus' crashed sleigh and put your resources to work.
"This is cruel and unusual punishment." Mjolna says with the harness around her snout.
"Yeah well you're the one who hit him and knocked him out so it only makes sense that you pull the sleigh." You say.
You throw the bag of toys from nearby the sleigh into the back after collecting them all.
"And how come I have to do it too?! I can shapeshift! I can BE Krampus!" Loki screams.
"Because you're the only one here with antlers on her helmet, Princess!"
Loki turns her gaze away from you and fumes while Mjolna laughs at her. "My hammer can keep us in the air, but what will you do in this scheme, No-name?"
"Drive and help with the gifts!" You grab the reigns and the massive list beneath the seat. "I stand out too much to be King Krampus, but I can read!"
"Astonishingly." Loki snarks.
"We've already wasted enough time so it'll have to be fast if we want to save the holiday! King Krampus, are you ready?" you call.
"Hoes hoes hoes! Jolly Jinglemas!" Baldur shouts, stepping from beyond a bush where he got changed. With the real King Krampus either asleep or in a coma, he wouldn't need his cloak or the bell adorned wrappings he wore, and Baldur's mane was JUST the right color.
"Climb in and get jolly, your highness! We have an entire kingdom to hit before sunrise!"
Baldur climbs in and smiles a big smile, putting more of his mane down below his chin to serve as a beard.
You grab the reigns just as Mjolna picks up her hammer and Loki resign herself to her fate. "On Thunder! On Mischief! On Sunlight and Sword!"
Mjolna does most of the pulling to get you into the air, putting Loki on the naughty list.
Music
Tales speak of one Hearthswarming Eve well past the midnight hour where gifts were delivered by a great divine power.
For King Krampus the Wise had far too much cheer after drinking his own weight in festive egg beer.
In his place stepped the Godlings, of Asgard on high, to make sure the holiday spirit stayed alive. They flew from the east to the west, over every sleepy town, delivering gifts so no child would frown on sleigh pulled by Mjolna the Strong and Loki the Clever, who both made No-name vow to keep this secret forever.
The Anonymous Man raced down the list good and quick, doing everything to copy King Krampus' shtick.
And the Lord of all Lights, Prince Baldur the Brave, swallowed all mystery fear and did Hearthswarming save.
They raced from midnight to dawn on Krampus's magic, delivering gifts to all ponies, the lucky and tragic.
At the hour of sunrise at the last stop on the list, Baldur took the last gift and said "Yes yes, I know the gist." He snuck to the last house with his party outside, using the decorations and furniture to hide.
His fellows wanted to trust him, to believe the lord, but it wasn't long before they heard shouting and "Honey, go get the sword!"
"We need a fast exit" was what No-name suggested, before the God-Prince was captured and later arrested. And so the Bifrost tore open with all of its might and across Equestria was heard "Happy Hearthswarming and to all a good night!" |
Prose Equus | Abyssal Priestesses. | Sunshine peaks through the leaves of the Yggdrasil through the open skylight above you. Although the World Tree extends beyond the clouds for miles above Asgard, it always seems to let the sun past it. Leaves from the great tree drift gently into the room and rest themselves on the surface of the bath water, intermingling with the soothing flower petals drifting across the surface of the water
And right past a mane of red bobbing its way around.
Baldur bursts from the bath gasping for air. "TIME!"
"Forty-seven seconds."
Baldur pants and makes his way to the side of the bath to rest. "Guh...h-h-how do the fish do it."
"So does that mean that suffocating is a way to hurt you?"
"I don't know, I've never tried."
You shrug. "Did it hurt?"
"It wasn't fun, if that's what you're asking."
Baldur rolls over upside down and does the backstroke through the pool.
"Why are you even here, Baldur? You can't be hurt."
"So you'd rather be here by yourself? How painfully boring. How is your wound?"
"Tingly. But it doesn't hurt anymore."
"I'm told that means it is working."
In your latest journey, you'd been injured gravely. Your task was to search the Zebrican plains for a potion of immortality, stolen from the bottom of the underworld. During your search, one of Mjolna's thunder cracks upset a heard of mammoths and you ended up poked through the gut dangling off one of their horns. Between your bouts of consciousness and once the panicking was done, you remember being returned to Asgard and told to get to "the pools".
You lift your hand up and let some of the water dribble down.
"A healing spring, hmm? Wish we had these down below."
"Can you imagine the chaos?" Baldur asks. "Mortals already through their lives away in all your wars and battles, imagine what would happen if you all knew you could just kill each other JUST enough so that you could make your way to a healing spring and recover."
"Yeah imagine the immaturity that'd develop if you couldn't suffer physical harm."
You gather up some of the leaves nearby and throw them at Baldur.
"LOOK OUT! ANOTHER ATTACK OF GREENERY!"
The wet leaves cling to the Prince's face as he floats past you, unamused. "Ha-" he spits a few by his mouth away. "Ha."
You lean back against the wall of the bath "Will you tell me what had you so frightened during our tussle with King Krampus now?"
"No." he responds.
"And why is that?"
"Because you keep bothering me about it?"
You're about to kick Baldur in the head when the doors to the healing bath slam open.
"No-name, are you finished bleeding all over my palace floors ye-"
Baldur nearly shoots out of the water and throws his hooves down below his belt. "MOTHER!" he cries. "GET OUT! WE'RE INDECEN-"
Baldur's head shoots back under the water just as fast as it shot out while his Mother approaches to a double-timed "clipclipclopclop".
"Princes. Do not. Interrupt. Baldur." the Queen declares as her son thrashes about. She leaves his head under for a bit before Baldur can burst from the water yet again. "I raised you better than that."
"Hey, that was fifty whole seconds. A new record."
Baldur spits and moves a strand of hair from his face. Sleipnir looks down at you. "Your wound. Recovered?"
You let your hand drift down and tap the spot just below your belly button. You find it a bit stiff, like a cramped muscle, but don't recoil from the touch.
"Sealed, Highness. A bit tender, but closed up, at the very least."
"Good." She replies. "Make yourself decent and don your armor, then come to the south veranda. Do not make me wait. Leave your sword behind."
With that the Queen turns and goes to the door.
"Where are we going?"
"I must travel the roots of Yggdrasil beneath Midgard, you will accompany me."
Beneath?
"What's down there?"
"The Well of Urd." She answers.
Baldur gasps next to you, calling your attention away just long enough for the Queen to give you the slip.
"Baldur? What's the Well of Urd."
"I...don't know, No-name. Mother visits the well periodically, but NEVER takes another soul with her, nor speaks of what transpires on her visits to anyone."
You look back to the door and narrow your eyes.
"Okay, but should I dress warm or cold?"
You decide that keeping the All Mother waiting is a really, really stupid idea, so you hurry back to your room and slip into your armor.
Your gaze lingers on your sword resting on the wall, the slight weight displacement on your hips making you feel naked without it, but leaving it behind was as direct an order as was to hurry, so you leave it where it lies.
"Next time, I promise."
You make for the door to head out but get stopped by someone short in love with the color green.
"The walls talk. Tell me they're lying."
"Loki, please? Your Mother is waiting for me and she almost drowned your brother earlie-"
"ARE YOU GOING TO THE WELL OF URD OR NOT?"
"I guess! Now please!"
You try to slip past Loki, but she repositions herself to block you. You expect a verbal lashing, but instead she just purses her lips and begins to bend her knees over and over.
"Loki, you're bouncing, stop."
She continues to bounce, slightly humming to herself.
"Loki!"
No dice, she was unresponsive.
You reach out and grab ahold of the princess "HEY!"
The princess finally freezes.
"I'm feeling on edge about this already. You're not helping matters."
Loki takes a deep breath. "Apologies, No-name, but...you do not understand the gravity of the situation."
"Sum it up in thirty words or less."
Loki, practically beside herself like you saw Twilight act when the new encyclopedias came, looks you in the eye. "The Well is of the Primordial World! Set by the old gods and told to contain all the things the Nine Realms cannot hold!"
Let's see, two three four...
"Twenty-four, okay."
Loki ignores you. Think of the knowledge that you may see peering into its waters. Tell me you have it!"
"Have...?"
"The stupid gem, No-name! This is no time to play as dumb as you are!"
You stand and pat your pocket, Loki reaches into a hole in the air and hands over her amulet piece, nearly drooling at the thought. "I am giving you this so you can see all there is to see when Mother inevitably leaves you somewhere on this journey to go forward alone. You MUST take it and you MUST remember everything you see so you can tell me!"
"Loki I-"
"ANONYMOUS, PLEASE! There are few things I desire in this world more than the secrets of the Well of Urd! I have no idea why Mother is taking YOU out of everyone, but we cannot let this opportunity pass either of us by!"
So she could use your other name...
Loki's face is etched with desire and longing so strong you feel nearly dwarfed by it. You hesitantly reach out and take the Palantir base, pocketing it.
"Alright, I'll do this...but please, move. Your Mother will know something is the matter if I don't hurry."
Loki smiles an oddly earnest smile. "Thank you...No-name. From as far in my heart as it will let me dig. Now go! I need those secrets!"
You slide past her and head down the hall.
"Remember to take notes!"
-Later-
"Keep us steady, No-name. Right towards the center."
"Yes, Highness."
You maneuver the oar in your hands a bit and get your boat back on course.
Once meeting the All-Mother, the two of you walked into a dense mist collecting off the edge of the veranda. You emerged at the edge of a black lake, with waters still as glass, before a single small canoe that Sleipnir had wordlessly climbed into and instructed you to paddle.
You hear nothing. Not the wind, nor wilds, nor even the waves against the shore of the Well, and the Queen sits silently at the bow with lantern in grip keeping you on course. Still you can't help but look anywhere else, towards the blackened constructions at the edge of the shore to the trees branches held in place amidst still air to the moon shining from behind clouds that do not move.
"Where...are we?" you ask the air, not expecting an answer."
"Somewhere between." The Queen says, to your surprise.
Sleipnir nods her chin to the far shore, where a twisting shaft of wood unrivaled in size rests on the shore, one end going below the surface of the water and the other snaking its way through the hills and beyond.
"In a space between spaces, betwixt the realms of the living and the realm of the dead."
You continue to paddle.
"The Well of Urd...exists in perpetuation as it feeds Yggdrasil. All moments within happening simultaneously, endlessly, nourishing the World Tree eternally." Sleipnir takes her eye off the waters and looks at the shores. "This place was beautiful, once...swans danced along the ripples and the grass smelled of dew."
"Did something happen?"
The Queen focuses again. "Something always happens...there, the reflection of the moon, stop us on it exactly."
"Aye."
You maneuver the boat until it sits centered in the reflection of the moon and let it settle.
"I must ask you to do something else, no name."
"What?"
"Do not shout." She says, right as you notice your boat lowering and black water collecting at your boots.
Music
You open your eyes, but keep your breath hitched after about a minute holding both. Queen Sleipnir looks over the edge of your boat as it slowly descends through the air in a shaft of moonlight from the water's surface above your head. The root of the World Tree from above descends with you like a second shadow, stretching out beneath the infinite blackness surrounding your shaft of light and going further down still. You wave your hand in front of your face and find it simply moving through empty air and with no small amount of hesitation, let the breath you'd been holding go.
"You could have warmed me..."
"You wouldn't have believed me if I did, you were too afraid of drowning." Sleipnir looks back at you. "Fear denies faith, No-name."
"Mm...so...where are we now? Further, uh...betwixt?"
Sleipnir gently nods, looking below the boat again. "Betwixt...and beneath."
You follow her gaze and see the two of your lowering onto another body of water, this one holding ripples in it from the less-still air. Come to think of it, you hear things flirting off in the shadows, like air passing over the gnarled bark of twisted trees.
"We are nearly there. Row is towards the guiding light and we'll make our final destination."
You REALLY don't like anything "final" down here, but you comply.
"Yes..."
When the boat touches the water, you grab the oar and begin rowing again. Sleipnir keeps her gaze focused forward letting your thoughts remain to yourself. You see the orange guidelight the Queen spoke of in the distance, a dim orange ember from a lantern, no doubt. Keeping the boat steady was a simple matter and you soon found yourself more at peace with your surroundings.
Soon you feel your heartbeat fall in line with the gentle swaying of the boat, the rhythmic wind at your back, and the creaking of old timber. It's a simple pattern you find meaning in, only stepping out of it when the wind at the back of your neck becomes warm and damp. You reach back to your nape on instinct and pat it, turning to look behind you in this unending darkness.
"What in-..."
The creaking wood grows louder as something in the darkness moves. No, it's more accurate to say that the darkness itself moves. The soft shaft of moonlight behind you, your only way out of this place, was now a mere needle at your back but as bright as Luna's Eye itself in this place of shadow.
The black expanse behind you shifts and grows stars as dark scales catch the faint hint of light from the moon while weaving through roots of the world. Pearls in the darkness open lids and turn to you as a blackened snout pierces through the shadow behind rows of glistening teeth. It's size is truly massive as it slithers its neck directly towards your boat and shifts the very wind with its putrid breath escaping from its maw.
In all your years, for all the dragons you've helped deal with and all the horrors you've helped face, nothing causes a tight spear of fear to drop into your gut faster than this creature before you. As you see yourself reflected in its empty eyes, you stumble backwards in the boat into the Queen.
"H-H-H-"
The creature stops, still as a statue, as the Queen Sleipnir meets its gaze.
Your heart thunders in your ears in perpetuity as the three dead eyes meet one another and all the creaking in this place stops.
Eventually, something louder than anything before sounds.
"Go away." The Queen says.
The serpent hisses low and long, sending a draft throughout all around you. You grip the sides of the boat with both hands as it turns its head upwards and creeps back into the shadows, vanishing from sight and bringing the clicking of wood back.
"Blind fool..."
"Wh-wha-"
"This place is where Nidhogg resides...as living is too kind a term for it. Between chewing on the roots of the World Tree, he gnaws upon the oathbreakers and thieves who drift down to this accursed realm on their way to Helheim. He will not harm you so long as I am here."
"Wh-why?"
You hear a haughty grin in the Queen's voice. "He'd choke. Sit yourself back and muster your courage, this old bat will row us the rest of the way." Your eyes are fixed upwards as Sleipnir takes the oar, watching the twinkling scale-stares disappear into the blackness even while they leave their terror in their wake.
"We're here." Sleipnir says as the boat knocks against a simple wooden dock at the edge of a small mass of land.
You lower your hands from your face, steeling yourself again and looking past the All Mother.
"I'm ready."
The dock serves as a front porch to small hovel the a hollowed-out husk of one of Yggdrassil's many roots down here.
"...This is what we came here for?" you ask.
"Come..." the Queen says, tersly.
You follow her out of the boat and along the dock, she doesn't stop as she throws the front door open and lets herself in.
"I must ask, do you not care at all for privacy?"
"I'm expected." Is her only answer.
You follow her inside the hovel and find it empty. A fire burns in the hearth, tables and chairs are sat around, and spools of yarn sit among effigies of ponies and griffons and everything in between.
But no one greets you.
"Highne-"
"I want you to sit."
Sleipnir turns to you from where she is, before a doorway further into the hovel that many of the lines of yarn go under. "And await my return." The Queen looks back to the door with a stone-etched face. "You go no further this day."
You feel your rear falling into a seat before you realize it.
"Just...sit and wait."
"...Do as you will until I return, but do it here." Sleipnir says, before opening the door and walking inside.
Moments pass, a few to know you aren't being listened to, before you quickly dig out the pieces of Palantir, assemble them, and look deep into the soothsayer's gem while the mist begins to overtake you.
Music
-Sleipnir PoV-
You feel something prick at the back of your neck, the feeling of being watched through time and space. The trinket in his pocket screamed like a newborn to your senses, and so you worked that much harder to mask its presence.
Now you do the same to him as you walk down the stairs beyond the door.
Your body aches with pain as you descend, from your withered joints to the runes carved in your teeth, as you suppress the hatred you feel for this place once more. You descend the stairway to a small grotto, hidden in this husk of the World, by following the trails of string. At the shores of a small pond of water black as the Well above, the twines dip inside and sink to the bottom, with a single strand of silver, threaded rope rising from the center of the water and up to the ceiling.
There, like every other time, you can see the blue sap of the Yggdrasil, more precious than any life that ever lived, softly glow and illuminate the smooth stone cavern as the silver string was gently yet firmly woven into it between the bark. You believe the wound was an old place that Nidhogg chewed on and left, possibly warded off when the chittering voices in the cavern began to echo through it.
"She's here."
"Of course, we called her."
"I'm always afraid she won't show."
"It's not like she can say no to us."
You stomp your hoof. "I am here. Whisper not in the shade like children and appear before me if you make me go through all the effort of coming here."
"My my..." one says.
"Who are even we to resist an order from the All Mother?"
The surface of the water begins to ripple.
Spoiler image
From the depths arise a trio of hippocampi, multicolored scales shimmering in the light of Yggdrassil's blood.
"We come, as called. Great One." The blue one says.
"Not that we didn't plan to come up for air now anyway." Says the purple one.
"Though who can say when we may go back to our work?" says the golden one, ushering her sisters beneath her hooves. You knew them as Wyrd, Veroandi, and Skuld; ministers of the Past, Present, and Future respectively. They have as many names as there are names to call, stretching from all corners of all realms. The Three Faces of Hekate, The Sisters, The Weavers, the Spinners, but collectively you call them-
"Great Norns." You say, bowing your head. "I have come, as I heard your call through the Bark. Why do you seek me?"
This close, you push all but your surface thoughts down away, lest they find the thread connected to them.
The Three Sisters each grin in unison, floating around you in the air like fish in water. "We have watched, Slippy, as we always do." The gold says.
Wyrd flashes her purple teeth against the sheen of the sap. "We saw what you did at the Gate of Tartarus! The Asgardians and the Mortals, fighting side by side!"
"Yeah!" says the blue one "Way to go! It's really impressive what you're doing!"
The silence brought by Veroandi's remark is only broken by your sigh. "Yes. Asgard intervened to save the mortals from opening Tartarus and sending the world into ruin. We would be more involved than we are now if anything escaped."
Skuld flutters in front of your face. "Did it occur to you that perhaps we planned for the world to get ruined a bit?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I know your plans." You hiss.
All three of the sisters huddle close together before you and all grow the same wicked grin at the same time.
"Yes...you do, don't you?"
Together they usher out a single strand from the twine going into the World Tree, a strand you were familiar with.
Skuld speaks. "Look at you, O' One Eyed Mother. The fates have put so much work into you that we needed all five of your children to wrap everything together at the end!" A fire strikes at the end of one of the strands but is quickly put out. "Whoops! Too early. Yours and your children's story isn't meant to end...just yet, is it."
You keep your head low, but keep your single eye gazing at the snakes.
They pull the strand back further away from the fire, into the past. "And you know what would happen if you maybe...stepped out of the line again, right?"
"Stop."
Voices from your past echo through the cave. "Brother, come join me." "I will be all that I must be." "This is our world so it isn't theirs."
"Stop."
"...And who might you be?" "She is beautiful..." "Keep. Up."
"STOP!"
Finally, your words overpower the echoes and leave just you and the Norns "I know your plans and I know what you have in your hooves, do not take me for a fool! Simply tell me what you desire me here for so I may leave this place!"
"Are you giving us attitude!?" Skuld demands.
"Are you interested in becoming dinner? Which is faster? My spear from Asgard or you getting to that string."
You could end this, right here and now if you just-
Skuld's sisters look between you and the string, snarling their teeth before Skuld raises her hoof and laughs.
You grit your own teeth and pull back your lips as she gets closer.
"Slippy...you always make me smile...but I'd watch that mouth of yours, it'll get you into trouble one day." She reaches out and pats your check with her hoof, you restrain yourself from biting it off. "We wanted to call you here today to say we saw what you did and we...like it."
You blink twice. "Be that so?"
She chuckles again. "Indeed! Suddenly the mortal world is turned on its head and gods roam the lands alongside the fabled dead. It all has such a...poetic feel to it...before the penultimate spot on the thread, wouldn't you say?"
You stay silent.
"Yes, we like it...but it hasn't upset anything major, so do be smart and don't think bigger than you are "All-Mother" A Queen is nothing to a God, and both are nothing to US."
Every muscle in your body urges you to either lunge forward and decapitate them or scream until their ears burst. But you know that so long as they have that string, anything you can do, they know you can do.
So you simply lower your head as they wish.
"As you say...Great Norn."
"You can go." Skuld says, taking back to the water with your thread in her mouth. Her sisters either make faces or wave at you like fools before joining her and leaving you alone to return up the stairs. No-name would still be there.
-Anon PoV-
You'd seen it all. Couldn't make sense of half of it, but you'd seen it all.
The boat ride back is quiet, neither you nor Sleipnir having anything to say to one another after what you'd both just experienced.
Even Nidhogg didn't approach you both as the shaft of moonlight carries you back to the world.
Finally, she speaks. "I desire you to not tell Baldur or Loki about what you saw."
You thought she knew about the Palantir, but don't have the energy to ask now.
"Why?"
"It is not their place, and they will worry. Tell them I...communed with water spirits to foresee calamity."
"Another lie?"
"I'm known for it." She glances back at you. "You'd be frightened to know how much of our world is built on lies and myth."
You think back to the cavern and what you saw, the mind races with wonder, and your mouth can't keep up.
"Who were they?"
Sleipnir is silent.
"You treated them with...deference."
Still, nothing.
After everything in the past few hours, your patience is short, so you turn your back to face her.
"Well!?"
"If I tell you." She immediately begins. "Then you will know them as they are, and thus they would know you. Do you want that?"
You think to the things you'd seen in the cavern, the power they held over the most powerful.
"No..."
"Then sit down."
You obey but hate feeling helpless. You risk speaking once more. "They look familiar."
Sleipnir says nothing, but her eye turns slightly to see you.
"In a story Twilight told. Three Sirens, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, Sonata Dusk, were ancient terrors that used their magic to terrorize Equestria. Starswirl the Bearded was said to have thrown them into another dimension."
Sleipnir looks ahead as the boat appears again on the surface of the Well of Urd. "He missed."
"Yeah..."
You grab the oar and take the two of you back towards the place you came from. "What do we do now, Your Highness?"
"What we can do, No-name. Continue."
"But those creatures...what were they do-"
"Do not concern yourself with them now." Sleipnir turns her eye to you. "Do not fear the past, do not dread the future. Focus on here, now, today. What can you do? What can we do?"
You feel at peace looking upon her steely gaze and find yourself firing up.
"What we have. Continue to travel around and find things that would disrupt harmony around the world, mostly magic artifacts and the like."
"Indeed...and you will do something for me between these searches. You will learn the tale of the Frost Giants."
"Highness, there are no Frost Giants."
"So they say..." Sleipnir ponders as the boat reaches the shore. She steps off and heads back towards the mists, you follow. "Tell me when next you travel to Midgard, No-name. I would accompany you."
You nearly trip at that.
"My Queen...why?"
Sleipnir steps on a rock as she enters the mist, the rock explodes into dust and pebbles beneath her diamond hooves. "After today I find that I have some rage I wish to express."
"Yes ma'am."
You hurry along after the Queen and into the mists. |
Prose Equus | Direct Approach. | It's a nice, brisk day in the Everfree Forest today so long as you ignore the argument next to you.
"Mother, I have to protest this."
"So you have said many TIMES, Tyr." Sleipnir says, walking out of the Bifrost. "Yet here I am despite them."
The Queen and the General walk behind you as you lead them through the forest into town.
"Asgard is the lynch-pin for the Nine Realms and you are at the center of Asgard! If you leave then the balance of Yggdrassil WILL be disrupted!"
The Queen stops and rolls her eye at her son. "By my beard, you make it sound like the world will stop spinning if I stop looking. I am the All-Mother and if I wish to be on Midgard this day, so shall it be. Obey my commands and return to the city."
The war god stomps his metal hoof-cap onto the dirt. "That isn't good enough, Mother! The hill giants grow emboldened and the trolls will begin mating season any day now! Our defenses-"
"May be handled by our defenders today." Sleipnir interrupts.
"Mother-!"
"Tyr." She says, bending her neck down to look her son in the eyes. A silent moment passes non-verbally between them. "Despite what you believe, I trust Asgard in your hooves. Allow yourself to do the same."
Tyr sighs and hangs his head after several heartbeats. "As you command, Mother..." He holds his capped hoof to his chest and trots back to the Bifrost. Sleipnir follows him and watches until he goes. It's only when you find yourself in the presence of one god that you find the urge to speak.
"I understand that children can be...trying at times." You say, trying to have any sympathy.
Like you knew the first thing about having kids, you weren't genetically compatible with this entire planet.
She straightens up. "My son is, of all my children, the one closest in my hoofprints." Sleipnir turns and trots past you, urging you to follow again. "The good and the bad."
You walk with the queen past Zecora's hut, looking inside and seeing it empty.
"His commitment to the crown is obvious, at least. That's the best commander a guard can ask for."
"He's a prince, he should act like it."
"Isn't a prince meant to obey his queen?"
"You prefer your rulers to present their bellies to anyone who imposes on them?" the Queen asks as you both crunch through the snow. "Those with power over others must always be challenged by them, less they grow so fat on themselves that they become imperious."
"...Surely you can see where that may seem hypocritical, coming from you."
"The irony is not lost on me, No-name. But my children were gods before they were princes and princesses." The winter wind blows through the trees and tosses some of the snow off its branches and the silence of the cold slowly cracks as the early risers in the forest come out of hibernation. "Above all other things, a god must become whatever they need to be to their flock, be that a guiding hand, a revolutionary, or a tyrant."
"Which are you?"
Sleipnir looks down to you and pulls her mouth back to a wry grin that lets you see both rows of her teeth and the carvings upon them. "Me? I am all things...depending on your point of view."
You exhale a laugh through your nostrils. "So, what is someone who wants to rebel against you before you grow full of yourself to do? You know more than anyone how dominating you can be."
"Rebel harder."
"Hardly fair when you're rebelling against the ruler of everything."
Sleipnir's grin turns to a sneer. "What sort of fool believes life is fair?"
You both stop at the bridge into town when you reach it, so engrossed in discussion that you hadn't noticed the commotion until getting close. Ponyville is a hive of activity as its citizenry move about in a unified canto, they wear different colored vests and carry out duties like knocking icicles off houses, shoveling snow, and dicing up ice on lakes. What's more, they're all singing.
The Queen looks over them like a mother who found her child eating the drapes.
"What manner of foul stupidity-"
"Is it Winter Wrap Up already?"
"You know what this IS?"
You slowly turn to the All-Mother. "Of course. In Equestria, the seasons are rotated manually. This is Winter Wrap Up, where everyone helps put away Winter so Spring can start, they do it when the food stores start running out."
"And the singing?"
You shrug. "They always sing."
You and the Queen look back into town where you spot a little purple dot to wave at.
"Oh look, there's Twilight. She'll probably need help, it's good luck we came today."
Sleipnir looks around the town again, where ponies bounce along with bunnies, sing along with birds, and build snow-stallions.
You hear her take a deep breath.
"FU-"
"Anon! Hey!"
"Hey Twilight!"
Twilight stands at the center of the town with a clipboard in her hooves, diligently keeping track of the duties everyone performed and what still needs getting done.
You wave to her as the two of your approach, Sleipnir grunts a greeting. "Mortal."
Twilight gives an awkward laugh and a bow, then leans closer to you. "IIiiiiis something the matter?"
"I don't think she likes all the singing."
Sleipnir pipes up. "If I were able to choose between being here on this day or the day of a massive asteroid impact, I'd choose the asteroid twice."
"Pay her no mind. What's the haps?"
"I wish I could say this is a normal Winter Wrap Up, but I'm struggling to keep us on schedule as it is. No one's been able to find Discord and that's left us shorthanded."
"Wish I could say I'm surprised. For a manifestation of disorder, he can be quite predictable."
"He has his good days and his bad."
You flex both arms at Twilight. "Well, we can't have winter wrapping up late, can we? Consider yourself in possession of two able bodied new workers."
Twilight gives you a sympathetic look as her eyes drift to the monarch behind you. "Two...?"
You glance back at Sleipnir and silently plead with her. The Queen rolls her eye and sighs heavily. "Give me the list."
Twilight smiles and floats the list over to her, Sleipnir reads the first line.
"Clear sky."
Sleipnir stomps her frontmost right hoof against the ground and calls forth a crack of thunder. An barely visible power erupts upwards from her body and rockets into the atmosphere, sending ripples of force through the air that causes dust to kick and pegusi to tumble, but blows the clouds in the sky away for miles and miles. Every pony in Ponyville is left staring aghast at what happened, even as the welcome light of the winter sun shines on their faces.
"Next." Says the queen.
You lean over to her. "Your Majesty..."
She sighs again, the deep yet quick sigh of someone nearing the end of their patience. "What."
You look around the square, everypony now tracing the literal act of god that clear the sky back to the only possible culprit.
"Perhaps lighten up a bit."
Sleipnir's eye twitches and you hear glass breaking somewhere far away.
"Hey Anon, did you pass by Zecora's hut on the way here?"
You look over your shoulder to Twi, anything to get away from the withering gaze at your front. "Yeah? Why?"
Twilight rubs her chin. "She sent a letter saying she couldn't be a part of Winter Wrap up because she was performing a ritual, something about warding off winter spirits. I'd hoped she'd be back home by now..."
You'd never heard of winter spirits being this far south.
The Queen's ear now twitches in your direction. "Send me to the boarder."
Twilight backs up a bit when Sleipnir approaches her. "B-beg pardon?"
"The edge of town, what duty do you have to fulfill near there?"
The flustered pony princess checks her list. "Well...there are animal dens to the south that still need clearing out."
"It'll do."
Without another word, Sleipnir turns and makes her way towards the southern edge of town.
"Wait!" Twilight calls. "You need a vest!"
"No way those fit someone with eight legs."
Sleipnir wordlessly floats two vests over to her and slips them both on.
"I stand corrected."
-Sleipnir PoV-
The animal burrows outside Ponyville are host to a wide assortment of creatures that the populace now prance along with as they wake.
Bunnies, squirrels, birds.
Trios of snakes that hide in their burrow and hiss when you stick your snout in.
"Yes, show even less gratitude, that will help."
You snatch the snakes in your magic and pull them out along with your head. They squirm in your grip as their kind are one to do, requiring you to bap them against the snow banks a few times.
"Honestly, things like you are what I find most offensive about the mortals claiming that I created all living things upon Equestria."
You hold the snakes up, they lay limp and dazed, but alive. "As if I would make anything as vile as you."
You let the wretches go to slither off into the world when the wind catches your ear.
"Yer pullin' too hard!"
"I am not! You're pulling too soft!"
You feel the vein in your head bulge at the sound of childish arguments you've heard a thousand times before, but you also feel your hooves walking in the direction of the noise to investigate.
A Mother's work is never done.
You round the hill to find a trio of fillies forming a chain with their bodies and all pulling to get something out of a den in the ground. They all see you at approximately the same time and freeze like they were pulling treats from the pantry.
Again, it's up to you to break the silence.
"Should I even bother asking."
No, it turns out, you should not have, as now the three of them rush you and begin shouting over each other in an attempt to explain their situation. All your hear is noise in an attempt to garner your attention and sympathies, an unending TORRENT of aural assault that drives its spikes into your skull like it did when the children were young.
"ENOUGH." You say, silencing them.
You look down, three pairs of sparkling youthful eyes look back at you awaiting an answer to why you shushed them.
"I am half blind. Not half deaf."
All three inhale again trying to get their words out before their comrades and not realizing they all thought of the same idea.
"AND I ALSO DO NOT CARE ENOUGH TO HEAR." You say.
With a small flex of your mind, you pull whatever was stuck out of the den they were pulling from, making a simple large stone blast out of the ground and land a bit away.
"...Was that it?"
"Yeah..." Applebloom nods."
"WHAT were you DOING."
"Helping bunnies!"
"Sweetie Belle, that is a rock, not a rabbit."
Scootaloo scrunches her face. "Wait a minute, how do you know our names Mrs Slippy-near?"
"Because I know everything."
One aspect of children you enjoyed was that you telling them that was all they needed to hear to accept it.
You needed not be omnipotent to know that leaving these three to their own devices was asking for more arguments and headaches and someone possibly getting eaten, so you keep yourself close by while they run around rousing animals from hibernation. The girls run about the fields, sticking their noses into more burrows and ringing small bells to rouse the rabbits out. Some of the little beasts take a liking to them, hopping along behind them as they go about their duties.
You suppose like attracts like.
Sweetie Belle giggles as they clear the most recent den. "This sort of reminds you of the old days, dontcha think?"
"You mean back when we were lookin' for our Cutie Marks?" remarks Applebloom.
"A-huh!"
Scootaloo groans. "Don't remind me. I get sore just thinking about all crazy stunts we did trying to find our special talents."
It is Applebloom's turn to laugh now as she presents her flank to the others. "It all worked out though, didn't it? Looks like a beaut in the sunlight." The girls all three press their rumps together and marvel at the marks on them.
"Hmph."
Scootaloo rolls her eyes. "Alright, go ahead and say whatever you want to say, Queen Downer."
Hitting children when you're visiting Midgard would cause be impolite, but the filly clearly intended to intimidate you into silence by way of you being in an "uncomfortable situation" at being directly challenged.
You settle for teaching her not to leave such an opening.
"You three accept them then?"
You nod to their flanks.
"Those marks of a life decided?"
The girls look at themselves. "Uh, yeah?"
"Why wouldn't we be?"
You feel your lips press into a snarl and force them back down. "A life lived that was decided by another is no life at all."
You walk over to the girls, trying to appear as non-threatening as you can.
"Being judged by some...ephemeral force outside of your understanding. "Destiny", "Fate", call it what you will. The fact remains that those marks represent an aptitude, a life, being chosen for you rather than by you. I could never accept such a life."
"Then why do you have one?" Scootaloo asks, pointing to a mark on your flank.
You think back to receiving that mark, the scalding pain and the dull ache that got lost in all the other dull aches over the many eons.
"That isn't a Cutie Mark, it's a brand, and I chose to receive it."
The girls recoil slightly.
"When?" Applebloom asks.
"When I cut out my eye."
Now the girls gag or stick out their tongues.
"Ah don't know about alla that, Yer Majesty. But ah always looked at our Cutie Marks as...well...it's sorta like us tellin' us what it is we're good at."
You raise your good eyebrow.
"Cutie Marks don't have'ta be somepony else deciding how you live yer life, they can be somethin' that comes from inside you. We all got parts of ourselves we don't know about, and findin' those parts is what makes yer Cutie Mark appear! It's like a...reflection in a mirror almost. Ya can't see your mane out of place unless ya got somethin' to look back on yerself with."
Articulation aside, you mull that over inside your mind. "Who told you that?"
"Mah Granny!" Applebloom says proudly.
"Tell Granny that she could have done worse."
No sooner do the words leave your lips that a savage and blood roar rips the air.
"Damn." You say, looking to the sky.
The fillies at your hooves cower at the roar and hide between your legs, you shelter them readily. "Wh-what was that?" "Besides super loud!"
"Girls, stay here unless I tell you to move." You follow the sound of the roar to the trees further into the forest. Once you heard Twilight mention winter spirits, you'd knew this would occur. You placed yourself here to keep the mortals safe, but these three just had to find themselves here as well.
As memory serves, they were the same ones Mjolna had to rescue. Perhaps they were just accident prone.
You see their yellow eyes flash between the trees, catching glints of the sunlight they try to avoid. Normally they wouldn't be out this far in the light, but you had never been normal.
The girls must see them too, as they ask. "Wh-what those?!"
"Wendigo."
Sweetie Belle jumps up in fright as the beasts begin to exit the trees, you take some steps forward, putting yourself between the girls and them. "Wendigo!? But they never come down here!"
"They've come for me."
"What do you mean, yer majesty?"
"I offer something rare indeed, girls; my heartfelt apologies."
You stomp your hoof and cause a crack of noise to frighten the beasts back a bit.
"We gods are not like you mortals, and to think as such is folly. The mightiest magics of your world are but footnotes in mine, and these beasts are what occurs when they commingle."
"Just say it in English!" Scooatloo shouts.
"The magical energy I exert has drawn them here."
The Wengido snarl at the treeline and rush closer, gliding upon the snow like birds upon the wind and smelling the magical pressure coming off you. You take some steps forward to meet the creatures.
"Mortals, stay put right there. You will be safe from them so long as I am between the two of you."
"I hope you've got a plan!" Scootaloo yells.
You allow yourself a slight smirk. "Always...Ishtar!"
Music
In Equestria, the sun was moved across the sky by the magic of Princess Celestia, the immortal Princess of the Sun, who held control over it. This is how it has been for a thousand years. But the realm of Midgard had existed much longer than a mere millennium, and the sun holds a much more storied history than simply that.
Once the sun was the hiding spot for a seraphim, one who flew masterless and free across all the Nine Realms declaring her dominance and demanding jewels and adoration in return. When she flew through Asgard, not long after your ascension to the throne, you gave chase across the virginal skies of Midgard. You recall how she would dart and zip through the newly forming peaks of the primordial land, attempting to hide from your gaze and outrun you, eventually going all the way up to the sky to escape you, so sure she was that you could not follow.
Isthar was correct, of course, you could not fly to the sun. That was why you pulled the sun to the ground and her with it. With lash and chain, along might and power, you stripped off a portion of the star and bound it to the angel, transforming her and it into the it to the angel, transforming her and it into the spiraling weapon that rides on a solar ejection down to the surface and across the path of the Wendigo.
An arm goes flying as you catch it on the rebound and hold it in your grip next to your head. Either from the heat of the weapon or your own gut, you feel the mystical fire of old dredge itself back up.
"Come on." You snarl.
The Wendigo charge and so do you.
Even in the form she now possessed, Ishtar was nearly impossible to control, which is why she most often materialized as a great spinning chakram with no discernable grip. Only through your magic can Ishtar be corralled, and even then she flies off when you let her.
Fortunately, that suits you fine. With a whip of your magic, you send Ishtar slicing through the air, leaving tracks of flame through it. The angelic weapon travels on a wide arc before taking a turn that would be impossible to make with a throw, looping through the air and returning to you.
"Be it desperation that drives you from your mountains or ignorance at what you will find here, I care not!"
You throw your weapon a short distance, cutting into a Wendigo with just the tips of its blades before it ricochets back.
"You will find no salvation at this place today! And so, BEGONE!"
You pull Ishtar back over your shoulder and release her to orbit around you when the Wendigo close in. The bladed star tears through the air, exploding an inferno into the air in its passing that catches many wendigo in its wake.
You feel that fire inside you.
"Haha! COME! SHOW ME WHAT PASSES FOR FURY AMONG YOUR MISBEGOTTEN KIND!"
Mere flames cannot harm you, and so you race through them to close the distance on the Wendigo. They slash at you with their chipped claws and try to bite at you with haggard fangs.
Even with a blind eye and millennia of rust in your muscles, these beasts pose no threat to you, however you do relish the opportunity to chase down an enemy and smite them without abandon once more.
Red pounds at the corner of your sight the harder you push. "HAHAHA! YES, COME AND FACE ME, DOGS!"
You hear a shout, but not the one you wanted.
You turn your good eye back and see the three mortals cowering as a Wendigo leaps its way over the fence and fall on them. They attempt to fizzle a spell of protection or flutter their wings to escape but cannot move fast enough.
You feel a feeling not felt in nearly twenty years, your heart sinking through your chest in the icy grip of true terror. Your mind moves without thinking, calling upon your authority as a God of Magic and tearing away the boundaries between seconds before your eye. You hate doing this above all other things, as it was the method of the witches in the cavern but find yourself peering through the rivers and streams of time at this moment all the same.
Acting normally, you were fast enough to save most of the children once the Wendigo landed. However, these girls were obviously closer than almost any in your family, and the loss of one would drastically affect the others.
You peer through the causeways of possibilities to see those effects and find rage in what you see. You see a breaking apart of friendships, children closing themselves off from the world for theirs was destroyed, eventual leaving of the home to hide from painful memories and travel to lands none of them are prepared to face. You see betrayal, heartache, misery, and lonely, quiet deaths in the future brought about by a shattered camaraderie. You see three unacceptable outcomes, so you reach through the world on a billion pricks of the needle to change those outcomes.
That was your right and your duty as All Mother of the Nine Realms.
You are the second fastest horse alive and contacting the first would take attoseconds you don't have. With your mind you reach out through space to your Armiger vault to the dais in the central display.
"HELEL, COME!"
As quickly as light from the morning son casts itself across the land does the Lightbearing Blade streak from the sky and strike against the Wendigo, driving through it before its legs hit the ground. Dead before it even touched the ground, the Wendigo bursts at the seams, its body converting into salt that falls upon the earth, the only reminder that it ever existed.
"Deal with them." You command your arms.
Ishtar and Helel pull themselves from the ground where they lay and return to the remaining Wendigo, you hurry yourself over to the fillies.
"Are you alright?"
"F-fine!" Applebloom shouts.
You feel your face frown. "That makes two apologies I owe you three, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle."
You bow your head to them and say nothing else. Behind you the sounds of Wendigo battling animated blades begins to die down.
The three girls crowd around your legs, where you told them it would be safe...until you lost yourself.
"Come, let us return you to the town...the rabbits here can wake themselves for a spell."
One at a time you levitate the fillies onto your back before beginning the trot back to town. With a thought you send your weapons away, content that the Wendigo have been routed.
The walk back is silent until Scootaloo piques up. "I've never seen anyone fight like that."
"...It is an older form, from when I was young. I had not...reveled in it in some time."
"Is that why ya went further into the woods ta fight them Wendigos?"
"And left us all alone." Sweetie Belle huffs.
"Something I'll carry with me to the end of my days."
Right next to everything else.
The girls silently giggle on your back. "I didn't think gods could make mistakes, aren't you meant to be perfect?"
"Oh I am far from perfect, little one. My mistakes are many, and they are as large as my statue suggest." You glance back at them "Fortunate it is that this day was not one of them."
Three little nods greet you.
"I must ask another favor of you three when we return."
"What?"
"Don't tell your guardians about this."
-Anon PoV-
"And that is what happened in its entirety." Sleipnir says.
You and Twilight share an aside glance, both of you seeming to detect what was up.
On the one hand, the Queen was an avowed liar who, despite keeping her face straight, looked guilty as sin.
On the other, calling her on it would at best lead to a demoralizing argument and at worst have you turned into a ficus.
"Girls?" Twilight asks.
"Anything to add?"
The three Cutie Mark Crusaders stand between Sleipnir's long legs and each pop out to offer their take.
"Nope!"
"Some Wendigos showed up and she smashed 'em!"
"Just like she said!"
"I do apologize for that." Sleipnir says. "The Wendigo are always agitated during their mating season, it's unexpected that they would come down this far."
"...Unexpected."
"Yes."
"...For you."
"...Surprise is one of the spices of life, No-name."
"You hate surprises."
"I also hate spice."
You sigh and rub your head.
"Well, the girls are safe, so I suppose we can't...really complain."
"No." Twilight says. "You have our thanks Your Majesty, but if I may offer a small piece of advice, from one ruler of magic to another."
The Queen nods.
Twilight offers a wink and a grin. "In my time here, I've learned that you can't accept all the blame for some things by yourself."
"The Hel I can't." says the Queen.
The Winter Wrap-up Wrap-up continues to wind down as ponies celebrate a hard days work and the coming spring. You let the girls go be with their families and sit out front of Twilight's swanking castle.
Though you miss the library.
Pinkie Pie works overtime at the oven in Sugarcube Corner to bake treats for everyone in town.
The All Mother chews one of the cupcakes with a stoney face.
"Needs salt." She says.
Everyone contorts from an invisible chill up their spine.
"Oh help! Help! Twilight, you have to help!" you also hear from over your shoulder.
"Dishcord?" Twilight asks as the chaos sprite pops into existence next to your group.
"Oh thank heavens!" he shouts, grabbing Twilight by the cheeks and forcing the cake she had down. "We've got a problem Twilight. A big, big, BIG problem! Defcon one! Maximum Alert! The end of a twenty-two film saga and three billion bits at the box office despite opening in APRIL!"
You instinctively get to your feet.
"Twilight, he seems actually pretty worried."
"You bet your sweet bippy I'm worried! I'm terrified!"
"At WHAT, Discord?!" Twilight asks.
Discord points up to the winter sky at the auroras and playing through the atmosphere and twinkling stars beyond. "It's taken me all day to confirm it, but my ex is coming back! Cosmos!"
Discord goes on to explain everything about his ex, including her sadistic nature and terrifying power.
On your feet and alert now, you find your hands clenching for a weapon.
"Right, where is she now?"
Discord points to the sky again. "The stars! It wasn't enough to throw her into the moon or the sun or something, her power had to be spread out along six stars separated by light years or else she'd put herself back together!"
"Which stars?" you hear Sleipnir ask.
Discord points to six stars that you do notice are twinkling brighter and more aggressively than any others in the sky, almost with a malicious intent to their light. "Those! The six stars of the Heart of All Worl-"
Six stars soon becomes five when the one at the lowest point in the constellation swells in size and pops, bathing the sky in the light of magical rays and causing the auroras in the sky to dance. Everypony in town claps their hooves in amazement at the seeming good luck at the stellar light show.
The other five stars dim immediately following the cosmic explosion, returning to just another piece in the night sky's tapestry.
The three of you concerned about Cosmos and her return all wordlessly lower your eyes to the one in your company who wasn't worried and still eats away at her cupcake.
"Next." Says the queen. |
Prose Equus | Dust and Crypts. | It has been an eternity coming, but you successfully managed to do the impossible in Asgard. Securing time to be in your room, alone, in a small private bath.
You exhale all your gathered breath as you sink deeper into the water, listening to the songbirds and swallows chitter out past your balcony on the sunny day. Most of your days in your second life involved waking up to someone at your door, hurrying your way through a meal, and then being taken on to do some task or another.
Honestly, it wasn't that much different from life in the royal guard, just the things you fought against were nastier. Even now, a lifetime later, your time in the guard feels like a familiar wound among hundreds of others that adorn your body like medals.
If you had asked anyone, they'd think it odd that your life hasn't changed much even though you now live an after-life. You disagreed.
Peeking from the corner of your eye, you see your sword resting on a wooden chair where you had left it and breathe a sigh of comfort.
You received an education when you were found and expressed interest in being a guard, they could not have the defenders of Equestria being morons, and that education included some philosophy. With that knowledge, you would often turn your thoughts to yourself in your youth. Arriving as you did, you found yourself listless at times. No desires, no wishes, no loves that lasted or stood out to you. You had never wanted a family of your own and the thought of a quiet life seemed...irresponsible to you.
Yes, you may not be magic, there was not any pony around that could not do what you could do outside of count to five on their limbs; but you could do SOMETHING.
Another sword among a thousand, perhaps the sword that made a difference in someone's life.
When you considered yourself like that, you had found yourself more at peace from the questions in your head. You sometimes wondered if that made you sad or not. Who you were or why you were here no longer mattered to you, as swords didn't have a need for such things, only to attack their enemies and protect their allies. The trick, you learned, was in ensuring that you were wielded by the just.
You silently ponder if the current wielders of your blade would be considered just, you hope so.
A knock at your chamber door pushes those thoughts away.
"Come in," you say with a sigh.
"No-name." you hear as the door opens. "I have need of you today, gather yourself."
"You'll have to speak up, Lord Tyr, I'm wearing a towel."
The often felt but rarely heard presence of the Lord-General of Asgard walks into your room with an uneven staccato from his prosthetic hoof. "I can see that...why is it on your head?"
You look up at the towel you have around your head despite the rest of you being uncovered "Keeps the hair out of my face." You quip.
"Is that a common problem?"
"Just because something happens at all doesn't mean I want it happening more often."
The general grunts and takes a few steps. "Well make yourself decent, Mother calls for us."
You suppress a groan at having your bath interrupted and begin scrubbing your limbs with the soap, intent on at least finishing it.
"Did she say what for?"
"She did not. Mother calls and we answer, that is the way of things."
You scrub your back. "You're the High-General of the city, does that bother you at all?"
Tyr offers a simple shrug. "I trust her appraisal of any journeys into Midgard we may make over mine."
"A-huh. There a reason for that?"
Silence was his reply. Which meant "Yes, but I won't answer you". Fine.
"I take it from what you've said that we'll be going down to Equestria and your Mother won't say what for. Still, what is your appraisal of it?"
"Not complicated." he says.
"Humor me."
The general sighs and looks out your balcony. You use the time to get your legs. "Right away, calling the two of us stands out. It means it's a situation that cannot have reinforcements thrown at it to solve like the Tartarian gate. She also commanded we bring our arms, but not which, indicating we're to expect trouble, but nothing specific."
"Aha. And I'd wager that her wanting the two of us means that it's a military issue that involves working together with the Equestrians, since that's the only thing you and I have in common."
"You catch on quick." The General says.
"It's why I've lived this long."
You toss the sponge you were using onto the balcony to dry in the sun.
"Alright, I'll have to ask you to leave here, General. Unless you're keen to have to see my butt."
"I'll pass."
You dress yourself, don light armor, and strap your sword to your side to meet Tyr outside of your door.
The Prince turned High-General leads you through the halls of the palace out onto one of the walls, making your way to a small landing in the shadow of a watchtower.
"I swear, with each day I spend here, I learn about another part of this palace I didn't know existed."
"Imagine how we all feel." The general retorts.
You and Tyr approach the landing to find the Queen standing among various bird cages, each with an inquisitive raven inside. The queen has one at the end of her hoof as she holds him up to her ear and listens to it whisper into it.
Odder still, she was smiling as she listened.
"Now I've seen everything..."
"I'm very old, No-name. I am permitted a hobby."
"You're a goddess of poetry, Mother." Tyr says.
"And occasionally I would like to indulge in a hobby that is not most often associated with those who study the arts and suicidal playwrights, son."
"I never guessed you for Falconry, your Highness."
"Never. Dreadful birds, rife with disease. My ravens are far better."
You look over the jet black birds in their cages or on the railing of the landing, several caw at you.
"A murder...wonderful."
"An unkindness, No-name. A group of ravens is called an "Unkindness". The Queen corrects.
"Yes, that's MUCH better."
"Well you were thinking of crows."
Tyr clears his throat. "I've brought No-name and myself, Mother. What duty would you ask of us?"
Sleipnir gently puts the raven speaking to hers back in its gilded cage while she talks. "Raven whispers are not all that has been reaching my ears as of late; the mortals pray to us for guidance."
"Guidance on what?"
"They have found something that they fear, and wish for their gods to rid them of it for their safety."
"What is it?" you ask.
Sleipnir turns to the two of you "Were I to list all the things that the mortals ought to fear, we three would be here from now until Ragnarok comes. The two of you will travel to Midgard and investigate with them, determine what it could be, and share your findings with me. After that, we shall act."
Tyr silently nods, you not the difference between the two's actions. War gods seemed to come in many flavors.
"Take yourselves to the Bifrost, I have...politics to see to." Says the Queen, layering venom onto the word "politics".
"We will not fail you, Mother."
"You can count on us."
Music
You and Tyr flash down to Canterlot amid a town square. Apart from citizens turning their heads to see you arrive, no one gives you more attention than a train whistle coming in.
Tyr looks to either side, clearly noticing the calm.
"Don't worry about it, Lord." You begin walking down a street path towards the skydocks. "If you knew a third of the things this city has been through, you'd understand why they seem a bit jaded."
The general follows behind you at a decent pace as you lead him through the Canterlot streets. You notice his head swiveling around, looking at buildings, street corners, and civilians.
"See something you like?"
His head turns back frontward. " I didn't see it before in our diplomatic visit. Peaceful city. Clean streets. Happy populace."
"It would be difficult to see the real city when it's all bowing to you, yes. There are a few problems here or there, but it's a great place overall."
"I find myself wondering what sets it apart from other places in Midgar."
You wave to some of that very reason in golden armor as you pass by a street corner. "That would be the Royal Guard."
The general doesn't reply, so you take it upon yourself to deliver a civics lesson.
"The name implies a more militaristic approach than it really is, but the Royal Guard's primary duty is to maintain the upkeep of Canterlot and her citizens. That's done primarily through public outreach and public works. The Guard is the biggest employer of able-bodied ponies in the city and maybe a tenth of them actually make use of their combat training. Most end up helping the people out one district at a time or keeping their ear to the ground for a way to make the city better."
"And those that see combat?"
"Generally have you request those stations, unless there's an emergency or something."
Like Changeling invasions.
"Mm...almost sounds close to a dictatorship."
"You're not the first outsider to say that, but you are the first with an ever-watching hyper-powerful ruler of a Mother as their head of state to say it."
"Touche."
"Is Canterlot perfect? No. It is the jewel of Equestria, and where there are jewels, there are thieves. But crime was down for years before I died and for the most part, the people recognize the effort being put in by the Guard and the Princesses and pay that effort back by doing what they can to help realize what those efforts are working for, them."
"And the Royal Guard is lead by this Captain you're taking us to see?"
"Despite our best efforts, yes."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that some years ago, Shining Armor married into royalty and became the crown prince of the Crystal Empire to the North. A few years later, he became a father, but he still devotes a hefty amount of his time to the Guard. He'll work himself to death if that keeps up."
"Is concern for one's commander this customary in the Guard?"
"The guard respect Captain Armor for the efforts he made to keep the city safe and happy, but he's a personal friend of mine as well." You glance back to Tyr. "We trained together as kids."
The general closes his eyes and nods. "Under Gaeus."
"...Yeah."
This wasn't the time to ask about that.
"Come on, let's get to the airship. I'd wager Shining is waiting to cast off already."
Across the Royal Fleet, there was no ship that could match the Delphinus in speed. Her envelope that contained the gas needed to lift from the ground was made of a light, yet firm material from the east, and the rotary engines on her rear were of an experimental design. Combined with the best crew in the navy, the airship served as the fastest way for the Royal Guard to respond to any situation.
Which is why you knew this was the place you'd find Shining Armor waving at you from the deck.
"Ahoy there, Anon!"
You salute back. "Ahoy! Permission to come aboard!"
"Permission granted! Lower the ramp!" Shining calls to his deckhands.
A wooden ramp is lowered down to the two of you which you quickly ascend and shake Shining's hoof when he meets you.
"You look good."
"I always look good." He says. Shining turns to Tyr and adopts a serious face, bowing to him. "General, thank you for honoring this request."
A bit surprisingly, Tyr bows back. "It was my pleasure, Prince Armor. As Asgard's ally and charges, the gods are happy to treat your prayers with the seriousness they deserve."
"What's the situation."
"I'll tell you on the way." Shining turns back to the deck. "Raise the ramp! Cast us off at best speed and make way along the route we prepared! Every second counts!"
Both you and Tyr exchange a look, Shining's haste arose questions.
"Walk with me." He says.
Shining leads the two of you down into the ship, passing crew members and guards along the way.
"Exactly fifteen days ago, Professor A.K. Yearling was performing an archaeological survey of a collection of ruins, a mostly intact shrine that was revealed when a recent Parasprite swarm devoured the section of forest surrounding it."
"Where was the ruin located?" Tyr asks."
"Southwest of Stableside, on the lowest tip of the continent. Overlooking the ruins of Eternity's Crossing."
"What's so important about this place that the egghead went snooping around?"
"Apart from the archaeological significance? It was an old world ruin, the purpose of why it exists has been lost to time, but the professor dated it back to a period before the alicorn Princesses were recorded."
"I take it she found something?"
Shining stops at the stern of the ship, looking back to the two of you. "Professor Yearling reported finding a droplet of a vial of a droplet of a mysterious black sludge in a protective barrier, the same kind that seemed to match up with some, let's say "disturbing" reports I received from the Badlands."
You and Tyr both inhale sharply and look to each other.
"You were right to call to us." The general says.
"Not to be a wet blanket here, but are we sure this professor's claim is accurate?"
Shining nods grimly. "I debriefed her myself to confirm it. She claims that she found a droplet of tar-like sludge inside a barrier atop a golden saucer inside the ruins. When she attempted to prod the sludge with an instrument, it ate it and grew in size."
Damn, that sounded right.
"Is she alright?" you ask.
"Imaginably shaken, but the only casualty reported was her instrument. She says the sludge and the general atmosphere of the ruins spooked her so bad that she ran out of there, even got the tomb raiders she was racing against to run."
"Smart." Says the general, rubbing his chin with his metal hoof-cap. "We need to presume there is more there, making this an extreme threat. Have your helmsman get us to the shrine as quick as they can, but to keep us at high altitude. We should observe before setting down."
Shining nods. "You're the expert here, the Delphinus and her crew are at your disposal, for the sake of Equestria."
The Delphinus ate through sky like a starving pig ate through slop. You stand atop the deck watching the clouds go by and the earth below vanish beneath them. Thanks you either your trained ears or the golden fruit the gods have been feeding you, you detect the presence of another from behind, the cocksure click of his hooves and flutter of his wings telling you who came to visit.
"You know, you could at least stay dead each time you travel back to the afterlife. I'm going broke holding funerals for you every time."
"Asgard isn't the afterlife, not really. Just the front door to it. Looking to visit, Flash?"
Flash Sentry rests his hooves on the railing of the ship and watches with you. "Pass, thanks. I've still got stuff on my bucket list."
"Chief among them?"
"Getting out of this chickenshit posting, for one."
You nod your head. "Aaaahh...I get it, he's still mad at you."
Flash was a friend from a younger generation of royal guard, but a friend all the same. He'd become something of a younger brother or ward of some kind to Sunshine Smiles, of the Night Guard, after the two had been both chosen as the students to one of the Guard's more...infamous members. The hard work you'd put in as a youth is what allowed Flash to maintain his cocky nature thanks to the stability Equestria was enjoying. You weren't upset at him for it, he was living proof of all you and your comrades had done to keep the peace throughout the land.
He was still a brave idiot though, it seemed.
"It was one date." He says.
"She's his little sister, Flash."
"Who is an adult now and also a Princess who can make her own decisions."
"And before she was either of those, she was his little sister."
Flash silently watches the clouds drift by, chewing his teeth. "It was one date."
"Yeah, but I bet you wish it was two."
Music
When viewed from above, the shrine did not look like anything special. A pot shaped stone structure built into the cliff next to a connected watchtower made of the same grey stone with a churning sea some many meters below it.
>It's only when you step off the lifeboat onto the ashen ground upon which the shrine rests that you really notice how off it is. When your boot digs into the ground and sinks up to your ankle.
"...Guys, this isn't dirt, it's-"
"Dust." Tyr says, finishing your sentence as he climbs out of the lifeboat as well.
Shining Armor hops out and turns back to the craft "Flash, take the boat up and circle around until you get my signal. I don't want to risk our way out of here, but I'd like to leave fast if we have to."
Flash Sentry salutes the captain. "Understood sir, maintaining holding pattern."
You don't watch Flash take off, but are glad that any princess related grudges are put away during work. You draw your sword and keep your eyes peeled on the shrine.
"What is it the flyboys say? Those who dare?"
The general glances around to the earth before the shrine, noting several dozen rounded stones placed halfway into the ground and only a faint pathway up towards it. "Stay behind me." He says, marching forward.
You follow the general, staying in the middle of the pack, while Shining brings up the rear. You feel no wind upon your face, and the bits of greenery peeking from the ground barely move as you pass by, the entire cliffside almost frozen like a painting.
Shining is drawn to the ground. "It's just...dust, as far as the eye can see...no dirt, no soil, nothing..."
"You both feel the...hush here, right?"
"No birds, no bugs, no small game..."
"You said Parasprites came through here?" Tyr asks.
"There was a forest..."
"And now..."
"Now the shrine is exposed and the wind itself fears to travel here." Tyr says.
The three of you climb the hill to the shrine, watching for any unwelcome surprises but find...nothing waiting for you beyond an open door and clouds of black dust drifting out of its frame.
"Is that-"
"Ash."
The three of you peer into the doorframe and find a sunken portion of the temple, with blackened stairs leading down on either side and weathered pedestals in the back, used for whatever this shrine's purpose was back when it was still alive. Poking your head in through the door gives you an intense feeling of vertigo, like walking through a house that wasn't yours, the feeling that you did not belong. Taking a few more steps inside kicks up more of the ash into the air, but the faint sunlight from the overcast sky at your rear illuminates some of the room through the clouds.
Namely the massive scorch marks traveling up all sides of the walls and out every window and door of the shrine.
"Did a bomb go off in here?"
"Whatever it was, it was at the center of the room."
"Be on watch for fire giants..."
You and your party continue down the stairs into the center of the shrine, finding a few branching tunnels that lead into a basement of sorts carved into the mountain. Investigating these paths just lead you back to the central room, and each path held the same, just more dust and echoes.
"We're getting nowhere here."
"Both of you." The general's voice calls. "Come here now."
Both Shining and you race up to pathway Tyr stood at the end of and look over his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Have you found the slu-"
Tyr raises his prosthetic hoof to silence you both, and you get a look at what he's watching so intently. Inside a small cove within the wall was a single golden saucer, no bigger than your fist, and in the center of that sauce was a bright orange flame. Peering closely at the source of the fire, you see a flat, bubbling oil of blackest pitch.
"Did...someone get here ahead of us?" you ask.
Tyr reaches his prosthetic hoof out, slowly, towards the flame as if to touch it, but he's stopped by Shining Armor.
"Hold it."
The Captain's horn glows a rosy pink. "There's an easier way."
With a touch of magic, the captain reaches out to the golden plate. There's a small spark along its surface as a countermeasure is triggered and with that, the flame goes out, leaving the steaming black goo in to sit in the center.
"Is it inert...?"
"I don't sense anything from it..." Armor says.
"And yet we're being this cautious." Says Tyr.
The general reaches out with his own magic and lifts the saucer from its perch...producing an audible click of a pressure switch. Your face cringes as you prepare for the spikes to come out of the floor, but all that you hear is the whirring of some mechanism and a small coffin being ejected from the wall beneath the saucer's perch.
Inside of the coffin rested a single golden urn, pristine in its craftsmanship and untethered by time, containing its chaotic bubbling mass still.
A silent pause resonates between the three of you as you contemplate the duress residing inside that urn until the general speaks.
"Signal the ship. We need to get back."
"Are you sure you just want to LEAVE it in there?"
You follow behind the general with Shining as he leaves the shrine, marching back towards where the lifeboat landed to call it again.
Most notably NOT carrying the golden urn with him, having decided to leave it where it lay.
"What happened the last time someone touched one of those?" he asks.
You think back to the desert, the battle that followed, and the Changeling hive that was obliterated.
"...Point taken."
Shining trots next to you. "We'll call back to Canterlot and arrange for a team to secure the urn in a way that won't provoke it. The Princesses will know what to do."
"Form your team, but leave what comes next to us." Tyr says. "No-name and I will report to Mother and determine what to do next."
Shining eyes the general. You feel a buzzing in your pocket. "Any threat to Equestria needs to be investigated in depth."
Tyr continues forward, not turning back as fog rolls in from the cliffsides.
"Uh, guys."
"We of course have faith in you, Captain Armor. But these urns have shown to be the realm of Mother before, and our best course of action will come from her."
The buzzing grows more intense as the fog gets closer. Shining opens his mouth to say some retort, but you grab him and rush forward, tackling Tyr to the dusty ground.
"DROP!"
The fog rushes over the three of you, bringing with it a great wind that hasn't visited this place in a long time. The buzzing in your pocket, the Palantir that you always keep on you, won't stop. Shining and Tyr look up with you as the fog gathered like it did whenever you looked into the past, but this time the shapes it made were hazy and incomplete.
You see a massive seven headed beast thrash about and swing its appendages at another that figure that darts between its legs while another that's form seemed less complete than any other floats above it. Parts of the smaller figures flash and twist as they move among the larger one. There are leaps, spins, and twirls before the seven heads become six.
Then Five.
The apparition of the past is knocked against a mountain that no longer exists before being leapt upon by the entity on the ground. An ear-splitting roar escapes from the creature's misty mouth and drives away the fog by force alone, banishing the visions from sight and finally causing the buzzing in your pocket to cease.
Your two companions watch where the foggy apparitions were with confusion, not believing their eyes.
"Something...awful happened here." Shining remarks.
You can only wonder why it happened. The Palantir would only activate with the gem inside it, right? What triggered this partial vision? You sincerely hope that it wasn't disturbing that urn, but your fears get the better of you, and so you speak before anyone else.
"Shining, get back to the ship and get back to Canterlot. Tyr, call Heimdall. I don't think we can wait to go back the way we came."
"Aye..."
You and the general march through the golden halls directly towards the throne room. The guard on duty straightens at his approach. "Sir!"
"Open them, now. I need to speak with her."
The guard looks pensive under his helmet. "Sir, I-"
"The general said NOW!"
The guard straightens again and begins the process of opening the doors, you follow Tyr directly in, but bump into him when he stops just inside.
"What are you doing?" you ask.
"This is not a good time." he answers.
"What the Hel do you mean 'not a good time'?!"
Tyr nods towards the throne, you turn your gaze to it and see a familiar sight happening at the worst possible time. Loki hanging her head while Queen Sleipnir chews her out for something.
"You are almost fully grown, Loki. You know what is expected from us."
"I'm not exactly 'one of you', am I, Mother?"
"BITE YOUR TONGUE." The Queen fumes. The air in the throne grows heavy while Sleipnir collects herself slightly. "You know that untrue, Loki. You have been adopted into the royal family, which makes you a part of it. As a god and a royal of Asgard, you must obtain those who would worship you, you may only do that by doing deeds worthy of worship. Currently you have neither to your name."
"I wonder why THAT could be..."
"Your attitude, mostly." The Queen states flatly.
Loki stomps her hoof and leans forward. "MY ATTITUDE is because of who and what I am, Mother! The people of Asgard do not trust me like they do you! They would never see fit to worship one who they know isn't one of them!"
"Then give them a reason to." her mother simply states.
Loki makes that hunched over pose you know means she's about to blow a gasket, but the Queen cuts her off "Whatever you're to say Loki, swallow it. Are you not the God of Mischief? Do you not call yourself my daughter? Those who do both of these must do deeds that earn them the worship of the mortals, no exceptions. Even Hermod and Vidar have inspired as such."
Alright, this was taking too long. You push past Tyr and walk further into the throne room. "Highness! I don't mean to interrupt your talk with your daughter, but the Lord General and I have something urgent to report! If it will put an end to this now, I will volunteer to be the princesses first worshiper here and now!"
The Queen looks to you and lets out a single, uncharacteristic laugh. "Would you now? I don't genuinely believe that you know what that entails."
You cross your arms "I don't care. This is important, Loki is my friend, and I can do it. End of story."
Loki wordlessly gets off her rear and begins walking to the door, taking whatever chance to leave.
"Lady Loki, I-"
"Shut UP, No-name!" she snaps. "Do not embarrass me further."
You receive a downright arctic shoulder from Loki as she trots past, the Queen and her brother watching her go. "Teenagers...so tiresome at times. No-name, Tyr, step forward and tell One-eye what you have found..."
You and Tyr spell out to the Queen exactly what you found. The shrine, the ashes, the urn, the visions, all of it. You didn't exactly explain where the visions came from, but that wasn't important.
The Queen's good eye slightly glazes over as you explain everything, like one does when thinking of a long-held conversation. Tyr and you stand next to one another, silently waiting for Sleipnir's response as she considers the facts.
"You were both right to leave the urn...touching them has never ended well."
"So there's more?"
"More than I'd like, I was never truly able to get all the Eitr."
"What IS it, your highness?"
The Queen's single eye shifts in its socket and looks you over.
"...It is the black breath of the Nidhogg, No-name. The poison that spews forth from the darkest depths and poisons the world."
"Mother!" Tyr exclaims.
"Oh clam yourself, Tyr, he's been beneath the lake."
The general lowers his head and chews his teeth.
"You say that the Guard Captain wishes to take the urn to the Midgardian Princesses?"
You nod. "He says he wants any threats to Equestria investigated at length."
Sleipnir taps a single hoof in contemplation. "I will trust the Sun and the Moon with this task. They may learn the seriousness of its threat and act accordingly."
You and Tyr both nod.
"However." The Queen begins. "I want it to be nowhere else. Take it from the world's grave, return it to Canterlot, and watch over it as they learn of it." The Queen continues. "I am entrusting the both of you with this task, as there are none better suited for it. Oversee the transport, delivery, and anything that comes after until the mortals discover a way to eliminate it."
You and Tyr raise your hands and hooves to your chest and salute.
"It will be done, your Highness."
Your thoughts wander a bit. What did she call the shrine? |
Prose Equus | Spooky Scary Symbiotes. | You lean on the wall nearby the main doorway into Canterlot Castle. Unicorn crewmembers from the Delphinus carefully walk up the stairs, holding the urn of Etir in their magic, each of them holding down a corner of the spell. The walls line with guards and crossbows, preparing for the worst and your sword hand aches for the weapon on your hip.
"Even with all this, I'm worried."
"You have every right to be." Tyr says next to you.
"Is there a reason we can't just throw this into the sun? Your mother did it to the last batch and that seemed to work out okay."
Tyr breathes a deep breath. "If Mother disposed of the Etir that way last time, it was because she felt that the best thing to do. This time, she has declared that the best thing to do is allow it to be brought here."
"You think that's a good idea?"
"I think fear denies faith, No-name."
You roll your eyes.
"Fear will trap us in a prison of inaction if we let it, and Mother has not lead Asgard astray in all her rule. I trust her judgment."
"And I trust what I saw when this almost killed me in the desert. The only ones fearless in the world are fools, are you saying your Mother has no fear?"
"Hardly." Tyr says flatly.
The two of you watch the urn get lead inside and follow it. Princess Luna and Celestia stand to meet it in the hall.
"Please tell me I don't have to tell either of you how dangerous this substance is."
"Please don't tell us that you believe after Sombra's horn, the remains of the Changeling's spawning pools, and the trace amounts of countless fantastical beasts, you believe we would not take any precautions." Luna chides.
"Call me paranoid."
"Okay Paranoid." Celestia says, looking at the urn with a critical eye.
You snort, making sure it's loud enough to hear your displeasure.
"Anonymous..." Celestia continues. "I know you're right to be worried about this, but unless it can affect someone through sight, then we have more than enough protection. The barriers we've placed around it could repel an Ursa Major, and have."
"And if they don't work?"
"Then I throw it into my magic mirror and take a hammer to it."
You let out a deep sigh. "Not much of a choice of this is what the Queen ordered, I guess..."
"Now you know how we all feel." Tyr says.
The two of you watch Celestia and Luna escort the unicorns to their magical laboratory, leaving you both to stand and think of all the ways this could go wrong.
You pass what feels like hours staring up at the clouds growing darker as the sun is set. Tyr busies himself by making patrols along the walls while Shining Armor and his men go through decontamination due to contact with the artifact.
From the corner of your eye, you catch him approaching.
"I don't suppose..." You turn to face him "that they need our help, do you?"
"If they did, they'd have asked us."
"If they're able to ask and not up to their horns in trouble."
The high general walks over to the edge of the wall where you stand and looks down at the city below. "For one who lived as a guard, you have a surprising lack of confidence in your superiors."
"There isn't a fighter alive who got to my age putting absolute faith in the orders they're given."
"Yet they still have to follow them."
"I'm standing here, aren't I?"
Tyr grunts and doesn't meet your eye.
"It's just..." You lean over the railing and let your shoulders sag. "I've served this kingdom for my entire adult life...bringing that crap into the heart of it worries me, even if the ones handling it are old enough to have seen it firsthand."
"I very much doubt that." You hear Tyr mutter. You cock an eyebrow and turn to him "What was that? Do you know something about the Etir that I don't know? That the Princesses may need to."
"Just follow your orders, No-name."
"Maybe you didn't hear me before, but sometimes I lived another day because I DIDN'T follow orders! I'd expect a war god to understand that on some occasions, leaders can have the wrong sense of things, even All-Mothers!"
"And why do you believe that I am in any more privileged of a position than you are!?" The general snaps back. Tyr snorts his frustration out and turns back to looking over at the city, locking his jaw as he works back his temper.
"...I apologize, prince."
You look back over the city again. "I'd simply thought that, as one war god dealing with another, that you and your Mother-"
Tyr releases an uncharacteristic laugh. "You think she tells me anything." He chuckles through his lips. "If only simply sharing a domain were enough to warrant that..."
"The Queen is not in talk with her highest general?"
"Not when he is her son. The trust that would normally have to be maintained through dialogue is simply there from my youth. I may be the closest to Mother out of my siblings, but she still keeps my at a distance on many things."
Tyr's eye shifts to the side to look at you. "Unlike you, it seems. I have never gone to the Well alongside her."
Thinking back to what was beneath those waters, you eagerly change the subject.
"You're...not missing much. I'm somewhat shocked that the All-Mother's relationships with her children are so..."
"Inconsistent?"
"That's a word for it."
Tyr sighs a breath you feel has been held longer than the two of you have known each other. "It is the way it is..."
"Does it have to be?"
"If you think you can argue another case to her, be my guest."
A silent moment passes between the two of you before dusk turns to dawn. In a flash, the side of the royal magister's tower bursts from the inside out and lets howl a great concussion that shakes not only the city but the mountain its attached to. It's all you can do to hang onto the battlements and plant your feet in the hopes of not being thrown over the side.
Neither you nor Tyr need to exchange another word between you, both just running towards the main gates.
Music
The two of you break through the castle gates and find the guards inside dazed or unconscious, having either been forced to the floor or against the walls. The ones who can stand look around in a fugue trying to figure out what happened. Unfortunately, you don't have time to help them up.
"GET THESE DOORS AS OPEN AS THEY CAN AND KEEP THEM THERE! WE NEED TO GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE CASTLE, NOW!"
"S-sir?" one of them asks.
"JUST DO IT!" Tyr shouts.
The order of the war god is difficult to ignore, snapping the guard out of his trance. "S-sir!" >Tyr gallops forward and pushes the doors of the throne room open with his shoulder. The stairway behind the throne room lead to every corner of the castle, it was the fastest way to get anywhere in the castle. All you needed do was get past the thrones themselves and duck into the alcove where the stairway was.
"WAIT!" Tyr skids to a halt in front of you and holds his metal-capped hoof out, stopping you.
"What?!"
Tyr nods his chin towards a single droplet of viscous midnight hanging off the top of the chandelier in the center of the room; the moment he does, the droplet releases itself from the carved crystal and falls to the floor, expanding into a wide pool of Etir as sinister lightning strikes outside the windows.
From the pool, twin figures pull themselves out of the poison.
You recoil backwards as the corrupted forms of Equestria's rulers drag themselves free of the puddle. Years of swearing to the crown, serving it, and protecting it make this a difficult sight to see. They drop Etir from their bodies and smile from mouths far too wide for them while hissing like serpents. Their movements jittering like bugs after you lift the stone they hide under and shine the sun onto them.
"This is horrible...what...happened to them??"
"The Etir wears them like puppets, taking root and steering their actions. It will try to assert more dominance over them until it can claim them as hosts."
"How do we stop it?"
Tyr doesn't answer, instead using his magic-hoof cap and extending it into a long broadsword. "I stay here and I keep their attention. While they stay here, you will get everyone out of the castle."
"That doesn't sound like a solution to the problem!"
"Well it is what we have presented to us! Until we find a way to win, we must find a way not to lose."
Tyr lowers himself to a fighting stance as the two not-Princesses spread their wings and hiss at the two of you. "When I charge, get to the door. We won't have much time after."
"Tyr-"
"Good soldiers follow orders, No-name."
You clench your fist and back away a few steps. Your duty was to the people of Canterlot as much as it was to the two in front of you.
"Fine, but if you die in here I'll be mad as Hel."
Tyr chuckles darkly. "Our fates are all written in the Weird...I cannot die this day." He glances one last time at you before charging forward. "But that does not mean I intend to give these two the chance to try!"
Celestia has to leap back as Tyr slides across the floor, swinging his blade inches from her face. Using that same momentum, he slams his blade into the ground near Luna and forces her into the air. The corrupted sisters hiss in defiance at him, but the general leaps into the air before they can react in time. Landing on the chandelier, Tyr readies his sword and slashes at blasts of sunlight from the tip of Celestia's horn, cleaving them in two and scorching the walls while Luna comes up underneath him, opening her gaping maw wide to bite him like a sand shark.
While not taking his eyes off Celestia, the general cleaves a beam of sunlight in twain and slices the chain holding the chandelier on the follow through, cutting it from the ceiling and dropping it on top of the corrupted Luna. The Etir Princess struggles under its weight while the general gallops across the floor, engaging her sister.
The young boy in you who wanted to be a guard after seeing how they fought was enthralled into petrification watching the war god move as he did, not wasting a single motion as he engaged the two most powerful beings in the kingdom in a deadly skirmish. A heartbeat later, you remember the situation and run out the throne room doors, slamming them shut behind you to seal the fighters inside.
"GO! GO! EVERYONE OUT, NOW!" you shout.
Servants and guards swarm past you like a mudslide and run out into the relative safety of the city. The walls of the castle at your back rumble and quake with the sounds of combat and it's all you can do to not feel like the roof will collapse on you.
"MARES AND CHILDREN FIRST! IF YOU DON'T SEE SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE HERE, SPEAK UP!"
"Sir!" one of the guards shouts. "Prince Blueblood and his entourage are trapped down that hall!"
"Go!"
You run past the guard down the hall he was pointing to, twisting, and turning through the corridors as cracks move up the walls from the impacts in the throne room. You hear cursing in a foreign tongue through the walls.
"Well at least he's giving it his best..."
A rumble, crash, and a scream come from off the path you were running, but that you can't ignore. You make a sharp right and race down the hall, finding a group of ponies backing away from an undulating tentacle of Etir that's crashed through the wall in front of them.
"PRINCE BLUEBLOOD!"
"You there, guard! Do something!" the noble at the front of the group of loud and glitzy ponies shouts.
You draw your sword and a chill fills the hall.
"What do you THINK I'm doing here?"
"WASTING TIME WHEN YOU COULD BE HELPING ME!"
"I liked the you I met in the mountains better!"
You raise your sword over your head with both hands and bring it down on the tendril. At first it's like cutting into a pile of lard, but as the cold air starts to seep down your wrist like fresh blood, the thick ink of the Etir slows and hardens until even the slightest twitch makes the obstruction shatter like fragile ice.
"Whoa!" You hold the sword up and inspect it, seeing faint glowing runes near the guard shimmer a cold blue. "Colder than I thought..."
You're almost knocked off your feet when Blueblood and his entourage gallop past you.
"I'LL BUY YOU A KEEP, I'LL BUY YOU A TITLE, WHATEVER YOU WANT JUST SHOW ME THE WAY OUT!"
"THE DOOR IS THAT WAY, GAH!"
All but one of them are gone in a flash, with Blueblood shouting "THANK YOOOOoooooouuuu." Echoing through the halls.
You walk up to the one who was left, face on the ground and flank in the air muttering something. He looked young, probably got swept up in the lifestyle his parents don't even know about.
"Hey, come on, we have to get out of here. What are you doing?"
"Praying." He says back quickly.
"What?"
"M-monsters came to the city, I saw them through the window after the shaking started. P-prince Blueblood says Equestria is favored by the Gods now, right? They have to c-come when we pray to them..."
You blink as you chew his words over.
"They...should, yes."
As if on your approval, the boy goes back to muttering his barely audible prayer. You decide to call in reinforcements.
"Come, we need to get you out of here."
You usher the youth out to the courtyard and fall to one knee, holding your hand to your heart.
How in the world was this meant to work?
"All-Mother in Asgard...I beseech your aid."
You decide to just throw in as much flowery language that you've heard this family use as you can.
"The enemy you sent us to face, the Etir, has taken hold of the two most powerful things in this kingdom. Prince Tyr stands before them now, holding them at bay to protect those outside the castle, but I fear it may be too much for even one as mighty as he."
You've never done this before, you really hope you aren't messing it up.
"If something isn't done, I fear Equestria and all of Midgard will get...swallowed up by it. I know you didn't take me with you beneath the lake to simply let this happen, so once again I beg that you-"
The skies part, the clouds rumble, a shaft of light shines down at you before a rush of the rainbow bridge descending alights the entire city. You blink away the dots when the shaft leaves, seeing what it left behind.
"...Where is my sandwich?" Loki asks looking as if she was trying to put something in her mouth.
"Slow down! SLOW DOWN! QUIT PUSHING AND EXPLAIN IT TO ME AGAIN SLOWER!"
You reach down and scoop Loki up flank and all as you run back into the castle, you know from her embarrassed "Eep!" that a tongue lashing is coming, so you cut her off first.
"THE BLACK OOZE FROM THE DESERT IS BACK AND IT'S TAKEN OVER THE PRINCESSES AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THEN EQUESTRIA IS GOING TO FALL AND YOUR MOTHER IS GOING TO BE PISSED!"
You feel like Loki only hears the last part of that when her eyes go wide. "Why didn't you TELL ME THAT OUTSIDE!" Loki hops out of your hands as you kick the door to the throne room open. The corrupted princesses have mastered the use of their wings now, they flap in the air above the general and emit a constant chiming sound from their mouths.
The same chiming sound you and Loki know brought an end to a Changeling hive.
At the same time, the General is bleeding from a wound to his head and pushing himself up with his hoof.
"We don't have much time!"
"Yes, I gathered that! Get my brother out of there!"
You draw your icy blade and look to the princesses, you could possibly freeze the Etir on them, but-
"I need an opening!"
"Must I do every-damn-thing!?" Loki seethes.
Loki removes her helmet and whips her hair like a drying dog would, flinging hundreds of tiny follicles into the room. With a pop and a poof, the hairs each individually explode into a copy of the mischievous goddess, filling the room with her and sending the corrupted Princesses on the defensive instinctually. They his and drip over the floor as the copies of Loki turn the room into chaos, each doing something different. Some walk into walls, others babble incoherently. Others look ready to fight and others simply float through the air on a whim.
Tyr barks out a single laugh. "Heh...seems that...even the Etir knows...we wouldn't survive...more of you..."
"If you have enough blood for that wit of yours, then you have enough to fight, brother! Less sharp tongues, more sharp swords!" Loki shouts.
"Got him!"
You reach the General and pick him up similarly to Loki. He's heavier by a wide margin, but you can still get him clear of the area. Not for long however, as the Princesses retaliate by sweeping their wings through the air, sending tendrils of Etir crashing into the copies and reverting them back into hair strands. What they don't smash gets burnt away in beams of raw magical energy.
"If I keep this up I'll go bald! We need to separate the Etir from its host! No-name, strike brothers' hoof with your sword!" Loki shouts, dodging a tentacle.
You look at your ice blade, noting the same runes glowing on it again.
"Won't that hurt him worse?!"
"THE METAL ONE YOU HALF-WIT!"
"Oh."
You set the General down and grip your sword with both hands.
"Ready?"
Tyr wordlessly extends his metal-capped hoof, holding a wound on his stomach with the other. Like you did when you chopped the tentacle earlier, you raise your sword and bring it down atop the enchanted metal. The strike of enchanted steel on blessed Uru creates a resounding CLANNNNNGGGG through the throne room.
Rising above the clang is the bestial screams of the creatures taking control of the Princesses. Their heads reared back and jaws hung open with eyes bulging from sockets, they fall to the ground.
"Again!" Loki cries.
Faster this time, you bring your sword back and strike it against the prosthetic hoof. The clang echoes just as it did before, getting the same screams from the Princesses. You hack at the hoof-cap like you're chopping down a tree, echoing the toll of metal on metal the entire time until a single shout causes you to stop.
"LOGI!"
A ring of orange runes carve into the air around Loki, spinning around her at an increasing speed before they each spew a torrent of flames. The flames wash over the Equestrian rulers while the Etir screams itself raw at being roasted alive.
"Take it easy! We don't need them char broiled!"
"If they burnt that easily, then we wouldn't allow them control over the SUN! HIT IT AGAIN! LOGI!"
More fire sprays towards the princesses as you strike Uru to steel one more time. With a final burst of fire, Loki's magical assault combined with your sonic one forces the Etir from the Princess's bodies into the form of an undulating miasma on the ground.
"Hh!" Tyr shoots up from where he lay and thrusts his metal hoof out. The cap of the hoof explodes outward trailed by a thick Uru chain. Through the fire you can see it wrap around the Princesses and with a great tug, Tyr pulls them out and over to the two of you.
You kneel down.
"They're breathing...good."
"Not done yet...!" Tyr says.
You look back and see the remains of the Etir rearing itself upward, somehow manifesting in greater mass despite no longer having a host body as it towers over you almost to the ceiling.
"It must have FED on them!"
"Get back!" Tyr shouts.
"ᛁᛇᚣᛇ!" you hear from the front of the room. A great wind howls from the door and the runes on your blade ignite to a fevered glow that blinds you from your doom for a split moment.
When you open your eyes back up, the Etir flood is encased in a thick layer of cobalt ice. You blink a few more times, clearly seeing the wrong thing and about to be eaten.
"...Huh? Tyr, what is this?"
Tyr says nothing, looking towards the direction of the wind where Loki is getting her helmet back on and keeping her back to you.
"Well?!"
Tyr opens his mouth to speak, but Loki turns back to the two of you quickly, looking not a hair different from normal. "It's nothing, No-name." Loki turns her eyes to her brother. "Isn't that right, Tyr?"
Tyr is silent for a moment before letting his breath go. "Nothing at all..."
If you were going to press, you forget about it when the ponies at your feet stir.
"What...happens?" Luna wonders.
"Did anyone get the number of the train that ran me over..." Celestia asks.
"Easy you two, you've been through an ordeal."
"Put me through one as well..." Tyr groans, leaning back on the stairs to the throne.
"Oh dear...sister, I fear we may have done something awful when we blacked out again."
"Speak for yourself, sister..." Luna says.
"I would like to know what in Bor's name happened." Loki says, approaching. "We left the Etir in your care because we presumed you could handle it, were we wrong?"
The Princesses push themselves to their hooves with some help. "Taking precautions..."
"Almost had it behind the wards in the tower..."
"Then...this most curious chiming sound."
You nod your head. "That's consistent with what we've seen...
"Only we contained it!" Loki shouts. "Honestly...wait until Mother hears about this."
You don't feel like seeing a tiny princess dress down the two that you'd spent your life serving, so you learn in close and give Celestia a hint.
"Psst. Embarrass her, she'll back off."
The Princess blinks. "We must thank you, Princess."
"Hahn?"
"If not for your intervention, my sister and I would have been..." "Let us say 'worse for wear'." Luna finishes.
"Yes...but thanks to your quick efforts, the entity is contained. We may now go with a more secure option, taking it to an entirely separate magical realm where we hold further control in our study of it."
"That should have been your FIRST plan." Loki mutters.
Celestia smiles, having dialed her in, and offers a bow that Luna mirrors. "We are in your debt, you have truly made a miracle today."
"We grew hearing the stories of the old gods, but seeing what you did, I believe in them now. And you." Luna says.
Loki clears her throat and turns away. "Yes! Yes...well...good..." She turns her body to match the direction of her head, keeping her back to you, and walking to the door.
You watch her go, doing everything she can to keep anyone from seeing her face.
"I think she likes you."
The Princesses chuckle.
"Someone get me some damn bandages." Tyr says. |
Prose Equus | Death Sentence. | A knock at the Ponyville Princess Castle-slash-library brings the local Princess to the door.
"Anon!" Twilight says. "What brings you down here?"
You kneel down and reciprocate the hug you get. "Hey Twilight, I came on a little fact-finding mission."
Twilight blinks "Does Asgard need something we have?"
"This is more a personal job, Twilight."
"Oh. Well, come on in! Let's see if we have what you're looking for.
Twilight ushers you inside and through the halls of her swanky castle.
"What can I interest you in? Ancient Mythozoology? Studies of swordsmanship in Neighpon? A refresher on Spontaneous Song and Dance classes?"
"Twi, if I literally ever have to live through another SSaD class, I may just die again."
"Oh they weren't that bad."
"An entire lecture on Jazzhoofs is 'that bad'."
Twilight leads you into the library-slash observatory. All rooms in this castle were -slash library it seemed. "I'm here because I came to the realization that I'm smack dab in the middle of a mythology that I only have a rudimentary understanding of, I was hoping you could help me out."
Twilight does that thing where she smiles super wide and claps her hooves together like a schoolgirl. "Eeeeee! You're JUST in luck! I was interested in our new counterparts myself so I requested the best resource I could find on them, an encyclopedia of their ancient poetry all the way from Gryphus!"
"That's a long way, I'm surprised the Griffons even have the book."
"Scholars believe that the area the Griffon Kingdoms make up was once the land that the Aesir came down to Equestria at. With recent events, they've grown even more interested in preserving that history! Come on, it's over here!"
Twilight leads you to a quiet corner of the bookshelves and pulls an old leather-bound book from the wall. She blows the dust off it and hands it over to you.
Hmm. Prose...Something-or-Other, the title was faded. It was probably pretentious and stupid; all these titles of myths were.
"Thank you Twilight."
"Anything for a friend!" she smiles. "And doubly anything for the pursuit of knowledge. I'd read with you, but I have some spirit summoning notes to go over with Spike."
"It never ends, does it?"
"If they keep coming, I have to keep bottling them. I'll just be in the other room."
Twilight heads out and waves back to you. "Leave it out if you like what you read! I'll look it over once you're done!" You wave to her and set the book down on the table, opening it. The parchment inside is old and the text seemingly done by an even older penmanship.
You think back to your grammar classes to get you through this.
"Alright then, let's see what we have here..."
Before there was anything, any earth or sky or life, there were three.
The fire-swept land of Muspelhim, homeland of the primordial fire.
Niflheim, the land of frozen mists and ice.
And Ginnungagap, the gaping abyss betwixt the two.
The primordial darkness, the perfected chaos of Ginnigagap, lay equidistant from both the lands of ice and fire, and as heat and rhyme kept in from these elemental bastions did form the first life.
Ymir, the oldest and most powerful of the giants and ancestor to all that would later be, formed of the ice droplets from Nifilheim melted by the heat of Muspleheim. The violence of Ymir's birth was only rivaled by his own, and the ancient world suffered greatly in his shadow.
When Ymir slept, the other subsects of giant, hill, frost, and fire were birthed from his body: leaping forth from his legs or his back or the sweat of his glands. As the primordial ice and fire continued to meet in Ginnungagap, more beings emerged from the frost. Audumla, the Eternal Cow, the First Tribes, and eventually Buri, the first of the Aesir.
Buri, and his son Bor, intermingled with the giants and together birthed a new type of being into the primordial Equestria: Half-god, half-giant, the eight-legged god who took the name Othinus.
As more sprang from the Ginnugagap and Mimir's violence continued, Othinus decreed that it would continue no longer. She struck down and murdered the giant Ymir, and from his body, formed the realm of Midgar. His blood became the oceans, and his flesh became the fields. His hair became the plants and his skull was made into the sky.
When the first murder was complete, Othinus took the throne of Asgard and declared herself Sleipnir: All Mother.
With the newly formed and fertilized Midgard, life began to grow and flourish into the world known today. All-Mother Sleipnir took to the sky, to her fortress of Asgard in the shadow of Yggdrassil and had many children who blah blah blah blah.
The tale spills off into many personal tales and accounts after that, tales of the All-Mother sacrificing her eye for knowledge and of Mjolna cross dressing to get a hammer back. You flip through the pages to get to where the notes start to coalesce again.
The end of the tales was marked by one word in deep, heavy writing: Ragnarok. You'd heard that word spoken before, the first time when you and Loki were in the caves of the Druids in the Griffon Kingdoms.
It was decreed by the Norns, eternal weavers of fate, that one day and ending would arrive.
A finbulvinter shall arrive, a winter to end all winters that seemingly comes from all directions and with such intensity that even the sun's warmth fails. This winter will be as long as 3 normal winters, with not a single summer between for harvest. Mortal law will fall away as they become desperate for food and all of the Nine Realms will be consumed by a sheer struggle to survive. It will be an age of swords and axes; brother will slay brother, father will slay son, and son will slay father.
The wolves, Skoll and Hati, brood of Fenrir, will catch and devour the sun and the moon, blanketing all realms in the darkness that sat in the Ginnugagap as the starts go out in the sky, leaving naught but a black void in heaven. Yggdrassil will tremble under this weight and all trees will fall. Monsters will break free their bindings and prisons, from the Dread Wolf Fenrir to the cataclysmic Jormundgandr, flooding all the world.
From a boat made of hoof clippings of the dead will ride an army of giants lead by...
You blink and read over the passage again, trying to take it in and make sense of it.
Lead by the Aesir Loki, betrayer of her kind.
Even as you go over the passage again, you read on:
As Fenrir devours all land and Jormundgandr burns the sky with poison, and all a pretense to when the fire giants arrive.
Cracking the dome of the sky, lead by Surtr, most powerful fire giant of all, the legions of Muspelheim will march across the Bifrost to make war with Asgard as Heimdall blows deep the Gjallarhorn, announcing that the end of all things has come.
The passages you read next churn your stomach: Describing the grisly fates of all your friends as they fight against this horde of monsters, giants, and the ravenous dead. More grisly deaths dot the pages until, finally, the black beast Nidhoggr arrives at the battle and bathes all in his poison, sinking the world and returning it back to the chaos of the Ginugagapp.
Every muscle in you screams at this book. You flip back to the start, hoping you missed something that can tell you why this happens. What begins all this death? What starts the Filmbulvinters?
You reach where you read and notice something near the stitching, the smallest fragment of a torn page. You swear silently, angry someone had taken this knowledge from you, and lean in closer. If you were lucky...
Yes! There! The indentation of the quill had let some of the ink seep through the parchment to the page in the back. You can see through the paper if you hold it to the light and, if you squint, just make out the first word on it.
B-A-L-D-U-R
Your eyes open and you feel all the fire in you snuff out.
"No..."
Now even he was involved in it all.
As the fire inside smoldered, it was replaced by a pained churning of your stomach. You needed answers to these most unsettling passages, and you weren't going to get them here.
"Thanks for the read Twi! Good book! I have to go!"
Back in Asgard, you find the Queen alone in a small garden overlooking the waterfalls of the palace, watching her two birds flit in the air. It took downright threats to get the guard to tell you where she was, threats you'd have to pay for later.
"ALL-MOTHER!" you call.
The Queen doesn't even turn her head to see you, simply turning her good eye to finally notice you. "...That look, I've seen it before...in the reflections of the Well so long ago in my own face..."
The Queen whistles for her birds to land as you march up to her, but she speaks again before you can. "You know now."
"The prophecy...Ragnarok, I--a book down below."
Everything you read comes spilling out of you; from the ordering of the world to Loki betraying the other Aesir to the mystery about Baldur's name in the parchment. The Queen responds to none of it until you finish, looking out to the sky beyond the city with a forlorn look in her one eye. "It was not like that..." she began. "Even then...when Mimir fell...I remember the sky. It was dark...and it was raining when we-" The Queen remembers when she is and recollects herself in a moment, looking back to you. "You needed not go down to Midgard to know of the tale of Ragnarok, No-name. All in Asgard know it well." The Queen looks over the city below.
"And they all just DEAL WITH IT??"
"Not all of us." She says.
Being here now, seeing the Queen address this literal apocalypse like it was the business of the day it...did something to you. Here in Asgard you were rejuvenated, but now you feel your age in your knees and buckle to the ground, hanging your head.
"How...can anything be done...against all that is told to come? How can anything be done? What's the point?"
You feel the despair rising up in you higher, along with it comes panic and fear. You're about to grab the Queen, shake her as hard as you can, and beg that she let you die again if this universal failure is all that awaits your second chance at life, but she smacks you with her hoof first.
"No-name. Calm yourself...take a deep breath."
The Queen's hoof reaches out and touches your chest, bringing a feeling of lightness and vertigo that draws what feels like all the breath in all the world into your lungs, so much that you cough and sputter.
The Queen kneels down and sits on her haunches, able to look you in the eye. "You know now what you have always known, No-name...that someday, you will die. You knew it when you were among the mortals, did you not?"
"I did...I did...but this..."
"This...is more." The Queen completes for you. "Aye..."
Music
"What...can be done? Can anything?"
The Queen is silent for a bit, looking out over the sun-kissed lands of Asgard decidedly not on fire from giants. "It is only a prophecy, No-name...not all of them can be correct. The morals prophesize the weather each day and how often are they ri-"
"I was in the well with you, I saw those three in the hut. They came up in the book...these Norns. If Ragnarok is decreed by those three, I wouldn't feel like it was something I could ignore..."
The Queen narrows her eye. "Indeed..."
"Then please, Queen. What can be done? More than just for Equestria and Midgard, more than just because I must protect them, how can we save Asgard? How can we save EVERYTHING?"
>"Tell me, No-name. Do you believe we can? Do you believe it is even possible to avert Ragnarok?"
The question pierces through your ears and makes your stomach clench up again. You remember what you read, the certainty of all that was written, and the deaths that these gods are supposed to endure while you wonder what part you could even play.
Then, you remember further back, back to the words Captain Gaeus said when you were still green and needed to fight off Diamond Dogs.
"I know I'd rather die finding out if I can than not."
"Mm..." The Queen rises to her hooves again. "With what you have read and what you have seen beneath the well, you now know more than many...but not the entire picture."
Clearly referring to herself.
"Can you tell me?"
"If I do, then I cannot believe what I must. Can you, No-name?" Sleipnir turns to you again. "Fear denies faith, No-name. Can your faith lie in believing that there is a way out of this trap?"
You feel your stomach tighten again as you stare into the Queen's eye but...find the sensation lessened as you look into it. As the tightness abates and is replaced with a calm pool at the center of your spirit.
"I...believe that whatever you had done in the past, that you would not wish Ragnarok on the world, All-Mother."
You put your fist to your chest. "I believe you...and offer myself to whatever you may attempt."
"Return to your room, rest, recover your spirit. Spend the evening with Baldur or Loki or Mjolna, but do not allow this No-name who glazes at the floor to remain in my palace by sunrise." You nod and raise your head. "And...speak not of Ragnarok to my children...They all know the parts they play in that fable more than any other, do not spread your anxiety to them."
You think to the passage about Loki betraying everyone. "But Queen-"
"I NEED YOU...to remain silent on this, No-name."
You feel your resolve swell and harden to steel, something about your disposition just made you respond to being given orders.
"Yes, highness."
Sleipnir chews over something and turns back to you. "Your curiosity has put you at risk of falling to this fear of Armageddon, and so I will abate that fear...somewhat. Gather your friends and your amulet you pretend I cannot see, I have someplace I desire to send you in the coming days."
"Uh...where, your grace?"
She rolls her eye. "You have the Palantir, do you not? Obviously, I intend to send you through time."
You regret asking. |
Prose Equus | Windows to the Past. | Day one of your journey to accomplish the Queen's quest.
It felt like many days since the two of you'd had your grim conversation on the battlements, but less than a week had passed. You look back on that night and cringe your face, disappointed in yourself. You'd never been the kind to give into despair, and that was the reason you were given this afterlife, if you had to guess. Seeing yourself so downtrodden and defeated spiritually upset you.
You were alive (technically), and so long as you were, you would fight whatever was coming.
Until you could fight no more.
You grip your fist in quiet determination as the three of you walk through the moist jungles to the south and the panting over your shoulder gets your attention again. More embarrassed now that you were so lost in your own head that you didn't notice, you stop and turn back to your companions.
"Rover...do you need to rest?"
You see Rover's cloak shift back and forth with his deep gulps of breath, the little pool of spittle from his tongue staining the fabric. "...No." he says after a few puffs. Rover is a large dog, with no sweat glands, covered in thick fur, wrapped in a heavy cloak, carrying a massive sword on a stocky harness, in the middle of the jungle, at noon.
You are CRIMINALLY unconvinced.
"Oh no, I know that face!" Loki protests beneath the both of you. The tiny godling stomps her hoof. "We've been walking all day to reach the Temple of the Fallen Star and I'm not interested in being out here in the dead of night! He SAYS he's fine so hop to it No-name!"
"Oh man."
You bend down a bit to get closer to her face. "You're right princess, no one here would EVER tell a lie to save face about anything, right?"
"Oh, shut up!"
"Make me."
Before Loki can actually carry out that challenge, you stand up and point your thumb through the trees.
"I hear a river through there the way we came. You may not want to, Rover, but would you take the opportunity to cool off if the Princess and I rest by the shores of it?"
Rover pants for several more seconds and wipes his brow. "...Wouldn't complain."
Rover shrugs off his cloak, sword, and rigging the minute you get to the shore and wades in, paddling out to the center of the river and rubbing a white stone. The gentle rock turns to powder on his paws which turns to bubbles that he drags over his fur. You think you can see the steam come off him as you sit.
"Rover, what is that?"
"Is soap stone."
"I thought soapstone was used for carving."
"Well this soap stone used for making Rover not smell like wet dog after bath."
The thought of that in the heat of the jungle enters your head. "Carry on then."
"Hrmph."
You sigh and put your hand to your ear.
"Do you hear that, friends? It is the call of the Grumpy Princess, I didn't know they were native to these parts."
You instantly choke with the twinge of magic in your mouth as a dozen tiny spiders spill out from between your lips.
"Feeling talkative any more, wise-ass?"
You rub your tongue with your glove to get the last of the little monsters off and spit. "Overreaction."
"No, that was me being subdued. I could have turned you into one."
You know you can't win in a battle of magic with Loki, so you let her get the last word here.
"Temple of the Fallen Star...can't say I've heard of it."
"With good reason, if what Mother says is the truth." Loki's desire to be the smartest one in the room would always overpower any temper she had.
"I must say I'm surprised that she sent us out here to find it."
Loki looks extremely annoyed for an instant. "I'm surprised that she was able to twist the existence of the Palantir out of you with so little effort, No-name."
"Now, now Princess, she probably always knew about it."
You lean back on the tree you're on. "Still...'go out and take the amulet to these places that correspond with the swords I use' feels out of left field.
"The Armiger are not 'just swords'."
Armiger...you know that term, the Queen used it when she took you down into the vaults. "Your mothers tools of war, right?"
"They are that...among other things."
"I'm listening."
Loki watches Rover wag his tail and shake his head in the water under the shade of the jungle. "The Nine Realms are host to many powerful things, both living and dead. Your monarchs for example."
You nod "They are at that."
"Great power is not easily banished from the world. Creatures and individuals of exceptional note leave echoes upon the land in their passing. Those echoes will wander if left alone, and gather again if ignored, like moss to a stone...unless that power is reshaped by a superior will."
You cock an eyebrow. "Have you ever wondered why you have never encountered any of the other gods spoken of by mortals, despite their legend?"
"...You're saying your Mother killed them all and turned them into swords."
"So crass...expected of a simpleton like you. No, they were not all murdered...some simply passed on, perhaps after having a deep connection to Mother in life. Each of the stories of the Armiger are different, and she has made each of them a part of herself. You can no more separate their legends from hers as you can separate your leg from your body."
You chew her tale over. "Why would she want us to see them then?"
Loki rolls her eyes. "I'm sure I don't KNOW, No-name. One minute I'm enjoying my evening in my room and the next I'm told that I'm to accompany you on a quest to learn about my Mother's instruments of murder and also that she knows about the talisman I use to spy on people. You and she are such good friends now, why do YOU think she sent you out here?" Loki says with a pout.
You look up to the top of the tree and ponder.
The Queens weapons...apparently inseparable from her...and your conversation about Ragnarok and the like...
Hmm...she said she wanted to abate your fears and then sent you out looking for these places with the Palantir. Sleipnir clearly had some sort of plan in mind for you, something that had to do with the Norns under the Well of Urd who were always watching her. If what Loki said was accurate about her weapons being part of her...
Could learning about the histories of the weapons be the Queen's way of telling you about herself?
Your thoughts don't get any farther before a choking sound comes from the river. You look out and see Rover wrestling with an anaconda the length of a house.
"Oh farts!"
You jump to your feet and grab your sword, wading into the water.
-Later-
You press back against the hulking feline with your shield and all the might behind it, gritting your teeth as it pushes you back on the stone floor.
"Will you hurry up and kill that thing already!?" you hear Loki shout.
"I don't even know what this THING is!"
"It's a Werejaguar, stupid!"
The cat-man snarls its affirmative and swipes its claws at you. Blood trickles down your face and it tries to bite into your shield. No good, have to displace!
You tense up your legs until you feel the golden fleece around your boots tighten, letting you know the enchanted metal was ready to carry you a dozen feet away faster than the wind. You skid across the stone brick floor and level your shield before the Werejaguar collects its wits.
Despite a few slashes on its chest, it was barely wounded.
"Tch! Who knew cats were so good at staying alive?"
Loki hops along braziers hanging from the ceiling while throwing flechette from small rifts in the air down at a trio of jaguars leaping up trying to get to her. "Why is it you think I know anything about cats?!" she shouts, hopping to another perch when one jaguar gets too close.
"Eels! Snakes! Occasionally worms! These are things I know about! Not ca-AHH!"
The Princess recoils when one of the jaguars successfully grabs onto the brazier she's on and begins swinging a club at her.
"Hang on!"
There you go making promises you don't know how to keep again. Time becomes a crawl as you take stock of the situation.
Loki was a good dozen or more feet above you, far outside the distance you could jump. Your shield is heavy and seems warped from the bite of the werejaguar, meaning it wouldn't fly right if you threw it. Speaking of werejaguars, the one you were fighting is now rushing towards you on all fours, no doubt to pounce on you and rip out your throat.
All this while the slamming sound towards the back of the room fills the hall.
"DO SOMETHING YOU IDIOT!"
You grip your sword and take a single step back, pulling back your arm and throwing the blade through the air. The blade cuts through the air and pierced the side of the jaguar attacking Loki, sending it to the ground with a loud yelp, leaving the one about to dive onto you. You clench your leg muscles again and scream 'GO GO GO!' in your mind to get the Fleece to become active again.
Before the jaguar falls on you, you make a quick dash to the right, going about half the distance of your previous retreat away from it.
This was nothing but a gamble, and you just hoped that you went enough distance both that the Fleece would have the power to carry you again and that you'd be going fast enough. You raise your shield and flex again, this time dashing back towards the werejaguar that stands where you once were, wondering where its pray went. It looks over to you just in time to catch your shield face first with the force of the golden fleece behind it.
You most definitely feel something crack under your shield when you send the big cat flying backwards, it hisses as blood runs down its snout and scrambles to get up.
Until it touches a loose brick in the floor that sinks down into the ground.
Nothing happens for a moment as you meet its eyes, then the bricks give way and the werejaguar falls out of view. You hear it roar for just a moment before the sound is cut off. You hazard a glance down, seeing the cat impaled on a collection of iron spikes at the bottom of the pit.
"...Just as planned! Yeah!"
"And they call ME the lord of lies!" Loki floats down to your side on her puffed out cape or some sort of magic, you can't tell the difference. "You didn't plan a second of that!"
"I planned to succeed and that's what happened!"
"That's not how any of that WORKS!" Loki shouts through gritted teeth.
"It worked for me!"
"Less fighting more fighting!" you hear from the back of the room.
Rover ducks under the axe of one of the werejaguars and swings his sword to drive back the other two he was engaged with. He flicks his paw and throws some knives strapped to his chest at the two of them while the one with the axe swings back on the followthrough, forcing Rover to stop the axe from reaching his face by shielding himself with his forearm. The diamond dog yelps in pain as the axe digs into his flesh.
"He needs help, let's go!"
Your feet are moving before the words finish leaving your mouth and almost before you register Loki shouting "You don't have your weapon, you idiot!"
"There's no time to get it, take the rear one!"
You hear Loki shout in frustration while you run to the back of the room. Rover had engaged the werejaguars atop a small ziggurat with a large golden wheel on top of it, perfectly aligned to catch the sun through a hole in the roof right in the center. The combatants dancing before it makes reading the hieroglyphs on it much harder. You hear Loki open rifts and entangle one of the jaguars from behind with chins while Rover runs through his friend, trusting you to take the one at his back.
You look around the outer walls of the room as you climb the stairs, leaving only seconds before you need to get the jaguar.
"Come on, come on-"
If that jaguar earlier fell into that spike pit then that must mean there would be more- There, out of the corner of your eye, you see a skull shaped sconce on the wall that was tilted a bit more than the others. You reach out with both hands and grab the jaguar by the shoulders before it can bury its axe in Rover's back. With a mighty heavy, you throw the cat down the stairs so that it rolls across the ground and slams into the wall.
The werejaguar hisses as it gets up, not seeing that its impact has knocked the sconce to the side. Meaning it also didn't see the line of darts fired from the other side of the room that impact it in the chest, killing it before it even hits the ground.
Rover winces and looks around, keeping his wounded limb close. "That all?"
"Loki?"
"Just a minute."
You and Rover turn to see the werejaguar Loki engaged drag its claws on the ground as Loki pulls it into a rift with the chains she wrapped it in, the princess watches statically as the cat's howl is cut short by the portal slamming shit.
Rover and you silently share a look.
"Princess are you o-ow, ow ow!"
Loki flails her slappy hooves at you which hurt more than normal because she keeps gold horseshoes on. "That was stupid you idiot! You had no weapon!"
"A warrior's mind is the greatest weapon he can have!"
"No it's not! Swords are!"
Rover slots his own giant blade onto his back and begins licking his wound. "Agree with princess, sword beat brain every time. Hel, Rover use sword to beat brains."
You pull away to get some distance from Slappy McPrincessliar.
"Everyone's a blasted critic."
You look over the room of werejaguars that died defending this giant gold disc.
"What now?"
Loki looks under her coat where one of her pouches is violently shaking back and forth. She reaches in and retrieves the Palantir from it which shakes just as violently.
"How long has it been doing that?"
"How should I know? I was trying not to be kitty litter!"
"Litter isn't what cats eat, Princess."
"Oh shut u-AH!" Loki gets jerked by the magical time viewing amulet to the center of the room. When the two are in the direct sunlight, the force becomes too strong for Loki to maintain a hold on and the amulet floats up into the air.
The orange jewel in the center of the Palantir angles itself perfectly to catch all the sunlight from the hole in the ceiling and then, with a tweak, sharpens into a narrow beam of orange energy. The beam traces its way up the golden disc and causes it to glow the same color.
"Loki..."
"It's not-"
Like the Palantir, the golden disc erupts in a stark white fog that pushes away the massacre at the temple.
You don't feel your body. The sensation is remarkably similar to the one you felt after you died, when you were carried to the halls of Valhalla. You look over the jungle you were in from a view only the eyes of a bird can see and watch the sky spin backwards.
Faster and faster it goes, maddeningly so, centuries pass in the blink of an eye and the treescape beneath you changes like grass being blown by the wind.
It stops.
You can tell the air you see is still, even though you have no face to feel it. The sun hangs over the proto-jungle in the sky, just as it always ha-
There, cresting over a far mountain, another sun. It shown like the heavens above, resplendent and gold, and shot through the air across continents at a speed that would blister the wings of the wonderbolts.
Behind it races a silver streak, hot on its tail and inching closer.
Where the golden glow fled, great fires erupted in its wake. The silver streak following it doused some of the flames just by passing, but that they remained told you that it was not its concern. The streak gets closer to the glow, frightening it.
"Get away from me you beast!" you hear it shout.
The glow intensifies and splinters off parts of itself, golden gems that hang in the air for moments before exploding into a dazzling radiance of fire and light while the glow itself rockets up into the air so fast you can't see it. You try to avert your gaze as well as you can without eyes, and when you can focus again you are atop a hill next to the silver streak.
Or rather, Her Royal Highness Silver Streak Sleipnir of Asgard.
However...the Queen looks different to how you normally see her. Her mouth not twisted into a scowl. Her mane, not as gray. Her eye, still fierce as it was but with a fire that rivaled the sun she stares into.
"Hiding there will not do you any good, Ishtar."
No response comes.
"A hiding place may only work if I don't know where it is...the mayhem you've caused in these lands for the sake of your vanity will end...NOW."
Fragments of the sun break off and begin to fall to the earth, massive fireballs that incinerate kingdoms.
"And now you tip my hooves." The queen says.
Sleipnir surrounds herself in the flashing images of the runes on her teeth. Complicated looking magical equations etch themselves into ground on sparks of light and the air excites with power. Three streaks of quicksilver burst from Sleipnir's shadow and race through the air at blinding speed, impacting the coronal ejections in the literal blink of an eye and extending further, farther, out into the space beyond.
"Wha-?!"
Sleipnir adjusts her footing and braces herself as the sun begins to shine brighter.
You turn your attention to it and see that no, it's not getting brighter. It's getting closer.
The quicksilver bands strain in the All-Mother's grip as the sun plummets towards the ground and you see the glowing golden light panicking as it does.
"ARE YOU INSANE! NEITHER ONE OF US WILL SURVIVE IF YOU PULL THE STAR DOWN! NOTHING WILL!"
The All-Mother of Asgard did not smile, never smiled, never as you've seen her. But the wide, full gummed grin she shines to the sky as she pulls the sun down in an apparent suicide move could break glass.
"THEN YOU'D BETTER COME OUT OF THERE, LITTLE ANGEL!"
The sun continues to fall rapidly until it seems to take up the entire sky, aiming to fall right on top of the All-Mother. The golden glow, Ishtar, ejects itself from the sun riding a solar flare and bares down onto the lonely jungle hilltop.
"OTHINUS!" she cries.
"ISHTAR!" shouts the Queen as the streaks of quicksilver return to her, cutting through the air in the natural conclusion of their arc and impacting the solar flare right before it strikes the queen.
Again the light is too bright to see through and you wish you had eyelids to close.
You feel pain though you have no body and sting though you have no face.
When the light fades, the sun is back in its original spot hanging in the sky. A four sided chakram the size of your torso stands embedded in the grass before Sleipnir, each blade being an immaculately carved feathered wing alongside a razor sharp blade, meeting in the middle at a sunburst effigy.
You see the Queen smirk before the vision begins to fade and the feeling of your body comes back one inch at a time.
You, Rover, and Loki wobble as you all come back to your senses. Rover gets down on all fours and whines.
"Stupid...magic..."
You take some deep breathes, getting the air back into your lungs and looking around, at the temple, amulet, the gold disk depicting a black wolf pulling the sun down from the sky.
"She said she pulled the sun down to get one of her weapons...I guess she wasn't lying."
"Demiurgy." You hear Loki say. The Princess stairs down at the ground, oddly pensive. "It was...demiurgy. A practice so old and unused not because of its profanity or taboo, but because no one still exists who may perform it correctly."
"What is it?"
Loki's eyes narrow. "It is...an act of utter domination. To make your ruling over another beings spirit so absolute, so total, that you may dictate their physical form and bind them to it. You saw the vision, no-name. It is a way of turning angels and their like into a weapon you'd hold in your hooves."
You go closer and kneel down. "I get the feeling you don't like it."
Loki gets that indignant puff of her cheeks. "I am no one's knife to be wielded."
You nod and pat her back, she lets you. "I understand, don't worry. I'm sure if she wanted to do that to you, she already would have."
"How comforting." Loki says, dripping with gratitude.
"Queen want us find more of these?" Rover asks, wrapping his injured limb but keeping it close to his chest. He was clearly wounded.
You nod your head. "At least a few, but I have the feeling you're about to tell us you'll need help."
Rover snorts through his nostrils. "Paw hurt. Rover can lift sword, but slower. Defense would be hard."
You raise your palm to him.
"Worry not Rover, I think I know someone who can come along with us who is an expert in defense."
"Oh no..." Loki groans.
Day Five of your journey.
You dive into cover behind a large bone protrusion just as the blast of icy magic creeps up your leg and encases it.
"Oh for the love of Pete!"
"Who in Hel's name is Pete?" asks Princess Loki, hiding behind the rock and peeking out to fire a small knife from her rifts out over it.
"It's just a figure of speech!"
You grab a rock and begin striking your foot to get the ice off. "How are the others??" you ask over the din of battle on the other side of the rock.
"How should I know?" demands the princess "I can't see a thing in this snow! Why did we have to come here today when the weather is like this!"
"Loki it's the middle of nowhere in the Tramplevanian Alps! It's never NOT like this!"
"That's hardly my fault!"
You finally break your leg out. "I tell you what is your fault! That I'm stuck out here without a weapon fighting-"
A shadow falls over the two of you. Both of you know that with moments to act, now wasn't the time to argue. You both leap back, diving into snow as your assault crushes the massive rib bone you were hiding behind and roars a blizzard into the air.
"Why the Hel would an ICE BLADE be effective against FROST TROLLS, no name?!" Loki shouts, getting the attention of your massive assailant while you get to your feet.
At your age, you really shouldn't ever expect any part of your life to be easy, but even you were a bit at the edge of your rope here. An uncharted valley hidden in the mountains near the Ibex Empire. Containing a MASSIVE dragon graveyard. That was now entirely populated by a tribe of frost trolls.
And you without your sword, though you didn't exactly have an answer to Loki's point.
"No-name!" you hear her chide as she pulls on the frost troll's arms with a pair of chains. "I had to call in a ton of blackmail to get those things I gave you reforged to fit your gross ligaments so USE THEM AND HELP ME!"
You grunt and stuff your hands into a pair of dragon head ornamented cestus.
"Clear a path!"
You dash towards the beast, ice in your lungs making them sting, and cock your arm back as Loki gets out of the way. You do everything you were taught, using your momentum, waist, and shoulder to deliver a powerful punch...
Which the frost troll seems to barely feel.
"...LOKI!"
"CALL OUT IT'S NAME!" she cries back as the troll raises its arm.
You pull back your other arm and take a deep breath.
Music
"GERBERA!"
A loud BANG like a dragon's roar echoes through the valley once you contact the troll, sending him reeling back on the shockwave.
"Whoof!"
You put some pepper in your hits but that amazed even you.
"It isn't done, keep going!" Loki shouts.
You look and see that the troll is indeed getting up to its feet. With renewed confidence, you race towards it and grip your weapons tighter.
"Not so fast!"
You skid on the ice and deliver another powerful hit to the wrist of the troll, feeling something snap as you pass by and get underneath his chin to unleash an uppercut to his jaw. The troll rocks back, holding its jaw with both hands and leave his torso wide open. You dash forward and let loose a flurry of blows into his midsection. You bob and weave around his attempts to swat you away, counting the blows you land.
"One! Two! Threefourfivesixseveneightnineten!"
The eyes of your cestus alight and spread an orange flame from their mouths over your fists. The troll, upset at the assault he was weathering, cups both his hands together and raises them over his head to smash you into goo.
He drops his fist, you dash backwards and let it skirt past you, then kick off his thumbs and pull your own fist back.
"Go to HEL!"
Like the dragons surrounding you once did, an eruption of flame bursts forth from the mouth of your cestus and engulfs the head of the frost troll, it doesn't even get time to shout before it hits the ground in a heap, lighting the area in its funeral pyre and making the ice collected along the bones of these ancient titans glisten in the moonlight.
You stare at your hands
"Princess I take back everything I ever said about these."
"Hmph!" you hear over your shoulder. "As you should, No-name. I am ALWAYS right."
You cock your eyebrow and look at her as the fires in your cestus die out.
"Always."
"ALWAYS!"
You let her have that one and look out into the snow. You can see the fire reflected in the eyes of the frost trolls, too frightened to come near it and attack you.
"Well now..."
You bend your neck and crack it, igniting the flame in the mouths of your cestus again. "I think we stumbled onto something they don't like, Princess."
"Posture later, can you hear them?"
Both you and the trolls turn towards deeper in the blizzard, where the sound of someone striking a large slab of gold echoes through the night along with a cocksure. "Hah! Didn't even feel it!"
The trolls look back to you.
"Don't even try it." You say it like you mean it, but what was the story of your life?
No one listens to Anonymous when it matters.
The trolls turn and run towards the sound, intent to help their brothers. "Loki we have to move!"
"I can see that you idiot!"
Loki and you give chase to do the same.
You trail behind the trolls a fair distance, them being more adept to navigating snowbanks than either of you. Along the way you pass even more dragon bones, each thicker than tree trunks, with skulls large enough to build a house in.
"Loki!" you pant out.
"What makes all these dragons come here to die?"
The tiny princess has to hop like a rabbit to get through the snow banks. "Dragons are!" "Instinctually drawn!" "To power!" "If a large enough!" "Dragon died here!" "Then the others!" "Would find themselves!" "Drawn to this place too!" "At the end of their lives!" she says, bunny hopping through.
"So another instance of going somewhere just because you're supposed to..."
"I suppose that compulsion reaches across the lines of species!"
The clanging intensifies and the two of you pick up the pace.
"Hah! Try again!" you hear, followed by the low roar of a troll getting wounded.
The metallic sound echoes out again alongside more jeers "Not even close!" before another troll tries out. You and Loki finally push through the snow to where the trolls you were chasing ran and found them surrounding the other two of your party, though not taking them yet.
Baldur stays low underneath Rover with his wings outstretched, watching the trolls in front of them while Rover watches behind, his injured paw still wrapped and held close to his chest while his other one hefted his massive sword.
Baldur glows with his usual incandescence and the trolls look away from him or block their own eyes. "Hah! And they call me ugly!...wait, I think I insulted myself..."
One of the trolls decides to do something about the light and comes up behind the two with a hammer.
"Look out!"
Baldur turns to see the troll approaching and stays low under Rover as the diamond dog gets into position. With a flick of his wingtip, Baldur contacts the hammer, which flies back as if it'd struck the side of a mountain with a golden sheen.
"Not a chance!" shouts Baldur to the troll.
"Wide open." Remarks Rover as he thrusts his sword forward and pierces the troll's chest while it's still stunned. Rover pulls his sword from the corpse of the troll and lights the whole bloody thing on fire, casting harsh shadows into the night and frightening what remains as the flames reflect off Baldur's armor alongside his own glow.
"We make a good team, friend!"
Rover gives a rare smile and rests his sword on his shoulder. "Never had job go this easy with smiling pony...pretty good."
"And I've never met someone so good at conversation!"
You and Loki join the boys, having all put the pieces together. "They're not used to the light up here."
"Or the heat." Rover says."
"What say we light things up a bit for them." Baldur remarks.
"And banish this BLASTED cold!" Loki shouts.
The four of you break and run towards the now frightened trolls.
After the battle, there's just as much fire in this valley as there is snow and ice. You look at the cestus' adorning your hands and smile at your reflection in the dragon's eyes.
"Loki, do you mind if I keep these? They came in handy tonight."
And another elementally powered weapon would be useful.
Loki looks over from where she warms her hooves on the body of a troll, her nose running. "Huh? Sure, keep them, we already warped them making them fir your 'hands'...Baldur! Has any progress been made on finding...whatever the Hel it is we're out here looking for?!"
"I don't know, sister!" the prince calls back as he returns from his search with Rover. The prince may be invulnerable, but even he looked tired now as he slumped by the fire and lit the area with his sheen.
"The other trolls nearby are frightened off by our presence after we defeated their friends and keep their distance but this valley is LITTERED with the bones of these dragons! And those bones are so covered in ice and frost that it's almost impossible to look in them! We don't even know what we're looking for!"
Baldur dramatically flails his body in frustration, casting the reflection of the fire off his armor around on the ice.
As he does, your pocket buzzes.
Which means-!
"Baldur, hold still!"
Baldur stops rolling around on his back with his legs frozen in the air as you get the Palantir out from your pocket. "Ah? No-name?"
"We're doing...something right here" you say, moving around the campsite.
You look out over the ice and bone fields, the vibrating started when Baldur's sheen started bouncing everywhere.
"No-name?" asks Loki.
You follow the glow of Baldur's light with your eyes, watching it go up the skull of a truly massive dragon and alight its eyes with the light of the fire reflected off godly armor, catching the ice that's collected in its eye sockets.
"No...wait."
You look closer, that wasn't ice.
"They're crystals!"
The crystals punctuate your sentence for you and emit rays of light that the Palantir collects, exploding out another bank of illusionary fog.
You had no body again but this scene was drastically less cataclysmic then the last, no falling suns, anway.
You're next to the Queen, standing still as a statue amidst a blizzard and wrapped in thick furs. She looks different than she did hunting the angel; she was more weathered, but not without a wisdom behind her eye.
Said eye looks ahead to the walls of the blizzard. She takes a breath.
"Golden Dragon of the Valley, I come to bargain."
The winds of the blizzard are pushed away by a massive draconic head lifting itself from its rest on the side of a mountain. The massive snout of a serpentine dragon bares down on the Queen, its once golden scales now a muted yellow and its horns weathered and gnarled. It painfully opens its pink eyes and takes note of the visitor it has.
"All-Mother..." it says with a tired croak. "I knew of your ascension...forgive me for not attending."
"There is nothing to forgive, Great Kohryu. My ascension to the throne was...unpleasant."
"As are many..." the dragon begins. "When your father, and his father before him ascended, they did not visit me as you do. To concerned with their conquests and order.
The Queen averts her eye and looks down at the snow of the mountain. "I have had enough conflict for many lifetimes...I hope to never see it again."
"You and I...both know...that to be a comforting lie..." the dragon wheezes.
Sleipnir closes her eye and swallows that before changing the subject.
"The order of Midgard is still my purpose for being here, great one. You-"
"I know..." he says. "You have come on the right day, I believe...I will soon venture into the sky, and my time in this earthly realm will reach its conclusion, as it does all things."
"But." The dragon closes his eyes and sighs, the heavy sigh of disappointment so vast that it can't be spoken of. "But...my kind are not me...they seek not the path of peace, but of competition."
"If one of them were to get your scales, your power..."
"Yes..." the dragon says. "I will not be responsible for such damage to this world that has been so gracious as to birth me into it to see its wonders..."
The dragon opens its eyes again and looks down to the Queen. "You would do this for me?"
This close, you see Sleipnir's jaw lock behind her lips. "Yes." She bites out. Sparks of golden light manifest in the air, birthing the Queen's spear into the world. "I will see to it that you leave this world as honorably as you lived in it, great one...and I will ensure that your scales and your power never enter the service of those who would see the world you love so dearly burn for nothing...Such is my charge."
The dragon closes his eyes for the final time. "The crown...is heavy, All-Mother... I am ready."
For but a moment, stillness sits in the valley.
As Gungnir explodes into the air and through the great golden dragon, its physical form immediately begins to dissipate into a million billion motes of golden light raining down over the snow. Sleipnir who had kept her head down and eye closed, finally lifts it and snaps her good eye open with a startling intensity. She stares at the air before her and the golden motes turn and flood towards that spot.
As the golden dragon Kohryu had broken apart, now did the golden blade Kohryu form. Like the noble creature it once was, the greatsword that forms out of the motes of light is massive, half again as tall as you were. The body forms of intricate scale wave that shifts and fades into an almost angelic pattern as the great dragon ancestor's spirit became one with the Queen.
The lights fade, the sword rests in the air, and Sleipnir takes it in her magical grip without a word. From the last glimpse you see of her before the vision fades, you think she would have preferred the dragon over the sword.
Day Nine of your journey.
"FLOCK OFF FEATHERFACE!"
You loose the arrow knocked in your bow from your vantage point at the top of the ruined battlements and nail a direct shot on the winged terror before you. The harpy cries out as the arrow pierces its heart and falls down into the fog below. It's death cries, however, call half a dozen more of its friends to you.
"Damn!"
You pivot and run, jumping down some stairs and running across the top of the wall.
"The last memory shard we're looking for is in the ruins of Tambelon" they said.
"It'll be safe" they said "What's the worst that could happen there?"
"I've been eaten by spiders already I'm not trying to get eaten by harpies!"
You hear the flapping of their feathers and the heat of their breath on your back as you pick up your pace. You opted for a bow for this outing, remembering the songs about how tall Tambelon's walls were and intent to do a little sniping, but bows were almost useless against foes that could chase you down this fast and melee weapons were entirely useless against razor sharp harpy talons.
"Worse than the gryphons-!"
Abandoned weapons littered the tops of the battlements, the remnants of some long-forgotten war. You may not be able to fend off six harpies with any of these, but one of them may buy you a few seconds to come up with a better plan. You scoop up a shield and turn just as one of the harpies lunges at you, digging its talons into the rain softened metal and tearing it away from you.
Okay, maybe just one second.
But that was all your luck needed.
Three bricks fly over your head and strike the harpy in the face. You knew that gryphon bones were hollow from basic training, and harpy bones were no different, cracking and shattering even as the bricks themselves explode into dust while the harpy falls to the floor, gurgling its last.
"GET INSIDE!" you hear Loki shout behind you.
You suck in two lungfulls of breath and run along the last stretch of the battlements and into another one of the raised towers on the wall, getting in just in time for Loki to slam a metal door shut when the harpies get through the cloud of dust.
"I told you to make one with a ROOF your perch!" she admonishes.
"I needed a clearer vantage point!"
You draw another arrow and fire it through the hole Loki made when she pulled a brick out. "I bagged more than you from that vantage point before they came after me!"
"Only because I had to drop what I was doing to keep you alive!" Loki shouts, slamming a table up to the window when one of the harpies sticks their talons in.
"Call us even for all the times I've had to cover for you!"
"OH GIVE ME A DAMN LIST!"
"I DON'T HAVE MY QUILL AND PARCHMENT RIGHT NOW!"
You fire through any opening you can, hitting a few of the winged terrors outside but already hearing more on their way
You also feel your quiver getting lighter.
"I don't suppose you can pull more arrows out of those little gateways of yours.
Loki nearly trips. "DID YOU NOT GRAB A MAGICAL BOW?!"
This is news to you. "I wasn't even aware there WERE MAGICAL BOWS TO GRAB!"
"IT'S A CITY AT THE EDGE OF A RAINBOW BRIDGE UNDER A GIANT TREE IN THE SKY AND YOU THINK BOWS THAT MAKE THEIR OWN ARROWS ARE OUT OF THE QUESTION?!"
"Well it sounds stupid when you say it like THAT!"
You fire an arrow, reach back for another, and find only empty leather to greet you.
"I'm out."
"Fantastic!" Loki shouts "Now I get to die like cousin Hod did!"
"How did he die?"
"HE USED A BOW THAT RAN OUT OF ARROWS YOU TWIT! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YO-"
"Stop shouting and duck!" you hear from outside.
There was no time, so you tackle Loki to the ground "Backup's hear!"
The second the two of you are on the ground, everything above you gets ripped off its foundation.
The crumbling remains of the tower you were hiding in sails through the air along with the harpies that surrounded it, crashing into one of the central spires of the city and shaking it to its core. The spire wall crumbles at the force of the impact and, only having three sides to support it, falls to the ground as well.
The harpies still in the air after that are plastered by something flying too fast for their eyes to see and drop into the dust cloud below the walls with the rest of their flock.
Loki lets out a deep sigh beneath you as your savior lands on the wooden floor behind you.
"...Should I come back?" asks Mjolna, god of thunder. "Should I expect another nephew?"
"Sister, would you like to be cursed? I can make that happen for you." Loki says, batting her hooves on your chest. "Get off of me, No-name."
You roll your eyes and roll to the side. "I believe you have nothing to worry about prince-"
"Just Mjolna."
"-nothing to worry about, Mjolna. Loki was JUST telling me how much she hated me."
Loki groans and gets to her hooves. "No friend of the god of lies should be so gullible..." she says. "I do not hate you, No-name, despite how easy you make it at times." Was her apology.
"Right back at you, princess."
Mjolna offers a wry smile. "Welcome to my life."
"Quiet."
"DIDN'T even thank me for saving her hide from the harpies." She continues.
Speaking of harpies, the screeches on the wind tell the three of you that they're not done with you yet. All three of you are on alert as Mjolna catches her hammer in her mouth. "Do we know where they're coming from?"
"They may be bigger, but harpies are dumber than gryphons. They have to have a nest nearby and if we can get rid of it, they'll scatter like leaves."
"They initially came from the south, I saw it when we first kicked up trouble."
Mjolna hops onto the remains of one of the destroyed walls and looks out over Tambelon, seeing a swarm of the winged terrors round a spire and fly in your direction.
"You two get to the nest and take care of it! I'll keep their attention off you!"
"Are you sure you can take them all?"
"Hah!" she laughs, letting her hammer sag and spinning it around. "Who the Hel do you think I am?"
The thunder god jumps off the tower and lets her hammer carry her into the murder of birds. A great impact rings out over the city with a clap of thunder that shakes the old stones and you watch the flock turn and fly away, several of their number already falling down. Mjolna throws her hammer after them and, with the swiftness you remember from the Everfree forest, gives chase after them by bouncing between old roofs or running along the side of the great walls of the city.
"Well, now she's just showing off." Loki remarks.
You had to scavenge some arrows from the surroundings, not easy considering the distance the harpies had to fall when they died.
Just as Loki had said, traveling south along the wall lead you towards a giant a small valley with black earth surrounding it. Nestled in the back of the pit in the ground was a tree stump of massive proportions, larger than even the keeps of Asgard's wall.
And even from here you can see the piles of twigs, hair, and bones that were patched together on its remaining and hollowed out branches that the harpies took their refuge in.
When the subject of how you were to knock it down came up, Loki spoke without looking at you.
"I once learned of a spell that will allow us to destroy that tree, but it will depend entirely on how accurately you can shoot. I'll be too busy concentrating to aim for you." She said.
And that was how you ended up kneeling on the edge of a cliff trying to aim your last arrow so that it flew through two portals the size of dinner plates over two hundred feet away in the air.
"...You can't make them ANY larger?"
"You can't...aim...ANY better?" Loki grunts out as sweat rolls down her face. She has her eyes closed and is on her knees as runic sigils rotate in the air around her. The single glance you give her makes you remember that at least some degree of her attitude was warranted; she was truly a master class spellcaster, even if she made it look easy most of the time.
She was still a total brat, but you understand why. You'd probably be a brat if you could do half the things she did too.
"Okay...just hold it a bit longer then."
"No...rush..."
You take a deep breath and focus, consciously trying to will your heart to slow down so its beating didn't ruin your aim. You hear your old mentor's voice in your mind, running you through your archery drills back when you were young.
Clock the wind on your skin, account for the pull.
For every hundred feet, adjust your aim by another knuckle on your fist.
Empty your mind of everything you hear, taste, or smell. Turn your senses off one by one until the only things you experience are the ones that help you with your shot.
And then when you've reduced your entire universe to just you, your bow, and your target...
"Re...LEASE!"
The string TWANG'S in your ear and the arrow sails through the air, passing through the first portal and coming out the other side untouched.
Except for the fact that the arrow was now on fire.
You tilt your head sideways in confusion.
The flaming arrow cuts through the wind and reaches the second portal, this time going through and vanishing from sight.
Seconds tick by and nothing happens. "..."
Loki lets out the breath she was holding and pants. "Uhg...I hate doing that."
"Uh...what exactly was it you did?"
Loki looks up so you do too.
You see the flaming arrow fall out of a golden portal over a thousand feet up. How can you see it? Because the flaming arrow had now grown to the size of a large bridge and was falling straight down onto the harpy's nest.
It cuts the sky in half and the impact shakes the ground for a half mile. The iron head cleanly skewering the ancient trunk and the fire quickly engulfing the branches.
A moment passes between you and Loki at all the spectacle.
"...That's a good trick."
"Mm." Loki nods. "I once read the scrolls of an ancient Ibex king who fought the colossal gods of his time with a pole that could stretch and grow. It took all my concentration but transmuting it for our purposes was simple for me."
"I see...and the portals were so far because?"
"You try to do three complicated things at once."
"Of course."
Another moment passes between the two of you, but it's Loki who speaks this time. "Don't tell me you're still mad about what happened at the tower..."
"No, it's fine."
You shift your weight. "If you hate me that much, I can avoid you. I'll associate myself with your brother and everything you don't like can be in one place, easy to avoid."
Loki sighs and sits on her rump. "How long have we known each other, No-name?"
"It certainly feels like longer than it is."
You glance down at the littlest liar, she looked oddly tired. "Then by now you have earned my gratitude. I...did not mean what I said back there, my sister...brings out the worst in me."
"A-huh. And why should I believe a legendary liar."
"Because lies only work if you tell the truth sometimes."
Against your better judgement, you ruminate on all that. Even further against it, you sit down next to her and pet her head once. To your amazement, she doesn't buck you off.
"Why your sister?"
Loki blinks a few times to think. "She and I...we were brought up together, but we couldn't be further apart. She was given a hammer, the responsibility, the praise, the glory. I worked hard for the magic I'm permitted to have, scorn, and punishment."
"You know that you get at least some of that because of your attitude."
"Was not one of your own princesses welcomed back after she nearly killed all of the mortals over the jealousy she felt to her sister?"
"Got me there..."
Loki sighs. "I am...the way that I am because my family has everything that I should desire, but they don't want it. It's like...starving and seeing a lifetime of food rotting in a ditch."
"What you 'should' desire? Do you not want what they have?"
"I don't know what I want." She answers curtly, and you can tell that response is loaded with more than you could cover today.
You nod. "Start with what you feel you don't want to lose; desire that and go from there."
"More advice than I've gotten from them..." Loki says, rising to her hooves. "Well...I don't desire to have you mad at me over a misunderstanding, so I offer my heartfelt apology."
You stand and put your fists on your waist.
"I accept."
"Which means you also accept the risk that if you tell a soul about this, I'll light you on fire."
"So business as usual."
"Exactly." Loki says, smugly. "Come on, let's go see the tree. You and I both know that the fragment we want is down there."
"We do?"
"Of course. It's always been on top of the strangest thing in the area."
As Loki predicted, the Palantir begins to react the minute you get into the smoke of the once great tree.
You blame her magic.
This time, however, the amulet reacted as it always had, by simply encasing the two of you in a dense white fog. You still felt your body, you still saw Loki next to you, but now shapes and figures moved among the pit, two in fact.
The tall one with eight legs was easy to place, but the equally sized one with the long tail next to her was unknown to you.
"Who the Hel's that, she looks like a sea-"
"Shh!" Loki exclaims.
The figures speak.
"To think that even the a sacred ash tree could fall to this malice...disgusting." One of them says in the voice of the Queen, although with a much more vibrant timber to it.
"I sense it goes far deeper than just this oak, my friend...this city will be home to dark sorceries in due time."
"There you go trying to predict the future again..." the queen of the past remarks.
You think of all the trouble Tambelon gives and all the legends surrounding its former master.
"Well that didn't age well..."
The eight-legged figure kneels down and scoops at the ground. "Ord, look...the mark of the Etir is here as well."
"Surely he wouldn't-"
"No, he would not." She rises up. "This must be...something else, some other evil that we have not yet foreseen, perhaps it was the one that caused Vil to venture off in the first place."
"Like some dark whisper?"
"Exactly like...something is very wrong."
"I feel it too...come, let us return to the shrine."
The two figures walk past you and you hear Loki suck in a lot of air while the fog fades.
When you can see her more clearly, you see that she looks like she was just caught stealing something, like a frightened child.
"Lo-"
"She had both eyes."
You look between the princess and the space the figures were in a few times. You knew who she was talking about, anyone could.
"You're SURE?"
"I SAW it, No-name. It was like they both looked right at me." Loki shivers.
You look back towards the flaming tree and the smoke billowing into the sky, then at the Palantir in your hand.
"How OLD was that?"
Music
Back above the world in the shadow of Yggdrasil, No-name, Loki, and Mjolna return from the latest and last mission you sent them on.
You watch the three of them return into the palace for some much-needed rest from atop a high tower and silently wonder what they saw when they reached the Tree.
Would they learn what you needed them to just from what brief glimpse into the past that amulet could offer? Tempting them with stories of your gods-turned-weapons was a trick that would not work twice if they got frightened off, and you dared not send your ravens to peek around in the event THEY saw it.
Your socket beneath your patch stings at the thought, you have to push it away.
At the same time, the small piece of silver you kept hidden beneath your raiment twitched.
You knew what it meant, and you allowed the voice at the other end into your ears.
"I felt a surge of magic at in your realm in a place I wanted never to think of again, what do you know?"
"Hello to you as well, Ord."
"Answer me, Sleipnir."
You blow air from your nostrils. "Just...dealing with my children."
"We both swore to let the deeds that place heralded rest in the ashes, along with everything that touched it."
"Not everything burns that easily."
"Then that would be on you, wouldn't it?"
"Aye..."
You glance up to the setting sun. It was one of the only things across your life that was the same now as it was when you were younger, even after what you did to it to get Ishtar. Perhaps you should be friendlier to Celestia.
"You know how children can be, Ord. Endlessly inquisitive and attempting to hide knowledge from them will only make them seek it more. There were things I...wished for them to see."
"I have never found hiding forbidden knowledge to be that difficult."
"Yes, well I would like to see my children again in my life."
The silver strand stills, and the voice is silent.
"I apologize."
"We both made our choices."
"But I don't have to throw yours back at you."
"What are you scheming?"
You laugh, even the voice on the other end of the strand wasn't used to hearing that these days. "When have I ever answered that?"
"I believe the last time was before you gave up your eye."
"Then you really ought to know better by now, shouldn't you?"
Even as you say it, you can feel her tired smile.
"The ghosts of our past will ever haunt us, Ord...unless they are unearthed."
"And you believe your children can bear that weight?"
"I have shaped them to from the moment they were born. I have to trust them now."
"I almost wish I could share the feeling..."
"Is that desire I hear in your voice, O' Queen of the Silver City?"
"I perish the thought, Battle Wolf."
You chuckle, you remember that old name.
"Peace, that is all I scheme, Ord. Peace of land, peace of mind, and peace of body."
"Says the God of War."
"If you desire peace..."
"You fed me my share of war for a billion lifetimes."
"Suit yourself."
You begin down the stairs back into the palace. The other side of the link understands and the silver in your chest stops twitching. |
Prose Equus | Bleeding Gods. | You stand on the balcony of your room overlooking the city of Asgard. The apple in your hand crunches as you take a hearty bite out of it, refocusing your thoughts around the sharp taste and sighing.
"Back to it then..."
You return into your room and back to the desk kept in the corner. Upon the desk was a piece of parchment, curled at the edges from being rolled up and stuffed into the space behind a loose brick you'd found. Ink upon parchment swirled together at your touch to create a web of connected bubbles over time, as each piece of the puzzle the gods around you thought you too dim to notice was silently gathered into your hands. Let them keep thinking you a dullard, they wouldn't be the first.
You start at the center, the biggest word circled and with the most branches stemming from it.
"Ragnarok...the end of the world..."
From the cave murals found in the Griffon kingdoms to Twilight's book and the lecture All-Mother had given you, the doomsday prophecy seemed carved into every facet of every story you'd heard up here.
"All things must end...but why like that? Why together?"
You trace the lines from the center out to other, smaller circles that each still contain questions. What was the truth black ooze that you and Loki had been collecting? The Eitr. What exactly was the relationship the All-Mother had with the Sirens at the bottom of the Well of Urd? Even the fables knew them as the Norns and they were intrinsically tied to Ragnarok, but somehow, they were also the ones Starswirl the Bearded banished so long ago?
Moreover, what was the deal with the Queen's children? Baldur had his mysterious aversion to pine trees, Mjolna held incredible power and an even greater adversarial relationship with her mother that no others held, Tyr beat the crap out of you when you first arrived and remained distance since, and even saying Loki's name was enough to understand everything SHE was hiding. That doesn't even mention the perpetually furious Vidar out on his farm or the mysterious "Hermod" that you'd yet to be formally introduced to.
All these things had one thing in common; the Queen you knew so little about. Beneath her bubble on the parchment rested a phrase you'd heard dozens of times since entering Asgard, one that burned in the back of your mind each day.
"But WHY are there no Frost Giants?"
Tales of the giants themselves reached all the way down to Midgard, stories of monsters that lived in the hills of the Crystal Empire or Gryphus or other equally frigid climes. How could there be such an incongruity between the myths recorded down below and the reality that you were told up here? Especially when the Queen was detailing that the book you'd read in Twilight's library on Ragnarok was about as good as talking to her about it.
You'd heard talk of Jotunheim so you know that their ancient home exists, but never had you heard of anyone traveling to it. Over time you've seen antlered elves, stout dwarves, and ravenous flame spirits arrive in Asgard as diplomats, each with an attitude as icy as the mysterious giants, but never the creatures themselves.
Your eyes drift upward towards Queen's bubble as you think. All these branches lead back to her, and she was as connected to the prophecy of Ragnarok as anyone else was. You think; She'd sent you and the others out searching for mystical visions through time of her slaying deities and monsters before any of her children were born, why? Was it her way of telling you about herself? If it was, you had no idea what it was for.
"If I knew more, then perhaps..."
Your eyes drift from her name to the names of each of her children connected to her.
"If any would know the Queen...it would be her children, wouldn't it?"
You take the last bite of your apple and chew both it and that thought over. Right now, it was all you had to go on, so it was either have a series of uncomfortable talks with the Princess and Princesses of Asgard or give up here.
You gulp down the fruit as another thought enters your head. The Queen knew everything that happened in the palace and possibly beyond, she would notice if you went around asking questions.
Meaning first you'd have to find a way around her sight.
"Hmm...Loki may have a trick up her sleeve..."
She was as good a place to start as any.
"More."
You sigh "Loki, I'm offering you my ice blade, the Golden Fleece AND my helmet. I don't have much else I can give."
"Well you better find something because that is not enough!" the princess says, striking her bed she lay on with her hoof. "You come to my chambers and ask for an amulet that can hide you from Mother's sight?? Do you know how DIFFICULT those are to create?"
Loki gestures grandly and frightens her pet eels. "I don't see you finding any old hoof clippings from the Naglfar!"
"I really don't know what that is."
"IT'S-"
"And I don't have the time to find out!"
Loki puffs up her cheeks. "You are STUNNINGLY bad at haggling!"
"Look, it's important! I'm investigating something!"
"And what might that be!?"
She was getting annoyed; this would turn into a full blown argument if you raise your voice. Instead you sigh, take a mental step back, and keep yourself calm.
"What do you know about your Mother? Truly know, I mean."
Loki makes a face. "Wh-what's this about all of a sudden?!"
Oh no.
"Why would I know anything?! I avoid Mother whenever possible! Our relationship is one based on mutual avoidance and that works FINE for the both of us! She doesn't have to see me and I don't have to upset her! When she's not upset at me, I'm not punished which is just FINE with me! I-"
"Loki!" You raise off your seat and spread your hands like you would to calm a wild goat, Loki silences herself. "Relax. You're going to burst a blood vessel."
Loki take some time to regain her composure while you take a seat again, sighing to yourself. "I'm sorry, I forget your situation sometimes. Being the youngest as well as adopted..."
"What?" Loki asks, tilting her head to the side.
Oh boy.
"Uh...well..." you begin. "Adoption, you know. Being in a family you aren't born into. It must be hard on you."
Loki goes "tch" dismissively and sneers. "Perhaps that may be the case on Midgard or other backwards realms, but you'll not find such a practice in Asgard."
Now it is your turn to tilt your head. "Beg pardon?"
"Our customs, No-name! In Asgard, you be considered a part of a family is to BELONG to it! Don't think you can trick me with your mind games to improve your haggling position! I am Loki Sleipnirdottir! Princess of Asgard and heir to the throne!...Even if it's last in line!" she boldly proclaims.
You take a few seconds to chew that over. "Hmm...I wasn't aware of that."
"I can't see how. Why would I call my Mother or sister or brothers such if I didn't see them that way?"
You click your tongue a bit befuddled, you hadn't expected that kind of swerve. "I honestly can't say. I apologize, Princess."
"I magnanimously accept! For the grace of the Crown knows not any boundary that exists!"
"Don't push it."
Loki sticks out her tongue.
"What happened to your birth parents?"
Loki's tongue goes back in her mouth and her face morphs to an almost disinterested one. "They died."
"How?"
"Not well."
Right well that was a clue to shut up if you'd ever heard one. "Message received."
"Mm." Loki flips through the book she was reading and lights a candle without looking at it. "I'm told I've been at this palace since near the day I was born and have no memory of who birthed me. If you're searching for information like that, you'll need to ask one of my siblings." She says as she turns the page. "Perhaps they can help you with your newfound creepy obsession with Mother."
You let that slide in the presence of business.
"I'd need a way to avoid Her sight if I were to do that."
Loki rolls her eyes and groans. "Fffffiiiiiiiiiiine, No-name, Fine. Your pathetic nature has scraped out some of my pity. I will allow you to BORROW one of my talismans, but I will demand it back!"
Loki points her book at you. "Any scratches and it comes out of your hide!"
"Alright, I get it! Thank you!"
"Hmph!"
"...Who would I even ask about this?"
"Well, Mjolna is the closest to me in terms of age..."
Later on, at the tavern in the lower city, Mjolna slams her ale stein onto the counter. "She's a bitch, is that all you needed?"
"Uh..."
You clutch the amulet Loki had lent you in your pocket "I must admit, I'd hoped for a tad more when I came searching for you."
Mjolna snorts and drinks again. "Alright. She's a controlling, manipulative, cruel, aggressive, and egotistical bitch. How's that?"
"Also a bit unhelpful?"
"Well if I keep talking about my mom, I'll say something so nasty it'll make you blush."
From the first day you'd met Mjolna, you could tell she didn't have the usual reverence for Sleipnir that was common in Asgard. The way she invoked her name was without weight or presence like even Loki had. It sort of reminded you of the way one would refer to a piece of refuse.
You begin to think this could be a waste of time. "Alright, I get it, fine. You don't think highly of your mother, I'll just-"
"WRONG!" Mjolna says, slamming the stein down again. Silence passes between the two of you as the once-wayward princess grinds her jaw. "That's wrong. I dislike my mother, sure, there's a lot to dislike. But what do I THINK of her? Tch. Respect the Hel out of her...I have to."
"Okay...That is a monumental contradiction."
"Life's full of little inconsistencies." She snorts.
"Can you tell me why at least?"
Mjolna turns and spits into a plant, you make a mental note that the well-beloved teacher was a bit of a mean drunk. "Oh you bet I can. You may have found me on Midgard, but I grew up here, under the crown. Since I was little I had that old goat glaring down at me, telling me I was her heir, that I had a mountain of expectations to climb before I could walk."
She finishes off her drink. "But I guess stubbornness is genetic because you know what? That's exactly what I DID. All the pressure of the world and every challenge she made and I STILL rose to it, to where now I'm the only one in the whole Nine Realms who can lift her magic mallet."
Mjolna kicks the hammer on the floor with her hoof. "But it was never ENOUGH. It was always 'more more more, I demand more from you'. Pteh..."
"The crown is...heavy."
"Don't I know it..." she says quietly. "So yeah, my mom's awful, and the way she raised me was worse. But think low of her? I don't think that's possible."
"How come?"
"Because across all of Asgard I'm considered the most powerful Aesir, but everything that I could do is barely a notch on mom's teeth in comparison. I hold dominion over thunder, but she holds so much more than that. Really, you should look up a recording of her titles one day, the list is longer than you are tall."
Two children down and you weren't closer to learning enough about Sleipnir to satisfy your curiosity...that didn't bode well. Perhaps it was time for a different tactic.
"I remember when we first met, you said that Frost Giants killed your father..."
Mjolna grumbles in a new way, not in anger but something else. "Yes...dad died...not well."
Her choice of words makes you narrow your eyes. Drink and sadness made it clear to you that you weren't going to get anything else out of her, but you don't exactly want to anger the god of thunder.
You place ten hacksilver coins on the counter.
"Keep her in drink, barkeep. The tab is on me today."
Mjolna laughs and gives you a wry smile. "Buying my forgiveness for ruining my day, No-name?"
"Yep."
Why lie? This wasn't Loki. "Enjoy your drinks princess, and please don't smash me when we next meet."
"If I do this right, I won't even remember." She says as her next drink comes.
You exit the tavern and grip the talisman again.
Mjolna was far too dour on her mother to question about this, you'd need to ask someone with a sunnier disposition.
And that left exactly one candidate.
You confirm from a steward that Baldur was practicing his swordplay in a nearby courtyard and you arrive just in time to catch him being slapped through the air and crushing a pile of crates.
"Oh lord."
You make haste over to check on the prince and find him raising himself out of the wood and fruits expectantly unscathed. "One more time! I feel I'm getting the hang of this! Oh, hello No-name!"
"Enjoying the air, Prince?"
"I'm being taught swordplay!"
"How's that going?"
"You can ask my teacher!" Baldur says gesturing behind you.
You look over your shoulder to Rover resting is blade on the ground. "Throwing pony prince not get Rover head chopped off, right?"
"Let's say 'probably not'. Can the prince and I have some privacy? I need to talk about something important with him."
Your outings with Baldur had been more known of late, so Rover didn't resist in the slightest. "Rover be drinking out of fountain when you need him." he says before walking off. Baldur gets himself out of the crates of fruit he squashed and sets his sword down. "Something to talk about? What questions can I answer?"
You almost laugh at how on-point that was. Your mind was a storm of unknowns that ensnared every one of your thoughts, you have no doubt you could keep Baldur here for an hour just reciting them all before he even got a chance to answer any.
You decide to settle. "What's your mother like?"
Your attention is immediately piqued. Both of Sleipnir's daughters reacted to that same question with some level of anger that you were asking it. However here, with her youngest son, you words cause a dark cloud to cover the courtyard. Baldur's face dips a bit.
"Mother? What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid I don't know how best to say it beyond just that, Baldur. You've known her for your entire life, how would you describe her having grown up with her?"
Baldur's face falls more and he looks to the ground. The calm breeze that came through the courtyard and carried the scent of lilies is no longer. "Mother...complicated...I suppose 'complicated' would be the word I would use the most freely..."
"Meaning?"
Baldur laughs a sad, solitary laugh and looks upwards, past the palace spires and to the sky beyond. "Do you ever recall those memories in the back of your mind, No-name, from when you were but a babe? The thoughts you were sure you had once upon a time but that have become so clouded by time that you barely make them out anymore?"
"I can't say I do, Baldur. I was an adult when I arrived in Equestria, and an amnesiac at that."
"Mm..." the prince mutters. "Even at my age, I still remember some of those earliest recollections...through these clouds, I remember a warmth as pure and potent as the setting sun soaking into my hide and behind it, my mother's loving smile..." Baldur smiles a bit and blinks something in his eyes away. You hear him ask "Was it truly so long ago...?" beneath his breath. "Whenever I seek to be the kind of prince I wish to be...I try to recall that warmth I felt once, and perhaps impart it onto others..."
The queen smiling was an odd enough sight but a warm one at that? That was decidedly new.
"All who have eyes can see that's not the case now, Baldur...what happened?"
Baldur's smile fades as another cloud rolls in; his eyes unfocus as he recalls something that you don't have any answers about. "Her heart froze over..."
Your eyes narrow.
"Frost giants do that, did they?"
"There are no frost giants, No-name."
"There were within Mjolna's lifetime, she says."
You hear Baldur suck air through his teeth and see his eyes widen before he turns to you. The look the invincible god met your eyes with, one of downright fear and shock, reminded you of the night with Krampus.
"How much do you-"
"Enough to start demanding answers but not enough that asking three of you godlings has satisfied me."
Baldur takes a step back from you like you'd just drawn your sword on him. Your first instinct is to calm your friend, it was no use prodding him with these questions if he never spoke to you again, but he wouldn't let you.
"I cannot say anymore No-name."
"Baldur you don't-"
"PLEASE don't think poorly of me it--I can't say any more about--"
A tense moment passes between both of you before Baldur turns and runs into an adjacent hall.
"Dammit..."
You hear a dog slurping behind you. "Lessons over?"
You didn't see any of that coming, but you bet someone who did might have answers.
From the courtyard down the bridge to the Keep of the Bifrost, you march. You push both doors open with all your might and find the battlement empty of all save the solitary watchpony overlooking the well that lead to the rainbow bridge.
Heimdall tears his gaze from his station and looks you in the eyes. Even here you feel the weight behind his eyes, like looking long into the Queen's only there were two of them and they were colder.
"Go on, ask." He says knowingly.
"I'm not asking. Let me into the realm of the frost giants. If I can't get the answers I seek here, I'll go there, you lot are clearly hiding something there."
Heimdall waits a moment before responding. "That it? All done?"
"I'm not playing here, Heimdall!"
"And yet you come to my keep asking things so foolish that they could only be jests."
"I-"
"You weren't asking, I know. I am choosing to have heard you phrase it in a more respectful manner so that we don't have an incident here."
Your frustrations mount and your temper flares, you take a few steps towards the watchpony gripping your pocket to avoid any "incidents" being seen.
"I see that talisman as well."
And then you stop in your tracks. Nuts.
Heimdall's face contorts into a self-satisfied grin. "The Queen may perhaps be too busy to notice such a thing, but it is not beyond my sight."
"Oh yeah, did you see this?"
You reach forward and grab one of the many maces on the many racks scattered around the keep, to protect from invaders more than likely.
Heimdall raises his eyebrow while you glare at him. "Seriously?"
"If you're desperate enough and can't get what you need by asking..."
"All this over a scrap of paper you keep?"
You point the mace at Heimdall and assume a fighting stance.
"Just because you see everything doesn't mean you know everything. You don't know me, or what I've seen, or how far I'll go to do something about it, which is a damn sight more than anyone in this city. So the next words out of your mouth better tell me you're ready to protect that well or else you're going to be losing some teeth."
Heimdall appears unamused, but tilts his neck to the side and cracks several of his joints. "I've held watch on this gate for my entire life. You believe you can do what nearly all of Asgard's enemies couldn't?"
"Gotta try."
You duck low and rush to the stairs at Heimdall's side, sparing him a quick glance to assess the situation.
You wish you hadn't.
The eyes of Heimdall the watchpony see all there is to see in the Nine Realms, so that no enemy of the crown can make an attack on Asgard His gaze is unyielding, his vision absolute, and his perception nearly infinitesimal. Unlike before, this time when you meet his eyes, you are overtaken with a profound sense of vertigo and yet you have difficulty looking away.
Images flash in your mind of everything that's happening at this moment. You see Princess Celestia lowering the moon while a pair of elven children dance in an open field. Smoke billows from mountains as dwarves continue their craft and the fires of Muspleheim rage and cinder all they touch. The evening mists of Niflheim's frost settle in and you see yourself dropping to your knees as the keep is approached by another.
You gasp and find you are indeed on your knees.
"A-"
"Careful now." Heimdall says. "If I'd looked any harder, I might have killed you. Get some air back in your lungs before you do anything else stupid."
You grit your teeth and take heavy breaths, feeling the ignition of your heart send fire into your limbs. After getting the runaround by everyone all day, you are more than a little cheesed off. You push yourself up with your mace, ready to make another go at your doomed charge before another voice cuts you off.
"Enough Heimdall, this fight is anything but fair."
Wonderful..." you say, spitting the copper from your mouth. "Here comes the fun police..."
You turn to the door in time for High General Tyr to make his grand entrance into the keep. Normally the general was accompanied by his honor guard or at least a squire, but today finds him alone.
"My lord..."
You say that with an exaggerated flourish.
"You'll have to excuse me if I don't bow...your guard dog knocked the wind out of me."
You hear Heimdall snort up the stairs. "Never heard that one before..."
"Stand down, No-name." the lord orders. "Baldur came running to me at the Ulfiborg fretting, worried that you were sticking your snout where you have no business to."
Tyr gives you a stern glare that's probably melted the resolve of countless new recruits like the end of winter snow. "This is a direct order from your superior. Put the mace down, return to your quarters, and forget everything you spoke of today."
You, however, are no raw recruit holding a weapon for the first time. "...I think I'll lose respect for you if you honestly intended for that to work."
Tyr snorts. "This is not for you to-"
"Oh please do COME OFF IT!"
Tyr recoils at your outburst which allows you to march up to him waving your mace.
"I have spent the ENTIRE day getting lead around like a lamb by every member of your family saying the exact same thing like you believe everyone who'd hear it is an idiot who can't make the simplest connections!"
"Everyone who looks knows your line about the Frost Giants is a bold faced lie! Your own sister told me that the Giants killed her father when we first MET!"
Tyr's eyebrows dip in anger but you don't let him talk.
"That's another thing! You ask her and Loki how their parents died, and you know what they BOTH say? 'Not well'. Well General I happen to come from a realm where we teach our children such things like BASIC DEDUCTIVE REASONING so that when they hear the same answer from two different ponies about two seemingly unrelated deaths, they may think there's some sort of correlation!"
You point up to the sky where the clouds have not left.
"Even Baldur is running scared from this conversation enough to drag you all the way down here to be useless in a new locale for once! I've been dragged from my afterlife by your family, done whatever you've asked of me for MONTHS, risked my second life and generally acted like a good soldier and now I am cashing that in! I DEMAND an answer for what in Hel's name is going on here and how I related to it and if I can't get it from you then I'll get it from somewhere else!"
Tyr glares again. "You don't get to DEMAND anything of us, No-name!"
"Did the Trio beneath the Tree tell you to say that?"
That may have been the wrong thing to say, in hindsight.
Both Tyr and Heimdall's eyes widen like you just pulled your pants down. "You-"
"I've been. And I know. Now start talking."
The General doesn't start talking, instead he starts shouting. "You...you are an OUTSIDER! That you've even dreamt of what you speak of is an insult to everyone in this city, to ME!"
"Then I take it this is a personal issue?"
The general grits his teeth and undoes his heavy cape, shifting the enchanted metal cap on the end of his hoof into a broadsword.
Fine! Violence is the only language these ponies understand anyway!
You and Tyr fought, once before, before you'd revealed yourself to Midgard. He had, as expected of a war god, handed you your rear.
But this time you were more than a little "cheesed off" some might say, and it carried your weapon arm well.
You whip your mace forward to block Tyr's initial thrust with his blade.
"Touched a nerve, have I?!"
Your voice is mocking, but your mind is dreadfully cold. The bruises from your last fight are fresh in your mind, and the General was fueled by a fury you'd yet to place and using a bladed weapon with expert precision. He could fight an army if he kept that up.
Your only hope is to do this fast, before his superior stamina can overtake you, and hope that his temper can be picked apart with more words.
What would the old chief say?
"You can do better!"
Tyr's pupils shrink as he snorts and rears back, flailing his hooves as ponies occasionally do.
Right there!
You can almost hear the Captain now. Your body follows his instructions on an instinctual level.
Distract and bait target.
When vulnerable press attack.
Heel kick to abdomen.
Weaken shoulder with mace strike.
Punish weakness.
Discombobulate with reverse roundhouse kick to the face.
Dazed, confused, he'll attempt a wild overhead swing with his sword, which he does.
You use your superior height to catch the swing early and block with your mace. "Not today!"
Hooves above his head, impact jaw with armored knee.
Wound shoulder.
He finds himself against the wall and creates space.
Low on options, he charges.
Sidestep, then grab with free arm.
Push to wall.
Strike ribs.
Ears ringing, use momentary lapse to deliver heavy wind-up uppercut to jaw with mace.
The general flies over onto his back and your mace flies out of your hands striking what feels like solid steel. No matter.
Punish loss of footing with leaping punch to neck.
Straddle chest.
Pummel him. Pummel him. Pummel him.
Punching the General in the face felt like beating on a rock covered with flesh. You didn't know how long you could keep at it, but that was not enough for you to even consider stopping.
You were going to get to the bottom of this even if it killed you.
The sound of your fists bouncing off Tyr's jaw in a rapid one-two rhythm filled the keep and even Heimdall simply stood and watched in shock. "If! This! Is! The! Best! Asgard! Has! Then! It's! No! Wonder! You! Needed! Me!"
Tyr tries to bring his hooves up to protect his head and begins to slip past you. You needed to finish him but standing up for more strength would let him compose himself.
"If you hate people finding out about your secrets so much then try not keeping them in the first blasted place!"
The general opens one eye, continuing to defend and never for a moment relenting. Whether due to your past frustrations with him or his pompous attitude, you start getting angrier.
"Come on Wolf-boy! What happened to the pony who floored me in front of all his minions to show off!"
"Wasn't showing-!" Tyr starts to get out before you hit him again.
You think back to the last time the two of you fought and what lead to it.
"What is it then, huh? HUH?! What about me drives you to such fury! And why did it get worse when I told you about Captain Geaus!"
"My oh my..." you hear Heimdall say.
Through using his shoulder to block your assault, Tyr gives you a glare that could be ripped right from his mother herself. The fury behind that eye was not of the High-General, but of the one who muzzled the Dread-Wolf. It successfully gives you pause for a brief instant.
"You blinked!" Tyr says.
Looking down, you see that he's angled his prosthetic metal hoof cap directly at your head. There's a loud BANG as the cap fires off and impacts you in the jaw, sending you flying back off the General and onto the stone floor.
You groan and rub your jaw.
"Who...let that mammoth that hit me...in here?"
Rolling over and pushing yourself to your feet, you see that Tyr is already up and re-affixing his prosthetic hoof. He's glaring a hole through the floor that he turns to direct at you, but keeps his mouth shut and remains still.
"...Nice to see I haven't ruined your stupid face."
"I'm amazed you still have a head, let alone a jaw."
"Your mother has been forcing those golden apples you lot eat down my gullet every month. I guess they made me less fragile than you think of me?"
"You could only go up from what I thought." He responds.
"Prince Charming over here..."
Another pregnant pause holds the keep.
"...My lord?" Heimdall asks from atop his dias.
Tyr is silent and still for a moment longer before he finally bites out a response. "Fine." Tyr stomps forward and strikes the ground with his metal limb. "Heimdall. As High-General and Crown Prince of Asgard, I command you to open the Bifrost to Jotunheim. Now."
Heimdall contemplates his words. "You know what will happen, Lord."
"Allow me to worry about that." Tyr says.
"Very well, General..." the watchpony says before weaving his mystics upon the well.
Tyr turns his gaze to you and sneers.
"Wipe your mouth and leave your stolen mace here, No-name. The truth you seek will be your epitaph."
Music
You and Tyr ride through the Bifrost on the back of his war chariot as soon as it arrives, letting his three goats pull you through the sky.
From how Tyr spat out the word "Jotunheim" as well as Heimdall's recalcitrance, you'd prepared yourself for seeing something drastic and awful.
What you saw was not something you were prepared for.
This was...not a realm, and it sapped all the anger you'd thought you had from your recent fight.
The air hangs with a stillness and finality you had not believe could be. Mountains and ice stretch below you on the remains of what earth there once was here, traveling from where you arrived into the distance.
Looking down over the edge of the chariot, you drink in some of the apocalyptic view. Mountains risen around millennia old fortresses and battlements lie flattened into the ground or ripped from their roots. You see your first giant, a towering and frightening creature even from up with a wild mane and featureless eyes. An army of them stretches out along the path that extends before you, all frozen in an instant of fury and outrage.
At least the ones still in one piece, for there were just as many scattered limbs, torsos, and heads laying upon the ice.
No wind played against your skin in this world frozen in horror.
The sky above you, black as pitch with barley a single mote of light in it, like the stars themselves were afraid to look in its direction, was all around you.
There was no realm here.
"Tyr...what in the Hel happened here..."
The General stares ahead as he directs his carriage, face as hard as stone but eyes deep and full of regret. He sighs the sigh of one who doesn't know where to begin his tale.
"You asked my siblings of how they view our mother...correct?"
You nod.
"I did..."
"What happened here...can only be understood with my answer to that question. So I ask that you bear with me."
Just as you, Tyr seemed to has lost all his rage from the fight after laying eyes on Jotunheim, or perhaps it was simply the memories he was recalling.
"Once...long ago it feels now, I was the chosen heir of Asgard. After Vidarr had left, before Mjolna was born, I was being molded for the throne from my earliest memory..."
Tyr strikes his armor above his heart with his prosthetic. "I am my mother's son, war is in my blood and it was what I was bred for, and yet she tempered me with countless lessons from diplomats, peace weavers, and kings."
"Once...it was my destiny to follow in her footsteps, mend the wounds she could not, and finally bring peace to our Nine Realms..."
You remain silent and nod so he knows.
"I was not like my brothers and sisters, faith in Mother was all I knew growing up and always felt like the right thing to do."
"What about-?" You nod towards his metal hoof cap, Tyr laughs as he looks into it.
"Ah...this old thing. The aftermath of binding Fenrir to his prison. He would only sit still enough if one of us kept our hoof in his mouth, which I volunteered for."
"And then what?"
"Haha. He didn't take kindly to seeing that we'd actually succeeded in trapping him afterwards."
You nod. "Do you regret it?"
"Not for a moment, it needed to be done. Afterwards, when Mother saw what I'd given to stop the wolf, she congratulated my wisdom and declared me the God of Justice on the spot, for-"
" 'Power requires sacrifice', she's fond of that phrase, isn't she?"
"Mm." Tyr's tired smile at remembering better days fades a bit as he recalls. "Though...that began to change just a few years later, after Mjolna was born."
"After she met Geaus."
Your eyes widen.
"You mean-"
"He was your captain, wasn't he? I recall you saying such when we last fought..."
You nod and glance to your feet, recalling the old timer. "Captain Geaus was the Royal Guard Captain before the current one, Shining Armor. He...trained the two of us as his apprentices while our counterparts were off with...somepony else."
You downright shiver remembering her.
"I arrived in Equestria an adult with barely a brain in my skull, but the Captain looked past all that. He saw what I could do, how much I gave, and he let me try where others would have just let me wither. He shaped my entire life...my entire afterlife too, by the looks of it."
"Mm..that sounds like him." Tyr says, directing the carriage towards the only remaining mountain in Jotunheim.
"We met Geaus when he was brought to Valhalla, though Mother met him first. The Valkyries who brought him would take entire days to recount his heroic deeds that they saw upon his death."
You nod again. "That adds up. The Captain sacrificed himself to stop a rampaging dragon from reaching a town when reinforcements were cut off. They ended up killing each other..."
"...Aye."
Tyr turns the carriage.
"Mine, Hermod, and Baldur's father is a powerful wizard, yes, but he is simply a consort to the Queen, albeit her head consort." Tyr looks back to you. "I wager you know what happened to Vidarr's father."
You recall the vision at his farm and swallow the lump in your throat.
"Geaus...was different, from all of them. Even a passing glance at he and Mother would tell you that they were obviously in love."
The Captain fell in love with the Queen? Even crazier he made her love him back? You try to imagine the Queen Sleipnir you know being in love with someone and it makes your head hurt.
"That sounds...like the plot of a crappy train station paperback I once read..."
Tyr lets out a deep throaty laugh. "Indeed! But it was the truth!"
Tyr's carriage approaches the tallest remaining mountain in the realm, and you see it is no mountain. You approach a palace, built of dark grey stones from the foot of the world until it scraped the heavens and frozen in eons of ice stretching over its surface.
Deep gouges in the ice and shattered black chains resting frozen in the cold herald more and more signs of Armageddon here, perhaps the worst of it. Shapes that were once frost giants are burnt into the wall in all corners of the ice castle, other corpses rest at the bottom of stairwells brought down by some force until it crushed them and an entire third of the palace looks to have been ripped from its foundation, exposing the tunnels beneath to what remains of the elements.
Tyr stops the carriage at the top of the palace and walks off it, locking eyes with a throne made of ice burnt black, the floor before it stained with frozen blood and slash marks.
Still though, the general walks reminiscing. "Oh, that Geaus...if only he knew the effect he had, if only he knew of our history."
You get off the carriage and follow him.
"Mjolna came along as fast as their marriage did, a culmination of their love for each other and, as I thought at the time, perhaps the first one of us who was truly unmarred by the past...For almost three years, Mother and the Nine Realms knew an astounding sense of peace..."
Tyr looks to the throne again and hardens his face.
"But...that all changed the day King Laufey and his Frost Giants began their march across Yggdrassil, intent on conquering all they could and freezing the rest. They marched on Alfhiem, Svartalheim, and even Asgard...would have made it to Midgard after had we not stopped them there."
"Should I be thanking you?"
Tyr snears. "No, No-name. You should not for there is nothing worth thanking."
"But you-"
"I remember that day better than any other day in my entire life...the day my demons I did not see caught up with me, when I failed to save this world..."
"...What happened?"
Tyr looks back at you and opens his mouth to tell you a tale.
-Some Time Ago...-
Music
"WITH ME MY BROTHERS! REDEEM THEM WITH SWORD AND FIRE!"
You slash your flaming sword through the chest of the frost giant before you and close one of your eyes to shield it from the blood spray that follows as he falls.
"HAH!"
"My prince!" you hear behind you, as one of your soldiers tries to get your attention. You turn back to look at him. "They attack from all sides!"
You grin. "Then we will meet them at each one!"
You breathe deep and let out the war call. "RALLY TO ME! WOLF BRIGADE, ATTACK!"
"Let's go!" you hear them call. "Follow Prince Tyr!"
The Frost Giants believed today would be their greatest victory, but you and your soldiers would make it their worst defeat! None would penetrate the Golden Realm so long as you still drew breath!
The outer walls of Asgard were a mess, but you found yourself more than up to the task. There was some concern when you were taken to your post, some believed the All-Mother's son being given a command was a sign of nepotism. You silenced them all when you sacrificed your hoof to Fenrir and here, at only your twentieth winter, would you show them why you were a God of War.
Giants spill forth from gateways at every corner of the walls, but most densely here where the boundary between realms is weakest.
Winged horrors and wendigo spirits dot the skies above Asgard, attempting to harass your soldiers but not counting on your archers. Ice as cold as King Laufey's soul creeps its way over the walls to try and take your home from you, but still you would endure.
With your power and your might, you run along battlements and stairs, roofs and ladders, slaying the giants that dared force their way here from their accursed home. Dozens, hundreds, more fell by the edge of your blade. At the gates of the Bifrost keep, with giants ahead of you and your brothers at your back, there was nothing you couldn't do.
"And that's a thousand!"
The landmark giant you'd slain falls before you and lets you see the rest of his misbegotten kind behind him. You take a step back to regather and find yourself flank to flank with your brothers, encircled by foes.
"My Lord, they have us surrounded..."
"Hah! Fear denies faith, Bloodaxe! Give them none to chew on and keep your heart strong! We will not die this day!"
Your comrade quakes a bit behind his helmet. "What for, my lord? What should we have faith in now of all times?!"
In these crises, it was your duty as a prince to be a symbol for your people to look towards. Just as you prepare to respond, a rain of golden spears rains down from above.
"Hah! In that!"
As the torrent of spears cease, you look to the sky and see Queen Sleipnir descend in her gleaming golden armor. "Like chaff before the wind..." she muses.
"Mother!" you call out, stepping forward and getting her attention. "I could have taken them!"
The Queen laughs as she lands and pulls Gungnir from a corpse. "I have no doubt you could, my son, but I fear I would die of old age if I didn't speed things along."
"Hah!"
You approach the Queen and bow, as do your comrades.
"We are yours to command, All-Mother. What would you have us do?"
The Queen looks around at the battle and everything happening in Asgard. "Laufey overextends himself. Even now my ravens tell me that his marches into other realms are slowly losing their momentum. No doubt he's focused the majority of his forces here, in Asgard."
"A clever trick; dominate the Golden Realm and the blow to morale across Yggdrasil would be cataclysmic."
"Well then, we'd better stop them here."
A great roar shakes the city as one of Laufey's mountain elementals lumbers towards the southern wall, the Queen strikes her spear pommel on the ground with a resounding CLANG.
"Hold, my son. Hold against this scum and make our home the rocks upon which the ocean waves may break. We will break Laufey's back here and send his host back to Jotunheim with their tails between their legs."
You stand and place your hoof over your heart. "I will not fail you, Mother."
Your mother gives you a small but warm smile beneath her helmet. "You never have." She says before running off through the air.
You turn back to your soldiers.
"Come brothers! The enemy wishes a challenge! Let us indulge them!"
Frost giants are larger than ponies, even gods. And unfortunately, there were a lot more of them than you had initially planned.
Your horseshoes skid into the ground past the palace gates as you push back against a giant with your shield.
"STAND TALL, BROTHERS! JUST A BIT LONGER AND WE HAVE THEM!"
"HOO! HOO!" your soldiers cry behind you as they add their might to your own to push the invaders back.
With lance and hammer and lash and magic, the Asgardians do push back the forces of Jotunheim. You fight with a fury that would cause Fenrir himself to cower, unleashing your divinity and focusing your berserker blood into killing intent.
"DRIVE THEM BACK! RID THE GOLDEN REALM OF THEIR FILTH FOREVER!"
You dive forward and thrust your sword arm through a giant's belly, using your momentum to flip over his head and down his back before you throw what remains of him towards his comrades at the door, knocking them off balance.
"ATTACK!"
"My lord! A trio of giants push past the line!"
You spare a momentary glance to the side and indeed see the foot of a frost giant gleamed in gold push further into a palace hall. The urge to chase them down and skewer them riles up in you, but you recall Mother's words on the bridge.
"HOLD THE LINE! OUR COMRADES HOLD THE PALACE PROPER; THEY WILL CATCH THEM!"
Your soldiers cheer after you and continue to press against the giants, driving them further back towards the gates. Did mere minutes pass in that time? Hours? None alive from that day have answers as they give themselves over to the battle fever.
You're about to cut down one of the last giants in the hall when your soldier gets your attention.
"My lord!...What is that?!"
You look over your shoulder to where he called and see cracks forming on the supposedly impregnable walls of the palace, a great purple light seeping through and the temperature rising with it.
"EVERYONE DOWN NOW!"
You dive away from your quarry behind a pillar, giving him time to get back up. A few moments more and he would have crushed you, if not for what happened The wall at the center of the palace cracks and fragments before a flare of indigo flame, fueled by old magic explodes out from behind it. Your brothers, warned by your shout, take refuge behind any obstacle they can find as the hurricane force washes through the entire palace. The giants are not so fortunate, burning from flesh to ash to dust in seconds as the power washed over them and literally blew them out the front gates on a gust of wind.
Silence falls over Asgard. You look outside from your hiding place and see the skies clear, the walls bare, and legions of defenders confused.
"What was THAT?" one of your soldiers asks.
"T'was the Báleygr! The great flaming eye! I'm sure of it!" one of the elder ones called.
"You're mad, old one! Only the Queen has that power and she has not unsealed in in eons!"
You take a deep breath and feel a tinge of fear at the bottom of your stomach. What each of them said was true. "Something's wrong..."
You let your brothers continue defending the gate, there was something you needed to see. You race down the hall where you saw those giants go.
There were guards all over the palace, you were sure they could handle a few giants, but the thought burned its way into your brain all the same.
"Mother! MOTHER!"
You pick up the giant's trail by following their hoofprints in the carpets, racing up the stairs while calculating where they were headed through the castle in your head. Evidence of general mayhem was scattered through the halls, but the hoofprints continued deeper and deeper with clear purpose in their step.
At this rate they were leading towards the room where Mother kept-
You double your pace, speeding through the halls and praying you weren't too late.
"SISTER!"
You hear chattering and yelling ahead right by where your newborn sister's room was, you instinctively shift your hoof to your blade as you round the corner.
"LEAVE HER BE YOU CUR-"
When your eyes drink in the scene, your words die in your throat.
The door to Mjolna's chambers remained barred and secure, the three corpses of gold adorned frost giants laying in the hall meaning they did not reach her.
However, you saw they were joined by a fourth unmoving body.
A pony, of brilliant red coat and the silvered mane of age, clad in his own golden armor. And standing above him as unmoving as stone with her back to you; Queen Sleipnir.
Honor guard swarm around your Mother, securing the area and making reports to her that she barely reacts to. You can no longer feel anything below your knees, but you know you walk towards her regardless.
"All-Mother, we confirm that princess Mjolna is unharmed. She...hid under her bed when Ge-...when milord came to her to see that she was safe."
Another inspecting the bodies stands. "The blood is still fresh, All-Mother. These giants were killed recently."
You hear your Mother grunt in acknowledgement as you approach her from behind.
The guards continue to speak. "I can only deduce, Your Grace...that Milord intercepted these three before they could reach your daughter...but doing so cost him hi-"
"Enough." She speaks, silencing everything.
The guards turn to you. "The Lord is here! Fall in!" and begin to gather at your back, expecting you to lead them from this moment.
But still you keep approaching the grisly scene, one heavy step at a time.
A pressure in your ears build up until you can no longer year save for an intense ringing and your own heartbeat.
"Mo-"
Your eyes lock with the body of your step-father, praying to any who might listen that he might take a breath or move or show another sign of life.
"Mother I-"
A quavering in the chest, a lock in every joint, and that cold feeling that makes your hairs stand on end when someone is watching you. These deaths, this tension, this fear in the air, the fact that your sister now must grow without a father; you knew you were to blame.
If anyone is speaking, you can't hear them over your own breath picking up and the heartbeat thundering in your ears. If you'd sent even ONE of your soldiers he could have-
You choke at the Queen's back.
"Moth-"
The All-Mother stomps one of her hooves and snaps your temporary deafness away. She slowly looks over her shoulder at you, causing you and the rest of the honor guard to gasp and step back, despite having fought for your lives through the entire day.
With the light of the Báleygr barely being kept back by her eyepatch, Mother's single eye bores into the lot of you. In the place of the fire and exuberance you'd seen on the bridge now rested something that compels all who see it to abandon any hope they once had.
"Keep. Up." She spits through gritted teeth.
And in a flash does she vanish.
-Anon PoV-
Music
Tyr continues to recant his dark tale.
He tells how he and every Asgardian defender was left in the lurch without a clue about what happened or where the Queen had gone. Tyr raced through the palace, searching for any sign of the All-Mother or where she'd gone, but everything came to him at once by every voice that could talk.
He was suddenly the highest-ranking pony in Asgard, after all.
It was discovered that the Queen's entire armory had been stripped bare in an instant. At first it was believed that it could be the work of the frost giants, as raiding a vault of mythical weapons made the most tactical sense.
But Tyr knew where she had gone the moment he'd heard that. What the Queen did however, took sages from every other realm more than a year to piece together.
Sleipnir had arrived in Jotunheim in the span of a heartbeat, at the same place you and Tyr had arrived.
With two dead eyes burning hotter than the extinguished sun of Jotunheim and across hundreds of miles, she and King Laufey locked eyes from the top of his frozen fortress.
The king intended to mock the All-Mother, seeing himself great for bloodying her nose and unknowingly breaking her heart.
The fate of his realm was sealed before the air left his lungs when Gungnir went through his head.
You digest what Tyr says.
"The king was dead...and she didn't stop?"
Tyr sighs. "Another would have risen to take his place...and in her rage, I doubt anyone could have convinced her otherwise..."
Tyr looks out over the blasted out remains of Jotunheim, now just a small disc of land. "...I have spent more time eating breakfast in the morning than it took to gather a force in Asgard and get ourselves here that day...the realm looks no different now than it did then..."
He gestures out and points to various scars inflicted on the land. "Landmasses ripped from their floors and thrown into the sun...legions and armies cut to ribbons by Armiger blades. She killed with lash or blade or magic from the moment she set hoof down on this world to make her way to this castle..."
"And in the end...the words you have heard for all this time are true." Tyr closes his eyes. "There were no Frost Giants."
You look out over the Realm-That-Was but say nothing, you can't think of anything TO say.
"Jotunheim..." Tyr says for you. "The Queen, Geaus, Mjolna, Baldur...everything in Asgard that occurred after that day did so because I let three enemies run through our home unchallenged."
"Baldur? What happened to him?"
Tyr lets out another long sigh and his tired eyes look through the past in his mind. No tears fall from his cheeks, you suspect because they were all used ages ago. "Mother...was never the same after that day. The warmth she had was smothered and she was colder, harsher, and bitter...like the Fimbulvinter itself. Shortly after the attack, before Baldur's next birthday, she made Baldur invulnerable...despite him only being four years old at the time."
"That sounds...rough."
"It was not easy." He says. "Mjolna, despite her age as well, was instantly chosen to be the next successor to the throne..."
"What about you?"
"I was told to defend the walls and ensure an attack such as that never occurred again, a posting I did not fight against to make up for what happened."
"General...it was a battle, you couldn't have known what would happen, the captain himself would-"
"Spare me, No-name." Tyr interrupts. "You attempt to soothe an ego after twenty years of penance. There's nothing left to calm."
Tyr sighs again, his shoulders looking like they're having trouble supporting the weight of his armor. "You ask me, 'Who is Sleipnir'? She is me, after a single mistake at the worst possible time."
Tyr walks past you to his carriage. "This place steals the life from me whenever I visit...let us return to Asgard, it is getting late."
Like he, you find you possess no will to resist him. "Yes, general..."
The two of you return through the Bifrost and find the keep holding it empty.
"...Now that's unsettling. Where is Heimdall?"
"Dismissed, more than likely." Tyr answers.
"For what?"
The General tiredly walks to the doors of the keep and pushes them open. Across the bridge connecting the keep to the rest of the palace, the two of you see Queen Sleipnir patiently standing next to a lit brazier with the night sky above her.
"Oh shhhhhhhoot."
Tyr sighs what sounds like a final sigh and trudges along the bridge towards his mother. You follow along behind him trying to read what's going on. Tyr looked like a walking corpse, clearly drained from the stress of traveling to Jotunheim and reliving the day it ended.
The Queen looked as hard and stony as ever, the light of the fire dancing in her good eye.
Prince and Queen lock eyes when he gets closer to her and he simply stares ahead in tired determination. "Mother."
"Son." She responds. "Did you have an eventful trip?"
She didn't sound mad, that could very well be worse than if she was.
"No more than Jotunheim is normally this time of year."
"So still a tomb then."
"Yes..." Tyr answers solemnly.
"...Good." The queen says, poking the fire with a stick.
Tyr grimaces at her words and you clench your fists but find it a bit harder after the day you'd had.
"Why go?" she asks.
"Because I was tired of getting the run-around."
The Queen acknowledges your interruption by stabbing at the fire again. "I was asking my son."
Tyr swallows a rock and looks to his mother. "No-name...speaks the truth. He desired answers only seeing Jotunheim could provide. He...earned the right to see after besting me in personal combat."
"Yes, I saw that." The Queen answers, inspecting the edge of her stick. "You were baited by an emotional trap, a surprising thing at your age."
"Wait, you saw THAT too?"
Sleipnir rolls her eye. "How many times will it take for everyone in my life to learn that no simple talisman haggled from a dark troll in a market untouched by sunlight is enough to seal MY sight?" she stabs the fire again. "I see every realm, especially my own, especially after that day..." She looks down to her son from her imposing height. "You did tell him, didn't you?"
"I did." Tyr says. "I believed he had a right to know as...you clearly favor him as your warrior over me."
Wait, what?
Tyr continues. "You make a good choice. He is quick and strong in battle, and I can see Geaus's instincts engraved into his very bones...at this point he could do all I could and more, better even, I think he'll serve well as my replacement."
"Replacement!?" you exclaim.
Tyr keeps his eyes locked with his mother. "I failed, countless suffered. I accept the responsibility for my choices and the punishment that comes wi-"
"Oh shut up."
Sleipnir bends her neck down and places it alongside Tyr's in the equine equivalent of an embrace you'd seen Twilight and Celestia do hundreds of times.
Both you and the general are stunned silent for an eternity at the suddenness of it.
"Are you finished?" Sleipnir asks.
Tyr's jaw hangs open as he struggles for words. "I-Mother-But-"
"I'll presume that means yes..." she says, withdrawing to her full height. She looks down at the High-General who had a manticore on his tongue. "Tyr...On that day, many years ago, you set out to do something and you failed. There were unforeseen dire consequences for an untold number of souls." She cants her head slightly like teachers do to fillies. "That makes you...exactly the same as everypony else."
Tyr still fails to make words form. "I...am meant to be the god of war and justice...not...like everypony else?"
"Why?" his mother says curtly. "We are their gods, yes. Should they not see parts of themselves in us? Should we be so perfect as to be incomprehensible to them?" She goes back to stabbing her brazier. "We share a realm now, why should the mortals not see that we are like them in all the most important ways? No-name, would you like to worship those who told you that they were perfect?"
"I can't say that I would..."
"Exactly."
The queen turns back and looks Tyr over. "No matter what you did or did not do that day, Tyr...you are still my son. Still my son, still my prince...and still a fool." She abandons her stick in the flames. "The day anyone could replace you to me is truly the day Ragnarok will take me without a fight."
Tyr looks down at his hooves, a mix of adolescent embarrassment and elderly shame playing across his face. "But...Mjolna-she was groomed from then on to-"
"The day of the frost giant's attack was the day I realized that you were not the one best suited to fulfill the duties the realm would ask of you, I ensured your sister was."
Tyr looks up at his mother again. "What did I do that she did not?"
"For one?" his mother answers. "You held too much faith in me...and not enough in yourself." The queen watches her stick burn to ash with her good eye again. "With the benefit of hindsight...I believe that my time with Geaus blinded me to the realities of our lives that I thought I'd figured out in my eons before I became a mother...that is not a lesson I'll ever allow myself to forget again. Bliss is...an insidious mask over ones eyes."
She glances over at Tyr again. "You are not responsible for what happened to Jotunheim, my son. I was the one who chose to go there that day, the frost giants slain by my hooves, not yours." Her eye narrows in slight irritation. "Such a silly child, believing that you are responsible for the lives of all that live and that you can bear the weight of such a burden on your own."
Tyr's ingests his mothers words and falls flank first onto the stone, like he was both relieved of a weight and dragged down by his own fatigue at the same time. "...Thank you, Mother."
"Mm." she responds, looking to you. "And so what now, No-name? What now that you know why what I did what I did? Do you have more questions to fill out on your little hidden parchment?"
She knew about that too, huh? Well how's this for a question.
"Just one. You took your last husband out of Valhalla, should I be concerned?"
"Uhg." The Queen replies, rolling her eye. Even Tyr beside you chokes back a laugh at the absurdity of what you asked. "Do not flatter yourself, you are not remotely my type."
"Sinfully beautiful?"
"Still breathing." She says flatly.
You let yourself chuckle before a real question forms.
"...A mortal who could win the heart of not only a god, but the highest one in all the realms...what did that old codger do to catch your eye, All-Mother? One would think that such a love impossible for a war god such as yourself."
The queen continues to watch the flame, though her expression softens an almost imperceptible amount. "He knew all the words to all the songs sung in that hall before he'd even arrived..." she said wistfully.
You let out a breath you weren't aware you'd been holding.
"No-name. Please help my son indoors and let him rest, I believe he needs it."
"At once, Your Grace but...one final question."
"Mm?"
"Why keep all this from me? Why go through all this trouble."
A silence passes between just the two of you.
"It is late, boys. Go indoors."
You could take the hint and considering the books worth of information you'd gotten already, decide to just take what you can get. You bend down and help the General up the stairs to recover, leaving the Queen and her motivations staring into the fire.
-Epilogue-
"It's done."
You drop the amulet you'd torn from King Laufey's neck on the ground and walk past your retainer through the halls of Asgard.
"My Queen what-happened?!" he asks, no doubt noticing the ash and soot your armored covered with.
"I. Just. Told. You. It's. Done." You bite.
The advisor gulps and nods his head wordlessly.
You speed through the halls back to where...It happened. He's still there, unmoved from where he'd fallen, though the giants he slew were carted off.
"Prince Tyr...believed you would not wish to see those upon your return...but commanded that we were not to touch Milords body..."
"Mm."
Dutiful boy.
You pick up your husband's corpse and turn, taking him up the stairs of the palace. Many thoughts go through your mind, about visiting the only daughter you'd had together just beyond the doors or finding Tyr, but any more reminders of today were not what you desired.
And what you did could not be done out here.
Your advisor tails you all the way to the doors of your bedchambers. "All-Mother about your return from Jotunheim-!"
"Deal with everything."
"But-"
"The diplomatic fallout of today will be felt for years, we don't need to start now. See to everything else and leave me be until I call for you."
You would bear their accusations for plucking that realm from the sky another day, and why not? They were true. A murderous and violent race of schemers who were intent on dominating the nine realms at that very moment the Frost Giants were, but they were still now all gone, by your doing at that. The other lords of the other realms would only see that, not that Laufey had a habit of drinking the blood of his sons when they failed him in the past.
Concern plays at his face, but the advisor hurries himself away.
You carry Geaus's corpse in through the doors of your chambers and slam them behind you.
The moment they are closed, you collapse to the ground.
Music
Pain.
Pain sweeps over your body, like a blanket in the night, and envelops you from your skin through your bones and down to your very heart.
You feel the same stabbing sensation you'd felt eons ago in the dried-out socket of an eye that sits beneath your patch, one mirrored in your good eye as well. It isn't until you feel the liquid dribble down your cheeks that you remember the sensation.
"If any could get anything out of these old eyes...it was you, Geaus..."
Geaus...
You hang your head and try to sniff back the tears staining your coat like a child as the weight of everything in the last hour strikes you.
The grief you felt when you sensed Geaus's demise giving way to the rage that unsealed Báleygr and drove you to Jotunheim, along with the long, lonely march back as Tyr and his host followed behind you after finding you on what remained of that ball of mud and frost. The blood on your hooves was long clean, but the stench still sat in your nostrils at the idea that you would do it all again for what they did, for taking the first light in your life since time immemorial and snuffing it out.
Your breath hitches, you feel like your soul is being ripped from your body.
Yet still, your hooves begin to push yourself up.
On the legs of a newborn, you force yourself off your rump. The aches between your bones, across your skin, within your teeth, and through your heart multiply but you force them away, the effort of it nearly tripping you again. NO!
Your spear manifests itself in the air next to you, the ever-faithful companion you could still force yourself to look at that lets you brace yourself upon it to drive yourself to all eight legs.
Panting openly, you grab your husband and drag the two of you deeper into the chambers.
"Not...today...this will not be...the end...of this..."
Dragging Geaus was harder than dragging any sun down, you found, and you can only get him about halfway through the room. Looking down at him again causes the icy hand of grief to grip your heart once more.
With your magic, you reach down and close Geaus's eyes. Despite all this, he still wore that blasted smile that first caught your eye, just as he always was.
"Damn fool...you probably died content that you were saving her, didn't you?"
You reach down further and retrieve the golden amulet you set upon his neck the day you married. You see your tears still streaming down your face in the amulet's reflection.
The pain of holding that amulet was nearly more than you could take, if not for what followed. You think on the pain, the pain of today, and all the other days, and every day that you did something horrible to keep these nine realms at peace. All the lifetimes of pain and where it would be going; how, if fate had its way, none of it would mean a thing.
You look out the window of your chambers, spying down into the room Mjolna slept in. From here, you see Baldur, your little light, doing his best to comfort your daughter after what had happened.
Still panting as your body tried to fight off the agony, your eye follows along the wall to a tapestry upon it. The tapestry was a deep green with golden trim, depicting the World Tree in the center as well as the brilliant light of Agard above it and three lights at its base representing the wells of knowledge.
However, the space directly beneath the tree had been left blank. Through agony and grief, your body begins to shake again. This time however, not from tears.
How you hate that blank space, what it was, what it would mean.
The hatred boils within you like an acid, straining your muscles and gritting your teeth for you. A new ache joined the countless others from your jaw as dribbles of blood crept down your jowls. Your anger only broils as you glare at the tapestry, the edges of it now catching alight and casting harsh shadows across the room.
The pains begin to fade as your thoughts transform into plans, long and complicated plans that were formed in part from your instinct already acted upon.
All the pains from this day back to the day you'd taken your own eye and before defined your life and everything you'd worked for.
And if fate had its way, then they would all amount to nothing in the end.
And so as the fire consumes the tapestry, another casualty of the frost giant's attacks as the scribes would say, you steel your heart on a single, resolute truth.
That you will MAKE all this agony and suffering mean something.
By now the fire consumes what's left of the tapestry and falls to the floor. As it does, you close your mouth and seal the wound you'd made. The last of your tears dry on your face and you harden your body and spirit for all that you now knew you had to do.
Even if it kills you. |
Prose Equus | Breather. | You lean your head against the back of a couch and let your eyes unfocus as they stare at a slowly rotating ceiling fan. A dull pain thrums behind your eyes as pinpricks of thought worm their way into and out of your brain. The after-effects of your encounter with the royal family, of your search into the Queen's secrets and being taken to Jotunheim, still drown out everything they can. It got so bad that you couldn't stay in Asgard, almost begging Heimdall to let you get away for a bit.
Which brought you here.
"Thanks for letting me decompress here, Twilight..."
A splash of purple in your peripheral vision talks to you. "It's no problem, Anonymous. Though I've gotta say, I've haven't seen you this out of it since I was a filly."
Visions of frozen frost giants play in your head. "Just got a lot on my mind recently..."
Twilight takes a seat next to you. "Is there anything I can help with?" she asks.
A part of you wants to keep what you learned a secret, to shield her from the realities beyond Equestria.
Another part of you speaks without thinking. "When you have a problem you're trying to unravel, but you reach a point where you don't have any more leads and may even be afraid of what you might find, what do you do?"
Twilight swallows something, her fear perhaps, and thinks about your question. Princess or not, you often forgot how young Twilight actually was. She's putting on a brave face to be able to talk about this with you.
"Well..." she begins. "I first ask if not knowing would be better or worse than things are now."
You consider the prophecy of Ragnarok "It feels like something that I can't ignore."
"In that case you may have already done the right thing." Twilight places a reassuring hoof on your back. "A change of scenery and a new perspective can help our brains work in different ways, maybe even ones that will give us the answers we need." Twilight hops off the couch and walks to the door, levitating some saddlebags onto her. "Come on. I have some errands to run and some fresh air might be good for you!"
With no brain power to come up with a good excuse not to, you push yourself up and follow her.
Errands with Twilight were always one of two things: either relating to research or getting food. Today happened to be both. Twilight carries the few bags of provisions and you carry the six boxes of research materials on the reproductive cycles of jabberwocky in the Everfree for her. It wasn't tiring for you; your armor was heavier, and the golden apples still coursed through you.
Thinking about the apples brought your mind back to your problems, but you thought on Twilight's words about new perspective. You made an effort to try and look at the situation differently, but between the Queen, her children, the prophecy, the giants, the Norns, and yourself, it all got too jumbled up.
You needed a different perspective on your different perspective. "Twilight?"
"What's up Anonymous?" she asks, inspecting a collection of serpent eye jewels.
"I'm sure by now you've become something of an expert into the legends of our mutual divine friends, right?"
Even behind her, you can see the Sparkle in the eye of Twilight. "I mean, I don't like to brag!" she does that dorky snort thing she did when she was little. "But I HAVE brushed up here or there."
"Can you give me a refresher course? Things have been hectic whenever I've been up there, and I haven't had much time to go to the library."
Twilight makes the same sound children make on Hearthswarming morning and gets the attention of the entire market.
"So, where do we even start?" Twilight wondered nearly floating her way down the road.
"Uh, the beginning?" you say following.
"Well, everything in the myths begins with Lady Sleipnir, or Othinus as she used to be called."
"Wait, why did the Queen have a different name?"
"Oh it wasn't uncommon back then for rulers to take on a new name when they ascended to the throne."
Heh. "What should we call you now, Your Majesty?"
Twilight hip checks you and rolls her eyes. "ANYWAY, back when she was Othinus, daughter of Bor, the Queen traveled to Ginnugagap meaning the "gaping abyss" and slew the primeval giant Ymir from which the realm of Midgard that we live on was formed."
"A primeval giant must have been huge, she killed one by herself?"
"The ancient texts don't mention anyone else..." Twilight ponders.
You let Twilight continue. "Ginnugagap was said to lay between the fires of Muspelheim and the intense cold in Niffleheim, a place where the ice was melted into water and life could grow, and from that and venom from a river is where Ymir spawned."
"Where'd the venom come from?"
Twilight shrugs. "One of histories mysteries...until I get more research done."
The two of you continue to walk. "So she killed the giant and made the world?"
"Right, yes." Twilight continues. "That's what the surviving texts record. After slaying Ymir and sacrificing her eye for knowledge, Othinus ascended to the throne of Asgard and there was a period of "instability" in the cosmos."
"...Come on, you can't just say "instability" and refuse to elaborate."
"Well, it's true." Twilight says. "It's no secret that there are tales of other cosmologies and mythologies in the world. Tartarus and Elysium, the Neighponese island guardians, the ancient Centaur deities and WHATEVER they did on Gallopfrey."
"Something awful, I'm sure." you say.
"There are as many stories about the origin of the world as there are different types of ponies out there, but the now-certifiable fact remains that one of them is true. My colleagues and I researching this can only conclude that, after the formation of the world and as the various deities of its ancient lifeforms began to manifest, that their territories and Authorities began to brush up against each other, and that those various other pantheons either faded away or, like you told me regarding the Queen's weapons..."
"Became the victims of god-on-god violence?"
"That's one way to put it..."
"So Othinus makes the world, ascends the throne, becomes Sleipnir and all-powerful, chases everyone else out, what's after that?"
"Mostly individual stories about the gods as foretold by soothsayers, mostly fables and the like."
"So...nothing about any grand climactic battles?"
"Nothing worth putting any stock in, why?"
She doesn't know. Just as Loki said in the past, the records of Ragnarok were cleaned from the world almost entirely. For SOME reason or another. Whatever that could be.
You ponder that for a bit. The Queen said the Norns were the authors of Ragnarok in their way, and that she was resisting them. If you knew why the myths of it were hidden...it may lead you to an answer.
"...Thanks Twilight. I think talking to you has helped me get a bit of perspective."
Twilight smiles back at you as the both of you approach the library. "I'm happy to help, Anonymous. It's the least I could do."
"For what?"
"For being my friend for all these years."
Heh. Sweet kid...
"Oh. There was something I wanted to ask you."
"Ask away, Princess."
"It was a discrepancy in the texts and legends. You see, I was only able to find reference to five of the Queen's children, could you give me some insight to-"
"NO-NAME! NO-NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!" the two of you hear alongside some rhythmic pounding. You round the corner and find Loki batting her hooves on the door of Twilight's castle. "NO-NAME YOU COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANT OR I'LL-"
"LOKI!"
The godling turns her head and looks to the two of you mid tantrum.
"We were out. Side."
Loki's head darts between you and the castle. "But- I- You-..."
"O-oh." She squeaks out. "That makes sense." Loki takes a deep breath and marches over to you with a face-saving pomp in her step to change her tune. "No-name, it's good you're already down here. It saves us travel time."
"Us?"
"Yes, us. I need your assistance! We need to find a seamstress who can create for us the most astounding garments the world has ever known!"
You and Twilight share a look between yourselves. "I might know someone. Why do we need them?"
"Because I have learned of a powerful magic potion in the possession of a pony who is having an ultra-high society gala in a few days' time!"
"Okay..."
"And you and I are going to sneak in and steal it!" Loki exclaims.
Oh no. |
Prose Equus | Fancy Disguise. | Less than an hour after Loki tracked you down and demanded to see a seamstress, you, her, and Twilight were at, where else, Rarity's boutique that you never recalled the name of.
And it was your turn up in front of the mirrors first to get measured. Goody.
"Oh Anonymous." Rarity says as she floats around you like a shark. "We MUST do something about your skin, it's so filthy!"
"I live a very physically demanding life, Rarity, some dirt under my nails isn't the worst of my worries."
"Hmph!" she pouts. "Well it is simply not proper etiquette for a high society party to walk in smelling like a stable!"
"Hey, I take offense to that."
You do NOT smell.
You glance in the mirror and spot Loki sitting next to Twilight behind you, giggling at how uncomfortable you are.
"Explain this to me again, yeah? Why are we going through all this rigamarole to get into a party full of ponies none of us know?"
"It's not for the guests, No-name! It is for the potion!"
"WHAT potion?"
"That!...Will all be revealed in time!" she exclaims.
You make sure Loki can see your face, you are NOT amused. "I've never been to the Grand Galloping Gala and I REALLY can't say I'm looking forward to it."
Rarity gives a hoighty laugh. "Oh DO come now Anonymous, this isn't the Gala! There's just no WAY I could design garments for an event as prestigious as the Gala in just a few short days!"
"She's right." Twilight says. "This is just some sort of fancy-pancy high society party."
You mean rich people went through all this more than once a year? And it could get WORSE than this? That thought alone is enough to make you wish you'd die again.
"Alright, I have what I need from you." Rarity says.
Finally...
You step off her little stand thing and go to sit down as Loki jumps up. "I am next! Show me your skills, seamstress!" "WHY are you bringing me along for something you clearly need stealth for? It's not like I blend in."
"Because I just NEED you to be there to make sure it gets done, No-name, alright?!" Loki snaps.
The air in the room hangs silently for a minute after her outburst, you have to admit that you're a bit shocked.
"...Alright, fine. Relax."
Loki looks you in the eye and for a moment almost seems to be embarrassed, but quickly gets on the fitting stand and turns away from you. Twilight speaks. "Uh...Princess, can you tell us more about where we're going?"
"The estate of some mortal noble I've been secretly using as an agent down here for a year or so. Now that we gods are out in the open and I have No-name, I no longer need him."
"Who's he?"
"His name is...Blue...something-or-other."
Rarity unleashes an extremely un-ladylike groan. "PLEASE tell me you don't mean THE Prince Blueblood."
"Yes!" Loki says, nodding. "That's it! I remember his name sounded like that."
Rarity groans again, Twilight cringes.
"Something I'm missing?"
"Let's just say the Prince and Rarity have had...a bad experience in the past." Twilight says.
"Faaaaaaaaaaaantastic."
Loki looks at her flank in the mirror. "This won't make me look too big, will it?"
Just. Fantastic.
As Rarity promised, a few days later and you're standing before a fancy estate tugging at the collar of your shirt and sweating it out in the warm weather. Before you, past the gates, you could see many ponies of clearly shall we say..."advanced" birth milling about and having astoundingly inane conversations with one another about astoundingly inane topics such as croquet, the stock market, and the outcome of the latest episode of Game of Thorns.
In short, everything that stupid people talked about, just with stuffy accents.
"None of these fools have had a hard day in their lives."
To your sides come your compatriots; Princess Twilight Sparkle, who got you in here in the first place, Rarity, who actually knows her way around a social battlefield such as this, and "Brenda" who insisted on picking her own name and insisted it didn't make her stand out.
Your eyes drift down. "Loki, that disguise isn't going to work. No one has ever, in the history of Equestria, had a cutie mark that was just nine lines like that."
"You wouldn't get it, No-name. And shhhh! I told you my name is "Brenda"."
Right. Your face must have betrayed something because ""Brenda" just puffed her cheeks and stomped away towards the party. "Oh why do I even waste my breath!"
"Something I said?"
You look down at Twilight and shrug, she shrugs back. "Don't ask me, she's been acting strange since we started all this."
You roll your eyes, all you wanted to do was get this done so you could go back to almost being smashed to paste by monsters and worrying about the apocalypse.
You know, normal things.
"Rarity, any advice before we get in here?"
Rarity takes a minute to answer you, or indeed notice you're even there. "Hmm? Sorry darling, I'm just...using my observational skills to try and find our "dear" Prince Blueblood...uhg." You'd never seen Rarity make that face before, like someone who stepped in slime. "I'd very much like to avoid being in the same room as him, if I can help it. It would also probably be a good idea to find a quick exit."
You nod, she was speaking your language.
"Right, if we steal this potion and need to escape, it'd make tactical sense to know where the exits are."
"Hmm?" Rarity says. "Oh, no, I meant in the event that I end up hitting him."
Later, inside the party...
"A-huh...nope, no, I can't believe either that the tree was his real father and that the last book isn't out yet...a-huh..."
The noble you're talking to, some senator or councilmember or someone's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate or something just...keeps talking, keeps blabbing. It all sounds like a dying animal to you and you can't make out a word of any of the dribble.
You've had several concussions over the years, felt your brain smash against the inside of your skull, and none of it quite compares to the mental damage this lady is doing to you.
Just as you're about to scream, the lights in the room switch off, letting a pair of spotlights illuminate a large staircase. A voice speaks over the room from a speaker. "Hahaha. Everypony, put your hooves together for our host, our Prince, you know him! You love him! Prince BLUEBLOOD!"
Everyone claps as a very top-heavy pony, one with the golden locks of the sun, exits a curtain and basks in his adoring public. "Thank you! Thank you all for coming! All of you look lovely tonight!" As the clapping intensifies, you escape from your prison and make your way to Loki, who's watching the descending prince and slightly prancing from one hoof to the other, like a cat waiting to be pet.
"Alright, he's out. How do you want to pla-are you cold?"
Loki opens her mouth to talk and you can actually see her teeth chatter, even her lips look a bit blue. "N-n-n-no, No-name. J-just focus on the task at h-hand."
"Loki, it's summer, how can you be cold?"
"B-brenda!"
You begin to correct her when a gleam from the prince's neck gets in your eye.
Looking, you see that dangling on his chest like an overripe gourd is a gold fitted amulet with a massive sky blue jewel in the center.
"There it is..." you hear Loki say.
Wait, what?
"I thought we were after a potion?"
"Th-that IS the potion, No-name! A simple spell can turn the it into a stone! Fool doesn't even know he's wearing what's basically an amber around his neck."
Okay, that's about as good as anything else. You glance around the crowd as the prince continues to schmooze, clocking ponies with especially watchful eyes atop the staircase, by the windows, and on either side of the doors.
"There are guards everywhere... and we'll need to separate him from it if we want to nab it without being see. How do you want to play this?"
"Maybe we can help?" you hear.
You and Loki turn to look, finding Twilight and Rarity behind you.
"You have a plan?"
"I'm not ALL book smarts, Anonymous! I've spent the last three days and the entire ride over here concocting a masterful plan!" she says, rubbing her hooves together. "Muhaha!"
Loki was a bad influence...
"Are you going to hypnotize them?"
"Nope!"
"Oh! Turn them into toads with your magic?" Rarity asks.
"Nuh-uh?"
"Melt them into goo?"
Everyone turns and gives Loki a look. "...What? I'd p-put them b-b-back..."
"None of those!" Twilight exclaims, turning to Rarity.
"Then, darling, how on earth are you going to do to get him away from that necklace?" Rarity asks.
Twilight smiles at her friend.
Rarity just looks back, until a thought eventually dawns on her. "...No!"
Twilight just smiles wider.
"Absolutely not!"
And wider.
"NO!"
There are sparkles in here eyes now
"STOP!"
Twilight didn't stop.
Minutes later you find yourself sneaking through one of the halls with your companions by your side following nothing but the trail of guards and "Brenda's" "intuition".
"You two need to hurry!" Twilight whisper-shouts. "I don't know how long Rarity can suppress her reflex to vomit!"
What Twilight said was true, even you weren't sure how long Rarity could last after the look of disgust she gave when Twilight suggested what she suggested.
Attempting to put on a seduction act for prince Blueblood to get him to take the amulet off and keep the act up long enough for you to retrieve it.
"Twilight, if you don't calm down, they'll hear us." You whisper-shout back.
"And what do you mean 'you two'? You're here as well!"
"Both of you shut up! I can't deal with you and this heat!" Loki whispers, sweating visibly.
"Oh NOW you're aware what season it is?"
"SHHH!"
"Captain!" you hear a haughty voice call. Peering around the corner, the three of you see Blueblood down the hall approach one of the guards. He looks mighty pleased with himself.
"Highness?" the guard asks.
The prince flips his hair and plays a faux-bashful hoof at his chest. "Aha...one of my old flames has blown in with the wind and wants to...'reignite' things, be a sport and watch the Blue Blood Gem for me until I finish up with her?"
"Nice name, you goon..."
"Shh!"
The guard salutes. "Of course, highness."
Prince Blueblood enters into a door behind the guard with the amulet, you have to put your hand on Loki's shoulder to stop her.
"No, let him come out. We want as few witnesses as we can."
You shouldn't need to tell her of anyone around that.
Prince Blueblood soon leaves the room, neck bare, and waves a hoof nonchalantly at the guard. "Don't wait up! Aha!"
"Hang on Rarity..." you year Twilight say.
You loosen your tie and role your sleeves up.
"The picture on the wall just past him, make it drop."
You don't wait for a response and take off in a full sprint down the hall. Twilight gasps behind you and reaches out with her magic, causing a massive, framed painting of several ponies and cows, a Claud Moo-Niegh painting you think to drop to the floor. The guard reacts in shock to something that costs more than his house falling and nearly gets a call for help out before both your feet connect with his face after you launch into a double-drop kick.
You and the guard both scramble before you get him into a sleeper hold. "Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep."
The guard fights for a bit, but he's no match for decades of experience and a body supported by magic golden apples. The girls gallop up behind you and get the door open, you take the chance to drag the guard in with you.
It's a veritable vault beyond the door, with ancient Cataphracti armors adorning the walls alongside old crossbows from the griffon kingdoms before they discovered black powder, tomes and relics line the sides of the room and in the back, at the end of a red carpet, the gemmed amulet rests on a dais.
Twilight squees at the fount of knowledge in here.
Loki sighs in relief. "Finally!"
The godling runs off towards the amulet, against your better judgment.
"Loki wait-!"
When she gets close, Princess Loki is lanced by several bolts of blue magic.
You cough your way through the smoke, the image of her being hit burned into your brain.
"LOKI!"
"Anonymous!" you hear Twilight call.
"Watch the guard!"
You push the guard's sleeping body against the wall and rush into the vault.
"LOKI! ANSWER ME!"
You hear deep coughing on the other end of the room and race towards it, eventually running face first into something large, cool, and blue.
"Gah, what?"
"D-don't look!"
Loki?
"What's wrong with your...voice..."
The smoke from the magical trap clears and you aren't very sure what you're meant to be seeing. Loki was always short, but now she's tall. She was taller than Celestia, taller than her Mother, taller almost than her brother. Her normally green coat was now a greyish shade of blue with a mane as dark as night hanging from her nape. Red, goat-like eyes look down at you with fear below two horns of eternal frost jutting from her head. When she sees you see her, all she can do is gasp and cover your face with a cool air.
You can put two and two together, you know what you're seeing. You don't know how or why, it should be impossible, but here it was before you.
"...A Frost Giant..."
"Don't say it" you thought. "Don't say 'well you don't have to worry about the DRESS making you look big'."
"I SAID DON'T LOOK!" Loki shouts, her voice bellowing and deeper thanks to her new size.
"It's hard to when you take up half the room!"
"SHUT UP!!"
"Princess Loki?!" you hear Twilight exclaim. Loki looks like she's about to scream at being seen by Twilight.
This was, very obviously, bad. Loki's state was causing her no small amount of distress, which was causing Twilight no small amount of distress. Hel, it was causing YOU no small amount of distress what with the whole "Seeing the Giants exterminated" thing you went through recently, but someone had to take the wheel here.
"Hey!"
Loki looks down at you, about to speak but you cut her off with your soldier-voice...and using your hands to clamp her mouth shut.
"You've been acting strange all night and now we know why, the cat's out of the bag. I'm not sure whatever reason there is for it, but I know that if we lose our cool now, you'll be explaining this to me at the bottom of a dungeon, and THEN your Mother will come get us and figure out what happened."
That gets Loki-the-Giant's attention, and you finally detect the first hint of her intelligence behind those strange eyes of hers.
"You clearly came in here with some sort of plan before you rushed ahead like an idiot, tell me what you need me to do to help you and then let's do it and you can explain all...THIS later, alright?"
After some ragged breaths to get herself under control, Loki nods. You remove your hands.
"The amulet, get it and get that jewel off." she says.
"What about the defensive spells?"
"They all hit ME. Do you think I look like this because of them? They would have killed me if I weren't a master of magic! Their force was so great that they broke my ability to hide...THIS!"
Well, at least Loki was sounding more herself now.
You quickly grab the amulet off the dais and don't burst into flames, which is a good start. With some bashing and prying, you manage to free the jewel from the hastily attached base.
"Got it!"
"Okay, now hold it to my horns!"
Loki bows her head down and to let you hold the blue amber to her horns, you feel the icy chill of Jotunheim seeping off of them and, to your alarm, the amulet starts to melt like ice left in the sun.
"You two need to hurry! He's waking up!" Twilight calls.
"HANG ON!"
The amulet continues to paradoxically melt and now almost starts to run down your hand.
"Loki this-"
"-doesn't make any sense! Yes! That's why it's called 'mysticism' and not 'everyone-knows-what's-going-one-icism'! Put it in my mouth!"
You drop the melting stone into Loki's mouth where she quickly tilts her head up and back, letting the potion-turned-amulet-turning-potion drip down her throat. With an icy exhale that frosts the ceiling, Loki melts the remainder of the amulet and drinks of the potion you all came here for.
As quickly as she transformed, but nowhere near as explosively, Loki shifts. Her swollen body shrinks as the potion goes down her gullet, her icy blue skin returns to its "natural" shade, her horns recede into her head and her eyes right themselves. In moments, you're back to looking at the littlest thorn-in-your-side.
Loki looks down at the floor forlornly and coughs, her mind clearing of the odd stupor she's been in all night. "Yuck...no one said it tasted like that."
"Hey."
Loki looks up to you, seeming exhausted.
"Are you okay?" is all you can ask.
Loki sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. "No, I'm not...but I am back to myself. We should get out of here as quickly as we can, I...don't want to be here."
You nod, looking to the door. Twilight is panicking at everything going on, but you quickly help her out by putting your knee on the guard's neck and ensuring he dozes a bit longer.
"I'm not a wizard but I'm sure Blueblood either knows his necklace is stolen or soon will, even as distracting as Rarity can be. We need to find her and then somehow get through an entire party crowd without being seen."
Loki laughs a true noblewoman's laugh, the "Oh ho ho" kind. "No need to worry, No-name."
"And why is that?"
With a flash, Loki assumes the form of one Prince Blueblood, she wordlessly opens the door and walks out into the party.
"Mares and Gentlecolts! I've come to say the Z-word!"
Oh no-
Within twenty minutes, the three of you are sitting in the back of a carriage fleeing the estate, Rarity hangs off the side, trying to induce vomiting after Blueblood apparently tried to prench-kiss her, and leaving the three of you to watch the chaos unfolding at your rear.
"I've never seen a building that big empty so fast."
"Yeah..." Loki says.
Twilight chimes in "I thought there was going to be a riot!"
"Yeah..."
"Shame about the fire."
"That one actually wasn't me." Loki says.
The three of you sit silently, the elephant in the room getting bigger.
"So-"
Loki belts out before you can finish. "I've always been like that, No-name! Yes! Shock and surprise! Forget what you once knew! Your beloved Loki has, all this time, been a Frost Giant of Jotunheim!"
Okay, just getting right into it.
"Loki there ARE no Frost Giants."
"And yet here I am."
"But you're a shapeshifter."
"Uhg, don't insult me." She says. "An ignoramus like you can't tell, but that wasn't 'shapeshifting', it was transformation."
"Is there a difference?"
"Mhm." Twilight nods. "A pretty big academic one, actually."
A-huh...
"So the potion?"
"Commissioned by me some years ago for this very eventuality. In the event that I was to...lose control, drinking it would empower me to get myself back into form." Loki pouts and looks at the estate. "How one of my pawns got it, I'll never know. Perhaps I tipped my hoof one time..."
Twilight perks in. "But still, this is fascinating. Even as a shapeshifter, there you need a potion to aid you in assuming normal pony form?"
Loki looks uncharacteristically sullen. "It suppresses my true nature...let's me be who I am." She watches the road at the end of the carriage. "I don't lie when I say I don't know...what the significance of my 'true self' is, you two, nor why there "aren't" any of me. It's just...always been this way since I was born. Perhaps it always will."
You don't know if Twilight can tell, but you put your hand in front of her stealthily. Loki was being self-reflective, that was enough to put you on guard. You can detect the library's worth of what she's not saying, but your recent experiences have taught you when to sometimes let sleeping Diamond Dogs lie.
"Loki, I can tell you want some...distance from this, and I'm willing to give it. But my last words on the matter are that I think you need to make sure your Mother knows about this, if nothing else so it doesn't happen again."
Loki looks to the sky, catching a pair of black birds just as they pass in front of the moon. "I'm sure She already does..." she says. "Uhg, enough. Let's just...drop it and listen to your friend vomit..." Loki says, turning her head from you and Twilight.
You silently meet the godlings demands and take one last look back at the chateau.
You snap your fingers.
"Chateau Boutique, that's it. Been bugging me for days..." |
Prose Equus | Duality. | You stand leaning against the wall of the Bifrost Keep waiting. Your armor clanks as you shift your feet and rests heavy on your shoulders after how long you've been stuck wearing it. After you got back from your recent little "problem solving" adventure with Loki, the Queen had decreed that the Celestial Court was to be called to address things of their nature that needed to be handled.
No one was telling you what that was, but you had some suspicions; the Etir that nearly flooded the badlands and almost ate Celestia and Luna a while back, before you got wrapped up in all this Ragnarok stuff. Anything that could control them was bad news.
Hearing you think about them, you guess, the Bifrost opens in an eruption of rainbow light, letting the Sun and Moon into Asgard.
You bow "Great Skoll and Hati, we welcome you to the Realm Eternal an-"
"Please knock that off, Anonymous." Luna says, walking towards you. Both of them had their more complicated royal regalia on, the things they reserved for state meetings "We always hated it when you did that back when you were alive."
Celestia rolls her eyes. "Well met, Anonymous. I hope we're not too late."
You point your thumb back across the moat to the city proper where golden armored custodians stand shoulder to shoulder atop the ramparts and flying boats patrol the skies.
"Any longer and they'll just fortify the place more. Come, I'll walk you both in." You turn and head down the bridge, the Celestial Sisters following you.
"Do you know who is attending, Anonymous?"
Let's see, what other details have you covered today.
"Uh...There was the Arch-Druid of the Vanir, the Prince of the Deer, The Queen of the light elves came and an emissary of the dark elves showed up, had to keep the two of them from killing each other. The Quicksilver Emperor is in attendance, the Queen of the Skye, uh..."
"Is the Lightning Tsar here?" Celestia asks.
"The big mammoth guy? Yes, he's in attendance. Any reason why you're asking?"
"He owes me bits."
Let's see, who else. The ancient spirits of Zebrica, the Yak soothsayers, at least one Volcano Warband leader from Boardore, some normal looking pony in a trench-coat..."
Luna looks apprehensive. "So many haven't gathered like this since Grogar..." she mutters.
"Or Discord." Celestia responds.
"Just them? I'd have thought Tirek would have warranted a greater response."
"Tch" Luna says. "He is all bluster, Tirek has a glass jaw and weaker knees."
You chuckle.
Approaching the palace gates, you spot their eternal guardian Heimdall waiting by the doors.
"Hail, watchmen."
He doesn't greet you back, but does offer a bow. "Sun and Moon, we welcome you to Asgard."
The sisters bow back with someone they're less familiar with. "We are honored by the summons, Lord of the Watch."
You fall in with Heimdall who's been your boss for the day. "The keep is secure, you can close the Bifrost."
"Already ahead of you..." Heimdall says, his eyes clouding over.
The lights from the Bifrost Keep signaling its activation dim and sputter out, sealing Asgard from Nine Realms. The legions of guards inside aside, no one wanted a repeat of the Frost Giants invading, you wager.
"Alright, then these two are the last."
"Not quite." Heimdall corrects.
You cock your eyebrow.
"We have one more arrival due." he sayd.
"Then...should I return to the Keep? To meet them?"
"No." Heimdall says, watching as silver sparks of power arc between the branches of the World Tree hanging above Asgard. "She will make her way here."
Brilliant light descends from Yggdrasil and strikes the center of the courtyard before the entrance to the palace, everyone in attendance blocks their eyes as matter and mass are born of thought alone.
When the reaction dims, the final arrival waits in its place.
She stands as tall as the queen, folding a pair of tattered wings onto her back as the broken and reformed horn atop her head bobs in the wind they make. Through her mane of alabaster hair, she surveys the courtyard quickly, though you cannot see a pair of eyes behind them. The air fills with stillness, preserved in the moment of her arrival and stretched out to eternity.
Heimdall strikes his hoof on the ground. "Ordalia! Goddess of Order, Control, and Tranquility of the Silver City!"
The custodians and aids in the courtyard bow upon hearing her name, even Celestia and Luna do
"...Right, I'll go get her over he-"
"No need." Heimdall says, stopping you.
You almost wonder why before the palace doors fling open and Queen Sleipnir strides out, urging the attendants to bow once more in the presence of the two of them, but something was off.
The Queen was smiling, and there was an anima within her eye that you'd almost never seen.
>She looked happy.
>Which instantly made you, Celestia and Luna recoil as if you were about to be punched.
"Aw crap."
"Well well, look what the manticore dragged out of her cave." Queen Sleipnir says with way too much sass for the Queen of Asgard to be having.
More like Queen of Sassgard.
You instantly admonish yourself for thinking that.
"You know you're one of the few that can." Ordalia, Goddess of Order, Control, and Tranquility of the Silver City says, her voice sounding quiet, like the faintest touch upon a delicate harp.
"Though not one of the few who can stop you from stating the obvious." The Queen says, approaching her final guest.
Many of the attendants and guardians had turned their attention away from the two, hoping to give them the grace of their pretend ignorance so they don't get slapped, but you're dumb enough to keep looking. You catch the two of them stand before each other and quickly knock their hooves together in a short and sudden gesture of something, ancient friendship? Eternal rivalry?
Did the Queen have friends? Were any of Her rivals still alive?
"Well that's something you don't see every afterlife..."
Heimdall grunts beside you and bows his head, urging you to do the same as the two Queens march up the stairs and into the palace, not even glancing your way as they discussed something between them, Celestia and Luna walking off in the same hurried motion as the doors slam shut.
"That's a fine hello..."
"You sound spoiled by the Queen's attention, No-name." Heimdall says. You grimace and look down to him, but he just keeps his eyes trained on the horizon. "We guard the Realm Eternal, that is all. The goings on of that meeting are not ours to know."
"You see everything and you're not the least bit curious about one of the places you're NOT able to see?"
Heimdall nods "Aye, I see all there is...which means I see enough to know better than to pry. If you're that restless, go patrol the upper ramparts.
Well, now Heimdall's position as the Queen's gatekeeper made sense, they both had the same sense of humor.
Time does what it does and passes, you pass it by counting how many steps it takes to circle the entire palace but boredom gets its hands in you after you pass 15,000.
From up here you can hear the grand doors open, see the attendants of the Celestial Court let out into the courtyard. Like back on Equestria, now would be the time when they'd hobnob and talk amongst themselves about whatever was discussed, Celestia called this time the time when real diplomacy happens and stressed its importance, so you try to give it time to happen before you start clearing the place out.
What makes it difficult though is when it comes to you.
You're just about to head into the watchtower that leads down to the ground when you are stopped in your tracks, seeing Queen Ordalia standing before the doorway and looking your direction. Well, "looking" may be the wrong word for it because at this distance you can glimpse that beneath her sight blockingly long mane, her eyes are even closed.
Still when you sidestep her gaze a bit, her head turns with you, locking the two of you in some awkward tango.
You sigh inwardly and just resolve to brush past her, letting the gods have their business for today after the icy reception you got from Heimdall.
However, as you go to pass her left, Ordalia speaks. "I come up here because of how loud you're thinking through the summit and you don't even have the decency to speak? You have Sleipnir's manners."
You mentally bite your tongue at the idea of her reading your thoughts, only later realizing that it wouldn't really matter, and right yourself.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Your Highness. I'm simply on my rounds."
"Do not feed me lies, Anonymous. I am superior at seeing them than you are at telling them."
"How do you know my-" You turn back towards the Queen and get a bit uneasy. Despite her eyes remaining closed and her hair blocking her sight, you still feel the all boring eyes of the Goddess of Order looking through you. It was further than the sensation one felt when the Queen was mad at you, like this cosmic gaze saw all you were and all you could become at once, some queer relation to her having both eyes but none at the same time perhaps.
Ordalia leans in closer to inspect you. "Aahh...so that is her plan for you...but why? What lies at the end of that road...why do this, Sleipnir..."
You feel the gaze intensify enough that it actually starts to make your skin feel uncomfortable. Instinctually, you wave your hand in front of your face like you would wave off a fly and break the Queen's gaze.
"Enough, enough. What? What plans?"
Ordalia recomposes herself in the briefest of moments, as her name implied.
"I cannot say." She responds.
"Can't? Or won't?"
"Both."
"Great."
You chew your teeth a bit. "Did you come up here for more than to look at me and provide vague and unhelpful commentary, Highness?"
You were a part of Sassgard these days too.
"Did I?" she asks. "Are you going to ask your question that you've been thinking all this time, or are you going to continue to think of awful puns?"
You simmer just a tad. You hate dealing with telepaths, partly because they were often always right.
You DID have a question burning a hole in your brain.
"Was there a point to all this?"
You had served under the Celestial Sisters for many years, and seeing them as cautious as they were had the hair on your neck standing up.
Ordalia turns her absent-yet-ever-present gaze over the city beneath you. "Fear denies Faith, mortal."
Well that was maddeningly unhelp-wait
"Wait wait wait...I've...I've heard that before, from Loki, and Baldur too."
"Yes." Ordalia says.
"But that was before I knew about...what happened to the Queen, and the Frost Giants, and those things underneath-"
"Say no more." Ordalia commands, you shut up.
A tense moment passes between the two of you. "The Silver City...holds within it the greatest library to ever exist, I ensure that. I record all there is inside its halls, neatly, safely."
"Okay..."
"But what Sleipnir speaks to beneath the surface of the waves...I do not record, for that would tether it to the world more."
You look the Goddesses motionless face over. "...You're afraid of them, like She is."
Ordalia doesn't answer, simply looking ahead.
"Fear denies Faith...we learned such long, long ago. Before the realms were like...this."
"I don't understand. What does that mean though? Everyone is afraid of something."
"You are not some simple brute, Anonymous. Do not act as such." She commands before settling. "...Faith, the core of any god, is the power to act on something that you believe even when you do not have evidence for it. To trust that something you cannot see is there, to believe another loves you as you do, or that you may live to see another sunrise.
You quietly consider the truth of her words. "That you may survive another battle, I understand..."
Your mind flashes back to the conflict with Tirek, but you push it away remembering Luna's jab earlier.
"Indeed." Ordalia says. "Yet, within all living things resides the undulating black slither of fear...gnawing at the back of our minds and eating away at our faith. It stands in opposite to the Gods, for if fear were to spread further than Faith in us could hold, it could drive all that is to the mania at the end of that fear."
Undulating...black...
"...If there were something that could unify that fear, an individual or an idea, then they could be the antithesis of the gods themselves."
"Wait. Hold on, you picked those words deliberately. Is this about that black mass? The Etir? Does it relate to this...primordial fear?"
Ordalia doesn't even try to meet your eyes, remaining quiet.
"And...an idea to unify it, would the end of the world be something like that?"
Now she speaks. "All who are fear the end...or at least most of them do."
The tension returns to the air, you feel you won't get any more answers out of Ordalia about this.
"How...do you know the Queen?"
"Mm?"
The fear Ordalia spoke of bites at you as you jump to conclusions in your head, but you remember the hassle Captain Geaus put you through making sure you had the guts to follow orders.
Listening to the beat of your own heart, you remember his most important lesson; You were breathing. While you breathe, you stand. While you stand, you fight. While you fight, you can still win. That lesson carried you through the grief of his death as well as dozens of other close calls, Tirek included. Compared to that, this fear was nothing, and you knew it. You steel yourself.
"You can read my mind but couldn't see that question coming? Really? Everyone in the courtyard saw how...different she acted around you."
Ordalia looks to the sky almost wistfully. "Perhaps...she was like that, once..." She looks to the limbs of the Yggdrasil, watching the cosmic wind move the leaves. "We've known each other since we were young, young and stupid. Known each other since...things happened."
"Old friend then?"
"Of a sort, aye."
"You know I've been told what happened when the Frost Giants attacked, I don't remember you there..."
Ordalia is quiet for a moment. "I was busy with my own problems. I told Sleipnir taking a husband was a risk she was not prepared for...just like having a son."
Again you sense that you won't get anything more out of her.
A gust of wind rushes over the ramparts and draws Ordalia's sight beyond sight. She sees something in that wind that only she could see. "Ahh...that is what you need then, hmm Slippy?"
Wait, Slippy?
Ordalia shrugs her shoulders and turns, making for the door. "Enough, Anonymous. You will get no more from me. If you desire more insight, use the Palantir you keep hidden on you so."
You grimace and follow the Goddess, trying to lighten the mood. "Does everyone have to know about the secret amulet I have now?" |
Alicorn of Mischief | pre | "We're Baa-ack!" They said simultaneously.
"*Gasp*"
"Oh no!"
"Who are they?!" The girls and dogs anime-fell
"How can you forget us!"
"We robbed you in the morning!" Random looked unimpressed
"Of course I know you dudes. I just don't know your names." The dogs growled in anger.
"Who cares about names!" Random sighed
"Not caring for your names is a sign of damaging your pride and this is one of them. If you refuse to say your names, then from now on... You three will be known as "The Lousy Looters!" Rainbow Dash, CMC's, Zeshaman, the twins, R. G., and Spike laugh at how silly their new name.
"Nice one dad!" Said the twins. The dogs looked embarrassed and humiliated
"The."
"Lousy."
"Looters?" They growled, and steam came out of their ears.
"Looter dogs... ASSEMBLE!!!"
The ground burst out and came out at least 50 dogs with a thirst for vengeance and greed for the riches they fail to steal.
"Uh-oh." Said the CMC.
"Is that all you got?!" Shouted Random which made everypony and Spike covered his mouth.
"Hee-hee... We brought our boss!" The ground quake again as a massive paw burst out of the ground and pulled out the largest Looter Dog they ever seen and was the size of a barn.
"I see bigger foes than you!" Random vanished and appear between the army and the Looter boss. The dogs backed away from him and the Looter boss stared at him
"You hurt my minions, I hurt you!" Random tilted his head
"How? Just asking."
"This." He lifted his paw, clutched it into a fist and smash Random with one strike.
"That how."
"*gasp*"
"Oh no..."
"Oh my..."
"Why that dirty-"
"Your gonna-"
"Miss me!" Their eyes popped except for Pinkie, Zeshaman, R.G. and the twins as they saw Random on his paw. "Miss me, loser." The boss growled and tried to smash him on his paw, but he missed and smashed his own paw.
"Gaahh!" He shakes his paw to ease the pain and search Random. They looked for Random and saw him lying on the ground reading a book while drinking a root beer float through a straw. Pinkie giggled at the sight.
"Wow, he's funny and fast!"
"Pinkie! He's using his magic."
"No, he isn't"
"Miss Twilight." She looked at the twins who had big grins.
"Excuse me?"
"He's very fast"
"Faster than Miss Rainbow." Rainbow Dash tried not to be jealous.
"Hee... He's using magic, not his own legs." The twins snickered since they can tell that Rainbow Dash is jealous at their dad.
*Roar! * The Looter Boss unleashed a mindless barrage of attacks where Random might appeared but what he didn't know that Random was next to Twilight.
"It's really sad to see someone loses his focus." Twilight and the others freaked out and jumped.
"Wha!?"
"Now it's my turn." He vanished and appeared in front of the Looter Boss, stood on his hind legs, and lightly pushed the Looter Boss' gut with one hoof "Kaze no chimaera no Tatchi!" The Looter Boss was floating a little as a great force send him flying to his minions. The Main 6, CMC, Spike and the rest of the Looter dogs' jaws dropped in shock as a small pony repel a huge canine the size of a barn defied the laws of physics. The rest of the army freaked out as their boss was falling towards them, landed on his army and was TKO. Random got back on four and was terribly disappointed "Rotten Sakuya Trees, I thought he would give me a challenge, not a watermelon strike. *sigh* oh well, there's always next time." He trots back to his pals, unknown to him, the Lousy Looters were charging behind him.
"Cha-a-a-aa-a-rg!" Random was still on his way back and grinned with a plan
"Cannons!" He rolled out of the way as the Lousy Looters ran to the Vardos which the walls raised up, revealing 4 huge cannons as they enter 3 of them.
"Retrea-a-t!!!" They tried to escape the cannons, but the cannons fired them towards their gang as living cannonballs. *BLAM!!!*
"Triple Hit Combo!" He sang. The smoke cleared to reveal the dogs in a pile, moaning and groaning in pain
"*groan* we'll get our revenge!"
"..." Random look at Screams "Screams, please go ahead and spray them." The skunk charged at them, screeching in excitement but the dogs rapidly went underground before Screams get a chance to spray them. "Oh no you don't!" Yelled Random as he digs like a mad dog as the speed of a drill and created a tunnel underground. "SCREAMS! NOW!" Screams jumped in and green smoke blasted out of the holes and howls of disgust echo through the holes. The girls were grossed out by the smell of skunk musk as Random pop out of the ground with Screams on his head. "I think we won't see them for a long time or until their coats grow back." Twilight covered her nose.
"How can you stand that smell?"
"I know, it's awful!" Said a horrified Rarity.
"You get used to it when he's with you for a long time and it neutralize dirty diapers odors."
"Really?!" Yelled Twilight in disgust.
"You got used to the stink? I wish I could have that." Said Fluttershy. The guys nodded while Spike was crawling and gagging.
"Drama-Queen." Said Random, Spike took a big whiff of Screams' musk and exhale happily.
"That's smells, so much better." Twilight was nearly throwing up "Spike! Are you out of your mind?!" Spike took another whiff.
"It's much better than their homes." Random looked pissed
"Hey! There's nothing gross about our homes and who said you can enter our homes?" Rarity decided to peek of one of their Vardos and came out looking green
"*gasp* the horror! The HORROR!" She fell and landed on a sofa. The twins saw it and looked confused.
"Where did that couch come from?"
"Don't know?" Rarity pull out a bottle of perfume and spray it everywhere, Random and his family except Lil' Miracle "*gag* the perfume... It burns!!!"
"Quick Fix! Smell the inside of your hat!"
"Good idea Wreck!" They took off their hard hats to reveal their manes were huge Afros. The girls, Spike and CMC's eyes widen at the sight of their manes, but Rarity fainted again at the sight of it. R.G. took the chance of snatching Rarity's perfume and toss it over the Everfree Forest which shocked Rainbow by his good leg.
"Whoa..."
"Them manes are huge." Said Applejack.
"Do you have any snacks in there?" They looked a Pinkie with some raised eyebrows. "What? I wanna know."
"A lot of snacks." Said Wreck-it as he revealed some snacks and Fix-it showed bottled sodas and juices.
"And sodas and juices for the salty chips." Pinkie gave a huge smile
"Maybe I should have an Afro?"
"NO!" Yelled Rarity as she regains consciousness.
"You would look impressive." Said Random thinking about it. "Thanks."
"I beg your pardon, but I beg of you... No, I demand you clean up those filthy Vardos immediately!!!" Random and his family looked at each other.
"Right now?" asked Wrecking.
"Before dinner?" Worried Fixing.
"Uh... Sorry Rarity-San but it's more of an all-day chore and it will take hours to clean all 4 Vardos."
"Hours? How came it'll take y'all hours to clean such small homes? Ask Applejack. The twins snickered mischievously.
"That's our dads' secret." Sang Fixing as Dash flew in front of them.
"Can you tell us?"
"No, we can't." Sang Wrecking.
"Why not." Sang Dash
"That would spoil our mystery." Sang Random as he pops his head through one of the twins' Afro.
"Are you always this immature?"
"Rainbow!" Her friends yelled at her on how rude she was being.
"It's OK, I'm not offended. I'm mature only while working, cooking, taking care of the kids or other parents kids, solving mysteries, treasure hunting and my hobbies." He said with a grin "And the only time I'm immature is when I'm eating, sleeping, eating, reading manga, eating, creating things and eating." They were confused and dully stared at him.
"Uh... Excuse me Random?" He turned to Fluttershy.
"Yes?"
"You said "eating" 4 times."
"I know, I love eating." His bros nodded in agreement and Pinkie understand his love.
"I know how you feel! There are many sweets to eat! Like that super sweet & sour lollipop that Reflecty gave me." Zeshaman and Random started to snicker.
"Reflecty?" R.G. was growling in anger.
"Shut up."
"Which I nearly forgot! I didn't have given any of you a "Welcome to Ponyville" song!" They looked at each other and looked at Twilight.
"A what song?" Asked Random
"It's a greeting where she sings and dances welcoming anypony who visits Ponyville." They looked at each other but R.G. immediately refuse but the twins were excited.
"We wanna hear it! We wanna hear it!" They chanted.
"Well... You heard the twins, we'll hear it."
"YAY!"
"BOO!" Said R.G. as she zipped away and brought a small music and start it up.
~Welcome, welcome, welcome, a fine welcome to you!
Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say how do you do! (She blew a horn through R.G.'s ear)
Welcome, welcome, welcome, I say hip, hip, hooray!
Welcome, welcome, welcome, to Ponyville today! (Song end)~
They stared at her with surprise looks except for R.G. who was rubbing his ears because Pinkie "Wait for it." They raised their eyebrows as confetti busted out of the oven send all, but Random back and cake batter fired out of the cannons. The batter landed and covered Random and Pinkie from head to hoof "Oh silly me, I must put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannons... again!" She moved out of her batter coat and ate it like it was nothing. Random used his magic on the batter and suck it all like was soup.
"(Gulp) Mmm... Delicious! Can you give me the recipe?" They were surprised by Random's magic "What... I like it. Oh, I ate your pieces, did I? I'm sorry dudettes, I'll bake a cake for you 6."
"7" said Spike.
"No... 6, Pinkie had her piece."
"It's true, I had mine." Said Pinkie with a grin.
"No... We just..."
"You ate the cake, like it was soup." Said Applejack. Random tilted his head.
"All I did was used my magic on the cake to enter my mouth. Wait a sec... Did you ever try it before?"
"No but no pony... well except Pinkie can eat like that." Random gave a huge grin.
"The world is a huge and mysterious place; you never know what will appear."
"We should party tomorrow." Said R.G. as he pointed at the moon that was rising.
"It's getting late, I'll write to Princess Celestia about your family and your Emperor and Empress." Said Twilight who was anxious, but Zeshaman felt a little unease.
"Beware Hime, knowledge is what you yearn. To get it is something you must earn. To make sure your challenging work isn't a bust, you and your friends must earn each of our trust." Twilight backed away from Zeshaman after hearing his speech as R.G. was holding 7 small boxes.
"Enjoy the Daifuku as dessert." Twilight took the boxes and smile with sweat coming from her bangs, Spike was on her back and snacking on the Daifuku.
"Hey... This is delicious! You got to taste this, it's amazing!" Pinkie, Rainbow, and the CMCs dig in with Spike as he got scowled by Twilight. They waved goodbye to their new neighbors as they went home. A fire pit was made as a pot of stew was hanging above it.
"They're not that bad, right bros?" Said Random.
"Hmph... I don't trust that Alicorn. She's way to nosy and a huge Knowledge-seeking otaku." Said R.G.
"Through their mishap adventures is something we should not glance, perhaps we should give them and their little ones a chance?" Random and R.G. looked behind them to see the twins and Lil' Miracle were sleeping in a blanket near the Vardos as R.G. And Random's shadows rises over them. One of the shadows was engulf in purple and violet flames to reveal a huge insect-like pony and a snap from a shadow as huge wings appeared from its back.
"Hope they can accept us as our real selves than our fake selves. Because I believe we gonna have loads of fun." They all laughed to the night as the moon shine their home. |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 3 | A blazing meeting with royals and a criminal
"OK my bros, my twin dudes and little miko; we have gotten a task from our cousin slash your relative." Said Random to his family who were eating onigiri in shape of pandas.
"A stallion with a passion for flame, Uncle Hellfire is his name." Said Zeshaman to the twins.
"That's his name little ogres, so its ok to say that when his around. Not when he's gone." Said R.G.
"OK dads, we got it." Said the twins while holding Lil' Miracle.
"He wants us to try his new home-made spice; magma spice, a spice with the essence of magma itself." He pulled a small round bottle with crimson liquid with leaves inside of it. "He want to know the continent and powers to know if it is safe for consumption or in other words; he wants to know if this is ok to eat with other food like curry." The twins grin in excitement.
"Try it daddy, try it daddy."
"OK, ok dudes (he used his magic to levitate a small water squirter to fill it and stick out his tongue) count me down by 3." "3" "2"
"Da-buh!"
"WAIT!" He summoned a pair of pointy shades with a Question mark on one glass and an Exclamation mark on the other covering his eyes. "Safety first." He released one drop and it land it on his tongue.
Meanwhile near Twilight's castle
"Oh... I'm so nervous and where is Random and his family?" Said Twilight who was pacing around her friends.
"Calm down Twilight, Ah told them about it, and they will make it after they're done with some important thing." Said Applejack with a barrel of apple cider for anypony who wants a drink.
"What could be so important than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna royal visit?" Pinkie giggle
"He said it was a family thing and he said, "Family is more important than royalty." Twilight face hoofed herself as Spike patted her on the back
"I'm sure they make it back. They did promise to be on time."
"Too late." Said Fluttershy. They looked up to see Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's chariots being pulled by their guards and landed in front of them. Twilight gulped as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna trot right up to them.
"Greetings Twilight, we have received your letter on these travelers from another land and we wish to make their acquaintance." Twilight laughed nervously since they're not here.
"Uh... well Princess Celestia... they're..."
"They're heading this way!" Yelled Rainbow as Random was charging towards them. As he was charging towards them; Shining Armor and Princess Cadence magically appeared
"Twily!"
"Big brother!"
"I see Random!" Yelled Pinkie. They looked to see Random charging towards them while looked furious and prepare to attack them
"Cease this instance, sir!" Said the guards as they prepare to block him but were sent flying as Random went through them. Shining Armor was shocked and stopped him
"Who are you and why did you my troops flying?!" Random looked at him and screamed fire out of his mouth
"Daaahhhh!" The fire went through Shining Armor's face as Random saw the Apple Cider barrel, He opened by popping the lid off and gulped down the entire barrel. Cadence was worried
"Are you ok?" Random looked at her and grin
"Yes and thank you for asking." Said Random as steam left his mouth as he fell to the ground.
"BRO!"
"DAD!" Twilight and the others saw R.G and Zeshaman with the kids heading towards them, ignoring the guards they trampled as the twins hit Shining Armor with water from buckets they were holding. R.G. saw Shining Armor's new mane cut, which looked awful like a bad haircut who committed suicide by setting itself on fire and laughed at him
"Nice do, dude!"Shining Armor looked annoyed
"Thank you for your compliment." He said sarcastically. Random raised his hoof
"Write this down bros; one drop of our cousin's homemade spice will burn off your taste buds and let you have the ability to breathe fire in pain." Unknown to them; Rainbow heard it and imagined the pranks she can pull with that spice as Zeshaman put it in his headpiece. The twins pulled the dad off the ground, and he noticed Celestia and looked at Twilight
"Who's she?" Twilight whispered in Random's ear.
"That's Princess Celestia and Princess Luna with my Big brother and stepsister." Random looked at them, then his bros.
"Still don't known them." Twilight face hoofed herself as R.G. growled
"We never heard of them since you never told us." Twilight forgot that and decided to explain.
One Long Boring Story later
"And that's how the Castle of Friendship was created from the Tree of Harmony." She looked at them to see them standing with wide eyes which made Pinkie poked at Random which he opened his eyes to revealed that their eyes that were opened were fakes and they painted their own eyelids. Twilight snapped at their act "YOU ALL BEEN SLEEPING THROUGH MY STORY!" Random and his family yawned while stretching
"Sorry Hime, we fell asleep after the first 10 minutes." Snickered Random.
"Do not lose yourself to rage, it seems that your friends lost to the speech of the mage." Said Zeshaman pointing to the others who were sleeping even her big bro and his wife." R.G. wiped the paint from his eyelids and rolled his eyes
"Talk less and maybe they'll listen." The twins were snickering as they were drawing on the guards' armor with markers and their faces with Rarity's makeup they borrowed from Sweetie Belle. Random was shaking off the tiredness from him and looked at Celestia.
"So who are you again?" Twilight groaned.
"That Princess Celestia, don't you remember that we talk about this." Random stared at her.
"I know, but I don't know much about her personality and the real her? I mean she could be secretly a malicious tyrant that is after the powerful magic that live in our side where she could steal it and used it to enslave us and all our loved ones." Twilight was horrified that Random said that.
"How could you say that!" She yelled at Random and shaking him for that.
"That's the mystery. I mean I could be right, and I could be wrong. The unexplainable is unpredictable which brings more mysteries to life itself." He said with a confident grin as Twilight looked at him stupefied. Princess Celestia laughed at what he said,
"He does have an active and creative mind of the unknown." She said which Twilight was horrified and fainted which surprised Shining Armor.
"You made my own sister faint, I thought Discord was the only one could do that."
"Did someone say my name?" Every pony was stunned as they heard a familiar voice.
"DISCORD!" They looked up to see a creature with different animal parts was hovering above them which confused Random
"Who is he?" Rarity went behind him.
"Discord, the spirit of chaos and disharmony."
"Reform spirit of chaos and disharmony." Random looked confused.
"So how come Twilight never mention you to us?" Discord sweated nervously.
"Well I kind of made a little mistake." Random waved his hoof.
"Oh I completely understand dude, it's not like you accidentally sent your hometown on fire as a giant creature made of fire destroying it." Every pony looked at Random like he was insane. "It was an accident ok! I was young and inexperienced with no focus in my head." Discord laughed at what Random said.
"You have a real imagination, buddy." Random looked at him and wonder.
"So what is your abilities?" Discord was standing on his head.
"I nearly turn all of Equestria into the most chaotic capital of the world. Cotton candy clouds that release chocolate rain and dancing buffalos." Every pony was annoyed remembering it but Random was trying to think.
"Wait a sec? You were the one who did that when we were traveling." Zeshaman and R.G. quickly remembered it when Discord sweated nervously.
"Uh... yes?" Random looked mad.
"I have one question for you. (He then looked happy) Did you ever made it snowed ice cream?" Discord and the others were shocked to hear what Random had just said as the twins climbed on his head.
"Can you make cola pouring out of the faucets?!"
"Or turn the ground bouncy and let a rainbow cry jellybeans?!" Discord pulled out a notepad and pencil.
"Keep this up, these are great ideas I never thought of."
"NO!" Every pony but Pinkie screamed after hearing that.
"Oh..." Discord, the twins, Random and Pinkie groaned
"Party poopers." Random looked at Princess Luna
"And you are?" Luna looked insulted but stopped since Random never heard of her and her sister
"We- I mean I am Princess Luna, Princess of the Night and riser of the moon and Celestia's sister." Lil' Miracle was on Random's head, stared at Luna and smile. Luna blushed at the baby while Random grinned.
"My little miko likes you."
"Oh... I am honored by her kindness and her cuteness." Lil' Miracle flied near her face and kiss Luna's nose
"Ah!" Said Lil' Miracle as Luna's face turned red.
"May I?" The guys nodded as Luna hold Lil' Miracle in her hooves.R.G.looked at Shining Armor and Cadence.
"And you two are?"
"I'm Shining Armor and this is my wife, Cadence."
"The name is Reflecting Glare, dude. R.G. for short." Cadence looked nervous.
"Is there something in your throat? Your voice sounds odd?" R.G. growled at her.
"And what's wrong with my voice?" Cadence cowered as Shining Armor defends her.
"She's just asking about your voice! I mean you kind of sound like a Changeling?" R.G.'s eyes slightly flash a quick purple.
"And what's wrong with Changelings, dude?" Shining Armor was confused by his reaction, answer truthfully.
"Those cruel and heartless creatures imprisoned Cadence and their queen feed on me!" R.G. rolled his eyes.
"Oh Boo-Hoo and get over it, ya wimp." Random, Zeshaman and the twins face hoofed themselves as smoke started to escape Shining Armor's mane and purple fire appear.
"FIRE!" Yelled the twins as the tossed the empty buckets at his head, forgetting to refill them as R.G. dumped his bucket on Shining's head as he chuckled darkly.
"Fire's out." He hold a black ball "Saraba, hito shusabetsu-tekina." He smashed it on the ground as white smoke covered the area as he disappeared.
"Gomen'nasai, Gomen'nasai!" Said Random as he constantly bowing his head "He never does those things, I'll go have a word with him, sayonara!" He pulled the same black ball and dropped it as he disappeared. Twilight face hoofed herself as every pony was horrified by R.G.'s actions but Pinkie was amazed.
"Wow! How'd they do that trick?! I must ask them!" Zeshaman and the twins laughed nervously as they were receiving questioned glares.
Meanwhile in Ponyville at the park, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were gossiping about hearing of new ponies moving to Ponyville. "I heard there was a family with two blank-flake twins." Said Diamond. Silver Spoon chuckled
"I also heard they got a baby sister, so we better watch out insulting her, so we don't get in trouble by their parents." Warned Silver. They laughed as a glowing red ball rolled right in front of them "Huh?"
"Oh thank you for finding my ball." They turned around to see a large stallion in a trench coat and hat.
"Uh... aren't you old to have a ball, mister?" He chuckled with a grin.
"It's a treasure I got from a king." Their eyes widen as they heard the word 'Treasure'. They gave it to him as he hold it in his hoof "Here, have a good look at it." They stared at it as the eyes went blank as some strange spiritual smoke escape from their mouths and enter the ball. The stallion snickered as the left the park while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were on the ground, unconscious.
Random was on a mountain peak to see R.G. on the mountain blasting boulders with purple fireballs from his hooves.
"Well that was rude!" R.G. roared in Random's face.
"I AM LETTING OUT SOME STEAM, OK!" Random wasn't convinced
"Come on, you're not telling me the truth." R.G. punched the jagged walls, leaving an imprint as he revert back to his real self; He was larger and buffer than Big Mac, his eyes were purple with dark green pupils, a huge horn on his head, large insect wings, purple mane-like hair in the look of a punk, a glowing blast-like scar on his right cheek that was releasing steaming and unlike the Changelings Canterlot had meet, he didn't have holes in his legs, a jagged horn or broken wings. He plopped on a rock and smoothed it.
"Listen, when we got here; ponies here have screamed, ran away, hide and called guards where I easily kicked their asses when they get one straight look at me." Explained R.G.
"Which we know since we saw you gave them black eyes as I torture them by feeding them hot wasabi." R.G. laughed as he remembered it.
"Yeah... and maybe I let my temper get ahold of me but I'm hating the fact that I have to hide my real self and having to collect Lil' Miracle's love from her." Random nodded since he knew his pain and was about say something, but he looked horrified as he shivered by a chill which confused R.G. "What's wrong?" Random looked at Ponyville and looked pissed.
"I had the Willies, a demon is stealing children souls!" R.G. was shocked and pulled two ninja knives as fire escape from them
"We will rip it open and it's blood water the grass as I burn the body and dance on the ashes!" Random looked at him.
"No offense, as much as I loved to see that. These locals here, maybe aren't used to see blood and death." R.G. groaned
"Weaklings, plus it also explains the lack of manga and graphic violence." Complained R.G.
"I know but their comics manage to help 1/3 of our hobbies but we better investigate it and maybe need Sudden Emotions if things get complicated for "normal" dudes like us and not draw attention to us." Said Random as he emphasize the word "Normal". R.G. grinned as he revert into his pony form and jumped off the mountain with Random.
Zeshaman and the twins were trying to pulled the bucket, wedge on Shining Armor's head since R.G. slammed it tight "Pull harder, Fixing!"
"I'm trying! His head too fat!"
"Or the bucket's too small!" Zeshaman had enough of the struggle and pulled his odd staff
"Enough of this before the twins thrash. I will free you with a strong bash!"
"WAIT!" As Shining Armor yelled in defense but Zeshaman quickly free him from his trap with no harm to him, which completely baffled as the princesses and Shining Armor.
"Wha... how did you?"
"It is a skill, I will tell later, but I refused to speak to you, the hater." Every pony was stunned to hear that what Zeshaman said as the twins looked at Shining Armor.
"Our pops told us what they're folks told them."
"Never hate others of a different race."
"We 3 were raised to show kindness to others."
"Boy, girl or unknown, we'll never hate them for being different." Shining Armor was shocked and felt guilty, he didn't know since he was raised by parents who raised them right and unselfish. As Shining was about to apologize, Miss Cheerilee came with the CMC on her back unconscious
"Princess Twilight! I need... we need you help!" Twilight was confused as Rainbow, Rarity and Applejack were unhappy.
"Ah... what did my sister and 'er friends did now?"
"No, they were found unconscious as well as every other child in Ponyville! The doctors can't find anything wrong with them!" Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow quickly grabbed the CMC and started to worried as Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Twilight used their magic to examined them but failed to find the cause.
"I... I... can't find the cause of this unexplained conditions!" Every pony started to worried but smelled a nose-killing scent
"Ughhh! What with the stink?!" Yelled Rainbow.
"I think the baby needs a diaper change." Said Twilight. They turned to see Zeshaman brewing a pot while holding his staff and chanting as the twins were chanting, hopping on their hind legs, and holding two blowfish in their hooves and Lil' Miracle was on Discord's head clapping
"(Mystic Chanting)"
"(Mystic Chanting)" They looked at Pinkie who was copying them, they let her as the blowfish and Zeshaman's staff glowed with along every pony and Discord around them except the CMC.
"What in Sam hill is this?!" Wrecking hopped towards her
"We're using a spell to see what's happened to them." Fixing also hopped also towards to Rarity.
"It is as dad as feared, a demon has stolen their souls." Twilight was baffled
"Their what!?"
"You know, their Supēsubanpaia, Chi or their Lifeforce in other words." They said simultaneously. Celestia was horrified by this; life was sacred for her, and a being of evil stolen their 3 innocent fillies.
"But the good news is, they're not dead." Rainbow snapped, grabbed the twins and shocked them with tears in her eyes
"What do you mean, 'They're not dead!?'" Zeshaman smacked her with his staff in order for her to release the twins
"What my boys are saying since you failed to hear. (Rainbow was about to smack him in the eye) If children is what he seeks, then he'll be near." Rainbow stopped and was confused
"Huh?"
"He means is we're at least or probably the last kids, right?" Rainbow put two and two together and shock her head
"No..." The twins nodded "No!"
"But we're willing, dudette." They whined but Celestia refuse to hear
"I refused to allow this!" The twins pouted
"Why not?! We're volunteering!"
"Yeah I mean, our dads allowed themselves as live bait when capturing a monster for its teeth." They looked at Zeshaman who was chuckling
"I have remembered that day, swallowing us whole and you'll pay." He said with confidence as his staff glowed ominously.
Random and R.G. witnessed all the colts and fillies were unconscious as he was holding a brown colt in a beanie in his hooves
"This is just as I sense." R.G. placed a hoove-mark on the ground
"Where is demon?"
"Wait a second already! I care too, like you." Random closed his eyes and his eyes glowed. "Supirittosensu" Everything was black as outlines of ponies, plants, animals and the sky as some glowed while a few didn't. He looked around the town, the forest and the castle to noticed a huge glow of colts and fillies screaming in fear and orb-shape glow heading towards the castle. His eyes lost his glow and growled "I found our thief but there's some strange orb that can remove a soul without killing the victim." R.G. put some thought into it and remembered something from the past
"Sourubanditto no ōbu, The Orb Of The Spirit Bandit!" Random's eyes popped out of his head as new eyes appeared as he blinked.
"But the orb is in Lord Yami and Empress Amaterasu's Treasury Temple! This one must have been powerful to rob the temple!"
"Talk later, we must fuse to Sudden Emotions." They ran as their eyes glowed and grooving to a rhythm beat as they charge, and a bright flash was replaced with a giant rolling ball giant of fire.
Zeshaman constantly continued to argue to the princesses about the twins volunteering to be bait as Spike and Pinkie were amazed by watching the twins were playing with 4 kendamas. The twins were showing and making moves which made Spike baffled by their skills and notices a ball rolled near them "Huh?"
"Excuse me?" They looked at a trench coat stallion near them.
"Thank you for picking up my ball."
"Uh... you're welcome." Fixing was about to return his ball until Zeshaman smacked him with a slip of paper in the face
"Hi-ya! Dark being wearing a false face! Reveal yourself and begone without a trace!" The trench coat stallion screamed as smoke escape from him as he grew in size into an ogre holding a metal club with spikes in bedded in it.
"Whoa..." Said the twins and Pinkie.
"(Scream in horror)!" Spike and Fluttershy yelled in terror.
"Eh..." Discord said with no enthusiasm.
"*Gasp*!" Said the rest."
"Dark creature who has stolen young lives! Return them or feel the pain of a 1000 blazing knives!" Yelled Zeshaman's staff glowed with as he was charging at the ogre. The ogre swung his metal club; blocked Zeshaman's attack which created a shockwave which send Spike flying.
"TWILIGHT!" She looked up and flew quickly to catch Spike who was then hugging her real hard.
"I got you, Spike!"
"Don't let me go!" Shining Armor then charge to assist Zeshaman where he was send flying towards him and crashed to the wall of Twilight's castle.
"Shining Armor!" Screamed Cadence.
"Dad!" Said the twins.
"Now for these last souls." Twilight, Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Rarity blasted him with their magic but to learn, it was ineffective. The ogre chuckled
"That tickle." They backed away as the twins lifted their blowfish.
"Back off!" They said with confidence as he laughed at them
"Oh... what are you gonna do, hit me with your wittle fishy-wishies." The twins sweated and looked tough.
"No but we'll summoned a giant pony!" He laughed at them.
"A giant pony?! BWA-HA-HA-HA! Show me then!" Wrecking and Fixing stood on their hind legs.
"To prove this baka that we're no phony!" "We now summon to our aid; A GIANT PONY!" They posed as a breeze past them which embarrassed them.
"BWA-HA-HA-HA! I knew it was..." before he could finish, the giant fireball slammed into him and send him crashing to some trees. Everypony backed away from the fire as limbs burst out forming into a unknown creature. The flames vanished to reveal a gigantic stallion who's was a combination of a pony and a Changeling wearing blue punk coat with feathery insect-like wings, a bamboo twig in his mouth, purple flames in the shape of a pompadour on his head, a long sharp and curved horn, a purple fire in the shape of a steel sandals on his hind hooves, flashing eyes behind a pair of sunglasses and a mouth full of normal teeth and four long fangs.
"(BOOMING LAUGH)" Its laugh was so loud that even Celestia and Luna covered their ears "IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I APPEARED!!!" He cracked his hooves which made the guards' armors cracked because of the sound.
"Whoa..."
"Are you the one we summoned?" Said the twins with eyes full of hope.
"YEAH, SURE LET'S GO WITH THAT. HEY LITTLE DUDES, WANT TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY COOL?" Everypony shook their heads in disagreement except Spike, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow nodded with excitement. His horn glowed creating an orb of magical energy, he then stood on his hind hooves and smashed it with his front hooves. As the orb was shattered, its pieces covered his hooves forming into gauntlets as a long blade appeared out of them and release flames.
"Epic!" Screamed the twins in excitement.
"Ok, that's so awesome!" Said Rainbow Dash.
"YOU LIKE THAT, LITTLE DUDES?"
"Are you gonna beat the ogre with those?"
"THAT'S THE PLAN! SO TELL SUDDEN EMOTION WHERE THE PUNK IS?" He turned around to get hit by the ogre's club.
"Oh..." They said as he got whacked but the ogre made one mistake; Never blind-side Sudden Emotion.
"NICE TRY, PUNK BUT I'M TOUGH AS DARK MATTER!" He head butted him as his pompadour transformed into hard diamond, shattering his teeth, blood escape from his nose and uppercut him with his gauntlet.
"Whoa..." impressed Spike
"Give him the Ponyville slam!"
"No, give him the Cloudsdale pile driver!" Yelled A.J. and Rainbow Dash as Rarity was modified by the violence. Sudden Emotion ran towards Twilight's castle and performed a wall kick for higher altitude while leaving a hole in her castle
"HEY!"
"METEOR IMPACT!" He shape-shift into a giant-size meteor and crashed into the ogre creating a blast in the shape of his bamboo twig. As the smoke clear; they witness Sudden Emotion raising his hoof in the air as the ogre was smoldering on the ground. Emotion grabbed him, shocked the orb out of his possession
"Wait, let's make a deal. We could work together, steal the souls out of many and became the most powerful beings." Sudden Emotion looked at him as the rest of the ponies worried in fear as a pair of eyes opened on the back of his head. He stare at them and noticed Lil' Miracle was shedding a tear as Cadence was assisting Zeshaman and Shining Armor which made him feel sad and angry at the same time
"I DON'T... HURT... KIDS!" Sudden Emotion tossed him towards the sky "NOW EAT THIS, BLASTWORK!" He slammed his gauntlets together, the gauntlets blasted off like fireworks and headed towards the ogre. The ogre saw them as his eyes widen as he saw the projectile
"NOOOOO!" They hit him and exploded, destroying him in the blast radius.
"OH YEAH! DEMON EXTERMINATED! WHOO-WHOO!!!"
"He... destroyed... him." Baffled Twilight.
"HOORAY!" Cheered the twins.
"NOT HOORAY!" screamed Fluttershy as everypony looked at her as she flew to Sudden Emotion's face "How could you!?" Sudden Emotion blinked
"HOW COULD I WHAT?"
"How could you destroy that ogre?! He was a living being and you could've banished him! You should be a shame of yourself!" Sudden Emotion looked at her.
"A SHAME OF MYSELF FOR WHAT? FOR DESTROYING A WANTED CRIMINAL FOR TAKING THE LIVES OVER 100 INNOCENT VICTIMS AND DEVOURING THEIR SOULS?" Fluttershy looked shock as well as the other ponies and started to feel guilty.
"Um... Uh..."
"AND ESCAPING AFTER GETTING THE DEATH SENTENCE. SO WHAT SHOULD I BE SHAME OF, LITTLE DUDETTE?"
"Nothing." Whimpered Fluttershy as she backed away until Sudden Emotion stopped her
"HEY ITS COOL, YOU DIDN'T KNOW. LISTEN, BANISHMENT HAS A LOOPHOLE; IF I BANISHED HIM, THEN HE WOULD ATTACK ANOTHER TOWN FULL OF INNOCENT LIVES. SO WIPE THAT FROWN AND GIVE ME A GRIN AS I LEAVE." Fluttershy smiled as he was about to leave "OH... BEFORE I FORGET, HERE'S A GIFT FROM ME." He pulled out the orb and glowed as the light of the sunrise; wisps of smoke escape from the orb and floated above them as they headed towards different directions.
"What are these puffs of smoke?" Question Luna
"Those are the souls of the kids, seeing them will surly flip your lids." Said Zeshaman as he was assisting Cadence holding Shining Armor. Three wisps headed towards Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo and enter their mouths. They started to twitch a little as their eyes slowly and moaned as they felt like they were sleeping for hours.
"Ooohhh... What happen?" Groaned Apple Bloom.
"I feel like the time I was force to read Rarity's book on elegance." Yawned Sweetie Belle.
"Or listening to Diamond Tiara's essay." Said Scootaloo as she was still sleepy.
"GIRLS!" they looked to see Miss Cheerilee, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity looking upset at them
"Oh... whatever we did, we're sorry!" Said Apple Bloom only to be caught in a group hug which confused the CMC.
"Uh... What happen?" Ask Sweetie Belle.
"THE DANGER AND EXCITING BATTLE IS OVER LITTLE KID, I GOTTA GO." They're eyes widen as they saw Sudden Emotion.
"A GIANT PONY!!!" Screamed Scootaloo.
"SEE YA LATER, LITTLE BUDDIES. WHENEVER YOU NEED ME OR MY OTHER BROS, JUST FOCUS AND WE'LL APPEAR WHEN NEEDED."
"Wait!" But it was too late, Sudden Emotion jumped off the ground and flew faster than a sonic rainboom as a bright light flashed in the clouds.
"Bye Sudden." Said the twins sadly.
"What is the matter, little ones?" Ask Luna
"We didn't get the chance to ask for his autograph."
Meanwhile in the clouds above Twilight's castle
Random and R.G. were groaning in pain as if they were in a battle "Oohhh... it's been 5 years since we fused into Sudden Emotion." Said Random as he cracked his back.
"Ever since the kids have been with us, we haven't had any fusion training." Said R.G. as he cracked his neck
"We have been rusty lately but if a demon came here, then it won't be long until every corrupt divines and demonic criminals come here since we were students of Emperor Yami, Empress Amaterasu and best pals with Prince Akuro." Said Random.
"Not to mention that our Vardos contain powerful and deadly artifacts, weapons, armors and creatures in our dimensional-rooms." Random nodded and look below him
"We better get back and please don't murder the captain of the guards/Princess of Friendship's big brother after his racist comment." He said.
"Fine but if he doesn't apologize, (he pulled out his throwing knives) he better say sayonara to his mooches." Random shrugged his shoulders and pulled out the orb
"Plus, we better send this back to Yami and Amaterasu with the criminal's soul inside it."
"Really? Give me that." R.G. snatched it out of Random's hoof and shaken it like a snow-globe "Look, it's a typhoon." Random snickered at the orb and pulled a smoke bomb.
"We better get back or they'll get suspicious of us, hide the orb and your real self from the royals. He dropped it and they both vanished.
"How was that possible?! It is scientifically impossible to be able to conjure?!" Screamed Twilight as she has yelling at the twins who were wearing earplugs to drown Twilight's bombardment of boring questions. They pulled a sign that said [Is she done talking?]. They shook their heads in disagreement as Random and R.G. appeared.
"Hey sorry for the delay but when we came back, we notice the unconscious children in Ponyville and tried to find the problem until we saw the explosion and hurried back as fast as we can." Said Random in a fast pace. "So what happen when we were gone?"
"Twilight is having a meltdown." Said Rainbow Dash, as they looked at her as she was freaking out.
"So what's with her?" Discord appeared between them
"Oh... She's freaking out by the unknown giant pony that also part Changeling who blow up an ogre that looked way different."
"So what brought this 'Giant Pony' here?" Ask Random as he quote giant pony with his hooves.
"Your twin boys summoned him apparently." Said Shining Armor. Random's eyes widen in shock.
"So my boys summoned a giant pony who blew up the ogre, right?"
Right." He looked at them and smiled.
"I... am... so freakin' proud of you two!" Twilight snapped at comment.
"Look at the damage to the castle!?" They looked to see a hole in the wall.
"Eh... that can be easily fix." Said R.G. Twilight looked at them and just smile.
"Fine... you can fix it, please."
"Sure whatever but it will be made of wood." Random said with confident as Celestia wonder by his calm and unexpected cheerfulness to his children.
"I find it odd that you are not shock by your children's abilities to summon a destructive being." He looked at her
"Well to be honest, summon is magical skill that starts small and works its way up to huge. Summoning a huge being is a sigh of natural skill of a summoner." He grinned as Zeshaman was patting them on the head.
"I see..."
"Its a cultural thing back home which usually bring magical animals, demonic or divine beings to the summoner's aid." Celestia was surprised by their magical spells.
R.G. saw Zeshaman limping his front left leg and assist him as his crutch "Wait!" He looked at Shining Armor as Cadence was helping balancing him
"I wanted say... I'm sorry for the what I said about Changelings." R.G. looked surprised
"Your boys told me what your parents said and must be good ponies to taught you. They made friends with other races then ponies, right?" They both nodded as a Polar Bear cub wearing a spike collar with a long chain connect to it, was rubbing its head on R.G.'s leg.
"Aisu Kama."
"A Polar Bear cub?" Said Shining Armor.
"Aww... how adorable." Said Cadence. Fluttershy saw the cub and went gaga by its cuteness.
"Its so cute!"
"Its hideous." They looked to a familiar pompous white unicorn.
"Hello Aunt Celestia."
"Blueblood?" Said Celestia surprised
"Blueblood..." Said Rarity as she was grinding her teeth.
"Who?" Said Random as Discord lowered Lil' Miracle to him.
"Our nephew." Said Luna
"Oh... so he's weak?" Twilight quickly covered his mouth
"Don't say that out loud but yeah he's weak."
"Not to mention, he's a self center, egotistic, cheapskate jerk." Said Rarity loudly to his ear. He looked disgusted at Aisu Kama
"What a dreadful creature."
"I'd be careful on what I say if I was you." Blueblood looked at Random "Our pets will maul you if you insult them."
"This cutie can't be that dangerous."
"It's just a runt." The cub growled, charged at Blueblood as R.G. grabbed the chain and held him back. Blueblood jumped in a guard's hooves as the twins took a picture of him of his wimpy-ness with Pinkie's camera
"Lame."
"Mega weak."
"Give me that photo!" The twins ran away back home as Random looked at Fluttershy
"You said you can take care of our pets right?" Fluttershy nodded
"Yes?"
"Please take Screams and Ice Bite away from him before there's spilled blood." |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 4 | Wrath of the Wyvern-skunk
R.G. was following Fluttershy with Screams resting on his back and Aisu Kama latch on his chest as they were covered in dirt with the twins as they escape from Blueblood "Hey, thank for being cool for watching our pets and stopping them from mauling that Blueblood dude." Fluttershy was wondering why Random, and R.G. said that two adorable creatures can do such a thing. They made it to Fluttershy's home in time, Screams was chewing on a crew toy of a ham which bugs R.G. but he didn't want to make him mad, for a good reason and it's not skunk funk. Fluttershy looked at the Polar bear cub on R.G.
"Your pet really loves you." R.G. looked at Aisu Kama
"Yeah he does. He like my warmth and he's loyal to me as Screams is loyal to Random." The twins were snickering at their photos they took of Blueblood.
"If he's a prince then we're demons in disguise."
"Agree brother, he's nothing like Prince Akuro that dads said and respects with their hopes and prayers." Fluttershy worried a little
"Is uh... Akuro a kind pony?" R.G. nodded as he looked at the sky
"He's awesome, he has his mother's love for the lives of others with the blessings of the sun and prayers and his father's bravery in combat and protection with the powers of darkness and demonic forces. He is the Alicorn of the Eclipse, the balance of the sun and moon." Fluttershy was started to be interested in meeting him but had one question
"Does Prince Akuro like animals?" R.G. looked her
"Like animals? He loves animals! They always go to him since he's always feeds them whether their herbivores, carnivores, insectivores, or omnivores. He feeds them bags of feed for their certain taste." Fluttershy smiled about hearing of another animal caretaker like her and an Alicorn which Twilight would like to hear.
"Speaking of animals, I wonder how Miss Celestia-Hime is doing with our dads?"
"And hoping for a misfortune for that Prince Bluejerk." Said the twins as they were snacking on small biscuits with pandas on it and drinking Ramune while sharing them with Fluttershy and R.G. Random was giving medical treatment for the injured guards since they got dragged by Ice Bite into rocks, rocks, and more rocks.
"Again, my deepest apologies for you all since we are responsible for your injuries." He said while wrapping the wound of a guard's leg.
"Thank you helping us." Zeshaman came with some bowls of soup.
"Please enjoy some Miso for your health, feeling good is the greatest wealth." Some of the guards taste it and enjoy its warm taste. Random saw Blueblood who was loafing around on some expensive imported furniture
"Hey! Are you gonna help since this is entirely your fault." He just acted like a slob with riches
"I refuse to let my manicure hooves touch dirt-covered armor." Random growled at him as he backed away
"You better change you ways or a horrible consequence will affect you in any way." Blueblood ignore him as Random summoned a katana which surprised everyone "Stuck up, rich coward when I'm through with him..." He grabbed it and was about to unsheathed it until Zeshaman grabbed him from behind, stopping him from removing the katana
"Random my brother, do not be so bold! He might listen when he's do as he been told!" Random growled as he being pulled away from Blueblood and brought to Shining Armor where he was being watch.
"You can't stay safe being your guards! Someday you'll will save yourself from danger without your... your...?" Random looked at Shining Armor "Hey out of curiosity, is he your friend, brother or cousin?" Shining Armor looked disappointed.
"Unfortunately he's the nephew of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna."
"OK, thank you for your help, good sir. Fear my warning, Baka! Fear my warning! Without your Aunts protection won't save you from the terror of The Unknown Samurai of the Unexplainable!" Zeshaman looked at him dully.
"I think your threat is a good one, but worthless when he is already gone." Blueblood was gone already as Luna stared at his sword
"I'm afraid of asking but why do you own a deadly weapon?" Random looked at Luna
"Sometimes magic isn't the only thing in life that can protect you, you have other abilities you need to find, and I did with a lot of training! Thank you, Family of the Mystery Clan." He said with a grin as Luna and Shining Armor wonder what kind of family he had. Discord on the other claw, appeared on his shoulder.
"(Mischievous laugh) You must be the fun one of your family, right?" Random look at him and chuckle nervously.
"By fun one, you mean the craziest one in the family that can make any psychologist go insane, then yes." They stared at him if he's pretending or he mean it, but Discord laughed as Lil' Miracle was sucking on her hoof while holding in Discord's antler.
"You're funny, not that many in Equestria. I should visit your hometown. You want to visit my home?" Random wonder about it.
"I know it's rude to not to accept an offer to visit someone's home, but I can't leave anyone in need of medical treatment." As Twilight tried to stop him, Zeshaman stopped her.
"My brother you should have some fun, please be back when you're done. I shall assist with the help, I will give them some bitter kelp." Discord grinned, wrapped around him, snapped his fingers and they were gone as a note was on the ground. Be back whenever - Discord. Nearly everypony worried as Zeshaman wonder why they looked worried.
Meanwhile in Discord's home
Random was on a lounge chair floating upside down while Lil' Miracle was bouncing on a boulder while a wave of bouncing balls passed her and Discord was dressed as a well manner waiter "Can I have your comment, please?" Random looked at him with a banana split bed near him.
"Well this place will make any sane creature loses their mind, breakdown those eggheads with the reverse laws of gravity and destroy the nature of predator and prey. I have to say... This place is exactly like my dream world! You are a master of creativity!" Discord blushed
"Oh... Thank you for respecting my chaos. But all that aside, you're not what I think you are." Random looked confused.
"What are you talking about?"
"I couldn't enter your head and no other pony except Pinkie who can tolerate anything." Random shrugged his shoulders.
"I can adapt to anything." Discord smirked.
"No creature or should I say, pony. Other than an Alicorn have a horn and wings." Random's eyes widen and shattered like glass as he sweeper it out as eyeballs inflated back
"How'd you know?" Discord snickered.
"A simple flaw; you had some feathers sticking out of that brace." Random's eyes stretch out to look at his back and saw gray feathers sticking out.
"Damn it, how come I didn't see it?" Discord's eyes stretch too looking at him.
"Care to talk."
Back to R.G. and Fluttershy
Screams and Aisu Kama were in Fluttershy's cottage as R.G. gave Fluttershy some instructions "Now listen again since I gonna show the dudes their new school and places to find for lunch. For Screams, never get him mad. His crew toy keeps him calm and if he goes... out of your control, get Random, Zeshaman or me and no one else." Fluttershy nodded and wonder why them only since she's an animal caretaker "Also for Aisu Kama keep him in a pool of ice-cold water. Add some ice so he doesn't get overheat in the sun and he can hunt by himself but don't let him eat more than his own weight in food. Here's a list to help you remember and I don't mind if you change a few things, being flexible is our family motto. Plus finding a way to saving some cash." Fluttershy nodded as R.G. left as the twins were napping on the ground being dragged by him. During the explanation of R.G and Fluttershy before she went back into her cottage; Screams was crewing on his toy while Aisu Kama was snoring which annoyed all the animals in the cottage especially Angel. Angel was grinding his teeth hearing the constant squeaking, so he snuck behind Screams and snatched his chew toy. Screams looked around and saw Angel Bunny with toy taunting him as the Screams' shadow grew over them as the rest of the animals backed away in fear. Angel bunny was horrified at the sight as a blast of fire scorched him with wide eyes as he dropped the chew toy. As Fluttershy came in she smelled something burning as She saw Angel Bunny burned to a crisp as Screams was chewing on his toy, Aisu Kama was napping and the rest of Fluttershy's animal friends were hiding under the sofa.
"Angel Bunny! What happen to you!?" He pointed at Screams and making monster faces. Fluttershy didn't believe it "Now Angel, it's not nice to blame others for something they didn't do." Angel looked shocked that she didn't believe him "Now let's get you all cleaned up." As she was carrying Angel to the bathroom; Screams looked at him as his eyes went to a quick sharp eyes of death to normal. Aisu Kama had his eye opened and sighed in disappointment.
After Angel Bunny's bath and wrap up in bandages, Fluttershy followed the list with some tummy rubs, she took Screams and Aisu Kama for their walk. Some ponies keep their distance in fear of being spray by Screams but some of the kids petted him and Aisu Kama since they're harmless and friendly. Aisu Kama saw Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon pretending not to notice them, but Aisu Kama grabbed some flowers with his mouth. He gave them the flowers, laid on his back and they rubbed his belly since he was acting cute. Screams didn't mind if Ice Bite is getting all the attention, but his good mood was shattered by Blueblood. "Ugh! The rotten rodent from the insane foreigner." He dropped his chew toy covered in drool in front of him and hissed at him. Blueblood backed away in fear and use him magic to tossed Screams' toy far away from his sight. Screams looked hurt and whimper as Fluttershy was furious at him.
"How could you do something so cruel?" Blueblood just scuffed at her as Screams was growling in anger and hissed at him. Aisu Kama knew what was gonna happen, grabbed Fluttershy by the tail with his teeth and dragged her away from Screams. "What are you doing?" Diamond Tiara wonder as Screams was somehow growing larger than them.
"Uh... Miss Fluttershy..." She looked as her eyes widen, Screams was growing into something huge, his teeth became sharper, his legs became longer as his claws grew, his fur somehow grew scales like a dragon, bat-like wings that looked almost identical to a bat's wings and paws burst out his back and his tail extended as a scale-cover tail appeared out of his skunk tail.
"What are you looking at?" Said Blueblood a he noticed a crowd of frightened ponies. Aisu Kama pointed at the air with his claw as he turned around to see a monster-looking dragon with fur patterns like a skunk. "Oh...my..." Its eyes opened looking at him, took a deep breath and roared an ear shattering roar in front of him which made him scream in horror and flee in terror along with the crowd panicked in fear. The beast saw him flee and started to give chase as it noticed a filly crying. Her mother saw her but trip in the panic and witness the beast reaching for her daughter and screamed in fear, only to see it picked her daughter up and brought her to her mother. She got up and see it placed her on her back and patted her on her head lightly with its finger and waved goodbye as it gave chase to Blueblood. The mother was confused as her daughter waved back.
"Thank you, Mr. Dragon!" Screams rolled his eyes as he heard "Dragon".
Fluttershy was still there as her mouth dropped and looked traumatized by Screams. Aisu Kama nudged her as she looked at Aisu Kama, she picked him up as he looked unhappy "Did Screams turned into that thing?" Aisu Kama nodded "You knew about it?" He nodded again "Can you transform into a giant beast at will?" He nodded again "Why... Why didn't you warn me?" He growled at her in the form of conversation "Your family doesn't trust me, and my friends and you didn't think he would transform?" He nodded "But I thought we all became friends?" He shocked his head and explain to her the reason "We are their friends but haven't earn their trust?" She think back and remembered what Zeshaman said before
("Beware Hime, knowledge is what you yearn. To get it is something you must earn. To make sure your challenging work isn't a bust, you and your friends must earn each of our trust.") She looked worried as she didn't see Screams.
"What should I do?" He made some growls and she smiled "Get R.G., Zeshaman or Random but what about..." She looked at Aisu Kama "Have to earn their trust. We better hurry to the Vardos!" She flew to Vardos with Ice Bite as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon looked shocked.
"Those new neighbors have a pets like that?"
"Uh-huh."
"How much will they take, so we get a ride on it?"
Meanwhile in front of the school
R.G. was talking to Miss Cheerilee while the twins were reading a manga "Are you sure if it's too much of a hassle to have my little dudes join your school?"
"Of course, I have enough room for them in the school." R.G. ponder a little and nodded
"Very well, Miss Cheerilee and if it's not a problem but if you are sick or in need of a substitute teacher; my brothers and I are happy to teach some history, art and culture about where we're from. In the name of education and possibly future visitors who wish to learn about this country's culture." She smiled at the idea of new students from another land learning in her school, but they heard an earth-shattering roar from town.
"What was that?!" R.G. looked horrified
"Screams." Miss Cheerilee looked confused
"Excuse me?"
"We have to go... NOW!" Wrecking and Fixing looked nervous
"We'll see you"
"In school, Sensei!" They followed their dad as she wonder what they said
"Sensei?"
Twilight and the others heard the roar as they witnessed an enormous dragon in Ponyville. "A DRAGON!? HOW'D A DRAGON GOT IN PONYVILLE!?" Screamed Twilight. Zeshaman looked unsurprised.
"Oh dear for those in his path, I shall start the tomato bath." Celestia and Luna wonder why Zeshaman didn't show any fear, but they saw Fluttershy flying towards them
"Fluttershy! Are you ok?!" Worried Rainbow Dash as she nodded.
"Yes but I have to tell you something."
"You got Screams mad, didn't you?" They turned to see R.G. looking annoyed as the twins looked disappointed
"Well... To be honest, Blueblood did." They smacked themselves in their heads
"Of... Course he did. I knew he would cause some troubles to us." The twins were looking nervous
"I hope they won't"
"Hurt poor little Screams." They whispered to themselves.
"What is going on here, please explain Mr. Glare?" Celestia asked while staring at him. R.G. didn't flinched or looked nervous
"Talk to Random. Screams is his responsibility, not mine." He dropped a smoke bomb and vanished from thin air before anybody can grab him. "Fluttershy..." She looked at her friends.
"What's going on?" She looked extremely nervous as Aisu Kama comfort her and grew to her size as huge icicles grew out of him and his eyes glowed bright blue which freaked out her friends and the princesses.
"Uh... I discovered that Screams can transformed into that dragon." Aisu Kama growled at her and corrected her "Excuse me? A Wyvern? He dislikes being mistaken for a dragon?"
"I hate to hurt his feelings but he's destroying the town!"
"No he isn't!" Said the twins.
"There's no fire or smashed buildings!"
"Plus no one was eaten... yet." They looked at them with freaked out looks
"We are bringing Discord with Random." Said Twilight as the formed a circle as a rainbow appeared to bring Discord.
(Random Mystery's Voice) "Summoning... LEGENDARY!!!"
Discord was showing off some moves as he posed at the end of the song "Discord."
Rainbow Dash was just stunned and confused by that weird song "Ok... What the hay was that!?" Discord snickered at them.
"It's my new summon theme whenever you need me, that will play all the time and you can thank Random for that." Twilight looked around for Random who wasn't with him.
"Where's Random?!" Discord laid on a cloud.
"He's back at my place with his friends from very interesting places, he ask me if he could invite them and so I did, and they even asked for my autograph." He said smugly.
"Bring him here! We need his help!" Yelled Applejack. Discord looked annoyed.
"Very well, don't blame me for the chaos, it will bring."
"Wait what?" He snapped his fingers and brought Random who was with the CMCs and creatures and ponies they've never seen with a Wendigo, and they were singing and dancing in both equestrian and another language
They didn't even notice where they were nor the ponies watching them.
"Hey!" Yelled Rainbow Dash to get their attention but they didn't even hear her even Scootaloo. She saw a pair of Pegasus mare with a unicorn mare that looked identical to her, doing what they're doing and tried to get their attention. "Hey!" They didn't hear her which ticked Rainbow off "I said... HEY!!!" She pushed on of the twins, one of the twin's head popped off and landed in front of Rarity.
"Hey! What the hell!?" They looked horrified at the sight of what they're looking with confused the unicorn mare's head "What?" They screamed at her as Random's friends noticed the group of guards and Alicorns and they screamed and ran away in fear leaving Random, the CMCs and a mean looking unicorn stallion with magma like coat and mane and a fire with a question mark as his cutie mark with a lantern with no flame around his neck and questions mark surrounded in fire.
"Hey wait! Come back everyone! They've never seen cool buds like you!" Yelled Random as they ran into the forest as the severed head that Rainbow knocked off, floated away chasing her body which slammed into a tree. Random looked annoyed at them "What the rotten demon corpses made you all scared my friends away?!" They were shocked to see he wasn't fazed by the creatures.
"They were your friends?!" Yelled Twilight as Rarity noticed that Sweetie Belle and her friends were wearing amazing robes that almost describe the kimonos that Random talked about
"Sweetie Belle! Where did you and your friends get those fabulous outfits!" They looked at their clothes
"Miss Furosutorōzu gave them to us as a gift for asking about your store." Said Sweetie Belle.
"Yeah and she's like you except without the whining about things being disgusting and creepy." Said Scootaloo.
"Even having a Wendigo as her coltfriend. She is so awesome for being brave and her ice powers are cool." Said Apple Bloom. Rarity was examining the outfits as the stallion cough to get their attention and pointed to the distant
"Ima watashi ga motte iru anata no chūi ga, kyodaina nanika ga kite iru, soreha bōkan-sha o oikakete iru yō ni miemasu." They looked confused as looked where he was pointing.
"Huh?" He saw Blueblood pushed him aside as Lil' Miracle went flying from his back as a R.G. appeared in a blast of smoke catching her from landing on the ground.
"You ungrateful Baka! You nearly hurt our baby girl!" He yelled at Blueblood as Random looked back to get trampled on by a giant Wyvern/Skunk hybrid. They were horrified and check to see if he was squashed; they saw his Mohawk marks sticking out of the ground. They gulped as the twins went to check as Luna covered their eyes to prevent them from seeing the truth
"Young ones... I am... very" The ground of the claw print burst to see Random climbing out, covered in dirt.
"OK... OW!" They were baffled by him, surviving being trampled.
"How... DID YOU SURVIVE THAT?! THE PHYSICS IN COMPARISON BETWEEN YOU AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!" Random stretched his back.
"Like I said before, I have seen worst and I faced worst. So what made Screams broke the sitar string?"
"Blueblood. Soon to be Deadblood if Screams catch him." Random looked unsurprised.
"Oh... So I need is-" Before Random could say something; he got trampled again. Lil' Miracle looked at the chased and laughed at Blueblood making freaked out faces as Screams chasing him but Celestia walked up to Random as he burst out of the ground again.
"I believe you have some explanation for having a pet with that kind of abilities is a sign of an international conquest." Random and his brothers looked hurt to hear that.
"Miss Hime, I am a searcher of the unknown, a discoverer of the hidden lands, ancient tombs with bountiful knowledge and rare treasures and antiques with its own magical properties that you might see if I want to exhibit them to the public, but a conqueror is an insult to my honor!" He stood on his hind legs to reach Celestia's face "Also to let you know, I liberated him and his pals from some crazy whacko scientist plan to create an army of hybrid creatures to defeat some 6 dudettes with..." He widen his eyes and realize something "Oh... Now I get it. 6 Elements of Harmony, 6 dudettes."
"How ironic, we saved their lives from a psychotic mad scientist who believe that they can be beaten by creatures she creates from their samples before we meet them." Said R.G. holding Lil' Miracle while giving her a bottle of juice.
"If you words are true, then show us this mad scientist so we may give her the wrath of justice for defying the laws of life." Said Luna. Random and his bros looked worried.
"Well... about that... She'd... Uh..."
"She got eaten." Everypony looked at him "By nature's predators." They looked at Random
"A plant. Yeah even if it's embarrassing and I mean" He got trampled again as his head was sticking out "Oh come on! Seriously?" He looked up to Celestia "A little help, please?" She used her magic to pull him out of the ground as he looked to see Blueblood past him as he jumped out of the way. Blueblood ran behind the unknown stallion.
"Save me! I'll pay you handsomely!" He looked pissed off
"Pea o sodate, anata okubyōmono!" Screams took a deep breath as R.G. gulped in fear
"Uh-oh." He unleashed a blast of fire at Blueblood and the stallion. The princesses tried to use the magic to protect them, but the stallion grabbed his lantern and opened it as the flames were sucked into the lantern like magic. Rainbow was amazed by him.
"That... was... SO AWESOME!" He trotted away.
"Watashi wa an anata jishin ni shite iru, 1 Kane o hoji koto get dekimasu."
"What are you saying?!" He noticed screamed tried to eat but jumped out of the way.
"Ok, we had enough of you tantrum." He looked to see Screams charging towards him and he raised his front leg "HEEL!!!" He yelled as Screams slowed down in front of him. Screams growled at him until he recognized the scent, wagged his tails, and licked him with his long reptile tongue. "I love you too but please... calm down boy. Shrink back to normal for me." He did as he was asked and shrunk back into a skunk. He rubbed his head on Random's leg as Random petted his head "That's a good boy. Isn't he a sweetheart?"
"SWEETHEART?! That beast tried to kill me!" Yelled Blueblood as Screams snuck away from Random.
"Hey! My pet never attacks unless you did something to tick him off. Wyverns are completely different than dragons. They're have self-control over their greed unlike dragons on this side."
"Hey!" Yelled Spike hearing that as an insult to him.
"They are also completely stubborn and never give up on the one getting back at the one who wrong them. Which you did and try not to deny it." He looked away.
"I refuse to speak to speak to a commoner like... UGAAA!!!" Before Blueblood could finish; he got sprayed by Screams when he wasn't looking. Everyone covered their nose except Random and backed away from him and some of them laughed this misfortune
"Stinkblood stinks!" Yelled Wreck-it.
"Let's bury him alive!" Suggested Fix-it.
"I'm starting to like Screams." Said Rainbow. Rarity backed away near R.G.
"Excuse me but does Screams enjoy consuming gems?" He looked confused
"Yes... Why?"
"I shall send him a gift basket with gems as a sign of my appreciation."
"Tell me why later." Random looked to see Zeshaman making a cauldron of tomato juice over a roaring fire.
"Rub a dub dub, get your butt in the tub." He pointed at the tub, but Blueblood didn't like the look of it.
"Are you insane?! I refuse." Zeshaman looked annoyed.
"Very well, my friend, before you blow a fuse. My brother will show what happens when one refuse." R.G. trot near Random, pulled some kunai knives from nowhere and threw one as fast as the eye can see, near his hooves. He backed away as R.G. was polishing the other one and went in the tub with no complaint.
"See, that wasn't too hard." Blueblood looked ticked.
"Are you mad? You threaten me with a weapon."
"That didn't even touch you. Yet." R.G. grabbed the one he threw and went to his Vardo. Random chuckled.
"Sorry about that. R.G. hates snobs who think their better than us. To be honest, we mostly have stone face prideful ones who don't show the feelings." He explained as the twins were sneaking behind Blueblood. Fix-it was on his brother's back and rip his mane off his scalp.
"AAAHHHH!!!!" The twins ran away while tossing his mane to each other and laughing alongside with Rainbow Dash, Spike and secretly Rarity "Look what those brats did to me!"
"Yeah, yeah, they ripped your toupee off."
"I wasn't wearing a toupee" Everyone's eyes widen in surprise but Random.
"So... It will grow back, Prince Baldblood." The twins burst in laughter as one of the guards took back the ripped off mane
"Aww..." They pouted as they trot away to the Vardo.
"I apologize for the trouble my pet for spraying your nephew. I hope this doesn't make my family, a bunch of crazy psycho killers." Discord wrapped around Random and laughed like he has some mischievous plan.
"Are you kidding? What you told me about your adventures; I love seeing ponies or should I say, a group of travelers which chaos finds them at anytime and anywhere. You guys are my new friends for life!" Random smile.
"Really?"
"Cross my heart and never go non-chaotic." Random looked shock.
"Whoa... That's the ultimate promise for beings of the chaotic."
"You know it brother." They bump fist each other and make gargle noises as Twilight had a worried look on her face.
"A pony that's ok with chaos? Why do I feel this is a bad idea?"
"Because that's the mystery and it can't wait to be solve!" Said Discord and Random. Celestia looked worried.
"I hope you will discuss your nation with us for peace."
"Maybe, maybe not." Said R.G. which caused Random to pit fall.
"Dude! Pray for it and maybe they'll like you." R.G. looked out the window.
"If any of them mares falls in love with me, I will barf my guts out!" He closed the curtains and put out a sign that said, 'No couples in love in 50 yards near this Vardo'. Random laughed nervously.
"Love makes him sick to his stomach." Cadence looked horrified.
"What! Why would love to disgust him?" She asked Random who made a face (Author's note; Try to see it as the face made in Soul Eater when they hear Excalibur.)
"Don't ask, please. I don't want to remember the constant memory." Discord looked curious.
"Is it that bad?"
"Makes your eyeballs run away from your skull and puke tears as vomit." He looked disgusted and vanished from Random. He looked away and smile "I hope we will meet again and please enjoy these gifts from us." He gave them canes which confused them.
"Oh... Thank you for these... gifts for us. Even if we do not contain bad backs." Random was holding Shining Armor's cane.
"Oh... It's more than helping you walk." He pull the handle to reveal it's also a blade "You never know if an enemy nullify your magic." They backed away from him and he noticed it "You don't like it?"
"No... No..." Said Shining Armor as Random sheath it looks depressed
"Oh... I knew I should have gotten you the broom-blades instead." Shining Armor tried to cheer him up.
"It's not that. It's just that...we never seen something like that." Random looked at it.
"Really? I thought it would be a good gift. Our mother said give a guest of honor a gift that is unpredictable in something common." He laughed nervously and grabbed it.
"Uh... Thank you for the gift." He smile and bow.
"Watashi wa Watashi ga watshitachi no hōmon no tame no ōku o motteinai osorete imasu. Watashi ni Watashi no supaisu o astaete kudasai." Said the stallion which made Random sad "Ā... Anata wa hontōni ikanakereba naranai nodes up ka? Futago wa anata o kite kōfun shite imashita." He looked and sighed.
"[OK]. Kokode wa sorera o motarashimasu." Said Random "Dudes! Meet your uncle Hellfire!" Everypony was shocked at what Random said to his kids as the twins jumped out the window and tackled their uncle.
"Uncle Hellfire! It's good to see you!" They said together awhile hugging in tightly. He hugged them and give them a rock that was warm.
"Whoa... What is it?"
"Watashi wa bakuhatsu shita Kazan Kara maguma no ganseki."
"Awesome!" They said, "Bye uncle Hellfire!" They waved goodbye and went to their Vardo. He waved farewell as Zeshaman tossed the spice to him with a note and trot away as the wind blew a warm breeze. Twilight trot towards Random
"That was your brother?"
"No... Uncle on my father's side of the family's." Her eyes widen.
("How can he be that age without looking old?") "And his name is really..." She had a trouble saying something that's normally a swear.
"Yep but you can only say it when he's around. That's what I told my boys and that they can say it when they're in high school." Explained Random.
"I couldn't understand him." Said Twilight.
"Sorry... He only speaks Japanese while we manage to learn and speak your nation's. I could teach you but it's getting late, and I have to cook dinner." Said Random as He went to Blueblood "Oh by the way, that maybe your bath but it's also your dinner. (He summon a large straw tube) enjoy." He said while snickering. Blueblood looked disgusted since he had no choose in fear of R.G.'s knives, took a sip.
"Disgusting." |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 5 | The Arrival of the Lord of Darkness. Princess Luna's opposite? Pt.1
The day was almost to an end, the air was cool, and the trees tinted with orange slowly falling off the branches, Random and his family were around a campfire cooking curry ''*Deep sniff* Mmm-mmm, I love cooking curry, it always taste delicious with family." Reflecting was cooking the rice in his changeling form in three rice pots with his fire abilities, Zeshaman was chopping some veggies, Random was stirring the curry so it doesn't burn, and the twins were playing with Lil' Miracle with a puppet show.
"Relaxing." said R.G.
"I agree with the sight, so relaxing until it became night. "They all let out a relaxing till a giant chicken popped out of nowhere.
"HI GUYS AND BABY!" Random fell and the curry spilled all over on him, R.G. blew up the rice pots and Zeshaman cut a stone in half.
"Pinkie Pie!?" Yelled the Twins.
"THE CURRY! IT BURNS!" Random screams as he charged to a nearby pond.
"There goes our meal, I hope the giant chicken brings a good deal." Said Zeshaman as R.G. growled at Pinkie
"Dark meat or pink meat?" She giggled and cluck around.
"You can't eat a fake chicken silly." Said Pinkie
"Pinkie!" They saw Twilight in a wizard outfit, R.G. panicked, grabbed a cloak, and covered himself up. "Sorry guys for surprising you."
"Your friend owes our us dinner and a burn cream for Random." He pointed to a big wet puff of grey fur trotting to one of the Vardos while mumbled words in a pissed tone in a different language. "He's in a state of anger, scaring him to spill dinner is a sigh of danger." Said Zeshaman
"Oh so sorry guys, I thought you were getting ready for Nightmare Night and Reflecting's Changeling costume is amazing!" Said Pinkie which shock Twilight.
"Changeling what?" She pulled the cloak from R.G. which scared Twilight out of robe. "C-c changeling?!"
"I know it looks so life-like and the wings and teeth too." Pinkie pulled on R.G.'s cheeks and smelling showing Twilight his teeth, pulling his wings, and smelling his purple mane. R.G.'s eye started to twitch, and smoke started to escape his nostrils. "Wowwy... I love your special effects Reflecty, do you have any more?" He was growling and purple flames rise from behind him.
"GET... OFF!!" He roared as Pinkie got off him and clapped in amazement
"That's so amazing!! Can you turn into me with Dashie's mane, Rarity's horn, Fluttershy's wings, Applejack's tail, and Twilight's coat?!" R.G. nearly lost it until Random came out brushing his coat and making his mystery mohawk back in form.
"Before R.G. have Yakitori as our replacement dinner, please explain to us why is Pinkie dressed as a chicken and you in some sorcerer? (He looked excited) Are you putting on a theater?!" Pinkie shocked her head.
"Nope, nope, nopey... This is for Nightmare Night, silly." They all looked confused.
"Nightmare Night? What's that?" Asked Random.
"It's a special night that we set up for a festival about the legends of Nightmare Moon." Explained Twilight,
"Nightmare Moon? Oh, you mean Luna-hime's demonic version of herself who became that way because she felt unappreciated at those who fear night?" Said Random which Twilight face hoof herself to hear what Random said.
"Yes and it's Princess Luna, Random."
"And like I said before Hime means Princess, Twilight-Hime." Said Random as he stared at her and surprised Twilight as he put something to thought "Weird... It's almost like the Festival of Darkness back home, right brothers?"
"Uh-huh."
"Wearing costumes at night sounds a little crazy, but given our past travels isn't that much hazy." Said Zeshaman.
"Hmm... OK we'll give join your festival tonight." Said Random.
"We will?"
"Yes, R.G. since it does sounds like fun and since Twilight-Hime will make it up to us as an apology for our dinner, right?" Twilight heard a hint of anger from Random and quickly nodded.
"YES! There's games, stories and free food."
"Don't forget the tons and tons of CANDY!!!" The whole family appeared in front of Pinkie
"Tell us more! Tell us more!" They all yelled in sync.
"OK! Well you go up to a pony's house." Twilight was baffled.
("Wow, sweets will change some ponies' minds.")
"Not exactly Twilight. We like the idea of free eats." Said Random as she looked surprised
("Wait? Did he read my mind!?")
"So we have to wear costumes to earn candy from others?" Said Random
"Yep and give it to Nightmare Moon so she won't haunt you." Zeshaman shocked his head.
"We have seen stranger and horrible things in our past, maybe celebrate it, is like in our youth will be a blast." Spoke Zeshaman
"Hmm... I think Glare and I have some ideas on what costumes we can make. Even with some leftover materials, I think we can make it in time." "Okey-Dokey Random! See ya at the party!" Pinkie bounced away as Twilight follow her.
"Oh wait!" They turned around and saw two lollipops floated towards the twins "Happy Nightmare Night." Pinkie grabbed it and lick it like crazy.
"Oohh Thank You!" "Uh... Thanks."
Later that night
The whole town was setting up for Nightmare Night; many ponies in costumes, some games and snack stands were set-up and every building with fake cobwebs, rubber spider and bats. "Well Everything is going great in Ponyville. Said Twilight with Pinkie who was dragging a big sack of candy.
"Yep and this candy proves it!" They saw Rainbow Dash dressed in her Wonderbolt outfit, Applejack was dressed as a Timberwolf, Rarity was dressed as a century old fancy mare and Fluttershy was dressed as a butterfly who was convinced to join them for one night.
"This night is going to be fabulous darlings." Said Rarity.
"It's gonna be awesome since Princess Luna's coming!" Glee Rainbow Dash.
"Oh... I hope it won't be too scary." Worried Fluttershy as AJ patted her shoulder.
"Now don't you worry, sugar pie. We're here for ya." AJ calmed her down. "Hey girls!" They saw Twilight and Pinkie heading towards them and Pinkie was bouncing faster than usual.
"*munch munch* IhopeRandomZeshamanReflectyFixeyWreckyandLil'Miraclecanmakeitbeforethenight'sover!" She said rapidly.
"Yeah but I don't think Reflecting Glare was wearing a costume." Spoke Twilight which her friends but Pinkie turned to Twilight with confuse looks. "What do you mean, Twi?"
"Well... I think he's..."
"Impressive!"
"Cool!"
"Amazing!" They quickly turned to see Random with authentic fake wings in a huge samurai armor, Zeshaman was wearing a white and blue monk outfit, holding a golden-color metal staff with rings on it and a green bead necklace, Wrecking and Fixing were carrying iron clubs with spikes, without their hard hats revealing their Afros with horns in it, wearing yellows and black strip loincloths and Lil' Miracle was on Random's back, dressed in a kimono outfit, her face was covered in white powder and red lipstick on her lips, in her mane was in shimada hairstyle and a come in it.
"Whoa..." Said Rainbow Dash. Rarity appeared at an instant and was awe by Lil' Miracle's costume
"Oh... My... Goodness! This outfit is beyond fabulous! Where did you get this material?!" Random lifted his helmet
"R.G. made it for her in a quick sec." Rarity grabbed him roughly
"WHERE IS HE?!" A sudden blast of smoke appeared in front of them as R.G. was in a full body black ninja outfit with a long flowing black scarf and can only see his eyes while looking a Changeling.
"That was AMAZING! He was poof and now he's here! Looking cool!" Said Pinkie while chomping on candy. Everypony surrounded him while admiring about their new neighbors costumes, Twilight however was still suspicious about Reflecting Glare.
("I'm still think he's not who he is, like that Changeling Queen that pretended to be Cadence. *gasp* He must be a Changeling pretending to be his brother! I must expose him... Her... Or it, I really must research about their gender differences.") Twilight tiphoof behind R.G. and focus a spell behind him. Random notice her and blink rapidly at him. R.G. noticed it as morse code and winked back. Twilight unleashed the spell on R.G. but when the spell hit him; a log appeared where he was, with a drawing of a face sticking out its tongue.
"Wha...?"
"Ah ha ha ha ha!" She turned around to look at Random "Thanks for showing the young ones a ninjutsu brother! And thank Twilight-Hime for assisting with the ninjutsu!" The fillies and colts applaud in joy and excitement after seeing an amazing trick. R.G. reappear in front of Twilight looking pissed
"Nice try, old sage. *Hiss*" he hissed at her arms jumped to the top of a pole.
"How did he...?"
"Never... attack a ninja from behind." She turned around to Random lifting his helmet off his head "Ninjas will retaliate with shurikens and explosives. So watch your back if you attack again." He put his helmet back on and trout away, clanking with each step as Lil' Miracle looked at her. Twilight was baffled and noticed a note on her cloak and read it
'Plus you need evidence to prove your claim, or you won't solve the mystery.' Twilight just watch him and wonder
("Is he crazy or he already knows? What if he's a Changeling and his whole family but Applejack said they were just weird but what if... Aaaaahhhh!!! He's so random...! Which makes sense.")
Throughout the last hour, Random won the apple cider contest after drinking 4 barrels worth, The twins and Zeshaman were with the other kids and Pinkie collecting candy which made them the twins hype-up in sugar, R.G. was carving oni masks out of wood which frighten Twilight away when he offer Fluttershy a mask. Random was waiting at the fountain for the others to show up "I wonder what the others are doing?" He looked up and notice a flying chariot heading towards Ponyville. "Huh?" He saw a group of Pegasi in armor with bat wings pulling chariot with Princess Luna in it. Everypony bowed down when Princess Luna came except Random who was changing Lil' Miracle's diaper. One of the guards notice him and was angry
"You over there! Show some re-"
"Hey dude, can you do me a solid and throw this in the trash?" He used his magic to give him the dirty diaper without looking and didn't notice the guard fainting after smelling the diaper. "There now, all nice and clean my little Mido." Lil' Miracle laughed happily as Random place on his back. He noticed the unconscious guard on the ground "Oh my... Ponyville has talented folk who can make an authentic fake dead body. I got to ask them to see if they can make candy that look like demon skulls next time." He touted away to see Princess Luna in front of him "Good evening Luna-Hime."
"Good evening as well Random-San... Is that correct?" Asked Luna
"It is correct Luna-Hime, I didn't know you were visiting Ponyville or learning Japanese?"
"We are visiting to assist with the festival with Princess Twilight and we manage to found to discover an old translation book on Japanese in the old Starswirl library. Which was odd since it was in the 'do not read' section."
"That's good to hear and odd I think. Every festival must have enough games, snacks, food and the most important thing of all; the fireworks." Lil' Miracle had a mask on her head and stared at Luna-Hime's mane while sucking on her hoof.
"You enjoy fireworks?" Asked Luna.
"I do... They brighten the night sky of stars with signs of beauty and wonder bringing smiles to the young ones." Random closed his eyes and remember the youth "My Ojīchan, my grandpa is still the best fireworks maker in Shinrai torēdo, Trusting Trades and all of the land, sea and sky itself. Luna was amazed by his foalhood memories of fireworks bringing joy and happiness to ponies forgetting the fear of night and be amazed by its beauty." Said Random which made Luna happy to hear.
"HOW GLORIOUS! I mean how glorious Random Mystery. I never knew you home value night as much as day." Random gave her a grin.
"Thank you for the compliment Luna-Hime. As a token of our short time; have a mask that R.G. made that Lil' Miracle's wearing." She look to see a baby Pegasus flying, wearing an oni mask on her face.
"Oh! (She was a little surprised by how frightening it look and used her magic to levitate it on her face) How does it look? If it's too frightening to the children, I'll take it off." Before Random could say anything the twins were dragging two sacks filled with candy as Zeshaman followed them
"Hi dad! Baby sis and... (gasp!)" They both were shocked seeing Luna-Hime was wearing an oni mask
"Is it too frightening for you two?" They looked at each other and looked at Luna-Hime.
"No, we're surprised that you're wearing papa R.G.'s mask he made to scare an angry mob away." They said which made Random shush them.
"Excuse me?" Asked Luna
"We mean... Solicitors." Said Wreck-it
"Yeah! They always trying to sell us cr...ud." Spoke Fix-it as they smiled nervously as they gave their bags to Random and ran to play some games as Zeshaman shrugged his shoulders and followed them.
"(Nervously laugh) Sugar rush, make their minds go wacky." Luna wonder and noticed a sad group of colts and fillies with Fluttershy around a campfire and trot towards them as Random follow her. "Hiya Fluttershy, what's wrong?" Fluttershy turned around with a worried face.
"Hello Random, Princess Luna. The children are waiting for the storyteller, but he is in Manehatten taking care of his sick sister. The children were hoping to hear one, but Zecora and Mayor Mare are too busy with the festival, and I don't know any kind of scary story." Luna started to worried as Random snickered.
"I have many stories from my homeland, but this story is all about my Ten'nō; Yami, yami no ō." They all looked confused
"What?"
"Oh sorry, I mean my emperor; Yami, The Lord of Darkness." Fluttershy backed away from the group.
"Now that we got a storyteller, I'll be going now, BYE!" Said Fluttershy in a fast pace and flew off faster than Rainbow Dash. Random looked confused
"O...K... Now little ones, this story is pretty scary so there's no shame in leaving." They shook their heads and planted their rumps on the logs, Random smile "Very well, you have been warned." He placed Lil' Miracle on the ground with a pillow underneath her "I feel a sneeze coming." His nose tickled and sneezed at the fire as it transformed form a red flame into a black flame form a nightmare.
Go to part 2 |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 6 | The Arrival of the Lord of Darkness. Princess Luna's opposite? Pt.2
"Long ago before history could be written; our side was shrouded in darkness and the where the deadliest and dangerous creatures are free to hunt with their heart's delight. When the sun sets; nothing can be seen, your senses will be useless, and your life will be extinguished at an instant." The children around Random started to coward in fear except Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon except she wonder why he said, "Nothing can be seen".
"Uh... What about the stars and the moon? I mean don't they light up the night sky?" Luna wonder that as well but Random looked ominous
"That is an excellent answer, young Silver Spoon. Don't the stars and moon light up the night sky? Well I shall tell you why I never mentioned them, they have all been consumed!" They screamed in terror for hearing such a thing including Luna as Lil' Miracle looked at them with a confused look. "Yes, they were consumed by a Colossal Golem known as the Dark Titan, born of a mineral with the essence of pure unexplainable raw cursed magical metal, DARK MATTER!" He used his magic on the black fire to form the creature as the kids hid behind the logs and Luna was starting fearing his story. "Yes, night in my side... Is the deadliest and most frightening thing in a 12 hours' time limit. I'm afraid... No offense to you Luna-Hime; it makes your Nightmare Moon self, a cat hunting a mouse." Luna wonder if she should feel insulted or happy for being called less frightening. "But no one in history, find out who or what created it. Some believe a golem went sentinel after being abandoned by its creator or the minerals itself form itself to create its body underground and swallow a huge chunk of land." They hid behind Luna-Hime as other ponies listen in along with Twilight who believe it's pure nonsense. "Every creature fear it, its footsteps are quakes whenever it walks, no one ever seen it in day as it disappears when the sun rises to light the land. Warriors, Monks, and armies fell to the beast; no one ever survived from the battle. All seemed impossible and everyone began to lose hope." Everypony felt sad as Luna remembers the pain of being unappreciated for bringing night "Until... (They looked up and moved closer) one brave and powerful being stepped up to fight the Titan. He was known as Yami, Alicorn no kage." They looked at him confusedly since he forgot they don't speak Japanese "Yami, the Alicorn's Shadow." He said dully and they gasped to hear of another Alicorn
"Another Alicorn?"
"Another Princess?" He widen his eyes and burst in laughter
"You... Think Yami's a... Princess? (LOL)" they'd looked at him angrily, but Twilight vouch for him
"He has a right to laugh." They looked at her confusedly "Yami... Is a... male Alicorn." They looked with shock and surprise hearing what Princess Twilight said,
"A male Alicorn?"
"How is that possible?"
"Is there such a thing as Alicorn Stallions?" Random looked annoyed
("Are they for real? I mean it doesn't take a genius to realize how Alicorns are born. When a Mother Alicorn and a Father Alicorn love each other so much...")
"Please Everypony!" He looked to see Luna-Hime gather their attention "We can ask questions on this news after the end of the story."
("Thank you Luna-Hime.") "As I was saying, Yami is a true for real Alicorn, born in the Demon World at Nightmare's Haven; an area in pure endless darkness that not even sunlight nor moonlight can phase through it, and he was the only being alive who can see through the shrouded Darkness." They gulped since this was starting to get very interesting
"Did he win the first battle?" Said a colt named Pipsqueak.
"No... But he refused to give up! He spend fifty night constantly attacking his legs until he manage to break a chunk of Dark Matter Metal or DMM for short and asked the most experienced Blacksmith demon and best friend to create a pair of claws which can equip to his front hooves." They tried to imagined it but Random decided to help them as he pulled a scroll "Here's a painting of him which make Twilight faints every times she see it." Some snickered if that is even true until he unraveled it and Twilight looked away as some of the adult ponies fainted and some covered the children's eyes. "Oh come on... I know it's impressive and beautiful but that doesn't mean you have to hog it for yourself from the kids." They looked at him and thought he was nuts as Luna looked horrified at the painting and wonder about the art styles of Random's country. "A warning for those whoever dares to use DMM will suffer its cursed powers. It can create powerful armor and weapons but will absorb your energy until either you die... (They screamed in horror) or until a priest or Alicorn removes it off of you." They sighed in relief and looked mad at him "Hey... I said this story is pretty scary and I even hadn't gotten to the good part." Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack appeared while dragging Fluttershy to see if the story was over.
"What the hay going on?" Applejack asked Apple Bloom
"Mister Random is telling a scary story that even scared Princess Luna." They looked surprised to hear such a thing "It's about a Male Alicorn who defeats a Titan made of metal." Fluttershy wonder about it.
"Akuro?" They looked at her wonder why she said that
"No Yami, the Lord Of Darkness. His emperor from his country." Said Sweetie Belle. They gulped after hearing such a title.
"And he said he's getting to the good part." Said Scootaloo.
"And here's the good part of the story; at the very night where he meet his foe, he flew straight forth to the Titan's chest, pierce through his chest with the weapons he worn literally created from his enemy, pulled out his Boulder-size DMM heart and BREAK IT IN TWO!" The made heart beat sounds and the sound of a boulder snap in two with a frightening face which frighten everypony faint for acting it out. "As the Dark Titan fell after having it heart ripped out; Yami dove back to release not only the stars but the moon itself. He raised it towards the sky and past the heavens itself along with the stars to bring the light of the moon itself as the creatures hid in fear of the moonlight."
"Why fear the moonlight?" Asked Twilight.
"A good question Hime. The creatures themselves had never seen the moon. To them is an unknown creature colossal as the Dark Titan and the light from it, scorched their eyes as they retreated to the safety of the Demon World." He said with a grin which scared them. "After the death of the Dark Titan; the lives of every being witness the light and cheered for Yami and rename him Yami, the Lord of Darkness and Emperor of my land. The End." He bowed as they looked at him with blank looks. One unicorn stallion in a toga clapped.
"Wow... That was... An amazing story... That... YOU MADE UP!" They gasped as Random looked annoyed as he expected it "I mean a male Alicorn... Baa! That is a bunch of garbage!"
"And if it isn't garbage, you have to drink the whole tube of wasabi and finished it." Said Random.
"Deal. ... What's wasabi?" Random looked up and looked surprised.
"How did you know that, Luna-Hime?" She looked confused.
"Know what, pray tell?" He pointed at the sky
"How did you know that Yami melted the Dark Titan's body to create a powerful huge Dark Sphere Battle Fortress as big as a mountain to float in the air and when you see it in front of the moon, it looks like a giant eyeball in the sky? Did my little dudes gave you spoilers?" She looked confused, looked up at the moon and noticed the black spot heading towards Ponyville
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF HARMONY?!" Screamed Luna as everypony panicked in fear. Random however squint his eyes to take a good look and looked surprised and shock.
"No way... It can't be!" A blast of smoke burst next to Random to reveal R.G. looking surprised.
"I can't believe it. He's here... He manage to get here." Luna heard what Reflecting Glare said and grabbed him.
"WHO?! WHO IS COMING?!" Random got on his hind legs and started hooting like a monkey (Author's note: If you don't understand it, I'm trying to describe it like people cheering without words and making an ass of themselves like you're seeing the Jumbotron of a donkey dancing.)
"The dude of nightmares."
"The reincarnation of the shadows." The Colossus Sphere stopped in the air as a platform lower to the ground to reveal creatures like the ogre that stolen the foals souls but one of them were not only red but blue and like a centaur while wearing mask made of stone and carrying a litter with a pony inside it? The crowd backed away from the monsters as the walk towards them. Luna flew in front of them with eyes and horn glowing furiously.
"YOU SHALL NOT HARM MY SUBJECTS!!!" They looked at each other as they lower the litter to the ground as the door on it open to reveal the very being on the scroll which they all thought it was only an illusion. He was huge, bigger than Celestia herself, wearing a sokutai and holding a fan in his demon-like metal claws.
"Go aisatsu, kono machi no senjūmin." He said as they stared at him as Random went to the stallion in the toga, holding a tube of wasabi
"Start... Drinking." The stallion used his magic to grabbed it and took a sip of it, gasped of air, and went straight for the water pump.
"You better drink it all or I'll force feed you!"
Go to part 3
Go aisatsu, kono machi no senjūmin - Greetings, Natives of this town. |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 7 | The Arrival of the Lord of Darkness. Princess Luna's opposite? Pt.3
Everypony was stunned to see the real live Lord of Darkness, Yami. The kids hide quickly behind the adults as Random, Reflecting Glare, Zeshaman and the twin went in front of him. They bowed their heads.
"Yōkoso, watashi no kōtei." He smiled as they lifted their heads as Yami looked at the residents of Ponyville. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
"Kono chīsana machi no shimin! Watashi wa EMPEROR YAMI, ōshanzu akurosu Kingu to Ishite shira rete imasu! Watashi wa watashi no gakusei ga tegami o tsūjite itta koto kiita nochi CAMEte kimashita! Watashi wa, ryōkoku no heiwanotameni MY CLAW o EXTEND ni kite imasu!" He yelled as his voice echo through their town as they looked scared and confused. He noticed that and looked at Random. "Randamu-sama ga, naze jūmin ga konran shite mieta nodesu ka?" Random smacked himself in the head.
"Migi ā, watashi wa wasurete shimaimashita. Karera wa Nihon o rikai shite imasen." The others nodded as Twilight flew towards them looking scared
"Uh... What did... Emperor Yami said?"
"He said he came here after reading our letters to extend his claw in peace." She looked surprised and looked at him
"Uh... Greetings. I've been learning a little Japanese from Wrecking and Fixing so... Watashi wa kōrei-sha no omutsu o tabete tanoshimimasu." The twins, Yami's guards and Random burst out in laughter as Twilight looked embarrassed as she looked at R.G., he was holding his laugh in as well as Yami "What did I said?"
"You said "You enjoy eating the diapers of senior citizens." He said. She looked embarrassed as the twins patted her shoulder.
"It's okay."
"We make some mistakes while learning." They grinned as Twilight smiled nervously as Random got an idea.
"Watashi no kōtei wa, watashi wa anata ni watashi wa yoru no tame ni mananda gengo o ataenakereba narimasen." He looked surprised.
"Watashi no gakusei wa, anata wa yoroshīdesu ka?" Random nodded.
"Watashi wa watashi yori mo, karera wa anata o rikai surudearou to shinjite imasu." Yami shut his eyes and nodded
"My Lord, Kore wa sukoshi kinchō kamo shiremasen." Random's horn glowed in a raging black and white as Yami's horn glowed in a demonic blackish red fire, the energy between them transfer through each other as Random looked a little shaken by it. Twilight and R.G. managed to help Random without being crushed by the weight of the armor.
"You okay, bro?"
"E e, watashi wa shēbuaisu to shite daijōbudesu." Said Random.
"Excuse me?"
"He said he's ok as shave ice *cough*" Their eyes widen as they look to see Yami clearing his throat "So... *cough* Is this the correct language that I'm speaking?" R.G. nodded as Luna flew to them.
"Pardon me but uh yes. I welcome you to our land, um Emperor Yami." He bowed to them as Yami's guards were looking at the decorations of the fair.
"Korera no sōshoku wa nani no tame ni aru nodesu ka?" Asked the red ogre.
"Soko karera no ōjo wa akuma no dengen ga haitte ori, rekishi no naka de densetsu ni natta hōhō no matsuri no tame ni. Purasu shita ishō ni yotte sore o kinen shi, kodomo-tachi ni okashi o ataemasu." Explained Random. The ogres looked at each and ran towards the battle fortress. R.G. cleared his throat, stood on his hind legs and bowed in a perfect 90 degrees angle
"My lord, we are honored that you have arrived in the very night. May we have the honor of being the guide of your tour through this calm and unpredictable town?" He also bowed in the same way.
"I would most be honor, my students." He saw Zeshaman and follow him as Twilight looked at R.G. with a shocked look
"You... And... Your brothers...?"
"Yeah, we were Emperor Yami and Empress Amaterasu's private students along with a private school (And the prices on the lunch menu were too damn expensive). It isn't a big deal." She gawked at him
"It isn't a big deal... (Fake laughing) OF COURSE ITS A BIG DEAL!!!" She yelled at R.G. which made everybody looked at her as she chuckled nervously "I was hoping you might tell me how did you and your bros became private students of your rulers?"
"Kay, when the night is over. (Or when I remember it.)" He looked back to see that Random was meeting the same two guards coming out with two younger ogres, a small red boy dressed in a pair of thin round-frame glasses, a white polo shirt with a red necktie, light blue shorts with braces, yellow gloves, a red book bag and black loafers and a blue girl dressed a red shirt and white overalls, yellow gloves and a pink cap that has the words 'Arale'. They smiled excitedly as he gave them goodie bags full of candy and they hugged him. Twilight looked surprised.
"Do kids from your country dressed like that?" R.G. looked unsurprised.
"Nope, they're cosplaying as characters from manga, our version of comics." She looked confused.
"Really?"
"We have them, but I don't think you can understand the language or take the craziness in it." Twilight didn't understand him.
"Excuse me?"
"Book-types like you will never understand us Otakus." He vanished as she summoned a dictionary.
"What does Otaku mean?"
As Luna and Twilight showed Ponyville to Yami and his private guards, Random was watching the children while was cooking some fried rice to some of the residents as Zeshaman making some strawberry Mochi to the kids. Yami looked around to see the structures of the houses and decorations.
"Hmm... Your country is very... unique." Twilight smile nervously.
"So... Uh... How did you and Queen Amaterasu meet?" Yami eyebrow raised
"You really want to know?" Twilight nodded
"To learn about your nation's history."
"Very well, we met during the Demonic/Divine War." Twilight and Luna were shocked to hear that
"A War?!" They said simultaneous.
"Random never mentioned a war." Said Twilight.
"Watashi wa watashi no kuni no rekishi ni tsuite anata ni hanashita koto ga nainode, watashi wa sore o genkyū shita koto wa arimasen!" They heard Random yelled at a distance.
"He said that 'He never mention it because he never told about our nation's history.' But yes, there was a war, over 50 centuries ago." A few ponies came to listen about the war. "Two kingdoms, one of sin and one of holy exist as ours is between them. Some of sin consumes and corrupt their hearts as some of holy protect and answers their prayers but their actions created a war between the two kingdoms and used our world as their battlefield." Some of the ponies looked scared. "All villages, towns and cities back than had guards and warriors to protect their homes and citizens from hordes of Divines & Demons conquer the lands as their own. Many prayed to them as their protectors at the cost of their freewill and loyalty in exchange for who they pledged their allegiance, Demons and Divines have given them corrupted magic, powerful armor and weapons made from materials of powerful and mystical resources and skeletal remains of those who fallen to death themselves." The crowd backed away as R.G. appeared.
"War can make anyone use anything to aid them in the field of battle, even if it means of disgracing the dead by using their remains for war." They crowd looked horrified as Yami calmed them down by using his magic to release the scent of Cherry Blossoms.
"Calm yourselves. The past does strike disgust to all, but history cannot by censored." Rainbow Dash looked like she gonna throw-up.
"Yuck... I wished I never learn that." She than felt something poking her on the shoulder, she turned see a female unicorn who looked pissed off "Yes?" She pushed Rainbow Dash to the ground "Hey! What was that for?"
"You know why! You jerk!"
"No I don't!" Rainbow Dash pushed her back as her head went flying. The flying head landed in a stroller with Pound Cake and Carrot Cake.
"You're gonna pay for that!" The babies pulled on her mane "OW, OW! Easy please!" Rainbow looked horrified as the headless body bumped into Big Mac
"GAAAAHHHH!!!" A mare looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Big Mac turned around to see a stallion looked freaked out to see the body of a Pegasus mare with her necked stretched out looking at him. Fluttershy screamed and ran into a colt.
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" The colt looked up with his one huge eye watering.
"Yes Ma'am." Fluttershy screamed as another pony screamed horror as more creatures appeared as the whole town panicked. The mayor, Spike, Princess Luna and Main 6 tried to calm the town.
"MONSTERS!!!" A giant Cyclopes came out from behind a building.
"That's rude! We were invited here." The town freaked out even more as he felt hurt by them. Yami looked around and was confused by the panic.
"Now please... Calm down citizens." They still panicked which started to annoyed him "SILENCE YOU BAKAS!!!" His yelled echoed in an explosive soundwave that nearly deafen them as the turned their attention towards him "There is no reason to panic. There is no danger, no one being hurt or capture slaves nor any destruction to your homes! Why should you fear my citizens of our nation or kingdoms?" The crowd looked around them, seeing Yami's citizens feeling hurt by them as others expected the fear. "We're all different to life itself. We have our own lives to explore and try to search the unknown and see if the unknown comes to us but that does not mean the unknown brings only danger to us. Every life changes to see, understand and accept the unexpected to see life to the fullest." Yami's citizens applauded as some shed tears by being moved by their king's wisdom. "Now as we are all here, take this time to introduce yourselves and learn about your cultures." Filthy Rich looked at one of Yami's citizen who looked like a normal stallion but with no face which frighten him a little.
"Uh... hello there.".
"Greetings good sir, Great Deals is my name and attention-grabbing sales is my business." Filthy Rich looked surprised.
"Wait... You're a business pony?"
"Of course I am. I have ideas that can improve business plans." Filthy Rich was intrigued by him ideas.
"Tell me more." They had a conversation as the Floating Head was heading towards Rainbow Dash looking pissed off as R.G. was helping her body
"Again you did the same thing!" Rainbow Dash didn't understand what's she was talking about.
"Uh..." R.G. appeared
"She's ticked off that you knocked her head off remember and you didn't apologize for it." Rainbow look at her as she placed her head on her body.
"No offense but I know she's a pony but what's with the removable head?" She asked.
"She's a nukekubi pony, they have a removable head that can remove from their body plus their heads are spiritually connected to their bodies to allow them to travel around as long as nothing happen to their bodies. Knocking their heads off is a sign of insulting and mocking them." Rainbow Dash felt guilty as she placed her head back on body.
"I'm sorry, to be honest when you're head popped off... I kind of screamed a little and thought I thought I... Celestia forbids killed somepony." She looked at her took her head off and moved it closer to Rainbow's face.
"Supirittonekku is my name, and I can tell why. When Random told us that there were no demons or divines like us here, we didn't believe it until you and your friends screamed at us plus to be honest those guards of this country kind of looked like those who attack first, talk never and attack anything different." Rainbow wanted to disagree but remember the anything that wasn't pony did get a glare of attack.
"Ok I get that, but freaky things did happen here." Said Rainbow.
"Like how that cool looking chimaera or Nue who make that world with the cotton candy clouds and the Gashapon with free candy by Tafusukaru." Rainbow didn't understand her but understood who she was taking about.
"I can understand the cotton candy clouds but Discord and Cool don't go together!" She said.
"I HEARD that!" they heard a voice as Discord burst from the ground as every pony except for Yami and his citizens. "Just because I'm a creature of pure chaos that doesn't mean that others can't love me. I mean look at them, they're taking pictures of me." She saw them taking pictures of him which freaked her out.
"This has to be a freaky nightmare." Supirittonekku looked confused as Yami approached Discord
"Interesting... I have never seen a unique creature like you in my life." Discord grinned as others looked annoyed
"Thank you your Lord of Darkness. I am honor by your praise." Said Discord as he vanished
"Such an unknown living being. Perhaps he should visit our kingdom?"
"NO!!!" Twilight and Luna screamed which confused him. As time passed; Many of the citizens and their invited guests learns that their not so different after all as one of Yami's citizens was a huge head as kids were climbing on him. R.G. and his brothers along with Diggs dressed as a miner and a female humanoid with the lower half of a spider in a kimono that Rarity wishes she can make were on stage with instruments as Yami floated on stage.
"I would like to thank you for a most grand time and this wonderful festival. As thanks for apparition my students and their friends shall play music from our nation of their choice that hope will be good for the holiday." He floated aside as a masked maiden appeared with a mike as Random rocked out on the guitar.
Music - Kuusou Mesorogiwi from Mirai Nikki
The music ended as everyone applauded in excitement after hearing an intense song as Luna looked surprised and looked at Yami "I did not know you have music like this?"
"As time change; so does music but I have to respect their creations if it brings joy to my citizens." Luna wonder about that as she enjoyed Nightmare Night. |
Alicorn of Mischief | Children's Day | As morning brighten the day, Random and his bros were rising a pole on top of their Vardos and waving on it were giant carps. "Happy Children's Day, kids!" He screamed happily. The twins were holding Lil' Miracle who wearing a Koi Fish costume.
"What's Children's Day?" Said the twins. R.G. without his disguise.
"Children's Day back home is where we celebrate the healthy growth and happiness of our children. Like you three." Zeshaman was carrying gifts.
"When we were young, we pretend to be Antiheroes. The reason is that we placed on our windows and the outside with displays of heroes." They looked to see their dads placing figures and scrolls of heroes and heroines.
"Before you say anything; back when we were kids, there were many heroes of figures and manga that we collected with every yen of our allowances. Man... Our folks tried to throw them out until we found their collections. Man... Those mangas had more blood and swears then our childhood. Maybe it was before ratings?" He disguised himself in his pony version as Random gave the kids letters and bags.
"Here you go, my ogres. Don't spend the yen until we make a vacation to the island." They each receive a letter of yen bills and a bag of gems.
"Sweet... Let's spend a gem on cake, Fixing!"
"Yeah! And let's get those comics that Spike can't afford!" They both ran away and place their letters in their Afros as Random and his bros smirk
"I'm betting that they'll waste their gems." Said Random.
"We did the same thing and looked for a ton of spare change." R.G. remember.
"Before we let the music play, To all who hear us, Happy Children's Day." Said Zeshaman as he pulled out a boom box and start the music
Music - (Yurari Yurari) from Papuwa. |
Alicorn of Mischief | Okame | When heading for Ponyville
"A town I see my brothers, a new place where we 6 can live." Said Random as his bros cheered. As they to a step, their harnesses snapped off as the Vardos rolled down a hill.
"SAVE THE KIDS AND HOMES! SAVE THE KIDS AND HOMES!" Yelled R.G. as they chase the Vardos.
The truth of the loud roars
"I can't take it anymore! Twilight... has the roars stopped?" At the location of the Mystery Family, Random had Lil' Miracle on his chest, R.G. was on the roof of his Vardo, Zeshaman was near a cauldron and the twins were under the Vardo sleeping and snoring loudly at a rate that makes a sound beat as one of the Looter Dogs were tiptoeing for their loot and step on a twig. He hid as they opened their eyes to looked around to see nothing and continue their sleeping at a double pace plus Random's stomach.
Littlest Digger
Wrecking and Fixing were sleeping under their Vardo as dirt hit them in the face as they woke up to see a puppy digging and pull a gem out as Fixing pulled a squeaky toy of sushi out of his hat and tossed it towards the puppy as she chewed on it ("Wonder who's puppy that is?")
Meanwhile in parts unknown: "WHERE IS LITTLE SISTER!!!" Roared Digger.
The cause of the explosion
Looter Dog #1 found their safe full of gems and noticed a gem bracelet around the baby pony's hoof. "Gem... Mine." He slowly removed it, and the baby woke up, looked at them and cried loudly. Random's family woke up and saw the thieves and their gems.
"Those." (Zeshaman)
"Are." (The twins)
"OUR." (Reflecting Glare)
"GEMS!" Yelled Random as his mane sparked and his horn glowed radiantly with hate, rage as their wealth was being stolen "OUR CASH SUPPLIES!!!" His magic overwhelmed his horn to fire at a boulder to cause an explosion that made a smoke cloud in the shape of his Mystery-hawk and the blast covered him with soot and smoke. The Looter Dogs escape with the gems "AFTER THEM!"
The Chase
Random and his bros were chasing the Looter Dogs as he tossed the twins in the cart filled with their gems as they removed the hook connected to them. "Got it." As the Looter Dogs made a sharp turn with one gem wrapped in a ribbon as Random grabbed the ribbon and being dragged as he was crashing through the flower carts, trash cans and a perfume cart smelling like a nose-killing bomb of garbage and not the kind he find in a junkyard. He then saw a two carts; one of them filled with sweets and the other make-up. "Please the sweet cart, please the sweet cart!" He then crash through the make-up cart "DAMN IT!" Random yelled as he looked pretty.
BURA SUTO SAKUHIN ERROR
"NOW EAT THIS, BURA SUTO SAKUHIN!" He slammed his gauntlets together, the gauntlets blasted off like fireworks and headed for Celestia. They looked horrified as she was sent flying by the blast "WHOOPS... HAD THOSE ON HEAT SEEKING." Said Sudden Emotion with a sweat drop on his head and silhouettes of Random and R.G.
Question that has been bothering R.G.
Reflecting was holding Aisu Kama back looked at Shining Armor and Cadence looked guilty "Again I'm sorry for what I said about Changelings."
"We didn't mean to doubt your parents teaching." R.G. was holding Aisu Kama back as he relaxed a bit.
"Yeah well... I admit that we met some bastards that discriminate other races for being inferior to them, especially from the Pony Race. They bragged about your sister and friends, even your other Himes being super powerful and having no weakness." He looked pissed as his eyes glowed a quick purple "But there's always a flaw in others being powerful, you can't be blind by the strength of their magic and can't locate the weakness and believe it doesn't exist." Shining Armor was amazed by his sight in battle
"You fought in battles like that?" R.G. looked at him and nodded
"Yes... and I got a question to ask the both of you." They looked curious
"What?" They both asked
"If she's a princess and you both married to each other... than how come you don't call yourself the Alicorn Queen of Love since your married? I mean you can only call yourself a princess when you're single and never been married." Cadence looked surprised and dumbstruck
"Uh..."
"GET BACK HERE WITH THAT CAMERA!" They looked to see the twins being chased by Blueblood as Aisu Kama found the chance and ran after him as R.G. grabbed the chains and was dragged
"Akuro damn it!!!" Cadence wondered about what he said
"That's a good question... why am I still princess when I'm married?" Shining Armor looked confused.
("If she wonders why she's still a princess than... does that makes me a king?")
Learning the Truth and a bribe
After one long and boring explanation "So you promise not to tell them because I got death threats before I was even born." Discord smirked.
"I don't know... I mean I must tell any secrets I learn..." Random gave him a list
"Here's a list of idea we hoped when you change your land, Equestria into that awesome fun zone." Discord looked at the list
"Furniture-shaped candy, floating swimming ponds, Endless giant fighting pillows?! HA-HA! You sir have a great imagination!" Random smiled
"Thank you and I hope you will be my little miko's Chaotic uncle of fun." Discord looked above him to see Lil' Miracle laughing upside down on a balloon head of Discord. "I am gonna love the future fun you're gonna bring."
Random's Friends & Discord's Summon Theme
Random was drinking green tea from a bottle as Discord was letting Lil' Miracle sliding on his body "You know if you're cool with my bros and kids; maybe my friends from my country will like you?" Discord smile
"Really? They might not understand since I'm a little odd." Random snickered since he was feeling the drunkenness of green Tea.
"Bwa-ha-ha! Are you kidding me? Not all of them are ponies; well normal ponies like Equestria. I mean I know a pair of twin mares that one of them can stretch her neck and the other one can detach her head. *HIC*" Discord looked surprised
"Really?! I'm intrigued."
"Yeah I mean one's a huge head, one's like a *HIC* a mermaid but more fish and the one's like flat but a living creature that blocks another path *HIC*. They're awesome and my friends!" He's said while laughing drunk as Discord hold Lil' Miracle
"So buddy, how about I summoned them here?" Random laughed as he was floating and spinning slowly.
"Sure but summoning them is different thing. I can show you, but the summoning is different than your summons and a lot cooler." Discord smirked
"Show me." Random showed him the summon circles, techniques and telling him that you must know their name and race to bring them here.
"And for more info; bring my Uncle Hellfire. Yes that's his name but we can't change our names without legal authorization by the law."
Discord made the appeared circles appeared "You know the names and I have the magic." He filled the magic in the circles as it glows
A bright flash brought creatures dancing out of the light looking confused and lost and freaking out until they saw Random "That's weird but oh well. Kon'nichiwa watashi no yūjin!" They saw Random and smiled "Random-Kun!" "Random!? It's been 2 years!" Said the biggest stallion wearing a kabuki mask as he covered his mouth which freaked them out "I gave you the language of my nation!" They saw Discord and looked amazed "Amazing!" "Is he a Nue?" "He looks like a rare species!" They took out cameras and notepads "Can we take pictures and possibly he's autograph?" They asked Random and Discord smile "I already love your friends."
CMCs meet Miss Furosutorōzu
Random was summoning snacks and tea for his friends as Discord was signing autographs. "Hello Random-San!" He looked to see a female Earth pony mare in a winter pattern kimono floating as snowflakes appeared around her with a transparent stallion, looking lost with no hind legs.
"Miss Furosutorōzo! Is that you?" She smiled and hugged Random as ice started to form on him.
"Random of Mystery Clan. You've change since you and your brothers left... without your parents and friends knowing." Random looked sad.
"I'm sorry but we've change like with responsibilities like kids." He caught his baby girl, and she laughed happily looking at them which surprised her.
"Oh my... she's so beautiful."
"I know and which reminds me. Who's that behind you? Your lover?" Said Random as someone making fun of another with huge sparkling manga eyes as she blushed happy as ice was forming on her hind legs.
"Yes he is! Isn't he attractive?" Random looked at him.
"What's his race? I've never seen him from home or the northern mountains?" She smiled and hugged him.
"He's from the lands where you're in, a Wendigo. He got lost in sea and my girls and I saved him. Plus he's like me."
"A being of the cold, with magical powers of the element of ice that freezes anyone who comes near you without a coat and hot chocolate with mini marshmallows." She looked at me and smiled a bit.
"Yes... but who's civilized unlike my cold-hearted ancestors of the past; we have peace between Divines and Demons." He looked at him
"You are... fine with my race?" Random looked surprised.
"Good sir. Where I was raised, we don't discriminate." He smiled.
"I wished I was still there." Random smiled and wonder "Wendigo you say? Maybe those CMCs might know you." He cracked his hooves and made a summon circle
(The CMCs were dancing to the music!)
"Cutie Mark Crusaders! Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo!"
Random looked at his horn "There's the music I know but why it's different when Discord did it? Maybe a language difference?" They looked confused and frighten by the creatures as a frightening Amanojaku had a tray of fresh bread.
"Fresh baked rolls?" They screamed at the sight of him as Miss Furosutorōzu calmed her down.
"There, there, girls. We mean you no harm." They looked around as the demons were holding snacks and toys for kids. "We were invited by Mr. Discord."
"MR. Discord?" They nodded as she dressed them in lovely kimonos.
"Hope you love my sample kimonos." They looked at the clothes and loved how they looked
"Whoa..." They had some trouble wearing them, but Miss Furosutorōzu help them with it
"Here let me help." She helped them and showed them how to put them on as Random was making snacks and passing out drinks. "He's a greatest friend we ever had." They looked at him as he was laughing and joking around.
"He's cool."
"And funny."
"Wrecking and Fixing have a cool dad." Miss Furosutorōzu looked surprised.
"He has three kids?!"
Discord's New Summon Theme
"(Chanting) Geragerapoo!/Laugh Out Loud!" Random and his friends were singing and dancing as Discord looked annoyed.
"What's wrong Discord?" Discord looked at him
"Fluttershy and her friends are summoning me in the most boring way." Random raised his brow
"How boring?"
"Not like how I summon your pals. No dancing or those poses." Random looked disgusted
"Oh no way in Emma's Courthouse that's happening." His horn glowed and radiate him in his magic which Discord looked surprised.
"What did you do to me?"
"I gave you a theme. Enjoy it until you want me to change it." Discord see the rainbow spell covered him
(Random Mystery's Voice) "Summoning... LEGENDARY!"
(While the song was playing; Discord was making some poses as the song ended)
"Discord."
("Thank you Random.") He said in his head.
Understanding Lord Yami
Lord Yami watched the band and enjoyed it as the band played another song as he passed out candy from his nation as Princess Luna wonder about something she can't understand
"We... I mean I have a question that's been plaguing me." Yami looked at Luna after he finished passing out the candy.
"Yes?"
"Random told the story on how you became their king true? That you slain the Dark Titan by using those claws made from a chunk of it?" Yami looked at his metal claws
"Yes. It's true." Luna looked at those claws
"But Random said that metal that made those claws; a powerful curse is unleashed on the one who uses a creation from that metal. Don't those claws create pain and damage you the more you continued to wield them?" He clutched his claws
"Yes they do but I have found a way to neutralized the curse and offered a reward for anyone who finds that mineral. It is too dangerous for that mineral to be into anything; it has taken lives by draining them of their life force, killing them as time passes." Luna gulped in horror and pray no pony finds that cursed metal.
"These have more functions than for fighting." Luna looked curious and raise her brow
"Really like what?" He moved his front leg to his back and scratched it.
"They can help me removed an annoying itch on my back." She looked shock and jealous
("I always had that same problem, and he can get rid of it. Lucky") |
Alicorn of Mischief | Hearts & Hooves | Heart Breaker saves Hearts and Hooves
R.G. was napping in a tree, relaxing his anger away as the sun was setting to bring the glorious night with the moon and stars. He smelled something familiar "Wait... that smell..." He's eyes widen "NO! Please not that day! This side can't celebrate that! It only exist in our country!" He jumped off a branch the treetops, transform into a sparrow and flew to town to see decorations of hearts and two ponies outlines kissing each other and couples everywhere. ("The Festival of LOVE?! WHY AND HOW?! Where are the protection seals?! Why are these mindless idiots being beyond blind to see the evil their luring!") He smelled the air and growled ("Damn it! SHE'S coming!!! I must cancel this before she'll destroy my neighbors bonds! Even though I @#$%in' hate couples.") He flew away to the Vardos and shape-sifted back into his real form. "I've got to stop this but not as me." He opened his door, head inside his room and open to his closet. He grabbed his materials to create an outfit "For this battle, I'm gonna need a disguise and weapon supplies." He picked up throwing knives, a bo staff, explosives, talismans slips and smoke bombs. "As the evils of love is spread and creates the chaos to destroy the bonds of others, the one who spits it in the face of romance to protect the innocent ones with no soulmate for life. I... am... HEART BREAKER!!!" He jumped out of his window to reveal a Changeling fully dress in a Dark Lavender body suit, a heart crossed out on his chest and a kabuki mask, he groaned in annoyance "(Different Voice) I feel like an idiot in this costume. I could have made something more awesome, but I have no time." He flew to Ponyville but stopped "Wait... What the &^%# am I thinking?! They'd never seen me as my true self. So I don't need this outfit." He burned it off him and transform into a Red-Crowned Crane and flew to Ponyville.
He landed on the roof of the town hall to see many ponies around the building; the civilians, residents, the Main 6, Spike, The queen of Love and her insensitive husband, Shining Armor. He sneered at the sight of it and flew away from it. "Welcome everypony to the wonderful Hearts and Hooves celebration!" H.B. (Heart Breaker) looked confused
("Hearts and Hooves?! That name sucks more than the Festival of Love!")
"We're here to celebrate Love with no fear of danger!"
"That's the biggest load of shit I've ever heard!" The crowd gasped in horror as parents covered their kids ears as guards looked around to find whoever said that foul language. Fluttershy looked to see a beautiful bird she had never seen but noticed it wasn't a real animal.
"Up there!" She said as they looked to see a strange bird as purple fire engulf it to reveal an odd-looking Changeling who looked very mean.
"Please! 'Celebrate love with no fear of danger' is the biggest load of garbage than that weirdo with the bells and he's no better than the villains I have beaten, with a group and solo." The Pegasi guards surrounded the Changeling and charged at him as the intruder looked bored and unimpressed "First rule if being in an army of troops..." His front hooves blaze into a Violet flames, he span like a cyclone and blew them away as their armor melted from them "Never send Cannon Fodders to fight an elite powerful warrior!" The crowd gasped in horror as they flee away from the danger; all except two young colts wearing hard hats.
"Wrecking! Fixing! Run to safety!" Yelled Twilight. They both crossed their hooves
"And give up the endless all you can eat chocolate treats that Miss Pinkie promise? No way!" They said with their chests puffed up as Twilight used her magic to moved them "NO FAIR!" They yelled as H.B. Looked at Twilight
"That was mean." Twilight looked insulted
"I find it hard to hear that you said that. We have saved Equestria many times from evil!" H.B. smirked
"And yet you and your friends are still single after all that." They heard the twins laughing hearing that
"BURN!" He laughed with them as Twilight and her friends (Spike included) were completely humiliated and furious as Shining Armor stepped up
"Why are you here, Changeling?" H.B. looked around and snarled
"That's easy; saving your lazy and unprepared rumps from an evil being that will shatter every relationship in this town! I mean seriously; you don't sense it?" Cadence looked curious and still didn't trust him
"And how do you know about this evil being?" H.B. looked up
"Because... the ugly bitch is here!"
"(DEMONIC VOICE) Who are you calling ugly?! You bug!" They looked up to see a hideous humanoid with a long nose and sharp teeth and tusks in a geisha outfit. "I'm surprised that you're here of all places Love Hater."
"Amanozako... I see you're still hideous." She growled at him which made Shining Armor's troops retreat
"And you still rebel against love." H.B. Stood flew in the air
"For many reasons that are private, but you create destruction by flirting with others that are already in a relationship and destroy a town or village if you plan failed like always." She blasted him with a lightning bolt as a magical barrier protected him.
"Huh?" He noticed Shining Armor's horn was glowing He flew down with the group
"You helped me? Why?" Shining Armor stood next to him
"Your objective was saving others from her. Not destroying this town, I can trust you to save the citizens' live." H.B. smirked,
"Don't you mean "I will trust you for saving the citizen's lives?" They looked at him with an annoyed look
"Just save the town!" Yelled Rainbow Dash.
He rolled his eyes "Fine." His hooves summoned the purple flames and charged at the beast with violence in his eyes. She blocked his attacks with her knife in her hand as he dodge her swings.
"MAMA!" She looked behind her as H.B. suckered punched her behind the head, causing her to fall as he saw a hideous creature that looks exactly like her but male, all beaten and bruised fleeing away from Wrecking and Fixing who were wielding a metal baseball bat and wooden mallet.
"Get back here!"
"You chocolate killing monster!" He crashed into his mama as H.B. Noticed a long chain and quickly tied her and her son up, so they can't escape.
"There... the night is saved." The twins cheered as they were about to smashed Amanozako's son as he stopped them. "No! No... You get extra ice cream after this." R.G. whisper to them as they smiled. The crowd started to came out of hiding as the Changeling went to get some things. Cadence calmed the crowd
"Ponies of Ponyville, We are now saved from the danger!" The crowd cheered as the Changeling came back with a huge firework.
"Now Amanozako, you and your sicko son, Amanosaku get lost!" He tied the chain the firework as Amanozako looked at her son angrily.
"How could you fail my plan son?!" Amanosaku looked scared
"Those twin freaks attacked me after I destroyed the chocolate."
"You're dead Jerk!"
"We will make your tombstone!" The Changeling looked mad
"Never destroyed chocolate in front of kids." He said will holding the fuse and lit it. "Also BEAT IT!" The fuse made it to the firework and send them flying as they screamed in terror. Cadence looked horrified.
"You killed them!"
"Nah... They're immortal, but a real annoyance." The firework exploded in the night sky, showing the beauty of what was inside it as he flew away. "Sayonara morons!" Shining Armor looked at the twins.
"Where are your dads?" They looked at each other
"Daddy Zeshaman is with Lil' Miracle collecting flowers." Said Wreck-it
"Daddy R.G. is sleeping the day away." Said Fix-it
"(Both) And Daddy Random is somewhere since he's makes mysteries like he always does."
Random was on top of a mountain with a mare "I missed you. I missed you with all my heart." The mare smiled
"I missed you too." The both kissed each other as fireworks explode in the night sky. |
Alicorn of Mischief | Chapter 8 | Twin of the Random's Yang
As night cloak the land and creatures of the darkness hunt the lands for prey. A monstrous Ushi Oni was fighting a unicorn stallion in the darkness as he blocked the demons sharp spider legs with chains as he spin the chain. "* ROAR* WATASHI WA ANATA NI NAZO NO KOTO O KOROSUDESHOU!"
"(Dull and empty tone) I know you can't understand me, but I can. You can't escape your crimes and shall meet the judge of hell." He charged at the creature with glowing eyes in the shadows as he jumped in the air and slashed 3 of its legs. It fell and tried to escape until the stallion whipped the chain to slice off his head. He caught the whip chain to reveal it was connected to a sickle. "Enjoy the punishments of your crime in hell." His horn glowed a shadowy aura as the corpse burn in black fire as it vanish, leaving nothing in place; not even a burn mark in the ground. He pulled a wanted poster of that demon he killed as it vanished into the shadows "I need to inform the Assassins guild of the complete assignment, I need to find a place to relax." He looked around and see a sign that is pointed to a town "Ponyville...? If my brothers see this than they make lots of puns and vandalisms of pranks plus eating all the snacks they can eat... well bankrupt them out of snacks." He trot the path as an imp with a knife jumped him, he grabbed him with his hooves and snapped the imp's neck. As morning came and the sunlight dissolved the corpse, Fluttershy came out in a happy mood as she began feeding the animals with nothing scary today. She started to feed the chickens and humming peacefully as the animals were hissing and fleeing away from something dangerous or somepony. She tried to get their attention as she saw a stallion unicorn in a dark black-gray hoodie and sweatpants with red死亡 on both sides, frightening atmosphere trotting towards Ponyville as she fled to her home. The hooded unicorn saw her fled and sighed annoyed. As he was about to leave, a rabbit was in his path holding a rock. He tilted a little as the rabbit threw it at him as he caught it without flinching or showing any reaction. Angel's jaw dropped as he crushed it like it was a peanut shell. He looked at the rabbit as the rabbit cowered in horror in seeing his eyes, the eyes of death himself "......Boo." Angel lost all color and feeling to move as he fainted. He sighed as he continued his path as Fluttershy came out to pick up Angel.
In back at the Vardos of the Mystery Family, R.G. out with a hot cup of coffee with a large Dorayaki as his true self. "*Yawn* I hate mornings when having a hangover and I wasn't even drunk." He looked down at the ground to see Random sleeping on his back without his brace and Lil' Miracle was sleeping on his belly. He looked horrified "(Whispered voice) That Mega-Psycho! He forgot to put his brace back on!" He yelled softly so he doesn't wake their daughter. He used his magic to put it on Random and covered his wings. He turned into his Pony form "Geez, if those 6 annoying chicks knew the real me: I'm betting their act all those arrogant self-loving assholes. I will not show mercy! And if whoever know Random's... No! That will never happen on our watch!" He chugged the whole cup and consumed the Dorayaki to spiked up his senses with a caffeine rush and sense something strange "Huh? This presence... I know this one..." His eyes widen and looked to the town "Can it be... him?!" As Random's eyes opened, sit up quickly, and hold Lil' Miracle.
"It's him! He's here in the country!" The ponies in town backed away as the unknown pony in the hoodie, they can see his eyes, cold, emotionless and with death in them. His eyes moved to each side as the residents backed away from him or hid in their homes. The kids, however, looked amazed at him
"Who is he?"
"He looks super awesome."
"He could be a cool hero!"
"Or a hero in the arcade games!" They were about to get his autograph until their parents took them in as he enter the bakery of sweets and sugar. He looked around as Pinkie appeared in front of him.
"HELLO!" The pony in the hoodie didn't even flinch as he waved dully
"Greetings." Mr. and Mrs. Cake looked nervous
"Can we help you?" They both said.
"Do you... have any... Taiyaki?" They looked confused
"Excuse me?" Said Mr. Cake
"...Dorayaki, Dango, Anko, Higashi or Coffee Jelly even?" Pinkie made a face looking disgusted
"Coffee flavor jelly?! YUCK!"
"It does sound gross... if you ate it black but you can top it... with whipped cream or ice cream." Pinkie looked interested and grabbed him
"Any ice cream?!" He removed her hooves on him which scared her since his eyes glowed ominously
"Don't... touch me... and yes if you want to be creative. If you don't have any of those than... I shall have... your bakery's special, to go." Pinkie backed away slowly as he waited patiently until Twilight and her friends came in.
"Pinkie! We heard about some dark stranger in town and..." He was standing there, waiting until Rainbow Dash got in his face.
"Alright buddy! Drop the hood and face me like a pony!" The stallion looked at her, pulled a kusarigama from his sleeve and pushed her aside as her friends panicked at the weapon
"Words from the wise;... never start a fight with a being that is deadly." Twilight ready her magic and shoot a beam at him to paralyzed him but he moved his head as it removed his hood which cause some shock, betrayal, and confusion.
"You?!"
"*gasp*!" They saw the stallion turns out to be Random with a different mane style like a short white part of his mane covered his eye as the black side form a huge ponytail and a blank uninterested, emotionless anime stare.
"I knew you were a no-good sneak that being faking ever since you came here!" Yelled Applejack. The door open as Mr. and Mrs. Cake were surprised.
"Hey what's going on?" Rarity turned her head to Random.
"You show your true colors, you ruffian!" Random was surprised.
"You discover my secrets?!"
"Yes we did and you..." Her eyes widen as she saw Random and turned around to see Random and looked back "Bwah!!!" she screamed and fainted with no couch this time.
They turned around to see Random looking confused with Lil' Miracle on his head "So how did you find out my secrets? I didn't even go careless." Their eyes widen as he noticed his lookalike.
"*GASP!*" He looked happy and excited "GOTHIC!" He charged through them and embrace Gothic in a hug. "I knew that balance of light and dark Chi was you!" He lifted him in the air like a baby, tossed him in air as he still gave a blank stare and caught him "It's been too long, like 7 years at best!" He shook him like a baby rattle "I've missed you so much and been hoping we meet again! As we have been thinking about you; the birthdays we missed, the celebrations and holidays of our homeland. Oh in the name of Yami, we got so much to talk about; My travels, your travels, R.G.'s travels, Zeshaman's travels, all the mess-up stuff we seen and create!"
"RANDOM!!" He looked at Twilight as she was losing her mind by this nonsense.
"Yes..."
"WHO is this pony?" Gothic slowly moved his head towards them.
"Yes... who are they, Random. The blue Pegasus is beginning to annoy me, and the pink one reminds me of you but female and less filthy." Pinkie looked confused.
"Huh?" Random smacked his cheek.
"Oh right, I forgot you girls were here, my mistake. Anyway... this is Gothic Mystery, my awesome and swick twin brother!" They're jaws dropped except for Rarity as Pinkie gave him his order.
"Here you go, one super jumbo Pinkie Special! Plus you'll get a Welcome Party after we get to know each other!" Gothic moved his eyes at the bag as a dim aura around it, walked out with Random and wonder why there was a baby filly on his brother's head.
"Questions: Why is there a baby on your head, what is her name and who are her parent slash parents?" Random moved his eyes up as Lil' Miracle woke up and slide down his back.
"She's there because she was still sleeping, Lil' Miracle is her name and she's R.G.'s, Zeshaman's and my daughter." Gothic's jaw slowly opened
"......... gasp."
"That's his brother!?" Yelled Rainbow as she was trying to calm herself down.
"I can't believe I mistook him for Random. I owe him an apology." Said Twilight.
"Are you nuts?! That brother of his threaten with a Little garden hoe!" Yelled Rainbow, Rarity woke up as from her little nap as Spike helped her out.
"Oh... I had the most frightening nightmare; there were two Random Mysteries." Fluttershy looked worried about how she'll react to what they learned.
"Uh... well his name is Gothic... and... he's Random's twin brother." Rarity's eyes widen.
"In that outfit!?" She fainted in Spike's arms as Spike blushed happily in secret.
"What I want to know is, why didn't Random told us about him." They wonder why until Fluttershy remembered.
"Zeshaman said we must earn their trust. I've earned their trust I think?" Twilight groaned.
"I though they trust us!" Pinkie pouted and Applejack did know the answer
"Trust and Friendship are two different things. I mean they have those weird spells, them transforming pets and that red monster that giant pony/changeling thing beat to save Apple Bloom and every kid in town. I mean they have things even I don't think the Magic of Friendship can handle it. I mean what kind of dangers did they grew up or lived with and secrets that would be dangerous if certain criminals grabbed that power?" Twilight agreed that power can create monsters is what Equestria needs to protect it from invasions. "Let's find them. I have questions that they've been withholding!"
"Yay!"
"And no revenge Rainbow Dash." Rainbow snarled
"Rats!"
"We have an uncle! We have an uncle!" Cheered the twins as they were running around him as his blank expression turned darker
"......... This... is too much for me to handle." R.G. snickered.
"What's wrong bro? I thought you like kids?" Zeshaman chuckled nervously.
"Brother Shapeshifter before you joke, remember the exo-bones he broke." R.G. looked pissed off.
"That was 3 years ago! I healed from those wounds." Gothic was holding Lil' Miracle who was sucking her hoof and smiling at him
"......... adorable." Gothic used his magic to open a rift and pulled out two takos, and a small costume that looks like Byakko (Chibi-version with scary, angry eyes).
"My... gifts for my... niece and nephews."
"Cool!" They looked at the paper kites that had monstrous demons fighting ninjas or samurais. "Let's play with our new kites, Wrecking!"
"Right with you Fixing!" They ran out as Gothic put the costume on Lil' Miracle who loved it.
"Roar!" She yelled in excitement as she crawled around in her costume as Random carried a plate of food to Gothic.
"Look Gothic, I made your favorite lunch, Gyoza. And lots of it, enough for the next 10 minutes... less if we eat more than 5 servings." Gothic grabbed a pair of chopsticks with a bowl of steam rice, miso, and a liter of melon soda.
"Thank you... brother. I... missed every one of you." He said with a blank face with a faint sign of blushing.
"We missed you too!" Said Random with a big smile.
"Random!" They turned and noticed Twilight, Spike, and her others.
"Yo, Hime of Yūjō and her allies." Gothic raise her brow.
"Hime? She's a princess?" Random and the guys nodded as he looked at her
"......... she looks..."
"Awesome? (RD)"
"Dignified? (R)"
"Nice?(F)"
"Cool? (S)"
"Smart? (AJ)"
"Fun? (PP)" They asked him
"............fat." His answer echoed to them as Random nearly burst as he hold his sides, Zeshaman pratfall, as Reflecting Glare laugh like he knew it.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I so knew it! Her figure, my squishy insides! BWAHAHAHA!!!!" Twilight was completely red in the face, Spike looked horrified, Pinkie squinted at Twilights gut, Applejack looked pissed off, Rarity was fuming in anger, Fluttershy was hiding in fear as Rainbow Dash was laughing. Twilight looked at Rainbow who quickly shut up as Random was on the ground, rolling around
"No offense but... you know it's kind of true since Spike told me you never exercise in your life and exercising your brain does not count!" Twilight looked humiliated and extremely pissed off as magic expel through her horn.
"YOU!!! GONE!!! TOO!!!" Gothic appeared before her and shook his head
"...Don't. It will cost you your live." Random appeared behind him.
"Trust me, Hime. He is expert assassin. A well-train, no-sound making, death creating, silent killing machine! Plus he's beyond good."
They all widen his eyes and try not to imagined the bloodshed, severed limbs and heads." R.G. smirked
"No offense but your side's police force cannot bring him down unless it was a suicide mission." Gothic looked at them
"You have no evidence to prove what they said, creating fabricated evidence will only insult me and will create a war between our nations. Also many bounties will be placed on your head and your friends, mostly dead." They backed away from him, he didn't pause to say his sentences or acted slow. "Also I would never back down to anyone no matter what title they hold, that position there in and would stop at nothing to see you all buried or cremated. I am someone who is not to be underestimated or view as a threat unless provoke or been falsified by fake charges created by higher ups in fear by my abilities that I can single-hoofly bring your kingdom to destruction and chaos with your heads mounted on the wall of my room as I enjoy sake as time passes." They're eyes shrunk as Spike was cowering under Twilight as Random looked at him.
"Really? Can you do that." Gothic turned his head towards him.
"I was... joking." Random looked horrified as R.G. gasped in shock and Zeshaman said nothing as well as Spike and the girls
"You... pranked us?! I did not see that!!!" yelled him as he looked at Gothic "Oh that's why you pranked us? Gothic... when did you sleep?" Gothic blinked slowly.
"7... days." Random touched his brother's forehead.
"No wonder you acted so weird! Let me take you to bed." He dragged Gothic but he looked up
"...we're in danger." R.G. heard it
"By what or who?"
"Loot Plunder the Ruthless." R.G. eyes widen as he look in the sky to see a flying barbarian ship.
"Oh shitballs!"
"LANGUAGE!" Yelled Fluttershy.
"Screw censorship and look to the sky!" They looked up to see a large floating barbarian ship with sails that had a twin-sided battle axe symbol on the large main sail. Random pulled out a telescope and looked closely to see some barbarian crew members and a Huge Stallion with dark blue coat in red stained armor, with a bushy beard carrying a double-sided battle ax which made Random unhappy.
"Yep... it's Loot Plunder the Ruthless." Zeshaman looked worried.
"Oh, in the name of the spirits of life, a high chance he manage to find a location unaware from his wife." Twilight was wondering how they know this invader, but Rainbow Dash snorted.
"Who does this Poot Blunder the fool think he is. I can beat this guy with no ease!" Random looked at her.
"I wouldn't do that~" he sang but Rainbow got in his face.
"Pu-lease! How about he picks on somepony his own size?" They looked up to see a stallion jumped off and landed in front of them to show he's huge as an apple tree.
"Because it's hard to find some dude that big." Said Gothic with no reaction. Fluttershy fainted as Gothic slowly rolled his eyes.
"EAT! ROB! SMASH!!!" Loot Plunder yelled in front of them with a bit of slobber that Rarity was screaming. Random blinked.
"Does the Misses know your here?" A net dropped on top of them
"Saw that one coming."
Inside of the ship where they held their prisoners; everyone was either tied up or in a cage as they listen above them, the crew of violent ponies, and imps were in barbarian clothing were drinking and partying as they successfully rob Ponyville of its riches as the female members were ripping her dresses to fit them properly which torture Rarity in front of them "Not that one! It took me a month to make! [RIPPP] "GAAAAAHHHH!!!" They laughed at her suffering as Gothic was tied up as he twitched his eye.
"Shut... her... up... I cannot... think." R.G. covered her mouth.
"Think fast because I can't use my fire skills with anyone around my area without setting them on fire." Rarity and Fluttershy's eyes widen in fear as they looked at him. Zeshaman was meditating in a cage as Twilight felt weak in cage.
"Why can't I use my magic?" Zeshaman looked at Twilight.
"Twilight-Hime, do not put yourself in harm's way. A was of escape will not be delayed." Rainbow was struggling to escape from her binds
"Get me out of this! I can kick all their butts." Gothic shut his eyes as his shadow was forming into different shapes and stretching as it enters the cracks as Applejack was being creeped out as Lil' Miracle was clapping
"What in the farm is he doing?" Random turned his head.
"Focusing. He's using dark magic to use his shadow to spy on the crew." Twilight was shocked
"DARK MAGIC?! BUT IT WILL CORRUPT HIM IF HE KEEPS USING IT!" Zeshaman covered her mouth.
"Not when you balance yourself to prevent dark or light from swallowing you whole. One must not judge the outside without learning the inside." Pinkie tiled her head
"Huh?" Gothic groaned
"Don't judge others by their looks." Everyone got it.
"Oh..." His shadow returned to him "The entire crew is asleep, along with the captain. Which give Silkson a chance to free us." Random raised his ears
"Who's that?"
"My pet spider." They saw a tiny spider came out from his hoodie, Fluttershy looked excited by Rainbow was annoyed.
"How is a tiny spider gonna help us?" Gothic closed his eyes as another one came out, then 5, then 29, until a massive swarm of spiders emerge from his clothes as Rarity silently scream in horror as they crawled around them, crewing/melting the ropes and metal bars around the captives as the spiders crawled to one area, locking their legs together to form something huge, something frightening to Rarity, Twilight & Spike, A humongous arachnid the size of an apple tree was formed in front of them. Random was amazed.
"Whoa... A Tschiugumo from the demon realm. That's super cool!" The twins were amaze.
"WOW... Does he eat bugs?" R.G. narrowed his eyes and gulped nervously.
"Did you teach him not to eat family?" Gothic reached in his hoodie and pulled a pineapple.
"He's an omnivore but he's satisfied with pineapple, a tropical fruit." He tossed it as Silkson chomped it and spit out the skin at Applejack.
"Hey!"
"But he has a strong hate to apples." Random & Zeshaman to a whiff at Applejack which creeped her out
"I can see why."
"You reek of apples wherever you go by." Said Zeshaman which ticked her off.
"In a good way we mean." Correct Random.
"Now Silkson... attack in a group. Web them all and traumatized them." He said in a cold emotionless tone. Silkson nodded and deform into tiny spiders and formed 8 dog-size spiders, Silkson #1 screeched as 4 broke through the door and the other 4 jump through the ceiling. "We better abandon ship or die like prey." Said Gothic as Random grabbed the boys and Lil' Miracle as he burst out of there.
"KIDS & BABIES FIRST!"
"HEY! IT'S MARES AND CHILDREN FIRST!" Yelled Rarity.
"YOUR HEROES TO EQUESTRIA! YOU LIVED YOUR LAST BATTLES!" R.G. followed him
"You know, once you've saved your country many times & are called heroes. You can't be treated as a normal citizens anymore. That also includes you, non-baby dragon." Spike gulped since his benefits in the Crystal Empire came to haunt him. Everyone made it to the decks to see the destruction; the crew members were trapped in webs, encased in a cocoon of web and some were being beaten up.
"That's my Silkson." He said were no emotion. Loot Plunder was fighting back as they were squirting venom at him as it was dissolving the deck. "Oh boy." He looked to see a lifeboat with parachutes "There's the boat." Random place the kids in it and wrapped a lifejackets on them.
"Remember boys! If your dads and uncle don't make it out alive, take care of your baby sis and blow up the orphanage with the ugly hag of children's fears in it." Said Random, they both saluted with tears in their eyes "Also crash in Twilight-Sama's castle and eat all of AppleJack's Food."
"HEY!"
"Regret nothing!" He kicked the lifeboat off as the chutes open as they floated down slowly.
"EAT! ROB! SMASH!" They turned their heads to see Loot Plunder swinging the spiders away as they whimper in pain, retreated to Gothic as they broke apart and hid in his clothes. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! No spiders can defeat Loot Plunder!" Gothic' eye twitched.
"My... spider... You hurt my pet slash buddy." He said, still with no emotion. Loot Plunder laughed at him.
"Loot Plunder laugh at wimpy spiders." Fluttershy wants to use the Stare at him, but Gothic stopped her.
"Don't get involve in my fight." Gothic tilted his head to create a loud crack which frighten the girls and Spike. Loot Plunder let out a battle cry as he charged at Gothic who jabbed the deck with his hoof. "Try to use your ninja kites."
"Kites?" Loot Plunder jumped as 4 lines where Gothic jabbed stretched across the boat as it broke in sliced pieces as the pieces with webbed crew members fell along with the stolen loot and the girls and Spike were shock.
"Like I said he's beyond good." Said Random, Twilight, Fluttershy & Rainbow grabbed Applejack, Pinkie, Spike and Rarity with their hooves and magic as they see R.G. pulled out a huge rectangle kite and stretched himself to hold on, Gothic used his hoodie as a parachute to see his was wearing a similar back brace that Random was wearing as Zeshaman holding his staff as it created a barrier of wind around him "Mana of Wind hear my plea, create a barrier around me!" Twilight was amazed but looked around for Random "WHERE'S RANDOM?!" They looked around until they heard a propeller. They looked up to see Random was using magic to make 2 pairs of his long spikes into propellers "Yo! My name is Propeller Mane Mcspitsalot." Rainbow Dash burst into laughter.
"Nice joke." Random flew past them with a large amount of stolen loot. "Now if you excuse me, I'll be returning these back to everyone in town." He flew past them as he was scatting a tune as he was near tow. "DASH, DASH, DASH!" Gothic gave an emotionless chuckle.
"That is my brother. I missed his personality." As the twins witnessed the ship destruction, they saw floating treasure heading to Ponyville.
"Dads, Uncle Gothic, Hime and friends did it." Lil' Miracle clapped her hooves as they landed near the Vardos.
"HEY!" They ran to them as they heard a loud crash. They saw Loud Plunder as he rose from the ground
"Oh right. Forgot about him."
"Foolish prisoners! Loot Plunder is strong!" The twins were upset by that remark.
"YOU'RE NOT STRONG!"
"OUR DADS ARE THE STRONGEST!!!" He roared at them as Lil' Miracle looked angry
"Grrrr!"
"HA HA HA! AWW IS LITTLE BABY GONNA FIGHT?" Lil' Miracle flew in the air and let out a cute baby roar.
"*GGGAAAAAAWWWWW!!!" He laughed harder as the girls were panicking
"Don't you DARE-" Before Fluttershy could finish; a massive bolt of lightning struck him as massive amounts of electricity surge though him as he fell unconscious. R.G., Zeshaman, the twins, Spike, and the girls, all but Gothic eyes shrank into dots to see the bolt of lightning. R.G. looked at their daughter's new costume and Gothic.
"Gothic..." Gothic's eyes slowly moved to look at R.G.
"Yes."
"Was that costume made in the demon world?"
"No."
"Did you used materials from the Demon Realm to make it?"
"Yes... but originally, I made it as a toy that is hollow from the inside." He looked at Loot Plunder
"Huh... Well-being unpredictable is a Mystery Clan habit. So I'll let it pass." Twilight looked at Gothic.
"How can magical clothing let babies do that!?" He closed his eyes "Hime-San, allow me to explain.
He used his magic around the surrounding area to make them into cute little versions of themselves (AKA Chibified) Pinkie bounce around and was amazed by how cute they were, but R.G. looked annoyed as he hold some explosives.
"Anyone call me cute; gets their room blown up!" Gothic pulled a bamboo sword from his hoodie and smacked it on the ground to gain their attention.
"Now let me explain about demonic clothing for infants." He floated to show Lil' Miracle in her diaper "Now we all have magic inside of us, yes?" They nodded "Now infants have them but are unable to use it nor how to use it but in an unpredictable event." He summon a picture of the white tiger costume "Now these costumes like this made from material from the Demon Realm can show the infants the power within them. Whether they are Earth Pony, Pegasus or other races, they mimic the power depending on the type of outfit is shown." Rarity jumped in front of him.
"But wait Darling. What if the costume was a bit... more friendly?" She used her magic to change the eyes into something nicer, close eyes to make the costume face look happy.
"That will make the infant release a small and less powerful magic." They looked to see a picture of Lil' Miracle in it and Spike next to her, she used her powers on him which he enjoy it as it felt nice as Chibi Random appeared.
"BRAVO! That is an amazing explanation! Make you see the possibilities in what costume is made from the demon world! LOTIN!" The twins, R.G., Zeshaman, Lil' Miracle & Gothic join.
"LOTIN!" Gothic cheek's tinted red "How embarrassing.
The magic dispelled turning everything and everyone back to normal "And that is why Lil' Miracle unleashed that massive lightning bolt." They looked at the baby as she was giggling at Loot Plunder, smoldering in a blacken area of burnt grass.
"Please don't give her costumes like that." Gothic shut his eyes.
"Very well. Perhaps a costume of beetle, Dorayaki or baboon?" The guys even Rainbow Dash snickered at the idea, but Rarity looked disgusted. "UGH..." They looked to see Loot Plunder getting back on his hooves.
"UGH... Loot Plunder... taking a... nap." He fell as his crew gotten free and lifted their captain.
"We shall return!!! With a larger and stronger ship!" One of them yelled as they fled.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE!" Yelled Applejack.
"Let them go." Said Gothic which made her tripped on her own hooves.
"WHAT?!" Yelled Spike and the girls.
"They won't be a problem... if Random notifies the misses." Random bowed as he wrote in a brush "Now should I write it, regular script or cursive?" "R.G. lost his temper.
"JUST WRITE IT ALREADY!!!" Random looked annoyed.
"I'm trying to be polite. Remember what happen last time we pissed her."
"LANGUAGE!" Yelled Fluttershy as R.G. cover her mouth
"Trust me, that is how you describe the misses."
"WHO IS THIS MISSES YOU TALK ABOUT?!" Yelled Rarity since the suspense is torturing her.
"Loot Plunder's wife." Said the Mystery Family, Their eyes widen
"HE'S MARRIED?!"
"Yes and his wife is literally the strongest of his tribe and the scariest. Plus their daughter who ~has a love connection with Zeshaman~" Said Random in a taunting voice which got him blasted in the face. They looked to see Zeshaman holding his staff and he looked crossed. "Sorry but it's still funny, I mean she did pretended to be a stallion at that those times we meet."
"HUH?!" Yelled Rarity which shocked her.
"TWILIGHT!!!" They looked up to see Celestia and Luna with an army of guards as Gothic hid in the group.
"PRINCESS CELESTIA AND LUNA!"
"Celestia-hime & Luna-hime!" They landed in front of them.
"We witness the flying ship that attack Ponyville and a massive bolt of lightning! We came to investigate and home to repel the invaders."
"You were late to save your own subjects. What kind of himes are you?" said Gothic, Twilight and the girls freaked out and cover Gothic's mouth.
"Ignore him! He's new!" Celestia see the new stallion.
"And who are you?" He turned his head away.
"I'll give my name when I want to."
"Gothic Mystery, my twin brother." Said Random which ticked Gothic off.
"Why did I expect that will happen." Luna was surprised.
"A twin brother? Why did you not tell us about him Random?" Random smiled
"Because Gothic asked me to not to tell anyone of his existence. He said it's better that wouldn't interfere with his work."
"Work?"
"Another one of these freaks?!" They looked to see Blueblood again as they narrowed their eyes
"Its Baldblood again." The twins were snickering and secretly Rarity, Blueblood however was annoyed
"It's Blueblood! And I should sue you and your wild children for tearing my mane off of my head." Random rolled his eyes.
"You can only be prosecuted for murder, theft or illegal black marketing."
"A Nobel in our country should know that. It's common knowledge if you've been isolated for decades but not in your case." Said R.G. which annoy him as he noticed Lil' Miracle near his legs, making anger baby babble at him.
"And she wants an apologies from you, snob butt." He looked disgusted.
"Apologies?! ME?! Never!!" He trot away as Lil' Miracle looked unhappy.
"GGGAAAAWWWW!!!" All but the guards, Gothic, Celestia and Luna eyes widen.
"Uh-oh." Said Pinkie as a massive lightning bolt struck Blueblood.
"GGGGAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!" Their eyes widen as the baby laughed at Blueblood as he was twitching in the crater, and she hugged R.G.'s leg.
"Tell me you don't arrest babies?" |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | pre | That accusation immediately sent alarm bells through my mind as the last thing I wanted them to thing was that I was some kind of royalty or monarch.
"WHAT!! NO Nonononononono I am not a prince...far from it. I am just a normal everyday guy who tries to find his place in the world, that's all, just like everyone else." I quickly corrected in a panicked voice while looking at her.
"See? He said he is not royal so it's cool." The one dubbed Cloudchaser replied casually while smiling.
Wait... is she for REAL? Just a few moments ago she looked just as shocked and surprised as her sister and now all of the sudden she is totally cool with it?
Is she secretly retarded, or is she really just so incredibly chill with the idea that there is an unknown Alicorn just sitting right in front of her?
Maybe my worries from earlier were just fabrications of my imagination and it might actually be ok for these ponies to accept me for what I am, but then again the looks and reactions of her sister completely destroyed these ideas and made me even more determined to keep my true looks hidden from everyone and everything as best as I possibly could.
The last things I want to cause while being stuck here is either a mass panic or mass riot, two things I am very allergic to, so to speak.
I was quickly drawn back into reality as I began to hear both of than start to argue and bicker. Mostly revolving about me and my appearance and how irresponsible Cloudchaser was and how bossy her sister is.
At this point I really had to say something before things started to get out of hand -or hoof, as the case may be-. Mostly for my sake, since I know that I am far from being out of the woods yet -No pun intended,- because I can tell from looking past the cave exit that I am still in the Everfree, which I don't like.
I nervously tried to get their attention back to me to perhaps defuse this situation...just a little bit, if not completely.
"Um... Excuse me?" I tried to call out from my position but as expected was meant with no response as they continued arguing.
I sighed. Only one last thing to do then.
"WOULD YOU TWO STOP BICKERING FOR ONE MINUTE??!!" I shouted, which thankfully did the trick.
They both flinched at my sudden... assertiveness as they both turned to look at me with surprised looks on their faces.
I cleared my throat.
"So... sorry for shouting but I desperately wanted to say something before things would go too far." I started.
"For starters, even though I look...somewhat unique from the outside I can easily assure you that beyond that there is absolutely nothing special or different about me in comparison to everyone else. I am just an average dude who likes to lives his life normally and tried to avoid trouble and danger wherever he goes."
"Heck, that's another thing. I don't even know to use my horn or wings. So there. You can stop your arguing because there is nothing to argue about." I finished my explanation with a sight as I took my Trilby off to rub my head a bit.
An awkward silence dominated the small cave we were in as neither me nor the two mares in front of me dared to say anything else after my earlier sudden outburst.
I shook my head sadly and sighed, placing my Fedora back onto my noggin and attempted to stand up back on all fours. Only to be brutally reminded again of my back as I almost fell back down.
This, though, managed to spark a reaction from one of the two sisters as the one with the bow quickly rushed over me to support me with her body before I could fall.
"I already told you that you need to take it slowly, the injury on your back is still fresh, so please, lay back down before you make it even worse." She pleaded with concern leaking from her voice.
I simply smiled weakly at her for her concern as I tried my best to ignore the pain.
"It's... quite alright. Really, trust me when I say I've had FAR worse pains than this." I replied with a weak chuckle to try and ease her concern a bit.
Though my attempts to calm her down quickly vanished as I saw the still fresh looking four-claw gash on her flank that one of those monsters gave her as my own concern for her quickly rose.
"But, wait... what about you? You're seriously injured as well." I asked while pointing at her wound with one of my hooves.
She followed my gaze and sighted as she realized what I was pointing out too.
"Well... yeah, but out here I really can't do anything about it other than making sure it stays clean." She explained with a sad look as her ears drooped.
"But don't worry, I can manage...I hope." She added, looking at the ground.
I knew for a fact that this wound could easily get infected if not closed or treated soon, especially out here.
It was then when the memory of the dream about talking to my pony self within my subconscious mind suddenly re-emerged.
"What did he mention about my Hat again? Something about being able to pull out stuff from my world over to this world, like a magician's hat?" I thought to myself as I tried to reply my memory of that one particular experience of my dream.
Thinking back onto the time when I drew and designed my OC's character I did gave him an ability that enabled him to pull out and store all of his personal possessions from his home over to him and vice versa giving him almost endless storage capacity wherever he went. Well, at least stuff that was able to fit through his hat as it didn't work for anything else that was bigger, for obvious reasons.
Knowing this, I looked over to my support.
"Could you maybe give me a little bit more space? I... uh... need to try something out, if you don't mind?" I asked while looking at the ground feeling a bit unsure.
The mare in front of me simply stared at me in confusion before simply nodding and carefully retreating herself from me while keeping a careful eye on me.
I took this opportunity of personal space to move my Fedora from my head and onto my hoof in an upside-down position giving me a full-on view of the inner part of my headdress.
At first glance it looked like how I imaged it would, empty and completely normal.
Even so, I could somehow feel that all of the normality that my Fedora enforced was nothing more than just a clever illusion to fool anyone who didn't know otherwise.
I simply shrugged and began to place my bets as I carefully sat myself down onto my rump and slowly lowered my other hoof down into the interior of my Fedora.
I took a glance over to the bow wearing mare for just a second as my hoof mysteriously went deeper and deeper into my hut as I unknowingly began to feel something attach itself onto my hoof as I quickly looked back.
Surprise and shock dominated my mind after I saw how deep I managed to lower my hoof into my hut, with half of my foreleg completely disappearing from view I slowly began to retract my foreleg back out and was even more surprised to see that two full rolls of clean, unused bandages were suddenly visible resting on top of my hoof.
Both mares also looked rather shocked at this display as they both stared at my hat and then back at the bandages I just pulled out. Seemingly out of nowhere from their perspective, which isn't really far fetched especially from my point of view and experience.
I simply shrugged to myself as I looked over to the bow wearing mare in front of me holding out the bandages in front of her.
At this point I decided to myself to just accept everything that is nonsensical and reality breaking from now on. I am, after all, stuck in a world where magic and mythical creatures exist, so trying to add my real world logic into this would lead nowhere besides a trip into a mental hospital. A place I am not planning on visiting anytime soon.
"Here you can use these to cover up your wound and not risk infection. Please take them." I said as calmly as I possibly could.
She, of course looked confused as hell as her gaze switches to me, to the bandages and back to me in a real comical way. Eventually, though, she seemed to get a grip on herself again as she gazed back on me with a questionable look on her muzzle.
"Oh... ok? But... but how did you just...?"
"Nope, sorry. No more questions. Just simply roll with it and accept it as fact. Easy peasy." I quickly interrupted her while crossing my forelegs.
"Oh. ok then. Thank you." She simply replied, while still looking somewhat confused, and took the bandages by grabbing them with one of her wings that wasn't bandaged up like the other one.
Huh, how did I miss that? Seriously, my perception is all over the place lately. Hopefully that fixes itself soon, otherwise I am going to have some serious problems later on.
"Well, uh... Cloud, could you, maybe, help me wrap this around my left flank? It's a bit difficult doing it all alone." She called out towards her sister.
Her sister simply nodded as she trotted over to her sibling to help her properly cover up her wound.
I took the time while these two were busy to think about my situation and my next course of action. My back obviously still stings from the...supposedly epic rescue event that I achieved. To be completely honest here my memory of that one particular event is somewhat hazy, to say the least. The only thing I could remember were emotions. Raw, uncontrolled emotions and feelings.
Weird, I know, but more worrying than weird. I mean what does this tell me? Will this happen more often? Will I be able to control it, or even better, prevent it from happening again? 'Cause the idea of me doing things without me fully knowing it or controlling it is an idea that would make many feel worried.
Does this have to do with the fact that I am a wing spanning horn wielding pony?
Maybe...maybe not. Crap, this is so confusing, and just earlier I had decided to just go with the flow and accept things as they are and no longer question them.
One thing is for sure... if I am going to survive in a world such as this I am going to need people -or, uh, ponies- that I can trust.
But how can I find those who won't either fear me, hate me, or just cell me out?
"Uh... hey there?"
I was pulled out of my reverie as a voice suddenly called out for me. I looked up and was greeted with the sheepish look of the bow wearing mare in front of me with her sister right next to her.
"Thanks for the bandages, and again thank you for saving us from falling to our deaths. Without you my sister and I would not be here at all. And... and I also want to apologies how both of us acted in front of you." She announced as she and her sister gave me the most sincere smile I have ever seen.
I nodded, giving them a small smile of my own while rubbing the back of my head.
"It... it's nothing, really. I just did what any other decent individual would have done." I replied, looking at the ground sheepishly.
I was taken completely by surprise as two sets of forelegs began to wrap themselves around my body, encasing me in the warmth of both these mares' bodies.
I blushed as I realized what was happening. Nonetheless, I accepted it, as it wasn't really often that you get hugged by two warm and fuzzy ponies, Though, I have a feeling that this is going to become much more common in the future. Something I need to keep an eye out for if I want to make sure ponies don't get suspicious regarding my wings.
They eventually broke off giving me back my personal space and sat themselves around me as I was still blushing a bit from the sudden body contact I had just received.
Both of them giggled at my reaction, which really didn't help at all, but it was still nice to know that these two were starting to relax themselves and not panic, worry, or be surprised and shocked at me.
The one with the bow broke the silence. "Oh yeah, I just forgot, we never even introduced ourselves to you did we?"
"Well my name is Flitter." She introduced herself before gesturing over to her sister.
"And this here is my sister Cloudchaser, but I guess you already know that simply because I have already called her by her name multiple times since you woke up." She finished by scratching the back of her neck sheepishly.
Cloudchaser in turn smiled at me as she was about to ask me something.
"What can we call you by the way?" She asked as both Flitter and her smiled at me.
I was about to give her my name before I managed to stop myself as a thought entered me.
What name am I going to give them? Am I going to give them my real name or my pony name?
I guess giving my real name or my pony name to them wouldn't really matter that much, but what about any other pony I am might come across in the near future? I know for a fact that human names are weird and almost alien for these ponies so giving them my real name would just unintentionally give me even more unwanted attention in the future than I might already get for just being around them.
So I guess using my real name would eventually end up to be more of a problem to me than I am prepared for.
My OC's name it is.
"Nava, just call me Nava." I finally replied with a smile. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 4: Path to Freedom | Chapter 4: Path to Freedom
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Sleeping in a cave on a hard, ice-cold surface was really not the most comfortable experience I ever had, especially regarding my still aching back.
After the first rays of sunlight penetrated the entrance of the small cave that the two mares and I used as an overnight shelter, me and Flitter and Cloud Chaser decided to immediately head out to use the provided daylight to scout the woods in hopes of finding a way out of this naturally made maze of a forest.
With no breakfast, mind you.
Cloud Chaser, though, was kind enough to offer herself as my support to lean on as my back was still feeling very sore, which also affected my walking. I was rather wobbly on my hind legs.
Having some companions to travel with made things so much easier to bear, especially boredom as the two mares and I would occasionally engage ourselves into small talks of various different topics, asking questions and getting to know each other that much better.
After a few minutes of silence I was about to retreat myself back into my own thoughts, when Cloud Chaser -still beside me- began to ask me something again.
"Sooo... is it really true that you have no idea how to fly, or how to use that horn of yours?" She asked looking at me.
"Yup, pretty much." I simply answered while I was still looking at the ground.
"Then how did you managed to rescue us the way you did when you don't know how to use those wings of yours?" She countered making me lift my head and letting out a sight.
"I already told you, I really have no idea how I accomplished that. I'm telling you the 100% truth when I said that I have no idea how to fly." I answered with a bit of a sad look.
I could also have told them that I am scared of heights as well but I guess I didn't have to if they wouldn't ask me about it.
"Hey, guys look! A road! The main road that goes through the Everfree Forest! Finally, we can get out of this bucking place and get back home!" Flitter suddenly shouted up ahead, getting our attention in an instant.
"REALLY? Oh, Sweet I can't wait to finally get something in my mouth and get all this gunk out of my fur and mane." Cloud Chaser called back happily, a sense of happiness that I shared with her.
Finally a way out of this place, I was starting to get the idea that we'd never find out way back to civilization.
"Well, hurry up you two! If we hurry we could reach Ponyville before sundown. Come on!" Flitter shouted back excitedly before dashing off onto the distant road like a little girl.
Cloud Chaser giggled at her sister's sudden change of character. "Don't worry, while my sister is going all filly like we can take it nice and slow. No need to rush at this point." Cloud Chaser said with a smile as she wrapped a friendly wing around me.
I gave her a kind smile in return as we continued to leisurely trot our way toward the road ahead of us.
The idea of finally seeing Ponyville for real was intriguing. If there wasn't the problem of my appearance.
That reminded me. At what point in the timeline is all of this? Again, I don't know much about the show's timeline, simply because, again, I never really watched it. But it could still be important to know when I arrived, so that I don't accidentally screw anything up, and I have read QUITE enough fanfiction to know that that's usually is the case with situations just like mine.
Also, I probably have to deal with the Pink One as well at some point in my life here. An encounter -just like with the Princesses- I'd like to avoid at all cost... but would probably fail knowing the reputation the Pink One has.
"Hey, you still there, buddy?" Cloud Chaser suddenly nudged me.
"You kind of zoned out there, for a moment. Is everything ok?" Cloud Chaser asked, with a bit concern in her tone.
I simply shook my head. "No, nothing. Really, don't worry. I guess I'm just hungry that's all." I half lied to her simply because I was pretty hungry.
Since I had awakened in this pony filled world I had not a single bite to eat, or even to drink. Actually, now that I mentioned food and drinks, I am really feeling the hunger and thirst right now as my stomach suddenly made itself known for the first time.
Man so this is how feeling really hungry feels like.
Cloud Chaser giggled at the sound of my stomach suddenly voicing his concerns, making feel a bit embarrassed about it.
Though that quickly changed when Cloud Chaser's belly also voiced its own opinion as it was her turn to look slightly red in the cheeks at how much louder hers growled in comparison to mine. Which made me chuckle before both of our bellies growled together, making us both laugh out.
"(Hehehehe) I guess we're both pretty hungry, then. But don't worry. As soon as we reach Ponyville I'm going to head over to the market and buy all three of us something to eat and drink. What do you think?" she asked as we finally reached the dirt road ourselves.
"Sounds nice, but is it really ok for you to dish out extra money because of me? I could, maybe, do something for you in return to pay that off." I asked her with worried look as freeloading off of someone isn't something i feel ok with.
She simply giggled at me as she pulled me even closer to her, making me blush a bit in the process.
"Dude... you've already done FAR more than most ponies possibly could! If you ask me, it is WE who owe you a lot. I would happily spend some extra bits just for you so you don't have to go to sleep on an empty stomach again." She answered me with another very sincere smile.
"Oh... well... thank you then. I really appreciate it." I answered back, smiling at her shyly.
The rest of the trip was mostly met with silence as the two of us simply enjoyed the serenity of walking through a forest along a dirt road. Yeah, weird, I know. Especially since this forest is practically spelled with the words danger and death.
"Oh, thank Celestia! Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel. Come on. I will just carry you so we can get out of here faster." Cloud Chaser suddenly shouted excitedly into my ear, making me flinch from the volume.
I let out a yelp of surprise as I was suddenly (and somewhat roughly) picked up by the surprisingly strong mare beside me (Or maybe I am just very light, who knows) and draped over her back at a somewhat awkward angle; My hind legs dangling from one end and my head off of the other.
What the heck just happened? This is so freakin' random.
"Wa... wait a minute, why did you...?" I tried to ask before my sentence got lost inside my throat and instead found myself hanging on as the forest scene in front of me began to zoom by.
All I could do at this point was hold on by wrapping my both my forelegs around her neck and hope that I didn't have to eat dirt along the way.
If it didn't look and felt awkward before, it definitely did now! A grown Stallion dangling off of an overly excited galloping mare, trying to keep himself from falling off while crying out in the winds for her to stop.
Yup...brilliant, dignity and pride out the window, not that i had any to begin with since i woke up here.
"Cloud Chaser- what the hell- please stop and- put me back down- this is really unnecessary-y-y-y! WHY THE HECK ARE YOU DOING THI-I-I-S??!!" I complained in a high pitched panic tone as I slowly started to feel dizzy.
She, of course, completely ignored me and continued her mad dash towards freedom...with me on the verge of falling off and losing my stomach juices, if I had any.
"Ah finally out of this damn forest, and hello-o-o-o freedom!" The mare holding me shouted as she skidded to a halt, right after we passed the clearing.
Ahh, sweet, sweet sunlight and clear open skies. Too bad I can't FUCKING enjoy them ALL at the moment.
I began to slowly slide off of her in a rather...comedic fashion as I groaned.
"Oh... why... why, oh why does everything here have to be so difficult for me?" I groaned as I simply laid flat on my stomach.
Who knew that you can easily lose your hunger by just getting a pony ride? Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
"Cloud Chaser, what the buck did you do?" I heard Flitter ask in an unamused tone.
"Nothing, really, I simply placed him on my back and galloped over here." Cloud Chaser casually answered.
I wanted to retort on that, but sadly I wasn't in the best of moods to do so. Again who knew that an empty stomach can feel sick? The more you know.
"Cloud Chaser, I swear, sometimes it feels like I have to look after a little filly."
A pair of hooves began to move closer towards me as I continued to moan into the dirt. "I am so sorry for my sister's antics, Nava. Do you need help getting back up?" I heard Flitter ask as a hoof suddenly appeared in front of my vision.
"Yeah... I think so." I replied as I slowly grabbed her hoof with my own.
With a grunt -and some shakiness- I managed to get myself back up on all fours. I gave away a small hiss as a small stab of pain erupted from my back, reminding me again of the injury I supposedly have back there. To be honest, I have yet to see it.
"Oh your back, I completely neglected that. How does your back feel anyway? Still as painful as before?" She asked me with concern.
"Well, surprisingly no... no it's not as painful as it was yesterday... which is really weird to be honest." I answered as I looked at her with a bit of surprise in how much the pain and soreness has subsided since yesterday.
"Wait...I also wanted to ask. How DID my back look anyway, after...that one particular event happened? Was it an open wound, or was it a..."
"No...besides some obvious bruises and dirt there was surprisingly nothing too serious-looking other than that, maybe, a few cuts here and there then some rather badly ruffled feathers on your wings. Which I preened this morning while you were still asleep." Flitter answered causing me to raise an eyebrow.
"Wait...seriously, just that? Nothing more?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, really. Both me and Sis here were quite surprised as well after we carried you to the cave and took a much closer look at your back afterwards." Cloud Chaser responded as she came up beside her sister.
I simply looked at both of them in utter disbelief. No serious injuries after a fall like that besides ruffled feathers and some cuts on my back? That... that's just... how... You know what, screw it. I already made the decision to not try to make sense of this world and its rules. Just roll with it and learn from it, besides I should really be more happy that I am still generally intact after that incident and not question its probability. Magic Nava...its bloody magic.
I shook my head. "Well, anyway... all impossibilities aside, where exactly are we?" I asked as I began to look around a bit.
Flitter smiles. "Well we are on the outskirts of the Everfree just two or three kilometers away from Ponyville." Flitter answered as she pointed with her hoof in a general direction.
I followed it and, to my surprise, she was right. Just below the hill in a vast, open, green valley lay the famous town of Ponyville itself. Well, famous regarding the cartoon show.
All the buildings, the style, the size were pretty accurate in comparison to what I saw on the internet. Even the large town hall was visible from here, also including the large apple farm of in the distance -the name of which I just couldn't remember at the moment.
Again, never watched the show itself. I blame the internet for the knowledge and interest I developed later on.
What immediately ruined the amazing scenery of wide open fields, hills and chain of mountains of into the horizon was the sight of Canterlot off into the distance.
A sight which, again, reminded me of the problem in keeping myself as anonymous from those two as I possibly could, and the rest of ponykind, for that matter.
"Well anyway, come on let's go. We need to get some proper medical aid in Ponyville hospital and then get something to eat afterwards. Not to mention checking back at the local weather service office." Flitter announced as she slowly trotted off into the direction of the town with Cloud Chaser again offering her assistance to me.
But before she could get even far I called her out. "WAIT! I... I can't go down with you guys. I mean, look at me. Wouldn't my presence cause some sort of confusion, suspicion or even outright panic within the locals?" I explained while gesturing to myself with a hoof, making her stop and look at me in thought.
"We... well, I don't know, to be honest. But I guess you might be right judging by how I reacted to you at the beginning. Minus my sister here, who sometimes just doesn't give a feather what's happening around her." Flitter answered while giving her sister a deadpan look.
"HEY! You're making me sound like an idiot again." Cloud Chaser retorted.
"I never implied that."
"Girls... please focus. I can't go into town looking like THIS! We need to find a way to hide my true appearance." I quickly interrupted before another argument between these two could start.
Flitter tapped her chin in thought for a while before she looked like she had an idea.
"Wait... how about covering your wings with bandages? You can pretend that you have suffered some kind of back injury (which is actually kind of true) or whatever and make yourself look like an ordinary unicorn." She suggested.
"A unicorn with an abnormally long horn." Cloud Chaser suddenly added which made both of us switch our gaze up to my horn in realization.
That could easily be turned into a dirty sex joke.
"Well... true, but there's nothing we can do about that. But I think it should be alright. I have heard of some unicorns who did possess abnormally long horns compared to other unicorns around their family, so I guess it's not an impossibility, but more of a rarity." She commented while looking thoughtfully up into the air.
I sighted. "Well, I guess that's it, then. Wrap myself up in cloth and pretend to be a unicorn." I said as I grabbed my Trilby off my head and began to rummage through the interior until I felt and grabbed onto another large stack of Bandage rolls out of my hat.
I remembered that I had a shelf full of medical supplies back home, including large stacks of bandages that I never used, which...shouldn't be hard to imagine why to be honest.
Both of their reactions were predictable, to say the least.
"What?" I asked looking between the two.
"No... nothing. All right, hold still while me and Cloud here wrap those bandages around you." Flitter responded with a confused shake of her head.
It took a while, but eventually my midsection was completely wrapped up, hiding my central torso and -more importantly- my wings from any outside viewers.
"There. All done, no trace of wings in sight. How does it feel? Is it too tight?" Flitter asked after she looked over their hoofiwork.
It does look somewhat ridiculous, I have to admit, but it least it serves its purpose. Better this than nothing, I guess. But I do have to eventually think of much better way in hiding my wings in the future because the whole "I'm injured around my chest and back" gag won't work its magic forever, ponies will eventually get suspicious as time goes on.
I could, one day, use actual magic to do the trick, but that was simply a plan for another day. First I needed to learn how to use actual magic before I could even get there.
Getting back to the present, I simply shook my head letting her know that everything felt fine before Flitter, Cloud Chaser and I finally made our way down to Ponyville together.
Well, here we go, meeting the land and these locals face to face for the first time. Let's see how long I can last before I make things awkward again. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 5: Town Fall | Chapter 5: Town Fall
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
"So... you guys don't actually live in Ponyville?" I ask as we were trotting along the road toward the edge of town.
"No, we don't. We are living in Dorm rooms provided to us by the local weather office while we're working here. Cloud and I actually live up in Cloudsdale." Flitter answered.
I nod as the three of us continued our uneventful journey to the local doctor house on the edge of town.
A few ponies we passed by on the road give us some curious glances or stares but other than that, nothing of note.
More and more ponies passed by as we came closer and closer towards the outskirts of the town, again some simply staring while some even started to gawk at my otherworldly long horn which immediately made me feel nervous as we passed them.
"Hopefully this doesn't fail at the first day." I muttered.
"Nah, don't worry I think you'll be fine. Just act like everypony else and you will fit right in." Cloud Chaser tried to reassure me.
I sighed. "It's not really that easy, I'm awkward in public, in case you didn't notice." I answered as I was looking down to avoid the passing ponies' gazes.
I got -once again- pulled close to her making me blush. "Ah, don't worry about that; that's what we're here for." She answered with a smile.
I was about to reply when a weird whistling sound suddenly assaulted my eardrums accompanied by screaming that quickly grew alarmingly louder and louder with every passing second.
I began to look around. "Wait a minute, Cloud... do you... do you hear anyth-" I tried to ask the mare beside before something hit me squarely. Really, really hard.
All I could feel after that was pain and a mouth full of dirt as I came to a stop face down after I assume a few meters of tumbling and sliding backwards along the ground.
Well, welcome to Ponyville I guess. What a great fucking start.
"Oh hey dude, thanks for breaking my fall there. Who knows what could have happened if you didn't!" A girly but otherwise scratchy voice suddenly announced on top of me. I simply groan in response.
Yeah, no problem at all. WHO KNOWS what would have happened if you have crashed into another pony instead of me. They would probably have much more colorful words to say if that was the case.
If THIS is the way random ponies greet someone for being new to the town then I don't even want to imagine how a...certain pink catastrophe would be welcoming me.
"Ca' y' pleeff ge' offa me?" I mumbled with my face still in the dirt, Which tastes like how you imagine it would. Like freaking dirt.
"Um... what?" She asked, confused, making me feel even more annoyed on top of already feeling quite uncomfortable.
I immediately removed my face from the dirt and spat out the dirt in my mouth with disgust before replying again. "GET OFF OF MY BACK!!!" I shouted.
"Oh! Right. Sorry there, dude." She replied as I finally felt the weight being lifted off of my re-injured back.
Oh, sweet relief.
Also how the heck was I the only one getting hit and ragdolled around while Cloud Chaser did not, despite the fact she was basically holding?
I shakily stood back up to all fours with a groan as my back once again feeling as if is was trampled over by a herd of rampaging horses, which might not be a too far fetch of an idea when you think about it. I dusted myself off a bit and re-adjusted my hat and glasses before turning around to see the pony I had the displeasure of getting physically acquainted with before I even know her... and oh my god I know who this pony is!
"Oh hey, Rainbow. Doing stunts again?" Cloud Chaser casually asked as if nothing happened, unlike her sister who quickly rushed over to me to offer her support and concern.
I really do not understand the logic between these two, sometimes it's Flitter who shows more support and concern than her sister, then a few moments later it's completely reversed.
Some might say it's some sibling thing or whatever, but honestly I don't get it. Then again, I've only known these two for like one and a half days so I can't be too cynical, now can I?
I gave Flitter a reassuring and thankful smile but eventually switched my attention back towards the blue rainbow maned mare standing in front of me.
Oh, boy if all the bronies could see me now! You can take your silly cartoon, fanfics and fanart, shove them up your asses and go kick yourself in a corner because I am standing in front of one of the main cast of the bloody show...and I honestly feel nothing. Because A: I was never a dedicated or hardcore brony like a lot of others I know from the internet. And B: Because she crashed into me and re-ignited my back pain.
Bloody brilliant.
"Well yeah I was, but as you can tell... I did some... minor miscalculations." RD answered to Cloud while rubbing the back of her head sheepishly before realizing something.
"But wait a min... where the hay did the two of you disappear to? You two were missing for like almost 2 days and look absolutely awful as well. WAIT... did this stallion here cause all of this?" RD continued before turning angrily at me with an accusing tone under her voice making me flinch.
SERIOUSLY, GIRL!? If I was somehow responsible for getting these two into this poor state, like beating them up or raping them or whatever, then why the FUCK would THESE two travel alongside or stay anywhere close to the pony responsible for their injuries? Use some common sense here, you blue twat!
Normally I would feel somewhat intimidated by such an angry glare but with the presence of such narrow minded accusations I couldn't help but go all RANT mode inside my head as I morphed my facial express into an "Are you for real?" kind of look.
Oh god, I just realized, I am going to have a field day in this horse talking wonderland. Since this world is based off a cartoon from my world, cartoons usually have a tendency to lack any common sense from time to time no matter what that cartoon is, and MLP is obviously no exception. If this carries on even to here then I am going to have a fun time ripping some of these illogical moments to bloody pieces in my mind.
YES in my mind because I don't want to make myself look like an ass or anything like that. Besides the ones that do actually matter and can make stuff allot easier to approach in the future.
Oh yeah, I still have to prevent RD -judging by the look she was still giving me- from trying to break me, don't I?
I was about to finally say something in regards of her accusation until Cloud Chaser beat me to it.
"Wait, Rainbow, it's really not what you think." Cloud announced in front of her.
"He's actually the reason why the two of us are still alive at the first place. We were attacked by a pack of Timberwolves while we got ourselves lost in the Everfree Forest before HE eventually saved us from them when we were cornered." Cloud quickly continued in one breath, which thankfully did the trick of easing the mare's mood before eventually looking shocked instead.
"Wait...you two went into the Everfree and got lost and attacked by Timberwolves? WHAT THE BUCK were you two even doing in there knowing that you two couldn't even fly at the moment?" Dash demanded, wide eyed.
Cloud Chaser chuckled nervously as she looked over to her sister for some possible support on this.
Flitter simply sighted before stepping up herself. "Well...Cloud here had one of her...moments again when she thought chasing a thieving fox that stole some of her groceries into the Everfree was a good idea. Moments similar to yours sometimes if I am right." Flitter casually explained with a deadpan expression aimed at her sibling.
RD simply shook her head at that story before realization quickly sank into her.
"He...Hey wait a minute." She protested, which in turn made both of the sisters giggle at her reaction.
She simply grumbled in annoyance before her gaze finally rested back on me, which honestly made me feel a bit nervous.
"So...this guy here saved you two from a pack of vicious Timberwolves? How exactly?" She question which in turn made both of the sisters stop their giggling.
Cloud Chaser again was the first one to respond. "Well...uhm...he..." Cloud Chaser started.
RD to switch her gaze back to her which gave me the chance to visually tell her with my arms and facial expression to tell her that SHE can NOT tell her the one hundred percent truth for obvious reason as my nervousness soar up to new heights at this first serious confrontation. Almost to panic levels.
Oh dear god please, please don't screw this up cloud please.
Cloud Chaser simply looked back at Rainbow Dash as she was rubbing the back of her neck.
"He...uh saved us with his amazing unicorn magic. Yeah, you should have seen it, it was absolutely incredible. I had never seen a pony use such devastating spells like that before, pushing these nasty Timberwolves around as if they were bucking ragdolls or something! It really was awesome, right Flitter?" Cloud Chaser lied while looking over to her sister for confirmation.
"Um... yes, right! it really was incredible." Flitter answered with a forced smile making me want to burry my head back into the dirt.
Oh god, why the bloody fuck did you have to make me look and sound so epic with magic in front of her? Now she's going to build up some sort of expectation of me and I am sure such news is not going to stay anonymous forever, she is obviously going to tell someone and that someone is going to tell another someone and soon enough the whole bloody town will know about my "feats" and think I am this world version of Gandalf the White or something!!
What the ass, my goal was to DIVERT as much attention from me as much as possible, not bring it in! Absolutely fucking brilliant, mate!
Oh and one more obvious thing here...I still can't use magic. So why the heck would you come up with such a cover up involving magic when I can't use magic. What am I supposed to do when someone asks me to use my magic?
But then again I can't really be too hypocritical about this now can I, she obviously was in pressure trying to come up with a believable lie about my rescue act and with my cover up wings and simple unicorn looks magic was the quickest and easiest answer to make.
All self-ranting thoughts aside, it seems as though this luckily managed to do the trick with Rainbow Dash swallowing the lie pill without even gagging on it.
She began to look over to me with a small smile on her face after she gave an impressed whistle.
"Wow, dude. If that is true then you definitely got my respect for that, For having the balls to go into the Everfree, stand up against a pack of Timberwolves alone and saving two of my friends from them all in the same day? I guess that makes you pretty awesome and ok in my books. Not as awesome as me of course." RD commented as she slowly came over to me.
"Oh and by the way, my name is Rainbow Dash. Fastest flyer in all of Equestria and future member of the wonderbolts." RD boasted, puffing out her chest. "You can call me Rainbow, or Dash, or both."
"Who might you be?" She quickly asked as she flapped her wings to hover.
"I'm Nava...just Nava. Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash." I casually answered while extending my hoof at her.
"Strange name, but cool." She answered shaking my hoof with a friendly smile.
"Oh, and sorry for wrongly accusing you dude... I... I have the tendency to do that sometimes, immediately judging ponies without even knowing them. My bad." She continued sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck.
Well, ok... that sounds legit.
I simply nodded and gave her a small smile to tell her that everything was A-OK.
She happily accepted it with a smile of her own before turning herself around to look at her friends.
"I would guess you guys were heading to the hospital to get those injures checked up? Is it ok if I tag along? I have nothing else to do anyway at the moment." RD asked as she hovered over them.
"Sure, why not I guess." Flitter replied.
At this point it really didn't take long for us to reach the local hospital in question. A White colored, three storey, medieval/European style building with a light blue double door entrance on front.
Again, quite accurate to all the screenshots and art I saw in my world.
Before Flitter could open the door, I stopped her. "Wait...can I.... Could I maybe wait outside while you two get yourself checked up? Because..." I look over at Rainbow Dash behind me. "Because... hospitals make me feel wary." I explained to her while moving my eyes to point at RD behind me.
"Oh... sure, why not. It's probably going to take a while anyway. Plus waiting inside could get kind of boring." Flitter responded.
I nodded and gave a small smile as thanks before both Flitter and Cloud entered leaving me and RD standing outside alone.
I sighed as I moved over to a free wall and sat down with my back leaning against it.
I was about to close my eyes and fully relax myself for the first time since arriving in this candy colored candy land before I heard someone sitting down right next to me.
To my surprise it was no one but Rainbow Dash herself sitting to my left. In a lot of fics I read, RD seems to be a bit wary towards newcomers, but I guess with me it's somewhat of a different story because I saved some of her friends from getting there fuses blown out... and I guess that being a normal looking pony and not some strange hairless monkey from another dimension helps too, I guess.
I looked over at the town that lay in front of me and simply observed all the ponies I could see bustling through the day while a gentle wind began blowing around us. I still can't believe the fact that I am here in Equestria. Again, of all the massive fans I know back home that would have loved to end up in a place like this.... and I for some reason got sent here instead.
Why... why, though? That really is the question that is bugging me since I got here, and most importantly, why as my OC? Why as an alicorn of all races? Couldn't I have turned into a much less... problematic race instead? Like a Unicorn or a Pegasus? Something that would make my stay here much easier to swallow and NOT have to constantly hide or lie to protect myself from any suspicious eyes?
"I already want to go home." I whispered completely forgetting for a moment that RD was sitting beside me.
"What was that?" She asked while looking at me.
I flinch in surprise before lowering my head to look at the dirt below me. "Nothing...nothing" I quietly answered.
"OK... you seem a bit down there, Nava. Is something on your mind?" She asked with a concerned tone, to my utter surprise.
Rainbow feeling worried for a stranger she has no info off and just meant like 10 minutes ago? Now that feels even more out of character for her than usual. Or maybe it's just me not knowing her well.
I think I will go for latter, since I DO know almost nothing about her.
I sighed before raising my head and looking at her. "Well, yes, kind of. But... it really is my problem, and my problem alone. I don't think you will be able to help me with it to begin with." I answered.
She simply gave me a nod before looking back at the direction of the town in front of us.
I do have to admit, in combination with the lush and vibrant landscape around it, this town does look peaceful and cozy. A place I definitely don't have a problem staying in... if things didn't seem so problematic.
"So uh... where are you from, Nava?" Dash suddenly asked, stopping my train of thought.
I shook my head. Oh shit, I knew this question was bound to come up at some point. Got to think of something, something believable and not shady. Wait... I got something. Oh, this is such a long shot but it's really the only idea I have right now. The longer I delay the more suspicious it will be so I have to trust in luck and hope my answer does not backfire.
"I'm from... Germaneigh." I answered as casually as I possible could without looking to nervous.
"Germaneigh? Really? I have heard of that place but I never met a pony from there. I guess there is first for everything huh?" Rainbow answered, chuckling quietly.
I let out a heavy mental sigh of relief, knowing that my gamble luckily paid off for once. Huh. Good thing that the speculated idea that Equestria also has pony versions of existing countries from my world are actually true.
Thank god for that. This will make explaining things a lot easier for me in the future.
"Hey, can you maybe give me an example of your native language...not that I am super interested or anything... just curious just all?" Rainbow dash asked while rubbing her head.
"Uh... sure." I replied as I thought about something I could say to her in German.
"Bist du wirklich ein akrobat Flieger?"
"What does that mean?" she asked me curiously, cocking her head to one side.
"I asked if you are really a stunt flyer." I replied looking at her.
"Yup. I am. Training every day to perfect my techniques for the day when I finally join the Wonderbolts." She answered proudly.
I gave off a small smile at that. That is really the Rainbow Dash I am more familiar with.
Though, that quickly reminded me of a thought I had for a while. What point in the timeline did I end up at? I know that this question is somewhat irrelevant, but I think it would still be somewhat useful to know at what point in time I have landed in so that I can prepare better for the events that might or might not happen in the future.
Should I risk asking? I mean, here is Rainbow Dash, one of the main characters and Element Bearers. This is my chance to finally answer this question once and for all, and maybe formulate an idea on how to proceed.
But I need to be careful with the question I ask and not make myself look weird. But what to ask? Wait... I think I know what. Just hope I can get lucky like the first time.
"Say...do you know a pony named Twilight Sparkle?" I ask again trying to look and sound as casual as possible.
"Twilight who? Sounds like a unicorn name if you ask me. But no, I don't think so... Why?" She answered looking confused at my question as she sat there scratching her head.
"Well, I was just wondering if you knew her that's all. Just... just forget it." I replied while rubbing my left forearm.
"Well... ok? Weird."
So her not knowing who Twilight Sparkle is can only mean that this currently takes place even before the first season. Good to know, I guess. But then again, that raises another question, how far back am I, from the time I am now to the point where Celly basically kicks her out? But I guess that really isn't important now is it?
At that point, the two of us simply began to talk to kill some time, asking the similar questions i asked the two Pegasus sisters, with a few jokes here and there, general thoughts on things and ideas and eventually asking me about my completely covered midsection in which I lied to her about having back and chest injuries there, which made her feel even more guilty.
She even asked me what certain words are from her language to mine.
Like Geil (Awesome), Wolke (Cloud) Blitz (Lighting) Adler (Eagle) to name a few.
She even went so far as asking me if I could teach her some German at some time. I mean what? OK, she did say the reason why is so she can confuse and troll ponies with it, which I can kind of understand.
That got me thinking though. Just because I am here in Equestria doesn't mean that everything has to predictably follow the exact formula of the show, right? I mean, this here is its own separate world, with its own rules and events right? It doesn't need to be as scripted or predictable as the bloody show. Because this is not a show, this is its own world where things can happen just as randomly and as unpredictably as in mine.
That's just real life.
So I guess the same logic can be implied here as well, just add magic into the mix I guess.
Our conversation and messing around continued a while longer and before we even knew it, it was already sunset forcing the two of us to finally stop.
"Geez it's already THAT late? How the hay did that happen?" Rainbow Dash announced, surprised.
"Yeah... time can really fly when you're engaged in a fun conversation." I added to her statement.
Rainbow Dash nods in agreement. "Yeah, it does. Man, I never thought that a pony like me would ever waste so much time just talking with a pony she has fun with." Rainbow dash announced happily before flinching and realizing what she just said.
I flinched as well.
"Uh... hehe... well, yeah... I guess I had a lot of... well, fun hanging out with you. Who knew?" RD sheepishly said while rubbing her forelegs together.
"Well... I am glad that I... made you enjoy yourself and not get bored with me or something." I replied awkwardly also trying to avoid looking at each other.
An awkward silence dominated the space between us for a few moments with only the sound of the wind being present.
Surprisingly it was RD who eventually broke the awkward silence.
"Ahh, screw it, yes I had allot of fun getting to know you Nava. Like really...I don't know why but you look and seem a lot more interesting than I first thought. It was really nice getting to know you, Nava." Dash announced sincerely as she gave me a smile.
I lifted my head and smiled back. "Well, it was really fun getting to know you as well Rainbow Dash. Maybe we can hang out again some time?" I replied kindly.
Truth be told I really did had a lot of fun getting to know her, this was easily one of the most interesting, engaging and funniest conversations I ever had with ANYONE. With Rainbow Dash of all ponies. Getting to know her by JUST talking. Crazy right?
But at least now I know why so many bronies back in my world like her so much..
Rainbow nods at my offer. "Yeah, we totally should hang out more, maybe next time I will be able to show you some of my tricks and stunts as well." She replied.
I smiled back as usual and automatically bumped her hoof with mine.
The two of us began to smile and chuckle after that. We both eventually stopped as Dash stood back up on all fours as she stretched her fore and hind legs.
"Well, Nava, it was fun, but it's late now and I really need to get back home before Celestia raises the moon." She continued. "Geez, all I did for the last few hours was sit on my flank and I still feel utterly exhausted." She said with a yawn as she made ready to take off.
I stood up myself stretching my still aching back. It gave off a large painful crack which made me groan and grit my teeth in pain for a few seconds until the pain slowly subsided to a point where my back felt completely normal again to my utter surprise.
Wait what? How? Why? You know what I don't care it's just nice that everything about me finally feels normal now for once and not sour stiff or painful.
"You're ok there, Nava?" Dash asked, looking over her shoulder concernedly.
I shook my head. "No, no it's fine really, just needed to pop some joints that's all. I feel a lot better now, to be honest." I answered giving her a reassuring smile.
She nods before extending her wings and getting ready to take off. "Well anyway, see you tomorrow...maybe when I have time. Anyway, I am off. Bye" She says before finally taking off.
Huh...I somehow managed to earn Rainbow Dash's trust and friendship despite only knowing her since a little earlier this day. Kind of neat actually. I thought to myself as I watched her fly off and quickly disappear into the distance.
But then, something hit me. "OH SHIT! I COMPLETELY FORGOT!!!" I shouted in realization. "FLITTER! CLOUD CHASER! HOW THE BLOODY FUCK COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN!!!" I shouted in panic.
I immediately bolted into the hospital, slamming into the main entrance. Though far less gracefully as I would have liked as I quickly found myself kissing the hard cold floor of the lobby room.
"Look at that funny stallion mommy." I heard a filly giggle as I lay flat on the floor.
Again, welcome to Ponyville folks.
"Ugh, note to self, don't bust through doors, or at least do it without tripping on yourself." I groaned, feeling really dumb.
To amuse the filly i said "I'll be here 'til thursday. Try the apples!"
"Oh! Would you, maybe, need some assistance there, sir?" I heard a mare call out. Probably one of the nurses in this place.
"No, I'm fine. Don't worry, just clumsy ol' me that's all." I replied as I slowly got myself back on all fours.
A small blush formed on my cheeks as I embarrassedly made my way over to the nurse's counter on the other side of the room while avoiding the stares of the adults and giggles of the little foals.
But I also had the feeling it had something to do with the bandages as well. Which does look a bit ridiculous.
"Oh, excuse me miss." I began "Do you know any... ponies with the name Flitter and Cloud Chaser passing by here?" I asked the nurse after having reached her desk.
"Cloud Chaser and Flit...? OH... OH dear Celestia! How could I have forgotten?!" The Nurse in front of me started panicking, making me feel confused.
"You're Nava aren't you? I was supposed to go out and tell you that both Miss Flitter and Cloud Chaser are going to be staying here for the night and that they were waiting in their rooms for you. Horse Apples, I was too busy with other patients earlier and completely forgot about it." The white mare in front of me suddenly stated.
"Uh... what?"
"Oh I am so, so sorry sir. I swear I was caught up with my work and completely forgot, but don't worry I will escort you to their room, if you would please follow me." The nurse announced as she stood up from her desk and trotted down a corridor mentioning me to follow her.
I simply shrugged as I silently followed her down the hallway.
"Oh and by the way. My name is Nurse Redheart, if you are wondering, or if you need any help in the future with those bandages of yours." She says as we rounded a corner.
Nurse Redheart? Huh...no wonder she looked familiar.
I simply gave a nod as we silently passed by a few other nurses and doctors running around the halls.
Redheart eventually lead me to a marine blue colored door at the end of the corridor with a plate on top reading Room 23 as she turned to face me.
"Alright, this is the room which Miss Flitter and Cloud Chaser are occupying today, and again I am so very sorry for not having told you this sooner Mister Nava. Have a nice evening." Nurse Redheart announced with an apologetic look before excusing herself and trotting off back to her station.
"Oh, and thank you by the way." I called out to her, to which she responded by waving a hoof back at me before rounding a corner.
I gave off a sigh as I turned my attention back to the door. I slowly lifted my hoof and gently tapped a few knocks on it and patiently waiting for anyone to response on the other side.
"Yes who is it?" I heard the muffled sound of Flitter from the other side of the door.
"Oh um it's... me, Nava." I called back.
"Oh, nice. Come in then." I heard her response.
I slowly opened the door, thankful that these use handles and not door knobs and was greeted with... and I quickly closed the door again as my face flushed red.
Did... did I just see... what I think I saw?
"What...why did he..."
"I think it's because he saw your private areas with your legs spread like that and hanging from a support harness. I told you to cover that up with your blanket as well. But you decided it felt more comfortable this way." I heard the muffled sound of Cloud Chaser say as I am still in the process of getting my blush under control.
"O... oh."
"Ok, Nava. It's all good now. You can come in again." Cloud Chaser called out.
I readjusted myself and opened the door, slowly muttering a thanks speech that I am greeted with just the smiling face of Cloud to my right and a very embarrassed looking Flitter on my left, this time completely covered by her blanket.
I entered the room and closed the door behind me and stood there somewhat awkwardly while I tried to think of something to tell Flitter that would ease the embarrassment we both felt.
"Oh and by the way, remember when I said that I was going to get us some food for the three of us in the market today? Well I guess we can forget about that since the hospital already provided that for us. We even ordered something for you. It's in the small fridge there in the corner." Cloud Chaser explained.
It's when she mentioned the word food that a coin suddenly fell in my head.
I was still as hungry as I could possibly be and I completely ignore and forgot that thanks to the events and experienced that happened today.
But now that she mentioned it, my previous hunger returned with full force as my stomach began shouting at me to finally stop fucking around and to finally shove something down my throat so he can stop being idle all the time and get back to work.
Food, food, food, FOOD FOOOOOOOOOD! I NEED SOME DAMN FOOOOOOD!!!
All previous thoughts and emotions quickly dissipated as one deep primal desire took over and all I could think and hear in my head was nothing more than a four letter word.
With the grace and patience of a half-starved predator I immediately rushed myself over to the small hospital fridge that Cloud had pointed out and began rummaging it for anything that was eatable, and thank GOD there was.
An apple, a banana, a large sandwich and heck even a cooked fish were occupying the space of the small fridge.
Not for long, though as I began to viciously devour each and every one of them without even bothering to take them out of the small ice box.
"Geez, Nava if I knew you were this hungry I would have told the staff just bring two portions instead of just one." I hear Cloud comment as I continued to destroy the food.
Fuck table manners I'm HUNGRY.
But as soon as my blissful joy of finally eating something started it also ended just as quickly leaving nothing behind, beside a banana peel, a fishbone and an empty plate behind.
"No more food, food." I whimpered looking down at the empty fridge with sad expression.
"Water?" Cloud Chaser offered pushing a water bottle towards me on her night table.
I quickly grabbed it with both of my front hooves and bit off the cap on it before sucking down all of its content in one go.
I gave of a heavy sigh and placed the empty bottle back onto the table before collapsing flat onto the floor, letting the satisfaction of having a full stomach take me.
The only thing that broke this peace was Cloud Chaser's familiar giggle as she poked her head over the edge of her bed.
"Seems like somepony is satisfied. Or do you want me to order you more?" She asked with a smile.
I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks, by the way, for the food. I really needed it." I thanked her.
"By the way. Why were you guys assigned to this room? Were the injuries even more severe or did I miss something regarding that?" I asked while slowly standing back up.
"Also why is Flitter's... leg hanging like that as if her leg is broken or something?" I continued while scratching my head.
This quickly took Flitter's attention as she visibly blushed again and turned her gaze to look at me. "Well... it's... it's because when it was... my turn to be looked at, Doctor Horse found out that -beside all of my wounds and bruises- I also had a small bone crack on my left leg. Which, according to him, got larger while we were making our way over here. How I didn't feel
That is a mystery to me. But he suggested that my hind leg should stay like this while we are staying here for the night so that the healing magic can do it's work more quickly." Flitter explained as her blush slowly subsided.
It was then when Cloud Chaser took over the rest. "And as for the reason on why we are here is to keep an eye on the two of us for one night to make absolutely sure that everything is and stays OK." Cloud Chaser added making me again scratch my head a bit.
"Makes sense... I guess." I answered.
"But it's still good to know that the two of you are good. Did a nurse replace the bandages on your flank by any chance?" I continued while looking over at Flitter on the other side of the room.
Fitter nod. "Yeah, the doc also said that my wounds are void of any possible infections or disease." She explained happily which in turn made me happy to know as well.
"I'm glad to hear that." I say with a smile as I trot over to the closest window.
"Huh... night already." I muttered.
I could hear one of the Girls behind me give a loud yawn as I continued to observe the beautiful star-filled night outside the window.
Man, even the night skies here look unbelievable. By unbelievable I mean on how many there are and how bright there are as well. Again, only something you can expect in a cartoon, and the moon... well if I wasn't convinced that this here might be pre-season one timeline before, I was definitely convinced then, seeing that the bright white moon still had the image of Nightmare Moon's head on it.
But, then again, I am still curious to know exactly how far back in time I really am, here? How long until a certain purple unicorn makes her way over here, which in turn jump starts everything that has happened in the cartoon show?
Only time can tell I guess.
"Hey, Nava. How about we all hit the hay and call it a day?" I heard Cloud Chaser call from behind, which again interrupted my inner musing.
I turned my head from the window to look at her. "I guess you're right with that. I'm exhausted after everything today. Hitting the snoozers doesn't sound like a bad idea." I answered with a yawn.
It was then, though, when something hit me. "Wait a minute... where I am supposed to sleep?" I asked after realizing this problem.
That though caused Cloud to giggle again, which caused me to raise an eyebrow.
"Well you can come and sleep with me, of course. There is enough space in these hospital beds for two, anyway, plus it would be cruel to have you sleep on the cold, hard hospital floor now would it?" Cloud Chaser suggested kindly.
I looked at her in shock. "WHAT!!!" I shouted while blushing. "But... but we... can't, I mean... we are not..." I rambled.
Cloud rolled her eyes. "Oh please, just shut up and get over here, you. If you can face a pack of Timberwolves all by yourself, I doubt going to bed with a weak, defenseless, vulnerable, sexy mare wouldn't be too much of a problem." She said in a seductive tone at the end while giving me the all so dreaded bedroom eyes that every brave man fears.
I was sweating bullets at this point as I stood there in utter shock on just how far south this suddenly went. My wings, still tight against my side, were straining against the bandages, for some reason.
"I... I think I'd rather..." I started before I got interrupted by the giggling form of Cloud.
"Geez, Dude. I was just messing with you. Calm down before something on you gets hard or something." She said in between giggles.
"But seriously, it's ok Nava. Just climb aboard on my right here and we can finally call it a day." She eventually said after her giggling had stopped.
I sighted in relief and quickly calmed down after what she said, but still felt somewhat stupid for believing that she might already have developed an interest in me, despite the fact that we've only known one another for about 2 days. Or maybe she has.
Shaking my head on that particular thought, I simply decided to accept her invitation and made my way over to the right side of her bed.
I again looked at her for any confirmation that it was ok in which she nods and moved over to her left to give me enough space for me to lie down onto the bed with her.
I honestly don't know why I feel so nervous sharing a bed with her when I know that there is no funny business involved with it. I thought to myself as I tried my best to suppress the nervousness inside me as I removed my glasses and hat and placing them onto a nearby table before laying back down.
The feeling of the soft mattress against my back and the sensation of my head resting on a big fluffy pillow made me sigh in utter bliss. It really felt like an eternity since I last had the pleasure of laying on an actual bed which may or may not be true judging on how hazy my memory is.
But all of that really didn't matter since I was just happy to finally lay down after such a long and extraordinary day.
"Comfortable?" I heard Cloud's voice ask as close my eyes and relaxed myself.
"I take that as a yes." She continued with a small giggles as I heard someone press off the light switch which immediately cloaked the room in its darkness.
"Alright *Yawn* goodnight then everypony." Was the last thing I heard before sleep finally took me. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 6: Pony version of Scrubs | /Chapter 6: Pony version of Scrubs/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
"Hey, wake up. Hey, guys. The doctor is here. Wake up you two. WAKE UP!"
"Please, just 5 more minutes." I mumbled while trying to get myself back to sleep.
"Yeah... what he said." I heard someone mumble right next to my ear.
Wait... right next to my ear? Nah, I must be still half dreaming or something. Though, the large pillow I have pressed against my side strangely feels a lot... fuzzier than i imagined.
Maybe that's just how Hospital pillows are in Equestria? To give their patient more comfort while they stay here. Again I wouldn't know. Also I don't care because I just want to get myself back to sleep.
"Seriously, guys. Wake up. The doctor and the nurse have been waiting patiently for over 5 minutes for you lovebirds to get up. You two can cuddle later after the doctor is done." I heard the same irritating voice say.
I groaned in annoyance as my sleepiness was slowly slipping away from me the more I heard this voice talk to me. Even my side pillow seemed to be irritated by it as it gently began to steer against my side as it let out an annoyed whimper.
Yeah you said it pillow, some peoples just don't seem to understand that....
Wait...moving fuzzy pillow that whimpers? I thought to myself quietly as my eyes abruptly opened.
"Ugh... can you please also be quiet and stop moving around so much? I am trying to sleep here you plot hole." I heard MY side pillow say as it began to move and shift again, rubbing itself against me as I felt... something move itself along my chest.
I immediately knew what was going on as my memory from last night resurfaced and a slow look to my left side confirmed it as well.
My cheeks immediately went red as I saw the sleeping form of Cloudchaser pressed against me with her snout dangerously close to mine.
I did the only logical thing an awkward person like me who never had a girl THIS CLOSE in his entire life would do in a situation like this.
Scream like a fucking pussy.
"YAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"AHHHHHH WHAT THE BUCKING BUUUUUUCK!!!"
"WHY ARE YOU RUBBING AGAINST ME?"
"I DON'T KNOW, WHY IS YOUR MUZZLE SO CLOSE TO MINE?"
"I DON'T KNOW WHY ARE YOU..." I began as her words clicked.
After realizing that both of us quickly scrambled away from one another with bright red blushes adorning our faces as we looked away.
I could hear a bunch of giggling and chuckling in the background as I was trying my best to get my blood away from my face.
Ugh... can't I ever get a normal wakeup call for once? Or is this going to be my new norm from now on? I thought to myself as a white figure suddenly moved itself in front of my view.
Looking up, I could tell that it was none other than the nurse I met yesterday.
Nurse Redheart I presume.
"Well, good morning there Mister Nava. Sorry for having to wake you and your marefriend up so rudely, but it's because the Doctor here needs to check up on both miss Flitter and miss Cloud Chaser over there before giving them the hooves up to leave." Nurse Redheart explained with sad smile when something quickly registered.
"Wha...wha what? No she is NOT my girl... I mean marefriend at all. She... she's just a friend." I stuttered quickly as my face went full red once more.
"Oh... that must be hard to hear for Miss Cloud Chaser over there, denying right in front of her that you two are together." Redheart responded with a disapproving look while shaking her head at me.
My brain basically broke down at that point as I felt beyond embarrassed at this stage.
Luckily though, Cloud -laying beside me- came to the rescue.
"Wha...what? No...nononononono, he... he's right we're just friends. I simply offered him to sleep with me last night because I didn't want him to sleep on alone on the cold hard floor." I heard her quickly respond which made me sigh in relief internally.
"Well, one of you could have simply asked some of the staff about that and they would have easily pushed another bed into this room for him to sleep on. There is enough space for a third bed here." The nurse replied, looking at both of us.
Both of us immediately felt dumb after she brought that up. Making us go red once more in embarrassment for not having thought of that ourselves until someone coughed in the background.
"Well, that's all well and good now. But I seriously still have a job to do here, so if we could please move this silliness aside for a moment so that I can get done with this check-up? That would be just dandy." I heard the doctor say in the background.
I quickly got control over myself again as I removed the covers and climbed out of bed... or more like fell off of it as one of my hooves somehow got stuck on the bed sheet.
I moaned in discomfort as my face hits the floor first.
"I'm ok...I'm alright." I say as I immediately got back up. Both the nurse and the doctor at the door shaking their heads at my antics.
I simply rubbed my head while smiling sheepishly at them until I realized that everything was still blurry for me.
"Oh yeah, my glasses." I thought aloud as I quickly grabbed them from the small table beside me and put them back on.
How did I suddenly learn to grab stuff with my hoof? Also why is Flitter over there looking at me so weirdly? Is there something on my face?
"Anyway, let's have a look, then." I heard the doctor say as he first went over to Flitter with a clipboard floating next to him.
Oh yeah...magic, that's a thing here...forgot about it for a second there.
I simply grabbed my hat and made my way over to a corner as I watched both the doctor and nurse do their stuff. I watched the unicorn perform his magic on Flitter's injured legs before telling her that her injuries were ok and that her leg is mostly good to go, as long as she doesn't put too much stress on it for a few more days.
Cloud Chaser's check-up was much more straightforward, simply looking over the cuts and bruises before giving her the OK sign as well.
I was about to lose myself in my thoughts once more until I got interrupted by the doctor.
"Well how about you sir. Do you want me to check up on your injuries as well?" The doctor asked while pointing as the bandages on my midsection.
I quickly shook my head. "No thanks, I already had gotten myself looked at just a few days ago by another doctor. No need for it." I replied a bit nervously while not looking and sounding too suspicious.
"Well, alright then. By the way, I told your two companions that they are free to go today. Have a nice day." The doctor responded as he quickly excused himself from the room with the nurse following him before closing the door.
I sighed in relief after they were gone as I returned my attention to the two mares in front of me, with Flitter still giving me this strange look.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Why are you looking at me like that Flitter?" I asked totally confused.
"Nava, I... I could have sworn that you didn't have a cutie mark yesterday. But... but now you do all of a sudden." She pointed out with her hoof.
"Wait... what?" I asked, totally confused at her sudden statement.
"Actually... yeah, sis is right. You suddenly have a cutie mark on your flank, there." Cloud Chaser also pointed out as she looked at me in surprise.
"Wait... seriously?" I asked before quickly looking behind me, and wouldn't you know it, they were right.
Right there on my flank -which I could have sworn was mostly blank since I arrived here- was a cutie mark, same for the other side after I checked there as well.
"Ok, seriously, WHAT?" I asked out loud while still staring at it.
"Well, look at the bright side. At least nopony can call you a blank flank." I heard Cloud comment as I continued to stare at my butt in disbelief.
How the heck did I suddenly got a butt tattoo? Most intriguing of all is that it's MY cutie mark, the cutie mark I drew when I made this OC.
It's a very simple looking cutie mark, a simple rolled up piece of paper with a pencil drawing on it and with one of my wings spread fully behind it.
Again, I promised myself that I wouldn't ask anymore questions regarding the laws of this world, but this still managed to really bug the crap out of me. How it is possible for me to just randomly get a cutie mark overnight without even knowing about it?
But then again the same can be asked in how I suddenly find myself in Equestria as my old OC. Where is my sense of priority?
I simply shook my head to get all of those thoughts out of my focus point.
"Well...guess I've got a cutie mark now... I guess." I commented while scratching my head.
"Well, that's neat, if you ask me. Though one question still remains, though." Cloud Chaser wondered as she climbed out of her bed.
"What?"
"What it represents." Flitter answered this time as she removed her no-longer-broken leg from its straps.
I rubbed my face with my hoof as I thought about it. "I know what it means, but... should I really tell them outright or pretend I don't know?" I thought as I looked back at my rump.
I guess it really doesn't matter now, does it, my mark really doesn't mean anything outlandish in term of its meaning so I guess I can just flat out tell them what it means. I can't keep hiding the truth forever, especially not from these two who are as far as I know the only friends I have in this world that I can also trust, and trust comes with telling the truth all and foremost.
"It... it represents that I am good at sketching and the wing behind it represents the freedom and unlimited nature of my imagination." I explained to them truthfully with a sheepish grin.
For a moment there was silence before it was broken by one of the mares.
"Wait... if your cutie mark just randomly appeared last night without any of us realizing it... how come you already know what the meaning of your cutie mark is?" Flitter questions as carefully got out of her bed.
That was a really good question of her. Thankfully I got that covered as well.
"Well..." I started "It's because I always was good at that, been expressing my ideas and imagination on a piece of paper since I was little and when I first saw my mark I simply made the conclusion that this had to be its meaning. Judging by the way it looks." I explained while showing them my mark.
Cloud Chaser scratched her head while looking confused. "So wait...if that is the case then why did it appear just now... and not much earlier when you were still a colt?" she asked as she took a closer look at my rump, which made me blush a bit.
"I honestly don't know." Which was half the truth to be honest.
On one hand I only arrived in this world like 2 days ago, which automatically explains everything but on the other it still simply appeared out of nowhere with no rhyme or reason whatsoever.
Another question I can add to the growing list. The more time that passes here, the deeper the mystery becomes and the more confused I get. My logical human mind can only take so much.
"Hmmm. Well, anyway it doesn't matter, does it? I mean, you have one and that's what counts. But if what you were saying is true then you've got to show us some of those drawing skills you have." Cloud Chaser announced with a smile before moving closer and whispering something into my ear. "Also, can you draw my sister looking like a slut?"
"Wait, what?" I responded in shock.
"Huh? What was that?" Flitter queried
"Nothing sis...nothing." Cloud Chaser replied, smirking
I feel awkward again.
"Well, anyway let's get out and get ourselves some breakfast. Also, I hate hospital food." Cloudchaser announced happily before whispering something in my ear again before going through the door. "But seriously I would love to see her drawn like a slut."
I simply raised my eyebrow at her as she exited the room with a giggle. I turned my head back towards Flitter who was making her way to the door as well.. or more like slightly limping to it with a bit of a pained expression on her face.
"Hey...are you ok? I can support you if you want." I offered to her.
Flitter shook her head as she stopped in front of me. "No it's ok. The pain primarily comes from the healing spell the doctor has used to help heal my leg much faster. It'll just be for a short while and after that I will be ok. But thanks for the offer nonetheless." She answered with a thankful smile.
I nodded and was about to head out of this room together with Flitter when I noticed her losing her footing and caught her with the right side of my body before she could fall.
"Maybe you do need some help after all." I looked at her.
She simply smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of her head. "Yeah I guess I do. Thanks for catching me by the way." She thank with a smile which I returned.
"Hey, you two lovebirds get your flanks moving. I'm hungry!" Cloud Chaser shouted from the other side of the hallway, causing both of us to groan in sync.
We both looked at one another realizing what the two of us had done before chuckling together and making our way out of this hospital and directly into the town. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 7: Town fall Pink and White edition (slight re-edit) | Chapter 7: Town fall: Pink and White edition
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
(Please read the Authors note at the end of the chapter regarding some of your concerns, or do it now and save yourself some time.)
I swear, every young looking mare I came across either quickly looked away awkwardly or giggled and winked at me whenever I noticed that they were staring at me.
Seriously, what is up with that? Am I really that attractive looking for ponies that it's worth staring at me the moment I pass by them? It became so bad that I started to hide myself behind my two companions in order to conceal myself. Which, of course, was amusing to the two mares beside me. Especially for Cloud Chaser, as she began to constantly tease me, asking me how many kids I probably will have in the future.
Saying that I felt embarrassed at that would be an understatement.
But thankfully her more mature sister came to the rescue and convinced her to stop it with stern glare. God bless that mare... until she eventually joined the bandwagon herself and started making fun in how I am supposedly a mare magnet.
Bloody mares and their need to breed. You would think that me looking somewhat ridiculous with all those thick bandages covering my entire midsection would score me some minus points in terms of being flirted with, but NOOOO, it almost seems as if they weren't there at all, for them.
I might be a pony from the outside but I am still very much human inside, and the idea of romancing one of these technicolour equines is still a massive no-no in my book. And besides, I want to find a way back home anyway, so it wouldn't be a very logical idea to begin with.
But whatever, as long as they don't start invading my personal space and RAPE me in the middle of the street, I am fine with whatever goes through their equine minds.
Breakfast, on the other hand, was a very interesting experience to say the least. It was the first time I ever ate something that would normally be considered disgusting to any normal human. Hay fries, daisy sandwich and a basic flower and grass salad were on the menu and I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be. Actually kind of delicious, to be honest. But I know for a fact that this was just my new equine tastebuds speaking to me, if I was eating that stuff while still being human I guarantee I would have choked on it.
Another interesting event that made my day was the very town itself. Trotting through the town of "the most cliche name ever" was an experience on its own. The medieval style wooden houses, the ponies, the atmosphere and the overall nature are true to the cartoon show.
I even managed to bump into some recognizable background characters, like Bon Bon and Lyra, or Berry punch and Minuette. And I even spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon running around in the distance doing god knows what.
Overall, I have to admit, despite the fact that I never was such a huge fan of the show itself this was still a very exciting experience. I mean, how many times does a guy discover that a cartoon actually exists as a real, living and breathing world?
I still cannot fully accept the fact that I am here despite the fact that I am actually here. That sounded broken.
But anyway... where are we going again?
"Um... Cloud Chaser? Can you please tell me again where we are going?" I asked Cloud beside me as we casually trotted along the streets of Ponyville.
Cloud Chaser gave me a look of surprise. "Wow dude you can talk? I could have sworn that you weren't even there anymore, with how silent you were for the last 10 minutes" She exclaimed.
I rolled my eyes. "Well you know why, also I do like to think from time to time and enjoy the scenery as well."
She began to snicker, which cause alarm to go off in my head the moment she did.
"Thinking and enjoying the scenery?" She began to grin at me." And here I thought you felt uncomfortable with all these mares trying to flirt with you. I guess even a shy, awkward stallion like yourself still has his needs." She chuckled.
I almost tripped and fell out of shock after she said that as I looked at her with wide eyes and faint blush crossing my cheeks.
"Wha... what? NO. That's NOT what I meant at all." I stuttered.
Cloud simply giggled at that she turned her head back at front. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that Casanova." She responded with a sly grin.
I simply groaned in annoyance as I massaged my forehead with a hoof.
"Alright, we are here." Flitter suddenly announced as the three of us stopped in front of a building with a large sign in shape of a cloud in front of it.
"Ponyville weather office?" I read out loud.
"Yup. This is it. The local weather management office." Flitter explained. "This is the weather station we have been sent to from Cloudsdale in order to work with the local weather team." She finished.
I scratched my head. "Working for what?"
Flitter looked at me in mild surprise. "To get everything ready for the Summer Sun Celebration next week which is going to be hosted here in Ponyville. Didn't you hear?"
I casually shook my head.
She facehoofed. "Seriously, do you live under a rock or something?"
"Maybe." I casually responded again making her groan.
"Wait a minute, didn't Rainbow Dash earlier say that you are from Germaneigh?" Cloud Chaser asked while looking at me.
"Well still even if he is from Germaneigh, word should still have travelled over there as well that the princess has picked Ponyville as the next location for the longest day of the year." Flitter argued before I could even say anything.
"Well, why don't you ask HIM, then."
All of a sudden all eyes were on me as both mares stared at me.
I my tail began to twitch a bit. "I don't see what the big deal is of me knowing or not knowing about the Summer Sun Celebration. I just don't, ok, but now I do." I replied.
Flitter sigh. "Well anyway, Cloud Chaser and I have to go inside and talk with the weather captain about something. Can you maybe just wait here for a while? I promise it won't take long." She explained.
I gave her a simple nod and watched them disappearing through the front door, leaving me standing all alone outside in the middle of the street.
I sighed. Leaving me out again, alone. Not being able to go with them was annoying (mostly because i am not comfortable being left alone in this world...yet), sure, but at least it gave me the opportunity to think again while observing my surroundings a little bit more.
I sat myself down against the wall of the weather office and did just that.
Ponies constantly passed by me, going about their daily routines, pulling carts, carrying shopping bags around or simply engaged one another in small talk as I began to think again.
"Summer Sun Celebration, Summer Sun Celebration... where have I heard that before..." It was than when the penny fell down onto the floor as a thought struck me.
The Summer Sun Celebration? That means that in just one week twilight would arrive to Ponyville, which will mark the beginning of the timeline of the show and the coming of Nightmare Moon.
With that realization in mind I began to mentally worry a bit as I had no idea how this would even turn out. Sure I know for a fact that, in the show, Twilight and her gang of rainbows defeat Nightmare Moon and prevent her from turning Equestria into a dark frozen version of Fallout.
But this is not the show. This is a real world where the randomness of events and chances are just as real as in my world. Everything can happen. Literally anything if Rainbow Dash's slightly different character was to go by... or maybe it's just me.
I do seem to get a more positive response to mares, so it could be that... oh. oh... ok.
Speaking of which, I have this strange feeling that I am being watched right now... a feeling which honestly creeps me the heck out but... nobody here seems to be paying any attention to me whatsoever.
I began to look around, trying to find anything or anyone that might look suspicious. All I saw where the same thatch roofed houses and ponies running around.
But I guess I just being silly and paranoid for no reason. I mean really why would anyone...
"HI THERE!"
"AHHH! WHAT THE!?" And with that I fell onto my back with an audible thud, groaning as my wings started to twitch within their covers from the shock, adding to my discomfort.
After a while I looked, but was only greeted with a pair of baby blue eyes and a pink furry face close to my muzzle. Really, really close to my muzzle.
"What are you doing down at the ground there silly? It's not the annual "Laying yourself on the ground" day, is it? Oh, gosh! that means I still have to throw a party for that with lots of streamers and balloons and cake and music and cake did I already say cake? I think I did. Ooh this is going to be so much fun! Everypony laying on the ground while drinking and eating cake and candy and cupcakes and music and cake, let's not forget about the cake, cake is very important to every..."
"PINKIE PIE!" I shouted in irritation trying to stop her high pitch rambling before it would blow out my eardrums.
It thankfully worked as she looked at me with a shocked expression for some reason.
"Wait...why would she be looking so..." Then it hit me.
My eyes went wide in shock as I quickly covered my mouth with my hoof.
I can't believe it, I.... I called her by her name even though we never ever met one another... THIS IS A DISASTER!!! I am so going to get found out now. First her, then the town and next the princesses. All because I couldn't...
"How do you know my name without me knowing yours?" She began to gasp. "Wait... that means you're new here in town aren't you?" She announced with a big creepy smile which made me remember a creepypasta I once read about her.
I shudder at that.
I knew for a fact that I was going to run into cotton candy over here at some point in time but I never imagined it would be this early, and this close, like so close that she is literally standing right on top of me with her muzzle dangerously close to mine.
If this wasn't Pinkie Pie it would be a hell of a lot more awkward. What am I talking about? IT'S ALREADY A HELLA AWKWARD! PINKIE PIE. ON TOP OF ME. IN A REALLY SUGGESTIVE MANNER.
Heck, ponies even began to stare at us, some of them giving us funny looks, some of them smiling and giggling. Some of them even shouted that we should go get a room.
Can this day get anymore awkward and embarrassing?
Saying that I felt flustered is an understatement. I was trying so hard to not embarrass myself. So... freaking... hard. And the fact that I could smell her cotton candy scent didn't help well. If she was any lower than she already is, then it... it would... never mind.
I began to gulp. "Um... Pinkie? Could you please... maybe..." I started as she slowly started to look me over, even so far as down onto my crotch which caused my heart rate to skyrocket.
She whistle. "Hey I have to admit, you're a real cutie there. No wonder all of my friends have been talking about you lately, primarily the mares, not so much the stallions, though. Kind of funny don't you think?" She explained with a giggle, which made me groan.
"O.. ok, please... could you just get..."
"Hold that thought." Pinkie said while shoving a hoof into my mouth.
Which by the way...is FREAKING DISGUSTING. What has she been stepping on? It taste like...I don't even want to know what I am tasting right now.
"Where was...I?" She said while tapping her chin. "Oh right, you're the new pony aren't you. I am Pinkie Pie, but I guess you already knew that. What's yours?" She asked again giving me a huge smile.
"Hmmfff fffmmmff." I gaged with the hoof still in my mouth.
"Oh! Oopsies! Completely forgot." Pinkie says as she finally removed her dirty hoof from my mouth.
Spitting out the horrid taste out of my mouth in disgust I answered her. "Na..Nava My name is just... Nava." I answered in between coughs.
Her attitude quickly changed after that as she flashed her trademark Pinkie Pie smile once more while taking one of my forelegs and shaking it viciously to the point where I was sure I was going to lose it.
"Well, nice to meet you, Nava. I hope that we can be friends. Oh, that reminds me." She responded happily while still trying to rip my arm out. She is getting close though.
"Wha-a-at" I tried to ask knowing full well what she was going to offer me.
"A Welcome to Ponyville party of course! Where you will meet everypony in Ponyville and make lots and lots of friends. Who doesn't like to make friends?" She announced with great glee as she finally let go of my arm and began bouncing up and down. Still on top of me, I have to add.
"Oh this is going to be so exciting it's been awhile since we had a new pony here in Ponyville. We are going to have cake, balloons, punch, streamers, cupcakes, music, clowns... wait, clowns? No, clowns are bad, I don't trust clowns. BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE CAKE, A BIG BIIIIIG CAKE!" Pinkie ramble on.
At that point I just couldn't bother myself to listen to her anymore as I was way too worried about her landing her hoofs on me, with how quickly she was bouncing up and down on top of me.
"How in heaven's name did I get myself in this situation?" I asked myself in my mind.
"Pinkie Pie, would you please get off of him and leave that poor stallion alone?" Another voice suddenly came up, which caused Pinkie to freeze... in the air. Seems legit.
"Oh, hi there, Rarity, Did you know we have a new pony in town?"
"Well, no I didn't, but now I know, seeing as how you are molesting this poor stallion." The mystery pony said as she slowly came into my view.
Oh, god why did she have to use the word molest in front of all these ponies, now they are staring even more than before, and- oh. Neat. It's Rarity.
"Also, he looks injured as well, so would you please be a lady and get off him." She added as she gave pinkie a stern look.
"Okey dokey lokie!" Pinkie replies as gravity finally remembered to bring her back down.
She finally jumped off of me and gave me enough space to get back up.
"I am so, so sorry there for my friend's behavior, I hope she didn't do anything ratio... oh, my." Rarity apologized before having a good look at me as I picked my fedora up from the ground.
I stared back at her confused as I place my hat back on my head.
"My, my, what a handsome looking stallion. I must say, you really don't see a lot of those here in Ponyville. Most stallion like yourself have either joined the guard or simply live in Canterlot." Rarity announced while flipping her mane in a very dramatic manner.
I simply raised an eyebrow. "Uh... thanks? By the way, thank you for helping me back there." I smiled at her.
She kindly returned it. "Oh, think of nothing of it, darling. It's what do, being a help to the community and all." She answered proudly.
"Are you single, by any chance?" She quickly added while batting her eyelashes at me.
"What?" I recoiled in shock.
Don't tell me, her too! Of all the ponies that would... actually, thinking back to it, from what I know of her it totally makes sense for her to ask such a question.
Rarity and her look out for a good stallion. Smooth Rarity. So smooth.
It was at this point where I noticed that most of the ponies who have been staring at us the entire time have long since moved on, making this situation a lot easier for me to swallow, though I still felt somewhat nervous nonetheless.
I gulped nervously. "Uh... no, sorry mam but... I am not interested." I replied as casually as possible without looking too much like an awkward pussy.
Thankfully Rarity seemed to get the message immediately as she gave of a disappointed sigh.
"Well, it was worth a try, though I am still open if you ever change your mind." She answered which made me sigh as well in thanks.
In my head mind you.
"Oh dear HEAVENS how rude of me!" She suddenly started dramatically. "How could I even ask a stallion out on a date without even introducing myself first?" She said in a dramatic pose.
"My name is Rarity, Ponyville's number 1 (slash only) fashionista and tailor." She pointed at herself. "Who may I have the honor of make my acquaintance today?" She asked while looking back at me.
"My Name is Nava, miss. Just Nava. And it's nice to make your acquaintance as well, Miss Rarity." I replied politely which made her smile.
"Good looking and civil at the same time. A truly rare breed nowadays."
"Well, I don't know about that to be honest." i replied
Rarity simply giggled at that. "Well, anyway, what exactly brings you here to ponyvi...?" She tried to ask before she shrieked as Pinkie took her spot.
"It brings him here so I can throw him a "Welcome to Ponyville party" Right, right, right?" Pinkie asked all hyper.
I again recoil at her sudden appearance as she started to bounce around me, bringing with it another crowd of onlookers that I honestly don't need.
"Pinkie, would you please stop behaving like a little filly for once. You almost got my coat dirty." Rarity protested with a glare as she got back up.
"Oh. Sorry there Rares, but I am just so excited to finally prepare another "Welcome to Ponyville" party so soon. Oh that reminds me, I gotta prepare!" Pinkie announced before dashing off faster than physically possible.
"No, wait!" I try to call out. "Ugh."
Yup. That's Pinkie Pie for you, just as sugary, hyper and physics-breaking as in the show. God have mercy on my sanity.
"Hey, what's with all the commotion out here?" I hear the familiar voice of Cloud Chaser ask.
I turned my head. "Oh hey girls, done with anything that needed to be done?" I asked as both her and Flitter approached me.
Flitter nodded. "Yup, pretty much. Had to report to the weather captain about what happened. It also turns out that Rainbow Dash is going to replace him as captain tomorrow. Something I honestly did find surprising to be honest."
"Also, we are free to return home back to Cloudsdale as well, tomorrow morning. A whole week earlier than scheduled because of our injuries and still broken wings and what not." Cloud Chaser continued.
I smiled at them. "Oh, that's cool. By the way do you guys know Rarity by any chance?" I asked gesturing towards her with a hoof.
Flitter nods "Yup, we do. She's the only fashion designer we know here in Ponyville, so it's really hard not to know her in these parts."
Rarity smiled at his as she flipped her mane again. "Well, I do have a big name imprinted on my products and specialties." she put in.
"Anyway, we have nothing better to do for the rest of the day. Do any of you know what we could do now?" Cloud Chaser asked as she gazed between us.
"Well... I kind of... got invi-told into Pinkie Pie's welcome party... or something... so I guess we can do that later this day if you two don't have other plans." I suggested while rubbing the back of my head.
Cloud Chaser was the first to respond to that. "You were invited to one of Pinkie Pie's parties? Aww yeah! Her parties are the best! Of course we are going to go there."
I Sighed while looking down at the ground.
"Hey, what's wrong, Nava?" Flitter asked as she placed a hoof on my shoulder.
I shook my head. "Nothing much. It's... it's just... I'm not a big fan of parties simply because I'm not very social to begin with." I explained while looking at her.
"Ah, don't worry too much about it darling. Pinkie's parties are really some of the best I have seen. I'm sure you will still have a good time, regardless." Rarity assured me with an encouraging smile.
I looked back and nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
All four of us began to smile and chuckle after that before Cloud Chaser once again stepped in.
"Anyway, I am hungry again, should we go get lunch before going to the party later this afternoon?" Cloud asked, looking between me and Flitter.
Flitter nodded. "Yeah, sure, why not? I'm buying this time, I guess."
"Sweet!"
Rarity spoke up. "Well, in that case I will be off, still have to pick up Sweetie from school later. Have a nice day you three and it was nice meeting you, Nava. See you in the party I hope."
"Yeah, see you, Miss Rarity. Nice having met you as well." I called back.
And with that, Rarity and the three of us finally went our separate ways.
I am really not ready for a full blown party. I just got here like three days ago. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 8: I don't like heights | Chapter 8: I don't like heights
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Ugh, last night's "Welcome to Ponyville" party was... interesting to say the least. It certainly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it didn't exactly go perfectly either.
Pinkie Pie did held true to her promise and claims when she suddenly showed up to the already set up party with a humongous cake on a large food cart behind her, and placing it on a somewhat small and creaky looking table.
Let's just say that putting such a huge thing on such a small and worn out looking table isn't the best nor safest idea. Especially when foals are nearby and accidentally bump into one of its legs.
The result was... predictable. Even more so when I was standing in front of it at the time to gauge at the massive sugar bomb of a cake only to have it slowly become bigger and bigger until it was too late.
Needless to say that my first ever welcome party in this world started with me being covered in a whole year's worth of diabetes and let me tell you, cake frosting sticks horribly on fur, especially in fabric such as my hat and scarf. It's even worse trying to wash that stuff out.
But it was tasty, at least, so there's that.
I still somewhat smell like chocolate and vanilla despite having bathed both yesterday and this morning.
But beyond that one little incident the party was...surprisingly fun to be honest.
Pinkie immediately managed to whip up a much more... manageable replacement for the cake... in... record time of course. Which still has me stunned thinking about it.
The majority of the town was there, to my surprise, including a lot of ponies I actually recognize from back home. Rarity and Rainbow Dash were there, as promised, and even Applejack was there, to my surprise. Though, to be honest, the introduction between the two of us was rather short. The only ones from the Mane 6 that were not there were Twilight (for obvious reasons) and Fluttershy (for... also obvious reasons).
Overall, the party was, again, surprisingly fun, I got the chance to socialize a bit more and the food, of course, was unbelievable. Big props to Pinkie's amazing baking skills. Though, I have to be careful with that if I don't want to ever plan making a return trip to the local hospital.
But thankfully I got that event out of the way and now I was just waiting -again- for the two sisters to finally get-
"Helloooo, Equestria to Nava, are you there man?"
Oh. Right. Rainbow Dash is here as well.
I shook my head. "S-sorry Rainbow I was just... spaced out again." I say awkwardly.
"Again? Jeez, dude! Sometimes I wonder if you are still on the same plane as ours. Spacing out so much like that can't be healthy." RD chided playfully beside me.
I simply chuckle. "Well... yeah, it's just that I have a lot of thoughts running through my mind. Sometimes I just like to sit down and think for a while."
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Well anyway, as you already know, today is the day where I finally take the spot of Ponyville's weather captain... which is both neat and... sucky to be honest." RD explained with a groan at the end.
"Why is that?" I asked while looking at her.
"Well, for one thing the income will be better but... that also means I am going to be even more busy than before which means less free time and less practicing my stunts." She answered with a disappointed look.
I placed my hoof onto her shoulder to comfort her. "Hey, it's really not that bad, is it? You're probably only going to be busy during the major seasons, and besides, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria should be able to clear up a bunch of clouds faster than they can come. Think of it as training as well, the faster you can clear or move them the better." I explained to her with a smile, which thankfully did the trick in lifting her spirits.
"You're right. I can do it. Faster than anypony ever has." She announced proudly and with determination.
I chuckled. Now that is the Rainbow Dash I know.
"Ok, we're done! We are ready to go!" Flitter suddenly announced as she and her sister came back with saddle-bags strapped onto their backs.
Rainbow Dash and I got up from out sitting position to join them as the four of us made it onto the platform where the hot air balloon was waiting for them.
I felt particularly sad about it, because it meant saying goodbye to the first ever friends I made on this rock. But it also meant that I was going to be on my own from then on, a thought that never fully registered until right then.
But then again, I can't just freeload off those two forever, that would just be way too selfi-
"Well Nava are you coming or not?" Flitter suddenly asked as she was about to enter the basket.
"What?" I asked totally confused.
She gave me the same confused look before shaking her head. "Well, are you going to enter basket or not? Our pilot can't wait for us forever. He has a schedule to keep."
"Wai... wait, am I supposed to come with you guys?" I asked, surprised.
Flitter raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, duh... I mean do you have a place to stay here?" she asked me as if it was the most obvious thing ever.
I simply shook my head as Cloud Chaser made her way back over to me.
"Well then, come with us to Cloudsdale. Our home has some spare bedrooms that have been empty for a very long time. Too long, in fact. You can have one of them and live with us. Come on, it'll be fun. I promise." Cloudchaser offered with a smile.
I was surprised even more. "But... But... why would you two offer me your home to stay in? You two already did and paid so much for me, I don't want to invade your home as well as a freeloader that would be just..." I began before I got stop by Flitter as she trotted over to us.
She sighed. "Nava, don't worry. It's ok. Think it as us repaying you for saving our lives. I don't know about you, but to me somepony's life is worth more than all the Bits and gold in Equestria combined. So there will never be a limit to how much we owe you." Flitter explained with a truthful smile and tone behind her every word.
I began to feel really emotional after hearing her say that as I did my best to keep the tears in me. This was easily one of the friendliest offers anyone has ever given to me. These two literally offered space in their own home for me to stay and live in. Becoming part of their lives, essentially.
I felt a wing wrapping itself around my back as I sat there still feeling unsure about it. I lifted my head to see that it was Cloud Chaser sitting beside me giving me an encouraging smile.
"Hey, don't you dare go all sad and emotional on us now. As my sister said it's totally ok. We would happily share our home with you, unless you prefer sleeping in the streets alone with no name to yourself." Cloud explained before killing the mood at the end by spelling out the reality of my situation.
Well done for killing the mood there, Cloud, real smooth.
It was then RD's time to step in. "Wait a min... He is a unicorn right. So how the heck is he supposed to live up in Cloudsdale if he isn't a Pegasus?" RD asked looking rather confused.
"Cloudwalking spell." All three of us automatically answered in unison.
"Oh... forgot about that." Dash answered.
"Well anyway, just come with us, ok? No need to feel as if you are taking advantage of us. It really is our pleasure." Flitter said as she gave me an encouraging smile of her own before turning back towards the Gondola.
"Yeah, Nava. Let's go. Before Steam tool over there starts complaining about us taking too long." Cloud Chaser added before she followed her sister.
A voice came from the balloon. "Hey! What's taking you girls so long?"
"See?" Cloud Chaser said, smiling sweetly before trotting back.
I sighed in defeat and looked over to Rainbow Dash for any form of comment, in which she nodded her head at the two sisters' invitation to join them.
I nodded back and made my way over to them.
"Well, as much as I don't enjoy the idea to weasel myself into their lives I guess I just have to accept their generosity. And to be honest they do have a point. I have nowhere else to go or to stay." I thought to myself as I entered the hot air balloon's basket.
"Alright, we're off. Next stop: Cloudsdale." The stallion named Steam tool announced as he pulled a lever which caused a small geyser of flame to erupt from the burner above us.
It wasn't long before the entire thing began to slowly rise into the air. Flitter and Cloudchaser began to wave and shout goodbye to Rainbow Dash below as Ponyville slowly started to distance itself from us as we rose higher and higher.
I would have loved to say my goodbyes as well, but my fear for heights prevented me from even looking over the edge of the gondola as I simply sat down in my own little corner.
I just hope we don't have to go up too high to reach Cloudsdale, otherwise both the trip and my stay in that floating cloud city is going to be a nerve wracking one. I thought to myself as I tried my best to ignore the fact that the Gondola was swinging slightly in the wind.
I might actually regret the idea of posing as a unicorn instead of a Pegasus.
"Come on, Nava, just a little peek isn't going to hurt you. Besides, you will have to get used to it eventually, especially if you're going to live with us." Cloud Chaser teased, being her fifth attempt already to try and make me look over the edge.
But I held firm. "I already said NO. I am not going to look down and see how high up we really are. It's already bad enough that this stupid thing is swaying in the wind, so I really don't need the extra information." I complained back.
I already feel bad enough in my stomach thanks to the constant swaying of the Gondola in the winds and I don't want the added bonus of pissing myself too, thank you very much.
It was then when our pilot finally decided to step in as well. "If you are so afraid towards heights, then way are you going to Cloudsdale?" The unicorn stud asked making me almost gag as a heavy wind caused the Gondola to sway again.
Because these two live up there and I have no other choice that's why. I thought, again trying to not make myself look or sound like an ass by saying it out loud.
"Just leave him alone you two. You can already see that he feels very uncomfortable about it. So stop teasing him." Flitter stepped to the rescue once again, making them shut up.
"Thank God for Flitter and her ability to..." I began to think before getting interrupted by her.
"BUUUUT Cloudchaser is right about the fact that you have to get used to it one way or another if you are going to live with us." Flitter quickly added.
I groaned in annoyance as I knew that they were right.
I stood back up. "FINE... I am going to take a peek if it makes all three of you happy." I shouted as I wobbly turned myself around to look over the edge of the box.
And... we are pretty high. Very high. DANGEROUSLY high. STOMACH TURNING HEIGHT AND OH MY GOD WHY THE HELL DID I AGREE TO THIS?!
My heart rate quickly skyrocketed as I realized just how high we actually were, making me collapse back onto the floor of the Gondola as I tried my best to keep my breathing under control.
Until I started to realize that separating me and the vast expanse of space below me was nothing more than a thin wicker floor preventing me from falling to my utter demise. Making my situation feel even worse than it already was.
Panic mode engaged. Please make sure that your breathing and heart rate are as irregular and wild as physically possible, please contact your local service operator for further info.
Why am I here again? Can I please get back down? I think I am going to throw up.
At this point the world around me slowly started to numb from existence as I curled myself up into a ball trying my best to keep my panicked mind under control and failing miserably as I started to slowly hyperventilate. The only thing that semi worked on me was my hearing, but really. who cares about hearing when you're on the verge of breaking down.
"I... I think he's broken."
"I think he is having an internal panic attack. I told you two to leave him alone."
"HEY, you where the last one pushing him about it."
"Well, I had no idea he would react like THAT."
"Well what are we going to do now Flitter? We can't leave him like this."
"Hmmm... I have an idea."
"Really what is it?"
"Try kissing him."
".... WHAT?!"
"Well, on his cheek, not his lips, stupid. Calm down, Cloud."
"Yeah, but... still..."
"I know how Virgins like him work. Trust me. The shock of getting randomly kissed out of nowhere by a mare should be enough to break him out of his... well, broken state."
"But... but... "
"Oh just do it."
"... Fine... but you owe me for this."
*KISS*
Everything suddenly snapped back to reality when a strange but otherwise soft sensation suddenly assaulted my right cheek. It was too quick to notice but it still registered despite the jumbled mess my mind was at the moment. My eyes quickly shot open when the memory of the previous conversation I heard earlier finally registered as I slowly lifted my head.
The first thing I saw was Cloud Chaser's face being really close to mine, with a faint blush visible on both of her cheeks.
"Did... did you just...?" I stuttered, wide eyed, as my own cheeks quickly went red as well after realizing what she had just done.
We both recoiled from one another as our faces turned even redder. Cloud Chaser's wings suddenly sprung out as she tried her best to explain this embarrassing situation.
"IT... it-it-it WAS HER IDEA, I SWEAR! SHE MADE ME DO IT!!" Cloud Chaser stuttered accusing her sister with a hoof.
"THEN WH-WHY DID YOU DO IT?" I shouted back as my wings started to uncomfortably twitch under the bandages.
"BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO SNAP YOU OUT!!!"
"SNAP ME OUT? THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SLAP ME INSTEAD?!"
"I-I-I DON'T... DON'T KNOW... I-I JUST THOUGHT THAT..."She tried to explain but failed as she simply began to turn around to hide her flustered face from me.
An awkward silence followed afterwards, with only the sound of two snickering ponies filling it.
"It's not funny you two." I muttered trying to get my own blush under control as I sat there.
"Yes, it is!" they said, laughing even harder.
Is this really going to be the norm for me, from now on? Awkward embarrassing moment after awkward embarrassing moment? Heck, I even almost jumped off this stupid thing because of my panic attack. And now, I'm starting to feel sick again.
Oh would you stop swaying already? you're not helping me out here, wind.
From that moment on the rest of the flight was pretty much uneventful, both me and Cloud sitting in our respective corners while Flitter and our pilot simply kept to themselves as our journey continued.
Welcome to Equestria Nava, this is pretty much your new life now.
Absolutely fantastic. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 9: Cloudsdale | Chapter 9: Cloudsdale
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
"Cloudsdale Ahoy, everypony!" Our pilot shouted and getting everybody's attention.
Except mine, because I was still feeling sick. Seriously, this is the last time I ever set foot -or hoof- onto a hot air balloon ever again! At least that is what I would love to believe and hold true to, but unless I never want to leave Cloudsdale and travel someplace else I will have no other choice but to take another ride. Unless I learn flying, which is never going to happen, or at least not anytime soon... for obvious reasons.
Why did I agree to do this again? Oh right, I'm homeless in this world.
Also, what about my horn? Since I got here it hasn't done or said a single "word" of action at all, just being a normal horn the entire time, sometimes even acting as nothing less than a nuisance with low-end doorways. But I guess it's more of the low door frames' fault rather than my horn, even more so when most other doors were just fine.
But still, I need to add "learn magic" to my to do list if I ever want to survive or be accepted in this world's society, especially since I chose to pose as a normal unicorn rather than a Pegasus for again obvious reasons.
Man, I use that phase a lot lately, don't I?
Anyway, back to the outside world. The confines of my mind are great and all, but the real world is still vastly more interesting, though also a bit troubling at times, especially in a world like this.
"Alright, we are about to touch down, hope you got your cloudwalking spell going for you there buddy because you are going to need it in this city." Steam tool announced as he began to pull a lever which made a hissing sound coming from above us.
Probably some valve to let out some of the hot air in the balloon. I have to say this particular hot air balloon seems to be a bit more mechanical than most traditional hot air balloons I know of. I wonder if he made it. He is a unicorn and he does look like some kind of mechanic as well, with those safety goggles strapped above his horn.
"Hey, Nava, I know that you are afraid of heights and all but I would still recommend that you get up from your little self-made corner and take a look at Cloudsdale from up here while you still can. I promise you, you won't get a much better view angle to see the whole city than like this. So get up and at least take a peek before you regret it." Flitter suddenly suggested while looking over to where I presume Cloudsdale is.
I sighed. "Well might as well. If I am going to live up here I might as well view it as a whole." I thought to myself as I slowly got myself back on all fours.
I immediately was stunned.
All of my worries and fears quickly dissipated as i first laid eyes on a scene that seemed to come right out a Fantasy epic.
"Is this how Olympia would look like in my world if it was real, but with the size of a city instead? Because this looks unbelievable." I thought to myself in awe as I unblinkingly stared at the scene in front of me.
The city was HUGE. Much larger and more proud looking than I remember ever seeing it on art or any screenshot i saw in the internet. It was multi tiered as well, with each layer sprouting more -and even larger- buildings than the other, with the very top one occupied by what I can only describe as a structure with a distant resemblance to the Acropolis of Athens resting on a huge platform overlooking the entire city.
The whole city had a classical Greek style architecture vibe going on, with some renaissance style buildings mixed in between. The only obvious difference that these architect types have is that almost everything here was made completely out of clouds instead of anything physical.
CLOUDS. Something that will be considered impossible back home.
Besides having different elevated levels, the whole city was also divided into islands, which I would guess are considered as their way of separating districts from one another with long, beautifully crafted bridges connecting them. Also made of clouds, of course.
And in between these different levels and districts were a large number of rainbow colored waterfalls pouring down into the vast open air space below until slowly dissipating into nothing. Which is strange, to be honest.
But one of the most impressive things -and also intimidating ones- was the sheer number of Pegasi flying around the air space of the city.
Forget Ponyville! This here was truly a proper city, 20 times the size and a very visible number of citizens to back it up. This was the seat of the Pegasus race in Equestria and it is very evident here.
"Impressive isn't it? Only being beat by Manehattan in terms of size and Canterlot in terms of style. Beyond those two, Cloudsdale is the most impressive and largest city in all of Equestria." Flitter commented as she, too, seemed to be in awe despite this being her home.
I could only agree to that with a nod as I continued to survey the city below.
"There are many reasons a Pegasus can be proud to be a Pegasus and Cloudsdale is one of those reasons." Cloud Chaser added as she stood on my left.
"Was this city built only by Pegasi?" I asked while turning my gaze to her.
"Yes, it was." Flitter instead answered to my right. "But if you are really interested in the history of Cloudsdale, then a library would be a much better source than either of us." she quickly added with a sheepish smile.
I nodded as our Pilot slowly descended us onto a small platform right at the edge of the city with a bunch of larger platforms scattered about, with a few Airships occupying them that were basically just large boats with a big balloon tied on above them (basically like Blimps). Basically, this world version of an airport, so to speak.
"Well, here we are, Welcome to Cloudsdale, everypony." Our pilot announced as the Gondola gently touched down onto the platform.
"Alright! Home sweet home. I can't wait to finally sleep in my own bed again. Those basic ones they had back in Ponyville are nothing compared a good cloud bed." Flitter happily announced as she threw on her saddle-bag and stepped off.
"Hey... thanks for the lift back home there, Steam tool. Appreciate it, dude." Cloud Chaser awkwardly said as she followed her sister with her own saddle-bag.
She probably still feels a bit embarrassed about earlier. Who can blame her? I still feel so myself...somewhat. I only forgot about it because I was too busy being in awe of the city.
But now it's back, because I thought about it... no comment.
"Uh, Nava? It's time to disembark now you know?" Flitter called out as both her and cloud were waiting in front of me.
I began to switch my gaze to the cloud-made ground, to them and back to the ground as a sudden feeling of uncertainty enveloped me.
This is a cloud. A gas of water vapor created when the sun heats up a body of water. Basically steam. A non-solid material that has more air in it than water, and air just like evaporated water is not solid at all.
At this point my normal real world understanding of physics and nature once again kicked in telling me that leaving the solid safely of the Gondola wooden form and trying to even set foot out onto this white foggy mist was a bad idea.
Images of me just falling through and plummeting down towards my certain death were flashing through my mind as I nervously stared at the cloudy texture below me.
Don't judge me. I have every reason to be nervous as all hell about this, since this here is literally my first time ever setting foot -or, in my case, hoof- onto an otherwise non-solid material. Combine that with my fear of heights and you got yourself a recipe for a big fat "NOPE" case.
"Uh dude? Anytime now. I know that you are scared and all, it always is that way for first timers to come here in Cloudsdale as non Pegasi. But could you please hurry up? I still need to fly over to Canterlot for my second passengers of the day. So please be quick." Steam tool behind me announced which added a lot of unnecessary pressure to my already really nervous feeling self.
"Come on, Nava. you will be fine, trust me. If anything does happen to you me and Cloud will catch you way faster than you can fall." Flitter tried to reassure me, which didn't really help much, because she used the word "fall" in her sentence.
Again I tried, but I couldn't. It was then when Cloud Chaser trotted back towards me and whispering something into my ear.
"Dude, don't worry, you are part Pegasus as an Alicorn, as far as I know. Which means walking on clouds will be just as natural to you as it is to us. If Princess Celestia can do it without the need of a cloud walking spell when she visited the Cloudsdale Colosseum from last years wonderbolt race then so can you." She explained to me before giving me an encouraging smile and stepping off to the side to give me space.
I sighed, knowing full well that she was right. I mentally prepared myself, breathing in and out gently to calm my mind and lower my fears before I would...
AHH fuck it, no balls no glory.
And with that I simply leapt off from the solid safety of the Gondola and directly onto the cloud textured floor in front of me.
A lot of expectations went through my mind right after I made my daring jump into the unknown, but none of them were even close to the result I actually got when I landed rear first onto the cloudy floor below me. Like actually landing on it.
What was that surprising result, you ask? Pain. A sudden jolt of pain as the previously thought soft-looking cloud actually turned out to be just as hard and solid as a slab of concrete.
Welcome to Cloudsdale everyone. Welcome to Cloudsdale.
A single tear ran down my eye as I whimpered to myself in pain.
...................................................................................................
"Could you two please stop snickering? I already feel uncomfortable enough on my rear and don't need you two to add insult to injury. Also ponies are watching again." I muttered as we strolled through the busy streets of Cloudsdale.
"But... but it was so funny! You should have seen your face when you realized just how solid the cloud beneath you actually was. Oh, mare, that really made my day." Cloud Chaser commented between snickers which eventually turned into a full blown laugh as she was forced to support herself against the side of a wall.
I groaned in annoyance as ponies once again began to stare at the sudden commotion.
"Is this really going to happen every time whenever I visit or enter a new location in this world? Why does everything here have to be so awkward? It never was like this in my world, EVER!" I thought to myself as I found the ground surprisingly interesting.
"Hey, come on there, it really wasn't that bad. At least it was just the three of us who saw it. So chill." Flitter tried to reassure me while trying not to laugh herself.
Yeah, Flitter it really doesn't work well if you are visibly trying to restrain yourself from rolling around on the floor like your sister.
I simply gave her a deadpan look. "Just get it out of your system Flitter. The sooner the better." I suggested to her with a blank stare.
And after that she did just that as she too took on her sister's example and began to laugh her flank off while mine was still hurting. Both physically and emotionally.
Seriously, though, who would have thought that clouds could be just as solid as concrete bricks? I at least thought that there would have some sort bouncy softness to them like a mattress, or at least feel pleasant, like a rug, but not as hard as rock.
The more time I spend here, the more I learn...in the most wrong and embarrassing ways possible. Making myself look like a complete idiot instead of being a philosophically and logic bound thinker.
This world is going to be the death of me.
After a while, though, the laughing stopped as these two finally calmed down.
"So-sorry for that Nava. You were right though about just getting it out first. But I am all better now, so don't worry." Flitter said in between breaths as she picked herself back up.
Followed by her sister who was still snickering. "But seriously dude, why the hay did you jump off like that? You could have just placed a hoof to test the solidness of ground first and not just full on jump on it butt first." Cloud comments which made me facehoof at my stupidity.
"I was under a lot of pressure ok? Jeez. Can't a guy just make a mistake?" I muttered while rubbing my forehead.
Cloud simply continued to snicker while Flitter simply shook her head before the three of us continued to move on.
Trying to get the embarrassing situation out of the way (which is hard with a still sore flank) I simply continued to survey my surroundings as we trotted along.
Again, just as predicted the streets were full of ponies, most of them Pegasi for very obvious reasons, but the most obvious difference was just how many there are, especially in comparison to Ponyville.
The buildings themselves, though made of clouds, were a lot larger as well. Streets were broader, shops were more numerous and busy. All in all this place does feel like a proper city, not like a simple humble town like Ponyville.
This place was busy as all heck, even the air space above looked busy.
I even managed to spot a construction site off in the distance. By construction I mean Pegasi workers pushing large sums of clouds over to it, breaking pieces off of it and placing them all to their respective places while molding everything into shape with some sets of tools.
So that's how they build here.
"Hey...where exactly do you two live in this city?" I asked as we turned into a smaller, less crowded street.
"Well, we live on the east side of town, where a lot of more residential buildings are. We are currently in a commercial district of the city, right after that we'll have to cross a Bridge to get to the White Cloud district which is the place we live in." Flitter explained as we once again reached another small alley.
"Commercial District, huh? No wonder there are so many shops and ponies running around the streets." I thought to myself as we passed by a small candy shop to our right.
Than it came back to.
This Cloudsdale here is much, much larger than the Cloudsdale I remember from back home. In both the show and in art I saw in the internet, Cloudsdale was always depicted more of a large town or small city but never in the same size and scale as this.
Again, proving my point that THIS here is not like the show. This is a real living breathing world with its own events and history. Just because something happened in a certain way in the show doesn't mean that this world has to follow that event to the letter.
Again this is much like the real world I am from where anything can happen. A realization that I need to remember in the future, because I have a feeling that it could change everything for better or for worse. But hopefully for the better.
Man, I should really focus more on what I am doing now and not constantly retreat into my mind while moving. I might walk into something or even lose the two sisters in this sea of ponies if I'm not careful. That would be a disaster.
Rainbow Dash might have been right about the idea of my constant phasing out not being too healthy. But I'd rather not tell her that or her ego would go through the roof.
"Alright, there's the bridge that leads us to the White Cloud district. You see it?" Flitter asked while pointing her hoof at something at the end of the road.
I followed her gaze, and she was right. Right there at the very end of a large main road was indeed a bridge spanning from this island district over to another.
"So we cross that and we will be in a more residential heavy part of the city?" I asked, trying to learn more about this alternative version of Cloudsdale.
Flitter nods. "Yes, and the best part for you. Far less ponies on the streets as well." She answered with a small giggle at the end.
I simply rolled my eyes at her as we continued our trek through the streets.
Being a bridge in a cloud city connecting various islands to one another meant that right under them was basically a whole lot of nothing other than the distant, distant earth below, which meant I was basically forced to keep my eyes forward as the three of used it to cross over to the other side. Thankfully, though, the bridge itself was very wide, so it really wasn't that much of an issue for me.
The Houses in the White Cloud district where far more humble and smaller than the rows on rows of never-ending buildings that dominated the previous one. Perfectly made just for the sake of living in them similar to the houses I saw in Ponyville only made out of clouds instead of wood and thatch.
And also true to her word there were far less ponies running around the streets as well. Something I find rather nice, to be honest.
"Hey, Cloud and Flitter. Back from Ponyville already?" Some random dark blue Pegasus mare with a yellow mane greeted us from above as we were about to climb up a set of stairs.
"Oh. Hey, Rain coat. Yeah, we got sent back early this time. Thanks to an accident we had during our job." Flitter replied while showing the newcomer her bandaged left wing.
The blue mare landed in front of us with a shocked expression. "Oh my gosh! what happened?"
Flitter simply pointed a hoof over to her sister which made Cloud glare at her and the mare giggle in realization.
"Oh, I see, so everything went pretty normal than I would guess." Rain coat commented with another giggle.
I simply stood there, patiently waiting as these three mares began to quack amongst themselves about various things that I guess only close friends or colleagues can talk about.
Despite all of that, I immediately noticed that during their little chat both Flitter and Cloud hadn't mentioned anything about the whole Everfree Forest incident to her. I personally don't know why, but I guess one of the reasons might be because of me. We did agree to one another to keep my identity a secret to everyone, so I guess keeping me out of the conversation by not mentioning anything about the incident might be a good choice.
Though, not for long as the mare eventually asked them about my presence.
"By the way, Flitter, who is this stallion walking with you? I have never seen him before." She began looking at me with a curious expression before it was replaced by a sly smile.
"Is he like yours -or Cloud's- new coltfriend? My, my, if so then I have to say that this time the two of you really managed to reel in a super cute one. What is his name anyway?" She quickly added making both Flitter and Cloud stare at her in shock.
I simply facehoofed. "Ugh...not this again...I am way too tired to even give a respond to that. I already had a really long day as it is." I thought as Flitter quickly tried to explain herself.
"No, no he is neither my, or Cloud Chaser here's, coltfriend. He is just a friend we met when we were in Ponyville. Simple as that." Flitter tried to explain. Though, looking at Rain Coat's expression, she obviously wasn't buying it.
Flitter simply sighed. "Ok look, can we please talk about this more during another day? We are tired and we would love to finally get back home to call it a day." Flitter added." Look, the sun is setting anyway." she tried to reason.
The mare simply shook her head while smiling. "Well, whatever, it is getting late anyway. But I would still like to be properly introduced to him next time, alright?" She said before taking off.
"Well, alright. See you tomorrow then, Rain!" Flitter shouted back as the mare quickly disappeared.
"Who was that?" I finally asked after she was gone.
"A friend and work colleague. Both me and Cloud knew her since flight school." Flitter answered before her sister stepped in. "Basically most of our lives." Cloud Chaser added curtly, nodding.
I nodded as I followed them up the wide stairs that would lead us onto a higher elevation of the district. As we did I quickly noticed the weird silence Cloud Chaser had around her. Besides the time when we arrived here and the moments when she and her sister laughed at my stupidity from earlier she really hasn't done or said a whole lot since our trip through the streets.
Which is weird, to be honest because normally she was really be the more active and talkative one of these two, but now she seems very quiet and distant instead.
Maybe I can ask her.
"Uh... hey, Cloud? What's wrong? You have been pretty quiet this entire time which since I have known you is not like you at all. In fact it's normally my thing to be all quiet." I asked with a small chuckle at the end before looking back at her with concern. "Is something wrong?" I finally ask.
She simply sighed as she continued to watch the ground. "It's nothing, really. I just have been... thinking a lot."She answered. "Something that you have allot of experience with I would guess." she chided playfully while giving me a small smile at the end.
I gave her a nod and a small smile of my own as I decided to drop the subject then and there.
If she doesn't feel like sharing her problems or concerns than I won't push her. I respect her privacy and decision to speak up for her own.
It wasn't long before we finally reached the top and were greeted with somewhat larger homes than the ones I mostly saw before. Not necessary in terms of height but more in length. I could tell that these were large family houses, or for ponies who have just a little bit more coin in their purses. Or saddlebags, i guess.
I was actually pretty surprised to discover that one of them was actually Flitters and Cloud Chasers home as we soon stopped in front one of them.
"Well here we are. Home sweet home." Flitter announced as she stepped onto the front porch.
I was really stunned. "Wait a minute. You two live in one of these? Alone? Why do you two need this much space alone?" I asked as I continued to survey the rather large home for just two ponies.
Cloud Chaser giggled as she stood beside her sister. "Well, to be honest this was our parents' house, the same house where we grew up in and eventually inherited 4 years ago. " Cloud answered for me.
I nodded as I quickly followed to stand at the front door with them.
Than something clicked. "Wait...you said inherited it from your parents 4 years ago right? I began, slowly regretting my decision to ask in the first place but continued, as there was no turning back now. "Did... did something happen to them?" I finished with a worried tone.
My worries were quickly proven right when both of their expressions quickly fell as they both looked at each other with sad and pained look.
I was about to apologize when Flitter quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside the house, followed by her sister leaving me standing all alone outside.
At this point I felt absolutely terrible for accidentally asking about a touchy or taboo subject and feared that I might have immediately destroyed any form of friendship and trust I have built up with them.
Stupid...why the hell did you even try to ask when the answer was basically already there when she mentioned the word "Inherit". Since I came here I have done nothing but make myself look like an idiot, coward, loser, and now as a big fat asshole as well. Great work Nava, Great work. I think I should better leave now before I accidentally make things even worse.
I was about to turn around and leave when Flitter's voice stopped me.
"Hey are you coming in or not? Cloudsdale can get mighty cold when the sun goes down." Flitter said as she stood there at the doorway looking at me.
A part of me immediately felt relieved to know that I hadn't destroyed our companionship by accident, but another part of me still felt worried, if their previous reaction was anything to go by.
I nodded as she stepped out of the way to give me entry into their home. I carefully stepped into their house and was immediately greeted with the sight of a very large and beautifully furnished living room. It had two large couches at the center with a small wooden table in between them. Wooden and glass shelves, book shelves, and smaller tables with knick-knacks or small house plants on them lined the walls with in the room.
Overall the living room looked pretty cozy. to say the least. Though the one thing that did surprise me even more was the fact that the walls of the room were blue instead of the same cloudy white I expected.
How they color clouds, I have no idea. But I guess I can ask about that at a later date.
Beyond the main room was a kitchen that was semi-connected with the living room with only a single wall with a doorway separating from the dining room to its right which was also semi-connected with the living room with only a counter marking its border. The dining room had a long table that could comfortably fit six ponies around it, and a very large window with a sliding door behind it that probably went around back.
And lastly, but not leastly, a corridor going from left to right from the main room, probably leading to bedrooms, bathrooms and other rooms of the house.
I whistled, being very impressed with the layout and the interior of this home. Whoever their parents where probably had a lot of spare bits in their pockets because all of this must have cost a small fortune!
"Well, what do you think?" Flitter asked, gesturing to the whole house in general with her hoof.
I looked at her. "Wow, girls! Your home looks very impressive. Again I imaged something... well, smaller. No offence, by the way."
"It's ok, none taken." She answered with a giggle.
"But to be honest we get that a lot. Most ponies do like to think that we live in a nice quiet little home instead of in a house as big as this. So you're not the first one to assume that." Flitter quickly added before diverting her attention back to Cloud Chaser, who was spread out in one of the couches.
"Hey, Cloud? Could you maybe take our saddlebags to our rooms while I go give Nava here a tour of our home?" Flitter asked her sister.
Cloud Chaser groaned. "Why don't you do it? You're the one still standing and I feel way too tired to move at the moment." She complained as she rolled herself to the other side.
"Ugh. Fine, I will take our bags to our rooms then." Flitter replied while trotting over to Cloud and grabbing her bag with her mouth. "Hey, Nava? Could you please close the door behind you for me while I go store our stuff? After that you can make yourself comfortable and wait for me, ok?" Flitter somehow managed to say clearly with a full mouth.
I gave her a nod and she quickly disappeared around the right hallway, leaving me and her sister alone in the room.
I did as I was asked and gently shut the main door behind me. I was about to make my way towards the couch opposite to Cloud when something suddenly caught my interest in the corner of my eye.
It was a set of framed photos hanging from the wall to my right that I honestly didn't notice before.
Probably because this one bookshelf was standing in my way from where I previously stood, but whatever.
Curiosity took a hold of me as I slowly started to approach the photos.
At first glance I could tell that those were family photos of both Cloud Chaser and Flitter when they were fillies. But beside those there were also pictures of them together with two other ponies I haven't seen before. A white coated and red maned Pegasus stallion and a White coated dark blue maned mare.
"I would guess that these two must be Flitter and Cloud Chaser's parents." I thought to myself as I continued to observe the photos.
One of them especially caught my eye though. It was a simple family picture with all four of them together. The two sisters in the middle with both of their parents on either side of them, smiling happily as if everything was perfect for them.
Though the one thing that somehow bothered me about this picture was just how much older both Cloud and Flitter looked in this one, probably in their late teens if their looks and height were anything to go by.
"How old is this pic exactly?" I thought as I continued to observe it.
"That's us and our parents, in case you're wondering." Flitter's voice suddenly came up from behind and scaring the shit out of me.
"JEEZ GIRL! Please don't sneak up on me like that! I don't cope very well with surprises of that nature." I pleaded while trying to contain my racing heart.
Flitter giggled. "Sorry, didn't know you were so engrossed with our family photos like that, otherwise I might have been just a little bit more careful." She said as she quickly joined me.
As we continued to observe the photos in silence a question suddenly popped back up in my mind again, but I felt very hesitant to actually ask it because i was afraid of the reaction it would bring out in her, especially judging what happened just a few moments ago.
Flitter, on the other hand, seemed to notice my nervousness as she simply answered my question before I could even ask it myself.
"This particular photo with all four of us together was taken 4 years ago, just a few week before we lost... both of our parents." Flitter began as sadness dripped from her voice, her ears drooping expressively.
I turned my head to look at her, both shocked and surprised at the same time. "So this is why talking or asking about their parents is such a touchy subject for them." I thought to myself as I realized what I had done earlier.
I placed a hoof over to her shoulder to comfort her as the sense of guilt I felt previously returned at full force.
"I... I am sorry Flitter. Sorry for your loss and sorry for being so... insensitive earlier. If I had known... I would have never even asked in the first place. I... I am so sorry." I apologized trying to somehow fix my earlier mistake.
To my utter confusion Flitter began to sadly mutter something under her breath as I tried to comfort her.
"Take care of your Sister, Flitter, while we are gone." was what she muttered to herself which both confused and worried me greatly for her.
"Flitter? Are... are you ok?" I asked hoping that she would answer.
Luckily she did, as she eventually raised her head to look at me. The sadness in her expression still visible, which really didn't help my own worries.
"I... I'm ok, it's just, well... memories." She replied while trying to force a smile for me.
Which obviously didn't work that well.
"Flitter, again... I am sorry from earlier I just..." I tried to explain before flitter cut me off.
"No really, it's fine, Nava, really. You didn't know, that's all." She reassured me before continuing. "It's just...it's just because me and Cloud loved our parents so much. We loved them greatly and in return they loved us just as much, even more so at times. So you can easily guess that losing them so early and so suddenly was extremely scary for the both of us." Flitter explained as she lowered her head again. "Especially for my sister." She muttered.
I once again placed my hoof on her back to comfort her while trying to think of what would change this obviously sad subject for her.
"What... was the job of your parents, anyway, to afford a place like this?" I asked trying to change the subject until I realized the error I just made again.
"Uhm no... wait, I mean..." I tried to correct myself awkwardly, but stopped as Flitter looked back at me.
"They were both members of the Royal couriers. A position that is only reserved to the most trusted and well talented Pegasi of the kingdom." She explained before continuing. "But before that, or at least before they met one another, they had different occupations that eventually led them to become Royal Couriers." She explained seemingly also trying her best to divert the subject, to my surprise.
I simply decided to help her along with that since that is what I wanted to do myself anyways.
"Which were?" I asked.
"Our father, Crimson Wing used to be part of the guard while our Mother Cloud Heart used to be a member of the Wonderbolts in her youth." Flitter answered.
That quickly made me think. "Their father, a member of the Guard and their mother a member of the Wonderbolts? No wonder Cloud and Flitter live in a home as big as this with so much expensive looking stuff in it. Plus this whole "Royal courier" thing also probably opened up a lot of extra possibilities as well, with the way Flitter explained it." I thought to myself as I began to look around the room once more.
It was then that another question hit me. "Wait, why was you father named Crimson Wing? To me it translates to Blood Wing as far as I know. But in the picture his has a snow white coat." I question.
Flitter for the first time since scaring me actually started to smile a bit to my relief before answering.
"Well again...you really are not the first to have ever asked that question." She started with a smile before continuing." But to cut a long story short, he was given that name by his parents because of his rarity. You see, just like with unicorns in how rare it is for one to be born with a much longer horn than the usual, it is also very rare for a Pegasus to be born with completely different colored wing feathers in comparison to the color of their coats." She finished.
"So in other words, your father's wings were actually red instead of white like the rest of his body?" I ask back in which she nods.
I sighed, feeling relieved that at least everything seems to be back to normal again for the both of us.
After a while of awkward silence in between us with only the sound of a ticking clock somewhere in the room to accompany us.
It was Flitter who eventually broke the silence as she trotted over toward the right corridor before speaking up. "Well...anyway, let me just show you your room so that we can call it a night." Flitter suggested as she stood there waiting for me to follow her.
I nodded as I did so, following her into the right corridor which had a couple of doors on both sides and a large window at the end of it.
We both eventually stopped at a navy blue door at the very end of the corridor.
Flitter looked at me with a somewhat sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her neck.
"This here is going to be your room, Nava, sorry if it looks somewhat empty and lifeless inside. This room used to be the guest room, before me and Cloud eventually stored most of what was there down in the basement after we inherited this house. Besides a bed and a night table there is really nothing of interest in it." She explained looking a bit embarrassed at the end.
I gave her a smile. "That's quite alright. Really, you offering a room with a bed is already quite awesome enough on its own." I answered honestly.
Flitter shook her head. "Nonsense! If you are going to live here with us then you might as well sleep with the same comfort as any other pony. Next thing tomorrow me and Cloud are going to get everything back from the basement so that you can have a proper room." Flitter offered before pressing down the handle and opening the door.
I quickly followed her as she stepped in and turned on the lights (which to be honest i have no idea how their work here.) and true to her word, all that was inside this otherwise spacious room was a normal sized cloud bed at the left corner of the room with a nightstand next to it.
The walls were white just how you would expect from a house made of clouds with only the ceiling having a navy blue color, a larger window was located right next to the bed and the nightstand completely curtain free with a view directly aimed at the rest of the city itself.
Basically saying I got the room with the best view in the house. The many lights of the city easily visible from here, with the added bonus of a clear starry night to boot.
"Well, as I said, this room is still pretty empty, but it should be good enough to sleep here for one night." Flitter commented with a small echo bouncing off the walls.
As it's typical for empty rooms to do.
I again smiled at her. "Thank you for giving me my own room Flitter, this really is one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me. I... I am honestly speechless." I thanked her as I fought the urge to let lose a few tears of happiness.
And succeeding. Yeah, manly honor intact, even though I already lost it multiples times before getting here.
Flitter smiled. "Think nothing of it. As I already said, many times a pony's life is worth more than all the Bits in Equestria combined. Just wait here for a moment while I go grab the bedsheet, a blanket and a pillow for you." Flitter responded before excusing herself out the room.
I sighed as i trotted over to the window. The night sky was just as beautiful as it had always been since I first arrived in this world only now with the added bonus of having lights up in front of me as well. The large Acropolis like Citadel at the center being beautifully illuminated by blue and white lights, giving it a very mysterious, but also imposing look to it.
The one thing that still constantly reminded me that I was currently in a pre-season 1 time frame was the image of a pony's head on the surface of the moon, but if anything I know so far is true will soon change which eventually will jump start the events I am familiar with. Or so I think.
Again, this is not the show. This is a real world where anything can happen. Which already has been proven time and time again that this seems to be the case.
The possibilities are endless, and if I for some reason find out that I am unable to ever return home... a thought I currently still don't want to entertain, then at least this world is going to offer me pretty much endless possibilities of new beginnings. Especially knowing that I have time in my favor... being an alicorn and all, but I let the ideas and concepts of eternal youth worry me for another time, simply because... I have other problems to focus on first. Plus, it's way too early as well. I only have been in this world for 4 days.
"Alright, here is your stuff." Flitter's voice suddenly echoed in the room and derailed me and my thoughts once more.
I turned from the window and saw that she was already making my bed for me, putting in the bedsheet and placing the pillow and blanket on top of it.
"There. All nice and ready for a pony to sleep on." Flitter announced with a smile after she was done.
I trotted over to her to test out the bed with my hoof and smiled as both the cloudy mattress and fabric felt incredibly soft and nice to the touch. They even had the nice clean smell to them as well. A scent I always enjoyed for some reason, even back in my world.
"Thank you, Flitter. This is really nice." I thank her with a smile, which she happily returned.
"You're quite welcome." She responded happily before giving a quick look towards the window. "I suggest we continue everything in the morning, it's already pretty late and I feel pretty exhausted as well." She added while giving a yawn.
I mimicked her, as yawns are known to be contagious before I realized something.
"Wait... what about Cloud Chaser in the living room?" I asked remembering her.
Flitter giggled. "Oh she will be fine where she is, in fact I already covered her up in a blanket before trotting back here. She sometimes likes to sleep on the couch, mostly because she has the tendency to fall asleep on them before getting up." She explained to me with another giggle.
I chuckled as another yawn escaped my lips. "Well, I guess we just hit the hay then." I suggested which flitter quickly agree on.
"Right, it is super late anyway. Oh and by the way. The bathroom is right next to your room in case you need to use it. Anyway, goodnight, Nava." Flitter said before quickly excusing herself out the room with a wave.
"Goodnight Flitter." I called after her as she gently closed the door behind her.
"Man she is right, I feel totally exhausted. Better get into bed before my body just gives out." I thought as I quickly crawled into bed.
I removed both my glasses and my hat and placed them on the nightstand next to me. I removed my scarf as well for the first time and simply laid it on the bed right next to me before laying my head down onto the soft pillow and closing my eyes.
"Oh, yes, forgot the lights." I muttered as I quickly got back up to turn off the lights.
A thought occurring to me, I looked up at the lights and clapped twice.
Nothing.
"Worth a try." I said, before going over to turn the lights off manually and crawled back to bed afterward.
"Well... I have a feeling that this is the beginning of a new wacky adventure for me in the land of magic and rainbows." I thought as I covered myself in my blanket and closed my eyes.
Sleep didn't take long to grab me as my exhaustion and the softness of my new bed made it an easy feat.
Tomorrow will be the start of a new adventure for the better or the worse.
> Chapter 10: Start of a new day in Cloudsdale
/Chapter 10: Start of a new day in Cloudsdale/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
"Why does the sun have to be so bright?" I muttered as the stupid disk of light interrupted perhaps the best goodnight sleep I had since arriving in this world.
Great I finally get a good, dreamless, relaxing sleep for the first time and don't get the chance to fully capitalize on it because my windows don't have any curtains. Or I could blame a certain "Princess" for it. Yeah let's go with the last one. Let's try and be original here.
But do not panic, peoples, because I know of a very super-secret technique that has been passed down from generation to generation to combat the all known evil that is the sun during lazy morning moments.
Just roll yourself to the side and get that stupid light out of your face.
But now all it does is warm up the back of my neck, which really isn't that comfortable either.
"Ugh. Leave me alone, you glorified gas ball. Let me sleep in." I muttered as I completely cover myself with my blanket to escape the rays.
Ah much better.
Hopefully now I can get some more sleep and not get bothered by more irritating...
*CRASH*
"RISE AND SHIIIIIIIIINE EVERYYYYYPONYYYYYYY!! IT'S THE DAWN OF A NEW DAY, FILLIES, SO GET YOUR FLANKS UP AND ENJOY THE SUNSHIIIIIIIIIIIINE!!" An incredible loud voice sang/shouted which caused me to literally jump out of bed and crash down onto the floor all tangled up in my blanket.
"Cloud, I SWEAR sometimes you are literally acting like a filly. I told you to leave him alone." I heard the familiar voice of Flitter chided.
"Aww, come on sis. Can't a mare like me have some fun from time to time? I mean we have a new roommate now so why not capitalize on it by annoying him and not you." I heard Cloud protest which made Flitter role her eyes on that last part.
"If you mean fun by disturbing ponies while they are trying to sleep then no, no you can't have fun." Flitter replied sounding quite annoyed.
"Hmph. You were always the egghead of the two of us." Cloud countered annoyed as well.
At this point I really had enough, mostly because I realized that I somehow managed to tangle myself up even more while trying to get out.
It even started to hurt a little as one of my legs was bent in a very unnatural position.
"Could you two please help me out of this thing first before having one of your typical sibling fights?" I pleaded to them while still trying to get out.
"Oh... oh, yeah. Just hold still there for a moment." Flitter replied as watched her trot over to me.
The process of getting me untangled was... unique. Never would I have thought in my life that a blanket -well, a large blanket- could be turned into such a death trap. Well, to be honest, half of it was my fault. I might be able to walk fine with hooves but trying to use them in the same way I would do with my hands was still somewhat difficult. So in a way, I actually succeeded in making my trap even worse as I obviously had problems with properly pushing and pulling myself to freedom.
Hooves are not really useful for getting yourself untangled let me tell you
And now here is Flitter, pulling in places that just seem to make things even worse... if that was even possible.
"No, wait! Don't pull it that way! AHHH! My leg is still attached to that."
"Well, sorry, but your thrashing isn't exactly making things easy, you know."
"Well ok, I will hold still then. But please try to.... Erk... erk... no, wait! Stop, you're choking me now. Ugh..."
"Oh dear! sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry."
How the hell can a blanket possess such an amazing grip on itself? This is ridiculous. What is this blanket made of to have such strong frictional grip?
Under all of this madness I could hear Cloud laughing in the background which just added to the overall frustration both of us felt.
"CLOUD CHASER WOULD YOU GET YOUR FLANK OVER HERE AND HELP? THIS IS YOUR FAULT TO BEGIN WITH ANYWAY!!" Both me and Flitter shouted, causing Cloud to immediately recoil and shut her mouth.
"Jeez, guys! Calm down! Fine, I'm going to stop and help out." She replied in defeat.
Good morning Nava. Best nap I had for a while and this is how the day starts. Absolutely brilliant.
With the help of Cloud, getting me out of my fabric prison went quicker than I thought. Soon I was free as I quickly sat up to rub my legs and stretch my limbs.
"Well...?" Flitter began while looking over at her sister.
"Well what?" She asked confused.
Flitter fought the urge to facehoof. "Oh, for Celestia sake, at least apologize to him will you. This was all your fault in the first place." Flitter scolded.
Cloud chaser sighed before looking at me. "Well sorry there Nava. By sorry I mean, "Sorry for eating your breakfast",because sis made pancakes today." Cloud chaser announced with a giddy attitude as she quickly ran out of the room.
Leaving me completely confused and Flitter irritated.
"Cloud Chaser, seriously." She muttered while rubbing her forehead.
I simply scratched my head in confusion as the two of us spent a few moments sitting in silence before Flitter broke it
"Oh, Nava? No offense but... I think you smell a little bit today, for some reason." Flitter announced while looking at me.
"Wait, really?" I asked before starting to sniff myself, and to my surprise she was somewhat right. I did had a small smell on me strangely enough, despite the fact I just took a shower yesterday morning to get rid of the still present reminder of the... incident that happened to me in Pinkies party.
To be honest I still smelled a bit of chocolate and vanilla even after my double shower, so I guess some tiny leftovers of Pinkie's frosting were still stuck to my fur somehow and probably have now gone old which could be causing the smell.
That or I sweated a lot last night who knows.
With that new info, I knew how to start the day today.
"Hey, uh... can I use the shower?" I asked.
"Well of course. The Bathroom and shower is right next door to yours. Also, don't worry about Cloud Chaser's threat. I'll make sure she won't eat ALL of the pancakes while you are busy getting clean." Flitter answered with a smile at the end as she got back up.
"Sweet. Thanks. Also it gives me the perfect excuse to finally get these stupid bandages off of me. I can seriously feel just how numb my wings feel right now." I commented while getting up as well.
"Just give me a shout if you need help with that." Flitter suggested as she walked out of the room.
I quickly fallowed.
"Alright, this is the bathroom." Flitter said while pointing at a dark blue door right next to mine. "Just call me if you need any help, alright?" She finished kindly while trotting off towards the kitchen.
I quickly opened the door and was greeted with a typical white-tiled bathroom. YES I said tiles. Again no idea how this all works knowing that the whole house is made out of clouds but I guess the same answer that seem to explain everything in this world might be magic. Magic seems to be the best and quickest explanation in this world, or at least I assume so. At least it makes things easier for me to understand as well.
Beyond the tiles themselves the bathroom looked pretty generic, except for the toilet to my left which looked exactly the same as all the other toilets I came across so far in this world. A normal looking toilet with the same shape and the same looks as the one I remember from back home, only situated much, much lower for obvious pony reasons. Right next to the pony toilet was a basic sink with a double faucet, a medical closet and a mirror above it and to my front on the other end of the room was none other than a large bathtub and a small window on top of the wall.
Again, overall a very generic looking bathroom.
I trotted inside towards the mirror and began to observe myself on it and surprise, surprise it's the same light orange colored and black maned pony that has been greeting me every since i got here.
"Has it really been already 5 days since I arrived in this crazy world?" I ask myself in the reflection.
I sighed. Thoughts about home returning to me, my friends, my family, my world, my humanity. But all of this grieving isn't going to get me anywhere I know that. One part of me already knows that I might be stuck in this world forever but another part of me still hopes that my other half was wrong and that there might be still a small whisper of a chance for me to return to where I belong.
One thing was immediately obvious to me, though. The longer I stayed here, the more time passes back home as well, which means it wouldn't be too long before I would be simply filed as missing and/or dead which also means that trying to return at that point would slowly become more and more pointless as there won't be anything left anymore for me to return to.
Another question I have no answer to is how is time passing between our worlds?
Is it the same? Is one second over here the same second over there? Or is it different? Is one day here one week over there or vice versa? Is one day over there one year over here, or is one day over here a 100 years over there?
I'm rambling.
The fact is, I just don't know and it's thoughts like these that both confused and scared me at the same time.
Because if that was the case, then returning now would be utterly pointless at this point. I might as well just stay here and try to make the best of it. There has to be a reason why I was sent here as an alicorn, but that is just yet another mystery I have no answer to. How was I sent here, when was I sent here and why?
I once again sighed in defeat. Having thoughts like that wasn't going to get me answers or results anytime soon.
I should just focus on the now and again try to figure things out over time when the opportunity presents itself.
Besides I still smell.
With this new focus set in mind I began to try and get those bandages off me with both my hooves and teeth. The results were...not surprising at all as I didn't get very far with my own attempts.
I grumble in annoyance. "Darn hooves. I really need to somehow get my horn operational, because this is starting to get REALLY old." I muttered while still trying to get the bandages off of me.
My wings were feeling really numb for having been trapped for so long.
"I need some help... as usual." I muttered while trotting back to the door and opening it. "Flitter can you please come help me?" I shouted through the corridor.
"No Cloud, you can't have them all, I better not see the entire stack gone when I come back, Cloud." I hear Flitter say from around the corner before appearing on the other end of the corridor.
"You called?" She asked as she got closer.
I nod while pointing at the problem at hand.
She gives me a nod in return as she quickly helped me remove the bandages on my midsection.
As soon as they were gone my wings quickly sprang into action... quite literally as one of them hit Flitter square on the face and knocking her onto her flank.
I immediately panicked. "SHIT! I am so, so sorry, I swear it wasn't me. My wings just went..." I tried to explain before Flitter stopped me, putting a hoof to my mouth.
"It's ok. Don't worry, wings have a tendency to do that, if kept bound for so long. I had a similar reaction on mine when I first broke my right wing back when I was a filly." Flitter explained as she got back up.
I sighed in relief knowing that.
"Well, anyway, thanks for the help there Flits. Appreciate it." I thanked her before I realized what I just called her.
I immediately blushed as a result. "Uhhh... I mean..." I stuttered, embarrassed.
Flitter simple giggles at my reaction before silencing me by placing her hoof onto my muzzle again.
"Flits, huh? Only been here for a short time and already coming up with nicknames eh?" She said with another giggle. "I kind of like Flits, better than being called egghead or killjoy by my sister." She added with a smile gracing her muzzle.
I smiled sheepishly, still feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"Well, I guess I just leave you to your shower, then. Again, call me if you need any more help, ok?" She suggested kindly once more as she turned around to leave.
I was about to jump into the bathtub when I noticed the lack of a shower faucet.
"Ohm Flitter? Where is the... well, faucet for the shower?" I called out again before Flitter could fully leave the room.
She immediately stepped back in with a confused look on her face.
"What do you mean?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.
I simply pointed a hoof at what I meant before an invisible light bulb began to light up insider the mare.
"Oh, I see what the problem is." She began. "Well, for starters Cloud homes don't need a shower faucet for their shower, they use the cloud-made ceiling above it to make it rain onto them when taking a shower." Flitter explain.
I scratched my head at that info, to which Flitter quickly catches onto as she sighed.
"Here, let me just show you." She suggested as began to climb and stand on the edge of the bathtub with her hind legs and supporting herself with one hoof on the wall.
"Just tap it like this." She said while demonstration it by giving the cloud texture like ceiling a small love tap with her free hoof.
To my surprise it quickly began to rain right into the bathtub below it. Before I could say anything in surprise Flitter quickly tapped it again which made it stop before hopping back down next to me.
"There you got it?" She asked while looking at me.
I nod before a problem came up. "Well...yes I do but, I still can't fly high enough to even reach the ceiling by myself, let alone stand balancing on a slippery surface on just my hind legs, so how am I going to tap it?" I asked while giving my now free exposed winds a few twitches.
"Oh...totally forgot about that." Flitter casually responded while looking at me. "Well I guess I can just turn it on for you, and turn it off again after you are done." She suggested before climbing back up to tab the cloud above the Bathtub again, causing it to pour down on it once again.
"There now you can get that stench off of you." She said while hopping back down.
I smiled at her. "Thanks, I...I am sorry for being so... well, helpless all of the time." I said with a sad expression at the end.
Flitter simply shook her head while placing a hoof on my shoulder."It's weird, I have to admit, but it's also fine as well. I like helping out those I like. Plus it also gives me the perfect training opportunity for when I eventually become a mother." Flitter explained happily.
"Well, I guess, but... wait a minute-" I tried to say until I realized what she meant at end.
Flitter simple giggled before turning around to take her leave. "Just take your shower already before I have to WASH you too." she said with a playful smirk before disappearing around the corner.
I simply stood there blushing, before entering the bathtub and letting it drench my furred body.
I don't know what it is, but showering as a pony just seems to feel so much more relaxing than doing it as a human. I could just stand here for hours, but I can't do that, sadly, if Cloud Chaser's threat has any weight to it.
Bloody mare. But to be honest I do enjoy her childish personality, kind of like me when i feel all giddy. Better keep that to myself, though.
"Damn it, Cloud! I told you not to eat all of them!" I heard Flitter shout despite the sound of rushing water surrounding me.
I simply chuckled and shook my head at these two as I simply continued to let the warm water take me away for a while.
Wait... what is it with this world and pancakes all of the time? Same with all the fanfics I have read. Why not waffles for a change? I blame Americans for this cliche.
On another note... I forgot to ask for a towel as well. Shit.
...................................................................................................
"You're not my mom."
"Well, I might as well be, because I am the one taking care most of the chores in the house -including cooking- for YOU because you're too lazy to do it yourself. Now stop complaining and sit there and DO NOT touch any more of the pancakes again, or Celestia help me...." Flitter ranted on as Cloud Chaser simply huffed while looking away, pouting just like a child would do.
I simply kept silent, not doing anything or voicing my opinions and simply keeping to myself.
Mostly because Flitter was forced to help me dry because apparently trying to dry your wings with a towel does create some... uh... Details, details. Forget it. At least now I know that wings are in fact very sensitive.
Again, insert penis joke here.
Lucky Earth Ponies. They don't have to put up with the crap of having OTHER sensitive areas around their bodies as well. Which would technically make me, an alicorn, a living PARTY machine. Makes one wonder what Celestia and Luna do in their spare time. As if things couldn't get any worse.
Did i REALLY just say that?
"Alright here are yours Nava." Flitter announced, interrupting my internal monologue as she turned off the stove and carried over a plate of freshly made pancakes to the table and set it before me..
"Thank you. These smell great." I thanked her while inhaling the scent of them.
Flitter smiled as she went back to her chair and took a few hot discs herself. "Well, I try, but better hurry up before Cloud over there decides to have more." She replied with a sideways glare at the end.
Cloud Chaser simply rolled her eyes in response.
The two of us began to dig in enjoying our breakfast in silence.
I do have to admit that her pancakes do taste amazing, even more so with added decorations like chocolate and Strawberry syrup.
"Man, I really need to be careful when it comes to food here in Equestria, otherwise I am going to lose my teeth from all the sugar, or worse." I thought to myself as I hummed in delight from the taste.
Or maybe it's a pony thing and I can eat as much sugar as I want. I mean, look at Pinkie.
"So... what do you guys have planned today?" I asked after clearing my mouth of food first.
Flitter began to hum in thought before answering. "Well, I was thinking that maybe today me and Cloud are going to visit the local hospital to get our wings checked up and hopefully get the bandages removed as well." Flitter answered before stuffing her face again.
Cloud groaned in response which made both of us look at her.
"Do we really have to do it today? We just came back home yesterday, plus I wanted to give Nava here a tour through the city." She complained while sounding disappointed.
Flitter sighed after a few moments of thinking. "Well, fine, I guess. Giving Nava a tour does sound much more interesting than going to the hospital again. But I would still love to regain the ability to fly again too, you know? That's what Pegasi do best."
"Well, we could maybe do that during the tour?" Cloud suggested.
Flitter shook her head. "Nah, that would be too hectic in the end and you know how the hospitals are in this city."
"Oh... yeah, now I remember why I don't want to go in the first place." Cloud commented making Flitter chuckle to herself.
I again just sat there on my chair, fiddling with my hooves while I waited for these two to agree on something for today.
Overall I am completely indifferent on what we do today, since sitting around in this house all day while there is a whole new world just waiting to be explored is completely out of the question.
Plus I don't want to feel like more of a freeloader than I already am.
This also got me thinking. I could maybe even get a job. That way I won't be just living off these two's budget and I got something to do.
I need to remember that for a future conversation with these two, because it's a bit too early for that, especially since I don't know this city too well and the jobs it offers to newcomers.
"Hey... hey Nava. HEY!" Flitter suddenly shout, bringing me back to the real world.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Wha? What is it? Did I miss something?"
Flitter simply raised her eyebrow. "Weren't you listening? I asked if you were ok with us giving you a tour around the city today." She asked while supporting her head with one of her hooves.
It took me a while to think on her question before I simply answered her with a confirming nod.
"Great! Cloud, you go get ready first while I go at the dishes. In the meantime you can just make yourself comfortable, Nava, while we get ready." Flitter announced.
Cloud Chaser nodded and quickly ran off to the other end of the house where probably their private bathroom was, leaving me and Flitter alone in the dining room.
I watched Flitter start collecting the plates and cups and balancing them all onto her back and carefully trot to the kitchen next to us.
I called to her before she could get there. "Hey Flitter, do you need any help with those dishes of yours?" I asked while getting up from my chair.
Flitter turned herself around to look at me. "No not really, I can do all the dishes on my own, it's ok. But thanks for the offer anyway." She replied with a smile.
I shook my head while trotting towards her. "No, it's not fine. Please, if I am going to live here with the two of you then I at least want to make myself useful around here."
"No really it's Fine Nava I can..." She tried to counter before I stopped her.
"Please let me help, I want to earn my right living here and not just hang around like a sloth, and please keep the whole "we owe you because you saved our lives" out of this, I feel really dirty for sucking you two dry because of it. I really want to help." I explained to her truthfully and with determination behind my every word.
Flitter simply stood there for a while in surprise, before she shook her head and looked back at me with a small smile on her muzzle.
"Well... I guess there might be no harm in you actually helping out here. In fact it might be quite welcome, knowing that Cloud never really lifts a hoof when it comes to chores." She replied with a small giggle at the end.
Cloud's voice came from down the hallway. "I heard that!"
I chuckled, making Cloud remind me of your typical rebellious teenager type you often see in cartoons or sitcoms. Or just Rainbow Dash.
"Anyway, try not to make too much of a mess then, or we might never leave the house today." She added with another giggle as she led the way into the kitchen with me following behind her.
"Don't worry, I'm not that clumsy." I replied.
"Will see." She challenged while placing the dishes into the sink.
"Actually I might be, since I now have hooves instead of hands. Hope this goes well for the first time." I thought myself as I positioned myself next to her.
"Good thing that these are not my mother's plates." I heard Flitter mutter to herself as I almost managed to drop one of them.
I smiled sheepishly at that as I continued to try to not make more work than I am already worth.
Though, in my opinion, i might have missed that window. I thought.
> Chapter 11: "Eine Stadtrundfahrt" is how they say in german
/Chapter 11: "Eine Stadtrundfahrt" is how they say in German/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Well, it is proven, even in this world. Women take forever to get ready for something. Well, at least Flitter does. Cloud Chaser, on the other hand, just did her shower, came out all wet, went to her room to dry herself off and came out with both her fur and mane still all messy and simply sat down onto the couch with me.
Now all we needed to do was wait for Flitter to finish up in the bathroom.
I was planning to take the opportunity to retreat into my mind as I would often do, but got beaten to it by my companion next to me.
"So, you only managed to break one plate during your first time doing the dishes?" Cloud asked with a giggle before it turned into an awkward chuckle at the end. "Well, to be honest, the last time I did the dishes I somehow managed to drop 3 of them." She admitted while rubbing her neck.
I chuckled at that, making her smile and chuckle as well.
Cloud Chaser was the first one to stop as she looked back at me. "You know... it's actually kind of nice to have another pony living here with us." She admitted while looking at her front hooves.
I was genuinely surprised to hear that from her, but before I could even ask any questions on it she continued.
"I mean, me and sis have each other all the time, sure, but... it still gets kind of lonely sometimes, living in this house, just the two of us... especially in the same place where we... last saw our parents." Cloud explained as a sad expression quickly showed itself on her face.
I quickly reached a hoof over to comfort her. She lifted her head and gave me a sad smile.
"Again, this might sound strange for you, but... we have been living all alone here for 4 long years. It really feels good to have another pony here in the house other than just us. It makes this place feel...well... more alive, you could say." Cloud Chaser explained before she continued. "Me and sis wanted to move out of our parents' house and buy a new one somewhere else in town with all the money our parents left behind for us, but in the end we couldn't because of all the fond memories we had in this place." She finished before sighing and looking back down onto her hoof.
"But also in memory of them." She added, muttering.
This actually explained a lot to me. I knew that these two offered me their home as a thanks for saving their lives at the beginning, but at the same time I still felt rather confused and troubled with the idea that they would just offer a random stranger -despite the fact that he saved their lives- their very own home to stay in. But now I kind of understood it more. They were just lonely. Wanting for some extra fun and company in their lives, which was all taken away from them when their parents had so abruptly left them alone on this world.
I fully understood it now, and somehow they saw me as the right pony that could fill this void in their hearts.
They hoped that I could make living just that little bit more colorful for them, and in all honestly feel completely honored and touched, knowing that now.
I immediately moved my entire foreleg across her back and embraced her in a semi-hug which she gladly accepted.
She eventually lifted her head and gave me a thankful smile, which I happily returned to lighten the mood again.
"Thanks." I finally said, which quickly confused her.
"Thanks for what?" She asked, tilting her head a bit.
"For giving me this chance." I simply answered with a smile, which she quickly caught on to.
"Well, we're just as thankful to you as you are to us, to be honest." Cloud Chaser admitted with a chuckle before pushing herself away from me.
"Well, ok, enough of this mushy stuff. This is really not the time to be all emotional." she got up and brushed herself off. "And besides my sister is much better in that category then me anyway." She quickly added which made me roll my eyes.
Cloud Chaser. Always ready to kill the mood. I guess you can call that mood-BLOCK.
Yeah, terrible joke.
But again, this got me thinking. If any of this is true, then I should at least try to get myself sorted out so that I wouldn't be a constant drag to them, such as I was.
I guess learning magic can now move up to the top of the "To do list" as I obviously can't do anything with these hooves besides walk with them, and I refuse to use my mouth for that kind of thing because that would just be degrading, especially for a former human. Plus I have no idea if these things are clean or not. I already got my answer to that with Pinkie Pie's hoof... which was disgusting.
Another reason to learn magic as quickly as I possibly could was obviously to not stick out too much as a unicorn that can't even levitate things. That would just be a disaster when somebody asked me to do something magic-related. Rainbow Dash comes to mind at that.
Ugh what is Flitter taking so long? is she taking a shit in there as well? Wait... how do toilets in cloud homes even work exactly?
I have an idea which is...unfortunate for anyone who happens to be right under Cloudsdale. Which at least explains why this city never ever floats even close to any cities or settlements.
I began to make an uncomfortable expression as these ideas about Cloudsdale toilets floated around in my head which made Cloud Chaser next to me raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"i suppose i could ask later." I thought to myself, mentally shaking off that train of thought.
Before she could question me, the door to the private bathroom finally opened revealing a well-groomed -and, to my surprise, good smelling- Flitter.
Yes... I said good smelling, even from that distance. I never thought about it, but I guess pony noses are much more sensitive than human ones. Which I should have expected.
Flitter trotted over to us with a very pleased look on her face and sat down on the couch opposite from us while still brushing her mane a bit with a brush that was hidden under one of her wings earlier.
Cloud was the first one to start. "Jeez, sis! Took you long enough. What did you do in there, clop in the shower?" She casually said while leaning back against the couch.
That immediately froze any thoughts or activities from both me and Flitter as we both turned our heads to her in shock as Flitter began to blush a bit.
That blush though turned into a fierce glare as she composed herself. "Buck you, I was actually trying to dry my mane, groom it and place my mane bow on it as I usually do, which obviously takes a while, especially when you are forced to do it alone." Flitter explained while pointing her brush at her.
"Also, how the buck could you casually say that when there is another pony in the room with us?" She quickly added in an obvious angry tone.
Cloud simply smirked. "Because it's fun watching your reaction." She said while sticking her tongue out at her playfully which only made Flitter's glare deepen.
I was just shocked to hear her say that and even more so hearing Flitter say the pony equivalent of "Fuck you" to her sister.
Is this how these two behave all them time?Or is it just now because I am with them? Or is it just typical Cloud here trying to embarrass her sister in front of me, if that is the case then why though?
This is awkward again.
Flitter eventually sighed heavily as she tried to ignore her sister. "Well whatever, let Cloud here act like a little foal if she wants. Can we just get out of the house and take a stroll through the city?" Flitter suggested semi-annoyed as she got up from her seat.
"Yes! Finally." Cloud announced in triumph as she also got up to join her sister.
I simply remained seated as a very important thought entered my mind. "WAIT... what about my wings?" I asked while turning around the couch to look at them.
Both Flitter and cloud stopped as realization began to hit both of them.
"Oh buck! Yes, I totally forgot about that.You don't have those bandages anymore." Flitter commented while looking thoughtful.
Cloud piped up. "Why don't you just give him a jacket or something else for him to wear to cover up those silvery wings of his?" She suggested.
Flitter nodded at that. "Good idea. I even know the perfect jacket for the job." Flitter announced as she moved past her sister, but not before giving her a hard slap on the face with her tail.
"HEY! WHAT THE BUCK WAS THAT FOR?!" Cloud shouted while rubbing her slowly turning red cheek.
"For that little clopping joke you made." Flitter casually answered with a sideways glare.
"That sounded rather painful, to be honest. I had no idea that pony tails could be used that way." I thought as Flitter disappeared around the corner.
"Well... I guess I did go a bit too far back there." I heard Cloud mutter behind me.
While Flitter was searching, i looked over to Cloud and asked, "Hey, Cloud? This may seem odd, but I've been meaning to get this off my chest: how do the toilets here work?"
She lifted her head briefly and said "Ah." before continuing. "It's pretty simple, see? The clouds here leach the remaining nutrients from your feces before breaking them into their individual elements. Like hydrogen, oxygen.... Stuff clouds use anyway."
"Oh. Thanks." i said, relieved to get that out of the way.
"No prob." Cloud replied. She smiled.
After a while, Flitter returned with a light black jacket on her back. She stopped right in front of me as she fully presented the jacked by laying it on the table.
Before i got a closer look I thought that it was leather, but after closer inspection it I learned that I was just fabric. Thank god though, since the idea of ponies possessing something made of animal skin is somewhat weird, knowing full well that they are typically herbivores.
Besides that, the jacket looked very generic, having two pockets on either side of the chest area, long sleeves, and a wide open collar similar styled like the once you find on tuxedo's, or school uniforms which was the only unique design on it. It also was pretty long, which is way Flitter probably thought that it must be perfect for hiding my wing
"This jacket used to be our father's. It's a bit oversized for you, simple because our father was a bit taller than the average Pegasus, but beyond that it should still fit you nicely." Flitter explained while gesturing to the jacket. "Heck even I think that you are just a bit taller than the average stallion as well. Probably because you're an Alicorn. They tend to be larger than the other races." Flitter quickly added.
A thought quickly emerged after she said that as i looked back at the jacket. "Wait...if it is your fathers. Than why doesn't it has any openings for his wings on it? I asked after having noticed the lack of wing holes on it.
Flitter giggle before answering the question. "That's actually a good observation there." She responded before continuing. "The reason why is because is when dad requested this jacket from a local tailor/ old friend from Fillydelphia, he somehow managed to forget the wing openings for it after he packaged and send it to our dad. At first our father was completely confused after he open the package and saw the lack of wing openings on his new hoof made jacket. He was about to send it back to his friends with a complained on it but eventually decided against it and decided to use his new jacket as a winter jacket for...well cold winters to also keep his wings warm. He did always did had the most sensitive of wings from all 4 of us." She finished her tale.
I gave her a nod at that info as I scooped up the jacket with both of my hooves to have a feel for its texture. As I predicted the Jacket was made out of some natural fabric, either wool or cotton I can't really tell. It was pretty thick too, perfect for cold days. I mean that's what jackets are for anyway to keep the wearer warm.
Another feature that this jacket has was a small stitched in image of a Sword pointing down with two red wings on either side on the left chest pocket and on the right shoulder.
Must be the cutie mark of their father.
I started to try put on the jacket myself, which I found surprisingly easy thanks to the astonishingly nimble legs I have as a pony. Seriously, the first time I found out just how similarly nibble my legs were in comparison to humans was pretty shocking. Especially knowing how the forearms of horses normally move. But then again I am in a different world and these ponies and are nothing, and I mean NOTHING like the equines I know from back home. These equines might as well be humans in pony bodies.
I stood up after I managed to drape over the jacket to present myself properly in front of the girls to judge my look.
"Well?" I asked as I looked between them.
Well, at least this jacket isn't tight on my wings like how the bandages were. In fact if feels comfortable. Also, yay more clothing. To be honest despite the fact that i have fur now I still very much enjoy the thought of wearing SOMETHING instead of running around all butt naked.
Even though my butt, now as a pony, is likely always going to BE naked, but it's the thought that counts i guess.
Flitter began to move closer before pointing something out.
"You should probably also zip it up, and fix the collar around you. Here let me." Flitter suggested as she started to zip the jacket shut and fixing the collar.
She stepped back to observer her handiwork... or hoofy-work and smiles as she gave me a nod of approval.
Cloud Chaser whistled. "Hey, there, Nava! Looking good! That jacket really fits your look, I have to say." She commented while looking me over before continuing. "Now if you weren't a mare magnet before you are definitely one now. Young mares that you are going to pass by are just going to drool at your look, dude. You lucky stud you." Cloud added with a smirk.
I chuckled nervously. "Heh heh... thanks?" Not exactly what I need to be honest...but if this is really the only jacket you guys have then what choice do I have?
Cloud simply shook her head at me as she chuckled. "You're strange sometimes, you know that? Most stallions I know would LOVE to be in your position. But then again, you are shy and awkward." She commented before Flitter moved towards the front door.
"Well, who isn't a little weird?" i said
"True that!" Cloud replied, laughing
"Well, anyway you can keep the jacket from now on, if you want. We certainly have no use for it. But i would imagine that dad would have loved to see his favorite being put to good use rather than just collecting dust and fuzz in a closet." Flitter said. "But now that we have that problem out of the way, let's just go. There are some few places I would really like to show you, Nava. So let's hurry up while the day is still young." Flitter announced as she unlocked the door and opened it.
"Yeah, come on. And don't you worry about the mares, Nava, I will protect you from them." Cloud said with chuckle and a wink.
I simply sighed as I followed the two mares out of the house.
I just hope this isn't going to be any worse than back in Ponyville, especially now that there are.... way more ponies here than there.
Fun.
...................................................................................................
Well, this trip went much better than I expected. For about two hours me and the two girls have been strolling through the city streets, going from location to location, showing me all the interesting places and tourist attractions the city has to offer.
This city also seems to have a street alley full of... places where you can buy mares for a healthy sum of coin. Who knew that a world like this has strip clubs and hookers as well? The more I learn about this world the more mature it gets. Kids show my ass. My Little Pony belongs to [adult swim], not the freaking Hub or whatever cartoon channel exist out there.
Besides places like those, we also visited long shopping streets, went to the memorial park of Pegasi war heroes from the past (Again didn't know they had those) and even visited the famous weather factory of Cloudsdale, the largest in Equestria and the place where both Flitter and Cloud actually work when they are not sent off somewhere else instead.
But now we were just chilling in a local cafe, resting our hooves on a nice table in front of the shop and enjoying a nice glass of cold ice tea under the shadow of a large parasol.
Flitter and Cloud began chatting with Rain Coat after we managed to bump into her again at this Cafe (Convenient, I know) while I simply took this opportunity to look around.
Ponies, ponies and more ponies was what I saw, some giving me glances because of my horn, i would guess while most of them simply ignored me, except for a few mares in the cafe who were waving and giggling at me.
I'm I really that attractive looking for a pony?
Besides that, I really didn't care what was going through the minds of these mares as long as they kept their distance from me. Again I am FAR away from being interested in any romantic relationships whatsoever. Plus I wouldn't know what to say to them anyway, I have no experience with dating or girls to begin with.
Yeah, I know. What a loser right? A Young adult who has never dated or had a girlfriend in his life. Brilliant don't you think?
I sighed and I took my glass of iced tea again to finish off whatever was left of it. Or I was going to until a large, thundering crack made me jump out of my chair and dump the rest of my ice tea all over me.
Same for most of the guest here as well, though less dramatic, and less... wet.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, man! you should have seen your reaction there! Haaa ha ha ha ha ha!!! That was AWESOME." A very scratchy sounding voice laughed above me while I laid on the ground.
I groaned and tried to look upwards to try and pinpoint the source of the laughter. At first I was confused seeing nothing but a small low flying cloud above me until said cloud suddenly spawned the head AND face of a well know rainbow maned blue Pegasus smiling down at me.
"Hey there Nava, how is Cloudsdale working for you?" RD greeted me with a grin.
I again groaned, trying to grab my hat that was lying beside me. "Oh, hey there, Dash... didn't know I would meet you here in Cloudsdale with such a... loud greeting. What brings you here anyway?" I greeted back with a blank tone as I sat myself upright.
Dash was about to respond when a waiter from the cafe suddenly came up to her.
"Miss would you kindly STOP scaring our guests with that small thunder cloud of yours? If nothing else I would suggest that you either leave or I will call the guards if you continue causing more trouble around here." The stallion waiter announced, which was accompanied by a lot of agreements by the guests as well.
RD dropped her head as she jumped off her cloud, sheepishly apologizing to both the waiter and the guests.
Luckily for her the waiter accepted her apology as he turned around and went back into the cafe to continue his job.
"The youth nowadays." I heard him mutter as he disappeared back from where he came.
I looked over to Dash who was rubbing the back of her neck with a sheepish smile on her muzzle.
"Not really the best of entrances huh?" She asked.
Voices resounded from the patrons, "Gee! You THINK?!"
I stood up and shook my head at her question." Nope...nope it wasn't. It would have been a bit better if I was the only one around...though I would prefer that you don't scare me like that again." I commented. "Also I have iced tea stuck in my fur and... jacket." I added while looking down at my drenched chest.
"Well yeah... sorry about that." Dash apologized sheepishly.
I simply shook my head and eventually gave her a small smile to lift her spirits while holding out my hoof to her for a hoof bump. She quickly took it as she began to smile as well.
"So, what brings you here to Cloudsdale anyway dash?" I asked after the brohoof.
"Not much really, besides having to bring some papers over to the central weather office of Equestria to confirm that I am too enlisted as the captain of Ponyville's weather team and what not." she answered.
I nodded. "So wait, you didn't start right away to be the new weather captain?" I ask.
Dash simply shook her head. "Nope, there is a lot of paperwork involved first before I can fully take that position. A lot of boooooring paperwork." She confirmed with bored tone.
I again simply nodded until Cloud Chaser's voice suddenly came up.
"Flirting with Dash now, are we Nava?" Cloud Chaser teased with a smug smile.
I groaned at that while Rainbow simply raised an eyebrow at Cloud Chaser as she giggled.
"Are you going to EVER stop doing that?" I asked annoyed.
"Nope." She simply responded with a grin, making me facehoof.
"You seem to have quite the life with these two." RD commented.
"You could say that." I answered casually.
Cloud Chaser simply chuckled as she suddenly pulled me close to her "Oh, don't be like that. Sure I can be annoying sometimes, but it's all in good fun. We all like you, especially me." Cloud comment with a playful smirk at the end.
I again blushed from the sudden body contact and suggestive comment, especially now that a whole city full of ponies can see and hear that too.
Bloody Cloud, seems to be her mission to make me feel as awkward or embarrassed as possible. Or both. Seriously one day she is going to be the death of me.
"Pffff...Virgins." Dashi commented which Cloud Chaser could only agree on with a nod which only made my situation just that much less pleasant as I simply hung my head in shame at this point.
Flitter again came to the rescue. "What are you two doing now?" She asked as she trotted up to us, with Rain Coat in tow.
"Nothing much, just talking with RD here." Cloud Chaser answered.
Flitter simply looked at my defeated look before looking back at her sister flatly.
"Uh huh. Sure." She responded with a deadpan look.
"Anyway, I'm just here to say that me and Rain Coat are going to do something important, which means I can't continue with the tour with you Nava. I am sorry." Flitter explained while giving me a sorry look.
I raised my head a bit to look at her. "Oh well... that's fine Flitter, really. If it is something important then go for it." I answered her sincerely while giving her a sad smile.
She smile as well before turning towards her sister. "Keep an eye on him Cloud and DO NOT do anything stupid while I am gone." Flitter said with a stern look.
Cloud simply rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Stop branding me as an idiot. I am childish, yes, I will admit that freely, but NOT an idiot Flitter" Cloud retorted.
At this point I realized that she was still holding me, as she accidentally shouted into my ear, which made me cringe.
I wanted to move or say something but I knew for a fact that I shouldn't get in between two arguing siblings, especially when it's none of my business.
So I just have to keep myself sandwiched between these two... because why the heck not.
Flitter sighed. "Alright, alright. Fine... I know you're not an idiot, Cloud. But... but please don't drag Nava over here into something that he doesn't want to be dragged into." She finally said.
"Yes, yes, I know. I won't, I promise sis." Cloud replied. "Also sorry for yelling at you too." She quickly added as she lowered her ears in sadness.
"It's ok sis, I am sorry too for always branding you as a moron. It's just... it's just that you get me irritated so easily sometimes because of your antics... and I just get so mad. Again, I am sorry too. I suppose we're both at fault sometimes." Flitter apologized while she lowered her head as well.
The other 3 of us, Me, Dash, and Rain Coat simply stood there in silence as this was taking place. It was sweet, but also awkward as all hell. Especially for me because I was literally in the center of it.
But I could also feel the emotion of these two and also kind of understood it. They might be sisters but they are also two completely different ponies as well, with their own ways of doing things, their own personality their own thoughts and feelings. So a disagreement between these two is pretty obvious and common. Especially with siblings having such a strong contrast like them.
It's beautiful to know that despite their many, many disagreements and differences they are still sticking it through, thick and thin. That's sibling love for you right there.
"Uh... Cloud? You are still... holding me." I finally point out while also trying to break the silence.
"Huh? Oh yeah, right... sorry there." Cloud responded sheepishly before finally letting me go.
"Well, anyway, me and Rain have to go somewhere now. Stay safe you two. I guess I see you two back home, then?" Flitter suddenly announced as she and Rain quickly turned around and left.
I watched as those two slowly disappeared into the crowd, leaving me, Cloud Chaser, and Dash still standing in front of the Cafe.
"Do you two do this a lot?" Dash finally asked while rubbing the back of her neck.
"Not really, just occasionally. But overall we are mostly good with one another." Cloud Chaser answered while still looking at the direction her sister disappeared to.
A question formed in my head after that. "Wait... what exactly are Flitter and Rain doing exactly? What were the three of you talking about earlier?" I ask curiously after I regained my composure.
Cloud simply snorted. "Well, it's nothing UBERLY important if that is what you are thinking. As good as I know these two they are probably just going to go do some mare stuff, if you catch my drift. Same goes with the conversation we had earlier with a bit of weather factory stuff sprinkled in between." Cloud answered while shaking her head at that.
I scratched my chin. "Ok, but how come you didn't join her as well then?" I ask.
Cloud Chaser simply gave me a "Are you serious?" kind of look which pretty much did the job of remedying my curiosity.
"Right...tomcolt." I muttered to myself which cloud seemed too noticed.
She raised an eyebrow at that." Tomcolt? Why in Equestria would you think I'm a tomcolt? I might not act like you typical mare but I am also no tomcolt...I...I am just not interesting in all this filly stuff like most others." She answered before looking away from me.
Odd?
"In fact if you want a tomcolt we got one right here with us." She quickly added while smirking over at RD.
"Excuse me? I not that much of a tomcolt either, I might act and behave like one but I am not completely clotish and you know it." RD protested with a flat look.
"Ah yes...I remember now, I remember having seen you once secretly playing around with makeup in the mares bathroom back in our highschool years." Cloud said with a grin on her face.
Dash's expression went wide at an instant as a faint blush formed on cheeks. "I... Have no idea what you are talking about." She casually tried to answer, which only made Cloud giggle and me suspicious.
All information I didn't really need... but still interesting to know.
"Well, anyway what now?" RD asked trying to switch the subject.
"Continue with the tour?" I suggested, shrugging.
Cloud Chaser looked thoughtful for a moment before an invisible light bulb seemed to go up inside the mare's head.
"Oh! I know where we could go, since Flitter isn't here anymore." Cloud announced with a smile, a smile that somehow creeps me out a bit since I already have a somewhat good understanding on what is going on inside this mare's mind.
"Uh...what is it then?" I carefully asked.
RD nodded, also feeling interested in what Cloud had to offer. "Hey, is it ok if I tag along with you two?" She asked. "I've got nothing better to do now anyway, since all of my paperwork crap is done." she added
Cloud smiled and nodded. "Sure why not? The more the merrier." She responded. "Just follow me, then. it's actually quite a ways away, we could just FLY but one of the THREE of us doesn't have any wings so we have to take the long way then." She added with an emphasis on me as she started to trot off.
I quickly began to follow her, not because I wanted to, but mostly because I didn't want to be left alone in a city I had no knowledge about traversing.
"Hey wait! Cloud... wait!" I called out galloping towards her, with Rainbow Dash just lazily hovering next to me.
...................................................................................................
"Hair"
"Hare"
"Book"
"Buch"
"Sunglasses"
"Sonnenbrille"
"Hmm... how about... Tits."
"Oh... uh... Titten"
"Can you say this in Germane? 'Hey Applejack? You are the slowest runner in all of Ponyville.'"
"Uh... ok. Hey Applejack? Du bist die langsamste Lauferin in ganz Ponyville" I translated for her as we continued our trek through the busy streets.
Dash began to rub her head after that as she tried to say what I said... and failing horribly in the pronunciation. "Hey, can you just write that down for me? I got to memorize that and get the pronunciation down, right?" She asked while looking at me.
"Uh... sure, why not? But I don't carry a pen or paper with me, sadly." I respond.
"You mean pencil and paper?" She question in which I nod my head.
Note to self, Equestrians only use pencils and quills.
"Is that really Germane, what you were speaking there?" Cloud suddenly asked as she's up on front while looking over her shoulder.
"Yeah, it is." I confirmed with a nod.
"So many weird sounding languages in the world." I heard Cloud mutter as she looked back in front.
"Even more true in my world where almost every country speaks its own language." I thought to myself as the three of ours rounded a corner.
"Oh hey look! Cloudsdale Colosseum is right there in the distance." RD suddenly announced while pointing her hoof in a general direction.
I followed her gaze, and wouldn't you know it, she was right. Right behind the roofs of some long warehouse looking structures to our right where the upper structures of what I could only describe as a cloud-made version of the colosseum in Rome, only complete and not a ruin, of course.
I again feel myself fascinated with the idea that all of it was basically made out of clouds and clouds alone. Maybe not so much of the interior if Cloud and Flitter's home was anything to go by but still very impressive nonetheless.
Heck, I'm still very much impressed that I can walk and stand on these bloody things. These are all just clouds, CLOUDS.
"Hey Nava watch out or you are going to-" RD began before something hard and solid suddenly impacted the side of my face.
I groaned in pain as I was forced to fall down onto my flank after the impact. The laughter of both Cloud and Dash filling my ears as I sat there rubbing the aching part of supposedly handsome looking pony face.
"Hahahahah, see I told you, I told you that spacing out like that is eventually going to get you hurt. Oh Celestia that was hilarious." RD comment in between laughs.
"What the heck did I hit anyway?" I thought to myself as I began to look back ahead of me. My face shifted to a deadpan expression as I spotted a black colored Victorian style street lamp with a small dent on the middle.
Oh....
"That was... dumb of me." I commented to no one in particular as the laughter of both RD and Cloud still echoed around me.
"Yes... yes it was." Cloud commented as her laughter calmed down to just a few chuckles.
I should really stop spacing out while walking, or at least stop first before doing so.
"Anyway... need a hoof?" Cloud ask as she held out her hoof for me.
I nod as I reached out and grabbed her hoof with my own while still rubbing my sour face.
"At least nobody here has notice this, everybody seems to just mind there owns business." I thought as I was pulled back up on all fours.
"Hey, you're quite hilarious there Navi. Perhaps I should come give you a visit more often for some good laughs." RD commented with a grin.
I just rolled my eyes at her annoyedly before I realized the nickname she just gave me.
I raised my eyebrows while she simply smirked. I was about to ask her when Cloud suddenly yanked me from the side.
"Come on, we're just burning daylight standing here." Cloud announced as she quickly grabbed and dragged me by my leg.
RD simply shook her head as she followed the two of us.
...................................................................................................
"Alright... here it is." Cloud Chaser announced after a full 30 minutes of more walking.
I looked to where she was pointing and was immediately greeted with a large Greek temple-like building with large columns surrounding the outside of the structure, one area seeming to be under some renovating as well because of the scaffolding and workers running around on it.
At first I thought that this was indeed some kind of religious building until Cloud flat out told me what this actually is.
"This is Cloudsdale's largest public library. I do sometimes come here just to see if they are new books or even comics about "Path to the Stars" or "Star conquests" when sis isn't around." Cloud Chaser explain.
I looked at her surprised. "Wait... but I thought that you..." I began before Cloud continued.
"Yes, yes I know, highly unusual for a character like myself to actually like sci-fi stuff especially when I call my sister an egghead sometimes." Cloud quickly explained before she continued. "This is actually why I said earlier that we can finally go to a certain place with my sister gone and busy. If she knew that I am actually a huge sci-fi nerd and somewhat of a history buff too, she would never let me live it down, and we can't have that now can we?" She finished.
"Now you know a little secret of mine, DON'T tell this my sister though." She said while getting close to my face at the end with a serious look in her eye.
I nodded, letting her know that I wouldn't tell Flitter anything. She nodded as well before giving me my personal space back and turning back to RD who was still with us.
"Sorry if it's nothing exciting for you though, Dash. " Cloud said sheepishly to the mare behind us.
She simply shrugged." Ehh... it's fine. The one good thing about libraries is that they are like the perfect place for you to sleep in because they are so nicely quiet. Plus they got these nice comfy couches as well." Dash responded casually.
I scratched my head at that as a thought entered me. "So wait... Rainbow here already knew about your secret?" I asked while turning to Cloud.
"Yup... in fact she is the only other one who knew." She admitted before Dash jumped in.
"Yeah... it's the leverage I have to prevent her from telling everypony about the little thing I did in high school." Dashi added before giving me a serious look.
"By the way... tell anypony about that and I will break your flank." She threatened which I only felt happy to oblige by nodding at her.
She nodded back as she relaxes.
I sighed in relief before turning back to Cloud Chaser. "So, we are going to spend some time in a library, then? I kind of like that. Less hectic and more calm." I announced which made Cloud only chuckle.
"I bet it is." She said before leading the way.
I rolled my eyes as Dash and I followed her up the stairs and into the main entrance of the library.
My eyes immediately went wide at the scene in front of me.
"Holy crap... These bookshelves reach up all the way to the ceiling full of books, and the ceiling must be like 3 stories high or something." I commented out loud as I looked around the main hall of the library.
"Shhhhh... not so loud! Ponies are trying to read in here." A mare behind a counter to our left shushed while looking rather annoyed.
"Oops! Sorry." I apologized rather loudly which gave me another, louder shush from said mare.
"Ok I'll just shut up then." I thought as I simply held my tongue.
"So, this is how the great library of Alexandria might have looked." I thought as I observed the upper levels of the book cases, being filled with old looking scrolls rather than books.
Me and the two mares made our way over to the green Pegasus mare behind the counter as I noticed a few Pegasi flying about the interior of the library, taking or reorganizing books or scrolls.
"Hello excuse me miss but... is the latest issue of "Path to stars" out?" Cloud asked the mare kindly.
The green mare in front of us looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, let me go check. I'm sure I have some info on that..." She responded as she ducked down under the counter.
I heard some shuffling and the sound or crunched paper before the mare quickly resurfaced with a large list.
The mare smiled before looking back at Cloud. "Well it seems like you're in luck, the new issues just arrived yesterday. You can find them all in section P-A2." The mare explained while pointing her hoof in a general direction.
Cloud leapt in the air, pumping a hoof in triumph. "YESSSSSS!!! Thank you miss." She thanked the mare before heading off into the pointed direction. REALLY fast.
So wait... I am sure that a library of this size probably has some books about basic magic and equestrian history as well. This might actually be the chance I need to get myself up to snuff regarding my magic problem. Plus learning some history might not be a bad idea either, since I have loved history in certain degrees back in my world.
I approached the librarian before me. "Uh... excuse me miss but,,, where are the sections about magic and history?" I asked politely and quietly.
She again looked thoughtful for a few moments before she looked back at me. "Section M-B1 has everything magic related while section H-D1 has everything regarding history. You can find reading tables and couches in the center or lining the walls of the library." She answered out while pointing out the directions with her hoof.
"Thank you, miss." I thanked her before trotting off myself into the directions she pointed at.
RD hovered up next to me as I made my way over to section M-B1. "Hey, Dude I am going to crash onto one of those couches over there if you need me." She announced while looking down at me.
I looked up at her and nod." Sure no problem dash, I will be mostly digging my muzzle into some books anyway, so you don't need to worry about me disturbing you sleep." I responded with a smile.
She smiled back and nods before flying off into the other end of the library.
I sighed as I looked over the overwhelming selection of books that surrounded me. Ranging from basic unicorn spells to highly advanced combat magic to difficult summoning and conjurations. All categorized in alphabet and age. With some of the older tomes on the very top of the shelves.
"Well, obviously start with the basics. Let's just hope I can read and understand this stuff." I thought to myself as I began to pull a book out with my hoof and carried it over to a nearby table and chair to sit and read.
Let the reading montage begin... oh wait, I also need to get a book about history as well.
Well, great. I already forgot what section it is in. Back to the counter than.
...................................................................................................
"Cloudsdale used to be a large military fortress in ancient days? Never knew that. At least that explains the citadel at the center of the city, then." I muttered to myself as I read the history section of this city.
Cloudsdale actually has a lot of blood on its name according to these books. Back in the ancient past when Equestria was still very new and vulnerable it acted as a last stand defense point for the young Kingdom, guarding the entrance of a wide and stormy mountain pass and preventing raiders from the north or other invaders from sweeping across the lands. One particular battle even nearly caused the defeat and collapse of the young Kingdome when the more powerful Gryphon Empire at the time was expanding its borders and wanted to also annex the young Equestria into its empire as well.
The smaller and weaker Equestrian armies had suffered defeats after defeats during the war, forcing the reminding forces to retreat farther and father, eventually to the city fortress of old Cloudsdale for a last desperate stand against the Gryphon Empire. A battle that was simply known as "The Siege of Cloudsdale."
The Battle, according to these records, was fierce. A constant bombardment that lasted for weeks. The city was heavily damaged and beaten and its defenders were exhausted and their supplies were quickly running dry. They were at the brink of finally losing the siege when suddenly a relief army led by Commander Hurricane -one of Equestria's founders- finally arrived at the scene and managed to relieve the siege of the city. A bloody battle took place afterwards as bodies from both sides began to pile themselves onto the grounds of the mountain passage below. Eventually the day was won for the Equestrian side but still, the loses they had suffered were staggering. 35.000 of the previous 50.000 equestrians lay dead. Same for the Gryphons, 79.000 of the 100.000 Imperials lay dead as well, with the added loss of over 40 destroyed catapults, ballistas and the destruction of 10 airships as well.
It was a very costly victory for Equestria for sure, and a crushing defeat for the old empire at the time which eventually lead into its collapse a few centuries later simply because of the populace losing its trust and belief in their leaders and military which lead to tensions and instability within the empire. Not to mention outside pressures, as well as the resources of maintaining its armies were quickly running dry.
Basically this world's version of the collapse of the Roman Empire.
I shook my head at all this information. Who knew that Equestria's history has so many similarities to earth history as well? A lot of wars, famines and even epidemics.
Suffice it to say, Equestria's first years were nothing to look back to, it was plagued with problems and outside threats. Only with the later introduction of Starswirl the Bearded and the two royal sisters was Equestria able to stabilize and become the nation that it is today.
I closed the book and put it to the side. I massaged my forehead with my hoof to ease my mind from all this information.
"How long have I been reading here, maybe 3 hours?" I thought to myself as I began to look around for a clock.
None were there, obviously, but my inner clock still somewhat told me that it had to be around 3 hours at least.
"Man this Library is really big. The ones I visited a few times were just these small shop-sized places, so this here is really the largest book warehouse I ever visited." I muttered to myself as I watched ponies around me, collecting and returning books to their shelves or trotting around the desk, chairs, and sofas.
"Spend a whole hour just trying to understand what these magic books are talking about and in the end I just ended up even more confused with the whole concept of magic than before I started." I muttered again somewhat annoyed while glaring at the few books I picked associated with magic.
Who knew that learning actual magic can be this confusing? Or maybe it's because I originated from a magicless world and species.
I will never look at these open world RPG's or Harry Potter movies the same way again.
I sighed, feeling mentally drained for the day.
"Wonder if I can take some of these books with me." I wondered out loud as I eyed them all in front of me.
"Hey there, Nava. Done with your reading?" Cloud Chaser's voice suddenly came up from behind.
I turned my head and greet her with a tired smile. "Well yes... kind of... I feel mentally exhausted now." I replied while still rubbing my head.
"How about you? What have you been up to?" I asked, looking at her curiously.
Cloud simply smiled before showing me a book she was holding on one of her wings. "I was reading this." She replied while showing the book to me. "It's the next chapter of Path to the Stars I have been waiting for over 2 months for. Though, sadly, the next issue of Star conquests is still not out yet." Cloud explained.
I observed the book she was holding. It was a clear blue book with an image on the front that I can only describe as something similar to a Star Wars movie poster, with characters' faces and spaceships in front of space back ground with a large Saturn like planet on it.
I read the title out loud. "Path to the Stars: Cryet's return."
Cloud nodded before placing the book back under her wing. "Well, still have a lot to read through. But anyway, I think it's time for us to head back home before sis kills me for being late or something." She announced.
"Wait... where is Dash, anyway?" She quickly asked after realizing it.
I had a look of realization as well as I completely forgot about Dash since I started reading. "Well... no idea really, she said something about making herself comfortable on one of the couches around here to doze off for a while. No idea where exactly she went after we split." I answered while scratching my head.
"Oh, I see." Cloud basically answered while rubbing her chin. "Well then, we better look for her than if she is still in here. Don't want her waking up in a locked up library, even though it would be hilarious." She suggested as she began to trot off.
"Hey wait for me!" I called out while clumsily grabbing the books with my hooves and trying to balance them on my back.
"You can borrow those if you want. I can use my membership card for them." Cloud suggested after I managed to catch up with her.
"Well, to be honest I was about to ask something similar to that, but you already answered that for me. Thanks, by the way." I said with a smile.
"Don't mention it." She replied happily before we managed to spot the rainbow mare. "Really. Don't." she added.
"Well, that was easy." I comment as we made our way to Rainbow's sleeping form on one of the couches lining the library walls.
Both me and Cloud began to snicker at the mares silly position of laying on her back, completely sprawled out with her tongue hanging out of her mouth. A soft snoring sound coming from her as her wings were twitching from time to time.
I don't know why, but I just found this position and image of Rainbow Dash extremely funny, probably because of her tough exterior character, and here she is sleeping like a derp.
Cloud began to poke me on the side to get my attention and moved her muzzle close to my ears to whisper something.
"Alright, who is going to wake her up? Me or you?" She asked with an obvious amusement in her tone.
I simply shrugged. "Don't know, but I think you do it because she is still much closer to you than me." I whispered back.
"Well... true, I'll do it, then." She replied before looking back at the sleeping mare in front of us.
Cloud Chaser looked thoughtful for a few moments before a wicked grin began to spread across her muzzle.
"Oh, this is going to get her going." She whispered with an evil grin before she turned herself around and presented her rear towards the sleeping Pegasus.
Before I was even able to question her motives she quickly began to move the tip of her tail above RD's noise and tickled it.
Cloud began to snicker quietly to herself as RD began to stir and groaned in her sleep, scrunching up her nose in hopes to get rid of whatever was attacking it. With little success, of course.
Again I was extremely questioning about her idea, but decided to just keep myself quiet on the matter. At least she is not going to be furious at me when she wakes up.
Dash's groining and stirring increased as Cloud continued her assaults with her tail.
"Uh, Cloud? I don't think that-" I began before RD suddenly began to swat at whatever was assaulting her nose and accidentally hitting Clouds flank instead.
Cloud immediately yelped in surprised -loudly- which was finally enough to wake Dash up from her slumber. The first sight that greeted the blue Pegasus was a front row seat of Clouds... cheeks... as cloud was busy blushing from the sudden spank she got on her ass.
The reaction on Dashi's face was instant, her eyes went wide as her cheeks quickly took on a bright red hue as she continued to stare up at what I could only imagine as Cloud's full moon glory.
A thought that made me blush a bit as well.
An awkward silence dominated the area around us before RD was the first one to break it.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH WHAT THE BUCK CLOUD!!!" She shouted in panic as she tried to scramble away, only for her to fall of the couch with an audible thud echoing through the halls of the library.
Cloud also began to scramble away, only for her legs to get tangled up on one another as she fell down flank first onto the library floor with another echoing thud ringing through large walls of the building.
"SHHHHHHHHHH!! Be QUIET over there, this is a library not a stadium!" The librarian suddenly shush-outed harshly to our left, since her desk was pretty close to where we were.
"Sorry." Both RD and Cloud muttered in unison making me facehoof at these two.
"Well...at least life won't be so boring anymore with Cloud around here." I thought to myself afterwards.
Both mares eventually got back up on all fours while trying to compose themselves.
Personally I still can't believe that actually happened. That was really, really dumb especially for Cloud, and I guess RD can only agree to that by the glare she was giving her.
"CLOUD!"
"Shhhhh."
"Cloud... what the actual buck was that?" She whispered harshly.
Cloud smiled sheepishly while trying to get her blush under control. "Well, it... it was supposed to be something very funny... but went far south instead very quickly. But I guess... in the end it was just dumb." She explained as her ears dropped down.
Both me and RD could only agree to that as we both nod on her self-accusation.
"It was very dumb." I say
"Super dumb." RD said.
"And somewhat dirty." She quickly added which really didn't help Clouds flustered look.
She simply shook her head. "Look I did something dumb, I will admit that." She began. "But I think it's just better we just forget about it and go home, it's getting late anyway and I do not look forward strolling around the streets at night." She tried to suggest while getting back up.
I could only agree on that. "What about the books?" I asked remembering them.
"Simply, we just take them over to the front counter and ask if we could borrow them for a while with the membership card I have. Than we are good to go." Cloud explained before leading the way.
Me and RD followed her and did exactly as she suggested, we borrowed the books we had with us and quickly made our way to the exit. I was actually surprised to see that the sky was already semi-orange in hue, telling me that it was already dusk.
"How long did we really spend in there?" I question myself mentally.
"Well ,I guess this is it, then. Time for me to fly back home before it fully gets dark." Dashi announced while flexing her wings a bit.
I turned my head to her. "Well it was nice seeing you again too, Dash. Was still interesting despite the fact that nothing much happened." I say, purposely avoiding the incident from earlier.
Dashi smiles. "Yeah, it was nice while it lasted, still didn't manage to show you some of my tricks, though, as I promised. Oh well, I guess there is always a next time." Dashi replies before taking off into the air.
"Well, goodbye you two." She shouts before quickly zooming away.
"BYE DASH!" I shouted back while waving at her goodbye leaving me and Cloud Chaser standing alone in front of the large library.
"Well...that's that I guess. Come on, let's get back home and see what Flitter has dragged back home this time." Cloud Chaser suggested before trotting off.
I quickly followed her as the street lamps around us slowly turned on one by one.
Shit... I forgot, now I have to try and keep these books balanced on my back for the entire trip. Ugh, I really need some saddle-bags of my own in the future.
With that finally behind, all of the books I had on my back suddenly decided to fall off just to prove my point about the need of some bags of my own in the future.
I groaned in annoyance as I turned around and bent over to pick them all back up with my mouth without dropping them.
One thought coming to my mind as I struggled to place them all back onto my back without them falling off again.
Damn it! |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 12: Start of the Timeline (Re-edit) | /Chapter 12: Start of the Timeline
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Midnight Gear
"(Sigh) Really Nava, I would have imaged that after your first time experience flying in a Balloon that you would take it much easier than the last time." Flitter sighted while looking down on me.
I simply crossed my forelegs. "Well for starters, I wasn't prepared to take yet ANOTHER ride so freaking soon. Also, just because I already took a ride previously doesn't mean that I am suddenly NOT scared of heights anymore...IN FACT judging from my previous experience it just made me EVEN more wary flying on one of these unstable things than ever BEFORE!!!" I protested.
"So just leave me be, ok." I quickly added, feeling highly annoyed at the situation I found myself in.
Our pilot, Steam Tool, looked down at me with furrowed eyebrows. "Seriously dude, if you are so afraid of high places then why did you even travel up to Cloudsdale in the first place?"
I simply ignored him as I continued to sit silently in my little corner feeling more annoyed than worried that I was back inside this stupid Hot Air Balloon thing.
Steam Tool simply sighed as he went back to piloting the thing through the air.
I always knew that the summer sun celebration was going to happen, but I never imagined that both me and the two sisters would attend it as well. Well, to be honest, when you worked your ass off to prepare before hand and even break your wings while doing so, then you might as well go to make all of the work and trouble worth it. Plus I can't stay all alone at their home while they go off to Ponyville, that would be just... no... just no.
The rest of the week was... refreshingly normal, especially comparing it to all the previous days before them.
Cloud and Flitter eventually managed to get their wings checked and fixed up, which was great for the both of them simply because that enables them to finally do what Pegasi do best.
I remember how particularly happy Cloud was during that day. She flew all across the district and sending the neighbors complaining about it to Flitter. Silly mare.
Besides that little incident that (for a change) had nothing to do with me, the rest of the week was pretty normal, and honestly boring if I may say so.
Flitter did well to fulfill her promise in redecorating my room with all the things that a livable bedroom needs. A Closet, table, desk, shelves, and even a poster for the wall, and even rugs for the floor have become part of my new room.
I helped, of course, moving all of the stuff from the basement over to the main floor and to the room, but I was stunned to see just how well she and Cloud managed to decorate and furnished the room for me.
I was extremely grateful to say the least.
Besides that, nothing else happened. Just me trying to learn to tap into my magic with the help of the books I borrowed from the library a few days back. Suffice to say I was not going anywhere with it, to my utter frustration at the time. No matter what I did, no matter how much I tried to follow the book's instructions to the letter, I just couldn't do it. My magic was just untappable, at least on my own. And unsurprisingly both Flitter and Cloud were no help at all because of their Pegasi heritage.
But now I am here, again inside the damn gondola of the balloon, huddled up in my little corner feeling both sick and annoyed and on my way back to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration.
Which means I have to witness the return of Nightmare Moon in person and probably Celestia as well. Something I was planning to avoid as long as possible.
That also made me realize. Today is the day where Twilight gets kicked out of her comfort zone and send to clicheville for things that will eventually jump start everything I know.
This idea got me thinking. Since that I basically know what will happen in the future, what will I do about this knowledge? Should I tell them or act on the events still to come or am I going to sit by and watch things play out?
Because for one I am not afraid of diverting the timeline for better... or for worse. Which means if I do choose to intervene I have to be careful with how i do it, so that I don't make things even worse than they might already are.
Should I inform both Flitter and Cloud about the events that MIGHT take place or not?
At that moment the gondola once again started to swing, which disrupted my train of thought as I was forced to keep myself steady in my sitting position.
Cloud chaser noticed this as she leans her head towards me with a shit eating grin. "Having fun there Nava?" She asked amusedly.
I simply gave her a deadpan stare. "What do you think?" I asked back with a flat tone.
She snorted at that. "Gee, don't shower me with your overexcitement there Nava. Calm down before you fall off or something." She responded with another grin which made me glare at her.
Flitter once again stepped in. "Cloud, leave him alone. You know very well he doesn't feel very comfortable with it." Flitter said while hitting her sister on the head.
Cloud Chaser winched as he rubbed her head. "Fine, fine, jeez. Don't have to hit me so hard for it." She complained.
Cloud Chaser, to my surprise sat herself down next to me after that and looked at me. I was a bit confused for sure. I was going to ask her before she beat me to it.
"Hey... uh... sorry for making fun about you being scared of heights, dude. I really was just teasing a bit that's all." She apologized with a sheepish grin before she leaned in close to whisper something into my ears.
"We have to fix that though, one way or another. For one those private Balloon rides are not cheap and two those big wings of yours need to be put to good use as well. What's the point in having wings when you don't fly with them?" She quickly added.
I didn't want to believe her, but in a way... she was...kinda right. I am an alicorn, so learning how to fly was another thing I needed to do besides magic, and who knows, maybe having the ability to fly might one day even save my life or something. Especially when living in a city that constantly hovers over 2000 meters above the surface.
"Plus it could perhaps remedy my fear of heights in the future... just maybe. I wonder if RD can help me teach how to fly." I thought to myself.
RD for two good reasons. One: I don't really trust Cloud to teach me properly judging from her character and the way she constantly teases me. Two: Because Flitter has already once told me that she was a pretty poor teacher anyway.
Plus if i decide to ask RD to teach me how to fly i need to eventually spill the beans to her as well. I just hope that she can understand and keep the secret if i do.
"In terms of finding a magic teacher? Well, Twilight of course, if possible. Though I would have to be really careful around her when hiding my identity. She is by far the nosiest pony I know and if she realizes that something is off.... well, she will never leave me alone.
Plus, she kisses Princess Celestia's ass like no other, so if she ever finds out that I am infact an alicorn she is going to freak out, and report me to her mentor for sure no matter how much I plea or try to reason with her. Especially this early version of twilight.
A sudden poke to my shoulder brought me back to reality as I shook my head.
Cloud giggled beside me. "Spacing out again, aren't we?" She asked knowingly.
I rubbed my head to try and get the last few thoughts out of my mind. "Well, yeah... as usual." i said. "On the bright side, it gives me something else to think about." i added, optimistically
Cloud simply shook her head, smiling, before our pilot began to announce something.
"Ponyville in sight, everypony. Just a few minutes before touchdown." He announced.
Both Cloud and I stood up to take a look over the edge of the Gondola, and true to his word the small town is just below.
"Quiet the strong contrast between this town and Cloudsdale." I thought to myself the Balloon slowly began to decent.
"Well let's see if the timeline still holds true even in this reality. Oh wait...I think it does. That thing there in the distance looks suspiciously like a royal carriage pulled by two guard pegasi." I thought as the balloon finally touched down.
Let's see how my second time in ponyville is going to turn out? Hopefully less awkward and stressful.
................................................................................................
"So, what now?" Cloud ask after we disembarked the Hot air Balloon.
"You know what, we are supposed to help with the final preparations before the princess arrives." Flitter answered.
Cloud began to groan in response. "Ugh... why the hay are they making us work during holidays?" She said with her head dropped.
"I mean, look! A lot seems to be already done, what in Tartarus would they need us for, anyway?" Cloud complained while gesturing with her hoof.
I followed her hoof and, true to that, the entire town was already busy preparing everything, from Earth Ponies sweeping the streets, to Unicorns hanging up flags and banners all over the roofs with their magics, to Pegasi pushing clouds away and what not.
"Hey, guys! I see that you three made it." Another voice suddenly shouted from above us.
We all turned our heads upwards and to our surprise it was none other than Rainbow Dash herself who was hovering overhead.
She eventually flew down and landed right in front of us.
"Hey there." She greeted with a smile.
"Hey Dash." All three of us greeted her in unison, followed by the two mares chuckling while Dash simply raised her eyebrow.
After that it was Flitter to speak. "Anyway, me and Cloud have to get going then. We have to help with clearing the skies and hanging up flags and banners over the streets." Flitter announced which again made Cloud groan in annoyance.
"Come on, Cloud, lets go before our boss back in Cloudsdale rips our manes out when he hears from the rest of our colleagues that we were present during the preparations. And DIDN'T help." Flitter added as she trotted of.
"Fine, fine. See you two later, I guess." Cloud said in a defeated tone as she followed her sister leaving me and Dash alone.
"So, uh... what now?" I finally ask while looking at Dash.
She took a while to ponder on my question before looking back at me. "We could go to Sugarcube Corner, maybe see if pinkie has anything good on the counters." Dash suggested.
"What about those tricks you always wanted to show me?" I questioned her while rubbing my head.
She simply shook her head. "I'd love to, but today is a holiday which basically means I can be lazy. Plus, I need to reserve my strength later for the party tonight. I'm going to finally beat AJ in a drinking contest. So again, sorry but not today." Dashi explained while rubbing her neck awkwardly.
"Oh... too bad, then. But I understand." I replied while giving her smile.
"Well, that was to be expected, honestly. This certain info was never mentioned in the show as far as I know, but i at least can understand her reasoning in not wanting to work during specials days, I can still fondly remember feeling disappointing when i still had to go to school despite being a national day back where i used to live. I was or still am pretty lazy myself." I thought afterwards.
Dash accepted my reply before she eventually trotted off and beckoned me to follow her with a hoof.
I did so and soon the both of us were trotting along the streets of Ponyville.
The obvious difference that Ponyville had, in comparison to the first time I was here, were the decorations. Everyone here was busy preparing, even the little ones seem to be helping, as I both saw Ruby and Tootsie helping out their moms. Or at least I think it's their moms.
The fandom back then was never really that clear on who their parents were, but I can at least see the connection between Ruby and Berry Punch, somewhat.
"So... why aren't you helping out Flitter and Cloud? I thought that you are ponyville's weather captain now. Shouldn't you be up there with them?" I asked her after having spotted a pair of pegasi pushing clouds away above us.
Dash looked at me as we continued along. "For the same reason I already told you, and besides, who likes to work on a holiday anyway?" She responded with a big grin at the end.
I simply shook my head at her as we continued our way to Sugarcube Corner.
"Well, besides that I also wanted to..." Dash began before she accidentally collided with another pony when the two of us rounded a corner.
I was simple forced to stop and watch on as these two ponies tumbled about on the ground.
A small purple colored lizard creature stood opposite from me, also confused and surprised at the sudden event.
At first I didn't recognize the purple lizard in front of me, but then it hit me.
"Wait... is that Spike?" I thought to myself as I stared at him.
Indeed, it was none other than Spike, the little dragon assistant/little brother/son of Twilight Sparkle, which only means that the pony Dash crashed into was-
"What the hay, girl? Watch where you're going." Dash said which immediately brought me back from my thoughts.
"Well, I am sorry, but it seems you weren't paying much attention either." The second pony replied as she slowly got back up and all fours.
"Well whatever. I guess we're both at fault then." Dash replied also getting back up.
Yup, that's Twilight Sparkle, right here in front of me, with Spike behind her. Again, if only bronies could see me now they would probably cry out from jealousy...even more so when they realize that the first human who ended up in equestria before them isn't really a brony and doesn't give a dam.
It was than when Spike finally noticed me as well as he stared at me as well, I simply stared back at him as the two of us keep silent while the two mares spoke to one another.
"Wait...are you... Rainbow Dash by any chance?" Twilight asked while eying Dash curiously.
This seemed to remedy RD's annoyance as she started to took on proud stance. "The one and only. Fastest flyer in all of Equestria, at your service." She boasted while puffing her chest out.
Twilight simply gave her a blank look. "Right... anyway you were supposed to help clear the sky of clouds, yet I still see some of them and you not doing anything." She accused while pointing a hoof up at the sky.
Dash simply raised an eyebrow. "And who are you to tell ME what I should and should not do?" She countered with an annoyed tone.
Twi sighed before answering. "Somepony told me that she was going to be brash." I heard her mutter which luckily Dash didn't. "I am Twilight Sparkle and I was personally send by her highness, Princess Celestia herself to oversee the preparations for the celebration, and to make sure that everything will be perfect before her arrival." She eventually explained.
Dash simply snorted at that before looking at me for any comments or ideas. I simply shrugged at her and she sighed before opening her wings.
"Fine, fine, Miss Princess Pet, I will clear the clouds for you, then." Dash said as she took off to hover over us.
"Watch and learn, meine Dame." Dash said, using a little of the impromptu language lessons i gave her, "I will clear these clouds for you in ten. Seconds. Flat."
Twilight looked kind of dubious. "Prove it." She dared, narrowing her eyes.
Dash zoomed off up into the sky faster than I have ever seen her do.
"That's good, now that she... wait... Princess Pet? meine Dame?" Twi responded after realizing the nicknames which made Spike chuckle behind his claws.
Twilight glared at him, which made Spike immediately stop and whistle innocently while looking off the side.
"Hey, what about the other pony that was with her?" Spike pointed out, probably trying to switch Twi's attention to me.
Twilight took the bait as her attention switched to me for the first time. I simply smiled awkwardly at her which caused her to raise a curious eyebrow at me.
"Greetings."I simply greeted.
"Hello there, mister...?" She began.
"Nava... just Nava." I answered for her.
"Nava... what an odd name, not particularly pony-like at all." She said while eyeing me curiously.
My smile quickly faltered after she said that. "Gee, Twi. Great first impression there, judging a random stranger's name. Is this how you greet every new person you meet?" I thought as she continued to stare at me, mostly at my horn, as her curiosity quickly turned into shock.
I quickly started to feel nervous but before she could even ask or do something (knowing her) that she might quickly regret, Dash came back swooping down looking all proud and accomplished.
"See, what did I tell you? Ten. Seconds. Flat. Not a single cloud in the sky anymore." She boasted as she landed back right beside me.
Thankfully that quickly broke Twilight's attention on me as her gaze switched back at my companion beside me.
"Wait... seriously?" She ask skeptical before looking up, followed by Spike.
"Hey she totally did it. Just moments ago there were clouds, Twi. She really must be than the fastest Pegasus in all of Ponyville." Spike commented before looking back at the Pegasus in awe.
"All of Equestria, not just Ponyville." Dash corrected which made the drake nod.
"Well, okay, I have to admit, that was impressive." Twilight commented as she looked back at us. "But if you had the ability to clear the clouds so quickly, then... why didn't you do that before?" She quickly ask.
RD simply shrugged at that. "Just too lazy to work on a holiday. That's all." She casually responded which made the unicorn facehoof.
"Anyway, thanks for finally doing your job then, I guess... now if you excuse me I have other places to inspect as well." Twilight announced. "Come on, Spike." She added.
"Ok, Twi." He simply responded as he hopped onto her back.
Me and RD watched as these two slowly disappeared around a corner we just came from.
Dashi sighted. "Well, that was something new. Also, was that really a dragon that was with her? How the hay did she got her hooves on that little guy?" She questioned to no one in particular.
"Probably from an egg." I casually answered which was true.
Well this definitely went a lot differently from the way it did back in the show, I can remember that much. If my present alone can so drastically change things already on their own, then I guess there's no point in me worrying about altering the timeline anymore. I might have already done so with my present alone.
"Wait a minute... isn't she the Twilight Sparkle pony you ask me about a week ago?" Dashi asked as she looked at me curiously.
I simply shrugged. "Well... no... no, it wasn't her. the Twilight I was talking about was different pony." I lied and semi-not, for one good reason. I have no idea how i can explain to her how i know her and why. Also i wasn't really lying in the first place as well, because this EARLY twilight is somewhat foreign to me too.
"Well... ok, I guess it doesn't matter then. " Dash shrugged, to my relief.
"Anyway Sugarcube Corner, yes?" She announced before again leading the way again.
I followed her, letting my mind wander off again as we made our way to the Pink One's sugar dungeon.
......................................................................................................
"Hey Pinkie? You there?" Dash called out as she entered Sugarcube Corner.
Seriously though, when I first saw this shop with my own eyes I was sure as hell that it was literally a gingerbread house by how vivid and real all those candy canes and chocolate chips on the roof looked like. Imagine the disappointment I felt when I found out that these decoration where just that... decorations, vivid but not real. A part of my childlike imagination and fascination died right then and there. But luckily only a really small part.
I quickly followed her inside and was immediately greeted with a pink mare zipping all around the shop faster than my eyes could track her. In and out of the kitchen, up and down the stairs and vise versa. A very confused Mr. and Mrs. Cake standing on the sidelines as pinkie continuously zips past them.
I simply shook my head already being long familiar with pinkie's antics while Dash simply stood there imitating the Cakes' fish like expressions.
"Wha... what the... what the hay is Pinkie doing?" Dash asked out loud, completely confused on Pinkie's behavior.
"That's... honestly what we'd like to know as well. We just came back to the bakery a few moments ago and found her like this when we arrived." Mr. Cake explained after having shaken himself out of his confusion.
It was then when pinkie finally stopped in midair right in front of the four of us while holding a large box full of party huts in her hoofs.
"Wait, don't you guys know? THERE IS A NEW PONY IN TOWN AND I AM GOING TO THROW HER A WELCOME PARTY OF COURSE!!" Pinkie announced excitedly with the biggest grin on her face I have ever seen on a physical being.
Something that just send shivers down my spine as it reminds me of a certain... creepypasta fanfic I read.
The less said about that the better.
"Wait... new pony? What new pony...wait you mean misses purple butt me and Nava here just ran into today?" Dash asked while somehow not noticing the physics breaking stunt her friend was accomplishing.
Pinkie gasped. "You know her?" She asked in an overdramatic way.
Dash shook her head. "Nope. No idea who she is, besides being the Princess's personal pony pet according to her. We just bumped into her on our way here." Dash answered.
Pinkie gasped again, somehow louder and more dramatic than the first one.
Seriously what is up with her? Also, does the universe just sometimes forget that she even exists? She is still just hovering in the air with that box in her hooves.
"She is the personal pony pet of the princess herself? I didn't knew that ponies could be pets, let alone to the princess herself. THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING!" Pinkie declares dramatically (again) before her mood quickly switched back to her cheerful old self faster than I could blink.
Wait...what?
"That means I have to re-spell the front banner-"
"You don't need to do that, Pinks. Just add her name to it instead." Dash suggested. "I... don't think she'd take well to actually being called that." she added
"Oh. Okay, That changes things even more. Still, oooooh! So much work to do, yet so exciting as well! Sorry, can't chat right now gotta 'dash' and get the preparations done." Pinkie explained, winking before zipping off again to the kitchen.
"Well... that happened. Also, interesting to see what Pinkie was actually doing after gasping and dashing off from Twilight right after they met for the first time." I thought to myself as the others were still trying understand things.
RD was the first one to recover from the nonsense as she slowly massaged her head with a hoof.
"Just remember Dash, it's just Pinkie being Pinkie." She muttered to herself before she remembered something.
"Oh, wait. Horseapples, we wanted to buy something here before she disappeared again." Dash announced in realization.
It was Ms. Cake who finally stepped in. "Oh, that's no problem at all, sweetie. We can simply take your orders, since we are back." She suggested kindly before she placed herself behind the counter.
Mr. Cake simply excused himself as he disappeared into the kitchen as well, probably to check on Pinkie.
Me and Dash made our way over to the counter before she turned to me after having a good look at the sugar coated goods there were on display.
"So... what do you want?" She ask me.
I gave her a surprised look. "Wait... you're going to get something for me as well?" I asked.
Dash simply chuckled while shaking her head at me. "Well, of course. I can't just get something for myself and leave you out. That would just be unfair." She answered with a smile.
"Really? Well... thank you then, Dash." I replied smiling back.
"Don't mention it. I never leave those i care about hangin'." She replied as I took a look at the things that were on display.
There were cakes, cupcakes, cookies and donuts of varying styles and flavors to choose from, all of them looking absolutely delicious and over-coated in sugar, to be sure.
"Hmm... Cakes are too big, even the smaller ones they have for sale, so those are out. Cupcakes are a big no no as well, thanks to a certain... fic I once read. I am not really in mood for cookies so I guess the only choice left for me are those over-glazed donuts." I thought as I finally made my choice.
"I think I would have some donuts, then." I said while pointing them.
"How many and what flavor, dear? We have many more than just one." Mrs. Cake asked kindly.
I simply shrugged. "For how many, I think I'll just let her decide since she is buying." I replied while looking at her." For the flavor, I guess it doesn't matter, just surprise me." I added while smiling back at Ms. Cake kindly.
She nods before switching her attention to Dash. RD pondered for a while before replying.
"I guess I just take 5 cupcakes, same with the donuts for my friend here." She replied. "Also, just like him just surprise me with the flavor, I can't really choose." She added.
Ms. Cake nods as she started acting on our orders. Me and Dash went to a nearby table to the side of the shop and sat yourself down with Ms. Cake soon coming over with our orders as Dash payed her for it.
The two of us began to eat our orders while sometimes engaging in small talk about stuff that has been recently happening to the both of us. Just in general getting to know us better while sneaking in a few jokes here and there.
"I wonder now how the evening is going to go down now, with the inevitable return of Nightmare Moon tonight." I thought to myself as looked out the window to watch the slowly setting sun off in the distance.
Well only one way to found out than.
......................................................................................................
"Nava! Hey Nava, over here!" Cloudchaser called out from the crowd.
I sighed in relief as I quickly made my way over to her while carefully snaking my way through the sea of ponies around me.
"I hate large crowds, I really do." I thought to myself while almost bumping into a pony's flank.
That would have been awkward, especially when bonbon herself was literally just standing right behind her.
I hate large crowds for two good reasons, One: you can't really move through them without ever bumping or stepping on someone unless you are really careful, which can even lead to trouble or misunderstanding if you accidentally do so. Plus they are hot and smelly as well, when it's in an enclosed space. Two: they can get you lost or separated from whoever you happened to be with.
Which pretty much happened to me as I almost lost both Cloud and Flitter after we got the central plaza where the reveal of the princess (or more specifically Nightmare Moon) will take place.
Too bad these ponies don't know that, but I can't just also run around and shout that nightmare moon has returned and kidnapped the princess, that would just put me in a bad light with these equines and give me unneeded negative attention, at best. Plus Cloud and Flitter will think I am crazy, too.
"Now where the heck did Dash fly off to after our time in Sugarcube Corner?" I ask myself as I reached the two pegasi sisters.
I greeted them with a tired smile. "Please, don't run off so fast next time, you two know that I can't run so fast or for that long."
Cloud chaser simply grinned. "Well, it's not our fault that you are such a lazy flank when it comes to galloping. You should seriously workout more though. Could also become really helpful when trying to impress the mares." She said with a smirk and a wink at the end.
I simply shook my head. "No thanks, it's already uncomfortable enough as it is I don't need to have it worse."
Cloudchaser simply chuckle as the three of us began to face the podium in the front of us where the princess herself should supposedly reveal herself.
I say supposedly because I know the truth, which was confirmed when I noticed that Nightmare Moon's image was missing from the full moon above us.
Off in the distance I can see a somewhat distracted twilight on the front of the crowd with RD and the rest of the main 6 (seeing Fluttershy for the first time) standing further behind her.
"Oh, this is so exciting! I never had the chance to see the princess this up close!" Flitter announced, all giddy, making Cloud roll her eyes.
"Look who's childish now." Cloud commented with a smirk.
I simply kept to myself at this point just anticipating the event I know for sure will cause mass confusion and panic afterwards. And the worst part? I will be right in the middle of it. There are ponies literally all around me, anticipating the big entrance of their beloved oversized and incredibly slender sun princess.
Again, too bad they don't know what I am aware of. All I can do at this point as just watch from the sidelines and hope I won't get trampled to death later when "Herd Instinct" kicks in.
"Now I wish that I did learn how to fly." I thought to myself as the announcer pony finally came out from behind the curtains.
Here we go, I am going to get a full first person view of the show's first villain.
I should be scared or nervous about knowing this but for some strange reason I was calm and collected. Was it maybe because I already knew how everything is going to turn out? Maybe... but... I had a feeling that there was more to it than that. It was like... like...
"Welcome everypony to this year's Summer Sun Celebration!! This year her highness Princess Celestia has chosen our lovely town of Ponyville as this year's location the celebrations and grace all of us with her presence!!" The front announcer shouted, which caused many ponies to stomp their hooves and cheer in excitement.
I simply kept still and silent as my eyes were firmly glued to the podium and the curtain behind it.
"Let's all give a big welcome and thank you to the ruler of Equestria herself...HER HIGHNESS PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!" The announcer shouted which caused the curtains to open and everybody to go wild. Same for both Cloud and Flitter as they cheered and stomped their hooves in sync with everybody else.
But as soon as the cheering started it quickly died down as well, as no princess revealed itself behind the curtains.
I again simply keep silent as the seconds ticked by. They ticked... and they ticked... and they ticked. Soon a full minute had passed and everybody was still silent. Looks and whispers of confusion quickly dominated the crowed as nobody had any idea on what was going on .
But I did. My ears began to swivel back and forth as a sound suddenly penetrated my ears. I am not sure if any of these ponies heard it, but I could have sworn that I heard someone crying... crying and pleading for help in a really desperate and soul crushing tone.
"What the... It's... it's like a distant echo. It seems like nobody here can hear it, for some reason, which is strange because I can hear it very well... it... it sounds like a little girl crying. Why I am the only one who can hear it?" I thought to myself in confusion as I tried to locate the source.
"The...echo seems to be coming from..." I continued to wonder until suddenly from behind the darkness of the podium a figure slowly emerged into the open.
Everybody around me gasped as the figure revealed itself, and as I predicted it wasn't their beloved sun princess that everybody was hoping to see.
"Nightmare Moon." I heard Twilight shout in the distance.
"Wait... the echo... comes from her?" I thought again is I continued to snake my way to the front of the crowd.
The black mare on the podium began to look around the sea of ponies around her, before snorting and holding her head high.
"What? Am I not royalty enough to be cheered on? 1000 years of banishment on the moon and this is how MY subjects greet me, with confusion and fear?" She announced.
For some reason I have the feeling that I need to get closer, not because of her but the echo that keeps assaulting my ears. I need to get closer to hear it's plees more clearly and hopefully find out from who they are.
"Where is Princess Celestia, Nightmare Moon? What have you done with her?" Twilight asked while moving forward towards her.
Nightmare Moon simply chuckled. "Ah, so at least somepony remembers me. And don't worry about her, my little pony, because you will never see your beloved sun princess ever ag...." She announced before suddenly stopping herself as her gaze finally fall upon me for the first time.
I stopped right in front of her and looked up at her from the podium she was standing on.
The world around us seems to drown out as we stare at one another, the panicked whispers of all the ponies, the continued accusations of Twilight, all of it seemed to slowly fade away as I was solely focused on the mare in front of me.
"Please... stop... please stop... somepony... please help me..." I finally heard the echo though barly.
It definitely seems to come directly from her. I can hear it.
For some strange reason I felt calm, no fear, no worries, no nervousness like how I would normally fell in situations like these. Especially in front of an individual I know could just end me with one single thought.
I just glared up to her, never moving or saying anything to her as she did the same, though her expression was more out of curiously and surprise.
"Who... who are you?" She slowly asked. "You are... you are not like all the other ponies around here... you... you're different." She continued while I simply kept silent.
My glare intensified when she first spoke, replacing my previous clam demeanor with a hint of anger towards her.
"That voice... that little echo... this little girl is suffering inside her... she is doing it... she is causing her the pain she is feeling... how dare she tortures such a sweet helpless girl?" Were some of the many different thoughts running through my mind, those ones being the most prominent.
I don't know what is was, how, when, where, why, but something inside me was once again awakening. Some form of... force. Something I had never felt before yet also completely different from the one I experienced the day before I came to this world.
It screamed at me, begging for me to notice it... but before I could... it suddenly disappeared again. Whatever that force was, it felt.... strong, powerful, empowering even. What was it though? Whatever it was, it was too brief for me to fully notice at the time. Though Nightmare did, as her expression quickly morphed into shock and eventually in realization as well.
"That... that aura... I have felt something like this before... only... only when i was with... Tia?" She stuttered to herself in slow realization before her expression quickly morphed into one of rage as pointing an accusing hoof at me in anger.
"How could this BE? YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A UNICORN! EVEN WITH HAVING A SUCH A LONG HORN, SUCH IMMENSE LEVELS OF POWER ARE ONLY LIMITED TO-" She started to shout in rage before she suddenly stopped as an expression of realization came back at her.
The world around us slowly faded back into existence as the panicked screams and shouts of ponies suddenly assaulted my ears. I quickly shook my head to clear all these unknown feeling and thoughts out of me. I began to look around in surprise, surprise that the crowd that was here just a moment ago was being scattered, ponies all running away and screaming in panic.
Well, there's panic, and then there's... complete chaos. I mean, seriously, at least when a group of humans panic and run away they generally run away in the same direction before eventually splitting up, but these ponies just seemed to love running all over the place and even in circles with no rhyme or reason.
I mean I get it, panic doesn't need to look good or make sense because... well, they are panicking. But this is just comical on how they try to all run away screaming.
A tap on my shoulder quickly brought me back as I noticed that it was Flitter.
"What the HAY where you DOING just walking up to... to that mad mare?! Come on! We need to go!" She said in panic, with Cloud behind her looking not too well off herself.
I simply raised an eyebrow at her. "Go where, exactly?" I ask.
"...... Good point." She said in realization before Cloud stepped in.
"More so... because the stupid bitch is gone now, see?" Cloud pointed towards the podium.
True to her words, NM was gone, the podium completely void of anypony.
"...wait did I just use the term anypony?"
"Well..." Flitter began. "Still, anyplace is better than just standing around here. Who knows if she will suddenly come back?" Flitter explained before quickly trotting off. "Let's just go back to the weather office before stuff gets even more out of hoof around here and I do not want to meet that nightmarish pony face to face again." She quickly added.
Cloud Chaser nodded to that as she quickly followed her sister, leaving me standing.
A thought quickly entered my mind as both Cloud and Flits looked back at me.
"What the HAY are you still standing there for Nava?! Come on! We've got to go!" Flitter urged while beckoning me with a hoof to follow her.
I simply shook my head. "I need to quickly check on something. You two just go ahead, I will be back to the office as soon as possible, ok?" I announce before quickly running off.
"What the... hey! NO, NAVA! COME BACK! WAIT!!" I heard both Cloud and Flits call out as I galloped towards the place I needed to check out.
The Golden Oaks Library.
......................................................................................................
"Where was it again..." I muttered to myself as I tried to find the big old tree house that should normally NOT too hard to miss.
"Where, where, where!? Oh. Right here." I say after I finally spotted my destination as I rounded a corner.
I slow my gallop into a gentle trot as I made my way over to the closest window of the Golden Oaks. From the lights coming out of them it seem that the main 6 are there as well, probably discussing and doing the same thing as they did in the cartoon and standing right next to the window pretty much confirmed my guesses, as I could faintly hear the muffled voices of all the girls speaking.
I have no idea why I had the urge to come here in the first place. Maybe curiosity regarding the accuracy this world to the show? I don't know, what I do know is that I am here now, pressed against the wall next to a half-open window and eavesdropping on them.
"Maybe I can even risk a little peek and...." I muttered before someone tapped me on my shoulder.
I turned my head to see a panting Flitter and Cloud right next to me.
I just stared at them surprised, not having expected them to be here with me as well.
"What...what the... I thought you two went to the weather office?" I whispered trying to keep low from the mares on the underside of the wall.
Flitter simply glared at me while still panting. "Are you crazy? We are not going to just leave you behind while a previously believed foal's tale is running rampant around the area." Flitter whispered back with a stern look.
"Plus, just running off like that without telling us where you're going is not cool dude." Cloud added joining her sister's side.
I simply dropped my head. "Yeah... I know. I am sorry for just running off like that. I will be more... specific next time." I promised.
Flitter simply smiled. "It's ok. We were just worried, that's all." She admitted while rubbing my shoulder. "Though... why did you specifically run over here? As far as I know this ...well, treehouse used to be empty, for a couple of years now, as far I heard. Is somepony living in there now?" She quickly added while looking at the half open window above us.
I nod my head as I stood up to my hind legs and supported myself on the trunk to peer over the window above us.
"What are you doing?" Cloud whispered as she looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Checking on something." I casually whispered as I peered into the interior of the library.
I watched in silence as the six mares (Dash included) began to gather around a book, probably regarding the Elements of Harmony, when all of the sudden i felt something. A presence, a presence i have felt before.
I froze up as I felt i somehow recognized it. The same echoing whispers I heard earlier returning to my ears as a feeling of dread quickly envoloped me.
But... but that can only mean...
With that realization in my head I immediately jumped back on all fours as I followed my senses, a sudden sense of both urgency and anger driving me forward as I ran around the outside of the library.
This is not normal...something...something is off about it...i just know it.
Cloud and Flits were confused at first at my sudden change of character but quickly followed me as well, around the corner of the tree.
I immediately stopped dead on my tracks as I spotted what my senses were guiding me to.
The dark, shadowy entity of Nightmare Moon hovering above one of the windows probably doing the same thing I was doing just a few moments ago.
But for some reason...i knew that it was more than just that...far more.
I could once again feel an unknown force welling up inside me of the sight of her. Again, the same aura I felt earlier when I first stared up at her.
I don't know how or why I felt particular angry at her. It's as if another me was controlling me from the inside or something, giving me this drive, these thoughts and feelings.
The only thing I knew at that point was that I could hear the cries for help clearly again, fueling my anger and inner strength at the same time.
The entity above me finally seemed to notice me as well as it quickly turned around and flew off into the night sky.
"NO WAIT... STOOOP!" I called out as I tried to immediately give chase to it, but was quickly stopped on my tracks as a door suddenly slammed directly onto my face.
I fell onto my flank with an audible *oof!* as five mares quickly began to gallop out of it, followed by RD, as she was the only one who noticed me at the end.
"What the... Nava? What the hay are you doing here?" She asked as she hovered above me.
"It's currently too dangerous to stay outside. Don't you know that Nightmare Moon herself is back and has kidnapped the princess? Equestria might suffer an eternal night if she is not stopped!" Dash quickly explained as I slowly got back to all fours while rubbing my sore snout.
"Yeah I know... that is why I wanted to..." I tried to explain before Applejack's voice cut me short.
"Hey Dashie! What are you doing over there? Hurry up! We need you as well to help find the elements." AJ called out, which made RD look in her direction.
"YES, I AM COMING!" RD responded before switching her gaze back at me.
"Sorry there, Nava, but I gotta fly, need to save the whole world and all from a mad-mare with serious issues... I'll fill you all in when I get back. If I come back." RD explained, muttering that last part under her breath before she flew off, following her friends in the direction of, I would guess, the Everfree Forest.
I shook my head again to get rid of all those unknown feelings and thoughts. Cloud and Flitter came up to me from behind with worried expressions etched on their faces as they looked at me.
Flitter again was the first to voice her troubles. "Hey, are you alright Nava? You seemed... different back there." She asked, worried.
"Yeah, dude. Did Nightmare Moon do something to you when you two were staring at one another?" Cloud added, eying me worriedly.
I sighed. "It's ok, I am fine and no Nightmare hasn't done anything to me, so don't worry about that." I answered tiredly while shaking my head a bit.
Thought i hope she didn't because all actions i have been subconsciously doing we're definitely not something i would naturally do
Cloud looked skeptic. "Are you sure? Again, as my sister said you had a completely different feel on you for a few moments. Are you really sure you're ok, there?" She asked while placing a hoof on my shoulder.
I simply gave her a smile in hopes of easing their worries a little. It seemed to work somewhat, as both of them started to relax just a little bit, but still kept a somewhat worried and watchful eye on me.
"Do you think RD and the gang are going to be ok?" Flitter eventually asked while looking on at the direction these six disappeared to.
I simply nodded. "I am sure they will, don't ask me how, but I can feel it. They will be ok, so don't worry." I replied calmly to ease her fears.
I know that these six will be alright because of the show. But then again this is not the show and it seems that my mere presence alone has already managed to change things, even if they were just minor to begin with. Which honestly makes me worried as well, regarding the possibility of a different outcome entirely.
But again only time can tell that now.
I yawned. "Well... I guess that there is nothing else for the 3 of us to do than to just hope and see what will happen." I announced as a sudden wave of sleepiness struck me. "Let's just head over to where ever we are supposed to stay and hope that tomorrow the sun will raise." I suggested with another yawn.
"I guess... you might be right on that. All we can do now is wait, and I am feeling pretty exhausted as well. What a day." Flitter agreed as she adopted a tired look as well before cloud had adopted a look realization.
"Wait... Nava, why didn't you just go with them? I mean keeping a secret or not, you are an Alicorn, one of the most powerful beings in Equestria, which is currently in great peril by yet another alicorn. So why didn't you just go with them? They could really need somepony like you now." Cloud suddenly asked as she looked at me.
I look back at her. "Because even as an Alicorn I can't do anything. No flight, no magic and no real courage, remember?" I simply replied. "Well, besides some instincts that I can't control." I quickly added with a worried tone.
Both Flitter and Cloud simply stared at me in confusion at the last part. I simply sighed before turning around and trotting back from where we came.
"What is going on with me? These thoughts, these feelings, as if something inside me as trying to wake up. I just... lost control of myself...again. What is going on with my new body? And why?" I thought to myself in great worry as both Cloud and Flitter called out for me again, asking me to wait up as they quickly followed me.
"So many more questions and things to worry about, like the reasons why I had this urgency to come over here in the first place. Did I somehow sense that Nightmare was also going to be here? Did I feel it? If so, then what would have happened if I didn't? I know for a fact that something similar happened as well in the cartoon, that the shadowy form of Nightmare Moon spied on the 6 girls when they were trying to figure out the location of the elements.
In the show it just left on its own, but here, in this scenario, I just had the urgent feeling that I had to be there. Was Nightmare planning to actually do something horrible? If so, did I somehow manage to foil that by just being there? Did I unintentionally protect the girls from her?
I really don't know. all these instincts are just too unknown to me. Is this what being an alicorn feels like?"
I again shook my head to get rid of all of these ideas and worries as Flitter and Cloud quickly joined me, though they kept silent despite their worried looks for me. They could tell that I wasn't really in the mood for talking at the moment.
"Last thing I need today is to accidentally run into another pole or even a building to finish up the day. I am too puzzled and too exhausted for that now."
....................................................................................................
(hours later)
Deep within the Everfree Forest in a place long forgotten a huge amount of magic was suddenly released to the world, a magical rainbow coloured light erupted from the abandoned castle, breaking Nightmare's spell of eternal night and giving way to a new dawn as the sun finally rose from its near eternal slumber.
A certain group of six mares were to thank for this, the return of Princess Luna and much more quite soon. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 13: The Silver Wing (slight re-edit) | /Chapter 13: The Silver Wing/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
"What...where am I?" I wondered as I looked around.
Nothing but an empty, endless, black void greeted me all around I turned my head too. No source of light, no other soul, just...nothing.
Though my body was perfectly visible (for some reason). And looking down on myself I quickly recognize my pony body instead of my human one, though I seem to be missing my new jacket that Flitter gave me as I can feel my wings hanging freely on my sides.
"Am I dreaming again?" I wondered out loud, my voice echoing within the space of the void.
"Hello?" I called out again, the echo carrying my voice into the darkness.
"Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello..."
"Echo. Echo. Echo. Echo. Echo..."
"Sounds like standing inside a large underground cave, though this dream is quite the opposite of the one I had over a week ago." I muttered to myself as I continued to look around me.
I eventually decided to trot a bit, the clip-clopping of my hooves echoing off into the distance of nothingness.
"This is strange. If this is really a dream, then what does it mean? Why am I in an endless black void instead of something more... visible?" I thought to myself as I continued my ENDLESS journey into the dark.
Well, not really nothing; there is an obvious floor under my hooves, which is something. Though, just like everything else around me, it's black and perfectly merged with the rest that surrounds me.
I was slowly starting to get nervous. Dream or not this vast emptiness is unnerving, especially so when you are all by yourself.
"Hello?" I tried to call out again. But, unsurprisingly, I was met with no answer.
Now I was really starting to get nervous, even more so when the air around me suddenly got colder all of a sudden,as if someone had turned on the AC or something of that ilk.
Well at least there's another SOMETHING again.
I immediately stopped in my tracks as a sound suddenly made itself known to me. A second set of hoof steps, though much heavier and much more further carrying echo's than mine.
I slowly began to panic, whatever it was, it definitely sounded bigger than me! And judging how it was gradually getting louder and louder it was obvious that it was quickly moving towards me.
I wanted to run away as the memory of some of my previous nightmares resurfaced. The dreams where I constantly got chased down by a pair of menacing red eyes as I ran.
In fact this place looks and feels very similar to the one with the hidden monster constantly chasing me. Only without the sounds of heavy stomping and constant whispers and laughter in my ears.
With that realization in mind I was once again preparing myself for a mad dash back to where I came from (Wherever that was) but before I could even move a leg a silhouette suddenly began to emerge from the depth of the void, which quickly formed into shadow like apparition before finally stepping into the open.
My eyes immediately went wide in both shock and horror at the sight of the being that was standing in front of me.
"Nigh- Nightmare Moon?" I stuttered in disbelief.
Indeed, it was her, I don't know how and why she was here despite the fact knowing that she got blasted into oblivion 2 days back by the elements. But there is one thing I do know, she was absolutely livid. Her glare staring deep into my being, filled with unimaginable hatred and anger.
If looks could kill I would have dropped dead long before she even emerged from the shadows.
The seconds ticked by as the two of us simply stared at one another, or more liked glared for her.
"YOU!" She finally spoke with a lot of venom in her voice.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She continued while taking a step closer to me, on instinct I took a step back sweating bullets at this point.
"YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! MY VENGEANCE, MY PLANS. EVERYTHING!" She continued to accuse me as her pupils slowly became smaller and smaller from rage.
"I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU, ANOTHER ALICORN CAME TO BE BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE YOU BLOCKED ME OF MOST IF MY EXISTING MAGIC WITH YOURS, NOT JUST ONCE, BUT TWICE!" She raged on as she slowly moved closer and closer to me and me backing up. Her teeth snarling at me with every break she took from speaking.
"How is this even possible...how is she even here? I thought that the elements would have destroyed her, or at least contained her somewhere. What the hell happened?" I thought to myself as I continued to try and keep my distance from her.
Though, that didn't seem to work very well, as her much larger form and legs allowed her the close the distance faster than I could back up. Plus, I was also unable to retreat any faster at the current moment as well, as my overwhelming fear and Nightmare's murderous look prevented me from retreating any faster. Let alone dare to take my eyes off of her.
I was really just forced to slowly back away from her and stare at her soul-piercing gaze and hear her teeth-crushing snarl.
"ALL BUT MY PASSIVE MAGIC IN THE END REMAINED WITH ME BECAUSE OF YOU! I WOULD HAVE KILLED THOSE 6 LITTLE PONY INSECTS WHO DARED TRIED TO STOP ME IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU SHOWING UP AND BLOCKING WHAT LITTLE MAGIC I HAD LEFT WITH ME, YOU CAUSED ME TO FALL INTO THE HOOVES OF THOSE ACCURSED ELEMENTS ONCE MORE AND TEAR ME AWAY FROM MY HOST'S BODY AND ALMOST INTO OBLIVION!" Nightmare continued to rant on as her anger and hatred slowly grew to beyond unnatural levels.
"Wait... so... that's what I felt? This unknown force or energy inside me that night. I was subconsciously blocking her active magic with my more passive one?" I thought to myself after she pointed that out before another thought struck me. "So wait... that means that I was right... that all those feelings and instincts I felt were all aimed at protecting the girls. I was actually guarding the girls and helping them succeed by simply being there. But... how?" I thought again before the worst possible thing happened.
My flank suddenly bumped onto an invisible wall, which stopped me dead in my tracks.
"WHAT THE-? HOW CAN THERE SUDDENLY BE A WALL BEHIND ME?THERE IS NOTHING BUT ENDLESS DARKNESS BEHIND ME JUST LIKE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND ME! SO HOW THE HELL CAN THERE BE A WALL NOW WHEN I LEAST NEED IT?" I thought to myself in utter panic as I realized the situation I was in.
I was trapped.
The crazy mare in front of me slowly continued to close the gap between me and her, never letting her glare and snarl go from her features.
She suddenly began to chuckle in a very dark and creepy manner as an evil grin formed on her dark muzzle.
This can't be good at all.
"But I guess none of that matters, because you will not escape from me. Today your existence will end, alicorn or not." She explained before continuing. "In fact that would easily be a very welcome bonus, as I am in need of a new, much more powerful body. Once I have rid myself of you I will take your body fully as my own and plan my bloody vengeance on these pesky ponies and their princesses." Nightmare announced as her snarl quickly returned.
To my utter horror, she slowly started to charge up her horn with some dark, twisted magic, as both red and black tendrils and lightning bolts danced around it. Her expression once again was filled with overwhelming hatred and the unstoppable will to kill me.
With myself being trapped and with no way to defend myself I simply accepted my fate, I covered myself with my forelegs and closed my eyes as I awaited my inevitable demise.
This is it. I am going to be killed in my own nightmares. Since I ever woke up in this fucking world everything seems to be just hell-bent on making everything difficult for me. Again, why me? Fuck you bronies and your stupid fantasies of wanting to go to this place. I got sent to it as an alicorn who can't do shit and now I am going to be killed for it.
I awaited my doom for what felt like an eternity, but as the seconds ticked by a sudden scream of pain and agony suddenly assaulted my ears. At first I thought it was me before quickly realizing that it was rather Nightmare herself, judging by the voice and the lack of my own pain.
Out of curiosity and simply because there was nothing else for me to do than cower, I slowly uncovered my face and opened my eyes, only to be greeted by a slowly burning Nightmare Moon in front of me as she screamed in pain.
A strange beam of white light enveloped the dark mare, which seemed to be the source of her suffering. With my eyes, I quickly followed said beam to it's origin and was utterly surprised to see that it was coming from another alicorn standing next to me, or more specifically... ME.
To say that I was shocked and dumbstruck would be an understatement.
"Hey, you ok there? Seems to be I came just in time didn't I?" My other-self announced while giving me a sideways glance as he continued to fire the beam from his horn onto the dark mare in front of him.
It was the way his horn glowed that really interested me. I know how unicorn/alicorn horns glow, thanks to the show, and having watched actual unicorns do their magic as well, having an active looking aura around them whenever they used it. His horn on the other hand did not shine in an aura-like glow like you would see on others, rather the entire horn was just shining in this whitish bright light with only the spiral indentations of the horn being visible.
But that was quickly overshadowed by the fact that I was still just staring at another me shooting a beam of pure light at Nightmare Moon, which really confuses and somewhat scared the crap out of me.
"I... I... I..." I stuttered as a response which made my other self-smirk at me.
"Really, dude? I would imagine that you would at least remember me." He replied with a chuckle.
I shook my head afterwards as continued to stare at him completely floored out of my mind. "Wait... are you... the same guy who appeared when I was in that endless cloud-sea dream?" I finally asked.
"Pretty much." He simply replied before the screaming finally ceased as Nightmare finally disappeared in an almost blinding flash of light leaving nothing but smoke in its wake.
"Wait... how can I notice smoke in a space that is primarily just black?"
My other self finally cut off the... magic? From his horn as he fully faced me with relief on his face.
"Well that was that. Nightmare Moon won't bother us anymore." He announced while wiping his brow.
I quickly looked between him, to Nightmare's remains then, back to him and back again as a million questions raced through my head. One thought quickly took dominance over them all as I moved my eyes back towards the smoking remains of the Nightmare.
"What... what did you do to her?" I ask my doppelganger, which in turn causes him to look from the remains of the mare and then back to me.
"Well..." He began while rubbing his head. "I simply banished her forever from our subconscious so you don't need to worry about her ever again." He explained.
"So let's just leave it at that." He quickly added while smiling awkwardly at me.
"O... kay?" I replied suspiciously, before a thought quickly entered me once again.
"Wait...is this...my subconscious again?" I finally asked him.
He simply nods before responding. "Yup it is. You're dreaming again, in case you hadn't noticed." He replies with a genuine smile for the first time.
"So I was right about this being a dream then." I thought to myself while looking around once more before something else entered my head again... or should I say our?
"Wait... if this is my subconscious, then why does it look so...dark and empty instead of the bright and vibrant heaven-like scene I had last time?" I asked while looking back at him.
"Well, you can thank HER for that." He replied while giving a sideways glance over at the spot that previously occupied the mare in question.
"She somehow managed to enter herself into your mind in hopes of getting a new host after having been forcefully ejected from her previous one." He explained before his tone suddenly got bitter. "She was trying to erase everything, destroy what makes you you. Before I stopped her, that is." He finished while glaring at the smoky remains.
A horrifying chill quickly went through my spine after I heard that,only just now realizing just how dangerous my situation really was. Until he came along.
I looked back at him.
"Thanks."
"Huh? What?" He asked while looking back at me confused.
I smiled before rephrasing. "Thanks for saving me back there." I thanked him. "If It wasn't for you... well... I probably wouldn't be here to thank you in the first place." I quickly added happily.
My other part simply smiled and chuckled. "No problem at all, that's what I am here for anyway. After all, this is my body too." He replied in a friendly manner.
It was then when a question suddenly popped up. "Wait... who exactly are you, anyway? You did say in our first encounter that you were my more... well courageous side of me... but I know that there is more to it than just that." I ask while eyeing him.
"So who are you then, for real?" I quickly added which made his smile grow even further.
"Ah, so you finally want to know, then?" He asked with a chuckle before continuing. "That's simple. I AM actually your magic aura that resides inside you, I am, in fact the source of both your new alicorn magic and instincts as well." He answered happily while taking a prideful pose himself, similar to how Dashie does it.
I looked at him completely surprised out of my wits after he dropped that, thought after a while it also made sense somehow when you think about it a little more. Strangely enough.
"Well, at least that explains how he managed to defeat Nightmare Moon so easily." I thought to myself before shaking myself free from this sudden and unexpected information.
"So, wait.... magic is sapient, then?" I asked after realizing the idea that I was now basically speaking to my own magic aura.
He quickly looked back at me while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well technically no, it really depends on the source and what kind of magic it is, to be honest." He explained before smiling back at me. "Alicorn magic is actually one of them because they're so incredibly powerful and have large reserves of it, though it is mostly tied in with the consciousness of its owner, which means that I basically get my sapient... ness from your own mind, which is also why I share such an identical look of you in the first place, because that is just how your own mind imagines me fully." He quickly added happily before proving his point by spinning himself around to show me exactly how identical to me he was.
All of that information was a little bit too much for me to digest, as I simply rubbed my head.
"Well at least that explains that." I thought while trying to ease my racing mind from all this new info I was given.
"Well, anyway... our time here is almost over, I'm afraid. I can sense that you are going to wake up soon." my magic self suddenly announced which quickly snapped me out from my thoughts.
"Wait! I need to know something first." I tried to say as I slowly felt my surroundings breaking apart. "How am I supposed to access my magic... or, well, technically you?" I desperately tried to ask as everything around me was blurring out fast.
My other self simply smiled at me before replying. "Don't worry about that, it will all happen in due time. So don't rush yourself to much." He called out before even his form slowly started to fade away.
"By the way, just call me Silver Wing. You'll get the reference. Plus the next time we meet i will have fixed your subconscious world too." Was the last thing I heard before everything around me went quiet.
......................................................................................................
Unbeknownst to Nava. His horn started to randomly spark and glow during his sleep filled dreams. Both his Hat and Glasses being effected bu his magic, as they slowly lift and levitate in place. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 14: MAGIC!!! | /Chapter 14: MAGIC!!!/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
"Ugh... it's been a while since I woke up with a headache." I muttered while rubbing my head.
Really, it had been a while. Usually headaches like those a result of not getting enough sleep or having done some serious mental work the day prior. But since I had or did neither of those, waking up with a small pain in my brain was a bit weird.
Memories of my dream quickly flooded my consciousness as I continued to simply lay there with my eyes still firmly closed.
"Silver Wing, huh... how does he know the original name of the OC that I am now walking around as? Did he maybe get that from my memories?" I thought to myself as I slowly opened my eyes.
"Possibly. I mean, if he gets his sentience thanks to my own consciousness, then it's not too far-fetched to believe that he has some access to my memories as well. Or, heck, even all of them. I just hope that he stays away from some of my... darker or more private ones." I muttered as the first rays of the morning sun greeted my vision, including my nightstand lazily hovering next to me in the air.
"Wait what?"
I quickly did a double take to make sure that I wasn't seeing things and after realizing that i wasn't, I simply gaped at the small table that was just lazily floating right next to me.
In fact a lot of things in my room where just hovering in the air when I took a much better look around.
The large closet, the shelves, the writing desk on the opposite side of my room, the big chest that was placed right in front of my bed and EVEN my bed itself! The bed that I was laying on was hovering in the air as well with me still on it!
Everything that was not screwed on or nailed onto the walls and floor was hovering around my room without any rhyme or reason to it.
Including my hat and glasses.
I was absolutely stumped at this scene, which turned into full on panic when I somehow started to slowly float off the bed as well, while still wrapped around my blanket, obviously.
"What the? Why is everything floating? Why the HELL AM I FLOATING NOW AS WELL?" I shouted in confusion and fear while I started to flail my limbs around and unintentionally threw the blanket off of me.
Instead of it just falling down onto the ground, like I expected it to, it simply began to gently float beside me. This was the last straw, to my already panicked mind.
"OH GOD! DON'T TELL ME THIS HOUSE IS SUDDENLY HAUNTED!" I stated in panic while still trying to get control of my trajectory by using my wings as well.
Suffice to say, it didn't work as I lazily bounced off of the ceiling of my room, head first of course.
"Ow... bloody ceiling."
It was than when the door to my room was flung open as both Cloud and Flitter came crawling into the room along the walls.
An image of both mares in spiderman costumes flashed through my head, despite this confusing and rather frightening situation. Which honestly was a welcome thought as it eased some of my panic. A little bit.
The sisters began to stare at me wide eyed the moment they entered (or basically crawled into) the room, an expression which quickly set my panic levels back to normal... if that is even a thing.
"I knew it." Flitter began in shock. "I knew that... that this had something to do with you Nava. What the HAY is your magic DOING?!" She accused as she, just like the rest of the room, simply levitated in place.
I tilted my head in confusion. I was going to retort to her accusation when all of a sudden, out of convenience, the small table stand mirror that usually sat on my nightstand came lazily floating right in front of my face, giving me a nice front view of the panicked state that my face was in. Though it was not my own face that immediately made my eyes go even wider. In fact it was what was proudly towering above my forehead that quickly took my full--on attention.
My horn was sparking and glowing with light and electricity. In fact it was glowing much like Silver Wing's horn in my dream. Simply radiating this ominous, whitish glow along its length with only the spiral indentations on it somewhat visible.
"Well, at least I now know where my headache is coming from." I thought to myself in utter shock as I simply observed the small sparks of electricity silently dancing around my ever glowing head spear. Until reality kicked me back in the face, that is.
I visibly began to panic AGAIN for like...the 10th (must be a new world record) time this day as the mirror continually resumed its lazy journey across the room.
"AHHH!!! WHAT THE... WHY... HOW... WHY IS MY HORN GLOWING?! I shouted as I started to gently spin clockwise onto my side.
"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW AS WELL!!" Flitter shouted back as she tried to keep herself steady by grabbing the door.
"CAN'T YOU JUST TURN IT OFF?!" Cloud quickly added, by which point I was upside down.
I looked over to her as I continued to spin. "I WOULD IF I KNEW HOW!" I quickly replied as my ears suddenly picked up something with caused me to pause.
"Are those...screams i hear?" I wondered as my ears swiveled back and forth on their own, despite my current situation, and judging from the direction of the sounds it seems to be coming from right outside.
I quickly tried to flail my arms again to steady myself and immediately grabbed a hold onto the curtains next to me me when i had the chance and took peek outside the window to see what was going on.
What I saw made my blood run cold as the true severity of this situation quickly turned its ugly face at me.
The entire city, not just the room, not just this house, not just even this district that we were living in, no, the ENTIRE CITY was suffering from the same effects of my magic as me and the two sisters, as ponies and other objects all across the city were ALL slowly being lifted up into the air.
Ponies screamed in panic as they tried to flap their wings or even flail their limbs in hopes of regaining control, with little success as it seems.
Heck, even larger things like anchored airships or large cargo carriages off in the distance were also just lazily floating along the air within the anti-gravity field as well, with the ponies and the cargo on them soon doing the same, as some of them desperately tried to hold onto something.
Nearby foals, of course, found this sudden turn of physics quite amusing as they happily laughed and looked like where telling their parents that they were "flying" while their parents desperately tried to reach them.
"This is bad... really, really bad." I thought to myself before noticing that Cloud somehow had managed to make her way over to the window too and had the same stunned expression that I was holding.
"Fli... F-F-Flitter, w-we... might have a m-m-m-much bigger issue on our hooves than we originally thought!" She stammered.
Flitter quickly joined the two of us (again, somehow) and gasped at the scene presented to her.
The three of us simply floated there in shocked silence with only the screams of panicked ponies outside filling our ears.
It was Flitter again who eventually broke the silence in the room. "Nava you've GOT to get control over YOUR magic before a real catastrophe can happen." She demanded while looking at me desperately.
Cloud Chaser deadpanned "We may have missed that window already, sis"
I looked up at Flitter with the same desperate expression. "I already told you, I don't. Know. How. I have no idea how i'm doing it or how to control it."
"Well, you gotta try SOMETHING! this is YOUR horn doing this." She repeated as she also started to seriously panic as well.
At this point I was not only losing my shit but also getting frustrated with the fact that I had absolutely no control of my magic.
Why and How could wait for later. Right then, I needed to somehow get this under control before someone... or somepony got hurt.
Argh! If only those stupid books I read did more than just confuse the living hell out of me! Also the very first time my horn actually does something and its first act is to cause chaos and mayhem to everything around me. Bloody BRILLIANT!!!
At this point I simply threw caution out the window as I desperately tried to get my horn to stop, from hitting it with a hoof to banging it against the wall or any other hard enough object to just try and force my horn to shut up. All I got as an answer was pain, pain, pain, and more pain and even electrocutions as my own horn somehow managed to zap me when I tried to pull on it, which eventually forced me to hoist the white flag in exhaustion. That and I was just making my headache EVEN worse as my horn started to glow even brighter than it did before.
Which immediately made things even worse as everything, including us, got launched upwards onto the ceiling with surprising force... me head first of course, as if i didn't had enough of a headache already.
"THIS ISN'T WORKING!!! " Flitter shouted as she tried to push herself off the ceiling only for find out that she was somehow stuck on it.
"Oh you THINK?!" I replied while rubbing my massively aching head.
"Ahhh! Please...make it stop! This is getting worse and worse." I groaned as the pain in my head was slowly starting to get unbearable.
Screams of more and more ponies could be heard coming from outside as things were, no doubt, getting worse for them as well. A quick glanced out the window immediately confirming my fears as the ponies in the city, including everything else that was already in the air were also launched higher up from the city grounds before (thankfully) stopping again at a certain point.
Again, my fear and state of panic rose to new heights as things where really started to get out of control, same for Flitter who seemed to share the same thoughts as me. Or thoughts we would share if my HEAD WASN'T TRYING TO SPLIT ITSELF OPEN!!!
"Why... the... hell... is... it... hurting... so... much?! Please... make... it... stooooop!!!" I tried to think, but the pain at this point was gradually starting to be way too much, even for something simply as that.
At this point all I could do now was clutch my head with my hooves in a hopeless attempt to somehow ease the hammering pain i felt in my head. Sweat started to roll down my forehead as I ground my teeth from the sheer pain, my heart was thumping hard against my chest which really only added to my suffering as i could feel every heartbeat in my head as well.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
"Flitter we got to do something... anything. We need to somehow shut off his magic before it kills him... or anypony else."
"Well WHAT, GENIUS? WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? We are NOT unicorns!"
"Hmmm... Oh, wait! I GOT IT."
"Huh... got what, Cloud?"
"Just give me a minute... in the meantime, try to make sure that Nava doesn't explode or something."
"Explo... CLOUD, THIS IS NOT THE TIME!!"
"I KNOW! I AM BEING SERIOUS. Just give me a while, I need to crawl myself to the bathroom."
"CLOUD! THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO TAKE A PISS!"
"I'M NOT. JUST WAIT! I WILL BE BACK."
"Oh, dear Celestia... it's situations like these where I wish that I was born as a unicorn rather than a Pegasus. Magic is so out of my fields of knowledge or expertise."
"Please... make... it... stop! Ugh." I whimpered as the sparks on my horn finally became large enough to be audible.
"Just... just hold one, Nava... I don't know what my sister has planned...but whatever it is, it will help. It will finally stop all of this, including your pain... I hope." I heard the wishy washy voice of Flitter speak as a pair of hoof started to gently hold me. Only barely, as my sense of touched is being drowned out by the sheer pain i'm feeling in my head.
Even my sense of hearing was slowly losing its effectiveness as my perception of my surroundings slowly dies down. I wasn't even sure if I was still clutching my head with my hoofs or not, that particular sensation long lost within my conscious mind, as the only sensation I could fell within my own body was pain. Momentarily spiking even with every electric spark coming out of my horn which almost brought me to the point of just passing out with every time it happened.
The only real thing that kept me from just blacking out was the rational fear that I might never wake up again if I did, so despite my suffering I held firm...just barely.
"Come on, come on... where is Cloud?" I heard the impatient and desperate voice of Flitter say as I felt a pair of hooves gently holding me and stroking my back.
God bless her for it .She might also be the other reason why I am refusing to give up."
"I'm back. Sorry it took a while, crawling along the walls and ceiling isn't exactly easy with a bucket in your mouth."
"A bucket? Wait, you went to the toilet to get a BUCKET FULL OF WATER? HOW IN TARTARUS IS THAT GOING TO HELP HIM?!"
"Just... JUST TRUST ME ON THIS OK? I know what I am doing."
"Stand aside." I heard Cloud shout before i felt myself quickly released from Flitter's grasp.
The next thing I can recall was that a sudden FREEZING cold suddenly assaulted my body. I felt myself crash into a nearby wall by the force while at the same time the pain in my head quickly subsided (to my utter relief), though that got quickly replaced by yet another jolt of pain coming directly from my flank as I fell back onto the floor. Same with everything else in the room, by the sound of crashing and falling furniture and grunting mares hitting the floor of the room.
I immediately opened my eyes as I quickly began to shudder from the freezing cold water I just received... or I think it was water. Yeah, I think it definitely is water judging by my completely drenched coat and mane.
But better to feel cold than overwhelming pain, in my opinion.
Looking around again for the first time since waking up I could see that the entire room was a complete mess. Everything that previously was neatly occupying the space of the room was now scattered all over the floor, including the large closet that thankfully landed nowhere near the two mares who were still laying on the floor and rubbing their sore flanks and backs.
That though immediately reminded me of the rest of the city and all the citizens that got launched unwillingly up into the air as well. I quickly scrambled back to my haunches, fully ignoring the cold and pain on my body and flank, and peered out the window,fully expecting the worst.
Imagine the relief I felt when I saw that every single pony around the city that were previously floating around in the air had managed to quickly recover themselves after my magic stopped, as every single pony, including the foals with their parents, were all now hovering in the air with their own wing power or gently flying back down onto the safety on the streets below, much to the disappointment of the foals.
Thought the same thing can not be said about the rest of the city by the looks of it, as the streets and roofs were littered with the falling debris of everything else. One of the airships having even crashed directly onto a construction site, though thankfully the ship was empty and so was the area.
"Thank goodness that everything still worked out well, somehow." I muttered before turning myself back around to face the two mares with me in the room as they were sitting back up themselves.
"Wait... how... how the hay did you know a bucket of cold water would work?" Flitter asked while eyeing her sister curiously.
Cloud simply shrugged." Was just a hunch. Plus it kind of also worked with that one unicorn stud you used to date during high school as well, when you two were making sweet, sweet loving to one another in the mares locker rooms as he was having a magic surge during his climax by the looks of it. Remember that one?" Cloud answered with a cheeky grin at the end which immediately made Flitter flustered.
Me a bit as well, with the way she phrased it, and the images that suddenly entered my mind as well.
"Didn't really need to know that. Plus this isn't really the time either. Leave it to Cloud to constantly break the mood, either for better or for worse."
"Oh... yeah... I remember. That one where you suddenly walked in... and... saw that." Flitter stuttered while looking down at the floor, completely embarrassed at the memory.
I was somewhat surprised by this to be honest. Normally I would expect her to be shouting at her sister at this point (Or ME at least!) and not just simply sink down. I guess that this must have been one hell of an awkward experience and memory for her. Or she could still be somewhat on edge from earlier, regarding me giving gravity the middle finger. Or both.
Probably both.
Cloud simply nodded. "Yup... that was definitely... awkward. Needed to also cool down the poor guy before his DICK could overheat." She responded with a double wink to finish of her tease which made Flitter groan as she buried her face in her hoof.
"Oh, just SHUT it Cloud. It wasn't funny back then and it still isn't funny right now. So just stop." Flitter protested with a glare.
"It's from over heeeere~" Cloud sing-songed
As these two once again were discussing memories of their past, (somehow once again ignoring everything else around them...bless them for that) I was internally reflecting on the chaos I had unintentionally caused with my magic.
Suffice to say, I was feeling both guilty and scared at the same time, guilty for what I had caused and scared of the fact that I had absolutely no control over it and that it nearly got me killed as well, if the massive pain in my brain was any indication.
I so desperately wanted to blame Silver for this tremendous disaster, since HE is supposedly the very source of my magic powers... but... at the same time, I have a feeling that he had absolutely nothing to do with it and probably suffered just as much from this experience as I have.
Still need to confront him about this the next time when i have the chance.
I hang my head in utter shame as both the fear and guilt finally got the better of me.
"Sorry..." I whimpered, which quickly got the attention of both of them.
"What?" they said in unison as they halted their arguing.
"I am so, so sorry. This was all my fault." I repeated as tears started to roll down my cheeks which seemed to catch both mares completely by surprise.
"No... Nava is wasn't your-" Flitter started, but I quickly interrupted her as I glared angrily at her.
"OF COURSE IT'S MY FAULT! IT WAS MY MAGIC WASN'T IT?" I began as tears of anger and guilt poured down my cheeks. "IT CAME FROM ME, AND WORST OF ALL I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER IT! I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING! I WAS USELESS!!" I ranted on, in between sobs. "I NEARLY GOT A WHOLE CITY'S WORTH OF PONIES HURT OR EVEN WORSE BECAUSE OF MY USELESSNESS! BECAUSE OF MY STUPID MAGIC THAT I HAD NO CONTROL OVER!!! HOW THE HELL CAN YOU SAY THAT IT WASN'T MY FAULT!?!?!" I shouted before slumping back into myself as I began to cry.
I felt terrible. How could something like this just happen? Was it Nightmare Moon's doing? If so, how and when? I thought that Silver banished her permanently from my mind, so how could she possibly still have an influence on me? Did she maybe plant this before, right after she got defeated and kicked out? I don't know... plus at the same time it just doesn't matter because for one it already happened and I was surely going to get in HUGE trouble for it, getting kick out of town, locked up, hunted or WORSE..
"First time ever using my magic and I nearly caused a city wide disaster with it. This is so stupid and unfair. why the hell was I even turned into an Alicorn in the first place? Why not a simple Unicorn or a Pegasus? Or even better, why the hell was I even sent to equestria at ALL?! What is the point? What is my reason to be here? And why can't I remember anything beyond that point?! Why? Why!? WHY!?" I ranted on in my mind as I continued to cry about my experience and situations I was in when all of a sudden something warm and fuzzy enveloped my trembling form.
When I looked up I saw that it were Flitter and Cloud, both embracing me tightly as they both bore pure expression of sympathy and sadness for me.
That show of pure sympathy and care was what finally broke the little resistance I had left in me as I allowed all of my feelings to get loose, crying freely against Cloud's chest as both she and Flitter started to gently stroke my head and back to help me along, with Cloud even humming soft melody gently into my ear. A great surprise for sure, especially coming from a pony like HER. But at least it did the job of calming me down as my tears slowly started die down.
That melody though... could it be some kind of lullaby? It's so... calming and... relaxing.
We three simply stayed like this together for a few more minutes, embracing one another on the floor before the two sisters finally broke off.
I wiped any remnant tears off my eyes and finally lifted my head and again was genuinely surprised to see that both mares also had tears staining their cheeks as well.
Both Cloud and Flitter gave me sad but again, sympathetic smiles. Flits was the first one to break the sad silence.
"Feeling any better now?" She asked genuinely while wiping a few tears away herself.
I nodded giving her a sad smile before I felt Cloud place a hoof on my shoulder.
"Always remember dude, we are here for you. I know that it might be a bit early to say that but..." Cloud began as she looked over to her sisters for some form of confirmation, Flitter nods before both of them looked back at me with warm genuine smiles before Cloud continued. "...We have accepted you already, as part as our lives and family, and as family we always stick together and support each other as much we can, no matter what. That includes you as well, Nava. So never EVER forget... that you are not alone in this. That you have ponies ready to help you and ready to stand by your side whenever hardship comes to haunt you." She finished as i stared at both of them in utter disbelief. I just hope emotional but at the same time serious her speech was.
I was utterly touched as a new set of tears quickly swelled up within my eyes, not tears of fear and guilt, but tears of happiness.
"Th-thanks... you two. This? You have no idea... how much this means for me... really." I replied as I tried my best to keep my tears to a minimum this time.
"Think nothing of it." Flitter replied with a warm smile and even a nuzzle, which immediately made me blush.
Flitter and Cloud simply giggled at my reaction, to which I surprisingly joined as a chuckle escaped my lips as well, which turned into a full on fit of laughter between the three of us, which was a welcome change after everything that had happened today so far.
My own laughter, though, soon died down as the memories of what happened today took center stage once more as I looked back down into my hooves.
"Hey, Nava? What's wrong?" Flitter asked after realizing my sudden switch of mood.
I looked back up to answer her. "Again, I am so, so sorry for everything that has happened today." I began before looking back down as I sighed. "I am probably a real ha-hoofful for the two of you." I said in a sad tone.
Cloud simply giggled at that, to my complete surprise, as I looked at her. "To be honest, not really. In fact..." She paused dramatically before continuing. "Your presence has made our life much more... well, interesting I think is the right term." She finished before Flitter took over the rest.
"Yes... having an awkward, shy, but still very kind and friendly Alicorn around is actually quite the interesting and, I dare say, pretty adventurous experience. Our lives were pretty normal and formulaic until you came along. So... no. No you are not a hoofful. Maybe a little bit difficult at times. but overall you make life so much interesting for us by just being you." Flitter explained.
I again began to smile after hearing that, removing any signs of seconds thoughts from me. "Again, thank you for... sticking through with me... you two have been nothing but loyal, kind and supportive since the day we met. There's probably no better pair of ponies that anybody could possibly ask for than you two." I replied happily as any negative feelings I had quickly and permanently disappeared from me.
Both Flitter and Cloud nodded as they both finally got back up on all fours. I was about to get up myself when Cloud suddenly presented something to me.
"Need your Hat and glasses? They were actually lying just behind me after we all landed back onto the floor." She offered.
I nodded as I took both items from her and gave her a thankful smile after placing them all to their respected places.
"Well..." Flitter began with a sigh. "Looks like we have A LOT of cleaning up to do now. This is going to be fun." She announced with a groan as she looked around the room.
I quickly joined the two as I did the same, though with a smile on my face as I thought about the obvious close bond me and the two mares somehow managed to forge between us after such a short amount of time.
"I don't know why it took me this long and an almost disastrous... well, disaster to see that... but better late than never, i guess. "
"Well... it might be a lot of work, but I am sure the three of us can pull it off, no problem." I announced while looking at between them.
Flitter nodded as she smiled back. "You're right. If we put our hooves together, all of this and the rest of the house will be fixed in no time." She agreed as Cloud joined in as well.
"Well, than what are we waiting for, then? You two do the work while I supervise." Cloud announced with a grin which made flitter and I roll our eyes.
"Cloud Chaser!" Both me and Flitter shouted in unison, which in the end just made all three of us chuckle.
"Just kidding! I'll help too." Cloud said, and we three did a hoof-bump
"Well... let's get to work, then." Flitter announced as she positioned herself in front of the larger closet.
Cloud and I got the hint as we both positioned ourselves right next to her before digging our hooves under the closet before lifting and eventually pushing it back into place.
"I am 100% positive that what happened today will certainly get noticed by the government, AKA the princesses themselves." I thought to myself after pushing my bed back the where it belongs.
"Though, I think that I still have some time to figure out what to do until then, since Canterlot is somewhat far away from Cloudsdale right now. For now I should really focus more on cleaning their -well, our- home, I guess. And we'll worry about that stuff when it comes up." I mentally noted as the last pieces of furniture were now, once again, in their proper places.
Flitter wiped her forehead as she looked around the now clean room. "Wow! this took surprisingly less time than I imagined. You were right, Nava! With the three of us working together this is going to be quicker than Cloud can fall asleep on the couch." She commented which made Cloud roll her eyes and me chuckle on that last remark.
"Again... let's just hope that I don't get found out about this anytime soon, because I am sure that then I would be marked as dangerous, which...would be a disaster, not just for me but for these two as well, and I can't let that happen. Better JUST me than dragging these mares along with me." I thought to myself once more as the three of us quickly moved to another part of the house to continue with the cleanup process.
"I've got to discuss this problem with them later. Also that reminds me... what lullaby was Cloud humming?" |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 15: Thestral Involvement (slight re-edit) | Chapter 15: Thestral Involvement
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
"Two days ago, a strange and abrupt magical anomaly almost caused a city-wide disaster in Cloudsdale." I read the reports out loud.
"Though thankfully no casualties have been filed besides a few bumps and bruises from local investigators and a lot of property damage. Though the populace was still in a panic even after the magical field has dissipated... AHH screw this! Such small pickings are the jobs for the Garden statues of the day guard and NOT the night guard." I huffed in annoyance as I simply threw the report files into a bin beside my desk.
"Pff... ponies nowadays, panicking at every little thing. Back in the old days Equestrians were much more hard-shelled and magic anomalies were FAR more disastrous than just lifting a bunch of crap into the air for a few minutes. Bloody ponies now a days don't even know how seriously good they have it now compared to back than." I muttered as I leaned back on my chair and rested my hind legs onto the desk.
"More ridiculous is the fact that such an anti-gravity anomaly happened in perhaps the BEST possible city it could occur. Some ponies, or should I say, Pegasi, still refuse to leave their homes in fear of getting lifted back into the air against their will! PEGASI!!!" I ranted mentally.
"But seriously now; back during the time of the old kingdom, ponies -or Equestrians in general- were a force to be reckoned with... more or less thanks to us Thestrals who taught those ponies how to fight in the first place. Home of some of the finest legions and armies the world had ever seen. Proud and strong, always ready for a fight. But since Princess Luna's banishment her sister, princess sun-butt has transformed a pervious professional military and magic imbued powerhouse into a nation full of scared little sheep who immediately start running away from any form of trouble and seeking the help of their shepherd A.K.A Princess Sunny Days for protection and advice.
Also bad for her, since she now has ALLOT more responsibilities and work on her shoulders.
How is she still sane after a 1000 years of doing that?
But I can kind of understand why she made the change in the first place. Having her diplomatic skills secured a pretty long-lasting good relationship with all the other nations and races and wanting to prevent showing her little ponies the horrors and hardships of war...and the past of equestria in general. And, to be fair, there a lot of other problems that cropped up, she did deal with them directly, without mercy.
But still, this action has resulted in making Equestrians soft and vulnerable, turning warriors into carriage pullers and namby-pambies! The worst example of that being the sorry excuse of a royal guard, who act more as palace decoration than actually guarding something.
Hardships make ponies -or whatever species- strong, it teaches them how to survive, how to take care of themselves and also has the potential to forge companionships stronger than any "Magic of Friendship" can do. One of the reasons why I eventually followed Luna into her campaigns and eventually became her dedicated and loyal captain.
And most importantly Blood sisters in battle.
If only these ponies here would know the truth of the cruelty and hardships the rest of the world has to suffer through outside their little kingdom paradise. Then, they would understand that the world is vastly more black and white than they like to believe.
I wouldn't be surprised to one day see Canterlot completely fall in the next invasion because the guards being unable to even pick up a spear properly, let alone swing it!
A 1000 years ago the night guard disbanded and eventually returned, and this is the Equestria we are returning TO? This is really just spitting in the faces of the Thestral Guard. We are warriors, not riot control." I muttered angrily as I remembered the shock I felt when I bore witness to the sorry-ass pacifistic state Equestria has turned into.
Makes me even wonder why the night guard was even re-enlisted in the first place. We are trained and bred for combat, not sitting on our flanks and pretending to look pretty.
Oh yeah, because of mistress Luna, the silly mare. I am very glad that she has finally returned from her 1000 year exile and that the darkness inside her has finally been banished for good. But... it's still such a shame that such a skilled and talented war-maiden is forced to return to a nation she will most likely no longer recognize.
Which also means I won't be able to join her in any glorious campaigns and battles anytime soon. More's the pity.
I sighed as I remembered the glory days of old, and the warrior bond the Princesses shared in the past. Also remembering our lady's orders, as she had mentioned to us today; She wished to go and investigate the anomaly herself, simply because there was no other pony more knowledgeable with magic anomaly than her.
But instead, she chose me to do so, at her sister's urging, for a similar reason.
"Huh... most ponies would think it's weird that a simple Thestral knows more about magic than most unicorns. If only they knew." I chuckled to myself.
"Well, might as well get this task over with." I muttered a bit annoyed as I finally got up from my seat and made my way over to the door to leave my office.
The guard stationed in front of my door immediately saluted me as I went through, though i ignored him. I made my way across the long corridor that would lead out into the training grounds and barracks of the Night Guard.
Again, every Night Guard saluted as I casually strode by them.
I quickly reached the outside of the main training grounds as I saw a dozen of my guardsponies sharpening their skills and tricks in the ways of war and the traditional martials arts of our race and homeland.
"Good, at least they do spend their free time training with one another, I wouldn't expect any less of my fellow warriors." I thought proudly as I finally reached my destination on the other side of the grounds.
The local armory and workshop of the night guard. The two Thestrals stationed in front of it stood straight and saluted as well. I was about to knock on the door when a sudden explosion from inside stopped me from doing so.
Both me and the two guards raised our eyebrows at that before all three of us sighed, already used to this and the pony responsible for them.
"Ugh... it's too early for this, I just hope that he hasn't torn another hole through the wall or I am going to tear his flank hole wide open." I muttered as I began knocking on the door.
I waited patiently for a few moments before the door finally unlocked and opened from the other side, revealing a lot of smoke (which forced me to cover my muzzle) and a small young Thestral stud behind it... coughing heavily and covered in soot.
"What in the God's name are YOU DOING?" I angrily asked out of reflex.
The young stallion in front of me immediately stopped his coughing as he tensed up in fear in front of me.
"Oh... um... h-hi ca-captain...Glade...I, um... it's...it's not what it lo-looks like... I swear. I... I was ju-just working on... on new..." The dark gray coated and navy blue maned stud in front of me stuttered before I abruptly stopped him by shoving a hoof into his mouth.
"Mister Midnight Gear I am currently NOT interested in whatever invention or contraption you are tinkering around with at the moment." I say before removing my hoof from his mouth. "I came here to ask IF my lance is ready and fixed up, and if the new enchanted crystals are inserted as well." I continued while looking at Gear.
Gear immediately began to shuffle nervously in place after I said that while looking at the ground.
"Well..." He began nervously. "I only... ma-managed to... fi-finish up the... repairs so fa-far... but...not the... crystal parts." He stuttered while smiling awkwardly at me.
I really wanted to get angry at him for probably just taking up most of the time tinkering around with all his other machines rather than doing what was asked of him, but I just couldn't.
For one, despite his failures and inventions sometimes causing holes through the walls, he was still a genius and an irreplaceable asset to the guard, always providing for the equipment and coming up with really useful and inventive ideas that would give us the edge in a pinch. He is one of the reason why the newly re-formed Night Guard is vastly better equipped than the Day Guard (secretly, of course).
The other reason why I can't be really mad at the guy is, well, Gear is the shyest most socially awkward pony I have ever seen, which means it's very easy for someone to make him cry, though it's also very easy to make him beyond pissed off and dodging earth-eating swords and magical laser cannon fire when somepony makes fun of his inventions.
"I made that mistake once. Who knew that such an awkward little wimp can become berserk so quickly." I thought, remembering our first time meeting back at our home county.
I sighed. "Fine... I guess I can go out again without my trusty lance by my side. But it better be done when I come back." I announced before turning around and trotting away
"Wa... wait captain." I suddenly heard Gear call out which forced me to stop and look at him.
"What is it now, Gear?" I asked impatiently as the shy stallion approached me.
"Where... uh... exactly are you going captain?" He asked while looking off the side a bit.
"Cloudsdale, to investigate something under Lulu's wishes." I casually reply.
The little stud's demeanor suddenly changed from shy to excited with a flick of a switch, which really took me by surprise, to say the least. I was about to question his sudden switch of motivation as he beat me to it.
"Oh, you mean you are going to investigate the magical incident that happened in Cloudsdale? If so then I've got the perfect device to test out." He announced gleefully, in full unbroken sentences, which was rare for him.
"What device?" I questioned, skeptical.
"This one." he announced, while holding out his empty hoof at me.
I simply raised an eyebrow at that as I stared at his empty hoof. "Gear... all I see is an empty hoof." I pointed out with a flat look.
He simply looked surprised before chuckling nervously. "Oh... yeah. Uh... I-I will be... back, captain... give me a minute." he stuttered before dashing off back into his shop.
I waited patiently for the little stallion to return with whatever invention or contraption he pulled out of his plot this time, while again thinking back to the report I read.
"Investigators theorized that the source of this anomaly might be from Nightmare Moon herself, remnant magic of her "Eternal Night curse" that might be the cause of this unnatural magical phenomenon." I re-capped the text of the report in my head, which again made me simply shake my head at how naïve some ponies are nowadays.
"Huh... some investigators these are. That is NOT how the Elements work. When they cleanse something they freaking cleanse something, which means that whatever magic was at work is completely neutralized. Look at what happened to Discord's chaos when he was defeated by them." I again mentally argued as I slowly turned my head over to the direction Cloudsdale is in. "No... it's really not that at all. There is something more to it, I can already sense it from here." I muttered before a set of hooves stepped up and broke me loose of my muddling.
"Th-this is... what I wa-was talking about... ca-captain." Gear again stuttered as he came back holding something this time.
"...And what is it?" I asked curiously after noticing the small watch (or compass) shaped thing with a large blue crystal in the middle.
"It's a physical magic tracking device that can pinpoint any form of magic in a designated vicinity." He explained, again talking coherently. He usually does talk normally when explaining his inventions or science of whatever.
I raised a curious eyebrow at this. Sure this... compass-like thing of his could easily be useful for anyone who has no natural magic-tracking senses. IF IT WORKS. But again, this idea of his is somewhat useless to ME because magic tracking and sensing has basically become second nature for me for all these centuries.
"But still... if this thing actually works the way I imagine, it could be highly useful for anypony without that skill, especially for my men here, when it comes down hunting unicorn fugitives." I mentally noted as I rubbed my chin in thought.
"Let me guess... you want to tag along with me so you can take your new toy out for a spin?" I ask with a flat stare.
"Well... yes, if... if you don't mind... cap-captain?" He shyly asked while looking at his hooves.
I began to think on it for a while before giving off a sigh. "Fine... you can come along, as long as you follow two rules. Keep up. Shut up." I answered before switching my gaze over to a pony to my left.
"Hey, sergeant Shadow Blade. You're in charge while I am out and about. Keep the men busy while I am gone!" I shouted, to which the pony in question saluted.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I will keep this place tight and working in your absence. Good luck on your investigation captain." He replied before going back to his task in drilling the new recruits into shape.
"Alright, quickly pack whatever stuff you need Gear, because we are leaving in 5 minutes." I ordered before turning around and trotting off.
"Wa-wait... we... we are not going to... ta-take a chariot to Cloudsdale?" He suddenly asked before I could even get far.
I stopped again to look behind my shoulder with a smirk. "Nope. we are going to fly the old fashioned way. You could actually use some exercise too, my little Gear. All that "locking yourself up in your shop" is neither good for your your wings or your stench. Plus I prefer flying on my own power anyway. Besides, chariots are way too noticeable, even at night." I answered.
I smirked and chuckled to myself when I heard a pathetic little whine coming from him as I finally made my way back into the main building.
"Not really the task I was hoping for, but at least it's something that will keep me busy for a while." I thought to myself as I trotted down the same old corridor that leads to the captain's office.
"Let's see what pony I get the chance to bring back home this time. Hope the poor thing can at least put up some sort of resistance against me, otherwise it will be way too easy... and a waste of my time.
The hunt... is on.
....................................................................................................
Night time...the perfect environment for creatures of the dark, creatures such as myself. Arriving at Cloudsdale at night was perfect, not only have you the freedom to fly all across the city without anypony screaming at the sight of a night hunter like me, but it also means I can keep low from all the Pegasus guards roaming and flying across, on and above the dimly lit streets.
My night sensitive eyes scanned the layout of the city as I stood above the roof of a tower.
I can still remember the days when Cloudsdale was more of a fortress than a city. The current look and layout not foreign to me, but still somewhat.... different too, especially since I spent most of my time since Luna's banishment back in my home country far in the north from here.
"Quite impressive how things can change in a thousand years." I thought to myself as I continued to scan the city.
I closed my eyes in calm and collected concentration as I let my ears and other senses do their thing. Listening to every noise, smelling every smell and sensing the invisible magic winds gust by my coat ever so gently, in hopes of getting a clue on where to look and where to start.
I continued to stand there, in my element, when all of a sudden a noise -a lot of noise- quickly broke me from my concentrated state.
"So-sorry... sorry. I-I accidentally dropped... the thing... and knocked ove-" Gear behind me started to apologize as more distracting noise came from behind.
"What was the second rule?" i said, irritated.
"So-sorry again."
I began to grumble in annoyance. "Why did I agree to bring this this sorry excuse for a Thestral again?" I thought as I could hear even more ruckus from behind me.
"Why don't you just make yourself useful and use that little device of yours, if you are going to make so much noise anyway?" I asked while looking back at him.
"Do...do I have to do it... now? Can't we just... take a rest?" Gear behind me complained while rubbing his obviously looking sore wings.
I scoffed, but didn't correct him again. "Well, it's not MY problem that you are so heavily out of shape. Now, seriously, make yourself at least useful or I'll throw you off the edge of the city." I announced glaring at him.
Gear thankfully took the hint as he frantically started to get his magic detecting device working, only for him to start juggling it in between his hoof while trying to get a hold of it in panic.
I simply facehoofed and shook my head before he eventually managed to hold it up on one hoof while activating it with the other.
"Well, about damn time." I muttered as the crystal on it suddenly began to glow.
It started to gently hover above its compass like case as it began to spin around.
"J-just give it some time... to... get sorted... out." Gear nervously said with a sheepish smile as the crystal was still going crazy.
Eventually, though it finally started to slow, then stopped as it pointed its long sharp point at a random direction behind where I stood.
I followed the crystal's direction only to find out that it was pointing at a large part of the city itself, probably on the other side from where we stood.
"There." Gear announced while looking at his device. "The crystal... seems to be...pointing at the... cloud district of the city. That area is mostly... residential... as far as I've heard and seen on m-maps." Gear announced as he looked off towards the other end of the city.
I smirked before turning my head back to gear. "Very nice there, Midnight Gear. I am impressed." I credited. "Once again you delivered and didn't just make something that explodes or tears holes through walls." I added.
Gear began to smile at that as his eyes began to glow in the dark a bit. "Th-thanks cap-captain. I think"
I nodded before switching my gaze back at the target ahead. "Well, let's go and follow your device, then." I announced as I spread my wings. "And for the love of the gods, be more stealthy or I am going to lock you out of your shop for a month." I added as I took to the air.
"Wha-What? No!" He replied as I heard him take off as well.
"So help me, I will. But only AFTER you finished up my lance. I feel naked without it." And with that the two of us silently flew above the empty night skies of Cloudsdale and made sure to stay away from any street and air patrols as we passed them.
"For some odd reason I have this strange feeling that it won't go as smoothly and quickly as i plan it out to be. I don't know if i should feel good or indifferent about it." I thought to myself as we continued our way towards the clouds district of the city.
"Yup, now I am actually starting to sense something as well... and it's... it's... By the gods."
......................................................................................................
In a large house family house in the middle of the cloudy district, a set of three ponies were happily sleeping in their beds as the night passed by. One of them was an alicorn stallion who was happily snoring away in his bed, as his horn suddenly started to faintly glow, illuminating its room in its soft glow.
The alicorn in question began to turn in his bed as his horn continued to hum quietly through the night, adding its shine to the light of the full moon shining through the curtains.
"Gotcha." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 16: Narrow Escape...for now | Chapter 16: Narrow Escape... For Now
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear and Rhawkas
I opened my eyes and all that greeted me again was nothing but darkness.
I sighed. "Ugh... didn't Silver already fix my subconscious mind? Well... then again, I have no idea how hard or easy it is in the first place, so I can't really complain too much." I muttered as I looked around.
"Silver? Silver Wing? Hello? Silver?" I called out, my voice echoing around the void.
"Over here, dude. I gotta show you something," I heard him call out from within the shadows.
I started to look around but was met with nothing but more blackness surrounding me, seeing no clue nor any shape of Silver around me. I began to grumble a bit in annoyance as my search turned out to be fruitless.
"That, and how am I really going to spot anything in this place anyway?"
"Where are you? I can't see anything here besides... well... nothing." I called out again and received the same echoing result. Which, to be honest, was starting to sound a bit by creepy now.
"Huh? Oh, uh... forgot about that. Here, let me just create a doorway for you then." I heard him reply when out of nowhere, a bright white light shone in front of me and assaulted my vision.
I was forced to cover my eyes as the sudden change in brightness was painful to look at. Thankfully, my eyes quickly adjusted, which gave me the freedom to open them and lower my forelegs from in front of them.
What I saw immediately afterwards was a single doorway-shaped passage in the middle of the void, although the light coming out from it was still too bright to even see what was actually on the other side of it.
At first I was a bit hesitant, as I usually am, but eventually I just shrugged as I made my way over to it.
"It's my mind after all, so what could possibly happen?"
I was again, forced to shield myself from the extreme light levels as I got closer and closer to it, making sure to not trip or fall over myself as one of my four legs were busy shielding me from it.
"Jeez, what the heck did he create in there? The freaking sun?" I wondered as I finally crossed the boundary and to whatever mental reality that my magic doppelganger had created.
Though the first thing that swiftly greeted me afterwards was a sudden breeze of wind which somewhat took my by surprise, especially since before all i was capable of feeling, even before nightmare moon was just the solid ground under my hoof and nothing else besides that.
"Hey there, glad you could make it. Been working on this here for a while... but it's sadly not yet completed." I heard Silver say as my eyes were still firmly shut.
"What... what did you do?" I asked curiously.
I heard my other self-chuckle. "Just open your eyes and see for yourself, dude." He replied.
I did just that after a few more moments of letting my eyes re-adjust themselves before fully opening them, and what I saw when I finally did was absolutely stunning to say the least.
"Pretty neat huh? Took a while too. But I think I did a pretty good job regardless. What do you think?" Silver asked as I was still too busy gawking at the world around me.
Row upon row of endless wheat (among other things) fields were all around me, stretching as far as the eye can see and beyond the horizon. In the middle of it all was a single grassy hill overlooking the flat lands with a large single oak tree towering proudly on top of it...basically like an island surrounded by a sea of gold.
I heard Silver chuckle again beside me. "So, I guess you like it then." He announced, which made me turn my head to him for the first time.
"Silver... this looks... how did you build this?" I asked, utterly baffled as i looked at him.
The first thing i remarked after doing so was that he was leaning against the larger oak tree in a very... pony-like position, lying on his side smiling before he answered.
"Well, with the help of some of your memories and some magic, it wasn't really that hard... or long." He explained before continuing, "Plus, I choose this scene over the previous one because I think this one looks far more relaxing and peaceful than the other one... and more down to earth as well, if you want to get funny." he added as he looked back off into the distance, looking over the sea of golden wheat around us.
I just shrugged as I did the same and started to relax, feeling the gentle winds blowing through my fur in sync with the swaying motion of the crops around us. The added sunset in the sky and the peaceful rustle of the leaves in the wind really made this one of the most relaxing and peaceful places I had ever been to.
"Also, he was right, this does feel a lot closer to Earth than the other one."
Though one question rapidly popped up into my mind as I instantly looked back at Silver. "Wait... you said that this place wasn't finished yet, right? What exactly is missing here, anyway? It looks finished to me." I said before looking back off into the distance.
"Well..." Silver began. "The mountains are missing on the horizon... so are the hills... that's it really." He answered a bit sheepishly, which made me look back at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Really? That's it?" I asked, to which he nodded.
I simply shook my head before I made my way to the base of the tree myself and sat myself down beside Silver. I leaned my back against its large trunk and closed my eyes to enjoy the peace and the relaxing breeze.
"Man, I hope all of my dreams can be like this." I thought as I let myself go in the relaxing experience.
A few moments ticked by between us with nothing more than the gently blowing breeze accompanying us in this peaceful moment. Though that was quickly broken when Silver suddenly began to tap my shoulder rapidly, breaking my relaxing immersion... so to speak.
And from the way he was tapping it, I had a feeling that it wasn't anything good to begin with.
I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at him, and wouldn't you know it, I was right with my suspicions, as I saw an expression of worry and slight panic etched on his features.
"Silver, what seems to be...?" I began before being interrupted as he began to speak while staring at me.
"Something is tracking my magic... or specifically, YOUR magic." He hastily stated as his expression morphed from worry too serious in an instant.
"Wha-what do you mean?" I asked confusedly. Though the question seemed to have been completely missed or ignored as he suddenly stood up before continuing.
"You've got to wake up now, Nava! Don't worry though, I will take care of the rest afterwards." He simply announced, which confused me even further.
I also got back up as I stared at him. "Wait, wait, wait... hold on a sec." I began as I slowly started to worry. "What the heck are you talking about? What is tracking my magic and why the heck do you need ME to wake up as well?" I quickly asked once more, which thankfully reached Silver's attention this time.
"I don't know yet, but I do know it's tracking us." He replied before an expression of shock quickly replaced his previous seriousness, which only made me worry even more.
He immediately began lighting up his horn, which took me completely by surprise.
"No time to explain. As I said, I will do the rest, so don't worry. But you need to wake up first for it to work." He announced promptly as my whole body was suddenly enveloped in a white glow.
"Wait... what are you..." I started before being interrupted by Silver again.
"I will explain everything to you at another time. Right now you have to hide and be quiet after you wake up. Just trust me on this, ok?" He stated once more before my whole vision rapidly began to turn white as the world around me swiftly faded away into nothingness.
...................................................................................................
I immediately shot up from my bed after Silver forcefully tore me away from my own sleep, breathing heavily from the experience and sweating slightly from my forehead as if I had just suffered from a horrible nightmare.
Though it wasn't the only thing coming from my forehead as I quickly noticed a slight glow coming from above my vision.
"My horn is glowing? Why is my horn glo...?" I began to think before I remembered what happened the last time when I woke up with a glowing horn.
I immediately began to panic, though before I could say anything, scream, jump out of the bed, or do anything too drastic, my horn began to gently dim back down before before darkening completely, leaving the previously softly illuminated room back in its original dark state.
"Huh?" was all I thought as suddenly felt beyond confused by this sudden change of events.
...................................................................................................
"I can feel the breezy sensation of magic moving along the ley lines getting stronger, which can only mean that we are finally getting closer to the... wait... WHAT?"
I immediately stopped in mid flight as something strange and highly improbable just occurred.
The magic I had been sensing and following since coming here to Cloudsdale was gone. JUST GONE! OUT OF NOWHERE! JUST... JUST... BUCKING GONE!
"What... this... this is IMPOSSIBLE!" I shouted in utter disbelief, disregarding stealth as I immediately began to land on a wide street below me.
Midnight, who had been behind me the entire time, also quickly landed. He was looking worried and somewhat scared from my sudden outburst as he kept his distance from me.
Which was good, because at that point I was so confused that I was also on the verge of blowing a fuse.
"GEAR!" I called out while glaring at the Thestral behind me. "CHECK ON YOUR DEVICE AND SEE IF IT CAN STILL PICK UP THE MAGIC WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS ENTIRE TIME!" I ordered, which caused the stallion behind me to flinch but nonetheless do what I asked him to, as he promptly began to look at his device.
An expression first of confusion, followed by disbelief rapidly went through his features as he began to tap on the device with his hoof.
"Well?" I asked impatiently, which made him flinch again. "What is it? Spit it out!"
"Um..." He began nervously as he carefully lifted his head to look at me. "The... the signal... is... is gone, ca- captain. There is... no more magic... around this area... that it can detect. It's... just gone." Gear stuttered, which really didn't help my rising anger at the moment.
"WHAT?! Do you mean it CAN'T DETECT ANYTHING?" I asked again as my patience was swiftly running thin, which wasn't lost on the stallion in front of me as his legs began to tremble in fear.
"I-I mean... it... it's just... completely gone, captain. As... as if... somepony flicked... the off switch... or something." He replied as he slowly backed himself onto a wall.
This information finally broke the fuse. "WHAT!? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! NO LEVEL OF ANY KIND OF MAGIC BESIDES PERCEPTION MAGIC CAN JUST BE THERE AND THEN COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR IN THE NEXT MOMENT AS IF IT WASN'T EVEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IT WASN'T PERCEPTION MAGIC, BECAUSE I HAVE BASICALLY SEEN, FELT, AND BEEN EXPOSED TO EVERY TYPE AND FORM OF MAGIC IN EXISTENCE! THE FACT THAT THIS ONE COULD JUST DISAPPEA--" I shouted in pure anger before a thought suddenly hit me.
"Wait... this... this magic I felt, it... it was... nothing I have ever felt or sensed before, now that I... think about it. It was neither control nor emotional magic, and it was neither perception nor harmonic magic. If it was none of those, then... then what was it?." I wondered as the realization hit me.
"What... kind of magic--if it even was magic--was that?" I muttered as all the anger inside of me quickly vanished, leaving only complete and utter confusion behind it.
I was at a loss for words or thoughts at that moment. In all my centuries of having been exposed to all kinds of magic that have ever existed or was documented before in the past, there was nothing even remotely similar to the one I was chasing today. Its pattern and sensations were nothing I have ever felt before. They were...beyond foreign to me. Rather, they were totally alien, if I want to be completely honest.
Whatever that force was... magic or not, not only was it completely unknown... but also gone as well. Which would make finding it again nearly impossible, unless it's ever going to show itself again.
"But I am NOT giving up. No, I will be DAMNED if I give up! If it's something completely new or alien, I WILL learn more about it. I WILL find its source or its owner and tear it apart if that's what it takes for me to learn more about it."
This is the first time I've ever lost a trail and I will not let that stand. This has become FAR more than just a simple fetch mission. This was now something personal... very personal.
"Gear?"
"Ye-yes... captain?"
I turned my head to look over my shoulder. "We are going to fly back to Canterlot, get reinforcements, and come back." I announced in a serious tone and look, which made Gear behind me shift uncomfortably in place.
"Bu-but captain... is... is that... really necessary?" He asked nervously, to which I turned around and nodded as my anger was slowly returning.
"YES, it is! I want this district surrounded and locked up by guards and everypony living in it to be questioned. NO 'BUTS', NO 'WHYS'!" I replied as I took back to the air, just in time as well, as in the distance I could see a group of pegasi guards trotting down the street, probably to investigate the shouting they heard earlier.
Seeing them approach, I mentally scolded myself. "So much for being stealthy. I really need to get my outbursts under control in the future, unless I want to look like a complete amateur and get myself seen when I obviously don't want to be. Then again, I also prefer an open fight just as much as a silent one."
"Hey... w-wait for me, captain!" I heard Gear call out as we immediately began to race back towards Canterlot as fast as my wings could carry me.
"I WILL get to the bottom of this, even if I have to lock up all of Cloudsdale for it. I don't care whether the princesses like it or not. This does NOT sit well with me, and I want answers ASAP."
"I am definitely going to get to the bottom of this, one way or another, or so help me." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 17: Under Siege by Fuzzy-Eared Ponies | Chapter 17: Under Siege by Fuzzy-Eared Ponies
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Soul Fire, Midnight Gear
"Well... last night was a pretty... interesting one, I suppose. Though what it lead to was me having to wake up in the middle of the night... which really screwed with my body (my NEW body, no less!) for some reason. Because now, I feel like crap and not well rested at all." I thought as finally woke up with a yawn.
I sat myself up and began rubbing my eyes with a hoof before looking over to the tiny clock next to me.
"7:34 am... pretty normal wake-up time for me, even in this new body of mine." I muttered as I started to gently roll myself off the bed.
I got onto all fours as I grabbed my glasses. I decided to just leave my hat and scarf alone for today as I wasn't really in a mood to go outside anyway, regarding the fact that I was still feeling somewhat tired thanks to last night.
You would imagine that being in a new body would have eliminated the problem of still feeling off if you somehow don't sleep through the night on one go, but nope that seems to be not the case at all, as the previous annoying problem I had back in my world still persist in this world as well...somehow.
I opened the door of my room and stepped outside... or more like dragged myself out the right corridor of this home and casually made my way to the bathroom.
After having done my morning ritual I began to wash my face in front of the sink and dried myself with a towel that was hanging nearby. With all of that done I simply began to stare at the reflection in front of me as i usually do almost every morning now, observing my new features as usual as i still somewhat have problems fully believing the fact that I am a pony now while also mentally recapping everything that happened last night.
"Something was tracking my magic, according to Silver, and after he so forcefully woke me up he told me that he would take care of everything else." I mentally recited as the memory of what happened last night fully returned.
What exactly was tracking me to begin with? Was it a pony, a dragon, a gryphon? Or even some sort of villain, maybe Discord or something else? Though to be honest Discord couldn't possibly be the suspect here, since it's still waaay too early for him to be freed. I mean, Nightmare Moon was only 6 days ago now, so it really can't be.
"If it wasn't Discord then who could it possibly have been?" I muttered to myself.
"Well at least whatever Silver did seems to have worked, I wasn't kidnapped and am still here and breathing." I thought to myself as I moved away from the mirror and made my way over to the kitchen.
One of the reasons (I guess) that I didn't get much sleep last night was probably because I felt too worried and paranoid to even fall asleep in the first place. I think it took me like, 2 hours and a half to finally fall to the sensation of sleep automatically.
"Stupid Silver, stupid magic and stupid Alicorn senses. All of those just seem to producing more and more problems in state of fixing them, and yet still not a centimeter closer to finding answers and finding a way back home as well." I thought as I spotted Flitter cooking in the kitchen, as she usually does.
She spotted me and greeted me with a friendly smile. "Good morning, Nava! How was your night?" She asked cheerfully before going back to cooking.
I sighed as I sat myself on a chair that was near her. "Not... really good." I basically answered.
"Really? What happened?" She asked while she was still focused on her cooking.
I sighed again while resting my head on my left hoof and rubbing my forehead with the other.
"Magic related, that's all I can say." I simply replied with a yawn.
That though quickly made Flitter stop whatever she was occupied with and looked at me with both a shocked and worrisome expressions.
"Se-seriously? Me and Cloud haven't felt anything unusual last night. Were you ok? What happened?" She asked all concerned.
Again, God bless her habit of worrying and caring for others, especially those she seems to hold dear, which I have somehow (thankfully) become part of.
Though one mental debate still existed. "Should I tell her the truth, or should I not?" I mentally mulled.
I shook my head. "You know what, No, I SHOULD tell her the truth because building trust with one another comes by telling each other the truth first. Besides, hiding mayor things like those from them won't be beneficial for neither of us and will just make things even more problematic in the end then needed." I decided mentally before fully facing her to tell her everything that happened last night.
From the manifestation of my magic being a sapient individual named Silver to my supposedly close encounter with... something or someone who was tracking my magic last night.
At the end of it I sighed as I went back on resting my head onto the counter while Flitter looked somewhat lost and thoughtful after my explanation.
Seriously, though, I was more prepared to have her look at me funny for stating that my magic was sapient within my mind and that I was able to converse with my magic self whenever I sleep, not to look thoughtful as if she were actually believing and buying my story.
But then again I am an Alicorn, who can't fly or use magic AND who just recently suffered from a magical surge that caused city wide disaster...well a disaster in ponies terms at least.
I mean heck, even for ME anything seems to be possible at this point, if I somehow managed to magically give birth to a changeling or gryphon then... well, so be it, I guess. Again, I am currently the physical embodiment of magic as an alicorn pony here, so really, what else could possible surprise me at this point? Magic is a force that is still not fully understood,not even close, even to this day, according to all the books I have read so far.
So really, when it comes to magic everything seems to be possible here, and that thought alone is actually worrisome and concerning, to be honest, because that just means that more unexpected surprises are just going be the norm from now on and judging by the last surprise I had to go through regarding magic in general, then yes. Yes I have every reason to feel worried about this.
"Well..." Flitter began before the sound of the main door opening assaulted our ears.
We both turned ourselves around and were a bit surprised to see none other than Cloud entering the living room.
"Cloud... what the? I thought you went to work this morning? Why did you come back?" Flitter asked, confused, which was somewhat mimicked by me since I learned of their work schedule a few days back.
Cloud simply trotted over to us before dropping her saddlebags onto the floor besides the counter.
"Well the reason why is because of the weirdest thing I have seen in years." She replied with a sigh as she sat herself down on a chair.
"What do you mean?" Flitter asked again.
"Well..." She began as she rubbed her hind legs together. "The entire neighborhood is surrounded and patrolled by a bunch of gray, bat winged, sharped toothed, and predatory-eyed ponies in armor." She explained which made both me and her sister raise an eyebrow at that.
"Oh, and also according to them, nopony is currently allowed to enter or exit the district and are instructed to stay indoors. Which is why I came back in the first place... .not that I was intimidated by these sharp toothed ponies or anything." She also added which made Flitter look at her even more suspiciously while I began to think on her explanation.
"Bat winged, sharp toothed and predatory-eyed ponies? I know those. I think the show described them as simple bat ponies, or Thestrals in other sources." I thought to myself as a realization promptly entered me.
"Wait... is it possible that it was one of THEM that Silver was talking about last night? It has to be, otherwise why the heck would they be here blocking off an entire section of the city like that? The section where I happen to live in."
"Well this than just got a whole lot more serious than I originally expected. I always knew that the government was going to show up to investigate the magical phenomenon that I created sooner or later, but I always thought that it was going to be the more golden clad day guards and not the night guards that would investigate this. Also, it's in the middle of the day as well which just makes it ironic." I finished my musing.
This really had gotten a lot worse than I originally imagined, even more so because i have a strange feeling that these guys are going to be vastly more serious than there golden clad counterparts.
If Cloud Chaser's story is right then I basically have an entire legion of Thestrals breathing down my neck, ready to bite it! This is a serious, serious issue now! What exactly is going to happen if they DO find me? To be honest I don't know, but what I DO know is that I will '100%' be presented to the princess, and she'll see that there is an UNKNOWN alicorn running loose in her kingdom, and then at that point all bets are off, because again I have absolutely no idea how my fate is going to go.
It could go all rosy as far as the show itself is concerned, but it has been already proven time and time again that THIS is NOT the show, this is a real world with its own real events and possibilities that are surprisingly similar to that of mine. Which honestly makes me even more wary and determined to stay away from them.
Never really liked those two in the show and I am sure that I won't like them here either. WHY? I have my reasons, simple as that.
I shook my head. Getting all panicky on this isn't really going to help anyone, especially me. Plus, doing so will most likely just get me caught even faster, so I need to approach this calmly and think this through. The obvious first hand on solution would be to simply stay in the house and keep my jacket on indoors at all times. Beyond that... well, I am not yet sure. Again need to discuss this with the two sisters when I can, IF Cloud's report is true or not, because as far as I heard from Flitter before, she does have the tendency in the past to sometimes make out some really bizarre and silly stories just to skip over her responsibilities.
Something I actually believe after having known her for this long.
"It's true, I swear... I am not trying to skip work this time." I heard Cloud reply as I faded back into reality.
I shook my head again, as I watched these two argue once again in front of me.
"Yeah sure. Sharp toothed ponies my flank. That has to be the most ridiculous cover story I have heard from you so far." Flitter replied with a glare.
Cloud Chaser at this point seemed to get pretty frustrated as she threw up her arms and started to whine. "ARRRGH, NO! for the LAST time I am NOT making it up! In fact, I can prove it too. Just... just look out the front window in our living room and tell me if I am still lying or not. There was actually a patrol of six trotting up our street when I came in, and I bet that they are still there as well, since I also saw them knocking on doors and questioning ponies." Cloud announced as she quickly got up from her chair and made her way over to the living room herself, beckoning the two of us to follow her.
We did so as and followed her towards the large front window of the living room. Cloud immediately began to carefully look past the curtain before flinching back and turning back around to face the two of us.
"They are actually just across the street now. Be careful or they might think suspiciously of us and knock on our door next." Cloud whispered before she stepped away from the window.
Flitter sighted. "This better be true or I am NOT going to cook dinner for you for a week." She replied in a deadpan manner as she moved towards the window and slowly parted the curtains aside.
I quietly followed her as I peered out the small slit with her. My eyes rapidly went wide at what I saw. Cloudchaser was right all along! Outside, just across the street in front of our neighbors' house were 6 bat ponies, two mares and four stallions all clad in the familiar looking night guard armor that I am familiar with, which also quickly meant that my previous theories were correct and I was in deep trouble right now.
Both me and Flitter slowly retreated from the window in complete silence as she carefully moved the curtains back together.
She turned over to Cloud as she began to rub the back of her neck. "Well...I guess I owe you than an apology, Cloud. You weren't lying after all. "She apologized while pawning the ground awkwardly.
"Apology accepted." Cloud replied smugly and turning up her nose, which only made me shake my head at her milking it.
After a while of silence Flitter spoke up again. "Well... what are we going to do now?" She asked as she looked up between me and Cloud.
Cloud shrugged. "Don't know, but I do have a feeling that all of this might have something to do with our stud over here." She suggested as both she and Flitter suddenly gave me their full attention.
I started to uncomfortably fidget a bit in their gaze and thought of something to say. Though that got quickly dashed out as a knock on the door quickly made all three of us jump in surprise.
"This is Sergeant Hawk of the night guard. Please open this door. We have a few questions to ask." A deep and rough sounding voice announced from the other side, making all three of us go stiff and quiet.
"Shit... they're already here. What am I going to do? They are definitely going to be interested in me, presumably being the only "Unicorn" in a city full of Pegasi." I thought to myself in panic which was mirrored by both sisters as well as they looked at me.
"Crap... what now?" Cloud whispered as the knocking continued at the door.
"Hello? Canterlot night guard here. Cooperate and open this door. We are just here to ask a few basic questions, so there is nothing for you to worry about." the same muffled voice announced again which really didn't help the pressure all three of us were now exposed too.
Out of the blue Flitter suddenly grabbed me by the hoof and started quietly dragging me away from the door and around the corner left corner of the house.
"What are you doing?" I whispered as we stopped in front of a set of stairs that I had long since learned lead down into a basement.
She hushed me before she moved close to me to whisper something into my ear. "You are just going to stay here and stay quiet, obviously. If they ever asked for a house search you are going to quickly sneak into the basement and lock it with this." She explained as she suddenly pulled out a small key from her mane with her left wing.
The fact that she was hiding a small key in her mane was already raising questions, but those were quickly drowned out by another set of knocks from the door and bringing me back to the seriousness of our situation.
I looked at her with a questionable look. "Wa-wait...you two are going to stand up to me? Against your government and possibly risk everything if it backfires?" I whispered in slight disbelief.
I knew these two cared for me a lot, but never would I have thought that they would go as far as lying to a bunch of armed guards who could very easily arrest them and drag them away on the spot if they suspected anything fishy of them.
Flitter simply nodded as she promptly handed (or, rather, hoofed) me the key before she casually trotted back around the corner.
"I'm coming I'm coming." She called out as she disappeared back into the living room.
I heard her open the door and converse with the guards who were standing on the other side. "Sorry for the long wait, I was in the washroom." Flitter lied to them in a surprisingly calm and normal tone which I honestly didn't expect of her.
I began to swivel my ears in the direction of the conversation while trying to keep quiet as instructed, clutching the key in between my hoof and hoped that Flitter had a plan if things would go South.
Thanks to my now really good pony ears (or Alicorn ears, I have yet to know) I was still able to listen to the conversation.
"Well, what about your sibling over there?" I heard the guard pony asked.
"Let's hear how Cloud handles the pressure. Hope she can think of a believable backup story." I thought nervously as I mentally crossed my fingers (hooves) for her.
I could hear Cloud trot up before answering the guard in a nervous sounding voice which immediately set off alarm bells in my head as she spoke.
"Well...I so...sorry but...I was just kind of scared to... open it when I... first saw you guys through the window. I am sorry for the... delay as well." Cloud explained to my surprise, especially with how well her stuttering nervous tone helped her explanation as well.
Of all this time I have come to know Cloudchaser as a pony, acting as a coward was really one of the last things I imagine she would ever do, and she just did it for ME, to cover me up in exchange for some of her pride, which she sometimes like to put on a pedestal. Or she actually was intimidated by them, who knows, but at least it did the job... or I like to believe it did the job, since I was still waiting for the guardspony's reply, which by the way were some of the longest few seconds of my upturned life, as I was greeted with utter silence after Cloud's explanation.
I tensed up when the guard finally replied. "Well, don't worry miss. It's actually not the first time ponies were too scared to even cooperate with us. We Thestrals are... quite intimidating looking for you Equestrians. So no surprise or disrespect there." The guard finally answered which made me sigh internally in relief.
"Thank god these ponies are literally scared of almost everything." I thought to myself as the exchange continued between the three. The guard asking questions regarding the incident and if they knew anything about it or had any clues on its source or owner. And with both Flitter and Cloud (mostly Flitter) telling him lies about not knowing anything and even coming up some possible ideas (which were also lies) of what it could have been and so on.
After a short while though the conversation finally drew to a close as both Flitter and the guard finally did their final remarks.
"Well, again, sorry for the intrusion miss Flitter, we are just very concerned for the safety of Equestria's citizens, which is why we are conducting these actions. We can promise that normal day to day activities will resume soon once we have make sure that Cloudsdale is safe from any future disturbances. Have a nice day." The guard say before I heard a set of hoofsteps moving away and the front door closing.
I could hear both Flitter and Cloud sigh in relief as I carefully dared to peek my head around the corner to see if the coast was really clear or not. Thankfully it was, as I finally let go of a breath that I could swear I wasn't holding as I made my way back into the living room.
"Well that was somewhat nerve-racking." Flitter commented while rubbing her forehead. I couldn't have agreed more.
Cloud nodded as she seemed to be on the edge still. "Yay! I didn't know that you were such a good liar, sis. That's normally my job." Cloud added with a small chuckle at the end.
"Yeah, I am pretty surprised as well. But I think you still hold that title pretty well with that wonderful performance you did in looking and acting all scared of him and such." Flitter praised back which made Cloud's chuckle turn into a more awkward one.
"Yeah... that was... totally acting back there. Let's go with that. Heh heh..." She replied sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck and looking away.
Flitter and I simply chuckled which turned Cloud's cheeks red as she looked off and huffed from the embarrassment.
"Thanks for...well standing up for me like that. You... you have just been... amazing to me since we met and... I just can't thank you two enough for it." I sincerely said as I smiled at them.
Flitter smiled back. "Hey no problem, that's what we are here for anyway. We wouldn't have done it if we didn't know that you are a good pony deep down, which you are." She explained while placing a hoof onto my shoulder before continuing. "Whatever you did wasn't really your fault, and was in fact completely out of your control and understanding, and I just couldn't stand by and watch you get punished for something you weren't really responsible for, so I decided to do something." Flitter finished sincerely which made my smile go even wider than it already was.
"Again... thank you." I replied again.
"No problem at all, that's what friends are for." She replied as she removed herself from my shoulder.
It was than when Cloud stepped in and sniffing the air as if something was up or something.
"Hey... uh, sis? Did... did you leave something on in the kitchen? Because... I can definitely smell something that shouldn't be here." Cloud commented.
Flitter quickly went to panic mode as a stroke of realization suddenly hit her. "OH MY GOSH!! THE MILK RICE I WAS COOKING EARLIER!! I TOTALLY FORGOT!" She shouted before watching her zip back into the kitchen.
I simply stood there as a sudden tap on my shoulder caused me to turn my head and saw that it was Cloud standing next to me smiling.
"Hey, as Flitter said, we got your back. Even when I have to shed some of my dignity for it, you're totally worth it in my opinion." Cloud announced as she playfully knocked me on my shoulder.
I smiled at her. "Thanks, that was really great of you as well. I am slowly sinking more and more in debt to you two, considering how many times and ways you just make my time here a lot easier to wade through." I admitted while rubbing my shoulder.
"Don't worry yourself about that. As my sister already said, it's what friends are for." She responded with a wink before trotting off into the kitchen herself.
I simply shook my head, ignoring the little wink she did as I too decided to head back into the kitchen to witness the mess that poor Flitter probably had to deal with now as a thought suddenly hit me.
"Wait...I just remembered. What the heck was that lullaby again that Cloud hummed for me a few days back?" I thought as I entered the kitchen.
"Darn it. Flitter, you burned breakfast." Cloud announced which made me shake my head in amusement at the deadpan look Flitter was giving her for that.
"Still...i am still very much surrounded by an army of fluffy eared ponies who want me... well, want me in chains, at least. I am still in very deep shit as we speak.
Well... something like this was bound to happened anyway. Fucking OP Alicorn magic.
...................................................................................................
"Well... let's see if I can crash at Flitter and Cloud's place tonight, could save me allot of bits for a hotel if I can." I muttered to myself as I trotted along the streets.
Today I was forced to yet again take another trip to the central weather office, but this time having to attend some boring-ass meeting with all the other weather captains from all across Equestria, talking about stuff that we already knew anyway, and by the looks of it I wasn't the only pony there thinking that.
"What a waste of bucking time. Time I could have used for training, sleeping, or, dare i say, do my actual bucking job." I thought, annoyed.
"But hey at least it's all done now and I can just finally..." I halted as I rounded a corner.
"What the...?" I said completely stumped at the scene presented in front of me.
There was a large crowd of ponies in front of me, arguing and standing in a semi circling around something in front of them, by the looks of it.
I trotted closer to them as I noticed some very strange looking ponies standing above the roofs of some buildings looking down at me with surprisingly unnerving-looking cat like eyes, watching my every move as I slowly got closer to the crowd.
"What do you mean the Cloud District is currently closed?" I heard a pony shout as I arrived at the back.
I tried to stretch my neck to see what the heck was going on,but being a mare also does have its disadvantages, as bitterly as I feel having to admit it. One of which is being obviously shorter compared to stallions which really didn't help with the fact that almost everypony standing at the back with me was indeed a stallion.
I would just easily fly over them as I usually do, but a really deep feeling told me that if I ever tried that stunt with those weird... predatory ponies above me I would have a serious problem on my hooves.
So I just decided to listen on, and hope that doing so would give me all the information I need to understand what the hay seems to be the problem here.
"I am sorry sir, but individuals that are not residents of the Cloud district are prohibited from entering this part of the city while investigations are still underway." I heard a deep and muscular voice reply which was met with somepony's groan, probably the same guy who complained earlier.
"But I have to! My cousin lives in there and i have to talk to him about-"
I heard the same stallion argue back before he was quickly cut off by the guard (I would say).
"Sir I already told you that non-residentials are NOT allowed to enter the cloud district until investigations have finished. Now I would suggest all of you ponies leave this check point at once before I have my fellow Thestrals DRAG you off instead!" I heard him repeat himself this time in a very annoyed and slightly angry tone which basically took everypony including me by surprise.
"Geez, what the hay is suddenly up with this guy."
After that the crowd quickly dissipated, leaving only me standing in the middle of the road with the guard pony now fully visible in front of me who was guarding the bridge.
I simply smiled nervously at him and his two buddies as their eyes finally fell upon me as well. Their leader (the one who was the talking earlier i would guess) was even looking quite annoyed at me.
I hate to admit it, but these guys were intimidating, FAR more so than the normal golden armored guards that I have mostly seen. Probably has something to do with the fact that they all look predatory. Catlike eyes, long sharp fangs, leathery wings instead of normal feathered ones and overall a very dark tone and theme to them.
I also could have sworn that one of them, for a second, was actually eying me hungrily, not in a naughty perverted kind of way but ACTUALLY seeing me as prey. Which really didn't help my enthusiasm at all.
"I suggest you leave just like all the other ponies. As I said nobody crosses these checkpoints unless they are...." The lead guy began before he was stopped by one of his goons as he started to whisper something into his puffy ears.
Seriously, you would think that something so fluffy looking would make somepony look adorable or even downright ridiculous. But these guys simply shatter that with everything else that is basically going on with them.
Again these are some of the strangest ponies -if they are even ponies- I have ever seen. Never in my life have I seen ponies that seem to perfectly mimic the look of vamponies so closely. In fact... now that I think about it they might actually BE VAMPONIES! At least that explains the predatory look and feel around them. But then again, if they are, how the hay can they even stay out in the middle of the day anyway? Don't they naturally (or at least according to folklore) burn at the first touch of sunlight?
I honestly don't know and I honestly couldn't even care less at the moment. Because I was surrounded by them with one of them seeming to stare directly into my soul as if I was its next meal...the snarls and low growls don't help either.
I shook my head, standing proud and making myself look as tough looking as possible by spreading my wings and puffing out my chest. Though that action quickly gave me an even harder more serious glare from all the other... bat-ponies on the roofs which quickly melted any confidence I might have gather just a few seconds ago. Only internally, I might add, as I was still trying to look somewhat strong from the outside regardless.
It was then when the silent conversation between these two shadow guys finally ended as the lead guy again looked at me.
"Are you by any chance Rainbow Dash, the newly so called element of Loyalty and one of the defeaters of Nightmare Moon?" He demanded while still eyeing me more calmly.
Again... normally I would be boasting, just like I have been doing to anypony who asked the same question or called me out to be one of the new Elements of Harmony themselves. But these guys here were making it very hard for me to even stay optimistic about myself for a second in the way they seem to be eyeing me carefully, that and the fact that again one of them looked ready to pounce me at any moment, one of them even holding a hoof in front of him presumably to stop him if he ever tried.
"Ye-yeah?" I casually answered and to my utter surprise (and slight relief) was meant with a nod from him as he lazily stepped to the side.
"You can enter if you want." He casually announced before he glared at me again. "BUT that doesn't mean that you won't be arrested if you are ever caught doing anything that might be viewed as disturbance or disruptions to our operations. So keep your hooves to yourself." He added strongly before his features quickly softened again and gave me a hoof sign that I could cross the bridge.
I was a bit hesitant for a moment but eventually nodded as I carefully trotted past him and his two wing-ponies to cross the bridge.
Once I entered the district on the other side I was immediately greeted with even MORE of these night guard goons. Left and right patrolling and flying over the streets, in groups or just simply standing somewhere with spears, shields and other equipment that looked far more maintained and serious compared to their guard counterparts.
They might even look ready for war, now that I think about it.
"Jeez, is there some kind of upcoming war that I am not aware of? Or is it already over and they have now occupied a large chunk of the city now?"
I continued my trot through the streets, ignoring and moving past a few patrols here and there while getting a few stares from them in the process before I finally reached the place I was planning to go since the beginning.
Cloud Chaser and Flitter's oversized home.
Surprisingly though, there weren't any guards on the street that the two Pegasus sisters occupied, which was a nice change of look and... feel, since I was finally away from all the suspicious stares I had been getting before getting here.
"Maybe they know what the buck is going on here." I muttered as I trotted up the front porch and began knocking on the door.
...................................................................................................
"Ugh... getting yourself clean with fur on your body is much harder than it seems, especially when a certain Pegasus splashes me with a mug of hot and sticky chocolate milk." I thought to myself as the hot shower did its job in calming my nerves on everything that has been happening lately to me.
I mean seriously, first my magic goes all apeshit, nearly causes a city wide Armageddon and nearly busting my head open in the process, than unsurprisingly the government shows up starts blockading the entire west part of the city in search of me, and now Cloudchaser somehow managed to spill my coat with sugary and very sticky chocolate and almost getting some of that onto my hat as well. By the way, did I even mention that it was bloody hot as well?
The Hat is the only thing (besides my scarf and glasses) I have to remember my home with and the life I have permanently or hopefully momentarily lost since coming here. I will be crushed to see it get ruined or, even worse, lost. Plus, if its magical properties are to go by as well, I would be losing far more than just a hat.
Again, a lot of things I would be DAMNED to lose at this point.
"The hot chocolate still stings under my fur... Jeez that stuff was hot. How they hell was Cloud going to drink that, anyway?" I thought out loud as I poked the belly and... crotch area where it all landed, still looking somewhat red and feeling quite sore.
"Thank God it missed my... well, you know."
The shower, though, did a very good job in numbing the pain while also relaxing my still chaotic mind and nerves.
I personally have always liked showers, I would always stay in them far longer than it was necessary to just enjoy the warmth and relaxing feeling of it. Sure I would always waste a lot of water by doing so, but hey, it's my thing, I guess. Plus, who can really deny the fact that taking a hot nice shower after a long and stressful day (or in my case...a few days in a row, in which I guess can be a good justification in staying in the shower just a few minutes longer than needed.) can feel like a true godsend,
Another thing that still surprises me every freaking time is just how easy and natural it felt in cleaning myself with hooves. Using them to squeeze shampoo onto my noggin and wash my mane with them, to using liquid soap and rubbing it all over my furry body and how flexible both my forelegs -and by extension front hooves- generally were. Sure, I can't properly grab something with them the same way I could with hands, but still, in terms of movement and flexibility, they seem to be almost on par with human arms and knuckles.
After a few more minutes of cleaning up and simply relishing in the bliss of the warm water I stepped out of the shower, turning it off in the same way Flitter once showed me.
"Huh. Got pretty good at it really quickly I have to say."
I dried myself up with a pre-prepared towel before exiting the bathroom.
Both my fur, mane and tail were still all messy, but I really didn't care about details like those, especially since brushing yourself alone without magic or someone's aid was difficult and awkward as all heck, even more so when you consider the fact that certain... areas need to be brushed as well, like the flanks and the tail. Which turned out to be a real awkward blush fest for both Flitter and I during the first time she had to help me with that.
Cloud, of course found that amusing every step of the way. Well, until she had to do it herself after Flitter simply called her over.
Though, for some reason, when she was brushing me instead of her sister, I always secretly caught her staring at my flank when she thought nobody was looking.
Did she... maybe develop some sort of interest in me? Well... only time can tell, I guess.
Shrugging at these thoughts I made my way over to the living room while still drying my mane with a free hoof.
"Hey, uh... Flitter? Could you maybe help me again with-" I announced before stopping in my tracks as I entered the living room, being greeted by a certain pony I was not expecting at all.
"R-rainbow Dash?" I asked surprised as I spotted the mare sitting on a couch with both Cloud and Flitter.
"Oh hey, Nava! How are you? I am here because of...." RD began before her eyes immediately went wide as her gaze fell upon me.
I looked at her a bit confused at first before a realization suddenly hit me.
I am completely naked, no hat, no scarf and most importantly no jacket. I was completely exposed in front of either the last or first pony I ever wanted to get myself exposed in front of!
"Shit shit shit shit shit!!!" Was the only thought running through my brain as I simply stood there, the relaxation I got from the shower completely gone and out of the window at this point as I desperately tried to come up with some kind of good or, hell, ANY excuse for me having wings... and ultimately failing at it.
"Uh... Hi Dash." I greeted with a very awkward smile and waved of my hoof which unfortunately broke her out from her shocked state.
"Dude... you have BUCKING WINGS??!!"
"Well... the problems have just been doubled." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 18: Home free...almost | Chapter 18: Home free... almost
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Rhawkas
Well, this has to easily be the WORST day of my life, or more specifically, the worst WEEK of my life. First, my Magic creates chaos and almost splits my head in two while doing so. Second, an entire Thestral army gets dispatched to search for me and bite me in the ass with their razor sharp fangs, and third, I left myself to get exposed in front of Rainbow Dash, perhaps the worst possible moment where I can get myself exposed in. In the middle of a pony hunt where I am currently playing as the prey!
"Note to self, always make sure to fully dry yourself off before exiting the bathroom and bring some clothes with you to change into afterwards."
But all of that is really irrelevant for now, as I still have the more immediate problem of explaining myself to perhaps one of the loudest ponies in the show, right behind Pinkie of course, with the irony being that it is much easier (at least to my knowledge) to force Pinkie Pie to keep a secret in comparison to Rainbow Dash.
"I just hope RD can take it a little bit easier compared to Cloud and Flitter's first reactions... Actually, come to think of it, they DID take it a lot easier than I originally expected. Great... that just makes this whole RD situation even more problematic." I thought to myself as Dash was still looking at me as if I had just grown a second head... or a pair of wings, as the case may be.
Flitter and Cloud were having their own reactions to this as well, but obviously not as extreme as Dashie's, with Cloud simply shaking her head while Flitter's expression was simply buried under a set of hooves.
This is by far one of the biggest fuckups I've ever made, period, and all I did to achieve it was simply getting out of the shower. BRILLIANT! Just makes me wonder how far I can go when I am actually trying... Actually, let's not.
"Uh...Dash... I... I can explain..." I began as I dropped the towel.
"Dude... how long?" Dashi responded while staring at me dumbstruck.
"You mean the wings?"
"Yeah... the freaking wings." she deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
"Well, um..." I began while shifting a bit awkwardly in place. "Since the... very beginning to be honest." I replied while smiling sheepishly at her.
She simply shook her head, probably trying to get herself out of her dumbstruck state before glaring back at me, a look that was really not making things easier, I might add.
"So, you are telling me you have been an alicorn this entire time, similar to the princesses themselves?" She asked while still seeming somewhat in disbelief.
"Um... well... kind of, but at the same time... not really." I replied simply, which wasn't really a complete lie as I was only an alicorn since the very beginning of my time on this world.
RD, in comparison, just stared at me, utterly confused by my answer. After a moment, an idea seemed to have suddenly struck her, as she stood up with wide eyes.
"Wait a min... it was you wasn't it?" She accused as she got closer to me.
"What do you mean?" I asked nervously as she was just inches away from my face.
"The magical incident here in Cloudsdale." She answered before continuing. "I read all about it in a newspaper that a strange and unknown magical phenomenon occurred here two days back. It was you, wasn't it?" She asked again, this time with a more serious look and tone.
I looked at her, my eyes wide as I started to sweat. To be honest, I was very much surprised to see that RD had somehow made that connection so quickly. I mean, it's not really that difficult if you suddenly find out that one of your friends is actually an alicorn and just so happens to live right in the area where this phenomenon supposedly occurred. Just put two and two together and you've got a pretty good case on the table. But the fact that RD of all ponies managed to get it done so freaking quickly after being completely dumbstruck just a few moments ago is really something. Or am I just being a bit of a jerk and not giving her enough credit for her own intelligence?
She has already proven to me before that she is not 100% similar to the Rainbow Dash I know from the show. She is actually quite smart and does think more, at times, before she says or acts on anything. Not as painfully brash or do I dare say... retarded as the Rainbow Dash I have seen and read of on both the internet and in fanfics.
What am I even doing here? I have a real serious situation on my hands (or hooves, as the case may be now) and I once again let my own mind wander off into other places. I never learn, do I?
I shake my head just as I always do to get my unfocused mind back into the game as I was still being stared down by a not-very-pleased-looking Rainbow Dash.
Both Flitter and Cloud were about to step in but got quickly halted by Dash holding out a hoof in front of them, never breaking eye contact with me.
"No. I want to hear it from HIM." She coldly stated, which took both the mares and myself by complete surprise.
I don't know where this sudden switch of focus in her came from, but what I do know is that there is no path around this, judging by the stern glare she's giving me.
I inhaled and exhaled quietly to calm myself, to collect my thoughts and prepare myself for a talk I already knew would have come up at some point no matter what. Though to be honest, I never ever imagined that it would be this soon or in this kind of situation while blowing my cover so quickly in the most stupid way possible.
"Yes... yes, it was me." I finally admitted while trying to avoid her gaze. "But... But I was an accident, I swear. I... I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't even have any control at the time, for that matter. You... you can ask Flitter and Cloud to confirm this. They were with me when it happened." I added in fear of getting her angry and possibly getting my ass handed to me for admitting it.
Though, to my surprise, I wasn't receiving any scolding or hitting from her. What I got instead was simple silence. Though what happened next was what really caused me to flinch back bit as all that greeted me was a neutral looking Dash.
"Why?"
"Huh?" I asked, confused at this sudden question.
"Why didn't you tell me anything?" She questioned, this time a bit softer and calmer.
"About what?"
"About everything. The fact that you were an alicorn all along, for example." She asked once more, a question I honestly wasn't expecting to hear from her.
I was seriously expecting a lot of things after she gave me that serious glare earlier, but simply asking me why I haven't been fully honest with her definitely wasn't one of them, and somewhat out of character for her too, when compared to the one I know from my world's stories.
Yes, I know at this point I am just hammering it in, but again I have to say it. This is nothing like the show, or at the very least, under the surface it isn't. Which, to be honest, makes me both cautious and intrigued at the same time, if that combination makes any sense.
"What... what do you mean by that?" I asked again, still completely confused, a look that shared by both sisters behind her as well.
"I... honestly don't know." RD quietly replied as she, for the first time, avoided my gaze to look at the floor. I was going to reply to that before RD beat me to it by looking back to me.
"But still... why the BUCK didn't you told me from the beginning, Nava?" Was her quick question, though this time I felt a bit more calmer and collected and better prepared to properly answer her.
"It never came up. And also because I was afraid of how you would react, that's why." I answered her truthfully, which in turn made her look surprised for a change.
"Why the hay would you be afraid of my reaction in the first place?" She asked while tilting her head in confusion.
I sighed. "I honestly don't know either. Paranoia, perhaps. It was just... too hard to say." I admitted before simply rubbing my forehead with a hoof in dejection, feeling truly horrible.
To be fair, now that I think back at it, I honestly had no legit reasons on hiding my true appearance for THAT long from her. Sure, during the very start the reasons were pretty understandable, with me having just arrived into this world all lost and confused, and without any concept or sense of guidance, and was still mostly intimidated and suspicious of a lot of things. I mean, I still am, to some degree, but not in the same level I was at the very beginning. Plus I knew of how hostile and suspicious RD can get in both the show and fics I read, especially early RD, long before I even came to this place. But I quickly learned that this world and the show I knew of back home have very distinct differences to one another, heck some of these differences are even mimicking what MY world had going on in the past if any of the history books I read here are anywhere near accurate.
I snapped back into reality when a hoof suddenly landed on my shoulder. I looked up and saw that it was RD, and to my surprise she actually looked somewhat concerned for me. Not very noticeably, but I could still tell.
"Hey, don't worry. I mean, you have wings, so what? I don't think having wings is going to suddenly make you into a different pony. In fact, knowing that one of my friends is actually an alicorn is, to be honest, really, really, cool, now that I think about it." She explained while looking thoughtful the end before looking back at me with a smile. "Oh, and don't worry, I won't tell this to anypony, if that's what you want, dude." She quickly added.
I was again taken aback by this, but eventually smiled thankfully at her, knowing that despite this outcome and the fact that I deceived her that she was still loyal to me.
"Well she IS the element of Loyalty after all."
"Thank you, Dash... and again, I'm sorry for not having trusted you sooner." I say, which in turn made nod in approval.
"Nah, it's totally fine. You had your reasons for it. You're still cool in my books, Nava. Still the same awkward little dork I came to know." She replied, which in turn made me roll my eyes playfully at the last statement.
RD eventually removed her hoof from my shoulder before trotting back onto the couch and letting herself fall back onto it with a sigh, followed by me and the two sisters afterwards.
"Well, one problem down and a REALLY big one to go." I commented, which in turn caused RD to perk up again.
"Oh yeah... forgot that you basically have an entire army breathing down your neck. Jeez, that's really some serious heat you managed to attract onto yourself there." She commented, which in turn made Cloud Chaser straighten up with a small grin on her face.
"Well, I guess that means that somepony has finally trumped you when it comes to ATTRACTING HEAT to themselves." Cloud Chaser announced with a sly smile, a comment which I quickly understood, as I simply shook my head followed by Flitter facehoofing and RD staring at her with a glare.
"Oh shut up you, at least I had one or two coltfriends compared to your zero back then." RD retorted, which in turn caused Cloud to shut up for now and both me and Flitter to chuckle.
Not missing a beat, Flitter said, "You want some ice for that burn, sis?" earning a glare.
"Oh, Cloud. Always there to drop a few unnecessary but still sometimes welcoming or funny comments to lighten the mood a bit. Also, I forgot my glasses."
"Hey uh... Nava? Do you still need some help with you mane and fur?" Flitter suddenly asked beside me.
"Oh yeah... I am still somewhat of a wet fluffy mess aren't I? Completely forgot." I thought as I simply gave her a short nod.
"Alright let me just go get the brush than." Flitter announced before she got up to do just that, leaving me, Dash and Cloud alone in the room.
"So... Nava, about your horn and magic?" RD suddenly asked.
"Yeah... what about them?" I replied as I looked at her blurry form.
"I am just wondering at this point. Do you even know how to control your magic in the first place? Or is there more that you haven't told me yet?" She questioned.
"Well... crap. Might as well tell her everything then, even the ones I know will greatly amuse her, I guess."
"I wonder how she will react when I tell her that I can't actually fly at all..."
...................................................................................................
"So what you are telling me, Sergeant, is that you haven't found ANYTHING today?!" I shouted while slamming my hoof down hard on a poor, unfortunate desk.
I looked down on it and was not surprised at all to see a deep imprint and very large cracks protruding off of it in all directions. I simply scuffed at it angrily before looking back at the Thestral in front of me.
"Still need to remember to replace this table. since it's not mine. Same for the large warehouse that I so forcefully occupied as a temporary base of operations here."
But that thought could wait as I had vastly more pressing matters to worry about... or more annoying matters, to be more precise, as something rarely gets anywhere near "pressing" to me.
The Thestral Sergeant began to shift a little bit under my harsh gaze but still managed to do what I ask of him.
"Well, as I said, ma'am, our search parties have currently found nothing and haven't managed to gather anything useful regarding the possible source or culprit of the Cloudsdale incident. Even the residents themselves, after questioning them, weren't able to offer any useful information so far. Most of them actually did just run away or hide from our parties and firmly locked the doors of their home. A pretty natural and expected reaction from... a prey species." My sergeant explained staying as professional and disciplined as expected even as my rising anger was becoming more and more evident to him.
"So basically we are still in the same spot in which we started?" I asked while gritting my teeth.
The Thestral in front of me simply nodded, which finally broke the camel's back for me as I immediately slammed my hoof again onto the already damaged desk, completely breaking it in two with the sheer force of my hit.
With most of my anger now out, I immediately went back towards my Sergeant who seems to have not moved or even flinched from my sudden outburst.
"Good. That's what I have trained all of my fellow guard's to do. Show no fear even when I am the source of it."
Where does all of this frustration and anger comes from? Well, for starters, just an hour ago a royal messenger arrived with a letter from both princesses, having learned of my extreme methods of conducting this investigation and have demanded that I withdraw my forces at once. To be honest, I personally couldn't care less what Sunbutt thinks of my methods and to some degree with Lulu as well, especially regarding my track record of NEVER EVER having lost a trail before and having absolutely no interest of ever adding even ONE to the list. But, a promise of mutual respect I made with Lulu still forces me to honor her wishes, so in turn I am basically forced to disengage the operation before it could even last for a whole freaking DAY.
"Much to the joy of the local populace, I am sure. I was originally also planning to have them actively search every single house one by one, but that would have been pushing it."
This situation is really the source of my anger, since it now basically forces me to just suck it up and live with my broken track record.
... Or do I?
An idea quickly popped into my head. Just because I am prohibited from using an army to find or capture whatever we are looking for doesn't mean I can't just have a much smaller task force keeping an eye on this part of Cloudsdale anonymously.
Now that I actually think about it, I should probably have done that from the very beginning and not let my usual anger get the better of my logical thinking.
But hey, whatever. Scaring these little ponies was still an interesting distraction from our boredom, which I am sure a lot of my fellow Thestrals could easily agree on.
With that idea in mind I went back to facing my Sergeant, much calmer and collected, to his relief, as I can tell by looking at his features.
"Call off the platoons. We are closing this operation and returning to Canterlot." I ordered, which was met with a quick salute to the chest.
"Right away, Captain." He replied before he quickly turned around to carry out my orders.
"Oh, and please tell Sergeant Thera to report to me with her squad before I leave. I've got a special assignment for her." I quickly added, to which he nodded before fully exiting the room and leaving me to my own devices.
"I will find the source of that... strange force, and not even the princesses themselves will be able to stop me from doing so. They can try, though, if they want." I thought to myself while looking out a window behind what used to be a desk beside me.
"Ah, yes... still need to replace that quickly before I leave too. Midnight Gear better have my Lance ready and done when I get back or I WILL lock him out of his workshop and throw the key somewhere far away where he can't find it."
...................................................................................................
Well, this reaction was expected. Right now Rainbow Dash is looking at me as if I had just told her that I have a twin brother that looks 100% identical to me, which to be honest is actually somewhat true because of Silver Wing.
But anyway, it doesn't matter at the moment, or it normally would, but the relaxing sensation of someone brushing you is just feels so nerve-melting... in a good way, obviously.
Now I understand why horses--or in this case ponies--like to be brushed, it really is immensely relaxing. Makes you also wonder how belly rubs and scratching behind the ears feel, but at this point I am just getting ahead of myself. I still have Rainbow Dash to worry about, not to mention an army of carnivorous ponies (or omnivores, more sensibly) patrolling around outside.
I blinked to get my head back in the game as RD too seems to be regaining her own control again as she began to shake her head.
"Dude... you can't FLY?" RD repeated a second time.
I nodded, which made RD facehoof.
"I have absolutely no idea if I should be laughing at this or crying... I just... seriously, Nava, how the HAY can you not fly? You have perfectly good and BIG-looking wings, so how can it be that after all your life you have NOT ever capitalized on them?" Dash asked again once more in both frustration and disbelief.
"That's because I have acrophobia." At the head tilt I received, I rephrased myself. "I am afraid of heights, ok? That's why I haven't bothered all this time to ever learn how to fly. Because me and high places have never seen eye to eye." I finally admitted with a slight frustrated groan despite the pleasant brushing I was getting from Flitter.
Did I also mentioned that I was practically laying belly down on her lap? If it wasn't for that fact that I was telling RD all of my weaknesses and feeling somewhat frustrated on her constant overreactions I would be feeling a bit more awkward now especially with RD watching me getting groomed by a mare. A grown stallion getting groomed by a mare on her lap... to be honest, I never really bothered in making myself look MANLY anyway... partially because I am a stallion now. Yeah, really bad joke.
There is the "are you freaking kidding me?" look again from Dash, something that she has been using frequently since I accidentally revealed myself to her.
She blinked a few times before, for the first time ever, she actually started to fall off the couch laughing as if there was no tomorrow, which might be true for me if any of these guards might happened to be just outside. I know for a fact that these bat-ponies have vastly better ears compared to regular ponies and it would be no surprise if one of them hears this... sudden laughter despite the fact that most ponies are fearful and on the edge around here is going to raise some suspicions among them, which will no doubt lead to further investigations.
Though thankfully Flitter--once AGAIN--took the hint before I could voice my own concerns myself.
"Dash, not so loud! Or you are going to attract unwanted attention." She harshly whispered, though I am not sure why she whispered it rather than saying it normally, just like how she and all of us have been talking this entire time. Probably a force of habit.
Thankfully though, that did the trick as Dash slowly started to calm down. After a few more chuckles she finally had the strength to get back up as she was still giggling to herself while doing so.
"Dude... you... you're hilarious. A pony... with wings... that is afraid of heights! Oh, mare! This is... too good to be true." She said in between chuckles as she eventually climbed back onto the couch beside Cloud.
I simply grumble a bit while rubbing my forehead before looking back at her. "What do you mean by THAT? Fluttershy is the same way, so what makes ME so much more fun to laugh at?" I countered, which was met with a smirk from Dash.
"Well, yeah, but the BIG difference here is that she is a mare with a very... complicated past. You... you're a full grown stallion who 'as far as I know' doesn't have that." She explained while still holding that grin of hers.
"That actually does make sense, to be honest." Cloud suddenly added, which was quite unnecessary if you ask me.
Flitter, as usual, was the only adult in the room as she got in between things once more.
"You two, stop it. It's actually not that rare to meet Pegasi who are or used to be scared of heights themselves. Look at Spitfire, for example. Before she even made the cut to join the Wonderbolts herself she was actually quite nervous whenever she was in the air. Obvious signs of having some fear of heights." Flitter explained, which the three of us were taken completely by surprise by.
Dash was the first to recover from that. "Wait... wait, wait, wait... Spitfire... the captain of the WONDERBOLTS used to be afraid of heights herself? Where the HAY did you got this information from?" Dash asked in disbelief, which was somewhat mimicked by Cloud's own expression as well.
"Well, I read it on an interview article in the Equestrian Weekly magazines." Flitter answered with a shrug as she was finally done with my coat.
I finally got off of her and sat up straight for the first time in the last 15 minutes and stretched myself a little bit to get some of the numbness out of my legs as the topic continued between them.
"Seriously? I have never read that." Cloud chaser commented.
"That's because you hardly read the Equestrian Weekly magazine at all, same for Dash, since she hardly does any reading herself anyway." Flitter answered which immediately causes Dash to protest.
"Hey, I read stuff! Just not the usual stuff like news and gossip magazines and such, I'm not stupid." RD argued, which in turn made Flitter smirk.
"Your grades say otherwise." Flitter again countered, which in turn made RD frown and cross her hooves as she leaned back.
"That has nothing to do with smarts. I just found most of this stuff unnecessary. I know for a fact that I won't use any of that crap anyway, especially with the goal I had set for myself back then. That is why I actually had pretty good scores in math, science and physics compared to anything else." She explained, which immediately made me perk up in shock.
"Dash actually being pretty good in math, science and physics? Ok, now I am 100% certain that this world is NOT the same as the show! But to be honest, it kind of makes sense for a mare like her, whose goal is to join the Wonderbolts and become an aerial racer and stunt flyer. Those two are very math and physics heavy if you want to do well. The science, though, I'm not so sure." I thought to myself. Never will I question Dash's supposed intelligence ever again. At least THIS Dash, that is.
"Oh yeah... forgot about those... never mind what I said. Sorry Rainbow." Flitter admitted, which made Dash nod and smirk victoriously.
"Quite amazing in how I seem to get very interesting information without even asking for it."
Though, since I was quite happy that all four of us were having a pretty normal conversation and momentarily forgetting about the dire situation that is still present just outside our door, I still feel the need that IT needs to be brought back up to the surface before we accidentally get careless again.
"Uhm... guys there is still the whole 'army looking for me' problem just outside our home, so..." I began, which seemed to bring realization back into everyone before I could fully finish my sentence.
"Oh, right. You're still in a very deep hole here." RD said while scratching the back of her head.
The room got very quiet afterwards, with none of us seeming to have any ideas to add. To be honest, what else could be added anyway? It's not like we four are capable of taking on a whole army... well, maybe I can if I knew how to control my powers, but that would seriously be the worst plan I could possibly execute. For one, it would definitely put me onto the wanted list, which means I would either live the rest of my days on the run or leave Equestria forever, if I can even be safe outside the borders, that is. Plus, afterwards, I would have no other place to go. Worst of all though, I would also be putting both Cloud and Flitter at risk as well, which is something I would never be able to forgive myself for, especially after everything that they have given me.
Again, if the only way that all of this could finally meet its end is with me surrendering myself to whoever wants my tail, then I guess I will do it. Mostly just for both Flitter and Cloud's sakes. And who knows? Maybe my judgment would be tame and I might have been paranoid over nothing this entire time. A distinct possibility.
Nope. I have a gut feeling that I would be in a LOT of trouble when they know I exist, so hiding in this house and waiting until this storm passes sounds like a better idea. Yeah, let's go with that.
"Well, I could maybe just roam around a bit, unsuspiciously of course and try and get some info or pattern on what, where, and when their patrols are. Then I can escort Nava somewhere where we can sneak out of the district and crash a bit in one of the hotels here in the city until it all blows over, or maybe even go straight for Ponyville for better safety." RD suddenly suggested which made us all perk up at her.
Cloud Chaser was the first to speak up. "That... could work... but it's also pretty risky. I mean, what if you two suddenly get caught?" Cloud asked, concerned, a question that I was also asking myself after having heard Dash's idea.
Dash simply smirked. "They won't, I don't care how many of these guys there are, how good they are in combat or whatever weapons they might be carrying around. In fact, all that crap on them must be pretty heavy which means their speed would be drastically lower compared to a normal Pegasus. Heck, even if they would suddenly ditch all that stuff and pursue us they are still going to be dealing with the FASTEST flyer in all of Equestria." Dash explained while crossing her hind legs and forelegs while looking smug.
"All Nava needs to do is hold on tight and I will do the rest, it's actually not the first time I carried a pony while zipping around in the air, so it's no biggie." She quickly added.
All three of us simply stared at her, and to be honest I was still feeling very unsure of her plan.
"Cloud is right, there is just too much risk involved in this particular plan even IF RD's abilities are true. There is just one tiny little flaw in this plan of hers. If we do get spotted then they will know exactly who to look for later IF we make it out of the city. Posters of my face will be present all over the land and then my days of living freely will be over. I either just turn myself in or somehow reach the border." i thought.
I was about to speak up when I noticed that during my spacing out RD had gotten off of the couch and was making her way to the front door.
"Well, I am going to have a look around then. You three just sit tight and don't make too much noise." She announced before opening the door and stepping out.
"No! WAIT! DASH!" I called out as I stood up but before I could even reach the halfway point the door closed, leaving me and the two sisters alone in the living room.
"Nava, why did you panic like that? Is something wrong?" Flitter asked as she trotted over beside me with a worried look, followed by Cloud who flanked me from the other side.
I looked between them. "Well it's just that-" I began before the front door suddenly opened again.
All three of us tensed up as we thought the worst, but sighed when it was just Rainbow Dash again, stepping back inside looking quite... surprised?
"Hey, Dash? Uh... why did you came back so quickly?" Cloud asked, a question both Flitter and I had on our minds as well.
RD looked between the three of us before answering. "The Bat-ponies are leaving." She simply answered, sounding and looking very surprised.
We instantly mimicked her expression. "What? What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"It means that the streets are empty and that they seem to be flying back to Canterlot, if the direction of their takeoff is anything to go by. Large groups of these guys are taking off as we speak. Take a look outside and see for yourself." Dash explained before opening the door and beckoning us to come outside.
Cloud and Flitter both went, as for myself, I decided to just use the windows instead for safety reasons.
I gently moved the curtains to the side and, wouldn't you know it, Dash was right. From my position I could clearly see squads upon squads of Thestral guards taking off and flying east, where Canterlot presumably is.
I was in a slight state of disbelief, but was also relieved as I watched them all take off one by one and swiftly disappear over the rooftops of neighboring buildings.
Is this it? Did I somehow get lucky once more? Or was this somehow Silver's doing again and I just didn't notice?
"Nava, you lucky bastard." I heard Rainbow Dash comment from outside as we all continued to just stand there and watch the unexpected departure of the Thestral army.
"Lucky bastard indeed." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 19: Training Montage for Old and New | /Chapter Chapter 19: Training Montage for Old and New/
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
"Are you sure that I should be learning how to fly... this soon?" I asked nervously while scraping the dirt below me with my hoof.
"THIS SOON? What the... you're already a full grown stallion I would say it's about high bucking time that you get these wings some air." Dash retorted, though she wasn't really aware of the fact that I really only had my wings for like just over 3 weeks or so.
It has already been a couple of days since the whole "Getting swarmed by Thestrals" incident back in Cloudsdale which, according to Flitter, is now the second most engrossing paper story of the year followed right after the Cloudsdale magic disaster that happened before it, and knowing that I was basically responsible for both of them... It did NOT made me feel very proud about that "presumably" legendary achievement.
After that though, Rainbow Dash had declared that she was going to make me "learn how to fly and get rid of that fear of heights" her personal mission which is WHY me, Dash, and even the two Pegasus sisters are now on an open grassy meadow just a few kilometers away and below Cloudsdale.
How did we get down here you may ask? Well, let's just say that it involved a blindfold, a strong mare who didn't take no for an answer and A LOT of screaming and almost losing my breakfast.
Saying that I was quite upset in the end afterwards was an understatement, it took Dash a whole 30 minutes to get me to even look at her. Surprisingly though it was Cloud this time who eventually helped me to calm down before I finally agreed on the idea that today was going to be my first ever lesson in becoming a bird.
Which then leads us to the here and now, my annoyance quickly getting replaced with nervousness as I just realized what I have just gotten myself into. Though to be honest, the look Dash was giving me told me that my options were...pretty much nonexistent.
She was going to teach me how to fly even if it was going to cost her sanity... which might actually have some levity to it.
She began to carefully circle around me as I casually stood there, probably observing my wings and muscles on my back where my wings are obviously attached too. She even went so far as to grabbing one of my wings and pulling on them a bit, which was rather uncomfortable, to be honest.
She started to hum to herself in thought before trotting back in front.
"Oh, mare. We are going to have a lot of work to do." She muttered to herself before looking back at me with a bit of a sigh.
"Ok... let's just start with the basics." She announced as she opened her wings. "Let's first try with a simple flapping exercise. Just flap your wings up and down normally, that way we can get some blood pumping into those muscles and warm them up for the more complicated exercises later." She quickly explained as she casually began to flap her wings up and down to demonstrate.
I nod as I tried to unhook my wings (I like to call it) in order to mimic Dash's instructions.
The problem, though, was that I had never really fully extended my wings before on my own, the only instances being accidents or when I simply relaxed my supposed wing muscles to let them fall onto the ground lazily but never in a way in how you un-flare them and then keeping them there, just like how you would easily do with an arm or a leg.
All I really managed to achieve where some really awkward and uneven looking wing positions while just lazily twitching them up and down afterwards.
I could heard Dash groan as she facehoof accompanied by some barely stifled snickering from behind. I began to feel really, really embarrassed after I saw the absolute comical and pathetic position my wings where in, the stifled laughter behind me not helping at all with the lack of self-confidence I was suffering from the sight.
Dash eventually trotted back towards me not looking very pleased before she harshly pulled on my right wing which almost caused me fall over. Did I also mention that it was pretty painful as well?
"Like this; you need to extend your wings like THIS, not just have them awkwardly dangle off from the side and then lazily move them up and down." RD lectured while rapidly forcing my wing up and down with the same hoof she grabbed it with, again almost causing me to fall over and cry out in discomfort.
"I swear, if this is somehow a joke, then let me tell it's NOT freaking funny at all. Stop beating around the bush and take this seriously, Nava." She harshly added before finally letting go of my wing with a glare.
I glared right back at her after the shakiness in my head as subsided. "I AM taking this seriously, I have never really used my wings before EVER, so excuse me if seem a bit slow and stiff to you." I retorted my tone firmly carrying the annoyance I was feeling.
The two of us continued to glare at each other for a while before RD finally sighed.
"Listen, I am just trying to help you get over your fear of heights and teach you how to fly. I mean, just look at these wings." She explained as she gestured towards my wings with a hoof. "They are huge for a pony your size and look amazing with those silvery shining feathers in the middle... though not as amazing as mine of course, but still those things are MADE for flying and I will not -repeat- WILL NOT stand idly by and watch a being MADE to fly stay grounded for the rest of its life... or eternity... because, well... you're an Alicorn. BUT you get the point!" RD explained glaring determinedly at me at the end of her speech.
I quietly stared at her, not really sure if I should feel thankful or alarmed by her announcement.
"Well, at least this actually looks and feels more like the rainbow Dash I know." I thought to myself as I watched RD return to her original spot in front of me.
"Now let's try again, but this time do as I am doing and don't you even THINK of slacking off in front of me. Now just repeat what I am doing." Dash instructed as she once again began to flap her wings up and down before gesturing me with a hoof to do the same.
I nod as I tried my best to mimic her movements with my own despite my lack of accurate motor control I have on my wing joints and muscles. At first it was difficult as expected but I soon found myself slowly getting the hang of how to move those wings in sync as my flapping became more and more accurate with every flap.
I was slowly starting to feel a bit giddy before RD broke it by yelling at me like a sports coach I never had in my school days... and would have preferred to keep it that way as well.
"FASTER! FLAP THEM FASTER! I WANT TO SEE SOME SWEAT TRICKLING DOWN YOUR FACE WHEN THIS IS DONE!" Dash shouted, which in turn automatically made me flap my wings faster in turn.
"GOSH DARN IT. FASTER! MY FRIEND FLUTTERSHY CAN FLAP HER WINGS FASTER THAN YOU, SO SPEED UP, STUD!" RD commanded even louder which shocked me into flapping my wings as fast as I was physically capable of without ripping them off my back.
I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth hard as I flapped my wings like I have never flapped them before (mostly because I haven't). Sweat began to build up around my back and forehead as I could feel my wing muscles burning from the rapid stimulation I was given them.
"Uh... Nava? You can slow down now. Uh, Nava? Hey!" I heard Dash call out through the rapid torrents of winds I was kicking up around me. Though I kept going, somehow, probably to prove something or whatever, as I even managed to increase my speed just a little bit more causing the noise of flapping wings and rushing winds to intensify around me. I was actually causing a small vortex around me.
"NAVA! *cough *cough. Would you... would you STOP!? THAT'S ENOUGH!!!" I heard Dash yell within the noise, which finally forced me to slow myself down before eventually stopping completely with my wings feeling very sore and hanging lazily of my sides. For my part i was panting from exhaustion, with my tongue hanging out.
I finally opened my eyes and was immediately greeted with a thick cloud of dust surrounded me, causing me to spit it out, retracting my tongue. The dust eventually subsided, revealing a somewhat brownish looking RD in front of me with a deadpanned look on her. I began to smile sheepishly after I noticed that both Flitter and Cloud had suffered the same fate.
"Oops... Sorry?" Was all I managed to get out as I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly as RD's gaze was still fixed on me.
"Ugh... this is going to be a loooong day." I heard Dash mutter under a hoof before looking back up at me with a very unpleased glare on her features.
"Keep it up, buster and I am going to throw you into that lake over there." She threatened with a neutral looking glare while pointing a hoof at said lake just a few meters behind her.
That made me chuckle nervously which only caused her glare to intensify, which caused me to shut up, lowering my head and ears in defeat.
"Yup... today is going to be a loooong day indeed."
...................................................................................................
"Well at least it's nice to finally have Acheron back, my trusty blood lance." I thought to myself with a big sense of satisfaction as I held the ancient blood weapon out in front of me.
This weapon is even older than me, herited from my father when he died gloriously in battle for the Equestrians 1000 years ago.
Do I still feel sad about it? Yes. Do I still feel disheartened by the loss of my father? Somewhat. Will I ever admit it to anyone? Heck. No.
I smiled at the ancient and powerful weapon in my hoof as I began to feel its crimson colored blade, tracing it down along it's markings with a hoof just like you would trace it down along a lover before getting serious.
Blood weapons or blood magic in general as far as i know are banned here in Equestria, but back at home it's openly practiced and even studied to serious degrees, one of the reason being that blood magic and Thestral history pretty much going hoof to hoof. Though the making of blood magic imbued weapons such as mine have sadly been lost over the centuries, making items such as these a really rare sight to behold.
Which just makes me even prouder to have one in my possessions.
Acheron itself is what is known as a Sanguinem Mundi, a blood blade weapon. When transferred to a new owner it loses its power, but it takes on the strength of the first monster that one slays with it. I had felled an Elder Hydra with it, so you can just imagine...
Shaking my head I immediately decided to end my musing and finally get back to work, i.e. paper work and stuff.
Seriously, you do one freaking thing and what comes after is a mountain sized heap of paperwork and most of them are about reports, files and complains about angry or frightened ponies back from wherever. Cloudsdale in particular, this time, both regarding the magical incident itself AND my actions to respond to it. Did I already mention that I am a War Mare and not a bloody secretary?!
I was about to start my long and torturous journey to filing these accursed papers when all of the sudden the front door to my office opened up.
I was ready to scathe the interloper with some harsh words before I quickly noticed who exactly it was who had the courage to enter my office completely announced.
"Greetings, Lulu." I casually greeted her with a flat look.
"Well yes. Greetings to you too, Glade, it has been a while hasn't it?" The dark blue Alicorn monarch greeted.
I crocked an eyebrow at that. "You mean us meeting? We already had our reunion right after you returned from your exile, dear Luna." I questioned before looking back at the paper in front of me.
I could hear her move up closer as I lifted my head back up again to look at her. "Not quite." She responded with a shake of her head before continuing. "What we meant is that it has been a while since you overestimated a situation again." She finally explained.
I sighed, knowing full well at what she was implying. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I have a knack of overkilling things just because I sometimes let my own emotions get the better of my rational judgment.
Luna, though, seemed to notice this, as a knowing smirk arose from her lips in an almost friendly gesture to taunt me a bit. I smirked back which finally broke up the awkwardness that dominated the room previously as both of us finally began to relax at each others presence.
"You should really learn how to control your emotions a bit more, there, dear Glade, otherwise they might one day send you into some trouble." Luna announced which in turn just made me huff at her before another smirk quickly graced my lips.
"Funny... coming from someone like YOU." I answered which quickly caused Luna's smile to falter as she looked off to the side full of guilt and depression.
My own smirk quickly dropped as i realized my mistake and sighted. "Sorry for that... didn't mean to bring THAT to the table so very soon. We all have our demons. I was never good with talking anyway, being more of a mare of action rather than words." I apologized sincerely, which thankfully lifted Lulu's spirits a bit as she gave me a sad smile in return.
"That is quite alright. We... have long learned from our errors and it is still a very welcome feeling to finally be back home and cured from the curse that has haunted us for so long. Though..." She explained before looking off the side again. "Equestria seems to have changed a lot during our absence, and we are afraid that adapting to the new modern age might be... a daunting task indeed." She finished as sadness again quickly entered her features once more.
"Though..." She began again. "We are still happy to at least see that after 1000 years that you, dear Glade, haven't changed much at all during that time. A quite welcome sight indeed when everything seems so... alienating around us. Still the same hot blooded mare I came to know." Luna finally added this time with a true genuine smile on her muzzle for the first time as she looked down at me and winked.
I chuckled as I finally let my paperwork drop for a while to give my old friend my full attention.
"It's also really nice to see that you haven't changed much either, Luna. Still talking to yourself in third person like a complete mad girl." I said with a chuckle which was mimicked by Lulu as well.
"Well we... I mean... I know what you mean, It was actually one of the very first things we... I found out about my sister. That using the royal we has long gone out of fashion. Died out. Not a huge problem to overcome, but still... it's going to take time to get used to." Luna explained while rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
"Let me guess... you came here to have me teach you about modern speech and keep you up to date with whatever has changed during your absence?" I questioned knowingly, which was quickly confirmed by the Alicorn monarch nodding.
"Our dear sister... I mean... My sister is still too busy on getting me up to date with the latest changes and evolutions on society, so I was forced to turn to the only other pony I knew well who might be able to guide me in this task. I would have also loved to ask the aid in one of our subjects, but, well... you already know the situation." Luna explained, to which I simply shook my head at her last statement, knowing full well what she meant.
"Well... whatever gives me a good excuse to NOT do all of this busywork here anyway. Sure, I guess I would enjoy acting as your personal tutor for a change... which is kind of funny, if you think about it. ME tutoring YOU, of all ponies." I say as I finally got up from my desk to trot over to the front door.
"Yes, I am quite aware of the irony of this situation myself." Luna chuckled as she followed me out the door and out onto the hallways.
"Though, I also came over to discuss about your... colourful method back in Cloudsdale and after having spotted it... Your blood weapon as well, dear Glade." Luna quickly added which in turn made me just groan in response.
"Don't worry, Lulu. We can talk ALL about it privately back in the barracks archives once we get there." I replied.
"She better not ask for me to store my precious lance away somewhere so ponies can't accidentally see it, or I might have to hit her in the head with it.
Nothing separates me and the only item I have to remember my father by." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 20: Calm Before The Storm | Chapter 20: The Calm Before the Storm
Edited By: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread By: Midnight Gear, and Rhawkas
"ARGH! What the HAY am I MISSING!?" A very mare-like, darkly colored Thestral shouted in frustration.
The young Thestral inventor and tinkerer named Midnight Gear had been trying desperately since Glade had given her blood lance to him (for crystal replacements) to try and study it, and he had hoped to perhaps unlock the secret of imbuing physical weapons with blood magic.
This factor was actually the main reason why Gear had taken so damn long in returning his captain's Blood Weapon; In order to study it more closely in hopes of finally getting the answers, he needed to rediscover the fine process required to create one of the most deadly weapons/enchanted items in existence. Though, he would never tell Captain Glade that his long delays on fixing up her lance were because he was very carefully placing it under a multitude of magnifying glasses and other physical and magical examining tools in order to unlock its secrets. That would be a really bad idea. Glade would, without a doubt, have his head or tan his hide AT LEAST (and possibly both), and Gear knew that this was something he was determined to avoid at all costs.
From self-experience, and whenever he blew up a wall or caused fires. It wasn't his fault that some misplaced spare parts almost destroyed his lab. Not... entirely, anyway.
But now was not the time to reminisce about his past mistakes. He should be worrying about the consequences of causing more trouble for the Captain as she was already extremely frustrated.
"All of my years of researching back in the national libraries and archives in both Pelepolos and Kazzas (the twin capitals of the Thestral homeland) and ALSO finally getting my hooves on an ACTUAL Blood Weapon and despite that I still barely returned with any meaningful results. This is ridiculous!!!"
The fact that even having an actual Blood Weapon to study and still failing to unravel its secrets was the largest source of his frustration.
Gear sighed as he performed some common breathing exercises to calm his fraying nerves. "A calm mind has much better chances of finding results and hidden information." he reminded himself. "I might have missed something." he thought as he immediately went back to look over the numerous notes he took during his studies and examinations. The small lamp on his workshop table produced enough light for him to clearly read the information recorded on them.
Gear's eyes continued to scan the information in front of him, moving from page to page, reading them up, down, left, right and sideways to make absolutely sure that he hadn't missed anything that might still give him enough clues to help him move further down in finally cracking the Blood Weapon's code.
The more he read and skimmed over the notes, the more his frustration slowly started to return until he finally had enough as he let out another loud cry and violently slammed his hooves on the table, knocking some notes and other things to the floor.
"ARGH! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! EVERY FREAKING TIME I SKIM OVER THESE NOTES I ALWAYS HIT THE SAME ROADBLOCK AT THE END!" Midnight Gear shouted as he frantically began to pace around his workshop full of strange machines, both scientific and magical, and sometimes even a combination of both.
"Material, material, material, every time I come to the end of my notes, I always come to the frustrating mystery of what material, what metal had been used to make these weapons in the first place. Just like the secret of infusing blood magic into them, the specific metal used to make these weapons--and how this metal was forged or made--has also been lost over the last thousand years. IT MAKES THIS SITUATION BEYOND MADDENING!" Gear continued his rant as he stomped a hoof into the stone floor.
"GODS DAMN BUCK-BLASTED IDIOT WHO BURNED, LOST, OR EVEN STOLE THIS INFORMATION!" He shouted once more as he punched a nearby wall in frustration.
"Hey, brainiac! Could you keep it down in there? The Captain is making her way over here, so I suggest that you keep it down before she hears you making another ruckus in there." He heard the muffled voice of a Thestral say on the other side of his workshop's entrance, no doubt one of the guards/guinea pigs assigned to stand near his door.
"Wa-wait... the Captain is coming... so soon?" Gear squeaked as his frustration quickly gave way to panic.
"Crap! I was supposed to make more models of the hoof-sized thaumic detectors and present them to her." He thought as he raced over to another table on the other side of his room where a white dirty blanket was covering several flat, round, compass-like objects.
He quickly removed the blanket off the table revealing a large number of magic detectors carefully laid on it, twenty in total. The fact that there were only twenty caused the poor young stallion to panic even more, as he was originally ordered to make at least thirty of them. Unfortunately however, he got sidetracked once again in order to continue with his research on Blood Weapons and their creation, which was one of his main projects and goals in life.
"She's going to be mad. She's sooo going to be pissed at me again for not doing the job I'm paid to do!" Gear said in a panicked voice to himself as he quickly began to move the cover back over them.
Gear is frightened by a lot of things, justified and not, but if he ever had to pick which thing, creature, situation, or pony he is the most afraid of, it would be, without a doubt, Captain Glade herself. He would rather pick an angry dragon over her any day of the week... especially knowing that she has slain one before back in Nassgardiath with her weapon before returning to Equestria... he should know... he was there.
The former Kazzasian military commander had an aura of pure intimidation around her despite her... well, he had to admit, despite her muscular and perfectly toned body and beauty.
Gear immediately began to blush at these thoughts before his daydreaming was swiftly interrupted by a series of knocks coming from the workshop's main door.
Panic quickly entered his mind once more, as he swiftly rushed to the door to open it. He would have preferred to hide under a table in the hope that the knocking would finally go away but he knew a waiting Glade was a very unhappy Glade. Another mistake he was determined to never repeat. EVER.
"He-hello Ca-Captain Glade... I uhm... uh..." Gear nervously greeted after opening his door before a lump in his throat stop him from saying anything more.
The Night Guard Captain in front of him wore a disinterested expression as he looked up at her, making him even more nervous than he was before, knowing full well that this was just the calm before the storm that usually accompanied her disinterested moods.
Glade simply stared down at him before she started. "Are the new magic detectors I ordered ready?" She asked immediately, straight to the point, which in turn made Gear's heart rate increase even more.
The poor stallion began to shudder a bit as he braced himself for the possible backlash he was going to receive when he told her the news.
"Well... you see... Ca-Captain... I have, uh..."
"Let me guess, you didn't manage to finish all of them as I requested, have you?" Glade quickly cut in, a very displeased look on her face as she spoke.
"Well uh... no." Gear reluctantly answered in fear.
From the corner of his eye (despite his situations) Gear could see that the guard on his right was rolling his eyes upon this revelation before once again looking forward to ignore the exchange and mind his own business.
Gear quickly closed his eyes and braced himself for the awaiting shouting that was soon going to assault his ears. Imagine the confusion he felt when all he got was just a tired sigh.
He hesitantly opened his eyes to see to his complete surprise a not-pissed-off, but a rather annoyed-looking Glade instead. To say that he was confused was an understatement. He was about to mentally debate with himself if this might be the real Glade or not before the Captain in front of him stopped him.
"How many?"
"Huh?"
"I said, how many have you made so far?" Glade asked again, surprisingly calm and collected, which felt almost alien to the young inventor, considering the fact of just how long he's known her.
Gear began to awkwardly shift around in place as he looked back at her. "Well I... only made... twenty so far. I... I was busy again... with other things... so... PLEASEDON'THURTME." The young Thestral answered before fearfully shielding himself with his front legs as Glade simply stood there.
"Ugh... I would have never imagined that teaching Luna about proper speech, modern magic and social development would be such a drag... not to mention the criticism she constantly kept bringing about my weapon and blood magic in general." Glade muttered as she massaged her head tiredly with a hoof.
"I don't have the energy for this. Just show me the models you did manage to complete before I collapse or something." Glade ordered, which caused the stallion in question to look up at her again in confusion before registering her orders as he frantically began to move from the entrance.
"Su-sure right... r-right this way, C-Captain." He stuttered as he gestured for the war veteran to enter.
Both Thestrals made their way past many drawings, schematics and assorted machinery before they finally reached the table holding the items in question.
"Here they are." Gear announced as he carefully removed the blanket covering them.
Glade trotted up beside the timid Thestral to inspect the collection of compass-like devices neatly spread out across the table. All of them shimmering and glittering in the dim light provided by the simple oil lanterns around the room, showing anyone just how fresh and untouched they really are.
"Do they all work just as well as the prototype?" Glade ask while never breaking her observation of them.
Gear gulped nervously before replying. "We-well ye-yes... yes, they do work, Ca-Captain. I-I have tested them all... pe-personally before... laying them all out on this ta-table." Gear answered while moving awkwardly a bit next to the Captain.
Glade nodded. "Well, twenty are better than nothing. Good work, I guess." This surprised Gear even more, but Glade went on. "Did you calibrate them to especially look for the unknown magic signature we were hunting back in Cloudsdale?" She asked, to which Gear quickly nodded. "
"Especially... that, but they will also... detect other magical si-signatures, in case the one we...we seek has been masked with another." he said
"Good, but I am still expecting the other ten to be done as well in two days, otherwise I am going to skin your hide." Glade added, which made Gear gulp.
"Ye-yes, of course, Ca-Captain... I will get to work r-right away." Gear responded before quickly dashing to another corner of his shop, probably to work on the other ten detectors to avoid his captain's wrath.
Glade yawned before making her way back to the exit. "If anyone needs me, I will be in my quarters resting." Pausing, she adds, "On second thought, please tell them not to disturb me if unless they want to have a hoof up their plot."
"Next time I am going to order one of my stallions to entertain Luna instead of me. What a long day." The Captain thinks as she slowly makes her way to her Captain's quarters within the night guard barracks.
...................................................................................................
"I *huff* am so *huff* beat. *huff* Need to *huff* lay down." I say out loud in between breaths as I simply collapse on my stomach, mostly because my whole back and wings are sore from all the exercises I did today and I don't want to risk hurting them by laying on my back instead.
"Hey, you held yourself pretty good today for a couch potato. You didn't slack off as much as I had imagined you would, and you actually pushed yourself pretty hard. Nice work. You definitely deserve a rest there, buddy." RD commented as she came up in front of me with a grin.
I grinned back tiredly as I looked up at her. "Well, it's because I didn't feel like getting wet today." I commented back in between pants which made Dash only chuckle at my response.
"That way of thinking is kind of pointless when you are already covered in sweat. I would say you still need to take a dip into that lake if you don't want to smell like garbage later." RD commented back with a smirk.
"Yeah I guess I have to... plus it's kind of warm today anyway, or maybe it's just me." I chuckled as I steadily got myself back up to sit on my rump, my wings still dangling lazily at my sides and still hurting.
"Hey, guys! Over here! I brought food and drinks if you two want some." I heard Flitter call out from the side and RD and I turned our heads to look at her.
Right there under the shade of a lone standing tree in the middle of the large meadow were both Cloud and Flitter, sitting on what I could guess is a picnic blanket with a saddlebag and a basket sitting besides them.
I was a bit confused by this, mainly because of the fact that I never remembered them ever taking a basket or a saddlebag with them when we first departed (or got kidnapped, in my case) from Cloudsdale.
I was instantly removed from my thoughts as RD tapped me on the shoulder before making her way over to the two. I quickly stood back up on all fours as I followed her.
"RD and I DID focus ourselves on just the training the entire time. It could be possible that Cloud and Flitter might have slipped off back to Cloudsdale during that and come back with all this stuff without RD or I noticing. But I can still ask just to be sure." I thought to myself as we made it to the two pegasisters.
"How was the training, you two?" Flitter asked while looking at us with a smile.
"Yeah, did Nava continue to complain or did he finally stallion up and push himself without collapsing every five minutes?" Cloudchaser joked which caused Flitter to hit her lightly on the shoulder as she began to snicker.
I was about so say something to that before RD butted in. "Actually, he did pretty well for himself. I was actually surprised." Dash answered while sending a smile in my direction, which I returned in thanks.
"Hey, that's awesome! It's nice to know that soon you are going to be soaring through the skies with us, Nava. Trust me, flying freely through the air for the first time is an experience you will never, EVER forget." Cloud commented after her snickers from her previous joke died down, which was met with a happy nod by Flitter.
"Well..." I began as I rubbed my head with a sheepish smile. "it sounds nice and all, but I am still far from ever flying as freely and casually as you guys, especially with my fear of heights still very much active and whatnot." I admitted, which was swiftly met with a pat on my shoulder.
"One step at a time, dude. And don't worry; with me as your teacher you will never have to take another boring hot air balloon ride ever again." Flitter reassured me, smiling, with a small chuckle at the end.
I returned her smile as we made ourselves comfortable on the picnic blanket as Flitter began to pull stuff out from the large basket beside her.
"By the way. How did you two have all of this stuff? I certainly didn't remember any of it being brought with us when you three... abducted me." I asked as Flitter began to spread some food and drinks out onto the blanket while Cloud helped her with it.
"And also, how did you fit all of that in there?" I added
"Well... one, you two were so very focused and engrossed in your wing exercises that we took the opportunity to quickly fly back home to get some food and other things so that we could have our lunch here together on the fields." Flitter answered happily in which I nod.
"And also, the basket is bigger than it might seem." she added.
I decided not to touch that one. "Well, could you maybe just give me something to drink then? I feel completely dehydrated after having done nothing but wing exercises the entire morning." I requested while wiping some sweat that had collected on my forehead.
"Yeah, could you toss me a bottle too? Today is actually pretty hot." Dash announced.
"Yeah, it is, isn't it?" Flitter replied as she tossed both me and Dash a pair of water bottles, with RD catching hers expertly in her hoof while I was just thankful that I caught it on my chest rather than my face--as I originally feared I would.
"Oops... sorry about that." Flitter apologized with a sheepish grin.
"Nah, its cool, I am somewhat of a terrible catch anyway. Plus you only hit my chest and not my head." I assured her kindly as I carefully took off the bottle cup using my teeth before taking a long and refreshing gulp from it.
From then on the lunch/picnic went on without any hiccups. Flitter, with the help of Cloud, placed sandwiches, a bowl of salad and packed slices of fruits in between us.We started to casually converse with one another as we peacefully ate.
The shade of the tree above us and the gentle winds blowing through the lands in accompaniment to some very cold drinks were a blessing in the warm weather, especially for me as the winds help me to cool off my sweat-covered body.
Afterwards, when our hunger and thirst had been satisfied, the four of us decided to simply relax for a while as we all sat or laid ourselves down on our respective corners and enjoyed the peace and scenery around us.
This once again gave me the perfect time to reflect on everything that has happened to me so far since I arrived in this world.
"So much has happened in such a small timespan it's almost comical. Before, I was living a very normal and completely mundane life and then just out of the blue everything gets turned upside down, shoved sideways and thrown out the window with one crazy and completely unexpected event after another. From simple and boring, to chaotic and downright ridiculous.
Was it all a change for the better? I honestly don't know. Do I miss my old, formulaic life that was easy and simple? Probably, somewhat. Okay, maybe I don't know either, especially judging by the fact that everything I have ever done and pursued back in my old life was for nothing, even though I really haven't accomplished or done anything there to begin...."
My train of thought paused when a realization suddenly struck me.
It was true... I really didn't accomplish ANYTHING back in my old life. I was lazy in school, so my grades were passable at best, but I had dreams and goals that I wanted to follow... but after years of doing so I heart-crushingly gave up on them because I realized that for some reason I couldn't do it.
I didn't really have friends, or at the very least, only had a select few in the span of my entire life because I was more of a loner than a social type. Plus they didn't last very long anyway, and half of them turned out more of a brand of annoyance because they spent more time making fun of me than actually being my friends! That eventually made me into the loner that I became. I was, or still am, a coward and afraid of change or things I don't understand. And to top it all off, I even had mental issues as well.
Besides having--or more precisely having HAD--good loving parents and a wide, supportive family, there really wasn't a whole lot about me that screams good, or even, dare I say, GREAT.
Which only makes me feel even more depressed about myself and the situation that I'm in now, knowing that I may never see my family again, and am likely presumed to be dead by them, or more precisely just mysteriously vanished. There probably wouldn't be a body to find anyway, which only adds to the grief of what my parents must be feeling right now.
"The longer I stay here in this world, the smaller and smaller my chances--and also the reasons--of returning back home seem to become. Really, what is there to return to? Not only that, but the bonds I'm already forging in this world as well, I can't just leave all of this behind and bugger off. In my short time here I have already become really close with both Cloudchaser and Flitter, both accepting me as part of their family very quickly and hoping to use ME to fill the void that the death of their parents had created. I can't possibly do that to them, leave them alone the same way their parents tragically had, especially with everything that they've done for me so far and..."
With that, it just becomes this vicious cycle of wanting to return home and wanting to stay here for their sake and also for a chance for a fresh new start. Despite the fact that I normally am afraid of change and prefer things to stay formulaic and simple.
Of course, this is all dependent on if I even CAN return home. If not, then obviously deciding would be easy, but then at the same time I will be met with the fact that I really can never see my family again, my old home, or my old simple life, despite the fact of how unaccomplished it was.
I began to stare off into the distance, my ears resting against my head and my shoulders going slack as all these worrying and depressing thoughts entered my mind.
"Hey, dude, are you ok? You look... kind of depressed there." I heard Dash say as I felt a hoof being placed on my shoulder.
I sighed, breaking my gaze from the meadow in front of me to look at her. She genuinely had a concerned look on her and by turning my head further I could tell that even Flitter and Cloud had curious looks as well, before looking back up front.
I shook my head. "No... to be honest I don't feel ok at all." I admitted with another sad sigh as I lowered my head to look at my forelegs.
"Want to talk about it, maybe?" Dashie suggested.
"No... I'd rather not. But thanks for the concern, though." I replied.
"I don't know how they will react if I ever tell them that I am actually from another world and another species altogether." I thought to myself as I looked back up to stare at the landscape around me.
RD sighed. "Well alright, suit yourself. I obviously can't force you if you don't want to." She replied as she removed her hoof from my shoulder.
I could feel and hear shuffling coming from behind me, thanks to the blanket I was sitting on.
From the corner of my eye I could see a light, teal-colored mane, letting me know that it was Flitter sitting down next to me as I felt another hoof placing itself just between my wings on my back, which made me flinch a bit from the sensation.
"We all have problems, or things that make us sad or depressed. So you aren't alone." Flitter tried to reassure me while also giving me a smile.
"I know." I replied again with a sight. "Again, thanks to trying, but... it's something I have to deal with myself." I added.
"I understand, as Dash said, we can't force you if you don't feel comfortable." Flitter added, while giving my back a few gentle rubs - which actually did felt pretty good for my still sore muscles back there as my wings began to twitch a bit from the sensation.
"Thanks, I wish I could tell, but... well... as you said, we all have our own problems to deal with." I say with a small chuckle as I was slowly starting to feel better with all the voiced support and concern I was getting.
Flitter simply smiled at this and RD happily nodded at my response. I smiled back at them, again thanking them for their support with the matter even though I never really asked for it.
"Let's just relax for the rest of the day, shall we? It's way too hot today for further practicing anyway." Dashie suggested as she eventually moved back to her previous spot, same for Flitter, who quickly moved back beside her sister to lay down.
I followed their example as I turned around to lay myself down as well for a while, thought when I did I could have sworn that Cloud was looking a bit depressed off to the side before laying down and facing the tree.
"Huh... what is going on with her all of a sudden?" I thought as I laid myself flat onto my belly (because my wings are still killing me) to simply relax for the day and try to not let my mind wander off again to my previously rekindled problems.
"Hey, wait! I just got an idea!" RD suddenly announced right after I was about to close my eyes.
We all lifted our heads to look at her while she sat up with a grin on her face before fixing her gaze towards me with the same smile.
"As far as I know, you don't have much control or understanding of your magic right?" Dash asked, to which I sat back up to be in eye level with her.
"Well, uh... yeah. I actually have no control over my magic or know how to use it at all, it more has a mind of its own... kind of." I replied while memories of the whole Cloudsdale incident came flashing back, making me shudder a bit.
Dash nods as an all-knowing grin spread across her features. "Well, it's because I might be friends with a certain pony that might be in a position to help you with you magic problem." She explained to me, which immediately made me dread the idea that she was about to propose.
"Oh god... it's Twilight isn't it? The very last pony besides the Princesses I want to meet right now."
I simply nod, signaling her to keep going. "Her name is Twilight Sparkle. The same mare you and I bumped into during the Summer Sun Celebration and the same mare I followed to defeat Nightmare Moon." She announced, which immediately confirmed my fears.
"Not only is she the Princess's personal student, but she is also the Element of Magic herself. So she would easily be the best pony you could ask in the topic of magic. She knows like... everything about it." Dashie quickly added.
"That is the problem, she is Celestia's personal student and the nosiest pony from the show. She will immediately know that something about me is... unique by just looking at me and then she is going to go and lick Celestia's hooves by telling her about it."
"Hey, yeah! That's a great idea." Flitter suddenly butted in. "I have heard about a lot of her--and the rest of you by extension--accomplishments against Nightmare Moon in the papers. If she really is the Element of Magic than she can certainly help Nava with his magic problem. What do you think, Nava?" She added before looking at me.
At this point I was internally torn by the offer these two have suggested to me.
"For one, Dash might be right. Twilight (besides the Princess, but that is a no-no) might be the only pony that could help me get my magic under control and also teach me how to use it. But if I do accept her help, I have to act very carefully in order for her not to get too suspicious of me. She WILL get suspicious, I just know it, I mean just look at my horn for example it's already almost over twice the size of a normal unicorn's horn and its sharper and pointer, almost like a spear in a sense.
Which only leads me to the most prominent problem I have with her being selected as my personal teacher. Her curiosity and connection to the Princess. The other problem would be how to tell her the reason of why a full grown "unicorn" stallion doesn't have control over his own magic. I need to somehow come up with a believable backstory to make it seem less strange, otherwise my ass is grass.
What about Spike? I know for a fact that he would most likely not be at home with her every single time, but still, for a baby dragon he is also quite nifty in the noggin and quite observant as well. He was, after all, hatched and raised by Twilight.
But then again, if I can somehow convince Twilight and Spike to not tell the Princess, then I can get yet another important pony to vouch for me when the day of Celestia's finding out about me will come. The more that I can befriend, the less complicated things will be, and it will also eventually give me more freedom and options as well.
I think I might give it a try. "No guts no glory" is how they always say it.
Actually, wait a minute, why am I debating this? Shouldn't they already know the risk that comes with it as well? Twilight doesn't know that she is going to be teaching an alicorn how to become a demi-god."
I shook my head to throttle down my thought process a little bit to focus on them again. "Wait, wait... wait. Hold on a second. You girls seem to be missing a very important key detail here." I announced as I turned my head to look at all three of them.
"Really? What would that be?" Dash asked while tilting her head a little bit.
I just casually pointing a hoof at my wings in which her eyes immediately widened in realizations.
"Oooh yeah... that could cause some issues." She commented while rubbing her head.
"Well, why don't you just keep wearing the jacket that my sister gave you? It does seem to do a pretty good job in keeping your wings hidden and bound." Cloud put in, which was bit of a surprise, considering how quiet she was up until now.
Dash shook her head. "No. That alone won't work." She answered before continuing. "From what I've come to know about Twilight, she is a really nosy and observant pony, and an egghead as well. And kind of has OCD when it comes to her schedules and studies." She added while looking me over.
"Then who else is going to teach Nava how to control his magic, then?" Flitter asked as she also looked me over.
"I honestly don't know, but at the same time we can still give it a try, I mean, if she does find out, I will be there to help him explain things to her... though I worry that might not be enough." RD explained with a small whisper at the end that honestly made me re-think my previous decision again.
But then again, it needs to happen somehow and someday if I ever want to prevent a second Cloudsdale incident from ever happening again. I need to fix my magic or at least learn how to control it... or learn how to control Silver Wing.
Sorry Silver.
"I'll do it."
"Wait, what? Seriously?" Dash asked, surprised, which was mimicked by both Pegasi sisters as well.
I nod. "Yes, you might be right about Twilight. I need to fix my lack of magic control at some point if I want to prevent another disaster from striking again just because I am still very much immature when it comes to my horn. The sooner I can get this sorted out the better, in my opinion." I explain with a bit of determination in my tone.
"But what if Twilight catches on to you?" Flitter asked, concerned.
"I will just take care of that, then." Dash suddenly announced as she stood up.
"How?" Flitter asked, which made all of us look at Dash for the response.
"I don't know, to be honest." RD casually answered with a shrug which made me facehoof.
"I guess I will just have to go with him whenever they are going to have their magic lessons or whatever, and besides, it could also be interesting watching in how you make a mess of Twilight's library with that horn of yours while she gets a tantrum because of that." She quickly added with a small smirk at the end.
I groaned. "The last part was really unnecessary, you do know that." I say with a deadpan stare aimed at her.
"I know, that's why I said it. Duh." She said as if it that the most obvious thing ever.
I sighed, but decided to otherwise say nothing else about it. Though another question quickly entered my mind as I did so. A question I am sure even the two sisters are wondering right now.
"What about housing? I would imagine that I will have to stay in Ponyville for a while because of my... lack of flying. Where am I going to stay while I have Twilight as my teacher and all?" I asked, which was quickly accompanied by a nod from Flitter and a... awkward side glance from Cloud.
Rainbow Dash began to tap her chin as she contemplated her response. "Well, you could stay in my place if you want. I was originally going to offer Twilight's library, but for the sake of safety we can't have that. Another option could be AJ's farm, they also have plenty of room there as well. Plus the Apples are honest ponies and won't bother you too much besides probably hiring you to work on the farm so you don't have to worry about your secret there too much." RD listed her possibilities in front of us as she continued to look thoughtful.
Those offers could work, Dash's place would be no problem since I know for a fact that she lives in a cloud MANSION and not a simple house, plus my ability to walk on cloud naturally works as well, and the Apple's farm house could also work for the same reasons RD just mentioned. I personally don't mind having to work if I am going to temporary stay there for a while. That could easily be a good excuse to exercise and get myself into shape a bit more.
I gave RD a nod on her ideas. "That could easily work." I responded which was answered with a nod from RD as well.
"Well then, I guess you can than just stay down here while we make our trip back to Ponyville later...on hoof of course. It's not that far away from where we are at the moment we can easily get there before nightfall." Dash explained while giving her wings a few test flaps and looking off at the direction where Ponyville is.
"Cloud and I can go get your stuff from back home if you want while we also pack all of this up and take it up with us." Flitter suggested as she and her sister got up from their position.
"I guess so. I do feel naked without my scarf and my hat. " I commented while thinking of the ONLY clothes that I have. "Oh and could you also get the jacket as well?" I asked as I realized the other missing and very important item.
"I was actually going to bring that up. But yeah, no problem we can quickly get your stuff while you two just wait here for a bit." Flitter answered with a nod.
"Ugh. Waiting... not one of my favorite pastimes, I tell you." Dashie commented with a groan.
Flitter simply rolled her eyes. "Oh stop your complaining, Dash, just do what you always do when you've got nothing better to do: take a nap. Also could you all step off from the picnic blanket? I need to pack that up as well?" Flitter said, which made Dash roll her eyes as we all stepped off of said blanket so Flitter could fold it up.
"You take the saddlebags, I'll take the basket, ok Cloud?" Flitter asked as she took the basket handle in her mouth.
"Yeah, yeah, hold on a moment." Cloud responded with a bit of an annoyed tone which was somewhat strange but also not uncharacteristic of her.
"Cloud has been... a bit off today since I went all depressed earlier, even more so when Dash made the suggestion of me staying in Ponyville for a while." I thought to myself as I watched both Cloud and Flitter take off in the direction of Cloudsdale off in the distance.
I simply shrugged as I trotted over towards the tree and sat myself against it. Dash followed me soon after as she sat herself down right next to me, sharing the shade of the tree with me as she eventually started to doze off a bit. The only sounds surrounding us were the rustling noise of leaves above us as another gentle breeze passed through us and out into the open fields.
"Going back to Ponyville so soon huh? Why do I have this aching feeling that returning to Ponyville now is going to end up as a bad idea and for some unknown reason it's not Twilight related at all?"
> Chapter 21: Back to Ponyville
Chapter 21: Back to Ponyville
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
PanzerBrony Metallicom
Darkwip
"Thanks for letting him stay here for a while, AJ." Dash thanked the orange farm pony while she gave a nod of approval.
"No problem Dash, a friend o' yers is a friend o' mine." she then turned to me. "But, of course, that will mean that y'all will have t' work at the farm from time to time as well to earn you keep here, friend." Applejack explained.
I nod. "No problem for me, really. Honestly I could probably use the exercise." I replied with a smile.
"True, true." AJ replied with a nod as she seemed to observe my hind legs.
"Well, anyway. I gotta go. See you in the morning Nava." Dash announced as she gave her wings a few test flaps.
"Sure thing. See you tomorrow as well, RD!" I told her back, to which she gave me a nod before taking off.
AJ and I watched her for a while as she quickly disappeared into the night sky. AJ's attention swiftly turned back to me after Dash had left our line of sight.
"Well then, no point in standing here in the dark. C'mon, let me show you our home and the room where y' can stay." AJ suggested before leading the way and gesturing me with a hoof to follow.
I did so.
As the two of us made our way to the family farm house in the middle of the orchard, taking this moment to mentally reflect back on all the events that had happened today so far.
After Flitter and Cloud had returned from Cloudsdale with all my stuff, they had decided to not go with Dash and me back to Ponyville simply because they had to go back to work the next day. Which was a bit of a shame, really, but they also promised to come visit me in Ponyville whenever they had free time in their hands. Hooves. Whatever.
That in the end simply left just me and Dash to return to Ponyville via hooves and even managed to get there long before it was dawn.
The first obvious choice was for me to stay at RD's place, but that got scrapped when it was clear very, very quickly that my lack of flight could become a major problem. That and we both agreed that having her constantly carry me up and down would be both incredibly burdensome for her and very awkward and embarrassing for me.
Which eventually lead to AJ's place, where I am now following the orange mare through her family orchard to their home.
"There it is, our home and our barn right next to it. Can ya see it?" AJ announced while gesturing at the direction she was looking at with a hoof.
I followed her gaze, and to nobody's surprise I did manage to see the Apple Family's farmhouse in the distance.
I gave her a nod. "Yes, I can see it. Quite the cozy looking home you and your family have there. It looks very lovely." I replied kindly which made her chuckle at my choice of words.
"Well, thanks fer thinkin' so. Most city folks actually don't think so when they ever first lay eyes on our residence. Yer already alright in my book just for sayin' that." AJ replied with another chuckle.
I just smiled before Applejack suddenly leaned in to whisper something in my ear. "By the way, if my little sister Apple Bloom ever gives ya too much trouble during your stay, just tell me. I'll just send her off to keep her busy, or have her do chores." Applejack whispered, which in turn made me chuckle a bit.
"Don't worry about It, AJ, I am somewhat good with kids. But I will keep that in mind regardless." I responded, which made her nod before we finally reached the open area in which both the house and the farm are located.
Once again, it was yet another picture-perfect image compared to the show, though a more realistic version, of course.
AJ and I stepped onto the front porch before she went ahead and opened the door, gesturing for me to get in first as she held it open. "Gentlecolts first." she said.
I gave her a thankful smile and nod as I entered her home. Again, the interior was another picture-perfect illustration, though my thoughts were quickly stopped from making comparisons any further as AJ stepped into the house as well before closing the door.
"WE GOT A VISITOR EVERYPONY! COME ON OUT AND GIVE HIM A WARM APPLE WELCOME!" AJ suddenly shouted with a lot of enthusiasm in her tone.
The very first pony to show up after her announcement was an old looking mare, emerging from what looked to be the kitchen on the other side of the room. She had a green coat and snow white mane and tail, both of which were braided into buns.
I immediately recognized her as the old Apple Family member Granny Smith herself.
She slowly made her way over to us before greeting me with a warm and welcome smile that, only a grandmother could give.
"Well hello there, young'un, I see that AJ finally brought a stallion over. Was actually about time, if you ask me. A mare only stays fertile for s'long before her years are finally past her. So what is your coltfriend's name, Applejack?" Granny Smith announced which, cause both of me and AJ to look at her in both surprise and utter shock at the sheer boldness of her claims.
Both me and AJ immediately started to frantically attempt to salvage whatever was left of this seriously awkward situation as we both started to tell her at the same time that we were not together, dating or even considering the activity that the old mare in front of us had proposed.
Our mix and match words quickly got silenced when old Granny Smith began to chuckle.
"Calm down ya two, I was just joking. Even an old mare like me deserves to poke fun at my little granddaughter some of the time." Granny Smith announced with another chuckle at the end, a revelation that really didn't help our situation as both AJ and I simply looking off to the side with embarrassed blushes on our cheeks.
"Did somepony say we have visitors?" A very young voice suddenly perked up before a small yellow filly with a red mane quickly poked her head around the corner above a set stairs on the second floor.
"Applebloom, aren't ya supposed to be in bed?" Applejack questioned while giving the filly a deadpan look.
The filly rolled her eyes at that before answering. "Well I was until somepony shouted and woke me up." She countered which made AJ's gaze soften.
"Oh yeah... right." AJ commented while rubbing the back of her head.
I simply shook my head and smiled. This could possibly be a family where boredom in their lives would be something of a rarity.
"Anyway, I am sure our guest here is mighty hungry. I would be rude not to offer a new guest anything drink or t' eat. Would you maybe like some pie and some apple cider young'un?" Granny Smith suddenly offered with a kind smile, which I returned with sincerity, as I can already tell that I am going to really like her company. That and she does kind of remind me of my own grandmother, who had long since passed away, sadly.
"That would be very kind of you, miss Granny Smith, but I don't want to be rude in immediately asking for food and emptying your fridge on my first day." I replied with a shy smile which was immediately countered by Granny Smith waving a foreleg dejectedly.
"Nonsense, dear. We Apples take hospitality very serious-like. Our home is yer home, so please come, follow me t' the kitchen so's I can give ya two some of my homemade apple pie and family cider." Granny Smith countered, in a friendly tone before trotting of back to the kitchen where she came from. "Also, just call me Granny or Granny Smith. None o' that miss stuff."
I was about to object once more when my own stomach decided to betray me on the thought of sweet apples waiting for him. I mentally scolded my belly as AJ began to snicker beside me.
She tapped me on the shoulder, which made me lift my head to look at her. "Come on. Granny Smith's pies are some o' the best -if not THE BEST- in all of Equestria. I promise ya will just love 'em." AJ suggested before heading over to the kitchen herself and motioning for me to follow her.
I shrugged before following her to the kitchen.
The kitchen itself was very simple. You had your basic looking country kitchen on the right side, while most of the left side was occupied by a large single dining table with a couple of chairs and a few wooden cupboards and paintings alongside the walls. There was even a beautiful looking 19th Century style clock hanging on the far end on the room.
Again, a very simple but cozy looking setup with a 19th Century vibe to it.
I'll spare you the long details, but overall the late night dinner went off without a hitch. Applebloom was quickly sent back to bed after she came down to see and meet the new stranger (A.K.A me), while i, with the other two Apples simple ate and drank our fair amount of apple pie and cider. I decided to skip the cider simply because I don't drink any alcohol, which i told them. both Applejack and Granny Smith, thankfully, were more than happy to bring up some of the non-alcoholic variety, which i gladly accepted. The apple pie was good as it was, though. I mean sweet heaven up above this was by far THE BEST and SWEETEST apple pie I have ever tasted in my entire life. The sweet juicy taste of freshly picked apples mixed in with a hint of cinnamon was just to die for. Again, i needed to remind myself not to go TOO crazy on all the sweets in this place. no matter how hard it would be to resist otherwise I might have to book a doctor's appointment very soon or go to the dentist to get my teeth pulled out.
Again, I have no idea how pony metabolism (or alicorn metabolism to be precise) actually works in this world when it comes to sweets or just overall food in general. But unless I can find some definite answers to these questions I am going to stick with my human knowledge of eating and drinking.
Overall, beside the pie and cider, the rest of the late night dinner was pretty quick and straightforward, with Applejack simply introducing me to her elder while also explaining the situation I was in at the moment.
Granny Smith, as expected, had absolutely no troubles with the idea of me temporarily living with them, and even went so far as personally offering that I could stay in their home as long as I wanted to, if I reconsidered the idea of taking her strong and independent granddaughter out on a date, the little old joker.
Besides that, she was happy to announce that their home would be my home as long I was willing to help out at the farm from time to time, which I, of course had zero problems with.
With all of that out of the way, AJ, myself and Granny Smith promptly excused ourselves for the night. Granny tiredly stumbled her way to her room, which was right next to the living room behind the main stairway, while AJ and I climbed up to the first floor.
We passed a couple of doors until we eventually made it to the one on the right side of the corridor (who was also the very last door of it) with a large window at the end of it.
"Alright, Nava, this'll be yer room while ya stay here." AJ announced before looking back down the corridor where we just came from. "And that very last door at th' other end o' the hall is the bathroom, in case you need it in th' middle o' the night." AJ added while pointing a hoof at the very back end of the hall where indeed another door was.
"But please make sure to always politely knock before opening it, alright? Nopony wants somepony to just suddenly waltz in while you're takin' a shower or committing to nature's urges, if'n ya take my meanin'." AJ quickly added while looking back at me.
I gave a quick nod to that before my focus went back to the door as AJ opened it.
After a soft *click* sound and a sudden flash of light that immediately illuminated the previously pitch-black interior, I was immediately greeted with a very well furnished and quite cozy-looking bedroom. It basically had everything my room had back in Cloudsdale, only with more knick-knacks and the constantly seen 19th century vibe to it. And also the floors and walls weren't made of cloud.
As i followed Applejack in, I decided to have a more in depth look around the room. The walls were covered in green-striped wallpaper (Actually, at a closer glance, that was paint, it just REALLY looked like wallpaper) while the floor retained its wooden look with a single large circular rug in the middle of it. A single large window was on the other side of the room right next to a simple-looking bed with sky blue curtains covering it.
Again, overall this room looked, and felt very cozy and welcoming. A very nice place to stay in for a couple of days, or weeks, for sure.
"Well, what d'ya think so far?" AJ suddenly asked, which forced me to end my thoughts and observations to look at her.
I gave her a smile before replying. "This room looks amazing. Really warm and cozy looking. I love it. Thanks again for allowing me to stay here for a while, AJ. It really is something." I responded sincerely, which in turn made her smile grow.
"Oh, it's nothin'. Don't worry about it, sugarcube. As I said, a friend o' Rainbow Dash's is a friend o' mine. Plus it would have been just plain rude of me to not offer you a stay at the farm knowing full well that you don't have any other place to stay while being here in Ponyville." AJ responded.
"Anyway, don't let me hold ya up too much longer, it's already gettin' late and I'm sure ya probably have a long day ahead of ya, just as I do. So goodnight, and see ya in the morning." AJ quickly added before quickly excusing herself from the room and giving a final "goodnight!", as she closed the door for me.
With all that out of the way, I sighed, giving off a small yawn as exhaustion had finally kicked in, right on cue. Taking off my hat, scarf and glasses then placing everything on the small nightstand right next to the bed while keeping on my jacket (for obvious safety reasons) I climbed myself into my borrowed bed.
"Crap, first got to turn off the lights, though." I muttered as I quickly got back up. On impulse, i clapped my hooves twice.
Nothing.
"Worth a try." i sighed as i went to hit the light switch right next to the door before swiftly crawling back into bed.
"Well, here we go Nava. Tomorrow will be the start of me learning magic and possibly getting myself found out by perhaps the second last individual I want to get found out by." I thought to myself as I simply laid on my back while staring up at white painted ceiling.
I yawned. "Let that be future Nava's problem and not mine. Let's just try to get some sleep before I kill it with all my mental worrying and musing. I'll definitely need my full strength in the morning if I am going to be spending it with the purple OCD mare." I mentally told myself as sleepiness was finally taking its full toll on me as I slowly closed my eyes to drift off.
It didn't take long for the gentle and peaceful embrace of sleep, to finally take me off back to dreamland, or Silver land to be honest.
...................................................................................................
"Are you sure you don't need any help with your apple bucking AJ? I am sure that 4 ha- I mean, eight hooves are better than four." I tried to reason while watching her do the job she is known for doing on her family farm.
It was more of an excuse, really, to postpone my meeting with Twilight as much as I possibly could. I do not know how and why it works the way it does, but you're confidence always automatically wavers at the very last second, when in the days prior to this I was all about the idea of going to meet Twilight and getting my magic fixed up or something. Kind of like agreeing on going with the operation your doctor recommended you take and then having second thoughts on it the day it's scheduled to take place, because that is exactly how I felt today.
"Nope, not today. Me and Big Mac got it covered. Perhaps tomorrow when we hafta harvest a ton o' apples fer a buyer all the way back in Manehattan. Havin' some extra hooves helping us with that would be a huge load offa our flanks. So you just go ahead with Dash over there to whatever place you two are planning to go." AJ answered before kicking yet another tree and watching the shiny red goodness rained down into pre-placed baskets below them.
I was about to say something, when Dash suddenly tapped me on the side impatiently while giving me a slight annoyed look as well.
"Come on, dude. stop beating around in the bushes already and let's go. Why the hay do you suddenly feel so nervous anyway? We are just going to Twilight's." Dash questioned while giving me a curious look.
I was about to answer her as well before it was AJ turned to interrupted me. "You two're going to Twi's place? Why the hay would ya two go there anyway?" AJ asked curiously as she moved herself to another tree next to her.
"Oh, just personal reasons. Nothing special." RD answered quickly, which probably carried a completely different meaning, as AJ's expression suddenly turned into a dangerous looking smirk.
"Oh, ah see what th' problem is now." AJ responded while grinning at me. "Good luck on ya though. It's actually pretty hard to get her off her books and studies and what not unless there is some sort of crisis or problem in town, even with your good looks and what not. But still, good luck though." AJ responded while keeping her grin.
I immediately began to blush as the misunderstanding of Rainbow's answer hit home.
"WHAT? NO! IT'S... IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL! WE WERE JUST PLANNING TO- ugh, never mind, let's just go I guess." I responded in panic before simple sighting in defeat, while keeping my head low.
"There we go, that's the spirit." Dash announced happily, which only made me grumble.
"Well, have a nice day then, you two and please keep out of trouble." AJ announced before looking over at RD with a sudden serious look. "No, seriously. Please keep outta trouble. I know how you work and operate sometimes." She swiftly added before bucking yet another tree with the same previous results.
"Yeah, yeah I know. Whatevs." Dash replied while rolling her eyes before leading the way out from the orchard.
I quickly followed her after just waving my final goodbye to AJ. We eventually made it to the front fenced gate of the orchard and started trotting down the road to Ponyville.
After I made sure that me and Dash were alone and out of earshot from the orange farm pony, I immediately decided to confront her about the strangely worded answer she gave AJ.
"What the heck was that weird answer of yours back there? it obviously carried a wrong message and now AJ thinks that I have a crush on Twilight." I questioned while glaring at the blue Pegasus mare beside me.
She simply scuffed some dirt before punching me on the shoulder playfully with a smirk. "Hey, at least it's better than just telling her straight the truth now isn't it?" She explained before her smirk quickly grew. "Besides, if you could somehow get her to really, really like you then explaining yourself in front of her about your alicornhood might be a bit easier than it is now. You should give it a try. You already got the good looks to back it up anyways." She added with a sly smile which in turn was greeted with me giving her a deadpan look instead.
"For that matter, there' every possibility that Applejack might know, that Dash wasn't telling the truth back there." i thought.
"No, I am not seducing an OCD mare." I replied. Plus I am still not ready to accept the idea of another species relationship, yet, despite the fact that I am currently a pony too.
RD simply chuckled at that before the two of us continued the rest of our trek down the hill in silence.
We very soon crossed a small bridge going across a brook connecting the town proper with the rest outside world. It's actually quite surprising how a supposedly quiet little town in the countryside can have so much buzz and activity happening on its street during midday.
Ponies were walking all around town, going places, talking to other ponies and just going on with their day to day life. Not as busy and full as Cloudsdale, of course, but still you can very much feel the life when walking through these dirt roads. Which was even more true when we passed by the local marketplace which really was more like a hornet's nest of ponies and activity. I even managed to spot Rarity somewhere in the distance talking to a random pony I have never seen before.
But that isn't really my issue at the moment, though I do have to say that it feels nice to be ignored now, for a change, unlike the first time I was here. Most we passed by where just too busy with their own stuff to ever truly pay me or even Dash any attention.
I think I noticed one or two of them looking our way, but all they did was giving me friendly waves and smiles, which I politely returned. The biggest bonus, though, was the serious lack of pink as I was far from being in the mood for more of her shenanigans.
Again, it didn't take that long for us to finally reach the iconic golden oak's library as Dash and I approached the front door.
"Wait... I got an idea." Dashie suddenly announced, while looking at me with a smile.
"Which is?" I relied while curiously raising my eyebrow at her.
"Let's greet her in Germane." She quickly offered with a grin.
I took me a few moments to think on her offer before I nodded and gave her a smile as a reply.
She nods back before getting ready to knock on the door before she suddenly stopped herself as she looked back at me with a bit of worry etched on her features.
"Are you sure you are going to be ok with this?" She questioned. "Once Twi opens this door and sees you for the first time there will be no turning back at that point." She added, which in turn made again think about my decision and the obvious risk it was going to have.
I started to feel nervous again and having second doubts on my plans, but I quickly shook them all out of my mind as I gave RD a nod to answer her.
"I'm already standing at the front door of Twilight's home anyway. Might as well go through with this and hope for the best." I thought to myself as RD started to knock on the door a couple of times before standing back.
"Spike, could you maybe get that door for me?" We heard a muffled voice say, undoubtedly Twilight judging by the femininity of that voice.
"I can't Twi, I am currently busy with the dishes." We heard another voice shout back, no doubt Spike, for obvious reasons.
"I wonder what she might be doing that would keep her so busy as not to open the door herself?" I whispered to Dash as the little exchange behind the door continued on.
"Probably sticking her muzzle in a book as usual. I did once told you that she is a real studying buff." RD whispered back before we heard a muffled groan coming from the other side of the door.
"Fine, fine. I will get it then." We heard Twilight moan out as we heard a set of clip clopping hooves moving closer to the front door.
I quickly stepped to the side a bit so that Twilight wasn't able to see me right away when the door suddenly opened and reviling the purple bookish unicorn herself.
"Guten tag, Twilight! Wie gehts wie stehts?" Rainbow dash greeted which immediately caused the unicorn to pause and look at her sideways, confused.
"...what?" I simply heard her reply which was basically my cue to step in and add my two cents as well.
"Genau wie geht es den so twilight altes haus, wie lauft den so seit du in ponyville eingezogen bist?" I added with a smile after I revealed myself by stepping to stand next to Dash.
Twilight at this point just had a completely dumbfounded look with her head slightly tilted to the side as her mouth hang wide open.
"...HUH?" Was her only reaction after a few seconds of just standing there which finally caused us to laugh out loud at her expense.
She eventually shook her head as our laughter continued, glaring at the both of us before we eventually calmed down.
"Oh man you should have seen your face, Twi." RD chuckled while still trying to catch her breath. "I have never, ever seen a pony look so lost and confused before in my life. Oh, mare. Priceless." RD added as she finally managed to get control of herself with a few more breaths.
"Well, at least it's good to know that somepony is having a carefree day." Twilight commented with a deadpan look which immediately made me stop and think on why she looked somewhat stressed out today.
"She must probably be doing some sort of study again and probably getting frustrated when she wasn't getting the answers she was looking for." I thought to myself as I moved my head a bit to the side to have a sneak peek behind Twilight, and wouldn't you know it I was right as the main library room was nothing but a mess of papers and books laying on the floors.
Twilight's gaze suddenly landed on me when I did that, which quickly forced me to retreat my head back while looking off the side awkwardly as I felt a sudden sense of nervousness wash over me.
"Uhm... Rainbow Dash, who is this stallion with you?" She asked while eye me curiously.
"He is a friend of mine, and actually the main reason why I am here, before you start asking." Dash replied while stepping close to me.
"Also, you already met him before." She quickly added which suddenly caused Twilight to sport a look of realization before her gaze swiftly fell back on me.
"Hey, yeah! I remember you." Twilight announced. "You were with Rainbow Dash during the Summer Sun Celebration when we bumped into each other." She swiftly added before her gaze suddenly rose, most definitely focused on my horn, which was confirmed when her eyes suddenly went wide.
"Dear Celestia, how is it possible for a unicorn to have such a long horn?" Twilight suddenly shouted out which caused me to flinch away a bit.
"A simple 'hi' would have done fine as well, Twilight." RD complained as she too was affected by her friend's sudden outburst.
"Quickly, come inside." Twilight suddenly blurted out before we suddenly found ourselves getting gripped by Twilight's magic before being forcefully pulled into the library as the door behind us closed.
The magic on us was quickly released as the two of us fell flat onto our flanks. I groaned in discomfort as I picked myself up to rub my sore flank. RD did the same as a highly annoyed look was present.
"Twilight, what the HAY was that for?" She questioned, with a glare aimed at the unicorn.
Twilight simply ignored the blue Pegasus as her gaze was still very much fixed on me. More specifically, my horn.
Suddenly I regret my decision in going to Twilight in the first place. I really should have stayed in AJ's instead.
"For a unicorn to have such a long and sharp looking horn should be impossible, even with the sometimes rare natural occurrence with some unicorns being born with longer horns." Twilight commented to herself as she began to circle me a bit like a hungry shark.
"Curious Twilight is worst Twilight." I thought to myself as she continued in her disregard for personal space, with her even starting to poke my horn with her hoof which was really uncomfortable.
Now I know why she had no friends prior to her arrival in Ponyville, when Twilight is like this she is absolutely horrible in the social category.
I was really starting to feel nervous and uncomfortable at this point which was luckily noticed by RD as she came up to break the tension.
"TWILIGHT THIS IS HORRIBLE!" RD suddenly shouted which immediately caused the both of us to flinch but thankfully that also meant that Twilight's attention was finally diverted away from me and instead focused on the rainbow mare behind her.
"What is it, Rainbow Dash? Did something suddenly happen? What is wrong?" Twilight asked with an alarmed look.
"Oh this is just so incredibly horrible, I can't believe it." Dash continued on dramatically while holding her head with her hoofs in a very distressed looking manner which only caused Twilight to almost panic even more.
"What, what is it Rainbow? WHAT EXACTLY IS SO HORRIBLE?" Twilight shouted in the end in panic.
"That my friend is acting like a complete CUNT RIGHT NOW!" RD suddenly announced as her fake distress suddenly changed into a glare aimed at the now shocked unicorn in front of her. Most probably from the harsh swear word RD used on her, which I honestly didn't expect either.
"Wha...what?" Twilight stumbled back.
Dash, still glaring at her, continued. "We originally came here to ask YOU for help with a problem, my friend over here has, but instead of just simply saying 'hello' or 'what is your name' you start treating him more like as a source of your endless research rather than as a pony." Dashie ranted on as she slowly advanced at the now timid looking unicorn.
I was honestly shocked and surprised at Dash's hostility as well, but decided to just keep my mouth shut as I knew from a fact that a pissed off Rainbow Dash is a Rainbow Dash you'd rather not want to stay in the way of, at least according to the show and fanfics back home. Element of Loyalty and all that i guess.
Spike at some point must have noticed the sudden commotions within the main room as well as he stood there at the kitchen entrance with an interesting looking pink apron on him. Just like me he was wise enough to just keep out of the way as he slowly retreated back into the kitchen to continue to do whatever he was doing before.
My focus swiftly went back to the two mares in front of me as Dash was still slowly advancing towards Twilight while she was fearfully backing off before her flank eventually made contact with the opposite bookshelves behind her and trapping herself for the blue Pegasus in front of her.
RD stopped in front of her as their snouts were just millimeters away from touching one another as she continued on with her rant.
"ALSO, didn't the princess personally instruct you to study the social effects of friendship? Wouldn't a new pony entering your home be the perfect opportunity to actually learn more about friendship by-oh I don't know- being friendly to him and not start questioning the length of his horn -despite the fact of how kinky that may sound to some-. Also this place reeks. Have you ever left you home or even took a shower today? Because I know you definitely need it. Spending all of your time barricading yourself inside your home is the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what you are supposed to be doing according to the princess. So stop doing whatever nerdy stuff you are doing, get out there and start hanging out with ponies especially with me and the rest of the girls since it already has been DAYS since we last ever saw mane or tail from you." RD finally finished her rant before she took a few steps back, panting slightly, to give the now shocked unicorn her personal space back.
I was beyond shocked as well, not just because of RD's behavior, but also at how much sense and how many good points she made during her rant.
You know what, I like MY Rainbow Dash WAY more than the original. She is vastly more observant and more intelligently towards her actions than the Rainbow Dash from the cartoon show.
Twilight eventually relaxed and sighed as she sat down on her haunches. Her ears were splayed back as she looked down onto the floor in shame.
"I'm sorry." Twilight began before lifting her head and looking at both me, dash and the cluster fuck of a room before sighing again. "You're right. I did behave poorly and neglected anypony for the last couple of days for the sake of more research which was not friendship related at all." She continued before looking back at me.
"Also sorry for.. .getting all up close and personal and treating you more like a thing rather than a pony. Sometimes my own curiosity can really get the better of me and the way I look and present myself to anypony, especially new ponies." Twilight apologized while giving a genuine look of guilt towards me.
I simply gave her a smile to show that there were no hard feelings which thankfully seemed to work as she eventually gave me a sad smile in return before quickly switching her attention back to Rainbow who was still standing at the same spot.
"You are also right about me spending too much time bunkered up in here and not spending enough time with you and the girls. I will try to make a personal mental note to fix that so we can all "hang out" some more, as you always like to say it." Twilight announced to RD with another sorry look which she accepted as she finally gave off a smile of her own before rubbing the back of her neck.
"Nah, its cool Twi. We all have things that keep us busy, I guess... I just went somewhat overboard back there with my yelling. I guess I was just incredibly annoyed by getting forcefully pulled in and dropped onto my ass without warning and then-. Well, the point is that I am sorry for yelling at you back there." Rainbow Dash offered while looking off to the side with a sheepish smile.
"It's ok. I guess I deserved it somewhat, and was a good wake up call for me to not keep myself locked up all the time." Twilight replied with a smile.
"So we're good then." RD answered, to which Twilight replied with a nod.
RD trotted over to Twilight to help her back up on all fours before the two mares shared a quick hug together and chuckled.
I smiled at this scene. Personally witnessing just how strong their friendship has already grown with one another was cheesy but also kind of heartwarming as well. I wanted to say something in between all of this but rather decided against it so these two could have their little private moment together. When suddenly an interesting realization quickly entered my head which I only managed to notice now since the tension has been lifted.
"Is it just me or does Twilight also somewhat have a different feel to her?" I thought to myself which didn't really go far as I noticed Twilight herself trotting up to me with her usual dorky smile that everybody knows and loves.
She cleared her throat. "Well anyway, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am Ponyville's librarian. Who might you be?" Twilight introduced herself while reaching a hoof out.
I meet her hoof with mine as I gave it a friendly shake while introducing myself as well. "Well uhm it's nice to meet you Twilight Sparkle. My name is Nava... just Nava." I introduced myself, a bit awkwardly, though, because... well, new pony and none other than princess follower herself, which she seemed to notice as she giggled a bit to herself as we let go from one another.
"Again, sorry for my completely uncalled for behavior earlier. Really, I feel quite ashamed just because of it." Twilight commented while scuffing the ground with a hoof awkwardly.
I again just shook my head and gave her a smile, which eventually made her smile as well, pretty much defusing whatever tension was left.
"So uh... about the reason why you two are here in the first place?" Twilight suddenly started, getting straight to the point, by the look of it.
"Well, here we go." I thought to myself as I mentally prepared myself for what was to come. Why? Because at this point I have mentally decided to just get clean and truthful with her. I don't know why this is the decision I came up with, but I have decided to just throw caution out the window and hope for the best, again. Will this bite me in the ass? Probably, but at the same time I am slowly starting to get tired of all this secrecy and lying. That and I know for a fact that she will eventually find out one way or another, so let's just get it out of the way now and save myself a lot of headaches later on.
"Let's see how this goes then."
...................................................................................................
"Well here we are, the quiet little country town of Ponyville. Don't know why the captain felt it necessary to send ME out here in state of one of her fellow guards I would seriously rather in my shop then have to go to a town...full of strangers." Gear thought to himself nervously as he exited the train. Once again the captain has kicked her out of his comfort zone to do something other than sit in his shop all day to quot 'get rid of his ridiculous introvert problem' that he has.
"These Equestrian trains are so slow, weak and weirdly colorful, just like the makers. Ugh, I am so tempted to talk to the train conductor and ask him to make SERIOUS upgrades on these slow primitive things, it's almost comical in just how far behind these ponies are in terms of actual advancements compared to the outside world. But...i guess that is the price you have to pay for a 1000 year of harmony and peace and whatnot. Which is nice but...it also caused stagnation in both magical and technological research" Gear mentally mused as he made sure that the brown cloak he was wearing was perfectly covering his form.
Seriously, the first thing ponies do when seeing an actual Thestral... -or anything else that is not pony in general- is to slowly back away or run into the closest building and barricade themselves in. For a predatory species like Thestrals he can understand since it is just natural for prey to run away from anything that has sharp eyes and sharp teeth. But she even once heard tales of Zebras and Minotaurs getting the same treatment half the time, which even someone as shy and secluded like him finds it ridiculous.
Gear shook his head. "No time in self meddling, time to actually get some progress done so i can get out of here and back to my sweet, sweet dark and little workshop." Gear thought to himself as he reached into his saddle-bags to pull out one of his own inventions that he was given prior to her departure.
His Magic detector, in layman's terms.
The needle and the crystals gave away a soft glow when he held it up to him, telling him that it was working perfectly before placing it back into the bag before refocusing his gaze back at the bustling town in front of him.
"Need to find a hotel or an inn to stay in as well while I am forced to stay here for a while, so i can hide in and continue my work in peace. If this town is even large enough to hold such establishments that is." Gear once again mentally noted as he made his way off the ramp in the train station and trotted his way into the town. The needle on the magic detector giving of soft twitches as if it was detecting something. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 22: The Plot Thickens...For Better Or Worse | Chapter 22: The plot thickens...for better or worse
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
"Okay, just follow the needle and I'll find this new source of magic and be able to work in relative peace, or perhaps I should move to Ponyville, it seems much less distracting than Canterlot,"
As Midnight Gear was walking along the main path in Ponyville, he did not notice a certain pink mare look at him and rush off elsewhere, perhaps to prepare a welcome party, nor did he notice the split-second confusion of the townsponies.
"Hmm... I could improve the design and internal mechanisms a bit and add a few more diverse options of magical signatures, although I couldn't possibly add Harmonic Magic as an option, studying let alone wielding that sort of magic would be an impressive feat and this town has all six of the bearers of the elements and the Tree of Harmony nearby."
While shaking his head, Gear said bemusedly "These townsponies hardly realize how lucky they truly are."
"LOOK OUT!" shouted a young tomboy-ish voice.
Looking ahead, Gear managed to avoid the oncoming orange filly on a scooter and stop her with a sweep of his wing due to his guard reflexes.
"D... do be more c... caref... ful with that sc... scooter of yours," Gear said.
While looking at her scooter he continued. "Perhaps you sh... should think of installing b... brakes in it."
"Nah, I kinda like the rush it gives me when I can't stop and go super-fast, mister." replied the orange filly.
"We... well then, be more careful and try not to c... crash into other p... ponies," Midnight advised while continuing on his way to find the source of the unique magical signature he was tracking.
"Where was I? Ah! This magical signature is quite unique if it has never been studied or even recorded before. This makes it much harder to track. But, while unique, this works against it in terms of hiding, due to the fact that it is one of a kind and easy to follow and trace once you know what you're looking for."
As Gear looked up, he noticed he was standing in front of a library named 'The Golden Oaks Library'.
Excitement coursed through him as he began thinking, "Aha! I've found it! Now I shall prove all of them wrong and perhaps be able to study this new form of magic."
Instantly, he rushed in and shouted...
...................................................................................................
"Well..." I began as I tried my best to formulate the right words I wanted to say.
"Well, here goes nothing then, I guess. Fingers... or in my case, hooves crossed and let's hope for the best." I thought to myself as Twilight gave me her full attention while Dash in the background gave me an encouraging look, despite looking somewhat worried herself.
"Ok, Twilight... the truth is that-" I began but didn't really get too far with my long and probably broken explanation, for all of the sudden the main front door of the library busted open with a loud crash which caused us all of jump in fright.
"HA! SO IT'S YOU!!! I KNEW THAT MY INVENTION WASN'T LYING TO ME, AND PROVING THAT IT WORKS AS WELL. HA! I SHOWED THOSE NEIGHSAYERS!" A young male voice suddenly shouted, which only added to both of our shock and surprise at this unexpected event.
Rainbow Dash was the first to react as she immediately took to the air and dive bombed directly towards the intruder at the doorway.
"No, wait! I was actually just-" was all that the young stallion could nervously sputter out before he suddenly found himself tackled by a rather speedy rainbow colored mare and back out of the library.
A long sliding sound, followed by a loud crash echoed from the outside as both Twi and I were still stunned. We both eventually shook our heads and looked to one another before the two of us dashed out of the library and after the two as the sound of struggling was audible.
What I saw the moment we made it outside the library and out onto the roads was... honestly something I expected.
Dash was standing above the brown hooded stallion, pinning the poor guy down expertly while the victim in question was trying desperately to get the mare off him. Very unsuccessfully, I might add.
A crowd quickly began to form as these two still continued to struggle alone against the wall of a house opposite the library. Twilight and I got closer to the scuffle as the two of them began to argue with one another... or more like pleading for the stallion.
"Please get o... off of me! I... I was just trying to... follow and... determine the source... of an unknown magical signature!" The timid sounding stallion tried to explain as his struggling slowly began to die out.
Dash, on the other hand simply snorted as she glared down at the cloaked stud while making sure that he stayed pinned under her forelegs.
"Yeah sure. Cut the horseapples and stop struggling before I am tempted to knock you out instead. I know what you are. You're one of those sharp-toothed bat-ponies that occupied Cloudsdale a while back." Dash accused before using one of her wings to remove the hood from the stallion's head and revealing him fully for the whole town to see.
What I saw left me surprised, to say the least. "A Thestral? What is a lone Thestral doing here?" I thought to myself as I kept my distance from it by standing behind Twilight and the rest of the crowd.
Dash, on the other hand (hoof), continued her glare after she realized that her assumption was right. "Twilight." She suddenly called out while keeping her gaze fixed on the fearful Thestral under her. "Go take and hold him with your magic and bring him back into the library and into the basement." She commanded with a type of tone I have never heard or seen before of her, which again was highly surprising. And more than a bit frightening.
"Wait... what? Why?" Twilight questioned confused.
"Don't ask questions. Just DO IT!" Dash demanded with a shout at the end, which caused Twilight to flinch a bit.
"Alright, alright. Fine. Just... just step out of the way when I have him." Twilight submitted before her horn quickly began to glow in a soft purple hue, which was mimicked on the Thestral's body.
Dash immediately stepped away, allowing Twilight to lift the Thestral stallion off the ground and over and between her and Dash. Whispers started to circulate from the now dozens of bystanders who surrounded us as Twilight began to gently levitate the stock still Thestral back toward her library. We, of course, followed her, with RD hovering right behind the now obviously nervous looking stud suspended in Twi's field to keep a close on him by my guess.
"Uhm...what are you three going to do with me?" The timid Thestral questioned as Twilight ducked him through the door.
"Interrogate you. Duh. What do you think?" Dash responded as she landed back onto the ground to fallow Twilight through the main door.
I stopped right before entering the library as I began to look back behind me, seeing the crowd previously there slowly disperse.
I looked down at my hooves as I started to think on this new situation we were (or more like I was) stuck in. "Can I ever get a break from all of this? Just this once? I could mentally say more to this, but I don't want to tempt fate by even thinking about it." I thought to myself as I again started to look around me some more.
To be honest, I really shouldn't be that surprised that stuff just immediately started to go crazy once more, out of nowhere. This has pretty much been my whole new life since I get here. And yes, I am calling this my new life because... what else am I going to call it? New world, new body, new challenges that I may or may not conquer at all, pretty much new life material in my mind, even more so if I am going to stay here, or would be forced to stay here.
I shook my head. "So much for my plan of just flat out telling Twilight the truth. Now with this new event having crashed itself through the window -or in this case door- I guess it would now be a bad time to be telling her." I again thought to myself as I could hear some ruckus from the inside.
"HEY Nava! Are you coming too or what? Better come back inside in case more of these Bat-pony hybrids are still lurking around town." I heard Dash call out from within the library which immediately stopped my thoughts.
"Well... I guess this situation could also be a blessing in disguise, because I still have this nagging feeling in my head that telling Twi about my... alicorn-hood would have possibly backfired on me." I mentally mused as I made my way back inside of Twilight's messy library to see what both these mares will do to the Thestral.
...................................................................................................
"Being all alone at home with nothing else to do is the worst." I muttered as I simply laid flat on the couch.
With Flitter having gone off to work while I unexpectedly got a day off thanks to some really outstanding work from one of our co-workers the other day I am now basically trapped in this house for a whole day with nothing better to do than just lay flat on my stomach and occasionally swish my tail back and forth.
I know it has only been a day since Nava had temporarily moved to Ponyville in hopes in getting that frantic horn of his fixed up, but it's already enough to make this place feel so lifeless and empty without him around. Which is actually kind of strange, given that he hadn't really been living that long with us to begin with, but yet again he just seems so interesting and mysterious on his own. I mean seriously, what pony could ever say that they are friends with, or even lived together with a freaking alicorn! Though, that's not the main thing that makes him so interesting and even somewhat fun to be around. It's mostly because of his introvert type personally. The fact that he is basically has the powers of a demigod while also being a complete dork and honestly, kind of a pussy is... kind of cute in my opinion.
I immediately blushed when that particular realization hit me before I shook my head to get these ideas out of my mind quickly.
"Though to be honest, I guess I can admit to myself that he is rather cute, since I am alone." I whispered to myself as my tail continued to swish back and forth.
I sighed as I laid myself down onto my crossed fore hoofs while letting my tail do its own thing back there.
"He might have only been with us for a couple of weeks, but he has already made our normally mundane lives so much more interesting than it had been these last few years." I thought to myself as I started to close my eyes while remembering father and mother.
I began to softly hum the lullaby that our father used to sing for us when we were just little foals. Whenever I feel sad and lonely I usually start to hum it automatically, either openly or in my head if I don't want ponies to hear me hum it.
I hummed it all the way to the end and repeated it a couple of times to try to pass the time, though for some reason it didn't help me as much this time as it normally does, as I was still feeling rather lonely and bored.
I sighed again as I rolled myself onto my back before opening my eyes to stare at the white ceiling above me, my thoughts once again wandering back to Nava.
"I wonder what Nava might be doing right about now? Did he already talk to Twilight and manage to convince her to help him with his magic problem without getting himself found out by her?" I wondered as I moved my forelegs under my head to support it better.
"You know, we did agree that we can come over there to visit him whenever we want, but I would seriously take almost half a day to just fly there myself, plus I can't just leave without sis; she would be pissed if I did that." I thought to myself some more.
I know this seems a bit too soon and also somewhat ridiculous to want to visit him, even though it has only been a whole day, basically, since he "moved out" of our home, but this place really doesn't feel the same anymore without him being around. Plus I also don't have anything to tease around anymore as well. My sister had stopped playing along with my antics over a year ago so she obviously won't be an option in that subject.
I moved my eyes to the clock on the far side of the wall I was facing to check the time. "Still three more hours before sis comes back from her shift at the weather factory. Damn, time really crawls by when you are all alone with nothing else to do or talk to." I muttered before rolling myself back onto my belly. My tail once again swayed back and forth almost on its own as I started to once again think about the timid alicorn again.
Seriously, though. Why the hay can't get him out of my mind lately, since we were forced to leave him with Dashie to move over to Ponyville? My mind just has the tendency to randomly move to him. I know that he feels very interesting and also a bit mysterious, since neither me or sis really know much about him, but he can't possibly be that interesting for my mind to continuously wander to him... at least to me... right?
I started to groan as I buried my face into the fabric of the couch. "Ahhh... I can't take this laying around alone and doing nothing anymore. And also why is my tail actively moving back and forth on its own? I am not on heat, it's not that time of the year yet...or at least I don't... think... so." I groaned out into the sofa before lifting my head back up to glare at my self-conscious tail.
"Stop!" I commented out loud, which thankfully did the trick as my tail quickly fell limp onto my flank.
I smiled a bit to myself at this as I laid my head back down onto my forelegs, or at least that is what I was planning to do when both my mind and tail had, once again, different ideas. Nava back in the forefront and my tail beginning to casually wave back and forth again.
"You know what, I might as well just go see what we have sitting around in the fridge and get my mind some well needed rest of all this wondering. Plus it's long past lunch time as well, and I haven't eating anything yet." I muttered to myself as I pushed myself off the couch with a bit of a grunt.
As if on cue, my stomach immediately began to voice its concerns when I mentioned 'past lunch', which only solidified my decision even more to quickly grab some cold grub from the fridge, maybe even snatch something that actually belongs to Flitter and eat that instead just to piss her off and then just retreat myself back to my room to doze off a bit. Maybe even pulling out my special box from under my bed to at least have SOMETHING to do while waiting around in the house.
That, and it IS a perfect time to open it up now, since I am all alone in the first place.
I actually felt myself get a bit excited at those thoughts as i casually made my way over to the kitchen to get myself something to nibble on before following on my plans to just relax for the rest of the day.
"Maybe I can convince Flitter later to -hopefully- travel to Ponyville together tomorrow and to see how Nava is doing there?"
...................................................................................................
"Alright buddy. Speak or I am going to start shouting into your so-called sensitive ears loud enough to make them ring." Dash threatened as she shone a really bright table light right at the terrified and expertly bound Thestral trapped on an old wooden chair.
Who knew that Dash could do an impression of a cliche 1960's style interrogator? All that was missing is a trench coat and a fedora and the image would be completed. Actually, I could just give her mine and it'd be close enough.
"Please, I have already told the truth! I wasn't part of the whole Cloudsdale occupation incident. I was actually in my workshop at the barracks, doing my own thing, I didn't even hear about it until right after it was already over!" The timid looking Thestral replied, as sweat was slowly dripping down from his forehead, clearly visible thanks to the glare of the table light shined directly at his panicked looking expression.
Actually, now that I had a better look at him, he does have a face somewhat similar to mine, having a muzzle that looks so much more likened to a mare's than a stallion's. Kind of weird, though, when you think about it. Mostly because the reason I have a much smaller and more slender looking muzzle compared to most stallions is probably because I was a European in origin before coming here. We do tend to have much narrower and pointier noses compared to others.
But it could also be just because of me because... well I designed him this way myself.
I rubbed my head as Twilight suddenly stepped up with a bit of a frown on her face. "Rainbow Dash, I think you are taking this just a bit too far now. Even if he was part of the whole Cloudsdale incident I heard (and read) about. These Bat-ponies are actually the primary members of the newly reformed night guard after Princess Luna's return... or at least that is what Princess Celestia has told me in one of her letters." Twilight explained as she stepped up to stand right next to the chair-bound captive.
Dash scoffed at this before switching her gaze to her. "You wouldn't understand Twi. You weren't IN Cloudsdale at the time like I was. Some of them were even looking at me funny as if I was food. These guys mean business so I am NOT taking chances with this one either." Dash retorted which made the Thestral in front of him suddenly light up in realization. I am not talking about the lamp, though.
"Well, one of those might have been Ivan or Sigurd. They were always some of the more...extreme ones so to speak. Especially since they used to be Thestral Berserkers before joining the guard." The Thestral explained, suddenly not looking or sounding so scared anymore and in more of a lecture mode.
How such a sudden switch can work I don't know, but at least it meant that the poor guy has some momentary rest from all the stress he found himself under.
"Wait a minute..." Twilight began as the explanation of what the Thestral said registered to her. "They allowed a brutal, literally bloodthirsty pony to join the Equestrian Night Guard?" She questioned in shock and slight concern, which caused the stud in question to look awkwardly to the side.
"I don't know, I... I am not part of the... whole recruitment program, or know how It even functions... in the first place. I am just an inventor and actually got forcefully drafted because of it." The Thestral explained, suddenly being back to his normal timid self again.
That thought immediately got Twilight's attention as her previous concerns suddenly got replaced by a glimmer in her eyes after he mentioned 'inventor'. "Wait...did you say that you are actually an inventor? Like an actual one with all the magic and science behind it?"
The Thestral simply nodded, or as much as his ropes even round his forehead allow him too. "Well... yes. But... why do you ask?" He asked as his interest was slightly piqued as well.
"Well, it's because I am a researcher myself, an expert in the subject of magic and Princess Celestia's personal student." She explained with a smile, a revelation that quickly replaced the Thestral's fear with overall curiosity and even slight excitement.
"You research the fields of magic as well? Oh this is so interesting! It's pretty rare these days to find someone with the same fields of study as mine." He commented as a sparkle swiftly developed in his slit-pupiled eyes.
"Wait, hold on a second. Aren't we getting a bit sidetracked here?" Dash questioned, slightly dumbfounded by this sudden switch of focus. To be honest I actually found this cartoonish turnaround a bit amusing.
"When two smarties find one another then the world around them might as well be nonexistent."
"Hold on, Rainbow Dash. This pony might actually have knowledge never seen before here in Equestria. Just think about the possibilities!" Twilight replied with a little squeak of excitement at the end.
Dash, of course, was not impressed at all. "Are you serious?" she began, while giving her friend a strange look. "This guy is one of those bat-pony freaks that occupied the Cloud District back in Cloudsdale and almost caused a mass panic. You can't possibly take this stud for granted?" She tried to argue before I stepped in and placed my hoof onto her shoulder to get her attention.
"Leave her. In fact, as far as I can tell, these two will keep one another busy for quite a while. I mean, look and listen to them, two nerds in one room." I whispered to her while pointing a hoof at them which RD followed.
"I wouldn't be surprised if these two just keep talking nonstop about science and magic for the whole week." I quickly added, or at least so I thought because Equestria sometimes operates with cartoon-like physics and logic.
"Yeah... I guess you might be right." RD eventually sighed as the other two cranked the science talk to eleven.
I nodded before looking at those two. "Kind of funny, actually, how both of them look really excited now, even with the timid stallion still bound to the chair." I chuckled, which made RD smile a bit as well.
"Well, two eggheads go well together, I guess." She said with a smile before looking back at me.
"But wait... what about the... you know?" RD asked, the meaning of it quickly registering in me.
I scratched the back of my head. "Well... to be honest I kind of prefer it like this." I began before looking at her. "To be honest I still don't really trust her with keeping my whole alicorn thing a secret. Kind of a blessing in disguise when this Thestral barged in earlier, shouting that he had found me. With these two now too occupied with one another's magic and science knowledge, they will eventually forget about me. Probably." I whispered to her while the two eggheads still keep on talking about stuff I honestly don't understand.
Dash rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, I can actually see your logic here." She answered. "But still... what about you getting that horn of yours fixed? If not Twilight, then who?" She asked as I turned myself around to trot back up the stairs and out of the basement.
"Well, do you maybe know any other unicorn who might be able to help while NOT being connected to the princess herself?" I asked while looking back as RD followed me out from the cold and dark basement below.
RD rubbed her chin as we were back in the main room of the library. "I have to think about it." She answered before both of us were greeted by Spike coming from the stairs leading up to the second floor.
"Hey you two. What the heck was all that ruckus earlier?" Spike said while chewing on some gems and holding what I can guess is a comic book in one claw
"Power Ponies. Yup. It's a comic."
"Nothing much, just Dash here having tackled a Bat-pony out of the library before bringing him back inside trapped within Twilight's magic to tie him up on a chair in your basement for a cliche 1960's interrogation process that didn't last long." I explain to him casually which caused the small drake to look at me funny and overall confused as well.
"Oh, Twi and that stud are now talking about Science and magic down there, which is why we are up here to leave them to their own devices." I quickly added while gazing up the ceiling a bit.
"...huh?" was Spike's only response as he somehow looked even more lost than he already was.
"Yeah it is kind of... ridiculous when you think about it." RD butted in before looking at the still-confused drake standing at the foot of the stairs. "Can you maybe keep an eye on Twi and our new... "special guest"?" she actually growled a bit when she said that. "I still don't trust this guy. He might be timid and somewhat of a pushover, but I still have this nagging feeling that this guy might be trouble in the future." Dash added, which helped the drake to shake off the goldfish expression.
Spike shook his head. "Well... yeah, sure. It isn't like I have much else to do right now anyway." He replied while finishing the gem he was nibbling on.
"Spike? Spike, you still up there? Can you maybe bring us two glasses of water?" Twilight suddenly shouted from the basement.
Spike groaned at this before placing his comic on a nearby table before moving over to the kitchen. "Well I don't have much of a choice in watching them now, do I?" He questioned rhetorically before disappearing somewhere into the kitchen.
Both Dash and I shrugged before making our way out of the library after calling goodbye to Spike.
"So..." I began as the afternoon sun shone down onto my fur. "What now? I still need a unicorn to teach me ze magiks." I question with a mimic of Photo Finish at the end.
Dash was about to reply before a sudden but also recognizable voice suddenly called out to us. "Oh greetings, Rainbow Dash and.... handsome-stallion-I-still-haven't-gotten-the-chance-to-get-to-know. What are you two doing in front Twilight's place?" A white alabaster unicorn mare questioned from the other side of the street while carrying shopping bags in her magic.
"Oh, hey Rarity." Both of us greeted her back in unison as she made her way over to us with the shopping bags floating beside her.
Dash nudged me. "Jinx! You owe me a cider." before laughing.
...................................................................................................
"I. Am going. TO KILL HIM." Glade announced after having read the report from one of her Thestral spies that kept an eye on Midnight Gear, written that he was easily captured after so very unprofessionally barging into the home of one of the element bearers.
"I specifically told him to not do anything stupid. You had ONE JOB, Gear! ONE!" |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 23: Magic 101 | Chapter 23: Magic 101
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
Would you like some sugar for your tea, darling?" Rarity asked while looking at me with a smile.
I nodded. "Sure, that would be nice, I do like my tea a bit sweet." I replied, to which Rarity nodded before adding a few sugar cubes to it with her magic.
After having met Rarity just outside of the Golden Oaks Library, Dash and I had quickly informed her about our current situation, what had happened today with the Thestral and whatnot.
She of course invited Dash and me (well, mostly me, because I still think she wants a shot at me) to her place where we can talk more about it comfortably and privately.
I do have to say, seeing and stepping into Carousel Boutique for the first time was nothing special, to be honest. I mean, it looks just as the show back in my world depicted it, which really wasn't a big surprise. What was surprising, though, was the mess Rarity's home actually was when we entered. All kinds of tailoring supplies like fabric, needles, rolls of thread and whatnot, were scattered all over the place as if a tiny tornado had passed through the boutique.
Rarity, of course, was shocked to see her beloved home/work space in such a state before muttering something about never letting Sweetie Belle use her stuff unsupervised ever again, and to make her clean up the mess when she came back home later.
After the initial shock and Rarity's muttering was over, she invited us into her home. While not minding the very obvious mess the entrance to the room was.
Dash quickly excused herself on one of the couches, with both me and Rares (yes, I have already given her a nickname) being ok with it, before Rarity kindly offered for me to take a seat on a nearby unoccupied couch with a small coffee table in front, while she went off to the kitchen to make some tea for the both of us.
Which leads us to here and now, Dash once again dozing off on a piece of furniture that is not hers and with me and Rarity having afternoon tea with a set of biscuits on a plate (cookies, for people who live on the other side of the Atlantic).
"So..." Rarity began, after having taken a sip of her tea. "You came to Twilight seeking her help for your magic, but got interrupted by a bat-pony stallion crashing into her library soon after and having in the end decided that Twilight might not have been a good idea after all and you want me to help with that instead?" Rarity asked while raising a curious eyebrow as she levitated the cup back down gently.
I simply nodded while trying my best to hold the cup with both of my hooves without dropping it. An action which again caused Rarity to look at me curiously, mainly my horn and the fact that I wasn't using it.
She shook her head before addressing me again with the same raised eyebrow. "Well, I would love to help your... apparent lack of magic for some reason, but why not Twilight directly?" She questioned, tilting her head a bit.
"I mean, she IS the Element of Magic AND the personal protege of Princess Celestia herself. Surely she would be able to perform a much better job in the magic department than I could ever do." Rarity quickly added while quickly looking me over.
I sighed. "Well, once again, here goes nothing I guess. Let's hope she doesn't freak out too much or tell anybody about me being an unknown male Alicorn." I thought to myself as I mentally braced myself for something I knew I had to do if I wanted Rarity to fully understand me.
"Miss Rarity-" I began before quickly being interrupted.
"Just call me Rarity, please. All my friends do that. Adding the Miss part to my name makes me sound old, darling." She suggested with a smile. In response, I nodded.
I sighed again. "Rarity, before we can go any further... there is something I need to show you first." I nervously announced, something that the mare in question seemed to have picked up as she quickly started to look at me in worry.
"Show me something? Might it be something serious?" She questioned with a hint of worry in her tone, to which I simply nodded.
"In a manner of speaking. For starters..." I began as I nervously started to slowly remove the black flight jacket on me.
Rarity, of course, blushed a bit at the sudden action I made in simply removing my jacket right in front of her. That blush, though, was quickly replaced with a look of utter confusion and shock as she laid eyes on my now half-extended wings after I laid the jacket next to me, on the couch.
I just sat there, my true race fully shown to her while nervously awaiting her response and rubbing my forelegs together.
Rarity, on the other hand, (or hoof, in her case) was doing the best goldfish expression I had ever seen. Opening and closing her mouth, probably trying to say something as her eyes kept darting from my wings, to my horn, to my face and vice-versa.
You could cut the tension with a knife, not only that, but I was feeling more and more nervous as the seconds ticked by. Almost to the point where I started regretting my decision, though it was obviously be far too late to change that at that point.
"Uh... uhm... o-ok?" Rarity finally replied shakily, obviously still trying to process the information and not really helping with my unease at the situation.
"A good thing, at least, that I hadn't removed my jacket while she was taking a sip of her tea. Wait... why am I thinking this, anyway?"
"Well Rarity, you see-" I began before Rarity interrupted me with a question I should have seen coming.
"You... you don't happen to be a... prince... do you?" She asked, to which I quickly shook my head while holding out my hooves out.
"N-no, no, no, no, NO. I am NOT royalty in the slightest. I am not a prince, just an average quirky guy who tries to get by, nothing more." I quickly corrected.
Rarity sighed while looking somewhat disappointed (I can imagine a few reasons why), before she looked back at me with a still somewhat disbelieving look on her features.
"Well then, if that is the case..." She began before looking back at my wings. "I am still somewhat... shocked that, there is actually somehow another Alicorn, similar to the princesses just casually trotting around in Ponyville. Not to mention a stallion as well." Rarity commented before looking down at her half-emptied tea cup in front of her.
"Well, that's not all..." I began sheepishly while rubbing my hooves together nervously. "Do you know about the whole Cloudsdale incident?" I asked while looking back at her.
She nodded, while gazing back at me. I nervously rubbed the back of my head before replying. "Well... that was actually kind of my fault back there, I was the source of that unknown magical phenomenon as journalists and investigators dubbed it." I admitted which immediately caused Rarity to look at me shocked for a second time in a row, before her face quickly dropped into realization.
"I I believe I have started to put the pieces together now." She announced while rubbing her chin.
My ears perked up at that, as my wings twitched a bit. "Wait... you are?" I asked, to which she looked back at me again.
"Well, yes... I think." She said, sounding and looking somewhat unsure of herself. "Whatever must have happened to you, back then most likely has something to do with the fact that you have no idea how to use or even control your magic." She continued, while looking up in thought. "Which is why you are back here in Ponyville, to seek help from somepony that could maybe help you with that problem, teach you the use of magic and control, to hopefully prevent such an incident from ever happening again, and since you are... well, an Alicorn -which is still somewhat shocking to me, by the way-, your claim of being the cause of such a phenomenon does sound a lot more possible now as well, which makes it an even better reason to try to find a solution as soon as possible." She finally finished her analysis, which, in all honesty, left me stumped.
It was my turn to have my jaw drop. "She figured it all out like that on her own, and also being 100% on the mark as well?" I thought to myself with my jaw slightly hanging from my mouth.
"Well, then again, she always has been depicted as a rather clever and very observant individual. Plus, now that I think about it more, it actually isn't that hard to just put two and two together after my given explanation, so really I shouldn't be too surprised at all." I continued to think as I promptly closed mouth before shaking my head.
"That... that is actually a pretty dead-on analysis there." I admitted, as another question seemed to enter Rares' mind.
"Well, ok, that at least explains that. But still, why didn't you approach Twilight regarding this issue? As I said, she is far more skilled and more knowledgeable on the subject of magic than I." Rarity questioned again while tilting her head once more.
"That's because I am actually in hiding, trying to keep my Alicorn identity a secret in fear of ponies getting the wrong idea, wanting to use or even capture me, and also not knowing what even the two princesses will do to me if they suddenly found out that an unknown Alicorn is running around free in their kingdom. Especially knowing... or at least making the assumption that I was the cause of the whole Cloudsdale incident in the first place, which will obviously then put me in a bad light with them and everybody else will probably see me as a danger as well." I explained to her in one go, looking down at my hooves before continuing. "And since Twilight is Princess Celestia's personal protege, I can't really trust her to not tell her about me, which I honestly do not want... or at least not until I can clear my name somewhat and at least show everyone that I am not a possible threat at all." As I finished my explanation with a deep breath.
Rarity seemed to look at me with understanding as she levitated her cup of tea back to her mouth, to finish of its contents, before placing it back on the plate.
"Well...to be honest, Twilight can be a bit of a tattletale when it comes to stuff like that, and if anything you just said is really true, then I would say that it really was in your best interest to avoid her for now." Rarity admitted when she suddenly gave me a small smile for the first time since I revealed myself to her.
"But you know what? Even if my knowledge of magic might not be as... plentiful as Twilight's, it still is enough that might be able to help you nonetheless. If something is missing, I could still just trot over to Golden Oaks Library and borrow some of her books regarding magic on your behalf. I might actually learn something myself, in the process." Rarity finally announced, with a genuine smile, this time.
I smiled back, feeling internally relieved that I somehow managed to bring another pony to understand and even trust me. For something besides my looks and my obviously out of control powers.
Though, one problem still remained. I was about to ask her about it until she stopped me once more after, I presume, sensing what I was going to say.
"Don't worry darling. If you really want to keep you identity a secret I will promise you to not tell a soul about it. You have my word as a lady. If you want, I'll even Pinkie Promise." She assured me, kindly. Which again made me feel happy, as the very last burden was finally off of my chest and mind.
I managed to get Rarity on my side and to also help me finally get some of my magic fixed and under control.
"Thanks again, for understanding and for agreeing to help me Rarity. This really means a lot to me." I thanked her genuinely.
She, again, simply smiled while shaking her head a bit. "It's nothing at all, darling, I am the Element of Generosity after all. And besides, if your stories are true (add to that the fact that you really are an actual Alicorn), then helping you would honestly be in the best interests for everypony, not just you and your friends."
She paused, then added, "I may not know much about Alicorns in general but what I do know is that their magic is quite powerful and can be downright devastating, if not used properly." She explained, a truth I can only agree upon, if my own experiences and Silver's personal account were anything to go by.
"If I don't want to dig myself into a deeper hole than I already am, then getting some control of my powers is my top priority. And, who knows? Maybe I will be able to learn how to temporarily get my human form back, or even learn of a way to return home... if there is still time, that is.
After all what would be the point in wanting to return back to Earth when, possibly, a 100 years might have somehow passed over there. I might as well stay here, then." I thought
"Anyway... would you like some more tea while we continue to discuss our plans in getting your magic under control? In fact, we can just casually get to know one another while doing so as well. I actually feel quite interested about the concept that a full-grown stallion like you hasn't learned anything about magic prior to this, despite being very powerful. It's a little ironic, if you ask me." Rarity offered while levitating the teapot over her cup to refill her empty cup before looking at me to await my response.
I stared down at my half empty cup before looking back at her and giving her a nod. "Sure, more tea would be nice, I actually enjoy the tea you have here." I responded before a question suddenly came to mind regarding the drink itself. "What type of tea is it, anyway?" I asked as Rarity levitated the pot over to my cup and refilled it with its hot and relaxing content.
"It's actually Jasmine, dear. A personal favorite of mine, to be honest." She responded, before putting the teapot back down and levitating her own cup again to take a sip from it and humming in delight. "It helps me relax after a hard day (or night)'s work."
"Jasmine, huh? No wonder this tea tasted so familiar to me." I thought to myself as I did the same, trying to get a hold of the cup with both of my hooves to take sip from its hot and steaming content.
Now knowing what its flavor actually was, I hummed in delight as the sweet taste of hot Jasmine tickled my taste buds. Helping me to relax and calm down fully after everything that has happened.
"Do you want to start, or should I? Or should we have a naturally evolving conversation and just go along as it develops?" Rarity questioned which immediately made me pause.
"Oh... shit. Well... time for crafty storytelling, I guess." I thought to myself, as I simply gave her a nod. RD's soft snoring being the only sound besides our talking with in the still disorganized room.
Telling her about myself and my family and whatnot, while leaving out the 'other world' and 'human' part out of course.
...................................................................................................
"Well, I have already told you about all the magic I have studied, learned and am currently researching at the moment." Twilight announced happily before refocusing her gaze back at the Thestral, now known to her as Midnight Gear, a local researcher and inventor of his homeland and the Night Guard he currently worked for.
As she focused on the pony in front of her, she noticed a peculiarity. His right eye was glowing slightly and the iris was spinning in a clockwise direction. She also saw that the electric blue of his iris was a combination of the two separately spinning disks of metal, blue and a slightly darker shade of blue respectively, one above the other.
"I don't mean to be rude, but... what the hay is with your right eye!?" Twilight exclaimed.
"Hmm? Oh! That. I didn't think you'd notice, (not many do) but my right eye is actually artificial" Midnight explained.
"What!? I thought that was impossible! The sheer complexity and delicacy of an eye is what makes it impossible to replicate!" Twilight said in her shock.
"Well, Equestria is actually pretty far behind in terms of technological advancement, compared to the rest of the world. While you are still using science and magic separately, like steam engines and spells, the rest of the world, especially in Kazzas and Pelepolos, (Kazzas being the one further ahead, with it being far more accessible to scholars, researchers and inventors) are combining magic and science to make things like my eye, enhanced fuel and Mana Engines alike. Best examples would be our airships but without proper illustrations or schematics i cant really show much of it." Gear told Twilight.
"Wow! That is amazing! I don't mean to pry, but... how did you lose your eye? And what is this combination of science and magic called?" Twilight asked.
"It's called MagiTech, and ironically, I lost my eye when I was improving the design of the artificial eye. Like making new spells and alchemy, MagiTech... isn't always safe." Midnight said.
"Wow! I guess it's good that you succeeded then. But, I mean... to be honest, it's still rather strange to know that that sort of stuff is possible by combining science and magic. A non-Unicorn like you and many others may study magic but... isn't it kind of useless when you can't even cast any of the magic you are studying about? No offense, though." Twilight quickly added.
Gear simply shook his head, having been long freed from his earlier restraints by Twilight, as the two had spent most the afternoon talking about magic and technology. Mostly Twilight, as she had done most of the talking and explanation of her understanding of magic and what she had been researching lately, which left Gear very intrigued.
"None taken, really. The type of magic I have been studying really doesn't need any horn or similar materials to use or even cast." Midnight explained as he took a sip of his glass of water. His usual shyness and timid nature were gone, in favor of talking to someone who shared his love for science and research in general.
"I am actually researching and studying the nature of Blood Magic and the creation of Blood Weapons and Armour in general." Midnight explained to her, which caused the mare in question to almost choke and spit out the water she was drinking in unison with him, in a very comical fashion.
She coughed and gagged before looking at Gear with wide eyes. "Wait, can you- (*cough*) can you repeat that?" She asked, which in turn caused Gear to slowly revert to his timid nature once more.
"Uhm... I-I said that I am st-studying... Blood Magic an-and Blood Weapons." He stuttered while twirling the small glass nervously in his hooves.
Twilight on the other hoof continued to just stare, before her brain finally process the answer she was given. "BLOOD MAGIC! YOU STUDY BLOOD MAGIC AND WEAPONS!? THE LONG FORGOTTEN ART MOST PONIES ONLY CONSIDER A MYTH NOWADAYS!?" Twilight shouted with more than a hint of excitement in her tone.
Gear simply nodded his head slowly, which immediately caused stars to appear in Twilight's eyes as she leap in excitement.
"You've got to tell me EVERYTHING!" Twilight said, several quills and rolls of parchment floating from her storage room.
Midnight Gear smiled enthusiastically, "Sure! Why not!"
"So, MagiTech has quite the history-
> Chapter 24: The Discoveries Never End (Part 1)
Chapter 24: The Discoveries Never End (Part 1)
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear
I immediately jolted awake as I opened my eyes. "What the? What was that feeling I felt in my dream?" I thought to myself as I simply stared up at the darkened ceiling above me.
By the light level -or rather, the lack thereof- around the room I was looking around it was obviously still in the middle of the night, and looking to a small alarm on my bedside table immediately confirms that.
"2 AM. Why the hell am I suddenly jolted awake at two in the morning?" I muttered to myself as I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position.
I was quite comfortable, sleeping in one of the Apple family's guest rooms that they so generously offered me while temporarily staying here in Ponyville for a while.
As I sat there on my bed in the middle of a darkened bedroom with the light of the full moon being the only source of proper illumination through a half-drawn window I began to remember and recollect all of the events that had happened yesterday. Or more like failed to happen yesterday, to be more honest.
By failed I mean 'failed to get Twilight as my possible teacher on how to control and call upon my magic without causing a natural -or unnatural- disaster around me whenever my horn suddenly decides to act as a light bulb. That idea, of course, got immediately crashed when a timid sounding Thestral suddenly came "crashing" in and claiming that he had found the source of something. Most likely me, if I want to be real here.
That thought didn't really end up as upsetting as I imagined that it probably would be, because, to be honest with myself, despite having made my final decision in approaching the bookworm mare fully regarding my problem and my true look and identity myself, I was still somewhat cautious with this plan, like some sort of inner instinct telling me that I was secretly making a wrong move and setting myself up for something that I wouldn't be able to escape like I miraculously had with the Thestral occupation of the Clouds District back in Cloudsdale.
So overall, what it truly ended up happening was more of a small blessing in disguise than anything else, which I felt really happy and relieved for once that realization came to me.
"Who knew that dumb luck could strike twice in a row in almost identical situations?" I thought to myself as I then remembered promptly meeting Rarity after that, which -after a fashion- fixed the problem of having to find another unicorn to teach me about magical control.
The rest of the day spent with Rares was surprisingly pleasant. Not only did I somehow manage to get her on my side and overall convince her to keep my identity a secret, but I also managed to gain not just a teacher for my problems but a possible close friend as well.
That, or she still wants to have a shot at me for being, quote unquote, "One of the most dashing looking stallions I have ever seen."
I personally don't mind being incredibly handsome -or at least in pony standards- but such positive attention isn't really helping me with my situation and desire to stay anonymous from the rest of the world.
Besides that the rest of the evening with Rarity was 'again' surprisingly smooth, simple and I dare say 100% civil as well. She IS a lady with class, after all. You could easily confuse her with a noble if you didn't already know her true background and origins.
With all of that out of the way, it was pretty much just her telling me that we could start my lesson tomorrow after first helping the Apple family with their harvest early in the morning. We said our goodbyes -after having roused RD up from her 'occupation' of one of Rarity's couches- and headed our separate ways.
RD kindly walked with me all the way back to the edge of town before heading our separate ways as well, having told me that she actually had weather duties tomorrow before flying home herself.
I made the rest of my way back towards Sweet Apple Acres myself afterwards. After a hearty dinner made by Applejack and a quick goodnight from all of us, it was then time to hit the hay and call it a day.
Which now leads us to the here and now, waking up from a dreamless sleep after a sudden jolt of what I can only describe as electricity coursing through my nerves.
"Strange. I wonder if it was just one of my new..." I whispered before the same sensation suddenly resurfaced, which forced me to pause and go stiff from the experience.
It was also then when my horn suddenly lit up again, not as bright as the last few times, but just bright enough for me to see and to give the room a gentle glow to it.
I was once again confused and slightly terrified by this, thanks to my pretty much nonexistent understanding of magic and my new body in general.
I suddenly found myself sensing something. It was somewhat similar to the sensation I felt during Nightmare Moon's return, but this time it felt much more calm and pure than the dark and chaotic feeling I got when I was close to her.
Yes, I am just going to call these feelings as I am obviously still very blind to all of these new senses I know have.
I was once again very confused, but also slightly intrigued this time as I slowly started to shift and turn on my bed. As I did so I quickly managed to note that the intensity of this feeling was slowly growing or dropping down whenever I moved my gaze...or more specifically my horn to different direction with in the room, with the half shut window to my left being the strongest source of this... feeling.
"What the... heck?" Was all I could mutter as this realization swiftly struck home.
With my own curiosity once again getting the better of me, I carefully crawled my way out of bed and onto the wooden and rugged floor beneath me as my made my way over to the window.
Moving the curtains away with my hoof I was swiftly greeted with a view of the outside world at night, but more interestingly I was greeted with a direct line of sight with the very edges of the Everfree forest.
Not only that, but whatever sensation and source I was feeling got gradually stronger when I moved towards the window, which my logical mind immediately interpreted that whatever I was feeling or sensing must be coming from the direction I was looking in at the moment, I.E., the Everfree forest.
I frowned as the realization kicked in. "The Everfree forest... really? But then again, It does makes sense when you think about it. The Everfree is the most unnatural location in all of Equestria... well, unnatural by pony standards, that is." I thought to myself as I continued to stare off at the distant tree line.
"This feeling is probably not going to go away until I march myself into the forest at night and follow whatever seems to be calling me, is it?" I questioned to myself mentally, as indeed the sensation was slowly starting to get stronger and stronger the longer I just stood there.
I eventually sighed, as there really doesn't seems to be another option for this. I do have a bit of a trust towards my new instincts, since now all they have managed to do was good, in my opinion.
I know that normally I would think of myself as being suicidal for making such a decision, but then again I am an alicorn now, even in the face of great danger my own alicon instincts seem to automatically kick in and do stuff for me, even though I might not remember much of it later on.
"Hope Silver knows what he seems to be doing with my magic." I again thought to myself as I finally moved myself away from the window.
I quickly grabbed all of my stuff such as my glasses, hat, scarf and my jacket as well, as I am sure that the nighttime air would be chilly outside.
With myself prepped and clothed for the occasion, I carefully and silently opened the door to my borrowed bedroom before tiptoeing (or more like tip hoofing) my way through the corridor, past the other bedrooms and eventually down the stairs.
"I hope this decision isn't going to bite me in the ass for the first time." I again thought to myself, slowly starting to feel nervous about it as I trotted passed the living room before opening the front door and trotting out to the cool and fresh air of the night.
...................................................................................................
"Good thing that my horn always glows whenever something seems to be up." I thought to myself as I carefully followed a small dirt path. I managed to thanks to the soft light that my horn was casting all around me.
Funny, despite knowing that this here is an extremely dangerous forest, -especially at night- I am not feeling a lot of paranoia or fear, as I had been the last time I was here. Which was also the first time.
Another thing that was both calming and very eerie at the same time was just how... quiet the Everfree seemed to be. Beside the occasional owl or howl of some distant wolf, there was nothing else in the forest that I could identify as immediate threatening.
Carefully stepping over some large rocks and holes and jumping over a large spiky vine laid right across the small path I was travelling on, I was making my way deeper and deeper into the Everfree.
At some point I even managed to spot a small hut-like structure built into a twisted looking tree, on my left. Most likely Zecora's hut, if my memory serves me correctly about its location and overall look. I personally would have loved to trot over there, maybe meet her and even go as far as maybe asked for her help, but my instincts alone where once again forcing me against this idea as I simply continued on.
It didn't take long, though, for me to eventually reach a small river and clearing on the end of my path. The ground around the river was pretty boggy, but not to an extent where you would sink down and get stuck in it.
It's a good thing that I have hooves now and don't wear shoes anymore, otherwise they would be ruined at this point.
"Great... now how the heck can I get across this? Whatever I am following is obviously on the other side of this river and I don't want to push my luck too far in just openly standing here in... well, the open and risk something with sharp teeth spotting me. I know for a fact that water is always an animal magnet for both herbivores and carnivores alike... especially the latter." I thought to myself, as I began to scan the edges of the river for any good or shallow enough spot to cross over it.
"Nothing. Great. If I could actually use my wings other than just to create gusts of winds, with them I would not be stuck here now. Flying, or at least gliding, would really come in handy right about now." I muttered to myself as I slowly started to trot along the shore of the river, following the stream.
"If only I could remember how I did it the first time around." I continued on as blurry memories of my rescue and first encounter of the two pegas-sisters came to mind.
I might still very be wary of heights, but I couldn't really deny the versatility and practicality of being able to fly. This situation now being the perfect example. Being able to fly means no more problems when it comes crossing rivers or large gorges.
I sighed. "Thinking and theorizing on how different things would be when being able to fly isn't going to get me anywhere." I argued with myself as I simply sat myself down on a solid and dry spot along the river to simply stare up into the star-filled night up above.
"I can understand why some peoples might find something like this beautiful. For me, though, things like these make me more or less feel indifferent, especially since I was more of a house cat type of guy before having mysteriously ended up here." I thought to myself as I continued to stare up, despite the glare from my own horn making it somewhat pointless.
"I could just try to swim over?" I wondered out loud as my gaze once again fell on the flowing river in front of me and finding its water to be relatively calm compared to most rivers I have seen.
I was about to act on these ideas and possible ruin both the jacket and the scarf when out of the corner of my eye I spotted something slowly floating down the river.
"Wait...is that a tree trunk?" I wondered aloud, as I watched it slowly make its way towards me. Just when I somehow couldn't imagine that I'd get even more dumb luck after the one yesterday, I just somehow managed to get yet another break as the tree trunk managed to get itself perfectly vertical, stuck on some large rocks further down on the stream, a very short distance from where I am currently.
I simple stared at it for a few more seconds in awe at my current track of good fortune, before I shook my head.
"Well... thank you... faith? I guess?" I commented aloud, with a sheepish grin on my muzzle, before eventually shrugging and carefully making my way and stepping onto the one of the rocks the trunk had managed to wedge itself on.
It was a bit shaky and slippery, but thanks to the fact that I was a quadruped with the luxury of wings extended for extra balance, it meant that inching my way across the -thankfully calm- river wasn't as problematic as I imagined it to be from the start.
With a final hop I made it across to the other side with a satisfied smile on my face as I gave the helpful tree trunk a thankful nod before continuing on my cheerful way.
Well as cheerful as a dark and gloomy forest at night could somewhat be, until noticed something at the corner of my eye again and immediately frowned when I turned my head to look at it.
Further down the river, now perfectly visible from this position and angle towards the curve of the river further down, was none other than a small -but yet actually there- bridge.
"I could have just as easily crossed the river via a bridge that was just a little bit further downstream?" I whined to myself as I gave the large bushes and trees that previously obstructed my path earlier on the other side of the river with an annoyed glare.
"Well, at the same time I can't really complain too much, now. I still made it across regardless, so I should just get going and not linger on this any further." I muttered as I shook my head before following my instincts once more.
"At least now I know where the term 'dumb luck' comes from."
Travelling further and deeper into the forest was still as surprisingly uneventful as the other half has been, though this time with the occasional shadow dancing around the edges of my vision as the darkness around these areas was almost unnatural. The light on my horn was really not giving much comfort in that regard.
But I pressed on, not just to finally get this over with, but to also get out of this creepy darkness and hopefully somewhere less unnerving. I think I even saw a few glowing eyes off into the distance behind some creepy looking trees.
My vigilance, though, was soon rewarded as I spotted another break from the dense jungle-like forest and quickly found myself in a HUGE clearing. A clearing which I immediately recognized as my eyes went wide.
"The castle ruins." I muttered as I looked on into the distance at the gloomy -but still impressive looking- ruins.
Once again this here was as authentic looking as it was in the show, complete with a dark and wide gorge surrounding the ruins, with only a very suicida- looking bridge acting as its only access point to the flat plateau on the other side. Unless you are a flyer, -once again, another perfect example of the advantages of flying- which I am not.
I sighed and groaned in the end as I gave the castle and the gorge a more critical look as a sudden -but ultimately useless- comparison came to mind.
"This place strangely reminds me of the classic Castlevania games, just add some lightning strikes and bats in the background and it's perfect." I thought to myself instead of saying that out loud, to not tempt fate.
I don't feel like having to fight a pony version of Dracula.
Shaking my head, I quickly moved on, making my way towards the rickety hanging bridge. I looked down in between it's somewhat wide-spaced boards and shivered a bit in discomfort as I saw the looong drop underneath it. My acrophobia once again kicked in as I quickly back peddled from the edge.
Or that is what I wanted to do, but my horn actually had other ideas, as it suddenly got brighter. That idea being pulled onto the bridged just as filly Rarity in that one of those few episodes I actually watched from the show.
And let me tell you, it looks and feels allot more terrifying that the episode made it out to be. Especially when there is dark and seemingly endless looking abyss involved.
"What the... STOP! NO, STOP! STUPID HORN, I DON'T WANNA GO OVER THIS INDIANA JONES STYLE BRIDGE! SILVER IF THIS IS YOU, STOP IT!!!" I shouted in utter panic as I was forcefully pulled onto the bridge.
I began to flail my limbs before quickly grabbing onto one of the posts that connected and kept the bridge suspended on either sides. Or at least I tried, before I undershot and got simply dragged alone onto the bridge, to my absolute horror.
A bridge that looks more unstable than my home world's political system over a black endless looking abyss. My acrophobia is having a field day.
"NO STOP, SILVER, PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! CAN YOU HEAR ME? SILVER?" I tried to call out once more as the force pulling on me was slowly straining my neck. That and I was on the brink of... leaking after I so horribly made the mistake of looking down at my dragging hind legs and basically eeped in the same way Fluttershy would.
Good thing I was alone, I guess.
I once again tried to hold on onto something, quickly grabbing a hold onto the ropes acting as guardrails on either side on with both of my forelegs. The problem with this idea was that hooves don't really have a really good grip on ropes to begin with. The other problem was that the magic pull on my horn was ever so slightly increasing the closer I got to whatever my horn was pulling me to, which meant even less chance of keeping my already negligible grip on the ropes even further.
Which only left my teeth then, which I used as I forcefully -and very hard- bit onto support ropes to my right in hope that this would finally bring this second instance of magical insanity to an end. The first being the Cloudsdale incident, of course.
At first it worked, though that realization didn't survive that long as my horn just straight up started to pull even harder... and then the rope I was holding onto broke, most likely because of the force of my bite and the constant pulling via my horn.
"I should have stayed in bed." Was all I was able to say before the entire thing simply capsizes to the right, with me now falling into the awaiting blackness of the abyss with a silent scream and allot of mental scolding to Silver.
My dumb luck streak had to end somewhere, ironically it was done by my own magic...again.
Magic, you are a real bitch. I would have been better off as an earth pony instead.
...................................................................................................
"Hey...hey Nava, you're ok?" I heard a very familiar voice say within the darkness. A very, very familiar voice in fact.
"What the...where...what?" I groggily said out as I slowly opened my eyes and was first greeted with an image of a very blurry light brown and black blob.
"Hey, you're finally up. I have never seen you enter the subconscious dream realm of your mind in such a way. I mean... you literally dropped from the sky and I was immediately worried when you hit the ground hard and didn't get back up immediately." The same voice commented again as my vision was slowly clearing up and I was looking up at the familiar face of me... or rather, Silver, since he no longer wore either the hat or the glasses for the sake of less confusion.
I immediately shot forward and punched him, landing squarely on his face with my hoof. He stumbled back and fell on his flank with a daze as the right side of his face was pulsing red from where I hit him.
He quickly shook his dazed mind off as he hissed in pain after he tried to touch the sore spot where I punched him before glaring at me with in both surprise and anger.
"DUDE...what the heck was that for?" Silver demanded in which I quickly stood up on all fours while snarling at him.
"Don't be stupid. You know EXACTLY what this is for SILVER!" I answered as I loomed over him, glaring daggers at him.
"You and your stupid magic. I thought you were supposed to help me not drag me out from my bed, force me to walk into a dangerous forest at night and then literally pull me over a very unstable bridge, which eventually collapsed and caused me to fall into a dark gorge!" I shouted at him, my muzzle was inching closer to his, while he was still busy rubbing the sore spot.
He looked at me confused, which only enraged me even further. I was about to hit the bastard of a double again before he stopped me by holding a hoof out.
"Wait, wait... what... what do you mean?" he asked, but before I could respond he continued. "I... I know what you are talking about the whole... sensation you have been fallowing... because I felt it too, but I swear that I have nothing to do with it other than the time when I felt your fear and simply helped -or tried to help- you cross whatever you were afraid to step onto." He explained to me, while looking up at me with a bit of panic in his eyes.
"Wait a minute... you said something about falling off of something, right?" He asked while looking at me, confused.
I nodded while still glaring down at him, my anger slightly lessened thanks to his somewhat useful explanation. "Well yes, you dragged me off onto a rickety, old hanging bridge - even though you know full well that I am acrophobic!" I shot back, my anger slightly rising again, which seemed to register in Silver.
"Hey, hey... I had no idea that the bridge was faulty, ok? I just sensed fear from you and I thought that maybe giving you a little push would help you cross it. If I would have known that it was in a poor state I would have never attempted that stunt in the first place." He explained to me in haste while again holding his hooves out in front of him.
"I swear I didn't know, ok? I might not have told you yet, but my influence on the outside world is pretty limited. I can only get bits and pieces of it at a time. Mostly from you, or personally sensing magic fields or anomalies around you or close to you." He continued to explain as my anger once again lowered.
"Remember, if you die, I will cease to exist as well. I could never place you in harm's way on purpose, not just for your sake but mine as well." He finally finished, which had the immediate effect of draining all of my anger toward him completely.
My expression softened and I sighed before stepping off of him and giving him space to get back up on his own.
He promptly did so as he continued to rub his sore face from where I hit him, making me feel somewhat awkward and also somewhat guilty as well.
"Well... sorry for, well... hitting you back there. I guess I was a bit too quick to judge." I apologized as I looked to the grassy covered ground with my ears dropping to the sides.
Silver simply shook his head before giving me a small smile. "Nah, it's fine, really. In fact I actually might have deserved it nonetheless for blindly pulling you into danger in the first place. I should have really been more focused with your own surroundings and situations first before I even considered jumping in. I was being narrow minded as well." He confessed with a sorry tone and look in his eyes as he looked off to the side with the same dopey looking ears.
An awkward silence dominated the space between us afterward with neither of us saying or daring to look at one another faces. Only the gently sound of the wind and rustling of leaves being the only silence breakers.
This is the same landscape of endless fields of golden wheat as it had always been since I first saw it, though this time much more detailed and complete, as it had been previously, with now visible mountains and hills off into the horizon, and even with some very vivid and complex looking clouds up in the sky instead just a sea of endless blue.
Silver really does put a lot of work into his own realm of existence. It really shows by just looking around it.
"Again, I am sorry." I repeated myself after a while as I looked back at him, still looking and feeling somewhat guilty from my uncalled for outburst.
Silver again shook his head before looking back at me as well, with a sad smile on his muzzle. "Nah it's fine. We're both at fault here." He simply answered.
I was about to say more when Silver stopped me by raising a hoof as his ears sudden shot up in 'standby' mode.
"We can maybe talk more about this the next we see each other." He casually announced, which caused me to tilt my head at him questioningly as I raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" I simply questioned.
"Well, it's because you're in the middle of waking up again, that's why." He quickly answered before giving me a genuine smile. "And don't worry, I won't do anything to you this time. Let's NOT repeat that almost fatal mistake. But... well I can still give you light of course, you are in a very dark place, from what I can tell and sense around you." He quickly added.
"Oh... well... ok then. I guess this will be 'until next time' then." I answered while scratching the back of my neck as i could slowly feel the very distinct tell-tale sign of getting myself pulled back into the conscious world.
Silver nodded while waving a hoof at me in 'goodbye' and 'see you later' gestures. "You just be careful out there in the real world, alright? And stay away from anymore drops or ledges this time." He stated jokingly, to which I simply rolled my eyes as the world around me started to fade from existence.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You really don't need to remind me of that." I simply replied for the final time before the world around me completely disappeared in a white flash.
"Always has to get the last word, if he can." Silver said, shaking his head. |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 25: The Discoveries Never End (part 2) | Chapter 25: The Discoveries Never End (part 2)
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by:Darkwhip
I awoke with a gasp as I shot up from the ground. I cringed afterward, as my body quickly began to protest from my sudden and unexpected awakening. My head promptly fell back onto the ground with an audible thud and a rush of discomfort.
I groaned as I simply laid there with my eyes shut as memories of my fall and re-encounter with Silver resurfaced within me.
"Ugh... once again. I found myself falling into an earthly crevasse, hitting the ground hard, before waking up feeling like a fallen tree. Just like the first time." I muttered out loud as I slowly opened my eyes again after I recovered.
I looked up past the lines of shadows, into the light of the night sky above me, tilting my head a bit to the side as I quickly noticed something.
"Huh... the gorge wasn't as deep or endless looking as I thought it would be." I mused to myself aloud.
The moon was obviously not visible from this angle of the gorge, which again obviously meant that no light could possibly come through all the way down here, thus creating this illusion of a bottomless pit when in reality it wasn't really that deep to begin with.
In the day it would most likely be way more obvious.
With that realization in mind I slowly started to push myself back up to all fours, with a bit of a grunt after I decided that my body felt good enough to do so despite the pain and stiffness.
I stood up straight. A bit wobbly, but still stable enough to not fall back on my knees, beside the pain I felt on my back.
"Man... again, if I was still a human I would definitely have AT THE VERY LEAST a completely broken back at this point... and be paralyzed for life because of that." I muttered to myself as I slowly started to look around myself.
"How durable am I really, as an Alicorn?" I thought to myself before giving a frown as I realized that everything, besides what was above me, was covered in nothing but darkness. Making my efforts to look around pretty much useless as far as I can tell as I looked back up with a sigh.
"Once again... if only I could fly..." I muttered sadly to myself as I lowered my head.
I yelped in surprise and fell back down onto my rump when a bright flash suddenly appeared in front of me. I rapidly blinked my eyes to try and get both of the fogginess and stinging pain out of my retinas before I realized that it was my horn once more as my vision eventually cleared up.
I glared up at it. "Well, fuck you too horn. Thanks for being nothing but a nuisance to me ever since I woke up in this world." I grumble as I slowly picked myself back up on all fours before, once again having a look around.
"But... well... also thanks for giving me some light when I really need it as well." I muttered, as indeed, the ground area of the gorge around me was now much more visible thanks to the built-in flashlight that is resting on my forehead.
With that in mind, I immediately managed to find a cave right in front of me. I peeked my head through the rocky opening simply out of curiosity and discovered a set of roughly cut stairs further into it that seemed to be leading up to something.
"Wonder where this would lead me? Most definitely up and probably in front or even directly into the castle ruins that I have seen earlier." I thought to myself as a quick decision was made.
Again, I am very well conscious with the fact that I was deep within an otherwise dangerous forest despite the fact that I somehow managed to get THIS FAR without any interruptions. I was not going to challenge my streak of stupid luck any further by staying out here in the open. Who knows what could be in this gorge with me? I was honestly in no mood, or form to find out.
With that conclusion set deep within my mind I slowly began to take my first few tentative steps up the ancient looking stairs and up into the dark unknown above me.
Good thing that I didn't notice the set of blue glowing eyes that were watching me from behind some rocks on the other side from where I landed, otherwise I might have actually sped up my climbing process...and probably tripped and fallen back down as a result.
Both my nerves and aching back really didn't need that
Mostly my nerves.
...................................................................................................
"No... no... Nava... quick... look out... NAVA!!!"
I shot up from bed, breathing heavily and covered in my own sweat as I momentarily panicked.
"What... what the buck was that? I... I dreamed that... I don't know." I muttered to myself as my breathing was slowly started to regulate itself back to normal, same with my racing heart.
I don't know what the details of that... that nightmare where but I could tell that it had something to do with Nava. The timid, awkward pussy of a stallion I have personally come to enjoy hanging around with. And that dream was showing me that something was wrong. Very wrong. In fact, I could somehow feel that something felt very wrong with the air itself around me.
Again, I couldn't really place a hoof on how, why, where and when, but I just had this aching feeling in my head that Nava was going to be in serious trouble for some reason.
A thought and concept that was once again re-starting my irregular breathing and my previously racing heart.
"I... I need to go. I... I just don't know why, how or where, but I just need to go...Something bad is going to happened to Nava I just know it." I somehow came to that realization as I quickly hopped off from my bed and started towards my closet to grab my saddle-bags.
I paused after I strapped them on as a thought suddenly occurred to me. "Should I go wake Flitter up and tell her what I dreamed and somehow sensed?" I questioned to myself out loud as my gaze slowly went to the door.
I sighed before lowering my head sadly. "No... I probably shouldn't. She won't believe me. She never does. And for good reasons too." I thought to myself as my ears drooped as well.
"Plus, she will be pissed afterward, and just accusing me of just playing one of my pranks again and telling me how immature I always am... No... I... I have to do this alone." I continued my train of thought before I picked myself up, and quickly began stashing everything I would need for my late night journey ahead.
"At the very least, i should leave a note so she knows where i am." I thought, starting to write one, quill clutched in one wing.
"Sorry Flitter...for having to abruptly leave like this and being irresponsible yet again, which will probably cause you even more problems for me to pile on. But I just know that something bad is going to be happening pretty soon, and I would be damned, if I didn't go out and somehow help Nava when I had the chance to... Just let me be truly responsible for once and be like the adult that everypony wants me to be."
With those final thoughts out of my mind and onto the paper, left in an obvious place, I immediately opened the door to my room and quietly made my way over to the front door.
With a final nod of determination, I opened it before stepping out and gently closing it behind me and quickly taking off into the skies.
My obvious direction, Ponyville.
"To be responsible just this once, for the first time."
...................................................................................................
"For the love of... how far do theses lopsided stairs even go? Or am I just too slow in climbing them?" I murmured to myself with a nervous chuckle in the end.
Despite the bright light given by my horn, it still wasn't enough to fully dispel both the darkness around me, and the paranoia in my mind. I could have sworn that I have seen some movement in those shadows behind me and the echoing sounds of my clopping hooves are not helping.
"Argh, focus! Nothing is here with you, you big baby. Come on. I have lethal magic on my side... unresponsive, random and trollish magic on my side but it's the thought that counts. And Silver. So stop being a pussy and be man for once. Or stallion, in my case." I mutter to myself to try and get some bravery into my, otherwise timid, mind.
I shook my head, before morphing my expression into a more determined one, as I continued my ascent up into the unknown. My shining horn continued to make the darkness surrounding me dance to the light. I was sure now that, that was where my paranoia came from, so I did my best to ignore them for now.
My patience was soon rewarded as I quickly found myself in a large open -and much better illuminated- space.
"Thank god for those collapsed ceilings, which makes the rest of my journey less eerie looking... somewhat." I mumbled to myself as I stared up at the perfectly visible moon high above before altering my gaze back down to the room I found myself in.
It is none other than the central main greeting hall -that has been featured many times in art, writing, and in the second episode in season 1 once- or so I call it, because I have no idea what a room like this was really called in a castle in the first place.
Everything in here just looks as ancient and rotten as I imagined it to be. Massive cracks in the walls, fallen debris everywhere, places of Nature slowly reclaiming its territory could be seen through the long glassless windows and even on the ceiling, and there were even a few dusty and badly tattered looking banners hanging here and there.
Overall this place looks ancient and long forgotten.
"So that is where I came out of." I wondered mentally to myself as I looked back at the door-sized opening in the wall I came out of, having come from the completely opposite side, under the set of stairs and facing the large main entrance at the front.
"Hey... who the heck are you?" A loud voice suddenly echoed all across the hall which caused me to immediate to yelp in jump up into the air in surprise and shock.
I immediately turned myself around and began to search for the source of the voice, getting more and more nervous with every passing second I was unable to see anything around me, despite both my horn and the moon above perfectly illuminating this large hall. My previous built up courage slowly slipped away from my grasp, when all of a sudden I managed to spot a pair of glowing blue orbs from a dark corner right next to the main entrance. The light coming from my horn unable to shine that far ahead, so I was unable to see to who those eyes really belonged to.
The two blue orbs suddenly began to move forward, revealing themselves to be nothing but a set of eyes belonging to a creature that quickly replaced my fear with both surprise and curiosity.
"Whatever you are looking for here, I was here first, buster." The newcomer announced loudly as she (judging by her voice) was slowly approaching me.
I scratched my head a bit as a black, insectoid looking equine stopped right below me at the foot of the stairs, completely illuminated and exposed thanks to the combination of light coming from both the full moon above and the beam of light coming from my horn. She was looking up at me with a glare while I simply stared back.
Any brony worth their moon pies would know what this creature was.
"A Changeling? What the... what is a changeling just randomly doing here in the castle ruins?" I thought out loud an action which immediately caused the changeling in question to pause her staring contest.
"Cha-changeling? What... what are you talking about? Wha-what is a changeling?" The obvious and now suddenly nervous-looking changeling replied as she took a step back.
"You, obviously." I casually answered while pointing my hoof at her, an action which, again, caused her to back up even more.
"Wha-what are you talking about? I am not a changeling a am just a simple..." She tried to cover up until she looked down at her own hooves before a look of shock and utter horror suddenly flashed by her features.
"What the? I... I thought that... that I was d-disguised for sure. How... how the heck did I completely overlook this?" She began to panic before her gaze immediately went back up to me, her previous determination and seriousness from earlier completely gone as sweat slowly started to form on her forehead. Visible thanks to the reflecting light coming from above.
"Huh... changelings actually can sweat, apparently."
I was about to say something when the changeling mare in question suddenly began to floor it in the opposite direction, running away from me as if I was something that eats changelings for dinner.
"No, wait! Look out for that-" I tried to call out but found myself a bit too late on that as she managed to collide headfirst into one of the collapsed support columns, causing her to bounce back and fall down onto her back with a very painful sounding thud which caused me to cringe.
"Ohhhhhh...." She moaned while simply lying there flat onto the ground, her pupils going in circles. A pretty perfect looking imprint of her forehead was perfectly visible on the column. Again, looking rather painful.
Once AGAIN, my own curiosity took control over me as I slowly went down the couple of steps and carefully inched myself closer to the still downed Changeling mare lying on the floor.
This had the added bonus of me being much closer, stopping just a few centimeters away from her, which also meant that I had a much better view of her overall features too, as she was perfectly illuminated by the light casting down on her by my horn.
I can only best described her as your typical changeling in terms of color, the holes on her legs and her featureless blue glowing eyes, as from the show. But that was where the similarities quickly ended.
What immediately took me a bit by surprise was the fact that this changeling -despite being a changeling in the first place- was actually more pony-like than the ones I knew of. A nice rounded head (though bald) with a small mare-like muzzle with tiny sharp fangs protruding out of them, a normal unicorn sized curved horn on her forehead with pretty similar changeling ears, with earrings on them no less as well. Her tail, instead of being a dull gray, was actually a nice contrast of a dirty yellow, same with her back which actually worked well with her mostly dark gray colored body. The other very distinct feature I saw that again screamed 'more pony like' was her surprisingly strong and rounded-looking flank and her bits in betwee-
I immediately looked away from that, moving my hat to cover my face as I blushed profusely from the unintentional (or intentional, I don't know) stare to her private parts.
"Yup, she is definitely a MARE. And I think I even saw some tits down there as well, despite most of her body being chitin- STOP IT MIND! STOP IT."
I quickly shook my head to get my suddenly perverted mind under control before I realized that I was still standing right in front of an injured and dazed looking mare, and that I wasn't helping. In fact, I could also see that her forehead was slightly cracked and bleeding as well from where she made contact.
"Hey, do you need help?" I asked with genuine concern as the changeling in question was still moaning in pain somewhat while still not moving, which only added to my concern for her.
That question alone -and act of actually caring- was what all she needed as I could watch, in real time, -and somewhat in awe- how her wound slowly closed itself before fully disappearing from sight entirely.
"Guess it's true that Changelings feed on positive emotions."
The changeling below me slowly opened her eyes again before carefully sitting up with the support of her forearms and with a bit of a grunt.
She began to rub her head with one of her hooves after she was fully upright on the ground. "Ugh... note to self, next time keep your gaze forward while running." She muttered to herself, seemingly unaware that I was even standing behind her as she continued to groan and rub her forehead.
"Uh... and... probably also making sure that nothing is in the way as well." I awkwardly added, mostly to get her attention, which seemed to do the trick as she suddenly froze up.
She slowly turned her head towards me before a high-pitched yelp escaped her fanged muzzle as she quickly began crawling backwards away from me, only stopping by hitting her back on the collapsed ceiling support behind her.
I simply raised my eyebrow at her action. "Strange. Shouldn't I be the one being afraid of her and not the other way around?" I mentally questioned myself, somewhat miffed by this strange and unexpected turn of events.
"Please... don't... don't attack me just because I happened to look the way that I am now... I didn't want any serious trouble... honest!" The changeling suddenly pleaded which surprised me even more.
I quickly shook my head from my surprised state, before quickly deciding to defuse this situation. "What? No! Emphatically no! I am not going to hurt or do anything to you." I swiftly assured her, which seemed to subtly ease her fears a bit before she looked confused instead.
"Wait, what? Seriously? You... you are not bothered by what I am or what I look like?" She question in full disbelief as she realized my 'non-hostile' intentions.
I shook my head while trying to give her a reassuring smile to help her calm her tension and disbelief. "Well... no. I mean, why should I?" I replied truthfully. "In fact, I guess I even helped you to heal up your injuries as well, if the lack of a cracked forehead is anything to go by." I quickly added to help ease the situation even further.
"Healed... me?" She question before slowly moving a hoof toward her forehead to tenderly feel the area under her horn where she hit her head just a few moment ago.
A look of both shock and -once again- disbelief was perfectly visible on her features as she realized that her head was healed before slowly retreating her hoof and looking up at me with her big shining eyes.
"But... but how? Why? I... I thought that... that ponies fear or even downright feel revolted by my kind. Why... why would you show me such kindness?" She asked, which was more of a whisper to be honest.
I simply shrugged. "Don't know. But then, at the same time, why should I be scared of or hostile toward you when you yourself didn't... well, except for the sacred part that is." I casually answered her, with an awkward smile at the end.
To be honest, I really didn't know why I was so concerned and overall, NOT afraid of her in the first place. Maybe it's the fact that despite being a changeling, she looked much more pony-like than I had originally anticipated? Something more similar to the depiction of a certain artist named Vavacung than to the show?
I really don't know, to be honest, and also don't really much care either. She was no threat at all so far, so I won't be one either... not that I can be, to be honest.
"...thank you." She suddenly muttered out, which immediately pulled me out of my thought process as I looked at her.
"Uh... you mean me showing kindness?" I asked, focusing back on her upside down face from my angle.
She tucked her front legs in front of her, similar to a dog laying on its back, and nodded. "Well, yes... for showing me concern rather than fear or disgust. Receiving such positive emotions from ponies or even other species is rather rare for a changeling." She explained to me as she looked off to the side, saddened.
"I see... well, it was my pleasure then, I guess." I awkwardly answered while rubbing the back of my neck.
"Oh yeah. Wait, do you also need help to get back up?" I question, in which she shook her head.
"No... it's... it's fine, I can get up on my own... thanks to your offer of positive emotions." She replied as she carefully rolled herself back onto her belly before slowly pushing herself up to all fours again.
I watched her dust herself off a bit afterwards, buzzing her wings and rubbing her forehead to -presumably- check if it really was perfectly healed or not. She then quickly looked back at me while giving me a first genuine smile since we awkwardly ran into each other.
I have to say, I really like this version of a changeling better than the ones I know are canon. Her blue, shimmering, shining eyes even looking rather mysterious and somewhat beautiful instead of creepy, like how I originally thought they would be.
"Shimmer."
"Uh.. what?"
"Shimmer is my name." She repeated herself while looking shyly to the side and pawing the ground under her with her right hoof.
"May I ask what yours is?" She quickly added, still looking rather uncomfortable, which I can somewhat understand. She was mostly feared -or probably even hunted- simply for her looks.
I scratched my head before giving her a friendly smile. "My name is Nava, just Nava." I introduced myself, to which both her head and ears immediately perked up.
"Nava? Doesn't sound much like a pony name at all... sounds actually...more changeling-like, if you ask me." She commented while tilting her head questioningly at me.
That immediately took me by surprise, as I raised one of my eyebrows at her. "More like a changeling name? How... how come?" I queried, scratching under my hat afterwards.
Her head straightened. "Well..." She began. Did I also mention that her voice sounded rather normal and not distorted like Queen Chrysalis'? "The reason why I say that is because, unlike names coming from other races, changeling names tend to be more unique and not based on two separate words or names of things you can find in any basic Equestrian dictionary." She continued to explain before her eyes went wide as she blushed a bit awkwardly while smiling.
"We-well just for your information, why I am named Shimmer is because my parents spent a lot of time as infiltrators and spies in pony lands, long before I was born, which eventually lead to giving me a pony-like name when I first hatched out of my egg." She quickly added, which again caused me to raise an eyebrow.
"Well... ok, but..." I began. "Why are you telling me all of this? I mean...we just met and all, and prior to this you said that anybody else outside your own kind wasn't really friendly to you at all. So... why tell me all of this?" I questioned casually, which in turn made Shimmer sigh.
"To be honest... I don't know. But...but I guess I just have this feeling that I can trust you somehow. Other ponies often inspire fear or caution, and while you did too, at first... just call it a hunch, is all. Plus you are the first pony I ever met in my true from that didn't freak out first. So that probably helps too." She explained while giving me another smile at the end.
I simply gave her a nod. I am not really sure what she meant by that... well, more or less vague explanation of hers, but I guess I can feel happy about the fact that I somehow made even a changeling open up to me. How? Why? I don't know, either it just has something to do with my whole being an alicorn thing again, or it might actually be true that even showing just a little kindness and understanding can go a long way indeed.
Possibly both.
Guess I have to give Fluttershy some credit on that one... or maybe not because I am certain that she ISN'T the first one ever to come up with this. Well, at the same time, to be honest, such a philosophy is actually kind of obvious when you give it more thought, though.
"Well anyway, I guess it was nice... meeting you, then. But, I kind of have to go now, before my horn once again starts to DRAG me to wherever I have been following it to the entire time. So again, it was nice, but I need to travel deeper into the ruins, if my senses are telling me the truth, here." I finally announced, which quickly caused Shimmer to drop her smile unfortunately.
I turn myself around to face the stairs again from where I came from under them. I was halfway back from where I popped out before a call from Shimmer stopped me in my tracks. I turned myself to look over my shoulder to see her galloping after me. Or I think she did, I am not sure if Changelings considered that running or also galloping, like equines.
"Wait! Where... where are you going anyway? More importantly, why are you here? Are you here for the same reason why I am?" She questioned before she stopped right behind me, which forced me to turn around to face her again.
"Well... that depends, I guess, but..." I started while briefly looking at my still illuminated horn and quickly back to her. "Why are YOU here to begin with, anyway? Is there maybe a hive somewhere near the Everfree or are you perhaps lost? Something like that?" I asked her back, which made her look of to the side again while rubbing her right foreleg with her left.
"No... there is no Hive city nearby, I am actually quite a long way from home, and to answer your other question I am here because of a strange magical source I sensed when flying around this part of the forest. I was just curious and flew my way over here to check it out. Changelings have a very keen sense of detecting strange sources of magic... especially me, which is why I am so far away from home to begin with." Shimmer slowly explained to me. Again, giving me some extra information that I didn't ask for in the first place, but I guess she just really feels fond of me for being the very first pony to not stone her or something like that.
"Wonder how she will feel about me when she learns that there's also a pair of wings hidden underneath the jacket I have been wearing since leaving the comfort of the Apple family's guest bed? But I am just getting ahead of myself now."
I shook my head a bit, ignoring some of these thoughts and details as an idea popped into mind. Sure, I might have just met her like a few minutes ago or something, but she does seem trusting and it really wouldn't hurt to have another soul with me while looking for whatever I have been following this entire time. Plus it also looks like the two of us seem to be searching for the same thing anyway, so we might as well travel together if that is the case.
"Hey, do you maybe like the idea of the two of us sticking together, since it seems that both of us seem to be looking for the exact same thing? And yes, that obviously means that the reason why I am here is because I was tracing down a strange magical source myself, as well." I offered and explained, to which she immediately beamed at the concept of, which in all honesty caused me to flinch back a small bit, especially seeing her full display of razor sharp teeth within her mouth.
"Wait... you... you are really ok with me tagging along with you?" She asked, with a huge amount of hope within her tone and smile to which I simply nodded.
"YES! YES! YESYESYESYES!!! Uh, I mean... thanks. You have no idea how long I have been on my own this entire time. Its... it's actually nice to have some company again, for once." She announced with a sheepish tone and smile at the end. Makes you wonder what happened to the previous tough sounding changeling at the beginning, when she thought that she was actually in disguise.
I casually smiled at her before feeling the familiar pull of whatever I have been following this entire time, prompting her to walk right next to me as I made my way up the stairs.
She did so without further encouragement as the two of us soon continued to make our way deeper into these long abandoned ruins with my horn continuously illuminating the path in front of us.
The two of us entered into another long hall after having passed by several doors and pathways obviously leading into other places within the castle.
"So, uh... how... how did you managed to get this far into the Everfree in the middle of the night in the first place? Most other ponies seen trying to enter these woods tend to not make it very far to begin with, let alone reach these castle ruins unless flying." She asked while giving me a sideways glance while buzzing her wings a little bit.
I simply shrugged as we passed by another collapsed ceiling and trot around a large fissure going through half the floor and passed a wall. "I just casually walked through it completely uninterrupted, to be honest." I told her truthfully, to which she looked at me wide eyed.
"Wait... seriously? On your hooves, and on your own at this time of the hour, and through the Everfree?" She questioned in disbelief, to which I simply nodded.
"What? How? I had to flee and hide from both a cockatrice and a pack of timberwolves before getting here. Flying for most of my journey, for obvious reasons. And you simply trot all the way here complete unbothered?" She continued on, to which I nod again before looking at her.
"I have been having some of the dumbest lucky streaks in a row lately, so don't ask me how I managed to get this far without any trouble, it just happened. Well... unless you count me falling from a bridge earlier" I casually explained while muttering that last sentence to myself as I turned my head away.
"Pfft... you ponies sometimes get the best luck." She muttered to herself as the two of us simply continued the rest of our journey in relative silence, with the only sounds coming from outside, ranging from occasional bats, owls and distant howls.
"Getting a real Castlevania vibe here. Now all I need is a whip."
We continued on before the two of us eventually reached another broken down portal at the end of a hall, this one actually leading back down as we peered through it, thanks to the light coming from my head torch.
"Seems to be coming from down there." Shimmer commented as her eyes briefly had a sudden shine to them.
I nod as I turned my head to the right to look at her. "Should we continue further down?" I asked her.
"Well, I don't see why not. We already got this far. Might as well see what has been leading us this entire time." Shimmer answered before she promptly took point, leading the way down through cracked and rotten looking stone steps.
I, of course, followed her, helping us by illuminating the path in front of us as I have been doing since the moment I basically got out of bed, once again keeping quiet as the sound of our hooves clip-clopping on the stone echoed all around us.
We soon arrived at the end of our downward journey and came face to face with a cracked stone door blocking our path. Or it would if it wasn't cracked to begin with.
"This looks like a vault door, if you ask me." Shimmer commented out loud as she carefully observed it.
"How do you know that?" I asked as I illuminated certain places of this huge door to have a look at it myself.
"Read about them in books when I was running around as a pony. Especially in ponyville, when I visited the library there once." Shimmer explained, which was a bit of a surprise, as she looked at the spot my horn was illuminating, scratching it a bit with a hoof and getting close to it.
"There. More evidence that this is a vault door. Old rune carvings and horn holes for a unicorn or an alicorn to place his or her horn into." She continued to explain before retreating a bit. "Though not functional anymore. The magic on these runes has long dissipated over the centuries. Again, easy to tell because they have lost all of their glow and color." She pointed out, finishing her analysis, leaving me again somewhat surprised.
I turned my head to look at her. "Seriously how do you know all of this?" I asked again with a raised eyebrow.
She simply chuckled nervously as she looked down, scuffing the ground with a hoof. "Well as I said...I spent a lot of time reading books when I was in pony towns and settlements." She explained while looking down.
I shook my head. "Need to ask her more later. For now let's see if this sizable crack on the door is enough for me and her to squeeze through. Whatever my instincts are still telling me about is behind this barrier." I thought to myself as I aimed my horn back at the large opening that I managed to discover at the very beginning.
Moving closer to it I began to crouch down as I aimed the light of my horn through the gap to see past it and to judge if it is wide enough for a pony to crawl through it.
For starters I couldn't see anything besides some more wall on the right and obviously more walking ground behind it. Besides that, whatever room, chamber or even hallway lay behind the stone portal was kept shrouded in darkness thanks to my horn producing more of a bubble of light around me rather than a concentrated forward beam, like on a flashlight.
I noticed movement to my left as Shimmer crouched down right beside me to peer into the large crack herself.
"I think I can easily fit in with no problem." Shimmer commented out which made me roll my eyes.
"Well of course you can, you are somewhat smaller than me. But what I am wondering is if I can fit through this or not." I told her back as I slowly stood back up to my full height.
Shimmer did the same as she looked down at my jacked before at me. "Sure you can, if you remove your jacket first, since it does look somewhat puffy." She suggested with a hoof pointing at it.
I immediately started to feel nervous of her idea, as I was not sure how she would handle finding out that I was basically similar to the princesses themselves or maybe even her king or queen from whatever hive she is from.
I shook my head quickly to get all of this paranoia out of me as I gave her suggestion a little bit more thought, in combination with how many ponies I have managed to win over to my side so far in revealing my wings to them.
"Plus she somehow never commented on the length of my horn, like how so many have done prior to her, so it can't be that wrong to show her what I really am. Plus she is a changeling too, so she won't start going around telling ponies that I am an Alicorn. Also I don't want to risk ruining this jacket both Cloud and Flitter gave to me by crawling through tight spaces with it. Might as well take it off, then. Really, what else could possibly happen that I haven't experienced or seen before?" I thought to myself, giving up a final sigh before removing the jacket in front of her.
As predicted, her eyes went wide for a moment as I exposed my wings and gave them a few test flaps in front of her, though that reaction quickly died out when she started to tilt her head instead, while giving me a questioning look.
"So... wait, you said earlier that you walked through the entire half length of the Everfree unopposed despite having wings to fly with?" She questioned while giving me a strange look. "Why the Tartarus didn't you use them to fly over here instead? They look perfectly normal for pony wings, even bigger, when I look at it better. So again, why not use those?" She continued, which meant it was my turn to paw the ground as I looked off to the side.
"Well..." I began. "For starters, I don't know how to fly yet." I admitted before giving her a sheepish smile. "That... and I am also suffering from acrophobia, also known as the fear of heights, in layman's terms." I finished with a chuckle.
She again was stunned as she simply stood there giving me this really weird and funny look, which really didn't help the awkwardness I was feeling. She eventually shook her head before focusing back to the crack next to us.
"Ponies are strange sometimes." I heard her mutter which only made me scratch my head and my tail move back and forth a little bit.
"I am going first, ok?" She announced as she began to lay herself flat onto her belly before using her forelegs to drag herself forward and through the crack.
I watched her slowly disappear onto the other side as the tip of her yellow tail was the last thing to leave my point of vision.
"Alright I made it to the other side, now it's your turn." I heard her say as I quickly crouched down to peer through the opening she had crawled thought and immediately greeted with her pair of glowing blue eyes staring back at me from the other side.
I sighed, laid myself flap onto my stomach as she did before moving my Jacket in front and through the hole, same with my Hat as I removed it.
"Here, can you take both my Hat and jacket? Don't want them to be ruined. They are very special to me." I kindly asked her as I pushed them through.
"Sure, no prob, but hurry up ok? I don't like to be alone in large, dark, empty spaces." Shimmer replied as I saw both of my items pulled out to the other side.
I once again sighed before using my own forelegs to pull myself forward and into the tight opening of the hole. I grunted as I somehow found this a bit difficult, especially when I found out that I only just barely fit through the opening, with both my long horn and large wings grinding on the edges as I made my way to the other side.
"So this is how Indiana Jones always feels."
With one final push and a little help from Shimmer by pulling me through I quickly managed to crawl myself to the other side with a huff. I slowly got back to all fours before dusting myself off and looking around the now much better illuminated chamber I found myself in.
"Great... another hallway. But this time full of steel doors that we are not going to get through anytime soon." I commented out loud as I looked around.
A tap on my shoulder quickly got me back from my sight-seeing as I turned my head to look to my left, seeing Shimmer holding up my stuff with a hoof while smiling at me.
"Care to have your clothes back?" She casually asked, to which I nodded before taking both my Hat and jacket from her and went to placing them back on their respective spots. Except for the Jacket, which on second thought I simply draped onto my back with both of its ends dangling off my sides, covering most of my wings.
"The magical source is actually right ahead of us. Come on." Shimmer announced before leading the way again.
I loudly exhaled before swiftly following her.
"Well let's finally see what it is that I have been searching for this entire time. It had better be worth it though." I thought to myself as the two of us continued to travel deeper into the long forgotten past of this place and passing by more and more of these tightly sealed, and old metallic doors.
...................................................................................................
"What the? Ugh. What is it... miss... Cloud Chaser, I presume? It's in the middle of the gosh darn night. What are y'all doing out here at this time of the hour anyways?" Applejack asked as she sounded just as half asleep as she physically looked, rubbing her eyes occasionally.
I smiled apologetically at her. "Well I am very, terribly sorry for having to wake you up so late in the hour Applejack but... but I am here to see... if... Nava is ok or not." I explained to her sheepishly, as AJ raised a sleepy eyebrow at me.
"What... that it? Also, why in tarnation would ya think that he's not ok?" She countered back which made me shift a bit awkwardly in place, especially on the bare bone reason I was going to drop on her.
"Its... its really just a hunch. It's a feeling that i get now and then, (Usually on a Saturday, oddly enough) and usually is correct. I... I just know in my gut that something is going to happen to him soon, something terrible. I don't know how, but I just know it." I explained to her sheepishly, avoiding my gaze from her in fear of getting her pissed off for such a shallow reason.
I looked back at her and was honestly a bit surprised to see her look at me rather thoughtfully rather than upset, as I originally thought. Was she really believing my stupid crap?
"Well... You ain't lyin', i can tell. I have a lot of experience when it comes ta gut feelings. Call it instinct, if y' will, and if you really think that yer gut is telling ya that something bad is going to happen to the awkward fella, then I guess I can give you the benefit of the doubt here." AJ explained to me, which honestly made me sigh in relief.
"Let me just quickly check on him, then. Just wait here, ok?" AJ suggested to which I nodded.
She momentarily moved back inside as I watched her slowly disappear up a set of stairs and to the second floor. I took this time to adjust my saddle-bags and the straps around me to make sure that they didn't clip my wings again like how they almost did when I flew all the way over here.
"Come one, come one, come one" I constantly chanted on in my mind as my tail began to swish nervously from side to side.
Soon, though, I heard some shuffling happening upstairs before AJ reappeared on the top of the stairs with an expression that rapidly made me think of the worst.
"He... he ain't in his room, and his bed seemed to be unmade too!" AJ explained with wide eyes but not as wide as mine as internally I was slowly initiating my panic mode.
"Oh no... this... this is exactly as I have feared. I was right all along! Nava is in trouble and I gotta find him before it's too late!" I blurt out in panic as I quickly ran back outside and taking to the air.
"What... what d'ya mean? Hey, Cloud Chaser! Wait!!" I heard AJ shout after me before her voice was drowned out.
"Oh crap, crap, crap" I mentally repeated as I flew off above the Everfree forest - where my gut was telling me he most likely disappeared to.
"Got to be faster. Come on, Cloud, make use of that cutie mark of yours." |
The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One | Chapter 26: The Discoveries Never End (Final) (slight- re-edit) | Chapter 26: The Discoveries Never End (Final)
Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Midnight Gear (Again)
"Well, of course. So close to reaching the answers to all of our questions and a huge split in the earth just had to dash those ideas to pieces." I muttered to myself as both Shimmer and I stood in front of another collapsed piece of ground, too far to jump across and too deep to even try. which I quickly found out after peering over the edge and shining my built in flashlight into it.
The bottom wasn't even visible.
"I don't see what the big deal is. We could just, you know, fly over it." Shimmer suggested with a bluntly logical-sounding tone while giving her wings a few test buzzes to illustrate her point.
I simply gave her a sideways glance while raising my eyebrow at her. She gave me a look in response before her eyes went wide and her mouth formed an 'oh' in realization.
"Yeah... that complicates things." Shimmer commented as she looked back over the crevasse.
"I honestly doubt that I have the strength to carry you over. I might have been living alone and traveling from place to place, but that really doesn't mean that I am well built around my wing muscles. I actually spend most of my life walking rather than flying." Shimmer added before looking back at me.
I simply stood there, looking over to the other side where our goal was before remembering something that I had completely forgotten until now. I quickly removed my hat from my noggin as I examined it. I turned it around in my hooves until the underside of my hat was shown, the unnatural looking void-like darkness that pretty much makes up the inside of my hat still somewhat creepy-looking as I felt my companion next to me inching closer to look into it as well.
I could hear her gasp before I tore my gaze from my head warmer to her.
Her eyes were wide as she stared down into my accessory, causing me to tilt my head a bit before she moved her solid blue eye to me. "How... where did you get this?" She questioned in a shocked tone, which somewhat unnerved me.
"From... from where I am from, to be honest, I bought this a couple years back and "he" has been part of my choice of clothing ever since." I answered her truthfully, getting a slight flashback of when and where I actually bought this, Baguio City, I believe.
Shimmer just stared, before looking back at the hat and back again. "Well, who... whoever sold you this Hat, then, had absolutely no idea what the HAY they had so stupidly sold to somepony." She commented.
"I am still lost, here." I told her, which in turn caused her to just shake her head in slight disbelief before looking back at me.
"Nava, your hat is enchanted with INFINITY MAGIC, one of the rarest and least understood forms of magic in existence." Shimmer finally informed, which in turn caused me to raise an eyebrow before looking back at my trusty headwear on my hoof.
"Infinity Magic? Never heard of that before. It has either been the traditional type you find in almost all RPG'S like Black Magic, White Magic, Blue and Red Magic, sometimes even Chaos Magic or Time Magic, Geomancy as well, and of course Blood Magic too. But never Infinity Magic." I thought to myself as I stared down at my supposedly very special hat. The void like field within even moving and swirling a bit, which I never ever noticed before... well, until now, that is.
"Um... ok, it's somewhat swirly now."
"All I have been able to do with this is pull out personal belongings all the way back from my home and then send them back again." I muttered, which Shimmer obviously picked up.
"Wait, what? That can't be right." Shimmer butted in, which again caused me to look at her.
"What do you mean? I tested it a couple of times before." I questioned back.
Shimmer looked thoughtful for a moment as she stared down into the barely visible swirling vortex of nothingness within my hat while rubbing her head.
"Well..." She began while looking unsure of herself. "It's... really hard to explain, to be honest. I am just a rough changeling, and therefore the last person, pony or individual you should ask about it." She continued on before looking off towards our goal on the other side of the crevasse. "But Infinity magic in general is exactly what the name pretty much suggests. It's Infinite. It's not bound to any rules or limitations like any other form or magic (It's also basically known as Infinitus Vis or Ad Infinitus for the more educated ones) because of its obvious mysterious nature... that's basically I have heard and read in my travels." Shimmer finally finished, which again left me to think on my own.
"Infinitus vis, unlimited force? so basically I possess a Hat Ex Machina, then?" I wondered to myself as I slowly started to look at my otherwise simple looking hat in a new light.
It was then when I hit me. "Wait... since it gives me the ability to pull out my own personal belonging from my home, A.K.A my world, to this one and back, should it also mean that I can also send whatever else I have here back to my home as well? Like a letter or something?" I mentally wondered to myself.
At this point was I mentally kicking myself for not having figured something like this out much, much sooner than i had. Instead I was far more focused on the happenings and events around me, more focused on my current reality than giving this obvious ability my hat has some more thought.
I could have possibly wrote and sent a letter back to my world with the help of my hat's ability explaining my situation to my no doubt worried family.
"Seriously, why haven't I come up with this before?"
I groaned, continuously mentally beating myself for my stupidity and short sightedness. I eventually turned back to Shimmer next to me with a somewhat deadpan expression thanks to my predicament. I knew that Shimmer already told me that she was, in fact, one of the last persons to ask when it comes to the knowledge of Infinity Magic in general. But I still could ask her more in case she did actually know something, or better yet, know the specific answer that I am looking for regarding the question that is basically hammering my mind at this point.
"Shimmer, can I send things that are not from my home, TO my home, like a LETTER or something?" I question her which again caused her to look somewhat thoughtful for a few moments while looking at me.
"Again... I am not sure what you mean by home. But as far as I can understand your hat technically holds some kind of pocket dimensions where your storage options are basically unlimited." Shimmer once again explained which immediately caused me to perk up on the specific answer she gave me, especially the way she did it as well.
"Wait... pocket dimension?" I asked again, to which she nodded.
"Well. yes... that's the main characteristics of Infinity Magic that have been found in items and artifact enchanted with it." Shimmer answered once more, which in turn made me move some pieces of the puzzle together in my head on what she meant by that.
"So wait... if... if what she explained is actually true, then... perhaps the idea that all of my items are actually not located back in my home but just copies of them existing within this sort of... pocket dimension that exists within my Hat?" I thought to myself as both disappointment and dread slightly creeped inside me at the concept that having a possible link back home was pretty much out the window.
Again, if her accounts are true, that is.
I blinked my eyes rapidly to clear these thoughts out of my mind to stay more focused on the here and now of our situation. As much as I would have loved to explore these concepts a bit further and hopefully disprove them somewhat, I am afraid that they would have to wait for another time, preferably after this adventure of mine is over and where I can test it better in peace back at AJ's place by doing this letter of mine.
Right then I needed to focus more on how to get across this massive hole in front of us and finally get this stupid event over with.
"Hey, you ok there? You were... kind of spaced out there for a moment." The voice of Shimmer suddenly sounded off, which also helped me get back into things as I looked back at her.
"Never mind me. I actually came up with an idea on how we can get both of us over this crevasse without me having to know how to fly." I announced with a small smile added to it.
"Oh really? What is it, then?" She asked with a curious tilt of her head which I honestly found kind of cute on her. Which is surprising.
I nodded as I slowly inserted my hoof into the void and rummaged through it before eventually grabbing exactly what I was looking for. Again, strange since I have hooves.
I pulled out a decent sized coil of rope before presenting it to Shimmer next to me. Yes, I know it is kind of convenient that I was able to pull a rope out of my hat so conveniently in such a time and situation. But hey, I have what is basically a Hat Ex Machina, so I might as well take advantage of it when I can, plus it's not really my fault that I remember seeing a cluster of ropes back at my home's attic in between all the other clutter that rest in peace up there. Really all I can say to this is that I am luck that I had or that I remembered having it in the first place.
"A rope? What are we supposed to do with a rope?" Shimmer asked me curiously as she examined the basic hemp type rope I held out in front of her.
"Well use it of course." I began to looking around the area around the crevasse, specifically the left wall, which seemed to be still intact and looking somewhat stable.
"There!" I pointed out which at said wall which caused shimmer to look over here should to follow it. "There seems to be a thin line of flooring still attached and suspended above the hole, wide enough for a pony to stand and move on their hind legs." I called out while shining my horn at it and confirming my claim to her.
Her eyes seemed to instantly light up as she most likely understood what my thought process was.
"Oh, I see what you are planning now. Yeah... yeah, I think this could work. I can just fly over to the other side and hold on to the other end of the rope so you can hold onto it for balance while you make it across." She said before looking back to me for confirmation, which I gave to her in the form of a nod.
"Pretty much. it's risky, but really, what choice do we have here?" I commented as slight nervousness made itself known inside me.
This was indeed a risky move, even more so given my problem of acrophobia, and the idea that I had absolutely no idea if the small outcrop of flooring was even stable enough to hold my weight, which is why the rope was placed into play, which to be honest didn't really help much to boost my confidence with this idea. But then again, there seemed to be no other way. Another PERFECT example where having the ability to fly would be highly advantageous, acrophobia or not.
I sighed, shaking my head and building doubt away before handing... or, hoofing her one end of the large cluster of rope while I held onto mine. She nodded before taking her end with her mouth and quickly flying off to the other side of the crevasse on the left wall.
Wasting no more time I began to shine my glowing horn all across my surroundings to find a good, suitable spot to tie my end of the rope to.
Finding a still-useable iron handle on one of the smaller vault doors I promptly trotted over to it and set about tying my end of my rope around it, a bit of a difficult task given the fact that I had hooves and no fingers.
I looked over to my left, shined my light past the crevasse and along the left wall and saw that Shimmer managed to find a spot to tie her end of the rope as well as she waved at me with a smile.
"All ready over here." She announced with an echo and gave a nod.
"Alright, I will now try to... we'll cross it the way I have planned to." I shouted back as I made my way over to the left most edge.
"Alright... acrophobia... go fuck yourself." I mentally swore as I ducked and moved myself past the rope towards the left wall before -slightly wobbly- getting on my hind legs and supporting myself with one hoof on the wall and one hoof on the rope.
The idea was that WHEN I would lose balance and fall backwards towards the abyss that would be behind me is that the thick rope hanging along behind me would prevent me from actually falling over and would also give me a chance to hold on when it went that far. Once again... with hooves.
"I really miss being bipedal." I thought to myself in as I kept my back pressed against the wall while holding onto the rope with my hooves, making sure to NOT look down while sliding myself sideways along the remaining flooring of the... well, floor.
"Come on, just a little bit closer." Shimmer said, trying to encourage me.
It kind of worked, to my surprise, as I found myself focused more on her voice rather than the predicament I found myself in.
With a last few steps of wall leaning I was finally on the other side. With a final step I made it off from the wall and the narrow floor as I let myself fall back on all fours with a bit of a huff. I only realized now how 'on edge' (bad pun) this whole ordeal made me, judging by just how much my heart wanted to rip itself out of my chest and the irregular breathing I was doing.
"Hey, you ok there, Nava?" Shimmer asked with concern as I felt her hoof touching my shoulder.
"Well... I am now, to be honest. Just glad that I finally got that whole 'crossing a crevasse' ordeal behind me. Damn my acrophobia." I responded in between breaths before I forced myself to stand back straight while letting myself calm down a little bit more.
"You're better now?" Shimmer asked again after a while, which made me nod and even smile at her for her concern.
"Yeah, I am better now, let's... let's just keep going now, shall we? Just a few more steps and hopefully this adventure of ours will be finally over. I really just wanna get back to bed." I suggested openly as I decided to lead the way.
Shimmer quickly followed and we soon found ourselves walking deeper into the unknown as my horn continuously provided us with essential light within this almost unnatural darkness.
Actually, it did seem to be unnatural, now that I think about it. the deeper we went the less and less the large corridor around us got illuminated, despite the fact that the intensity of the light coming out from my horn hadn't changed one bit ever since I woke up in the bottom of that canyon outside the castle ruins.
"This is FAR from natural, as far as I can tell. I'm slowly getting chills up and down my spine from all of this." I thought to myself as one of said chills did run down my spine as if the air around us suddenly got colder, causing me to shiver slightly.
Shimmer, on the other hand (or hoof) didn't seem to be much bothered by this at all, or didn't even notice in the first place as she continued to look around herself as we went on and on.
"Good for her, I guess. At least one of us seems to sense something." I thought as I slowly spotted something in front of us, something that was both off-putting and strangely intriguing, too.
The otherwise short distance of my light suddenly extended as the darkness in front of it seemed to be moving out of its way like a curtain. Saying that I was creeped out by this was... pretty accurate, as it caused me to stop dead in my tracks with a 'what the fuck' kind of impression on my face.
Shimmer seemed to notice too, as she stopped as well to look at me, her expression morphed in worry as I just stood there staring at the slowly revealing archway, with its metal doors long gone. One of which was even lying flat on the ground in front of it.
"Hey, why do you look so freaked out? Did you... did you see something?" Shimmer queried as her tone also betrayed her own concern.
I shook my head, refocusing back at the now fully exposed archway as the previously thick darkness, including the previous chill where all now completely gone. Even the soft sounds that sounded like whispering voices, now that I was thinking a bit more clearly again.
"Well... yes... kind of, but... n-now it's all gone... as... as if nothing was there in the first place." I answered her in between thoughts as I suddenly felt somewhat lightheaded.
"What the? What is suddenly happening to me? This... this is far from normal." I thought to myself as I was suddenly feeling mentally tired and somewhat dizzy as well.
But just like with the shadows and the voices, it was suddenly all gone, just like that. Again, as if nothing had happened at all to begin with.
I was beyond confused and freaked out at this point, my rational senses telling me that something was seriously wrong here. Even my so-called Alicorn senses -as well as the signal that I have been sensing and following all this time- felt somewhat different as well. Like a card that suddenly got turned over.
"Well anyway, come on. It seems like whatever we have been looking for is just beyond that broken down main vault right in front of us. Let's boot it, then." Shimmer suddenly announced in a fit of excitement as she quickly began to lead the charge.
I just shook my head, suddenly feeling dread about all of this despite the long walk and troubles I had to go through just to get this far. With one final sigh I reluctantly followed her despite my instincts crying out to me otherwise.
I soon left the simple and very linear corridor of the vault and into a massive underground space with the ceiling being barely visible in some places, mainly the few cracks high above that filtered moonlight right into the chamber.
"If we would have known of these and somehow found them, wherever they might be within this castle, then our search for whatever would have been much shorter than it has been thanks to the maze-like architecture that this place has been built with. But then again... even if we did, how the heck would we have come down here in the first place? I cannot fly... not yet at least, and my rope isn't really THAT long to reach so far down." thought as I observed the opening above us and illuminating some few areas on the rough stone floor.
"Hey Nava, over here! I think I found something." Shimmer suddenly shouted, which drew my attention -and train of thought- away from above.
I followed her sound, until I found her standing In front of what I could only describe as roughly cut stone seated lazily on top of a small rocky pedestal in the middle of the room.
The size of it was roughly the same as my hoof and looked more like a really raw-looking red gemstone, now that I was closer to it with my horn shining on it.
In fact, my horn immediately began to die down the moment I stood within reaching distance of whatever this weirdly shaped stone actually was, causing me to momentarily panic as everything around us was suddenly turned pitch black.
"What the? At the WORST possible TIME this stupid thing suddenly decides to run out of battery power in the middle of a pitch black underground space. I can't see anything now." I complained as i began to vigorously tap the tip of my horn despite the headache it was giving me.
"No problem, I can light up our surroundings as well." I heard Shimmer suddenly announce as out of nowhere a golden-green hue dissipated the pitch-blackness around us.
I immediately stopped my slight panicking as I turned my head to look at its source, finding out that it was, in fact, Shimmer's own curved horn illuminating this green light and giving everything this green glow, including the gem, which used to be red.
"How come you haven't done that before?" I asked curiously, despite probably already knowing the answer to that.
She simply rubbed the back of her head before giving me a sheepish smile. "Well... it's because us changelings have eyesight naturally suited for dark and gloomy areas. Whatever looks pitch black to you, looks perfectly fine for me." She answered, which immediately confirmed my idea.
"Doesn't really surprise me to know that. I mean ,your eyes already glow blue on their own nonstop. Of course you get night vision from that." I commented before turning my attention back to the pebble sized gem, still tentatively seated on the moldy, old-looking pedestal it was on.
In fact, it really was just sitting on some old ugly piece of stone that looked older than these ruins themselves. No fancy decoration, no magical runes or words or whatever. Just an old looking piece of rock in the shape of a pedestal sticking out from the ground. In the middle of an empty oversized room, add to that.
This was strange. Why so much space for such a small little piece of rock with a red colored, unpolished gem in the middle? I could tell because by the looks of it the pedestal it was resting on seemed to be carved out from the very floor we were standing on itself, perfectly merging with it without any visible breakage, now that I had a closer look at it.
I stepped a little bit closer to have a more detailed look at the unpolished gem lazily sitting on top of it, when it suddenly happened. A sudden chill immediately run down my spine and I abruptly found myself mysteriously captivated by the shiny stone itself.
It was calling me, voices with an undecipherable language where whispering inside my mind when I looked firmly at it. The air around me began to thicken as the world suddenly began to shrink all around me until it was just me, the stone and pedestal it was on.
A small voice inside me was screaming at me to immediately look away and get away from shiny stone in front of me, but before I could even fully notice this small voice speaking in the back of my mind I already found myself reaching out for the stone with my right hoof before it literally hovered just above it, mere centimeters away from actually making contact.
My heart rate increased as sweat began to form on top of my forehead as my head slowly descended lower and lower to it. The shadows and whispering grew bigger and louder as everything seemed to go still for a moment.
It wasn't me controlling my body at this point, it was something or someone else entirely.
"Nava... Nava, no! Nava, step away from it, do you hear me? Don't touch it, it's a..."
It was already too late. The moment my hoof rested upon the gem was the moment when all of my nerves immediately cried out all at once as a wave of unimaginable pain shot through my body with my vision suddenly exploding in a wave of crimson.
The eyes... Red soul piercing eyes, many of them were right in front of me, distorted and raw, glowing and absorbing my very being as I felt something RED leaving my form and into there hungry gazes.
The cries of a thousand echoed through my ears, the very last thing I could sense before it too was quickly drown out by a wave of unimaginable pain.
...................................................................................................
Shimmer on the other hoof could only watch in absolute horror as her friend was engulfed in a sea of red electricity and his face contorted into a silent scream. Both his eyes and mouth irradiated with light as something was being pulled out of them and into the now viciously crackling glowing gem before him. The vibrant colors of his mane and tail slowly turning dull and gray, his horn sparking magical energy like crazy as cracks started to form on it.
Something bad was happening here and it didn't take a genius to figure it out. Nava was being drained of something... and it was slowly killing him.
"Why... why can't I...I do anything?"
...................................................................................................
"Why the hay did I think finding him in the Everfree at NIGHT would be easy? The Everfree is freaking HUGE, for starters." I mentally complained to myself as I continued to fly a safe distance away from the forest canopy below me. Not too low to allow... something to grab me but also not too high to make it impossible to even spot anything below it.
The air was cold and my eyes were heavy, but the drive of finding Nava kept me going, including the fear of what might happen if I didn't. Again, a lot of ponies would think that I am crazy or that I might be completely overreacting to a nightmare I had about him being in serious trouble. They are 'just dreams', after all. Dreams that are 'just fictional fabrication of somepony's mind, reflection of somepony's character and feelings and events that happened during the day or even far off in somepony's life', is it not? Well it's true. It's all true and frankly I fell somewhat crazy myself for even treating it AS anything else but that, but... but it's just... I know what I saw wasn't just a normal dream, I know that it was something far more than that in just how vivid and real it looked and felt.
I know I was just going on hunches and feelings here, but... I just knew that I was right, I knew that what I saw and felt was more than most ponies would interpret. I knew that Nava was in serious trouble and that I needed to somehow find him or risk never ever seeing him again.
A thought that only fueled my desire and will to push and follow on my hunch, despite my exhaustion and possible hypothermia with these temperatures out here.
"I really should have added some warm clothes to things to bring, Especially when these parts of Equestria can be really freaking cold when the sun dips down. I just hope that this doesn't bite me in the flank... or worse, freezes it." I thought to myself with a small shiver as I continued to fly above the Everfree forest while keeping a keen eye on anything that might give me some clues or answers.
Answers like a suddenly appearing beam of red light coming from deep within the forest in front of me.
I immediately stopped when it appeared out of nowhere, being momentarily stunned at what I saw while hovering in the air.
"What in Celestia's name is THAT?" I basically asked out loud as I continued to stare at the beam of what seemed to be pure magical energy, completely dumbfounded.
I shook my head. "Whatever this is, I am positive that it is the clue or sign that I have been looking for this entire time. No doubt this has Nava written all over it, since I am pretty confident that such a huge amount of magic can only be achieved by someone or something that is extremely apt with magic in general A.K.A an Alicorn... an alicorn like Nava."
With that idea and realization out of my system, I immediately gunned it, pushing myself to go as fast as I possibly could under my tired and sleep-deprived state towards the distant burst of raw magic coming from deep within the Everfree forest.
"I don't know what I might find or encounter there, but I managed to push myself this far for the safety and well being of a friend. I can possibly back down now or even slow down, but I would never forgive myself if there was a chance that I could have made a difference but didn't because I was too slow or too scared to do anything. I can't back down now. Never!" Were my last thoughts as I was getting closer and closer to the source.
Spotting a large clearing with a complex set of ruins in the middle of it soon after, the very source of that magical outburst was that location.
Nava was definitely in there I just knew it.
"Cloud's comin' for you, Nava! Just hold on!" I shouted, my voice filled with determination.
> Chapter 27: Hitting a Wall
Chapter 27: Hitting A Wall
MAJORLY Edited by: Chrome Masquerade
Proofread by: Asoka, Darkwhip
"Captain! Captain! Please, open up, quick!" A Thestral guard shouted as he knocked on the office door of Captain Glade.
Glade, on the other hoof, was not responding for two very good reasons. One: the magical discharge that she suddenly felt was enormous, one of the largest magical discharges she had felt in her over 1000 years of life, and two: she was too busy looking right at it from her office window.
A distant, but very clearly visible, beam of pure magic was off in the far distance. The Everfree Forest, if the direction AND distance were anything to go by.
Glade eventually shook her head before sporting the type of look on her face she always had when she prepared for battle.
She rose up from her chair as she casually made her way over to the door.
"Captain? Captain, this is very... im... por... tant..." The guard quiet down after the door suddenly opened with a cold-gazed mare just standing on the other side.
"Sergeant, gather a party and meet me outside the fields. We got some magic hunting to do." She quickly ordered before simply moving past the slightly surprised guard.
"Yes mam." The stallion gulped before saluting and hastily trotting off to act on his Captain's orders.
Glade, on the other hoof, was making her way directly to the armory to retrieve her priceless Blood Weapon from its heavily enchanted trunk to take with her on this hunt.
"It was just a matter of time, but finally you have showed yourself once again, and also revealed your actual location, my little magical anomaly. This time, you will NOT slip through my grasp so easily. I WILL catch you, and no Sun Butt or Moon Butt will stop me from doing so." She thought to herself as her thoughts quickly mimicked her expression by the letter.
Thoughts of what she was going to do floated through her mind. When she caught the individual who had DARED to make a fool of herself the first time around... Her Blood Weapon glowed a deep red in anticipation.
"Blood WILL be spilled today."
...................................................................................................
"This has to be Nava! It just has to be. That is a huge amount of magic and Nava is the only Alicorn, besides the princesses, that I know of." I shouted as the wind raced by my ears at high speeds, hampering my hearing because of it.
I have no possible idea what I will find when I reach the source of that beam. Most ponies would normally just stay the HAY away from a phenomenon such as this, me normally included, but the fear of Nava being in serious danger and the high chances of THIS being very much connected to him crush those fears of the unknown and, rather, replace them with fear about someone I somehow managed to care about a lot in such a short time getting killed - or worse!
"I could be flying into serious danger myself, but right now I just don't care. I know that this has something to do with Nava, which means that I need to get there as quickly as possible, before Celestia knows what else will happen." I thought to myself as I was rapidly getting closer and closer to the source. The Everfree below me quickly gave way for a large clearing in the middle of a sea of treetops.
A large complex of ruins showed themselves to be at the center of said clearing. I knew immediately what this place was.
"The Castle of the Two Sisters. But, what would Nava be doing all the way out here IF he really is down there?" I gasped out as I was forced to a sudden stop, to look at the ancient remains of the two royal sisters home with fear and dread.
I have heard a lot of horror stories and old folklore of this place, ranging from ghost hauntings to it being the home of actual demons, or even having a hidden gateway into Tartarus itself. Most of these stories were just that, stories. But it is still true that a lot of hidden secrets, magical and non-magical have been left locked away in there after the castle itself was finally abandoned. At least that was what reliable sources tell.
But besides that, the castle itself was still widely feared and dreaded for ponies and non-ponies alike, which is why after a thousand years it still pretty much looks the same as when it was first abandoned in the first place.
I personally don't know why, but I HAVE to agree with everypony's mindset about this place. Despite it being nothing but a forgotten relic of forgotten times it's still looks and feels very imposing, even from up here. And that red solid beam of magic coming out of it was not helping.
I shook my head. "What the HAY am I even doing? Stop wasting time, Cloud! Every second counts." I chided myself before pumping my wings once more to zip off towards the castle ruins.
I was mentally contemplating what I was actually going to do, where to enter, where to go from there and whatever else, and even how to prepare myself for whatever awaits me.
Terrible thoughts again ran rampant through my head on what exactly I was going to find, most of them depicting scenarios of me being too late and only finding....
I shook my head again. "Stop letting your mind get the best of you, Cloud, and just focus." I told myself mentally as I was practically hovering over the castle complex at this point.
Concentrating on the task at hoof, I rapidly darted my eyes to where the beam was actually coming and finding it to be in some kind of courtyard that looked just as rotten and overgrown as the rest of the structure. The only problem was that, that's was it. there wasn't a pony -or more importantly, a Nava- in sight. Just some deep black holes all scattered about the courtyard itself, one of which the violent beam of pure magic was coming.
Speaking of which, both the wind and weather in general around and above the ruins began to quickly worsen. The moonlight slowly began to fade away as what looked like thunder clouds rapidly started to over the night sky, casting everything around me in a dark and imposing shadow. The winds themselves were slowly picking up as well, making it more and more difficult for me to stay airborne the closer I got to the beam. The beam must be causing some sort of vortex similar to a tornado, I figured.
I knew that I couldn't stay up for very much longer, but at the same time I didn't know where to land or go to besides into one of those cracks into the ground where the beam seemed to be coming from as well.
I personally didn't enjoy of jumping into deep, dark and unknown holes in the ground. But if this down there might be the exact place I need to go to find Nava, then it was beyond worth taking the risk.
Steeling myself, I immediately dove down into one of the cracks closest to the beam. And not a moment too soon, as unnatural lightning began to flash outside, hitting one of the rotten spires around the courtyard and causing the ancient structure to collapse instantly from the blast.
I yelped when that happened, right before basically walking into the opening and founding myself in pitch darkness for a second, before popping into a huge underground chamber.
The red light of the beam was, once again, the only source of light that existed after the darkening of the night sky earlier, as I reopened my wings to gently slow down my fall into a soft decent.
The entire hall was filled with static energy that made the fur on my back -and my neck. And my legs- stand on an end as I closed in on the ground below. Loud cracking was echoing all through the dark, invisible walls of whatever underground hall I was in, accompanied by an incessant noise similar to what you hear when high speed winds rush past your ears, pretty much when you fly really fast.
Though the real shocker only came when I realized what the source of that magical beam actually was when I landed, doing a somersault in the air -to cut my speed further- before landing safely on all fours..
"Na- NAVA!" I shouted as I saw him encased in that red glow.
He was on his hind legs, his right hoof stretched out and resting on something that glowed so bright that I couldn't even begin to guess what it might be. Red electricity was arching and shooting out all over his body. But the scariest and most shocking thing was his expression, his face contorted into a silent scream, both his eyes and mouth emitting this bright shine as something almost ghostly looking was seeping out from them and directly into whatever his right hoof was resting on. He looked pale, as if the very color was slowly being drained from him. And lastly his horn, the very source where this... this beam was shooting out from in blinding flickers and dangerous-looking discharges of red colored thunder, not to mention the huge cracks his once proud horn now sported, too.
I was shocked and scared beyond belief, unable to do or even say anything.
"I...I... I'm too late. .I'm too late." Whispered to myself, stunned.
"No... I am not too late. Whatever this magic or force is that seems to be literally draining Nava of his life, I will not just stand here while there might be still some chance of cutting him off from whatever is holding him there." I thought to myself with sudden newfound strength as my shocked expression quickly morphed into determination. All the fear, doubt and worry I just head completely vanished in an instant at the sight of one of my friends on the verge of death.
"What the? Who... who are you?" Somepony's voice suddenly asked from my side which almost caused me to jump.
Quickly recovering from my initial surprise, I forced my gaze away my friend to seek the source of whoever that voice belonged to, only to find a pair of glowing blue eyes surrounded by darkness.
I don't know what it was, but some deep primal instinct immediately took over as I found myself charging towards whoever those eyes belonged to. No feeling fear or doubt at all, but rather anger and a deep sense of "fight and survive".
"No, wait! I... I'm not a-"The creature tried to say in panic as it slowly began to back off from my charge.
It didn't matter, as I soon found myself colliding with this creature before tumbling down onto the ground together with me on top of it.
The thing was still dazed but that didn't stop me from glaring down at it while pinning it down. "What are you? What have you done to Nava and how do I stop it? Answer me before I lose all sense of DECENCY!" I demanded rapid-fire, as I was fairly positive that every second counted.
I didn't get an answer as first, as the black, insectoid pony-hybrid thing just stared up at me with complete fear. My patience was wearing thin rapidly.
"Well? ANSWER ME!!" I shouted as the constant flickering coming from behind was illuminated both of us in a red hue.
She immediately flinched before looking back up at me with quivering fangs. "I- I have done absolutely nothing, I swear! I have no connection to whatever is happening to Nava over there, nor do I have the knowledge of how to stop it." It explained in a high pitched tone.
I was momentarily both curious and highly suspicious of the fact that this... mare? Knew Nava by name. But before I could question it further or even give it just a little bit more thought the being under me continued on.
"Please... I am not a threat at all, despite my looks, I swear!" She pleaded which hastily forced me to finally pick a decision on what to actually do.
"Oh, BUCK THIS." I cursed as I unhooked and threw my saddlebags away to the side before removing myself from the bug thing under me and turning myself around to face the problem.
Outside I would look to be full of determination and seem in control of the situation. But in reality, deep inside I was actually panicking something fierce. I had absolutely no idea what to do or how to do it, but that still didn't stop me from just randomly picking the only -AND very first- thing that came to mind.
Tackling.
Extending my wings fully, I crouched for what was in no doubt the most important and strongest charge I would ever do in my entire life. I began building energy for, an essentially, hot takeoff, but straightforward. Electricity began to build around my wings.
"No holding back now." I said, before I pumped my wings, sending myself rocketing towards the first ever stallion (outside my dad) that I came to truly care about, .
"I don't know what you are, who you are, OR WHAT THE BUCK YOU WANT FROM HIM. BUT YOU ARE NOT TAKING HIM AWAY FROM ME AS LONG AS I DRAW BREATH!" I shouted as the magic coming off from Nava was hitting me, scorching me and trying to force me back.
But I was having none of that. I ignored the pain, the smell of burning hair and the heat that quickly enveloped my whole body as I forced both of my wings and my legs to push forward.
There was no turning back now. I was almost there.
A few other words came to mind. "HARMONY, GIVE ME STRENGTH!"
With one final jump -with all of the force I could pull out of myself at once-, I pushed myself as hard as I physically could directly towards Nava's magic-encased form. With almost no real resistance, compared to what there was previously, which in all honesty surprised me for just a millisecond, I slammed straight into Nava with my left shoulder, forcing him away from whatever was having a grip on him and sending the two of us tumbling to the rough ground beneath us. I wrapped both of my forelegs and wings around his form as we continued to roll together along the rocky surface before eventually coming to a slow and painful stop with the both of us on our sides.
I simply laid there with my eyes closed, huffing and breathing heavily through both my mouth and nose while trying my best to ignore the pain all over me. Not to mention and smell of my own burned fur and feathers.
"At... at least... Nava is safe... I hope." I thought, nearly blacking out.
I eventually heard a set of hooves rushing over to us as the magical discharge within the hall started to die down. Same with the light, as the cave around us quickly dissolved into darkness without the magical light provided earlier.
"Are... are you two ok? By ok I mean alive." The voice of the weird pony bug hybrid asked, her worry very evident in her tone.
I coughed before slowly opening my eyes." I.... guess. What about the magic? Is... is it gone?" I asked hoarsely, in between breaths.
I saw the hybrid thing nod its head, her glowing blue eyes helping to keep her features visible. I cringed as the pain of my burned patches of skin were preventing me from even moving much as it was. Thankfully, I was still holding on to Nava, so that was good. After what I saw and what happened to him in general I was NOT letting him go. Somepony might as well have to kill me just to make me let go at the moment. I am DEAD SERIOUS.
"Wait! I can cast a light spell so you can see." She announced out of the blue, before my vision suddenly got flooded with a yellowish glare, which forced me to close my eyes and wince in pain.
"Oops! Sorry. Forgot how bright that spell can be at first." She apologized.
"No, no. It's ok. Just... a warning next time, alright?" I replied as I slowly re-opened my eyes.
True to what I thought, her horn gave a faint yellowish glow, which did help to expel the darkness around us somewhat, including her form, which I knew could much better see than I.
"She really does look like a cross between a bug and a pony. More specifically, a Beetle, now that I think about it." I thought before shaking my head to get my mind and attention back to the pony that actually needed it right then.
Looking down, I saw Nava's form pressed tightly against mine, which was good. What wasn't so good, but in fact was downright worrying was just how much paler he looked. in fact, almost white, in a sense. His mane and coat where a complete mess, his horn was nothing but a spider web of cracks and fissures, the feathers on his wings were bent in a really unnatural way and his face... oh dear Celestia, his face. Sure he was unconscious and -thank Celestia- still breathing, though very weakly. But his entire body just looked as if he suddenly got 200 years older. He had bags and wrinkles hanging right under his eyes with them having an almost bloodshot tint to them. He had even more wrinkles behind his mouth and upper muzzle and the pale coloration on his face was pretty much identical to the rest of his body.
Overall, he looked almost dead, I daresay.
"Nava? Nava, are you ok? Nava... please say something!" I pleaded into his ears as tears began to build up in my eyes.
I shook him a bit in hopes of stirring up some kind of a response from him. Anything that could tell me that he was still there, but all I got was nothing. Not even a moan or a cough. I was slowly starting to get desperate.
"Wait! I think I may be able to help somewhat." The bug pony said, which made me look up at her.
She continued. "Well... I am not really sure what exactly happened back there, but... the one thing I am positive about right now is that Nava here has been basically drained of all of his magic... or possibly even lost it completely by the looks of it. The point is that I can try to give him some of mine to hopefully..." She tried to explain right before I stopped her as I tightened my grip on Nava and glared up at her.
"NO way. NO WAY IN TARTARUS will I LET you do something to him with that horn and magic of yours. NO. WAY." I retorted angrily as she flinched back.
"Can't you see WHAT MAGIC HAS already done to HIM?" I continued on as tears began to flow down my eyes as I looked at Nava's pale and broken form.
I was feeling guilty. Guilty for not being fast enough, for not having listened to my gut feeling sooner and for having wasted too much precious time just to get here. If I could have been faster, I might have done more, I might have minimized the damage that had been done to him so far and maybe, maybe he wouldn't be in such as state that he was.
Weak, broken, teetering on the brink of life and death, by the looks of it. All of his previous color and shine gone. It hurt me to see him like this.
"I am sorry... I am so, so sorry for not having been there for you sooner... I know this isn't my fault, but... I am just so, so sorry Nava. Please... please stay with me... please stay with us." I cried before burying my muzzle deep into his neck as the tears flew freely from me.
I could hear his heartbeat as well, like this, but -just as his breathing- it was extremely weak and almost not noticeable, just proving to me even more how seriously dire the situation was for the moment, just how dire it was for him.
He might very well be just moments away from shutting down with me being forced to just hold him close and wait for it. This realization and feeling of helplessness was just crushing my heart and soul even more. I didn't want to lose him. But at the same time, what the hay am I supposed to do?
All I could do was cry. Cry and pray to whatever deity out there for some sort of miracle for my friend over here. Other questions were running around my mind as well, like why was he here, what was that... thing?, And also why was it draining Nava of magic, life, or whatever else? But all of these questions quickly disappeared at the fear of possibly losing him, even after I tackled him away from that... from whatever that was. Again, giving me the idea and feeling that I was too late, that I was too slow.
"Hello? HELLOOOO! Is anypony down there?" I suddenly heard someone call from above us.
I recognized that voice instantly as I removed my muzzle from Nava's neck. "Ap-applejack? Is... IS that YOU?" I shouted back as I looked up above me.
I could clearly see the holes and cracks in the far distant ceiling above us, but beyond that nothing else aside from the moonlight shining through them.
There was a pause for a few seconds before I heard AJ's voice again. "Yeah it's me. Are ya really down there? If so, how the hay did ya git there in the first place?" AJ asked as her voice echoed through the walls of this underground hall.
I was thrilled to hear her, to say the least. "AJ, please! Can you help us? I have Nava down here, and he is in really serious condition. Can you perhaps get somepony or whatever that could help us?" I shouted, my own voice echoing through the darkness.
There was another pause before AJ replied from above. "Well, I brought a really long rope with me. Two, to be exact, since I had a feeling that I would find you or him in some form o' trouble. I can tie them up here and throw the other end down to y'all to git ya out from there." AJ answered, which immediately filled me with some form of hope. Every bit of hope counted at this point.
"That's great! Sure. Do that, but please hurry. As I said, Nava is in critical condition here, which means every second counts." I called back.
"Well, ok, I will see what I can do. Just sit tight; this won't take long." She called back down before there was a moment of silence once more.
My gaze automatically went back to the one in need as I wiped some of my tears away. "Just hold on, Nava. I won't let you die, I swear." I whispered to him in hopes that he might be able to hear me.
"Shimmer..." I heard the bug mare say, which had the immediate effect of me looking up at her confused at the one sudden word she uttered.
"What?" I casually questioned.
She looked back at me with sad eyes, her ears splayed back just like a pony's. "That is my name. Its Shimmer." She repeated, which still made me even more confused than before.
Though before I could even say anything she continued. "I know that this might be... a very inappropriate moment to ask this but..."She rubbed her forehooves awkwardly before continuing. "But... what is your name?" She finished which really didn't help much with the confusion.
I was somewhat reluctant to reply, but decided to do so anyway just to see where this would go. "It's... it's Cloud Chaser. sibling -younger sister- to Flitter." I answered, which gave me a sad smile for it.
"Well, it's nice to meet you then, Cloud Chaser. It's just... the reason why I told you my name and why I asked for yours in return is so that I can talk to you much easier by calling you by your name." She explained which makes sense.
I simply nods which prompted her to go one. "I know that you are extremely scared for your friend's wellbeing... and, to be honest, I am too. Which is why I just need you to hear me out on this first before saying anything." She began before continuing on as I kept silent. "I know that you have already voiced your disapproval for it, but... please, I promise that NO harm will come to him for it. I just have this idea of perhaps giving him some of my magic to feed his. I can tell that his magic is practically completely gone because I can sense it. As a Changeling -or at least a Changeling from my Hive- I can. So please, let me just pour some of my magic into him. It might help or at least buy us some additional time to get real help later on." She explained with a pleading look, which in turn made the gears in my head turn a bit, regarding what she suggested.
To be honest, I was still very much reluctant to have Nava anywhere near -or in contact with- magic after having just witnessed what was happening to him and the condition he was in right then because of it. But at the same time, I don't really know much about magic to begin with. Being a Pegasus does do that, but .then again Nava is a magic-based being so Magic in general could also be the key or at least one of the key to help him which in turn might actually be worth the risk, especially since there is nothing else to help him with at the moment.
I sighed. "Alright, but I swear to Celestia, IF you do even more damage to him I... will... BREAK YOU. Your hear me?" I answered to her with a serious glare.
She quickly nodded and gulped at my tone before I SO reluctantly let go of Nava's form, laid him gently down onto the cold floor before stepping off to the side, to let Shimmer to her magic thing.
She quickly powered up her horn, which gave off a yellowish glow. Very soon a stream of mana started to slowly travel towards Nava's prone body, encasing it into a faint yellow glow. I watched with great hope and anticipation as some of the color on his mane and coat returned, though only slightly. Eventually Shimmer cut the magic stream off with a loud huff as she collapsed onto her flank, panting and huffing a bit as the glow on her horn slowly faded away.
"Sorry... I didn't really have a lot of magic in me to begin with." She huffed.
"That's fine, at least it seems to have helped somewhat. Even some of the cracks on his horn disappeared, though most of them are still there." I commented as I looked at the somewhat-less-pale form of Nava with a hopeful feeling in my heart.
"He is going to make it, though. I still just hope that he will be... well, still himself in the end when all of this is done." I thought to myself before dismissing these ideas.
"Hey, Shimmer?" I called out before looking at the still tired-looking... Changeling, I think she called herself.
"Ye-yeah?" She replied, lifting her head to look at me.
"Sorry, for... well, tackling and accusing you back there. And... also thank you for being right all along and somewhat helping Nava just then with your idea." I thanked her with a kind but tired smile, which she returned.
"I know that it must be pretty obvious, but..." I began as I retook my position back on Nava's side, lying down before gently stroking his mane. "...But, he means a lot to me. Me and my sister as well." I admitted to her. I didn't know particularly why I was telling all this to the completely random stranger of -until now- unknown species, but... It did have the positive effect of easing my mind and emotions somewhat, so I guess that's justifying enough.
"Hey, Cloud! I got the ropes tied up and ready ta go. Head's up! I'm gonna throw them down now." AJ's voice suddenly echoed from above, which made both me and Shimmer look up.
Two sets of thick ropes were suddenly thrown down from the largest opening above us with its ends quickly landing on the rough, cold stone surfaces just a few meters away from us.
Both shimmer and I wasted no time as the two of us carefully lifted Nava's unconscious form up onto our backs and carried him to where the two rope ends where lying idly on the floor. It took a bit of effort -and awkward hoof and wing work- to properly tie him securely.
I quickly went back to both grab my saddlebag and Nava's Hat somewhere nearby before hastily making it back. With a tug of the combined rope and a shout towards AJ on the surface, Nava, -accompanied by the two of us- slowly made our way back up to the outside world above us.
"Whoo-ee! He's actually a pretty hefty fella, ain't he? Wouldn't know it just by lookin' at him." I heard AJ complain from above as we reached the halfway point. Shimmer and I were keeping a very keen eye on him and even assisting AJ with hoisting him back up.
It didn't really take that long for all 3 of us to finally be graced with the illuminating rays of the full moon above as we pushed and pulled Nava up the last few Centimeters out of the hole and gently laid him onto the moss covered cobblestone that made up the majority of the old courtyard.
I in general was just glad to be back up on the surface, even more so knowing that getting actual help for Nava is going to be much, MUCH easier from this point on.
"I just hope even THAT won't be too late." I thought as I laid myself back down next to his still broken form.
"Dad-gum! What in tarnation happened to the fella?" AJ asked as she came up after having recollected her ropes.
"I don't know... but I would love to." I answered while keeping my gaze on Nava.
To be honest, I was vastly more interested in getting some help for him than actually trying to find out what the HAY happened that lead to him getting the life sapped out of him in the first place. But then again, I would have all the time I needed to find these answers anyway. AFTER we got Nava to a much safer place than we were in.
So, in that regard, getting him back to Ponyville as quickly as possible was -right then- of the utmost priority.
With that in mind, I did my best to somehow lift his surprisingly heavy frame up onto my back. AJ was quick enough to help and even insisted that she carry Nava instead, for obvious reasons. But I declined, feeling that I should do it because of some strange feeling I had in my chest.
"Are ya sure ya want to do it, Cloud? Yer already haulin' around those Saddle-bags with ya. Y'could at least give those t'me so you can carry the feller much easier." AJ suggested, to which I just shook my head.
"Just because I am a Pegasus doesn't mean I can't carry heavy loads like you Earth Ponies can." I told her back, a phrase that somehow shocked her a bit.
"Wow jeez, that is NOT what Ah meant back there. Where did that comment even come from?" AJ asked, which caused my ears to droop after realizing what my response accidentally brought up.
"I... I don't know. Just slipped out, I guess. Might be from all the stress that I have been going through lately. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just a bit miffed already, that's all." I said in an apologetic tone.
I felt a hoof rest onto my shoulder afterwards, knowing full well that it is AJ's but raised my gaze anyway to look at her. By the expression in her eyes, I knew that she could tell that it was something more, but she didn't explain. "Hey it's ok, Ah can understand whatcha been goin' through lately. Had ta almost go through the same thing when me and Big Mac were still foals." She reassured with a smile, which I returned after a few seconds.
"Um... I am also still here... you know?" Shimmer's meek tone suddenly entered our ears, which caused the both of us to look over our shoulders to her.
"Almost forgot about her."
I already pretty much knew what she was... kind of, and also the fact that she was non-hostile despite her appearance. AJ, of course, did not, as her eyes went wide before quickly turning herself around, but unlike me didn't charge or attack her outright, which was good. Celestia knows what she would or could do to Shimmer, thanks to her Earth Pony strength compared to mine.
Though, how she missed her was kind of strange to me. Sure, Shimmer is mostly all black, which blends perfectly against the shadows and darkness of the night, but beyond that she does have these very telling glowing blue eyes of hers which should automatically be a dead giveaway that she was there. Not to mention her bright yellow back and tail.
"Uh... Cloud? Who and what the HAY is THAT?" AJ asked while pointing a hoof at Shimmers direction.
"Oh, she's... well... I think she called herself a Changeling. But don't worry, she is not hostile or dangerous at all. In fact, she even helped out a bit earlier, as well." I reassured AJ.
AJ simply scratched her head afterwards while still giving Shimmer a curious look. "Well, if y' say so. This IS the Everfree after all. Some seriously weird stuff has come out of these accursed woods beforehoof, so no foul." She commented, which made Shimmer seem a little butthurt, for some reason.
She looked almost ready to say something when her ears suddenly perked up and her eyes widened. A look that immediately told me that something was wrong.
I was about to ask her what was wrong, when her gaze swiftly shifted to her right, to a large shadow-encased area on the courtyard. There, the light of the full moon just couldn't reach, thanks to still-intact high walls and spires towering over that particular site.
My unspoken question was soon answered when a set of glowing orange eyes suddenly appeared within the darkness, which caused me, Shimmer and even AJ to halt as its predatory look and silted pupils had an immediate effect on all three of us.
"Did Ah mention that there's some weird stuff in here?" AJ joked nervously.
I felt almost vulnerable as these hungry looking eyes sized me up from a distance. A glare swiftly went through them when they seemed to land at the Alicorn resting on my back before softening again. A mare-like chuckle quickly echoed from the shadows before the eyes suddenly moved forward, slowly revealing a form emerging from its embrace.
"Well, well, well. What do you have here?" The figure taunted as it slowly revealed itself -or, more precisely, herself- to be a gray coated mare, clad in typical night guard armor with tufted ears, razor-sharp fangs and bat like wings on her back.
Immediately I knew exactly what she was as, memories of that whole Cloudsdale incident came back to me. I already knew for a fact that this mare, this... Thestral, I think they prefer to call themselves, was not here for us, but for Nava.
I instinctively took a few steps backwards as she fully revealed herself within the moonlight.
She smirked as she saw the shocked and -at least on my part- scared looks we were all sporting. (Aside from Nava, who didn't have much of an expression at all, at the moment.) Those eyes of hers seemed to bore directly into our very souls, studying us, sizing us up for any flaws, and those occasion licking she gave her fangs was not helping my own nervousness at the moment.
She chuckled again as her gaze eventually landed sourly on me, something I obviously didn't like. "I wonder, what are three mares doing all the way out here in the middle of the night? I always thought that you gullible ponies avoided these woods like the plague, yet I come out here finding not one, but three outside of their homes. Even more curiously, in an area that is naturally infested with creatures who have no problem hunting down beings like ponies for prey. Very curious indeed." She wondered aloud with almost creepy levels of enthusiasm that sent shivers down my back and into my tail.
I know so because my tail does has the tendency to move back and forth whenever I get nervous.
AJ was the first one to recover as she gave the newcomer in front of us a hard glare. "Ah can basically ask ya the same thing. Who the hay are ya, anyway?" AJ asked, which -thankfully- meant that her gaze left me and went over to AJ instead.
"Well, for starters, a predator among predators is actually much more fun than being with prey. And second it does not matter who I am, because I have no quarrel with either you, the Pegasus or the rough Changeling over there." The Thestral mare explained while giving Shimmer a curious stare before continuing on. "I am here for the ALICORN resting on the Pegasus over there." She announced with her glare moving back to me.
I again took some tentative steps back, almost tripping and falling backwards into one of the cracks leading back into the underground chamber beneath us as I did so. I looked over my shoulder at the still pale and broken form of Nava resting motionless on my back, with his shallow breathing being the only indication that he was still alive. My gaze suddenly hardened as all of my fears melted away. I felt determined and even angry at the idea that right after having just found him and literally saving his life that I was now commanded to just hoof him over to some Thestral who wanted to do Celestia knows what to him.
He just barely managed to escape death by having both magic and life literally sucked out of him by who knows what just a few minutes ago. And now he was going to get imprisoned for something he never did on purpose?
No, this did not sit well with me, not after everything I had to go through just to find him - and nearly got cooked alive by doing so.
"Buck that!!"
If this mare wanted to take him away, she had to pry him from my cold, dead hooves. And to my own surprise I was NOT JOKING at all with that statement.
I was perfectly ready to fight her, if I must.
"If you want Nava, then you have to go through me first." I boasted as he lowered my stance to charging position. AJ too looked ready for a fight as well, while Shimmer seemed to be somewhat unsure on what she wanted to do herself, though she did seem to understand the numerical advantage we had over her, so she at least stuck with us when she could have easily flown off.
So I guess I really did misjudge her earlier and whatever connection she evidently has with Nava somehow was actually true. Too bad her magic was very limited, because having a magic user as well wouldn't be too bad in a situation such as this. She seemed to be a guard, after all, so combat-wise she would be most likely no doubt be above us on every level.
"Just hope that I don't have to add broken bones to the list with scorched skin and fur to my hospital bills, because if so Flitter is definitely going to kill me for this for sure."
The Thestral in front of us simply chuckled as from behind her more and more pairs of eyes suddenly appeared from within the shadows.
"I was hoping you'd say that." she said, grinning.
My bravado did take a big hit when suddenly more and more Thestrals -also clad in night guard armor- slowly emerged into the open, gathering right behind the mare still smirking at us.
"I respect your bravery, Pegasus, but I think you are overstating your confidence and sense of judgement." She said as a few more revealed themselves from behind walls and fallen towers around the courtyard while she continued. "You see, you don't HAVE a choice in this matter at all. WE are going to take that Alicorn of yours with us whether you want to or not. Simple as that." She added.
One of them -a stallion, judging by his build and muzzle- was even carrying a crimson colored lance, or spear, or whatever you call that thing, making his way towards the mare facing us and hoofing the weapon to her.
"Your Blood Weapon, Captain Glade. I would imagine you want this for some extra leverage." The unknown stallion announced before Glade took the weapon with one of her hooves, flourishing by twirling it around a bit before resting its long grip onto her shoulder. All of that while not breaking eye contact with us.
"You see, I am NOT going to leave without mister magic mayhem over there. Especially after having ALMOST evaded my detection the previous time. A failure that does NOT sit well with me." She explained with her smirk and tone slowly darkening with every single word. I was almost shivering from the coldness of it.
At the end, she was just frowning. "So I say this again. Give me the stud or I will gut all three of you without any problems. And don't even try to run." She threatened before gesturing behind her." These boys you see around you are ALL pure blood Thestrali, native to my homeland. None of those half-breeds you ponies mostly see living in your lands. They also won't hesitate in killing all of you if you make it too difficult." She explained.
I really wasn't feeling as confident as I was just a few moments ago. Not only did we find ourselves surrounded, outnumbered and outmatched dramatically, but it seemed that our very lives were on the line, too.
"This is really serious. not only are these bat-winged flanktards hovering above us, but I can also see a few of them watching us from the walls surrounding the courtyard as well. We're not just outnumbered, but trapped too." I thought to myself bitterly after realizing that any real method of escape was pretty much not viable at this point.
AJ was still holding her own scowl while Shimmer, on the other hoof just looked downright terrified at the situation we somehow found ourselves in. I did not blame her. Deep down I was feeling just as scared as she, not just for myself but for my friend on my back as well.
"Well? I am waiting." The mare known as Captain Glade announced, her tone impatient.
AJ, for the first time, stepped up and was about to say something, when one of the guards next to Glade, a mare, suddenly pulled out a black colored bow from under a wing and pointed it directly at AJ with the arrow long drawn on it.
AJ eyes went wide, and so did mine, at the speed with which the mare beside Glade drew her bow. Not only that, but this mare was seriously just a mane strand away from shooting and possibly killing not just a regular pony but a bearer of the Elements of Harmony! AJ in particular looked shocked as she stood there frozen on mid step.
"One wrong step, Earth Pony, and you WILL become one with earth before the sun rises." The mare with the bow boasted.
AJ managed to quickly recover from her shocked state after that and resumed her glare as she bravely -and also safely- stood her ground. "WHAT the actual HAY is the problem with alla ya? Ain't any of ya part of the guard? How can either of the princesses even approve THIS?" AJ demanded angrily, most likely not even caring for her own safety at this point.
I would be demanding such answers from them too if it wasn't for the fact that each of these tuft-eared bastards was armed and armored. Not to mention their quite visible long fangs and the predatory looks they all had in their eyes. I was seriously feeling like prey cornered by a pack of hungry wolves, ready to pounce on me and my companions for the slightest reason.
"This seriously brings me back to that one night me and sis would've got ourselves eaten by Timberwolves, if it wasn't for him. The very stallion who I am still carrying on my back."
I looked back at him again, watching his pale and unconscious form slowly rise and fall. Just the sight of him being like this re-ignited my determination. He needed help, and fast. And all of this standing around and doing nothing was just going to lead to the worst. Even more evidently so, as I could have sworn that some of the color that returned to him thanks to Shimmer's efforts were slowly disappearing.
That just forced me to make a decision right then and there, before it would be too late.
Mentally steeling myself and gathering all the courage and will that I could muster I began to slowly move forwards with Nava still securely on my back. The Thestrals all around us carefully watched me as I stopped at AJ's side.
I tapped her onto the shoulder to get her attention. "AJ, just leave it, we are obviously in no position to do much of anything at this point and you know that." I told her, which in turned caused her to turn her head to look at me.
"But this is just..." She tried to argue before I interrupted her by gesturing a hoof to my back and giving her a stern look.
"We have no other choice AJ, I mean look at him. Either we move now or he might die. We HAVE to make a choice now, before it's too late." I lectured her, which was mostly likely also picked up by the Captain in front of us as she once again held a smirk on her face.
"Yes, she is right. You three better make the smart choice. Namely accepting your position and just hoofing over that Alicorn to us." She announced which made me growl quietly to myself.
AJ seemed conflicted at first, but after another good look at Nava's serious-looking state she eventually agreed, giving a sigh before stepping off to let me do the talking.
I did so without hesitation. Every second counted as long as Nava wasn't anywhere close to safety. I gently laid him down in front of me, not just to give my back a bit of a break but to also fully show these sharp toothed bastards the state he was in. My only hope now would be to let him take him in exchange for first helping him, or at least bringing him somewhere where he can be helped before doing whatever they wanted with him.
Glade's eyebrow rose as her gaze fell on the pale and broken form of Nava before her. "Listen, I know that I am in no position to demand or ask for anything, but..." I began while ignoring the tears forming at the corners of my eyes. "...But please at least HELP HIM. I mean, just look at him." I gestured with a hoof before continuing. "He is drained, both of his magic and possibly life force as well. He is on the brink of death and very well may die if he doesn't receive any help soon. You can have him, but please.... please, in the name of everything that is good on this world, please... just please help him first before you arrest him. He doesn't deserve to die, nopony should. Whatever magical chaos he may have created was pure accident, he never had any control of his powers and was just seeking help from others this entire time. He is not a bad pony, he is just lost, scared and confused. So please... at the very least just please save him." I pleaded wholeheartedly as the tears at this point where now just flowing freely.
I was just at a complete loss at this point and I was ready to put my last shard of hope and trust into these Thestrals, who just recently threatened to kill us if we didn't play their game.
"If risking my own life means having a chance of saving someone I care about, then...I guess it's just a sacrifice I need to take. At the very least it means that I don't have to worry about my sister killing me afterwards, so that is one plus to this, I guess."
There was a moment of silence afterwards, with the only sound being my quiet crying.
I eventually heard a sigh coming from the Captain, if the voice was anything to go by. I looked back up and saw stoic expression on her features. She eventually gave her blood red weapon to the previous stallion next to her before telling the mare beside her to lower her bow.
I watched her carefully and fearfully as she casually made her way over to me. I was fighting to urge to just jump up in front of her to stand in between her and Navam knowing full well that such an action would not end well for me, especially with the Captain close by.
She thankfully stopped right In front of Nava's unconscious form as she started to observe him. I simply stood there silently, not that I was able to do or even say anything about my current situation anyway.
"Well, i was right about blood being spilled. Just not in the way i thought. What happened to him?" She suddenly asked, her tone perfectly matching her expression.
"I... I don't know. I just found him... being drained by... something." I answered her quietly as I cleaned some of the tears away from my eyes.
She continued to analyze Nava, even going so far as to kneel down to have a much closer look at his obvious changes, especially the state of his horn and wings.
"These are traces of highly concentrated and unrefined blood magic. I can tell that, so far." Glade commented while rubbing her chin.
"W-What magic?!" I asked, naturally feeling a bit confused at her sudden statement. That and the chaotic emotions I had been going through lately were hampering my ability to understand stuff quickly, somewhat. I needed to remember that I am still a mare, and a mare's actions and thoughts just... tend to be naturally be more dictated by their emotions than a stallion's.
"I have no idea what I am thinking about right now."
The Captain in front of me mostly ignored my confusion as she simply took on a more serious look before selecting two random Thestrals from behind her, (or she could have been perfectly aware of which they were, I don't know.) and ordering them over.
A stallion and a mare came trotting up without any hesitation before stopping at attention right behind her.
"You two will carry him when we are making our way back to Canterlot and rush him over to the barracks' medical wing." She ordered.
The two Thestral guard simply nodded before acting on the task they were ordered to do. Gently picking Nava's body up onto their back before trotting back towards the others.
I just watched them as Glades attention quickly went back to me. "Your friend has been drained by a form of Magic that shouldn't even exist in Equestria anymore, let alone be known. All thanks to your princess, I might add." Glade explained, which forced me to look at her.
"Wait, wait... you said something about a magic that shouldn't even exist in Equestria anymore? Then... where -more importantly, why- does it still exist, then?" I asked.
She simply sighed before turning around. "It mostly only exists in my homeland, which makes the question of why it is here even more intriguing. But then again, it could also have been a forgotten artifact from the older days, just left here. Anyway, we have to move if your friend's life is truly precious to you." She announced as she trotted off.
I was about to ask her even more questions when she beat me to the punch. "You two over there." She began while again pointing her hoof at two "random" guards. "You will escort these Ponies and the... Changeling back to town, on the edge of the forest. Make sure that they follow you." she commanded.
The two guards (stallions, I think) just nodded without any question as their Captain and every other Thestral on the ground opened their wings, indicating that they were going to fly off.
"Oh, and by the way..." Glade began as she looked at us. "If you tell this to anyone, or in your case anyPONY, or even worse a government official... There WILL be consequences. You all might not realize it, but the three of you will be shadowed for a while. So don't even think about trying. I'd like to keep hush-hush about this. Makes my job easier, you see." Glade threatened before she and the majority of her guard took off into the night sky.
"No... WAIT!!" I shouted as I still had so many questions and worried thoughts that plagued me about all of this. I was obviously ignored as the large group quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night, with two of them carrying Nava on their backs.
The entire courtyard immediately went silent as all that was left were the three of us and the two guards that stayed behind.
"Well... that was somethin', I guess. Seriously, what in tarnation?" AJ commented from behind.
"I think I've heard of Blood Magic before, but... personally never seen it. Well, until today, I guess." Shimmer finally said something after having stayed quiet this entire time.
I just stood there, looking up at the last sight I had of him with mixed thoughts and feelings jumbling around in me.
"Ok you three, let's go. Just follow us and we can escort you back to the town without any... hiccups that these woods can provide." One of the guards suggested -and didn't really wait for any confirmation- as they just started to lead the way.
There was a moment of hesitation from the three of us before we decided to go along with it, mostly because there really wasn't anything else to do or stay here for.
We followed the two guards out of the castle ruins to eventually find ourselves back in the clearing that surrounded it. AJ suddenly had a look of realization etched on her features as she trotted next to me. A look that immediately made me worried.
"AJ, what... what is it?" I asked carefully as we moved on.
AJ simply looked at me, her eyes wide as dinner plates while still somehow managing to move along with us. "Wait... since when was Nava an ALICORN?!" she questioned with shock, which in turn just made me raise an eyebrow at her.
"Seriously? You are JUST getting to that NOW?" I thought in disbelief.
Then again, it had been a very chaotic and hectic day for all of us.
"I just hope that Nava will still make it and hopefully, HOPEFULLY still be the same awkward little dweeb I came to love."
"Since always." I replied after shaking my thoughts off.
"Well, why- how-?" Applejack stuttered in shock.
"It's a long story." I told her.
"It's a long walk." She countered.
"Fair enough. Well, it all started... |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | pre | "Ohhh," the animatronics all exclaimed as one.
"Yeah!" Balloon Boy piped up, siting down on the edge of the stage. "We got that little bit in our heads so we can help the security guard watch the place. Or... something like that."
"I dunno," Mangle muttered, bundled up on the floor beside Chica. "They added the program after the foalnapping as a precaution, hoping to avoid anymore bad publicity and incidents like that. Not sure why they thought we could help with it."
"We're strong," Bonnie replied thoughtfully. "Probably stronger than almost any pony in Equestria. I bet, if it came down to it, we could take on any ponynapper what steps hoof through those doors!"
Mando couldn't help but think of a spunky filly when he heard Bonnie talk. She sounded so much like a tomcolt right then. His questions were now mostly answered, but there was still one thing that bothered Mando: how the animatronics acted so.... alive. "What are your original programs exactly?"
"A security guard should know," Freddy commented. "We're all for entertainment purposes: Chica, Bonnie and I are performers; BB hands out balloons; and Mangle's for the fillies and colts to try building their own animatronic." His eyes sparked, as though from amusement. "As if a little pony foal could make something like that."
"Yeah. Something like that..."
"Freddy pretty much said it all, Mando," Bonnie asserted, long multi-jointed fingers still resting on her guitar. "We're all programmed for entertainment here. We're the representatives of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. We're essential to the place. That's why..." Her ears drooped. "That's why we can't afford to let the place close down."
"We'd be out of a job," Chica exclaimed, her beak barely moving as she spoke. "Best case scenario, we'd be taken in by some other company, maybe modified. Worst case...." The yellow animatronic didn't finish.
"We'd be scrapped." Freddy's mouth hung open, yet the words came out as deep, grim and tinny as ever. "Dumped, thrown out, forgotten. Freddy Fazbear and friends would be no more."
Mando screwed his eyes closed and shook his head. "No. No, I won't let this happen!" He turned to Bonnie, his face a mask of stubborn determination. "I'll do everything I can to prove the innocence of the pizzeria. I'll find the missing foals and save you."
Bonnie seemed frozen, just staring at the floor. Then her green eyes tilted toward Mando. "We'd appreciate that... so... much." She spoke slowly, as if something were hindering her. "We only.... wish that...."
All at once, a deadly silence filled the room. Mando didn't notice it at first, but then it dawned on him just how quiet it was. Then he realized that none of the animatronics were moving and not a sound came from them. Even Mangle's static had disappeared. Chica, Freddy and Balloon Boy all stood about, frozen in place. Mangle lay in a heap, her head bent to one side. Bonnie was sitting beside Mando on the stage, her eyes unmoving as they held that last gaze with the earth pony.
"Bonnie? Bonnie!" Mando waved his hoof in front of her, but the mechanical lagomorph didn't respond.
"No. No, no, no no no." He went all around the room, trying numerous methods of making the animatronics move: prodding, talking, singing, hitting. At one point, Mando even considered opening them up to see if it was something in their circuitry that went wrong, but he rejected this idea quickly. He had no talent for such things.
Finally, exhausted from his attempts, Mando slumped against the stage. The last slice of his pizza looked like it had been sitting there for years, not recently served by an animatronic chicken who had just stopped moving. Mando felt trapped in a situation he couldn't escape. All he had with him now were questions.
What happened to them?.....
What will Marcolt and the others say?...
Have I doomed Freddy Fazbear's already?....
What happened to those poor foals?.......
Skrrrrtch
Mando's blood chilled when he heard the sound. It was the very one that, just earlier, had announced the approach of what was likely the most dangerous machine in the pizzeria, other than the oven. The musician peered down the hall, squinting into the darkness, and saw the heavy door of the Parts and Service room ajar. A curved piece of metal jutted out from behind it.
Foxy. Mando tried to control himself, barely managing to stop shaking. Foxy had given him such a scare earlier that just the thought of the animatronic fox got him shaking in his horseshoes. Great. The last thing I need is Captain TearApart to come charging in here when the others are all frozen.
The hook behind the door made a beckoning gesture before receding into the room. Mando's eyes bugged. Is he serious?! Is he asking me to go there, into the Parts and Service room with him?
MandoPony was just about to make a Pinkie Promise NOT to do that when he heard a tinkling tune. He turned his head toward the Prize Corner, where the melody was coming from. The large crank on the side of the wrapped gift box was turning in time with the music. Mando's heartbeat increased and seemed to be in time with the clicking part of the music box tune.
That sound... From last night.... Mando stared at the gift box. Suddenly, the lid creaked open. Within the dark interior of the gift box, two white pinpoints gazed hauntingly at the earth pony.
Mando paled. In a flash, he scooped up his mandolin and zoomed into the Main Hall. When he got to the Parts and Service door, he looked back at the Prize Corner. The lid of the gift box had completely opened, and a tall thin figure stood in its shadow, the music in the background fitting eerily.
Anything is better than that puppet, Mando decided, sweat sliding down his face. He turned back to the metal door and gingerly swung it open. Inside, he could see Foxy, standing with his back to him, but there was no doubt in Mando's mind that the animatronic knew he was there. He shot one last look into the room at the end of the Hall, where the puppet seemed to be climbing out of the box. Mando quickly slipped into the Parts and Service room and closed the door.
"Arr, matey. Ye made the right decision." |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | A Pirate's Side of Things | Mando tried to keep his breathing controlled. When Foxy turned around to face him, the musician had to clench his mandolin for comfort. Foxy was a different make of animatronic than the others, consisting of an endoskeleton covered in a torn animal suit and tattered clothes. Looking at the beaten animatronic made Mando skitterish, especially after Foxy jumped him earlier that night.
"I can understand yer fear, matey," Foxy said, his voice tinny and his accent somewhat piratey. "I am not an easy one to look upon. That's why I spend my days here, in the back room of Freddy Fazbear's."
Foxy walked around the table in the room, tracing his hook along the dusty surface. "It weren't always like this, MandoPony. Things used to be better for us all, animatronics and ponies alike."
Mando was confused. What was Foxy talking about? He decided to pursue. "Wh-why did you call me in for, Foxy?" he asked, trying to keep a calm voice.
The animatronic lifted his eyepatch, revealing an empty eyehole. Despite it bearing no resemblance to the full sensory orb on the other side of Foxy's face, Mando felt as though something were still staring out through that black socket. "To give ye the truth, as you deserve."
"Truth? Do you mean the missing foals? You know what happened to them?"
Foxy made a buzzing noise, like a sigh. "I know only so much of that. I was always inspired by ponies who stood for what was right, even though I myself was portrayed as a criminal." He gave a robotic grin, revealing two sets of teeth.
"Heh heh, yeah," Mando agreed nervously.
"You ponies. You're all so different. For some of you, accepting the ways things are is easy. Yet for others it's like trying to move after your servos freeze up."
"Servos freezing up?" Mando slammed his hoof against his forehead. "That's what happened to Bonnie and the others! They were all standing around for so long while we talked and played, they stopped wandering and all their joints stuck."
"You got all the facts straight, Mando." Foxy stopped beside a shelf holding extra animatronic heads. "We can't afford to sit still during the night hours. It costs Freddy's Pizza valuable time. And the pizzeria can't really to waste any time on problems like freezing servos with the missing foals' business going on."
Mando looked at Foxy curiously. He still felt the question was left unanswered. "Do you know what happened to them?"
Foxy slowly turned his head; his full-and-blank sockets gave Mando equal chilly feelings. "I truly wish I had the answer, MandoPony. I'm afraid I've been kept in the dark on the matter just as much as I am literally." He spread his decapitated arms, gesturing to the dusty room.
"Oh."
"Though, before we go anywhere else, I must sincerely apologize for the fright I caused ye earlier."
He's apologizing for almost gutting me? Truly puzzled now, Mando asked, "Why did you do it?"
"I... I'm really not sure." The fox ran his hook over his chin. "It feels like an urge, y'know, something ya gotta do. I feel pained, like I was bein' bothered and plagued, and I gotta just lash out." He gestured menacingly at the walls. "I'm not sure why, though. It's like some pony put it into me in bitterness."
Very very strange, Mando decided. Mindbogglingly unheard of. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I forgive you."
Foxy's jawline curled upwards into an unmistakable smile. "Thanks, matey. It does indeed." He held out his costume-stripped hand.
Mando reached out cautiously, almost pulling back at the last second but continued trustingly, putting his hoof in Foxy's hand. The metal fingers closed over Mando's hoof and shook it powerfully but gently. "So.... now that the past is water under the bridge, I have to ask you something, Foxy."
"Anythin', matey."
"The old animatronics were all shipped away, all except you. Why are you still here?"
Foxy rapped his mechanical chest. "I be used as spare parts for the others, though it don't happen very often." He raised his hand, displaying a missing joint on one finger. "But, Mando, I be thinkin' there's somethin' more to it, and sometimes I think old Marcolt regrets the decision."
"What decision?"
"To get rid of us old models. Word got around that the old Freddy Fazbear crew were scary and foals had trouble falling asleep after a pizza dinner, so a vote was put forth and the majority voted us out. Some time after that, Marcolt would come inta here durin' opening hours and talk, pretending I was a conversation partner."
"Yet all that time, you could hear and understand what he was saying," Mando mused.
"Every word. Despite the rest of the company's decision, Marcolt managed to hold onta me. Says he convinced the other heads to lemme stay, so I could supply the new animatronics if needs be. But little time past since the sending away of the old models before Marcolt started tellin' me how he disliked the new animatronics, how he felt weird chills around them."
He seemed pretty happy about them when he introduced me to Bonnie and the others on my first night. Was it all a trick? Is it just their programming, or is Marcolt honestly unhappy with the new faces of the pizzeria?
While Mando worked through these thoughts, Foxy continued to pace the room. "Bonnie and the gang need to be fixed. But few know how to rework their servos back into gear, and none of them are around."
"The programmers and the designers."
"That be right. If'n ya don't get em fixed before yer shift is over, ye could be blamed for the frozen servos and, frankly, we can't have any o' that."
Mando leaned against the table, the weight of the situation coming down on him. "What do we do, Foxy? Neither of us knows how to rework the servos and that puppet thing is in the pizzeria."
Foxy's eye whirled in its socket, opening as wide as the metal pieces would allow. "Did you say 'puppet'?"
"Er, yes."
In a stunning gear switch, Foxy turned sharply, caught Mando with an outstretched arm and wheeled him to the door. Slowly, he pushed it open and the both of them peered out. Mando could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing.
The animatronics were all there, standing stiff and unmoving as before. But among them drifted the puppet, prying its six long fingers into their joints and wiggling them. Its mask of a face remained the same open-mouthed empty-eyed beam as before, yet the towering being gave off an aura of melancholy as though it felt horrible about its actions.
"What's it doing?" Mando whispered to Foxy, keeping his voice as low as he felt necessary.
"Isn't it obvious?"
No. Mando looked back at the puppet, trying to glean some understanding. Then it hit him. It's fixing their servos! Somehow, the puppet knows what to do to make them work again!
This proved to be more than true, for as the puppet retracted its fingers from Chica's shoulders, the yellow animatronic began to twitch. The others soon followed suit, flexing their fingers and blinking their eyes like foals in the morning.
Amazing.
Its work done, the puppet stepped back toward the Prize Corner, slowly raising its blank gaze until Mando and Foxy were in its sight. In one swift motion, the puppet swept up over the counter and into the gift box, the lid closing behind it.
"Hey, wait!" All fear of the unstrung marionette deserting him, Mando galloped down the hall and passed the waking animatronics. He knocked on the side of the gift box and called out, "Puppet, are you in there?"
No answer came, just the gentle tinkling sound of the music box. Mando stood up and flipped the lid. The puppet lay inside, all folded up with the mask on top. It didn't take a genius to know that there was no point in pursuing it now.
"Thank you," Mando said. The black and white outfit just sat there. As it should.
"Hey, Mando."
The musician turned around to a welcoming sight. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Mangle and Balloon Boy were all standing up, making careful motions like a pony with a broken limb testing his movement. Mando felt a strange feeling well up inside him, one he never thought he'd have toward machines.
But they're so much more than just machines. And I'm going to find out why.
"Man, being frozen is the worst," Chica piped up, stretching her arms behind her back. "I can't even remember the last time it happened to us."
"Just goes to show how little you pay attention when you're having fun," Mangle retorted. "Most fun we've had in weeks, I gotta say."
"Too right." Noticing the highly emotional look on Mando's face, Bonnie walked with him back to the stage. "We don't blame you for anything that happened tonight, Mando. Keep that in mind and don't go beating yourself up about it later."
Mando wiped a hoof under his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. "It really is my fault you guys weren't wandering as you should have."
"Everyone needs a break from the norm," Freddy declared. "Even us. We're grateful for what you gave us tonight, MandoPony. You reminded us of the reason we enjoy what we do, the reason we follow our program."
Balloon Boy leapt up with surprising agility and hung onto Freddy's shoulders. "Heh, you say that as though we've got a choice on the matter. We barely have any say in this. Only Foxy has any real moves under his belt."
"Arr, who be sayin' me name now?"
Everyone in the room turned to the Main Hall entrance where stood Foxy, his arms crossed and his mechanical expression smug. "The only thing under me belt is fur and metal."
"Never any offense meant, Foxy," BB promised, bouncing his balloon in front of the pirate animatronic. "Just respect for the exotic."
Foxy buzzed. "Hardly exotic, little matey," he replied, patting Balloon Boy's propeller hat-covered head. "Someone has to make sure the restaurant retains its former glory as much as possible. Though I daresay, each and every one of us knows what makes up the face of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza."
"Music."
"Animatronic technology."
"The best pizza in Equestria."
"New blood."
"Arcade games?"
"Parties!"
Mando listened to the animatronics call out the things that made Freddy Fazbear's what it was, the things that made it special. He felt immensly proud to be witnessing it all happen. They really are more than just machines. It's like they're living creatures with personalities and souls. Oh, how I wish I knew why it's all so.
Freddy looked up at the clock on the wall. "Six AM nears," he interrupted. "We'd best get things back in place, including ourselves."
The pony and the animatronics all nodded. Together they went to work, making sure the restaurant was just as it was when Mando came to work six hours ago. Shifted tables were pushed back, party hats were replaced and the cooking utensils were washed.
Foxy slipped back into the Parts and Service room. "I be seeing you soon, hopefully," he said to Mando, inclining his head.
"Maybe tomorrow night, you won't start things off with a scare."
"Har har har!" Foxy let loose with a piratey laugh. "Oh, ye be a sharp one, MandoPony. A good friend to anypony who knows it."
"If you say so." Mando gave a modest smile.
"Have a great day, matey."
Leaving Foxy to shut the door behind him, Mando made his way to the stage room just in time to see Mangle scurry back to Kid's Cove. Balloon Boy took his place by the merry go-round. Freddy, Chica and Bonnie mounted the stage and took their places.
"Tonight has been a night to remember," Bonnie sighed, kneeling down toward Mando. "Never in my short life has there been a night quite like this."
Mando nodded. "It's been a first for me too, Bon.
The mechanical bunny smiled, her plastic animalistic face sliding around to accommodate the curve. "We'll see you real soon, Mando," she said, holding his hooves in her large hands.
"Tonight, at twelve AM."
"Yes."
Freddy grunted. "Ten seconds to six, Bonnie. Come on up here."
"Coming!" Bonnie gave MandoPony one last smile, then retrieved her guitar and climbed up beside Freddy. Chica gripped her cupcake and began to stop in place, as did the others all throughout the restaurant.
Ding ding ding dong. Bing bing bing bong.
The six o'clock bell went off and echoed through the pizzeria. Mando returned to the Office, grabbing his cap and badge. He picked up the monitor and checked the rooms, just as a joke, while he waited for Marcolt to come and open the place.
Doh, this is just silly, Mando chuckled to himself, as Foxy waved one last time from the dark Parts and Service room. There's nopony else here besides me, and all the guys are cutting their jaunts. Why would I even--
IT'S ME
Mando's smile vanished. He remembered that voice; that creepy, unnatural, deep and sinister voice. Quickly, Mando flipped through all the camera feeds, coming up with nothing but still animatronics going back into their day mode.
"There's no one else here," Mando said aloud, in an attempt to reassure himself. He invigorated himself with thoughts of Bonnie and Foxy and all the other mysterious and friendly animatronics. This calmed Mando down and brought a stern expression to his face. Something was going on and he didn't like it.
"Where are you?"
THE GAME IS OVER
This time, the voice was more pronounced and clear. It was almost as though the speaker was standing right behind Mando. Mando turned around, just to be sure, and found himself facing an empty Office wall. "This is getting ridiculous," he decided, grabbing his mandolin and getting up from the office chair. "I am definitely in need of some sl-AAHH!"
A grinning purple face, ringed in a yellowish-gold background, flashed in front of Mando as he stepped into the hall. In a single blink, the face had disappeared, but the sight of the deep violet shade, the huge unnerving grin and the eyes, those horrible seeing eyes, had left Mando shaking.
What the Faust?! Mando's heart was running like an Appleoosan engine. The place where the head had appeared seemed like a dark vacuum after having hosted such an apparition. Tensely strumming his mandolin in a soothing manner, MandoPony checked the four Party Rooms in person, reasoning that whoever had made that frightful face had ducked into one of them, but as with most of the mysteries he'd been met with at Freddy's, he found nothing.
For MandoPony, that was the last hay fry.
That's it. No more tricks. Whatever game the voice was talking about, this game of the unknown is indeed over. I'm going to solve all the enigmas: I'm going to find the missing foals, figure out how the animatronics have personalities and mobility beyond their programming, find out what that Puppet really is and, above all else, I'm going to find you.
Standing at the far end of the office hall, Mando felt a great deal of pride in his decision. He always knew the general reason for his taking the Fazbear night shift, but that it had expanded to far more than his original understanding only encouraged him to increase his efforts. In that moment, he knew that he would solve the mysteries, no matter how arduous it proved to be.
Knock knock knock
Mando's ears pricked at the latest sound on the Freddy Fazbear scene. He recognized them instantly as the front door. The jangling of keys soon followed. Well, my shift is over. He hurried to the restaurant entrance and peered through the doors, instantly recognizing Marcolt, the pegasus Cheese Pie and Truffles the unicorn.
"Morning, Mando!" Cheese greeted loudly as soon as Marcolt had opened the doors. The pizza pegasus wooshed passed Mando, making a beeline for the kitchen.
"And to you, Cheese!" he called after him.
Marcolt walked through the doorway. "Helloo, MandoPony," he said in a loud, bellowing voice. "How went tonight's shift?"
"Well...." Mando did a great deal of head-bobbing, trying his best to innocently look away from Marcolt and at Truffles, who was making her way to the show stage where she set about examining the animatronics. For a moment, he thought he saw Bonnie's right eye turn to him and wink. Mando smiled in a discreet reply.
"Surprisingly pleasant, Marcolt. It felt like a lot longer than six hours, more so than last night's shift even."
"Time flies when you're working at the scene of the crime," Marcolt muttered, momentarily looking sullen. "I hope it was as you say, MandoPony. Faust knows how Freddy Fazbear's needs pleasantries these days."
Mando nodded and slowly walked into the next room. Marcolt followed him, almost curiously, and together they turned to face the Show Stage. Truffles was currently running a beam of magic over Chica's still frame.
"These three are all working great, Marcolt," she announced. "They followed their night settings perfectly."
Marcolt's face flashed with annoyance, returning to his solemn demeanor a second later. "That's.... good. What of the others?"
"Foxy's AOK, Marc!" Cheese Pie called out from the kitchen. Then he shouted, "There are a ton of spots in the dust, though! You been in the room, Mando?"
"Yep," Mando said, giving his answer to Marcolt. "I had some time before and after my shift and thought I'd have a look at the extra bits and pieces we've got in there."
"Oh." Marcolt's expression changed back and forth again, the new face almost fearful. "I'm glad you're okay and that your shift was... pleasant."
"You know, that's the first time a guard ever described the night shift like that," Truffles remarked, returning from Kid's Cove from her inspection of Mangle. "Marcolt, all the animatronics are fine. Another flawless night for them."
"That's a relief."
Cheese Pie came in with the day's first pizza, humming as he bustled along. "There we are, Mando," he said, laying the pizza before the musician. "The Morning Meal, just for you and your mare."
Mando blushed. How does he know about Sibsy? He hurriedly laid the pizza over his back with his mandolin. "So I'll be seeing you all this evening?" Mando asked, turning toward the door.
"I certainly hope so, unless you have a previous engagement." Marcolt followed Mando to the door while Truffles and Cheese cantered into the kitchen. "If that happens, we'll have to pull one of our other staffponies in for the night and, with you already having two successful nights under your belt, I'd rather not put somepony else in it and ruin your streak."
Odd way to put it, but I can't really argue with that, Mando thought. However, there is something I must inquire of him.
"Marcolt."
"Yes?"
"What's the matter?"
Marcolt gave a sigh and looked sadly at his flank, upon which sat a pink mustache over an eight note. "I always knew my skill lay in entertainment, MandoPony. I worked at it until I found myself in one of the top entertainment companies of Equestria. Now...." Marcolt's voice weakened and his ears flopped. "Now I fear my life's work will be all for naught. All that I've worked for is disappearing and I'm powerless to prevent it."
Mando listened to the other pony's sad words. He understood everything Marcolt was worrying about, even having an idea of how to put it to rest, so to speak. "We can't give up, Marcolt," Mando said, his own voice strong and confident. "We must have hope. Hope that these troubles will come to pass and that we shall continue our craft and profession, bringing joy to the hearts of ponies, both young and old. It is our mission in life and we cannot fail it, no matter what obstacles are hurled in our path."
The musician's words seemed to reassure Marcolt and his shoulders relaxed. "You're right, MandoPony. We can't give up. We won't." He put a hoof on Mando's back. "Thank you, for everything."
"It was my pleasure." Mando flipped his security cap around and stepped out, the morning sun bright on his face. "Good luck today at the pizzeria."
Marcolt beamed from the doorway. "Have a nice day yourself, and good luck with your own mare."
"I will," Mando replied instantaneously, before realizing what he had said. Marcolt must know about Wildfire. She helped design the animatronics.
As soon as Mando disappeared around the block, Marcolt retreated back into the pizzeria. Already a few customers had shown up, ponies who still had faith in Freddy Fazbear's, despite the rumors. Ponies who still had hope.
"I wish I could live up to the things I've said, MandoPony," Marcolt muttered under his breath as he walked into the next room, where some younger ponies were riding the merry-go-round, free of the worries and concerns of reality. "I wish things were going as well for me as they are for you."
With a heavy heart, Marcolt Plier turned and looked up at the tall animatronic lagomorph, bending its way through its daily programming of music and song, all for entertaining the Freddy Fazbear customers.
"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I'm so, so sorry." |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | The Last Slice | "Is this going to lead to a divorce?"
"Don't be silly; it's just a lot to take in, that's all."
"A lot more, you mean."
Wildfire nodded. This week was proving to be one of the busiest and most interesting in her life. First her coltfriend gets a job at one of the restaurants her company works with, which leads to him learning and telling her about the strange things he claims the animatronics designed by her company were doing. Finally, there was the meeting planned that night which she would have to attend.
Truly, it was a great deal more than what she was used to.
"I know it's hard to believe, Wildfire," Mando admitted. "I had a hard time taking it in too. But it's really happening."
"I know, Mando. I know. Surely, you didn't think that after all the things you told me yesterday that this would be any harder to take in?"
Mando shrugged. "Animatronics improvising music and lyrics for songs and tall gangly puppets repairing robots seemed different to me." He stopped and stared at the mantel. "Am I weird?"
"Course you are," Wildfire chuckled, throwing herself into his lap. "Everypony is weird. You just keep that in mind during your next show."
"Hopefully, my new song will be done by then. Bonnie could probably help me finish it up tonight." Mando looked down at the pegasus lounging on his legs. "You're acting a whole lot less concerned than you were yesterday, and this news is without a doubt more out-of-program than what I told you before. Why are you acting so carefree?"
Wildfire gave him an innocent smile. "Because, whatever it is, I know that you, MandoPony, will get through it all no matter what."
"Aww, thanks Sibsy." Mando ruffled her mane and leaned over, planting a kiss on the mare's lips. Wildfire replied in kind and together they put aside all worldly worries for a shared blissful moment.
Then they separated. "I thought I'd had it when I was in with Foxy," Mando said quietly. "That time he had almost caught me in his jump.... I was sure he was going to do me in."
"Hush, none of that lest it become true," Wildfire insisted, putting a hoof to Mando's lips. "Of course, when you put it that way, even I start thinking far-fetched. Foxy is one of the older versions and has less tech shoved into him than the new animatronics. The only way he would have so much sensory and feeling is if there were somepony inside him."
At this, MandoPony and Wildfire laughed. After all, it really was absurd: how could there be a pony inside an animatronic like Foxy? He was so heavily crammed with wiring; there'd be no room in there.
"I really would like you to come and see them for yourself," Mando said. "As their creator, I'm sure they'd love to see and acknowledge you. Surely, they'll recognize you somehow."
"Maybe from the company's fliers," Wildfire offered. "I'd love to come and join you during your shift, but I have a meeting tonight with the designer board. And when I say tonight, I mean during your work hours."
"Ah, man. Worst timing ever."
"Yeah, that. Who'd want to spend the night talking to a bunch of old geeky friends when you could spend a romantic night with your coltfriend in an almost-empty pizzeria, with your only company being roving animatronics with the energy and personality of schoolponies?"
The both of them burst out laughing again. "You're too creative for your own good, Wildfire," Mando insisted. "No wonder the animatronics act so originally."
"Better stop pulling my leg, or I'll break yours. Then what'll you do for your show?"
"Nyeh."
Prooofph
"Cut it out."
"You started it."
The conversation died down. Mando and Wildfire just sat on the couch, enjoying each other's company, but individually thinking about Freddy Fazbear's and the weird things going on behind their glass double doors.
"The meeting should be done around five-thirty," Wildfire said. "I'll come to you the minute it's over."
"Marcolt locks the doors for security purposes every night," Mando explained. "You'd have to wait until six before he comes to open up."
"I'll wait however long it takes, even if I have to wait on the doorstep until he comes."
"Then I guess that's everything." Chomping down the last of his pizza, Mando gave Wildfire one more goodbye snuggle and went to the bedroom for his diurnal respite *
"Animatronics switched to night mode, Marcolt sir."
"Good work, Applejack."
"Lights on minimum."
"Fantastic, Pewter."
Mando arrived at Freddy Fazbear's to find it as busy as an anthill. Every employee was rushing about, flicking switches and arranging tables in a mad frenzy. In the center of the ponystorm stood Marcolt, his hooves pointing this way and that as though he were conducting the madness, which he was.
"Cheese," Marcolt said to the pizza chef, "help Pewter Pie with the tables in Party Room 2. They need to be spick and span for tomorrow."
"Aye aye, cap'n Plier," Cheese responded. He leapt over to a sandy-maned stallion. "Let's go, bro!"
"Truffles, neaten up Kid's Cove, and Mangle too; We've got expectations for tomorrow. Get Applejack to help out."
The unicorn mare nodded. "You got it, chief. Come on, Septickite."
Marcolt shooed away another employee and turned to see Mando entering. "Ah, the star of the show! Welcome back, MandoPony."
"Hello, Marcolt." Mando ducked as two ponies, bearing a table between them, galloped by on either side of him. "What's going on? It looks like every Freddy Fazbear's employee is here."
"It's all hooves on deck for tomorrow, MandoPony," Marcolt said excitedly, his smile stretching across his face. "Someone reserved the pizzeria for a party!"
At this, Marcolt sprang up and danced around the entrance room, and Mando understood why: for almost a month, the pizzeria's credibility had been dropping, as had its customers, partly due to the missing foals case. But a party could be just the lifeline they needed to get them back into business again.
"That's great, Marcolt!"
"I didn't even get to the extra cheese on top," Marcolt continued. "I was getting the details from the pony who was organizing the party--he said it was going to be a birthday party, for a colt--and he told me that one of the reasons he was choosing Freddy's is because of our latest addition to the staff."
Mando blinked slowly, taking it all in. "So that means..."
"It's all thanks to you, MandoPony."
There were few moments in his life that Mando had felt as happy as he did then. Finding out that he may be Freddy Fazbear's route back to its former glory brought out the deepest of joys. Mando's feelings were so unbridled, he felt the music in his heart emerge, wild and proud. He leapt onto the stage, drew his mandolin, and strummed.
Within half a minute, every Freddy Fazbear's employee in the pizzeria had walked, almost trance-like, up to the Show Stage and trained their eyes on Mando and their ears on his music. The tune was simple, that is to say simply right. If music had a tone of voice, this song's would have been truthful. The mandolin melody spoke of honest feelings, the happiness MandoPony felt in helping Freddy Fazbear's return to what it used to be.
All too soon, it ended. Mando's hooves dropped from his strings and the employees all shook, clearing their heads of the enchanting melody. Marcolt, who had been at the back of the crowd, passed through the stunned ponies and walked up to the stage.
"You've done us more than a service, MandoPony," he said to the musician. "You've given us genuine hope."
The employees all nodded and exclaimed their agreement. As they all returned to their duties, Mando and Marcolt went to the Office. Marcolt stood in his hind legs beside the Left Air Vent and leaned against the wall, while Mando took the office chair.
"It's gonna be a big day tomorrow, huh Marcolt?"
"Mmm."
"Why so glum, then?"
Marcolt looked up at the musician, his expression solemn. "I never gave up on that case, Mando. I remember those missing foals; they were at the pizzeria that day, with their folks and all. A day later, the report comes up and they're gone.
"Suspicions abounded, mistrust spread. Any of one us could have been the criminal behind it all. Employees skittered through their chores, wary of one another." Marcolt turned and put his head against the wall. "I knew we should have invested more in security or even into extra surveillance programming for the animatronics... but the easy street had softened me up and hakuna matata'd me good."
Seeing the king of Freddy Fazbear so down in the dumps made Mando plain-old sad. Nopony should be sad like that, especially with an important day such as tomorrow coming. "There's nothing you could have done that you haven't already, Marcolt," Mando said, getting up from the chair and going over to him. "Nopony could anticipate something as horrible as foalnapping from such a great place."
Sitting Marcolt down in the office chair, Mando continued. "Tomorrow's party is going to take Freddy Fazbear to new heights, greater than ever. In fact, to make it even more so, I'd like to play at tomorrow's party."
Marcolt raised his head, eyes wide and mouth corners turning up. "Really? Do you mean it? I thought you had a concert coming up."
"I do, but as an employee at Freddy Fazbear's, I feel that it's my duty to help the pizzeria as much as I can. And I just so happen to be an Equestria-renowned musician. I can do it."
Glomp
Marcolt nailed Mando with a tackle brohug. "Thank you, MandoPony, thank you!"
Mando accepted the embrace and patted the other pony on the back. "It's nothing, really."
"Ha, 'nothing' you say," Macolt scoffed, giving the musician some space. "You've given us everything: security guard hours, private entertainment, and hope. And now you've even given me confidence. MandoPony, you've given yourself to us and we shall not soon forget it."
"Well.... Thank you, then," Mando said, feeling his heart fill with the gratitude given.
Pewter Pie entered the Office, wearing a stack of party hats. "Party Room 2 and all the rest have been prepared, Marcolt."
"Brilliant." Marcolt turned to Mando once more. "Looks like it's your show until tomorrow's. I know you won't let us down."
"I won't let anything deter me from my job of watching the pizzeria." Except for everyone who's part of the job.
"Good luck and goodnight, MandoPony."
"Sleep tight, everyone!" Mando called down the hallway as Marcolt and Pewter galloped along it.
"GOOD LUCK, MANDOPONY!" the Freddy Fazbear employees chanted together.
Mando picked up the monitor and watched as Marcolt herded the other ponies out of the restaurant, each one of them visibly in the highest of spirits. Marcolt waved once more at the camera for Mando before exiting and locking the doors behind him.
For a moment there was silence, the only sound that of hooves fading.
Then the whirring began. On every camera where they could be seen, the animatronics flexed their servos and leapt out of their positioned places. Everyone was present and accounted for, not one of them shirking from their midnight stroll.
"Here we go, here we go," Mando sang out, shouldering his mandolin and running down the hall. He was feeling so free and wild that he ran so fast, he almost hit Foxy coming out of the Parts and Service room.
"Arr, Mando," Foxy greeted, raising a hook.
"Hey hey, Foxy!" Mando gave the animatronic a playful punch on the leg.
"Och, easy there, matey. I may be made o' metal, but I can still feel that."
"Heh, sorry. Guess I'm a bit excited, that's all."
"Ye and everyone else," Foxy remarked. "This partay has gotten the ponies on the high seas an' their rockin' with the wind. They even swept out the Parts and Service room."
"Really?"
"No lies from these crafted lips, Mando. But enough o' this banter, let's go meet the crew."
Mando and Foxy walked down the Main Hall and into the Show Stage room. The other animatronics were all milling about, asking and inquiring of each other. When Mando entered the room, five neck joints turned and allowed the attached heads to see him.
"Mando!" Bonnie cheered, rushing over to the pony, plucking him off the ground and twirling around in place. "Did you hear? We're gonna have a party again!"
"Party!" Chica echoed, bouncing around the room like a crazy hen.
"Balloons," BB chanted, a stupid grin on his face. "Balloons for all of them,"
Freddy looked on and took a deep breath. "Tomorrow, Freddy Fazbear returns."
Mangle was having trouble keeping it, and herself, together. "They're gonna play with me, they're gonna reassemble me, they are, they are!"
Only a being such as Mangle could glean any delight from such an idea, Mando thought gleefully. All of them were overjoyed with the thought of tomorrow's party, as they should be. "So are you all going to be entertaining tomorrow?"
"All of us 'cept for Foxy," Freddy explained. "No offense."
"None taken," the pirate animatronic replied. "I know me lot in life and I hung with the old crew; I feel honored to see our replacements excel."
"Sappy stuff aside, yeah, we're gonna entertain!" Balloon Boy squealed, jumping to Mando's side. "Freddy, Chica and Bon are gonna do their whole music gig, I'm gonna be dishing out balloons and overseeing the games, and Mangle's gonna sit there while the foals take her apart."
"Apart and back, apart and back," Mangle chanted happily, bobbing her two heads.
"And what about the puppet?" Mando asked casually. "What part does it play?"
A great deal of gear whirring filled the room as the animatronics all turned their heads slowly to look at MandoPony. Their round sensory-type eyes scrutinized him blankly, never changing direction. "What do you mean by the puppet?" Bonnie finally responded, her tinny voice quiet.
"You know, the one in the gift box in the Prize Corner."
Another moment of silence. The animatronics looked back and forth between each other, as if daring one of them to speak. Bonnie, again, took the reins. "Show me."
"Anything for you, Bonnie."
Mando ambled over to the Prize Corner, Bonnie taking her long-legged stride after him. They leapt over the counter and approached the large box slowly, while the other animatronics looked on in silence. Mando crept over to the box like a ninja would, staying to the side, and Bonnie leaned against the counter.
"Are you ready?" he asked Bonnie, a small part of him hoping his questions would be answered on this path.
The animatronic nodded. "Show me," she said again.
Mando took a breath, stood up on his hind legs and flipped the lid open--
MINE
A wave of alien power whooshed out of the open gift box, washing over Mando, Bonnie and the other animatronics. Mando fell back on the floor, eyes trained on the rim of the box. Slowly, a hoof rose out of the square gloom, resting on the lip of the box. It was soon followed by its partner and then, like a horrifying equine sunrise, the head.
In a single shocking moment that seemed to drag on, Mando recognized the face; it was the same one that had manifested before him on his second night at Freddy's: a purple-faced pony, with a sleek black mane that seemed to mesh in with the surrounding darkness. The light that Mando remembered seeing around the face last night was there too, originating from above the pony's head on the horn protruding from the top.
But that face. The unicorn's face was by-far the most nerve-wracking, heart-stopping feature in Mando's immediate view. As before, the stretched demented grin dominated the lower half of the pony's face, and the twin orbs above offered no cover; they were filled with cruelty and love for such. A true mad malevolence.
The unicorn looked down at the earth pony, threw back his head and let loose a true maniacal laugh. "It is soooo good to see the terror on the victim's face again," he warbled, his voice as frightening as his appearance. "It has been a while, after all."
Mando just stared up in shock, silent as the grave. The purple pony gripped the rim of the gift box and heaved himself out and over, landing on the floor with a layered clack. "Oh, a little lost for words?" he asked, looking down at Mando. "Don't worry; you have nothing important to tell me."
The purple pony walked around the counter and into the room. Mando managed to rein in his fear enough to heave himself up onto the counter, but what he saw didn't make him feel better: the animatronics, his friends, stood around the purple pony, making slow jittery movements. Even Bonnie, who stood beside Mando, had her head down and her arms going up and down.
"B-bonnie?" Mando called quietly.
At first, nothing happened. Then, in a quick pale flash of light, Bonnie slowly turned her head toward Mando and the musician gasped: her eyes, those green sensors used for sniffing out suspicious figures, were glowing completely red.
"Did you notice?" the purple pony wondered aloud. "Yeah, your 'friends' can't hear you; they're completely under my control."
The purple pony raised his horn and a thick, harsh violet aura appeared around it. Mando squinted into the darkness and saw thin strands of purple trailing off the unicorn's strangely swirling aura and wrapping around the animatronics' heads.
"S-stop that!" Mando demanded. "Let them go! Who are you?!"
"So many questions, whichever should I answer first?" the purple pony trilled. "Ha! I'll choose whether a question is answered or not. But first, let's get you comfortable."
Another flash of light filled the room and blinded Mando. He felt his hooves get swept out from underneath him and a tight grip hold his body. Mando struggled and squirmed, but to no avail as he realized Bonnie, who was undoubtedly under the purple pony's control, was holding him.
With the unwilling earth pony in tow, Bonnie slowly strode over to the purple pony, who stood surrounded by the entranced animatronics. "Ah, the great MandoPony. I was intrigued when you took the night shift here, such a perilous job. One would think you want to get into trouble."
"The only trouble anypony's getting into will be you, for tampering with the animatronics' programming and preventing a Freddy Fazbear employee from fulfilling his duty." Mando retorted angrily.
"Spoken like a true puppet." The purple pony cackled at this. "'Puppet'. That's a good one."
"Wh-where is the puppet?" Mando finally decided to ask.
"Hm, that old hag? I was sure I'd finished her off right after."
What is he saying? What does he mean?
"But you shouldn't be worrying about her, no," the purple pony insisted. "Oh, you should be worried about yourself."
Mando did his best to put on a brave face. "What are you going to do?"
The unicorn looked surprised. "Why, I'm going to have you join the party, of course!"
A wave of purple magic flowed out from his horn, washing over the animatronics. Suddenly, Foxy ran down the hall at his frightening speed, while Bonnie handed Mando over to Freddy and Chica, who each grabbed his left and right legs respectively.
"What are you doing?" Mando asked again, attempting to struggle against the animatronics' combined stiffness.
The purple pony rushed over and put his face close to Mando's. "Listen and listen well, Charlie horse. You come here, with your goody-goody plans, hoping to help Freddy Fazbear's out of the junkyard and to finally discover who spirited away those foals." That last part, the unicorn said in a childish warble. "Foolish foals. Hadn't their parents taught them not to accept pizza from strangers? Well, too late for them."
He drew a hoof along Mangle's snout. "These animatronics are a true magi-scientific marvel. All that circuitry crammed into a large colorful suit; with space barely enough for a little pony to fit."
"Or is there?"
Using his strange magical strands, the purple pony beckoned Bonnie over to him. The blue lagomorph knelt down, putting her head level with him. The unicorn flicked his horn again, forcing Freddy and Chica to hold Mando's head straight so that he was facing him and Bonnie.
"Ready?" the purple pony asked, his grin becoming ever-more wicked as he slid one of his hooves into Bonnie's mouth.
Mando swallowed, but gave no other reaction. He feared what was about to come.
"Okay then!" With a glint in his eye and an unpleasantly graceful flourish, he wrenched Bonnie's head open, the lower jaw remaining flat while the entire upper part of the head flew back.
What he saw almost made Mando puke: inside of Bonnie's head, nestled where the wires slinked down her neck, was a little cream filly. Her eyes were closed and her expression was quiet, as though she were asleep. Her tri-colored mane was frayed and disheveled.
No..... no way.....
Things only got worse. The purple pony bent lower and, using his horn, forced open Bonnie's chest. This time, Mando felt his gorge rise as he beheld the filly's small form dangling inside the animatronic, her hooves spread-eagle among the circuitry. Splotches of red dotted her cream coat, the biggest of which surrounded a crimson incision on her chest.
That's where....
"I'm telling you, there's something invigorating in looking at past wounds," the purple pony exclaimed. "By that I mean wounds inflicted on others, of course."
The purple pony laughed, and Mando looked around the room. The evidence was unveiling itself before him. So this is the pony behind the foalnapping. Who is he, to have lured them into the pizzeria to be stuffed into suits, and why?
Then the worst of it hit him. No, not just foalnap. Murder. This freak tricked the ponies into following him and... Mando's eyes drifted back to the cut, the terrible encrusted cut on the filly's body.
That must mean... From the still filly's form, Mando's gaze leapt from animatronic to animatronic. Sibys was right. All the missing foals are inside the animatronics, maybe even since they've been reported missing!
"Why?"
"Hm?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Oh, that." The purple pony turned, giving Mando a view of his profile and, more importantly, his cutie mark. "You see this, mate? This is a drain. At first I thought this meant the greatest thing I'd have in my skill set would be excellent pipe laying and sewer cleaning and stuff like that. Of course, I never desired such a future, or the one I'm living in now.
"It all happened one fall day. I was sitting under a tree, enjoying the cool autumn breeze and wishing I could have a hoof in it like the pegasi. Then, all of a sudden, I hear this loud crack and look up to see a branch falling down toward me. It was a big branch and it would have left me seriously wounded."
A shame it obviously didn't, Mando thought bitterly.
"Do you know how I got out of that? It was quite amazing, really. I stood up, almost certain that my end had come, when my horn began to glow and the aura that appeared was swirling, really fast too. I felt this strange push in my horn so I pushed back, causing a huge gust of almost solid wind to burst out of it and knock the branch aside.
"I was astounded, I was; my horn pulled in a force of nature and forced it back out. The wind didn't even come back until the following day, but I didn't wait around. I tried my newfound magic talent on all kinds of things: water, light, fire, even plants.
"Then I tried my magic on something else: living creatures. First I used my power on small things like insects and mice and was met with little resistance. Then I moved on to bigger things like cats and dogs, which fought back a bit. But then came my youth's crowning achievement, when I tried to control another pony."
The unicorn shook his head. "It was like nothing I had felt before. The pony retaliated with so much power, I was afraid he was splitting my head open. My reaction was even more explosive: I yanked on the pony and threw him against a wall with my magic. When I saw him lying unconscious on the ground, I got scared and ran.
"It was a long time before I tried using my magic again, and by that time I had changed. Touching that other pony and attempting to subjugate him had opened my mind and twisted my reasoning. I had lost myself to the lure of power over others."
Although it all still horrified him, the purple pony's tale piqued Mando's interest. Is he telling the truth?
"So I gave in to the call: I would choose my victims carefully, preferring fillies and colts due to their weaker stamina. I would make them do things: jump around, imitate animals and stuff. Once in a while, it would get embarrassing for them, but that didn't stop me. Nothing stopped me.
"You wouldn't understand, MandoPony, the thrill of feeling their fear: their crying, their shouting, their pleading for mercy. I took it all in, and from it built what I am: frightening, horrifying, and drop-dead scary.
"And who better to share this persona with than children!"
The purple pony shoved his hoof under Mangle's jaw and forced her mouth open. Nestled inside the animatronic's head, jammed in amongst the wires, was the head of another filly. Her coat was grey and dirty, her braided mane unkempt and frayed. Her blue spectacles rested on Mangle's manufactured palette, leaning against her muzzle.
Silver Spoon!
If it wasn't bad enough that he was seeing this reality, Mando recognized the filly who's head sat inside Mangle's; she had actually attended his last concert and had come backstage for an autograph and hug, as Mando would do at all his performances. Now that he thought about it, Mando recalled one of the names of the foals who had gone missing in the whole Fazbear incident.
Silver Spoon... no...
"Oh yeah. This one was tricky," the purple pony said gleefully. "She must have seen me herd the others inside, and then sneaked in after us. After I finished shoving the first brats into the suits, I noticed she was there and reacted. Using my magic, I pulled on Foxy's arm, the one with the hook, and swipe!" He mimed the act, complete with sound effects. "And there went the head."
Mando's eyes bulged. This was getting worse and worse.
"Just kidding." The unicorn howled with laughter. "Her head was still on, but nothing was getting into it. I realized there were no more animatronics I could use to stuff her in so, using the strength of the other ones, we squeezed the little whelp and her head into Mangle. It was a real mess afterwards."
Oh, Faust....
"And yeah, that's it." The purple pony dropped Mangle's jaw back over Silver Spoon's face. "Six lovely dead foals inside six gloriously possessed animatronics.
"And now," he went on, letting his tongue slide over his lips, "you shall be joining them."
The purple pony waved his horn, causing Freddy and Chica to rise up, hoisting Mando off the ground. "How'll you do that?" Mando demanded, forcing his mouth to talk. "There aren't any.... Any animatronics left. If you k-k-ki...." He couldn't even finish the question.
"Oh, that? Minor detail, really. But fear not; I have thought ahead.
"To the Parts and Service Room."
Freddy and Chica marched out of the main room, with Mando struggling and shouting for all he was worth. The purple pony only laughed harder at the sound. "Go, children," he hissed at the remaining animatronics. "Go and help him into his formal attire."
As the unicorn's cackling continued, Foxy, Mangle and Balloon Boy scampered out into the Main Hall after their fellow machines. The pony noticed Bonnie standing there, frozen where he'd left her. "What's the matter, Bon?" he crooned, stroking her blue fiberglass body. "Don't you want to witness the assimilation of your new bandmate?"
Bonnie didn't reply. What she did do was turn her eyes up at the violet unicorn and swing her heavy fist at him. The purple pony leapt nimbly aside and flicked his horn, pulling on Bonnie's arms and legs like a puppet on strings and smashing her against the wall.
"Still trying to win, hm?" the purple pony gloated, standing over Bonnie. "Well, listen here, whelp. You're done for. I took your life and imprisoned you inside there; you are under my control. There's no hero coming to help; the bad guy is the victor here. So unless you want me to rewire your mouth and break your heart properly, just stop it."
Bonnie rolled her eye at him; her green eye. "You... krk... won't.... Mando, krtch.... Stop...." her voice box crackled.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that."
With another harsh laugh, the purple pony waved his horn and teleported out of sight.
The moment he left, Bonnie rose to her feet. As she struggled to regain her balance, her eyes fell on the instrument lying on the floor: MandoPony's mandolin. He had dropped it when Bonnie, under the purple pony's control, grabbed him. Looking at the mandolin now brought it all back to the animatronic.
Oh, Mando... I'm sorry.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!"
The ear-piercing scream irritated Bonnie's artificial hearing and her ears bent in half at the sound. Doing her best to ignore the thoughts leaping through her shared mind, Bonnie sat down with her back against the Show Stage and strummed the borrowed mandolin. The soothing notes calmed her sensors and she nodded her head as the lyrics from last night came to her.
Let's try to make it right
Don't want to start a fight
And we're so sorry if we give you all a little fright
We're not so scary if you see us in the daylight
You'll be so happy just as long as you survive the night
Hey there, how ya doin', nice to meet ya, are ya new in town
Don't think I've seen you befo-ore, it's great to see new faces around
And if you'd like it, I can give a tour
Of our enchanting wonderland, new and improved without the doors
There's no escape, but then, who would want to leave?
It's a fantastical paradise, and it's not make-believe
I'm so glad to have another member of the band
You're one of us now, so let me take you by the hand
Bonnie strummed the last chord slowly. The words ended, but the tune was still fresh in her mind. Another scream battered her ears, coming from down the Main Hall. Bonnie scrunched up her metallic features and strummed the mandolin again, new words forming deep in her head.
But what is that I spy, with my robotic eye?
I think I see a bit of flesh inside the new guy
Maybe he isn't everything that he seems
Time to investigate what's underneath the seams!
As Bonnie repeated the chorus, she heard a creaking noise. Looking up at the still-open gift box, she beheld the tall thin figure rising out of it. At first, Bonnie saw only the tip of the white-masked face, but the rest of the being slowly followed.
Does it like the music? she wondered. More cries of anguish and pain echoed through the pizzeria, reminded Bonnie of the purple pony's words and gave her new and unfortunate ideas to work with.
In this world we play, we hope that you will stay
And we will throw a most electrifying soiree
Formal attire is required for you to take part
You've got some skin that needs removing before we sta-art
One final strum. The last line. Bonnie let her arms hang loosely, the mandolin sitting askew across her knees. The puppet arched its legs over the counter and approached the mechanical lagomorph. It looked down at Bonnie, its expression frozen.
Save him
"I can't," Bonnie replied, her voice smaller than before. "He got away again. I was too weak."
You must do what you can
"But what more can I do?"
Watch. Watch and remember. It's not your fault, but you must bear witness with the others. There will be a time for strings again, for both sides, and when that happens you must be ready
Bonnie gazed off into the distance, vision being blocked by the merry-go-round. The scream came again, but it was quieter in a final way. Then for a long time all was silent. Bonnie slowly stood up, the mandolin dangling from her loose grip.
"There's nothing left. There's nothing to do."
Her words fell on no ears; the puppet had vanished and the gift box was closed. Feeling her damaged heart pump electrons, Bonnie shuffled down the Main Hall and approached the Parts and Service Room. She could hear a mixture of heavy breathing and whirring servos coming from inside.
Pushing the door open, Bonnie walked into the dimly lit back room, where the other animatronics were assembled, their eyes returned to normal. Foxy was sitting in the corner, back slumped against the wall and head between his knees. Balloon Boy traced the words on his sign with a finger. Mangle rocked her heads back and forth slowly.
Bonnie approached Chica and Freddy, who stood on either side of the table in the center. In their eyes was a reflected sight: a tall broad form, prone in a resting position, the color of dull gold. |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | Programmed and Ready To Go | Since the disappearance of the foals, Freddy Fazbear's had never been as worried as they were now.
Pewter Pie arrived at the pizzeria that morning to open up and found Wildfire already there. Having finished her meeting, the pegasus had hurried over to the pizzeria, hoping to see her coltfriend the moment the doors opened. But when she and Pewter entered, MandoPony wasn't there.
They ran through the entire establishment, calling out to Mando and listening for a reply, but were met with only echoes. Pewter called Marcolt over and all Fazbear employees were summoned to the pizzeria for an emergency search. Like yesterday, the place swarmed with ponies, but for a different reason.
In the end, they were met with no success. Everything else was perfect: the tables were set, the floors were scrubbed and the animatronics were in their places, as they were yesterday. But MandoPony had disappeared.
When the time came for the birthday ponies to arrive, the Fazbear employees had no choice but to proceed with the arrangements, although they did so with heavy hearts. Marcolt set up a private table in the corner of the central room for the distraught Wildfire, her face wet with tears. It seemed wrong to put a sad pony in the midst of partying folk, but no one objected when she sat.
"Where can he be?" Pewter hissed out of the corner of his mouth, serving another pizza. "Everything was locked. What did he use, the garbage disposal?"
"We don't have one of those," Cheese murmured as he passed by with party favors. "He's probably hiding somewhere."
"Where could he still be hiding?" Applejack objected. "We searched everywhere, even the gift box and the Parts and Service room; there's nowhere left for him to hide. And do you really think he'd still be hiding? His girl is in tears."
The employees eventually got swept up in all the cheer of the partying ponies, most of them young fillies and colts. One of foals--the birthday colt, Missile Toe--noticed Wildfire alone in her corner, and left his table to go see what was going on.
"Excuse me, miss," he said, gently tapping the mare on the leg.
"Hm?" Wildfire lifted her gaze, and Missile shrunk back a bit at the sight of her wet red eyes. "Yes?"
"I just... I just wanted to know, why are you so sad?"
Wildfire stared at the colt to the uncomfortable point. Missile pursued. "We're just all so happy; I'm happy; it's my birthday after all, but... It doesn't seem right, since I see that you're not happy. Is there... something I can do?"
Sniff. Wildfire wiped her eyes and forced a smile. "No, I'm afraid not. But thank you for asking, little one. Please, go enjoy your party and don't worry about me."
Missile Toe frowned, unconvinced, but he nodded and went back to the table with his friends. Wildfire watched them for a moment, and then turned back to the wall with a miserable expression. Marcolt saw all this go down from the side, his own face a mask of disapproval.
It's not right. This was supposed to be a grand day for Freddy Fazbear's, but now it's shot through with sadness. What did Wildfire do to deserve this misery? And where the buck is Mando?
With his head down to conceal his face, Marcolt trotted through the pizzeria until he was standing before the Parts and Service room. He looked up at the door, glanced around the vicinity and walked in. As always, it was just him, some spare suit parts, and Foxy.
Marcolt walked over to the slumped animatronic and sighed. "Things aren't looking so great, Foxy," he began. "Today was supposed to be the big day, but instead it's turning to disaster: MandoPony's disappeared, his mare's grieving and he's expected to play at the party. I don't know what to do."
The stallion looked up at Foxy's empty eye sockets. He wondered what it would be like to be an animatronic like Foxy, being told what to do and just following instructions, ignoring anything past your programming. Normally, Marcolt didn't envy another's existence, but this was hardly normal times.
"It's going to fall apart," Marcolt murmured. "We won't get another chance after this. Word will get out of MandoPony's going poof, then there'll be more inspecting and the place will be shut down for sure. The rest of us will be out of a job while you and the others will likely get scrapped. It's all over...."
Rrrrrr clank!
Foxy's hook suddenly fell, clattering against the tiles. Marcolt had jumped at the initial sound, but closer inspection showed the hook undoubtedly pointing, towards the corner of the room. In the corner, Marcolt saw a long box which he was sure wasn't there when they'd searched the place. Curiosity getting the better of him, Marcolt carefully flipped the box open. His eyes glinted when he beheld what was inside.
"Boss?" A knock came at the Parts and Service door and Truffles poked her head. "Boss, you alright? Did you find something?"
Marcolt stood over the box, unable to take his eyes off of its contents. "Truffles, get Septickite and his programming kit. Those kids are going to get a show like no other." *
Wildfire cradled her mug of juice, eyes staring blearily over it. She had left her meeting in the highest of spirits, looking forward to spending the end of Mando's night shift together, but she'd been met with shock and despair. Now she had no idea where he even was.
Did he just leave on his own, or did something happen to him? she wondered again. Countless scenarios leapt to her mind, becoming more and more fantastical as she sat there alone. All I want is for him to come back. Mando...
"Hello, my little ponies!"
Wildfire looked up upon hearing the voice; she recognized the cheery tinny tone of her project. The party ponies jumped out of their seats, clamoring as they hurried over to the stage upon which Freddy Fazbear himself stood, microphone in hand.
"Firstly, I'd like to wish a happy birthday to today's special pony, Missile Toe!" Freddy waited as the foals and employees applauded, their hooves rattling the floor. "And to celebrate this special day, we're going to sing a little song."
Chica and Bonnie stepped out on either side of Freddy, earning another round of applause. "But before we get to the show, we've got a surprise for you all. We're joined today by a special guest; our newest band member!"
Eager silence overcame the crowd. From behind the stage came another towering animatronic. Its body shone like gold, hoofed feet holding it tall and sturdy. A gamboge mane and tail swished around it with every movement. Its face was equine, made to resemble a pony. In its fingered hands, it held a mandolin.
"MANDOPONY!"
The foals cheered, yelling and clopping their hooves together as they looked upon the new animatronic. Wildfire's eyes widened as she too beheld the figure; the animatronic looked just like Mando, as though the designer had him personally to model it after him. Her heart beat faster and faster as her longing was pacified by her love for the musician, resurfaced at the mechanical hands of the animatronic.
"Hey, everypony!" the Mando animatronic said, his voice as accurate as his design. "Thank you all for coming to Missile Toe's birthday party. I'm sure you're all happy to be here. I know I am.
"Now who's ready to rock?!"
Once again the clamoring sound of excited ponies shook the pizzeria. The animatronics took up their positions, their programming preparing them for the performance. The music began and Wildfire became still as she was enraptured by the Mando animatronic, its voice, its playing and its song.
You see me soaring through the sky
I see you below as you walk on by
I can clear the sky in ten seconds flat
Well how about that? Well how about that?
I could be sitting her on a cloud
Watchin' the sun as it starts to go down
The only thing missing is you by my side
Give me a smidge of confidence
Give me a speck of something that makes sense
Gimmie an idea of dependency
Give me a Dash of loyaltyyyheeeeheee!
Loyalty....
Well I could save my lonely soul for you
But the feelin' in my heart can't follow through
You can give your broken heart to me
'Cause you know that I'll stay with you
That's why they call me Loyalty...
Wildfire had to clutch her chest for fear of her heart beating its way out. Loyalty was one of Mando's first songs, written together with his fellow musician Acoustic, and the first he wrote after meeting Wildfire**. Hearing the animatronics play made it feel like Mando was right up there on stage, playing his heart and soul as he did always.
The foals, on the other hoof, were swept up right into it. Several of them stood up and started dancing, which forced the others to either skirt out of the way or join in. The Fazbear employees started tapping their hooves in time with the music, their smiles stretched as wide as XL-pizza dough.
The sun shines bright yet the rain pours on
Rainbow's here one minute and then they're gone
They remind me of me and you
What did you do? What did I do?
DETERMINATION in those eyes
Where has it gone, has it said goodbye
A lot has happened, but I'll stay by your side
Give me a smidge of confidence
Give me a speck of something that makes sense
Gimmie an idea of dependency
Give me a Dash of loyaltyyyheeeeheee!
Loyalty....
Well I could save my lonely soul for you
But the feelin' in my heart can't follow through
You can give your broken heart to me
'Cause you know that I'll stay with you
That's why they call me Loyalty...
Time stands still when you're with me...
How can I make you see?
Your crazy antics make me want to scream...
Your name so loud 'till my throat starts to bleeeeeeed
To bleeeeeeeed!
By now, nearly everypony in Freddy Fazbear's was on their hooves and rocking out. The birthday party had become a dance party in full swing: Missile led the foals on a conga line; Marcolt was leading a little filly around the floor; several ponies started doing The Navigator***; Truffles and Cheese struck up a waltz, oblivious to the others.
Wildfire watched it all from the side, drawn between the performers and the dancers. She felt the music flow through her, tempting her to join the partygoers in hoof-tapping merriment, but she knew she could never move from her place as long as the Mandotronic sang his song.
Oh Mando....
As the golden animatronic played, Wildfire felt more and more drawn to him, as if it really were MandoPony. Her eyes remained glued on his tall form, his metal fingers strumming the small mandolin with mechanical precision and skill. As the interlude ended, the animatronics broke out into a louder chorus as they sang the last repeated part in programmed harmony.
Well I could save my lonely soul for you
But the feelin' in my heart can't follow through
You can give your broken heart to me
'Cause you know that I'll stay with you
That's why they call, that's why they call me-e
Well I could save my lonely soul for you
But the feelin' in my heart can't follow through
You can give your broken heart to meehee
'Cause you know that I'll stay with you
That's why they call me Lo-yal-ty!
The Mandotronic played three final chords before raising his hand over the crowd. "Thank you, Equestria!" He and the other animatronics walked off the stage to the deafening applause of the foals, the employees and Wildfire.
As the party resumed its previous state, now accompanied by exclamations of the performance, Marcolt walked over to the lonely mare. Wildfire seemed frozen, her head tilted to one side, a lazy smile splayed across her face.
"That was beautiful."
Marcolt swallowed. "Honestly, it was a surprise for me too. We just found that animatronic, packaged and waiting in the Parts and Service room."
"Pewter and I checked the back room; there was nothing there," Wildfire said with a frown.
"I know it doesn't make sense, but that's where it was." The earth pony sighed, exhaling into his pink mustache. "Strange things are coming into play, Wildfire. Mando's disappearance is no coincidence and I'm taking full responsibility."
Wildfire took a sip from her mug and stood up, her gaze far-off. "Maybe... maybe he had to go somewhere, really badly, and the animatronic was intended to take his place performing here today..."
"Wildfire..."
"I'll go home now; maybe Mando will come directly. If he shows up here instead, please call me."
"Of course."
"Thank you, Marcolt." Wildfire approached him and gave the pizzeria owner a hug, which he was quite surprised to receive. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.
"................"
Leaving Marcolt to his silence, Wildfire side-stepped the rushing employees, wished Missile Toe a happy birthday and left the pizzeria. As she trotted down the street, ponies could hear her humming to herself.
"You can give your broken heart to me.... That's why they call me Loyalty...." *
I will continue, aaah aah....
The last lyrics left the Mandotronic's speakers and the ponies burst into applause again. The performance was like nothing they'd ever seen before, and all of it good. After Silverlay's Theme ended, Missile Toe's mother took Marcolt aside.
"This is my son's best birthday party ever!" Rocket Socks declared. "I've never seen him happier."
"I'm glad to hear that," Marcolt said.
"The MandoPony animatronic is amazing, too. Though I thought MandoPony himself would be here; he does the night shift, doesn't he?"
"Oh, yes. He... he did do his night shift, but he left right after."
"His mare was here," Rocket recalled. "Wouldn't they have gone together?"
OMG, lady, stop being so nosey. "Wildfire stayed to give us some input on the new animatronic, having been on the designer team for the rest of them."
"Oh. That's fair, I suppose." Rocket Socks looked at Missile, sitting in front of the stage as the band prepared for their next song. "I'm really glad to see Freddy Fazbear's coming back after that rough business. Everypony loves the dear place."
"I wish we could find the foals," Marcolt murmured. "Responsibility was practically thrust upon us, being the scene of the crime."
"Mr. Plier, not a single employee of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza could ever have committed something as cruel as foalnapping. Whoever it was is an outsider and will be brought to justice in due time."
"It's good to hear your thoughts from another pony's mouth."
Rocket flashed a smile. "We must support one another to get through tough times."
"Yep."
From across the room, the MandoPony animatronic called out. "Okay, my little ponies, this next song is about an unsolved mystery, about a pony with a different mindset than the rest of us. A pony who involves himself with others in ways we could barely imagine. Hit it, Bonnie!"
Bonnie's guitar let out a bar of heavy notes, sending a tremor through the floor and into the foals, further exhilarating them. Mando added his own strings to the song and the words soon followed.
Time for the main attraction
The story must be told
Time for a chain reaction
It never gets old
Some bots get satisfaction, brea-king the mold
Some bots are just distractions
Some bots are just gold
♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
I'm not the bad guy
I'm just a bit surprising
It's not worth losing sleep
It's not worth analyzing
There was a time, not so long ago at all
I was just like you, can you hear my call?
Now I'm poppin' in, over here, over there
I'll be checkin' in, but you'll never be aware
In the beginning, I've kept a keen eye
On the state of affairs with the new guy
Now I got a new gig, let me know if ya dig
Ain't going home so I better go big
Just gotta glance at CAM 2B
Then you get a little surprise
IT'S ME
You may say that I'm breaking your mind
In my opinion, you're much too kind
Time for the main attraction
The story must be told
Time for a chain reaction
It never gets old
Some bots get satisfaction, brea-king the mold
Some bots are just distractions
Some bots are just gold
♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♪
You did a good job
Watching those little screams
It warms my servos and circuits
To hear some fresh--
CRRRRRRRTCHK
A spark suddenly went off in MandoPony's neck and his voicebox gargled. His arms went limp and he keeled over, collapsing on the floor right in front of the shocked party foals. Freddy and the others stopped too, their hands and mouths frozen.
"Oh no. No, no, no no no no."
Marcolt and some other employees rushed past the screaming foals to the animatronics. Marcolt struggled to flip MandoPony over and found all his servos had stopped. Even his power was cut.
"How did this happen?" Marcolt muttered to himself. He turned to the other ponies. "What happened to them?"
"I can't understand it, Marcolt," Pewter Pie replied from beside Chica. "They all just stopped working. Everything's operational, but nothing's active."
"Damn it."
"Mister Marcolt, sir?"
Marcolt turned to find Missile and his friends, all looking solemn and sad. "Is MandoPony alright?" the colt asked.
I wish I knew. "He'll be fine, but I'm afraid to say he won't be able to play anymore for you."
"Awwww!" a disappointed cry rang out from the foals.
"I promise we'll get him fixed as soon as possible, but for now the show must go on."
"We could probably get Freddy and the gang working within an hour, but the Mandotronic is out indefinitely," Sceptikite reported.
Meadow muffins. "Okay kids, back to the party! It's time for the cake."
With their heads hanging, the foals returned to their seats and Truffles wheeled out the cake. Marcolt and Applejack began working on Freddy and the others, but the pink-mustached earth pony couldn't help but look up as Pewter and Cheese hoisted up the golden animatronic and whisked him down the Main Hall to the Parts and Service room.
Just as fast as we regained MandoPony, so are we losing him again, Marcolt thought with a heavy heart. Will things never go back to normal at Freddy Fazbear's?
Lacking an answer, Marcolt sighed and started rewiring Bonnie. |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | Reset to Zero | Minutes before midnight, Wildfire returned to the pizzeria. The birthday party had been over for hours, but Freddy Fazbear's party was coming to a stop all too soon. Even though Marcolt and Applejack had managed to get the animatronics back up and running, their singing was tuneless, as though the Mandotronic's absence broke their harmony.
Needless to say, the foals were sad and the grownups were discontent.
Though Missile Toe had insisted his party was mostly a blast, his mother Rocket Socks held sadly that the failure of the animatronics would not bode well for the pizzeria. Though she probably didn't know how harsh it sounded, she rubbed it in further saying how the incident just added to the unsolved mystery hanging around Fazbear's and that the pizzeria was in trouble.
Marcolt didn't think his day, Freddy's day, could get any worse until he saw Wildfire walk through the double doors, her stride determined. At first, Marcolt feared she would bring similar comments as did Rocket, but what the mare did say felled his jaw to the confetti-covered floor.
"Give me the night shift."
She didn't take no for an answer. Even as Marcolt attempted to deter her, Wildfire gently tipped him out of the Office chair, donned a security cap and began working the monitor. Having been on the animatronic designer team, she had gained some insight on the camera system of the pizzeria itself and so required no instruction.
Marcolt wanted to tell her, wanted to stop her from taking the night shift, but something in his mind screamed of approval, a feeling that her will to do it rang true with Mandopony's and this only seemed appropriate. At a minute to midnight, the Freddy Fazbear staff gathered in the Office to wish the pegasus good luck and that their thoughts were all on MandoPony.
Wildfire didn't even sniff.
"She shouldn't be doing this," Marcolt said as Pewter locked the doors from the outside. "She's faced too much to go through a night shift now."
"Can't do nothing, boss," Pewter said, tucking away the key. "If we'd tried to move her, she would have slipped an extra-brick-cheese pizza under her rump and beat us back with empty boxes. Sabrina Wildfire ain't no flower pony."
"No..... I hope she succeeds."
Wildfire watched Marcolt and the others disappear through the doors. Once the lock sounded, she turned her attention to the monitor, twisting the security cap viciously around her head. She flipped through the camera feeds, her eyes focused on the animatronics scattered through the pizzeria.
"Come and get me." *
The moment Bonnie heard the clock strike midnight, she leapt off the stage and made a beeline for the Parts and Service room. From all corners of the pizzeria, animatronics rushed over to see what had become of their comrade-in-mechanical arms. When they got there, they found Foxy already about, bending over the prone suit of MandoPony.
Bonnie took a step closer, fearing the worst. "Is he...."
Foxy shook his head. "There still be some fight in him. But whatever it was that struck him down cost him any life that was left in him when.... when we...."
"No." Freddy put a hand on their shoulders. "None of that. Let's see if we can get him up."
So the six animatronics came together, working tirelessly on their own accord in an attempt to resurrect the failing Mandotronic. But despite all their part swaps, reprogramming and recharges, nothing would bring the golden animatronic to. Finally, in a temper, Balloon Boy wrenched open the Mandotronic's chest, exposing the blood-stained split and crushed torso inside, as well as the heart within.
Upon contact with the musty air of the Parts and Service room, the heart pumped in a gust of oxygen, sending nature's magic through the failing pony inside the suit and powering up the whole set. With a cough, the Mandotronic sat up suddenly.
"Yes!" Mangle squealed. Chica and Freddy bounced in their places. Balloon Boy winked at Foxy.
Bonnie quickly took the golden animatronic's arm. "Mando, are you okay?"
The Mandotronic coughed again, expelling dust particles from its mechanical jaw. "Yeah, yeah I'm good," he said, his voice as tinny as any of them. "Thanks, guys."
"We deserve no thanks at all for getting you into this mess," Chica sighed. "If it weren't for us, you'd still be alive, flesh and blood."
"I was going to perform on that stage anyway," Mando countered, touching the yellow animatronic's chin. "You guys just got me in costume."
A chorus of nervous chuckles rippled through the room. "Not quite what we had in mind," Balloon Boy muttered.
"No, probably not." Mando twiddled his plastic-alloy thumbs. "What is the Purple Pony playing at? What does he want with all of us?"
"Nothing," Freddy answered. "He just wants to frighten, to confuse, to destroy. He's just a messed-up, damaged, corrupt creature."
Mando sighed. "That sounds so simple. Too simple. It doesn't seem real."
"You're inside a mechanical costume of yourself that's leeching off your life force," Mangle reminded him. "Reality hurts."
"True enough."
An awkward silence settled on the animatronics. For once in many moons of being awakened, the Freddy Fabear crew was at a loss for words. Fortunately -- or rather unfortunately -- the silence was broken by Mando suddenly grunting, falling back down onto the table and coughing up large clouds of dust.
"Oh snap, oh crud, oh dear, oh meadow muffins!" Balloon Boy exclaimed as the others quickly examined MandoPony. "Can I use that fancy Prench word?"
"No," Freddy said sternly, turning his attention back to Mando's equine heart. "His blood's not going fast enough to sustain the suit."
"His servos are failing," Chica wailed, holding up Mando's leg which had gone limp. "Oh, Celestia."
MandoPony blinked, his eyes flashing from green to red to gold. "Will I.... will I make it?" he whispered, feeling his voicebox beginning to give way.
Bonnie looked into Mando's flashing eyes. She wanted to tell him he'd be fine, to hide the truth staring them in the face and give him hope. But she held back from replying, leaving Mando to sigh again and look to the ceiling. "You know... I heard you playing last night."
Enticed, Bonnie turned her attention back to Mando. "W-what?"
"Last night, while the others were forced to work on me, I heard my mandolin being played. I knew at once who it was playing it. To hear my mandolin played by someone else so beautifully, it was like hearing the voice of magic itself. It reminded me of the truth and it made me determined to keep going, despite what I was going through. For that, I thank you, Bonnie.... whoever you really are in there."
Moisture pumped into the corner of Bonnie's eyes, becoming rivers down her cheeks. The tears splashed down on MandoPony's arm and dripped onto the oily floor. Bonnie tightened her grip around the mandolin in her hands, recalling the night she had first seen its owner play it. "An admirer."
Mando's left brow whirred upwards half an inch. "It was nice to meet you," he murmured, his voice getting weaker. "Again..."
"We're losing him," Freddy clamoured, attempting to connect Mando's power cords to the wall socket, "we're losing him!"
The others moved flusterdly, panic threatening to sabotage their effort. Bonnie grabbed the golden animatronic's hands in her own, the mandolin held between them. "Don't give up, Mando," she pleaded. "You can still... You still can...."
"Can...." came Mando's voice, barely a whisper. Golden fingers tightened on blue. "Save...."
As the cast of Freddy Fazbear's crouched around the golden animatronic, the stallion's heart inside it gave a few weak pumps, struggling to fulfill its purpose. It slowed down further and further until its last beat, the organ now so weak it didn't quite finish the pumping action. With no blood sending oxygen to the necessary places and the tampering already done to the suit, MandoPony's last breath exited both his lips of flesh and animatronic jaw in a cloud of dust. His eyes stopped flashing and the lights faded.
NOOOO!
Bonnie's cry echoed off the walls of the dusty room, bouncing out into the hall and reverberating throughout the pizzeria. Had anypony heard the grieving sound, they would have immediately been overcome by sadness, not fully understanding why. As it was, only one mare heard the sound, her ears pricking as she jumped in place at the unexpected scream.
What was that? Wildfire wondered, her nerves suddenly shot. With wide eyes, she quickly flipped through the camera feed, locating every animatronic accounted for in the Parts and Service room, crowding around a shiny form on the table. It barely took a moment for the pegasus to realize what it was and why she heard the cry.
Was an animatronic just.... Terminated?"
"Yep. And now, so are you."
Before Wildfire could register that A) she'd said that last word aloud, and B) somepony had sneaked up behind her without her noticing, a heavy blow was dealt to her head and knocked her unconscious. Wildfire slumped forward while a shadowy figure stood over her, grinning madly.
"That's the eye in the sky taken care of. Now, where did I put my uniform?" *
"It's over."
Freddy's voice cut through the spell of silence like a hot knife through butter. The animatronics felt their damaged hearts go out to their lost band member. MandoPony had been there for them since the start; he liked them, sympathized with them and the pizzeria's problems, and even tried to help. And it killed him.
The flow of Bonnie's tears intensified, brought up from the filly's head to her face-recognition equipment. Her ears flopped downwards, far further than they had been designed to flop. The rest of the crew acted similarly, expressing their emotions beyond their original capabilities.
"GrrrrAARH!" Foxy punched the wall with his fist. "This ain't right. Mando can't die; he just started here."
"He played right into the Purple Pony's hooves," Freddy muttered, his eyes shadowed beneath the brim of his hat. "We knew what was coming and we didn't try to stop it."
I did, Bonnie thought promptly. But it didn't matter in the end. I wasn't strong enough. I failed
"But wait, if he's dead, won't he come alive and walk around with us during the nights?" Mangle inquired hesitantly.
Chica shook her head. "He's more than dead, Mangle; he's broken. His animatronic body can't sustain him. There's nothing left..."
Hope snatched out from under her, Mangle detached her spindly body from the ceiling and crashed onto the floor. "Why don't we get another chance?!" she cried out, hammering the ground. "We could have helped him, we could have!"
Balloon Boy reached over to Mangle and gently patted her heads. "It's not your fault," he said quietly. It's not any of our faults."
"Oh, but it is mine."
The animatronics all froze and their eyes turned to the door. There stood a tall figure, yellow and dusty. Within the twin depths of its decrepit head, darkness stared back. Its posture was awkward, one shoulder slouching as though it were uncomfortable and weighed down. Blood visibly dripped down from the wire-spilling joints, slowly forming a puddle at its feet.
"Hello, children. How's the pizza coming along?" |
Tale of a Tainted Mandolin | To Live Again | "You!" Freddy growled, opening and closing his fists. "I ought to tear you to scrap for what you've done."
"Go ahead and try it. You know it won't work."
The golden figure stumbled in and another came behind it, a stallion with a black cloud of a mane and a coat of devious purple. His eyes glinted with a maniacal shine. "The golden suits aren't like your own little cages," he said tauntingly. "It's an older model, springlocks. It'd be hard to squeeze a pony into a suit built for wearing."
Foxy hefted his claw. "Ye think that's funny, ye murderous dog?"
The purple pony stared him down with his mad grin. "Mocking you dead fleshy foals in your animatronic graves? Absolutely."
The golden springlock animatronic stomped forwards. Mangle scampered away, pushing herself up onto the wall. Balloon Boy and Chica edged away from the approaching bear, fear spreading across their plastic-alloy features. Freddy rushed over and stood in its way, staring the golden bear in the dark sockets.
"Keep your freaksuit away from my friends, purple mule."
"Give it a rest, Freddy. I'll do what I like."
And with a flick of his purple horn, the golden springlock suit launched itself at Freddy. The two bears fell to the floor, tussling wildly. Freddy roared murderously, swiping at his adversary with his large hands. The springlock suit's movements were a bit sluggish but just as strong, and it held its own against Freddy under the purple pony's power.
Bonnie and the others threw themselves against the wall, trying to avoid the bear fight. The purple pony followed the tumbling bear animatronics as they rolled around the Parts and Service room, tipping over shelves of robotic appendages and kicking up layers of dust. Bonnie looked up and noticed that the way to the door was clear.
"Everyone out, quick!"
The others heard her and obeyed at once. Balloon Boy, Foxy and Chica scampered out the door, while Mangle leapt onto the ceiling and crossed the lintel into the Main Hall. Bonnie rushed after them but turned around when she reached MandoPony. The golden pony animtronic had gotten knocked to the floor during Freddy's still-ongoing fight with his springlock counterpart, and had fallen to pieces. In the center of the wreckage, MandoPony's ruined body lay sprawled, eyes staring emptily out of their original sockets.
I'm sorry, MandoPony, Bonnie thought sadly, laying a hand on his chest. She stood up to leave but stopped herself, bending back down and scooping the dead pony into her arms before running back to the door. Bonnie glanced back in, only to find the purple pony staring right back at her with his piercing gaze.
"Oh?"
Bonnie didn't wait to see what the murderer was going to do but ran out the door, hugging Mandopony close to her chest, hoping with all her being that Freddy would be okay. She ran down the Main Hall and into the central foyer of the pizzeria, where Foxy, Chica and Balloon Boy were standing, looking around with sheer panic in their eyes.
"You brought MandoPony," Chica said in a low whisper of a voice.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't just leave him and -- "
"No no, you did the right thing, Bon." Chica put a reassuring hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "We can't leave him behind."
"Wait a second, where's Mangle?" Bonnie asked after looking around the room.
Balloon Boy shook his head. "She left the Parts and Service room, but I don't think she came down the Hall with us."
"Well, where could she be?" Foxy wondered.
"Guys!"
A collection of clumsy clunking sounds echoed from the Main Hall and Mangle scurried onto the foyer ceiling. She was going so fast, she lost her grip and fell, grabbing Foxy's shoulder to avoid crashing onto the floor. "I just came in from the Office!" she panted, trying to collect herself. "Freddy and that golden freak are now in the hallway leading to it. I saw the purple pony looking into the Party Rooms, so I don't think he saw me."
"What were ye doing in the Office?" Foxy questioned, helping her up onto the merry-go-round roof.
"Looking for the security guard! She's gone!"
Shock settled in with the rest of the animatronics' mixed feelings. Even at a time like this, the lack of a security guard was not a comforting thought. "Wait, wasn't there a new security guard tonight?" Balloon Boy asked, wringing his hands. "Who was it?"
Bonnie's gaze fell to the floor, her eyes falling open. She clutched her head in her hands, wishing she had hair to pull on but could barely attain traction as it was. Did the purple pony make a detour before coming to torment his old victims? Would he continue his spree long after his original crime?
"Bonnie?" Chica called, noticing the blue animatronic's reaction. "What is-"
"Wildfire."
"Correct again, Bon."
Heavy footsteps echoed into the foyer. The golden springlock suit stomped inside, the purple pony walking in its wake. With a silent heave, the springlock animatronic threw down a dirty and beat Freddy Fazbear, his eyes open and ungazing at the pizzeria's florescent lights.
"Freddy!" Chica fell to his side, her wings working their way over his plastic-alloy body. She looked to the purple pony with murder in her eyes. "What did you do?"
"Oh, he's not broken or anything. Just put down for a little while. He's really a pain in the flank, you get me?" The unicorn turned the Bonnie, his grin unrelenting. "You're right again. Your eye in the sky for tonight was Sabrina Wildfire, the MandoPony's special somepony. I had to poke that eye out, as I couldn't have the authorities coming for me this time either. Of course, with no suits to spare, I had to shove her somewhere else."
The golden bear's hands, glowing with a deadly purple light, rose up to his steely face and gripped his cranium and jaw. With slow, almost careful movements, the two were pulled apart, revealing a frame of tightly wound springlocks that gave the suit its name and power, and that which was framed between them: a mare's head, beauty marred by fresh oozing scratches and black oil, her luscious brown mane torn and caught among the springs.
"No..."
"Ho, YES! This feels just like old times! Only one thing will can make it better."
The purple pony drew an ax out from behind the doorway. The grey metal glinted menacingly in the violet light of his magic aura. "It's like this, kids. I lucked out when I snuffed and stuffed the lot of you. The police were baffled, the pizzeria got a shred of blame and I got away. After this one, though, I may not get off so easily. So, I'm quite sad to say, I'll have to put you out for good this time. No refunds." *
The dusty naked bulb swung slower and slower, after being thrown into a wild spin by Freddy's fight with the golden springlock suit. The light passed again and again over the strewn pieces of the Mandotronic, shining into the black unseeing sockets of its head. Huge motes of dust emphasized the stark light within the Parts and Service room, among the few things moving within it.
From the dark shadows in the corner, to which the swinging lamp could not reach, the tall thin figure of the Puppet emerged. Its long legs floated over the grungy floor, its arms with its long-reaching fingers swaying loosely beside it. The Puppet flew across the room and hovered before the silent golden mess of suit. Its black gaze searched the Mandotronic up and down, its purple tear-trails on its smiling face stupefying emotion identification.
Once again, he comes for blood. This time, however, we will not go down peacefully.
The Puppet put its long-fingered hands together, a soft light emanating between them. A tiny speck began to grow within the ball of light, growing in size and detail until it appeared as a white red-ribbon-tied gift box. The Puppet spun its fingers around the box, causing the ribbon to pull itself untied and the freed lid to lift up. As though in response, the scattered pieces of the Mandotronic rose into the air and vanished impossibly into the foot-by-foot box.
Twirling its fingers around the gift box, now containing the manipulated animatronic parts, and capped it off with the lid. The ribbon tied itself back on, sealing the box as it had appeared. The Puppet pulled its hands apart and the gift box phased out of sight. It then turned its blank-eyed gaze toward the door of the Parts and Service room, noises coming from down the hall.
Give Gifts,
Just as it had appeared, the Puppet floated back into the shadows, this time with a purpose.
Give Life. 🎁
The main room of the pizzeria had descended into chaos. Bonnie and the gang were scattered around, trying their best to avoid the clutching grasps of the controlled springlock suit and the mad ax-swinging of the purple pony. Balloon Boy and Mangle had retreated to the merry-go-round, accidentally turning it on. Chica was behind the Prize Corner, lobbing stuffed plush toys over the counter at the purple pony as a distraction. Foxy was locked in combat with the springlock suit, doing his utmost to limit its movements to avoid setting it off with Wildfire still inside it.
On the stage, Bonnie had pulled MandoPony and a barely stirring Freddy Fazbear behind the curtain, though she knew the purple pony would be on to them in no time. Peeking past the curtains, she watched the frightening scene unfold, the ferocious glinting of the ax blade, Foxy's hook and the purple pony's ever-present smile reflecting the dingy light in the room.
This won't work. He's going to win again, and no one will ever know the truth...
These dismal thoughts were doing no favors to Bonnie's already-pained psyche, and her eyes fell on MandoPony's still form once again. And you had to be the first this time, Mando, and all you were trying to do was help the pizzeria. Even now, your Wildfire is being forced to fuel our murderer's evil intentions. The unfairness just continues to stack against us, and the light evades.
SHIIIIIIIIIING
"There you aaaaaaare!"
The dingy light suddenly flooding the backstage area caught Bonnie off-guard as the curtain was pulled aside, ripped clean off the rail, the purple pony leering down at his findings. Behind him, Chica looked on horrified, out of ammo and helpless to stop the proceedings, Foxy remaining pinned under the onslaught of Wildfire's prison suit. The purple pony tilted his head, tongue flitting out like a snake in his never-fading grin.
"Guess it's time for the curtain call, Bonnie," he jeered, savoring every word as he raised his ax high overhead. "The hunt ends tonight."
Wooooosh- CLANG
Bonnie raised her arm in defense, but it wasn't hers the ax blade had embedded itself in. Looking up, she found the light blocked out by a faded golden arm, disconnected from anything else, quivering in mid-air against the violent magic of the purple pony.
"What the fu--MandoPony?!"
All focused eyes turned to the sprawled pony on the stage, particularly at the slowly revolving gift box hovering over his chest. The golden arm swung the ax loose, sending it into the darkness of the Kid's Cove, then circled back around and rested on the gift box, its empty elbow socket aligning perfectly with MandoPony's unmoving leg.
"No!"
The golden fingers yanked at the sealing ribbons of the gift box, sending a blinding light throughout the room and throwing everyone back, flesh and metal alike. Struck against the back wall with Freddy, Bonnie peered through half-closed plastic-alloy eyelids, doing her best to see through the sudden flash.
"M-m-mando?" she called out gently, unable to hide the hope in her voice.
The light died down and MandoPony's corpse had vanished from its resting place on the floor, instead floating like an angel above the stage, light still streaming from the open gift box in front of it, the one golden arm holding almost gleefully onto the rim.
"What is this?" the purple pony raged, rising to his hooves, his teeth still present in the frown now splayed over his face. "What is this trick?!"
MandoPony's head slowly rose upwards, closed eyes staring straight into whatever the purple pony had for a soul, while behind the floating musician's body, a tall spindly shadow mirrored his pose, equally unseeing eyes locked on the unicorn.
Give Gifts,
The gift box vanished, the many pieces of the Mandotronic suit floating out and around, hovering over the corresponding parts of Mando's body like a free-floating Iron Man
Give Life.
MandoPony's eyelids screwed up then blinked open, green eyes shining with an inner light of their own, gazing at the purple pony as a coy smile pulled itself onto his face.
Bonnie looked up in awe at the previously stone-dead pony, now clearly full of life. "Mando...."
He turned to look at the lagomorph animatronic, his smile turning into a calming peaceful one. "Hi, Bonnie."
The purple pony spat on the already grimy pizzeria floors. "So it's you again. You just can't keep you nose out of my business, can you? Every time, you always have to step in and do your dirty voodoo stringy gags cuz you can't let sleeping ponies die!"
MandoPony looked back at the purple pony. "What?"
Wordlessly, the ax flew out of Kid's Cove, spinning like a deadly disc towards Mando. The left Mandotronic arm flew up to block, deflecting the ax and sending it boomeranging around the room, into the floor by the purple pony's hooves, nicking his leg and drawing a none-too-red blood. The unicorn didn't even wince.
"Looks like I'll need an old friend's help." Summoning an empty aura, the purple pony drew a long knife out of thin-air, swinging it opposite the ax and bringing the two blades down together in a deadly X. He smiled back at his newly-resurrected foe. "Ready to die again?"
In the blink of an eye, the golden anthro pony suit clamped down on MandoPony, sealing him in golden armor. His fingers flexed experimentally, feeling the movements responding to his own will. The mouth of the Mandotronic smiled along with him, and Mando spread his arms openly.
"Your death, will bring peace to many more than mine."
The two deadly machines, the maniacal mulberry murderer and one of the many coffin-like animatronic suits of Freddy Fazbear's, collided in the most awesome show ever witnessed by the pizzeria stage. The purple pony's blades flashed left and right, stabbing and slicing for a hit on the Mandotronics joints and tendons, while MandoPony met the blows with raised alloy arms, earning numerous nicks to the suit.
Bonnie could only watch as Mando and the purple pony engaged in their deadly dance, their feet never touching the ground together, their legs, arms and arms flailing, each combatant struggling to overpower their adversary. On the merry-go-round, Mangle and Balloon Boy kept their heads stationary while the darn thing kept spinning. With the purple pony's focus now completely on Mando, Foxy evaded the now-slowed springlock suit and wrestled it down. Chica spectated from the Prize Corner desk and even Freddy lifted his head to view the battle.
"You go, Mando!"
"Take that freakjob down!"
"Freddy Fazbear's for-the-WIN!"
"Fight on, matey!"
Save them
With the Fazbear crew cheering him on, MandoPony felt more and more rejuvenated, taking their praise and support into him and swinging his fists harder and faster, slowly beating the purple pony back to the edge of the stage. The unicorn gave a wild swing with his ax, unbalancing himself, and Mando finally landed a blow while slapping the weapon away, knocking the purple pony off the stage and tumbling to the floor.
The murderer sat up, looking balefully at the golden pony animatronic. "Ptooeey." A bloodied tooth shot out of his mouth and clattered onto the floor.
"Take our lives, we'll take your teeth!" Balloon Boy shouted from the merry-go-round.
The purple pony gave him a menacing stare, his toothy grin ruined by the square hole in the picture. MandoPony leaped down from the stage and stood over the prone unicorn, fist held to his purple face.
"Your chain of murder ends here and now, 'purple pony'. After tonight, never again shall a foal go missing and Freddy Fazbear be given the blame for lack of evidence. No more will ponies have to look over their shoulder for fear something will try to kill them. It's over."
Once more, the broken grin beamed outwards. "So it would seem."
SHLAAAACK
"Hurrgh!"
The ax came out of nowhere, silent as a mouse, and slashing through Mando's left knee, causing him to falter. The blade arced back around to the purple pony, revolving around him alongside the knife, dripping blood and oil onto the floor.
"Or maybe," the purple pony crooned, licking the dirty ax blade with a hauntingly long tongue, "you're just hallucinating. You should take a looong rest." The mad unicorn launched himself toward the stopped Mandotronic, both weapons raised for a killing blow. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | pre | Scootaloo huffed, "Great, now we're stuck and our herd doesn't know where we are."
Sweetie Belle laid down again, "Well Cosgrove should be back with Night Dancer anytime."
"Yeah, so she could berate us for leaving the herd." - Scootaloo curled back to sleep - "I hope he takes his time."
Just after, a thunderclap got them alerted.
"Ah hope not for too long..." Apple Bloom added.
A good distance away, Cosgrove walked in the freezing rain for his mother. As the Earthquake got worse, he and the Crusaders got separated from Night Dancer again and have tried to find her before the rains came. Though the grown-ups said it was wise to stay in one area until help arrives, Cosgrove, worried about her, set out once more.
"Mother!" - Cosgrove called out as he reached a gap in the path he walked on - "Mother!!"
- Calling upon the reserves of energy he had left, the young Longneck jumped across the gap, his upper body strength pulling himself up the ledge - "Mother, where are you?"
Beneath the hard pinning of the rain, Cosgrove heard a soft moan, the tone familiar to him. Looking around, he found the body of a Duckbill laying on a mound of rubble.
"Mother!" Cosgrove bounded down the hill he stood to Night Dancer - "Mother..." hearing her son's voice, Night Dancer moved her head slowly, her eyes barely open - "Please get up."
"I'm..." - Night Dancer placed her forelimbs to the ground - "not sure I can..."
"Yes, you can." - Cosgrove desperately begged - "Get up."
The Edmontosaurus appeared to be rising onto her full stature, much to her son's delight. But then she slumped and fell once more, her snout much closer to Cosgrove. As he laid down in front of her, Night Dancer mustered her strength to slowly turn her head to Cosgrove.
"Dear sweet Cosgrove," - She said weakly - "do you remember, the way to Canterlot Crater?"
Fearing the worst, Cosgrove sniffled, "I guess so. But how am I supposed to know if you're going to be with me?"
Opening her eyes again, noticing her son tearing up, Night Dancer smiled slowly.
"I'll be with you, Cosgrove..." - She answered - "even if you can't see me."
Raising his head up, Cosgrove asked, "What do you mean if I can't see you, I can always see you! I can take care of you! Like how you cared for me!"
After a leaving the noise to the rain for a while, Night Dancer moved once more.
"Cosgrove... let your heart guide you... It whispers... so listen closely...."
With those final words, Night Dancer's tail became limp, her body relaxed and after one final breath, her head tilted to the side.
"Mother...." - Cosgrove rubbed her snout - "Mother?"
The rains continued to pour as hard as they could well into the day. It was just about the start of the afternoon when the rains finally stopped and the clouds began to part, revealing Celestia's presence on the barren land. Feeling the warmth, the Crusaders, Pip, and Featherweight woke up and shook the rain off their bodies. Still noticing Cosgrove was not around, they looked at each other.
"Ah'm going after him." Said Apple Bloom just when the young Longneck appeared before him, his head held low, but she could notice the tears on his face.
Featherweight and Pip walked towards him.
"Where's Night Dancer?" Pip asked.
Cosgrove sniffled a while when the ground beneath him collapsed. Sliding fast down a slope, Cosgrove landed on a red and yellow mass. After lying there for a moment, he was suddenly shaken off.
"Hey!" The mass revealed itself to be an injured Tsintaosaurus. Shaking the dirt off her, Sunset inspected the intruder, who began to whine - "What's your problem? You're not hurt."
With a sniffle, Cosgrove raised his head up to the Hollow Horn.
"It's not fair! She should've known better to fight against Tirek!" - He sniffled again - "It's all her fault..."
Sunset cocked her head, still retaining her glare, "All who's fault?"
"Mother's..."
Catching on, Sunset abandoned her stern look. That answer rang into the other children, Sweetie Belle the first to tear up. Scootaloo slid down the slope and held Cosgrove in her arms.
"Cosgrove, it wasn't her fault, it was mine!" - Scootaloo responded before she starting sniffling through her beak - "If I had only... If only..."
Sunset turned to the young Alamosaurus and Chirostenotes sobbing.
"Kids, listen to me." - Sunset asked in a calm voice, catching their attention - "It is nobody's fault, but you see, not all of us arrive together in the end."
Wiping his snout, Cosgrove turned to the Hollow Horn, "What will I do? I miss her so much."
"And you'll always miss her, but she will be with you as long as you remember the things she taught you." - Sunset rose up on her hind legs - "In a way, you'll never be apart, for you are still a part of each other."
Having yet recovered from a fractured leg caused by the earthquake, Sunset limped away west towards Canterlot Crater.
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Featherweight, and Pip slid down and joined in the huddle, mourning and weeping until well in the afternoon. As Celestia began to set, the children began following the tracks Sunset had left. They could walk faster, but time and again, Cosgrove stopped and looked at the tracks, being very similar in shape to that of a Duckbill. Scootaloo, still suffering from guilt, responded in kind with a long hug. At one point the trail they followed were missing. They stopped and began to droop their heads and tails.
Then, they knew for certain that they were alone. And though Canterlot Crater was far away, and the journey there was perilous, they had to find their way, or the chain of life would be broken.
Apple Bloom looked up at the sun and closed her eyes.
"Celestia must pass over us many times and we must follow it to where it touches the ground." Granny Smith's voice spoke in her grandchild's head.
Opening her eyes, Apple Bloom started walking in the direction Celestia was. After she was a few feet away from them, the rest of the children began to follow. They walked along a slim part of the Great Divide, looking up at the much larger ledge their families may be on. Apple Bloom stopped for a moment and found a familiar face among three others.
"Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom called out before trotting over to her.
Diamond Tiara, joined up with Snips, Snails, and Silver Spoon (a Domehead), looked over to find Apple Bloom trotting towards her.
"Oh, it's you." - Diamond turned to Silver Spoon - "That's the Threehorn that tried to maul me."
Apple Bloom shook her frill, "Maul you? I was just wanting to have some fun."
Diamond responded with a simple huff as she walked towards the ledge. A while over, the boys reconciled with Snips and Snails.
"We're trying to get to the other side." Said Snips.
Featherweight hobbled over to the ledge, looking down the gap.
"But we've already looked around, there's no way you could get across."
Diamond inched her nose horn up Featherweight, "Maybe you can't!"
Climbing down a small ledge, Diamond began her climb down.
"Hey, we're going to Canterlot Crater," - Sweetie Belle walked up to Diamond - "maybe we could" - Diamond almost slipped - "help each other!"
Straining herself up the slope, Diamond responded - "A Crown Head, does not need help from a Pebble Back!"
Just after kicking dust at Sweetie's muzzle, Diamond lost her grip and screamed as she fell down the slope into the crevice. Looking up, she saw the rest of the children gathered around the ledge.
"Well, at least you wouldn't be alone!" - Pip added.
Diamond stood back on her feet - "Well when I find my family, I won't be alone! So go away!" - Diamond turned around and began walking, her head and tail held high - "Crown Heads can be very dangerous! They only talk with other Crown Heads and they only travel with other Crown Heads!"
Diamond's rant died down as she walked deeper into the cave. Apple Bloom turned around and lead her now expanded herd towards Celestia, where they may stop, no one knows.
As the day drew to a close, the majority of Scorpan's herd slept, with Lion Tamer and Loopty Hoop volunteering for the night watch. At the sound of flapping wings, they, along with family members of the other missing children, woke to find Trixie and Zipper land on the ground. Zipper's toothed beak was stained with tears as he hobbled back to his parents and wept. Noticing Scorpan approaching her, Trixie responded with placing a hand on her beak. The families of the children began to break down and cry.
Granny Smith stepped forward, "Don't mourn for them just yet, they will find us." The old Chasmosaurus looked up at the sky, silently praying that the children would be okay. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | Saving Dinky | The herd of small children traveled west so far into the night that they've lost track of time. Celestia rose in the opposite direction, illuminating their current whereabouts as the edge of a mangrove swamp. Noticing there is plenty of water and food to support them, they decided to rest for now. It was about noon when Apple Bloom woke up and looked around. Noticing Cosgrove at the water's edge, she walked up to him and sat down. Watching his tears create ripples in the pond, the Threehorn sighed.
"Ya feeling all right?" Asked Apple Bloom.
"Everything's so different now." - The Longneck answered as he looked up - "I just wish things could be the same..."
"But you remember what that Hollow Horn said, not all of us arrive together in the end." Apple Bloom added.
"And in ways, she is right." - Cosgrove turned his head towards her - "Night Dancer wasn't the only one. A long time ago, my herd was attacked by Grogar." - the sauropod rose onto his feet and walked away from the pond - "Chuckles never made it."
Apple Bloom walked with him, "Look, we all have a chance to get to Canterlot Crater. We look out for each other."
Cosgrove stopped and craned his neck to the Threehorn, "You sound pretty honest."
Apple Bloom chuckled, "Thank's to Granny, It's all I know."
Using his tail as an additional leg, Cosgrove wrapped his hand as well as he could around Apple Bloom's frill. The moment was ruined when a scream is heard in the distant. The herd woke up as primitive birds flew out of the bushes to the sound of screeches. The children looked around constantly.
"What is it?" Sweetie Belle chirped.
"Sharpteeth?" Snips and Snails added as they looked around, even above and below each other.
Hearing the scream again, they realized that another Leaf Eater their age was in trouble. Following the sounds, they came to a frightening sight. Dinky, now much larger and with a more developed crest, was running as fast as she could from Chrysalis' pack. The pack itself also suffered losses from the Earthquake, for now, there are now only five Velociraptors. Five against one was not a fair fight, but the fact that the Fast Biters are just about most of their size, their eyes furrowed as Pip climbed onto Featherweight's back. The raptors surrounded Dinky, Chrysalis ready to make the first bite.
"Tally ho!!!" - The raptors turned to find the other children except Silver Spoon charging towards them. Pip pointed his finger to them - "Charge!!!"
Scootaloo ran up to one of the raptors and bopped it on the snout, causing it to chase her. Just as the beast was close, Sweetie Belle charged at it, her underdeveloped literal shoulder blades toppling the carnivore down. As the raptor tried to get up, Scootaloo kicked it in the head.
Being the tallest of the group, Featherweight extended his unbroken wing finger. waving it around like a bayonet, keeping the raptor's distance from the flightless Azhdarchid. Pip, noticing another raptor running towards them, leaped off of his friend onto the beast's snout. Turning his head a little, Featherweight noticed the Fast Biter trying to buck Pip off it.
"Yeah, Pip, ride him!" Featherweight looked back to notice the raptor lunge at him. Bounding back a few feet away, the Flyer rose up and spread his massive wings to make himself bigger, risking the pain he has on one of them.
Snips and Snails charged at the second to last raptor. Unique among Centrosaurs is that as children, they have brow horns that disappear when they grow up. Seeing that their kind's nose horn is starting to become crooked, they decided to use their brow horns while they still existed to their full advantage. Time and again, they collided their heads with the raptor, knocking the wind out of the beast. With one last shove, Snails tossed the Fast Biter away. With a chuckle, the two "Screw Horns" bumps their hands together.
With Dinky safe behind them, it was now Apple Bloom and Cosgrove against Chrysalis. The young Alamosaurus shifted to the side to wave his whip-like tail back and forth. The Fast Biter Leader charged at the group of three and leaped at the larger but mostly defenseless Longneck, barely missing the tail strike. Cosgrove brayed as he tried to get Chrysalis off his back, but the beast dug her famed toe claws deeper into his skin. Rising on her back legs, Apple Bloom snatched the raptor off him, dragging her by the tail. Chrysalis quickly turned around lashed her leg, tearing into the right hole of Apple Bloom's frill. The Velociraptor lunged at the small Threehorn, holding her head down to expose her neck. Knowing this, Apple Bloom bopped her head at the raptor. Trying again, Chrysalis constantly snapped her teeth, always missing to get a piece of flesh. At one point Apple Bloom felt the Fast Biter's arm through the hole scratching at her brow. With one quick jerk, the Chasmosaurus snapped the bone in a loud crack. Chrysalis howled, calling the attention of her pack. While in pain, Apple Bloom now had the upper hand and began shoving the raptor towards the brush. With one good push, Chrysalis fell to the ground. Apple Bloom rose on her hind legs, flailed her front legs and stamped them right at her body.
Apple Bloom turned the rest of the pack as they cowered before the victor. Unaware, that the one winged Chrysalis slowly got up.
"Y'all coming home hungry and sorry tonight!" - Apple Bloom yelled - "I'm the A to the P-"
As Apple Bloom continued, Cosgrove suddenly noticed Chrysalis leap at Apple Bloom. Just before she could sink her teeth, Chrysalis was smacked dead on in the snout by his tail, shattering several of her teeth. Apple Bloom turned around to the now limp Chrysalis breathing so shallow. The other young Leaf Eaters joined Cosgrove, Apple Bloom, and Dinky as they glared at the remaining Fast Biters. Uncertain of what to do, Cosgrove gave them their answer with a snort and fast jerk of the head. Immediately the pack ran into the bushes. The victors turned to the dinosaur they saved.
"Who are you?" Asked Sweetie Belle.
"My name's Dinky." - Answered the Parasaurolophus - "I've never seen Leaf Eaters my age take down Fast Biters."
"Well, they have been following us for quite a while," - Pip answered before turning to find Chrysalis gone - "but only when their numbers were greater."
"Dinky!" - The herd turned to find four additional young dinosaurs come out of the bushes, Button (a Wuerhosaurus) being the one calling her name - "Dinky! We came as fast as we-"
They stopped at the sight of eight additional kids in view. Dinky stood up and walked over to her friends.
"This is Button Mash." - Dinky then pointed to the Microraptor on Button's back - "Zipporwhill" - She pointed to the Thescelosaurus and the Ornithomimus - "Rumble and Boysenberry."
"Well now," - Apple Bloom continued - "Ah'm Apple Bloom and this here is my herd." - She looked at her herd, noticing something off - "Hey, where's Silver Spoon?"
The herd looked around for the Domehead when Silver Spoon walked out of the bushes and joined them.
"Where were you?" Scootaloo questioned, not receiving an answer from Silver Spoon.
"So..." - Rumble asked - "same story as us?"
"Yeah..." - Cosgrove added - "although Tirek was involved with four of us."
The newcomers gasped.
"The four of you saw Tirek?" - Said Boysenberry - "The Tirek?
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Cosgrove nodded.
"We are going to Canterlot Crater," - Sweetie Belle walked over and wrapped her arm around Button - "you're welcome to come with us."
The four new children nodded at them. With a smile, the herd once again traveled deeper into the mangrove swamp. Noticing Cosgrove's sad expression, Zipporwhill leaped off one of Button's back plates and glided onto the Longneck's head.
"What's wrong with you?" The Feather Glider asked.
Cosgrove looked down for a while, then looked back up.
"It's a long story..." - Cosgrove answered - "and a sad one at that."
"You know, this could be bad luck" - Zipporwhill responded, not noticing her carrier widening his eyes - "but a good case of bad luck."
"Yeah..." - The Longneck calmed for a moment - "Good side is Tirek is also dead.
Much further away, Diamond Tiara continued her journey deep underground. She thought she was going blind until Diamond saw a faint light. After hopping a few rocks, she continued her journey. Looking up she found another split in the earth, Celestia was just above her as cumulus clouds floated below. Not paying attention, Diamond fell down a slope and into the ravaged rubble below. As the cloud moved away from Celestia, something revealed before her.
It was Tirek... For the past few days since the Earthquake, his body laid in the exact same spot.
Diamond screamed so loud that it caused the cave to vibrate, the walls letting loose a few loose rocks. Expecting the worst, Diamond hid behind a pillar. After the echo of her scream faded, the Crown Head looked out. Tirek wasn't moving an inch. But she had noticed gravity pulling down his lips and exposed his large bone crushing teeth. Diamond curled a toothy grin and began stepping towards the limp animal. Be it Crown head or Three Horn, if Diamond could bring back a tooth from a Sharptooth this famous to her family, it would bring her to such a place of honor that she could die happy. She tried to fiddle her nose horn on Tirek's gums but could do no more than cause blood to ooze out. Giving off her disgust, Diamond then resorted to ramming the beast. After doing so a second time to no avail, Diamond moved further away, turned, scraped the ground and charged at the Rex.
But just as she reached him, Tirek's damaged eye shot free from its blood crusted lock, exposing a sphere of black and red. Diamond screamed her heart out, stopping just as her nose horn reached the eye. Quickly she ran down another path as Tirek bellowed for the first time. Slowly rising onto his hind feet, the World's Largest Sharptooth stood to his full height. Catching Diamond's scent, he looked in the direction she went, Tirek roared so loud that it could be heard out of the crevice above him. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | The Marshes | As the herd of young dinosaurs ventured deeper into the swamp, the environment around them progressively became different. The hard ground they have walked for so long became muddy, keeping a historical record of past herds and fights. This only deterred Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill as they rode on the backs of their larger kin. In daylight, the steam appeared to give them a tiny of green on their usual skin/feather color.
"You think that our families are going to Canterlot Crater too?" Boysenberry asked.
"Maybe," - answered Scootaloo - "Scorpan said that's where all the herds are going."
Button lowered his head a little, "I hope."
Suddenly they heard the sloshing of mud. The sound of tropical birds and frogs, along with being partially blinded by the mists, hindered just where the sound in question is heading.
"Stay close!" Apple Bloom ordered.
The herd made a huddle so that they could look in thirteen different directions. Wildly they flicked their heads around, with their two smallest members bounding between members. The noise became louder and louder until it became clear that it is coming from the opposite direction from where they walking. The figure starting to reveal itself, the herd turned towards the sound.
As in the Equestria Girls Universe, Schnookums is also a monitor lizard, in this case, the prehistoric Paleosaniwa. The four-legged beast stopped and stared at them, noticing their heat signature rising. Having already fought a pack of Fast Biters, the more readily armored members stood their ground. After a long moment of flicking his tongue time and again, Schnookums began trekking around the herd. Whether he was scared or already had a meal some time ago he never answered as he slowly disappeared into the mist behind them. The herd calmed down and followed the muddy footprints.
They continued their trek until they came across a large body of water. They looked around to find their path sliced by water. With the footprints of other herds, including their own possibly, entering the water, they understood how deep the water is. Sweetie Belle dipped her foot into the water, feeling a grime between her fingers.
"I wouldn't swim in this water even if this was the last bit of water in the world."
"Guess we wait until another herd comes by." Said Cosgrove before he walked over to a bush, his pencil-shaped teeth making short work of the branches.
Dinky studied the water before her face beamed.
"Maybe we don't have to!" The herd looked to see Dinky walking over to a series of rocks and logs lined up "We could use these rocks to get across."
Despite being an animal not adept at mountain climbing, Dinky effortlessly bounded from rock to rock, much to the confusion of her herd.
The Hollow Horn turned a little, "What, your families never let you play in the bubbling mud?"
The herd looked at Apple Bloom. Having no choice Apple Bloom stepped back, charged forward and jumped at the first rock she saw. The three horn slipped, her hind legs falling into the bog.
"Ewww..." Said the herd.
Dragging herself back on the rock, Apple Bloom leaped over to the next rock.
"Come on y'all, this isn't too hard!" Said Apple Bloom as she followed Dinky.
Sweetie Belle hopped next. Hopping to the next rock, the Pebble Back started to beam.
"Hey, this is fun!" She turned around "Come on guys!"
The rest of the herd shrugged before Scootaloo joined the rock hopping, then Cosgrove, and so forth. They continued to hop on the path given to them so deep into the swamp that they lost track of time. It was already afternoon when they stopped to rest at the trunk of a sunken tree. Dinky scouted around for any paths to follow.
But a swamp is a dangerous place to stay in one spot. Ten meters from their resting place, an orange Deinosuchus was spying them from underneath a mangrove. In the tree next to her, a blue belly dragger of the same species spied the small herd as well. In her haste Sonata plunged too hard into the water. This disturbance alerted the group. Having mastered rock hopping, Apple Bloom took the lead once more. With an irritated hiss, Adagio slowly submerged into the swamp below.
As the mists cleared, Apple Bloom stopped before a violet rock and a smaller moss covered rock farther away. Her confusion with the former stopped the herd.
"Apple Bloom, why did you stop?" asked Scootaloo as she shuffled around to accommodate herself with Apple Bloom on the rock.
"Ah'm just not sure which rock to step on next." - Apple Bloom looked at the violet rock - "This one's closer, but kinda slippery."
Aria the supposed rock slowly opened her eyes after hearing that before going back to sleep.
Sweetie Belle pointed to the other rock, "That one's farther away, you might not make it and fall into the icky bog."
"Well, Ah don't want to slip on that close one and fall all the way in." - Apple Bloom added - "Ah can make it across to that far one."
"Not saying you can't, but what if that far one is as slippery as this one?" Scootaloo questioned.
Aria opened her eyes again and looked up at the three children. The children behind the Crusaders shuffled around heads, trying to wonder what's holding them up.
"Huh, never thought of that." - Apple Bloom responded
"Rarity said that you must always think of everything in places like this." Sweetie Belle added.
"So which rock do we jump to?" Scootaloo questioned.
Aria rolled her eyes at such a stupid question.
"Hey!" - The Crusaders turned to Silver Spoon - "Are we going or what?"
Waiting for the right answer, Aria slowly gave a sly sneer, closing her eyes in happiness.
"Ah got it!" - Apple Bloom turned around - "Ah'll step on the close one with my back feet first."
Taken completely out of surprise, the violet Belly Dragger was now irritated.
"Then Ah can-"
Not standing anymore of this, Aria erupted from the water and growled at them. Her huge size for a crocodile was enough to have the herd running away. Aria then plunged into the water so hard that the wave sent them back to the fallen tree they first rested on. Looking back, they saw no trace of the crocodile. The children eyed the swamp slowly, looking for any trace signs of danger. The natural ambiance was disturbed again when Adagio vaulted herself to their spot, barely missing them as she snapped her jaws.
The herd scattered in all directions. The Crusaders, Cosgrove, and Zipporwhill ran in the direction towards a highly elevated tree where they cannot possibly reach. Noticing them climbing up the vines, Sonata submerged, grabbed the roots to the tree and pulled on them. The shock knocked the Feathered Glider off. As she slowly descended into the water, Sonata rose up and opened her toothy jaws, waiting for the pseudo-bird to land on her tongue. Wrapping his tail around a vine, Cosgrove stretched out and snatched Zipporwhill just as Sonata slammed her jaws shut. Frustrated, the blue Belly Dragger pounded her fist on the water surface as if it was a table.
Button, Snips, Snail, Featherweight and Pipsqueak hobbled across stone after stone.
"Hurry up, Snails!" Berated Snips.
"I'm going as fast as I can, eh?" Rebuked Snails.
Fast as they could hobble, Aria had chosen her intended victim. She quickly cut off Featherweight and Pipsqueak as the Deinosuchus spun around them constantly. There was no way to run, but for Featherweight there was always another option.
"Hold on tight, Pip!" Swinging his long neck upwards, Featherweight vaulted off the rock just when Aria lunged from behind. Spreading his wings, the Flier really did fly.
"Featherweight, your wing's okay!" Cheered Pipsqueak.
"Actually my wing still hurts." Featherweight got out of his confident mode as he suddenly winced in pain.
Having done so just above Sonata, the sudden shock caused Pip to fall off, bounce a little around the Belly Dragger's armored plating and into the icky marsh. Having felt him, Sonata turned her sights to the Ankle Biter, splashing water onto the tree. As the blue Belly Dragger opened her jaws, Pip swam as fast as he could to more dense roots that snagged her jaws. Pip crossed his arms, demonstrating his show of wits. But even as the ditziest of the three, Sonata knew one vital disadvantage: he would need to breathe and there's no other hole to get out than the one she's looking at.
Back at the surface, Dinky, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Silver Spoon hid under a partially sunken log. Adagio first poked her jaws into the hole, trying to nip on their tails and pull them out. Frustrated, the orange crocodile pulled out and submerged. Hearing nothing but the carnage outside, Dinky tried to move when Rumble stopped her.
"Are you crazy?! That's what they want you to-" Rumble was interrupted when four rows of teeth stabbed through the log.
Using her characteristic Death Roll, Adagio spun the log around, rattling its contents constantly. Dinky was suddenly flung out of one entrance of the log and would have been Aria's snack had the lamed Featherweight not collided with her.
A distance to shore, Diamond Tiara was running as fast and far as her legs could carry her. Looked back, she found no Sharptooth chasing her, but when she looked forward she collided with a rotted tree. Still worried out of her wits, Diamond struggled to get her horn unhooked.
Featherweight surfaced from the water, flicking off any muck on his beak just before noticing Aria angrily swimming towards him. Like a goose taking off from a lake, the flier desperately flapped his wings in hopes of flying again, pulling his rear end as Aria snapped at him.
The chase on the surface distracted Sonata long enough for Pip to surface. Clambering onto the vines, he took several shallow breaths just when Zipporwhill swooped in and brought him to her group. Seeing Adagio continue to pummel the log that three members of their herd hid, they had to do something. Noticing the bubbles rising in the water below, they each gave a gulp for thinking the exact crazy thought. As soon as Sonata surfaced, they jumped onto her back. The Belly Dragger thrashed across the water as they tried to guide it towards Adagio.
After moments of struggling, Diamond finally breaks free but noticed that the hole she made caused a crack to rise in the tree. What she broke out of was supporting a much larger tree. Diamond screamed just before the smaller tree gave to the weight of the fallen tree. Just before Adagio can make one last bite to the log, the tree smacked her down to the depths, the waves pushing the log to shore. Aria was just about to taste Featherweight when the end of the tree pinned her midsection down. Sonata was so distracted with getting the Leaf Eaters off her back that she didn't notice the log and bumped into it.
The children regrouped as they watched two of the defeated Belly Draggers struggle to get free.
"That's not going to hold them down isn't it?" Said Dinky to others.
After a short while standing there, the children quickly made a mad dash in the direction they were going to, not even using the rocks and logs this time.
Aria managed to get her head to the surface, noticing Sonata's "cheerful" smile. Adagio managed to get her upper body out of the water to notice her two sisters squabbling over each other. With a soft hiss and a roll of her eyes, the orange Belly Dragger laid her head on the water's surface waiting for them to shut up.
Just at the fringes of the mangrove swamp, Lyra and Bon Bon were walking towards their destination. In the bushes, Chrysalis was devouring a small mammal. Injured and now without a pack, it's all she could do for now. Hearing the snap of a twig, she looks up and looks around. Noticing a rustle in the bushes, Chrysalis crouched, ready to attack her next course. Just when she got close, a shadow loomed over her. The two dinosaurs stopped at the sound of a screech. They looked around, wondering what happened, unaware of a much larger threat.
Lyra began stepping forward, "Must have been a Fast Biter."
Suddenly Bon Bon was yanked by her tail. The yellow Hadrosaurus screamed as Tirek dragged her into a dark part of the forest. Lyra stood horrified when she heard another roar. Grogar, now having a broken horn from the Earthquake, swallowed Chrysalis before charging at her. Unable to save her friend, the Corythosaurus dodged his attack and raced her way towards the thickets.
Back in the interior, the children continued to swim in the murky water.
"Keep movin'" Apple Bloom orders, paddling faster. "Ah see the shore!"
For the first time in all day, they reach dry land. Some of the children kissed the ground, even making a mound of dirt to snuggle. The Crusaders did spot Diamond Tiara on her back, panting like a racehorse.
"Diamond Tiara," - Apple Bloom trotted to the Crown Head, to her dismay as Apple Bloom was directly above her and two of her friends side by side "What happened? Why are you so frightened?"
Diamond rolled forward, "Frightened, me?" Diamond chuckled as she looked at the others "Why are you so frightened?"
Getting his breath back, Rumble answered, "We're not frightened." He turned to Silver Spoon "Are we?"
"No." Silver Spoon answered.
"Have you found your family, eh?" Snails asked before sucking up a little air into his lungs.
"I could've been with the other Crown Heads but for Silvie's sake I came back to warn you." Diamond slowly stepped towards the Dome Head - "I saw Tirek!"
Now out of his wits, Snips screamed, "Tirek!!", before he jumped onto Cosgrove, holding his neck.
Apple Bloom didn't believe her, " C'mon Diamond, Tirek is dead! He fell into the big underground."
Diamond turned to the Three Horn, "And where when he met me!" Diamond raised her snout, showing her honor.
"Oh, dear brave Diamond." Silver complemented.
"Dear brave Diamond." Snips repeated, getting a look from Cosgrove.
Accepting these compliments, Diamond responded, "Yes, I am brave."
Cosgrove shuffled to his feet, shaking off the fat Screwhorn, "Tirek is dead!"
Hmph, funny coming from you." Diamond turned her smug head to the Long Neck "My daddy said that Flat Heads have very small brains."
This insult raised a few eyebrows on Button, Rumble, Boysenberry and Pip, having no fancy decoration.
Apple Bloom turned Cosgrove away.
"Don't listen to her, there isn't any Tirek."
Still showing the benefit of the doubt, Diamond stepped on a piece of rotting bark to make herself taller.
"I was all alone in the dark, just the Sharptooth and me." She turned to Zipporwhill hiding under the other end "I can hear him breathing." With a series of deep, scary breaths the Feather Glider tried to flee by was stopped by the boorish dinosaur "And I saw one big mean ugly eye looking for me!"
"Wh- what did you do then?" Zipporwhill cuddled her tail.
Diamond turned around, "I walked right up to him, looked at him straight in the eye... And said... RAWR!!!!"
Jumping on the end of the wood so hard, Zipporwhill was flung so far ahead of the group she didn't know where she was. Spreading her wings, she slowed her descent, landing in front of a red boulder. The herd soon caught up to her.
Zippy, are you okay?" Asked Button.
"I think I should lie down for a while."
Diamond huffed before walking away, "See, I can take care of myself. All by myself. I know my way to go and I'm not afraid of Tirek!" She laid down, giving them a snide look "I hope he doesn't eat any of you!"
As the herd ate their last meal for the evening, they began to settle down. Thanks to Diamond, the herd became divided; Cosgrove watched as Button, Rumble, Snips, Snails, Zipporwhill, and Silver Spoon huddled next to Diamond Tiara. Now the thought began to sink into the Long Neck as well before he turned to his share of the herd. Scootaloo comforted him as she wrapped her arm around his body. He looked at the night sky before closing his eyes.
The following morning was greeted with the sounds from a flock of Pteranodon flying over them. Apple Bloom's side of the herd woke first, turning to find Diamond's side of the herd snoring. Feeling the firm ground the three horn rose on her hind legs and slammed them. The noise startled them.
"Rise n Shine!" Apple Bloom greeted "We have quite a ways to go." Apple Bloom still noticed snoring "That means you Di-"
Apple Bloom turned to find Diamond's side already awake, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
"That was not us." Said Boysenberry
"Boulders shouldn't snore." - Dinky turned to the boulder they slept next to - "Do they?"
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked up
"They can't." Said the former
"But Sharpteeth can!" Screamed the later.
Garble woke up and rose to his full height. A few snorts in the air, the Gorgosaurus found his breakfast. The children's screams echoed the jungle as the chase began. While not as big as Tirek, Garble is much faster than him and easily began catching up to the children. With a quick turn, the children hid inside a cave. Garble looked around before bellowing, frustrated that his breakfast has evaded him.
"Is he gone?" Asked Sweetie Belle
"I don't know." Featherweight answered
"That is the last time we let Zipporwhill choose which boulder to sleep!" Said Pipsqueak
"Hey, it was dark!" Zipporwhill rebuked.
The children heard the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching them. Fearing the worst, they stayed inside.
"You can come on out now, youngsters, he's gone."
The children walked out to find an extraordinary sight. It was another Long Neck like Cosgrove, this time much older.
"Are..." Cosgrove gulped "you sure?"
"Oh yeah." Mr. Green Hooves answered "Those critters are big, but dumb. You kids fooled him good."
Diamond stepped forward, her horn in the air, "Yeah, I meant to do that!"
Her herd mates looked disgusted.
"You little ones going to be okay on your own?"
"Yeah, we'll be fine." Answered Apple Bloom
"Then I'll just mosey along."- The Long Neck began to walk away - "Happy trails to you."
The herd looked at Cosgrove as his face beamed with excitement. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | Foraging for Food | The herd is in full force as they walk along a river out of the marshes. Apple Bloom took the lead as usual followed by Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Cosgrove, Dinky, Featherweight, Boysenberry, Rumble, Button, Snips, and Snails. Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill rode on Cosgrove's head and tail respectively as the latter toyed Snips and Snails by pulling a berry vine out of reach. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked a few paces to their right, walking ahead of the group.
So the fifteen hungry dinosaurs set out for Canterlot Crater. Like Scorpan's herd before them, there had never been such a herd before. A Threehorn, a Pebble back, Two Fast Runners, an Ankle Biter, a Longneck, a Flier, an Egg-Stealer, a Hollow Horn, two Screwhorns, a Feather Glider, a Spiketail, a Dome Head and a Crown Head altogether. All knowing that if they lost their way they would starve or find themselves in a Sharptooth's shadow.
A long time passed and the brave little group was getting more tired and hungry with each plodding step. At least they left the swamp behind, but now they were in a hot, sandy desert. Zipporwhill and Pipsqueak sought shade under Snails' frill while the larger members burned under the intense sun, they dared not to touch each other. Featherweight staggered a while before falling onto the sand. The herd stopped to tend to the flier
"I'm tired," moaned Featherweight
"We're all tired," cried Button Mash "I'm so thirsty that I could drink a lake."
Cosgrove inched his neck to the Spiketail, "Me too if we could find one."
Zipporwhill noticed something in the distance and climbed up Cosgrove's neck to get a better look.
"I think I see a waterfall up ahead." She answered.
"You sure it's not a mirage like the last five times?" Responded Scootaloo
Apple Bloom groaned, "What have we got to lose?"
The rest of the herd gulped through their dry throats as they walked in the general direction to the waterfall. The heat was getting the better of them as they slowly became sleep induced. Only when they bumped into the cool rocks do they realize that it wasn't a vision. Joyed, they immediately began drinking the small stream. Sweetie Belle looked up at the falls.
"Green Food grows when there's lots of water." Sweetie turned to stream "If we follow this water..."
Pip shuffled around, "No green food here and I'm so hungry." Suddenly he caught a whiff.
Dinky lowered herself to his size, "You smell something?"
Pip closed his eyes, letting his nose guide him, "I smell, I smell, I smell, I smell..." He opened his eyes "You."
"You smell me?" The Hollow Horn chuckled.
Snails took a whiff, "I smell water."
"I smell" - Snips took another whiff before shooting his eyes wide open - "Tree stars!!"
Snips and Snails snorted and galloped over a small hill. The others followed, staring in wonder at what they saw. There was a small spring of water surrounded by a group of Hollow Horns. Near the spring but standing apart was a cluster of trees full of delicious-looking green-food.
The children raced down the hill, yelling and cheering. But as they got closer, they saw the hard looks on the Hollow Horn's faces, and the cheers died in their throats.
A stern-looking Hollow Horn, no doubt the leader, came up to them and said, "What do you want little ones?"
"Food and water!", the children cried.
"You may drink," said the Hollow Horn to Dinky - "You are a Hollow Horn like us. But," - he continued pointing at the rest of the group - "no water for them."
"But they need to drink, too!" Dinky protested. "They're my friends."
"These are your friends?" said Hollow Horn next to him "A few horn heads, a flier, a spike-tail and" - he pointed to Cosgrove - "and whatever that is."
"Yes, run away quickly," said the Leader to Dinky, "before spikes and horns grow on you."
Dinky couldn't believe what she was hearing. Even before the Great Earthquake, her mother has shared with others outside of her own kind. The one moment she knew that they all needed food and water she felt betrayed.
Diamond stamped forward, reared up her head and said firmly, "Look, we're hungry! All of us!"
The thin Hollow Horn stared at her.
"And so are we," he finally said, pointing to the green food.
"Why?" Rumble trotted over to the jungle "there's green food over-"
Rumble suddenly collided with an adult Dome Head. Giving a threatening growl, Rumble ran back to the herd. The other members slowly crawled out of the jungle. Compared to the Hollow Horns, they were down right fat with distended bellies, but with mouths coated with saliva that hasn't been quenched for so long.
"No food!" - He hissed before pointing to Silver Spoon - "Except her!"
Scootaloo has noticed something off between the two herds. The Hollow Horns have water but are just skin and bone while the Domeheads have food but are dehydrated from eating citrus fruit.
"Why don't you share the water with the Domeheads and the Domeheads share their food with you?" Scootaloo asked
"No, no, no," said the two species at the same time.
"Well, that's just great!" - berated Diamond Tiara as she moved into the middle ground - "You're so greedy! What about me, I'm still hungry!"
Featherweight glared at Diamond, "You're hungry?! I'm empty all the way to the top!"
"We'll be hungry, forever!" Pipsqueak added
Looking between the Domeheads and the Hollow Horns, Cosgrove sighed in defeat.
"Well being middle mice isn't going to solve anything," - Cosgrove began following Celestia once more - "better move on until we find something to eat."
Understanding his point, Apple Bloom and the rest of the herd joined him as they continued their journey.
The Hollow Horn shook his head.
"I'll never understand those young ones," he said.
The Dome heads nodded and went back to guard their food.
The herd managed to make it across the desert, but now they came across a large gorge. Tired and hungry as is, it would now take a day and a half to climb down then back up. But it wasn't quite the case, as the gorge was "blessed" with a fallen tree bridging the widest part of it. The herd began to walk towards it when Diamond Tiara stepped forward.
"Oh no, not this Crown Head!"
"What, too scared? And I thought you weren't scared of Tirek." Said Apple Bloom, making the herd giggle.
"I'm not scared!" - Diamond rebuked - "But every time that my herd had to cross gaps like these I end up at the back of the line, falling off or getting chased by a Sharptooth!"
The herd looked at each other.
"And what do you want us to do?" Said Sweetie Belle
Diamond stepped forward towards the tree, "I want to be the first this time so that there is danger I won't be the butt of the joke!"
"Go ahead, Princess!" Scootaloo hissed before joining the crossing.
The following evening, Luna illuminated on the stream as vibrations ripple the water. With his great claws, Tirek dug a small hole to allow the water to collect into a puddle. With the puddle full, the Tyrannosaurus dove his head in and sucked up the puddle as fast as it formed. Grogar, having followed him, took his turn to rid the taste of blood from his square jaws. Gathering a combined scent from the tracks, Tirek looked ahead in the general direction, wondering just where they would meet again.
Much further down the road, the herd walking along the canyon walls for a long while. Still haven't eaten a single bit of food from the past morning, their softest expression now was frustration. Diamond turned around to notice their feet leaving small specks of blood behind them. Diamond looked at her paws, finding that they have been cut at the surface.
"Oh joy," - Diamond chuckled in her sarcastic tone - "Blisters."
"Ah got blisters on my blisters." Apple Bloom added.
Snails snorted before looking at Button Mash, "You wanna know where I got my blisters?"
Button Mash widened his eyes before increasing his pace.
"Oh don't feel so down," - Pip encouraged them before his belly rumbled - "it could be worse."
"How?" asked Boysenberry as she winced each time she applied weight to her blisters.
"Could be raining."
As if on cue, lightning begins to illuminate the canyon. As the first few raindrops fell on the ground, the herd glared at Pipsqueak for a while before continuing their walk. As they continue their journey, the elements continue to be against them as the rain poured harder and the wind blew even more. In time even Zipporwhill became drenched in rain. The herd stopped for a moment to get their bearings, huddling together as they can for whatever warmth they have left.
"I'm... So.... Tired..." Sweetie Belle moaned as she shivered in the rain.
"So... Hungry..." Said Silver Spoon
"S-s-ss-sss-s-so-o-ooo-ooo cc-c-cc-ccc-ooo-oo-o-o-llddd..." Featherweight shivered
"Too... too..." - Dinky sneezed - "too everything..."
Her breath being seen as she snorted, Apple Bloom desperately looked around if there is any shelter nearby. In the darkness, she found a dark circle before beaming.
"Everybody, follow me!" Mustering her strength, Apple Bloom went to a full-fledged gallop. The rest of the herd mustered what they could to move. As if Nature had a bull whip, lightning struck the ground behind them, scaring the children into a full fledged run. In time they all stumbled upon a large cave.
After Cosgrove shook himself dry, he looked around the cave, "It's dark, but at least it's dry."
Snips took a whiff then trotted over to a section of wall covered in moss. He took a bite, chewed it a while as his eyes widened with excitement.
"Hey, guys!" - Snips called out - "Green food!"
The children cheered victoriously before the most hungry of them dashed to the wall and began eating their fill. Featherweight, Pip, and Zipporwhill ate the bugs that nestled between the leaves. Diamond, however, walked the other direction. After Apple Bloom ate her fill, she noticed the Crown Head walking the other direction to a barren wall that had moss on the ceiling. She, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walked to Diamond.
"C'mon, Diamond!" - Apple Bloom invited - "We got plenty of green food over here!'
"I can get my own green food!" Diamond scratched the ground before ramming the tree. Looking up, she found none of her bounty falling down so she pounded her head repeatedly. Much as they enjoyed this, it would be bad to be hurt and sorry in a time like this. Sweetie Belle grabbed as much of the moss as she could in her mouth and timing just right as Diamond rammed the wall tosses it onto her. Believing that she has won, Diamond wolfed down the moss before securing her own place to sleep on a high up ledge.
"It's much warmer down-." Cosgrove saw once more that Diamond's half of the herd joined her as she became dead asleep.
"If I could sleep like that, I'd be in paradise." Said Boysenberry as she laid on her tummy.
"If you could sleep like that, you'd be dead." Apple Bloom added, before looking at Cosgrove, who again had a look of doubt.
Cosgrove sighed, "There isn't any Tirek..." he then joined with the herd and huddled down to sleep.
Back at Diamond's side of the cave, the group of children snored very obnoxiously. In the jungle they passed, this was fine, but the reverb by the cavern wall stirred Zipporwhill from her sleep. Hoping to drown out the noise, the Feather Glider dug her head under Button Mash's belly. but the noise only got worse. Looking at how Apple Bloom's side of the herd slept so silently, she spread her feathered arms and glided off the ledge. Feeling a twitch on her snout, Apple Bloom opened her eyes and found Zipporwhill sleeping very comfortably. Button and Rumble came next, securing a place between Featherweight and Scootaloo, then Snips and Snails. Silver Spoon was climbing down the ledge just when Diamond Tiara started to stir as the cold started seeping in. She slowly opened her eyes before gasping that there is no one there. She turned to find all of the herd but her together. Diamond tried to remain aloof, but the cold breeze prompted her to start moving. Cosgrove opened one eye as he noticed Diamond approaching them. Diamond's eyes pleaded the tired sauropod. Slowly lifting an arm, Diamond joined in the huddle as they slept so deep, nothing could possibly disturb them.
It was early in the morning, but the rain clouds were still dark enough to for it to be called night time. The rains became hard enough that small streams flowed from the mouth of the cave. Lighting strikes again, flickering light on the ground and revealing the shadows of two large and deadly Sharpteeth. Like spotting an Inn after a long night of traveling, they too were tired and slowly made their way to the cave.
As they got closer, Diamond felt the vibrations moving the rocks. Her listless eyes only spotted two black forms and returned to sleep. Only with a bellow adding to the stormy soundscape did Diamond shoot her eyes up and look out the mouth of the cave. Grogar was much closer to the cave than Tirek was. Diamond shuffled to her feet, whimpering on what to do.
"Wake up, wake up!" - She pleaded to the herd before taking a look at the beasts again. She nudged Apple Bloom. - "Wake up!"
Stirred from her sleep, Apple Bloom glared at Diamond, "Hey, stop that!"
Diamond shushed her, "It's Tirek!"
Apple Bloom stood up, "Diamond, quit joking-!" - Apple Bloom too saw the massive theropods walking their way - "Wake the others!"
As time was quickly running out, their only hope was to go deeper into the cave where even Tirek and Grogar couldn't reach. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara woke up each member one by one as they began their journey into the deep cave. Diamond shook Snips from his sleep.
"Ti-" He screamed before being clamped shut.
The resonance of the cave carried that shout out, alerting the Sharpteeth. The herd was dead quiet. After a moment, Grogar and Tirek relaxed and returned to sniffing the ground. The herd continued their stealthy escape. Tirek stamped a few paces more, causing the loose rocks on the ceiling to fall. Featherweight tried to catch the rock, but it was too late. The stone rolled out of the cave, catching Grogar's attention. Some of the herd whimpered as the Carnotaurus slowly peeked into the cave. He tried to find what is inside, but could only see darkness.
Then lightning revealed their presence.
With a roar that the cave amplified, Grogar charged towards the herd, ready to eat his early breakfast.
"Go! Go!" - Apple Bloom yelled at the herd as they raced deeper into the caves - "Don't look back! Keep going!!"
Pip and Zipporwhill clung for dear life as their carriers ran faster than they ever had to. They then stumbled onto a small shaft of light and quickly crowded each other as they dug their way out.
"Me first, me first!!" Diamond yelled as she shoved her way to the front.
Their screams drew Grogar to their location, catching the Crusader's and Cosgrove's attention. Grogar was about to make one more charge when Tirek bumped into him, sending him hurtling towards the wall. Sweetie Belle barely dodged a fallen boulder before she looked up at the loose ceiling. As Tirek stepped closer to his prize, Grogar rammed him as payback for ramming him. Tirek will have none of this and retaliated against him. This clash of teeth, blood spilling, and smashing to stalagmites bought them some time as Cosgrove grabbed a vine with his teeth.
"Hurry!" He shouted to the Crusaders through his teeth.
They pulled as hard as they could to pry a loose rock. Outside the exit, the herd called out to them in hopes of getting them to come. Pinning Grogar down, the Rex clamped onto his head, snapping his neck, tore it off his shoulders and devoured it before his dominance roar echoed the caves. Looking at the four children, Tirek slowly stepped forward. Desperate, Scootaloo shuffled to a high point on the wall, planted her feet and with one final jerk, they finally released the keystone. Tirek strained himself as the large boulders fell on him until all at once the ceiling of the cave collapsed. With a sudden gust of wind, Cosgrove, and the Crusaders were launched out of the exit and to a floor of soot.
Shaking the soot off their bodies, they turned around to find the cave completely sealed. Cosgrove looked away, his head held low once more. Night Dancer had died in vain trying to protect them, and the killer was still alive. The Crusaders wrapped around him, much to Diamond's disgust.
"Now do you believe me?!"
Apple Bloom turned to Diamond, "Sorry, but we're safe now..."
On cue, Tirek pushed his jaws through the hole, snapping his jaws at nothing but air. Though still a safe distance, the kid's jaw the jaws in action an "oh crap" look.
"No one's safe with you!" Diamond rebuked.
"Where do we go now?" asked Boysenberry, now that they are somewhat off course, and the smoke in the sky kept Celestia from being seen.
Dinky turned around and saw something that intrigued her. A few meters behind the group was a rock formation that appeared to look like a dinosaur, the head pointing in a direction.
"Dinky, what is it?" asked Featherweight.
"Mom told me about this rock!" - Dinky answered - "We're going the right way! The way to Canterlot Crater!"
Knowing they are not lost and with Tirek several feet under rocks, the herd started running as far as they could from the prison. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | Discovery of Canterlot Crater/The Rescue | As the day progressed, the herd was a good distance away from Tirek. The sky wasn't covered in clouds, but smoke from a nearby cascade volcano. Embers and ash soared from the sky as the larger members of the herd were now ankle deep in soot; Pip, and Zipporwhill as usual rode on their backs.
Apple Bloom had been wrong about Tirek, but the others followed her, for their only hope was to reach Canterlot Crater and they knew the way.
They were now halfway up an extinct volcano when they began to tire from the lack of available oxygen. Several members of the herd were almost to the point of fainting and lied down for a while, blocking the less tired members. The Crusaders, being ahead, looked down at their tired herd members.
"Come on, up'n at 'em fellas!" - Apple Bloom ordered - "We gotta keep moving up!"
Apple Bloom's side of the herd understood as they continued their walk, leaving only Diamond's side lying down.
"We're so tired..." Said Snails as he strained himself to get up to no avail.
"You can't give up, now!" - Apple Bloom rebuked - "Our survival could be just beyond these rocks!"
The rest of the herd struggled to get up as they continued their journey up the mountain.
Though they were sourced out and tired, Apple Bloom urged them on. She's never seen the Crater but her heart told her that they were close. Surely at the top, they behold it finally.
With a hard wind blowing ash and embers into their faces, the herd couldn't see where they were going. While walking along a plateau, they fell down a large hole, getting cuts and bruises on their body that the wind seeped through. The herd looked around to find various structures around them, raising their hopes up that they found the green wilderness. When the wind finally died down and Celestia shined once more, that hope died instantly. There are no signs of greenery, no water, just sand and more rocks.
Diamond Tiara couldn't take it anymore and stamped her foot in the sand, "THIS IS YOUR CANTERLOT CRATER!? YOUR CRAZY!!!"
Knowing that Celestia is beginning to set over the massive mound of bedrock, Apple Bloom began her climb up before she and the rest of the herd saw Diamond began walking the other way towards a dark canyon.
"Diamond, where are you going?" Asked Rumble
"I don't know about you guys but I am taking the easy way for once!"
"But you're goin' the wrong way!" - Apple Bloom rebuked - "We must keep following Celestia!"
Diamond turned her head around, "Who says?"
Getting irritated, Apple Bloom stepped down from the mound and rose to a stature of dominance.
"My Granny!" Apple Bloom answered.
The herd slowly backed away while Diamond Tiara continued her walk.
"Then she is stupid just like all those other Three Horns."
That tore a nerve from her; no one dares insult a Three Horn without getting said horns. Apple Bloom charged at the Crown Head and rammed her to a rock. The herd was stunned at how out of place Apple Bloom had become. With a snort, the young Chasmosaurus began to walk back to the mound.
"You!" - Apple Bloom turned to find Diamond Tiara charge at her. A head-to-body collision sent Apple Bloom flying towards one of the stone pillars. The young Styracosaurus ran up and rose on her hind limbs, ready to crush her ribs. Apple Bloom crawled forward and clamped her jaws onto one of Diamond's hind limbs - "Let go of my leg!"
Drawing a toothy grin, Apple Bloom pushed forward, sending Diamond rolling to a stone slab. Destroyed, Snips, Snails and Button Mash hid behind another rock. Sand scattered in the air as the two young ceratopsians pushed and shoved each other in feats of strength that they will do anyhow in their adult age. Sweetie Belle, in an unusual feat of strength and agility, bounded back behind another stone slab, taking Dinky and Scootaloo with her. Watching from behind Featherweight's wing, Pipsqueak winced at how painful each collision of their head felt.
Apple Bloom, now covered in large bruises, flung Diamond to the ground. The young Crown Head looks up in fear as Apple Bloom rose on her hind legs, ready to dish out some serious damage when a gray blur came out of hiding and rammed her by the side. The Three Horn looked up to see the young Domehead taking deep breaths, shaking at what she had done before walking to her closest friend and got her up to her feet. The rest of the herd watched as the two defectors walked away.
Diamond gave Apple Bloom one last look.
"Crazed Three Horn..." She hissed.
Adding more pain to her wound, Apple Bloom tears before sucking up and rose to her feet.
"Go on! Go the wrong way!" - Apple Bloom lashed out - "We never wanted you with us anyway!!"
Even Silver Spoon stopped and watched Apple Bloom began climbing up the hill. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Dinky, Boysenberry, and Featherweight joined her while Cosgrove and Pipsqueak watched the other half of the herd standing still.
"Diamond's way is easier..." Said Snips sadly.
"I think so... too..." Added Snails.
Feeling betrayed, Pipsqueak sniffled before hopping onto Cosgrove's back and joining them up the mound climbing. As they climbed higher, they could hear them calling out for Diamond Tiara to wait. The herd was once again divided... This time for good.
Having climbed the mountain of gravel, the walk became much easier, but Apple Bloom's company lagged behind. They had a good reason to as Three Horns take some time to cool off. Apple Bloom looked up to find a rock her size and charged at it. She pushed and shoved it as hard as she could but couldn't even budge it. She looked as her herd stared at her from a distance. Tears streamed from her eyes as Apple Bloom took out her rage on the next rock, then the next one, braying in anger. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle walked up to her as she flopped to the floor and cried.
"It's okay, Apple Bloom," - Sweetie Belle comforted - "we'll be with our families before you know it."
"What family? They're gone!" - Apple Bloom lashed out - "We're probably dead to them..."
Dinky, Boysenberry, Featherweight, and Pipsqueak stepped forward. Cosgrove was about to join them when he heard a faint sound.
"How dare you?!" - Dinky scolded - "Wherever Canterlot Crater is, they would still think we are alive, they have to!"
"If they did, then why haven't they sent help?" Apple Bloom sniffled again.
Now realizing that fact, the children begin to doubt themselves. Never thinking that her mother would call her dead, Dinky also sat on the floor and began to cry. Scootaloo teared up as she kicked a rock.
"None of this would've happened if it wasn't for me!"
High above a ledge, Cosgrove watched his friends cry as he too teared up.
"Cosgrove..." - A voice whispered, prompting him to make one last step up the ledge - "...Cosgrove..."
"Mother!!" He called out.
The young Long Neck looked around, wondering where the sound is coming from. Just across from him, a rain cloud began to take shape into the form of a Duckbill.
"Cosgrove..."
Cosgrove looked at the cloud before sitting down.
"Mo-Mother..." - Cosgrove sniffled before stepping forward - "We tried to do what they told us... but it's just too hard... We'll never find Canterlot Crater..." - Cosgrove looked ahead to find the cloud floating away from him - "Mother. Mother?! DON"T GO MOTHER!! DON"T GO!!!"
Running down the ledge, Cosgrove caught his herd's attention as he followed the cloud up a large hill of gravel, through a tunnel and out to a steep hill. The cloud formed a heart shape before shining a ray of light on him. The hole in the cloud expanded, revealing a walkway along a great wall near a waterfall before finally revealing a massive green valley. Cosgrove's mouth was agape as he looked in splendor.
"APPLE BLOOM, SWEETIE BELLE ,SCOOTALOO, DINKY, GUYS OVER HERE!!!!"
Hearing the call, the herd followed the same path, Scootaloo doing a wall jump as they make the turn. Coming out the other side, the children skidded to a halt at their amazing first view of Canterlot Crater.
"Cosgrove, you found it!" Said Featherweight
"Good show!!" Pipsqueak added.
Cosgrove hopped down the path to the base of the Thundering Falls, laughing.
"No, we did it, together!" The Alamosaurus responded.
Apple Bloom's joy then became one of determination as she turned back to the tunnel.
"Where are you going?" Boysenberry asked
"There's still time to get the others!" Apple Bloom answered before racing out of the tunnel.
The others looked at each other before joining her. Sliding down the gravel that stopped them before, they followed the displaced sand caused by the other half of the herd into the dark canyon. Just behind a large shadow loomed over the dead zone.
The small canyon led to a series of very active cascade volcanoes that erupted every three minutes. Billowing smoke, the sky was as black as night, hindering any chance of plant growth despite the volcanic soil being fertile. There are telltale signs that this place was once inhabited, but like the land surrounding it, changes have occurred, leaving only a few dead trees as evidence.
Diamond Tiara paid no attention to the dangers as she led her herd across volcano after billowing volcano. Her followers, even Silver Spoon, were getting scared. If the swamp was bad enough, then they walked barefoot into Hell.
"I-I-I w-wish Ap-pll-ple Bloom was here wi- with us now." Rumble shivered.
"Mu-mu-mu- Me too." Button Mash added with a sniffle.
"'Apple Bloom' this and 'Apple Bloom' that," - Diamond Tiara growled before turning around - "Apple Bloom and her stupid goons aren't here!!"
"Well, they would if you hadn't chased them off!" Zipporwhill rebuked
Diamond began stamping on the burned ground, almost shaking the Feathered Glider off her back, "No, no, NO!!! I didn't chase them off! Apple Bloom's just as stubborn like the rest of the Three Horns; did she even take one glance of you when she left? No! And now I am stuck with some bird thing, two of the most stupid Screw Horns, a Fast Runner, a Spike Tail who keeps moping about not getting enough playtime and a Domehead who keeps following me LIKE SOME STUPID PET!!!!"
In a soundscape that consisted of volcanic eruptions, embers falling and steam hissing, that scream echoed throughout the area. Snips and Snail looked at each other. Even Silver Spoon can felt that in her heart. Button Mash and Rumble gave each other looks before turning around and heading back the way they came.
"Anyone else?!" - She asked the remainders of her herd. An awkward silence had her continue on - "Good! 'Cuz from now on, there are no breaks!!!"
Even if insulted, Silver Spoon still followed Diamond Tiara. Snips began to step forward when he noticed Snails devouring a small plant that was growing in the ash for some time now.
"Snails, come on!" Snips pushed his taller friend.
"I can't, eh! I'm concentratin' or else I get cramps!"
Snips shuffled his stubby legs nervously as Snails pulled the plant. In a dangerous place such as this, nothing can be predicted.
Diamond Tiara, Zipporwhill, and Silver Spoon have come across a very dark part of the volcanic range. Following a blackened path, they came across a sight that made even Diamond Tiara scared stiff. In front of them was a tar pit, one of the many additions to the changing world. Dotting about were the bones of various large dinosaurs that have become bleached as the years passed by, and some still had pieced of rotting flesh attached to them. What caused this was unknown, but the presence of Sharpteeth skulls tells without a doubt that a few desperate carnivores tried to get a bit of free food and failed... miserably.
Diamond Tiara sucked up some courage before continuing to a bridge. When she applied weight to it, the midsection of the bridge collapsed, splashing sticky tar up in the air. Diamond looked down into the bubbling void. If she could not make the jump, she would be just like the poor, unfortunate souls that have tried. Diamond stepped back and began to crouch. A volcano nearby started to rumble, shaking the ground next to it. Silver Spoon noticed Zipporwhill shaken off Diamond's head and clung onto her leg.
"Diamond!" -Too late, Diamond Tiara successfully leaped across the gap, but Zipporwhill lost her grip and was flung in the air right above the pit. Silver Spoon ran to the Feather Glider, paying no attention to the gap and with no wind to glide from, Zipporwhill screamed as they both fell into the death trap. Diamond didn't even turn around as she continued her walk. Silver Spoon erupted from the tar pit and struggled to get out - "Diamond, help!!" Silver Spoon cried out, but to no avail."
Zipporwhill, sitting on Silver Spoon's head, looked back at the path they came, "Snips, Snails, HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!!!!"
Apple Bloom's share of the herd just reconciled with Rumble and Button Mash when they heard the screams.
"Cosgrove, take the boys, find Silver Spoon and Zipporwhill!!" Apple Bloom ordered.
The nearly reformed herd split once more, this time for a purpose.
"Help, Diamond!!" Shouted Snips from a distance.
"Where are you, eh!?" Added Snails
Following their cries of help, Apple Bloom's herd found Snips and Snails on a single pillar surrounded by a river of lava. Snails looked up and spotted them up a ledge.
"Apple Bloom, Help!!!" Snails beckoned.
"Hang on, we're coming!!" Apple Bloom and her rescue team raced down the hill.
What Snips and Snails haven't noticed was that the rock they stood is sinking slowly to the molten earth. Sweetie Belle turned to a rock that's just the right height to become a bridge. Apple Bloom joined her as pushed the rock with all their might, tipping it over to the lava flow. Snips hopped onto his friend's back as lava splashed on his side of the sinking pillar.
Scootaloo jumped forward to the two Screw Horns, "Quick, this way!"
The three dinosaurs ran to safer ground as the river swallowed the rocks. Cosgrove's rescue team heard Silver Spoon's cries of help and followed them to the asphalt lake. Silver Spoon was now up to her neck.
"Silver Spoon, stop moving!" - Featherweight called out - "It'll only make you sink faster!"
"Everyone line up!" Cosgrove wrapped his tail around a pillar before holding Featherweight's right hand with his mouth.
The flier then grabbed Rumble's tail, and Rumble (carefully) grabbed Button's spiked tail. With a living bridge just reaching the two trapped Prisoners, Pipsqueak ran onto Button's head and grabbed Zipporwhill off the Domehead.
"Grab Silver Spoon!" Featherweight called out
Pipsqueak and Zipporwhill Held Button's nostrils with their toes and Silver's nostrils with their hands.
"Pull!!" Shouted Pipsqueak.
In an intense tug-of-war, the rescue teamed struggled with the asphalt as it pulled them back and forth. Button and Silver teared up as the forces of them being pulled was too much for their noses. Just when they were about to turn the tide, the pillar Cosgrove took hold gave. The rescue gradually slid down the ramp despite their efforts not to.
"Help!!" the group called out.
Just when they are about to meet their end, Apple Bloom bit down on Cosgrove's tail. With additional leverage from the rest of the herd away from the pit, they turned the tide once more.
A good distance away from both of them in an underground cave, Diamond Tiara had problems of her own.
"HEEEELLLPPPP!!!!"
Though Chrysalis was no longer among them, her pack still proved very effective against the lone Crown Head. Diamond ran one way, a Fast Biter blocked her path. She ran another way but was stopped by another Fast Biter. Noticing a column of light, Diamond made a mad dash towards the way she came. Suddenly, another Fast Biter jumped in front of her. With the other three Fast Biters cornering her into one spot, she was afraid.
"Help me, help me, Heeeelllppp!!!"
Diamond watched as one of the raptors drew it's toothed jaws towards her throat. Just as Diamond winced, the hunt was stopped by an unusual sound. The raptors looked and found a shocking discovery. The creature they saw was no dinosaur, let alone any kind of creature that ever existed. It was an elephant-like beast with wings jutting from behind it, its lower half appeared to be a six-legged, two-headed turtle with horns jutting out of its nose. The creature began creeping towards them as it echoed the caves with a sound like that of a mad man. Scared senseless the pack ran away to the dark caves. Diamond looked up and saw the creature approaching her before flopping back on the ground, covering her eyes. When the noise stopped, she lifted her hands. The monster was still there, towering three times her height.
"Get away! Get away from me!!" - The monster responded by lifting Diamond up with its trunk - "Let go of me!!" - The monster didn't do as she said as it raised her even higher - "Help! Help!! Silvie, Zipporwhill, Snips, Snails! Heeeelllppp!!!!!"
Diamond flailed her hands around as she waited to be devoured.
"Diamond, it's us!"
The Crown Head opened her eyes to find the Crusaders, Dinky, Pipsqueak, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Button Mash looking at her from below. Diamond slowly spun around to the monster; Snips and Snails formed the legs, Cosgrove operated the trunk with his tail while Featherweight stood on his shoulders, Silver Spoon stood on top with Zipporwhill using her arms to give the impression of ears. They were all just covered in tar and other debris. Dinky began to laugh before Boysenberry joined in.
Quickly regaining herself, Diamond crossed her arms, "I knew it was you all along."
"Sure you did..." Scootaloo pointed to the ground, leading the young Styracosaurus' eye to a small puddle of urine just below her.
The children noticed Diamond blushing in embarrassment before they started laughing. In his hilarity, Cosgrove lost his grip, dropping Diamond onto the puddle. She watched as Snips and Snails leaned to the left, causing the dog pile to fall on the uncovered members. This made the children laugh even more. Diamond looked at Silver Spoon, who still looked angry.
"Silvie, how could you!? I thought we were friends?"
"Friends?" Silver Spoon stepped forward "Since when do friends leave their own?! You left me and Zipporwhill to die in this muck!! What friend are you anywho?! You are nothing more than just a fibber!"
That backlash echoed the cave as the herd remained silent. Diamond Tiara looked down in shame.
"Well?!" Silver Spoon added.
"Oh," Diamond Tiara shoves the tar covered herd "get out of my way!"
Diamond raised head and tail up just when she slipped on another puddle of tar. Pipsqueak chuckled when Diamond turned a glare. She stood up again and stuck her tongue out just when she walked to a stalactite. Giving them one last glare, Diamond abandoned her pompous posture as she trudged out of the cave.
"Apple Bloom..." Silver Spoon asked of the Three Horn "I'm sorry I tackled you back there. You see, when I lost my family after the Great Earthshake, I was all alone until Diamond showed up. At first, I considered it for safety's sake, but as time came..." Silver Spoon started to tear up when Apple Bloom comforted her.
"We're sorry we dragged you guys into this," Rumble apologized "we just wanted to find our home."
Featherweight and Dinky looked at Cosgrove.
"And in a way, you succeeded." Dinky broke the silence.
"What?"
"Have we not split up, we wouldn't have covered more ground." Cosgrove answered.
The other half started looking at each other before Zipporwhill's eyes widened.
"You mean...!?"
Apple Bloom and her herd answered with a nod. The other children cheered, splashing about the muck. After their cheering died down, the only other sound aside from the dripping of water was that of weeping. Following the sound, the herd found Diamond Tiara weeping near a waterfall. Hearing the slouching sounds of tar, she turned to see their concerned looks.
"Well," Diamond sniffled "go on! Laugh!! See what I care!"
"Diamond, when Ah first met you, you were one of the most boorish dinosaurs I have ever met." Apple Bloom walked towards Diamond "But now I am feeling you are not being honest with yourself."
After a silence, Diamond raised her head.
"I always wanted to play with others outside of my own kind, but Mom never let me. I tried to talk to my dad about it, but be would just say," Diamond rose to her full height and deepened her voice "Diamond, how would you call yourself a Crown Head if you don't prove your worth?"
The herd looked at each other as the information processed in their heads.
"As I grew older, I became cold, and bullied others outside my herd." Diamond started to tear up "But my parents still didn't care, they just ignored me, I would be lucky enough to even get a one-word answer."
"What would make you feel better?" Asked Sweetie Belle
"A tooth," Diamond answered "a Sharptooth's tooth. That should grab the attention I deserve."
"Even if you want to risk your life?" Asked Scootaloo
Diamond Tiara lowered her shoulders, "If I don't they wouldn't care, in fact, they would hate me for being with you guys."
Dinky stepped forward, "They wouldn't hate you. Because like us, they have something that you have."
"Like what?"
Dinky held Diamond's front leg and placed it on her chest. Diamond was confused until the Hollow Horn pressed her hand harder. Feeling the slow rhythm on her hand, Diamond calmed down.
"They have parents like we do, they have problems too. Even if they're louder, stronger, or even think they're tough, they're kids like us."
"See, Diamond," Said Cosgrove "in a world so full of life, you're only as alone as you choose to be."
Diamond Tiara looked at the herd as they curled a smile. Diamond hugged Apple Bloom.
"We'll get this solved, Sugarcube. We will."
Now feeling anew, Diamond rejoined the herd as they followed an underground river, ready to go home." |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | Let's Get Rid of Him Once and For All/Homecoming | In a somewhat dangerous way, the route Diamond Tiara took did lead to Canterlot Crater. Following the underground river, the herd came out of the caves away from the volcanic range. Recognizing the Great Wall that surrounds the valley, Apple Bloom's witnesses did give a sigh of relief that they didn't have to climb up the bedrock mound again. The river made it's stop at a very deep pond just near the final road to Canterlot Crater. Still having tar on them, the herd stopped and jumped into the water to get themselves cleaned off. Pip and Zipporwhill, being the smallest, stuck to the shallows as they cleaned themselves as if their human/pony counterparts would. Just as they were about finished, a large roar echoed the area.
"Aggghhhh!!!" - Button screamed - "Tirek!!!"
In a flash, the herd crammed each other to hide behind a slab of rock, Snails adding an extra measure by slamming his head into the water. The massive Sharptooth was just above them. Even when removed, the tar removed their scent. Tirek sniffed the air, trying to get a scent of prey. From his teeth, drops of saliva fell on Diamond's frill. Diamond noticed one of his teeth jutting out longer than the others. Knowing this is a loose one, Diamond Tiara licked her chops and tried to reach for it, much to the other kid's worry. Tirek then rose to his full height at the sound of a large animal bellowing. His ears picking up the source, he found that he was just near Canterlot Crater. His massive body turned and proceeded to walk towards the Crater. Having had his head underwater long enough, Snails lifted his head, gasping for air.
"Oh no..." Scootaloo gasped
"If he makes his way into Canterlot Crater, there would be no home to get to, no family to return." Dinky added
Cosgrove was also in a desperate mind as he watched Tirek start climbing up the large hill of bedrock, before looking up to find a large boulder balanced at a ledge much higher than Tirek himself. The Longneck then came up with the most unlikely of answers.
"Let's get rid of him once and for all!"
The herd looked at him with confused and scared looks.
"Are you crazy?!" Diamond exclaimed, stamping towards him
"We're so small," - Silver Spoon added- "we can't fight a Sharptooth that big!"
Cosgrove thought for a moment before looking at his herd again, "So was Tall Stepper when he saved his sister. And if he could gather the courage to beat the wind, then we can gather the courage to beat the biggest, meanest Sharptooth that ever lived."
Although Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Dinky, Boysenberry, Button Mash, Rumble, and Zipporwhill weren't there when the story was told, they had no choice nonetheless. Those that have walked up to him.
"What'll we do?" asked Snips.
Cosgrove walked towards the center of the pond.
"Okay, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and I will coach him into the deep end of the pond."
"No way he's swimmin' with those scrawny arms!" Said Apple Bloom.
The Long Neck then turned to the rest of the herd, "You guys will be on that ledge and push that big rock onto his head. Featherweight, you and Zipporwhill will whistle when he's just at the right spot."
"Now we need some bait..." Said Scootaloo
"Bait?" - Pip asked - "Where are we gonna get bait?"
"From someone... small..." Said Sweetie Belle
"Blotchy..." Dinky added
"Hard to see..." Featherweight inched his bill up Pip's even smaller snout.
Pip looked around to see his herd looking right at him with a snide, pleading look on their faces, with Snails giving a goofy chuckle.
"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, no..."
Higher up the bedrock hill, Tirek was now one cavern away from Canterlot Crater. As his growls and footsteps echoed the cave, Pipsqueak slowly walked up to the mouth of the cave, whimpering. Many thoughts of death ran through his head; he is small enough to not having to be crushed by Tirek's teeth, just swallowed whole into the vat of acid known as his belly. Tirek grunted, bringing the Ankle Biter to hide behind a rock barely larger than he is. He took one look at the Rex, licked his chops, and screamed as loud as possible, ducking back down immediately before Tirek's good eye could spot him. Pipsqueak slowly looked up once more. Tirek was nowhere to be seen. Pip was now really scared; the Rex could have entered the valley, but on another hand, the black sections of his body could have him hidden somewhere in the caves.
The Ankle Biter did not dare to turn around. As he stepped backward towards the exit, Pip kept moving his delicate head, trying to catch a sight of the giant carnivore. At one point he felt something wet drip on him. He assumed that it was from the moist roof of the cave when he got dropped again. Wiping his head, Pip felt an unusual viscosity, something that water doesn't have. His beady brown eyes shrank as he tilted his head upward. As if an elephant-sized animal became a ninja, Tirek was just above him, staring at Pip with an open black eye. While one eye was twitching, the Compsognathus' jaw dropped on its own.
Tirek raised his head up and lunged at him, just missing the Ankle Biter. Pip ran forward towards the exit before Tirek leaped in front of him. forcing him to Make a quick turn towards the mouth of the cave. The Rex was about to scoop him up with his jaws had he not stubbed his foot on a rock. Being top heavy and with small arms too small to slow the fall, Tirek "flew" out of the mouth of the cave, with Pipsqueak on his snout, sliding down the bedrock hill all the way to the small pond. The children high on the ledge watched as Tirek struggled to get up.
"Pipsqueak!" Shouted Zipporwhill
In the water, Pip swam to an underwater alcove, peeking his head out just a little. Tirek slowly rose up, his uninjured eye spotting Cosgrove and the Crusaders. Tirek furrowed his brows as he rose to his full height. For such small creatures, they have the guts to take him on. He opened his jaws before Apple Bloom rammed at his foot. Tirek turned around when Scootaloo leaped on top of him and bopped him on the eye. Tirek was now raging mad, spinning the Fast Runner off his snout before roaring into the air. Pipsqueak rose from the surface as the Rex thrashed about.
"That serves you right, you stupid beast!" Pip yelled at him before making a series of faces. A bad move to make when your a bite-sized snack, as Tirek retaliated by almost crushing Pip under his weight.
Featherweight noticed Tirek on the target spot and tried to whistle through his toothless beak. Zipporwhill, though birdlike, was still able to whistle. Tirek looked up, spotting the rock as it began to shake.
"Push, guys!" - Diamond Tiara shouted as she and her group pushed the massive rock - "Push with all your life!"
Now he knew why the kids were acting like this. Tirek looked at the children on his level; that moment, he knew, that they would be the ones he hunted so many miles away. Cosgrove glared at him as he stood right on the face of the ledge.
"That's right, Tiny." - Cosgrove hissed - "No running from us this time..."
Timing it right, the Long Neck dodged Tirek's snapping jaws, colliding his snout with the wall. The shock rocked Zipporwhill and Featherweight off the ledge. While the Feathered Glider managed to glide to another part of the ledge, Featherweight wasn't so fortunate. Featherweight started flapping his wings repeatedly, lifting his posterior to avoid the Sharptooth's snapping teeth. Featherweight closed his eyes, expecting the worse. A few moments later he found that he wasn't descending anymore, and what's more, there isn't any pain on his wing.
"I'm flying," - Featherweight frantically looked around, smiling as he ascended - "I'm flying, I'm flying! I'M FLYING!!!!"
"HEEELLPPP!!!!" Shouted Sweetie Belle as she barely avoided the Sharptooth's teeth.
Featherweight growled at Tirek as he started to walk away from the pond, now it was time to give back a little something. Puffing his chest, Featherweight swooped down, grabbed the Sharptooth by the tail and slowly pulled him back towards the pond. Cosgrove and Apple Bloom ran underneath his heels, causing Tirek to fall back to the deep end. Tirek struggled to stand back up as the waves crashed against the barren land around it.
"Now's our chance!" - Scootaloo grabbed Pipsqueak - "Let's do it!"
The Crusaders and Cosgrove ran up to the ledge and joined them as they pushed the rock. Tirek watched as the rock began to shift forward. Luck favored him against when his toes grabbed the shore. Standing up, Tirek crouched down before leaping straight up onto the ledge, the boulder the one obstacle in his way from crushing them under his feet. But the added weight also kept the children from pushing the rock. Diamond looked back at the length of the ledge. A smirk in her face, Diamond avoided the Sharptooth's jaws and ran to the end of the ledge. Scraping the ground, Diamond screamed as she began charging at the boulder. Ramming the boulder provided the inertia needed to tilt the boulder. With one final push, the children pushed Tirek and the boulder off the ledge.
Tirek collided with the water first, the last thing his good eye saw was the boulder falling fast. With a loud thud, the rock smashed his side, crushing his ribs. Tirek's tail became limp, then his legs and arms. The children watched as the Sharptooth breathed out one last breath. The children walked down to the shore, staring at the lifeless eyes as blood spilled into the water. Cosgrove stepped forward and looked at the injured eyeball. Apple Bloom walked up to him, seeing tears stream from the Alamosaurus' eyes. The young Three Horn nudged him before they turned around and walked towards the bedrock hill. Diamond Tiara took a few steps forward before running back and prying the loose tooth from the corpse and joining the herd.
As the children walked towards the other side of the cave, they can smell the green food and hear the sounds of flowing water and the bellows of larger dinosaurs. When they walked out the cave, Diamond's half of the herd widened their eyes as they took in the amazing view of Canterlot Crater. Snips and Snails had their mouth agape.
"Welcome home, y'all." Apple Bloom announced.
With a trumpet of Dinky's crest, the herd began running along the trail that led them down to the valley. Featherweight would have flown first, but having walked for so long, why not?
Over by a placid lake, a Parasaurolophus family grazed. One of them, Doctor Whooves, looked to find his wife looking at her reflection in misery. Even when arriving at the valley, she hardly ate. Amethyst Star walked over to comfort Derpy.
"Mommy?" - the wall-eyed Hollow Horn raised her head at the familiar sound - "Mommy?"
Derpy quickly rose to her hind legs, as she and her family group looked around, wondering where the sound is. One of her eyes caught a glimpse of a gray-violet hatchling of her species. Focusing both eyes, she found the young Hollow Horn running towards her.
"Mommy!!!" Dinky cried out.
"Dinky!" Derpy ran towards her child as fast as she could, her ditzy self tripping on a few rocks. The mother and child embraced each other, tears flowing from their eyes. Doctor Whooves and Amethyst quickly trotted to their returned child.
In time, Silver Spoon, Button Mash, Rumble, Zipporwhill, and Boysenberry rejoined their families, each one being received with a very heartfelt reunion.
Then came the ultimate test; the remainder of the herd appeared right in front of Diamond Tiara's herd. Filthy and Spoiled Rich had their mouths slightly agape as Diamond walked to between her friends and her parents, holding the tooth in her beak.
"What... is... that?" Asked Spoiled Rich in a shaken tone.
"Tirek's tooth..." - Diamond answered, hiding her sadness in her former proud voice - "I trust it would be to your liking."
Filthy immediately batted the tooth away and embraced his daughter. Diamond felt her father choking up as her mother walked over and joined the embrace.
"We missed you so much..." Whispered her father.
Diamond Tiara teared up before she stepped back.
"Mom, Daddy..." - She wiped the tears away before turning to remaining children, pointing at Apple Bloom - "I wish to thank this brave Three Horn for leading us to this wonderful place."
Spoiled Rich looked at Apple Bloom before walking up to her group.
"Then you have my greatest thanks, young Three Horn..." - The adult Crown Head lowered her head, closing her eyes - "and my sincerest apologies..."
Apple Bloom tilted her frill forward, "Much obliged." she responded before leading her group away.
"Wait!" - Diamond grabbed the tooth and tossed it to the herd - "Call it a token of our appreciation."
Pipsqueak held the banana shaped object in his arms as they continued the last part of their journey.
Over by a slow moving river, Babs Seed sadly walked to the sandy river bank and began to take a drink. Hearing the sound of feet, the dark-tan Chasmosaurus turned to her right, her discovery widening her grass-green eyes.
A further distance away, Scorpan's herd were browsing in a clearing between the forest. Though the relatives of their loved ones still felt a deep sadness in their hearts. Granny Smith walked up to her eldest grandchildren as they conversed with Lion Tamer, Loopty Hoop, and Scorpan.
"And so what if we found enough food to last us for years, who cares?" - Applejack stamped her feet, her face showing signs of insomnia - "If we don't have the kids, what's the point?"
"For once, I agree with you..." Lion Tamer responded with a hopeless tone in his voice.
"We've got to have faith." - Granny Smith joined in - "Our children will find their way."
"How?" - Applejack turned to the matriarch - "Come out of the bushes?"
Just as she said that, Loopty Hoop turned to the sound of rustling bushes. Shortly after seeing Babs, the old Edmontosaurus became startled.
"Why that's exactly what they're going to do!"
Her husband and the Apple Family turned to find the children, appearing before them for the first time in days. Immediately each child ran to their family member, rejoicing in tears as they found their children are still alive.
"Bulk, I can fly again!!!" Featherweight approached his giraffe-sized brother before leaping up and soaring around him.
"Way to go, Little Bro! YEAAAHHHH!!!!" Bulk responded in his "usual" tone.
"Oh, Sweetie Belle!" - Rarity cried tears of joy - "I'll never let you out of my sight again!"
The Apple Family embraced their returned member, some taking a notice of the scar on her red frill.
"If Ma and Pa were here right now, they'd be so proud of you!" Applejack cried
"Eeyup!" Big Mac added as he rubbed his little sister's back.
Cosgrove's friends and their relatives embraced him before Scorpan stepped forward, breaking the festivities. The herd now looked worried as the large Duckbill stared him down.
"Cosgrove, I have told you many a time that you must not wander away from the herd. And that time so long ago, you disobeyed me again and brought your friends in danger, and worse, it cost your mother's life."
Scootaloo ran forward between the elder Shantungosaurus and young Alamosaurus.
"Scorpan," - The leader of the herd looked at the Fast Runner - "it wasn't his fault this time... it was mine..."
Scorpan closed his eyes, his brows still tense, "Had you not been separated from us in the Great Earthquake I would have exiled you from the herd." - The Duckbill opened his eyes and looked at the children - "But for the time you have been away from us, I hoped you learned a great lesson." - the hadrosaur turned and walked away - "Keep to your families and treasure them well, for when change does come to Canterlot Crater, they may not be there to protect you."
Loopty Hoop and Lion Tamer embraced their "grandson," with the Crusaders giving him a sad look.
"Hey, guys!" - the children of Scorpan's herd turned to find Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Dinky, Button Mash, Rumble, Boysenberry, and Zipporwhill and their families meeting with them - "Want to play?"
The children looked at their families who gave them a nod of approval.
"Come on, we'll race each other!" The children began racing to the top of a hill.
Canterlot Crater was all they dreamed it would be: a land of life. There were waterfalls, grassy meadows, enough green food to feast them forever. And grazing among them the same loving faces they looked into on the day of their birth. |
My Little Pony: The Land Before Time | Epilogue | A few days after, the children were walking with their families to an unknown destination.
"C'mon, Applejack" - Apple Bloom begged - "can't you tell us what the big surprise is?"
"Eenope." Answered Applejack, much to Big Mac's musing.
"Grandma?" - Cosgrove looked at his grandparents - "Grandpa?"
The two Duckbills kept their beaks closed as they continued their walk through the forest.
In time, the herd walked out of the forest and to a sparse clearing. The children's eyes widened at their new discovery. It was Saurus Rock, a little weathered after a few million years, but otherwise still standing almost as tall as it was when it was first formed. Cosgrove stepped forward, amazed at seeing the formation for the first time in his life. And being up close, they saw the circle of "teeth" around its neck. Featherweight's keen eye did notice an empty space between two of the teeth.
"Lion Tamer."
"Yes, Featherweight?" The Male Edmontosaurus turned his attention to him.
"What did you say what would happen if anything happened to Saurus Rock?"
"Well, like the legend says, bad luck would descend upon the world." - Lion Tamer heard his wife cleared her throat before going any further - "But in truth, it's just a bedtime story my grandfather told me when I was a youngster."
"Besides," - Granny Smith added - "There isn't such as thing as bad luck."
Still holding the tooth, Pipsqueak hopped off Button Mash and gave placed it in front of Featherweight.
"No harm in making sure?" asked the young Ankle Biter.
Holding the tooth in his beak, Featherweight carried the tooth to the gap, snuggling it in. Upon landing back to the herd, he joins in the splendor as an actual tooth now lined up with the stone teeth. The families turned around and began to walk home, leaving only Cosgrove's family standing there. Cosgrove curved a smile as his grandparents comforted him.
"We really miss her too, Cosgrove." Loopty Hoop soft spoke.
Cosgrove, remembering what Sunset Shimmer told him a long while ago, replied, "But we'll never be apart as long as you remember the things you taught her."
The two Duckbills teared up before Lion Tamer rose to his hind feet and bellowed to the sky, followed by his wife and grandson. Hearing the bellow in the distance, the family herds joined in the chorus before other kinds of dinosaurs joined in.
Over the years, the land outside Canterlot Crater became greener, and lands that were barren and bone-dry now flowed with as much green food and water as their beloved home. The children have now grown up, from the still tiny Pipsqueak to the large herd of grown up Apple Saplings to the thirty-ton Cosgrove, ready to leave the home that they were raised in safety.
And they all grew up together in Canterlot Crater. But one thing is for certain that their journey is not over, for they did not know what changes big or small lie ahead. In some small way, it was told generation upon generation, each passing onto the next, the tale of their ancestor's journey to the valley long ago.
The mixed-species herd continued to travel west across grassy plains and snowless mountains until they reached one of the pinnacles of their journey: The Pacific Ocean. |
The mystery of Barry | pre | "Oh man that took a lot out of me," as I crashed on the couch. I didn't expect to use that much energy at all, I thought . I saw that Chrysalis (who was in her normal form) decided to lay on me, her fur was very soft and warm, her insect like wings were folded in and she laid her head on top of me as she fell asleep. I was so exhausted that I feel asleep quickly too. |
The mystery of Barry | chapter 6 The Visioning Dream | Chapter 6 The Visioning Dream
Barry had been tired from various activities throughout the day, from Celestia probing his mind to Chrysalis teaching him some basic magic which had depleted almost all of his energy. He laid on the couch while Chrysalis slept on top of him peacefully.
(Dream)
"Whoa, where am I",
I looked around not noticing my surrounding as everything started to change until I became aware of where I was, I was in a forest and there stood a creature just behind the trees. His eyes were glowing a Yellowish glow and they were fixed on me. "Who are you", I asked? "What are you?" His eyes looked like they could pierce your soul.
"I am part of you, the evil in you", it said. "I have been with you, your whole life but I have been suppressed for so long until today when something broke the bounds that held me down. I am can look like whoever you like."
"So let me get this straight, you're the demon that lives inside me", I asked?
"Yes", said the demon. "So I know all about you" smirking, "but I don't even have a name".
"Hmm ok, well how about Hostility"?
"I like it since most of my chains are broken, I will be able to influence you more (Hostility started to smile evilly.) I hope you're ready to get angrier that you have ever been. It's been so long since I was imprisoned and now to be almost free it's beautiful!!!! Thank You."
(Princess Luna entered the dream by a spark of light).
"Hi Barry........um what's that Barry.... "She was looking at Hostility. "Barry get back now", Luna demanded.
"Why Luna", I asked her while I stood next to the demon Hostility. "I think when I got these magical abilities, I set him almost free. I think he is wanting to play", smiling.
"Barry be careful I need to get my sister Celestia." (She left quickly.)
"Barry can I have some fun when they come back", said Hostility. "I also know that you are able to manifest objects and bring them into the real world."
Just as Barry was going to reply Luna and Celestia appeared in front of them and Luna looked a little worried while Celestia stood there looking at the demon Hostility.
"So you're the demon that has been hidden deep within Barry, why are you here now all of a sudden," Celestia demanded. Her horn glowing waiting on the demon to make a move.
"I'm here because, magic was the key to my part of my release, now all I need is to figure how to get the rest freed". (started to walk towards them, and as he walked out of the forest, he stood eight foot tall, humanoid (Doom3 Hellknight). Luna and Celestia took several steps back, While Barry stood there observing everyone.
"Hostility, stand down", I said. He did as I told him and I knew that he had to obey me for the time being.
"Barry, how did you do that", Luna asked? "I've never seen a mortal being able to control a Demon like that. I've seen many demons but never a demon like this one."
"If he ever gets out into Equestria, we will be forced to turn him into stone like the other demons in the royal garden", said Celestia. Luna had nodded in agreement.
Hostility looked at Celestia, "weren't you going to turn Barry into stone yesterday? Also I can see everyone else's demons Luna's especially." I walked over to her, "I see that your demon in you is always trying to get you become evil again, isn't the demons name Nightmare Moon?"
"How do you know about her", asked Luna?
"Well I can see other demons, that's the perk of being a demon", said Hostility. "The only pony here I haven't seen a demon is that pony .... Fluttershy. Chrysalis's demon even likes me lol, but she's is being suppressed big time like I once was. "
Luna looked at her sister, "what do we do, I'm a little scared? That test of yours somehow partly released him. Who knows what he'll do if gets out. "
"Time will tell sister", and they vanished.
As I realized the two ponies left and Hostility was enjoying himself (boasting about himself), I turned the dream to a beautiful beach and laid down in a chair watching the crystal clear waves move into shore. "Ahh the only way to relax." I watched as the demon look around at the new surroundings.
"Go release your anger out here where you are safe and you can do this every night when I dream we are at the beach. "
"Thank you", said Hostility. He started to run around destroying everything in his path, what ponies were there were brutality mutilated and killed. Barry knew that he was having a field day. He went and killed everyone on the beach except Barry who was reading a book and Chrysalis who was in a chair next to him asleep. There was blood everywhere on the beach, even the water had turned blood red tint to it. Walking to Barry, "thank you for the release, it felt good to stretch my legs again, I'm good for a few days now."
"Ok" said Barry," well I'd better get Chrysalis to the bed", shaking the Hostility's hand and everything started to change as he started to wake up.
(Awake)
I opened my eyes and looked around at my surroundings, I was still laying on the couch, clock said two A.M. Chrysalis was still sleeping on top of me.
"Chrysalis, wake up just enough so that I can get you into the bed". I saw her sleepy eyes wake up and I led her to the bed and she laid down on top of the bed and took both pillows and went back to sleep. "Hmm, oh well", she can have it for the night and crawled under the covers and laid there.
(4 months later)
Over the past four months nothing happed really, Barry had finally gotten the house fixed up, Chrysalis was about five months pregnant, she even had a little bulge in her belly that was noticeable. Barry was getting better at his magic studies, as he was able to levitate objects, force fields, and a few others, but he was currently learning how to transportation spells. Barry was enjoying Chrysalis teaching him magic but with each new spell he learned, Barry quickly knew that each time he learned new spells, he was slowly changing, his mind and attitude.
It was in the middle of June and the temperature was around 82 degrees, sunny day and not a cloud in sight. Birds were singing all around and everypony was at a festival in the middle of the town. I had been working with AJ at Sweet Apple Acres finishing the mornings chores. Big Mac had already filled the barrels with apples and I loaded the barrels into the wagon. It was about 11:30 when I had gotten the last barrel into the barn and moved the wagons to the shed. Big Mac pulled me to the side after I put the barrel of apples down and I followed him away from Aj, and Applebloom.
"Thanks", said Big Mac. "I have a question for you Barry and I'm kind of embarrassed. "
"Sure ok", I told him. "What's on your mind?"
"Well Barry, I like Miss Cheerilee, and well... I... umm.. would like to take her out to the festival ..."
"Cool, well tell me what does she like, or any info that you can give me, and I'll do whatever I can to help you".
"Umm well, she's nice helpful, and a teacher.", said Big Mac. "Let me get AppleBloom since she's a student of Cheerilees".
As Big Mac left Barry's house, Barry went outside and went to see Miss Cheerilee, who was outside her house and was doing some gardening .
I looked around and saw no one around Cheerilee and I walked up to her, "Hi Miss Cheerilee, how are you today?"
"Oh hello Barry, how are you today", asked Cheerilee?
"I'm doing good", I replied. "You have a pretty garden , also my friend is shy and he wanted me to see if I could get you to go the festival with him?"
"Oh is it Big Mac, (I was shocked that she got him on the first guess) sure I'd love to go with him," Blushing. "Oh, I'm so excited, thank you Barry for the wonderful news, I must get ready for tomorrow then." She ran inside and shut the door fast.
"Hmm now it's time to go find Big Mac". It took about fifteen minutes to find where he was, but I eventually found him outside his house raking a few leaves in the front yard. "Hey Big Mac what's up? "
"Nuthen much", he told Barry. "So what can I help you with"? He raised his eyebrow.
"Your set up for tomorrow with Miss Cheerilee". (His eyes widened)
"How did you do that so fast, he asked? "
"Well Mac, I believe that she likes you, so you are pretty lucky. Well you have fun tomorrow at the festival, I got to get back home before somepony gets cranky". I left Mac with his thoughts.
When Barry got home, he noticed that Chrysalis was eating a sandwich. She turned her head and saw that I was home and the ran up to me and asked where I had been. I told her that I had been helping Big Mac to get a date for the festival tomorrow. She said ok, are you ready to practice your magic skills? (I've not told her about Hostility yet, right now I thought it wasn't the best time to introduce him to her.)
"Sure Chrisy, is there a spell to make a pair of wings for me so we can both fly"? I asked her.
"Hmm well there is this one spell but it's too advanced for you", she said sadly. "How about we use the transportation spell I taught you and go to Canterlot?"
"Ok sure", I said, and Chrysalis had transformed into her human form and her belly was just a little bigger than her original form. "Are you ready sweetie?" She nodded in agreement and I had cast my spell and we found ourselves in Canterlot. For some odd reason we found ourselves in the throne room and Celestia and Luna were looking at us both shocked and puzzled.
"Hello you two, what brings you here", asking Celestia?
"Um just practicing magic and we were supposed to teleport on the outskirts of the castle, not in the throne room", I told her. (Luna giggled.)
Well Barry, saying Celestia, at least your trying to use magic, which is a good start. Barry, what's wrong with your left palm and I saw the cutie mark of the gear and it was rotating as if it was in part of a machine. Barry, I've never seen a cutie mark do anything like that before. I'd like it if you and Chrysalis would stay for a few days while we examine this.
I looked at Chrysalis and she was looking at me.
"Um Celestia are you going to keep me away from here since well you know back then a few years ago?"(She was referring to the time when she took Princess Cadence's place and tried to take over Equestria.)
"I think you are ok to stay with Barry this time, but please Chrysalis, follow me, I'd like to talk to you". (Chrysalis gulped in fear.)
"Thank you Princess Celestia", Chrysalis ran to Barry and gave him a hug and kissed him and went with Celestia.
As Chrysalis and Celestia left the throne room to a door to the right. Luna grabbed Barry's hand and took him to a room with a Moon shape stitched onto the bed, which must of been her room. She shut the door after I followed her in.
"Barry, I need to know what kind of demon is in you when me and Celestia were in your dream the other night?"
"Well, I gave him the name Hostility. He's pretty nice to me but, just don't enter my dreams on Thursday, please don't ask and just take my word". Luna nodded in agreement." So what did Chrysalis mean back in the throne room, just curious?"
"Well Barry, A few years ago she tried to take over Equestria. She almost got away with it until Twilight Sparkle had found the real princess that she had replaced and she and her future husband who was Twilight's brother used their magic to banish her from the kingdom, but since you found her she had been un banished for some reason. I'm glad your with her because she has always been a real threat to us, by feeding off our love. But I don't understand is that when she feeds off pony love we grow very week and sick, while nothing happens to you, It's like you just shake it off. "
"Ok Luna, thank you for that little bit of info. I'm sure you won't probably have to worry about her returning evil, she's been getting clumsier each week from being pregnant. I just don't understand how interspecies breeding is possible, I mean sure she can change her form but still she has pony DNA, while I am human and have human DNA. "
"Barry, there is so much that you need to learn, Equestria is full of mysteries. Almost anything can happen here. I bet your little one will be perfect no matter what he or she looks like. Is your little one a colt or a filly?"
"To be honest I don't know. I know she's a little over 5 months pregnant but she never told me. I do wrap my arms around her and put my ear to her belly to see if I can hear anything, if anything Chrysalis is going to make a great mom, I just hope I can be a good father to the little one". (Luna put her hoof around my shoulder.)
"Barry I'd know you'd make a good father", said Luna, cheerfully. "You are kind, helpful, and never give in," she boasted." Hey lets go get some lunch, I'm starved, how about you"?
"Sure Luna, I could go for some fries, " I said. We left her room and went to the banquet hall where there was food laid out on the table and we sat together and started to eat the food which was on the plates. My plate had French fries and broccoli and boy were they good. Luna had hay which they looked like bacon strips. She had offered me one but I gracefully declined, since I didn't eat hay but I let her have a piece of my broccoli, after a few seconds she gobbled up the rest of my broccoli. (I didn't realize that she was that hungry. )
After they finished eating, Celestia and Chrysalis came into the hall and sat on the opposite side of the table in front of me and Luna. The two used their magic to lift the lids off the plate revealing that Celestia had the same plate I had and Chrysalis had what Luna had.
"So what did you two do while we had our talk", asked Celestia curiously? (Chrysalis looked at them also waiting to hear what they did.)
"We talked like you, and I asked him to perform some of the magic that he was able to do. And his Cutie mark had stopped spinning." (Barry looked at his palm and sure enough it stopped.)
"Well Luna, Barry, I'm glad you guys are having fun . ^_^ . " Celestia then turned to Chrysalis, "well I hope you enjoy your stay" and she walked out with one of her attendants.
"So Chrysalis, what would you like to do", asked Luna. Barry had gone over to her and took Chrysalis's hand and held it smiling.
"How about we go swimming," replied Chrysalis.
"Sure," I told her," but where are we going to go?"
I grabbed Barry's hand and we went to the river. I knew this was going to be fun. As we headed towards the river, I noticed that no one was around the river. "Yay we get the whole river to ourselves", I said, cheerfully.
I was keeping up with Chrysalis when we finally reached the river, it was a wide river and was not moving at a reasonable pace, I was kind of worried that the current would be too fast. I noticed that Chrysalis had let go of my hand and she was already getting into the water, I took off my shirt and headed into the water behind her. "HOLY MOLY, this water is freezing cold."
"Well Barry what did you expect", Chrysalis said, "we are on a mountain river." I saw Barry was shivering as his surfaced from the water. "Are you ok sweetie?"
"The water is cold!" As I replied to her. Shivering as I treading water. I knew that I would not last in the ice cold water and surly realized it when ice started coming down from up river. I quickly got out of the freezing water as fast as I could and started to sneeze.
"Barry are you ok?" Bless you as he continued to sneeze. "I hope you don't get sick sweetie", replied Chrysalis as she continued to swim in the water.
"I'll be fine, you go ahead and keep on swimming and I'll watch you from the bank". I laid down and watched he have her fun in the water for a couple of hours, then she got out and laid next to me and she was very cold but it didn't seem to bother her any. I stroked her long mane.
A royal guard came running up, "MISS Chrysalis you and Barry are needed back at the castle now. Something has happened and maybe you can shed some light. "(He left)
"Come on Barry grab my arm and we will teleport to the castles gates. " (Barry grabbed her Hoof)
She used her teleportation spell and we appeared in front of the Canterlot Castle. They ran inside bumped into Twilight, Barry had tripped over Spike and fell to the floor.
"I'm ok", as I got myself up from tripping over Spike, I looked around and everyone vanished like no one was ever there. "Hello where did you guys go?" As I walked around the castle I found no pony anywhere, not even the guards. I started poking my head in random rooms looking for somepony but never found anyone. "What in the Hell is going on here," I yelled. I poked my head out a window and noticed that there was nopony outside either, this is getting strange and weird. I ran throughout the palace, still nothing. All of a sudden I saw that the door at the end of the hallway started opening. "Hello who's here", I asked nervously? All of a sudden Hostility walks into the room and notices me and walks towards me. "Hey Hostility, do you know why no one is here in the palace?"
"That's easy" said Hostility. "When you tripped over Spike you flew through a window into the royal gardens and are out cold", smiling. "Your inside your head right now as I've been giving you generous amount my energy so that you can recover quickly".
"Thank you, Hostility. It means a lot. So we are in my dream.... why can't I change it or anything."
"That's because you're in a medical induced coma for the time being until they can mend your broken legs... With all this magic you would think that they could fix anything in an instant. "
"Yea so, (I put a devious grin on my face) how about we do something fun?"
"Barry, I like that grin what do you have in mind?"
"Well lets go to the armory first then I'll tell you the rest". As we made way to the armory, we still didn't see anypony and I opened the door and tossed Hostility a Broadsword and a ax, while I took a regular sword and a bow and arrow. "Well you ready to go destroy something"? (Hostility was shocked to see the beautiful weapons that were in his hands and nodded happily.)
The two went down and started to break everything in sight. A vase here and a table there, we had fun destroying things. While we were destroying things the whole room started to fill with Chrysalis's, Twilight's voice.
(Twilight and Chrysalis talking with the nurse)
"Will he be ok?" Asking Chrysalis, looking sad.
"I'm so sorry Chrysalis", Twilight said as she put Spike on her back for the duration of the day. "He's lucky that he missed that cactus down there or otherwise I believe that he would of been far worse." (I tried to calm Chrysalis the best I could because of her pregnancy but was having a hard time so I called in the nurse.) She reassured that Barry was going to be alright, and he might wake up later and I'll release him to you to take back to your home back in Ponyville.
No one knew that Barry could hear them as they talked which wasn't a bad thing but made him sad since he could not relay them a message that he's ok.
"So Twilight," asked Chrysalis. "Do you have any idea why Celestia and Luna summoned here so quickly, and where are they anyways"...... she asked.
"Well something from the past as risen and Celestia wants Barry to open the door that just rose out from under the surface in your backyard".
....." Door? Backyard....? Sorry but I'm not following exactly," saying Chrysalis.
(Back in Dream)
"What door behind the house", I wondered to myself. ..." I don't have any idea what they are talking about"... I looked as Hostility but he was having the time of his life right now destroying things. "Man I wish I could wake up right about now so I can see what all the commotion is about". (Looking at my hands) "Hey where did my cutie marks go?" I was getting pissed off now and I wanted out of this coma ..... punched the wall as hard as I could and I knew instantly I should of not done it because my right hand was hurting all over. I decided if I was going to be stuck in here I'm going to sleep in peace and went to Celestia's room and laid on the bed. "Man this bed is so comfy", I thought to myself. I looked and saw a folder on her nightstand which said stately on it, "For Celestia's eyes only. I rolled my eyes and took a look inside. (Eyes widening) "Holy shit, she has my life profile since the day I arrived to this weird planet. It was a TO-DO LIST". I quickly scanned it and quickly folded the envelope into my back pocket.
(Chrysalis and the nurse.)
"So there's nothing we can do to wake him up already, I want to ..... "(broke down crying.)
"Well there are these magical sleeping salts but they haven't been properly tested and there might be some side effects", said the nurse.
"Give them to me please", asking Chrysalis, "I want him up already and then we can treat him while he is awake, it's my fault for this accident and I want to tell him sorry already."
As the nurse handed Chrysalis the bag of smelling salts, the smell of the salts could wake the dead. Chrysalis took the salts and held them under Barry's nose. Nothing happened right away and after a few minutes Barry had started coughing and Chrysalis moved the salts away. Barry had put his hand to his head rubbing his eyes.
"Uhh where am I and what smells like decaying dirty socks". Just as I had said that Chrysalis gave me a huge hug and started to kiss me endlessly.
"I'm so sorry Barry, said Chrysalis. We should of walked back to the palace, then you would of never tripped over Spike and Twilight and would of fell out of the window. I had no intentions of leaving his side this time. "
"Did you figure out why Celestia called us back to the castle yet"? Looking around and I felt something poke me from my back pocket and realized that I had that folder still on me from the dream.
"No she went to her room and after a few minutes she ran out saying that her folder was missing. (Oh SHIT thought Barry) She is running around in her room looking for it.
I sat up and moved my legs to the floor while the nurse was telling me I needed to rest and lay back down. I ignored her warnings and tried to stand up, I was ok for a few seconds until I just fell back on the bed. "Dang well can Chrysalis just push me in a wheelchair"?
The nurse agreed and brought a wheel chair and Chrysalis pushed me where Celestia was running around tearing up her room.
"Celestia", yelled Chrysalis, "we are here as you requested". Celestia turned her head and walked over to them.
"Well Barry how are you feeling," asked Celestia? "Sorry about the mess, I lost something and I am having a hard time finding it. It was a binder but no worries. Barry a structure appeared outside of your house in the backyard and I need you to go down and see if it's safe and what it is, maybe you could restore the power if possible so we can see, but first please rest and regain your strength, I don't know how you managed to not seriously hurt yourself after a 2 story fall but I can see your one tough person."
"Umm Celestia while was out cold, me and .... were all alone in the Castle and no one not even a guard was around and we went looking around and I found this folder on the ground", (pulls the folder out of his back pocket and handed it to her, her eyes went big and wide with fear.)
"How did you...... Celestia was in shock just as much as was Chrysalis. Did you look inside of this Barry?"
"No, just happened to wake up before I had a chance to read it" (lying).
"Ok Barry good now go off and get some rest". Celestia turned around and walked off.
Chrysalis pushed Barry to the room that was set for them and he slowly got into the bed. He had a little annoyed look on his face. Chrysalis saw that and she began to wonder if Barry had actually read what was in the folder.
"So Chrysalis, did I hear Celestia correctly? Something popped up in our backyard?" (She nodded). Hmm and I fell asleep.
I smiled as I watched my sweet Barry sleep and she laid down next to him and I put my hoof around him. Smiling because Barry was ok, she laid her head on him, (I'm six months pregnant and only got five more months to go.) I finally went to sleep.
The next morning after Celestia finished her Briefing with Barry and Chrysalis they were allowed to go home and report the findings on the door in the backyard. They took the 4 hour train ride home and Barry didn't realize how exhausted he was when he made it to the front door of their house. Chrysalis had caught him about three times till she make him lay down on the couch and rest for a bit , but it turned out to be FOUR solid days he laid there passed out.
"Barry please wake up"... cried Chrysalis. I had been trying to wake him up for the past 2 days and with no success. I had to get Twilight Sparkle from her house and see if she could help me at with trying to wake him up.
"Chrysalis, you said he's been asleep for four days", asking Twilight? (I took down notes down as she told me. " I DONT GET IT. How does someone just sleep like that, you said he hasn't done it before right and" Chrysalis nodded. "Hmm well hopefully he wakes up soon". I decided to stay with Chrysalis and monitor Barry every three hours but nothing happened until around 3 in the morning when I went to check on him and noticed that he wasn't in the couch and started to look for him. "Chrysalis, wake up, Barry's gone ," Twilight said as she tried to wake the changeling who was sleeping peacefully.
I awoke when Twilight said that Barry's gone. "But how..... he's been on the couch for the past four days ... maybe he went to get water or something". (The two ponies headed downstairs and went into the kitchen and saw a glass that was by the fridge still half full and a banana peel that was on the ground, The Back door was OPEN.....)" Oh my," as I ran outside and say Barry stepping through the entrance of the object that had risen from the earth. (Barry's left hand, Cutie Mark of the Gear, was glowing as he stepped through and the door shut quickly as he entered.) " Barry, this is your fiance Chrysalis please come out here, what's wrong"? (I started to bang on the door.
.........No answer from inside.........
Twilight went up too her, "didn't you notice his face?" He's sleepwalking," I just can't understand how he got inside that thing..."
(Barry Finally wakes up)
Pounding came from inside the door. "HEY WHERE AM I? Why are the lights off". I woke up in a weird place, I finally found a light switch and turned it on. (Looking around seeing that he was in some kind of fallout shelter, the radiation alarm system over the door gave it away.)
I looked around the shelter and found many documents but they were far too deteriorated for anyone to read, then my mouth dropped as soon as I saw the American flag that was hung on the wall. "An American Fallout Shelter??? here??? But this is a different world unless......................
............ Unless I am way in the future ....... " I turned franticly and found a computer and turned it on after blowing the I don't know how many years of dust . After the computer started up (which I didn't think would turn on) and data logs started popping up at least a few thousand of them. I opened the last message and it started to play.
November 12, 2045
Sir we are running low on supplies and we need to surface the escape hatch so we can get out of here before we die on here (The voice was a young male).
No, as long as I'm the Head of this installation, we are not leaving said another voice. I can't allow anyone to leave, it would be deadly since all of the radiation that is outside.
MESSAGE CURRUPT....
Dam I wanted to know what happened, There was a Calendar on the computer and it read 9,17, 9910. Wait that can't be right... I checked another computer and it had the same date. I was over 7000 years in the future and it seems that I was the last planet or thinks.
To think after 7000 years this facility has survived and to think that ponies ruled the future. My mind was being to think question after question and I knew that I would only get about a few of them answered. By this time I knew that somepony was probably looking for me and I hit a button that said push to open door and the door opened and I walked through only to be tackled by Chrysalis and Twilight. "Hey sweetie, Twilight, umm what's up", I asked?
"You don't remember a thing," asked Twilight?
"Nope, I just remember waiting up in that old fallout bunker." As I walked towards them Twilight stuck her hoof on my forehead.
"Barry you are running a fever, come on inside and Chrysalis and I will take care of you. " As the two females dragged Barry to his bed one of them put an ice pack on his forehead and closed the door behind them. "Chrysalis let Barry rest some more and tomorrow I bet he will be fine.." Once the door was shut, Barry put the ice pack on the ground and went to sleep in the bed. |
The mystery of Barry | Chapter 7 The revealing | I laid in the bed the rest of the day, I knew they were all hiding something still from me. But that could wait, tomorrow when Chrysalis and Twilight went into town, I was planning on going back in the bunker and continue to look around. Chrysalis came in just about sunset and I had put the icepack on the ground and was on my side sleeping and she walked over and put her hoof on my forehead.
"Hmmm fevers down." I kissed Barry's cheek and laid on my side of the bed.
The next morning, I slept in, Chrysalis had already left with Twilight to town. I grabbed my I pod and put my earphones in and started to listening to MY DEMONS by Starset. I got dressed and went outside making sure no one saw me. As I walked up to the metal door and put my hand on the old door and opened it, went inside and shut the door behind me. It took me a second to turn on the lights and when they turned on I realized that some were broken or burnt out.
"Dam I don't know If I can get any spare bulbs," I said to myself.
I walked around again and this time I took my time at the computer that once told me about the logs and the mysterious date. Pressing a few buttons and I found the entry logs again and opened the very first one.
September 21, 2014
The nuclear plant, in Texas had hit critical levels and melted down after many clogged pipes to the reactor. Everyone is looking for a electrician by the name of Barry ...... He has been missing three weeks before the disaster after a meteor crashed into his truck at his house. I hope he is alright, the government is looking for him, wanting to ask him questions.
Roger Warner, Signing off.
".... ROGER holy shit, I remember him at the plant, he was my helper...."
I got up from the old dusty and rusty chair and walked around, I saw a door I didn't see earlier. After opening the door I stood in amazement there was a hallway with many doors and a staircase that led down deeper. I looked at one door to my left and tried to open it and it wouldn't budge.
"Of course everything metal must of rusted in 7000 years." I ended up finding a crowbar in a room that the door was open and was starting to pry every door I could get open.
I found multiple things that would of been useful in the last room I pried open for opening these doors. Almost every door I opened was filled with file cabinets and they contained musty old papers.... I eventually made it down the old concrete staircase and saw a two signs on them to the left was engineering and on the right it broke into three different directions, medical, armory and the last was the living arrangements. I decided to go to the engineering first. I noticed that the door was chained up.....
"Why would someone chain up the door? The radiation detection system isn't going off ...." I took the rusty crowbar and smashed the 7000 year old chains which they snapped, "that was easier than expected." After entering the room I noticed a patch on the ground or what was left of it and I bent down to look at it but I left it alone and continued to walk deeper into the engineering.
I found out that the facility had 4 I repeat Four PWR nuclear reactors powering the facility, but only one was running while the others were shut down. I saw a computer console still operating but I decided not to mess with it and left engineering. Oh yea, I found boxes and boxes of Light bulbs for the dead ones on the top level. Next on my list was the Medical.... The doors were wide open and a chill ran down my spine.... After stepping through I saw that it was fully stocked , well was fully stocked when the facility had shut down everything in medical was about rotted. I left the medical and went to the Armory, I noticed that on the ceiling inside the Armory was a machinegun turret following me as I looked around, and it was all fully stocked but I was on edge with that gun following me with a blinking light.
"Please don't shoot me," I repeated over and over again.
(Meanwhile with Chrysalis and Twilight))
"So what do you think?" she was holding different outfits as Twilight was looking at her.
"I say the green dress." Twilight said.
"I noticed that Barry's fever was gone this morning, I wonder if he is out of bed already?"
"Hmm, well Chrysalis I bet he went into that metal structure that is in your back yard again."
"Your probably right Twilight."
(Back with Barry)
I walked up to the Apartment section of the complex not expecting much but a lot of rust and clutter. To my surprise everything was well preserved. I opened one of the doors and saw that the bed was nicely tucked in, and as I walked in I went over to a dresser and saw clothes in them; Blue jeans, t shirts and various other clothing.
"Well I got some new clothing, if it fits and doesn't turn to dust."
I continued through the rest of the rooms and they were exactly the same, the only thing about this facility was that I couldn't find any reason on how or where everyone went too. I never did find any dead bodies or remains. At the end of the Apartment complex I found yet again another staircase and went down it. I found the kitchen and the Mess hall, nothing special here but I could of continued further but I decided to go back to the surface and check on everypony.
It took me a few minutes to retrace my steps and when I made it back up topside, boy did I have surprise waiting for me. There in front of me as I took a step out the door and as it closed was Celestia and everybody...
"Ahh Barry, so you going to tell me what is down there?" I looked at Barry as he tried to speak.
"It's is just an old fallout shelter from my time, and its abandoned I believe, I haven't completely searched it but I've went through most of it and its clean." I wasn't going to tell her everything just yet.
"So it is completely safe?"
"Well I searched the first two floors but I haven't checked the third just yet." Looking down, "it looks like everyone eventually died off but that what can happen in 7000 years...."
"Wait 7000 Years? How is that possible?" I realized that I was almost 5000 years old give or take, I forget lol.
"Well that's what the computer told me in the last log, and after reading the first log I found out that the power plant I worked for had melted down and released a huge cloud of radiation and then more and more of these plants started to do the same thing until the whole world had about died out...." I used my magic to draw a crummy drawling of the nuclear plant I worked out.
"Interesting..... so when your species died off it gave birth to our race ... after the terraforming."
I raised my eye, "Terraforming?"
"Yes back in the early days we had to renew the planet so that it was inhabitable again. "
"Ok, well I did find this one message that a friend put on the computer inside, basically since the day I vanished from my time, I because a terrorist to my own people. Because no one knew where I had gone. "Looking down." Back in my time, a terrorist is one who would of been shot on site no mercy." I placed my hand on the door causing it to open and took one step back inside and letting the door behind me close and lock.
I walked down into the fallout shelter again, my magic gone. I decided to go to the mess hall and see what they had still in stock, I knew probably not much but wouldn't know until I tried. I pressed a button and a voice appeared out of nowhere.
"What can I get for you sir?"
"Who's there??? Show yourself!!"
"What can I get for you sir; Soda, water, some beef Jerky food."
"Ummm Pepsi and some jerky." I wasn't expecting anything but I was letting the voice humor me. Until it actually came to me on a small robot.
"Here you go sir." Robot went back to where ever it came from.
"Dam 7000 year old food and drinks, I wonder?" Took a bite out of the Jerky knowing full well I could get very sick from this, "DAM this is good." Next, I tried the Pepsi and the same with that. Right now I didn't want to really see anyone including Chrysalis. Was she with them? My mind was full of questions and I wasn't sure if I'd ever get the truth.
I took another swig of my soda surprising that it was still good after all of this time. I decided to continue my exploring of the rest of the shelter. I found the last room after discovering the small sewage plant, the lab but one door laid in front of him. Cyro....
"Cyro?" I was confused, "we didn't have this kind of technology in my time..." I slowly pushed the door open. I was in shock, there were tubes everywhere, filled with liquid and producing bubbles. I looked into one of them and what I saw literally scarred me half to death, there stood in front of me was a human being.... "Holy shit, ....now how do I wake them up?" I looked around and saw no control panels .... "HOW DO I WAKE THEM UP?" ..... "There must be thousands of them..... This will take some time." I turned around and turned off the lights and went back to the surface and opened the door to see a note laying on the ground and I picked it up.
I expect a full report on your findings, I also have Chrysalis with me so you have one day for a report, if you are late by any reason....... (ran out of paper)
"Hmmm, must be from Celestia or Luna.... and what does Chrysalis have in this.... besides our unborn child.... THE CHILD....." I got some paper and started to write everything down that I saw, except for a few things like the Armory, and the Chryo Chambers.
After about 40 minutes of writing and finished my report, I caught something move out of the corner of my eye. I knew somepony was watching me . I put a Ward on the fallout shelter door so no one would be able to open the door, I had the perfect one too since I know that these ponies knew nothing of my world in the past so it was easy. I walked to the house and grabbed a few things that I knew I'd probably need. But before I left I put my personal items back in the first room in the fallout shelter on the bed including the tv, 360, shotgun. Once I left the fallout shelter, I felt a sudden burst of magic flowing through me and I remembered the spell Chrysalis had taught me that allowed me to teleport. My right hand started to glow and then the next thing I knew I was in Canterlot appearing just a foot in front of one of the guard ponies.
(THUMP) The guard freaked out and knocked me out with his spear.
(3 hours later)
"OH MY HEAD," I looked around as I had my hand on my head and then I found myself in a bed......"Do I even want to know........" I sat up and decided to try and get out of the bed and to my surprise I had no problem. I walked out of the room and I noticed where I was I was in a corridor that ran through the Canterlot Castle.... Chrysalis!!!! I made my way towards the throne room and pushed the heavy doors open walking in ..... "What the hell....." I looked at Luna, Celestia, Twilight, and Chrysalis. I took a few steps back and used my magic to shut the doors in front of me. "Did my eyes just show me what I think I saw???" I wanted to take another look but I decided best not. My hand glowed and I teleported into the gardens below.
(Chrysalis)
"So umm, should we go check on him???"
"Naw," said Luna.
They all stayed in what they were doing for another hour and then Chrysalis went looking for Barry to tell him it was time for lunch. She checked his room and found nothing. Next she looked around the castle and still no Barry. Lastly she checked the gardens and found him sleeping under a tree.
"Barry, I've found you at last." Chrysalis sat down next to him and lowered her head to his chest.
"Yep you found me," holding her, "so what's the plan now?"
"Well after that guard knocked you out,.... they brought you to the infirmary and you dropped your letter on the floor and we were discussing it and having fun while you rested."
"Well that explains a lot," I kissed her forehead. I ran a hand down to her belly and started to rub her.
"Well the little one and me have been having a wonderful time bonding and even though I am only just 4 months pregnant out of the normal 11 months. Back in your time, how long did it take to have a child?"
"About 9 months," I watched her eyes lighten up.
"Wow, laying her head on his lap now, and she purred some as Barry was running his hand through her mane. "So you want to go home," I put a sexy smile and a wink."
"Sure mylady," I used my magic to transport us close to our house this time, and we walked about 10 minutes till we got there and Chrysalis transformed into her human form and you could see a little bulge in her belly.
I took his hand and led him to the bathroom and turned the water on for a long warm bath. Even added bubbles to it. (Ponies tubs are bigger and about twice as wide.) I got in and Barry stripped and sat in the huge tube next to me. I saw Barry smile and then I noticed the water got warmer and warmer, found out he was using a heat spell. I laughed as the tub was being overrun by bubbles and then Barry was hidden by a wall of bubbles.
"Aren't you going to clean your future bride?" I asked, waiting for him to say something.
"Yep, I felt him take some shampoo and lather it in my long hair and he made sure to get all of it and then with a pitcher of warm water he got all of the soap out of my hair. Then he started to clean the rest of my body.
As he cleaned me I could not help moan a little as he played around with my breasts and then he cleaned my ass and marehood. When it was my turn to clean him, put soap all on him and thought it would be funny to use cold water to rinse him off and it was too me. After getting out of the tub and letting everything go down the drain, after dried I grabbed Barrys hand and we went into the bed naked, I expected him to know what I wanted him to do. We had fun until the wee hours of the morning and made Barry sleep close as I wrapped my hands around him and kissed him.
The next morning Barry woke up before Chrysalis who was still sleeping peacefully on her pillow, but somehow her sheets came off.
After getting dressed, I made pancakes for Chrysalis, when I went into the room to check in on her. I saw her sleeping peacefully, then I saw that her legs were spread apart and as you know male instincts kicked in and I slowly went up to Chrysalis and started to eat her out. "Why do you have to taste so good," I whispered, not want to waking her up. I saw as I licked her clit, she would squirm a little I was playing with her for a good 5 minutes and she didn't wake up until finally I got her body to orgasm straight into my mouth. After that, I saw that she was awake and blushing.
"You sure do know how to treat a girl nicely." I got up and kissed Barry on his lips and then went to the bathroom. I came back and laid next to him on the bed. Smiling, I kissed his cheek and cuddled against him. "So do I get to see what's behind that metal door today????"
"Sure but, I'd like you to remain in your human form, if that is ok?"
"I think we can arrange that," smiling as I kissed Barry again.
"So when can we learn the sex of our little one?" looking at her as my left hand went to her belly.
"Any time really, just need to make an appointment with the doctor for the ultra sound," I put my hand over his. "When would you like to have the appointment?"
"Tomorrow sometime?" I asked.
"Sure, that would be nice, so what would you like to do now?" Looking at him.
"Well, let's go down into the fallout shelter and I'll gave you a personal tour." I looked at her .
"Yay," She got up and grabbed Barry, "Letts go" tugging at his arm until he got up.
"Ok, let's go." As I walked with her to the shelter in the backyard. I stopped and removed the wards that I placed on the door and then opened.
I watched as Chrysalis's jaw dropped, knew she was excited. it wasn't hard to tell.
"What is all of this stuff,"? I looked at everything as we walked into the shelter, Barry tried to explain what everything was but I was having a hard time trying to remember everything.
I decided to take her to the living quarters and the mess hall. I could see how impressed she was about how the living quarters looked. When we got to the mess hall, I could see that she was slowly wearing out and let her sit in one of the chairs in the mess hall.
"Are you ok, Chrissy?"I asked.
"Yea just not used to all the stairs."
"You stay right here for a few minutes, I'm going to get us something to drink." I walked into the kitchen area and came back within a couple of minutes and handed Chrissy a can of Pepsi. "Here this is for you." She took the can and looked at it.
"Um, Barry what is this? And where is the water?"
I grinned, "here like this," showing her how to open the can. I took a sip out of my can, just as she finally opened her can, the fizz scared her.
"Woa," I looked at the now opened can I had in my hand and brought it up to my nose to smell it. "This is not going to poison me right?"
"Well, I'm still alive," chuckled.
"Haha very funny, just remember whose carrying your little one right now." I took a sip of the drink and my eyes went wide. "What do you call this stuff? It's good!"
"It's called a soda, and the flavor is Pepsi." I took another sip.
"Well, it's good, so well let's get on with the rest of the tour." I got up and took his hand and pulled him out of his seat.
"Ok, I see you want to continue, so let's get on going I got just a couple of more rooms to show you and then we are finished. Then I'll take you out for dinner, how does that sound?"
"Sounds like a date to me." I smiled happily as he continued to show me around. I saw the apartments and thought that their living arrangements really were similar to ours but they always wore clothes..
After I let Chrysalis out of the shelter, I closed the door and put the wards back on the door and grabbed my bag of bits and we went out to dinner. Chrysalis had ordered her favorite daisy sandwich while, I ordered fries. We ate in peace until it was time to leave and as I walked her home. It took us about five minutes to get back home. I opened the door and let her in first and then I followed and as we made it to the bedroom, as Chrysalis laid on the bed she found a scroll that had Celestia's symbol on it..
"Hey Barry look, a letter from Celestia."
Dear Barry
Thank you for giving your report on the structure in your back yard. As long as there are no dangers to it of course. In four months me and Luna would like a personal tour, I know right now your probabily cleaning up the place and making sure everything is normal, and Luna says she's courious.
Celestia and Luna
Chrysalis looked at Barry.
"...Ok.... well Barry looks like we get to clean tomorrow." Watched him sit on the bad next to me .
"Well mostly me but, I'll let you help me if you want too but shouldn't you just relax and have your little changelings do your bidding on whatever you want them too do?"
"I could but they are still playing in the forest and I don't have to bother them while they are on break. Besides I'd rather be useful and help you, besides making our little one. Also don't forget about our doctor appointment tomorrow."
"Yes I remembered that appointment you made." Pats her on her back, I took her clothes as she changed back into or original form. "So how are you feeling, right now?"
"Fine sweetie, I got under the covers as Barry went to the bathroom and showered.
When Barry came back in a pair of shorts and got into the bed with Chrysalis, and went to sleep next to her. The next morning after breakfast Barry and Chrysalis were getting ready over to the doctor so they could do a check up on the baby.
"Hurry up Barry, or we are going to be late."
"I'm putting on my shoes the fast as I can." I got up and caught up too her. "See I'm ready."
We walked together and when we arrived to the doctor's office Chrysalis signed in. We sat down together and waited for the doctor to come and ask for them.
"Miss Chrysalis, please come in the doctor is ready for you." Nurse Redheart said.
As I followed Chrysalis the nurse told me I had to stay in the lobby but Chrysalis said he comes with me. The nurse then said come along this way. When we go to the room Nurse Redheart told Chrysalis to lay on the bed.
"Ohhh its cold."
The nurse then put some kind of Jelly on Chrysalis's belly then put a machine on her.
"It tickles."
The nurse started to do the ultrasound on Chrysalis and the screen appeared the new unborn little one.
"Look Barry, There is our little one!!" She smiled, " So, nurse is it a colt or a filly?"
"Well darling, you are at least four months pregnant and it seems your carrying a colt and a filly, and congratulations you are having twins!!!" She put the machine away and came back with a picture of the ultrasound and gave it to Chrysalis. Then she cleaned the gel off of Chrysalis. "There you go Miss Chrysalis you are free to go now and have a good day."
I looked at Barry with tears in my eyes. "Twins," I whispered.
I bent down next to her and put my arm around her giving her a hug. "Yep, it will be alright sweetie." Wow both a boy and a girl," I thought.
We walked back home and I prepared lunch for us, Chrysalis was still looking at the photo memorized.
While she was looking at the photo, I went the bedroom and grabbed a diamond ring that was under my pillow and walked back to Chrysalis who was finally eating lunch. I sat next to and looked at the photo. "Wow they are beautiful aren't they?"
"Yes they are, I just hope we are ready to be parents. I want them to be happy when they are born. I ... also want us to be happy also." I looked at Barry and he smiled.
"We will be the best patents we can be." I took the ring out of my pocket. "Chrysalis will you marry me?" I put the ring on her horn.
"YES yes I'll marry you!" I was ecstatic that he proposed to me, I wanted to jump for joy but decided not since I'm carrying twins. I kissed Barry long on the lips.
After dinner, Barry put the picture of the ultrasound into a picture frame and Chrysalis hung it on the wall on her side of the bed. She laid down on the bed putting her new ring on her bed stand and laid closely to Barry, laying her head on his shoulders. Barry put his arms around Chrysalis and they both feel asleep. |
The mystery of Barry | Chapter 8 Revealing of the fallout shelter | Three months have passed with ease. Barry had been cleaning up the Fallout shelter and it was starting to look really good and clean. The apartment rooms were all clean prepared just in case. I learned firsthand not to use magic inside the base or the radiation alarms go off. I also put a huge bookcase in front of the cyro room door so that I didn't have to explain it to them. I didn't put any wards on the door to try and hide it in fear that Celestia and Luna would be able to sense it and then ask questions. Chrysalis is now seven months pregnant and the twins are showing . When in her human form she has a little difficulty walking long distances otherwise perfectly healthy, she tried helping Barry clean up the apartments rooms but ended up sleeping on one of the beds.
"Well Chrissy, we are now done with cleaning and can enjoy the next four days to ourselves until Celestia and Luna arrive. So what would you like to do for the rest of our free days. "
"Lets just enjoy each other's company," grabbing his arm and led him to the couch.
As we sat on the couch, Chrissy laid her head on me and dosed off. "Sweet dreams," kissed her on her forehead. I put my hand on her belly feeling the two little ones inside her. "So in four more months we will have two new members to the family." I dosed off soon after that.
After waking up three hours later and a glance at the alarm clock, it was already 3:30 and we slept through lunch. My stomach started to growl. I wanted to get up and make a sandwich but I still had Chrissy sleeping on me and I wanted her to rest and not wake up, so I tried to go back to sleep. Since I couldn't get back to sleep and was starving. I slowly picked up Chrissys head and slowly slipped out of the couch and put her head on a soft pillow. (FREE)
I walked into the kitchen and looked at what we had and made a cheese sandwich with just a little bit of mayo and ranch dressing, MY FAVORITE.
"Ok, let's practice a little bit of controlling my magic," I rarely used my magic, it's cool and all but since I only got it recently it's never been a real deal with me since I normally see that its used just like my hands. "Ok, I can do this now," I tried a few of the more advanced spells that Chrissy was trying to teach me....... "That spell is too much for me," it drained a lot of my energy, "man these ponies must have a lot of energy, if they can do multiple spells and I struggling with just one right now."
I went back inside and found that Chrissy moved back to the bed, just as I was about to walk into the room, she busted out of the room and ran into the bathroom.
"....... ........ ....." I was confused at what I just saw. "Chrysalis, are you all right?"
No, answer............
I slowly opened the door to find her sitting on the floor and her head in the toilet. "Are you ok sweetie?" She looked up at me and her head went back down in the toilet, throwing up. I walked up to her and sat on the stool and rubbed her back. "Everything will be ok," I just repeated saying that over and over again. I then realized she hadn't done this since early in her pregnancy...... I looked at her and just continued to rub her back. I sat with her in the bathroom for about five minutes when she finally stopped puking and sat up. I grabbed a wet cloth and cleaned her. "So are you feeling better now?"
"Yes Barry, I feel much better now, let's go lay down in the bed, I'm exhausted." We got up and walked back to their bedroom and laid down on the bed. I laid down and laid my head of Barry.
I watched Chrysalis fall asleep and I guess she like using me as a pillow. I never quite understood why but right now I was also starting to feel sleepy and then closed my eyes.
"Barry's Dream"
I walked around on the beach, I picked up a sand dollar looked at it and put it back down in the water. Hostility appeared behind him.
"Hello Barry, how are you?"
"Ah Hostility, it's been long time, and how are you today?"
"I saw you last night as you dreamt," Chrysalis walked up and sat by Barry. "Ah so this is the lovely Chrysalis."
"Yes, Hostility, you are correct." Chrysalis and I sat in two beach chairs, and Chrysalis put her book on her tummy as she got comfortable. I pulled out another chair for Hostility. "Want to take a seat bro?"
"No, I'm good, its time for me to do my thing," he turned around as he started to kill everypony in his path.
While Hostility did his thing, Chrysalis sat reading her book while Barry was trying to find a song to play on his I pod. He ended up playing AC DC. I knew that my dream was boring but It was just that way to keep Hostility under control. Occasionally he would bring up some useful information or papers that I wouldn't catch during the day. After a while I ended up turning off my I pod and went into the water and swam. While swimming, Chrysalis put her book down and came in the water swam with me. Even while carrying the twins, she was still happy as could be.
Hostility joined the swim later but as soon as he entered the water, it started turning red with the blood running into the water from all of the dead ponies.
"Ahh relaxation." Chrysalis giggled as Hostility tried to stay afloat.
(Everything froze but Barry and Hostility.)
"What in the hell?" I looked at Hostility.
"Hey don't look at me I didn't do this!" Hostility said.
Just as they got Chrysalis back into her chair (She was still frozen), Luna appeared out of thin air and walked over to them. She froze for a few seconds when she saw Hostility.
"Hello Barry, ..... Hostility. How are you two doing this evening?"
"We are doing well, Miss Luna," replied Hostility. "What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to remind Barry that we would be arriving tomorrow around lunchtime." I looked at Barry. "You did remember about tomorrow right?"
"Yes Luna, I remember and we are ready for your visit, and you're going to arrive before lunch time right?"
"If that is what you would wish, Barry."
"If is ok with you and your sister, I'll have something special for you two for lunch, something that came from my time. "
"It sound delighted, WE SHALL ARRIVE TOMMROW!! " She said in the royal Canterlot voice.
As Luna vanished Barry and Hostility looked at each other as the dream continued and Chrysalis wondered how she got back in the chair. Barry reassured her that everything was ok and nothing was wrong.
(Waking up)
I opened my eyes and saw Chrysalis, she was drooling on her pillow. She looked so peaceful as she slept her long mane all frizzled, her little crown laid on its little spot on the nightstand. All was well and I looked at the clock and it was 6:45, I decided to get dressed and prepare breakfast for Chrysalis. I made pancakes and as the last pancake came off the stove and I put it on a plate, as I brought the plates to the table and got some coffee ready, Chrysalis came to the table and sipped her coffee.
"Barry these pancakes smell delicious," She used her magic to levitate her fork and took a bite out of her pancakes, "Woops forgot the syrup." I put syrup on the pancakes and resumed eating them. Barry sat down and poured syrup and started to eat.
"Well you ready to get this over with Celestia and Luna today? Also don't worry about lunch because I have it all planned out."
"Ahh that is sweet of you Barry," Kissed his cheek," and yea I'm ready. So what are you making for lunch?" I gave him a curious look.
"It's a surprise, but it's something from my era. I know its a salad but the ingredients are over seven thousand years old...." I smiled. I still have the original seeds that we can grow and produce an ancient food back in its original state. "
"Wow that's awesome Barry. I now can't wait till lunch now!" I put my off on my belly, "Barry, one of them are kicking," I put Barry's hand on my belly.
"Wow, that's amazing," kissed her on her cheek. "Ain't that a little early for only 7 months pregnant?"
"Yea, I suppose, but either way I like the feeling." I got up and headed to the couch. "Barry I'll let you get the preparations, and I'll wait here till the princesses come ."
"Ok, sweetie, you have fun," I kissed her on her lips and walked into the fallout shelter and started to get a few logs printed out so that Celestia and Luna could read a little and learn about the base. I had some refreshments out in the mess hall, which was just a six pack of Pepsi in a bucket with ice. Knowing I only had a limited amount of my favorite soda, I was sad but, if preserving this facility and the people who were asleep in cyro, it would be worth it. I looked at a clock and saw that I had an hour before they arrived so I went back to the surface and went inside.
"Hey sweetie, I'm going to take a shower if you need me." As I walked past her, I rubbed her mane.
"Ok, Barry," I watched him head to the bathroom and then went back to reading my book.
As Barry was in the shower, Chrysalis tried to squeeze herself into a dress but was unable to do to her twins that were inside her. She soon gave up on it and went back to the couch and combed her mane. Barry came out within five minutes in a towel and headed straight up to the room and got dressed, sat back down next to her after dressed in a formal attire that he had taken from the shelter.
Barry's uniform was a black polo shirt that had Vault 01 Overseeyer and was also wearing black blue jeans.
Knock Knock
"Well its game time Chrysalis." I got up and answered the door, and there they stood, Celestia, Luna, and Twilight?
"Hello Barry are you and Chrysalis ready?" Luna said happily.
Hello Barry, I hope you don't mind that Twilight comes along," Celestia said.
"No problem, Let me get Chrysalis and we will begin. " I went in and got Chrysalis and we all went towards the door of the shelter. I raised my hand and my magic started to flow as I removed the wards off of the door.
"Now I must tell you all the one rule. Do not use magic, or you will set off the radiation alarms and the base will become sealed and lower itself back into the earth..." I saw Twilights eyes widened .
"What is radiation?" Asked Twilight.
"Well Twilight, radiation is well, its hard to explain but back in my time we tried everything to prevent radiation from touching us, because in certain amount of doses it will poison us and we will die. Don't even ask me how magic sets off the alarms, because I don't fully understand myself."
"Ok," said Twiight.
All three ponies nodded and then Barry opened up the door.
"Ladies first." Twilight giggled and the four ponies entered. "This room right here is the Overseeyer's office, and the Overseeyer , was the person who ran the whole facility.
"So this would be where Celestia and Luna would be if they were humans when the facility was being used? Said Twilight.
"You are correct Twilight."
Luna was looking at some of the notes that were laid out on the desk, while Celestia and Twilight listened to what Barry was saying. Chrysalis sat in the Overseeyer's chair to let her legs rest.
"So Barry, this place was like a sanctuary, pace of refuge, am I correct?" Celestia asked.
"Yes, you are correct."
They continued down the hall and stopped at the junction in the end of the hall. To the Left was the Reactor and to the right was Kitchen, Mess hall Living arrangements and Lab. (I took the time to remove the cyro label off the wall and make it like it was never there.)
"Ok to our left is the reactor that powers this facility, I would like to go in but we can't due to a possible of an radiation leak." (There was no way I was going to let them in there.)
"AWWW," Twilight wined , but Celestia quickly stopped her with a hoof to the side.
Luna walked in amazement.
"So there is no magic at all in this facility," Celestia asked?
"Yes, there is no magic, we humans didn't have the power to harness magic like you guys do. We had technology that allowed us to do many things." I told them about a little of it, they could wait till they got to the library.
"Next in our stop are the living arrangements, but I prefer to just say apartments. " I had the doors already open so they could look in each of them.
"Wow, these are some small rooms," Luna said as she climbed on top of the bed. "Hey this is very nice." Barry laughed as Luna tried to sleep on the queen sized mattress.
"Sister , please stop playing around and take this seriously."
"Its ok Celestia, let Luna have some fun, after all, I can make the bed later again. Next is the mess hall for lunch, Now I know you have these all the time since your herbivores, but this which we are about to eat are the original vegetables from my time, grown from hard work and sweat and not magic."
As they each took a seat in the mess hall, I brought them each a large salad, with all the fillings and then a varity of dressings. (I had no intentions to tell them about the gardening sector behind the kitchen back doors. )
As we all sat down, I got each pony a Pepsi out of the bucket of Ice that was on the table and opened it for them and we ate and drank the soda. Luna took a sip of hers and then chugged the soda down with a few big gulps, Celestia looked at her as she released a huge BURRRPPP.
"LUNA."
"Excuse me," Luna said blushing. "Barry, you said that this is the original vegetables from your time?"
"Yes Luna, these haven't evolved in 7000 years." I was glad they were enjoying themselves.
After lunch Barry showed them the medical office, labs and the Library, which Twilight pulled out a old book and started to read it....
"Barry this is simply amazing, your library has thousands of years worth of knowledge," Twilight said as she started reading.
I saw Celestia looking at the bookshelf that I moved to cover the Cyro door, I was starting to get a little nervous, (not showing it so I wouldn't get discovered) Luna looked at a few books.
"And I've saved the last room for last, the armory. Didn't think that this facility would be able to defend itself?" I noticed Luna wispier something to her sister and I could guess what it was about.
I explained how they operated but never shot them, because anything can happen over the course of 7000 years. After that I let them answer any questions they wanted. And of course Twilight asked if she could take some of the books to the library and read them and I agreed, I wasn't going to read them anytime soon. After that the tour was over, and we all headed back up to the surface. The sun was setting.
"Thank you Barry for the tour, we will be in touch," Celestia said. Luna gave Barry a hug and she and her sister vanished into thin air.
Twilight took some of the books from the facility library, with of course Barry's permission.
As Twilight went home Barry and Chrysalis went inside, Barry made her favorite dish for dinner.
"Barry you didn't have to make this for me, I would be happy with with just a simple daisy sandwich." Kissed his cheek and started to eat the meal he had repaired while he went and took a shower.
After I took A shower, I sat next to Chrysalis who was now laying on the bed. "Tired sweetie?"
"No not really, my hooves just hurt from walking and carrying our twins." I felt Barry put his hand around me.
"I'm sorry sweetie, anything I can do to make you feel any better?"
"No Barry, I'm good, all I need is to stay off my hooves for a while and I'll be alright." I took Barry's and held him tightly. "So any ideas for a names?"I looked at him.
"I think I'd like to have something both human and changeling name.... what do you think?"
"I think that's an excellent idea." Patted him on his back. "Good night love, tomorrow we shall plan our wedding." I closed my eyes as Barry shut the lights off.
"Night Chrysalis and sleep tight," I got under the covers and laid next to her and feel asleep.
Throughout the night Barry had reoccurring nightmares , that something was disturbed in the facility and the base went into total lockdown with HALON systems Activated.... |
The Ballad of Jack and Sylvia: an Equestrian Odyssey | pre | "Paging House Call... House Call... Dr. Call, you're needed in the coma ward."
Twilight's eyes were closed, though she didn't recall closing them. She opened her eyes to a bright fluorescent light, shining down onto a hospital bed. She was awake. |
The Ballad of Jack and Sylvia: an Equestrian Odyssey | There is No Pot of Gold | Canterlot; 9:00 PM
A team of nurses gathered around Twilight Sparkle's bed, holding the unicorn down as she kicked and struggled. Her hospital room was quite spacious; she was in the VIP suite of Canterlot General, a room with only one other patient - Princess Celestia.
"Let me go! I have to help them! THEY NEED ME!" Twilight pleaded with the nurses, still fighting with all her strength. The door to the suite slid open with a pale blue magical glow and an elderly unicorn with a chestnut brown coat walked in, his cutie-mark in the shape of a small prescription bottle.
"Keep her steady; I need to examine her." The older Stallion said, stepping forward to look over Twilight. He walked with a distinct limp in his right hind leg. "My name is House Call; you may call me Dr. House. I am your primary caregiver. I'm also not in the least bit interested in you, but your celebrity status has apparently convinced my boss that I need to be. So I'm going to figure out what is wrong with you, so that they" He jerked his head toward the nurses "can fix you." The doctor's horn began to glow, and all of the recently healed scars on Twilight's body were highlighted in yellow. The effect was rather striking; the plant's thorns had torn into her in several places, each of which glowed brighter or dimmer based on how deep the wound had been. After studying the patterns for a few moments, he released the spell and took a step back.
"Based on the intensity of your wounds and the period between infliction and treatment, you lost between 34 and 38% of your total blood volume. A class III hemorrhage. You've been on constant fluids ever since, but you'll still need another day here at least." House said.
"You don't understand. I need to leave NOW! A changeling is about to feed on my friend, and I don't think my other friends can stop her, and there's some kind of secret dark power pulling monsters into Equestria from who-knows-where! I need to assemble the elements of harmony!!" Twilight's rant left her panting and wide eyed. House gave her a dismissive look and added an extra line to her chart.
"And it's not uncommon for victims of a class III hemorrhage to suffer delusions or false visions. The changelings were savagely put down less than a year ago; I'd be quite surprised if any of them get within a hundred miles of Canterlot for several years to come. Nurse; lock the door before you leave." The stallion said on his way out. The nurses lingered for about fifteen minutes, taking vitals and filling in data on Twilight's chart before leaving. The distinctive click of the lock followed the shutting door. As the soft clop of the nurses' hooves faded into the distance, Twilight sat up in bed.
"So now I have to break out of a hospital?" Twilight said to herself. "Of all the ridiculous concepts... its almost as bad as breaking into a hospital!"
Forest Clearing; 10:00 PM
Jack and the changeling had reached a small lakeside clearing in the forest between Canterlot and Ponyville.
"Lets rest here for a bit."the false Dash said, going down to her knees to allow Jack an easy dismount. The boy slid off her back and onto the grass, stretching out as he gazed up at the night sky. The burn in his shoulder twinged with constant pain, though it seemed to dull whenever Dash drew near to him.
"This doesn't look like we're near the hospital..." Jack mumbled, feeling a bit woozy.
"You'll be okay... the burn's starting to go away already." Dash purred.
"It doesn't feel like it's gone..." Jack replied weakly.
"That's how burns are... they always sting worse with time." Dash stepped forward and nuzzled his unburned shoulder affectionately. The attention made a good distraction from the pain, it was hardly noticeable. In fact, everything was becoming less noticeable. Jack felt like the world was fading away; he could see Dash, but the night sky behind her was blurry. He felt weak. He tried to sit up, but he found himself physically unable to; and yet, it didn't even matter. As long as Dash was there, he was content. He didn't need to see anything but her. He didn't need to sit up if he could lie back with her. Nothing else seemed to matter.
The actual Rainbow Dash flew in overhead, shooting along at the speed of sound but pulling to an impressive stop in mid-air when she saw Jack and the changeling. Jack was dimly aware of the second Rainbow Dash, but his senses all still seemed to be quite dull. Rainbow Dash tucked her wings to the side and dove straight toward the ground, aimed directly at the changeling. The two connected and the changeling was torn off Jack's body, both of them tumbling across the ground and colliding with a tree on the outskirts of the clearing.
"Get. Away. From. Him." Rainbow Dash said with steel in her voice and narrowing her eyes.
"Or what?" The changeling shot back, a wicked smile spreading. "I think you're missing something important here - he's already mine. I'd be surprised if he could even open his eyes before dawn..." She took a few steps toward Dash, reverting to her natural form as she walked. Her turquoise coat shimmered and warped into sleek black chitin, her rainbow mane re-forming into untidy spikes on the back of her head. A pitted horn protruded from her forehead, and her powerful feathery wings shriveled away and reappeared as the gossamer wings of a changeling. "...and by then, you'll be out of the picture."
Canterlot; 10:30 PM
Twilight lay collapsed and heaving in the basket of a hot air balloon. Escaping the hospital hadn't been particularly tricky; a rapid series of short ranged teleportation spells was more than enough to escape from the limited security staff the hospital maintained at night. Getting to the hot air balloon storage had been significantly more difficult; once hospital security figured out what she'd done they alerted the Canterlot guard. They all thought she was crazy; that she was going to hurt herself if she wasn't restrained. Even so, hauling flank and a few more well placed blink spells were enough to get her into the balloon undetected. Pulling herself to her feet, she used the last of her magical energies to untie the balloon. She kept the flame low and whispered - "No one ever thinks to look up."
Forest Clearing; 11:00 PM
Rainbow Dash and the changeling darted about in the sky, only visible by the shadows they cast on the star-scape above. Dash shot toward her foe, foreleg drawn back for a punch only to have the changeling pull up sharply at the last minute. Dash was counting on her speed, agility and raw muscle to deal with the creature; unfortunately, the recent feast on Jack's emotions gave the changeling nimbleness to match. Every few passes the monster would fire a beam of neon green energy, each time missing Dash by inches at most. She could smell the ozone where it burned through the atmosphere.
"Very scary" Dash smirked. "All you have to do is hit me now... how hard could that be?" She darted up after the changeling, zig zagging at insane speeds. She pulled a fast tight loop de loop to avoid an unusually accurate bolt.
On the ground, Jack's eyes drifted open. He found the world slowly drifting back into clarity. Not everything was immediately apparent. The surrounding forest was still exceptionally blurry, and not all of the constellations were readily identifiable. He could, however, instantly make out Dash sparring with the changeling.
"Dash! Be careful!" Jack lifted himself onto his elbows, too weak to sit up completely. His voice seemed to give Dash renewed vigor.
Unfortunately, Jack's voice also carried to the changeling.
"My my, look who's awake..." She sneered. "Enjoy the show; you'll be back with 'Dashie' before you know it."
Dash took advantage of the changeling's momentary distraction, streaking across the sky and landed a solid kick on the creature's shoulder. The changeling went tumbling out of the sky, barely righting herself in time.
"That's right. He will." Dash shot back, following her down and bringing her right hoof down on the side of the changeling's head. A thin crack appeared in her jet black cheek, a small trickle of ichor dripping down her chin. Still, Dash was relentless. Blow after blow hammered down on the changeling; wherever she ran, Dash pursued. The creature tried to use a tree to change her direction, barely kicking off the trunk in time to avoid a kick that left a large hoofprint in the tree in a spray of bark. Dash, in turn, barely kicked off the tree in time to avoid a fresh bolt of eldritch energy. The magical attack struck the tree and cleaved it in twain. The fight bounced around the entire clearing, at every imaginable altitude. A stray bolt grazed the top of Dash's head, leaving a singed streak of hair where the green in her mane used to be; she responded by dashing forward in a barrel roll and bringing her forehoof down on top of the changeling's head in with a crunch. The creature tumbled, landing hard on the ground before climbing back to her feet.
"STOP!" The changeling screamed, breathing heavily.
"Had enough!?" Dash demanded
"No... but he has." The changeling grinned wickedly, and Dash saw where she was standing - directly over Jack, with a hoof pressed to his throat. "One move toward me and I break his neck."
Dash cursed under her breath, unable to move lest the beast make good on her threat. Now that she was standing still the edge adrenaline had given her was slipping away; her flanks were drenched in sweat, and almost every muscle in her body ached. Jack's breathing was worrisome, each tiny increase in pressure on his neck making each breath harder than the last. He reached up and tried to grab the offending foreleg, but the changeling simply pressed harder until he blacked out.
Dash started to jump forward again when she saw Jack's eyes close, but stopped at the changeling's next words.
"He's still breathing; I just cut him off for a little bit. Wouldn't want him interrupting. Though it's a pity he can't witness. Now, hold nice and still for me Dashie..." The changeling bowed her head, green light gathering around her horn as she prepared for a finishing attack. Dash bowed her head; she had no choice.
"My friends will send you running back to your Queen eventually." Dash said, her voice soft but strong.
"Our queen?" The changeling cackled, the energy now focused at the tip of her horn. "You really know nothing, Pony. The hive does not permit failure. Chrysalis is no longer a queen. The hive now answers to a new master - and he will deliver us this world and those beyond."
Dash shut her eyes and awaited the inevitable. There was a loud crack, one Dash had only heard before when Twilight cast a violent beam spell. She wondered if it would hurt, or if she'd feel anything at all. She promised herself that she would not give this monster the satisfaction of her screaming.
It never came. After a second Dash dared open her eyes. The changeling was sprawled out on the grass, smoke curling up from her horn and several of the jagged spikes torn from her head. Thirty feet away, Sylvia stood panting and pale. Her cloak was torn to shreds; a few scraps clung to her body, just enough to preserve her modesty, while the other tatters flapped taut behind her in the wind. The moon cast a silvery halo about her.
"Dash, take care of Jack. I'll take it from here!" Sylvia said. Rainbow Dash galloped to Jack's side as another familiar voice rang out.
"I'm here! Is everyone okay?" The dull blue glow of the hot air balloon's flame came drifting forward overhead, Twilight leaning over the edge of the basket. Two new opponents - spellcasters to boot- changed the calculus for the changeling. She reflexively drew her head from left to right, lancing a beam across the top of the balloon. It immediately deflated, falling hard on top of Sylvia, both Sylvia and Twilight momentarily lost in a cloud of dust. The changeling turned and leaped into the sky. Rainbow Dash checked that Jack was still breathing, and then about faced to pursue.
"You really think you can get away from -me-?" Dash gave a haughty chuckle. "I'm the fastest flier in all of Eque-"
Dash's quip was cut off by a bolt of green light, cutting through the night and striking Dash in the chest. Her entire body felt hot, and then immediately cold; her legs went weak, and she collapsed on top of Jack.
The impact of Dash falling onto his body forced Jack back to consciousness. The first thing he saw was her mane - bright rainbow hues shimmering in the moonlight. The second was a charred smoking hole in her back.
"Dash!!" Jack forced himself to sit up, ignoring screaming pain in his muscles and taking her into his arms. The wound had a mirror on her chest - there was no blood; the magic cauterized it, but it had literally gone through her torso. "We need to get you help!"
"Jack... it's okay." Her voice was weak, but she didn't sound hurt. Shock was beginning to take hold. "You're here."
Jack nodded slowly. His arms were trembling.
"I'm here." He said, blinking back tears.
"Jack... I l... I lo..." Dash's voice faded away. Her eyelids lowered slightly, and her eyes glassed over. Jack felt a terrible stillness as her breathing stopped.
In a meadow far away, a distance beyond measure, a butterfly alighted on a flower; her wings shining in every color of the rainbow. |
Spitfire: Just a Normal Date | pre | Chip couldn't put into words what he felt at that moment. Spitfire compared it to the time he had called her beautiful in that first kiss. She remembered when he stood up to those crazed fans. He had been her night and shining armor that day.
They realized in that moment that this was worth it. They could bring themselves to make compromises and sacrifices to make it work for both of them.
Spitfire surprised both he and her mother as she shot toward him on that couch and met his lips with hers in a passionate kiss. Stormy's eyes widened as Spitfire pushed him onto the couch cushion and drew him into the kiss whole.
Stormy Flare stared at the two of them as Spitfire kept kissing him. After a good long minute, it was apparent that they had forgotten about her. She wanted to say something, but at this point she figured that her daughter was on vacation and would prefer not to be disturbed. She snuck her way out of the house and left them curled up and cuddling on the couch.
Their vacation was in full swing. Chip saw all of the wonders that Cloudsdale had to offer. First, she showed him where clouds were made. Being a earth pony, he wasn't able to touch the cloud, but it was interesting to see how they filled them with water to make them dark gray rain clouds. The machines whirred in the factory and they watched as pegasus workers in white lab coats pushed them through.
"I know guys who think all pegasi work with clouds to some degree." Chip said as they continued their tour through the factory.
"Well, we can but I don't know the ins and outs of how to do weather. It takes a lot of training to get to know these things. I've done a lot with clouds but it's definitely not a thing with everyone in Cloudsdale." She watched as they all instructed the workers to put on their sun goggles and ear protection. They called a standby as they mixed two different color clouds together and caused a huge lightning bolt to clash against the bottom of the work shaft. The workers cheered and Chip's eyes widened to a large degree. He'd never seen a lightning bolt so close up.
"Wow!" His awe was palpable and Spitfire giggled.
"You get use to it." She walked with him to the end of the tour and to the gift shop. He saw so many t-shirts with clouds and rainbows. There were so many cloud plushies and they even had a Wonderbolt section. He walked over to the collectible figurines, picking up one of her and held it up toward her. She saw the figurine, rolled her eyes, then struck the same pose. Her left front leg bent at the knee, and her whole body jutted forward as if the were rushing forward. Her wings in full expanse.
"I'm totally getting this." He said, causing her to give an exaggerated sigh.
"You goof." She smiled and trotted to him, sharing a kiss with him. "So what do you wanna do next?" She asked, but she pretty much already knew just by the look on his face. It was getting rather late, and so much had already happened in their first day of their vacation. The sun was almost completely under the horizon and businesses were closing.
They left the gift shop and sure enough, he bought the Spitfire figurine along with a cloud in a jar. He couldn't deny that the novelty of owning his own cloud in a jar was quite the charming idea. He bought a cumulus cloud, and the tiny thing floated in the middle of the very large glass container.
"So, um, about earlier, with your mom." He said as they trotted the almost empty street toward her house.
"Yeah?" She looked over toward him and was instantly skeptical of where this was going.
"I know you meant it, but I'm still going over the numbers in my head. Do you have any idea how it could work?" Chip looked at her to see her looking down and sighing.
"I don't know. All I know is, I don't want to think about it right now." She looked back to him to see an apologetic look and she shook her head. "It's okay, I know it's something we will need to figure out at some point soon. For now, though, let's just enjoy one another's company."
He was nodding as she said this. "You're right. I think I know what we should do next." This caused her to brighten up and smile. She nodded at him to go on. "I want to make it up to you. Let me treat you."
"Treat me?" She looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean treat-"
She cried out loud as she laid back in her very large, round bed. They pulled off the cover and Chip lunged his tongue between her legs. He lapped up her pussy. Her closed outer labia instantly opened as she spread her legs wide, allowing him full passage. He licked her with as much technique as he could muster. Every so often, he would lick up to her clitoris and listen to her cry out in ecstacy. He loved to hear her moan.
Chip used his front hooves to pull her closer to the edge of the bed. He engulfed her pussy in his mouth, his tongue grinding against her whole vagina. This made her call out his name and run her hooves through his mane. She pulled him harder against her pussy to increase the pressure.
After a good minute, he felt her begin to tremble. Her legs began to twitch and her voice started to reach higher octaves.
"Yes! Oh, God yes! Work it harder! Mmm yeah!" As it seemed that she was on the verge of a huge orgasm, he stopped. "No! You--you can't!!"
He wiped his mouth and gave her the most wry grin he could muster. Her eyes looked so pained, but the good kind of pain. The kind of pain that he could cure her of, but he knew he shouldn't, not yet.
"Oh, did you want me to finish? I thought you might have wanted this." He lifted his hips up closer to the edge of the bed. He was hard, long and thick. She stared at his long, dark brown cock as he revealed it. Her heart was thudding in her chest and her cunny was drooling. The sensation of his tongue was still fresh in her bright pink inner lips.
Part of her wanted to deny him the satisfaction of her giving in right away. The other part of her wanted her vagina to squeeze the life out of his hard rod and milk the cum out of it like her life depended on it.
In the end, though, she surprised him as she rolled forward and kicked her hind legs back behind her. She gorged on his thick meaty dick, taking it all the way to the mid ring. She didn't even react to his cock head touching the back of her throat. She started sucking on him with a passion. Spitfire bobbed her head up and down, even putting her hoof on his scrotum to play with his balls.
He was breathing very hard at this point. Sweat began to gleam on his forehead as her mouth tasted that wonderfully sweet cum. It started to remind her of cake icing. She didn't know if it actually had sugar or if it was just normal protein semen. She started to lick all over the head and the tip, becoming somewhat addicted to his sperm.
Then there came a point when she crossed her legs together and her pussy ached something fierce. She was still slick with vaginal juice and it started to be very hard to ignore.
She finally took her mouth off his wet dick and looked up at him with bedroom eyes that he could not ignore.
He jumped onto the bed, taking her by surprise. They met in a kiss and he blinked a couple of times as he tasted her tongue. As they broke the kiss, he looked her in the eyes.
"Have you been eating vanilla cake?" He asked and her eyes widened. Did he really not know?
"No. Now fuck me." She demanded. The look on her face was that of absolute need. She looked desperate and it occurred to him that she was on the verge of cumming just from having her mouth on his penis.
He pulled back and instantly went hip deep into her. As his girth filled her, her mouth opened wide and her eyes clenched shut.
"Oh, fuck! CHIPS!" She called out all the louder as he started humping faster and harder. She felt the full length of him pushing through her like a piston. She wanted to say something to him but it was lost in the supreme beating her vagina was taking.
Every time she thought he was slowing down, he would lance himself harder inside of her, causing her to moan all the louder. It didn't take long at all for her to cum. She called out his name, her legs clenching against his legs as she felt herself begin to tremor. This didn't stop him. How he was holding in his cum was anyone's guess.
He went balls deep into her once again. His crotch pounded hers over and over again. His hooves held against her hips as he kept pushing, forcing her to cum once again. This time however, his breath quickened at an extensive rate and he unleashed that sweet sticky sperm inside of her. He filled her to the brim and his sperm started to leak out of her as he slowed down.
He held her tight and leaned closer as he started fucking her at a leisurely pace. They gazed into each other's eyes lovingly. Chip began to lay little kisses all over her face as she closed her eyes and gasped for air.
He finally stopped and dropped down onto the bed beside her. They caught their breath and basked in the afterglow. Sweat gleamed all over their bodies as they stared at the ceiling.
"I guess that's the end of day one." Chip lamented, causing her to give a breathless laugh.
"You certainly had some saved up, didn't you?" Spitfire said and moved her legs. She felt the thick cream in her pussy lips slosh around and seep out of her well loved hole. This was quite the load he unleashed inside. She imagined all of that spunk making its way through her womb. All of the sudden she started to blush at the thought of what she said to him the first time they made love. She meant what she said. If she got pregnant, she would keep the foal.
Chip turned his head to her. All of their love shined true in that instant as they laid eyes on one another once again. He scooted over to her and nuzzled her as she smiled sweetly.
"I've decided." She said after a length of quiet. He hummed his question as he kept his eyes closed and his muzzle into her neck. "Hang on a second."
She crawled out of bed and started for the living room. After a minute, she came back with a map in her mouth. She threw the map over another edge of the bed. He crawled over to see that it was a map of Equestria. She got a pencil and started looking it over.
"We've been making a big deal out of this whole distance from Ponyville to Cloudsdale. If you really look at it, though, it's really only about a two hour flight by hot air balloon." She smiled at him as he looked up at her. Then she looked back at the map. "If we just get a house at the halfway point between the edge of Ponyville and your store, I could easily make it to work in twenty to thirty minutes." She used her mouth to draw the pencil in the locations she mention.
"That seems like a long time to fly at top speed." He looked at her and she giggled.
She rubbed her hoof under his chin. "Really? My top speed?" She shook her head. "You're cute." She looked back down at the map. "It'll take a while to sell my house, but I don't worry, I can buy a house before then. A nice house with a lot of space."
"A nice house with a lot of space?" He echoed, gazing at her, dumbfounded. "How much do you--" She stopped him with a hoof to his lips.
"A lady never tells." She winked. "Either way, we can make this work. That is... if that's what you want." Her bedroom eyes returned as she gazed at him. He smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss.
Over the course of the vacation, they enjoyed every moment. Their love shined everywhere they went. They were the talk of the town and once again their picture got in the paper. It was official, Chocolate Chip was a celebrity with a large claim to fame in both Ponyville and Cloudsdale. They didn't pay it any mind. They concentrated on what mattered.
Still, after all was said and done, it was time for Chip to go. Spitfire's eyes welled up with tears all the way to the balloon pad on the edge of the city. They said their goodbyes.
However, it wasn't even a month before Chip was at his store counter, and found a familiar face walking through his batwing doors. He looked up and his eyes widened.
Spitfire walked in in full blue Wonderbolt uniform.
"Spitfire!? What are you--" He was about to ask before she put five bits on the counter.
"What do you think I'm here for? Get me two chocolate chips." She smiled bright at him as he stood, flabbergasted.
After a minute, he did as he was told and put two cookies on a place, bringing it over to her. As he set them on the counter, he saw that she had put a key on the surface along with the bits. He eyed the key for a good minute before he looked back up at his blue clad marefriend who winked at him.
"Is that..." Chip asked and she nodded. "How did you--"
"I'm just that good, I guess." Spitfire looked at the other patrons of the place, and it turned out that he still knew how to draw a crowd. In fact, there seemed to be a lot of pegasi in here as of late. All of them stared at her from their tables and many of them were fighting the urge to get her autograph, even if it was on a napkin. She smiled at this, then turned back over to him. "I've already started moving my stuff into the new place, it's right on the edge of Ponyville, and it's even closer to Cloudsdale than I thought!"
Chocolate Chip was still trying to take all of this in as she said it. One minute he was just getting a fresh batch of cookies out, the next minute his marefriend is in his shop telling him that their house is ready for them to move in and she'd already gotten him a key! He knew he loved surprises, but this was a huge surprise! All the sudden, he started thinking about how he would have to take off work to get the moving done. Then he started wondering how he would keep track of his shop if he didn't live upstairs.
Little by little, Chip's expression started to change back and forth from excited to terrified in a hurry.
"Chip?" He heard her say, but he hadn't reacted because he was a little too deep in thought. "Chip!" He was startled immediately and looked over ate her. "Hey, I lost you for a second there. You okay? You look a little shaken." She said this, then realized how much she had just laid on him in a hurry, not to mention how she came by unannounced while he was working. "Oh," She said as she thought about it for a moment. "Maybe I came on with a little too much all at once. Look, you don't need to worry about moving out of your place too fast, in fact, just give me a few weeks to get my place emptied and unboxed in the new place. If you want, you can come by and take a look at it."
Spitfire said this and this drew a tiny smile from Chip. Everything started to fall into place for him and her, it seemed. After a moment his eyes welled up a bit.
"Chip?" She tilted her head at him, obviously worried. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." He closed his eyes and gave a tiny little laugh. "I guess living in third gear is just something I'll have to get used to."
It took a moment for Spitfire to get his meaning. Once she did, she smiled, and her eyes welled up too. |
Spitfire: Just a Normal Date | Look to the Dawn | Ponyville had become a place of joy over the past few months. It was where love had blossomed, truths were unfolded and beauty was in full spectrum for the earth pony who spent a lot of his time in his cookie shop. Chocolate Chip was living the high life as far as he could tell. He'd never had so much business in all of his life. The fact that it was based around his relationship with the captain of the Wonderbolts didn't bother him in the least. In fact, keeping it a secret was nearly impossible in the first place.
He hadn't known she was Spitfire at first, she made sure that she was keeping her identity a secret while she rested on vacation. What she hadn't planned on was meeting him. He changed everything, especially because the first name he knew her as was a false name, Flicker Flame. Whenever he found out, though, he understood immediately. His so-called "friends" were harassing her so badly that she was forced into hiding. When he stood up to them and caused the tone shift in her favor, she could only gaze at him in a new light.
From that moment, he went from a potential boyfriend to the flame she had spent her whole life looking for. After that, she would do anything for him and he would defend her so long as they kept that shared trust. It wasn't long before they finally moved in together. Even with Chip not being able to live on Cloudsdale and Spitfire no able to quit her career as a Wonderbolt, they made it work.
They lived in a nice house. It wasn't too big, but it certainly wasn't small. It only took a few days to move all of their things in, though even after three months, they still had unpacked boxes here and there. Both of them continued with a longer commute to work, but it was easy enough to get use to.
What took a bit more getting use to was the fact that he accidentally walked in on her on the toilet. That was an awkward night at dinner. Then she discovered that he still had a lot of his childhood video games that he still played. She partook in a few of them, but still called him a dork.
Today, however, was a bit of a novelty. Not only did they both have the day off, but they had the next day off as well. This happened once every other blue moon, and to waste it was a travesty. However, the day began and neither of them even had the smallest inkling of a plan. They stayed up late the night before and still couldn't think of a single thing that they hadn't already done.
Chip lay in bed on his side, enjoying the act of sleeping in until seven in the morning. His normal commute forced him to get up around four so that he could get a leg up on the baking for the day. Spitfire had a much longer commute, despite her amazing speed. She still had to climb up to the clouds on a daily basis and she had to get up along with him to make sure she made it to work with enough time to prepare for the training and briefings.
She was already up and around, doing her morning routine without all of the stretches today. Spitfire had been burning the oil so often that she just wasn't up to her higher functions.
Chip heard the shower turn on, given how she got up so early, this was unusual, but understandable. Who didn't love a nice morning shower?
Spitfire lathered her hair, which she had trimmed just recently to get her signature fire style. Her yellow fur was suddenly seeping with suds that streamed down the back of her neck and over her shoulders.
The glass door slid open and closed very quickly behind her. Before she could react to it, she felt two familiar hooves on her wings which made her yip in surprise, then blush at the sensation. As she washed the shampoo out of her hair, she blushed as Chip even have one crook of her wing a little nibble.
"Chip, what do you think younnnmmm." She couldn't even pretend to be annoyed at him. "Someone's awake." She spoke softly as her eyes went halfway shut. She broke out in gooseflesh and gave a low, soft moan.
"And someone's had a long, stressful week." He smiled as his lips latched onto her neck and growled as he ran his teeth along her wet fur.
"You better be care-aahh!" She shivered. The mixture of the hot water and a big strong stallion caressing her body from her wings down to her flanks. She stopped him suddenly, turning around and kissing him on the lips. "You're playing a dangerous game, my dear gentlecolt."
He grinned a bit. The brown stallion with darker brown hair had it wet and matted against his head. "You thought anymore on what you want to do today?" He said, hiding his telltale smile as he faced the nozzle and let it get him wet enough to apply the shampoo and scrub it into his mane.
They spent more time in the shower than they had in a very long time, nuzzling and kissing each other. Then they held one another, she stayed in his arms for a good long while as the water rained down upon them.
"I love you..." She whispered to him, and he smiled, responding with a nice long kiss. He pulled back, only to kiss her again, making her recoil a tiny bit. She giggled and pushed him back into the water with her hoof. "Easy there, tiger." Her sass told him that she was going to let him suffer while she got out of the shower, swaying her hips as she walked and showing him a peek at something pink and open near her rump before closing the door on him. The glass door was covered with fog, obscuring his vision of her.
He wiped a hole into the vapors that precipitated from the steam, and only caught a small glimpse of her giving him the wink he knew all too well. It took him no time at all to get the grime off of the rest of himself and shut off the shower completely.
When he finally got dried off, he walked out of their bedroom, and into their kitchen, which had an extra large oven for an extra large baking sheet of cookies at a time. It was quite useful. This way he could come home and still be able to bake up a batch in his free time. He'd already finished seven very large orders from this oven alone. It was just as good as his professional one he had at his shop.
Off to the left of the oven was Spitfire, putting together some greens and carrots for a salad. She gave him a tiny glance from her position. The floor was a white and sky blue checkered tile that spanned into an island counter. All around it was a stainless steel fridge, pots and pans, and other baking appliances that he'd collected over the years. If he was going to have a new house, he may as well deck it out with all of the baking essentials.
"Enjoy your shower?" Spitfire asked as she glanced at him again, picking up the vinegar and dashing a bit into the bowl. Then she picked up the spoon with her teeth and began to mix it again.
"A little." He said, knowing he had to take an extra minute to calm down his free wielding flesh that seemed to have a mind of its own. "Is that for me too?" He asked, looking at her as she added some shredded cheese.
She hummed her yes as she got the spoon in for another quick mix before placing it back on the counter. After adding a few daisies on top, she bent down to check the spice drawers underneath, making Chip widen his eyes as he couldn't help but gaze at her rump. His first instinct was to look away from her, but then the bad conscience began to whisper in his ear.
"Let's see," She said more to herself than anyone else. "There always seems to be something missing..."
Without missing a beat, she felt two hooves latch onto her flanks, making her eyes widen. Before she could taunt him further by asking what he was thinking of doing, he did it. Her vagina spread wide open as she felt a very thick, stiff piece of meat surpass her labia and even felt the midring squeeze through. She was very, very wet already and he passed through her defenses without warning. Her cheeks flushed very deeply and a very long, moaning breath escaped her lips.
"Chocolate Chips! You savage st--aaaahh-lion!" She moaned as she leaned her head against the counter and took him all the way to the base of his horse cock.
"Was this what was missing?" He whispered to her. He teased her as he stayed in that position, unmoving. She quivered at his position inside of her, now her plans to make a salad were severely compromised. She felt his entire being inside of her and could feel every muscle, every edge and rough surface. It seemed to fit inside of her like a key in a lock. Such an attribute could only be felt like this, and she loved that he teased her like this. It made her feel like they complimented one another like two halves of a whole.
"Yes." She admitted quietly as she turned her head and kissed him full on the lips. He kissed her back as they pushed their lips so tightly together. Her hoof came up to his cheek, and he took that to mean she was ready for him to start moving. Overall, she was, but it still took her by great surprise. He began to push inside of her hard enough to move her chest almost up against the counter she leaned against. The impact sent little sparks into her brain and she moaned ever louder with each passing moment.
His hooves caressed her torso, over her stomach and her chest fluff. They explored downward more to her mound which was stretched a bit by his own manhood. With one little tip of his hoof, her started to tease her clitoris and this caused her to squeak a bit every time his balls touched her crotch. He hilted into her over and over again. He was hitting all of her soft spots and she couldn't even protest that he wasn't playing fair. She didn't want him to play fair, she wanted him.
"B-breed me!" She finally managed to say through her grunts and his rippling thrusts. They were now making a mess on the tile. Their translucent juices began to collect in a puddle beneath them. She could very clearly hear the dripping, even through all of the noise in her head. Before his orgasm was triggered, hers sprouted through her system. Then she felt tremendous pressure as his cum forced its way through her cervix and drenched her in such a warmth that she couldn't possibly resist. Her head laid down, and it was only then that she noticed the knife she was using to cut the vegetables. It was leaning quite close to her. With a tired hoof, she slid it further toward the wall and directed the blade opposite of her. Even in her elated state, she knew the safety rules.
Then there came another splash onto the ground as she was flooded completely. The notion of cleaning it was not occurring to her, though. In that moment, she was prepared to let the mess sit for a while anyway. That was not even considering the smell it was going to leave. His semen had the very unique quality of smelling like frosting. Anyone in the living room or even the main hallway leading to the bedrooms could smell the potent stench of love juices intermixed with cake icing, along with the sweat.
"So, ummm..." He said with a bit of hesitation. She hummed her question to him while the afterglow was still clutched around her senses. "I wanted to go for a picnic today."
It seemed to come out of nowhere. She blinked back at him with an incredulous smile and a bit of an awkward laugh. Her panting had dulled down to a normal, if not somewhat deep breathing. She thought as best she could about it and shrugged.
"Sounds fine with me. I guess since you've been milked, you won't hit on me too hard in the middle of the park." Spitfire said this, and almost stopped herself midsentence, but it was too late. A devious grin crossed his face and she raised an eyebrow. "You'd better be careful." They both chuckled, but then came the moment where his erection began to exit her. She pushed back into him with a small pout. This caused him to kiss her on the lips, very deeply. The passion of the kiss sent butterflies into her stomach and she held the back of his head with her hoof.
His tongue slipped into her mouth and she caressed it with her own. They couldn't help but love each other all over again with freshly revived intensity. She turned to him and closed her eyes as they wrapped their arms around one another. The bright brown stallion ran his hoof through her amber and orange hair which she had not yet styled into flames. He knew he was one of the very few who saw her without it. Even in the Wonderbolt shower room, she rarely washed her hair, opting to do that in her private time.
He chuckled a little bit as he very softly broke the kiss, looking into her eyes. She gave him a puzzled look and he winked. Chip walked into the master bedroom to go clean up. Her befuddled face suddenly had a realization. She looked down to see there was still the puddle they had left. Her face grimaced as she looked back after him.
"Hey, mister! Get the mop!" She said this and he gave a hearty laugh.
By some miracle, they had chosen the perfect day. The morning was warming up a little bit but there was still a good chill in the breeze to alleviate some of the sun's rays. The park was almost empty except for a few trotters going about their own business. The main body of the park was completely deserted, and they set their red and white plaid blanket down in the middle of it. Spitfire placed the basket in the middle of it. She'd went ahead and finished the salad she was preparing before she was... interrupted. He made a few sandwiches to go along with it, put in some grapes and apples along with a few bottles of water.
Chip went into a green patch in the middle of the park and started to look around as she began bringing out the plates and preparing each of them for the two to eat. At first, she wondered what he was doing, but then she looked down at the patch in the middle of the grass and smiled. He would never get over that little tradition he liked to perform every time he had the chance. It took him a moment, but then he grunted his approval as he picked one single green stem.
He returned to her. With a kiss on her lips that she returned, he placed the four leaf clover between her ear and her fiery hair. Normally, she called him a bit of a dork, but this time she let it slide with just a little nuzzle between their snouts.
"So, some friends of mine can't seem to stop reminding me that they framed our picture in the paper." Chip said as he pulled up his plate and took a bite out of his sandwich. She exasperated a tiny bit.
"Yeah, it's still mounted on the Wonderbolt training room wall. I still get flak for it on occasion." She recalled that ridiculously embarrassing picture of Chip on top of her. The paper didn't even attempt to put context with the picture. No matter how many interviews she did concerning her relationship with him, there were always those ponies with their minds in the gutter. It wasn't a small kiss... but still!
"Well, we do have it in our photo album." Chip snickered, remembering her reluctance to put it there, but ended up agreeing.
"Under protest." She shot back at him with her tongue sticking out. Then she pulled her own sandwich up and took a bite.
"Still, you can't deny that we look pretty good in that picture." Chip caught wind of her stink eye. "It just feels like a lifetime ago, when it's not even been a year."
"Yeah, it has been a while. That was a wonderful vacation." She giggled and recalled the time she finally got up the guts to bring him to her hotel room. He did not disappoint. Then she started thinking about taking some more time off. She barely used up any of her leave days on that little outing, so she still had an excess.
"I know, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe we could--" He started to say, but then noticed a pink pony trotting up the small grassy hill to get to them.
"Hey, guys!" Pinkie Pie said in her normal, bubbly manner. "Wow, this is a good day for a picnic isn't it?" The perpetual smile on her face never seemed forced, and Chocolate Chip always wondered how she did it for so long. Even with the use of less muscles, it must have gotten tiring.
"Hey, Pinkie." Chip chuckled a bit. Spitfire noted a small bit of disappointment in his tone. "How's Sugar Cube Corner managing?"
"Oh, it's great! We're still trying to come up with your cookie recipe." Pinkie let out a cute little giggle again. "We'll find it out some day!" The pink earth pony almost drove him to insanity, trying to get his cookie dough ingredients one day. It took a big effort to finally get her off of his tail. Not to mention the several dozen she ordered in order to taste them and trace where the flavor came from. He'd gotten her nearly sick with how many she ate all at once. Chip made sure she drank enough milk to fill her belly further so she went home like a sluggish mosquito that was too fat to fly.
"Hey, Pinkie." Spitfire waved when she finally finished her sandwich. The two of them had a pretty good relationship. After all, she'd witnessed her save Equestria more than once along with Rainbow Dash. "Got anymore friendship stuff to take care of today?"
"Ooohhh, yes I do!" Pinkie said, then pulled out a scroll checklist that rolled onto the ground and a full foot away from her as she checked it. "Now I can cross picnic off my list!" She squealed with glee as she pulled out a quill and cross it off. "Next is a bake off! Chip! I need to duel you!"
Her sudden tonal change was a bit jarring as she scowled toward him with unknown intent.
"Wait, what?" He said as she got face to face with him. "Bake off?"
"Yes! It's time to face off against the party pony herself!" She patted her belly up to her chest and her face. Then she put her hooves on either side of her head and cracked her neck from left to right. Both Spitfire and Chip grimaced at the audible snapping sounds.
"I don't know, we kinda had the day off, and announcing a bake off sounds a bit overboard. So I think we should try it some other t-" Chip looked back to Pinkie to see she already had the megaphone. He very quickly put his hoof on it and lowered it down. "Fine, we can do it, but no crowd."
"Awww, fine!" Pinkie sighed with a bit of disappointment, but then brightened back up immediately. "We can use sugar cube--"
"We use my shop." He grinned. "It has everything we need for cookies. Including my ingredients."
Pinkie didn't seem like the type to poach his recipe, but Chip wasn't about to take any chances. She thought for a second, then started to vigorously nod at him.
"Okay, I guess I'll be the impartial judge." Spitfire said, drawing looks from both of them. Even Chip was a little hesitant at the idea. She was his marefriend, afterall. "I know how to be impartial, Chip. How do you think I decide who gets into the Wonderbolts? I don't go for people I like, I go for whoever gets the job done."
Chip and Pinkie looked at each other for a moment. Then Chip shrugged as Pinkie nodded in her lively manner once again.
"With that being said," Spitfire grinned at the two of them, spreading her wings. "Seeya at the shop!"
She took off with a flap of her wings and bolted over toward the cookie store. The two earth ponies glanced at one another. Before Chip even got three trots in, Pinkie bolted and began to zoom straight out of the park. The brown pony sighed and rolled his eyes. He heightened up to a gallop. |
Spitfire: Just a Normal Date | Got to Hurry | Chip's shop only had a few customers. The late morning crowd just before lunch was a small one, but he recognized his regulars immediately and waved to them. Pinkie was quick to bring out a great deal of ingredients from the back. Cookie Dough was already warned of this. Chip's sister was watching the store that day, and was more than happy to agree to let them have their little bake off. She looked to the front of the store to see her brother, all sweaty and walking slowly toward the back.
"Well, hey bro. I heard you decided to have a little competition. What brought this on?" She asked as he got behind the counter and leaned his head against it, gasping for breath. "You gonna live?"
"I'll live. As for what brought this on? Bad decisions and timing. I was kind of looking forward to a day where I didn't have to bake so many cookies." Then he looked at the counter as Pinkie put two of everything on it. She perfectly lined them up with each other and spread them evenly over the bar.
"Well, good luck. It looks like Pinkie's taking this a little seriously." She called his attention to the obsessive compulsive way the pink pony was setting up the bottles, boxes and bags for the two of them.
"Okay! From the word go, we have thirty minutes to bake a baker's dozen." She said, entirely too loud for his taste. Now the three customers in the store began to pay attention. The interest on their faces made his heart sink. "Spitfire will try both of them chased with milk and decide which one she decides is the superior baker!"
The tiny crowd's "ooooo" pretty much solidified the fact that they were staying there to watch. Spitfire trotted over to him and nuzzled his cheek, wiping the sweat from her nose and handing him a few paper towels. He wiped his brow and looked at her. She gave him a little kiss.
"Hey, you okay?" She asked him and he nodded.
"I'm just not really big on competitions. This seems a bit more like a publicity stunt." Chip said as he finished wiping off his face and throwing away the towel.
"So? You could always use the business." She said, but they both knew that ever since his picture was in the paper with her, his store had thrived. He sold so many dozens of cookies every week, he had to boost up his stock just to meet demands. "I mean, it couldn't hurt."
He chuckled a bit, and then looked to see that Pinkie was sitting at the outside of the bar, her tail wagging to and fro as she waited. He looked to see she had taken all of his ingredients and categorized them according to size, importance and function. It was actually quite impressive.
"I think Chip's got this, what do you folks think?" Cookie Dough said as she watched from the register with a big smile on her face. Chip turned around as he saw not three but eight people in his store now, and they all began to clap their hooves against the ground.
He furrowed his brow a bit and walked over to the large assembly of stuff on his bar. He looked over to Spitfire, who raised a lowered hoof toward him and tamped it downward a bit. She gave him some quiet reassurance and he nodded. Then she raised up her hoof to both of them.
"Bakers, on your mark." As Spitfire said this, Pinkie ducked down in a ready position as if she were in an actual race. Her cutie mark in perfect view with its happy balloons on a bright pink flank. Her big curly, darker pink hair bobbed back and forth as she readied herself in a wiggling motion. "Get set." All the sudden, Pinkie's readiness turned to anxiousness. Chip raised an eyebrow at this. "And go!"
Pinkie became a blur as she got the flour, milk and all of the other mix-ins to put into the bowl. The chocolate chips and cinnamon were plopped into the bowl and her spoon went to work. Everyone looked at her in awe, but then looked over to Chocolate Chip.
He was also going quite fast, but in a much more ordered, disciplined manner. He calculated each measurement to its utmost without wasting any time on unnecessary movements. His arms moved deliberately and precise. While Pinkie was making a holy mess of her space, Chip put everything back in its place without even thinking about it. Spitfire had never sat down and watched him work before. With this skill and precision at his disposal, she wholly believed he had been doing this for quite some time. He wasn't going as fast, but it was obvious, he was not going to miss the thirty minute mark.
Neither Chip nor Pinkie needed to look up the amounts they needed for a baker's dozen. Both of them had it etched in their brains through extreme repetition. He even had time to put all of the dough into a funnel sleeve, and squeeze them out onto the baking sheet after buttering it. Each cookie blob looked exactly like the other. Even the chips looked like they were in similar spots.
Nowhere near the halfway point, both of them already had their cookies in the oven. Pinkie put hers in, followed very closely by Chocolate Chip. The crowd went wild as this happened! Pinkie put on a big smile as they cheered on. Then she looked over to see Chip's somewhat disgruntled expression. Before she could question this, he looked over at her baking space and nodded toward it. It looked like a tiny tornado had gone through it backwards.
Pinkie blushed at this and went over to clean up her stuff while the cookies baked. Chip checked the timer to make sure he hadn't over estimated for the extra cookie. Then he turned to Spitfire, who looked at him as if she'd seen him start glowing.
"How did you... Have you always... how?!" She asked him as he trotted over to her table and raised an eyebrow.
"Did you expect me not to know how to do this?" Chip asked with a chuckle. She gave him an annoyed glance and he nuzzled her a little. This made her smile and nuzzle back.
The timer went off, drawing his attention back to the cookies. He trotted over to his oven, and so did Pinkie. With speed and precision, he flipped the cookies off of the lubricated sheet, and onto a large white plate. He studied them and determined which one was the most shapely. No one else in the room could really tell a difference between any of them.
Both Pinkie and Chip put their plates in front of Spitfire, who looked at the two plates with a smile. All eyes were on her as she looked at them, smelling them both with a smile on her face. The yellow pegasus decided she shouldn't hold anyone in suspense, so she picked up Chip's first.
She took one bite, and as if out of nowhere, she remembered in full detail her first happenstance of coming upon this little shop. Spitfire, better known as Flicker Flame at the time, had tried one of his cookies and almost jokingly asked her to marry him. She looked back at that day with a smile as she ate the rest of the cookie.
"That's going to be tough to beat." Spitfire smiled at him, then at a very nervous Pinkie. She put her hoof on the pink pony's cookie and already knew something was off. She shook it up a bit and the weight felt entirely too much like a strong center of gravity.
All eyes were on Spitfire in that moment as she knocked it against the table. She blinked, looking at Pinkie, who suddenly had a long, mortified face.
"Ummmm, Pinkie? Did you even add milk to the recipe?" She asked, making Pinkie freeze up.
"I added too much flour..." Pinkie said, remembering she noticed it, but then went ahead and did it anyway. "Oh no! I have failed!" She dropped to her knees and raised her hooves in the air. "Oooohhh noooo--oh well! At least I got some of yours to eat!" She suddenly perked up and grabbed three of his off of the plate and started eating.
Chip looked very unamused, blinking at her three times and tilting his head. "You did all of this just to get free cookies." He didn't so much ask as he deduced. Pinkie simply smiled at him and sat at the table with a mouth full of cookies. "You have no shame, do you?" Pinkie smiled once again and shook her head.
Spitfire wore a similar expression. Then she shrugged and pointed to Chip. "Chip is the winner."
All three of them wore shocked expressions as there were now somewhere between forty and fifty ponies cheering for Chip! After all of that, they began to make orders, and Cookie Dough looked to Chip for a helping hoof. He rolled his eyes, looked to Spitfire, who nodded, and put on his apron.
The day had turned into evening before the two of them finally opened the door. As thanks for helping her own, Cookie Dough gave him the next day off. He wore bags under his eyes. He hadn't seen that many people crowding his store since his Hearth's Warming sale last year. The ponies just kept coming into the store, wondering how the contest went. Ponyville wasn't exactly known for its size, so word spread fast. He'd probably made more sales than he would have in a week. It just so happened to be their day off. Such great timing seemed to be his constant luck.
Asking Spitfire if she could take the day off tomorrow was a big no-go. She had a lot of training to overlook as their new recruits were coming close to graduating. This annoyed him, but only a little bit. He was too tired to be too overly angry at this unfortunate happenstance. Not to mention, the business was really nice.
He plopped onto his couch, his bangs going down to his eyes as he let out a horse sigh.
"You gonna be okay?" Spitfire asked as she went to the kitchen to make some tea.
"Yeah." He said in a very unenthusiastic voice. "I have tomorrow to rest it off."
She put the kettle on the stovetop and turned on the burners as she walked back into the living room and got onto the couch. She laid down on top of him, straddling his flanks and rested her head on his shoulders, nuzzled up to his neck. He hummed his approval as she began to rub his back and sides.
"You work entirely too hard for your own good. Maybe the success is a bit much right now?" Spitfire whispered to him as her hooves did their work. He gave this a thoughtful hum, opening his eyes to slits as they looked at her. He looked deep into her auburn eyes and smiled. "What's got you in such a mood? I've seen you tired before, this isn't your way of dealing with it."
"Well, I had plans for today and they turned up to just about nothing in the long run." He closed his eyes again and sighed. Then he looked at her, a bit of worry in her expression. He smiled and nuzzled his cheek to hers. She returned the affection and gave him a little kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too, darling." She whispered and rested against him.
He looked off to the side toward the living room in a deep train of thought. He figured his plans weren't completely ruined. There was still a tiny bit of sunlight, though it was pushed all the way down under the horizon. The night was still young and he could make the most of things as they were. Maybe some food would help serve as a romantic setting for their special little day. It was a pretty good thought. He would just need her to get off of him in their very comfortable position.
He turned back to her and she released a long, quiet snore. Chip blinked when he saw her eyes closed. There was a tiny smile on her face as she drifted off into a deep sleep. He blinked again, then sighed. It wasn't long before he did the same.
She was already gone by the time he woke up. His joints ached and his head was still swimming as he got off the couch. Chip remembered vaguely that she had stopped beside him in her Wonderbolt gear to kiss him on the cheek before she zoomed out the door and toward Cloudsdale to commence a new day of training.
There he was, in a big empty house with the whole day to himself. His first thought was to try and complete his Spider-mare game 100%. Then he thought that maybe he could go get breakfast first. Chip checked the time, it was just after seven. That's when the thought occurred to him. At first, he hesitated. He knew that their role call was at seven thirty. Wait, no. It was going to be late today! That's right, they had their early morning training before role call in preparation for the graduation ceremony!
Without a moment to lose, he got his saddle bag, took the quickest shower he had ever performed and he zoomed out the door. There weren't a lot of people on the streets, but whoever was there stared at the earth pony who galloped with a purpose past them. Airheart had just opened her air balloon rental, and he made sure to pay her extra for a short notice flight.
Within ten minutes, he was lifting off the ground in that beautiful red balloon up toward Cloudsdale. He was going to make this day special, even if it killed him! Before Airheart could even ask him, he got one of the potions out of his saddlebag and poured it onto himself. His visage glistened with magic, allowing him a day of being able to walk on the clouds. Since he made such frequent visits to the cloud city, they decided to go ahead and get a stockpile of them for convenience sake and just in case of emergency.
Finally, they leveled with the clouds as Airheart put in just enough fiery air into the balloon to dock onto the port that she would tie the rope to. Before she even got a chance, he leaped onto the platform and started to charge ahead.
"Thanks!" He said back to her as he took off running. Clouds lessened the impact on his hooves, and he felt an extra spring in his step. Above all else, he only wished he had wings for this little errand. He looked at the time as he passed a clock standing in the middle of one of the roads, 7:45 am.
"Alright, cadets!" Soarin said as he rounded up all of the fillies and colts in their reserve program. Many of them excited, but most of them were more nervous than anything as they gathered in the yard. They knew the final trials were ahead, and this could mean the difference between going home empty handed, and going home with the medal that signified their acceptance into the Wonderbolts. "Line up and get in formation. The Captain is on her way to give you your final briefing as cadets."
The blue pegasus looked at them all, judging them on appearance. All of their manes needed to be regulation. Their uniforms needed to be straight with no wrinkles. The ribbons they earned thus far had to be in the proper sequence as well as the proper position on their chests. Everything needed to be just so, or they were going to lose points. None of the officers liked to dock points for something so silly, but it was regulation.
The ice blue pegasus, Fleetfoot came out to help him decipher each and every one of their uniforms until they were certain they got it all right. She traveled the line of cadets, even inspecting the cleanliness of their wings.
Every breath caught in their throats as Spitfire came out. Her whistle around her neck, her sunshades on and her uniform full of medals from her experience. They stood as still as statues when she came out and did her own inspection. In her mind, she was impressed at how well they did their clothing, even thought about complimenting them, but she held her tongue. The training was better when she looked somewhat unimpressed, but impressed enough not to take away from them. It was all a mind game to help sharpen them. So far, it seemed to be working.
Soarin and Fleetfoot stood off to the side, having completed their rounds as she did her own inspection. Then she stood off to the side along with her two assistants.
"Not going to lie to you, cadets. If you picked any day to show off your real skills, having held back in the past, today is that day. I want to see every single one of you in full form! I will accept nothing less than 110% from every single one of you! I don't need to tell you the importance of today, because it's already been laid out flat. If every single one of you wish to graduate tomorrow, today will determine which dreams come true."
She went back in front of the cadets for one more sweep in front. All of them looked in tip top shape, from what she could see. They looked awake, aware and read--- She stopped as she reached the end of the line. The pegasus pony cadet at the end of the row tried her very best to keep her bearing as much as she could, but that was very hard when a brown earth pony stood off beside her. He was sweating from every crevice of his body. He was winded like none other and barely able to stand.
"Chip?!" Spitfire asked, taken way off guard. She straightened up just a little bit in the eyes of the cadets and stifled a smile or any sort of excitement.
"Chip! Bro! What are you--" Soarin whispered to him as he approached. Chip held up his hoof to stop him, nodding his understanding. He tried to get here before the roll call, but apparently he didn't calculate that they just did roll call whenever they felt like it. It was 7:50 and they decided to go ahead and do it anyway.
"Spitfire, we kept getting interrupted yesterday and I never found the right time." He said as his breath was finally getting back to normal. His heart still pounded in his chest, though. "The day was over before I knew it and right now is the best time I could find to do this. I got tired of waiting."
Before Spitfire could even ask what he was talking about, her bearings went away completely. Every one of the cadets widened their eyes, as did the officers overseeing them. Chip produced a black box a tiny bit bigger than his hoof and opened it to produce a ring. The ring was sized to her hooves and bared three diamonds of the same size. Each of them were clear cut and the size of a ladybug. Between them, twining around them was a clover with a long, winding stem. In the circle of the ring, there was an etching "Chocolate Chip & Spitfire Keeping The Flame Alive." It was a rich, dazzling gold ring that made her heart flutter and began to bring tears to her eyes.
"Spitfire, will you marry me?" He asked with a meek smile, and held the ring case out to her closer. This only made the tears stream down her cheeks harder. The sobs came slowly as she held out her hoof to him.
"Yes." She attempted a smile, but the emotions were too much for her in that moment and it only made her lose what was left of her bearings. He took the ring from the case and put it around her hoof.
This caused everyone to lose their military faces and cheer for them. All of the cadets squealed and shouted as they began to jump. Even Soarin and Fleet whooped and hollered as the two of them embraced. They met in a kiss and nuzzled into one another.
"You're sweaty." She said through her very soft sobbing and tears. This caused him to chuckle and hum his agreement. It was clear that neither of them cared.
Spitfire didn't even care if the training started a bit late that day. All the sudden, ponies who were off that day were coming in. Rainbow Dash was one of the first, even though she had to travel all the way from Ponyville to come and congratulate them. It took a big effort to pull herself away from Chip at that point. However, her duty as a Wonderbolt was paramount right then.
Chip assured her that he would be home when she came back.
He was, indeed, at home when she came that night. He'd prepared a meal for the both of them and dimmed the lights. They didn't talk much when they ate, mostly because they couldn't stop staring into each other's eyes. The food was good, but before either knew it, they were kissing and holding one another again.
They worked their way to the bedroom, still attached with a strong bond as he laid her down. Even as he slid inside of her, it didn't interrupt their passionate kiss. It was unlike any love they had ever shared before then. He worked her slowly, giving her small pecks on the lips as his face met with hers. She breathed in steadily as his manhood massaged her from the inside. He was very stiff and his midring caressed her g-spot to the point of redness appearing on her face.
"I can't believe you did that today." She whispered to him with a small smile. Then her eyes closed tight as they could as he picked up a faster pace. "It was-mm!-so romantic!"
"Just think about the wedding day." He whispered in her ear as he went even faster. The thought of wedding bells, her dream dress and joining her lovely stallion in bonds forever caused her senses to go crazy with joy.
That wonderful feeling overtook her and her pink, wet lips clenched around his long shaft. She squeezed him without even trying and he gritted his teeth as he spread his seed deep inside of her. She panted hard with every soft thrust he gave her. Her cheeks were flushed and her sweat made a spot on the sheets in perfect formation of her flame like hair.
They didn't speak. They didn't need to. They laid on their sides, facing each other with their loving gazes until they drifted off. They were already exhausted by the time they got home. That wouldn't stop them, though. They felt like nothing could ever stop them. Whether that was true or not didn't matter in the least. Every fight they had, every doubt and anything that would put a fly in their ointment seemed ten million miles away. Everything that truly mattered was right there, sleeping the night away. Together. |
Power Windows | pre | The guards lead him into the elegant looking castle, they came upon a door with a guard stationed by it. He saluted and opened the door that lead down into darkness. The stallion that was leading Cel motioned towards a cell with a open barred door. "Get in."
"No need to be so rude." Celendros remarked as he walked inside. He took a seat on the stone cold floor and leaned against the wall. "Now away with you guards, I need time to think." he jokingly commanded them.
The three guards grunted, and walked opposite ways. But not before locking the door. He was left with only the glow of a torch on the opposite wall and the moans and groans of the other prisoners.
Celendros sighed, but enjoyed the time to himself. He waited for two hours in the dungeon, planning on what he would do next and what to do with Gavun. Clearly he has found a way to either summon people from Socobeck, or travel back and forth... this was bad. Really bad. But for now, he needed to get out of here. But before he could start thinking of that, someone approached his cell.
A familiar voice was heard from the outside of the cell, though no visible features could be seen, the voice was a dead give away. "Celendros? Are you alright?" The voice of Twilight spoke. "Don't worry, I'm working on getting you out, I just need to talk to Celestia when she is free." She seemed quite worried for him.
"I'm fine. Take your time, all this time to think is wonderful." Celendros reassured her. Meanwhile he rubbed some of the dust and dirt off of his nearly destroyed cloak.
"Well, if you say so, Thank you very much for saving me. By the way. That was a very scary experience and I don't wish to have it again..." She said as she hugged him through the bars.
"Hopefully, you won't. But with me, there's a good chance of it happening again. Back home I faced this almost weekly. With Gavun's men constantly at my back you should get used to it. Hopefully next time my arm will be healed enough to fight. I had to resort to magic in order to finish the last guy off." Cel said with a sigh after he hugged Twilight back.
"Huh, so that is shaman magic... Interesting. Well, I'm going to see if I can talk to the Princess... I'll be back later." She nodded to try and reassure him.
"I'll be here, of course." Cel said in goodbye to Twilight. He leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes. He needed some sleep.
She trotted up the stairs, the door shut behind her. Just then coughing was heard from the cell next to him "You won't stop the king... He is too strong for you." the large man wheezed.
"Oh I don't plan to stop him. I'm just going to shove my boot so far up his butt... his nose will bleed," Celendros said. He was just messing with the guy, he had nothing better to do.
The man spat towards Cel, possibly getting some on his boot. "Long... Live...The King." These were his last words before he passed out from the pain.
"Thanks for the shoe shine bud..." Celendros said to the unconscious thug.
About a day later, Twilight came back down into the dungeon with a guard. He proceeded to unlock the door and step aside. "You are free to go."
A snore sounded from the back of the cell. Celendros had fallen asleep about an hour before they arrived. To most he'd look like a filthy bum by now. His beard was unkempt and dirty, cloak torn and tattered, and he was sleeping on the floor.
Twilight entered the cell and cautiously poked his face with her hoof "Cel... endros?" she called out timidly.
He sorted and opened his eyes. "Huh... what?" he said. Clearly he was confused slightly.
She giggled. "You can leave the cell now, I've spoken with the guard and they agreed to free you. We can go see the princess now, come on." She smiled as she said these words.
"Oh good, I was getting bored." he said as he slowly got up. He stretched and his back popped. He held his hurt arm which he managed to heal a bit more with the mandatory water he received with his hay breakfast. Every day it was improving, but not by much. It should take another two weeks at this rate before it would be healed enough for him to use it. He walked out of the cell and motioned for Twilight to lead the way.
Twilight exited the cell nodding to the guard before walking up the stairs. She sighed a bit cracking her neck. "Come on, the throne room is this way." She said cheerfully as she lead Celendros through the castle halls.
Celendros followed along, he was rather uncomfortable being in a large castle. The only one he'd ever been to was one where death was around every corner. He dreaded having to talk to the Princess. Since he was always bad with authority, mainly because of his demanding father and Gavun always riding his back throughout his life.
She looked at Celendros and furrowed a brow before speaking "You look over-cautious and worried. Is everything okay?" she asked him with concern.
"I'm fine... just the last time I was in a castle, everyone wanted me dead. Not to mention the fact that royalty makes me nervous." he told her. It was nice to get things off his chest, but he didn't know why he was being so open about things.
She nodded with a smile. "You have no need for fear. The princesses are more than likely the nicest ponies in Equestria!" She sounded very excited as she said this.
"We'll see..." he shakily said. As he walked he was regaining his composure on the outside. But on the inside, the closer they got, the more nervous he got.
As he said this they would have walked into a spacious room. At the end of a red carpet trimmed with gold lining sitting on a throne was none other than the mare in question. The white alicorn smiled. "Ah, Twilight so good to see you. This is Celendros I assume?"
"Yes, I'm the one you had arrested and thrown i-" Celendros stopped mid-sentence since he realized what he was doing. "That's me." he corrected himself. Then he nudged Twilight with his leg for her to say something.
Before she could speak, Celestia spoke. "Yes about that, you have my deepest apologies. I had gotten word of several humans terrorizing my citizens on a train and acted with swift care. If there is anyway I can make it up to you, don't hesitate to ask me." She nodded and then took a long pause "But this means that there are more than just you here. Do you know these other humans?"
"To a point. These men were most likely sent by Gavun somehow. Most likely he has a shard of the idol, which I'm sure Twilight explained what it is in her letter to you. At this point, I give you a warning. I am the only human you can trust unless I give them my okay, which most likely will never happen." Celendros explained to the princess. He was doing his best to assert himself as an asset, rather than a problem. "You can make it up to me by helping me find a shard of the idol."
She nodded before raising a brow "Would... a shard possibly look like this?" She levitated a small chest to his feet which opened, revealing a small glowing shard of the idol he had mentioned.
Celendros went wide-eyed at the stroke of luck. "Where did you find that?" he asked quickly. He made his way closer to the princess to get a better look at the shard.
"This had fallen into the royal gardens one night. One of the royal guards had brought it to me and I had been keeping it to figure out what exactly it does. If this tremendously powerful fragment of an ancient artifact can help you in any way, please take it. On behalf of me." Celestia smiled again before speaking "Is this... Gavun leader of the other humans?" she questioned him.
"He is, and he is not to be underestimated. He will stop at nothing to get the shards and enslave your people. If he restores the idol, he'll be invincible, like he was when I fought him in his throne room. This idol is supposedly the thing that keeps our worlds from colliding, and is the very catalyst that keeps nature from fading away. I broke Gavun's jaw while that idol was in his hands, it instantly restored his jaw and composure. His strength was like that of a herd of elephants." Celendros shuddered as he remembered the battle, it was intense, and he nearly died so many times.
She gasped a bit "Well we can not let this happen. Twilight, send word for your friends and gather the Elements of Harmony. You must do anything you can to aid Celendros in stopping Gavun." She was extremely worried. "I cannot thank you enough Celendros for bringing this urgent news. I am here if you need absolutely anything."
Twilight was already down the hall heading for the exit of the castle towards the train station.
"Before I go, Princess. One question. Why so quick to trust me? After all, I could secretly be on his side. Or maybe just out for power. Where I'm from I would've been branded insane and thrown in a dungeon... which I have been on numerous occasions before." Celendros asked as he took the shard. He was actually confused. He'd never met a leader that was so quick to trust him. Normally he'd have to prove he's trustworthy.
"Because, despite what you make yourself out to be. You are a truly good being on the inside. A trustworthy person, you need not to hide it in this world. The ponies of this world are kind and care for each other. They would never harm anypony and I hope to keep it so no pony tries to harm them. From what Twilight told me about what you did on the train, I have more than reason to trust you." She had stepped down from the throne and smiled at him. "Now, please help save Equestria."
"Fine, but know this. I am no hero. Nor do I want to be remembered as one. Where I go, violence and destruction follow. What happened on the train is a good example. I cannot guarantee the safety of your people, but I can guarantee I'll try." 'Cel warned her and left. He wasn't one for goodbyes.
Outside he caught up to Twilight and dangled the glowing shard in front of him. He wasn't sure what to do with it. "Hmmm..." he let out in verbal thought.
"So, what was that on the train? Was that what a shaman does?" Twilight questioned him while trotting towards the station. "And what does that shard do?"
"A Shaman controls the very forces of nature. How strong the connection is between the Shaman and nature itself is what determines the power. Back on Socobeck before I had lost my connection the first time. It was strong, stronger than most. What you saw on the train is what a normal level shaman would do. But we can do more than just shoot lightning from our hands." Celendros explained to her. Then he snapped his fingers with his good hand and an electric spark came from his fingers. "As for the shard... I have no idea." He stopped after a couple seconds and stared at the shard. "Stand back, I have an idea."
She took several steps back and removed the notepad again prepared to write down her observations.
Celendros removed his bad arm from the sling. It buzzed with pain as he moved it to grab the shard with both hands. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment or two. After a few seconds of nothing. The ground began to mildly shake around him, small pebbles on the ground begging to roll in a circle around him. Slow the circle gained more and more dirt and rock to follow.
Twilight giggled with excitement documenting everything that was happening even drawing an illustration, not the best but it would do. "Are you alright? Does it hurt?" She had so many questions but limited herself.
Then the rocks began to lift and circle around him in a sort of tornado of dust and rock around him. He didn't reply but started groaning in pain. His bad arm was regrowing skin, the muscle repairing itself. It hurt immensely as it was healing faster than what was natural. The glow from the shard got brighter and brighter until eventually it sent out a burst of energy from his hands and all the rocks fell back to the ground. Celendros stood there not saying anything, but he fell backward onto the ground.
Before he could hit the ground Twilight caught him with her magic "Celendros! Please don't tell me you died..." She was worried as she strained to lift him with her magic.
Sadly he was too heavy for her magic to lift. But he groaned as he thumped back on the ground. He brought his now healed left hand up and rubbed his head. It was buzzing and throbbing. But he was conscious. "What happened? I blacked out." he groggily said.
She was in shock just pointing at his newly healed arm "Y... y... your arm..." She managed to finally spit out some words.
"W-what about it? Everything is a haze." he asked as he struggled to sit up.
"It... reconstructed itself!" She exclaimed as she began to write in the notepad excitedly. "Does it hurt more or less? Can you stand? Do you have new powers?" She started running through questions rapidly before stopping to catch her breath.
"Settle down... and stop yelling," Celendros snapped as he slowly got up. "And I won't really know until I can test it on something." He examined his arm with slight amazement, but not much surprise. He remembered when the idol healed Gavun, so he wasn't too surprised that it healed himself.
She nodded and slowed down "The shard stopped glowing, you must have taken the power from within it." She noted with a nod before examining his arm closer.
He shot his right arm out to try and cast a flame. Nothing but a puff of smoke left his hand. He groan and tried water from his flask, nothing but some movement like last time. So there was only one thing left to try. "Okay then... one thing left to try. Twilight, see that boulder over there?" he asked as he pointed at a large boulder in a group of rocks.
Twilight nodded "Are you going to move it?" she said walking closer to get a better view.
Celendros didn't say anything, he just took a step back and braced himself. He raised his right foot then slammed it to the ground. A narrow shock wave of rock burst forward and smashed into the boulder, cracking it in half. The two halves fell to the opposite side of each other and Cel celebrated in his head. "This will be very useful." he commented.
Twilight was extremely flabbergasted at the event she had just witnessed, she stood there completely speechless. Her mouth tried to produce some form of speech but nothing came out.
"Alright, let's go. We have a lot of work ahead of us." Celendros said to Twilight as he headed forward to leave the courtyard. "We need to get your friends, then figure out where the other shard pieces are. Do you have any ideas?" he asked, unaware of Twilight's current state. Shamanistic magic was so normal to him he forgot that it wasn't normal for her.
She stood there for a moment before shaking her head. She ran after him, eventually catching up. "Well, perhaps..." She thought for a moment before speaking again "I could always try a spell that would search for spikes in magical activity. Would that work?" she questioned him.
"Maybe, but this shard could be a different kind of magic. One you're not used to. Remember, it's from my world. On my world there are multiple kinds of magic, not just one." 'Cel warned her. "I don't want you wasting your energy, we might need it in case of an attack." While being unlikely, with Celendros surprise attack chances are heightened.
She nodded a bit with a sigh. "Right right, how silly of me to forget. We could always do it the old fashion way, just ask around town and see if anyone has heard anything about heightened magic levels or the such?" She yet again questioned him, but was more sure of herself this time.
Celendros scratched his chin and raised a brow in thought. "That would work... if we knew where to ask and who to ask. It wouldn't be here in Canterlot, the blast was too powerful for the shards to be that close together. We would've heard about one in Ponyville if one was there... which brings us to our dilemma." he half thought out loud, and half explained the situation to Twilight.
"That means...they could have landed all over Equestria!" She seemed a bit worried, this was going to be a very difficult task. Possibly even more difficult than her and her friends have ever dealt with "Where do you think we should start? I mean... these shards did come from your world. Do you know anything about them? Perhaps that shard you picked up could help us?" She said to him quite fast.
"The shard is tapped dry. I absorbed all it had and I know just as much about these shards as you do. As for where we should start? I don't know, if this was my world we could head to Helkend, the City of Rogues where for a few gems you could get all the information you wanted. But I know nothing of your world beside what is openly obvious." Celendros sighed after speaking. At this point he weighed his options. Either the search could take too long and Gavun would win, but if he were to obtain the idol eventually he could still defeat Gavun. With the expense of the ponies suffering for a few months. Or continue this leadless hunt with the off chance of getting somewhere. He shook his head after he realized he blanked out for a moment and returned to the conversation.
"Well we don't have much of a choice, let's round up the girls and maybe we could get more ideas on what to do." She commented walking towards the train station with a sigh. "This... Gavun right? If he were to gather all these shards, what exactly would happen to Equestria? I mean, I know something bad, but what are we talking about?" She was again worried but was glad to be of some use at all in stopping some form of threat to her world.
"The same thing that happened to my world. He will take complete control and bring everyone to almost complete poverty. He'd turn the world into one where only the wicked prosper and the good suffer. And it would never end. That idol makes any who have it in their possession, invincible. He'd be the sovereign king of both our worlds. Becoming the most powerful man to have ever lived." he reluctantly told her. The more he spoke the more he got worried with things like, what if he failed? What if he didn't fail but the cost to get there was almost too great? Things like this ate away at him whenever they came, but he had to hold his worry in and remain strong. For Twilight's sake.
She looked to him and solemnly nodded "I... I see." She said quietly before going silent as they walked. It never crossed her mind that something so sinister and horrific could happen to the land she called home. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she thought of all the horrible things that could happen.
"Don't worry, I'll do everything in my ability to make sure that doesn't happen... but that doesn't help much does it? I'm only a shadow of what I once was..." memories started to come back to Celendros, regret, anxiety, sadness. The consequences of him giving up being a shaman have really come back to haunt him in the past year.
She stopped for a moment and hugged Celendros. "It's just a bad thought is all, if we stay positive and believe in ourselves we can win this!" She let go and smiled at him wiping her eyes before continuing to walk "Besides, getting yourself worried over hypothetical this is really silly." She smiled again, but it was more... forced, she actually had a single doubt in the back of her mind they might not be able to do this..
"Time will tell, where I'm from, you prepare for the worst so you are prepared for the best..." Cel remained skeptical, years of relying on himself for things has dampened his hope reserves.
Twilight nodded a bit. "Well, let's try not to think about it right now." she just wanted to have this end, all this was so new and odd to her, she liked it. But at the same time, all of the things that had happened recently scared her.
Celendros stayed silent for a few minutes as they headed toward the train station. His face had the signs of worry all over it. "Twilight... I need to ask something of you." he said. He wasn't proud of what he was going to ask. He wasn't even sure if it was the right thing to do...
She perked her ears up a bit after hearing her name called. "What can I do for you?" She smiled sweetly after saying this trying to reassure him.
Seeing that sweet smile only made it worse, but he asked anyways. "If I die during this... quest. It's going to be up to you. I need you to promise me, that you will take this dagger," he pulled out the iron dagger that he took from the king and held it out for her to take, "and drive it through his black heart." He didn't specify who... but it was obvious.
Twilight was taken back at what he had just said and stood still and silent for a few minutes before speaking. "Celendros... you won't die. I won't let you, but... if it does come to that..." She levitated the dagger out of his hand and into her saddle bag. "I will honor your request." she smiled weakly, she never even wanted to think of her friend meeting a gruesome end at the hands of anything. But she would uphold the promise she had made him if it came to that. Not happily though.
Cel stopped walking and turned to face Twilight, "Many have wondered why my world is the way it is. War, death, violence, and disease at every turn. The way I see it, is that it's a way to cull the weak or perhaps give relief to the undeserving. I know I shouldn't ask this of you, but on Socobeck this is a large honor. One that shows another trusts you, almost like a handshake. But more meaningful..." he said to try to reassure her. He was never very good at it, for all he did was tell the truth.
Twilight ran up to him and hugged him tightly beginning to tear up and sniffle "I just don't want to think of my new friend dying... everything that is going on is so scary. I'm not going to lie, I am quite honestly scared out of my wits..." She nuzzled him as she cried softly.
He hugged her tightly, not knowing how long moments like these were going to last. "I am too..." he said as a tear came to his eye. "But no matter what happens, I'll do my best to keep everyone safe."
They made their way back to the train station and began their journey back to Ponyville. It was time to begin the long road ahead to defeating Gavun. The stakes are high, to the point of the fate of two worlds rests on the shoulders of Celendros and his companions. Two days and nights had passed before they decided to meet with the other five ponies that would be joining them on their trek. Celendros didn't like meeting new people, so instead he planned their next move for the duration. But finally the time came to where he couldn't wait any longer.
Twilight opened the door as all her friends entered the library slowly, all except Pinkie Pie who happily hopped into the library giggling rapidly.
"Ooo! Ooo! Where is he? Where is he? Dash you have to see him! He walks on two hooves and looks all creeeeeppppyy!" The pink mare hopped up and down in front of the cyan mare who she called Dash.
Dash sighed a bit and rested a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, making her stop bouncing. "Pinkie... you know nothing scares me, and so what if he can walk on two hooves. I could if I really wanted to." She said with the slightest hint of cockiness in her voice.
Rarity stepped toward Twilight, using her magic to levitate a bundle of clothing out of a saddlebag. "Twilight my dear, could you be a darling and give these garments to Celendros?" She batted her eyelashes with a smile, extending the clothes towards Twilight.
Twilight nodded with a smile taking the clothing and walking up the stairs knocking on the guest room door. "Celendros? The girls are here and Rarity fixed your clothes."
A loud crash of thunder blasted from the room, as well as a bright flash that looked blinding from the inside. A loud thud sounded on the back wall then the floor. They all heard a yell from inside "Ow! Damn it!" it was Celendros crying out in frustration, as well as pain.
As she left upstairs the girls downstairs started talking amongst themselves, as the large thunder echoed through the house Fluttershy yelped loudly and hid under a table.
Twilight opened the door slowly and walked in. She placed the clothes on the table "Are you alright?" she cocked her head at him a bit curiously.
Celendros was on the floor, sitting against the wall. He was holding his right arm that had a brown glove on it. But it wasn't ordinary, it had a metal circle on the palm as well as metal plating on the finger tips. His entire right forearm was smoking. It appeared as if he'd been working for a few hours, sweat had soaked into his common clothing that he often wore under his shamanistic gear. "I'm just, shaken is all. I need to fix this insulation in the glove, apparently some of the rune cloth inside ripped and won't protect my hand from larger exertions of electricity," he explained with a heavy breath as he stood back to his feet.
She nodded a bit and tapped the clothes. "Those are there for you. Rarity says hello, you can come down when you are ready."
"Are you sure? I mean, a crash of thunder did just come from my room. Perhaps you should calm them down," 'Cel told her. He'd heard much of Fluttershy's courage so he was sure she'd been startled. "I just need to finish with the glove, then I can come down," he said as he sat down at the desk that Twilight gave him to use. He took the glove off and looked at it for a moment. "Oh, and tell your friend Rarity that I give her my thanks."
Twilight nodded and walked out. She closed the door behind her and went back downstairs. The others were downstairs comforting Fluttershy as she approached them. She then cleared her throat "Fluttershy, everything is alright. It was just Celendros testing his abilities." She reassured her friend with a smile.
Fluttershy looked up at Twilight, shaking a bit. "A... are y-you sure? I... suppose you are..." she said quietly as she crawled out from under the table.
Twilight nodded and patted her on the head. She walked over to the table and sorted some papers before she turned to the girls, "Right, now I suppose you all have some questions about what exactly is going on."
Applejack nodded a bit as she stepped in front of the others "Now, Ah can't speak 'fer all of us, but Ah 'fer one would like to know what kind of things we are about tah be doin'." She nodded a bit and the rest nodded as well.
Twilight paused for a moment before speaking "What we are about to do is something that could decide the fate of not just Equestria, but the world Celendros comes from. We are going to need to find shards of this... relic of sorts, it holds great power, as I have witnessed first hoof. When Celendros comes down he can explain the details as I'm not exactly fully aware myself." She flipped through some papers that were set on the coffee table. She took a look at each one carefully as these were her notes on the events up to now.
Up in the guest room, Celendros had just finished fixing the glove that he called "The Spark". So he took his cloak made of a wolf pelt and put it on over his clothing and took his newly repaired gear that rested in his old backpack. He pulled the hood up over his head and opened the door. He shut it behind him and walked down the stairs, mid way he said to Twilight "Ah, I see you brought them all here." Once he reached the bottom he paused for a moment and examined all the ponies in the room... he expected more, but he wasn't disappointed. "Some of you I've met, but others remain anonymous." he said to them.
Fluttershy gasped a bit and hid behind Applejack "W-why would you do that to that poor wolf?" she shook a bit letting out a small squeak.
Applejack tipped her hat towards him. "Don' min' her, timid lil' thing. I'm Applejack." she smiled a bit as she patted Fluttershy on the head.
Rainbow Dash stepped forward "So your the one who suppose to be all scary and creepy? I don't see it." She shrugged a bit "Name's Rainbow Dash, best flyer in Equestria." she was obviously over exaggerating as she grinned towards him.
"Yes... I suppose I have a lot of explanation to do. Especially with my robe, and the dangers of being my traveling companions." Celendros stated as he waved in greeting and acknowledgment of their introductions.
Rainbow Dash snickered a bit "Danger? Pfft. I live for Danger! it's my middle name." she said as she seemed very full of herself.
Pinkie cocked her head a bit "I thought your middle name was..." Rainbow looked over to her and Pinkie closed her mouth.
"I assure you, miss Rainbow Dash, that what you will face will be from my world. One where violence and death is quite common." Celendros warned Rainbow with a smirk on his face that showed under his hood. "You ever killed someone before?" he knew that it was a bit of a harsh question. But in order for him to lead them through the tough times, he needed to know how far they were going to go.
"What?!" they all gasped in unison. Shock plastered on all their faces, clearly the answer was a stern no.
"That's what I thought. Hopefully most of the fighting will be left to me, but I can't promise your own safety, so you need to be willing to do whatever it takes for survival. It the coming times, I am going to teach you how to defend yourselves..." Cel trailed off when he remembered that they weren't human like him. "... to the best of my ability. If you think you can't handle it... back out now, for once you're waist deep in the quicksand, there's no getting out."
Twilight was the first to step up, it was logical since she was the closest to Celendros out of the six, "I'm with you Celendros, wherever it takes us." she gave Cel a warm smile, but her eyes told a story of worry. That much was obvious.
"Well... If Twilight is with ya'. Then so am ah!" Applejack bravely said as she stepped up, her trust in her friend's judgment was apparent.
"Pffft, how bad could it possibly be? I'm in too." Rainbow Dash said as she stepped up and playfully hit Cel with her hoof.
"Well I suppose I could get someone to run the shop for me... I'm in as well." Rarity said, it was clear she was unsure but if her friends were willing, so was she.
"Oh this is going to be so cool! I'll be sure to pack plenty of games, and snacks, and streamers and-" Pinkie excitedly bounced up and down while she started to go down her list, but Rainbow Dash quickly stopped her.
Everyone looked to Fluttershy who was currently wishing she were somewhere else at the moment. "I-I don't know..." she quietly said while she hung her head.
Before anyone could say anything, Celendros picked up on something... vibration in the earth under the floorboards. This was a feeling he missed, for it alerted him when something was coming... something was coming! He quickly walked over to the front window and peeked outside. "Girls, we need to move now!" he shouted.
"What? What is it?' Twilight said, she peeked out the window too and gasped at what she saw.
There, alone man stood. Dressed in light black leather with a red scarf wrapped around his mouth and neck. On his head he wore a hat that was round and kept the sun out of his eyes. On his back a long but light two handed sword rested on his back and a strange one-handed axe hung from his thigh. His red blood-shot eyes stared right at Celendros. After a moment of silence, he slowly started to walk toward the library.
"He didn't..." Celendros said in disbelief, he quickly headed for the coffee table and began to hurriedly pack maps and survival gear.
"Didn' what?" Applejack asked.
"Karek... Gavun hired Karek..." was all Cel could say before the front door smashed open.
"Evening... Celendros." said Karek, his voice was gruff one of experience but intimidating enough to scare a tiger. He slowly walked inside, each stride showing his confidence. He quickly unhooked his axe from his sheath and waved it around a bit.
"Everybody out! I'll hold him off as best as I can! [i[Now!" Celendros commanded as he tossed the bag full of supplies to Twilight and quickly leapt over the table to face Karek head-on.
"Come on, we need to go!" Twilight said to her stunned friends, regardless of not knowing what was going on, she was more experienced in the survival field against deadly humans. She pointed with her hoof at the back door and they all ran for it.
Meanwhile Cel hopped over a sweep kick that came from Karek. As soon as he landed he took a back hand to the face that caused him to stumble back. He reached back into his robe looking for the iron dagger, but then he cursed in his mind. He gave it to Twilight...
Karek leapt forward and expertly swung the axe down at Celendros, he was deathly silent as he fought until he said, "It's been years since we last met, but now Gavun has put a price on your head, and I intend to collect."
"The only thing you'll collect is a thrashing when Gavun finds out you failed!" Cel said as he shuffled to the side and kicked Karek in the side. Afterward he quickly grabbed Karek by the hair and smashed his face into the coffee table.
Karek shook his head as he struggled to get back up. His nose was bleeding... but quickly stopped. "Always the fighter, you never just want to lay down and accept your fate. You know you can't beat me." He gave an evil laugh and lunged his axe forward.
"Maybe not, but nothing lives for ever." Cel side-stepped and kicked the axe out of the assassin's hand and lunged forward with his shoulder. He slammed into him and sent him flying back over the couch.
"On the contrary, when you've lived to be two-hundred years old you learn that if you play your cards right no man is able to escape your grasp." Karek said as he recovered and leapt over the couch, he sent his foot forward toward Cel's face, aiming for the temple.
"Or perhaps your deeds just haven't caught up with you yet." Celendros said as he rolled out of the way. But before he could recover a cold boot smashed into his face and he hit the wall behind him.
"You know it's been a long time since anyone's put up a real fight. This is a nice refresher, not like the last people I killed." Karek smiled under his scarf as he charged at Celendros. "I think you know them quite well... perhaps a sister of someone..."
"You didn't..." Celendros went wide-eyed under his hood. But couldn't do much else for a shoulder slammed into him. He hit the wall again but his facial expression didn't change... quickly he balled his fists up as he deduced what happened. His face grew a look of anger and he spun around, ducking at the same time under a fist that was headed for his head. He quickly grabbed the back of Karek's head and smashed it into the wall. Afterward he turned the assassin around and grabbed him by the neck. He began to beat Karek's face relentlessly.
"That's better!" Karek managed to let out in between one of the punches. He let the hits come and spit out blood after a few.
"NO! IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THIS WAY!" Celendros yelled, he didn't think Gavun would actually do it... He threw Karek to the ground and grabbed Karek's jaw. He watched as Karek's bruises and busted lip began to fade away back to normal. So he began discharging electricity into the assassin's body.
Karek groaned in pain and quickly shoved Cel off. "I thought you'd like that, now the real fight can begin." he let out in between coughs. He slowly got back up and drew his sword. He charged forward at the fallen Celendros and swung his blade down.
Cel quickly rolled to the side and prepared himself for the next attack. And there it was. A kick that was headed for his face. He lunged forward to a handstand and let himself fall on the assassin. Afterward he grabbed Karek's left leg and twisted it, snapping it from its socket.
Karek yelped in pain and let go of his sword. "Argh! Didn't think you had the balls..." he let out as he grabbed his leg.
Cel took this chance to get up and run to the axe that was across the room. He rolled and grabbed it, getting into a low stance he let his anger build. And his enemy to make a wrong move.
The dark assassin took his leg and snapped it back into place, then he used his sword to help himself up as his body fixed the damage. Afterward he'd take his sword and raise it above him, he charged forward for Celendros.
Cel yelled in rage and leapt, he spun around and kicked Karek's exposed chest to stop his charge, and as soon as he landed he swung the axe down and into the assassin's skull. Afterward he grabbed the sword from the limp hand and shoved Karek to the ground. He impaled the man in the stomach with the sword to make sure he wouldn't get back up. Afterward he turned around and grabbed a wooden chair, he swung it around and smashed the femur bone of Karek's leg, as well as the chair.
He dropped the remains of the char and through his heavy breaths he said, "See you next time, you son of a whore." He said and grabbed the axe lodged in Karek's forehead. He pulled it out with some struggle and angrily said "I'm keeping this." Then he turned around and made his way to the back door.
After the back door slammed shut, Karek's eyes shot open... and the gaping wound on his head began to close up. |
Power Windows | Memories of the Past: Part 1 | He loosely held the axe in his hand, blood still dripping from the blade onto the ground as each boot took a step. With a heavy breath he made his way to where his new traveling companions were waiting for him. Blood dripped from his nose. That kick to the face really hurt, but he wasn't concerned about that now. The only thing on his mind was brutally slaughtering Gavun for what he did. Now he had no real reason to continue on his quest, but the want for revenge was strong. So strong that after he had it, he could die right then knowing justice had been served. It was all he had now, his family was gone, his home was in ruin, and his people enslaved. All he had left was his health and emotion. Those were the only fuel he had to keep going.
"Celendros are you alright?!" he heard in the distance, that voice coming up to him from straight ahead. It was Twilight. The last thing he wanted to see right now. She and her friends came galloping towards him, but he just continued to stare ahead on his path.
He did nothing but grumble in reply.
"Celendros? Are you okay? What happened?" Twilight tried again, she caught up to follow behind him. She was worried, and it was obvious. Something happened but it was unclear to her what it was.
"I knew it! I knew I should've stayed behind to help. I would've took him down no swea- ah!" Rainbow Dash began her usual boasting but was cut off by the bloody axe swiftly swung down to the ground right next to her. She quickly backpedaled a few steps in shock of what Celendros just did.
He stared daggers at her, the smallest thing could set him off so he shut her up. "I'll give you all two options, leave me be or keep quiet." he dryly but threateningly said after he pulled the axe out of the dirt.
They all decided to keep quiet and follow behind him.
"I'm thinkin' we just need to give em' a little time." Applejack whispered to everyone, out of earshot for Cel of course.
That was it for him, his family was all he had left. Gavun took that away while he hid behind his throne like a coward. Cel would not have been as mad if Gavun at least had the balls to do it himself. So he walked. The shaman didn't care where we went. He just walked.
For a full two hours they headed south, in complete silence. Though it was slightly awkward for everyone, Celendros took this time to think and calm down. Anger wasn't going to get him anywhere and would only get him killed.
He sighed heavily and stopped to turn to his companions. "I'm sorry for the way I was acting. I wasn't in my right mind. Especially you Rainbow Dash, you can get a swing back at me if you'd like." Celendros said to them, kneeling down to get to eye level.
"We forgive you, but what happened back there?" Twilight asked, she knew something was really wrong. He'd been fairly nice to her in the past week or so. For him to just explode like that? Yes, something was definitely wrong.
"He... ugh how do I put this..." Celendros weakly said, he didn't want to say anything they weren't ready for... but they needed to face the truth and understand what they were up against. "He had my sister and nephew assassinated or captured for torture. I don't know exactly which one but either is equally as bad."
"I... don't know what to say..." Twilight said after she backpedaled and pulled her ears down on her head.
"I didn't expect you to..."
Days later.
Darkness, only darkness. Celendros didn't know where he was, or how he got there. Though his apparent consciousness remained, he could not move. Before he tried anything, he heard voices. It quickly became bright and where he was was clear. In the study hall back at Yolhelm Citadel. It was here Cel trained under the tutelage of Kaiden Feldar, former headmaster of the Grand Circle of Shamans.
It was exactly how he remembered it. It was a library built in the architecture of the Helren Dwarves. The citadel was built in the side of a mountain thousands of years ago before the war of the three human tribes broke out. It was a safe haven for those who remained neutral, a place of refuge from all the death and conquest. Though during the time of Celendros's apprenticeship, it was the current home of the northern shamans.
"Ultimately they will become empty, mindless spectres... stripped of will and soul, only their thirst for freedom gives them hunger for vengeance..."
"But... I don't understand. If they are getting pushed into a corner... why do they fight back?"
"A corner is just an excuse to fight harder."
"I see..."
The sound of a deep chuckle echoed through the hall. "My dear Celendros, your naivety clouds your understanding of what is happening. Which is why you are still merely an apprentice. In time you will understand."
"If you would just explain it to me, I would." the younger Celendros responded. He appeared to be in his teens. Perhaps sixteen or seventeen. Before the beard and long hair, when he was still just trying to make his hair presentable.
"Experience is the true teacher of wisdom. With study comes knowledge, with knowledge comes curiosity, with curiosity comes experience, with experience comes wisdom." his mentor explained to his pupil.
With this the young shaman sighed, and Celendros's vision faded to black once more. A few moments pass and slowly the sounds of a cheering quote creep their way into his field of vision. The shaman felt something shove him down to the ground. Through the blackness it revealed where he was... The sudden shackle around his feet, the muffled sounds of a guard yelling at him, and the sounds of slaves asking him to get back up. Yes, this was Zeddeck, the coliseum in the sky.
He slowly got back to his feet to find he was in nothing but his trousers and was in a long line of shackled slaves. They all slowly made their way to the gate, which lead outside to the arena. It was surrounded in elevated seats that made sure to keep its patrons at a distance for safety.
In the middle lay a hole, any who fell faced a one thousand foot fall into the ocean below. It was often used as a quick way to finish a battle, or for executions. The only who have survived such a fall were either the luckiest being in the world, or had help from powerful magic.
The slaves, including Cel, were unbound from their shackles once they entered the arena. Loud drums were playing and each man was given a weapon. Things like swords, staves, or even a dagger. When the guard offered him a weapon, he shook his head and smirked. "No need for one." The shaman had just recently finished his training, and thought he could take on the world. He had the elements at his side, nothing was more powerful than that.
After they received their weapons and instructions, they all went to their own corners in pairs of two. Cel was grouped with a young man, maybe in his early twenties. He looked scared out of his mind, legs shaking, weapon trembling, he'd clearly never held a sword before.
"Listen and listen carefully, I can get us through this if you jus-" the shaman tried to explain to his partner but was quickly cut off by the horns that blasted, signaling for the free-for-all to begin.
Cel rubbed his ears for a moment, those horns were right above him. After he recovered he motioned for his partner to stay where he was. After which, the shaman went to work. Six men versus one shaman and each other. That's never ended well in the past, it's unlikely it would now.
Celendros dashed forward, using the air to glide his feet along the stone ground below him. He came to a halt in front of the group and raised his arm. A block of stone rose up and launched him into the air, he spun around and his hand was engulfed in fire. From it, a large fireball formed and flew directly into the ground in the middle of the group of men fighting.
The shaman used the air to lighten his landing and directly on top of one of the fallen men. He took a chunk of the stone from the ground, and smashed it into the face of the man below him. The stone broke and his opponent's face was a complete wreck. One down.
Cel turned around after hearing the yell of an oncoming attacker, he backflipped in the air and clapped his hands together. From them a blast of thunder sounded from them and a bolt of lightning struck the slave below him, frying him completely. Four left.
One of the teams charged at Celendros directly from in front of him. Weapons raised and hope in their eyes. The shaman stomped on the ground and a stone spike impaled the first one, he spun around for show and sent a quick puff of flame to light the other on fire.
Two remained and looked to each other with worry. They knew they wouldn't win, so they questioned just throwing themselves down the hole.
Cel didn't give them much of a choice. He raised his hand and a large stone wall rose in front of the two, with a flick of the wrist, the wall bolted forward and pushed the two down the hole.
Though, what he wasn't expecting was a gust of wind sending him hurtling toward the hole itself. The shaman managed to tumble in the air and grab the edge of the hole. He let out a quick yelp as he held on for dear life with one arm. Steeling himself, Celendros pulled his other arm up and brought himself back up to the surface.
The young shaman turned around after standing to see his "partner" hurling a large boulder of stone at him. "A rogue..." he muttered and leapt in the air with a puff of wind, over the hole and toward the hunk of rock. A loud crack sound blasted through the arena as his fist slammed through the boulder.
"Heretic!" the rogue shouted at Cel as he charged forward, sword expertly held at his side. It exploded into flame just before he slashed it at the younger Celendros. This rogue clearly used his anger to fuel him.
The shaman landed on the ground and ducked under the sword so he could grab the rogue by the torso. He took the man down and proceeded to beat his face before receiving an electric shock to knock him off. It caused Cel to stumble but not fall, it just gave the little man time to recover.
Celendros was getting impatient, so he charged forward, fist raised high and ready to strike with the force of earth behind it.
But his opponent was ready. He charged as well and went down, spun on his knees, and slashed his sword diagonally across Cel's chest. It cut deep, but he didn't give the shaman enough time to react. He brought the power of earth behind himself and shoved Celendros down the hole.
His own blood leaked out of his body, leaving a stream of it in the air as the shaman fell. The sound of wind causing all sound to be inaudible. The pain in his body made him unable to move correctly, which made it impossible to call on the elements to save him. Cel underestimated his betrayer, and swore if he ever made it out of that predicament alive. He'd never trust a soul again.
As his motionless body tumbled to its doom to the ocean below, his consciousness began to fade. Though just before he hit his watery death, he awoke...
"Ah!" Cel yelped as he shot up from his sleeping spot. He'd been tossing and turning in his sleep, sweat covered his face. It took him a moment to realize it was just a dream, but it felt so real...
A lift of the shirt reassured him it was just a memory, the large scar across his chest and stomach confirmed it really happened many years ago. With a sigh of relief, he looked around to confirm his surroundings. It was almost time for Celestia to raise her sun over Equestria, so it was tough to see beyond the light of the fire in their camp.
They had reached San Palomino Desert, in search of one of the shards. While asking around Appleloosa they heard of a strange meteor crashing down in the desert to the west. So that's where they went.
"Celendros, what's wrong?" he heard behind him. With a quick turn of his head, it was clear that it was Rarity walking over to him.
"I... it was just a bad dream. Sorry if I woke you." the shaman apologized, after which he wrapped the blanket around him what was keeping him warm when he slept. It was still cold outside, but beginning to warm up.
"Oh, but I was already awake. This dreadful weather is just... awful, the freezing cold and dirt make it impossible to get comfortable." she complained. The elegant pony sat next to him, using her magic to wrap her own blanket around herself.
"My apologies then, but the first few times sleeping in the wilderness are always the worst, but you get used to it." Cel replied. He looked to the darkness ahead of them, the memory still fresh in his mind. "... What do you think will happen if we fail? I'm not saying we will just... It's a lot to take in."
"Well... I'm not sure what will happen. Sometimes it may seem like it's impossible, that you're alone with whatever it is you're up against... but it's your friends who are there for you. They are there right beside you, willing to go Celestia knows where." she warmingly said to him, it was fairly obvious he was stressed with what he was facing.
"You're right... for years I've thought I had to do things alone. That I was the only one who could do it. I see now that I was a fool. Thank you." Celendros sighed with some relief. "To tell you the truth... I'm terrified. My world is in my hands, and this one in your... hooves. But all of you at my side... makes it easier." he did his best to crack a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that dear." she gave him a quick hug and went to go wake her friends up.
The shaman decided it was time to get up, so he reached over to grab his robe. It smelled a bit, but it was all he had to wear. He made a mental note to wash it as soon as he could. Cel slipped it on and stood up, he left the hood down because it wasn't needed at that time.
With a yawn and stretch he moved to reignite the campfire, with a quick zap of electricity to the wood, a spark was created and the fire was lit. This got the attention of everypony in the camp.
"Good morning Celly!" Pinkie Pie said with her usual happy tone, she bounced her way toward the fire and sat right down.
"Right, good morning everyone. I suggest eating what little we have, this is a desert after all so we'll have to ration out our food. We've been past the easy part, now we're on the hard part. We're looking for some old ruins, presumably out west somewhere. So we're heading in that direction" Cel explains to the group.
"But uh... we don't have anything." Rainbow Dash said while she searched around the camp for any food.
"What do you mean we don't have anything?!" Twilight hurriedly said, joining her friend in looking around the camp. She turned over blankets, saddlebags, and anything else in the area.
Everypony looked to each other with a bit of worry on their faces. They soon turned to Celendros for what to do. They'd never had to travel like this before and never even thought of running out of food on a trip.
"I'd offer to hunt for everyone... but uh..." their human friend let out before trailing off. "Looks like we're going to have to forage what we can after we get moving. I'm sure there are some cactus fruit around or something. I'm not entirely sure what your planet has in terms of natural foods."
After they settled their food problem and just deciding to wing it, they packed up their things and continued to head west. When the sun came, it quickly became hotter and hotter as the day went on. Heat waves rose off the horizon within the next hour or two of traveling.
While they made their way through the desert Cel made sure to look out for any signs of water. It was the basic five, look for wildlife, dry streams or river beds, collections of rocks, plantlife, and cacti. Each of these were ways Celendros learned to gather water through his travels on Socobeck. This world was fairly similar, so he thought these rules would apply.
"Rainbow Dash, I need you to do something for me." he said before kneeling down to eye level after signaling for the group to stop.
She trotted ahead of the group to Cel after comforting Fluttershy that things were going to be okay. "Yeah?"
"I need you to fly around and search for any dry river beds or dry streams. If you see anything, come back to me. I'll know what to do." he explained to her, making sure to emphasize the importance of this.
"I'm on it, I'll be back in a bit!" she saluted him and immediately soared into the skies. The usual rainbow trail followed behind her as she flew in search of the things he told her to look for.
After a few minutes of waiting and being cooked in the hot sun. Celendros got up from where he was sitting and looked around. What he saw in the distance was a bit unsettling... "Uh girls... we have a problem."
"What? What is it?" Twilight approached him and asked. She looked in the direction he was looking and went wide eyed.
"Does anyone have some form of fabric I could borrow?" Cel asked would holding his hand out for somepony to put something in it. He continued to stare at what was ahead of them.
Rarity levitated a scarf from one of her saddlebags and put it in his hand. She wasn't quite sure what he was going to do with it, and worried about one of her favorite scarves.
Celendros took the scar and wrapped it around his mouth and nose, over the hood and resting on his shoulder. He sighed and looked at Twilight for a moment. "Twilight, if this somehow manages to get past me. I'm going to need you to cast some kind of spell to keep everyone protected. Can you do that for me?"
"I- I'll try my best." Twilight said, a bit worried about him. She knew he could handle himself, but she'd never seem him do anything even related to as powerful as a sandstorm before.
Rainbow returned shortly after Cel took the scarf, she was about to warn him about the sandstorm, but he held his hand up to stop her.
Cel sighed and began to walk toward what was ahead of him... a giant sandstorm that was headed directly for them. He was going to try to redirect it if not stop it. Though it would've been a huge help if he had the element of wind with him. But this was going to be extra hard because he'll only be able to control the sand, not the air pushing it.
It had a deep rumbling noise constantly at its back, to Celendros it was beautiful in its own way. How so many tiny little rocks could create something so big and powerful with a gust of wind.
After a minute or so of walking, he reached a suitable distance from it and took his stance. With a tug of his scarf to make sure it was on tight, Cel rose his hands in the air and called upon the element of earth to assist him. He directed his hands toward the sandstorm and immediately it was like a stone wall was fighting against him to move forward.
It didn't show any signs of slowing down, so he pushed harder. By now his muscles were beginning to burn against the tremendous force of the storm. When he looked up, he was slightly comforted in the fact that it was beginning to move a different direction... by about two degrees.
It was unsure if success was in sight, it had been a long time since Cel had to move an entire sandstorm. It was difficult enough when he was still an official shaman. But now this was as if asking a child to roll a boulder up a steep hill.
He struggled for a good three minutes before something happened, the storm froze in the air. Unmoving as if it was taunting Celendros... this meant something or someone was controlling it.
An entire moment passed until the storm crumbled and crashed all together. The shaman fell to the sand below him in exhaustion. With a huge gust of wind, the sand in the storm returned to the earth below to reveal who was controlling it in the distance...
That bastard who tried to kill Celendros in the arena. The same man who gave him that gaping wound on his chest that later formed into a scar. "You..." he weakly said. Before he could do anything, the sand enveloped him into the ground.
As if being pulled by unknown force, the rogue was using the sand to pull Cel toward himself. It felt strange like moving through a tube made of sandpaper. He tried to stop it but he was too weak.
After a few quick seconds of rough hell, the shaman was launched out of the ground about twenty feet in the air. When Cel landed, his face hit the sand pretty hard. So he couldn't see much of anything, and began to cough endlessly.
With shake of the head, some of the sand cleared up before a foot kicked him in the face and caused his body to roll over to his back. "Unnnnh..." he moaned.
"Celendros!" he heard in the distance before the sound of a magical blast sounded, and that boot went tumbling back. "Are you okay?!" sounded in his ears. It sounded like Twilight.
"Twilight..." Cel managed to let out in his dizzy haze.
"It's okay, we're here for you." Twilight said while keeping an eye out for the rogue shaman.
The dazed shaman managed to slowly get up, looking around to see his friends standing right by his side. Except for Fluttershy, she was there but hiding behind Twilight. He felt Rainbow Dash and Applejack helping him up through his daze. "Thank you... watch out!" he exclaimed before pushing the two ponies out of the way and sending his own hand out to absorb a blast of lightning directed at them as a group.
The rogue shaman lashed his arms out to send a torrent of flame their way, he'd gotten more powerful over time clearly. This was like a small wildfire coming from his arms alone.
"Everypony run! I'll hold him off, keep heading west. I'll catch up to you all!" Cel yelled while bringing up a wall of sand to block the fire. He was still dazed but at least he was able to concentrate once more on fighting. He knew Rarity was going to be angry by the time he was done, the scarf was all dirty and slightly torn now.
"Not this time! We're here with you!" Twilight bravely said while standing right next to him. Everypony followed closely behind.
"Yeah, we'll show em' who's boss!" Applejack confidently said while staring down the rogue shaman who was recovering.
"I... fine. Just do what I say when I say it, alright?" Cel regretfully but sternly told them. He reached under his robe and took his newly acquired axe and held it in his usual fighting stance. "Rainbow Dash, I want you to be air support. If you see an opening, strike swift and hard. Applejack and Twilight, you're with me directly. Don't hold back, but don't kill him. He's mine...." he instructed, but on that last statement. It was clear that enough was enough. "Pinkie, Fluttershy, you're ground support. If anyone gets hurt or you see an opening, take the shot."
Everypony did what Cel told them to. Rainbow Dash flew up high, ready to strike. Twilight and Applejack followed closely behind. While Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity stayed behind incase somepony got hurt. Which was very likely.
Celendros charged forward with a yell and axe raised high, his friends following close behind. When he reached the rogue shaman, his opponent pulled out that same old sword he's always had and they clashed weapons. Cel managed to twist and grab him by the neck, allowing Twilight to send a blast of magic at his chest. The shaman then pushed him forward to Applejack to allow her to buck him directly in the torso.
Cel raised his hand and signaled for Rainbow Dash to come down and hit.
Rainbow swooped down and picked up the rogue shaman, lifting him high into the air to try and let him go. But before she could do much, he brought his sword up and cut her down the side of her body, which caused blood to leak out. She yelled in pain before letting go and falling down.
"RAINBOW! That's it you son of a bitch!" Celendros screamed out at his enemy. "Twilight catch her, you're the closest!" he commanded before he held his axe back so he could charge it with electricity. It buzzed with power before he threw it directly at the falling rogue shaman. It hit its mark and exploded with a massive blast of electric power. Chunks of the man fell from the sky as well as blood.
Twilight just barely managed to catch Rainbow with her magic. She levitated her on to Applejack's back and stopped to look at her unconscious friend for a moment. A single tear came to her eye before everypony else came rushing to her.
Cel quickly retrieved his axe and caught up with the group. When he saw Rainbow's wound he winced a little. "O-okay, we need to get her someplace safe. We'll set up camp nearby and if we can get her conscious again, she can tell us if she found any water. With that I might be able to get her in a more stable state." he worriedly told them.
They all agreed and began to quickly go back to where they were, before they spotted the sandstorm. It was high on a dune of sand so the lay of the land was easy to see. The shaman did his best to keep up, but he was still a bit dazed from that beating he had taken.
Everypony scrambled to set up camp while Cel took care of Rainbow as best he could with the limited knowledge of first aid he had..
Celendros put an ear to her chest to see if she was still breathing. She was, but probably not for long. So he took some of the sand and put a whole bunch of it on the wound to help stop the bleeding.
He took his axe and put it in the fire they had just started, he waited until it was burning hot, but not glowing red, and took it to Rainbow's body. He used it to cauterize the wound and keep it from getting infected. He was careful not to burn as much of the fur as he could.
Rainbow moaned in her unconsciousness, it was fairly obvious it hurt quite a bit.
"Uh Rarity...?" he asked out to the group, not exactly sure where she was at in the makeshift camp.
"Yes, what do you need?" the white and purple mare quickly responded, she looked like she'd just seen a ghost. This was a bit of a foreign thing for her, a friend has never been hurt this bad before.
"You may need a new scarf." he told her, while he took the scarf and wrapped it around Rainbow's torso to keep pressure on the wound.
"It doesn't matter, just take care of her!" Rarity exclaimed while she tried to find a suitable blanket to put over Rainbow when Celendros was done.
"Okay okay! Just... ugh. It's been years since i've done first aid!" he snapped back at her. While he tended as best he could to Rainbow. He got her to the point to where all they could do was wait until she regained consciousness.
"Is she... going to be okay?" Fluttershy quietly asked Cel while trying not to cry, but she let out little sniffs and whimpers.
"I don't know, all I do know is that if we can't get to any water... there may be complications." Cel reluctantly said, even he looked nervous. He'd survived from a wound like this before, he had the scars to prove it. But the circumstances were different as well, like actually having the elements at his back to help heal him. "May the Great Mother guide us..." |
Power Windows | Memories of the Past: Part 2 | "See anything?"
"N-no... just sand."
A group sigh sounded all around Celendros. The middle-aged shaman groaned before wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He was tired from carrying Rainbow Dash on his back for nearly a mile now, but the heat was making it an actual challenge.
"I'm so thirsty..." was all Pinkie Pie could say to the group, her mouth was dried up from lack of saliva.
"I know, we all are." Twilight weakly said. She leaned up against Cel's waist to try to help relieve some of the pressure on her legs.
"Celendros... she's beginning to look a little pale." Rarity managed to let out while struggling to keep up with the rest of the group.
"Ugh... I know, she's beginning to feel a bit cooler. We need to... pick up the pace." Cel said between dry coughs. To which he began to pick up the pace as best he could, but within just a few feet of walking. The heat began to play tricks on him.
The shaman looked to his feet to find they were walking backward, but when he looked up they were still moving forward. Celendros shook his head a bit to try and clear it, that only made it worse though. His vision became red before his legs began to feel heavy, like sandbags were attached to his ankles. Before he could do anything, they fell right out from under him and his vision blurred.
He could tell his friends were saying something, but everything was fuzzy and muffled, like his ears were covered. "I... I..." was all the barely conscious shaman let out before his eyes began to force themselves shut, "Cac... tus..." Then everything went black.
The sound of pouring water and birds played over and over in his ears, like a broken record, but soothing. There was a voice but it was too far away to be understood. Celendros attempted to stand but found he could not move his body and that his eyes would not open. "What is this?!" the shaman yelled out furiously, if there was a time to toy with the man, then would not have been the proper time.
"Persevere" a whisper quietly said in his ear. It was a female voice, it sounded like... her.
"Y-you!" was all Cel could say before he suddenly felt a shock of pain in his face. "OW!" echoed throughout wherever he was. "Enough of this! Whoever is doing this, I will end you as soon as I am free!"
"Don't try, you're in my world now." a deep voice pounded in the shaman's ears. "When the time comes, I will tear your mind in two. Like a knife that cuts butter."
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cel yelled out in pure anger before he felt the sensation of being submerged under water and everything blacked out once again for him.
Celendros yelled as he shot up from wherever he was laying. With a quick observation of where he was, the shaman deduced that he had been brought to an oasis in the desert. In front of the man a wooden bucket surrounded in a purple glow was aimed right at him... still wet. "Water..." he said, not even looking at anyone around him.
"Uh... sure." the familiar voice of Twilight Sparkle said from behind him.
Shortly the same bucket was brought back to Cel, this time full of water. Immediately, he yanked it out of Twilight's grasp and chugged the water down as fast as he could. Desparate for every last drop.
As soon as her friend was done drinking, Twilight spoke up, "We found an oasis and did our best to keep y-"
"Rainbow Dash, where is she?" Cel cut her off rather hastily, not really caring about his well-being.
"Sh-she's near the water..." she quickly told the shaman, unsure whether to be nervous or happy.
Without a word, Celendros got up and went over to inspect Rainbow. What he found wasn't pleasant, she was in a state that was worse than what she was in earlier. Quickly he went down to check her vitals and found that his friend was still hanging on. "There's still time." Cel stated to the group.
Everyone was enjoying their time of rest, but immediately went over after they heard Celendros say what he did.
"I need a bucket of water, some sand, cloth, and some fire." he ordered to the group before they all went off to go find his required items to save the cyan pegasus.
Soon, only a few minutes later all five of them returned with the items their shamanistic friend needed and made sure to place them neatly next to him.
Celendros closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After, he took the sand and filled his hands with it. The shaman laced it all over the wound to help stop the bleeding as best he could before rubbing outside of it to get the excess sand off.
Rainbow Dash lightly groaned and twitched, it was obvious the sand hurt quite a bit.
Cel kept going though, how she felt wasn't a priority. He found what they did for fire and basically they make a small little fireplace next to him that he could light with electricity. So he did and brought his hand to the fire. The fire obeyed the shaman's every command and followed his hand as he slowly attempted to cauterize the wound.
"The painful part is over" he said to at least try to reassure Rainbow if she could hear him. Celendros then took the water and enclosed it within his hands. A faint glow came within as he cascaded the water over the wound and heal it as best he could.
The healing helped some, it brought Rainbow Dash to a stable state where, if watched, the wound would heal with a big scar but she would make a full recovery. At least that's what Celendros said, but in his heart he knew he couldn't make any guarantees.
With a heavy sigh the shaman looked to the group who were all doing nothing smiling at him before they all rushed over to give him a group hug as thanks. As uncomfortable that made him... deep down inside he enjoyed it. "I... thank you. But this can never happen again. Too many have already died under my watch."
The five got off him and looked at their human friend strangely.
"There have been... others?" Twilight asked while she took a seat next to him.
"There've been many, companions, friends, even family. By now its happened so much that it doesn't even bother me anymore... and that scares me."
"I... oh..." the purple mare said once she understood what he meant.
"Listen, Twilight. A lot has happened in my past that I regret and wish never happened. But don't let my inner demons make you feel anything but happy thoughts. Know why?" Cel told her while he scooted a bit closer.
Twilight shook her head, not fully understanding what her friend meant.
"Because i'm still alive and fighting, and I wont stop until the fight has been kicked out of me." the shaman gave her a warm smile for the first time in... ever. At that moment he realized that he actually had a real friend. One that he could confide in, talk to, and even share secrets with. Celendros had forgotten what that felt like... pretty damn good.
After everypony, including their human companion, decided it would be best to rest a day so their friend could heal, they made a campfire and sat around it. By now the sun was beginning to set in the sky after Celestia cast her magic that made it do so. So Celendros offered to tell stories.
"How about... I tell you the story of the first bar fight I ever got into?" he suggested.
"Ohhh that sounds fun!" Pinkie let out while bouncing up and down.
Everyone else agreed that it could be an interesting little story.
"Alright... but be warned, this could get a little graphic." Cel warned.
The sun had set on Socobeck for the day, it was time for all the shops to close, for people to head home, for adventurers to set up camp, for partygoers to drink...
Curfew had been set for the night and any who did not have a pass to allow their roaming, they would be sent to jail for the night without food or water. No exceptions. This was shortly after Gavun's seizure of the throne, before all the real crazy set in.
I had just got my pass from the guard's office and made my way to the nearest tavern. Me and a few friends had just made it to Shadus from a long trip up North. They parted ways with me and I just needed a place to unwind a bit so a tavern seemed like a good idea.
Now I walk in and notice the place is quiet, but I hear some commotion toward the right section of the room. I look over and find this little guy being berated by a couple of off duty guards. At the time I decided to ignore it and let the on-duty guards do their job. Surely the barkeep would've sent them a message.
So I found myself a seat and got comfortable, ordered my drink, and tried to enjoy it as best I could.
But boy did they start to get loud... I looked back and barked at them to stop. They must've ignored me or just didn't hear my voice over all the yelling. So naturally I was a bit disgruntled but I just said "Forget it" and went back to my drink.
After a few minutes of getting a little bit tipsy, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I knew who it was because the yelling stopped, so I glanced over my shoulder to find a couple of larger fellows, about my size but definitely more stocky.
This next part went pretty quickly, he said something about minding my own business before he tried to hit me in the back of my head. Being the expert I am in the way of combat, I saw it coming and moved my head. His fist slammed into the tabletop and I swear I heard a pop when he did so. The guy reeled back saying all sorts of nasty things while holding his hand.
The other one attempted to punch me in the face so I spun around and caught the arm, grabbed him in the back of the head and WHAM, smashed his teeth directly into the edge of the bar! Chunks of them went flying everywhere and after I got up and pushed his arm up above him like a lever until it popped. Naturally he screamed but his partner was still there so I quickly turned and kicked him in the neck.
To which I paid my due and walked out before any more guards came to arrest me, I headed to the nearest place I could find shelter and slept for the night. And that, is how I learned to mind my own damn business.
"That was... interesting." Twilight said, not sure how to feel about the story.
"How... barbaric." Rarity commented while showing a look of disgust.
"Well ah-" Applejack tried to say before she was cut off.
"Fine, I wont tell stories anymore cause those are the only ones I have that don't involve death, slaves, or some form of pain." Celendros said before he got up and stormed off in frustration.
"But Cel-!" Twilight let out before she got up and tried to catch up.
"I don't want to hear it, damn it!" the angry shaman barked back. He'd been under much stress for a long time, what with his family being dead, his friend almost dying, and constantly being under pressure to save two planets.
"Twi, I think he jus' needs some time." Applejack tried to comfort Twilight by putting a hoof on his shoulder.
"I just... don't understand why he's so angry all the time." the purple mare stopped to think for a moment. "I'm going to talk to him."
"But Twilight..." Applejack said while sounding a bit unsure.
"Not this time Applejack." Twilight confidently told her friend before trotting over to where Cel went. As she got closer she heard a sniffing noise come from where he was sitting. "Cel...?" she quietly let out.
Celendros quickly wiped his face before turned to her and saying "What?" rather bluntly.
"I... wanted to talk to you what happened back at the library. I think you're holding things back." she told him as she sat down next to him.
"I'm no-..." Cel stopped to think for a moment, about what he realized earlier, but he wasn't sure if Twilight could handle it. "I am but, to be honest, i'm not telling you things because I don't think you could handle it if I did."
"I'm sure whatever you tell me I-"
"Gavun had my sister and nephew assassinated," the shaman blurted out.
Twilight just sat there with her mouth agape. Hearing this made her scared, sad, and a little bit curious. It was painfully obvious.
"I really need some time to think. Go get some sleep, i'll keep watch over Rainbow Dash." Celendros advised to her.
"...okay." Twilight said and slowly made her way back to the camp, head low to the ground and ears against her head.
Cel sighed and layed on his back. The cold sand helped quite a bit with soothing the aftereffects of his heatstroke. But didn't soothe the pent up emotions inside. He needed to hit something, badly.
So the shaman stood up and started walking, he didn't care where.
After a few hours of walking and thinking, he heard a noise, like the sand began to shift below his feet. Before Cel could do anything the ground collapsed from under him and the sand consumed him.
Celendros struggled to get out of the giant pile of sand, but eventually he made it out before suffocating. "By the great mother..." he let out in between gasps as he notices the glow of... "The shard!" the shamans exclaims.
Cel rushed out of the sand and toward the shard that was resting next to a rather... decorated chest. "Wait wait wait... it's never this easy..." at that moment he heard a noise. Like a whisper in his ear, though what it said was impossible to tell. Before the shaman could do anything something slammed him in the back and sent him barreling forward and into the stone wall ahead.
When Celendros looked up he saw a mirror image of himself... the only difference was that it had an ominous dark energy surrounding it. He takes note of the rather full beard the image had and comments "I really need to shave..." before the image charged at him, a copy of his axe raised in the air.
Cel held his arm out and the shard was launched toward his hand by the stone below it. he caught the shard in his hand and immediately the bright blue energy slid up his arm and up into the burn marks on his face that began to glow immediately.
With a totally lucky guess the shaman lept up and over the image, the air around him assisting him. Man, this was a feeling he missed dearly. The shaman landed on the ground and grabbed the chest, he spun around and smacked the image in the face with it before bolting in the opposite direction.
Having faced one before, Celendros knew mirror images could not be defeated but only quelled. Luckily he had the tools to do so. He jumped up and through the hole in the ground and flipped, mid-flip he used the earth to make the sand fill in the hole. To which the mirror image would be trapped forever under the sand.
Once he hit the ground, Cel fell over on to his back and dropped the chest. He was a little out of practice in using the air to send him soaring through the sky like a bird... a bird that has to land every few seconds.
Celendros stood up and stretched, completely forgetting how cold it was outside by now. So he quickly grabbed the chest and opened it. To which his face went completely into shock when he found what was inside. Plated bracers with the ornamental design of a wolf on them. How were they even there? There was no way a pony could've crafted bracers such as those... so who did?
It didn't matter at the time. Cel just put them on and got to work, going through simple training procedures on how to use them, it was a mandatory thing for a shaman to know. But this shaman hasn't worn these in years. He knew it was going to take all night, but if he could pull these off. It will be quite worth it.
Morning came and the desert was already beginning to get hot again. Celendros decided by then to hurry back to the camp him and his friends had created. It was difficult to tell which direction it was in, but eventually he remembered that it was west and the sun rose in the west. So the camp must be west. At least he thought...
The new bracers were a strange added weight to his hands, but it wasn't too difficult for the shaman to adjust. It would take up more energy for him to hit things, but it would add extra power to each hit. As well as enabling him to completely block most swords and axes, perhaps small maces but that was a long shot. Seeing as how they were designed to break and dent armor.
"I really hope they weren't too worried about my departure..." Cel said to himself while he adjusted the bracers on his wrists to make them a bit more snug.
After a few minutes of walking, the heat began to start getting to him again, but this time he was able to use the air around him to help keep body temperature at least at a steady ninety nine or so.
But even with the use of air, it was still hot... really hot. Right then Celendros really wished he had water. Of course, he knew that was all back at the camp... which did remind him that he'd lost track of where he was going about five minutes ago.
So this time instead of using old fashioned ways of navigation, Cel was going to use an ancient shamanistic technique that can locate vegetation. He would've thought about it when they were looking for water, but he was a bit too desperate to think clearly.
The shaman got down on his knees and buried his hands into the burning hot sand, luckily the gloves he was wearing helped with keeping them from actually getting burnt. Then, the human bent down and put his forehead to the sand.
Celendros got to work, through the sand he could search out in different and just barely feel things. He was taught when searching for plants, search for water, and water feels cold in the hot sand. So the shaman tried to feel for something cold, after going through many different things that were either squishy, rough, or even slimey, he felt something cool and wet. That must've been the oasis.
Cel stood back up and felt really dizzy and his vision was bright and slightly blurred. These were usual side effects of that trick since it puts a lot of stress on the mind. Once the shaman got his bearings on where he needed to go, he set off to the oasis. ...
When he got there, Celendros nearly fell over at what he saw. Four armed men... and their leader was that same guy who he first encountered when he got here. "That bastard." the shaman said while his axe handle slid through his hand to the end after he removed it from its latch.
But after Cel saw what the leader was doing to them, he went wide eyed and his face slowly descended to a look of rage.
The leader of the bandits was interrogating his friends to find out where the shaman was.
Celendros wasn't going to disappoint. |
Twin Blades | pre | Deep down, Galaxia knew that she would be leading her race to disaster if she tried leading them. In her wisdom, she decided to let her species learn to survive while they were divided. One day, when they unite they will be stronger than ever and her children will lead them to glory. This was her ultimate plan and she knew that it would succeed. Sure enough, it did.
"Later, she let her species thrive in the old lands of the pony kingdoms. Since then, our mother has been watching the world from the kingdom of Haven. Haven is the home of the two gods known as Galaxia and Griffthor, the god of the griffons. Haven also houses the great heroes of history, such as Starswirl the Bearded, Commander Hurricane, Chancellor Puddinghead, and princess Platinum." Celestia concluded the book.
"I guess sir Canter is there too, right?"
Celestia's ears flickered a little and she spoke again. "Actually, his soul hasn't ascended to Haven yet. His business as a hero isn't done yet."
A single flash of light occurred which blinded Craigulus for a short period of time. Upon being able to see again, he realized that everything had returned to normal. He was back in the same library where that crazy history lesson started. Celestia and Luna turned to him and they both firmly approached him. Celestia began to speak.
"Craigulus Twinblade, you are the hero that Equestrian prophecy's have been speaking of for the past five hundred years. You must learn more about the ways of magic and unlock your full potential, for the spirit of the God King is soon returning with an army that will be bent on destroying the world as we know it. He will come in the form of the spirit you saw in your vision yesterday. Fear not, for he is only the size of a regular human. I don't know why he seemed so massive in your vision though, it was probably a false intimidation tactic to strike fear into your heart."
Craigulus was frozen. Not knowing what to think, he started having a small panic attack. This seemed to be the only way he could express his feelings before Luna cast an emotion altering spell to calm him down.
"Come, we must show you the armor and weapons you must use."
Luna cast a spell to transport the group to a grand hallway. The red carpet rolled down to an altar made of gold surrounded by diamond pillars. Stain glass windows lit up the hallway and made it glisten gloriously. Upon closer inspection, Craigulus noticed two identical swords propped up on top of the altar. Celestia raised her hoof.
"These weapons were forged by Starswirl the Bearded for Sir Canter to use. They are capable of holding the souls of fallen enemies and channeling magic. Go forth and claim your weapons to begin the path to your destiny!"
The human began the long walk toward the weapons and as he got closer, he realized the shape of the swords. Each sword had been split into to halves at the blade and there was strange markings inside the uniquely shaped weapons which Craigulus couldn't make sense of. Raising his hands, he began feeling the power encased in these swords at his fingertips, and upon touching the handles he saw flashes of history pass before his eyes. The only vision he could really make out was that of Discord staring him down, then screaming in pain as he was turned to stone. It seemed to be a vision from the perspective of Sir Canter. Snapping out of the hallucinations, Craigulus noticed Luna standing at his right side.
"The writing on the blades say, 'Ye who holds these blades also holds the soul of Canter, whom was the greatest general of all'. The language is a peculiar mix of old Equestrian and Griffon. Sir Canter did use these blades before you and his own soul was trapped inside the pommeled sapphire. The other pommeled mineral is a clear crystal which you have to trap the God King inside of. It will turn the crystal red once you do so. These blades also contain the memories of every pony who previously used them. To see the memories more clearly, you have to meditate with the swords in hand."
Celestia stepped forward and added something to the lesson.
"Sir Canter will be able to hear you if you call for his help. He will help you in times of need, but only to a certain extent. One thing he can do for you anytime and anywhere is provide you with a suit of armor. I want you to test this out for yourself."
Craigulus closed his eyes tight and even though he was skeptical, he just thought that this was just another crazy thing that could happen in Equestria so he just rolled with it. If ponies were sentient beings in this world then speaking with the dead should be in the realm of logic.
........Right?
He began to speak to Sir Canter.
"Sir Canter, please heed my call! Grant me a suit of armor that can protect me from the dangers of war!"
The human, with blades in his hands spread his arms and lifted them to the ceiling. A deep, proud voice ran through his head in response to his plea.
"I, Sir Canter will provide this for you and you only!"
A blue orb zoomed out of the sapphire and began to rapidly circle the human warrior. It spiraled around Craigulus from head to toe revealing a suit of armor as it went. The orb dashed into the sapphire once again and Craigulus turned his head to see his faint reflection in one of the stained glass windows. Sir Canter's magical armor looked similar to that of chain-mail in medieval days with plate shoulder armor. A large, red cape completed the suit of armor which Craigulus thought looked freaking cool!
"On the cape rests a crest which depicts an alicorn with her wings spread. The right wing has the symbol of the sun while the other wing has the symbol of the moon. Also, regarding the blades. If you meditate on the memories within them, you will be able to see those memories more clearly. I think that is all for now so your lesson is over." Celestia concluded.
His mind began to race. It seemed that he had just put the world upon his shoulders by laying his hands on those blades and it somehow felt good to him in a peculiar and mysterious way. Knowing deep down that this was something that he always dreamed of, he had to say something completely epic to top this all off! Turning to Celestia and Luna with pride in his eyes, he spoke with confidence.
"By the end of this, even the gods themselves will know that a human can make them bleed!"
Craigulus began to run whilst thrusting his blades into the scabbards which hung from his back. Swinging the golden doors open, he left the room.
"Sister, it appears we have not made a mistake in finding our savior." Celestia chuckled.
Luna began to blush. "We have not sister. We definitely have not."
Craigulus ran through the palace and out the front gate smiling as he entered the courtyard. The mane 6 started chasing him wondering what was up with him and Twilight Sparkle flew next to him to speak with him.
"So, you seem awfully excited about something! How was your first lesson?"
Craigulus looked at her with a joyful look on his face.
"It went amazing! Apparently, i'm the next hero of Equestria and-"
"I know, I know. The princess and I talked already!" Twilight laughed.
Rainbow Dash flew to the other side of him.
"So your going to be staying here for awhile? Cool! Now I can learn more about hockey!" Dash started to spin through the air in excitement.
"Maybe you would like to go to Ponyville again and visit my boutique? Maybe I could make you some nicer clothing!" Rarity smirked.
"Maybe you could come to my place and visit my animals? I mean, if that's alright with you......." Fluttershy softly added.
"I could use some help on the farm!" Applejack hinted at Craigulus.
OH BOY! WANNA HAVE A PARTY SOMETIME!?!? I WOULD LOVE TO PARTY WITH A HUMAN! Pinkie Pie shouted in excitement, bouncing on all four of her hooves as she went along with him.
The ponies all stopped as he began running to the top of the stairs adjacent to the courtyard walls. They all kept staring at him, growing happier as they thought about all the fun times they were about to have with Equestria's newest inhabitant.
Craigulus began to talk to himself.
"This is it! The beginning of my adventure and the start of my new life in Equestria! And I know deep in my heart that it's going to be something that will ring out through the ages once it's all said and done. This is my story, the story of-"
Craigulus stopped atop the Canterlot courtyard gates and unsheathed his blades.
"The legendary human, Craigulus Twinblade! |
Twin Blades | An Epic Training Session. | He woke up from another nightmare. The one thing that crossed his mind went a little something like this:
"Thank God. Now I can just calm myself down with breakfast."
Snatching the sheathed blades off the counter and equipping them on his back, he wandered into the hallway to go to the kitchen where they had been preparing him breakfast. To Craigulus, it was a pretty sweet deal to have this sort of hospitality. As he approached the kitchen, he could smell the pancakes being cooked on the stove. The aroma was intoxicating and his tired self woke up a little the more he could sniff the breakfast. Opening the door to the foyer, he just couldn't stand it anymore. Beginning to walk faster, he easily found where the dining hall was and he burst through the entrance to see an extremely long table. The princesses had been sitting at the head of the table while his other friends were sitting across from each other on the ruler's side of the table. Smiling, he grabbed a chair next to Rainbow Dash. Everyone noticed his presence and Celestia was the first to speak to him.
"Good morning, my subject! How was your rest?" she joyfully asked.
"Well, I think I had more nightmares. Aside from that though, It was good." Craig smiled at the end of the sentence.
Luna sipped her tea and let out a small breath as she put it back on the saucer.
"Today in your training, I will be teaching you how to channel magic through your blades as well as gather the energy that helps you use it. After that, you will be boarding the train back to Ponyville tonight with your friends to practice what you have learned. You will return to Canterlot once a week for additional training instructions." Luna informed the warrior.
Craigulus enjoyed that plan because not only will he have time to meditate on his teachings and the memories within the swords, but he will have some fun with the citizens of Ponyville as well!
"Seems legit." Craigulus quickly answered back to Luna.
Before Luna could ask what 'seems legit' meant, the kitchen workers came out with the food. Craigulus took a gander at the food and it was everything he loved at breakfast. Fruits, pancakes, sausages, eggs, and everything in between seemed to be handed to them on a silver platter.
Literally.
"Oh boy! Craigulus, doesn't this look amazi-"
Craig rose his palm toward a certain pink pony.
"Pinkie Pie, i'm sorry but it's way too early. Please try to be a little quieter, okay?"
Pinkie Pie made herself smaller and spoke in a whisper.
"Okay."
The rest of the meal was quiet. Everyone silently enjoyed their meal which was an all-you-can-eat affair. After 15 minutes of eating, Luna spoke to Craigulus.
"So, are you ready to learn more about the magic of Equestria?"
"Heck yea!" Craigulus raised his voice enthusiastically.
They lifted themselves from their seats and entered the foyer. With a turn to the right, they opened the door to an empty, closed off courtyard. The courtyard was never open to the public this early so that left tons of room for training. Craigulus stopped to take a whiff of the clean Canterlot air.
"First off, let's see what you already know."
Craigulus nodded and smiled a cocky smile. He unsheathed his blade and cut his right arm with it. Thus, letting out a small grunt at the sting of the wound. Luna gasped as her eyes widened.
"What are you doing!?!?" She raised her voice.
Craigulus then raised his left arm and placed his hand over the wound. His hand began to glow yellow as he aggressively brushed his hand down the cut. To Luna's surprise, the injury was gone!
"You posses healing magic? Nobody in Equestrian history has been able to pull that off! Only Galaxia knew how to do that, but she wasn't even good at it!."
Luna stopped herself and smiled whilst talking to herself.
"You truly are special, Craigulus." she began to blush.
Craigulus put his blade back into the scabbard and clenched his fists tight. Immediately, orbs of raw magic expanded within his fists, thus spreading his fingers apart from one another. He vigorously launched orbs of energy out of his hands which exploded on impact with the ground. Luna admired his natural skill in the art of magic.
"It appears you have already learned how to use some magic. That is an absolutely great start! One thing you should know is the art of gathering energy. When you use magic, you begin to drain your energy levels and as that happens your spells become weaker and weaker. Your energy naturally comes back over time, but in battle it is quicker to do forced energy collection. To do this, you must focus solely on your own energy and flex every muscle in your body. Try this out for yourself."
The more Craig listened to this, the more he kept on thinking about Dragonball Z. So, he got into the mood and began focusing on his energy levels. Standing in the way Goku did, he flexed every muscle in his body and to his misfortune it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. Luna cheered him on.
"Come on! I know you can do it! The first try is tough for every pony but after that you can easily do it again, and again, and again! Power up Craigulus!"
As time went on, the human began to feel a strange warmth crawl through his body. It coursed through his veins from his heart to the rest of his body and before long, a dark blue aura that appeared similar to Luna's mane exploded into existence around him. Luna began to think to herself.
"So his first eclipse magic will be Lunar magic. That's something I can work with." She smiled on the outside as she watched Craigulus.
Clouds began to roll in seemingly out of nowhere and they slowly began to circle around the sky as the wind became slightly more violent. Luna became confused, this never happened to any being who merely powered up normally. Craigulus began to be lifted into the sky and he began to look around, he developed a look of concern on his face.
"Luna? Should I stop? Am I doing something wrong?"
Luna didn't know how to respond, she became so confused at the developing situation and just before telling him to stop, Celestia and the bearers of harmony burst out of the gate.
"Craigulus! Keep focusing! Don't let anything distract you and just keep powering up your magic!" Celestia yelled toward Craigulus.
Giving a thumbs up, he continued his training. Developing more and more power began to feel stressful to the human who was not yet used to the ways of magic. It felt so good to feel so powerful though and, after awhile it began to hurt. Craigulus let out a series of loud screams. The clouds began to flash with lightning and the wind had become so powerful that you would think a hurricane had begun. The ground had started to shake, but it wasn't enough to damage any buildings. Outside the courtyard, the citizens of Canterlot had taken to the streets to see what was happening. All the attention was on the human in the sky. Craigulus's pupils had disappeared as he began to glow brighter. Screaming and grunting even louder than before, he involuntarily unsheathed his blades and pointed them to the sky. A dark blue beam descended from the center of the swirling clouds and straight into the aura-covered swords. The colour of his cape turned to the colour of the aura and so did his hair. Dark blue aura swirled around him and he saw a vision of a wolf. The wolf was running through the forest, jumping over any obstacle in his way. It began to develop the colour of Luna's mane and as the wolf reached the top of a giant boulder, the animal howled towards the moon. The warrior, whom had snapped back to reality, noticed the energizing beam had been fully consumed. Feeling a sudden pain on his back, he turned his head as far back as it could go. To his surprise, the cape began to morph into something different. First, he saw that feathers started to appear on it. Next thing he knew they became attached to his shoulder blades. That hurt ALOT and Craigulus let out another ear-piercing scream. Twilight grew noticeably concerned on the ground below.
"Celestia! I think he's going to cripple himself if he keeps doing what he's doing! Tell him to stop!" Twilight demanded from her fellow alicorn and former mentor.
Celestia turned to Twilight and smiled proudly.
"There is no need to fear Twilight. Right now, Craigulus is discovering the current extent of his power." Celestia reassured her ex-student.
Twilight's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her eyes and ears because she had never seen any being generate so much magic before. Previously, she thought this was impossible. Luna explained even more, now that her thoughts were set back on track.
"This is the pinnacle of the magic that I use which is called lunar magic. My sister uses solar magic in response to my magic. Only alicorns have their own brand of magic but this is something none of us can do."
Luna turned toward the direction of Craigulus and looked at him.
"This is what we call an eclipse form. Lunar eclipse form!" Luna proudly exclaimed.
In the sky, Craigulus swiftly pointed his swords to either side of him and a bright flash of light occurred which temporarily blinded those staring at him. As the brightness faded, the lunar eclipsed human was revealed. Craigulus donned a subtle look of anger and his eyes glowed white. The hair on his body was similar to the colour of Luna and his wings were keeping him afloat. His armor barely changed. The shoulder armor donned spikes and it was emitting a blue haze but aside from that, it was all the same. He hovered there, motionless.
"My subject, how do you feel?" Luna tilted her head in curiosity.
Craigulus looked deep down inside of himself and answered as honestly as he could.
"To be honest with you,-"
Craig looked down on his friends and teachers.
"Absolutely perfect!"
Everyone stood in awe while Celestia and Luna looked at each other and smiled. They both knew that they had both just helped their student ascend to greater heights and they were proud of it. Rainbow dash broke the silence that was blanketed over Canterlot.
"SO AWESOME!" she said in a high pitched voice.
Shortly after breaking the silence Canterlot exploded into applause. Word had already spread through Equestria about a human in existence but no pony knew that it would be able to control magic. The crowd shouted various questions toward the human but Craigulus couldn't even hear them because of the overall volume of the crowd. They started chanting his name over and over again, as if he had already saved the world. The human rose his swords into the air and crossed them over his head.
"We should probably tell him to avoid letting all this fame get to his head." Celestia became displeased at how her student was handling attention.
"No, let him be cocky. He deserves it!" Luna began to giggle.
Suddenly the crowd began screaming. Craigulus was confused as nothing had gone wrong around him.
"WATCH OUT!!!!!" Luna screamed at the top of her lungs.
"For wha-"
*BOOM*
Craigulus was hit by a massive fireball from his left side, thus smashing him into the ground below. Rage built inside him and he powered up once more.
"What the hell just did that to me!?!?" Craigulus bellowed.
"A big s-s-s-scary d-d-dragon!" Fluttershy squeaked.
The eclipsed human looked to the sky and saw the black dragon circling around the sky, torching the various buildings and ponies that stood below him. The streets burst into panic and ponies were trampling each other just trying to hide inside their houses. Craigulus rose to his feet and he immediately burst into the sky, flying as fast as he could. Knowing that this was his time to prove his worth he prepared to attack.
"Craig! Don't do this! Your not prepared to take on a dragon yet! I know you feel really powerful, but you don't even know how to maintain this power properly! Stop!!! Luna pleaded to him.
Craigulus stopped and looked back at her. He smirked and began to talk in a deeper voice than normal.
"Don't worry princess, I'm fireproof!" Craigulus began to laugh at his own joke and blasted toward the dragon who was still in a rampage.
Flying by the dragon at top speed, he tried slicing him up with his swords. It wasn't the best way to kill it because every time the blades made contact with the scales, it would be like hitting a titanium wall. Even when he found the weakness was its soft underbelly, the dragon would just start evading him almost every time and that would continue for fifteen minutes . Craigulus grew tired of it so he sheathed his blades and created two energy orbs in his hand, then combining them to make a larger, more powerful bomb. Throwing it he screamed at the dragon to get his attention.
"HEY! Big teeth! Try to fight me, I dare you too!"
The dragon roared and breathed fire towards it's adversary, only to have the attack fail as the eclipsed one dodged it.
"CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!" The dragon roared.
Craigulus began to use his magic instead of his swords because he really wanted to test his limits in this new body he had given himself. He threw dozens of his orbs at the dragon but that didn't seem very effective against him. There needs to be some way he can manipulate magic with his swords though. Craigulus didn't hear about how to do that as he was rather rudely interrupted by the large, fearsome creature. Deciding that he was more comfortable using his bare hands, he forgot about the blades. He charged up for another attack and as he was building up his magic, the dragon breathed fire toward him. Craigulus crossed his arms bracing for the inevitable but instead of being burned, the flames separated before hitting him. The dragon stopped to hover in place, surprised at the humans resistance to his fire.
"Well, now I know how to use a magic shield." Craigulus thought to himself in relief.
Craigulus heard a voice run through his head. Recognizing the voice, Craigulus responded.
"Sir Canter, can you help me?" Craigulus asked aloud.
"Yes, do you know how to use an energy beam?" The deceased general asked him.
"No! Why is that important?" Craigulus wondered aloud.
"It is a known fact that it is a dragon's biggest weakness! All you have to do is channel the energy you have gathered through your arms and just as it reaches your wrists,lay both your palms flat in front of you!" He instructed the bearer of his soul.
Craigulus had become confused. How did a pony know how a human used magic? He grew skeptical.
"How do you know how a human uses magic?" Craigulus asked the soul.
"Long story! Just power up a little more and let that beam rip!" He yelled.
Dark blue aura exploded around Craigulus once more. He had begun to scream due to the sheer amount of magic that he generated. His veins began to visibly show and the dragon dove down on him from above. Noticing the danger, the warrior dodged and continued pouring magic into his heart. The dragon slammed into the ground, but immediately got back up. The human felt that he was ready to send the dragon to it's death and capture his soul. Craigulus put his hands together and well, he just had to make a Dragonball Z reference. The inner nerd in him rejoiced!
"KA-ME-"
"What is he doing?" Luna looked completely lost
"HA-ME-"
Celestia didn't even know what was going on.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Craigulus unleashed the gigantic wave of magic down upon the dragon. The beam was Luna coloured and emitted a white haze. Upon impact the dragon screeched in agony as the beam began to rip the beast apart. It frantically flailed its arms and legs every which way as the beam crushed the beast in the Canterlot main street. The beam slowly died down, and so did the noise. Craigulus took a deep breath and unsheathed his blades.
"Canter, how do I encase a soul within these blades?" Craigulus spoke calmly at this point.
"Easy, all you have to do is point the swords toward your fallen adversary and the soul will be guided in." Sir Canter explained.
Craigulus landed next to the dead dragon and unsheathed his blades. Instead of pointing them toward the dragon though, he pointed the swords skyward. Dead bodies were lying across the city and he wanted to make sure the souls could rest somewhere. As the ponies exited their houses, so did all of the souls. The souls were beautiful, as they seemed to travel through the air ever so gracefully while leaving a faint, white trail behind it. As they entered the blades, a wave of sadness entered the fortress-city. Mares and colts alike had began weeping as their loved ones had been killed. Celestia and Luna began to weep as well as they trotted next to Craigulus. Letting his lunar eclipse form subside, he sheathed his twin blades and put his arms around Celestia and Luna.
"Did I do good?" The hero asked somberly.
Celestia spoke up as she cried. "Yes you did, student. You did much better than expected."
The rest of the day was uneventful aside from learning how to channel magic through the swords. All you have to do is imagine that the weapons are part of your arm. Nothing that special really.
Galaxia looked through the universal mirror. Watching as Craigulus packed his belongings in preparation for the trip back to Ponyville. Griffthor entered her presence and looked through the mirror.
"The hero has arrived in my daughter's kingdom. I must say, he really does learn magic rather quickly!"
The god of the griffon race began to smile.
"That human is going to be quite the story once his destiny is fulfilled, eh?" The griffon laughed as he took a huge bite of the boar meat that lied in his arms.
Galaxia looked down to to the stone floor.
"I just hope he truly can defeat the God King, for he is almost finished gathering the un-dead centaurs and alicorns to his banner."
The griffon, with his mighty orange beard, laughed at Galaxia's worrying.
"Oh come on, he is the legendary human! There is no way he can possib-"
"HERO'S HAVE FAILED BEFORE!" Galaxia's shout caused two lightning strikes to pummel Mount Haven. "I do not want the same thing to happen to him as Sir Canter." Galaxia's tone grew saddened at the thought of the failure of Sir Canter. He was never meant to perish in the fight against Discord, whom has now embraced the magic of friendship.
"Oh yea, that's true. You know what? I don't understand why you didn't just destroy the centaur's evil soul when you had the chance. Did you even know what you were doing?" Griffthor wondered.
"Just because we are gods, doesn't mean we know what the future holds. We can manipulate what we want it to be but that doesn't mean we can't make mistakes while doing so. I didn't know the way souls work back then, with one part of a soul being good and the other part being evil." The Queen of the Universe grew impatient with the griffon.
Griffthor simply left the room while grunting in annoyance. Galaxia ignored him and kept looking into the mirror.
"Whatever happens on your journey, I hope that you end up being the victor Craigulus."
As he finished packing, he began hearing a melody from down the hall. Walking out of his room, he noticed it was coming from Luna's room which had the door slightly open. Craig sneaked down the hall ever so stealthily. Knowing he would be invading his teachers privacy, he prepared for the worst in the event of being caught. Graceful singing had been heard though, and it was the most beautiful thing to ever grace his ears since some of the music he heard back in Ponyville the first time he was there. Luna began to sing.
Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows
Goosebumps crawled along the skin of Equestria's newest hero.
Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And The Sorrows
Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Murdering Beauty And Passions
Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way
To Weary Of Life And Deceptions
Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
into The Calm And The Quiet
Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows
Craigulus just had to talk to her. He had never heard such a magnificent voice in his life. He knocked on the door and before he could say anything, Luna spoke up.
"I know it's you, Craig. You may enter." Luna sounded depressed.
Craigulus opened the door and embraced Luna. Beginning to speak, he looked into Luna's eyes.
"Your voice is absolutely beautiful." The human began awkwardly.
Luna began to smile, then blush. It wasn't often that she had time alone with someone she liked.
"Thank you so much, you're so sweet." she complimented.
After that, Craigulus released his teacher from the embrace and they stood there awkwardly for what seemed like five minutes. Craigulus decided to set things straight.
"Luna, just so you know. I have a girlfriend back home and I don't really want to get in a relationship with an equine creature. You are a nice ruler, but I just can't see myself dating a pony. Sorry if i'm coming across as a jerk, but this is the only way I can avoid letting things get weird between us." Craigulus explained himself.
The princess of the night nodded and fully understood him.
"I knew you would catch on to my behavior. It's quite alright, my student. It would be quite strange for such different species to be in a relationship when you think about it." Luna chuckled.
"Glad you understand. I would love to talk more at the moment, but I have a train to catch."
Craigulus ran to the doorway, stopped, turned his head back, and waved.
"See ya next week!" The hero concluded, smiling.
"Goodbye, my student."
The truth was that Luna did not understand. Who would turn down the co-ruler of the most powerful country in the world? Her heart had been shattered that night.
Luna was still madly in love with Craig.
Craigulus made it to the station just minutes before departure. It wasn't a very busy train that night as it seemed his friends were the only passengers at the station that day.
"Hey! Where have you been!? The train leaves in two minutes! We were worried sick!" A certain cyan pegasus pony lectured.
Craigulus was annoyed and tired. He didn't want to hear about how he was late or anything so he just pushed Dash aside and hopped on the train. Following his lead, the bearers of harmony hopped on as well. The conductor yelled 'All aboard!' and the train left the station. The warrior was now deathly tired, so he shut his eyes, sunk into his chair, and slowly drifted off into his dreams. Hoping that Luna was truly alright. |
Twin Blades | Music Festivals And Forgotten Memories. | "Umm. Excuse me, Mr.Twinblade? We need to get off the train. I mean, if that's okay with you...."
Fluttershy had gently shoved her hoof into Craig's arm so that she could wake him up as peacefully as possible. It didn't seem to be working though, as the train conductor began to get annoyed.
"Okay, look here fella! Unless you want to go all the way to Fillydelphia, I suggest you get off this train right now!" The disgruntled conductor growled.
Craigulus slowly left his seat and stumbled his way off the train. Sleeping on a bumpy train ride was never an easy task and his nightmares didn't help either. Upon opening the doors he was bombarded by the flashing of cameras. Dazed and confused, he shielded his eyes with his arm. Twilight began to guide him through the crowd of ponies.
"What in the name of Celestia is happening here?" the human yawned.
Twilight gave a slight giggle.
"Well, there are two things happening here in Ponyville this week." Twilight began.
Craigulus's interest levels began to rise.
"What is happening that's so special?" He questioned the purple alicorn.
"First off, the Equestrian music festival is happening this week and Ponyville has been chosen to host the event! It's one of the loudest, most radical events of the year! So that's why we have all this riff-raff. Also, Vinyl Scratch is playing in her own hometown with her biggest hits!" Twilight went on.
Rainbow Dash overheard the conversation and landed next to Craigulus.
"Rumor has it, Vinyl has a new hit single to premier at the festival!" The rainbow haired pegasus grew excited.
Craigulus got a little excited from this hype. He didn't even know if Equestrian music would appeal to him, but he wanted to go to the festival!
"We should go there!" The warrior became enthusiastic.
"We definitely should! The citizens of the host city get free admission on the night when local artists play so why not?" Pinkie Pie's party withdrawal was getting serious!
Before Craigulus even realized it, they had gotten to the front door of Twilight's library. They opened the door and dashed inside quickly as not to let anyone in with them. But as they sat down on the couches and chairs, they noticed two ponies by the name of Lyra and Bon-Bon had sneaked in behind them!
"OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! A REAL HUMAN! Please let me interview you!!!" Screamed the conspiracy theory crazed Lyra, whom had been known her whole life as the one pony whom thought humans actually existed.
Bon-Bon rolled her eyes "Please don't mind her. She has been waiting for this moment her entire life. You wouldn't believe how much bragging she has been doing lately about how she was the only one who truly believed in humans before your arrival."
Craigulus now understood what the 'second thing' was about Ponyville this week. It was that he was here! In a split second, Craig's ego grew five sizes that day.
"Sure! Just grab a quill and paper and we'll begi-"
Before he knew it, Lyra the unicorn was sitting right in front of our hero as she used her magic to use the quill and paper. Beginning to speak, she began writing as well.
"What is the name of the world humans live on?" She began the question and answer session.
"Earth! I come from one of it's one hundred and ninety six countries, called Canada!" Craigulus answered with pride.
"Is it true that you guys don't use magic at all?" Lyra raised one eyebrow.
"Well, yes! We rely solely on technology to allow us to do some of the things we can't normally do with our natural abilities. One of those would be flying." The human explained.
"Is it true that you have multiple beliefs where you come from? In Equestria, there is only one belief called 'Galaxianism' where every sentient race has their own god to worship. For example, if you are a pony or cervid of any type you worship Galaxia. If you are a griffon, you worship Griffthor! Sure we have our fair share of cults like the 'cult of the draconequus' where Discord is worshipped, but that one is slowly dying since Discord is now into the Galaxian teachings of friendship. And, well...."
"Well, what?" Craig tilted his head after a small pause.
"There is also the God King cult. I can't believe ponies actually dabble in that sick, disturbing stuff!" Lyra was clearly disgusted.
"Hmmmm, sounds like the equivalent of a satanist cult to me." Craigulus thought out loud.
"Interesting." Lyra replied.
Craigulus straightened himself up in his seat and continued being interviewed.
"We have tons of different things we call 'religions' back where I come from. There is Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and so many more. I just so happen to be a christian! Although I do like the way you have organized yours over the centurys. Back where I come from, some people kill each other over their beliefs. The way you've set it up is genius though, because when the gods live together, there is no reason for the believers to hate on one another." Craigulus explained.
The room was in shock. Everyone's jaw had dropped so hard you probably could have heard some sort of sound effect from it.
"Y-you guys kill each other over your beliefs?!" Lyra stuttered.
Before things got a little more strange, Craigulus continued the subject of humanity.
"It is an extremely sad reality, but it's true. Throughout human history we have taught ourselves that when we want something such as land, food, gold, or simply to convert people, we go to war over it. It really sucks being human sometimes. At least you Equestrian folk aren't driven to war by greed most of the time." Craigulus bowed his head in shame.
Twilight placed her hoof on the human's shoulders.
"It's all okay. Not every species is capable of peace-making!" Twilight gave him a reassuring smile.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door. Craigulus had taken the honor of seeing who it was. Upon opening the door, a certain white coloured, blue-maned, purple sunglasses wearing unicorn mare barged in and shut the door behind her to avoid letting any riff-raff follow her in.
VINYL SCRATCH!?!?!?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?!?! Everyone shouted in unison.
"Yep, that's right! Ponyville's very own DJ Pon3 is in the house! Radical, isn't it!" The musician introduced herself rather casually.
Applejack unleashed her inner fan girl.
"Howdy there, Ms. Scratch! What brings ya here? I love yer music so much!" She shook her hoof frantically.
"Well, I heard the human was here. I took the liberty of just walking in here to ask him if he wanted to play in my show! It would really draw the crowd and really, who wouldn't want to see a human perform? Apparently he knows a dance move called 'the shuffle' or something crazy like that! I really want to see if he can help me with my new song today so i can perform it properly tomorrow!" The DJ pony ecstatically explained.
Craigulus couldn't turn this offer down. There was only one problem though, he didn't know any of the songs! How could he possibly do the performance when he doesn't know any lyrics?
"Vinyl, I don't know any of the-"
"Lyrics? That's okay! I can hook you up back at my crib! Let's rock!"
The unicorn and the human nearly walked out the door before Twilight stopped them.
"Umm, Wouldn't you two like to just teleport to the place instead? It'll save you the hassle of fighting the crowds." Twilight offered.
The duo nodded and in a flash they were in DJ Pon3's basement recording studio. It was a sick set up! Alot of the technology looked similar to what Craig saw back home. Sitting by the laptops preparing the sounds for the show were two zebras.
"We're back!!!!" Vinyl Scratch signaled.
"Yo wassup, Vinyl?" The zebra with the gold chains and sunglasses greeted her with a dash of swag.
"Not much, Zanye West. Aside from bringing the human here who has agreed to perform for us! YYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAA!!!!!" The DJ pony shouted in excitement.
The zebra with the cigar in his mouth and a 'Manehattan Nets' hat, known as 'Jay Zebra' looked at the human and nodded his head and smirked.
"Wassup, man? The name's Jay Zebra. You can just call me Jay-Z." The rapper greeted the new kid.
Craigulus put his chill factor on.
"My name is Craigulus Twinblade! Nice to meet a successful musician such as you!" Craigulus introduced himself, failing to be chill in every way possible.
Vinyl Scratch approached the laptop and handed Craig some huge headphones.
"Here, just keep listening to the set playlist repeatedly until you've memorized the lyrics. It shouldn't be too hard right?"
Craigulus heard the first song which was set to be the opening song. To his surprise he had heard this song back on earth! Some of the lyrics had just been modified and that was the same for the rest of the songs too! Forty-five minutes of listening later, he had memorized all the songs. It was an easier task than he thought. Seeing as all of the songs were just modified versions of songs from earth. Craigulus jumped to the conclusion that some things that were made on earth were somehow copied in Equestria! That would explain some of the city names being puns.
"Okay, I can do this." Craigulus took a deep breath, getting butterflies in his stomach.
Vinyl Scratch got a huge smile on her face, completely hyped about Craig's decision.
"What's your stage name?" she wondered.
Craigulus never thought of that before, what is his stage name? He had a long pause.
"Well, what is it? Don't be shy about it!" DJ Pon3 teased.
"My stage name is 'Berzerker'. I just made that one up so forgive me if it sounds lame." Craigulus made himself smaller.
"IT'S AWESOME!!!! You should go home and rest for the day though, because the concert is tomorrow!"
Craigulus and Vinyl bumped fist and hoof as Craigulus left. As he fought the crowds outside, he noticed that he had his blades on the back of him that whole time! That reminded him about the meditation the princesses told him to do. He swore to himself that after he got through the crowds, he would sit down and meditate on the thoughts in those swords!
Twilight was writing a letter to the princess concerning the recent decisions Craigulus had made. It didn't seem right that he would just go with Vinyl Scratch to do a concert other than train. So far, the next hero of Equestria didn't seem all that committed to training. The whole table shook as the door slammed open and shut again. Twilight had been strartled.
"Craigulus!?!? Could you please knock before you enter?!" Twilight was clearly annoyed.
"What would you rather? A quick entrance to keep out this crowd, or a polite and slow entry where hordes of ponies have the chance to invade this library?" Craigulus asked with his arms crossed.
Twilight didn't know what to say.
"I, ummmm....."
"Exactly. Anyway, i'm going to the guest room so I can meditate. Please tell Spike that i'm in there so i'm not interrupted?" Craigulus began walking up the stairs.
"Okay then!" She began writing more of the letter,
Walking up the steps, Craigulus unsheathed his blades and began to speak to Sir Canter.
"Sir Canter? Could you please tell me about your knowledge of the way a human uses magic? I just remembered how strange it was that you knew how to teach me that energy beam attack." Craigulus began.
"Well, It's a long story so here we go! Back in the days when I still had a body, I knew a unicorn by the name of Starswirl the Bearded. You must have heard of him, a lot of his spells are still used to this day. A colt of many secrets is what the ponies of that time describe him as, and they had a right to describe him as such!"
At this point, the human sat on the bed in the guest room.
"It is common knowledge that he only had one apprentice, and that is me! What people don't know, is that he actually had a secret apprentice that only I know about! An in your face, fedora-wearing, long haired human with an accent he called 'Australian'. He would play mind games with his opponents, getting under their skin. The tactic actually worked in most cases. I watched as Starswirl the Bearded would teach him how to use magic. He was like a brother to me."
Craigulus's mind began to race again. Another human in Equestria before him? That was surprising.
"So I guess he died a long time ago right?" Craigulus searched for confirmation.
Sir Canter paused for a second.
"Yea, he went down with a manticore in the battle against Discord shortly before my mortal body was destroyed by the princesses own magic beam." Sir Canter explained.
Craigulus had even more questions. "What happened to Starswirl?"
"Well, apparently he failed princess Celestia's lessons because he couldn't get past his personality flaws. You see, he was extremely racist. He hated everything that wasn't of the equine race, so he failed in his quest of becoming an alicorn. He commited suicide shortly after and ascended to Haven. To think, if he just put aside his hatred and fully understood the magic of friendship things would have been so different." Canter ranted.
"Wait a second, how do you know about the way Starswirl died?" Craigulus grew curious.
"My soul was in the blades when it happened, and he had them at the moment. When the ponies found him, they gave the blades to the princesses. That is when they propped up the blades on the altar. My whole existence in these blades has been miserable since I was told by Galaxia herself that I had to wait for you to use these blades, and that I could go to Haven when you finally killed the God King. That was originally my destiny and you know what? I think it still is. Why else would she keep me in these things for so long?" Canter concluded.
Craigulus thought about any other possible logic holes in his explanation.
"What was Starswirl's destiny?" he wondered.
"It was simply to forge the twin blades and to train Jebediah and I. And before you ask, yes that was the human's name. Jeb's destiny was to help me defeat the God King but I guess since he died, it was pointless for me to live on in my mortal body."
Everything seemed to fit so well, so Craigulus stopped the questions and began meditating. It seemed to go on forever until he finally found a memory. The memory appeared to be from the perspective of Starswirl the Bearded who seemed to be having an angry moment inside his log house. He slammed his hoof on the table.
"DAMMIT ALL CELESTIA!!!!! Why in the hoof would you do this!?!?! Why would you give him permission to leave? It doesn't make any damned sense! First you tell me I've failed your test, now you let him go to Cervidas!!!! My apprentice Sir Canter is dead and this is how you treat me!?!?! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I'LL BE SURE TO TELL YOUR MOTHER IN HAVEN HOW YOU HAVE DISGRACED ME AND THIS COUNTRY OF EQUESTRIA!!!!!
Starswirl used his magic to place a blade against his throat.
"Goodbye, fair Equestria."
Those were his last words as he slit his throat open. Blood gushed out of his throat in large quantities as he fell to the floor and that was where the memory ended. The blades were clearly on him, as Craigulus saw a mirror in his house that showed a reflection. The current hero of Equestria threw up in his mouth a little as he saw the death of the old unicorn. He began to think about the pony Starswirl had been yelling about. Who was he and why was the old wizard so enraged about him leaving? It couldn't have been Jebediah, he was killed in the battle earlier! Placing the thought in the back of his head. He meditated a little more and after fifteen minutes of concentration, he saw another memory begin. It was from the perspective of a much younger Starswirl. It was night time and he was staring at his reflection in the waters of a still river. Levitating a lamp at his side, he began to cry.
"Why? Why did they kill my parents? Griffon bastards! How dare they attack Equestria! One day I will avenge my parents!"
The unicorn stopped for a moment. His face went from rage, then to sorrow.
"But, I'm so weak. I'm failing magic school and I've been stuck in the eighth grade for two years now. I'll never be strong enough, especially with those blasted Ziggers beating me up!" Starswirl began to cry even more.
Craigulus was shocked at how unbelievably racist this unicorn was! He used the freaking 'Z' word for goodness sake! Craigulus began to guess that this unicorn had been growing up in a time where basic huma-, or.....pony rights Craigulus guessed, had not been thought of yet. Suddenly, a massive noise knocked the young unicorn down and he looked off into the distance. It appeared that an explosion had went off, so Starswirl was going to check it out! The scene changed and it appeared that the explosion was from a small asteroid. A crater was surrounding it and as Starswirl approached the asteroid, he saw two small alicorn foals slowly crawling out of the asteroids. One of them was a dark blue colour with a sparkling dark blue mane. That one had a crescent moon as it's cutie mark. The other one had a sun as its cutie mark. It was coloured white with a flowing pink mane.
"Oh my, this is odd!" Starswirl lifted his eyebrow.
The white one began to speak.
"I'm Cewestia! Awe you Stawswirl?" Celestia spoke for the first time.
Starswirl was dumbfounded.
"Y-yes, why do you ask little one?" he asked with an awkward smile.
"Momma said that me and Woona should be taken care of by you!" the baby alicorn smiled in a cute way.
Starswirl could not believe this. Beginning to grow dizzy, he heard a voice in his head and it sounded so crystal clear.
"Starswirl, their name shall be Celestia and Luna. They shall lead Equestria into a golden age and they will teach you how to become more powerful than you could ever imagine!"
The blue unicorn in the starry cape and wizard hat looked all around him, confused.
"Who said that? Who is it!?!?!"
"I am the one they call Galaxia! Ruler of the universe! I command you this night to master the ways of magic within your life. If you do this and create two magical blades, you will be granted a home as a hero in Haven. The rest will be revealed to you in good time. Farewell, Starswirl the Bearded." Galaxia concluded.
Starswirl let the two alicorns climb onto his back with a smile. He stood up and began walking home while speaking to himself.
"So, I am destined for greatness! Thank you Galaxia, thank you so much."
The memory ended. Craigulus opened his eyes, sheathed his blades, and fell back on his bed. The first thing that came to his head was the fact of how awesome Equestrian history was so far! The way this whole buildup toward his arrival worked was just so interesting. Destiny seemed to be a huge thing to the heroes of history so far. The second thing that came to his head was how strange the first memory was. Who was the pony who left for Cervidas and why was he so important to Starswirl the Bearded? The obvious choice would be Jeb, but he died in the battle! Unless......
"Sir Canter? Are you sure that Jeb died?"
"Of course I am!" Sir Canter's voice sounded irritated. "That Manticore clawed him open! I saw it with my own eyes!"
Sir Canter did sound honest enough, so the hero believed the fallen general. Looking out the window, he found that the sun had just set on the town of Ponyville. Astonished at how long a meditation session lasted, he left the room and marched downstairs to find the bearers of harmony, minus Rainbow Dash and Applejack, drinking tea and conversing.
"Why is it always tea?" Craigulus wondered in his head.
A certain yellow pegasus began to speak.
"Good evening, sleepyhead." Fluttershy began. "Would you like some?" She raised a full cup to Craigulus.
"Sure, and by the way, I was meditating that entire time!" Craigulus corrected the shy pegasus.
Twilight liked to hear that news. She had been instructed to keep an eye on him so the princesses had eyes in Ponyville as well as Canterlot. The fate of the world does rest in his hands, and it would be a huge shame if he failed.
Rainbow Dash entered the room with Applejack in tow.
"Hey Craigulus! We made these hockey sticks for you! How do you like them?" Rainbow Dash pulled a wagon-full of them in with her.
The human examined the sticks and to his surprise, they were really smooth and well made. Some of them were taller than others and the blades of the sticks were sometimes misshapen but aside from that, they were great!
"Good work you two! We're getting one step closer to hockey in Equestria! When's the winter coming anyway? We need an ice surface!" Craigulus enthusiastically bumped their hooves.
"The weather ponies are instructed to bring the first snowfall at the beginning of next month." Applejack answered Craigulus's question.
"Good, Good....."
Rarity sipped her tea and put it down on the saucer.
"Well, it is getting rather late and we should all be going to bed. I met up with Vinyl Scratch today and she told me to tell Craigulus that sleep is always the best thing you can get before a performance and I think that goes for the fans attending the concert as well. Good night everypony!" the purple-maned unicorn concluded elegantly.
The group of friends said their goodbyes and left. Craigulus Twinblade, Spike, and Twilight were left.
"I think we should go to bed too!" requested a smiling Spike the Dragon.
They all agreed and left for bed. Craigulus would just have to sleep on the memories the blades had shown him. It was no use to let them bother him tonight anyway. Taking the scabbards off his back, he placed them on the floor next to the bed. He needed to get all the sleep he could and he wasn't going to be woken up by a nightmare, or at least he would try not to be. Laying down in his bed, he blew the candle out and drifted to sleep. |
Twin Blades | Concert Time! | Authors note: during the songs, each singer/rapper will have their own coloured text to indicate who is speaking. You do not need to read the lyrics if you don't want to. Just skip to the end of the third song to see how the chapter ends.
Craigulus (a.k.a Berzerker) is red.
Vinyl Scratch (a.k.a DJ Pon3) is blue.
Jay Zebra is green.
Zanye West is brown.
The big day is finally here! Rushing out of bed, Craigulus equipped his swords and ran downstairs to have breakfast. As he made it half-way down the stairs he smelled the refreshing scent of-
"Tea? Again!?!?!?" Craigulus sighed in utter disappointment.
Twilight rolled her eyes.
"You know, if you want something different you could just ask. There's no need to be rude." Twilight retorted.
The hero closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Opening his eyelids again, he apologized.
"Sorry, it's just that everywhere I turn there is tea being waved in my face. Either it's just pure coincidence, or everypony in Equestria is trying to drive me insane!" Craigulus explained himself.
Twilight laughed.
"It's quite alright! I have moments like that with my studies sometimes. It's hard being a princess, you know?"
"I find it hard being a hero sometimes...." Craigulus threw his arms up. "May I have some tea, please?"
Sitting down on the couch, the human received the cup of tea from Twilight and took his first sip. Once he got the warmth of the tea down to his stomach, he thought about Starswirl the Bearded.
"Sir Canter?"
"Yes, mighty warrior?"
"When did Starswirl find Celestia and Luna?"
Craigulus had grown curious as to how long the period of time was between the asteroid hit and the death of Discord.
"1229 years before Discord's death." Sir Canter educated.
"What!? How did Starswirl live for so long? Isn't he a regular unicorn?" Craigulus grabbed his head.
Sir Canter paused for a moment.
"Galaxia grants certain beings the ability to live forever. You can still get killed, but time does not effect these people. That is the perk of being a hero. The gods give us heroes this gift because it enables us to take as much time as we need to fulfill our destinies. Starswirl's destiny had already been fulfilled because he had done all that he was instructed to do by the time he committed suicide. That is why his spirit was brought home, to Haven."
"So that's why you are still trapped in the blades right? Your destiny is to help kill the God King with me!" Craigulus figured everything out.
"I did technically explain that part to you already, but yes."
Sir Canter groaned in his mind. The old general hated hearing about his failure to survive in his mortal body, but what he did was for the good of all Equestria, not just him. Meanwhile, Craigulus finished his tea.
"Thank you Sir Canter." Craigulus smiled.
"No problem." Sir Canter finished.
A knock was heard on the door, Twilight took the initiative and opened it up to reveal Vinyl Scratch wearing her sunglasses.
"Morning princess Twilight! Is Berzerker around?" The DJ looked around.
Twilight looked around in a state of confusion. Who is Berzerker?
"Hey you! Are you ready for the biggest night of your life!?" Vinyl Scratch shoved Twilight aside and galloped toward Craigulus.
"If you mean the biggest night of my life so far then heck yea i'm ready!" Berzerker bumped DJ Pon3's hoof.
Twilight just realized what Berzerker meant. It was his stage name! The purple alicorn wasn't all that familiar with street talk.
"I just came by to ask if you could help us set up the performance tonight. Apparently the princesses are coming so I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious." Vinyl scratch was clearly stressed out.
Craigulus didn't know if he really wanted to help. Originally, he was planning to meditate on the memories within the ancient swords, but if he did that the whole concert might be ruined because of him!
"Well, I guess I could help." The human sighed.
Vinyl Scratch dragged our hero outside and shut the door behind her. Twilight brought out the letter that she had been writing and continued on with it.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Let me just start this letter off by telling you how great it is that you and Luna have decided to attend! That way, we can talk before the show begins about what progress Craigulus has made. Meditation takes a lot longer than previously predicted. Shortly after lunch, he went upstairs to begin the session and it ended about two hours after the sun had set on Ponyville. I would also like to know if you have had any hints as to when the God King will return.
Your faithful princess,
Twilight Sparkle.
Backstage at the festival, Jay Zebra had been discussing the order of performance to the rest of the gang. Vinyl Scratch would be working the lights and beats as always during the first performance featuring Berzerker, Jay would come out for the second song to perform a in a surprise appearance, then he would stay onstage to welcome Zanye in a performance of 'Ziggas in Pearis'. The buzz around town was tremendous because this was the first time that the princesses themselves were coming to the music festival! Rumors were spreading around Equestria that Craigulus Twinblade was going to perform onstage with DJ Pon3 herself! Hype was building in the heads of concert goers throughout Equestria and the grounds were going to be packed for sure!
"How many hours do we have until showtime?" Craigulus pondered.
Vinyl Scratch threw her right hoof in the air and pumped it.
"Seven hours! WOO WOO WOO!!" Vinyl howled.
The perfect opportunity to meditate.
"I'm just going to be sitting in that chair in the corner facing the wall, just for some pre-show meditation." Craigulus began to waltz over to the chair.
Vinyl Scratch raised an eyebrow and smiled at how unusual that was. Normally, she would just have a few cans of Budcider and she's good to go. Well, he is a human so she would just go with the flow.
"Yea okay whatever. Do your thing over there, Berzerker."
As the DJ galloped over to the rapping zebra duo, Craigulus sat in the chair and unsheathed his blades. Firmly grasping the handles, he shut his eyes. It didn't take long for the first memory of the day to become clear to him. It would appear he was standing in the middle of a muddy combat ring on a cold, rainy day. Facing an opponent that was just as large and muscular as Big Macintosh.
"Come on! Break his skull, Canter! We never told you the Equestrian Resistance Army was going to be a cake walk!" screamed what looked like an earth pony drill sergeant.
Craigulus realized this was from the perspective of a young Sir Canter. Canter's spirit began to speak with the human.
"Ah yes, this is the place where fate first found me." The soul would've smiled if he had a face.
Private Canter attempted to kick the larger stallion in the face, only to have his hind legs grabbed by the teeth of his opponent. The ginormous stallion proceeded to toy with his adversary as if he was chewing on a rag-doll and, after about six seconds of utter embarrassment, Canter had been thrown into the mud.
"That's enough, private Wrath! Leave that worthless soldier where he is and report to your tent! Training is over, everypony!" The rugged leader figure growled.
Letting their stance go casual, they left for their tents. All, except for the commander and Canter. The commander galloped toward the young stallion and pinned him to the ground whilst staring into his eyes. A type of burning fire within the eyes of the commander stunned Canter.
"What in the name of actual GALAXIA are you doing here!?!?!?! I bet you couldn't even fight a chicken if it began to peck you! You probably would just run away, screaming 'oh no! My glorious brown mane might get dirty!' Well you know what!? You're probably the worst soldier in the Earth Pony corp and I can't stand the sight of you as a commander, AND as your father!"
Tears began to rush down Canter's face as the flash of lightning and sound of thunder burst through the camp.
"But fathe-"
NO! Consider yourself discharged, disgraced, and DISOWNED!!! Canter's father began to rise to his hooves.
"Get out of my sight, pack your bags, and go home Canter." he concluded as he slowly walked away.
Craigulus couldn't believe what had happened to Canter. He began feeling sympathetic for Sir Canter and a single tear rolled down our hero's eyes as private Canter lifted himself from the mess of mud. Beginning the walk to his tent, Canter began mumbling suicidal thoughts. It was clear that he had been just plain sick of life in general. As he entered his tent, he sat down on his cot.
"I want to show them all my true power, but I just can't now that my own father has disowned me. I should never have been born!"
As Canter started to reach for his knife, his tent entrance was forced open by a bearded unicorn wearing a starry cape and a wizards hat. At the side of the unicorn stood a creature wearing a dark hood. Craigulus couldn't see his face, but it would have to be Jebediah.
"Are you the one they call Canter?" the wizard asked in a demanding voice.
Canter was slightly startled at the sight that lied before him. After processing the question, he looked at the ground and became angry with himself.
"No, i'm just a colt who has shamed his family. That is all I am, or ever will be." Canter slammed his hoof into his pillow.
The old wizard smiled at the cloaked figure and looked back at the depressed soldier. Trotting forward, he lifted his hat to reveal his identity.
"Then you are the colt we've been looking for!" Starswirl the Bearded breathed a sigh of relief.
Canter was in shock, why was Starswirl the Bearded inside his tent? Of all the pony's in Equestria, why was the most powerful unicorn in history talking to him?
"Follow me Canter, for you have a long journey ahead of you!"
The memory skipped onto a later time that day. Now, Canter had been talking to Starswirl inside of his log house. The rest of the memory was just Canter being told about how Galaxia had chosen him to kill the God King with the help of Jebediah. Craigulus also learned about where the princesses were in all of this.
"So let me get this straight. Galaxia herself has chosen me and Jeb to slay this 'God King' and trap his soul within these blades that you made?" Canter questioned.
"Yes." The bearded unicorn spoke.
"And these 'daughters of Galaxia' are supposed to come out of hiding when we fight Discord?" Canter tilted his head.
"Yes." Starswirl confirmed.
Canter rose his hind legs and walked over to the window, staring through it as he spoke.
"And you are supposed to train me?"
"Spot on, Canter."
The memory ended there. Finding it odd that Jebediah wasn't in the log house with Starswirl, Craigulus opened his eyes and spoke to the trapped soul.
"Where was Jebediah when you learned about your destiny?" the human demanded.
"He was off in the other log house, sleeping." Sir Canter explained.
Our hero felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Zanye, holding what looked like a Budcider can in his hoof.
"Yo, just to let you know, you and Vinyl are on in ten minutes! Can't wait to join you for the 'Ziggas in Pearis' performance!" The zebra was clearly tipsy as he trotted back to the stage lighting control panel.
Craigulus began to get his blood flowing. Jumping up and down in place as he hyped himself up. DJ Pon3 galloped to him, obviously under the influence. It wasn't enough to have her stumbling around, but it was still pretty noticeable.
"Hey Berzerker! How's it going hot stuff!" Vinyl Scratch flirted with our hero.
Craigulus played it cool.
"Just getting hyped! It looks like you're ready." Craigulus laughed uncomfortably.
Vinyl called for another can of apple cider and tossed it to Craigulus.
"Looks like you could use some help loosening up! Drink some of this, dude." the DJ recommended.
Craigulus looked at the can for a second, contemplating whether or not an alcoholic beverage would be a wise idea. After a small bit of thinking he made his decision.
"YOLO!"
He decided to down the whole can in one go after he screamed that stupid phrase that he never, ever thought he would use. Vinyl was in awe as he kept on drinking that single can continuously. When he finished, he crushed the can on his forehead.
"Let's do this!" our hero grunted.
Show time had come, and so had a huge cloud of smoke on the stage. A constant cheering had been heard from the crowd all night long and now it became louder than ever before. A constant rumbling of bass had begun as DJ Pon3 had trotted over too her turntables.
"Mares and gentlecolts! Are you ready!?!?!?!" The unicorn DJ's voice echoed throughout the grounds as the crowd cheered. Vinyl Scratch wanted the volume of the crowd even louder!
"I said, ARE YOU READY!?!?!?!"
The Equestrian crowd screamed as loud as they could. It was a deafening noise and Craigulus was loving every second of it.
"You guys wanna hear my new single, don't you?!?!"
The crowd began chanting 'yes' over and over for thirty seconds before the pyramid rose above the slowly evaporating smoke. DJ Pon3 and her set up stood atop the lit up pyramid.
"Everypony! Put your hands together for 'Berzerker'! Equestria's newest hero!"
The crowd had gone beyond crazy at this point as Craigulus pushed the clouds away from him with a small energy surge. A microphone was in his left hand that he began to speak into.
"Let's go berzerk!"
There was only a slight delay before the track started. Vinyl decided to start the first verse whilst our hero hyped up the crowd.
Now this concert's 'bout to kick off, this party looks wack
Let's take it back to straight hip-hop and start it from Scratch
I'm 'bout to bloody this track up, everybody get back
That's why my pen needs a pad cause my rhymes on the ra-hag
Just like I did with addiction I'm 'bout to kick it
Like a magician, critics I turn to crickets
Got 'em still on the fence whether to pick it
But quick to get it impaled when I tell 'em stick it
So sick I'm looking pale, well that's my pigment
'Bout to go ham, ya bish, shout out to Rainbow
Let's bring it back to that vintage Scratch, yea!
The art of MCing mixed with da Vinci and MC Ren
And I don't mean Stimpy's friend, yea!
Been public enemy since you thought PE was gym, yea!
Take your shoes off, let your hair down and (go berserk) all night long!
Grow your mane out, just weird out and (go berserk) all night long
We're gonna rock this house until we knock it down
So turn the volume loud, cause it's mayhem 'til the a.m.
So baby make just like K-Fed and let yourself go, let yourself go
Say buck it before we kick the bucket
Life's too short to not go for broke
So everypony, everypony (go berserk) shake your body
Guess it's just the way that I'm dressed, ain't it?
Khakis pressed, Nike shoes crispy and fresh laced
So I guess it ain't
That aftershave or cologne that made them just faint
Plus I just showed up with a coat fresher than wet paint
So if love is a chess game, check mate
But girl your body's banging, jump me in, dang - bang-bang
Yessiree Bob I was thinking the same thing
So come get on this. Let's rock! baw-wit-da-baw dang-dang
P-p-p pow-pow chicka-chicka wow-wow
Catch a cab, I wanna go down b-b-bow, bow
Slow it down, throw in the towel, t-t-towel toww
Dumb it down, I don't know how (huh-huh) how-how
At least I know that I don't know
Question is are you bozos smart enough to feel stupid
Hope so, now ho...
Take your shoes off, let your hair down and (go berserk) all night long!
Grow your mane out, just weird out and (go berserk) all night long
We're gonna rock this house until we knock it down
So turn the volume loud, cause it's mayhem 'til the a.m.
So crank the bass up like crazy and let yourself go, let yourself go
Say buck it before we kick the bucket
Life's too short to not go for broke
So everypony, everypony (go berserk) Scratch those vinyls Pon3!
Vinyl Scratch had a look of pure concentration on her face as to not mess these scratches up! The crowd was moving with the beat the entire time and they cheered as Craigulus did the shuffle near the edge of the stage.
They say that love is powerful as cough syrup and Styrofoam
All I know is I fell asleep and woke up in that Monte Carlo
With the ugly Zardashian
Zamar, oh sorry yo, we done both set the bar low
Bars hard, drugs hard, though that's the past
But I done did enough codeine to knock Future into tomorrow
And girl I ain't got no money to borrow
But I am tryin' to find a way to get you alone, car note!
Oh, Craigulus Twinblade shouldn't everybody know
Get the bar soap lathered, Kangols and Carhartt-less Cargos
Girl you're fixing to get your heart broke, don't be absurd man
You bird brained baby I ain't called anybody baby since Birdman
Unless you're a swallow
Word, w-word man you heard, but don't be discouraged girl
This is your jam, unless you got hoof jam
Take your shoes off, let your hair down and (go berserk) all night long!
Grow your mane out, just weird out and (go berserk) all night long
We're gonna rock this house until we knock it down
So turn the volume loud, cause it's mayhem 'til the a.m.
So baby make just like K-Fed and let yourself go, let yourself go
Say buck it before we kick the bucket
Life's too short to not go for broke
So everypony, everypony (go berserk) shake your body
We're gonna rock this house until we knock it down
So turn the volume loud, cause it's mayhem 'til the a.m.
So crank the bass up like crazy and let yourself go, let yourself go
Say buck it before we kick the bucket
Life's too short to not go for broke
So everypony, everypony (go berserk) shake your body
The song ended and the crowd was bumping! Vinyl smirked at the crowds reception to her new song.
"WOO!!!! How'd y'all like that beat?!" Berzerker shouted into the mic and stared into the crowd.
Noticing that the princesses were in the tower in the back, he gave them a bit of respect.
"Mares and gentlecolts, I would just like you all to pause for a moment. I think we should all give a round of applause to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna for all the daily work they do for this country. They go through-"
He was cut off by the roar of the appreciative crowd. After a few moments of waiting, our hero continued.
"They go through so much hardship to do what their mother in Haven called them to do all those centuries ago. I would also like a moment of silence for those ponies lost in the Canterlot dragon attack just two days ago now. So remove your hats and close your eyes please."
Everyone was silent. This was probably the most peaceful this crowd has been since the beginning of the festival as nothing and nobody could be heard. It was almost scary. The music began again and as a result, the crowd began to scream! Craigulus began a soothing melody that he previously could not do on earth. Wondering how he was singing so beautifully, our hero came to the conclusion that it was a side-effect of living in Equestria. The unicorns began to light their horns, waving them in the air as the melody went on. Jay Zebra stepped on stage and the crowd exploded in applause. This was obviously a surprise appearance to the crowd. Craigulus stopped the random notes and began to sing.
You'd take the clothes off my back and I'd let you
You'd steal the food right out my mouth and I'd watch you eat it
I still don't know why, why I love you so much, ohh
You curse my name, in spite to put me to shame
Have my laundry in the streets, dirty or clean, give it up for fame
But I still don't know why, why I love it so much
And baby, it's amazing I'm in this maze with you
I just can't crack your code
One day you screaming you love me loud
The next day you're so cold
One day you're here, one day you're there, one day you care
You're so unfair, sipping from your cup 'til it runneth over, Holy Grail
Blue told me remind you ziggas
Buck that stuff y'all talking 'bout, I'm the zigga
Caught up in all these lights and cameras
But look what that stuff did to Hammer
Celestia dammit it I like it
Bright lights is enticing but look what it did to Tyson
All that money in one night, thirty mill for one fight
But soon as all the money blows, all the pigeons take flight
Buck the fame, keep cheating on me, what I do, I took her back
Fool me twice, that's my bad, I can't even blame her for that
Enough to make me wanna murder, momma please just get my bail
I know nobody to blame, Kurt Cobain, I did it to myself
And we all just entertainers
And we're stupid and contagious
And we all just entertainers
And baby, it's amazing I'm in this maze with you
I just can't crack your code
One day you screaming you love me loud
The next day you're so cold
One day you're here, one day you're there, one day you care
You're so unfair, sipping from your cup 'til it runneth over, Holy Grail
Now I got tattoos on my body, psycho bitches in my lobby
I got haters in the paper, photo shoots with paparazzi
Can't even take my daughter for a walk, see 'em by the corner store
I feel like I'm cornered off enough is enough, I'm calling this off
Who the buck I'm kidding though, I'm getting high, sitting low
Sliding by in that big body, curtains all in my window
This fame hurt but this chain works, I think back you asked the same person
If this is all you had to deal with, zigga deal with, this stuff ain't work
This light work, camera snapping, my eyes hurt
Ziggas dying back where I was birthed, buck your IRIS and the IRS
Get the hell up off your high horse
You got the things that ziggas die for, dry yours
Why you mad, take the good with the bad
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water
You still alive, still that zigga
Zigga you survived, you still getting bigger zigga
Living the life, Vanilla wafers in a villa
Illest zigga alive, Michael Jackson's Thriller
And baby, it's amazing I'm in this maze with you
I just can't crack your code
One day you screaming you love me loud
The next day you're so cold
One day you're here, one day you're there, one day you care
You're so unfair, sipping from your cup 'til it runneth over, Holy Grail
You get the air out my lungs whenever you need it
And you take the blade right out my heart, just so you can watch me bleed
And I still don't know why, why I love you so much, yeah
And you play this game in spite to drive me insane
I got it tattooed on my sleeve forever in ink with guess whose name
But I still don't know why, why our love is so much
And baby, it's amazing I'm in this maze with you
I just can't crack your code
One day you screaming you love me loud
The next day you're so cold
One day you're here, one day you're there, one day you care
You're so unfair, sipping from your cup 'til it runneth over, Holy Grail
As the melody slowly faded, Luna began to marvel at just how amazing Craig's singing voice was. She trotted up to the window and placed her elbows on the sill, putting her hooves on her face.
"Craigulus, you are so good at everything you do." Luna spoke out loud without even noticing it.
Celestia heard her sisters ramblings.
"Luna, you must not distract our hero in his quest remember? If you do, that may result in his failure." Celestia promptly stated.
"I know sister. He has rejected me already anyway." the princess of the night bowed her head in sorrow.
Back on stage, Berzerker raised the mic to his lips.
"Ya'll ready to leave?" Berzerker asked his new buddies through the mic.
"Well I'm not ready to leave!"
Zanye walked out from backstage.
"And I ain't ready leave!"
"I guess there's only one thing left to do! AGAIN!"
"Ball so hard motherbuckers wanna fine me!"
"LET'S GO!" the musicians yelled in unison as DJ Pon3 dropped the beat.
Even the princesses got into it. This was probably the most exciting concert in Equestrian history! The biggest stars in Equestria were all on one stage performing together! Twas truly the greatest thing ever!
So I ball so hard mothabuckas wanna fine me, first ziggas gotta find me
What's 50 grand to a mothabucka like me, can you please remind me
(Ball so hard) This so crazy, y'all don't know that don't this faze me
The Nets could go 0 for 82 and I'd look at you like this so gravy
(Ball so hard) This so weird, we ain't even s'posed to be here
(Ball so hard) Since we here, it's only right that we'd be fair
Psycho: I'm liable to go Michael, take your pick
Zackson, Zyson, Zordan, Game 6
(Ball so hard) Got a broken clock, Rolleys that don't tick tock
Audemars that's losing time, hidden behind all these big rocks
(Ball so hard) I'm shocked too, I'm supposed to be locked up too
If you escaped what I've escaped, you'd be in Pearis getting bucked up too
(Ball so hard) Let's get faded, Le Meurice for like 6 days
Gold bottles, scold models, spillin' Ace on my sick J's
(Ball so hard) Mare, behave, just might let you meet 'Ye
Chi town's D. Rose, I'm moving the Nets to MH
Ball so hard mothabuckas want to fine me
(That so cray, that so cray, that so cray)
Ball so hard mothabuckas want to fine me
(That so cray, that so cray, that so cray)
She said, "'Ye, can we get married at the mall?"
I said, "Look, you need to crawl 'fore you ball
Come and meet me in the bathroom stall
And show me why you deserve to have it all."
(Ball so hard) That so cray, ain't it Jay? What she order, fish filet?
Your whip so cold - this old thing?
Act like you'll ever be around mothabuckas like this again
Bougie girl, grab my hand, buck that mare she don't wanna dance
Excuse my Prench but I'm in Prance, I'm just sayin'
Prince Williams ain't do it right if you ask me
Cause I was him, I would have married Kate and Ashley
What's Gucci, my zigga? What's Louis, my killa?
What's drugs, my dealer? What's that jacket, Margiela?
Doctors say I'm the illest, cause I'm suffering from realness
Got my ziggas in Pearis and they going gorillas, huh
I don't even know what that means
No one knows what it means, but it's provocative
No it's not, it's gross
It gets the ponies going!
Berzerker lowered the mic from his face and took in the cheers of the crowd. If his ego was a person, he would be able to destroy Equestria! Vinyl Scratch dropped the bass in a magnificent light show whilst our hero raised the mic to his face once more.
You are now watching the throne, don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone, don't let me get in my zone
These other ziggas is lyin, actin' like the summer ain't mine
(I got that hot mare in my home) You know how many hot ponies I own?
Don't let me get in my zone, don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone, don't let me get in my zone
The stars is in the building, they hands is to the ceiling
I know I'm 'bout to kill it, how you know? I got that feeling
You are now watching the throne, don't let me into my zone
Don't let me into my zone
WE DEFINITELY IN OUR ZONES!
The last line echoed throughout the festival grounds. The heavy beat had turned into a soft piano rendition as the crowd began to calm down. Zanye lifted the mic to his lips.
"Rockapony records, it's a glorious occasion!"
"Yea." Jay Zebra acknowledged.
Craigulus returned backstage with his musicians in tow. Vinyl Scratch developed a mischievous grin on her face and our hero was curious as to what she was thinking about.
"After party! Bring out the cider!"
The human decided to join in on the affairs. Who was going to get him in trouble for it? Nobody, that's who! As the night went on, the drunkenness got worse and Craigulus eventually blacked out. The last thing he remembered was Vinyl Scratch escorting him into a carriage with her and taking off. Craig came to the conclusion that he was being taken back to Twilight's place, so he just rolled with it. |
Twin Blades | Oh Dear. | Another sweet morning in Ponyville. Our hero slowly opened his eyelids as he rejoiced in his mind about the lack of nightmares. Incredibly tired, he looked up to the ceiling.
"Wait a second, this isn't a familiar roof colour!" Craigulus thought.
Looking around the room, he began to see all sorts of differences. This wasn't his room at all! The bed sheets were WAY to comfortable to be the bed that Twilight let him sleep in! Turning his head, his eyes widened and a look of pure horror developed on his face. He felt completely violated.
"Hey Craigulus. Thanks for the best night of my life yesterday. ha ha!" Vinyl Scratch lustfully laughed.
Craigulus began twitching in a strange manner. Did he seriously just do that?
"OH DEAR CELESTIA, WHY!?!?!?!?!?" the human screamed in a mix of horror and disgust.
He began picking up his clothing and twin blades. Beginning to equip his clothing, he began to stutter as he spoke to Vinyl.
"O-Okay, you m-must know that I d-didn't mean for it to be like this! All I wanted was for this t-to be a professional co-workers relationship! I really don't th-think this would work between the two of us!" Craig finished sliding on his pants.
DJ Pon3 looked down at the floor. She began to feel guilty about getting this human drunk and bringing him home with her. This probably was going to be the most awkward moment in her entire life.
"I'm sorry Berzerker, but you know what? This is just a natural part of life! Everypony gets into it someti-"
As Vinyl tried to play it off as a normal occurrence, she was cut off.
"NO, NO, NO, AND NO! I actually feel extremely violated right now! Put yourself in my shoes for a second please! If you were a human in a land full of mystical creatures, would you want to get nasty with any of them? NO! Especially if you already had a girlfriend back home! Oh dear god, i'm getting out of here!"
Our hero proceeded to run out of Vinyl Scratch's house faster than the Usain Bolt. It didn't take him too long to find Octavia drinking a cup of T-
"OH, COME ON!!!!!!" Craigulus threw his arms up in annoyance.
"What? Do you not like tea?" Octavia questioned in her British accent.
Craigulus just ignored it and ran out of the house. Upon marching halfway to Twilight's house, our warrior was ambushed by the paparazzi. Asking him tons of questions about why he decided to perform and why he went to Vinyl's house, they kept on flashing their gosh darn cameras every freaking second! This celebrity was definitely not in the mood for it.
"As the hero of Equestria, I command you to step off!" Craigulus pushed his way out of the crowd and sprinted to Twilight's house.
As he approached his destination, he noticed that Celestia and Luna were waiting for him outside the front door. Taking this opportunity to get the reporters off his back, he opened his mouth and spoke.
"If you want to take me to Canterlot, please do it now!!!!!"
Their horns began to glow and they were suddenly smack dab in the middle of a closed off Canterlot courtyard with their student. Luna began to giggle.
"It appears that this fame has got you into a jam. I know what happened last night, too! hahahahaha!" Luna nudged him in the arm.
Our hero became irritated.
"Just so you know, what happened last night was-"
"Not your fault. Trust me, this happens to everypony who gets involved with Vinyl Scratches antics. It's okay if it happened." Luna interrupted with an aggravating smirk.
"It's NOT OKAY!!!!! I GOT VIOLATED BY AN EQUINE! THAT SCARRED ME FOR LIFE!!!"
Craigulus got in such a rage, that the blue aura entangled him and his lunar eclipse form had exploded into effect. Celestia decided to calm her student down.
"My subject, do not get so worked up about this. We will not speak of it ever again, right Luna?" the princess of the sun glanced at her sister Luna with disapproving eyes.
"Of course not sister" Luna smiled awkwardly.
Celestia turned back to our hero with the tone of business in her voice.
"As the scholars at Canterlot University examined the body of the dragon you killed, or what was left of it. They discovered an odd magic emitting from its heart. The heart was unusually black with red stripes on it, and that means the dragon was under some sort of control spell. No being has ever been able to control a dragon before so this may have something to do with the God King's return."
Celestia turned to the dark blue alicorn and let her speak.
"We have called you here to introduce you to some new attack spells. As you probably already know, the magic you posses can be experimented with. For example, remember when you created the two orbs in either one of your hands and you combined them to make a single, larger orb? You could probably make that orb larger with your energy beam! It is actually good that you have your lunar eclipse form ready for this because that was going to be part of the training." Luna explained.
Luna backed away slowly with Celestia. She assumed that the first try would probably backfire on her student.
"So when the two orbs are combined, you have to get that magic flowing through your arms like when you pulled off your first energy beam. Once you feel the energy in your wrists do not unleash it violently! All you have to do is let the energy slide into your hands and gently out of your palms. That way, the magical energy will pour solely into the orb. I don't know how stressful it will be for you, but keep going until you can't take it anymore! By the way, you should probably power up before hand so you can pour everything you have into this. Push your limits because it is the only way you'll get stronger!" Celestia explained as thoroughly as she could.
Nodding, our hero unleashed his lunar aura and began pouring up. Every time he powered up it was easier on his body. Same goes for his lunar eclipse form because he only had to be irritated, not be in pain or angered, to go lunar. the first minute of powering up was fine, but he began to feel the stress after awhile. Feeling the pressure on his body, he began grinding his teeth in frustration. After a few more seconds it became so intense that he began grunting in pain.
"You're doing great! Just keep going! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!"
Luna cheered on her dearest student, hoping that her words would reach Craigulus Twinblade so he could continue powering up. It had seemed to work like a charm.
"You're right! I need. MORE. ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Beginning to scream, he realized that he was beginning to see some sort of vision. It was the wolf again! This time, he finished howling at the moon and jumped off the rock. The wolf began running through the woods again, except the whole scene was now disappearing! The woods began to grow brighter and brighter and after a while all that was left was the dark blue wolf. The warrior snapped out of it once again, realizing that the dark blue aura had grown stronger. Thinking he had reached his limits, he stopped powering up. Flying up to a nearby window, he examined himself in its faint reflection.
"Wow! Somehow, I've reached another new form! It isn't entirely different though, its just that my hair and some other features look full of this awesome energy!"
Luna smiled as she began to explain to her student.
"Well, it is still lunar eclipsed. What you are experiencing is the fact that you are fully powered up! Congratulations! You have already set the new limits of your power! I'm so proud of you!" Luna swooned.
Our hero's eyes widened. Never feeling so powerful before, he began the second part of his training. He flapped his wings and ascended high into the sky whilst preparing the two magic orbs the size of a basketball. The warrior came to a sudden halt mid-air and combined the two energy orbs, holding it high above his head.
"Now pour everything you have into the orb!" Celestia asked in a surprisingly demanding voice.
Acknowledging the command, our hero began the next step. Feeling the energy run through his arms, he slipped the energy into the orb as much as he could. The ball grew much bigger every second and before long, it was probably as tall as the Canterlot Palace and as wide as, something! It actually was tiring letting the energy go into the orb as Craig began to feel and look weak.
"Are you okay up there, Craigulus Twinblade?" Luna looked concerned.
Craigulus looked down on the princess of the night.
"Yes, i'm fine but I think i'm getting rather weak so I think it is time for me to stop!" Craigulus lowered his arms as he spoke.
The citizens of the city looked up at the massive, dark blue energy that permeated most of the sky. Craigulus looked at the rulers with a face that screamed, 'what now?'
"You can absorb that ball back into you, or you can throw it at your enemies!" Exclaimed Celestia.
Craigulus got confused. Why would you want to put out so much energy, then absorb it again? It seemed like a big waste of time to the human.
"Why would you just put out energy preparing for an attack, then absorb that same energy again?" Our hero asked the princesses.
"If you leave that orb in the sky, no one but you will be able to touch it. It burns anyone that touches it! So if you keep it there and generate more energy, you could use the new energy and absorb the old. Thus, creating a powerful 'Destruction Beam'!" Celestia educated her student further.
Craigulus was completely astounded as he imagined how much destruction he could deliver to his enemies! It all seemed so amusing that he could get this powerful! lifted his hands back onto the gigantic orb, then absorbed it with ease. It felt good to feel so powerful again! Sadly, all good things must come to an end as he began to descend to the ground and let his lunar eclipse subside. Celestia and Luna bumped hooves as a way of complimenting each other on teaching and Celestia turned around to walk toward the palace. As the front doors were shut, Craig's stomach began to growl.
"Luna? Could I get some food around here? I'm absolutely starving!" Our hero grabbed his stomach.
"Sure! Would you like a meatball sub with a glass of imported wine from Prance?" Luna offered.
Our hero's face brightened up at the sound of a meatball sub.
"Heck yea! Wait a second, how do you know meatball subs are my most favorite sub ever?" Craigulus asked as they began walking to the kitchen.
"Last night you dreamed about them and how good they were." Luna giggled slightly.
"I guess that's another way of doing it." the human shrugged.
Craigulus then thought about the wine. What did that mean?
"Oh and about the wine-"
"Don't worry, i'm not Vinyl Scratch!" Luna inturrupted.
Laughing, they both entered the front doors and proceeded to the kitchen to eat their lunch.
"How is he becoming so much more powerful so quickly?" Galaxia whispered in awe as she looked into the universal mirror.
"I don't know, my Queen. This is really good for his chances of beating the God King though!" the griffon god smiled.
"Well, I suppose your right Griffthor." Galaxia turned to the all-powerful griffon and smiled nervously.
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck Galaxia down. As she hit the stone floor, Griffthor helped her back up and supported her until she could stand properly again.
"What just happened, my Queen?" Griffthor grew concerned for the queen of the universe.
Coughing violently, she turned and stared at the griffon with horror in her eyes. Griffthor immediately knew what she was about to say.
"The God King has gathered his army. He is on his way to Equestria as we speak! I must alert Celestia, Luna, and Craigulus Twinblade at once, for the darkest storm in history is soon to be on their doorstep!"
Griffthor was struck with pain immediately as Galaxia finished her warnings.
"NOOOO!!!!!! HE IS SENDING HIS ARMY TOWARD THE NORTH OF THE GRIFFON KINGDOMS! HE IS GOING TO TEAR RIGHT THROUGH TO EQUESTRIA FROM THERE! I MUST SEND A VISION TO KING GRIFFIAM AT ONCE!!!!
As Griffthor yelled, the lightning struck mount Haven with such force that the ground shook violently.
Craigulus and Luna were sitting in the princess of the night's bedchamber having lunch. Discussing various things such as the way humans worked in their society, Equestrian history, and what the various meditation sessions have shown to our hero. As Craigulus gulped down some of his wine he began to feel strange. Luna took notice of this.
"Are you okay?" she tilted her head.
Craigulus fell out of his seat and blacked out. The next thing he saw made him shake in fear. He was standing across from the one-winged God King in the middle of a burning Ponyville. In his hands rested his spear and shield.
"Here I come, Craigulus Twinblade! The beginning of the end of the world is right on its way! My army will crush any and ALL opposition that dares challenge my supreme power! the God King spoke in a deep and rough voice that echoed throughout the burning town.
Craigulus regained his composure and addressed the God King with a threatening roar.
"My destiny is to slay you! You aren't meant to win because I have embraced a magic known as the-"
"THE LUNAR ECLIPSE FORM IS NOTHING COMPARED TO HOW POWERFUL I HAVE BECOME, MORTAL! BY THE WAY, NOT ALL HEROES ARE DESTINED TO SUCCEED. SIR CANTER DID NOT DIE BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF HIS DESTINY! GALAXIA'S PLAN HAD FAILED AND SHE NEVER TOLD HER CHILDREN OR THE HEROES THE TRUTH! SHE HAS BEEN LYING THIS WHOLE TIME, IDIOT!
Craigulus didn't believe a word he was saying. Our hero unsheathed his blades and began to sprint toward his adversary.
"Shut up, right now!"
Just before the swords hit the God King's neck, he disappeared into thin air. The entity of the King began to laugh.
Fool. You won't even listen to the truth anymore. You've been brainwashed, human. Simply brainwashed.
Just as darkness closed in on Craigulus, he awoke in his bed with a gasp. Luna had been watching over him the whole time. Craigulus felt a wave of raw emotion wash over him as he arose to hug Luna. Our hero began to cry in the arms of the dark blue alicorn.
"Do not worry, my student. We will figure something out."
A single tear rushed down Luna's cheek and dropped to the floor. |
Twin Blades | The Griffon Council | The next day, Craigulus Twinblade, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, and the bearers of harmony were summoned to an emergency meeting in the griffon city of Gryphus. Upon arrival, our hero noticed the striking similarities the griffon culture had with Norse mythology. Griffons seemed to believe that their god had a hammer just like Thor, the Norse god of storms. Their soldiers also donned the same armor that the viking warriors of old used. Weapons of choice seemed to be a mix of axes and swords. As Craigulus and the gang approached the entrance of the city in their carriage, they heard the sound of a horn. The horn was low-pitched and it seemed to vibrate in ones ears. The city seemed to bear some resemblance to the city of Erebor from the Lord of the Rings series. Craigulus was in awe at the sheer size of the entrance alone. As they touched down in front of the city, a giant griffon with a mighty black beard and a crown on his head greeted the Equestrian representatives.
"Celestia! You made it, and you brought the Crystal princess and her husband! Cadence and Shining armor, may the blessings of Griffthor be upon you all!"
All of the leaders and heroes had began bowing to each other in respect. Celestia knew that this was the first real meeting between Equestria and the Griffon Kingdoms since the 'Griffon Aggression War' thousands of years ago, so she really didn't want to make a bad impression. Especially in a time where the whole world was at stake!
"And may the love and friendship of my mother Galaxia protect the Griffon Kingdoms, King Griffiam Wallace the Seventh!" Celestia bowed.
The griffon king looked over Celestia's mane and spotted the human he had been hearing about. A look of anger had developed on his face and he stomped over toward Craigulus, grasping his massive axe. Our hero was stunned as the king looked him in the eye.
"Y-You! Do you know anything about my grandfather? Do you remember killing him!?"
The human didn't know what to say. He just stood there, stunned.
"Griffiam, It couldn't have been him! He only just arrived a week ago!" Luna stepped in front of our hero to protect him.
The griffon king calmed down and stepped away from our hero. He turned around and pointed forward, signaling for the leaders and heroes to follow him to the grand hall. He never said another word for awhile. Craigulus shook his head over how bizarre that was. As they all began walking, our hero nudged Luna to get her attention.
"Yo, what's up with him?"
Luna turned her head back at Craig as they walked through the semi-crowded mountain city.
"King Griffiam's grandfather was apparently killed by a human. Since then, the royal family has been hunting for him. No one is even sure that it was a human though, it could have been something else. King Griffiam's father was the only witness that claimed it was a human."
Craigulus nearly stopped at that. Is he the third human in Equestrian history now? Whatever, he couldn't think about that right now. He had a meeting to think about.
Haven was having it's own meeting at the moment. Galaxia was speaking to the heroes about whether or not to help Craigulus develop enough magic power within a week to defeat the God King. Commander Hurricane spoke out against Galaxia's proposal.
"Your godliness, wouldn't this technically be breaking the rules that you originally made? No one in Haven is aloud to go back to the mortal world and that includes you and Griffthor! Isn't the human supposed to win anyway?" The old pegasus pointed out.
Princess Platinum, the deceased unicorn co-founder of Equestria, acknowledged the commander.
"Yes, he is supposed to win! There is no need to worry because this is all part of your big plan Galaxia! Isn't it?"
The universal alicorn stood in place, frozen. She had been keeping secrets for so long and she knew that if the truth got out, many would question their loyalty to her. The consequences could be catastrophic! She began to stutter as she spoke. Their was only one answer that she could give.
"W-well, I guess your right. This meeting is officially adjourned!"
As everypony left the room, Galaxia and Griffthor returned to the universal mirror. Watching the meeting in Gryphus, the all-powerful mother began to speak to herself.
"I can't do anything to help you. I just hope that you can do this all yourself, Craigulus Twinblade."
"I received a vision from mighty Griffthor. He told me that we have five days to prepare for the God King's onslaught."
Griffiam pulled out a map and placed his talon on the shore north of the Griffon Kingdoms.
"An army of un-dead centaurs and alicorns will rise out from under the water there and once the God King has prepared his battle formations, he will proceed destroy every village, town, and city that his army comes across. Eventually, he will choose to move on and go south through the wilds and into the small pass separating the Drackenridge Mountains to prepare his assault of Equestria. Griffthor also told me that he would consider bypassing Gryphus. I propose that we evacuate all the places up north of Gryphus and send all the women and children into the deep catacombs of Gryphus to protect them. During the evacuation process, the combined forces of Equestria and The Griffon Kingdoms will prepare for a defense of this fair city. We just need to find out how to attract the God King here, are there any suggestions as to how we can do that?"
Every griffon and pony in the room looked at each other, hoping someone would come up with something. It was a long, precarious silence. Everyone began to stare at our hero for guidance.
"Craigulus Twinblade, you have not spoken this entire meeting! Do you have something to contribute?" Griffiam pressured.
Craigulus knew deep down, that he was number one on the God King's hit list. Knowing that the evil god would stop at nothing to eliminate him, the human rose to his feet and slammed his palm on the table.
"I have already seen the face of the enemy. He knows that I am the one who is supposed to kill him and he is probably watching me as I speak. In order to attract the God King to this fair city, I will have to join you in it's defense! It wouldn't hurt to have the bearers of harmony and the princesses suit up for battle either!" Craigulus declared.
Without thinking twice, King Griffiam Wallace the Seventh rose to his feet and placed his talons flat on the stone table.
"If he is sure about this, then let it be! All leaders and heroes here today say AYE!"
A chorus of 'ayes' traveled throughout the group and they all put their talons and hooves on the table as they concluded the meeting. Shining Armor turned his eyes to the king.
"My wife and I would be honored to provide you with our services during the fight. We can also provide the entire army of the Crystal Empire as reinforcements!" the brother of Twilight insisted that he would help.
Every being in the room nodded and returned to their business. It would appear that Craigulus would have to use his time wisely and prepare for the fight of his life! As he proceeded toward the carriage that would take him and his friends back to Canterlot, only one thought crossed his mind.
"I may not be ready to fight you God King, but you can damn well count on a fierce fight."
Later that night, the carriage was set down in the closed off courtyard. Only the princesses, and the human were left on it.
"Celestia, will we have a training session tomorrow?" Craigulus asked, hoping that the answer would be what he wanted to hear.
Celestia turned to our hero and nodded with a smile.
"Yes, we will. Do not worry." Celestia and Luna walked into the palace as she confirmed the answer.
The human sat down on the steps of Canterlot and unsheathed his blades. The visions were becoming a drug to our hero, he was absolutely addicted to it now! The first order of business, get Sir Canter to confess to who killed that griffon king.
"Okay, Canter. Spill out the truth! I know that Jebediah is still alive and I bet you know too!"
"He is dead! Okay!?!?! Do I have to explain it further? He was ripped apart by a manticore! There is no way he can be alive!" Sir Canter enforced his beliefs.
Craigulus began meditating and before long, he was inside the log house of Starswirl the Bearded. It would appear that this was near the time of his death, seeing as Starswirl's breath was heavy and aggressive. In walked Jebediah and finally, he was fully noticeable. Long hair, some sort of club hanging from his back, a type of fedora made of straw, and a heavy Australian accent.
"Okay mate, I'm tired of you and your obsession with Equestria! I'm leaving to help the entire world instead of just these equines!" Jebediah sounded tired of doing his master's bidding.
The unicorn slammed his hoof against the table.
"You're just going to leave me!? I bet you don't even have a signed paper from Celestia!"
Jebediah reached into his pocket and unfurled the scroll containing the permission to leave.
"Sorry mate, don't take this personally but I'm tired of your constant racism! There are other countries in need of saving too, you know that? Maybe if you had just put that hatred aside, you would've been able to pass Celestia's tests." Jebediah walked out the door and slammed it behind him.
The memory ended there. Astonished, our hero fell back on the stone ground.
"Oh my god. He's alive!"
"So you know the truth then, eh?" Sir Canter sighed with guilt lingering in his voice.
Craigulus didn't respond. He didn't want to waste precious sleeping time.
Training still had to be done.
"Celestia?"
"Yes, Luna?"
"Are you sure that this whole defense of Gryphus is going to work out according to plan? Craigulus isn't even powerful enough to take on such a powerful being like the God King."
Celestia looked out of the window of her bedchamber, thinking about the lives that were going to be lost in this coming war. Equestria had not been in a fully blown war since the day's of Discord, so she honestly didn't know what was going to happen.
"I cannot guarantee what will happen sister, all I know is that Craigulus is more powerful than either of us. I believe he will be able to unleash his full potential though." Celestia began to smile with hope in her eyes.
Luna's face brightened up. It was always refreshing to hear her elder sister's positiveness.
"I guess you are right, Celestia."
Luna then thought about how he would unleash his full potential and she came to the conclusion that since this was predestined to happen, Craigulus would just force himself to become even stronger than ever! He needs to ascend to the solar eclipse form soon, or he is never going to defeat the fallen centaur.
The next morning, Craigulus began training early. With a book at his side, he began his studies of magic with a way to trap an enemy within a force field. Attempting to trap the blades, he began grinding his teeth.
"I have to do this!" the hero screamed in pure concentration.
The stress of learning a new spell never got easier as time went on. It just kept on getting harder as time passed! Craigulus had been testing this new spell for what seemed like ages and he was finally on the verge of learning it. The force field spell had almost taken effect on the blades at this point, our hero just needed a little more energy put into it.
"Come on, come on, come on....YES!"
Craigulus placed his hands at his sides. He had made a bubble shield around his swords and it wasn't collapsing on him this time!
"Okay, time to test its durability!"
The human unleashed a barrage of energy orbs upon the magic shield. Surviving the barrage for fifteen seconds, the energy shield finally broke.
"Okay, now to power up to lunar eclipse form and do a power-up endurance test!"
Just as the blue aura entangled him, Craigulus saw Luna enter the courtyard. She was carrying with her a tiny notebook with a quill.
"Good morning, Craig! It seems your dedication to your studying has risen quite a bit." Luna acknowledged.
Craigulus looked at the alicorn and gave a slight laugh as he transformed in a flash. It had become extremely easy to maintain the lunar eclipse form as of late but he found it impossible to ascend to the next level. He knew there was something beyond lunar eclipse, but he couldn't seem to reach it. As he continued powering up, Celestia made her appearance next to Luna.
"Keep powering up Craigulus, your going great!"
Craigulus wasn't even breaking a sweat, he was already used to powering up. Before long he reached full power and couldn't power up anymore.
"Can you go any farther than that?" Celestia raised an eyebrow.
Craigulus bowed his head.
"Sadly, no. If I try to go any farther, it won't let me for some odd reason." Craigulus shrugged.
Luna started to jump up and down, encouraging Craigulus to continue on.
"Come on, student! You can do this! I believe in you!" Luna screamed in joyous encouragement.
Craigulus looked deep down inside himself and made the decision.
"Sure, why not?"
Getting into the pose he needed to be in, he began trying his hardest to power up. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't ascend. Sometimes he would be teased when his visions would slightly appear before him only to be cut off. Sometimes his hair would begin to change colour as well, but it would never fully develop into the solar form that he was aiming for. Our hero felt as if something was missing from the process, he felt needed an extra push to be more powerful than ever before. He descended from the sky, let his lunar form subside, and shook his head in disappointment.
"Darn it! I'll never reach the solar form! I need to get there though or else my chances at victory are slim to none!"
Our hero became frustrated and he proceeded to teleport to his room. He needed some time for meditation.
"Sir Canter?"
"Yea? What do you want?"
"I'm sorry for asking you about Jebediah so much. I know he was dead from your perspective but I was just so obsessed with fitting all the missing pieces from these visions together that I had disregarded your feelings on the subject. I know he was a brother to you and it must have been tough recalling your last moments of seeing him."
After apologizing, Craigulus unsheathed his blades and closed his eyes.
"It is okay, warrior. I guess the question now is, how did he survive that manticore?"
"I guess we'll never know." Craigulus threw his arms in the air.
This time it took a longer time than usual to pull a memory from the swords but it was worth the wait as Craigulus could now see out of the eyes of a certain unicorn wizard. Who was currently speaking to a young, pink haired Celestia.
"So you and Luna are just going to arrive at the battle against Discord?"
"Yes, our mother commands it! And besides, she also thinks that this is the best way to introduce ourselves to the Equestrian ponies as their leader."
"Where will you be?"
Luna gestured toward the forest.
"Oh, I see." Starswirl the Bearded smiled.
The memory ended there. Maybe it wasn't worth the wait. Oh well, it could have been worse. |
Twin Blades | A Week Has Nearly Passed...... | "My liege, your forces have all marched out of the water and onto this frozen beach. When shall we advance through these pitiful Griffon Kingdoms?"
Deep in thought, the God King turned to his most trusted servant and gave his command.
"We must give them a little more time, Iskandar. I know it sounds strange at the moment, but I don't think we need to go just yet. I still have to wait about a day or two so I can prepare myself for my own personal battle."
Iskandar was, and still is the greatest commander in the ranks of the God King's armies. The un-dead centaur had been fighting on the island of Elir at the time of his master's death. When he heard his master's commands he would normally follow them without question, but this time he was a little curious.
"Master, with all due respect I must ask. What is this 'personal battle' your talking about?"
The fallen king of the Centaurs would have snapped if he didn't have so much respect for the commander. Turning to Iskandar, he began to speak.
"I have been watching Craigulus in my meditations and it seems that he has planned to make a stand in the city of Gryphus. As you probably know, I was going to forget about that city and march straight into Equestria. The plans must change though, I cannot pass up this opportunity to destroy the so-called 'hero' of Equestria!"
The God King turned around to view his massive army and a long, precarious silence began. Two minutes passed and Iskandar broke the silence.
"I will tell the troops we will leave in the morning. If you want, you can take over and command the troops yourself."
A spear was suddenly pointed toward the commander's neck.
"Do you really think I need permissionto take over?!" The scar-eyed spirit bellowed.
Iskandar with his mighty white hair, shook his head.
"Good...Return to your duties!"
As Iskandar left, the God King closed his eyes and returned to deep thought. The more he thought about the human, the more the God King laughed. Does this sixteen-year-old boy really have what it takes? Does Galaxia even know what she is doing? Is the hero even capable of ascending to solar eclipse form?
"HA! I think not!"
In Ponyville, the human was wrapping up the first ever hockey game in Equestrian history. To our hero's pleasant surprise, the game was an instant hit with the citizens! It was refreshing to feel like he was back home in Canada, even though the players were clearly not humans. As everypony trotted home, Luna flew into the scene.
"Craig, we need to go to Gryphus and prepare for the assault! The God King is marching his army tomorrow morning and the forces have all gathered there just in time!" Luna was extremely anxious.
Craigulus nodded and ran around town gathering the bearers of the elements of harmony. After gathering his friends, Luna transported them to Gryphus by carriage. By the time the sun rose into the sky, they had arrived.
"How are the refugees? Are they all inside of the catacombs?" Twilight questioned the princess of the night.
Luna responded with a hint of urgency in her voice.
"Yes, but right now we need to prepare the troops. Equestrian soldiers aren't used to defending griffon cities, so we must learn from Griffiam's armies about how they fight."
As they proceeded through the city, our hero noticed how frantic the soldiers of the triple-alliance were. Every pony and griffon was doing some sort of training. The shouting of the commanding officers rang through the halls of Gryphus and eventually, our hero began getting nervous.
"How much farther until we reach the meeting room?" Craigulus asked with butterflies in his stomach.
Luna turned her head back to the human.
"Not much farther. In fact, it is just around this corner."
The alicorn, the human, and the bearers of harmony turned around that corner and entered the steel doors. Celestia, Griffiam, princess Cadence, and Shining Armor all sat around the table. It appears they were already talking amongst themselves.
"Ahh, it appears the rest of the group has arrived! Take a seat so we can discuss this coming defense!" Griffiam spoke in a joyful tone.
The whole gang proceeded to sit down and let the meeting continue. Celestia was the first to speak.
"We have two full days to prepare for the God King's arrival. The entirety of all our armies have arrived here so we can not lose. If we do lose, then we have failed to save the world." Celestia fearfully spoke.
Craigulus then rose to his feet.
"We can't lose though! I'm destined to save everybody, right? Why fear the loss if we are destined to claim victory!?"
This sounded logical to the council, but in Haven Galaxia shook her head in frustration.
"No!!!! Curse me and my eternity of lies!" She thought to herself.
The council looked over at Craig and disapproved his comment.
"The prophecy may say that you are destined to win, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared!" Celestia objected.
Our hero knew his teacher was right. Nodding, he sat down slowly. The room went into a state of silence once again and after a long period of time, Rainbow Dash stood up.
"Well, I don't know about you guys but I love Craigulus's enthusiasm! I have plans myself for this defense strategy! What needs to happen is that the Canterlot guards need to form a shield wall in front of the closed iron gates. Once the gates are finally torn open, the Crystal Empire's archers in the back will send a massive wave of arrows down upon the enemy. The Equestrian shield wall is one of the most efficient, deadly, and well thought out battle strategies in history!"
The whole room had began to listen to the rainbow-maned pegasus. Griffiam stood up and spoke in a rough tone.
"What about magic? Can your shield wall hold out against that?" Griffiam Wallace slammed his axe onto the table.
"Yes" Celestia spoke. "But when it comes down to it, our soldiers can only withstand the barrage for so long. I do understand that you have your griffon berserks willing to enter the fray, right? We could always have them burst forth from the shield wall every so often during the battle to send a wave of fear and death over our enemies!" Celestia began to smile at her own brilliance.
"Good idea! But my only question to you is, can the dead sense fear?"
After Griffiam's question, Celestia didn't feel so brilliant.
"I do not know." she whispered.
Luna and the human rose to their feet and roared in unison.
"Then we shall teach them to sense fear!"
The entire hall looked at the duo with proud smiles on their faces. Griffiam began to speak.
"If the need to withdraw arises, we shall defend the town square!"
Twilight began to stutter as she began.
"Wh-What if the defense of the town square fails?"
Fear overtook the room once again. Before the silence could go on too long, Luna broke it.
"Then we shall fall back to the entrance of the catacombs and use a teleportation spell to bring the survivors to Canterlot."
Griffiam had a look of frustration on his face.
"What about my people?!?!"
Celestia bowed her head in sorrow.
"I'm sorry, but if the need arises we can only teleport the remaining troops. We could never save the entire griffon race that quickly. We could probably save a few though."
Those last few words put Griffiam's mind at ease. He knew that if he failed his species, the princesses would always be there to save them from extinction. Sure they would be endangered, but that's better than being dead!
"We shall fight then."
The company of leaders and heroes raised their fists and hooves to the air as they began to proudly chant the battle cry of the triple alliance.
"For Equestria, The Griffon Kingdoms, and the Crystal Empire!"
Night had fallen upon the mountain of Gryphus. Craigulus Twinblade made his way out of the giant entrance and sat in the thin layer of snow. As he looked out over the valley below, he began to think about the battle plan he learned that day. If things got out of control during the battle at the front gates, They would have to retreat into the city square. If that would fail, then they would have to fight for their lives back in front of the small catacombs entrance where the refugees were currently living. Celestia and Luna would have to charge up a huge teleportation spell that would spare the remaining soldiers. Deep in his heart, our hero knew that it wouldn't come to that because he would find a way to destroy the God King right then and there! While deep in thought he heard a familiar voice.
"Hello, my student."
Luna stood with her head in the moonlight. Her mane was flowing so gracefully that Craigulus just sat in awe. As Craigulus came to his senses, Luna glanced at him and laughed.
"Enjoying the view I see? I have been told before that I look the most beautiful at night, you know?"
Craigulus looked back down on the country.
"Yea, I guess they're right." Craigulus's tone was softer.
Luna blushed at her crush's compliment. A silence ensued before Craigulus spoke in a worrisome manner.
"Luna? What if something happens to somepony during battle? What if one of my friends.....What if they?- What if?"
Luna wrapped her student in her wing, thus interrupting him.
"Death is something we all endure. I've been around for thousands of years so of course, I know the pain of loss all too well. I once knew a young, blind pegasus who showed the world that the winter season is useful. Her point was that no matter how dark or cold it was, it was still a beautiful thing. I cried so much when she passed on, but I know that there has to be a special spot in Haven for her." Luna let a single tear drop from her eyes as she reminisced.
Craigulus instantly knew who she was talking about and rose to his feet.
"Luna, I've heard about her before. I would have to say that if Galaxia never let her into Haven, she would be insane!" Craigulus embraced the princess of the night.
"Craigulus, if any of us die in this coming battle then I will take revenge on the murderer no matter who he is." Rainbow dash surprisingly soared next to him.
Craigulus began to laugh.
"Oh, Dash. Your freaking cool, but I know that you already know that!"
As they all laughed, they turned to walk back to their living quarters. Luna and the rest joked and laughed long into the night. Not all was well in the blue alicorn's mind though, as she thought about another horrid possibility.
"What if you die though, my love?"
The God King opened his eyes.
"Hmmmm, so you would be affected if one of your friends died? This could prove to be a nasty weakness for you then!"
The God King turned around to view his massive force.
"ONWARD, TO GRYPHUS! LEAVE NONE ALIVE! TO WAR MY BROTHERS!"
The entire force stretched as far as his eyes could see. They all continued the grand march to the griffon capitol. The fallen king turned forward with a look of hatred in his eyes.
"Craigulus, from the very moment you set foot in this world your fate was sealed. You cannot compare to the likes of the God King!"
Galaxia averted her eyes from the universal mirror. With fury in her eyes, she grew confident in the human.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with, my love." |
Twin Blades | The Storm Is Coming! | Everything seemed like a blur to Craigulus. It seemed that it was just yesterday when he found out he was a hero, but now he was standing as a pillar of inspiration to all Equestrians. On the day before the attack, Our hero was made into a commander, and was assigned to lead the training sessions. The day was long, and hard. Teaching the regiments of ponies and griffons was costly to his energy and, after a long day, Craigulus finally gathered the entire army of the triple alliance into the vast town square. Looking out from atop the steps of the king's hall, he began to lead the chant.
"Ponies! Griffons! Why do you fight?!"
The zealous soldiers erupted into a unified chant.
"TO PROTECT THE WORLD!"
"Who do you fight for!?"
"THE PRINCESSES, THE KING, AND THE UNIVERSAL QUEEN!"
The human took a deep breath.
"WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION!?!?!?!"
"WAR! WAR! WAR!"
The echo of the chant rung throughout the underground city. Our hero smirked and turned to face the rulers and heroes behind him.
"How do you like the chant, my friends?"
A series of nods came from the rulers and heroes of the world. Without wasting time, The dual-wielding warrior faced the force of ten thousand fighters. After clearing his throat, he began his speech.
"My friends, tomorrow is the most important day in not just Equestrian history, but world history as well! When the sun rises tomorrow, we will be standing as brothers and sisters in arms!"
The crowd cut off our hero as they cheered throughout the halls of Gryphus. Our hero raised his right hand to signal for silence.
"In my studies as the apprentice of Celestia and Luna, I have noticed that there has always been a certain degree of hostility between ponies and griffons. As I kept on learning about the battle tactics of both cultures, I started to imagine what would happen if we all joined forces. In the recent turn of events, we are forced to become a unified army! As I look out on the various friendships that bridge the gap between cultures, I think about how sweet it will be when we win against the worlds biggest threat!"
Craigulus unsheathed the soulless blade and raised it to the stone roof of the city.
"My friends! Tomorrow, the soul of the God King will rest in this blade! Go rest, for when we rise, we shall fight and die as true warriors!"
The army let out an uproarious applause as our hero and his friends proceeded into the meeting hall. The human was the last one in, so he shut the door behind himself.
"Well then, how was that for a morale boosting speech!?" Craigulus smirked in a cocky manner.
Celestia was not impressed by the egotistical manners of her student. Turning her head toward Craigulus, she shot a disapproving glare.
"Craigulus Twinblade! Stop letting your ego control you and take things seriously! We could all die tomorrow!"
Our hero was surprised by Celestia's sudden change of moods. Normally, she would be way nicer to him but that was way out of the ordinary to him.
"Sorry. I should think before I speak, I guess."
Feeling clouds of anger in his head, the human almost said something a little more aggressive. Instead, Luna stepped in to defend her crush.
"Sister, just because you don't like his personality, it doesn't mean you should speak to him so unprofessionally! Show some respect to the hero!" Luna stomped her hoof.
Tension rose in the room. As the elder sister and the princess of the night stared each other down, everyone else in the room watched it. Griffiam Wallace the Seventh interrupted the stand-off to try and calm the sisters down.
"With all due respect, we have some last-minute preparations to-"
"Silence, griffon! This is an Equestrian matter here so it has nothing to do with the likes of you!" Celestia snarled.
"Umm, could everypony please stop yelling? I mean, if that's okay with you?" Fluttershy squeaked.
Soon enough, everyone joined in the argument. Everyone, except for Craig. The bearers of the elements of harmony had began to complain among themselves about various things, the princesses and the king were complaining about Celestia's behavior, and the Crystal princess and Shining Armor were having a couples argument. Craigulus concluded that he needed to stop this because it clearly wasn't going to help in the task at hand. He tried getting the attention of his comrades, but every time he tried, he would just be interrupted or ignored all together. Anger took over his mind.
"EVERYONE SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!!!!!!!!"
In an explosion of light, the magical aura returned to him and lunar eclipse form helped grab everyone's attention. The whitened eyes stunned those who looked into them.
"Well then, now that I have everybody's attention, I can speak."
The lunar eclipsed human let his form subside and continued on.
"I have never seen so much division among you guys! What is your problem? I can't help it if I go on and say my own cocky stuff, but why would you get so riled up about it, Celestia!?"
Guilt took the solar princess by storm and she bowed her head in shame.
"And Luna, why did you talk back to your elder sister? Last time I checked, you didn't have the right to tell her to respect people! You are the younger sister so she doesn't necessarily need to listen to your orders!"
Luna closed her eyes and frowned.
"I'm sorry for my own shenanigans too, but Griffiam is right! We need to prepare for tomorrow or the world will be destroyed! I did not come all the way to Equestria and become a hero just to fail in my quest!"
The room was completely silenced once again. Craigulus had done his job as Celestia came forward and apologized for her antics.
"I'm deeply sorry for how I acted. I know the time of battle is near, but I have just been so stressed the past few days and I just couldn't hold it in anymore."
Craigulus marched forward and gently placed his right hand on Celestia's mane.
"You are forgiven, princess."
The rest of the meeting wasn't all that eventful, it was mostly going over the same battle-plan and assigning everyone to their roles in the battle. Craigulus was in charge of fighting on the front line with the Equestrian shield wall, Griffiam Wallace was in charge of fighting alongside the griffon berserks, Shining Armor was in charge of leading the swift soldiers of the Crystal Empire in the event of a quick hit-and-run, and the bearers of harmony were supposed to stand atop the hammer on the monument of Griffthor preparing their big magic attacks. The three alicorns would stay in the battle with the archers, firing magic as time went on. Everything seemed to be in place, so the meeting concluded and everyone left. Before Craigulus proceeded to stroll to his temporary chamber in Gryphus, he saw Rainbow Dash crying in a corner of the meeting hall. Feeling sorry for her, our hero slowly approached the rainbow-maned mare.
"Dash, are you okay?"
Noticing the voice, Rainbow rose to her hooves and put on a fake expression of determination.
"Ohh, I'm fine! What makes you ask? I'm completely okay, trust me!"
"Then why were you crying?"
Rainbow Dash knew it was impossible to fake her emotions now, so she sat back down and let the tears flow once again. She began stuttering as she explained herself.
"i'm crying because- because I- I'm afraid of dying!"
Craigulus, who knew all to well the fear of death, attempted to calm the mare with a smile.
"Well, let me tell you something. I'm afraid of that too!"
Dash looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes while sniffling just a little bit.
"Really? I thought I would've been the only one in the group aside from Fluttershy!"
Craigulus looked away.
"Nope, your not the only one. I guess it feels better to be aware of other people afraid of death, huh?"
Rainbow dash lowered her head and stared at the ground.
"I guess, It still is really scary to me though. I wish I would be protected by someone or something during this fight."
Craigulus knew what she was hinting at, but would it be wise to do that? Knowing he might die if he were to constantly protect one mare, he decided that he should do it anyway. Proceeding to go on one knee to be level with Rainbow, he put his hand on her head.
"Rainbow Dash, if you are put in harms way, I will save you. If you want, you can stand at my side the entire battle. You will not die in this battle Dash."
The pegasus began to embrace the hero.
"Thank you, Craigulus Twinblade. You really are one of the most honorable beings I've ever known!"
Rainbow Dash and our hero made their exit out of the meeting hall. Their chambers were in opposite directions so they had to leave each other immediately.
"Craigulus?"
"Yea"
"If you so much as hint to this happening ever again, i'm going to kick you in the face with my hind legs so hard that your jaw will break."
Craigulus should have known she would say something.
"Okay Rainbow Dash!"
Laughing, the human gave her a salute as he walked away. This was a night that he needed to get some sleep because tomorrow was going to be the greatest day of his life. Tomorrow, his destiny as a hero was going to be fulfilled!
The God King hovered over the ground in his legless incarnation, bent on reaching the city of Gryphus by dawn. Iskandar had been trotting next to him, his guts slightly hanging out of his un-dead body. The God King glanced at him while deep in thought.
"Iskandar!"
"Yes, my master?"
"I am feeling particularly generous. Tomorrow, I want you to kill the human for me. Just remember that, before killing him, you need to kill the rainbow-maned pegasus next to him. While I was watching him just now, he swore protection to Rainbow Dash. Can you imagine the emotional torment he would suffer? I bet he wouldn't be able to fight! I want you to kill them both ever so painfully!"
Iskandar was about to question his commander yet again, this is the first time in his centuries of existence that he actually disagreed with his master's tactics. He had to disagree with him.
"Master, with all due respect, Shouldn't we just kill her quickly and painlessly? We shouldn't put the kid through more torment than he has too, it's kind of barbari-"
The black, flaming hand of the fallen god grasped the neck of the commander.Proceeding to raise his servant into the air, the God King threw his fist into Iskandar's face, thus asserting his dominance.
"Ohh, Iskandar. Why oh why would you be questioning me? You have been my most trusted servant for centuries and just now you start questioning my orders? You better keep your mouth shut and do as I say, GOT IT!?!?"
Iskandar, whom was forced to agree with his master, was thrust down into the dirt.
"By the way, if you fail in killing them tomorrow, consider your life forfeit!"
Iskandar lifted himself off the snow-covered ground as he watched his superior go on without him. Deep within his mind, he cursed at his king. He had been taking his nonsense for centuries and he almost had enough, but now was not the time for hatred, he had a fight to prepare for.
The morning sun rose and the light permeated the mountains of the Griffon Kingdoms. Luna woke up Craigulus frantically and our hero rose from his bed and equipped his twin blades without hesitation. Beginning the long walk to the entrance hall, our hero began asking questions.
"Are the soldiers in position?"
"Yes!" Luna replied.
"Where is the God King's army?"
"They should be here within an hour."
"Good, now go make sure everyone is ready for the assault! We need to be fully prepared! A storm is coming!"
Craig ran toward Rainbow Dash's bedchamber to alert her. This was going to be the most important battle in history, not just for the world, but also for himself.
And so, Our hero is caught on the brink of his first fully fledged battle. This situation comes with many different objectives. First: kill the God King. Second: protect Rainbow Dash from death. Third: find a way to ascend to solar eclipse form. Will Craigulus be able to balance the three objectives and succeed in doing so? Will Iskandar follow orders, or break his pact with his master? Will Griffiam prevent his worst fear of being the last of his line? Will princess Luna be able to control her feelings for Craig in the heat of battle? Will Rainbow Dash be able to put her fears aside and fight with her pegasi brethren? Can the combined armies of Equestria, the Griffon Kingdoms, and the Crystal Empire be safe from the wrath of the God King? Find out on the next exciting chapter of Dragonba- Oh, I mean, Twin Blades! |
Twin Blades | The Battle For Gryphus. (REVISED) | As Craigulus and the rainbow-maned pegasus entered the entrance hall, they saw that the large, iron doors of Gryphus were closed shut. The Equestrian shield wall was lined up in front of the gates, the griffon berserks were perched on the monuments ready to swoop down on their enemies, and the Crystal archers were ready to fire their arrows upon the breaching of the gates. Aside from the pounding on the doors, the room was blanketed in an eerie silence. Craigulus and Rainbow Dash took their place next to the griffon king, whom grasped a sword and an axe within his talons, and awaited the inevitable.
"So, how do you feel about being on the verge of your destiny, human?" Griffiam asked whilst grasping his axe.
Our hero pondered how to answer the question as he was experiencing a wild mix of emotions: fear, hope, and pride.
"Well, I can't quite put my finger on it. It just seems so unreal that my story is already closing in on its final chapter." Craigulus replied with a hint of sadness in his voice.
The mighty griffon looked down on the hero and gave an encouraging smile.
"The final chapter? No, it is only still in the beginning!"
Craig was obviously confused. Why did the king think that it was only so early in the story? Griffiam Wallace the Seventh elaborated on the subject.
"Craigulus, you are a hero! Your kind lives on forever and, even when you are called home to Haven after your destiny is fulfilled, you have a whole eternity to explore an entire kingdom!"
That wasn't exactly what the human wanted to hear. He didn't want to have his destiny fulfilled so soon and, most of all, he wanted to go back to his own world. Our hero didn't like the thought of being stuck in another world and leaving his family behind.
"HERE WE GO, CRAIGULUS! ARE YOU READY!? The gate is almost down!"
Dash shouted into Craig's ear to pull him out of deep thought. Looking at the massive iron doors, his mind was struck with a state of shock.
"Oh sweet mother of Celestia, I can see in-between the doors!"
What he saw made him groan in his mind. Not only could he see the God King floating above the ground slamming his shield against the door to knock it open, but also the seemingly endless sea of undead centaurs and other creatures. Unsheathing his blades, he bared his teeth.
"Soldiers of the Triple Alliance! This is it! Today, you shall all fight to the death for your countries and rulers! Today, the God King will be sealed within the clear crystal in the pommel of my sword! God King, HIT US WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT!"
The God King laughed as he charged into the gates.
"KNOCK, KNOCK! HERE COMES THE NEW KING!"
With a mighty crash, the iron doors swung open.As the God King fell back to Iskandar, the Equestrian shield wall braced themselves as the hordes of zombified centaurs, wielding vast varieties of magically conjured weapons, crashed onto them. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie began conjuring their own armor swiftly to prepare for the onslaught. With a simple pointing of the index finger, Craigulus signaled for the berserks and the pegasus brigade to attack from the air. Griffiam, whom just placed his helmet upon his head, roared the traditional battle cry as he led the air force into the battle.
"SWORD IN OUR HAND, AXE AT OUR SIDE! HAVEN AWAITS US WHEN WE DIE!"
Griffons and pegasi swarmed outside and began slicing and punching the enemies below as they swept down and back up again. Our hero admired the tactic, as it seemed to be a great way of avoiding being killed. Mists of blood began to emanate from the battlefield and the occasional limb would be tossed up in the air as well. Craig would've join them by going lunar so he could fly, but he still needed to provide the morale boost for his troops on the ground. Watching as the shield wall was still sliding backwards from the endless bashing of weapons, he decided that he needed to teach them something that he saw in a certain movie back home.
"EQUESTRIANS! MAKE THIS BATTLE YOURS BY GRABBING A STEADY FOOTHOLD! PUSH THEM BACK AND STAB THEM WITH YOUR SPEARS!"
The soldiers heard the hero's command and, using their hind legs, began getting some traction. Little by little, the shield wall stopped moving backwards. Craigulus just waited for the exact moment when he knew they established the foothold. Focus was of prime importance, and he couldn't screw up now. If the movie '300' taught him anything, this would have to be the correct tactic.
"Just a little bit more guys. You can do it." he said under his breath.
That's when it happened the whole front line came to a screeching halt. Without hesitation, our hero screamed to the soldiers.
"PUSH, NOW!"
Shields slammed into the centaur force and, as a result, the Equestrian spears were able to gut their opposition. The zombified centaurs were weak. Craigulus wondered why the heck the God King would bring such a weak force so he approached Celestia looking for information.
"Celestia? Why are these centaurs so weak? I know they are magically kept alive, but aren't they gods?"
Celestia looked down on her student and explained.
"They no longer posses the power they used to have because their soul is not within them. In the mortal world, a god is weak when their soul is not fused into a mortal body."
Craigulus nodded. It made sense, but their was something wrong with that logic.
"Wait a second!?!? What about the God King? Isn't he technically a spirit? How come he isn't using a mortal body?"
Celestia couldn't provide an answer. This is a rare case in her life where she is totally unsure of an answer to a question. Turning her head back towards the carnage of the battle, she let out a sigh of frustration.
"I do not know Craigulus, but I bet you could probably find out from the God King himself."
Craigulus just forgot about it, for it was but a distraction to the objectives at hand. Our hero looked into the sky and, to his surprise, Rainbow Dash was killing many enemies as she swept down into the sea of zombies and back out again. The rainbow mane was covered in the blood and guts of the enemy and she definitely wasn't going to stop.
"I thought she was afraid to die?" Craigulus wondered to himself.
In a flash, our hero powered up into lunar eclipse form and took to the skies above the battlefield. As he looked around, he noticed a bolt of magic coming straight out of the staff of a centaur and it was heading straight toward his objective.
"DASHIE!"
Rainbow Dash looked to her left and put her hooves in front of her face, bracing for the impact. After a moment, she noticed that nothing happened. She heard an explosion, but she didn't feel pain. Feeling a gentle hand on her head, she opened her eyes to see the human smiling at her.
"W-What happened?" The cyan pegasus asked.
"I took the bolt for you. Wait a second, why are you so good at fighting all of a sudden? I thought you were afraid of dying?" our hero asked as he healed the massive cut on his arm.
"DAMMIT ALL!"
Iskandar failed in killing his target. The God King, whom stood at his side, was clearly not amused.
"YOU HAVE TO PIN HIM DOWN SOMEHOW TO KILL HER, IDIOT!"
Iskandar complained on the inside, but on the outside, he agreed.
Rainbow Dash laughed at the stupidity of her comrade.
"Just because I'm afraid of death, that doesn't mean I suck at fighting! I can use my bare hands, unlike you!"
Craigulus was just a tiny bit insulted.
"At least I can use magic! Ha!"
Rainbow Dash and the human began a contest where they had to kill a centaur as brutally as possible. Craigulus started the competition by grabbing the back of a centaur's head and ripping it's head off slowly as it screamed in pain. The spine went with it as he whipped the head toward another centaur with all his might, thus breaking the neck of that zombified centaur.
"How's that for brutal!?"
Rainbow Dash stood with her mouth dropped and her eyes wide open. Snapping out of it, she put on a cocky grin.
"Not bad, but I bet your going to throw up when I do this!"
Swooping down, Dash picked up another one of the God King's soldiers by the head with her hind legs. She slowly began grunting as she squeezed the head of her enemy with all her might and soon enough, the head exploded like a balloon full of brains and blood.
"OH THAT'S JUST NASTY! I DIDN'T THINK YOU HAD IT IN YOU!"
"Wow! These warriors fight with the ferocity of a dragon! No, not even a dragon!"
Griffthor, Galaxia, and the heroes of Haven all surrounded the universal mirror. They stood in awe at the sheer power that Craigulus developed. Galaxia had grown confident in Craigulus and was cheering him on already.
"Come on, Craigulus Twinblade! I believe in you!
The queen of the universe looked down at the floor and smiled.
"We all do."
The contest had been going on for two hours and there was still plenty of the God King's forces to go. As Craigulus fought with sheer determination, he noticed that the soldiers behind the shield wall were becoming tired.
"Hold on a second, I just need to go and fix this problem!"
Craigulus began powering up, he couldn't just let the same soldiers work the shield wall forever, so he decided it was time to switch to some fresher soldiers. Sweeping down in front of the shield wall, he unleashed an energy push and let the entire centaur force fly backwards a good twenty feet.
"SWITCH LINES!"
As the soldiers replaced each other, A voice rang out from the crowd of centaurs.
"STOP!"
Our hero was dumbfounded. This wasn't the voice of the God King, but a rather higher pitched voice. Looking onward, he saw a strong looking centaur trot out of the force. His hair was short and black and he was wielding a combat staff. Upon further examination you could see some of his intestines hanging from his lower stomach. The centaur eyed our hero and let out a laugh.
"So you are Craigulus Twinblade? Ha! My master made you sound a lot worse than you look!"
Craigulus grasped his swords tightly.
"Who the hell are you!?!?"
The commander responded with a scream as he charged our hero.
"I AM ISKANDAR!"
Craigulus engaged in combat with the staff-wielding centaur. Trying to slice Iskandar was clearly not an easy task. Every time our hero attacked with his blades, Iskandar would just parry the attack. Noticing the troops were still standing there, Craig signaled for them to fall back to the town square.
"GO! FALL BACK TO THE TOWN SQUARE! I CAN DEAL WITH HIM!"
Iskandar struck Craigulus in the head and he fell to the ground like a pile of rocks. Jumping back to his feet, Craigulus noticed that his army had already retreated back into the city with the God King's forces following them. This was good because for all he knew, they could have been in a bad situation if they stayed. He began fighting again, but he just couldn't hit the opponent. After a while, neither combatant could hit each other.
"You surprise me with your strength, human. I was expecting a much easier fight!"
Craigulus had finally found an opening and slashed the torso of his opponent who let out a scream of pain.
"Clearly you don't know me then!" Craigulus taunted.
Rising into the air, Craigulus formed orbs in his hands and combined them, thus making the larger ball. He began channeling his magical energy into the orb and slowly it became even larger and more monstrous. Running out of energy, he put his hands down and began powering up just a little bit more.
"NO! YOU SHALL NOT BEAT ME THAT EASILY!!!!!"
Iskandar, to Craig's surprise, began sprinting upward toward him. Our hero grinned in admiration.
"So, you can conjure an energy path? Interesting, I thought this was going to be easy as well!"
Both the staff and the twin blades collided with each other in a flash of blue and black aura. The weapons seemed to move at lightning speeds to any of the other zombies below. Craigulus began a conversation mid-fight.
"Hey, why are you stronger and more functional than the other zombies? Didn't every one of the centaurs die?"
Iskandar began speaking as his staff was parried again.
"Let's just say not all of us died at the end of 'First War'! I was left alive and I found my master's soul hovering above his corpse. I could not bear that I was the last one left, so I practiced magic for years, trying to find a way for my master to be alive again!"
Craigulus came to the realization and it was evident in his facial expression. His eyes had widened and his jaw dropped. Iskandar chuckled at this as they continued fighting.
"That's right, Craigulus. I am the reason the God King threatens the world! I didn't exactly manage to place him in his mortal body, but I turned him into a spiritual entity! That means he is slowly becoming complete again and he will soon transform back into his complete self! My antics are the reason why he is still an almighty god! The best part about it is that, even though he hasn't become as strong as he once was, he can still easily kill anything this world has to offer. That includes you and I, Craigulus Twinblade!"
The fight continued and now that the question was answered, Craigulus could fight with no distractions. He began finding even more openings to stab Iskandar through and it seemed that he was on the verge of killing him. Planning on killing two birds with one stone, our hero gathered enough energy to add more to the giant energy bomb.
"Take this!"
Craigulus disarmed his opponent and evaporated the staff. Our hero then grabbed the back of Iskandar's head and tossed him into the ground far below at supersonic speeds. It was finally time to wipe out the God King, Iskandar, and his army as well.
"YOU'RE FINISHED!"
The giant energy bomb slowly descended upon what remained of the sea of centaurs. On the ground, Iskandar watched in horror as the energy began consuming everything it touched. It got closer and closer to him as he lie on the ground in front of his forces. Even though he was facing his inevitable demise, he found happiness in the fact that he was finally going to be free from his master's chains. With the emotions that ran through his head came a sense of thankfulness toward Craigulus. He closed his eyes and smiled as a single tear ran down his cheek.
"Thank you, hero."
The top of the mountain was blown off, thus revealing the city inside. The God King raised a shield around his forces and, to his surprise, he felt stress from trying to keep the shield up. It would not break though, as the energy was eventually consumed by Craigulus. Our hero didn't want to destroy too much of the countryside so he showed restraint in his actions. The two enemies made eye contact and a long, tension-filled stare down commenced. Both the human and the fallen king remained silent for what seemed like ages but, after a while, the God King began to smirk.
"Your attack actually gave me a small bit of trouble, human!" The God King taunted Craigulus as he rose to his level in the air and the dust settled.
"You know what? Thank you! That means a lot coming from the most powerful being who ever existed! Does it make you a little bit uncertain about fighting me?" Craigulus countered his taunt.
In a split second, Craigulus witnessed the centaur disappear and reappear. Our hero couldn't follow the lightning-quick movement of his adversary and, before he could understand what was going on, was being held by the neck in the cold hands of the God King.
"Not a single bit, fool!"
The twin-bladed one was then thrown toward the ground at remarkable speeds. Craigulus couldn't seem to catch the wind with his wings so, as a result, he felt the bone-jarring impact of the stone floor of town square. Our hero slowly lifted his head whilst grunting in pain. His vision was blurred and, as it slowly came back to normal, he could make out the certain pegasus friend that he still needed to protect.
"Craigulus! No!"
Our hero was then raised into the air by the fallen king's magic, he knew that this was not the way it was supposed to be. Why was he on the verge of death? Why could he feel his destiny slowly slipping away from him? As he looked downward toward his comrades, he noticed their numbers had decreased significantly and they were slowly but surely being killed. His close friends were still alive, but soon they would die if the teleportation spell wasn't used. Lifting his eyes he saw, to his horror, the God King pointing his spear toward his neck.
"You know, Craigulus? I was hoping that it wouldn't end this way. I was hoping it would end with a burning Canterlot being the last thing you ever saw!"
The God King maniacally laughed and just as Craig accepted his fate, a cyan blur knocked the God King in the side. The enemy was sent flying and Craigulus was free from the magic of the evil centaur. Looking in front of him, he noticed the God King was in the presence of Rainbow Dash.
"Rainbow Dash! What the hell are you doing here!?!?!?! Get away, NOW!!!!!!"
It was too late, the God King had pinned her in place with his magic and stabbed her through the stomach. The blood trickled down the spear as it was pulled from her stomach. Plummeting toward the ground, Dashie was then caught by the lunar eclipsed human and safely brought into the circle of what remained of the Triple Alliance's army. The sounds of clashing steel and magic filled the air as Rainbow and Craigulus held each other and engaged in one final conversation. Our hero was holding back the tears of his failure.
"Dashie, please don't die. I tried my best and I'm sorry I failed you! Just please take my apology!" Craigulus begged.
Rainbow Dash coughed up blood as she began to speak.
"You know, dying isn't so bad! It hurts really bad, but at least I can find comfort in the fact that I can finally go to Haven as a hero." The rainbow-maned pegasus smiled.
Craigulus let the tears flow as he couldn't contain them anymore. Possessing the knowledge that his friend found comfort in death, he felt a little bit better inside. Our hero closed his eyes and, whilst weeping, he heard the sound of jewelry being handled in Dash's hooves.
"I want you to use this, Craigulus. Please use it if you can. Spread hockey around Equestria when this is all said and done, okay?"
Our hero opened his eyes to see the element of loyalty being placed in the palm of his hand ever so slowly. With that, Rainbow Dash, whom was loyal to her friends until the very end, let out her final breath and let her soul ascend to Haven. Craigulus proceeded to lay her body down on the stone floor and place the element of loyalty around his neck. Wiping his tears away, he slowly let magic course through his veins to heal as much of his injuries as he could. When he had finished, he wrapped the element around his neck, feeling the power jolt through his very soul. The feeling of having that sort of power rush through your veins, the very power that has saved Equestria countless times, the very power that represented all that Rainbow Dash was, it felt glorious! As the human flapped his wings to ascend to the dark one's equal height, a sudden burst of rage shocked Craig's feelings.
"You are truly honor-less, aren't you?" Our hero asked his adversary in a dark, yet calm voice.
The God King simply nodded and chuckled.
"You're a worthless, heartless bastard!" Craigulus roared.
His vision faded to black and he felt a breeze hit his face. Everything started to become clear to our hero as he could make out the forest, the small hill, the surrounding mountains, and the blurry shape in front of him.
"Y-You again!?" Our hero exclaimed.
The wolf, who was eyeing Craigulus with fiery courage, proceeded to run to the top of the small hill and let out a proud howl as the sun rose over the mountains. The rays of light forced Craigulus to shield his eyes in an attempt to prevent the loss of his vision.
"What is happening?" Craigulus thought aloud. "What are you?"
The animal simply stared at Craigulus for a moment and, with small silences in-between words, began to speak.
"I am courage."
The wolf then let out a long, glorious howl. It echoed through Craig's head as his vision slowly faded once again. In a small moment, Craig was conscious again. Once he set eyes on the God King again, rage clouded his mind.
"I'm going to kill you!" Craigulus screamed.
Craigulus's element of loyalty began to glow bright as the aura around him started to flow ever so gracefully. The feeling of power started surging not only through the heroes' body, but through the body's of the alicorns as well. The God King began to feel a burning pain in his head that made him cringe and grunt in pain. Craigulus had began to scream so loud that it would damage the ears of the nearby soldiers.
"YOU WILL PAY FOR THE CRIMES YOU HAVE COMMITED! I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER!"
An explosion of light engulfed our hero that blinded everyone. It possessed a magnificent power within it that only the greatest warriors have ever achieved. Sparks of lightning shot out from Craigulus as his transformation nearly ended. The long scream slowly went quite and he could finally be seen by the God King. The king looked on, seeming a slight bit nervous. Our hero decided to put his smirk on.
"What's the matter? Have you never experienced the pure, unadulterated, badass sight of a solar eclipsed human before?"
The fallen king stood there motionless. He didn't know what to say after watching his opponent ascend to greater power.
"Well, let's just get this over with. I want to kill you before I get bored!"
The human flew toward the king at supersonic speeds.
"THIS IS FOR YOU, RAINBOW DASH!"
Letting out one final scream, Craigulus grasped his swords and immediately began fighting the God King. His armor had changed dramatically, plate armor replaced the chain-mail and the armor was covered in small designs. His blades had also grown about two feet longer, making them four foot long blades! The God King was having slight difficulty withstanding the constant pounding upon his shield. In due time, the strikes of the blades were like sudden impacts of an energy beam, producing large sparks of energy as they struck the metal of the shield. In the battle below, The soldiers were inspired to fight just a little bit longer as their princesses prepared a teleportation spell. The bearers of harmony, Griffiam, and Shining Armor stood in awe as they experienced the combined power of the element of loyalty and solar eclipse form.
"I CAN'T LOSE NOW!!!!!!!" roared Craigulus.
The God King began morphing his weapon into a sword as he thought it would be better to fight the hero with. He did put up a much better fight than he did wielding a spear. Both combatants struck each other over and over again until they both parted from each other.
"You are mightier than I expected Craigulus." The God King mumbled in disgust at his current limitations.
Craigulus wasn't going to talk with him anymore. Being completely done with the antics of the fallen god, he powered up his magic once again. The energy he had stored up was tremendous, seeing as he still had most of the energy from the orb bomb within him. Our hero now knew what he had to do, but just to be safe, he had to wait until he was fully powered up. Charging the God King and powering up at the same time, he developed a fierce look in his eyes. The impact of his twin blades and the God King's massive sword produced aura sparks of all kinds, thus sending the surrounding area into chaos.
"Answer me, God King! Do you know what fear is like?"
The God King had began to recall the end of the first war and his eyes widened at the thought. Obviously frightened, he decided to lie, for he knew something Craigulus did not.
"N-NO! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I KNOW WHAT THAT IS LIKE!?!?!? I, THE ALMIGHTY GOD KING, DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT!"
"Well, allow me to teach you then!"
Craigulus backed away and charged the spiritual entity once again. This time, he broke the shield in half and sent his adversary crashing into the side of the mountain and, almost immediately, the human grabbed him by the neck.
"FAREWELL, SCUM!!!!!"
The hero flew at lightning speeds whilst grinding the God King's body against the stones of the mountain. He then threw his opponent toward the sky and slashed the entity at lightning quick speeds. Sheathing his blades, Craig threw endless amounts of energy orbs at his opponent in a display of pure, unadulterated, skill. The multiple explosions were deafening and no one could hear each other on the battlefield below. After the seemingly endless barrage of magic, Craigulus grabbed the neck of his opponent one last time and smashed it against the boulders of the mountain. Deciding that enough was enough, Craigulus unleashed a monstrous energy beam. The glow of the beam could probably be seen around Equestria because it was so bright that all the soldiers were blinded by it.
"He did it! The God King is dead!" Rainbow Dash cheered.
The party in Haven had began. The rulers of the old pony tribes danced with their servants, Griffthor embraced Galaxia, and even Starswirl the Bearded attended the party. Galaxia looked through the universal mirror with glee, the weight of an eternity of lies slowly sliding off her shoulders. taking a deep breath, she decided to confess to her own dishonesty after all these centuries.
"Fellow gods and heroes, since it is finally over, I must apol-
She was interrupted, not by the nervousness, but by a searing pain. Letting out a loud scream, Galaxia fell to the stone floor.
"My queen! What is wrong?" Griffthor worried.
"I-I hate to spoil the party, but-"
"WHAT IS IT!?!?!?!" Commander Hurricane demanded.
"He's still alive."
The beam began to die down. Craigulus felt his energy drain and he was about to let his solar eclipse form subside, but then he felt a palm violently grasp his throat.
"WHAT!?!?!"
The dust settled and the God King was still there, grinning as he blasted into the air with Craigulus.
"DO YOU THINK THAT I WILL DIE THAT EASILY!?!?!?!? HA! THAT IS A GOOD JOKE! THE TRUTH IS, I HAVE BEEN GOING EASY ON YOU THIS WHOLE TIME, IDIOT!"
The fallen centaur tossed Craigulus back into the crowd. He felt weak, so weak that he could barely move. Our hero had used up so much of his energy in the final blow that he lost all feeling throughout his body. The God King decided to leave him alone though, as he knew that it was only a matter of time before he would be able to kill him in the Canterlot square in the style he wanted. As our hero watched the evil king turn his back and slowly disappear into the blizzard, he screamed in pure hatred.
"I HATE YOU!!!"
Craigulus, still lying on the ground, unsheathed his swords and pointed them toward the sky to attract the free souls into his blades. As Craigulus did this, he noticed Griffiam looking at the surrounding soldiers. They were totally disheartened and they began to falter under the pressure of the weapons constantly banging on the shield wall. Griffiam knew that the princesses would never be able to save his people, so he grabbed his axe and jumped straight into the sea of enemies. This was the only way he could die with honor, to go down as the last true griffon king.
"Go on without me! Save what remains of my own soldiers and your own friends! I must fight on my own! For my people!"
The aura had flashed once again and they were safely back in Canterlot. Craigulus looked around at the defeated soldiers and screamed at the top of his lungs in pure anger. This was not how it was supposed to end and, after he let out his last bit of screaming, he let his solar form subside and blacked out.
The King of the Griffon Kingdoms fought with the heart of a hero. Killing everything that approached him was tough work, but the one thing that kept him going was the thought of the griffon women and children. This was his last act of service to his people and it felt good.
"COME ON! TRY TO KILL ME, YOU UN-DEAD BASTARDS! I DARE YOU!"
Blood was sprayed all over him and that only served to help him fight. After a while, the enemies stopped fighting him and he simply stood in a circle, surrounded by his enemies.
"Are you all too afraid? What is holding you centaurs back!?"
The God King slowly emerged from the crowd, bearing a look of rage with him as he went. Griffiam trembled at the thought of his oncoming fate. The fallen god placed his sword on his neck and cut it wide open. Everything went dark for the King of the Griffons and, to his surprise, he woke up in front of massive pearly gates. A large, beautiful alicorn with a nebula-like mane approached him.
"Welcome to Haven, hero!" |
Twin Blades | Two Visions | "Please sister, let me speak to him! He has been sitting in his bedchamber since we got back here ten days ago!"
Luna and a disgruntled Celestia found themselves trotting around the courtyard in the cold, breezy night. Ever since the Gryphus massacre, a dark cloud had been hanging over everypony's heads. Failure is not taken lightly in Equestria these days and it shows quite majorly.
"Fine, you can go check on him. He may be upset but he needs to have some social interaction!" grunted Celestia.
"Why?"
That is the only word our hero has been able to speak for the past ten days. His mind was beaten, shattered, and brought to the brink of insanity wondering why he had failed in his quest. Destiny was right there in front of him and, to his dismay, it slipped away from him. Meanwhile, Sir Canter was trying to think of something to say that would probably cheer up the sword-bearing human.
"Hey! I faced hardship too! But I killed my enemy in the end, didn't I?" Sir Canter halfheartedly asked.
"Yes, but at the cost of your own life. Plus, we are dealing with an entirely different type of God here.... We are facing the KING of the Gods." Craigulus let out a depressed sigh.
Craigulus then rose from his bed, sulked toward the window and stared longingly into the streets of Canterlot. The streets where lit up in a warm, welcoming fashion. Just as thoughts of this beautiful city's destruction began to creep into his head, our hero heard a knocking on the door.
"Craigulus? Are you okay?"
The voice was soothing to Craig's ears. So soothing in fact, that it offered some much needed peace and sanity to an already grief-stricken mind. Craigulus continued to stare down at the streets of Canterlot for a few moments before answering Luna.
"As long as your not giving me another quest, that'd be okay if you could come talk to me."
The door creaked open, although it wasn't an obnoxious noise. The creaking was quiet and smooth like something out of a Disney movie. Our hero, whom longed to be back home watching one of those movies, dragged his tired, depressed self to his bed and sat down on the warm mattress.
"Luna! Why are you here!?"
Luna took a grain of offense to the way Craigulus demanded to know why she was present in his chambers.
"I'm here to help out, for your information." Luna grumbled.
There was a certain feeling of intensity between them now. The combination of the princess's concern and our hero's emotional drain was clearly not a good combination. There was a long silence, the feelings Luna had for Craig seemed to be the only reason why she didn't turn herself and walk out the door. Everything seemed tense for the longest time, but Luna just couldn't take it anymore. She had to say something, even if she had to blame the tense vibes on herself. Luna began to trot quietly toward Craig with sorrowful eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Craig."
Craigulus lifted his head to see the eyes of the princess filled with tears. He didn't like to see women cry, even if this particular one was an equine.
"Don't be sorry, okay? It's my fault."
Craig wrapped his arms around her and they would cuddle together. Normally, our hero wouldn't allow such blasphemy.
"Luna? I know this isn't like me, but at the same time I always do this with crying women. Some of the people back home said that it was because I wanted to 'get in their pants', but I just do this cause I'm weak to girls."
Luna dried her tears and laughed. "It's not weakness! It's called sensitivity and being a gentleman!"
Craig and Luna looked at each other and developed the biggest smiles.
"Craigulus? May I view some visions with you?"
Craigulus was confused. "How are you gonna do that? Don't you need to grip the handles of the swords?"
Luna put her hooves on our hero's shoulders. "To share a vision, all you have to do is place your hooves on the receivers body, then close your eyes and meditate with him." Luna smiled.
Craig hesitated a moment. He needed to make himself clear that it would never work out between them but at the same time avoid being rude.
"Fine! You can meditate with me! Don't think this means anything weird though, okay princess?"
Luna was surprised to hear his suddenly firm, strengthened voice. She then let it sink in that this couldn't mean anything. "Okay, it doesn't mean anything." Luna sadly breathed.
Our hero and the princess of the night both closed their eyes and began meditating. It only took a couple minutes to receive a vision. The vision became clear to Craig and Luna as they appeared to be looking out of the eyes of Sir Canter, who was sitting in a corner at the dinner table. The wizard's cabin seemed smoky, as if it caught on fire.
"Jeb! Sir Canter! your weapons are finished!" His proud voice seemed to echo as a proud smile settled on the bearded pony's face.
In the corner of the room, Sir Canter and Jeb arose and hastily made their way to the anvil which two identical blades sat on. Both of the blades had sapphires placed in their pommels, both of which were colorless and empty. Starswirl's horn began to glow just before he raised the two blades to the heroic duo.
"Jebediah, Sir Canter, these blades are my gift to you. The most precious, magic conducting metals were used to create them. These are probably the first blades to be able to let magic flow through them. So be careful! You do not know what you are tampering with!"
Jebediah, whom let out a grunt of disgust, grasped the sword as his partner did the same.
"Bloody hell, Starswirl! Why do these two blades look identical!? Why are the gems on these things so empty looking!? Did you get lazy, mate!?"
Starswirl gently brought his right hoof to cover his face followed by an annoyed sigh. Starswirl was clearly fed up with his apprentice. Sir Canter proceeded to roll his eyes and sheath his new blade into the scabbard which was also given as part of the sword package.
"Jeb, why must you pester me! I'll have you know that i made those blades similar because the last time i made two different weapons, you complained about how much cooler Sir Canter's was! Oh, and about the gems, those are able to trap souls within them. I didn't think of it at first, but while I was sleeping i received a vision from Galaxia herself telling me to! I must admit though, the vision didn't explain why."
Jebediah proceeded to sheath his blade and turn toward the door, stomping as he went.
"Ugh! I didn't ask to have this superstitious old idiot as my master! I'm going out to test this blade! If it can't cut through a Hydra's scales, it's useless to me!"
The door was slammed shut, leaving a bearded wizard and a muscular captain to wonder what was wrong with the apprentice. There was a silence for a moment as Starswirl opened his books and started reading. Sir Canter would start the conversation off with the question that was on both of their minds.
"Why is Jeb acting up so much lately? I mean, he has always been kind of 'in your face', but now he just gets straight pissed with us. I can't help but think that he hates you, Starswirl."
The old wizard closed his book and, with a somber look on his face, drifted toward the window. He saw Jebediah running as fast as he could down the path toward the Everfree forest, assuming that he had the same fire in his eyes as always.
"Jeb is a strange personality, Canter. He is always looking to be the best warrior he can be. Ever since I found him he has been like that. Perhaps, he thinks i'm holding him back."
Sir Canter turned his head to face the pony that took him away from the resistance camp.
"Well, are you holding him back?"
Starswirl turned to face Sir Canter. The old wizards eyes glowed white and his horn overpowered for a split second. The room seemed to turn dark as all the fires had dimmed. Sir Canter, frightened, backed away into a corner. Sir Canter, whom had faced many mighty beasts and other-worldly oddities, realized that this was the first time he had been this fearful his whole life.
"OF COURSE I AM! IF THAT HUMAN WERE TO DISCOVER JUST HOW POWERFUL HE COULD TRULY BECOME, HE COULD VERY WELL JOIN THE FORCES OF OUR ENEMY! THE ONE WE KNOW AS DISCORD COULD VERY WELL DESTROY THE WORLD IF HE UNLOCKED JEB'S TRUE POTENTIAL!!!"
His rage was calmed as quickly as it came. Sir Canter arose from his feeble position and tried to build his sanity once again. It is always disheartening to see your own master lose control so quickly. The bearded one closed his eyes, then re-opened them as he explained further.
"Jebediah has talent for combat. This talent could turn him into a renowned hero, or a destructive servant of the enemy. He should be the hero that will defend Equestria for the rest of time, and if he turns his back on Equestria we are all going to die." His voice became dark and foreboding.
Sir Canter had trotted to his master's side as the vision faded into darkness. Craigulus and Luna began to wonder about the fedora-wearing Australian boy. His long, brown hair flowing in the wind as he ran. The most interesting part was the origin of the blades. It wasn't the biggest surprise that Starswirl the Bearded was the creator, the big surprise was that the weapons were meant for two separate warriors. After a moments silence, our hero looked Luna in the eyes and developed a silly smirk.
"Well, I must say this cleared up a lot of stuff. No big deal right?"
The both of them shared a good chuckle, then closed their eyes again to induce another vision. They only had to wait for 30 seconds before seeing blurred glimpses of what the vision had to tell them. It was hard to make out where they were, or what was happening. All of a sudden, there was screaming. Craigulus and Luna began to cringe in fear as the visions became more clear.
Bodies. Piles of bodies of every type of creature reaching just a little higher than Canterlot. The grotesque faces of the dead were mangled and ripped apart. Craigulus felt extremely ill at the sight of this atrocity, but to his dismay, things only got worse. Every city in the world lay in ruins, the landscape was burnt black with hellish fire, and black, fiery smoke permeated the sky. It seemed that every square mile or so was covered in corpses. Luna, whom had never seen something so barbarous in her life, cried like an infant at the sight of the dead fillies whom she had been running away with in the night sky for years.
"This." Craigulus whispered. "This is......"
Our hero suddenly felt overwhelmed with sorrow and rage.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?!?!"
His voice echoed through the mountains of bodies that continued to destroy the sanity of the two all-powerful creatures that stand beneath them. This was no ordinary vision from the blades, no, they had full control over themselves. It felt real unlike the first vision that taught Craigulus about the beginning of the First War.
"Why?" Luna began in her tears, "Why is this vision happening? This isn't from the past! Sir Canter!? What is happening!?"
Sir Canter began hearing the cries of Luna, and he cleared his voice firmly as if he was about to calmly explain what was happening in this vision.
"WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME!?!? I'M A GODS-DAMNED SPIRIT IN A JEWEL THAT IS POMMELED IN A SWORD, NOT A MIRACLE WORKER! I'M JUST AS DISTURBED AS YOU ARE, M'LADY OF THE NIGHT!"
As Craigulus regained composure and just began to fix his thoughts, he began to feel paranoid, as if someone, or something, was watching him. He unsheathed his twin blades and examined the area frantically, his breath getting faster as if darkness was closing in on him which he could not escape from.
"Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden Of Shadows"
That voice was all to familiar to the ears of the three protectors of Equestria. To there dismay, the enemy had begun his mind games.
"Follow Sweet Children, I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And The Sorrows
Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Murdering Beauty And Passions"
The scene began to change. Clouds of fog began rolling through the valleys between the corpse piles, and the atmosphere became much more ghoulish than before. The alicorn and the human now stood in the valleys, expecting something to jump out at them. What they got was not what they expected. Out of the thick fog they heard chains dragging against the scorched ground.
"Hush Now Dear Children, It Must Be This Way
To Weary Of Life And Deceptions
Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
into The Calm And The Quiet"
Figures had taken form in the fog. They slowly drudged their way through the valleys of the dead, and soon enough the gruesome features of the slaves showed themselves to the already insanity-driven duo. They were all dead fillies, some with their insides spilling out of their stomachs, some with no heads, some just bloody and screaming, and some just bare skeletons. All screaming curses to Galaxia and the rest of the gods and heroes of Haven.
"Come Little Children I'll Take Thee Away
Into A Land Of Enchantment
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play..."
Luna was gone, his armor and blades were gone, and his sanity went with it. Craig, whom was stunned with fear, felt a cold breath on his neck. Upon twisting his head backwards, he saw the dark, twisted king of the gods. With an insane, twisted, wide-eyed grin, the God King seized his adversary by his neck and screamed the last line of the song.
"HERE IN MY GARDEN OF SHADOWS!!!"
Craigulus opened his eyes. His breath loud, and his eyes heavy from witnessing the potential horrors of the future. The mountains and mountains of corpses, the zombified fillies, the hellish Equestrian country was too much to bare.
Luna lay hugging Craigulus tightly, her tears streaming down like a waterfall. Nothing seemed right with anything anymore in the minds of the two powerful individuals who lay clutching each other in fear.
"Luna." Craig began. "I understand why you would let go of me and keep your eyes open."
Luna just stared at him with the eyes of a frightened filly. She sobbed so violently that it was nearly impossible to make out her speech pattern.
"Let me sleep with you tonight!"
Craig immediately backed away in disgust. He couldn't believe the princess requested such blasphemy.
"Luna! I can't! I'm a human, and your an equine creature! How would doing that even work!?"
Luna developed a look of utter confusion but then broke into laughter at the realization of what Craigulus may have been thinking.
"No, we are not going to have a 'Vinyl Scratch incident' Craigulus, I just feel scared. I know it's childish for an alicorn to be afraid but I just witnessed my burning kingdom!" Luna's voice turned darker.
"Ooohhh" Craigulus acknowledged. "Well wouldn't Celestia think it's blasphemy for us to be doing such a thing? And who knows what the others would think?" Craigulus was utterly disgusted even thinking about it.
"But, I guess we can hug."
Luna and Craig fell back onto the the soft blankets, ignoring the previous question and still in a seemingly eternal embrace. Luna needed to leave. She couldn't take any of this anymore. The princess of the night climbed onto her hooves with what little strength she had left and just as she began walking towards the door, she had the urge to stop and turn her head to Craigulus.
"Goodnight." She whispered.
Before our hero could say goodnight back, Luna planted a kiss on his forehead. She smiled a slight bit behind her tears as she turned and swiftly galloped out of the bedroom.
"Oh Luna, why can't you be a human girl?" he sighed.
Craigulus lay there thinking about it. He missed his girlfriend so much, and he couldn't even imagine her sorrow upon hearing about his sudden disappearance. Our hero pushed those thoughts aside though, as there was much more important stuff to worry about.
"I can't let that happen to Equestria. I can't." Craigulus spoke into the darkness of his room.
The human turned to the table and set his eyes upon the element of loyalty. Memories of Rainbow Dash began to flood his mind as he gently lifted it into the palm of his hand.
"Rainbow Dash, Equestria will be saved. I will find a way to save it."
He closed his hand and squeezed the element of loyalty in his fist.
"That's a promise." |
Twin Blades | An Ancient Hero Returns | Ashes, fire, and ruins. These things have been the most common components of Craig's nightmares, but he could never, ever get used to it. One night it would be a dying Ponyville, the next night it was a burning Canterlot, and then the next night it was just a giant mountain of dead soldiers. These dreams seemed to posses everything that was evil and destructive, this means that sanity was definitely not included. Tonight would be a dream where he simply could not move and was forced to watch the princesses, the Mane six, and even himself get tortured by endless amounts of sharp objects. Knives, swords, daggers, rusty nails, everything sharp. The last thing the human saw was a knife flying toward his left eye. He felt the fear overtake him. He couldn't fight it, he just braced for impact and tensed every muscle in his body preparing for the bloody pain he was about to endure.
Our hero burst back into reality with a gasp, relieved that the dream world had been left behind for now.
"Dear Galaxia!" Our hero shouted to the all-powerful deity in the recesses of his mind. "Why must you let this centaur toy with my visions, and my dreams!? I can hardly catch any sort of sleep when these nightmares are getting worse and worse and I can't do anything about it!"
After a minute of expecting a response, Craigulus Twinblade merely sighed and rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling, figuring that he would have an easier time resting in a changed position. Turning over his pillow to avoid resting his head in a pool of cold sweat, he closes his eyes and drops his head back onto the soft, feather-filled mound of comfort.
"I should really get back to sleep." he whispered to himself.
Little did he know, sleep would continue to elude him. The ears of the human began to perk as he heard a faint tapping noise outside of his chamber door, growing louder and louder as time moved on. Craigulus tensed up as memories of certain video games crawled into his head.
"This is very Amnesia-like." he thought nervously.
The tapping became more and more audible, but it wasn't tapping upon his chamber door, no, it was tapping on the floor of the hallway.
"Footsteps." he concluded. "Must be the night watch."
Breathing a sigh of relief before his eyes closed, Craig saw the shadow of the the guard in the light protruding from the crack in his door. This was no pony, as the shadow quickly came and went as the unknown assailant passed.
"Dammit! Where in the blue blazes is Celestia!? I swear i'm going to find her-.....and-.....kill-...."
Craigulus's heart stopped. That was an Australian accent.
"Oh dear gods." was the only thing that came to mind.
"Is that.... Jebediah!? He is going to kill Celestia! I have to save her!"
The footsteps began to grow quieter as the whispers went with it. Craigulus listened closely as he slowly rose from his bed and grabbed all his weapons, including the knives which he brought with him to Equestria in the first place.
"You never know when you'll need a little extra weaponry." Craigulus whispered to himself frantically. "I should probably catch him off-guard too, I just have to get close to him somehow."
Then it dawned on our hero.
"Lunar Eclipse! I should hover close to him under the cover of night! That way i'll surely be able to dispatch him without any trouble."
He powered up quickly but discreetly, trying to keep himself quiet. If he gave himself away, he would have to preemptively strike him. It is best not to give a warrior who has been around since Starswirl's time a chance at a fair fight. The fighting style could very well be completely different and other-worldly.
Our hero gently transitioned into his Lunar form and gently opened the door of his chamber, looking down the hallway as the figure of the Australian shrunk. Gently flapping his wings, he began to hover his way to Jebediah. He was adorned with an interesting set of clothing consisting of a white t-shirt with a light brown vest over top of it. His shorts were Khakis and he wore sandals on his feet.
"I really should wait until I get to a more open area." Craig thought. "Just in case a stand-off does happen."
For what seemed like hours, Jebediah had been pursued by our hero. Almost every single hallway had been passed through, every single stair climbed, and every single floor walked upon. Finally, Starswirl's old student stopped abruptly at the side of the dining hall's table.
"Did you really think you were being sneaky, mate?"
Jebediah K. Mundy immediately turned and threw some sort of curved object at Craigulus. Our lunar eclipsed hero had no time to react before the object clipped his right wing. A shock of violent pain ripped through Craigulus as he found that trying to stay airborne became much harder than before. Trying to regain steady flight with his injured wing, he had the same object that clipped his right wing before, clip his left wing and, with a shock of pain, he crashed to the floor with a loud thud.
"Cause you weren't." Jeb finished with a soft, almost sinister tone and caught the object out of the air with hardly any effort.
Craig jumped to his feet and drew his blades. "What are you doing here, Jeb!?" Craig asked, shifting himself into a battle stance.
"Oh, so you know who I am? Tell me, Craigulus Twinblade, did Celestia tell you about me?" The Aussie let out a small, aggravating chuckle. "Or was it the visions from the sword's that gave it away? Either way, both scenarios make sense to me, mate!"
Craig launched himself at Jeb, swords raised. When he got to Jeb and brought his swords down upon his head, he had already vanished, thus striking the stone floor beneath where the Aussie's feet once stood. "You're too slow, mate!" Jeb taunted him. Craig turned to face Jeb once more. He was on the other side or the dining hall. "He must be able to use teleportation magic! I'm gonna need to be careful." Craig thought to himself.
Our hero needed to be quick to hit Jeb. Spreading his wings again, he burst towards Jeb at lightning fast velocities. The Australian threw two more objects at Craig, clipping his wings yet again. The winged human hit the ground but quickly recovered and began to swing his weapons fiercely in Jebediah's direction, but he was gone again. It seemed that he had teleported once more, but this time he hadn't gone far because he immediately, and without warning, kicked Craigulus Twinblade in the back. The winged human, who felt his spine bend unnaturally, stumbled and turned again.
"Fight with some bravery and fairness, you coward!" Craig screamed at Jeb, clenching his fists.
"Why? I didn't come here for a fight. I came here to as-"
"To assassinate princess Celestia!" Craig interrupted.
"What?" Jeb asked.
Charging up magic, Craig fired a beam at Jeb. Jeb drew his weapon off his back hastily and deflected the spell away. The magic beam hit the dinner table and destroyed it in a fiery explosion.
"Are you trying to kill me, mate?!" Jeb threw his arms in the air in disbelief.
Ignoring Jebediah's comment, he fired two more beams in Jebs direction, but again, the fedora wearing Aussie deflected both beams away. This time they blew out a few windows. Jeb just stared at Craig shocked.
"I'll take that as a yes." Putting his weapon back on his back, he bolted towards Craig, throwing those same objects that started this whole brawl. Craig also began to advance frighteningly towards Jeb. Dodging the objects was no problem this time but they went straight back to Jeb. When he finally was within range, Craig thrust the twin blades down on Jeb, but he blocked them with the objects. They were more visible to the winged hero now, as he began to see that the objects were boomerang's studded with small razor sharp blades on the edges. Craig kept slashing at Jeb, and Jeb kept blocking every strike with perfect timing and precision. Until eventually Jeb jerked forward and kicked Craig in the stomach. Craig fell to the ground again, this time he felt like he was about to throw up.
"Well. I knew this wouldn't be easy. Craig thought. But I didn't think it would be this difficult either." Rising to his feet, he charged at Jeb once more.
"I don't think its smart to attack a armed foe while unarmed, don't you think so, mate?" Jeb laughed. Confused, Craig stopped.
"What?" Craig almost whispered, narrowing his eyes and staring at Jebediah in confusion. Jeb simply began smiling in a sinister manner.
"Well, you don't really have these anymore now do you?" Jeb held up the twin blades. "Now then, can you take me to princess Celestia? I need to talk to her."
Craigulus Twinblade just stood there, mouth agape, not having a single clue as to how Jebediah stole his weapons. It must have happened so quickly! Wondering at what point he could have seen a blur or even so much as felt his weapons get taken straight out of his fists, Our hero snapped out of it and re-focused himself to deal with the task at hand. Craigulus looked around the room for something he could use as a weapon; it was at this point that he remembered.
"My pocket knives!" He reached into his pockets and grabbed his knives.
Jeb lowered the twin blades. "Do you always carry weapons in two's?" Jeb mockingly asked. Suddenly the sword with the blue gem lit up. "Of course he does!" said a familiar voice.
Jeb dropped the sword and took a step back, obviously shaken by the voice of the other half of Starswirl's apprentice duo. "What in the world?!" Jeb asked, mouth agape and eyes wide open.
Craig wasted no time to attack. He couldn't get too close, so he ran forward and threw one of his knives at Jeb with ferocity in his scream. The blade soared through the air, spinning until it stopped inside Jebediah's chest. The ancient Australian staggered backwards from the impact of the hit. Blood almost instantly began to pour from the wound. Gripping the knife, he pulled it out of the wound.
"Good shot, mate." Jeb complimented Craig as as he fell to the ground. He didn't even seem to show pain or shock, which to Craig, was extremely unnatural and in a way, frightening as well.
Just before Jebediah hit the ground, Craig heard the doors crash against the walls as they had been swung open with force. Looking back at the entrance, both of the heroes saw princess Celestia and Luna run through the doorway.
"Craigulus Twinblade, what is the meaning of this!?" Celestia asked in annoyance as she looking around the destroyed dining hall. Craig pointed at Jeb. "He is the meaning of this!" He explained, still panting from the fight he had just had.
Jeb, still coughing up blood, weakly got to his knees and placed his hand over his wound. His hand began to glow. Looking up he let out a sigh. "G'day Celestia, I'm back!" He re-introduced himself between coughs.
Celestia gasped, her eyes were as wide as Luna's moon. "J-Jeb? Y-your back!?" Celestia stammered. She turned her attention to Craig. "Craigulus, help him up and take him to the medical wing."
Jeb, having recovered began to walk towards the group. "No, it's okay Celestia. I'm fine. Nothing a little healing magic can't fix." Jeb winked and grinned, moments before being stopped by an overly-cautious Craig.
"Stay away from her! I will not allow you to assassinate princess Celestia!" Our hero grabbed the mysterious Aussie by his white t-shirt.
Luna's eyes became wide with surprise and horror. "Assassinate!?" Luna gasped.
Jeb let out an annoyed sigh, "This nonsense, again!?" Jeb spoke while beginning to pace around walking in a circle. "Now why the hell would I assassinate a princess!?" Jeb asked, throwing his arms in the air.
"Same reason you assassinated the King of the Griffins!" Our hero boomed as he let lunar eclipse form subside.
Jeb stopped in his tracks. "That wasn't an assassination!" he objected as he began advancing toward Craigulus with a fiery attitude and a stomp in his step.
Celestia stepped in between the two feuding heroes. "Enough!" She yelled, stomping one hoof on the ground. "Craigulus please, go back to bed. Tomorrow we continue your training. Jeb, come with me, we have much to discuss. I want you to come with us too, Luna!"
Celestia began to walk to the doors. Jebediah followed her, but then stopped, turned around, and held one of the twin blades out to Craig. "I believe this is yours. The other is over there." He pointed to the sword on the ground. Craig ripped the sword out of Jeb's hand. "So I noticed." Craig mumbled as he walked towards the second blade.
Jeb walked out the door leaving Craig alone in the dining hall. Picking up the sword, Our hero sighed. "Well, this has been an interesting night." Without hesitation, Craigulus spoke to Sir Canter. "Sir Canter? I just want to thank you for distracting him. I heard your voice answering his question about me carrying the twin blades around all the time." Our hero's voice was filled with utmost gratitude.
With the gem flickering as the soul spoke, Sir Canter replied with a tiresome tone. "It's no problem at all, he tends to overreact when he is surprised. I mean, I knew he wouldn't have known I was trapped in this damned thing. You need sleep though, master Craigulus."
Craigulus acknowledged the old commander's advice and began climbing the stairs to his chamber. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, a day when he would finally be able to sort things out and get more information out of this other human that dared to walk into his legend. It was obvious that this fedora-wearing, aggravating, over-confident Australian boy was just being an idiot, because Craig knew that he is the strongest and best warrior in Equestrian history. It just has to be that way, because that is part of his destiny!
.....right?
The next morning went as it normally did. The morning routine, as usual, included a rejuvenating bath, a brutal shaving which did not include shaving cream, and after freshening up came the morning magic studying and small scale practice. Small scale practicing was meant for inside smaller spaces and the magic would include charging up power, creating energy orbs and absorbing them, self-harm which would lead to practicing healing magic, and conducting magic through the twin blades. If there was time, Craigulus would be able to quickly converse with Sir Canter and focus on the memories of the ancient swords. Today was one of those days.
"Sir Canter?" Craig began, "Can you explain to me where Jebediah came from? Like, how did he come to Equestria? Has he ever talked about that with you?"
Craigulus had to wait a few moments to get a response. The feeling of contemplation was so obvious coming from the previous commander of the Equestrian forces. The set of human ears perked as Sir Canter inhaled to speak.
"I do not know. I am sorry but he never talked to me about his origins. The only thing I've ever heard of his past is that he is from Earth, and that he comes from a 'British colony' called 'Australia'. It's weird, but I have to believe him because he has only ever told lies to the enemies he has fought over the centuries."
Craig began to question him further because that last statement seemed odd. "Are you sure he has never lied? It doesn't seem possible Sir Canter, I can't believe that. I don't trust that slimy kid anyway."
Sir Canter began to chuckle. "Oh, Craigulus Twinblade. Just wait and see, the more you get to know him, the more you'll realize just how annoying the guy can be. Don't fret though, despite him having a knack for getting on pony's nerves, he can teach you a lot of things. He is thousands of years old and he is a hero. I wouldn't be surprised if he is much more skilled than you, he must have reached or at least gotten close to his full potential. You may be powerful, but you still have much training to do before you can hope to surpass him."
Craig stomped his right foot on the ground in frustration and disgust. "First it was the God King, now Jebediah is more powerful than me too!?!?!" Dammit! I swear i'm gonna freaking smash something!"
Much to our hero's shock and awe, he felt a blistering pain shoot up his arm and into his brain. The pain lasted only a few seconds, but it was a pain that seemed to combine the effects of brain-freeze and a migraine headache. Our hero collapsed to the ground and struggled to catch his breath. "What the hell?" he struggled to deliver these words.
Sir Canter began to speak at a calm, yet stern volume. "I just shocked you. Don't think for a second that I can't do anything aside from grant you the armor you use everyday. I can attack anyone who dares touch the handle of my blade. I didn't want to do that to Jebediah last night cause I knew it wasn't necessary. it was at this moment though."
Craigulus violently crawled toward the pommeled blue gem and screamed at it. From any other angle, he would've looked like he completely lost his mind. Screaming at a sword while on your hands and knees was not common, not even in Equestria.
"Are you freaking INSANE, BUD!? I think your forgetting who is in charge of you! Let me give you a hint, he is a GODS DAMMED HUMAN AND HE IS PISSED OFF AT THREE THINGS RIGHT NOW! ONE OF THESE THINGS IS YOU, AND THE NEXT THING IS A-"
"You okay, mate!?" Jebediah made his presence known as he broke up the tension in the room with a hearty, uncontrolled laugh. He was leaning against the side of the door frame, his eyes being virtually invisible under the shadow of his fedora.
"Freaking Australian." Craig finished his sentence in embarrassment and shame. The realization came to his mind that screaming at a sword on your hands and knees was definitely not normal.
Breakfast was slow and awkward, even the princesses, whom had much experience in many social endeavors across the kingdom, were afraid to speak and break the most uncomfortable silence that had come to the dining hall since that time Luna had gotten a little bit too drunk and lost control of the moon. The two heroes sat across from each other and it was the blond-haired one that was trying to avoid eye contact with the other human, and both princesses. There was something different about the dining hall though, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Wait a second, didn't this place get destroyed?
"How in Galaxia's green world did the dining hall get cleaned up after last night's debacle!?" Craigulus began to chuckle.
"I took responsibility, unlike some ponies around here. You should really get some better servants, Loonie." Jebediah poked fun at Luna's nighttime servants and her name. Luna just simply glared at the Australian agitator.
"So." Craig began with a slight hint of caution to change the subkect. "What brings you back to Equestria, Jebediah?"
Jebediah's face lit up and he smiled. Craig had instantly compared it to a kid on Christmas morning, except this kid was one of those kids he continued to be thoroughly annoyed by, also a little jealous.
"Glad you asked, mate!" Jebediah tipped his straw fedora down slightly and then reached to his feet. The next thing our hero knew, a large book was slammed onto the table. Craigulus's curiosity peeked, as he stood up to see what this book was all about. Jeb cleared his throat and began to explain.
"What you see here, is something I bought from a travelling merchant with weird, small glasses. Had a strange, mysterious tone in his voice and wore a hat that somewhat resembled a fez, but that's not the point. The point is that he had this on sale for a price that i seriously can't believe i payed for. Rumor has it that he recently set up shop in Ponyville and his featured item is an 'Alicorn Amulet' or something. I really don't think any pony would by it, it's worth 500 gold bits or something ridiculous like that, and the merchant apparently keeps saying its dangerous to possess it. Enough with the bumbling gossip though, take a look mate!"
Jebediah turned the book around and pushed it toward Craigulus. The book seemed very well preserved.
"Huh." Craigulus began as he ran his hand over the hard-cover tome. "How can a book be so well-kept after so long? Isn't that, like, more than a thousand years?"
Luna shot her right hoof in the air and proudly shared her knowledge with her student. "Preservation magic! It is one of the rarest types of magical teachings. It was invented across the sea in the country of Cervidas. Speaking of Cervidas, a civil war happened between the Concordians and the Westerners in that country two century's ago. A lot of healing magic textbooks were destroyed in the burning of the Giant's Tree."
Craigulus's ears perked. Listening to a history lesson has always been fun. He hadn't been educated on much aside from magic since the beginning of his time in Equestria. The only history he had learned had been taught by the visions from the swords and from the book in Celestia's private library. Jeb just sat there, listening intently to what the princess of the night ranted on about.
"Well? Are you gonna tell me more?" Craigulus pleaded to quench his thirst for knowledge.
"Well don't ask me for any more information! It was my sister who told me all this, for at the time the actual events were unfolding i was banished to the moon!" Luna explained herself, eyes closed and hoofs crossed in spite of missing so much in her thousand-year absence.
Every human ear perked and every pony ear flickered to hear if Celestia would continue the story. The princess of the sun, who glowed brightly in the morning sun rays which poured through the windows, inhaled to begin the rest of the lesson.
"The world tree lies in Concordia, which is the largest city in Cervidas. Cervids have a special connection with the natural world and they worship a plethora of different gods and deities."
Celestia stopped and her smile turned to a frown. The tone of her voice went somber and dark, as did the mood of the story.
"They used to, anyway. You see, in those days there was a troubling controversy plaguing the land. The eastern half of Cervidas clung to the old ways and worshiped the gods of old. They used to call their kings 'vessels' because each new ruler would be chosen by the holy leaders to become a vessel to one of the four 'Elemental Beings'. The four were simply known as Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Each king would be chosen to be a vessel of one of these four depending on the outcome of the tasks they were given as heirs to the throne. They even had four different crowns, each with their own style depending on which Elemental Being they were chosen to represent. Of course, all of this was largely superstition. That's what the Westerners of Cervidas proclaimed. Those Cervids wanted to follow the teachings of my mother. Those teachings are known by the commoners as the ways of 'Galaxialism'.
"Ah yes. I remember that final battle in Concordia like it was yesterday." Jebediah interrupted.
Craigulus, along with every pony else in the room, was shocked. Each princess was staring at Jeb like they just saw him kill a filly.
"Yep, I might get a lot of heat for this, but i was kind of supporting the Old Cervid ways. I didn't believe in them, i just thought it was unfair to force a new culture upon a group that has been doing the same rituals and magics for so many centuries. I didn't kill anyone in that hell storm that was the burning of the Giant's Tree, I just tried to save as many of the peasants as i could."
Celestia quickly rose to her hooves to defend the Australian fedora bearer. "You did the right thing, Jebediah. No matter who you are, you should never be deprived of everything and everyone you've ever believed in."
Jebediah then became very closed off, as if he had remembered something horrible. "Yea, I've been deprived of some pony I believed in. It isn't fun, mate."
The mood in the room became somber and dark, both princesses looked at each other with sad looks, as if they both knew they said something wrong. Craigulus Twinblade noticed this, and just as he was about to ask what they all meant by Jebediah being 'deprived of some pony', he heard Sir Canter's voice.
"Don't say a word, it will get ugly if you do. I will explain all of this later."
Craigulus listened, and instead of asking this forbidden question, he changed the subject. "Hey, are we gonna go train or sit here and let the God king prepare his forces for the siege of Equestria!? The clock is ticking, let's go!"
Celestia, Luna, and Jeb all agreed with our hero's proposal and began leaving the dining hall. As Craigulus rose to his feet and requested the armor from Sir Canter, he could not help but remain curious as to what Jebediah was referring to. It couldn't be Starswirl's death, seeing as he hated the old pony. Sir Canter was still alive.... In a way..... and he was re-acquainted with the alicorn monarchs. Why in the world did he become so closed off?
"Oh well." Our hero thought to himself. "If there is one thing i should be worrying about right now, it's learning new techniques from him." |
The Belle tolls for love | pre | Sweetie Belle now sat on a bench in the park shivering slightly. She was lost and she had no idea which way was home or even the way back to Cheerilee's house now. Not that she really cared. "How could she do this to me? She just went along with it because she thought I would blackmail her? What kind of pony does she take me for?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed aloud angrily as tears flooded from her eyes.
The filly sat there on the bench for a few moments longer before a gust of wind blew by which made her shiver and curl up into a ball in order to try and keep her now freezing hooves warm. "Maybe I am too young, but that doesn't mean that what I feel for her isn't real does it?" Sweetie Belle asked herself aloud with a sniffle as yet another gust of wind blew past causing her to shiver even more violently now. She couldn't stay here, she had to find a spot that would at least shield her from the cold winds.
Though summer meant warm days, it also meant cold nights and Sweetie Belle was beginning to regret running out of Cheerilee's home now as she searched for a secluded spot which would prevent the cold summer night winds from hitting her.
Finally though, she found a spot that was at least better than sitting on the bench. It was a small little part of the park that was surrounded by thick bushes which she figured was a right side better than being in the middle of everything. Above all right though, one thought was on her mind. "I want to go home." Sweetie Belle remarked with a sigh and shivered slightly now.
A certain purple unicorn lay sound asleep in her bed until an abrupt and loud knocking snapped her awake. "Who in Equestria would be awake this time of night?" Twilight thought to herself in a drowsy tone as she went to the front door and opened it to see a very panicked and worried looking Cheerilee.
"Twilight, I need your help!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a panicked tone much to the purple unicorn's confusion.
"So let me get this strait, Sweetie Belle was staying with you because you were helping her study for math and then she got upset and ran out the door when she couldn't solve a math problem?" Twilight asked in a skeptic tone as the two mares searched through the part of town that Cheerilee lived in.
"Y-Yes." Cheerilee lied. There was no way she could tell her the real reason, she would never understand.
"Forgive me, but I have trouble believing it was something as simple as a math problem that would cause Sweetie Belle to rush out the door like that. And why didn't you contact Rarity first. I think she would like to know that her sister is missing!" Twilight exclaimed dramatically as the two walked by the park now.
"I-I couldn't." Cheerilee replied as she looked around.
"Why not? This is sounding more fishy by the minuet Cheerilee. What are you hiding?" Twilight asked looking at the mare now with a curious look now.
"Lets just find her! I don't know what I would do if she-" Cheerilee began to exclaim only for Twilight to appear in front of her in a flash of magic halting her in her tracks.
"I wasn't born yesterday ya know! You're hiding something, something you don't want anypony to know. Now spill it! What really happened Cheerilee?" Twilight asked in a stern tone. She knew something fishy was going on and she wanted to find out what exactly.
"We don't have time to be talking Twilight! The longer we stand here, the longer Sweetie Belle is out here in this freezing cold night!" Cheerilee exclaimed and walked past her only for the unicorn to appear in front of her in yet another flash of magic.
"If you won't tell me what's really going on then I'm going to go get Rarity. She deserves to know what's happening anyways." Twilight said in a threatening tone.
"No, you can't! Your the only pony I can trust!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a panicked tone looking at the unicorn now.
"Then tell me! What's so bad that you don't want Sweetie Belle's only sister to know about?! If you trust me so much then tell me for pony's sake!" Twilight exclaimed in an aggravated tone.
Cheerilee stared at Twilight for a short time as if debating on whether to tell her and without warning tears began to flood from her eyes. "It's all my fault..." Cheerilee said in a teary tone as her voice cracked.
"What's all your fault?" Twilight asked looking completely confused now as to what the earth pony was referring to.
"I've been a terrible pony Twilight, I've done things with her I shouldn't have." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she put her head on the ground and sobbed quietly to herself.
"What the hay do you mean things you shouldn't have?" Twilight asked in a confused yet concerned tone.
"It all started that night of the summer sun celebration school party, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara spiked our drinks and we both got very drunk and..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off.
"Did what?" Twilight asked though she had a good idea and hoped she was wrong.
"I-I-I slept with her Twilight! I don't know why or how we ended up doing what we did, but that's not the worst part." Cheerilee replied looking as if she was in full blown sobs now.
"Okay, so what could be worse than sleeping with a filly two times younger than your age?" Twilight asked in an shocked tone. Part of her was now disgusted with the very sight of this mare in front of her now, but the other part pitied her. She always knew that Cheerilee was into pony's younger than herself, but she didn't think that she would go this young. Yet for some reason she couldn't be upset at her. She of course knew why this was the case but she would rather forget that part of her past.
"I think she's in love with me." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone.
"In love with you? A filly her age?! Lets think rationally here!" Twilight exclaimed in an annoyed tone. Now she was starting to get upset with her. It was as if she was making excuses now.
"Oh come on Twilight! You honestly think I would say that if I didn't think it to be so? I saw it in her eyes! The same look you gave me many years ago!" Cheerilee exclaimed feeling her temper rise now as well.
"I was five years older than her, I think that qualifies me to be a little more mature in that field that her." Twilight replied in the same annoyed tone with a glare now.
"Of come the buck on Twilight. You and me both know that fillies mature quicker than colts in the emotional field." Cheerilee replied countering with a glare of her own.
Twilight wanted to argue this more but she knew that they had more pressing matters to attend to and that was finding Sweetie Belle. "Be glad we have a history Cheerilee. Because if we didn't, I wouldn't hesitate to have you thrown into Canterlot prison. Now come on, we have a foal to find." Twilight replied in a threatening tone as she turned around and began to head into the park while memories played out in her mind.
FLASHBACK
"How can you even say such a thing?! After all we've been through? After all we've done?!" Twilight exclaimed with tears in her eyes along with a hurt expression.
"Twilight, I'm sorry. But you and I both know it would never work out. Think about it. If they found out about me and you, I would not only lose my teaching license, but also my life. I can't risk that! Not even for you..." Cheerilee replied with a sigh.
"Who cares what ponies think?! I love you Cheerilee!" Twilight exclaimed as she ran over and hugged the earth pony tightly.
"I'm sorry Twilight, I love you too, but the risk is too great. I'm being transferred to Ponyville later this month and there is no way we can keep this going and keep it a secret. It would become more than obvious something is going on if we kept on seeing each other in secret." Cheerilee replied and gave a deep sigh.
END FLASHBACK
"You really hurt me, you know?" Twilight remarked after a few moments as the two searched through the park now.
"Yes. I can't begin to say how sorry I am for that." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone.
"So are you going to run away again?" Twilight asked as she looked behind a few bushes while Cheerilee search some others a few feet away from her.
"Is that what you think I did? Twilight, I had no other choice. Surely you understand." Cheerilee replied in a slight offended tone.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that, it just came out." Twilight replied in a guilty tone along with a sigh.
"I know you didn't Twilight, for now lets just focus on finding Sweetie Belle." Cheerilee replied as yet another gust of wind blew throughout the park causing both mares to shiver violently.
"I just hope you learned your lesson..." Twilight remarked aloud to which the earth pony knew exactly what she was referring to.
About thirty minuets later Twilight was just about to tell Cheerilee that they needed to get help in order to find the filly when a rustling sound came from behind a cluster of bushes to her right. Curious, the unicorn slowly walked in that direction. "Sweetie Belle? You there?" Twilight asked in a soft tone as she walked up to the bushes and parted them to see the white unicorn shivering and shuddering violently which caused Twilight's eyes to widen in both alarm and relief.
"Cheerilee, I found her!" Twilight called out at which point a thundering of hooves could be heard and the earth pony came into view mere seconds later.
"Thank Celestia she's okay!" Cheerilee exclaimed in relief as she reached in and lifted the filly up who was still shuddering violently. "She's cold as ice! We've got to warm her up!" Cheerilee remarked in a worried tone as she held the filly tightly.
"I'll teleport us back to your house." Twilight replied, channeled magic into her horn, and in the next moment the three disappeared in a flash of magic.
Sweetie Belle lay in Cheerilee's bedroom snugged warming in her blankets but still was shivering slightly as Cheerilee ran a hoof through her mane with a worried expression. "And that's everything that's happened so far." Cheerilee said in a matter-of-fact tone looking at Twilight now whom was scanning the contents of Sweetie Belle's saddle packs.
"Well, the saddle packs don't lie. You should see some of the stuff she has in here. Many of the books in here are actually from my library. She must have grabbed them when I wasn't looking." Twilight remarked as she looked over the titles of the books.
"What books did she take?" Cheerilee asked curiously as she left the white unicorn's side and looked at the books Twilight was looking through.
"Lets see, we got, Dating for foals, how to break the ice when dating somepony your own sex, popular locations within Ponyville to take your date, and...!" Twilight began to say only to trail off now with a crimson red blush.
"What's the title of the last one Twilight?" Cheerilee asked curiously wondering why the mare had suddenly stopped naming the titles of the books.
"How to please your mate, a rookie's guide to sex. How the hay did she get this one?! That's in the adult section of the library and I put an age restriction spell on it myself! Only spike and me can get through that spell unless the pony is an adult." Twilight remarked in shock until her eyes lit in with a glare. "I'm going to skin that dragon! No wonder he was acting so odd two weeks days ago!" Twilight exclaimed in a pissed off tone as she put two and two together as to why Spike was acting the way he was on the the same day she recalled seeing Sweetie Belle in the library.
"Well that explains how she knew how to make me, umm, erm...never mind." Cheerilee began to say only to stop herself mid-sentence through her recollection upon seeing Twilight's expression.
"Wh-Where am I?" Sweetie Belle asked in a weak tone at which point Cheerilee rushed to her side and smiled at her.
"You're safe, don't worry." Cheerilee said in a soft tone as she ran a hoof through Sweetie Belle's mane again.
"Cheerilee?" Sweetie Belle asked in the same weak tone.
"Yes, it's me. I'm so sorry for doing this to you. If only I had said no from the beginning, this would have never happened." Cheerilee replied as tears of guilt swelled in her eyes and drifted down her cheeks.
"No, it's my fault. You're right, I'm too young to date you and I acted so stupid. I should have known you were putting on an act, but I thought that maybe I stood a chance." Sweetie Belle replied still sounding weak, but less so now.
"Sweetie Belle I..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off. Once again that kiss she gave her was haunting her thoughts and feelings.
"What is it?" Sweetie Belle asked looking at her now taking note of the fact the earth pony was biting her lower lip now as if she was hiding something.
Twilight looked at the two now and also took note of Cheerilee's behavior and sighed with a soft smile as she looked at the two.
Looking at Cheerilee now, how she was caring for Sweetie Belle, it was suddenly so clear, she would never let anything happen to her, she would never let any harm come to her, she would be there always to look after and care for her.
Of all the mates Sweetie Belle could have, this pony, this mare, a pony two times her age, was the only pony she cared about as deeply as I had.
As insane as it sounded to me, the very thought of Sweetie Belle choosing to be with Cheerilee, the very thought that this filly could possibly be attracted and fall for a pony twice her age, it was almost unbelievable. Yet here she was, doing her best to put on a brave face, doing her best to hide the fact she was deeply in love with this mare. Looking at these two now, how they looked at one another, how it was more than obvious they cared for one another deeply yet neither would admit it, it made me realize just what kind of insane world I was living in. I suppose that in an insane world, this was the sanest choice for the both of them.
"Twilight? Is something the matter?" Cheerilee asked curiously taking note of Twilight's sudden motion to leave the room which point the purple unicorn stopped and sighed.
"You never learn, do you?" Twilight replied with a half smile.
Cheerilee of course knew exactly what the purple unicorn was referring to. "Twilight, you can't possibly think that I..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off as Sweetie Belle placed a hoof on her cheek which caused her to look back at the white unicorns face allowing the unicorn to leave the room completely.
"What did she mean by that miss Cheerilee?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously to which the earth pony sighed.
"It means she knows me better than I know myself. Would you excuse me for a few moments?" Cheerilee replied, stood up, and left the room to join Twilight whom was sitting in a chair in her living room.
"How could you tell?" Cheerilee asked in a soft tone which caused Twilight whom was staring at the fireplace which she had ignited herself up to this point to look at her.
"You honestly think that after all those years we spent together, that I didn't get to know you that well?" Twilight asked with a smirk.
"Well, a pony can change." Cheerilee replied with a smirk of her own.
"True as that might be, you sure as hay didn't learn from your mistakes. You're still are falling for the young ones." Twilight replied and looked back at the fireplace.
"I never meant to, what I mean to say is..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off as she was having trouble finding the words.
"Save it, you and me both know that you care about her more than you let on." Twilight replied as she turned to look at her again, stood up from the chair, and walked over to the earth pony. "The million bit questions is, is she worth the risk?" Twilight asked in a soft tone.
"I-I don't know. She is after all, younger than you were when we first met. She seems to know what she's feeling, but I can't help but wonder if she really does." Cheerilee replied and let out a deep sigh a few moments later.
"In the two years I've lived in Ponyville, I've gotten to know Sweetie Belle fairly well. She's not so good at hiding her feelings. When she was in the library two weeks ago, she spoke of a pony she had a serious crush on but wouldn't say who. I just assumed it was one of her classmates. Now I realize it was you." Twilight replied walking up to Cheerilee and smiled warmly at her. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Just do me one favor, don't buck things up this time, okay?" Twilight said a few moments after her initial statement, walked past the earth pony, opened the door, and left the house closing the door behind her.
Cheerilee stood there stunned for a short time, unable to quite process what just happened. Then without warning something clicked. Twilight had just agreed to help her keep this relationship a secret. There was one problem however, she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about Sweetie Belle, but she knew how to find out.
Cheerilee then walked back into her bedroom to see Sweetie Belle still awake and waiting for her to return. "Cheerilee, I just wanted to say how sorry I am. I never meant to make you worry about me so much." Sweetie Belle said in the same weak tone.
"Don't worry about it. I'm not upset with you, it was after all, my fault. If I had been honest with you from the beginning, this would have never happened." Cheerilee replied followed by a sigh as she walked up to the bed, climbed on top, and laid next to Sweetie Belle whom turned to face her on the other side of the bed.
"I sort of knew the whole time, but I kept telling myself that you really did care about me like I did you. I was so happy to have a chance to date you that I ignored everything telling me otherwise. But when you told me yourself to my face, I couldn't accept it, so I ran away." Sweetie Belle replied as tears dripped down her cheeks now.
"I've done my own share of running away. Just not in the literal sense." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she ran a hoof along Sweetie Belle's cheek, wiping away tears as she looked into her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Sweetie Belle asked with an confused expression now.
"I thought I knew how I felt about you, I thought I could just leave things as they were. But that kiss I gave you a week ago. That kiss haunts me, makes me question my feelings for you. So I thought, maybe one more, just to see if the same flame that once burned inside us during that kiss, was really what I felt." Cheerilee replied at which point Sweetie Belle's expression became more confused if possible.
"Huh?!" Sweetie Belle replied with expression that said "What the hay are you talking about?!" which made Cheerilee giggle and sigh.
"I keep forgetting that things like that will go over your head for sometime. Let me put it in terms you'll understand." Cheerilee replied, put a hoof on her chin, and sighed as she tried to figure out a way to say the same thing but in a way the filly would understand. "I want to find out if what we felt when we kissed two weeks ago really meant anything. So I would like to kiss you once more." Cheerilee said a few moments later at which point Sweetie Belle's expression changed from confused to one of understanding.
"Well why didn't you say so?" Sweetie Belle replied with a giggle, leaned in, and locked lips with the mare.
As if by magic, that same feeling, that flame that burned so brightly between the two during that kiss a week ago, suddenly reignited full force. One kiss turned into two, two kisses turned into four, and before the two realized it their hooves were running through each others manes as they made out on Cheerilee's bed only for Cheerilee to stop abruptly much to the unicorn's dismay.
"Why..did you...stop?" Sweetie Belle asked in a breathless tone.
"Two reasons." Cheerilee replied in the same breathless tone as she regained her composure and fought her urges away before continuing to speak. "For one thing, your not feeling so well. Secondly, it's four in the morning and we both need sleep." Cheerilee replied with a smile.
"So, how do you feel about me?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously as the mare got under the sheets and snuggled next to her.
"Hmm, I'll put it this way, I'm willing to give this relationship of ours a real chance now." Cheerilee replied with a smirk and gave the filly a peck on the cheek.
"Really?! No acting this time?" Sweetie Belle exclaimed as her eyes lit up with joy.
"No acting this time. I'm going to give you a real chance with me Sweetie Belle. Just remember, no pony can know. Not for a few years at least." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone followed by a yawn.
"I understand, And Miss Cheerilee." Sweetie Belle replied trailing off on purpose.
"Yes sweetheart?" Cheerilee asked in a drowsy tone.
"Thank you for giving me this chance." Sweetie Belle said in a whispering tone, kissed her on the cheek, and nuzzled her affectionately before giving a yawn of her own and closing her eyes.
Cheerilee looked down at the filly whom laid close to her now and ran a hoof though her mane gently as she slept peacefully now in her hooves. "I won't buck things up this time Twilight. I promise." Cheerilee thought to herself in a soft tone before she closed her own eyes and drifted off into a pleasant sleep. |
The Belle tolls for love | A gamble worth taking | A GAMBLE WORTH TAKING
Cheerilee opened her eyes in a drowsy manner as she looked to her right expecting to see a sleeping filly next to her and was surprised to find that she was not there. It was at this point and time a smell hit the earth pony's nostrils which caused her to sit upright in alarm. "Fire!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a panicked tone, jumped out of bed, nearly tripped over her own hooves as she rushed to the source of the smoke only to stop and stare in shock at Sweetie Belle whom was apparently trying to cook breakfast but failing miserably which was made more than apparent by the burnt food on the table.
"Good morning Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with an enthusiastic smile.
Cheerilee looked at the smiling filly and didn't have the heart to be upset with her though she still groaned in annoyance at the mess in front of her, walked over to the table and stared blankly for a moment at a glass with black stuff in it. "Um, Sweetie Belle, what's this?" Cheerilee asked in an uneasy tone as she turned to look at the filly.
"Juice!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a smirk.
"You burned juice? How in Equestria did you manage that?" Cheerilee asked in a stunned tone.
Upon hearing this Sweetie Belle gave a depressed sigh. "Yeah, I know. Everything is burnt. I tried to make you breakfast, but everything I cook seems to catch on fire for some strange reason..." Sweetie Belle remarked with a frown.
"But how did you manage to burn juice?" Cheerilee asked once again unable to get past how the filly was able to burn juice.
FLASH BACK
Sweetie Belle attempted to levitate the cup of juice with magic only for the juice inside the cup to suddenly catch on fire much to the filly's horror. "Ah! It's not supposed to do that! Why is it doing that?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a panicked tone.
END FLASHBACK
"You don't wanna know..." Sweetie Belle replied with a scowl as she hopped down from the chair and to the floor.
"Sweetie Belle, you should be in bed. You were looking worse for ware last night and I want to make sure you get plenty of rest." Cheerilee replied as her concern for the filly came back fresh to her mind from the events of last night.
"I'm fine, really!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed enthusiastically, but gave a mighty cough afterwords which didn't sound healthy by any means.
"Sorry, but I'm putting my hoof down on this one. You need rest." Cheerilee replied with a stern look at the filly whom gave a weak smile followed by a sigh.
"Fine." Sweetie Belle replied with a scowl as she walked past Cheerilee and out of the kitchen.
With the unicorn no longer a major concern to her she now looked at the kitchen which was a huge mess now and groaned as she flattened her ears in dismay as she began to clean up the mess the filly had made.
Cheerilee walked into her bedroom with a tray of food in her mouth and set it down on the bed in front of the filly whom smiled at her. "Hows breakfast in bed sound?" Cheerilee asked with a warm smile as she gave the unicorn a peck on the cheek.
"Sounds great, but I was hoping for something a little more sweet than oatmeal." Sweetie Belle replied with a smirk and a wink which caused the mare to blush slightly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself now. Just because I said I would give this relationship of ours a chance doesn't mean I'll be messing around with you right and left. After all, there's more to a relationship than just sex." Cheerilee remarked with a smirk as she leaned in a gave the filly a kiss on the lips this time around.
"I know. I just like making you blush." Sweetie Belle replied with a smirk and began to eat her oatmeal.
"You naughty filly." Cheerilee remarked in a jeering tone, turned around, and purposely left her tail up as she left the room giving the unsuspecting filly an eyeful much to her own shock which forced Sweetie Belle to blush herself.
"Hey, no teasing!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in an annoyed tone but smirked all the same which made Cheerilee giggle to herself with the guilty satisfaction that she got revenge on the filly for making her blush a few moments before.
The environment in Cheerilee's home now felt entirely different to the mare now. No longer would she have to watch herself in doors with Sweetie Belle around. This thought in itself filled the earth pony with a giddy excitement as she squealed silently to herself while making her way back to the kitchen to make her own breakfast.
"I never thought I could feel this way again. The last time if felt this way while in my own house was many years ago." Cheerilee remarked out loud to herself thoughtfully with a smirk as she began to make herself a bowl of oatmeal.
FLASH BACK
"Any plans for today?" Cheerilee asked as she gave the purple unicorn a kiss as the two lay in her bed in Canterlot.
"Let me see, I have a report to study for on the use of modern day unicorn magic, basic transformation spells, advanced teleportiaton, advanced levitation, the history of unicorns and their origins, the history oi mid-evil era magic, and how to hatch a dragon egg." Twilight replied with a smile at which point the earth pony frowned.
"That's a whole lot to study on. Guess we won't have much time to spend together today." Cheerilee replied and sighed.
"We have time now." Twilight replied as she ran a hoof along the earth pony's body under the blankets, stopped just short of her mound, and teased her by running her hoof back and forth just above in a gently stroking motion.
"You are such a tease! I would love to rock your world right now, but I need to get ready to teach class today, so maybe later we can have some us time okay?" Cheerilee replied with a smirk as she moved the blankets off her and Twilight, got off the bed, and began to walk away lifting her tail up which allowed the unicorn to stare at her prize.
"I can't wait." Twilight replied as she got out of bed herself and used her magic to brush her mane down.
END FLASHBACK
"Good times..." Cheerilee remarked to herself with a smirk then placed a hoof on her chin in thought. "Sweetie Belle does act a little like Twilight did, maybe that's why I'm attracted to her?" Cheerilee thought to herself curiously as she finished making the bowl of oatmeal and made her way back to the bedroom to see that Sweetie Belle had already finished her bowl.
"Do I really have to stay in bed all day?" Sweetie Belle asked with a puppy dog eye look that Cheerilee knew she couldn't compete with.
"That's not fair. You know I can't resist that much cuteness." Cheerilee remarked with a smirk as she jumped onto the bed and began to eat her breakfast.
"Well do I?" Sweetie Belle asked once again not letting the subject drop.
"We'll see how you are feeling in a few hours." Cheerilee replied simply as and took another bite from her oatmeal.
"Can you at least get my books for me?" Sweetie Belle asked in a sweet tone.
"Sure." Cheerilee replied, moved her bowl to the side, got off the bed, walked over to where the unicorn's saddle pack was, picked it up, set it down in front of her, and got back on the bed.
The unicorn rummaged through her saddle pack and finally found the book she was looking for. "Ah, there is it!" Sweetie Belle remarked with a smirk, took the book out, opened it up, and began to read from it.
Curious as to what book the filly chose to read, Cheerilee glanced over at the pages, and went slightly wide-eyed in shock. "I thought Twilight would have taken that book back." Cheerilee remarked to herself with a blush as she looked away.
"Twilight snooped through my saddle pack?" Sweetie Belle asked in a shocked yet worried tone.
"Yeah, she helped me find you last night. I told her everything that happened between us till now." Cheerilee replied as she pushed the bowl of oatmeal to the side to look at the filly whom now was pale as a ghost.
"But if she knows then..." Sweetie Belle replied in a worried tone at which point Cheerilee smiled at her.
"Don't worry, she said she wouldn't tell anypony. Besides, me and her have a history ourselves." Cheerilee replied in a reassuring tone.
"Wait, you and Twilight? Since when?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously.
"Well I once taught in Canterlot and she was about five years older than you when we met.." Cheerilee began to say as she recalled the events of how her and Twilight met.
FLASHBACK
I was fresh and new to teaching at that time. Barely older than what Twilight is now. I had never known love, much less any kind of romance nor did I really care. I did know one thing though, I loved teaching and this was my dream come true.
"Welcome class to your first day at Canterlot school of gifted unicorns!" Cheerilee exclaimed with a enthusiastic smile as she looked around the room at all the filly's and colts who sat before her.
I'm sure you wondering how a earth pony could possibly teach at a school for unicorns. Well, my parents were both unicorns but I was born an earth pony, since both my mother and father had great standing with the school, they allowed me to teach the first and second years due to them rarely ever needing to do anything practical in their first and second years. It was mostly studying books all day.
"Please take out your books and turn to page-" Cheerilee began to say only for a purple unicorn to come barreling into the classroom huffing and puffing. "S-Sorry I'm late! I was up all night studying and I overslept." The purple unicorn said in a breathless tone.
"Studying? But the first class had just started today." Cheerilee replied in a confused tone.
"I know, I just wanted to be prepared." The purple unicorn replied with a smile.
"I like that kind of dedication in a filly. What's your name?" Cheerilee replied with a warm smile.
"Twilight Sparkle" The purple unicorn replied making sure to show off her pride in her enthusiasm.
"Well Miss Sparkle, take your seat. The class has just begun." Cheerilee replied at which point Twilight turned around, ran to one of the desks, and quickly took a seat.
Did I know then that I had just met what would have been my first love? Ha, I wish! I would have been better prepared for the days to follow if I had, that's for sure.
It would be more than a year later though until I had finally fallen for her though. I suppose I should skip to those days to save you a boring tale.
ONE YEAR AND TWO MONTHS LATER...
Class started and ended as it always had, but this time Twilight had stayed behind the class.
"Something the matter miss sparkle?" Cheerilee asked in a polite tone.
"Yes, I need some help with this spell I've been studying. The execution sounds simple, but every time I try, it blows up in my face, literally." Twilight replied with a scowl as her ears flattened in annoyance.
"I'm afraid I can't help you miss sparkle. I'm not a unicorn. Perhaps miss periwinkle can help you. She's just down the hall." Cheerilee replied with a frown as she continued to grade papers.
"No, see that's just it. The spell says that having a partner will help increase the odds of success. And it doesn't say it has to be a unicorn." Twilight replied as she took the spell book out and placed it on the table in front of her.
Cheerilee quickly scanned the contents of the book and looked back at the unicorn with a concerned look. "Twilight, this spell is highly advanced for a unicorn your age. It's no wonder it blows up in your face. Just be glad it hasn't done worse. How about you try to practice a spell less difficult and more in your skill range?" Cheerilee replied as she took a book out and placed it next to the one the purple unicorn had set on the desk.
"Oh come on! I know you can help me make this work!" Twilight exclaimed in a pleading tone as she made a puppy dog eye look.
Every time that filly made that face, it always spelled trouble...
"Okay, So what do I do?" Cheerilee asked curiously as the two stood in the school magic lab.
"You just need to stand there and hold my hoof as I cast the spell." Twilight replied as she put her hoof on Cheerilee's.
"That's it?" Cheerilee asked incredulously.
"Yeah, the book says that being in contact with your partner will help you keep the spell steady." Twilight replied and began to channel magic into her horn. At first the spell seemed to be working, but then...
BOOM!
The two ponies waved their hooves in front of their faces as they coughed and choked on the smoke that now filled the room. "I don't get it! It said as long as my partner is willing, the spell should work!" Twilight exclaimed in frusation.
"Twilight, does it define what the word partner means in the use of this spell?" Cheerilee asked curiously.
"Not really, it just says that your partner must be willing and consent to the spell." Twilight replied in a confused tone.
I knew from the start that this spell was too advanced for her, but how she was describing the partner in this spell, it sounded more like a lover type of partner rather than your run of the mill lab buddy.
"Twilight, I think your biggest problem with this spell is that you are misinterpreting the context of the word partner." Cheerilee remarked as she looked at the book once again to read over the contents of the spell.
"Wait, it means that kind of partner?" Twilight replied with a wide-eyed expression along with a fierce blush.
"I think so. Everything else you have done to execute this spell looks to be in order. It's common mistake Twilight. Even the most skilled of unicorns can goof up a spell due to a misinterpretation of a word in the spell. Don't worry about it." Cheerilee replied with a reassuring smile as she looked at the purple unicorn.
"Don't worry about it? But miss Cheerilee, this spell is required to pass the Canterlot college exams!" Twilight exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"Collage exams? Twilight, your barely into your second year of magic. Collage is well over five years away." Cheerilee remarked with a chuckle as she walked over to the purple unicorn and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"I believe in being well prepared." Twilight replied in a matter-of-face tone.
"Well, unless you have a coltfriend, I don't think this is going to be possible right now." Cheerilee stated simply trying to encourage the filly to drop the idea for now.
"Hmm..." Twilight said aloud thoughtfully as she placed a hoof on her chin and looked to be deep in thought.
"Uh-oh. This can't end well."
Or at least that's what I thought at the time. Over the course of the year me and Twilight had become good friends despite our age differences. We had a common interest, a thirst for knowledge. This common interest allowed us to get to know one another better than I'd rather admit.
So I knew that when Twilight got her mind set on doing something, come tartarus or high water, she was going to figure out a way to make it happen. The only trouble was, her solutions were not always the best ones. Despite her vast knowledge in magic and her gift for learning spells so quickly, she lacked in the common sense department when she became like this.
"I got it!" Twilight exclaimed in a triumphant tone as her eyes lit up in excitement.
"Here it comes...what is it going to be this time? Crazy magic machine? Time travel theories?" Cheerilee thought to herself in a dreading tone.
"I'll date you!" Twilight exclaimed enthusiastically.
I believe the term comes to mind"My body was not ready!" because of how I reacted when she had made this suggestion. I had never dated a single pony in my life, much less considered it, and for Twilight to drop a something like this one me so unexpectedly, it knocked my mind for a loop.
If Cheerilee's face could go any redder right now it could most likely be mistaken for a chilly pepper as the earth pony's mouth hung agape in both stunned stupor and shock until she managed to snap herself out of it. "Out of the question! You can't just date me! There are two fundamental problems with that!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a slightly higher pitched tone than her normal range.
"Which are?" Twilight asked curiously.
"The first one being that I am an adult mare and you are a teenage filly! That in itself is reason enough!" Cheerilee exclaimed still sounding a little higher than her usual tone but was slowly drifting back to her normal tone as her nerves calmed down. "Secondly, I'm your teacher. It's unethical for a teacher to date their student." Cheerilee said a few moments after her initial statement feeling her nerves finally reach a norm again.
"It wouldn't have to be real dating, just kind of like a play date. That way we can fulfill the requirements for the spell!" Twilight replied with a smirk.
"Twilight, I don't think a spell can be fooled that easily. Why don't we just drop the idea of doing this spell for now and try something else?" Cheerilee said in a suggesting tone as she walked over to the book and closed it.
"Okay." Twilight replied along with a heavy sigh and left the room shortly after with the book being levitated behind her by magic.
I knew Twilight wouldn't give up on trying to master a spell that easily and I feared the worst for what she might try to achieve the spell. Little did I know what was to come however...
The next morning before I left my home I saw a single letter sitting just in front of my door in front of my door. Curiously I opened it.
A special world for you and me
A special bond one cannot see
It wraps us up in its cocoon
And holds us fiercely in its womb.
nestling us to the fold
Like silken thread it holds us fast
Bonds like this are meant to last.
And though at times a thread may break
Its fingers spread like fine spun gold
Gently A new one forms in its wake
To bind us closer and keep us strong
In a special world, where we belong
From your secret admirer.
To say I was taken back was an understatement. Never before had I received a love poem before, much less had a secret admirer. It sent my heart aflutter. I wondered who it could have been. Was it the good looking stallion down the hall from me who taught magic levitation? Or was it somepony else I had met and knew? Regardless, I was in a great mood when I went in to teach class.
"Somepony is in a good mood this morning." Twilight remarked with a grin as she walked into class.
"Oh, well. I got a letter this morning from a secret admirer. It was so heartfelt and sweet. I wonder who it could be?" Cheerilee replied with a smirk.
"No idea. Maybe it's somepony you know?" Twilight replied and sat down at her desk as the other students sat down.
The rest of the day for me went as they normally had though my heart was sent for another whirl when I went into the teachers lounge and found yet another letter addressed to me in my mailbox.
If I could have just one wish,
I would wish to wake up everyday
to the sound of your breath on my neck,
the warmth of your lips on my cheek,
the touch of your hooves on my skin,
and the feel of your heart beating with mine...
Knowing that I could never find that feeling
with anyone other than you.
Your secret admirer
I could barely believe it. It was official now, somepony in this school had the hots for me. My mind drifted to each and every stallion I met in this school. I wondered who it could possibly be.
The days to follow had me receiving one letter after another one a weekly bases. Every Friday to be exact. Every time a letter would come in me and Twilight would talk and debate on which stallion it could possibly be. I felt like I was a teenage filly waiting for her knew mane curler kit to come in every Friday. Every letter set my heart aflutter, made me want to meet this secret admirer of mine in pony even more.
"It's driving me crazy! Who is it?! He knows so much about me, yet I don't know who he is! Is it blue blood? Ralph? Oh good gracious! I can't take the pressure! I wish he'd arrange to meet with me already!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a excited tone as Twilight and her sat in her home in the living toom as they had made a habit of doing for the last few months to talk about the letters.
"Who says it has to be a stallion?" Twilight asked curiously.
This question caused Cheerilee to pause for a moment. "Wait, you think they could be a mare?" Cheerilee asked in a shocked tone. She hadn't thought of this.
"I don't know, maybe? But if it was a mare, how would you react?" Twilight asked curiously.
"I-I don't know. I mean, I guess I wouldn't mind. I just never really gave it much thought." Cheerilee replied truthfully.
I never really had given the idea of my secret admirer being a mare a thought. After all, I assumed it to be a stallion since most of the staff were stallions.
"Just be careful miss Cheerilee. I read a book on ponies who are attracted to pony's the same gender as themselves. And you could hurt them real bad if you reacted badly if they turned out to be a mare." Twilight replied in a cautioning tone.
"Well I suppose I would give them a sporting chance at the least. Though I never really thought about being attracted to a mare." Cheerilee replied once again truthfully.
"Well get to thinking! You don't want to make a scene if they turn out to be a mare. I need to get back home now, see you next week and nice talking with you miss Cheerilee!" Twilight exclaimed with a smile as she left through the front door.
I took Twilight's words to heart and seriously thought about it all day. What would it be like dating a mare? Would I be able to do it? Would I even be attracted to her? These questions and more filled my mind and I barely was able to get to sleep at a decent hour that night because of this deep debate within myself.
THREE MONTHS LATER...
Cheerilee came home one Friday afternoon and felt her heart skip a beat upon seeing yet another letter in front of her. By now she didn't care if it was a mare or stallion, she just wanted to know who it was!
To my darling rose, it is time we met.
Meet me in the Canterlot magic lab after your class ends this Friday.
Your secret admirer
To say I was excited would be a drastic understatement. This mystery pony seemed to know so much about me and told me I knew them very well so I was sure it was a match made in heaven.
THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY...
Cheerilee couldn't wait for class to end and nearly jumped for joy once the school belle had rung. The earth pony was nearly to the door following the class when Twilight nearly ran into her. "Oh! Very Sorry Twilight! I have somewhere I need to be." Cheerilee replied in an apologetic tone as she quickly ran past her and didn't even give the unicorn a chance to reply as she made her way down the hall and to the magic lab.
Unlike most times, there wasn't a single light on in the lab. The earth pony attempted to find a light switch yet couldn't find one.
"Hello Cheerilee." A voice said in the darkness yet she couldn't quite figure out where it was coming from or who it was. It seemed to be slightly distorted.
"H-Hello?" Cheerilee asked in a nervous tone. The fact that she was now standing in the middle of a dark room with a mysterious pony who might be a psychopathic killer now raked against the back of her mind.
"I've been waiting for this day a long time." The voice replied at which point the door slowly closed behind the earth pony putting her in complete darkness.
Now she was very scared and the idea of being in the room with a killer now weighed heavily on her mind. "C-Could you please turn on a light so I can see you face?" Cheerilee asked nervously as she stepped forward blindly into the darkness.
"In due time, but first, I want to you to walk a little closer. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. In fact that's the last thing I would ever want to do to a beautiful mare such as yourself. I just like to keep the mystery going a little longer." The voice replied which put the earth pony's mind at ease somewhat, at least they didn't want to hurt her or at least she hoped that was the case as she took a few more cautious steps forward .
"Your letters were wonderful by the way. But I have to ask, how do you know so much about me?" Cheerilee asked as she strained her eyes to see in the dark yet she couldn't make out anything except a faint silhouette in front of her.
"I've known you for a long time Cheerilee, two years to be exact. We are good friends you and I, and I hoped we could be more." The voice replied as they walked up the earth pony and ran a hoof along Cheerilee's mane now.
"Let me see your face." Cheerilee replied with a curious expression as she strained her eyes to see the face in front of her yet she couldn't make out much more than a horn and mane.
"Okay, but first..." The voice trailed off and locked lips with the mare.
From the moment we locked lips I could tell it was a mare I was kissing, but I didn't care. I was lost in a state of complete bliss. My first real kiss, it was all I had imaged it to be a more. However, nothing could prepare me for what was to to come next.
As the mystery pony and Cheerilee kissed passionately their horn began to glow brightly which illuminated the room quite well though Cheerilee didn't notice this at first. She was too lost in the kiss the two were sharing to even care.
Once they had broken the kiss however Cheerilee's eyes slowly fluttered open in a dreamy fashion and was finally able to see her secret admirers face now clearly at which point her expression turned from dreamy to alarmed.
I couldn't believe my eyes,right before me, in front of my very eyes now, stood Twilight Sparkle.
"Tw-Tw-Twilight?! Your my secret admirer?!" Cheerilee exclaimed in disbelief.
"Um, surprise?" Twilight replied in a meek tone with a deep blush.
"All those letters? Every single one of them was you?" Cheerilee asked still unable to fully register was was happening.
"Yeah." Twilight replied in the same meek tone as she ran a hoof through her hair in a shy manner.
The earth pony now paced back and forth in the room still trying to regain her composure. "All this time you even were talking to me about them. And you acted like you had no idea?" Cheerilee asked in a shocked tone to which the purple unicorn nodded. "Twilight, I knew you were keen on mastering that spell, but this is taking it too far! You're messing with a pony's feelings here!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a slightly hurt tone now.
"There was no spell." Twilight replied simply.
Upon hearing this I could have sworn my brain had just broke.
"What? But I saw the book, it had all the details in it and..." Cheerilee replied still trying to figure out what she was talking about. "You created a fake book? Why?" Cheerilee asked in complete confusion now.
"To try and get you to date me. The whole spell was nothing more than a staged act to try and become your fillyfriend." Twilight replied in a soft tone as she walked up to Cheerilee.
"And when that failed...you turned to the letters?" Cheerilee replied in a confirming tone finally putting the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle together in her head to get a clear picture.
"I never meant to mess with feelings, because I care about you miss Cheerilee." Twilight said as she leaned in towards the earth pony and gave her a quick peck on the lips before she could turn away. "More than you realize." Twilight said in a quiet yet compassionate tone.
It was now at the point in my life I found myself conflicted. One the one hoof, I was willing to say "Buck it!" and leave this unicorn in the room alone without a second thought. But on the other hoof, she was bearing her heart to me and all those letters she had sent to me over the course of this year, every single one of them made my heart flutter.
She had told me so much about herself in those letters, bared her heart to me in them as she was now. The conflict within me was enough to drive any sane mare crazy. Fortunately for me, I was past the point of sane now or at least that's how I saw it as I locked lips with the mare once again, no longer caring. Something inside me had changed, no, snapped. I saw this mare in a whole new light now.
END FLASHBACK
"And the rest is history." Cheerilee said as she finished recalling how she had met Twilight. Though her story seemed to take forever, it took barely ten minuets to tell the tale to Sweetie Belle whom was listening with utmost interest.
"Aw, you stopped just as you were getting to the good part!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a disappointed tone.
"Oh come now, do you really want to hear how I messed around with Twilight when I could just show you." Cheerilee remarked with a mischievous grin as she got under the blankets herself, snuggled up close to Sweetie Belle, and ran a hoof over he mound causing the unicorn to give a sharp moan.
"I thought...you said..we wouldn't be messing around right and left." Sweetie Belle replied and gave yet another sharp moan as Cheerilee gently ran her hoof along the unicorn's clit in a smooth back and forth motion.
"I did say that, but I didn't say we wouldn't be doing any messing around at all, did I?" Cheerilee replied with a grin as she leaned in and kissed the unicorn squarely on the lips to which she quickly returned the kiss.
"Oh Cheerilee..." Sweetie Belle said between moans and kisses as the earth pony continued to massage her clit increasing the pleasure coursing through her body more and more with each smooth motion along it.
Without warning Cheerilee flung the covers off the two of them, scooted herself down, and repositioned herself right over the unicorn's now soaking wet puffy white pussy lips."What are you waiting for?" Sweetie Belle asked in an annoyed tone having expected the mare to go to town on her cunt no sooner she got down there only for her to just stare at her with a grin.
"I just had an idea." Cheerilee replied with a smirk as she quickly jumped off the bed, could be heard rummaging under it, and reappeared with a box.
"A box?" Sweetie Belle asked in annoyance feeling her pleasurable state slowly slip away now.
"Surely a pony such as yourself keeps a few toys fore herself to have fun with." Cheerilee replied with a smirk as she lifted the lid up revealing several toys which among many included a vibrator, beads, and a love egg.
Sweetie Belle's eyes lit in in realization of what these toys were and smirked. "Well, I did grab one of Rarity's toys awhile back, but I couldn't fit the whole thing inside. It was too big." Sweetie Belle admitted with a blush.
"Then I suggest this one." Cheerilee said taking out the love egg and slowly pushed it inside the unicorn whom gave a sharp and loud moan.
"W-Wow. This feels incredible." Sweetie Belle remarked in a pleasured tone.
"If you like it now, just wait till I turn it on." Cheerilee replied with a smirk and flicked the switch on the other end of the toy.
"Holy horsefeathers!" Sweetie Belle shrieked at the top of her lungs as the top came to life inside and vibrated which caused her to arch up and cry out in pure lustful bliss nearly climaxing on the spot.
Cheerilee couldn't help but laugh at the filly's reaction. "You enjoying your first time with a toy that fits?" Cheerilee asked in a jeering tone as the unicorn continued to arch up ever so often and moan out.
"En-Enjoying it? I- I Love it!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed between moans feeling her pleasure skyrocket non-stop pushing her close and closer to her orgasm by the second.
"Good to hear." Cheerilee replied with a smirk leaned in and began to slowly suckle the unicorn's teats which sent the filly over the edge giving a mighty cry of pleasure as the inner walls of her cunt clamped down on the love egg and began to milk it as she rode out her climax effectively creating a decent sized puddle on the bed between her legs and soaking her own tail in her juices.
"That...was...great!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed between pants as she basked in her own afterglow, chest heaving, every limb on her body feeling like jelly, and barely able to see strait.
"If you like the toy so much, it's yours." Cheerilee said in a soft tone as she leaned in, kissed the unicorn on the lips, and slowly removed the love egg from Sweetie Belle's pussy which caused the filly to give a slight moan into their kiss as it slipped out of her.
"I don't know. That toy is probably very expensive. I can't accept it." Sweetie Belle replied in unsure tone.
"Don't worry about it sweetheart. Besides, it'll give you something to do when your away from me during the week when you need some release and I'm not there to give it to you." Cheerilee replied with a smile.
"Wow, really? Thank you so much miss Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed locking lips with the mare once more however this time the two continued to kiss more and more running their hooves through each others manes until Sweetie Belle broke the kiss and slowly moved down on the mare much to Cheerilee's excitement.
"You know this makes the first time we've done this together and are both sober." Cheerilee remarked followed by a sharp moan as the unicorn suckled her left teat.
"I am never drinking that stuff again." Sweetie Belle remarked with a giggle before she moved down even farther and finally found her prize. Instead of inserting her hoof like last time however, she decided to taste the mare herself as she run her tongue long the dark purple mare's mound which caused Cheerilee to bit her lip in anticipation.
Without warning the filly dipped her tongue into the earth pony's dripping sex causing her to arch back and moan out as the filly began her tongue work. "Dear Celestia! Sweetie Belle, where did you get so good?!" Cheerilee exclaimed between moans as each wave of pleasure coursed through her body causing it to light up like a match each time Sweetie Belle's tongue ran along her inner walls.
"See that book over there?" Sweetie Belle said having taken a break from pleasuring Cheerilee to point at the open book laying on the right side of the bed then resumed her tongue treatment.
"I should have-uhh! known..." Cheerilee replied giving a sudden cry of sexual bliss mid-sentence as her climax came closer and closer with each passing moment.
Sweetie Belle ran her tongue into Cheerilee's soaking wet slit tasting every inch she could reach with her tongue and savored every last drop of her juices as she reached a hoof behind herself and began to masturbate.
"Let me help you with that." Cheerilee remarked taking note of the filly's attempt to pleasure herself at the time she was pleasuring her, picked up the love egg, gently pushed it between her puffy white pussy lips and flicked it on again. Upon the device being turned on the white unicorn arched her hindquarters up to the air and moan into the earth pony's cunt creating a whole new set of sensations to course through the mare's body earning loud moans from her.
If somepony were to be watching the two right now they would see Cheerilee clamping onto her pillow under her head with a expression of pure sexual bliss along with Sweetie Belles face buried deep between her legs which were kicking and tensing up ever so often now.
Little did the two know however that a certain purple unicorn was in fact watching this private time of theirs.
I watched the two go at it for nearly an hour. It was like my own personal little show. If the two had known I had placed a magic orb that would transmit everything that happened in that room to me, well, they would probably never forgive me. Of course this wasn't my reason for keeping an eye on them. I had to make sure that what they had was real. And by the looks of the passion between these two, it was more than just lust. It was love. It wasn't until I finished riding out my own orgasm that I had shamelessly achieved by watching the two go at it while I played with myself did I shut the magical object down permanently. Thought it was a gamble placing the magical object in there, I don't regret it. It was worth it.
I'm such a naughty mare... |
The Belle tolls for love | The silent protector | A SILENT PROTECTOR
SIX MONTHS LATER...
Rarity lay unconscious on the floor now with Twilight standing over her with a manikin leg as Cheerilee stood in front of Sweetie Belle protecting her. "Tw-Twilight?! What have you done?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in horror.
"Cheerilee, grab Sweetie Belle and run!" Twilight exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"But Twilight, what about you?" Cheerilee asked in a worried tone as she lifted Sweetie Belle up and put the filly onto her back.
"Don't worry about me, I'll sort things out here! Now go!" Twilight exclaimed at which point Cheerilee dashed from the carousel boutique as fast as her hooves could carry her.
How could things have come to this? What have I become? It all felt so unreal. As I stared at my best friend whom I had just knocked unconscious I realized one horrifying fact. When she woke up she would still know what happened, Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee wouldn't be safe, not as long as this unicorn was alive...
Could I really do it? Could I kill one of my best friends to protect them? And would I be able to stop there? After all, the others would start asking questions. Would I have to kill them too? Maybe I should start from when I began...when I decided I would protect the two at all costs. Even if it meant my own life.
The day I decided I would become...
THEIR SILENT PROTECTOR
PRESENT DAY....
I woke up earlier the next morning as I always did. I would have a book ready to be read every morning usually, but this morning was different. This morning I had something more important to do. I had to make sure Cheerilee had learned from her past mistakes. Looking back and seeing it from an adult mare's point of view I see now she wasn't running away. She really had no choice.
She had let her defenses down in public, let me act towards her in ways she shouldn't have allowed. Because of this, questions began to arise. It soon grew to the point that in order to protect us both, she had to leave me. She truly did it because she loved me so, even if it hurt more than anything in my life. I didn't know why exactly I had taken a sudden profound interest in Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle's relationship. Perhaps it was because it reminded me so much of the relationship we shared.
Regardless, I felt a old part of me that I had tucked away in the back of my mind resurface, a part of me I thought I had buried forever, unearth itself from my subconscious and burst to life within me. This part of me I both loathed and loved. It was this part of me that allowed me to push Cheerilee to the point of no return that day many years ago, to love me as I did her.
"Hey Twilight, Where are you going?" Spike asked curiously as Twilight began to head for the door.
"I'm going to get a little fresh air. Hold down the fort till I get back okay?" Twilight replied with a smile.
Twilight then left the library and teleported close to Cheerilee's house. "They should be waking up anytime now." Twilight thought to herself as she sat and waited for the two to wake up.
Sure enough a few minuets later, Cheerilee had walked out of her front door to pick up the newspaper off the lawn and walked back inside.
I decided to take a risk a get a closer look so I sneaked over to the home and peered in through the window.
"Morning Sweetheart, did you sleep well?" Cheerilee asked with a smile as she walked back into the bedroom, got back onto the bed, and curled up next to the filly.
"Yeah, I'm feeling a whole lot better today too." Sweetie Belle replied, stretched her limbs, yawned loudly before jumping out of bed, and began to leave the room.
"You aren't going to try and make breakfast again are you?" Cheerilee asked with a smirk which caused the filly's ears to flatten in annoyance as she turned around and looked at her.
"um, no?" Sweetie Belle replied with a guilty expression again.
"Why don't we go out to eat instead? I heard there's a wonderful restaurant in town that serves the most delicious oatmeal." Cheerilee said in a suggesting tone to which Sweetie Belle's expression lit up with excitement.
I watched the two leave Cheerilee's house and stayed close to them but they never saw me. It was then I saw it, Cheerilee's tail was firmly wrapped around Sweetie Belle's as they walked towards the restaurant. Strike one Cheerilee, two more to go.
"You never learn do you? Ugh!" Twilight remarked aloud in annoyance only to slam her hooves over her mouth in a panic fearing they had heard her.
Luckily for me they hadn't, but it was more then obvious to me now that Cheerilee hadn't learned to keep a lid on her affections in public. This fact worried me. I couldn't bare to see her have to leave again. Not only would it break Cheerilee's heart to do so yet again, it would destroy Sweetie Belle. Being so young, she would never understand why Cheerilee had to do such a thing. I barely understood at the time and I was five years older than her.
I decided to follow them a little longer in secret before I let my presence be known, however my cover would be blown before I had meant for it to be thanks to a certain pink friend of mine.
"Hi Twilight! Why you following Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle in secret for? Are you being a spy like-mmmhph,dreumph,umgph!" Pinkie Pie began to exclaim only for Twilight to stuff a hoof in her mouth to shut the rambling pink mare up.
"Pinkie Pie, do you always have to be so loud?!" Twilight hissed only to notice Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle now walking towards them at which point the purple unicorn yanked her hoof out of the pink mare's mouth and smiled at the two.
"Oh hey Twilight. What brings you out here?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously.
"Oh you know, just enjoying the fresh air." Twilight replied with a nervous smile.
"But Twilight, weren't you just foll-OW!" Pinkie Pie began to saw only to get a swift hoof to the nose which caused her to hold it with a teary-eyed look.
Looking back, I think I may have been a little too harsh on her. She was after all being Pinkie Pie, but a swift hoof to the nose was the only way I knew of to shut her up at the time.
"Sorry Pinkie! I thought I saw a bumble bee on your nose!" Twilight exclaimed feigning a guilty look as she turned to look at Pinkie Pie's nose now which was bleeding slightly now from the blow.
"It's okay Twilight, I know you wouldn't hit me on purpose!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in a nasally tone.
Okay, now I felt like dirt.
"Let me just take a look at that." Twilight replied no longer feigning guilt now as she looked over Pinkie Pie's nose.
"Don't worry about me Twilight! I'll be fine! I'll just get it looked at by nurse Redheart. It's actully pretty funny! You thought I had a bumble bee on my nose haha!" Pinkie Pie replied as she turned around and skipped away as if nothing had happened.
Drive the proverbial guilt knife deeper into my chest why don't ya?
Soon after Pinkie Pie was out of sight Twilight turned to look at Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee again whom were still standing there. "So where are you two off too?" Twilight asked with a smile trying to get rid of the awkward atmosphere now.
"Well, me and Sweetie Belle are off to the unicorn buffet for some breakfast. Would you care to come along?" Cheerilee asked curiously with a warm smile.
I couldn't have asked for a better excuse to keep an eye on these two.
"Sounds great, I'm starved!" The purple unicorn exclaimed as she rubbed her stomach.
"But Cheerilee, I wanted this to be a date." Sweetie Belle whined as she looked at the earth pony with a pouty expression.
Looks like Cheerilee wasn't the only one who needed to learn a lesson or two.
"Sweetie Belle, I don't think it's such a good idea for you to say that so openly." Twilight remarked looking about herself now. Thankfully, no pony was around to hear her say this.
"Twilight is right Sweetheart. We need to keep our relationship a secret and it would be blown if you said something like that with everypony around." Cheerilee said agreeing with the mare.
"Speaking of keeping things a secret, you sure are doing a poor job of it at the moment." Twilight remarked in a sour tone as she pointed a hoof at Cheerilee's tail which was still wrapped around Sweetie Belle's.
"Ops." Cheerilee replied with a blush as she let go of the filly's tail and gave a nervous giggle.
"It'll be a lot more than a simple ops if you two get busted." Twilight replied in a knowing yet stern tone.
"Twilight, I am well aware of this. You don't need to be so protective of me and Sweetie Belle. I've learned from my past mistakes and I think we can handle ourselves." Cheerilee replied in an annoyed tone as she gave the purple unicorn an annoyed look.
I seriously beg to differ with that statement.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be so over protecting, I just wanted to make sure you two can stay happy." Twilight replied truthfully.
"I appreciate the concern Twilight. Really, I do, but please try to trust in my judgment. Lets get going shall we?" Cheerilee replied, turned around, and began to walk down the path again with Sweetie Belle at her side.
That's just the problem Cheerilee, I don't.
As the three stepped into the buffet they could see many ponies walking about getting different foods from the serving counters along with rows and rows of tables, picnic blankets, and small bar style chairs with round tables.
"Cheerilee, this place looks rather expensive, are you sure you can afford all three of us?" Twilight asked in a worried tone.
"Nonsense, this place is well within my budget. Besides, I want Sweetie Belle to try out their oatmeal. I know she will just love it!" Cheerilee exclaimed with a smile as she leaned down and gave the filly a subtle gentle nuzzle to the cheek.
Not subtle enough if you ask me, strike two Cheerilee. One more and I'll really have to step in.
Cheerilee decided that one of the picnic blanket areas would do them just nicely as she pointed a hoof in that direction after she had paid for each of their meals. The three walked over to one of to one of the picnic blanket areas, set their saddle packs down, and went to the serving trays to pick up their food.
Once the three had their food they went back to the picnic area they set their saddle packs at and began to eat.
"So Cheerilee told me how you two dated a few years ago. Did you really trick her into dating you like that?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously.
"Oh good grief, you told her how we met?" Twilight replied with a light laugh feigning ignorance.
"Well, she asked and I didn't want to lie to her you know." Cheerilee replied with light laugh of her own.
"I wouldn't really call it tricking her per-say, but yes I did use a few under hoofed methods to win her over." Twilight replied with a slight blush as she looked at Cheerilee now.
If there was an award for the drastic understatement of the century, that sentence would have won it hooves down.
"Sounds a lot like tricking her to me. A fake book, the letters, and the whole making her go crazy, head over hooves, in love with the mystery pony who turned out to be you, sounds a whole lot like tricking to me." Sweetie Belle replied in an unconvinced tone.
Holy horsefeathers! This filly is a whole lot smarter than I gave her credit for! I'll need to watch myself a whole lot more from here on out from now on...
"Okay, you got me. I did trick her, but I only did it because I cared about her." Twilight replied in a guilty tone to which Cheerilee gave a light laugh.
"What's so funny?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously looking at the earth pony now as she took a bite of her food before responding.
"It's just funny to me is all. Here we are. My ex-fillyfriend, me, and my current fillyfriend talking about how she won me over." Cheerilee replied with a giggle.
Twilight quickly gave a panicked look about herself and realized that Cheerilee had chosen a rather secluded spot with no ponies within hearing distance and let out a sigh of relief.
I'll just call that one a foul.
"You need to be a little more careful Cheerilee. I know there are no ponies around to hear us, but you never know who might walk by." Twilight remarked in a cautioning tone.
"You're being paranoid Twilight. I told you to trust my judgment. I chose this spot because I knew Sweetie Belle had questions for you and no pony was close by." Cheerilee replied with a smile.
"So why did you two break up anyways? Did you two not love each other enough?" Sweetie Belle then asked at which point an awkward silence ensued.
Filly's ask the darnedest things... That was a question I would rather not answer.
"Sweetie Belle, it wasn't that we didn't love each enough. It was just that..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off as she looked at Twilight whom wore the same saddened expression she did.
You just had to leave it up to me to answer, didn't you?
"Things got complicated." Twilight replied in a soft tone hoping she would accept that answer.
"How complicated?" Sweetie Belle asked curiously while taking note of the depressing atmosphere.
Twilight let out a deep sigh upon hearing this and ran a hoof though her mane. "We nearly got found out. I'm sure you already know this, but I wasn't exactly old enough to be dating a mare Cheerilee's age at the time." Twilight replied feeling herself become more and more depressed by the minuet.
"How did you almost get found out?" The filly asked simply.
This was where I put my hoof down, it was painful enough to recall these memories, but those days that lead to the end of our relationship I wanted to forget forever.
"It's kind of hard to go into detail on that Sweetie Belle. Those days are ones I would rather not remember." Twilight replied honestly.
"You see Sweetheart, I wasn't exactly cautious with Twilight. And when ponies began to question what was going on between me and her, I did the only thing I knew of that would silence the questions, and protect us." Cheerilee replied in a saddened tone with a sigh of her own.
"What did you do?" Sweetie Belle asked in an uneasy tone. The filly by now had a good idea these questions were ones she probably shouldn't be asking, but she had to know.
"She left." Twilight replied simply in a soft tone as a silent tear streaked down her cheek.
Saying those two simple words, it felt like somepony had taken a knife, jabbed it into my heart, and began to twist and grind it against me.
"I'm sorry Twilight. I didn't mean to upset you or Cheerilee. I just wanted to know." Sweetie Belle said in a sweet tone as she walked over and hugged Twilight.
"I know." Twilight replied simply as she put a hoof around the filly and gently ran it through her mane.
"It must have hurt so much. I feel so mean for making you remember all that. Can you ever forgive me?" Sweetie Belle asked with a teary-eyed expression now as she looked up at the purple unicorn.
Such a wonderful filly. So emotionally mature and wise beyond her years, yet still so naive and young. It almost made me jealous of Cheerilee. Almost...
"There's nothing to be sorry for Sweetie Belle. It's not your fault after all." Twilight replied with a weak smile as she wiped her nose with a soft sniffle and looked into the filly's eyes then at Cheerilee whom reached over, picked up the filly, and kissed the filly on the on the lips which once again caused the unicorn to look around in a panic and be thankful no one was looking in their general direction.
"Don't worry Sweetheart, you did nothing wrong." Cheerilee said in a soft tone.
Strike three Cheerilee, You never learn do you?
"Can I talk to you alone Cheerilee?" Twilight asked in a stern tone to which Cheerilee nodded silently, put Sweetie Belle down and followed her to the side of the restaurant area away from the filly and everypony.
"Cheerilee! You can't be doing that in public! Talking is one thing, but kissing her is the quickest way to get busted!" Twilight exclaimed in a panicked tone which caused Cheerilee to give a guilty look.
"Sorry Twilight, I knew it was a risk, but-" "But nothing! Do you want to have to leave her?!" Twilight exclaimed dramatically cutting off Cheerilee and caused the mare to be taken back along with a heavy sigh.
"No, I don't." Cheerilee replied simply but an air of sadness could be heard in her voice as she spoke now.
"Then use that brain of yours! You can't kiss her in public, you can't flirt with her in public, you can't do anything that looks remotely like those things!" Twilight exclaimed dramatically and gave a sigh as she regained her composure. "I know you want to show you care for her, but you can't be so public about it." Twilight said in a much calmer tone a few moments after her hushed shouts at the mare taking note of her looking more and more guilty with each word.
"I understand. Thank you Twilight. You are absolutely right. I need to be more careful with her in public." Cheerilee replied in a low tone along with a sigh as she looked over at Sweetie Belle whom was eating her food still.
Looking at Cheerilee now, I felt responsible for her becoming the mare she is today. If not for me, she would not be in this situation now. I'm the one who set her on this path. At least that's how I felt. In my mind I knew otherwise. It was her choice to date a filly younger than her. But no matter what your head tells you, sometimes you heart can override your better judgment. I could only hope she would take my words to heart.
I wasn't done yet however, I had one more thing I needed to know. I looked over at Sweetie Belle now and immediately felt sick to my stomach. I could only hope what I was about to put this filly through was right, even though it felt so wrong... |
The Belle tolls for love | A risk not worth taking | A RISK NOT WORTH TAKING
SIX MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
Cheerilee ran as fast as her hooves could carry her with Sweetie Belle clinging to her mane. "What are we going to do?!" Sweetie Belle asked in a panicked tone as the earth pony came to a stop in front of her house, quickly opened the door, ran to her room, set the filly down, grabbed a suitcase out, and began to throw things into it.
"Pack your things Sweetie Belle. We're leaving." Cheerilee replied in a hasty tone as she continued to throw things into her suitcase.
"But what about my friends? What about Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked in a worried tone which caused the earth pony to stop what she was doing, stare at her, and sigh.
"Your right, I can't force you to leave. But I have to. So I'm giving you a choice Sweetie Belle. A choice I never gave Twilight. Do you want to come with me or stay here?" Cheerilee asked in a soft tone as she walked up to Sweetie Belle, knelt down, and placed a hoof on her cheek as she looked into her eyes.
"If I stay here, I won't see you again will I?" Sweetie Belle asked as tears drifted down her cheeks now.
"No, I'm afraid not. I know this choice is unfair and I feel so badly for making you chose so quickly, but we don't have much time. So I'll ask once more, do you want to stay or go with me?" Cheerilee asked as she ran a hoof through Sweetie Belle's mane now.
"Can you give me a little bit to think about it?" Sweetie Belle asked in a soft tone at which point Cheerilee glanced up at the clock and sighed.
"I'll give you one hour. It's the most I have to give before I absolutely must leave town. I'll pack your things as well in a separate suitcase in case you decide to come with." Cheerilee replied and resumed packing her things.
The filly looked at her lover and sighed as she thought things over. "How did it come to this? I was so careful! How did Rarity find out?" Sweetie Belle asked herself in a sad tone as she recalled how things began.
PRESENT DAY...
The start of a new week had begun for me. Though I was sad to have to leave Cheerilee and go back to my sister's house. I understood why I couldn't stay. I did my best to remain happy though, despite being forced to be away from the mare I loved.
"Hey, Sweetie Belle! How did those math tutorin lessons go?" Applebloom asked curiously as Sweetie Belle walked up to her two friends.
"Math tutoring lessons?" Sweetie Belle replied in a confused tone at first until she recalled the lie she had told the two. "Oh yeah, those! They we're great! I learned a whole lot" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a mischievous grin as she recalled the weekend.
I learned a whole lot alright, how to make Cheerilee scream, how to make her beg for me to push her to that orgasm, and how to use that little toy she gave me. Of course I couldn't tell them, but hey, a filly can day dream can't she?
"You seem really happy about being forced to study math. I would go crazy if I was forced to do that!" Scootaloo exclaimed with a cringing gesture.
"Just because ya don't wanna be learnin stuff, don't mean the rest of us don't." Applebloom chimed in with a slightly annoyed tone at the orange Pegasus's reaction.
"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like learning. I just said I don't want to be forced to learn anymore than I have to." Scootaloo replied defensively.
"Well, school can't teach everything ya know?" Applebloom replied with a smile.
"Applebloom's right Scootaloo. You can't learn everything in the classroom." Sweetie Belle chimed in with a smile of her own.
If I had a bit for every time that statement rang true in bed with Cheerilee during the weekend, I'd be set for life.
"Well we go the whole week crusaders, any ideas on how to get our cutie marks?" Applebloom asked as she looked at the other two.
By now, I had given up on finding my special talent. The way I saw it, it would show itself sooner or later.
Okay maybe that's a lie, I hadn't given up, but I wasn't in a hurry either. I was having fun with my friends and that's all that really mattered to me right now.
"Hmm...i got it!" Scootaloo exclaimed with a exited look as her eyes lit up.
"Brilliant plan Scootaloo. Now how about making a plan on finding us a way down from this maple tree!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in annoyance as she hugged the side of the tree not daring to look down.
"Ah reckon makin that slingshot shoot us a little to the left here was a tad overboard Scootaloo." Applebloom remarked in a uneasy tone as she hugged the back of Sweetie Belle.
"A little?! She launched us fifty feet away from the intended trajectory!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in annoyance to this observation.
"What are you? A dictionary?!" Scootaloo exclaimed in annoyance as she held onto Applebloom's backside.
She always said that when I said words she didn't understand. It was a little annoying, but I didn't taken it as an insult. I'm smarter than most ponies realize. A fact I take pride in. not that anypony would notice though. All they care about is my singing voice. Who the hay gets their cutie mark for singing anyways?
"Who the hay cares! Just figure out how to get us the hay down!" Applebloom exclaimed in annoyance.
"How did you three get up there?" A voice in a worried tone asked which all three recognized immediately looked down and saw Cheerilee.
"Well ya see, Scootaloo had this here idea of us gettin our cutie marks for being flyin acrobats so we figured we would fling ourselves onto that trampoline, trouble was that Scootaloo didn't point the consarned slingshot in the right direction and we ended up in this here tree." Applebloom called down to the earth pony who facehoofed at this.
I felt so embarrassed right now. Here I was sitting in the middle of a tree and my lover was going to have to save my flank. All because I couldn't use the common sense to say it wasn't a good idea. Sometimes I hate not having my cutie mark, I really do. It's very easy to loose sight of what might be a bad idea when the idea of getting your cutie mark is top on your priority list.
"Hold on, I'll go get Rainbow Dash." Cheerilee called up to the three galloped out of sight a few moments later.
"Oh great, Rainbow Dash is going to think I'm so lame now!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she facehoofed.
"At least you don't have to worry about explaining why you thought this was a good idea in bed later!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed without thinking.
"What the hay is that supposed to mean Sweetie Belle?" Applebloom asked in a confused tone.
"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Scootaloo chimed in with an equally confused expression.
Ops, me and my big mouth. Good thing they had no idea I was talking about Cheerilee, I would have blown our cover. Thank Celestia for small favors...
"Rarity always asks me how my day was every night. We have our little sister chat time every night before we go to sleep." Sweetie Belle lied biting her lip and being thankful they couldn't see the guilty expression on her face now.
"Oh, that explains it then." Applebloom replied in a understanding tone now.
"Oh, well I guess that makes sense then." Scootaloo chimed in.
How am I going to explain this one to Cheerilee this weekend? Sure it's a week away, but she won't forget this. Not after the worried look I saw on her face when she saw me up here.
Moments later Rainbow Dash could be seen flying up to the three and stopped short of them in the tree. "Do you three ever think things through completely?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk as she picked up each filly one at a time and set them down in front of Cheerilee.
"Thanks for the help Rainbow Dash." Applebloom called out as the cyan blue Pegasus left sight as the sun began to set.
"I think ah'm done crusadin for the day fillies. Ah'm gonna head home. See ya!" Applebloom exclaimed giving a wave as she trotted off in the direction of her home.
"Same here, catch ya later Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she hopped onto her scooter and sped off.
"Are you okay Sweetie Belle? You didn't hurt yourself did you?" Cheerilee asked in concerned tone as she looked over Sweetie Belle now.
"I'm fine, really." Sweetie Belle replied in a mildly annoyed tone as the earth pony looked over her.
While her concern for me was touching, she reminded me a lot of my older sister. She was always so overprotective of me. And it would always annoy me.
"I just wanted to make sure you alright. You had me worried sick about you. What in Celestia possessed you to launch yourself from a slingshot anyways?" Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she knelled down, hugged, and nuzzled her affectionately.
Taking note of Twilight's concern for Cheerilee's lack of common sense in keeping her affections a secret in public yesterday I of course gave a panicked look around myself and felt silly afterward for doing so since no pony was around to see.
Upon this realization I felt myself suddenly become very mischievous. The kind of naughty feeling you get when you have the urge to do something you know is a bad idea but want to do it anyways just to see if you can get away with it.
"That's good to hear. Please don't do anything that dangerous again." Cheerilee said broke the hug and looked into Sweetie Belle's eyes with a smile.
Without warning the unicorn tackled the earth pony who instantly fell to her side in shock. "Sweetie Belle! Why would you do that? That was very- Sw-Sweetie Belle!" Cheerilee began to say in a scolding tone as the unicorn backed off her only to have her sentence cut short as the filly dove her face under Cheerilee's tail as she lay on her side and began to eat the mare out in the middle of the forest.
I knew she would resist at first, but I knew she wouldn't for long.
Cheerilee at first attempted to scoot herself away as she gave panicked looks about herself. "Sw-Sweetie Belle! Not here!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a panicked tone and bit her lip hard with a muffled moan as a wave of pleasure surged through her body as the filly's tongue ran along her clit.
That little noise she had just made told me she losing her ability to resist me. Now I just had to drive her to the point of no return.
Sweetie Belle dipped her tongue deep within Cheerilee's moistening slit in hopes she would stop trying to scoot away from her while the mare once again gave a panicked look about herself once again resisting the urge to cry out in pleasure.
Cheerilee gave one last look about herself and let out a sigh of relief realizing that no pony was around in the sky or on the ground. Unable to resist any longer, Cheerilee placed a hoof on Sweetie Belle's head and moaned out.
Bingo. I finally had her. Cheerilee learned the hard way over the weekend that I was very dominate for a filly my age. While I knew not to push things too far, it always gave me a guilty pleasure to put her in situations she wasn't comfortable with. I still laugh to myself at Twilight face yesterday.
FLASHBACK
"So, lets lighten the mood shall we?" Cheerilee said with a smile as her and Twilight sat back down at the picnic blanket.
"Okay." Sweetie Belle replied with a mischievous grin as she reached behind Cheerilee's tail and ran a hoof along her clit causing the earth pony to suddenly stand up in alarm and stare at Sweetie Belle with a crimson red blush while Twilight looked as if her brain had not yet processed what the filly had just done.
"Sweetie Belle! Not in public!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a hushed alarmed voice.
"What in Equestria were you thinking?!" Twilight exclaimed in a panicked tone as she looked around herself once again in a panicked tone once her brain seemed to fully register what had just happened.
"I'll tell you what she was thinking. This little troublemaker right here has taken a liking to making me blush in public." Cheerilee remarked with a smirk at the filly who could only giggle insanely to herself.
"Sweetie Belle, you can't be doing those kind of things. Do you understand me?" Twilight said in a cautioning tone to the filly.
"Oh come on Twilight, I'm not stupid you know. Do you really think I would have done that if other ponies were looking at us?" Sweetie Belle asked with a smirk.
"I think she's developed a fetish for doing things like that to me in public Twilight. This isn't the first time." Cheerilee whispered in Twilight's ear so that the filly couldn't hear her.
"You mean she's done things like this before?" Twilight asked incredulously.
"Unfortunately yes. Yesterday, I took her over to nurse Redheart's office just to get her cough checked out and she purposely flicked her tail in the same spot she had just touched a few moments ago, and with nurse Redheart less than two feet from us with her backside turned to us. I can't tell you how hard it was to explain to her why I was blushing so hard." Cheerilee said in a matter of fact tone.
"That's a very dangerous fetish..." Twilight remarked in a concerned tone.
"What's a fetish?" Sweetie Belle asked innocently.
END FLASHBACK
They of course told me what a fetish was. It sounded kind of funny though. They had such a hard time explaining it to me, but I got the general idea. Of course they were only half right. My "fetish" as they call it wasn't making Cheerilee blush in public. It was doing naughty things to her in public and getting away with it. Though I agree with Twilight, given our situation, it is a very dangerous fetish.
Cheerilee continued to lay on her side and moan out as the night sky now was looming over the two. For some reason this position she was in now was more erotic to her than being on her back. From this position she could see the filly's tongue flicking in and out of her wet slit easily, she didn't have to strain her neck down to see the action now. "Oh Sweetie Belle...make me cum...uhh!" Cheerilee moaned out as she flung her head back for a moment losing herself in the pleasure before looking back at the filly as she went to town on her.
Sweetie Belle darted her tongue in and out of her lovers cunt, suckled on her clit, and reinserted her tongue inside the mare's dark purple slit. She could feel her vaginal muscles flexing around her tongue. She could tell that her lover was very close now. The thrill of eating her out in the forest like this, the fact that at any moment somepony might see them, it was a rush for the filly and made her soaking wet knowing this very fact as she drove her lover down the final stretch focusing on her g-spot now with her tongue which caused the earth pony to arch up and cry out as her climax came crashing down on her and rode out her climax moaning out as each wave rocked her body.
"Is somepony there?" A voice called out from a distance in the darkness.
My chest went ice cold upon hearing this voice.
"Sweetie Belle, hide!" Cheerilee whispered in a panicked tone.
I didn't hesitate and quickly ran for the closest bush and hid in it preying the mystery pony had not seen me.
"Y-Yes, was I disturbing you?" Cheerilee called back a few moments after she made sure Sweetie Belle was out of sight.
"Not at all miss. It's just my job to keep an eye out for ponies in this neck of the woods. This is after all very close to the everfree forest. Are you hurt miss?" An unicorn pony asked as he walked into view and shined the light from his horn on her.
"Hurt? No, I-I was..." Cheerilee began to say but trailed off.
"I heard moaning so I figured somepony might be hurt." The unicorn replied with a smile as he shined the light over in the direction of the bushes Sweetie Belle was hiding in.
My heart was beating so hard I feared it would explode out of my chest. It seemed as if he couldn't see me in the bushes but I didn't know if he could or not. Once he had moved the light away from the spot I hid in was relieved but not by much.
"Well, um, you see, I was..." Cheerilee once again began but trailed off with a blush.
The unicorn shined the light once again at where she lay, took note of the fact her legs and grass around them were wet along with the musky smell that not hit his nostrils, and chuckled aloud. "Heh, I'm terribly sorry miss. I didn't mean to interrupt a mare's private time, but you should pick a better spot to enjoy yourself at. This part of the forest isn't always safe." The unicorn replied with a smirk.
"I-I understand. So I'm not in any kind of trouble am I?" Cheerilee replied feeling herself slightly relieved not but still nervous.
"Not at all miss. I come a crossed couples coming out here all the time to mes around this time of night. As long as they aren't causing trouble, the most I can do is recommend them to pick a safer place and let them finish up their business." The unicorn replied as he shined the light around once more which grazed over the spot where Sweetie Belle was hiding once again but didn't remain their long at all this time. "Have a good evening miss." The unicorn said a few moments after his sweep before he turned around, walked away, and was out of sight after a few moments.
Cheerilee made sure that the unicorn was clearly out of sight before she gave Sweetie Belle the all clear to come from her hiding place. "That was too close!" Cheerilee remarked as ran a hoof through her mane.
"Sorry miss Cheerilee. I almost got us busted." Sweetie Belle said in a sad tone as the folded her ears.
I felt terrible. Not only had I risked exposing our relationship, but I had put Cheerilee through a mortifying experience.
"It's okay Sweetheart, just try to learn from this and not repeat the same mistake. I'm sure you will understand when I say we can't leave the forest together now." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she gave the filly a passionate kiss before she turned about face and began to walk away.
"Yeah, I do. See you later miss Cheerilee." Sweetie Belle called out in a hushed tone and walked in the other direction towards the outside of the forest.
Lesson learned. I am never doing anything to her in public ever again. This is one fetish I am better off without. It's a risk not worth taking. |
The Belle tolls for love | Exposed | EXPOSED
SIX MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
Cheerilee continued to pack things into the suit case as Sweetie Belle watched still trying to figure out which to decide. On the one hoof she wanted more than anything to stay with Cheerilee, but on the other hoof, she didn't know if she could leave all she knew behind.
Despite all her smarts, her wisdom, and all she knew at the time. She had never felt more helpless and confused in all her life. She knew what had just happened, Rarity had found them out, saw Twilight knock her sister unconscious, and knew that Cheerilee had no choice in what she had to do now. She knew that the two would lose everything once they had left. The key difference was:
she had a choice.
She could choose to stay here, she would lose the love of her life, but she could keep the life she had. Though it would never be the same again without Cheerilee, she could choose to stay here, pick up the pieces of her shattered heart, and try to move on. Or
She could choose to go with Cheerilee, keep the love of her life, but leave everything behind, and attempt to make a new life elsewhere. She had no idea where they would go, but she trusted Cheerilee and knew she would make sure the new life they had was as good as this one. Or at least try to.
The unicorn glanced up at the clock and felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. "Ten minuets left..." Sweetie Belle thought to herself in a sad tone. Where had the time gone? It surely didn't feel as if an hour had nearly already passed.
"Maybe my first mistake was when I told Scootaloo and Applebloom. Of course I had no choice but to tell them. They had after all seen me messing around with Cheerilee nearly two months ago and I couldn't lie to my best friends could I? Did they tell her? No, they wouldn't. They swore on their honor as a crusader not to say anything." Sweetie Belle thought to herself as she recalled the events that lead up to her two friends finding out...
PRESENT DAY...
Four months had passed since that horrifying ordeal in the forest, yet that night still haunted my memories and made me more paranoid of my surroundings than ever when I was with Cheerilee. Looking back I suppose that paranoia was a good thing considering it helped me make sure Cheerilee didn't do anything rash in public.
I think it had an effect on Cheerilee too though. She was far less affectionate with me in public ever since that night. Though there were still a few times I had to remind her to be careful. The more time I spent around Cheerilee, the more I felt like the mature mare in this relationship. I suppose that's a good thing. After all, I wasn't around her all the time. So when I spent time with my friends I could behave like a filly again.
Today however I was spending time with Cheerilee again. It was our last weekend together before the end of summer break and we knew our time together would become very limited after this weekend. so we wanted to make it a day and night to remember.
"That was the most delicious meal I've ever eaten! You really went all out this time miss Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a wide grin as the two walked away from one of the most expensive restaurants in town.
"Well, we wanted to make this a day to remember didn't we?" Cheerilee replied with a warm smile at the smiling filly only to cringe slightly at her saddle pack which had barely ten bit left in it as the two made a right turn down one street and began to walk down another towards Cheerilee's house.
"The day's not over yet." Sweetie Belle remarked with a smirk and a wink which caused the earth pony to blush slightly.
Sweetie Belle looked at the earth pony now as they took yet another right turn towards Cheerilee's house. To the filly's shock she couldn't quite place the feeling. Unlike the many times she looked at the mare now. Something had changed in the way she looked. It wasn't any kind of physical change, yet somehow she looked different to her.
Somehow I felt different around Cheerilee. I didn't feel like a filly around her. Maybe it was because she treated me like a mare instead of a filly when we spent time together and not just in bed. I felt like I could tell her anything, do anything. No, it was more than that. For the first time in my life ever since I began to this relationship with her...
I realized just how much she meant to me. The moment I realized this, the moment I managed to figure out why she looked different to me now, I felt my eyes begin to fill with tears of joy.
As the two stopped in front Cheerilee's house the earth pony looked down and noticed the filly had begun crying. "What's wrong Sweetie Belle?" Cheerilee asked in a concerned tone as she knelled down and placed a hoof on the filly's cheek wiping away tears.
"Nothing's wrong." Sweetie Belle replied allowing a smile to wash over her face as she wiped her own tears away and looked back at her.
"So why the waterworks then?" Cheerilee asked in a soft tone.
"I just love you so much. I don't know what I would do without you." The unicorn replied with a sniffle as she managed to kill waterworks and look at her.
Upon hearing these words Cheerilee's eyes teared up as well, but unlike the filly she didn't start crying. "I love you too Sweetie Belle." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she ran a hoof though her mane, stood up, opened the door to her house, and motioned for the filly to follow her inside.
I think that was the first time we said the words "I love you" to one another. I had wondered why we hadn't said them sooner. Maybe we were afraid? Regardless, I felt light as a feather now. As if some kind of weight on my mind and body had been lifted as I followed Cheerilee inside.
Cheerilee closed the door behind her, locked it, and motioned for Sweetie Belle to follow her to her room not saying a word, though it was more than obvious what was on the earth pony's mind right now.
I think we both were thinking the same thing right now. After finally telling each other how we truly felt, we wanted to make sure each other knew it. And what better way to say "I love you" than to make her lover scream them as she climaxes all over your face. At least that's how I saw it as I followed her to the bedroom already wet with anticipation.
Cheerilee climbed onto the bed and lay on her side now as Sweetie Belle walked into the room. The filly stood in place in the doorway for a few moments now just to admire her beauty.
How in Equestria did I get so lucky?
"So are you going to join me or just stare at my flank all day?" Cheerilee remarked in a lustful tone which snapped the unicorn out of her gaze.
"Of all the ponies in Equestria, why did you choose me?" Sweetie Belle asked in a soft tone as she climbed on the bed, snuggled close to her, and ran a hoof through the earth pony's mane as she looked into her eyes.
"If memory serves me correctly, I believe you chose me." Cheerilee replied with a smirk as she leaned in and locked lips with the unicorn.
Typical Cheerilee, always one to not give me a direct answer. Oh well, not that it really mattered to me.
The two pony's continued to kiss each other, each one not letting up as each others tongue assaulted each others mouths while Cheerilee ran a hoof along Sweetie Belle's underside, slowly making her way down. Though the filly couldn't do the same, she gave her best effort despite their size differences.
"I wish I was bigger." Sweetie Belle remarked between kisses as she reached as far as her hoof could go which was no farther than Cheerilee's stomach.
Cheerilee gave a soft giggle upon hearing this, stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes as her hoof went lower and lower only to stop just short of the filly's mound and rise back up again until it rested on her stomach at which point she began to caress it. "I like you just the way you are. Besides, you'll grow in time. All ponies do." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone before she resumed kissing her. The earth pony was in no rush to push things along faster than she wanted to. They had all day after all and she wanted to savor this moment with her lover as long as possible before things really started to heat up.
Instead of giving up however, the filly had an idea. Taking note of her hind hooves being closer she decided to use them as well while she focused on running her forehooves along Cheerilee's upper body, her right hind hoof began to run along Cheerilee's lower belly and though she hadn't tried this before she was quickly getting the hang of using her hind hooves. Soon enough her hind right hoof found it's mark which caused the earth pony to give a soft moan into their kissing as it grazed over her mound.
Cheerilee quickly found her body heating up with each stroke against her lower regions. Though the earth pony wanted to savor the moment a little longer, she knew this impatient filly didn't want to wait for things to heat up. "Already getting down to business are we?" Cheerilee remarked with a giggle as she began to run her hoof down the filly's underside until it found her mound causing the unicorn to moan out.
"You know me miss Cheerilee. Can't wait for my cutie mark and sure as hay can't wait to make you feel good." Sweetie Belle replied with a giggle of her own before she locked lips with the mare once again.
(Play "Madonna - Forbidden Love" now)
Sweetie Belle continued to make out with her lover for a little longer before she began to make her way down Cheerilee's body giving soft kisses along her body causing the mare to bit her lower lip in anticipation. The filly stopped the short of Cheerilee's teats and began to kiss them gingerly earning soft moans from the mare as she looked at her with each ginger kiss before she ran her tongue long them which caused the earth pony to give a sharp moan as Sweetie Belle's tongue grazed along the tip of her left teat in an upward fashion and slowly trailed her tongue back down over it once again before she took it into her mouth and suckled it still making she she was looking to see her lover's reactions.
Seeing Cheerilee's face as she moaned out as I suckled her teats, knowing I was making her writhe in ecstasy, it filled my heart with so much joy I thought I would explode. I wanted to make sure she knew I cared for her. The last few months were the best of my life, I got to know Cheerilee so much and the more I got to know her, the more it lead up to this moment. The moment when I was able to truly show her how much I loved her.
Sweetie Belle continued to suckle her teats making sure not to go too fast, but not to slow either. She wanted to savor her lover's reactions.
"Sw-Sweetie Belle! Uhh!" Cheerilee moaned out as she arched back with each suckle to her teats. The filly then went back to running her tongue along the mare's teats but instead of continuing to focus on them she moved lower now making sure to run her tongue along her body until she reached Cheerilee's now soaking wet slit.
However instead of diving in head first as she had so many times before over the summer, the unicorn instead planted gentle kisses along the mares mound as she ran her hooves along Cheerilee's legs in a sensual manner.
Between the books Twilight had lent me over the summer and my experiences with Cheerilee. I knew exactly what I was doing. I had learned so much and everything I had learned, everything I knew in how to please a partner, I was letting it all out now.
Slowly the filly began to switch from gentle kisses to slow yet forceful licks along Cheerilee's cunt until she finally edged her tongue inside which caused her lover to arch up and moan her name out once again.
Sweetie Belle then began to run her tongue along Cheerilee's inner walls slowly but not too slowly as she continued to run her hooves along Cheerilee's legs which tensed up and kicked at random times. All the while Sweetie Belle never stopped looking at Cheerilee's face making sure she was making sure her lover was enjoying herself.
"Dear Celestia,mmmph! Faster Sweetie Belle...uhh...please make me cum." Cheerilee managed to moan out unable to take it any longer. While the mare loved fact that Sweetie Belle was doing her best to savor the moment her body was now craving for release.
"Tell me you love me." Sweetie Belle said with a smirk as she continued her slow pleasurable licks inside the earth pony's love tunnel.
"I love you so much Sweetie Belle, please don't make me wait any longer!" Cheerilee practically screamed out.
I would have made her cum anyways, but hearing her say those words again helped me decided to give her that release a little sooner than I had intended to.
Upon hearing these words, Sweetie Belle moved her mouth up as she continued to lick at her slit until she came a crossed Cheerilee's clit. The filly then bit down hard which caused the earth pony to arch back and give a mighty "Yeeesssss!" as she came hard.
Sweetie Belle wasn't done however as she dove her face back into Cheerilee's cunt and ran her tongue inside savoring her lover's orgasmic juices as they gushed along her tongue, past it, and dribbled down onto the bed. The filly continued to pleasure her lover, feeling her vaginal muscles flex against her tongue with each wave of her orgasm that rocked the mares body until it slowly began to subside leaving Cheerilee huffing and puffing loudly at which point the unicorn crawled up next to her and locked lips with the mare kissing her passionately.
Cheerilee could taste herself in the filly's mouth as her tongue darted inside of the filly's mouth whose tongue returned the favor. "It's time I returned the favor." Cheerilee remarked in a soft tone as she slowly made her way down the filly's body giving Sweetie Belle's underside gentle kisses as she moved along her underside until she found the filly's puffy white pussy lips. "I'm gonna rock your world." Cheerilee remarked with a smirk just before she dove her tongue inside the filly's cunt causing the unicorn to cry out.
She then lifted the filly's hindquarters up a little more which left Sweetie Belle slightly hunched over now which her rump vertically strait now. This position was exactly the pose she wanted her lover in for the treatment she was about to give her. The earth pony then gently parted the filly's puffy white pussy lips exposing her sensitive pink flesh and ran her tongue along it making sure to keep the filly's pussy lips parted as she continued to eat her out dipping her tongue into the filly's now exposed hole.
"Holy horsefeathers, don't stop!" Sweetie Belle moaned out in ecstasy as she bucked her hindquarters into Cheerilee's mouth each time she dipped her tongue in.
Somehow from the position I was now in, it felt as if her tongue was going deeper inside me than it ever had before. Each time she retracted her tongue, I felt a chill that I normally didn't feel down there. It somehow made it that much more pleasurable each time I felt the warmth of her tongue dip inside me. I didn't know if it was just the position or the fact she had my inner walls exposed in such a fashion. There was one thing I knew though, I was on cloud nine.
Sweetie Belle moaned out without a care now feeling the pleasure mount inside her body growing closer and closer to her own climax with each flick of Cheerilee's tongue. Without warning however, Cheerilee allowed the filly's rump to flop onto the bed before she went down on her again, this time however focusing solely on the filly's clit for the short time before she turned her body around, scooted forward, put her left leg under Sweetie Belle's right leg and pressed her slit up against hers.
"Why did you stop?" Sweetie Belle asked in a breathless tone as Cheerilee made some final adjustments to her position.
"Trust me, you're going to love this." Cheerilee replied with a smirk and began to grind against the filly's cunt with her own.
This was an entirely new experience for the young filly. Each time the earth pony ground her body against the filly's, Sweetie Belle could feel Cheerilee's wetness and warmth against her. The best part of this feeling however was each time Cheerilee would grind against her, their pussy lips would part and for a brief moment each time she could feel part of her slit slide inside Cheerilee before slipped out and grind against her clit.
The filly soon picked up on this and began to return the favor as she pushed her cunt against Cheerilee's causing waves of pleasure to surge through the earth pony's body as well.
I could feel my climax closing it. It wouldn't be much longer before my cunt gushed all over my lover's. Judging by the look on her face it wouldn't be long her to have one of her own either.
"I love you Cheerilee!" Sweetie Belle screamed at the top of her lungs as her climax hit her body hard and her pussy began to spasm as it gushed it's love juices all over Cheerilee's slit. Feeling Sweetie Belle's cunt gush it's juices all over hers pushed the earth pony over the edged as she began to ride out her second orgasm.
After her orgasm had finally fully subsided Cheerilee crawled back up and snuggled against Sweetie Belle now. "I love you Sweetie Belle." Cheerilee whispered as she nuzzled against the filly affectionately whom returned it with an affectionate nuzzle of her own.
"I love you too Cheerilee." Sweetie Belle whispered back as the two enjoyed their afterglow.
It wouldn't be until a few days later my friends would confront me with what they saw. To say it was hard enough to explain to Applebloom and Scootaloo how I felt about Cheerilee and getting them to understand this was hard . Getting them to keep their mouths shut about it however was a lot easier.
I still don't know how Rarity found out though...I don't want to think it was either of my two best friends, but I just don't know when I look back...
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"Okay, hour is up. Once again, I'm sorry to force you to make such a choice, but I'll ask once more. Do you want to come with me or stay here?" Cheerilee asked as she knelled down and put a hoof on the filly's cheek.
"Cheerilee, I love you more than anything in the world, of course I will." Sweetie Belle replied after a few more moments having finally come to her decision.
Come what may, I won't leave her now, not ever. She's my world and I'll be banished to the moon by Celestia herself before I leave her and even then I would find my way back to her.
Cheerilee handled Sweetie Belle a suitcase style saddle pack with all her things in it, but just before the two made it to the door a single letter popped in front of their faces and floated down in front of them.
Curiously Cheerilee lifted the small scroll up and opened it.
To Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle,
I thought I would let you both know that I have everything taken care of with Rarity. Don't worry, she's just fine, but it will be a long time before you can even see her. I have special plans for her, and with luck, it won't take too long to make her see things my way.
The only downside to this is that you will have to stay off the radar until I send word. I won't go into details for now, but suffice it to say that if you were to walk up to anypony in town and ask about Rarity, they wouldn't even know she exists. We are the only three who are immune to this spell I have cast.
Don't worry about contacting me though, I have magical trackers on you both and I know where you two are at all times. Good luck and I'll see you both soon hopefully.
Sincerely,
Twilight Sparkle
Cheerilee finished reading out the letter and felt a ping of dread in her chest. "If she's going to do what I think she is..." Cheerilee remarked aloud in a knowing tone.
"What is she going to do to my sister?" Sweetie Belle asked in a concerned tone at which point Cheerilee knelled down and looked at the filly.
"Don't you worry about it. She's not going to hurt her if that's what you thinking. Now lets get going, the train to Fillydephia leaves in an hour, with luck we can buy our tickets and be on the next train." Cheerilee replied with a soft smile, stood up, opened the door, and walked out of the house closely followed by Sweetie Belle. "I hope you know what you are doing Twilight, this will end very badly if you fail to do what I think you are doing..." Cheerilee thought to herself in a worried tone as the two made their way towards the Ponyville train station... |
The Belle tolls for love | The diaries of a mad Pegasus part 1 | THE DIARIES OF A MAD PEGASUS
PART 1
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
Rarity opened hers and immediately placed a hoof over her head and rubbed it. "What in Equestria happened? The last thing I remember..." Rarity began to say but trailed off as her memories came back to her full force.
FLASHBACK
"Stop away from my sister you sick mare!" Rarity roared as she barreled down on Cheerilee whom stood in front of Sweetie Belle now.
"Please Rarity, try to understand!" Cheerilee exclaimed in a desperate tone the fear clear in her voice.
"Oh I understand alright, you are a sick and twisted mare who gets her kicks from molesting unsuspecting fillies! Now back away from her or you won't live to regret it!" Rarity exclaimed as she grew closer and closer only for Sweetie Belle to jump from behind Cheerilee and stand in front of her.
"Sweetie Belle, don't try to protect me. I don't want anything to happen to you." Cheerilee said in a panicked tone as the filly walked up to Rarity stopping her older sister just short of the earth pony.
"Move aside Sweetie Belle, I'm not upset with you. But this mare, she knew what she was doing, she knew what she was doing every time she..." Rarity trailed off unable to say the words as her rage filled her more than ever.
"So did I! Stop treating me like I'm a foal! I'm practically a teenager for pony's sake! I love Cheerilee! So bucking deal with it!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a pissed off tone with an expression to match it which caused the mare to be taken back at first but her sister's words.
"Don't worry Sweetie Belle, after I deal with this mare, we'll get you some real help and you'll see exactly what she had done to you." Rarity said in a soft tone to her younger sister before she moved her to the side with magic and prepared to charge only for Twilight to appear in front of her.
"Rarity, What's going on?! I heard shouts on my way to Fluttershy's house." Twilight asked in a worried tone at which point the unicorn pointed a shaking hoof at Cheerilee.
"This mare right here, she messed with Sweetie Belle! She-She..." Rarity attempted to say only to trail off feeling her words become overpowered by her sheer rage.
"I understand." Twilight replied in a solemn tone as she looked over at Cheerilee.
END FLASHBACK
"The last thing I remember is being hit over the head hard, was it Sweetie Belle? I've got to find that sick mare and save my sister!" Rarity thought to herself in a worried tone thinking her sister had done something rash only to reach out to touch her doorknob and feel a sharp and painful jolt prick her hoof causing her to recoil.
"What in Equestria?!" Rarity exclaimed in alarm as she looked at her doorknob, attempted to reach out and touch it again only to get the same jolt cause her to recoil again.
It was at this point and time that Twilight appeared in the room behind her in a flash of magic. "Hello Rarity." Twilight said in a soft tone at which point the unicorn whirled around and looked at her much to the unicorn's relief.
"Thank Celestia, Twilight. I'm trapped in here." Rarity said in a urgent tone.
"I know." Twilight replied simply.
"And I think Sweetie Belle is running away with Cheerilee!" Rarity continued as she walked up to Twilight.
"She is." Twilight replied simply.
"Well, what are you waiting for Twilight?! Teleport us out of here! We have to stop them!" Rarity exclaimed as she shook Twilight slightly thought he purple unicorns expression did not change.
"I'm afraid I can't do that Rarity." Twilight replied simply once again which sent the white unicorn's mind spiraling into confusion.
"Why? Are you trapped in here too?" Rarity asked in a confused tone.
"No, I just can't let you leave, not yet anyways." Twilight replied in the same simple tone.
Upon hearing this, the unicorn's chest went ice cold though the confusion still remained. "Wh-What do you mean Twilight?" Rarity asked in a slightly scared tone now trying to figure out what her friend was acting the way she was.
"I can't let you leave until you understand..." Twilight replied simply trailing off on purpose as her horn glowed for a few moments and Scootaloo appeared in a flash of magic next to her. "Why Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle love each other." Twilight replied in the same simple tone, neither anger or sad.
"Wh-What?! You can't be serious Twilight! I will never understand what goes through that sick mare's mind!" Rarity exclaimed in an outraged tone then looked at Scootaloo. "Why is she here?" Rarity asked curiously.
"She's here to help you understand why Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle love each so much." Twilight replied in the same simple tone as she turned around and began to pace around the white unicorn now. "I'm going to break you Rarity. Just as I did Cheerilee many, many years ago." Twilight continued as she paced around the white unicorn who couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Wh-What?!" Rarity asked incredulously as she stared at the purple unicorn in disbelief.
"I know what you are thinking right now, she's lost it, one book too many right? I hate to disappoint you, but I am very sane right now." Twilight said allowing a grin to appear on her face.
"Given the circumstances, I beg to differ. You still haven't explained why Scootaloo is here." Rarity replied in a skeptic tone as she looked at the orange Pegasus whom didn't look scared as she was. In fact, she was smiling! "Why isn't she scared? Wasn't she brought her against her will? Did Twilight put a spell on her?" Rarity thought to herself in a worried tone before she switched her gaze back to Twilight whom was still pacing around her.
"She's here to help you see why Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle love each other so much." Twilight replied simply still grinning at the mare.
"You can't be serious! How could you put a spell on an innocent filly like that!" Rarity exclaimed finally figuring she had the full picture of what this twisted unicorn had planned for her now.
"Spell? Ha! I'm here of my own free will Rarity." Scootaloo said now speaking up with a smirk.
"Of course you wouldn't know if she put a spell on your darling." Rarity replied in soft tone before she resumed looking at Twilight. "If you think for one second, that I would ever let you force me to lay a hoof on this filly, you are even sicker than Cheerilee, Twilight Sparkle!" Rarity exclaimed in an outraged tone.
"Oh Rarity, lighten up. I would never force one of my best friends to do something they didn't want to. No, by the end of your time here, you will be unable to keep your hooves off her. And by your own will might I add." Twilight replied with a smirk.
"Are you even listening to yourself speak?! You need help Twilight Sparkle! Besides, somepony will come looking for me sooner or later!" Rarity exclaimed in a pissed off tone.
"Oh no they won't. You're familiar with multidimensional portal spells right? I took that spell a step farther. Anypony outside of this house, has no idea that you even exist anymore." Twilight replied her grin seemingly becoming wider now if possible.
"So you've trapped me in another dimension within this house with a filly under your spell and expect me to mess with her?" Rarity replied still trying to wrap her head around what was happening.
"How many times do I have to tell you Rarity? I'm not under any kind of spell and unlike you, I can leave anytime I want!" Scootaloo exclaimed with a smirk.
"She's right Rarity, Scootaloo is not under any kind of spell. Me and her have something in common, we both messed with mares much older than ourselves and managed to get them to fall head over hooves in love with us." Twilight replied still smirking.
"You can't expect me to believe such nonsense!" Rarity exclaimed in an outraged tone still clearly unconvinced.
"You want to be doubting tomcolt, fine. Tell me Rarity, why do you think Rainbow Dash has been spending so much time with me the last two months?" Scootaloo asked with a smirk.
"She was helping you to learn how to fly of course." Rarity replied in a matter-of-fact tone at which point Scootaloo made a buzzer sound with voice as her grin grew even wider.
"No Rarity, it's because she's mine. My little sex slave." Scootaloo replied with a smirk.
Rarity stared blankly in disbelief looking as if her brain had broken for a few moments before she shook her head. "Very well played Twilight, but I'm sure that is nothing more than a well rehearsed story you programed into her mind when you put her under your spell." Rarity remarked in a snooty tone.
"You give me far too much credit Rarity." Twilight replied with a giggle.
"And I thought Rainbow Dash was slow to catch on." Scootaloo remarked with a giggle of her own.
"Tell you what, I'll give you proof. You and I both know that multidimensional spells have one weak point. Any spell cast within them or outside of them is removed once the caster leaves the said dimension. There is no possible way to overcome this as not even Celestia herself has been able to do so. I'll leave you two alone for awhile and don't worry about food, I enchanted your refrigerator to automatically generate an endless supply of your favorite meals." Twilight replied and disappeared in a flash of magic.
Please forgive me Rarity, I hate having to do this to you, but there is no other way...
Rarity quickly turned her gaze to Scootaloo expecting to see a sudden change in behavior from the filly yet it did not change. She still sat there smiling at her. "How are you feeling Scootaloo?" Rarity asked curiously.
"Me? Oh I'm fine, thanks. Listen, I know this seems very mean of Twilight, but she really only wants Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee to be happy. You wouldn't even be here if I hadn't told you by mistake, so I'm sorry." Scootaloo replied in a genuine tone.
"So it really wasn't a spell? You really did...oh my gosh! Rainbow Dash is as sick as Cheerilee and Twilight?!" Rarity exclaimed in a horrified tone.
Upon hearing this Scootaloo facehoofed with a groan. "You still don't get it do you?" Scootaloo replied in an annoyed tone.
"What's there to get? You and Sweetie Belle have been victims of sick and twisted mares." Rarity replied in a sympathetic tone at which point the orange Pegasus facehoofed once again this time so hard she rubbed her forehead with a wince having hit it so hard.
"No, that's not it at all. I was the one who-" Scootaloo began to say only for Rarity to cut her off by hugging her suddenly. "Don't you worry about it Scootaloo, I'll find a way to get us out of here." Rarity said in a sympathetic tone which caused the Pegasus to tense up as she was getting sick and tired of this.
"I was the one who seduced Rainbow Dash you purple maned, stuck up, mule!" Scootaloo blurted out in an pissed off tone as she pushed away Rarity and walked to the other side of the room and sighed.
"It didn't start out that way though...I just wanted her to know how much I idolized her. Then things sort of spiraled out of control. I started to get feelings for her. Do I regret sleeping with Rainbow Dash? No way! It was a fantasy I had imaged since I was old enough to know what the term clopping really meant and became aware of myself as a growing filly. I just wish she loved me back. Now, instead of a lover, I have a sex slave who will do anything I ask. It wasn't what I wanted at all." Scootaloo replied in a depressed tone as she recalled the events that led up to this day and told them to Rarity...
TWO MONTHS AGO...
It just started out as something simple, I only wanted her to know how much I idolized her. So I thought up one plan after the other. None seemed to work. And after the event in that tree, I thought she would never understand. Then as if by chance, it happened.
"R-Really?!" Scootaloo exclaimed unable to contain her excitement as her idol stood before her.
"Yeah, I figured you could use a few lessons from a pro. So I'm gonna teach ya all I know. With luck, you'll be soaring through the skies by the end of the week." Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk.
"So when do we start?!" Scootaloo exclaimed hoping up and down now.
"How does now sound?" the cyan blue Pegasus replied at which point Scootaloo could no longer contain her appreciation and hugged the cyan blue Pegasus tightly.
"Thank you so much Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she hugged her tightly.
"Heh, no problem kid." Rainbow Dash replied and gently pushed the filly away. "Okay so first off is take off lessons. Pay attention kid, a Pegasus's starting position is key for a successful take off." Rainbow Dash said as she turned around, bent over, and made her signature take off position and flung her tail up in preparation to take off.
I didn't mean to stare, but it was just "there" right in front of my face now. I knew it wasn't intentional on her part, but I couldn't help it. Without thinking I started leaning in towards her cyan blue lips. It was so enticing. My fantasies were clearly overpowering my better judgment at this point.
Scootaloo's face was barely a few inches away now as she slowly began to edge a tongue out towards her prize.
Just one little taste couldn't hurt right?
However just before Scootaloo's tongue could touch the cyan blue Pegasus's pussy, she took off from the ground with a mighty beat of her wings taking up vertically. "And that's how you take off from the ground!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed from the skies as she flew around for a few moments before she landed right next to the filly Pegasus noticing she had a "staring into space" expression on her face at the moment. "Hey, weren't you paying attention kid?" Rainbow Dash asked in an annoyed tone clearly unaware of what the filly had just attempted to do.
"What? Huh? Oh yeah! I was, but I don't think I can take off like that." Scootaloo replied finally snapping herself out of her blank expression.
I hadn't payed attention at all. I mentally kicked myself for letting my fantasies cause me to completely ignore my idol's first ever flying lesson to me. I redoubled my efforts in keeping my mind out of the gutter as I looked at her now.
"Hm, maybe the vertical take off approach is a little advanced for you. Guess we'll start you off with the rookie's running start method." Rainbow Dash remarked aloud thoughtfully then took different type of take off position. This position had her wings spread out horizontally with her bent over once again tail in the air. "Okay, so this method requires you to get a running start. Remember to keep your wings extended." Rainbow Dash said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Don't stare at it, don't stare at it...
"Now, from here, you just start running forward making sure to flap your wings quickly but not too quickly. This is meant to give you some loft and get the wind under your wings." Rainbow Dash continued unaware of the filly's uncomfortable blush.
Stop staring at her cunt you featherbrain! Your idol is right here trying to teach you how to fly!
Scootaloo shook her head very quickly now and made sure to focus her attention on the cyan blue Pegasus's pose now and made her best effort at keeping her eyes off what lie under Rainbow Dash's tail. "Got it!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a confident tone even though she had barely heard what she had said.
"Alright, watch me and then you try." Rainbow Dash replied giving a brief look back to the filly before she began to run along the ground flapping her wings at a moderate pace now. "You should be able to feel the wind under your wings at random times which might even take off you off the ground a little!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed aloud making sure the filly could hear her as she picked up even more speed now.
Without her hindquarters right in front of me now I was able to give my idol my full attention now. I took note of everything she had said up to this point.
"It might be hard for a first timer to tell, but you gotta pick the exact moment when you feel the wind under your feathers and then..." Rainbow Dash exclaimed aloud trailing off on purpose waiting for that exact moment herself before she gave a mighty beat of her wings and took off from the ground going strait at first before she slowly took a vertical climb which slowly turned into an mid-air back-flip and landed next to Scootaloo a few moments later.
"Now you try!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed enthusiastically.
"O-Okay!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a not so confident tone as she did her best to take the pose her idol had earlier despite not being able to recall everything said had said.
"No,no,no! Your wings are spread out all wrong! Weren't you paying attention?" Rainbow Dash remarked in an annoyed tone as she reached her hooves out and began to level the filly's wings out.
It took every ounce of willpower in my body not to moan out as she touched my wings. I don't think she realized it, but the way she was handling my wings felt very pleasurable to me. The most that escaped my lips was a feeble whimper.
"You okay kid? You look kind of flushed." Rainbow Dash asked in a concerned tone at the filly's expression now as she stopped adjusting the filly's wings to look at her now.
"I-I'm fine!" Scootaloo replied in a much higher tone than she intended to reply in.
"Okay, well let me adjust your left wing now." Rainbow Dash replied with a smile as she walked around the filly and began to adjust it.
Once again it took everything in me now to moan out. I swear if my idol were to look under my tail right now, my hind legs would probably be damp right now. Heck, I knew they were. I could feel my juices leaking down my inner thighs and down my hind legs right now.
"There we go! Now you're ready!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she finished adjusting the filly's wings. "Ready, set, go!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed enthusiastically yet the filly didn't take off in a running start.
Unknown to my idol, my body was still recovering from this pleasurable experience. She had shoved me so close I could have swore I was going to gush in front of her but she stopped just before I reached that point. Thank Celestia for small favors.
"Come kid, get to running! We don't have all day!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in annoyance.
"G-give me a second." Scootaloo replied breathlessly.
"You don't need to be nervous kid, this is a learning experience! Now come on, get moving!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed and gave the filly a playful swat to the hindquarters only for the filly to give an orgasmic cry as she fell to chest.
That did it, she just had to swat my clit didn't she? I knew she hadn't meant to, but I couldn't stop my body now at this point. All I could do was shamelessly let my body ride out it climax and worry about explaining it after it was over. I felt so mortified.
"Whoa! I didn't think I hit you that hard! Are you okay? I'm so sorry!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a panicked tone thinking she had just injured the filly rushing over to her to help her up still completely oblivious to the steadily growing puddle of filly juice that was forming just neath the orange Pegasus's tail.
All I could do was dig my face into the dirt to muffle my orgasmic cries as each wave of my orgasm rocked my body.
"Hey, kid, come on. Get up would ya?" Rainbow said in a concerned tone as she forcefully helped the filly up at which point Scootaloo stood to all four hooves shakily. It was then the cyan blue Pegasus noticed it. A small wet spot in the grass where the filly once lay.
"That doesn't look like pee..." Rainbow Dash remarked softly to herself in a stunned tone as she leaned down, gave a sniff to the small puddle, recoiled, and snorted a few times in an effort to expel the scene from her nostrils. "That sure as hay don't smell like pee." Rainbow Dash remarked in a stunned tone at which point she saw the orange Pegasus's flushed face at which point everything clicked and the Pegasus went beat red.
I was at a loss for words. I had no idea what to say at this point. I could only stare at my idol as her brain properly processed what had just happened.
"Um, wow. Uh, sorry kid. I didn't mean to make you gush all over the grass like that. I mean, oh geez!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she slammed a hoof over her face, ran it down, and sighed. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! I should have remembered that a filly's wings are really sensitive at your age!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she whacked herself over the head with a hoof.
I could tell she was feeling really bad right now and it wasn't even her fault. Okay, maybe it was "a little" her fault, but it's not like she knew what she was doing. I had to say something to make her feel better, but what?
"It-It's okay Rainbow Dash. I-I kind of liked it." Scootaloo said stuttering slightly only to regret it moments later and facehoofed.
Very subtle Scoots! Next time just tell her you want to make out with her! Ugh!
"You what?! Oh, no,no,no,no! This isn't happening!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a panicked tone as she paced back and forth now.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"Oh come the hay on kid! You think I was born yesterday?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a still very panicked tone, but now it held an air of annoyance in it.
I could feel everything spiraling out of control. I didn't know what to do, what to say.
"O-Okay! I kind of like you. Please don't be mad at me!" Scootaloo exclaimed feeling tears swell in her eyes now.
Upon seeing Scootaloo's teary eyed expression the cyan blue Pegasus felt terrible. Her she was, spazing out over what had just happened, and it was all because this filly had a crush on her. As flattering as it was, she wasn't a foal fiddler. She had to put a stop to it here and now.
"L-Listen kid, I'm flattered that you have a crush on me, but you know I way to old for you right?" Rainbow Dash replied hoping she was talking sense into the filly.
I was crushed, but I understood.
"Y-Yes." Scootaloo replied with a slight stutter.
"Okay, well I think we are done for now. Lets say we pick this up in a week or so okay?" Rainbow dash replied and took off from the ground leaving the filly standing there alone.
So much for flying by the end of the week. And it was all because my stupid body couldn't keep itself under control around her. I hated myself so much right now. How could I have screwed up things so badly?
ONE WEEK LATER...
A week had passed and now I was ready to learn how to fly again. I was sure I could keep my body under control this time around. However, much to my disappointment. Every time I asked her about the flying lessons, she thought up some kind of thing she had to go do and would dart off before I could utter another word.
A few more days of trying later it had become more than obvious...
I had scared her away from me forever. She wouldn't teach me to fly now, heck she wouldn't bother to exchange more than a few words with me. It tore me to pieces, my idol, the one pony in all of Equestria I cared about more than anything, wanted nothing to do with me now.
I had to think of something to get her to at least talk to me again, something, anything. Then it occurred to me,
I had to learn how to fly. |
The Belle tolls for love | The diaries of a mad Pegasus part 2 | THE DIARIES OF A MAD PEGASUS
PART 2
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
The unicorn just stared at the filly, mouth agape, trying to process what she had just been told. "But I don't understand. How did end up with her as your sex slave." Rarity asked in a shocked tone. She didn't really want to believe the filly, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.
"Well, I was bent on impressing my idol, so I went to the only pony I knew of in town who had access to information on learning how to fly." Scootaloo replied as she continued to recall her memories of what lead up to that day...
PRESENT DAY...
Scootaloo opened the door to Twilight's library and walked in looking around for the purple unicorn only see her number one assistant putting books up in the shelves. "Hey Spike, where's Twilight? I need to ask her where to find a few books." Scootaloo asked in a polite tone.
"Oh, she's in the back. Been back there a lot the past few months. I wonder what she's doing back there?" Spike replied thoughtfully as the orange Pegasus made her way to the back of the room however stopped short of the door open hearing the purple unicorn talking to herself.
"No,no,no! That won't work! How the hay am I ever going to test Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee's love for one another without really hurting them?!" Twilight exclaimed in frustration.
"Say what?!" Scootaloo blurted out without meaning to at which point Twilight whirled around with a panicked look on her face.
"Please don't tell me you heard what I think you did." Twilight remarked in a dreading tone.
"Oh I heard alright. What the hay are you talking about Twilight?" Scootaloo asked with an inquiring stare at the unicorn.
She tried to cover it up at first, but once she figured out I wasn't convinced and didn't believe a word coming out of her mouth, she spilled it. She told me how she found out Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle slept together, how she had promised to keep a secret, and how she was trying to find out a safe way to test their love for one another without hurting them.
I had no idea why she was telling me all this. Perhaps she just had to get it out of her system. Twilight after all, was never that great at keeping secrets.
"Wow, Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle an item? Who would have thought. Lucky filly!" Scootaloo exclaimed with a cocky grin.
"More lucky than she realizes..." Twilight remarked thoughtfully, apathy clear in her voice as she spoke now.
"So why do you want to test them anyways? Don't you trust them?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
"Oh I trust them, it's just I don't trust their bodies." Twilight replied at which point the filly gave a confused expression blurting out "huh?!" without thinking.
"Oh sorry, what I mean is, the two seem to love one another but I don't know that for sure. So I wanted to test Sweetie Belle, see if what she was feeling for Cheerilee is real or if she's just physically attracted to her, the problem is, I know what I want to do, but not how to do it." Twilight replied in a concerned tone.
"What do you want to do?" Scootaloo replied with a curious expression now.
"Tempt her. See if she slips up or not. Now you see where the problem is." Twilight replied in a annoyed tone before she turned about face and walked back to her desk.
While I had a decent idea of what was going on, I still couldn't quite understand how Sweetie Belle could fall for a pony much older than her. That is, until it occurred to me...
I had a crush on Rainbow Dash. I had fantasized about her nearly every night for the last year. Once I realized this I realized one more thing,
Me and Sweetie Belle weren't so different. We both have crushes on mares much older than us. Sweetie Belle however had managed to convince her crush to be with her.
It was then it hit me, I could use this to my advantage. The gears were quickly whirling in my brain right now forming a plan as I stared at the purple unicorn whom was just now turning back around to look at me.
"So, that we have that matter cleared up. You can't tell anypony about this okay? Promise me." Twilight said in a concerned tone.
Wow, you just fell right into my hooves Twilight and you didn't know it.
"Okay, I promise not to tell a single pony as long as you promise to help me get with Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo replied with a smirk at which Twilight's ears flattened upon realizing she had just fell right into the filly's hooves.
"How in Equestria do you expect me to do that?!" Twilight exclaimed with a annoyed look then her expression changed as if her brain froze for a few moments before a smirk washed over her face. "I like how you think Scootaloo. Maybe we can help each other." Twilight said a few minuets with a mischievous grin.
Me and Twilight plotted for nearly the rest of the day until we both settled on a good plan to tempt Sweetie Belle without hurting her and how to get Rainbow Dash to fall for me. I was amazed at how well she had thought out the plan to get me and Rainbow Dash together. It was as if she had done something like this before.
First thing was first however, my end of the bargain. I had to tempt Sweetie Belle but not seduce her. If she gave in, I was told it was okay to go hog wild with her, but if she prevailed and resisted me then I was to leave her alone.
I had no problem with doing either honestly. I always found Sweetie Belle kind of hot and if I got lucky with her, great for me, if not, then it wasn't any loss to me. After all, my objective was my idol and not Sweetie Belle.
THAT FRIDAY...
School was due to start next Monday, I only had one shot at this if I wanted to be able to test her before school started. If I waited till after it had it would be much harder to get her alone with homework and all taking up her time. I woke up earlier than usual and dashed down the street towards Applebloom's house on my scooter. As made my way to her house, I caught a glimpse of my idol in the skies. She was doing her job as a weather Pegasus as she moved clouds around while she kicked others out.
"I'll be with you soon Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo remarked aloud with a smile before she turned her attention to the road in front of her and sped down the path towards apple acres.
"Hey Scootaloo! What brings ya over here this time in the mornin?" Applebloom asked as she performed her morning chores.
"I just figured I would come over and help ya out then we could go out crusading, just the two of us." Scootaloo replied with a smile.
"Sounds like a plan to meh, course it won't be the same without Sweetie Belle." Applebloom replied with a slight frown as she said this.
"We can go pick her up from miss Cheerilee's later." Scootaloo suggest as she began to help the farm pony with her morning chores.
"But she's doin those tutorin lessons with Cheerilee. Ah don't think she would be able to come with us. She's probably learnin a whole lot."
She's learning a whole lot alright, but it wasn't math.
"I'm sure miss Cheerilee won't mind. It's the last weekend before school starts after all." Scootaloo replied with a smirk.
"Can't hurt to ask ah guess. The worst she can say to us is that she can't come out to play." Applebloom replied as she feed the chickens. Then grinned mischievously at the Pegasus. "Hey Scootaloo, ah think ah see a relative of yours in here." Applebloom remarked with a smirk.
"Huh? Where?" Scootaloo asked curiously until it hit her. "Not funny..." The orange Pegasus remarked with a scowl as the farm pony held her sides laughing.
If it we weren't such great friends Applebloom, I would sock you so hard your future foals would feel it...
The day was half over by now and by now me and Applebloom were at Cheerilee's house but no matter how much we knocked no pony answered.
"That's odd, they should be home right now. Where could they be?" Applebloom asked curiously until a faint cry caught both fillies ears in fact it was so faint that they would not have heard it hyad they not been quiet at the moment.
"You hear that Applebloom?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
"Yeah, sounded like Sweetie Belle, what the hay is goin on in thar?" Applebloom asked with a curious expression.
I had a good idea, but I wanted to be sure.
"Follow me." Scootaloo said and ran to the side of the house followed closely by the farm pony.
The two soon stood outside what Scootaloo assumed to be Cheerilee's bed room window. The curtains weren't closed but then again this part of the house that was not for everypony to see either.
"Give me a hoof up." Scootaloo said to which the farm pony did so.
Well it wasn't Cheerilee's bedroom window, but it was the bathroom connected to it and the door to her bedroom was wide open. Open making sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me I immediately went beat red. I had a clear view of Cheerilee's face buried between Sweetie Belle's hunches and I knew what she was doing to her.
"Lucky filly." Scootaloo remarked to herself with a smirk.
"What the hay are ya talkin about thar Scootaloo....! what the hay?!" Applebloom exclaimed a few moments after her first statement as she felt something warm begin to dribble onto her nose.
"Would you keep your voice down?! I don't want them to hear us!" Scootaloo hissed in annoyance before she looked back through the window only for the farm pony to let her drop suddenly. "What the hay was that for?!" Scootaloo exclaimed in an annoyed tone as she rubbed her now sore rump.
"Leakin ya juices on mah face, that's what!" Applebloom retorted as she wiped her nose off in disgust.
"My juices?" Scootaloo replied in a confused tone until she realized what the farm pony was talking about.
Ops, I didn't realize that the action had got me "that" excited.
"Now ya care to tell meh what's so nice to be lookin at in thar that it would cause ya to get all hot and bothered?" Applebloom asked in an annoyed tone.
By the way Applebloom was talking she clearly was sexually aware as well so there wasn't any way I could lie to her. Should have realized this sooner though when I look back. She was raised on a farm after all and she probably witnessed animals doing it before I even knew what the word "Clopping" really meant.
"I think it's better if I just let you see it for yourself, but you can't tell anypony okay?" Scootaloo replied to which Applebloom nodded though she wasn't sure what she meant by it.
Scootaloo then gave Applebloom a hoof up so she got a clear view at which point the farm pony gave a audible gasp. "Holy Horseapples covered in caramel! They're hoof knockin!" Applebloom exclaimed in a shocked tone yet she couldn't tear her eyes away.
"I said keep it down! They might hear us!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a hushed panicked tone.
"Oh right, sorreh." Applebloom replied sheepishly still looking in at the action.
I couldn't help but blush as the farm pony began leaking herself, but unlike her I had no problem with staring at her moistening slit...
Oh what the hay!
The farm pony nearly lost her balance as she felt a tongue brush against her now sensitive clit. "The hay you doin down thar?!" Applebloom exclaimed in a annoyed tone.
"Just shut the hay up and enjoy the show while I get you off." Scootaloo replied with a smirk and resumed her tongue treatment on the farm pony.
"M-Mah barn door don't swing that way though!" Applebloom managed to sputter out though she made no sign of resistance.
"Don't have to, I'm not asking you to give me the same treatment, so just enjoy it." Scootaloo replied once more before she dove her mouth back into the farm pony's cunt.
I believe the term comes to mind "Barn door doesn't swing that way, but will make exceptions" due to how she was acting now.
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"Y-You can skip that part..." Rarity remarked stuttering slight now with a light blush on her face.
"You sure?" Scootaloo asked with a smirk.
"I'm positive." Rarity replied still blushing slightly.
"Only fools are positive." Scootaloo countered with a smirk.
"Are you sure?" Rarity replied with a smirk of her own.
"I'm positive!" Scootaloo replied smirking for a little while longer before she facehoofed while Rarity gave her first real laugh since she woke up in here. "I fell for it, I should I have known!" Scootaloo remarked in a dismayed tone at first then began to laugh along with Rarity continued to laugh a little while longer until they managed to stop laughing.
"Okay, Okay, I'll skip that part." Scootaloo replied with a grin and continued after her little event with Applebloom.
PRESENT DAY...
So after Applebloom,ahem, "finished up", I cleaned off my face with the nearest thing I could find which was non-other than my own tail.
"We don't speak of this ever again, got it?" Applebloom said in a breathless tone as her chest heaved up and down.
"Sure, sure." Scootaloo replied with a smirk as and coughed the words "Closet lesbian" aloud much to the farm pony's annoyance but she let it go.
"So why the hay is Sweetie Belle hoof knockin with Cheerilee for?" Applebloom asked curiously.
"Not sure, maybe we should ask her?" Scootaloo replied in s suggesting tone.
"Yeah, ah reckon that would be best. Course we'll have to wait till she gets back from Cheerilee's. Ah don't wanna be askin her such things with the mare she was hoof knockin with." Applebloom replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
I couldn't have asked for a better excuse to get in close and personal with her and with Applebloom here as my unwitting backup, I was a shoo-in to land her alone and test her.
THAT SUNDAY...
"You saw me doing what with Cheerilee?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in both shock and horror.
"Hey, don't worry about it. We won't tell anypony. We just want to know why you were messing around with her is all." Scootaloo replied in an attempt to calm the unicorn's nerves as the three sat in their clubhouse.
Sweetie Belle took and deep breath and sighed. "It's because I love her." Sweetie Belle replied in a soft tone.
"Love her? But she's way older than ya and not to mention she's a mare!" Applebloom exclaimed in in an apprehensive tone.
"Says the filly who allowed me to eat her out while she watched the two go at it." Scootaloo piped up much to the farm pony's fury.
"Ah though we agreed to never speak of this again?" Applebloom remarked as she narrowed her eyes at the Pegasus in a menacing manner.
Yipe! Okay, mental note: DO NOT speak of things to Applebloom she specifically said she didn't want mentioned ever again...
Who the hay am I kidding? Sweet revenge for all those chicken jokes.
"Okay, Sorry! I won't mention it again." Scootaloo replied defensively and a few moments later coughed the words "Closet lesbian" aloud much to the farm pony's annoyance.
"One of these days Scootaloo, one of these days, pow, right in the snout!" Applebloom exclaimed making a punching gesture into her left hoof with her right as she glared at the Pegasus who just grinned ear to ear at her.
"So will you promise not to tell anypony? I don't want to lose her, she's everything to me..." Sweetie Belle said a few moments after Applebloom's gesture which caused both fillies to look at their friend who wore a teary-eyed worried expression.
Looking at Sweetie Belle's face now, it nearly made me want to ditch the whole plan and just tell Twilight a lie. Problem was though, she might be able to tell if I'm lying so I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk losing the chance to be with my idol.
"Okay Sweetie Belle. Ah promise." Applebloom replied as she walked over and hugged the unicorn. "Though ah don't understand why ya is head over hooves for this mare, ah respect ya decision and ah'm behind ya all the way." Applebloom said a few moments after her initial response as she hugged the filly.
"Thanks Applebloom, this means a lot to me." Sweetie Belle replied with a sniffle.
"No problem! Ah swear on mah honor as a crusader not to mention a lick of this to anypony!" Applebloom exclaimed with a saluting gesture only to go wide-eyed as she looked outside the window to the setting sun. "Oh hayseed! Ah need to get back home! See ya later y'all!" Applebloom exclaimed as she ran out the door to the clubhouse.
I couldn't have planned this better if I tried. Heck, I didn't plan this at all. Applebloom leaving at the exact moment she had was pure luck. Now I just had to hope my luck hadn't run out.
"What about you Scootaloo? You promise not to tell anypony?" Sweetie Belle asked in a soft tone.
This was it, time to put on the heat.
"I guess I could, but I want to try some of that stuff out I saw you doing with Cheerilee." Scootaloo replied with a mischievous grin.
"Wh-What?!" Sweetie Bell replied in a confused tone with a blush.
"Did I stutter? I said I would keep it a secret as long as you do some of the stuff I saw you doing with miss Cheerilee." Scootaloo replied allowing her grin to become even larger if possible as she walked up to the unicorn and ran a hoof through her mane in a sensual manner.
Sweetie Belle looked at Scootaloo with a worried expression now as if she was debating on if she should do this or not.
Come on Sweetie Belle, say no, say no...
"O-Okay." Sweetie Belle replied in an uneasy tone.
Horseapples...
"Awesome! Okay, I'll get on my back and I want you to do what Cheerilee was doing to you a couple says ago." Scootaloo replied as she lay on her back and presented herself to the unicorn.
Come on Sweetie Belle, you haven't crossed the point of no return yet. Just say you can't.
Sweetie Belle slowly walked towards Scootaloo, lay down in front of her and edged her hoof out slowly and hesitantly towards the orange Pegasus's pussy lips as she leaned in.
It's not too late Sweetie Belle, just retract your hoof and pull your head away...
Sweetie Belle was now dangerously close now with her face now, so close in fact the Pegasus could feel her nervous rapid breathing as she drew closer until she abruptly recoiled away. "I-I'm sorry Scootaloo! I can't! Cheerilee would never forgive me! Can't you just promise not to say anything? Please?" Sweetie Belle asked in the most pleading tone she could muster.
Well done Sweetie Belle. I knew you could do it!
"Okay, I promise." Scootaloo replied with a warm smile now as she walked up to Sweetie Belle and hugged her.
What a buzz kill. Oh well, I couldn't be prouder of my best friend now.
"Why would you do that to me? I told you I loved her." Sweetie Belle remarked tears flowing freely from her eyes now as she hugged her friend.
Hearing her voice now, even though Twilight told me not to tell her. I just wanted to spill it. But I held strong.
"Sorry Sweetie Belle. I guess I was just being a featherbrain." Scootaloo replied softly as she broke the hug and looked into her friends eyes now.
"I almost...I almost cheated on her with you." Sweetie Belle managed to choke out between tears as she looked at Scootaloo with a hurt expression.
Buck it, not even my idol was worth the amount of pain I put my friend though just now.
"Sweetie Belle, I have a confession to make. Twilight put me up to this." Scootaloo replied in a soft tone as she ran a hoof though her own mane now.
"Why would she do that?" Sweetie Belle asked in confusion.
"She wanted to test you, make sure you really loved Cheerilee and it just wasn't some kind of lust thing with you." Scootaloo replied explaining farther.
"Why would you agree to do something like this?" Sweetie Belle asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes now.
I suppose it was best she know the reason behind my motive to agree to this.
"Because, she said she would get me together with Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo confessed followed by a heavy sigh.
I expected Sweetie Belle to hate my guts right now about. Heck, she has every right to. I messed with her feelings and tempted her, all just for a shot to get with my idol.
Much to the Pegasus's shock however Sweetie Belle giggled. "I should have known." Sweetie Belle replied with a weak smile.
Wait, what?!
"Don't look so surprised Scoots, I knew you had the hots for Rainbow Dash since last summer. And I'll bet my allowance Applebloom knows too." Sweetie Belle replied allowing her to give a full smile.
Was I "that" obvious with how I felt towards her?
"That was still very mean of you to do though." Sweetie Belle remarked with a frown as she said this.
"I know, but we do crazy things for the ponies we love don't we?" Scootaloo replied sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head.
"I guess we do." Sweetie Belle replied giving a thoughtful glance outside the clubhouse window.
I wouldn't call that the best save in Equestria, more like last minute tie of some sort.
Wait, why am I even keeping score?
"Well, I gotta get home. See you later Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle replied with a smile as she left the club house leaving the Pegasus alone.
Now that I held my end of the bargain, it was time for Twilight to hold hers. And after I just put my best friend through...
She better have a "party cannon proof" revised plan of what we had plotted for me or there will be tartarus to pay... |
The Belle tolls for love | The diaries of a mad Pegasus part 3 | THE DIARIES IF A MAD PEGASUS
PART 3
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"So did it work?" Rarity asked without thinking. "Why in Equestria did I just ask that? This is surely an elaborate made up story Twilight put her up to I'm sure!" Rarity thought to herself though she couldn't fully convince herself that what this Pegasus was saying wasn't true.
Upon hearing this question tears escaped the filly's eyes. "Well, yes and no. I guess it should have, but I was a feather brain." Scootaloo replied as she continued to recall what happened.
PRESENT DAY...
Instead of heading home I went strait back to Twilight's library. Not like my parents would have cared anyways. My mother was a drunk and my father was the reason I hated stallions. How could my father be the reason behind me going lesbian?
Think about it and I'm sure you'll figure it out...
Anyways, I had a bone to pick with Twilight. She promised me that this idea wouldn't hurt Sweetie Belle and while I'm not expert, tears and crying were tall tell signs that it did "Hurt her".
"Hey, what brings you this evening? You already test her?" Twilight asked with a smile only for it to vanish as her eyes fell upon the filly's pissed off expression.
"Yeah, I did and she passed with flying colors." Scootaloo replied, ears flat, with a narrow eyed glare at the purple unicorn.
"So why are you so upset then?" Twilight asked curiously though she had a good idea.
"You could have cost me my friendship with Sweetie Belle, that's what!" Scootaloo exclaimed loudly not caring who heard her right now.
"Oh." Twilight replied guiltily as her own ears flattened with a frown.
"I thought she would hate my guts for all time after that stunt. You should have seen the look on her face. She forgave me after I said I was sorry, but I know she's still mad at me." Scootaloo replied still glaring at the unicorn.
I of course didn't tell her that I blew her cover, but she didn't need to know that.
"I thought you knew the risks when you signed up for this." Twilight replied as she turned around and walked over to a book shelf, took out a book, and began to look over it.
Truth be told, I did but I didn't, if that makes any sense.
"I thought I did." Scootaloo replied then sighed as she ran a hoof through her mane.
"Well Sweetie Belle forgave you right? Then you have nothing to worry about. Now let's see about getting you with Rainbow Dash now." Twilight replied with a warm smile as she pulled out a scroll which she had scribbled down the plan onto.
"This plan better work without a hitch." Scootaloo remarked sourly as she looked over the plan with the purple unicorn.
"As long as you follow it down to the letter it will, trust me." Twilight replied with a smirk.
After your plan with Sweetie Belle Twilight, I'm not so sure anymore.
THE NEXT AFTERNOON...
After the first day of School let out I left the classroom as usual with Applebloom, but Sweetie Belle wasn't with. We of course knew why at this point, but Cheerilee wasn't aware we knew and we figured it was best to leave it that way.
Soon after we left the school, I told Applebloom I couldn't hang out with her today and went off to perform step one of Twilight's plan. According to Twilight, if all went according to plan, she would be mine by the end of the day.
I could only hope she was right.
"You sure this will work Twilight?" Scootaloo asked curiously as she hid in the bushes while Twilight stood in the open.
"Positive!" Twilight replied with a smirk, walked away from the bushes, and called for Rainbow Dash whom was taking a nap in the clouds above now.
"Hey Twilight! What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked with a cheerful smile as she landed on the ground next to the purple unicorn.
"I was just wondering, why aren't you with Scootaloo today. Last I heard you promised to teach her how to fly." Twilight replied in a concerned tone.
Upon hearing this, the cyan blue Pegasus's ears flattened and her expression suddenly became nervous. "Oh well, heh. I've just been real busy as of late." Rainbow Dash replied nervously.
"Busy?" Twilight replied in a skeptic tone with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, ya know. Doing stuff." Rainbow Dash replied looking rather pale right now.
"Uh-huh." The purple unicorn replied in an unconvinced tone which made the cyan blue Pegasus even more nervous.
"Okay, I admit it! I've been avoiding her. I'm a terrible pony I know, but I can't help it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she put her head to the grass and slammed both hooves over her face.
"Why?" Twilight replied curiously.
I knew she was just playing stupid at this point. I already told her what happened between me and Rainbow Dash a week ago. This was part of the plan though.
"I kind of, sort of, got her off without meaning too. I was just adjusting her wings! Then she told me that she had a crush on me. I kind of panicked and flew off. I really meant to only wait a week and teach her again, but every time I see her, I get all wigged out around her! I'm not a foal fiddler Twilight, I swear!" Rainbow Dash replied in a panicked tone expecting the purple unicorn to be giving her a look of pure disgust at this point, yet to her shock she only smiled at her.
"Is that all?" Twilight asked still smiling at the cyan blue Pegasus who could only stare at her in confusion now.
"What do you mean, is that all? That's a big deal Twilight!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed sounding slightly offended at the purple unicorn's lack of sympathy at the moment.
"Not really. So what if she has a crush on you. I find it kind of cute actually." Twilight replied with a smirk.
"Cute? Cute?! Twilight, I think your missing the point here. She has a crush on me, I can't teach her now that I know she'll be staring at my flank every time I take a pose to show her how to take off!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a annoyed tone now as she paced back and forth.
"So what if she stares. As long as she is learning how to fly, then that's all that matters right?" Twilight replied still smiling at the Pegasus.
Wait, is she playing mind games with her?
"Maybe, but it's embarrassing! I mean how would you like it if Sweetie Belle stared at what's under your tail every time you turned around to teach her how to cast a spell?" Rainbow Dash countered still sounding unconvinced.
"The way I see it, if it helps her learn, then she can stare at it all day for all I care. As long as she's learning is all that matters to me." Twilight replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Wait, so I should encourage her to stare?" Rainbow Dash replied in a confused tone.
"I didn't say that. But if it helps her learn, then what better reward to encourage her to learn than to let her have some eye-candy? It's not like she's actually touching you." Twilight replied with a smirk and a wink.
Yep, she's messing with her head. That kind of ticked me off a little. I didn't want to trick my idol into wanting to be with me, but I did my best to trust in Twilight's plan.
"I suppose you got a point. Still, it's weird having a filly younger than you stare at something you would think a stallion would ya know?" Rainbow Dash replied in an unsure tone but at least she seemed to be going along with the idea now.
"She's a growing filly Rainbow. She's stared at more than just your flank." Twilight replied as she placed a hoof on the mare's shoulder.
"You think?" The cyan blue Pegasus asked sounding less nervous with the idea now.
"Yeah, I even caught her staring at mine earlier today when I spoke to her. The key is to not make a big deal out of it." Twilight replied as she lowered her hoof, turned around, and began to walk away.
That was a lie, I never stared at her flank!
Okay,maybe once or twice...
"I guess I can teach her to fly now. Thanks Twilight! Your a lifesaver!" Rainbow Dash called out to the purple unicorn as she walked away towards were Scootaloo was hiding.
"You're up scoots. Just follow the plan and she'll be yours by sundown." Twilight whispered as she walked past Scootaloo's hiding place.
That was my cue to pop from my hiding place after she was out of sight.
Scootaloo waited for Twilight to be out of sight before she dashed from the bushes putting on the act that Twilight had told her to put on. "I found you!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she feigned looking about for her friends in confusion. "Applebloom? Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo asked still feigning confusion and then looked at Rainbow Dash whom was walking up to her now.
"Hey kid, how's it hanging?" Rainbow Dash asked in a slightly nervous tone.
"I'm doing great. Listen, I'm sorry for scaring you with my silly crush." Scootaloo replied truthfully.
I really did feel terrible for scaring her like that.
"No sweat kid. Listen, I'm sorry for wigging out like I did. It was wrong of me to avoid you like I did just because you had a crush on me." Rainbow Dash replied with a genuine smile now.
Hearing her say this really meant a lot to me.
"It's okay Rainbow Dash. I just wish I had better control over my stupid body at the time." Scootaloo replied followed by a sigh only for the cyan blue Pegasus to place a hoof on her shoulder which caused her to look up at her idol.
"Don't sweat it kid. You're a growing filly. Things like that are bound to happen. So how about we pick up those flying lessons again?" Rainbow Dash replied as she watched the filly's eyes light up with excitement.
"Really?! Thank you so much! I'll do my best to pay attention this time!" Scootaloo exclaimed in excitement.
At this point, Twilight's plan was completely shot out of my mind and was replaced with my dream to fly. Looking back, I suppose this is the point where things started to go south.
"Alright, so lets pick up where we left off last time. Take off lessons." Rainbow Dash replied as she walked to the center of the field followed by the orange Pegasus.
"Alright, now watch me closely and..." Rainbow Dash said took her take off position and trailed off as she looked behind herself noticing the filly once again entranced by what lie under tail. "Pay attention!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in an annoyed tone with a blush which caused the filly to snap her gaze from the cyan blue Pegasus's hindquarters and look at her with a crimson red blush.
"S-Sorry!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a slightly panicked tone realizing that Rainbow Dash had seen what she was staring at.
"Geez kid, you know it's not polite to stare right?" Rainbow Dash replied in an annoyed tone then sighed. "Listen, you can stare all you want after you get off the ground, deal?" Rainbow Dash said a few moments after her initial statement barely able to believe the words coming out of her mouth. "Just remember what Twilight told you Rainbow, give her something to look forward to and she'll learn even faster." Rainbow Dash thought to herself in an attempt to reenforce her confidence in the fact that this was a good idea.
I barely could believe what my ears were hearing. Did my idol just say I could stare at her hindquarters all I wanted to after I was able to take off from the ground?
"O-Okay!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a shocked yet excited tone and focused all her attention on her idol's take off pose now.
"Now then, back to the lessons." Rainbow Dash replied as she resumed her take off pose. "Keep your wings flat and extended, from here, you just start running forward making sure to flap your wings quickly but not too quickly. This is meant to give you some loft and get the wind under your wings." Rainbow Dash said in a matter-of-fact tone then burst into a run.
"From here, you gotta pick the exact moment when you feel the wind under your feathers and then..." Rainbow Dash exclaimed trailing off as she once again took off from the ground, made a mid-air flip, and landed right next to the filly. "Now you try." Rainbow Dash replied with a smile.
"Okay!" Scootaloo exclaimed confidently this time around.
I had made sure to study every detail of the take off pose my idol had this time around and I couldn't be more proud of myself as I looked at her approving nod at my take off pose.
"Alright, you got the take off pose down kid, now it's time for the execution!" Rainbow Dash replied with a smirk. "Wow, Twilight was right. This kind of stuff really works!" Rainbow Dash thought to herself in shock at how quickly the filly was able to nail the take off position so well this time around.
To say I was nervous right now would be a drastic understatement. Being able to stare at my idol's hindquarters was the last thing on my mind at the present moment. What made me so nervous right now was possibly screwing up and falling flat on my face in front of my idol.
"Ready, set, go!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed ethusatically.
The filly hesitated at first but only at first and burst into flat out run making sure to follow her idol's instructions down to the letter.
I did exactly as Rainbow Dash had instructed and waited for the exact moment when I felt the wind under my wings and gave a mighty beat of my wings.
At first it looked as if the Pegasus had successfully managed to take off, but then she began to tip forward in the air, hit the grass hard, and skidded a few feet before she got back to all fours wearily. "Horseapples!" Scootaloo exclaimed in frustration as she stomped the ground angrily with her right front hoof.
"Hey, there's no call for such language kid, you gave it your best shot." Rainbow Dash replied in a reassuring tone as she walked up next to the filly and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
My best shot wasn't good enough. No where good enough. My idol deserved a top class flier. And by Celestia, I was going to give her a first class flier!
Scootaloo whacked the cyan blue Pegasus's hoof away, took her take off pose again, and took off running again. "I know I can do this!" Scootaloo exclaimed aloud to herself as she ran as fast as her hooves would care her now as she waited for the exact moment again, found it, and attempted to take off again.
At first I thought I had done it, but then my face hit the grass again. I wasn't about to give up however. I knew I had improved somewhat because I stayed in the air a little longer than I did the last time. So I took my take off pose again and tried again...
and again...
and again...
"Hey kid, enough already! Your going to really hurt yourself! Take a break and we can try again tomorrow. I didn't know staring at my flank was so important to you." Rainbow Dash replied trying to comfort the filly.
"This isn't about staring at your cunt! This is about me being what I am! I'm a Pegasus! Other ponies my age are already flying and I'm tired of being the only one who can't!" Scootaloo exclaimed flashing a glare at her idol for a moment before she took her take off pose again and burst into yet another run.
I was so pissed off at myself. I couldn't help it. I knew I could do it, I just knew it. Looking back I might have blurted out something I hadn't meant to, but no way you can change the past right?
Scootaloo looked up at the skies now as she ran as fast as her hooves could carry her. The sun was starting to set. "The sky is where I belong...Celestia guide my wings!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a fierce tone as she waited for that exact moment again.
Even though I had done this more times than I could count by now, something felt different this time, like something inside was telling me"You're going to do this time!". This kind of feeling filled my entire being now and that's when I felt it, the exact moment. I gave a mighty beat of my wings at that precise moment.
The orange Pegasus's hooves left the ground as she took off successfully this time and began to soar through the air. "Whoo-hoo! Yeah!" Scootaloo exclaimed with a joyful victory shout to follow.
I could barely believe it. I was flying, I was really flying!
"Way to go kid!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed joyfully as she took off from the ground herself and flew along side of the orange Pegasus.
"This is so awesome! I'm flying! I'm really flying!" Scootaloo exclaimed joyfully.
"Congrats kid." Rainbow Dash replied giving the orange Pegasus a pat on the back which caused her to swerve slightly and panic at first but she regained herself before she fell out of the sky.
"Um, Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked after a few moments upon the realization of one important thing.
"What's up sport?" Rainbow Dash asked curiously.
"How do I land?" Scootaloo asked nervously.
"Ops." Rainbow Dash remarked as she scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Ops? What's ops? You can teach me how to land from here right?" Scootaloo replied feeling herself grow more nervous by the minuet.
"Just follow me, it's less painful to crash land into a cloud than the ground." Rainbow Dash replied and banked left.
"Crash land? Your joking right?...right?" Scootaloo replied in a slightly panicked tone as she followed her idol to her house.
"omph, ow, eep, ouch!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she comically skidded to a halt in front of Rainbow Dash's cloud home.
"Welcome to my house kid." Rainbow Dash said with a smile as she helped to the filly to all four hooves.
"Wow..." Scootaloo remarked in awe upon getting a decent look at her idol's house.
"It's nothing too fancy. There are cloud homes much better than mine." Rainbow Dash replied modestly.
It was the first time I had ever seen my idol's house close up and it blew me away. I had seen it from afar many times before, but seeing it up close, it just left me stunned, almost unable to believe I was standing on the doorsteps to my idol's house... |
The Belle tolls for love | The diaries of a mad Pegasus part 4 | THE DIARIES IF A MAD PEGASUS
PART 4
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"If this is going where I think it is, you can still those parts." Rarity remarked in an uneasy tone.
"I can't. If I do, you will never understand why Rainbow Dash is the way she is towards me now." Scootaloo replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"F-Fine. Just try not to be too graphical." Rarity replied with a blush.
PRESENT DAY...
"Come on in." Rainbow Dash said as she opened the front door to her house and made a welcoming gesture to the filly.
It took everything I had in me not to squeal like a lame fan-filly as I walked past my idol and into her house.
"This is so cool. I've never seen the inside of a cloud home before." Scootaloo remarked in awe as she looked around.
The inside of Rainbow Dash's home consisted of cloud made furniture, an end table, and a book shelf that was filled with every single book of the Daring Doo book series. "Daring Doo? I never took you for an egghead Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo remarked with a smirk.
"Hey, don't knock them till you read them kid." Rainbow Dash replied defensively in a slightly annoyed tone as she walked past the filly, sat down on one of her cloud chairs, took out a book, and began to read it. "Take a load off you're hooves kid. I'll take you home later this evening." Rainbow Dash remarked as she put her hind hooves up on a cloud made hoofstool and began to read from her book.
"Sounds cool to me." Scootaloo replied still feeling very exited as she sat down and looked around some more.
I took in my surroundings still barely able to believe I was in my idol's house. That is until my eyes fell upon my idol once again...
I knew she wasn't doing it on purpose, but her legs were wide open as she read her Daring Doo book which gave me a perfect view of her flower. I tried to look away, but I couldn't stop staring.
Rainbow Dash gave a slow glance from behind her book and noticed the filly was once again staring at what lay between her legs and felt herself grow hot around the cheeks. "Remember what Twilight told you Rainbow, don't make a big deal out of it. She flew after all. Just let her stare at it. No harm in just staring right?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself in a nervous tone as she resumed reading though she felt very uncomfortable right now.
I continued to stare at my prize feeling myself grow wetter by the moment. I soon realized my body was screaming for me to touch it, but I resisted it.
After a few more minuets of silence, Rainbow Dash gave another slow glance from behind her book and noticed the filly was still staring between her legs. "She's still staring? Geez, I thought she would have stopped staring by now." Rainbow Dash thought to herself in a uneasy tone then did a double take as something caught her eye. "Wait a second, is...she...clopping?!" Rainbow Dash thought to herself dramatically as she felt her blush grow ten fold upon this realization and attempted to resume reading her book only to find herself somehow able to hear a very soft moaning now when she couldn't before.
I couldn't control myself, my body had a mind of it's own as my hoof trailed my clit doing my best to contain my moans.
"Just ignore it Rainbow, just ignore it. She's a growing filly right? After all, every pony needs some kind of outlet at some point right?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she once again attempted to read her book again only to hear a slightly louder moan escape the filly's lips which caused her ear to twitch slightly upon hearing this. "Celestia buck it all, I can't read like this!" Rainbow Dash thought to herself dramatically and was about to slam the book down only to halt herself before she began feeling a twinge of guilt ping inside her.
"If I over react again like last time, she might do something rash." Rainbow Dash thought to herself and let out a silent sigh. "I'll just let her finish up and talk calmly to her about it afterwords." Rainbow Dash thought to herself and attempted to resume reading.
I counted my blessings that my idol hadn't noticed my shameless act as my hoof strokes became more erratic and my muffled moans become louder with each passing moment. I imaged my face between her legs right now, tasting her, making her writhe in pleasure.
Though the cyan blue Pegasus continued to act as if she was unaware of the filly's actions at the moment, she couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in her chair as a musky scent began to fill the air. "I hope she finishes up soon, I don't know how much longer I can take this...!" Rainbow Dash thought to herself in a nervous tone then went wide eyed as felt a dampness under her flank now as she shifted in her seat. "Am I getting wet?!" The cyan blue Pegasus thought to herself in a mortified tone.
At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me as my hoof strokes continued to become more and more erratic. But I realized all too quickly my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. My idol's slit was actually growing wet before my very eyes. Did she know I was clopping to her right now? If so, why hadn't she called me on it already? And why is she getting aroused herself? Is she enjoying me clopping to her?
Regardless if she was aware of me or not, seeing my idol's slit leaking before my eyes was too much for me to bare as I began to quickly stroke my clit now pushing my body to it's climax which I shamelessly and uncontrollably cried out as it hit me full force.
This was it, I was busted.
Rainbow Dash finally placed the book down in front of her looking flushed herself and staring at the filly now as she lay slumped in the cloud chair now as her pussy gushed it's juices onto the cyan blue Pegasus's cloud chair.
"Could you be any louder?" Rainbow Dash asked in a slightly higher pitch than her normal tone.
"I-I-I'm so sorry Rainbow Dash! I couldn't control myself!" Scootaloo managed to exclaimed between huffs and puffs.
The cyan blue Pegasus ran a hoof through her mane and sighed heavily upon hearing this. "Listen, don't sweat it kid. The towels are in my bathroom, just clean up your mess after you recover." Rainbow Dash replied, sighed again, stood up, left the room, and retreated to her bedroom.
I think about this time my brain froze. Did my idol just brush me clopping to her in the same room off as nothing? I guess she had left the room to avoid an awkward conversation.
Regardless, after I had recovered from my orgasm, I slid off the chair and made my way to Rainbow Dash's bathroom to get the towels to clean up after myself.
It was then I heard it.
It was barely audible but I knew what I had heard. Curiously, I slowly crept from the bathroom towards my idol's room. The door was left ajar so she must have been in a hurry. I peeked through the crack in the door frame and gave a audible gasp at the sight that met my eyes.
The cyan blue Pegasus gave a soft moan as she run a hoof along her cyan blue lips. "I can't believe I'm doing this." Rainbow Dash remarked in a hushed tone arching up slightly as a wave of pleasure coursed through her body.
I think it was about now that something in me "snapped". Before I knew what I was doing, I pushed her door wide open and walked in which caused my idol to panic, grab her cloud pillows and fling them over her.
"Dear Celestia, you ever heard of privacy kid?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a crimson red blush on her face now.
I acted as if I hadn't heard a word of what she had just said as I jumped on her bed and crawled up next to her. She of course scooted away no sooner I grew close but I wouldn't let up. It was as if I was possessed and something else was controlling my actions at this point.
"K-Kid, back off! Your starting to creep me out!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a slightly panicked tone as she backed up more and more with each inch the filly moved closer to her until she fell backwards off her own bed with her flank laying against the side of the bed vertically.
There it was, right in front of my eyes now. The object of all my fantasies.
I leaned in now, dove my face between her hunches, and jabbed my tongue inside her, finally getting the taste of my idol I had fantasized about getting for the last year.
The cyan blue Pegasus cried out in shock now as she felt the filly's tongue assault her and attempted to scoot away only for Scootaloo to hold her firmly in place as she had her fill of the mare's juices. The position she was now in left her little room to use her wings to get away due to her backside being up against the bed.
The worst part to the cyan blue Pegasus wasn't the fact the filly was violating her. It was the fact that it was this very event she was just fantasizing about before the filly walked in that weighed on the mare's mind now. She was fighting every urge in her body to give in now.
"Sc-Scootaloo! St-Stop it!" Rainbow Dash shrieked in a frantic tone as she continued to try to get away futility tears in her eyes now.
I looked into my idol's eyes and at that exact moment, what ever had been possessing me vanished.
Scootaloo abruptly yanked her face from between Rainbow Dash's hunches, let out of her flanks, and backed away looking completely horrified now. "Wh-What was I doing?!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a horrified tone as she sat with her back to the headboard of her idol's bed.
I knew exactly what I had done but I couldn't believe it. I had just forced myself on my idol and violated her. What had I become? How could I let my fantasies override my judgment?
Rainbow Dash slowly got back to all four hooves and stared at Scootaloo still in shock over what had just happened. "She looks like she just saw a ghost. Did she even know what she was doing?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself curiously as she continued to look at the filly who was hyperventilating now as she stared seemingly into space still wearing the same horrified expression.
"Sc-Scootaloo....breath slower kid!" The cyan blue Pegasus managed to choke after a few minuets feeling her concern for the filly override her shock as she took note of how Scootaloo was behaving now.
I began to feel light headed, the room began to spin, and then at some point I think I passed out.
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"If there was a word for how I felt about myself then, it wasn't in the equestrian dictionary. I had raped my idol, the pony I idolized, the pony I looked up to so much."Scootaloo remarked in a sad tone as she wiped tears from her eyes fighting back the urge to sob.
"I can only imagine how you felt." Rarity replied in a saddened yet stunned tone.
"No, you can't! You can't even begin to imagine what it felt like!" Scootaloo nearly shrieked at the white unicorn before she gasped in shock of her on actions and sighed.
"There's no way this can be an act. No filly can think up such a detailed story and behave as she was now unless it was real." Rarity thought to herself in a sad tone. She finally believed what this filly was telling her. As hard as it was to swallow, this wasn't an elaborately made up lie. "Y-You don't have to continue if you don't want to." Rarity said after a few moments aloud in a soft tone.
"N-No, it's okay. Just let me calm down." Scootaloo replied as she wiped her eyes and sniffled.
"Let me get us something to eat." Rarity said with a smile, stood up, walked into her kitchen, took a few daisy sandwiches out, and gasped in shock at first as two more magically appeared in there place before she remembered that Twilight had enchanted her fridge to give her an endless supply of food.
Rarity then walked back to the front room of her house, sat down next to the filly, and set both sandwiches down in front of them. "It must have been hard on you." Rarity remarked in a sympathetic tone and took a bite of her sandwich.
"Yeah, it was." Scootaloo replied in a soft tone, lifted up her own sandwich, and took a bite from it.
"Well, when you feel up to it, you can continue to tell me what happened. After all, we have nothing but time to talk thanks to Twilight." Rarity replied ending her sentence on a sour note upon the mention of the purple unicorn.
"She just wants you to understand how Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle can love one another. She's not as crazy as she acts, believe me." Scootaloo replied just before she took another bite of her sandwich.
Upon hearing this Rarity felt herself tense up as her rage began to fill again but she managed to suppress with with a heavy sigh. "There are better ways to help a pony see things their way than locking them in a house with a filly and expect them to fool around with her." Rarity replied, the apathy clear in her voice as she spoke now as she did her best to suppress her anger.
"She wouldn't be doing this to you if she knew of any other way." Scootaloo replied in an attempt to defend the purple unicorn's actions.
This topic was making the unicorn more ticked off by the moment so she deiced to change the topic. "Enough about Twilight darling, do you feel up to telling me the rest of your story?" Rarity asked doing her best to sound genuinely interested in hearing the rest even though she only wanted to change the topic.
"Yeah." Scootaloo replied as she began to recall what happened next...
PRESENT DAY...
I opened my eyes wearily. At first I thought it was all a nightmare, that none of it really happened. But as I became more aware of my surroundings, it was more than obvious it was no nightmare.
It had really happened.
"Welcome back to the real world kid." Rainbow Dash remarked with a smile.
"Did I really? Oh my gosh I did! I'm so sorry!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a panicked tone sitting upright quickly only for the cyan blue Pegasus to force her to lay back down.
"Calm down kid or you'll go into another panic attack." Rainbow Dash replied in a concerned tone.
Was she acting like none of it ever happened? I didn't know, but I felt terrible right now. Like something vile that should be squashed on the spot.
"I'm a terrible pony." Scootaloo remarked quietly after a few minuets of awkward silence.
"Hey, we all make mistakes. Live and learn right kid?" Rainbow Dash replied in a reassuring tone.
How could she act like it was nothing? I had just raped her for Celestia's sake! I didn't know why I was getting so angry at her right now. Maybe I wanted her to hate me for what I did. She had every right to after all.
"But I forced myself on you. I-I..." Scootaloo began to say only to trail off unable to bring herself to say the words.
"Kid, don't sweat it. We all make mistakes." Rainbow Dash replied in a soft tone as she placed a hoof on her shoulder only for the Pegasus to yank away from her and glare at her.
"Stop acting like this is bucking nothing! I-I raped you! Hate me!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a pissed off tone.
"Your right, I should hate you right now. I should throw you out of my window and let you fend for yourself, you can fly now right?" Rainbow Dash replied dropping her supporting tone and looking at Scootaloo with a hurt expression now.
"So why not do it? Throw me out the window!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she sat upright again and stared at her.
I didn't know what I was saying to be honest. I guess I was hoping she would do it. With how I felt about myself right now, I wouldn't have bothered to even open my wings if she had.
"Don't be such a featherbrain, I couldn't do that." Rainbow Dash replied in the soft tone still looking at the filly with a hurt expression.
"Why not?! Do it! Throw me out the window! Hate me, hate me blast you!" Scootaloo shrieked as she flung herself at the mare and began to beat at her side only for the mare to wrap her hooves around the filly and hug her tightly.
I repeated the words "hate me" so many times I can't begin to even count. My punches weren't even strong to begin with and the more I repeated the words, the more I felt my anger be replaced with grief. I soon found myself sobbing the words into her chest. Yet she never struck me, never yelled at me, she just held me.
"Why don't you hate me?" Scootaloo managed to choke out between sobs now looking up at her idol.
"Because I really don't think you knew what you were doing." Rainbow Dash replied in a soft tone as she bit her lip as if to hide something.
The look on my idol's face gave me a gut feeling she was hiding something. So I decided to dig a little so to speak.
"Is there something else? Did I do something else?" Scootaloo asked in a soft tone as she moved herself away from the cyan blue Pegasus to get a decent look at her now.
"N-No, it's not that." Rainbow Dash replied without thinking, went slightly wide-eyed, and sighed.
"Then what is it?" Scootaloo asked curiously as she wiped her nose with another sniffle.
"It's nothing." The cyan blue Pegasus replied looking away now.
My mind began to race with possible horrible things I could have possibly done to her. I had to know what she was hiding.
"If I did anything else to you, please tell me." Scootaloo replied in a worried tone.
"Kid, drop it. It's nothing. Lets just get you home." Rainbow Dash replied as she jumped off the bed and began to walk towards the door only for the orange Pegasus to run in front of her and block her way.
"Tell me! What did I do?!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"It wasn't anything you did kid, it was me!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in annoyance only to once again go wide-eyed as if she said something she hadn't meant to.
Wait, what? If it wasn't anything I did, why is she acting as if it was so bad?
"What do you mean? What did you do?" Scootaloo asked in a confused tone.
"N-Nothing. Look, just drop it kid." Rainbow Dash replied as she attempted to walk past the filly only for her to block her path again.
I still thought it was something I had done that she was just protecting me from. So I wasn't about to let her leave until she told me.
"If your trying to protect me from feeling any worse about myself, it's too late for that, so out with it." Scootaloo replied looking into the cyan blue Pegasus's eyes now.
"I just said it was nothing you did kid. Just drop it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a heated tone and attempted to move past her again only for her to block her path yet again.
"Quit lying! I know it was something I did! Now tell me, what did I do to you?!" Scootaloo nearly shrieked now.
"Fine, you really want to know?! It was you clopping to me, that's what! If you hadn't been clopping to me in the first place I would have never been in here fantasizing about-!" Rainbow Dash began to exclaim only for her to cut herself off mid-sentence and go pale.
The thought that went though my mind at this moment was "Hold on a second here, what the heck did she mean by that?" and I wanted to find out.
"About what?" Scootaloo asked feeling her curiosity peaked.
The cyan blue Pegasus stared at the filly now as an awkward silence ensued between the two for sometime until she finally spoke. "It was wrong of me. I shouldn't have been..." Rainbow Dash said in a soft tone trailing off now as looked down at her floor.
"Shouldn't have been what?" The orange Pegasus asked trying to push to get the cyan blue Pegasus to spill it. Instead however, another awkward silence ensued before she spoke up again.
"It wasn't initial at first, it just sort of popped in my head and stuck itself there. I couldn't get it out of my head once it was there." Rainbow Dash replied in a guilty tone and sighed as she ran a hoof through her mane.
Okay now she was just dancing around the the topic and that annoyed me a little.
"What was it about?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
Upon hearing this the cyan blue Pegasus ran her hoof though her mane once again and sighed. "It was about you okay?" Rainbow Dash replied, walked over to her bed, sat on the edge of it, and put both hooves on her face. "I'm such a lame featherbrain." Rainbow Dash remarked after a few moments with a sigh while Scootaloo just stared at her idol with a dumbfounded expression.
I think it was about this time my brain broke. My idol was fantasizing about me? I could barely believe it.
"What was it about?" Scootaloo asked aloud without thinking as she walked up to the bed and sat next to her.
"Geez kid, really?" Rainbow Dash replied with a blush and sighed. "Fine, it was about you coming in and dominating me." Rainbow Dash replied as she ran her hoof through her mane again.
"You mean I wasn't hurting you? You were willing?" Scootaloo replied in a hopeful tone.
"Not at first, but I was getting there." Rainbow Dash replied with a half smile until she abruptly slammed both hooves on her face again. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation." Rainbow Dash remarked dismally.
It was at this point I wondered if I should take a gamble or not. Despite what had just happened, despite the fact I still felt bad for what I did, I was now debating on whether or not I should act.
"So, um, if I were to try and come onto you right now, would you resist me?" The filly asked without think at which point Rainbow Dash yanked her face from her hooves and stared at the orange Pegasus.
"I hope you're joking." Rainbow Dash replied in a worried tone.
It was now or never. I could only hope my gut feeling was right.
Without warning Scootaloo groped the cyan blue Pegasus's mound and began to kiss her chest much to Rainbow Dash's shock. "K-Kid, what the hay are you doing?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a panicked tone as Scootaloo continued to kiss along her lower stomach and rub her hoof against the cyan blue Pegasus's clit.
"Buck,Buck,Buck!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a panicked tone before she let out a defeated moan finally giving in to the filly's assault and slowly laid herself back onto the bed.
Looks like my gut feeling was right. She secretly wanted me to dominate her. This was a huge relief for me and allowed me to fully enjoy myself now as I continued to grope my idol and kiss her lower chest.
"Buck,buck,buck!" Rainbow Dash managed to choke out between pleasurable moans as she filly slowly went down on her idol and began to lick her moistening slit.
"You're such a dirty mouthed pony Dashy." Scootaloo remarked with a smirk before she dipped her tongue into the mares cyan blue pussy lips which caused the Pegasus to arch up and moan out.
I could only image what was going through my idol's mind at the moment as I made her hump into my face involuntarily at random times. All the while I made sure she couldn't scoot away from me. She tried to a few times, but I held onto her hunches firmly making sure she couldn't escape my tongue.
This seemed to make her moan out even more as if she really enjoyed not being in control. I thought I would take a gamble and see if I could take it a step farther.
"You're a filly fiddler, aren't you Dashy?" Scootaloo asked with a lustful grin before she dove her tongue back into her idol's dripping cunt tasting ever inch of her inner walls.
"I'm such a filly fiddler, uhh, buck,buck,buck!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed once again cursing multiple times as she moaned out once again.
This was it, I had broke her. She was mine now. I could make her say or do anything I wanted now. It was all my fantasies coming true.
Scootaloo continued her assault on the cyan blue Pegasus's snatch grinning ear to ear paying close attention to Rainbow Dash's breathing which was becoming more erratic now.
She was very close now, I could tell.
Scootaloo then abruptly stopped her pleasurable assault on the mare who looked down at her now with a desperate expression. "W-Why did you stop?" Rainbow Dash asked in a breathless tone.
"Say, I'm a dirty filly fiddler." Scootaloo replied with a grin.
"I'm a dirty filly fiddler." Rainbow Dash replied in a breathless tone.
"Say it like you mean it." Scootaloo replied with a smirk as she gave the cyan blue Pegasus a teasing lick against her clit causing her to bite her lip hard feeling herself so close now.
"I'm a dirty filly fiddler." The cyan blue Pegasus replied with a little more effort now.
"I said say it like you mean it!" Scootaloo exclaimed giving the cyan blue Pegasus another teasing lick.
"I'm a dirty filly fiddler!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed nearly at the top of her lungs now unable to take the teasing any longer at which point the orange Pegasus leaned forward now focusing solely on her clit, nibbling and sucking on it which pushed the mare over the edge causing her to cry out as she came.
Scootaloo then climbed onto the bed, motioned for her idol to scoot back so that her head rested on the headboard of her bed, climbed on top of her, placed each one of her hind hooves on each side of the cyan blue Pegasus's head with her orange puffy slit hovering right above her now, put her forehooves on the head of the bed, and looked down at her.
"Eat out me out, you dirty filly fiddler." Scootaloo said in a lustful tone to her idol whom folded her ears back now but she obeyed her.
The filly moaned out in pure bliss as she felt her idol's tongue begin to assault her orange flower. She could feel it dipping inside her, reaching ever inch of her inner walls. "Th-That's it, eat me out like the dirty filly fiddler you are!" Scootaloo exclaimed between moans as Rainbow Dash continued to run her tongue around inside the filly's now dripping slit.
I felt so bad for treating my idol like this, but if this is how she wanted it, I would gladly treat her this way.
Scootaloo could feel her orgasm closing in now, her body was heating up, and it wouldn't be long before she came all over her idol's face just as she had done in so many of her fantasies. "Tell me you want my filly juices." Scootaloo said in a lustful tone as she moaned out, when the cyan blue Pegasus didn't reply however she reached down and held her face with both hooves looking at her now.
"Tell me you want my filly juices, you dirty filly fiddler!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a fierce tone causing the cyan blue Pegasus to flinch slightly.
At first I thought I had taken it too far. I felt a ping of guilt in my chest start to swell up as I looked into my idol's eyes now. But just before I could apologize she spoke up.
"I want your filly juices!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in a desperate tone at which point Scootaloo smiled at her and allowed her to continue to eat her out.
"If you want them so badly you dirty filly fiddler, you can have every last drop!" Scootaloo exclaimed moments before her orgasm came crashing down on her body which caused her puffy orange pussy to spasm and gush it's juices all over her idol's face whom quickly lapped at her slit now attempting to get as much as possible into her mouth before the filly's legs gave way and she collapsed on top of the cyan blue Pegasus and rolled over to her side huffing and puffing.
"I...can't..believe I just did that." Rainbow dash remarked breathlessly before she turned her head to look at Scootaloo with a slightly worried expression.
"That was so awesome!" Scootaloo managed to exclaim between huffs and puffs as her chest heaved.
"There's no going back now is there?" Rainbow Dash asked aloud looking up at the ceiling of her bedroom now.
"Nope, but that doesn't matter does it?" Scootaloo replied as she nuzzled her head against her idol whom ran a hoof through the filly's mane still not looking at the ceiling.
"Guess not." The cyan blue Pegasus replied in a thoughtful tone.
"And you're mine forever right?" Scootaloo replied as she planted a kiss on the cyan blue Pegasus's cheek whom finally looked at her at this point.
"Y-Yes. I've gone past the point of no return now. I'm yours forever." Rainbow Dash replied in a soft tone looking at her now.
"Good." Scootaloo remarked with a giggle.
TWO MONTHS INTO THE FUTURE...
"It wouldn't till nearly a month later until I realized she didn't love me back. She only stayed with me because she thought she didn't have any choice. I should have followed Twilight's plan, but I was a featherbrain and completely spaced it. Now she will never love me." Scootaloo remarked followed by a sigh.
Rarity was now torn. On the one hoof she wanted to feel sorry for the filly, but on the other she still couldn't accept the idea that a mare could love a filly and this in her mind was proof. Yet she couldn't shake the torn feeling. "I guess, maybe it just wasn't meant to be." Rarity replied slowly choosing her words carefully while at the same time trying to be supportive to the filly.
"Maybe, but I know that Cheerilee loves Sweetie Belle. And that's why I told you what happened with me and Rainbow Dash. Do you understand now Rarity?" Scootaloo replied looking at the unicorn now with a hopeful expression now.
"I'm sorry to say that while I do feel sorry for you Scootaloo, you've told me nothing that proves Cheerilee could see my little sister as anything more than a sex toy." Rarity replied allowing some of her anger to slip into her words as she spoke now.
"Ugh! This is going to take longer than I thought." Scootaloo remarked with a facehoofing gesture and a sigh... |
The Belle tolls for love | Sweetie Belle's Lament | SWEETIE BELLE'S LAMENT
A day by now had past and Rarity found herself unable to sleep though Scootaloo had managed to and by the time the filly had woken up the mare's eyes were bloodshot and fatigued as she walked Scootaloo walk down stairs from her bedroom. "Morning Rarity, how did you...sleep?" Scootaloo asked trailing off slightly as her eyes fell upon the unicorn.
"I didn't, but thanks for asking." Rarity replied as she now was sewing a dress together. "I suppose I should count my blessings that I have a good supply of fabric in my house to keep me busy." The unicorn remarked aloud in a tired tone as she continued to focus on making her dress.
"You could always ask Twilight to enchant the fabric to replicate itself like the food." Scootaloo replied in a friendly tone only for the unicorn to suddenly rip a hole in her dress and tense up.
"Please don't mention that unicorn's name around me. It bad enough she has be trapped in my own home like some criminal." Rarity replied gritting her teeth between words as she spoke.
"This isn't some kind of prison Rarity. Twilight told me she would give you anything you want." Scootaloo replied trying her best to comfort the unicorn.
"Anything? She can let me out here then." Rarity replied in an aggravated tone as she resumed sewing again still not looking behind herself.
"Except that." Scootaloo replied as she flattened her ears with an saddened expression.
"I thought so." Rarity replied in a huffy tone as she began to fix the hole she made in her dress.
Another hour past now and Scootaloo was really starting to worry about the unicorn. "You really should sleep Rarity. It's not healthy for a pony to stay up all night and all day." Scootaloo remarked in a concerned tone.
"Thank you for your concern darling, but I simply can not sleep. I'm too furious with a certain unicorn to be able to sleep." Rarity replied doing her best to sound polite but in her state of mind she couldn't have come a crossed ruder if she tried.
It was at this point Twilight appeared in a flash of magic in the room. "So, how are you two doing?" Twilight asked in a chipper tone.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!!!
Hearing the purple unicorn's voice caused Rarity to tear the dress she was working on in two with her magic which caused both ponies to flatten their ears and look at her. "Not so good..." Scootaloo replied in a apprehensive tone with a worried expression.
"Rarity, you look terrible." Twilight remarked in a concerned tone as Rarity turned around to look at her.
"Do I? Well, it's not as if you would care." Rarity replied sourly as she walked up the purple unicorn.
"Rarity, that was mean of you to say." Twilight replied in a hurt tone with an expression to match it.
"Do I look like I give a flying buck?!" Rarity exclaimed flashing a glare as she shouted into the purple unicorn's face.
Upon hearing this Twilight's jaw dropped while Scootaloo looked as if her brain had frozen. Rarity had NEVER cursed in her life. She would often say that she was above such language. And to hear her friend say this and in such a rude manner to her sent the purple unicorn's mind reeling.
"R-Rarity, you need sleep." Twilight replied after a few awkward moments in the same concerned tone.
Upon hearing this Rarity's left ear gave a double twitch along her with right eye. "Sleep? Sleep you say? Prey tell, how am I supposed to sleep when my little sister is most likely being violated by a filly fiddler at the moment Twilight?! Tell me, hmm?! Go ahead!" Rarity roared still barely than a foot away from the purple unicorn's face as she shouted these words.
"She's not unwilling if that's what your thinking! She choose to be with Cheerilee! Get that through your thick skull!" Twilight exclaimed finally getting tired of being shouted at now.
"Get out of my sight Twilight Sparkle! Get out of my sight before I do something I will regret!" Rarity exclaimed as she levitated a manikin next to her with a threatening glare.
"Okay,Okay...fine, I'll go." Twilight replied in a cautious tone backing away slowly now then looked at Scootaloo. "Try to help her get some sleep. She isn't her self right now, I'll be back in a day or so." Twilight whispered to the filly before she disappeared in a flash of magic.
"R-Rarity, she's gone. You can put the manikin down now." Scootaloo said in a cautious tone of her own as she walked up to the white unicorn who was shaking from head to hooves at the moment.
Without warning Rarity let the object drop, fell to her underside, and began to sob loudly. "Look at me! I've been reduced to vulgar language and petty threats!" Rarity exclaimed between sobs as the filly walked over and placed a hoof on her shoulder.
"It-It's going to be okay Rarity, you're just really tired is all. All you need is a good night's sleep and you'll be yourself again." The filly replied in a supportive tone doing her best to comfort the mare now.
"I can't sleep, not as long as my little sister is out there with that, that filly fiddler!" Rarity exclaimed between sobs.
"Oh Rarity...If only you could understand..." Scootaloo thought with a sigh as she continued to be supportive of the mare.
ON THE TRAIN TO FILLYDEPHIA...
Sweetie Belle looked out her window as the seemingly endless fields and trees passed by in blurs with a hoof resting on Cheerilee's. "I wonder what Twilight is doing to help Rarity understand?" Sweetie Belle thought to herself curiously and sighed aloud.
"Are you okay Sweetie Belle?" Cheerilee asked in a concerned tone as she looked down at her lover who looked saddened.
"Sort of." Sweetie Belle replied honestly.
"Are you having second thoughts? If so, I can ask the conductor to let you stay on the train for the return trip." Cheerilee replied in a soft tone as she rubbed the filly's hoof gently as she looked at her.
"No, I'm not having second thoughts. It's just that I'm worried about Rarity is all." Sweetie Belle replied and sighed again.
"She'll be just fine sweetheart, Twilight would never do anything to hurt her." Cheerilee replied in a supportive tone as she gave the filly a soft hug.
"I know, I just can't help but worry about her." Sweetie Belle replied in a soft tone as she recalled the days that lead up to them being exposed...
PRESENT DAY...
School was back in full swing now and even though it was hard to be away from my love, I could at least see her every day when I went to school. I would always stay after class once school was out to give her a kiss and possibly a little more each day after class. Today though, I think I went a little overboard.
"Sw-Sweetie Belle! Not here! We can't do it here!" Cheerilee exclaimed in panicked tone as the filly groped the earth pony's mound and suckled her teats for a few moments longer before she finally let up and stopped panting loudly.
"S-Sorry. I lost control of myself." Sweetie Belle replied breathlessly as she regain her composure.
It had been one month and three weeks now since we had done anything and my body was screaming for intimate contact with my lover. The gift she gave me helped, but in my mind, it was nothing more than a tease compared to her touch.
"It's okay. Listen, maybe you can ask Rarity if you could stay with me this weekend? Just tell her it's a Cram session and I'm sure she'll say yes." Cheerilee replied with a wink as she walked towards the door and opened for her.
Cram session. I couldn't help but giggle at her choice of words. It would be a cram session alright. Cramming my hoof inside her, cramming my face between her hunches, oh yeah, it would be a real good "cram session".
"I'm sorry Sweetie Belle, but I can not allow that." Rarity replied with a frown.
"Why?" Sweetie Belle asked in a whiny tone.
"Did you already forget that you promised me you would help me with sizing the filly sized dresses for my new foal clothing line this weekend? I admire your enthusiasm for learning darling, but this set of dresses must be done before the end of the month and I can't do it without you." Rarity replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Oh right, sorry." Sweetie Belle replied in a guilty tone as her ears flattened in dismay.
I had completely spaced I had promised to help my big sister with her new clothing line this weekend. Couldn't haven picked worse timing to agree to this if I tried.
"Oh and umm, Sweetie Belle. I was cleaning up your room this morning and I found something rather interesting under your bedsheets. Would you care to explain to me where you got this?" Rarity asked with an inquiring look as she hovered Cheerilee's gift to the filly before her eyes at which point she went beat red.
My chest went ice cold as my eyes fell upon the love egg. I had forgotten to hide it after I was done with it last night. My mind was blank, I had no idea of what to tell her.
"I-I-I...." Sweetie Belle stammered before she trailed off unable to think up a good reason.
"Well? I'm waiting for an answer young filly." Rarity replied as her tone became more stern as she spoke now.
I had to think of something to tell her. My mind was racing so fast right now and I could have swore my heart was ready to burst from my chest as it thumped against my ribcage.
Then I got an idea, not a very good idea, but it would at least keep Rarity from figuring out that Cheerilee had given it to me.
"I-I-I stole it from Cheerilee's house when she wasn't looking." Sweetie Belle lied.
"Stole it? Sweetie Belle, do you even have any idea what this is used for?" Rarity asked curiously looking at the filly with a disapproving stare now.
"Y-Yes...I know all too well." Sweetie Belle replied without meaning to say those exact words as a crimson red blush formed on her face upon realizing what she had just said.
It took the unicorn a few moments to catch on, but once she had she suddenly let the toy drop to the ground with her magic looking slightly pale now. "Ahem, well. I want you to return this to Cheerilee immediately. I understand that you're a growing filly, but nothing excuses theft. And I want you to come right back afterward, do you hear me?" Rarity replied in a matter-of-fact tone with a stern look despite the fact she still looked pale at the moment.
As Sweetie Belle picked up the toy in preparation to take it back to Cheerilee's house she could hear her sister muttering something to the degree of "I touched that thing with my hooves." Along with an audible shutter.
Cheerilee's face went slightly pale as the filly told her what happened but sounded relieved when she heard what she had told her sister. "I should have given you something less erotic. I'm sorry you had to lie Sweetheart." Cheerilee remarked with a sigh as she took the toy inside followed by the filly whom closed the door behind her.
As long as Rarity didn't find out about us, I was more than happy to "Take one for the team".
"I can't stay either, even before she confronted me about the toy, I forgot I had promised her that I would help her with her foal dress line this weekend." Sweetie Belle replied followed by a sigh.
"Well shoot, I was hoping for some alone time." Cheerilee replied with a frown.
"Me too..." Sweetie Belle replied and sighed once again.
An silence ensued between the two for a short time before Sweetie Belle finally spoke up. "I guess I should go. My sister will wonder where I am if I take too long." Sweetie Belle replied, turned around, and began to leave only for Cheerilee to whirl her around and lock lips with her.
I immediately found my hindquarters growing soaking wet no sooner I locked lips with my lover, but just before I lost control she broke the kiss.
"I want you so badly right now." Sweetie Belle remarked in a breathless tone with a dreamy expression as the earth pony retracted her face from the filly's lips.
"The feeling is mutual, but Rarity is waiting for you is she not?" Cheerilee replied as she fanned her face with a hoof as if to cool herself off.
If there was one time that I wished Cheerilee would disregard Twilight's warnings and make love to me, this was it. Unfortunately for me, her resolve was a lot stronger than mine now.
"Yeah, she is. This sucks!" Sweetie Belle remarked as she stomped a hoof to the floor in sexual frustration.
"There's always next weekend." Cheerilee replied with a smirk as she opened the door the the unicorn.
Next weekend, sure. Providing Rarity didn't ground me for the next month because I "stole Cheerilee's toy"...
THAT SATURDAY...
"I'm what?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a horrified tone as Rarity ran the measuring tape over her flanks and sides.
"You heard me young filly. I had a chat with Cheerilee yesterday and we both agreed it was best all round. You're grounded." Rarity replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
Just my luck, my body had been screaming for my lover's touch for the last month and a half and now I would have to wait even longer before I could feel her tongue between my legs. I hated being treated like a filly.
"B-But what about Cheerilee's lessons? She said she wanted to help me improve on math and other stuff more during the weekends." Sweetie Belle replied in a pleading tone hoping to find a loophole in her punishment.
"Don't worry about that darling, I spoke with Cheerilee about that as well and we agreed she could come over her and tutor you still on the weekends. I would never let your punishment come in the way of giving you a education." Rarity replied with a smile.
Just what was Cheerilee thinking? There was no way we could find any time to make love with my sister in the house. Even if we did it in my room, I'm a far cry from the most quiet filly in Ponyville when I have a tongue between my legs.
"Well don't get all too excited at once darling, I didn't have to let her come over and tutor you." Rarity remarked with a slight frown at the filly's lack of joy in light of this news.
"Thank you Rarity. This means a lot to me." Sweetie Belle finally replied with a teary eyed expression now.
"You really want to get a good education don't you?" Rarity replied with a smile as she continued to measure the filly.
Thought my big sister didn't know why I was emotional right now. It meant a lot to me that she was letting me spend time with Cheerilee. Even if it wasn't for the reasons she thought it was...
ONE WEEK LATER...
I could have swore my heart skipped a beat as I heard a knock at the door. I didn't know why I was so nervous. Maybe I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself, even with my sister around. Maybe it was that I was worried Cheerilee would let down her defenses around her.
Regardless, I was a nervous wreck as my big sister answered the door and let Cheerilee inside who had two saddle packs filled with books.
"Hello Cheerilee. Good to see you." Rarity said motioning for the earth pony to walk in the house.
"Good to see you too Rarity." Cheerilee replied with a warm smile and looked at the filly whom looked nervous as ever. "Hello Sweetie Belle, are we ready to learn?" Cheerilee asked with a smile.
At first I couldn't utter a single word, my nerves felt like they were shot now but I managed a feeble nod at the very least.
"Sweetie Belle? Are you okay? You're sweating." Rarity asked in a concerned tone.
"Oh I'm fine! It's just so hot in here." Sweetie Belle replied quickly with a nervous giggle.
"Oh that's my fault. You see Cheerilee, I'm heating up some fire rubies for my latest dress. For them to shine at their best, they need to be heated for several hours before you can cool them." Rarity replied with a sheepish smile.
"It's quite alright Rarity. I'm sure they will look absolutely dazzling by the time you're done with them." Cheerilee replied with a soft smile.
Upon hearing the word "Dazzling" the mare's eyes lit up in alarm. "Oh goodness! I forgot the dazzle stones! If I don't apply them exactly thirty minuets before the fire rubies, the entire dress will be ruined!" Rarity exclaimed looking back at her dress, ran over to her desk, grabbed her saddle pack, ran for the door, and stopped to look at Cheerilee. "Cheerilee, would you be a darling and watch Sweetie Belle for me while I go out for a few hours?" Rarity asked in a rushed tone.
"Of course. I am here to tutor her after all." Cheerilee replied with a warm smile.
"Thank you so much! I'll be back in a few hours Sweetie Belle, try not to break anything while I'm gone." Rarity replied in the same hurried tone before she rushed out the door forgetting to even close it behind her.
As my sister ran out of sight I could feel a nervous feeling begin to swell up in my chest, but it was a good kind of nervous feeling. No sooner my sister was out of sight, Cheerilee kicked the door shut, knelled down, and began to make out with me.
"We'll have to make this quick, no telling when your sister will come back." Cheerilee remarked between kisses as she lost her hooving and fell on top of the filly somewhat.
"O-Okay!" Sweetie Belle replied between kisses as she felt her hindquarters grow soaking wet in a matter of moments no sooner the kissing had began.
The room was blazing hot, our fur and manes quickly became matted down as our hooves trailed over each others bodies. I don't know how much time had passed now since we had begun, but I knew one thing.
I wanted to taste my lover again.
"Lay on your back." Sweetie Belle said in a breathless tone to which Cheerilee obeyed without question.
I dove my mouth into her love tunnel without a second thought and jabbed my tongue inside her. The mixture of sweat and her juices filled my mouth now as I continued to make my lover moan out.
"Sweet Celestia, mmmph! It's been too long since I've had that lovely tongue of yours between my legs." Cheerilee managed to say between moans as her body humped into the filly's face involuntarily as she continued her pleasurable assault between the earth ponies hunches.
Between the heat in the room right now and my own juices leaking down my hind legs, I couldn't wait for my turn. First thing, first however. Making my lover gush her love juices all over my face.
"I love you so much Sweetie Belle!" Cheerilee moaned out as she came hard giving a orgasmic cry that was probably much too loud, but neither of them cared as Sweetie Belle went to town on the mare's now gushing slit, lapping at it in an attempt to get as much of her orgasmic juices in her mouth as possible.
"I'm back, the store was out of-" Rarity's voice come from behind the two only to be cut off by the sight that beheld her now.
As if on impulse I literally jumped away from Cheerilee's wet slit and stared at my sister whom seemed to be frozen in place mouth agape, and unable to speak.
My worst fears were now becoming a reality before my very eyes, there was no way I could pass off what she had just saw as nothing. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move, I couldn't even think. All I could do was stare at my sister right now.
Cheerilee's face went as pale as it could possibly go as she caught her breath, stood up to all four hooves, and stood in place.
"What...in...Equestria...did...I...just..see?" Rarity asked in a very slow yet stunned tone.
It seemed like her brain was finally catching up with what her eyes had seen now. My however still hadn't recovered.
"R-Rarity." Cheerilee began to say only for Rarity's gaze to snap in her direction.
"Oh I understand alright, you are a sick and twisted mare who gets her kicks from molesting unsuspecting fillies! Now back away from her or you won't live to regret it" Rarity exclaimed as she grew closer and closer only for Sweetie Belle to jump from behind Cheerilee and stand in front of her.
It was at this point as I saw my sister barreling down on my lover with hostile intent that my brain finally kicked back into full gear and I flung myself in front of my lover.
"Sweetie Belle, don't try to protect me. I don't want anything to happen to you." Cheerilee said in a panicked tone as the filly walked up to Rarity stopping her older sister just short of the earth pony.
"Move aside Sweetie Belle, I'm not upset with you. But this mare, she knew what she was doing, she knew what she was doing every time she..." Rarity trailed off unable to say the words as her rage filled her more than ever.
My entire body was shaking, my heart seemed to threaten to explode from my chest, and my chest felt ice cold, but I stood firm. No way in Equestria was I about to allow anypony to harm my lover.
Not even my blood sister!
"So did I! Stop treating me like I'm a foal! I'm practically a teenager for pony's sake! I love Cheerilee! So bucking deal with it!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a pissed off tone with an expression to match it which caused the mare to be taken back at first but her sister's words.
"Don't worry Sweetie Belle, after I deal with this mare, we'll get you some real help and you'll see exactly what she had done to you." Rarity said in a soft tone to her younger sister before she moved her to the side with magic and prepared to charge.
I attempted to get back in front of my sister to stop her again, but she was already into a full gallop. I could only watch in horror as my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach at the impending harm that was about to befall my lover.
Then as if by chance, Twilight appeared right in front of her. I didn't know how she knew what had happened, but I was forever grateful to her as a mild relief washed over me.
"Rarity, What's going on?! I heard shouts on my way to Fluttershy's house." Twilight asked in a worried tone at which point the unicorn pointed a shaking hoof at Cheerilee.
"This mare right here, she messed with Sweetie Belle! She-She..." Rarity attempted to say only to trail off feeling her words become overpowered by her sheer rage.
"I understand." Twilight replied in a solemn tone as she looked over at Cheerilee.
At first I had thought that Twilight had betrayed us, but much to my shock she levitated an object unknown to my sister and cracked her over the back of the head knocking her out.
"Tw-Twilight?! What have you done?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in horror.
At first I had thought Twilight had just murdered my sister before my eyes, but then I noticed she was still breathing and felt yet another rush of mild relief wash over me.
"Cheerilee, grab Sweetie Belle and run!" Twilight exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"But Twilight, what about you?" Cheerilee asked in a worried tone as she lifted Sweetie Belle up and put the filly onto her back.
"Don't worry about me, I'll sort things out here! Now go!" Twilight exclaimed at which point Cheerilee dashed from the carousel boutique as fast as her hooves could carry her.
I guess looking back at it now. Our biggest mistake was doing it in my sister's house...
IN RARITY'S HOUSE...
The orange Pegasus now sat next to a sleeping Rarity and gave a sigh of relief. "She must have cried herself to sleep..." Scootaloo remarked thoughtfully as she stood up, walked into the kitchen, and grabbed a daisy sandwich out. "If it weren't for my big mouth, she wouldn't have even ran back to her house and we wouldn't even be here right now." Scootaloo remarked sourly with a sigh.
FLASHBACK
Scootaloo and Applebloom ran about the path now laughing and playing until their eyes fell upon a very rushed and hurried Rarity. "Hey Rarity, what's got ya in such a hurry?" Applebloom asked curiously at which point Rarity stopped to look at the two smiling fillies.
"Oh, I'm off to get some dazzle stones for my newest dress." Rarity replied with a smile and decided to take a moment to catch her breath as she spoke with fillies.
"Can Sweetie Belle come out to play?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
"Sorry Scootaloo, she's grounded for stealing from Cheerilee. Such a wonderful mare that Cheerilee is, she volunteered to take care of her while I went out for the gems I needed." Rarity replied with a smile.
"Oh, She's probably taking real good care of her right now." Scootaloo remarked with a giggle only to get a hoof to the side by the farm pony.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rarity asked looking at the orange Pegasus curiously now.
"N-Nothin! Just Scootaloo bein a featherbrain is all!" Applebloom exclaimed nervously at which point Rarity's attention was yanked to the farm pony.
"Is there something I should know about Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle?" Rarity asked in a concerned tone.
"Nope, nothing at all. It's not like their messing around or anything." Scootaloo replied nervously only to get another hoof to the side from the farm pony.
Upon hearing this, Rarity's face went slightly pale. "Of course not." Rarity replied in a nervous tone of her own now as she turned about face and began to head back in the direction of her house.
"Uh, Rarity. The gem store is the other way." Applebloom said in a nervous tone.
"I know, I just forgot something at home is all." Rarity replied as she began to run back home.
"You featherbrain! Now Rarity is fixin to bust the two while their hoof knockin!" Applebloom exclaimed as she gave the orange Pegasus a swift whack to the back of her head.
"What makes you think their doing it anyways?" Scootaloo replied in a skeptic tone.
"Ya don't use your eyes do ya? The looks on the two's faces the last week or so have had that, we need to get a room, look to em! And they just got time alone when Rarity left the house." Applebloom replied and facehoofed.
"Oh horseapples! They're gonna get busted!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a panicked tone.
"Quick as a whip ain't ya?" Applebloom replied in a sarcastic tone.
"What do we do?!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she paced back and forth now in a frantic manner.
"Ah don't know! Ah'm thinkin!" Applebloom replied as she tapped her chin in a nervous manner.
It was then it hit the orange Pegasus. "Twilight! She'll know what to do!" Scootaloo exclaimed suddenly.
"Somethin get loose in that noggin of yours? How is tellin Twilight gonna help?!" Applebloom asked in a panicked tone.
"I can't explain now! I'll be back soon!" Scootaloo exclaimed as she made her take off pose she had been taunt, burst into a run, and took off shakily to the skies.
The purple unicorn was shelving books in her room right now when out of no where an orange blur came blasting through her open window and crashed right into her causing every book in the room to fall off the bookshelves.
"For Celestia's sake Rainbow, stop doing that!" Twilight exclaimed angrily as her head popped up from beneath a pile of books only to gasp in shock as the filly's head popped from beneath the pile of books next to her. "Scootaloo? What in Equestria are you thinking?!" Twilight exclaimed in an annoyed tone until her eyes fell upon the filly's pale and panicked expression.
"Twilight, we got a big problem!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a panicked tone.
END FLASHBACK
"Next thing I know she's running over an idea to get me to fool with Rarity..." Scootaloo remarked aloud with a scowl. This was the last idea on the filly's mind at the moment though. She had hopped that Rarity would warm up to the idea of being okay with Sweetie Belle and Cheerilee's relation by telling her what happened between her and her idol which bombshelled.
"I may end up having to get her to mess with me after all..." Scootaloo thought to herself and sighed as she took a bite of her sandwich.
It's gonna be a long week... |
The Belle tolls for love | A not so great plan | A NOT SO GREAT PLAN
Scootaloo walked up to Rarity who was still sleeping soundly now and sighed. "Sorry Rarity, but I'm doing this for Sweetie Belle." Scootaloo said aloud even though the unicorn was sound asleep and couldn't hear her.
The filly had a plan, possibly not the best one, but she figured it was better than nothing. Scootaloo laid down right in front of Rarity, lifted her tail up, and used her hind hooves to move the sleeping mare's right hoof until it was resting on her mound. "Now I just gotta act like I'm asleep when she wakes up, she'll freak out, and then I tell her I didn't mind it." Scootaloo thought to herself trying her best to think through this plan as well as possible. She wasn't a pro at mind games, but she thought this one would at least make the unicorn think she had "hidden urges" and try to play off that idea.
"I feel like horseapples for doing this to her..." Scootaloo thought to herself and let out a sigh and waited for the unicorn to wake up.
FIVE HOURS LATER...
The filly now snoozed loudly having dozed off in her own boredom unaware that Rarity was waking up now.
WHAH-HA-HAAAAA!!!!
No sooner Rarity gave her high pitched scream the Pegasus literally catapulted off the floor and looked down at Rarity whom was staring at her hoof and it took a few moments for the filly to remember her plan as she attempted to calm herself now while she slowly hovered to the floor and landed in front of her.
"What is it Rarity? You scared the hay out of me!" Scootaloo exclaimed in an annoyed tone.
"Don't you play coy with me! You're trying to mess with my head aren't you? All part of Twilight's plan no doubt!" Rarity exclaimed in a pissed off tone as she stood up and glared at the filly.
"Crud. She was onto me before I even could start messing with her head." Scootaloo thought to herself in a guilty tone.
"Where is she? I'll give her a peace of my mind and then some! To put you up this, how dare she!" Rarity exclaimed in a pissed off tone as she looked about herself.
"Well, at least she's not going psycho-mare on me, so she's at least herself again...somewhat." Scootaloo thought to herself feeling relived slightly now as she walked up to Rarity. "It wasn't her plan Rarity. It was mine." Scootaloo confessed followed by a heavy sigh.
"Y-Yours?" Rarity replied with a stunned expression.
"Yeah, mine. I thought if I could make you think you had hidden urges, you would warm up to the idea of Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle's relationship." Scootaloo replied expecting the mare to become pissed off at her.
"Come to think of it, that plan did seem a little too simple for Twilight." Rarity remarked aloud thoughtfully before she facehoofed and sighed.
"Sorry Rarity." The orange Pegasus replied in a genuine tone as she lowered her head in shame.
"Go upstairs young filly. I don't want to see you for the rest of the day." Rarity replied in a upset tone.
"Your not the boss of me." Scootaloo replied snapping her head up with a glare at the unicorn. True as it was she felt bad for trying to play mind games with Rarity, she wasn't about to let her boss her around either.
"I'm your elder, so yes I am. Go upstairs, now!" Rarity replied in a heated tone feeling her temper rise.
"News flash Rarity, you aren't my mother!" Scootaloo exclaimed in a pissed off tone clearly becoming pissed off now herself.
"Well if your mother were here right now, I bet she would tell you the same thing!" Rarity roared with a glare.
"She'd be too busy drinking herself into a alcoholic comma to bother to care!" Scootaloo roared back tears swelling in her eyes now feeling her anger immediately being replaced with grief.
Upon hearing these words the unicorn's anger vanished on the spot and was replaced with guilt. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a soft spot." Rarity remarked after a few moments and sighed.
"Yeah, well you did." Scootaloo replied in a soft tone as she sat onto her rump and wiped the tears from her eyes.
"S-sure you father would do..." Rarity began to say only for the filly to flash her a glare thought this glare wasn't directed towards her, not completely at least.
"My father..." Scootaloo remarked aloud the apathy so thick in her voice it could be cut with a knife.
"You spoke of him when you told me about you and and Rainbow, but you didn't tell me much about him. Why would be be the reason for you hating stallions so much?" Rarity asked curiously as the filly stood up and walked away from her now.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Scootaloo replied as she turned about face and looked at Rarity now tears streaming from her eyes.
"You can't possibly mean...!" Rarity began to say only to trail off with a gasp as her mind trailed off the possibilities.
"How the hay do you think I know so much about sex? Every night I go home, I prey to Celestia he's not home." Scootaloo replied doing her best not to break down in front of the unicorn.
"How could a father do that to their foal?" Rarity asked in a stunned tone.
The filly however ignored her question and continued. "Every night I see him in my nightmares. And that's the nights when he's not even home. Because if he is..." The orange Pegasus continued and trailed off recalling flashes before her eyes.
No daddy please!
Stop it daddy!
Pl-Please, it hurts!
Suck it up and take it like a mare!
"You can't image the horrors that await me the nights he is home, but maybe if I told you, maybe then, you might understand the difference between ponies like him and ponies like Cheerilee." Scootaloo remarked after a few moments wiping her nose with a sniffle along with her eyes.
"Y-You don't have to." Rarity replied stuttering slight now. She really didn't want to hear the gruesome things that a pony was capable of.
"Well guess what, your gonna hear anyways!" Scootaloo nearly shrieked at the unicorn as she walked up to her now. "Imagine forcing a broomstick handle through a tiny hole in the wall." Scootaloo said in a quivering tone and when the unicorn didn't show any signs of doing so she shrieked"do it!" at her at which point Rarity nodded in a way of saying she was now picturing it.
"Now picture that hole in the wall cracking, being forced wider as you force it in there, being torn and destroyed. That's how it feels every night he forces himself on me...every bucking night!" Scootaloo shrieked at the unicorn.
Rarity by now was looking positively horrified. She didn't want to hear anymore, but one question weighed on her mind now. "How come no pony has noticed by now?" Rarity asked in a scared tone not wanting to know but unable to help herself.
Upon hearing this a sarcastic smile appeared on the filly's face. "Glad you asked, he's a unicorn and take a wild guess what his special talent is, go ahead and guess!" Scootaloo exclaimed expecting the unicorn to respond now.
"I-I can't think of anything." Rarity stuttered.
"Oh this will make you laugh, his special talent is healing, so every night, after he's done with me, left me on the floor bleeding and sobbing, he used his magic to make it as if it never happened, but the scars remain, they just can't be seen. I feel them, every waking hour of the day." Scootaloo replied tears flowing from her eyes now as if somepony had turned a faucet on and left it running.
"Why wait till now to tell somepony?" Rarity asked in a soft tone as she walked up to the Pegasus now.
"You don't think I haven't tried?! But without physical evidence, they can't prove anything. So he gets away with it. You want to know a real sick and twisted pony who gets their kicks from molesting unsuspecting fillies Rarity? Meet my bucking dad!" Scootaloo exclaimed, walked away from the unicorn, and lay on the floor crying silently to herself now.
Despite the fact Rarity wanted to argue this, she couldn't bring herself to as she walked up next to Scootaloo and put a hoof around the filly.
IN FILLYDEPHIA...
Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle walked into their new home in Fillydephia and set their saddle packs down. "I'll look for work first thing tomorrow. It should be easy since I have a few friends in town who owe me a favor or two." Cheerilee said aloud followed by a sigh as she sat on her bed in their one bedroom apartment.
"Cheerilee, why do I feel so sad when I should be happy right now?" Sweetie Belle asked as she jumped on the bed next to the earth pony who immediately wrapped her hooves around her and held her tightly.
"Oh Sweetheart, this is perfectly normal, but things will get better, I promise." Cheerilee said in a soft tone as she leaned down and gave the filly a peck on the cheek.
"I hope so." Sweetie Belle replied in a saddened tone as a tear streaked down her cheek.
As the two ponies embraced one another Twilight appeared in a flash of magic in the room which caused the two to yank away from one another in alarm.
"Don't panic, it's just me." Twilight replied with a smile which nearly vanished upon looking at the two. "So, how are you two holding up?" Twilight asked curiously though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
"How do you think? We just had to leave everything we have ever known behind." Cheerilee replied sourly with her ears flattened now.
"Dumb question, I know, but I couldn't help but ask." Twilight replied as she ran a hoof through her mane followed by a sigh.
"Is my sister okay?" Sweetie Belle asked with a worried expression now.
"She's just fine Sweetie Belle, but it's taking her time to adjust to her knew living quarters." Twilight replied hoping to put the filly's worries to rest somewhat.
"New living quarters?" Cheerilee remarked aloud with a raised eyebrow.
"Remember when I said in my letter that if you asked anypony in town about Rarity, they wouldn't know she even exists? " Twilight replied waiting for the two to nod before continuing. "Well, I moved Rarity's home to a different dimension." Twilight replied which caused Cheerilee and Sweetie Belle's expression's to become alarmed.
"Twilight, are you out of your mind?! That's forbidden magic your using there and not to mention incredibly advanced! One wrong move and you could plummet Rarity's home into an endless void!" Cheerilee exclaimed dramatically.
"Yes, Cheerilee, lets cause poor Sweetie Belle to go into a panic attack over worst case scenarios." Twilight remarked in a sarcastic tone with an eye-rolling gesture as she pointed a hoof at Sweetie Belle whom was now shaking.
"Rarity's going to be shot into an endless void?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed in a panicked tone as she continued to shake uncontrollably.
"Oh, no she won't Sweetheart. She'll be just fine." Cheerilee said in a soft tone as she held Sweetie Belle tightly now.
"She's going to be just fine Sweetie Belle, I know what I'm doing." Twilight replied confidently with a expression to match it. These words seemed to calm the filly somewhat but she still shook a little as the earth pony rocked her back and forth as she held her in an attempt to calm her.
"O-Okay. I trust you Twilight." Sweetie Belle replied after a few moments looking much calmer now.
"Now as I was saying before somepony jumped to conclusions, I put her home in an alternate dimension with Scootaloo in hopes she could warm her up to the idea of your relationship." Twilight continued stopping for a moment to let the two take in what she had said.
"You honestly expect Rarity to fool with Scootaloo? Twilight, you've had some wild plans in the past, but this takes the cake! You can't expect a pony who feels so strongly about being against adult pony and filly relationships to suddenly mess with a filly. And what about Scootaloo? Does she even realize what she's gotten herself into? " Cheerilee asked with a glare at the unicorn now whom once again rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Once again jumping to conclusions. No, I don't expect Rarity to mess with Scootaloo. And Scootaloo is more aware of what's going on than you think. In fact, she was the one who volunteered to help me when I told her about what had happened after I came back to my library. She was the one who alerted me to Rarity finding you two out after all." Twilight replied allowing a smile to wash over her face now as she spoke.
"How could Scootaloo possibly know about us?" Cheerilee asked in a shocked tone.
"Scootaloo and Applebloom saw us fooling around just before school started, so I told them everything and made them promise not to tell anypony." Sweetie Belle said speaking up now in response to Cheerilee's question which was directed at the purple unicorn.
It was at this point however that the filly now remembered what Scootaloo had told her and felt her anger rise up very quickly as she gently moved Cheerilee's hooves from around her and walked up to the unicorn now. "I got a bone to pick with you!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed with a glare as she glared at the purple unicorn now.
"What did I do?" Twilight asked in an apprehensive tone clearly unaware of the filly's knowledge in her "test" she put Scootaloo up to giving her.
"You had Scootaloo tempt me in some kind of stupid test! How dare you!" Sweetie Belle nearly shrieked at the purple unicorn whom was now folding her ears back with an guilty expression now.
"You what?!" Cheerilee exclaimed in an outraged tone and was now glaring at the unicorn as well.
"I-I had to be sure you two loved each other. Believe me, if there was a better way, I would have thought of it!" Twilight exclaimed in a defensive tone as the filly and earth pony now stood next to one another glaring at her.
"Twilight Sparkle, because we are in debt to you for helping us, I will not beat the bucking hay out of you for what you put Sweetie Belle through. I however, would kindly request you leave now and not come back for a while." Cheerilee said looking at the unicorn now as her right front hoof began grinding against the floorboards.
"Geez, first Rarity and now you two. This just isn't my week." Twilight remarked sourly before she disappeared in a flash of magic leaving the two alone now.
"Is my sister going to be okay?" Sweetie Belle asked after a few moments after her anger had subsided.
Upon hearing this Cheerilee let out a sigh as if to calm herself a bit more before she replied. "Yes, she will. Twilight may not be the best at forming plans, but she is unrivaled in her usage of magic among unicorns."
RARITY'S HOUSE...
Scootaloo by now had fully calmed down and was her old self again at the very least. Though after their conversation, they hadn't spoken very much.
"Rarity, I have an idea." Scootaloo said suddenly which broke the silence between the two which caused Rarity to stop sewing again to look at the filly.
"An idea?" Rarity replied with a curious glance.
"Yeah, you see, all Twilight wants you to do is mess around with me right?" Scootaloo replied as she began to walk towards the unicorn.
"Yes..." The unicorn replied slowly. She didn't like where this idea was going already.
"Well, if you pretended to enjoy fooling around with me, she might fall for it and let you out." Scootaloo replied with a smirk.
"That would still require me to..." Rarity began to say but trailed off going slightly pale now.
"Touch me, yeah, but think about it Rarity, if you acted like you were having fun with me, and Twilight saw us, she would definitely let you out!" Scootaloo exclaimed excitedly.
"Assuming this plan actually worked and I could even bring myself to touching you without getting sick to my stomach, you do realize I would still go and rescue my sister right?" Rarity replied in a hesitant tone. She didn't like this idea at all, no, she hated it, but if she could manage to at least get Twilight to see her doing something, she could possibly put on a valiant act, and go save her sister.
"Yeah...but I've done all I can. I'm not going to do some under-hoofed thing like force myself on you. If you want to be thick headed and not get the big picture, I can't make you see it." Scootaloo replied ending her response on a sour note.
"I'll forget you called me thick headed." Rarity replied in an annoyed tone as she walked up to the filly now.
"So you in?" Scootaloo asked curiously.
"Lets get this over with." Rarity replied as she ran a hoof through her mane and sighed nervously.
"Alright! I'll just lay down over here and let you do what ever." Scootaloo replied with a smirk, walked a few feet away, and presented herself to the unicorn who was looking three shades of green at the moment.
"Wh-What should I do?" Rarity asked in an uneasy tone as she knelled down and hesitantly scooted towards the filly.
"What ever your comfortable with." Scootaloo replied as she used her forehooves to half her upper body level which gave her a good look at the unicorn.
"I'm not comfortable with doing anything." Rarity replied which earned an annoyed groan from the filly.
"Fine, just start with touching me with your hoof and we'll work on the act from there." Scootaloo replied in an slightly annoyed tone.
The unicorn hesitantly reached a hoof out coming close to touching the filly's mound only to suddenly yank it back. A few tries later and the orange Pegasus was starting to get annoyed.
"Do you want to get out of here or not?" Scootaloo asked in a clearly annoyed tone which prompted the unicorn to look at her for a few moments with a uneasy expression before she resumed looking at the filly's slit.
"Your going to enjoy this, aren't you?" Rarity asked in an uneasy tone as she once again looked up at the filly who was smiling at her.
"Well, duh. Just because you can't enjoy yourself, doesn't mean I can't. Besides, it wouldn't look very convincing to Twilight if I just sat her like a featherbrain while you messed with me." Scootaloo replied with a smirk.
"Wonderful." Rarity remarked sarcastically in the same nervous tone as she attempted to reach a hoof out again only to halt upon seeing the filly's beginning to moisten and lightly leak now.
"What are you waiting for? Winter wrap up?" Scootaloo asked impatiently.
"For Celestia's sake, shut up! This is hard enough for me as it is without hearing a young filly's voice!" Rarity exclaimed in an annoyed tone as she attempted to reach forward again.
"You do realize that once you start messing with me, I won't be quiet anyways right?" Scootaloo remarked with a giggle only for the unicorn to abruptly stand up and walk away.
"I can't do this. Not even acting." Rarity remarked aloud now as she ran a hoof through her mane in an attempt to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
"Just great." Scootaloo remarked sourly, stood up, and began to walk upstairs.
"Where are you going?" Rarity asked curiously taking note of the filly's sudden movement up the stairs.
"To take care of the itch between my hunches that you couldn't scratch!" Scootaloo exclaimed aloud in a annoyed tone before she slammed the upstairs door behind her.
Okay, it's going to be a VERY LONG week.... |
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