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Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

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<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T04:51:17+00:00

2011-07-11T04:51:17+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 3: The Silvertongue Nadir Jump Point Valexa, Capellan March, Federated Suns 9 November 3068 The klaxon sounded again, counting down to the impending hyperspace jump. Ramirez closed his eyes against another wave of nausea. He hated the sensation of weightlessness. Space travel didn’t bother him in general, but most of his time in space had been spent on DropShips burning into and out of star systems, when their massive engines provided a semblance of gravity through raw acceleration. It was during the transition times—orbiting a planet, at mid-journey when the DropShip flipped over to begin its long deceleration, or when docked with a JumpShip—when he experienced the floating sensation of microgravity that he hated. He always felt sick and disoriented, like his stomach was doing flip-flops. He steadied himself against the railing of the elevator cart. His companion in the car smirked. “Haven’t gotten your space-legs, huh ground-pounders?” Edgar Tartaglia, captain of the Felicity Klimkosky, smiled through his bristly blond mustache as he held himself in place with a simple handstrap, his long, lanky legs bent so the tips of his toes just brushed the floor of the open cart. Lights in the walls of the well-lit shaft glinted off his bald head. Ramirez gave the tall, thin man a weak half-smile. Somehow he felt the DropShip captain was being rather cavalier about the whole situation. Their third companion, a large, muscular mountain of a man with close-cropped almond hair and a scarred face that seemed to be stuck in a permanent scowl just grunted. He seemed to be adjusting to the lack of orientation better than Ramirez, but only just. Ramirez had managed to rendezvous with the Felicity Klimkosky at the hidden base in the mountains shortly after midday. The Leopard-class DropShip had begun its takeoff run almost before Ramirez’s BattleMech had finished being loaded. It had taken almost a week at just over a 1 g burn to reach the Silvertoungue waiting at the Nadir Standard Jump Point clear beyond the plane of the solar system, far, far beneath the south pole of Valexa. They were traveling with a minimum complement. Normally, a Leopard carried a crew of nine in addition to pilots and technical teams for four BattleMechs and two Aerospace fighters. On the run from Valexa, the passenger quarters of the DropShip had seemed oddly empty. With no other pilots and no technical teams aboard the normally cramped quarters were surprisingly spacious and surprisingly lonely. The technical teams would all be needed for the guerilla campaign against the Capellan occupiers, leaving only a small squad of seven volunteer infantry, led by the large man sharing the elevator cart, in their place. Ramirez normally would have occupied the long journey by helping his chief tech repair and rearm his Valkyrie, but with no spare parts and no ammunition aboard, all he could do was clean his ‘Mech of Valexa’s dirt and grime. He felt guilty about not being back there, not standing with the Militia, adding his ‘Mech’s firepower to the fray. Still, he knew his duty. He knew his orders. He told himself he was still playing a vital role. But each time, he kept seeing Din’s smashed Osiris and the gaping hole where the cockpit should have been. The Felicity Klimkosky now sat like an odd, angular wart midway along the Silvertongue’s slender fuselage. He had initially been surprised when Captain Tartaglia asked him to accompany him over to the Silvertongue. Now that he thought about it, he realized it made sense. As the lynchpin of the operation, if he could make contact with the necessary channels as soon after arriving at their destination as possible, their mission would be completed that much sooner. Ramirez also had to admit to himself he was excited. He had always ridden out hyperspace jumps in the past in his bunk aboard DropShips. To watch a jump from the bridge where things actually happened? How could he pass it up? The elevator cart ran the length of the JumpShip, next to the massive jacket that housed the K-F boom. The Scout was small as JumpShips went, less than 275 meters from end to end. Its small size meant it could only carry a single DropShip with it through hyperspace, but made it ideal for exploration and quick raids into enemy territory. They were now in the bulbous forward section of the ship which housed the crew quarters, medical bay, galley, and way at the tip, the bridge. The decks were laid out perpendicular to the length of the ship so that it was built like a skyscraper hanging in space, with the bridge on the topmost “floor”. Reaching the top of the shaft, the cart jolted to a stop. Tartaglia reached out his hand to the smooth metal door and it slid open at his touch. The bridge was nothing like how Ramirez had imagined it. Without having to deal with the constraints of gravity, the bridge seemed to defy all attempts at logic and order. Command stations, with crewmembers strapped into padded chairs, were positioned all around the bridge at odd angles so that some were upside down or sideways compared to others. Only the bulkhead beneath him and the long, window “skylight” above gave any clue to which direction had been nominally declared “up.” Even the activity surprised him. Ramirez had expected a flurry of activity with crewmembers shouting out reports and orders. He expected excitement and an electric energy in the air. Instead, the mood was much subdued. Only the soft hum of computers and the life support system filled his ears, and when crew members did speak, it was just as calm and soft. There was no excitement, only routine. Seeing their entry, a small woman with black hair pulled back into a tight bun, light tinges of grey just showing at her temples, unstrapped herself from a console that seemed to be almost floating at the center of the tangle. She pushed herself to the aft bulkhead and clomped in her magnetic boots to greet her new arrivals. “Edgar! Pleasure to have you back aboard the Silvertongue.” She smiled, wrinkles showing around the corners of her eyes and mouth as she extended a hand to the tall officer. “Satenig. Pleasure to see you again.” He grasped her hand warmly, and then turned towards the two men floating behind him. “Captain, may I introduce Sergeant Brandon Ramirez and Leftenant Dieter Ling both of the Valexa March Militia. Sergeant, Leftenant, this is Captain Satenig Mawsley.” Ramirez came to a smart salute “Pleasure to meet ‘ya, Captain. Thank you for inviting us aboard.” Ling saluted, but said nothing, not even cracking his permanently affixed frown. Mawsley ignored the sour Leftenant and looked directly at Ramirez. A young man, tanned skin, middling height, his dusky brown hair tied back in a short ponytail and his temples shaved clean in the style popular among MechWarriors, he had the distinct feeling she was sizing him up. “So, you’re the reason for our little fool’s errand, eh?” Ramirez stammered for an answer, but the Captain just waved her hand. “Well, the K-F field is forming nicely, and we’ll be making the jump to Almach in a matter of moments.” She kicked off the floor and floated back to her console. “We’ll be arriving at the Zenith Jump Point. There’s a recharging station there, so we should be able to get in contact with the AFFS or MIIO or whoever you need to talk to pretty quick.” She slipped into the seat and drew the harness straps over her shoulders. “And now, gentlemen, if you’d be so kind as to strap yourselves in?” She gestured to a bank of chairs along the aft bulkhead facing towards the ceiling, harness straps floating loose. As they were strapping themselves into their seats, Ramirez turned to Tartaglia. “Can I ask you a question, sir?” he asked softly. The tall officer cocked his head “What is it?” He loosened one of the shoulder straps. Ramirez waved a hand towards the complicated mess of consoles in front of them “Why are all the seats all…” he struggled to find the right word. Tartaglia smiled “You mean why are the bridge consoles all twisted around at weird angles like that? It does look kind of odd, doesn’t it.” he nodded to the complicated tangle, “Watch their heads.” Ramirez looked again. The personnel of the bridge crew were all intently watching the banks of displays at each of their stations. They talked softly to each other, and often communicated simply with quick gestures and glances. Watching their heads as instructed, he realized they were all clustered together. Any one crew member need only glance up, left, or right to meet the eyes of any other crew member, always a short distance away, always an easy distance across which to communicate. And Captain Mawsley was in the center, able to see and be seen by all. Ramirez let out an “Ah!” “You see it now?” Tartaglia said softly. Ramirez nodded, and the Captain continued. “Without having to worry about gravity and which-end-is-up, some JumpShip bridges have gotten a little… experimental… in their layouts. The idea behind this setup is to facilitate communication between stations.” Above them, armored shutters slid shut across the windows, cutting off their view of the stars beyond. **************** Far beneath where the Silvertongue’s bridge crew performed their oft-rehearsed routine, a shimmering, almost translucent figure pulled quickly at the service latter rungs running beside the track of the elevator cart. The chameleon-like sneaksuit wasn’t strictly necessary. All the JumpShip’s crew should be up in the bulbous fore compartment, not down here with the mess of machinery. Still, just in case some technician had decided to stay behind, better to play it safe and avoid being spotted. Already, time was running out. The jump process had already been initiated. It wasn’t the jump that had the clandestine figure worried, it was more the complication of being caught down here should everything else go as designed. No, it was better to be far away from the engineering section when the K-F drive reached peak charge. Better to be back where the sneaksuit could be safely hidden away and a plausible alibi established. Reaching the landing for the DropShip docking collar, the figure offered up a silent prayer the way in was clear. To come so close, failure now would just be embarrassing. Moving quickly, the figure slipped through an open hatch. **************** As the K-F field built in intensity, the Silvertongue and the Felicity Klimkosky were enveloped in a harsh light. Inside the vessels, time seemed to stretch on, though only a few minutes could have passed. On the bridge, Captain Mawsley acknowledged a series of all-clears from her subordinates. The JumpShip was prepared to make the jump through hyperspace. At this point, the process was entirely automatic. Only the failsafe systems could prevent the journey now. In an instant, the ship would disappear from the space around Valexa and instantly re-appear 28 light-years away above the Almach system, deeper in Federated Suns territory. Far to the stern, deep in the engineering section, a small sensor noted the electrical charge being dumped into the K-F boom reach a particular level. At this point, the sensor sent a small charge to a block of C8 plastic explosive tucked up between the K-F Initiator and a bulkhead for a helium seal. The small bomb exploded with a sharp crack that sent a shudder through the entire structure of the ship. On the bridge, subdued voices turned to panic as warning lights flared across console displays. The bomb had not been intended to destroy, but to cripple. The intent had only been to knock out the K-F Drive Initiator and prevent the JumpShip from entering hyperspace in the first place. It should have worked. The failsafe systems should have activated and the K-F field dissipated. Instead, the field wavered, flickered, and then rapidly built again. The Silvertongue disappeared in a bright flash. Aboard the JumpShip, only moments had passed. Warning klaxons blared as warning lights flashed. All their sensors and computers indicated that the jump had taken place, but something still did not sit right. Something had certainly gone wrong. Captain Mawsley barked out orders, trying to call upon her crew’s experience to stave off panic. The helmsman activated the navigational sensors. It would take at least half a minute for the computer to scan the stars and constellations to determine their location. In the meantime, Mawsley ordered the armored shutters on the windows opened. She unstrapped from her console and pushed off, floating up to the ceiling. She knew it wouldn’t help to determine their position or their situation. It was more psychological than anything. She steadied herself with a hand on the frame of the long window. Her face turned pale as she muttered a curse under her breath. She turned to face the tangle of crew and computers beneath her “Flight control! Get your sensors online, and calculate an orbital burn!” The helmsman hesitated, processing the strange order, then acknowledged. Tartaglia noticed the tinge of panic in the other Captain’s voice. He unstrapped from his seat and pushed off to join his counterpart by the large window. He expected, perhaps, to see the distant glint of starlight off a Capellan warship awaiting their arrival. What he saw instead sent ice through his veins. There, surrounded by the faint points of stars, was a planet. A shining blue and green jewel, half shrouded in shadow and swirled with white clouds. “Impossible” he whispered. **************** A hyperspace jump could only be performed between regions of space with suitably low gravity. Too close to a star’s massive gravity well and the K-F field would fail to form. Normally, JumpShips operated from points high above or below the orbital plane; far enough out that the star’s pull didn’t disrupt the field. It was possible to jump to a point closer in by aiming for transient Lagrangian points where the gravities of planets and moons served to counteract and neutralize the star’s gravitational pull. Such jumps required precise knowledge of the target starsystem and careful planning. Yet, somehow, the Silvertongue seemed to have found such a point nestled some 60,000 kilometers above a silvery grey moon, around which they were now orbiting, and the beautiful green and blue planet. It would have been a feat any JumpShip navigator would have been proud of—if it had only been done on purpose. Mawsley shook her head. What they had just done was impossible, should have been impossible. And yet, there before her, hovering on her holographic display, was undeniable proof. It was a lovely planet, with large seas and lush continents. What’s more, where the land lay in the shadow on the darkened side, there were the unmistakable twinkling lights of inhabited settlements. They were very faint, they had almost missed them if not for computerized image analysis and a sharp-eyed bridge officer. There was only one thing those points of light could mean: civilization. Wherever in the galaxy they were, there were people down there, and where there were people there was hope of rescue and repair. “Is it Almach?” Tartaglia asked over her shoulder. The navigation officer shook her head “Almach doesn’t have a large moon like this, and has more surface water.” “Then where are we?” Mawsley answered for her subordinate “Navigational sensors are having trouble getting a fix. In the meantime, I’m more concerned about the damage to my ship.” The ship’s technician team had been combing through the engineering section for the source of the shudder they had all felt—the shudder they all suspected as the culprit behind their misjump. So far they hadn’t found any damage to the drive itself—news which was most welcome—but a helium seal had broken, pouring supercooled helium out from around the K-F boom. The drive would be inoperable at least until the seal could be repaired and the helium coolant replaced. The communications officer, a nervous young man, requested to speak. Normally on edge, their current predicament had him even more flustered. His words tumbled over each other, “We’ve been, uh, broadcasting a distress signal for a while now, but, um.” He paused, unsure how to continue. Mawsley tried to calm him down, entreating him to breathe and relax. Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced himself to enunciate, “I’ve been scanning for chatter on all channels to try and get an idea of where we are.” “Very good,” Mawsley prompted him. “Well, you see, I’m not picking up anything. No comms of any kind.” “What do you mean?” “Just that, ma’am. No radio, no HPG pulses, nothing. This system sounds completely empty.” “Are we not receiving?” The young man shook his head, “No, comms are fine. I ran the diagnostic five times, and we’re picking up the proper background radiation. There’s nothing out there.” Mawsley looked again at the faint twinkling lights on the planet’s nightward side. “Well, someone’s down there.” Tartaglia scratched at his mustache, “A lot of systems are pretty backwater. If we’re somewhere in the Periphery or the Davion Outback, there’s probably not a lot of chatter to start with.” Mawsley nodded, “Those lights are awfully faint. Those settlements are probably pretty small.” She turned to face the lanky DropShip captain floating behind her, “What do you say, Edgar? Care to take your little boat down and take a look for me?” Tartaglia smiled “Sounds fine to me. Care to join us? Stretch your legs dirt-side?” Mawsley shook her head, “No, my crew needs to stay up here and repair the Silvertongue.” She noted the concern on his face “Don’t worry, we have supplies to last several months, and I’ll send someone with you to explain what we need to finish repairs.” Tartaglia nodded. “We’ll de-couple immediately.” He stared at the holographic representation of the planet hovering before him. Where in Kerensky’s name were they?

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T04:59:00+00:00

2011-07-11T04:59:00+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 4: Hammers and Teacups Another gust of wind swept the hat clean off of Rarity’s head. The little unicorn yelped in surprise and leapt, just snatching the brim with her teeth. Her horn sparked and the hat lifted to settle back on top of her head. She checked her reflection in a store window. With another sparkling glow, she adjusted the angle of the somewhat extravagant headpiece. She also took the opportunity to tuck back a stray lock of luxuriant royal purple hair. She struck a pose and checked herself over. Mane styled just perfectly with the proper bounce. Tail with just the right corkscrew curl. Pale grey coat—so pale unfashionable ponies would mistake it for a snowy white—perfectly brushed and groomed. Blue eyes closed just enough to be alluring but not sultry. Mouth with just the right amount of pout. Silk scarf perfectly complementing the trio of blue diamonds on her flank. “Ah, Rarity, you are a vision,” she said proudly to herself, then glanced around to make sure no other ponies had heard her, lest they think her vain. She hummed to herself as she rounded the corner from the avenue which housed her boutique to the one running past the library and off to the west. The top half of the door to library was hanging open, a poster for what must have been the Running of the Leaves tacked to the side. As she neared the giant tree, she heard a cry from within, unmistakably the voice of her friend Twilight. Forgetting her ladylike dignity, Rarity galloped as fast as she could. She burst through the door, a frantic look on her face. “Twilight! Are you alright? I heard you yell, and…” she stopped short, and her expression turned to one of puzzlement “Darling, whatever are you doing?” It was obvious Twilight’s cry was not one of pain or danger, but one of frustration. Open books covered the floor of the library. The little lavender unicorn had arranged them in long, messy rows several books deep and separated only by the narrowest of paths. She was hopping from row to row and book to book, calling out notes and observations. Spike sat on the staircase, a parchment in one hand and a quill pen in the other, trying to keep up with her fusillade. She stopped when she heard Rarity, eliciting a relieved sigh from Spike. “Oh, hello, Rarity,” she looked around her sheepishly “Sorry about that. I’m just a little… frustrated is all.” Rarity cautiously stepped into the library, looking quizzically at the nearest of the books, “I can see that.” She looked at the closest book; the page was covered in an elaborate illustration, “What are you doing?” “Humph. Making a mess, if you ask me.” Spike grumped from the stairs. Twilight ignored him “I noticed something a few days ago and I’m trying to pin down the timing.” Rarity just raised a brow. “Here, let me show you.” Twilight trotted over to the first row of books, and pointed with a hoof “I’ve arranged the books in chronological order. Or rather, I’ve arranged the pictures in them in order from when they were first drawn, since most of these are reproductions.” She trotted the length of the row, “Oldest on the left, counting up to most recent on the right.” She reached the end of the row. “This first row focuses on tools,” she moved to the next row, “This one architecture,” she continued down the library, “This one fashion, and this one farming.” “What about ones that fit more than one row? Or multiple illustrations in the same book?” asked Rarity. “That’s what she was yelling about.” Added Spike from the back of the room, crossing his arms. Twilight’s cheeks flushed “Yeah, I’m getting a little frustrated trying to sort them all out.” Rarity stepped down the row Twilight had indicated showed fashion, looking down at the colorful pages. She couldn’t see what had her friend so worked up. “And, why are you doing this?” Twilight nodded for her to follow “Here, it’s most obvious with the architecture” Rarity followed to the first row of books. Twilight pointed with a hoof “Look at the buildings in this picture” Rarity looked down at the page Twilight indicated. It was a reproduction, obviously, but of a very, very old picture. It was a night scene, with ponies sleeping soundly, some curled up under the stars in a fenced-off pasture, others in simple round-roofed huts. It was pretty, but Rarity didn’t see anything odd about it. Twilight trotted to the other end of the row and indicated another book, “Now, look at this one” Rarity did as instructed. The art style of this illustration was much more contemporary, with a more realistic sense of scale and depth-of-field. It showed a village not unlike Ponyville, with multi-story timber-framed houses. A mixture of thatched and shingled roofs hung low over windows greyed over to represent glass. “They look different,” she said finally. Twilight narrowed her eyes “Exactly.” Rarity shook her head, “But darling, why would that be surprising? These pictures were probably drawn hundreds of years apart. Wouldn’t changes like this be expected?” Twilight moved back down towards the middle of the row, “Yes, of course. But it’s not the styles that have me confused, it’s the timing.” She pulled a couple out of the line and pointed to the spot where she removed them. “Like I said, these are arranged chronologically, and right here something happens.” She stepped to the left, “Before this point, all the houses—and I mean all the houses—are these little huts. The only complex buildings are large castles like Canterlot. What’s more, ponies are just as likely to be living completely outside as they are in a house.” She moved to the other side of the gap, “But, over here, all the villages are made of modern buildings. Here, look.” The two books Twilight had removed lofted across the room and hovered in front of Rarity. Indeed, though both images were drawn in the same style, one showed ponies in little huts, and the other in houses that would have been recent additions to Ponyville. Twilight whisked the books away and returned them to their places in the line, “And that’s not all.” She hopped over the books to the next narrow pathway between the books, “All these rows show the same thing. Simple and rustic before, then suddenly fully modern.” She was growing excited, “And in each case, the change is sudden. And it always seems to happen at the same time.” She looked triumphantly at Rarity, who just stared. “Meaning?” Rarity waved her hoof. Twilight gave an exasperated sigh. “Alright, another example.” She hopped to the fashion row. “What if I told you the earliest clothes worn by ponies were only worn at important ceremonies, and only consisted of simple robes?” Rarity allowed the assumption “And then, suddenly, clothes become more common. Fashion, as you know it, appears almost overnight with top hats and dresses and saddles. And they appear at the same time buildings and houses start to look more modern.” A glimmer of understanding clicked in Rarity’s mind. “So, something happened, then?” Twilight nodded. “What was it?” Twilight closed her eyes. Her head drooped, “I have no idea.” Rarity smiled sweetly, “Well, I think you need to take a break. That’s what I do when I’m stuck for an answer. Just step back, take a deep breath, and clear you mind, as it were.” She picked her way through the forest of books to stand next to her friend “Tell you what; I was just heading over to Fluttershy’s cottage for tea. Why don’t you join me? It will take your mind off of things.” Twilight hesitated, “Oh, I dunnoh. I really should…” “Tut-tut-tut, I will not take no for an answer!” she nudged Twilight towards the door “Now, come along.” “Yes, please! Take a break!” Spike called after them. He looked across the covered floor and sighed “I suppose you want me to clean this up?” Twilight glanced back at her scaly assistant, “Actually, just go ahead and leave them out. We’ll pick up where we left off when I get back.” Spike scampered up the stairs before she could change her mind. **************** From the outside, Fluttershy’s cozy little cottage looked more like a hill than a house. Only the haphazardly spaced windows and the tall, skinny chimney gave a clue to the grassy lump’s true design. It sat squat next to a little brook and was surrounded by a tidy garden overflowing with greens and flowers, now starting to fade with winter approaching, and a simple wood-rail fence. Countless birdhouses and animal hutches seemed to be tucked into every available nook and cranny. It was set away from Ponyville near the edge of the Everfree Forest, so that only the tops of the tallest buildings in town were visible above the rolling hills. It was secluded, but that suited its resident just fine. She was in the garden now, a pretty yellow pegasus with a long, pink mane and tale. She was shy and soft-spoken. Her fondness for animals had resulted in her being the de-facto caretaker around Ponyville, seeing they had sufficient shelter and food. Toward her animals, she was doting and motherly. Around other ponies, though, she was quiet, nervous, and withdrawn. Only her handful of friends knew how to bring her out of her shell. She was just setting a steaming teakettle on a little table in her garden when Rarity and Twilight crossed the little bridge over the brook. With a flutter, she met the two unicorns at the little garden gate, pushing it open. “Fluttershy, darling, so sorry we’re late. I hope you don’t mind I invited Twilight to join us?” Rarity swept into the garden. Twilight followed “Hello, Fluttershy. I… I hope I’m not imposing, am I?” Fluttershy smiled demurely and shook her head “Oh, no. Angel-bunny saw you coming, so I set an extra place for you.” She shut the gate and slowly flapped over to the table. They sat and talked and enjoyed the crisp autumn weather. Or rather, Rarity talked while Fluttershy and Twilight listened, offering the occasional observation or encouragement. Fluttershy had brewed a tea from herbs in her garden, and its aroma filled the air, both sweet and soothing. Rarity and Twilight levitated the delicate teacups and saucers to their mouths and sipped. Their pegasus friend carefully gripped the rim of the porcelain cup with her teeth and tilted her head ever-so-slightly back while balancing the saucer on a hoof. Rarity was just finishing a story involving the most recent escapades of her little sister, apparently the mischievous little filly and her friends had made quite a mess of the bolt of cloth Rarity had loaned them in an attempt to make their own hot air balloon, when Fluttershy noticed Twilight staring intently at her teacup. “Twilight? Are you alright? Is… is your tea alright?” she asked softly. “Hmm?” Twilight looked up, “Oh, no. The tea is wonderful, Fluttershy. I was just… thinking.” Rarity peered over the rim of her own teacup “Don’t tell me teacups suddenly appeared all at once, too.” Fluttershy looked confused. The unicorns hadn’t told her about Twilight’s escapades in the library. Twilight smiled and shook her head. “Oh, no. I don’t know about that,” she paused “But I guess it might be related. Somehow.” “Well, go on. Get it off your chest,” Rarity prompted. Twilight held the cup aloft with a glow, turning it around in the air. “You ever wonder what this little curly-cue on the side of the cup is for?” Fluttershy looked curiously at the floating teacup “I guess I never thought about it,” she looked at Twilight, “What is it?” “I don’t know. It looks like the one on the teakettle, and you use that one to hold the kettle when pouring the tea.” “I always assumed it was for holding the cup when the tea was too hot” Rarity added. “Then why is it up-and-down? If it was for holding a hot cup, wouldn’t it be easier if it was side-to-side?” Rarity sputtered. She didn’t like being corrected. Fluttershy bit her lip. She hated even the slightest possibility of an argument. “Perhaps it’s just decorative?” she offered, quickly. That explanation satisfied Rarity, to whom style was second-nature. It did mean the teacups stylistically matched the kettle. Twilight sighed and agreed that was the most logical explanation. Relieved that no argument was forthcoming, even if one hadn’t been likely in the first place, Fluttershy took the opportunity to change the subject. “So, Twilight, how about you tell me all about your problem at the library?” Catching a concerned look from Rarity, she cowered. That look told her she may have just made a big mistake. Rarity whispered to Fluttershy under her breath “I brought her here to get her mind off that.” Fluttershy blushed “Oh? Oh… really? Um… I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean… um…” Twilight had heard every word. “It’s alright. I’ve been thinking about it this whole time. But, thanks anyway, Rarity.” She launched into as best a description of her findings as she could muster. She described how she had first noticed the discrepancies in her books and how she spent days pouring over every illustration she could get her hooves on. She described the apparent sudden appearance and stagnation of pony architecture and technology. Rarity objected vociferously to the idea of stagnation in the realm of fashion. “Ok, perhaps ‘stagnation’ is too strong a word.” Twilight allowed, “Fads and trends come and go. There are definite regional styles. But you have to admit, the basics are there, and they show up all at once. The change on either side of the, um, event are much more drastic than anything since.” Fluttershy listened patiently, trying to absorb Twilight’s meandering account. She had trouble following some of the terminology, but felt she was getting the gist of it. “So, um, how long ago did this, uh, ‘change’ happen?” she asked, finally. Twilight shrugged, “Near as I can tell? About six hundred years ago, or so. It was after Nightmare Moon was banished, I know that much.” Rarity nearly spit out her tea, “Six hundred years?” She was incredulous. “Goodness!” Fluttershy’s big eyes grew impossibly wider. Twilight just nodded. “And that’s not all. Remember the teacup? Well, since I’ve started looking, I’ve noticed a lot of little things like that, things that just seem a little… odd… you know? Almost like they weren’t made with ponies in mind.” “What do you mean ‘not made with ponies in mind’? Who else would they be made for?” “I don’t know. I just said it seemed odd.” She thought a moment, “But they’re all little things, like hammers and nails.” “Hammers and nails?” Rarity asked. “Uh-huh. Don’t you think it’s odd that when we want to drive a nail, we hold the hammer in our mouth and swing our neck like this?” she pantomimed swinging her head like she had seen Applejack do the previous day. “It’s a good way to hurt yourself. Spike can use his hands to hold a hammer. Somehow that seems a lot more… natural, you know?” Fluttershy nodded with understanding, but Rarity just looked confused. Being a unicorn, she had always relied on her magic to do most tasks requiring a measure of dexterity. Twilight looked to her friends wondering if any of them could offer any insights or sudden epiphanies. They just looked back with a mixture of wonder and puzzlement. She suddenly felt very much drained. Her shoulders drooped. “I dunnoh. I feel like there’s something there, but I just can’t. I just… can’t.” Fluttershy put on her most soothing face, “Oh, you’ll figure it out, Twilight. You’re the smartest pony I know. If any pony could figure it out, it’s you.” **************** That night, Twilight was alone on the topmost balcony of the library tree. Perched high atop the tree, with only the topmost bough above her head, she put her eye to her telescope. With a faint glow, the tube tilted ever so slightly and the focus knob turned. She was fed up with her illustration study. Hours more of searching through pictures had gotten her no closer to understanding the nature of what she was seeing. She was stuck. She needed a beakthrough, some inspiration from an unexpected source if she was going to make any more headway. But for now, she was tired of it all. She didn’t want to think about it anymore, so she’d come up here. Stargazing was a hobby that always made her feel better about things. The cool caress of the night air, the pale glow of moonlight, and the faint twinkle of distant stars always seemed like the perfect recipe to unwind. She took her eye away from the telescope and took in the whole night sky. She traced the ghostly arch of the milky way, and counted the stars on Orion’s belt. She was just thinking of where next to direct her telescope when something caught her eye. High in the southern sky was a star she had never seen before. No, it wasn’t twinkling. Could it be a planet? No. With surprise, she realized the point of light was moving, and fast. A shooting star then? No, it didn’t leave a trail, and it didn’t disappear like a meteorite would have. It couldn’t be a comet, there was no tail. Whatever it was, already the mystery light had moved several degrees, passing several stars and forcing her to turn her head to keep it in view. She thought for a moment to call for Spike to fetch her astronomy books, but he was long since asleep and she dared not take her eyes off the speck. She wondered if Owlicious was around. The owl occasionally served as her nocturnal assistant when she was up late, but the bird had proved unreliable and she hadn’t seen him in weeks. Almost prancing in place with anticipation, she watched the speck intently until it finally disappeared below the horizon far to the southwest. In a flash, she was down the stairs hunting for her books. The trials of earlier that day were gone from her mind. She had a new mystery to solve now. She had never seen a phenomenon like that in the night sky before. She couldn’t even recall having read about such a happening. Working by candlelight, she pulled her usual astronomy book from the shelf and began pouring through it with abandon. Not finding anything there, she cast it aside and grabbed another. When she exhausted all her astronomy books, she moved on to astrology. When those failed, she searched out books on ancient prophesy and legends. As she was no longer focusing exclusively on illustrations, her pool of books was rather large. Spike found her later that morning, sleeping soundly atop a pile of open books. She had finally passed out of sheer exhaustion.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:05:19+00:00

2011-07-11T05:05:19+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 5: Half-Twitchy-Sort-Of-Not-A-Twitch Thrusters on the Felicity Klimkosky’s bow fired, summersaulting the blocky ship end-over-end, positioning the large engines directly forward along the line of travel. The DropShip was in low orbit and preparing for its reentry burn. In the conference room, situated just below the bridge, Leftenant Dieter Ling held onto a railing and watched the holographic map floating above the center of the oblong table. The burly infantryman had gathered his six volunteers plus the MechWarrior Ramirez and whatever of the DropShip’s crew he could find that were not directly involved with flying the ship and gathered them together for an impromptu briefing. Dr. Langley was there, too, from the Silvertongue. Her long, red hair floated wildly about her head. Ling wondered at the JumpShip captain’s decision to send her chief medical officer instead of a tech or some junior deck officer. Captain Tartaglia was joining them via a video intercom on the wall. The Leftenant was not in a particularly good mood. He was an organized man with a plotting nature. His reputation for organization and ruthless efficiency had earned him high marks, and even a couple of medals, in his career. He had insisted on accompanying the mission not because he thought it was a good idea—he didn’t—but because, if the higher-ups deemed this foolish escapade worthwhile, then Blake’s blood, he was going to make sure it was done right. He had formulated countless plans and contingencies in his mind for every conceivable scenario the expedition might have faced. Everything had been planned, and he had a plan for everything. Everything, except a misjump to on an unknown planet in an unknown part of what he could only assume was still the Inner Sphere. He crossed his muscular arms, trying to stand as straight as he could, straining his feet in the soft fabric loops on the floor—not an easy feat for one not comfortable with microgravity, “We’re still not sure what’s down there, so I shouldn’t have to tell you to be ready for anything.” Falling back on his training, he had decided to treat their situation like a reconnaissance raid deep behind enemy lines. “Sergeant Ramirez,” he addressed the tanned MechWarrior, “I want you and your ‘Mech out the door as soon as the wheels stop rolling. Establish a perimeter and scout the immediate area.” The MechWarrior nodded. In general, Ling didn’t think too highly of MechWarriors. To him, they were brash, self-important braggarts with egos too big for their heads. His first impression of Ramirez had been the same, but the 20-something seemed to have a level head on his shoulders. Still, the Leftenant was not about to let the Sergeant forget who was in charge once there was dirt under their feet again. “They’re telling me we’re looking at normal atmospheric pressure, mostly nitrogen and oxygen. Looks breathable, but there’s no telling what nasty traces there are until we’re planetside. No one steps out the airlock without an envirosuit until either I or Dr. Langley says otherwise. Understood?” there was a round of mumbled affirmatives. “Our priority will be to make contact with the locals. If those lights we saw from orbit really are small settlements, than we are somewhere in explored space. That’s good news, ‘cause it means we can send for help.” He paused for effect “But, we still don’t know where we are, and a bunch of armed Davion soldiers walking into a village in the middle of the Draconis Combine, or Free Worlds League, or Capellan Confederation is sure to raise some eyebrows. As such, until we can determine where we are, discretion is the word of the day.” The rest of the briefing was mostly details of protocol. The meeting adjourned when Captain Tartaglia informed them they were ready to begin the deceleration burn. Everyone scrambled to their assigned places; infantry to their quarters, techs to their jumpseats. On the gantry cradling his 12-meter tall BattleMech, Ramirez stripped off his fatigues down to his undershirt and boxer shorts. It could get quite hot in a ‘Mech’s cockpit, so most MechWarriors wore comparatively little. He strapped the holster for his sidearm to his right thigh and double-checked the gun, an expensive but sleek laser pistol. He pulled on his coolant vest, wrinkling his nose at the smell of dried sweat, and crawled into the cramped cockpit of his ‘Mech. Settling into the seat, he hooked the coolant vest leads into the connection points and secured them with a quick twist. Reaching up to the small shelf behind and above him, he drew down the heavy neurohelmet over his head, feeling the padded rim pushing down on his shoulders. He began the pre-startup sequence, relying more on muscle memory than conscious effort. Outside, the bay technician decoupled the umbilical lines, then left the bay and made for his own jumpseat. Releasing his ‘Mech from the bowels of the ship would be controlled from the bridge. Massive engines flared to life, throwing out huge flares of superheated plasma, bleeding off forward momentum and sending the DropShip lower into the thin upper atmosphere. Thrusters fired to bring the nose around again. Leading edges began to glow orange as the massive ship plunged through the thickening air. On the bridge, Tartaglia could feel his body growing heavier. This was the part he loved the most. Even if the computer was technically in control, the raw power and inherent danger of an atmospheric entry charmed him like nothing else could. This is where a ship showed its true character. Even a Leopard, which had all the aerodynamic qualities of a brick, came alive during atmospheric entry. He particularly loved this Leopard. He had served on other DropShips as a young officer, other Leopards, a Gazelle, even a Union at one point. The Felicity Klimkosky was the first ship he truly loved, though. He loved it enough, when the AFFS navy wanted to retire her, he took out a loan and purchased her outright. This was his ship now, he was just loaning it to the military. The ship began a series of broad S-turns, shedding off airspeed. A spheroid, like a Union or Mule, could use its massive engines to take off and land vertically. Aerodynes like the Leopard, however, came in like a giant, unstable airplane and needed a runway. Most DropShips needed a prepared spaceport to land safely. However, the Leopard was a military craft, built with lightning-fast raiding in mind. Any suitably flat patch of ground would do. He hoped they’d found one. His pilot, a talented young man now strapped into the seat in front of him, had plotted a course to bring them down in what looked to be a relatively tree-free stretch of a broad river valley deep in a large forest. The highest concentration of lights they had seen in their orbits of the planet lied just to the east, beyond the trees and a line of steep, craggy hills. He initially wanted to try and land closer, but Ling had convinced him there was no sense in startling the inhabitants. In the end, he agreed. The farther landing point would allow them to get to the surface somewhat stealthily. For this situation, a secure LZ was more important than a convenient one. The massive vessel touched down heavily, thrusters firing again with a roar to bring it to a stop as quickly as possible. Giant banks of wheels dug into the soft soil, carving deep furrows. The few stray trees in the barreling behemoth’s path were shattered to splinters and ground into the mud beneath. Almost before the ship came to a stop, one of the massive doors on the flank slid open and Ramirez’s green-and-red striped VLK-QD1 Valkyrie leapt out, weapons at the ready. The ‘Mech charged off, sweeping out and away from the DropShip, sensors straining for any sign of trouble. Though it stood almost as tall as the trees surrounding them, the humanoid war machine was still dwarfed by the DropShip’s armored sides, towering nearly twice the Valkrie’s height. From his vantage point in the bridge, Tartaglia could look out across the canopy of the forest to the east until the hills rose up to swallow the horizon. Flocks of birds swarmed across and above the treetops, fleeing the thunderous commotion of the large vessel’s arrival. Beyond, the orange disc of the sun was just beginning to peak above the treetops and chase away the pink haze of dawn. **************** Pinkie Pie bounced merrily out the door of Sugarcube Corners, the confectionary where she lived and worked with her hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. The sky was only beginning to lose its deep indigo as the rays of Celestia’s sun were just peaking above the distant mountains. Most of Ponyville was still asleep. The streets lay empty as stores sat darkened and windows shuttered. Her tail twitched. She stopped mid-bounce and stared at her tail for a long moment, pondering. Not so much a twitch as a half-twitch. Kind of a half-twitchy-sort-of-not-a-twitch, she decided. She often got little niggling feelings when things were about to happen. She called it her pinkie-sense, and it had come in handy more than once. She wondered what this twitch meant. Normally, a twitch in her tail meant that something was about to fall. But this was only a half-twitch. Did something start to fall and then stop? Maybe something had fallen and yet not fallen, like it had fallen on purpose? She held her breath and concentrated. Sometimes, she could glean a little more meaning out of her twitches, discerning more precise timing and locations for her predictions. She hummed thoughtfully, but no further clarification was forthcoming. Oh well. Whatever it was, it could wait. Right now she had catering to arrange. As the trio of balloons on her flank would attest, Pinkie Pie was Ponyville’s star party pony. She thrived on other’s happiness, and discovered at an early age that at parties, it was difficult for any but the grouchiest of ponies not to have a good time. Most ponies considered her flighty and often nonsensical or hyperactive. Or, as her best friend Rainbow Dash would say, “So random”. Even so, most ponies were willing to overlook her eccentricities in light of her phenomenal party planning skills. For as every pony knew, there was no party like a Pinkie Pie planned party. Today she was planning a surprise party. It was Carrot Top’s birthday, and her friends had asked Pinkie to organize the event. So, while Daisy and Rose kept Carrot busy around town, Pinkie would spend the day with last-minute preparations and the evening wrangling Ponyville’s denizens into their hiding places within the birthday filly’s living room. She had a lot to do, so an early start was essential. Much of the ponies she needed to speak to weren’t awake yet—even the ponies that had commissioned her wouldn’t be awake at this hour. She headed first for the only pony on her list she knew she could count on to be up this early, the hard-working Applejack. She hummed a happy tune as she crested a hill and the big red barn of Sweet Apple Acres came into view. Sure enough, she could see movement among the surrounding apple trees. Drawing closer, she could see that it wasn’t the shape of Applejack, but of her elder brother, Big Macintosh. Of course, how could she have missed that large yoke seemingly permanently affixed around his neck? Not to mention Macintosh was bright red, not orange, and much bigger than Applejack, and also a boy pony, not a girl pony. Pinkie slowed her pace and scanned the orchards for Applejack, but didn’t see her anywhere. Perhaps Big Macintosh would know her whereabouts. She adjusted her course, then seeing that the large red stallion hadn’t noticed her approach she smiled slyly. This was an opportunity to practice her other unique talent: sneaking. Sinking into the grass, she disappeared. The large red pony was completely oblivious of her approach until she suddenly popped out directly in front of his nose from amongst the boughs of an apple tree with a high-pitched “Hiya!” The big farm pony snorted in surprise, then seeing it was only Pinkie Pie, sighed and went back to his work. The harvest was over, and the trees free of their fruit. It was time to check the trees over for winter, remove dead branches, and plot out next year’s planting. With nary a word, he plodded off to the next tree in line, idly wondering how a pony could climb a tree before dismissing it as Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Pinkie dropped out of the tree with an unceremonious thud, and quick as a flash was bouncing along side Macintosh. He had reacted stoically, as usual, so now she took it as a challenge to get him to smile, or laugh, or at least react with more than a surprised snort. “Hiya, Big Macintosh! Hey! I’ve always wondered, do they call ya’ ‘Big Macintosh’ ‘cause you’re big? Or is ‘Big’ really-truly-actually your name? Huh? Huh? Huh?” Big Macintosh was a pony of few words. His philosophy was to think long and talk short. He turned his head to stare at his tormentor for a long moment before answering. “It’s mah real name,” he said finally. “Well…” Pinkie drew out with an animated tap of her chin with a forehoof, “Has it always been your name? ‘Cause I don’t think you were always big. I mean’ you’re big now, of course. Oh, boy, are you big now! You’re the biggest pony I know! Well, except for Princess Celestia, but she’s more tall than just big. But you weren’t always big, I bet. I bet you were rather small especially when you were an itty-bitty baby Big Macintosh. So were you named Big Macintosh when you were an itty-bitty-tiny-winey baby or were you called Little Macintosh then and your name changed to Big Macintosh when you got big?” Big Macintosh’s jaw hung slack as he tried to follow the tumble of words spilling out of the pink filly’s mouth. Realizing she had stopped, he shook his sunkissed blond mane and regained his composure. “Always been named Big Macintosh” was his concise reply. Pinkie looked ready to launch into another cascade of words. Seeing this, Big Macintosh headed her off. “Miss, I reckon you didn’t just come here to ask me about mah name?” Pinkie paused, then brightened as she recalled her original reason for her visit, “Oh yeah!” she said brightly, “Have you seen Applejack? I need to make sure she’s all set for tonight.” Big Macintosh nodded towards the large barn “I reckon AJ’s in the apple cellar.” Pinkie took this as a hint to take her leave. She thanked the big red farmer and pranced off to the barn in search of her friend. Sure enough, she found Applejack in the apple cellar beneath the barn. In the cool, dry darkness they discussed food for the upcoming party. Sugarcube Corners would provide the cake, of course, and Sweet Apple Acres certain other comestibles. Apples, and baked goods made from apples, were—naturally—the Apple family’s specialty. With the details of times and meeting places arranged, Pinkie left her friend to her work and skipped off to continue her errands. With her first item done and the morning still just barely begun, Pinkie Pie decided to take the scenic route, skirting around the town. Her path took her near Fluttershy’s little cottage near the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. Pinkie was surprised to spot the little yellow pegasus, head slightly drooped, walking back up the hill from the brook that ran past her house. Overcome with curiosity, Pinkie bounded up to her. She didn’t sneak this time as she knew Fluttershy was a bit of a scaredy-cat and also very sensitive. The pegasus greeted her warmly, stifling a yawn. Pinkie noticed her eyes were bloodshot and baggy. Worried about her friend’s welfare, she inquired if she was alright “Oh, I’m fine, Pinkie.” She yawned again, “The birds just woke me up early is all. A whole flock of them came swarming out of the Everfree Forest before the sun was fully up.” Her already quiet voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, “Something in there must have really spooked them.” Pinkie’s thoughts immediately turned to pinkie-sense and that morning’s odd half-twitch. Could it be that she had sensed whatever it was that had spooked the birds? She asked if the birds had said what it was that had scared them. Fluttershy cocked her head curiously, “Most birds aren’t really that good at speaking, Pinkie, at least not like we do.” “What about parrots?” “Oh, uh. They more mimic. But anyway, from what I can tell, there was a really big noise deep in the forest.” “Big noise? Like what? Like a ‘Boom!’ or a “Crash!’ or a ‘Wheeeeeew-BLAM!’ or a …” she continued with a litany of noises, dancing around in a wild pantomime of each. Fluttershy giggled at her antics, but said she didn’t know what sort of sound it was, as she hadn’t heard it herself. After joining Fluttershy for a late breakfast, and reminding her of the upcoming evening’s celebration, Pinkie Pie continued on her party planning mission. By the time she made it back into town, the denizens of Ponyville has stirred, and the town square and market were filled with ponies—earth, pegasi, and unicorns in a rainbow of colors. As the sun climbed higher in the azure sky, Pinkie managed to quickly finish her errands and return to Sugarcube Corners to finalize baking and begin organizing decorations. Throwing herself into her preparations, her mind kept wandering back to that odd tail half-twitch and Fluttershy’s birds. She knew they were connected, somehow. She kept waiting for another tail twitch so she could discern more, but none came, although, as the day wore on, she did begin to notice a niggling feeling in her left forehoof. Sort of like a pinch mixed with an itch. She knew it was her pinkie-sense again, but it was a pinkie-sense twitch she hadn’t felt before. She tried to compare it to other feelings she had in her repertoire. A pinchy knee usually meant something scary was about to happen. An itchy nose meant watch out for angry bees. This achey-itchy-pinchy hoof didn’t really fit any of them. It wasn’t like the full-body ‘something totally unexpected you’d never expect to happen is going to happen’ shiver, either. Did that mean someone did expect whatever it was? She had a strong feeling that whatever it meant, it was related to her half-twitchy-sort-of-not-a-twitch and the noise in the forest. The feeling seemed to be growing, too. She decided whatever it signified was moving, and getting closer.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:39:04+00:00

2011-07-11T06:39:04+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 6: Moonlight Reconnaissance Ramirez held on to the rollcage as his patrol partner accelerated their all-terrain vehicle up the embankment. The internal-combustion engine whined as oversize tires struggled for purchase. His other hand clenched around the Federated Long Rifle in his lap. The vehicle fishtailed as they crested the embankment and narrowly avoided a fallen log. “Geeze, Liz, take it easy!” From the driver’s seat, Corporal Virat gave him a sideways smile. “Aw, too rough for ya’ ‘Mech-jock?” Her slanted blue eyes sparkled as she teased him. She was only a hair shorter than Ramirez, with wide cheekbones and curly black hair. Her rich, almost ebony, skin accentuated her large, brilliantly white teeth, especially in the dim light of the forest floor. Despite her dark complexion, her features belied the extensive genetic mingling that had occurred in the centuries since mankind spread out to the stars. “Just be careful. I’d rather stay in one piece.” Ramirez shot back in Cantonese, the most common language in their corner of the Inner Sphere after English. “Guess you’re not used to being outside of your tin suit,” she grinned at him. Good-natured ribbing between infantry and MechWarriors was a time-honored tradition. All in all, he was in a good mood. The autumn colors of this forest were spectacular and the weather was delightfully crisp. This was definitely a colony world, he decided. These trees were all Terran species; oak, elm, birch, larch. Obviously Earthling birds flitted in the trees. He spotted several jays and finches among the branches. They were making too much noise to spot many other animals, but he swore he had seen the tail end of a snake disappear into the undergrowth. Ramirez had left his BattleMech at the LZ, in the shadow of the Felicity Klimkosky. He had scouted the immediate area, but the thick canopy of the forest had slowed his progress to a crawl. Leftenant Ling had elected to continue the mission on foot and in their small collection of light vehicles. Leaving only himself and one volunteer at the LZ to act as a communications hub, he broke up the remaining five infantry and Ramirez into two-man teams, which fanned out into the forest, working their way east. The objective was to make contact with any settlements and determine which planet they were on. They had quickly dispensed with the cumbersome envirosuits. This planet seemed particularly suited to Terran life. Atmospheric pressure and content resembled a pre-industrial Terra. Even the surface gravity was essentially equivalent to Terra at approximately 1 g. With all this variety of Terran plants and animals, it was obvious this planet had been subject to extensive terraforming, probably many centuries ago. With the large moon and wide seas, this world might as well have been Terra, though a pre-industrial version. Not all the life here was of Earth origin; there was that fuzzy insect-like thing that tried to eat all of Ackermann’s ration bars before he squashed it with a boot, and one of the other scout teams had reported seeing what they claimed looked like a branth soaring high overhead. If that was the case, the presence of the large, winged flying dragon-like creatures would narrow their location down to only a handful of worlds in the Free Worlds League; the Duchy of Andurien to be more precise. That would place them an impossible 300-or-so light years from their home on Valexa, ten times the maximum single jump distance capable by modern JumpShips. The lack of radio traffic was worrisome. The Duchy of Andurien’s 25 systems were all well-populated. So, for now, they were still at a loss for their location. Free of the embankment, the two camouflage-clad Davion soldiers stumbled upon what appeared to be a narrow path cutting through the underbrush. The Corporal turned onto the path and gunned the throttle. What luck! At this pace, they’d reach the suspected settlements in no time. In front of them, a small shape darted across the path. Liz yelled out in surprise and slammed on the brakes and tried to swerve to avoid the creature. Ramirez only caught a glimpse of a long, green body, leathery bat-like wings, and a small white head before it disappeared into the bushes. The ATV lost traction on the fallen leaves and slid sideways off the path and into a ravine. “Son of a bitch!” Liz slammed her fists on the steering wheel. “I though you said you could drive.” “Shut up.” Neither of them was hurt, so they crawled out to inspect the damage. It didn’t appear too bad at first, but the crash had bent the front axle and the nose was wedged tight between some rocks. They could get it out and probably repair it, but with just the two of them it would be a long and difficult process. While Ramirez was pondering if they could use the winch to raise the nose clear of the rocks, Liz began transferring everything she could from the vehicle into their already overstuffed packs and pockets. She dropped one heavy pack on the ground next to the MechWarrior. “C’mon, Sarge. Looks like we’re hoofin’ it from here.” Ramirez slipped the straps over his shoulders and retrieved his borrowed rifle and combat helmet. He scrambled after Liz up the shallow ravine and back onto the path. Together, they hiked off, leaving their stricken vehicle behind. The pathway made for easy going. They walked mostly in silence, listening to the rustle of the wind in the leaves and the twitter of birds. With less noise, they spotted more animals, including rabbits and squirrels and a few neither of them could identify. None of the animals seemed particularly alarmed at their presence, and some watched them with what looked like curiosity. They radioed their status back to the Leftenant at the DropShip periodically, but otherwise their trek was largely uneventful. As the sun was going down, the forest suddenly ended. The two travellers stopped short, taken aback at this sudden change of scenery. The forest border was almost perfectly straight, as if some giant invisible hand had scribed a line across the landscape. In front of them lay rolling hills blanketed in luxurious green grass and punctuated with low-growing bushes and small stands of trees, vibrant in their orange and gold autumn attire. Snowcapped mountain peaks lay not too distant, almost glowing in the light of the sun rapidly sinking behind the western woods. Liz pointed towards a spot above the hills, “Is that smoke?” Sure enough, rising above the crests of the hills were a series of pale blue wisps of smoke, languidly drifting in the soft breeze. In a flash, the Corporal had shrugged off her pack and scrambled up the nearest tree. Ramirez alternated between watching her clambering through the branches and gazing at the distant smoke. Above his head, Liz let out a triumphant whoop “Sarge! Get on the horn. There’s a whole village out there!” **************** Moonlight imparted a silver hue to the grassy hills. Stars filled the inky black sky in a multitude of tiny fires. Ramirez and Liz ignored the stellar tableau above their heads as they slipped silently through the grass. The Leftenant had ordered them to recon the village before attempting to make contact. He was still worried about a backlash should they not be in Davion territory. On their bellies, the two scouts peeked over the top of a hill towards the village below. Ramirez sighed. This was no good. It was too dark, and even though the visor on his combat helmet could see in thermal IR he couldn’t make out anything besides the shapes of the buildings and the lay of the land. No flags, no propaganda posters. Just a cluster of quaint little buildings and the soft glow of a handful of lights. Beside him, Corporal Virat spoke softly, her voice picked up by her helmet’s integral microphone and transmitted into Ramirez’s ear. “Damn. I can’t see anything. Should we try that hill to the south? Or how about that barn over there?” she pointed off to where the roof of a large barn poked up above a low rise. Ramirez was impatient. He rose to a crouch and slipped quickly down the face of the hill. “Hey, what are you doing?” He glanced back up the hill and whispered, knowing his own microphone would make him easily heard by his partner “I’m getting a closer look.” “Leftenant said over-watch” “He said find out where we are. Maybe a store sign or something will give us a clue.” He didn’t wait for Liz’s reaction, and hopped a low picket fence. Behind him, Liz swore under her breath and slipped quietly down the hill. Moving in a low crouch, the two Davion militiamen ducked from cover to cover, advancing unseen up to the outskirts of the little village. Peering carefully around corners, they made their way slowly through the streets, slinking under eaves and through alleys. It was a pretty little village, with timber-framed buildings and thatched roofs. It was picturesque, almost like a postcard. They slipped around what looked to be a town square and a large, circular building Ramirez assumed was the central government building. The streets were totally deserted. Not a soul stirred aside from the two of them. Something about the town tugged at Ramirez, making him uneasy beyond what he would expect from clandestinely sneaking around a strange village at night. Everything seemed a little too perfect. No peeling paint or apparent disrepair on any of the buildings. The doors on the buildings all seemed a little too short and wide, so that a normal height person would have to duck or risk hitting their head. The signs were most odd. Shops and buildings were identified not by words but by a picture denoting their function—a sudsy bar of soap on the side of a market cart so short it would have only come up to his mid-thigh, an open book denoting a bookstore. Ramirez wondered at what sort of store would be represented by a picture of an old-timey writing quill and an opulent sofa. A handful of signs, particularly on those buildings which appeared to offer services, had silhouettes of horses or equestrian-related paraphernalia like horseshoes or saddles. “Huh, that’s weird.” Liz nudged his shoulder to get his attention, “Switch to IR” Ramirez complied with a couple of well-timed eye-points and blinks. The silvery moonlit world melted away to a cavalcade of colors. The residual heat from the day was translated by his helmet’s computer and fed to his visor. He looked around confused, wondering what Liz wanted to show him. “Look at the tracks” she whispered. Faint heat traces from footprints crisscrossed the ground. He looked closer at a nearby set, glowing faintly against the cooler dirt. The individual prints were small crescents, like a diminutive horseshoe. So what? Someone had lead an animal through town, perhaps a small pony. “Lots of hoofprints, but no footprints” Liz swept her hand across the patch of ground before them “At least I don’t see any.” Ramirez shrugged. He didn’t have an answer. There could be a dozen reasons for a herd of animal prints and no human prints. He switched his visor back to visible light, which he preferred. As they passed out of the town square, he felt the rhythmic thump of music. It was the only building in town in which lights burned brightly in the windows, casting angular yellow shapes on the ground. From within, Ramirez and Liz could hear muffled music and what could only be laughter. Ramirez’s curiosity got the better of him. If he could peer in at that party, maybe some clue of the dress, or language, or décor would give them the information they needed. There was a decorative row of rose bushes along the front of the house, to the side of the door and beneath a windowsill. On his belly, Ramirez wriggled into the narrow space between the thorny bushes and the wall. He set his Federated Long Rifle on the mulch and carefully reached his arms up to grasp the windowsill, moving his legs under him. His ears strained to hear the laughter inside, trying to judge distance and disposition. The door flung open, throwing a long, yellow shaft of light across the road. Ramirez instinctively dropped to the ground, trying to make himself as small as possible behind the roses. He hoped Liz, somewhere in the shadows behind him, was similarly out of sight. He could hear them talking at the doorway, but he could not place the language. It barely sounded human, more of a melodious sing-song, like a babbling brook tumbling over gravel mixed with high, sugary richness. There was more laughter and Ramirez could see the shadows of the speakers moving back and forth in the light cast from the open doorway. One of the sources of the voices stepped out of the doorway. Ramirez blinked in disbelief and stared through the thorny branches, forcing himself to breath shallowly, though his heart was pounding in his ears. It wasn’t a person at all, but a small, purple quadruped. It looked sort of like a miniature horse, with a compact body, and a big, round head with large, purple eyes. The four legs ended in broad hooves, and it had a mane and tail like a horse, though of a dark indigo and each with a pink streak running through. From its forehead protruded a short, spiraled horn, giving the entire creature the distinct look of a diminutive unicorn of ancient mythology. As it turned, he could see a large tattoo of a pink six-pointed star with six more white points interspersed and surrounded by a halo of five white six-pointed stars occupying the entire haunch. With a start, he realized the creature was smiling and speaking. The language he had heard was coming from it. The creature was joined by several others, all chattering to each other in that same sugary-sweet tongue. There was an orange one with a long yellow mane and tail and what looked to all the world like a cowboy hat perched on top of its head. A sky-blue one with a brilliant rainbow-hued mane stretched and folded a pair of feathered wings as it chatted with a snowy white unicorn with luxuriant purple hair. Another winged one stood off to the side, yellow face mostly hidden behind a long pink mane. A light pink one with a bushy magenta mane alternated between bouncing excitedly and staring curiously at its left forehoof. He watched as another creature joined the sextuplet of diminutive equines. It had a round body covered with purple scales accented with green spines and a very reptilian appearance. Unlike the others, it walked erect on a pair of stubby little legs. It reached up with a clawed hand and climbed onto the back of the purple unicorn creature. Reaching its perch, the lizard-creature stretched and yawned. Ramirez was transfixed. Were these pets? But they were talking. Or were they? It sure sounded like a language. It sounded like a whole conversation, in fact. And they were certainly laughing. They were beginning to walk away now. He was fighting the urge to push some of the branches out of the way to get a better look, when he realized the pink one hadn’t moved away with the others. Instead, it was standing stock-still and staring. Staring straight at him. His breath caught in his throat, and he felt as if his heart would burst out of his chest. The pink horse-thing lowered its head and took one tentative step forward, staring at the rose bushes with large, inquisitive blue eyes. He willed himself to be as still as possible. Perhaps the creature hadn’t actually seen him yet. A call from down the road caused the creature to perk up its ears and turn. It answered in a high-pitched voice and trotted off to join the group of others, casting glances over its shoulder as it went. As soon as it was out of sight, Ramirez closed his eyes and slumped fully to the ground. That was close. Too close. A touch on his leg nearly caused him to jump out of his skin. Turning, he saw Liz tugging on his hem. He couldn’t see her eyes though her visor, but her cheeks looked pale. She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. Nodding in agreement, Ramirez backed out of the flowerbed and together, they slipped away quickly and as quietly as they could from the house. Glancing back, Ramirez saw another group of the colorful creatures trot merrily out of the door and into the night. They crept in silence until the canopy of the trees closed in over them. Liz was the first to break the silence with a stream of expletives. “Blake’s blood that was close. That was too close. What the hell were you thinking? You almost blew our cover!” “Did you see them? They sounded like they were talking.” Liz sunk against a tree and smiled, “Yeah. That was pretty cool.” Her tone turned serious again, “But we still haven’t finished our objective. We still don’t know where we are.” Ramirez sighed. He knew he had been reckless. He tried to salvage what pride he could. “Maybe when the sun comes up we can get a glimpse of the people. Maybe that will help us out. Or maybe by then the Silvertongue’s nav computer will have gotten a fix.” Liz shook her head, “Sir,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “I think those were the people.”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T07:10:17+00:00

2011-07-11T07:10:17+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 7: First Contact Spike dug his claws into the doorframe and glared up at the purple unicorn. “You’ve gone through every book in this library twice, Twilight. And I am not putting them all back again, no way, no how.” Twilight tried to push her way past the obstinate dragon and out of her living quarters, “But, Spike! I have to find out what ‘Visitation of Thessalonica’ means. It’s the key to the whole mystery!” Spike strained against her attempts to move him “Ugh. I don’t care! You’ve already looked in every book in the library. If there were any other mention, you would have seen it already!” Twilight stopped pushing and sunk to the floor. Spike was right. She’d poured through every book in the library in the past couple of days, first with her little art history study then with her frantic search for any mention of the strange wandering star. If the strange words appeared anywhere else in any of her books, it would be in a book she had already read, and she had no recollection of ever seeing such a phrase before. She sighed deeply, “You’re right, Spike.” She hung her head, dejected, “so now what do I do?” Spike released his death-grip on the doorframe and shrugged, “You could ask somepony.” Now there was an idea. She thought for a moment, then gave an exasperated sigh, “But who would I ask? Nopony else in this town knows much about astronomical phenomena. And most don’t know much lore beyond their local history.” “So, ask someone outside of Ponyville.” “Who? The only pony I know well enough to ask outside of Ponyville is the Prin…” she froze as the epiphany hit her “The Princess! I can ask the Princess!” she thumped her forehead with her hoof. “Of course! She’s ruled over Equestria since, well, forever. She probably knows exactly what it means. And…” she smiled smugly, “I am her most prized student. Spike! Take a letter.” “With pleasure.” Spike retrieved a quill and parchment from the writing desk and stood ready to take dictation. Twilight cleared her throat. “Dearest Princess Celestia,” she began, Spike scribbled furiously as she paced the room, “I wish to report that two nights ago, while stargazing I spotted a strange light in the southern sky. It looked sort of like a planet, but moved very quickly from east to west like a meteorite, but did not leave a tail. Regrettably, I have exhausted the resources of the Ponyville library in my attempt to explain this phenomenon.” “Hang on,” called Spike, “Phena—Phenom—?” Twilight sighed and spelled it for him, then continued with her dictation. “In fact, in all of my books I have found exactly one reference to an event that even remotely matches my observation. On page 257 of Stardust Sprinkle’s Systematic Guide to Stellar Spectacles, it states, Quote: ‘the first observance coincided with the Visitation of Thessalonica.’ What is the ‘Visitation of Thessalonica’ and how does it relate to the wandering star? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle” She watched Spike mouth the last few words to himself as she waited for the quill to stop moving, “Did you get all that, Spike?” “Uh huh. Would you like me to send it now?” he asked, rolling the parchment into a scroll and tying it with a ribbon. He walked to the window and pushed it open. Holding the scroll in one hand he inhaled deeply and blew a gout of green flame. The parchment disintegrated in his hand and a sparkling wisp of smoke whisked up and away. He turned to find Twilight staring at him expectantly. She kept looking at him for a long moment. ”What?” She only reacted by biting her lower lip. Spike shuffled his feet. He was growing increasingly uncomfortable under her gaze, “Do I have something in my teeth?” Finally, Twilight spoke, “Well?” “Well what?” She prodded his belly with a hoof, “Anything yet?” Spike groaned, “For goodness sakes, Twilight! Princess Celestia doesn’t always respond to your letters immediately. Have some patience.” As if on cue, his stomach rumbled and he belched loudly. Green flame swirled and materialized into a levitating parchment scroll with a muted poof. “Ah, I knew the Princess would respond promptly.” She trotted to the center of the room. Spike plucked the letter from the air and undid the ribbon. He cleared his throat theatrically before reading, “My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, I thank you for informing me of the strange phenomenon in the sky. I had not heard of such a light appearing in quite some time. I promise I will look into it. I regret to inform you that it is unlikely you will find any further reference to the Thessalonica. Suffice it to say, the visitation refers to a diplomatic incident many centuries ago. Your mentor, Princess Celestia” Twilight looked distraught. “That’s it?” Spike looked over the letter once more, ‘That’s it.” Twilight was almost frantic, “That’s IT?!” she repeated, “That can’t be it! She must have said more than that.” Her horn glowed as she snatched the letter out of Spike’s clawed hand. She scanned it quickly, then gave a frustrated cry, “Ugh! This doesn’t tell me anything!” the parchment crumpled into a ball and flew to a corner of the room with a burst of purple haze. **************** The wall in Captain Mawsley’s private quarters danced with colorful swirls and waves. The translucent holographic light show reacted subtly to sound, changing pattern and color. Normally, the JumpShip captain found it soothing, but right now it was just distracting. “Computer, external feed.” She called out. The light dissolved into a panoramic starscape, channeling the ship’s external sensors. The silver moon hung large in the scene, washing out the nearby stars. Over the horizon, the blue-green planet was just rising. She could see the computer had selected a view off the aft quarter of the ship, as much of the sky was obscured by the immense, foil-thin sail which spread out behind the ship like a parachute, gathering solar energy and feeding it into the K-F drive capacitors. Mawsley clenched her jaw. No, this was even worse. All it did was remind her of their predicament. “Computer, normal lighting.” The starscape and moon faded away, replaced by a steady, soft white glow. She turned back to the vidscreen mounted on her small, necessarily tidy desk. “I know you’ve run the diagnostic five times already, Kelly. The nav computer is having trouble getting a lock for a reason. I don’t care how deep in the Periphery we are, it should at least be returning partial matches. Take the computer apart circuit-by-circuit if you have to. Get Jimmy in Tech to help you, if you need. Just get me a reading.” “Yes, ma’am. I’ll see what I can do. Bridge out.” The vidscreen winked off with a chime. She wanted to throw something. She grabbed a writing stylus and flung it as hard as she could against the wall. It bounced off the bulkhead and floor then floated lazily up towards the ceiling in the microgravity of orbit. She pinched the bridge of her nose and, pushing off, let herself float free. The clomp of magnetic boots and a knock at the door brought her back to the present. The door slid open to reveal the Silvertongue’s chief tech. She recognized his pudgy build, the goggles pushed up on his forehead, and his prosthetic bionic eye. The welcoming smile on Mawsley’s face died with the look on his. He stepped over the threshold and cast his eyes around suspiciously. “Are you alone, Captain?” he asked. “Yes. Close the door behind you.” He did and strode over to the small woman. “What is it, Jean-Jacques?” He held out his hand, showing a burnt tangle of plastic and wires. “What’s this?” The technician responded in a low whisper, “I found this while repairing the burst helium seal. It’s a detonator. Or what’s left of one.” Mawsley recoiled from the burnt mass. “I ran it through a scanalyzer. There’s C8 residue. And judging from the extent of the damage, I’d say about half a block.” She looked up at him in horror, staring into his good eye. “Are you saying… Are you saying we were…” she couldn’t bring herself to say the terrible word. He nodded. Sabotage. Someone had planted a bomb on their ship, her ship. Rage welled up inside her. She wanted to scream, but she fought the urge. She tried to show no emotion, but she could still feel her face tightening. “Could that be what caused out misjump?” she asked, quietly. Jean-Jacques shrugged. “The blast was right next to the Initiator. So, yes? Maybe? I dunnoh. You know I’m not that hot with hyperspace physics, Satenig.” She let the informality slide. This man had been with her almost since the beginning of her career. If any person on the Silvertongue had the right to use her first name, it was him. There was still one more question; the all-important one. Who had placed the bomb? “It must have been placed sometime between undergoing maintenance back at Valexa and the misjump.” Jean-Jacques mused, “I oversaw the maintenance of that compartment myself, and I didn’t find it during my post-inspection. So unless someone slipped it in while I wasn’t looking, it must have been placed sometime between when the Valexa maintenance crews left and we made our jump.” “Do you think someone from the VMM crew could have planted it during their work in that section?” The chief tech shook his head “Like I said, I inspected all their work myself after they left.” “So that leaves us two options.” Mawsley counter off on her fingers, “One: someone from the maintenance team planted the bomb” she held up a hand to cut off his protest “I know, I know. You checked it over, but it is possible you missed it. I know you don’t like it, but we have to accept the possibility. And two: the culprit is still with us.” “There’s one more thing,” he added, “You know how the hatches to the aft section are kept locked for everyone except the techs? Well, I found evidence of tampering with the hatch leading from the lift shaft. The faceplace on the keypad was scratched and one of the screws is partially stripped.” “So that likely rules out anyone in Tech.” “They all have alibis, anyway. I was with them all in the forward compartment, and I know no one went aft until after the jump.” “And it couldn’t have been any of the bridge crew, because I was there. Who’s left?” “Doc Langley and the medi-techs Berriman and Ciccolella. Gavin and his boys in mess. That’s about it. Did anyone come over from the DropShip?” “Just Edgar, the MechWarrior, and that grumpy Leftenant, and they came straight from the collar to the bridge.” She was thinking hard, trying to think if any of her close-nit crew would have it in them to try and damage the ship. “Alright. Check the locks and electronic logs leading in and out of the crew compartment. And check the ones leading from the docking collar, too.” “You think one of Edgar’s could have planted it?” “I don’t know. I‘d like to think it’s more likely than it being one of our own. I trust Tartaglia. He’s a good man, and he’s not the suicidal type to plant a bomb on a JumpShip he’s riding piggyback on.” “I’ll get right on it.” The tech turned to leave. “Oh, and Jean-Jacques? Be discrete about this, would you? I don’t want the scuttlebutt getting ahold of this.” **************** Applejack liked running the family market stall, she really did. She liked playing the role of salespony and interacting with all sorts of other ponies. The break from tiring farm labor was welcome, too. It’s just that, she got tired of being the only member of the Apple family that seemed to end up running it. Granny Smith was too old to keep up with it anymore. Big Macintosh always seemed to disappear whenever the cart rolled out—even though she’d still spot him in town later. Apple Bloom was too young, and judging by her performance last time she tried to help out, a little too… enthusiastic. “Pssst!” she didn’t hear it at first. “Psst! Applejack!” A frantic whisper. She looked around for the source. A pink hoof waved to her from behind a store sign, followed by the unmistakable magenta-maned head of Pinkie Pie. “Applejack! Come here!” she whispered not exactly quietly. Applejack looked back at her applecart. It would be alright to leave it unattended for just a minute, wouldn’t it? She trotted over to where the pink pony was hiding, “What’s the matter, Sugarcube?” “My pinkie-sense! Twitchy-twitchy-itchy-pinchy-itch!” she said frantically, pushing her left forehoof into Applejack’s face. Her face told the farm pony that she expected her to already know what she was talking about. “I’m sorry, come again?” Pinkie didn’t miss a beat, “My hoof! My hoof, it’s all itchy-pinchy. Something’s here! I felt it! I saw it!” Applejack just stared at her friend, not comprehending. Pinkie bounced excidedly, “Come on, come on come on!” she shot off, turning only to see if Applejack was following. Applejack looked longingly back at her applecart. When Pinkie was like this, there were only two options: ignore her or just go with it. Given the track record of her pinkie-sense, the second was likely the safer option. She caught up with Pinkie outside of Carrot Top’s house. She was about to ask why they were here when Pinkie disappeared head-first into the rosebushes lining the front below the window. A moment later, her head poked up above the branches, calling for Applejack to follow. Applejack trotted up to the bushes, wondering how Pinkie was avoiding the thorns. She gingerly pushed her head through, wincing as the thorns grabbed at her mane. Pinkie was pointing excitedly at a spot near window where the mulch had been brushed away. In the soft soil she saw a strange shape. It was long and somewhat oval shaped; slightly wider at one end than the other and narrower in the middle. Most striking was the texture of the depression, all knobby and bumpy, but very angular and precise. “See? See? Something was here! I knew it! That’s its hoofprint—er—no, pawprint? Whaddaya’ call it when it’s not a hoof and not really a paw?” “Paw? That don’t look like no pawprint I’ve ever seen, Pinkie. You sure ‘bout that?” “Of course, Silly-McSiller-son. What else could I have seen leaving Carrot’s party last night?” “Wait, you’re saying something was hidin’ in the bushes when we were leavin’ last night?” Pinkie rolled her eyes, “Well, DUH!” Applejack felt a knot form in her stomach, “What was it?” Pinkie leaned close and whispered, “Dunnoh. I didn’t get a good look. But whatever it was, it made that big noise in the Everfree Forest.” Applejack was finding herself equal parts uneasy and confused, “What noise in the forest?” “Oh, you don’t know? Fluttershy said there was a big noise in the forest that scared all the birds. Something fell—well, sort of fell but didn’t fall, and whatever was in what fell is now here in Ponyville!” The image of toothy-jawed aliens, bright lights, and strange machines came unbidden to Applejacks’s mind. She tried to put it out of her head. After all, Twilight had said aliens probably had never been in Equestria. But, then, she hadn’t said aliens didn’t exist, and had even seemed to imply they were possible. No, it couldn’t be that. Much more likely it was just some sort of weird creature from the depths of the Everfree Forest. No pony was really sure what lurked in that awful place. “Have ya’ shown Twilight this? Maybe she’d be able to fine it in one of her books? She is the resident brainiac, after all.” “I was going to tell Twilight and Rarity and Rainbow and Fluttershy and Spike, but I found you first.” Applejack backed out of the rosebush, glancing around to make sure her odd behavior hadn’t drawn attention, “Uh huh. Well, ya’ showed me, but I’m still not sure exactly why.” With a leap, Pinkie cleared the bushes and landed next to her, “I just wanted to tell you to keep your eyes out for anything weird. And now I’ve told you! Hah!” Humming a tune, the pink pony trotted off, leaving a rather befuddled Applejack behind. **************** “How do they keep those waterfalls so coherent all the way down?” “I dunnoh. This whole place is like some sort of freakin’ fairytale.” Ramirez passed the binoculars back to Corporal Virat. They were lying side by side on the backside of a hill under a holly bush. They had traded their combat helmets for floppy field caps which covered their heads and necks. Liz would have felt more comfortable with a camouflage drape or a ghillie suit, but as they didn’t have any, their camouflage fatigues would have to suffice. They weren’t ideal. Colored for the mountains and forests of Valexa, their greens and tans stood out more than she would have liked against this deep green grass. They had spent the entire morning lying almost motionless beneath this bush. They had taken turns with their only pair of rangefinding binoculars, observing the village below and mapping what they could see of the valley. They’d identified several buildings and outlying farms. Some, like that large tree near the middle of the town and the purple-and-pink building that looked sort of like a carousel, still had them at a loss, as did the white colonnaded building on the outskirts of the town that almost looked to be constructed out of clouds. In the daylight, the demarcation between forest and these rolling hills was even more extreme. The organic tangle of tree trunks and undergrowth in the woods had felt familiar, normal. It could have been any other forest on most any other Inner Sphere “garden planet” in the late autumn. Out here, though, things were very different. They had expected differences in temperature and humidity, but out here it almost seemed to be a different season. While the trees in the forest had mostly lost their leaves in preparation for the coming winter, the ones here still hung to their leaves tenaciously, despite being the same species. Everything here seemed strangely ordered, almost as if every inch were carefully manicured and zealously maintained. Under the shining sun, the village, no, the entire valley looked to them to be near indescribably idyllic. It was almost a dream made manifest, complete with a fairytale castle with towering spires cantilevered off the flank of a distant mountain surrounded by majestic waterfalls. They could see the denizens of the town through the binoculars. At first, they had watched for the telltale silhouette of a human, but every inhabitant they saw was one of those horse-like quadrupeds. Ramirez’s mind was wandering. He couldn’t get the sound of their voices out of his head. “Is there a protocol for a first contact scenario with aliens?” he thought out loud. Liz took a long time to answer, though she knew the question was more rhetorical. “Not that I know of. Maybe ComStar’s Explorer Corps has one, but we sure don’t.” In the over 900 years since the K-F drive had first allowed mankind to spread to the stars, and after extensive exploration and colonization of the more than 2,000 star systems of the Inner Sphere and untold more in the Periphery beyond, mankind had never once come across intelligent alien life. There had been aliens, of course; microorganisms on almost every planet, photosynthetic plant-like organisms, even animal life that filled ecological niches analogous to fish, reptiles, birds. Some had even been domesticated, like the Odessan Raxx or the dragon-like Branths of Lopez. Some alien animals could be clever, like the highly dangerous and venomous Nolan on the Steiner world of Engadine or the Alcor Bush Apes, but never to anyone’s knowledge had any human explorers come across anything resembling civilization. Not even xeno-paleontological evidence. As far as anyone could tell, mankind was alone as the sole technologically-advanced creature in the universe. Until now. “So, what do we do when they spot us?” Liz mused. “Treat it like an unexpected visit on a backwater world? Work out a translation and tell ‘em we just need some repairs and we’ll be on our way.” It wasn’t much of a plan, and he knew it. Ramirez shifted in place and tried to stretch his aching legs and groaned, “Mother of Kerensky, how do you mudsloggers do this for hours on end?” Lying here all day had made him very glad he had never been part of an infantry scout unit or sniper team. Liz shot him a look out of the corner of her eye, “How do you ‘Mech-jocks manage sitting on your ass in your tin cans all the time?” He grinned, “I’ve got a mini-fridge behind the command seat.” She raised an eyebrow at him, “You do not.” He only smiled in response, letting his joke run its course. Looking back to the valley, he pointed at a spot in the sky, “There goes another one.” Liz trained the binoculars on the point he indicated. Sure enough, a lone puffy white cumulus cloud was trundling across the sky, against the prevailing winds. “Yup, and there’s another of those little winged pegasuses pushing it. How do they do that?” They watched the cloud move purposefully across the sky. Two more little specs rose up from the ground and swooped towards another cloudbank on the other side of town. The clouds evaporated one by one as the specks ducked and dived. “Is it pegasuses or pegasi?” Liz asked. “Pegasi, I think. Unless it’s like ‘moose’ where they’re the same.” “What’s a ‘moose’?” **************** A cyan streak raced through the autumn sky, trailing a faint rainbow afterimage. Rainbow Dash stretched her wings as far as she could. She savored the feeling of the wind rushing through her mane and over her feathers. Nothing in the world was better than flying, except perhaps flying fast. Or doing aerial stunts. Or better yet, aerial stunts while flying fast. With a hungry grin, she twitched her wings, sending her into a dizzying series of spins, loops, twists, and dives. She raced low, letting the long grass tickle her tummy as she swept up fallen leaves and seeds in her wake. She rocketed up high, climbing above the puffy clouds, then twisted around and dove back down again. She was cruising along the edge of the valley, near the border of the Everfree Forest, out where nopony would be around to interrupt her. This was one of her favorite places to fly. No distractions, no responsibilities, no worries. She came here often after she was done with her Weather Patrol duties to think and blow off steam. Today, she was thinking about aliens. She’d already finished the comic book Spike had leant her. He was right, it was totally awesome. She loved the idea of soaring through the stars, exploring strange planets and battling it out with vicious aliens and their ray guns. She’d probably never actually do it herself, of course. It was more the thought of it. After all, she wouldn’t even venture into the Everfree Forest by herself, and that was right here, practically in her back yard. She put up a brave front, she had a reputation to think of, but that place still gave her the creeps. Even being this close to it sometimes gave her the willies, especially when clouds roiled up and blew around all on their own with no pegasus ponies around. That just didn’t seem natural. But then again, would aliens and their worlds be as unnatural as the Everfree? Twilight had said if they existed, aliens probably didn’t look anything like ponies. But griffins didn’t look anything like ponies, and they did fine controlling the weather in the distant lands where they were more common than ponies. Besides, Twilight didn’t know everything. She almost missed it, a different colored smudge beside a holly bush near the top of a hill. She thought it was a pile of leaves or a patch of dirt at first. She wouldn’t have paid it any mind at all, except she had seen it move. She swooped down and hovered lightly, almost close enough to touch the thing. She saw now that it was alive, and what’s more, there were two of them. Two odd-looking creatures sprawled out beneath the bush. Their coloring was an odd green and brown that made them sort of hard to focus on, except for what she assumed were feet, which were solid tan and the pads were covered with odd knobs and ridges. She wondered why they didn’t react to her presence until she realized they were facing away from her. Intrigued, she fluttered closer. She could smell them. She couldn’t place it, but it smelled a little like cooking spices, sweat, and dirt. They didn’t smell particularly good. She could also hear them, making low noises to each other. They were definitely talking, one would gesture or make a noise, and the other would respond. She strained her ears, but she couldn’t make out the language. It sounded more like a series of grunts and groans than words. One of them had an object lying next to it. She fluttered as close as she dared without alerting the creature to her presence. It was a long tube with a handle and various other bits sticking off. It looked familiar. Its identity hit her like a stray lightning bolt. She had seen something very similar in Spike’s comic book. A ray gun. Aliens. Could they be aliens? Twilight had said they’d look like nothing she could imagine, and these weird sprawled shapes certainly fit that bill. She wanted to squeal in delight. Aliens! Real, live aliens! Right here in Equestria! And she had found them. She should tell somepony of course. But who? Twilight, of course, but she was clear back at the library. The aliens might be gone by the time she managed to drag that bookworm all the way out here, and then she’d get lectured on having wasted her time and how she must have let her imagination get the better of her. Fluttershy’s place was nearby. She was good with all sorts of creatures. She may be meek , but she’d reduced a giant dragon to tears! And stared down a cockatrice while it was turning her to stone. If anyone could handle a pair of potentially dangerous creatures, Fluttershy could. Slipping away from the two oblivious things, she raced off. She only hoped Fluttershy was home. She found Fluttershy tending to her flock of chickens. The little yellow pegasus was a bit taken aback by the sudden appearance of her blue friend. Rainbow pleaded with her to come quick, as she’d found a pair of strange creatures near the edge of the forest. She purposefully avoided the word ‘alien’ lest she scare the jumpy ball of nerves before she could get her to come along. Fluttershy acquiesced to her friend’s excited pleas and together they flapped off. Or rather, Rainbow shot ahead while Fluttershy flew low and slow and comfortably close to the ground. “Come ON, Fluttershy! Pick up the pace! They’ll be gone by the time we get there!” “Uh. O-oh, o-okay,” Fluttershy flapped a little harder with a grunt of effort. Her speed increased, but her altitude did not. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. How could a pegasus be this afraid of heights? The two creatures were lying right where Rainbow had left them. She and Fluttershy touched down lightly and slowly crept forward. “See? I told you” Dash whispered, barely audible above the faint rustle of the breeze, a volume no pony thought her capable of. Fluttershy just stood still. Dash was getting impatient. She wanted to confront these aliens. She wanted to be as brave as Orion Nebula, Spacepony Extraordinaire. Now that she had a friend beside her, she crept forward and gently rapt on one protruding foot with her hoof. “Blake’s blood!” Ramirez yelped in surprise and jumped up. He tumbled forward, landing in a heap. Something had grabbed his foot, and it scared him half to death. Liz, the experienced infantrywoman, rolled up to her knee. She flicked off the safety on her Federated Long Rifle as she brought the sights up to her eye as fast as a blink. Fluttershy squeaked and froze in place. “The ray gun!” Dash shouted as she fell to the ground, covering her head with her hooves. Ramirez scrambled to his hands and knees. He found himself face to face with two of the little pony things. He recognized them immediately as two of the ones he saw from the rosebushes; the blue one with the multicolored mane and the yellow one hiding behind long, pink hair. He also saw Corporal Virat, rifle leveled and struggling to control her breathing. Time seemed to drag on. Fluttershy had been stunned by the sudden reaction of the monsters. They looked horrible, with flat faces and long arms that ended in hands. She saw their protruding noses and large, white teeth. She also saw the beady, white eyes. Eyes which were filled with fear. They were afraid. The monsters were afraid. Afraid of them. Afraid of her. She had dealt with many animals, and prided herself on her ability to commune with them on a level beyond most ponies. Malice she knew was always dangerous. Anger could be quelled. Fear was easy. She could deal with fear. “It’s ok.” She stepped forward slowly, keeping her head low. She tried to make her voice as soothing as possible. She focused on the one with the weird stick. She knew that one was more dangerous right now. “Shhh. It’s ok. Everything will be alright. We won’t hurt you.” Ramirez watched in amazement as the pink-haired one stepped forward. It made a series of soft cooing noises. Its wide, expressive eyes and indeed its very essence exuded compassion. It was trying to communicate. Was it trying to calm them? He nearly burst out laughing at the absurdity. This dainty little creature was trying to sooth them like they were a pair of frightened kittens. It was so naïve, so sweet, and so innocent, his heart melted at the sight. In the corner of his eye, he saw Liz relax. She lowered the weapon, and slowly placed it on the ground. Trembling, she extended an arm, palm forward and fingers splayed, towards the yellow and pink miniature pegasus. The pegasus smiled and Ramirez could almost taste sugar in his mouth. It leaned forward gently and pressed its muzzle against Liz’s outstretched hand. The blue one, seeing this turn of events, leapt up. It shot over to Ramirez and started chattering at an impossible pace, obviously excited. “Omigosh! Omigosh! Omigosh! Are you aliens? Are you really aliens? Where are you from? Do you have a spaceship? Do you have ray guns? Are you Martians?” Ramirez stared at the excited ball of blue fur and feathers, trying to comprehend. Finally it stopped and stared at him expectantly with big, ruby red eyes. “First contact, sir. What are we going to do?” Liz muttered to him under her breath. This was it. This was something mankind had never experienced before. He and Liz were the first humans to come in contact with an alien race. What happened now, what he said now would be the stuff of legend. Like the first words when man landed on the moon or New Earth. He cleared his throat and spread his arms wide, “Take us to your leader!” Liz’s head snapped around and she raised a very curious eyebrow, “Seriously? Universe-changing moment and we open with the oldest cliché ever?”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T07:17:55+00:00

2011-07-11T07:17:55+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 8: Neurolinguistic Psychotransmutation The two aliens stood up. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked up at them in amazement. They were tall and thin with a long torso perched precariously on a pair of equally long legs. Fluttershy realized she barely even came up to the waist of the one closest to her, the one she had allowed to touch her. It towered over her, peering down with narrow blue eyes. Now that her initial fear had passed, she could see that her and Rainbow’s first impressions of the creatures had been quite wrong. They didn’t sprawl on the ground, but stood tall. She wondered how they could balance like that with their bodies so far from the ground. Spike stood much the same way, but he was small and his legs short. The only creatures she had seen which even remotely resembled their gait were the diamond dogs, but even they walked more hunched over. Their forelimbs dangled at their sides, terminating in broad hands with five slender fingers. She noted gratefully that the fingers did not end in claws. A small, round head balanced on their broad shoulders. What they had taken for green and tan pelts she could see were actually clothes. They were made of multiple pieces and seemed to be covered with straps and pockets and pouches. The clothes covered their entire bodies except their heads and hands. The areas not covered by the fabric appeared to be completely hairless, except the tops of their heads. The skin of the one closest to her was a deep, dark brown, almost black, while the other’s was a lighter color more akin to the ruddy shade of a chestnut. They wore broad-brimmed floppy hats, but when one swept theirs off, she could see they had manes. They wore them short, but the chestnut one even had its tied back. They weren’t so bad, she decided. They did have pleasant enough faces, in their own way. Their eyes were expressive and their teeth were not sharp and pointy. The odd protruding noses and round, flappy ears lent them a rather comical appearance, even. They looked a little bit like some sort of giant monkey, and those were genrally friendly. She tried talking to them again. She asked their names and where they were from, but they just stared at her or talked to each other in their odd language. The darker one knelt down and spoke directly to her. It made its noises slowly and deliberately while gesturing with an arm. Fluttershy realized it was trying to talk back to her. It was obviously trying to indicate who or what it was and ask the same of her. She turned to Rainbow Dash, “Do you have any idea what it’s saying?” she asked Rainbow Dash shook her head. As she did, Fluttershy noticed the kneeling alien had said something to its companion, who responded by shaking its head as well. “Hmm, hang on,” she turned back to the creature. She smiled, and was pleased to see the creature smile back. She focused on its eyes, seeing the corners tug. She furrowed her brow and snorted, stamping a foot. The creature coked its head and raised an eyebrow. Confusion? Amusement? She ran through several other emotions, watching the face of the creature the whole time. After a while, it seemed to grasp her intent and started playing along. “What are you doing?” Rainbow interrupted. Fluttershy glanced quickly at the chestnut alien, and was pleased to see the same look of confusion on its face as on her friend’s. “Oh, well. Their facial expressions are the same as ours! You can read their intents and feelings just like a pony or other animal.” “No way!” Rainbow turned to the aliens and made a face. The aliens snorted and stifled a laugh “Oh, awesome! Can we talk to them now?” Fluttershy looked worried, “I, uh. I can try.” She faced the alien and pointed with her hoof to the holly bush. “Bush!” she enunciated, “Bush!” The dark alien looked confused, but then the chestnut one stepped forward, pointed at the bush, and made one of its grunting noises. Fluttershy looked around for another object. She pointed her hoof to an elm tree not too distant. “Tree!” The alien pointed to the tree and made another, different, but still indecipherable sound. Encouraged, Fluttershy nipped off some blades of grass, then letting them fall from her lips and expressed the word. The dark alien now reached down and plucked some blades with its fingers, grunting out its word for the same. “Aw, this is gonna take forever.” Rainbow Dash sulked. She sat down hard on her haunches and let her wings droop. “You could start writing down the sounds they make for different words. I think that’s what that one is doing.” Fluttershy nodded towards the darker alien. It has extracted what looked very much to be a pad and pencil, though there didn’t seem to be any paper, and appeared to be writing. The action, seeing that pen pinched between the creature’s fingers, reminded her of Twilight’s rant about how many tools seemed to be made more for use with hands, not mouths. “Rainbow,” she said slowly, “Maybe we should go get Twilight?” “Hey, yeah! Maybe she knows a translation spell or something!” Rainbow leapt into the air. That wasn’t the logic she had been pursuing, but Fluttershy had to admit her friend’s reasoning was sound. Rainbow suddenly looked very concerned, “But, we can’t leave them here, and there’s no way we could sneak them into town.” Fluttershy bit her lip. She was timid by nature. Bravery did not come naturally. “Y-you go, Rainbow. I-I’ll s-stay here.” “Are you sure about that, Fluttershy? I don’t want to leave you in danger. Maybe I should stay and you should go.” Fluttershy shook her head, “I’ll be fine. I don’t think they’ll hurt me. Besides, you’re much faster than me.” Rainbow Dash tried to protest, but Fluttershy’s mind was made up. With a promise to return with Twilight as fast as she could, she shot off into the deep blue sky. Ramirez watched the blue race off at an impossible speed. “Now where do you suppose she’s going?” “She?” Liz looked up from the noteputer on which she was recording the sounds the little yellow pegasus was making and annotating equivalent words. Ramirez shrugged, “I dunnoh. They seem sort of… feminine to me.” “I can see that. Especially this one.” Liz indicated the yellow creature with its large, blue-green eyes and long lashes. She turned to look at Ramirez, “Shouldn’t we be radioing Command about this?” “Not quite yet” he replied, “I want to figure out their motivations first. Maybe see if we can find the people.” “I keep telling you, sir. I think these are the people.” “Someone built those houses and that castle, Corporal, and I have trouble believing it was a bunch of alien horses.” **************** Rainbow Dash took the turn in through the library window a little too tight, and the landing a little too fast. She skidded into the bookshelves with a thud. Books tumbled off the shelves and buried her in an avalanche of paper. She poked her head up out of the pile to see an irate purple scaly face glaring back at her. Spike had just finished organizing the Library following Twilight’s research escapades, and he was not thrilled with even part of it being undone so quickly. Behind the irate dragon, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie looked on in shock. Normally, Rainbow would have coughed out some sort of apology or excuse, but this time, in her urgency, she elected to forgo her usual habit. “Twilight!” she panted as she scrambled from the pile, “Come quick! We found…” she tried to catch her breath, “We found… Do you have a… Come on!” “Dash! Calm down. What’s going on? What is it?” Twilight placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, trying to calm her. “No time. Come on, before they leave!” Rainbow headed for the door. “Before who leaves, Dashie?” Pinkie Pie chirped up. “The aliens! Now come on!” Rainbow veritably shouted, she was starting to get frustrated. There was a moment of silence as the two ponies and the dragon stared at her. Twilight and Spike burst into riotous laughter, but Pinkie remained still and silent. “Oh, really?” Twilight mocked, “Aliens, huh? Dash, did you really think I’d fall for that?” “Ha ha! Yeah! You usually put more effort into your pranks, Rainbow. I mean, I know Orion Nebula is a great comic book and all, but you usually at least try to be original.” Rainbow stamped her hoof, “It’s not a joke! I really found something, and I really need some sort of spell to translate what it’s saying.” She could feel the tears starting to well up. “Well, I want to see.” Pinkie Pie stepped to Rainbow’s side, “I didn’t get to finish telling you about the footprint in Carrot Top’s flowerbed, Twilight. Maybe this will answer my mystery.” Twilight rolled her eyes, “Ok, fine. We’ll go see your ‘alien’. You coming, Spike?” “Nah, I’ll give this one a pass.” He eyed the newly created mess. “Don’t forget a translation spell,” called Rainbow, already halfway out the door. Twilight chuckled, “Oh, yeah. Can’t forget that.” She hadn’t yet dropped the mocking tone, “Spike, could you fetch me…” “Way ahead of you, Twilight.” He stuffed a book in her saddlebag then lifted it over her back. “Thank you, number one assistant.” And with that, Twilight trotted out of the library in pursuit of Rainbow and Pinkie. Already they were making best speed down the village street. She found herself having to run very hard to keep pace. **************** “Blue one’s back. And looks like she brought a friend.” Ramirez normally would have felt threatened by an increase in number of strange animals, but he found himself unable to feel threatened by such creatures as these. “Uh huh. Damn these things learn fast.” Liz didn’t even look up from the ground where she and the yellow pegasus, in their ongoing attempts at communication, had moved on from naming random objects to numbers. They had laid out piles of twigs, berries, and leaves and were taking turns demonstrating counting. Already, she had learned the ponies had a concept for zero. Ramirez saw that following the cyan pegasus was the pink bushy-maned pony from the previous night. The same one that appeared to be staring right at him in the bushes. “How… How smart do you think they are?” he asked, a little nervous. Again, Liz didn’t look up, “I’m no expert on these things, but this one? If we could talk the same language, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were just as smart as us.” Ramirez watched as the pegasus and the pink pony crested the hill, followed a short while later by the lavender unicorn which had been the first of these creatures he had seen. It was sweating and breathing heavily from a hard run. It wasn’t paying attention to anything but its own physical discomfort as it reached the top of the hill. When it looked up and saw the two humans, its jaw dropped. The blue one fluttered over to the awestruck unicorn and began talking. From the look on its face, the pegasus appeared smug. Ramirez guessed the unicorn either hadn’t been adequately briefed prior to arrival, or had not believed what waited on the hill when told. The unicorn regained its composure and following a short and heated discussion, turned and addressed him. He smiled in response and somewhat colorfully stated that he had no idea what the little pony was saying. The unicorn tried a couple more times, and then ducked its head into a satchel hanging across its back. Ramirez was surprised when the head retracted with a book held in its teeth. With a short declaration, he managed to pull Liz’s attention away from her linguistic attempts. The unicorn set the book on the ground. A book. They had books. Not only were these ponies smart, they had artifacts and possibly literature. A pale purple light shone out around the unicorn’s horn. The air around it glowed like fog illuminated by a lightbulb. A similar but fainter light seemed to originate from the book at the unicorn’s feet. With a rustling, the book opened and pages flipped by rapidly. He would have blamed it on the breeze, but no breeze was blowing. The pages stopped turning abruptly, then flipped back the other way for a few pages, and then stopped. The unicorn read the page intently. He could see its eyes moving back and forth across the page. “Top to bottom, left to right,” Liz whispered next to him, “Interesting.” The little lavender pony looked up at them and said something incomprehensible. Ramirez felt a knot form in his stomach. Something was about to happen, but he didn’t know what. The pony spread her hooves and took a solid stance. It grunted and its horn began to glow again. “What is it doing?” Liz whispered in his ear. The glow grew brighter. She grimaced, whatever she was doing seemed to require a lot of effort. The glow grew in intensity until a bright white flash exploded outward. Ramirez felt a weak shockwave hit his body and his ears were filled with a shrill whine. The noise died away, replaced by a dull ringing. “There, I think that did it” said a voice. Ramirez shook his head, disoriented. He looked around for where the voice had come from. “Hello.” The little lavender unicorn stepped forward. Ramirez and Liz both stared open-mouthed. The unicorn raised its head and puffed out its chest in a very proud manner, “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie.” She motioned towards each pony in turn. “If I guess correctly, you can understand me now?” The two humans just nodded. Twilight Sparkle smiled, pleased with herself. Ramirez realized the ponies were all looking at them expectantly. “Uh,” he tried to find his tongue, “Uh. We come in peace?” “Oh, good lord.” Liz huffed. “Hey, I didn’t hear you saying anything, Corporal,” he shot back under his breath. “What, Hey!” The pink pony had shot forward and grabbed ahold of Ramirez’s foot with its front hooves. It yanked up hard, nearly toppling him over. It stared intently at the sole of his boot then leapt back with a high-pitched whoop “I KNEW it! I KNEW it! I knew I saw you hiding in Carrot Top’s rosebushes! But why were you hiding in the rosebushes? Oh! Were you playing hide-and-seek? I love hide-and-seek! Though it’s certainly more fun if everypony who’s playing knows they’re playing…” she was yanked away by Twilight Sparkle who had grabbed her tail in her mouth. Rainbow took this as her cue and swooped up close, “Omigosh! Are you really aliens? Like, outer-space aliens? Twilight didn’t believe me, but I…” Twilight yanked her away from the towering creatures by her tail as well. “Yes, well, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time for questions, and I’m sure you have plenty of your own. But first things first: who are you… and what are you?” Twilight directed at Ramirez and Liz Ramirez snapped up straight with a click of his heels, “I am Sargent Brandon Ramirez of the Valexa March Militia, Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. This is my compatriot, Corporal Elizabeth Virat. As for what we are, we are… uh… humans.” “Sarge-gent Bra—Brah—um? Twilight struggled over the words. Ramirez smiled, “Sargent is my rank. I usually go by Ramirez.” Twilight tried to duplicate the pronunciation. He enunciated each syllable for her. She then turned her attention to Liz. At first she called her ‘Eliza-beak,’ matching the name of one of Fluttershy’s chickens. “You can just call me ‘Liz’,” she grinned. “Well, Ramirez and Liz, on behalf of myself and my friends, welcome to Equestria. Now, what brings you to our land?” “I am afraid it was an accident. Our JumpShip suffered a misjump and a busted helium seal. As soon as we can repair, we’ll be on our way,” Ramirez said matter-of-factly. “Jump ship? What’s that?” Pinkie Pie piped in. She was picturing a sailing ship bouncing across the landscape. Liz answered for her tongue-tied superior, “A word we use for our space ship.” She was finding she was better at simplifying concepts than the MechWarrior, “We’re… lost.” “YES! They are aliens! I told you, Twilight!” Rainbow pumped a hoof in the air. “Hmph,” Twilight frowned. She wasn’t about to admit they were visitors from outer space. “How do I know you’re not just pulling our legs? What proof do you have you’re from outer space?” Ramirez just stammered. He was no longer sure just what was going on. Liz, however, was just reaching her stride. “Would you like to see our ship? It’s in orbit around your moon right now. Do you have a telescope?” “Yes…” Twilight said slowly. “Then wait for nightfall and watch the lit face of the moon. You’ll see our ship as a shadow passing across.” She gestured with her finger to illustrate the movement of the Silvertongue’s shadow. Twilight remained silent for a long moment. The other ponies watched her intently. “Alright,” she said icily, “we’ll wait for nightfall and then we’ll see.” Liz got the distinct impression this little ringleader didn’t quite trust them yet. She couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t certain how much they should divulge to their diminutive hosts, either. As for Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, they couldn’t contain themselves any longer. Ramirez and Liz found themselves on the receiving end of a furious fusillade of questions. The humans responded in kind, answering what questions they were comfortable with and firing back with questions of their own. Finally, Ramirez realized he had not asked one of the most obvious questions. He turned to Twilight Sparkle, “Pardon my asking, but how is it that we are able to understand each other?” Liz looked at him quizzically, “You know, I was going to ask why you’ve been talking entirely in Cantonese. And why your accent has gotten better.” Twilight looked at him as if he had just asked a very silly question. “It’s a basic subconscious neurolinguistic psychotransmutation translation spell,” she said dismissively, “As long as you’re in a certain, but fairly wide, radius of me, your linguistic centers will automatically and subconsciously translate any speech into the language you are most comfortable with.” She saw the looks of confusion and disbelief on the humans’ faces and sighed. Her horn glowed and the book lifted off the ground and floated into her saddlebag. The humans gasped. “How did you DO that?” Ramirez asked frantically. “Huh? Do what?” the tall creature pointed at her saddlebag with a long finger. “Honestly, haven’t you ever seen magic before?” The two humans turned to each other. “New hypothesis,” said Ramirez, “We’re dreaming. Or I’m dreaming.” “Oh! Oh! Maybe I’m dreaming, too! But I’m awake. And you’re awake! At least I think we’re awake. Unless we’re daydreaming. But when I daydream it doesn’t affect everypony around me. Ooh, you must be a really good dreamer!” “Yeah, why do you say you’re dreaming?” asked Rainbow Dash “Because there’s no such thing as magic,” Ramirez said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Twilight clenched her jaw. “Of course there’s magic!” she yelled angrily. She was about to launch into one of her tirades. Magic and its effects were something that ponies—and especially unicorns—used and relied on every day! How dare this creature just waltz in and casually declare it didn’t exist. That would be like saying that air and water didn’t exist. Liz saw the anger welling up in Twilight. She also saw Ramirez about to shoot back with what she was sure they would regret later. “He means there’s no magic where we come from,” she quickly interjected. Twilight couldn’t conceive of such a place. A world without magic? How could anything survive? **************** Twilight wanted to keep the two humans close at hand. Despite her misgivings, she was intensely curious. Of course she couldn’t take the two humans to Ponyville. The townsponies initial distrust of Zecora the zebra suggested they would probably react with panic should the creatures be found in town. However, the thought of somehow restraining or imprisoning the visitors never even crossed her mind. There was also the problem that the male, Ramirez, had indicated there were more of them still in the Everfree Forest. She knew that if one of her friends had been restrained in some way the rest of them would do anything to free them. It had happened before. It had happened just a few months ago with Rarity, in fact. With an unknown number of additional humans out there (he had refused to say exactly how many were in his group, which Twilight found a little suspicious), she didn’t want to do anything that could be considered hostile. In the end she only had their word the two would not leave before she could return with her telescope. She wanted to confirm Liz’s claim of a spaceship orbiting the moon. The other ponies had stayed on the hill with the humans while she fetched the instrument. Bursting into the library, she startled Spike, who had been napping. She dropped her saddlebag and ran upstairs to gather her telescope with barely a word. Spike was waiting for her when she returned downstairs. He was curious about how well Rainbow had pulled off her prank. Twilight replied that she wasn’t sure it was a prank. Spikes eyes grew wide, “What? You mean she really found,” he gulped, “a-aliens?” “I’m not convinced they are aliens. I think they’re most likely some sort of strange creature from the deep in the Everfree. Even if they do claim they have a spaceship orbiting the moon.” “Shouldn’t we warn the Princess?” asked Spike, climbing onto Twilight’s back Twilight considered, “For a couple of strange creatures from the Everfree? I don’t think there’s anything to warn about.” “But what if they really are…” “If they really are from outer space, then we’ll alert the Princess.” Twilight pushed open the front door to the library. It was still hours until nightfall, but she wanted to be ready. **************** “So, what are you eating?” Rainbow Dash sniffed curiously at the little bag from which Ramirez was spooning some sort of mush, “It smells weird.” Ramirez had sat down to eat while Corporal Virat radioed the DropShip. He had pulled a field ration packet from the backpacks they had retrieved from their temporary campsite and prepared the food with water from his canteen. Ramirez swallowed the lukewarm mixture and looked at the package. “The label says Sarna-style Vindaloo. I’m pretty sure it’s just reconstituted quillar proteins.” “What’s that?” “It’s a bio-engineered grain crop,” he swallowed another spoonful, “It’s really common where we come from.” “Can I try it?” Ramirez pondered carefully. Incompatible biochemistries were a leading cause of extinctions among indigenous life. He didn’t want to accidentally poison their hosts. Still, this food was mostly simple carbohydrates and some denatured proteins, stuff that was really common even in extraterrestrial metabolisms. And with so much Terran life around, it was unlikely these ponies would react poorly to food he himself could digest just fine. “Yeah, sure.” He held out a spoonful of the lumpy brown mush. Rainbow Dash sniffed at it then took a tiny nibble. Her eyes went wide and she leapt back. “Ugh! Yech! Blech!” Ramirez chuckled at her comical reaction, “Yuck! How do you eat that stuff?” Liz came tromping down from the top of the hill where she had been using the radio. “Orders are to stay put, Sarge. Tartaglia and Ling are comin’ out from the Felicity, and bringing the doc. The Leftenant’s ordered the other teams to rendezvous at the DropShip.” Ramirez nodded, “Alright. You did tell him what to expect, yes? “I did, but I’m not sure he believed me. I mean, talking magical ponies? I think he’s bringing the doc out specifically to give us both psych evaluations.” She was only half-joking.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T07:29:21+00:00

2011-07-11T07:29:21+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 9: Pinkie Pie’s Welcome to Equestia Picnic The night was clear, perfect for stargazing. The waxing gibbous moon hung high in the starry sky, its silvery face marred by dark mares. Twilight set up her telescope beside the holly bush at the crest of the hill, her horn glowing faintly in the darkness. Ramirez flicked on the safety on his laser pistol. Spike and Rainbow Dash had begged to see the “ray gun” in action. Not wanting to draw undue attention from gunshots, or waste precious ammunition for the visually impressive Federated Long Rifles, Ramirez had finally acquiesced to show them the laser pistol. They had been initially disappointed the weapon was nearly silent and didn’t project a visible beam, but watching the empty ration packets, piles of dry leaves, and any other disposable objects they could get their claws or hooves on flare, melt, or burn had kept them delightfully entertained. Even Pinkie Pie had gotten in on the act, helping to stamp out the small fires when they didn’t immediately go out. “I still don’t get this whole magic thing,” he said, “Is it some sort of technology you’re using to manipulate things remotely, or…” “No,” Twilight replied, “no technology. It’s entirely unaided.” She was growing more tolerant of Ramirez’s skepticism. She had been thinking about Pinkie Pie and her pinkie-sense. That was something she didn’t believe existed when first confronted with it. Even still she couldn’t completely explain it. She had decided to be tolerant of the humans’ initial disbelief. “Think of it like this. Magic infuses everything in the world. Ponies are able to tap into that magic and control it to alter reality.” She began aligning the telescope with the moon. “So that’s how pegasi are able to push clouds around?” “Yes. Every pony has some innate magical ability. Pegasi and earth ponies use theirs passively, but unicorns like me can use our horns to manipulate magical fields directly.” Ramirez furrowed his brow, “That still sounds too out-there supernatural to me.” “Well, you have science where you come from. Just think of it as a branch of science like physics or chemistry. Only it’s an aspect of the universe you haven’t been able to observe before.” Her explanation wasn’t sufficient to Ramirez’s mind, but he decided to let it go. He could see the effects of Twilight’s magic clear enough. Whether it was the result of some mystical force or some hyper-advanced technology that would put the Star League and the Clans to shame, he would sort it out later. He decided to just accept the existence of magic as a conditional given and move on. Twilight turned to her telescope, “OK, so where’s this spaceship of yours?” All the crowd on the hill—human, dragon, and pony—drew close. Only Fluttershy had not stayed, citing that she needed to get back and check on a blue jay with a cough. Ramirez deferred to Liz. This was her gamble, so he decided to let her handle it. “Train your telescope on the edge of the moon near the equator. The ship is pretty small, but they should have their sail out, which is a bit bigger. Watch for a small speck moving fast from one side to the other. Its orbiting once about every two hours,” she checked a chronometer attached to her combat vest, “I think they should be passing by soon.” Twilight peered through her telescope and made some fine adjustments. Liz stepped back to Ramirez and cursed under her breath “I completely forgot about the size of the ship. Unless that’s one hell of a telescope, there’s no way she’d spot it at this range,” she whispered. Barely a minute passed before Twilight looked up from the eyepiece. She looked thoughtfully at the sky. “Hmm, maybe if I…” she grunted with effort as light burst forth from her horn. A rustle of wind swept up from the valley. Ramirez and Liz looked on in amazement as the moon seemed to grow larger in the sky. Twilight went back to the eyepiece, “Ah, that’s better.” She adjusted the aim, “Is the sail supposed to look like a parachute?” “Um, yeah.” Liz silently mouthed to Ramirez, “How in the hell?” “Then it looks like you were telling the truth. You really do have a spaceship orbiting the moon.” She stepped aside to let the others see, “I’m… I’m totally blown away by this. I didn’t think it possible.” “Frankly I’m still having trouble believing it myself.” Ramirez peered through the eyepiece. Sure enough, there silhouetted against the whitish-grey of the moon was the curve of the solar sail. It was still small in the view, but it was obviously not of the moon, and it was moving. “How did you do this?” “Hmm? Oh, uh. Atmospheric lensing spell. It’s pretty advanced, and honestly not that useful for astronomical observation. It tends to distort around the edges and…” Twilight replied absentmindedly “But, listen to me. I’m talking to real, live aliens and I’m just carrying on. Oh, I have so many questions! How did your ship get here? How did you get from your ship to here?” “Oh, you Silly McSilly-son. They’ll be plenty of time for questions at the Welcome to Equestria Party tomorrow!” Pinkie Pie interrupted, “Oh it will be great! We’ll have cake, and pies, and we’ll play games, and we’ll all shout ‘Welcome to Equestria!’ And I’ve even got a song in the works!” “Oh, here we go again.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Pinkie…” Twilight tried to interject, but the party pony had already launched into her song. “Oh, welcome visitors from far away! We all welcome you here today! So let us all dance and play, As we…” “Pinkie!” Twilight finally managed to interrupt, “I’m sorry, but no. No parties.” “Aw, why not?” confusion and disappointment played on her face. “Because I don’t want to start a panic in Ponyville. In fact, it would be better if none of us mentioned this to anypony else for the time being.” “Twilight’s right,” Ramirez added, “we should keep a low profile. At least until our ranking officer arrives and we contact your central government.” “Okey-dokey-lokie,” Pinkie replied, crestfallen. She was so looking forward to a party. **************** “My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, I must confess your letter quite vexes me. I was worried such an event would occur following your report of the wandering light first observed nearly five and a half centuries ago. The speed and proximity to Ponyville has me worried. My dear Twilight, I must stress the importance on minimizing the humans’ interaction with pony society at large. If at all possible, do not let them enter the town. Finding a secure, indoor location to hide them would be even better. I would suggest your home in the library as ideal, if not for its centralized location within Ponyville. You will have to use your own judgment. I will not warn you against contact with these humans. I know you are curious by nature and in fact, I encourage you to learn as much about them and their society as possible. You very well may find it an enlightening experience. But, please, exercise caution. The danger of these creatures cannot be overstated. I apologize for being brief, but I promise all shall be explained in due time. I am tied up in state functions, but will venture to Ponyville as soon as I possibly can. Please do me the honor of acting as my official ambassador until that time. Your mentor, Princess Celestia” Spike yawned as he finished reading the letter. He was still grumpy Twilight had woken him up so early. Why couldn’t she have remembered to send the note to the Princess last night, and not when the sun had risen? “Wait, read that first paragraph again.” Twilight closed her eyes tight, thinking. Spike groaned but obeyed. Twilight’s ears perked up and her eyes shone bright, “The Visitation of Thessalonica!” she shouted. “Oh, not this again.” “Don’t you see, Spike? ‘I was worried such an event would occur following your report of the wandering light’,” she repeated, “Somehow the wandering light in the sky is related to the arrival of the aliens. Don’t you see what this means?” “All I see is my blankie. Hello, blankie,” mumbled Spike, trying to curl up in his bed. Twilight gently nudged him out of it with her hoof. “It means,” she said conspiratorially, “they’ve been here before.” Spike resisted the nudging and clung tenaciously to his pillow. Twilight picked up the dropped letter and read it again. “Oh my,” she read the first paragraph for a third time, “…first observed nearly five and a half centuries ago… But that could coincide with… Oh, dear.” **************** “Sweetie Belle, put that down!” Rarity’s little sister was trying to ‘help’ again. Rarity’s horn glowed as she plucked the bolt of fabric from the little filly. “Now, you’re late for school. Get your saddlebags, and don’t forget your scarf. Rainbow Dash said it was going to be chilly today.” Sweetie Belle looked up at her big sister with big, pale green eyes, “But Scootaloo is out of town with her parents, and Apple Bloom got grounded for trying to use Granny Smith’s walker for a giant slingshot and beaning Caramel in the head with an apple. How else am I supposed to find my cutie mark without the rest of the Crusaders?” “Well, maybe you’ll find it at school,” Rarity tied a silk scarf around her little sister’s neck and kissed the top of her head. “If you don’t hurry, you’re going to be late. Now, shoo!” she playfully swatted the little filly out the door. Sweetie Belle scampered off down the lane, calling out a greeting to Pinkie Pie as she passed. “Pinkie Pie, what are you doing?” called Rarity. The pink pony was trotting along with a punchbowl holding an assortment of empty glasses balanced on her head, party hats hanging from their elastic bands around her ears, her saddlebags filled to bursting with more party paraphernalia than Rarity cared to guess. “Oh, hey, Rarity! I was just on my way to see if you had any streamers. Gummy likes to use them as bedding, so I’m all out.” “Streamers?” Rarity repeated, only half-hearing. She was more enthralled by an enormous bundle of helium balloons tied around Pinkie’s midsection which almost seemed to be lifting her partially off the ground. “Yeah! I need ‘em for the welcome picnic for the aliens! Oops, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.” “Aliens?” Rarity balked, “Why darling, I do believe you’ve cracked.” “Nuh-uh. Dashie and Fluttershy found ‘em on the edge of the Everfree Forest. Even Twilight says they really truly are from another world way, way, way far away!” “Did she now?” Rarity gave a smile bordering on the baleful, “Now this I’ve got to see.” “Uh huh. She also said no parties, but I think she meant no BIG parties where everyone comes because she wants to keep them secret. But I figure that doesn’t mean no little parties. You know, just for those who’ve already met the aliens.” “So tell me, Pinkie, where are these, ahem, so-called aliens?” **************** Fluttershy met Applejack at her little garden gate. The orange workhorse had hitched herself to a wooden cart loaded down with apples and a variety of baked goods, most of them also apple-based. “There ya’ go, Fluttershy, just as ya’ wanted.” She unhitched herself from the wagon, “Heh. Last time ya’ ordered this much food from me, it was on account of them dern parasprite pests. What ‘cha want this lot for?” Fluttershy pawed at the ground with a hoof and didn’t meet Applejack’s gaze, “Well, it’s not really for me. Not really. It’s just that, well… They’ve been so nice, and… their food smells just awful, and I just wanted to do something… nice. To welcome them. So, um…” “What in the hay are you talkin’ about girl? Whose food smells what now?” Fluttershy looked startled and blushed, “Oh! Oh, I.. I’m really not supposed to say. It’s… sort of a secret.” A big grin spread across Applejack’s face, “Oh, I get ‘cha,” She nudged Fluttershy with a teasing elbow, “So, ah, who’s the lucky colt then, huh?” Fluttershy’s pale yellow face turned bright scarlet, “Oh, no! It’s nothing like that! Not at all!” “Some new animal friend, then?” she looked askance at her friend, “Ain’t nothin’ gonna’ cause no trouble, is it?” “Well, sort of. I mean, no? Um.” “Maybe ya’ had better show me.” **************** The bags under Captain Edgar Tartaglia’s eyes were wide and purple. He had barely slept, what with the early morning drive through the forest and especially the troubling news from the Silvertongue. He had spent hours going through every person on the Felicity Klimkosky in his mind, trying to think of anything suspicious. He knew who the saboteur couldn’t be. He didn’t want to believe it could be one of his crew, but none of them were above suspicion. He would have ordered a surprise inspection and search of the entire ship, as well as questioning of all crew and passengers, but he couldn’t possibly while away from the ship. It would have to wait until he got back. Maybe then he could have Leftenant Ling and Sargent Ramirez help in the investigations. They both had himself as an alibi, and both had a vested interest in seeing their mission completed. He hated having to wait. All it would do would give the villain time to eliminate evidence or slip away entirely. But right now, repairs to the Silvertongue came first. Without an operational K-F drive, there was no chance of ever completing their mission. No chance of ever returning home. “The rendezvous point is just ahead, sir. Top of that hill, next to that bush.” Ramirez pointed between the trees. They were six-strong now. The lanky Tartaglia, the gruff Ling, and the fiery-haired Dr. Langley were all clad in their olive green dress uniforms. The doctor had topped hers with her ever-present long, white lab coat. Ramirez and Liz Virat still wore their battledress, though they had removed their helmets and combat vests. The sixth member of their party, a short, stocky, pugnacious Private by the name of Ackermann brought up the rear. He had served as Ling’s aide during the scouting operations and driver during their foray into the woods to meet up with Ramirez and Virat, and had been uncharacteristically taciturn of late. As they walked, Ramirez and Liz tried to brief them on the society they had found. Tartaglia found the tale fantastic, and not in the least believable. The thought that these two professional soldiers were somehow pulling one over on him made his mood even more sour. **************** Twilight found that Pinkie Pie already had the picnic blanket set up before she returned to the hill. She was dismayed to see Rarity there as well, trying to coax Rainbow Dash to let her comb her mane. This was getting out of hoof. “I thought I said no parties,” she hissed. “It’s not a party, it’s a picnic, silly,” pronounced Pinkie Pie from where she was pouring a fruity purple punch into the bowl. “And the streamers and balloons on the holly bush?” Pinkie pranced past with her head held high, “Gives it a little bit of pizazz, dontcha’ think?” Twilight closed her eyes and counted silently to herself. It was bad enough Pinkie Pie had brought Rarity along. “Can we at least try to be subtle?” she asked nopony in particular. “Well, boy-howdy! Ya’ didn’t tell me there was a whole party goin’ on here!” Twilight turned to the new voice. She found herself facing a blushing Fluttershy standing next to an all-smiles Applejack hitched to a small cart full of food. “Oh, for goodness sakes,” she groaned, “Can’t anypony here keep a secret?” “So where’s this new critter friend Fluttershy’s got?” Applejack unhitched and looked around, “It ain’t another one of them parasprite things, is it?” “Oh, you haven’t heard?” Rarity added haughtily, “Rainbow and Fluttershy found a space alien.” Applejack’s face went white. She tried to speak, tried to come up with an excuse to leave, but her tongue failed her. All she could do was stammer. Rarity just smiled slyly, “Oh come now, you don’t really think they found a space alien, do you?” she laughed. “We really did find an alien! Two of them, in fact,” Rainbow protested, “They’re really cool, and… Hey? Where are Ramirez and Liz, anyway?” For an awful moment, Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. Had they gone? Had they returned to their spaceship above the moon? She hoped they hadn’t wandered into Ponyville—the one thing Princess Celestia had warned her not to let happen. “There they are!” Pinkie pointed to the edge of the woods where a small group of tall creatures was stepping into the sunlight, “Huh. Weren’t they just two before?” Twilight felt very nervous. She could guess the lead two were the two she was familiar with, but they had been joined by four more humans. She could see them more clearly as they grew closer. She could recognize Liz’s sable skin and Ramirez’s ponytail, and they were indeed in the lead. A tall, thin male with a bald head and bushy pale yellow mustache walked next to a female (judging from Liz and Ramirez’s descriptions of sexual dimorphism in their species) with a wild flame-red mane and a long, white coat and an immense male with huge arms and broad shoulders. A shorter, stouter male with a helmet and strange goggles that covered his eyes slunk behind. She felt a lump form in her throat. Two humans she thought she could probably deal with, but six? Applejack stood rooted to the ground. She barely moved; she barely breathed. She willed her muscles to move, but they stubbornly refused. She hadn’t told anypony, but after Rainbow Dash and Spike had told her about stories of alien abductions, she had nightmares about being snatched away by aliens in a spaceship. She had consoled herself that aliens weren’t real, that they couldn’t possibly be in Equestria. To see those tall, slender things walk out of the forest was like watching her nightmare come to life. She could feel the icy talons of panic clawing at her chest. How could her friends be so calm? Rainbow and Pinkie looked positively ecstatic, even. Only Twilight looked the least bit nervous. **************** “You mean to tell me you wear clothes all the time?” Rarity shook her head in disbelief. “Pretty much.” Dr. Langley was sitting on the ground, drinking punch from a small glass in one hand and nibbling from an apple fritter in the other. “My, my. One would think your fashion industry would be spectacular, what with the demand. But why do you all wear such drab colors? I’ll admit your outfit and the two, um, officers you called them? Your clothes are well-cut allowing for your, uh, unusual body shapes, I suppose. But they all look the same! And I must say, they’re not the most flattering. And don’t even get me started on those three,” she waved a hoof towards the three enlisted men in their camouflage, “The style is atrocious, and the pattern much too busy. If they were to stand next to a tree, you’d hardly even see them!” Langley chuckled, “That’s sort of the point.” Twilight was more concerned with how the doctor was holding her punch glass. She had one long finger slipped through the loop on the side and was casually and easily lifting it to her lips. For some reason, it just looked so natural, almost like the glass was specifically designed with her anatomy in mind. Even when one of the humans refilled their glass with the ladle, they did so easily by gripping the long handle—a term that was taking on new meaning to the lavender unicorn. “You should have seen Liz writing earlier,” Fluttershy whispered in her ear, noticing the look on her face, “she was pinching the pencil—at least it looked sort of like a pencil—between her fingers. She wrote by just wiggling them.” Twilight just nodded in acknowledgement. She found herself wondering how they would use a hammer. Ling had originally not wanted to believe that they had stumbled upon an extraterrestrial civilization, but had come to grips admirably quick once Twilight cast her translation spell and he found they could talk. He moved away from the group, motioning for Ramirez and Tartaglia to follow. “We’re wasting our time,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice down. “While we’re sitting here playing picnic with a bunch of pretty ponies, the Silvertongue’s still sitting up there with a busted K-F drive, the Capellans are running rampant over Valexa, and we still don’t know where we are.” “I agree,” said Tartaglia. He turned to Ramirez, “I don’t see what purpose this serves. Yes, they’re very cute and quite smart, and very talkative, I’ll give you that. But I don’t see how they can help us. Do they even have any heavy industry?” “I don’t think so. They’re more of an early-industrial agrarian society. Still, they can do quite a lot with what little technology they’ve got. And besides,” he pointed at the balloons Pinkie Pie had brought, “I think they might just have something we do need.” “But how do we get it?” Ling crossed his arms, “Bring out the BattleMech and scare them into submission? We do hold the technological advantage.” Captain Tartaglia patted the muscular man on the back, “Are you groundpounders always so violent? We could always try diplomacy. Maybe trade some supplies or offer some low technology as compensation, like an internal combustion engine or something.” Twilight politely coughed to get their attention, “Excuse me, sirs?” Tartaglia had a moment of panic they had been overheard. If they were going to attempt to bargain for what they needed, he didn’t want to give away any of his hand early. But the little unicorn made no indication she had heard a word they had said. “Excuse me,” she started, “But I do seem to have sort of a dilemma. You see, as Princess Celestia’s official ambassador to you and your people, I wish to extend our hospitality to our esteemed visitors.” Tartaglia felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Now was when he expected their hosts to impart conditions. Twilight continued, “I would normally offer my library as a suitable location to house official state visitors, but, um. You see, uh.” She had been rehearsing this little speech in her head since that morning, “Well, the ponies of Ponyville have never encountered any of your kind before, and I fear if they saw you it might cause a panic, and…” “So you want our help in sneaking us into town?” Tartaglia knew this was a ploy to contain their movements, but somehow he couldn’t fathom any maliciousness from these innocent little creatures. “I think we can manage that.” Ling turned away from Twilight and whispered harshly in Tartaglia’s ear, “Sir, with all due respect, I don’t like this.” Tartaglia whispered back, “I think we can afford to play along for now, Dieter.” His next words were directed to Twilight, “I take it you have a plan?” **************** The plan the ponies devised was unnecessarily complex. It was clear to the military-minded humans they had precious little experience planning what would be considered a covert operation. So while the athletic Rainbow Dash performed an impromptu airshow on the opposite edge of town, with the excitable Pinkie Pie acting the roll of a carnival barker, the others slipped in from the opposite side. Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy and now largely recovered Applejack each towed a wooden cart scrounged from Sweet Apple Acres or Fluttershy’s little cottage. Each cart was draped with fabric to hide the cargo within. Spike stood as tall as he could on top of the lead cart, acting as lookout. Following them, ducking from shadow to shadow, the two humans most experienced with stealth, Liz and Ackermann, tried their best to stay out of sight. The road past the Library was empty except for them. In the distance they could hear cheering. Rainbow Dash must have been putting on one heck of a show. They stashed the carts beside the enormous tree and the four remaining humans slipped out from beneath the fabric covers. They wanted to stop and gawk at the quaint little town, but with a furtive glance around them, Twilight quickly herded them in through the red door. One by one the humans ducked through the entryway followed quickly by the ponies. Twilight locked the door tightly behind her then led the way from the foyer into the library proper. “Ah, wonderful. I knew you would find a way to slip in unnoticed. And in broad daylight, too! Very admirable, indeed.” Eyes went wide and jaws dropped open. Standing in the center of the library was the very vision of grace and beauty. A pony, certainly, but very different than the humans had encountered thus far. She stood tall and slender, easily able to look any of them in the eye. She was almost blindingly white offset by the burnished and jeweled ceremonial regalia on her chest and forelegs. Broad, feathered wings were held aloft and the long, elegant horn on her forehead sparkled faintly. Her mane and tail didn’t appear to be so much hair, as light; a shimmering, sparkling pastel rainbow which flowed and billowed even though there was no wind. She almost seemed to be radiating a light all her own. Her countenance and bearing radiated a confidence and authority none of the humans had ever seen before, not even in the most powerful and seasoned leaders. Bright, piercing eyes of a soft pink perfectly accenting her billowing mane seemed to peer through them, into their very souls. This was a powerful creature indeed, in every sense of the word. “Princess Celestia!” Twilight called in disbelief. She was torn on whether to run to her beloved mentor or burst into tears. From behind the magnificent vision stepped another pony. She was smaller than the regal beauty, but still taller than the others. Her deep indigo coat was complemented by a deep purple breastplate and a lighter blue mane, from behind which jewel-green eyes looked out curiously. “And Princess Luna?” Twilight was now quite flustered, “But, why? How?” Princess Celestia smiled sweetly at her pupil, “I wrote that I would be arriving as soon as I could. And you’ll find that very few doors are closed to the Princesses of Equestria. But now,” her eyes flashed to the sextet of humans, “I believe we have other matters to attend to.”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T07:46:59+00:00

2011-07-11T07:46:59+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 10: Princess Celestia Princess Celestia stepped forward as she addressed her subjects. Her movements were deliberate and graceful, and highly calculated. “My dear little ponies,” she adopted a sweet motherly tone, “Would you mind so terribly as to wait outside? I wish to speak to our guests privately.” The ponies bowed and nodded, then turned for the door. “Please, stay, Twilight Sparkle. I wish for my ambassador to be present at this meeting. And you, too, Spike. We may have need of a scribe.” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, but she turned and trotted to the side of the Princess. Spike ran to fetch a quill and paper, just in case, then took his place beside Twilight. The humans found themselves alone on one side of the room facing the Equestrian delegation. The Princess raised her head high and spoke in a clear, strong voice, “I am Princess Celestia. Along with my sister, Princess Luna, We rule over all of the lands of Equestria and ensure peace and harmony for all Our subjects. You are interlopers in Our kingdom. Who speaks for you?” The bald-headed man with the bushy mustache stepped forward, “I am Captain Edgar Tartaglia of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. I command the Federated Suns DropShip Felicity Klimkosky attached to the Valexa March Militia. I speak for Princess-Regent Yvonne Steiner-Davion and all mankind.” His knees felt weak, but he forced himself to stand tall. He didn’t really have the authority to speak on behalf of House Davion and the government of the FedSuns he knew, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Princess Celestia raised her brow, “Yvonne Steiner-Davion? So, does Joseph Cameron no longer sit on the throne of the Terran Hegemony?” Shock flashed across Tartaglia’s face, “Joseph Cameron?” He thought hard, trying to recall the name, “But he was assassinated in 2549. That was over five hundred years ago!” Celestia hummed knowingly, “Assassinated, hmm. What a shame. And tell me, what has become of the Terran Hegemony?” Tartaglia was confused. This was all ancient history as far as they were all concerned. “The Hegemony was disbanded following the collapse of the Star League in the 2780s.” “Accompanied by much suffering and strife, I presume?” The Succession Wars had been fought for centuries. They were some of the most destructive wars in human history. Countless planets had been ravaged and numberless lives lost. In the darkest days, technology and manufacturing capacity had been so savaged, the future of mankind as a spacefaring species was seriously in doubt. Though the LosTech, the slang term for high technology lost since the glory days of the Star League, had mostly been recovered and even surpassed in recent decades, in many ways the Succession Wars were still being fought. “Yes,” Tartaglia replied simply. He took the opportunity of Celestia’s pause to ask a question of his own, “If I may ask, Your Majesty, how is it you know of our ancient history?” “Is it not obvious? Your kind has visited our land before.” Celestia peered down her nose at him, her tone turned ominous, “Although, I must say, the last time your kind did not make themselves particularly welcome.” “What?! But when? How?” the exclamation came from Corporal Liz Virat. Remembering her place, she snapped her mouth shut but kept her eyes wide. “I think Twilight Sparkle might be able to answer that.” Celestia turned to her prized student. It took a moment for Twilight to find herself, “About 550 years ago, or thereabouts, pony astronomers observed a strange light moving through the sky. It is said it coincided with the ‘Visitation of Thessalonica.’ I observed a similar light shortly before your arrival outside Ponyville.” She looked to Princess Celestia for encouragement, “I suspect, the moving light may have been an orbiting spaceship, and that it was named the Thessalonica.” Celestia nodded, pleased with her student’s deduction, “Indeed it was. It was precisely 534 years ago the Thessalonica landed near what is now Fillydelphia. I remember because it was two months past the 466th anniversary of Nightmare Moon’s banishment.” She smiled sadly at Princess Luna who bit her lip and looked away. “The occupants of that vessel were traders from the Terran Hegemony based out of Epsilon Indi. They claimed their ship suffered a ‘miss jump’ and were stranded. Now, I ask you, Captain Edgar Tartaglia of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns, what brings you here to our kingdom?” Tartaglia’s veins felt as if they were filled with ice, “We, ah. Our JumpShip suffered a misjump and our K-F drive suffered damage in the event,” he said weakly. “I see.” Celestia glared at the humans. The air seemed to crackle and each one of them was gripped with gnawing fear in the pit of their stomachs, “The humans on the Thessalonica were quite friendly at first. I allowed them to freely interact with my subjects.” Her eyes narrowed, “They proved themselves to be quite… disruptive.” Tartaglia swallowed hard. He was on the defensive and he didn’t like it. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to promise that they wouldn’t cause any problems, promise that they would be different. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. “You humans bring with you discord. You are divisive and warlike. Violence, vice, and greed follow you wherever you go. Did you know some of your predecessors attempted to steal some of my subjects? Keep them as pets? Do you know what they did then? They fought amongst themselves. Humans killed one another on my land and among my people!” Celestia’s pink eyes flashed and the air seemed to grow unbearably warm. Twilight was terrified; she had never seen Celestia like this before. She had always been the picture of compassion and understanding. To see her like this filled her with dread. “Equestria is harmony, Captain Edgar Tartaglia. Equestria is order. We are in tune with nature. We control nature. The very winds and rains obey our every whim. The sun shines and the moon rises because we will it.” She was standing nose-to-nose with the tall Captain. The whiskers under his nose quivered as his chest heaved. She continued, “Humans are agents of chaos. You come from a place where nature is not organized, where magic does not infuse the very essence of the universe. You bring this chaos with you with your grievances and your wars. You and the world you come from represent everything Equestria stands against.” All of a sudden, the fiery goddess of the sun subsided. Her fierce countenance melted to one of amiable friendship, a warm smile graced her lovely face. The fear gripping the human’s innards subsided, replaced by a warm glow of the summer sun. “Still, you’re not all bad. You are a creative, industrious, and inquisitive people. I learned much from you. You value friendship, honesty, and virtue. Your art is lovely and you’ve provided some wonderful seeds for our glorious civilization. For all the trouble your kind caused, Equestria is better for it, as I believe my sister will attest.” She paused, but Tartaglia felt it was not his turn to speak. “I do believe it would be best,” she concluded, “that you, your people, and your ship depart from Equestria as soon as feasible. To speed you on your way, I shall provide what assistance I can. So tell me, what do you require?” Tartaglia was silent for a long while. He was still digesting what he had heard. All of them were. He couldn’t argue. Human history was rife with suffering and death. Most school history books read as much as a tabulation of wars as a listing of social change, if not more. “I’m told the damage to the K-F drive is minimal,” he said at last. “There are a handful of simple metal parts we would need fabricated, mostly bolts and a covering plate. Some wires. The main thing would be helium.” “Helium?” the Princess asked, almost amused “Yes, your highness. We require a…significant volume of liquefied helium to cool the boom so we can enter hyperspace.” He waved a hand towards the white-coat clad woman behind him, “Dr. Langley has the specifications.” “Is that all?” Celestia asked, “Just some metal parts and a quantity of helium?” “Well, honestly, no. We do still have one more problem,” he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “And that would be?” “We… don’t know exactly where we are. Even with an operational K-F drive, we wouldn’t know how to get home.” “I see,” said Princess Celestia, “Well, I am afraid I cannot help you there, but I do know where you might find answers. You see, after I requested the Thessalonica leave Equestria, they settled far away on the southern continent. I do not know all that befell them, but I do know where they settled.” Now there was a lucky break. Star League and Hegemony technology was renowned for being extremely tough. If they could find a data crystal or a memory core they may find some information on where they were. And if they could find out where they were, they could work out how to get back. “And now if you’ll excuse me, I wish to speak to my ambassador. You may wait upstairs. I regret that I cannot allow you to leave the Library, but do not fret. You are in no danger and will come to no harm. If it flatters you, this temporary confinement is more for the safety of my subjects than for yours. Spike, if you could please accompany them, you can transcribe the doctor’s list of required parts.” Without a word, the six humans and the diminutive dragon moved slowly us the stairs and into Twilight’s personal quarters. The door shut behind them, propelled at distance by Celestia. **************** Microgravity always made repairs more difficult. Jean-Jacques had disassembled the entire navigation computer, had run diagnostics on each and every component, and had found nothing wrong. Captain Mawsley held on to a restraining strap on the bridge of the Silvertongue as she watched her chief technician install the final piece and reconnect the power supplies. The bridge was empty except for herself, Jean-Jacques as the helmsman strapped into his console. “Here goes nothing,” the helmsman said as they keyed in the commands. A tense half-minute passes as they awaited the results. “Looks like it’s working flawlessly,” he said, watching diagnostic lines scroll by on his holographic display. The computer finished its search of the surrounding stars. It matched known constellations to an immense database to calculate their position with pinpoint accuracy. At the helmsman’s command, it also factored in solar system data they had been collecting while the navigation computer was offline. The results printed out on the display. Mawsley’s heart sank. It was the same impossible result they had been getting. “The computer is working perfectly. The stars match exactly. Even the positions of the moon and the other planets match precisely for this exact date. There’s no question about it, Captain. That is our location.” Jean-Jacques words were not what she wanted to hear. “But it just can’t be,” she clenched her eyes shut, willing the display to change. “Look out that window. Look at that planet. There is no possible way that is Terra.” The technician remained unmoved, his good eye completely emotionless, “And yet, it is. It may not look it, but somehow that is Earth.” **************** As soon as the humans were tucked away out of sight, Princess Celestia let out a relieved sigh. She folded her majestic wings neatly at her side, their imposing psychological effect no longer needed. “Well done, Twilight Sparkle. I don’t know of any other pony that would have managed to convince six human military to not only voluntarily submit to confinement, but also sneak them into town completely undetected.” She smiled warmly at her pupil, the pride unmistakable in her soft eyes. “Maybe I should name you my permanent ambassador.” Twilight rushed forward and buried her face in her mentor’s shoulder. The Princess dropped her head and nuzzled her student, draping a long, slender foreleg across her quaking shoulders. “Oh, Princess, I’m so sorry!” Twilight sobbed. She tried to choke back the tears which were welling in her eyes, but some managed to squeeze through and moisten her face and, to her embarrassment, the Princess’s shoulder. “Why whatever for, child?” the living goddess easily adopted the tone of a caring mother comforting a small child. “I didn’t know they were so dangerous!” she buried her face deeper into the crux of Celestia’s neck. “If I had known, I would never have invited them here. I wouldn’t…I wouldn’t have spent so much time around them! I would have kept the others away!” the tears were flowing more freely now. She hated for her teacher and sovereign to see her like this, blubbering like a little filly. Princess Celestia seemed completely unperturbed by the display. She cooed and soothed her student. Her horn barely glowing, she retrieved a paper handkerchief from a box thoughtfully kept near the tragedy and romance section of the library. She dabbed Twilight’s eyes and dried her tears with infinite tenderness. “Now, I’m afraid I do have one further task for you, my faithful student,” Celestia said, her tone becoming more serious. “I wish for you to learn as much as you possibly can about these humans.” Twilight was quite taken aback, “What? But you said they were dangerous!” Celestia nodded, “Indeed I did, and they can be, especially if they feel threatened or if they have something to gain. Everything I said to them was true, and I believe they know it. But,” she looked up at her sister, “learning from them has proven most fruitful in the past.” “I think I understand,” said Twilight softly, “You’re talking about the, the…changes that occurred in art and architecture and such. That’s what I’d been studying before I saw the light in the sky.” Celestia looked genuinely surprised, “Why, Twilight Sparkle! You really are a brilliant little pony! I didn’t realize anypony in the last few centuries had ever noticed that. Yes, indeed, the arrival of the humans did precipitate some rather radical changes in pony civilization.” Twilight felt the rush of a mystery solved. She had started to suspect as much after the Princess’s last letter, but to have it confirmed made her little heart swell with pride at having figured it out. But even as she reveled in this small victory of academia, her head swam with more questions, only a small fraction of which tumbled forth into a fervent articulation. Princess Celestia gently shushed the animated little bookworm. “The ponies were created to act as the agents of order in the world,” she intoned, “and it’s a job they do very well. Among all the benefits of their purpose, ponies for the most part enjoy a happy, largely care-free existence. Within the borders of Equestria, they generally do not have to worry about such things as predators or wars. There hasn’t been a standing army in Equestria in a millennium. Most ponies alive today probably barely even know what a ‘soldier’ is. I believe your report to me on the border incident in Apple-loosa indicated the skirmish was fought largely with pies?” Twilight chuckled at the memory. It was fortunate nopony was hurt, or no bison for that matter. She was also grateful a peaceful and amiable solution had been found. “My point is,” Celestia continued, “my subjects are content. Contentment makes for happy lives, but it does not breed ingenuity. Oh there have been wonderfully visionary ponies over the years, but their talents mostly lie with art or magic. Occasionally there’s an inventor or an innovator, but they’re usually concerned with convenience. “But the human world is quite different. Their world has never seen true long-term peace and stability. They are never content, so they constantly invent and innovate. With no magic, they rely on technology to do everything from sending a letter long distances to creating beautiful art.” Twilight absorbed every word the Princess told her. She begged Celestia to continue, “So that explains why pony architecture and art styles and such would stay relatively consistent for long periods of time, but I still don’t see how the humans factor in to the sudden change?” “If there is one thing ponies do well, its mimic those they admire. When the Thessalonica landed, the ponies were enraptured with the occupants. You may have seen some of this among your friends in their interactions with this bunch of humans.” Twilight thought. Her friends did seem to be very tolerant of the humans. Well, except for Applejack, who did seem genuinely afraid. “Is it some sort of spell? Some magical connection?” she asked. “No, no spell. It’s not really anything intrinsic to the humans, either. It has more to do with pony nature. Ponies are an inquisitive lot themselves. When they find something that fascinates them, they tend to focus on it intently. This is rather esoteric magical theory, but it is related to how cutie marks work.” Twilight looked at her own flank and the pink-and-white cutie mark adorning it. Every pony gained his or her cutie mark upon finding something that could be considered their life’s calling. For some it was a something concrete, like a musical instrument or a special talent. For others it was more abstract, more of a philosophy or personality trait that sparked their cutie mark. Most ponies thought that cutie marks were pre-ordained, and that one had to find what set them apart from everypony else to discover it. But if it was related more to what fascinated them, then maybe what cutie mark appeared could be variable given upbringing. Was a particular cutie mark part of a pony’s nature from foaling, or could a particular mark be obtained via nurturing the foal in a certain environment? Twilight cut off that line of thought. She couldn’t afford any distractions right now, but she did make a mental note to pick that investigation up later. Princess Celestia continued her history lesson, “The ponies copied much of what they saw in the humans. Much of the tools we use, the styles of our architecture, even certain aspects of how we grow our food were borrowed directly from the humans.” Twilight thought of the hammer and how that awkward tool would fit perfectly in a human hand. “Even the names of many of our towns are actually puns on human words. Fillydelphia, Manehattan, even Canterlot.” Twilight asked what they were puns of. Though Celestia told her, she did confess she only knew that they were names of human cities, except for Camelot which she personally chose to mimic due to its status as the mythical seat of power of a great king. “I must say, I do believe the change has been for the better.” The soft voice belonged to Princess Luna, who had finally decided to speak. Nightmare Moon had been banished a thousand years ago, long before the arrival of the Thessalonica. Poor Luna must have suffered quite the culture shock. The little blue Princess continued, “It’s so much more exciting now! So many new things. Fans and carriages and ovens. The food tastes better and populations are so much higher!” Princess Celestia gave her little sister a loving nuzzle, “Indeed. In fact, I wanted to send these humans off post-haste. It was Luna here who argued we should try and learn more from them. Maybe carefully select certain aspects of their culture and technology to introduce to society. An introduction of controlled chaos, if you will. These humans have had an additional five hundred years. Who knows what further wonders they have developed.” She then outlined her plan to Twilight. They would hold the helium the humans requested as collateral on the condition that Twilight travel with them when they venture off to find the remains of the Thessalonica, as Celestia was certain they would. She would serve as the Official Royal Liaison and Ambassador, and would attempt to learn as much about their society as she could. Upon her safe return, the helium would be delivered to the humans, and the two peoples would go their separate ways. “There is one last question I have, Princess,” Twilight hesitated, not knowing if she should continue, “Why, if the arrival of humans in the Thessalonica was so influential, is there almost no mention of them in any book I could find?” Princess Celestia’s eyes fell. “That would be my doing,” she said apologetically, “After one of them murdered another and I requested they leave Equestria, I sort of flew off the handle. I was so angry, I had every mention of humans and their arrival expunged from all the records. It took a great deal of effort and some very powerful spells. With some judicious effort, within a couple generations, they had been almost entirely forgotten. Though it does seem I missed one reference. Stardust Sprinkle’s Systematic Guide to Stellar Spectacles was it?” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, but Celestia just smiled wryly, “I think I’ll let that one slide, though.” **************** Spike couldn’t understand all the words the humans, and especially Private Ackermann, were using, but he had a feeling they would come in very useful for annoying the hell out of Twilight later. And getting his mouth washed out with soap. He tried to ignore them and focus on what the redheaded doctor was dictating to him. Ackermann tried the door to the balcony for the umpteenth time. Once again, it was stuck tight. He cursed and cursed again. He paced the floor like a caged wildcat, stalking up to each window in turn. He tried each one again and again, always finding them closed fast, and always eliciting another expletive. “This is bullshit. They can’t keep us locked up like this. They’re a bunch of goddamned horses. They’re animals! We’re people! We should be locking them up!” “Give it a rest, Ackermann,” called an exasperated Ling from the corner where he propped himself up, trying to catch up on lost sleep. Ackermann ignored the officer, “This isn’t right. This isn’t natural. I can’t believe we just walked in and let them lock us up!” “If we’re locked up, then why did they let us keep our weapons?” Corporal Virat asked without looking up. She had tried a couple books, but found the text indecipherable. She was now curled up on Twilight’s bed casually flipping through a book of pictures. She was admiring a pretty illustration of a pastoral scene. Stylistically, it was lavish, but flat, lacking much in the way of perspective. It reminded her of a holovid she had seen once of an illumination from an ancient Terran manuscript dating from back when knights rode out from castles on mighty steeds. There were no humans in this picture, of course. A group of ponies looked to be getting ready for a party while in the midground sat a small village of tiny huts by a small river, and in the background loomed the unmistakable outline of the cantilevered fairytale castle in the mountains. She idly wondered if the village was meant to be the one they were currently in. “It’s ‘cause they’re too stupid to know any better, that’s why,” Ackermann ranted, “We should be the rightful rulers of this place. Those animals should bow to us. With what we have, we could be living like kings in a week!” “I hope you’re not referring to my Valkyrie in your assessment,” Ramirez crossed his arms as he stood against the wall. “There’s no way I’d let you use my ‘Mech to start a holy war against these people’s—yes I said people—living goddess.” “She’s not a goddess,” Ackermann said with a dismissive wave of his hand “She’s got them all duped with that whole raising the sun routine. She’s just a con-artist like all the other politicians.” Tartaglia raised an eyebrow at this declaration. “Even so, she’s the center of their government and spirituality…” Ackermann’s face went dark, “Don’t you dare talk to me about spirituality,” he hissed. “Oh, give it a rest, Ackermann!” called Liz from her spot on the bed, “Not everything is about religion. Hell, I’m Buddhist, the Leftenant’s Jewish, Ramirez is… uh…What are ya’, Sarge?” “My family’s New Avalon Catholic,” Ramirez said, not actually answering the question. “There ya’ go. And we all get along just fine without getting up in each other’s faces about whose view of the universe is the right one all the time. These ponies have their own worldview, let’s let them have it and not start some damn holy war,” she returned to the picturebook, “It’s not like we don’t have one of those on our hands already thanks to those damn robe-wearin’ Word of Blake fanatics.” She had lost family in the ComStar splinter group’s surprise attack on New Avalon—a battle that was ongoing nearly a year later, and a distant cousin in the bombardment of the Lyran capitol on Tharkad. She held a very personal grudge against the Blakists and their weird technology-idolizing spirituality. Given half a chance, she would gladly march against them and their holy war against all the Inner Sphere. The Corporal’s contribution ended, Ackerman changed tack in his rant, “And what about none of these little horsey-people knowing about humans, huh? If we’ve been here before, what happened to them? She must have killed ‘em all, otherwise they’d still be running this place.” “Shut up, Ackermann.” Tartaglia said what they were all thinking. They had grown weary of his tirade. “Though she did have one good idea. I say after we take over, we round up these little bastards and sell them as pets. Can you imagine what those rich snobs would pay for one of them on Argyle, or Kestrel, or hell even Coventry and Tharkad!” “Shut up, Ackermann.” Tartaglia intoned again. “Of course that’s assuming we get off the rock to begin with, what with us walking right into this trap and all…” “Goddamnit, Ackerman, SHUT UP!” Tartaglia leapt to his feet. “Why should I listen to you? You lead us into this mess in the first…” The Captain towered over the insubordinate Private and poked him hard in the chest with a long, bony finger. “You will listen to me because I am your commanding officer!” his face and bald head turning a bright shade of purple, “We are closer to getting off this rock and back home now than we have been at any time since we wound up here, and I’m not about to have some rocks-for-brains militiaman screw it all up! Now sit down, and SHUT. UP.” Private Ackermann looked as if we were about to say something he would regret, then closed his mouth and walked determinedly to a corner of the room. Grumbling under his breath, he slumped heavily against the wall. There was a knock and Twilight Sparkle trotted up the stairs and into the room. “Captain Tartaglia?” she said in as professional and important a voice as she could muster, “If I could have a word with you in private, I would like to discuss arrangements for our journey to the southern continent.”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T07:54:37+00:00

2011-07-11T07:54:37+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 11: The Voyage South The Everfree Forest was a dark and forbidding place to the ponies. It was said it didn’t operate under the same rules as Equestria. Whereas in Equestria, the ponies were integrated into nearly every aspect of nature, from guiding migrations and directing rainfall to changing the very seasons, the Everfree seemed to get along fine without them. Clouds formed, blew, and rained and animals foraged and hunted completely unaided. It was a scary, unnatural place filled with strange monsters and horrors beyond imagination. Only the bravest of ponies ever even thought of venturing beyond its borders. Rainbow Dash felt as if the trees of the Everfree were closing in on her. She would never admit she was scared, even just a little bit, but she edged closer to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie just the same. Fluttershy for her part cowered against Corporal Virat’s leg. She had picked next to who she saw as the toughest and strongest of their little party as the safest spot to be, and she stuck there like glue. Liz reached down and gave the little pegasus a reassuring scratch behind the ears. She didn’t understand why the ponies were acting so spooked. Nothing the ponies had told them about the Everfree had seemed in the least bit odd. What they described was just the way the world worked, the way the entire universe worked. She could understand the tales of strange monsters and terrifying creatures just waiting to gobble up unsuspecting ponies—after all, hadn’t mankind told similar stories? Didn’t they still about the unknown reaches of the Deep Periphery, far beyond the civilized realm of the Inner Sphere? They were strung out across the forest now. Liz could barely see Ramirez and Dr. Langley through the trees ahead of them. She knew that Twilight, Spike, Applejack, and Rarity would be with them. They had stopped for lunch, it seemed, probably waiting on Liz and the other three ponies bringing up the rear. She couldn’t hear the jeep carrying the other humans ahead of them anymore. No matter, they would meet up with them again at the Felicity Klimkosky. Pinkie Pie seemed to be taking the journey through the forest rather well, Liz mused. Perhaps it was because the hyperactive little pony had apparently decided to fill the journey with near-infinite small-talk. Liz was happy to oblige, if only to satisfy her own curiosity. So as they walked, they talked at length about holidays, festivals, and traditions. Pinkie Pie was enthralled that the humans had so many holidays and wondered how they managed to celebrate them all and still get their work done—even the premier party pony knew there were limits to how much celebrating could be done before food started to run low and messes needed to be cleaned up. Liz tried to explain that different religious groups and nations celebrated different sets of holidays, but trying to get across the nature of such a variegated and fragmented society as the whole of human civilization to a pony who had only ever truly known one overarching society was difficult at best. Pinkie Pie gasped and froze. Her knee was pinching. **************** The diamond dog could smell food. It sniffed at the air and licked a long tongue over its protruding canines. Its large torso and massive arms were covered in coarse brown hair over which it wore a crude iron cuirass. An iron helmet sat low on its brow, all but covering its beady eyes with their slit-like pupils. He stalked through the forest, walking silently on three paws—two back and one forward. It walked with its body erect, but its heavy forearms were so long it was effectively a quadruped. In its other forepaw it gripped the wooden shaft of a long spear tipped with a wicked iron point. Diamond dogs were tribal, living in large social groups ruled over by the strongest, or cleverest, of the pack. Packs were very territorial and often skirmished with rivals for access to prime mining grounds. Most at home underground, they dug elaborate subterranean tunnel networks in their search for gemstones, to which they applied an almost mystical importance. Gemstones were the favored food of dragons, and dragons were as living gods to the dogs. A pack that could acquire a large stash of tribute gemstones was a powerful pack indeed. There wasn’t much food underground, so frequent expeditions to the surface to hunt and gather were a necessity. It wasn’t prestigious work, though, and was often relegated to the lowest in the pack’s pecking order. Having failed to return with anything of substance on more than one occasion, this particular diamond dog was demoralized, desperate, and hungry. He had been reprimanded frequently and denied food repeatedly. One more failure would certainly result in his being expelled from the pack, or finding him included in the next dragon offering. Dragons preferred gemstones, but they weren’t particularly picky eaters. The smell of food grew stronger. Cooked food. Not much in the Everfree cooked their food. Ponies cooked some of their food, but it was rare to find ponies this far in the forest. Ponies were easy to scare, but could be tricky. He had heard stories from another pack that had kidnapped one only to release her shortly afterwards with most of their gemstone stash. But still, cooked food! The smell infested his nostrils and made his mouth water. If he could somehow get ahold of that food, the luxury would certainly improve his standing in the pack. Maybe he could scare away the owner and claim the food for himself. He could see the source of the smell now. They were ponies, all right. Three of the little things, one of them wearing a funny hat. They had lots of food, he saw. Lots of food ripe for the taking, once he scared them away. Did pony make for good eating? He didn’t know if any dogs had ever tried it. The smell was driving him ravenous. Movement behind the ponies drew his attention. Something else was there, too. Tall and thin, its green coloring helping it to blend in to its surroundings. It walked over and stood by a tree close to where he was hiding. The diamond dog almost reassessed its plan, but decided in its hunger-addled state that with those scrawny arms, that other creature couldn’t be any more of a threat than the ponies it traveled with. **************** Twilight was glad, and rather comforted, that her friends had all assented to accompany her in her journey with the humans. Spike had been a necessity, of course, as her most immediate link to Princess Celestia. She didn’t think she could have kept Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie from coming even if she wanted to, what with the chance for adventure. The others had been more squeamish, but in the end, they couldn’t say no to their friend. It also helped that Princess Celestia had subtly hinted to them that Twilight would greatly appreciate the shoulders to lean on. They had stopped for lunch by the banks of a little creek running through the undergrowth. While Applejack passed out fresh apples and some pre-made sandwiches from her saddlebags, Rarity used an evergreen branch to sweep the ground clear of dust and Spike laid out a picnic blanket with the help of Dr. Langley. While the others busied themselves with meal preparations, Ramirez availed himself of the creek, taking the opportunity to refill their canteens with water filtered through a small, handheld pump. Feeling grungy after days in the field, he had stripped of his combat vest and shirt and splashed the cool water over his bare torso. “Hey, I thought you said humans didn’t have cutie marks,” Twilight motioned towards Ramirez’s arm and shoulder. She had been interrogating him on Inner Sphere history and politics, and the sudden change in topic caught him off guard. He looked down and held out his arm for inspection. An intricate tattoo of dark bluish-black geometric shapes wrapped around and down and extended halfway down to his wrist. The central design, a sword and skull, he had gotten one drunken night at the Academy with the rest of his training cadre. He had never been very fond of it, and later had it integrated with a series of other tattoos, resulting in the geometric mess now adorning his arm. “Remember when I asked you if your cutie marks were tattoos? Well, this is a tattoo.” He briefly explained the process as he pulled on his shirt and combat vest, hiding the design. Rarity thought it was too gaudy, but asked about the symbolism just to be polite. Dr. Langley took the opportunity to try and get through to Applejack. The farm pony had never truly warmed up to the humans and had been taciturn the entire trip. “You know, my grandparents own a farm back on Valexa. Wheat and quillar, mostly, but they do have a small apple orchard.” Applejack wasn’t in the mood to talk to the aliens. She still didn’t trust them. They were nice enough, but perhaps they were too nice. She smiled weakly and politely nodded. “I spent a lot of time there as a girl,” Dr. Langley continued. She’d taken off her white jacket as too cumbersome for a trek through the woods. Despite the hardships of the field, her olive green uniform somehow stayed crisp and clean. “I don’t remember their apples even holding a candle to yours, though.” “Thank ya’ kindly,” Applejack said quietly, looking at her hooves. Dr. Langley paced to the trunk of a tree. She attempted to keep up the conversation. She figured if she could get the pony talking it would loosen her up, “So what all varieties of apple do you grow on your…” With a bloodcurdling howl, the beast burst from the undergrowth nearly on top of Dr. Langley. A massive paw scythed through the air, the claws missing by a breath. Narrow eyes flashed out from beneath the brim of its metal helmet. With a startled yell, she tumbled backwards in a heap. Applejack leapt to her feet and yelled a warning. Behind her, Twilight and Rarity shrieked in terror and surprise. She ducked as the creature thrust its long spear in her direction. She turned and kicked, but the beast dodged the attack and lunged forward howling. The work pony scampered backwards as the iron-clad monster swiped at her. She tripped on the picnic blanket and fell as it tangled around her hooves. She looked up in terror as the monster towered over her. She could see the wild hunger in its eyes. All she could think about was her family. The sharp crack of gunshots fired in rapid succession echoed off the trees and rolled away across the hills. The monster fell forwards, face down in the leaves. Ramirez stalked forward quickly, knees slightly bent. He kept the sights of a Federated Long Rifle trained on the prone figure. Applejack struggled free of the blanket and stood staring at the fallen beast with her mouth open, not comprehending. Her ears rang from the sudden loud noise. Dr. Langley scrambled to her feet and drew her sidearm, dry leaves sticking to her clothes and hair. She held her pistol out in front of her awkwardly, keeping it trained nervously on the bushes surrounding them. “Sweet mother of Kerensky, what is that thing?” adrenaline pumped through her veins. She kept changing her mind which bush to point her gun at. Ramirez kicked the body over with a heavy boot. The thing lay still, unblinking eyes staring at the clouds above. Three small, neat holes punched straight through its metal breastplate oozed deep red blood. “What happened? Is everyone alright?” Liz came running, her own rifle already at her shoulder and the other ponies in hot pursuit. She saw the slain beast and cursed, “Nice shooting, Sarge.” “A diamond dog? One of those ruffians?” Rarity turned her nose up at the creature, “Hmm, it looks different from the ones that abducted me to find gems for them. Must be from a different pack. Poor thing looks half-starved to death. But whatever did you do to the wretch, darling?” Fluttershy sobbed, struggling to hold back tears. Rainbow Dash crept forward carefully and peered at the stricken diamond dog, “Hey, is he… Is he dead?” “Dead.” Twilight repeated the word as it worked its way slowly through her brain, “Dead? DEAD?!” She tore her gaze from the diamond dog and fixed it squarely on Ramirez. Terror filled her eyes, “You…You killed it!” The fear turned to fury, “You KILLED IT!” Ramirez stepped towards her, putting up a pleading hand, “Hey, look…” “No!” she yelled, “No! Don’t you come near me,” she planted her hooves solidly on the ground, the venom in her voice froze Ramirez in his tracks, “Don’t you even talk to me, you… you MONSTER!” “Hey, that thing attacked us!” he jabbed a finger in the direction of the corpse. “You killed it! You didn’t even give it a thought, you just killed it!” Tears streamed down her cheeks, “Celestia was right, you’re violent and dangerous. You don’t think. You don’t think of anything. You just kill and you don’t think!” “Now hold on just a minute, Twi!” Applejack appeared between the unicorn and the human, facing her friend, “He’s right. That diamond dog attacked us, and I think it meant to hurt us. Shoot, if he hadn’t done what he did, I’d probably be a goner right now.” “But he killed it!” Twilight stamped her hoof. “I know he did, Twi. And I’m not sayin’ killin’s right or nothing’, but I am sayin’ he done saved my life.” She turned to give Ramirez a sideways smile, “Can’t say I agree with his methods, but I’d say I’d rather have this than it be the other way around.” **************** Liz elected to bury the diamond dog in a shallow grave while Dr. Langley and Ramirez had a long, involved talk with Twilight and Applejack. Fluttershy sat demurely, listening to the discussion while the image-conscious Rarity plucked the leaves from Dr. Langley’s hair then, unbidden, began pleating it into an elaborate updo. Wanting to feel useful, Rainbow Dash and Spike stood a comical sentry duty, watching if their slain assailant had any friends. “Have you killed before?” Twilight asked the humans. Dr. Langley shrugged, “I’ve killed chickens on my grandparents’ farm. And I’ve had patients who…died under my care. The chickens were easier.” “Why did you kill the chickens?” Fluttershy squeaked, more than a little perturbed. “We ate them.” “Oh… well… that’s alright then, I guess,” Fluttershy seemed relieved, which puzzled Twilight and Applejack. “Ya’ seem rather calm about that, sugarcube,” observed Applejack. “Well,” came the reply, “animals eat other animals all the time. Otters eat fish, owls eat mice. Really, girls, don’t you know about the food chain? Anyway, humans are omnivores, they eat plants and meat. If they were killing the chickens to eat them, then that’s just part of the food chain.” She quirked an eyebrow and gave a surprisingly sly grin, “Besides, it’s not like we’re totally innocent. We do use eggs in baking.” “What about you, Ramirez?” Twilight prompted. “Yes, I’ve killed.” Ramirez said softly, “More often than I’d have liked. It’s never easy, and it never gets easier, but in combat and they’re shooting at you…sometimes you just...” His eyes glazed over as he stared unblinking into the mid-distance. “Hitting a tank or a ‘Mech is comparatively easy, you know? You can kind of…forget that there’s someone else inside. You can tell yourself they got out alright.” He idly played with a twig, systematically breaking it into smaller and smaller pieces, “When they’re shooting at you, it’s easy enough. You tell yourself it’s you or them. Your friends are the worst, though.” “You killed your friends?” balked Fluttershy. The statement brought the MechWarrior halfway out of his trance, “I didn’t kill him myself, if that’s what you’re asking, but I got him killed all the same. I knew there was an ambush in those trees. I knew he’d never make it with that busted leg actuator, but I told him to run into that field anyway.” He’d never commanded a lance of his own before the battle on Valexa. Leading Din Geremek in the run for the mountains following the disaster in the ravine was his first taste of real command. His demeanor began to crack as he relived those moments on the banks of the Sivry River. His vision blurred with hot tears, “We should have gone over the ridge. We should have hooked to the east. Blake’s blood, he was just a kid. God, he was just a kid.” He threw the twig fragments away and buried his face in his hands. Princess Celestia had tried to explain to Twilight about armies and wars. It had all sounded so distant, so foreign to her. What sort of terrible place did these humans come from where they had to fight and kill each other? Where they had to watch their friends die? How did they bear it? She struggled to formulate the question, but Applejack beat her to it. “Is it always like that? Is it always fightin’ and killin’ where you come from?” Ramirez smiled weakly, “Not always. Most people go their entire lives without ever seeing combat or having to fight for their lives.” He straightened his back and thrust out his chest, “People like us,” he indicated himself and his fellow humans, “We’re Militia. We’re volunteers. We fight so that everyone else can live their lives in peace, so they don’t have to worry about the bigger bully coming to steal their stuff and hurt them.” “But why do you have to fight each other?” Twilight asked, “Why can’t all the humans get along peacefully? Solve their disagreements without violence?” “That’s the question now, isn’t it?” he said with a grin.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T08:06:10+00:00

2011-07-11T08:06:10+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 12: The Spaceship in the Woods The saboteur suspected their handiwork aboard the Silvertongue had been discovered as soon as Captain Tartaglia returned to the DropShip. The Captain had ordered every single person to drop what they were doing and assemble outside the ship. The infantry teams still patrolled the perimeter, but the spacer crew found themselves with nothing to do. They milled around aimlessly and asked each other if any of them knew what was going on. None could say, so their discussions slowly migrated to rumors of beasts spotted in the forest—fire-breathing dragons, lions with scorpion tails, and some sort of lizard with a bird’s head. Some tried to apply names from mythology, others insisted they must be more mundane. The bridge crew had heard rumors of talking horses and unicorns, which Private Ackermann was able to confirm, though he was disinclined to talk at length about them. Aboard the DropShip, Tartaglia sat dumbfounded on the bridge. He and Ling had been part-way through a desperate two-man search for evidence of the saboteur when an encoded message arrived from the JumpShip high above. Mawsley had kept the message short and simple: Nav computer repaired. Location confirmed as Terra. God help us all. The news had hit him like a punch to the gut. He had never been to Terra, the vast majority of the population hadn’t, but like everyone he had heard stories of its verdant plains, broad oceans, and tall mountains. The Inner Sphere was filled with spectacular worlds, but none was held quite as dearly as the cradle of humanity. But Terra was a world of billions. Vast cities dotted nearly every landmass and its skies were filled with satellites and suborbital transports. Untouched by the ravages of the Succession Wars, it was the most industrialized planet in the entirety of the Inner Sphere. Its factories churned out weapons, machines, and luxuries at a breakneck pace, fed with raw materials by Mars and mining colonies beyond. If this was Terra, where were the cities? Where were the factories and the HPG stations? Where were the bases on the moon, the cities on Mars, and the shipyards around Titan? Yet he knew it had to be true. Somehow, he had always known. But how was it possible? There had been laboratory experiments of K-F hyperspace jumps that seemed to go awry. The theory was that jumps farther than 30 light years should be possible, but none had ever been successfully accomplished. What’s more, there were rumors that ships mounted with experimental booms had disappeared from the universe entirely, only to appear at their scheduled jump points much, much later. One rumor spoke of a Star League-era experimental vessel that reappeared at the end of its super-long jump hundreds of years later. Could that have happened to them? Had they somehow undergone a super-misjump and been stuck in hyperspace for centuries, or longer? How long would they have to be gone to see the changes they did out there? Millions of years? Tens of millions? Shouldn’t there still be ruins around, especially on the moon or in orbit? He’d heard scientists talk of parallel universes. Maybe they’d somehow left their own universe and appeared over some parallel earth, one where humans didn’t exist and ponies ruled the planet? That flew in the face of everything he knew of Kearney-Fuchida physics. But none of this got them any closer to getting them home. That is, if they could go home. Leftenant Ling broke their long silence, “So, what do we do?” Tartaglia sighed deeply. He felt drained, “I don’t know.” They were silent for a moment, “Do you think we have enough personnel for a colony?” “Don’t even think like that!” Ling’s ferocity snapped Tartaglia out of his musings, “You’re an officer, goddamnit! Look at your shoulder.” Tartaglia glanced at his shoulder and the red and yellow sword-on-sunburst crest of the Federated Suns sewn on his uniform. “We’re Davion military!” Ling said pointedly, “It’s our duty to our country to do everything we can to get home. More than that,” he pointed to a patch on his own uniform of a flaming red torch on a green and yellow shield with a banner that read Duty Honor Loyalty, “We’re Valexa March Militia. We owe it to our friends, our family, our planet to get back.” “And if we can’t get back?” Tartaglia asked quietly. “I said don’t even think about that,” the muscular man stood, his blond head held high, “Now let’s go catch that bastard who tried to blow us up.” **************** If the Everfree Forest was bad in the daylight, it was even worse at night. After their run-in with the diamond dog, even the humans were on edge, insisting they stick together. One rifle armed human would always lead and one would follow, their deadly guns cradled in their arms. Dr. Langley walked in the middle, constantly scanning to their left and right even as she talked with Applejack, who had finally begun to open up to their otherworldly visitors. They did not run across any other dangerous beasts, but the occasional rustle in the bushes or distant animalistic cry kept them from stopping. They were all exhausted. Only the two earth ponies with their incredible, possibly magical, endurance showed no signs of wearying. They wanted to sleep, to find a nice place to camp for the night, but fear drove them onward. The near-full moon had reached its zenith and begun its slow decent when Liz heard the rumblings of machinery. Her spirits lifted and her pace quickened as she spied the glow of artificial lights through the trees. She whooped and broke out into a jog, calling out to the sentries she knew would be ahead. Surprised at her behavior, and not wanting to be left behind, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy took off after her while the others scrambled to catch up. As they approached the break in the trees, Liz and the three ponies were suddenly bathed in an intense white light. Fluttershy and Rarity clamped their eyes shut, turning their faces from the harsh glare, each with a surprised squeak. Applejack cowered beneath her cowboy hat, fears of alien abduction once again boiling forth. Liz shielded her eyes with an arm and shouted at the light. A voice called back, challenging them in a threatening tone. Liz responded with a yell of her own, answering the challenge, “Goddamnit, Quigley, get that spotlight out of my eyes!” The spotlight swung away, plunging them back into darkness. The voice sounded apologetic as another human stepped into view, silhouetted against the glow behind him. The remainder of their party caught up with them at a run, and all at once they left the cover of the trees. “Oh, my stars...” Rarity gasped. The other ponies were dumbstruck by the sight that greeted them. They were close enough that it was impossible to view it all at once. Twilight thought it was a cliff at first, then noticed the angular shape and that it appeared to be made of metal painted a similar green as the uniform Dr. Langley wore next to her, though it appeared more of a ghostly grey in the moonlight. She figured she should try and find the words to describe the immense object, but all that came to mind was “big.” Indeed it was big, as if a giant chariot or more accurately from the shape, an impossibly large brick, had dropped from the sky and came to rest here. If not for the darkness, surely this, this, what was this? A building? A vehicle? Whatever it was, it surely would be visible above the treetops for miles. Bright white floodlights illuminated the ground surrounding where nearly a dozen humans milled about like ants in the shadow of a giant. “Ooh, is that your spaceship?” cooed Pinkie Pie “That it is. That’s the Leopard-class military aerodyne DropShip, the Felicity Klimkosky.” Dr. Langley said with a sweep of her hand. “But it’s so…It’s so…” Twilight stammered, “Big.” “Well, it has to carry a crew of nine, plus four MechWarriors, two Aerospace pilots, six technical teams of one Tech and usually six astechs each, with food, water, and supplies for all of them. Not to mention four BattleMechs, two Aerospace fighters, spare parts and ammunition for an extended campaign for each, and enough fuel to get to and from the JumpShip,” Ramirez listed off, enjoying the look of befuddlement on the unicorn’s face. “And all that is in there now?” asked Applejack. “Well, not right now. We’re running light. No tech teams, no aerospace, and just one MechWarrior.” Ramirez answered. The ponies walked in awe towards the giant starship, ignoring the gawps and stares from the bevy of humans at its base. They couldn’t imagine how something so big would ever be able to move, much less fly. If it was made of cloud, then maybe, but metal? A mountain might as well lift from the ground and fly through the air. “Oh, wow! What is that?” Rainbow Dash swooped excitedly towards a large figure standing near an open bay door of the DropShip. It too was large, though not on the same scale as the green mass behind it. Even though it was dwarfed by the DropShip, it still stood easily as tall as a tree. It looked to Dash to resemble a giant human, with two long legs and two arms. It was made of metal, though, with large angular plates covering its entire body like a metal skin. The shins were fat and the round head sat low on the broad shoulders. A series of small fins extended from the back of the head and shoulders, looking almost like decorative feathers. It was painted head to toe in dark green covered with red stripes like an oddly-colored tiger. The arms lay ramrod straight at its sides, the left ending in a splayed metal hand, and the right in a stubby cone. The giant had no eyes, but instead a shielded visor of black reminding Rainbow almost of tinted sunglasses. Though it stood unmoving in the floodlights, Rainbow almost expected it to start moving at any second. Ramirez smiled broadly, the largest smile the ponies had seen from him yet. He strode up and patted the giant on the shin, just below the painted insignia of the Militia. It was the highest point he could reach as the titan towered more than five times his height above him. “This,” he said affectionately, “is my BattleMech. She’s a Corean Enterprises VLK-QD1 Valkyrie Light BattleMech, and she’s all mine.” He launched into a listing of the ‘Mechs qualities, knowing full well the words meant nothing to his audience but sounding like an exceedingly proud parent, “She masses 30 tons, and got an Omni 150 Extra-Light Fusion powerplant giving her a top speed of 86 kilometers per hour in combat. Thrust-Master Model L jumpjets give her a 150 meter jump, and she’s protected by six tons of StarGuard-three armor.” The ponies looked at him blankly, as did the humans for that matter, but he plowed on heedless, “She’s got a Defiance Model-twelve Extended Range laser in the right arm and a Valiant Arbalest LRM-15 Missile Pack tied to a Sync Tracker 40 Targeting Computer with Artemis-four fire-control system.” He gave the shin another loving pat. “So…it’s a… girl?” Rarity tapped her chin with a hoof. She had barely followed him up to ‘she’s all mine’, and suspected the others hadn’t fared much better, “What’s her, um. What’s her name?” Ramirez looked a little puzzled, “Well, it’s not alive, of course. It’s just kind of a long-standing tradition to call a vehicle ‘she’. I’m not really sure why.” He looked up at the giant weapon of war, “As for a name, I’ve never gotten around to it. A lot of MechWarriors will name their rides. I just never could come up with one I was happy with.” “Oh, well, if they all have names then she’s gotta have a name too!” Pinkie Pie squealed, “I know if I didn’t have a name and all the other giant robots had names I’d feel left out. Ooh! Let’s give her a name right now! How about, uh… Big Stompy! Or, no, Thunderfeet! Or how ‘bout Brown-eyed Susan, no, wait, that’s a flower. Hmm, do we want descriptive or ironic?” Ramirez’s communicator crackled to life and the voice of Leftenant Dieter Ling sounded in his ear, “Ramirez! Get the doc and get in here. And keep it quiet.” **************** “We’re running out of time. There’s just too much of the ship to cover and not enough of us to cover it.” Ling was getting disgruntled. He and Tartaglia had spent hours combing through the ship for any clue as to the identity of whoever had sabotaged the Silvertongue. They knew from the report from Captain Mawsley and her chief Tech that the saboteur had planted the bomb sometime between when Tartaglia, Ramirez, and Ling had left for the bridge and when the jump took place, and that the culprit had to have come from aboard the Felicity Klimkosky. It was late, they were tired, and they had searched precious little of the ship. Now with four of them it would go a little faster, but every moment they kept the crew outside was another moment their culprit might realize what they were up to. They didn’t know who, they didn’t know why, and they didn’t know if they would strike again. “Leftenant, might I suggest we bring on additional personnel to make the search go faster?” Dr. Langley asked, politely standing at-ease. “Who? We can’t trust anyone. The only people who are above suspicion for the crime are right here,” he motioned to the four of them standing in the central corridor from the ‘Mech bays. “With all due respect, sir, I can think of six more who are above suspicion,” Langley said with a sly smile. Ling raised an eyebrow. **************** The inside of the human’s starship was depressingly grey. Whatever wasn’t grey was covered in warning labels or yellow-and-black striped caution tape. The metal floors clacked dreadfully under their hooves and the lighting gave everything an eerie off-color pallor. The atmosphere felt stale and stagnant, but worst was the smell. Sharp and acrid, like a sweaty saddlestrap that had been dipped in a bucket of axel grease, Twilight decided. She knew Rarity would be indignant at the decorating. She was probably just waiting for an excuse to call it a crime against interior decorating or something. Leftenant Ling swung open a round-cornered doorway exposing a broad room with three sets of bunk beds with crisply folded linens and thin mattresses set against one wall and a bank of lockers on the other. He moved down the corridor and opened another door to another room identical to the first, then another. Twilight wondered about the purpose of the railways set in the wall and floor. It looked like the bunks could be swiveled to either stand upright, as they were, or to lay down perpendicular to the floor. She wondered why they would need to rotate like that. “We’ll start you off here in the Tech bunks,” Ling was saying, “Look everywhere you can think of, anywhere someone might hide something.” “Just what, exactly, are we looking for again?” Applejack asked. “Anything that looks suspicious. Anything that looks like it doesn’t belong or that someone is trying to hide it.” “Like this?” Pinkie Pie pulled a thin paper magazine out from beneath a mattress. She flung it on top of the bunk. “Huh, that’s weird.” Fluttershy peered at the open page over Pinkie’s shoulder and turned a bright crimson, “Oh! Oh dear. Um… I’d say that still works the same way.” Ling lunged forward and snatched the magazine, crumpling it up in his large hands, “Whose bunk is this? Damnit, Quigley! I’ve told him about this.” He hid the magazine behind his back, his cheeks flushed. “Anything else that looks like someone is hiding it,” he said quickly. “What about this?” Pinkie Pie had managed to open one of the storage lockers. A greyish-black suit draped across her. She held the sleeves up with her hooves. Ling’s eyes went wide. The report from the Silvertongue had indicated the saboteur may be well supplied, but a sneaksuit? “Where did you find that?” he asked slowly. **************** “I’m telling you, Sir. I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Liz Virat twisted her wrists in the handcuffs, “I’d never sabotage a ship! Hell, I didn’t even know the Silvertongue was sabotaged!” “And yet the materials were found in your storage locker. The locker you say no one but you has been in since we first boarded.” Ling tapped his fingers on the materials they had found in the locker, a block and a half of C8 plastic explosives, three detonators, and the sneaksuit. “This sneaksuit’s pretty high-dollar equipment. Who’re you working for, Virat? The Capellans?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sir. That stuff isn’t mine! I’ve never seen it before in my life!” “You will be confined until such time as we can turn you over to the authorities,” he motioned for a pair of her fellow Militia soldiers to lead her off to the bunkroom they had turned into a makeshift cell.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T08:15:59+00:00

2011-07-11T08:15:59+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 13: Above the Sky It had already been late when they arrived at the DropShip. The ponies were exhausted long before they had been roped into the search for the saboteur, so when the search was over so shortly, they were quite relieved. The humans had put them up for the night in one of the Technician bunkrooms, identical to the one the infantry team occupied where Pinkie Pie had found the sneaksuit. Even though the sky would almost certainly be turning pink outside with the approaching dawn, the excitement of the day made it very hard to sleep. But sleep they eventually did, and soundly. “Oh. My. Gosh. Can you believe we’re on a real live actual spaceship?” Rainbow Dash squealed for the twelfth time in almost as many minutes. Pinkie Pie squealed in response and the two launched into another series of excited exchanges. Twilight groaned and blinked through blurry eyes. The clock on the wall indicated that several hours had passed, but she still had no idea how early it was. Or late. All she knew is she wasn’t fully awake yet. Neither was Spike, curled up next to her on the narrow mattress. She also knew Spike was a covers-hog. She tried to stretch without disturbing the slumbering dragon beside her. “Ugh. What I wouldn’t give for a proper mattress. I barely slept a wink!” complained Rarity. “Heh heh. Your snoring would say otherwise” Rainbow cracked back. “I do NOT snore!” Rarity thrust an indignant nose in the air, “Oh, but I do wish I had my night mask. My eyes must be positively puffy.” Twilight couldn’t see Rarity from her bunk, but was sure the fastidious unicorn’s eyes looked no puffier than usual. “Will y’all keep it down?” Applejack’s voice floated down from the bunk above her, “I think Twi and Fluttershy are still trying to sleep.” “I’m awake,” Fluttershy’s small voice came from the other end of the room, as far from the door as possible. Twilight sighed heavily, “I’m up, too.” Her horn sparked and the manual control for the lights slid up. Banks of recessed lighting glowed to life, exposing the bunkroom in all its dingy glory. “Yay! Now we’re all awake! Do you think they’ll serve breakfast? Ooh, do you think we could have waffles?” Pinkie Pie nearly fell out of her top-tier bunk. The ponies began to fuss about in their morning rituals. Rainbow Dash zipped off to the small toilet facility, or as Ling and Ramirez had called it, the ‘head’ for reasons Twilight found totally unsatisfactory at the back of the bunkroom. Applejack retrieved her bags from a storage locker and began digging through for some breakfast. Rarity felt she needed to explain to Pinkie Pie that they were not staying in what could be considered classy accommodations, and did so to great length until interrupted by Rainbow. “Hey, Rarity? Could you lend me a hoof here? I wanted to take a shower and I’m having trouble with these knobs,” the brash pegasus asked sheepishly. Rarity faked surprise, “My, my! Rainbow Dash wishing to bathe? What is this world coming to?” “Oh, ha-ha. Will you help me or not” “Fine, fine,” Rarity didn’t even rise from her bed. Her horn sparked and the sound of running water wafted in from the ‘head.’ “Thanks, I—AAH! AAH! COLD! TOO COLD!” Rarity gave an evil smile and her horn glowed again. She giggled to herself as Rainbow called out “Not funny!” Applejack tossed apples to them all from her saddlebags to serve as breakfast. As they ate, their conversation naturally revolved around their current situation. They asked Twilight to explain again the purpose of their journey to the southern continent, which she tried to explain as best as she could. They wondered then how the journey would take place, if someone would come and fetch them from their bunkroom, and of course, they discussed the news of a saboteur. “I just can’t believe Liz would do something so awful!” Fluttershy had taken a liking to the Corporal, “She seems like such a nice person, even if she does use a lot of words she really shouldn’t.” “I feel bad that I got her in trouble by finding those funny pajamas,” chirped Pinkie. Applejack interjected, “Ya’ can’t blame yourself for that, Pinkie Pie. You did what you was asked to do.” She looked a little sad, “Though I must say, it don’t look god for Liz, do it?” “My bits are on that Ackermann guy,” Rainbow shook water from her mane, “He’s such a grouch, and Twilight said she heard him yelling all sorts of stuff back in the library.” “He’s a grouchy meany-pants!” Pinkie punctuated her remark by rapping her hoof on the bedframe. “Bein’ a sourpuss don’t make ya’ a villain, though.” Applejack said calmly, “If we want to help Liz, we’re gonna have to find more evidence that she did not plant that bomb. Maybe we can get back in that bunkroom if we ask the Leftenant.” “What do you think they’ll do to her?” asked Fluttershy softly, afraid of the answer. The sudden buzz of a klaxon and a flashing amber yellow light precluded any further discussion. The ponies looked up in surprise and even the still-slumbering Spike shot awake. A voice they did not recognize echoed throughout the room and the corridors, seeming to come from everywhere at once. “ALL HANDS MAKE FINAL LAUNCH PREPARATIONS. ALL HANDS MAKE FINAL LAUNCH PREPARATIONS.” The klaxon wailed again and the message repeated, then the ponies were plunged into silence. “What in the hey was that racket all about?” Applejack asked, trying to get the ringing out of her ears. “Lunch preparations? Is it lunchtime already?” Pinkie Pie looked confused. “Not lunch preparations, Pinkie, launch preparations,” Twilight corrected. “I think that means they’re getting ready to take-off.” “Oh Awesome!” Rainbow Dash was giddy with anticipation. There was a knock and the door and Ramirez and Ling entered, politely asking if the ladies were in a state to receive visitors. “Well, ladies, we’re all loaded up and getting ready to take-off. If you don’t mind, we’d like to reset your cabin for the burn.” Ramirez said matter-of-factly. As the ponies and Spike stood aside, Ramirez and Ling released a series of catches on the bunks. They then pulled the frames out from the wall. One by one they laid each bunkframe down on the floor and reactivated the catches. They then pulled out a tangle of long straps that had been tucked under each mattress. “Why are you laying them on the ground?” Rainbow asked. Ramirez answered her while he worked, “Couple reasons. When we’re flying to or from a JumpShip, the nose of the ship becomes ‘up’ and the engines become ‘down,’ so this wall becomes the ceiling and that wall becomes the floor. The furniture all rotates on these tracks so we don’t have to sleep and sit sideways during a long trip.” “That makes sense,” said Pinkie Pie. Twilight had to agree, but the others just looked quizzical. Ramirez continued, “But as for why we’re doing this now, our jumpseats aren’t really built for pony anatomy. So instead, you’ll ride out the launch strapped to your bunks. It’ll be a little awkward at first, but once the g-forces build up, it’ll be fine. Now I’ll explain what’s going to happen during the launch.” **************** They felt more than heard the rumbling emanating from far away at the rear of the ship. The ponies were each secured tightly to their bunks, hanging awkwardly against the straps. The klaxon sounded again, the voice counting down to the launch now just moments away. Excitement ran high, tinged with nerves and adrenaline. Rarity breathed hard, trying not to show signs of unladylike panic. Rainbow Dash grinned, counting along with the booming voice. Ling had already left to ride out the flight with his infantry squad leaving Ramirez alone with the ponies. “That’s final call. I’d better get strapped in.” he said. “Wait! What about Spike?” Twilight called frantically. The little dragon still stood by the bedframes, a little miffed he’d been forgotten. Ramirez walked to the aft wall and pulled on a handhold. A panel folded down then hinged in the middle forming a narrow, padded jumpseat built into the wall, “Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about Spike. Come here, buddy.” He locked the seat into place then sat down, adjusting the straps over his shoulders. Spike trundled over, not quite sure what to expect until Ramirez plucked him up and sat the purple dragon down on his lap. The MechWarrior passed the lap belt around himself and Spike and tightened the shoulder straps so they passed over the dragon’s slender shoulders as well. The rumble built to a roar as the Felicity Klimkosky’s massive engines flared to their full power. In the bunkroom, everything shook with a horrible violence. Rainbow Dash felt as though her teeth were about to jump out of her skull. This was so exciting. They were actually aboard a spaceship and it was actually taking off! At first there was no sense of motion, just a slight pressure pushing her belly into the mattress. The rumbling continued for what seemed like forever, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. She felt herself getting pushed harder and harder into the mattress and her body growing heavier and heavier, like when she was flying fast and pulling out of a dive. She tried to look around to see how her friends were handling the ride, but found that her head had grown too heavy to lift. All of a sudden, the rumbling changed its sound, growing less intense. Her body was thrown forward and the straps cut into her back. Ramirez yelled out something, presumably an explanation of what was happening, but it was lost as the roar of the engines started afresh and she was once again shoved into the mattress. Eventually, the roar died away, becoming first a growl, then the distant rumble of thunder before disappearing entirely. The pressure forcing her into the mattress died away, too. In fact, it died away completely. She felt funny, like her heart and stomach were trying to come up through her throat. She recognized that sensation, she felt it when diving steeply towards the ground. The klaxon fired one short burst, at which point Ramirez unbuckled the harness holding him and Spike to the jumpseat. He gave Spike a little shove, sending the dragon tumbling slowly through the air. Spike squealed in surprise as he found himself suspended in midair. “Aah! Aah! What’s going on? Twilight! Help!” He twisted and turned and flailed his arms, grabbing for purchase that was nowhere to be found. Ramirez moved quickly, releasing the straps restraining the ponies. “Whee!” Pinkie Pie launched into a tumbling cartwheel, ricocheting off the wall. “Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy frantically kicked her legs in the air as she floated off the bunk. Twilight wrapped her forelimbs around the bunkframe. Her horn sparked and Spike floated easily towards her surrounded in a sparkling glow. He grasped the frame with his arms, holding on as if for dear life “We’re weightless, Spike! I think we might be in orbit!” she said excitedly. She carefully let go. “You mean we’re in space? Yes! Awesome!” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings, but with no force counteracting the movement, she found herself tumbling back-first. “Woa-WOAH!” she crashed into Applejack sending them both head-over-heels across the room. The pegasus apologized profusely, but Applejack just laughed. They floated in a tangle, narrowly missing Pinkie Pie who was now pretending to be swimming. “This is fun!” the pink pony giggled. “Are you OK, Rarity? You look a little green.” “Oh, I feel sick,” the elegant unicorn groaned, clamping her eyes shut. Ramirez pushed off and floated over to Rarity. He offered her a waxed paper bag from a small stash in a pocket of his fatigues, “Yeah, motion sickness is really common in micrograv conditions. It always happens to me, too. Here, if you feel you need to vomit, use this.” Rarity wanted to take the bag, but she dare not let go and she feared that even the small amount of concentration necessary to use her magic to take it would send her over the edge. It didn’t help when Ramirez suddenly grabbed a second bag and held it quickly to his mouth and retched grotesquely. In the end, she just smiled weakly, “Thank you, darling. I’ll… take it when I need it.” Applejack managed to extract herself from Rainbow’s tangle of limbs, “Sure is fun, but how is this even possible? What’s ‘micrograv’?” “Micro-gravity. It means very little gravity. Here, like this,” Twilight retrieved an apple from the storage locker and tried to explain orbital mechanics, using the apple to represent the planet and an appleseed as the satellite, “See, normally things fall straight down, but the world is round like a ball. If you move sideways fast enough, you end up falling around the planet instead of towards the planet.” “We’re falling?” Fluttershy was not entirely comfortable with the proposition. Twilight tried to calm her nervous friend, but her explanation tended more on the technical than what Fluttershy truly needed right then. The announcement system chirped and the voice of Captain Tartaglia boomed through the ship, “Sargent Ramirez to the bridge, please. Ramirez to the bridge. And please bring our passengers.” **************** It took them several minutes to convince Rarity to let go of the bedframe, and several more to get everyone through the corridor. Spike adapted quickly to maneuvering through the ship not by floating but by grasping the copious railings and handholds and pulling himself along. He was pleased with himself that the humans he saw, including Ramirez, were navigating the same way. Lacking hands, Twilight and Applejack hooked their hooves around the handrails and tried pulling themselves along like that. Rainbow Dash continued to insist on using her wings, to mixed success, while Fluttershy took a page from Pinkie Pie and pushed off of the walls. The slow float pleased her, and she found she could control her movements by turning her body and twitching her wings. Rarity just curled herself into a pitiful little ball and let Ramirez push her along. Tartaglia was alone with the pilot on the Felicity Klimkosky’s small bridge when the ponies came tumbling through the door. He was pleased to see they were enjoying themselves, with the possible exception of Rarity who looked like she was about to throw-up. The pilot looked up from his display in surprise when an excited Pinkie Pie suddenly thrust her head into his field of vision. “Hi! What’s your name? My name’s Pinkie Pie. Why are you still strapped down in that seat? Don’t you want to float around? It’s so fun to float around. I wonder if this is what it’s like to be a pegasus pony?” she shot off through the air, “Hey, Dashie? Is this what it’s like to be a pegasus?” The pilot looked to Tartaglia with a very critical look on his face, “No offence, sir, your ship and all, but why are there a bunch of animals on my flight deck?” “Animals!” Rarity shot forward with newfound energy, “Well, I never! I’ll have you know, you uncouth…” she floated right up into the man’s face prepared to give him a severe dressing-down, but found him staring back uncomprehending, “Uh…You can’t understand what I’m saying, can you?” Twilight answered from the back of the room where she was peering curiously at the blinking computers “I haven’t cast a translation spell on him. The spell works by translating what you hear in your head, not by actually changing what people say.” “Oh, really?” Rarity prepared a tirade even more scathing that she would have otherwise, but was preempted by Captain Tartaglia. “If you’re quite finished harassing my crew, I have a special treat for you girls,” he waved for them to join him by the thick armored windows. Spike humpfed, “Tsch. Typical.” “And you, you crazy lizard. Get your tail up here,” Tartaglia grinned. Spike feigned offense and followed the ponies up to where the Captain was indicating. When they had first entered the bridge, Twilight had not noticed the line of windows. From the back of the room they just appeared to be black panels on the wall above the computers and crew stations. She did not know what to expect when she joined her friends next to Tartaglia. As she drew near, she saw that the black panels were actually windows, and what was beyond the windows took her breath away. In fact, all of the ponies were struck speechless by the magnificent spectacle before their eyes. Stars filled the sky, more stars than she could imagine. She looked for familiar constellations, but the numberless swarm of new lights overwhelmed her. Most of them were faint, barely registering in her eyes, but they were there all the same. She suddenly felt very, very small but at the same time peaceful. Stargazing always made her feel part of something bigger, but this was on a different scale entirely. It was dark below them, though. No stars shined in the bottom quarter of her view as if someone had pulled a velvet blanket across the sky. Separating the two regions was a long impossibly thin curve of silvery white, fading out to either end. She let out a little involuntary sigh as she realized she was looking at the horizon, and the vast black expanse below was the world draped in the veil of night. “You girls made it just in time,” Tartaglia whispered behind them, “We should be coming up on sunrise right… about… now.” His timing was a little off, but not by much. The glow grew brighter and bluer in color, extending out to reveal more of the curve. With each passing moment the thin crescent grew in intensity. All at once, the sun burst forth from the horizon. It was brilliant white and its light washed out the surrounding stars, even though the sky stayed an inky black. As the fiercely burning orb rapidly rose higher, the light crept out towards them, revealing the face of the world below as the light inexorably pushed back the darkness as if peeling away the skin of a fruit. Broad wisps of clouds reflected bright yellow in the morning light above steel-grey seas. Awed by the sight, the ponies let out a collective gasp. “Ooh, I wish my cutie mark was poetry related,” Fluttershy barely even whispered. Twilight nodded in silent agreement, unable to formulate words of her own. The curve of the horizon was now sheathed in a pale blue glow. She could see brown and green land now beneath them, barely distinguishable from the now deep blue water. The clouds were racing past beneath them in a dazzling array of shapes and patterns and sizes. She knew they had to be very high up. She knew they had to be moving very, very, fast. “Why isn’t the sky blue?” asked Applejack, “The sun’s up, but it’s still dark up there.” “We’re above the sky, AJ. We’re in space!” answered Rainbow Dash in reverent tones, “Hey, just how high off the ground are we?” She spoke without taking her eyes from the world rolling past below. “About 170 kilometers up, give or take. We’re orbiting once about every 90 minutes. We should be passing over the suspected Thessalonica site in two orbits—we didn’t have good scans of that area, and we’ll need them to plot a landing point. Once we pick an LZ, we’ll de-orbit and go take a look.” He paused, “So you girls will have some time to play around. These are the only windows on the ship, so you’re free to make use of the bridge and the conference room below. Just try to stay out of the way of my crew,” he indicated the pilot intently watching his display. They didn’t leave the bridge. The lure of the windows and the wonders beyond was much too strong to even consider leaving the room. Even as they played, every now and then, they would stop and stare out the windows. Mostly, their gaze would fall on the world below. More than once, a game of three-dimensional tag or a floating race across the room or a demonstration of zero-g dancing would be put on hiatus as the desolate beauty stole their attention once again. “Hey, Twilight? How big is the world?” Rainbow Dash asked suddenly, after watching a coastline swing past beneath them. Twilight thought, trying to recall the figure, “You mean diameter or circumference?” “Like, how far is it around?” “Uh. A bit less than 25 thousand miles, depending on how you measure. Why?” she asked, though she thought she already knew where Dash’s mind was headed. “So if we’re travelling almost 25 thousand miles every hour and a half, that’s what? About 17 thousand miles an hour?” “Well, not quite, our altitude adds some distance and…” “Ballpark.” Rainbow interrupted. “Then yes. That’s about right.” “You know what that means?” Rainbow asked with a grin, “We’re the fastest ponies EVER!” Twilight humored her friend, “And the highest-flying. And probably the first to circle the entire globe.” Applejack joined the conversation, “Though does it really count, considerin’ we ain’t exactly doin’ it unassisted?” Rainbow Dash rubber her chin “Hmm. You’re right. I wonder if they have a spacesuit I could use.” Tartaglia interrupted their discussion, “I’m sorry, girls, but we’ve selected an LZ and are ready to begin the de-orbit burn. Sargent Ramirez will take you back to your bunkroom.” The girls and Spike let out a collective groan. “Do we really have to go back? Isn’t there some way we could stay here?” Rainbow pleaded. “We’ll be really quiet. We won’t make a peep!” added Fluttershy. Tartaglia hesitated, “Uh, you really should be strapped in. It can get a bit bumpy.” “What about the jumpseats? Can’t we at least try to see if they’d fit us?” asked Twilight. With a little fussing, the ponies were finagled into a row of seats lining the back of the small bridge. They sat on their haunches, their lower legs dangling off the edge of the seat and their backs held against the backrest by the harness. They wrapped their forelimbs around the shoulder straps. It was not exactly comfortable, but they accepted it without complaining. Spike sat in the lap of a rather bemused weapons officer who had joined them along with the rest of the normal bridge crew. He tried to ask which buttons fired the laser cannons he was sure the ship must have, but all the human heard was a series of growls and squeaks. Twilight tried to listen to the crew as they went about their various jobs. She could tell everything was very organized. Everyone had a specific job, and everything was carefully orchestrated. She was able to catch a few words, but on the whole she could barely follow what was going on. She did, however, feel the sudden thud of the thrusters realigning the vessel’s attitude, though she didn’t understand what it was. She also felt the rumble of the engines when they fired to slow the ship down and begin reentry. For several minutes, the blackness outside the windows was replaced by a bright orange glow. Afraid that something was wrong, she yelled out to the Captain. “Don’t worry, that’s normal. That’s super-heated plasma from the friction of us moving so fast through the atmosphere,” he replied. “Oh! Like a meteorite?” “Yeah, only we don’t burn up,” he gave her a sideways smile. She could feel her limbs and head growing progressively heavier as they slowed down. The glow outside the windows eventually gave way to a clear blue sky. The ride did indeed grow quite bumpy, and the deeper they plunged into the atmosphere, the bumpier it got. When they touched down, it was with a heavy thud that nearly knocked her teeth out. So violent was the shaking as they skidded to a stop, that she was quite grateful when it finally stopped, their velocity spent. Relieved, she let out a heavy sigh. “Let’s do that AGAIN!” yelled Pinkie Pie. Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy were less than thrilled with that prospect. The pilot spoke to Tartaglia, “The suspect site is about fifteen klicks out bearing two-one-niner. The near-IR scan looks pretty interesting. I think you’ll like this.”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T08:36:16+00:00

2011-07-11T08:36:16+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 14: The Thessalonica Site The Felicity Klimkosky had landed on a broad, low mesa indistinguishable among a dozen just like it scattered across a dry savanna. Scraggly, thorny trees dotted the dry, yellow grass extending off to the horizon, all the way to a line of volcanic mountains barely visible on the horizon. A broad river cloaked in a ribbon of green snaked through the grassy plains, passing near the base of the LZ. Dark storm clouds built on the distant horizon, which Rainbow Dash eyed nervously. The ponies watched as a half-dozen of the DropShip crew, with the aid of the five Militia infantry, unpacked several small vehicles from palates lowered from the ship’s cargo bay. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were most interested in the bulky robotic exoskeleton worn by one of the crewmen and Ramirez’s Valkyrie which performed the necessary heavy lifting. The jeeps and all-terrain vehicles would be used to transport the expedition, consisting of the infantry squad, Tartaglia, Dr. Langley, and Ramirez, as well as the Equestrians, to what they were calling the Thessalonica site, the unseen area down the river and around the next mesa. Meanwhile, a second fleet of vehicles would be used by the DropShip crew to retrieve fresh water from the river to refill the ship’s reserves. Only part of this water would actually be used for the crew. Most would be broken down into its constituent hydrogen for use as fuel for the fusion torch engines and oxygen for the life-support systems. Or as the pilot had put it, “H for burnin’ and O for breathin’.” Meanwhile, Spike and Pinkie Pie were more enthralled by the workers themselves. As they went about their duties, one of them had started singing. It had started as little more than a hum, and Spike had missed the first couple lines, but in short order someone else had picked up the melody. From there it spread like wildfire until the entire dozen workers, and even Dieter Ling overseeing the operation, were singing the increasingly bawdy and violent lyrics. When they got to the refrain, they didn’t so much sing as all shouted at the top of their lungs, It seems that old man Liao’s come a-lookin’ for a fight! We’ll send the bastards straight to hell! We’ll Show ‘em the Militia’s might! As his crew sang, Edgar Tartaglia disappeared around the angular nose of the Leopard DropShip. He stood hidden from the others; he didn’t want to participate in the song. His eyes scanned the arid grasslands, but his mind was elsewhere. “You seem worried, Captain,” Tartaglia looked down to see Twilight Sparkle’s big violet eyes peering up at him. “You could say that,” he looked around to make sure they were quite out of earshot, “Can you keep a secret?” He felt he needed to tell someone of his concerns. He still felt a little weird treating these diminutive creatures as more than clever animals, but he couldn’t talk to any of his crew. Besides, this little unicorn had shown herself to have a sharp mind, and she did have the ear of the local government. If he could tell anyone, he could tell her. “Of course,” she smiled, “Strictest confidence.” “Good. If any of this gets out, it could be devastating to morale,” Tartaglia took a deep breath. He knew as an officer he shouldn’t be voicing these concerns, but then as ranking officer, it was ultimately his call, “I’ve been in touch with our JumpShip, the Silvertongue. I’ve received some…troubling news.” “Repairs going to be more difficult than you thought?” Twilight cocked her head. “No, nothing that simple. They’ve finally gotten the navigation computer working properly and gotten a fix on our location.” “But, that’s great!” her brief smile faded when she saw the grim look on his face, “Isn’t it?” “It’s Terra,” his voice tinged with despair. Twilight hadn’t quite followed his train of thought, but she was determined to try and help any way she could, “What about Terra? Did the, uh, Word of Blake do something bad, or uh, worse?” Tartaglia shook his head, “No,” he swept a hand across the landscape, “This. This is Terra. We’re on Terra.” “The human homeworld? But, I don’t understand. How can that be?” “I don’t understand it either. But everything fits. The constellations, the other planets, even the moon. It’s like our world and every trace of humanity in the solar system just disappeared and was replaced by yours.” “That’s… Wow.” “Yeah. Wow. Now you see why I don’t want this news getting out. Finding out they might never get home, that they might not even have a home to get back to? It would be…” “Awful,” Twilight stared off at nothing in particular. She couldn’t imagine being torn away from her home, her family, and her friends, and then being told she could never see them again. She shuddered. The song ended as the unloading was completed. The vehicles were loaded and the BattleMech powered down. Reemerging from their hiding spot around the front of the vessel, Tartaglia and Twilight Sparkle rejoined the rest of their expedition. “Almost ready to go, sir,” Leftenant Ling gave a jaunty salute, “My team is loading the last of the supplies now.” Applejack kicked a rock with her hoof, “This ground sure is funny. It’s almost like somepony paved it over at one point.” Dr. Langley bent over and examined one of the greyish rocks. She hefted a chunk in her hand, “What the hell? Sir, this is ferrocrete.” She tossed the rock to Tartaglia. He peered at it closely. It was unmistakably that reinforced concrete mixture used so frequently in large-scale construction throughout the Inner Sphere. For the first time, he truly looked at the plateau they had set down on. Chunks of ferrocrete lay everywhere. Applejack was right, this area had been paved over at one point, but now the pavement lay cracked and crumbled. Plants, mostly hardy grasses, had invaded the cracks and hid what he now saw to be ferrocrete extending for several kilometers along the plateau in a long, narrow strip. “What in the hell?” Tartaglia repeated. **************** The ferrocrete extended farther than just the ancient runway. They quickly discovered a narrow road winding down from the top of the plateau and around in the direction they needed to go. The pavement of the road was broken and buckled. More than once they ran across patches where it simply didn’t exist anymore, washed away by the shifting river, buried by falling talus, or just simply gone. Even where the road hadn’t been completely destroyed it was often little more than a strip of broken cobbles. “So, what do y’all think we’re gonna find?” Applejack was riding in the back seat of the middle jeep wedged in between Dr. Langley and Rarity. Rarity let out a little squeal as the jeep bounced heavily through a small ravine. Applejack thought her friend looked ridiculous with here delicate silk scarf around her neck and over her head and her large sunglasses, but knew enough to keep her mouth shut lest she unleash the floodgates of fashion advice. “I don’t know,” the doctor replied, “I was thinking we’d be lucky just to find traces of an old landing site, or if we’re lucky the Thessalonica itself. But this road has me confused.” “All this dust is going to play havoc with my mane. Haven’t they been getting enough rainfall here? And these plants are growing so chaotic. And what is that salty smell?” Rarity’s comments may have sounded like complaints, but Applejack had learned to recognize her elegant friend’s manner of expressing nervous worry. “I reckon we’re pretty far from Equestria, but it is awfully dry. Hey, Doc? Can we use your communicator-thingy and ask Twilight?” Langley pulled out the headset for her military communicator and slipped it over Applejack’s ears, “You remember how to do it?” The orange pony nodded and called out the appropriate protocols. “Twilight here. Go ahead AJ.” “Hey, Twi? We’ve been wonderin’ why it looks so… wild… here. Over.” “We’re really far from Equestria now. We’re probably the only ponies for thousands of miles. You could say we’re really, really deep in the Everfree. Oh, um. Over.” “And what’s with that odd smell? Over.” “That salty smell? That’s the ocean, I think. We’re really close to the shoreline. Oh, yeah, over.” “Will someone get those critters off the horn?” they didn’t recognize the voice, it must have been one of the four from the infantry team who had not received Twilight’s translation spell. “Thanks, Twi. Over n’ out.” Applejack said quickly and shook the headset off. In the lead jeep, Twilight flushed pink. Tartaglia turned around from the front seat to look at her, “Don’t worry about it. You were using it on my authority.” Ling in the driver’s seat tugged on the Captain’s sleeve to draw his attention to something in front of them. The Leftenant brought the jeep to a stop as they rounded the base of the mesa and their destination came fully into view. The land came to an abrupt end along a sandy shore, replaced by the deep blue blanket of the sea. An ancient lava flow extended to form a breakwater for what had once been a lagoon, but had long since been mostly filled in with silt and sand. On what had been the shore of this natural harbor sat the broken and crumbling wharfs and quays of what had been a small fishing port, now stranded high and dry. Landward to these docks sat the ruins of an old military installation with large earthen ramparts and surrounding this was what could only be described as a small city. The centuries had not been kind to the settlement. Most of the outlying buildings were little more than the ghosts of old walls and most were partially covered in sediment and plant growth. One edge of the old town had been completely wiped out, swept away by a previous meander of the large river. The once gigantic ramparts able to hide BattleMechs had been worn down to mere grass-covered berms, though still impressively tall by human standards. “Blake’s blood,” Tartaglia muttered, “How did this get here?” **************** They slowly made their way through the grass-choked streets of the ruined city. They peeked into what had once been old warehouses and tenements. The centuries had stolen away most of the clues as to the inhabitants, but occasionally they would spy an odd broken piece of computer hardware or some rusted industrial machinery. “So, you think this was a human settlement?” Rarity asked, peering over her stylish sunglasses. “No doubt about it,” Dr. Langley waved her hand towards some of the more intact buildings, “I was a bit of a history buff as a teen. This is characteristically 26th-century architecture, late Age of War or earliest Star League.” “And the people from the Thessalonica built all this?” Rarity asked with awe. Dr. Langley shook her head, “No way in hell. Princess Celestia said the Thessalonica claimed to be a merchant ship. Most of those are set up to carry a lot of cargo with a minimum crew. Figure maybe a dozen or two, plus another dozen or so for the JumpShip. Even if the JumpShip carried other DropShips you’d be looking at maybe a few hundred people at most. This town is big enough for several thousand.” She pointed ahead to the military base towards which they were moving, “And there’s no way one merchant DropShip brought along with it all the equipment and materials to build all this plus a full-on military installation and the soldiers to run it. No. This wasn’t a bunch of marooned refugees, this was a concerted effort.” **************** They figured the best place to look for clues as to the nature of this abandoned city was the military installation. Within the ramparts of the old fort the buildings were in much better repair. Even after centuries of neglect, the highly reinforced ferrocrete construction designed to withstand heavy weapons fire had held together. The weathered grey central headquarters sat with its thick blast doors still sealed shut. Even the massive doors to the attached ‘Mech hangar stood intact. Only the outlying buildings—the barracks and mess, mostly—had been worn away. “If there’s one thing the Hegemony and the Star League knew how to do, it was build things to last,” mused Ling as he stood admiring the thick structure. “Are there a lot of these sorts of buildings where you come from?” asked Rarity, “I must say, the style does leave something to be desired.” “It may not look pretty, but that heavy construction is how this old building has managed to last so long. But to answer your question, yes. Star League buildings are incredibly tough. Nearly every major city in the Inner Sphere, hell, almost every planet, has a good number of League-era buildings still in use.” “And not just buildings,” chimed in Ramirez, “but their hardware was tough-as-nails, too. There are still computers, factories, space stations, JumpShips, hell even BattleMechs that are still in frequent use centuries after they were built.” “What about your Valkyrie?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Nah, my ‘Mech’s new. Only about a year old. But the Chameleon I trained in at Academy was built shortly before the Amaris Coupe and the fall of the Star League. Which really says something about its toughness, considering all the abuse we put it through.” “But what that means for us,” continued Ling, “is that if we could just get in there, there’s a good chance we might find some working LosTech.” “What’s ‘loss tech’?” asked Dash, confused at the colloquialism. “The Succession Wars devastated industrial capacity across the Inner Sphere. LosTech refers to technologies that they had in the Star League that we can’t build anymore. It can be quite valuable.” “Get those c-bill signs out of your eyes, Ling,” Captain Tartaglia jested as he joined them, returning from his survey of the headquarters complex, “This isn’t a LosTech treasure hunt. We need a way in, and this place is locked up tighter than a Castle Brian.” “We have that block and a half of C8.” Ling suggested. “Wouldn’t make a dent, and we need it for evidence.” “I could try to open a door with my magic, but I’d have to know how the locks work,” offered Twilight. “The doors aren’t so much locked as corroded shut,” he found the unicorn’s constant attempts to help endearing. “I could probably do it, then, but only if you can get it started.” Twilight said confidently. “Well, then we’re back to square one.” “Twilight, how big or heavy an object can you move?” Ramirez asked, an idea forming. “Pretty big. Especially if I don’t have to move it far. Why?” **************** Thunderous footfalls reverberated through the ground. The rhythmic thudding couldn’t be so much heard as felt as the Valkyrie appeared in the aperture in the rampart and strode easily across the broken pavement of the courtyard. Humans and ponies stood aside as the humanoid war machine maneuvered up to the large hangar doors. Ramirez keyed the external speaker, “Stand clear. Twilight, be ready.” She shouted an ok, though she wasn’t sure if he could hear her. Ramirez flipped a toggle switch and dropped his targeting reticule over the seam where the two doors came together. He pulled the trigger, using his neurohelmet feedback and the touch sensors on the control stick to communicate the nuance of the requested action to the ‘Mech’s computer. The Valkyrie drew back its left arm and balled its metal fist. With a resounding crash, it drove the fist hard into the edge of the door. Ramirez squeezed the trigger again and the ‘Mech landed another heavy punch on the obstinate hangar door, then another and another. The metal began to bend and crack as the armored fist drove home again and again. Eventually, the metal bent inward enough to open a small hole. With a different set of commands, Ramirez ordered the ‘Mech to extend its hand into the hole and grip the thick metal. Metal shrieked as the 30-ton machine pulled on the door with all its might. Working the right arm into the gap as well to act as a lever, he managed to widen the gap, but the door as a whole barely budged. Twilight took this as her cue and grunted with effort as a powerful glow erupted from her horn. The door began to sparkle with a faint purple light as she dug her hooves into the ground. The rails the door would normally run along were totally shot, so together the ‘Mech and unicorn pulled outwards. Slowly the door bent as sweat formed on Twilight’s brow. Metal began to tear away around the old rails and all at once the door broke free. Pulling it clear of the newly created aperture, they let it fall to the ground with a heavy thud which kicked up copious amounts of dust. With the door down, the armored BattleMech lead the way into the hangar, followed by the infantry team with weapons ready. They knew they wouldn’t need them, but better safe than sorry. At the call of “all clear,” the rest of the expedition followed into the dimly-lit interior. The hangar was empty. No BattleMechs stood in the bays, no lifting equipment or repair gantries either. Only some animal nests, a small colony of bats, and a thick layer of dust in which they left shuffled footprints. “Respirators on, everyone,” Dr. Langley called out as they entered. Fumbling in the dim light, everyone pulled breathing masks over their noses and mouths, even Spike and the ponies who wore borrowed masks modified for their use by Rarity’s magic. The door leading from the hangar into the interior of the headquarters itself proved less problematic. Even through their masks they could smell the dank, musty air. Rarity and Twilight used the glow of their horns to help illuminate the way while the humans shone flashlights through doorways and into side passages. It was not an expansive complex, mostly just offices and meeting rooms. When they came to a dark stairway, they split into two teams. While one headed up the stairs to seek out the control room near the top of the structure, the other headed down into the depths in search of the main computer room or the archives. The control room was a loss. It had totally been stripped bare so that not even a scrap of circuitry, or even a desk, remained. It was Pinkie Pie who found the archive room down in the headquarters’ sub-basement. It was a smallish room with a desk for the long-absent clerk and rack after rack filled with data disks. “Perfect,” said Captain Tartaglia, “Now let’s get to work.” **************** They set up camp outside the headquarters complex, in the shadow of the remaining hangar door. Ramirez kept his BattleMech in stand-by so they could tap the electrical power from its fusion reactor using the connectors hidden behind armored panels on the back of the leg below the jumpjet exhaust ports. Using power packs recharged from the ‘Mech’s near limitless supply of energy, man-portable spotlights illuminated the musty old corridors with their harsh white light. The eerie old structure gave Fluttershy the willies, even with the now-ample lighting. The empty rooms and bare walls always seemed to be closing in on her. Maybe with some furniture and some pictures on the walls and a fresh coat of paint it might be livable, but probably still depressing. She decided she did not want to venture inside again unless absolutely necessary, and took to exploring the seashore instead. She found lots of new animals, hermit crabs and shore birds and even some little fish in a tide pool. Having never been to the ocean before, she was thrilled with all the new little creatures. Rainbow Dash spent most of her time going through the outlying village. This was an entire alien settlement, and she wanted to explore every inch of it. She also wanted to see if she could find any worthwhile artifacts as a souvenir. She fancied finding an old discarded laser pistol of her very own—it didn’t even have to work—but she wasn’t picky. She knew from Twilight that archaeological sites were rife with discarded objects from former inhabitants. She had found some old food containers and other garbage, but there was very little of that even. It was almost like the entire town had been stripped bare, just like the headquarters building. As for the other ponies, they mostly hung around the campsite. Applejack set herself up as a sort of de facto quartermaster, working with Dr. Langley and the Leftenant to ration food and supplies. Rarity took it upon herself to clear as much of the dust and other offensive material from the hangar and passageways leading to the archive room. She also tried to make herself useful by working with Rainbow (when she could get ahold of the restless pegasus) to pump fresh air into the interior of the building. By the next morning, she had managed to make it so they no longer needed to wear their respirators when inside the stale old building. Pinkie Pie split her time helping out anywhere she could, though mostly she acted as a safety buddy for Dash and Fluttershy, keeping an eye on them when they were away from the safety of camp. As an officer who rose through the ranks, Ling was well aware of the problems inherent with idle soldiers. In attempts to keep his enlisted subordinates busy, he sent them on short expeditions to scavenge food from the surroundings, hunt for artifacts with Rainbow Dash, or simply patrol the area. He was most pleased with his idea to have them investigate whether the old power generators could be repaired, until Quigley informed him there were no power generators—they had also been long since removed. Meanwhile, in the bowels of the headquarters building, Tartaglia and Twilight tore into the archives with abandon. Using a pair of noteputers, they were making short work of cataloging the data disks by content and moved on to analyzing them for whatever data they could. Experienced with the nuances of running a library, organization, and working with Twilight, Spike proved invaluable by labeling and reorganizing the disks once the Captain or Twilight told him what was on them. He had figured Twilight would be almost impossible to remove from the archive room once he found out what the room was. He was a little surprised at the Captain’s enthusiasm, but chalked it up to the human being closer than ever to a possible way home. The little dragon also took it on himself also to make sure the two obsessive personalities took time to eat and rest. It had originally been planned that the infantry team would rotate through the archive room to help with the investigations down there, but the plan was abandoned for two reasons. For starters, the first couple sent down ended up stepping on the toes of the well-oiled machine of Tartaglia, Twilight, and Spike, and second, Ling didn’t entirely trust all of his team. **************** Their third day at the Thessalonica site dawned grey and drizzly. Rainbow Dash waged a single-pony war against the spring showers, but for every cloud she dispersed, another quickly condensed to take its place. These clouds were strange. They were high and thin, not like the ones in Equestria. Eventually, she gave up and let the uncontrolled weather go about its business. Taking shelter from the rain in the hangar, she expected to find the rest of the expedition lounging around or maybe having a meal. What she found was an argument. “You saw what that purple one did with that door. Can you imagine using that sort of technology on the battlefield? Throwing ‘Mechs and tanks around like toys!” it was one of the others from the infantry team, a sturdy blond woman with a pointed chin. Rainbow Dash tried to remember her name, Harris was it? “She has a name, you know,” Ramirez glowered, “And what you’re suggesting is entirely out of the question.” “What’s going on?” Rainbow Dash sidled up next to Rarity and Applejack, who were watching the proceedings. “Oh, those three came up to Dr. Langley and Ramirez and asked if they could speak freely. Next thing you know they go off on this awful tirade about us.” “Us?” Rainbow asked incredulously. Rarity nodded, “Mmmhmm. They were apparently, oh what would you say, Applejack? Confused by our part in this expedition.” Harris hadn’t quite finished her protestation, “We can’t let such a potential boon for the Fed Suns just slip by!” she shot back, “Ackermann said that...” “I don’t give a vrikk’s backside what Ackermann said,” snapped Ramirez, “They’re a civilization, not a resource.” Rainbow Dash snorted, “Hmph. I should have known that stinker Ackermann was behind this.” “And another thing, why are you calling it magic? I didn’t take you for the supernatural type, Sargent,” losing on one front, Harris had decided to redirect. “I call it magic because that’s what they call it. You’re right, I don’t go in for the supernatural, it’s part of why I’m an atheist. Whether they’re doing it by some really advanced technology or biologically tapping into some undiscovered force or whatever is beside the point. Yeah, I would love to get my hands on however they do it, but we can’t just take it from them.” The debate then turned philosophical, arguing the relative merits of espionage, Machiavellian politics, and all-out consequentialism. “Consarn-it! I hate this not bein’ able to stick up for ourselves!” Applejack stamped her hoof, “Why couldn’t Twi have just charmed them all with that fancy translatin’ spell of hers?” “I just don’t get why you and the officers are all gaga over a bunch of animals,” a lanky young man Rainbow knew was Private Quigley chimed in, “Yeah, they’re cute, but you’re acting like you’re actually talking to them.” “Damn it, Quigley!” Ramirez had had enough, “Haven’t you been paying attention? We are talking to them. I’m sorry you can’t understand their language, but they talk just the same.” “They have cities, Quigley. Whole cities,” Dr. Langley rose to the defense, “They’re not just a bunch of animals. They have an advanced and complex civilization and they’re damn smart. For all intents and purposes they’re people, and they deserve the same respect we would give any other person. What’s more, this is their planet. I think we can agree it would be a good idea to stay on the good side of the locals.”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T08:47:57+00:00

2011-07-11T08:47:57+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 15: A Voice from the Past Despite Rarity’s best efforts, dust still clung to the storage racks and filled the dim corners of the cramped archive room. The portable spotlights colored everything an unnatural blue-grey and cast harsh shadows across the walls. There was no way to tell what time of day it was, or even how much time had passed. Their only clue came when Spike would appear bearing canteens and ration packs or a demand to take a break. When she stopped and looked around, the room gave Twilight the creeps. She knew she was being silly; there was nothing to fear from the bare walls and deep black shadows. No ghosts haunted the corridors, only cobwebs and dust. She figured the best way to take her mind off the looming shadows was to lose herself in her research. So, she did. It wasn’t difficult to do, picking through the records of an alien civilization held a certain inescapable allure. “So, if any one of these disks could probably hold all the information in this entire archive and then some, why didn’t they just put everything on one disk?” she asked while swapping out disks on her borrowed noteputer. The small computer beeped and she levitated a stylus across the screen to issue her commands. “They probably did. They probably had a central memory core, but took it with them with everything else when this place was abandoned. This is just the backup archives.” Tartaglia was working from the old clerk’s desk. “Still, why are there so many disks? It’s like they put every type of form for every week on a separate disk.” “Exactly,” the Captain looked up, “Weekly backups of any new data from each department. By putting them on separate disks, the clerk could turn over a hardcopy of only exactly the forms requested without accidentally giving out some file he wasn’t supposed to. Besides, data crystal disks are cheap. Especially so back when this base was active.” Twilight looked back at the noteputer screen, “These look like more shipping manifests. Uh, year 2548, 3rd month, that’s… March, right?” Tartagila nodded and Twilight moved the disk to the appropriate pile. She still couldn’t read the human language except for a handful of words. However, she had quickly learned to recognize several different types of form and could identify and read the dates printed on them. “Why do you think they left this all behind?” Twilight looked up from her noteputer. Tartaglia shrugged, “Maybe they forgot about it? Maybe they left it expecting to come back later? I really don’t know. I’m just glad they did.” Working so closely with the little unicorn had given the Captain an all-new perspective on the ponies, or at least this particular pony. She was smart, and a little socially awkward, which he found endearing. He found her easy to talk to. She was curious and asked a lot of questions—particularly regarding history and society. The parallels between their cultures were amazing. More than once, Tartaglia forgot that he wasn’t talking to a fellow human. As they worked their way through the archives, he had begun treating her like he would a skilled company clerk or technical analyst. “Damnit.” Twilight’s breath caught in her throat as soon as she heard the curse slip past her lips. Her head shot up, mortified at her gaffe. Tartaglia just laughed, “I think you’ve been hanging around me too much, Miss Sparkle.” Even so, her cheeks flushed pink, “This one won’t open,” she trotted over to the desk and levitated out the noteputer for the Captain to see. He took it from her and peered at the screen. “This is a holorecording,” he said, “It needs a Tri-Vid player to run. Here, let me try something.” He ejected the disk and inserted it into his own noteputer. He moved the stylus rapidly over the screen, diving into the nuts and bolts of the system. “Almost. Good thing we still use similar architectures. There!” He set the noteputer down on the desk and tapped the screen with a finger, “I can’t run Tri-Vid on this noteputer, but I did manage to extract the audio. Let’s see what we’ve got.” The small speaker in the noteputer sounded tinny, and the echo from the barren walls didn’t help. But, when he pressed the screen, the unmistakable sound of a woman’s voice, clearly enunciated if a little nasally, issued forth, “Personal log, Colonel Lucile Guillaume, commanding officer, New Alamo Research Facility. 27th of January, 2549 Terran Standard. It was hot today. The summers here can be pretty brutal. Reminded the patrols to pack extra water and gave a little speech about avoiding heatstroke. I thought about pulling the patrols in today, it’s not like there’s really any reason for them to be out there. Still, orders are orders, and if one of the Houses, like the Steiners or Kuritas or Davions figured out how to make the jump, they could be all over us before the alarms sounded. Another JumpShip arrived today, Merchant class. No DropShips, just a pair of orbital shuttles. It used to be we were receiving one at least every month. Today’s marks the first arrival we’ve had since April. I don’t know. Maybe the JumpShip captains object to the jump protocol to get here, or maybe we just don’t rate high enough to the Hegemony Central Intelligence Bureau anymore. There’s grumblings among the scientists. They’re afraid the HCIB is going to pull the plug on us. Got another one asking why the northern continent is off-limits. Air traffic controller at the spaceport this time. I gave him the standard line. It bugs me that I don’t even know why the higher-ups don’t want us up there. I know that’s where the Thessalonica originally went down. Something must have really had them spooked. I think that’s enough for today.” The recording beeped to signal its completion. Silence once again filled the room; a silence that now seemed all the more profound. Neither of them spoke. They didn’t have to. Twilight dashed over to the shelf where she had found that data disk and began pulling several more, which she tossed over to Tartaglia. He stuffed another into his noteputer and repeated the process. Again, the woman’s nasally voice filled the room. They listened to it carefully—a short missive on water rationing and worrying about repair parts—then ejected it and stuck in another. After the fourth or fifth, they stopped listening to them all the way through. Tartaglia would extract the audio, play the recording up through the date, then move on to the next while Twilight laid the disks out on the floor in chronological order. Once they had found every holorecording they could, they started with the earliest recording, dated the 8th of August 2546, and listened. **************** The New Alamo Research Facility was founded by the Terran Hegemony Central Intelligence Bureau as a top-secret laboratory for the development of alternative military technologies. It was hoped that the ‘unique nature’ of the world, by which Twilight was able to discern they meant the presence of magic, plus the rather unconventional manner of traveling to the world would make it an ideal hidden location from which to pursue a plethora of secret projects. In the four years the facility was operational, teams worked on genetic engineering, terraforming, and weapons systems deemed too confidential to be undertaken anywhere else. Scientists assigned to one of the facility’s projects would live at the site and bring their families. A small number of colonists were brought on as well to lend the base a measure of self-sustenance. The location of the facility was considered of the utmost secrecy. Even the people living there were told they were on a planet ‘in the vicinity of Carver V.’ No mail was allowed off the planet unless special permission was granted, and then only after passing under the heavy scrutiny of the censors. Only the commanding officer and a handful of scientists actively studying the Kearny-Fuchida physics behind the phenomenon that brought them here knew the truth, and they were under very strict orders to keep their mouths shut. Even the JumpShip captains were carefully screened by HCIB and operated only under the watchful eye of operatives. Then, on September 18th, 2549 Director-General Joseph Cameron was assassinated by a rogue Marine Corps Captain and member of a cabal of soldiers dissatisfied with the Director-General’s policies. His brother, Ian Cameron took over as leader of the Terran Hegemony and put down a revolt by those same dissatisfied soldiers which had occupied the ancient city of Geneva. This was history Captain Tartaglia knew well. Ian Cameron would go on to found the Star League and be the first to hold the title First Lord. This new Director-General either had little knowledge of the secret research facility, or deemed the expense too great, or simply felt it was superfluous. In any case, the facility was shut down in early 2550. All equipment was removed and the colonists scattered across Hegemony space. The last entry in Colonel Guillaume’s log was dated 6 June, 2550, as she looked out across a ghost town, preparing to board the last DropShip off planet. **************** The pilot of the Felicity Klimkosky looked up as the door to the bridge slid open. He did not smile, nor really show any emotion at all, as the dark-skinned woman strode across the floor and slid into one of the empty crew stations. “Were you spotted?” he asked quietly. They were alone, but he still felt the need to keep his voice down. Corporal Liz Virat was more cavalier in her attitude, “Of course not. Everyone else is either off the ship or down in engineering. I know I’m not supposed to be found outside of my ‘cell’.” “Did you find anything?” Liz nodded, “In addition to the docking collar airlock, there’s also evidence of tampering with bulkheads five and fourteen leading to the Tech barracks and my storage locker.” “We’re running out of time, Corporal. We’ve already been here what? Three? Four days? The expedition team could be back at any moment.” Liz pinched the bridge of her nose, “I know, I know. But at least we know it’s one of the infantry team now.” “Or someone is trying to frame the infantry team,” the pilot countered. Liz cocked her head, “I don’t think so. If that were the case, we would see more tampering to other locks around the ship. Whoever this guy is, he’s a really sloppy lockpick.” That revelation did not exactly put the pilot at ease, “Any idea who?” “Well, we know it wasn’t the Leftenant. That leaves Quigley, Ackermann, Harris, and Nao. Quigley’s an idiot, but I can’t see him pulling something like this. Ackermann’s usually really friendly, though he’s been in a really bad mood recently. He’s really outspoken anti-Capellan. I don’t know that much about his personal life, though. Nao was decorated for valor for his service during the civil war, if that means anything. And Harris is my best friend. She’s no Liao sympathizer.” “And all four of them have each other plus you as alibis…” “Not really. How else do you think the Leftenant and Captain made my ‘arrest’ plausible?” she wiggled her fingers to indicate quotation marks, “None of them have a rock-solid alibi for the time in question.” “And so they’re all suspects. And all of them are out with the Captain at the site.” Liz responded to his statements with a grim nod. “This is bad,” Liz nodded again, “Do you think Ling’s little ruse of appearing to fall for the frame-job will work?” Liz stood and moved for the door, “I don’t know. But, somehow, I doubt it.” **************** “So, was the Thessalonica ever actually here?” Ramirez was doing his best to absorb Tartaglia and Twilight’s rapid-fire lecture. He stood between Ling and Dr. Langley, with Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash at their feet. Spike sat on the old clerk’s desk, and Twilight and Tartaglia stood across from them. They had been unable to convince Fluttershy to venture beyond the hangar, so she had stayed behind with the rest of the infantry team and Pinkie Pie to keep her company. Twilight answered for the two of them, “Here at this site, probably not. As far as the commanding officer’s logs let on, the Thessalonica left Equestria directly. It was a second ship, the Jeremy Sanborn, that followed up on their report and sited this colony.” “A secret research facility,” Ling shook his head in disbelief, “It’s too bad they didn’t leave any of their research behind.” Rarity changed the topic, “But if the Thessalonica left and other ships came later—a lot of other ships by the sound of it—then that means the Silvertongue can leave, too.” “Indeed it does,” Captain Tartaglia confirmed, “Unfortunately, it’s a little more complicated than a simple jump, and we’ve been unable to find a written version of the protocol.” “But it can be done?” asked Applejack. “Yes,” Twilight replied, “Fortunately, we managed to piece together enough of the protocol that the Captain thinks they might be able to make a go of it. It’s still a bit of a longshot, though.” “That’s actually why I asked you down here,” Tartaglia addressed the three other humans, “I want my officers, and NCO, to know the details, just in case.” He turned to the unicorn, “Twilight, care to do the honors?” Twilight stepped up to the desk and cleared her throat, “Now, I’m not totally clear on some of the terminology or how your K-F drive works, but I can explain what you need to do. You see, the Thessalonica was brought here originally by a ‘misjump’ on its JumpShip, the Due Diligence. This misjump coincided with an explosion in the engineering section.” “Sounds familiar,” grumbled Ling. Twilight ignored him, “On an off-chance, the chief engineer of the Due Diligence set off a second explosion when they attempted to jump away from Equestria. Apparently, it worked because within a year, the Hegemony Central Intelligence Bureau managed to duplicate the Due Diligence’s jump by setting off a small explosion in the engineering section.” “So, all we have to do to get home is set another bomb?” Ramirez asked, “Seems simple enough. What’s the catch?” “The bomb has to be small so as not to actually cause any damage and it has to go off at exactly the right time to induce a…variance, I think they called it, in the jump initiator. The timing has to be perfect to the microsecond, and even then eight out of ten times the jump is either aborted or goes along without a misjump.” “But when it does work, it always goes between Equestria and Valexa?” Ling was following easily. “Not Valexa necessarily. They mention jumps mostly from Ningpo, Kansu, and New Hessen.” “Those are all within two jumps of Valexa. Just a little coreward and antispinward of us,” Dr. Langley chimed in. Twilight didn’t know exactly what she meant by those terms, but she could guess. “Any idea how this whole things works?” Ling raised a questioning finger. Tartaglia answered, “I don’t think even the crack brains the Hegemony had working on it even figured it out. Right now, I don’t really care how it works, just that it does. And we’ve got it right here.” He pulled a small data disk from his pocket, “All we have to do now is get this disk to the Silvertongue. This, plus a little of that C8 we found, and we just might get back home. I’m telling you this so that from this point on out, any one of us can complete this objective.” “That’s all very interesting,” a new voice called from the doorway. They turned to see the stocky frame of Private Ackermann blocking the doorway. He brandished a large pistol in one hand and extended the other toward the group, “I’ll be taking that data disk now.” “I was wondering when you’d make your move, you coward.” Tartaglia growled, “I was half-expecting you to just kill outright.” “What makes you think I’m not going to?” Ackermann waved his pistol. “Believe me, I’d love to just finish you off, but I’d much rather make it back to the Inner Sphere, and the ability to return here to this world would prove most beneficial to my masters. So I’ll be taking the disk now.” “The Capellans paying you well for this, Ackermann?” Ling’s hand drifted towards his sidearm. “Leave those hands where I can see them,” Ackermann leveled the gun at Ling. He sniffed, “As if House Liao knew anything about any of this. I’m not with the Capellans, you short-sited dolt. We’re much more powerful than those fools, than any of the so-called great houses. But none of that will matter to any of you very shortly.” “And just how do you plan on covering this up?” Ling crossed his arms and scowled. Ackermann just smiled, “Oh, don’t you worry about that. These old buildings are so unstable. Prone to collapse at the most inopportune times.” He added sarcastically, “Oh, poor Captain Tartaglia. Buried in a freak cave-in with the others. How tragic. Good thing I managed to recover the protocol to get away from this Blake-forsaken rock. And then my masters can return here, bring those obstinate ponies to heel, and bring forth a new and glorious dawn for humanity.” “Masters? New dawn for humanity?” Dr. Langley cocked her head, “You’re with the Word of Blake, aren’t you?” Ackermann mimed a slow clap, “Congratulations, give the lady a prize. But, like I said, it won’t matter to you very shortly. Now if you’ll just give me the data disk, I’ll make this quick then be on my way with the ponies.” “Excuse me?” Rarity thrust an indignant nose in the air, “We will not be going anywhere with you, you ruffian.” “Fair enough. I only really need one of you.” He pointed the pistol squarely at the incensed unicorn who stood her ground defiantly, staring directly into his eyes. Movement in the corner of his eye caught Ackermann’s attention. Ramirez had managed to slip around to the side and launch a surprise attack. He lunged, smacking Ackermann’s gun hand to the side and driving a knee into his stomach. As he struck, Ackermann’s finger tightened and the gun discharged with a loud bang and flash of light. Winded and doubled over by the attack, the Private tried to strike back, but Applejack leapt forward and planted her back hooves squarely into his chest, sending him sprawling across the cold floor. Ramirez seized the initiative and grabbed Ackermann’s collar, heaving him up before driving an angry fist into his face. Enraged, the MechWarrior raised his arm to strike again. “Stop!” Twilight’s clear voice rang out. Her ears still rang from the sound of the gunshot. She was disoriented, but she planted her hooves as solidly as she could, “Do not hurt him! Take him prisoner, but don’t hurt him!” Ramirez stared at her for a moment then released his grip on the sputtering Blakist and stood up, “Ok,” he nodded, “Anyone have some handcuffs or… Oh, shit, Doc!” Dr. Langley was clutching her arm where the bullet had passed just below the shoulder. Blood soaked through her fingers as she slumped weakly to her knees. He shouldn’t have let go. In a flash, Ackermann was to his feet. In one quick move, he snatched a cylinder from his vest and tossed it into the room as he bolted down the corridor. “Grenade!” shouted Ling as he flung himself to the ground behind the heavy desk. As he dove, he grabbed hold of Rainbow and Applejack and smothered them to the floor. Tartaglia grabbed Dr. Langey while Twilight looked on confused. Rarity followed suit and dove to the floor, but as she did so her horn sparked and she sent the offending object skittering out through the doorway and down the hall. It exploded harmlessly, spraying shrapnel into the ferrocrete walls. If the gunshot was loud, this was deafening. Twilight couldn’t hear anything for several long seconds. She stood in a daze as a heavy dust wafted in to the small room from the doorway. Around her, her friends and the humans picked themselves up and checked themselves and each other over. Twilight found herself looking into the face of Ramirez. His lips moved, but she couldn’t hear him. Eventually, she made out as if from far away that he was asking if she was all right. She could tell from the rushing ringing in her ears her hearing was returning. Rainbow Dash shook the dust from her mane, “I knew he was no good! Let’s get him!” She took off at a shot but found herself stopped short by Applejack who grabbed her multicolored tail in her mouth. “Hold on there, partner,” Applejack said through a mouthful of hair, “Langley’s hurt. We gotta help her first.” Dr. Langley propped herself up against the desk, “I’ll be fine, you go.” “You sure, Doc?” Tartaglia looked her in the eyes as he placed a reassuring hand on her good shoulder. She winced, “Yeah. I can patch myself up. I don’t think it’s bad. You go get that bastard.” Rainbow Dash was already halfway out the door, “Let’s go, let’s go!” Rarity and Twilight leapt up after her, followed by Ramirez, Ling, and, after one last look at Langley, Tartaglia. Applejack stayed behind, “I’m gonna stay and help the Doc. Spike, ya’ think ya’ could lend me a hoof, or erm, claw?” Spike looked between the others running off in pursuit of the man who just tried to kill them and the wounded doctor. “Ok,” he said, running to Applejack’s side, “What do you need?” Dr. Langley motioned with her head to her bag, “First cut the fabric so I can get a look. There’s scissors in my bag, side pocket.” Applejack fetched the bag and Spike dug out the scissors and carefully cut the sleeve away from Langley’s arm. “Oh, that’s a lot of blood,” the dragon was feeling woozy. Dr. Langley peered down at the wound, “Looks like it wasn’t deep. Just went through he muscle. That’s good. You’ll need to keep me from going into shock. There’s medipatches and stimpatches in the main pocket right on top.” Applejack pulled the foil-wrapped patches from the bag and gave them to Spike who ripped the packages open and stuck the adhesive to Dr. Langley’s skin. She sighed as the medication took effect, easing her pain. “Alright, what’s next?” asked Applejack. **************** The sound of the explosion filtering up from below told the three Militia Privates that something wasn’t right. Grabbing their rifles, Harris and Nao dashed into the interior of the heavy ferrocrete structure with a worried Pinkie Pie close at their heels. Slower off the mark, Quigley decided to hang back and cover the entrance until he received orders. Fluttershy managed to make it as far as the door leading from the dusty hangar into the headquarters before her nerves got the better of her. “P-Pinkie Pie?” she called out in a quavering voice after her friend who had already disappeared into the gloom. She sat herself down in the doorway and listened. Frantic shouts met her ears, making her even more nervous. Harris, Nao, and Pinkie had made it to the top of the stairwell when they were met by a dark form barreling towards them up the stairs. “Hey, Ackermann! What’s going on? What was that…” Private Nao was in the lead when Ackermann reached them. He heard a faint hum as the stocky man slashed a vibroblade at him as he passed. Shocked, Nao leapt back as he felt a warm sting across his collarbone and chin. Not quite comprehending, he slumped against the wall and stared at the splash of red blood on the grey wall. Ackermann swept past the stricken infantryman and lashed out towards Harris with his humming blade. Harris was surprised, of course, but managed to spot the danger coming. She yelled in surprised as she raised her rifle to block the blow. The vibroblade cut deep into the plastic and composites. She wrenched the rifle to the side, twisting the blade out of her assailant’s grasp. The weapon clattered to the floor as Ackermann scurried away down the corridor. Harris was about to give chase when a groan from Nao drew her attention. “Ow. What the hell is his problem?” the wounded man said, touching gingerly at his face. Harris cursed and knelt down by her comrade. She peeled the torn and blood-soaked fabric away from his collar to inspect the wound, “You alright?” she asked. Nao winced and shakily rose to his feet, “I think so. Yeah.” Only the tip of the vibroblade had nicked him, laying open the skin over his collarbone and up his cheek but nothing else. He would be alright, but right now the wound was bleeding profusely. Pinkie Pie was rooted to the spot. The sudden violence scared her, and for once she didn’t know what to do. She found all she could do was stare at the bright red blood staining Nao’s face and uniform. Harris turned to face the little pony as she extracted a medipatch and bandage from a pocket, “Hey, pink one. What was your name? Pink Cake? Pink Pie? You can understand me right?” Pinkie Pie snapped out of her daze and nodded, “Good. Go get the doc…” she was interrupted by a cacophony from the stairs as Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity tumbled up the stairs followed closely by the Captain, Leftenant and Sargent. Ling stooped to check on Nao’s wounds, “Doc’s downstairs. Go help her out.” Nao looked quizzical at his choice of words, but gave a weak salute and moved off down the stairs. Harris grabbed Ling’s arm, “Sir? What’s going on?” Before he could answer, Quigley appeared around the corner, “What in Blake’s name is going on? Ackermann just grabbed that yellow pony and ran off in a jeep!” Twilight stopped cold. He’d taken Fluttershy? She felt hot rage boiling up inside her at the same time the blood drained from her face.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T09:03:02+00:00

2011-07-11T09:03:02+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 16: Pursuit Pinkie Pie galloped as fast as she could. Her hooves clattered on the hard floor as she burst into the hanger. That meanie Ackermann was nowhere to be seen. How dare he try and hurt the others! How dare he ponynap her friend! Poor Fluttershy, she must be terrified. As soon as Quigley had said the traitor had run past him, Pinkie had taken off to check on her timid friend. And when he said Ackermann had taken Fluttershy, she ran even faster, cursing herself for leaving. She skidded to a stop as she passed out of the hangar and into the sunlight. The rain of that morning had stopped and the sun had burned the clouds away. She could hear the engine of the jeep close by, probably just on the other side of the ramparts. She needed to get high to see, and she needed a way to catch them fast. Her eyes fell on the BattleMech kneeling beside the fallen door. That might work. It was tall and Ramirez seemed proud of how fast it could go. There was a chain ladder dangling from the back of its head and she knew Ramirez had said something about leaving the reactor in low-power mode. She scrambled up the chain ladder, hooking her front limbs over one rung while pushing off with her back hooves. It wasn’t much different from climbing a tree, she told herself. The inside of the head wasn’t large. There was a small space between the hatch at the back of the head and a metal chair. She wriggled her way around the chair and found herself standing on a firm cushion facing a dizzying array of buttons and small glowing screens below and around a wide, tinted window. She looked around dismayed. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. The little pink pony took a deep breath and focused. Ok, whole bunch of buttons, a couple thingies to either side that looked movable, and below a pair of pedals. Maybe the pedals made the legs move, like a bicycle? It was worth a shot. She scooted down on the seat and stretched out with a hind hoof. She gingerly pressed at the pedal. She shot bolt upright when a woman’s voice boomed out from everywhere and nowhere. “Security clearance needed” “Oh, um. Hello,” a surprised Pinkie said to the voice, “My name’s Pinkie Pie. You must be the robot. I’d call you by your name, but I know you don’t have one. I tried to think of one for you. I know you must feel left out without a name. I know I would. But, um, my friend just got ponynaped and I need to go save her, so if you could stand up and run after her that would really help. Um, hello? Miss robot lady? Helooo?” “Maybe you’d better let me handle this,” Pinkie Pie jumped as Ramirez climbed into the cockpit and pulled the hatch closed after him. He’d already stripped off his fatigues to his grey undershirt and camouflage green pants and was wrestling with his cooling vest. As the door sealed shut, Pinkie could hear the chatter of the chain ladder being wound up outside. “Okey-dokey-lokie,” she wriggled out of the seat on one side as the MechWarrior squeezed past on the other. Reaching back, Ramirez flipped down a small metal frame with webbing stretched across. Pinkie could see straps for a harness dangling from the wall above. “There’s a seat there if you need,” he said as he settled into the command chair and began strapping himself in. BattleMech cockpits were small, but almost every design managed to fit a space behind the seat. It was cramped, but provided a ‘Mech with just enough space to carry a second person, such as an observer or a rescued comrade. Pinkie looked at the little foldout seat, but decided she’d much rather see where they were going. She clamored up on to the back of the command seat and wrapped her limps as well as she could around the frame so she could peer over Ramirez’s shoulder. In almost any other ‘Mech she would have had a more difficult time. The command seat on most ‘Mechs was a bulky ejector seat in case a hasty exit was necessary. The designers of the VLK-QD1, however, had incorporated a full-head ejection system. Instead of just jettisoning the pilot clear, the entire armored head assembly would detach and rocket off. As such, the command chair was thinner and smaller in the Valkyrie, making Pinkie’s job of hanging on that much easier. Ramirez settled the neurohelmet over his head and pressed a short series of buttons. The ‘Mech lurched as it stood up and Pinkie squeezed harder to keep from losing her perch. Outside the window she saw the ground drop away. The woman’s voice sounded again as Pinkie looked around for the source, “Weapons online. Sensors online. All systems nominal.” The voice was precise and cold. Ramirez slammed the throttle forward and Pinkie Pie squeaked in surprise as the BattleMech took off at a run. He pressed lightly at the foot pedals, maneuvering around the outbuildings and charged straight for the old rampart. As he neared, he stomped down on both pedals at once. The jumpjets erupted with flame and sent them into a low arc up and over the earthen berm. Pinkie Pie squealed with delight at the rush of the sudden flight. The ‘Mech’s hips and knees flexed to absorb the impact of their heavy landing on the far side of the rampart. “Utica-six, Utica-six, this is Saber-one-three, Saber-one-three. In pursuit bearing one-three-five. Over.” He was using their call signs from back on Valexa. Pinkie Pie couldn’t hear a response, but Ramirez nodded his head, “Saber-one acknowledges. Out.” he turned to glance back at Pinkie Pie, “Alright, Pinkie, if you’re gonna ride with me you’re gonna have to make yourself useful.” He pressed a button next to a glass screen and suddenly the entire area between dashboard and roof and wrapping all the way around to either side was filled with a holographic representation of the outside. To Pinkie Pie, it was almost like the surrounding walls had peeled back and they were now sitting in the open air, except she could still faintly see the tinted window beyond the display if she tried. Along the top of the display, a band showed a panoramic view of their entire surroundings compressed into a 120 degree arc. “Ooh,” she cooed, “That’s cool.” Ramirez usually preferred to use the holographic display built in to his neurohelmet, but he figured an extra set of eyes would be helpful, “All these buildings are playing havoc with the sensors. I need you to keep your eyes peeled for them.” “There they are over there!” she pointed at a dust plume disappearing around a corner, “Hang on, Fluttershy! We’re coming!” **************** Dieter Ling burst from the hangar at a sprint, grim determination on his face and a laser pistol in his hand. Ackermann was gone, but he could hear the internal combustion engine of a jeep receding into the town. He cursed to himself as he took stock of his surroundings and holstered his sidearm. Two of their open-top jeeps were left sitting in the courtyard before the hangar. He didn’t see Sargent Ramirez, who he knew had gotten ahead of him. He wondered where the MechWarrior was until the BattleMech stood up and took off at a run. A blue streak raced past him and arced high up into the sky, “There! They’re right there…” the rest of her words were drowned out by the roar of the Valkyrie’s jumpjets. Realizing she couldn’t be heard over the noise, the pegasus swooped back down and hovered just over Ling’s head, “Come on! We can still catch them!” “How?” Twilight asked as she skittered to a stop behind them. Ling turned to see Rarity, Tartaglia, Harris, and Quigley there, too. The communicators the humans carried crackled to life with Ramirez’s call from the cockpit of his ‘Mech. Tartaglia would normally answer to the call sign Utica-6-actual. Instead of answering, the DropShip captain turned to Ling. “I defer to you, Leftenant. Ground-ops are your area.” He threw the infantry officer a quick salute. Ling returned the salute as he pulled out his communicator’s headset, “Saber-one-three, this is Razor-six-actual. I read your pursuit. Keep on him, we’ll try and box him in. Switch comms to following….” True to form, he already had a plan. Once he finished with Ramirez, he immediately started barking out orders, “Captain, Harris, Twilight: that jeep. Head out and right. Quigley and Rarity, you’re with me, we’ll take the left. Sweep around and box him in.” Twilight and Rarity stood stunned for a moment then ran off to their assigned transports. “Rainbow Dash!” Ling bellowed. “Yes, Sir!” Rainbow swept down and landed in front of him with a sloppy but energetic salute. Ling slipped off his headset and pulled out his communicator, “I want you up top,” he strung a fabric lanyard through the communicator and hung it around Dash’s neck, “Get up high and call out directions. Try to get us ahead of him.” He set the headset over the pegasus’s ears and adjusted the microphone so it was next to her mouth. “I’m on it!” Rainbow Dash rocketed off into the sky. **************** Fluttershy slid across the back seat of the jeep as her captor took a sharp turn. She squirmed against the cable binding her legs and wings. Ackermann had bound her quickly but securely. She whimpered and begged him to let her go. Ackermann swore and yelled at his captive to shut up. He’d already lost too much time. Attacking Harris and Nao at the stairs had been a mistake, he knew. He’d left at least one of them alive in addition to that fool Quigley. Now they’d certainly be after him. And judging from that BattleMech on his tail, his grenade had somehow failed in its intended purpose as well. He’d almost tripped over the little yellow pegasus as he emerged from the interior of the headquarters building. She had been nearly catatonic with fear, so grabbing her and tying her up with the only suitable cable he could find, an insulated cable they had been using to charge their powerpacks from the BattleMech’s fusion reactor, had been easy. But it still had taken precious time. He had gambled everything on his appearance in the archive room, and now everything was unraveling. “You let me go right this instant!” Fluttershy had stopped her whimpering. Drawing on every ounce of resolve she had, she fixed her captor with a withering look. Being famously timid, she was not much of a fighter. She had no great strength or skill or powerful magic to draw on in dangerous situations such as this. But, having spent most of her life among and caring for animals had endued her with a power all her own. When she put her mind to it, she could put on a convincingly commanding presence. At the top of her form she could subdue even an angry dragon. Her friends called it ‘the stare,’ but she knew that putting forth an authoritative façade and not backing down was all it really was. She demanded that he listen to her, that he stop the jeep and surrender. There was one problem, though. ‘The stare’ worked best when she could look her adversary in the eyes. The eyes were the whole secret. Without the nonverbal cues all she had was her voice, and try as she might, Ackermann simply would not look at her. “Shut up! Shut up or I will kill you!” he yelled. He looked all around him trying to keep tabs on his pursuers, but refused to look at his captive. “Blake’s blood, it’s worse than driving with my mother,” he grumbled under his breath. **************** “Can’t you go any faster? They’re getting away!” the pink pony yelled. “I’m going as fast as I can, Pinkie. I have to be careful on these turns.” Ramirez stomped down on the foot pedals again, sending the Valkyrie leaping over the ruins of an ancient warehouse. He found himself on one of the main thoroughfares through the small city. “There they are!” Pinkie Pie thrust a hoof towards the display. Ahead of them and receding fast was the jeep. Even at this distance, they could see Fluttershy’s light pink tail and mane fluttering in the breeze over the back seat. The avenue was perfectly straight and clear, and both Ramirez and Pinkie Pie could see the jeep had a straight shot out of the city. “Stop them! Stop them!” Pinkie Pie was veritably bouncing with the thrill of the chase. Ramirez bit his lip. His ‘Mech would never be able to catch up with the jeep on this flat, hard tarmac. He knew the other two jeeps were still behind him somewhere, probably barely beyond the ramparts by now. Maybe if he had a faster ‘Mech like a Wolfhound or a Locust he’d stand a chance of running them down. What he needed was a roadblock to slow the jeep and give him and his allies a chance to catch up. With a flick of his thumb he brought his Arbalest LRM launcher on-line. He swept the targeting reticule up well ahead of the fleeing vehicle. There, that old tenement would do nicely. He squeezed the trigger and sent a flight of fifteen warheads arcing high into the sky. “Ooh, fireworks!” Pinkie’s attention was stolen away by the sight. The missiles plunged back down to earth, swerving slightly as they homed in on the targeting beam. They slammed into the side of the crumbling building, sending out large plumes of dust. “Aww,” Pinkie had been expecting colorful bursts in the air. Ramirez for his part held his breath, hoping against hope that those missiles did the job. He whooped as the building began to collapse, spilling debris into the road and blocking the jeep’s path. The jeep screeched to a stop then suddenly reversed down the road towards them. Ramirez charged the ‘Mech forwards as the jeep dove down a side street and out of view. Nearing the corner, he depressed the foot pedals to turn the ‘Mech down the new path. In his haste, he turned a little too sharply and the Valkyrie’s large metal feet lost traction on the slick tarmac. Ramirez cursed as he fought to keep the ‘Mech upright. The heavy gyroscopes in the torso screamed in protest as thirty tons of metal crashed to the ground. The BattleMech landed hard on its left arm. Ablative armor designed to defend against high-energy projectiles, lasers, and particle beams buckled and snapped. In the cockpit, Pinkie Pie lost her grip on the command chair and slammed into the cockpit wall with a grunt. “You alright, Pinkie?” Ramirez asked as he fought to get the ‘Mech back on its feet. “Oh course, silly. It’ll take more than that to slow Pinkie Pie down.” She clamored back to her perch behind Ramirez’s command chair, ignoring her aching ribs. “That didn’t hurt the robot lady, did it?” A wireframe rendition of the Valkyrie flashed up on the display. The left arm glowed yellow and a red symbol flashed by the elbow. Ramirez cursed, “Busted the lower arm actuator.” The damage display disappeared and Ramirez cursed again and more vehemently. His ‘Mech was back on its feet, but they’d lost sight of the fleeing jeep. “This is Saber-one-three. I’ve lost them,” he called over the radio as he switched on the cockpit speakers so his passenger could listen in. “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back, Saber. He’s around to the right and a block and a half down.” “Dashie?” Pinkie Pie checked the panorama along the top of the display for her friend, “Where are you?” “Right above you, Pinkie Pie. And you owe me one for getting to ride in that ‘Mech before me. Now hurry up and go three blocks straight ahead.” **************** Rarity struggled to maintain her balance on the back seat of the jeep as Quigley gunned the throttle around a turn. She lamented that she didn’t have enough time to grab a scarf from her saddlebags to keep her mane from getting wind-whipped. No sense in crying over spilt milk, though. She’d just have to deal with it like a lady. She strained to hear the communicator Ling had relinquished from the driver. “A roadblock? Genius! Dash, see if you can loop us around in front of them,” he turned to face Rarity, “Can you toss stuff around like Twilight can?” “What? You mean with my magic?” she was a little flustered, “Well, yes. I can’t do big objects like her, but I can move little ones.” “Good enough,” he replied then returned to the communicator, holding it out towards the elegant unicorn so she could hear too, “Do you read me, Twilight?” Twilight’s voice sounded odd coming from the strange box, “I read you.” “Ok, I need you to try and make roadblocks. Grab concrete chunks, I-beams, anything. Just throw as much debris as you can to try and block every side street you pass. Can you handle that?” “I think so. I’ll try,” came the response over the communicator. Rarity was less certain, “Wha-what? I don’t-I don’t know,” “It’s easy, Rarity. It’ll be just like levitating any other objects. You just have to concentrate.” Twilight tried to encourage her friend. As they neared the first intersection, Rarity quickly scanned the area for anything she could grab. The crumbling infrastructure gave her plenty to work with. Chewing her lip in intense concentration, her horn glowed as she grabbed metal beams and ferrocrete slabs and arranged them to block off the intersection. As they passed, she kept finagling with the placement of her obstacles. “Good job. Now here comes the next one,” Ling called from the front seat. “But I haven’t finished with this one yet!” she protested. “No time. Do this one!” She obeyed the order and repeated the effort as they approached the next side road. As she worked, Ling gave her more direction, “They don’t have to be pretty. Just throw as much stuff in there as you can. Right now, quantity is its own quality.” She had to fight her perfectionist nature, but as they passed the second intersection Rarity began throwing as much debris as she could haphazardly across the road. Ling praised her efforts and directed her to the next intersection. **************** From her vantage point high in the sky, Rainbow Dash could watch the entire chase unfold. Speaking into the microphone, she called out directions to try and surround the jeep carrying Ackermann and Fluttershy. To help the others keep track, she cruised directly above the fleeing jeep high up so that the others could see her. Ramirez’s missile barrage had forced Ackermann to retreat back into the smaller side streets deep in the small city. He now seemed to be wandering aimlessly as he looped and doubled back through an industrial park. Rainbow Dash wondered what he was up to until she realized he was trying to throw off his pursuers, unaware he was being watched from above. Taking advantage of this tactical blunder, she ordered the BattleMech to keep going and get between him and the closest edge of the city. To either side, Twilight and Rarity’s jeeps raced along, trying to get ahead of their quarry. In their wake, chunks of pavement, segments of wall, metal beams, and all sorts of debris from the crumbling city spilled out and arranged into roughshod barricades blocking off roads as they went. On Rarity’s side, the debris formed thin, ragged lines while Twilight almost seemed to be bringing down entire buildings. As soon as the two jeeps passed the neighborhood in which Ackermann was looping around, she ordered them to turn towards each other and complete the trap. As she did, Ackermann found his way to a major thoroughfare and made a break for it. “Hurry, he’s headed right for you!” she yelled. They had him in a triangle, but if the jeeps didn’t hurry, he’d slip past before they could get the roadblock up. For the second time, they needed to slow him down or he would get away. Rainbow Dash fought off a wave of panic. She called again for them to hurry, but knew it wouldn’t do any good. She thought fast, trying to come up with a solution. Taking a deep breath, she rolled over into a spiraling dive. Using the speed gained from the dive, she raced perpendicular to Ackermann’s line of travel. Bursting out onto the main thoroughfare, she banked hard and zoomed fast and low over the jeep. As she flashed past, she caught glimpses of the pair of faces, one with big blue eyes blazing, the other bloodied and swollen and both looking up in surprise. Ackermann didn’t brake, but he did swerve violently. The maneuver bled just enough speed that the two other jeeps were able to beat him to the intersection. Grey dust billowed as the two unicorns tore the surrounding buildings to shreds and spilled the debris across the road behind them. Behind him, the Valkyrie burst through the middle of a building shoulder-first, cutting off his escape. Panicked, Ackermann screeched the pilfered jeep to a halt, roughly grabbed his hostage, and ducked through the door of an old office building. Quigley and Harris brought their vehicles up next to the abandoned jeep while Ramirez brought his ‘Mech up behind. In a flash, the soldiers were out of their seats and taking cover behind the metal bodies. Rarity collapsed on her seat, exhausted from the effort, and Rainbow Dash alighted on the Valkyrie’s shoulder, looking like a tiny blue parrot. “Now what?” the blue pegasus called down from her perch. She couldn’t see Pinkie Pie waving to her through the darkly-tinted viewport. “He won’t hurt her as long as he thinks he has a bargaining chip,” Ling responded, “So now we try to convince him to surrender.” “Yeah, I don’t think so,” Twilight alighted from the jeep and strode straight for the building. The exercise that had worn out Rarity had only warmed her up, and the violence had gotten her good and mad. “What are you doing? Get back here!” Ling yelled after her. She looked back at him over her shoulder. “That’s my friend in there, and I want her back. Now.” To Ling, it almost looked like her violet eyes were glowing an incandescent white. A bright aura erupted from her horn and the front façade of the building exploded outwards forming a ragged, circular hole and revealing a very surprised Ackermann holding a broad-bladed combat knife in one hand and the scruff of Fluttershy’s neck in the other. “You!” bellowed Twilight. The air crackled and small debris around her hooves began to levitate, swept up in the magical tide. “How dare you hurt Fluttershy? How dare you try to kill us, you…you…” she inhaled sharply, “BASTARD!” she yelled, borrowing the human expletive. Before he could react, Ackermann felt himself lifted bodily into the air and the knife torn from his grasp. The cable binding Fluttershy sloughed off and coiled itself tightly around him like a python. His eye that wasn’t swollen shut from Ramirez’s fist was fixed on the knife which floated in midair and pointed menacingly at his throat. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t use this knife on you right now,” she growled at him, “Huh?” he gasped as the cable constricted tighter. “I’ve heard about your Word of Blake; how you sow chaos everywhere and attack and kill everyone. They told me what you did to Tharkad and Outreach. You want to exploit us. Turn us into weapons for your wars. Well, how’s it feel to be on the receiving end of that weapon, huh?” The cable drew tighter and the knife inched closer. Twilight felt a hand on the back of her neck. “Not like this, Twilight,” Captain Tartaglia kept his voice low but firm, “Don’t hurt him. Not like this.” “Why shouldn’t I? After what he’s done?” “You don’t want this on your hands. If you do this, there’s no going back. You can never go back. Besides,” he leaned closer, “shouldn’t we ask him why?” Indignant anger still flooded through her, “But he hurt Fluttershy.” “I’m alright,” the soft voice barely registered, “Twilgiht, I’m alright.” Fluttershy carefully approached her friend. Twilight looked at Fluttershy and met her gaze. She gave a tired sigh and her eyes lost their glow. The air no longer crackled and the knife dropped to the ground.

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T09:17:10+00:00

2011-07-11T09:17:10+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Chapter 17: Separate Ways They hauled the defeated Blakist back to the headquarters building where they interrogated him in the middle of the old hangar. Under Twilight’s withering glare, he broke readily. With no fight left in him, he told them everything; how he infiltrated the Militia with orders to ensure Capellan success so they would quickly move on to the next planet and leave the conquered worlds ripe for conquest by the expanding Blake Protectorate; how he planted the bomb on the Silvertongue to prevent them from leaving and prolonging the fight and how he tried to frame Corporal Virat; how he tried to sow discord among the crew, and finally how he had planned to make his escape. Though he told them everything they wanted to know, he remained unrepentant. He was convinced that his actions had been noble and just. He knew his cause was right with the fervor of a true believer. The Word was the true light in the universe, he said. No matter what happened to him, nothing would stand in the way of the Master and his plans for the Inner Sphere. “What’s going to happen to him?” Twilight had calmed down and was now showing more characteristic concern for the prisoner. She and Captain Tartaglia were strolling around the courtyard. “We’ll take him with us. He’ll be put before a military tribunal on charges of assault, attempted murder, espionage, and treason. A formality after his confession. MI5 will put him through…harsh interrogations. In the end, he’ll be executed.” Tartaglia showed little emotion. “After all that, you’re still just going to kill him?” Tartaglia raised an eyebrow, “A little while ago you were prepared to slit his throat.” Twilight winced, the memory of her actions burned her conscious. She didn’t want to think herself capable of that. “It just… it just seems so… barbaric. Isn’t there some other way?” “The other way is I use my authority as commanding officer and have him shot as a spy right now.” “So, you’re going to kill him either way?” sadness crept into her voice, “Couldn’t we try something else?” Tartaglia stopped and looked down at the lavender unicorn. He raised a quizzical eyebrow, “What do you have in mind?” **************** The ponies were disgusted at the litany of names Corporal Virat called Ackermann, even if they didn’t understand most of them. She had joined them at the headquarters shortly after Ackermann had been captured. The ponies were thrilled to see her again, especially Fluttershy who was very grateful she had nothing to do with the sabotage. “You’d best be glad the Captain and Twilight took pity on you, you damn toaster-worshiper,” she growled while loosening the bonds on Ackermann’s wrists, “If I’d been there, I’d have let her stab you, then shot you for good measure after cutting off your…” “That’s enough, Corporal,” Ling cut her off. They were standing as a group on the edge of the plateau on which the ancient spaceport was built. The Felicity Klimkosky loomed behind them, fully loaded, fueled, and ready to go. It only awaited the last few passengers. Removing the cable, Liz shoved the hapless Blakist roughly down the edge of the plateau. He tumbled and rolled down the slope, cloaked in a cloud of yellow dust. Sliding to a stop, he looked back up at them, confused. “Gonna get pretty loud real soon. I’d recommend you start hoofin’ it” Ling yelled down after him. Ackermann yelled various obscenities back up at them, but they fell on deaf ears as they turned and walked away towards the DropShip. “I can’t say I’m exactly a fan of this plan, Miss Sparkle,” Captain Tartaglia fell in next to the unicorn, “dropping a man in the middle of the wilderness with no food, no supplies, not even a knife? Shooting him would be merciful in comparison.” Twilight looked up at him, “At least we’re giving him a chance. Out here he can try to make a go of it, and he’s removed from your world permanently.” She’d been trying all day to rationalize her plan to herself, “Just think of it as banishment.” “And if he does survive, then you’ve got a hostile running around on your world with an ax to grind.” Twilight smiled weakly, “He’s thousands of miles, or uh, kilometers, away and on an entire separate continent. I think we’ll be fine.” **************** They did not enter orbit for their return to Equestria. Since they knew the route, had good maps of the landing zone, and had plenty of fuel, the DropShip made a straight run of it. Flying high and fast, they were back on the ground in the span of a few hours. The Felicity Klimkosky landed on the same broad river floodplain on which it had originally touched down on its arrival deep in the Everfree Forest, almost on top of their old landing site. It seemed they had barely arrived before a fleet of chariots descended from the sky pulled by burly pegasi in burnished armor. Spike had of course sent a message to Princess Celestia announcing their impending arrival back in Equestria and the charioteers had been dispatched on her orders to deliver the promised helium and fabricated parts. Once the goods were loaded in the DropShip’s cargo bay, the Equestrian guards would escort Twilight and her friends safely back to their homes in Ponyville. Outside of one of the Felicity Klimkosky’s four ‘Mech bays, the humans and the ponies said their final goodbyes. Applejack admonished Dr. Langley to keep her wound clean while the doctor thanked the farm pony once again for her help and fidgeted with her makeshift sling. Fluttershy was still too shy to directly approach any of her new friends to say goodbye, so Liz joked with her about their initial attempts to communicate. The shy pegasus thought fondly back to their time next to the holly bush; it seemed so long ago. Rainbow Dash was a little bummed she hadn’t managed to acquire a souvenir from the old Human settlement. With a sharp tug, Ramirez ripped the Valexa March Militia patch from the shoulder of his fatigues. “I can always get another one,” he said, tossing her the embroidered piece of fabric for which she thanked him profusely. This touched off a miniature swap-meet of sorts in which Equestrians and Humans exchanged a variety of small, innocuous artifacts. In reality they were trinkets—patches, handkerchiefs, scarfs, some unused first aid supplies—but to the recipients they were sentimental treasures; a link across time and space. “It is a shame you have to leave so soon,” Twilight was taking one last stroll with Tartaglia around the DropShip. “I enjoyed learning of your world—or worlds rather. I’d like to be able to see your universe sometime.” “I wouldn’t recommend it,” Tartaglia replied, “There’s no way I could guarantee your safety, even from my own government.” Twilight nodded, “I know. It does worry me that the link between our universes seems so…easy to cross. If there are others like Ackermann out there, or even only half as bad, I’m afraid of what would happen if any of them ever stumbled across us here.” “Captain Mawsley and I will destroy our logs of our trip here. Unless the crew leaks some rumors, with any luck the secret of the way between our two worlds will die with us.” He paused, “Fortunately, it seems everyone aside from Ling, myself, and a handful on the JumpShip are still unaware of the relationship between Equestria and Terra. I intend for it to stay that way.” The chariots were halfway back to Ponyville when Pinkie Pie called out for them to look back the way they came. With mouths agape and eyes wide, they stood in the backs of their transports and watched as the flaming dart of the Felicity Klimkosky rose higher and higher into the evening sky. **************** Ramirez set the paintbrush down on the lip of the can and stepped back on the narrow maintenance gantry. The color still wasn’t quite right, but it would have to do for now. He had raided the desert camo supplies first, but not finding what he wanted there he had resorted to mixing his own with some primer and some red for the VMM’s characteristic tiger-striping. He wanted to start on the outlining, but a look at the chronometer told him there wasn’t enough time. The Felicity Klimkosky’s massive engines accelerated them at 1 g, imparting a sensation of normal gravity on the crew within. Shortly, though, the engines would cut off and they would by thrown back into microgravity during their docking with the Silvertongue. He sealed the paint can and wrapped a sheet of thin plastic around the brush. Picking them both up, he took one last look at his handiwork. Across the right chest of his Valkyrie he had scrawled in a flowery script of bright pink, ‘PINKIE PIE’ “Not bad, Mech-jock,” he glanced down below him to see Liz gazing back up, “Some white outlining would really make it pop.” “She’s got a name now,” he said, patting the warmachine affectionately before activating the lift controls to lower him to the deck floor. “I see that,” Liz smirked, “Though I still think you should have gone with ‘Big Stompy’.” Ramirez chuckled, “Nah, I think I like this better.” He headed off to wash out the brush before the paint dried, “What’s up, Corporal?” “Captain wants you to accompany him to the bridge of the Silvertongue again,” she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder and bit her lower lip. “Figured as much,” he noticed her expression, “I take it that’s not all, is it.” She look around quickly to make sure they were alone, then leaned in conspiratorially, “Look,” she whispered, “The Militia’s gone. Done for. I know it, you know it. We all know it. We’ll complete our mission, but it will all be a moot point. There’s no way the AFFS doesn’t know about the invasion by now. If they haven’t sent help yet, it’s not coming.” “What’s your point?” he asked her, not quite sure where she was going with this. “With the Militia gone, they’re going to give us the option of reassignment. Stick us with another unit. But, see the others and I have been talking. We’re going to buy out.” Her voice dropped lower, “Ling has a friend, used to be a Hauptmann in the Lyran Guards. He’s setting up a mercenary outfit on Galatea. The Leftenant is willing to sponsor us; put in a good word. Harris, Nao, Quigley, and I are all going soon as we can. You in?” Ramirez stood for a long moment. This was not a decision to take lightly. She was right, of course, by now the Militia would be declared a loss and the survivors either disbanded or assigned to other units. Life as a mercenary could be risky, romantic, and with some luck quite lucrative. “I’ll… have to think about it,” he said finally. **************** “Scootaloo, slow down!” Sweetie Belle cried out as she and Apple Bloom ran after the tiny orange pegasus filly. She shivered and pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. She didn’t understand it, but somehow it felt colder here under the trees of the Everfree Forest than back in Ponyville. This was no place for them and she knew it. If Rarity knew she was out here, she’d certainly be grounded for…well, forever. Scootaloo huffed and beat her little wings impatiently, “Come on, Crusaders! Don’t you want to go to Zecora’s?” Nothing seemed to daunt the little spitfire, not even the perils of the Everfree. “Well, yeah, but…why couldn’t we have waited for Miss Twilight to take us, or Miss Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom asked in her rustic drawl, “B‘sides, don’t ‘cha remember what happened the last time we came in here?” She shuddered. If Fluttershy hadn’t shown up when she did, that cockatrice would have made short work of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Well, if we get to Zecora’s quickly we won’t be out here long enough to run into anything, now will we?” Losing her patience, the little pegasus increased her lead on her friends, he wild purple mane disappearing around a bend. As they followed the little path through the trees, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom huddled closer together. Every little rustle of wind or snap of a twig set them on edge. How could Scootaloo be so calm, even relishing the danger? Thinking it might take their mind off things, Apple Bloom tried to strike up a conversation with the diminutive unicorn, “So, has your big sis told ‘ya anythin’ about where they all went to the other week? ‘Cause I ain’t got nuthin’ out of Applejack. Every time I ask her ‘bout it, she shuts up tighter than one of Granny’s girdles.” Sweetie Belle shook her head, “Nuh uh. Sis won’t tell me anything, either. I caught her doodling dress designs the other day, but they look to be for some weird monkey-thing, not ponies.” “Monkey-things?” Apple Bloom mulled it over, “Did ‘ya happen to snitch one of them drawin’s? I’d like to see one of them monkey-things.” “No, I didn’t think about it,” the hoot of an owl made her cower in fear. From down the path, Scootaloo called out for them, “Hey, girls! Come look at this!” They ran to catch up with their friend, but when they reached the spot, she had disappeared. Another call drew their attention over the side of the road and down a shallow ravine. Scootaloo was there standing on top of a strange metal contraption. “What in tarnation is that thing?” wondered Apple Bloom out loud. It looked like some sort of weird chariot or carriage, but made of metal painted mottled green and brown and with big, rubber wheels. There were a pair of padded seats sitting side-by-side under a tubular meal framework and a strange wheel mounted in front of one confirming that it was obviously a conveyance of some sort, but looking all around it, they couldn’t see anywhere for a pony to hitch up to pull it. From the fallen leaves, it looked like it had been sitting out here for several days or even weeks. “Looks like it slid down here off the trail,” observed Sweetie Belle, motioning to a line of deep gouges in the soft soil extending from the wheels up to the top of the ravine. “And it got wedged into this rock somethin’ fierce,” added Apple Bloom. Scootaloo sat herself down on one of the padded seats, “Hey, look, there’s some pedals down there,” She hooked a forehoof through the wheel to steady herself as she reached down to press one of the pedals. When she put her weight on it, the wheel moved unexpectedly. Apple Bloom squealed in surprise “When you moved that thing there, the wheels moved!” Scootaloo released the steering wheel like it would bite her and stared at it intently, “Hey, there’s a button here.” She reached out with a forehoof and gingerly touched the rubberized button next to the steering column. The starter motor whirred to life sending all three fillies tumbling back over themselves, screaming. “M-maybe we should tell somepony?” Sweetie Belle suggested, gathering herself up. Her friends nodded in agreement, their expedition to Zecora’s forest cottage now totally forgotten. **************** “Owww!” Twilight winced as she stretched out her leg. She had decided to take part in the Running of the Leaves yesterday, and her leg muscles ached something fierce. What was keeping Spike with that ointment? “Spike? Where are you?” “I’m right here, geeze,” the little dragon trundled up the stairs and into her bedroom with the tube of greasy ointment. Twilight’s horn glowed as she snatched the tube from his hands and began smearing the concoction across her flank and legs. “Serves you right for pushing yourself like that,” Spike huffed. “Well, I couldn’t finish lower than I did last year. Applejack and Rainbow Dash would have teased me to no end.” The cream went to work almost immediately, soothing her overtaxed muscles. “That’s what you said yesterday, too,” he rolled his eyes, “Just don’t expect me to get you a sympathy card.” “And you said that yesterday, too” she snarked. She hobbled from her bed down the stairs to the balcony where she had moved her best telescope from the platform on the top of the library. Or really, Spike had moved it with much grumbling. Her legs were too sore to make the ascent, but she wasn’t going to let that put a damper on her stargazing. She plopped down heavily on a cushion and adjusted the telescope, pointing it towards where she knew the constellation Orion would be once the sun finished setting and the night truly began. The moon was low in the sky, and her gaze lingered there. She wondered about their visitors, mentally comparing the timetable the Captain had described to her with the time that had passed since the Felicity Klimkosky’s departure. It wasn’t very bright, and it didn’t last more than a minute at most. She watched as the light built in intensity then suddenly winked out. It was something she had never seen before; probably something no living pony had ever seen. For once, though, she did not run for her books. She had a pretty good idea exactly what this phenomenon was. She closed her eyes as she levitated a blank parchment and quill over from the desk. She had been thinking long and hard about this letter, and still wasn’t quite sure she was happy with it. Setting the parchment down in front of her, she began to write. Dear Princess Celestia, I can now confirm that the human starship, the Silvertongue, has successfully departed from our world and, hopefully, our very universe. I have just observed a flash of light consistent with Captain Tartaglia’s description of a hyperspace jump emanating from the space between us and the moon. Judging from their proposed timetable, it appears the jump occurred more or less on schedule. Though I will miss my conversations with the Captain, I do genuinely hope I will never see him again, as that would be the best confirmation of his safe return home as I could hope for. I know it was not part of my duties as your temporary ambassador, but I did learn some valuable lessons about friendship from this adventure. I have learned that people from very different cultures can find common ground and even become very good friends. I have also found that, in times of trouble, you can draw on all your friends both old and new to see you through and that you can trust in all your friends to help in their own special ways. Lastly, I have learned that compassion defines greatness, and that even when dealing with somepony who is well and truly beyond all redemption, if we can still show compassion to rise above their level, it will rub off on our friends and lift us all up. Finally, I wish to inform you that it appears we have succeeded in minimizing cultural and technological bleed-over from the Human visit. I have inspected the ‘souvenirs’ my friends and I kept from our visitors, and they all appear to be quite innocuous. Only some scant human lettering would raise any eyebrows to a casual observer, and nopony would be able to read it anyway. All in all, it appears our attempts to confine our knowledge for the time being has been successful. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle She rolled the parchment and bound it with a ribbon, “Spike, could you please send this?” Spike trundled over from where he had been finishing up some last-minute organizing before heading off to bed. He took the scroll and with a puff of his breath sent it on its way. Twilight noticed as he went back to his duties that he was humming to himself, but she couldn’t quite place the tune. She realized he had started mumbling the lines to himself just in time to hear the lyric “We’ll send the bastards straight to hell…” “Spike!” she whipped her head around, “Language!” “What? Sorry.” He stopped singing but continued humming the ditty. Shaking her head, Twilight turned back to her telescope, only to be interrupted by a frantic clatter coming from downstairs. “Miss Twilight! Miss Twilight!” she recognized the voice of Apple Bloom, Applejack’s little sister. Sure enough, before she could even fully rise from her cushion the little yellow filly came tumbling up the stairs followed closely by her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “My little ponies? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be home and in bed?” Without hesitating, Apple Bloom launched into a rapid-fire litany, barely even pausing between her words, “We were on our way to Zecora’s ‘cause we thought she could help us get our cutie marks but please, please, please don’t tell anyone that ‘cause we’d get in trouble for goin’ into the Everfree but we found this weird thing and it looks like a carriage but there’s no way to hitch up to it and it has parts that move other parts and it made this loud roaring sound like it was alive and we came straight to you ‘cause your real smart and you’d probably know what it was and…” her breath finally gave out. Twilight blinked trying to process the excited filly’s barrage, “Ok, wait a second here. Was this thing green with rubber tires and what looks like seats?” “Yeah, how’d you know?” asked Scootaloo. Twilight’s mind reeled. Across the room Spike was still humming the Militia ditty. She gave a frustrated sigh. She could tell tomorrow was going to be a long day. Spike looked up from his chores, “Should I get you another scroll?”

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T09:21:49+00:00

2011-07-11T09:21:49+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Glossary & Author’s Notes Thank you for reading The Thessalonica Legacy. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This document is not part of the story, but is instead intended to serve as supplemental material. I wish to thank my wife, “ikrits,” who read every word, served as my proofreader and editor, and encouraged me to pursue this little project. For more information of BattleTech and the BattleTech universe, please visit http://www.classicbattletech.com. I am not affiliated, I just really like the game and universe and will take any opportunity to plug it. Oh, and also, >>Shameless Plug<< Glossary of Terminology Many, if not most, BattleTech novels include a short supplement at the end that includes a glossary of terms specific to the BattleTech universe. Hopefully, if I did my job correctly, such a glossary is not strictly needed. However, I have included one here for completeness. Autocannon: a rapid-firing, autoloading weapon which fires streams of high-speed, high-explosive, armor-piercing shells. BattleMech: Generally humanoid robotic walking tanks; the premier weapons of war in the BattleTech universe. Standing between 10 and 15 meters tall and massing between 20 and 100 tons, they are powered by a small fusion engine and artificial “muscles” called myomers. They are piloted by a single person, the MechWarrior. Often abbreviated as ‘Mech. ComStar: Private semi-mystical organization which controls interstellar communications by owning and controlling the hyperpulse generator communications network. The Word of Blake is a splinter group of ComStar which follows a more fanatical quasi-religious path. Inner Sphere: Region of interstellar space centered around Earth and extending out to the borders of the Successor States. Comprises over 2000 inhabited star systems in a radius of approximately 450-550 light years from Earth. Everything beyond the borders of the Inner Sphere is termed the Periphery. LosTech: portmanteau of “lost technology,” generally refers to technology and artifacts for which the knowledge of manufacture has been lost. LRM: abbreviation for “Long Range Missile,” an indirect-fire missile weapon with a high-explosive warhead. LRMs fire salvos of 5, 10, 15, or 20 missiles at a time depending on the launcher. Star League: Founded in 2571 as an attempt to unify the major states of the Inner Sphere, the Star League flourished for almost 200 years before its collapse at the onset of the Succession Wars. The League is generally considered a “golden age” of technological advancement. Successor States: The five main star empires which rule the Inner Sphere. They are: the Capellan Confederation (House Liao), and the Draconis Combine (House Kurita), the Federated Suns (House Davion), the Free Worlds League (House Marik), and the Lyran Alliance (House Steiner). Technical Readout Another common feature of many BattleTech novels is a small collection of artwork depicting vehicles which play prominent roles in the story. VLK-QD1 Valkyrie: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/d/da/Vlk-qd1_valkyrie.jpg Leopard DropShip: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/2/2b/Leopard.gif Scout JumpShip: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/4/49/Scout.gif OSR-3D Osiris: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/1/17/Osiris.jpg SYU-2B Sha Yu: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/7/7f/Sha_Yu.gif Po Heavy Tank: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/images/6/66/Po.jpg I’ve been asked about information on the planet Valexa. Unfortunately, such information does not seem to exist in any BattleTech publications. The only concrete information is its location (X:122.67 Y:-88.15). The only other information avilable reguards the Valexa March Militia (1 ‘Mech regiment, 2 Aerospace Wings, 1 vehicle regiment, and 6 infantry regiments as of 3062, according to “Field Manual: Federated Suns”).

Dashukta

122

Main 6,Spike,Crossover,Human,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Thessalonica Legacy

complete

<p> In the 31st Century, humankind has spread to thousands of planets in the Inner Sphere. Once united under the glorious banner of the Star League, the Successor States and their noble houses now fight bitter wars over the scraps of empire. When a JumpShip carrying a special task force from the Federated Suns suffers a catastrophic misjump, the occupants find themselves stranded above a strange, beautiful world at once alien and eerily familiar.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the peaceful realm of Equestria, Ponyville’s resident bookworm , Twilight Sparkle, has stumbled upon hints of a secret buried for centuries. A secret that may lay bare long-forgotten aspects of Pony history and culture.</p><p>Our story begins on the planet Valexa, where the beleaguered Militia has launched a last-ditch effort to call for help against overwhelming odds. </p><p>Written with those who are not familiar with the BattleTech/MechWarrior universe in mind.</p>

everyone

2011-07-28T02:17:51+00:00

2011-07-28T02:17:51+00:00

The Thessalonica Legacy Epilogue Twilight Sparkle couldn’t hide her surprise at the turnout. She had expected a small crowd and perhaps some reporters from the more major newspapers. Instead, the rail yard had taken on a carnival-like atmosphere with banners and flags and crowds of ponies everywhere. It seemed as if half the countryside had turned out to watch the exhibition race. She stared in awe at the grandstands flanking the starting line, filled to capacity and with hundreds more ponies swarming the surrounding grounds. She was even surprised to see how many ponies had already taken sides in the competition, displaying colorful banners and slogans cheering on their chosen teams. “Looks like an even split,” Spike said from his perch on her back. He had been attempting to count the banners supporting either side in the competition. Twilight said nothing, but nodded in agreement. She passed through the cordon set up by the overtaxed guards with a nod to the guard closest to her. Stepping gingerly over the rails, she moved around to get a clear view of the two large, steel locomotives standing silent at the starting line. She had always found the word “locomotive” funny, as the machine really did nothing of the sort. No doubt the flywheels did help ease the burden for the pull-team once up to speed, but it really did not provide much pulling power of its own. Ultimately, the “locomotive” served as little more than a portable water tank and rest car for the pullers. One of the locomotives had its pull-team hitched to the front. Big, strong stallions blessed with near supernatural strength and endurance. Their checkered hats and blue bandannas identified them as from the Palomino Royale Line, famous across Equestria for their ability. Twilight politely introduced herself and wished them luck as they limbered up for their run. But it was the second locomotive which truly held Twilight’s attention. At first glance, it looked identical to the other, only lacking the team of burly ponies. What was special about this locomotive, however, was on the inside. The rest cots and heavy flywheel had been stripped away and the massive water tank refitted into a fuel tank for the real star of today’s exhibition—a prototype internal-combustion engine, the first such machine ever made by ponies. Today was to be its public debut. It was to be a two-part race, taking part over two separate days. Today was the sprint—an all-out race to the finish over a quarter-mile length of track set up here, at the Trottingham Rail Yards. Tomorrow would be the endurance race, when both teams would run the Trottingham to Hoofington line, well-known for being long and grueling. Twilight stepped around behind the steel beast with its newfangled heart and peered into the cabin. The smell of sweat and engine grease stung her nostrils and brought forth a wave of what she could only describe as nostalgia. She shut her eyes and swallowed against a lump in her throat. Looking again, she could make out the forms of two ponies within the small cabin. “How’s it looking, Torque?” she called out, trying to sound as chipper as she could. A grey pony with a short-cropped dark blue mane and tail pushed his safety goggles up on his forehead as he looked up at their visitor, “Honestly, could be better, Miss Sparkle,” he replied, shaking his head. “We’re having trouble with the gearing, which is costing us power at low speed, and there’s an oil leak I’m still trying to pin down.” Twilight, nodded, “Well, I’m sure you’ll get it sorted out, Mr. Wrench.” The engine had been reverse-engineered from the Felicity Klimkosky’s abandoned all-terrain vehicle—though that bit of information was still a closely-guarded secret. Building it had been a difficult process which had taxed the limits of pony engineering. Admittedly, the prototype was not as refined or powerful as the original human machine, but it was a start. The second occupant, a large stallion recently retired from pulling trains himself, sneered, “It’s loud. It’s dirty and smelly. The heat roasts you alive, and it feels like the whole locomotive is going to shake itself apart. And I don’t take too kindly to sitting behind a giant tank full of gallons and gallons of highly-flammable alcohol.” The grey mechanic grinned and slapped the big stallion on the back, “Don’t worry, Caboose, I won’t let it us blow up.” Twilight stifled a small giggle, “Well, I’ll let you two get back to work. Good luck today.” With that, she ducked out of the cabin. She crossed the rail yard to where a raised dais draped in finery had been set up under an opulent banner. Without pausing, she scaled the steps and took her place respectfully beside and behind Princess Celestia. She exchanged pleasantries with the two princesses then busied herself trying to spot her friends in the crowd. She knew where they should have been as they had all arrived together earlier that day. She finally spotted Rainbow Dash and Applejack among the stands, vigorously waving homemade banners supporting opposite teams. “Well, Miss Sparkle, today’s the big day,” Twilight looked around to discover Princess Luna had left her designated place to talk with her, “How’s our team looking? Do you think we can win today?” “Honestly? I doubt it,” Twilight looked a little sheepish, “I think the Palomino Royale boys have got us beat in the sprint, and they’ll definitely be faster off the line,” She held her head defiantly high, “We’ll whip ‘em in the run tomorrow, though!” Luna grinned, “You hear that, sis? We’re going to whip your team tomorrow!” Celestia cast a jesting glance back at her younger sister, “Oh really? Care to increase our wager then?” “Can I get in on that action?” chimed in Spike. “Spike!” Twilight looked aghast at her assistant, but the princesses just chuckled. “My sister thinks we’re moving too quickly with this new human technology,” Princess Luna whispered in Twilight’s ear, “Speaking of which, did I tell you we’re starting field trials on the first pony-portable radios next month?” Princess Luna had embraced the opportunity the abandoned human vehicle had provided. She had personally organized its recovery and detailed dissection. She had also instituted the dissemination of its technological secrets and commissioned the duplication of its key components. Today’s race was as much a testament to her will as it was the technology itself. Princess Celestia turned to fully face them, “You’ll also be interested to know, Twilight Sparkle, that I’ve instituted a procedure to avoid any more surprise visits reaching Equestria unannounced. The implication that the jump between our worlds can be done at-will poses a serious threat to our security.” “You don’t think they actually will return, do you sister?” Luna’s voice was tinged with both wonder and trepidation. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. She had enjoyed her time with the humans, and she especially missed her long talks with Captain Tartaglia. She wished she could see them again, if only to make sure they were all OK. The Inner Sphere sounded like a dangerous place compared to Equestria, and the passengers of the Felicity Klimkosky were military at war. It was hard for her to imagine a more dangerous occupation. “I hope not,” Celestia dropped her voice, “We were lucky. Considering Twilight’s reports on the status of the Inner Sphere from her discussions with the humans, if any others do come through to our world, we cannot be guaranteed they will be as… amiable… as most of these last ones were. And frankly, the fact they were able to operate an entire city for several years right under our very noses has me vexed, especially since they have now rediscovered the secret of moving between our worlds.” Twilight trusted that Tartaglia had been true to his word and destroyed all record of their ever having been in Equestria. It was possible another JumpShip might stumble across them accidentally, of course. After all, both the Due Diligence and the Silvertongue had arrived by accident. Even if Tartaglia and Mawsley erased their logs, the New Alamo Research Facility was still there. There very well could still be some reference to that secret Hegemony base somewhere in the Inner Sphere. It couldn’t have dropped entirely out of history. But still… “Somewhere in the vicinity of Carver V…” Twilight didn’t quite realize she was thinking out loud. “Hmm?” Celestia glanced down at her pupil. “I doubt we’ll have to worry about a purposeful return, your highness,” Twilight stated matter-of-factly, “From what I was able to gather, I think the secret of our existence is safe.” An electric buzz shot through the crowd. The announcer had called the contestants to the starting line. The stallions of the pull-team took their places and dug their hooves in, ready to run. The other locomotive sat silent for a moment, then shook as the reverse-engineered engine roared to life. The crowd gasped as the alien sound reverberated through the air. It was almost as if the locomotive had come to life “Care to do the honors, dear sister?” Celestia motioned for Luna to step forward. The midnight blue princess replaced her sister at the head of the dais and raised one elegant hoof in the air. The crowd drew silent as she held it there for a moment, only the menacing growl of the engine could be heard. In one swift stroke she dropped her hoof. Hooves thundered and metal shrieked to the accompaniment of the roaring crowd. The stallions strained at their harnesses as the engine belched out shimmering hot exhaust. The dueling locomotives inched away from the starting line and inexorably began building up speed. True to Twilight’s prediction, the pony-pulled locomotive immediately leapt out to an early lead as both thundered down the line.

Nightbreak

123

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Rarity,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Pain In The Tail

incomplete

<p>After Applebuck Season, Applejack is very battered. Of all ponies, it's Rarity who has an idea on how to make her feel better.</p><p>(This version does not feature the crossover epilogue found on EqD, but will still connect with that universe in time.)</p>

everyone

2011-07-15T23:30:23+00:00

2011-07-15T23:30:23+00:00

Applejack sighed in relief as she nudged one of the final baskets into place down in the old apple cellar. The bucking itself was done, once she'd taken up her friends on their offer of help. And she'd managed to snag a bit of sleep, so she'd at least stopped seeing triple. Big Mac would be able to help her now with sorting and deciding which apples would be sold and which would be kept. She could buck, she could sell, and she could tell from the trees when the harvest was coming, but Mac still knew which apple went best in pies and which were meant for squeezing into cider. Trotting back up above ground, she seized another covered basket in her teeth and backed up carefully, dragging it to the tip of the ramp she'd pushed into place. With the lightest tap of a hoof, she gave it a shove and the basket slid down the ramp, ending with a thump somewhere in the blackness below. Satisfied that none of the apples had fallen out, she went back for another to repeat the whole process. Twilight and Rarity had magicked most of the crops down into the stone cellars already, but had left a few above ground to let her finish the job on her own, just as a matter of pride. She was grateful to them for that. A couple of baskets couldn't hurt her like all that bucking had. Applejack winced briefly at the memory of the lump on the back of her head from earlier in the week. She'd knocked herself loopy and lost her hearing for a good part of the day. Thankfully, there didn't appear to be any lasting damage and the throbbing in her skull had subsided. She gave another twitch of her back hooves to knock another basket down the ramp. “Oof!” Okay, bit of a twinge there in her hindquarters now. Maybe she really had overdone it more than she'd thought. Well, she'd draw a bath tonight and soak in it before going to bed. She'd just get these last couple loads tucked away and close things up. Flexing her neck, she gave another tug on a rim, but the basket refused to budge. Applejack muttered around her mouthful of wicker and jerked again, but nothing happened. Well, the apple pile in it was no bigger than any of the others, so it was unlikely that those apples weighed more than the last load. Maybe it had gotten snagged on something. She'd try another direction and see if that loosened things up. Stepping around, she set all four hooves and got a grip on things, planning on a slow pull rather than a fast jerk. But, just as she inhaled, her back spasmed and her hind legs buckled. With a grunt muffled by the wicker between her teeth, Applejack lost her balance and went over, her neck twisting around. Oh, spice and cinnamon, that rattled her teeth! Her head spun as she lay there, panting for air. Her jaw stung from not letting go, but that was nothing compared to the fire she could feel up along her hip. Just wonderful, she thought, indulging in a few brief seconds of panic. She'd gone and done it now. Slowly, Applejack tested moving her legs, taking first shallow, then deeper breaths, twitching her tail ... “Ow!” Tarnation. There was one bit of bad news. Something wasn't right back there. She just hoped it hadn't spread too far up her back. “AJ?” Thudding sounded from across the yard as Big Mac galloped to her aid. “I'm okay, Mac. I think.” Applejack sighed as she lifted her head, wincing at the pull in her neck. “Jes' tryin' to see if I can get back up here.” “Don't do any more damage to yourself,” he warned her, his warm muzzle brushing against her braid. “Is it your leg?” “Worse. Back, I think.” She glanced down her slender body at her formerly powerful hindquarters. It was humiliating, but she'd rather Big Mac find her like this than Rainbow Dash or Rarity. “Don't reckon it's too bad, but I need to see if I can get upright. Will you catch me if I start going down again?” “Always.” He shuffled back to give her room, knowing her pride wouldn't let her accept a hoof the first time. If she couldn't make it, though, he'd hold her up. She grunted as she propped herself up on her forelegs and concentrated on moving one hind leg that didn't result in another twinge. Okay, so far, so good. If she could just push off . . . She snorted as the fire came again along her back with the pressure, but shook it off and managed to get all four legs beneath her. “Ah. Ahhhh. Ow. All right. There, I'm up.” Big Mac eyed her. “And none too steady, neither. You need to see the nurses, AJ.” “Well, I do hope they're willing to make a barn-call, Mac.” She took a careful step and wobbled right away. “I'm not sure I could walk there. And there's no apple-bucking way you're carrying me in your own condition, never mind the humiliation of it all.” He turned to offer her his flank to lean on. “Come on. We'll stick you in the big tub in the barn and I'll see if we can find someone to get the gals from the hospital down here.” - - - Applejack rested both front hooves on the rim of the cast-iron bathtub, leaning forward as Nurse Redheart examined her. “I've been overdoing it on the apple-bucking. I admit that.” “Mmm.” The white mare's touch was gentle, waiting for her to react to pain or pressure with each press along her back. “That would account for the pain in your hip. But you've also been sleep-deprived, you say?” “Yep. My own dang fault, too.” Applejack winced as a muscle jumped beneath the nurse's hoof. “Ah! Well, that part hurts right there.” She sensed Redheart reach beneath the water to feel her croup. “Ow! And again there. What about the pain when I twitch my tail?” “All the same thing, I'd imagine.” The nurse stepped over to the pile of towels so she could dry her hoof off. “All right. Tell me again what you've been doing this week.” Sighing, Applejack obliged. After she told the nurse about smacking the back of her head on a branch, Redheart frowned and gently parted her mane to examine that as well and even had her open her mouth to check her teeth. “You didn't bite your cheek or tongue. Thank Celestia for small favours.” she murmured. “And there's no lump, although you've probably been having headaches comparable to Rainbow Dash's after her latest crash.” Applejack winced again. “I believe I was the cause of that.” “No, I tend to chalk that up to Rainbow's insistence on being a daredevil,” Nurse Redheart said. “Now, headaches?” “None since my nap this afternoon. Before that, though, I was just dizzy.” “All right. And you fell off a tower how many times?” Frowning, Applejack tried to remember. “Honestly, things are a bit of a blur, but I ain't feeling too sore.” Redheart nickered in gentle disapproval and felt along Applejack's forelegs and down her chest, searching for bruises that wouldn't be evident beneath her orange coat. Finding none, she went over to her doctor's saddlebags and flicked them open with her nose. “My opinion is that you've either cramped up your hip muscles or even pulled something. Over-bucking while exhausted and dehydrated, most likely. But you haven't torn any muscles, which is very lucky. And you're also lucky that you don't have a concussion.” She rooted around in her bag and came out with a mouthful of tree bark, setting it on another bale beside the tub. “Chew on this willow bark before you go to bed tonight. It should bring down the pain and any swelling in your hindquarters. And I'd recommend sleeping on your side rather than your back tonight.” “Thank you, nurse.” Applejack sighed and carefully lay down in the warm water again, her breath hitching a little as she had to move her tail, which sent another spasm through her back. “I feel like there ain't a lot of bits that can make up for all the work I've put you through this week.” “Nonsense,” Redheart told her, smiling and nuzzling her mane. “We haven't forgotten the time your extended family helped us build that new wing on the hospital. Or all the apples you've sent our way over the years. My bill for you and your brother this week will reflect that, of course.” “I appreciate it,” Applejack said, already calculating the bits she'd cover in trade with Redheart and her fellow doctors and nurses. Next party they had, she was providing the desserts for them at cost. “Now, don't think this means you can just leap right up tomorrow and go back to farming, Applejack. You are going to need a couple of days to just rest yourself and not do any more damage. Your brother can do light work tomorrow, but the two of you should probably send a message to some of your cousins to come in. Are there any unicorns in your family? They can be useful.” She snorted. “I know what you mean, but we're all Earth Ponies. Although they should be done their own apple-bucking by now, so maybe some of them can spare a day or two. I'll have someone put the word out to the other farms.” Redheart slipped her head through her saddlebags and slid them down her neck onto her back. “Rainbow Dash, perhaps? I can find her in town and tell her to come get the message.” “Really? Awfully decent of ya, Redheart.” Part of her regretted having Rainbow see her like this, but she had to think of the farm first. “Thanks for coming down. I'll owe you.” - - - Applejack woke with a grunt, sitting up and feeling disoriented. Then her back throbbed and she groaned, letting her head flop back onto her pillow. Right. She'd hurt herself. Darn it all to heck and back again. She remembered now. Rainbow Dash had taken off to visit four of the other Apple family farms to recruit cousins. Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Twilight had also shown up. Between Pegasus wings and magical levitation, the two ponies had taken the pressure off of her back and gotten her into bed. Fluttershy had agreed with Nurse Redheart on the willow bark and had even made a tea that she had promised would help her sleep. The last thing Applejack remembered was the yellow Pegasus stroking her mane and singing a quiet song to her. Then nothing but blackness. She raised her eyes to the clock over her bedroom door and made a face at the time. Nine in the morning and she was still in bed, which was no way for a farm pony to live. On the other hand, it was obvious she'd needed the rest. Noises from outside caught her attention and she gingerly turned over to look down onto the farmyard from her window. Oh, thank Celestia. She could see Caramel Apple, Baked Apple, and Red Gala from where she was lying. Big Macintosh was talking with Golden Delicious over by the barn. That was at least two farms that Rainbow Dash had reached in the night, then. She was going to owe that Pegasus a pie for her speed. A tap on the door made her look back over her shoulder, wincing as her neck muscles protested, still sore from yesterday. “C'mon in! I'm awake.” To her surprise, it was a white unicorn who popped her head into the room. “Rarity? Of all the ponies . . .” “How are you feeling, darling?” Rarity slipped into the room, levitating a breakfast tray along with her. “I take it you've seen your extended family tending to matters out there?” Applejack's nostrils flared as the scent of apple-cinnamon pancakes reached her. Oh, she hadn't made those in ages. “I think I'm better than yesterday, but I haven't put my hooves on the floor yet. Wasn't sure whether or not I'd stay upright. And yes, I saw. Is everyone else managing?” “Quite well. You and Macintosh have made it easy for others to see how things are done, or so your cousins tell me. They'll keep things in their place. Now, what would you prefer first: breakfast, or testing your footing?” “I reckon I'd better see if I'm stable,” she admitted. The smell of breakfast was making her ravenous, but she would rather have her food while not lying in bed if she could help it. Rarity immediately slid the tray onto her washstand and moved closer. “Very well. Is it all right if I use my magic to get you on your hooves? Fluttershy said that it was better than having you simply roll out of bed and hit the floor.” Applejack smiled. “Yer askin', Rarity. Helping me save some of my pride?” “Partially,” the unicorn admitted. “Although the last time I helped cover for your pride, it was the catalyst for you hurting yourself. I don't know why I keep bothering.” The affectionate ear-nuzzle she gave, however, eased her words. “All right. Just lie still and let Auntie Rarity work.” Her horn glowed brightly and the bed began un-making itself, the blanket slowly lifting Applejack as if it were a magic carpet. One of her sheets whirled gracefully up into the air as well and, folding itself over a couple of times, gently slithered beneath her barrel. Then her blanket floated down towards the floor, ever so slightly tilting and tipping over, her sheet becoming a hovering sling that held her upright. Her hooves floated inches above the hardwood, then she felt them actually touch, the sling under her midsection relaxing a fraction with each passing second, letting her weight gradually be transferred back to her legs . Rarity watched her carefully. “Any pain, darling?” Applejack took a slow breath as her sheet finally let her go, all four of her hooves on the floor. “I'm okay standing. Walking . . .” She lifted a rear and front leg at the same time and right away could feel the tension in the muscles of her back and hip. “Well, it ain't perfect.” She took an actual step, all four hooves lifting and lowering. She was tight, all right, but the pain was manageable. “But I reckon I can function. Mind you, I shouldn't try stairs just yet.” “Very well,” Rarity said again, using her magic to briskly remake the bed. “I did bring your breakfast with me just in case you were still incapacitated, but I assume you'd prefer eating in the kitchen?” “If I could, please?” Once both of them were at the table, Rarity hovered over juice for the both of them. “You seem surprised to see me.” Applejack shrugged before she dug in. “Well, I guess I imagined you'd have dresses to make rather than spend the day on the farm.” “Mmm.” Rarity tilted her head. “Well, all I had to do was quickly pack up my kit and a couple of my ponyquins and ask your brother for his permission to set up in your dining room today. He agreed. And I think a change of scenery is good for the inspiration.” “I do appreciate it, Rarity, I do. But please don't go changing the wallpaper or permanently rearranging furniture while you're in there.” Applejack perked her ears forward to try and show she wasn't being mean. “I know how you can get about your surroundings.” The unicorn smirked back at her. “Likewise. And there is another reason I came. Dear Fluttershy stopped by after you'd fallen asleep last night. She'd talked to Nurse Redheart and had had an idea. But she needed me to contact the right pony. Connections and all, you know.” Applejack swallowed pancakes. “Uh-oh.” That smirk grew wider, Rarity looking far too pleased with herself. “Oh, come now. I haven't even said what it is.” “You're lookin' positively gleeful,” she pointed out. “Last time I saw that expression on yer face, I was storing your leftover birdnests from last Winter Wrap-Up in my barn because you begged me to. It took Big Mac and Fluttershy three days to move all the bird families that came back late that year and settled in our hay instead of in the nests.” “Well, you had simply done me a favour,” Rarity admitted. “This time, however, I've called in a favour for you.” And at that moment, a knock came on the kitchen door. - - - “Rarity, how in tarnation is a spa treatment going to do me any good?” Applejack kept her voice low, since there was a blue Earth pony in the next room, apparently 'setting up' for her. She couldn't believe it, granted, but she still didn't wish to offend someone right away. Her friend sipped apple juice and leaned closer as Applejack pushed her now-empty plate aside. “Here's the thing. It's not precisely a spa treatment. Lotus originally wanted to be a therapist. But there was too much competition in Fillydelphia for her to make a decent living. So she and her sister came to Ponyville.” She sighed. “They needed money to start up the spa here in town, so I loaned them the bits. I know the twins very well and I also know that despite the long hours they put in at the spa, they also do small jobs for Nurse Redheart, taking on ponies who require physical therapy. And that includes situations like yours.” “Hang on. Are you saying . . .” She'd never known any of this. “Massage isn't just for beauty and relaxation, Applejack. Nor is it always fancy. We can get you better sooner, or at least make it stop hurting without overdoing it on the willow bark.” “Wasn't what I was goin' to say. That spa must've taken a whole lotta bits to start up.” “Oh, I can't discuss that. Privacy agreements and all. But once I explained your past week to Lotus, she was more than eager to come by and help you unwind.” Rarity smiled and nudged a hoof with her own. “She could probably tell you more about what you did to yourself than even the nurses could. She's quite knowledgeable and offered to give you a handful of sessions, as a favour to me.” “Really.” She considered that. Heck, she'd barely met the twins. Of course, she never went anywhere near the spa, considering it a fancy-dancy frou-frou place for those of Rarity's type. But to be frank, since she was going to be stuck not doing much for a day or so . . . and a second opinion? It couldn't hurt. Well, maybe it could, but she understood sometimes help came with a little hurt. “Well, I ain't much for the relaxin' type, but I suppose this is the exception. What do I need to do?” “Simply listen to her,” Rarity said, “and thank you. Lotus really wants to prove she's more than a pretty pony. And if she can help you, others will hear about it.” “If this works, I'll spell out my thanks in apples in front of the whole cotton-picking spa.” “Mees Applejack?” Lotus poked her head into the room. “If you're not too full, I think we could begin.” Rarity's unicorn magic swept the dishes off the table and set them in the sink. “Go on. I'll be working in the other room if either of you need me.” Applejack's hindquarters still felt heavy as she turned around to follow Lotus down the hall into her own spare room. She wasn't often aware of her own tail, but the tenderness that made her limp was bringing unknown muscles to her attention. She had never realized that just breathing involved so many muscles. Lotus stopped at the doorway and gestured for her to go in. “I've merely covered some things to set a proper mood,” she said, her accent making Applejack's ears twitch with curiosity. Tarnit, it wasn't as if her own accent was anything to be scowled at. She couldn't fault a filly for having one of her own. “If there is anything that makes you uncomfortable inside, please let me know.” Applejack peered past her and her eyes widened. “Whoa, Nellie.” There were pale orange and brown gauze scarves over the window that normally looked out onto the apple orchard. The view was muted, though, and gave them privacy that the ordinary lace curtains wouldn't have. The tables were covered too, and there were candles in deep amber holders. In the middle of it all was a low, long, padded table with a donut-shaped headrest. She sniffed at a light scent that came from the candles. “That ain't apples, but it's something nice.” “It's a mixture of mandarin orange and honeybell,” Lotus told her. “I felt that since you spend your life amongst apples, some other citrus should be used. Is the room too warm?” When Applejack shook her head, Lotus gave her shoulder a soft touch of her nose. “Then shall we begin?” She exhaled. “I ain't ever put myself in another pony's hooves like this before,” she admitted. “Is it okay if I'm a tad nervous?” “Mmm. We can work on that, too. Lie down.” Applejack awkwardly lowered herself onto the padded table, settling more comfortably once she'd found the right way to slide her muzzle through the centre of the headrest. Her forehead and cheeks were cushioned by towels and she found she was able to breathe freely, even though she could see only the floor. Then she felt her forelegs being carefully guided away from her chest to dangle over the sides of the table, even as her hind legs were stretched out with her tail, her body nestling down into the padding. Lotus's warm breath was on her ear and she felt her mane being gently tucked to one side to bare her neck. “Breathe,” she murmured, “however you like. I'm going to raise the table a little.” Applejack heard the soft clicking of levers, then things were quiet. The door closed somewhere behind her and the two of them were alone. She could feel the other Earth Pony beside her, hear the soft clink of vials and brushes. Then the first touch came, on an opposite shoulder and her near flank at the same time. “We'll start like this,” Lotus whispered, leaning into her body and Applejack felt her back stretch out, slow and gentle. She inhaled, deeper than she had in the last few days, letting it out again as she was released. Then the near shoulder and far flank, with another slow stretch. That one let her feel the tightness in her hip and she gave a soft groan. “We'll get there, I promise.” The edges of Lotus’s hooves slid along Applejack's bare withers, then settled against the nape of her neck and began a slow, rhythmic kneading, finding the kink there that she'd gotten when she'd fallen. “Does that hurt?” “Just a titch,” she groaned again and shut her eyes, enjoying the warm sensation as Lotus moved from her neck to the join of her shoulders. She was tight there too and, while there was an occasional flicker of pain, it was being gently kneaded away. “There. You're starting to loosen.” Lotus made a soft, approving noise as she moved around, one of her hooves resting lightly on a shoulder. “It's not so bad, is it?” “Never thought I'd be doing this,” she admitted, watching as the Earth pony's hooves passed through her narrowed vision. She felt her mane get pushed over to the other side so Lotus could dig into her shoulder muscles. “. . . Nnnnnngh.” There was silence for a while as she lay there, Lotus quietly working her way down. The mare was skilled, she had to admit. And she was beginning to understand why Rarity had recommended this. “Rarity says you learned in Fillydelphia?” She felt a bit strange talking to the floor, but Lotus obviously had no problems hearing her. “There are some good trainers in Fillydelphia,” she said, “But business there? Too crowded. Too many good mares.” Her hooves were padding down either side of Applejack's spine, swaying her body gently with each press. “So we came west, as one of my instructors suggested.” As Lotus's hooves moved lower, Applejack felt something move slightly in her back. It made her eyes roll back as it throbbed, the pain duller than she imagined. “Ow?” “Ahh, yes. You have a knot there. This is where the problem started. When you buck your apples, you coil your legs and all the power comes from . ..” The tip of her hoof touched the point on her hip and ran along the ache in front of her tail. “here. And it's all propelled back into the tree through your legs.” Her touch along Applejack's flank was light, almost ticklish. “But you pulled these muscles. . .” Back to the ache by her tail, not yet pressing into it. “which are still too sore to work on directly.” Lotus rested the flat of her hoof on Applejack's hip again and gently moved the lump of a knot around some more, testing its limits. “Just say if it gets sharp. That would be bad pain.” Applejack heaved a deep sigh and felt. . . .well, she doubted 'relaxed' would have described her current state. She was still not the one hundred percent strong pony that she should have been. But she was getting better. Rarity had been right. This was helping. And there hadn't been any talk of conditioner for her mane, or a mineral bath for her hooves. This wasn't frou-frou spa-stuff at all. Lotus spent some more time on her haunches, then even massaged along the back of her legs, down to her hocks. As she explained, since Applejack had been moving her hindquarters gingerly, the muscles there could be tired as well. Well, whatever she was doing to them now, it felt darn good. Finally, she came back up and Applejack lifted her head from the muzzle-rest to look at her. “I'm ready to try your dock and tail now,” she said, “and we'll see if we can get you in shape for the rest of the day. When I'm done, you should lie here as long as you feel you need to. Recovery is important. And if you need another session tonight before bed, you may tell Rarity and she will send us a notice.” Her hoof stroked Applejack's orange mane. “Any questions?” “Could y'all teach me some of this?” she found herself asking, then felt her cheeks warm. “It just seems it'd be a handy thing to know, what with all the work we do around here on the farm. Not lookin' to be as good as you, mind . . .” Lotus's eyes crinkled as she smiled. “When you're better, come over to the spa sometime. My sister can teach. In return, you can teach us how you make your pies taste so good, yes? Now, head down, and remember to breathe.” Applejack slid her muzzle back into the headrest and heaved a long sigh. She wasn't sure what had prompted her to blurt that out, but she'd been taken with a sudden need to know how to help herself if she was ever stupid enough to overdo it again. Same went for Big Mac. The farm needed one or the other of them to be healthy until Apple Bloom grew up, and they couldn't always rely on cousins to bail them out. She could feel hooves laid on either side of her dock, just in front of her tail. She was trusting now. Lotus could read her body the way she read the orchard, knowing when you could ask it to do more or let it rest. Her pressure was gentle as the massage circled out from her spine along her flank. There was pain there, all right, but it wasn't the fire that had stitched her flank the night before. Instead it was the same dull throbbing she'd felt earlier in the session. Her groan was low and soft, exhaling the hurt, feeling the rhythm of Lotus's kneading slow until she took another breath. “Mmmm.” She couldn't help it. She was sore, but she was feeling good. Her awareness had been narrowing the longer her massage had gone on. Now it was at the point where all she was aware of was the touch on her dock, the small square of wooden floor in her view, and she was somewhere in her own head, feeling the gentle rhythm of being rubbed. Her tail flopped loosely as she was kneaded back and forth, up and down, just there at the base, where it wasn't hurting so much. Whatever had been so bad last night wasn't so sore now. And she was starting to drift. She barely noticed the pressure lifting off her back and something thick and warm covering her body instead. She did, however, feel the light brush of a muzzle against her ear, and then heard a soft puff of air as someone blew out candles, leaving the muted morning sun as the only light in the room. And as she took another slow, content breath, she vaguely sensed the door opening and closing, then everything went blurry. - - - “Did Lotus leave already?” Rarity glanced up from her sewing machine and smiled. “Oh, she's been gone for a good half-hour or so, dear. How are you feeling?” “Better,” Applejack admitted. “I'm feeling like I've got some energy, too.” She had lain on the table for a while, not even thinking, but just coming back slowly from wherever Lotus had sent her. It was a completely new experience for her, and while she was a little frightened about the sort of control she'd have to give up to have it happen again, she hadn't felt that good in a long while, either. “Like, enough to go and sit out there for a bit and supervise.” She glanced around the dining room. “You finding things to your own liking?” Rarity nodded as her horn glowed and another swath of fabric slid over to line up with the needle. “The atmosphere in here isn't as airy as my boutique, but my word, is it lovely for inspiration. I really must consider other locations more often for some of my concepts.” “I take it that means you're content with your surroundings, then,” Applejack cracked, grinning. “Rar, I wanna thank you for settin' all that up for me today. It ain't something I ever considered, but I'm glad you talked me into it. I might be going a few more times, now.” The unicorn peered over her work glasses at her. “Oh, I'm so very glad, Applejack. Well, I'm more happy that you're feeling better, but it's also good that you're interested in keeping yourself that way.” She smiled. “Now I just have to convince you that your mane looks so much more interesting like that than when you wear that hat on top of it all.” Applejack blinked, then turned to look at herself in a mirror. Lordy, her mane was all fluffy and bouncing curls!! She hadn't put it into its braid yet that morning and it had been pushed back and forth while she was on the massage table. “Ack! Where's my brush! I cain't go outside like this. If mah cousins saw me . . .” “They'd drop the milking buckets with shock at the vision of beauty before them,” Rarity agreed, smiling even wider. “Go on, Applejack. Live a little. Leave the elastics out for just one day.” She shook her head. “Nuh-uh. I need to go and dunk my head in some water, I reckon. That ought to straighten things out.” Leaving the room, she was heading down the hallway when she looked into the spare room again and saw all of Lotus's gear still set up. Gingerly, Applejack took the knob in her mouth and shut the door. She couldn't let the rest of her clan see that sort of stuff. Not yet, at least. She just wanted to keep the whole experience to herself for a little while longer. Turning back, she made for her room. Now, where had she left that dratted hairbrush?

Raz_Fox

124

Applejack,Princess Celestia,Twilight Sparkle,Adventure,Dark,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

All Hallows Night

Twilight Sparkle and Applejack wait for Rainbow Dash on the longest night of the year.

complete

<p>Rainbow Dash is finally chosen for the most important run in Equestria, and Twilight Sparkle throws a party in her honor. But will she be able to cheer up an inconsolable Applejack, and make her enjoy the party?</p>

everyone

2012-07-11T03:42:11+00:00

2012-07-11T03:42:11+00:00

All Hallow’s Night The party wasn't going right, but it took Twilight Sparkle till midnight to realize what was wrong with it. Everything was going according to plan, after all, she'd checked it all off in the book, and that sealed things, made them right. If you went by the book, you couldn't fail. She had the bat-streamers on the walls, the pumpkin-themed punch bowl and buffet table, the "GO GO RAINBOW DASH" banner, a merry dance going on in the middle of the room to Vinyl Scratch's killer tunes, and enough diversions and entertainments to keep even Pinkie going at it for a year and a day. There was nothing - no, not one thing - that she had missed as far as decorations, entertainment, refreshments, atmosphere, to make the perfect night. Even Celestia, sitting at the table Twilight had laid out just for her, looked content as she sipped from her cup, and Luna beside her was deep in hushed conversation with Fluttershy; everything was as it should have been in the library. Which, of course, made it all the more confusing that something wasn't. The funny thing is, it took her two hours to realize. With Rainbow Dash missing, it should have made the lack of a certain other pony clear - but it didn't. Maybe because she was busy trying to make sure everyone was happy, she completely missed the pony that needed it most? Any way you slice it, Twilight Sparkle finally realized that Applejack wasn't joining in the fun. She wasn't over by the punch bowl, or bobbing for apples, or dancing with Applebloom (not that the little filly wanted it; she was having plenty of fun with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo), or chatting with Rarity about the benefits of a daily apple diet. (It does wonders for your mane, after all.) In fact, she wasn't there at all. But she'd been with them all as Rainbow Dash left, she'd walked in the door with the rest of the crowd, and she'd said her pleasantries with Celestia, which left either the unthinkable or the merely impolite. Please, she whispered as she walked up to the only quiet place in the entire library, let it be the merely impolite. She sighed quietly in relief as she saw Applejack, backlit by the bright party lights, sitting in front of the window by her bed. Applejack didn't turn around, even when Twilight called up to her. The second call elicited a curt "Not now, Twilight". She didn't stop Twilight from clambering up the stairs and sitting down next to her, though. In her hooves, Twilight would have said the same thing, and meant the same thing. Come talk with me, be here for me, tell me it'll be all right. "It'll be all right," she said, trying to start the conversation off on the right hoof. "She'll be fine. You know Dash, she's the fastest filly in all of Ponyville!" "In the air, maybe," Applejack said, "But on the ground? There ain't no one faster than me, not when going cross-country. Besides, you know how she likes to use her fancy flying tricks, even when they're not fair. Remember our last running of the leaves?" "I remember you two coming in last," Twilight said, poking Applejack in the flank. But her tone's somber, too serious to make the joke work right. "She's just as fast as you, and we know she won't cheat on something this important." "Why'd she have to go, anyway?" Applejack slammed her hoof on the window-sill, making Twilight jump. "Why's this happening now, of all times - not even Granny Smith remembers this fancy-shmancy 'tradition' everyone's blabbering on about, and she knows just about everything on everything." "She's keeping us safe. She knew that when she volunteered." Applejack sighed, still staring out into the night sky. "I should have been the runner, Twilight. I'm the toughest pony you'd ever lay eyes on, I could have taken the run and come out as fresh as a daisy, and you know it. Do you really think Rainbow's going to be able to run all night long without a rest?" "I think Rainbow Dash hates losing," she said back. "And she's capable of doing great things. Remember the Sonic Rainboom? When you push her to her limits, Rainbow's always going to find a way to beat them." The stars shone down on Ponyville. The moon was new and dark, and the night was almost black. In the unlit loft, Twilight could hardly see Applejack sitting next to her. She inched closer, as quietly as she could. "Come downstairs, Applejack. All the worrying in the world won't help Rainbow outrun him." "Twilight, when I see the sun rising, when Celestia finally does her job and ends this blasted night and the whole thing's over, I'll come downstairs. But till then, you can just forget about it." Twilight sighed, shaking her head. When Applejack said something like that, you couldn't change her mind with anything less than direct divine revelation. So Twilight just sat there next to Applejack, because what else could you do? The party was missing that vital spark without her, and there was nothing in the party planner about consoling a best friend. There was silence for some time, the two ponies staring out into the dark of the night. Twilight had known anxiety before, true, but most of the time it was the vibrant, adrenaline-fueled anxiety of a simple plan gone wrong. This was different. This was the dull ache of knowing you couldn't do anything, that if the simple plan went wrong, there was nothing - absolutely nothing - that you could do to set things right. "You obviously care a lot for young Rainbow Dash." Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin, and Applejack froze up. Nopony so large, so majestic should be able to move that quietly. (Everypony who has met Celestia measures themselves by her from that moment on - which makes it all the more terrifying when they see somepony even larger. Like him,that evening, standing impossibly tall before the forest.) (Those horns, reaching up to clutch at the dusk sky-) "Hello, Your Majesty... Your Highness... Your Excellence..." Applejack stammered, before turning sheepishly and whispering, "Hey, Twilight, how do you say hello to royalty?" "You say 'Hello, Celestia'," the heavenly princess said, taking a seat next to the farm-pony. It was almost comical - the orange pony with dirt engrained deep in her hair, even after taking a scrub to prepare for the party, sitting next to the immaculate divinity. Her hair seemed to shine softly, illuminated in the starlight; the sun on her flank drew in the eye in its subtle golden sheen. "That's enough." "Aren't you supposed to be downstairs? The book said that the guest of honor should always-" Twilight's next mental breakdown was averted by a careless toss of Celestia's mane. "Oh, I just excused myself. Nopony ever thinks to ask exactly what I'm excusing myself for - I can't help but wonder if a few curious fillies are peeking under the door of the facilities, expecting sunlight and rainbows." The amazing thing was her voice was always composed and elegant, even when making the kind of joke Twilight would have expected from Snips or Snails. Applejack couldn't help but laugh, slightly nervously but laughter all the same, pounding her foreleg on the window-sill. Twilight just settled for blushing slightly. "Sunlight and rainbows - that's a riot! Wait till I tell Applebloom- I can tell her, right?" One can never tell what the etiquette for boasting about one's experiences with royalty is, after all. "Let's just keep this our little secret," Celestia replied with a smile, rustling her wings against her flank. "It is hardly proper for a princess to indulge in such impropriety, after all. My, I wonder if the Cake girl is rubbing off on me." She looked over to Twilight. "Your friends are such bad influences on me, Twilight Sparkle. Why don't you ever think of my well-being?" Seeing Twilight's face fall, she said softly, "That was a joke, Twilight. I'd never make you choose between me and your friends." "Thank you, Princess Celestia. You're too kind," she replied. The crickets were silent tonight, and the cicadas were long-gone. There was no sound from the night but the whispering, scraping wind, and - far-off, so far that it could hardly be heard, that it made the ear wonder if it was going mad with worry - the sound of a hunting-horn and a baying pack of hounds. Applejack bit her bottom lip, trembling slightly. "Twilight, how old do you think I am?" That is not a question one ever wants to hear from one's mentor and god, and Twilight hemmed and hawwed for a moment, unwilling to voice her suspicion that Celestia was as old as the sun itself. "Old as hill and dale, apple and tree." It was odd to hear Applejack trying to wax lyrical, but she was doing her best to rise to the occasion. "You've always been here for us ponies, and always will." "Not quite," she said with a low chuckle. "I'm not as old as the forest's hart. But I've seen empires rise, kingdoms fall, and I've seen more of these than I can count anymore. Not in a thousand years - because both Luna and I signed the contract to keep you safe - but I have seen enough of them to know that only the best, the very best, are ever chosen to run this night. And I believe that your beautiful young friend has the determination to win." "I wish I had your confidence, Princess," Applejack said. "I really... Rainbow and I have run more races than you can shake a hoof at, and I know she's good, but what if she's not good enough?" "She is," Twilight said. "Because I trust her. We trust her, Applejack. And as long as she has our trust, she'll never fail." "Is that so?" "Yes, child." Celestia's voice was wistful for a moment. "It is true, even when the world calls it a lie; it is true, and will be when all the shadow-truths of this world fall away, and the ravens have forgotten the word 'unicorn'. You trust her, and she is your friend. That is enough. She will return to us." There was a rustle of feathers, and a small sigh, and Twilight rose. "I have to go... check on the thing. The party thing. I think Pinkie's probably scuba-diving in the punch-bowl again." She turned, leaving Applejack and Celestia caught tightly in a wing's embrace, staring out into the night together. And she heard, as she left: "How many has he caught, then?" "Not a one of them, ever." "Good. I think... I think that there's some good odds." And that's the end of that. Well, not quite. Because the party kept going, through the long hours of the dark morning. And when Vinyl Scratch had nearly run out of fresh tracks to play, when the punch had run dry, when the streamers lay forgotten in a musty corner, when every ear was drooping and every eye was half-lidded, Luna rose from her seat, and Celestia joined her, and together they walked out to the forest's edge, and - while some returned to their homes, knowing that they'd get the chance to sleep the day through - others followed, but none so closely as a little orange earth pony. And when the black hart strode from the forest dark, followed by his hounds, his shadowed shoulder higher than Celestia's, his twisted horns rising up to the branches they so resembled, his massive black swan's-wings bound tightly by twisted iron, this everyone remembers - the sight of the rainbow-maned pegasus, her hair matted and filthy, her flank scratched and cut, the slow rise and fall of her back as she slumbered on his own. They saw the odd reverence with which he placed her on the ground before Celestia, and the bemusement with which he watched her slumbering form dragged off by the little orange pony. And what he said to Celestia, before he and his pack returned to the forest for another peaceful year - that is a secret that will be kept by the trees and the wind until the day when the ravens no longer remember that there was a secret at all.

Honey_Habanero

125

Twilight Sparkle,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Circle of Friends

incomplete

<p>My first FiM fic, actually my first fanfic period. A bit old, but I wanted to put something out there before I finish up one of my other works in process.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T04:20:01+00:00

2011-07-11T04:20:01+00:00

Dusky Rose stepped through the portal to the balcony where her mistress stood in meditative silence, gazing at the stars. The moon was well up now, and below them she could see Equestria bathed in silver silence. She curtsied. "A fine night, my lady." Princess Twilight tilted her head at the night sky, eyeing it critically. "Not bad," she conceded. "A bit quiet, though. Winter nights I can understand, but somehow I always feel summer nights should be, well, livelier." She turned to her young pupil, and smiled a little. "Still, it is a nice night." The young pony moved to the edge of the balcony, and gazed out over the landscape. "I love summer nights," she smiled. "When I was young, my friends and I would run around, chasing the fireflies and playing games til it was too dark to see. It was always nice and warm, and our parents would sit outside and visit each other..." She sighed, drifting back into a velvet cloud of memory. The princess nodded. "Ah, yes. I remember how it was for me, too. Of course, I didn't play much as a child, being involved in my studies and so on. But back in Ponyville..." She craned her neck, gazing out at the landscape before her; if she squinted, she could just make herself believe she could see the familiar shapes of her former home. "I remember the outdoor cafes, summer dances, the evenings we shared..." For a while, there was silence. Then the younger of the two moved a little closer. "You still think of them a lot, don't you, Princess?" Twilight nodded. "Oh, always. They were the first real friends I'd had, you know. Before then I'd always been the lonely scholar, slaving away at my books. It was Celestia that sent me to them, you know. She felt I needed to learn a few things about friendship." She chuckled a bit. "And indeed I did, though being Celestia she had another motive in mind as well." She smiled down at her ward. "But it was for the best, and I must say it was the most wonderful time in my life." They watched the stars together in silence. Then: "My Lady?" "Yes, Dusky?" "If you miss them so much, why did you not grant them immortality? It seems to me that if I had the gift, I would certainly--" "Ah, but I did, young pupil. Oh, yes. Every one of them. And they each lived as long as their heart desired and no less. Those were... good days, too." The young pony tilted her head in surprise. "You mean... you gave them immortality, but they died willingly anyway? But why, mistress? If I had immortality I'd never give it up, not for anything!" The princess laughed softly. "Easy to say that now. But you are young, and life stretches out before you. When you have been alive for as long as I, time tends to hang heavy. Too many faces disappear. Too much familiar giving way to unfamiliar. The world moves on, and you are still there. There's not many that can take more than a few hundred years, really." Twilight shifted her stance, looking back up into the sky. "I remember Pinky was the first to go. One day she just announced she wanted to 'see what it was like', and off she went." She chuckled to herself. "But I suppose that was Pinky all over." "Then there was Rainbow and Apple Jack. Oh, those two..." She closed her eyes, smiling at the memory. "'One last adventure,' they called it. I can still seem them now laying together under the canopy, gazes fixed on each other, the words they saved for their very last breath..." She sighed. "It was very beautiful, really. The bond between them." She looked down. Her voice, when it came again, was a whisper. "Sometimes, I quite envy them." "Really, Ladyship?" The younger pony blinked. "You make it sound as if they were..." "Well, of course they were, my girl. Who do you think presided at their wedding?" "But... well, all the stories you've told about them! It always sounded like they were bitter rivals!" The elder pony laughed. "Oh, yes! Always." She shook her head. "Those two, always showing off around each other. It's amazing they didn't see it themselves sooner." She winked at her younger charge. "Heaven knows, the rest of us did." Dusky nodded. "I see, Ladyship. And the others?" "Oh, they all went, each in their own time. They could not have forever, but I gave them all the time in this world they could desire. I admit I miss them, and it is hard to be in a world without them, but I wouldn't trade the times we had for anything." The younger pony thought about this for a while. "Still," she said, "It does seem awfully sad. I mean, being so close for so long and then losing them all..." Twilight nodded. "It is. Indeed it is. But:" She smiled, and turned to the girl, giving her a nuzzle. "In those days I learned the importance of forming bonds between ponies. And while it is true that a princess does not get much in the way of friends, I may say that I have never in my time here been alone." Dusky sighed, her ears drooping a bit. "I wish I understood better, Ladyship." The princess smiled. "You will." She brushed a reassuring hoof over the girl's mane. "Soon, my most faithful student, the time will come when I send you out into the world to learn its ways. In that time, I believe, you will discover many great and wonderful truths about friendship. But allow me to give you the first lesson now.” "It is this: that all things pass in the course of time, that forever does not exist. That every Hello contains within itself the echoes of its own Goodbye. That for every person you come to know in your journey through life, no matter how long you know them, there will always come a day when you will see them for the last time. And yet..." "And yet... it is all worth it." The princess looked back up at the stars, the light from the moon reflecting in her eyes. "The time between Hello and Goodbye, if you fill it properly, will sustain you through all your days. Every shared moment, every laugh, every precious sliver of time spent with someone you care for is a treasure, to be kept safe forever." She allowed herself a small smile. "Some day, and that day is a long time coming, I shall step down as did Luna before me, and hand my burden to a worthy successor. When that day comes, I will join my friends in wherever their journey has taken them, of this I am certain." The younger pony shivered. "Please, Ladyship," she whispered. "I do not like to hear you speak of such things." "And why not?" She patted the girl reassuringly. "Such is the way of the world. We are born, we die. What could be more natural? And in the time between, we do what we can." She smiled gently. "Now, then: was there something you were needing?" "Oh! Yes!" The girl fumbled in her saddlebag for a moment, then retrieved a slip of paper. "Lady Cloudwhirl said to tell you that they're supposed to have a storm over Paddock Ridge tomorrow, but they're right in the middle of mowing season. She says if the pegasi go ahead, we'll be up to our fetlocks in wet hay." "Really? Dear me. Go see Spike, will you? Have him sort it out. Run along, now." Princess Twilight watched her young charge gallop back into the palace on her errand, then turned back to the sky. The starts were particularly bright, she noted. Perhaps... She let her attention focus on The Great Mare, followed the line from its tail down past Aeon's Wing. There, just above the horizon, a small group of stars, easily missed by anyone who wasn't looking for them. Five stars forming a rough circle, and right at the top a space, just room for one more. She allowed herself a smile. Orbis Amicitia. The Circle of Friends. "Oh, yes," she whispered. "We do what we can." The princess turned, and walked back into the palace. The Mare on the Moon continued her journey across the ebon sky. And in an unregarded corner of the sky, five friends danced and twinkled through eternity.

Honey_Habanero

127

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Potential

complete

<p>Six fates, tied into one. A single moment that transformed the world, and set six young fillies on a course that was to intertwine them forever. How strange the ways of friendship and magic, and how mysterious the handmaidens of fate that work behind the scenes to make miracles happen...</p>

everyone

2011-07-24T23:49:19+00:00

2011-07-24T23:49:19+00:00

In the three-hundred-and-eightieth year of the glorious reign of Our Lady Celestia as Ruler of Day and Night, Potential Number Fifty-Three was working weather duty when she was told her mother was dying. She quickly excused herself from the team, and took off. Her mother’s home was in Hoofington, a good many leagues away, so she put on extra speed as she rose up through the clouds and steered toward her mother’s side. She tucked her legs in tight against her body, wings buzzing with speed. She was easily the fastest pegasus on her crew, and well she knew it. Ponies had told her that she could go in for racing, actually, but she was never the competitive sort. Besides, touring around on the racing circuit didn’t really appeal to her. She spent too much time away from her mother as it was. The thought of her mother made her heart leap in panic, and she poured on an extra bit of speed. She was going faster than ever now, driven by panic and fear at thought of being too late: a corona of light surrounded her; she felt herself pushing, as if against some unseen barrier. All she had to do was go a little bit faster... She was never sure what happened after that. There had been something, and then she had lost control. She tumbled end over end, unable to recover or even right herself as she whipped through the sky, screaming in raw panic. If those flyers from the Equestrian Air Patrol hadn’t been out on maneuvers in that part of the sky, there’s no telling what might have happened. As it was, she was several minutes on the ground recovering before she felt ready to go again. When she landed at her mother’s house--surely too late--she was met at the door by her surprised mother who was fine, thank you, and had no idea who could have sent such a message. Later enquiries proved fruitless; they never did find out where or who the message came from. As the years went by, she shone in her weather-work and became crew chief and later, district manager. Sometimes she thought about that day, and wondered why somepony would play such a cruel joke, but as the days went by and her schedule became more full, she did so less and less. And the hunt went on. ##### Captain Skyhoof tilted his head as Lieutenant Bravecoat whispered urgently in his ear. He grunted, and turned to her. “Are they sure?” The young Lieutenant nodded. “Quite, sir. They said right after school. That gives us about three hours.” The captain looked over his cluttered desk. All the dossiers were there, laid out in a mosaic of facts and photos. He glanced up at the wall map, littered with hooftacks. He eyed several of them critically. “It seems we are mostly ready. The others?” “Shouldn’t be trouble, sir. I’ve had our specialists on standby. Shall I have them go ahead and begin prep?” “Yes, go ahead. I want to see everyone downstairs in the monitoring room in half an hour, all right?” “Yes, sir.” “Very good. Dismissed.” After she departed, he ran a hoof over the pile of papers on his desk. Three hours? Well, it was certainly doable. He shuffled them into some sort of order, took them carefully in his mouth. He’d best get down to the monitoring room now, start getting everything ready. Bravecoat would take care of the rest, no doubt. It was good that he could rely on her. Before he left, he took one last look at the map. It was a million-to-one shot, but that made it all the more important, really. He pulled the door closed behind him as he left. ##### In the six-hundred-forty-third year of the reign of Celestia, Princess of Day and Night, Potential Number Two-Six-Two was playing with her friends after school when a strange sensation washed over her. She felt herself drawn away: past the playfield, through the cherry orchards and into the Greenleaf Woods. She didn’t generally go into the woods, and certainly not alone, but today she nearly galloped, heading ever deeper into the forest. In the back of her mind, some small part of her screamed. What was she doing, heading into the woods like this? Where was she going, and what was driving her there? It pulled her like a magnet, like gravity itself. Some part of her, hidden to herself, knew exactly where it was going. All she could do was trust in that hidden part of her, follow as it led her ever deeper into the woods. There was someplace she had to be, something that had to happen. And then, suddenly, she was there. The woods opened into a glade, a treeless area just large enough to open up to the sky. Here there were golden beams filtering through the branches, bathing the flowers in golden light. The flowers--oh, dear Celestia, the flowers! Red and blue and yellow and purple and every color of the rainbow, all mixed together, carpeting the entire clearing. She stood, entranced, gazing at the cacophony of color all around her. This was what had drawn her into the woods. Somehow she had to be here, right now, surrounded by light and beauty and these magnificent growing things. But why? She sat in a comfortable patch of clover, and looked up at the sky. She could feel... something. Anticipation in the air. Something was about to happen, and she needed to be here when it did. Very well. She settled in, and waited. After several minutes, she began to second-guess herself. There didn’t seem to be anything happening, really. The woods were quiet, but no more than usual. She stretched herself a bit, rolling onto her back and staring up at the sky. Eventually, a pegasus pony flew overhead. They seemed to be going very fast. She watched them with mild interest until they disappeared behind the trees. After that, she began to feel restless. Whatever it was that had drawn her here was fading fast. She was alone in the middle of the woods, and the sun would be down soon. She shuffled up to her hooves, and wound her way back through the forest towards home. She often visited the clearing after that, and eventually became a florist, growing and cultivating her own varieties. She never told anyone about that day, and with time barely thought about it herself. Still, things did seem to have worked out in the end. And the hunt went on. ##### In the monitoring room, things were getting busy. The room was large and circular, with consoles in concentric rings around the central sphere. Captain Skyhoof watched as the last few specialists filed in and took their seats. One by one, they conjured up individual scrying spheres and calibrated them, locating their assigned subjects. In the middle of the room, six robed unicorns--the elite of the corps--sat around the central plinth, their horns aglow. Their magic entwined in the middle, danced a latticework around a giant sphere, and resolved as a picture of all Equestria. It was very powerful magic, and very useful. Inside the sphere, if you cared to look, you could see every pony, every blade of grass in the kingdom. He glanced around at the other unicorns, each one focusing on different parts of the world, and saw that it was good. Everything was coming together admirably well. Bravecoat was young for a junior officer, but she was a born organizer; there was no question about that. He allowed himself a little smile, and trotted down to the floor chief. “How are we looking?” The floor chief looked out over the room. “Got nearly everyone in, couple people not here yet, but they’re en route, so we should have them well in time. Our monitoring stations are all online, and our field people are all in place.” “Excellent. How are we for time?” “Assuming they meet right after school, that gives us just over half an hour I think. Possibly a little more.” She floated her pencil from behind her ear, and noted down some readings from the sphere in front of her. “Sir?” “Yes?” “Do you think we’re going to succeed this time?” The captain didn’t answer right away. He just gazed into the sphere on the console before him. There was a classroom there, and sitting in the back was a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and an expression of almost terminal boredom. She fidgeted in her seat, and kept stealing glances out the window. “Well,” he said, “I’d say we have the best chance we’ve had in a very long time. If it doesn’t happen now, it won’t be because we weren’t prepared.” He watched the filly for another moment or two. She squirmed in her seat, unable to sit still for a whole minute. He’d read the dossier all the way through several times by now, of course. He practically knew it by heart. Surely, this time... “Anyway. You have everything under control here?” “Yes, sir.” “All right, then. I’m going to go ahead up to the palace. If something comes up get hold of me, right? I should be back before time.” “Yes, sir. Understood.” ##### Two days previously, the principal of Cloudsdale’s premier flying school was wading through budget proposals for the oncoming year when there was a tentative knock at the door. He sighed, and put the papers aside. “Enter.” A young colt pushed open the door, and stepped in. He shook his head, pushing some of his mane out of his eyes. “You wanted to see me, Principal Twister?” “Ah, yes. Hoops. Yes, there were a couple of things.” He shuffled through his inbox until he found the slip of paper he was looking for. “First off, it seems you were tardy again today. Care to explain?” The young colt shuffled his hooves. “Sorry sir, uhm, kinda was late gettin’ up and stuff. And then I had to go back home cos I forgot my books and old man Stormchaser said he’d give me detention if I showed up without ‘em again.” “I see.” The principal made a note on the paper. “Well, don’t let it happen again. I expect you to get up on time, and have your school supplies with you and ready from now on, do you understand?” “Yes, sir.” “Good.” He put the paper away. “Now, as to the other thing... what do you have to report?” “What? Oh!” He rubbed his snout thoughtfully. “OK, well, she’s been flyin’ circles around everyone else, uhm, like I said before. And some of us have been doing races and stuff. Just little ones, you know? Like, after school? Anyway, I don’t know why you care so much about her. I mean, sure she’s fast, but I could totally be that fast if I wanted to.” “Anything new? How is she doing with that other student?” “What, the yellow one? Oh, she’s hopeless! Can’t hardly get off the ground.” He snickered. “This one time, we saw her trying to get through the juniors’ course, and she barely made it through the first hoop, then got turned around and went back through it the other way!” He flopped back on his haunches, and snorted. “Strictly glue factory, man. I nearly died laughing.” “And what does Dash think about her?” “Huh? Oh yeah. Well, actually, she kinda looks out for her, you know? Beats me why she’d bother with a no-hoper like that. Some of ‘em say she’s a filly-fooler, but I--” “I think we can do without that language, Hoops. Or that flippant attitude.” “Sorry, sir.” “Anyway, I have new instructions for you. Sit down, and pay attention.” ##### "Your Highness?" "Captain? How good to see you. You have news?” "We have just received word that Potential 374 has taken the bait. They will begin the race in just a few minutes." "Wonderful. And your team, Captain, are they in readiness?" "Indeed, Your Highness. They are quite optimistic. They seem to feel that, if properly motivated, there is a greater than seventy percent chance that this subject can break the sono-chromatic barrier." "Really? As I recall, no previous subject has shown a potential above forty percent." “Correct as always, Your Highness. But we have been monitoring this one for quite some time, and there is... excellent potential.” “And tell me, Captain: is she, in your opinion, properly motivated?” “I... (Hoops listened in puzzlement as Principal Twister explained. “So, I just have to race her? Is that it? But we race all the time.” “Yes, but those are just ordinary races. This time there needs to be... incentive. Just follow your instructions to the letter. Taunt the Fluttershy girl to provoke Dash into a race, and when you see the light flash at the top of the school bell tower, knock her out of your way. I know you are capable of that, yes?” “Well, yeah, but... why just that? I could totally knock her out of the sky, if you wanted! I mean, she’s fast, but--” “You will do no such thing, colt. Your instructions are to provoke her, and nothing more. Do you understand?” “Yeah, I guess.” The young colt sagged; he scraped his hoof along the hardwood floor. “I just don’t get what all this stuff is about. I mean, the spy stuff is kinda cool, but it don’t make no sense.” Principal Twister sighed. “Look, Hoops. All you need to know is this: the instructions I’m giving you come straight from Canterlot. Frankly, I don’t know what it’s all about either, and I don’t think I much care to know. You’re being given an important job here, and your ability to pull it off will probably have a very large and direct bearing on your future.” “Besides: let me remind you that, considering your academic record, this little ‘extracurricular activity’ is the only thing that’s keeping you on the airball team this year, or did you forget that?” “...no sir.” “Good. Now, off you go. You will come and see me again when the race is arranged.” The door shut behind the young colt. Principal Twister sat a moment in thought, then unlocked the bottom drawer of his desk. He pulled out a large parchment, and unrolled it. He read the message again, noted glumly the royal seal at the end. He didn’t need this at his time of life. He ran a flying school, for pony’s sake. But somebody at the Palace had developed an interest in one of his students and suddenly there was all this cloak-and-dagger nonsense. Well, with any luck it would be over soon. He put the scroll away and went back to work.) “...believe so, Your Majesty, yes. We have analyzed her personality traits, and were able to devise a scheme that should be very effective, particularly since it plays against her pride, her sense of competition, her loyalty, and not incidentally Potential 383. We believe this will create a ‘perfect storm’ of sorts, and will give us the best chance of success.” “And the other potentials?” “All in place, Your Majesty. Arrangements have been made.” “Well done, Captain. I can see you’ve really put your best hoof forward on this one.” “Yes, Your Highness. Er... Your Highness?” “Go ahead.” “I... well, I’d never question your judgement, and I know that what you wish must be for the best of Equestria, but nonetheless, I must--“ “Yes?” “Well, I feel a bit uncomfortable with the whole business. Keeping an eye out for Potentials, yes, certainly. And of course, if the ancient scrolls are to be believed, the potential of the Sonic Rainboom is of limitless value.” “But...?” “But... well... they’re just foals, Your Highness. I’ve got two of my own about their ages. I’m sure you have your reasons and everything, but... well, I think it would help me to understand better if I knew why we have to, I don’t know, sneak around? It doesn’t sit well, Your Highness. I’m sorry.” “Not at all, Captain. You are an honorable pony; your concern does you credit. But yes, I think you deserve to know the truth. Tell me, Captain: do you know the old story of the Mare on the Moon?” “What? Yes, of course, Your Highness, but surely that’s just an old story about how your... ah.” “Yes. Indeed.” “I see.” “Do you recall the end of the tale? At the end of a thousand years, the stars shall align and free her from her prison to return to our world and claim it for her own.” “I believe I remember something along those lines, yes.” “The time is coming soon when the stars will be right. At that time, I will be powerless to stop my sister. But if today’s little experiment is successful, Captain, we may yet have hope. We have spent hundreds of years searching for Potentials, trying to unlock the secrets of the Sonic Rainboom. And now, when time is coming to a crisis point, we suddenly find the most promising group to date. Do you not find this intriguing?” “Indeed, Your Highness. I think I understand, yes.” “Very good. Never underestimate, Captain, the power of many united as one. I think that may be the greatest defense we have against the oncoming darkness.” “Just as you say, Your Highness.” “On that note, you said the other Potentials were in place; would that include number 379?” “The prodigy? Oh, yes, madam. I took the liberty of scheduling her entrance examination at the Academy for today. She should be beginning any moment now, in fact.” “Well done. I think I may just head over there. I have a suspicion I may need to intervene. In any case, it seems you have the situation well in hoof. Tell your scientists to record everything that happens, absolutely everything. I shall want a full report. And Captain?” “Yes, Your Highness?” “Those foals of yours. If we succeed today, then they will have their best chance to grow up in a world without eternal darkness, a world where two sisters rule the sky once again. We all have a stake in this, Captain. The time has nearly come for damnation or redemption, and our actions in the next few minutes may decide the turning of the world.” “I understand, Your Highness. We will do our best.” “I would ask nothing more or less. Now, then: just give me a few minutes to get to the Academy, then give the signal. And best of luck to us all.” ##### When Captain Skyhoof returned to the monitoring room, Lieutenant Bravecoat was in animated discussion with two mages. “--time for subtlety, and this isn’t it. If you have to drag her there, then so--” “Something wrong, Lieutenant?” The younger pony spun around, and snapped off a brisk salute. “No, sir! Just getting the last details taken care of.” She nodded to the other two, who quickly departed. “Very well. Are we on track?” He looked around the room. By now, the place was packed. Every console was occupied; there were crystals as far as the eye could see. From his vantage point, he could see nearly all of them. In the center, the Big Ball (as the junior officers persisted on calling it) had been focused on the school. It looked like school was just getting out. It wouldn’t be long now. “Yes, sir. I’ve got everybody locked in and ready. We are recording at all stations, and our field people report they are in readiness.” “And that last detail?” Bravecoat glanced across the room. The two mages were standlng facing a crystal which pulsed with light in indescribable colors. If she squinted at the crystal, she could just convince herself she saw a small white figure, travelling at speed. “Should be there on cue, sir.” The older colt smiled. “Very good. Her majesty, incidentally, is quite pleased by the job we’ve done. She seems optimistic.” “Well, I think she has reason to be, sir.” She glanced out at the room. “We have six perfect potentials, all lined up, and this flyer is the fastest we’ve ever seen.” She allowed herself a little pride. “And, if I may say so sir, we’ve certainly got the thing organized to a T.” The Captain chuckled. “Indeed you have.” He sighed, stretched his legs out, cleared his throat. “Everyone?” The room quietened down, dozens of heads turned toward him, attentive. “Now, we all know why we’re here, so I’ll keep this short. Our research team and field personnel have laid the groundwork for us; all we have to do is monitor the results. I know I can count on each and every one of you, so before this happens I just want to say good luck to us all.” He nodded to the six ponies in the center. “Right, bring us in closer.” The six concentrated, their horns glowing like beacons. In the giant central sphere, the view shifted, zooming in to the clouds outside the flying school. It looked like a crowd was starting to form... ##### In the nine hundred ninety-second year of the reign of Celestia, Princess of the Sky, Rainbow Dash banked through a cloud ring, and into the straightway. Dumbell had veered off course somewhere back in the last turn, predictably; now it was just her and Hoops. She tucked her hind legs in, making herself more streamlined. The clouds shot by as she raced, going faster than she’d ever gone before. It was exhilarating. The world rocketed past her at high speed now as she followed the course. This was incredible. This was indescribable. This was awesome. She sailed through the air, leaving the outside world in the dust. Now there was just the blue, open sky, and the race, and speed, glorious speed. She only dimly registered the movement coming up on her left flank. By the time she remembered Hoops he was already coming in too fast for her to dodge. He hip-checked her off course, laughing. “Later, Rainbow CRASH!” And then he was gone. That was It. She veered back on course, aimed directly for him. Her wings, already a blur, roared as she pushed them harder than she thought possible. This was pure speed now, fueled by pride and fury and white-hot adrenaline. She caught him up easily, ripped past him in a rush of wind that sent him spiraling off into the clouds. Down below her, she could see the next ring. She gritted her teeth, forelegs outstretched, going faster now; a corona of light surrounded her; she felt herself pushing, as if against some unseen barrier. All she had to do was go a little bit faster... They say the blast was seen from one end of Equestria to the other. Probably an exaggeration, but what is true is that the shock wave spilled out across the sky, an eruption of color and sound. And wherever it went, it sent shockwaves: On a cliff on the Great Stone Plains, a young unicorn gazed into the heart of a multicolored geode, and saw her future. On the edge of the Everfree Forest, a shy young pegasus finally found her voice, soothed and comforted the creatures of the earth and sky. In a grey-brown rock farm in a grey-green valley, a dusty pink farm girl watched as the sky erupted in color, and for the first time experienced pure joy. In Manehattan, a lonely young mare, tired of phony words and phony smiles, gazed out her window and watched as a rainbow shot through the sky and showed her the way back home. And in Canterlot, a gifted young magician felt a torrent of magic surge through her. It pulsed through every fibre of her being, seeking outlets where it could, devoid of all control. She felt herself drowning in it, becoming subsumed. Soon there would be nothing left of her, only the sheer power than even now surged through her body... and then, just as she could feel herself slipping away, there was a beacon. A faint trace out of the chaos of her mind, but it was there, and it pointed the way. She felt her consciousness drift toward it, somehow. There was no direction, nothing so physical as that. Somehow she understood it, though: it was the way out. The world resolved itself around her; the raw magic still surged through her, but at least she was back in herself. The storm began to abate. She felt a hoof rest gently on her shoulder, turned, and looked up into the smiling face of her goddess. ##### In the monitoring room, all was silence. The echo of the sonic rainboom coming from a few dozen scrying spheres at once had effectively cut off all other noise, and now there was the silence of intense concentration. That was what Captain Skyhoof remembered afterward: there had been no cheering, no applause. Nearly one thousand years of trying, and the event was greeted with the silence of a roomful of people carefully taking in every detail. It was a good five minutes before anyone spoke. “Field reports are coming in, sir. It looks like we have success. We’ll have to wait a while to get word on some of the more outlying potentials, but so far we do have at least three confirmations.” The captain nodded. “Good work, everyone. Keep monitoring your stations.” He gazed quietly at the central sphere. The rainbow still hung over the school. He wasn’t a superstitious colt, but he liked to think this was a good omen. “Well.” He turned to the Lieutenant, who was still gazing at it herself. “We finally did it.” She nodded, not taking her eyes away from the sight. “Yes, sir. So it would seem.” They watched the sphere together. “Sir?” “Yes, Lieutenant?” “Should we send someone to let Her Majesty know?” Captain Skyhoof glanced at a nearby console. In this sphere, he could see the shape of a young purple unicorn. She seemed to be dancing around in a circle. He smiled. “No need,” he said. “I think she already knows.”

Landmine

128

Main 6,Zecora,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PonyCraft-Pegasi of Liberty

incomplete

<p>Raynor’s Raiders, upon escaping a large scale Zerg attack, find themselves stranded on an unknown planet of ponies. When the Zerg suddenly attack en mass, the crew is forced to interact with the nearby village.</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T19:00:33+00:00

2011-07-14T19:00:33+00:00

The sun was just starting to peak over the cliffs and hills, a slight haze in the air. Jim Raynor watched the timer tick down from 15 seconds on the Hyperion’s ETA when the Zerg suddenly amassed outside the base in the largest attack force so far. They had burrowed and waited for the right moment to strike, and that time was now. The hundreds of small Zerglings rushed forward followed by the taller Hydralisks, the intent to burn the base down was clearly visible in all their beady eyes. Raynor watched knowing full well that his base couldn’t survive the attack, but he had a trick up his sleeve… 00:00. As if on cue, the Hyperion battlecruiser entered the lower atmosphere and began blasting the air and ground forces before they could react. Raynor motioned to Tychus Findlay who was about to join the slaughter. Disheartened, he and Jim took a small transport up to the floating fortress. *** Looking around the grand interior of the Hyperion’s bridge, Tychus exclaimed, “Damn, Jimmy. You’ve been holdin’ out on me.” Ignoring the comment, Raynor directed his attention to the captain who was paying attention to a view screen. “Cuttin’ it pretty close, Matt.” He got up and faced Jim, “Never left you hanging before, sir.” “Fair enough, just get us the hell outta here” “All batteries, concentrate forward firepower” Matt announced toward the crew, “Spin up drives 2 and 6. All hands brace for warp jump on my mark.” Matt looked down and watched the second hand on his watch tick towards the minute mark, 5…4…3… Suddenly explosions ripped through the Hyperion, alarms sounded and everyone was thrown around violently, the bridge was not hit, however. “What the hell was that?” Jim questioned the recuperating captain who shrugged in response. An engineer’s voice was heard through an intercom, “Sirs, the drives are still spinnin’ up fer warp but have been critically damaged, no commands are gettin’ through. We’re about to make an unstable jump!” Matt’s expression changed from shocked to horrified with the news. With the warp drives critically damaged any number of things could happen. The worst case scenario was the ship would implode when the drives reached the emergency fail-safe launch limit, and the best case scenario was that nothing would happen, the ship would crash and be overrun by the Zerg. Either way, they were dead. Tychus could only say “Aww hell…” before the fail-safe launch activated; sending ship into an unstable jump.

Landmine

128

Main 6,Zecora,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PonyCraft-Pegasi of Liberty

incomplete

<p>Raynor’s Raiders, upon escaping a large scale Zerg attack, find themselves stranded on an unknown planet of ponies. When the Zerg suddenly attack en mass, the crew is forced to interact with the nearby village.</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T19:05:02+00:00

2011-07-14T19:05:02+00:00

The ship jumped straight back into space; seemingly no time had passed between entering and exiting. Matt, who had been thrown against the back wall, got up and surveyed the bridge. The red emergency lights were flickering on and off, the main power must be out. Raynor was holding onto the command chair trying not to fall over, Tychus gripping a railing, and the rest of the crew lay about on the floor or on monitors. “What the hell just happened, Matt?” Jim spoke, trying to stand up straight. “I… I don’t know.” He said as he stumbled over to a control panel, pressing a flashing button. The bridge window blast shields lifted and light shone through, but the results froze anyone who saw it… the Hyperion battlecruiser was in low orbit around a healthy green planet, quickly descending. The part that shocked the crew was that the entire port-side wing of their ship - including the engine - was in front of them surrounded by lots of debris. The starboard-side door opened to a short, bulky man with a mechanical arm - obviously the chief engineer. He spoke with a New York accent full of rage. “What the hell is happening. One minute I’m told to hold on, the next everything in the ar-“His jaw literally dropped when he saw the floating piece outside. “How the hell am I to fix that, Hotshot?” He muttered, referring to Jim. “Jimmy, please tell me this ain’t happening.” Tychus said in a voice full of fear, something very rare from the man. “This is real al’right…” He paused, starring at the planet. In a sudden panic he realized exactly what was about to happen. He grabbed the intercom and said, “Everybody hold onto something! This’ll be a rough landing!” With that, flames started to form around the windows, one of them started to crack from being weakened earlier. “Matt, shut the shields again and everybody else just hold on tight, this’ll be one helluva ride.” The ship started to shake, a whistle was starting to become audible, and the emergency lights didn’t flicker back on. A few thuds were heard towards the rear end of the ship, followed by a small explosion. Nobody spoke and nobody moved for they all knew this could only end one way. ///*\\\ It was a sunny morning in Ponyville. The pegasi had just finished clearing away the last bits of clouds. Stallions and mares wandered throughout the streets of the village when it was spotted and chaos broke loose. Twilight Sparkle was spending her morning studying up on meteors and meteorites again when she heard the noise. Intrigued, she up and walked to the window. When she looked out, everypony was pointing up to the sky and gasping, and the Pegasus ponies were flying away from the area of interest. “Away from what?” she thought, but she found out right then and there. A huge black and grey… thing was flying towards Ponyville, though obviously not low enough to actually hit the village. The object was surrounded by flames that were only growing longer, but behind that object was an even bigger object consumed by flame in a similar fashion. “What’s with all the commotion, Twilight?” A purple baby dragon questioned, startling her. “Don’t sneak up on me, Spike!” Twilight said in an annoyed tone. “Something big is about to fly right over Ponyville.” “Really? Like a dragon or meteor? “Spike asked, confused. “No, Spike. Something much, much, much bigger! THAT! “She pushed Spike into a position where he could see the objects in flames. “WHOA! So, what’s your plan, Twilight!?” When there was no response, the dragon turned to face Twilight who wasn’t there. “Twilight?” “Telescope, now!” Her voice came from up the stairs. Spike rushed up the staircase to where Twilight kept her telescope. Sure enough, she was there trying to focus the lens on the flaming objects that were growing in size rather quickly. “What could it be? No meteor could be so large, nor would it survive the descent from orbit into our atmosphere. AHA!” She jumped up and down, keeping her eye to the lens that was now perfectly focused on the objects. ”They look to be metallic; the material is bouncing the flames off it. It’s almost like the things were designed to deal with the heat that they are experiencing. But no pony has ever built something close to that scale, let alone made it into space. This is s- WHAAA!” She jumped for a rose-colored eye was looking right back at her. The cyan pegasus fell back into the air laughing. “Not funny, Rainbow.” She growled upon realizing the prank. “Are you kidding? That was hilarious. You were being all sciency and stuff, then I looked right back at you and you freaked! Priceless!” Spike began to giggle as well. “I’m trying to observe the objects flying towards us, the ones that are causing the chaos outside. They look like they are metallic and they seem as though they fit together somehow.” She directed her attention back to the telescope. “Ha, I’ve already seen it up close. That thing is huuuge, almost as fast as me, too. I was kinda hoping you would know what it is, though.” Twilight looked aggravated. “If you were listening, that is exactly what I’m trying to do.” “Oh. Yeah… well…” Rainbow searched for some form of come back. The front door suddenly slammed open downstairs, the sounds of hooves made it clear that it was a couple ponies. Applejack appeared at the top of the stairs. “Ya’ll see that… thing up there? What in the hay is it?” the pony asked, hoping for an answer. “Hello Applejack. That question is exactly what we are trying to figure out” Twilight greeted the pony. “It looks hoof-made, but nopony has made something close to the size of this thing?” “But then somepony had to have made it.” Applejack said quizzically. “Well, yes but… well… um…” Twilight tried to figure out how to explain it, but quickly noticed another pony ascending the staircase. “Hello, Fluttershy!” She said trying to distract the others. “Oh, hi Twilight. Did you see the object in the sky?” She quietly responded not expecting the greeting. “Yes and its 2 objects, actually. The good news is that whatever it is, it will fly right over Ponyville and probably land in the Everfree Forest” At the mention of the forest, Fluttershy perked up. “Oh no! All those animals! I have to save them!” She exclaimed in her alerted, but quiet, voice as she attempted to fly off only to be stopped by Applejack holding her back by her tail. “Whoa-there, Fluttershy. If what Twilight says is true, then all them animals will pro’bly be runnin’ too.” Fluttershy landed and balled up, not buying the excuse. Meanwhile, Ponyville was covered in black as the monstrosity passed by above them. It seemed forever, but was really 12 seconds. The moment following, a strong gust of wind tore through the town: ponies were thrown around, houses shook and windows broke. The bell on the town hall started to ring viciously. The ship slammed into the ground, right through the Everfree Forest creating what felt like an earthquake. Fluttershy whimpered. Spike burped up a letter from the Princess. Twilight grabbed it before anypony else took notice, she silently read over the letter. “The Princess wants us to go investigate the objects, girls! She says that she’s busy with Luna with some other sudden event. What do you think?” Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other to see what they were going to say. Their faces went serious and they responded at the same time: “Let’s do it!” Fluttershy did not want to go, she was still shaking from the impact, but she didn’t want to leave her friends either. She sheepishly nodded in agreement. “Great! Let’s go find the others.” After gathering the other ponies – an easy task seeing as there was nothing in particular going on - they trotted off in the direction the things crashed. Pinkie Pie started to sing a song while the others began to moan. ///*\\\ “Everybody ok?” Matt coughed as he got to his ‘feet’. There were a few moans in response. The Hyperion’s emergency lights were back on lighting its battered bridge in a red glow. It wasn’t a good scene: there were a few small fires below some consoles; one of the window shields was blast inward with no sign of a window left, while the other shields looked dented and cracked; the door the chief engineer entered through earlier was ajar; and the sounds of moving and scratching metal could be heard throughout the ship as it settled into its new position. He looked around at the crew, all of them on the ground. Matt nearly fell back down when he saw them, they were different. The crew on the bridge looked like small horses! He looked at Tychus, the blue marine armor fitting his new shape just as well as it had the old one. He had a picture of a collection of bullets on his rear. “Jimmy… ya’ sure know how to give the Zerg the slip. But next time I’d take my chances with fightin’ them.” Tychus said, trying to roll over but not get up. He looked like he was on the verge of vomiting. Matt was dumbfounded. He figured the crew hadn’t realized what they were yet, but he couldn’t get the courage to say anything. “I’ll hold you to that next time, Tychus. What’s the situation, Matt?” Raynor said. He got up with the help of his front hooves, but he quickly realized everything seemed higher up then he remembered. He looked down to his legs only to see the short legs of a pony. ”AAHHH!” He yelled in panic, trying to brush them off as if they were gloves. Everypony turned to face him, but were shocked to be looking at a beige pony with black hair wearing a black vest that was definitely Jim Raynor’s. It even carried the bullets for his rifle. They also noticed the Raynor’s Raiders symbol in the same place where Tychus had his icon. Shock and horror ran throughout the bridge as everypony found out what they actually were. “Ok… ok... Matt, what’s the situation…” Jim Raynor repeated, still confused by his new body. “What do you want to hear, sir? The fact that the Hyperion crashed on an unknown planet and probably lies in more than 2 pieces, or the fact that everypony is now… well… a small horse.” “Ok, I see where you’re going. Crew!” He said while he turned to face them, “I know how horrified we all may be that we are… to quote the captain, ‘small horses’, but we have to get out of this mess. We survived a Zerg onslaught and an unstable jump through hell and back before surviving a seemingly lethal crash onto this here planet. If we weren’t supposed to be here, we wouldn’t. Now if you want to get hung over this horse business go ahead, but rest assured this ship won’t be flying anytime soon.” The crew started to talk amongst themselves. One by one, they all accepted their fate and turned to face their commander, but he was headed towards the rear door. The door opened letting through bright sunlight, giving Raynor a holy glow. He turned around to report the huge hole in the hallway but was distracted when everypony gasped. “Umm, sir… There’s a horn on your head.” Matt said with a hint of shock in his voice. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” Raynor went over to the starmap to see his reflection seeing as it was flickering on and off. He expected some form of debris to be jutting out of his forehead, but he was shocked. “The good news is that I have an actual horn on my head…” There was debate throughout the crew on the bad news if that was good news. “The bad news is that even the ship doesn’t know where we are.” Matt glided towards the starmap to see a blank planet information screen. Complete silence ensued as Matt realized exactly what just happened- he used wings to glide! He turned his head back to see 2 wings neatly folded at his navy blue colored side along with a silhouette of a cardinal on a branch in gold for an ‘icon’. His hair was a slick gold color. He was horrified. The chief engineer was about to take the opportunity to make a joke, but when he got up he heard a metallic clank. His front-left hoof was in a metal cast with a claw at the end, and he quickly found out that he, too, had a horn. This happened for the next few minutes; people finding out exactly what they were. “Enough with the chit-chat. Ya’ll got stuff to do. Swann,” Raynor looked at the chief engineer, “Check the armory for damage, then I want details on the ships state. Matt, see to it that our crew restores full power. Tychus, you and I got some exploration to do.” Jim walked over to the buff blue-armored pony lying on the ground and picked him up easily. “Awe, Jimmy. No time for a drink or two?” Tychus said sarcastically, looking less nauseous. “And here I was thinkin’ you wanted to do somethin’ exciting around here.” With that, Jim hit the back of Tychus’ helmet before walking out into the rear hallway. *** Jim Raynor and Tychus Findlay wandered the area off the port-side. The ship’s wing had been cut clean off and thrown farther ahead. Jim had put on his black marine armor and grabbed his commando rifle for neither knew what would lie outside. The field was bustling. Pony-marines patrolled the area while the crew trotted about doing this and that. The 2, however, took interest in the ships missing wing. “My guess is that the jump caused this, sir.” A repair pony said upon finding them examining the damage. “When we jumped, drive 2 – one of the port-side drives - must have caused a detached warp jump.” “A detached warp jump? The whole port-side of the ship was in its own jump?” Raynor questioned. “Yes-sir. Could have taken some the surroundin’ debris with it. As for repairin’ it, we‘ll just need a few cranes to prop it right back inta-place and seal it.” The pony started to write something down on a clipboard. “Jimmy, you’re not thinkin’ some Zerg followed us, are ya?” Tychus whispered, seeing the face of fear appear on his friend. “I sure as hell hope not. We’ll all be in for a tough fight if they did.” Raynor muttered, recalling the situation they had escaped earlier that day. “We’re lucky Swann had the Bunker schematics loaded up, otherwise this place would be defense-less.” “Hey now, partner. Remember you got me here now.” Tychus lifted his rifle and slung it on his shoulder. “He, I sense a challenge, partner.” Jim laughed. Suddenly the ground started to shake. The pony-marines looked to the forest and prepared for combat. “Count your kills. Then, we’ll just see who’s the better gunslinger.” 6 ponies burst out of the forest. They were different colors; purple, orange, cyan, off-white, yellow and pink. Nopony took a shot; they knew that 6 ponies couldn’t cause a rumble this size. Without notice the orange one tripped and started to tumble uncontrollably. The purple one tried to turn around to help but suffered a similar fate. Just then dozens of mutant ponies burst through the forest’s scorched edge. The marines fired, everypony recognized the original version of what they used to be – Zerglings. *To clarify: Zerglings have also been turned into ponies... mutant ponies

Landmine

128

Main 6,Zecora,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PonyCraft-Pegasi of Liberty

incomplete

<p>Raynor’s Raiders, upon escaping a large scale Zerg attack, find themselves stranded on an unknown planet of ponies. When the Zerg suddenly attack en mass, the crew is forced to interact with the nearby village.</p>

everyone

2011-07-22T01:05:33+00:00

2011-07-22T01:05:33+00:00

The objects could be seen shortly after leaving Ponyville. Whatever the things were, they were massive, so large that they made the trees look like twigs. They had plowed right through the far edge of the Everfree Forest stopping before hitting the field on the other side. Twilight shuddered at the thought of somepony building it, but she really feared meeting them. It took a few hours to reach, the monstrosity looming over them the whole time. It was a creepier mission then they expected. Even Pinkie Pie’s old song couldn’t make this go away; they just kept putting one hoof in front of the other trying to comfort their friends. Eventually they had to enter the forest. Nopony wanted to do it, but the smoke was simply too much for any of them to withstand. It billowed from the blackened trail the things created upon impact and more came from the forest which had caught fire (the pegasus ponies would soon ensure the fire would stay controlled). The forest wasn’t much better as the trees and bushes held the smoke down. Even after Twilight cast a shield spell, smoke seemed to seep in simply because there was nowhere else for it to go. They began to hear yelling and shouting in the distance and the smoke started to thin out. They were voices in a language they understood and sounded a lot like other ponies. “Oh yay! Aliens!” Pinkie Pie said happily, making everypony else more nervous. Suddenly the ground started to shake, slightly at first but with each passing second it became stronger. Rainbow Dash took off out of the bubble and into the smoke above. She came straight back down in a hurry, the look of horror on her face. “RUN!” She screamed and everypony took off in the direction they knew the objects lay. Twilight turned around to see ponies… mutated ponies. They had a shell a deep mahogany in color and were brown everywhere else. They had horns that grew from their cheeks curved in towards their mouths which held jagged teeth. They had an extra pair of limbs growing up from somewhere on their body, but instead of hooves these limbs had sharp blades. Each and every mutant pony had the same cutie mark – an arrow that dithered at the end signifying speed. “EEEK!” She squealed and ran faster. “Nopony turn around!” As if the mutant ponies heard her, they let out the most horrifying sound anypony had heard, something only describable by saying “KEKEKE!” No matter how fast they ran the mutant ponies were just too fast, the distance was quickly shrinking. They finally broke into the clearing at full speed, all of them getting tired but not enough to think about stopping. They just ran towards the object that lay in front of them not caring about the large number of metal-covered ponies that littered the area, pointing what Twilight knew were guns at them. Suddenly, Applejack tripped and started tumbling forward. As Twilight tried to turn around (the others continued to run), all the metal ponies started to shoot! Hundreds of bullets flew by them, Twilight dropped before she saw where they were headed to. Whizzes and zips were a few of the sounds the pony heard before she blacked out. *** Twilight stirred, not opening her eyes. She felt exhausted. She could barely remember what had happened, just that they were chased and Applejack had tripped. She hoped it was a dream; that she would wake up to a reasonable explanation. She opened her eyes. She lay on a patch of dead grass, a burning forest in the background, the sky turning dark violet as the sun set. Rarity came into view, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but Twilight could hear nothing. Rarity opened her mouth again, still no noise. Twilight tried to respond, but she just couldn’t. Rarity looked concerned now, looking to be calling some other pony. At this point Twilight started hearing dull PANG noises, lots of them. Rainbow Dash came into view. “Twilight, can you hear me?” Twilight made out what she said, but she still couldn’t reply. Instead she decided to blink once seeing if Rainbow would catch on. Rainbow turned to Rarity, “What does blinking mean?” Twilight’s hearing was getting better as the noises turned into sounds of low pitched gunfire, and she could hear Rarity. “Maybe it means yes? Twilight, blink again if you meant yes.” She blinked again. “We are going to assume you cannot speak, darling.” Rarity continued. “You have been hurt, not badly, but just don’t try to do anything to difficult. And in case you are wondering, Applejack will be fine.” Twilight was glad to hear that Applejack was going to be fine, but she was concerned by what Rarity meant by ‘You have been hurt…’ Did she get shot? Did the mutants get her? She had to know, but it felt like her entire body was cement. A pony in black metal armor with an odd star-shaped cutie mark entered her view, motioning to Rainbow and Rarity to move back. Like every other metal-clad pony, this pony’s visor was down hiding the face. Twilight’s vision fell forward as the ground fell away and started moving to the side; somepony had picked her up. By now her hearing was back up to par, she heard yells, screams, gunfire and the sounds the mutant ponies made before. A loud shot rang from what sounded like not far away, then something made a dull thud as it hit the ground. “Keep her moving, boys.” Somepony called out. “Fall back to the Bunkers!” She was laid down again, gently. There was dirt beneath her this time, not grass, and there was the slight scent of smoke in the air. Built nearby was a large concrete dome-shaped building with a square base, some parts colored blue. There were more metal ponies inside firing through small slits at targets past her vision. “Tychus, use grenades dammit!” The same pony yelled. A distant explosion followed soon after, followed by a temporary increase in gunfire. A different looking pony carried Applejack next to Twilight. The earth pony was clad in white armor without a visor, not the usual black and blue with a golden visor. The cutie mark was 3 small red crosses aligned above each other in what could be related to a squiggly line. She shot Applejack with what looked like a green laser; it seemed to be helping Applejack if anything. The black armored pony came back, visor up this time. He looked a little scruffy with a beard and mustache and he had a horn, signifying that he was a unicorn. He leaned over and looked at Twilight right in the eyes looking for something. Twilight could see much more in this pony’s eyes than anything he could say. To put it simply, he looked like a pony that has, quite literally, seen the stars. Twilight couldn’t tell whether or not she was blushing, she still couldn’t feel anything nor move. He got back up and asked, in the same voice as she had heard earlier, “How’s she looking, doc?” He watched for a reply. The ‘doc’ simply nodded keeping focus on Applejack. “Might as well let her walk and talk then. She ain’t lookin’ as bad as earlier.” The medic turned and shot Twilight who closed her eyes at the sight of the gun. She regained everything, from speech to movement to physical feeling (not just the tiredness of before). She was sore all over, muscles aching. She opened her eyes to see the black armored pony trying to get her attention with a waving hoof. “Now, Twilight Sparkle. You’ve takin’ a beatin’. I suggest you keep low until things blow over, understand?” The pony stared her down. Twilight nodded, but he didn’t seem to accept that. “Yes… I understand.” Her voice was raspy. She found it difficult to say anything more. The pony got up, aimed his rifle to where everypony else was aiming, and fired a loud bullet, similar to the one she heard earlier, except that was followed by a loud *THUD* A rather large golden cylinder fell out of the machine and stuck right into the ground. On it were the letters H.E.V. She followed the trajectory of the gunshot with her head to see a line of dead mutant ponies. The field was covered in dead ponies, from the mutant ones to the blue and black fighters. The sight make Twilight feel sick. “Don’t look over there look long, darling. It will make you sick.” Twilight turned some more to see Rarity about to hug her. “Glad to see you are feeling better.” “Yeah, ‘cause you went down pretty hard back there with Applejack. Those meanies over there almost got you, but I saved you just at the last minute.” Rainbow Dash landed, holding a proud stance. “Ahem. You mean Jim Raynor saved her. All you did was pick her up, dear.” “Well, I still saved her.” Rainbow Dash rebuked, clearly trying to keep her profile looking good. “Twilight, my dear, when you turned around to save Applejack, you – yourself - tripped except you hit a rock. You’re beautiful mane was ruffled, not helped by the fact that these other ponies started doing… whatever they are currently doing all around you.” She motioned to the ponies holding the guns. Only Twilight had read the books relating to any such machine. “You will definitely need a makeover when we get back to my boutique.” “You were the lucky one, Twi’. Applejack was piled on by those ponies attacking us. They say she’s lucky to still be here, but I knew she wouldn’t give up on us that easily.” Twilight tried to speak, “Where are the others?” “They followed some pony named Tychus inside the High-pier-on a couple minutes ago.” Rainbow Dash pointed at the object that had crashed, in the distance she could see the silhouettes of a group of ponies going inside. “You mean the Hyperion. Please do not abuse such a fine name, although it could definitely use a new look. It looks hideous, so dank… so much… GREY. It requires color!” “Anything else I should know?” Twilight said, feeling out-of-the-loop. “The ponies attacking us are evil, the ones protecting us are friends… yadda yadda yadda…” Rainbow Dash said with hardly any enthusiasm. “Ok, thanks girls. I think I should rest now, I still don’t feel so well.” Twilight said, starting to feel light headed. The other ponies backed off as Twilight lie down yet again and fell asleep once more. The sun had completely set along with her. ///*\\\ It was a strange assortment of events. First the 6 ponies burst from the forest, and then the Zerg followed after them. Raynor and Tychus nearly lost their lives to rescue the 2 ponies that fell, both unconscious when they saved them. He knew that he couldn’t let the ponies die like that, or worse. Raynor fired another penetrator round, his 4th of the fight. The Zerg army was finally thinning out, a good thing too since the pony called Twilight Sparkle had woken up. She was still battered and bruised, but her friend was much worse off having being attacked by a few live Zerglings and then buried under a dozen dead ones. “Tychus, they safe yet?” Raynor yelled into his speaker. “Ya never could trust me, Jimmy. The Zerg didn’t know what hit’em… 23.” Came the reply. “Heh, 26. Keep trying, partner.” Raynor knew he was referring to his kill count. He guessed most of his boys were around 8 kills each, some of the better with 15 or so. “Matt, you readin’?” “Yes, sir. The power’s still out, I hope you aren’t going to persist with the automated defenses.” “No time now, the Zerg are nearly beat. How are things looking in there?” “Zerg never made it inside; your men do their job too well. As for physical state, most of the immediate threats are dealt with. I wouldn’t worry about that meltdown anymore.” “Glad to hear it. Any information on the attack?” There was a brief pause, “The attack looks too… sloppy for the swarm to be controlled. If I may suggest, I don’t think the Zerg have a controlling figure; no cerebrate, no Overmind, no Queen of Blades. They must have just felt us hit the ground and came with what they had, sir.” “I think I liked the other news better. If that’s what they had on hand, I ain’t too keen on seein’ what time will give them. Any ideas on where they are findin’ resources to build their armies?” “No. Nopony has seen any mineral cashes or vespene gas. They must have found alternatives.” Raynor didn’t bother replying. He’d get the details after the Zerg were gone. That didn’t mean he hadn’t become concerned, not at all. If the Zerg had amassed this much of an army in such a short time with a limited amount of minerals, he wouldn’t need to worry about getting of this planet. The sun was in the process of setting, the last of the Zerg had been killed. Crew members already started to pull out lighting equipment. As the sky turned from a deep violet to purple to black, the field was lit up with the bright white lights from aboard the ship. The ship’s port-side fog-lights turned on signifying power had been restored. The 2 ponies – Rainbow Dash and Rarity – that had stayed with the injured ponies were slowly backing away from Twilight. Now that the Medics were free, they were able to take them into the ship to the sick bay. “Your ship really needs a new look, sir.” Rarity exclaimed as he approached her. “Grey doesn’t highlight the ship as much as it could. I’ve been thinking a nice dark blue with gold highlights…” Raynor ignored the pony. She had been after the ship’s look since she was calmed down. She wasn’t of interest right now. No, he wanted a word with the cyan and rainbow colored pony. “Rainbow, can I have a word with you?” Raynor asked the pegasus. It seemed like she had a hard time not going out to fight. “Oh, um sure? What about?” “I ain’t one to judge, but you look like a fighter. You seemed pretty troubled not being able to help tonight.” “Yeah, well… I do like a challenge, but truthfully, I don’t think I could take these… things on.” “Heh, I know the feeling. Hundreds of the beasts swarmin’ you when you least expect it. I’ve gotten myself into some pretty narrow situations with them... How ‘bout I get you prepared to take them on? “What? Me join you guys? I’m not sure…” Rainbow seemed unsure about the deal and all that came with it. “Not join my crew; my boys can handle ‘em so long as we’re ready. No, I was thinkin’ about your friends. The Zerg ain’t native to this planet so I don’t think you’d stand a chance. You seem like the only pony with the guts to do what’s required to protect them.” Raynor smirked. He upholstered his unused gauss rifle and dropped it on the ground in front of her. Rainbow Dash took a minute to think. Jim knew this planet was doomed without any proper support, and his men were limited to the ship for the time being. Offering this pony some training was for the benefit of the planet. “When do we start?” She said before picking up the weapon in her mouth. “At dawn. You’re welcome to stay aboard the ship tonight, just don’t expect any hotel service.” Jim Raynor walked away. Jim wanted to figure out what was going on, but he figured that the pony to ask for answers was currently sleeping in the sick bay with her battered friend. “Intel may be half the battle, but without firepower, you ain’t goin’ nowhere.” He muttered to himself the quote he heard from his father a long time ago.

Landmine

128

Main 6,Zecora,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PonyCraft-Pegasi of Liberty

incomplete

<p>Raynor’s Raiders, upon escaping a large scale Zerg attack, find themselves stranded on an unknown planet of ponies. When the Zerg suddenly attack en mass, the crew is forced to interact with the nearby village.</p>

everyone

2011-08-29T21:25:48+00:00

2011-08-29T21:25:48+00:00

She crept back into consciousness. She quickly began to regain feelings and abilities throughout her body. As soon as she could, she searched her mind for answers to simple questions. 'What is my name? For what had happened, am I to blame?' Despite being such simple questions - questions one would expect to remember - she couldn't make sense of anything that she retrieved. She opened her eyes to find visual reminders, but rather seeing an open field or a forest she was face to face with a wall... a fleshy wall that pulsed every so often. This wall surrounded her, trapping her in a oval prison. She panicked, shutting her eyes and wailing her hooves vigorously to vanquish the nightmare. It didn't succeed. She quickly tired herself, drained of the little energy she had. She calmed herself, but rather than relax she became even more scared when she realized something else. 'The prison may be of flesh and blood, but the air feels like mud.' Her suspicion was proven when bubbles rose from the bottom of the makeshift prison; she was in some liquid. Once more she searched for answers, yet none ever came. With nothing better to do, she tried to fall asleep once again. She figured when she awoke once more everything would be gone. This attempt was short-lived as she soon sensed another presence in her mind. It felt like a spirit, but was somehow different. It felt powerful; a dominating and wise essence. It was not so much a part of her mind as much as in-tune with it; something distant that mentally linked itself with her. She quickly realised that whatever it was, it was aware of her consciousness! "Awaken my child, and embrace the glory that is now your right to uphold. Know that I was once the eternal will of the Swarm, and that you are tasked with carrying out my vision." The spirit said, or rather, thought. This presence was giving her his thoughts as if he was speaking. She couldn't put a name to the technique; her mind felt like it was a foggy mess. "I am the Overmind, and you are my daughter who shall control this Lost Brood." Her past experiences with the spirits had never been like this. She could always speak and think freely. That and she was never trapped in a prison or similar. Normally she would have addressed the being, but she could only listen silently and not reply. "You, my child, are required for my will has been undone. You have been chosen because you are much more able than the others. You will not fall to deviation as any other will. "The future of your galaxy is dark. It shall fall under unimaginable destruction; all creatures will be consumed and every planet corrupt. This is the future I have foreseen. However, I have created a being to avoid it. This agent, my daughter Kerrigan, will never encounter you or your kind on its own; it is by an unforeseen mistake that the Swarm have made a presence here. Kerrigan has been left unguarded in a world of instability. The plans I have laid out shall falter without a force to keep her controlled and focused. She shall be completely consumed by her lust for power." This was no ordinary encounter with the spirits at all. The spirits she usually interacted with would never know of the future, nor would they ever think of trying to change it themselves. This Overmind, despite being parallel to a spirit, was from somewhere beyond her knowledge, from a place full of privilege and yet so dark as a grave. Regardless, the Overmind was quite clear - the future it foresaw would be dark and would jeopardize existence itself. "The future will bring infinite corruption and destruction." She was given a memory - clearly not one of hers - to accompany the statement. The scene seemed to be a last stand of some sort: two species battled it out on a dead planet. One side was a small force of creatures infused with weird golden metals and shinning blue crystals. They were trapped inside a small fortress made of other weirder metals. More of these creatures soon appeared through holes in the air and on the ground. The other species (or collection of deviations) had covered the planet with a strange organic growth. There were hundreds of thousands of distorted creatures that followed a single leader who was surrounded in an intense blue aura. The shear numbers of these creatures were overwhelming the shrinking forces of the metal creatures, slowly winning the battle. "The future will erase all species to one corrupt being." More memories were created. The first was on a planet covered in ash and black char. Very industrious looking buildings stood with unfitting tentacles growing both out of and through them. The strange growth covered the surrounding area, creeping outward to consume more of the structures. The next memory was in space where massive metal platforms were falling apart from a long time of neglect. Massive abandoned machines drifted past, some sprouting tentacles and lots of the growth. The last part of the trio looked to take place inside one of those industrious machines. A simple two-legged creature stood in front of a glass tube which held another creature - the creature with the blue aura from the very first memory, the one that led the mutant beings. At this distance, the creature with the aura held similarities between the first two species she had previously seen: long tentacle-like things and organic mass from the mutant creatures and rings of metal and the blue crystals that had been taken from the metal-infused species. Looking at either creature made her feel a little sick. She didn't understand the importance of that creature with the blue aura, although she knew there was one. Her thought process, which was not giving her any trouble on this topic, went through dozens of possibilities: 'Is it important that it resembles the others? Are they all somehow brothers?' The Overmind 'spoke' once more, smothering any further thoughts. "I have done what I could, but I was alone in my visions. The other species saw only an imminent threat and had me destroyed." The Overmind gave her one final memory, this time on a growth-covered forest planet. In the middle of a massive crater lie a huge, closed eyeball. There were multiple large, dark-purple tentacles extending from the eye, dead (these seemed pure; not corrupt like the ones she saw earlier). The surroundings looked like a war zone; the industrious buildings made another appearance, yet, in addition to the tentacles they looked damaged and hastily repaired; there were also buildings built from the strange golden metal and bore blue crystals or held blue details for resemblance. Again, they were corrupted and heavily damaged from war. The collection of industrious buildings and the group of golden buildings surrounded the now-dead creature in a strategic fashion. She then realized that the dead creature was, in fact, the very Overmind that was 'speaking' to her. "My death matters not, for you shall take on my role here; the pieces to the puzzle are missing and must be replaced. This world contains secrets that will allow you to return to Kerrigan and restore the Swarm to its position, but you must focus on this planet first. The creatures here are threatened by the swarms presence and they will not listen. They will not hesitate to destroy you or the swarm, and you must not hesitate to destroy them. There is no reason, no discussion; they cannot and will not understand what you now know. If they are allowed to stop you, for then everything shall be destroyed. "Your mind is free and capable; the threats of consuming will not overwhelm you as it has to others. You shall remain free willed to control the Swarm so long as you choose, my child. "You are the one who controls this Swam. They exist to serve just as you are to serve my vision. Do not underestimate their power, but wield it against those who oppose you." Brief glimpses of creatures crossed her mind. These creatures were not the corrupt ones from before, and they had been morphed into pony-like and snake-like figures. They varied in size, shape and kind; some flew, had hooves to walk or slithering tails extend from their behind; some were nearly as high as trees, while others seemed no larger than fillies. "Your task will be carried out alone. I have borrowed time from one who once opposed me but now shares my fate. Those of the Lost Brood are now your servants. They anxiously await your re-birth, my child." Those were the last things to be 'spoken' to her as she was quickly overwhelmed by some unfamiliar force and soon blacked out. ///*\\\ This night was quiet and peaceful. The sky was slowly clouding over, rain quickly following in its wake as if to douse the remaining fire that had burned much of the forest. Jim Raynor found himself on the Hyperion's bridge. That room had only been temporarily fixed; the red emergency lights were still the only means of lighting; the missing window had been mended with a scrap metal plate; and the broken computers had simply been removed and discarded in the other piles of various rubble. They had been discussing for awhile; about what happened, the repair plans, ship defenses, and - most recently - the survival of the other ponies on the planet, a topic which had quickly become hostile. “The Zerg are a dangerous threat to this world. They will easily crush anything these ponies can put up against them.” “And we’re dealin’ with that, Matt. Once we get enough resources we’ll target the Zerg. If our suspicions are right, they ain’t gunna expect a thing.” “What if we don’t find the resources? We know this isn't Koprulu, we don't know if there are usable resources here. I'd like to know what you expect to do if we don't find these resources you are banking on. Surely you won't leave everypony to die." “Listen closely, maybe you didn't hear me the first time: We hardly have enough minerals to fix the ship and just enough supplies to feed my crew to do so. There ain't nothing we can do if we don't find some minerals or vespene gas." Aggravation was making a bold presence in Raynor`s voice. "Back on Mar Sara you wanted to get things back in motion. You knew we could hardly afford to even fuel this ship, yet you still wanted action. What has changed?" “You’re treddin’ thin ice, captain.” Came his cold reply. Raynor knew Matt was getting to something. He didn't know what, but he didn't like it all the same. "We were always out for the people. We did what we had to for their sake. We found solutions to the dozens of problems we found ourselves in. When we needed cash, you would go out and fi-" “We ain’t back home, Matt! There ain’t nopony here who knows us, and there definitely ain`t none willin’ to give up the cash nor materials we need. Unless somepony says otherwise, we're on our own.” Raynor snapped. “That doesn’t mean we can’t help! Yes, we must fix this ship and fend off the Zerg, but I’m not sure you realize what you’re doing: You’re throwing hundreds of innocent ponies lives away! Arcturus Mengsk did the exact same thing on Tarsonis - the very reason why we are here today!” Jim Raynor was only angered by the statement; his anger nearly getting the better of him. But Matt held a valid and prominent argument. He simply let his gaze stare aimlessly into the blank starmap he was leaning on. He reflected on what Matt said, how Arcturus Mengsk had abandoned an entire planet to the Zerg; how Mengsk had abandoned Kerrigan to the Zerg. "You may not know it, sir, but right now, you're carrying the crew onward. If we sit here and do nothing, everything will fall apart. Without you as an active leader, they would all lose hope." Raynor heard a series of clinks before a small black disk appeared in front of his eyes. He paused for a moment before he flipped it over - it was a Marshal`s badge; specifically Raynor`s own badge from years ago. “When you figure yourself out, let us know...” Matt said right before the exit's doors opened. “We`re waiting on ya.” Raynor continued to stare at the badge in thought as the doors closed; and he had lots to think about. ///*\\\ Twilight woke up to somepony nudging her. She simply groaned and rolled over. She hadn't had much sleep that night and was not ready to wake up anytime soon. However, despite her attempts to shrug off the perpetrator, the nudging continued until she gave up and opened her eyes. The first thing her unfocused eyes saw was a white and purple blob trying to wake her up in haste. "Twilight, dear, you must wake up right now. The captain is here to talk with you. Oh, and what a captain he is." Twilight quickly put a name to the voice: Rarity. "You simply cannot keep him waiting, it would be most unruly of you." Twilight, despite still being half asleep, managed to wake up as much as she could before the door to the room opened for a navy blue pegasus. His mane was a slick golden color and a perched cardinal cutie mark in gold. Even in her sleepy state, the unicorn didn't have to think twice about calling him the captain. He entered and was promptly directed to the purple unicorns bed by Rarity. "Good morning, Twilight Sparkle. I am Matthew Horner, captain of the Hyperion. I am sorry for disturbing you while you recover from your injuries, but this is urgent. Your friends have elected you to represent them during the next meeting, and that means you'll have to come to the bridge with me." Twilight was not up to having a conversation now, let alone attending a meeting. However, she couldn't deny a personal invitation straight from the captain, nor could she back down from the position her friends appointed to her. In her mind she sighed and accepted the only option available. "When is this meeting exactly?" "As soon as possible, but don't be alarmed. The first few items on the agenda don't deal with you or your friends. I shall return shortly to escort you to the bridge." Twilight was all but happy to hear that the meeting would be ASAP. She sighed as the captain turned around and was about to exit when Rarity spoke up. "Is it alright if I join you? I mean, I would assist Twilight seeing as she still seems weak." She pleaded with a face that nopony could say 'no' to. Matt held an unpleased face, but didn't reject the offer. "Only you. We don't need a huge gathering just yet." As soon as he left the room Rarity perked up. "He's going to escort us! What a gentleman. And, oh, his character; so formal." "Rarity, this is a meeting, not a social gathering." "Yes, yes. I understand that, but what would one wear to such an occasion? I must have something that works." "Oh, don't tell me you were prepared for a formal meeting when we were supposed to be going on a hiking trip." Twilight said with a disapproving face. "On the contrary, darling. One must ALWAYS be prepared." Rarity spoke passionately, prompting Twilight to facehoof. A grumble also came in response from elsewhere. Rarity instantly quietened her voice. "Whoops, don't want to disturb Applejack. Rainbow Dash says she came to during the night, freaking out about those things that got to her. It took awhile to calm her down again. You slept through the whole thing, surprisingly." "Oh really? I mean, it's good news that she's awake again, but I hope her experience won't permanently affect her." "I'm sure she'll be fine. She is the strongest of us." "I'm sure you're right." Twilight hesitated in response. Being in a situation so close to death and with horrid beasts would surely leave a mental scar on a pony, even if it was Applejack. Twilight could only hope it wouldn't be a bad scar. "Would you mind helping me out like you said you would do?" "Of course. I will assist in any way I can." After a few minutes of Rarity attending to Twilight's bed-mane and other presentable shortcomings, the lavender unicorn stepped out of the room with the white unicorn following close behind; the latter having no time to search for her proper attire. Captain Horner patiently waited outside. "Are you ready?" He questioned. The unicorns nodded in agreement. "If you would follow me then." It was a fair distance to the bridge. Rarity helped Twilight when she required it; walking wasn't exactly the easiest thing anymore. The pegasus led them through the corridors, asking questions regarding Twilight's health and how they got here. "We were sent by the princess to investigate what crashed here. We followed the edge of the Everfree Forest until the smoke forced us to take a shortcut through it. It was then when the Zerg found us. From there, we were chased out into the clearing with the Hyperion. Speaking of which, I'm curious: exactly how did you build the Hyperion? I noticed that it is built to survive entering our atmosphere." "Most battlecruisers are built from simple shipyards or starports. They are built to survive entering and exiting the atmosphere and are capable of operating in a vacuum. The Hyperion, however, was a capital ship when we stole it and it was decorated to fit the role." "So, there are more things like this? How do you do it?" "They are fairly common and simple, but aren't cheap. If we had the resources, and the old schematics, we could build them from the Hyperion. They wouldn't be nearly as impressive as the Hyperion, but they would serve their duty. Like most machines, they only really require schematics and a facility to build them." Twilight glanced at a nearby hole in the structure that was letting in rain when the captain briefly paused. She was amazed at what lay inside the walls; masses of torn wiring, broken metal beams that seemed nearly as wide as her and many more metallic details with purposes unknown. Twilight was quickly brought back to reality when she heard talking from beyond a doorway that the captain had opened. "We ain't got the new schematics, hotshot! Couldn't afford them. Don't count on the old schematics, neither. We lost more than a couple from AI malfunctions, and the rest may as well be tin cans with guns. Vehicles back then ain't known for their integrity." An unseen pony finished saying as Twilight entered the Bridge. The room was large and covered in a dull red light. It was also an organized wreak, one like Twilight's library often became; piles of garbage or general clutter dotted the corners and pieces of metal plates were haphazardly attached to walls Twilight suspected had been damaged. There was even evidence of a couple extinguished fires. "Nice of you to join us, Matt. Swann, here, was just tellin' us how we lost all our old schematics." Jim Raynor greeted. He seemed much smaller to Twilight now that he wasn't wearing his armor. He was, however, still a beige unicorn with a brown mane but now with a black vest. His cutie mark was still the familiar, yet odd star-shape. "Sir, I should mention that if I could get unique samples for testing, I could probably enhance the things we do have." Another pony said. "Why don't ya go step outside and grab a few bodies then, Stetmann? There's more than enough to share." "That's the catch: they need to be unique sample, things I have not yet examined. If you find anything new for the Zerg, it will probably work." "If it pays off in upgrades or enhancements, I'll see what I can find. I ain't gunna run around doin' errands for ya, though." Raynor then took notice of Rarity and Twilight as they moved out from behind Matt. "Before we move on, I guess an introduction is required. As you know, I'm Jim Raynor: Commander of this band of Raiders. This here is Rory Swann: Chief Engineer aboard this vessel." Swann, a dirty orange unicorn, nodded as if to greet them. His mane was brown and his cutie mark was a wrench in a circle. One of his front hooves was metal and had a claw on the end. Twilight decided not to investigate it less he be offended. "And this is Egon Stetmann: the one and only scientist we've got on the Hyperion." "You can always find me in my lab, once it gets fixed that is." Stetmann stated, eyeing Raynor who gave him a disapproving look in return. Stetmann was a bleached-orange unicorn with black hair combed up in a really odd fashion. He wore a white scientist's lab coat that extended almost the entire length of his body. Twilight noticed his cutie mark, despite being partly covered, was a medical syringe - half-full of green liquid - tilted on a 45 degree angle. "Now, Stetmann, you said you had theories on why we are horses?" Raynor insisted. "That would be ponies." Twilight automatically corrected, blushing after she realized that she said it. "Wait, you mean you weren't ponies before, Commander?" Twilight decided to try and keep things formal and call them by their title until corrected. She had no idea on how the ranking system went, but she was not going to embarrass herself by calling them otherwise. "No, actually, we weren't. However, once we had crashed we found ourselves as is. Strange sequence of events, really. One I think is caused by some natural law. I don't have any material to backup my theory, nor do I have the knowledge on the topic, but I think we may be under the effects of an equivalency table. I know it may sound off, but it's the only thing that fits." Stetmann explained. "Ok, now slower and with words I can understand." Raynor requested on behalf of everypony. "The basis of an equivalency table is to keep things the same from point A to point B, even if they are not the same shape. Technically, we are human by our definition everywhere, it's just our shape that changes from place to place. I don't know how or why, but I can say it happened while we were all unconscious." "So back in Koprulu we're Human, but here on... whatever this place is - we are ponies?" Raynor summarized. Stetmann nodded in approval. "That's all I needed to know." "It'd explain why all the suits and exoskeletons changed. Still sounds like horse apples to me." Swann stated. "That's another thing. Our vocabulary has also changed, but just slightly, as I have experimented. Our instinctive vocabulary has become the equivalent of this place. So, judging by what Swann just said, 'horse apples' must be an expletive here. Not to say we can't say anything but, it's just that we'll just have to think about saying it. I've still got lots of research to do on the topic, so don't hold me to the letter just yet, though." Even Twilight found that she was having a difficult time keeping up with this pony. He quickly expanded on any point brought up and talked in a manner that a listener could easily tune out. On the bright side, she was starting to piece together their situation with the bits of new information she collected. "Swann, what were you saying about the suits and exoskeletons have changed as well? What do ya mean?" Raynor said, brushing off the excess knowledge from Stetmann. "As ya saw through Tychus and the marines earlier, our combat exoskeletons have changed to fit our new shape. Same thing goes with the other suits and clothing. But our machines are a different story; our hooves work with the guns an' all - not to say my sashes haven't helped holster them - but they just don't work with our human-shaped vehicles. Even if there were minerals here to harvest, our SCV's need to be fitted for our new needs. It'll be a hell of a job, hotshot." "So you're the one who developed the sashes everypony is wearing, Swann? It didn't take you long." The captain stated. "It ain't the hardest job; I've done armor repairs more complex than those wimpy things. We need our hooves free to walk, but ya' can't walk and hold a gun anymore. The magnetic sashes clear that problem easy. They're dirt cheap too; gave a few hundred out already and still had enough left to arm an army. Hell, I even gave one to Raynor's rainbow-colored friend earlier this morn', free of charge." 'Rainbow colored one?!' Twilight thought, knowing of only one rainbow colored pony in all of Equestria. "Excuse me Mr. Swann, but do you mean you gave one to Rainbow Dash? Why would she need one?" Twilight asked. "Same reason as everyone else: to help holster her rifle. Man, she's a born gunslinger if I ever saw one; grabbed a gun and found things even I didn't know about." "But she doesn't have a gun." "Oh, she does now. If I were the Zerg, I wouldn't mess with that mare." Twilight was taken aback. 'Rainbow Dash would never hold a gun, would she?' She thought. 'Why would Rainbow need a gun? Well, she is the most likely candidate, but for what? Surely she isn't thinking about joining these ponies; she is the element of Loyalty.' Her thoughts took a hold of her, making her wonder if Rainbow would really leave her friends for these adventurous ponies. She had been consumed by thought for awhile and so she missed the following discussion. She snapped out of it when a pony yelled over to the group. "Sir, small Zerg attack force incoming. Just alerting you, nothing to be concerned about." "Excuse me, Captain, but could you tell me when my friends and I will be able to return home? As much as I enjoy it here, I'm sure we'd all like to get back home." Rarity spoke out as Matt nodded towards the pony. Rather than Matt responding, however, Raynor replied. "We've got a dropship gettin' ready to do just that; it;'ll be ready today... right Swann?" Raynor gave a very specific stare at Swann and Stetmann, one that seemed to say "you're done here." "You betcha. A couple engine adjustments and a seat replacement and it'll be ready for liftoff once again... Didn't think I would say that when I first saw it, though." Swann muttered as he left through a side door. Stetmann, who also took the hint, backed off to the side and busied himself with his clipboard. "Walkin' back is no option for ya as we don't have the luxury of sending enough escorts to repel a Zerg ambush. Speakin' of resources, Matt, ya' been able to find any minerals?" "No sir. No scans have detected mineral deposits or vespene geysers anywhere. However, long-distance scans have picked up some form of gemstones on this planet. The scans are not clear enough to give us locations, however." "Gems, you say? I can certainly assist you with finding these gems if you require. I have a natural talent with detecting them." Rarity spoke once more. "Stetmann, you'll go with them and examine the gems." Raynor ordered. "If we can use these gems as a mineral substitute we'll be able to make a strong stand against the Zerg. I don't doubt they'll attempt to infest the entire planet if they get the chance, even if there ain't the Queen of Blades to lead 'em." The word Queen rung a bell in Twilight's mind. It was clear that Raynor was looking into the well-being of his army, and if she could alert Princess Celestia or Luna, they would definitely help out. "I'm sure that the princesses would be glad to help in your stand against the Zerg, Commander." Twilight mentioned. "They are the rulers of Equestria, and I'm sure they have made it top priority to diminish the threat the Zerg pose." "Say what now? Princesses?" "Yes, the princesses Celestia and Luna. They live in Canterlot, a city not far from Ponyville, our home." "A planet ruled by princesses. Sounds a helluva lot better than Mengsk runnin' the show." Raynor muttered." I'll need to speak with them as soon as I can. If they're runnin' the show here, then they'll need all the information they can get." "I'm sure they would be glad to meet with somepony familiar with the situation. It won't be too hard to arrange even with such short notice; I am her prized pupil after all. But first: would you mind explaining where it is you come from, and exactly who you are?" Twilight was eager to finally ask her questions. She decided to figure out what kind of environment these ponies came from; it didn't sound like a place so peaceful as the land of Equestria. "This ain't the best time for explainin', but then again, we don't get many times like those. We're Raynor's Raiders; the rebellion against Arcturus Mengsk and his Terran Dominion. He rules too much of the place we're from and doesn't deserve any of it. To get to his throne he threw away innocent lives, even entire planets, to the Zerg. Back in the days before his rule, Mengsk and I worked together against the Confeds. Mengsk soon set up a plan to bring down the Confederacy. Kerrigan and I were in on the plan: to lure the Zerg to Tarsonis to cause chaos in their lines. Things were goin' smooth, even with the Protoss harassin' our efforts, but then the Zerg grew out of control as expected. But rather than evac the planet, Mengsk fled as quickly as he arrived. He left Kerrigan planet side when the Zerg overran it. I went down to save her, but it was too late. "I kept up my search, and eventually I found her siding with the Zerg. Rather than kill her on Tarsonis, the Zerg infested her and made her one of their leaders. Mengsk gave the Zerg the deadliest weapon ever known to get him closer to power. A man with those priorities doesn't deserve to live, let alone rule. "The Zerg were last seen four years ago at the end of the Great War, however. They came back right before we arrived, and accordin' to reports we received before we left, the Zerg came back everywhere. The Dominion was only helpin' the best dollar and left many planets to suffer. Kerrigan came back for somethin', and she's tearing through planets to find it. That's why we must return; not just to be home, but to be there to save the pon- people." Twilight was slightly appalled by the information. Her views on rebellion were that they were pointless or they were just people's ways of showing that they were annoyed. But what Raynor brought up was something new. If what he was saying was true, that he witnessed this Arcturus Mengsk abandon an entire planet to the Zerg, than his argument was to fight corruption rather than exert his own power. "Commander! There's a Zerg invasion force headed our way!" The console-pony announced. "It's much larger than the others! I'll pop it up on the starmap for you." The group gathered around the table. What Twilight saw was a vague map of the surroundings; the Hyperion's crash site, the burned forest, the perimeter that the crew had no-doubt secured. The one thing that didn't add up was the mass of bright red dots starting to gather at the edges of the map and moved inward. "Are those red dots Zerg?" Twilight asked. "In one form or another. Matt, seems like they have a bone to pick with us." Raynor stated as more appeared, quickly surpassing the numbers from before. "Think we'll survive the hit?" "Our casualty count would be high, no doubt about it, but it probably won't be fatal. Chances are most of them are Zerglings and Hydralisks." Matt said grimly as he examined the map. The dots kept getting closer to the Hyperion, and more dots came to fill up the gaps behind. Twilight started to panic slightly, there were so many dots she didn't know what to expect. "Commander Raynor, if Princess Celestia or Luna saw how much power the Zerg held in person, I'm sure they would personally oversee efforts to assist your stand with numbers." Twilight mentioned. "If not, I can't guarantee anything anytime soon or even if you will get more than supplies." "Sir, I'm certain that you and Tychus would boost moral on the battlefield if you fought this battle from the trenches. The moral boost could significantly decrease the casualty count." Matt explained, countering Twilight's suggestion. "Commander, I'm detecting large numbers of Zerg fliers. You'd best leave as soon as you can, otherwise it would be too dangerous." Raynor just stood in silence, debating the situation in his head.

Landmine

128

Main 6,Zecora,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PonyCraft-Pegasi of Liberty

incomplete

<p>Raynor’s Raiders, upon escaping a large scale Zerg attack, find themselves stranded on an unknown planet of ponies. When the Zerg suddenly attack en mass, the crew is forced to interact with the nearby village.</p>

everyone

2012-06-18T16:18:12+00:00

2012-06-18T16:18:12+00:00

A group of bodies piled into the muddy trench like ragdolls amongst the sounds of gunfire, explosions and screams. The situation was getting worse with each passing moment; the Zerg attack waves were getting out of hand. A battered marine climbed up and yanked a spine from his left fore-hoof with a grunt. Pain seared through his body, and even with the spine removed, it was too painful to put pressure on. Nearby, the ground exploded in fire and the last members of his team flew around lifelessly, their bodies crashing into the walls and splashing into rain puddles. The marine glanced down the left side of the trench in panic. He saw another squad fighting off a monstrous pony that was an ultralisk in the distance, and a firebat burning some stray fiends nearby. Turning his head down the right side of the trench, he witnessed a bunch of marines give way to a pair of zerglings. The moment they saw the marine, they continued their run. "Wouldn't be so heroic if I died peacefully now, would it?" He muttered himself before he sprinted for a fallen corpse's rifle. Armed with a rifle in his good hoof, the masculine pony got up on his back legs and fired at the advancing foes, sparks dancing around the creatures as they closed in. The armored pony glanced down to his ammunition counter to see it descend from 195 to 000 in a matter of moments. He gritted his teeth and surveyed the nearby scene. To his disappointment, there weren't any rifles near enough to attempt to grab. He glanced back to see death meters away and closing in fast. Suddenly, a flare of light passed by the marines head, exploding a zergling upon impact. The second zergling, dazed by what had just happened, watched a second flare fly toward it. The marine slowly turned around from the gory fireworks to find the source of the projectiles. "Learn from the best, colt: 'Don't miss.'" A bulky firecolt said. He turned around and trotted towards another pony who was nervously rocking back and forth while listening to rock music. The marine decided to follow, trying to keep all pressure off his injured hoof. He noticed that there were no longer any marines fighting anywhere; he assumed they were all dead next to the visible lump of ultralisk that lie still in the dark distance. "Where's the rest of your squad?" The marine yelled, muffled by the dozens of distant cries and explosions. "You're lookin' at it. I assumed the same goes for you." The firecolt responded. He took a seat in the mud, looked at the smoking weapon he carried, and tossed it away uselessly. His visor lifted to let the rain wash over his scared, dirty face. The sane marine didn't believe what he was seeing. They were in the middle of a war zone, another wave of Zerg imminent, and these two idiots were just going to wait for them to arrive? "Where the hays the commander? I was told he'd be here on the front!" He called out in a vein attempt to motivate them. Neither marine answered. Instead, the rocking marine paused and pointed his hoof back towards the distant Hyperion without even looking. The marine looked over to see the top of the battlecruiser showing above the trench wall. As if he had woken it up, the Hyperion's fog lights flickered on, lighting everything up to the charred forests edge. In the white lights, a silhouette of a dropship slipped by the flocks of Zerg flyers. //*\\ "Aw, Jimmy. You're goin' soft on me. This pretty pony business has gotten the better of ya, hasn't it?" "What d'ya mean, Tychus." Raynor glared. The couple had been loading a dropship with supplies for the past few minutes with help from a selected squad of marines. A trip to visit a so-called "princess" still required some supplies, and with the crates dwindling, they were only waiting on the dubbed "Alfalfa team". The name didn't mix well with Raynor and especially not with Tychus, but, in addition to their lack of creativity, the purple pony with the horn insisted that it was ingenious, "the perfect fit." "You're runnin' from a perfectly good fight to help a couple mares out. Sure, they're gals 'n all, but they just ain't the same." Tychus spat out a dead cigar onto the metal floor, a new one quick to take its place. "They're lil' cute ponies, Raynor. A gals thang." Raynor helped shove the last crate onto his back. "It ain't up for discussion, Tychus." Raynor quickly retorted. "We've got business with their princess, and you better warm up to the idea." "It's the blue one, ain't it. She's got some nice-" "This has nothin' to do with them mares. The sooner we defeat the Zerg, the sooner we get to fixing my ship. We can try and fight on our own, but that'll cost a lot of good stallions.If you don't like the idea, stay behind." Tychus wasn't about to quit on his ol' buddy, but he was starting to think Raynor was loosing his touch. "Rainbows, ponies, princesses and unicorns... This ain't no place for a man. If the Zerg weren't here, I'd prefer my cell." Raynor had ignored to comment as he went to go search for the missing team. Tychus turned to enter the dropship. As small as it looked, it was huge. The Great War had brought along dropships that were able to carry not one, but two siege tanks if the need be. And that was before the engineer started tinkering with the design. However, the space was used for supplies and for seats, not for tanks. He grabbed his assigned seat along with the rest of the marine squad. There were a total of 9 of them: a fair sized squad. Raynor had given them places to sit, of all things. He had a massive battlecruiser under his command, and yet he was starting up a daycare. More evidence Raynor was slipping. The pilot started up the engines, signaling Alfalfa's return. As they gathered inside, Tychus overheard Swann and Raynor talking, "Y'know, hotshot, I don't always like to be left behind only to hear them adventure stories you always have." Swann said. "Not this time. You and Stetmann are going to be a lot more useful back here than out there." "Ahh, save it. I hear that a lot these days." Swann muttered. Apparently, Raynor opted for an unconscious pony over a versatile engineer. Tychus hoped that, with any luck, she would be dumped somewhere. The dropship began to take off as Raynor walked the ramp and took his seat, given vision of the entire space. Maybe his seating plan was a smarter idea, surrounding the defenseless little ponies with the toughest marines of his crew. As the dropship exited the hanger, Tychus could see the Hyperion's fog lights activate through the closing door. //*\\ Her head hurt, along with the rest of her body. Her mind was fuzzy still, and she questioned whether or not she was really conscious. The question was quickly answered as a high-pitched scream alerted her senses. Applejack was quick to fully awaken, adrenaline coursing through her veins: none of them beasts would catch her nappin'! Her eyes burst open, expecting to already be in trouble. She was half right. A dozen blurry figures were visible in the dim light, they had almost completely surrounded her already! But Applejack was not goin' anywhere without a good tussle! She rose from her seat and dashed to one of the two open ends in the enemies lines, turning her flank to the wall. She might be able to stand a chance like this. The attackers were already advancing at her, although at a slow pace. They were speaking incomprehensible babble, clearly intended to distract her. Applejack wouldn't fall for such a weak plan! Turning a full 180 degrees in one movement, she bucked one of the beasts that had gotten a little too close. Her hooves slammed into its head. Despite sounding and feeling like metal, the creature didn't stand a chance against such strength and stumbled sideways, dazed none-the-less. Applejack took the opportunity to buck it a second time in the midsection. It crashed to the ground in a heap farther away as a pair of offenders tried to sneak up at her from the rear. They were slightly lighter and weaker than the other one, and a hoof to the side of the head sent one crashing into the other, both slamming into the wall before slumping to the ground. Time was running out. The others had been able to close in to uncomfortable levels. There was no hope to defeat them all, and escaping was no option... unless- In a desperate action, she dodged a figure that was about to grab her and headed right to a light source on the other side of the room: the exit to the cave! "STOP HER!" Applejack deciphered one of the cries, originating from some female source. She leaped at a beast right in front of her. She hoped to jump off it and shoot herself towards the exit, a sizable gap between her and the oppressing force. Fate had decided otherwise, and the moment she made contact her limbs crumpled and both the creature and herself crashed into the floor, Applejack skidding to a halt just outside the lights reach: So close. She could hear hoofsteps and muffled voices surround her. She vaguely recognized the voices, but it didn't matter, she'd been beat. All Applejack could do was curl up and whimper. //*\\ "Tell me she's down!" Raynor barked through the suit's radio. "Yes, sir! She must have run out of adrenaline." A marine sounded through the speakers. The pony laid only meters away from the cockpit door. A group of marines surrounded her ready to catch her if she made a break for it again. "Could I get some assistance over here?" Tychus groaned as he struggled to his hooves. A fellow marine came over and quickly pulled him up. "Damn pony nearly smashed the visor!" He raged. "You know it was a mare who did it, right?" Raynor questioned from afar.. "That was some demon that attacked, not some mare! Good thing the devil doesn't want me in hell." Raynor walked over to the collapsed and whimpering beast of a pony, 3 marines holding rifles to her to ensure she didn't move, 2 others ready to catch her if she did. The five friends were eager to check on their pal, but a pair of marines held them at bay as well, albeit some difficulty with Rainbow. Tychus never bothered to learn their names, instead, he found fitting names for them himself. He looked around the less-than-cramped room to the other victims of the rampage. Aside from a few dents and recovering marines, everything was rather unscathed. It didn't last as a barrage of explosions rippled off the dropship's exterior. "We've got company!" The pilot chimed in, "Hold on!" The others quickly braced themselves, the marines still watching Little Bucker - as Tychus named her - as Rainbow quickly brought her to safety. Tychus, however, didn't get that chance and wasn't able to grab something; he was to far away from anything. He tumbled all over as the pilot maneuvered around enemy projectiles. Sharp turns, sudden drops and unpredictable decelerations were the tricks Tychus could point out. At some point between Tychus being magically frozen against a pile of crates near Starry Girl and the pilot saying "We're going down!", the Zerg flyers had made a nice collection of skylights and fires. "I'm going to have to land her, sir. I think there's a clear spot just ahead." The pilot alerted. "Do it and pop the hatch. It's about time we give this bird some firepower." Raynor responded. The back door creaked open, licks of flame reaching out as the air was sucked outside. 3 mutalisks were hot on their tail, launching their lethal projectiles at the transport. A few unsecured crates and packages slid out the door, one comically hitting a pursuer. Just about everypony opened fire. A loud shot rang out among the lesser rifle shots, punching a clean hole in the second mutalisk. Trying to recover, the creature targeted the now open door despite being overwhelmed by gunfire. Its last act was launching a projectile, which hit the rear wall and bounced, hitting the wall opposite of Tychus and then bounced again in his direction. He was still frozen against the damned crates, he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried! It was like there was a magical force holding his suit in stasis. He braced for the inevitable impact, the projectile undoubtedly going to hit him. He couldn't even shut his visor, his head enjoying the inability to move as well. FWHOOM! An explosion of olive green gas erupted into the air as the projectile detonated. There was a hole behind Tychus, perfectly lined up with the space between his helmet and shoulder; calling it a close call was an understatement. "Omygosh! I am so sorry! I has held you down while you were tumbling, but I guess I was too afraid to let go when that thing was bouncing around in here." Starry Girl quickly came over to say. Tychus only turned his angry eyes at the mare. "Oh, right." She said as she released whatever gypsy magic she was using, a slight blush of embarrassment showing on her face. Tychus hit the floor hard on all hooves. Working his stiff muscles he snarled at Starry, "Ya know, I hoped to die fighting for my life, not trapped by a little scared pony." At which point he walked away as the dropship descended; the last Mutalisk killed while he was preoccupied. *** The smoke from the village was difficult to see against the darkened sky, and nighttime was around the corner. The place that Alfalfa team called Ponyville was no match for any size of Zerg Swarm, plus its proximity to the forest, it was inevitable for the attack. Raynor stepped out onto the muddy street; a couple wooden houses had collapsed so that there was only one entrance to their landing zone. It was the optimum place to make a pit stop. "Contact the Hyperion. Let Matt know our situation." Raynor ordered to whoever was within earshot. Creep was lightly spread out in large clumps, enough to give the Zerg their home-field advantage. Jim Raynor hadn't had a pleasant stay in Zerg territory to date, and he didn't like the idea of being back. He muddled about with a patch of hay, realizing it was from one of the nearby houses. He was surprised the village lasted this long without any help. A group of marines rushed past, quickly building a barricade to defend the landing zone from the inevitable Zerg. A few straggling ponies were gathered and put into a house; safe and out of the way. At one point Raynor spotted a grey pegasus chasing after a Zergling that had something like a muffin in it's mouth before she knocked it into a wall, crushed its head with her back hoof, took the muffin with a smile, and flew off into the high clouds oblivious to the danger the village was in. Maybe ponies could put up a fight. "Oh, but please. You MUST let us find out the poor fate of our beloved home." Rarity begged to Tychus. "What part of 'N' or 'O' don't ya understand? I ain't playing foalsitter." He barked. "And Raynor ain't gunna let ya run around neither." "I need you six. No more, no less. That was the deal. Either way, the village is full of Zerg. The longer we stay here, the better the chance we get overrun." He responded. Rarity was silent, standing on the edge of the rain's reach under the tail wing. Hopefully the others heard the conversation so he didn't have to say it again. He turned his attention to the village and it's situation. He had to give the Zerg credit, it is almost like they had a plan for attacking; half the buildings were still standing, creep littered all but the structure entrances, and the small attack forces that the marines were barring off could have been patrols. "Hear that?" Tychus said. "Hear what?" Raynor questioned, a dull roar sounded in the distance. "Sounds like things 'r gunna get rough, Jimmy." Another roar sounded, but much closer, as if the creature was- The side wall of a building right beyond the barricade exploded, smoke billowing out the new doorway. A ferocious looking lion walked through the smoke. It sounded a loud, vicious, roar as it rushed forward; nowhere near the speed of the Zerglings that gathered beside it, but still fast. It paused for a moment to open its mouth and vomit a glob of green liquid that began to eat the barrier upon impact. Raynor and Tychus rushed to help hold the barricade. "What kind of creature is that?" Tychus tossed a grenade into the oncoming Zerglings. "That's a manticore. Or, at least it used to be one. What happened to it?" Twilight spoke. "Tychus!" The Zerglings were quickly swarming at the barricades. He took the hint and grabbed two grenades in his hoof, somehow, and smiled as they flew past the metal walls, over and into the far edges of the swarm. Simultaneously, Raynor, visor now up, fired a penetration round into the manticore creature, punching through with a spray of acid; the Manticore's body burst in small acidic explosion. The Zerglings either burned from the acid, exploded from the Raynor's round, or were peppered by the marine unit's wave of gunfire. The grenades finally detonated, albeit far back. Tychus' smile never faded as he watched the two houses on the side of the entryway collapse, smashing into a debris barrier ontop of a second wave that was just rounding the corners. The new barricade wouldn't stop the Zerg, but it would slow down their rapid assaults. Raynor turned to face the lavender open-jawed unicorn, his visor down. "So what did ya think so important to leave the ship and join me and Tychus up here at the front?" "B-b-but the... the houses... ponies-" Tychus blew some cigarette smoke into her face as a cruel way of getting her back to normal. After a short coughing fit, she finally responded, "Well, I know you don't want to go out into the Ponyville because it's dangerous and the Zerg are crawling over it. But my library might have some information that can help us." "Exactly what kind of information?" Raynor asked skeptically. "Spells. Explosive spells, extinction spells, conjure spells... There's a variety across all forms. I might also have some information that can help wipe out the Zerg." She was hiding something: surely she didn't expect him to want to go visit a library for books. That or she was crazier than Raynor thought. "It isn't worth the effort. We need firepower. Tangible guns, soldiers and stuff like that." A marine came running up to him from by the dropship. "Commander, we have contact with the Hyperion. Captain Horner would like a word. It's urgent." Raynor nodded and rushed off to the small communications setup. He didn't notice the rounds being fired well overhead originating from a sky-blue and rainbow-colored mound atop the dropship. "Jim Raynor, the Zerg waves are getting worse. We're losing a lot of men out here." Matt Horner spoke. "We're holed up in an infested village, Matt. We got our own problems." "A different attack? The Zerg swarm must be bigger than we thought." "They also acquired some new assets. They have begun to infest the native species." "That doesn't sound right for a rampant Zerg swarm. Raynor, I picked up a large power level in your area. I thought it was Zerg, but maybe-" "Kerrigan?" He paused for a moment, if she had made the trip to Equestria then everypony was doomed. "They're looking for something, Matt. The evidence is clear: they had left the town intact so she could search it." "But what would she be after?" "My library!"Twilight burst out; Raynor hadn't even noticed her walk up beside him. "She'll probably be looking for information on Equestria." "Ms. Sparkle is right. She won't have any knowledge on this planet. She'd go for the closest and easiest source. You'll have to destroy it before she can get to it." Matt informed. "Got it. What about you colts? Are you goin' to be able to hold the line?" "We'll do what we can, but if Kerrigan learns any kind of secret, we'll be facing an even worse situation." Raynor's ears perked up as somepony behind him screamed, "WOLVES!" "Good luck Matt." He shut the communicator down as he did a full spin to face the barricade. A dozen mutated and infested wolves had hopped the barriers and were tearing the marines apart. Tychus, who had been beside Raynor, was gunning down as many as he could, but they had an armored shell over their bodies. Raynor quickly switched his commando rifle for a standard gauss rifle lying on a nearby crate. *** "He didn't mean destroy destroy, did he?" Twilight questioned Jim. "Those books hold information that will aid Kerrigan in taking over the planet." He shot the last of the round into a dying wolf. "We cannot let her find it." "But-" "Tychus, we're heading out." He interrupted Twilight. "We got ten minutes before the dropship is repaired. Assuming the marines can hold the barricade." He explained while having a chaingun mounted onto this armour. "Think we got time?" "Our time may have already run out as far as I'm concerned." Although Jim Raynor wasn't convinced that the Queen of Blades would act so predictably, he wouldn't take the chance: the library had to be destroyed. "Seems calm enough to go over the top. Ready for some action?" Tychus wiggled in his armour, making sure the gun didn't fall. The streets were still mud, the rain, however, slowed to a light drizzle. The alleyways and streets were lit by the fires untouched by rain. Dead bodies of just about anything were spread out. Although the village had been left intact, that simply meant some buildings were left standing. The walk through the graveyard-like streets wasn't helped by the pure black of nightfall nor the lengthy walk that felt like hours, despite being a couple minutes. To Raynor's dismay, he couldn't pull anypony from the barricades defense; they were spread thin as it was. "What a mess. Like walking through a graveyard." Tychus whispered. "Treat it like one, then. A lot of innocent ponies lay here from the slaughter." Raynor heard something and instantly put what would be a fist up to halt the other two. There was a growl. And another. Two more. Four. A dozen low growls sounded from the black shadows, like a predator stalking its prey. A sudden bark sounded and the streets filled with the wolves, Raynor got to experience their full potential. Tychus spun a 180 and unleashed his chaingun at the pack coming from behind while Raynor peppered the wolves up front. Their armour defended them against Raynor's firepower, but Tychus was keeping his side at bay. A wolf leaped at Raynor's head, jaws wide, teeth sharp and mouth full of saliva. He dropped his rifle and blocked the attacker, having it bite down with incredible force on this front leg; puffs of steam spewed out of the hydraulics of the suit as soon as it bit down. As the momentum of the wolf carried on, Raynor rammed his hoof into the ground, smashing the skull of the beast on a rock in the ground along with the majority of it's bones. Quickly glancing back, he noticed another wolf make a vicious leap, except it was met with a hoof to the side of the face. Falling to the ground, a short burst of bullets went through it's eye. They were weak creatures, their shells being the tough nut to crack. Raynor could no longer hear any growls or chaingun fire. A second look down the street uncovered 4 wolf bodies bashed and bruised with some dug into the sides of buildings. Twilight pushed forward as if nothing happened. Apparently, the library was a tree just beyond the battlefield Raynor and Tychus pushed through. Twilight tried to rush at it, but Tychus blocked her path. "Doors open." He whispered to her, "Someponies home." She wasn't convinced of danger, and still tried to push past, but was still blocked by the unmoving wall that was Tychus. Meanwhile, Raynor had approached the partly opened door, pushed against the wall. Taking a peek, he eyed a source of light inside amongst a pile of books. He jumped off the wall and was about to buck the door down when it flew off and hit him first. He was thrown back a little ways, but quickly recovered to see a familiar figure infront of him. Pony shaped, featuring short, partly developed bone-like wings, a grey coat with dark grey stripes, a bone mane and tail, and a sleek shell that glistened in the light from behind her, she was no doubt the Zerg Queen. She was about the same height as Raynor in his suit, although hovering off the ground in an olive-green glow. Her voice echoed as much as it rhymed. "Well, well. It seems you have discovered the clue. I knew I should have come to kill you."

doctor dapples

130

Caramel,Soarin,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Familiar Shape, A Different Taste

On a surprise visit to Sweet Apple Acres, Soarin' discovers the perils and possibilities inherent in showing up unannounced.

complete

<p>On a surprise visit to Sweet Apple Acres, Soarin' discovers the perils and possibilities inherent in showing up unannounced, when he runs into Caramel. (M/M shipping)</p>

mature

2011-07-20T04:29:11+00:00

2011-07-20T04:29:11+00:00

"Toniiiiight I'm gonna have myseeeellffff a real good time..." The blue pegasus punctuated the first lyric of his favorite song by doing a double barrel roll, pulling it off effortlessly as he sped from Canterlot. Soarin' had a reason to be excited. For weeks he had been trying to make time for this trip, but the air shows, celebrity appearances, and the endless practice sessions meant to keep his skills sharp had sucked up every second of time. By the time a typical Wonderbolt day was over, he was too exhausted to do anything but grab a little supper, followed by a post-supper snack, followed by a post-post-supper snack snack. Most nights he went straight to bed after this, completely missing out on his super-late just-before-bed snack, which rated as one of his top three favorite snacks during the day, after post-breakfast and mid-noon, of course. But ever since that fateful night weeks ago, when Canterlot Castle was thrown into a chaos he had never seen before, he had been haunted by the one shining light of that night. An image of beauty danced through his dreams, taunting him with the distance that separated them each and every night. He remembered the moment he dug his muzzle into the pie's soft crust, tasting the perfectly cooked apples, neither too crispy or too mushy. The sweetness was overpowering, yet tasted completely natural. Since the Grand Galloping Gala, he had been plotting his chance to get away for an entire night so that he could make the trip to Sweet Apple Acres and stock up for the next month. Well, maybe a week. Tonight was that night. Soarin' had it all planned. He would show up on the farm and reintroduce himself to the cute farmer he had bought that first pie from. She would remember him, they would talk for a while, and then he'd flash her his winning smile and offer her however much she wanted for a night of baking. It didn't have to be only pies. He was sure that any of the other items on that cart would have been just as good, if not better than the one he picked because of its sheer size. And money was no object. There are some things in life that you can't put a price on: family, friends, pursuing your dreams, and delicious baked goods. About this time, Soarin' snapped out of his pastrycentric reverie and realized he had actually overshot Ponyville by a few miles. "Whoops!" he shouted to nopony in particular, and did a 540 degree spin over the southern end of the mountains. He zeroed in on the farmhouse and put on an extra burst of speed, before diving at the welcome mat, and landing with the grace of a dancer. He ruffled his mane with his hoof, shaking out the excess sweat that collected in his long navy tresses during his trip. "Time to turn on the charm," he said, shifting his goggles to his forehead. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK Soarin' planted his hooves and stuck out his chest in his best Wonderbolt pose. One of his favorite parts about being a part of the team was the reaction he got from mares when they first saw him in his uniform, and even though the mare from the Gala had seen him before, there was always that moment of awe that still made him smile from ear to ear. Any moment now, she would open that door, and he'd have conversation with a lovely mare and freshly baked apple pie. Quite a night. Any moment now. Any moment. Hmm. He knocked again, louder this time. It was a big house, so it wasn't unreasonable that she didn't hear him. He was pretty sure she wasn't out in the fields, not this close to sundown. His ears were pretty acute, and he was pretty sure he would have heard someone bucking trees if there were any actual farming going on at the moment. However, he did hear a thumping coming from inside of the house. Maybe the thumping was drowning him out? He didn't want to stay out here all night if there was someone in the house who could let him in. Soarin' stomped his front hooves nervously, wondering if he could take the next step without potentially offending somepony. "There could be a problem inside," he rationalized. "What if somepony is in there dying, and I'm just sitting out here waiting for them to open the door? What kind of scandal would there be if a Wonderbolt let a helpless country mare perish in her house? I HAVE to go in!" But despite his new determination to be a hero, he still gulped and entered the farmhouse slowly. The first thing Soarin' discovered was that the thumping was actually the pounding bass of music. It was coming from a room across the hall, but the sound of the drums coupled with the yelping of the "singer" (he wasn't so much singing as speaking) was already fairly overpowering. As he made his way slowly towards the kitchen, less worried about the somepony overhearing him, the music reached an almost deafening level. He peeked his head into the doorway and saw both the radio whose speakers shook with the music, and the pony who was enjoying it. Soarin' couldn't help but smile watching the dancing pony from behind. This wasn't the farmer pony that he had met at the Gala. This was a bigger mare with a lighter coat and a brown mane that only reached as far as her withers. She was preparing something on the counter with her forelegs, but Soarin' could see her head bobbing to the beat, and her rump was swaying with the music. He couldn't help noticing that while she was a little bigger than her blonde relative, she was still quite lean, and he found himself mesmerized by the bouncing of the three horseshoes that made up her cutie mark. As the song progressed, she seemed to lose interest in her meal and focus more on moving her body with the rhythm. Soarin's expression changed from a small smile to an open-mouthed gape. If he had been able to see himself, ogling the oblivious dancing pony, he would have been shocked at his behavior. He would never approve of voyeurism, and he would certainly not have approved of his first words in the house: "Those were some pretty good moves you had there." But any shock he would have received was matched and exceeded when the pony turned to face the peeping tom. For a moment, they just stared at each other, neither of them knowing what to think. Soarin' was the first to break the gaze as he looked closer at the pony in front of him. The eyes. The jaw. "Dear Celestia." The tan stallion's dark blue eyes were wide as saucers, and he was breathing heavily. As he regained his composure, his expression of shock and fear changed to one of anger. "Who are you?" he yelled at Soarin'. "And what the rut are you doing in my home?" The pegasus tried to back up, but found his hooves refused to cooperate with his brain. He was paralyzed from the neck down. "I'm... I'm Soarin'... and I'm a Wonderbolt?" The last part of his introduction came out sounding like a question. "And Wonderbolts break into ponies' houses now? Is that some new trick you're working on?" Soarin' swallowed. "No..." He tried to laugh off the comment, but there was nothing in the other stallion's face that suggested he was in the mood for jokes. "Look, I thought something might have been wrong. I knocked and nopony answered. I was just making sure that... everypony was alright." He tried to smile one of his trademark celebrity smiles. The other pony snorted. "Everypony is alright. So now you can go." He tossed his head in the direction of the front door. Soarin' looked around at the otherwise empty kitchen, despite both the music and the shouting, they were still alone. "Do you have a sister or something? Orange coat, wears a cowboy hat?" The stallion eyed him suspiciously. "You sound like you're talking about my cousin Applejack. What do you want with her?" "She was actually the one I came to see. I met her at the Grand Galloping Gala." The earth pony smiled and suppressed a chuckle. "You're the Wonderbolt who bought her pie." Soarin's jaw dropped. "How could she..." "You were her only sale that night, amigo." He smiled and held out his hoof. "Maybe we should start over. The name's Caramel." The pegasus took Caramel's hoof and gave it a firm shake. "Soarin'." He looked around the room again. Still nopony. "Where is Applejack right now?" Caramel turned back to his food on the counter, and resumed his preparation of a daisy and apple salad. "I'm afraid you've missed the entire family. Applejack and Macintosh are making a shipment to Fillydelphia, and Granny and Apple Bloom went with them to make it a little vacation. They'll be back in a couple of days." He glanced back at Soarin'. "You planning to ask her out or something?" Soarin's eyes grew wide and he shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I just wanted to see if I could buy another of those pies." Caramel chuckled. "She does make a good pie. But like I said, she's not here." He punctuated his statement with the final chop of the knife on the cutting board. "But if you're just here for a freshly baked pie, I can probably help you out, provided you've got the means to pay for it." "You cook, too?" Caramel held out his completed salad for Soarin' to see. Soarin' wasn't really a fan of salads as a whole, but the one in front of him looked better than any he'd ever seen before, even at high-priced Manehattan restaurants. His excitement was dashed as Caramel whisked the bowl away and stuck it inside the refrigerator. "My lunch for tomorrow. Hooves off." He smiled at Soarin'. "I bake too. All the Apples do. Are you good for it?" Soarin' couldn't nod fast enough. "Absolutely. I brought enough for the pie and I brought a lot extra to compensate you for the time you spend making it." He turned around, preparing to leave the kitchen. "I'll just hang out in the living room so that I'm out of your way -" He stopped when Caramel snorted. "Really?" "What?" Soarin' asked, genuinely confused. "Soarin', you're lucky that Applejack isn't here. If you'd come here, asked her to make you a pie, and then left her in the kitchen like some housemare, I know you wouldn't have left this house without at least one lump on your head. For all your love of our food, you clearly don't know the family. You want a pie, you're gonna be helping me." Soarin' gulped. "I dunno if that's a good idea." Caramel sighed. "Fine, let me put this another way. You're GOING to help me, if only to make up for being a creeper when you came in. How long were you watching me, exactly?" he asked, hooves crossed across his chest. The room suddenly felt very hot to the Wonderbolt. "It wasn't like that. I just thought you were a mare." The narrowing of Caramel's eyes made him automatically realize he had just made another mistake. "Thanks. I don't get that often enough," said Caramel, his words dripping with sarcasm. Soarin' shook his head. "I didn't mean that. I just meant," he tried to choose his next words more carefully. "I meant that I assumed you had to be a mare, since I'd never seen anyone else look that good." Oh good Celestia, he thought. What the hay am I saying? He immediately turned his head to prevent Caramel from seeing his face flush, unaware that the earth pony was turning almost equally red. Caramel was the first to break the awkward silence. "Well... maybe we should start?" • • • After an hour in the kitchen, he started to understand why he might have gotten in trouble expecting Applejack to do all the work. Cooking was significantly more complicated than he had expected. The pie had to be made completely from scratch, starting with the dough, which chilled in the fridge while Caramel cut up all the apples for the filling. Despite all the work, Caramel made it look effortless. Fluid motions sliced through whole apples in seconds. Soarin', meanwhile, had been given the master bowl and a spoon on account that "this is where you can do the least damage." Caramel had been adding ingredients, one after the other, and now he poured the contents of the cutting board into the bowl. "Go ahead and stir that in. We're almost done." Soarin' stuck his nose into the bowl and took a long sniff. It smelled wonderful, but it definitely wasn't the same smell from the Gala. He looked up at Caramel, who was looking through the upper cabinets for a last ingredient that seemed to have gone missing. "Caramel, is this a different recipe?" "Yep!" he called back, cheerfully. "When you got a family of cooks like mine, you'll find that everyone has their own take on a dish. If you really had to have Applejack's, you should have dropped a line first. Aha!" He ducked his head into the cabinet and came out holding a small brown bottle. "I use only two types of apples instead of her three, and I use a little bit more nutmeg. But here's the secret ingredient right here!" He unscrewed the bottle and took a quick drink, which was followed by a cough. He smiled at Soarin'. "Yep, still good!" "What is that?" asked Soarin', as the chef poured a small amount of brown liquid into the mixing bowl. Caramel then offered the bottle to Soarin', who took it hesitantly. "I'm not entirely sure. Coconut is the one who gets it for me, so he probably knows more about it, but I know it comes from sugar, and if you drink more than a little bit of it," Caramel laughed, "you'll remember it in the morning." Soarin' took a sniff of the bottle's opening. It had an oddly chemical smell that made him consider refusing, but upon looking at Caramel's expectant face, he took a swig. It didn't exactly taste good when it hit his throat, but as it went down, he felt a sweetness and warmth that made him smile. "Not bad." He went to hand the bottle to Caramel, but he discovered that the tan stallion had taken the mixing bowl and was blending all the ingredients into a perfect pie filling. Caramel took his hoof and dipped it into the bowl, picking up a glob of apple mash. He stuck a small portion into his mouth and nodded. "I think we're on the right track. You want to try it?" Soarin' nodded, expecting Caramel to give him the spoon. Instead, Caramel again stuck his hoof into the bowl and held up a portion near Soarin's face. "Go ahead," Caramel said, smiling hopefully. Soarin' looked into the dark blue eyes, shining with expectation. He slowly opened his mouth, and he felt his new friend's hoof push a portion of moist apple into his mouth. There was a moment of silence before Soarin' realized he hadn't yet closed his mouth. He chewed the morsel and swallowed. It was delicious. When he went to speak again, he found himself strangely a little out of breath. "That was... very good. Different, but good." Caramel took a deep breath through his nose. He looked around the room as if genuinely concerned about his family returning home early, then looked at Soarin', his mouth slightly agape. "If you want more different and good, I can help." He swallowed hard. "Come here." Soarin' leaned forward, and he was met halfway by Caramel's lips. Again he tasted the sweet, slightly tart flavor of the apples and their sugary coating, but with the heat of Caramel's breath behind them, intensifying the aromas and overpowering his senses. Soarin' returned as well as he received and without even thinking, he let his tongue slip into Caramel's mouth, tasting the same flavors and passions that he carried within himself. When they finally broke the kiss, they were both out of breath, and Caramel had to take a step back. "Wow," he said, panting. "You're..." he found himself unable to even complete his very simple thoughts, so he just repeated the first thing that had come to him. "Wow." Soarin' walked up to him and tried to wrap a foreleg around his neck, but he ducked out of the embrace. "No no no..." "Why? Don't you..." Caramel smiled as big a smile as he could remember having. "Of course. But can we at least get this in the oven first?" Soarin' smiled back. "How long does it take?" "Forty-five minutes." "Awww..." the pegasus fake whined. "That's all?" • • • If not for the pink pie box clutched to his chest, Soarin' would have done flips all the way back to Canterlot. His mind was racing as fast as he was, and his heart was beating out of his chest. He had expected to have a good night, but at no point had he imagined he would find himself sleeping in a large red bed with a beautiful stallion curled up beside him and his Wonderbolts uniform lying on the floor. It was such a fantastic night that he had completely forgotten about his plan to "stock up" and had almost walked out of the door without the only pie the pair had baked all night. About the only thing he did know was that he needed to get back to Sweet Apple Acres soon. • • • Caramel sang to himself as he cleaned up the kitchen. "I'm floating around in ecstasyyy..." Suddenly, he heard the door swing open. He immediately dropped the broom and ran to the front of the farmhouse, hoping that maybe a certain pegasus had decided to show up to practice late. His face fell as soon as he saw who was at the door. "Howdy, Caramel! We were able to get outta Fillydelphia a little early, so we decided to cut the vacation short!" Applejack dropped her travel bag by the door as the rest of the family filed in behind her. "Oh, hey guys." Caramel smiled, doing his best to hide his disappointment, but Applejack caught on quickly. "You don't look too happy ta see us." Caramel shook his head. "It's not that. I just like having the house to myself sometimes." "So you can make messes?" came Apple Bloom's voice from the as-still unclean kitchen. He shrugged at Applejack as Big Macintosh made his way upstairs. "I made a pie last night." "Well?" asked Applejack, expectantly. "Well what?" "How did it turn out?" Caramel smiled, fighting back a blush. "Best I've had in a while." A deep voice came from upstairs. "Caramel?" Macintosh shouted. "Why is there flour all over my bed?"

Bombastic Bookpony

131

Applejack,Rainbow Dash,Scootaloo,Twilight Sparkle,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Good Sister

As Scootaloo starts to look up to her more and more, Rainbow Dash wonders if she can be a good sis.

complete

<p>As Scootaloo starts to look up to her more and more, Rainbow Dash wonders if she has what it takes to be a good sister.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T23:16:43+00:00

2011-07-11T23:16:43+00:00

A Good Sister, Chapter 1 Rainbow Dash was having one of her trademark naps on a tree, content and undisturbed. The sun was out, the birds were singing, and if it was business as usual Rainbow would've gagged at how cliche it was. But there had been a brief lull in her adventures, and though she wouldn't admit it to any of her friends, she was glad. After how well the Grand Galloping Galla went, she and her fellow Elements could use a rest. Dash was perfectly fine with that, allowing her mind to drift to her favorite dreams, when- "Hey Rainbow!" "GAAAH!" Dash gave a "little" jump, causing her to not only fall off the tree, but to crash through several of the branches on the way down. A bonk on the head through the first branch, a crash through the second with her torso, and finally her wings were caught on the next two branches below. Angered by her predicament, she struggled to break free and while successful, she didn't have enough time to brace herself for the fall. After all this, Rainbow was ready to chew out her awakener, but after picking herself up and seeing the assailant, found much of her anger gone. For in front of her she saw a remorseful Scootaloo in front of her, babbling her apologies. And strangely with a bandage on her head, but Rainbow could ask about that later, once Scootaloo was finished. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! Rainbow, are you okay? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to surprise you!" "I'm fine," Rainbow replied, unable to keep a bit of her annoyance out of her voice. "And I wasn't surprised. I was just, uh, springing forth to action, in case it was an emergency or something." "Of course! And it is!" "Well? Out with it," Rainbow prodded with a roll of her hoof. "Okay, I was practicing a new scooter trick that was totally wicked. A little dangerous, but you got to take a risk sometimes, right?" Rainbow gave a little nod. "I knew you'd understand!" Scootaloo exclaimed, energized by Rainbow's apparent approval. "I came up with it myself and it was the first time I was going to do it, but I knew that this could be my chance to shine, to really impress you," Rainbow raised a curious eyebrow, "you grownups," Scootaloo covered with a large grin. "But I messed up and hurt myself a little." "A little!?" Dash exclaimed, realizing what the bandage was for. "No pain, no gain, right?" Scootaloo responded sheepishly, a nervous smile on her face. Rainbow began to speak again, but Scootaloo interrupted her, continuing on. "Well, my dad took it so seriously! He said that the scooter was too dangerous for me, that I can't ride it anymore. But that's who I am, Dash!" she yelled, tears starting to form. "It's all I'm good at! It's even in my name, for Celestia's sake!" Rainbow noticed she was taking a page from the older ponies' vocabulary. "I think it may even be my talent, and I just have to perfect it and find the greatest trick, just like your Sonic Rainboom! So I ran off with it and found you!" She's doing this because of me, because of my rainboom, to impress me, Rainbow thought with an increasing sense of guilt. So I have to make up for it, give out some of my great advice. "You know, Scoots, I went through the same thing when I was your age," she began. "Really!?" Scootaloo called out, glad to have something in common with her idol. "To take a page from Big Mac, Eeyup!" Rainbow answered, hamming it up with an impression of the stallion. It drew up a few giggles from the orange filly. "When I was a young filly, like you, I felt the same way you did. Flying was my thing, but my cutie mark still wasn't there yet! So I thought I needed to pull off an amazing act, a terrific and tremendous trick. So I started to practice the Sonic Rainboom. And it. Was. A failure." "What? But you're the great Rainbow Dash! You've pulled it off twice, once while still at camp!" Scootaloo recounted, shocked at the tale. "Well, those times I had adrenaline pumping through me and I had to make it in time. But you know what else I had that was even more important than that? Practice." Rainbow narrowed her eyes and stared at Scootaloo to drive the point home, and Scootaloo gave a solemn nod. "Anyway, I hurt myself 'a little', just like you. And my dad was ticked off, just like yours. He forbid me from flying and I just ran off. But I came across the orphanage, where all these fillies didn't even have a dad and I realized how lucky I was. My dad may have been a bit overprotective, but I knew he loved me, so I ran home and apologized. And he did the same thing. He felt horrible about trying to restrict me from my talent, my passion. We talked it out, I promised to be more careful, and we hugged. But the best part? The next morning, I saw a rainbow-colored flower in my room. They only grow in the Everfree Forest. He went all the way down to the ground to make it up to me. My mom always said that for all his worry about my misadventures, I got that trait from him. And just as good, he sent me to flight camp the same day!", Rainbow finished, nostalgia bursting from her and a twinkle in her eyes. "He sounds amazing," Scootaloo said a bit airily, enraptured by the story. "Best. Dad. Ever," a single tear falling from her eye. She quickly wiped it off and addressed Scootaloo. "You need to relish these times with your dad, Scoots. Go home, apologize to him, and it'll all work out." "You're right, Dash! Sorry for bothering you with my emotion problems," Scootaloo added, making a heaving motion. "But, um, can I see that flower sometime?" "Sure, but you'll have to ask the new owner." "You gave it away!?" Scootaloo cried out. "Yeah. To a friend. To make up for something I did. My dad taught me that when you mess up with someone and you want to apologize, you have to go the whole mile." "Well," Scootaloo began, sharply inhaling to gain confidence, "I've got to go home." "See ya around Scoots." Scootaloo started to turn, but stopped. "Wait. I, uh, need to tell you something else. "What?" The brash filly ran up to Rainbow and gave her a strong hug. "Thanks." Without a second thought, Rainbow returned the hug, too stunned to do anything else or to say anything until after Scootaloo rode off.

Bombastic Bookpony

131

Applejack,Rainbow Dash,Scootaloo,Twilight Sparkle,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Good Sister

As Scootaloo starts to look up to her more and more, Rainbow Dash wonders if she can be a good sis.

complete

<p>As Scootaloo starts to look up to her more and more, Rainbow Dash wonders if she has what it takes to be a good sister.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T23:39:00+00:00

2011-07-11T23:39:00+00:00

A Good Sister Chapter 2 AN: The Meteor Shower incident was inspired by the Comic Scootalove http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/04/comic-scootalove.html It was only after Scootaloo was gone that Rainbow could find the appropriate word for her feelings. “Crud. Crud. Crud!” Rainbow was officially panicking. She knew she was getting too close to the squirt. Oh, at first she was just an admirer, looking from afar and Dash loved it. It was a taste of the big crowds to come. But then she caught riff of the Cutie Mark Crusaders competing in the talent show. Oh, she thought, I’ll just come and watch, pop in backstage for a quick sec, and then get to practicing my tricks. But when she went to Scootaloo after the show, the filly’s face was full of surprise and happiness. It was a smile a mile wide and it was, despite Dash’s complete and utter aversion to the word, adorable. Not that it had any effect on Rainbow, of course. She was just viewing it from a purely objective viewpoint, really! And when Scootaloo asked Dash if she could watch the flier practice just for a bit and maybe hang out a little, the pleading look on her face was too hard to resist. But it didn’t stop there. It only continued at the meteor shower. She noticed Scootaloo was straining to see and thinking nothing of it, bid Scootaloo on her back. She was taken aback when Scoots hugged her, but once the pipsqueak was on her back, she heard her whisper, “I wish I had somepony like Rainbow Dash.” Dash, being the narcissist she was, just chalked it up to the fact that she was so awesome that everypony wanted somepony like her. And now this. It was all coming together. Scootaloo didn’t look up to her just as a role model or as a cool pony, but as a sister! She couldn’t handle that! She wasn’t sister material! She had been on her own for most of her life! Dash had no sisters at home, and the closest figures she could have as sisters, Gilda and her friends(now mutually exclusive until Gilda could get her act together)could A) handle themselves and B)in some ways looked over her! She needed help, and she knew just the pony to ask. But she’d deal with it tomorrow. Right now Dash needed to get back that nap she lost. Maybe she’d calm down a bit. The Next Day…… She did. Rainbow felt a little better, but the events of the other day still weighed on her mind. She went to a pony who had a sister and who would tell her the truth. Dash didn't need empty reassurance and half-truths. She needed straight-talk, the bottom line. So she sped over to Sweet Apple Acres and knocked on the front door. Applejack’s little sister and one of Scootaloo’s best friends Apple Bloom opened the door. “Hi there, Rainbow Dash. Whaddya need?” “Is Applejack home? I have something important I need to talk about.” “She’s in the barn. I’ll take ya right to her.” “Thanks, Apple Bloom.” As they walked up the path to the barn, Apple Bloom tried to make conversation. “So, I heard what ya did for Scootaloo. That was so sweet! She really appreciated it, Rainbow. She told me so herself.” “Of course she did.” "Don't tell her I told you though. She doesn't like talking about her feelings. Ah told her it didn't matter. Nopony would laugh at her for that, least of all you! Ah mean, you're just like a sis to her." Great. Just great. Even Scootaloo's friends were seeing it. How'd she let it get this far? Applebloom must've noticed that Dash's mood had soured, as she spoke up. “What’s wrong? Ya don’t sound happy. I’m sorry if I’m sticking my nose in your business.” “No, it’s not you. That has to do with why I’m going to talk with Applejack.” “Well, she’s right through this door!” Apple Bloom pointed with enthusiasm. “Hey sis! Rainbow Dash wants to speak with ya!” “Alright!” “I hope you get your problems sorted out, Rainbow Dash!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she made her way back. “Thanks!” Dash yelled back. Rainbow took several looks around her before going in and firmly shut the door behind her. Applejack had to stifle a chuckle. It was rare to see Rainbow so nervous, and to such a theatrical extreme! But if she was this nervous, it meant it was important, and AJ was ready to help. She looked at Rainbow with attentiveness. “Why howdy, Rainbow. What’s going on?” “Well, “Rainbow Dash began, obviously nervous, “you’ve heard about Scootaloo, right?” “Yep. That was a mighty fine thing you did, Dash. Scootaloo’s parents are pretty grateful.” “Yeah. Anyway, I’m worried. She’s getting so touchy, so close. I don’t know what to do!”Suddenly, she was interrupted by a noise outside. As the Pegasus looked through a crack in the barn doors, for a brief moment Dash thought she saw some movement from behind a pair of bushes. It only was there for a split second, if it had been there at all... Maybe she had just imagined it. That was not a good sign. At this rate, she'd become a bonafide Pinkie Pie, talking to a bunch of rocks. Again. Still, better safe than sorry. “What was that?” Applejack gave a shrug. Dash was paranoid about this, so it probably had something to do with feelings. She was obsessed with her public image. AJ quickly reassured her. “Probably some farm animal. Go on.” “Right. Do you know why she was doing that trick? To impress me! She got hurt because of me! I should’ve seen what was going on, at the play and at the meteor shower, but she’s looking up to me way too much! I think I’m like a sister to her.” “Well, what’s wrong with that, sugarcube?” “What’s wrong? I’m not sister material! I don’t have what it takes to be a good sister! I’m arrogant, loud, hasty, stubborn….” She trailed off. “No need to disagree so fast, Applejack.” “What?” she asked, in mock surprise and confusion. “I’m positively stupefied that the great Rainbow Dash is being humble! Is it the apocalypse already?” “Ha, ha, laugh it up.” “Ah, sugarcube, you know I’m just messin’ with ya. You need to give yourself some credit. Look at me,” she said, pointing to herself. “I’m competitive, hardheaded, brash, and you all saw how I get after I work for a long while.” Dash chuckled, remembering that incident. “Am I a good sister?” “What are you talking about?” Rainbow protested. “You’re an amazing sister! You’re honest, hard working, and supportive, you’re perfect!” Applejack struggled to hide a blush. “W-well what about Rarity? She’s fru fru, a little superficial, and we all remember her mini-breakdown. Is she a good sister?” “Yeah! She’s generous and caring and stuff!” “Exactly. Being a good sister doesn’t mean ya gotta be perfect. You just gotta do your best to protect her, care for her, and teach her. Dash, you’re amazing, and I mean it. You’re loyal, brave, and deep down caring, and that always comes out when we need it. You’re the greatest pony I’ve ever known.” “Really?” Rainbow Dash looked up, surprised. “Element of honesty, remember?” Applejack said with a smile. “Oh!” Rainbow leaped up and hugged Applejack. “You’re the greatest friend I’ve ever had, AJ. I wouldn’t give up our friendship for anything. Now, I gotta catch Scootaloo. See ya!” Dash flew out of the barn, a smile on her face. “Yeah. Our friendship,” Applejack sighed, as she looked up at her window sill, containing a vibrant, rainbow-colored flower. When Rainbow made her way to the town, she was surprised to see all the ponies scrambling, searching for something. “Dash!” a friend of hers called out, a purple unicorn mare called Twilight Sparkle. Dash made her way over to the pony. “What the hay is going on?” Twilight sighed. “Scootaloo’s missing.” “WHAT?!” “I know! I was hoping you’d have an idea of where she was.” Suddenly Dash remembered the shuffling of the bushes. What if… “Dash?” Twilight asked, concern spread across her face. "Oh no! It's my fault! It's always my fault! She must of heard me talking about her! Stupid! Stupid!" Dash was obviously feeling guilty. She was beginning to shake and bang her hooves against her head. Twilight put her hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Dash," she said, firm but comforting. "This is nopony's fault. I won't have yourself berating yourself over a private conversation, especially when Scootaloo's still out there." Dash calmed herself. "You're right, Twi. Sorry. What have we got?" A white Pegasus with a cloud dissipating as his cutie mark was descending, heading towards them. Dash recognized him. Lightfoot. He was part of her weather team. Dash had always found him to be an alright pony, if a bit too cautious. "Hopefully something new. Lightfoot was scouting the Everfree Forest. What have you seen?" "Good news. I spotted some footprints leading into the forest. I double timed it back here to gather up a team." Twilight was about to thank him and compliment him on his quick thinking, but Dash had other feelings. Fury was all across her face, and she quickly unleashed it, staring him down. "You've found out where she was going, but you were too chicken to go after her! She could be in trouble! She could be hurt, because you 'needed a team,'" she imitated in a whiny voice. Twilight hurriedly stepped between them, rising to Lightfoot's defense. "The Everfree Forest is dangerous, Dash! Too dangerous for one pony! Lightfoot did the right thing, and I won't have you taking out the anger you feel at yourself on him!" Dash paused, stung by Twilight's rebuke. "Fine! Too dangerous for you two, maybe! But not for me! Scootaloo's out there, and I'm fastest when I'm alone!" Rainbow sped off towards the Everfree. "Dash! Wait! I'm sorry! Stop!" Twilight yelled after her. If it was a different situation, Twilight might've been angry at Dash for saying she couldn't handle the Everfree. But she knew dash was just worried and she wanted to help her, support her, and get Scootaloo back. Twilight hoped Rainbow would listen to reason and stop. But Dash didn’t stop. She had to find Scootaloo. She dove into the forest, not knowing where she was going, but keeping her ears open and soon enough, she heard an acute scream hit the air. “HELLLLLLLLLLP!” “Scootaloo!” Dash flew her hardest to where Scootaloo was, and it didn’t look good.It was a more bare area than the mainland of the forest, leading into an intimidating, pitch black cave, but its resident was even more threatening. A large, towering crimson dragon stood over Scootaloo, tellingly angry. Dash knew there was no way she could take on this beast, and instead focused on getting Scoots out of there. “Dash! Look out!” A large claw swiped near Rainbow, but she expertly dodged it and made way to Scootaloo, picking her up and flying away as fast as she could. Once she was sure they got away from the dragon, Dash turned her anger onto the filly. “What were you thinking!? You could’ve, you could’ve….” Dash couldn’t finish, her throat choked up. “What do you care?! I’m too touchy, too close! I’m just a nuisance!” “You eavesdropped on me didn’t you?” Rainbow’s question was laced with accusation. “Yeah! I wanted to hang out with you, do something to make up for yesterday. I noticed you going to Applejack’s barn and I wanted to know what you were talking about! N-now I know.” Scootaloo whispered, tears dripping. “No, you don’t! I was worried about you getting close cause I didn’t know if I’m worth it! I didn’t know if I could be the sister you deserved! And I guess I was right,” she stated, head hung low. “Look at what I got you into.” Regret filled Dash's mind. She was always neglecting those who needed her most. First Gilda, falling out of touch, allowing the Griffin to become petty and jealous. Now she almost got Scootaloo killed cause she couldn't face her feelings for the filly. Maybe she should cut herself off from the squirt, get her disillusioned with her idol, find her a proper sister. But Scootaloo's reply made that option too hard to follow through. “No! I’m sorry! You’re awesome and amazing and you saved my life! “ she cried. ”And you know what? I... I love you!” Scootaloo whispered, regretful. She didn't know that Dash felt like that. Being so close to the flier she could notice Dash choking up and if she could make a pony as strong as Dash close to tears, she knew she messed up really bad. But maybe she could make it up to her. “I have another reason why I went there. I thought if I got you something special, you’d like me. And look!” Scootaloo pulled up the same type of flower Rainbow held dear as a filly. “I remembered you told me they only grow in the Everfree Forest.” Rainbow sniffed, a small smile creeping up. “Oh, Scoots.” She gave Scootaloo an uncharacteristically tender nuzzle as they landed back in town. Immediately, Scootaloo’s parents, a red Pegasus stallion and a yellow Pegasus mare, went right up to the two. Initially wearing stern demeanors, they quickly broke down. “I was so worried!” the dad sobbed. “I didn’t know what happened to you!” “We’re so glad you’re safe!” the mother cried. “I’m so sorry!” They comforted each other for a minute or two, and after regaining their composure, they recovered their sternness. “You are grounded, missy!” they yelled in unison. Scootaloo didn’t put up a single protest. Now that that was over, Rainbow walked over to the dad while the mother tended to Scootaloo. “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If you don’t want me around your daughter, that’s cool. I understand.” “Why would we want that?” the dad asked. “We can’t always control our children, no matter how hard we try. When they don’t listen, the best we can do is shield them, which you’ve done quite a bit of.” Rainbow began to protest, but the dad continued. “Rainbow, Scootaloo respects you, admires you, maybe even loves you. And I know you’re a good pony. You brought her back home twice. You never gave up on her. She needs someone like you. So you’ll get the benefit of being the only one allowed to visit Scootaloo during her exile.” He gave a sharp glare at his daughter, causing the filly to quickly lower her eyes. “Well, uh, thanks. You’re a pretty cool dad.” “Scootaloo had to get it from somewhere, right?” he asked with a smirk. He reminds me so much of my dad, Rainbow thought. “Well, if you don’t mind, I really need to get some sleep.” “Of course.” As she flew up to the sky, she looked down at Scootaloo. “See ya tomorrow, pipsqueak!” “You promise?” “Pinkie Pie Promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! I already got one out of three down!” Looking at that adorable smile made the whole thing worth it.

FireEsper

132

Pinkie Pie,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Random,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Dreams are Magic: A Dream for Two

complete

<p>Twilight Sparkle practices Dream Magic, but an uncivilized pink pony messes it all up. Is three in one dream a crowd?<br/>***<br/>Watch our heroes heroically sleep in complete safety of an old library! Weep as you take a stroll through their innermost thoughts and feelings - and also as you tear your hair out trying to figure out what's going on! Prepare! For the world of the dream!</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T15:54:31+00:00

2011-07-11T15:54:31+00:00

Pinkie Pie sat on an exquisitely decorated throne in front of a draped table in the middle of Sugarcube Corner. Party balloons and streamers filled the air, floating from place to place like a small ocean. The small shop now stretched far and wide to accommodate the odd party: Pinkie Pie herself, and a giant, mean-looking purple dragon. Pinkie Pie took another sip of sarsaparilla from her slender glass. She hesitated for a moment, then lowly looked up at her guest. The giant beast scowled back at her in complete silence. "Do not hesitate, good sir," Pinkie Pie scaredly gestured towards the small glass in front of the dragon. "Sample a taste of our finest-funnest beverage! It is of a most delicate most bubbliest-ever taste that you shall not regret partaking..." she paused, biting her lip. "Er, was it what when- Oh! On my honour!" The dragon lowered his head, scowling at the glass, then turned back to glare at Pinkie Pie again. She uncomfortably adjusted herself a little. Pinkie Pie waited a moment. Awkward silence still hung in the air. She sighed and swept her glass off the table with her hoof. "Oh, pray tell, why does it never work?" she asked no one in particular with bitter regret. The engraved glass gently hung in the air, reflecting the colourful decorations around it. A second later, and it slowly accelerated down towards the floor underneath. The dream faded into nothing with a faint crack of broken glass. Once again Pinkie Pie lay in her unkempt bed, back in reality, confused and bewildered.

FireEsper

132

Pinkie Pie,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Random,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Dreams are Magic: A Dream for Two

complete

<p>Twilight Sparkle practices Dream Magic, but an uncivilized pink pony messes it all up. Is three in one dream a crowd?<br/>***<br/>Watch our heroes heroically sleep in complete safety of an old library! Weep as you take a stroll through their innermost thoughts and feelings - and also as you tear your hair out trying to figure out what's going on! Prepare! For the world of the dream!</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:58:46+00:00

2011-07-11T05:58:46+00:00

Cause where you're going I'll follow you, follow you And what you're feeling I'll feel for you, feel for you And what you're hearing I'm singing for you And when you're sleeping I'm dreaming your dreams for you - "Dreaming your Dreams", Hybrid --- "Concentrate, Spike. We need all our concentration for this magic to work." The purple dragon adjusted the pillow underneath himself, not taking his gaze away from the sparkling blue rock in front of him for a second. Ponyville was unusually noisy today for some reason, and birds outside the library's window chirped louder than a steam engine. A trickle of sweat made its way down Spike's eyebrow: it took all his willpower not to give into all of the distractions of the small quiet village. With a corner of his eye he noticed the rough crystal in front of him reflecting a smoky purple glow, shining brighter and brighter with each painfully passing second. "Almost, almost..." muttered Twilight Sparkle, her glowing horn aimed firmly at the crystal. More than anything in the world now she wanted to close shut the creaky library door, or shift herself even an inch across the wooden floor, or tell somepony outside to zip it about their baked apple pie, or pull drapes over the incessantly pleasantly shining sun - but instead she just sat like a statue on the old library's floor right in the middle of a large disheveled book pile next to the purple dragon. Just a few moments more, she thought to herself as her horn glowed brighter and brighter. The blue uncut crystal in front of her made a tiny motion... "TWILIGHT!" Twilight blinked and turned away her gaze. The next moment, the blue crystal exploded with a loud pop. She and Spike were swept off their feet and sent flying half-way across the room. Books rained from the shelves in a rustling racket. A few moments passed in indiscernible noise as the library filled with smoke and dust. "Hi!" Pinkie Pie popped her head out of the cloud of purple smoke and blinked innocently to herself. "Haha! You're such a party pony, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "What's with all the smokey? You and Spike preparing a party? Huh- Huh? Am I invited? Am I- Am I?" Pinkie Pie giggled and clopped her hooves together in anticipation. Twilight emerged from underneath a sea of open books with an angry grimace. "Say no more!" Pinkie Pie threw her hoof in the air. "Pinkie Twinkie is here to fight and- WHAM! Valiantly slay the monster of boredom! Why, why I giggle right in the face of!.." Pinkie Pie paused, sat down on the floor and tapped a hoof on her chin. "No, that's too meanie-mean," she continued. "Aww, let's invite him too! I can make lemonade for all of us! And cake! And cupcakes! He'll like cupcakes- you want cupcakes? Oh, oh, oh! Missis Cake just showed me how to make this positively fantabulous pink frosting and-" Twilight watched the pink pony ramble obliviously to herself, but she couldn't hear the words: she loudly huffed and drilled a hole in the intruder with her gaze. Pinkie Pie didn't seem to notice: she just hopped next to Twilight and started throwing dusty books off her head, humming a cheerful tune to herself. Pinkie Pie paused, stared at Twilight and innocently fluttered her eyelashes. "Whacha doin'?" Twilight's grimace turned into making strangling motions in the air with her hooves. "Dream magic, that's what," disappointedly announced Spike from another end of the room. The dragon climbed out of another small pile of books and brushed himself off - small plumes of dust rose in the air as he did. "Ach! Great job, sister! Now I'll never get to find out what- Err, what a mountain of rubies taste like. YOU certainly won't!" Spike jumped over to Pinkie Pie and disapprovingly poked her side; he tried to scowl, but a sudden sneeze made him look less than threatening. Pinkie Pie just tapped a hoof on her chin and stared at the plain ceiling, oblivious to Twilight trying to reach for her throat. "I don't get it," she announced in frustration. "What's there to get?" rolled his eyes Spike. "You do some magic and you're in any dream you want. Bam!" "Yeah. Exactly. 'Bam.'" hissed Twilight, giving up on reaching Pinkie Pie. "And now you destroyed the crystal. So it's all over." "You mean that crystal?" Pinkie Pie pointed upwards. Above them hung a pristinely polished blue diamond, slowly spinning in the air to itself. The stare of all three was reflecting in its perfectly cut sides. As on signal, the diamond spun faster and glowed brighter from its newfound attention - as it did, the room slowly filled with immaculate blue glow of dozens of solid rays. Before Twilight could open her mouth to warn anyone, the old library was bathed in yet another violent flash of blue light. Twilight stood still as the flash cleared. The old library was spinning all around her. With a corner of her eye she noticed Pinkie Pie lying on the floor and Spike unsurely stumbling in place before falling onto a large bookpile. All sound echoed to her as if from a large distance. One more second, and she felt herself falling, lights going out around her and all thought vanishing from her head. The trio lay on warm floorboards of old pony library in the middle of a bright, sunny day outside. Only their occasional quiet snoring broke the chirping silence. A blue uncut crystal lay next to Pinkie Pie, faint glow emanating from its core. *** Twilight blinked and opened her eyes. She was standing in the middle of her dim-lit library. Ponies nonchalantly walked in an out of the door, going somewhere on their own business. Books were immaculately arranged up on the shelves, all in alphabetical order. Floorboards sparkled with polish, and smell of fresh ink hung heavily in the air. To her side, Pinkie Pie dangerously balanced herself on a ladder leaning against a large bookstand - she carelessly took out one book after another and carelessly dropped them down onto the floor. Twilight sighed in frustration and meekly made her way under the ladder, carefully dodging the books falling from above. Twilight tried hard not to distract the pink pony above, cursing Pinkie Pie under her breath. She really needed to figure something out, if only she could remember what... Twilight hovered her hoof over the shelf and reached for a book, but it slipped and slid deeper into the shelf, nowhere to be seen. Twilight leaned over and stuck her hoof into the bookcase as far as she could. Finally she grasped the book by the tip and slowly fished it out of the cold darkness. "Ugh! Why aren't I allowed to use my magic?" she complained to no one in particular. "It'd be so much easier..." A few passing ponies frowned at her monologue in disapproval; Twilight blushed and concentrated on recovering the uncooperative book. After some effort, she finally pulled it out with a loud wet noise. A tiny smile shined on her face. Twilight cleared her throat and flipped the dusty book open, preparing to read out loud. The pages read gibberish. She flipped a few pages and rotated the book at different angles, but it didn't help in the slightest. She noticed a beautiful blue colt peering over her shoulder and kindly smiling at her efforts to himself. "Hey. Want to be friends?" the colt asked in the sweetest voice. "No thanks. I need to finish this book," politely refused Twilight. But her hooves felt empty as she said it. Twilight blushed in embarrassment and looked down: she didn't have her book for an excuse. She looked back up: Princess Celestia stared at her disapprovingly from a distant corner of the room. She quickly turned away her gaze. "There's a good reason," calmly explained Twilight. The colt turned away and, without a word, headed upstairs and curled up in Twilight's bed. Twilight stared at him incredulously as he threw a bedsheet over himself and evidently went to sleep. Somepony else gently tapped her on the shoulder as she watched. "Don't you want to go outside?" asked another pretty colt. "No, no, thank you, I really need to find a copy of 'Supernaturals'..." explained Twilight again. Her voice faded into defensive mumbling. The brown pony still stared at her innocently, his hoof thrown towards a nearby window. He nodded a few times, as if saying he only wanted to help. Twilight sighed in surrender. Twilight made her way up to the window, clumsily bumping into everypony on her way, making muffled excuses here and there. She stumbled with the plain latch for a while before the round window frame creaked open. Twilight uncomfortably climbed up and pushed herself out; she got stuck in the frame for a few moments before clumsily tumbling outside. A strong gust of wind threw her mane in her face: outside, a giant tornado swept through Ponyville. Sky was dark as night and heavy pellets of rain were hitting everything in sight. Panicking ponies screamed in terror, scattering everywhere, and the racket was unbearable. Ponyville itself was shaking at the seams. Every so often a big chunk of somepony's house was torn out by the storm and carried high into the sky. Twilight felt her hide instantly soak wet, and her hooves slowly sink in a big mud puddle. A frustrated frown slowly materialised on her face. "Well, that's just great," she sighed. Twilight rolled her eyes and angrily made her way against the storm. Wind and heavy rain against her face, the world disappeared into a blur. "What am I even doing here?" she wondered to herself. A few moments passed as she gloomily made her way through the wailing and panicking streets of Ponyville. Twilight only cursed the storm under her breath. Somewhere up above, a big gray silhouette made its way towards the ground where she stood. It grew larger and larger and then, all of a sudden, grew into a whole building falling from the sky - with an earth-shattering creak, it landed right next to her in a flurry of splitting wood and crashing furniture. Twilight's heart raced in terror as she slowly walked past it, splinters and broken glass flying all around her. How did she get talked into all this? "Don't you know how dangerous this is?" demanded Twilight. "This isn't dangerous!" retorted a soaking-wet pony right next to her face. "Save us, Twilight!" Twilight chortled. Bits of leaves flew against her eyes, making her blink uncontrollably. She covered her face with her hoof. "Yeah, right," Twilight gestured over at a group of ponies flying through the storm in a big circle, shrieking with terror. "I don't know any anti-whatever magic. I don't care!" With that she threw her mane upright and ceremoniously strolled away in a perfect stride, leaving the confused and disappointed pony to soak there in the freezing wind and rain. *** "Another cup of tea, Spike?" Applebloom bit the toy teapot and carried it over to Spike's cup. She tipped it over, but nothing came out of the nozzle. Applebloom carefully put the teapot back in its place on the round draped table. Spike gloomily picked up the small cup and stared at its empty interior. "You're stupid, Applebloom," loudly mumbled Spike, scowling at the tiny pony in front of him. Applebloom just fluttered her lashes with an innocent smile. Spike rolled his eyes and took a sip of imaginary tea, making a sour expression like he just drank poison. "Oh, Spike, darling, thank you for babysitting my dear sister Applebloom! What on earth would I do without you!" Rarity walked up to the duo for a moment; a gentle scent of perfume filled the air. Rarity was still busily packing all manners of decorated sheets and colourful stripes into a large suitcase. Spike perked up a little, content with himself, and took a sip of imaginary tea as elegantly as he could before Rarity. "Anything for my lady." Spike coquettishly tipped his cowboy hat, looking back at the white unicorn. Rarity kindly smiled back at him and levitated the suitcase onto her back. Rarity made one final motion and galantly strutted out of the door. As soon as she went, the door slammed shut behind her, and a few heavy locks and bars clinked in a musical sequence. The simple white door now stood behind a dozen heavy chains and locks. Spike was left all alone with the decorated interior of Rarity's shop. He stood up and slowly strolled around it, carefully examining the bright walls and colourful nonsensical dresses and gizmos scattered all around the interior, each more boring than the last. On one of the tables lay a parchment so long its end stretched all over the floor below. "Rules of Etiquette, Volume 7," read Spike. The dragon sighed and half-heartedly kicked the end of the scroll. Maybe there was something he could amuse himself with while Rarity was gone?.. Spike walked up to one of the mannequins and prodded it with his sword. It turned its empty head and angrily shushed back at him. Spike sighed again in disappointment and headed back to Applebloom's table. The boredom was crushing him like an ugly monster. "More tea?" sweetly asked Applebloom. "Hit me, lass," surrendered Spike. "I'll show ye scurvy dogs hafta drink!" Spike meaningfully gestured over to his cup. Applebloom stared at him innocently for a moment before taking the teapot and tipping it over again - this time, boiling water poured out of the nozzle. Clouds of steam rose in the air. Spike stared at the cup and took a sip against his better judgement. His tongue burned; he made a few chewing motions as the pain slowly subsided, trying to figure out what score on the taste scale to give the boiling water. Suddenly he felt his stomach fall to the ground, as if someone swung him by an invisible hook. He looked at his cup to see the steaming water tilt over inside of it. "What's going on?" asked Applebloom with fear in her voice. Applebloom jumped up with dissonating calm resolve and looked around the shop. Drapes all around the room slowly bent sideways, and a few small pins and gizmos started floating in the air. Spike nonchalantly looked out of the window to see trees and the sun spin outside in a blur like in a tumbledryer. The dragon slowly arched his eyebrow before a sense of dread washed over him and he, to his own surprise, firmly grasped the side of his chair. Moments later, a loud creak sent a wide crack rushing through the shop's walls, splitting it in two. A brief pause, and all gizmos and furniture flew off their places and towards the ceiling. Walls caved in one after another, disintegrating into splinters and broken planks. A moment later yet, and Spike was thrown towards the roof. He landed onto it with a loud thump. A dull jolt of pain lazily arched through his body, but Spike didn't even notice: everything around him turned to a disarray of flying debris. The world went dark and deaf for a few moments. Slowly but surely Spike could make out the noise of wailing wind and rushing rain outside. With a great effort, he pushed the remains of the house covering him away. He stood up inside a pile of debris in the middle of storm-ravaged Ponyville with a look of disappointment and confusion on his face. *** "No... No... No-no-no!" Pinkie Pie rummaged through a big pile of books in frustration. She lay on the floor of the old library, sipping colourful sarsaparilla from her straw-umbrella glass. The library was still filled with aimlessly wandering ponies, but they just walked around her as if she wasn't even there. A distracting storm boomed outside. Thunder and whiffs of rain seeped in through an open window. "Swear on the winds of Hayseed Plains, what ill travesty has befallen us... Whacha-whacha-macallit... Confound this cursed literature, how can it all be in such meanly inexplicable error!" Pinkie Pie angrily threw away yet another tome before pulling out the next one from her bookpile: every page read gibberish just as the one before it, and before it, and before it... Some colt from the Apple family stopped above her, chewing on a piece of straw with a sad expression. He looked at the broken ladder next to Pinkie Pie, then at the large pile of books, and then Pinkie herself. The colt sighed. "Did you betray Twilight again?" he asked in a crestfallen tone. "No, no, no!" Pinkie Pie violently shook her mane. "It's- it's- it's these silly damned errant books! See!?" Pinkie Pie sniffed pleadingly at the stranger while somehow taking another sip of her beverage. She rummaged around herself and threw an open tome in colt's face, gesturing over to the jumping letters. "Why does no one ever get it!?" she yelled in her high-pitched voice, almost tearing up. The working pony stared at Pinkie Pie incredulously for a moment. He shook his head, tsked in disapproval and walked away, but not before picking up one of the glasses of sarsaparilla without even thanking her. Pinkie's heart slowly filled with guilt as she floated up to the ceiling and inaudibly landed on it, lost in her own thoughts. She tapped her hooves together in frustration. Think, Pinkie, think, remember, remember, reminiscence... "Pinkie Pie, get down from there!" somepony shouting from below agonizingly broke her train of thought. A small assembly stood below her, anypony not frowning curling their lips in disapproval. A few exquisitely-dressed mares in the crowd shook their heads looking at her. "Get down from there, Pinkie Pie! This isn't normal!" Somepony in a black tuxedo sporting a giant mustache tried to sweep her off the ceiling with a broom. "There has been a grievous misunderstanding, illustrious fillies and gentlecolts!" ceremoniously gestured Pinkie Pie. "I am a pony, just like you! I bake you cookies and cupcakes. Yum." Pinkie Pie meaningfully rubbed her stomach as a faint smell of fresh baked goods floated in from the outside. Still, the crowd remained unapologetic, much to Pinkie's disappointment. A sudden large boom and noisy racket from the outside grabbed Pinkie's attention. She ran towards a nearby wall, instantly forgetting the angry mob below, and zipped open the ceiling line - why did no one think of that before? - only to have a strong gust of wind catch her and carry her outside - she tumbled in the air for a few seconds before it threw her down into the mud below with a noisy splat. Pinkie Pie noisily shook herself off and scanned the landscape to identify the source of earlier racket among all the panic and screaming. It didn't take her long to notice a big ruined house lying right in the middle of the storm-ravaged town. Pinkie could see an indiscernible purple figure stand up from underneath the rubble and try to ineffectively brush itself off in spite of the heavy wind and rain all around it. Pinkie's face shined with a wide smile; not a single raindrop landed on her. It took her her three carefree hops to scale the large distance between her and the purple figure. "Best of days to you, Spike!" Pinkie Pie hopped around the purple dragon and the ruined house in a wide circle like she was in the middle of a musical number. "Whacha doin'?" Spike followed her with a look of frustration: despite the heavy rain, an angry scowl was clearly visible on his face. "Babysitting Applebloom because none of you ponies would. Duh!" Spike meaningfully pointed to the crashed house. Applebloom was nowhere to be seen among the ruined walls and fabrics of Rarity's old shop. "I'm not a kid, lass, I can handle it!" he added a little louder. Pinkie Pie stopped her hop in mid-air and plunged down to the ground. She put on a stoic face and gave one big, gentle nod, her mane holding completely still despite the raging wind. "I know, Spike. Exquisite performance." Pinkie Pie held her head up with her eyes closed, as serious as she could be. Spike's snout shined with a happy smile; the rain now carefully avoided his small figure. A few stormclouds above disappeared, giving way to a small slip of light spiralling down to the crashed house. "Awesome!" Spike looked caught off-guard. "Erm- oh!" He reached inside the remains of Rarity's shop and fished out a cracked plastic cup. "You want some tea? You like tea, right?.." Spike's sight nervously darted over Pinkie's face: she still donned an unreadable expression. Pinkie Pie elegantly shook her pink mane. "Thank you kindly. Perchance you may happen to have come in possession of a teensy-insy umbrella? It has come to my attention that it is raining outside." Pinkie Pie turned her hoof face-up to elaborate. A large wooden plank whooshed right past it, closely chased by a thick burst of rain. Spike's face lit up with a sudden revelation, and he dived into the rubble whole. A few moments, and he appeared back up in a shower of rainwater and wooden splinters - with a great effort he pulled out from the rubble underneath, like a sword from its sheath, a glowing-pink umbrella that shined and sparkled in his claw like a magical artifact. A few nearby ponies stopped panicking to ooh and aah at the sight. Spike turned to Pinkie Pie with a look of triumph, holding the pink umbrella up to the sky, like a glowing sword. "Pretty sweet, eh? Yarr?" Spike's face glowed with unhidden gratitude. "Thanks too, lassie!" Spike clumsily climbed out of the wreckage and jumped over to Pinkie Pie. He made a small curtsy and handled over the shining umbrella over the stare of fascinated ponies all around - a few carried by the storm even froze in mid-air to watch the ordeal. Pinkie Pie made a mannerly bow and gently bit the umbrella's handle. Spike instantly hopped on her back, like onto a trusty steed, preparing for adventure. A gust of wind arched through the umbrella, and they were quickly pulled through the muddy grass. All the chaos and destruction around them turned to indiscernible blur. A torrent of rainwater was now assaulting them upfront as they were dragged forward through the storm. The two closed their eyes, and the world went completely dark. Spike sneezed with indignation. "Yarr, this doesn't help with the rain at all!" spat Spike, gesturing with his claws to protect his face. "Oh, why ever would you worry about rain, darling?" nonchalantly chirped Rarity. Spike opened his eyes. He was in the middle of a large ball right in Canterlot's royal chambers. The spacious interior arched far into the distance with huge stretches of white marble, colourful ribbons and decorations. The entire ballroom was filled with pleasant sunshine and smell of freshly-cut grass. A spirit of celebration hung heavily in the air. Spike blushed and tried to hide the glowing-pink umbrella somewhere in his newfound tuxedo, but the world spinning around him made him fumble a motion; Spike suddenly realised he was holding Pinkie's hoof, and his own legs carried him in a circle of dance along with her. All around them, figures of colts and fillies spun in pairs along the marble floor, locked in the same dance. He felt something warm and fuzzy brush against his shoulder, and turned to see Pinkie Pie lean her head onto it. Pinkie Pie gently brushed her cheek against Spike's shoulder like she was having a sweet dream, a wide smile lighting up her face. "Oh, Spike, isn't this just the most exquisite bestest party ever?" Pinkie Pie nudged Spike's shoulder like it was soft pillow; somehow she never wanted this moment to end. Spike uncomfortably adjusted his collar. He didn't answer. Pinkie Pie picked her head up and was now staring back at him with her usual wide smile. Her bright-white delicate dress glowed with magic. Spike contemplated for a moment if this wasn't some other kind of Pinkie Pie: this one looked nothing like the one he'd ever seen, elegant and well-mannered. The world behind her was just a spinning blur. Spike looked over her head as if he suddenly remembered something. His sight darted nervously across the ballroom, searching for Rarity. With a corner of his eye he could see Fluttershy conducting a choir of birds somewhere above them with her usual coy smile. Further in the distance he could see a familiar silhouette of a white unicorn dancing with some pretty colt. His heart filled with burning shame and disappointment. Spike instantly stopped the dance, much to Pinkie's surprise. He made a ceremonious curtsy, holding her hoof. "I think I'll go catch a drink, m'lady," he pronounced in a sure voice. Spike turned to stroll away, but Pinkie Pie didn't let go. Her dress lost all its fluorescence, and her lips were quivering. She stared at Spike with glaring shock. "But- but, Sir!" she protested. "Sir?.." dazedly repeated Spike. He stared at her in disbelief for a few moments. Seemingly out of nowhere, the ball crowd flooded in between them, so big that they could no longer see each other. A few ponies here and there scowled at Spike with disapproval. With nothing better to do, the dragon sighed and slowly headed somewhere else, scratching his head in confusion. Spike turned back for a moment. "It's just a dance, Pinkie Pie!" he yelled reassuringly over the crowd. "Have fun!" Pinkie Pie could only barely hear his voice among all the chatter and rustle. She stood still, like a statue, staring blankly towards where Spike once were. Pinkie's ears fell in silent disappointment. She lowered her head and quietly sniffed to herself. Her dress lost all its glow, and now appeared to be falling apart at the seams; a few broken jewels and braces fell from somewhere on it, scattering all over the floor like cheap trinkets; even the sun could barely shine on her dim figure. The pony crowd left a big empty circle around her. The dancing pairs donned looks of sympathy as she stood all alone in the middle of the ball. *** Twilight looked at the spinning ponies in front of her in defeat, afraid to move a hoof. She sat on a golden throne in the middle of the ball that seemed like a prison to her right now. Her delicate purple dress did nothing to cheer her up. She dropped her head down onto her hooves, staring at the dancing couples with unending boredom. Oh, how she wanted this dance to just end... Twilight raised her head up towards the clock above her, but its hands were just spinning wildly in all directions. Somepony in white tuxedo approached her. The colt made a deep bow and asked with a note of worry in his voice: "Don't you like your party, madam?" Twilight bit her lip and cautiously looked back at the well-groomed pony. "No, no..." She tried to give her voice a tone of sincerity and politeness, but it came out all wrong. Twilight, against her will, glanced back at the clock for a moment. "It's quite alright. It's nice..." she gulped, the words she were about to say hurt her throat. "T-Thank you." The elegant pony smiled and made another deep bow. The colt slowly strolled away, about to leave her all alone again. Twilight opened her mouth, almost about to ask him not to leave. Twilight clenched her teeth. She dropped down again and grasped her head in her hooves. A faint sound of ripping fabric echoed in the air: she ripped her dress. Twilight buried her head deeper into her hooves, blushing with embarassment. The racket around her was unbearable. A million thoughts buzzed in her head, refusing to take comprehensible form, but above them all, one bright image shined like a growing fire. A steady accusation formed in her mind: it was Pinkie Pie who was responsible for all this. Twilight jumped up, striking her hoof on the throne's hard fabric. "Aha!" she announced loudly. But the second she did, a wave of disappointment flooded over her, and any shade of resolve faded from her face. She lay back down, blankly staring at the marble floor. "Why can't you help me?.." she mumbled under her breath. "Where are you, Pinkie?.. And where are you, Spike?.. What did I-" A loud sound of broken glass echoed through the royal chambers. Twilight turned towards the noise, instantly locating the culprit; everypony around gasped and turned towards it too: in the distance, one of the big white-draped punch tables lay turned on its side. Right next to it stood Spike; the dragon was huffing loudly over the sudden silence. His fists were visibly shaking with rage. Twilight jumped down from the her throne and ran through the stunned crowd towards the purple dragon. Everypony obligedly stepped away the second she ran close. "Well- Well- I don't have any time either!” Spike shouted at someone at the top of his lungs in an unsteady voice. “I- I've saved the world so many times, you know! It really happened! Maybe I'm here to save it again, did you think of that!?” Spike sniffed to himself and ineffectively tried to regain his composure. “You- You'll be sorry! And happy! I promise! I..." Spike heavily drew his breath. "Pinkie-swear!" Spike stood still for a second, huffing in exhaustion. He glanced somewhere away for a moment before hastily turning around and stomping away - he quickly made it to the giant gates covering the entrance to the chamber and threw them open with one angry strike. With a flash of light, the ballroom was bathed in rays of impossibly bright sun of a peaceful meadow outside. The crowd obscured his disappearing figure. Ponies all around started to exchange shocked whispers and gossip over what happened. Twilight stepped away from the crowd, looking at it with disgust. Her heart raced with worry. She turned around and quickly galloped after Spike ignoring, with embarrassment, calls from everypony around her to stay. The crowd followed her with a fixed gaze all as one. Everypony went silent as she, too, disappeared in the bright light shining in from the outside. The pony crowd stared blankly into the big open meadow for a few minutes. Finally, with one quiet cough, each went on their separate way, abandoning the ball. *** Spike gloomily made his way to the punch table with his claws in his pockets. The draped-white table was big enough to fit more treats than the whole Sugarcube Corner. Spike looked over the table from one corner to the other - he didn't know what kind of punch Pinkie Pie liked. "...Maybe the pink one?" he mumbled under his breath. Spike stared at the table with a sad expression: there were twelve kinds of pink punch there. He hesitantly stretched his arm towards one of the glasses, then another, but instead of making a decision he just turned away and searched for Rarity again. He noticed her dancing with some long-maned colt, as delicate and sophisticated as ever. Suddenly they stopped and headed over to his punch table, happily laughing to themselves. Spike nervously fiddled with an empty glass in his hand. With a corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Pinkie Pie standing all alone somewhere in the distance. At first he was unsure if it was even Pinkie Pie: a sad and pleading expression roamed on her face, unsure how it even got there. She stared straight back at him, now and again obscured by the dancing crowd. Spike turned away: somehow the scene made him feel even more uncomfortable. He nervously tugged and scratched at his suit, and turned his gaze back to Rarity. The white unicorn approached him and stopped only inches away. An unreadable smile shined on her face. "Is anything wrong, darling?" she asked. Behind her, Rarity's partner slowly grew large, pointed teeth. The colt's eyes filled with red, and he started to make biting motions next to Rarity's throat. "Stop that," shushed him Rarity in an annoyed tone. "Spike, dearie, would you be so kind as to help me? I need to, oh! Relocate a few very large rocks - and I positively can't do it myself! Why, it would simply ruin my gorgeous mane! Look, look at how beautiful it is!" Rarity threw her head up, content with herself. Her mane waved lightly in the invisible wind. "It is beautiful," readily agreed Spike. Spike lightly drew in air to ease up a little and leant on the table, trying to suppress a look of worry. Now and again he would glance at Rarity's partner still trying to bite her. Spike remembered about the glass he was holding and determinedly took a sip of pink punch in his hand. The drink tasted flavourless: something was amiss. He looked down into the glass - in it, on a completely flat surface, was Pinkie's reflection, inaudibly sobbing to itself. Spike stared back at it, completely bewildered. Something heavy turned in his heart at the sight. Spike opened his mouth to console her somehow, but the drink instantly exploded in all directions like a pink water balloon. Spike felt something brush against him: with one giant splash, Pinkie Pie burst out of the small glass and firmly grabbed him by the shoulders. Her mane was soaking wet with the pink sugary drink. Pinkie Pie stared at the startled dragon with a pleading expression. "Come back!" her voice reflected through the room, as if coming from a large distance. Spike blinked and shook his head. Pinkie disappeared as if she were never there. His glass was still sitting firmly in his hand - only his suit was a little disheveled. He dazedly looked around, confused and bewildered. "Come back..." faintly echoed in his head. Spike turned his sight back to the glass. There were only a few drops of liquid left at the bottom. Spike cleared his throat and quickly put it down. Spike squinted, trying to concentrate, but Pinkie's image still glowed against his closed eyelids. Spike unconsciously took a step towards her in his mind, but the noise of the crowd around him made him flinch and open his eyes, dragging him back. He made a struggling effort to clear his mind again. "Today's the day, the perfect moment, come on, come back... No..." he nervously mumbled to himself. Spike shook his head, drew a deep breath and stood upright before Rarity. She stared back at him with an innocent smile, as beautiful as always. Spike let out his breath, trying his best to look as unconcerned as possible. "So... You want to hang out?" he simply asked. A few moments passed in silence. Then Rarity and her fanged partner burst into laughter, much to Spike's dismay. "Oh, darling!" Rarity threw a hoof around the snarling colt next to her. "Why on earth would you ever think I have time for you of all things?" She beamed at Spike with a bright smile. The sharp-toothed colt in her grasp stared at him with contempt. Spike felt something heavy turn in his gut and lowered his gaze in silent apology. "And- And pray tell, what is so unseemly about having extraneous schedule?" Spike raised his head a little: Pinkie Pie appeared at the scene in her disheveled dress. Hairs on her puffy mane stuck out in all directions as if she'd been through a tumbledryer. Spike stared at Pinkie Pie with wide-open eyes - the frustration and bewilderment he tried so hard to suppress boiled over into his mind all over again. He involuntary dropped his composed posture. Pinkie Pie stood firm, like a statue, and just glared disapprovingly at Rarity. "A lady must not be some mean meanie-pants!" Pinkie raised her chest as she spoke. "It is of most posolutive kind of importance th-" "Uh, Pinkie Pie?" started Spike under in his breath. "You- You really shouldn't-" "NO!" Pinkie dropped low to the floor. "Never!" Pinkie Pie scowled up at Spike from down below. Her delicate dress was coming apart at the seams. Suddenly she rocketed towards Spike, pinning him to the floor. Somehow Spike managed to keep hold of his glass. "You mustn't, sir!" carefully pronounced Pinkie Pie, standing above the yet more startled dragon. "High treason! The only kind of crime! Don't you see?- Do you?- Do you not?" Before Spike could scrape together enough coherent thought to reply, she flew off of him and towards the nearest punch table. She turned against it and, with one swift buck, it rocked over - dozens of treats, dishes and drinks flew all over the ballroom, landing on the guests and dancing pairs here and there. A few gasps and whispers rose in the air, but the dance continued its course as if nothing happened. Pinkie Pie looked at her handiwork, biting her lip. She turned back and pleadingly stared at Spike again. The dragon slowly picked himself up and looked around. Two spinning ponies waltzed past him, one carrying a long string of spaghetti behind her ear, and another soaked in green liquid. Here and there, an occasional pony donned a puff of sugar powder, or bits of green salad, or even a whole punch bowl on their head. Spike's snout lit up with a coy smile. The more he looked around him, the lighter he felt, until finally he let out a loud guffaw and burst out laughing. Somehow he recognized an odd note in his chuckle: a note he'd heard before. Spike wiped tears from corners of his eyes and turned to Pinkie Pie. He drew his breath and paused in his laughter long enough to utter: "I get it!" Spike let out another chuckle and understandingly stared back at Pinkie Pie. It took all his willpower not to collapse in another giggling fit, but the urge to look around was bigger yet. His sight darted from Pinkie Pie to an odd pony in the crowd and back again. Pinkie Pie grinned widely at the sight of the purple dragon holding his sides. Her coat shined a little more vibrantly. Pinkie turned her head over to Rarity. "See?" she declared triumphantly. Rarity and her partner stared at her incredulously, glancing over to the turned-over table and back again. Rarity backed away a little, as if afraid Pinkie might try to buck her too. "It is my humblest - but! - most strongest accusation," continued Pinkie Pie. "that your highness is being artful in their deceit. And I say, this is despicable!" Pinkie Pie struck her hoof on the floor with a resounding echo. "A lady- a lady must not be a meanie patinie!" Suddenly Rarity and everypony around her burst into laughter. "Meanie patinie?.." mockingly repeated a few ponies in the crowd. Pinkie Pie froze still. Two red spots appeared on her cheeks, clearly visible despite her already fluorescent coat. She lowered her head. "Uh... Madam," she lowly added. Spike didn't join the crowd. He stopped laughing as soon as everypony else started to. A deep frown formed on his face. Spike angrily clenched his glass. A hot wave coursed through his uncomfortable costume. "Pinkie's right," he said quietly to himself. Spike turned to Rarity and made a few heavy steps towards her. His claws were shaking with rage and frustration. Spike stared at the delicate unicorn like he'd never seen her before. He squeezed his glass so hard that a few cracks raced through its surface. "So..." he hissed through clenched teeth. "You don't have time, sister?" Rarity kindly turned to him like she'd only just noticed, but then instantly backed away: with one swift motion, he threw his glass to the floor, spilling pink punch everywhere. Everypony stopped laughing and gasped in shock. The dancing pairs stopped, and an eerie silence filled the room. Only the sound of broken glass faintly reverberated across the royal chambers. Now Pinkie Pie won't be able to get any, Spike noted to himself with guilt. *** Pinkie Pie followed Spike with her sight as the dragon's figure disappeared in the impossibly bright meadow outside. The crowd around her exchanged confused explanations and indiscernible remarks. Pinkie Pie hesitantly looked over to the turned-over table, and the ponies around her. Somewhere under her hooves, a small pool of pink punch slowly spilled over the floor, seeping from a few pieces of broken glass. Pinkie Pie stepped away from the crowd and approached the pink puddle. She lowered her snout, carefully surveying her surroundings, rolled out her tongue, and took one lap of the pink brew. The marble floor didn't seem to alter its sugary taste all that much. Pinkie dropped down and cheerfully lapped the pink punch off the floor. Now and again she glanced over the crowd or the wide-open gates and sniffed to herself. "So- so what," she mumbled to herself in-between laps. "I can have fun without Spike, all by myself! It's just a dance..." Pinkie sadly stared at her own reflection in the pink puddle. Her puffy mane reflected in it as a straight and stern line, obscuring one of her eyes. The reflection rippled and disappeared, and the next second Pinkie was bathed in a big splash: some impolite pony ran over the puddle. "Do you mind!?" turned Pinkie Pie. Pinkie licked the punch off her snout. The rude pony turned out to be Twilight - she galloped towards the open gates, after Spike. Pinkie couldn't follow her further: from out of nowhere, a transparent blue crystal appeared in front of her face. It spun lightly to itself right in front of her nose, as if demanding something. Pinkie brushed it aside with her hoof, but Twilight was now nowhere to be seen. She turned towards the crystal but it, too, vanished. Her nose itched. Something about reality seemed a bit off at the moment. Pinkie felt that she'd forgotten something, something important, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't remember what. Pinkie sighed and dropped back onto the floor. In the middle of the pink puddle now lay a few heavy tomes, turned open and bookmarked. If only ponies around her stopped their gossip for a minute, it'd be so much easier to read the jumping letters... Wait, 'jumping letters'? One of them did indeed just jump out of the page. The letter put on a a top hat, gave a small bow and spun a tiny black stick in the air, doing a first motion of a musical number. Pinkie stared back at it with burning-hot hatred. "No." Pinkie calmly put her hoof down on the intruder and swept it off the page. She turned her frown back towards her study. For some reason everything around her was completely silent now, save for a few faint steps and voices echoing in the distance. Only quiet rustling of turning pages reverberated through the empty ball room. Pinkie heard someone's hooves loudly clop along the marble floor. She raised her head in frustration to shoo away whoever was there, but then sighed with relief: it turned out to be Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus was showing a way for her choir of birds to leave the chambers. Fluttershy looked over Pinkie Pie: the pink pony's mane was oddly disheveled, and her delicate ball dress was reduced to naught but a few ripped stripes. In front of her, thick tomes soaked in a pink puddle. She'd never seen the pink pony so miserable. Pinkie Pie caught her sight and looked over herself, then unsurely back up at Fluttershy. "Um. It's alright, mi- miss Laughter," Fluttershy whispered. "You'll figure it out. I'm sure you will. You are a smart pony." Pinkie Pie was completely lost. "But- But- gracious Fluttershy, lookit!" Pinkie Pie gestured towards the book: letters on it rapidly jumped around, not one of them resembling any pony language. Fluttershy just lowly smiled down at her. "Oh- No, no. Not the books, silly filly." Pinkie Pie felt something break inside her. She jumped up, staring at the yellow pegasus with open dismay. "No, no, NO! Why don't you understand!?" she yelled. "Why does no one ever understand!? Why is it always up to me!" Pinkie grasped her head in her hooves and, once again, dove down to the floor. She buried her head into the open pages and lay still for a moment - only her muffled huffing was audible in the empty chambers. A second later, and she jumped back up with a steely resolve. "That is IT!" Pinkie Pie towered above the yellow pegasus. "It has been foretold! I shall embark upon the quest to avert imminent oogy-woogy! I shall find good miss Twilight Sparkle, and together we shall restore the blue crystal to its formal glory!" "And- and Spike, too," she added a little under her breath. She gave Fluttershy one last determined glance and quickly galloped outside into the blooming meadow. The sun, the candles, and the magical lights illuminating the royal chambers slowly went dim as her figure disappeared in the bright light outside. Inch by inch, the ballroom was swallowed up by darkness. "Good luck," quietly whispered Fluttershy. She stood in the middle of disappearing chamber and gently waved towards the gates with her white handkerchief. A coy smile shined on her face. *** Twilight ran outside into the sparkling meadow. She breathed heavily. Her heart threatened to jump out of her chest. She looked all around for Spike, but in front of her was just an endless stretch of green grass. Sun shined brightly across the clear sky. A hardly discernible smell of rain echoed in the air. Twilight stepped from hoof to hoof, confused. She turned around, but the gates behind her have disappeared: there were no more marble floors nor a single pony in sight, only huge ripples of wind running through the arching stretch of short grass in the distance. Soft wind played with her mane as she stood, lost and clueless, in the middle of green nowhere. "Oh, no," Twilight dropped her ears. "I've lost him!" Twilight sat down. The realisation dawned on her like a big gloomy shadow, and her heart raced even faster. She weakly looked around in despair and, with one giant effort, picked herself up. Despite the pleasant wind and sunshine all around her, she shivered from cold. Twilight shook her mane, randomly picked a direction and instantly darted off, running somewhere she didn't know as fast as she could. The horizon came closer agonizingly slowly, and beyond it was nothing more than another stretch of the green. It took all her effort not to collapse on the spot, but she ran faster and faster yet. The horizon stretched further and further, as if mocking her. Seconds passed like years, minutes turned to hours, and hours turned to days. Each moment echoed with yet more exhaustion, but she didn't give up. Second winds opened up one after another, but the journey - slowly but surely, year by year - took its toll. She could no longer keep track of time, and she could no longer keep her pace. She felt herself grow older by the minute; she was slowing down, inch by inch, until she could no longer place a single hoof forward. With a resounding thump Twilight crashed down into the dew-filled grass, huffing so hard hard her chest echoed with pain. Her joints and muscles betrayed her, as if made from fragile glass. Her mind was a soft mush. The grass and the ground below were soft like a giant pillow. Incoherent thoughts raced through her mind, refusing to take shape. Twilight turned her head to the side, dragging it across the ground - she tried to find something, anything, to concentrate on. The wonderfully sweet landscape stretched just as it were when she first saw it, all these years ago, and sun in the clear blue sky shined with pleasant warmth. Now as then, there was nothing else in sight. Twilight's mind raced in despair. With a sudden strike of fear, she felt her memories slowly vanish from her head. "No, no, no - remember..." she mumbled. The world around her slowly blurred into indiscernible shapes. Twilight stood up on her shaking legs and squinted hard against the bright sun. "Come on, Twilight, come on... Orion has four, no, three stars on his belt..." Twilight half-opened her eye - the world around her became a little more clear. She squinted again. "Four- Four is function of two and sixteen... In negative base four... Right? No, two- In base two. Yes. Yes, it is." Twilight felt a pleasant gust of wind against her coat. She opened her eyes - the field all around her looked a little more welcoming now. The ground she stood on felt firm like a sheet of metal. Warmth and strength once again raced through her body in a steady rhythm. She sighed with relief. Twilight took a few steps forward, remembering her multiplication table before she could remember anything else. The soft grass incessantly tickled her coat as she went. She turned her head left and right, seeing if anything has actually changed. To her right was a plain beige wall. It looked like a part of somepony's house, but without a roof or other walls to complement it. Twilight strolled closer to it, examining the plain surface with some interest. A few faint clicks echoed through the air. Suddenly she noticed a sickly-looking brown pony wandering aimlessly across the wall. He, too, noticed Twilight and unsurely headed in her direction in a series of zig-zags. The colt made a hazy painting wobble as he almost tripped over it. Twilight smiled and cleared her throat, preparing to greet the odd pony. She noticed five cheese slices nested on top of his head as he approached. The brown pony stopped a few steps away from her, looking down at Twilight from his place on the wall. "Greetings, kind sir," greeted him Twilight. The cheese-donning pony looked at her like she'd done something wrong. He closed his eyes and raised his head up - to the side - a little. "I wear the cheese," he pronounced with every inflection of a gentlecolt's manner. "It does not wear me." The sickly pony gave one small nod, turned around, and mannerly walked out of the window over to the other side of the wall. Twilight followed him disapprovingly with her gaze. "Honestly, you meet the most appalling sort of ponies," she noted grumpily. Twilight turned around and walked away from the wall. Something was different. Her expression and posture slowly changed - she now frowned from under her fading smile. Suddenly she stopped dead in her tracks and firmly planted a hoof in the ground below - it stretched like a sheet of rubber beneath her, almost making her lose her balance. Gentle wind around her whooshed with one last scared gust and fell silent. "He's right," Twilight announced to herself in surprised monotone. "I'm the one who wears the cheese!" The grass all over the meadow froze like tiny icicles. The sun and the clouds stopped moving through the sky. A mischievous grin stretched across Twilight's snout. Her eyes glowed with a bright shade of orange, and a few sparks of fire raced through her mine. She quickly spun around to face a few dozen ponies standing right behind her, and they gasped all as one in surprise. Somepony dressed in no less than three tuxedos glared at her so widely his monocle dropped down into the grass below, breaking with a faint crack. "No," firmly said Twilight. Her grin grew even bigger, and the sparks of fire in her mane grew even brighter. Some dropped from her mane and set a few straws of grass beneath her alight. "But," stepped forward one particularly snooty pony. "But thou must!" "No," repeated Twilight. "I don't owe you anything! At all!" "But-" chimed in an innocent-looking filly. "No!" Twilight stood her ground. The scared filly tried to hide behind somepony else in the crowd. Twilight slowly strolled up to her, staring her down with the bright-orange glow in her eyes. The scared pony hugged the ground with tears welling up in her eyes. Twilight's expression changed. She, too, lay down on the grass and hugged the near-crying pony with her hooves. Fire still waved gently across her purple mane. "It'll be alright," Twilight consoled the shaking pony. "You'll figure it out... Err- whatever it is. You just can't always count on me to be there, you see." One of the elegantly dressed ponies raised his hoof, opening his mouth to say something, but Twilight quickly turned and glared back at him, her mane flaring up with renewed force. The colt quickly snapped his mouth shut. Twilight let go of the sobbing filly and stood up with calm resolve. She looked over the silent crowd, took a few steps away, then turned around and gave a small bow. Twilight turned back around to leave, but somepony grabbed her by the shoulder, holding her in place. "Miss Twilight Sparkle! I do say, this is the most grievous dereliction of duty that I have ever, ev-" Twilight clenched her teeth, and suddenly her mane exploded like a small volcano. The colt involuntary jumped away and tumbled into the burning grass. The sky went dark, and a few flashes of purple lightnining rushed across it. "Who do you think you are!" Twilight turned back, shaking with rage. The air around her glowed with a rainbow of red and orange. She quickly advanced on the terrified pony and stared him down from only inches away. Her glowing eyes shot wide-open in disbelief. "Do you think you can scare ME!?" Streaks of magic lightning boomed with renewed force across the sky. "Do you think you can bore ME with your nonsense!?" Twilight pressed her muzzle close to the shaking colt's face. The fire in her eyes illuminated his trembling figure against total darkness. "Why would you EVER think I care about YOU?" Another fiery explosion engulfed the landscape. As it cleared, the meadow stood once again sparkling with gentle sunshine of the clear sky. Twilight stood above the frozen-still pony; all fire and magic vanished from her figure as if it were never there. Twilight nonchalantly stepped away from the colt. The crowd of ponies to her side were all gaping in shock - only one filly lay on the ground staring at Twilight with tears rolling down her cheeks. Twilight smiled warmly back at her, and gave one small nod. She took a few steps back and looked over the crowd, enjoying the gentle breeze and sunshine against her coat. The serene meadow stretched impossibly far around the tiny group. "Good day," Twilight pronounced in her most mannerly voice. "I will find Spike on my own. With my own cheese." She made a small bow, turned around, and walked away, eyes closed and snout up to the sky. The tiny filly in the crowd stood up from the ground, wiping tears from her eyes, and raised her head up to the sun. "Good luck, Twi," she whispered. "Please don't leave us..." The crowd stood still in complete silence, following Twilight with their gaze as she slowly strolled away towards an endless horizon. *** "Twilight Sparkle!" Pinkie Pie ran into the green meadow stretching far beyond the horizon. Gentle waves rippled through the short grass in chirping silence. Sun sparkled like tiny stars in the dew below. Only an occasional thin cloud slowly moved through the perfectly blue sky. Pinkie Pie tripped and dropped down into the grass. She instantly jumped up, panicking. Her dress was reduced to a few small strips, barely visible on her glowing coat. She committedly scanned the landscape: Twilight was nowhere to be seen. "Spike?.." she asked under her breath. She turned around - the huge gates behind her disappeared as if they were never there. Everything in sight was just an endless stretch of green and faint blue. "Oh. Of course," she noted. Her heart still raced like it was about to jump out of her chest. Pinkie took a whiff of fresh air around her to calm down. She felt the warm sun gently bake her from outside in like a vanilla cupcake. Her worries slowly washed away with another gentle gust of wind around her. A bright smile shined back on her face. Pinkie took a few steps, and then a few hops, and then pranced into the green yonder, humming her own song to herself. She closed her eyes and dived into the sprinkling grass below. With a yet louder giggle, she blissfully hugged herself and rolled to the side. One roll, two roll, three roll... Pinkie felt herself bump into something. Something big. Pinkie opened her eyes and raised her head from the ground, her world still upside-down. She saw something big, dark and shiny right in front of her - a large rock, a small wall, or maybe... The big rock moved around like a snake, revealing it was attached to an ever bigger something. "A tail!" loudly figured Pinkie Pie. Pinkie froze in awe for a moment. Then she jumped back up to all four legs and gleefully skipped around the tail. The tail turned out to be attached to a large, dark-purple, sparkling in the sun dragon. The giant creature was frozen in place, perfectly still, like a giant statue. Pinkie tilted her head, trying to get a better view. The dragon didn't seem to notice her. With a corner of her eye she saw something sparkling before its claws - two small puddles of water. They rippled in the gentle wind, giving off a faint sound of the ocean. Further yet lay a giant hoard of gems, sparkling with all colours of the rainbow in the sun. Pinkie Pie scratched her head with her hoof, looking at the dragon and back down again. Finally something clicked: her eyes shot open in surprise. She gaped for a moment at the realisation, but then quickly donned a lustrous grin. "Greetings, Spike!" loudly cheered Pinkie Pie, waving up at the dragon. Spike blinked and shook his head, looking down to figure out what could have called his name. Somewhere down below jumped a small pink dot. Suddenly the dot froze in place, and now started getting bigger... No, closer, by the second. Pinkie Pie slowly floated to level with Spike's surprised snout. She raised her hoof and waved at the dragon again. "Look what I figured out!" she cheered. Spike just silently gaped back at her. Tiny Pinkie Pie floated in front of his nose with her ever-oblivious smile. Spike suppressed a quiet chuckle for a moment, but it quickly transformed into a thundering laugh: the ground shook as if from a small earthquake, and Pinkie struggled to keep herself in the sky against the sudden wind. Someone's deep, alien voice echoed across the landscape. "How did you do it!?" the voice roared. Spike wiped tears from a corner of his eye and stared at Pinkie Pie, still breathing heavily. A curious spark shined in his eyes. Pinkie Pie finally regained her balance. She turned around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. She turned back to Spike, noticing his wide-open stare. The sudden realisation dawned on her. Pinkie giggled and hugged herself, glad that he noticed. She turned over in the air and stared at the dragon from upside-down. "I dunno!" she announced. With that she turned back over, landed on Spike's snout and took a few steps forward, staring at him with a playful spark in her eye. "Whacha doin'?" she asked from just inches away. Spike blinked a few times, caught off guard. Pinkie Pie was so close that the motion made her puffy mane jump in the wind. "Well, I..." roared Spike again. Spike broke off and froze in silence like a statue for a few moments. He straightened a bit, bringing Pinkie Pie yet higher into the air. "...Waiting for someone, I guess," he admitted in a slightly softer tone. Pinkie Pie tilted her head, confused. She turned around and looked over the serene meadow - there was nothing but green grass and clear sky at every horizon. She tapped a hoof on her chin and turned her head back to meet Spike's gaze. "Can I-" she started cautiously. "Can I wait with you for a bit?" Spike blinked once. Pinkie Pie jumped and turned back around. "I'll be quiet! Like a fish!" she elaborated. "Well, except for those talking fish in Canterlot, not those ones... I mean, super-duper!.. Really-really-frilly quiet, like- Ssshhhh!" Pinkie Pie lay down and covered her eyes with her hooves. Spike chuckled again. "Sure," he dropped. Spike smiled widely at the pleasant surprise. He certainly wouldn't mind some company, especially Pinkie Pie. Spike slowly lowered himself and lay his head down on the ground. Pinkie Pie made a zipping motion across her mouth with her hoof and jumped off his snout. She skipped over to one of Spike's claws and quickly curled up inside it, closing her eyes. Spike froze still. Gentle warm wind still aimlessly sailed through the endless landscape. Sun still frozen in the perfectly clear sky, as if it would never move. Minutes slowly passed in silence broken only by occasional gusts of wind. The dragon lay still, careful not to make a wrong move. Spike fought an urge to reach out and pet her with his claw - instead he simply froze like a statue, not moving a muscle. Pinkie felt so small in his hand that a sting of fear ran through his spine. Still, in spite of the panic, Spike caught himself thinking he didn't want to be anywhere else right now. Pinkie Pie felt unusually warm and fluffy in his claws, like a big party balloon. Pinkie Pie just lay still against the dragon's scales and giant sharp claws. She opened her eyes and stared into the distance, enjoying the company. The chirping silence and the warm sun didn't ease Spike's conscience. He felt the small pony gently adjust herself in his grasp, nudging closer to his claws. He looked down: the pink pony lay perfectly still and silent, staring somewhere into the distance. Spike tried hard to remember if he'd ever seen her lie still for even a second before, but his memory was all a giant blur. He fought an urge to poke her with his claw to see if she'd jump up and start singing or jumping around or talking about something he could never understand. Spike tilted his head and stared at the tiny pony with one eye. What would Pinkie Pie do?.. A gust of wind brushed against his nose, and he felt a spark ignite somewhere inside his mind, spreading like a warm river across his body. He bit his tongue: a tangled ball of words and melodies materialised in his head. He straightened a bit and drew in air as silently as he could, but the inhale still whooshed like a giant vacuum. Pinkie Pie turned her head up. A strong gust of wind washed over the entire field, and the dragon began to sing: Leave if you leave I'll leave after you Pinkie gaped in surprise. She obliviously stared up at the dragon and repeated the words after him. Unconsciously, she reached out and hugged one of his claws. Run through the storm I'll struggle with you Pinkie jumped up with a wide grin and tenderly brushed her cheek against the dragon's claw. She bobbed her head to the rhythm and muttered the words to herself, trying to guess the next line. Pinkie opened her mouth and joined Spike in full force in the next verse: Love what you do, know I will too Love what reminds me of you You gave me my wings, I'd give them to you Dreaming your dreams is all- That... Spike cut himself short. Pinkie Pie stared up at him from way down below, her mouth still open mid-verse and her hooves thrown up in the air. She dropped down to all fours and stared at the dragon with worry - the bright smile slowly faded from Spike's snout. "Oh... No..." Spike muttered in a crushed voice. The meadow faded into darkness for a split-second, and then blinked with bright white a few times. The grass and the sky turned a bit clearer and sharper, and Spike's giant figure slowly pulsed, fading to translucent and back again. Pinkie Pie felt her heart do a somersault. She darted around and latched onto one of Spike's vanishing claws, squeezing it with all her strength. Spike's whole body vibrated like it was a giant piece of machinery. He dazedly looked down at Pinkie Pie. Pinkie bit her lip; her sight nervously darted all over the place. She threw her head up and shouted: "Wait!" The dragon's form stopped fading in and out of view. Pinkie sighed with relief, but still firmly squeezed his claw. "Erm, um- Oh! Have you perchance seen our dear friend Twilight Sparkle, Spikey?" Spike opened his mouth to answer, but Pinkie Pie pressed on: "It is of grave importance that we certainly locate her, for she may aid us in our most awesomest quest!" Pinkie Pie cheered like she was talking about tasty treats, not matters of grave importance. Spike blinked in confusion and scratched his head with his spare claw. "Nay, lassie," he roared. " I am naught but a humble knight, swear on my loayal bottle of rum!" "Oh, that is most okay!" cheered on Pinkie Pie. Pinkie let go of his claw and strolled forward a few steps, straightening like on military duty. She dutifully closed her eyes and gave one formal nod. "A humble knight is exactly what we shall require in our grand campaign! Yes!" Spike straightened himself and turned around to face Pinkie Pie in one giant motion, making the ground rumble. "You do?" he asked. Pinkie Pie gave one more deep nod and marched forward, but she only took a few steps before she felt herself bump into something - she bounced back like a soft pillow. Pinkie shook her head and opened her eyes: before her was a giant hoard of gems, rising up into the sky. The gems brightly sparkled with all colours of the rainbow in the sun. Pinkie Pie looked over the small mountain of precious stone with total awe. "What- And what would this happen to be?" she asked in unsteady voice. Spike's sight jumped from Pinkie Pie over to the gems and back again. Suddenly something clicked in his head, and he defensively jumped over the pile of jewelry - the ground rumbled from the impact, and the sun bobbed up and down in the sky. Spike covered the gem pile with his body. Spike angrily stared at Pinkie Pie like she was a thief over the top of the pile of sparkling rocks. The pink pony involuntarily backed away a few steps. "Yarr, this be for Rarity," he snarled. "Oh," replied Pinkie without any inflection in her voice. Pinkie quietly sniffed to herself and turned her head away. Spike huffed and puffed angrily at Pinkie Pie, but with every second his expression slowly faded to uncertainty. Spike looked over his hoard with a poisonous feeling somewhere down under. Reflections in the gems played with moving pictures: one was of Rarity staring back it him, innocently fluttering her eyelashes. In another she were at a royal ball, spinning around in an exquisite long dress. Another gem had Pinkie Pie strut around a small pathway in one of her ridiculous outfits with a party blower in her mouth. Next one one had her kick over a big draped table, sending all the food on it all over the shocked ponies around it. In yet another he saw two of them together, singing a silent song in the middle of nowhere: his giant figure towered over the pink pony so much it made Spike's head spin a little. One particularly lustrous gem reflected something he didn't remember seeing before. He picked it up and brough it closely to his snout: it was an image of him and Pinkie spinning in a dance back at the ball. Pinkie Pie lay her head on his shoulder and smiled to herself, a little brighter than usual. Spike expected himself to be looking for Rarity, but instead his reflection simply held Pinkie's hoof and tenderly looked straight at the pink pony. Spike put the gem down and stared at the small mountain with a sad expression. With a corner of his eye he saw Pinkie Pie turn around and stroll away with her head down. Suddenly he felt like he missed a step on a staircase. "Well, okay," heavily breathed Spike. Pinkie Pie turned around. Spike brought up his clinched claw and slowly opened it, revealing the lustrous gem. "Here, you can have one," he pronounced nervously. "Just don't eat it, Pinkie! Ponies can't eat gems," he added. Spike gently put the sparkling crystal down at Pinkie's hooves. Pinkie Pie looked at the gem, then back at Spike, then back at the gem again. Her mouth slacked open in disbelief. She stared at it in total silence for a few moments. Spike looked at her and the gem, nervously rubbing his claws against each other. Suddenly Pinkie loudly gasped, making Spike jump a little, and carefully bit the gem. She grabbed it with her hooves and carefully examined it with a bright spark in her eye. Her coat shined a bit brighter in the sun, as if it was suddenly sprinkled with tiny diamonds. Her face lit up with a bigger grin than Spike had ever seen her don. She brought the lustrous gem close to her chest, and hugged it like a plush toy. "Oh, that is- that... It- it's!.." Pinkie gasped, struggling to pronounce anything. She bent down and bit the grass at her hooves a few times in a calculated frenzy. A few stretches of green chain and rope made of grass appeared in her hooves. In one quick motion she threw it all, and her gem, into a swirling cloud of dust in her hooves, and fashioned herself an exquisite necklace with the sparkling diamond in the middle. She giggled, bit the necklace by its chain, and gleefully threw it over her neck. Pinkie Pie quickly threw her head up and stared back at Spike with a large grin, perfectly content with herself. The dragon huffed and smiled back at her. The wind suddenly carried in a smell of pastry and sugary drinks, as if they were near a bakery or a large party. Spike, surprised, did a double-take with a few giant whiffs and closed his eyes. He was sure he remembered that smell from Sugarcube corner, but somehow it echoed with something else, something familiar... An unpleasant, blurry memory that he couldn't even discern slowly materialised in his head like an unwanted guest. He flinched: all the joy of the moment disappeared with a loud crack of glass. "Hi, Spike!" called an innocent high-pitched voice. Spike opened his eyes. He found himself down on the ground, down to his usual, smaller than any pony size. Well, all but one pony. "I like you, Spike. Let's have some tea!" Applebloom stood right in front of him with her usual tiny smile. In her mouth she bit the handle of a toy teapot. Spike felt his world turn in protest and despair. He stumbled away from the tiny pony in front of him like she was the scariest monster he'd ever seen. With a corner of his eye he could see Pinkie Pie, too, was back to her usual size. His cheeks flushed with red. "No," muttered Spike. With a cold strike of fear and shame he noticed his voice no longer carried any roar or impact. "No, no, NO!" he cried in his usual high-pitched tone. Spike gave Pinkie Pie one last scared look. He spun around and ran away from Applebloom as from death itself towards a plain white door frame in the middle of the idyllic meadow. He jumped onto the handle and pulled it with all his strength, but it refused to budge. With one loud roar he gave it his best, and the handle flew right off: the lock brock into splinters. Spike fell down to the ground, but quickly jumped back up. The door slowly creaked open, and he immediately ran inside. Pinkie Pie gaped at the scene. She turned to Applebloom, who still bit the toy teapot with the most innocent look. Pinkie Pie frowned and huffed at her, but her heart raced with worry - she turned back towards the broken door frame. "Sir Spike, wait!" she yelled. Pinkie Pie quickly sped after him and disappeared in the white door frame. Applebloom was left all alone in the grassy meadow. She was now sitting in front of a haphazardly decorated small table full of toy cups and dishes. She hummed sweetly and innocently to herself and closed her eyes. "Well, time to have imaginary tea and play with dolls," Applebloom noted cheerfully. With that she took a sip of the smoking poisonous-green brew from one of the toy cups. Small plumes of smoke fell down on the grass below - it slowly withered and turned to dust in the gentle wind. *** Twilight Sparkle strolled across the endless meadow with unending pride and joy as ponies in official dresses and party hats cheered her on from all sides in a parade in her honour. The air was filled the pleasant wind. All around were bright streamers, large waving flags and colourful banners. Twilight held her head up high, bobbing it from side to side to the music, and gently strolled along the warm grass. Her eyes closed for a moment, she didn't notice as her procession took her all the way back into the middle of familiar Ponyville. The crowd all around her gave off one last big cheer and each pony walked away on their own separate business. She looked over the village, and her smile slowly faded from her face: she noted, with guilt, the unkempt exteriors, the torn-out signs and fences, the scattered furniture and smashed buildings glittering in the warm sun from the last storm. The storm she didn't care to stop when she left. Twilight took a painful gulp and lowered her head as the sun slowly went dim, storm clouds materialising in the sky above her. A crack of lightning lit up the empty village, and a gust of strong wind threw her mane in her face. She slowly raised her head, a look of steely determination on her face. Hot flames played in her eyes, glowing in the dawning darkness. "Not this time," she taunted the storm as clouds assembled themselves to form something much worse - a giant, grinning, sharp-toothed face in the sky. The monster slowly assembled its body into myriads of long claws with what seemed to be a laughing grin. Its size masked by seemingly being everywhere at once, it now stretched over entire Equestria like a giant planet, threatening to come crashing down any second - but Twilight just calmly walked towards it. Wind violently flew against her mane. The fire in her eyes lit up the ground before her in all shades of red like a large fire. The purple unicorn stopped with a single tiny smirk and simply sat on the ground, as if she were quite comfortable there and then. Splinters and broken wood flew all around her. Torn-out landscape and chunks of buildings crashed into each other just inches away. Wind wailed like the end of times, and torrential rain mixed with indiscernible debris obscured everything that could remain in sight. The enormous monster in the sky slowly opened his grin to swallow her whole, bringing itself closer and closer... She suddenly jumped up, spinning a pair of giant golden cannons from behind her back. She effortlessly balanced them in the air with her hooves, looking the monster right in the eye for one split-second. "Cor aut mors, BITCH!" Thunder as of hundred storms rolled over Ponyville, putting the real storm all around the small pony to shame. Every piece of destruction around her flashed with fire and brimstone as a sea of giant empty shells streamed from the golden armaments, sending an unending wave of glowing projectiles high up into the sky and towards the giant beast. Time slowed down and debris paused in the air, unsure if it should continue its course. A wave of blinding sunlight hit Twilight in the eye as the first glowing ball ripped through the dark clouds, making the giant monstrosity double over and wail in pain. Her grin grew bigger as she firmly squeezed her arsenal; bright spots of light teared up the dark sky over and over again with a dozen sunbeams that poured from heavens like giant waterfalls. A wave of satisfaction and fiery excitement rolled over Twilight: the worries of her life seemed all so meek and unimportant now, in this one moment of effortless struggle and victory happily playing in her head over, and over, and over again... The innumerable waterfalls of light threatened to fall down like a giant ocean, flooding everything below... The giant beast hunched over and looked at her with pleading terror in its eye one last time before it let out a single fading shrill wail and vanished forever, sending big grey clouds roaming in all directions from where it once stood into the once again clear, blue sky over Ponyville. A huge, thin plane of liquid sunlight hung up there with the stars, slowly descending like a delicate veil. Twilight paused for a bit, enjoying the moment. A pleasant warm gust of wind flew against her mane, thanking her for her victory. She half-closed her eyes with a crooked smile, elegantly spinning the elaborate golden cannons in front of her back into non-existence, and dropped back down to all fours. Twilight looked around the destruction all around her with a victorious smile. Few surviving houses were barely visible among ruined fragments of wood and large spots of ground torn out whole. Rivers of rainy mud mixed with liquid sunlight flowed somewhere in the distance. She noted, with relief, that there wasn't a single party pony in sight to congratulate her. Twilight's sight instinctively darted over to Rarity's shop, standing completely unscathed where it always were, rising into the sky like an elegant, gem-encrusted tent. She calmly stood up and innocently skipped - probably like Pinkie Pie would if she were there - towards it. She just knew Rarity would appreciate what she had done. *** Spike stood all alone in the middle of Rarity's shop. Spike looked around: he remembered the shop booming with colour, but now it was just grey, empty, and distastefully striped. Still, a few dresses, even if he never understood why anyone would ever wear them, clearly showed an artist's touch. He did admire it, but now that admiration made him shiver with cold. He strolled around a bit and lowly sat down on a chair in the corner. He twirled his thumbs with a sad expression, incredibly tired of waiting. He wasn't even sure what he was doing here anymore. Everything felt like one giant lie. Spike still shivered with cold. He looked around the empty and sterile interior of the shop and noticed an open window. It quietly creaked in the draft. Spike picked himself up from the chair and slowly walked up to the window. Sounds of his steps echoed in deafening silence. As he came closer, a few flashes of light came through the frame, and the next moment a heavy draft dropped a sprinkle of rain through it. Spike came closer and looked out of the window, covering his face from the heavy wind with his claw. The sky outside was pitch-black. Ponyville looked completely different, empty. Here and there, an occasional building lay smashed to bits, others carried off by the storm whole. Spike noticed something standing in the middle of all the chaos: Twilight Sparkle was staring somewhere into the distance with a more cock-sure smile than he'd ever seen her don. A moment later, and she was jumped in the air, illuminated by countless flashes of fiery colours. A deep, deafening thunder rocked the landscape. Spike's heart lifted in hope for a moment, but just as soon came crashing down again. Somehow he surely knew his friend didn't need his help. Spike sighed and closed the creaky window. Countless flashes reflected in its glass, illuminating Rarity's shop with bright colours for a moment. The small flimsy latch held the window perfectly shut. Spike turned around and took a few steps nowhere in particular. He froze in place, hands behind his back, and stared at the floor. A familiar tune played in his head. Spike squinted, trying to remember where he heard it, but he couldn't no matter how hard he tried. "Leave if you leave..." muttered Spike. Nothing changed. Spike clinched his teeth in frustration. "Why do I have to be here?" he asked himself. No one answered. Spike frowned, took a few more steps and hopped onto a nearby bed. He dropped onto his back and blankly stared at the plain white ceiling. "Leave if you leave," he muttered again. "I'll leave after you..." The room flashed with blinding white. Spike was back at the royal ball. The crowd still spun in a mannerly dance, and the chambers still bloomed with pedantic decorations. He was frozen mid-curtsy, holding Pinkie's hoof. Surprised, he looked at Pinkie Pie with a wide-open stare. The pink pony stared back at him with tears in corners of her eyes. "Why would you leave?.." Pinkie's voice echoed as if from a large distance. Spike saw his reflection in Pinkie's eyes: small, meek, and ridiculously-dressed. Something big and scary turned inside his stomach. Spike froze like a statue, still holding her hoof, and didn't let go. He blinked. Spike sat back up on the bed in the middle of Rarity's shop. He sat still and nervously scratched the side of his arm. "Maybe," Spike started, unsurely. "Maybe I could go to Sugarcube Corner? You know, pick up a few donuts. Maybe a cake. I mean, why not?" That seemed to reassure him enough. Spike smiled and picked himself up, but with a corner of his eye he noticed a dark, scary storm booming outside. The coy smile faded from his face. "Run through the storm..." he unconsciously muttered. Spike tried to sit back down, but instead he just clumsily collapsed on the floor. He flinched and looked around: the puffy bed disappeared without a trace. Spike adjusted himself and sat on the floor, looking down. He glanced at the door of the shop for a moment - the door was closed shut. It's handle hung by a metallic cord from its splintered lock. Spike's heart lifted in hope for a moment: maybe Pinkie Pie would follow him here? He perked up, leaning a bit closer to the door frame. Nothing happened. Spike turned away and dropped his head. The walls creaked and closed in on him a bit. "Sorry for your drink, Pinkie Pie," he announced with bitter regret. "I didn't even know what kind of pink punch to pick!" His voice reverberated in deafening silence. "Oh, that is most okay," suddenly cheered a voice right next to him. Spike jumped up, startled. Pinkie Pie appeared just a few steps away from him, standing like she had always been there. "I like nettle sarsaparilla better anyway. Exxx-quisite" Pinkie Pie innocently fluttered her eyelashes. Her usual oblivious smile shined on her face. Spike opened his mouth a few times, but he was completely lost for words to reply. "Whacha doin'?" asked Pinkie Pie, leaning closer. Spike froze in silence. A moment later, every single implement in the room fell down with a loud thump as if it all were hanging in the air before, making Spike jump. Suddenly Rarity's shop bloomed with renewed colours, warm and welcoming. Spike smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again - he felt his claw pressed against his chest. It hurt. He looked back at Pinkie. "How-" He cut himself short, took a deep breath, and continued: "How d-do you do it?" he stuttered. Pinkie Pie tilted her head, looking somewhere at the ceiling. She didn't answer. "Oh!" Pinkie Pie suddenly perked up. "Well, I'm probably just being Pinkie Pie! At least that's what everypony says. To dry hay with imaginary tea!" Spike felt a pinch of guilt. He remembered offering her a cup earlier on; for some reason that memory also echoed with something pleasant, too. Spike felt a sudden an urge to say something nice in return. "Um... I don't think you're crazy, Pinkie Pie." That came out much more insulting and insincere than he hoped. Spike blushed. "I- I-" he stuttered. "No, I mean- I think you're cool. For a fru-fruiey, I mean," Spike paused mid-sentence, unsure what to add. "Aye. Also, and- and, you like sarsaparilla. Whatever that is." "I most certainly do," nodded Pinkie Pie with a wide smile. Pinkie noticed Spike holding his chest. She looked down and picked up the shiny jewel around her neck. Her ball dress materialised on her figure for a second, perfectly clean and shining, and vanished as soon as it had appeared. The sparkling gem reflected an image of Twilight Sparkle unsurely staring back at her. Next to her stood a small purple dragon, gesturing with his claws and telling her something. "Uh... Hello?.." Twilight's voice faintly reverberated in the air. Pinkie reached out, grabbed Spike's claw and opened her mouth: she wanted to say something, a lot of something, but words in her head came out even more wrong than they usually did, steadily tumbling downhill into a tangled string of complete incoherence. Spike stared back at her, holding his breath. Pinkie quickly let go and took a few steps back, cursing herself under her breath. She looked away, uncomfortably examined her surroundings for a bit, then turned her gaze down and dug the floorboards with her hoof. She threw her head back up, looking anywhere but at Spike. "I- I can be elegant," announced Pinkie Pie in a completely unnatural tone, carefully studying her hooves. "And- and sophisticated. And- And smarty-smart, too, you know-" she couldn't continue as tears welled up in her eyes. Spike's heart broke with an audible crack. He muttered something and slowly shook his head in silent dismay. He'd never seen the pink pony so miserable... No, he'd never seen her without her oblivious smile at all. More than anything in the world now he wanted her to jump around, do something crazy, anything at all, just not stand there with tears rolling down her cheeks. Anything at all. But she didn't. She did something he expected her to do least of all in the world. With one swift motion Pinkie Pie darted forward and threw her hooves around the purple dragon, just freezing still, instantly bathing him in sweet smell of her soft pink coat. Spike felt himself freeze like a statue, only his jaw slacking open. All thought vanished from his head. He felt like he was back at the endless green meadow, bathing in the warm wind. Pinkie's coat softly pushed against his chest with her breath, and her puffy mane gently brushed against his nose. "Hi," whispered Pinkie Pie. Spike felt her warm breath against his back, and a tingling sensation ran down his spine. Pinkie Pie painfully broke the embrace and stepped away from the startled dragon, biting her lip. Spike looked back at her with a wide-open stare, his eyes darting from place to place. Pinkie's earlier monologue echoed through the room, thin as air. A tumbleweed slowly rolled past the two, completely out of place. Pinkie Pie gently came back up to him and rubbed her neck over his side, feeling Spike shiver a little. She looked up at him with a faint, pleading expression, not saying a word in silent question. Spike didn't answer. He looked down on Pinkie Pie with his mouth half-open, breathing heavily. Spike gently stepped away. An empty punch glass materialised in his hand. He took a few steps and leant on a nearby table, staring down onto it. All expression faded from his face, and he examined the table's surface with a look of utter boredom. Something cracked loudly. Pinkie Pie heard a faint ringing in her ears, but above it she could hear Spike say indifferently, as if making small-talk about weather: "I still love Rarity." Pinkie Pie felt the ground beneath her hooves disappear and all colour drain from her surroundings. She stumbled and shivered: a cold feeling washing over her like she was just thrown into a frozen lake. Pinkie shut her eyes, but it only made her heart break into a million pieces with an earth-shattering crack. She felt like there was no more happiness in the world, and never again will be. She knew sure as day she will never even see a party again even through a slip of a door. "It must be a dream," a faint voice inside her head called out in only consolation. "You're dreaming, Pinkie." That's what it was: just a bad dream. A bad, bad, horrible dream. She felt something wet running against her cheek in another reality... A cool, hard touch of someone's sharp claw drew her back to the middle of Rarity's shop. Pinkie opened her eyes to see Spike, in more detail than she'd ever seen him in real life, stand in front of her with a perfectly calm expression. "But I love you more," he smiled. The dragon held her hoof, looking her in the eyes. Pinkie Pie felt her world turn upside down. All feeling inside her creaked like a broken record and stopped. Everything she's been through all her life, everything she's been through in this dream, she couldn't even remember... And she knew she was in a dream clear as day, she felt her own cheek lay against warm floorboards of the library. Pinkie felt herself waking up... Pinkie Pie shook her head and turned to Spike. The purple dragon was staring at her with a lost expression, his sight nervously darting across her face. A wide grin slowly spread over her face: that stare made her feel like the guest of the best party in all of Equestria. Pinkie jumped, and her grin disappeared. She grabbed the dragon by the shoulders. Shivers ran down her spine. "It's a dream! It's a dreamy-dream, Spike!" The dragon flushed with red and shyly turned away. "Well, let's not overreact," he muttered. "Oh, oh, oh, do you remember the crystal, Spike?" Pinkie Pie jumped and wildly gestured in the air. "Back in the library? And the smoke, and the bang, and the poof, and the wham, and 'Whacha doin?', and then whiiiiirl and BLAM! And then nothing makes sense anymore and the books are all wrong! Oh it's all so meany-mean, it's all my fault, and why would Twilight ever abandon her favourite clever-clever books and books and more books like that?" Spike loudly giggled at the show, covering his mouth. He let out one final chuckle and nodded calmly, looking at Pinkie Pie. "Sure, I believe you," simply said Spike. Pinkie Pie, in turn, closed her eyes and hugged herself in a loud guffaw. Spike scratched his chin. He felt gears grinding in his head, painfully trying to remember something he didn't even know what. “Huh? Crystal, you say?.. And we're all... And this then?.." "Yes, yes a dream!" jumped Pinkie Pie. "And in a dream, anything-anything can happen! Honest-honest! Pinkie-swear!" With that Pinkie Pie huddled close to Spike and rubbed against him with her cheek. The dragon obliviously stroked her mane, catching himself thinking it was completely inappropriate. Blurry images in Spike's head became more vivid, as if guided by a balloon rising into the sky. He remembered himself in the library with Twilight, making notes about magical crystals, and then helping Twilight with her study, and then Pinkie Pie bouncing herself over to them, and the sudden explosion. Something clicked. The room was bathed in a flash of pure white, and Spike felt himself vanish far away for a split-second, his other self lying uncomfortably over a pile of disheveled book pages, bright sun against his eyelids making him frown. "Anything?.." slowly pronounced Spike. The world around him suddenly became clearer than he'd ever remembered seeing it. Really, anything? Could he summon a whole mountain of rubies? Could he fight against a thousand enemies and come out a victorious knight? Could he sail and adventure across the seven seas? Could he be a hero in all of the land? Could he even?.. Spike looked at Pinkie Pie for a moment. In one swift motion he stepped away, holding her by her hooves, then brought her closer and gently leant her over his hand, closing his eyes. Pinkie's eyes shot open in surprise as she felt a pleasantly cool touch against her lips, but before she had time to realise what was going on, her consciousness broke into a million pieces and her eyes dreamily wandered in ecstasy and finally closed shut. Her whole being shivered like it was winter inside her heart, spreading over her body like a stream of bubbling sugary soda. The world around them spun into darkness before they appeared standing on an exquisite pedestal in the middle of a brightly-lit social gathering. Thousands of thunderous cheers materialised in the air: a countless crowd of ponies below applauded and cheered them on, throwing their hats and popping party streamers in the air, but neither of them could see it: they were completely lost in a world filled with one moment and one feeling. Unbearably pleasant jolts of pain coursed through their entire beings. Shocks of lightning coursed through entire reality, calling for more with sound of cheering thunder. Spike and Pinkie Pie held each other in tight embrace as endlessly stretching eternity passed around them, and then another and another like it. Time stretched so far it had completely lost all meaning. They only remembered they shared a thousand lifetimes with each other, remembering every tiniest thought they shared, every fleeting feeling, every gentle touch, neither wanting it to stop ever for a tiniest second until the end of time, and even long past it. "We don't have time for this!" The couple clumsily fell onto the floor. Twilight towered above them and clicked her tongue in annoyance, oblivious to having unceremoniously torn someone out of a completely different reality. "Confound these ponies," she muttered. "And dragons." Twilight threw her mane upright and took a few steps across the room. "Honestly, you have no respect for gravity of the situation!" Twilight carefully pronounced in her teacher's voice. "Did you even notice what a heroic effort I made? Did you?" Twilight sighed. "I thought not..." Pinkie Pie jumped up in excitement and tapped her hooves together, as if she just solved the hardest riddle. "Oh, oh, gravity! GRAVITY! Do you get it, Spike?" The dragon still lay on the floor, blankly staring at the ceiling. "No," he replied in a blissful tone. Spike had to do a double-take: Pinkie Pie swept him off the floor and brought him and Twilight close to herself, hugging them both. "Pinkie, this isn't in the instructions," protested Twilight in yet grumpier tone. "Silly Twilight! This is a dream!" cheered Pinkie Pie. "And you're in that dream! And I'm in that dream. And me and Spike are in that dream!" Pinkie hugged them both closer, pushing all the air out of them, and nuzzled Spike's cheek. "Show her your wings, Spike!" Spike looked confused for a moment, then he perked up and somehow slipped out of Pinkie's embrace. He stood upright in the middle of the shop, cleared his throat, closed his eyes and threw his claws outwards... And suddenly the room around them disintegrated into tiny splinters and strips of fabric, outwards into empty, brightly-lit Ponyville. Shiny gizmos melted and sparked in the air, falling down like glittering rain. A pair of giant wings shot from the dragon's back, and moments later his scales shined with bright light, covering the entire village in one blinding flash. As the flash cleared, he stood a dozen times his size, exactly like the only other dragon the ponies ever saw, triumphantly spreading his claws and wings in the air. A wave of cool wind, like a small explosion, washed over the two ponies. Spike gently lowered one of his giant claws down to the ground. "M'lady," the dragon pronounced in a pleasant alien voice. Twilight frowned back at him. "Spike, this isn't in the instructions either. You'll ruin everything!" But Pinkie Pie already put her hoof in the dragon's hand and, with Twilight in hold, she took to the sky in a stream of flame and smoke - the jetpack on her back creaked and huffed under the strain. Pinkie Pie spiralled around Spike's neck and launched straight upwards, the dragon taking to the sky shortly after. They spiralled up, triumphant, even as Twilight was loudly yelling and protesting in Pinkie's grasp. "Oh, don't you get it, Twilight? It's a dream!" yelled Pinkie Pie over the rushing wind. "And everypony knows there's ONE thing dreams are made of!" A solid veil of air pushed against them harder and harder as they flew higher and higher into the sky, determined to reach the sparkling-white sea in the impossibly large distance. Yet still, cloud by cloud, spin by spin, the tiny pony and the huge dragon made their way higher and higher, second by second... Pinkie Pie triumphantly broke the cover of clouds with her hoof and let out a cry of victory. Shortly after, the cloud behind her exploded into tiny puffs of white as Spike ripped a giant hole through the sky, right after her. The world around them slowed down like someone forgot to wind it up and froze in the moment, slowly fading into an impossibly-bright flash of white. *** Twilight frowned and squinted her already closed eyes. Bright sun was against her eyelids, making her eyes water. Twilight turned away and blinked herself awake. She groggily pulled her head up from the dusty pages. Reality slowly started to make sense again. She heard muffled laughter and chirping birds outside, inviting her to stretch herself a little. Wind still peacefully creaked outside as she last remembered it, carrying sweet smell of grass and blooming trees into the old library. With a corner of her eye Twilight noticed a tiny motion: a pink pony next to her opened her eyes and let out a sweet yawn, still stretching on the floor. Further down, over a pile of old books just like hers, lay a silhouette of a tiny dragon. He unsurely picked himself up and rubbed his nose. Twilight looked up at the clock, expecting its hands to spin wildly or read nonsense, but it just showed hardly an hour's difference since when she last remembered looking at it. "Ooooooh, what a wonderful dream!" loudly announced Pinkie Pie in her usual upbeat tone. The pink pony was still stretching on the floor with her eyes closed and a wide smile on her face. Next to her side lay an uncut blue crystal. Twilight perked up: something pinged in her head. The next second her eyelids fell half-closed in a dull frown. "Good job, Pinkie," Twilight yawned. Twilight groggily picked herself up and tried to give her face a look of frustration, but all she elicited was another yawn. "Feel free to just bounce yourself in here anytime you want," she added. "There's a lot of other things you can break around here, you know." Pinkie Pie jumped up from the ground with a bigger grin than Twilight had ever seen her don, clearly untouched by her sarcastic remarks. "Oh I'm so-so-sorry Twilight!" cheered Pinkie Pie. "But thank you kindly! It's been super-duper super-fun!" Pinkie Pie closed her eyes again and hummed something to herself. Twilight could only blankly stare back at her. It the other corner of the room, Spike finally stood up on shaking legs. He reached out and leant against the book pile for support. Spike looked over the library with a wide-open, completely lost stare, as if he'd never seen it before. He dazedly brought his claw in front of his face and jumped, imagining for a second he'd teleported into someone else's body. Reality slowly assembled itself back together in his head, picking up speed with each passing second. Spike stood up properly and half-heartedly brushed himself off. Suddenly he noticed something with a corner of his eye and turned: Pinkie Pie was cheerfully bouncing next to Twilight, her eyes closed in an oblivious wide grin. Spike dropped in his posture again and stared at Pinkie Pie like he'd never seen her before, his gaze nervously darting over her figure. A small racket broke the silence: Twilight noisily climbed out from underneath her pile of books and heavily dusted herself off. "Well!" gasped Pinkie Pie. "All in a day's work!" Twilight glanced at her like she wanted to incinerate her on the spot. Pinkie caught her gaze and lowered herself a bit. "Soooo..." she sung in a lowly tone. "I gotta be going? Yes?" Spike heard himself pronounce 'No' against his own will, but his voice was drowned out by Twilight's: "YES. Yes you should," she replied a tinge louder than needed. "Thanks a lot for the visit, come again!" Twilight stumbled and made her way to the library's door, tripping over burnt books and all manners of newly-found debris she'd never seen in her life on her way there. Twilight meaningfully held the door open and cleared her throat, glaring at the pink pony. Pinkie Pie didn't hesitate long and bounced herself towards the door, humming something to herself. Spike suddenly found himself outside, under the bright sun. He turned around, facing the library, remembering that his legs carried him outside against his own will just seconds ago. Spike turned back around to find Pinkie Pie staring back at him with her usual bright smile, or maybe even a slightly bigger one, from just inches away. Sun played with her coat as if she were in a slim white ball dress. She just silently beamed at him, blinking occasionally. A gust of wind carried in a smell of spices and baked goods from Pinkie's coat - suddenly, a burst of long string of memories exploded in his mind: memories of something he was sure never even happened, and yet... Spike's eyes darted across Pinkie's face, trying to discern a hint of something, anything under her oblivious grin. Distracting, pleasant wind outside seemed completely unreal right now. Did she even remember?.. Did it even matter?.. Dragon took a large gulp, and then let out a loud huff, stalling the moment. "So..." twirled his thumbs Spike, staring at the ground. "You want to hang out?"

doctor dapples

133

Slice of Life

A Little Tight in the Chest

complete

<p>After Rarity interrupts a research session at the Ponyville library, a young writer finds he has not gotten quite as far from his past as he had thought.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:52:21+00:00

Roseluck took a deep breath and steeled herself for the night ahead. She had taken a number of steps in the past weeks to overcome her social anxiety, and tonight was the night when she would make that grandest of all steps. She would attend the Summer Sun Celebration, and in spite of the massive crowds, in spite of finding herself just an insignificant speck in an ocean of other ponies, she would no longer allow herself to feel like a helpless victim. The night would be uneventful for everyone else, but it would be her greatest triumph. Dapples smiled. "One more chapter in the bag." There was a faint glow from his horn as he pulled the paper from the typewriter and placed it on top of the growing pile of his manuscript. The project was going so much better than he had expected. When Twilight had proposed it, he had accepted eagerly, but given his spotty history with such grandiose projects, he had expected it to flounder in a matter of weeks. Instead, he had been impressed at every turn by not only his own capacity to stay committed to the chronicle of Nightmare Moon's return, but Twilight's almost encyclopedic knowledge of Equestrian folklore and mythology. If ever he needed a historical allusion, it took her mere moments to find a tome devoted to a topic he had only a glancing knowledge of. And her familiarity with the population of Ponyville had opened a lot of doors for Dapples to conduct some especially in-depth interviews with members of the population who had been witnesses to the events of that fateful night. The two of them made a fantastic team. Twilight was fantastic. He might even say that he - He shook his tousled grey head. No. He didn't think of her like that. She was too valuable a partner, and during his tenure at the paper, he had seen too many projects fall apart because partners allowed their emotions to interfere with the progression of the work. Despite his affection for the purple unicorn, Dapples had kept their relationship completely professional. They still went out for meals and coffee during work hours, but when they hung it up for the night, he went back to his apartment. On good nights, he went to the club. On really good nights, he went home with somepony else. He had one rule about these relationships: never discuss the work. He firmly believed that it was inappropriate to talk to a potential fillyfriend about something he valued significantly more than her. This is also why he never talked about Twilight Sparkle. Dapples looked over at her. She was lost in a series of essays on ancient architecture, gathering clues about how the structure of the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters predicted the recent event. She must have sensed his gaze, or perhaps she simply noticed the silence of his typewriter, and she looked up at him. "How is it going?" He smiled at her question. "Amazing. I haven't been this productive in ages. I'm probably going to have to go through the whole manuscript when I'm done and edit it down, just so it doesn't weigh twenty pounds." He leaned over in her direction and glanced at the architectural journals. "Getting anything good out of these?" "It's astounding!" she beamed. "The amount of communication between the sages and the architects must have been staggering. Basically the entire prediction is built into the castle's walls!" She placed her hoof on a particularly dense passage. "Read this!" Dapples looked at the technical text and blanched. "Actually, Twilight, I need to make a quick run to the little colt's room first. Be right back," he called as he climbed up the stairs. Almost immediately after the bathroom door shut behind Dapples, the library's main door burst open, revealing an extremely agitated unicorn, this one with a coat white as snow and an elegant purple mane. She was breathing faster than usual, and shifted from foreleg to foreleg nervously. She carried a tape measure around her neck. "What's wrong, Rarity?", asked Twilight. "I'm at my wit's end, darling!" she cried. "Hoity Toity came to see me again today, and he requested another series of outfits, and he wants to see them in three weeks!" Twilight gave Rarity a sideways glance. "That doesn't sound like too tough a deadline for you. I've seen you produce beautiful work in less time than that. Are you having trouble coming up with ideas?" "I have a wealth of ideas, Twilight. That's not the problem." "Then what is -" "He wants me to make them for stallions!" She practically hissed the last word. Twilight stared back blankly, not sure how to respond. The silence was broken by Rarity's exasperated sigh. "I've NEVER designed for stallions. I've designed for myself, Sweetie Belle, my mother, and my friends. But I have no experience designing for colts. All my dress forms? They're just that! DRESS forms! For dresses! I don't make jackets, and I don't make trousers! I make dresses!" "Well, then why don't you tell Hoity that?" "And throw away this opportunity? Absolutely not!" Rarity tossed her head with pride, but almost immediately her expression softened and she walked over to the window. She gazed out at the citizens of Ponyville, going about their lives, oblivious to her crisis. "This is an entirely new world to me, Twilight. And I have to jump in with all hooves, but I don't even know where to start." "Why don't you just ask a male pony to model for you?" Rarity sighed again. "Because I don't know any colts whom I can trust with a job like this. With your dresses, it was easy. Any of you would happily come in and help me at a moment's notice. But who do I know in this town?" "Big Macintosh?" Twilight offered, expecting the subsequent reaction. "Hoity wants outfits made for stallions. Not giants. Besides, if you can picture him agreeing to sit in my boutique for hours and get fitted for chest-hugging vests, you've got a wilder imagination than Pinkie Pie." "What about Pinkie Pie? We're not having another party are we?" Rarity turned around at the unfamiliar voice, and caught Dapples coming down the stairs. They had heard about each other in passing from Twilight and met once or twice, but since Dapples maintained a very small social circle and Rarity wasn't exactly a frequenter of the library, they had only a vague acquaintance with each other. "Rarity, right? You might not remember me, I'm Dapples. I'm the one who has been working with Twilight lately." He extended his hoof for her. She just stared back. Eventually, she lifted her hoof, but to her mouth, where she very softly nibbled at her hoof, deep in thought. The wheels were turning, and as the other two unicorns looked on, they clicked into place. A smirk appeared on Rarity's face. She removed the tape measure and held it out against the grey unicorn's splotchy side. She mumbled some numbers and measured him from his chest to the floor. More numbers. Dapples looked over at Twilight for explanation, but was interrupted by Rarity clearing her throat. "Sorry, but I have to make a few more measurements. The next few might feel a little strange, so bear with me." She flung one end of the tape measure over his side, and met it with her end beneath his belly. She mumbled a number, gave a little grunt and then softly patted his stomach. "Little bit of a haybelly, hm?" "Hey!" cried Dapples, indignant. He was about to tell her where she could go when a movement down below caused him to jump a little. Rarity was measuring his inseam. "No disrespect! Such things happen!" She came back around Dapples and faced him, the tape measure once again secure around her nape. She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. Dapples wanted to shrink back, but he was fairly sure the look would follow him wherever he went. Then, she turned to the purple unicorn. "Would you be a dear and allow me to talk to your friend for a moment in private?" Twilight looked at Dapples, to make sure he felt comfortable being alone with the potentially deranged designer. He shrugged. Twilight nodded and went back to her books. "So, Dapples -" He turned back to Rarity upon hearing his name. "How are you?" "Ummm... fine?" "Good, good. Are you liking Ponyville?" "Y-yes. It's very nice. I like it a lot." "What is it that you... do?" "I'm a writer." The smile on Rarity's face grew mischevious. "Getting along well with Twilight?" His eyes widened. What was going on? "Yeah. We get along okay." She cocked her head to the side. "What do you think of her?" she said quietly, a slight lilt in her voice. He glanced over in Twilight's direction, to be sure she wasn't listening. She was gathering together some of the books she was done with for the day and stacking them into a neat pile using her magic. She wasn't paying either of them any attention. "She's very nice." He punctuated this with a quick nod of his head. He smiled, satisfied that he had given the correct answer. Rarity frowned, then reached out and put a hoof by the side of his head. "No. Look at her." She pushed his muzzle so that he was looking directly at Twilight, whom was now shelving some of the higher-placed books. She was standing on her hind legs, with her forelegs on one of the lower shelves. "Isn't she just the picture of feminine grace? Of poise? Of intelligence and elegance wrapped up into one beautiful package?" A particularly old book fell off the top shelf and landed next to Twilight, sending up a cloud of dust that caused her to go into a momentary fit of sneezes. Dapples gulped. "I..." He tried to prevent it, but the more he thought about the harder it was to keep from blushing. The redder he got, the bigger Rarity's smile became. She clapped her hooves together with satisfaction. "Marvelous!" Twilight turned too late to see the pink of Dapples' cheeks, but she was immediately cornered by Rarity, who waved her hoof at him. "Thank you, darling! Now we're going to have a little girl talk, so if you could make yourself scarce for a moment, that would be lovely!" Dapples grabbed his manuscript and went up the stairs to store it away. His head was racing. What was all that about? At first, he had thought that maybe Rarity had been flirting with him, but she had been genuinely excited to see him fumble all over himself for Twilight. She had always said that Rarity's best trait was her generosity. Surely she wasn't going to tell Twilight how he felt? How DID he feel? He said a silent prayer to Celestia, begging for Rarity to keep her elegant mouth shut. As he slipped the manuscript into the box in the writing room, he heard the main door close. "Dapples?" Twilight was calling him. He came down and looked around the library. It was just him and Twilight, who looked a little nervous herself now. "Everything alright?" he asked. She nodded. "I just need to ask you something." Here we go. "What?" "Rarity was wondering if you'd be willing to model for her." He let out a sigh, a little bit louder than he had intended. "Whoa," she said, startled. "What did you think I was going to ask you?" Dapples quickly gathered his senses. "I had no idea! The whole thing was just so weird!" "Yeah, that it was. Anyway, she needs a model for the next three weeks to design a new fashion line for stallions. Most of the other male ponies she knows are in love with her, and she doesn't want somepony who is only going to take the job to get close to her. She wants somepony she can trust, and I told her I would ask you." She rolled her eyes. "She thinks that if she asked, you'd have said no, but since we've been working together, I'm supposed to be better at convincing." He smirked, knowing the full scope of Rarity's thinking. She was pretty devious. "That's a little silly of her." She shrugged. "Yeah, it is. But I really would love it if you could do this for her. She's always been fantastic to my friends and I, and she made our dresses for the Gala, and I would love to be able to help her out when she really needs it." Her eyes aren't exactly pleading, but there is definitely a hint of expectation in them. Dapples felt butterflies in his stomach. "Not a problem. I'll do it." Twilight squealed with delight and hugged him, then quickly broke the embrace and looked at him seriously. "Wait." "What?" "Before you agree to this, you have to understand how seriously she takes this." "It's okay, Twilight," he scoffed. "I'll do the modeling for a few hours every day, then I'll come back here and we'll keep on with the book. It'll slow it down a bit, but I'm in no rush." Twilight shook her head. "The book isn't slowing down. The book is on hold." "Excuse me?" "You don't know Rarity. If you're a part of this project, you're going to have to commit 100%. You'll be with her all day until she finishes this. If you try to do the book too, you're going to burn yourself out completely." Dapples thought seriously about the two projects for a moment and let out another exasperated sigh. "Like I said, Twilight, the book has nothing but time. I can surely spare three weeks to help you out." She squeezed him even tighter this time. "I owe you one!" she said, and Dapples filed the thought under 'the greatest things I've ever heard'. Then he thought back to Rarity's words when he was being measured. "Do I really have a haybelly?" Twilight laughed and walked back to her books. He called after her. "That's not a NO!"

doctor dapples

133

Slice of Life

A Little Tight in the Chest

complete

<p>After Rarity interrupts a research session at the Ponyville library, a young writer finds he has not gotten quite as far from his past as he had thought.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:53:20+00:00

She knew there had to be a better word for his behavior lately, but no matter how much she searched her mental thesaurus, the one she kept returning to was weird. Dapples was acting weird. Twilight had to admit that she had not seen a lot of him in the almost three weeks since he had started helping Rarity with her modeling project, her first attempt at creating a fashion line for stallions. However, on the few occasions where they had been able to rendezvous, often meeting for lunch at the cafe, he had always seemed to be just a little... off. No complaints, no scars, no glaring defects of any kind, but his behavior had some subtle variance that she was able to recognize, due to the sheer amount of time they had spent together before the modeling gig. The example that most perplexed Twilight was his new eating habits. During breaks in writing, Dapples was usually famished and scarfed down a full meal for lunch, hay fries included. On one of the occasions that Spike had come with them, Dapples had spent the bulk of the meal stealing fries from the purple dragon's plate. The male unicorn's refusal to acknowledge the theft in spite of overwhelming evidence had frustrated Spike and amused Twilight. And when Dapples ordered coffee, he loaded it with sugar, sometimes causing it to reach a sickening syrupy consistency. But not today. Today he was taking his coffee black. He put his hooves on the plate holding his grass sandwich, cut diagonally. He pushed it across the table in Twilight's direction. "Do you want half?" He gave Twilight a small, enigmatic smile. She smiled back. She wished she could see his eyes. The most obvious difference in Dapples was that he had taken to wearing very dark sunglasses whenever he was outside. His excuse had been "to protect my retinas from the harsh ultraviolet rays." It was a good enough explanation, and the science was sound, but she suspected that there was a reason his answer was so technical. As if he had written it specifically for her. "Thank you very much," Twilight said while nodding, and added his half to her plate. Plain grass sandwiches were not very filling, which was fine for her. She had enough food to fill her up. But there was no way that measly slab of bread and foliage would fill the black hole that was Dapples' stomach. She coughed. "So how have you been this week?" Dapples seemed to snap out of some sort of reverie. "Wha-oh. It's been pretty crazy at the Boutique. I really look forward to these little breaks, whenever I can get them." Twilight smiled. She had been surprised by how much she missed his company over the past few weeks. "Tonight's the big night, then?" She was equally surprised when she looked up and saw a frown on his face. "Eeeyup," he said tersely, sounding very much like the brother of one of her best friends. She could only guess as to what was going on behind the shades, but his face was twisted up into a way that made him look almost lost. He sighed over his dark cup of coffee and took a sip. "HEY GUYS!" Startled by the loud voice and its accompanying pink form that seemed to have appeared at their table from nowhere, Dapples choked on his drink. "Oh... sorry about that! I promise I'm not trying to kill you! Quite the opposite, actually! Well, maybe not the opposite, because the opposite of killing you would be bringing you back to life! And you're not a zombie!" Twilight considered interrupting Pinkie Pie to suggest otherwise, but the earth pony was already on a roll. "No, I'm here to spread some smiles with a project I've been working on for days! See, Twilight? Not only brainy ponies can have projects!" Twilight smiled at her hyperactive friend. "I guess you're right, Pinkie. So what's your big project?" Pinkie produced a large pink box, again, seemingly out of nowhere. She opened it up to reveal at least a dozen small baked goods in all kinds of colors. "Cupcakes! The frosting on each one is made for a different pony in Ponyville!" Sure enough, there was a purple one with a pink streak down the middle. On the very top was a pattern of nonpareils done in the shape of her cutie mark. Right next to it was another cupcake whose pattern was more subdued, but was no less familiar. Twilight looked up at Pinkie. "Should I just grab them?" Pinkie laughed. "Well, you can't eat them in the box! You might get crumbs on Fluttershy's!" Twilight's horn glowed, and her magic lifted the tiny cakes out of the box, sitting hers next to her plate, and the gray cupcake in front of Dapples. He stared at the cupcake. Behind the sunglasses his eyes narrowed. What do you want from me, cupcake? Do you want me to eat you? You think that you can show up here, copying my patterning and my cutie mark, and I'll be so enraptured with how delicious you look that I'll eat you? Dapples could feel his mouth watering and his stomach churning. The cupcake was winning. In the meantime, Twilight had already started on hers. It was astounding. Pinkie Pie was a wizard in the bakery, but she had never tasted something so delicate before. "Wow, Pinkie... you've really outdone yourself! What's in these?" "Rainbow Dash..." Pinkie's eyes rolled upwards towards the sky. Twilight choked. "What?" Pinkie snapped to. "Oh, sorry! My train of thought derailed for a moment there. Rainbow Dash brought me some clouds from Cloudsdale! The rainbows might not have been good eating, but ever since the visit to the weather factory, I've been aching to see what I could do with some nice fluffy clouds! Oh, that reminds me!" She looked backwards and yelled "THANK YOU, RAINBOW DASH!" "NO PROBLEM, PINKIE!" came the pegasus's voice from the distance. Dapples gritted his teeth and starred deep into the top of the cupcake, which is where he assumed was the place to stare when confronting a baked good. No. I'm onto you. I know what you're about. You're about milk and sugar and butter and more sugar. Oh, somepony will eat you all right. But it sure as hay won't be me! "Thank you so much, Pinkie Pie," he said calmly to the baker, "but I'm quite full and simply can't eat another bite." Twilight cocked her head to the side in confusion, but Pinkie Pie just shrugged. "Okie dokie lokie!" she exclaimed and popped the whole cupcake in her mouth. She smiled at the taste of her concoction. "Mmm! I was worried that the grey icing might not taste as good as the others, but I'm glad to see I was wrong! See you guys later!" And with that, Pinkie was already bouncing down the street looking for more tasters. Twilight turned back towards Dapples to see him breathing heavily, seeming to be following Pinkie's movements. His face held a scowl. Twilight Sparkle used her magic to snatch the sunglasses off of Dapples' face, just in time to catch his furrowed brow, before his face became one of embarrassment. "What is wrong with you?" she snapped. His face got serious again. He pointed after Pinkie with one hoof. "She eats ALL THE TIME. Why doesn't she gain any weight?" He recoiled a little when he turned back to Twilight and saw her eyes narrowed and her mouth hanging open. She shook her head in an attempt to compose herself, then sighed heavily. "Well, Dapples, she runs everywhere. And she does it all the time. So for as much sweets as she puts in her body, she is probably more active than any pony in Ponyville, possibly including Rainbow Dash." Then she put both hooves on the table. "But getting back to my question, what the HAY is wrong with you? If you want to act weird with your stupid sunglasses, that's fine by me. But if you want to starve yourself, that's not fine." Dapples dropped his head. "And I'm also not fine with sitting around and listening to you talk manure about my friends!" Dapples didn't immediately respond. Instead, his horn glowed and two sugarcubes emerged from the sugar bowl and landed in his coffee, where a spoon stirred them in. He lifted the cup to his lips and took another sip. "Oh Celestia, that's so much better." He tried giving Twilight a sheepish smile, but her expression was resolute. "I'm waiting." "I hate being a model, Twilight." Why did ponies keep telling her that? How does Rarity always manage to grab ponies with no experience in the fashion industry? Dapples took another sip of his coffee. He muttered under his breath. "You would think after how long I did it, it would have been easy to remember how miserable it made me." "Well, I guess that's just how WHAT?" As it turned out, Dapples had been a model for years. He came from a Manehattan family which had always had one hoof in the fashion industry. His father was an entrepreneur, his mother was a socialite, and his older brother was a model who turned designer when the notion had taken him. Stepping into the world of modelling was just a natural step for young Dapples. And though his unusual patterning had caused him some pause before accepting his first gigs, his family name opened all the right doors, and he found himself on a fast track to success. There was even a writeup of him in an old issue of Gentlecolt's Quarterly, praising him as a rising star in the fashion industry. He thanked Celestia that Rarity seemed uninterested in fashion magazines aimed towards stallions. But despite the inevitability of success, he had quit. "Why?" asked Twilight. Dapples gestured to himself and the table. "This is what it does to me. It turns me into a pony I don't even recognize. I starve myself, drift away from good pony company, and start acting like a grade-A jerk to everyone I meet! All I did when I wasn't modelling was smoke constantly and sleep with anything on four legs." Dapples realized too quickly what he had said when Twilight turned her head away from him and blushed. He tried desperately to save face. "Twilight, I'm not like that anymore." He hung his head in shame. "I was shallow and self-centered like everyone around me. And that's why I quit and started writing." She turned and faced him again. This time her face was one of concern. "So what are you going to do? The show's tonight, and you've both been working so hard." He nodded. "Too hard. But I have to see this through. I've made my promise to Rarity to get it done, and I'd be the worst kind of colt to bail on her now. But after this, I'm done. No more of this nonsense. I'm not made of strong enough stuff for it." • • • In truth, Rarity had some suspicions as to Dapples' background. As she had assumed he was completely green, she was occasionally surprised when he displayed an unusual familiarity with the technical terms she used on a daily basis. One day she asked him for her loupe to view some slides, and before she could finish mentally berating herself for not explaining herself, Dapples was there with the small magnifying glass in his hoof. However, these thoughts paled in importance to that of the actual show she was preparing. Hoity Toity would be there at any moment. As she walked backstage to check on her model, she smiled to herself. When she entertained the possibility of Dapples having a fashion background, she felt even better about keeping the visiting designer's identity a secret. If he had even a glancing knowledge of the importance of the guest of honor, he'd probably trip all over himself in nervousness and literally break a leg. "Dumb fabric," she heard him mumble as he struggled into his first oufit, a coat that covered him from head to flank, but fit rather tight around his torso. Rarity tutted. "Don't get mad at the clothes. You look absolutely smashing. You look like quite the dapper Dapples." She giggled at her little joke. Dapples smiled back. Every designer thought they were the first to make it, but Rarity was definitely his favorite of the lot. Her face became serious as she approached him. "How are you feeling?" "A little nervous, but I'm ready to get this show on the road. How about you?" She put her hoof to her chin, and looked thoughtful. "Honestly, inside I think I'm losing my mind. But I'm sure with your help this whole thing will go swimmingly. And after its all over, maybe you can tell me HOW you know so much about seersucker." Rarity punctuated this last whisper with a wink. Dapples swallowed. "Well, I..." He was interrupted by Rarity's hooves waving in his face. "Nothing right now! It will wait until afterwards. For now, we stay focused!" The sound of a bell ringing at the front of the boutique caused her face to light up. "He's here!" She reached in and gave Dapples a quick embrace. "You'll be marvelous! Make me proud!" As she moved to return to the front, she turned back towards him. She licked her hoof and slicked a stray lock of Dapples' hair closer to his horn. "Try to keep it out of your eyes, darling." • • • Before he walked out on stage, Dapples tried to get a peek at whom his audience consisted of. Unfortunately, Rarity had already turned off all the lights in the boutique, except for the very bright ones on stage, that made seeing anything other than white impossible. He could hear a little bit of quiet conversation between Rarity and the mystery guest, who seemed to be the only spectator, unless this was a particularly quiet crowd. Suddenly, the Junior Colts song that was his cue started, and he made his way on stage. He suppressed a smile at the audible gasp that seemed to come in stereo from below the stage. Not only had the designer been impressed, but Rarity had been caught off guard by how well he wore it on the stage. There was some mumbling back and forth between the two as he completed his turn, and headed backstage for his costume change. The second outfit was another long jacket, less fitted, but complete with a tie whose patterning managed to offset Dapples' own coloring, a suggestion that Rarity had both loved and been intrigued by. She wasn't the fan of pink that her sugar-ingesting best friend was, but he wore it very well, and the murmurs from the audience indicated as such. The only thing that gave him pause was when he was sure that he heard the designer, clearly a male, say something that sounded like "Wait... that can't be..." Dapples chalked it up to idiosyncrasy and went back for outfit #3. This was an ornate vest that Rarity had crafted, similar in style to the ones worn on Winter Wrap Up, but made with a much more delicate fabric and featuring hand-stitched patterns. It also included a black cap that he was particularly fond of. This was one of the shorter outfits in the ensemble, and it only reached as far as Dapples' waist. When he stepped on stage this time, it was quieter. He wondered if he had put it on wrong. If the designer thought Rarity had designed a dud, then he was an idiot. His thoughts were interrupted as he made his turn and a male voice said, "Oh, Celestia, no. STOP." Dapples froze in place. He wasn't sure what to do, but continuing on with the show felt ridiculous. Rarity spoke up from the darkness. "What's wrong?" The voice seemed to ignore her. "You on stage!" Dapples pointed to himself. "Yes, you! Take that hat off!" He immediately sweeped the cap off his head and clutched it tightly to his chest, trying not to wring his hooves together. Had he just ruined Rarity's show? But something about that voice was so... familiar. It spoke up again. "Turn on the house lights!" There was some brief hesitation, but soon enough the stage lights went off, the house lights went on, and Dapples found himself staring at a gray pony with a silver mane. Hoity Toity. "Oh no," Dapples and Hoity said at the same time. "I knew I recognized that cutie mark," the designer pony said, rubbing his hoof against his forehead in frustration. "What are you doing here, Dapples?" Dapples chuckled nervously. "Modeling?" Rarity wasn't sure how to react to any of this. Her show had just been unceremoniously cancelled, and it turned out her fashion idol and her supposedly everypony model were on a first-name basis with each other. "What is going on here? Do you two know each other?" Hoity Toity looked over at Rarity and did something she had never seen him do. He removed his sunglasses. He pinched at the space between his eyes with his hoof as if fighting off a major migraine. "You might say that, Rarity." She looked up at Dapples, who still had a stupid grin on his face. The wheels in her head started turning. "Oh Celestia... you're not..." she choked out the next words. "...exes." Hoity's frown turned to a small smile, and she could see him stifling a laugh. "Are you?" she continued, looking up at the grey unicorn. "Not quite," Dapples said, and sighed heavily. Then he pointed a hoof towards Hoity Toity. "Rarity, I'd like you to meet my brother."

doctor dapples

133

Slice of Life

A Little Tight in the Chest

complete

<p>After Rarity interrupts a research session at the Ponyville library, a young writer finds he has not gotten quite as far from his past as he had thought.</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T02:22:25+00:00

“And there we are.” Rarity spun the magazine on the table to get a better look at the picture Hoity Toity had indicated. P Magazine had been absorbed by one of the hipper, trendier Manehattan culture rags at least a decade ago, but assorted yellowing issues like the one the designer had brought were still to be found in the library of any fashion-conscious pony worth their tape measure. Rarity’s collection only went back as far as her days in grade school, years after the cover story on “Manehattan’s Most Fashionable Families”. The picture she now looked at was labelled “The Toitys” in a very bouncy font. There stood a strong-jawed gray stallion in a freshly pressed suit with shaggy, but well-groomed facial fur. In front of him stood a small silver colt, dressed in a miniature version of his father’s suit, his chest puffed out with pride. By the father’s side was a tall, slender unicorn mare with a pale purple coat. She wore a scarf around her neck and an immense hat behind her horn. She looked not at the camera, but gazed down lovingly at the foal in her arms: a tiny dappled unicorn. Dapples took a sip from his drink and looked out at the horizon, hoping neither of them would see him blush. When the initial shock of their surprise reintroduction at Rarity’s fashion show had worn off, the three of them had the opportunity to talk, in hopes of having a proper reunion. Dapples and Hoity had eventually settled on a picnic-style dinner in the afternoon, on one of the many rolling hills on the outskirts of Ponyville. Rarity was especially pleased to find herself welcome to the meal, as her combination of interest in Dapples’ fashion background and her desire to get to know one of her idols better had her half-scared she would have to hide in a nearby tree to learn anything. Of course, Hoity’s concept of a proper picnic was a little bit more complex than sandwiches in a wicker basket. The three of them sat at a draped coffee table whose spread boasted a variety of different dishes from which to choose, and instead of the hay stacks found at the local cafe, they had each been given a soft pillow to minimize their contact with the dirt. Rarity read the caption underneath the picture: spirits magnate Jameson, wife & socialite Elle, eldest son Hoyt, and new addition Dapples. She looked up at Hoity. “Are they...um...well, what I mean to ask...” “Are they still alive, you mean?” Hoity smiled. “Yes, dear, they’re still alive and kicking. Thank you for ASK-ING,” he said, emphasizing the last two syllables in the direction of his brother, who seemed lost in thought. Dapples seemed to catch the hint, but turned back all the same, his expression one of mild annoyance. Hoity, unfazed, continued. “Father keeps himself busy with the company, though he does try to leave most of the business travel to his associates. Mother had a really bad scare with her health a few years back, and had to have an operation, but she has pretty much fully recovered by now. She shows up a little later to most parties, but her charity’s in full swing. We had a very successful benefit a few months ago for EIA.” “I actually remember reading about that,” said Dapples. “The two of you raised quite a bit of money for research. I sent a check of my own, along with my letter to mom.” Hoity looked over his sunglasses with disdain. “And that was the last letter you sent.” As Rarity shifted on her pillow uncomfortably, Dapples’ mouth fell open. A part of him felt disgusted that Hoity had the nerve to look down at him for not keeping in touch with their parents. Another part of him recognized the truth: he hadn’t made any real effort to keep in touch. Why was that? Dapples spat out the first thing that came to his mind. “Do you not think that I’ve been busy? What do you think I’ve been doing this whole time?” Hoity poured himself and Rarity another glass of champagne. He took a sip and then shrugged in Dapples’ direction. “I’m not sure. You’re much harder to follow when your work doesn’t arrive on my doorstep every day.” Finally seeing an opening for her in the conversation, Rarity decided to offer what she knew about his recent activities. “I can’t speak for all the way back, but for a while Dapples has been working on a book with my dear friend Twilight. I dare say he spends more time in that library than he does at his apartment.” She smiled mischievously at Dapples, whose embarrassed look betrayed him to his brother. “A work in progress and a mare with a thing for books? Sounds like your idea of heaven, Dapples.” Seeing that the gray unicorn wasn’t going to respond, Rarity spoke up again. “And for the past month, he’s been serving as my model in preparation for last night’s show. He knew a little too much to be completely ignorant of high fashion, but I couldn’t have known his connection to you, Hoity. Honestly, I’d love to know more about it.” Though she attempted to fight it, the mare couldn’t help the large smile that grew on her face. How exciting! The sunglasses again turned to Dapples. “Do you want to tell this story, or should I?” Dapples responded by giving Hoity a dismissive wave of his hoof, then used his magic to levitate a cheese-topped cracker into his mouth. He chewed noisily. “Charming,” said the designer. When you’re the first born son of a couple who live a very public life and whom surround themselves with members of the media, you very quickly form an opinion of life in the spotlight. For young Hoyt, who quickly adopted his rhyming nickname, it was a chance to be seen. Even as a very young colt, reporters were interested in his long-term aspirations. There were constant stories about how handsome he was, and these were just the sort of stories that photographers gravitated towards. A few widely-circulated photo-shoots, and Hoity Toity was already gaining a reputation outside of his family’s. As a result, his younger brother had to work even less to bring in the same sort of attention, but Dapples found himself uncomfortable with all the attention. He didn’t carry the same confidence which his brother wore like a new suit. Thanks to his patterning, inherited from his mother’s side, he grew up hearing any description of his appearance coupled with the word “unconventional.” His mother and father had always told him that the word was another term for “special” and gave him something that other colts didn’t have, but he couldn’t help but see how Hoity’s perfect coloring and versatile white mane made him the darling of the fashion industry. In a half-hearted attempt to keep up, Dapples accepted the offers that came his way, and stepped further into the limelight he hated so much. Backstage at the show for Armanei’s summer lineup, the Toity Brothers changed into their analogous outfits. Hoity was done up all in white, while Dapples sported an ensemble all in black. As the unicorn used his magic to put the finishing touches on the smoky makeup around his eyes, Hoity offered him a cigarette, as was their tradition whenever they modelled together. “Thanks,” he said, gripping it with his teeth. His brother smiled back and took one for himself. While searching for his lighter among the paraphernalia littering the vanity, Hoity spoke up. “You know, this is my last one.” Upon finding the lighter, he silently mouthed, “aha.” “What, your last cigarette?” “Huh? No.” Hoity stopped for a moment and considered the thought. “Well, maybe. Yeah, I guess so.” The lighter cap flipped open, the wheel spun, and the lick of flame leaped out, igniting his final smoke. “But that’s not what I mean.” He leaned forward. Dapples leaned his head in towards Hoity, the ends of their cigarettes touching. Inhaling deeply, the end of his cigarette caught. Dapples exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. “Well?” “I’m done modelling,” said Hoity, his expression unusually serious. Caught off guard by the news, Dapples went into a coughing fit. “A little theatrical, don’t you think?” retorted his brother, laughing. “What do you mean, you’re done?” “Just what I said. I’m through with this. I want to design.” When he saw Dapples’ confused look, Hoity sighed and motioned to his flank. “You see this?” Dapples looked at Hoity’s cutie mark. The day the golden fan had appeared, he had been perplexed as to what exactly it meant, and his brother had told him to “wait and see.” Eventually, the results from the shoot were published, but all it raised were more questions. Sure, the use of fans by the photographer had been a subtle touch that had elevated an otherwise mundane shoot into something much more impressive...but Hoity himself was doing nothing new. What did this have to do with Hoity’s future? “That was the messiest shoot I’d ever attended,” said the elder brother. “The photographer was subpar, the staff were out of control, and the designer had nothing worth showing. So eventually I got fed up and drew up the designs for those fans myself.” Dapples smiled. “I always wondered how that old hack managed a shoot like that.” “Exactly. That was the first time I’d ever had one of my designs photographed. By the end of the day, I knew that if I was to remain happy and in the fashion industry, I would need to stop being a showcase for other ponies, and design what I know looks good.” “And so you start your new career after the show?” “Oh, the wheels are already turning, darling.” Again, Hoity rooted through the pile of belongings and makeup and picked up a pair of purple sunglasses, which he put on. “This is the first step of my change in image. Pretty mysterious, wouldn’t you say?” Dapples laughed. “You look like an idiot.” He took another draw from his cigarette, but halted as he heard a familiar voice from outside the dressing room. “You better not be talking about me!” Dapples quickly spit his cigarette behind him. He had succeeded in grinding it out with his back hoof when the door burst open and an orange coated pegasus skipped up to him, a huge grin on his face. Hoity answered the newcomer. “Your coltfriend doesn’t like my new look, Niki.” Niki looked over at Hoity and rubbed his chin. “Let me see your profile.” The subject turned his head and flashed a pearly smile. “Don’t listen to him, Hoity. He wouldn’t know a good look if it bit him in the flank.” He gave Dapples a devilish smile. “Right?” Dapples rolled his eyes and returned the leer. “You coming onto me, kid?” Niki giggled and wrapped his forelegs around Dapples’ neck, his eyes half closed. “Always.” Their lips came together at once, and as they closed their eyes, momentarily lost in the moment. Hoity turned his head and looked at the wall, also smiling. When Dapples pulled back from the kiss, the first thing he saw was the angry glare on Niki’s face. “You’ve been smoking again.” He tried reproducing Hoity’s prize-winning smile, but it came out more awkward and desperate than charming. “That’s my fault,” volunteered Hoity. Niki shot him a dirty look that quickly softened as he shook his head. “You’re such a terrible influence on him.” “That’s what brothers do.” Niki gave them both a quick hug. “Anyway, I’ll be getting out of your manes. I just wanted to wish you both good luck with the show. I’m sure you don’t need it.” He started to walk out, but turned to look back at Dapples. “And I’ll see you when you come home, Stinky. Sound good?” The unicorn smiled. “I’ll be counting the minutes.” Again, Niki giggled and bounded out the door, both brothers watching the flashbulb cutie mark on the pony’s flank disappear into the hallway. Dapples turned to look at his brother and found him biting his lower lip. “That flank,” he sighed. “How come every fashion shoot I go to, all the photographers are dirty old stallions, and you end up with somepony like that?” “Speaking of dirty old stallions...” Dapples laughed. “All I’m saying is that you had better be glad you’re my brother, or I would steal that one out from under you.” Hoity chuckled to himself. “Or on top of you, or wherever the hay he usually ends up.” Dapples blushed. “Seriously, though,” said Hoity. “You should consider quitting too.” The younger brother gave him a sideways glance. “What are you talking about?” He shrugged. “It’s pretty simple. We all know that you’re not having fun doing this, and you don’t have a future in it.” “Says who?” “Says that boring little design on your flank, sunshine.” Dapples turned to look at the drab typewriter button that had appeared after he discovered his own passion for writing. “I know Niki would understand. He’s picked up on how unhappy you are doing this.” “We need you on stage, Hoity Toity,” the assistant pony’s voice came from behind the door. Dapples scowled as his brother removed his sunglasses and took a deep breath in preparation for his last walk down the runway. “This is my life right now, Hoity. What else am I supposed to do?” His older brother shook his head and sighed. “Oh dear, dear Dapples. The world is your oyster and you never fail to complain about how sharp the edges are.” True to form, Dapples stayed on the runway, but without his brother by his side, what had been merely unfulfilling now became almost unbearable. He found himself losing patience with anypony who didn’t know exactly what they were doing. He began to gain a reputation as a prima donna, wanting it done one way and storming off if his “suggestions” (which more often sounded like commands) were not followed to the letter. For the first time in his life, he began to have difficulty securing jobs. And then the ponies close to him started to disappear. Dapples came home from one particularly grueling shoot to find a note on his bed, typed on his typewriter and rife with spelling errors. Niki had taken a job out of the city and moved his stuff out while Dapples was away. “Youre welcme to come nd visit wenn you’re feeling morr like your oldself. Maybe tyhen we caan talk. Maybe westill have someting worth saveing?” he wrote. Dapples crumbled up the letter, climbed into bed, and pulled the covers over his head. As alone as he was, he still didn’t want anypony hearing him cry. After that night, Dapples wanted nothing to do with modelling anymore. He took a job at the Canterlot Quarterly because it would make him travel a lot to do his writing. And still every year he found himself given the task of covering the Grand Galloping Gala, because of his “insider’s perspective”. That perspective led to a notorious yearly piece where Dapples wrote scathing reviews of the fashion and demeanor of the ponies in attendance, which garnered angry calls from Equestrian elite and letters of satisfaction from more rural ponies who couldn’t attend such affairs. The Gala articles were a particular favorite of Hoity’s, and it was said that he once fired one of his designers for saying “that flankhole at the Quarterly should be made into glue.” “Those articles were some of your best work, Dapples!” said Hoity. “You know I’ve never really understood your passion for the news, but no one else could have written something so deliciously catty! And you abandoned that, too!” Dapples slammed his hooves on the table, causing Rarity to jump back. “You make it sound like I never accomplish anything!” Hoity returned the gesture, leaning forward towards his brother. “You don’t! When ever it starts to get hard, you run the other way! Or you make yourself miserable and blame everything else for your problems! Your modeling didn’t make Niki leave! You did!” Dapples slumped back onto his pillow, feeling defeated. “I just wasn’t strong enough after you left.” “I can’t keep protecting you, brother. You’re a grown stallion, and the world is a rough place. What are you going to do when ponies don’t like your book?” Dapples froze. He hadn’t really thought about the future of the book he was working on. What would happen if Twilight and him put all this work into it, and nopony wanted it? Or what if it did get published, and then ponies hated it? He felt suddenly afraid, as if this hypothetical situation was an inevitability, and he realized just how right his brother was. Despite his age, the world still scared him, and failure was the most frightening thing of all. Even inaction seemed a preferable alternative than failure, but of course, that just left him stagnant. Unmoved. “I’m sorry, Hoity. I shouldn’t have put that all on you.” Hoity let out a long sigh and smiled. “You don’t need to apologize to me, Dapples. I’m your brother. I just want to see you happy. I need to know that you’re on the right track and won’t fall back into your old habits.” Dapples nodded. “I want to make you guys proud of me.” Hoity stood up from his pillow. “Come here, you dumbflank.” Dapples walked over to his brother and they embraced. “We’ll always be proud of you. Just check in with us from time to time. We’re always going to judge you a little bit, but that’s what families do, right?” “Right,” he said, laughing. He was fighting back tears. Rarity, on the other hand was sobbing while clutching one of the finely tailored napkins to her chest. “It’s so beautiful!” Before Dapples went home that night, he dropped by the library. Twilight saw him attempt to sneak out of the door with his typewriter in tow. “Is everything okay?” she asked. “Oh yeah, I just need to bring this home for a while.” “We’re still on for the rest of the project, right?” she asked, a little unsure. Dapples nodded. “Absolutely. I just have another little project to work on tonight.” “You don’t need any help?” He shook his head. “I think this is something I have to do on my own. Good night, Twilight.” “Good night, Dapples.” When he got back to his apartment, Dapples immediately spooled a piece of paper in the carriage. He sat down, thought for a moment, and the horn on his head began to glow. His magic began to work the keys. Dear Mom and Dad, I suppose you’re wondering what I’ve been up to... End.

doctor dapples

134

Slice of Life,Tragedy

I Still Don't Wanna Gallop Home

Rainbow Dash returns home for Applejack's wedding, but finds their changing friendship difficult to adjust to.

complete

<p>Rainbow Dash returns home for Applejack&#39;s wedding, but finds their changing friendship difficult to adjust to. <br /><br />My first ponyfiction, and the first one to get published on Equestria Daily.</p>

everyone

2011-08-04T05:09:09+00:00

She had expected the highlight of her trip to be hanging out with all of her friends again. Instead, she found herself getting the most comfort out of Ponyville's new Donut Shop. In her absence, Pony Joe's Canterlot location had seen enough business for him to open up a new shop in Ponyville, one which provided gainful employment to young ponies like the one currently eyeing Rainbow Dash nervously from behind the counter. She didn't know his name, and she didn't particularly care. She drained her mug and slammed it onto the hard wood. "Gimme another! Double chocolate this time!" "Ma'am, maybe you should..." "Nooooo..." retorted Rainbow. "Maybe YOU should. Do what I ask. I am a paying pony and I expect to be treated as such." She grabbed a few extra coins and tossed them into the clerk's tip jar. "Will that cool your hooves, sugarcube?" "Ma'am, my name is..." "Whoops! Don't care! Less talking, more choc-ing. Choc-ling... chocolatoling... whatever. Another drink." The clerk, whose name was Roanoke, turned to make her drink. "I was just trying to offer you some friendly advice." Rainbow scoffed. "Well, don't! The last thing I need is another 'friend'!" "Rainbow Dash?" She turned upon hearing a familiar voice. Standing in the doorway was a purple unicorn she knew very well. "Hey, Twilight," she said sheepishly. "What are you doing here?" asked Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow sighed. "I got a little bored. I can only take so many apple sweets. You know what I mean, right?" She laughed nervously. "Yeah. I guess so." "So why did you leave?" "It's over." "Well, that was short." Twilight pulled herself into the next seat. "It lasted for three hours, Rainbow." Roanoke slammed Rainbow's drink down in front of her, startling her. "One more cocoa, double chocolate," he repeated. She would have glared at him, if she wasn't too busy trying to smile away Twilight's suspicious look. "Hey!" she said, hoping desperately to steer the conversation in a different direction. "Didn't Apple Bloom look so grown up in that dress?" "Oh yes!" Twilight said. "I rather wish Rarity hadn't made it accentuate her cutie mark so much, but after all the work it took Apple Bloom to earn it, I definitely understand." "She never thought she's get it, did she?" "And what about Applejack? Didn't she look gorgeous in her gown?" Twilight beamed with happiness, remembering the outfit, even more beautiful than the one worn to the Gala. Rainbow's face fell, and she looked at her distorted, muddied reflection in her cocoa. "Yeah. Gorgeous." "What's really going on here, Rainbow Dash? I can see that you're not telling me something. What happened back there?" She took a sip of her cocoa, which was starting to get cold. "It's complicated, Twilight. You really don't want to hear about it." "Yes, I do. Please?" Rainbow forced out a small smile. "Okay, but you asked for it." • • • Everything started out awesome. I was super excited when I got Applejack's invitation! I still felt a little weird from time to time that my training with the Wonder Bolts took me away from Ponyville for such long periods of time, and even more so that I had been gone so long that Applejack had time to meet this colt she was head over hooves for. But I was stoked! I was telling all my new friends that my best friend since I was a filly was getting married. Even Soarin was excited, and he's barely met Applejack. But it was still training season, and getting away from the Bolts is no easy feat, so I wasn't able to get away until right before the wedding. Just enough time to say "hi" to you guys before it started. And she waved at me on her way down the aisle. I was so happy for her! And then they recited their vows. She kept calling him her "best friend" and talking about how wonderful he was. Everything was perfect now, and everything before was a hollow search leading to the moment when she found her "missing piece." "And?" asked Twilight. Rainbow Dash threw up her hooves. "And what am I? Spoiled oats? I've always thought of Applejack as my closest friend! Now I'm wondering what exactly we were doing here in Ponyville! Because I thought we were having a great time!" So after the ceremony, I finally spot an opening to talk to her, and I asked her to meet me in the barn. She caught up to me just a moment later. "It's great to see you, Rainbow! How you been? The Wonderbolts ain't working you too hard, I hope!" "It's pretty rough, but its nothing I can't handle! How's the apple business?" "Better than ever! It feels like ages since we've had a harvest like this, and the money we're pulling in has really helped with the wedding. Of course, our friends have really helped too. Fluttershy trained those birds herself! But what about you? I heard you've been seeing a colt yourself." "Yeah... you might remember Soarin. Wonder Bolt, shaggy mane, big appetite?" "Heck yeah, I remember him. He was the only one who bought anything from me at the Gala! He doin' alright?" "Oh yeah. He's great. So... I wanted to ask you something else, Applejack." "Go on ahead!" "Your vows back there? Did you mean all that?" Applejack laughed a little at that. "Of course I did. That's not exactly the best time to be telling stories." Rainbow chuckled too. "No, I guess not. But that's not what I meant. I meant all that stuff about your life before." "I'm not sure I follow you." "You know, your life before you met... whatshisname." "Now hold on a second," Applejack said, her voice getting more serious. "You know his name, Rainbow Dash." She closed her eyes and tried to focus on getting the proper words out. "I know, I do. I just don't understand what you mean when you say your life was empty before you met him. I mean, what about us?" "Rainbow, I'm not sure what you're getting at. I think you're wonderful, but you know I've never been like that. We were never..." "No, no, no!" she yelled. "That's not what I mean at all!" Applejack crooked her head to the side, subconsciously attempting to decipher her friend's meaning. "Then what do you mean, sugarcube?" Her teeth were on edge. Her mind was racing. The words were getting harder and harder to find. Rainbow wanted to tell Applejack how badly she missed her, but everything sounded wrong. "All our competitions! All our adventures together! What about them? Why couldn't we stay like that?" The newly-married earth pony lowered her head. She raised her eyes to meet Rainbow's, and spoke in a soft voice: "You left." Rainbow swallowed hard. The next words came out choked, more pained than she had hoped. "We were best friends." Applejack smiled at the pegasus. "We still are friends, sweetie." But her smile faded as she saw the violet eyes fill with tears. "But you're STILL my best friend! What am I supposed to do now?" After that, we went back to the party. I tried my best to hang out with you and the other ponies, but I just couldn't concentrate. You were all having these fun-sounding conversations, but I was just pushing an apple fritter around my plate. Sometimes when I looked up, I'd see Applejack looking at me. Not angry or upset, just kind of... sad. But eventually she lost herself in the party again, and she was able to enjoy herself again. Not long after, I decided to get out of there. • • • "End of story." "Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," said another voice. Rainbow Dash looked up and saw Rarity. Beside her were Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, both with concern on their faces. Rainbow chuckled. "You guys snuck up on me. Sorry about all that. I'm not trying to depress anyone. Really, this is my problem, not yours." "Are you kidding?" jumped in Pinkie Pie. "We're friends! We're always happy to listen to you!" "Even if you're not feeling happy yourself," said Fluttershy, smiling warmly. Twilight spoke up. "Sometimes that's just the way life is. Would you like to hear my thoughts?" "Sure." "Your friendship with Applejack... it's not gone." Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, but Twilight raised a hoof to silence her. "But it has changed. You can spend your life trying to change it back, but if you don't get anywhere, you'll just make yourself miserable. Or you can accept the change for what it is, and hold onto the great memories the two of you made together. Life is changing for all of us, including you, Rainbow. And you might have to make changes yourself someday. It doesn't make either of you bad ponies." Rainbow nodded slowly, and pushed away her half-finished cocoa. "Yeah, I think I understand. But can you do me a favor, Twilight?" "Anything." "Please don't send this to Princess Celestia." Twilight smiled. "Don't worry. This lesson is just between friends." The five ponies walked out of Pony Joe's together, and even Rainbow Dash was smiling and laughing. They made plans to spend the next day together, after they all got some much needed sleep. Unfortunately, Rainbow only had a few days to herself before she had to return to the Wonder Bolts, which meant that she would be gone before Applejack came back from her honeymoon. But right before she flew off, she left her a note inside a sealed envelope. It read: "All the happiness in Equestria to you both. Your friend, Rainbow Dash"

doctor dapples

135

Berry Punch,Original Character,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Intoxication

complete

<p>A Ponyville schoolteacher finds himself thrust suddenly into a family's personal problems after a confrontation with an angry mother.</p>

everyone

2012-02-22T07:47:23+00:00

2012-02-22T07:47:23+00:00

You toss your saddlebag onto the dark green sofa in your living room. It was always heaviest this time of the week. What is it your students say? "TCIF." Thank Celestia indeed. At the end of the school week, Cheerilee was always all smiles and walking out with her students like she was a grade-school filly again. You, on the other hand, were completely wiped out by five days of explaining the differences between Manehattan and Fillydelphia. Just the other day, you'd given the snarky answer, "Well, ponies actually WANT to live in Manehattan." That got you in a little bit of trouble with one of the parents, apparently born there herself. You thought about the episode, took a deep sigh, and mumbled under your breath, "If you liked it so much, why did you come to Ponyville?" No matter. Questions were done for the week. The toughest choice on your mind is what to listen to while you sit on the sofa. You pick out Colt A, one of your favorite albums, and put it in your stereo. The foreign-sounding pony sings about everything being in its right place, and as you lay yourself down next to your bag of papers to grade, you agree with him. You start to nod in time with the music, then with drowsiness, and soon you fall asleep. BANG BANG BANG You wake with a start. The second song on the disc is just ending, so you haven't been asleep for long. What exactly was that? BANG BANG BANG You glance at the door. Who is visiting you? Hay, who even knows where you live? "Please don't be a salespony, please don't be a salespony," you murmur to yourself, remembering the last one to come around. She was pretty and batted her eyes at you, and the next thing you knew you had four magazine subscriptions. You take a deep breath and open the door. No one. Then you hear a small cough from below. You look down, and a small pink head pokes out from behind the door frame. "Cherry?" you say, recognizing your student. "Can I come in, sir?" she says, very obviously nervous. You scan the area for any adult ponies. "Where's your mother, Cherry?" She looks up at you, and her eyes get big. "Pleeeease?" You feel a lump in your throat, but you nod. After she enters your house, you look around outside one more time before closing the door. Cherry's a personal favorite of yours. She seems genuinely interested in the lessons you give, and she does better at memorizing cities than most of the class. But usually she's confident and full of energy. Not like now. "What are you doing here, Cherry?" She looks at your stereo and scrunches up her face. "What exactly are you listening to?" You turn off the music and turn to face her again. "You're avoiding the question. How did you know I live here?" "Mom and I live just a couple houses down. I've seen you come here after school before." You nod. "Okay, that's one mystery solved. Now, why don't you tell me why you're here?" BANG BANG BANG Cherry runs into your kitchen at the sound of hooves at the door, much firmer than last time. "Open up! I know you're in there!" shouts a female voice. You swallow hard. You thought you were done being yelled at for the weekend. "I'm coming..." you choke out, trying to sound like you're not terrified by what's waiting on the other side. Something worse than an Ursa Major and a Hydra combined: an angry mother. You open the door. "Hello, Miss Punch..." you start to say, but she pushes past you. "Where is she?" She's already in your living room, looking under your couch. "Romana said she saw her come over here, so where is she?" You take a deep breath. "Miss Punch, I..." Berry walks right up to you and looks you right in the eyes, her own filled with fury. "I don't want to hear any excuses. This has nothing to do with you. Just tell me where she is." Your first instinct is to tell her she ran into the back, so that she'll go grab Cherry and take this whole terrifying situation out of your hands. But then you remember that you have a certain responsibility to your students, to keep them safe, whether at school or elsewhere. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Punch." She practically snarls at you. "What?" "Until you calm down, I'm just not comfortable letting you-" For a second, you see nothing. Just blackness, accompanied by an immense pain to the side of your face. Then you're looking at blurs, a growing patch of red on a background of brown. Things start to clear up, and you realize you're looking at the floor of your house, and the red is dripping down your muzzle. You look up at Berry Punch. She has tears in her eyes. "Oh no. Oh Celestia. Oh, I am so so sorry!" She looks around, biting her lip, and runs out of your house. You hear Cherry's voice from the back. "I'm coming out now! Has she calmed... what happened?" she cries in shock, seeing your wound. You want to answer her, but you're not entirely sure yourself. Suddenly, Berry Punch appears in the doorway again, accompanied this time by a blue unicorn. Cherry cringes a little, but she sees the tears in her mother's eyes and approaches her slowly. Berry speaks up. "Sweetie, I know you're upset at me. And you have every reason to be upset at me. I understand if you don't want to talk to me right now, so would you mind going with Romana for now?" Cherry turns and looks at you as if asking permission, and you nod slowly. She stands next to the unicorn. "I'll be by in a little bit to properly apologize to you, but first I need to apologize to your teacher, okay? Mommy... mommy has put him through a lot." Romana and Cherry walk off together, leaving you alone with Berry Punch. She grabs a rag from your kitchen table and approaches you. You flinch as she lifts her hoof to your face. She wipes away the excess blood. "I think it's stopped bleeding." You finally summon up the courage to speak again. "Miss Punch, I..." She laughs nervously. "Please... please don't call me Miss Punch right now. I've never done anything like that before." "You can't just..." She interrupts you again. "I know, I know. I can't. I shouldn't. I don't know what happened. I just know that I'm sorry." The tears are building up again. She turns her back on you, ashamed, with the pretense of rinsing the rag out. She comes back and begins wiping the rest of the blood off of your face. "I'm so sorry." In spite of the pain you've just suffered, you find that you really do believe her. But questions nag at your mind. "What exactly happened back there?" Berry shakes her head. "It's nothing." You give her a sideways glance. "Clearly that's not true." She puts the rag down. She walks over to your sofa and sits down, then with a hoof waves you over. You take a seat next to her and look at the sorrowful expression on her face. "She was playing with that Scootaloo again at recess today." You vaguely remember Cherry being one of the group that the little orange pegasus had challenged to a race that afternoon. Nothing particularly unusual about it, but you don't want to instigate things, so you just nod. "Cherry's going to get hurt, playing with that one." Her voice softens, and its clear she was trying to choose her next words more carefully. "If I tell you this, can it stay between us?" Again, you nod. "I had a rough day today, so when I got home I had a bit of wine. Okay, more than a bit. I don't normally drink like that, honest. But like I said, it was a rough day, and when Cherry came home and told me about the racing, I just lost it. I yelled at her. I said things I shouldn't have. And then, I bucked a vase across the room. That's when she ran to you." You say nothing for a moment, searching for the right things to say. "Has this sort of thing happened before?" She shakes her head. "I've been upset with her before, but I've never let it get the better of me like this." "Hmm..." you murmur, not sure what to say. She takes your silence as a judgment. "I really mean it. I'd never hurt her. I still can't believe I did that to you." She sniffs, and her eyes moisten. "I was just so scared of losing her. I thought she'd run away from me and she'd never come back." You look at Berry as tears start to roll down her cheeks. Not that long ago, you were terrified of her, but now you see just how vulnerable and fragile she really is. You pause for a moment before you reach out and wipe one of the tears from her face. "I don't think you need to worry about that. She loves you. She was just scared, is all." You smile at her, hoping it will cheer her up a little bit. She looks up at you. Her lavender eyes sparkle with tears. "I'm not a bad mother, am I?" You shake your head. "No, Berry, no. But you have to keep this sort of thing from happening again." She sniffs. "How do I do that?" "Just start tackling your problems one at a time. I've known ponies going through similar circumstances. And if you want, I'd be happy to help you." Again, you smile at her, and this time she smiles back. Its a beautiful smile. You're so distracted by her smile that you almost don't notice that she's pushed her nuzzle within an inch of your own. "Thank you so much," she says softly. You can smell the faint aroma of red wine and you feel her hot breath on your lips. You try to think of something to say, but the only thing you're thinking seems... improper. You get up from the sofa. "Well..." you squeak out. You clear your throat. "I'm glad we were able to reach an understanding. Maybe we can talk more about this tomorrow?" You are trying hard to hide your awkwardness with what almost happened, but you know you're not doing a very good job. The expression on Berry's face proves how correct you are, a mixture of nervous amusement and shame. "Yeah," she says, slowly making her way towards the door. She looks up at you. "I'm sorry about that, about all of this. I am truly serious about getting better. Cherry is the most important thing in the world to me." You nod. "And I'm serious about helping you. But its going to take time." "Whatever it takes," she says firmly, and walks out the door toward Romana's house. You close the door behind you, and rub the sore spot on your head. You hope that you're not making a big mistake. • • • The next morning, you're woken up early by a knock on the door. Your head feels a little puffy on the left side, but at least you're not feeling any pain. When you open the door, Berry is standing there with a basket. Her initial smile fades as soon as she looks at your eye. "Oh Celestia, it looks awful! Its all black and swollen! I'm so so sorry!" You wave the apology away with your hoof. "Its okay, I've had worse." Truthfully, you haven't had worse, but after seeing how upset it made her last night, you're happy to forgive her for the incident. You look down at the basket. "So what did you bring me?" It takes her a moment to collect her thoughts after being confronted with your shiner, but she eventually remembers her package. "Oh! This is the rest of the wine from my house. I don't want it around me anymore, but I hate to throw something away when another pony might want it." Opening the package, you find three bottles, each an impressive vintage. "Wow," you say, genuinely impressed. "This is some quality stuff you have here." Berry turns her nose up at the suggestion. "Its all dragon sweat as far as I'm concerned. It makes me act terribly and I will not have it in the same house as my daughter." "Good girl," you say, your face turning red once you realize what you said. Berry just smiles at you. You invite her inside, putting the basket in your kitchen while she makes herself comfortable. "So, did you talk to Cherry last night?" She nodded solemnly. "Yes, I did. It was a long time coming." "And?" "And... she said she was sorry for running, but she was scared. She told me that was the first time in her life she'd ever been scared OF me." "Of you?" Berry's lower lip started to tremble. "She said that she's spent a long time being scared FOR me. She said she knows I'd never hurt her, but that she doesn't know whether or not I might hurt myself." She looks at you with tears in her eyes. "Do you know what that must be like for a little filly? What do you do when your mother is more scared of the world than you are?" You feel a pressure in your chest. If there's one thing you do know, its how terrible it is to watch someone you love self-destruct. "The three years before I left Manehattan were the worst in my life. Before then, my father had always been strong, the strongest stallion I had ever known. But one day, something changed. His moods became unstable. I couldn't predict whether he'd react to something I said with laughter or yelling. Either way it was frightening. Eventually, he didn't even speak normal words anymore. Just mumbled in his own little language. Then he disappeared one morning. Without a trace. Left me, my mom, and my sisters looking all over for the week until he washed up on the shore of the Hoofson. We still don't really know what happened." You feel a sting on the left side of your face as a salty tear rolls past your wound. Berry looks at you sympathetically. "I can't do that to Cherry. She deserves better than that." She collapses into sobs again. You walk up to her and wrap a hoof around her. "You won't. You're stronger than he was." And she squeezes you as if holding onto you will keep her safe forever. • • • The visits become routine. You can expect to see Berry at least twice during the weekend, and sporadically during the week. Sometimes the visits consist of nothing but basic conversation. Sometimes she cries on your shoulder. One time, you cry on hers. She brings over cookies from Sugarcube Corner, while you make coffee. You talk about everything under the sun: the mayor, Winter Wrap Up, Princess Celestia. You talk about Cherry, and she talks even more about Cherry. But mostly you talk about her, and you get closer and closer. One time, she invites you out to watch a meteor shower. Another time, she shows up at the school during recess just to chat. You see some of the fillies giggling, amused that their teacher has a female visitor during school hours, but Cherry doesn't seem to care and just waves at the two of you. And after every visit, she gives you a hug. A hug that you find yourself looking forward to more with each passing day. Every time, you're more reluctant to break that embrace, and soon you find yourself daydreaming of your muzzle in that mulberry mane. • • • Well, the time has come. School is done for the year, and you're almost as glad as the students are. They think its all fun and games for you, but exam week chafes your flank almost as much as it does theirs. There's only one thing you know you'll miss this summer... "Hello?" comes a familiar voice. "Berry?" "Sorry for letting myself in like this, I just wanted to stop in and say thank you one more time." You smile. "Its quite alright. You know my door is always open for you." She plops herself down on the sofa next to you. "Are you excited that its finally over?" You let out a big breath of air and chuckle. "You have no idea. I swear, I can't simplify Canterlot's districts any more than I already have." She echoes the laugh. "Well, I know Cherry had a good time in your class. It was a good year for her." "Where is she now?" "Playing with Scootaloo and the other Cutie Mark Crunchers." "Crusaders," you correct. Berry shrugs. "Whatever. In any case, they're having fun." You sit up and look at her seriously. "And no problems?" She smiles. "I still get worried. But I handle it much better now." She pulls you in for an embrace. "Thanks to you." You close your eyes and sigh contentedly. "You did all the hard work. You deserve the praise." She pulls her head back, and you expect her to release you, but when you open your eyes, you find her looking deep into yours. You gulp. "You alright?" she says coyly. This time, there's no trace of alcohol on her breath, just a sweet scent that you find more intoxicating than the contents of any of those bottles she left with you. You can't quite catch your breath, and all you can think about is sharing your next gasp of air with her. As if reading your mind, she says "yes." And you push your lips against hers, and she returns the kiss with equal fervor. You feel her tongue pass into your mouth and you take it in, letting her explore while you do the same. You place your hoof behind her head as you lay her on her back. You break the kiss to look at her, draped across your sofa, wanting you. She has the faintest trace of moisture in her eyes, but she's smiling. "I really am sorry about your head." You smile back and kiss her softly on the nose. "You've more than made up for it, Berry." You embrace each other and the world dissolves. • • • Much later, while she lazily traces circles on your chest with her hoof, she looks up. "What time is it?" You shrug, and go to embrace her again, but she hops off of you and runs to the window. She gasps. "It's dark outside! I can't believe I lost track of the time like this! I gotta go pick up Cherry!" She's halfway out the door when she stops and turns around. She gives you an embarrassed look. "I'm really sorry to run out on you like this. But I promised her we'd spend tonight together." She straightens her back out and stands as if at attention. "It took me a while, but I know that while she's growing up, that little filly still needs me." You smile back at her. "I got news for you, Berry." She crooks her head to the side. "What do you mean?" "She's not the only one." Berry's face flushes as she smiles. She lets out a little squeal of glee and then skips out the door and into the night.

doctor dapples

137

Slice of Life

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Colt

A pony tries to get his writing career off the ground, with a little help from Twilight Sparkle.

complete

<p>A solitary pony tries to get his writing career off the ground, and receives a little help from a mare who just happens to live in the Ponyville Library.<br /><br />The first story I wrote featuring Dapples.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:59:18+00:00

When he was younger, he used to get a lot of manure about his disinterest in magic. It just wasn't normal for a unicorn. It would be like a pegasus showing no interest in flying. At least that's what his parents used to say. Heck, they still said it, but thankfully less often. They'd backed off a bit once he started writing with that typewriter. Some ponies developed a real talent for hitting those keys accurately, but Dapples had gotten frustrated from the very beginning with repeatedly slamming eight keys at once and going through multiple pages before turning out something mildly legible. So he learned to use his magic to type, and it was the one thing he did better than anyone. And now the spotted grey pony had a typewriter key on his flank. D. "Dang it," Dapples sighed, once someone pointed it out to him. "I'm the luckiest colt in the world." But while he may not have been blessed with any great talent for magic, or a look that appealed to more than a small percentage of ladyponies, he was actually quite satisfied with his place in life. Dapples wrote copy for one of the kingdom's biggest daily papers, and the work took him all over Equestria. His last big assignment was about the return of Nightmare Moon, and after the chaos of that story, his boss allowed him to take a hiatus in Ponyville. He was spending his vacation two ways. For one, he was trying desperately to get out of covering the Grand Galloping Gala again. Every year, the boss sent him, and every year it was the same dull show. He would've walked out last year if the cellist hadn't talked him up during their breaks. But he wasn't going to attend this year just on the odd hope that she might remember him. In any situation, his repeated pleas to his boss were definitely seeming to have an effect, and he was pretty sure that this was the year he wouldn't spend that evening bored out of his mind. More importantly, Dapples wanted to be a novelist. He was tired of always running around all over Equestria, trying to keep ahead of the rival papers. He was tired of having to stay up to the minute on every event, small or large, and being expected to never repeat himself. But mostly, he was just tired. He dreamed of a life where he could sleep all through a night without a knock on the door, or to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, or to actually get the chance to talk to a mare for more than one night. And when he wasn't exploring this newly discovered personal life, he could write. He could put his magic to the keys and share his great ideas with the world. There was only problem: he didn't have any great ideas. The first couple of weeks of his hiatus had found him pacing around his Ponyville apartment, his mind a blank slate. The only thing he had written that entire time was a nauseating piece about an old fillyfriend, and the writing was so awful, he almost called off his vacation right there. Instead, he swung by the library, in hopes of reminding himself what good writing feels like. It turned out that the library was serving as a residence to another unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, who was Princess Celestia's prize pupil. They struck up an immediate conversation about the recent occurrences in Ponyville, and Dapples was flattered to find someone that actually followed current events as closely as he did. After about an hour, he asked to use the bathroom, and was pointed up the stairs to a hallway. Two unmarked doors. "Which one is it?" "The teal one." They looked exactly the same. "Oh...kay," he bit his lip and opened the door on the left. He had obviously picked the wrong door, as he entered not a bathroom, but a small room with nothing but a table, a chair, and a window. A reading room. "Sorry, I forget that not everypony has their colors... ah, you stumbled in here. I've never been able to figure out what to do with it. I do all my reading in the main hall. I like having the space to spread out." "I'll take it," Dapples said, without thinking. "What?" "I mean, if you'd let me, I'd love to use it for my writing. I'm going insane in the mane over at my apartment, and this is just the sort of environment I could really thrive in." He looked at Twilight, hopefully. "Again, if you'd let me." The purple unicorn smiled. "Of course! I hated having this room go to waste, and I'll feel so much better if its being used to further knowledge. I'll let Spike know that we'll have a visitor during the days!" • • • And so here he was, sitting over his typewriter in the small but well-lit room in the Ponyville Library. However, the change in location hadn't helped his ability to write. He still had nothing on the page. In fact, his writer's block had led "during the days" to include some sleepless nights as well. On the rare occasion that he did stay through the night, he didn't venture out from the room, except to use the bathroom. Twilight had been a gracious host, and she deserved her privacy. On a few nights where her late night vigils coincided with his, she brought him a cup of very soothing lavender tea, which usually had the counterproductive quality of putting him right to sleep in his chair. Yes, Twilight had become even more than a host. She had become a friend. And as often happens with friendships, Dapple was beginning to... Dapples gasped. "I've got it!" And suddenly the keys were clicking away. After what felt like ages, he had found his muse. The Doctor started tapping at the keys at an increasingly frenetic pace. The words he had searched for now came pouring out onto the page, one letter impact at a time. What he had stumbled across was a fantastic romance novel, perhaps one of the finest ever written, but the story had not come from fiction. Rather, this was a narrative that he had been living firsthand, at this very moment. He once again turned his thoughts to her - the color of her hair, the shape of her body, her magnificent voice... if only he had met her earlier. But then, what of their whirlwind courtship? What of the days entwined in each others' forelegs, or of barely lit evenings, and whispering sweet nothings into welcoming ears? There was a knock at the door, delicate and yet firm, followed by the lilt of the unicorn's sweet voice, asking to come in. As always, he bade her enter without a second thought. The door opened wide and her elegant purple shape appeared, seductive as always. She walked slowly, deliberately over to the table, and stood next to her lover. "How's it going?" Twilight chirped. Dapples snapped out of his typing frenzy with a start. Had he really just let her in? He glanced over at her. "...Goooood...", he said nervously. "I'm really sorry to have interrupted you, but I heard all the typing, and I got excited. Is this the first thing you've written?" He turned and looked at the long paragraph on the page in front of him. "Yes..." "Can I read it?", she asked with enthusiasm. Dapples looked at Twilight, then looked at the paragraph. Body. Courtship. Seductive. Oh no. Oh no no no. He thrust his upper body onto his typewriter, covering up the page. "No! Sorry... it's not ready yet. I've got to rewrite it." "Oh, come on!" she said playfully, trying to get a peek at the paper while he blocked her view with his body. She was giggling while he politely attempted to discourage her. After a few moments of fruitless struggle, her horn began to glow, and the page lifted itself out of the typewriter. No matter how hard Dapples tried to grab it back, Twilight's superior magic kept it well out of his reach. As she brought it to her eyes for reading, Dapples sat on his hooves, awaiting his fate. She hadn't gotten more than a sentence in when she lowered the paper and looked at him. "Doctor?" He smiled sheepishly. "You've never performed medicine." He raised his hoof. "Doctor of journalism." She narrowed his eyes and smiled at him. "No, you're not." He put his hoof down, and she kept reading. Her face lit up as she cooed, "Oh! A romance novel! How sweet!" The colt began to get hopeful, but as she kept reading her face changed to one of skepticism, then of surprise, then of outright shock. She put the paper down and looked right at him. Almost through him. A look that says, "What the hay is this colt thinking?" He felt cold. Dapples chuckled nervously. "How do you like it?" She put her hoof down on the sheet. "Do you want to explain it, or shall I draw my own conclusions?" He bit his lip and looked up at her. "You inspired me?" "To make up lies?!" "It's not you! It's a fictional character!" "What's her name?" He thought for a moment. "Skylight Twinkle." Good one, genius. Twilight broke her scowl and sighed heavily. "Seriously, Dapples. What exactly is going on here? I let you into what is essentially my home, offer you space to do your work, and the first thing you put to paper is a fantasy about me? I mean, what am I supposed to think?" "I-I'm sorry, Twilight," he stammered. He searched his brain for anything that resembled an explanation, but the only thing he found thoroughly depressed him. "I'm... I'm just not a very good writer." He sighed, and rubbed his eyes, wiping away the moisture that was building up against his will. "I have just really appreciated all you have done for me lately. And thinking about it, well..." He breathed in deep through his nostrils. "It made me happy. Happier than I've been in a while. And suddenly this whole scenario flowed out of me. I just got carried away." "Well..." Twilight said. "It honestly wasn't terrible. And I'm really glad that you're happy. But it's still a little weird for me to read that." "I know. I know." "Maybe romance just isn't your genre?" She smiled hopefully, and looked thoughtful. "Did you ever consider writing horror?" Dapples shook his head. "Oh no. No no no. I knew this pony, a sergeant in Celestia's army. When he got out of the service, he wrote this crazy novel about a pony who drugs, tortures, and kills her best friend. Now, no matter how much other stuff he does, ponies only want to talk about that story." Twilight made a face. "Yikes. I can understand not wanting that sort of legacy around your neck. How about instead of making up stuff about us, you can write about some make-believe adventures with other artists or some of your favorite musicians?" "Fanfiction? Are you serious? How big of a nerd do I look like to you?" Twilight smiled and held back a chuckle. "Please don't answer that." The purple filly composed herself, but all of a sudden a large grin spread across her face. "Did you ever consider something closer to what you have been doing?" "What do you mean?" "Maybe fiction just isn't for you. What about historical nonfiction? I can already tell you there haven't been any books written about the return of Nightmare Moon." The colt scratched his chin. "Hmm... that's actually not a bad idea." "Not bad? It's a great idea!" yelled Twilight, slapping him in the shoulder. "There's a ton of ponies who would probably be thrilled to be interviewed about it, which would you get a bunch of different perspectives on the night she first showed up. And I'm sure all of my friends would be happy to talk to you about the journey!" She gasped. "I could probably get you an audience with Princess Celestia!" Dapples felt his jaw drop. "Really?" He tried to maintain his composure, but he was getting very excited himself. "You think this would work?" "Sure! And I'll help you all the way!" Her response caught him a little off guard. "Even after what I wrote?" "Look, I genuinely like you, Dapples. Definitely as a friend. Maybe even... maybe even something more. But its far too early to say. And its definitely too early for our supposed 'escapades' to be put into print." She smiled at him, and he returned it. "Thank you, Twilight. I appreciate this, everything so far, and anything else that you are willing to do for me." She reached inward and gave him a hug. It was a short embrace, but with his face pressed against her violet and pink hair, it felt somehow longer. She released him, took one look at his stupid grin, and shook her head, still smiling. "Go home and get some sleep, Dapples. We'll start gathering resources in the afternoon." He nodded. "Absolutely. I just need a couple moments to clear my head." Twilight turned around and walked to the door. He followed the movement of her body as she walked. He watched the motion of her legs as the muscles made the cutie mark on her flank rise up and d- This time, Twilight grabbed the paper mid-sentence from across the room. She took one look at it and crumpled it up with her magic. "You're going to be the death of me." Her horn glowed as she launched the ball of paper at his face. Dapples closed his eyes, bracing for impact, but it never came. He slowly opened his eyes. Twilight was gone, and the paper ball was impaled on his horn.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-08-29T23:23:40+00:00

2011-08-29T23:23:40+00:00

Two figures stood amidst the rubble of a fortress in the shadow of the only standing wall left, emblazoned with the symbol of the Uchiha clan. The two fighters were both exhausted, their chakra reserves severely depleted. But only one was truly close to death, covered in blood and feeling life slipping away from him he stumbled forward. "Sorry, Sasuke... this will be the last time." said Itachi Uchiha, tapping his brother on his forehead as he had done so many times in the past. With his final words spoken Itachi fell forward allowing the darkness to consume him... However, death did not come for him as he had planned as he awoke laying face down in some grass, normally he would have assumed this was the afterlife of some sort but the pain he felt was a good indicator of it not being so. "Well it seems like you've finally woken up. Good to know my skills with medical ninjutsu haven't dulled over the years." Said a voice Itachi was quite familiar with, a voice that belonged to the only person he had ever truly hated. He opened his eyes to see a man sitting on a rock before him wearing an akatsuki coat and a spiral orange mask with one eyehole on the right. Itachi glared at the person in front of him, the one responsible for everything, Madara Uchiha. "You're probably wondering why you're alive. " Madara said looking over to his right. "It's not for the reasons you might think. Truth is Itachi, I've kept you alive this long so that I might actually thank you." Thank me? Itachi thought through the pain, trying to speak but only succeeding in coughing up more blood. "You see now that Sasuke has "defeated" you there is nothing stopping me from revealing the truth to him. And unlike you, with the right…. incentive, I can easily convince him to do anything I desire." You bastard! Itachi screamed in his mind attempting to rise, wishing only to kill the man standing before him, but his strength deserted him and he simply crashed back down. The only thing he could do was stare at Madara with the hatred that now consumed him. "I applaud your efforts Itachi, but you really should conserve your energy. All I've done is delay the inevitable. Shame you had to contract that disease otherwise who knows? You might have actually been able to kill me. What does really surprise me though is that you're still able to see me after using your ocular powers so flagrantly, by all accounts you should be practically blind by now." He's right Itachi thought, for the first time noticing the clarity of his sight. He hadn't been able to see clearly in years, yet now it was as if his eyes had never degenerated. He hadn't noticed it before due to the pain but now it seemed like the only important thing. "Well I guess we can just chalk it up to you being a prodigy, after all I've never seen someone master the Sharingan so thoroughly before in my life." He paused for a while. "And now Itachi Uchiha we must part and say our farewells." Said Madara finally looking back to Itachi and standing up. "Oh don't worry I'm not going to kill you, if I wanted that so badly I would've just let you die back at the fortress. Instead I'll show you the true power of the Sharingan." Instantly the air around the two shifted, as if a large amount of chakra was being channeled. Itachi, even in the poor state he was in could sense it. "I assume you've noticed we're nowhere near the fortress anymore? I never did show you full extent of my teleportation jutsu, it allows me to not only move myself through space and time, but to move others. With it I can send you anywhere I desire, for instance this clearing. However in this case I think I'll show it at its fullest power and send you to an entirely different world, not even I will know where you will end up." A vortex began to form around the eyehole in Madara's mask; Itachi could feel himself being pulled towards it. "Oh and one other thing." Madara said, pulling out Itachi's forehead protector and throwing it to him. "Can't have you go anywhere without your forehead protector, it's unfitting for a shinobi to be without one. Farewell Itachi Uchiha, your help in securing the tailed beasts has been invaluable." Smiling underneath his mask as Itachi was sucked into the wormhole generated by his Sharingan and vanished. Meanwhile, in Ponyville… Everypony was in a hurry trying to get everything ready for the imminent arrival of the two Princesses and there were still so many last minute preparations, cakes and food being arranged on tables, ribbons and flowers being adjusted just so, and most importantly the assurance that everypony was there for when the princesses arrived. Twilight was naturally the one put in charge of organizing the whole thing. "Okay so that leaves… Fluttershy, hey Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted to the blue Pegasus flying around trying to get the clouds just right. "Yeah?" "Have you seen Fluttershy at all today?" "No, I think she's been taking care of some animal's family... she might have forgotten about today." "WHAT?" Twilight shouted, completely freaking out. Everything had to be perfect, especially her friends, despite what Celestia had said at sugarcube corner earlier in the year she was still worried. "Dash you need to go get her, now!" "Aw come on Twilight! I need to get the-"Dash stopped in midword when she saw Twilight's eye twitch" I mean yeah I'll get going right now!" She said flying off towards Fluttershy's. On one of the many roads leading out of Ponyville a small wormhole opened in the fabric of space time, depositing the dying ninja into the world and then promptly vanishing. Itachi was left standing in a world not his own as he realized the extent of Madara's technique. His awe was short lived as he quickly fell to his hands and knees, his strength failing him again. Blood dripped down from his mouth onto the packed dirt below him as he raged at his situation. Dying on a world that isn't even mine, while that bastard manipulates my little brother and makes everything I've sacrificed meaningless! As unconsciousness came to claim him for a second time, his last coherent thought was for the safety of his brother and the hope that his contingency plan would work. Just as his eyes closed he could've sworn he heard a girlish shriek. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were walking down the road into Ponyville, Dash having found Fluttershy taking care of some rabbits who had one of their members beak his leg. Fluttershy had been so caught up in trying to care for the little critter she had completely forgotten about the event today, much to the ire of Rainbow Dash who did not appreciate Twilight's singling her out to go get Fluttershy, especially when she still had work to do on the clouds. "Hey I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier Fluttershy. I'm just so annoyed with Twilight being a perfectionist about this whole thing." Dash said apologetically, she had been so frustrated earlier upon discovering Fluttershy had forgotten about an important event because of animals AGAIN. And Dash knew she had been a bit too pushy in getting her to come with. "Oh no its alright, I really shouldn't have forgotten. Twilight's been going on about this whole thing for weeks, I'm just sorry she made you come get me even though you still had work to do." Fluttershy said in her usual quiet voice. "Thanks Fluttershy, I shouldn't have been so frustrated with you, you're just doing what you're best at. " Dash said remembering why the two pegasi were such good friends as they rounded a corner."And besides I'm sure the weather patrol can get it done wit-" Dash was interrupted by something she had never heard before in her life, Fluttershy's voice reaching a volume higher than 5 decibels. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Fluttershy shrieked at the figure lying prone on the road in front of them. "WOAH!" Dash shouted as she noticed exactly what Fluttershy was screaming at. she ran over it, kneeling down to get a better look. " You OK?" she asked prodding the arm of the being in front of her, getting no response she began to worry. "I think he might be hurt." Fluttershy's voice had returned to its quiet normal volume "You're probably right., lets see if we can turn him over." Dash grunted as she pushed his left arm turning the body over. "O-oh no...oh nonono... this is bad." Fluttershy's front hooves shot up to her mouth, the scene before them was not a pleasant one. Whoever he was, he was seriously injured, he had burns all up his right arm, the blackened skin showing the damage. Blood dripped off his hands and forearms, there was even more still running from his mouth, and his breathing was dangerously shallow. " We need to get him into town." "What? I don't know Fluttershy, he might be dangerous..." Dash said apprehensively "We can't just leave him here! He'll die unless we help him!" "Well...alright then." she relented " Help me pick him up." "O-OK" Fluttershy said bounding forward, helping Dash to drape him over her back. Knowing he would be too heavy for Rainbow Dash to carry on her own, as much as Dash would have protested to the contrary, she trotted around to the other side and carried his upper body while Dash took the lower part. Unfurling one of her wings to give his head support, Fluttershy could feel his warm blood beginning to run down her wing, normally she would've freaked out at this, but the thought that his life depended on them kept that from happening. Great, Twilight's just gonna LOVE this... Dash thought to herself, she turned her head to say something to Fluttershy as the two ponies headed toward Ponyville with their cargo, when she noticed something. " What's that he's holding?" "Hm?" Fluttershy said as she followed Dash's gaze, clutched in his right hand was what appeared to be a piece of metal attached to some cloth, upon closer inspection she noticed a long scratch lengthwise along it. " I have no idea, I guess you can ask him when we finally get to Ponyville." "Yeah, I guess I will..." Dash was as always amazed by Fluttershy's kindness and optimism, she turned her focus back onto the road. she took more of the load and picked up the pace to get the poor soul on her back to help in time to save his life, not just for his sake but for her friend's.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-08-30T18:26:26+00:00

2011-08-30T18:26:26+00:00

Itachi awoke yet again in a different place than where he had slipped into unconsciousness, he was beginning to feel as if it was becoming a trend. His surprise at being alive and more importantly not in pain prevented him from being too annoyed at being in another situation where he had no idea what was going on. He finally opened his eyes after judging that it would be a better idea to get a grasp of his surroundings rather than keeping up the facade of sleep. The first thing Itachi noticed was the purple horse standing next to the bed he was lying in, it was apparently taking notes by levitating a pencil. Itachi just sat there staring for a good minute in shock, trying to decide if this was real or if he was under the most intricate and subtle genjutsu he had ever seen. Before he could come to a definitive decision on whether to treat this as reality, the purple horse seemed to finally notice him."Oh so it seems you're finally awake." Itachi opened his mouth to speak drawing in a breath when he stopped, noticing something, his lungs were working perfectly. For years he had been living with a death sentence, staying alive only through sheer willpower and a drug regimen but now it appeared to have been cured. He smiled at this realization completely forgetting about the young pony that was speaking to him. Twilight was slightly weirded out by the whatever he was lying in front of her and decided it would be a good idea to go get the princesses. "I'll be right back." She said heading towards the door. She made it about halfway when a voice that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end broke the silence, "Sorry, I was distracted. What's your name?" She turned to face the owner, who looked at her with an inquiring expression "Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. And yours?" "Itachi Uchiha." He replied looking around the room taking in his surroundings. "Where exactly am I?" "You're in my library. You were in pretty bad shape when Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy brought you into town. My place happened to be the closest so we brought you here while the princesses worked to save your life." "Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?" "Oh they're my friends, they're the ones who found you collapsed on the road outside Ponyville and brought you here." "What country is this in? Fire? Wind?" Itachi asked, his confusion growing with every passing moment. "What? No you're in Equestria." Twilight answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Anyways I should probably go get the princesses; they'd be better equipped to answer any questions you might have. And besides they told me to get them once you were awake." She said heading for the door once more. This is too weird and realistic to be a genjutsu, no one could've possibly come up with this Itachi thought to himself as the pony left the building. Still, there's only one way to know for sure. Itachi concentrated for a few seconds closing his eyes; he then activated his Sharingan, opening them once more. As I suspected. My chakra flow is completely normal. This left him in an even more impossible situation, as it appeared Madara had not been lying to him and had indeed sent him to an entirely different world. This presented him a unique set of problems, not the least of which was the distinct possibility that he was stuck here. Before he could begin to ponder his situation, two equine figures entered the room, these two were different from Twilight, rather than simply having a horn the two both possessed wings and a horn, and they looked as regal as they came. Celestia proceeded her sister into the room curious as to who this stranger was. She had sized him up from the extensive time she and her sister had spent using their combined powers to heal him of his affliction. But now that he was awake, he was much more intense and intimidating, his face betrayed no emotion. Celestia was impressed, she dealt with diplomats and emissaries from across the world on a daily basis and none had been as unreadable as the being that sat before them. "My student, Twilight Sparkle tells me your name is Itachi Uchiha, Welcome Itachi, to my kingdom of Equestria." "Thank you your highness." Itachi replied in a grateful tone. "I am to understand you are the ones I have to thank for saving my life." "Well my involvement was only partial, it was my sister Luna here who really was the one doing all the work." Celestia indicated the midnight blue pony standing next to her. Itachi's gaze shifted to Luna, who was immediately unnerved by the stare of the two blood red eyes that looked at her. The eyes seemed to be looking right through her to her very soul, seeing everything that she normally kept concealed beneath the surface. But there was something else; in those eyes she saw pain, loneliness, and a great sadness. Luna recognized and understood what his eyes contained because for 1000 years her own eyes had contained the same emotions. A moment passed between them as they recognized each other as kindred spirits, both having suffered greatly in their lifetimes. "Thank you, Princess Luna." He said his voice laced with true emotion for the first time. "I had been suffering from that disease for many years. I am eternally in your debt for curing me of it." "I-It was nothing, really you're quite welcome." Luna said sheepishly. "Anyways," Said Celestia returning her attention to the Ninja in front of them "I am most curious as to what you are, and how you came to be here in Equestria." Itachi considered this for moment, he then decided he owed them at least that much and began to speak. "As for what I am, I am a human, a former shinobi from the village of Konoha in the country of fire. And as for how I came to be here, I was sent here as a final insult however I have no idea as to how I was sent." "Konoha? Country of fire?" Itachi then spent the next few minutes giving the princesses a basic history of the ninja world, outlining the political situation and the village system, as well as a basic overview of shinobi. The two alicorns were good listeners rarely interrupting him, and even when they did it was only to ask another question. "So you're from the 'Village hidden in the leaves'?" Luna asked after Itachi had finished. "Yes I was, but I ended up having to leave the village, despite how much I cared for my home." "You left?" "Yeah that's what this represents." Itachi said picking up his forehead protector from the table beside him and putting it on." The symbol in the center is the symbol of Konoha, the scratch represents the cutting of all ties to the village." "But why did you leave?" He grew somber and serious at the question. "It was a necessary sacrifice to protect my brother, who I valued- still value higher than my village." "It must have been difficult." "It was." Itachi then realized he was talking too much, he had lowered his emotional walls for these two, and the more disturbing part was he had no idea why. "Well I think I've explained myself thoroughly enough. Now I have a question for you, what exactly are you two?" "We're ponies Itachi. Specifically alicorns if that's what you're asking." Answered Celestia "Alicorns?" "Yes there are three types of ponies, earth ponies who are just regular ponies, pegasai who have wings, and unicorns that posses horns and can use magic. My sister and I are both alicorns because of our royal heritage." "Makes sense, I guess." Itachi responded, processing this information. "Well then Itachi Uchiha, I have one last question for you, what do you plan to do now that you are here?" Celestia asked Itachi's eyes narrowed as he picked up on the subtleties of the question." All I desire to do is to try and find a way back to my world, failing that I have no idea. I am no danger to you or your subjects Celestia, I have no reason to seek any conflict here." "I had hoped for such a response, Itachi you are officially a guest of Equestria and you may stay here in my student's home while you try to find a way back if you so wish." "Thank you your highness, is there any way that I can possibly compensate for the hospitality I've received? I feel as if I owe you a great deal, yet I have no money." He said "I'm sure Twilight can think of something. In the meantime good luck with your endeavors Itachi, I hope to see you again soon." and with that the two royal sisters turned to leave. As she was leaving Luna turned back to look at the young human who had entered so suddenly into their world, he was standing now unwrapping the bandages that covered his right arm. She was already intrigued by him, and wished to speak with him again in private. Those eyes She thought to herself as she remembered the pain and sadness that lurked behind Itachi's, they're not so different than mine were not so long ago. Itachi was busy examining his arm for any signs of permanent damage when he heard the clopping of hooves behind him, he turned to see twilight walking towards him "Sorry for being so aloof earlier, I guess i just didn't trust you very much until the princesses talked to you. It seems like you'll be staying with me so I think we better have some more formal introductions." Twilight said extending her hoof warily. "Trust should be earned, not given Twilight, its quite alright." Itachi said taking her hoof and shaking it. "Well anyways is there anything you need?" She asked Itachi thought for a moment " Is there a tailor in this town? I do have need of some new clothing." "Oh then we'll go to my friend Rarity's, shes the best clothing designer in all of Equestria!" Twilight said, excited to have the time to talk to a being from outside their world. "And I can also give you a quick tour of Ponyville on the way there if you like." He pondered the offer, finally deciding that it couldn't hurt "That sounds like a good idea Twilight, please lead the way." he said as the two headed for the door. Itachi hadn't made it more than 3 steps outside of Twilight's library when a pink blur shot up next to him, he had been too busy looking at the town around him to notice it at first and would have missed it entirely if his Sharingan hadn't been activated. "HIYA my name's Pinkie Pie! What's yours?" asked the pink pony standing less than an inch from his face who was, surprisingly, not the least bit intimidated by him. Itachi mentally sighed, this was gonna be a long day.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-08-31T02:53:01+00:00

2011-08-31T02:53:01+00:00

"Wow you sure are a scary guy Mr. Uchiha!" said Pinkie Pie giggling as she continued to bounce around the ninja. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone faint from just looking at somepony!" After the introductions between Itachi and Pinkie Pie were finished, the trio had set off into town. The looks the group were getting as they proceeded through Ponyville weren't helping Itachi's mood and he admittedly might have been glaring with a bit too much intensity when the group stopped to say hi to Fluttershy. The young Pegasus had passed out on the spot when the first thing she saw after turning around to respond to Twilight's greeting was Itachi's gaze. "Well Pinkie Pie, I have had plenty of practice." He said chuckling darkly to himself. "Perhaps it'd be a good idea to deactivate my Sharingan." "Shari-what now? That sounds like something you'd get if you were sick." Twilight said looking up from Fluttershy whom she was currently trying to wake up. "You don't think my eyes look like this naturally, do you?" He said pointing to them as he deactivated his Sharingan. Twilight watched as the three marks around the pupil rotated as they faded along with the blood red coloring leaving Itachi's eyes with simple dark irises "S-so those are your normal eyes?" stammered out Twilight amazed at what she had just seen. Itachi nodded as he knelt down next to the unconscious pony "Yeah these are my natural eyes, but I usually just leave my Sharingan activated. This is Fluttershy right? One of the two you said found me and carried me back here?" He asked as he placed on hand on her forehead. "Yes, she and Rainbow Dash were the ones that found you." Ruined my well thought out plans for that day too.. "So wait, why'd you have your Sharingan activated?" "Besides to scare ponies? It allows me to see chakra and increases my perception, I was checking to see if I was under some sort of illusion earlier guess I just forgot to deactivate them." He said as his hand began to glow with green energy. Itachi had never been very good with medical ninjutsu but he could at least bring someone back to consciousness by disturbing their chakra sufficiently. "Chakra?" "The mixture of physical and spiritual energy present in all living beings, you probably have a different word for it here." He answered as Fluttershy began to stir. "Twilight, I can see you have quite a lot of questions for me, but I'm not really in the mood to be answering them all at once. Considering I can't really think of a way to compensate you for letting me stay in your home, hows about you pick a time and we can sit down and I'll answer all your questions. Does that sound like fair payment to you?" "Sounds like a deal to me." Twilight said smiling; she was already beginning to formulate a list of questions for him. "Uhhhh what happened? I was buying some food for angel when I heard Twilight, so I turned around and…." Fluttershy said rubbing her head as she sat up, stopping suddenly as she opened her eyes and noticed Itachi kneeling next to her looking at her with concern. " Y-you're the one Rainbow Dash and I found on the road." "Yeah I am and I owe you two my life. Though I suppose scaring you half to death isn't the best way to show my gratitude." Itachi said smiling. "It's quite alright; I've never been the bravest of ponies. What's your name? We never did find out." "Itachi Uchiha. And if there's anything you or Rainbow Dash need please let me know, I pay my debts, especially ones of this magnitude. " He said, standing up from Fluttershy's side. "I'll remember that, thank you." She said, continuing to avoid Iatchi's gaze. "Oo! Oo! Fluttershy you should see who would win in a stare off! Your 'stare' against his Sharingan-thingie!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly continuing to bounce up and down. "Ohhh no I couldn't do that, you know that I can't control it. And I have no reason to use it on him." "Awww spoil sport!" Pinkie said, and finally stopped bouncing. "And besides Pinkie, I've seen both. If they went at it, we might be here for hours." Twilight said. "Probably, depends on which one of us would have to blink first." Itachi said looking around at all the ponies around the four who were still staring at them. "Twilight I think it'd be a good idea to hold off on that tour until later." Twilight looked around noticing the looks they were getting as well. "Agreed." "Well Twilight, it was nice to see you but I have to get back to Angel, he doesn't like it when I'm late with his lunch. Oh and Mr. Uchiha, it's good to see you're alright." Fluttershy said as she turned to leave. "OK bye then Fluttershy!" Twilight said as the Pegasus began to head off to her home, followed closely by Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie Pie where are you going?" "Oh I'm going to help Fluttershy with feeding her little friends! But don't worry I'll see you later at Mr. Uchiha's welcoming party!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing off in the same direction as Fluttershy. "Wait, what? A Party? But I wasn't …. " Itachi's voice just trailed off as the pink pony just giggled and continued bouncing away. "Don't worry, nopony can understand her, you're not the first to be confused by Pinkie, I know I still am." Twilight said laughing slightly at the confused shinobi. The two then continued onwards to Rarity's where even outside they could hear somepony fussing over something or other. Twilight and Itachi shared a look as Twilight pushed open the door. "Hi there Rarity! Oh sorry are we interrupting you?" Standing in front of Itachi and Twilight was a white unicorn with her back turned towards them whose horn was glowing as she was finishing some stitches on a dress set on a pony shaped mannequin. "Oh no dear I'm just finishing up these last few details, I'll only be a minute. What is it you need?" Rarity asked as she continued working. "Oh well it's not for me it's for our new arrival here." "New arrival? You don't mean.." Rarity said as she turned around to face them finally and noticed Itachi. "You're the one Dash and Fluttershy found on the way into town right? My name's Rarity, it's a pleasure to meet you." "Itachi Uchiha, and likewise." He said inclining his head in greeting. "So what can I do for you Itachi?" "Well I'm in need of some replacement clothing for some that I lost earlier, and Twilight told me you were the best one to go to." "Well she's quite right, do you have anything in mind?" "Yes actually, do you have a pencil and paper? I can give you the design right now along with all the measurements if that'd be helpful." "Well of course that would, but surely you can't mean you plan on designing it all right now?" The look on Itachi's face told her otherwise. "Well then here you go." She said handing over a sketchpad and a pencil. "Let me know when you're finished or if you have any questions. In the meantime Twilight darling there's a few things I wanted to get your opinion on with regards to the Grand Galloping Gala…." The two ponies hadn't been speaking for more than a couple of minutes when Itachi was finished. As he handed over the sketch pad, Rarity's jaw almost dropped through the floor. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked. "No, no of course not, but you did ALL this in a couple of minutes?" Curious, Twilight looked over at the sketchbook, on the page was an incredibly detailed drawing of what seemed to be a large coat at three different angles, you could even see the individual stitches in the drawing. Also along the side were the colors he wanted and a list of the necessary materials and measurements out to 3 decimal points of exactness. "Yeah, sorry if it's a bit rough, the pencil tip broke off halfway through." Rarity just kept looking dumbstruck, then suddenly swept off to her shelves to see if she had the materials. As she was sifting through her inventory Twilight leaned over to Itachi and whispered "You did that on purpose didn't you?" "Perhaps. No one's ever accused me of not being thorough." He whispered back as a faint smile appeared on his lips. Twilight started smiling too as she noticed he had reactivated his Sharingan. "Well I have all the materials necessary for it but are you sure you want these colors? They just clash so much with the purple you're already wearing." Rarity said as she returned levitating the cloth she was going to work with over to a nearby table. "Yes I am sure, the colors are pretty important to me they were traditional wear for my clan." Itachi said. "Well if you say so, but before I get started could you come over here and tell me what you think about the stitching on this dress? You do seem to have a pretty good eye for design." Rarity asked, indicating the magenta dress she had been working on when Twilight and Itachi had entered the store. Twilight sighed as Itachi acquiesced to Rarity, going over and pointing out all the problems that still plagued her work. As she sighed she looked out the window and saw Spike sprinting up the road towards Rarity's looking distressed. Twilight stepped outside the shop as she yelled "Spike!" getting the young dragon's attention. Spike ran up out of breath "Twilight! I'm so glad I found you, is Rarity in there?" "She was last time I checked like 5 seconds ago. Why? What's wrong?" "Rainbow Dash said there's a manticore heading for Sweet Apple Acres, fast! And she needs your guys' help to stop it before it hurts somepony!" "Does Applejack know? She's got to get out of there!" "Yeah but you know how she is, she won't abandon her apple orchard." "Well then we've got to get going now!" Twilight said urgently turning to go back into Rarity's "I'm sorry Itachi but me and Rar- wait, Rarity where'd Itachi go?" "I don't know he was looking out the window at you and spike when he suddenly asked me where Sweet Apple Acres is, and once I told him, he said he had to leave and shot off." Oh boy... Twilight thought to herself getting the feeling that this just got a whole lot more complicated. Itachi jumped from roof to roof in Ponyville heading towards the Everfree forest, hoping to catch that manticore thing before it got to hurt anyone innocent. He normally wouldn't have gotten involved in such a thing, but he no longer had to keep up the facade of the dispassionate evil outcast he had worn for so many years. And besides Itachi thought to himself as he reached the edge of the town and bounded off into the trees of the forest I owe these ponies a great deal, it's the least I can do to try and repay them for the kindness and generosity they've shown me. "For the last time, Applebloom ya can't stay out here wit me and Big Macintosh, it's too dangerous!" Applejack said, exasperated, she was already high stung enough what with the huge vicious monster that was heading for her farm, and her little sister trying to help her and Big Mac fend it off wasn't helping. "But sis it's my home too! I wanna help!" Applebloom protested "No you're not and that's final, now get back to the barn before Ah' drag you up there myself." "It's too late!" Big Mac said looking over into the forest where the crashing of a large animal could be heard, and it was growing louder with every passing second. "Applebloom get behind us and stay low!" Applejack shouted as she and Big Mac got ready to fight whatever came out of there. Guess we'll have to do this without the others she thought to herself as the manticore burst out of the treeline. "Wait, whats that?" Big Mac asked. A lone figure had just flickered into existence between them and the manticore in the middle of the field separating the Everfree forest and Sweet Apple Acres, it made no movement to avoid the charging beast which suddenly stopped as it approached the figure, wary because the figure's sudden appearance, the beast wouldn't attack for now. "I know who that is! That's the one Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash found the other day! But what's he doing awake and more importantly what the hay is he doin' trying to take on that thing singlehandedly?" Applejack said. "I don't know sis but he better get out of there bef-" Before Big Mac could finish his sentence the maticore had struck out impaling the human in front of them through the torso with its tail. "No..." Applejack breathed as she watched the scene in front of her. She looked over at Applebloom, worried about her sister seeing something like this, there were tears in her sister's eyes as Applebloom looked at what had happened and her face looked as if she was about to cry. "Well at least now I know it's perfectly capable of killing." Said a voice from behind them. All three ponies turned to see the human they had just watched get stabbed standing before them, looking past them at the manticore and its supposed prey. "But, But how are you- we just saw you." Applejack stammered out in disbelief at what she saw. All Itachi did was incline his head indicating they should look back the beast behind them, as Applejack turned around she saw the impaled body of the being standing next to her dissolve into a flock of crows. "Genjutsu." He said simply "An illusionary technique, I needed to see what it was capable of and so placed a clone in front of it." As Itachi had neared the border of the Everfree Forest and Sweet Apple Acres, he began to evaluate the situation. Coldly analytical when it came to combat he decided it would be better to gauge the abilities of the manticore and also to see if it was truly bent on killing everything before it. And so utilized his genjustsu to create a clone while he watched from the outskirts. He now knew that it was most certainly capable of killing, and that it used its tail primarily for that purpose, perhaps that information would be of use later. Itachi began to walk forward, advancing into the field towards the manticore which had restarted its charge towards the group. "I'll handle this, just stay back and watch, it'll be over quick." "Hey now wait just an apple pickin minute here mister Ah'-" Applejack started to say before she was interrupted by her brother's hoof on her shoulder "Applejack I think it's best if we just listen to him, he sure seems to know what he's doin." Big Mac had been around the block a few times in his life and he had seen the look Itachi had in the eyes of only a handful of ponies, all of which were in the royal guard, it was that dispassionate battle hardened look. Big mac suddenly had the feeling that everything was gonna be fine, he felt like the guy in front of them could take on anything... and win. The manticore continued its charge, only fifty feet from them now, as Itachi closed his eyes concentrating. It got closer and closer finally when it was a bare 10 feet from them he opened them once more casting a paralysis genjutsu on the creature before him, it abruptly stopped. he then strode forward never breaking eye contact, speaking to it " I don't know whether or not you can understand me, but I'm sure you can understand what I'm saying with my eyes. Begone from here and never return to this place, or you'll have me to answer to... and next time I won't be so lenient." The creature for its own part was scared beyond all belief, in its entire life it had never seen a being with eyes that contained such power as the ones that now bored into its own. It had no desire but to run away from the eyes that now held it where it stood. Getting the feeling that his message had gotten across, Itachi released the genjutsu and the manticore immediately turned tail and ran back off into the forest. "Well now that's better, are you all alright?" He asked turning around to the three ponies who were all staring at him with dumbfounded expressions on their faces. Did I do something wrong again? "That...was...AMAZING mister!" The youngest one yelled out running towards Itachi and hugging his leg. "That was so cool how you scared off that manticore just by looking at it! What's your name?" "I-Itachi Uchiha." He was for the first time at a loss for what to do. All he knew was that the young filly reminded him greatly of his brother back when they were younger. "Well Itachi you have the thanks of the Apple family, mah name's Applejack and this here's Big Macintosh." She said indicating the larger red pony standing next to her. "And the little one who's trying to crush the life out of your leg there is Applebloom." "You're welcome. Sorry if I scared you all with my clone genjutsu earlier, I don't like going into a fight with no understanding of my opponent." Itachi said. "Naw it's fine so long as you're actually OK." "Applejack!" yelled a voice that all four were familiar with, they all turned to see Twilight and the other elements of harmony running up to them. " Are you all right? Where's the manticore?" "Relax Twilight, we're all fine thanks your friend Itachi here, he scared that beast off with just a look. Never quite seen anything like it." Applejack answered indicating the ninja. "It was SO cool!" Applebloom piped up. "Just a look huh? Pretty impressive." Said the blue pegasus, who was the only one Itachi didn't know the name of. "Hiya my name's Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and I were the ones who found you out on that road, you must be Itachi, guess I'm the only one you haven't met yet." She said extending a hoof. "Great to meet you. I owe you a great deal for saving my life." He said taking the hoof and shaking it. "So you really scared it off with just a look?" Twilight asked. "Well it was a little more than just a look." Itachi admitted. "Ahhh I see. Your Sharingan I assume?" He smiled "Good guess." "OMYGOSH you guys you know what we should do? We should have a double party! One to welcome Mr. Uchiha to Ponyville, and one for him saving Sweet Apple Acres!" Said Pinkie Pie excitedly. Everypony looked to Itachi for approval, "Sounds good to me. Just one condition, call me Itachi from now on, Mr. Uchiha sounds too formal." "YAYYYYY!" Pinkie Pie cheered as the group set off for Ponyville. For the first time in many years Itachi felt content. He had no idea what it was about this place that helped to lift the heavy darkness that had settled over him for most of his life, but he certainly did appreciate it as he was led off into town. Deep within the void that existed between worlds, a malicious presence stirred. Had it had a face it would've worn a mask of the deepest frustration. The manticore it had influenced to attack the feeble defenseless little town hadn't even managed to cause property damage, and it was quite pathetic for a being of its caliber to not even have accomplished that. It was however surprised at what had stopped it, the being that had countermanded its control of the beast was more adept in influencing minds that itself and was more powerful than the two princesses of that world combined. It knew now that being was the one whose arrival it had sensed. It would wait for now, biding its time until an opportunity arose, if there was anything it had learned in its many years it was the value of patience. It had gone by many names throughout its existence and worn many forms, but the latest had been Nightmare Moon when it had possessed that weak minded alicorn. It had plans, but for now it would just wait...and watch.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T16:29:37+00:00

2011-09-02T16:29:37+00:00

Luna stood in the middle of a street that she didn't recognize, it was night and as always the sky was a beautiful sight. She looked around inspecting her surroundings; the street was lined with a wall on one side and an impressive looking building on the other. Luna was drawn to the building, feeling as if she must proceed inside. As she approached the front door, a voice rang out from within, "Brother! Mother and father are.. What happened!? Who would do such a thing!?" Luna started, whoever it was they sounded frightened, more so than anypony Luna had ever heard in her life. She burst through the front door but only made it a few steps before she stopped in shock, the scene before her was more grisly than any she could have imagined, the quaint interior of the house was covered in splotches of blood, and weapons dotted the floor and walls, obviously some kind of fight had taken place here. Before she could recover her wits a scream split the air, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! STOP IT BIG BROTHER! WHY ARE YOU SHOWING ME THIS!?" The scream snapped Luna out of her shock induced paralysis and she charged forward towards the voice. She stopped in front of the room she had heard it come from and began to slowly open the door. Inside there was nothing but darkness and it flowed out like water consuming her, as she sank into the darkness the voice just kept repeating "Why? Why did you do this?" Luna awoke in a cold sweat, staring down at the book she had fallen asleep on. She remembered what had happened; she had been researching spells to travel between worlds alone in the library. She was so tired from healing Itachi the other day she must've fallen asleep. That dream was horrible…. I wonder what it was about. Itachi stepped out onto the balcony of Twilight's library, breathing in cool night air for the first time in a few hours. Behind him the noise from the party continued, practically all of Ponyville was in attendance. He had spent the last few hours greeting multiple ponies and gorging himself on the food that was available, he hadn't eaten in a long time. He stared off into the distance thinking as he sipped apple cider from a chalice trying to tame the burning on his tongue, he made a mental note to never eat anything Pinkie Pie handed him without looking at what exactly she had given him again. "So how much longer are you just going to stand there in the shadows?" He asked without turning around. Luna phased into visibility next to him. "How did you know I was there?" "Please princess, your chakra overshadows everyone here…well except maybe Twilight." He said as he took another sip. "She's got quite a bit of power hidden under that studious visage. So to what do I owe this pleasure?" Itachi asked, finally turning to face her. "I came here to tell you this in person, I've been researching spells all day to travel between worlds. I've tried everything…. but I'm afraid there's no way for you return to your home….I-I'm sorry." Luna said looking away. Itachi had the chalice halfway to his lips when he stopped. "You didn't have to do that…. thank you." Luna looked back to the shinobi. "You don't seem all that upset." "I knew from the second I woke up in this world that being stuck here was a very real possibility. My entire life has been about playing the cards I've been dealt to the best of my ability, this is no different." "Seems like a horrid way to live life." Itachi shrugged turning back to look out over the town below him "You're right, but life's not always that simple, things happen that are out of our control and we suffer the consequences. Getting upset or angry about something that you can't control or alter is a waste of time and energy." He sighed and then took a long drink from the chalice. "And besides there are a lot worse places to be stranded." Luna was taken aback by Itachi's calm acceptance of his fate, she had expected him to be shocked, even angry but not calm. "But you'll never see your friends or family again doesn't that bother you?" "I haven't had friends in eight years and my only family left is my little brother, who I've only seen a few times in that timeframe." Well that's not that bad… "Wait, how old are you?" "Twenty-one." "What? You're telling me you haven't had any friends for almost half your life?" "Yes, there have been certain… circumstances that prevented me from being able to have any." Itachi said choosing his words carefully; he was treading on thin ice here. "Circumstances?" "I've been running for those last eight years, living on borrowed time. Making every effort that I could to accomplish my last goal, the only one that mattered…. giving my brother the chance to live in a world that I never could." "What kind of world?" Luna pressed, trying to understand the human whose life she was beginning to realize was not all too different from her own. Itachi turned to face her, "A world without war." Luna was shocked into silence. He looked down into his chalice watching the cider swirl around, "Living in a world such as this you probably can't understand it, watching people who you've known all your life, who you've shared laughs and stories with, die all around you. Having countless comrades whom you trust with your own life fall in battle before your eyes is a horrible thing, something I swore long ago to prevent with anything I could give… Including my life." Luna blinked a few times, "I-I couldn't imagine such a thing happening to me...." "Be thankful you can't, I lost my closest friend to the hatred that had consumed my world."Itachi said looking back to her. "This world is a gem Luna; there have been thousands who have given their lives back in my home in the name of peace, so that they might forge a world like the one you enjoy so thoroughly here." After that the two just stood together in silence, looking out over the night, simply enjoying the others company. "So I actually am quite curious now, how old are you?" Itachi asked, finally breaking the silence "That's a bit of a rude question to ask." Luna said, taken aback. "You asked first, so it's only fair." "Fine if you must know, I'm one thousand one hundred and five." Itachi just looked at her with a totally dumbstruck expression. "You're kidding me right?" Luna just shook her head, "No I'm not, my sister and I are both immortal." "Wow, are you two the only immortal ones?" "Yes we are. We must be for it is our duty to raise the moon and the sun, without us there would be nothing." Luna said, looking up at her night. "Must be hard, being the only two immortals in the world." Itachi said after a pause. "Yes it is, though my sister would know better than me. I've spent the majority of my life trapped in the moon." Luna said looking back down, she didn't like thinking about that time. "Huh?" He said, once again genuinely confused. "I was entrapped within the moon for one thousand years, punishment for my actions so to speak; I allowed a dark presence to overtake me because of my jealousy. While under its influence I put all of Equestria to sleep and sent nightmares raging through their heads until my sister stopped me and then sealed me in the moon to prevent everlasting night. I was forced to endure the loneliness of my exile and the torture of that darkness until a couple months ago when I returned and was saved by the elements of harmony." Luna said recounting the events that had dominated the majority of her life. "Elements of harmony?" "The six ponies that embody the elements of friendship, I believe you've met them all already, they are Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash." "Oh yeah I've met them all. But that sounds terrible, a thousand years in the moon; I don't think I could've handled that." Itachi said "I'm surprised I did too, it's certainly been an experience trying to come to terms with being gone for a thousand years." Luna was starting to look crestfallen as if recounting her past was causing her a great pain. "…For what it's worth Luna I don't think you deserved any of that and it's a horrible tragedy that it did happen to you. You're one of the kindest beings I've ever met." "Y-you really think so?" "How could I not? You spend an entire day working to save my life, allow me, a stranger from a violent world, to stay in your kingdom. Then on top of all that you spend another day researching for ways to return me home, come here to let me know personally and then you have patience to listen to me ramble on about my past. You're a very selfless pony Luna. It really does anger me that you went through all that, spending the majority of your life in the moon. Nobody deserves that, least of all you." "….Thank you…" she said turning the other way to hide her face from him. She didn't want him to see her tears. Itachi turned back looking out at the night sky, pretending like he hadn't noticed her tears. He finished the cider he had taken out on the balcony when Luna piped up again. "Does this mean that we're friends?" "Do you want to be friends?" "Yes." "Then yes." He said smiling. Luna was ecstatic, she had just made her first friend in a thousand years, and Itachi would never know how much that meant to her. In addition he was more than just a friend he was another being that had suffered the pain of loneliness for a majority of his life, and in that way they understood each other in a way no others could. Twilight picked that exact moment to pop out onto the balcony, "Hey Itachi are you up here? everypo-"Twilight stopped speaking as she noticed Luna. "Princess Luna! What are you doing here?" she asked before she remembered who she was talking to and bowed deeply "I-I had no idea you were coming! Otherwise I would have been more prepared!" "It's quite alright Twilight Sparkle, I was just here to talk to Itachi, there's no need to make a fuss about it. I was about to leave anyways, but before I do I feel like I should let you know that my sister is planning on inviting all of you to Canterlot tomorrow. Just a bit of a warning so you're not caught completely by surprise." "Thank you princess." Twilight said, truly grateful for that information, it allowed her to take the time to organize herself, and she hated being unorganized. Luna then turned to Itachi who had been watching their exchange with some amusement. "Well then Itachi Uchiha I shall see you tomorrow, until then enjoy my night." She said smiling. "I look forward to it Princess Luna, good night to you as well." Itachi said matching her smile. And with that Luna teleported away from Twilight's library, leaving the young unicorn gaping at the place where she had vanished. "Just what did you do Itachi? I don't think I've EVER seen Luna smile like that." "Oh we just talked about our pasts, nothing too major." "Ok then, just what did she come all the way out here to tell you?" "That there's no way for me to return to my own world." Itachi said, the thought sobering him. "Oh…I'm sorry." Twilight said, what else was there to say? "Thanks." Itachi said that realization was still sinking into him. Despite what he had said earlier, he did care that he was stranded here, it meant that he could not get his revenge against Madara. But then again you are supposed to be dead Itachi…Better to be alive, stranded on a foreign world, than dead for no true reason. "You ready to go back in?" Twilight asked, the party was still in full swing and Applejack wanted to toast "The Hero of Sweet Apple Acres" again. "Yeah." Itachi responded as he followed Twilight back inside, another idea popping into his head as he thought about his situation. He decided he'd head over to Rarity's first thing in the morning, he had some more ideas for some more stuff and he wanted to make sure it was ready before Celestia summoned them all. In the meantime however, he'd just try to enjoy what was left of the night. Twilight woke up feeling groggy, not good. She should never have let Pinkie Pie talk her into eating all those cupcakes, now she was going through massive sugar withdrawal. She looked over at her window, it was about midmorning. Well at least Spike will be happy.He finally got to sleep in. Now that she was actually awake Twilight rose from her bed and looked over to Spike's, noticing the dragon was gone. Well maybe he actually got himself up for once.. "Spiiiikkkkeee!" She called out a few times while she headed downstairs to where Itachi was staying. However, the library was completely empty. Though it appeared Spike had done all of his chores. Twilight was starting to get worried until she noticed a note left on a table from Spike saying that he and Itachi were at Rarity's, and then asking her to meet them at the lake whenever she woke up. Twilight arrived at the lake just as Spike and Itachi were. Itachi was wearing radically different clothing than he was when he had first arrived in Ponyville. He now wore a large, dark colored coat with a high collar, it was adorned with a spiraling symbol upon the back, he still wore his forehead protector though. Itachi had the front of the coat open revealing that he had also changed from the purple clothes, he sported an olive colored vest of some sort and jet black underclothes, and his ankles were wrapped in bandages, above the similarly colored sandal things he now wore. He walked up to Twilight, "Good morning Twilight, I accidentally woke Spike up earlier when I was getting ready to leave to go over to Rarity's and once he heard where I was going he wanted to come with." "It's ok I was pretty out of it this morning because of the party last night. So why did you say for me to meet you two here Spike?" "Well Itachi told me that in exchange for helping Rarity and him with his new clothes he'd teach me how to breathe fire better, and I wanted to show you." Twilight looked at Itachi incredulously, "You can do that?" Itachi shrugged "Well, we'll see, at the very least I should be able to help him with his control of it." He turned to Spike, "Ok spike, let's see what you can do." Spike nodded and then looked out over the lake concentrating, then mustering all the energy he could he fired a fireball into the middle of the water where it then burst apart. Itachi had been watching Spike with his Sharingan the whole time, "Good effort, that wasn't bad by any stretch of imagination, but you're wasting too much energy in trying to propel the flames forward and it's reducing the amount of flames you can produce." He walked in front of the other two. "Here, if you stop trying so hard to make it go further than it should look something like this.." Twilight got wide-eyed Wait, he's not about to breathe fire…. Right? Before she could say anything Itachi's hands blurred together as he quickly weaved five hand seals and drew his head back as he took in a breath, Katon, Gōkakyū! With that he fired a huge fireball about five times the size of Spike's which shot forward and exploded in a spectacular fashion in the middle of the lake. "And that's how it SHOULD look." He turned back to see the two looking at him with slack jawed expressions. "….What?" "That was incredible… I didn't know humans could use magic." Twilight said recovering first. "That's not magic, that's ninjutsu, the art of molding one's chakra to physically affect the world." Seeing the confused expressions continuing to look back at him, he sighed and explained the basics of ninjutsu and nature releases. "Wow." Spike said after Itachi was finished "Well those are just the basics of it, there's a lot more. But that should give you an understanding at least." Itachi said."Now in the meantime Spike give it another try, except this time try not to focus too much on making it fly particularly far." "Well ok, here goes nothing.." Spike said stepping up to edge of the water and preparing to fire another fireball. However, before he could he belched out a small amount of fire which conjured a letter into their midst. Twilight caught it with her magic and read it quickly. "What is it?" Itachi asked, though he already had a good suspicion as to what it was. "Its a summons to Canterlot from Princess Celestia, for the elements of harmony and you, Itachi." "Well ok then, how are we supposed to get there?" "She's sending some chariots for those of us who can't fly. In the meantime we should probably gather the rest of my friends so we're all ready to go when they get here." Twenty minutes later the group of seven were ready to go in the center of Ponyville. They watched as five chariots descended from the sky and came to a halt in front of them. Itachi only had to cast an eye over one of the chariots for no more than a second before he asked,"Are you sure one of these things can take my weight?" The guardsponies that were pulling said chariot shot him an insulted look. "Guess they think they can." He said stepping into one of the chariots, as the rest of the earthbound members of their group followed suit. The trip to the capital city took a short ten minutes of flying, and soon they were all on the ground outside the palace, ready to head inside. As they began to proceed into the royal hall Itachi couldn't help but have an ominous feeling about this whole thing. Something just wasn't right and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He turned and looked into the sky and he would've sworn he had seen just the tiniest flash of something, whatever it had been it was gone now, but that didn't change the nervous feeling in his gut. Hovering high above the city of Canterlot, the dark presence known simply as Nightmare brooded, this might very well be the opportunity it had been waiting for. Its patience had paid off, as the pieces had simply fallen into place. However, its power had waned greatly since the encounter with those damned elements of harmony a few months ago and it was nowhere near its former glory. The relationship that had formed between its former shell and Nightmare's new target could be easily exploited, that pathetic pony, the powers of a goddess yet so easy to manipulate. With a foothold in her mind it could influence every other being there, yes this was certainly the opportunity it had been waiting for. The first thing it would have to do is drive that human away from the elements, turn them against him, and if the flashes of his nightmares that it had seen were any indication of what lurked in the human's past, it knew the perfect way to do just that.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-09-04T08:02:54+00:00

2011-09-04T08:02:54+00:00

"Welcome to Canterlot young ponies." Celestia said to the elements as they entered her throne room. "Where's Itachi?" Luna asked, slightly concerned that he was not among them. "He did get the summons, right?" "Don't worry Luna, I'm here." Itachi said as he walked in. "Sorry I was just admiring the design of the architecture and lost track of the group." It was a white lie, but there was no need to get them worked up over a nervous feeling he had. "My sister has told me that she has informed you of the impossibility of return to your world. You have my sympathy Itachi, nopony should ever have to be forcibly separated from their home." "Thank you princess I appreciate it." The five ponies in the room who hadn't heard this already, turned to Itachi. "You're stuck here?" Fluttershy asked softly, a shocked look on her face. "That's terrible." "It's not as terrible as you might think; please, don't get upset on my account." He said smiling at them all. "How can it not be terrible? You'll never be able to see your home ever again, doesn't that bother you?" Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. Itachi looked over to Luna and they shared a look for a long moment before he turned back to the assembled ponies. "Because if I hadn't ended up here I would be dead Dash. You saw how bad I was when you first found me, in my world there was no cure for that disease and I wouldn't be alive if Luna and Celestia hadn't cured me of it. Fate is a fickle thing but I can't help but feel I ended up here for a reason, I have no idea what that reason is but by coming here even though I can never return I was given a second chance. Not being able to see my home again is a small price to pay for my life." He turned to look out the window, smiling "and besides, if I had to end up being stuck somewhere, Equestria doesn't seem half bad." He said, echoing his statement from last night. He turned back to the group,"Now Celestia, I assume you summoned me here for a reason?" "Yes I did, first of all I wanted to thank you personally for stopping that manticore, that was no small feat and you doubtlessly saved many lives." "And mah farm!" Applejack piped up. Celestia smiled "Yes and Applejack's farm." "So then why'd you bring the others here?" Itachi asked raising an eyebrow. "I was getting to that Itachi. An attack like this is completely unheard of in Equestria's history, beasts like the manticore have attacked ponies who wander too deeply into their realms but there's never been a case of one coming out and attacking innocent ponies. This incident concerns me greatly, and gives rise to suspicions that it was influenced to attack Sweet Apple Acres." Itachi opened his mouth to say something but before he could Celestia cut him off, "We do not suspect you of causing this Itachi, you were unconscious for two days and then were always with my student until it attacked." She smiled." Though I do find it funny that you would expect us to suspect you." Itachi shrugged "I would if I was in your position, but I guess that's just my opinion as somebody who's used to conspiracy." "What I want to know is how you knew it was going to attack. I don't remember anypony telling you about it." Twilight said. "My Sharingan can read lips Twilight; I can see what you're saying from a mile away, maybe more depending on the weather." Itachi said grinning, "When you were talking to Spike I could read every word and made my decision to go help." "In the meantime let's get back to the issue at hand, whatever it was that influenced that manticore, it is incredibly powerful, and obviously has malicious aims. It could very well be the greatest threat to Equestria since Nightmare Moon, perhaps more." Luna winced at the mention of her former title. "For this reason I summoned the elements of harmony, however Itachi you I summoned because I have a request to make of you." Celestia said, looking directly at him. "You do?" Itachi tilted his head to side slightly in curiosity. "These six ponies all have an obligation to protect this land and all its inhabitants. You do not, so I could not in good faith ask you to help us in this task, this is not your world, and these are not your people or even your kind. Your actions in Ponyville however have made me reconsider that decision and so I ask you, Itachi Uchiha of Konoha, will you help us defend our land?" Itachi appeared to be thinking over the question as everypony in the room watched him intently, though he had already made his decision from the moment he had left to go defend Applejack and her family. "Princess Celestia of Equestria, I will aid you in the defense of this world with all my skills and knowledge. You have my word as a shinobi." She smiled, "Very well then Itachi Uchiha, I will hold you to that promise should the time come. However as I said before, do keep in mind that whatever it was that caused that attack is extremely powerful and dangerous and poses a grave risk to us all." …."My, my, my Celestia, I don't I've heard such compliments for a millennia." Said a voice that sent chills down everypony's spine. As it spoke an unnatural darkness began to enter to room, not the calm darkness of the night, but rather an evil horrifying darkness, the kind one only finds in their deepest nightmares. "Who are you?" Celestia demanded as the darkness continued to advance into the room. "What is the meaning of this?" "Surely you recognize the voice of the being that turned your dear sister against you? Or maybe you've gotten senile in your many years." The voice taunted. "N-no it can't be…" Luna said, visibly shaking, an abject look of terror appeared on her face. "They sealed you away; you can't possibly be here…" "Oh but I am my dear Luna, I've returned to bring darkness once more. And like last time, you shall be my medium to this world." As it spoke, the form of a great demonic alicorn formed from the darkness before them. And the instant it opened its eyes; it was consumed in black flames. Itachi couldn't have said at that exact moment why he was so hell-bent on killing whatever it was that had appeared before them. Perhaps it was because of the sheer evil that emitted from it? Or maybe it was because it was causing such fear in the one being on this world he had called a friend? No, those thoughts hadn't even begun to form in Itachi's mind when he had struck; it was something much simpler, its eyes. Itachi had only seen eyes that held the same malice and ambition in one other being in his life, the only person he had limitless contempt and hatred for, Madara. Itachi acted on instinct, activating Amaterasu, pouring all his hate and guilt over his failure to protect his little brother into killing that thing before him. He had never been so dedicated to destroying something in his life. Every other pony in the room just stared at the writhing demon alicorn before them as it was consumed by the intense black flames. Luna however, looked over at Itachi, knowing that no pony could create flames like this. What she saw would be burned into her mind for all time, Itachi's eyes had changed, the patterns that had existed on the surface had shifted. The most prominent thing was that his right eye was leaking blood giving him the appearance of weeping it. But that wasn't what shocked her, she had never seen such hate in another being's eyes. As the flames continued to burn, the alicorn they covered vanished and Itachi's right eye returned to normal, extinguishing Amaterasu. Everypony in the room stared at the spot the pony had vanished from, and then slowly turned to Itachi. "What WAS that?" Celestia demanded, for the first time sounding angry. Not even she, the mistress of the sun could produce flames of such heat. "Amaterasu." Itachi said simply "The ultimate fire release technique, cast from my right Mangekyō Sharingan." He indicated his bleeding eye. "Well, inextinguishable black flames that burn with an intensity greater than that of the sun. You ARE indeed special." Said the voice as the demonic alicorn reformed unharmed. "Allow me to introduce myself, I go by many names but you may call me Nightmare." "But we sealed you away!" Twilight shouted, as the other elements of harmony stood by her side. Nightmare laughed, though there was no humor in it. "Yes you may have successfully managed to 'seal' me away temporarily. But my power rises with the negative emotions present in this world." It looked over at Luna, "And your doubts about your relationship with this human have given me all the power I need to return!" "I-I don't have any doubts!" Luna shouted half-heartedly "LIES! I've seen the thoughts swirling around your head! You wonder whether he will abandon you like all the others did millennia ago! About his ability to understand you for who you really are! Do not lie to me Luna, for I know you better than anypo-" Nightmare was interrupted by a single word, it wasn't particularly loud but the danger and command it carried gave it the impact of an atom bomb. "Enough." Nightmare tuned to the Itachi, whose eyes bored into its own with all the intensity and hatred of a mortal enemy. Itachi now knew why he was able to see so clearly, he now knew why Amaterasu was more powerful than ever before and did not affect him. Somehow he had gained an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. He knew not why or how but he did know what he planned to use it for, to annihilate the presence that tormented Luna before him. It was at this exact moment the elements of harmony decided to act, as the six ponies began to glow and rise into the air. However, Nightmare had anticipated this and vanished once more, the darkness seeming to recede. The elements continued to hover but it appeared the darkness was gone and they lowered themselves to the floor. But it was not over, not by a longshot the second they touched the ground darkness swept over them once more and they instantly all became overcome by exhaustion and collapsed to floor, every single one asleep. Celestia began to run forward in concern, but stopped realizing something and turned to her sister with trepidation, as she lay eyes upon Luna her worst fears were confirmed. Her sister laid on the ground convulsing as she fought phantom enemies in her mind, the dark presence of Nightmare overshadowed her, and it spoke one word. "Gotcha." Celestia just stared at it in defiance as the darkness rushed forward for her, as it overcame her and she collapsed to the ground, she weakly grunted out "you'll…pay…" Itachi knelt next to Twilight, making sure that the only thing that had happened was that they were asleep. He could feel the presence of the darkness attempting to influence him, but his chakra and experience with genjutsu burned it away. He walked calmly over to Luna, who continued to thrash about on the ground muttering, "No…no…no." He knelt down next to her and cradled her head in his hands, "Luna, look at me." She didn't respond, he lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, "Luna, please…. If you don't want to be its slave again you have to open your eyes and look at me, it's the only way I can help." Itachi had finally gotten through to her as he watched the princess' eyes opened slightly, it wasn't much but it was enough as he delved into her mind. Itachi walked down a seemingly endless hallway. Everybody's mind was always the same on the inside, a network of hallways with innumerable rooms. The older and more experienced the person the more labyrinthine the hallways and the more numerous the rooms, as each room was a memory. Luna's was definitely the largest one he had ever seen, of course she was also the oldest person he had ever met. He wasn't worried about being lost as he could easily sense her presence ahead of him. He eventually arrived at her location, not surprisingly it was at the core of her mind, the annex of all the hallways. She lay on the ground, a dark humanoid figure stood over Luna, casting an aura on her. Luna shifted on the ground writhing in the hold of whatever nightmare had consumed her. The figure turned to look over at Itachi, it was composed entirely of darkness but its eyes burned through as two bright orbs. "So you can even see me inside her, impressive. You're just full of endless surprises aren't you Itachi Uchiha?" "If I were you, I would leave here now. I would recommend you find the darkest hole under the biggest rock you can find, and hide there so as to prolong your existence a few more seconds before I destroy you." Itachi spoke in an emotionless voice; cold rage had overridden any other feeling he might have had. Nightmare laughed, "I think I'll pass on that offer actually. But now it's my turn to give you some advice, you should never have come here." It raised an arm towards him." By entering her mind, you have exposed your own!" Nightmare shouted as darkness shot into Itachi. Itachi could feel Nightmare's presence in his mind; he could feel it whirling through all of his memories in an instant, assimilating his entire life. But then Itachi's instincts kicked in and his chakra flow became so intense that Nightmare's influence was hurled out of the ninja's mind. Nightmare fell to one knee. It hadn't expected Itachi's response to be that powerful. Nevertheless despite its failure it smiled, what it had found there was just too perfect. It shifted the position of its hand over Luna, changing the dream that now raged through her mind, and therefore in the minds of all the other nearby ponies. Luna's movements become more intense, as the new dream took hold, whatever it was its effect on her was so great she screamed. She stood on a street, one that looked oddly familiar, lined with buildings adorned with the same symbol she had seen on the walls in her previous dream. "No, please don't!" Shouted a voice before her, and she looked towards its source, a human was running down the street towards her. He hadn't made more than a few steps when his back arched and he collapsed face first into the street, a knife embedded in his back. As he collapsed the figure behind him who had thrown the blade became visible. Luna gasped in horror, but before she could do anything she looked around at the scene around her, bodies littered the street many had throwing weapons of some kind sticking out of them. "Take this you traitorous bastard!" a different voice yelled and she looked up just in time to watch as three more humans charge the mysterious figure. But before they could do anything the figure leapt into the air over them throwing out a cloud of shuriken, they all impacted. The figure landed before her with its back towards Luna and began to slowly turn around, she was breathing hard unable to move she was so terrified. Horror permeated her as she saw the face of the man who had just killed four men like wheat before a scythe, it was Itachi Uchiha. The scene shifted to the room she hadn't been able to see before in her previous dream, Itachi was standing above the bodies of a man and a woman looking over them at a small boy, whose resemblance to Itachi was uncanny. "Why Big brother?" the boy choked out as tears ran down his face. "Why did you kill mother and father? WHY DID YOU KILL OUR WHOLE CLAN!?" Itachi slowly opened his eyes as he said one sentence. "To measure my abilities." Luna couldn't help it she screamed, wanting the scenes that played before her to end. Itachi's face became etched with concern, "What did you do?" he demanded. Nightmare smirked, "Oh nothing, I'm just showing them a little tidbit from your past." His eyes widened, no….not that "Which one?" he asked even though he already knew the answer, he just had to hear it for himself. "The one that torments you with guilt every waking moment of your life." Itachi shut his eyes, the rage building inside of him, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" He yelled as his eyes shot open, he would make this thing pay dearly for what it had done. Nightmare's eyes widened as it felt something take hold, it watched as the scene around it blurred and shifted. The sky swirled until it was nothing but black clouds flying across a red sky, Nightmare was constrained to wooden cross of some type unable to move, everything here was a different shade of black or white. In front of him stood Itachi holding a sword, "I wonder how long you can resist…" he asked as he stabbed Nightmare in the stomach with his sword. Nightmare screamed as it felt something it had not felt in millennia, pain, a pain so intense and horrible it made Nightmare want the end to come. …But it didn't, when it reopened its eyes the wound was gone, but the pain lingered and there were now two Itachis standing before it. "In the world of Tsukuyomi.." One said as he stabbed Nightmare,"… I control time." "Even the mass of objects." The second added as he also stabbed it. "You will be stabbed with a sword for the next seventy-two hours; I wonder how long you can stand it?" After what seemed like days and thousands upon thousands of stabs later. Itachi spoke once more, "The time remaining is seventy-one hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty nine seconds." "THAT WHOLE THING WAS ONE SECOND!?" Nightmare shrieked in terror as over a hundred Itachis approached. Itachi was merciless, extending the genjutsu far beyond anything he had ever done before. Nightmare's mind was most certainly broken at around the eight month mark, but it hadn't done anything to deserve the mercy it begged for. Itachi collapsed to one knee as he ended the genjutsu in Nightmare's shattered mind. He clutched his hand over his left eye as he watched the form of Nightmare in Luna's mind explode in a high pitched keening scream, quite terrifying, or it would have been if he hadn't been causing such a scream for the past year in Nightmare's mind. Itachi saw the bright white marble floor of Celestia's throne room beneath him once more as he pulled himself back to reality. He was on his knees, lacking the energy to stand. He had one hand clamped over his left eye and the other on the ground to support him as he panted heavily. He had pushed himself too far but he had accomplished his mission, Nightmare was gone, for now anyways. Itachi knew that a mind like Nightmare's couldn't be completely broken he'd given it one hell of a effort, but it would be back… eventually. In the meantime Itachi knew he had to get out of here, get away before the ponies around him awoke. Through sheer force of will he stood and started stumbling towards the balcony, there was the possibility Nightmare had been lying when it had told him it had shown them his massacre of the Uchiha clan. But Itachi had been lied to by experts, by those who made their lives on it and he didn't see a trace of dishonesty in Nightmare when it told him that. He finally made it outside, shaking from exhaustion as he grabbed onto the railing using it to steady himself. He looked out over the edge gauging the distance, wondering if he could take a fall like this in his current state. He decided it didn't really matter as it was his only way out, as he leapt over the edge Itachi remembered the looks he had gotten from every ninja he had ever seen- fear, contempt, hatred, they were the only things he'd ever seen in the eyes of every shinobi since that fateful night. Then he had ended up here, where he might've finally been able to escape from the choice he had made all those years ago but no it had still managed to haunt him, even on another world. How could these ponies understand? He asked himself as he began to fall, They don't know war, they don't know suffering, they've never had to make a choice like I did. Itachi hoped he'd never have to explain it to them. …However life is not always so simple, as Itachi began to fall he suddenly stopped. He noticed he was floating in midair and began to float back upwards. Oh no… He hadn't been quick enough, as he floated up onto the balcony again he saw their faces of the six elements of harmony, every one wore an expression of terror at the sight of him. As he floated above their heads into the throne room, he looked over to the two royals, obviously shaken by their encounter with Nightmare and the events they had been forced to see, Celestia looked at Itachi with nothing but fury. It was Luna's face however that drew all of his attention, there were tears flowing down as she looked at him, not in fear or hate or contempt, but sorrow. She whispered one word that drove right through to the center of Itachi's soul "…..why?"

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-09-10T00:20:28+00:00

2011-09-10T00:20:28+00:00

Itachi was released from Luna's levitation spell and collapsed to the floor in an instant. Eventually, he managed to will his way into a standing position and faced the assembled ponies. Each and every one was looking at him with a mix of fear, confusion, and disgust, except for Luna who continued to look at Itachi with the deepest sorrow. "What was that we saw?" She asked in a quiet voice. Itachi paused for a long while, looking at the ground, trying to find the words to soften the impact of what he was about to say. Unfortunately there were none, "What you saw is the darkest night of my entire life, the massacre of the Uchiha clan." "Did you really…?" Luna asked, her eyes begging him to say no. He lowered his hand from his left eye and reopened it, "Yes I did. In one night I killed my entire clan down to my little brother." "Why?" Twilight asked her own confusion and shock at what she had seen showed all over her face. "…You wouldn't understand it, none of you can." "And why are we so incapable of understanding your reason for cold blooded murder?" Celestia demanded, anger coloring her voice. "Tell me Celestia, how many wars have you had in this world in all of your history? How many of your friends and family died before your eyes? How much have ANY of you suffered in your lives?" Itachi retorted, his own anger beginning to edge in. "I've suffered Itachi, you know that. I'd lost every friend I ever had in this world until you came along." Luna said. "What happened to you is completely different, it's not the same." Itachi was ready for many things at this point, yelling, shouting, accusations of the worst kind, but being suddenly thrown across the room and pinned to a wall was not one of them. He smashed into the stone hard; dazed from the impact it took him a second to figure out just what the hell had happened. Luna stood across from him her eyes and horn glowing, the sorrow that had dominated her before was gone replaced instead with white hot anger. "Not the same!? NOT THE SAME!? What happened to you is no different than what happened to me!" Luna shouted as she strode towards the pinned ninja refusing to let him out of her magical grasp. "Unless your entire personality has changed since coming here, you're just as kind as I am. I don't know what possessed you or influenced you to do what you did, but somepony like you does not just suddenly change into a cold blooded killer!" Itachi just kept staring at her as she continued to walk forward, finally stopping 5 feet from where he was pinned. "And what if I did? What if my kindness was just a facade?" "….Then you're no better than Nightmare." Luna's words struck a chord deep within Itachi, suddenly all the emotions he had been suppressing for the last eight years surged to the front. His cool emotionless demeanor went right out the window. "Don't- EVER-compare-me–to-it!" He yelled, biting off each word. While he was speaking a red glow of energy began to shoot around his body shattering Luna's magical hold on him. He then dropped to the ground his gaze boring into her as the energy flared around him, forming a partial skeleton around him. "I am NOTHING like Nightmare! There isn't a punishment possible for the things it's done…" "And what about for the things you've done?" Itachi continued to glare at her, "I live with my punishment every day of my life. There hasn't been a time when I haven't felt it eating at me. At least not until I-"suddenly Itachi started and stumbled backwards clutching his hand over his left eye, the backlash from the Tsukuyomi he had used earlier was more than any he had ever felt before. The backlash, combined with his low chakra reserves and near total exhaustion was too much. Itachi fell to one knee as the skeletal ribs of Susanoo disintegrated from around him. Luna charged forward at the fallen ninja, she might never get a better chance to do what she planned. As she approached him, her sister saw what she was about to do and started to shout at her to stop, but it was to no avail. Itachi had both eyes closed and was too busy trying to deal with the pain of the backlash to notice her. She then touched her glowing horn to his forehead forming the strongest magical connection between the two that was physically possible. Itachi's own eyes started to glow as the magic entered his mind. He could feel Luna's presence in his mind and he tried to force her out, but he was too weak after having dealt with Nightmare to throw her out through sheer force and her determination was too strong for him to offer any more than token resistance as she surged through his memories. He could only watch in his mind as she saw everything, his childhood with Sasuke, The impossible choice that had been forced upon him, the tears he shed as he fled the scene of the massacre, his decision to become a criminal to protect his brother and village, and last but not least his battles with his younger brother. The battles designed to make Sasuke stronger through his hatred of his older brother who truly cared for him more than anything in the world. Then finally she lingered on Itachi's final battle and last words to Sasuke before collapsing with the plan of dying then and there. Eventually she pulled out of his mind letting him rise to consciousness again; Itachi opened his eyes once more to Celestia's throne room. He was surprised to find Luna embracing him in a hug, he could feel her tears running down onto his back as she whispered, "I-I'm so sorry, I had no idea… you've suffered terribly, you've lost everything you ever cared for…" Itachi put his arm around her returning the hug as whispered back, "Thank you…thank you so much." And with that his exhaustion got the better of him and he began pitch forward as he slipped into unconsciousness. However Luna was there and caught him as he fell, she laid him gently on the ground as she turned to the two guards that had shown up when she had thrown Itachi across the room."Please take him up to my room and lay him on one of my couches, he needs rest badly." Celestia looked at her sister dumbstruck," Luna, What are you doing?" "He protected us from Nightmare; he's exhausted, the least we can do is let him rest." "Yes, in the dungeon where he belongs! He's a cold blooded killer, and yet you're apologizing to him? Just what did he do to you?" "Nothing sister, it's just that….he's suffered more than any of us can imagine. After what I've seen, I can see what he meant by saying we couldn't understand his decision." "And just what is that supposed to mean?" Luna paused, watching the guards carry Itachi away, "Tell me Celestia, if you had to choose between killing everyone in our family or Equestria being destroyed and thousands upon thousands of ponies dying, which would you choose?" Celestia was taken aback by the question, "I-I don't know I don't think I could make a choice like that…" "That's the exact choice Itachi had to make, he just had the strength to make it and live with the consequences. He's one of the kindest, most peaceful people I've ever seen and yet he's been forced to suffer greatly for the sake of the people he loved." "He killed his entire clan Luna!" "Only to prevent a war that would have consumed countless innocents and destroy the village he called home. He had an impossible choice to make sister, you have to understand that." The two sisters paused for a while before Luna spoke again," He's a lot like you, you know… An older brother prepared to do anything for the sake of his younger sibling. Always there for him even if he hates him.." "I don't know Luna, I'm not sure I can trust him anymore, not after what I've seen him do." "If you won't trust him, trust me… please." Celestia finally relented, "Very well, BUT tomorrow I expect an explanation from him for both me and the elements of harmony." "Thank you sister.." Luna said as she hugged Celestia. The two royals still had official business to attend to and the elements of harmony would need time to deal with what had happened today. Celestia turned to her student, "Twilight, I'm so sorry you and your friends had to go through any of this, are you sure you'll all be alright?" Twilight nodded, still a little numb from what had transpired in front of her and her friends. "I think we can make it until tomorrow. Unfortunately I think we might need to drag Fluttershy out of here." She looked over to the yellow Pegasus who continued to hide in the corner after everything that had happened. It took the combined efforts of Rainbow Dash and Applejack, but they finally got her out of the throne room. A few hours later night was beginning to fall and Luna, having finished whatever royal duties had required her attention, decided to go check on Itachi before raising the moon. As she walked into her room she noticed he wasn't on her couch but his coat was. She began to panic a little until she noticed him standing out on the balcony of her room tossing a knife thing into the air over and over again, obviously lost in thought. She walked out next to him, "So what did you tell them?" he asked turning to look at her as she stepped out. "Just enough to keep my sister from throwing you into the dungeon. I figured you'd want to tell them yourself, after all it is your life you're going to have to explain." "Thanks." He said finally catching the kunai and putting it away in the pouch he had strapped to his right leg. "…I'm sorry about what I did earlier. I don't know what came over me." "It's quite alright Luna. Actually, I'm quite thankful that you did what you did." "R-Really?" Itachi sighed watching the setting sun as he spoke "No one's ever known the truth about what happened that night, or the truth about who I really am. Certainly no one's ever apologized for what happened to me, I truly do appreciate what you've done for me today." "You're welcome. But…. how were you able to live with yourself after that night?" Luna's hooves shot up to her mouth, she hadn't meant to say it so plainly. "Remember what I said about my life being about playing the cards I've been dealt? I lived my entire life trying to make up for what I did, for what I forced upon my brother. I did everything I could to make him strong enough to kill me, so that he could return to Konoha a hero and rebuild the clan. In the end though, I failed Sasuke, thanks to my 'death' he's now more vulnerable to manipulation than ever. I've been dominated by guilt most of my life but.." He turned to look at her smiling "since coming here I've been content for the first time in many years." Luna looked at Itachi with an odd expression on her face. She had no idea that her world had had such an effect on him. She looked out at the sky and noticed the sun was almost completely gone from the horizon and that her moon must soon take its place. "Sorry Itachi if you'll excuse me for a few seconds, I have to raise the moon to bring in the night." She then began to concentrate reaching out to the celestial object she had been imprisoned on for so many years. Her power began to surge around her, and then with the strength of her magic raised her moon into its position in the sky. Itachi laughed when she had finished her task. "What?" She asked. "Nothing, you just remind me of the Rikudō Sennin, raising the moon into the sky like that." "The Riku- what now?" "The Rikudō Sennin, the sage of the six paths, he is the founder of the ninja world, my ancestor, and the most powerful shinobi to ever live. It is said he created the moon from the earth and placed in the sky, on his deathbed no less." Luna was surprised at hearing him compare her to his ancestor. But she was nonetheless pleased by his compliment to her. Both just stood watching the night until Luna finally broke the silence. "Hey Itachi?" "Yeah?" "Just how did you beat Nightmare?" "Sorry, can't tell you. Some things are just better left unsaid, though I will tell you it certainly did a number on me." "Awww come on!" Itachi tapped her lightly on the forehead with two of his fingers smiling as he said, "Sorry Luna, maybe next time." And with that he walked back inside, leaving Luna standing alone on her balcony. She then spent the next few minutes looking over her beautiful night, not even noticing she had been smiling the whole time. She then followed Itachi's example and headed in, leaving the moon to watch over Equestria while she slept. Itachi was already passed out on the couch, he wasn't kidding when he said the battle had done a number on him. As she settled down in her bed to sleep, the moon outside had never been brighter. The next day Itachi was led by Luna to a room containing both Celestia and the elements of harmony. Everypony there was avoiding his gaze; Fluttershy couldn't even be seen she was hiding behind the others so thoroughly. Luna walked over and took her place, standing at her sister's side. Celestia finally looked the ninja standing before them, "Itachi, I don't know exactly what my sister saw when she looked into your mind. But whatever it was it convinced her that you were not as you appeared to be in those visions Nightmare forced us to see. While Luna has attempted to speak in your stead I feel as if it would be to greater effect if you were the one to explain it to us all." Itachi proceeded to do just that, explaining everything to the best of his ability. He outlined the bloody history of the Senju and the Uchiha, the events that led up to the founding of Konoha and resentment it caused among his clansmen. He finally came to the coup his clan planned against the Senju dominated Konoha. "Should a clan as powerful as the Uchiha rise up in an open full on revolt, it would have destabilized everything and thrown the village and the country of fire into chaos. Undoubtedly should that happen the other nations wouldn't hesitate to attack with Konoha in such a state. It would mean the beginning of the Fourth Great Shinobi war, and the destruction of my home." He paused for the first time in many minutes. He finally began speaking again in a much quieter voice, "Could you weigh your family and friends against the home you love and the lives of innocents on a set of scales? Because that's EXACTLY what I had to do. Would any of you have acted differently in my position?" He let the rhetorical question hang in the air for a bit. "I didn't do it out of hatred or for my own gain. I did it because I had no other choice." As he spoke the last sentence tears began to well up in his eyes, the tears he hadn't shed for eight years. Finished, Itachi turned to leave. He knew it would take them time to digest what he had just told them. Just as he was about to leave he was stopped by a question, "Why did you leave your brother?" Celestia asked her expression somber. Itachi stopped at the entrance, turning just enough to make eye contact with her. "Because he meant more to me than anything else in this world and I was willing to sacrifice anything for him, including myself." And with that he left, leaving the ponies to comprehend what he had just told them. "I-I don't understand it…" Pinkie stammered out, her mind reeling from the stories and descriptions she had just heard. Her mane was fully deflated and the sadness that had fallen over her seemed to be spreading. "How can fate be so cruel to somepony?" Nopony had an answer for her until Luna spoke, "His world is drastically different from ours. Not everypony there is as kind as we are, or he is for that matter. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, all they can do is have the determination to live with it." seeing that what both he and herself had said wasn't having too much of an effect she made a decision, hoping Itachi wouldn't be too angry at her for doing this. Words were fine and all, but seeing was believing as her horn began to glow with energy. She would show them what she had seen, and make them understand the darkness that Itachi carried with him. It was raining in Canterlot, not that it never happened but with magic usually controlling the weather it was a rare occurrence. Even rarer was the weather forming of its own accord, as Itachi had been telling his story to the ponies storm clouds had formed above the glistening city. He now stood out in the middle of the royal gardens looking up into the rain that fell upon him, smiling sadly. He turned to face a noise he had heard behind him and found six ponies slowly making their way to him in the rain. Twilight was the first to speak. "Itachi… we just wanted to say thank you for saving us from Nightmare. And also I'd like to say I'm sorry for what happened to you. What you went through was…was just…" "Horrible." Rainbow Dash finished for her. "Thank you, I appreciate it, I really do." "So what do you plan to do with yourself now sugarcube?" Applejack inquired. "I don't know probably what I've always done, live my life the best I can. I was actually planning on returning to Ponyville after this, if you guys will have me that is." "Of course we will silly!" Pinkie pie piped up, her mane finally starting get some of its former bounce back. "Yes what Pinkie said, now can we PLEASE continue this indoors? My beautiful mane is getting ruined out here!" Rarity yelped looking distressed. Applejack and Rainbow Dash both looked at her with the same of expression of disbelief at her ability to care about her looks even in this situation. "It's alright you two." Itachi said to Dash and Applejack. "It is quite cold out here, lets head in before someone catches something." As they all headed in the sky continued to weep. The world of Equestria was crying not only for the suffering its newest arrival had endured in the past, but for what was to come...

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-09-17T08:25:52+00:00

2011-09-17T08:25:52+00:00

Over the next two weeks Itachi became a normal part of life in Ponyville, he was one of the many faces ponies began to associate with their normal routines. He spent his days usually helping somepony with a task they just couldn't do on their own, but sometimes he would disappear for while out to the lake in the middle of the Everfree forest to train. His nights were usually spent with Luna, helping her with the political problems that cropped up, or just simply being there for her. Occasionally he would spend his night helping Twilight with her studies, surprisingly he could translate old Equestrian with his Sharingan. Itachi awoke one morning a lot later than he usually did, he had been up particularly late helping Luna with a problem with some council or something like that, didn't matter who they were politicians were all the same and just as easy to figure out. As he rose from his bed he noticed something was missing, his headband. Surely he put it on the table like he always did? A quick inspection of the room revealed it was nowhere to be found. He then stepped out from his room, leaving his coat behind as it was supposed to be quite hot today. "Hey Twi, you have any idea where my headband is? I would've sworn I left it on my table last night but it's not there now for some reason." "I have no idea. I've been gone all morning trying to help get ready for the gala. Why were you out so late?" "I was busy helping Luna with her speech to the Manehatten city council. So no one's been here except me and Spike?" "Not unless Spike let somepony in." Itachi's expression immediately changed to one of extreme annoyance. He now knew exactly what had happened. "Uh oh, you're not gonna do anything too permanent to him are you?" Twilight asked concerned seeing the look on Itachi's face. "Nope, just gonna scare the scales off of him. Excuse me I'll be right back." He said forming a single hand seal and vanishing in a plume of smoke. Spike was currently trying to get out the back door with his bowl of gems as quietly as possible. He had heard Itachi wake up and he didn't want to be around when the ninja figured out what he had done. The dragon slowly shut the door and turned around to head off to Rarity's with his bowl of delicious gems. Upon seeing Itachi standing behind him Spike nearly jumped out of his skin. "I-Itachi! What are you doing out here?" Spike said in a strained voice, feeling as the blood drained from his face. Itachi looked as angry as he had ever seen him, and his Sharingan wasn't helping. "Oh nothing much, just wanted to say good morning. Say, that seems like quite the bowl of gems you have there, where'd you get them from?" His glare seemed to penetrate through Spike. The dragon noted Itachi could be quite intimidating when he wanted to be. "Oh these? Well they were just lying around the library and so I decided to grab them as a snack!" Spike was sweating bullets; it was a horrible excuse. Both knew there was no way Spike would leave ANY amount of gems just laying around. Itachi just continued to look at him until Spike cracked. "OKAY OKAY! Applebloom and the others came over this morning and said if I let them into the library for five minutes they'd give me all these gems. I had no idea they were going to take your headband!" "Uh huh, sure." Itachi's gaze didn't really change, showing just how much he believed him. "Honest! I didn't notice they had taken it until they were running out!" Itachi continued to glare at him for a few more seconds before his expression finally softened."Ok fine, I believe you. Did they say anything about what they planned on doing with it?" "Yeah I think they said something about needing it for show and tell." "Thanks. Keep the gems and tell Rarity hi for me." "H-how'd you know I was going to Rarity's?" Spike asked in disbelief. "Oh please Spike, where ELSE have you ever gone in your spare time?" Itachi said smiling as he walked off towards the school. Within three days of Itachi's return he had encountered the group known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who seemed to be on the warpath to talk to him about what his cutie mark was. Upon discovering that humans simply don't have any, they then showered him with questions. Foremost they had wanted him to show them his 'magic' as they called it. After telling them it wasn't magic it was ninjutsu, he had produced a shadow clone. Of course after that they then wanted him to teach them how to perform the jutsu. Knowing it was impossible to teach them but not wanting to ruin their hopes, he told them that only someone who wore his headband could perform the technique. When asked to let one of them wear it, he apologized, saying that one had to earn the right to wear a headband like his and that the only way to earn it was to take it from him. Immediately after saying that he used the replacement technique, leaving behind a note saying "Sorry, maybe next time." This then began a competition of sorts as every day afterwards they would try to take his headband from him and every time he would vanish leaving behind a note saying the same thing. Or, at least that was how it had worked up until today. Honestly there wasn't anyone to get annoyed with except himself. They were just kids, what could he expect? As he approached the schoolhouse he could hear voices within, the door was wide open to help deal with the heat and Itachi simply entered and stood against the back wall, watching the fillies and colts show off what they had brought in. Eventually the Cutie mark Crusaders went up as a group, Applebloom was wearing Itachi's headband. "Fillies and gentle colts! We bring you the most spectacular show and tell item you're gonna see today!" Scootaloo said dramatically indicating Itachi's headband. "This headband belongs to Ponyville's newest arrival, whom I'm sure you've all heard of! With his headband we're gonna show you all one of his 'ninjutsu' thingies!" The class cheered after Scootaloo had said all this and intently looked at Applebloom to perform for them. Applebloom was as nervous as she'd ever been; it had been the general consensus between the other two that because she was the only one to ever see Itachi in action she should be the one to use it. She looked around the room nervously and that was when she noticed Itachi standing at the back of the room watching her. Applebloom saw as he smiled and nodded for her to go ahead. Still feeling like she was going to fail she went ahead with it anyways slamming her front hooves together and furrowing her brow in concentration. There was a poof of smoke next to her and to everypony's surprise there was a second Applebloom standing there. Applebloom looked at her double in shock for a few seconds before looking back to Itachi who was lowering his hands from forming a hand seal. He looked at her and winked, still smiling. Instantly everypony was up at the front of the room poking the second Applebloom asking if she was real, which of course she responded, "Of course ah' am!" It was at this point Cheerilee decided it was time for recess, ordering the fillies out the side door to go play, or in today's case, surround the Cutie Mark Crusaders plus shadow clone and pelt them with questions. Cheerilee turned to Itachi as he walked up to the front of the classroom. "They can't actually do that right?" He laughed "Oh no of course not, kinda need these to form hand seals." He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. "That's just one of my clones transformed to look like Applebloom." She let out a sigh of relief "Good those three are enough of a hooffull without there being two of each. So you came all the way here just to do that for them?" "Well, seeing as if they went through so much effort to get it I figured it'd be nice to let them be the center of attention for a while." He looked out at the playground, watching them for a bit. "Well I think it's time I got what I came here for. Have a nice day Cheerilee." He said as he waved goodbye and headed out onto the playground. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle were busy basking in the attention from their success when suddenly the clone of Applebloom disappeared in a plume of smoke. "Well, well, well seems like I finally found you three." Said the owner of the headband they had taken earlier. Everypony turned to look at the shinobi that had just entered into their presence. "Oh! Hey there Itachi!" Scootaloo said looking surprised at his sudden appearance. "You'll never guess what happened. Applebloom here used your headband and was able to do that technique you showed us!" "Is that so?" He said looking over at Applebloom who was sheepish as ever. "She must be special, not everyone can use that technique." "R-really?" Applebloom stammered out, completely confused. "Of course, you think just anybody can use it?" He asked smiling. "Unfortunately as much as I'm sure you guys would love to run around with it. I'm going to have to ask for my headband back, it is quite important to me." "Well alright then." Applebloom relented, trotting over to him while she untied the headband from around her forehead. As she was handing it over to Itachi she said a voice so quiet only the two of them could hear. "Thank you, ya know… for doing that technique for me." "You're welcome." He responded in an equally quiet voice. Itachi then put on his headband and looked around at the assembled ponies. He decided he'd give them a bit of a show as he left and formed a ram hand seal and with a flurry of leaves vanished. "Whoa." Scootaloo said, "Now THAT was cool." Itachi appeared in the middle of Ponyville in the same fashion he had left the school. The first thing he noticed was that every pony around him was bowing in his general direction. What the? The only reason they would be bowing is….He spun around to find Celestia looking at him with great amusement. "Hello Itachi, I was just looking for you." The two then entered somepony's house after Celestia had 'requested' they use it for a private meeting. Not that it was really a request if a powerful sun controlling god-princess asked you if she could use your house. "So why are you all the way out here in Ponyville Celestia? If you wanted to talk to me you just could've just sent a summons." "Well I didn't want to disrupt any plans you might have had for today." Itachi just looked at her. he knew that wasn't the real reason. "You know if you wanted to talk to me without Luna being around you could've just ASKED, rather than orchestrating this entire thing." "Am I really that transparent?" She chuckled. "No, I did have the advantage of Luna telling me you gave her that assignment to talk to the Manehatten council." He said as he leaned up against a wall crossing his arms. "So what is it you wanted to talk about?" "Well it's about Nightmare, is it truly gone?" Itachi looked out the window, trying to decide whether or not to tell her the truth."No its not. All I did was defeat it temporarily it'll be back, when I cannot say." "So all you did was buy us some time." "Well when you put it that way you make it sound like I didn't really do all that much." Itachi smiled. "But yes in essence that's all that came out of that encounter." "Then I'll have to increase the guards that watch over Luna and-" "Don't bother."Itachi interrupted "Nightmare won't be going after her anymore. It's got a slightly more important target now." "What do you mean?" "You didn't really think it was just going after Luna again that time did you? No, it had a different target in mind. As Nightmare put it 'Someone who's potential for destruction is far greater than any other being to ever walk this world'. I was the true objective of that whole thing." "You were its true target?!" Celestia shouted in disbelief "Well, I still am. But for a different reason this time and for an entirely different purpose. Last time it wanted to possess me like it did with Luna, but now it probably just wants to kill me." "You don't seem all that concerned by it." Itachi shrugged "When you face death often enough the prospect of it stops fazing you as much as it normally would." "Then I'll have to have some guards assigned to you." "No." He said flatly. Celestia was about to start arguing again when he cut her off "I don't want anyone else getting hurt on my account. Also it's easier to fight when I don't have to worry about others around me becoming possessed or something like that." "Then what am I supposed to do Itachi? You're a friend of many ponies here including myself and none of us would want to see something happen to you." It was the first time Itachi had ever seen the princess with concern on her face. "…..You know she thinks the world of you, if anything were to happen….. I don't think Luna could take it." "I know.." He said the weight of that knowledge rested heavily upon him. "I have no intention of dying, and I would NEVER want to hurt Luna in any way but if my life is the price required to protect you all I'll gladly pay it." "…Why? Why are you willing to go so far for us?" Itachi laughed "You should understand my nature by now. In life there are two kinds of warriors, those who use their power to take and control, and the kind who stand against them and the darkness they bring. Everyone fights for a reason, and in the two weeks I've spent here I've discovered that this world is my reason for standing against the shadow." Celestia was speechless, to see this human who had only arrived here dying two weeks ago speak plainly about his willingness to sacrifice his life for them shook her to her very soul. Luna had been right when she had said they were very similar, the sacrifices she had seen him make for the sake of his little brother made her angry at herself for ever thinking ill of him. "Itachi I've never seen Luna care for anyone like I've seen her with you, even before that whole incident with the moon she was quiet, soft spoken, and generally shy. Yet, somehow you get through to her in a way nopony else has ever been able to, even myself. Please… Take care of her, if there was ever anyone that'd I be willing to entrust my sister's well-being to it'd be you. My courage failed Luna all those years ago, I couldn't bring myself to face the problem head on and in doing so condemned my beloved sister to a millennium of torment." She looked directly at him now. "You're the bravest person I've ever met Itachi Uchiha, I know your courage will not fail." "T-Thank you Princess, I know how much she means to you."Itachi truly was taken aback by her words. Luna meant everything to the princess of the sun and he was surprised Celestia was putting such trust in him. There was then a flash of magic outside the house and a couple of seconds later Luna entered the building accompanied by a gruff looking guardpony. "Here you are sister, what're you doing out here in Ponyville?" "I had some business to attend to with our friend Itachi. How was the council?" "Not too bad. Itachi's advice, as always, was invaluable." She looked over to the ninja who was examining a small sculpture that was on a shelf. "So what exactly were you two talking about?" "The future." Celestia said simply. The princess then looked over to the guardpony that had entered along with her sister. "Captain, I can see you have something to say." "Forgive my intrusion princess, but there is a matter of great importance that you must know of." She nodded for him to continue. "I've just received some disturbing reports from outside Flillydelphia, apparently there's some kind of intruder in our lands." "What?" Luna asked in shock. "An intruder?" "Yes, milady. Apparently it was wandering the countryside around Fillydelphia when my men found it. They tried to apprehend it but the intruder proved elusive." The captain looked over at Itachi with apprehension for a split second before continuing. "Unfortunately my men didn't get a good look at the intruder when they encountered it. However, they were asked to deliver a message to an 'Itachi Uchiha'." Itachi slowly turned to face him, his eyes already red because of his Sharingan, now they seemed to be glowing slightly increasing the intensity of his glare. "And what was that message?" "That the legacy of the Mangekyō Sharingan has come to take its revenge."

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-09-30T22:13:12+00:00

2011-09-30T22:13:12+00:00

The door to the house where the princesses and Itachi were talking was thrown open as the ninja stormed out, his mind focused on the message the captain of the guard had spoken. "Itachi!" Luna yelled out as she ran after him. "What's wrong with you? All the captain did was say one line and you get all worked up." Itachi never ceased his stride as he headed back to Twilight's library. "The Mangekyō Sharingan is the most powerful level of the Sharingan only attained by four shinobi in the entirety of history, myself, my brother, Madara Uchiha, and his brother have been the only four to ever possess it." "Well that's certainly interesting, but you didn't answer my question." Luna was very worried, she had seen that same look in his eyes when Nightmare had first appeared. This was the side of Itachi that scared her, not because of fear for herself, but because he only acted this way when there was a threat to face. "Tell me, can you guess what is required to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?" He asked as they approached the library. "…..I have no idea." He stopped at the door and spoke in a quiet voice "In order to possess the power of the Mangekyō, one must kill the person closest to them." He turned to look at her his eyes shifting to the patterns of the Mangekyō "THAT is the legacy of these eyes." Luna just stood there in shock at what he had just said as Itachi headed inside. By the time she finally snapped herself out of it and followed him in he had already grabbed his coat and left out the window. Unfortunately for Itachi he still hadn't learned to duplicate his presence so it was a simple matter for Luna to locate and teleport him back to the library where she, her sister, and the elements were all waiting for him. Of course the instant he had appeared there he had started to form a ram hand seal when Luna cut him off "Go ahead do it, I'll just keep bringing you back here." Itachi sighed as he lowered his hands in defeat. "So what is it you all want? None of this involves you. He's here for me and me alone." "We just want to know just what the hay is going on." Dash said "And what do you mean it doesn't involve us? You're a friend, anything that could hurt you involves us!" the rest of the ponies in the room nodded in agreement. "So what have you told them so far Luna?" he asked as he walked over to the window, looking outside for any sign of intrusion into the perimeter of the town. "Everything you told me." "Good, then I can skip right to the heart of the matter. I'm sure you're all familiar with my Sharingan, but this…" He turned to face them as his eyes shifted to the windmill pattern. "is the Mangekyō Sharingan. It is the most powerful version of it and gives the user three incredibly powerful abilities, one of which you've already observed. However extensive use permanently degrades the user's sight to the point of blindness." That little fact elicited a gasp from the assembled ponies. "How bad is it?" Fluttershy asked, concern written all over her face. Itachi chuckled darkly "Prior to coming here? I could barely see my own hand in front of my face. However, somehow I've now acquired an eternal Mangekyō, which has restored my sight. But I digress, as I said before to Luna the legacy of the Mangekyō is the price required to awaken it. In order to awaken my own I killed my best friend with my own hands…Shisui Uchiha. Apparently he's returned somehow to fight me to the death once more." "But wait, how in the wide world of Equestria could he be here?" Twilight asked "I don't know and that's what worries me." Everyone fell silent in the room at that, the ponies kept exchanging glances while Itachi continued watching the outside. Finally Applejack broke the silence. "So what's the plan ya got Itachi?" "Well it's pretty simple, you all stay here and I'll go face him ALONE." The emphasis on the last word wasn't lost on anypony. "Why are you so fixated on facing him by yourself!?" Luna practically shouted at him. "It's my fight!" He shouted back. "That's no reason why we can't help!" "Yes it is! None of you have ever fought a shinobi before! This isn't some dumb beast that came wandering out of the Everfree forest!" This shouting match went on for several minutes everypony else in the room just stayed quiet watching the two go at it, neither one was willing to give any ground. Eventually Itachi just turned around as Luna continued to go on about how the rest of them should help. Itachi considered himself to be very good at containing his emotions but when Luna asked for what seemed the hundredth time why he wanted to fight alone he finally cracked. "BECAUSE I COULDN'T STAND TO SEE ANY OF YOU GET HURT BECAUSE OF ME!" He screamed at her, he stood there catching his breath while Luna had stopped in midword. He continued in a much quieter voice, his eyes never leaving the ground. "I couldn't protect my clan, my village or even my brother. I'm not about to let more people I care about get hurt because of my actions. So please….. stay away… for me.." the last words came out as a plea. Everyone just stood there shocked at Itachi's outburst. Celestia was the first to recover. "Itachi, are you sure you want to do this alone?" he nodded and a look of understanding passed between them. "Very well, I shall make sure no one interferes." "Tia, you can't be serious!" Luna looked at her sister desperately, finding no support in her she looked around at the elements of harmony appealing to them with her eyes. But there wasn't a single one who seemed willing to break Celestia's decision. She turned back to Itachi ready to declare her determination that she would help him no matter what. However those sentiments died a quick death when she turned to find Itachi standing less than a foot away looking directly at her concern written all over his face. She stood there staring for a few seconds unable to speak then finally threw her hooves around him in a hug which he returned. "Luna I deeply appreciate your willingness to help me with this, but please stay here. If anything were to happen to you I'd never forgive myself." He whispered in her ear "I'll be fine, and after I'm done with this we'll go stargazing tonight." She released him from her hug and looked up into his eyes, her own were beginning to fill with tears. "Promise?" He smiled at her "I Promise." And with that he turned and walked out. Celestia walked up next to her sister as she watched Itachi leave "So, you have feelings for him?" "W-what? NO! Whatever would give you that idea?" said a flustered Luna in the least convincing way possible. Her sister smiled "Well if you say so." She turned to the elements. "Excuse me girls, I have to leave for a bit while I help the captain set up a perimeter around Ponyville." Itachi stopped in the middle of the large field outside of Ponyville, he could feel Shisui's presence getting closer the entire time and he knew this was probably the most ideal place he could get. He watched as there was a flurry of leaves ahead of him, and from the depths of their twisting a humanoid figure appeared wearing a large cloak that covered his face in darkness. "Itachi Uchiha." The figure spoke as it undid the cloak and threw it to the side revealing the ninja beneath. "It's been far too long." The man standing in front of him was most certainly Shisui, same Konoha military police uniform and katana but something was… off, he seemed darker and his chakra flow was definitely different from what Itachi remembered. "That it has Shisui, why are you here?" "Certainly those horse things gave you my message?" He took Itachi's silence as a yes "Then I fail to see what that question has to do with anything, unless you'd rather have me say plainly that I'm here to kill you." "Hey you guys I think I can see Itachi from here!" Pinkie Pie yelled from the balcony of Twilight's library. Almost instantly Luna was up there closely followed by everypony else. "That's definitely Itachi down there, but I have no idea who that other human is." Twilight said Luna watched the two figures down in the field with great worry, every fiber of her being screamed to go help Itachi but she had said she wouldn't interfere, at least she could watch him. Her concentration on the two shinobi below however was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. Pinkie held up a bag to her. "Popcorn?" Itachi knew that there was no point to talking with him anymore and so reached for his genjutsu to get this over with. However, something was definitely wrong, his genjutsu wasn't taking effect. "Having a bit of a problem casting an illusion over me old friend?" Shisui laughed "You'll find no genjutsu will have any effect on me. The power that brought me here shields my mind from any influence." He reached up and drew his sword from the scabbard on his back. "But enough talk, let's get this started." And with that he charged forward. Itachi stood his ground his hands blurring as he weaved signs, Katon, Hōsenka no Jutsu! He fired several fireballs at great speed, their trajectories random and shifting. Shisui dodged then skillfully and then halfway through the barrage flickered out of existence. Itachi barely had any time to react as Shisui appeared once more behind him swinging for him with his sword; he drew a kunai and managed to block the swing just in time. Shit, this is going to be difficult without genjutsu! He thought to himself as Shisui broke the contact between their blades and then came charging in again. The two exchanged blows and parries neither one able to overcome the other. They moved about in what appeared to an outside observer a sort of elegant dance of death. They dodged, blocked, parried, and attacked with an inhuman amount of precision and speed, both Itachi and Shisui were skilled taijutsu users to begin with but add in the power of the Sharingan and a skilled shinobi becomes something else entirely. Eventually Itachi managed to feint Shisui into over extending himself just enough for Itachi to dart inside his guard, he brought his kunai up attempting to eviscerate his opponent. Shisui however, had anticipated this and slammed his sword into the ground using it as an anchor to lift himself into the air moving just out of the way of the kunai headed for his flesh. As he rose he brought his right leg around on a trajectory for Itachi's head, Itachi was able to block some of the attack with his left hand but was still sent flying by the strength behind the kick. Itachi managed to land on his feet sliding to a stop. He spat out a globule of blood and glared across the grass to Shisui. "Where did you get this 'power' of yours?" Shisui grinned manically "Wouldn't you like to know." The two just continued to stare at each other for several seconds then suddenly Shisui began to weave his own hand seals Katon, Gōkakyū! He fired a humongous fireball at Itachi mixing in his wind natured chakra in order to increase the power of his fire release technique. Itachi just closed his right eye as the flames grew closer, finally his right eye shot open. Amaterasu! Black flames consumed the orange of the fireball feeding upon them and growing larger, it then advanced towards the source. Shisui's eyes widened in shock, he had never seen such a powerful ninjutsu technique, let alone a fire release powerful enough to consume the grand fireball. He flickered out of the way of the advancing flames just in time, but his reprieve was short lived as the flames seemed to have come after him. He continued to avoid the flames which followed him no matter where he went. He finally had the sense to look over at Itachi whose right eye seemed to be weeping blood as he glared at him. So this is the power of the Mangekyō… He thought to himself as he charged his opponent once more, as he closed the distance Shisui noticed the patterns on Itachi's eyes had indeed shifted. When he was less than two feet from Itachi more black flames materialized in front of him and despite his best efforts he couldn't get out of the way completely in time. He flickered back into existence his right sleeve ablaze, before Itachi could expand the flames Shisui sliced the fabric off letting it fall to the ground, his arm however did sport some burns from the contact. As I suspected he's too fast for Amaterasu to keep up... Itachi thought to himself as he deactivated the ninjutsu, extinguishing the flames. "That Mangekyō is powerful Itachi, but-"He flickered behind the ninja stabbing him through the back with his sword."It seems I'm just too fast for you." Itachi just seemed to crack a tiny smile, SHIT! kage bushin? Was as far as that train of thought got in Shisui's head before the clone of Itachi exploded point blank sending him flying. By the time he had picked himself up from the ground Itachi was standing once more before him, his emotionless eyes boring into him. "Well Itachi, you've certainly grown since we last did battle. Even with this new power I've been given here you're still able to push me to my limit." Shisui sighed raising his blade once more." But it's time to end this; I will cut you down with the very technique you helped me to perfect." As he spoke the ground beneath him began to crack as he released a large amount of chakra. Itachi started, settling into a defensive posture, This isn't good. He thought to himself as he began to form Susanoo. However, he wasn't quite quick enough as before the skeleton could take full shape Shisui looked up at him and spoke five words. "Ninpou, Sen ha no mai" (Ninja Art, Dance of a Thousand Blades) He then flickered out of existence once more, moving at speeds unthinkable even to a shinobi. The dance of a thousand blades, Shisui's trump card that Itachi had helped him develop; it was the pinnacle of mastery of the body flicker technique. So named because the user moved so fast he was able to strike the target a thousand times in the space of half a second from every direction imaginable. No other ninja could even think to use it, for the precision required for it to work could only be gained through the Sharingan and no one else had ever come close to achieving Shisui's speed. It was a totally unavoidable technique, for the target had no time to react. Everything to Itachi seemed frozen in time for an instant…. Then the ground around him exploded and a shower of blood shot into the air. As the dust cleared the two figures were still standing, Itachi within the skeletal confines of susanoo, Shisui standing just outside of it his sword sticking through the only gap in the defenses of Susanoo and into Itachi's shoulder. "Impressive." He said as he twisted the blade and withdrew it from Itachi's flesh. Itachi grunted in agony as the blade was withdrawn and fell to his knees. "A thousand strikes and yet all I can manage is a single stab. That's one hell of a defense, however you'll find that all I need is to land one attack with my sword and it's over." Shisui said as he raised the blade which seemed to dripping a purple liquid in addition to Itachi's blood. Poison? Itachi could already feel his reflexes beginning to slow. It was starting to effect his concentration and he lost control of Susanoo, it vanished in flurry of chakra. "What happened!?" Luna shouted as she watched the explosion of dust from where the two were fighting. "I don't know Luna." Celestia said quietly looking at her sister with concern. Luna seemed ready to bolt, and it was her job to keep her younger sister from doing anything too rash. "Hey! I can see them!" Rainbow Dash shouted from her position above the group. Her expression turned from one of excitement to horror as she saw what was there. There was a collective gasp from everypony as the dust cleared enough for them to see Itachi with the sword in his shoulder. When he fell to his knees after Shisui withdrew his weapon Luna almost stopped breathing. She watched as he began to raise his sword over his head, as he began to bring it down it became apparent that Itachi was in no shape to move out the way, and she acted without thinking, summoning up her magic. Itachi could only watch as Shisui brought the sword down for the final blow, the poison was preventing him from moving fast enough and his chakra control was thrown to hell. Sorry Luna he thought to himself as the blade drew closer guess I'm gonna have to break that promise. Suddenly there was huge explosion of magical energy in front of him, Shisui was thrown back at least thirty feet by the force of the blast yet somehow Itachi was unaffected. His expression turned to one of shock at what he saw, standing in front of him with her wings raised and her horn crackling with energy was Luna. "I thought I told you to stay out of this." He grunted as he raised himself into a standing position once more. "Sorry I'm not about to lose another friend, especially not right in front of me." Luna's voice was laced with power. She looked back at him with her glowing eyes and saw him clutching his wounded shoulder panting as he attempted to cope with the pain and poison flowing through him. Before Itachi could retort Shisui fired another wind charged fireball at the pair, Luna blasted it aside with a bolt of magic. However, before she could do anything else Shisui was right in front of her about to plunge his poisoned sword into her neck but suddenly a large ethereal skeletal hand slammed down in-between them. Itachi strode in front of her clutching a bloody kunai in his right hand. "Thanks for the help Luna, but I can handle it from here." "But-" "Please, get back to the library I don't want you to get caught in this." The air around him had shifted; he was as serious as she had ever seen him. "I'll end this in one stroke." When she just remained silent he turned to her, determination gleaming in his eyes. "Luna you've risked you life for me just now because of my stupidity, I won't let that happen again." "Fine, but this is that last time you're fighting on your own, no matter what I will stand by you from now on. You said you fight to protect what you care about, well that's what I want to do too." She said as her horn glowed once more and she teleported away. "Thank you." He whispered to the air. The two clanmates stared at each other, Sharingan boring into Sharingan, both knew that they were too low on chakra to continue fighting much longer and that in all likelihood the next attack would be their last. Itachi raised his right arm above him activating his Mangekyō once more but rather than the flames of Amaterasu shooting out to his target they began to flow together above his right hand coalescing and concentrating into a rotating sphere of pure black flame. Shisui started for the first time realizing the power he was up against, the concentration of chakra in that was incredible. The heat from it alone was enough to scorch the ground beneath the sphere, and the air it superheated gushed outwards creating a miniature windstorm around Itachi. Itachi lowered his arm to his side, his right eye bloodshot and weeping. "Enton, Kami no honoo kattā." (Blaze release, Divine Blaze Cutter) "This is your end Shisui." Shisui scowled raising his sword and pouring all the chakra he could into it. "I will not fall to you again so easily Itachi! Come, let us end this!" He yelled as the two began to charge at each other for the last time. As they approached within mere feet of each other time seemed to slow to a standstill, as Itachi's Amaterasu began to come into contact with Shisui's chakra infused sword he would've sworn he saw a smile on his old friend's lips. Then time sped up once more as the techniques collided, releasing a massive explosion of black flame and chakra, the two ground against one other each trying to overcome the power of the opposing technique, until finally Itachi's jutsu overcame Shisui's and an even larger explosion of pure dark flame shot out from the two. Itachi stood for moment his right arm still outstretched from his attack before collapsing to one knee while he closed his eyes It's over. He then felt a tap on the shoulder and he turned to see an unscathed Shisui smiling down at him, offering him a hand. "H-how are you…" Itachi stammered out "Relax Itachi, you've won. I just want to talk and I don't have much time." He proffered his hand once more and this time Itachi took it letting Shisui help him into a standing position. "Why are you helping me?" he asked, genuinely confused. Shisui cocked an eyebrow, "You didn't think I came here of my own volition did you? No I was brought here by something, as to what I'm not entirely sure. It forced me to come after you with a single minded vengeance." "You didn't interact with it all?" Itachi asked, as he clutched at the wound on his left shoulder. "I certainly tried, but all I got from it was emotions. Hatred and the like, but throughout all of its emotions I could feel a strong chord of guilt leading back to you. Like a sort of tether that kept me bound to this world." "Is that so?" Itachi asked looking away Shisui just kept looking at Itachi expectantly until finally, "Shisui that night all those years ago… I…I…" His voice just petered off, how the hell did you apologize to someone for killing them? Shisui sighed; he had been expecting a reaction similar to this one. "Itachi, what you did was the right thing. I was fool, we all were fools too caught up in our own agenda to realize what we were doing and what the consequences would be. Being dead does give one perspective and I can say with total certainty I hold nothing against you for what you did. We were selfish and shortsighted." He paused for bit. "I think I see now what made you and the Senju so different than us. We never stopped thinking of ourselves as Uchiha and only Uchiha, you and the others thought of yourselves as Konoha shinobi. You were the best of us Itachi, and I'm proud to carry the same name as you." He reached out and they grasped each other in the handshake they had used so many times in the past. "There'll be more hardships on the road ahead old friend. I pray that you have the strength to see yourself and your friends through them...I guess this is goodbye Itachi, maybe I'll see you on the other side…" Itachi finally looked around noticing that the area the two had been standing in was an immaculate white. "Wait, was this conversation all happening inside my mind?" "Of course it was, but that doesn't make it any less real does it?" With his final words spoken, Shisui Uchiha began to drift away, his soul being laid to rest once more. "Oh and Itachi?" "Yeah?" "Take care of her." He said grinning like an idiot. And with that the area around Itachi faded completely Thank you Shisui… Itachi's eyes opened once more to see a pair of aqua blue eyes mere inches from his own. "Itachi are you ok?" Luna asked "Yeah… Yeah I'm fine." He said standing up and looking at the scene around him. There were eight ponies surrounding him in the crater he had created with his technique. "If you're fine then why are ya crying?" Applejack piped up from his right. I'm crying? He thought as he reached up to his face with his right hand and it came away damp. "I'm…not sure." He said as he continued to stare at his hand then suddenly he was grabbed in a crushing hug by Luna. The two stood there in the embrace for a good two minutes while everypony else watched. Eventually Celestia let out a little cough and Luna seemed to finally notice the others and she released him from her grasp with a bit of an embarrassed look. She then noticed the red substance that had gotten on her "Oh my, I completely forgot about your shoulder!" Itachi winced as she exposed the wound with her magic, "It's not as bad as it looks." everypony looked at him with a 'yeah right' kind of look "Ok, so it is as bad as it looks." Six hours later Itachi lay on a hill outside of Canterlot, his left shoulder swathed in bandages. It never ceased to amaze him just how quickly this pony magic worked, particularly when it came to medicinal applications. Luna had practically dragged him to the royal physician despite his protests that any old doctor would do. He looked up at the stars above him recalling just how close to death he had come today. He felt the pony laying next to him shift around and lay her head on his uninjured shoulder. "So what do you think of my night?' "It's beautiful as always." Luna smiled "Shouldn't you be resting?"Itachi had sneaked out from the royal infirmary to make it out to here. "That was my plan except I promised a certain someone that I would go stargazing with her tonight," he turned to her "and I never break a promise." She nuzzled his neck and drew back, her aqua eyes looking into his black ones. Something was different, when she had first met him his eyes had been filled with sadness, guilt, and anger. But now all that was gone leaving behind the kindness that had always existed underneath it all this time. She put her forelegs around him, and he put his one good arm around her. Itachi had spent his entire life fighting on his own, bearing the burden alone because he was the only one who could, but as he began to fall asleep in Luna's embrace he knew deep within him, he would never be alone anymore. Like a shooting star, I will go the distance I will search the world, I will face its harms I don't care how far, I can go the distance Till I find my hero's welcome Waiting in your arms...

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-10-06T23:06:00+00:00

2011-10-06T23:06:00+00:00

Itachi awoke the next morning exactly where he had fallen asleep in Luna's arms the night before. He noticed there was something incredibly soft and velvety on his chest and looked down to see that Luna had draped a wing over him to keep him warm during the night. He lay there just enjoying the warmth of the sun and the presence of the alicorn next to him; he had never felt quite so happy with his situation in life. He then looked up and saw the white ruler of the sun making her way over to the two. He shook Luna gently to wake her, the younger princess' head rose lazily from its position on his shoulder. "Good morning." He said smiling as she groggily blinked her way back to consciousness. "Good morning to you too." She responded as she nuzzled him again. She then noticed her sister standing not ten feet away watching them with a look of great amusement dominating her face. "C-Celestia! What are you doing here!" She shouted in a panic standing up quickly as she ever had. "It's not- We were just- I-I mean…" Luna stammered out, incredibly flustered by this whole thing. Celestia just kept smiling as she walked over to her sibling and nuzzled her affectionately. "I don't see why you're getting so worked up Luna, if anything I'm happy for you. You've finally found somepony whom you truly and deeply care about, it's nothing to be ashamed of." She then put one hoof on her shoulder as she looked directly into her eyes. "I can tell he cares for you just as much Luna, what you two share is a special connection there's no reason to hide it." "…Thank you Tia." Luna said quietly as a smile appeared on her face to match her sister's. The two ponies then looked over to Itachi who had been observing them with a grin the whole time. "Well, it doesn't seem like there's all that much for me to add. But I am kind of curious, just how did you find us? I thought I made sure to hide my presence this time." The elder sister just kept smiling "I know all the best places to go stargazing around Canterlot, I've been here a little longer than you have." She turned back to her sister, "Luna, I'm terribly sorry, but unfortunately I need you to help me get the final preparations for the Gala finished. Our absence yesterday seems to have caused quite a bit of chaos and we both know you're the best organizer in all of Equestria." "What? But I was going to…" Luna's voice trailed off as she frowned; admittedly she had completely forgotten about the Gala up until that moment. "It's ok Luna." Itachi said as he pulled on his coat. "I have my own duties to take care of. You're a princess after all, I can't keep you to myself and you have your obligations" Luna still looked slightly crestfallen, she had been expecting to spend the day with him. Not helping set up a party she didn't even want to go to. "Well ok then…" she said biting her lower lip nervously "Will I get to see you tonight?" Itachi smiled as he walked up to her and gave her a hug, "Of course you will, I wouldn't miss spending a night with you for the world." Upon hearing this Luna hugged Itachi even tighter. She didn't want the embrace to end but she knew it had to. She then released him and turned to her sister flaring her wings for flight. "Let's get going Celestia, I want to get this finished quickly." With that the princess of the night took off for the castle, her elder sibling close behind. Itachi watched the two alicorns fly until he could see them no more. There was an inherent elegance in every movement they made that kept him from tearing his eyes away. He kept staring off towards the castle lost in thought until he remembered he had a job to do. Now where the hell did I put that scroll? He thought to himself as he began to check his pockets. Luna approached the lone occupied table in the royal library several hours later. According to the guards Itachi had been in here all day by himself. As she approached him she noticed that he had moved two tables together and spread over their surface was an incredibly long scroll. As she walked up behind the shinobi she glimpsed the intricate designs and runes drawn onto the surface. Itachi's eyes continued to move over the writing, checking the complex formulae he had scrawled upon it, his brow furrowed in concentration. "So, what's this?" Luna finally asked after standing behind him for about twenty seconds. Itachi was startled; he hadn't even noticed her until she had spoken. He should have sensed her coming long before she had gotten close to him. Actually, now that he wasn't concentrating so much on the task in front of him he noticed her chakra easily. Itachi then smiled inwardly as he realized what he had done, of course he had sensed her but he was so used to her presence he hadn't even bothered with a second thought. "Oh, this? This is a jutsu formula, a framework for complex techniques. This is easily the hardest one I've ever constructed; unfortunately there are still quite a few kinks I need to work out." Luna just looked over the scroll with an expression of awe, the level of detail Itachi could achieve never ceased to amaze her. "Wow… so what's it for?" "It's an advanced sensory technique that should allow us to determine when Nightmare will return. But," He said rolling up the scroll and turning around to look at her." Like I said it's not quite ready yet. So how was organizing preparations for the gala?" Luna sat down next to the shinobi and leaned up against him. "Ugh, it was horrible, we leave for one day and everything falls apart. It doesn't help that the gala's in a week. I don't know why I helped to get it ready, I hate going to them. Even before the whole Nightmare Moon thing everypony always regarded me as a kind of outcast, I didn't even go to the one last year because I was so afraid of what the ponies would think." As she spoke she lowered her head as if trying to hide from the world. Itachi put his arm around her and hugged her tightly, reminding Luna that she wasn't alone. After a while Luna spoke up again. "Hey, Itachi?" "Yeah?" Her voice practically shook with nervousness "I know this is last minute and all but…. Would you come with me to the gala?" As she said the last few words she looked up at him hopefully. "Of course." He responded smiling as her face practically lit up. "Though I heard the guest list has been booked solid for months, I'm not sure if I'll be able to get a ticket..." "Well good thing I have some pull with the royal family." Luna smirked. "Indeed." He laughed. "So you're done with your royal duties for now?" Luna nodded "Actually, I'm finished for the next two days, a favor from Celly for helping get everything done so quickly." She then grabbed Itachi by the shoulder and pulled him away to the exit. "We've got the whole night to ourselves so let's get going!" Luna raised the moon into the sky once more, feeling the magic flow through her. She couldn't say why but these last few weeks raising the moon and bringing in the night was easier than ever. As she landed next to Itachi she noticed he was looking at her with a great compassion, "You know… I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching that. It's always an amazing sight." "Thanks." Luna said sheepishly, she wasn't used to such praise. Her sister was much better suited to that. "So what is this place?" Itachi asked as he looked around the area Luna had brought him to. It was a serene lake surrounded by a forest bordered by mountains. He had never seen a place like this in the world. Luna looked out over the water. "This is one of my favorite places in all of Equestria. I used to spend a lot of time here, back before the whole Nightmare Moon incident. I've never shown this to anyone before, not even Celestia. Of course I didn't really have anypony to show it to back then. But," She said looking at the ninja."Now I have you to share it with. So, what do you think?" "I think it's beautiful. But why didn't you have anyone to share it with? A pony like you must've had someone." Luna looked away from Itachi; she didn't want to talk about how she had felt back then. Even a thousand years later the shame of her actions still hung over her. "Surely somepony's told you about what happened all those years ago." Itachi walked over and sat down next to her,"I've found that hearing the story from others is never as good as hearing it firsthand." He indicated that he wanted her to sit next to him on the cool grass. When she hesitated he smiled up at her. "Luna there is NOTHING you could've done that would ever make me care for you any less. You were the first person to ever forgive me for my actions in the past. I owe you so much, the least I can do is help you deal with your past, and it's obvious that it's been eating at you but you never let anyone else in. I was the same way before I came here, until you entered my mind and forgave me. So please, talk to me, you mean too much to me for me to just sit here and watch you suffer like this." After a few more seconds Luna finally sat down next to him, still avoiding his eyes, and began speaking in a quiet voice. She talked for what seemed forever, she spoke of her night how she had put so much effort into creating it and the pride she held for her creation. She talked of the jealousy and hurt she had felt when the ponies shunned her work for her sister's day. How nopony would be friends with her because they were always sleeping. The longer she talked the greater the volume of her voice became until she finally had the confidence to look at Itachi. His eyes were filled with nothing but kindness and sympathy for her. It was at this exact moment that Luna then threw her forehooves around Itachi, holding him so tightly as though should she let up on her effort he would slip away. Itachi just held her for a good long while, knowing she needed the release as tears began to pour down her face. One thousand years of regret, sorrow, and shame were finally being let out from the container she had locked them away in. Deep within him he could feel his fury at Nightmare build to a fever pitch for what it had done to her. However, Itachi knew better than to let it color his demeanor now, he would save it for when the time was right, and god help Nightmare when that time came. As he sat there comforting the princess of the night he heard something slightly louder than a whisper from the pony whose face was buried in his chest. "Please…. Don't ever leave me…" He lowered his head as he whispered back "I'll never leave you Luna, I promise." She looked up at him, her eyes still filled with tears, but these were no longer tears of shame and regret, they were tears of joy. Luna didn't know what had dictated fate to bring Itachi to her world, all she knew was that from the bottom of her soul she was eternally grateful for him being here. Before any rational thought could enter her mind she acted completely without thinking and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Itachi's expression changed to one of surprise and Luna was pretty sure her own face wore one of total shock at what she had just done. She feared the worst and was about to start apologizing when Itachi's expression shifted once again to a warm smile. She smiled back, burying her face once more in his shoulder. It was here on the shore of the lake where she had spent so much time doubting herself that Luna, Equestrian Princess of the night, finally found solace for her past in a soul whose scars ran just as deep. The next day Itachi stood in Celestia's throne room once again, trying to pass the time while he waited for Luna to arrive with the elements of harmony. He turned as he heard voices coming up the hallway towards the room and in walked the eight ponies he had requested meet him here. "Hey there Itachi!" Pinkie Pie practically shouted as she bounced right up to him "We haven't seen you in forever, where have you been this whole time?" "I was busy working on something." "On what?" Dash asked, her eyebrow cocked. "On this." Itachi said as he pulled out the scroll he had been working on nearly non-stop for the last couple of days. He had been burning the candle at both ends and the middle trying to get this finished, the encounter with Shisui had given him a new incentive to get this done. He didn't want to ever be caught off guard like that again. "You guys might want to sit down for this." The two alicorn sisters took their places on the throne while the six elements arranged themselves in a semi circle around the ninja. "So you've been working for two days on a scroll?" Dash asked with a sarcasm that could only be detected if one knew her well enough. Twilight gave her a look and then turned back to Itachi. "So what's so important about this scroll of yours?" "You'll see." Itachi smiled as he threw the scroll up into the air as he released the seal upon it. Upon the release of the seal the scroll unraveled to its full length of thirty feet, every inch of the parchment that composed it was covered in crimson symbols. It floated slowly to the ground where an air of mystique hung over it. "What you see before you is a jutsu formula, a blueprint if you will. Its purpose is to shape techniques that are too complex or time consuming to form simply through hand seals." Everypony in the room with the exception of Luna who had seen it already was staring curiously at the scroll. "This formula is for a combination of space-time and sensory ninjutsu, incorporating the equivalent of over eight hundred and fifty seals." "And we're supposed to understand any of that?" Applejack asked incredulously. "No, not really I just wanted you to know how difficult it was. It'll pick up any significant amount of chakra easily." "And we're here because…?" Dash asked her annoyance rising. "You'll see in a moment." Itachi knelt down in front of the center of the scroll. "Now let's get this started." Itachi closed his eyes and concentrated; channeling his chakra he formed a single seal with his right hand and then slammed it onto the center of the scroll. The blue glow of chakra suffused his hand and then spread through the rest of the formula shaping and channeling itself as the writing of blood dictated. Itachi could sense the chakra of every single individual within two hundred miles of his position with such clarity it was as if he was standing next to them. However, he knew this wasn't enough and began to pour more chakra into the technique increasing the range and perception of the jutsu. He felt as it expanded into the void between worlds, and it was here that he began to sense a chaotic, powerful force the same one he had sensed when fighting Shisui. Itachi began to delve into it trying to make sense of just what it was when he felt another presence. In his mind's eye he could see a demonic, insane visage form before him, the purest hate that composed its eyes boring into Itachi's soul. A thousand claws of darkness reached for him threatening to tear him apart with the sheer malice that composed them. Itachi struggled to escape from their grip just barely managing to break away, as he did so the visage opened its mouth letting a scream of pure rage come forth. With that Itachi was hurled from the void, his consciousness returning to his body once more. Itachi's vision returned, as he stared at the blank scroll before him, his eyes wide and bloodshot. His heart hammered against his chest and he felt as if he had just climbed eight mountains without rest. Luna was already at his side supporting him as his body continued to shake. Every pony in the room was around him looking at Itachi with great concern etched upon their faces. He heard Luna's voice calling to him as if from a great distance, "Itachi! ITACHI!" He blinked as he struggled to bring his body back under control. Finally managing to curb his rapidly beating heart and re asserting control over his shaking limbs he finally spoke. "I-I'm ok Luna." He stood, letting her help him to his feet as she asked, "Just what happened? You were fine for about ten seconds and then all of a sudden your eyes shot open and you started shaking uncontrollably." "I encountered Nightmare, or at least its fragments." Itachi was mentally berating himself for being so stupid; he had allowed the technique to interact with his chakra too closely. As a result it had allowed Nightmare to nearly rip his consciousness from his body. "And?" "Let's just say it wasn't too thrilled to see me." He said as he finally managed to regain his composure. He didn't want Luna to know just how close of a call it had been as she'd just worry about him even more than she already did and he didn't want to put her under any more stress than she already had. Celestia strode forward her demeanor serious. "Did you discover what you intended to find? He looked directly at Celestia, "It will return soon, I give it three days, maybe four before it's recomposed fully enough to re-enter this world." "That soon…" The elements just looked confused. "Princess Celestia, just what is going on?" Twilight asked. The princess of the sun sighed. "I'll explain it to you in just a second." She turned to Itachi. "However you obviously need to recover from whatever happened. We will begin our preparations for its return tomorrow, in the meantime…. Luna?" "Yes?" "Could you take care of him for us?" Luna smiled, "Of course sister." Itachi allowed Luna to practically carry him down to the kitchen where she then ordered the royal cooks to prepare him some food. He wasn't really paying attention to what was going on as the reality of the situation had just hit him like wrecking ball. The same thought just kept repeating throughout his mind, would it be enough? He kept asking himself that question, unable to find an answer until he looked up at Luna once more. In her eyes he saw a determination that he was innately familiar with, the determination to protect that which one held dear. He knew then that together their resolve would give them the strength to stand against the coming darkness and to protect this land from the Nightmare that had come to consume it.

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2011-10-17T06:17:22+00:00

2011-10-17T06:17:22+00:00

Three days later the skies above Equestria began to experience something quite unlike anything that had been observed in recorded history. The sky itself seemed to begin to writhe and twist as black energies that had appeared from seemingly nowhere began to throb and pulse throughout it. The weather Pegasai had never seen anything quite like it and when they had sent a report detailing what they had seen all they got in reply was to evacuate immediately to ground based shelter on the orders of Princess Celestia. Itachi watched as the sky continued to writhe with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation. He prayed to whatever deities were listening that it wasn't Nightmare that was causing this, but he suspected otherwise. "Um, Itachi? Do you have any idea what's going on?" A familiar voice asked from his side snapping him out of his reverie. "No I don't Twilight, I've got a suspicion, but that's about it." He answered turning to the purple unicorn that stood next to him who was also looking up at the sky. "Nightmare?" she asked as she lowered her gaze to match his own. He nodded. "Yeah, but there's no way to know for sure, I can't sense anything through this stuff. For all we know this just might be some freak occurrence." Twilight could hear in his voice that he believed it was Nightmare. "So you don't trust yourself?" "It's not that, it's just when you've seen the line between illusion and reality blurred as much as I have you learn to never take assumptions as truth. I hope with my entire being that I'm wrong Twilight, that this is nothing more than a random event. But in any case, we should prepare as if we knew Nightmare was coming for certain." As he spoke he looked over to where the rest of the Elements of Harmony sat together speaking to each other in nervous tones as they looked up at the unnatural sky. Ever since he had ascertained the timeframe of Nightmare's return Itachi had been training the others almost nonstop, trying to prepare them for the coming trial. While he couldn't exactly help Luna and Celestia become any more proficient at controlling their powers, he found that with the proper guidance his experience with chakra control could help the Elements increase their mastery over their respective powers. The pair continued to look over in the direction of the elements until they noticed the princesses entering the courtyard where Itachi usually trained. Knowing that the princesses wouldn't have shown up if the situation wasn't serious, Itachi and the others headed over to them. "So what's going on?" Twilight asked as soon as she had approached them, hoping they had a better idea than Itachi did. "Unfortunately we don't know any more about this than you do my student. There's never been an event like this." Celestia said, frowning. "And?" Itachi asked, sensing there was more to that statement. "The pegasus weather teams have given us a most disturbing report. There is apparently some sort of focal point for this occurrence. And the magic that has been concentrated there is on a scale neither of us have ever felt." Itachi's expression hardened at this information, it was practically a confirmation of his worst fears. "So… the time has finally come…" He turned to the Elements of Harmony. "Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, I have spent the last four days training you all for this moment. The improvements I have seen you make have made me proud to have helped shape the power that you now all wield. Before we face this threat to us all there is something I feel you all must know. The fate of Equestria has been entrusted to you in the past, but this time there is more at stake than just eternal night. I know you're scared and I know you're all nervous but I have faith in your abilities and more importantly I have faith in you, I know you all can do it. We're all counting on you." Itachi watched as his words took effect, the fear and nervousness that had been present in the six ponies started to disappear and began to be replaced with determination and courage. The knowledge that others believed in you and that friends were relying on you gave people strength they never knew they had. He turned to the princesses. "In the meantime Celestia, we should get going. We've given Nightmare too much time as it is." The princess of the sun nodded in agreement as her horn began to glow and with a flash of light they all disappeared from the courtyard. The eight ponies and human re-appeared in a large clearing just south of where Cloudsdale was located. In the skies above a vortex of sorts had formed, similar to the clouds that foretold the coming of tornados. However it was painfully obvious to any observer that this was no ordinary formation of clouds, as dark arcs of lighting continued to crisscross its form. This close to the epicenter Itachi could now sense the malicious presence that was warping this world, there was no doubt now, it would be here that Nightmare would once more enter Equestria. "This is completely different from how Nightmare was before..." Luna said as she stared enraptured at the maelstrom. "I don't remember its power ever being anything like this." "That's because before it came here to try to rule not destroy." Itachi said as he also watched the swirling clouds with apprehension. Suddenly as if sensing the ninja's presence the vortex began to swell with energy moving faster and faster until finally with an explosion of darkness a lone bolt shout out of it impacting into ground in a similar explosion leaving crater of significant size behind. From within the dust and flares of energy two bright burning orbs stared out at the assembled group, Nightmare had returned. "ITACHI UCHIHA! I have come to rend your flesh and soul, to force upon you torment the likes of which no being has ever experienced before! I have spent these last few weeks biding my power in preparation for this moment and once I've slain you I will burn this world until its surface is but glass and the blood of its inhabitants its polish!" Nightmare's voice screamed as the dust finally settled and the creature of darkness was finally revealed to them. Its form seemed to devour light itself like a sort of black hole, what could be gleaned from its form was that it was some kind of four legged creature with multiple appendages writhing through the air over it. "And what do you know; you have the courtesy to save me the trouble of looking for you!" It grinned insanely at the ninja and the ponies that accompanied him. Twilight and the other elements were shaken by the appearance of Nightmare and its voice sent shivers down their spines. However, when she looked over at Itachi, the true target of all this she saw no fear, no worry, only determination and a cold hatred directed at the being in front of them. Itachi never broke eye contact with the demonic apparition before them as he spoke, "Girls your time is now, once you've cast your spell the princesses and I will handle this." Twilight and the rest nodded as they began to channel their respective elemental powers together, forming a spell designed for once simple purpose, to bind Nightmare to this world. The innate problem that had faced Itachi when he pondered how to defeat Nightmare was how to inflict damage to it. As a being that existed on multiple planes it could simply shrug off any physical or magical attack that was directed at it. And genjutsu was completely out of the question, as Itachi didn't even want to think about what would happen to him should he try to interact with Nightmare's chakra directly. The solution was discovered by Luna, who when told of this glaring issue by Itachi remembered a basic binding spell that the elements of harmony could use on spirits or other such ethereals. When used on a being such as Nightmare it should bind it to its physical plane of existence making it vulnerable to their attacks once more. The elements had been training for this moment for the last four days, knowing that their world's future depended on their actions gave them the ability to channel more energy from the gems around their necks than ever before. As they floated into the air the rainbow colored arc of energy that was the elements power shot out and split into its six constituent parts each one shooting for Nightmare. Nightmare in question felt as if it had nothing to fear from the elements of harmony as its power had grown beyond anything those outdated artifacts of a bygone era could seal away. As the power came into contact with the demonic being it felt not the pull of sealing as it had before but rather a grounding sort of interaction. Despite its immense power Nightmare could feel the spell performing its unknown task successfully. Finally in another explosion of light the spell completed and the elements fell to the ground, exhausted. Celestia rushed over to the six ponies in concern, stopping in shock at what she beheld. The elemental gems of harmony were shattered, even more so that they were when Nightmare Moon had destroyed them, this time the damage was irreparable. Thinking it had failed she turned to tell her sister and Itachi that all hope was lost when his voice rang out. "It worked Celestia, I am sure of it." He stepped forward towards the beast that was just now starting to get its bearings on just what had happened to it. "Now get them out of here, this battle isn't meant for spectators." As he spoke Itachi began to release his chakra to its fullest extent, cracking the ground beneath him with its weight. From within the depths of his right sleeve a kunai emerged. Itachi started to pour his fire natured chakra into the blade wreathing it in superheated flames that would burn through anything they came into contact with. She nodded in response and began to concentrate on sending the elements to the underground shelter at Canterlot. Nightmare thrashed about trying to determine just what those damn elements had done to it. It had no idea what they had intended but whatever it was it had worked. It saw Itachi approaching it slowly blade in hand and decided it didn't matter just what they had done it would figure that out later, right now there was a human to kill. Itachi walked slowly up to about fifty feet away from Nightmare, finally stopping before it. The hate between the two beings was almost palpable it was so intense. Mangekyō Sharingan bored into the soulless light of Nightmare's eyes, neither one even blinking. Itachi began to concentrate feeling the flow of chakra within and focusing it into his limbs. With that he suddenly surged forward significantly faster than he was before, his form practically a blur as he swung for Nightmare's body with his kunai. Nightmare didn't bother to really put much effort into dodging the ninja's feeble attempt at an attack, instead focusing on its counterattack. Its surprise and pain when Itachi's blade made contact and actually sliced through one of its appendages ruined its chances at gutting the shinobi. It leapt away from him, opening the distance between them as it realized what those elements had done; somehow that spell of theirs had locked its ability to shift between planes. However, it smiled as it regrew the amputated tentacle of darkness in seconds, it didn't matter whether or not they had bound it to the physical plane, Nightmare's power would consume them all. Luna watched Itachi battle Nightmare before her, a maelstrom of emotions whirling through her mind. She turned to see her sister just finishing her teleportation of the elements away from this place. Luna had spent her entire life letting others fight her battles for her, Celestia, The elements, and now Itachi. No longer would she cower while others shouldered her burden, now she would stand alongside them. She turned to her older sister, "Let's go Celestia, we're needed." And with that the two alicorn sisters headed off to battle for the first time in over a millennia. Itachi and Nightmare continued to exchange blows and parries, Itachi's speed allowing him to match Nightmare's multi pronged attacks from its numerous appendages. However, he knew he couldn't keep this speed up for very long, as he cut through yet another tentacle of darkness attempting to strike the actual body of Nightmare it came at him with more strength than ever before. Itachi managed to block the blow just in time, but despite his chakra infusing it, the blade could take no more. The kunai snapped in half and Itachi was knocked back a good thirty feet, sprawled on the ground by the force of the blow. Before Nightmare could press its advantage over the ninja however, it was blasted by a bolt of magic. Angered beyond all belief by this interference Nightmare finally decided that it was finished toying with this whelp, it released its full power, swelling to a size much larger than its original form. Itachi rose to his feet once more, the two princesses standing on either side of him. He looked down at the broken weapon in his hand, "Well I suppose it's time we finally got serious." He said as he discarded the now useless kunai and with that the true battle began. Itachi struck first, releasing Amaterasu to a level never before seen. The superhot black flames whirled around Nightmare in a gigantic firestorm scorching everything around it. While this was happening Celestia and Luna combined their power into a massive blast of energy that on its own was of sufficient power to obliterate an entire mountain. Nightmare just released an insane laugh as it shrugged off these attacks, it was able to negate Amaterasu completely by shedding its outer layer of matter much in the way a snake sheds its skin. The two sisters just stared, shocked that their attacks had had such little effect. Itachi just glared all the harder, he would NOT fail here. Itachi began to walk forward again,"Luna, Celestia, keep it distracted for me." And with that he shot forward once more. The alicorns took off into the air their horns glowing as they prepared to fire more magic at the gigantic dark beast. Itachi continued to close the distance between him and Nightmare, reaching into the pouch located on the small of his back he retrieved the twenty or so explosive tags he had created prior to this battle. He leapt upon Nightmare, barely managing to lay a single tag upon it as claws sprouted from its surface reaching for the ninja. Itachi dodged expertly around Nightmare, continuing to lay the tags as often as he could. Despite its best efforts Nightmare couldn't touch the ninja continuing to dart all over its form. Luna and Celestia all the while continued to pelt Nightmare with bolts of magic, as useless as the attacks were, they served their purpose of diverting a portion of Nightmare's concentration to swatting them out of the sky. Despite herself Luna couldn't help but watch Itachi move about in a graceful dance of dodging and acrobatics as he continued to foil Nightmare's every attempt to kill him. Finally Itachi laid the last of his tags and decided to get the hell out of there before he pushed his luck too far. He leapt into the air weaving four hand seals as he did so and drew his head back, Katon, Kasumi Enbu no Jutsu! (Fire Release, Mist Blaze Dance Technique) as he exhaled a large cloud of what to the unaware was simply a cloud of grayish mist, but in actuality was a highly flammable gas. He landed on his feet and braced himself for what was to come, before Nightmare could react or even think about what Itachi had done he formed a single ram hand seal igniting the tags simultaneously. What happened next could only be described as an explosion on par with a meteorite impact, the explosive power of the tags was multiplied exponentially by the gas. And the overpressure wave alone was enough to knock Itachi flat and send the two sisters sprawling through the sky. As the dust began to settle and Itachi raised himself to a standing position once more, he saw that Nightmare appeared worse for the wear. Large portions of what had composed its body had been blown apart and what wasn't destroyed by the explosion was burning fiercely. However despite these injuries Nightmare was already starting to regenerate. …So it's gonna be like that, huh? Itachi thought to himself as he raised his hands once more, he needed to buy himself a little more time while he thought over what was probably the most important decision of his life. He formed two quick seals Doton, Yomi Numa! (Earth Release, Swamp of the Underworld) the ground beneath Nightmare's body turned to a lake of incredibly thick mud and began to swallow it up as it thrashed about, trying to free itself. Itachi lowered his hands, the technique wouldn't hold Nightmare long but hopefully it would buy him the time that he needed. Luna and her sister landed next to Itachi, both panting from exhaustion. They had tried everything, struggled with all their power against this evil but nothing had worked, Nightmare still stood and their attacks seemed not to have fazed it a bit. Itachi was just as tired and exhausted as they were, yet he gave very little indication of it. The two sisters looked to Itachi, hoping that he still had some plan that could save their world. The ninja continued to stare at the struggling beast before them as it tried to escape from its prison of earth, it would not hold for much longer. Itachi finally came to a decision and turned to Luna smiling sadly, and much to her surprise wrapped his arms around her in a hug which she returned. "Luna….I care for you more than anyone else, I've never wanted to see you suffer but…. I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear as tears began to stream down his face. What is he talking about….was as far as Luna's train of thought got before she began to feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. Itachi caught Luna as her legs gave out from underneath her; he laid her gently on the ground. "What did you just do?" Celestia demanded. Itachi stood from Luna's side, "I just disturbed her chakra a bit, she'll be out for no more than ten minutes." He said as he reached up behind his head and began to untie his headband. He looked down at the hand that held the metal plate he normally wore across his forehead for a few seconds before holding it out to Celestia. "Take Luna and get away from this place, when she wakes up give her this, she's the only one I would trust my headband to." Celestia could see in Itachi's eyes what he intended to do. "We will not forget what you have done for Equestria on this day Itachi." She said as she levitated the headband out of his hand and walked over to her sister's prone form. "Thank you…" she whispered to the air as she teleported herself and Luna away from the battle. Itachi sighed as he watched Nightmare finally break free from the mud he had trapped it in, its rage and power so intense both could actually be felt in the air. Itachi closed his eyes and began to gather his resolve, what he was about to do was a forbidden technique, and the price was quite high. Nightmare roared its hatred at the shinobi that still stood before it, its anger increasing its power to the point where it swallowed up all the light in the area, leaving a whole swathe of Equstria covered in total darkness. The ninja reached deep inside himself concentrating as he felt the flow of chakra within him, steeling himself for what was to come he formed a single hand seal, "Hachimon Tonkō no Jin…." (Eight Gates Released Formation). This was a kinjustsu that would open all eight gates of the chakra pathway system at once, normally a person's chakra flow was restricted by these eight gates, sort of like floodgates for a reservoir, but when opened they released a person's chakra at an incredible rate. The catch to this technique was that each gate pushed the body further than it was ever supposed to go and in doing so did incredible damage to it in exchange for a significant short term increase in power. However, the eighth and final gate, should it be opened will burn through all of a person's energy in a few short minutes ensuring death shortly afterwards. He closed his eyes…. It was time… he opened them speaking a single word. "…kai (release)" The explosion of chakra that emitted was enough to bow the trees around the battlefield. The chakra flow within him became so great in its volume and density that it actually began to leak out of his body becoming visible as blue and green energy that erupted from him scoring the ground and superheating the air. His muscles were pushed to 100% of their capacity, literally tearing the fibers that composed them to shreds even as the massive release of chakra rebuilt them. His heart began to pump at a rate far beyond what it was ever designed to do, increasing blood flow around his body to superhuman levels. Nightmare started at this sudden increase in power, for the first time in its existence Nightmare felt something that it had only instilled in others, fear. Itachi was now at Nightmare's level if not higher, he knew he did not have long and activated the final power of the Mangekyō. The increased blood flow to his eyes had colored the whites of them blood red, and Itachi now looked like death incarnate. Susanoo was summoned around him, its armor and muscle forming nearly instantaneously. The Sword of Totsuka was drawn to its full length but the sword was radically different from before, rather than being composed of orange flames it was now a blade of the purest black fire. The chakra that composed it was of a concentration and strength only comparable to the tailed beasts. "This is your end Nightmare." "THIS...THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! NO MERE MORTAL CAN MATCH MY POWER!" Nightmare shrieked in rage and fear. Itachi spoke with the greatest disdain and cold rage he had ever felt in his life. "You are a fool Nightmare, I am going to crush you, and throw you into the wind." With that final remark Nightmare charged forward putting all its power into a single attack seeking to obliterate Itachi in one stroke. Itachi's Susanoo lunged forward in response the Sword of Totsuka blazing towards the oncoming demon of darkness. As the two forces came into contact there was a massive explosion of light and energy. When at last the explosion faded Nightmare was standing pierced through the center by the Sword of Totsuka, it was already beginning to be drawn into the gourd that formed the hilt of the sword, where Nightmare would be trapped in an inescapable dreamlike genjutsu for all eternity. As the sealing completed Susanoo vanished in a flurry of chakra. Itachi stumbled forward, his body a single mass of white hot agony as every muscle in his body had been torn apart. He could feel his heart starting to slow as it too had suffered damage far beyond anything it could bear. He watched as the ground rushed up to meet him, the pain began to lighten and his vision began to fade into a white pureness as his heart beat for the last time. Itachi's eyes half closed as the last of his chakra was used up, his last thought was of the time he had spent with Luna, he regretted none of it but he hated himself for having to abandon her like this… I'm so sorry Luna… Luna awoke in a dimly lit underground room, wondering just how she had gotten there. "Ah you're awake." Her sister's voice sounded from behind her. Luna spun around standing up, "Celestia what happened? How did I get here? Where's Ita-"she stopped as her memory flooded back and she saw the crestfallen look on her sister's face. She started to channel her magic, preparing to teleport herself, when her sister stepped in front of her. "Luna, wait!" Celestia shouted as Luna continued to cast the spell. She didn't want to do this, but Celestia reached out with her magic and held her sister in place. What she wasn't expecting was for her sister's power to surge forth and break her magical hold over her. Without the interference of her sister Luna teleported away from the room, Celestia soon followed worried for what Luna might find. Luna appeared on the edge of what had once been a large clearing, there was now only shattered ground where the grass had once been, and the trees around the battlefield were knocked flat for hundreds of yards. She rushed forward towards what seemed to be the epicenter of the blast, all the while hysterically calling Itachi's name in the vain hope she might hear a response. As she approached the center she could see him lying among the rubble and she doubled her efforts to get there. She slid to a stop next to Itachi; Luna heard as her sister landed behind her, "Luna…" Luna just sat there her face a complete mask of shock, tears started to form as she processed what she saw. She closed her eyes in vain attempt to shut out the world as she collapsed to the ground next to his body and began to sob uncontrollably. Celestia walked up and nudged her in shoulder, when Luna refrained from responding she started to speak in a quiet voice. "Itachi wanted me to give you this; he said you were the only one he could entrust it to." Luna cracked her eyes open to see Celestia levitating Itachi's headband in front of her, she reached out to take it with shaking hooves. With her job complete Celestia retreated from her sister's side, Luna needed some time alone. As she gazed upon the symbol through tear blurred eyes, Luna couldn't help but remember the nights she had spent with him, when she had first laid eyes upon his broken dying body weeks ago, that night on Twilight's balcony where he had become her first true friend in a millennia, all those evenings he spent helping her with her problems or just being there for her at the end of a long day, and finally that night spent on the side of her lake where she at last had come to terms with her past and her feelings for him. Tears streamed down her face and onto the burnished steel of the headband as memories continued to rise unbidden from the depths of her mind. Nightmare had taken everything from her, and now it had taken the thing that had mattered most in her life. WHY? She screamed in her mind WHY IS FATE SO CRUEL TO ME? It had brought Itachi to her and for the first time in her long life she felt like she could finally be happy, and then it just took him away from her, forever. Itachi floated through a world without form, without color. He knew for a fact that he was dead; no one could open all eight gates and survive, that was undeniable. He felt no pain, no feeling at all really. He floated for what seemed an eternity, just drifting through this sea of nothingness until he, quite suddenly, stopped and became aware of presences here other than his own. He opened his eyes to see two equine figures before him, one bright and pure as the stars themselves, the other dark and mysterious as space. The dark one spoke first, its voice unmistakably male, "Hail Itachi Uchiha, son of Konoha." "Who are you?" Itachi asked, wondering just what the hell was going on. "Our names are not important; all you need to know is that it was we who brought you to Equestria." The bright one, whose voice was female, responded. "I thought it was Madara who sent me there." "No, all he did was to send you into the void between worlds; it was through our influence that you came to the world of ponies." The bright one continued. "The world we once ruled over." Itachi started as he realized what that statement meant, "Then you must be Luna and Celestia's parents.." "That is correct, young one." Their father answered. "But why did you bring me to Equestria? What purpose could I possibly have fulfilled?" "Come now Itachi, surely you've realized by now what your reason for being there was." The dark one answered. "It was Nightmare, while Celestia had managed to seal it away after the first encounter at the cost of nearly losing Luna too. We knew that it would return and that neither of our daughters had the power to face it, even together. So it seemed to us that our world was doomed, that our beloved Equestria would be destroyed eventually by this apparition of hate and power." "And then," The bright pony continued. "we chanced upon you, hurtling through the fabric of space, and in that discovery we found a hope, a hope that you would rise to challenge and defeat Nightmare, accomplishing what we could not." Itachi felt anger rise within him, despite the fact he had willingly chosen to destroy Nightmare at the cost of his own life, he felt used. The bright alicorn had an expression of the deepest regret and her voice was filled with sorrow. "We had no desire to see you die Itachi, believe me we did not want to add to the suffering you have already endured. You have proven yourself to be as kind and benevolent as any creature to ever live. And it is for this reason we have a final gift to you, the savior of Equestria, our world which you had no obligation to protect, yet you willingly gave your life for." "Wait, w-what's going on?" Itachi asked as he began to feel energy flow around him. "Our gift." The dark one said simply, and then hesitated for the tiniest fraction of a second before asking. "Itachi I have one last question for you… Do you truly love her?" Itachi did not need to ask who he was talking about nor did he even need to think before replying. "Yes… from the bottom of my soul I love her, I have only ever wished to see Luna happy." In this realm after death there was no capacity for lying or hiding of emotions. The father of the two princesses could see the genuineness of Itachi's statement and smiled. "Very well then, consider this my blessing upon you two… I know you'll take care of Luna…. Go now, brave son of Equestria." Itachi was confused at this statement but before he could do anything the energy took full hold and everything around him faded once more into nothingness. Luna continued to sob, her grief over Itachi's death overcoming any other emotion or thought she could possibly formulate. She suddenly looked up however as she sensed something was amiss, a quick inspection of where she had been laying her head a mere second before told her what it was, Itachi's body was glowing. Out of nowhere, a bright light suddenly engulfed his body forcing Luna up into the air, but not before picking up his headband with her teeth. The light began to grow in both intensity and size forcing the princess further and further back eventually landing a good forty feet from where Itachi's body had lain. Suddenly Celestia was at her sister's side, "What's happening?" "I-I have n-no idea." Luna responded her voice still shaking from the sobs that wracked her for the last ten minutes. The two continued to watch as the light continued to become more and more intense until, with a final of explosion of pure light, the column of light began to fade. Luna rushed forward, not heeding her sister's calls, feeling drawn towards the epicenter of the light. As she approached it a figure became visible through the slowly fading light. She stopped in shock as the light finally faded to the point where she could get a good look at it. Standing where Itachi's body once had been was a dark gray alicorn almost as tall as Celestia, its mane and tail not composed of hair but of what appeared to be undulating jet black flames, and upon its flank was a cutie mark of a circular red and white fan, she recognized it as the Uchiha clan symbol that Itachi had worn upon his back. She stood there for nearly twenty seconds hoping against all odds with her body and soul that this was real, that she had not truly lost him. Finally the alicorn opened its eyes and Luna then truly knew who it was. "ITACHI!" she screamed running forward and tackling the new alicorn to the ground in a crushing hug. He returned the hug with just as much passion, "I told you I would never leave you Luna." He said as he smiled and nuzzled her affectionately his eyes gazing deep into her own. They held each other for what seemed an eternity, the bond between them so deep that words were no longer necessary. Finally the two released each other from the embrace and stood up, though never leaving each other's sides. Luna began to notice that Itachi radiated a warmth that even now made Luna feel safe. "I-Itachi?" Celestia stammered out with a dumbfounded expression. "Is that really you?" Itachi nodded still smiling as wide as he ever had. "How is this possible?" She asked. "Well that's a bit of a story actually…" Itachi then began to explain what had happened to him after he had died. "Wow…. So mother and father were the ones who brought you here?" Celestia asked after he had finished his story. Itachi nodded "Apparently so, I'm also guessing that it's because of them that I'm here now and like this." He said indicating his alicorn body. Luna, whose head was resting on Itachi's shoulder as they all lay on the ground finally spoke up, the whole time it had been Celestia asking the questions; Luna was just content to be with Itachi again. "So my father gave you his blessing?" Itachi leaned over and kissed her on the head "Yes he did, I must've made quite the first impression." Luna couldn't help but giggle "I'm sure you did." "Princess!" called out a familiar voice, and the three alicorns turned to see Twilight and the other elements of harmony making their way over to them. The royal sisters and former ninja stood as the six young ponies stopped before them. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna I'm so glad to see you're both alright!" "But where's Itachi? And who's THIS guy and why is he with Luna?" Rainbow Dash asked indicating the dark alicorn. Itachi and Luna just shared a look and then burst out laughing together. "Well, Dash I'll give you one guess.." Itachi said looking directly at the Elements. If it was possible for the six ponies' jaws to have gone through the ground they surely would have. "B-but…how are you…HUH?" Twilight stammered out in total confusion looking between the royal sisters and Itachi for some kind of explanation. Celestia just smiled, "Well my little ponies I believe you deserve an explanation for all this." As Celestia began to explain the whole situation to the shocked Elements Itachi and Luna just continued to enjoy being together again. Once Celestia had finished, the elements were even more dumbstruck if that was possible. It was obvious they wanted to practically interrogate Itachi on the specifics of what had transpired. Celestia, however had to good grace to intervene and cut off their lines of inquiry before they could even begin. "Twilight, I'm sure Itachi will be more than glad to tell you all what happened here at a later time. But for now we should let him be, he's been through quite a lot today." Understatement of the millennium Itachi thought to himself as he inclined his head to Celestia in thanks. "Now we should really get going back to canterlot." She continued as the elements lowered their heads in disappointment. "Actually sister, Itachi and I were going to walk back. It's the least we can do, after such a battle you must be exhausted and teleporting six ponies and three alicorns is no small task." Luna interrupted before Celestia could cast the spell. Celestia cracked a tiny smile; both sisters knew it was well within both their abilities even in their tired states to teleport groups of ponies long distances. "Very well Luna, if you insist." "Oh but I do." "Just be safe you two." She said as her horn began to glow and the princess of the sun along with the Elements of Harmony vanished in a flash of light. Luna and Itachi walked together through the forest towards Ponyville, which happened to be the closest piece of ground based civilization to the battle. The two were content with just being in each other's presence once more and the calm serenity of the forest only served to amplify this. "You seem pretty adept at moving about on four legs when you've only had two your whole life." Luna commented after a good while of walking. Itachi smiled at her comment. "When you've spent as much time as I have watching you all move around with my Sharingan it becomes quite easy for me to just mimic you to the point where it's like I was born like this." "So can you…?" Luna asked indicating Itachi's new wings. "Oh no, I'll need to learn how to do that the old fashioned way. With walking I at least had the concept of my old way of walking to build upon. Flying on the other hand is a bit out of my league to master just through mimicry." He answered as he raised his dark colored wings from their resting position on his back; it was still weird to feel the muscles he had never had before flex. As they continued walking through the forest Itachi began to look around at the scenery, this turned out to be a bad idea as he wasn't quite yet aware of just how long his horn was. After the fourth time Itachi had clipped a branch with his horn he began to stare up at it in a cross eyed expression. "This thing is almost more trouble than it's worth." He grumbled. Luna was grinning from ear to ear as she watched him "You'll get used to it eventually. And once I teach you how to use magic I'm sure you'll find it to be a bit more valuable." Itachi sighed as he returned his eyes to path ahead, "I suppose so." After that silence fell between the two once again for a few minutes, until Luna finally asked in a quiet voice, "So are you going to tell me how you beat Nightmare this time?" Itachi smiled slightly, "I suppose I owe you from last time ... I guess I should start by apologizing for knocking you out.." "That was you!?" Luna shouted in shock Itachi nodded, making an effort to avoid eye contact. "Why would you do that to me?" she asked, her voice sounding hurt. "To protect you from yourself." He said as he continued to stare ahead. "What's that supposed to mean?" Itachi finally turned back to look at her. "Luna just how do you think I ended up like I was when you first found me?" "I-I don't know, I just assumed Nightmare had killed you…" Itachi stopped walking and shook his head sadly, "No Luna… I did that to myself. It was my last resort, a forbidden technique that increases one's power dramatically but at the cost of their life. It was the hardest decision I've ever made, but if given the choice again I would choose to sacrifice myself once more." "B-but WHY?" Luna was starting to get upset. "Because there was no other way, if I hadn't done it, Nightmare would still be here and Equestria would have been destroyed. I knew you'd hate me for doing it and that you'd never forgive me for leaving you but… I couldn't let it win." As he spoke a single tear rolled down his face. "I couldn't bear the thought of Nightmare causing any of you to suffer …. Especially you Luna, I love you too damn much." Upon hearing this Luna realized the true depth of how much Itachi cared for her and her world. And she threw her forehooves around him pulling him into a crushing hug once more as her affection for Itachi gushed forward."Fate was certainly smiling upon Equestria the day you arrived." "It was smiling on all of us. Coming here has been the second best thing to ever happen to me." "What was the first?" He smiled. "Meeting you." She laughed as she continued to hug him, "That was so cheesy." "Doesn't change the fact that it's true." He said as he kissed her. Eventually the two managed to make their way to the edge of the forest where they emerged on the outskirts of Ponyville. As they began to cross the fields of grass and head towards the town a dull roar began to echo from the village. Itachi and Luna looked at each other in confusion as they both wondered what it was; Itachi realized what it was a split second before its source was revealed. A large crowd of ponies, practically every pony in ponyville, emerged from the enclosure of the building and started heading towards the pair. The roar resolved itself into a wave of cheering as the distance was closed between the two groups. "Seems like somebody told them what happened out there." Itachi said as he watched the crowd, led by the Cutie Mark Crusaders, advance towards them. "It was probably Celestia, she does have a knack for stirring things up." Luna replied as she smiled at the cheering ponies. Itachi laughed. "That she does." Luna looked over at Itachi as the crowd approached. He wore an expression of true joy at the spectacle before them. She felt a pang of sadness as she remembered that he had suffered more than anyone in Equestria, even she, could imagine. They couldn't even begin to repay him for what he had done for their world, yet she knew he desired no reward, no fame, and no glory. The only thing Itachi had ever wanted was to live his life in peace. "Itachi?" she piped up as he continued to watch the cheering residents of Ponyville. He turned to look at her. "Yes?" "…I love you." Never had such a simple phrase meant so much to him. Deciding to follow the 'actions speak louder than words' route. Itachi nuzzled Luna once more as he knew deep within him he would be with Luna until the end of time. And so it was that after eight years of running, after eight years of loneliness, pain, and suffering the Lost Soul of The Uchiha had finally found his true home. "I love you too Luna."

BronyOfSteel

138

Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Crossover,Human,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lost Soul of The Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha ends up in Equestria rather than dying, an epic battle with an ancient enemy ensues.

incomplete

<p>A &quot;Naruto&quot; crossover. Rather then dying at his brother's hands Itachi is instead sent to a world wholly unfamiliar to him, will he finally find peace within himself among the ponies of Equestria?</p>

everyone

2012-08-23T09:14:31+00:00

2012-08-23T09:14:31+00:00

Shining Armor grunted as he parried another attack from the Griffon bandit in front of him mentally cursing their preparedness as he fought. Had the gang of bandits not been wearing null magic amulets this would’ve been over in a heartbeat but as it was his unit was now having to fight them hoof to hoof and it was starting to become painfully obvious they were outmatched. Shining had already defeated three of the griffons single hoofedly but their numbers were just too great for him and his ten stallion unit to handle on their own. The griffon leapt backwards as he slashed for his opponent's chest just coming a hair breadth from landing a blow, and as he was just the slightest bit over extended he saw another griffon come slashing in from his right and twisted away in response, however his reaction was just too slow and a resounding clang was added to cacophony of noise that populated the clearing as the bandit’s sword glanced off his armor. The captain of the guard stumbled a bit as he attempted to regain his footing settling into a defensive stance once he was solidly back on all fours. once more the two griffons came at shining again attacking him relentlessly as he continued to parry their attacks he heard a shout from above and looked up just in time to see one of his lieutenants falling from the sky, a streak of blood adorning his right shoulder. However the distraction of the pegasai’s defeat left him fatally open to the bandit’s attack and while he managed to parry them a few more times it was only a matter of time before one managed to get behind his guard and wrench his sword away from him with enough force to tear it from his magical grip. Shining could only watch his sword flip away end over end as the second griffon came in to finish the job... however the blow that was supposed to come never happened, mostly because the griffon in question was currently flying 30 feet in the opposite direction. The other bandit started backing up quickly, starting in fear at something just past shining. The unicorn in question turned to find out just what had saved him only to have his jaw fall to the ground in surprise at his savior. Standing next to the captain of the royal guard was a dark grey alicorn who was easily taller than shining himself, and who wore nothing more than jet black breastplate adorned with a angled swirl symbol. “L-lord Iatchi?” Shining managed to stammer out. The alicorn looked at him with a faint smile on his face, “Looks like you guys could use some help.” The unicorn smiled back “Well of course, if you’re offering and all.” Itachi began to step forward toward the remaining bandits, “Kind of obligated to I’m afraid, your wife would be quite upset with me if I allowed her husband to come to any harm.” The other bandit continued to stare fearfully at the alicorn in front of him, though he was shaking so much his claws were starting to chatter a bit he couldn’t just run away, the boss would never accept that. Though the longer he stood there the more he began to feel like running was a good idea, unfortunately he never got the chance to come to his own decision as Itachi had already shot forward faster than any other pony the bandit had ever seen in his life. Seeing the large equine boring in for him he panicked and slashed his sword haphazardly at the alicorn. Itachi saw right through his attack and easily stepped under the horizontal slash before leaping upwards bringing his forehoof under the bandit’s chin, cracking his beak and sending him flying into a nearby tree as Itachi rose into the sky. The rest of the combatants paused in their fighting to see the result of Itachi’s brief fight before bringing their eyes up to look at the alicorn in question as he hovered in the air. It took the bandits only a few seconds to realize who he was before starting to panic. A few even started shouting, “The Shadow Prince is here!” as they turned to run before their boss, a fairly intimidating looking griffon with more than few scars shouted them back into combat. He then turned and leapt up into the sky hovering a few dozen feet from the alicorn in question. “So you’re the famous ‘Shadow Prince’ of Equestria, huh?” Itachi just continued to hover starring directing into the Griffons eyes, his own betraying no emotion. The Bandit boss scowled at the lack of response, “You don’t look like much.” he said before suddenly charging in, slashing for Itachi with his razor sharp claws. Itachi just rolled backwards, dodging the bandit’s attack all the while bringing the griffon parallel to him. As he continued rolling backwards he brought his rear hooves upwards crushing them into the Bandit leaders chest before twisting in midair to bring his right wing down onto the Griffons back and sending the criminal flying to the ground in a cloud of dust. The rest of the bandits just stared at the crumped, defeated form of their boss in disbelief before one by one looking back up to Itachi. “Anyone else wish to challenge me?” he asked in a threatening voice as he looked over the bandits. In response, almost all exactly at the same time, every bandit threw down their weapon and lay down on the ground bowing their heads in surrender. The exhausted royal guards, though worn out from the battle still cheered at their victory. Seeing that the battle was won,Itachi flew over to where the wounded pegasus from earlier had fallen, “How is he?” he asked of the two unicorn guardsponies who were tending to their fallen comrade. “He’ll be fine sir, it’s just a scratch that probably threw him off balance, it was the shock of the fall the knocked him out.” “Good.” Itachi responded before taking flight once more, heading back to where the main contingent of Royal guards were. Shining armor approached the dark grey alicorn as he landed. “Thanks for the help, Lord Itachi. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me or my guards if you hadn’t shown up when you had.” Itachi turned his gaze away from the guards in front of the two who were busy gathering up and restraining the bandits. “ You can thank Cadance once we get back to canterlot, she’s the one who put the warning enchantment on your armor.” Itachi frowned slightly, “and I thought I asked you not to call me ‘Lord’.” He said as he turned back to watch the guards perform their duties. Shining Armor put his hoof behind his head in embarrassment, that title had been a source of much embarrassment for both the captain of the Guard and the former shinobi. Shining was perhaps one of twelve ponies who knew the circumstances surrounding the newest alicorn’s appearance in Equestria. And while being an alicorn now meant he was technically nobility Itachi still felt uncomfortable being referred to by any title really. “ Sorry, I probably should start remembering that after two years, just kind of force of habit, you know?” Itachi smiled slightly in response, “I understand.” Shining was a royal guard through and through, asking him to not treat an alicorn with the level of respect he had been trained to give was like asking Rainbow Dash to clip her wings. “Erm, anyways what’s this about an enchantment on my armor?” “Oh it's nothing really, Cadance just put a simple spell on your armor that alerts her when you’re in danger.” Itachi answered nonchalantly, like the two were simply discussing the weather. Shining just stared at Itachi, his face wore an expression of total disbelief. Itachi turned to face Shining once again, “What? You didn’t think Princess Cadance would let her beloved husband go off and fight Equestria’s enemies without at least some assurance of your safety?” “And let me guess, you’re the assurance?” Shining asked in an annoyed voice “More or less.” Itachi answered with a smirk. The spell had actually been Itachi’s idea, but he and Cadance both agreed it would be best if Shining thought it was entirely hers. “So just these bandits gave you all this much trouble?” Itachi asked. “‘Just these bandits’ had these.” Shining responded, holding up one of the null magic amulets each bandit had been wearing. “My unicorns and I couldn’t do anything to them except fight with our weapons which left us at a major disadvantage. Even my pegasai guards couldn’t use their weather magic effectively.” Itachi took the amulet from Shining, turning it over in his hoof as he observed the intricate designs etched onto the surface.” I assume you weren’t expecting them to have these?” Shining shook his head, “To find even one outside of the Griffon royal guard is incredibly rare, this many is well, it's unheard of.” Itachi continued to examine the small bronze looking disc, “Perhaps they’ve managed to find a way to make their own?” Shining frowned, it was definitely a possibility he had considered but the consequences if it were true were very dire indeed. The Equestrian Guard relied heavily on its magic users, without that definitive advantage they would be quite vulnerable. “Perhaps, but I don’t think so, the ability to make these has been lost for centuries. Most likely they found a previously unknown cache of them and took them for their own advantage rather than just selling them.” Itachi tossed the amulet back to Shining, “Well either way we’ll find out what they know once we get back to Canterlot.” And almost as if on cue one of Shining’s guards came cantering up to the two, “Sir all the prisoners are secured and we’re ready to move out!” “Good, We’ll leave for Canterlot at once!” Shining ordered before turning to Itachi, “Will you be accompanying us?” “No I think you can make it back to Canterlot castle without me.” Itachi said as he turned to leave. “Besides Luna needs my help with the wedding preparations, you know how she is.” Shining laughed, “Yeah I guess I do. Well I think we can make it back without being ambushed again. And... please make sure Cadance isn’t too worried about me” Shining dropped his voice for the last part. Itachi nodded in response to Shining Armor’s request, he would have asked the same in his position. With that Itachi spread his wings and took off into the air heading south into the heart of Equestria, looking over his shoulder watching as the group of royal guards shrank away behind him. While an alicorn of Itachi’s caliber could have easily teleported himself back to Canterlot, he preferred flying as he had soon discovered after becoming an alicorn that it was a great way to calm his mind and compose his thoughts. As he dodged and weaved his way through the clouds that populated the Equestrian sky he looked over the land he had adopted as his own, small villages could been seen dotting the landscape and even the occasional pegasai building could be seen hovering over the ground. As he passed fairly close to one of these villages he could even begin to see the individual ponies as they went about their daily lives, chatting, buying and selling just living their lives. They reminded him so strongly of the villagers of konoha in times of peace, the times he had treasured most. And he was once again reminded that this was exactly what he had wanted to protect from the very beginning, peace. It was a few hours later that the spires of Canterlot Castle came into view and Itachi began to descend into the main courtyard, seeing several guardsponies coming running out of the main gate to meet him as he landed. “Itachi!” the first one shouted in greeting. “Yes?” he asked as he alighted on the ground. “Princesses Luna and Cadance gave us orders to tell you upon your arrival they wish to see you immediately regarding the whereabouts of Captain Shining armor.” The unicorn guard said as he snapped off a salute. “Very well, thank you for relaying this information to me Lieutenant.” Itachi paused for a moment before speaking again, “And I get the feeling you wish to know how he is as well?” The guard shuffled his hooves nervously before answering, protocol prevented him from asking Itachi outright, but he and his fellow guards wanted to know what had befallen their captain almost as much as the Princesses did. “Yes sir, everypony around here has been on edge since we heard that you had left to go help him.” “Well I suppose it can’t hurt, Shining Armor is alive and fine, as are the rest of his unit.” The Guardspony sighed in relief, ”Thank you sir, some of us were really worried.” Itachi smiled at this, such loyalty was always inspiring to see, “It’s no problem Lieutenant, now where exactly are Princesses Luna and Cadence?” “They’re currently in Princess Luna’s room sir.” the Guard answered snapping a salute off. Itachi nodded in thanks, turning to head into the Castle. As he entered once again he was struck by just how incredible the design of the place was. The ancient structure had once been incredibly confusing and Itachi had gotten lost quite a few times upon first moving here after having decided it was better for both him and Luna if they lived together in Canterlot. Now however, the hallways were as familiar as the back of his hand- hoof- whatever, and he had spent quite a lot of time making sure he knew every little hiding place and shady spot in the entire castle, old habits die hard. After a few minutes of walking through the mostly unpopulated halls Itachi finally came to the room he and Luna shared, He knocked on the door a few times until a very familiar voice answered from within. “Come in.” Itachi entered the room to find not only Luna and Cadence in the room but Celestia as well, normally the sun princess was attending to matters of state and wasn’t even in Canterlot half the time. Of course this observation was quickly overtaken by the dark blue blur that smashed into him hugging him fiercely, “I’m so glad you’re safe!” Luna said as she continued to crush the life out of the former ninja. “It’s ok Luna, I’m fine.” Itachi said laughing as he hugged her back, “You didn’t really think a few bandits would be a problem for me did you?” “No...” Luna admitted, “But anypony who’s able to trigger Cadence’s spell has to be dangerous.” And I can’t lose you again. she added silently. Itachi hugged her tighter, even if the last part of her answer had been silent he understood it perfectly. Finally after a few more seconds the two alicorns finally broke the embrace and looked over at the other two occupants of the room who had been silently watching them. Celestia looked worried but calm and Cadance looked as nervous as Itachi had ever seen her. “Cadance, Shining Armor is fine, his unit was just ambushed by some bandits and they were a little more than he could handle on his own.” Itachi said. “They’ll be back in Canterlot tomorrow at the latest.” Itachi suddenly found himself being hugged by an alicorn for the second time that day as Cadance also jumped him. “Thank you Itachi.” She said as she hugged him, sounding like she was on the verge of tears from her relief. “If it wasn’t for you and your spell Shining may not be coming back to me... just... thank you.” Itachi held her for a few more seconds before backing off and letting her stand on her own four hooves, “There’s no need to thank me Cadance, I’m sure Shining would have done the same in my position.” Cadence smiled for what must’ve been the first time in hours at this,”Yes, I’m sure he would have.” she said before turning to Celestia, “You know aunt Celly, I think I’ll take you up on that offer of hot chocolate together in the kitchens.” Celestia smiled serenely at the situation having been resolved, “But of course Cadence, come on we’ll walk down together, I think these two need to talk. After all the wedding is in only a few days.” She said the last part with a wink before she and Cadence departed the room leaving Itachi and Luna alone. Itachi for his part was exhausted from the day’s events, even an alicorn can get tired from flying as much as he had that day, and so he immediately went and laid down on the bed they both shared. Luna had to take a few minutes to remove her royal vestments before laying down with him, wrapping her wings and hooves around his prone form as they lay on the bed together. “So what actually happened?” Luna asked a few minutes of silence. Itachi sighed through his nose, blowing a lock of Lunas ethereal hair around and making the moon princess giggle. “It was nothing really, just a bunch of Griffon bandits.” he answered, all the while smiling at Luna’s giggles. “...But?” Itachi’s smile vanished as he continued, “... But they had null magic amulets, that’s why Shining’s unit was having so much trouble. If I hadn’t shown up things wouldn’t have ended as well as they have.” Luna frowned, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” “Because I’m not sure if Cadance can handle it, she’s a little young to be hearing things like that. Especially after that whole Changling incident on her wedding day.” “She’s nearly fifty!” Luna retorted Itachi rolled his eyes, “You know what I mean.” Luna sighed in defeat, “Yes, I guess you’re right... what do you think all this means?” “I don’t know, and we won’t find out until we’ve questioned them.” Itachi said as he began absentmindedly stroking Luna’s mane. “I assume you’ll be the one doing the questioning?” Itachi nodded, “Yes, but I won’t be doing that until after the wedding and the honeymoon. I figure a week or two in the royal dungeon can’t hurt them.” Luna just smiled at the thought of being alone with Itachi for two whole weeks, “You’re pretty tired huh?” She asked after a few more minutes. “Mmmhhhmmm.” Itachi answered as his eyes finally closed. “Well then sleep, my brave shinobi I’ll be right back.” Luna said as cornily as possible before rising to go bring in her Night, as her sister’s day drew to a close. And as Luna raised the moon into the sky over Equestria, heralding the darkness of the night, she knew ,once again, that everything was right in the world. A/N: Sooooo after nearly year here's what many have been asking for, a continuation of LSotU. Sorry it's taken so long for me to finally get this out but here it is. I hope it measures up to your guys' expectations and as always Feedback, be it negative or positive is greatly appreciated.

doctor dapples

139

Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy

Small

All her life, Fluttershy has been made to feel weak and puny, unaware of how much she's really done

complete

<p>Fluttershy has spent her whole life feeling weak and inferior. When she wasn&#39;t being put down by others, she was putting down herself. But there is another creature who knows just how strong she really is.<br /><br />Image art by <a href="http://annehairball.deviantart.com/">Anne Hairball</a><br /><br />Inspirational music: [youtube=<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YAmL8W7YsM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YAmL8W7YsM</a>]</p>

teen

2012-12-27T22:25:27+00:00

For a moment, looking at the gaunt figure of the cleric pony, his face a solemn grey mask with wisps of a thin gray mane brushing against his forehead, Fluttershy was able to tear her thoughts away from the dying husk of a pony laying in the next room, and instead tried to sort out the definition of irony. When your last rites are being delivered by a pony who not too distantly resembles Death itself, does that qualify as irony? Or is the transition from a pallid, gravel-voiced vicar to the cold clutches of nothingness just a logical progression? If the priest could have heard her thoughts, he might have accused her of blasphemy, but the world that he and her grandfather occupied was simply one that she had never been able to grasp. She believed that the world was inherently a beautiful place, and that if there was a force behind the scenes, it only wanted all ponies to live in harmony with each other. Sad things happened to good ponies, but it was no indication of the malevolence of the world, just an unfortunate consequence of getting to live in a world that produced such beauty. And she enjoyed her simple life, spent administering to all the little creatures of Ponyville, because it brought joy to her and the animals in this life. Joy in life was important, because this would be the only one they would know. Her grandfather and the priest didn't believe this. They believed the force wanted continued attrition for any wrongs committed in their lifetime. Bad things happened for a reason, often a lack of faith in that universal force, whom they persistently tried to find names for. And if a pony died with a clean record, without sins unforgiven, they would pass into a beautiful place where they would meet that universal force and creator, and live for eternity among their loved ones who had gone before. It was a beautiful idea, and it made many ponies strive to be better than they might otherwise be. They also believed that Fluttershy's beliefs would doom to her to an eternity of pain and torment. The priest loosened his collar with a hoof and nodded to the rest of the family. "It's done now. His soul is ready." Fluttershy could see tears in the eyes of her family members, most of whom she hadn't seen for years. Neither of her parents were in attendance, and it had fallen to her to represent the black sheep side of the family headed by her father. For once, the murmurs this time were not about her, but about how pleased the family was that the priest had gotten there in time to perform the rites. Grandfather's slate had been wiped clean at the last moment, and there was nothing to prevent him from entering paradise. The priest interrupted the quiet celebration by clearing his throat. "He does have one request." His eyes darted over to Fluttershy for a second before returning to the half dozen ponies on the other side of the room. "He wants to see his granddaughter." The murmurs began again, louder and somehow sharper. Fluttershy felt herself unconsciously lower to the floor. "M-me?" The priest nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yes, child." "What does he want to talk to me about?" He shook his head. "He would not say. I assume it is only for you to hear." Fluttershy swallowed hard and looked at the open door. In the silence of the moment, she could hear his shallow, labored breathing. She felt paralyzed. She had lived this moment over and over again with her animals. She had been by their side with their loved ones as the life slowly slipped from their bodies. But she had always been there as support, as a crutch for the dying and those left behind. That her grandfather would single out his estranged grandchild in his last moments... it was too much. She began to shake her head, but immediately became aware of the scornful glances of her relatives. "Alright," she said, barely audible. She took a deep breath, and stepped inside the bedroom. The heavy oaken door closed behind her. The first thing that struck her was the odor. The thick aroma of dried urine and vomit had only been partially masked by a nearly equally offensive smell of industrial disinfectant. High-grade alcohol being used to mask the extent of the ravages of a disease spurred on by the consumption of a slightly lower grade of the toxin. There was that irony again. She approached her grandfather, lying prone on the elegant four-poster bed, struggling with each breath. "It's me, grandfather. It's... it's Fluttershy." The next breath he took seemed to last forever, and she feared for his death before knowing the purpose of this last visit. But the breath segued into her name: "Fluttershy." There was a long pause. "I have no time left, child." She shook her head. "No, grandfather, it's not -" "Do not try to lie," he interjected, cutting her off. "I know where I am, and I will not be here for long." He sighed deeply, and his eyes opened to look at the ceiling. They were glassy and opaque, like cloud-colored marbles. Fluttershy hesitated, wondering if it was her place to ask him what he needed her for. As if reading her mind, the old stallion spoke up as best as he could. "I need to tell you something... important. Before I go." The yellow pegasus slowly approached the bed, and stopped when she was able to reach out and softly take the weak hoof of the once strong pony into her own. She nodded solemnly. "I'm listening, grandfather." He took another labored breath. "You... have always... been..." he sighed. "...a disappointment." Fluttershy looked up. "What?" The stallion continued. "Your entire side... has been a disappointment. My son has accomplished nothing in his life other than to bring me shame." He coughed, and small traces of blood arced through the air and landed, tarnishing the white of the bedsheets with small tears of red. Fluttershy felt herself choking. "Your mother... I don't have enough time to list her problems. But maybe my son could have been saved if she had stayed out of our lives." She was trying to catch her breath, but her throat was slowly closing up. She couldn't even summon up the tears she knew had to be there. She wanted to just pass out and wake up when it was all over. She tried to pull her hoof away from his, but he managed to hold on with a strength she couldn't imagine in his state. "And you." With this, the dying stallion turned his head to look at the gasping mare next to his bedside. "I rue the day that you were ever born. You were born of nothing, you have become nothing, and you will remain nothing. You are a waste." With a small cry of anguish, Fluttershy wrenched her hoof out of his grasp. His hoof had left a deep imprint on her own, and it still hurt from the pressure. As she nursed her fetlock, the grip on her throat loosened, granting her small gasps of air as she fought back the tears. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him how wonderful her family was, how hard she worked for animals, and how he wouldn't understand. He couldn't possibly understand the first thing about love and caring. Nopony could understand and still be that cruel. Before she could summon up the courage to unleash the full extent of her emotions on her grandfather, he turned back to his original position and gaped at the ceiling. "Why is this bedroom so cold," he asked, as if an icy wind had just ripped through the covers. The only sound was a tiny squeak from the back of his throat, followed immediately by the rumbling of the heavy bed on the wooden floor as the stallion went into violent seizures. The door flung wide open as Fluttershy's relatives burst into the room in a panic. Most of them gathered around the bed, yelling instructions at each other. One of her aunts was trying, unsuccessfully, to get a large wooden spoon between the thrashing pony's teeth. In spite of her fear, Fluttershy's natural instincts gave her the courage to speak up: "Don't put anything in his mouth... he might choke." She was met with angry glares that caused her to shrink back towards the door. She would have been able to escape if one of her larger cousins hadn't grabbed her and pinned her against the wall by her wings. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" And Fluttershy responded the only way she could think of: she screamed. • • • Angel yawned. He really did want to get some sleep, but the rumbling in his stomach wasn't going to allow that to happen. When he'd found the clover around dinnertime, he'd shrugged off Fluttershy's warning about how insubstantial it was. He hadn't had clover in ages, and he was right about how delicious it was, but flash forward just a couple of hours and it felt like he hadn't eaten all day. Why couldn't he ever remember that? And why was Fluttershy always right about these things? Hmph. He walked over to the pantry and opened the small wooden door. He smiled as he looked at the gorgeous orange vegetables which the pegasus kept stocked, mostly for his benefit. He couldn't be mad at her for anything. There was no pony in Ponyville as caring and as selfless as her, and coupled with her unique abilities, she was as good a companion as any rabbit could have. If only she spoke Lapine, Angel mused, biting down on a carrot. Suddenly, from upstairs, he heard the sound of a scream. He dropped the carrot and sprinted up towards her small bedroom. From the doorway, with the light of Inle coming through the window, he could see her form tangled up in her covers as she moaned and sobbed into her pillow. Ever since the mailpony had arrived with that telegram from her parents last week, Fluttershy had increasing difficulty when sleeping. She had tried to keep Angel in the dark, but a couple of well-placed glares got her to open up to him. Apparently, her grandfather had passed away. They weren't close. In fact, they hadn't seen each other since she was a little filly visiting with her parents. Back then, he had been a healthy, if surly old stallion, who wasn't really a fan of the sort of life the trio of ponies had set up for themselves. And now he was gone without so much as a word. Angel hopped up onto the bed, and made his way towards the pillow. He looked at the quivering pony, all cried out, and gasping for air. He thumped his foot on the pillow next to her head, startling her out of her nightmare. She awoke with a start, eyes red and puffy. But when she caught sight of Angel she immediately wrapped her hooves around him. "Thank you so much! I couldn't stand that dream anymore!" • • • Angel understood family. Like many rabbits he had known, he was one of almost a dozen children stuffed into a warren with his parents one particularly cold winter. He was also no stranger to tragedy. At the beginning of that winter, he saw the white blindness strike one of his brothers right before they went underground. Instead of sleeping, he spent that winter watching the disease ravage his family. The lumps around the face got some of his brothers and sisters teased at first. It stopped being funny when those same brothers and sisters went blind. They stopped eating, they stopped running, and eventually they stopped moving. Before they realized what was going on, the warren was littered with corpses. The snows had come heavy that year, and there was no burrowing out until Winter Wrap Up. So the remaining family did what it could: they slept. They slept as best as they could knowing that nearby their loved ones lay, festering with a disease that would spread in the night. One day in the future, Angel stumbled upon a book of Twilight's that Fluttershy had been reading. The book listed diseases particular to various species of animals. It described the symptoms of the white blindness perfectly, only it called it another word: myxomatosis. Angel remembered being impressed with how well the word summed up the reality of the disease, a strange combination of the fanciful and death. Angel awoke that winter to find himself untouched, and all but one of his family dead. His youngest sister still held on, but she was in the advanced stages of the disease, and didn't have much time. Holding her, as she called his name, asking when the snow would be melted... that was the last time he ever cried. He spent the rest of that day moving his family into the deepest rooms of the warren. By the time he was done, he was exhausted, and he laid down at the entrance, waiting for the snow to be lifted. Eventually he heard a voice on the other side of the snow, and after a long period of what sounded like digging, a set of yellow hooves burst through. He didn't really know Fluttershy very well. His parents had communicated with her during previous years, but she had never known him as anything other than "sweetie" or "little guy". When she stuck her head in the warren, she was very surprised to see not just one of the animals, but one of the babies, already up. "Oh my! You're awake awful early! Do you want to help me wake up your family?" He just shook his head. If she spoke Lapine, he would have used the word "zorn". Destroyed. She looked at him, confused. "Why not?" He looked at the ground and dragged his paw across his throat. "What..." she stopped. "You don't mean..." He laid down on the ground and crossed his arms across his chest. When Fluttershy gasped, he looked up and nodded solemnly. Her eyes immediately started filling up with tears. She picked up the silver bell used to wake up the animals and started ringing it furiously. "No no no no no," she cried, shaking the bell with such force that it flew out of her mouth and landed in a patch of unmelted snow. The rabbit ran out of his warren, grabbed the bell, and held it up to the sobbing pony. The newly restored sunlight made his white fur seem to shine. Fluttershy took the bell back, and sniffed. "Thank you. For all you've been through, you're an absolute angel." The name stuck. It took a little pressuring, but Angel was eventually able to convince Fluttershy to do something she had never done before: she resealed the burrow. He knew all the structural weaknesses of the warren, and one well placed kick on a specific part of the hill sent the entrance collapsing into itself. His family was now safe, and the rest of the animals would be safe from the disease. He felt it was the least he could do. • • • Angel squeezed Fluttershy back. With time, her sobbing slowed, then stopped altogether. He heard her emit a loud sigh of contentment as the tension in her body left her. She gave him a soft nuzzle with her nose, and before long she was fast asleep again. Her dreams were pleasant this time, and Angel noticed a small smile on her lips form in between episodes of unusually loud snoring. He stayed with her until the sun crept over the horizon, and the light of the dawn came through the window and bounced off of his coat. If anypony had been in that room at that time, they would have seen a yellow pegasus, happily sleeping, while by her head a small creature bathed in light caressed the pink tresses of her mane.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:04:26+00:00

2011-07-11T06:04:26+00:00

Twilight yawned from behind a pile of books. She'd been busy studying for the last few days. Her concentration was fading, so she decided to take a break. She could use some fresh air after being in the dusty library for so long. Twilight pushed through the books and went outside. The cool evening breeze blew past her as she walked around aimlessly. She was at the road leading to the farm as she saw two familiar ponies above her. She looked up to see Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie sitting at a tall tree. “Hi girls, what are you doing up there?” Twilight asked as she stood near the tree. “Oh, it's Twilight. Haven't seen you in a while.” Dash said as she looked down. Dash flew to the ground followed by Pinkie. Twilight felt like there was something wrong, but she wasn't sure what. “We were just taking it easy. Haven't had much to do today.” Dash said. “Yeah, we were looking around Ponyville. There's a great view up there!” Pinkie said and folded her wings. Wait a minute... “Wings? Pinkie, you've got wings!” Twilight said, unable to believe what she saw. Her mouth was stuck open as she looked at the pink wings on Pinkie's side. Pinkie just shrugged. “I sure do!” She answered. “Bu-but you're an earth pony! They don't have wings!” Twilight said, shocked. “Huh? I was born as a pegasus” Pinkie said. “That can't be true...” Twilight said. She was sure her friend had been an earth pony. She hadn't shut herself in the library long enough for her to forget something that important. She tried to think of an explanation. “Ah, I get it. You got me, girls.” Twilight said and pulled Pinkie's wings. She expected them to feel fake, but the feathers on them felt very real. They were firmly connected to her sides. There's no way you could make wings that accurate with magic. “You okay, Twilight? Did you hit the books so hard you got amnesia? “ Pinkie asked, confused as to why Twilight was groping her wings. “You're acting weird. You really should get out more.” Dash agreed. “W-what's going on? I know you didn't have wings the last time I saw you!” Twilight said. “She's always had them. We even went to flight school together. Remember that time we rigged the teacher's stopwatch?” Dash asked Pinkie. “Yeah, he didn't even realize something was wrong until everypony had the same time! His face was priceless!” Pinkie said. “I, uh... Gotta go.” Twilight said and sped off towards Ponyville. She couldn't stand seeing their worried faces anymore. They didn't look like they were pulling a prank at all. What in Celestia's name was going on? Twilight thought she might have fallen asleep while studying. She stopped to gently poke herself in the cheek. Ow! The pain felt very realistic. How is she supposed to explain this if it isn't a dream? Maybe she was hallucinating. She looked around for someone she could talk to. She saw a pink pony with a blonde mane walking ahead of her. Perfect! “Hey, Lily!” Twilight called out to her. She liked gossip, so she should know if anything weird was going on. “Hi Twi!” She replied in her high voice as she looks at her. “I know this is a dumb question, but I have to ask it. What race is Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked. “A pegasus. That's, like, really obvious.” Lily said without hesitating. “Y-yeah, it sure is. I've been away for a few days, did anything happen? Fluttershy didn't turn into a tree or anything, right?” Twilight made a poor joke to hide her nervousness. “Nah, it's been so boring. Let me know if you hear anything interesting, okay?” She answered. “Sure thing, bye!” Twilight said and left. Even though another pony just confirmed it, Twilight still couldn't believe what she'd seen. She had to ask somepony else. Spike seemed like a good choice. Twilight returned to the library. It was dark and quiet inside. The only sound inside was quiet snoring coming from upstairs. Spike must have fallen asleep while she was away. He hated being woken up, so she decided not to ask him after all. Maybe her friends were right. She hadn't slept much recently. She couldn't think straight while she was half-asleep like this. This might all seem ridiculous in the morning. She'll realize that Pinkie had been a pegasus all along and she had just been going crazy tonight. Hoping that would be the case, Twilight crawled into bed. She covered herself with the comfy sheet and fell asleep almost immediately. Twilight woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside. She opened her eyes to find that it was already bright outside. She must have slept late. She got up from the bed and stretched. She felt much better than yesterday. A good night's sleep can do wonders. Yesterday's events felt like a nightmare now. She walked downstairs to find Spike eating breakfast at the table. She greeted him as she sat down and joined him. She started a conversation as she put butter on her bread. “I think I've been studying a bit too much recently. I need to take a break before I go crazy from overwork.” Twilight said. “That's what I've been trying to tell you. Don't be like the old Twilight, Celestia was worried about you for a reason.” Spike said. “Yeah, I guess you're right. There's just so much I want to learn. Whenever I see a book I haven't read, I just want to know what's inside. It's kinda like Fluttershy is with the wounded animals, only I can't resist taking books with me.” Twilight said. “Who's Fluttershy?” Spike asked. Twilight felt her heart sink as she heard Spike ask it as if he had no idea. Looks like this nightmare wasn't over yet. “You know, the shy pegasus who took such an interest in you.” Twilight told him. “I don't remember anypony like that.” Spike said. Twilight had a really bad feeling about this. “R-really. Oh! I just remembered I have an important meeting with, uh, Celestia! Gotta run!” Twilight said and quickly got up. She hit her hoof at the table as she rushed away. She didn't have time to worry about the pain, as she had to get rid of her bad premonition. There's just no way it could've happened. She ran towards Fluttershy's hut. She cringed when she saw Pinkie floating near Sugarcube Corner on the way. “Good morning Twilight! What's the rush? I'm glad you got out of that dusty old library, though. I missed you!” Pinkie said as she flew behind Twilight. She'd usually be happy to hear that, but seeing her flying just made her feel more disturbed right now. “Morning. I really need to see Fluttershy. I have the feeling something happened to her.” Twilight said. “Why would you think that? She's the same as ever, she doesn't do much.” Pinkie answered. Twilight felt relieved to her Pinkie still remembered her. She ran outside of Ponyville onto the path leading to Fluttershy's home. From far away, she thought the house was still there. However, it didn't look the same as she got close. Instead of her brown house made of wood, there was now an oddly colored tree. It was yellow with pink leaves. Twilight's worst fear had come true. She felt her hooves give away and lied down. Pinkie landed on the ground and looked down at her with a worried expression. “You okay? You sure don't look like it.” Pinkie said. “Just tell me this. Does that tree have a name?” Twilight asked. “It's called Fluttershy!” Pinkie said. “You're kidding, right? This is a very elaborate prank directed at me from everypony in Ponyville, isn't it?” Twilight asked. “It's not. What's there to prank about? That tree's been there as long as I can remember. I don't get what about it makes you look so sad. Tell me if there's something I can help with, I can't stand seeing you like that.” Pinkie said, sounding unusually serious. “I know Fluttershy was a pony. We all got together and formed the elements of harmony. Don't you remember?” Twilight said. Tears were forming in her eyes. “The elements of what now?” Pinkie asked. “Oh no. You can't be serious.” Twilight said in disbelief. “I'm afraid I am. Come on, you really need a hug.” Pinkie walked up to her and offered her hoof at Twilight. She grabbed it and got up. Pinkie put her hooves around Twilight's neck. Twilight broke down in tears. “There, there. Just let it all out. We'll talk after you've calmed down.” Pinkie said gently. Her hooves felt warm and comforting. Wings or not, she was still the same person Twilight knew. The race of her friends didn't matter to Twilight. It was shocking to see it wasn't what she remembered it to be, but it wasn't that important. Fluttershy's change felt much worse for her. She had so many good memories of them together. Now she's suddenly a tree? Twilight couldn't accept that. There had to be a reason for why all of this was happening. Twilight was determined to find the cause and return everything back to normal.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:07:00+00:00

2011-07-11T06:07:00+00:00

“Thank you. I feel a lot better already.” Twilight said as she leaned onto Pinkie. She had told Pinkie everything that happened. Pinkie smiled at her in an attempt to cheer her up. “Glad to hear that. I'm not good with this complicated stuff, but I believe you. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you.” Pinkie assured her. “I'll keep that in mind. I should tell Princess Celestia about all this. I'm sure she can come up with something.” Twilight decided. “I hope you find a solution soon! Bye!” Pinkie said as Twilight left. She thought about the situation as she walked on the streets. Pinkie had genuinely acted like she didn't remember the same past as Twilight did. She had no memory of the Elements of Harmony. According to her, Twilight had moved into Ponyville at the same day. She and four of her friends had ventured into Luna's castle as before, but they had been unable to do anything after confronting Nightmare Moon. She had simply frozen them in place with a spell. Princess Celestia came with her army soon afterwards. Her soldiers held back Nightmare Moon as Celestia banished her back to the moon. She saved Twilight and her friends by undoing the spell. Pinkie had no memory of Fluttershy coming along with them. According to her, Lyra had been in charge of music during the celebration. She hadn't come along with them, so Twilight only had four close friends now. She hoped Celestia could come up with a solution, as she had no idea what to do. She opened the door to the library to find Spike looking at her with a curious expression. “What was that all about? You didn't even finish your breakfast. Did I say something wrong?” He asked. “Never mind that. I have to send an important letter to the Princess. Write it down for me, please.” Twilight said. Spike wanted to question her further, but reluctantly got a parchment and quill. “Dear Princess Celestia. While on a break from my continuing studies, I have noticed strange changes in Ponyville. Nopony else seems to have taken notice of them, but I am certain something is wrong. They claim that Princess Luna is still trapped in the moon and that the elements of harmony were never formed. I'd like to request your advice on how to deal with the situation before it gets worse. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Spike wrote down the last few lines, but didn't send it. “The elements of harmony was just an old mare's tale. I get the feeling you're being delusional again. Are you sure you want to send this?” Spike said. “Not you too! I'm sure, now send it!” Twilight said impatiently. Spike shrugged and blew on the letter. It went into the royal castle, soon to be read by Celestia. While waiting for a reply, Twilight dug through the books to find ones about magic. She looked for a spell that could cause reality to distort like this. It had to be a high level one, as changes this complicated couldn't usually be done. “Didn't you say you were going to cut back on studying? You start acting all weird when you overdo it.” Spike worried about her. “This isn't studying, it's research! Terrible things could happen if I don't do this. My health isn't important when Ponyville is doomed!” Twilight snapped at him. “Calm down, I'm just trying to help you! I don't want you to go nuts. I know reading is important to you, but you shouldn't do it all the time. You'll lose your grip on reality!” Spike said. “I appreciate your concern, but this is for the best. I'll have time to rest once I learn why you and everypony else are doing this. I couldn't relax in this mess even if I wanted to.” Twilight said. She buried her head back in the book. She didn't find anything that could turn a pony into a tree and make everypony else believe it had always been like that. Mind control on a large scale simply wasn't reasonable. Even if it was, why wouldn't it affect Twilight? She decided to discard that theory for the time being. Spike burped out a letter. He unfolded it and read it out loud. “My faithful student Twilight. I appreciate your faith in me. However, it appears that you've begun studying too much again. Knowledge is important, but it means nothing if you're unable to keep yourself sane. Unless you can present definitive proof that this isn't all in your head, my advice is to relax and enjoy the magic of friendship.” Twilight groaned in disappointment. She had expected something like this, but she hoped Celestia would trust her more after she correctly predicted Nightmare Moon's return. “What'd I tell you? The Princess agrees with me, will you now listen to us?” Spike said. “Ugh, I'm not giving up. I'll prove Celestia I was right all along. I just need to find some convincing evidence.” Twilight said, stubborn as usual. “I tried to warn you. Do whatever you want, but I'm coming along. I want to make sure you don't embarrass yourself.” Spike said and sat down along with Twilight. She did her best to think of a way to convince the princess. She wasn't going to believe Twilight herself, so she needed somepony else as a witness to tell her how things were. Twilight headed outside with Spike to look for a suitable pony. The two walked around in the sunny weather. She looked around the market, but none of her friends were around. She saw three girls gossiping next to a store. They were Rose, Daisy and Lily. Twilight had met them a few times, but she didn't know them well. They were known for running a local tabloid simply called The Flower. It was known to exaggerate things quite a bit, but it was fairly popular in Ponyville. They'd be good witnesses to prove Twilight's story. She greeted them and walked next to them. “Do you girls know a pony called Luna? She's an important pony. I'd like to know for, uh, reference purposes.” Twilight asked them. “You sure she's popular? Cause I've never heard of her.” Said Daisy, the pink pony with a green mane. “Wasn't that the name of a princess we learned about in history lessons? She isn't around anymore, so no way we'd know her.” Said Roseluck, a cream colored pony with a red mane. “She's a big, purple pony with a moon as a cutie mark. You don't remember anypony like that?” Twilight asked. “I dunno, doesn't sound familiar. Is she, like, famous?” Lily said. “She really is. How about I bring her over here? I want to know if any of you girls can recognize her.” Twilight asked. “Sure, we'll be here for the rest of the day. Looking forward to meeting her!” Daisy said. Twilight went to rest at a nearby tree with Spike following her. He looked at Twilight curiously. “Did you come up with a plan?” He asked. “I did. I'm going to send a letter about it to Celestia, so write it down for me.” Twilight said. Spike took out his writing materials and waited for Twilight to begin. “Dear Princess Celestia. I have found a way to prove that the events are real. I'd like to request that you send Princess Luna to Ponyville. The village claims she is still on the moon, so nopony here will recognize her. Luna can witness this herself and tell you the truth. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight finished her letter. Spike sent it away right afterwards. “She'll definitely believe her sister. I hope Luna has time to come visit us.” “I don't think it's too busy on the moon. Getting here might be a problem, though.” Spike said. “You don't need to be such a wisecracker all the time. I don't need a witty sidekick, being my friend is enough. Besides, I know Luna is in Canterlot. You'll see in a moment.” Twilight said. The reply from Celestia soon arrived. Spike began reading it. “My faithful student Twilight Sparkle. Hearing you come up with such a clever way to prove your case pleases me. I'm willing to give you a chance. I'll send Luna to the library before nightfall. She'll let me know if you're speaking the truth.” “I knew she'd be reasonable. We'll get undeniable proof once she arrives.” Twilight said. “I didn't expect her to take you seriously. I'll only believe Luna's here once I see her.” Spike said. “You won't doubt it for long. Let's wait in the library, we wouldn't want to miss her.” Twilight said. The two returned to the library. Spike insisted that Twilight rested while she was waiting. Twilight decided to do as he said, as there wasn't much she could do before Luna arrived. She crawled into the bed and closed her eyes. However, she couldn't relax. She tossed and turned in the bed. Her mind was racing with thoughts about the recent events. What could have happened while she had holed herself up in the library? She came up with theories, ranging from simple to completely ridiculous. Those thoughts gradually turned surreal, as she began to dream. She slept for a while, before she was woken up by a knock on the front door. Twilight expected Spike to open it, but the snoring told her he had no intention of doing so. It was dark, as the sun had already gone down. Twilight got up and opened the door. Behind it was an alicorn that was hard to see against the starry sky. She looked at Twilight timidly. “Good evening, Luna. Glad you could make it.” Twilight said to her. “G-good evening.” She answered. She didn't look Twilight in the eyes. There was a bag next to her, presumably luggage she brought along. “Shall we go take care of the business right away? You can leave your bag inside.” Twilight said. “What business?” Luna asked, sounding clueless. “Didn’t Princess Celestia tell you what you're here for?” Twilight asked. “No, not really. She told me to pack up things for a few days and teleported me outside of the library. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I thought I'd ask you for assistance.” Luna answered. “Okay. Well, I just need you to do one simple thing. I'll explain on the way.” Twilight said. Luna levitated the bag inside the library and landed it near the entrance. Twilight closed the door and the two walked towards the city square. She gave a quick explanation about the recent events. Luna nodded along with her. Twilight was confused as to why she was told to pack luggage along. Celestia hadn't said anything about her staying over. Maybe she had business elsewhere afterwards? It's not like she couldn't stay at the library , but it would be a bit odd to have a sleepover with a goddess. Either way, Twilight decided to save the questions for later. Luna didn't look like she wanted to talk. She was acting rather shy. She looked at the ground as they arrived at the city square. Thankfully, the three girls were still there. “Here's the pony I was talking about. Does she look familiar?” Twilight asked them. “Can't say she does. Do you girls know her?” Daisy asked. The two shook their heads in unison. “We've been waiting for you. We heard you were famous. Could you give us an interview? You'd get on the front page of our newspaper.” Rose asked her. Luna didn’t answer. She nervously looked at Twilight. Twilight met her eye and stepped in to help her. “I'm afraid we're a little busy right now. Thanks for the help. Bye!” Twilight said as they left. Luna breathed a sigh of relief. “Not a fan of interviews, huh?” Twilight asked her. “No, I'm not used to being around others. I spent so long alone that it feels weird to be spoken to.” Luna told her. “I can relate, I'm kinda antisocial myself. Books used to be my closest friends until recently. So, are you going to spend the night here?” Twilight said. “My sister told me I shouldn't fly alone. I'd appreciate it if you let me stay at the library.” Luna answered. “Sure, it's not a problem. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. You know a lot about stars, don't you? We could stargaze together.” Twilight suggested. “It would be my pleasure.” Luna answered. Spike was still sleeping when they arrived at the library. Twilight decided to leave contacting Celestia for tomorrow. The two went to the balcony, where they looked at the stars all night. Luna was happy to find somepony who enjoyed the night like she did. She taught Twilight everything she knew about the stars. Twilight listened with her full attention. Luna opened up to Twilight after she got to know her. It was the first time in a while that the strange incidents weren't in Twilight's thoughts. She was convinced that Celestia would come up with a solution tomorrow. She would surely believe her own sister. Twilight's faith in Celestia's ability to solve even the hardest problems allowed her to relax and enjoy her time with Luna. The two bonded under the beautiful night sky.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:09:01+00:00

2011-07-11T06:09:01+00:00

The first few sunbeams lit up the balcony. Twilight and Luna were still there, having an excited conversation. The topic had changed from astronomy to Twilight's daily life. She told Luna about her adventures with her friends. Twilight tried to avoid talking about Fluttershy, as she felt depressed whenever reminded of her current state. The only thing keeping her going was the hope that Celestia would solve the situation for her. It was close to the time Twilight and Spike usually woke up. The two left the balcony to see if he was still sleeping. “It's so quiet in here. I bet he's already having breakfast. It's easy to tell if he's asleep from the sound of his snoring.” Twilight told Luna as they walked downstairs. “I don't see him around.” Luna said as they arrived at the ground floor. There was nothing on the dinner table. Whoever woke up first traditionally set it up, but it hadn't been prepared at all. Twilight looked around the room for signs of life, but everything around them was still. Twilight felt a cold shiver up her back. “Spike! Where are you?” She yelled. There was no reply. She checked the basement, but there was nopony inside. Where could Spike have gone so early in the morning? It wasn't like him at all. Twilight forced the negative thoughts away and tried to be reasonable. The two had seen him only a couple of hours before. He couldn't have gone far. After Twilight was certain he wasn't in the library, she went outside with Luna. “Look for Spike in that direction.” Twilight pointed her hoof towards east from the library. “I'll look on the other side. Let's meet here within a few hours.” Luna nodded in response and left. Twilight looked around carefully as she walked through the village. The sun was still rising and there weren't many ponies around. Twilight checked every street on the western side. A purple dragon should've been easy to spot in the empty streets, but there was no sign of him. She was about to move onto the fields outside as she saw Applejack walking on the road leading to the farm. Applejack looked at her with sleepy eyes. “Mornin' Twilight. You're up early.” She said and yawned. “Morning. Have you seen Spike around? He wasn't in his bed this morning.” Twilight asked. “Who's that again?” Applejack asked. Twilight's hope that this had nothing to do with the strange events crumbled. She felt her fear of unexplainable changes return. “My assistant! You've seen him many times, stop pretending you don't know him!” Twilight said angrily. “Hold on, sugarcube. I didn't know you had an assistant.” Applejack said. She was surprised at Twilight's harsh tone. I do! He has to be somewhere around here. I'm going to look for him in the Everfree Forest.” Twilight said. She ran towards the forest. “That's not a good idea!” Applejack yelled at her from behind. That was exactly why Twilight felt she should search there. She couldn't forgive herself if Spike was hurt by one of the dangerous animals inside. A part of her felt like it was useless to run around looking for him. However, she felt like she would break down if she admitted to herself that Spike might be gone. She kept believing she'd see him soon as she ran towards the eerie forest. She was approaching the edge of the forest when suddenly... Wham! Twilight ran into something hard. Her forehead hurt. She crouched and clutched it in her hooves. She cried out in pain, as her sensitive horn had taken a direct hit. The collision was completely unexpected, as she hadn't seen anything in the way. “What'd I tell ya.” Applejack said from behind her. “Nopony's getting in there. You really should know that by now.” “What the hay? What hit me?” Twilight said as she looked up. She saw the forest a couple of steps ahead of her. There wasn't anything in the spot she had hit. “The village barrier. We haven't broken it down yet, you know.” Applejack said. For once, Twilight was the clueless one in the conversation. “What barrier? I haven’t heard of that.” Twilight said. “The magical wall that appeared some time ago. It goes around the borders of Ponyville. Nopony has been able to get past it.” Applejack said. “That can’t be true. Why did it appear?” Twilight asked. “We haven’t figured that out. We do have a team workin' on breaking it. After the initial panic, we left handlin' it to them. You'd have to ask them for details. I don't know anything about this fancy magic stuff.” Applejack said. “I can't believe this.” Twilight said. She got up and touched the spot she had collided with. Even though there wasn't anything visible there, she felt a hard wall on her hoof. It had to be a strong magical barrier. Twilight couldn't have broken it with her magic, as it was far too thick. There was no choice but to accept the fact that she couldn't leave Ponyville. Everypony in the village was stuck inside the unbreakable walls. “Anyway, are you going to be okay on your own? I really should get back to work. Those dang rabbits never stop stealing my apples. Can't leave the farm alone for a minute. We could use somepony to take care of them.” Applejack said. “What about Spike? Do you really have no idea where he is?” Twilight asked. She was desperate for any sign of him being alright. “No idea. Why are you asking me? You know him better than I do. I've never even met him.” Applejack answered. She looked towards the farm to see rabbits hopping with apples in their mouths. “Sorry, I gotta get back to work. See ya!” She said and went to chase the rabbits. Applejack had managed to confuse Twilight even further. She suddenly claimed to have never met Spike. This made no sense, as he'd tagged along with them many times. Twilight tried to make sense of her words as she returned to the library. Hopefully Luna had found Spike so she could forget about all that. They still needed to tell Celestia about the evidence they'd gotten. Twilight realized that she would have no way of delivering a letter to Celestia without Spike. The barrier that had appeared out of nowhere prevented regular mail from going outside of Ponyville. Twilight would have no choice but to fix the oddities without any help from outside. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. Twilight waited for Luna at the library. Three hours had passed since they left and there had been no sign of her. Twilight was starting to worry that something bad had happened to her. In her rush to find Spike, she hadn't thought of her safety. In this unpredictable Ponyville, there was no knowing what'll happen. Maybe it would've been better to stick together after all. With no sign of Luna after another hour, Twilight went to look for her. She walked around the eastern side of Ponyville searching for her. She asked the ponies passing by if they'd seen her anywhere. Thankfully, one of them had seen a pony matching her description. He said he last saw her in the town square. Twilight heard loud talking as she approached the square. “Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here.” Said the voice. Twilight got a deja vu from hearing that. Even the voice saying it sounded similar. What in Celestia's name was going on there? Twilight walked from the side of the stage at the square. She could see many ponies gathered there, looking at the stage. “You're here to... to...” Said a voice that sounded even more familiar. It was almost like Twilight's own. Twilight reached the front of the stage and looked at it. Nightmare Moon was standing on a balcony at the top. However, something about her looked off. The blackness on her body gleamed at the spotlight directed at it, as if it was made of cheap plastic. Her voice was lacking any excitement and she looked like she really didn't want to be there. “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last, uh, forever?” Nightmare Moon said. Her tone was more that of a polite question than a threat. The monotone delivery clashed with the dramatic lightning effects that activated in the background. Quite a few ponies in the audience laughed at this. Nightmare Moon and Twilight Sparkle went backstage as the act ended. The real Twilight joined the audience for the rest of the show. The last act was on its way. Three soldiers were pointing their spears at Nightmare Moon with Princess Celestia behind them. The soldiers stared fiercely at Nightmare Moon, even though she didn't look threatening at all. “You are not my sister. You are nothing but a demon who wallows in her foolish hatred. You have no right to bear resemblance to my dear sister. I shall banish you to the moon for eternity!” Princess Celestia said dramatically. “Oh, okay.” Nightmare Moon replied timidly. She had forgotten her lines a long time ago. She let out a very uninspired scream as a special effect made her disappear. The paper cutout moon on the top corner of the stage turned to reveal the other side, which had a picture of Nightmare Moon on it. “Thus, the evil demon was vanquished and peace was restored into Equestria. Our beloved Princess Celestia continued to rule with grace, and Nightmare Moon was never seen again. The end.” The narrator concluded. The audience stomped their hooves as the actors gathered on stage to bow. All but one, that is. Nightmare Moon had taken the opportunity to quietly slip away. Twilight went to meet her at the back door. “How did I get roped into that?” Luna said. She and Twilight were sitting at a nearby bench. Luna looked very embarrassed. “I tried to tell them I can't act, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted I was perfect for the role, as if I had been cast into it all along. I guess they had to learn their mistake the hard way.” “Well, the audience seemed to be enjoying themselves.” Twilight said. “Not in the way they were supposed to.” Luna said. Twilight wished she could enjoy the small talk, but she had to ask the question in her mind. She was afraid of hearing the response. Luna looked at Twilight, who had suddenly gone silent. Twilight prepared herself for the worst and asked the question. “Did you find Spike?” Twilight asked. Her face was full of worry. Luna hesitated with her answer. There was a moment of silence before Luna spoke up. “No. I looked everywhere, but he wasn't in the eastern part of Ponyville. I'm sorry.” Luna quietly answered. Twilight felt a sharp pain in her heart. Spike couldn't be found anywhere in Ponyville. Twilight had no way of knowing how he was doing. All of the negative possibilities Twilight had locked away in her mind were released. Spike could be lost. He could be all alone, starving himself. He could be running from a monster. He could have gone for a swim and drowned. He could have been eaten. He could be dead already. Tears dripped down from Twilight's face. Her body shook uncontrollably. She closed her eyes and fought against the pain with all her strength. She didn't have time for a mental breakdown. She refused to take anymore of this torture. She didn't need Celestia's help. She would fix this mess with her own hooves. She was going to find whoever did this and make them pay. Twilight opened her eyes to find everypony staring at her. She stood up on her back hooves and yelled. “You hear me Ponyville?! I am not crazy, you are all crazy! I am the only sane pony in this hellhole! I will prove it and return everything to the way it should be!”

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:10:41+00:00

2011-07-11T06:10:41+00:00

The entire street was following Twilight's outburst. Every passerby had stopped to look at her. Ponies in the nearby houses were peeking out of their windows to see what the noise was about. Luna was shocked at the way Twilight was acting. She hadn't expected her to take the news well, but this was much worse than she imagined. Twilight was breathing heavily as she jumped off the bench. Luna quickly reacted and bit her tail. “Let go! I'm going to end this!” Twilight yelled at her. “No! Calm down, you're not thinking straight!” Luna ordered. Twilight didn't listen to her. She pushed onwards and managed to free her tail from Luna's grip. She dashed past everypony into the middle of the town square. Nopony tried to stop her, as they were all stunned. Nothing like this had happened before in the peaceful village. Twilight's face was distorted into a mad grin as she looked around with her bloodshot eyes. “You thought I was crazy?! Wait until you hear my theory! You're all magical puppets, designed to make me look insane! Did you think you could trick me? Tough luck, I've got it all figured out! I'll tear off your skin to show there's no flesh inside!” Twilight said in a creepy voice. Everypony ran away in terror as Twilight's horn lit up. Twilight wasn't bluffing, as she had convinced herself that the theory she made up on the spot was true. She focused her energy on a spell she had read of in an old book. It was designed to remove extra hair on the fur of ponies within a wide range around the caster. However, it was banned after it was learned that amplifying it would tear off skin along with it. Casting it that hard was a challenge even for Twilight. She used all the adrenaline in her veins as she cast the spell. A white ball of light appeared in front of her horn. It grew in size, until it was about to burst. A moment before it did, a large bubble formed around Twilight. She freed the energy in the ball, but none of it reached outside of the bubble. Luna had cast it moments before to trap Twilight inside. It was a strong barrier that prevented any magical energy from leaking outside of it. All of Twilight's energy was used in casting the spell. She fainted inside the bubble. Twilight felt weak as her consciousness returned. The bubble on her back was soft and comfortable. It was like a round, floating bed. She didn't have enough energy to move, so she kept lying in the same position. She heard a knocking noise in front of her. She slightly opened her eyes to see the familiar library with her hazy vision. She saw Luna's back as she was walking towards the front door. She opened it to find The Mayor behind it, with an anxious look on her face. Twilight could only barely make out their conversation, as everything sounded like it was underwater. “I heard about what happened. Are you and Twilight alright?” The Mayor asked. “We're fine. I'd like to apologize for her. That wasn't something she'd normally do, but recent events have placed her under a lot of stress.” Luna said. “I see. We knew she was a bit of an oddball, but we never expected her to go that far. You’re her friend, right? Make sure she never does that again. We don't have a prison in Ponyville, so we couldn't restrain her anywhere.” The Mayor said. “I swear under my title of a princess to protect her. This will never happen again, you have my word.” Luna said. “Princess? You do look like one, but I'm sure you're no princess. I hope you have a good explanation for this.” The Mayor said. “I uh... I meant it as a metaphor. Yes, I'll protect her as if I was her princess.” Luna quickly came up with an excuse. “Hmm... Very well. You're welcome to stay in Ponyville, as long as you stay out of trouble. Take care.” The Mayor said as she left. “Thank you very much.” Luna said and closed the door. She met Twilight's eye as she turned around. A warm smile spread across her face. “Oh, you're awake. No need to worry, everything is fine. Feel free to relax in there as long as you like.” Twilight nodded in response. Even something as simple as that felt like it took a lot of effort. She closed her eyes and fell asleep instantly. In her dreams, everything was peaceful. It was like her daily life was only a few days ago. The contrast between the Ponyville in her memories and the one she was in now made her appreciate her usual life. She hadn't realized how nice it was until it was taken away from her. However, nopony could escape reality forever. She found herself in the bubble as she woke up. Her senses were much clearer now. Luna was sitting nearby, reading a book. Twilight hit the bubble to get her attention. Luna looked up at her and smiled. “Good morning, my little sleepyhead. I'll let you out in a second.” Her horn lit up as she popped the bubble. Twilight fell down a short distance and hit the floor. The carpet felt hard after the softness of the bubble. Twilight found it hard to get any words out of her mouth after all that had happened. Before she said anything, Luna sat down next to her and spread her wing on Twilight’s body. The large wing felt comforting around Twilight's body. “Take your time. You don't have to speak until you're ready.” Luna said in a calming voice. Twilight was grateful for Luna's kindness. In times like these, it was easy to tell Luna and Celestia were sisters. They would both always act calm and rational no matter what the situation. Twilight admired their ability their ability to do so. The whole incident could've been prevented if Twilight was as good at controlling her emotions. She needed time to think about what had happened. “I took the liberty to make some coffee earlier. Would you like to have some?” Luna asked a bit later. Twilight nodded and sat down at the table with her. Luna poured coffee for the two of them. They sipped their coffee in silence. Luna patiently waited for Twilight to talk. She looked down at the table, regretting her actions. She had been thinking of how to put her feelings into words. It was hard to talk about, but she needed to get it off her chest. “I'm sorry. I was so helpless back there. It felt like I had to do something, even if I had no idea what it would be. I forced myself to believe that I could solve everything. I knew deep down that it didn’t make sense, but I couldn’t handle all that pressure anymore. I caused everypony so much trouble. I doubt any of them even had anything to do with this. How can I ever make up for this?” Twilight said. “It's all in the past. I forgive you and I'm sure the entire village does too. The only thing that matters in the end is that nopony was hurt. However, you must realize that blindly rushing forward will solve nothing. It'll only cause more pain for you and everypony else.” Luna said. “I know. I can't believe I did something that stupid. I need to calm down and think things through. I still believe that something's gone wrong, and I'm going to fix it. Even if nopony else believes me, I'm going to do what I think is right.” Twilight said. “I believe you.” Luna said in a serious voice. “Really?” Twilight said, surprised at Luna's words. “Yeah. Everything seemed normal at first sight, but there's definitely something strange going on. I found it odd that those three girls didn’t know who I was, but I wrote it off as them being ignorant. That theater act was when I knew something was wrong. The script was an accurate re-enactment up until the final scene. I was told it was written according to real events, but that can’t be true. Not only doesn't it match up with my memories, I couldn't be in Ponyville if Nightmare Moon was banished into the moon. It's simply impossible for that to have happened.” Luna explained. “I knew it! I'm so glad you're on my side. You wouldn't believe how awful it was to be the only one who thought things weren't normal.” Twilight said, feeling relieved. “I'll gladly help you. Since the two of share the same memories, we can be certain that this isn't all in your imagination. Either we or the rest of Ponyville must be wrong. For the sake of our sanity, let's assume we're right.” Luna said. “Why would everypony in the village pretend things are going normally? Why am I the only pony living here who doubts that? What caused all the changes to happen in the first place? It must have been very powerful magic to be able to turn a pony into a tree.” Twilight wondered. “Considering how everypony treats the events as a fact without any hesitation, they must believe it had been like that all along. They sound too confident for them to be acting. We need to find out what caused them to behave this way. While the changes seem random, it's likely they were all caused by a single source. Perhaps it also made everypony believe them as a fact as they happened? I can't think of anything powerful enough to do that on a large scale, though.” Luna said. “That still doesn't answer why you and I remember things the way they used to be.” Twilight said. “True. This is all speculation, as we don't know enough to make any definitive conclusions. We should focus on searching for what caused all of this to begin. Hopefully we'll discover a way to reverse all of the changes along with it. We’ll need to go gather more information.” Luna said.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T16:39:28+00:00

2011-07-11T16:39:28+00:00

Luna and Twilight were sitting in the library, drinking coffee. Twilight's cup was already empty. Drinking the coffee had made her feel fully awake. Unfortunately, her headache had also gotten worse. Luna saw Twilight's depressed look from the other side of the table. “Would you like to have another cup?” Luna kindly asked. “No thanks, I've had enough.” Twilight answered. “We should head out soon, there's still much we don't know.” “Indeed. But before we go anywhere, you should comb your mane. You've got quite the bed hair right now.” Luna said. Twilight hadn't thought of her looks in the last few days. The way her mane looked felt like a minor issue after everything that had happened. Twilight noticed how messy her mane had gotten as she looked at herself in the mirror. To fix this, she tried to levitate a comb. It was harder than usual, as her horn hurt when she cast the spell. This made her lose focus and drop the comb on the floor. “You really overworked yourself yesterday. Let me do that for you.” Luna said. She levitated the comb and used it to get the hair out of Twilight's eyes. Twilight looked at the floating comb as it moved onto the back of her head. It stopped in the middle of the first swipe. “Promise me you won't panic, okay?” Luna said. Twilight looked at her, confused as to why she sounded so serious all of a sudden. “Huh? What's wrong?” Twilight said. “There's something stuck in the back of your head. Hold on, I'll get it off.” Luna said. She lifted her hoof to raise Twilight's mane. There was a silver piece of metal connected into her neck. It was embedded into her skin, as if it was a part of it. Luna winced as she saw it. She did her best to hide how disturbed she was. She tried to rip off the piece of metal with her magic, but it was stuck tight. “Ow! What are you doing? That hurt!” Twilight said. “Sorry! It'll sting a bit, but I have to do this.” Luna said. She amplified her magic to tear off the metal. Twilight's head hurt as the piece flew off the back of her head. The skin underneath it was swollen red. “I got it out. Are you okay?” Luna asked. “I'm fine, aside from this annoying headache.” Twilight said. “What was that something you were talking about?” “This thing.” Luna said as she levitated the small piece of metal in front of Twilight. “Do you know what it is?” “No idea. When did it get there? I never noticed it.” Twilight said. “There isn't anything remarkable about it. Weird, why was it there?” Luna wondered. “Well, it doesn't look like it was anything dangerous. Let's ignore it for now and move on. We've got more important things to worry about.” Twilight said. Luna was still curious about the mysterious piece of metal, but she decided to get back to fixing Twilight's mane. She combed it until it was as straight as it usually was. Twilight looked like her usual self now. After the two were satisfied with the way she looked, they left the library. The sun was rising outside. The village was tinted red from the light above. It felt eerie to Twilight. After being assaulted by strange events non-stop for the last few days, Twilight didn't feel safe in the village. It was her hometown, but it didn't feel like it anymore. Every single detail that had changed made her feel less comfortable. The Ponyville she loved was nothing but a shadow of its former self. Mixed into the red scenery was a pink pony. She walked towards the two at a casual pace. After closing around half of the distance between the two, she broke into a run. Twilight recognized her as Pinkie as she drew close. It took her a moment longer than usual, as her wings still distracted her. “Hi Twilight! I was just coming to see you. I haven't seen you since chapter 2!” Pinkie said. “Glad to see at least one of us is still upbeat in this mess.” Twilight said. “That was so long ago! This story needed more Pinkie Pie! I mean, any scene is better when I'm in it!” Pinkie said. “What is she talking about?” Luna whispered to Twilight's ear. “Never mind her, she's always like that.” Twilight muttered. “Anyway, did anything noteworthy happen since we last met?” “It's just been the normal summer days since. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, flowers are booming, demons are attacking. You know, the usual.” Pinkie said. “That sounds nice- wait, what? Did you say demons?” Twilight said. “Yeah, but don't worry. There's only been three attacks today!” Pinkie said calmly. “Only?! Where are they coming from? I thought Ponyville was isolated from the rest of Equestria.” Twilight said. “See for yourself, there’s another one coming up!” Pinkie said and pointed at the ground. Soon after she finished her sentence, the ground underneath them turned black. Twilight stared at the darkness underneath her in shock. Luna sensed danger and pulled her further away. The darkness on the ground spread in a circle, stopping after it had grown large. A high, otherworldly sound came from the inside. Two large, veiny hands reached out from the inside. They flailed around looking for the ground past the hole. They gripped the ground and it pulled itself up. The head of the demon appeared from the hole. It had a thin skin, one large red eye and sharp silver teeth. It looked around Ponyville as the rest of its body appeared from the hole. It had a small midsection with large silver wings attached in its back. It had no legs and was only capable of flight. The hole faded away as the demon flew up into the sky. It let out an ear piercing howl as it floated above Ponyville. Rainbow Dash quickly flew towards the demon with a large group of pegasi following her. “It's a Flight Eater! Demon Watch, hold it in place! Aim for the back of its head and don't let it eat anything! 3, 2, 1, go!” Rainbow Dash firmly ordered. The squad closely surrounded the demon. The ponies in the front distracted it while the ones in the back bucked it in the head. The demon tried to grab the ponies in the front into its hand, but they swiftly dodged out of the way. Thankfully, the demon was stupid enough to stay in place. Twilight was crouching on the ground, holding her head. The annoying howls the demon hurt her ears. Luna was standing next to her, unsure of what she should do. Rainbow Dash flew next to the group. “Pinkie, why are you just standing there? We need all the help we can get! You too, lady in the princess costume! Everypony has to fight or the village will be destroyed!” Dash said. “Sure thing! Lead the way, Dashie!” Pinkie said in a cheerful voice. Dash waited for Luna to join them. Luna hesitated, seeing Twilight's pitiful form on the ground. Twilight looked up at Luna. “Go on, I can take care of myself.” Twilight said weakly. Luna stood still for a moment, then nodded. She flew up towards the demon along with Pinkie and Dash. Twilight was left alone on the ground. She wanted to help the pegasi, but she had no way of doing so. Her horn wasn't working at all. Twilight gave up and lied on the ground. She felt useless. Every moment in this screwed up village was too much. She closed her eyes and wished that she could sleep forever. Even if it wasn't real, she felt at peace in her dreams. Any attempt at falling asleep was pointless when it was so noisy outside. Twilight lied down, hoping this would all be over soon. Somepony poked at Twilight. “Hey, are you alright?” A female voice asked her. Twilight opened her eyes and slowly stood up. Standing next to her was Daisy, looking worried. “I'm fine.” Twilight quietly answered. “Thank goodness, I thought you were dead for a moment. You never know what'll happen with all these demons attacking.” Daisy said. “If you're so worried, go help them.” Twilight said angrily. “But I'm just an earth pony! I can't do anything to a flying demon, you know.” Daisy said defensively. “I guess. Sorry, I'm in a really bad mood.” Twilight said. “It's okay. Nopony likes these attacks, but I can't fight against demons. I'm trying to help in my own way by writing articles about them.” Daisy said. “Oh yeah, you run that tabloid, right? I'm not very familiar with it.” Twilight said. “Really? We've been very popular lately. Almost the entire Ponyville is already subscribed to The Flower. Would you like to order it too?” Daisy said. “No thanks, I'm more into books.” Twilight said. The only time she'd read the tabloid, she'd hated it. It was sensationalistic. Every article had been twisted and exaggerated to make it more interesting. Twilight preferred to get the pure facts and nothing more. “That's a shame.” Daisy said, disappointed. “When did you get so popular, anyway? The last time I heard of The Flower, it wasn't well known.” Twilight said bluntly. “We only became famous recently. Rose did a popular article on the royal castle in Canterlot. That was our first issue that sold well.” Daisy said. “Right, the fact that no newspapers can come from outside of Ponyville now must help too.” Twilight said. “Obviously. That's why almost everypony reads The Flower. We're the only source of news available here.” Daisy said proudly. This really was a nightmare, Twilight thought. The conversation was interrupted by a loud, high pitched scream from above. The demon desperately flapped its wings, trying to stay in flight. Crimson blood bled out of its head. Its wings soon stopped. It fell down with a trail of blood flowing behind it. The body made a thud as it hit the ground nearby. Daisy took out a piece of paper and began writing notes on it. The pegasi assembled in front of the demon, led by Rainbow Dash. They were sweating and many of them had bruises on them. “Good job guys! We made it through without any serious injuries. A special mention goes to you, miss...” Rainbow Dash began. “Luna.” Luna said. “Luna! Thanks for helping us to kick some demon flank! That thing is faster than it looks, let's hope it was the last one for today.” Dash said. “You know what this calls for? A party! Let's go to Sugarcube Corner, I've got cupcakes for everypony!” Pinkie said excitedly. “Sounds good. Demon Watch, you are ordered to party hard!” Dash said. The squad cheered at her words. They began to slowly walk away as they talked amongst themselves. Luna went to see Twilight, who was still looking at the demon. “Are you okay?” Luna asked. “Sort of. I thought we'd be safe from monsters, but apparently even that is too much to ask. If they can't come out of Everfree Forest, they come from underground. This place really is insane.” Twilight said, frustrated. “That's exactly why we can't lose hope. We're the only ones who can do anything about this. Nopony else thinks this is strange.” Luna said. “I know. I keep telling myself that, but honestly, I just want to give up. This all seems way too complicated for us to handle.” Twilight said. “I understand how you feel, but it's important that we keep going. We can't let things end like this, right?” Luna said. “Yeah... You're right.” Twilight said. “Why don't we join the others at Sugarcube Corner? I’m sure a party would cheer you up.” Luna said. Twilight agreed with her. She smiled at the thought of going to one of the Pinkie parties she liked so much. The two turned their backs at the demon and followed the group of pegasi walking in the distance.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:15:40+00:00

2011-07-11T06:15:40+00:00

Twilight stepped inside Sugarcube Corner, followed by Luna. They went past the numerous pegasi inside. A dance floor had formed in the middle, with pegasi dancing to the tune of the upbeat music. The inside was colorfully decorated and smelled of an odd mixture of sweat and sweets. Twilight and Luna settled on the sideline next to a table with drinks. Twilight poured the little punch that was left in the bowl into two glasses. She drank from her glass. The sugary and fruity taste made her feel a bit better. Luna sipped her drink from next to Twilight, looking pleased. Pinkie soon came to the table carrying some of the drink she'd made. After filling the bowl with punch, she went to talk with Luna and Twilight. "I'm so glad you came to my party. It wouldn't be the same without my best friends!” Pinkie said cheerfully. “We're best friends already? I only met you today.” Luna said. “Everypony is my friend! You know Twilight, so I'm sure you're the best of the bestest of best friends!” Pinkie said. “Uh, thank you? I'm glad you think so highly of me, even if I don't quite get your logic.” Luna said. “I doubt she gets it herself. Just play along.” Twilight said and shook her head. “Best friends know everything about each other. I wanna know more about you. I know you're not from ponyville, cause I know everypony here. Where are you from?” Pinkie asked. “I live in the royal castle in Canterlot.” Luna said. “Really? That's a fancy place to live in. I went there once and it was like a really high class place. You're so much nicer than the ponies I met there. Why'd you decide to visit Ponyville? Wait, let me guess. You heard of my parties! They're really popular, you know.” Pinkie said. “Actually, Twilight invited me here. She needed my assistance in one issue and I decided to stay here afterwards.” Luna said. “Sorry for dragging you into this mess. I wouldn't have asked you to come if I knew things would get this bad.” Twilight said. “It's fine, really. I'm glad I can help you here. It was actually worse back at the castle. They had a problem that I couldn't help them with.” Luna said. “What kind of problem?” Twilight asked. “All I know is that the entrance to the underground vault was broken and there were detectives going back and forth from there. The place was heavily guarded, so I couldn't go inside myself. I tried asking my sister about it, but she refused to tell me anything in case somepony was eavesdropping. They're trying to avoid alerting the media until they've investigated it further.” Luna said. “That sounds serious. Could it have something to do with the situation here?” Twilight asked. “It's possible. I didn't mention it before since I really don't know what happened there or if it's even related to this situation. We'd have to wait for official information to find out. Unfortunately, we won't be able to hear it as long as the barrier is there.” Luna said. “As vague as it is, that’s really the only lead we've got. Maybe we should try to get through the barrier and go see for ourselves?” Twilight wondered. “If we can get past it. It seems awfully powerful, I don't think we can break it on our own.” Luna said. “I know! You girls should go see the barrier team. They know everything about that silly wall. You'll find them in the city hall. They've pretty much locked themselves in there, so they'll be there all day. There's no rush, so party some more! You can worry about all that stuff later. Parties are all about having fun!” Pinkie said. “We should stay a little longer. I really like the atmosphere in here, I haven't been in such a pleasant party for ages.” Luna said. “My parties are always fun! Hey, do you like dancing? I love dancing! Come on, dance with me!” Pinkie said and pulled Luna to the dance floor. Luna's awkward attempts at dancing were like something out of an old book. Twilight playfully giggled as Luna stood out among the young pegasi. The mood at the party was so happy that Twilight's depression was fading away. Twilight joined the dance and showed Luna how modern ponies dance. Luna seemed embarrassed and followed Twilight's example. Twilight relaxed and enjoyed her time at the party. It made her worries seem like they were so far away. A loud howl sounded from the outside. The ponies at the party froze in place at the unexpected sound. Rainbow Dash shook her head in disappointment. “Ugh, can't we ever catch a-” Dash was interrupted by a claw tearing through Sugarcube Corner. The ponies reflexively ducked as wood flew through the room. The music stopped as the record player laid broken on the floor. The front wall and everything in front of it was torn to pieces by the fearsome claws of the demon in front of them. Its red eye looked for the pony with the most delicious flesh. The demon was full of rage, ready to kill anything that stood on its way. “Dammit, no time for plans! Get the demon out!” Dash ordered. The pegasi quickly gathered themselves. One of the squad's members, Derpy Hooves, rushed at the demon. She misjudged the distance between them and was hit by the demon's swipe. She cried in pain as the claw pierced her skin. The force slammed her at the back wall of the room. The blood dripping from the wound left a red stain on the wall as she slid onto the floor. The ponies watched in horror as the pegasus laid still next to the wall. The members of the demon watch flew at the demon in revenge. Three of the ponies acted as a distraction. They flew right outside of the demon's range and taunted the demon. The demon tried to hit them and failed to notice the pegasi flying towards the back of its head. They bucked its head hard and flew outside. The demon cringed in pain and shifted its attention at the ponies outside. The pegasi lured the demon away from the building. It ran to the empty street, trying to catch up to the pegasi. Dash's squad followed and surrounded the demon. Twilight watched them to make sure they could handle the demon. The same tactics applied to this demon. As long as it was surrounded and the ponies could dodge its swipes, it couldn't do any harm. “I'll go help them. You two take care of the injured pony!” Luna said and flew outside. Twilight pushed through the rubble to where Derpy had fallen. Derpy was wheezing on the floor, looking weak. Pinkie had laid down next to her and covered the wound with her wing. It wasn't large enough to cover the entire wound, as blood was still dripping from inbetween her feathers. “Stay strong, you're going to be okay.” Pinkie was speaking in the kindest voice she could muster to cheer up Derpy. “Take care... of my daughter...” Derpy said weakly. “Don't worry, you'll be with her again soon. Hey Twilight, use your magic to heal her wound!” Pinkie said. “I can't, my horn doesn't work!” Twilight said while panicking. Her talent had failed her when she needed it the most. Twilight was at a loss on what to do without it. “Oh, well, there's bandages in the bathroom drawer! Get them and help me bandage her!” Pinkie said. Twilight went towards the bathroom immediately. She kicked the rubble in front of it out of the way and entered the room. The drawer was right next to the door. There was no time to rummage through it, so Twilight pulled the contents to the floor. She picked the white bandage roll from the pile into her mouth and brought it to Pinkie. They carefully wrapped the bandage around Derpy's body. She was still breathing, but she had fallen unconscious. “I have to take her to the hospital! Help me lift her on my shoulders!” Pinkie said. “It's too dangerous! Wait until the demon is gone!” Twilight said. The shrieks from outside showed that the pegasi were still fighting the demon. It would've been risky to go outside. “I guess you're right. I can't believe something like this happened at my party. I just wanted make everypony happy, but I ended up making things worse. I shouldn’t have invited them here.” Pinkie said sadly. “It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known this would happen. It's all because of those demons.” Twilight said. “Yeah, those meanies have been nothing but trouble since they appeared. I'm trying my best to keep everypony smiling, even if it is getting harder all the time.” Pinkie said. The demon shrieked and fell down to the ground. It shook on the ground for a moment, then laid still in a pool of blood. Rainbow Dash led the pegasi back to Sugarcube Corner. There was no feeling of accomplishment as there were last time. The demon watch had let their guard down and failed to protect the village. The first floor of Sugarcube Corner was in ruins and Derpy had been severely wounded. This was below the standards Rainbow Dash expected from herself and her squad. The squad members waited outside as Dash checked the situation inside the building. “How's Derpy?” Dash asked in a low voice. “She's alive, but she's in need of medical attention. Pinkie's going to take her to the hospital.” Twilight answered. Pinkie laid next to Derpy, waiting for Twilight's help. Twilight carefully raised Derpy and laid her onto Pinkie's back. Pinkie rose and carried her away. “You sure you can carry her on your own?” Dash asked as Pinkie went past her. “Sure thing, she's actually pretty light. Don't worry, she'll be back in action in no time!” Pinkie said as she forced a smile. She left the building, going towards the village's hospital. The morale among the pegasi had fallen, as they looked depressed over having failed to protect the village. Dash firmly faced her squad. “Listen up! This was a failure. Our duty is to protect Ponyville from the demons, heavy damage to buildings is unacceptable. Never get caught off guard again. No more breaks for the squad, we'll patrol throughout the entire day. It sucks, but there's no way I'll allow this to happen again! If we let our attention slip, we'll have more casualties! Forget about slacking off, we’ll put everything we've got into protecting our hometown! Our friends will never suffer under our watch!” Dash gave a speech to encourage her squad. They hated the situation, but Dash's determination reminded them of how important their duty was. Rainbow Dash saluted, with the rest of her squad soon joining her. “Alright, let's get back to our patrol. Stay strong, everypony. We’ll get through this, I promise!” Dash said confidently. She flew towards the sky, with the demon watch following her in formation. The only pony left on the ground was Luna, who had been watching from the background. She went to see Twilight, who was looking at the ruined building. Her dear friend's home was destroyed in front of her eyes and she hadn't been able to do anything to prevent it. Twilight's depression was back, stronger than ever. It was foolish of her to think she could relax in this mess. “The party didn't have quite the effect I intended. The situation really is getting out of hand.” Luna said. “I know, it's insane. I didn't realize how serious this really is until I saw Derpy like that. We don't have time for escapism. We have to stop this madness!” Twilight said. “Let's follow Rainbow Dash's example and never lose hope. We don't know much about the situation yet, but we have to do our best to find out what’s going on. Let's go meet that barrier team Pinkie mentioned.” Luna said. The two left the building. Luna and Twilight walked on the empty streets. The atmosphere in the village was eerie. The pegasi patrolled up in the sky, while there was almost nopony on the ground. The only thing Twilight could hear was Rainbow Dash yelling orders in the distance. Nothing was happening around them. The stillness was creepy compared to the usual liveliness in the village. The two walked to the city hall in silence. The door creaked as Twilight entered the lobby. It was dim inside, as none of the magical lights were lit. Twilight and Luna's steps echoed as they went towards the reception area. They passed many benches ponies would usually sit in, but none of them were taken. There was no line at the counter, either. Neither was there anypony behind it. The entire room was empty, as if it was abandoned. Twilight rang the bell on the counter. The dust that flew up made her cough. The chime seemed louder than usual, but nopony reacted to it. Waiting felt like a waste of time, so the two decided to wander further inside. The two walked in the empty hallways. The only thing they could hear were their own footsteps. Most of the doors were locked. The few that were open had nothing noteworthy in them, only plenty of dust. The end of the only hallway they hadn't explored was near. Twilight had almost given up when she heard muffled talking from the furthest door. A few different voices spoke in turn from inside. Twilight knocked on the door. The two waited for a moment, but nopony opened the door. Twilight put her ear at the door. “-That's why I believe Ponyville has gone back in time. Trust me, I've got experience with this.” A male voice said. “I keep telling you, that makes no sense!” An annoyed voice said. “Guys? Can we pause this meeting for a minute? I heard somepony knock on the door.” A nearby female voice said. “My theory is obviously true, you just don't get it! I'll repeat it until you accept it!” Another voice said. “Ugh, they're not even listening.” The nearby voice said. “Just go, they won't be done anytime soon. You're not going to miss anything important.” A voice next to her said. The sound of a chair being pulled came from the inside. Twilight stepped out of the way as the door opened. Lyra stood behind it, looking tired. There was a large table behind her, with numerous ponies sitting around it. One of them was drawing a diagram next to a whiteboard. “How can I help you?” Lyra asked as she stretched her hooves. “You're the barrier team, right? We'd like to learn more about the barrier, would you mind if I asked you some questions about it?” Twilight said. “Sure, why not. I'll take any excuse to get out of that boring meeting. Let's go talk at the lobby, the seats there are so comfy.” Lyra said. She closed the door behind her and went towards the lobby with Twilight and Luna. “Those guys spend more time arguing than actually working. You can't count on them to do anything.” Lyra complained as they walked in the empty hallway. “How did you join them? I didn't know you were into science.” Twilight asked. “I'm not, really. I'm actually a musician. There aren't many unicorns in Ponyville, so they asked me to help them. They said they needed all the magic users they could get. Would you like to take my place?” Lyra asked. “I couldn't, I can't use magic right now.” Twilight said. “Too bad. I wouldn't have taken the job if I knew how boring it would be. My wife would be mad if I left for no reason, so I guess I'll have to stick around.” Lyra said as they arrived at the lobby. Twilight and Luna sat down on the couch next to the wall, while Lyra sat down in the chair opposite from them. Luna seemed weirded out at the odd way Lyra sat. Twilight didn't pay attention to it, as she'd seen it before. “So, what do you know about the barrier?” Twilight asked. “Not much. We know that it can't be broken with brute strength, so we've been trying to come up with a spell that would get us past it. None of the spells made for that have done anything to it. All of our efforts to teleport behind it have been useless too. Nothing gets past it, which is a real problem. We're going to run out of supplies eventually, especially water. The barrier goes underneath the clouds, so we don't get any rain in Ponyville.” Lyra said. “I hadn't thought of that. How long do you think they'll last?” Twilight asked. “At this rate, only a week or two. Ponyville wasn't prepared for an emergency like this, so everything is poorly organized. Not to mention the whole demon problem. They've already torn a few buildings and injured some ponies. No confirmed deaths so far, but they're easily capable of killing. We'd be screwed without the demon watch, good thing Rainbow Dash established that quickly.” Lyra said. “Why is it so quiet everywhere? We didn't see almost anypony on the way here.” Twilight asked. “They're all scared. The demons look very threatening, even though they're harmless if you surround them in the right way. The articles in The Flower aren't helping. They've made the situation sound so bad that you couldn't leave your home without dying. It's all exaggerated, of course. Unfortunately, everypony blindly believes in what that rag says. It's the only one around right now, so the whole village gets its news from it.” Lyra said. “Do you think you'll be able to break the barrier anytime soon?” Twilight asked. “Honestly? No. We've been trying for a long time and haven't really advanced at all. We've tried everything we could think of, so they're just making ridiculous theories now. That wall really is mysterious. Maybe it's just me, but something seems wrong about the world outside of it. I've never seen anyone out there. No animals, no ponies, nothing. You'd think the outside world would've noticed that something was wrong by now. Weird. Anyway, did that satisfy your curiosity? I should get back to the meeting.” Lyra said. “Yes, thank you for your help. It was very useful.” Twilight said. Lyra got up from her seat. She had some trouble due to the odd way she sat. She said goodbyes to the two and walked towards the hallway. Luna and Twilight were left alone in the lobby. The place was lonely without anypony else around. Twilight thought about their next move. “Do you still think we should try to break the barrier?” Luna asked. “I don't think so. I doubt we could come up with anything they haven't tried already. We really are stuck in here, huh?” Twilight said. “It seems that way. We don't have much time, either. The situation is getting worse every day. It's guaranteed that we won't survive longer than a few weeks unless we do something.” Luna said. “We have to think of something, fast!” Twilight said.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:17:19+00:00

2011-07-11T06:17:19+00:00

Twilight and Luna were walking in the streets of Ponyville. They haven't been able to come up with a good plan. They were hoping they would think of something as they walked around aimlessly. Twilight was frustrated at her lack of knowledge. She had studied a lot, but all that knowledge was useless when nothing made sense. Twilight firmly believed that everything happened for a reason, so she was sure that there was an explanation for the events. However, figuring it out was difficult without any solid clues. The village was silent. It was odd to see nopony around in the evening. At first glance, it was like the village had been deserted. The silhouettes in the windows showed that they were all hiding inside. Nopony would open their doors, fearing the demons would come inside their homes. The normally sociable residents of Ponyville had become too paranoid to go outside. They were surprised to see Applejack sneaking from behind a corner. She had her usual bag on her back. She was slowly going from one building to another, trying to act stealthy. Her orange body stood out in the bleak alleyway. Twilight and Luna easily caught up with her. “Hi Applejack. Glad to see you're still reasonable enough to go outside.” Twilight said. “Shh! Those demons will appear if you ain't quiet. I read that in the newspaper.” Applejack said quietly. “Not you too! Don't you realize how exaggerated it is?” Twilight asked. “Granny Smith believes in all that. We respect the elderly in the Apple family, so I'm just going along with what she says.” Applejack said. “Suit yourself, but you'll soon see how wrong you are.” Twilight said, shaking her head in disappointment. “We'll see. I wouldn't normally go outside, but we ran outta milk. I drew the shortest stick and had to go to the store. Oh yeah, did ya find that friend you were looking for?” Applejack asked. “No, I didn't. I don't understand where he could've gone, he was just here two days ago.” Twilight said. Being reminded of Spike made her worried. If she didn’t come up with something soon, she would never see him again. “Was he visiting you? You should've told me, I wanted to meet him.” Applejack said. “No, he was living with me. You really should know that, he's been here since I moved in.” Twilight said. “That's not what you told me before. I remembered the guy later that day. He's that baby dragon, right?” Applejack said. “So you do know him?” Twilight asked, confused. “Not in person. You mentioned him a few times, said he was was your friend back in Canterlot. He's gotta live there, I've never seen him here. Hope ya find him soon. I gotta go get that milk before the demons are here.” Applejack said and peeked past the corner. She carefully looked around before sneaking to the next building. Twilight and Luna were left alone in the alleyway. Twilight looked at Luna with a curious expression. “What Applejack just said was very interesting. It would explain his disappearance if he had been my friend back in Canterlot. He never would've come to Ponyville with me, he would've stayed in his current home.” Twilight said. “How is that possible? I saw him two days ago.” Luna said. “What could've happened to him after that? This might be the clue we were looking for. Give me a moment, I need to think this over.” Twilight said. The two sat down at a nearby bench. Luna patiently waited as Twilight thought of the events. Two days ago, Spike was Twilight's assistant. He sent her letters to Princess Celestia. As a result of those letters, Luna came to Ponyville. It would've been impossible to send those letters in one day without Spike. This is proof that Spike was in Ponyville back then. The last time Twilight saw Spike was near midnight two days ago. Twilight and Luna spent the entire night at the balcony, so Spike must have disappeared during that time. According to Applejack, Spike is Twilight's friend, not her assistant. This would've been impossible two days ago. That means Applejack must've began to believe in that fact only after that. Considering Spike also disappeared recently, it's likely the two events happened at the same time. At night two days ago, the fact that Spike was Twilight's assistant was overwritten by the fact that Spike was her friend. As a result, he moved into the location he should've been in according to his new personal history. It made sense, but why would it happen? How was it possible to change history like that to begin with? Twilight shifted her thoughts to Ponyville. There was something wrong with the village. On first sight, it resembled the one in her memories. However, there was something surreal about everything. The brave squad leader Rainbow Dash, the cheerful pegasus Pinkie Pie and all the other residents had slight differences in them. It was like they were the same ponies, but their lives had been subtly altered. The atmosphere in the village was different than the one Twilight was used to. It was as if she was in a nightmare she never woke up from. Dreams often take place in scenarios similar to the current one. Everything is normal at first, but minor differences make them surreal. They're like alternative dimensions with slight differences to the real world. “Alternative dimensions...” Twilight muttered. “What's that?” Luna asked. “THAT'S IT! We're in an alternative dimension! I finally figured it out!” Twilight said excitedly. She leaped from the bench and bounced around in joy. She hadn't been this happy in ages. Luna smiled as she watched Twilight jumping around in a circle. Twilight sat back down after her euphoria ended. For the first time since the events began, she felt like she could solve them. “Glad to see you're so sure about it. How did you come to that conclusion?” Luna asked. “It's the only reasonable explanation. There's no way all of this could happen on a worldwide scale, so we must be in a small dimension that only resembles our own. It would also explain the wall around the village. It's not actually a wall, it's the end of this dimension! It's impossible to get past it because nothing exists beyond that! The view outside is nothing more than a wallpaper!” Twilight proudly explained. “Alternative dimensions exist, so that is possible. We've got limited understanding of them, as we're still researching them. It makes a lot more sense than any of the other theories I've heard. Let's go with that. I'm proud of you for figuring that out!” Luna said and patted Twilight's head. “Thanks, I'm so relieved we advanced at least a bit. I came up with an explanation for Spike's disappearance too, he should be alright. Solving this mystery doesn't feel impossible now that we've gotten started.” Twilight said. “We should talk to more ponies. Who knows what we'll learn next.” Luna said. The two got up and looked around for somepony to talk to. It wasn't as easy as it sounded, as there was nopony in sight. They were all laying low inside their homes. After a while, they found Lily calmly writing into her notebook next to a tree. A cutesy bag was lying next to her. “How about we ask her for a copy of that tabloid? I'm curious to see what exactly they write in it.” Luna suggested. “Good idea. I don't like giving them more business, but I have to admit I'm interested too.” Twilight said. They walked towards the tree. Lily was so focused on her writing that she didn’t notice them until Twilight greeted them. Her pen stopped as she looked up from her notebook. “Hi! You're like the only ponies I've met today. I'm risking my life to get the news to everypony! I'm like the heroine in that comic book Ninja Reporter. I always dreamed of being like her and now I really am! Isn't that like so awesome?” Lily said. “Sure, whatever. We'd like to get a copy of today's The Flower. Do you have any left?” Twilight asked. “What, you're not subscribed? That's like, so lame. We don't sell single copies, you'd have to subscribe in our office. Visit us sometime, okay? You can have one of my extra ones today.” Lily said. She dug into her bag and took one of the tabloids inside into her mouth. She gave it to Twilight, who spread it onto the ground. “Thanks, let's see...” Twilight said as she flipped it to see the front cover. Luna curiously looked at the paper from next to her. Today's headline was Ponyville is a Hellhole. Twilight turned the page to read the article on the other side. It was about Twilight's outburst the other day. However, over half of it was made up. It had quotes from Twilight that she never said. Her insult on Ponyville had been stretched to make it seem like she was talking about literal hellholes. According to the article, she had given a long, crazy speech about her theory on how demons from hell were appearing from hellholes. In reality, it had only been a quick comment before she leaped from the bench. Twilight's good mood melted away as she read all the lies the article wrote about her. It put words into Twilight's mouth, something she really hated. After finishing the article, she glared at Lily. “What the hay is this?! Almost none of this actually happened! Who wrote this terrible article?!” Twilight said in an intimidating tone. “W-well, I did. I saw your outburst and wrote that on it. We thought it would be more fun if we changed your theory. Yours just wasn't mainstream enough. No hard feelings, okay?” Lily said nervously. She grabbed her bag and backed away. Twilight slowly followed her. “Fun?! News isn't about fun, it's about facts! It's filth like you who ruin journalism! You made me look bad on purpose, didn't you?! You must be behind this mess! I've got you now, you'd better confess!” Twilight said with a scary grin on her face. “I don't know what you're talking about! I didn't mean any harm, I just wanted everypony to read my articles! I'll tell Rose on you!” Lily said and ran away in fear. Twilight was about to follow her, but Luna quickly bit her tail to stop her. “Calm down! Let's not bully her until we've got proof. It could've been a coincidence. We shouldn't fall down to her level and accuse others without any evidence!” Luna said. “Ugh, you're right. I lost my temper.” Twilight said. Luna let go of her tail and Twilight turned around to face her. “Still, The Flower is definitively suspicious. We need to research it further.” “How about checking the previous issues? Do you know where we could get them?” Luna asked. “Unfortunately, we don't get any newspapers in our library. I would've noticed how strange that tabloid is earlier if we did. We need to loan somepony else's copy. Out of all my close friends, I’d say Rarity is most likely to be a subscriber. Let's go ask her.” Twilight said. Luna nodded and the two went to Carousel Boutique. Twilight knocked on the door to the boutique. Rarity peeked out of the nearby window. She looked around, then went to open the door. She had a surprised expression on her face. “Good evening, Twilight. I haven't seen you in a while, where have you been? I see you've made a new friend too. You've got a wonderful physique, I've got dresses that would be perfect for you.” Rarity said as she admired Luna. “Sorry, but we really don't have time for that. I'll get to the point, do you subscribe to The Flower? We're looking for past issues of it.” Twilight asked. “I certainly do. I've been a loyal supporter ever since I went to school with them. I must say, they've improved significantly since then. They've been dreadfully accurate lately. I put them in the paper recycling over there, feel free to take them.” Rarity said as she nodded towards the bins near the entrance. Twilight thanked her as she went back inside. Twilight opened the bin and looked inside. The last few issues were right at the top. Twilight took them into her mouth and spread them on the ground. The latest headlines from oldest to newest were: Pinkie Pie's Parents are Pegasi Fluttershy is Actually a Tree Twilight Sparkle is “Just Friends” with Spike Special Edition: Foreign Actress Refuses Interview Ponyville is a Hellhole There was a clear pattern in the headlines. They all described changes in this dimension that didn't match up with reality. They paper was printed the day before it was delivered. The one about Spike had to be written before his disappearance. The article matched up with Twilight's theory about him being removed from Ponyville. It mentioned him being only a friend to Twilight, which would mean that he was living in Canterlot instead. The timing was too close for it to have been a coincidence. It must have happened because of the headline, along with all the other changes. “Do you realize what this means? Whatever they write as the headline becomes true! The history of this dimension is rewritten according to what the headline articles describe! It sounds crazy, but all evidence points into that direction!” Twilight said. “I have no idea how that's possible, but it really seems to be true. The Flower's office has to be the center of these events. Let's go visit it, I'm sure we'll find some answers there!” Luna said.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-13T23:35:19+00:00

2011-07-13T23:35:19+00:00

Twilight and Luna stood in front of a large building. A tacky sign with the words “The Flower” stood above its two large front doors. It was much bigger than a newspaper office needed to be. Twilight had passed by the building before, but she had never been inside. It was clear that the newspaper was connected with the strange events, yet Twilight had no idea what to expect inside. She looked at Luna with an uncertain expression. Luna simply nodded at her. As nervous as she was, Twilight had to find out what was going on inside. She gathered her courage and pushed the door open. Twilight stepped inside the lobby, with Luna beside her. The cold interior made Twilight shiver. It was a simple lobby, with a counter at the end and some seats for waiting in. There was only one door in sight, right ahead of them. Twilight's heartbeat sped up as she heard footsteps from the other side of the door. The door opened slowly. Lily was in the dark room on the other side. Her eyes widened as she saw Twilight. Lily retreated and spoke to somepony in the other room. “I-it's her! She's come to bully me again! Help me!” Lily said. “I'll handle this. You can go work on the newspaper, you don't need to listen to our conversation.” A firm voice said. Footsteps echoed as a pony walked towards the lobby. The pony walked from the shadows. Twilight recognized her cream body and dark red mane. It was Rose. “Ah, Twilight Sparkle. I've been expecting you.” Rose said while grinning. “You got me wrong. We're not here to bully anypony, we'd like to see the back room.” Twilight said. “I'm afraid I can't let you do that. It would ruin my plan. You've already gone too far off the script. Everything would've gone perfectly if it wasn't for you.” Rose said and glared at Luna. “What are you talking about? I’ve only been helping Twilight.” Luna said, confused. “That's exactly the problem, Princess Luna.” Rose said. Luna and Twilight gasped in surprise. “You know me?! That means...” Luna began. “You're from our dimension!” Twilight finished. “Of course I am. You weren't supposed to survive for so long, though. If only I knew you had connections to the princess...” Rose said. “You know everything, don't you?! Tell us!” Twilight said. “Why should I? I'm not your friend. In fact, you're exactly the kind of pony I hate. If you're as intelligent as you claim, you should figure it out yourself.” Rose mocked. She was full of herself. Seeing the way she acted, Twilight got an idea. “You know what? You won. Your plan is so brilliant that I'll never understand it. I want to hear how you managed to come up with all of this. Will you teach me how to be as clever as you are?” Twilight said in a depressed voice. “What are you doing? You can't admit defeat now!” Luna whispered to Twilight's ear. “I know her type. You just have to feed her ego and she'll do whatever you say.” Twilight whispered back. “Oh, you finally came to your senses and realized how much better I am. I pity you, so I'll tell you everything.” Rose said proudly. She cleared her throat and began her story. Back when Rose, Daisy and Lily were in high school, they ran the student newspaper together. They had always dreamed of being famous reporters, thanks to a comic book they liked as children. When they realized everypony in the school read their paper, they knew it was their destiny to start a daily newspaper. After they finished high school, they bought an old factory building in Ponyville and ran The Flower from there. They soon realized it wasn't as easy as they expected. There was a lot of competition from foreign newspapers. The Flower’s information network and writing skills were nowhere near as good as their competitors. In order to sell any copies, they had to make their headlines as eye-catching as possible. They didn't care about how accurate their articles were, they simply wanted The Flower to be as famous as possible. It worked at first, but they were soon criticized for being sensational. The sales plummeted and they almost had to abandon the paper. Rose had to come up with a plan so the paper would survive. She would do anything to relive her youth, when everypony praised her paper. It became an obsession for her. Every day, she would think of ways to get ponies to read her paper. A long time passed before she came up with her brilliant idea. What if the sequence of writing a newspaper would be reversed? Instead of the newspaper being written according to real life events, reality would be written according to the newspaper. If this would happen, her newspaper would always be accurate. All of their competitors would be late, since theirs is the only one that can decide what happens. She spent three long years researching and planning for a way to accomplish this. After all that time, everything was ready. Seven days ago, she executed her master plan. Rose contacted the royal castle in Canterlot to get a press pass inside the castle. She claimed to be doing research for an article on the security in the castle. The castle had always been very accepting of the press. Despite the paper's questionable reputation, she easily got a pass. Their only condition was that two guards would follow her movements. Rose wandered around the castle, writing notes she would never use. The last location she went into was her actual goal, the entrance to the underground vault beneath the castle. She asked the guards to open the door so she could do research in the tunnel. Her press pass gave her permission to enter, so the guards opened the thick door. Standing at the entrance of the deep tunnel, she turned back at her escorts. She looked around the hallway to make sure nopony was around, then dug into her bag. Under the reporter's equipment was a secret compartment. She had prepared it to get the tools she needed past the security check at the entrance. The two bags inside contained all of her savings split in half. She offered them as a bribe to the guards. The guards gave into temptation and agreed to wait at the entrance. If anypony asked, they would have simply lost sight of her for a moment. Rose smirked as she entered the dark tunnel. The tunnel was pitch black. Rose walked next to the cold wall. The sounds from the castle gradually became quieter, until it was completely silent inside. When Rose was sure that nopony could see her, she took a torch from her bag. She dropped the torch to the ground and lit it up using the matches she'd brought along. The tunnel lit up in a red light, revealing the metal walls that surrounded it. Rose put the torch into the portable stand on her back. The heat from the torch made the tunnel much warmer. Rose kept walking on the long, straightforward tunnel. The trip felt even longer than it really was. With every step she took, she wished she'd see something other than darkness ahead of her. At last, Rose saw two thick, steel doors ahead of her. Both of them had a large and rusty keyhole on them. The two princesses held the keys required to open the doors. Despite her brilliant planning, Rose hadn't been able to figure out a way to get them undetected. She had came up with an alternative way inside. Rose dug into her bag in the dim light. In the secret compartment were two blocks of plastic explosives. They were molded into the same shape as the keyholes, only a bit smaller. Rose took the first one in her mouth and carefully inserted it inside the keyhole. After all the trouble it took to get them, she couldn't afford to waste any. She took the other block in her mouth and put it as close to the locking mechanism as she could. The power of the explosives was calculated so it would destroy the locking mechanism, allowing the door to be opened without the keys. Rose backed away from the door while counting her steps. She stopped after she had gone far enough that the shockwave from the blast wouldn't affect her. She faced away from the door and took the detonator from her bag, carefully placing it on the ground. She took a deep breath and stepped on the detonator. A loud explosion rang from behind her. As loud as the explosion was, the tunnel was so deep that the sound shouldn't have been loud enough to reach outside of it. Rose went back towards the door. The smell of smoke became stronger as she got closer. The light from the torch reached the door, allowing her to see the effects of the explosion. The deep hole inbetween the keyholes made her feel relieved. Nothing but pieces of metal were left of the locking mechanism. Rose took several pieces with her as a memento. Pushing the middle of the doors made them open with a creak. Rose stepped inside the underground vault. Rose had reached the room she worked so hard to get in. She was overjoyed, but forced herself to calm down. Her mission wasn't complete yet. She looked around in the large, square room. It contained many artifacts on golden pedestals, sealed inside glass cases. Rose was only interested in one of them, she paid no attention to the rest of them. The light from the torch had a short reach, so she had to walk close to the cases to see what was in them. She looked at the cases one by one as she went past them, until one of them caught her eye. Inside the glass case was an eerie object. The organic surface shaped like a brain flickered in wild colors. The eyes etched onto its surface stared at Rose. It was just as the book on ancient artifacts had described it. The day had finally come. What Rose had been searching for was right in front of her. All she had to do was reach for it and it would be hers. She lifted the case with her shaking hooves. She dropped it to the ground, causing it to shatter to pieces. Nothing stood in the way of her precious artifact. She grabbed the slimy object and put it inside the hidden compartment. “After that, I simply walked out of the castle. The guards acted their part and nopony suspected a thing. What a bunch of naive fools.” Rose said with a satisfied look. “So you're the one who broke into the vault!” Luna said. “Yes, it wasn't much of a challenge. You should hire better guards. Not that you'll ever get the chance to. You'll never escape on your own and I have no intention of letting you go.” Rose said. “Why did you drag me into your plan? I barely even know you!” Twilight said. “You were a last minute addition. It's the only flawed part in my plan. You know what they say, even geniuses make mistakes.” Rose said. Rose was euphoric on her way back to Ponyville. The hardest part of her plan had gone perfectly. The rest would be much easier. She was confident she could do anything. It wouldn't be long before her dream would come true. She would leave all those neighsayers behind and become the famous reporter she wanted to be. It would be so satisfying to see them get what they deserve. In fact, she could do that. To represent them, she chose a pony she truly hated. Twilight Sparkle, the pony whose face was full of disgust when she was introduced to Rose's beloved paper. The moon had risen by the time Rose got to the library building. All of the lights in the building were off. Rose climbed the back of the tree onto the balcony. Rose gently pushed the balcony door. It wasn't even locked. Rose quietly opened it and went inside. The moonlight only barely reached the house. Thankfully, Rose didn't need to see anything. Her hearing was enough. She heard snoring from two different sources. The louder, low pitched one came from upstairs. The quieter one came from near the entrance. The quieter one was likely her target, as it sounded feminine. Rose slowly sneaked towards the sound. Her eyes gradually got used to the dark. She could make out the source of the snoring. It was a purple, sleeping unicorn. The unicorn laid on her stomach, using an open book as a pillow. Rose quietly began her operation. Rose opened her bag and dug into the hidden compartment. She took out the artifact and placed it on the floor. The bag had a knife Rose always carried with her. She took it into her mouth, with the sharp edge pointing ahead of her. She crouched next to the artifact and cut out a small piece of the slimy substance. It looked like the eyes of the artifact cringed as she did so, but Rose thought she must be seeing things. She put the knife away and took the flickering piece of slime onto her hoof. Keeping the hoof up, she crawled next to Twilight. She used the free hoof to slowly raise her mane and stuck the slime onto her neck. It was slippery and kept falling off. That wouldn't do, it needed to stay still. Rose had to improvise. She couldn’t hold the slime still by herself, she needed something else to do it with. After some thought, she picked up one of the pieces of metal she took from the tunnel. She put it on the ground and stuck the slime on it. One of the pockets in the bag had a stick of strong glue in it. Rose applied it at the edges of the piece of metal. This should hold the slime still. All she needed to do was to get it onto the unicorn’s neck. Rose took the piece of metal onto her hoof, while raising Twilight's mane with the other hoof. She stuck the piece of metal on the neck. It easily held in place. Only one step left in the plan. This was the moment she'd been waiting for so many years. In her impatience, she decided to perform the last step right now. She stood in front of the artifact and mentally prepared herself. She would leave this world behind and live out her dream. All it took was one simple move. Rose crouched next to the artifact. She poked its eyes with her hooves. She stuck them as deep as she could reach, feeling the goo inside. The artifact shook and flickered rapidly. The goo wrapped itself around Rose's hooves, pressing against them. It hurt, but Rose did her best to stay still. After a moment, the artifact calmed down and stood still. Rose took her hooves off the artifact. Nothing seemed different, yet Rose knew everything had changed. She was overjoyed. She quickly packed her bag and sneaked onto the balcony. She recklessly jumped off the roof. The landing hurt her hooves a bit, but she barely noticed. Rose ran on the road leading to Canterlot. Ponyville was the same as before. Judging by the surroundings, everything had gone perfectly. There was only one way to make sure the artifact worked. In order to confirm that, she dashed at the road. Just as she expected, she soon hit a wall. This was proof she wasn't living in reality. This was her dream. Twilight was nothing more than a guest who overstayed her welcome. Rose tortured her by ruining her trust in herself. Twilight's intelligence was useless when the world played by Rose's rules. One day, Rose would have the satisfaction of watching Twilight destroy herself. She simply modified her dream in ways that would make her lose confidence in herself. The newspaper she so hated would become her doom. The plan would've succeeded if it wasn't for the one thing she couldn't predict. Princess Luna's arrival. The two princesses were the only ponies powerful enough to enter her dream. Rose had no idea Twilight knew them. Magically sent letters can cross dimensions, one must have given away the location of her dream. A third being from reality entered the dream, siding with Twilight. Luna made Rose's goal of driving Twilight insane much harder. Twilight was no longer alone. Luna's comfort allowed her to stay sane. “That’s how my brilliant plan went. Before you say anything, I'd like you to know that tomorrow's headline has already been prepared. Twilight Sparkle Dies a Gory Death. I'm sure that'll be our new best seller.” Rose said and chuckled. “You're crazy! This dimension makes no sense, just like your articles! This isn't a dream, it's a nightmare!” Twilight said. “It's my dream, not yours. Everything is just the way I want it to be.” Rose said with a mad grin. “You two are the only thing that stands in my way. All I have to do is get rid of you and things will be perfect. You know what? I'm not going to wait for tomorrow. I'll kill you with my own hooves!” Rose leaped at Twilight. Twilight barely had enough time to react and dodge to the side. Before Twilight could do anything else, Rose grabbed her neck. She pushed her to the ground and strangled her with her front hooves. Twilight struggled to get away, but Rose had her in a tight grip. Twilight was about to run out of breath, when the pressure on her neck went away. The hooves were still around her neck, but her grip had loosened. Rose was standing still, as if she was frozen. Twilight got up and looked at Luna, whose horn had just stopped glowing. “I paralyzed her with my spell. I had to cast it quickly, so it won't last too long. We don't have much time. We have to stop tomorrow's The Flower from being printed!” Luna said.

Blinky

140

Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Unwelcome Changes

incomplete

<p>Twilight questions her sanity as events don't match up with her memories.</p>

everyone

2011-07-19T01:12:35+00:00

2011-07-19T01:12:35+00:00

Twilight and Luna were circling the office building. Every door inside was locked, so they had to find another way to get further inside. The dilapidated building only had two entrances and few windows. The two arrived at the back door. Twilight pushed and pulled the small door, but it was locked tight. Luna tried to unlock it with her magic, but the door resisted. The lock had an anti-magic barrier around it, just like all the other doors in the building. Rose must have prepared them to secure the building. They had to find some way inside, before the paper would be printed. The sun had already gone down, there was no time for detailed plans. If the doors wouldn't let them in, they'd have to go through the windows. The two walked next to the closest window. The wide window was located at the near the end of the building. As expected, it was locked and reinforced with the same barrier. The glass was fairly thin and it wasn't reinforced at all. “Could you break this window with your magic?” Twilight asked Luna. “A princess breaking in like a common thief... What would my loyal subjects think?” Luna said and shook her head. “Not much in this dimension. Just break it, nopony will ever know.” Twilight said impatiently. Luna frowned, but backed away from the window with Twilight anyway. Standing a couple of steps away from the window, her horn began to glow. The glass began to glow white, with a magical aura flowing around it. The glow grew in intensity, until the glass shattered in pieces. The room behind the window was dark, with nothing visible from the distance. “Good job! I'll go see what's inside.” Twilight said and walked towards the window. While peering inside, something shiny at the other side of the large room caught her eye. There was something sticking out of the wall, with three shiny blades in it. As Twilight put up her hooves on the windowsill, the blades suddenly launched towards her. Twilight reflexively ducked before they flew past her. “Watch out!” Twilight yelled at Luna. She quickly ducked as the blades flew over her. The blades kept going, until they hit the wall of the nearby house. Only the metal grips were visible from the wall. “That was close. Those blades would have pierced our skin if we hadn't dodged them in time. It seems Rose was also prepared for us to break through the window.” Luna said. “Thank Celestia nopony was hurt. I'll check for more traps, I'll let you know if it's safe.” Twilight said. Twilight hopped through the window, while Luna waited a couple of steps away. Twilight carefully looked around in the room. The lights were off, so most of the room was shrouded in darkness. Nothing shiny anywhere, that must've been the only blade trap. Twilight flipped the light switch near the window, but nothing happened. Great, the lights must be broken. Magic was needed to light up the room. Twilight motioned Luna to come inside. She sprinted towards the window and hopped inside. Luna’s magical ball of light lit up the room. The bright light that followed Twilight allowed her to see the entire room. A large machine took up most of the space in the room. It went all the way to the ceiling, with a chimney reaching outside. It was an old steam-powered printing press. It must’ve been what caused all of the events. There had to be some way to destroy it and prevent it from doing more damage. “It's awfully big. Could you try to destroy it with your magic?” Twilight asked. Luna nodded in response. Her horn began to glow as she concentrated her magical powers. The ball of light flew higher. It grew in size and became harder, resembling a huge wrecking ball. It flung towards the printing press. An orange barrier became visible in front of the machine. It absorbed the power of the impact, leaving the printing press unharmed. Luna flung the ball again, putting all of her power into it. The ball flew at the machine at an unnatural speed, but it did no damage at all. Her face full of frustration, Luna stopped casting the spell. The ball of light turned back to normal. “It's no use, the barrier's too large! I can't break it on my own!” Luna said. If only Twilight could help her. Why did her talent have to fail her when she needed it the most? She tried casting a spell, but all she got was a jolt of sharp pain in her head. It made her even more annoyed. She needed to let out her frustration. Twilight ran towards the printing press. “Stupid machine!” Twilight said and kicked it. The collision caused the cover of the machine to fall off, leaving the mechanical parts exposed. Twilight was dumbfounded. Her anger had proven more useful than she expected. “Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones.” Luna said and giggled. She walked next to Twilight and peered inside the machine. She put her head inside and looked around. She soon withdrew her head and looked at Twilight with a surprised expression. “The artifact's inside! I know what it is, it's called a dremer! I had no idea it was in the vault, it must have been put there during my absence. It created this dimension as a duplicate of our own and modified it based on the words it read. Everything in this dimension is as real as in our dimension, even if it is artificially created. This dimension will vanish if we destroy it. It's the only way we can escape!” Luna said. She reached inside the machine, trying to get a grip on the artifact. “Not so fast!” A voice from above said. A whizzing sound came from the center of the room. Twilight and Luna were drawn towards it against their will. Twilight struggled to resist it, but the draw was too strong. She was forcibly pulled to the center of the room, where she hit Luna's flank. The two were stuck next to each other by an unseen force. “Take that!” The voice said. Twilight looked up to see Rose looking out of a window in the ceiling. She threw an orange item that was shaped like a spray bottle. It landed close to where the two were stuck. It blew up, forming an orange barrier around the blast. “Gotcha!” Rose said. She jumped from the window to the top of the machine. She hopped from one platform to another, wearing her reporter's bag. Her movements were swift as she made her way towards the floor. “A magical magnet and a barrier grenade, how dirty. I can break them, but it'll take a moment.” Luna said. She concentrated as her horn began to glow. The magnet’s draw began to slowly weaken. “What is she, an ace ninja?” Twilight said. “I wanted to be a ninja reporter, but I deserve the title of a ninja master! I am the master of my dream! As the ruler of this dream, I will judge you for your crimes! I declare you guilty of resisting your master! Your punishment will now be executed!” Rose cackled and pulled the large switch on the side of the machine. The machine made awfully loud noises as its cogs began to turn. With the barrier blocking their magic from reaching outside, the two could do nothing but watch as the printing press activated. The first sheet of paper reached the part that printed words. The eyes of the flickering artifact stared at the words as the headline was printed. The flickering grew in intensity as it read the words. Once the sheet of paper was filled, the artifact began shaking. Flames. Flames everywhere. In the blink of an eye, the entire building had begun to burn. The change happened immediately, as if it had always been that way. The temperature rose to match the situation. Going from pleasant coolness to extreme heat in under a second was suffocating. “What did you do, you maniac?!” Twilight yelled. “I laid my judgment upon you sinners. You will be burned by the flames of justice. Screaming in vain, the sinners will die alone. Your master has abandoned you. That will be the end of your nightmare. Today's headline: Factory Building Burns in Invincible Flames. Farewell, my little ponies!” Rose laughed madly as she took the artifact, stuffing it into her bag. She skillfully jumped towards the ceiling window, landing at the areas the flames didn't touch. Despite the raging fire in the room, she managed to hop out of the building unharmed. “That fool doesn't realize what she's done. The dremer takes commands literally. Those flames cannot be extinguished by any means. They will spread until the entire Ponyville will burn down.” Luna said, frowning. The flames were spreading around the building. They had formed a circle around the two, slowly closing in on them. The roof was on fire, with burning planks falling down. With a crackle, the magnet broke down. “Get on my back, we'll fly outside!” Luna ordered. Twilight quickly got up on Luna's back, firmly gripping her with her hooves. Luna spread her wings and flew up in the air. She flew towards the ceiling, skillfully dodging the burning planks on the way. Twilight held on tight and hoped for the best. Luna reached the cloud of smoke that had formed in the ceiling. Using the ball of light to light up a way, she spotted a hole in the ceiling. The two held their breaths as Luna dashed towards the hole. The two had escaped the building, floating in the sky. Twilight took a deep breath. The night air felt so fresh, as the cool wind blew on their manes. Luna scanned the rooftops around them, until she spotted a pony. Rose was sitting on the roof of a house next to the burning building, watching it burn as she laughed to herself. Luna dashed towards her. Rose flinched as she looked up at Luna. She ran away, hopping onto the next rooftop. Luna chased her as she hopped from one rooftop to another. Behind them, the grass around the building had lit on fire, causing the flames to spread everywhere. The residents of Ponyville had taken notice, struggling in vain to put out the flames. The screaming woke up the entire village, filling the streets with ponies running around in panic. Rose jumped from one building to another in an irregular pattern, trying to lose her chasers. Luna did her best to keep up, but Rose ran slightly faster than she could fly. On top of everything, a flight eater had also appeared. Luna had to take a detour on her flight path to avoid it. The demon watch were unaffected by the panic, concentrating on fighting the demon. Twilight caught Rainbow Dash's eye as she flew past her. Dash followed the two, flying next to Luna. “What's up? Why are you flying around?” Dash asked. “We have to catch Rose! She's the one who started the fire!” Twilight said. “Really? I'll take you word for it. I'll make catching her our top priority once the demon's dead. We'll calm down the crowd and get them to fight against her. The demon watch is on your side, we'll do our best to help you!” Dash said and flew away. After a long chase, the fire raged everywhere around the two. Rose was struggling to find rooftops to jump on, as most of them were already on fire. The only one she could jump onto was Colgate's, which had been repainted recently. Rose's hooves caught paint on them, causing her to leave blue hoofprints behind. Rose was forced to get back on the ground. She ran on the streets, trying to get onto alleyways. Many of them were blocked by ponies standing in the way. They had followed the hoofprints, using them to see where Rose had gone. Rose desperately tried to find places to run onto, but ponies from all around her were closing in on her. She had little choice in places to run to, causing her to pick the only way that was open to her. The ponies blocked every street she tried to turn onto, forcing her to run out of Ponyville. Rose refused to give up. She ran towards the Everfree Forest, with hundreds of ponies chasing her. At last, she was pushed against the end of the dimension. With her back against the wall, she breathed heavily as sweat dripped down her face. Everypony in Ponyville surrounded her, glaring at her. Twilight hopped off Luna's back in front of the crowd and looked at the nervously laughing Rose. “C-come on. I didn't mean any harm. Let me go and I'll write you into paradise.” Rose begged. She took the artifact out of the bag and put it on the ground. She hastily dug back into her bag. “Pen, pen. Where's my pen? I can't find it! Anypony have a pen? Anypony?” Everypony simply kept glaring at Rose. Twilight stepped forward from the crowd. “You're wasting your time. Nopony is going to trust you after what you did.” Twilight said as she walked towards the artifact. “Your dream ends now!” Twilight stomped on the artifact, breaking it into half. The dimension began to warp. Everything around them was mangled into unnatural shapes, flashing in wild colors. Sounds abruptly ended and began, forming a cacophony that hurt Twilight's ears. Everything stopped making sense in the broken dimension. What had once been a convincing clone of Ponyville was now a surreal mix of sights and sounds lacking any reason. In this broken dimension, only Twilight, Luna and Rose remained the same. Rose was shaking in the corner, with her eyes firmly closed. Luna looked at Twilight confidently and nodded. Twilight smirked and nodded back at her. Twilight kept stomping the artifact over and over. With each stomp, a shrill sound grew louder. The randomly varying shapes slowed down in intensity. Twilight stomped on the small remains of the artifact, until it was completely destroyed. A cracking sound played as the shapes vanished. A beautiful scenery appeared around Twilight. It was the outskirts of the Ponyville she knew and loved. The silence was so calming. Twilight admired the peaceful night in the distant Ponyville. The nightmare had finally ended. “Looks like we made it back in one piece. I'm so glad we got out of that mess.” Twilight said and breathed a sigh of relief. “So am I. I'll make sure she doesn’t get away.” Luna said, looking at the pony lying still on the ground. Rose had hit her head and lost consciousness when the wall behind her had suddenly disappeared. Luna sealed her in a bubble with her magic. Even if she woke up, she wouldn't be able to get anywhere. Rose silently floated in the bubble. “Is everything okay? Does your head still hurt?” Luna asked, looking slightly worried. “I'm fine, just a bit tired. My horn still doesn't work, but don't worry about that. It's happened before, I just overused it. It'll heal within a week.” Twilight said. “That's good. That dremer won't harm anypony anymore.” Luna said while pointing at the pile of junk drenched in goo. “The design is so complicated that it's impossible to reassemble it when it's in that state. I'll take it with me and dispose of it just in case.” Luna made another bubble for the junk and floated it beside her. “You're going to take Rose with you too, right? What will her punishment be?” Twilight said. “Celestia has the final say on that. I'll explain the whole incident to her and see what she thinks. Considering what she did to us, I can't imagine she'll get anything less than a life sentence in prison.” Luna said. There was a hint of resentment in her usually calm expression. “That's what I thought. The Flower isn't going to survive without her. Honestly, I think it's for the best. Their motivations were always wrong. Being a reporter is about informing the public, not about becoming a celebrity. They chose the wrong career for that.” Twilight said. “I agree. I'll head over to the castle. It was a pleasure getting to know you, although I wish it had been under better circumstances. Goodbye!” Luna said and flew towards Canterlot, with the bubbles following her. Twilight waved at her as she left. Luna flashed a smile at her before disappearing into the starry sky. A quiet walk in the night. Such a simple thing felt very pleasant. For the first time in a week, there was no rush to get anywhere. Admiring the scenery, Twilight strolled towards Ponyville. It looked exactly the same as yesterday, yet it felt very different. It made her feel comfortable, as if this was where she truly belonged. It was the very definition of home. In the distance, two ponies were looking around. One pink, one yellow. They soon saw Twilight and ran towards her. The first one was Pinkie Pie. The wingless pony had a wide smile on her face. The other one was Fluttershy. Clearly in the shape of a pony, her eyes shone brightly. The ponies tackled Twilight into a hug. They snuggled her, making Twilight feel warm all over. Seeing their familiar faces was very comforting. Twilight was so glad that she had returned. The life she wanted to return to was right here. No imitation could ever match her love for reality. “We finally found you! I missed you so much!” Pinkie said. “Me too. I was so worried about you.” Fluttershy said. “I'm glad to see you two again. Promise me you'll never change. I love you just the way you are!” Twilight said. “Sure thing! Where were you? We've been looking for you all week!” Pinkie said. “Let's just say I was having a nightmare. No need to worry, I'm alright.” Twilight said. “Great! We haven't been able to sleep since you disappeared. Good thing we decided to look for you tonight!” Pinkie said. “How's Spike? Is he okay?” Twilight said. “Oh, yes. I took care of him while you were gone. He's sleeping in my house.” Fluttershy said. “Thank you so much!” Twilight said. Everything really was the way it used to be. Overwhelmed with emotion, happy tears began to slowly drip down Twilight’s face. She was so relieved to be back in her normal life. “It's okay, just let it all out. I don't know what happened, but you're safe with us.” Fluttershy said as she stroked Twilight's head. “We have to let everypony know you're alright. I know! Let's have a party tomorrow! I'll send invitations to everypony in Ponyville. They'll be so happy to see you there!” Pinkie said, bouncing in excitement. “That sounds wonderful. Twilight needs some rest first, so let's let her go to bed. I'll help Pinkie with the preparations, see you tomorrow!” Fluttershy said. Twilight nodded and went to the library. It was so nice to return to her real home. It may have looked the same, but the atmosphere was much more pleasant. Twilight got into her bed. It felt so comfortable on her back. Tomorrow, she would meet all of her friends again. The real ones she had missed so much. Twilight pulled the sheet over her and fell asleep.

FireEsper

142

Rainbow Dash,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Rainbow Dash Bakes a Cupcake and Nothing Terrible Happens

complete

<p>In which Rainbow Dash bakes a cupcake, and nothing terrible happens.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T06:10:55+00:00

2011-07-11T06:10:55+00:00

It was a quiet, serene day in Ponyville, only occasionally punctuated by booming explosions and thunderous guffaw. Warm summer wind breezed through the empty streets of the pony village, carrying in carefree songs of the migrating birds. Lazy licks of flame danced in the glass windows of Sugarcube corner. The Ponyville's #1 sweets shop was a little more... Destroyed today than usual. Even more oddly, the usual racket and cheering laughter coming from inside of it were no more - but in their place, one loud explosion after another raced to fill the spot. "No, please! Heavens no, don't!" Oh, and occasional screams of some poor pony. "Oh, um- If you don't- Aaaaah! I mean, that would be very nice of you, if, if..." A violent flash of light emanated from the shop's bakery - another deafening explosion shook the ground - followed by all of its walls exploding outwards into the terrified village in a shower of wooden planks and overcooked muffins. A sound of maniacal laughter slowly rose in the air from under the dust and rubble. Deep within the torn walls and scattered furniture of what used to be Sugarcube Corner, from under a blinding wall of settling flour and sugar powder, rose a single dark figure, its mouth flapping open in a what it probably sincerely imagined to be diabolic laughter. "They told me I can't do it!" shrieked the figure in a boyish voice. "You can't, darling!" stuck in a well-posed interruption. "Oh - no, no, no. You positi-" "Shut up!" Rainbow Dash sneezed, clearing the cloud of flour around her. "Ahahaha-ach-GAH!" Rainbow's attempt to resume her tomboyish laughter wasn't too successful. Rarity - who could now easily be mistaken for a ghost for all the flour and spice that landed on her already powder-white coat - glared at the dough-splattered pegasus with all the expression of a bored Cheshire cat. "Behold!" continued Rainbow Dash. "Most awesomest! Bestest flier! No, no, no need to applaud just yet!.. And now - THE - bestest ever cook in all of Equestria!" Whitie Pie mumbled something from underneath her flour-covered mane. "Beh-" Rainbow Dash slipped on the floor's surface. Still she continued from down below, painfully rubbing her sides. "Behold!" Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and inhaled a good amount of sugar powder, making her break into a delicate mix of snore and a sneeze. "This is probably the worst cooking I have ever seen in my entire life," categorically announced Twilight Sparkle from inside of one of the few surviving cupboards. "And I haven't even seen that much of it, to be honest." The cupboard paused, mockingly flapping its doors at Rainbow Dash's attempts to stand up on the slippery floor. "I'll have to check to be certain, but I think it may, in fact, be the worst meal anyone has ever made!" the cupboard angrily shut its door. "In fact, I don't know if I want a taste, or if it wants a taste of me-" "Coward!" Rainbow Dash regained her composure, but not her ability to stand up. "Fillies! Gentle-ah, whatever, behold!" Rainbow Dash threw one dough-splattered hoof in the air. "Cupcakes! Rainbow special recipe!" A thundering roar rocked the ruins of the bakery. The sharp-toothed cupcake bent down in its giant frame and pointed all its twelve eyes right at widely smiling Rainbow Dash. "Cupcakes!" squealed Rainbow Dash with childish glee. ... It was a quiet, serene day in Canterlot's royal dungeon. Unlike any other day, the chamber was quite crowded that day. It was occupied by five frowning, scowling ponies and one cheerily humming pegasus. "So," started Pinkie Pie, in an unusually threatening tone. "Dashy? Tell us. What did you do." Rainbow Dash clicked her hooves together, a wide grin spreading on her face, illuminated by the scarce light of the dungeon. "Simple!" she said. "Just a little imagination!" "You, why you- ya'll," screeched Applejack. "You didn' follow th' recipe, did ya!" "I... Well," shrugged Rainbow Dash. "I may have taken a few liberties. That, my little ponies! - Is what makes an, an - artist!" "What did you do," asked Pinkie Pie in a voice of a cat being sat on. "Well, well..." Rainbow Dash made a circling motion in the air with her hoof, clearly unwilling to share her professional secrets. "Well... I guess I used 20% more flour."

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:03:24+00:00

2011-07-17T05:03:24+00:00

Scene 01: So It Goes The summer sun was setting over the coast near the quiet town of Withersdale. It’s a beautiful place for a retreat with everything a pony could want: sand, surf and, more importantly, a bustling marketplace that houses loads of specialty items and everyday goods, as well as the occasional curiosity. The perfect place to take a vacation, Twilight and her friends had come to the town on a whim for a little change of pace, and so far it had been a great trip. Upon first arriving, the group attempted to find things that they could all do together. There were a number of places they could go to and sights to see but, aside from eating together, there was little that they could actually agree on. In the end, however, after bickering for about an hour, they all agreed that the one thing they did want to do, more than anything else, was to have a good time. So, with that in mind, each one of them decided to go off and do what they wanted while the others did the same. As their vacation drew to a close, Twilight was sitting outside of a café at the edge of the main business district of the town, quietly soaking up the summer sun. Rarity had picked up some lovely new fabric for her next line of fall fashions and was off trying to find just the right accessories for her summer wear before the look became dated. Rainbow Dash, true to her nature, had been kicking it back on the beach, enjoying all of the summer sports and the multitude of low clouds she could nap on. Applejack was on the beach as well, though her attention was more focused on the substantial apple-based spread that she had brought with her. Of course, most of her interest in Withersdale was scoping out the prices of the local competition in the marketplace, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy herself as well. Fluttershy had taken to the coastal fauna swiftly, as was to be expected, and had been collecting seashells and chatting with the birds for the duration of their stay. Pinkie Pie, on the other hoof, had been bounding around town with her usual rampant enthusiasm, hitting the sweet shops and local hot spots in her endless quest for fun. Twilight, however, was content to just enjoy the weather and sample a nice daisy sandwich as she gazed out over the ocean from her table on Withersdale’s opulent boardwalk. The food was a little expensive for something so simple. Two bits for a banana? Ridiculous! But, it was well prepared and the taste made up for it. Food, fun and friends; these were the important things, and though she occasionally wished that she could be back studying her magic a bit more intensely, she was glad that she had gotten a chance to just sit back and relax for a while. The Summer Sun Celebration had passed, and there weren’t any holidays until the harvest time began in autumn, which meant that she didn’t have to organize a thing until then. She only wished that Spike could have been there to enjoy the downtime with her, but he was off in Canterlot retrieving some books that she had ordered and wouldn’t be back until well after they had arrived back home in Ponyville. Still, she had been able to pick up a little souvenir for him. It was a small stuffed dragon toy, purple like Spike and humorously mean looking. He was a baby dragon after all and she felt that he could appreciate the gift. Of course, Twilight wouldn’t be herself if she hadn’t at least brought something along to read. It was called Movers and Shakers: A Guide To Rapid Transport for Magic Users. It was a dusty old tome with a thick reed exterior that was browned from age and neglect, and had looked interesting, so she brought it with her and had been studying it intently all day. As the sun began to set, the familiar violet-haired figure of her friend, Rarity, could be seen approaching down the boardwalk, the fashionista’s jewel-studded saddlebags packed with various bric-à-brac and a few rolls of dense fabric in autumnal colors. She had a new hat, a white affair that kept the sun off of her horn, and appeared to be in high spirits, having thoroughly enjoyed the market. “Rarity!” she called, waving a hoof to her friend as she sat, leaning over the tome closer and closer as the light of the day gradually began to dim. Her unicorn compatriot smiled in return, trotting over to her. “Twilight, darling! How lovely to see you, enjoying your…“ She gave a glance down at the tome, then back up at Twilight with a flat expression, before it slowly began to quirk into a knowing smile. “…book. Really, Twilight Sparkle! We take the time out and come all the way to Withersdale for a little vacation-time… and all you want to do is sit around and read books? Why, you could do that back in Ponyville and we’re leaving tomorrow!” “Well, that might be true, but I’ve enjoyed myself,” the lavender unicorn responded, “Besides, it’s always nice to get out and see new places.” “I suppose you’re right, dear. But still, it’s not as if we can just come here whenever we like. It’s a full day’s trot for most of us, and then there’s the trip back, which takes just as long, if not longer. The roads are always so dirty and icky…” Rarity wrinkled her face in disgust. “I am not looking forward to it. It’s really too bad that you can’t just pop us back to Ponyville, but I expect that might be a bit beyond even your magical talents, Twilight.” “Maybe. Maybe not.” Twilight replied with a smirk, her horn glowing as she flipped through the pages of her book. Rarity gave her friend a sidelong look, quirking one of those pencil-filled eyebrows of hers at Twilight’s response. “Now just what do you mean by that?” “What I mean is, I think I can get us all back to Ponyville in a flash, if this book is right.” She raised a hoof and pointed to a particular section of the manuscript. “The book is an analysis on the theory of teleportation and the transmission of matter through space. It states that when someone proficient with magic teleports something, it converts its matter into magical energy which then surges through the vacuum in between the molecules in order to transport a pony and whatever else they may want to move. Once the initial magic applied to perform the teleport is exhausted, the transformed matter reconstitutes, displacing whatever was in the place that it reached.” Rarity simply gave her a confused look, stamping at the boards with a hoof idly as she tried to wrap her mind around all the scientific gobblety-gook. “Oooookay, so–“ She paused a moment to try one last time to quantify it before giving up with a shake of her head. “What does that mean, exactly?” “It means,” Twilight turned to the next page. “Exerting a specific amount of magical energy will only get you so far. There’s a certain point where you simply can’t teleport beyond. You won’t be able to handle it. However, the book claims that if you lower the frequency of the magical energy used, you can travel longer distances with the same amount of energy. It takes longer, but since this is magical energy we’re talking about, it’s a difference of a few seconds rather than being absolutely instantaneous. No big deal!” “So what you’re saying is that…” “Is that, if this is right, I can just teleport us back to Ponyville and we won’t have to walk all the way back!” Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Well, why didn’t you just say so in first place? That’s a wonderful idea! That way we won’t have to deal with that dusty old road back home, and I’ll be able to start on my new designs tomorrow without having to wait!” “Exactly! And if it works out alright, then we might be able to visit far away places more often, without it being a big production.” Twilight shut her book, levitating it up off the table and sliding it back into her saddlebag neatly. “Should I go tell the others?” Rarity asked, combing her mane with a free-floating comb as she inspected the various materials she’d purchased. “If you like, but I’ll explain it in detail to them in the morning.” Applying her saddlebags, Twilight got down from her stool. The moon was starting to rise up over the mountains as Luna shrouded the sky with her cool embrace, the sun disappearing down into the ocean. “Fair enough! We’ll leave it as a surprise for the morning, then. I’ll see you back at the hotel! Ta-ta~” Rarity turned and began to trot away, moving with her customary fluidity and grace. Giving a small nod, Twilight proceeded towards the edge of the boardwalk, over to the stairs leading down onto the beach. A little stroll was in order. There was much to think about and a lot of theory to go over, so she began down the beach with a head full of numbers, enjoying the cool night breeze as it came in from the ocean.

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:01:53+00:00

2011-07-17T05:01:53+00:00

Scene 02: Through The Loop The next morning, Twilight and the other ponies had gathered themselves on the road leading out of Withersdale. The local pegasus ponies had made sure that the weather was as nice that morning as it had been the last few days. There was a shower scheduled for later that day, however, so it would be prudent to be getting a move on. Twilight’s friends were getting everything ready as she explained what she was about to attempt. Most of the explanation went right over their heads, of course, but they seemed to get the gist of it after a while. Rarity was immensely excited by the whole thing, not wanting to have to hoof it all the way back to Ponyville. The others, however, were a bit more skeptical about the proposition. “So, what yer sayin’ is that instead’ve havin’ ta walk back ta Ponyville, yer just gonna pop us back all quick-like usin’ yer magic?” Applejack was more than a little skeptical, giving Twilight a stern look as she adjusted her saddlebags. The purple unicorn returned a firm nod, confident in her plan as she trotted back and forth in front of the group, her tome open to the relevant chapter and floating half a length in front of her as she addressed them. “That is exactly what I intend to do.” “So… why didn’t ya just bring us ‘ere like that in th’ first place?” the orange mare questioned, leering out from under the brim of her hat, “It woulda saved us a lotta time an’ effort.” “Because I didn’t know how at the time, but I was doing some reading while we were on vacation-“ “Like that’s a surprise.” A familiar rasp interjected. Rainbow Dash blew past them with a flat-toothed grin, pulling a loop in the air over the group as everyone glanced upwards. She made a corkscrew upwards before straightening out and fluttering down gently a couple of lengths away. “Seriously! I’m surprised you didn’t bring the whole library with you, Twilight! Only you would take a vacation and spend the entire time doing something that you could have done just as well at home.” “And just who was it that spent her entire time on vacation napping? Hmm?” Rarity slid up between Twilight and Dash with a hooded smile as she peered over at the boyish mare. She brought a hoof up idly to examine Rainbow’s mane, which was nothing but week old rainbow and split-ends. Dash pulled back a bit and gave the pomp a dirty look, swatting the well manicured hoof away with her own. Adopting an audacious smirk, Rainbow threw her mane back and dismissed Rarity with a wave. “Yeah, well, but I was napping at the beach. Totally different.” “Well… we did have a good time.” Fluttershy’s soft voice spoke as she approached the group from behind Applejack, a pleased look on her face, “The local animals are all very nice, and it’s a lot easier to swim in the ocean than it is in a lake, though I… I don’t know if I care for the salt very much. Still—“she gave a gentle nod and gazed about to all her friends as a group of animals began to gather in order to see her off, “It was very nice.” A bluejay alit from the air onto Fluttershy’s muzzle, causing the pink-haired pegasus to squeak with delight. “Of course, I’d be happy to come back next year, though if any of you have any friends in Ponyville, feel free to stop by. It would be lovely…” Twilight smiled gently, nodded to each of her friends before noticing an absence. Leaning off to the side, she quickly scanned the surrounding area, searching for a certain candy-colored equine. “Pinkie? Where are you?” “Heeey everypony!” An overly cheery voice responded from the exact opposite direction Twilight was looking and everypony turned their heads to see the perky, pink pony bound in from… somewhere. Her matching saddlebags were packed full of various items and she giggled merrily as she approached, stopping a few lengths away. “This was a great trip, don’t you guys think! I got so many fun things from the shops, it was super! They had party hats and paper plates and punch bowls! I even got a set of shot glasses and a really big necktie! There were all sorts of different ponies selling stuff and I got a great deal on some fireworks!” As if to punctuate her sentence, there was a multicolored explosion and all the ponies ducked down as a barrage of bottle rockets shot off in every direction, a few screaming over their heads and flying far off into the distance. Pinkie remained standing, apparently oblivious to being singed all over, with a manic grin plastered on her face. “Neato, huh?” Rainbow just stared at Pinkie Pie, a front hoof up and her mouth wide open as she attempted to respond. A few seconds later, the bottle rockets exploded with a series of loud reports somewhere in the distance. “So, now that everypony’s here,” Twilight continued on, writing off what had just occurred. “Let’s give this a shot. If my understanding of the theory is correct, all I have to do is turn down the frequency of my magic in the spell, and it will take us much farther than I would be able to normally. If everything goes as planned, then we should pop out right next to Ponyville!” Twilight beamed with pride and shut her book with a loud thump, levitating it back into her bag. “Yeah, ‘bout that, sugarcube. What’s to say that yer not gonna pop us right in the middle of a rock, or somethin’? Or somewhere out in the Everfree Forest?” Applejack inquired. She was always straight shooter, and frankly, at the moment, she wasn't very comfortable with the whole thing. Apparently neither was Fluttershy, who swallowed hard and shrunk down a bit, looking rather frightened at the prospect of being dropped out in the middle of those dark woods. “Now all of you know how good Twilight is with magic. I highly doubt that someone of her talent would allow for something that dreadful to occur. I have every bit of faith that we will arrive safely.” Rarity smiling in a reassuring manner towards her friends, gesturing towards Twilight with her hoof as she trot over to lean against the other unicorn. “Isn’t that right, darling? You know more about magic than any pony I’ve ever met! I’m sure everything will be just fine.” “Yes. I’m sure it will! Thank you very much for the vote of confidence, Rarity.” Twilight gave an appreciative nod in return and motioned with a hoof at the group, signaling for them to move closer together. “Don’t worry so much, girls. We’ll be fine. Okay, what I need is for everypony to group-up close so that I can get all of us in one shot, otherwise you might be walking back anyway,” she said with a smirk, her friends moving into a tight cluster in front of her. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes, beginning to concentrate. Her horn began to glow. It started out as a dull light, encasing her horn in a faint liquid shimmer, but as she continued pouring her concentration into it, the light began to grow brighter and brighter. Soon the unicorn’s horn was lit up like a torch, shining with a bright white light as she strained to gather the required energy. She didn’t know exactly how much would be enough, but the equations she’d gone over in her head gave her a rough idea of what she needed. Once she was sure she had enough power, she started in on the difficult part: lowering the frequency. It was strange, trying to hold onto the magic while relaxing it at the same time, kind of like trying to talk while holding something in your teeth. It had to be loose enough to work with, but tight enough that you didn’t drop it. Pinkie Pie gave a high pitched “Oooh!” Her eyes lit up as the group slowly became surrounded in an odd translucent bubble, light swirling across it like the colors on the surface of a soap bubble. Applejack and Fluttershy glanced to each other nervously, moving a little closer into the group. Rarity, of course, was transfixed by its simplistic beauty, while Dash looked on, mildly impressed. “Cool.” The tomboy said with her customary grit. The colors of the sky darkened, shifting first to a darker blue, then through green and into a yellow before snapping back to blue again and repeating. The clouds became translucent and the hue of the countryside warped around them. Dash gave a glance over to Pinkie. “Pretty neat light show! So what do you think is supposed to happen ne-“ There was a loud pop and then a rush of white light. Twilight trembled, alone in the middle of a great white void. The sounds of distant voices and the roaring of the world rushing past her at high speed assaulted her ears. It was an absolute cacophony. Teleportation was always loud, but it had never been this intense before or lasted this long. Still, she held together for a few seconds more and after a crescendo of noise, it terminated in dead silence. Everything went black for an instant and the trip crashed to a halt. Literally.

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:05:42+00:00

2011-07-17T05:05:42+00:00

Scene 03: Short Circuit There was a great pop and everything flooded back into focus. Twilight’s body hit the ground with a dull thump, which was followed a moment later by several more somewhere nearby. The world spun, around and around and around… The light came back first. The black and white outlines of the countryside seeping out onto the world around her as her vision began to return. The colors swirled about, a dull buzzing scratching around the inside of her brain as the life bled slowly back into the countryside. Ever so slowly, things began to settle. It took a few moments, but eventually everything righted itself and she was able to slowly, if shakily, make her way to her hooves. Slinking to the side of the road, Twilight was finally able to steady herself against a tree. She turned her head slowly back towards where her friends lay, everything snapping into place when she terminated the motion. It dropped a sickness down her gullet and she shut her eyes, calling out to the others weakly. “Is everypony okay?” They all groaned in response, strewn about the road like the contents of an overturned apple-cart. The next one to make it to her feet was Rainbow Dash, wobbling a bit as she staggered across the road. Everything was humming, her eyes and ears aching horribly as she tried to gather her bearings. “I think… I’m gonna hurl,” she gurgled before falling forward and burying her face into the grass on the side of the road. Applejack was the next to her feet, creeping up into a standing position and methodically picking through the row of bushes that she had landed in to recover her hat and saddlebags. “Land sakes, Twilight!” the roughed up apple-farmer exclaimed, “That was ‘bout the third most puke inducin’ thing Ah’ve ever had t’go through.” “WoooooOOOooo…” Pinkie Pie was sitting in place, slowly rolling her neck around in a circle as she attempted to keep track of all the little stars that she saw whirling around her head. Falling onto her back with a thump, she broke out into a slurred fit of giggles, lying betwixt Fluttershy and Rarity who were both sprawled out in the middle of the road, their eyes cocked out of focus as the world continue to whirl all around them. “Ah’priciate the gesture an’all,” the disheveled farm-girl said, exhaling with a huff as she approached Twilight. She set a hoof on the magician’s shoulder, and faced her with a bleary gaze. “But next time, sugarcube… Ah think ah’ll walk.” And with that, Applejack strode on past Twilight and began down the road towards town. The lavender pony gave a heavy sigh of extreme disappointment. Everything seemed to go off without hitch, but she should have known that if normal teleportation was unpleasant, then attempting something so inherently difficult would end up being downright painful. “Well… at least we landed on the road,” she murmured to herself. Her strength was slowly returning, so with no desire to wait for Dash or Fluttershy to recover enough to fly, she began to climb to the top of a nearby ridge to see just how far they still had to go. With any luck, maybe she had cut a couple of hours off their trip. That is, if she hadn’t totally exhausted everyone else with her stunt. Stumbling through a row of low shrubbery, Twilight emerged into a little clearing at the highest point of the little mount overlooking the road back to Ponyville. The sun was fairly bright and in the clear weather it wouldn’t be a problem to get a good view of the- Twilight’s heart jumped a little and a great big smile swept across her face. “Yes! Yes yes yes yes!!” She chanted, hopping up and down in place. From the top of the ridge, shrouded ever so slightly by the morning haze was the outline of Ponyville! They weren’t but a stone’s throw away! Her spirits were lifted and after a small celebratory romp, she began to make her way down the ridge with confidence, back to the road and the remainder of her friends who were finally beginning to recover from their magically induced stupor. Sure, they hadn’t gotten all the way there, but they had come really close! With a little more practice and refinement, who knew what could be possible? Nobody had gotten hurt, and they’d definitely shaved the lion’s share off of their travel time. That was definitely a victory in her mind, even if the others didn’t quite appreciate it yet…

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:12:30+00:00

2011-07-17T05:12:30+00:00

Scene 04: We Shall Go To Town About half an hour later, the six friends trotted back into Ponyville. Stomachs had been calmed, grass had been consumed, and Twilight had been thoroughly poked by her companions about the overwhelming ‘success’ of her attempt. “Yanno, I’ve been through a lot of loops in my time, and I’ve pulled a lot of sick moves, but nothing’s ever quite hit me in the gut like that,” Rainbow crowed, a teasing grin on her face as she gave a sidelong glance at Twilight. The amiable bookworm simply rolled her eyes. “Hey, I did it, didn’t I?” the unicorn responded, “So it was a little rough. It was my first try and we made it here without a hitch. That’s pretty good, if you ask me.” “And I agree.” Rarity chimed in, trotting up on the other side of Rainbow Dash, “Sure… it left us all a bit…” she swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh, “…queasy. But, sacrifices must be made, and an upset stomach is a small price to pay for such fantastic service. Rapid transport, just like in the big city!” She let out a crystalline laugh. She may have been a little dusty, but at least she wasn’t all sweaty and tired. Two out of three wasn’t bad, after all. Fluttershy didn’t look all that pleased, however, her eyes cast down at the ground in a vacant stare. She was dragging behind a bit, only slightly ahead of Pinkie Pie who was bouncing along a few lengths behind the group, as upbeat and oblivious as always. “I… I don’t know,” said the pegasus after a long silence, “that was kind of… scary. With the bright light… and all those awful noises.” She began to shudder just thinking about it. “That happens normally when you teleport from place to place. It’s the distortions of the world around you as it moves past. The thing is, it’s moving too fast for you to really comprehend it, so the sounds are distorted to begin with and everything you hear piles on top of itself in a sort of “audio feedback loop”. It’s just that ponies don’t normally spend that long in a teleport. It’s usually instantaneous, but since the distance was so large, we experienced it for a few seconds rather than it going by in a flash.” “Frankly, Ah’d have rather not’d experienced it ayt’all.” Applejack said, walking ahead of the group. She still looked mighty tired and the whole experience seemed to have taken a good bit out of her. ”Ah don’t mind y’all unicorns and yer magic. Ya’ll know that, but that was jest a bit much fer this little-old farmgirl, here.” “Applejack…” Twilight gave a soft sigh and shook her head. Applejack didn’t respond, a stubborn glower set on her face. At that moment, Pinkie suddenly came to a dead stop, her head swinging back and forth as she looked from shop to shop, her eyes wide. Fluttershy noticed first, stopping to look back at Pinkie Pie before hopping forward and tugging on Twilight’s tail with her teeth to get her to stop. Dash and Rarity took notice of this and looked back to see what was the matter. Only Applejack continued on, walking a few lengths before realizing that there weren’t any hoof-falls behind her and glancing back to see what was going on. They all just stood there, staring at Pinkie as she did double and triple and quadruple takes, her eyes zipping from one object to another. Then, sitting straight up with enough force to make her entire mane flex like a riding crop, she blinked one time and gave a gasp before shooting off in a random direction like a great pink blur. The others stood there for a moment in dumbstruck confusion as confetti fluttered to the ground where Pinkie had been just a few seconds earlier. “What the…” Rainbow Dash began. “Oh, y’all don’t be worryin’ about her,” interjected Applejack, “y’all know that one’s plow is missin’ a few teeth. She probly left the milk out’r somethin’ and jest now remember’d it.” Applejack smiled a bit, finally relaxing a little now that she was definitely home. Passing by Sugar Cube Corner, the girls said their goodbyes and separated, each one heading back to their respective homes. Twilight was a bit tired, to be truthful. Magical exertion like that didn’t just take a lot of concentration; it also burned up a lot energy. Consequently, she was pretty worn out. Still, this sort of thing could revolutionize the way ponies got around if applied in the right manner; the technique just had to be refined. It was an exciting prospect. It was a wonder no pony had ever thought of it before. Maybe it just required too much magical energy. Who knew? Twilight gazed up at the sky as she thought about it, taking in a breath of the warm summer air. The morning haze was completely gone now, and the sky was clear, save for a few scattered puffballs. It was a vibrant blue and it seemed somewhat darker than it usually appeared, though that was probably due to the lack of clouds and its effect on the ground’s albedo. Twilight thought about this, idly trying to remember the different cloud shapes that the pegasi were trained to produce as she made her way back home. She bet it took a lot of training to get them just right. Soon, the library that acted as Twilight’s home was just up ahead, and as she approached the old, hollowed-out tree, she began to make a mental list of all the things she wanted to read up on. Clouds, weather systems, magical frequencies, motion sickness... My, she had a lot of reading to do! Of course, it was an excuse and she knew it, but if more people actually made excuses to read, instead of excuses to avoid it, then the world might just be a little bit better of a place. At least, that’s how Twilight saw things. Once inside, she set her saddlebags down by the door and procured the old tome she’d been carrying. Setting it upon the table, she then turned her attention back to the shelves, scanning the titles intently. Pulling a few choice selections from them, one at a time, she stacked them neatly in midair, arranging them in the order that she wished to read them and lowered them gently down onto the table. Opening the first book, she took to the text with childish glee, leaning forward with both elbows upon the table. There was nothing better than relaxing after a rough spell with a good book. Just then, something caught her ears and she gave a glance back towards the loft where her bed was. A voice? She could have sworn that she had heard someone talking just then. “Spike? Spike, is that you?” Twilight asked softly, “Spike? Spike!” She called louder and, after a moment, proceeded to trot over towards the ladder leading up to her bedroom. Scaling it, she found that everything was neat and in order; Spike’s bed was still made, just as she had left it before leaving for vacation. Nothing had been disturbed and there was no sign that the little purple dragon had returned from his trip yet. …There it was again. She could swear that she had heard someone talking. This time, however, it was back down on the first floor. Returning to the ladder and glancing over the railing, she scanned the room slowly for any sign of another pony or creature. No Spike. No Owlicious. No one. She managed a short hop, her horn sparking as her magic came to life. A thick, translucent blanket caught her in midair and slowly lowered her down to the floor, letting go just above the surface. Landing on all four hooves with a loud clomp, she shook her head and proceeded back towards her books before stopping dead in her tracks just short of the table. There was another whisper. This one was behind her, somewhere towards the back of the building. Hesitantly, she turned around and saw a hint of motion disappear into the other room. “S-Spike! This isn’t funny,” the unicorn stated, as she began to make her way towards the back room. Peeking around the corner, the voices became audiable again, slowly getting louder as she stood there. The room was full of old books, stacked all the way up to the ceiling and covered in varying degrees of dust. She had been organizing these by alphabet and was writing them down in the catalogue so that she knew just what she had in stock at the library. The dark columns stood against the back wall, giving no clues as the whispers continued in the room. “I mean it. Spike! I know you’re hiding in here!” Twilight began to sweat, looking for any signs of movement. A shadow, a flash of purple and green, anything. The voices grew louder by the moment, coming from nowhere in particular, as if they were swirling around the room itself. She could hear them clearly, but it was impossible to make out anything discernable and she slowly began to back into the main room. She swallowed hard, sweat running down her forehead as she scanned the room. There had to be some sort of explanation for it… something! She felt a cold touch on her flank and the lavender unicorn let out a high shriek, whipping around and readying a burst of magic in her horn, the white light bathing the room. Her stool fell over with a loud clatter, rolling about in a circle before coming to rest. Taking a few deep breaths, Twilight closed her eyes and slowly let the magic dissipate. There was an explanation for it. She was probably just tired. That spell had beat her flank pretty hard and she had a bit of a headache from it anyway; her horn was feeling kind of fuzzy as it did after all of her really big spells. It was a sort of strain, like a pulled muscle or pinched nerve, but nothing terribly important or problematic. She was just getting a lot of static from it, that’s all. Nothing to worry about… Returning to her reading, she dove into her books, wading through the pages on meteorology and the weather. It was pretty interesting stuff, actually, with long paragraphs describing how the pegasi tracked what rain was needed and where, diagrams of all the different cloud-building techniques, and tables displaying the difference in chemical composition between rain clouds and regular old fair weather clouds. Before Twilight realized it about an hour had passed and she was suddenly wrenched from her literary bliss by a knock at her front door. It was loud and frantic, continuing incessantly as she placed a bookmark between the pages of her book and shut it. Sauntering over to the door, she willed it open, and found that on the other side was Applejack, who quickly stepped in as soon as she could, shutting the door behind her. Something was definitely up. There was a look of total desperation in her emerald eyes; her blonde mane let out of its bindings, falling every which way, mussed with dirt and soot; and she was sweating profusely, both visibly and… well you could tell. She had been exerting herself something fierce. “Applejack. What’s wrong? You look terrible!” Twilight leaned in close and put a hoof on her friend’s back. Applejack was panting heavily, her muscles tense as bound rope… “Twilight. Ah…” She swallowed hard, trying to force the words up out of her throat, pushing them out one at time, slowly and surely. “Ah… Ah can’t find Apple Bloom. …or Granny Smith. …or Big Macintosh.” She looked as if she was on the verge of hyperventilating. “What?” Twilight blinked and shook her head, not understanding. “There’s no note, an’ no sign of them leavin’. Th’ front door was unlock’d. Th’ barn was open. Ah. Can’t. Find. Them! An nopony Ah’ve walked up to, will talk t’me!” “What do you mean ‘they won’t talk to you’, Applejack?” “They won’t talk! Ah ask ‘em, but they don’t say nothin’! They jest look at me and walk away…” The straight-laced country-girl shook, just for a moment, and looked Twilight in the eyes, pleading silently. “Somethin’ is wrong, Twilight. Bad wrong.” “I’ll say it is!” Their pink pony friend’s chipper voice permeated through the door, causing Applejack and Twilight to both look to the window. Sure enough, outside was Pinkie Pie, dressed in an old beaten up trenchcoat and a hat that looked like it had been run over by a tractor. Twilight opened the door again. “Pinkie, what are you doing?” “Well I was looking around town and I couldn’t help but overhear what you two were talking about, on account of me leaning up against the door after I saw Applejack walk inside. So I was listening and I think there’s a big problem, too!” “Okay...” Twilight responded, motioning for Pinkie to come inside. She shut the door behind the pink pony, turning the lights up a bit so that it was a little homier inside as Pinkie Pie carried on. “Well, when we got into Ponyville, I noticed something was strange, so I ran around town as fast as I could to see if I could confirm my suspicions! Then I got back to Sugarcube Corner and sure enough, no Mr. or Mrs. Cake! I couldn’t even find Gummy! I knew something was up. See remember when I first saw you, Twilight, and I went- GASP! -because I’d never seen you before, and if I’d never seen you before, you must be new! Because I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville! And if you were new, that means that you needed to meet ponies, because I didn’t want you to be lonely-“ “Pinkie.” Applejack interjected wearily. “-so I decided to throw a big surprise party and invite the entire town, because there’s no better way to meet people and have fun than a party! So I got up all the streamers, ribbons and balloons I could and started decorating up the library, because nopony lived there and I had heard-“ “Sugarcube…” “-so I got a cake and punch, and we got my record player set up in the corner and I knew it was going to be the biggest, bestest surprise party for any pony in all of Ponyville. I mean what better way to welcome a new pony than-“ “PINKIE PIE!!! AH DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!! Get to the consarn’d POINT, already!!!” Applejack screamed, wheezing through her teeth as she glared at the stunned pink pony. Of course, it only took Pinkie a second to recover. Popping up the collar on her coat, she leaned in close to Twilight and Applejack, glancing around as if someone was watching them. “See… the weird thing is… since we got back, I haven’t seen anypony that I recognized, and I’ve been all the way around Ponyville today! I don’t know any of these ponies!” Pinkie Pie glanced about one more time before turning back to Applejack and Twilight once more, speaking in a guarded whisper. “I don’t know any of them at all.”

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:23:18+00:00

2011-07-17T05:23:18+00:00

Scene 05: Breaking Glass Rarity gave a frustrated huff, peering under her bed for any sign of her wayward cat. Where was she? She had looked in the closet, under the bed, in her studio, in the kitchen… pretty much everywhere the little fur-covered ball of pain could be! On top of that, Sweetie Belle was gone too and hadn’t even had the good mind to lock the shop on the way out! Perhaps the little filly had taken her cat over to Fluttershy’s for some reason and hadn’t left a note. Considering that she wasn’t exactly supposed to be back yet, it seemed like the most likely explanation. She was about to head out and see if what she had surmised was true when she heard a shout from outside her window. “Rarity! Hey! Rarity!” Twilight, Pinkie and Applejack stood down below, in front of their good friend’s carousel styled boutique as the violet haired unicorn appeared in the upper window. “Girls! How goes it?” she greeted them with a flourish, folding her forelegs on the windowsill as she leaned out to look down to them. “Tell me, have you seen Sweetie Belle? She doesn’t appear to be home and I can’t find Opalescence anywhere! I thought she might have taken her over to Fluttershy’s or something, but…” “We know, and it seems that you’re not the only one having a problem, either.” Twilight interjected, “Something strange is going on, and we’re not exactly sure what, but it seems like it’s affecting all of Ponyville. Applejack went back to her farm right after we returned, but she can’t find any of her relatives. However, there’s no sign of anything amiss, and no indication that they’ve actually gone anywhere.” Twilight pointed to her disheveled friend who just gave a weak nod, pushing her old Stetson up away from her eyes, “Not only that, but Pinkie Pie says that she doesn’t recognize any of the ponies that she’s seen around Ponyville since we got back. Gummy’s gone too, along with Mr. and Mrs. Cake, but the bakery itself is completely intact. All of the wares are still on the display stands and nothing’s been put up. The doors weren’t even locked. It’s as if they just… left.” “Something smells fishy around here!” Pinkie appeared from behind Twilight, tilting her hat over one eye with her hoof. “And I don’t like it!” She disappeared back behind Twilight for just a moment, only to pop up right next to Rarity on the second story of the boutique. “Not at all!” The prim unicorn nearly jumped out of her skin with a brief, frightened shriek, pressing herself against the window frame as Pinkie leaned against the sill a length or so away from her. “Pinkie, don’t do that!” Rarity exclaimed, but Pinkie paid no mind. The pink mare drew a small brightly colored pipe from her coat and placed it in her mouth, blowing a series of bubbles from it, all the while trying to look thoughtful. “What pony would just get up and leave like that without even leaving a note? That’s not the Mr. and Mrs. Cake I know! What if someone wanted a cupcake? Crêpes don’t fold themselves! And the turnovers! The turnovers! It doesn’t make any sense!” Reaching over with a hoof, Rarity examined the brim of Pinkie’s hat. It was absolutely atrocious… The poor thing looked like had been lit ablaze and then dropped in the middle of a stampede. And the coat was even worse, such a mangled mess of— Pinkie leapt on to the windowsill, posing with a single hoof out towards the horizon. “But, I’m going to figure out what’s going on! I’ll solve this mystery, or my name isn’t Pinkie Pie!” And with that she leapt out of the window of the boutique, a thump like a sack of bricks resounding below a moment later as the pink mare belly-flopped onto the grass. She just giggled, face down on Rarity’s lawn. “Whatever you say, darling,” Rarity laughed in spite of herself, delightfully bemused as always by Pinkie’s behavior. “Alright then, let me just brush my mane back into place and I shall be right down~” “Now don’t take yer sweet time, fussbudget! Ah’ve got kin to find, an’ we can’t be wasting any time on no frou-frou nonsense!” Applejack gave Rarity a stern look, the unicorn’s expression souring for a moment before it softened a bit. She knew that Applejack was concerned, and a gentle smile returned to her face as she gave a nod to her anxious friend before disappearing back into her boutique. “Ah hope they’re alright,” Applejack said weakly, her eyes heavy with worry for her own. “I’m sure they’re fine, Applejack. We’ll get to the bottom of this, but first we should round up Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, so that we have hooves in the air just in case.” A moment later, the prim unicorn appeared at the door, strutting out to her friends as they stood by the tree outside of her boutique. “Well then, I suppose we’re off,” Rarity spoke, looking rather unconcerned at the moment — there was surely a reasonable explanation for all of this. Proceeding across town towards the edge of the Everfree Forest, the four passed through the center of Ponyville again, glancing warily at the ponies mulling about in the streets around them. It seemed that Pinkie was indeed on to something. All of the ponies they saw were... indistinct, to say the least. They couldn’t place any of them having ever been in Ponyville, nor could they recall really what one looked like after losing sight of them. Any efforts to approach one simply caused them to walk away sullenly and even shouting after them produced no response. None of the usual vendors were at their stands, and all of the buildings were strangely quiet for the middle of the day. Something was amiss in Ponyville for sure. As the group approached the house of their timid yellow pegasus friend, they noticed that much of the equipment that Fluttershy kept for tending to her animal friends was scattered about in relative disarray; tools were tossed about the garden, and the hutches and coops that she had for the various animals seemed still and deserted. Suddenly, a shadow shot across the path in front of them and a moment later, Rainbow Dash descended from the sky in a streak of prismatic color, stopping abruptly in midair a length or so ahead of them. She looked a little bent out of shape, panting heavily as she put her hooves up, beckoning them to stop. “Yeah, I wouldn’t go in there right now if I were you.” “What? Why? What’s wrong.” Rainbow Dash took a deep breath before explaining the situation, “All of her animals are gone. Just poof, like they were never there in the first place. Her annoying rabbit, Angel. Her chickens, too. Not to mention all the ones she was keeping downstairs for recovery.” “All of them?” Rarity looked honestly surprised, chewing on her lip as her thoughts went back to her sister and pet. “All of them. Apparently Lyra and Bon Bon were supposed to stop by every day while she was gone to keep tabs and make sure they were all fed, but I don’t know what happened with that.” Dash shrugged, sinking in the air a bit, “So anyway, she came over to my place to ask for help and I’ve been looking around for clues out here while she searches her house.” The blue pegasus smiled uneasily, flying up and over the group before landing between Applejack and Twilight, putting a foreleg over each of their shoulders. “But… she’s kind of having a moment right now, so I really wouldn’t go in there.” Rainbow gave a nervous chuckle and shook her head. “Well, it’s kind of bigger than that, Rainbow… Applejack can’t find any of her relatives. Sweetie Belle and Opalescence are missing, too, not to mention Gummy and the Cakes.” With that, Pinkie Pie popped up behind Rainbow Dash, and set her chin down on the top of Dash’s head. “It’s spoooooooooooooky~! What we’ve got on our hands, gang, is a mystery! The Mystery of the Pilfered Ponies! …and Pets!” Performing a rather adroit backflip, Pinkie landed in front of the rest of her friends and put a hoof into her coat. “But we’ll get to the bottom of this, see? Nothing’s gonna stop us from figuring this out and getting everything back! First, though, we’ve got to interview Fluttershy and see what she knows! She might be hiding something!” “Why would Fluttershy be hiding something?” Twilight asked, slightly confused by Pinkie’s typically meandering logic. “I dunno, just seems like what you’re supposed to do. You’ve got to question ponies to get clues!” Twilight gave an exasperated sigh, and pushing past Pinkie Pie, made her way up the little hill to Fluttershy’s home, knocking on the door gently with her hoof. There was no response. After a few seconds, Twilight knocked again, a bit more forcefully and called to her friend. “Fluttershy? Are you in there?” She said, trying to sound as friendly as she could manage, being as concerned as she was. After a few seconds of silence, a crash emanated from somewhere inside the pegasus’ house. Leaning against the door, Twilight tried to gaze in through its window at the interior of the house. Everything was strewn about: cage doors hung open, cushions lay turned over, and various other effects were scattered all over the floor. Twilight pressed herself against the door to listen, but it hadn’t been closed completely and when she put her weight against it, the door came unstuck. She fell forward, just managing to catch herself right before she faceplanted into Fluttershy’s living room. She could hear some quiet mumbling coming from the kitchen, just beyond the living room itself. The sound of cabinet doors being opened and slammed shut in quick succession followed a moment later. There was a brief repose as Twilight began to move through the living room, carefully stepping past the toppled bird cages to avoid making any noise. The soft clatter of dishes being shuffled around emanated from around the corner as she approached it. She had gotten halfway through the ransacked den before she caught a barely audible gasp from the kitchen, and a moment later a single, crisp noise broke the silence – the sound of a single piece of porcelain shattering on the floor. The quiet returned for just a second more before a low, guttural roar welled out of the next room, pitching up to a shrill scream of rage as a chorus of exploding finery rang out upon their impact with the floor. Twilight stopped in place as she heard it, her heart leaping up into her throat. She slowly began to back away from the kitchen door as the screaming continued, a series of dull thumps playing out on the wall next to her. After a few long moments, the vitriol flowing from the kitchen began to subside and relative peace fell over the household once again. Twilight took a deep breath, steeling herself and creeping up to the doorway so that she might peek around the corner into the kitchen itself. Fluttershy was leaning against the counter, panting as she stood amidst the debris of what were several dozen very nice plates, cups and saucers. She looked horrible: her pretty pink hair a tangled nest and a dark shadow cast over her expression, a desperate look in her eyes as she tried to take stock momentarily. The pegasus hadn’t caught sight of Twilight yet, and the unicorn decided to take a step back and compose herself before gently calling for her friend. “Fluttershy? Fluttershy, are you in here?” Twilight said as calmly as she could manage, pressing her ear to the wall to see if she elicited an audible response. She was glad that she hadn’t been able to see the little rampage that had just occurred, but simply hearing it had been enough to shake her up regardless. “T-twilight? Is that you?” She responded, her voice resonating with a hopeful tone. The unicorn slowly peeked out into the kitchen doorway, a timorous smile on her face as she slowly stepped around the corner and through the doorway. The pegasus relaxed visibly, an almost pained expression on her face as she approached Twilight, stumbling through the wreckage of her kitchenware and toppling onto her knees at her friend’s hooves. Reaching up, she put her forelegs around Twilight’s shoulders and drew herself up level. “Oh, Twilight, it’s awful! Just awful… All of the animals are gone! Mr. and Mrs. Mouse, the Robin twins, Mr. Bandicoot and Miss Woodchuck, not to mention all the chickens! I can’t find any of them! I’ve searched everywhere!” She took a deep breath through her snout, snorting loudly as tears began to well up in her eyes. “Where could they have all gone? What if something happened to them?! And not only that but… Angel’s missing too… oh my poor little…” With that she screwed her eyes shut and began to shake Twilight bodily, much to the poor bookworm’s chagrin. “You’ve got to help me find them! You’ve just got to! They might be scared or lost or even worse and they’ve got no one out there to protect them or feed them or anything, and if any of them got hurt I just don’t know if I could live with myself!!” “F-F-F-L-L-L-U-U-U-U-T-T-T-T-E-R-R-S-S-H-H-Y-Y-Y!!!” Twilight persisted, being shaken back and forth repeatedly until she managed to get both hooves around her and pull the panicking pegasus pony promptly into a powerful… hug. Fluttershy honestly looked like she was about to collapse into a quivering mass at this point, her eyes clouding with tears as Twilight held her. The unicorn looked her friend in the eyes, a stern expression on her face, and without faltering she spoke to her in a calm and collected voice. “Don’t worry, okay? We’ll find all your little animal friends, and Angel.” Fluttershy bit her lower lip and Twilight just gave her a gentle nuzzle to the cheek, a smile slipping onto her face, “Especially Angel. But what I need you to do, is calm down and get yourself together so that we’re all thinking straight. Your animals aren’t the only ones missing.” Fluttershy perked up, her expression changing to one of surprise. “They’re not?” She asked, now looking even more concerned, though the emotion began to channel itself in a completely different direction. “No. Rarity’s cat and Pinkie’s alligator are missing as well, along with an entire plethora of ponies from the town. Something strange is going on, but if we’re going to figure it out, I need you to be at your best. Okay?” Fluttershy gave a soft nod in response, Twilight squeezing her softly before letting go and dropping back down onto all four hooves. The unicorn gave a reassuring smile and put a hoof to her heart. “We’ll find them, don’t worry.” Fluttershy’s quiet smile began to return in spite of her darkened eyes and she trotted out into the den. Twilight gave a sigh of relief, slowly scanning the remains of what was once a rather pleasant kitchen. Of course, Fluttershy wouldn’t even think of asking her or any of the others to help her clean up. That was just her way... She wondered about Fluttershy sometimes. So warm and kind, so dedicated to others, but sometimes, if very rarely, all that frustration of grinning and bearing it slipped out from behind her heart and made itself known. And when it did… It was kind of scary. What was it keeping her hooves on the ground, so to speak? “Twilight?” Her friend’s soft voice spoke from behind her in the living room, breaking her from her introspection suddenly. She looked back over her shoulder to see Fluttershy smiling sweetly at her, the yellow pegasus dropping eye contact as soon as Twilight made it. “Yeah?” “Thanks…” Fluttershy’s smile grew just a little bigger and with a turn, she fluttered over the clutter on the living room floor to the door. Twilight shook the thoughts from her head and with a smile, followed her friend outside.

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2011-07-17T05:28:22+00:00

2011-07-17T05:28:22+00:00

Scene 06: Into The Void Outside, the other four were discussing what they could do to find the missing townsfolk. “Well, if we split up, we could cover more ground that way. I know I can make a circuit of the town in no time. If I searched from the air, all of you could check out the buildings,” Rainbow Dash remarked, putting her forehooves together with a loud clop. “We could look for clues!” Pinkie beamed, hopping up on her back legs. “Yes. Clues,” the pegasus responded flatly, “You can look for clues.” “Ah dunno, girls. Ah don’t think we should be splittin’ up, especially if we don’t know jest what we’re dealin’ with here. Ah mean, what kind of thing takes an entire town of ponies an’ replaces them with… other… strange ponies. It jest ain’t natural. An’ what sorta power does that kinda thing imply, anyway? Ah think it’s best we stick together.” Applejack was looking a little better now that all of her friends were present and accounted for, though the worry for her family gnawed away at her in the back of her mind. Still, the six of them together could get through just about anything as long as they stuck together… “Applejack’s right.” Rarity replied, giving her mane a toss. A little smile alighted on her face and she looked to each of the girls. “What I think we should do, is, as a group, go to a location, perhaps Sugarcube Corner or Sweet Apple Acres or one of the shops in town, and scour the building to-“ “Look for clues!” Pinkie popped up behind Rarity, throwing a hoof into the air with great exuberance. The unicorn gave a sigh and nodded in affirmation to the pink pony. “Yes… look for clues, Pinkie. That way, we can see if we can find any information regarding what happened to all of the other ponies in Ponyville while we were gone.” “Alright girls,” Twilight announced as she approached, walking just behind Fluttershy as they entered the little semi-circle of ponies, “We need a plan.” “Wonderful!” her horned compatriot replied, a little bit to Twilight’s surprise. As she listened, Rarity recounted what they had just been discussing. It seemed logical enough and after seeing two of her best friends just a length or two from having nervous breakdowns, she really didn’t want to have them split up again. Their strength was in numbers and that’s what they had to go on. “Okay, then we’ll go to Sugarcube Corner first. I know you already looked there, Pinkie, but six pairs of eyes are better than just one.” The other five ponies each replied in affirmation and turning back towards town, they set out for the bakery. The path back to Ponyville from the outskirts where Fluttershy lived was pretty open and there was a nice view of the town from the buried ramparts that surrounded it. The sun sank down closer to the hills on the other side of the town as they walked along; they were all a bit apprehensive, but together it was easier to forget about how uneasy they felt, at least. “What sort of thing do you suppose could cause so many animals and ponies to go missing?” Fluttershy inquired to the others, looking around at the landscape as they went. It was pretty, but also eerily quiet, save for the sound of the warm summer winds blowing across the valley. “Maybe it was something out of the forest,” Rainbow Dash mused as she hovered above the rest of the group. “Some big and scary, that came out and scared everypony off.” She said as she leaned down into the group with a smirk, “Or worse.” Fluttershy gave a gasp and shrunk down a little, shaking at the thought of it. “Rainbow Dash!” Applejack snapped at her, looking downright peaked. “Consarn it! Don’t be sayin’ stuff like that! Some of us have family that we’re concerned about, in case ya didn’t notice!” The blue pegasus backed off a bit, looking as if she’d been slapped in the face. Applejack gazed up into the sky, a despondent gloom set on her expression. “Oh… Ah jes hope they’re safe…” “I’m sure everypony’s fine, what we need to do is find out where they went.” Twilight stated before Pinkie Pie popped up between the two of them, wedging herself between their bodies. “I know!” She declared with an overbearing amount of glee, “Maybe there was a big party in Canterlot and they all went to it so now there’s nopony home!” Fluttershy glanced past Twilight to the pink mare and gave her a skeptical look. “Well, what about the animals then?” The yellow pegasus enquired. Pinkie looked down, stopping for a moment and tapping her chin with her hoof. “Well,” she hesitated for a moment, “Maybe they brought them along to share in the festivities?” “Yeah? Well what about all them weird ponies hangin’ around town?” Applejack glowered over to Pinkie, who smiled back to her apprehensively. “Well… maybe the Princess hired some ponies to keep watch on Ponyville while everypony was away so that no pony had to worry about anything!” “Ah seriously doubt that, sugarcube.” Pinkie, looking a bit put off, simply shrugged and without another word, bounded on ahead of the group with her usual degree of bounce, stopping at the top of the next hill to wait. “Well…” Fluttershy spoke up, if just a little, getting Applejack and Twilight’s attention as the others pulled ahead just a bit to catch up with Pinkie. “What about a spell, or something magical?” Twilight thought on it for a moment. It was possible, though if it existed, she’d never read about such a spell in any of her books before. Applejack chewed on a thought, looking over at her unicorn friend silently for a moment before it worked its way out of her mouth. “Ya don’t suppose that tomfoolery of yers this mornin’ has anything t’do with it, do ya, Twilight?” Her lavender friend rolled her eyes in reply, looking at her over with a serious countenance. “I don’t see why. It was just a simple teleport, and according to the related theory it should have gone off without a hitch. All I did was misjudge the amount of energy needed to get to Ponyville and we came up short. That’s all.” “But ya said it yerself, it was a ‘theory’. Doesn’t mean it’s true, and it doesn’t mean that things’d necessarily work out jes like you’d think they would. What if somethin’ went wrong and we jest didn’t know it at the time?” The farmgirl replied forcefully. “She’s got a point.” Fluttershy said, shrinking back a bit after finishing her sentence. However, Twilight took the jab stoically only giving a sideways glance to Fluttershy before stopping in the middle of the path and pointing a hoof towards Applejack. “I highly doubt it, Applejack, and frankly, I think you’re getting way too hung up on this. You’re usually just fine about me using my magic, besides when it comes down to tradition and stuff like that, but that aside, it’s not really something that comes up. What’s the big deal?” The weary farmer shook her head, sitting down on the road with Twilight, their pastel pegasus friend stopping a length or two away to listen. “Ah don’t mind yer magic, Twilight, an’ Ah got full confidence in yer ability t’do the things that ya know well. But Ah don’t like bein’ experimented on or nothin’ like that an’ when you go pullin’ me into messin’ with things that ya haven’t ever dealt with before, well Ah get nervous. Ya learn from experience, after all, and if y’all ain’t experienced it, then how do ya know it’s gonna work? Books ain’t gonna tell ya everything, Twilight, and if there’s one thing Ah’ve gonna tell you, it’s that little trip this mornin’ scared th’ livin’ bajeebus outta me.” “I understand… but I’m telling you, it worked out fine. This is just a coincidence, and regardless of what’s causing the current weirdness in Ponyville, I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t handle… I hope.” “Real reassurin’, honeybunch.” A loud whistle pierced the air around them and the three ponies turned to look at the others that were waiting for them at the top of the next hill. “Hey! Slowpokes!” Rainbow Dash shouted, motioning for them to come over, “Come on! I could have flown around town three times by now!” The pegasus crossed her forelegs as her friends approached, tapping her foot in midair. “We really do need to get moving. It’s almost sunset and the more time we waste out here, the harder it will be for us to figure out exactly what is going on here.” Rarity threw her hair to the side and turned to face Ponyville, starting down the hill as Twilight and the other two arrived. Twilight looked a bit puzzled. “That’s… odd. It shouldn’t be more than three o’clock now. It wasn't long past noon when we got back to Ponyville and it can't have been but two hours or so since then, so even at the latest..." Twilight's gears began to turn as she tried to figure out why the Princess would be bringing the sun down so early. Maybe her sister needed the practice? Was she taking the rest of the night off? "That... is kind of weird." Looking to Twilight, Rainbow shrugged before scanning the road for Fluttershy who was still lagging behind. She stood near some bushes, looking into them as if searching for something. "Fluttershy! What are you doing? Come on!" shouted Dash, beckoning to the other pegasus with her hoof. She didn't respond, still searching the bushes for something. Twilight and Dash both shot each other a look. They both sauntered over to her, Twilight peering into the bushes as Dash sat down on her flanks, her forelimbs folded over her chest. "What are you looking for?" The unicorn inquired, looking into the dense brush where Fluttershy was searching as the weary pegasus pushed away branches and foliage. "I... I saw something. Something small, in the bushes here. I thought it might be a bunny or a squirrel or a marmot or something. So I was calling to it, but... I don't see it now. I wonder where it went. Everything’s so... quiet. I don't even hear any birds chirping. Do you?" Twilight hadn't thought about it. The hills had been entirely silent the whole way to Fluttershy's house and back. Usually the air was filled with birdsong this time of year. "We'll worry about that later. Right now, we really have to get back to Ponyville. It's getting dark and..." And it was. The mountains behind Fluttershy’s house and the adjacent forest seemed to grow dark as the sun began setting. It was a little odd since the sun should have actually been shining onto them, but as Twilight watched a dark blanket descended over the mountain tops, flowing down the mountains themselves and into the forest. Twilight took Fluttershy's tail in her teeth and gave her a gentle tug, pulling her back a length or so from the bushes. "Come on, let's get moving…" "But... I know I saw something. Are you sure? I mean... what if it's scared and alone and..." Fluttershy glanced back at the bushes as the long shadow fell across the forest before them. The interior of the woods grew darker and darker until the row of trees became completely impenetrable. As they watched, an inky blackness began to seep from the bushes just a few lengths away, crawling onto the road before them. Fluttershy's eyes widened as she tried to speak, but nothing aside from muffled and panicked squeaks made it out of her as she dropped onto her flank, scooting herself backwards with her front hooves as the shadows slithered towards them. "Ooooh boy." This was trouble. Twilight knew it was trouble. Things associated with darkness and shadow tended to be trouble and she was suddenly very uncomfortable being where she was. Fluttershy, on the other hoof, was rooted to the spot, shaking like a leaf as the black mass approached. "What are you two doing?" Dash said, turning around as she heard Twilight speak again. Her eyes snapped wide as she caught sight of the encroaching darkness drawing itself out of the forest, and half a second later she was off her flank and into the air. "Fluttershy, we need to move. Now!" Twilight yelled as she ran past Fluttershy, skidding to a stop when she realized that her friend had yet to budge. Both her and Dash returned to the pastel peagsus, Dash taking Fluttershy's pink mane in her teeth while Twilight took a step back and flung herself bodily at the yellow pegasus, dislodging Fluttershy from her spot and sending the three of them tumbling down the hill just as the wave of shadow began to pick up speed. Dash was the first to recover, pulling a flip in midair to steady herself and hovering as she watched the other two roll down the hill past her. Looking back, she caught sight of the darkness cresting the top of the hill behind them. It began to pour down the ridge and looking beyond, she could see the shadow consuming the entire countryside as night fell over it. She didn't stick around to watch it for more than a second, though, and with a flap of her wings, she was back up to speed and burning down the path towards Ponyville. Down at the bottom of the hill, the path curled around a small pond before proceeding over a creek and down a straight road into the middle of Ponyville. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie had just made it to the edge of the pond and were proceeding around when the blue pegasus blurred past with a hard gust of wind following in her wake. "Everypony! RUN!!!" She shouted back over her shoulder, arcing through the air over the pond as the others turned around to see what they exactly should be running from. It didn’t take more than a moment for them to figure it out. Screaming in unison, the three broke into a gallop, running for their lives toward the bridge on the other side of the pond. Back at the bottom of the hill, Fluttershy and Twilight came to rest beside each other, a little scuffed and bruised from the trip down. Disoriented, they got to their hooves as the wave of darkness came crashing down the hill, splashing against the road not a few lengths away and starting to pile upon itself like a great river of living tar. Fluttershy gave a frightened cry, staggering back away from the muck as Twilight shook herself out of her momentary daze. Giving her cowering friend a hard nudge to get her moving, they began to flee for the pond, their other friends having already made it to the bridge, calling to them and urging them on. "Move it! It's right behind you!!" Dash yelled, calling out between her hooves from her position over the pond. The sun was dipping down below the horizon and as the last bit of it disappeared behind Ponyville, a green flash flickered across the sky. Below, the lake began to ripple, an oily sheen appearing on the water, flickering and whirling with all the colors of Rainbow's mane as it spread to cover the entire surface of the pond. As she watched, the surface began to churn and a long, thin tendril of clear lake water drew itself up out of the pond, flailing around a bit before turning its attention to the nearest pony. "Rarity! Look out!" Dash took off towards the bridge, but it was too late. The unicorn looked towards Rainbow's shout, her face contorting in alarm as she caught sight of the huge tentacle snaking towards her. Her scream caught the attention of Applejack and Pinkie, who whipped around just in time to see the clear arm coil itself around their friend's neck and mouth. The thick band of water cut off her scream abruptly, the shriek replaced by a loud gurgling as her muzzle became wrapped in a thick casing of living water. Pinkie squeaked loudly, the pink mare and farmgirl springing in vain for Rarity as the tendril whipped her straight off the bridge into the air. Then, just as it was about to draw the struggling unicorn underwater, Rainbow Dash cleared the last bit of distance to the surface a bare second before Rarity was pulled underneath. The pegasus caught Rarity's long, curly tail in her mouth and wrenching hard, drew her back up out of the water, thrashing about in midair as the pegasus struggled against the power of the lake itself. Applejack leapt again, grasping Dash's tail and drawing her down to the bridge. She pressed herself against the side rails in order to keep from being pulled off her hooves and held on for dear life as Dash's wings continued to struggle against the pull of the water 'serpent'. Twilight couldn't believe her eyes. This was quickly becoming insane. A bright spark leapt from her horn, both her and Fluttershy disappearing in a flash of white. A screeching like twisting metal filled their ears for a brief instant and they both reappeared behind their friends. Pinkie put her forelegs around Applejack tightly, holding onto her as best she could. "Don't worry! I won't let you go!" The pink pony smiled brightly, just a bare second before the darkness crashed into the pond, kicking up a large wave on the far side. The whole thing seemed to contract all at once and there was a sudden jerk, wrenching Rainbow Dash forward and down towards the water, taking Applejack and Pinkie with her as the guardrail on the bridge splintered and gave way under the sheer force of the motion. Pinkie Pie let out an oddly gleeful squeal as she took to the air, and with a horrified expression on her face, Fluttershy dove after her friends, grabbing a hold of Pinkie's tail just as the other three hit the water. Without thinking, Twilight went in after them, the consuming wave of tar overrunning the bridge a few seconds later. The pond was dark and murky, and it became completely impossible to see as the light from the surface faded. Only little flickers of a pink tail ahead of her gave her anything to go on as she dove deeper, chasing desperately after her friends through the befouled waters. Her mind was spinning, bringing up every possible scenario she could think of in order to deal with this. She knew how to swim, of course. She knew CPR. She knew that this pond wasn't deep enough to give her the bends. She knew that she could probably hold her breath for about two minutes, three if she really pushed it. None of this made her feel any better. At all. She followed the shapes of her friends deeper until the last flicker of color that she could make out disappeared into the darkness. There was a great rush, the water itself pushing her back upwards as she fought to dive down further and as the current increased she only became more determined, even as the pressure on her eardrums became more and more painful. She approached the bottom, which appeared to be nothing more than a writhing wall of shadow below her, and reaching the spot where she saw Fluttershy’s tail disappear, she thrust out her hoof, plunging it into the dark tar below. The membrane broke, and the tepid water of the pond gave way to the warm, humid air of summer as she broke through to the surface. The glaring radiance of the sun filled her eyes as she took a deep, choking breath, filling her lungs with air as she plowed into the thick layer of silt at the edge of the pond. The mud in her eyes and ears clouded her senses as she tried to wipe it off with her hoof, vaguely discerning the panicked ramblings of five familiar voices somewhere in the distance. Her friends had made it. Thank Celestia… She scraped the last bit of mud out of her eyes and blinking it away, looked up from the edge of the pond. Her eyes grew wide and she slowly got to hooves before clambering up the bank to the edge of the village. She was in Ponyville… …but it wasn’t the one she knew.

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2012-11-09T06:12:14+00:00

2012-11-09T06:12:14+00:00

Scene 7: Ghosts (v2.2) The air was thick and humid as a heavy fog rolled over the town, and Twilight could hear the voices of her companions in the distance, indistinct and muffled, as if she were listening to them through a pane of glass. After dragging herself up out of the muck at the edge of the pond, she trudged through the reeds, re-emerging back into Ponyville proper. The town was quiet. Still. A warm summer wind was blowing through the empty streets as Twilight entered into the town square, gazing silently around at her surroundings. Everything was… faded. It was as if time had come through and piled several years onto the town itself. Everything was in the exact same place as before, but the paint on the buildings had begun to crack and peel, and the windows had become clouded from sun and weather. Weeds had begun to overgrow the finely-grazed streets, flower beds and gardens throughout town, and even the banners above the stands had become faded and brittle. The whole town seemed to be possessed of an otherworldly decay as Twilight walked alone, her friends’ voices carried on the wind as she searched the lonely streets of Ponyville. What… happened? The town’s an absolute wreck! Did that… thing do this? “Girls? Hello? Is there anypony there?” Twilight called, walking down the main street. Voices spoke, all throughout the town around her, but none were particularly close or distinct. She couldn’t tell who was talking, where they were, or what they were saying, and as she moved throughout the town, the sources of the voices seemed to move as if carried on the wind from some distant location. This is crazy. There’s no one here! I’m chasing after ghosts! …No. There’s no such thing as ghosts! Shadow monsters… maybe… What was that thing, anyway?! Some sort of spell, or an entity of some kind? Some demon… or… could it be Nightmare Moon? No, we banished her. But… it seemed similar some how. Perhaps, and if that’s the case, then… we have to tell the Princess. Concerns about the safety of her friends (not to mention her own) began to gnaw at the back of her mind. She also noted that, every once in a while, she would catch a bit of movement out of the corner of her eye. It was just a flicker of white, disappearing as soon as she looked at it, but somehow it seemed to be steadily luring her about the village in slow circles as she wandered in search of her friends. Remember, Twilight. No such thing as ghosts… “Girls! Where are you?!” Twilight called again, panting a bit as she picked up her pace, jogging through the streets at a brisk canter as she looked from shop to shop, house to house. They had to be around somewhere! The voices continued and every once in a while she could catch what she thought was one of the other’s voices, hidden amongst the malificent, mumbling drone that was steadily growing in intensity all around her. Rounding the next corner, she stepped into an alleyway behind a row of shops, stopping dead in her tracks as she looked down the narrow lane. In front of her, not more than a few lengths away, was an apparition. An ephemeral projection, taking the shape of a young pegasus mare, cast onto the haze in front of her like an inverted shadow. Lacking any depth, it stood, turned away from her, flickering in and out of existence as she looked on. Perhaps it was her innate curiosity, or her scientific mind, she didn’t know. However, something compelled Twilight to get a closer look, and against her better judgment, she began to approach it. As she did, the image began to glow clearer, the voices pushing themselves into her ears, merging into some sort of abrasive static that began to slowly crawl its way into her head as she got closer. The muscles in her neck and shoulders began to tense involuntarily and the world around her seemed to pull out of focus as she neared the spectre, all her attention being drawn to it and it alone. Her proximity seemed to carry with it the threat of physical pain, but just as she was about to turn away, the apparition slowly turned its head around to her. It was the mailmare, Ditzy, looking at her with wall-eyed confusion. Slowly counter-rotating, the mare’s eyes met in the middle and focused, the spectre blinking before raising a hoof and issuing a slight wave to Twilight… There was a rush, the wind hitting her like a tram, Twilight having not even noticed its absence in the first place. Staggering to the side, she barely managed to keep on her feet, steadying herself against the renewed gale. The image was gone, and the voices had subsided, replaced by the lonely howling of the wind as she quickly withdrew from the alleyway back onto the main road. “…I hope we find them soon… it would seem that this whole place has gone completely mad, and it will not do to be separated…” Rarity? “Rarity. Rarity! I’m here!” Twilight reared up, shouting into the wind as she tried to figure out where exactly her fellow unicorn’s voice had come from. She couldn’t see her around anywhere, so running across the center of town, she made her way over to a group of produce stands and began to search around them for any sign of her violet-haired compatriot. “Where are you? I’m over here! Rarity! Anypony! Can you hear me?!” The unicorn listened carefully, straining to hear any sound that could even be interpreted as a response: a shout, a cry, anything. … … … ... Nothing. Twilight wilted a bit, giving a heavy sigh. Where could Rarity have gone? Her friends had to be around here somewhere… and then the static returned. The coat on the unicorn’s back stood on end, a cold chill running up her spine as the caustic noise crept into the back of her head. Stepping away from the produce stands cautiously, she turned back towards the square only to be greeted by a wall of phantasmal ponies. They were present just as Ditzy had been before, but Twilight had their full attention and they were glaring at her, their eyes looking on judgmentally. The unicorn screamed. Recoiling in horror, she leapt back away from the spectres, crashing into one of the fruit stands and spilling its dusty contents across the grass as she tumbled over the stacked baskets of oranges. Disoriented, she crawled away as quickly as she could manage. It was only after finding her hooves again behind one of the stands, that Twilight was able to take a deep breath and steel her nerves. After several moments of internal debate, she opened her eyes, half expecting something to be waiting for her when she did. There wasn’t. Just a bunch of bundles of browned old begonias. Slowly peeking out from behind the fruit stand, she saw that she was once again alone. Twilight drew ragged breaths, slowly scanning the immediate area for any presence, friendly or otherwise. Once again, nothing. I can’t take this. This is ridiculous! This has to be some sort of… dream or nightmare or something. Maybe I’m still in the road… maybe the teleport spell knocked me unconscious and I’m still out in a field somewhere. But what about earlier…? Was that all a dream? It seemed so real. And rolling down that hill. Twilight felt her muscles tense, the sore spots from her tumble down the hill near Fluttershy’s house still quite fresh. Her coat and mane were getting rather stiff from the wind as well, and the muck from the pond was causing her to feel rather grimy all over as it settled throughout her fur. Not to mention the pond. I couldn’t have dreamt all that! What if… “…it’s all so wrong. There’s nothing here… I… I… please, we have to find the others…” Fluttershy’s soft voice whispered in Twilight’s ear, causing her to whip her head around towards its apparent source. Spying the top of Rarity’s boutique above the roofs of the nearest line of shops, she didn’t waste another moment. Breaking into a gallop, she ran for the Carousel Boutique, bolting through the streets of Ponyville at full speed. The whispers began to return, but she didn’t dare look around, keeping her eyes ahead of her at all times. After what seemed like several minutes, she arrived at the boutique. There wasn't anypony in the yard and the building seemed to be locked up, which was unusual, but Twilight had to see if either of her friends were around. With a gentle spark, Twilight coiled her magic around the door handle on the lower portion of the stable-style door and pulled, causing the door to flex a little, but not open. She looked around the yard carefully, turning back towards the door once again before another slight flicker caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Ignore it, Twilight. Just ignore it. Her nerves were deteriorating rapidly, the lavender unicorn attempting to pull the door open once more. Nothing. Frustrated, she began to wrench violently on it, with her magic at first and then physically, pressing her hooves to the door and pushing on it forcefully, causing the whole thing to rattle loudly. However, it was no use and finally giving up, she fell back onto her flank, sitting down in front of the door with an exasperated sigh. A sudden wave of voices descended around Twilight and a horrible, demeaning laughter broke out amongst them, swirling around the unicorn as she sat. She wrenched her neck to the side, her joints popping loudly as she did, glaring down the road before whipping her head to the other side to look in the opposite direction. The laughter continued, growing in intensity until Twilight got to her hooves and spun around to face the invisible peanut gallery, her hackles raising as her face twisted with rage. "What?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing throughout the deserted town. The laughing was silenced, leaving Twilight alone once more with the sound of the wind. It's… It's mocking me! “Leave… me… alone!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, a series of electric sparks arcing down her spine from her horn and into the ground. A second later, the dirt around her hooves erupted like a long string of firecrackers, sending up columns of disturbed topsoil into the air all around her. Twilight hissed at the hiding malevolence, gritting her teeth as she scanned the yard of the boutique. But there was nothing there, and as the anger drained from her, so did her resolve. I can’t take much more of this…! "...Ah... Ah don't know jest how much more a' this Ah can take. Ah've got to find th' others before Ah go bonkers out 'ere." Twilight perked back up at the sound of Applejack's familiar drawl. Was it another trick...? Did it matter? The unicorn took a few cautious steps out into the yard, trying to pinpoint where her friend's voice had come from. It was time to get serious... Twilight shut her eyes, and drawing her energy together, her horn began to shimmer as she drew her power into it. A bright white ball began to coalesce on the end of her horn, and once it was of sufficient size, she opened her eyes again, her violet irises replaced by an unbroken white glow. Shifting her perspective to the orb, it began to rise into the air above her, looking down upon the town to get a bird's eye view of the whole thing. Everything seemed to be in the correct location, if dilapidated. The sun was slowly heading towards the horizon, its gaze a hot white and somewhat uncomfortable at this point, casting suspicious shadows along the streets of Ponyville as its position gradually lowered. Still... the town itself seemed to be completely deserted. No life. No motion. Nothing, save for the occasional windblown object rolling across the grass. "...oh no. No no no. This is not good. Not good at all!" Pinkie Pie? "First everypony goes missing! And now things have gotten reaaaally ugly! If I didn't know better, I'd think this was a bad dream! But I don't feel asleep… Oh no, does that mean they're here?" They? Twilight's gaze scanned the town below. No luck yet, but she could hear Pinkie Pie as clear as day. "I've got to get back to Sugar Cube Corner, and fast!" The orb turned around to look down at the bakery, a flash of pink disappearing inside just as its gaze alit upon it. Perfect. She felt her control begin to waver, her perspective faltering a bit as Twilight struggled for control over the spell. Her vision flickered, going out for a moment before returning to find another pair of eyes directly in front of her, black as night and twice as deep. The spectral pony roared with the fury of twisting steel and in response Twilight let out a loud shriek, a jolt of energy running up her spine as the spell’s magic snapped back into her body, snuffing her vision out like a candle. Screaming, she stumbled back onto the dirt, crawling backwards as she pressing her foreleg to her face to cover her eyes. She could swear that they were melting out of her skull, but in spite of it, she tried once more to open them. She blinked; once, twice and again, her senses finally returning to her after a moment as she cleared the tears out of her eyes. Once again, she was alone. Without a second to lose, she rose to her hooves and bolted off towards Sugarcube Corner. That's where Pinkie was, and if past experience had been any indication, that's exactly who she wanted to talk to. Pinkie always knew something, however obtuse it might be, and at this point she just wanted more than anything not to be alone. Galloping to the bakery, she stopped just short of the door, noticing that it was slightly ajar. A sigh of relief escaped her muzzle and trotting up, she pressed a hoof against the door, pushing it open. "Pinkie Pie, I'm so glad that you're here, I've been looking everywhere for somepony to–" A jolt of electricity forced itself down Twilight's horn into her brain, causing her to screw her eyes shut as the shrieking white noise from before tore into her mind. She collapsed onto the floor, her hooves pressed against her temples as she tried to fight away the pain. When she reopened her eyes, she quickly wished she hadn’t. The inside of the bakery had taken on a threatening and wholly alien appearance; instead of discernable objects, the building contained nothing but a vague representation of its contents: on her right there were lumps that could be cakes, pastries or little pieces of flesh for all she knew, set on what might be tables or perhaps conveniently shaped piles of garbage; the non-descript physical presence of the counter and cash register sat to her left, huddled in fear against the side wall with what were presumably a set of shelves cowering behind them; and ahead, an open doorway with twisting, turning hall beyond that seemed to stretch onwards into eternity. Everything around her was devoid of color or proper form, all of it flickering in and out of existence, vibrating furiously and refusing to be focused upon as the phantasms from before stared at her from every corner of the room. They looked as if they were screaming– shouting at her with some sort of unexplainable, unbridled hatred. A great pressure began to push in on Twilight's mind, constricting it as she began to writhe on the cold floor, the horrible noises taking little bites out of her nerves. Her vision began to turn red, crimson seeping out of the monochrome static to start to cover the inside of the room as it began to contract and close in upon her, the specters begging to walk towards her as their faces bled, black and red seeping from their eyes and mouths like deep necrotic wounds. She felt her muscles twitch involuntarily, knotting up and coiling angrily in protest. She wanted to scream, but her throat simply wouldn’t respond. Either that or she already was and she just couldn't hear herself over the noise. It didn't matter, at any moment the pressure threatened to crush her and– There was a sudden pop and Twilight’s muzzle broke the water, the mare gasping for breath as she collapsed onto the bank of the pond. W…what? No… I’m back here...? But how? I… Slowly standing once more, she dredged the silt out of her eyes with a hoof. The voices of her friends danced on the howling gale once more as she crawled up out of the pond, a very alarming sense of déjà vu overtaking her as she emerged once more into Ponyville. The thick soup of fog rolled across the town, obscuring her view of the main road as the white gaze of the sun made it glow. "...that just leaves, Twilight. Knowing her, she's probably hanging out in her library or something. You guys stay here, I’ll be back in no time!" Dash's voice spoke somewhere off in the distance. That was all five. There was no time to waste. Without a second thought, Twilight took off towards her home, running off into the fog as pond water and muck trailed off of her onto the ground. They were looking for her! Dash was heading back to her library right now, and knowing that particular pegasus, she had probably already arrived. She had to be there to meet her, before Rainbow’s patience ran out and she left again. Booking it through town, she was rounding the last bend when she came face to face with another creature. It was almost a blur, shooting towards her at a blinding speed. Its rose eyes were not more than half a length from her own as she skidded to a halt, letting out a frightened shriek as it stopped dead in the air before her. It responded in kind, falling backwards into a cart of hay as Twilight turned around and scrambled to get away once more. "Twilight!" A familiar rasp called out after her. The unicorn skidded to a halt, blinking and turning around to face the voice. Much to her relief, the pony crawling out of the pile of hay was none other than Rainbow Dash, looking a little disoriented as she batted the loose straw off her person with her wings, dusting her coat off like an old leather jacket. Good as new. Twilight's heart soared and she rushed back over to her friend to assist her. "Oh Rainbow! Is that you?” She looked the mare over, poking her with a hoof to check for corporealness and general believability. That is, at least, until Dash started giving her odd looks. Noting this, Twilight stopped her prodding, taking Dash’s mane and drawing her up out of the hay before smiling broadly. “Oh it IS you! Thank the stars… Dash, you have no idea how glad I am to see you!" she said, her horn flickering to life and drawing the remaining hay off of Dash in one large wad and depositing it back into the hay pile behind her. The pegasus gave a short nod, her wings flapping and pulling her off of the cart and into the air in front of Twilight. "Same here! I’ve been looking for you forever! Where have you been, anyway?" "I have no idea, I could hear the rest of you, but... Listen, I don’t want to talk about it right now. It’s just that something's really wrong here, Dash. …Are you, okay? I didn't mean to scare you." "Oh I'm fine, I just– scare? What? No. You didn't scare me! I was just… startled, that's all. I didn't expect you to come tearing around the corner like that." Dash's ever present smirk settling back on her face. "I didn't think you could move so fast, Twilight. You get spooked or something? You should have seen the look on your face!" Twilight glared at Dash, not amused by the pegasus' comments. Still... "Well... I've been having a rough time, so excuse me if I'm a little shaken up!" The unicorn gave a huff and began to trot past Dash towards the library. Her friend simply rolled her eyes and took to the air, floating lazily after her. It was only a few more seconds, though, before Twilight's analytical demeanor returned. "Anyway," she began, "you said that you and the others were looking for me?" "Yeah." Dash responded as she came up beside Twilight, hovering about half a height off the ground next to her as she walked along towards the Library. "See, I figured that you'd be here, so I searched around for a bit, but then I got kind of bored so I figured I’d head back to Sugarcube Corner. That’s where the others are." Dash pulled a flip in midair and fluttered down in front of Twilight, causing her to come to a stop. "I’m surprised you didn’t head there. I've been flying all over town to try and find you! I was just heading back to tell the others that I hadn’t seen you when I ran into you. Well, almost ran into you." Dash broke into a bit of a grin, but Twilight just gave her friend a firm nod in return. "Tell me about it," Dash huffed, “Anyway, we should probably get back to the others.” Gazing around her, Twilight took a moment to catch her bearings before nodding to Dash and turning to head off back towards the center of town, new theories beginning to form in her mind. "Yeah... once we’re back together with the others, we can try to figure out what's going on, and what to do about it… things seem to be getting worse. …and if that's the case, we're running out of time."

SaliantSunbreeze

143

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

It's Like a Cake...

After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, something goes wrong and slowly things start to come apart at the seams...

incomplete

<p>After a small vacation to the coastal city of Withersdale, Twilight Sparkle uses a spell to expedite the return trip for her and her friends. However, despite the more or less successful outcome, upon arriving in Ponyville, the Mane Six realize that something is seriously wrong. Can Twilight and the others find out what's happening and fix it before things get even worse, or will they fall prey to the world that's steadily falling apart around them?</p>

teen

2012-12-12T23:45:02+00:00

2012-12-12T23:45:02+00:00

Scene 8: A Thousand Details (v1.10) The smell of smoke stung Twilight’s eyes, bringing with it tears of rejection as she entered Sugar Cube Corner. The confectionery shop hadn't fared much better than the rest of the town it seemed. The windows were clouded from the elements, and the cases inside were full of dust and baked goods that had long since dried out and acquired masonry status. The colorful wallpaper had faded to near imperceptible hues and was peeling itself off the walls. Everywhere Twilight looked there was a sense that time had simply marched on by and trampled everything around her under hoof. "Who's awesome?" a familiar, scratchy voice trumpeted from behind her. "I told you I'd find her!" Rainbow said victoriously as she flew in ahead, skimming the ceiling and coming down on the other side of the main room. This brought to her attention the other occupants of the dilapidated establishment. Despite the stagnant decay of the storefront, by Celestia’s grace it seemed a few of her friends had already arrived, dragging themselves in off of the wind beaten streets. It was at the sound of Rainbow’s voice that the two others looked up to greet her. "Twilight! You're alright! Thank Celestia!" Rarity exclaimed as the other unicorn entered. Her coiffure was matted with moisture and had been blown into dire disarray from the harsh wind outside. Her carefully applied make-up had also rebelled, running all over her face and muzzle, and leaving long black streams slowly creeping down the side of her neck. From the look of things, she must have crawled out of the lake as well. Applejack was leaning up against the counter, trying to look as relaxed as she could. She didn't really look any worse for wear, honestly, rugged as she tended to be. The dampness of the lake and the harsh wind only served to temper her figure… Her eyes, however, were very tired. "There ya are, we were right worried about ya." "When you didn't come out of the pond with the rest of us, I'd thought we'd lost you..." Rarity said, a relieved smile on her face, "what with that… thing back at the lake. What was that? Some kind of monster escaped from the Everfree Forest?" Twilight shook her head, trotting on past the ruined cakes and pies before sitting down on her flank by the front counter of the shop. She was tired. The stress and confusion had physically exhausted her, not to mention that her mind had been thoroughly shaken up as well. Even so, she began mulling over the various possibilities of their situation. What had happened to them? To Ponyville? Why had it happened? And how would they fix it? So far, there weren’t any answers. Not yet. "I don't know. I've never read about anything like it… or that darkness that chased us down the hill. I can't explain it now, but one thing I do know from my studies is that there has got to be an explanation for it, however unusual that explanation might be. We just have to find it… and fast." She gazed around the inside of Sugar Cube Corner, giving a heavy sigh. "Because from what I can tell, whatever is happening to Ponyville is getting worse, and it’s not going to stop unless we do something." The smell of smoke taunted Twilight's nostrils again and, looking around, she glanced over to the other three. "Do you girls smell smoke?" "Aw, that's nothin'. Pinkie Pie was worrying her little head over us freezing solid or somesuch, so she got Fluttershy to help her get the stove going." "But..." Twilight hesitated for a moment, shaking her head a little as she stood up again, "That doesn't make any sense. It's the middle of summer. Why would we freeze?." "Well I know that, but you know how Pinkie Pie is. Who knows what's going through that pony's head? Prolly just makin' an excuse to get the stove going so that she can make some cupcakes or pancakes or... cake-cakes or somethin'." Twilight's fatigue had started to settle in, making her stiff and groggy. It wasn't quite as bad as she had expected, considering how much she had been galloping about town. Of course, it still wasn't clear if she actually had been or if that whole sequence had been some sort of strange dream or hallucination. Regardless of the truth of the matter, however, everything still ached tremendously. Giving a labored grunt as she started to move again, heading for the kitchen to look in on her remaining two friends. The kitchen itself was surprisingly clean, save for a thick layer of dust that covered every flat surface. Several bags of flour were stacked in the corner, the canvas aged and brittle. Fine flour suspended in the air had been known to cause violent explosions when ignited, Twilight recalled. It was fortunate that there hadn't been enough around to cause such a catastrophe. Pots and pans were stacked on the counter, clean and relatively untouched by rust, preserved by the dryness of the environment in the kitchen. Everything appeared to be just as the Cakes had left it. The smoke itself was manifesting in dark puffs from a fire set in the belly of an old black stove, heat emanating in visible shimmers from the range as it caused the dust and cobwebs above it to recoil back towards the walls. Red flames roiled in the open stove, the articles within slowly curling and crackling as the fire consumed them. "Fluttershy? Pinkie? Are you in here?" Twilight called out, approaching the heat of the fire as she proceeded through the kitchen. There were a few doors leading to the back rooms, presumably for storage, so they might have gone off somewhere in order to get more fuel for the fire. It was a pretty silly idea, but Pinkie's ideas generally were. Still, there was a reason for everything that Pinkie did, even if it happened to be a little obscure. Looking back at the flame, Twilight noticed that amongst the burning papers and scraps there was a small book. She cringed, a pang of apprehension running through her chest. There was just something sacrilegious about burning a book, and though she had set many aflame accidentally while practicing a few of her more volatile spells, doing so intentionally was just…unthinkable. It probably wasn't anything important, and her friends probably hadn't realized the significance of the action, but… Reaching into the stove with her magic, she grasped the book in a shimmering envelope of will and slowly lifted it out of the flames. It was quite singed, but not completely destroyed, the corner remaining aflame for a bare moment before she managed to snuff it with a firm contraction of magic. It was a diminutive blue book with a thin, bare cover. Most of it had been burnt up, but it wasn't entirely unreadable. The pages inside contained familiar glyphs, the bubbly scrawly script that was Pinkie's mouthwriting. Each page contained a date and... Wait, was this her diary? Why would she want to burn this? May 27th, Came up with a new song today! Now I just have to put words to it! I'm sure somepony will inspire me! Until then, I'll just keep humming it to myself until something comes up! The rest of the page along with the next few were burnt and illegible. June 14th, I had that dream again. It took half a roll of alka-seltzer to calm my tummy this time… I know I can't ask every dream to be sugar plums and gumdrops, but why does that dream keep on coming back? Nightmares? Not uncommon, but for somepony so insufferably cheerful, it was kind of sad. Twilight continued to flip through the remainders of the diary, leading up to August. The entries were divided between the typical Pinkie Pie fare of parties, songs and random musings; and accounts of her increasingly disturbing nightmares. "...and I was stuck, all alone as the great black wave came and gobbled me up, covering everything in its darkness. I cried. I cried so much! But no one heard me! No one came… They'd already left me behind." "Twilight?" Twilight let out a loud shout as she dropped the book, a squeak coming from behind her, followed by the sound of falling papers. The unicorn whirled around to find a large and somewhat disheveled stack of paperwork on the floor that hadn't been there previously. A moment later, she noticed Fluttershy peeking out ever so cautiously from the inside of one of the cabinets. She gave a nervous little smile. "Oh, hi," she said, slowly crawling out of the compartment. Twilight gave a sigh of relief and shook her head, picking up the burnt diary discreetly with her magic and setting it on the counter behind her. On the floor in front of her were a pile of old bank statements and business articles that Fluttershy had been carrying in a bag. More fuel no doubt. "Still working on this, huh? Everything okay, Fluttershy? Er... I mean, are you okay, considering the situation and all...?" Fluttershy looked off to the side, trying to hide herself in her mane as she contemplated. She gave a nod, either sighing softly or perhaps saying something so far under her breath as to be inaudible. Accepting this, Twilight just returned the nod and, drawing the old paperwork out of the bag, gave it a cursory examination before tossing it into the stove. "Well at least you're alright... I was worried about all of you after we'd gotten separated earlier. There's something wrong in Ponyville, and it’s not a good idea to be off by ourselves. We have to stick together.” Twilight made a quick round of the room, staring idly into the cupboards and cabinets a moment. “Speaking of which, where's Pinkie Pie, anyway? Applejack said that she was back here with you." "Oh. She's upstairs in her room... she said that she wanted to check for clues up there," Fluttershy responded, heading over to retrieve her bag, "You know, see if anything was… out of place." Pinkie was still on the investigative kick, it seemed, and would probably be so until she'd gotten it out of her system. Regardless, it would be best if she wasn't off by herself, and right now, Twilight would take any clues to the situation that she could get. "Fluttershy, I'm going to head upstairs to check on Pinkie. The others are in the lobby. Why don't you head in there and join them?" Twilight asked, smiling to her before giving a sidelong glance back at the stove. "...I really don't think the stove needs any more fuel." Any more and they would be at risk of setting the ceiling on fire. "Oh, okay," Fluttershy responded, and dipping her head, she turned back towards the door as Twilight began to ascend the stairs to the second story. Pinkie lived together with the Cakes, and the second story of Sugar Cube Corner naturally consisted of the living quarters for the five of them. There was the Cakes' bedroom as well as Pound and Pumpkin's room, set across the hall from each other. Each one sat solemnly, as it had for who-knows how long, quietly preserved with little more than a layer of dust to show age. The sun had faded the colors beneath it where it had shown through the windows, while the ones in the shadows were vibrant and dark. The windows rattled aggressively as Twilight passed between the rooms, the windstorm raging outside. Without the destructive force of the elements tearing at it, the interior of the building and its contents had been spared being torn apart and withered. Rather, it seemed to be suspended in a quiet stasis, like the inside of a tomb. Upon reaching Pinkie's room, however, she found it to be much more... vibrant. The colors had outright refused to fade, and everything seemed to be just as the pink pony would have left it. Odds and ends, little items of no significant value other than sentimental weight littered the room. Instruments, gag items, balls and building blocks. Various toys and a stack of board game boxes sat in the corner of the room, piled in place with no rhyme or reason. The bed was already made, blue sheets and a pastel pink comforter leisurely thrown across it, and there were a number of pillows and stuffed animals resting upon them. They looked so soft and fluffy, and there wasn't a speck of dust to be found anywhere. It was as if Pinkie had been there the entire time, living there as usual while the world decayed outside. "Pinkie?" Twilight said weakly as she wandered into the party pony's sanctuary. Pinkie was nowhere to be found, so Twilight began to examine the bedroom with a keener eye. In a way it was comforting, being up here, but there was also a jarring dissonance about it that unsettled Twilight even more than she'd already been. Why would it be so... normal when everything else had begun to fade and fall apart? There had to be a reason for it, and the more she found the more it seemed like Pinkie had something to do with it, or at least knew more about it than she'd let on just yet. Casing the room, there was nothing “unusual” that Twilight could find until something caught the unicorn’s attention out of the corner of her eye. Sitting back against the wall, just under the pink mare's bed, was a tin bucket. It was yellow with a big blue star on it and a pair of pink stripes, one at the lip and one at the base. Peering under the bed, Twilight grasped it telekinetically and pulled it out into the open to examine it. It looked as if it was old but well kept, the interior appearing to have been scrubbed regularly to prevent corrosion. It appeared to be empty, the object light and easily manipulated within Twilight’s ethereal grasp, but as she leaned forward to more closely examine the bucket, her nose was assaulted by the recognizable stench of bile. She pulled a face as the foul odor invaded her nostrils and took to violating her sense of smell. Thoroughly disgusted, she quickly slid the bucket back underneath the bed and out of sight. As she turned to leave, Twilight shook her head. This was bizarre. Had Pinkie actually taken the time to clean up, or was this just another anomaly in an increasingly unsettling situation? It had to be significant. Unfortunately, that significance was that Pinkie was somehow connected to what was- "Hi, Twilight!" A bright, bubbly voice rang out and Twilight lept into the air, whirling around as she instinctively attempted to warp onto Pinkie's bed. The result was not what she had expected. A burst of worryingly familiar static tore at her mind, thrusting her through a blur of searing, colorless fog as she felt sensations not dissimilar to what she would imagine it felt like if the flesh was being slowly flayed off of her head from one side to the other. A moment later she was on her back, lying on the bed with Pinkie staring down at her curiously, a confused expression on her face. Her bright blue eyes were almost aglow in the diffused sunlight filtering in from outside. "Are you alright, Twilight? Wow! You threw yourself for a loop that time! Oh! Hey! Did you find any clues? I've been looking all over the place, but I haven't seen anything," Pinkie said as she bounded about on her bed, the springs groaning with each bounce before she leapt off to the floor. "N-no, nothing..." Twilight responded. Slowly, she sat up and begin to slide off the bed. Cautiously, almost as if she was afraid to step on the floor again. She set her first hoof down solidly and then followed with the others in quick succession, straightening out her nerves as she closed her eyes. Watching the vague impression of something crawling around in the dark behind her eyelids for a moment, Twilight's eyes snapped back open suddenly and she gave a start, as if she had just fallen asleep for a second. Had she? The bookish mare had been extremely worn down from the whole experience thus far. It wasn't too unreasonable to think so. Pinkie turned her head slowly to the side, craning her neck around until she was looking upside down at Twilight from below. "Oh! Well, okie dokie, then! Just remember to tell me if you see anything! Okay? I need all the clues I can get!" And with that the pink pony turned, giving a giggle and a snort, and sprung out into the hallway. A moment later, Twilight could hear a series of dull thumps sounding as Pinkie bounced her way down the hall and then the stairs, heading back towards the kitchen again. Twilight put her hoof against her head, rubbing her temple for a moment as she tried to collect herself. All the pieces had to fit together somehow; she just didn't have all of them yet. There wasn't a complete picture to look at, but a thousand little details were all being catalogued in her mind. The inconsistencies and patterns. The way things seemed to suffer so from exposure to the elements. The way sheltered items were preserved but had still been struck by a passage of time that had seemed to come from nowhere. If time had really passed then there would be differences. Some things would have disappeared, been torn down or replace. New buildings would have been built. The would have been different stands in the market. Something would be different at least. But as it were, it was as if everyone had simply... left. Had that roving darkness done this? And the spectres. She didn't even want to think about those at the moment... It was that thought that snapped Twilight to attention once more as she felt herself begin to drift off. She couldn't sleep alone. There was no way. Quickly making her way to the door, she gave one last look into Pinkie's room before trudging back down the hallway to the stairwell. She would feel better with her friends around. As long as they were together, they could overcome this. Slowly descending the stairs, Twilight returned to the front room to find her friends all gathered around. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had found a spot near the counter and were relaxing there. Fluttershy looked, as usual, both worried and generally apprehensive, as she lay curled up against Rainbow's side. The multi-hued pegasus had draped her wing over Fluttershy and was keeping watch hawkishly. There was a smirk on her face, but it was a thin veneer if anything. Pinkie had taken to examining an old dried out cupcake from one of the cases. She picked it up and looked it over appraisingly before taking a big bite out of it. It gave a crunch, and Pinkie began to chew, looking less than impressed at the results. Rarity and Applejack looked to each other and put their hooves up to stifle a giggle. A soft warmth settled into Twilight's chest as she stepped into the room with all her friends. There were few things that made her feel better than to be around them, and with that she finally managed a smile. "Oh, Twilight! You're back! I'd wondered what was taking you so long..." Rarity said, her eyes bright despite the destruction to her make-up. "I was about to suggest we go up and look for you... Best to stick together in a situation like this, after all." "Right... sorry, I just wanted to make sure Pinkie was okay." Her sentence was punctuated by the said pink mare letting out a soft 'blech' and tossing the offending cupcake somewhere behind the counter. "Well, at least we're all here in one piece," Applejack said, heading over towards the window. She looked out at the street as the billowing clouds of dust tore down the road, carried by intense winds. Her gaze matched their intensity and her expression became hard for a moment. "Ah didn't like wandering all over town like that, on account of being up against something we ain't got any idea 'bout... I mean... First everypony disappears on us, then there's that thing that chased us down the road... and then the pond, and now this! Everything's all dried up like a June bug husk, and we haven't the faintest as to why it happened!" Twilight approached her rugged companion and placed a weary hoof upon her back, just at the nape of her neck. "Don’t worry, Applejack. We'll get to the bottom of this... We can handle it!" Twilight reassured her friend, trying to push some gung-ho into her voice. She really wasn't feeling it, but she had to reassure herself as much as Applejack... "I hope so, Twilight. I hope so." As Applejack gazed outside, the sunlight began to dim and through the dust she could see the sun start to slide down towards the mountains. "The sun's setting..." Applejack stated, causing Twilight to look up. Indeed it was, faster than the Princess would allow and as if in response to that, the structure of Sugar Cube Corner gave a low groan. The wind began to die down rapidly, and before any of them had really noticed, it started to grow uncomfortably cold in the waning light. "Um... girls! You know, this is just me, but I think we might want to head back to the kitchen! It's starting to get chilly in here and it's a lot cosier in the kitchen, anyway. ...and safer? Maybe?" Pinkie said, giving a broad grin that attempted to mask a sense of urgency in her tone... As the shadows rose up to cover the walls, the glass storefront began to crinkle softly as the temperature fell. There wasn't enough moisture in the air for frost but the floorboards were quickly growing uncomfortably cold underneath Applejack and Twilight's hooves as they began to back away from the front of the bakery. Dash nudged Fluttershy to her hooves as Rarity made her way back to the kitchen. Pinkie Pie bounded after them and stopped in the doorway as a pitch-like darkness began to creep up the exterior of the shop, the timber and glass of Sugar Cube Corner's once cheerful facade moaning in protest. Twilight gave a surprised gasp, and her breath condensed in the air before her, a little web of frost forming abruptly on the window before her from the sudden introduction of moisture. "Ah reckon we should listen to Pinkie an' head back." "Yeah, definitely."

Prince Colgate

144

Princess Luna,Rarity,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Song in the Shadows

hiatus

<p>Luna discovers a link to another world in her fireplace, and calls upon The Doctor to help her.</p><p>Also, it may look like I went on Equestria Daily and copied Dashalicious' story called The Fireplace and just changed the name, but no, that was me, Prince Colgate is just my new handle.</p><p>Also, I want the world to know that I did Doctor X Octavia first. It's just the part with her hasn't reached ED yet.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T08:43:15+00:00

2011-07-11T08:43:15+00:00

“Listen to me Rarity.” The strange, fleshy creature was on stood in front of her, holding a pocket watch in his fleshy hand. “When I do this, everything that I am now is in this watch. Have me open it when the time comes, okay? And not a moment sooner.” “Why, of course. But what are you...” Rarity was confused. “I’m counting on you to take care of me when I’m like you.” The creature smiled. “But... We just met. Why do you trust me?” “Because I know an honest person... Or... Equine when I see one. Trust me, I’m a Doctor.” “I... I won’t let you down, sir.” Rarity returned the smile, as the creature placed the strange device he’d called the Chameleon Arch over his head. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Princess Luna stood on her balcony, admiring the beautiful night sky. She was quite proud of her creation, even if nopony else was. Her chamber was pitch black, aside from the light illuminating from her lit fireplace. She smiled at the night sky, and then turned around, heading into her chamber. She sat down in front of her fireplace and looked into it. She stared deeply into the burning cinders, watching the flames rise and fade away. The fire burnt strongly, filling the room with a small ammount of heat. “Hello?” Luna said, as though to herself. “Are you there? Can you hear me?” She waited for a few moments in silence, still staring deeply in the fire. After several moments, she frowned and turned away. Speaking never seemed to work. Only writing worked. She used her magic to grab a quill and some paper. On the paper she wrote “How did it go?” She tossed the note into the fire and watched it burn away to ashes. She was admittedly a little nervous. Her one good friend in the world, and she couldn’t help him at all. Even a Princess can only reach so far. Her one good friend in the world, and she’d never even seen him in person. Nor did she understand how she was able to communicate with him only through such... Unusual means. The fire crackled suddenly and violently, and out flew a rather charred looking piece of paper. Luna hurried over and picked it up. All that was written on it was the words “No luck.” She frowned again. She turned the paper over and wrote “I’m sorry...” on the back. She tossed the note into the fireplace and headed back out to her balcony. Luna found great comfort staring into the night sky. Wherever he was, whoever he was, she had hoped that Riley felt the same comfort. To think, she only knew him through some sort of unexplained gateway within her fireplace, that came out who knows where? She hoped she would find out one day... Somehow... His name was Riley. It was such an odd name, unlike any she’d ever heard. He was a struggling musician in some far off land. She longed to meet him, but knew that the odds of that ever happening were actually rather slim. The fireplace burned and crackled majestically in front of Princess Luna’s eyes. She swore that if she stared into it long enough, she could see images, bizarre images, unlike anything she’d ever seen. Finally, the fire popped violently and a charred piece of paper came flying out. “I feel kind of insane...” Luna read out loud. “Pretty much my only friend is someone I’ve never even met in person... Heh...” Luna could totally relate. “I know the feeling. Sometimes I feel like I’m all alone in the world... At least we have each other.” She wrote and threw the paper back in. The fire quickly consumed the paper, reducing it to ash. Luna watched as the smoke rose from the fire and up into the chimney. Luna knew that she probably couldn’t figure out this phenomenon by herself... So she decided to seek assistance. Off of the top of her head, she couldn’t think of anypony who may better understand what’s going on... That’s when it occurred to she was a Princess, and she has many followers, there had to be at least ONE of them who could be of use. Then she remembered him. A pony who had helped her before in her time of need. She knew that he was her last chance... And getting a hold of him was anything but easy. Luckily for her, she had plenty of useful resources. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rarity and a brown pony with a darker brown mane walked together down the streets of Ponyville. “I really appreciate your help, Doc.” Rarity beamed at the handsome stallion. “Oh, it’s my pleasure. Anything for an old friend.” The stallion smiled. Rarity shared the smile, secretly hoping the stallion would stay around longer this time. He was a traveller, never really stayed in one spot for very long. “I’m not TOO busy today, won’t you stay for tea at the very least?” “Well, I guess it couldn’t...” Doc stopped. He turned to see a bulletin board beside him, On it was a relatively large bulletin, that read “Experts of the supernatural and the paranormal needed at the Canterlot Castle.” It was a simple, vague request. But Doc knew that he certainly was an expert on all things Supernatural and Paranormal. Rarity noticed his interest. “I’ll take that as a no then...” “A request from Canterlot castle... It must be something big.” “I see...” “You... Can come along if you’d like. It would be just like old times.” “I’m sorry, but I cannot. I have work to do.” “Oh.. Well, I’ll see you around then.” “Farewell, Doctor.” And with that, the stallion turned and trotted off. Rarity was left alone in the streets. Now who was going to help her re-arrange the shop? She was sure she could find more help. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Any luck yet?” Luna asked the guard in her chamber. “Not yes, Miss Luna.” He shook his head. “Hundreds of applicants, but none of them seem good. We’re interviewing them rigorously, just like you instructed.” “Good, good... As you were.” “Yes your majesty.” The guard bowed his head and exited the chamber. Luna turned her head to the crackling fireplace once more. The mystery that fireplace held wasn’t one she could figure out on her own. In fact, she was convinced that there was only one stallion in existence who could help her, and he’s long gone by now. Princess Luna sighed in resignation and stepped out on the balcony again. The beautiful night sky was her last source of true comfort in the world. Something about it seemed to make all her cares just melt away. The blissful silence was soon interrupted by a low, roaring sound, coming from inside her chamber. She looked in and smiled, as she saw a blue Pony Call Box fade into existese into the middle of her chamber. The door opened and a brown stallion with a darker brown mane stepped out. “Couldn’t get passed security?” Luna chuckled. “Those guys are tough, and their interview makes no sense... Almost impossible to pass.” “Of course, the interview IS impossible. I knew you would be able to find another way. You and only you.” “You could have just requested me specifically.” “Oh yeah, request a Doctor, every physician in Equestria would show up at my doorstep.” “Very good point. Well then, Miss Luna, what is it you need assistance with?” “Sit down, Doctor, we have much to discuss.” The Doctor sat down on Luna’s couch in front of the fireplace. She sat down beside him, her gaze fixed on the fireplace. She sighed heavily and began to tell the story. It was about two months before the present day. Princess Luna was sitting in front of her fireplace, considering sleeping. It had been a long night, and the next night promised to be even longer. She had a lot of work to make up after being gone for a thousand years. The fireplace started behaving oddly. The flames would grow and shrink randomly, and there were occassional, unnatural bursts of sparks. This was unsettling, so Luna stood up and walked over to the fireplace to see what was the matter. That was when a piece of burnt paper shot out, saying “I hate my life.” Luna was obviously quite shocked by this. After the initial shock wore off, she decided to respond. What could it hurt? “She turned the paper over and, on the back, wrote “Why is that?” She then tossed the paper back into the fire. Not long later, another note returned. “Can’t get a job, I have no money... Really sucks. But hey, life goes on right?” Unable to find more room to write, Luna grabbed another paper and wrote “Oh, that must be horrible. I kind of no the feeling... I worked really hard on something once, and my reward was being banished to the moon for a thousand years.” And she tossed the paper in. “You’re a very strange burn barrel.” The next paper from the fireplace read. “I’m not a barrel, I’m an alicorn. My name is Luna.” She replied. “Ah. Interesting. My name’s Riley. You seem to be living inside of a barrel.” “Well, you’re living inside a fireplace.” “Touche.” “And that’s basically how it’s been going for two months. I’ve gathered that he’s some sort of musician...” Luna finished explaining. “So... You seem to have uncovered some sort of crack in space and time or something.” “... You don’t sound so sure.” “I’ve never actually seen anything like it. Well, I have, but I’m still not entirely sure what it is. Basically, whatever is on the other side of that fireplace could be a land far away, could even be from a different time period. There’s no telling what’s beyond it.” “I don’t think Riley’s a pony...” “Make’s sense, he probably isn’t. Riley’s not much of a pony name... Sounds almost... Hm... I’m not entirely sure.” “Is there anyway I can... See him? Or talk to him... Like, in person?” “Oh, of course there is, there always is.” He paused. “However, I’m not entirely sure how. And I know it won’t be easy.” “Well, figure it out. That’s what I summoned you here for.” “Alright then.” The Doctor trotted over to his blue box. “Give me ten minutes. I’ll be right back.” “You’d better.” And with that, The Doctor stepped into his little blue box, and he was off. Luna sat down in front of the fireplace, and waited. She was hopeful. The Doctor returned to Luna exactly 11 minutes after he left. “My apologies, took longer than I expected.” He apologized, as he exited the TARDIS, carrying a heavy looking computer on his back. He placed it in front of the fireplace. “Now, let’s begin.” He sat down in front of it and started pressing buttons. “What’s that thing?” Luna, asked, intrigued. “This, is a device that will tell us everything we ever wanted to know. About this fireplace, and this Riley fellow at least.” Eventually, something popped up on the computer’s small screen. “According to this… This fireplace has some sort of dimensional rift that leads to a planet called… Earth. Ah Earth, I’ve been there once or twice. Strange place. The ponies there are so… Unintelligent. You’re probably dealing with a human here. They’re the only species there intelligent enough to write. Amazing how they speak the same language as us. “A… Human?” “Yeah, they’re sorta like us, only they stand on two legs, and they have these magnificent apposable thumbs. But they can’t fly or use magic, so I guess they have their downsides. Good creatures though, a lot like ponies in personality. I can see why you didn’t notice the difference.” “Oh… Interesting…” “Yes. Oh, I should have known, Riley is a very human name.” “So… Is there anyway… I could see him?” “Well, there’s some sort of magical anomaly that sends the letters… At this point, you could always jump into the fire and burn to death, and your mutilated corpse would come out on the other side, so at least he’d know what you look like. OR I could try to find a way to open the gateway further and you can just walk through.” “I pick that one…” “I figured you would.” The Doctor smiled and his gaze returned to the small computer, as he worked out a plan in his mind. He wasn’t sure if it would work at all, but, really, there was only one way to be sure... The Doctor turned and trotted back to the TARDIS, and stepped inside, leaving the door open. A few moments later, he re-emerged, with his customary Sonic Screwdriver in his mouth. The Doctor ran his Sonic Screwdriver around the fireplace, then dropped it on the ground to speak. “Well...” The Doctor rubbed his chin with his hoof thoughtfully, then picked up the Screwdriver and carried it over to the TARDIS. “What is it, Doctor?” Luna asked, almost impatiently. “Well, a gateway through time and space inside a fireplace. Oddly enough, I’ve actually worked with something similar to this before...” The Doctor said, after spitting the Screwdriver into the TARDIS. He headed back over the the fireplace, and looked around the edges of it, where he’d waved the Screwdriver. “Before all I had to do was kind of... Push the wall like so...” He pushed against the wall, as though expecting something, but nothing happened. “... Well then.” “What is it?” “Well... Didn’t work as planned... Hold on, I’ll try something else.” The Doctor turned and scurried into his TARDIS. Luna laid down in front of the fireplace, staring into it yet again. She sighed deeply, waiting for The Doctor to come back. She was disheartened when she heard that familiar roaring sound. She turned around and saw the TARDIS fade away. “Doctor!” She shouted out, but she knew he couldn’t hear her. Luna gloomily flopped down on her couch, feeling abandoned and alone. She couldn’t even feel Riley’s presence anymore like she thought she had before. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly alone. Then, she felt a strange, unexplained gust coming from the direction of the fireplace. She heard a sound, familiar, but different. A very faint roaring sound. Her eyes lit up and she watched as a blue Police Call Box faded into existence between her and the fireplace. Something about it seemed... Different. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but the TARDIS had changed. The TARDIS opened, and a bright light shown from inside. Out of it stepped... A creature, definitely not a pony. It stood on two legs, and had... Claws, or talons, only they weren’t sharp. It wore clothes too, and didn’t have a tail. It had long black pants, held up by suspenders. He wore a tan suit, with a white shirt with vertical red stripes underneath. To top it all off was a little red bowtie around his neck. His mane was black, and seemed to be all pushed to one side... Yet strangely, it went over the entire top of his head, all the way down to the ears on the side of his head. “You’re a...” Luna stood, bewildered. “A human?” “No. Not quite.” The creature before her said in a quiet, pleasant voice. He had a strange accent, similar to that of the exceptionally regal ponies... Though it sounded much less forced. “Miss Luna!” His voice got louder, and slightly higher pitched. “This is where things get complicated.

Prince Colgate

144

Princess Luna,Rarity,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Song in the Shadows

hiatus

<p>Luna discovers a link to another world in her fireplace, and calls upon The Doctor to help her.</p><p>Also, it may look like I went on Equestria Daily and copied Dashalicious' story called The Fireplace and just changed the name, but no, that was me, Prince Colgate is just my new handle.</p><p>Also, I want the world to know that I did Doctor X Octavia first. It's just the part with her hasn't reached ED yet.</p>

everyone

2011-07-12T06:10:26+00:00

2011-07-12T06:10:26+00:00

“A Timelord? What in Equestria is a “Timelord?” Rarity questioned The Doctor, who pocketed his Sonic. “A Time Lord. A lord of time. A time traveller. I’m from another universe.” “Another universe? That’s absurd.” “Yes, so absurd it just has to be true, right?” The Doctor looked at Rarity, who returned an unpleased glare. “No? Well, I guess I’ll just have to prove it to you then.” The Doctor stepped back to his TARDIS and opened it. “Step inside” he motioned Rarity in. “Why should I trust you?” “Because you’re curious?” “... Right then.” Rarity poked her head inside the box and gasped. “It’s... It’s bigger on the inside! That doesn’t make any sense!” “About as much sense as a Timelord from another universe, right?” “Rarity withdrew from the TARDIS and glared at The Doctor. Her general unamused face sank into an expression of submission. “Fine, I’ll trust you. What was that you said about my world being in grave danger?” “Oh! Right, that. Well, basically, your world is in grave danger.” “Yes, I gathered that.” She frowned, in an annoyed fashion. “Yes, I’ll bet you’re expecting an explanation.” Rarity nodded. “Of course, that’s a perfectly rational response given the situation. Alright, I’ll get you up to speed. I don’t know what’s going on at all. You are now up to speed.” “Oh, well THAT was enlightening.” “Yes. Moving right along, I’ll need help, I need to blend in for a while.” “Oh yes, you’re going to fit in MARVELOUSLY.” “Okay, Ponies know sarcasm, good to know.” Rarity huffed and turned her head. “Well, there is a way I could blend in... But I’m hoping to save that for a last resort.” “You’re a peculiar sort of... Timelord was it?” “Yes, Timelord, lord of time, Chronarch if you prefer. I don’t hear that term a lot, Chronarch. I kinda like it. Gender-neutral too!” “For Equestria being in grave danger, you’re awfully peppy.” “Well, you get used to the whole ‘impending doom’ thing after a while.” “So this is normal for you?” “Oh yes, of course. Now... I’ve seen a lot of cracks in time lately, but not quite like this. This wasn’t as much of a crack as a well made incision...” “What are you rambling about?” “A crack... Or incision in space and time. Something wanted to get through to the other world... Or something wanted to get into this world, hard to tell really?” “Why would anything want to do either of those things?” “Hard to tell really. Probably something big, something powerful, something... Brilliant...” “What, anything in mind?” “No... Well, sort of. It’s complicated. A gap like that wasn’t really... Accessible.” “What ever do you mean?” “If something wanted to get out of this universe... Or, into it, they would need a more accessible crack, one a living creature could actually travel through.” “Then what’s the point of a crack like that?” “... To attract attention.” The Doctor turned and hurried into his TARDIS, pulling the door behind him. “Oh no you don’t!” Rarity stopped the door with her hoof. “You’re not leaving me behind. I am FAR too involved now to just walk away.” “Yes... And far too curious. Fine then, you can come.” The Doctor submitted rather easily, in need of a companion who knew the land anyway. “This... Thing, is simply marvelous. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen!” “Yeah, I get that a lot.” The Doctor walked a circle around the control panel before turning back to Rarity. “So why cut a perfect little gash in space and time if nothing can go through it aside from some magical fire? You wouldn’t do it to travel of course. You would do it to get someone’s attention.” “That’s absurd.” “Something like that in Princess Luna’s chamber, of course she’ll notice it eventually. But what’s the point? Why would they want Luna’s attention?” “Well, she IS a Goddess and all.” “Yes, she is. But she clearly isn’t useful in a field like this, otherwise she wouldn’t have contacted... OH! Of course! Put a neat little incision in Luna’s fireplace, she’ll want answers. To get those answers she calls upon the greatest minds in Equestria, looking specifically for one!” “And who might that be?” “ME! Oh I get it now, she’d already met me, a different me, not this me, I change from time to time. So odds are whatever opened that incision is looking for me.” “Oh, so you have enemies then?” “One or two, you know how it is, travelling through time and space, saving the universe again and again, after a while you do get noticed.” “So all of Equestria is in danger because something is looking for you?” “No, both universes are in incredible danger because something’s after me. Believe me, it’ll get even worse if they find me.” “Well, you have some sort of plan, right?” “Oh, of course not. I never have a plan. Do I look like a man with a plan?” The Doctor still circled the control panel. “I really don’t know actually. I don’t know what a... Man with a plan looks like. I thought you were a Timelord?” “I am, man is just a... A figure of speech or something. Alright, bottom line, whatever’s looking for me can’t find me, or a very bad thing will happen. Possibly several bad things. Not sure what things would happen, but they would be bad.” The Doctor pressed a couple of buttons and twisted a valve on the TARDIS control panels. “So you need to hide then?” “I do. But whatever it is, I’m sure they can track down a Timelord. Probably not hard at all. “Didn’t you say earlier that you had something you could do as a last resort. If you don’t have a plan, this is probably a good time for a last resort.” The Doctor stopped circling the controls. His expression on his face changed, the usual peppiness flushed from his eyes, and his natural smile fading into a frown. “Yes... You’re probably right.” His voice was much quieter. “Is something wrong?” “My last resort... It’s called a Chameleon Arch. It can completely change my genetic structure, everything about me would change. I could turn myself into an equine like you, but at the expense of everything that makes me... Well, me.” Rarity got quiet. Something about this creature perplexed her, enough so that she dreaded losing him, even though they’d only just met. When Rarity didn’t speak up, The Doctor continued. “I won’t remember any of this. I’ll remember some of it, but it will be like remembering a dream, and that’s exactly what I’ll think it is.” “But... We need you...” ““You’ll be fine for now. Listen to me Rarity.” The strange, fleshy creature was on stood in front of her, holding a pocket watch in his fleshy hand. “When I do this, everything that I am now is in this watch. Have me open it when the time comes, okay? And not a moment sooner.” “How will I know when the time comes, though?” “Something strange will happen, something... Dangerous, potentially catastrophic, something that could potentially shatter reality. Basically, when the universe needs its Doctor. Can you do that for me?” “Why, of course. But what are you...” Rarity was confused. “I’m counting on you to take care of me when I’m like you.” The creature smiled. “But... We just met. Why do you trust me?” “Because I know an honest person... Or... Equine when I see one. Trust me, I’m the Doctor.” “I... I won’t let you down, sir.” Rarity returned the smile, as the creature placed the strange device he’d called the Chameleon Arch over his head. Rarity stood in aw as the Doctor shrieked in pain as electric pulses surged through his body. She watched as his body morphed into that of a brown earth pony. His mane was strikingly similar to his hair as a Timelord, combed down over one side of his face. His tail was a standard, dark brown, spikey tail, and all his clothes had fallen off, all except his bow tie. “Doctor?” She asked coyly. “Whoah.” The Doctor scurried to his hooves. “What happened?” “Oh, this is going to be difficult.” Rarity whispered under her breath. “Wh... Where am I? I don’t remember...” “You’re a... Friend of mine, your name is Doctor... Um... Doctor Whooves.” Rarity was ashamed of the pathetic attempt of a name. It was also at this moment that Rarity noticed his cutie mark, or the lack thereof. He was a blank flank. “Doctor Whooves? What?” Rarity proceeded to tell Doctor Whooves his own story. How he was an assistant at her Boutique, how she met him when he was just a little colt, when his parents had abandoned him, and her family took him in. She told him the story that she crafted on the spot. She went with him out of the TARDIS, lucky that he was too dazed to notice that the box was bigger on the inside. She got him back to the boutique, all the while explaining his new life to him. She explained that he would help around the boutique, doing simple jobs, carrying fabric, running errands, the type of stuff she would have Sweetie Belle do if she were more competent. That night, after Whooves had gone to bed, she lay awake in her bed, holding the mysterious fob watch The Doctor had left behind above her head with her magic. Common sense told her to put it away and wait until the time was right... Though she had no idea when that time would be. However, sheer curiosity told her to open it, to take just a quick peak. She tried to fight it, but how could anypony resist something so mysterious? The magical aura holding the fob watch pressed down on the button on top, causing it to snap open. As she stare into it, a sudden surge of energy bolted from it, shooting into her eyes. Within seconds her mind was filled with images of strange cylindrical creatures with egg whisk lazers and plungers for arms, images of shadows that moved and devoured everything in their wake. She snapped the watch shut, her head hurting from one glimpse into the mind of a Timelord. She suddenly wondered how The Doctor could stand to live with all of that, how any Timelord could stand to see the world the way a Timelord does. “I... I’ve been having these dreams.” Doctor Whooves told Rarity. They were sitting together in the Boutique at night after closing shop for the day. “I’m always this... Strange biped. And I go around in this little blue box, saving worlds and stuff like that.” “Oh? How interesting.” Rarity responded, wondering if he was starting to regain his memory, or if he had regained some of it when she had opened the fob watch. “They always seem so... Vivid. As though they’re real events, real adventures...” “Oh don’t be silly. Dreams are dreams, you simply CAN’T pay them too much mind.” “I guess you’re right.” Doctor Whooves sighed. “I think I’m gonna head to bed early. It’s been along day. Goodnight Rarity.” “Sweet dreams.” Rarity smiled at Doctor Whooves as he stood up and headed out of the boutique to the small cottage Rarity had procured for him. She stayed at the boutique for a while, once again thinking about the Fob watch. She picked it up from the small shelf she’d laid it on and examined it. She stared at the watch for a good ten minutes, once again debating opening it and looking inside. It had been a horrifying experience the first time... But something about the watch drew her to it, tempting her to open it again. She stared intently at the watch that floated in front of her, until her attention was broken by a song. It was coming from outside. It was a beautiful song, it sounded like a string instrument. Rarity couldn’t tell which one it was specifically, but she thought it was a cello. She took a peek out the window, and found out she was right. Across the street was a gray furred, down on her luck looking mare, playing a beautiful song on her cello. Rarity’s natural generosity kicked in. She grabbed a few bits from a nearby table and headed out into the night to help the poor mare. As she got closer, she was surprised to find that she recognized the musician. She was the cellist who performed at the Grand Galloping Gala that her and her friends had sort of... Completely ruined... And then she felt bad, thinking that perhaps it was their fault she was out of a job. “Hello dear.” Rarity tried to cover her guilt as best as she could. The gray mare stopped and looked up at Rarity, and recognized her. “Aren’t you that unicorn who flung cake all over Prince Blueblood at the gala?” She asked. “Why... Yes, that was me...” The mare was quiet for a few moments, and then she smiled. “He deserved it.” Rarity was shocked, yet also relieved. She smiled back and laid the bits down at the mare’s feet. “Might I ask why you’re performing on the streets? Surely the Gala wasn’t THAT detrimental to your career...” “Oh, no, not the Gala, not at all...” Her face morphed into a much more solemn expression. "My career fell through after... Well... There was an incident..." "Oh, how terrible. Might I ask what happened?" "Didn't you hear? I thought everypony knew by now. I was performing a solo at a small little theater in Manehattan, when, it sounds absurd, I know, but the shadows, MY shadow, it... Came to life. It tried to attack the ponies watching the performance. They all ran, and I sat there alone, my entire career ruined because they thought I was some sort of evil enchantress.” “Oh, that’s terrible!” Rarity paused, thinking about what had just been said. Shadows attacking ponies wasn’t something that happened everyday, “I happen to have a friend who... May be able to help you. A living shadow you say? That COULD be just strange enough for him...” “What are you talking about?” “Hold on, I’ll be right back, don’t move!” Rarity rushed into the Boutique and grabbed the fob watch. She wasn’t sure if this was truly the right time, but she didn’t have time to question herself. She bolted back out of the door and down the street to the Doctor’s small cottage. She pounded her hoof on the door yelling “DOCTOR! DOCTOR!” The half asleep Doctor Whooves opened the door and gave Rarity a confused look. “Rarity? What is it?” “Here, look at this.” She held the fob watch in front of his face and pressed her hoof against the button. The watch opened and the familiar yellow energy surged into The Doctor. After a few seconds, it stopped, and The Doctor looked up at Rarity. “... Why didn’t I change?” The Doctor asked after a short pause. “When the watch was opened I was supposed to turn back into myself, why am I still an equine?” The Doctor turned around back into his cottage before Rarity could respond. He slid in front of a mirror and examined himself. “I’m a pony now then. Alright, that’s okay, ponies are cool. At least I still have the bowtie.” “So you’re stuck like this then?” “Seems like it. Wait a minute...” The Doctor noticed something strikingly peculiar. “What’s this thing on my flank?” “Oh, that’s your cutie mark of course.” That’s when it hit her. “Wait, weren’t you a blank flank before?” “No idea what that means, but whatever you said, yes. This, hourglass shaped, tattoo type thing on my flank seems to imply that I DID change to some extent just then. What is the purpose of these cutie marks?” “Oh, well they appear whenever a pony discovers their secret talent in life.” “Perfect, hourglasses represent time, my special talent is time, I’m a timelord again, even though I look like a pony, isn’t that fantastic!?” The Doctor smiled. “Yes, that is pretty... Fantastic.” “... No, not fantastic, the other thing. Impossible. I should be back to normal right now...” “Oh... Well I don’t know what...” “Wait! Rarity, why exactly did you bring me back so soon?” “Oh. Well, I believe I’ve found what you were looking for...”

Prince Colgate

144

Princess Luna,Rarity,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Song in the Shadows

hiatus

<p>Luna discovers a link to another world in her fireplace, and calls upon The Doctor to help her.</p><p>Also, it may look like I went on Equestria Daily and copied Dashalicious' story called The Fireplace and just changed the name, but no, that was me, Prince Colgate is just my new handle.</p><p>Also, I want the world to know that I did Doctor X Octavia first. It's just the part with her hasn't reached ED yet.</p>

everyone

2011-07-21T00:43:11+00:00

2011-07-21T00:43:11+00:00

The Doctor sat down in front of Rarity as she told him all about her conversation with Octavia. The Doctor gave a worried frown then proceed with the brain-thinking. “Living shadows? Oh, that’s not too bad. WELL, that’s sort of bad. WELL, not good. Very not good.” “Well what ever does it mean? Have you worked with this before?” “Once or twice. There was this library, and these people. Most of them died, not my best work.” “Wait, they DIED? How did you stop them?” “Oh, I used my head to formulate a brilliant plan.” “And what was that?” “We ran away.” The Doctor stood up and walked to the door. “The Vashta Nerada. Swarms of microscopic carnivorous organisms flying around in the shadows. Basically, very bad things.” “And they’re clinging to Octavia?” “Yes, see, that’s the part that doesn’t make sense. If they’re clinging to Octavia, she should be pretty dead by now. Pretty really dead.” “Well, you have to help her then!” “Yes, of course. I have a plan. The Vashta Nerada are just shadows right? Basically, yes. So all I really have to do is flood the shadows with light. That should work. It’s like when you see something scary in the dark so you shine a flashlight at it and it goes away. Actually, exactly like that, since the scary thing in the dark is usually the Vashta Nerada.” “You know, I can hardly understand half of the stuff you’re saying.” “That’s okay, I like it that way. After all, you’re only human... Er... Equine.” Octavia stared down at her empty cup, her cello laying at her side, as she began to give up hope. Just then, at the darkest of moments, a few bits fell down into her cup. She looked up to see an unusual looking stallion with a bowtie. “Allo” he said. “Hello there. Thank you very much.” Octavia smiled. “Ah, don’t mention it. So, I heard that you’re some sort of... Ahem, evil enchantress?” Octavia sighed. “If that’s what you want to believe, then yes.” “Well, good thing I don’t want to believe that. Now, tell me, what ACTUALLY happened?” Octavia’s eyes brightened slightly as she realized this stallion wasn’t like the rest. She smiled slightly as she told him the same story she told Rarity. The Doctor nodded as she spoke, and then knelt down beside her cello. “So, this is the magical device?” He asked, reaching for his sonic before remembering that he didn’t have fingers anymore to grab the sonic with, or even clothes to hold it on. He frowned and turned back to Octavia. “Yeah, I was just playing this song, Shadow of Your Smile. It was a strange song, like none I’d ever heard, and I just loved it.” The Doctor’s eyes seemed to widen slightly at the name of the song. “Really now? Well that’s not right.” “What do you mean?” “I know that song. It was written by a human, Johnny Mandel, on Earth.” “Human? Earth? I’m afraid I don’t understand.” “Exactly! You SHOULDN’T understand, you SHOULDN’T know what humans and Earth are, and you CERTAINLY shouldn’t know this song. And yet you do... Was this performance your first time performing it? “Yes, it was the first time this song had ever been performed in Equestria.” “Would you mind playing it for me? Right here? I might be able to help.” “Oh, well, of course.” Octavia nervously picked up her cello and began to play the Shadow of your Smile. The Doctor grew both uneasy and intrigued as he confirmed that the song she was playing WAS the 1960’s Earth hit he was so fond of. His eyes widened yet again though as he noticed something very unsettling. “Octavia, you can stop now.” She obeyed, and laid the cello back down. “All right then, what did you find out?” “Oh, nothing BAD persay. Just something very, very, VERY not good.” “Wh... What’s that then?” “You have two shadows.” Octavia turned and looked behind her. She has one shadow that casted in the direction it logically should, and another one casted at a 90 degree angle from the other. “Octavia, hold still. They haven’t killed you yet, so you SHOULD be fine. I’ll be RIGHT back.” Rarity looked out her window to see The Doctor running by, back out to the desert. Concerned, she followed after him. “Doctor!” She shouted at him. “Rarity, what are you doing?” He shouted back, still running. “Can’t I help you somehow?” He was quiet for a few moments, then remembered that, as a unicorn, Rarity’s magic would be helpful. “Yes, yes you can!” The Doctor slowed to a stop in front of the TARDIS, and gave the exhausted, panting Rarity a chance to catch up. When she was beside him, he opened the door and stepped in. He ran up a flight of stairs, out of sight, while Rarity caught her breath. After a few moments, several large floodlights rolled down the stairs. “Can you use your magic to hang these on the walls around the room?” “Well, I may.” Rarity tested to see if she could lift one. It was heavy, but liftable. “Yes, yes I can.” “Good, good. All right.” The Doctor hurried to the control panel. “Let’s do this!” The Doctor rammed his hoof against the controls, hitting multiple buttons. He’d completely forgotten about the whole hooves thing yet again. He reached to grab another lever, but just hit more buttons. “Well, this is gonna be difficult.” Octavia stood perfectly still. In the corned of her eye, she could see her second shadow moving, growing. She started to panic, wishing The Doctor would hurry up. Just then, off in the distance, she could see a strange little blue thing in the sky, jerking back and forth uncontrollably. As it got closer, she could see that it was a strange blue box with a little light on top. As it got closer, she also became aware that it was heading straight towards her. Her first instinct was to get out of the way, but she remembered The Doctor’s stern warning, and didn’t move. The box hit the ground a few yards in front of her and skidded across the ground, stopping a few inches in front of her. The doors flung open, and The Doctor and Rarity pulled her in. “Hey, it’s you again!” Octavia recognized Rarity as they positioned her in the center of the floodlights. “Indeed it is.” Rarity noticed the double shadows. She then understood the floodlights. “Doctor, are you sure this will work?” The Doctor grabbed his sonic in his mouth and aimed it at each one of the floodlights, super-charging them. “‘Ope!” The Doctor said with the sonic still in his mouth, before activating the floodlights. The TARDIS was filled with a sudden, blinding light. The Doctor put on sunglasses and watched Octavia. Her natural shadow was gone, but the secondary shadow remained. It twisted into an almost humanoid shape, then twisted around violently, as though in terrible pain, before finally evaporating. The Doctor killed the floodlights, an incredibly confused look on his face. He stepped down to where Octavia was, and Rarity followed. “What happened? Is it gone?” Octavia asked. “Yes. It is. And you know what that means?” The Doctor answered, and Octavia and Rarity gave him confused looks. “That means something either really good, or incredibly terrible.” “What do you mean?” Octavia asked. “I mean I was wrong. You see, if we really WERE dealing with the Vashta Nerada, that shouldn’t have worked. You can’t kill the Vashta Nerada that easily. That means we’re dealing with something completely different. Possibly something better. Likely something much worse. There’s no telling really, it’s just usually best to assume and prepare for the worst.” Octavia turned to Rarity. “What in Equestria is he on about?” “I have no idea. It’s best to just not ask questions.” She answered. Octavia smiled. “So then, what... Wait a minute...” The Doctor stopped suddenly. “Oh, that’s not right...” “What is it?” Rarity asked. “Think about it, this whole situation, there’s something that doesn’t add up. Something from the very beginning. Wait, never mind, you weren’t there. But it’s not right, not right at all.” “What do you mean?” “... Why didn’t I remember me?” “I don’t understand.” “I thought it was the Chameleon Arch... How did I not notice this before? I’m not even the same, not at all. I shouldn’t look like this, and more importantly, I shouldn’t remember. All that said, the only reason I wouldn’t remember myself then would be.... That wasn’t me...” The Doctor returned to Luna after his voyage to the other universe. He comforted her since she was still feeling down because of Riley. When he was done, he stepped into his TARDIS and headed off. Something still confused him though. The strange looking biped creature who claimed to be The Doctor, was that supposed to be him in the past? He didn’t understand why he didn’t remember something like that. Something just wasn’t right. He set the TARDIS to a random location and let it land. When he stepped out, he was in the middle of a small clearing in the Everfree Forest. Then, to his complete surprise, he heard another roaring sound, as another TARDIS materialized right next to his. “Wait here.” The Doctor told Rarity as he stepped out of the TARDIS. He looked to his left and saw The Doctor from Luna’s Chamber standing right beside him, in front of his own TARDIS. “Ah, glad I found you.” The Doctor on the left said. “Yes, me too.” The other Doctor replied. “I want to check something.” He grabbed his sonic screwdriver in his mouth and held it out to the other Doctor. The other Doctor did the same, and they touched their screwdrives together. Nothing happened. “Would you look at that?” The left Doctor said after spitting out his screwdriver. “The same screwdriver at two different points in its own time stream would probably make a little spark. Well, a pretty big spark. Well, could POSSIBLY put a big ol’ crack in the universe. That means they’re different screwdrivers, which must mean...” “We’re different Doctors.” The right Doctor spit his sonic out as well. “That makes sense. You’re me in another universe.” “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? Of course Timelords exist in other universes too. The only question is, why were you a biped? Or better, why are you no longer a biped?” “Oh, I’m a pony now. Something went wrong with the Chameleon Arch and I didn’t change back... Are all Timelords equines in this universe?” “Yep! Well, they were. They’re gone now. It’s just me.” “Makes sense, I’m the last in my universe too.” “Yeah, I’m guessing it was pretty much the same situation in every universe.” “Probably. I always just kind of thought the Timelords were exempt from the multi-verse.” “I always thought that too. Guess we’re both living proof that we were both wrong!” “That’s probably ironic. Anyway, your universe appears to be under attack by some sort of bipedal shadow creatures. Do you know of any bipedal races here?” “Nothing comes to mind. There’s rabbits and things sometimes, but most creatures walk on four legs. Most the creatures I’ve met anyway. I’m sure there are plenty out there that I don’t know.” “Hold on, I don’t understand.” Rarity butted in. “Which one of you is actually The Doctor?” “We both are.” The Doctor who had brought Rarity here answered. He turned back to the other Doctor. “You look sort of like an equine version of my previous self. Which incarnation are you on?” “Tenth, this is my tenth incarnation. And you?” “Eleventh. Odd, you seem to have taken a little better care of yourself than I did. So, I thought these shadow creatures were the Vashta Nerada. I was wrong. Pretty sure I was wrong anyway.” “The Vashta Nerada? They aren’t humanoids, they’re microscopic.” “Well, they form together sometimes, and in my experience they took the shape of whatever they attached too.. I really don’t think Octavia’s a humanoid.” “Octavia? I’ve heard of her. The musician right? The one who was disgraced as an evil enchantress?” “Yes, her. The shadow creature latched to her, and became active when she played a song from MY universe. One no one here’s ever heard of. No idea what the creature is, could be anything really.” “There’s still one other question. What broke the universe? Something had to have made the crack in the first place. Seems like the crack was made from your side. You weren’t able to go back?” “Nope. Must be a one way crack.” “Then how come I could go through?” “Hm. I’m not sure. Maybe because you’re not me?” “That could be it. Anyway, what do we do?” “Hm... Rarity!” “Yes Doctor?” Rarity responded. “You need to go with the other Doctor. Tenny. I like that, that sounds good. Tenny, because you’re the tenth.” “Hm, sounds good. What about you?” “How about Ellie? Like eleven?” Rarity suggested. “Ah, that’s good, I like it.” Ellie liked it. “Okay then, Tenny will take Rarity, and I’ll go with Octavia.” “Alright then, Allons-y!” Tenny agreed. “Sounds good. But what are you planning to do?” Rarity asked. “Improvise.” Both Doctors said simultaneously.

Prince Colgate

144

Princess Luna,Rarity,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Song in the Shadows

hiatus

<p>Luna discovers a link to another world in her fireplace, and calls upon The Doctor to help her.</p><p>Also, it may look like I went on Equestria Daily and copied Dashalicious' story called The Fireplace and just changed the name, but no, that was me, Prince Colgate is just my new handle.</p><p>Also, I want the world to know that I did Doctor X Octavia first. It's just the part with her hasn't reached ED yet.</p>

everyone

2011-07-22T04:18:15+00:00

2011-07-22T04:18:15+00:00

The Doctor stepped back into the TARDIS and sauntered over to Octavia. “Where’s Rarity?” She asked him. “She’s going with a friend of mine... There is a very important question I haven’t asked yet, and it surprises me that I haven’t asked it.” “And that is...?” “The Shadow of your Smile. Where did you learn that song?” “Oh I... Well... I’m actually not entirely sure.” The Doctor stopped at the controls, and turned and faced Octavia. He gave a small, almost devious smile. “I just love hearing that. So I’m guessing it came to you in a dream then? Or just randomly popped into your head?” “The dream one. It was just playing in my dream, there was a cello, playing itself. Playing so beautifully. I just HAD to learn to play it for the concert.” “That’s unusual. So whatever put that song in your head must have been from my universe. That or... It WAS my universe. Information from my universe seeping into your head, using you as a link to my universe. Everytime you play that song, you open the link enough for something to get through...” “Then that shadow thing came from your universe?” “Yes, but it’s not the Vashta Nerada... If it’s a weak enough link, then that means it could basically be anything. I’ve seen it before once or twice, a weak link with a universe while still crossing through makes these ghostish, shadow-like things.” “Then what do you think it is?” “Well, some sort of humanoid probably. But why you? What’s so important about you?” “Well... I’m a pretty renound musician. At least I WAS before this whole ordeal.” “No, no, no, I mean what’s IMPORTANT about you. Maybe you were just there? Maybe a coincidence? No, never ignore a coincidence. Unless of course you’re busy, in which case...” The Doctor paused. “No, pretty sure I already used that line. Anyway, yes, a coincidence. Maybe, probably not. Never! Never a coincidence!” “You certainly are a very strange pony.” “I’m not exactly a pony. As in, not at all. I’m a Timelord. I’m from the planet Gallefrey, from a different universe. This is just a disguise... That didn’t want to come off.” “So you’re like... An alien?” “Yes, exactly. I’m an alien disguised to look like one of you equines. See, logically, I SHOULD be back to my normal form by now. It’s like something is holding me here. But what... What could it possibly be...” Meanwhile in Ponyville, Tenny followed Rarity back to the Boutique. “So um... Tenny, was it? What exactly are you Doctors planning to do?” “Well, my job’s simple enough. Wait. Hideout with you for a while. About a year actually, possibly longer, until the time comes. Can’t risk taking the TARDIS into that time area, it’ll blow my cover.” “... So your brilliant plan is to just wait around for a while?” “Oh yes! Until then, I’ll have to act like a normal pony. Probably best if I stay with you for a while. If anyone asks, I’m your...” Rarity’s eyes widened and she blushed ever so slightly. “... Cousin, that’ll do.” She was disappointed. “Maybe I’ll help around the shop or something. Whatever it is normal ponies do.” “Well... This will certainly be interesting.” The Doctor landed the TARDIS and stepped out, Octavia followed. He now dawned a jacket he found in his wardrobe remarkably similar to the one he wore in his Timelord body, that happened to fit him as an equine. A remarkable coincidence. They were in a huge clearing in an unfamiliar forest. “Alright, this should do the trick. Octavia, did we pull your cello in with you back on the street corner?” “You did, it’s back in the TARDIS.” “Go get it.” “Uh... Why?” “Trust me.” “Okay then...” She returned to the TARDIS to fetch the cello. “Why am I still here...” The Doctor pondered out loud. “Why am I still like this? That’s NOT how Chameleon Arches work. Something’s attracting me to this world, and not letting me go. What could be that powerful? Not the Vashta Nerada, definitely not, they’re swarms, nothing else. The Daleks? No, no.... The... Time Lords?” “Okay, I got it.” Octavia interrupted The Doctor’s brain-thinking. “OH! Good, good. Alright then, let’s do this shall we?” “Alright! … What exactly are we doing?” “Shadow of your Smile, play it, would you?” “What? Why?” “I like that song. Just play it.” Octavia nodded and obliged. As she began to play, The Doctor ran into the TARDIS and dragged out some complex computer-like machinery. He laid it on the ground and began to type on it. “Alright then.” He said out loud. “What are you?” As Octavia played, the machinery made some loud beeping sounds and static noise. The Doctor made notes of the shadows casted by the trees around the clearing. “Octavia.” He turned to the mare playing the cello in the middle of an eerie forest. “Close your eyes.” She opened her mouth to question him but he cut her off. “Just do it. Trust me, it could save your life someday.” Octavia closed her eyes and continued playing. The Doctor started running back and forth from one side of the clearing to another, examining the shadows. “Why should I trust you?” She finally asked. “As far as I know, you’re just some madman with a box.” A flood of memories crashed into the Doctor, stopping him in place. He was silent for a few moments before finally responding. “Madman with a box or not, I’m still the best chance you have of getting rid of whatever’s haunting you.” He continued examining the shadows. Octavia continued to play. Finally a reaction. One shadow, a single shadow of a single tree, stretched out of the forest, towards Octavia. The Doctor scurried over to the shadow and knelt in front of it, between the shadow and Octavia. “Okay then, what are you?” The shadow stopped. It disconnected itself from the tree, and slowly rose up and formed into a sillouette of a humanoid creature. It looked rather human. Or Time Lord. Or Kaled even. “That’s good. Now, identify yourself, would you? And maybe you could tell me everything about yourself while you’re at it?” The silhouette was silent. It stood there, facing The Doctor. Absolutely silent. Finally, the shadow started to morph into a more detailed figure. The slacks, the tan jacket, the bowtie, the suspenders, they all became very clear. “Oh no.” The Doctor stepped back. Octavia opened her eyes and stopped playing. She turned to The Doctor and the figure and yelped. “What is that thing!?” She exclaimed. “I’m not entirely sure. I mean, I know what it looks like, but that can’t be right.” “What is it? It’s hideous.” The Doctor shot Octavia a wicked glare. “That’s ME. That’s what I look like normally. And I never thought I was hideous. Most people say I’m gorgeous. I say that too. It’s mostly the bow tie. Bow ties are cool.” He turned back to the imposter. “And you’re wearing a bow tie, so you can’t be THAT bad. Allo, I’m The Doctor? What’s your name?” The creature was silent for a moment, then spoke. “I am The Doctor.” “No, no you’re not, I’ve already met one other me in this universe, you can’t be me too. Anyway, you came from my universe, I’m the only Doctor there, so do us all a favour and chose a new name.” “I am The Doctor.” The figure insisted. His voice was The Doctor’s, though it was a dull monotone, not at all like The Doctor. “I am The Doctor, and you are an imposter.” “No, no, see, I know The Doctor better than anyone. Because he’s me. And you’re not me, or else you’d be over here where I am. Also you would be me. And you’re not. So you’re clearly not The Doctor.” “Well.” Octavia stepped up beside The Doctor. “I haven’t known The Doctor for very long, but I DO know him enough to know that you’re nothing like him. For one, what you say makes too much sense. Two, you...” “Octavia...” The Doctor interrupted. “You stopped playing?” “Yes, I did. So?” “Then the crack should be closed... So how...” “Transfer is completed.” The false Doctor announced. “This universe is now my home. The Doctor is in.” “Okay, THAT sounded like something you would say.” Octavia commented. “Am I REALLY that corny?” The Doctor asked, slightly offended. “Sometimes, yes.” “I am The Doctor. Exterminate. Exterminaaaate.” The Imposter pulled out a Sonic-Screwdriver-like device and aimed it at The Doctor. “Octavia...” The Doctor whispered. “Hm?” She replied. “RUN!” The Doctor turned and bolted for the TARDIS, right as the Imposter fired a bolt of lazer energy from his screwdriver. The Doctor and Octavia made it safely into the TARDIS and instinctively huddled together against the door. “What do we do?!” Octavia asked frantically. “I don’t know, I don’t even know what we’re dealing with yet, I couldn’t possibly...” The two were silent for a moment as they realized they had wound up awkwardly close to each other. They quickly, and simultaneously scooted apart. “Right... So um. It thinks it’s me. “Exterminate” sounds awfully Dalek... But why would the Dalek’s want to imitate me?” “What is a Dalek?” “Oh, sort of my arch-nemesis you could say. Physical embodiment of everything I’ve ever hated pretty much.” “I see...” “Yes, and they hate me just as much. And they would be WAY to proud to imitate me...” “Open the door or be deleted.” The Imposter’s voice was heard from outside. “The fake Doctor will vacate the Time Lord residence, or the TIme Lord residence will be incinerated.” “... Incineration is NOT something I want to experience Doctor!” “Time Lord residence? That’s absurd, Time Lords don’t live in these things. Well, I do, but... Oh no..” The Doctor jumped to his feet and hurried to the control panel. “We need to go, right now... No, but we can’t, we can’t let that thing go free... But... GAH, I can’t think under pressure. Well, I can, but it’s hard to keep all the ideas seperated.” “What are we going to do?” “That thing, whatever it is, it created itself around me. My appearance, my memories, everything.” “Open the door, Sweetie.” The Imposter shouted from outside. It now sounded a lot more like The Doctor. “... No, that’s too far. Only ONE person’s allowed to call me SWEETIE. And she’s DEAD. So you’ve just crossed the line.” The Doctor pulled a lever on the TARDIS. The door opened and the Imposter was standing outside, holding his screwdriver. His posture was almost identical to The Doctor’s now. “You’re nothing like me. I would never use a weapon, not a gun, not a laser-screwdriver, not anything. There is ONE weapon I have though. One more powerful than any gun you’ll ever see. You wanna know what that is?” The Doctor placed his hoof on another lever. “1000 years of knowledge. 1000 years of pain, of suffering, 1000 years of loneliness. All that gets to you eventually. After 1000 years, all I am... As a madman with a box!” He pushed the lever with his hoof, and the TARDIS lunged forward, knocking the Imposter inside. Octavia ran over and pulled the doors shut. The Doctor jumped down beside the Imposter and looked him in the eyes. “You’ve been me for about 10 minutes. I’ve been me for 1000 years.” He stood up and raised his hooves. “Whoda Doctor!?” Octavia gave him an indignant look, and, oddly, so did the Imposter. “... I told myself I wouldn’t say that anymore. I guess I thought it would work better here. I guess not. Well then...” The Doctor pulled his sonic out of his jacket and aimed it in the Imposter’s eyes. The Imposter twitched around violently as it morphed back into a silhouette. “So that’s what was coming through?” Octavia asked, after a long pause. “Yes. Still not entirely sure what it is though...” He looked and saw Octavia was sitting right beside him. She had an almost sympathetic look on her face. The Doctor forced a smile. “I’m sorry.” She said. “About what?” “About Sweetie.” “Oh... Her... Well... She’s not really dead persay. She’s just... Kind of... gone.” “What do you mean?” “She gave her life to save 4023 people. I managed to save her... Sort of. I downloaded her consciousness into this computer thing, to live a quiet, peaceful life with a few of her fallen comrades.” “Oh... That’s... Sad, but good, right?” “Yes. The sad part is, I didn’t even know her at the time. Time Travel, everything always happens for me in the wrong order... It was about 3 years ago, in my timeline, when she left for the last time. Left to meet a Doctor who hadn’t met her yet. Again, time travel, complicated.” “I see. I’m sorry...” “It’s hard sometimes. Time Lords, we live a very long time. She was a human, they don’t live as long. Melody Pond, or River Song was her name... I guess we have our fair share of puns in my universe too.” He smiled and looked back at Octavia. She smiled back. And they were silent. “Why do they call you The Doctor?” Octavia finally broke the silence. “Well. I guess it’s because I help people. I don’t know. I chose the title a long long time ago.” “But, what about your real name? Do you have one?” “Yes. I do.” “Then why do you keep it a secret?” “... What’s in a name anyway? I have a lot of names. The Doctor, John Smith, The Oncoming Storm, the Destroyer of Worlds... Spartacus. Ellie, that one’s pretty new. You can basically call me whatever you want.” “I like Doctor.” “I do too. It’s a nice name.” The Doctor looked back at the shadow lying unconscious on the TARDIS floor. “Oh right, that. My guess is some sort of Multiform. Not like one I’ve seen though. Completely different. And how did it come through the universes... And how is it holding me here?” He stood up and walked over to it. Octavia followed. “Is travelling through universes a common thing?” “No, not at all. It’s impossible really. Well, mostly.... Wait a minute... Luna was communicating with Riley, but Riley could communicate with her too. It went both ways, and it wasn’t just when you were playing. Unless you always played at just the right time. Unlikely, sounded like Luna’s ordeal was going on long before all of this... OH! Of course! It’s a two way link! It was opened in two directions! That means... It was opened from the void! That’s what you are!” He pointed at the shadow. “You’re a creature from the void!” “Um... What is the void?” “The void, it’s the area between the dimmensions. A creature, a human or Time Lord, or Kaled, or anything that resembles a human, or anything really, could have fallen into the void somehow. I don’t know exactly how the Void works, but it could have completely stripped them of EVERYTHING, turned them into a lifeless shadow. And the first thing a lifeless shadow would want is, well, life. YES! That’s why the first one clung to you, it wanted to BECOME you.” “Become me? How in Equestria would it do that? There could only be one me, people would notice.” “Exactly. And there would have only been one you. One of you would be disposed of.” He glanced at Octavia, who gulped as she understood what he meant. I wound up meeting the me of this world, Tenny, by total coincidence. Then I wound up in the desert by complete coincidence, then I met Rarity, then you, then we were here.” He stopped. “And you never ignore a coincidence.” Rarity and Tenny laid snuggled together in front of her fireplace. The “cousins” act didn’t work out so well, since they looked and acted nothing alike, and were clearly of different species. Eventually they went to a new act. It had been three years, a lot longer than expected. Over the years, the act had become more than an act. “It’s almost time Rarity...” Tenny spoke up. “But, you CAN’T go, please don’t!” “I’ll be back, don’t worry.” He pulled away. “I just need to move the TARDIS away. Far away. So it won’t be detected. Then I’ll have to travel back to Ponyville by train or something, like a normal pony. I’ll be gone a week, tops.” He stood up and headed for the door.” “One week?” Rarity followed. “Well, anywhere between a week and a few hundred years, the TARDIS can be unpredictable sometimes. But I WILL be back, I’ll aim for a week.” “I...” “Trust me Rarity. Have I EVER let you down?” She shook her head. “One week.” She nodded. He turned and walked off to fetch his abandoned TARDIS. “COINCIDENCE! You never ignore one!” The Doctor repeated as he stepped out of the TARDIS into the desert. He noticed Tenny’s TARDIS de-materialize right next to his. “See, another coincidence. But what does it all mean?” “Why are you asking me?” “There are still a few questions. One, why are there void creatures here? Two, why are you the link? Three, why am I trapped in this state? I was thinking about that earlier. Where was I? Oh right! Time Lords! The Time Lords are supposedly all dead in both universes, but we know of two that are alive, Tenny and myself. I know one other who WAS alive in my universe, and could still be here. But why would that keep me here? … Oh, I think I get it. I think I know EXACTLY who’s keeping me here.” “Who? Octavia followed close behind him as he power-walked through the desert. He stopped and let her catch up, and stared at her for a moment or two, then continued walking. “No time to worry about that now. There could easily be more void creatures that got through. Thinking.... Okay, they want to become me, that explains why I was brought here originally. The crack WAS to bring me here, but it was also for them to escape. Okay, who isn’t safe right now? Anyone I’ve come into contact I’m not currently with.. Tenny’s with Rarity, I’m with you... Then... LUNA!” The Doctor stopped and turned around, and galloped back to the TARDIS. Octavia hurried behind. “Why did we come to the desert!” She shouted to him. “Inspiration!” He shouted back. opened the TARDIS doors and hurried to the controls. “Octavia, where exactly were you when you had that dream, with that song?” “Fillydelphia, I was staying at an Inn.” “Alright, we’re gonna have to check out that Inn.” “Wait, what about Luna?” “That’s Tenny’s job. As far as we know, Luna’s chamber holds the original crack. If I go anywhere near there, they’ll detect the time energy all over me. That’s where Tenny comes in. He’s waiting for the perfect time, letting the background energy wash off with time. How was that for a pun?” “Leave puns to the professional universe, would you? Let’s get to that Inn and find out what was getting in my head!” The Doctor stopped and turned back to Octavia. He smiled then turned back to the controls, and headed to Fillydelphia. Tenny arrives back at Ponyville almost a year later. Rarity is displeased, but excited he’s back. He continues to help her around the shop until the time comes for him to go to Luna’s. He has his run in with Ellie. He acts like he doesn’t know Ellie, because he remembers that he wasn’t supposed to. After departing from Luna’s chamber, Tenny finally notices the horrible flaw in what had just happened. “No, no no no, that’s impossible. That already happened, it happened right before I met Ellie in the forest... That doesn’t make sense at all. Why didn’t it occur to me until just now?” The Doctor looked around at the TARDIS he was in. Then he noticed the next incosistency. “I... Went to Luna’s in the TARDIS... That’s impossible... I left the TARDIS far away...” The Doctor pulled a lever and headed back to Luna’s chamber. When he got there, he found himself going through the same process as the first two times. He didn’t realize this until he once again left Luna’s chamber. “Well. That’s certainly interesting.” The Doctor materialized his TARDIS in an alley-way across from the Inn in Fillydelphia. This time, Octavia came out first, and he followed her. She led him into the Inn. They snuck upstairs to the room she was in, and he soniced it open. They both stepped in. A few minutes later, they were outside, walking back to the stairs. The Doctor suddenly stopped. “Wait, what just happened?” Octavia stopped as well, and looked at him, confused and shocked. “I... I don’t know.” “Wait here...” The Doctor headed back to the room. Octavia obeyed and didn’t follow. A few moments later, The Doctor ran out, screaming “Octavia, we..” He stopped... “We what? I don’t know. What happened?” He looked back into the room, but didn’t step in. “That’s not right. Why can’t I remember anything from that room?” “What do you mean?” “Theory: For some reason, when you leave that room, you forget everything that happened while you were in the room. Sounds absurd, but I once knew some creatures that you only remembered while you saw them.” “Then... What do we do about them?” “Always moving towards a solution, I like that in you.” The Doctor smiled. Now we wait for Tenny to same the same frightening realization.” The Doctor and Octavia headed back to the TARDIS, when another TARDIS materialized right next to their’s. “I’ve had a frightening realization!” Tenny stated as he exitted the TARDIS. “I know him too well” The Doctor whispered to Octavia, who chuckled. “Let me guess, a room that you only remember while you’re in it?” “No. Well, sort of. See, I went to Luna’s chamber, and the same thing happened, with you showing up and we close the gap and fly off. It happened everytime I went in there. I just went along with it, I never realized it was wrong until I left.” “Hm. That’s unusual. So then what happened at Luna’s Chamber...” “Never actually happened.” Octavia chimed in. “It was an illusion place in both your minds by whatever’s doing this to make you think everything’s alright.” Octavia examined both Doctors’ astonished faces. “Hey, you’re not the only ones who can figure things out.” “I like you.” The Doctor said. He turned to Tenny. “I like her.” He repeated. “Oh yes!” Tenny agreed. “Though, yeah, she’s probably right. Since it was all an illusion, we’d never actually met the first time, that’s why I didn’t remember you. We weren’t meant to ever go back. They just assumed we would forget about it when we thought everything was fine... So now what do we do? We can’t go in there... Neither can Rarity. She’s part of the loop, it’s not just Luna’s chamber, it’s that whole little bit of time.” “Then we need someone who’s clever but isn’t us to go in and investigate...” He turned to Octavia. “I think I know who.” He smiled. “Perfect!” Tenny agreed. Octavia wasn’t fully sure what they meant you. “Technically, we’ve never truly been to that time area, so we can go there whenever we please. We have all the time in the world to prepare her.” And that’s when Octavia realized what was going on. Luna sat in front of her fireplace, an almost smug grin on her face. Her assistant, Sundance, came in and offered her some tea. “I’m so sorry.” she responded, accepting a cup. “I... Why are you sorry?” “I missed you so much.” “Um... I wasn’t gone...” “... The circle must be broken.” “... Um... Okay... I’m just gonna... Go now...” Sundance backed away and slid out the door. Luna stared into her fireplace. Her concentration was broken by an unusual roaring sound. She turned to face the box. “Impossible...” She whispered. She stood up and walked over to the box. “HOW ARE YOU HERE!” She shouted at the box. “That man is dead! You’re dead. He is returning. It is returning.” The door to the TARDIS slowly opened and a pony stepped out dramatically. “... They are returning?” Luna asked. “You’re spouting a lot of non-sense for a Princess. Tell me, what did you do to Ms. Luna.” “I am Ms. Luna. I am The Doctor.” “... Oh, I get it. You DID manage to scan some of The Doctor. You picked up his memories and what not... But not his appearance. You had to get that from the Princess.” “You are clever, for an Earth Pony. I wonder, why do they call you Earth Ponies, if you are not from Earth.” “... That’s a good question. Equestria’s a lot like Earth though. Like Earth in another dimmension... Wait, how do I know what Earth is?” “We are in your mind. You share out memories, our thoughts.” “... You mean The Doctor’s memories?” “We are The Doctor.” “No, no, no you’re not. But what are you? For real? What are you?” “We are here to help you. We are the Doctor.” “Join us. Become the Doctor. Set yourself free.” “Hm... Well, it seems you’re already in my head. Why not just get rid of me already? Why keep me around... Which brings up another question. Why are you keeping the Doctor here.” “We are the Doctor.” “No, no, the other Doctor.” “We are not keeping him here.” “... Thought not... But why not get rid of me?” “You are not complete.” “Excuse me?” “You are not complete.” “Hm, alright then. I’ll be going then. But before I go. I’ll be taking Luna with me.” Octavia slammed her hoof into a small button pertruding from the fireplace. The fireplace spun around, revealing Princess Luna on the other side, bound by some sort of magic. Octavia slid the sonic screwdriver from her bow tie and aimed it at the magic binds. The binds seperated, and Luna jumped to her feet and followed Octavia into the TARDIS.

Jenohart

145

Angel,Fluttershy,Gummy,Opalescence,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Laws of Nature

hiatus

<p>Behind the blissful saccharine image of Fluttershy's animal haven lies an ugly truth. She loves all animals. All animals have to eat. Some animals eat other animals. This ugly truth is left to Angel to deal with, and he deals with it the only way he knows how. His own way.<br/>Angel centric.<br/>Warning: Contains swearing, violence, stone-cold badass Angel and &quot;adult themes&quot;.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T12:41:17+00:00

2011-07-11T12:41:17+00:00

“There you go Mr Mousey, just like I said,” Fluttershy said tenderly as she finished removing the cast from the grey rodent’s leg. “It should be all healed up now, but do try not to do anything too strenuous”. Mousey nodded in acknowledgement before bounding over to his mouse hole, where his family stood ready to greet him. Fluttershy turned to inspect another patient as a small white mouse ran up to him. Daddy! Are you all better now? Mousey embraced the white mouse in a warm hug. Yes, I’m feeling wonderful. All thanks to Fluttershy’s love and care. He stroked the top of his son’s head and looked into his eyes. I’ll play with you later son, I need to get used to walking again first. He gently pushed his son into their hollow in the walls and turned to greet his wife. Darling, it’s so good to see you fit and healthy again. He hugged his wife, but noticed a poorly hidden look of anxiety on her face. Honey, what’s wrong? He asked, gently stroking her longer, softer fur. It… it’s not too much… it’s just… she began, growing more unnerved with each stammer. You were out of work for… quite a while. We… we tried our best but… we’re running behind on… she trailed off and fixed her gaze on the floor, slightly trembling in fear. Mousey looked over to his son who, thankfully, had already ran off to his room. He knew what had happened. Don’t worry dear, I’m back now, I’ll work extra hard to make up for the lost payments. She looked up at him and he could see relief wash over his face. *thump, thump, thump, thump* All trace of pleasant feelings was steadily drained from both of them as they heard the pounding footsteps of the one all lesser animals under Fluttershy’s protection feared. Mousey, Mousey, so good to see ya hoppin’ about already. The Shy sure did a good job on ya didn’t she? Mousey slowly turned to confront the towering white presence behind him. She s-sure did M-Mister Angel, sir, a-and I’m v-very grateful f-for it. He felt like shrinking under the hard stare of the white rabbit. In his left paw he gingerly nibbled a small carrot. He chewed with a smirk that seemed more terrifying than the horrible… accident that crippled him in the first place. Good, that’s good, listen I didn’t come around last month outta’ respect for yer, err… condition… but now that yer fit I figured I might as well talk to ya before I forget. Mousey shuddered, but quickly found his nerve. He had hoarded enough food to make up for the protection offerings he missed while out of duty. Yes sir, I have enough for the offerings I missed. This would mean they had to starve a little, but with him now able to walk he could work extra to make up for it. Angel let out a small chuckle that disintegrated all the resolve Mousey had managed to muster. That’s great, good on ya, real hard workin’ mouse, but listen; a few things have changed while you and The Shy were out playin’ doctor Angel hopped closer to him. Mrs Mousey fell over in fright. Mousey tried to discretely signal to her to leave, but to his horror Angel leaned over and grabbed her, pulling her close. Y’know, The Shy’s a real hard worker too. Always with the carin’. I keep tellin’ her she cares too much. Angel gently rocked Mrs Mousey, mimicking caring for a baby. I keep tellin’ her, “learn from that book-head, sometimes ya gotta dish out the tough love, it’s for the best” he began playfully tossing Mrs Mousey between his two paws. “Ya can’t save ‘em all Shy, ‘sides, some of us gotta eat, they don’t care what the food’s like.” Mr Mousey swallowed hard. He knew all too well how Angel managed to keep the more… omnivorously inclined residents satisfied. He knew the real reason they were paying the protection fee. Angel suddenly put Mrs Mousey back down. But she ‘aint listenin’ ta me, she really loves playin’ doctor, ‘specially with the lil’ guys. He began stroking Mrs Mousey on the head. Don’t get me wrong Mousey, ‘Imma nice guy, but critters like Sidewinder an’ Grimm are goin’ hungry, and The Shy told me that’s my problem. He suddenly pushed her head to the floor and leaned in to glare at Mr Mousey. And they’re goin’ hungry cuz she’s playin’ doctor too much with guys like you, so that makes it your problem. Not lifting his gaze, he let go of Mrs Mousey, who immediately scurried out of sight. Five terrifying seconds passed, before Angel leaned back and smirked. I talked it over with The Shy an’ she agreed with me. An’ by “talk” I mean “told” an’ by “agreed with me” I mean she knelt down and kissed my shit-matted furry scrot-hole. 20% rise on offerings. This would make things even harder for the Mouseys. He would have to resort to stealing to meet this week’s offering. It may mean he would have to say goodbye to one of his neighbours but if that’s what it took to- Retroactive of this month. Mr Mousey fell off his feet. They had nowhere near enough to meet that goal, not even if they spent the next month constantly foraging and even stealing. He opened his mouth to object, but whatever words his terrified mind had conjured died in his throat as the white demon in front of him gave a sidewards glance while nibbling on his carrot. But hey, I understand, ya just got back on yer feet, ya deserve a little respite. I’ll give ya three days. That was still hardly any time to scrounge up that much food. He didn’t object, not vocally, he knew better than to question Angel. His mind raced at what possible ways out of this situation. He only knew one critter with free access to that much food that (well, only one that possibly wouldn’t kill him on sight), but he had never met that creature and was sure it had no reason to help him. Still, it was his only chance. He was jerked away from his frantic thoughts by the sound of a familiar squeak. Angel slowly looked over his shoulder, leaning out of the way far enough so that Mr Mousey could see his son standing in the doorframe of the stairs that lead up towards the other rooms. Mousey was about to motion him to go back upstairs when Angel hopped over to him. Aw, would ya look’it that. Angel quickly scooped up the quivering mouse and cradled it like a baby. ‘Aint you just the cutest thing, ‘side from me that is. Nice kid Mousey. Mousey nodded quickly. Y-yes sir he’s my pride and- Ey Futret! Get in here and take a look at this lil’ guy. Mousey felt his heart stop as he heard the irregular clawed steps of a large ferret from the darkness further inside the wall. Whichever hole Angel used to get in must’ve been large enough for at least one of his muscles to crawl through. Angel liked to show off his authority to the lesser animals. The sound of claws on steel made Mousey look up to a water pipe, a long dark form slinking down to where Angel was holding his son. Here, the white rabbit threw the terrified mouse towards the large carnivore. Be gentle, Futs Always, boss Futret replied. He caught the mouse in one paw. Mousey junior shuddered with fear as the beast sniffed him out of curiosity, he screamed when it dared to lick him. A-Angel please I- The white rabbit shot Mr Mousey a look that would strike a Cockatrice dead. That’s Mister-fucking-Angel-Sir to you. Mousey turned away and whimpered a pathetic reply of submission. Futret was rolling Mousey’s son in his paws with amusement. Real nice appetizer boss. Wish Missus Shy would roll a few of these our way, not that we don’t ‘ppreciate all she does fer’ us. Angel turned away from Mousey to stare out the mouse hole, where Fluttershy was tending to a bird with a broken wing. ‘f it weren’t fer me she’d starve half the damn critters she looks after. “A veggie basket fer a den of ferrets”, tha hell was that damn broad thinkin’ last wrap up? Futret chuckled as she remembered how Missus Shy brought their den a large basket filled with inedible vegetables. If it weren’t for Angel working a little deal out under the table, behind the shy pegasus’ back, they would’ve started the spring starving. A lengthy… “talking” to later by Angel and the caretaker pony was more aware of the needs of her critters. So boss, do I… Futret started, now staring intently at his prey. Angel tapped his muscular foot a few times, as if considering teaching Mousey a lesson. A tense moment of suspense seemed to stretch for an eternity as Mousey feared for his son’s life. Finally, Angel turned back to his muscle. Pass ‘im back if yer done with ‘im Futs. The ferret threw the mouse up in the air a few times, watching it flail with sinister glee, before rolling it back towards Angel. He stopped the pup with his foot before grabbing it by the collar and stomping back towards Mousey. Yer a good critter Mousey, feedin’ yer family so well. Maybe ya should try takin’ care o’ the tail draggers. Yer son alone could keep one goin fer’ a week min. Angel threw the young mouse at Mousey knocking him onto his back before turning and hopping into the darkness of the hollow wall space. Mousey and his son lay there in a shaking tearful embrace as they heard the voice that represented all the critters under Fluttershy’s domain call back to them. Three days Mousey, then Sidewinder’s family don’t gotta starve no more.

Midnightshadow

146

Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Teething Problems

complete

<p>When Twilight Sparkle needs to see the dentist, some extra precautions are needed. The unicorn is not so very fond of doctors, so Spike has to resort to extreme measures, with some help from his friends.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T13:58:36+00:00

2011-07-11T13:58:36+00:00

Teething Problems by Midnight Shadow an MLP:FiM fanfic *** The shadow paused just inside the purple equine’s bedroom, barely opening the door enough to sneak in. His target was asleep, snoring lightly. Like smoke he moved, a soft pitter-patter of claws across the wooden floor to her side. Fishing an object out of an unseen pocket - a thin ring, coloured a dull green but almost black in the half-light - he placed it carefully, ever so carefully, over the tip of her horn where it fastened itself securely and seemed to vanish. To finish the job the figure pulled out a tiny little paint-pot and a fine brush, which he used to apply spots of black paint to her horn. Standing back for a moment to gaze upon his masterpiece, he nodded once and then he was gone. Twilight Sparkle awoke, yawned. Staggering out of bed she looked in the mirror; Her hair was a mess! Bedmane, ugh, she thought to herself, is there any curse so foul? Her hair was so messy she could barely see her horn. She picked up a hairbrush with her ma-... She frowned. She picked up a hairbrush... No matter how hard she tried, the stubborn thing refused to rise off the dresser. “Uh oh,” she said to herself, “this can’t be good...where’s my magic? I can’t use my magic! Spike! Spike!” It took only a few moments for her ever-helpful, number-one assistant to appear at her frantic calling, “What’s wrong, Twilight?” he asked curiously from the doorway. “I don’t know!” she all but wailed, “My magic’s not working! I can’t do...I can’t do anything at all!” “Oh my, that sounds serious! We’d better get you to a doctor!” “No!” she said, “No! You know I hate doctors!” “Well alright,” said Spike, picking an ear with his claw, “if you say so. Let’s go downstairs, I’ll make you a nice cup of tea and we can look for answers.” Spike ran out and down to the kitchen, slamming the door behind him. Twilight followed a minute or two later, after she’d managed to turn the knob. Spike was in the kitchen, standing on a stool with a pinafore tied around his waist adjusting a teapot. When he was happy with it, he took a deep breath and exhaled steadily on it until it whistled. He was getting better at this! Celestia had made use of free kettles of boiling water on several occasions, much to Spike’s chagrin, and he was glad she didn’t keep having to posting them back anymore. Spike made the tea; tealeaves in the pot, add the boiling water and let it brew. Pour the milk into the cup first and finally add one lump of sugar. Just the way she liked it. It looked like Twilight needed the cuppa too. She was getting frantic. He tried to soothe her, “I’m sure this is only a temporary thing, Twilight - maybe some poison joke?” “But...but...I haven’t been anywhere near Zecora’s cottage in weeks!” “Then you should feel ashamed of yourself, leaving that Zebra-pony all by herself!” Spike chided, setting the cup before her. “She’s been busy with that new assistant of hers and...and why am I talking about that? I’m having a crisis here! A unicorn without magic is like...is like...” “A dragon without fire?” replied Spike, pouring the tea through a strainer. “Right! Or...or...” The front door slammed open, and a hyper-active pink pony bounded through. “Oooh!” she said, “Is this a guessing game? I love guessing games...is it like a muffin without hotsauce?” “Eeew!” said Twilight, remembering. “Kinda,” said Spike to Pinkie Pie, “Twilight’s lost her magic.” “Ohhhh, that sounds serious. She should see a doctor.” Pinkie stopped bouncing around the room and walked - walked! Now Twilight knew it was serious - to the table where the purple unicorn was sitting, trying her best to drink her tea without picking it up by using the magic which had seemingly deserted her. “I know, right? But she won’t!” “Have you told her about Horn Rot?” asked Pinkie, staring at Spike, and then glancing at Twilight. She leaned in and whispered, “I heard it’s a terrible disease! Just terrible! First you wake up with Bed-mane... then you notice your horn’s got spots on it... and then you’ve got no magic... and then...” “And then what?” whispered Spike, just a little too loud. Pinkie drew her hoof down her forehead and made a 'ssskkkrrrrt!' noise, “then your horn just...falls off! And you’re an earth pony. Foreverrrrrrr!” “Forever?” asked Spike, clapping his paws over his mouth. Pinkie nodded solemnly to Spike, “For-EVER!” before they both turned to stare at the unicorn, who by now was shaking with fear. Twilight burst into tears, “You’ve just got to help me Pinkie! I don’t know what to do!” “Oh I wouldn’t worry, Twilight, as long as you didn’t wake up with spots on your horn and bed-mane too then it’s probably just a... a thing.” Twilight burst into fresh tears. “Oooohhhhh, you mean the hair isn’t a fashion statement?” Twilight was frantic now. She’d not been able to find anything in her library about the dreaded horn rot, it hadn’t helped that Spike could only take a single book out at a time, but he was obviously trying his best. He was such a wonderful assistant, she mourned, how would he cope when... when... "Twilight, give it up! We’ve got to go, you heard what Pinkie said!” “Yeah! What I said!” Pinkie was trying to help, which consisted of her emptying the fridge in search of cakes or cake-making materials which may somehow cure horn rot. Twilight stopped and hung her head, “I give in, we’ve got to get to a doctor!” “I’ll get the hackamores and the tack,” said Spike, and dashed off down to the basement. “Wait, what?” shouted Twilight. “Oooh yes, he’d better. Horn rot can make you blind. And crazy.” “Crazy? And blind?” “Uhuh! Loco in the coco, Twilight, especially in an advanced form such as yours!” “How do you know I’ve got an advanced form!” she wailed, dashing to a mirror. Pinkie followed and pointed with a hoof, “First is bedmane, then spotty horn, then comes loss of magic... and then... you start foaming at the mouth!” Twilight looked, and surely enough there were flecks of green foam on her lips. She started wailing again, spraying the mirror. As she’d frantically been plying her hoof through her hair, she’d noticed... the spots! “But don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll get to the doctors before your hooves go numb.” Twilight looked down at her hooves, a worried expression on her face, “How can I tell if my hooves have gone numb?” “You can’t!” Pinkie giggled, “You won’t be able to feel them, silly! How are you supposed to tell?” More wailing was her only answer to the rhetorical question. *** Twilight sniffled as she was led through Ponyville, Pinkie bouncing beside her, keeping up the random chatter. Spike rode on her back, keeping a good hold of the reigns, just in case. She was already planning what to do incase the worst happened. She would give her library to Spike, her faithful assistant. She would bequeth her worldly posessions to the sick and needy, although Applejack would have her summer saddle - she sniffled, Applejack had always loved that saddle. Maybe it would remind them of her when she was gone. What she wouldn’t give to hear that voice one more... “Howdy partners, where’re y’all goin’ on such a fine day?” called Applejack, joining Pinkie. “Oh, nowhere special.” said Spike. “With Twilight gussied up like that? Looks a mite special tah me!” “Applejack, I’m sure she just wants an excuse to look pretty, dear.” said another familiar voice, as a pristine white unicorn with gorgeous purple mane and tail slotted herself on the other side of the pair, “Don’t you worry yourself about such things. Beauty comes naturally to a girl like Twilight, especially when she’s been taking tips from moi.” “Rarity!” cried Twilight, “Don’t come any closer, I’ve got the dreaded horn rot!” “Oh my, that sounds simply frightful! Allow me to escort you to... wherever it is you’re going. I simply cannot abandon a friend in such a time of need.” “A time of need?” asked yet another voice, a timid one this time, which belonged to a yellow and equally timid looking pegasus, “Oh my! I can’t let Twilight go without help!” “You’re all,” Twilight sniffled, “you’re all so good to me, a doomed unicorn... what would I do without you? If only Rainbow Dash was here... I’m not long for this world, I can tell! My hooves have gone numb now!” “Hehe, that’s jus’ from walkin’,” said Applejack... and then she clammed up. Something didn’t sound right, thought Twilight... this was all too... “Hey gang! Where’re you all...” a blue pegasus with stunning rainbow mane and tail flitted into view, conveniently. “Rainbow Dash! Just the pony we wanted to see...” That does it, thought Twilight, something is up. She stopped in the middle of the track, “I don’t have horn rot, do I?” “Eh... hehe... why’d you say that?” asked Applejack, grinning broadly, eyes flicking side to side for backup. “It’s worse than that, isn’t it? There’s no such thing as horn rot at all, is there?” “There... there might be...” “I don’t believe a word of it,” said Twilight, “where are we going? Come to think of it, Spike, you seem to know exactly where you’re leading me...” “It... it’s the dentists, Twilight,” said Spike, “I’ve been watching you chew. You try to hide it, but you wince every time you chew one of Applejack’s apple fritters.” “I HATE DENTISTS!” shouted Twilight. “I’m sorry, this is for your own good-” said Spike. “THAT’S IT! GET OFF!” Twilight bucked a few times, Spike held on grimly. “Twi-i-li-ight you-ou a-re for-get-ting some-thing!” She stopped, snorting, “And what pray tell is that?” “You’re forgetting you don’t have any magic. And...” he added quickly. “And?” “And girls, grab her! Rarity NOW!” Twilight felt her friends close in to stop her from escaping, and a sudden zap behind her ear. It... it felt kinda nice. She staggered slightly, seeing stars. “Oh you guys...why’d you...why’d you do that?” “She’s still talkin’, is she supposed t’still be talkin’?” “Uh I dunno...zap her again, Rarity.” There was another pleasant shock behind her ears, and suddenly the whole day felt just wonderful. She loved the ground that came up to meet her and she loved the trees and she loved the sky that swam into view as she lay down on her side and she loved her buddies and she loved Spike and wasn’t the whole world just awesome? She slumped to the ground, sighing happily. When she came to, she was propped up on a bale of hay and somepony had a large metallic rasp shoved halfway up her muzzle. For some reason this struck her as exceedingly funny. A light blue coloured young filly unicorn with a dark-blue and almost-white striped tail and mane was concentrating very hard on the task at hand and the rasp was going Up and down and swooshing all about - it tickled her teeth and she giggled heartily. “Miss Twilight...please stop that...oh dear...can some pony get me a speculum? Yes, that’s the one - just like that, tighten it just a tad...” the running commentary was kept up as Colgate - junior dentist extraordinaire - did her work on maintaining Twilight’s dental hygiene. To combat the giggling, a strange metal contraption was fastened to Twilight’s mouth that kept it open at a good distance, and with a few more practiced twists of the rasp, the spurs and spikes that had formed over the last six months were filed away to smoothness. “Whelp, I think that’s it - though next time you should really consider getting my boss to treat her, I’m just a junior dentist... and I’m pretty sure you don’t need quite that much anaesthetic.” “Ah, we’d like to, sugarcube - no offence - but last time Twilight got her choppers seen to, your boss hopped away feelin’ distinctly green after.” “What do you mean? Was he sick?” “Nope, can’t say he was. He was the most healthiest frog I ever did set eyes on. He got better, but he won’t come near Twilight with his toolset o’teethy torture nomore.” Colgate giggled, “He must have gotten better. Wish I’d seen that.” she squinted, looking up into the drooling maw of the zapped-silly unicorn. “You’d better make yerself scarce a’fore Twi snaps out of it of you’ll see it fer yerself, missy.” “No worry about that guys, you zapped her pretty good.” she looked around, smiling, “Take her home, Spike. Let her rest and try to make sure she eats more shoots and leaves in the future. That’ll keep her teeth in better condition. Too much fancy grain doesn’t do a pony’s teeth any favours.” “I’ll keep that in mind doc. Thanks for helping me out, guys!” “T’ain’t nothin’ sugah.” said Applejack with a hearty laugh, “I did it fer the look on the ol’ gals face, ah tell you whut!” “I’m gonna remember this for ages! Best. Prank. Ever! Nice one Pinkie Pie!” said Rainbow Dash, giving Pinkie a brohoof. Even Fluttershy giggled demurely behind a hoof. “I thought the foaming sugar in her tea was the piece de resistance, I have to say.” said Rarity - the lot of them save Pinkie had been holed up outside the entire time looking in through a window and trying very hard not to giggle. Pinkie beamed, “I have to give it to my main dragon, Spike, for the inhibit-a-whatsit - and for the paint job!” “Priceless!” agreed Rainbow. “It’s on loan from the Princess, it’s made of enchanted jade and sky-iron - blends in and interferes with a unicorn’s natural magical talent. They’re not easy to come by, you can guess why. You have no idea how hard this was to put together. Especially...this.” Spike beamed, and brought out of the same place as he’d stowed the strange green ring - it was a camera, a magically-enchanted device to paint a picture of whatever it was pointed at automagically. They were growing relatively common, but it was still something he’d had little exposure to. Practicing for this in secret had been hard but it was going to be worth it... “Let me just set this up over here and Rainbow, get Twi’ pointing towards it... everyone crowd in! Ready? Setting the timer...” Spike ran over to the group and they grinned like idiots whilst Twilight plastered her goofiest derpy-eyed expression all over the canvas. Many more pictures were taken that day with Twilight in compromising - yet harmless - situations. The trip back was pretty quick, but they had a little time for “side projects”. Spike collected them all together as he wrote a quick note to the princess and added the copies like he’d promised. Blowing dragon-smoke at the instamagic camera and the evidence, he sent it on it’s way. Twilight was exhausted, it had been such a fun day! The sun had been shining and the little birdies tweeting and the candy-floss clouds floating by had seemed sooo happy...in fact she’d felt like she was floating the entire time.... “I luth you guyth,” she giggled, somehow finding herself being wrapped up in bed, yawning. “I know you do Twi,” said Spike, giggling also. “My theeth theel thunneth...wath happenth?” “Oh don’t you worry Twilight, you’ll find out in the morning...” said Spike, removing the inhibitor last of all. It would come in useful again one day, but for now he sent it back to the princess with a swift burst of green dragon-fire. That final task done, he patted Twilight’s head gently and left the room. She’d be mad in the morning, but it had been totally worth it.

Midnightshadow

147

Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Adventure,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Business Trip

Twilight and Spike need to go on a business trip - hilarity ensues

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle has been called to go on a business trip with the two princesses, and takes Spike along with her.</p><p>The trials and tribulations of inter-realm travel are not for the faint of heart, as they are about to find out.</p>

everyone

2011-10-17T13:12:04+00:00

2011-10-17T13:12:04+00:00

The Business Trip Part 1 - Up In The Air by Midnight Shadow An MLP:FiM fanfic Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fan-made work of prose. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro. Please support the official release. *** “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, for real Twilight?” asked Spike, hopping from foot to foot, “You're not kidding?!” “I'm not! We're going on a trip with the princesses!” squealed Twilight happily, bouncing around the library like Pinkie on a chocolate high, “Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes!” “And we're really going to the Leviathania, to the Draconic Realm, right to the capitol?” “Yes! We are indeed!” Spike stopped mid-hop and looked up, frowning at Twilight, “Promise you're not going to trick me in any way, shape or form?” “After what you did last time when you tricked me at the dentists? No!” “No you don't promise or no you won't trick me?” Twilight laughed, “I promise this is no trick Spike. We're going to D’long Kerk! To the Draconic Capitol City! Now, it's a business trip and you're my assistant, so you're going to have to promise to be on your very best behaviour at all times. I want you to know I asked Celestia very nicely to let you come too and she was delighted to extend the invitation to both of us - so be sure to behave!” “I will Twilight!” Spike's eyes were shining and he clasped his forepaws together, with a look of adoration for the purple unicorn on his features. “No setting things on fire. No eating the furniture...” “That was just that one time! They said it was a three-piece sweet!” “Suite, different spelling...I was so embarrassed.” “Oh boy,” said Spike, ignoring Twilight’s rolling eyeballs, “I'm going home!” Twilight’s head jerked around and she looked at Spike, her ears drooping and tail dragging as she smiled weakly, “I...I thought this was your home, Spike.” “I’m going to go eat real draconic rubies, and get a proper sand-bath and I’m gonna chat with the lady dragons and...” Spike stopped his monologue about everything he'd do and see when he got there as he finally noticed Twilight’s forlorn, hurt expression. He looked up at his teacher and friend and sighed, “That's not what I mean, Twilight. It's just...” he put his paws together and rubbed them, bashfully, “I'm a dragon in a land of ponies. I've never really been around other dragons – at least not ones that weren't trying to eat me or set Equestria on fire. It'll be nice to mingle with my own kind for once.” “I'm...happy for you, Spike.” said Twilight finally, with a nod, nuzzling her number one assistant fondly. She stopped, mid-appreciation, and her ears perked up, “Oh! I've got so much packing to do! Spike!” Spike pouted. “Now Spike!” He sighed, “Coming, Twilight.” *** Twilight yawned as she moved through the empty streets of Greater Canterlot on her way to the airport. The princesses had decided to catch the early-morning flight to the Draconic Realm, which meant Twilight had to travel even earlier. Truth be told, it was the only flight. On her back were two hefty panniers and a sleepy baby dragon. Oh his back was a rucksack, and she happened to know his blankie had been hidden at the bottom along with Teddy. She was pulling a small cart with more suitcases on it – inside these were all the formal attire she and Spike had been instructed to bring. Ponies didn't tend to wear much in the way of clothing, but when they did, it took up plenty of space. She'd boarded the four-pegasus chariot the previous night from Ponyville to make sure she got there in time. Somehow, despite the fact there was only the one stop between Canterlot and Ponyville, her luggage - which had travelled in a separate chariot - had been diverted to Hoofington. Several hours of waiting later and she'd given up and gone to the donut shop to drown her sorrows in sugar-coated light pastry. Several hours after that, she’d taken back her old room at Canterlot Castle. Her luggage had travelled to Stalliongrad - without her. She was pretty sure she didn’t like traveling. *** The sun rose over the newly-constructed airport just north of Canterlot, up in the Mountains of the Moon. The paint was still wet on a few of the benches – this had already given several ponies a new colour scheme and cutie-mark. Twilight had seen the warning signs so she’d been saved the embarassment of being turned into a multi-coloured zebra wannabe. Zecora could pull off stripes, Twilight didn’t think they suited her. Twilight yawned again and came to a halt, stretching awkwardly, joints popping, “Wake up Spike, we're here.” “Huh? Wha'? Mommy?” Twilight giggled, “No Spike, we're at the airport. You've got to get ready to identify yourself.” “But...I already know who I am.” Spike was tired, “Can't I introduce myself instead?” “I mean you have to show them you’re you!” “Well who else would I be? You’re not making much sense, Twilight...” The arguing carried on right the way to the check-in desk which was ponied by an officious-looking earth-pony with an ink-stamp as a cutie-mark. A single velvet rope and three bollards stood in front of it. Twilight trotted up to the desk, “Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle, traveling to the Leviathania on the seven-thirty?” “Tickets please.” said the earth-pony in a friendly manner. She smiled winningly. “Oh, yes, right.” Twilight fished them out of her panniers and presented them to the attendant, who scanned them with what appeared to be a practiced eye. “These aren’t first class, you have to go to the economy-class desk.” “But...” Twilight looked around, “this is the only desk!” “You have to queue there,” said the attendant, pointing three feet behind Twilight and two feet left. “But...” “Next please!” said the attendant, and looked behind Twilight, ignoring her. The purple unicorn frowned. She was quite sure she hated traveling. Twilight pulled her wagon back around in a complicated circle and approached the check-in desk from the correct side of the ropes. “Next! Next please!” said the attendant impatiently. Twilight gritted her teeth and spoke through them with a very, very bright smile, “Twilight Sparkle, plus one, for D’long Kerk on the seven-thirty.” “Ah, nice to see you this morning, Miss Sparkle, how was your trip so far?” “Just...” an eye twitched, “just perfect, thank you.” “Any luggage?” the mare asked. Twilight looked behind her, really tempted to say ‘no’ but she choked it back, “Yes. Plenty.” “Any liquids, explosives, poisons, weapons, magic charms, totems, sleeping spells, curses or hexes?” “I...er...do spell books count? I plan to do a little light reading on the way...” The attendant blinked, “Section forty-two clearly prohibits...” “And...I’m a unicorn. I think my horn counts as a weapon and a magic charm...and I’m quite sure I’m capable of creating sleeping spells, curses and hexes.” The attendant trembled slightly. This hadn’t been in the manual. They’d been quite clear about these things, and yet...and yet... “SECURITY!” Twilight face-hoofed. She really disliked traveling. *** “Oh don’t worry my dear,” said Celestia with a chuckle as she escorted Twilight through the aiport away from Security and back to Spike, “Miss Orderly Porter was just doing her job.” “They locked me up! They were going to set fire to my books!” “Just being thorough!” “They called me a national security hazard!” “That was a bit off, I do have to say. Come come, it’s all been sorted out. We’ll be getting on the void-ship soon.” The princess trotted off to further organize their passage, mingle with the commoners, kiss foals and generally be a princess. Twilight left to get her panniers back before some over-zealous officials ‘neutralized’ them. Twilight’s main set of luggage had been stowed in the hold and they’d left her with the carry-ons. Spike jumped up from the uncomfortable seat where he’d been kicking his heels, shouldered his rucksack and hopped up on Twilight’s back. He yawned, it was infectious and Twilight yawned. They approached the security gate, the official behind it tried to stifle the yawn that was still fighting for supremacy of his muzzle. Spike eyed the structure suspiciously, “That’s a security gate?” “Why yes, Spike, you have to go through it to get on the void-ship.” “It’s not very secure,” said Spike, hopping off Twilight’s back and trotting up to it. He walked around it in a circle, causing concerned glares from a couple of pegasus guards. It was a free-standing structure like a door-frame. Without a door. It didn’t seem to do much but go ‘beep’. “Spike, sweety? Please stop that...” said Twilight, smiling brightly at the guards, “Spike!” “Oh alright.” said Spike. He came back through the illustrious portal the wrong way. It made a long, loud, insulted-sounding ‘beeeeep!’. Twilight face-hoofed. She hated traveling. “Okay short-stuff, put your carry-on luggage through the scanner. Do you have any metal or runic equipment on you? No?” asked a security guard-pony. Spike shook his head, “Does it look like I have pockets?” The small dragon unshouldered the bag and put it in the tray. The pegasus guard pushed it through to an open-ended box where a bored-looking unicorn examined it with his magic, horn glowing briefly. Spike looked at the tray with his bag on it, expectantly. “It’s clean.” said the unicorn finally. Spike took it out of the runed box and hopped through the gate with it. “You’re supposed to...” the guard sighed, his hoof pointed to a sign that read ‘please collect luggage AFTER progressing through the security gate’. He sighed, feeling completely ignored, “Go on then, move along...your turn next, toots.” Twilight put her bags on the tray using her magic, and the bored unicorn repeated the maneuver. “Have you got any metal or runic equipment on you?” repeated the guard. Twilight lifted her front hoof, “How about these?” she said as she showed her horse-shoes. The guard blinked, “Can you take them off?” “Can...can I take off the metal horse-shoes which are nailed securely to my hooves? No, no I can’t.” The guard looked at Twilight. Twilight looked at the guard. “SECURITY!” *** “Come come, Twilight, it could happen to anypony,” said Celestia, mollifying the distraught unicorn as they trotted together towards the ship. Twilight was once more a free unicorn, without the threat of a lengthy stay in a cell, or of being banished, or of being locked up in a place where she was banished to. “They put me in jail! Again! They all but called me a terrorist!” wailed Twilight, half wishing the ground would open up and swallow her, half wishing the ground would open up and swallow them. Twilight really hated traveling. The docking-gate and passport-control point was a simple desk set in front of the gang-plank to the strange ship behind it. Twilight had never seen anything like it, and wondered how long it had taken to build. Normal ships floated on water. Airships floated in the air. This was...something else. It was a void-ship, built to travel between Realms. The void-ship was a mix of sweeping curves and arches, and solid blocky compartments. It reminded her of a painting by a famous artist who drew impossible structures. It looked something like the ships that ponies used to travel upon the Equestrian Mane...and something like a bird that had exploded. The docking-gate, in contrast, was boringly ordinary. It was ponied by a familiar-looking official. She was passing Celestia and Luna onboard with great deference for the living embodiments of Day and Night. Spike hopped off his suddenly-recalcitrant ride and fished out his passport from wherever he kept things like that. Twilight blinked; she still didn’t know how he did it and didn’t really want to. The passport was a scroll with a picture of Spike himself on it. Twilight turned white as she realised he’d had used picture taken of him sporting a number twenty-five moustache. She held her breath for the inevitable hue and cry, but none came. Surprisingly they let him onboard. Twilight was next. She trotted up to the desk and presented her ticket. The official scanned it, “you’re not in first class...” Twilight hung her head, and turned around, walking the three feet back and two feet left again, before approaching the same desk from the other side of the rope, “Why did you let Spike through then?” “It’s our company policy to make the trips of the young, old or infirm as pleasant as possible,” said Orderly, primly, “are we going to be having any further trouble from you?” Twilight sighed, “No, no. Here. Here’s my ticket.” “Hmm, your ticket is in order. Where’s your passport?” “But...but...I...” Twilight’s heart sank, how could she have forgotten it? Did Spike take it? She’d completely forgotten her own documents whilst worrying about Spike’s. “Passport, please.” the stewardess repeated, bright smile never wavering. “Oh no...oh no, I packed it! It’s in the hold!” Orderly Porter looked at Twilight. Twilight grinned hopefully. Now she knew she hated traveling. “SECURI-” “What seems to be the problem here?” asked Celestia smoothly, appearing almost silently behind the female steward. Twilight opened her eyes carefully, expecting once more to be swarmed by winged guards in uniform. “This...this trouble-maker claims her passport is in the hold!” “Can’t you fetch it?” asked Celestia mildly. The official pouted, “It’s against company policy-” “What if she had another passport?” suggested Celestia in a warm, friendly voice. Twilight blinked, Orderly Porter screwed up her muzzle and scowled at Twilight, “It would have to be in the registered format...” Celestia’s horn glowed and a parchment appeared in mid-air. On it was written ‘PASSPORT’ followed by various details about Twilight Sparkle. “It would have to have a current picture.” sulked the official. A picture of Twilight, looking like she wished the ground would swallow her up, appeared. “...And it would have to be dated appropriately and signed by the Passport Authority.” “I believe I am the passport authority.” said Celestia with a smile, as she signed it, dated it and rolled it up to pass to Twilight. The purple unicorn gingerly held it out to Orderly Porter. The earth-pony scowled as she double and triple-checked all the details before hoofing it back. “You may go through.” Maybe, thought Twilight with a smug grin, I could get used to traveling after all. *** The void-ship didn’t exactly fly. It didn’t exactly float. Instead, it drifted between dimensions from realm to realm. The inside was decked out in a curious mix of functional stowage for luggage and uncomfortable slow torture for passengers. Twilight and Spike had been given a Family Stall as Twilight had long since been named somewhere by the bureaucracy of Equestria as legal guardian of the scaly bundle of trouble. Twilight grumbled at the inadequacy of the quarters; she could barely turn around, had her backside jammed up against the rear wall if she wanted to reach the salt-lick and to top it off the water-trough was tepid. The complementary hay was stale and Spike was convinced the gems were inferior-grade glass. Twilight fought with the harness. Despite her magic, she just couldn’t get it to fit properly. It said, in smug lettering, ‘one size fits all’. It lied. The dragon wasn’t faring much better. Despite this being a Family Stall, there was no harnesses that seemed to fit him either. He sat sulking in a bridle that Twilight had adjusted as best she could. They’d been sternly warned that safety equipment had to be worn at all times, but especially for take-off and landing. She’d gone through the safety checklist. Twice. “This is your Captain speaking,” said a friendly voice over the intercom, “Please keep your stall-ropes fastened on your halters at all time until I’ve turned off the safety-torch and pay attention to the safety demonstration.” Twilight raised an eyebrow as a bored-looking pegasus trotted up the aisle that led throughout the ship. Somewhere back up the way the attendant had come were the princesses’ stalls. The pegasus steward cleared his throat, “Thank you for traveling with Celestial Lines. We are sure this safety briefing will be useful and may save your life - or at least not prolong your suffering in the event of an emergency. Should the binding spells on this ship fail, it will be consumed by the Ravenous Dark and cease to exist within a scant few minutes. At this time it may be worthwhile for you to sit quietly and contemplate the meaning of your life and make peace with yourself before your existence is wiped from the face of this and all realities...” “Twi?” whispered Spike as the pegasus droned on, pointing out exits they couldn’t see, that wouldn’t be much use in the netherworld between realms, and more safety equipment they weren’t allowed to touch that didn’t seem to help much until they were safely on the ground anyway. “What?” she whispered back, not taking her eyes off the wildy-gesticulating pegasus as he mimed death by asphyxiation. “If we’re going to die, why do they make us wear these halter-ropes? I’m not even a pony, it doesn’t fit!” “I...I don’t know, Spike, but I’d rather not get in trouble!” “If I may continue...” glared the attendant, realizing his most important duty of delivering the safety briefing was not only being ignored but interrupted. “Thank you...as I was saying, this class three-nineteen void-ship is fully equipped with an integrated audio-visual entertainment system which will be showing the inflight movie shortly. Attendants will be visiting you soon to serve you meals, drinks and a variety of snacks. Please wait until the captain has extinguished the safety-torch to remove your halters, and remember that all passengers must be firmly strapped in for take-off and landing, with all feeding troughs and water-bowls stowed in the upright position. Thank you.” “Well,” said Twilight without a hint of irony, “I certainly feel safer.” Take-off - there were scant few other words for it - was smooth with only the strangely sickening lurch as the flight spells engaged for indication. The safety-torch was extinguished and Spike shrugged himself out of the halter which hadn’t exactly fitted him in the first place, “This is your Captain speaking,” said the same friendly voice over the intercom, “We are now traveling at a height of thirty thousand memes and at a rate of five hundred daydreams an hour. We should be at our destination in approximately...twelve hours relative time. If you look to your left, you can see the Great Grey Expanse, the void of everlasting nothing and the final destination for all lost souls. If you look to your right, you can also see the Great Grey Expanse, source of everlasting chaos, primeval font of creation and the final devouring maw of unreality. There is no temperature outside as we are not flying in atmosphere at present. Since I have extinguished the safety torches, please feel free to move about the ship but do keep the aisles clear as they will be the only possible exit-route in the event of an emergency situation which doesn’t immediately cause complete and utter annihilation.” The pair opened the door to their joint family stall and went in search of the princesses. On the way, they passed the facilities - which already had a queue - and a cheery looking device marked ‘Emergency Personnel Disintegrator Unit - For Use In Case Of Terminal Reality Dysfunction’. Twilight noted with a sigh the big red sign hung around it that said simply ‘OUT OF ORDER’. Twilight found her quarry in First Class. When the attendant refused to allow them entry, Celestia herself shooed the attendant out the way, “This is my faithful pupil Twilight Sparkle and she should be traveling First Class too, off you go now.” The attendant glowered at Twilight, but stood aside. Twilight blushed as Spike leaped straight in to the luxurious facilities and started chomping on the precious gems in snack-bowls. These were the real deal, they even served strange bubbly liquid in crystal glasses! Spike wasn’t sure why, he threw the liquid away and savoured the flavour of real lead crystal. “My dear pupil, for the flight back I will personally make sure you are accorded all rights and privileges possible, the same as myself and Luna.” “Oh it’s no trouble, Princess.” stammered Twilight as she stepped carefully into the quarters. “Indeed it isn’t. I won’t have a repeat of these sorts of problems. It’s not becoming. Isn’t that right, Luna?” Celestia turned to her younger sister, who was completely engrossed in a pile of papers and an odd device of wires and beads. Luna fiddled with it making clack clack clack noises as she shifted beads about. “Luna! did you even listen to a word...honestly! I said you could bring some light entertainment for the trip! What do you call this?” the sun princess stamped a hoof angrily. “It’s...” Luna looked up, eyes unfocused for a moment, “it’s my light entertainment...” “It looks like the Canterlot tax code. And an abacus. Put it away!” “No! Abacus is mine! He comes everywhere with me.” Luna defensively pulled the device closer, hugging it while glaring at her sister. “He?” asked Twilight, realising as she closed the gap between the two princesses that she was intruding on the personal space of the usually-reclusive younger sister. “Er...it. It’s a very useful and...and fun tool,” blurted the lunar princess, her ears splaying back nervously as she was confronted with her older sister’s pupil. “Reforming the tax code is not entertaining!” snorted Celestia. “It is too! Have you tried it?” “I...” Celestia scowled at her younger sister, “Put it away!” “Well alright,” sulked Luna, “but I’m keeping Abacus. He doesn’t like the dark.” she pushed a few beads across experimentally, clack clack clack, before she realised what she’d said, “I mean...I don’t want to lose him. It. Under the seats.” Celestia watched her sister carefully for a few seconds as the dark blue winged unicorn started flicking beads again with an intent look of concentration on her muzzle. “...Are you reforming the tax code in your head?” “I...might be.” replied Luna with a sniff, still flicking beads. “Are you...are you using magic to scribe the changes?” Luna was silent, staring fixedly at the abacus and defiantly flicking the beads from one side to the other as her horn glowed in fits and spurts. “Oh-my-gosh-the-movie’s-on-look-at-that!” said Twilight, sputtering as she hoofed the runed remote, eyes flicking from sister to sister as each puffed up to start yelling at the other - a scrying orb fired into life and started blaring out moving pictures and sound. Celestia turned her head and scowled, watching as ‘Die Herd 2 - Derp Harder’ came on. There was an odd cacophony of noise as Luna set her abacus upon a smaller pillow. “Luna, dear,” asked Celestia in a patient maternal tone, “just what are you doing? Are you playing with Abacus again? You know it’s just a...a toy.” “Abacus is not a toy! He...” Luna bit her lip, blushing, “I don’t want to lose him. It. Under the seats I mean, like I said, earlier.” Luna resolutely adjusted the tool carefully, as if it were watching the show. “Aba...oh good grief. Fine. If we’re going to play this...” Celestia stood up and went to her carry-on bag and extricated a blue soft-toy from it’s depths. She carried it reverently in her mouth and sat it on an adjacent pillow, making sure to seat it just right so the little blue stuffed winged unicorn was watching the orb. Luna’s eyes lit up, “You did keep it! Even after I came back!” “Yes, well...it gets cold at night,” said Celestia with a similar sniff to her little sister’s, “Little Luna keeps me warm.” Twilight buried her head in her hooves as she pretended to be a part of the upholstery. Spike rushed back to their stall and returned a few moments later with a well-worn dog-eared cuddly pony of his own which he sat on the floor between Little Luna and Abacus. Celestia lifted it onto the pillow next to her own toy. Spike giggled into his claws as Celestia turned to watch the movie, blushing hotly. Twilight fixed her eyes on the movie too. Not having such a contraption in her library, it was a new experience for her. Usually such devices were used for remote viewing of real ponies, events and places. Seeing the eventual crash-landing of a class three-nineteen voidship play out in high-definition colour and sound was more than a little unnerving. “Uh, Princess?” she asked. “Sshhh!” hissed Celestia, hoofing popcorn into her muzzle. “I just wanted to ask...do these things...crash often?” “Why no, dear, they’re the safest way of travelling. Now do hush up, this is the best bit.” “Well okay, if you’re-” began Twilight. Unfortunately, she was interrupted by the ship bucking beneath her hooves and the safety-torch being re-lit. “Sorry passengers, we seem to have hit a bit of memetic turbulence so buckle up!” reported the ever-cheery Captain’s voice over the intercom. Twilight whimpered, chewing away at her hooves as she listened carefully to every twang and clunk of the ship fighting through the storm whilst the ship on-screen came apart in a riotous set of showy explosions. Twilight was coming to the conclusion that travel really wasn’t all it had cracked up to be. Eventually she slept. She woke up at some point to a cup of something resembling coffee, after which she was corralled back to her stall along with Spike for final approach. The dragon found himself being strapped into what they termed a foal-seat, and admonished sternly about how he should have said if the standard-issue halters didn’t fit. It was the most impractical creation he had seen; made for a pony foal, it lifted him at least a foot off the ground in a whole-body harness that went tight around his upper and lower torso and left his tail, legs and paws dangling. It was on a boom of sorts - which the stewardess reminded had to be stowed and secured for landing - that allowed for the easy feeding of baby and infant ponies. “At this time, we’ll be serving the last snack before realm-fall. Would you or the little one be needing anything?” asked the steward with a snort, twitching her ears inquisitively. “Well I’m hungry.” said Spike. Twilight shook her head. “Alright, I’ll be right back...” The steward returned a few minutes later with a large bottle held in her mouth which she put down next to Twilight before shutting and bolting the door with an ominous finality. “What...is that?” asked Spike, pointing with his tail. “I think that’s your snack.” said Twilight, giggling. “Don’t tell me...company policy?” Twilight rolled her eyes, “They do like doing things by the book.” “Sounds like somepony I know.” sulked Spike, eyeing it as he made a decision, “Well? It’s getting cold, and I’m hungry!” *** Twilight stepped off the ship on unsteady legs, blinking in sudden sunlight under a baking hot sun. She walked down the gang-plank with a dozing dragon on her back, taking her first few hoof-steps in a new world. Sizing up the border-control desk she was determined not to make the same mistake as before. She followed the signs for ‘economy’ and ‘foreign travellers’ and waited in the relatively short queue behind a host of strangely-dressed and stranger-shaped creatures. Some walked on four legs, some six, some even walked on two and had strange pink skin that looked highly unsuitable for such a climate. As she stood tapping her hooves and humming to herself, it took her a few moments to realize that the impatient voice calling, “Hey! You there! Sir!” was a dragon trying to get the attention of not her, but Spike. She nudged Spike awake with her nose, “Looks like they want to give you the special treatment.” Spike blinked, yawned, stretched, and turned to look at the source of the voice, “What do you want?” he called. “Sir, you’re in the wrong queue! Draconic nationals and their steeds are welcome in the express lane - your two attendants are already cleared for livestock entry!” “Livest-” began Twilight, turning bright red, “Oh no...oh no no no, she’s going to send me to the moon...or put me in jail on the moon...” “I’m sure it’s fine,” said Spike, “this is my country. Leave this to me. Hi-ho Twilight!” “You don’t get to hi-ho Twilight me just because we’re...” “Sir, if you’re having trouble with your steed after the trip, we can have Animal Welfare administer a sedative?” suggested the helpful check-in dragon. “No, no,” said Spike savouring the reversal of fortunes, “that won’t be necessary. She’ll be alright. Won’t she?” Twilight grumbled darkly but behaved, walking through the odd maze of ropes and bollards to stand before the express dignitary check-in desk. “Okay sir, just make your mark here, here and here...good...sign for your steed, you’ll have to pay attention to the city ordinances listed in this short document, and you’re good to go. Your two other animals were already cleared by Animal Control and are stabled on the other side. We’ll have your luggage unloaded and you can hitch up shortly - just ask any of our attendants for help. Have a nice day, and may I take this opportunity to welcome you to the Draconic Realm!” Spike dug his heels into Twilight who turned her head just enough to glare at him. He gave a nervous grin and flicked his eyes to the steward. Twilight rolled her eyes and trotted primly past. It was going to be a long trip. *** Onwards, to Part 2 (of episode 3)! (which isn’t finished yet)

Midnightshadow

147

Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Adventure,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Business Trip

Twilight and Spike need to go on a business trip - hilarity ensues

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle has been called to go on a business trip with the two princesses, and takes Spike along with her.</p><p>The trials and tribulations of inter-realm travel are not for the faint of heart, as they are about to find out.</p>

everyone

2011-10-17T13:16:39+00:00

2011-10-17T13:16:39+00:00

Calling the Shots The Business Trip Part 2 - Dragon About An MLP:FiM Fanfic by Midnight Shadow. *** One thing Twilight knew, without the shadow of a doubt, was that it was hot. The dry air wafted through her bangs and took with it any trace of cooler climes, leaving only dust and grit. The sun was hot in Leviathania. The streets were hotter. Both glowed with a fierce intensity that hurt to look at. She'd been warned about the flies. She hadn't listened. Haywood was perched on her forehead now, cleaning himself off after his last meal and she'd given up trying to chase him away. He'd appeared soon after leaving the terminal building crying, "Hey! Hey! Monster-lady! You got any dung?" "What?" she'd asked, momentarily stunned at the half-foot-long abomination hovering in front of her. "Dung. I said have you got any dung?" "I... uh... no? Leave us alone! And I’m a unicorn, not a monster!" She moved to go past him. "Hey lady, I've got three thousand mouths to feed! You're gonna make my wife and kids starve? What sort of monster are you?” “Still a unicorn! Ugh! Get lost!” She swatted at him with her tail, “Go home!” “Go home to three thousand screaming kids and the wife? You really are a monster!” Twilight sighed, “What do you want?” “It’s not so much what you can do for me, but what I can do for you. I’m a guide, the best in the city. Haywood’s the name. Haywood D’Jaboozarf at your service.” It - presumably he - lifted an appendage for Twilight to shake. She stared at it and raised an eyebrow, “We can find our way quite easily all by ourselves, thank you very much.” As she said this, Spike hiccuped. There was a brief flash of green and a sound not unlike the crackle of paper being incinerated, “I’ll just... pop inside and get another map.” said the dragon with a weary sigh. Twilight slowly checked over the princesses, the wagon and her dragon-assistant, who was once again climbing up into the seat, “Do you know where I can find... are we in the right place? Ooh, this gives me a chance... where’s that phrase book?” The unicorn searched through the luggage for a small, worn booklet, lifting it up with her magic and flipping through the pages. She cleared her throat as she pronounced, awkwardly, “I want D’Long Kerk.” Haywood’s wings snapped straight and he almost fell out of the sky, “Ahem, you mean... ah... yeah, that’s here. For a moment there...” “What?” asked Twilight, peering back and forth between the book at the creature. “Well, the tourists... yeah... you’re probably... yeah. Just watch the pronunciation there, Miss. You’re in the right place, no fear.” Twilight blinked, people certainly were odd sometimes. Twilight turned back to the fly, who grinned hopefully. She felt like strangling him with her tail, but he did seem, well, cheap to maintain. Besides, it was going to take more than a tail-swat to remove him and there were a million more waiting in the wings. Some of them a lot less polite, as hard as that was to believe. “Okay, Haywood, you’re on. Lead us to our hotel. And no funny business - I may be a vegetarian but Spike isn’t.” “I am at your service, madame!” *** Whilst Spike sat in driver’s seat of the wagon, holding the reins, it was really the unicorn who was in charge. Spike had cracked them once with a cry of "Hiya!" but Twilight had threatened to tie him up in them and leave him there overnight if he did it again. After that he'd been sulking for the last hour as the wagon rolled through dusty street after dusty street. The wooden contraption which held the luggage was hitched to Twilight, who was pulling it in very bad grace. As they traipsed through the boiling, mad city, Twilight was rapidly growing tired of the populace who were alternatively trying to sell the unicorn something, buy her, feed her, or some mixture of the three. It would have been an eye-opener of a cultural experience if it hadn't been offset by the arguing of the two other equines, the alicorn princesses, tied with ropes to the back of the wagon. Clack clack clack came from the general direction of a smaller blue winged unicorn, followed by the clatter of something wooden covered with beads falling to the ground. There was a shriek, "Abacus! Abacus! Speak to me! Tia how could you! You'll hurt... you’ll break it!" "It was an accident, my dear sister! Just stretching my wings!" replied the elder, a white winged unicorn with a regal countenance. There was another shriek, this one a different timbre and resonance, "My... my mane! Do you have any idea how long it takes me each morning to clean, brush and enchant it to flow in the wind?" "Oh, I'm sorry big sis, my hoof slipped..." There was a meaty thunk, followed by a feathery slap, followed by the grunts and squeals of the two slapping hooves, wings and tails at each other. Twilight grit her teeth before stopping in her tracks, craning her head back and shouting, "For goodness sake cut it out! I've been listening to this for the last half hour and I have had enough! So help me I will have you both muzzled if I hear another peep out of either of you! Don't make me come back there!" Twilight stood, breathing heavily in the sudden silence as the street itself paused. Celestia and Luna froze, mid-ruckus, and sheepishly arranged themselves. Abacus vanished into the back of the wagon. Celestia smirked at Luna, but dropped it when she caught sight of Twilight’s beady glare and the furious glow of her horn. The purple unicorn snorted, pawed the ground once in warning, and turned back to the fly, "Our hotel. Where. Now." "Don't get your fetlocks in a tangle, we're almost there." "Are you... are you sure? I'm not finding this street on the map..." asked Spike, indicating an intricate, detailed drawing. There was a soft tearing noise as his claws penetrated the paper. He scowled in frustration. "Well you didn't want to stop and ask for directions, and Haywood here says he knows the way." "Haywood D'Jaboozarf, city guide extraordinaire, has never left a mark, er, I mean a customer, hanging." replied the fly. "And you'd better not try it, Bub," snorted Spike, screwing up the map into an angry ball and incinerating it, "or I'll squish you.” The baby dragon turned to the unicorn and instantly his tough-guy voice was replaced by a wheedling moan, “When're we gonna get there Twi? I'm tired and hungry and it's hot and I haven't had anything to eat for hours!" "Spike, it's been an hour tops, and all you have to do is sit there! The last quartz candy-stick is under the seat, you can snack on that." "Easy for you to say, it's not past your naptime. Are we there yet?" "No." Spike sat for a few moments, "How about now?" "No." "...Now?" "Spike!" The dragon grumbled sullenly, picking up a large crystal from behind his seat right where Twilight had said it would be and crunching on it. He almost slipped off, hiccuping, when Twilight came to a sudden halt. "The hotel! we're here!" *** The buildings were mostly made of sandstone, yellow and brown, with a large pool in which were lounging several very large green, red and bronze coloured dragons. There were no gates, no fences. The paved slabs just gave way to what appeared to be granite and palm trees. Hosts of six-winged bird-like creatures sunned themselves on the rocks and called to each other, nipping at scales on their underbellies. Other smaller dragons lounged in hollows, puffing on elaborate water-pipes and conversing in the lilting sing-song of Draconic. "This is so exciting!" said Twilight, hopping up and down, "I can't wait to see our rooms!" She was led through the complex to a covered shed where the wagon was unhitched by attendant draconic creatures with four legs and two extra limbs on the upright portions of their bodies, "We will stow your luggage sir, not to be worry." one of them hissed in broken Equestrian to Spike. "I will be to taking your steeds to their accomodation." "Oh goody!" said Twilight as she shrugged out of the halter, "I cant wait to see my bed and the view and the room and the facilities... oh I hope it's got a shower! I bet it does, I bet the princess has got us top notch rooms with everything and this is going to be so much fun! I'm going to have a swim and get a nice cool drink and then I'm going to curl up and read a good book and relax and..." She was led further into the covered area and shown through a small door into an alcove with what appeared to be straw on the floor. The door was bolted behind her. Twilight’s right eye twitched, once. She’d had a long day. An... eventful trip. All she wanted now was a nice, calm, quiet place to relax in. She resolved to have a few words with the manager. Pony to... dragon. Calm, cool, collected words. Logical discourse. Things, she resolved, would be subtly but surely be improved. *** "Twi..." asked Spike, as he watched the staff scurrying about putting out the last of the fires. "Yes Spike?" replied Twilight in a sing-song voice as she lounged in the otherwise-vacant pool. "I don’t want to question my best friend, but don't you think that was a bit excessive?" "Spike, dear, my darling best-ever most-appreciated number one assistant... when have I ever been excessive?" "You set the stable on fire." "I... redecorated. Incendiarily." "You blew up the lobby." "Just... just a little remodeling. They now have a wonderful skylight." "They're missing the roof! And did you really have to eat the ledger?" "I was showing some slight displeasure at that point, perhaps." "And I don't think they've yet coaxed the concierge down from that tree nor will they ever get the stain out of the carpet..." "Oh Spike, don't be so... so...” Twilight waved a hoof, “everything worked out for the best! They upgraded us to the ambassadorial suite for free, after all!" "After you threatened to run the manager through and string his intestines up like party favours." Twilight twitched, "They put me in the stable and gave me straw to eat!" "But... you like straw!" "IT WAS THE WAY THEY DID IT!" she shouted. Several members of staff dived for cover and at least two made benedictorial signs to some invisible sky-being. Twilight clopped her hooves together in the universal sign for service. Lots were drawn and the unlucky dragon was sent with a silver platter heaped high with green plants and a selection of fruits and vegetables. He quivered silently as Twilight picked over it and floated a few pieces in front of her thoughtfully, "I shall write a letter of apology. Tomorrow. First thing." Spike rolled his eyes and pulled another gem from the pile heaped next to where he was sunning himself. He rubbed it to a shine on his bulging belly, before popping it in his mouth and chewing. *** Twilight threw open the doors to her balcony with a triumphant push of her forehooves and strode out into the morning sun. She breathed deeply. The charred woodsmoke aroma of burning hotel offset the other exotic scents in the air. She looked down at the princesses and studied their outfits. The first thing that came to mind were the beads. Everything they wore was covered in beads and sequins and gold and silver loops. It looked like a glitter factory had exploded next to a rope factory and had taken out the fabric store next door. When they moved, they clattered and clashed like an army of bangles on the run. "Wow..." said Spike, poking his head through the railings. "I'll say," said Twilight, "glad I don't have to wear something like that." Spike grinned sheepishly at the floor before looking up at Twilight, twirling a claw, "Umm... about that..." *** Twilight walked warily through the baking streets towards their unknown destination. Behind her she pulled the wagon, now emptied of the majority of their luggage and filled only with a myriad of gifts for persons unknown. In what passed for the lobby of what was left of the hotel, they’d dressed her up in one of her more flashier saddles, keeping as much distance as they could between her horn and hooves, and any sensitive body parts. She found wearing a getup that she could only describe as ridiculous; the straps chafed, her hooves hurt, the wagon was heavy, Spike was digging his heels in at every opportunity and Celestia was being mean to Luna who was doing her best to wind up her older sister - and succeeding. Celestia had made Twilight bring three sets of tack, and had admonished her for being difficult about getting along with local mores and customs. The sun princess herself and her younger sister both looked resplendent in their shining, ostentatious, lightly-armored harnesses. They were respectively made of what appeared to be red gold, and a silvery platinum. Each were bedecked in an armada of frilly lacework and furious filigree that Twilight was forced to label ‘chichi’, to use a word Rarity had thrown at her on more than one occasion. The straps appeared to be fine hemp, with silvery buckles and clasps that exploded in a shower of cleats and belts. What really chapped her horn was the bridle... and the bit. She chewed the metal bar lodged firmly in her muzzle angrily; it made her drool and she really didn’t like it. As they wandered once more through the hot streets, through the throng of dragons hawking wares, smoking hookahs or eating and drinking, Twilight attempted to revel in the atmosphere. The very air was alive with a thousand voices calling, singing, shouting, conversing in languages she couldn’t understand. Strange, lizard-like animals ran between their feet on four, six or more legs, or flapped their way through the maze of twisting passages. “Wh’re ‘re ve g’ng?” mumbled Twilight, pulling her head about and slurping at the rivulets that were dripping onto the sandstone road. “Where are we going?” asked Celestia rhetorically, unhampered orally since she was wearing a simple - if ornate - bridle and was tied to the wagon with her sister. Luna was sulking about having to pack her hoofheld device in Twilight’s wagon. Celestia twitched an ear with mirth and looking at her favourite pupil, “Why, we’re going to see my old friend Quincy for a quick social chat and a spot of light lunch.” “I th’t oo s’d th’s w’s b’s’n’ss” spat Twilight, scowling. “Of course it’s business, very important business - but we can hardly be impatient and rude guests! Quincy is a stickler for entertaining his guests. It won’t be long now, just up the road, then you can get out of those things and into something a lot more comfortable, like the saddle Rarity designed for you in the white and gold trim with red and purple gems - very fetching indeed!” Twilight kept her thoughts on where the saddle in the white with gold trim could be put as Spike held on to the thankfully well-cushioned item for dear life. Twilight trounced her way through the streets, glowering, "Ex’plain ‘oo ‘ee a’ain..." "You're my steed, it's... traditional. It's all in the guide. I thought you'd have read it!" Twilight spat out the bit with great difficulty. It wedged itself above her nose, painfully, "Was the guide the small glossy publication they hid under my pillow?" "It was indeed. I thought you loved books." "Not before breakfast. Besides, it has all sorts of crazy stuff in it - it states the dragon emperor and his sons are responsible for raising the sun and the moon. Everypony knows it's Celestia and Luna who do that!" "Actually... that's not quite right,” piped up Haywood, “you're in Leviathania now.” Twilight raised an eyebrow, and Spike nodded, “They don't raise the sun, moon or the stars in this realm. Or their own, when they’re on holiday. It’s why you’re so... so...” Twilight glowered at the dragon for a moment. He gesticulated, carrying on quickly, “It’s why they’re so... so..." Twilight stopped dead in her tracks and eyed the two princesses, who were once again making faces at each other, "Wait, so... do they... wait... how's the sun and moon getting raised back home?" *** "Pinkie," asked Rarity, staring out through the castle window with a thoughtful expression on her muzzle. "Yes Rarity, my bestest ever friend who’s in this room right now?" replied the bubbly pink pony, prancing about as she flapped her wings and crossed her eyes trying to get a good look at the large horn protruding from her forehead. "Is the sun... supposed to have a big smiley face on it?" "Well I thought 'why should the sun be the same old boring glowy ball every day' and then I thought 'wouldn't it be just swell if it were happier’ and so I made it a huge happy glowwy smiley face!” “Pinkie,” sighed Rarity, “you are the temporary ruler of the Sun and co-ruler of Equestria. Must you redecorate everything?” “Oooohhh, that’s a brilliant idea! Herald! Attend your party princess!” Pinkie stomped a hoof imperiously An impeccably-dressed unicorn with greying mane - it had been dark green earlier that day, but Pinkie had a certain effect when in full party mode - approached the thrones wearily, “Yes milady?” “You know what this castle needs? Streamers! And balloons!” “Streamers?” “Who’s the princess around here?” “You are, oh mighty pink princess of parties and practically perfect pony. Streamers it is.” he sighed. He’d had to memorize a new title approximately once every fifteen minutes since three in the morning. “And one more thing. I declare this day muffin day. If ponies do not consume at least one muffin per meal, they will be punished!” “Punished milady? I don’t think we have enough room in the dungeo-” “Yes! They will be punished by being ordered to eat a muffin!” Pinkie stamped her hoof with a definite finality. The unicorn scurried off to do the princess’ bidding. Rarity rolled her eyes. It was going to be a long day... maybe she could persuade Pinkie to get an early night. That, or feed her enough cake to get her to pass out. Tonight she was going to have a meteor shower - in all the colours of the rainbow - and planned for the galaxies to shine like diamonds. She fluttered her wings and settled herself primly into the Throne of Night. The only way this could be be better was if she had some company. She narrowed her eyes. Perfect, she thought to herself with a smirk. Revenge was going to be delicious, “Summon Prince Blueblood!” *** “Pinkie?” hissed Twilight, scattering both Haywood and Spike with her burning glare, as she once again moved through the city, stomping hooves so angrily that they sparked. “Don’t look at me! It was the princesses’ idea!” Spike made several warding-off motions with his paws. Twilight glowered. “Hey, toots, can’t be all bad. This Pinkie sounds like a real doll!” “Toots me one more time and I’ll...” “You’d make my three thousand kids orphans, and my wife a widow?” “Do you really have three thousand kids?” asked Spike, “Sounds a bit much.” Haywood flapped his wings quicker, and momentarily shot a few feet up in the air nervously, “Weelll... no. Only two and a half thousand.” Spike blinked, “Oh, that’s alright then. How do flies... anyway?” “Aaaaand moving on!” interrupted Twilight quickly, “Princess! Celestia I mean! Just which way are we supposed to be going?” *** They entered the courtyard of the largest single building she’d ever seen, bar Canterlot castle, through the largest set of iron gates she’d ever seen bar none. She glanced about herself anxiously as the gates swung shut with the sort of clanging finality she thought never to experience. All around were dragons, big and small, but every single one was female. They lounged in pools, sunned themselves on hot rocks and spoke in low rumbling whispers that rose the hackles on her neck. Twilight flicked her tail at the buzzing flies that bit with furious intensity upon the succulent and altogether softer flanks of the equines. Spike seemed unconcerned and unfazed by all but the decor. “Wow, us dragons certainly know how to build big, don’t we!” “Mi-ni-mi-ni-miii” twittered Twilight under her breath, furious that the guards had made sure she was ‘properly attired’ and had replaced the bit. All the solid wall of heat and dust was doing to her was frizzing her mane and since they’d made her eat the damned bit again, her teeth were starting to ache and the drool was returning, “Theeth dwagonth... wath ‘ey ‘ooin’ ‘ere?” Twilight managed to ask. “Oh, these are all the wives of the emperor. He has a harem. Dragons live such a long time you see, often the agreements and treaties they make expire long before they do.” explained Haywood. “An’? Whath ‘at gotha thoo with ith?” dribbled Twilight. “Alliances are often sealed with marriage, Twilight, and divorce is such a messy procedure they don’t tend to bother. Come on, this way. Spike, tell the butler who you are, he’ll show us to Quincy.” interrupted Celestia. The white alicorn pointed with a wing down the long sweeping courtyard to the main doors of the palace where two dragons stood at attention like statues. Spike hopped off the cart he was nominally driving and scampered up to the guards. They peered down at him sternly. “Spike... of Equestria. To see,” he looked back at Celestia, Luna and Twilight, before turning back to the two guards and wringing his paws together, “to see Quincy.” The dragons looked at each other and raised an eye-ridge. Finally, one of them said in a grating deep voice, “Walk this way, young master.” Spike blinked, “I suppose I could, but Twilight and the girls may have more of a problem.” The draconic guard blinked back, and hissed, “Just follow me.” The group were led inside the spacious stone structure. Arches and crenelation disappeared off into the upper reaches and strange skittering noises were heard as unseen creatures fled the presence of the intruders. The hoofsteps of the ponies was soon the only thing to break the suddenly oppresive silence. “Through there,” croaked the guard, and pointed at a heavy wooden door set with blackened metal hinges and framework. He bowed and slipped off, fluttering wings nervously. Spike blinked again; now he was actually here, in the Draconic Realm, the thought of meeting a real dragon - meaning a dragon who had seen the dawn of ages long past, who had trod upon the world when it was young - was daunting. It wasn’t the noise, which was a low rumble, a hackle-raising resounding growl from some great maw. It wasn’t the distinct smell of brimstone wafting through the cavernous hallway. It was the sheer size of the room. Dragons like Spike - young, with only a handful of summers under their wings - were small. As dragons grew older, they grew bigger. Some dragons... some dragons were like Celestia. They just carried on growing older. And with every year they added more tonnage to their scaly frames. Draconic Emperors... these were the seldom-seen behemoths of legend, mysteries even amongst other dragons. Fearfully, Spike reached up a fist to tap on the heavy door. He briefly entertained the idea that his meek knocking would go unheard and unanswered, and they’d all be able to go home, but the door swung open before his claws had so much as brushed the surface. He led his three charges through the door, leading Twilight by the reigns to help maneuver the cart. Behind them, the door slammed shut. Titanic torches burst into spitting flame along the walls, barely illuminating a heap of treasure that quite probably qualified as a minor mountain. Something large squatted on it, scales gleaming in the flickering light. A deep, throaty roaring rumbling noise filled the cavern and an even deeper voice called out, “WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER! SPEAK NOW, MORTALS OR FEEL THE FLESH RIPPED FROM YOUR BONES! THE BLOOD BOILED IN YOUR VEINS! THE-” “Quincy!” called out Celestia, covering her muzzle with a hoof and laughing as Twilight quietly christened the doormat. “WHO DARES ADDRESS QUETZLCOATL THUS? LORD OF ALL COSMOS, BRINGER OF LIGHT, RULER OF ALL LEVIATHANIA, MASTER OF-” Twilight quivered as the thunderous voice reverberated around the titanic room, causing masonry to fall crashing to the ground off in the darkness. She christened the mat some more. It was, she reflected in what had to be her last few moments of life, well and truly christened. “Oh Quincy you showoff! It’s me! Us! Tia and Luna!” “Tia? Luna?” asked the voice, having lost most of it’s reverberating malice but almost none of the volume. A gigantic toothed maw emerged from the gloom, eyes like diamonds, teeth like buzzsaws, scales like daggers. Twilight idly wondered quite how much she weighed now since having entered the room. “Oh it is you! Tia and Luna! My favourite little ponies! It’s been so long... how long has it been? A thousand years? Two?” “More like five, Quincy,” said Celestia, her eyes shining, as a gigantic claw snaked down and snatched her and her sister up. The massive visage rubbed the two seemingly-diminutive figures against it’s snout, enormous eyes closed in happiness. “That,” hissed Twilight to Spike, “is Quincy?” “That’s Quetzlcoatl! That’s the god-emperor of all Leviathania!” squeaked Spike. “And he’s cuddling the princesses!” hissed Twilight. “And what,” asked a voice that could obliterate concrete at thirty paces, “do we have here? Spike, is that you? My you’ve grown! You were just an egg last time we... well last time I saw you! Come give your Uncle Quincy a hug!” “Uncle?” choked Twilight, looking down at Spike, who looked back up at the unicorn and shrugged, as a mammoth claw plucked the pair of them into the air. Twilight swore her ears popped at the change in altitude. “Uncle?” Twilight repeated, in between having her internal organs rearranged via application of giant draconic face to flank. “Oh my yes, Spike, you are growing up to be a handsome young dragon. You’ll be perfect as my replacement. My delinquent sons are entirely useless and...” “What, what?” asked both Spike and Twilight together. “Didn’t you know? This is your pre-pre-coronation-party semi-official pre-introduction pre-recognition quasi-informal get-together where I announce my intention to have you as my eventual successor to the throne and my title of god-emperor of all Leviathania. Are my two steeds being lax in their education of my nephew and his Celestial Steed?” Twilight was still trying to get her tongue around the formalities involved when her brain caught up and sheepishly, metaphorically, tapped her on the shoulder, “Did you say Celestial Steed?” “Indeed! And my nephew could hardly have chosen a better mare at that! Wonderful teeth, my dear, simply wonderful. One mustn’t look a gift-horse in the mouth but I think we can make an exception as you’re a pony...” The behemoth lifted Twilight up between colossal thumb and fore-finger and examined the equine, “Yes, yes, good coloration, bone-structure, excellent breeding hips... You’ll want to brood this one out as soon as she’s of a receptive age, Spike my boy, don’t want to lose a chance like this. Only comes once every thousand years or so... I lucked out with my own pair, a fine lineage they’ve produced! Famous across the realms!” “Good bone structure? Receptive age? Broodmare? What am I? Some sort of glorified pet?!” Twilight’s voice got louder and louder until her horn lit up and her mane seemed to catch fire. Rather than drop her, which probably wouldn’t have ended well for the unicorn mare, the emperor chuckled throatily and turned the literally smouldering equine all around before putting her down gently and patting her head, “Weren’t you told? The emperor is allowed companions, uh... wait, I believe the term is-” Twilight fumed at the collection of diphthongs and syllables that followed. According to her phrase book she discovered, before her furious gaze turned it to ash, the phrase the emperor had used stood for ‘hobby’ as much as ‘pet’. “We will have words, Spike.” hissed Twilight. The baby dragon gulped, waving his paws about. “I-it’s not my f-fault, it’s a custom! I’m a dragon, Twilight, I’m going to live for a long time. We’ve got to have something to occupy our time!” “That doesn’t mean raising your very own herd of Twilight Sparkles!” “It kind of does...” squeaked the dragon. “Oh my, I certainly hope so, you’re perfect for a Celestial Steed. The thaumic discharge is taking hold already, haven’t you noticed?” “Thaumic dis-whatnow?” asked Twilight, blinking. “Here, let me... illuminate you.” the dragon chuckled, as he snuffed out the lights. For a moment there was darkness, and then an ethereal kaleidoscope of stars and colours whirled across the muted features of the room. Twilight turned her head to catch a glimpse of their source, but was unable. As she turned her head, the lights danced. It took her a few moments to realize that it was her mane. Her mane was... glowing, with stars, galaxies and boiling plasma clouds. “So many wonders,” said the dragon-emperor, teasing a tear from his eyes, “I hereby proclaim Spike to be my intended future replacement god-emperor of all Leviathania! And the unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle to be his Celestial Steed! So let it be!” The dragon roared loud enough to burst eardrums, and the torches flickered in to being once more. Very, very slowly, Twilight Sparkle collapsed first onto her haunches. Her mane glowed. She peered at it, using a hoof to pull the strands around into her vision. The stars and galaxies dancing on the walls were contained within her magnificent mane. It was, all said and done, rather more than she could cope with. With a single raised eyebrow as her hoof fell to the floor and her bangs flopped back into position, she fainted dead away. *** Twilight opened her eyes groggily. A pink dragon with green spines swam into view, “Spike? Oh Spike! I had the weirdest dream... you were there...” A white unicorn with pink mane came into view. It took Twilight a few seconds to realise that this ‘unicorn’ had wings, “Celestia? You were there too... why do you have a pink mane? and you were there too Luna!” Luna nodded her head, smiling. “Oh it was such a strange dream, I dreamt we went to the dragon realm and there was this... this fly and he could talk...” “Hey Toots!” chimed in Haywood, buzzing into view. Twilight closed her eyes again and sighed heavily, dropping her head back to the ground, “If I wish hard enough, you’ll all vanish! I’ll wake up in my sane bed, in my sane library where my sane friends are... oh dear Celestia, they’re still raising the sun and moon!” *** Pinkie giggled. She raised her hooves and smartly tapped them together with a clop-clop noise. Darkness befell the throne room. She tapped them together again, clop-clop, the light came back. On, off, on, off... it was so easy! “Pinkie, dear,” asked a very strained Rarity, putting a forehoof between her friend’s hooves, “Could you please stop turning the sun on and off?” “But...” “No, Pinkie... up in the morning and down at night is enough, I believe. Now, we have a state function to attend and I want you on your best behaviour. Unless that ghastly Blueblood does decide to show up in his new royally-appointed clown-outfit, at which point you may make him do the Pony Pokey to your little heart’s content.” “Really, Rarity? For real?” “Oh, I insist, Pinkie! I believe I will second your royal decree for it to be the national anthem, and appoint him royal anthem singer. And dancer.” The ballroom was... festive. It was bedecked in ten thousand sets of streamers, each one more gaudy than the last, with so many balloons it was a sea of latex. A bouncy castle had been ordered from somewhere and was enthusiastically being used by Princess Pinkie and a few of the braver courtiers wishing to curry favour with one of the new princesses of Equestria, and a few of the younger pages who were just plain enjoying themselves. Princess Rarity, with her immaculately coiffed mane, iridescent horn and pristine pinion-feathers, entered the ballroom. The crowd hushed. It was the stars; white diamonds, blue sapphires and red rubies set into her mane completed the picture. She flung her mane back just so, catching the light perfectly. There were gasps as the Equestrian Anthem played, perfectly timed to match her graceful walk. She spread her wings and bowed, forelegs set forwards, before raising up imperiously and bestowing her royal gaze upon her subjects. They took the hint, falling to their knees in supplication. It’s good to be the princess, thought Rarity to herself with a secret smile. Looking up she saw a furtive figure attempting, for once, to appear as insignificant as possible. “Ah, prince Blueblood, please won’t you join us?” intoned Rarity. There was a quiet, strangled noise like a pony caught with his hoof in the cookie-jar, and Blueblood stood up slowly, appearing from behind the banisters of the upper balcony. His ensemble was... unique. Fake antlers adorned his noble brow. Yellow bows festooned his regal mane. Bells tinkled merrily in his fabulous tail. Large, squeaky boots that honked joyfully with each step were on his hooves and, topping it all off, was a very frilly and very pink tutu. He stepped as officiously as he could down the long stairway. There was a soft clop-clop noise that barely reverberated around the room. It would never have been heard at all if not for the hush that fell at the prince’s appearance, despite the giggling. The lights went out suddenly, plunging the ballroom into complete darkness. There was a cacophony of honks, tinkling bells, cries of pain and the unmistakably meaty, solid sounds of a pony repeatably bouncing off marble. A very short while later, the sun came back on to reveal that the bottom of the stairs had grown a roughly pony-shaped lump festooned with wildly situation-inappropriate and in places gender-inappropriate clothing. Not that the rest of the courtiers would mention anything. Not even those who weren’t giggling solidly behind their hooves. Pinkie was bouncing innocently on the bouncy castle. Rarity smiled. It was going to be a very fun function. ***

Midnightshadow

147

Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Adventure,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Business Trip

Twilight and Spike need to go on a business trip - hilarity ensues

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle has been called to go on a business trip with the two princesses, and takes Spike along with her.</p><p>The trials and tribulations of inter-realm travel are not for the faint of heart, as they are about to find out.</p>

everyone

2013-06-28T15:36:42+00:00

2013-06-28T16:15:02+00:00

Calling the Shots The Business Trip Part 3 - Excess makes the heart glow yonder An MLP:FiM Fanfic by Midnight Shadow. *** Twilight sipped angrily at a golden chalice filled with some sort of ruby-red pleasingly alcoholic liquid. It was tart and smooth and slid down her throat. The comfortable cushion was insultingly soft. “So tell me again, Spike, just why you think I’m going to let you... you...” Twilight waved a hoof in exasperation. Spike blushed, “It’s not my fault, Twilight! I didn’t know Uncle Quincy would do that! I thought he meant it as an... honorary thing, you know?” There was a low rumbling and the enormous draconic muzzle drifted into the circle of torchlight, “You don’t wish to be a Celestial Steed?” Twilight slammed the goblet down with her magic, “No! No I don’t! I want to go back to my library and forget any of this ever happened!” Quincy withdrew, thoughtfully. Finally he approached the small circle of friends, “I sometimes forget, Madame Sparkle, that there are others in this world with feelings of their own...” “Then you’ll stop this... Celestial Steed nonsense?” asked Twilight in a hopeful voice. Quincy shook his head, “It is not I who made the choice, madame. It is a choice between my nephew Spike... and yourself. You care for him, do you not?” “I... of course I do! Like... a brother, or a friend.” Twilight snorted. “You have looked after him since he was hatched - Celestia here informs me that your magic itself was instrumental in his hatching?” Twilight nodded slowly, she could still remember the day when her magic had burst out of control, temporarily turning her parents into potted plants. Quincy nodded similarly, “A bond was formed that day, Twilight Sparkle. There is only one thing that could break it, and that is a broken heart.” Twilight grimaced. She would need a lot more drink. *** Morning broke silently across Leviathania. Golden sunlight poured incessently and rudely in through the wooden shutters of Twilight’s hotel room. She groaned and rolled over. Not to be outdone, the flaxen fingers spread across the room until the last vestiges of darkness had fled behind the dresser and under the four-poster bed. Twilight groaned, and levitated a third pillow onto her head, jamming it down with thaumatic might. “Why can’t the sun just stay down until I’m ready to get up!” she groaned, her head exploding, voice muffled by the soft down of some unknown animal. It wasn’t the sounds of the city outside that made her carefully raise the pillow as much as their sudden and complete absence. She blinked, it was dark. She rose quickly out of bed, staggering slightly as she held a hoof to her aching head for a few moments, and poked the shutters with a forehoof. She opened and shut them experimentally. Still dark. “I could have sworn... that the sun... oh no. Ooohhh no no no... Princess! Princess Celestia! What have you done?” Twilight bolted from her room, charging through the doors which splintered into matchsticks as she passed, and clattered down the hallway to where her mentor was staying. She barely knocked before throwing the door open and barging in. “Twilight,” asked a grumpy lump of an alicorn firmly ensconced in several layers of blankets and furiously snuggling with a worn blue roughly-equine cuddly toy, “don’t you ever knock?” “But... the sun... went down again... not up... daytime... should be...” the unicorn exclaimed breathlessly. “Twilight,” Celestia repeated calmly, “do you know how often in the last ten millenia I have had a chance to sleep in? Do you? I don’t think you do. For the last ten thousand years I have had a whole armada of prissy ponies barge in, without fail, every single morning to tell me what time they expect the sun to rise. I go for one teeny tiny holiday and do I get a second to myself to relax? No. No I don’t. You want the sun up? Raise it yourself!” The purple unicorn found herself lifted bodily up and levitated smartly out the room. The door slammed shut in her face. Me? thought Twilight to herself, raise the sun? All by myself? Twilight’s eye twitched. She took a deep breath, let it out, and shouted, “Luuunnnaaaaa!” The young blue alicorn yawned, smacking her lips. She hoofed sleep dust out of her eyes, “Explain again.” “Celestia, sun, up, down, night, should be day...” Luna shook her head and face-hoofed, “Explain again, slowly.” “i woke up as the sun was streaming in through the blinds...” “It does tend to do that. I’m pretty sure my sister does it on purpose sometimes...” Luna yawned, “so?” “So I kinda... wished it to go down again. And it did.” “And?” “And it hasn’t come back up yet! It’s supposed to be daytime!” “Then hadn’t you better raise it?” Twilight’s eye twitched. It had been doing that for the last few minutes, “But... I’m... you... princess... sun...” “Uh-uh,” Luna shook her head, “don’t look at me. The Union of Celestial Steeds will have a screaming fit if I work outside of my jurisdiction. Truth be told you’re out of your jurisdiction too, but I’m pretty sure they’ll look the other way as you’re not exactly a member and the silly sun doesn’t know it shouldn’t be listening to you in this realm.” “Union? Celestial Steeds with an ‘s’?” Luna sighed, “Did my sister really tell you nothing about this entire trip?” “She, uh, told me that she’d pulled a few strings to get both me and Spike along...” “it was supposed to be just Spike, Twilight, but my sister hates pulling the wagon...” Luna sighed, “Right, just... go out on the balcony, think of the sun, and... pull it up. Once you give it a nudge it’ll probably settle right into place.” “Nudge the sun.” “Yep.” “Me... Nudge the sun.” “That’s what I said. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed. Up all night, force of habit I suppose.” with that, the mostly-nocturnal alicorn yawned mightily and slunk off. Twilight’s eye twitched as a mad grin split the unicorn’s features in twain. She giggled, she guffawed, she laughed. She walked woodenly like a doll held up by a drunk puppeteer down the hallway until she appeared on a nearby balcony, “just... nudge the sun. Yeah. Flaming ball of gas, millions of tonnes of pure light, heat and energy. Nudge it. Sure, why not. Here’s to nudging the sun.” Twilight concentrated, and her horn sparked into life. Her mane, heretofore once again muted and coloured the normal pastel shades of Equestrian ponies, lit up like the night sky. Unbelievably, she felt the heady weight of the sun below the horizon. She willed it up, reached out with her mind, pushed it, pulled it, cajoled it... she felt the glorious golden heat of the sun upon her face, warming her body. Despite herself, she thought it felt rather good. Opening her eyes, she was met by the amazing sight of the first few rays of the second dawn that day bursting from the horizon. “That...” she blinked, “that went rather well, I think.” “I’ll say,” yawned Celestia from behind her, “first time I did it, I set all the drapes on fire and almost burned down the entire citadel. I’m amazed it’s only your mane.” “My what is what?” “Mane, on fire. Nice sunrise though.” “My what is what!? Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!” Twilight ran screaming through the hotel and didn’t stop until she’d plunged herself into the bathing pool. From up above, a bleary-eyed baby dragon peered through the banisters. “Is... is that Twilight?” “Indeed.” “Did she set her mane on fire?” “Looks like it.” “Right... do you know your mane is pink?” “Indeed I do.” the pair regarded each other for a second, dragon to alicorn, before Spike turned back to look down at the coughing, spluttering and singed unicorn clambering out of the pool. “Think she’ll be okay?” “I think so, Spike. Just... she likes waffles, right?” “Oh boy does she ever like waffles.” “I advise you to make them, Spike, with extra syrup. I’ll be,” the alicorn yawned, “in my chambers. Wake me when she stops shouting.” The baby dragon watched the alicorn trot smartly down the hallway as, below, doors were slammed and a drippingly furious unicorn thundered through the building. He winced at every muted impact. If only, he thought to himself, Twilight had read the guide book. *** Twilight glowered at the waffle in front of her. Its golden brown deliciousness taunted her, eat me, it said, eat me and feel better. “I hate you,” she muttered under her breath at the waffle. She levitated it off her plate and bit into it angrily, furiously licking the cream and jam off her muzzle. She hated it, she hated the sweet, yummy, treacherous goodness as it filled her stomach and made her forget all about the pool incident. Even now, the memory was being stolen by the evil machinations of breakfast. “I made it with extra daisies, Twilight, I know you love daisies.” said Spike cautiously. “I’m not speaking to you.” “Aww, Twilight! Come on! It’s not my fault!” Twilight swallowed the last few pieces of waffle and glowered as the succulent baked goods settled pleasingly in her stomach. She burped, and hiccuped. She glared accusingly at the plate, and then began methodically licking the last of the cream and jam off it. “We go home soon! Back home! To the library! To your books! You like books, don’t you? We’ve got some new books in, did I say?” “Still not talking to you. I am not some... some pet!” “I never said you were, Twilight. You’re my best friend,” Spike wrung his paws together, “I didn’t ask for Quincy to pick me! I only found out about it a few weeks ago!” Twilight sniffed, “I never treat you like a pet.” “You did stuff me in that kitty-carrier and trick me into visiting the doctors!” “That was for your own good! And I’m still not talking to you!” Twilight scowled at the now-shiny plate, but Spike could tell he was getting through to her. “We’ve got the new mystery novels by Einhorn Sarsaparilla! You like them!” “Not interested!” “And the new romance novels by Sanguine Hibiscus...” “Sanguine Hibiscus?” she raised an ear cautiously. “The one all the reviewers are going crazy about, I got you... I got you a signed one. I... kinda have contacts.” Twilight snorted, “You? Contacts?” Spike looked offended, “Do you know how many books you had me order back at Canterlot, before we moved to Ponyville?” the baby dragon sniffed, “I was going to save it for your birthday, but... I guess I can give it to you when we get back. If you want it, I mean... a signed Sanguine Hibiscus novel, they go for a pretty penny on the ponynets...” “You got me a signed Sanguine Hibiscus?” “Hardback, just like you like ‘em, Twi.” Spike nodded. “Just for...” the unicorn sniffled, and rubbed a hoof in her eyes, “just for me? I... oh Spike I’m sorry! It’s just I... the sun... my mane, the princesses... the dragons... that awful Haywood...” she burst into tears. Spike expertly ladelled out more waffles onto Twilight’s plate and the sobbing unicorn ate them two at a time as she blubbered. Spike wasn’t really listening, he didn’t have to. Waffles, fresh cream, and jam usually worked wonders. At least she wasn’t... oh dear, there she went. Three at once. Spike sighed, it was going to be a long morning. At least she usually slept after a waffle-binge... *** Spike lazed in the early afternoon sun, semi-submerged in the pool. He clicked his claws together; out of seemingly nowhere, a lackey appeared. The yellow dragon carried a tray on which was heaped gems and crystal goblets filled with a fizzing liquid. Spike took a few choice morsels from the pile and snagged a couple of glasses. Peering at them, he emptied them out and chewed the lead crystal thoughtfully. There was a splash and he looked up to see Twilight bursting up from under the water like a four-legged seal to lodge herself firmly but comfortably on a submerged lounger. “Feeling better?” Spike asked tentatively. “Much,” said Twilight, “still confused though. How does this work?” “You expect me to know? I thought you were the bookworm!” exclaimed Spike. “I kind of... burnt the guidebook when I... redecorated the hotel.” “Don’t they have any more of them?” “I don’t know, every time I try to ask, I can’t find anypony to ask.” “Having your hotel redecorated via fire will tend to do that, Twilight.” “I guess I should apologize.” “Naa,” Spike yawned, “I’m the emperor. Or I will be. I don’t think emperors have to apologize. Read it in a book once.” “You? Read it in a book?” “A comic, okay? Crash Hoofburn, if you must know. The one where he’s captain of the good ship Sea Pony’s Promise and meets the sunken emperor. The emperor’s all Pow! Zap! Boom! and Crash is like Pew Pew Pew and there’s...” Twilight giggled, and stretched, “Oh Spike, I don’t think comic books and cartoons are good role models for real life at all.” “Says you, Twilight. Crash has taught me all sorts of things, like how lying is bad and to stay true to yourself, and all sorts of stuff.” Twilight snorted, and was about to retort when there were two more splashes. Luna and Celestia had dived into the pool, hooves first, and were trotting their way across. “Celestia...” began Twilight, hesitantly. “Twilight, my faithful pupil, we’re on holiday. Call me Tia.” “Tia...” Twilight blinked, changing tack, “why is your mane pink? Why did you choose Pinkie of all ponies as your replacement?” “No words about Rarity, Twilight?” sniffed Luna, splashing her sister with a wing. “Rarity makes perfect sense, but Pinkie? She’s... she’s... so random!” Twilight threw her hooves up in the air. Spike wiped the water off his face. “I guess I could have chosen my nephew, Blueblood, but frankly I don’t like some of his ideas about how my subjects should be treated. He’s far too ambitious for his own good.” Twilight scrunched her nose up, “Isn’t he that unicorn that Rarity was mooning over?” “I believe so, but then a lot of ponies do, until they meet him. last I saw of them together, Rarity was spitting cake at him and chasing him out of the ballroom room at the Gala last year. He wanted me to imprison you, you know? For treason? Can you imagine?” Twilight gulped, and downed an entire glass of the fizzy liquid taken from the tray held by a now-trembling servant. “Relax, Twilight, I shall be doing no such thing. As I said, he is the most unsuitable pony I could imagine.” “Why Pinkie though?” “Miss Rainbow Dash was too busy practicing for the Wonderbolts, Applejack refused flat out, even when I offered her my royal gardners to help buck apples at her farm, and Fluttershy fainted when I sent her the summons. Frankly, Pinkie is a pony I think I can trust with Equestria for a few days. I doubt she can get into all that much trouble.” The four bathers looked at each other silently for a moment, before Twilight broke the spell, “I... I guess not. You’re probably right. Not with Rarity there to help. Certainly. Probably... I hope. Back to the mane. Why is your mane pink?” Celestia blushed, “I... have a certain image to maintain, Twilight, so as royal princess of Equestria I have to look my best. Who would pay attention to a pink alicorn? Royal blue, white... more than appropriate. A gloriously multicoloured mane and tail are far more suitable than pink. You know I went through a black phaze a while ago?” “Don’t remind me,” Luna rolled her eyes, “all gothic arches and lace.” “So... you just... haven’t bothered to enchant it?” Twilight tried to get the image of Celestia wearing black lace out of her head. “Not quite, Twilight. You see... I’m not the princess here. You are.” Twilight’s smile froze on her muzzle. She blinked, “Princess?” Celestia waved a hoof, “Celestial Steed, emperor dragon as a sponsor... even your own mane...” the alicorn reached out a hoof and tapped Twilight’s horn. Her mane lit up like a Winter Solstice ornament, until a second horn tap turned it off again. “Did you just... I thought that was a one time thing!” “You’ll get used to it dear.” “I glow when I tap my horn? I can tap my horn and my mane glows?” “Don’t worry, it’ll be a while before it breaks in properly. Thaumic discharge is harmless enough, though it can be a bit embarrassing...” Celestia exclaimed to Twilight, eyes fixed on many years ago. “It does! I tap my horn, and it glows! I tap it again... it stops... why does my mane glow when I tap my horn?” “You’ll just have to...” Celestia stopped, and sighed, “Spike, I think we broke Twilight again.” Twilight’s expression had gone blank. She was repeatedly tapping her horn, setting on and off her ethereal aura. “Can she, uh, blow a fuse or anything?” asked Spike. “No, no, just... you gave her waffles last time, right?” “More waffles?” “I think you’ll need something a bit more serious this time.” “Icecream?” “Icecream.” *** Twilight twitched and gurgled from where she was firmly wedged, as comfortably as possible, into the bath in the en-suite washroom in the hotel. Several buckets of double chocolate chip fudge icecream rolled around beside her. They were empty, but nopony dared remove them. Even semi-conscious from the combined brainfreeze and sugar-rush, the overly-stressed unicorn had a wicked bite. “She’ll be okay, right?” asked Spike with a worried tone. “I’m sure my favourite student will be just fine. Not even five buckets of Frosty Hooves Double-Double Fudge-Choc-Chip Surprise can leave that much of a lasting impact.” “Seven, it was seven buckets.” “Oh well,” Celestia sniffed, “still, I think she’ll be fine. Just... keep an eye on her.” Spike grimaced, he was wondering how many more favours he’d have to call in before she’d speak to him this time. Twilight opened her eyes. It was dim in the room and the muted sounds of the city as it woke up for the evening were too insistent to ignore, as was the call of nature. Hauling her dairy-filled bulk out of the bath, after several false starts and a lot of cursing, she tried to ignore the fact that her belly reached the floor and that she didn’t quite fit through the door. The fact that she had to use the facilities meant for larger patrons such as dragons was, she convinced herself, only her right. She hiccuped, just how many buckets of ice-cream had she gone through? She had a hazy recollection of counting at least one for each hoof, but she was pretty sure it hadn’t stopped there. She washed her face up and dried her muzzle off before squeezing herself triumphantly into the corridors of the hotel. “Make way everypony, I take large steps!” she hollered, and scowled as the staff leaped left and right to escape her path. Word travels fast, and the information that the Celestial Steed of the next Dragon Emperor had been given only one complementary chocolate last night, and canned alfalfa for breakfast to top it off, had spread like wildfire. She stormed into the first class dining room and eased her ice-cream-filled bulk onto the plushest of pillows and glowered at the scrying orb in front of her. The business trip hasn’t quite gone as planned; irritating flies, strange customs, clashing clothing and apparently Celestial Steed Status. She was no hobby! She was... she was apparently a princess now. She idly tapped her horn, and her mane sprung to life again. She scowled at it darkly and tapped her horn a second time. She was still scowling when she felt small claws fastening around her neck. She stiffened for a second, before relaxing and leaning into the hug. “Oh Spike,” she said, “whatever are we going to do?” “Well, I was thinking about watching a movie or two, getting some snacks and maybe playing some card games, and then maybe hitting the town. Haywood says he knows the best places to eat.” “I meant about... this!” Twilight tapped her horn and stars filled the cabin. “We could turn the audio system to the disco channel..?” Twilight blinked, looked at Spike for a moment, and then began to laugh. She buried her muzzle in his stomach and sniffled there for a few moments, “You silly baby dragon,” she said, “that’s not what I meant at all.” Spike ground his feet into the deck, picking at the plush carpet, “I know, but... do we really have to do anything about it? We can go back to the library and Ponyville and pretend none of this ever happened! It’s not like you’ve got set working hours or anything... well you know what I mean.” the dragon blushed hotly at the glare Twilight sent his way, “The princesses will raise the sun and the moon again, Pinkie and Rarity will...” Twilight chuckled to herself and interrupted, “How much trouble do you think Pinkie is causing as a princess?” “Oh, I’m sure nothing that Celestia and Luna can’t sort out.” *** “A little dab here and a spritz there and... oh yes! Much better!” Rarity was humming to herself. She was blatantly ignoring the courtier, now bald, previously of the white mane, formerly of a luscious green flowing mane and tail, as she painted. “Madame, please... the night sky...” “Needs a bit of a sprucing up, dare I say? And I dare, for I. Am. Rarity!” the white alicorn with the flowingly perfect celestial-hued mane and tail cast her spell, and the night sky lit up like a million diamonds. “There! Is it not pretty? Is it not a perfect work of art?” “Madame, it is indeed...” and the courtier had to give it to her, it was gorgeous, “absolutely stunning... but do we have to see it at two in the afternoon?” Rarity sniffed, “I don’t think anypony minds. After all, with Pinkie having a solar-powered rave party all last night they never got to see my sky at all. Sometimes I don’t wonder in the slightest why Luna got a little bit... miffed.” “Miffed? One does not get locked in the moon for a millenium over a minor squabble, madame!” snorted the courtier, stomping a hoof. “No, sir, one gets locked in the moon for a millenium for irking the princess... and with your tone of voice, dear sir, I am rather irked.” There was a silent poof as the last of the courtier’s mane left his head to trickle sadly to the ground. He looked at it mournfully, “Your will, my princess.” “Quite. Now, follow me, we shall begin redecorating immediately.” There was a strangled exclamation of horror from the unfortunate pony as Princess Rarity, Regent of the Night, led the way back inside Canterlot, out of the half-night-half-mostly-day-when-the-sun-wasn’t-being-turned-off-time, explaining how she had decreed it necessary to celebrate the night more. Everything had to go, she patiently explained, from the drapes to the furniture. No, it didn’t matter that the thrones were three millenia old, she was quite sure suitable replacements could be found. *** There was a knocking at her hotel room doors. She turned over, moaning in her sleep. The door that had been eased open was slammed shut as Twilight exercised her telekinetic powers. Outside the room came a solid thud followed by a series of semi-audible complaints and the door was slammed open. A purple and green form commando-rolled in, followed by a large, buzzing creature. “Hey Toots, you up?” Haywood called, and easily dodged the precision-aimed pillow that flew across the room towards him, “She’s up. Rise and shine your celestialness, time for a party!” “It’s not a party, Twilight... well it kind of is. It’s for you. Well, for me, but... also for you.” “Ugh!” snorted Twilight, appearing in the doorway to her bedroom, “Must I? And I suppose I have to wear one of those ridiculous outfits again, too?” ***

kits

150

Main 6,Sad,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Storm

Ponyville must work together to survive a storm.

complete

<p>A storm of epic proportions sweeps over Equestria, leaving the ponies of Ponyville to try to piece their lives back together.</p>

everyone

2012-11-25T05:23:55+00:00

2012-11-25T05:23:55+00:00

Pinkie Pie picked up the upper half of what had been the giant cupcake on top of Sugar Cube Corner. Small tears half-formed in her eyes. The bakery had been a fixture in her life ever since she came to Ponyville. Its destruction hurt. Her gazed drifted up towards the plot of land the bakery had stood on. Only the foundation remained. She sighed before she caught herself. "Pinkie," she said, "You cannot afford to sigh. How will you keep everypony's spirits up if you are down in the dumpy-wumpies?" She smiled. It was a smile only on the outside, but that would be enough. She could shed her tears in private later; for now, there was work to do. The wind was howling. It sounded like a thousand angry spirits venting rage against the world. Twilight could barely make out the sound of Applejack shouting. "I- I can't hear you!" Twilight returned. The wind drowned out everything. Applejack slipped out of the harness she was using to right the apple tree leaning precariously over the Apple family barn. "Ah said, we need to go. We ain't doing much good out here. This ain't the only tree ready to go and Ah don't think we can keep 'em all from the house." Twilight nodded, too exhausted from trying to keep three other trees from uprooting themselves. A sudden increase in the wind threatened to topple her trees. Her horn blazed brighter with the effort of keeping them upright. The light spilling from her served only to emphasize how dark the day had become. "Ah'll get Applebloom and Big Mac'll get Granny Smith. We'll head into town somewhere. It breaks mah heart, but this farm just ain't safe no more." "You can stay with me in the library," Twilight gasped. "Thank 'ye kindly Twilight. Can you hold those another minute? Ah need to fetch a tarp for Granny. This rain'll be none too good for her." Twilight was already straining not to drop the trees right then and there. Can I hold for a minute more? I must. She closed her eyes, concentrating everything she had on protecting the barn for just one more minute. Fluttershy wept openly. Standing among the rubble that remained of her house, she dug frantically in the debris. There was a rabbit warren here. She knew it. Perhaps he'd fled here. She had to get to them. Even if Angel bunny wasn't in this burrow, she had to dig it out. She had already found too many of her friends among the wind-tossed remains of the vale. She would not rest until she knew no one was left that needed saving. She didn't have time to sit and mourn, so she cried even as she unearthed yet another burrow. She nearly collapsed in relief. A dozen or so rabbits were huddled together in the tiny warren. Angel was in front of the group. There had only been two living here before the storm. Fluttershy allowed herself a moment to sob with relief. This time she wouldn't have to add to her tears. She blinked her eyes clear and lowered her head to nearly ground level. "I'm glad you're safe Angel. But there may be others still out there." The rabbit rested his paw on her cheek for a moment, then nodded. "Now where had that family of ferrets moved to?" She took flight only long enough to get her bearings; the local landmarks weren't visible from the ground any longer. Rainbow Dash gestured to Cloud Kicker and pointed at yet another funnel forming. It was a big one; this morning it would have been the biggest she'd ever seen. She signaled to Cloud Kicker that she would lead her team in to take it from behind. Normally the brash pegasus would've attacked the twister single hoofedly, sending her own team as her backup. She'd never have let somepony else take the more dangerous route. But this was the seventh such formation she'd seen today. Normally only the weather patrol would even be up here, but not a single pegasus had shirked the call for aid. They all knew exactly what would happen if one of these funnels got through to Ponyville. They all had friends and family in town. She wondered where the help they'd been expecting from Cloudsdale was. They'd sent a request for assistance, but no word had returned. She didn't want to think about what that might mean. Cloud Kicker's team tucked and dived. She glanced back to her "squad." Bright Eyes flew ten feet back, up, and left, and Firefly took up the same position on the right. Normally she'd have half a dozen ponies flying with her, all professional weather ponies. Not that these were weak fliers—there weren't any of those still aloft—but they lacked training. Every member of the weather patrol was leading three or four other "recruits." Twilight had come up with a spell that could help keep the worst wind currents from tumbling the fliers and keep the rain from soaking and weakening their primaries. She had quickly taught it to every unicorn capable of casting it. It wasn't much, but at this point Dash was willing to take any help she could get. She'd started the night with six recruits. She'd sent three back when she noticed them having trouble maintaining altitude. But Night Star... She couldn't afford to dwell on it. She needed to focus on the now, on the job at hand. She stuffed her guilt into the back of her mind and buried them under layers of worry, doubt, and fear. She gestured forward, toward the cyclone. Her team of three dived, tucking their legs and wings tight to their bodies. After seeing Night Star go down no pony was going to forget to keep trimmed while passing through the storm wall. "Please Celestia," she prayed, "just keep them airborne. Just once more." Then it was too late for thinking. Rainbow Dash's under-staffed, under-trained team of three hit the storm wall. Rarity was working as fast as she could. Her sewing machine had been broken, blown off of its shelf when hail had knocked in her windows. But her boutique still stood. The water had ruined half a dozen dresses, a closet full of hats, and bolts upon bolts of fabric that had been awaiting their moment to shine. The unicorn ignored all of it. She stood in the middle of her work room, her eyes closed in concentration. Six needles flew through sheets of fabric. She saw every missed stitch, every unaligned seam. It galled her, but she didn't slow. She felt terrible about all the destroyed homes. Though the loss of her materials was great, she still had four walls and a roof while many ponies didn't have so much as a door frame anymore. She concentrated on sewing. Faster. She need to be faster. She needed every blanket she could get by nightfall. They didn't have to be pretty, they just needed to be warm. Finishing the blankets she folded and set them down on a trunk with the forty or so she had finished already. She grabbed the next bolt of cloth, the one woven out of gold. She had once gotten very angry at Sweetie Belle for turning this same fabric into mere capes for her friends. She unwound the bolt and began to sew. This bolt would make only two blankets, she hadn't had much of this material on hand. Without hesitation she grabbed the next scrap of fabric she had available, her gown. It had heralded her rise into the upper reaches of the world of fashion, a reminder of her triumph. She ripped the seams without a second thought. Some of the pieces were very small, those would do for bandages. The main sections of the dress could be fitted together without too much trouble. One more, she thought, searching for yet another of her creations that would serve. "... and I said Oatmeal? Are you crazy?" The group of fillies and colts burst into a chorus of giggles. Pinkie Pie's stories were the only thing keeping their spirits up. And she's cheering up more than just the fillies and colts, thought Twilight. Mr. and Mrs. Cake had moved themselves to the library, and the Apple Family was here too. Several other families had been forced from their homes by flood waters. Many of the volunteer pegasus ponies that had been sent to ground by their weather-patrol leaders were here. The clouds were no refuge from the storm. "This is bad Twilight," stated Applejack. She was soaked through, her poncho and hat doing little good against the driving rain. She'd been out trying to bring in families from all over Ponyville before the rising water cut them off and trapped them in their homes. "We need to evacuate the hospital. But if this here rain turns to hail again, we'll lose an awful lot of those injured fliers." Twilight glanced up at her friend at the mention of hail. Applejack's left eye was swollen shut and blood still leaked from the cut she'd received when a golf-ball sized piece of ice had caught her dead on. She'd refused to quit going out into the storm though. She claimed that Ponyville needed her. She'd been lucky; Mayor Mare had taken a softball sized hailstone to her foreleg. "Alright. I have an idea. I need to get Rarity and one or two other ponies." Twilight turned to leave, searching for the ones she needed. "And Ah'll round up some'a the others to help carry the injured." Twilight found them quickly and explained her plan. They'd need to go out into the storm, using their magic to keep as much wind, rain, and ice from the injured pegasus ponies as they could. They had all seen Applejack and the mayor. They knew the risks. They all agreed. Ponyville needed them. Applejack surveyed the destroyed trees. Acre upon acre of apple trees were gone, trunks snapped four feet above the ground. She'd see wind tumble trees and uproot them before. She'd even seen tornado damage before. But nothing like this. The path of devastation was more than half a mile wide. The barn was gone, nigh indistinguishable from the remains of shattered trunks. She picked her way carefully through the rubble. She had to find the cellar. Everypony was counting on her finding enough apples to feed them all until help could arrive. Applejack came to a stop as she heard a noise. "What in tar'nation?" Nopony was supposed to be out here except her. She listened closer. Somepony was... sobbing? The sound seemed to be coming from behind the well house, which was still standing. Applejack paused at that. It was so very odd how the well house, a creaky, shabby old thing, had survived when nothing else in the area had. The next sob snapped her back into the present. She rounded the corner. Rainbow Dash was laid out full upon the ground, her rainbow covered head buried in her hooves. Her body shook with inaudible sobs, though one caught in her throat as Applejack watched, making the noise that had caught the earth pony's attention in the first place. Applejack's first instinct was to comfort her friend. But this was Rainbow Dash, the cockiest pony in Equestria. Would she want anypony seeing her like this? Applejack hesitated. Rainbow looked up in that moment and her eyes, swollen and redder than normal, locked onto Applejack's. The pegasus' wings snapped backward and she hurled herself into Applejack, sobbing. Not sure what else to do the earth pony put a leg around her friend's shoulder and let her cry without comment. Applejack saw what the young pegasus had been lying next to. It was a flight vest, the kind the weather patrol used to keep track of each other in the dark, and two feathers, black or perhaps very deep purple, caught in the girth. "Rainbow? Sugar cube? This ain't your fault, hon." She gave her friend a soft pat. Rainbow Dash lifted her head to look into her friend's eyes, her voice broken by sobs. "He... He never would've... he shouldn't have been up there! It is my fault!" "Sug'..." Applejack's voice softened further. "We lost three other fliers last night. And not one of those wasn't a veteran weather worker like yerself." "I should've been better. I should've tried harder. If only I'd done more, no pony would've been hurt. I failed, and Ponyville paid the price." She burst out in a new volley of tears. "Hon'." Applejack pushed Rainbow Dash back until she could stare straight it to the sobbing mare's eyes. "Nopony—nopony—could'a done anything about that storm. Even in Canterlot they couldn't stop it. They say a mile-wide twister went right through the Sun Palace. Princess Celestia herself couldn't stop it." She didn't mention the news from Cloudsdale. It wouldn't help Rainbow and there wasn't anything anypony could do about it anyway. Rainbow just sobbed harder. Applejack stood there, the loss of her own home forgotten for the moment. Her friend needed her now. There would be time to deal with her own problems later. The library shook. A whimper of fear rose from the huddling ponies. Most of the village was gathered here now. The rising flood waters had driven many from their homes. Applejack, Big Macintosh, Bon Bon, and many others had gone out into the storm time and again to drag as many ponies as they could to the library. Twilight had a plan. She hoped it would work. They were out of time. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, horn glowing purple. The nimbus of light increased until the frightened ponies faces her were all clearly visible. She concentrated harder, willing her magic to be strong enough. Pure white light shone through her closed eyelids. The twister, barreling straight for them, bounced off of a shimmering purple shell. A tendril of Twilight's will reached into the tornado's heart. The tendril flaired into a large wall of power, disrupting the churning whirlwind. Its energy expended, it dissipated. A cheer went up from the assembled ponies as the winds died down. "Well, now we know it works," commented Spike, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Yes, it works," panted Twilight, "but I have no idea how many more times I can cast it." The spell had taken more out of her than she thought she had left. "Twilight!" Rainbow Dash stuck her head in the half open door. "We've got another one at four o'clock!" Rainbow Dash and Cloud Kicker had been the last two ponies to make it to the library. The two had grounded the rest of the Weather Patrol one by one as the pegasi had began to falter; neither one wanted to lose another friend. They battled the storm for another half an hour until Cloud Kicker was nearly torn apart by a whirlwind they'd been unable to dissipate. Dash had ordered her back. She had refused until Dash agreed to head to ground too. After ensuring Cloud Kicker was safe in the library the brash pegasus was unwilling to sit inside the tree while Twilight attempted to defend it from the storm. She'd taken duty as a lookout, trying to spot churning winds before they could damage the shelter. Twilight and Rainbow locked eyes. They both knew that neither would survive another confrontation with a storm. "I'll buy you as much time as I can, Twilight." She eyed the twister. "But it's not going to be much." Twilight nodded, mouth suddenly dry. She licked her lips and steeled herself to cast the spell. "You'll do no such thing Rainbow Dash!" Rarity piped up. Neither pony had seen her there. "We've been watching Twilight and we will deal with this one. You're not about to go sacrificing yourself for no reason." Max, Seafoam, and Twinkle were all standing behind her. "We will handle this one so don't either of you do anything rash." She closed her eyes and her horn began to glow, the other three unicorns following suit. Multi-colored motes converged on the incoming tornado. The colors pressed themselves against the whirlwind, unable to penetrate. Stress was etched on the unicorns' faces. "You need to focus on the same point!" Twilight urged. Rarity glanced at Twilight and gave her a small nod. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. The light surrounding her horn grew brighter. Slowly, the motes of lights began to coalesce into a single tendril of power. All four of the struggling ponies were trembling with the strain of maintaining their spells. The tendril could not penetrate the outer wall of the storm. The funnel was very close now. Dash crouched, her wings spread wide. She'd need all the speed she could muster if she was going to buy them enough time. Twinkle groaned aloud. Slowly their power reformed into a multicolored spike of power pressing against the whirling winds. The winds casually split and flowed around the penetrating point of magic. Twilight's heart sank. Her friends were all trying so hard, but they lacked her raw ability. She planted all four hooves solidly onto the floor and locked her knees. Closing her eyes in concentration she prepared to cast the dregs of her magic into the teeth of the storm. Rarity squealed. Both Dash's and Twilight's attention was drawn towards their friend. The fashionable filly was ready to drop. The light from her horn pulsed and flickered, throwing sparks of power off in all directions. Slowly, the spike flattened out into a large plane, pressing against the storm wall, bowing it inwards. Further and further until, at last, it sank into the center of the funnel. The whirlwind, its flow disrupted, dissipated. The light vanished as the four ponies collapsed with fatigue. Everypony rushed to check on the fallen unicorns. It was a minute or two before the spent spell-casters could do more than lie heaving on the ground. "I do hope that was the last one for a while," Rarity finally spoke. Twilight opened her mouth to say something but Rainbow Dash caught her eye before any sound could escape. Dash shook her head meaningfully. She glanced over her shoulder back out into the storm. They could already hear the wind already starting to build up again. It wouldn't be long before something would have to be done again. Twilight surveyed the damage to Ponyville from her vantage point on top of the school. It was bad, no doubt about it. Most of the homes had been torn apart, right down to the floorboards. They'd found roofs, almost whole, sitting on the ground next to the foundations they once covered. The Carousel Boutique, the library, and the school were pretty much undamaged. A few of the luckier homes had survived with only minor damage, but many buildings would need a lot of work to be habitable again. Hail had blown out nearly every window in Ponyville and the shattered glass everywhere was making cleanup more dangerous. Half the town was just gone. Twilight was still in shock. Ponyville had been the first place she'd really connected to as a home. And now it was in shambles. She couldn't feel despair, she couldn't feel the loss. Not yet. She was completely drained of emotion. She was functioning on auto-pilot. The cleanup effort was going to need somepony to organize it and coordinate all the efforts. Twilight had stepped into that role readily with the mayor out of commission. Organizing Winter Wrap Up had been good practice, but that had been foal's play in comparison. And I thought planting seeds had been a lot to do... "Twilight! Hey Twilight!" Pinkie Pie leaned her head into the room through the doorway. "You're here!" She half-trotted, half-bounced into the room. "What do you need, Pinkie?" "Well, I was just wondering where everypony's favorite storm-stopping hero had gotten to. Nopony has seen you since that last speech you gave. And I thought to myself, 'Pinkie, she's been up all day and did soooo much magic last night, what if she needs a nap?'" Looking out over the ruined town again, Twilight said, "I don't feel like much of a hero right now." "Are you kidding! Why without you, half the ponies in town would've been at home instead of here! I mean, sure some ponies may have come here, but until you came, no pony really ever thought about the library. At least I never thought about the library. I mean, I had all the cookbooks I needed, why would I go to a library?" It was true. Almost nopony had come to the library for shelter without someone else bringing them in. "Pinkie, I-" "Firefly and Cloud Kicker both said that your shielding spell helped everypony up there!-" The spell had been an old one, back from the days when the weather working ponies had to deal with similar, smaller storms on a regular basis. Nopony had remembered it, but Twilight's obsessive delving into forgotten tomes had unearthed it. Her spirits began to lift. "-and the way you changed that Spring Cleaning spell into a super-duper storm stopping special? That was amazing!-" Twilight's pride perked up at that. She had done that, hadn't she? Creating an almost entirely new spell on the fly like that... She wouldn't have believed she could do it before. "-and now you're taking charge of the cleanup effort? I mean, you're just so, so..." "Bossy?" supplied Twilight with a tiny smirk. "AMAZING!" finished Pinkie Pie, punctuating the word by jumping into the air, her hair and hooves spreading in all directions. She seemed to hang in their air for a moment. Twilight rolled her eyes. That was Pinkie for you. "-And the way you-" Twilight let Pinkie's chatter wash over her as she looked back out over town. Pinkie is right. I did make a difference. Much of the burden she had piled upon herself lifted with the thought. A tear slid slowly down her cheek. Snap Shot was beyond exhausted. She'd spent everything she had helping Twilight defend the library; everypony with the slightest bit of magic had helped—was helping. A bolt of lightning split the sky. The flash of light revealed the world as a series of unmoving images. She could see Rainbow Dash, silhouetted against the angry black sky. The strange illumination gave detail and definition to every feather pulled tightly against that cyan body. It highlighted every strand of hair on the pegasus's head. The light gleamed off of the hoof extending out towards some new threat. The look of anger fixed upon her face made it clear that the storm had offended her personally. Snap Shot could imagine her hurling challenges and spitting invectives into the wind. In the darkness she lost track of time. Each flash of lightning, each unexpected strobe revealed a new scene composed by this unnatural storm. Though exhausted, she was unable to sleep. Her night passed as a series of instants frozen in the revealing light of the storm. Flash. Twilight Sparkle standing before the open door, caught in a moment between spells. The poor pony carrying the entire weight of town on her back. Her mane, usually curled so adorably around her neck, hanging straight down. The water-drenched locks hiding the unicorn's face. Her slumping shoulders and sagging neck the only visible signs of her fatigue. Flash. A shroud of rain flying against the wind. Twilight and four others straining to once again to defeat nature gone mad. Their coats dripping with rain and perspiration. Five sets of eyes closed in concentration. Five faces contorting with effort. Five glowing streams of light merging into one. Flash. Applejack's sister holding her crying friends tight. The young fillies' faces buried in the protective embrace. The expression on the earth pony's face showing her desire to take an active role and her frustration at being unable to. Flash. Twilight, legs locked, sleeping at her chosen post. Rainbow Dash shushing a nervous stallion, her extended wings shielding her friend from the rain and wind. Flash. Applejack dragging an exhausted Rarity from her place by the door. The unicorns mouth opened in protest. The orange pony's face set stubbornly. Her good eye radiating concern for her opal friend. Flash. A wind blown limb hanging suspended in the air. A rainbow maned silhouette bracing for the collision. Purple fire splitting the limb before the pegasus's crossed legs. Flash. A roof, torn from its foundation almost whole, spiraling upwards into the churning sky. The weather-vane atop its peak spinning wildly. Flash. A wind-blown apple splintering the door frame. Flash. Pinkie offering a steaming cup to a bleary-eyed Rainbow Dash. Flash. Bon Bon drying the dripping door wardens. Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash. And then nothing. A soft, silvery light seemed to bath the outside world. The unnatural shoot was over. Snap Shot closed her eyes. Sleep descended quickly. It was getting on towards late afternoon. Applejack had joined Fluttershy in her efforts to find or account for all of the animals in Ponyville. For everypony else, the crisis was passed. Not so for the shy filly. There wasn't much the loyal pony could do for the large-hearted pegasus other than help her search through the tumbled remains of Ponyville. Fluttershy had long since moved beyond her tiny vale. There were animals who didn't live close to her after all. No pony had really felt like digging through the rubble looking for them. They'd all had enough loss of their own. Seeing Fluttershy tirelessly throw herself at this task again and again had forced the earth pony's hoof. She just couldn't leave her friend to face the task alone. And the work would keep her too busy to fret. Applejack and Fluttershy bucked another downed tree off of the stone fence-line that surrounded the town hall. A family of mice had lived under an upturned stone here. Applejack suppressed a sigh and made sure that her own depression wasn't showing on her face. There was no sign of the mouse family. She glanced over at her friend. Fluttershy was on the verge of tears again. "Come along now, sugar cube. We'll try on over here. Those mice probably just moved on down a hole or two." She made sure that she sounded confident. It was about the only thing holding her tender-hearted friend together. Fluttershy, blinking back tears that had began to form, nodded. They began the arduous task of moving debris a few feet over. Fluttershy froze. "Applejack? Do you hear that?" The earth pony hadn't heard anything, but she froze in place, letting Fluttershy listen. The yellow pegasus jumped, flapping her wings to gain a few feet of altitude and landed on top of a small group of downed oaks. She stood still, peering into the mess of branches. "Applejack! I think somepony's in there!" She began to grab and tear branches out of the tangle. "Get Twilight and one of the nurses! It is somepony!" Ponyville's most dependable pony raced off to find the help they'd need. When she returned with Nurse White, having sent Twilight on ahead, they found that the pair had peeled back the layers of tree branches and reveal the yellow and white suit of a weather patrol pony. It was Silver Lining, the leader of team three. Between the four of them they eventually extracted the flier from the trees. It wasn't pretty. The pegasus had hit the upper branches at speed. Nurse White worked quickly, the trauma routines she'd so rarely used before has become almost second nature. The team of four managed to stabilize the injured pegasus. She would need constant attention over the next several days, but they had found her in time. She'd live. She may even be able to fly again someday. By day's end, the ponies had made good strides towards implementing Twilight's plan. They had cleared out an area near the library and setup an open-air kitchen. They had cleaned a few of the less damaged buildings and patched the larger holes. It would at least give everypony someplace to sleep tonight. Many of the rooms would be drafty, but Rarity's blankets would take care of that. Pinkie sat outside the library, a half-eaten apple in her grasp. It had been a long day. Long days would continue for a while yet. They still needed to finish building shelters before it got too much colder. They needed to replant as many apple trees as they could; they'd need them come spring. Just removing all the debris would take weeks. She had her own work cut out for her. It would be exhausting keeping all of her friends' spirits up over the next week. That was the task she'd assigned to herself as Ponyville's premier party pony. She heard a rustle of feathers and the sound of hooves gently touching down on the ground behind her. She turned to see a gloomy Rainbow Dash behind her. It hurt her to see her friend in pain, but there wasn't much Pinkie could do for her that Applejack hadn't. Dash would just need some time. She pushed the smile she'd been wearing all day back into place. "Dashie!" She greeted her friend. Normally she may have hopped or danced in place. But she didn't feel much like dancing. Well maybe just a little bit. "Pinkie Pie," Dash acknowledged her. "Twilight wanted me to find you. She said somepony needs to help calm the foals again. They can't sleep, they're afraid of the dark." She checked her smile again. Gratifyingly it hadn't slipped an inch. "Afraid of the dark! Why I have just the thing for that!" Cheered somewhat, both by her smile's recovering persistence and the prospect of a song, she began to trot past Rainbow. She stopped and turned to her friend. Maybe there was something she could do after all. She decided to take the gamble. "You should come too Dashie! After all what silly-filly or bolty-colty could possibly be scared with Rainbow Dash at hoof?" Dash said nothing. She didn't even look at Pinkie. Please, Dash she mentally urged. She just knew that if she let Rainbow go off and brood, it would be twice as hard to bring her back to her old, cheerful self. Seconds ticked past. Pinkie felt her smile waver, I blew it. Suddenly, Dash turned and looked Pinkie straight in the eyes. Pinkie stood stock still, scarcely daring to breath. 'Will she do it?' "Do you really think that?" Relief flooded throughout Pinkie. "Of course I do silly! You're the awesome-est pony in Equestria! With you there, they won't even remember they're afraid of the dark!" The corner of Dash's mouth twitched upwards into a slight smirk. Pinkie nearly danced with joy. "Alright then. If you need the help of Ponyville's coolest pony, you'll have it." The grin now spreading across Pinkie's face wasn't the one she had been forcing into place all day. The two ponies set off in the direction of the library. "Oooh! I know! I know!" Pinkie was hopping now, "You can tell them the story of how Equestria was made!" Dash gave her friend a worried look. "Pinkie, what are you talking about?" "You know. The one with you racing those colts that had been bullying Fluttershy around and so you challenged them to a race and all the pegasi were there - or is it pegasuses? I can never remember. Anyway, you raced them and Fluttershy fell off of the cloud and-" "Pinkie Pie, you are so random" Pinkie looked out of the window at the top of the library. She could see the beginnings of the new bakery by the light of the setting sun. In only three weeks, they had cleared all of the debris in town and got enough wind-tight shelters for everypony. The sound of music drifted in from the open door, bringing a grin to her face. The party had, of course, been her idea. "Pinkie!" shouted Rainbow Dash, "C'mon, you're going to miss pin the tail on the pony!" "I love that game." Pinkie smiled. She zipped towards the door where Dash waited. "I don't know how you do it Pinkie Pie." "Do what? This?" Pinkie used her one hoof to stretch her mouth downwards while another drew her forehead upwards. The face drew a giggle from Dash. "Pinkie Pie, you are so random! I don't know how you've kept laughing throughout this entire thing." "Oh Dashie! If I didn't take the time to laugh and smile, then what would be the point?" Dash thought on this a moment. She was on the verge of asking Pinkie the point of what, but she never got the chance. "Race you downstairs!" Pinkie yelled as she leaped the guard rail, landed on the banister, and slid down it. "Hey, no fair!" cried Rainbow Dash. The pegasus propelled herself after her swiftly departing friend. What would be the point? indeed. Besides, it's not like she didn't have the most important things in the world right here with her. "Waaaaahoooooo!"

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:24:53+00:00

2011-09-02T14:24:53+00:00

Prologue Like so many tales, there is another story behind it. Without ceremony or fanfare, the night sky filled with light. The moon had risen again over Canterlot as it had every night since Luna’s return to the castle. She had gotten back into the habits of her royal life over the past year, but she found herself vexed by unexpected problems. She knocked on an office door. It opened to reveal Princess Celestia as sat on her bed. She was reading a letter. “Yes Luna?” asked the white alicorn. “I’ve got a real problem, Tia” said the Princess. “I’ve gotten reports about The Blight. It’s returned.” Celestia put down her scroll. “Well, I’m glad you made those stones then,” said Celestia. “Have you gone to the Hamites to retrieve them?” “That’s just it,” said Luna. “They don’t have them anymore. They gave them away or they were stolen." She shook her head as she tried to understand. "How could anyone just lose artifacts like that?” Celestia sighed. “I knew I should have kept them in the vaults,” she said. “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have entrusted them with the stones in the first place. The Hamites don’t have the long memories that we do, and it has been a while." She stood from her bed, and walked across the room to her desk. "I’ll send word to Twilight to gather her friends.” “I don’t think that’s who we should send,” said Luna. “The Hamite have a prophecy. Four cutie marks, four stones. I trust the bearers with my life, but this isn't the sort of quest we can send them on.” Luna floated a picture to her sister. Celestia looked down at the illustrations with some dismay. Four cutie marks atop four stones. She recognized two of them. “This isn't going to end well,” said Celestia. “Did you get an idea of where they’re supposed to go?” “Well, the Hamite's have the diamond,” said Luna. “The buffalo have another, and one is supposedly in the paws of the Diamond Dogs. One is even in Canterlot.” Celestia continued to stare at the scroll with the cutie marks. She shook her head. “If we send these particular ponies out there,” said Celestia, “one of them isn’t going to come back. The ones that do will hate us.” “We all have to make sacrifices,” said Luna. “I’m willing to endure the hate of one more pony. I’ve been doing it for centuries.” Celestia tossed the illustration to her desk. “No,” said Celestia. “No pony will ever hate you again, Luna. This is my fault. I will summon them.” Celestia levitated a quill and set it to scroll. She copied the same message several times. It was nothing more than a request from the postal service to come into the office. The short due date insured that the necessary ponies at would gather at the appointed time. With a wave of her horn, the mail vanished in a puff of smoke. “Please tell them as much as you can,” said Luna. “If you knew you were being sent out to face certain death, wouldn’t you balk?” asked Celestia. “No, I’m afraid that I'm going to have to send them in blind. If word gets out of the Blight, ponies will panic. Things are tough enough this year with the drought, and we can’t have doomsayers predicting the end times.” “You think they’ll be able to do it?” asked Luna. “If the prophets say it’s to be them, then who are we to deny them their destiny?” asked Celestia. “They are adults. They’ll know the stakes and they’ll know ponies along the way that can help.” She looked at the cutie marks, then out her window into night skies of Equestria. “I’m sorry, my little ponies. I hope you can forgive me." Chapter One: The Elements of Convenience Just because it’s not your destiny to save the world doesn’t mean a Goddess won’t ask you to do just that. Ponies everywhere had heard of the exploits of six young mares from Ponyville. They had restored the Elements of Harmony, and defeated Nightmare Moon to bring day back to Equestria. They were heroes to all, and they garnered respect from every pony who knew what happened that fateful night in the Everfree Forest. Most of the citizens of Ponyville had come to expect the best of their star citizens. Whenever trouble stuck, they rushed to fix the problem. It was a good system, and the ponies of Ponyville found their lives easier. Not having to worry about every minor disaster meant life went on as it always does. A routine life that included shopping for food, and waiting in line at the post office. The post office was among the least interesting structures in Ponyville. It was square grey building that stood but a single story tall. It had with few windows and the top was a landing spot for pegasus mail. There was next to no landscaping. Inside, the walls were cold stone that had been covered with posters that advertised the services available to the citizens. A large wooden counter divided the room in half, and behind it stood a turquoise pegasus. A raining white cloud emblazoned her flank. Medley stood behind the counter. She pulled envelopes from the pile, and stamped them with the practiced efficiency of a sewing machine. Each letter came out, received a stamp, and was tossed into a box waiting behind her. She looked up from her work to see a line had formed at her desk. The ponies were all regular customers. Cheerilee was one of the local school teachers. Some pony named Pokey stood behind her, and Nurse Redheart had just come in from the clinic. Each of them was holding an official looking scroll that warned Medley how much paperwork was ahead of her She sighed, and reminded herself why she was here. At the front of the line was a small purple dragon. Medley found it odd that he was even here, as the dragon was his own mail service when he wanted to be. She put her hooves together on the counter. “Next, please,” she said with as much cheer as she could muster. The line shuffled forward a step as a Spike approached the mail mare with a small box in his hands. “I need to mail this back to Canterlot,” he whispered. “It’s the wrong size.” “Wrong size?” asked Medley. She took the package and shook it gently. The contents clanked and rustled inside. Leather probably, with bits of metal. Medley stamped the box; she was certain she didn't want to know the contents. “Fifteen bits, please." Spike dug around in his pockets for a moment, when he felt a rumbling in his stomach. That feeling meant an incoming message. His belched echoed through the stone hall of the post office, much to the disgust of the other ponies in line. A scroll appeared from the dragon’s fire. He unrolled it to read the contents. Spike: Gather the ponies there, immediately. There’s no time to waste. I will meet you on the edge of the Everfree Forest with further instructions. Princess Celestia Spike stared in shock at the letter. A distress message? From the Princess? His mind raced. The ponies there? Of course, Twilight, Rarity and the others! He made for the door. He looked around outside for a minute, and then dashed back inside the post office. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony were out on an assignment from Princess Luna. There was no way to get a message to them. He looked at the line in the post office. These ponies were here right? ... “Could someone explain why we’re following a dragon out to the forest?” asked Pokey. The blue unicorn slashed his horn at the over grown weeds beside the trail in frustration. Bits of leaves fell like snow upon the path as the ponies trod upon them. “I think we just got drafted,” replied Cheerilee. “Are you sure this is legal, Spike?” The mulberry coated earth pony looked at the tiny dragon, hoping for a better answer then “because the princess said so.” “You do know that we have jobs we’re supposed to be at, right?” asked Nurse Redheart. She looked along the trail, worried that she wouldn’t get back home in time to catch her favorite radio program. She glanced back towards town. She hoped that whatever the princess wanted wasn’t too time consuming. The turquoise pegasus fluttered along beside the unhappy group. “I was in the middle of work,” complained Medley. “There’s going to be such a back up.” She could already hear the voice of her supervisor nagging her for leaving the post office in Derpy’s hooves. “Come on, ponies,” encouraged Spike. “It’s not every day the princess asks you to do something for her. This is the opportunity of a life time.” “I’d like to remind you that the last time a group of ponies got asked to do something for the princess, they wound up fighting a possessed deity,” noted Pokey. “I’m sure the princess wouldn’t risk your lives unnecessarily,” Spike said. As the ponies approached the edge of the forest, the wild land beckoned them to approach. They looked at the woods ahead. The prospect of entering such a miserable place passed through their thoughts as a cold chill. Spike glanced around the forest edge. Had there hadn’t been some kind of mistake in his message? His answer came in a shimmer of golden hooves, and the gentle landing of the white alicorn Celestia. The ponies lowered at the sight of their princess. Spike too bowed before approaching. Celestia looked at the group of gathered ponies. “Where are the bearers of the Elements of Harmony?” asked Celestia. “Are these your friends?” “They were occupied with a task from your sister, m’lady,” stammered Spike. “So I brought the next best thing.” He gestured to the gathered group of ponies with a flourished bow. “The next best thing?” asked Celestia. It was clear she didn’t believe him. “These are, uh...” he looked at the group of assembled ponies. “The Elements of Diligence!” “I’m sorry, what?” asked Cheerilee. She stood and turned to face Spike. “Elements of who?” “Yes!” said Spike, turning to face the group. “This is uh...” he gestured to the blue unicorn with the sharp horn and safety pin cutie mark. He snapped his fingers a couple of times as he tried to come up with his name. “Pokey,” he whispered. He kept his head down. “Right! Pokey!” said Spike. “Bearer of the Element of... uh...” he looked around. “Courage! Yeah! Courage! Bravest pony to ever walk Equestria.” Spike shot an uneasy smile at Pokey. Pokey glared at Spike with a look that said “you’re lucky there are other ponies here.” The dragon walked to the mulberry pony with the daisy cutie marks. “And, this is uh, Cheerilee, bearer of the Element of...” He leaned in to whisper to her. “What do you do again?” “I’m a teacher,” she whispered back. “What in the name of Celestia do you think you’re doing?” “Roll with it!” he said. “Element of Education!” He pointed to Medley. He’d never met the turquoise pegasus before, and he didn’t remember her from anywhere in particular. “And uh...” He spun his hand around trying to conjure a name again. “Colgate!” “My name’s Medley!” she protested. “Medley! Bearer of the Element of... Determination!” Spike continued. “Finally, there is Nurse Redheart, Element of Preparedness.” “I sure wasn’t prepared for this,” the white earth pony mused. Spike smiled at the princess as he presented the incredibly confused bunch of ponies. Celestia stared at Spike with disbelief. “And you say these are the legendary bearers of the Elements of Diligence?” she asked. “Absolutely!” offered Spike. “Would I ever lie to you?” He smiled nervously. “Your highness is right,” said Medley. “He grabbed us out of the line at the post office.” “Well not Medley,” added Redheart. “She was working the counter.” “A second, please!” Spike corralled the ponies to the side. “You guys are making me look bad!” “We’re making you look bad?” asked Redheart. “You drug us out to the middle of nowhere!” hissed Pokey. “There’s no such thing as the Elements of Diligence,” protested Cheerilee. “What were you even thinking?” Celestia interrupted Spike’s berating. “Well, I’m glad that you’re all here,” she said. “Brave ponies, I require from you a service.” The ponies all bowed, awaiting instructions from their princess. “Will you accept my task?” “Do we have a choice?” muttered Pokey. He received a hoof to the ribs from Medley. “Shut up!” she hissed. “Do you want us to get sent to the moon?” “Of course they accept!” offered Spike. “They wouldn’t have come if they weren’t prepared to lay down their lives for your majesty.” “Wait, what?” asked Redheart. “I never...” “Then I ask of you this task,” continued Celestia. “Find the four Stones of Brilliance in the Everfree Forest and bring them to Canterlot. It is of utmost importance that those stones are to me by the time the moon is full again.” She spread her wings, and nodded towards the ensemble. “Thank you, my little ponies. Your bravery will be rewarded.” Celestia flapped her wings, and lifted into the sky. She floated away as silently as she had come. Pokey glanced upward to check that the princess had left. Seeing the dragon’s back to him, Pokey charged and pinned Spike to a tree with his hooves. “What was that?” he demanded. “I’m not the bearer of anything! None of us are! What are you trying to do?” The rest of the ponies chimed in. “We’ve got jobs you know!” said Nurse Redheart. “We’re adults! We can’t just drop everything like those kids can!” “I’ve got a foal!” protested Medley. “What am I going to tell my little girls? Mommy has to hunt for rocks?” “I can’t just take off from school!” said Cheerilee. “You have to fix this! We’re not some mystical bearers of some made up element.” Spike put up his hands in protest. “Guys you’re looking at this all wrong!” insisted Spike. “Don’t think of it as a dangerous quest. Think of it as a chance to grow as ponies. Maybe,” he added, his eyes gazing soulfully at the heavens, “deep down inside, you’ll discover that you’ve had these virtues all along.” Pokey shook the dragon, and started screaming. “You just made them up, you idiot!” screamed Pokey. “We’re not some band of itinerant adventurers! We’re not some gang of young colts all willy nily for excitement!” He throttled the dragon as he screamed.” We’re adults! We have responsibilities! You’re going to get us killed!” “Stop it! Don’t hurt him!” chastised Redheart. Pokey stopped shaking the dragon, but continued to hold onto this throat. “Thank you,” gasped Spike “If you do,” she continued, “I'm going to have to patch him up, and I'm not wasting any of my time on him.” “Okay, so maybe a thank you isn’t in order...” choked Spike. Pokey dropped the dragon in disgust. “This is stupid,” said Medley. “We’re going to get killed in the forest because some dragon volunteered us for an insane, dangerous task?” “Well, we can’t really ignore it,” said Cheerilee. “She is Princess Celestia, after all.” They all shared a miserable sigh. “So, what, we’re actually doing this?” asked Pokey. “Let’s meet at my house tonight to discuss our plans,” said Nurse Redheart. “That includes you Spike. You got us into this mess; you’re going to help us out of it.” ... Redheart tidied her living room in anticipation of her guests that evening. Fresh flowers on her mantle filled her home with scents of lavender and lilac as she put the finishing touches together. A knock on the wooden door revealed Pokey as her first guest. Redheart welcomed him into her home. “Good evening dear,” he said. “Nothing like an adventure, eh?” “Here I thought we were done with foalish pursuits like this.” Redheart smiled at Pokey. “Though it’s always a pleasure to travel with you by my side.” From the box on his back, Pokey levitated the dishes he had brought from his restaurant. Plates of steamed carrots and almond green beans filled Redheart’s home with the aroma of a family dinner. Pokey began setting places at the table when more knocking came from the front door. Redheart opened it to welcome Cheerilee. She had brought a basket of cookies, and a saddlebag full of books. “What are all the books for?” asked Redheart. She took the basket and set it down on her doily covered end table. “Well,” said Cheerilee, “we’ve got to find these Stones of Brilliance, so I figured we might as well know what we’re looking for.” “You assume we’re doing this stupid chore at all,” said Pokey as he walked into the living room. “I don’t recall actually agreeing to do this.” Medley followed Cheerilee into the house. Swaddled underneath her wings was her pegasus foal, sleeping quietly. She was pure white, with a turquoise mane and tail. Redheart immediately gravitated toward the filly. “Oh my! She is just precious!” cooed Redheart. “Potpourri right? There have just been so many foals this spring; I can’t keep up with them all.” “Yes, this is little Potpourri,” Medley said as she passed the sleeping foal to Redheart. The white mare rocked foal her in her arms with a loving smile. “And this is exactly why we can’t do this insane task. I’ve got a foal to take care of.” She gestured to Cheerilee and Redheart. “You’ve got an entire school full of children who need you, and you’ve got a ward full of patients needing attention. And you...” she pointed to Pokey. “I... don’t really know what you do, but I’m sure it’s more important than looking for rocks.” Pokey shrugged. “I just don’t want to do it,” said Pokey. “I’ve had my adventures. Now I’ve got a business to run. Who does Celestia think she is to come down here and push us around like that?” “Well she is our goddess,” said Redheart. “And to do the will of the goddess is to bring you one step closer to divinity.” Pokey sighed unhappily; Redheart had a point. Dinner was a quiet affair as Pokey served from his restaurant’s trays. A simple meal shared between ponies old and new gave them a chance to catch up and to learn a bit about each other. Pokey learned that Medley was a mother of two, and that she was married to a stallion named Snow Catcher. Medley learned that Pokey was a chef, and that he had been an adventurer in his youth. Redheart caught Cheerilee up on the latest gossip from the coffee shops, and Cheerilee told Medley about her daughter’s progress in school that year. The meal came to an end when Cheerilee brought out a tattered tome she had taken from the library. She flipped it open to an illustration of four impossibly cut gem stones. “These are what the princess wants us to find,” Cheerilee explained. “They’re gemstones that were supposed cut by ancient earth ponies. Using secret techniques long since lost, the gemstones were said to glow with brilliance unmatched by even the finest jewels in Equestria. “Well that sounds beautiful,” said Redheart. “But what do they do?” asked Redheart. She picked up the foal again. She cooed and giggled at the tiny pegasus. Potpourri smiled and flapped her tiny wings. “No pony seems to know,” said Cheerilee. “They could be the key to unlocking an ancient curse. They could be the final part of some thousand year spell so powerful Celestia dare not speak its name. They could be shiny rocks.” She flipped the book closed. “They’re apparently some sort of minor artifact that no pony has ever bothered to track down. They could be in a museum for all we know.” “How did you find all this out anyway?” asked Medley. “Twilight Sparkle actually pointed me in the right direction,” said Cheerilee. “You mean she’s back?” asked Pokey. “Well good! Let Celestia’s grad student do her grunt work.” Cheerilee shook her head. “Oh, believe me, I asked,” she said. “Twilight told me that because she had given the task to the ‘Bearers of the Elements of Diligence,’ it must have something to do directly with us.” “Did you mention that her idiot assistant dragged us out of the post office because we were the only ponies around?” asked Medley. “Did you tell her that we’re not bearers of anything?” “She said she’d never heard of the Elements of Diligence, but that’s she’d do some research about it,” said Cheerilee. “She didn’t seem to believe me when I told her that Spike just made it up.” Her expression was one of pure annoyance. “I think we should find Spike and tell him that we’re not doing it,” said Redheart. “This is already absurd.” She lifted the foal into the air. Potpourri giggled at the mare’s attentions. “Yes, it is ridiculous!” she sang. “Even a foal would know that!” “I agree with Redheart,” replied Medley. “We’re not going to do it.” ... It was the next morning when the four ponies met at the library. The tree building was home to resident librarian and student of Celestia, one Twilight Sparkle. The smell of fresh cut grass rolled in through the open windows and mingled with the stale scent of paper. Celestia’s sun hung low in the sky as it shone its early morning light on Ponyville. They all agreed that it would have been the start of a beautiful day if this assignment wasn’t weighing down their thoughts. “You can’t just ignore a request from the princess!” scolded Twilight. “That’s...” “Look, dear,” said Cheerilee. “You might not be able to say no to your mentor, but we’re all older than you. We’ve got careers and families that depend on us. We’re not like you and your friends. We can’t just drop everything to run off on some wild goose chase. Imagine if I asked my students to go on a quest to fetch me snickerdoodles.” Twilight looked up from her desk in exasperation. She sat among stacks of books and scrolls piled about her desk. Her eyes were heavy with the familiar sting of an all nighter. Her night assistant Owolicious was asleep atop one of the bookshelves. She levitated another book from the shelves and flipped through the contents. “But this is important!” protested Twilight. “These Stone of Brilliance could be the key to any number of things!” She slammed the book shut. “What if they’re preventing a return of Nightmare Moon?” “Is there any indication of that?” asked Pokey. “Is there anything anywhere of what these things are supposed to do?” “Artifacts don’t come with instruction manuals,” said Twilightl. “But if Celestia said it was important, then she probably had a good reason for picking you four.” “Celestia didn’t choose us,” said Medley. “Spike did.” The turquoise pegasus glanced around the room. “Where is he anyway?” “Canterlot, supposedly,” said Twilight. “I actually think he’s hiding from you.” “With good reason!” shouted Pokey as he pounded a hoof on the table. The clop of hoof on desk startled the owl awake. “If I catch him I’m going to put him on the menu.” “Dragon meat isn’t good for a pony’s digestion,” chimed in Redheart. Pokey sighed wearily at her sarcasm. “The simple fact of it is, we’re not adventurers,” continued Pokey. “Sure, I was in my youth and I’m sure we all did some wilds things. Cheerilee’s exploits on the dance floor are still legendary.” The mulberry pony blushed at Pokey’s remark. And here she thought no pony would remember something like that! “And Nurse Redheart has been all over Equestria helping those in need.” He took his hoof off the table. “But those days are over. We’re adults now. We don’t go on adventures anymore.” “I’ve never been on an adventure,” chimed in Medley. “And I don’t think I’d want to start now. I’ve got a foal in school, and another barely walking.” She put a hoof on the purple unicorn’s shoulder. “Twilight, we can’t do this. It’s not our responsibility.” Twilight looked at the hoof on her shoulder, then back to the gathered ponies. She started to speak, but stopped herself. They were older than her and her friends, and they didn’t look like they were in any shape to go running around in the Everfree forest. Twilight looked back to her library, crammed full of notes and scrolls. So many legends of exploits and magic contained here, why did these four adults need to fill another? She was about to say that she would go find the stones when her eyes fell on a picture of her mentor. The sun crept through the window and illuminated the frame. Celestia’s eyes smiled at her, and she revised what she was about to say. “You have to find these stones,” said Twilight, finally. “I’m sure that Celestia realized Spike was lying, and that he brought whoever he could find. But there’s a reason she picked you anyway.” She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. “She obviously saw something in the four of you that she wanted. I don’t pretend to understand her reasoning, but you must have faith in your princess. She wanted you to do it, and I can guarantee you that she has her reasons.” The four ponies’ hopeful smiles dropped as the weight of Twilight’s words fell over them. Of course Celestia knew that Spike was making things up, and she played along with it anyway. She had laid this task at their hooves for a reason, and there was no getting around it. The library went silent as the realization broke between them. “Well, I guess we’re going to have to find someone to take our places,” said Cheerilee at last. “I hope you don’t mind substitute teaching, Twilight.” “I’d be honored, Cheerilee,” replied the unicorn. “I’ll get Applejack to help your husband with the foals, Medley. Fluttershy can help out in the clinic in your absence, Nurse Redheart.” She turned to Pokey. “I know that Pinkie Pie is a...” “You can stop right there, young lady,” interrupted Pokey. “I’d rather lose a week’s worth of wages then let that filly into my kitchen.” ... Pokey waited by the edge of the forest, his eyes closed in meditation. He hadn’t stepped foot into the Everfree forest in years. Every pony had told him that he would never make it only knowing three spells, but here he was again, years later, ready to jump back in the saddle of the itinerant adventurer. His meditation was interrupted by the soft touch down of a pegasus. Pokey opened his eyes to see Medley standing in front of him with a look of confusion. “You look prepared,” she said. She was checking out his armor. “You said you used to do this sort of thing?” “A life time ago,” replied Pokey. He shifted uncomfortably under the blue lacquered scales of his barding. He had put on a few pounds since the last time he’d worn it, and the weight of the armor took some getting used to. A similarly lacquered blue helmet covered his face and head but left his horn exposed and ready. At least it still fit properly. “I used to be quite the horns-pony in the day. Now the only thing I use my horn and spells for is cutting vegetables.” “I do hope that we won’t need those skills of yours,” said Nurse Redheart as she trotted into the clearing. Her flank was adorned with medical kit on one side, and saddlebag on the other. She wore a pouched collar, neatly filled with bits and pieces. Pokey looked her over and nodded with approval. “Always glad to have you by my side,” said Pokey. Redheart nodded quietly as she stared into the forest. Her pink mane was tied up in a bun behind her head. She ready for whatever Equestria threw at her. She looked around for Cheerilee. The pony cantered up the path, her saddlebags full of maps and scrolls. “Sorry I’m late,” she apologized. “I had to get Twilight settled in with the class.” “No worries,” said Redheart. She looked over at Medley, who’d brought saddlebags filled with provisions. “Let’s go over our gear before we get started. I don’t want to leave anything to chance.” Over the next few minutes, they redistributed the food, medical supplies, and gear amongst themselves. Everypony carried something. Pokey stood at the lead, and took a deep breath. “Are we ready for this?” he asked. “No time like the present,” replied Cheerilee with her usual chipperness. “If we must,” complained Medley. “We’re not getting any younger,” said Redheart. And with that, the ponies strode into the Everfree Forest to find the Stones of Brilliance.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:29:02+00:00

2011-09-02T14:29:02+00:00

Chapter 2: Enter the Everfree Forest The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. After an hour walking along the worn trail, the ponies came upon a hut deep in the forest. The outside was simple enough; a grass thatched roof, wooden walls, and a few windows. From inside the hut floated chanting and the sweet smell of something brewing over a hickory fire. Pokey sized up the cottage and approached. He knocked on the door; his hooves echoed with the thud throughout the hut. A moment later, the door opened to reveal a stately zebra standing behind. Her fetlocks were adorned with bangles and her ears were pierced with gold bangles. She looked at group of ponies with a raised eyebrow. “Are these unannounced guests I see?” she asked in a accented voice. “What do you want from a zebra like me?” Pokey looked at the gathered ponies, unsure as to what direction to take the conversation. Cheerilee stepped up instead. “Zecora! Dear!” she said, offering a hoof. “I’m Cheerilee Daisy. Twilight Sparkle has told me so much about you. These intrepid bunch of ponies are Pokey, Medley, and Redheart.” She smiled as Zecora accepted hoof, and shook. “That dear unicorn sent us your way in hopes that you could help us out. I hope we’re not interrupting anything.” “Friends of Twilight are you?” she asked. “Is there something that I can do?” She motioned them inside the dirt floored hut. A cauldron simmered near the window, and filled the air with a hint of cinnamon. Tribal masks adorned the walls, as did bookshelves full of tattered tomes and dusty scrolls. Pokey looked with unease about the hut. He’d known many zebras in his time, but none like her. She clearly wasn’t Kin. Zecora ladled cups from the cauldron. She offered them to the ponies. They accepted politely. After greetings were shared, Cheerilee spent the next half hour regaling Zecora with the tale of Spike’s unbelievable actions. Zecora listened, and nodded sagely. “These gems you seek,” rhymed the zebra, “you can find them all within the week.” Medley rolled her eyes. “Oh, well I’m glad that you’re so confident about all of this,” said Medley with a tone of sarcasm. “Can you tell us where they are so we can be done with this silly adventure?” “I know not where the gems are,” she replied. “But those who do? They are not far. If you were a bird, there you could flap, but you're not, so do have you a map?” Cheerilee reached into her saddlebags and .pulled out a map of the Everfree forest. Zecora picked up a piece of charcoal in her teeth and marked a route. “These pigs are called the Hamite,” she said. “But beware, they like to fight.” Medley cringed at the idea. She hadn’t been expecting violence on this trip, and she certainly didn’t want to fight pigs. Not that she knew any,, but still They weren’t even ponies. And to be getting help from a Zebra? She hoped this whole quest wasn’t going to involve getting her hooves dirty with a bunch of other species. “I’ve done some research on the Hamites,” said Cheerilee. “They’re reasonable folk.” “They can be, if you are kind,” said Zecora. “Some hate ponies, and others don’t mind.” “I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Pokey. He rolled his neck.“I’ve dealt with pigs before. You just gotta show them who’s boss.” “I don’t want you hurting any pony,” protested Redheart. “They’re not ponies,” said Pokey. “Every pig I’ve ever met has tried to kill me. They’re savages.” “That’s actually a misnomer,” said Cheerilee. “They’re civilized, but don’t have the same basis of agriculture or magic that ponies do. They traditionally forage for food, and since they don’t build cities, their culture changes quicker than ponies.” Pokey stared into space, ignored the mulberry pony. “Thank you, Miss Zecora,” said Redheart. “We should be going now.” “Good luck to you ponies all,” she replied. “The task you have been given is quite tall.” The quartet of ponies walked away from Zecora’s hut, little more confident in their quest than they entered it. The forest seemed to thicken around them as they left the hut's clearing, and the branches swallowed them in darkness. Pokey’s horn glowed dully as he swiped his head, hacking through the undergrowth. Brush fell his at his feet. It left a carpet of branches for the others to walk on. As they walked deeper in to the forest, the canopy swallowed the sky. They were left in a darkness that Pokey’s glowing horn alone couldn’t counter. Redheart fished through her pack to produce a lantern. Medley held it in her teeth, and fluttered above the ponies to illuminate the way. With the added light of the lantern, Medley looked for trails that would require less work. To the south, she spotted a path. Pokey began to slash through the underbrush toward it. They eventually came to a road of packed earth that led deeper into the forest, and hopefully towards the village they sought. Pokey rolled his head along his shoulders to stretch his stiff neck muscles. Cheerilee unrolled her map again. “Well according to our maps,” said Cheerilee, “the Hamite village should be due east of here, about four hours walk.” The disgust on Medley’s face was enough to fill the already dim forest with even more gloom. “I’ve never even heard of these pigs,” Medley complained. “Why couldn't it be ponies? Or even donkeys? This is the worst adventure I’ve ever been on.” “I thought you said you had never been on an adventure,” asked Redheart. “I haven’t,” replied Medley with a huff. “By default then, it’s the worst.” Pokey simply rolled his eyes and started down the earth path. “If she’s going to whine the whole time...” he muttered to himself. The ponies followed Pokey as Medley circled above. She kept the lantern aloft to spread light in the dark corners of the forest. The ponies had walked in relative silence for an hour when the snapping of a twig put the party on high alert. Pokey dropped his horn low and spread his hooves wide. He made ready to react to the slightest movement. Medley lifted the lamp higher as Cheerilee and Redheart took cover behind nearby trees. Another twig snapped less than two dozen yards away. Then another. Sweat dripped down Pokey’s brow. His muscles tensed, ready for whatever came next. There was explosion of branches as a crimson coated sow leapt from the bushes. Her face was streaked in panic and her fur was matted in blood. A piglet scurried behind her; the child was squealing in abject terror. The piglet caught on a branch and tumbled in front of Pokey. Pokey looked down, unsure as to what was happening. He had less than a second till it became apparent. A lion’s head crashed through the brush, bat-like wings and a massive scorpion tail trailing behind it. Medley screamed. “Manticore!” The lantern fell from her teeth and shattered on the forest floor. The ponies and pigs were left in near darkness. The manticore’s lion head roared and scythed his razor claws at the unicorn. The massive paw slammed into the earth where Pokey had stood only an instant before. He had spun out of the way to deliver a massive kick to the manticore’s teeth. The beast reeled backwards a moment before it snapped back. The manticore pounded his fists into the earth. It’s paw landed only inches from the piglet. The piglet squealed, as he struggle to get to his feet. The beast turned its eye back on its prize and dove at the child. Without even thinking, Medley found herself diving at the beast with an incomprehensible war cry. Both hooves struck the manticore’s face. The impact knocked its maw wide, and threw the creature from its feet. Medley rebounded off a tree and rocketed back towards the stunned piglet. In a single swift motion, the piglet was in her hooves and in the trees. The manticore lashed back at Medley only to find empty air. It was met instead was the sows barreling charge. The pig knocked the manticore off his feet and into the dirt. Pokey looked up at the sow as she rained hooves on the beast. It was back on its feet in a second. The massive scorpion tail shot forward; the barbed stinger found purchase between the sow's shoulders. The sow screamed in agony, dropped to her knees. Redheart shot forward, and kicked the stinger free from the sow's back. Cheerilee dashed out to tackle the sow away from the beast. The girls had joined the fight. The ponies dodged and weaved from the attacks, barely able to keep ahead of the beast. Pokey realized that this fight needed to end now. He couldn’t get close enough to kill the manitcore, but he knew of something else that would put that creature out of commission. He charged at a tree; his horn burned with intense black light. He buried his horn into the tree, and snapped his neck away. His spell had made his already dangerous horn impossibly sharp; it cut through the tree as if it were slicing paper. The tree heaved sideways, and brought down the forest canopy as a hailstorm brings down the sky. The manticore looked up at the last second as it caught the weight of the trunk across its back. The beast’s roar threatened to deafen the ponies before it was smothered in the branches. Pokey stood above the creature in victory. He darted his head around the scene looking for more threats. He found only his pony companions, and the sow that stood wheezing beside him. She looked up at Pokey. The sow was shorter than Pokey, but wider and low to the ground. She was caked in her own blood, and started to wobble uneasily. Her eyes lost focus as she opened her mouth to speak. The sow fell to the forest floor before uttering a sound. Redheart was on her fetlocks in an instant. She snapped open their medical supplies and began to treat the sow. Medley fluttered down from the branches, the piglet still wrapped in her hooves. She stared at the scene in shock. Never in her life had she even imagined such violence. The piglet wriggled to escape from Medley, so he could run to his mother’s side. She wrapped her hooves around him tighter, and turned him away. “Nurse Redheart’s going to fix your mommy,” she reassured the piglet. “She’s going to be okay, I promise.” She looked back as Pokey and Cheerilee dropped down to help Nurse Redheart. She was yelling orders to the ponies as she prepped a syringe. “You don’t need to see that,” said Medley. Her voice cracked, as she tried to put on a brave face for the piglet. “Come on, let’s sing a song. Do you know any songs? Please teach me one of your songs.” The piglet tried to look back at his mother. Medley’s brought the child’s focus back to her instead and insisted that he teach her a song, “Um... There was an old boar,” the child began as he tried to remember the words. “There was an old boar!” Medley sung back. Her voice was still shaking. “Okay, good! Teach me more! I want to know!” “He knew how to snore,” the piglet continued. “And every day, he laid on the floor.” “Good! Good!” encouraged Medley. “Keep going! I want to hear your song.” The piglet continued to sing his song about the boar who snored on the floor for a handful of verses. Medley insisted that he repeat it again and again as her companions worked on the sow. Cheerilee compressed the sow’s chest. Pokey breathed for the sow, by holding her snout and breathing deep into her lungs. Nurse Redheart recited a silent prayer as she slammed a needle into the pigs flank. The pig gasped, and began to breathe on her own. With the sow narrowly alive, Redheart collapsed against the tree. Pokey put a hoof on her shoulder. “She’s going to make it,” he said. “We just need to get her to the village.” “She’s lost so much blood,” mumbled Redheart. “I've never treated a Hamite before. And with that manitcore poison, I just don’t know if our antitoxin will work on her...” “Hey!” snapped Medley. “Don’t say that! She’s going to make it. Tigros here needs his mommy, and I promised him that you would make her better!” Her eyes filled with tears. “Ponies don’t break promises.” Redheart looked up at the frightened piglet and the tearful pegasus. “You’re right,” she said, as she came to her senses. “We can’t break a promise.” She stood up, and gazed into the forest. Cheerilee unrolled her map again. “If we double time it,” said Cheerilee, “we can make it by sun down.” She looked at the fading day that filtered through the hole in the canopy, then at the crushed remains of the beast. “In fact, we’re going to have to. The manticore landed on the lantern.” They left the grisly scene within a few minutes. Redheart had fashioned a sling from her tent, and Pokey set it between the two earth ponies. They easily carried the weight of the sow as Pokey’s horn lit the way. It was becoming too dark to fly, and Medley was forced to run alongside. The piglet clung desperately to her as the ponies galloped along the forest path. Their thundering hooves scattered the small creatures, and the ferocity of their step warned other predators to stay away. The herd found itself outside a torchlit village within the hour. The path to the village widened as the ponies slowed to a sweaty trot. Two massive boars, each the size of a pegasus, stood watch over the entrance to the village. Their tusks had been adorned with decorative metal plating and intricate carvings, while their crimson coats were covered in yellow tattoos. The boars dropped their heads, ready to charge at the invading herd. “We’ve got wounded!” said Pokey. “Get out of the way!” The boars looked between Cheerilee and Redheart to see the downed sow. Their eyes latched onto Pokey; they bristled in anger. “Did you do this to her?” demanded the larger boar. Pokey’s horn flashed a dangerous black aura as clear warning to his power. “Get out of my way,” growled Pokey. “Stop it!” yelled Redheart. “This sow is dying! Stop your macho posturing and help us!” The boars looked at each other uneasily for a moment, and then stood. “Follow me,” the larger huffed. The village existed as a multitude of trees that had been grown together over the decades to form perfect baskets of habitable space beneath their boughs. Each had two levels that formed an hourglass shape from the twisted trunks. The upper levels were connected by a series of wooden rope bridges that hug with a lazy sway in the forest air. Fires burned outside their houses, and pots of various dishes brewed beneath the forest’s canopy. The clay soil had hardened over the years of use into a cracked terracotta landscape. Small patches of moss grew on the trees, illuminated by the torch lights in the center of the earthen paths. The ponies felt the eyes of the village upon them as they marched the sow through town. Hushed whispers passed between the pigs as the ponies walked by. Medley was sure she’d heard some pig use the word “pignapped.” She looked at the growing mob following them. “Pokey...” she whispered nervously. “I know, Medley,” he hissed back. “Just keep that piglet with you, no matter what.” The herd came to a stop in front of a large tree made from several smaller trees that had been twisted together some time ago. They grew as one now, and towered over the village square. A massive sow came from beneath its branches. She was adorned in fine silver jewelry, and a great purple robe. A brilliant glittering diamond cut with seemingly impossible geometry hung from her neck. The pigs bowed in unison at the sow. The sow looked upon the ponies with curiosity. Her eyes fell on the wounded mother and the shivering piglet. “What has happened?” she demanded. Pokey took a step forward and prepared for the worst. “What have you done to my daughter?” “Grandmom!” squealed the piglet He wriggled free from Medley. The Elder sow glared at the ponies. Cheerilee cringed under her baleful gaze, but Redheart stood firm. “Your daughter was attacked by a manticore,” Redheart said. “She nearly died there in the forest. We made a promise to Tigros that she would be okay.” She came eye to eye with the sow. “And ponies don’t break promises.” The sow softened her glare. The elder stepped back, and relaxed. “Fetch Alamos,” said the elder sow. “My daughter requires urgent care. You four may come with me.” Two boars took the sling from Cheerilee, but Redheart refused to let go. “She’s my patient,” Redheart said. “I’m going with her.” The boars looked to the elder for wisdom; she simply nodded. Redheart and the boars disappeared into the village while the three ponies and Tigros followed the elder sow into her tree home. The inside of her home was adorned with masks not unlike Zecora's. Intricate tapestries of beadwork hung upon the walls, and a mat of woven river stones carpeted the otherwise dirt floor. The sow sat in the center of the room, and motioned for the ponies to sit as well. Tigros huddled up to his grandmother and stared at the ponies. “Tell me what happened,” she said. Each of the ponies related their tale, downplaying their role in the defeat of the manticore, and focused instead on the rescue of Tigros and his mother. The sow nodded as she considered the tale. “I see,” she said at last. “You are seeking the stones then?” “Yes,” replied Cheerilee. “Our princess has asked us to find them. She didn’t tell us what they were for though.” “I know of your princess Celesita,” said the elder. “It is said she makes the sun rise.” “That’s true,” replied Cheerilee. “She is our goddess and our princess. Her wishes are our honor to fulfill.” The elder sow considered this as she gazed at the three ponies in her home. “And you have come here at her command?” she asked. “Well,” said Cheerilee with a smile, “this is where our journey has taken us.” The sow smiled back. “You are wise in your speech, wine colored Pony,” said the sow. “Oh, please,” she replied. “Call me Cheerilee.” “I am Elder Thasrow,” offered the sow. “The daughter whom you have brought home to me is Tesha, and her son Tigros, you have already met.” Thasrow looked over the gathered ponies. She stared at each for a moment. She paused long enough to unnerve Medley. “You are clearly a diplomat of sorts,” she said at last to Cheerilee. “Well, I’m actually a school teacher,” replied Cheerilee. “Some would argue it’s a lot of the same thing.” Thasrow nodded to Pokey and his armor. “And you are obviously a mighty warrior,” she said. He simply grunted in reply. “And your friend is clearly skilled in the art of medicine. But you...” she turned to face Medley, who backed away from the massive sow’s gaze. “What skills do you bring to this party?” “She just happened to be there when we got drafted” said Pokey. “Still, it’s always handy to have a pair of wings.” Thasrow nodded at the idea and accepted the unicorn’s answer. She stood, and then turned to face one of the beaded tapestries on the wall. She gestured to it, and beckoned the ponies to come forward. “It has been foretold that you would arrive,” she said. The ponies approached, and tried to garner meaning from the assembled beads. In the center of the bead work was a depiction of the four Stones of Brilliance. Each was done in a different stone: lapis lazul, ivory, turqouis, and jasper. Inside of each of the stones was much smaller, more intricately beaded mosaic: a safety pin, a red cross surrounded by hearts, a thundering cloud, and three daisies. Medley stepped back in shock. “You mean, you knew we were coming?” she asked. “Those are our cutie marks.” She looked back to her own raining cloud. “Well, most of our cutie marks, anyway.” “This tapestry has existed in our village for nearly five centuries,” explained Thasrow. “Every few years, our shamans have a vision, and craft a new mosaic to fit in the stones. These pictures have changed a dozen times in my life. In fact, our shaman finished the new one only yesterday. It takes about a month for her to make a new one.” She pointed to the bottom of the tapestry. Tacked to it were hundreds of cutie mark mosaics that stretched to the floor. The last one was a raining cloud. “So to answer your question, no, I did not know that you were coming. I knew only that ponies would one day come here.” They exchanged uneasy glances. It was clear that Celestia had left a lot out of her explanation.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:30:15+00:00

2011-09-02T14:30:15+00:00

Chapter Three: There’s Always a Catch Quests aren’t easy, especially if you're not the one who's supposed to be on it. “I think,” said Cheerilee at last, “that we should probably tell Redheart about this.” They stared at the tapestry, unsure as to what to make of it. It not only had their cutie marks, and the stones they were supposed to find, but a blood red background that tendriled along the edges as if to signify some kind of creeping doom. “So you’re saying,” summarized Medley, “that Celestia sent a seemingly random collection of ponies off into the forest to find four mythical stones because of some piggy prophecy.” “Hamite,” corrected Cheerilee. “Piggy is a bit of a slur.” “Hamlet Prophecy then,” said Medley, annoyed at the correction. “The point is, Celestia didn’t tell any of us this, and now we’re fighting manticores and who even knows what else?” “Actually,” said Cheerilee. “If Thasrow has the Stones of Brilliance, we can take them to Canterlot and be done.” The sow shook her head. “The Hamite’s have only the diamond,” replied Thasrow. “The other three have been stolen, or given as gifts for services to us. Truth be told, after the first few hundred years, we forgot why we had them.” Medley’s heart sank at the news their journey would have to continue. The ponies and Tigros followed Thasrow outside toward another tree home. This one was larger than the others and the outside was decorated with masks and spears. Exotic mosses grew in a moat around the base of the tree. Thasrow knocked on the door; she was greeted by a wizened and wrinkled boar whose coat had more grey than Hamite crimson. Somewhere in his life, he’d lost an eye. Without speaking, the boar waved Thasrow and the ponies inside. A few cots lined the room and the walls themselves were covered in clay jugs hanging from bronze hooks nailed into the tree. At the far end of the room lay the rescued sow. Tesha had been bathed and bandaged, and appeared to be sleeping quietly. Redheart sat near Tesha. She was speaking to another boar; comparing techniques and treatment options for the sow. Redheart stood as Elder Thasrow approached. “I understand I have you to thank for saving my daughter,” said Thasrow. She bowed in thanks to Redheart, who return the bow. “It pains me to see any creature hurt,” said Redheart. “Pony or pig, we're all children of the sun.” Thasrow slid the diamond off her neck. “II give you this stone for saving my daughter and grandson,” said Thasrow. She removed the diamond from her own neck and put it around Redheart’s. “With them come the hopes of the next generation.” Redheart took the stone with reverence. It felt like any other gemstone the size of a grape: solid, heavy, valuble. The diamond was cold though, as if it had been in a river and not around someone’s neck. And the cut! It looked as if it had been forged from the stars rather than chipped away by the hooves of ponies. The diamond amplified the light instead of reflecting it and the sheer brilliance was almost difficult to look at. “Thank you,” said Redheart. “You’ve made this journey already easier. You have no idea what this will mean to the Princess.” Thasrow nodded quietly. “I know that your path ahead is a difficult one,” Thasrow said. “I know these stones are valuable to your people, but they have been nothing but shiny baubles to us. If we had remembered, we could have given them to your princess when she returned.” “Are you saying Celestia was here?” asked Redheart. “Your other princess,” said Thasrow, “though she came bearing Celestia’s seal as proof of her office.” Thasrow looked out into the woods. “I wish I could tell you that your journey to find these stones will be an easy one, but I cannot. Of the four, only the diamond is still in the Everfree Forest. The sapphire was given as a gift to the buffalo of Appleloosa plains three hundred years ago." "I'm familiar with them," said Redheart. "Such kind and gentle folk. If they have the stone, they'll happily let us have it if we've got a good reason." She smiled absently and stared into space. Pokey winced as if he’d been stung by an insect. "The ruby was taken by a scholar from your city of Canterlot two generations back,” continued Thasrow. "Note I said taken. The Hamites let a researcher borrow the gem, and he never returned it." "An oversight, I'm sure," said Cheerilee. "Most of the time when things get loaned to universities, they get returned promptly. It's entirely possible that it got misfiled and lost in a collection. We'll have no trouble finding it." “Well, at least we can get there mostly by rail,” said Pokey. “That should make the rest of this quest easier. Do you know where the last gem is?” “The emerald was stolen a century ago by the Diamond Dogs,” said Thasrow. “I don’t know what’s become of it since; It’s probably still in their filthy clutches.” She spit at the mention of the creatures. Pokey shared in her disgust. The Diamond Dogs were the worst creatures in Equestria. Why Celestia hadn’t driven them from the lands was beyond him. Cheerilee busied herself writing the locations down on her map. She started to consult a book before tracing lines on her scrolls. Medley looked down at Cheerilee’s map. She sketched a route for a moment before flipping the pencil back behind her ear. “Okay then!” Cheerilee said. “If we head onto the Diamond Dog’s territory first, we can pick up a train in Bridleburg to make our way to Appleloosa.” She turned her map sideways. “And from there, we backtrack to Canterlot, pick up the last stone, and deliver them to Princess Celestia.” “You make it sound so easy,” whimpered Medley. “I’ve heard the Diamond Dogs enslave ponies and eat the uncooperative ones.” “I wouldn’t worry about the Diamond Dogs,” said Pokey. “They won’t lay a paw on you or anyone else. That’s a promise.” Medley backed away from Pokey. She knew that he was serious, and for a moment, she was more afraid of her traveling companion than any of the dangers that lie ahead on the trail. “We should head out in the morning,” said Redheart. “I’d like to see Tesha through the night, if that’s alright with you.” “You are free to stay as long as you like,” said Thasrow. “My scouts will lead you to the Diamond Dog territories whenever you are ready.” Medley had trouble falling asleep that evening. Only a day out, and they were already a quarter done with their task. With the prospect of facing the Diamond Dogs, Medley felt no confidence in her alleged abilities, especially since seeing the mosaic with the mismatched cutie mark. It had been in the pile of discards, certainly, but the elder sow’s words had bothered her. It was true that she had no real talent for adventuring: Cheerilee was the brains, Pokey the brawn, and Redheart the nerve. Here she was, useless but for a pair of wings. She was quick enough, sure; even quiet. But there were ponies like Rainbow Dash or even Cloud Kicker who could fly circles around her. Here she was stuck in the middle of some sort of prophecy, destined to do what exactly? She stood up from her grass bedding and walked out into the night. She fluttered quietly through the village, looking in at the happily sleeping Hamites. Sows and piglets shared warm beds, leaving Medley homesick. She already missed her fillies. The only thing she ever felt she was good at was raising children. If they hadn’t needed the bits, she wouldn’t have been at that post office, and she wouldn’t have gotten roped into this mess. She worried how Applejack and her husband Snow Catcher were doing with the fillies. Especially Potpourri; how would her foal do for so long without her mother? A tidal wave of jealousy washed over her. Applejack was a good looking young mare, at home alone with her fillies and her husband. Here she was, out traipsing about in the woods on some stupid assignment from the princess. Snow Catcher would find out that he didn’t need the saggy old mare. He’d take the kids off to a nice farm with the rich young cow-pony. Medley sat by a dying fire and stared into the glowing embers. Her imagination ran wild. Medley found herself trying to push away the creeping thoughts of paranoia and jealousy that were invading her mind. Visions of Snow Catcher and Applejack mocked her over an empty home. It was all she could do not to cry. Cheerilee awoke when she heard door close. Medley had apparently left to wander about the village. Or maybe she was going to try to go home? Cheerilee got up from her grass mat. She stepped over Pokey and Redheart who were quietly sharing one of the other mats. Cheerilee left the building to see Medley looking in on the Hamites. She eventually fluttered beside a fire ring, and sat down. Cheerilee thought she heard crying. “What’s wrong?” asked Cheerilee as approached the fire ring. Medley looked away trying to hide her tears of misery. “Oh, nothing,” she lied. “Just, tired and I can’t sleep.” Cheerilee sat down, and put an arm around her. “Don’t go fibbing to me” said Cheerilee. “You’re not a pony that can lie with a straight face.” Medley turned to look at Cheerilee’s unflappable smile. It somehow made her feel worse. She began sobbing and buried her face in Cheerilee’s shoulder. “I just want to go home!” she wailed. “I just want to see my babies in bed! I don’t want to see anyone else hurt! I don’t want Snow Catcher to run off with Applejack!” Cheerilee had followed her misery up until that last statement. She sat in stunned silence a moment trying to follow the logic and came up short. Perhaps Medley's train of thought had derailed somewhere along the line, taking the conversation careening off a cliff with it. “Whatever do you mean?” asked Cheerilee. “Your husband isn’t going to run off with Applejack. Why would you even think such a thing?” “She’s young and pretty, and alone with him,” she sniffed. “She’s got a great body from bucking apples, and that accent that drives the stallions crazy. I’m the only mare he’s ever been with. Why wouldn’t he want a mare like here? I’m just old and saggy, and out here on this fools errand for a princess that doesn’t care enough to give us details.” “Old and saggy?” asked Cheerilee. “Sweetheart, if you want old and saggy, check out these flanks. You’re still looking great, especially for having two kids.” “You’re just saying that because you like mares,” sniffed Medley. Cheerilee nearly choked on the remark. “Where in the name of Celestia did you hear that?” she sputtered. “You mean you don’t?” asked Medley. “No, why would you even think that?” she asked. “I mean, sure, I experimented a bit in college, but...” “I’m sorry,” sniffed Medley. “It's just... you know I haven’t left my fillies alone for more time than it’s taken me to go to work and back? I hate that post office. If Snow Catcher had gotten that promotion last year...” her voice trailed off. She looked at her companion, who sat simply listening to her misery. Medley began sobbing again. “I can’t do this, Cheerilee. I don’t belong out here. Ponies like you and Redheart, you’ve been out there to see the world. And Pokey!” She threw up her hooves. “My goddess, he’s wearing a suit of armor. Who in Equestria even has barding like that? He’s like a samurai from legends. I’m just a scared pegasus who misses her children.” Cheerilee put her arms around the despondent pegasus. She hugged Medley, and stroked her mane with a reassuring smile. “I want to go home too,” she said. “I want to go back to my students and my classroom, and pretend none of this ever happened. But the princess believes in us, and she sent us out here for a reason.” Cheerilee pointed to the shaman’s hut. “Tigros is still with us because you saved him, Medley. Not Pokey, not Redheart, not me. You did that. Without you, Tesha wouldn’t have a reason to wake up. You saved a life. Can you really say that it wasn’t worth it?” Medley looked back at the shaman’s hut and wiped her eyes. She hadn’t even thought about what she’d done, she just jumped into action. “I don’t see how motherly instincts are going to save the day,” she sniffed. “Those instincts might come in handy again,” said Cheerilee. “It’s not like every pony gets to be a mother. I know I’ll never be one.” Medley was taken aback by Cheerilee’s confession. “You... can’t...have..?” she stammered. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t...” Cheerilee simply smiled at the pegasus. “I’m okay with it,” she said. “It’s part of why I decided to become a teacher. I try bringing my cheer and wisdom to a whole generation of ponies rather than just one foal of my own. Its part of who I am. And anyway, I’m too old to be starting a family.” She patted Medley’s shoulder, and then looked into her eyes. “It’s okay to miss your children. I miss my students. But we’re not out here forever, and they know that. Snow Catcher is a good husband, and a good father. He’s not going to run off with Applejack any more than you’re going to run off with Pokey.” Cheerilee smiled at the pegasus. “Besides, you’re not that much older than Applejack anyway. It’s not as if you’re some old mare like Redheart and I.” Medley finally broke a smile. Cheerilee was right; she didn’t have anything to worry about. “You’re not that old,” said Medley. “Thank you ; I’m glad you’re out here with me.” “We’re all in this together, Medley,” she said. “The rest of us have been through this sort of thing before. You have to know that you can count on us. We’re counting on you too, even if you don’t think you can do it.” Medley nodded. She understood what Cheerilee was getting at. “Come on sweetie, it’s time to go to bed.” As morning broke, Celestia’s sun filtered through the thin canopy of the forest and into the Hamite Village. Medley awoke still feeling sore and tired from yesterday’s ordeal. She thought about what Cheerilee had told her, but she still didn’t feel much confidence in her own abilities. Still, there were three ponies counting on her, and she wasn’t about to let them down if she could help it. She gathered food from her packs and set towards the fires to make breakfast for her companions. Waiting at the embers was Tigros. Medley smiled at the piglet as she began to work. “How are you feeling today?” she asked. “I’m okay,” he said. The piglet looked at the ground and hoofed at the clay. “Alamos said that mommy is going to be okay in a couple days.” “I’m so glad to hear that,” replied Medley. “She’s going to be so happy to see you’re okay. It was pretty scary back there!” “How did you fly like that?” asked Tigros. “I’ve never seen anything like you or that metal pony.” “Well that metal pony is just a regular pony who is wearing a suit of armor, but me? I’m a pegasus,” explained Medley. She stretched out her feathered wings in display. “I’m from an entire city of pegasi. We live in the clouds, high above Equestria.” Tigros stood there, jaw agape. “A whole city?” gasped Tigros. “You mean there’s more like you?” “Lots more,” Medley said. “There are families of mommies and daddies and children, just like your village. Only we can fly and live in the clouds.” She smiled at the piglet. It was always nice to talk to children. They were always interested in what you had to say, especially if you were different from them in any way. For a piglet to talk to a pegasus must have been like talking to an alien from another universe. “So do you have a family?” asked Tigros. Medley folded her wings back and turned to her cooking. “I do,” she said. She tried to hide the sadness the piglet’s question brought. “But I had to leave them behind so that I could...” she paused. Trying to explain what she was actually doing out here to a piglet seemed a bit over his head. “So that we could save you and your mommy,” she said finally. The piglet’s eyes went wide. He jumped into Medleys arms, and embraced the pegasus. “Thank you!” he said. “When mommy wakes up, I’ll tell her all about you and the metal pony and how you beat up the monster and saved us all.” The piglet scrambled to the ground and out into the village. Medley watched the piglet run and smiled sadly as he left. It was good to feel a child’s embrace, even if it wasn’t her own. “You’re burning breakfast,” said Pokey. Medley nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around and glared at the unicorn. “You nearly scared my cutie mark off!” she scolded. “What’s the idea sneaking up on me like that? How do you even move so quietly in that armor?” “Because you’re burning breakfast, and years of practice, in that order.” He looked over the pot where breakfast was boiling over. “You want me to finish that?” “I cook breakfast every morning, I think I can handle this,” she said, shooing the unicorn. “You may be some big fancy chef, but I can manage oatmeal over an open fire.” Pokey shrugged and wandered away. She looked back at the oatmeal. It wasn’t burnt yet; how dare he criticize her cooking? She tasted it to find the oatmeal was, in fact, burnt. “Stupid samurai chef pony.” She grumbled unhappily and pulled breakfast from the fire. None of the ponies complained. Pokey didn’t mention it. He instead gave Medley an “I told you so” look. Soon after breakfast, the ponies had loaded their saddle bags again, and readied themselves for the half day’s journey into Diamond Dog Territory. Pokey remained quiet the entire time. He seemed lost in thought. Redheart had exchanged notes with the shaman for some of his healing mosses, while Cheerilee borrowed a few tablets from the Hamites to show off to her class. Elder Thasrow approached the ponies as they readied to leave. “These are my finest scouts, Luaga and Lawre,” she said. The two crimson boars bowed to the ponies. The ponies bowed back. “They will lead you to the Diamond Dog Lands, and keep near the forest edge if you need them. Be warned, though.” she said. “I’ve had several families go missing near there. I don’t want the same to happen to you.” “We’ll look for them if we can,” said Redheart. “I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.” “As you say, ponies keep their promises,” smiled Thasrow. “May your goddess and ours be with you, friends of the Hamites.” The ponies bowed to the elder sow and set off along the earthen trail. The boars set a quiet trotting pace that was easily matched by the larger ponies. The ponies found themselves gliding through the thick woods as the boars cleared the path ahead of them. The herd trotted in silence for hours before they found a clearing to rest around mid day. They shared bread and trail mix with the boars, who were interested in the ponies' exotic foods. Luaga copied Pokey’s instructions, promising to bring them back to his wife. They talked for a short while about the missing families, but came to no real conclusion. Perhaps they had left for greener pastures. Hunting was scarce along the edges of the Diamond Dog territories. The larger dogs made better predators than the small pigs, but were too clumsy to come far into the forest. After lunch, they continued along their path, reaching the edge of the forest within the hour. The herd peered out from the safety of the tree into the blasted landscape of the Diamond Dog Territory. Massive boulders were strewn about the packed dirt, and sporadic sand dunes filled depression in the shallow bedrock. There was little vegetation to cover the landscape, mostly scrub bushes and the occasional overgrown tree. Wide swaths of red moss grew over some of the larger rocks. The carmine boulders jutted from the skin of earth like a pox. Medley looked out at the rolling hills with some concern. “What a horrible place to live!” she said. “It’s home to horrible creatures,” replied Pokey. “Speaking of which, look over at that ridge.” The group turned its attentions to a form coming over a nearby hill. The shadow was squat and broad. It wore some sort of horned helmet, and held a whip. The whip snapped at other forms following the creature. Much smaller forms; filly and colt sized forms. Cheerilee gasped in horror as she realized what was happening. “Those are children!” gasped Cheerilee. “That Diamond Dog is herding children into that cave!” Medley bounded into the air, only to have her tail grabbed by Redheart. “Hold it!” Redheart chastised through clenched teeth. “You’re not going to get yourself killed by flying out there.” “But the children!” Medley protested. She came back to the ground. “We have to help them!” “Yes, we do,” agreed Cheerilee. “But we’re not going to do that by charging in all gung ho.” “Why not?” asked Pokey. “It’s always worked for me.” “And how many years ago was that?” asked Cheerilee. “I don’t doubt your ability to take on a Diamond Dog or three, but that cave is full of the beasts. I’m not going to be the one to tell Trixie you got killed because you did something foolish.” “Then tell my sister I died doing what Luna would want me to do,” said Pokey. “We're going in after those kids, and not one of you is going to stop...” His bravado was interrupted by another group of Diamond Dogs entering the caves, this time with a crowd of Hamites bounded in chains. Luaga and Lawre snarled in rage, ready to charge out themselves. Redheart stomped on their tails to hold them back. “It looks like this rescue just got a lot bigger,” said Redheart. “If we want to pull this off we need more information.” “Who are you to tell us how to rescue our families?” demanded Luaga. “Those Dogs will make meals of our kin!” growled Lawre. “You would have us wait?” “Absolutely not,” said Redheart. “I’m saying if you four go charging in there, you’re not going to come back out. We need a plan, and to make a plan, we need information.” Pokey looked back at the trail of Hamites. A massive Diamond Dog at least four times the size of the others rolled a boulder in front of the cave. Pokey had to concede the point; they did need a plan. “Alright, Cheerilee,” said Redheart, gathering the boars and ponies. “You’ve got a map of this region?” The mulberry pony produced it from her saddlebag, and rolled it atop a flat rock. “Good, now we need some fresh intelligence. Luaga, Lawre, I need you to sneak around that hill and see if there are any other entrances. Try not to be seen.” “It’s the middle of the day,” protested Luaga. “They are almost sure to see us.” “Actually no,” chimed in Cheerilee. “Diamond Dogs are known for taking afternoon naps during the heat of day. They stay up later than most creatures to make up for it.” “How’d you know that?” asked Medley. “Aside from the studies I’ve done on the Diamond Dogs, Rarity told me,” she said. “She managed to escape from a group of Diamond Dogs by whining.” She looked at the crimson boars and the armored unicorn. “Looking at our party, I’m guessing that option is off the table.” Pokey and the boars grunted in unison. “Medley, I need you to get an aerial view of the landscape to fill in the holes,” said Redheart. “Keep your back to the sun. Grab a couple clouds, and nothing will be able to see you.” Medley gulped, but shook her head. “If nothing else, Pokey, Cheerilee, and I will wait here for one hour. If you’re not back by then, we’ll assume you’ve been captured, and make with the rescue from there.” Luaga and Lawre nodded in unison and disappeared back into the forest. Medley took to the sky. From above the tree tops, Medley saw the squat hill that the Diamond Dogs called home. The dirt mound was covered in holes and stones of all sizes. Boulder lay strewn about the top of the earthen mound, some arranged in patterns crudely resembling dogs. The mossy boulders looked even more like infections from this height. By keeping her back to the sun, and occasionally hiding behind a cloud, Medley was able to note every hole and boulder on the hill and the few she saw coming back to the forest. She arrived back at the forest, a chunk of cloud proudly adorned with her map of the area. Cheerilee drew on the map as Medley and the boars collaborated their sightings. After an hour of descriptions, Pokey and Redheart looked over the map with increasing frustration. From everything that had been described, the holes were all decoys. There was only two ways into the caves and one of them that was through the front door. “I mean, unless we’re going to fly down this shaft,” said Pokey. He pointed to a crevice. “I don’t see how we’re getting in.” “What wrong with flying?” asked Medley. “I know I could probably carry one of you.” “That’s a good idea honey,” said Cheerilee. “But how are you going to get the children out? It will take far too long to get all of them out that way.” Medley hadn’t considered that, and stepped back in thought. Redheart’s eyes lit up with an idea. “Start cutting some branches,” she said. “I’ve got a plan.” For the next hour, they assembled a lashed basket big enough to hold a dozen children. Redheart and Cheerilee managed a pulley system out of some round stones, and there was enough rope in the ponies' saddlebags to lower it to the bottom of the crevice. The ponies and boars looked up from their work and paused a moment. “This has just become very real,” said Luaga. “I can only pray this goes according to plan,” said Lawres. “No plan survives contact with the enemy,” said Pokey. “But we do this right, and we’re not going to contact the enemy.” “Can we go over the plan one more time?” asked Medley, her voice shaking. “Luaga and Lawres will be with Redheart and I at the top,” explained Cheerilee. “You are going to fly Pokey down the crevice and make your way toward the cages. He’ll open them up while you herd the kids. We’ll haul up the children as soon as you get them to the basket.” She smiled. “Once they’re all free, Pokey gets in the basket. You fly out, and we all leave.” Medley nodded. It was a simple plan alright. She just hoped it went smoothly.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:31:31+00:00

2011-09-02T14:31:31+00:00

Chapter 4: Keeping Their Word Ponies don’t break promises. Medley struggled to keep the armored unicorn aloft. This crevice was only about six feet wide, and descending the near vertical shaft would have been tough enough without the additional weight. The jutting rocks didn’t help much, as Pokey kept knocking rubble from the sides. He had said something about making it smoother for the basket; Medley was too busy trying not to drop him to pay attention. Medley gingerly touched down at the bottom and dropped Pokey. Getting up was going to be much more difficult, but she felt worse for the four up top. Pokey was pretty darned heavy. She worried about what would happen to her if the whole plan collapsed. Medley pushed such thoughts from her mind; she knew would rise to the occasion. Pokey glanced around the crevice to find a tunnel at the end. The Diamond Dogs were either unable or unwilling to close off this shaft, and the half-hearted efforts to block the tunnel crumbled easily. Wooden supports lined the stone walls, though the conditions of the beams were deplorable at best. They sagged low and barely supported the weight of rock above them. Pokey crept for the nearest tunnel. Medley fluttered behind, unsure if her untrained hooves would make noise on the stone floors. She peered over the unicorn’s shoulder as he looked down the narrow tunnels. She listened carefully, unable to hear much beyond her own breathing. From far down the tunnel, she thought she heard the whimpering of children. She tapped Pokey’s shoulder and pointed. He nodded and started in that direction. Medley fluttered above him, ready to move at a moment’s notice. The tunnel spanned an agonizing distance as they crept through. They came to the entrance of a low cavern where a dozen cage doors sat rusting on their hinges. The otherwise solid iron doors had bars in the top where the Diamond Dogs could torment their captives. Supporting the walls were more of the rotting timbers, crawling with crimson moss. Medley glanced around; she pointed out the sleeping guard. A dog slept on a chair, kicked back with a horned helmet pulled over his eyes. The squat brute’s mangy grey coat crept with vermin, and his claws were covered in both dirt and rust. From his belt hung a corroded brass key. Pokey motioned with his hooves for Medley to fly over and get it. She shook her head. Pokey again gestured to the dog, and made a punching motion. Medley again refused when she heard whimpering coming from the furthest cage. “I just wanna go home!” cried a filly’s voice. The guard snapped awake. Medley and Pokey ducked back into the tunnel and prayed they hadn’t been spotted. They heard the dragging of knuckles and the rattle of keys approaching the far cell. “I’m tryin’ to sleep, yah brat!” boomed the dog. There was the rusty squeal of a hinge. “I’ll teach yah to talk back!” The sound of a slap and a filly’s cry echoed through the hall. The Diamond Dog turned around just soon enough to catch a face full of pegasus hooves at maximum velocity. The same blow that staggered a manticore knocked the dog’s teeth loose. He collapsed onto the floor in a twitching heap. Medley stood above the dog, teeth clenched in rage. She looked to her side, to see a cage full of fillies and colts cowering in the corner. Medley found her control again, and smiled at the children. “It’s okay, sweeties,” she said in her most motherly tones. “He won’t hurt you anymore. We’re going to get you out of here.” “Who’s we?” asked a colt. “Us,” said Pokey. The children gasped in amazement at the armored unicorn. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.” Medley rounded up the children from the first pen and directed them back down the hallway. “Be very quiet children, don’t make a sound,” she warned. “You don’t want those nasty dogs to know you’re leaving do you?” The fillies and colts quietly cantered down the stone halls to the awaiting basket. The pegasus picked up the ponies and deposited them in the crude elevator. She warned each of them to keep as quiet as possible. With the last filly loaded, Medley grabbed the rope in her teeth. She tugged on the rope three times, and then twice again. The basket slid silently up the sides of the shaft. A second group of fillies and colts trotted into the room. They were all shushing each other, and trying to be as quiet as children can be. They looked up the shaft, a few whimpered. Medley directed them in a quiet game of “hooves on top” to keep their minds off the escape. The basket emptied, and an agonizing minute later, returned to the bottom. She lifted the children into the basket, then returned to the pens. A group of crimson piglets awaited her. They were cowing in their cell. “No one’s going to hurt you,” she reassured them. “I’ve got friends waiting up top. Come on now kids, Medley won’t let anyone near you.” The piglets followed the winged creature, unsure as to what to make of her. She seemed nice enough, and she wasn’t one of those dog creatures. Even as she plucked them up and into the basket, they found comfort in her kind voice and gentle manners. Medley tugged on the rope again, and crept back through cavern. Pokey was struggling with the lock on the last of the cages. The key was bent in his teeth rather than turning. It snapped in half, and crumbled to pieces. Pokey cursed under his breath. “What’s wrong?” whispered Medley. “The lock’s rusted shut,” he whispered back. “I can cut through it, but it’s going to be loud.” Medley looked back down the stone tunnel, then to Pokey. The coast was clear for now. “Do it,” she said. “We can make it out of here even if it does attract guards.” Pokey nodded and his horn glowed a deep black. “Hold it!” hissed a voice from inside. Pokey’s horn went dark. Medley peered over his head into the cage. Inside was a mixed group of colts and fillies. Some were zebras, others mules and donkeys. Medley came face to face with a larger filly wearing a dark hooded cloak. “Who sent you?” she demanded. “We sent ourselves,” said Medley. “We got the rest of the children out, but your lock is jammed.” “We don’t have time for this,” said Pokey. The donkey cocked her head at the sound of Pokey’s voice. “Pokey?” asked the donkey. “Is that really be you?” “Jenny?” Pokey stuck his muzzle though the bars. “Luna above, it is you! What are you doing here?” “It’s War Jenny now.” said the donkey. “I’ll explain later. Can you get us out of here?” “Stand back,” he said. “This is going to be noisy.” His horn flared with dark light. Pokey slashed through the lock and the hinges in a single arcing path. The iron door shrieked in protest. It fell off the hinges and crashed to the ground with the sound a church bell being dropped down a flight of stairs. The children poured from the cage as the hallway beyond filled with alerted yips and barks. “Come on kids!” said Medley as she herded them toward the escape. “We’ve got a basket waiting for you! Hurry up, please! Follow me!” Pokey and Jenny backed down the hallway behind the children. The chattering barks from the opposite hallway were getting louder. “We’ve been made,” warned Pokey. “Get those children out of here!” Pokey slashed at the supporting timbers to cut them off near the ground. War Jenny reared back and kicked one out of place. The Support beam collapse, and brought the wall of the cavern crumbling into the hall. The unicorn and donkey galloped through the tunnel to the small opening. Medley stared up the shaft; the rising basket had already found itself at the top. Medley looked uncertainly at the two. The basket would only be able to support the weight of one of them. “I think the basket will carry you, Jenny, was it?” she said. “Will you be okay down here for a minute Pokey?” “Why are you taking me first?” asked Jenny. “Take him, I can make it out.” “Take her,” shot back Pokey. “I’ll be fine; it’ll only take a second.” Shouting at the top of the crevice interrupted the conversation. The sounds of a fight filtered down the shaft. “Get them out of here!” they heard Redheart yell. “Cheerilee, run!” The basket plummeted to the bottom; and smashed into splinters on the rocks below. Debris began to pour down the hole. It lodged in the crevice, and tumbled atop the ponies underneath. They made for the tunnel exit instead. “They’re cutting off our exits,” said Pokey. The yipping and barking from the collapsed tunnel became louder, as did the scratching at the rock. “And that cave in isn’t going to last. Jenny, did you see another way out?” “Follow me,” she said, and galloped down the tunnel. Medley flew close behind. Pokey slashed out more of the support timbers to bring smaller cave-ins. Hopefully it buy the trio time. They galloped through the upward sloping tunnel, as they followed War Jenny. The air down here was hot, moist, and filled with dust of collapsing tunnels. The castrophony of a full alert rattled the walls and echoed through the halls. Jenny whipped around a corner, and skidded to a stop. Pokey and Medley almost ran her over. Ahead, the trio saw another row of cells. These were larger, with barred doors instead of the iron slabs they had seen earlier. Dozens of eyes watched them round the corner; pony, zebra, donkey, mule, and Hamite alike stared at the armored unicorn, the cloaked donkey, and the fluttering pegasus. “War Jenny!” yelled one of the mules. “Please, save our children!” “Pokey and the pegasus already have,” she said. She approached a cell. War Jenny pulled a hair pin from her cloak. With the pin in her teeth, she began picking the lock on the cell full of mules. Medley watched in fascination as the donkey turned her head, twisted, and opened the lock. The cell door swung open. “Some of us are hurt,” said a mule. “But those who are not will fight with you, War Jenny.” The cages murmured in agreement. The sound of tumbling rocks boomed from the tunnel below. Medley looked down it in panic. “Those rock slides aren’t holding!” she warned. “You’re not going to have time to pick all these locks!” Pokey stretched his neck and again, his horn again flared with black light. After ten seconds of screaming metal, the cages clattered open and three dozen creatures in various states of health were free. The Hamites were furious, as were the zebras. They started off down the tunnel. Medley flew in front to stop them in their tracks. “We’ve got to move as a herd,” she said. “Support the injured, leave no pony behind.” “They’ve already started sealing the exits,” said one of the zebras. “We’ve got to go now.” Medley looked back at the gathered herd to see that only a few were injured. The herd would move faster without them, but they would assuredly die. She shook her head. “No pony left behind,” she said. “That’s a promise.” The zebra looked to Jenny; she nodded solemnly. “These ponies saved our children,” she said. “War Jenny will not let this pegasus break her promise.” The ponies helped the weak and injured onto the backs of the larger Hamites. When they were ready, Medley gave the signal. The herd charged through the tunnels towards the surface. Every ten meters or so, another hole would close from above, raining rocks and dirt on the herd as they galloped through the tunnels. The hill filled with the thunder of a hundred hooves from all walks of life. A few foolish Diamond Dogs jumped in the path, only to be smashed to the side, and trampled underneath. They came at last to the main exit where a half a dozen Diamond Dogs were pushing a massive boulder in front of the door. “Capture Team! On those curs!" ordered War Jenny. "For Luna!" A half a dozen of the equines broke off from the herd and galloped at the Diamond Dogs. With the precision of a drill team, they threw the Diamond Dogs from the ridge into a ravine. The boulder rolled down the incline. It crashed into the ravine atop the vanquished mutts. The rest of the herd galloped for the exit, their thundering hooves rattling debris from the ceiling of the massive chamber. Pokey slowed his pace to make sure the weakest got ahead of him; Medley took to the air to check the rear of the herd. The last of the injured Hamites made it to the door, followed by Jenny. “That’s everyone,” said Medley. “Let’s get out of...” A boulder blindsided the pegasus. The boulder crushed her against the cave wall, and with a sickening crunch, she fell still. Pokey ran to her side. He ducked under the second rock as Jenny dove out of the cave entrance. The boulder shattered against the exit, and rumbled the wall of the cave. The wall crumbled around the boulder’s impact and sealed the cavern. War Jenny rolled out of the way of the collapse. The rock slide had blocked the path as sure as the boulder would have. The rest of the herd that could fight had taken the battle to the Diamond Dogs on the surface. Equines and Hamites were kicking, biting, and trampling their way towards Redheart and the two scouts. The two scouts and white pony made their way to the rest of the herd, battered but otherwise safe. War Jenny put a hoof to her lips and whistled. A dozen equines turned to face her. “Back in!” she ordered. “Clear these rocks! We will not leave them behind!” At her command, the equines descended on the rocks like a pack of wolves. Rubble began to fly as if their hooves were steam drills. The Hamites joined in the effort. The equines and the pigs started tripping over each other, and tempers flared. “Enough of that!” yelled Redheart as she limped towards the entrance. A massive gash graced her shoulder, making the walk difficult. “Mothers, go into the forest. You’ll find a red Pony named Cheerilee. She’ll direct you to your children. Hamites, clear away the rubble that the equines knock down. Anyone with medical training, stop digging and come with me.” “You heard the pony, Kin of Luna,” said War Jenny. “Get to it.” The mob broke, and began following Redheart’s instructions. War Jenny trotted towards Redheart. The white pony had sat down in an effort to keep her front leg off the ground. War Jenny grabbed a piece of her cloak and began to tear it off. “What are you doing?” asked Redheart. “Binding that nasty gash on your shoulder,” replied War Jenny. Redheart waved her off. “I’m fine for right now,” she said. “Plus I’ve got real medical supplies. Worry about the others.” She turned to face the approaching mule and unicorn. “You have medical training?” she asked. “Absolutely,” said the green unicorn with the stethoscope cutie mark. “We’ll round up the injured and bring them back to the forest. You need to come with us though.” “I’m fine,” repeated Redheart. “Yeah, yeah,” said the mule. He hoisted the white pony onto his shoulders. “I’m fine, I’m fine, and then you drop dead. I’m a nurse too honey, I know how you feel.” They carried her off towards the forest as War Jenny made her way to the cave entrance. “How’s that excavation coming?” demanded War Jenny. “I want them out here, and I want them out here now!” The cave rattled again with what sounded like a dragon’s roar. Pokey turned to face whatever was throwing the boulders. Standing in the tunnel was a Diamond Dog nearly twice the size of a bear. Pokey’s eyes widened in terror; this creature looked more like a dragon than a dog. Its hair was half gone, replaced by scars and swaths of carmine moss. His roar rattled the cave; the tunnel behind him collapsed in a spray of rock and dust. Pokey looked for any exit, only to find himself trapped in the cavern with this nightmare creature. Medley lay behind him; her breathing was labored and sporadic. She could barely open her eyes to see the creature. “Help…” she begged in a distant whisper. “Please Pokey… don’t let me die down here…” Her head sank to the stone floor, and her eyes closed. Pokey turned away from the downed pegasus to face the creature. He stomped a hoof. The armored unicorn charged the massive beast. The creature roared back and slashed wildly at Pokey. The scything claws of the Diamond Dog caught in his armor to throw him across the room. He slammed into a wall; the scales of his armor bent against the rocks. Pokey shook off the blow and bounded back to his feet. The creature returned the charge and smashed into Pokey at full force. Pokey managed a good swipe across the creature’s legs before the impact sent him reeling. The creature, now frenzied by the sight of his own blood, howled and pounced at the unicorn. Pokey dodged to the left, and kicked. He landed a solid shot to the ribs of the beast. He felt a satisfying snap in the dog's chest. He spun in place, as he traced the flank of the beast with his horn. The razor edge opened a deep wound that spilled crimson onto the cavern floor. The Diamond Dog responded with a kick of his own that sent Pokey spinning across the ground. He rolled out, and bounded to his feet. Pokey panted underneath his barding; his wounds and age were creeping up on him. This wasn’t how he planned it at all. The Diamond Dog wasn’t even fazed by the deep cuts; he just kept right on coming. Pokey dropped below another claw, and bolted underneath the creature. His horn drug along the beast’s torso to open a gaping wound. Pokey stabbed upward, striking deep into the belly of the beast. The Diamond Dog scrambled backward, and bellowed in agony. The beast kicked wildly to escape the unicorn’s razor horn. He connected with a paw that sent Pokey to the ground in a heap. Pokey’s head swam. There were suddenly two of the Dogs, then one again. Pokey shook off the double vision, and again rose to his feet. The Dog was cowering now. He growled like the wounded animal he was. Pokey pressed the advantage, and charged the beast. The beast roared in pain and swiped a terrified claw. The blow send Pokey sailing. He smashed face first into a boulder; his helm bent under the impact. His muzzle shattered under the dented helmet. His nose ran with blood that traced a vermilion trail in the stone. Pokey pushed himself to his feet; he was barely able to keep moving. The dog pounced again, and slammed Pokey into the cave wall. The claws tore at his armor. They cracked through the plates, and stabbed deep into his flank. Pokey slashed desperately. He took half a paw from the creature. The dog shrieked in pain and tossed Pokey to the ground. Pokey staggered back to his hooves. His yellow eyes rolled in his head before they came to rest on Medley lying silent beneath the rubble. She had risked her life to save the children of ponies and Hamites she didn’t even know, and this was how it ended for her? To be a meal for some inbred beast? Something in Pokey's mind snapped. He found strength in boundless anger. His wounds suddenly didn't matter. He stood, unmoving as the creature closed in for the kill. His horn flared with a massive black light. “I promised her not a paw,” he growled. “NOT A GODDESS DAMNED PAW. PONIES DON’T BREAK PROMISES.” With his horn forward and a bellow of righteous fury, Pokey charged the beast for a final time. The diamond Dog returned the charge. The cavern shook with an ear splitting roar.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:33:04+00:00

2011-09-02T14:33:04+00:00

Chapter Five: Broken The war isn’t over just because the battle’s been won. Pokey felt himself coming around. As if rising from a lake, he swam to the surface of consciousness to find a white pony standing above him. It was Death, come to lead him into the afterlife. Pokey closed his eyes again, and he tried to stand. Pokey was ready to follow the reaper pony to his fate. He found himself largely unable to move; his bones were sore and stiff. He opened his eyes again to find that it wasn’t Death who was standing above him, but the beautiful mud spattered face of Redheart. “Glad to see you back with us,” she said. “Uggh,” he protested. “Now don’t you dare try to move,” said Redheart. Pokey looked at her, trying to cock an eyebrow in disapproval. He found his face hurt far too much for sarcasm. He saw the freshly bandaged wound across her shoulder. He stared at it, then back to her, as if to ask just what happened. “Oh, that’s just a present from those rotten dogs,” she said. “I gave them what for, don’t you worry. Luaga and Lawres did too. Cheerilee managed to corral all those kids to a safe place by herself and keep them quiet till your herd came charging out of there.” She nodded to the gathered group of ponies. Pokey stared at them. What he didn’t see was seeing a single donkey, zebra, or mule among them. “Where did they go?” he asked, weakly. “The Kin of Luna?” she asked. “As soon as they came flying out of those caves, they turned right back around to dig you out and Medley out. Quite the industrious punch of equines, if I do... Hey, what are you doing? You can’t move!” Pokey struggled to his feet against his own wounds. “Medley!” he yelled. “Oh, Goddess, Medley!” Redheart swallowed hard and looked away. “Oh no,” begged Pokey. The color drained from his face. “Oh, no, no, no, please, no. Not Medley. She’s has a foal for Luna’s sake. Please tell me she’s alive.” “She’s alive,” said Redheart softly. “But I don’t know if she’s ever going to wake up. She may not even make it to Bridleburg.” Pokey’s ears flattened in rage. He shot to his feet. “Where is Jenny?” he demanded. “Where the hell is that donkey?” “War Jenny?” asked Redheart. “She took her equines and...” “She left?” he demanded. “After what we did for her, she LEFT?” “Calm down!” scolded Redheart. “I was trying to say that War Jenny took the Kin of Luna and Medley to Bridleburg. You know how amazingly fast they are over land. If they hadn’t taken Medley, she would have died out here for sure.” Pokey’s rage subsided, and he felt weak in the knees. He glanced over to the assembled crowd of ponies that stood nearby with their rescued colts and fillies. “What are they still doing here then?” he asked. Cheerilee came from the rear of the herd. “They’re all waiting to leave,” said Cheerilee. “You saved each and every one of these ponies. They weren’t going to let you walk all the way to Bridleburg by yourself.” Pokey smiled weakly, as he tried to remain standing. His barding nearly fell off as he stumbled onto Redheart. “Hey now,” she said as she guided him to the ground. “Let’s get that armor off you and get you onto a stretcher. You’re in no condition to be walking anywhere.” “I’m fine,” protested Pokey. “I just need to…” He flopped onto his side. Redheart shook her head at the unicorn. “Tsk,” chided Redheart. “You are the worst patient my dear Pokey. Cheerilee, grab that strap there and pull.” His armor fell to pieces around him as the straps loosened. Swaths of the lacquered plates fell off the leather backing and into the mossy soil. “My goddess, what happened in there?” She asked. “I thought this barding was meant to protect you.” “It did,” groaned Pokey. “You’d be looking at a half a pony now if it hadn’t.” “You look terrible,” said Redheart. She pulled off his crushed helm and cringed at the sight of his uncovered face. “Your nose is clearly broken, as are a half a dozen of your ribs.” “That all?” asked Pokey. “I’ll just walk it off.” “You’ve also got a sprained hoof,” chastised Redheart, “so you’re not walking anywhere. Cheerilee, tie him to the stretcher.” The mulberry pony cheerfully broke out her rope. “I dunno about you,” said Pokey, “but the whole school teacher bondage thing doesn't do it for me.” Cheerilee smile turned into a shocked gasp. Redheart snickered. “Well, he’s clearly not feeling that bad,” Cheerilee said as she her cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red. “I think he’ll be fine.” The herd set off with Pokey’s stretcher draped across the backs of two stallions. He would have complained, but his injuries had drained his will to argue. The beating he received from the Diamond Dog rattled more than just his bones. He felt mentally drained, as if he’d left part of himself back in that cave. And to see Jenny after so many years! He hadn’t expected to run into her on this trip. Last he’d heard she was far off to the east. Pokey tried to sleep, but he found his dreams disturbing. He was back in the cave with the Diamond Dog, only it was larger, more sinister. They had smoking black eyes and talon oozing with ichor. It had a thousand tongues and teeth like shards of glass. He felt his spells gone; he had not even a light to stave off the darkness. Medley lay crushed behind him, pleading and begging for help as she died. A dozen more of the creatures appeared from the shadows and fell on the unicorn. Pokey awoke screaming. It was the middle of the night, and a half a dozen other ponies popped up to see what the problem was. Redheart woke by his side in an instant. Pokey wheezed and gasped in panic under the waxing moon. The other ponies laid their heads back down and tried to sleep. “What’s wrong?” Redheart asked. Pokey wiped the sweat from his brow and looked around the encampment. Two dozen ponies and foals slept quietly around a fire. The town of Bridleburg was only a pinprick in the distance beyond. Pokey turned back to Redheart, and shook his head. “Bad dream,” he said. “Nothing to worry about. Just... a bad dream.” Redheart looked unconvinced. “Want to talk about it?” she asked. “No,” said Pokey. “I’m fine. I just need to get some rest.” He laid his head back down on his hooves. “I’ll be fine. You get some sleep.” Redheart laid back down next to him, and put her head on his shoulder. “Trauma like that doesn’t go away once it’s over you know,” said Redheart. Pokey sighed wearily. “Sure you’re hurt now, but what about a few weeks from now when you’re back at home? You think what happened back there is just going to go away once your bones knit? I saw what you did to that Diamond Dog; that level of violence doesn’t just disappear from your mind. You needed help before, Pokey, and this isn’t going to help anything." “You act like I've never killed any pony before," muttered Pokey. "I've done things that would curl your mane, sweetheart, but at this rate we’ll be lucky to see home again. We didn’t even get the damned emerald we came for.” “Oh forget about that,” said Redheart. “We’re done with this silly quest. You’re in no shape for travel and poor Medley...” Her voice trailed off into a cold silence. “She’s not going to make it, is she?” asked Pokey. Redheart simply shook her head. Pokey put an arm around her and the ponies fell asleep together underneath the stars. Celestia’s sun rose over the river the next morning. A few ponies made breakfast from the remains of Medley’s supplies. The week’s worth of food for four was just enough to feed two dozen starving mouths. Some ponies went hungry just so their children could have a few more mouthfuls. Even with the small rations, they remained optimistic. Bridleburg was only a day’s trip away, and they would all be home again before nightfall. Pokey refused the stretcher today. Despite his fitful rest the night before, he felt strong and well enough to walk on his own. Redheart had bound his ankles, and Cheerilee had charmed some of the stallions into taking his saddlebags for him. The three walked together at the rear of the herd. “So...” said Cheerilee. “What now?” “What now?” asked Pokey. “Now, we’re done. We didn’t find what we were looking for, and Medley got killed in the process.” “I think Celestia will understand,” said Redheart. “I just hope the stones aren’t so important that we’ve doomed Equestria by failing her.” “If our crazy despot wanted the stones so badly, she should have sent the best after them,” shot back Pokey. “Did you ever consider that maybe we are the best?” mused Cheerilee. Pokey and Redheart turned to stare in unison at the white pony. She looked back at them. “Think about it,” she said. “Pokey’s probably the greatest horn-pony of his generation. Redheart is as good with a needle and a scalpel as any unicorn.” She looked back at the trail. “I’m apparently so smart it scares Twilight, and she’s a certified genius.” She looked back up at her companions. “The only wild card was Medley, and she wasn’t supposed to be out here in the first place.” “I’m going to punch Celestia in the teeth if I ever see her again,” seethed Pokey. “I’ll thank you not to talk about our goddess that way,” snapped Redheart. “It’s her fault she’s dead!” shouted Pokey. “There’s a dozen young pegasi in Ponyville who would have pounced on the opportunity for adventure. That little show off Rainbow Dash would have blown out a wing jumping at the chance to come with us. Who does Celestia send instead? A mother of two with zero experience outside her home town. You saw the mosaic. It wasn't supposed to be her out here anymore!” He spat on the ground. “Celestia sent her on this quest. That makes her as guilty as me and that damned Diamond Dog.” The rest of the day’s journey continued in silence. The herd talked joyfully about their return home while the trio of Ponyville residents sulked in the rear. They were tired not only from the journey, but from the understanding that they were giving up. Cheerilee had agreed to go to Canterlot to confront the Princess, but aside from that exchange, the ponies hadn't spoken for the rest of the day. As night fell, the herd entered the city of Bridleburg to the cheers of its residents. After they collected Pokey’s belongings, the Ponyville trio quietly wandered past the celebratory crowd and into the city. The city itself was odd. Rather than the packed dirt paths of Ponyville, the streets were cobbled with limestone. The buildings were all single story, made from great slabs of cut rock. At the center of the town rose a massive two story building, its facade carved with reliefs of industrious ponies mining the earth. The Ponyville residents didn’t bother to marvel at the wondrous constructs. Pokey led them toward the clinic he'd been to so many times before. A small grey donkey wearing a lab coat passed them on their way there. “Excuse me,” asked Cheerilee. “There was a herd in town yesterday with all manner of equines. Were you with them?” “There wasn’t a herd through here yesterday,” replied the donkey with a thick accent. “War Jenny came through ‘ere, though. Brought a pegasus on her back.” “Do you know where she is?” asked Cheerilee. “Jenny?” asked the donkey. “You won’t find her ‘ere. Ponies in this town hate her kind. They barely tolerate me, and I’m their doctor." Redheart opened her mouth to say something, when she was interrupted by the donkey. "But I'm guessin' you're not askin' about her, now are yah? Your friend’s at the clinic.” He looked over the trio. “You bunch look like you could stand a visit yourselves if you want to follow me.” The trio trotted behind the donkey through the cobbled streets of Bridleburg. Sounds of celebration filtered through the alleys, and fireworks found their way into the air. It sounded like someone was giving a speech. The trio ignored the festivities; they had far bigger concerns. They came finally to a long squat building covered in red mosaic crosses. The inside was as elaborately decorated as the outside with white tile floors, and the walls adorned with pictures of ponies caring for others. A massive portrait of a pure black earth pony hung on one wall, surrounded by dozens of smaller pictures. A bored unicorn sat behind a stone enclosure reading a fashion magazine. The sapphire eyes of Ponyville’s resident fashionista fluttered from the cover. The unicorn looked up from her magazine at the entering ponies and put it down with an exasperated sigh. When she saw the donkey taking up the rear, she tossed the magazine behind her, as she tried unsuccessfully to hide it. “Good to see you again, Dr. Castor,” said the pony with a saccharine smile. “Get beds ready for these three,” ordered the donkey. “How’s the pegasus?” “Sedated,” replied the unicorn. She came from around the enclosure. “What’s wrong with these three?” Dr. Castor glared at the unicorn. “Heartache, if you can’t see what’s wrong with these ponies, you’d better get your eyes examined,” scolded Dr. Castor. He walked through the swinging metal doors and the Ponyville trio followed. The treatment area was much like the lobby; all white tile and calming music. Redheart felt immediately at home, and reached out to grab a nurse’s hat. “What do you think you’re doin, love?” asked Dr. Castor. “I’m guessin’ by that cutie mark ah yours and that ‘can do’ attitude that you’re a nurse." He glanced over to see if the unicorn was out of earshot. "Probably a darn sight better than the one I’ve got, if you’ve mange to keep Pokey alive.” “I am,” replied Redheart as she affixed her cap. She paused. "Wait, how you know Pokey?" “Well you’re in no shape to be treatin’ patients, that’s for sure,” he replied. It was clear he was ignoring the question. He tapped a hoof onto a nearby bed. “Up you go. You can’t be workin’ on your friends with your shoulder like that.” Redheart sighed, and followed the doctor’s orders. He looked over Cheerilee with a critical eye. ”You’re not too bad off,” he said. “Didn’t take much of the fight?” “She was the one rescuing children,” said Pokey. Dr. Castor nodded, and gestured her to a bed. “Heard about you,” he said. “Jenny said you nearly took off the head of the first zebra that approached those fillies.” Cheerilee smiled nervously. “I’m just a bit protective of kids,” said Cheerilee with her normal spunk. “Comes with the territory, I suppose.” Dr. Castor turned finally to Pokey. “Crikey, mate. You’re a right mess,” he said. “How are you even standin'?” “I’m more concerned with Medley,” Pokey replied. “Where is she?” “She’s sedated,” said Dr. Castor. “Now sit down and lemme fix you three up before we go see your friend.” The donkey worked for a few minutes on Redheart, replacing her bandages, and applying a special blend of oils that would help reduce scarring. He complimented Redheart on the fine work she had done on the others, and the stitching done by the doctor who had come with them. With Redheart gauzed up, he moved to Cheerilee. Aside from a minor scratch or two, she was fine, as she spent the bulk of the fight keeping the children calm and out of danger. Dr. Castor came at last to Pokey. “So,” said Castor, as he examined the unicorn’s torso. “Been a long time.” “I could say the same,” groaned Pokey. “You get a chance to talk to with your daughter?" “Not really,” replied Dr. Castor. “You know as well as I that the Kin a’ Luna aren’t too well regarded here. With her bein' the new chief, ponies get real nervous when they see her. I had s friend of mine sneak her out of town. You want anesthetic for this?” he asked. Pokey shook his head, and Dr. Castor passed Pokey a wooden block. “Alright then, bite on this.” The unicorn bit down as Dr. Castor put his hooves to Pokey’s chest. With an awful snapping sound, he set the broken ribs in place. Pokey whinnied in agony. The donkey repeated the procedure twice, with similar results. Pokey dropped the block from his teeth. “Oh my goddess,” panted Pokey. “I forgot how much that hurts.” “I’m going to do your muzzle next. You sure you don’t want that anesthetic?” asked Castor. “You're no spring chicken. I wouldn’t think less of you, mate” “That sounds fantastic, doc,” said Pokey as his head slumped onto the pillow. Redheart and Cheerilee listened at the curtain as Dr. Castor worked on Pokey. Confident he was in good hooves, Redheart walked gingerly towards the back of the clinic. She and Cheerilee passed through the metal doors and into the extended care ward. They walked to the nurse’s station where a white pegasus with blue mane sat looking over charts. Redheart looked at him, then at his cutie mark. It was an open umbrella. “Brolly?” she asked. The nurse pegasus looked up, and blinked in amazement. “Redheart?” he asked incredibly. He closed his charts and stood up to greet the white pony. “My goddess, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since school.” He looked at her shoulder with shock. “What happened to you?” “Oh, I’m fine,” she said, dismissing her bandaged shoulder. “Your Doctor Castor took care of that scratch. What are you doing in this backwater town?” “Go where the jobs are,” he replied. “What are brings you to Bridleburg?” “We’re here to see Medley,” smiled Cheerilee. Brolly’s smirk sank at the mention of the pegasus. “Oh,” said Brolly. “So that’s what happened to you. Here, follow me.” He fluttered up from his desk and led the ponies down the tiled hallways to the back most room. He quietly opened the door and gestured the ponies inside. Cheerilee’s usual smiled failed her, and she gasped in horror. Medley lay on a steel bed surrounded by beeping machines. A slow, steady scribble ran along a strip of paper, measuring the shallow beat of her heart. She lay covered by a white sheet; half a dozen tubes disappeared underneath it. Only her serene turquoise face lay exposed. She could have been sleeping peacefully. Redheart fought back her emotions, and tried to think clinically. Cheerilee couldn’t hold on to such thoughts, and ran from the room sobbing. Redheart turned to Brolly. She searched for words. “How’s her vitals?” she asked. “It’s only a matter of time,” said Brolly. “Pegasi aren’t meant to take abuse like that. It’s because of you that she’s even made it this far, but her body is hanging on to something else.” He looked at Medley. “I know we’ve seen violence in our time, but this... this just goes so far beyond. Who would do this to a mother?” “No pony would do this,” said Redheart. “This was done by a monster. I have only myself to blame. I’m the one who sent her down there.” “She went of her own volition,” interrupted Pokey as he limped into the darkened room. “And I did too.” He looked down on the broken pegasus, and gently stroked her mane. “We did the right thing, though. We saved all those ponies, all those colts and fillies. They get to live a free life because of her. How many of them do you think will even know her name?” He looked up at Redheart. “She died so that children could be free.” He turned around, and headed for the door. “It should have been me.” “Where do you think you’re going?” asked Redheart. He didn’t answer. The door slammed shut behind him.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:35:41+00:00

2011-09-02T14:35:41+00:00

Chapter Six: Faith and Miracles Maybe the reason your prayers don’t get answered is because you’re asking the wrong Goddess. Pokey walked away from the clinic, blindly wandering the cobblestone streets. He had gone searching for answers in the waxing moon. He found himself far out of town near a massive stone building. A waterwheel churned on one side, and the dam walls formed a picturesque waterfall. The door hung loosely on its hinges, and the smell of hard cider wafted from the inside. He was glad to see that someone had repurposed the waterwheel. Pokey walked inside. The building smelled of grease and mold; the stone interior was permanently damp from the decades of spray seeping through the windows. Small puddles formed in the depressions in the stone, and the floor sloped slightly towards drain in the center. All the furniture was stone, save for the badly warped doors that lay propped open with rocks. A familiar grey hooded donkey stood slumped over a stone desk. A deep blue unicorn with a grey mane and blueprint cutie mark sat on the other side of the desk. He was drinking straight from a bottle. The unicorn looked up at Pokey. “Can I help you?” he slurred. Pokey looked around the room. Hundreds of feet of pipes and gauges adorned the walls. Pokey wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but he was pretty sure this wasn’t it. “This isn’t a bar, is it?” asked Pokey. War Jenny’s head shot up from the desk and swiveled to look at him. “Nope,” replied the unicorn. “This is my power house.” He looked at the bottle levitating beside him. “Probably shouldn’t be drinking on the job, but what the hay. It’s been a terrible week.” “Hey you,” sang War Jenny. “Where are your new girlfriends?” “At the clinic with Medley,” said Pokey. He sidled up to the table and nodded a horn at the other unicorn. “Who’s your friend?” “Name’s Blueprint,” he replied and offered a hoof. “Unicorn, architect, and tinkerer, extraordinaire!” He tossed back his hooves to exaggerate his achievements. Blueprint toppled over backwards. Pokey managed to grab the bottle with a spell before it toppled over too. “Thanks,” said Blueprint from the floor. “Can I have that back? There’s plenty more in the fridge if you want one.” Pokey put down the bottle, and levitated two fresh ones from the fridge. Blueprint climbed back up to the desk, and rested his head on his hooves. “So you must be Pokey.” “I am,” he replied. Pokey snapped the cap off the cider bottle. He picked up a straw from the table and dropped it in his beverage. “I have been led to understand that you’re some kind of unicorn samurai?” Blueprint eloquently slurred. “Where’s your armor?” Pokey nodded to his packs. “In pieces,” replied Pokey. "I don’t think I’m gonna need it on this quest anymore.” War Jenny pitifully fumbled with her cider. She tried to pry the cap off with her hooves, then with her teeth. War Jenny held the bottle out to Pokey and pouted. Poket caught the cap between the ridges of his horn and popped it off. She set the beverage on the table and clopped her hooves happily. “Jenny and I just met a week or two ago” said Blueprint. “Did you know that she’s the leader of the Kin of Luna?” he asked in amazement. “That means she’s like a princess or something!” Pokey would have raised an eyebrow at her if his face hadn’t hurt so much. She smiled and held out her hooves. “Thaaat’s me!” she said. She nearly spilled her cider. “Got elected a few years ago on a platform of aggressive expansion and wealth acclamation.” She steadied her drink. “I’m War Jenny now, and I’m fierce.” She growled playfully. “Grrr.” “How’d you two meet?” asked Blueprint as he floated another cider to the table. “She's the sister I never had," replied Pokey. “Well aside from my the sister I do have. Trixie and I used to run around causing trouble. War Jenny here joined up with our band of vagabonds when we rescued her from a lizard.” “It was draaaaagon,” sang War Jenny. “You never tell the story right. I was trying to sneak into a dragon’s horde to steal some of his gems. You know the old rhyme. ‘Kin of Luna, always rich, never home. To keep our wealth we always roam.’” She hiccupped, and giggled at her rendition of the children's rhyme. “When the dragon woke up, she nearly got eaten,” continued Pokey. “Luckily, Trixie and I happened to be exploring the same cave. We managed to save her, and get away with half his loot.” “We didn’t get any treasure from that,” protested War Jenny. “Pity too, he had some great stuff. All you got was a scorched flank out of the deal. I at least got some new family.” She smiled happily, and put her arm around Pokey. She looked into his eyes. Her face drained from happily intoxicated to sadly serious. “Hey, Blueprint, I gotta talk to Pokey for a bit. We’re gonna go outside.” “Whatever,” saluted Blueprint. “Hey, if you want your armor fixed, bring it here. I can fix anything.” Pokey regarded the drunken unicorn with a skeptical eye. “You think he’s up to the task?” Pokey asked. War Jenny shrugged. “I dunno,” she said seriously. “He fixed a bunch of toasters, and he did design a blast proof apron for the miners. I’d say he’s good for it.” Pokey dropped his saddle bags. The ruined armor spilled from them. Blueprint looked over the scales in amazement. “You weren’t kidding,” he said. The unicorn looked at his bottle of cider. “I’ve had way too much to work on this tonight, but give me a day or two and I’ll have it back to you.” Pokey shrugged. “I almost don’t care anymore.” Pokey escorted War Jenny past the broken door and out into the clear spring night. They walked quietly for a while. They wandered up the hill, and along sandy banks of the reservoir. Waves lapped quietly on the shore as the two walked at the water’s edge. Jenny finally broke the silence. “I thought you had retired from this sort of thing,” said Jenny. “I did,” replied Pokey. “I was perfectly happy in Ponyville. I had a nice quiet life as a chef, a small house in the middle of town, a cat who hates me. I had it pretty good.” “I thought you never wanted that kind of life," said Jenny. "Some mare got you tied down?" “No,” he replied. There was a hint of sadness in that statement. He sat on the sandy banks. “Had a thing for one, but she never really felt the same way.” Jenny sat down beside him and looked up at the moon. “I know how you feel,” she said. “I missed you.” “I missed you too,” replied Pokey. “I’m sorry about your friend.” Jenny put her head on his shoulder. “Why was she with you anyway? She didn’t seem to have that spirit of adventure. She seemed more like a housewife.” Pokey sighed miserably and slid down into the sand. “I was in line at the post office when one of Celestia’s minions grabbed us,” said Pokey. “Rather than trying to find the ponies he was supposed to, he dragged us to out to the forest. Celestia gave us the task instead. Medley protested the most, but when Celestia mention a reward, her eyes lit up.” He held out his hooves in defeat. “And here we are.” “That doesn’t seem like a great way to hand out quests,” said War Jenny. “I’m sure if I started doing that, there’d be a full scale revolt on my hooves.” “Kin of Luna don’t have post offices,” said Pokey. “Plus you’re not some power-mad goddess autocrat who orders her subjects around. I can’t imagine anyone else doing that.” He put his head down his hooves. “And because she chose poorly, a mother of two is dying. It’s mostly my fault. I couldn’t protect her, and I walked out of there alive.” “I dragged you out of that cave,” corrected War Jenny. “The girl too. I’m amazed either one of you is alive. Luna was looking out for you.” “You know I don’t believe in her anymore,” said Pokey. “I don’t even believe in Celestia anymore.” War Jenny stroked Pokey’s mane, and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s a hard thing to lose your faith,” she said. “It’s kind of freeing,” replied Pokey. “Beholden to no gods, and no ponies, the errant samurai chef take his life into his own hooves with renewed vision and clarity.” He rolled onto his back, and stared up at the stars. “Has that epic tragedy feel to it, you know?” “It’s pretty hard to deny a goddess when you’ve met her,” said Jenny. “It’s harder still to deny some pony when they’re staring you in the face and giving you orders.” “I’m done with that,” said Pokey. “Celestia can find her own damn rocks.” “You don’t mean that,” chided Jenny. “You didn’t go out on this quest because she told you to. You went out because you wanted one last hurrah.” “And look what I’ve lost because of it,” said Pokey, rolling back toward her. “I’ve lost an heirloom. I’ve lost what little faith I had in Celestia. I lost a friend.” He put his head back down in the sand. “Worst of all, Jenny, I broke a promise. Ponies don’t break promises.” “You didn’t break anything,” said Jenny. “That creature never laid a paw on her.” Pokey raised his head, and stared at her questioningly. “I could hear you yelling through the land slide. We all could. The fact that you killed that thing is a testament to your devotion to a promise. I can’t think of another pony that could have come close to doing what you did.” “Fat lot of good it did Medley,” he grumbled. Jenny stroked his mane again. “Have you tried praying to her?” she asked. “She always listens.” “Why would she listen to me?” asked Pokey. “I’m just a traitor to my faith. I stopped praying to her and starting praying to her sister. I can’t even pray to Celestia anymore. I have nothing but hate in my heart for her. There are no prayers for those without faith.” War Jenny picked up Pokey’s head and guided him to his feet. She held his hooves and looked up into his soulful yellow eyes. “Pray for your friend then,” she said. “Have faith in the goddess that you were once proud to call your own.” The moon shone upon them, and silhouetted the ponies on the beach front. Pokey lowered his head, and prayed with War Jenny. He barely remembered the words anymore. His thoughts fumbled before he found his prayers again. Not the mindless daily mantra of normal prayer, but the true begging for answers. He prayed for forgiveness. He prayed for strength. He prayed for a reason to keep going. He found himself praying for Medley. Praying that she would someday recover. Praying that she would be able to go home to her children and her husband. Praying that she’d be able to be happy again. Praying that she would be able to teach her children to fly. He prayed to the moon for a miracle. What he got was a goddess standing before him. The moon goddess Luna walked across the water toward the praying ponies. Pokey saw her first, and dropped into a reverent bow. War Jenny did the same; the equines humbled themselves before the alicorn. Her blue hair drifted lazily behind her purple coat, almost covering her midnight blue flanks. A moon graced her flank as it graced the sky; serene and touching. She dipped her head to the bowing ponies. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard such sincere prayer,” she said, softly. “I heard you both praying for some pony else; some pony who can’t pray for herself.” She turned to Jenny. “My dear Jenny, your kin have always been faithful to me, even when I was not myself.” War Jenny only nodded, daring not to speak in the presence of her goddess. “And you, Pokey.” The unicorn barely looked up. “You used to have such faith in me. I know you still do, even if you barely know it yourself.” Luna’s eyes drifted out into the city, seemingly to search for something. She turned back to Pokey. “I know how you’re feeling,” she said. “Defeated, confused, angry. I’ve felt all this towards her too. Please don’t hate her. She has her reasons for what she does, I promise you. And she has her reasons for sending you.” She approached the two equines, and gently brought them to their feet. “Never lose faith,” Luna said quietly. “Though you’re kin of the night, the sun and moon both need your love. Without one, there isn’t the other.” Luna embraced them both. “Even if my sister doesn’t always show it, she loves you all. Remember our promise to equines everywhere. Even when the clouds cover the sky, the sun and moon will always watch over you.” Luna kissed them both on their cheeks. She let Pokey and Jenny go and disappeared into the moonlight. “I told you she listened,” said War Jenny. Pokey stood dumbstruck. “Are you ready to believe again?” ... Cheerilee stood at the bar table, a straw in her glass of white wine. There were three others beside it, each long since emptied. She stared out into the town's celebration, and found herself missing the past. Life was simple when she was a young teacher. She was out on the town every other night just enjoying being a pony. Somewhere along the line she had become an adult. She tried playing a few of her favorite old records on the jukebox, but found no comfort in “Ponies Without Hats.” She stared at the table and wondered where things at gone so wrong. She felt guilty for walking out of that battle with barely a scratch to her name. Redheart was going to have a nasty scar. Pokey probably wouldn’t feel right for months. And Medley; poor, sweet Medley. How was she going to break the news to Snow Catcher and her fillies? She spent so much time trying to bring cheer into the world, she could barely stand to see someone hurt. “Am I so shallow I can only handle joy?” she asked herself. Her head slumped onto the table. “Obviously not, or I wouldn’t be standing here feeling guilty.” “It’s called survivor's guilt,” said Dr. Castor. He walked up to her table, and stood next to Cheerilee. “A twister rips through your town, leavin’ every pony homeless but you. You feel guilty because your home wasn’t torn to pieces too. You feel like other are judgin’ you because nothin’ bad happened.” He waved a hoof at the waiter, who disappeared into the kitchen. “No one’s judgin’ you, doll. You were an important part of that rescue. Just ‘cause you weren’t punchin’ in heads doesn’t mean you weren’t part of the fight.” “It should have been me instead of Medley,” Cheerilee said. “I should have been down there. Earth ponies are tougher stuff than pegasi. I could have taken that hit.” “Darling, no pony could have lived through what happened to her,” said Dr. Castor. “Maybe the biggest, meanest stallion around could have left there a cripple, but don’t think for a minute that you could have survived that.” “That doesn’t make me feel much better,” said Cheerilee. “Well then what will?” asked Dr. Castor. “Clearly not four glasses a’ wine.” Cheerilee glared at the donkey. Her frown fell into a defeated sigh and she slumped to a sit. “I don’t know anymore,” said Cheerilee. “I thought this was going to be fun and exciting. A break from the normal routine, you know?” She rolled the straw around in her glass. “Sure I protested at first, but once we got on the road, I felt like a kid again. Then there was that fight with the manticore, and now this...” She sighed, her candy striped mane fell in her eyes. “When did Equestria become so dangerous? Everything used to be all candy hearts and tea parties. Now it’s nothing but danger and terror. I can’t imagine taking my eyes off the kids for more than a minute these days.” She looked up at Dr. Castor. “What do you think?” “I’ve got a few years on you, so let me tell you a story” said Dr. Castor. “You ever hear of the Kin a’ Luna Rebellion?” “Of course,” said Cheerilee. “I mean, it was more of a skirmish than an all out war, but it’s still important history in this part of Equestria.” “I was just a young medic back then...” “Wow, you are old,” blurted Cheerilee. She put a hoof to her mouth, her mulberry cheeks became a bright fuchsia. “Oh my goddess, I’m so sorry.” “It’s okay. I’m old, I know it,” said Dr. Castor. “Anyway, the point is, the world was dangerous back then too. I woke up in a pile of ponies that the Kin a’ Luna had left for dead. I somehow survived where the others didn’t. I felt guilty about it for years till I began to understand that I was still standin’ for a reason. You are too, doll, even if you don’t know it yet.” Cheerilee looked up at the donkey. “You really think so?” she asked. “I know it,” he said. The waiter to whom he had waved earlier dropped a paper bag on the table. “Thanks, mate. Put it on my tab.” He picked up the paper bag in his teeth. “That about does it for lunch. You going to be okay?” “I’ll be fine,” said Cheerilee. “You keep saving the world.” “You too, dear,” replied Dr. Castor. “Don’t lose faith, love. She’s always watching out for you.” Dr. Castor trotted out the door, leaving Cheerilee to ponder his words. She picked her head off the table. “Check please.” ... Redheart tearfully went through Medley’s chart as she searched for any prayer of hope. Not a single figure on it pointed to anything but disheartening news. She kept her glasses on as she tried to hide her tears behind a facade of professionalism. Brolly came in and offered her a glass of warm tea. “How are you holding up?” he asked. Redheart took the glass and set it on the table. “You know how it is with these terminal cases,” she sniffed. “Always looking for that one spark of hope; that sign that everything is going to be alright.” She looked down at her charts again and tossed them to the side. “At my age, I expect ponies to start dropping because of poor lifestyle choices and not enough exercise. At her age, who expects this? Her biggest concern should be that foal of hers.” “It’s tough,” said Brolly. “You lose patients; it’s part of the business. You get used to it. You harden your heart; fill it with black humor so you don’t break down crying at the end of the day.” He turned to Redheart. “Not you though. You took nursing to an art form, and made yourself feel every single patient that passed through your hooves. You were so incredible in school, we all thought you were going to shoot to the top and never come back down.” He put an arm around her. “You traveled the world, spreading your love and care to any pony who needed it, and then you settled down in Ponyville.” Brolly sighed. “What happened?” he asked. “We set out to save the world and now look at us. Two old nurses watching ponies fall through our hooves.” “I’m sure you’ve done more good than you can imagine,” said Redheart. “Think about all the patients that come through here. All those ponies with broken bones you’ve taught to walk again. All the newborn foals that have left, happy and healthy, their whole lives ahead of them. Think about the fillies you’ve saved, and the colts you turned away from bad lifestyles.” She put a hoof on his shoulder. “We’re only two ponies. Maybe we can’t save the world, but we can make it better.” Brolly nodded thoughtfully. “You always were too smart to be a nurse,” said Brolly. “But thank Celestia you are.” He left Redheart to her vigil. She lay down on the couch to rest her eyes. Despite the comfortable couch in Medley’s room, Redheart slept poorly. Her shoulder bothered her, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that some pony else was here with her. She slowly opened her eyes to see a large, purple pegasus standing over Medley. Redheart snapped awake, and onto her feet. “GET AWAY FROM HER!” she screamed. The Pegasus turned her head to reveal a long and elegant horn. Redheart balked as she realized that she stood in the presence of a goddess. She recoiled in terror, and threw herself to the floor. Luna leaned down to speak to Redheart. “It’s not her time yet,” she whispered. “I didn't know the prophecy had changed. She wasn’t the one who was supposed to do this. I’m so sorry for what’s happened.” Luna stood again, and gently kissed Medley’s peaceful face. A cold glow filled the room. The machines spun into a frenzy; bells and alarms chimed in every configuration. Paper spewed from the heart monitor; the pen bounced like an earthquake. Glass vials of fluid shattered as the room exploded in light. Redheart shielded her eyes from the divine wrath; intense heat rushed through her. Brolly was at the nurses’ station filling out paperwork when he heard a scream coming from the hall. He tossed down his papers and galloped for the door. The door burst open, to fill the hallway with a pale blue light. Brolly dodged past the swinging door and into the room. Redheart lay on the floor; the couch had flipped on top of her. Brolly kicked the couch off, and bent down to help her to her feet. Redheart ran to Medley’s side and tried to gauge what happened. The pegasus slowly opened her sea blue eyes to see Redheart and another pegasus standing over her. She tried to speak, but found no words. Her eyes scanned up to the ceiling, then the walls. This wasn’t the last thing she remembered. Where was this? She tried to roll to her feet. “No, no!” admonished Redheart. “Try not to move too much, dear. Here, let me.” “What happened?” she gasped, looking at the destroyed hospital room. “Where am I?” Cheerilee trotted though the tiled floor of the extended care wing. She carried flowers in her mouth; something beautiful to balance the misery of ruined life. She took a deep breath and opened the door to Medley’s room. Cheerilee dropped her flowers in shock. Redheart was wrapped in a hug with Medley, who sat awake and confused. Cheerilee sputtered trying to come up with words. “It’s a miracle,” she whispered.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:40:43+00:00

2011-09-02T14:40:43+00:00

Chapter Seven: Detour on the Long Road Home Sometimes you decide to continue along the path others have chosen for you *Author’s note: A Gyp is the term for a female coyote. It sounds much nicer than bitch, which is an accurate term with unpleasant connotations. Pokey awoke the next morning to the rhythmic churning of a waterwheel providing power to the city of Bridleburg. He was above the powerhouse in a small, damp apartment covered in outdated and peeling floral wallpaper. Pokey looked around for War Jenny, only to find Blueprint sleeping it off on the couch. He quietly left the sleeping unicorn, and walked back towards the city. After buying coffee from a surly, chocolate colored pegasus, Pokey found his way back into town along the cobblestone roads. He wasn’t really sure what to do next. The visit from Luna left him feeling better than he had in years, but what about Medley? Was his prayer really answered? He opened the hospital’s back door and wandered inside. Pokey approached Medley’s room, ready for just about anything. The curtains were thrown wide, and morning sunlight poured in through the panes of glass. There was no Medley. There was only an empty room. His face fell. Luna hadn’t answered his prayers after all. “Pokey?” asked a quiet voice behind him. He turned around to see Medley standing there with a tear in her eye. She rushed to embrace the unicorn. Pokey stood stunned to the spot. ‘“You’re alive!” he said at last. He looked her over, and ran a hoof through her mane. “Luna be praised, you’re alive.” “She came to me last night,” said Medley. She stared into his soulful yellow eyes. “She said that you prayed for me. You saved me, Pokey. I’m here because of you.” She kissed his cheek. “Thank you.” Pokey found himself speechless. ... “Absolutely we’re done,” said Pokey. “When your quest requires divine intervention, it’s a sign that you’ve reached failure on an epic scale.” He levitated a muffin from the table, and took a bite. Crumbs fell to the napkin laid beneath it. “What’s more, you weren’t even supposed to be on this quest. I seem to remember you were leading the charge to not do this.” “But we have to finish!” protested Medley. “I feel... better. Smarter. Move clever. I don’t know.” The frustration gathered in her face as she grasped for words. “It’s like I’m supposed to be here now. Whatever She did, it made me realize that I can do this too. I was supposed to do this at some point, I still can. We have to keep going.” “Sweetie, we almost sent you home in a box,” said Redheart. “You’re not going anywhere but back to your family. You’ve got other things to worry about now.” Medley huffed, and turned to Pokey. “What about you?” asked Medley. “You’re just going to give up? That doesn't seem like the Pokey I've come to know.” “I don’t know about the other two,” said Pokey. “But I’m still in rough shape. If there’s any more fighting on the road ahead, I’m afraid I’m just not in the condition to do it.” Dr. Castor had fixed him up well enough but the injuries from his past weren’t playing well with his fresh ones, and the painkillers dulled his lightening reaction time. His flank itched. “Pokey’s right,” chimed in Cheerilee. “We’re in no shape to go back after the emerald.” “Well then what about the buffalo of Appleloosa?” asked Medley. “Surely you can talk them out of their sapphire. Or the Ruby in Canterlot! We can go there, and come back with an army and...” Pokey sighed wearily as he tried to find the right words. "I don't know why you're so concerned about all this," said Redheart. "The only thing you have to worry about getting home." "But I want to help!" protested Medley. "I've done nothing but complain this entire trip, and I've been out of the loop for almost two days." She turned to Cheerilee. "You told me the first night we were out that a party has to count on each other. I've counted on you three to keep me going, and I going to return the favor." The rest of the table sat in silence. Redheart and Pokey exchanged an uneasy look. "The buffalo are a proud people," said Cheerilee, breaking the silence. "They don’t really value pony artifacts, so it’s possible we may be able to get the sapphire from them with no problem.” She glanced around the table. “I don’t know as much about them as I should, but I know that Redheart has been out there plenty of times." Redheart stared out the window, lost in thought. “Right, Redheart?” “Oh, yes, buffalo,” Redheart snapped back to the conversation at hoof. “I just love the buffalo. Such gentle giants,” she mused. “Strong, handsome, quiet. So much respect for the land. Kind hearts, gentle hooves...” Her voice trailed off wistfully, followed by a jealous sigh from Pokey. “Sounds like someone has a type,” giggled Cheerilee. Redheart glared at her. “I... do not!” she protested. “They’re just... good looking... and earthy... and...” She flustered to halt. Most of the table erupted in laughter as the white earth pony blushed as red as her cutie mark. Pokey only sat quietly. “Then we’re going to Appleloosa?” beamed Medley. “Well it sounds like it,” said Cheerilee. “Redheart is definitely interested in getting her hooves on them.” Redheart’s flustered protest came only as an incomprehensible babel, while Pokey just stared daggers at the Cheerilee. “You, however, are getting on the next train to Ponyville.” ... Medley found herself staring out the window of a passenger car, just watching as the Diamond Dog lands sped past. The train chugged along. The ponies in front were galloping along at a steady pace towards Ponyville. The tracks ran along the edge of the Everfree Forest, then cut to the east along Dame River. Soon, the Diamond Dog territory would be out of sight, and Medley would be left with a spectacular view of the Forest. She rested her muzzle on her chin, and thought about what she would tell Snow Catcher and her foals. The truth? That she had failed the princess’s request, and nearly died? That she met Luna? That the others sent her home in disgrace? Her thoughts were interrupted by the squeal of metal on metal; the train slowed to a stop. She looked out the window. The train ponies unhitched themselves from the engine, and climbed into the cabin. With the steep hill ahead, it was just too much for them to pull. They’d be on steam power for the next leg of the journey. Far in the distance, she saw the cavern where she it all nearly ended. She felt as if it were calling to her, taunting her for being just out of reach. In that cavern there was a gem with her name on it. And there were other gems there as well, ones she could take without repercussions. With the Diamond Dogs routed, she should be able to get in and out of the cave without a problem, right? The emerald was bound to be in there somewhere, and with all the commotion, who’d have thought to take it? She made up her mind. Medley walked with a nonchalant air toward the rear of the train as other ponies shifted around the cars. She slid open the door to the caboose, and stepped inside. Stacks of luggage were piled behind brass rails. A dark shape emerged from behind the luggage as Medley made for the rear door. “Where do you think you’re going?” asked War Jenny. Medley nearly jumped out of her turquoise coat. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “My goddess, can’t any of you Kin act normal?” “I’m here to see that you make it home safely,” said War Jenny. “That means not getting off this train.” “I’m just stretching my wings,” lied the pegasus. “I’ve been following you four since you left the clinic,” said War Jenny. “I saw that spark of greed practically turn your pretty blue eyes green. There’s no mistaking it.” She stood from the pile of suitcases, and walked to the fluttering pegasus. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble when you get home.” “You don’t know anything about my home,” huffed Medley. “I know that you hate your job,” said War Jenny. “I also know that you love your children. Those three came out here because they wanted a break from reality. No matter how much they complained, it was a nice distraction from the hum drum life they've grown accustomed too. You, on the other hoof, are out here for the money.” Medley's eyebrows sank into a glare. “I... you... how...” she stammered. “Why else would you be trying to go out there again and risk your life?” asked War Jenny. “I know you think those stones are valuable. I think that you have no idea just how valuable they are." "Wait, they actually do something?" asked Medley. War Jenny facehoofed. "Did your goddess tell you nothing?" she sighed, staring at the ceiling. "Look, Luna always instructed my people to find wealth, but to always give it away. We were always to look for these stones, and give them back to her." "What did she need with them?" asked Medley. "Are they some sort of key? What do they do?" "They're the key to undoing a great blight," said War Jenny. "My people have been forced across the river for the past few hundred years and we haven't been able to get into Equestria to look for the stones. Now your goddess has sent you after them, meaning the time for their use is nearly at hand." War Jenny glared at Medley. "It also means I can't let you steal them." “It’s not about the stones,” protested Medley. “I’m would never try to steal an artifact like that. Do you really think I’d want to bring the down wrath of Celestia and wind up on the moon? It’s just...” she shifted nervously. “Celestia promised us a reward for our services. I really need the bits. I’ve got two fillies, and they keep cutting back Snow Catcher’s hours, and...” “There are better ways to finance a life than adventuring,” chastised War Jenny. “Especially in your condition.” Medley softened her glare into confusion. War Jenny sighed in weary frustration. “You’re telling me you don’t know? You city ponies never pay any attention, do you?” “Know what?” asked Medley. “What are you even talking about?” “It’s not my place to tell you,” said War Jenny. The train started to roll again as the boilers reached temperature. “And I managed to distract you long enough to prevent you from getting off the train.” “I guess you did,” said Medley, innocently. “I’ll tell Pokey you did a great job when I catch up to him.” She dashed out the back door. The donkey grabbed at the handle only to find Medley had barred it from the outside. She rushed to the other door to find it barred as well. War Jenny was trapped inside the Caboose. Medley waved to War Jenny through the window as she took to the sky. Jenny stared out at window at the pegasus as she dashed towards the Diamond Dog cavern. “Son of a nag,” cursed War Jenny. Medley’s heart raced as she streaked into the sky. She’d never pulled a trick like that before. Where was this sudden inspiration coming from? She felt free and young, ready to take on anything. She felt like a Wonderbolt. She found herself cheering as she soared through the air. She spun around in the sky with not another creature daring to occupy her air space. For the first time since she was a filly, she felt truly free. Medley looked down at the Diamond Dog’s territory. Such an ugly scrubland! And that horrid red moss! She’d just have to deal with it if she wanted to find that stone. She flew toward the cave, tucking in her wings and diving faster, much faster than she had ever before. She never wanted to come back down. She buzzed the cave entrance a few times, finding unexplainable joy in her flight. By the time she actually landed, her wings were tingling with elation. She wanted nothing more than to adventure now. She could see why her companions had spent their youths doing it. She boldly fluttered past the excavated cave-in into the massive cavern. The remains of the Diamond Dog that had nearly killed her sat unmoving in the center of the room. Medley had been woefully unprepared for the sight. Pokey hadn’t just killed the beast; he’d taken off its head. Medley found herself trying to keep down her breakfast. She saw another, smaller patch of blood on the ground near a crushed boulder. It had long since dried, mixed with the dirt and moss of the Diamond Dog’s lair. She stared at the spot, remembering what had happened. That boulder had come from nowhere. She remembered looking over to see it hurling toward her. She didn’t have time to react. Just... lights out. She remembered Pokey’s horn filling the room with that dangerous light. She remembered him yelling. She remembered walking along the clouds, following a pure white pegasus towards a bright light. She remembered Luna came to her and said that she had reasons to keep going. Then she woke up in a hospital. If it weren’t for Luna, she wouldn’t be here now. A wave of panic swept over here as the realization sank in. She shouldn’t be here. Here she was, so elated by freedom that she’d forgotten that it took a miracle to save her. Had she escaped death only to throw off her old life? She fluttered backwards out of the cavern when a familiar sound struck her ears. Whimpering. The whimpering was definitely that of a child. Medley’s heart thumped. Had they left a filly behind? Had they missed an entire row of cages? The herd had galloped out of here so fast, they hadn’t stopped to look for other captives. And with the thundering of a hundred hooves, who would have heard the cry of a child? Anyone still trapped in there would have been two days without food or water. Medley began to follow the whimpering, Her wings silently flapped through the tunnels as she listened for the direction of the child. With the way sounds echoed, Medley found herself lost. The tunnels became maze around her. She landed, and tried to make a plan. What would Redheart do? Knowing her, she’d probably have a search pattern organized, and split the party in two. She hoofed at the stone, as she tried to come up with something similarly clever. Planning had never really been her strong suit, but Luna’s touch meant she was more than she used to be, right? The hoof marks on stone gave her an idea. She fluttered her way back to the entrance, and scratched numbers into the stone. She began systematically searching the tunnels, flying down the full length before turning around and returning. Along the way, she picked up the Diamond Dog’s discarded treasure, and hid them in the deepest pockets of her saddle bags. The whimpering was moving in response to her rock marks. Whoever was in here didn’t want to be found. She turned a corner into a branch tunnel when she spotted the child. A Diamond Dog, no bigger than a foal, cowered from the turquoise pegasus. “Please don’t hurt me,” begged the child. He covered his face with his paws as he tried to hide from Medley. She bent down and picked up the child. She held him to her chest. She patted his fuzzy head, and rocked him gently. “It’s okay, sweetie,” she said. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. No one’s going to hurt you.” She looked around the tunnels. There had to be a clue as to where his parents got off too. She found only rotten timbers, half collapsed tunnels, and more of the red moss. “Where are your parents?” she asked. “I don’t know,” he whimpered. “There was all this noise, and the ground was shaking, and daddy got buried in that pile of rocks over there, and won’t wake up and...” The child buried his face in Medley’s chest. “I’m sacred! I want my mommy!” “Shhh,” comforted Medley. “I’m sure we can find your mommy. What’s your name?” “My name is Pupp,” he sniffed. “Can we find mommy now?” Medley looked at the collapses. It was a grim sight, and she prayed that the child’s parents weren't among them. “Why don’t we go outside so we can see if your mommy left for another cave?” She and the child fluttered back towards the cavern entrance. Medley covered the Diamond Dog’s eyes from the horror of the eviscerated beast. No child needed to see that. So where would the mother have escaped to? Medley looked down at the dusty earth around the entrance. Hoof prints of all shapes and sizes covered the main entrance, but an overlapping series of newer paw prints led south from the cave entrance. She’d been too busy buzzing the entrance to even notice. The Diamond pup sniffed the air. “I smell her!” he said and hopped out of Medley’s arms. He put his face to the ground and sniffed. After a minute of snorting in the dirt, he finally pointed south along the paw prints. “She went this way!” Pupp dashed off, following the tracks. Medley easily caught up with the loping pup, and she fluttered alongside him. “Take it easy,” said Medley. “You don’t want to tire yourself out.” The pup stopped in his tracks, and stared at the ground. “I’m sorry,” he said. Medley heard the child’s stomach growled. “Mommy always has food. I don’t know where she is, but I can smell her.” Medley dug around in her pack for a moment. Where was all of her food? She finally produced a few muffins she had saved for the voyage home. She passed it to the child. “Here you go, sweetie,” she said. “I don’t know if you like carrot cake, but it’s all I have.” Medley looked in her pack with disappointment. Of course Redheart would have redistributed their supplies; she was the queen of preparation. She snapped the flaps closed and looked up. Pupp was chasing the trail again. Medley rolled her eyes and chastised herself for forgetting the cardinal rule of parenting: Don’t take your eyes off the kid. She flew beside Pupp; his tiny legs could hardly carry him faster than a trot. For a half an hour, Pupp scampered along the sandy soil of the Diamond Dog territories as he followed the scent of his mother. He avoided huge swaths of red moss that crept along the ground, as they moved toward the river. It wasn’t long before they arrived on the banks. Pupp sniffed the air. He looked up at Medley. “I can’t smell her anymore,” he said. “All I can smell is this gross stuff.” He pointed to the large patches of vermilion moss that came nowhere near the river. Medley looked at Pupp, then out at the river. They Diamond Dogs had probably crossed near here, which meant they weren’t far behind. She looked up at the sky. “How do you feel about flying?” she asked. A minute later, Pupp was whooping and barking in joy from Medley’s back. Medley flew high into the air as she looked out on the lands for any signs of tell tale Diamond Dog holes. After a few minutes of searching, Medley had begun her decent near a cave. She landed near a fire ring with Pupp still riding her back. He hopped off and sniffed the air with vigor. “Mommy!” he yelled and dashed into the cavern. “Sweetie, wait!” called Medley as she rushed in after him. It took a second for her eyes to adjust to the dim light beyond. She saw spread on floor of the cavern a dozen different blankets, beaded in fine gems and semi precious stones. Lying on those blankets were several Diamond Dogs gyps about the same size as Medley. Instead of the fuzzy slate grey of the males, the gyps were ginger colored and sported luxurious silky coats. They looked much like large versions Applejack’s dog, Wynona. Most had beautifully jeweled necklaces, and several wore fine silk sashes. One of the gyps came running as Pupp dashed for her. The gyp picked up the child in her paws and wept. “My baby!” she sobbed “Oh my dear, sweet Pupp! You’ve come home to me! I thought you were gone forever!” She smothered Pupp with hugs and rocked the child in her arms. Tears ran down her muzzle as the rest of the Dogs came to lavish attention on the returned child. Pupp’s mother noticed Medley. “Who are you?” she demanded. The scene turned from heartwarming to icy in a split second. The gyps turned, and with hackles raised, bared their teeth at the pegasus. “Uh... I’m... Medley...” she said as she backed away from the cave. “I...” “Mommy, she helped me here!” interrupted Pupp. “She found me in the cave, and then I sniffed you out and I flew on her back across the river!” The gyp looked at her, and handed Pupp off to another mother. She stepped towards Medley. The pegasus froze; her wings suddenly refused to obey her commands to fly away. The gyp reached for Medley, and pulled her into a heartfelt embrace. “Thank you,” she whispered through her tears of joy. “My son has returned to me.” She wiped her eyes. “I cannot offer you enough thanks, pegasus.” Medley breathed a sigh of relief. “Any mother would have done the same,” she said. “I don’t think we’re that different, really.” The mother nodded, and released Medley from her embrace. The rest of the pack surrounded Medley to offer thanks for returning their prodigal child. They escorted her deeper into the cavern into what appeared to be a nursery. Dozens of Diamond Dog pups played happily together. The boys, still fuzzy and adorable youths, roughhoused and jumped on each other, while the girls played with dolls and toys. The canine offered her water and a mat to sit. “I am Bella,” said the Diamond Dog. “I am the first wife of our tribe.” “First wife?” asked Medley. “The chief chooses a wife first,” explained Bella. “It is her job to keep the other women in line. It is a job she keeps until she retires, or dies. When Pupp’s father ascended to chief, the old first wife retired to allow me the position.” “I saw what happened to Pupp’s father at the hill,” said Medley. “I’m sorry it came to that.” “Yes, I am too,” said Bella with some sadness. “Even if you think him evil, he was an effective leader and a good father. But I cannot bring myself to hate you, as the men folk do. You have brought me my son, and I can tell some pony like you did not come to that hill with malice.” Bella looked around the nursery, as if listening for something in particular. She continued in a whisper. “Our new leader, Scratch is a vile and evil dog. He hates ponies with unmatched passion, especially after what happened on the hill.” Medley didn’t know what to say to that. She thought about apologizing, but she wasn’t in the least bit sorry for what they’d done. She found herself at the edge of her abilities trying to come up with an adequate response. What would Cheerilee do? Cheerilee would have already known about the all about the tribal practices of the Diamond Dogs, and that their women were beautiful canines. She gazed about the nursery and looked at the children. So much joy from these children, and yet one day, they too would grow to enslave ponies like herself. She couldn’t comprehend it. “Why do you do it?” asked Medley. “Do what?” asked Bella. “I don’t pretend to understand your ways, so forgive me for being rude,” said Medley. “But why do you take others and force them to work for you?” Bella looked sadly at the mat she was sitting on. “Do you see the fine furs on which we sit?” she asked. “The jewels around our necks? Our husbands and fathers give us these things as an act of love. They want so much for us to be happy." She looked sadly at the children. "They are willing to spread misery to others to dig up these gems, and find these things for us.” She gestured to the Pupp, who had busied himself climbing atop a dog pile of children. “He doesn’t know it yet, but he will do the same. A girl will catch his eye, and his friends will all say ‘give her diamonds, give her furs, give her all the beautiful things of the world.’” She turned back to Medley with a defeated smile. “Our men, as you may have guessed, aren’t exactly clever in matters of the heart.” "But to enslave others!" said Medley. "Can't they see it's just wrong?" "They don't let us women work," said Bella. "They just want so much to shower us with gifts, and let us live in luxury." She looked down at the floor. "Most of us don't care for it. Ponies and pigs, they have families too. We try to treat them well, and do what we can, but our husbands insist. Who are we to resist their wills and their gifts?" “I can see where it’s nice to receive gifts,” said Medley. “I see them so infrequently these days.” Bella gave her a confused look. “Oh, it’s not because Snow Catcher doesn’t love me. Money’s tight even with us both working and...” “You... work?” asked Bella. “Outside your home? Hunting and digging like the men?” “No, not at all. I work at the post office,” said Medley. “Or at least I hope I still do. Their policies on deity assigned quests of absence are somewhat fuzzy.” “You’re on a mission from your god?” gasped Bella. “Oh, yes, that,” said Medley. “I came here to find a necklace made of a single, brilliant emerald.” She picked up a stone from the cave floor. “It’s about this big and seems to shine even when there’s no light.” Bella nodded. “The stone you seek is on the collar of Scratch,” she said. “But he will not give it to you. It is the symbol of the chief, and it is won in single combat. The only reason he is chief now is that he stole it off my husband’s body.” Medley cursed under her breathe. Of course they kept it nearby; it wouldn’t be that easy to just abscond with it. At least she had knowledge now, and that was a good enough start. She could come back with Pokey, make the challenge... And Pokey was still injured. She'd forgotten about that. She paused to gather her thoughts, as she looked back at the children. Medley wanted to free these children of the cycle of slavery and oppression. She could see now that the Diamond Dogs weren't evil, but instead misguided in their ambition and devotion. Perhaps she'd make her way back here someday to help them. “I’m glad to have shared this time with you Bella,” said Medley at last. "Thank you again," replied Bella. She stood and escorted Medley to the cave entrance. "Let us get you out of here before Scratch comes home." “I wish I could have learned more about you and your pack," said Medley as she walked alongside Bella . "I feel like I could teach you so much. It's too bad I have to leave so soon." “What’s your rush?” scratched a voice. Medley turned in panic. Behind her stood a Diamond Dog, with skin like gravel and teeth like shards of broken pottery. From his neck hung an acorn sized emerald of impossible brilliance. “Why not stay forever?”

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:41:57+00:00

2011-09-02T14:41:57+00:00

Chapter 8: Seeing Red When it all suddenly makes sense, you often find out how much trouble you’re really in. The train rattled along the rails, pulled by the might of four enormous earth ponies. The steam engine lie quiet, as the engineer ponies had no need of its power across the open plains. The train ponies galloped along the tracks. Behind them was tons of steel, wood, and passengers. Three of those passengers were headed south from Bridleburg after they had put their friend on the train toward Ponyville. Pokey lay on his bunk. He was quietly meditating as Redheart stared wistfully out the windows. The passing mesas and scattered dwellings were familiar scenery for her. The Appleloosa mesas always sent Redheart back to better times. For Pokey, they conjured mixed memories of happiness and violence, though the two were thankfully unrelated. Cheerilee stood at the table as she worked on her "Equestria Daily" crossword puzzle. Seventeen down as was "newborn pony." It was, of course, foal. It sparked a thought. She looked up from her puzzle and toward Pokey. “I’m worried about Medley,” said Cheerilee. “She seemed so different at breakfast this morning. She actually wanted to be out here to finish this quest.” She tapped her pen on the desk, as she tried to come up with a eight letter word for a type of bit. Snaffle. “She’s complained the whole time about being home sick, and when we try to send her home, she begs to stay?” She started writing again on an different clue. “Something doesn’t add up.” “I didn’t send her back to Ponyville because she was home sick,” said Redheart. “It would have actually been nice to have her with us.” Cheerilee solved twenty three down. Phillydelphia. “We sent her home because she was pregnant,” said Pokey. Cheerilee nearly swallowed her pen. “Are you serious?” demanded Cheerilee. “Absolutely,” said Redheart. “Probably about a month along now.” Cheerilee stood flabbergasted and sputtered as tried to come up with words that would fit just how insane this situation was. “Then why in the name of Celestia was she out here risking her flank with a bun in the oven?” asked Cheerilee. “She needed the money,” said Pokey. His eyes were still closed in meditation. “Celestia promised us a reward if we completed this quest. She said that her finances were tight, and whatever Celestia gave us would go a long way to helping out her family.” “There’s easier ways to make money than going on an insane quest when you’re pregnant!” shouted Cheerilee to no one in particular. “I’m pretty sure she doesn't know yet,” said Redheart. “She’ll figure it out once she realizes she missed her cycle this month. She’s actually quite lucky in that regard.” “I can’t imagine how,” said Cheerilee. “I’m surprised she didn’t lose the foal with that beating she took.” “Remember what you said about motherly instincts?” asked Pokey. “Her body knows she’s with child, and kept her going through what would have killed most of us. Being a mother is her special talent, and it saved her life. The only reason it’s not her cutie mark is, well, how would she have discovered that talent?” “Well then, I’m glad she’s headed home,” replied Cheerilee. She went back to her crossword puzzle. A thought struck her a moment later. “Wait a second. What do you mean she doesn’t know? You didn’t tell her?” The train chugged along the rails of the Appleloosa valley as it quietly covered the miles between the two cities. Redheart was reading a romance novel and Pokey sat playing solitaire. Cheerilee looked over the Hamite tablets she had acquired a few days ago. Pokey kept glancing out the window at the passing landscape. He grew more concerned with every glance. He set down his cards. “You know,” said Pokey. “The last time I was out here, the ground was a lot less red.” “You noticed that too?” asked Redheart. “We’re going by too fast to get a good look, but something is definitely different.” She put down her romance novel, and looked out the window. Sure enough, the sandy landscape had taken on a vermilion tint, and the normally orange mesas were near crimson. It was like suddenly being on a different planet. Redheart gazed out the window with growing concern. “I wonder what the buffalo have to say about it?” “Probably that it’s the settler’s fault,” said Pokey. “They may have come to an accord over the apple trees, but that doesn’t mean they like each other.” The train ground to a halt just inside of the borders of Appleloosa. Pokey and Cheerilee had just stepped off the car into a wonderland of earth ponies. Most were wearing spectacular hats and stylish vests. Redheart emerged after them, a bonnet affixed in her pink mane. “What’s with the bonnet?” asked Cheerilee. “Keeps the sun out of your eyes,” she said as she looked around the platform. “It is the fashion out here, you know. You really look like a tourist without one.” "If you two are the experts on this area," asked Cheerilee, "then why doesn't Pokey have one?" "Hats get in the way," said Pokey. "Besides, Appleloosa isn't where we're headed. We're headed out to buffalo country." They had just gathered their saddlebags when they were greeted by a large yellow pony wearing a stylish brown vest. His apple cutie mark was partially obscured by a large bandage. “Welcome to Aaaaa-pplaoosa!” he nickered. “Always pleased to see new visitors to our humble town.” "Seriously, Braeburn?" asked Pokey. "Every time?" "Gotta make folks feel welcome," he said. "What better way than with a fine how-do-you-do as soon as they get off the train? And if it isn’t Miss Redheart herself! I didn’t know you two were comin’ into town.” “Sort of an unexpected trip,” said Redheart. “What happened to your flank, Braeburn?” “Oh, that little scratch?” asked Braeburn. “Caught the business end of a rock slide about two days ago. No big deal. Haven't seen you in a while, what brings you two love birds out here?” “We’re on a bit of an assignment from Celestia,” said Redheart. “How are the crops doing?” “Not so good,” he replied. “Ponies ain’t feelin’ well enough to work the fields the past few days. Somethin’ ain’t right out here, and it’s got the buffalo spooked. It’s in the air. If I’d have known you were comin’ I’d have told you to stay away.” “Does it have anything to do with all the red soil?” asked Redheart. “I noticed it on the train ride here.” “I dunno about that,” said Breaburn. “I do know that there’s a lot of ponies talkin’ about leavin'. Dr. Chocolate Sun is tryin’ to figure out what’s causin’ all this if you want to help.” “We’re on a schedule,” groused Pokey. “No promises.” “You never were the friendly type," said Braeburn. "Who's your other friend?" “This young lady is Cheerilee,” said Redheart. “This is Braeburn, a dear friend of mine from way back.” Cheerilee extended a hoof and smiled. Breaburn took it, and kissed it gently. “Such fine ladies as you shouldn’t be wandering around town unescorted,” he said. Pokey stared blankly at the yellow pony. “Do you ever do your job?” asked Pokey. "For that matter, when is the last time we ran into a pony that actually does their job on this excursion?" “Dr. Castor?” offered Cheerilee. “He’s not a pony,” said Pokey. “The question still stands.” Redheart and Cheerilee ignored Pokey, and followed Braeburn into town. The yellow earth pony was taking the time to point out the improvements they had made since Redheart had been out here last. The rebuilt clock tower chimed five, and the streets filled with earth ponies on their way home. Redheart looked over the crowd with horror. Most of the ponies looked terrible. They were emaciated and gaunt; quite a few looked like they were starving to death. From the crowds came bursts of coughing fits. Nearly every pony wore a scowl or a worried expression of doubt. “My goddess,” said Redheart. “You weren’t kidding, Braeburn. This is worse than the evacuation of Stalliongrad.” “Now you know why folks are all worried,” said Braeburn. “It somethin’ doesn’t change here soon, we’re going to have a ghost town come harvest time.” They continued their walk through town, and finally came to a stop at the local clinic. “And here’s where ponies are winding up,” he said. “Dr. Sun hasn’t been able to nail down the problem yet, but if you want to know more, you can ask him.” “Thank you Braeburn,” said Redheart. “I’ll be sure to find you if I need anything else.” Braeburn trotted off into the village and left the Ponyville trio behind. Redheart shot an uneasy glance at Pokey and Cheerilee. Pokey cut her off before she could say anything. “We have other problems to deal with,” said Pokey. “I realize that there’s a problem, yes, but that’s not why we came here. We don’t have time to solve every issue we come across. We don’t need side quests.” “I can’t just let these ponies suffer!” said Redheart. “What would you have me do?” “Worry about our current task first,” said Pokey. “You seem to have forgotten we’re on a time frame here. Or do you not remember about Celestia saying she needed these stones before the next full moon?” “I haven’t forgotten anything!” shot back Redheart. “What, because there’s suddenly no way to solve this problem with violence, you’re not interested in helping?” “You think I enjoy killing?” demanded Pokey. “Like I’m one of those Diamond Dogs? Is that what you really think of me? That I’m some soulless murderer?” “Stop it!” yelled Cheerilee. “My goddess, why are you two even fighting? What in Equestria is wrong with you?” She stamped her hoof in the dirt. “Pokey’s right, Redheart; we really don’t have time. We need to find the buffalo, get the Sapphire, then get to Canterlot. We’ve got a week to do it, and that’s not even counting the time it’s going to take us to find the emerald.” “Remind me again why we’re doing this?” asked Pokey. “Have you suddenly figured out the purpose of the stones or do you think Celestia’s sent us on a quest to build our friendship? Maybe they’re a birthday present for her pet bird!” He held out a hoof. “Who even knows?” He sat down in the dirt; his saddlebags slipped off his flank. “Well it’s clear your painkillers are wearing off,” huffed Redheart. "You've never been this miserable when we've come out here before." “I wish you weren’t right all the time,” said Pokey. Cheerilee happened to glance at Pokey's cutie mark. It’d been a while since she’d seen it; his armor and saddlebags always covered it in the past. A safety pin. Such an odd cutie mark for somepony like him. There was something off with it. Cheerilee raised an eyebrow. “Pokey, what’s that on your flank?” she asked. Cheerilee approached to take a closer look. “That’s a cutie mark,” said Pokey sarcastically. “I thought you would have paid at least little attention during college.” Redheart approached and saw what Cheerilee was concerned about. “Not your cutie mark,” said Redheart. “There’s a patch of red moss growing on your flank.” Pokey craned his neck, as he tried to see what they were talking about. Sure enough, a patch of red moss adorned his flank. It blended in with some of the scabs from his fight. “Huh,” said Pokey. “I hadn’t noticed that.” Despite his vigorous protest, Redheart dragged Pokey into the clinic by his tail. Inside, they found the walls of the wooden building adorned with posters discussing vaccines and other public health issues. Warnings were posted about the dangers of the so-called “Red Dirt” that had been popping up around Appleloosa. A chocolate colored unicorn with a sunshine cutie mark sat behind a desk. He was going over a scroll; the unicorn's look of distress filled the room with more dread than a clinic should probably have. He turned at the sound of the opening door. He rolled the scroll to greet the incoming ponies. “Oh, Nurse Redheart,” he said. “I wish I could say I’m happy to see you again.” He limped over to welcome the white Pony. A fresh set of bandages adorned his fetlock “Why is that, Dr. Sun?” asked Redheart as she dropped Pokey’s tail. “And what happened to your leg?” “Oh, old Salty got a bit belligerent, and tagged me with a bottle,” said Dr. Sun. “Wasn’t even a fresh one. But there’s this malicious red moss that’s been poisoning the entirety of Appleloosa,” he continued. “What’s worse is that it’s airborne and there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do about it. I received this scroll from Canterlot Univeristy just today. They seem to think it something really dangerous.” Redheart picked up the scroll and began reading. She snapped it shut after a minute. “So this all from airborne exposure?” she asked. “What would happen if this moss found its way into an open wound?” “I have no idea,” said Dr. Sun. “I can’t imagine it’d be good.” He looked over the white earth pony for a moment. “My dear Redheart, what did you do to your shoulder?” “Oh, I got into a scrape with a Diamond Dog,” said Medley. “It’s really nothing to worry about, though I do need to change the dressings. May I borrow some?” “Oh, let me,” said Dr. Sun. He floated her bandages off, and recoiled in horror. “Redheart, when’s the last time you changed these?” “This morning,” she replied. “I didn’t notice any...” she looked at the wound on her shoulder. Red moss had begun to grow at the edges. “Oh my goddess.” “Not you too,” said Pokey. Cheerilee checked over her scratches to find the same thing. The moss blended in so well with her coat that she hadn’t noticed. “I’ve got it too,” she said. “Did we get this from the Diamond Dogs?” “The moss is that far north?” asked Dr. Sun. “Has it hit the Everfree Forest yet?” “I didn’t see it there,” said Redheart. “But that was almost two days ago.” “We need to get these wounds clean,” said Dr. Sun. He put on a mask. “When’s the last time you had a bath?” “Probably before we left,” said Redheart. “Why?" “Well, from what I’ve seen,” replied Dr. Sun. “This moss dies when the surface comes in contact with water. Especially when it’s on skin. I’ve seen a few infections like this in the past few days and a fresh bath takes care it right away.” “Presumably it should die when it gets into lungs then. If it’s affected by water like that, anyway,” said Cheerilee. Redheart furrowed her brow, trying to think. “No,” she said. “Not with the air so dry here.” She looked gravely at Dr. Sun. “Any ponies that haven’t been infected?” “There’s only a handful of ponies I’ve seen who haven’t gotten the respiratory effects, myself included,” said Dr. Sun. “I have no idea why. There doesn’t seem to be anything in common.” “When did you get injured?” asked Redheart. “About two days ago,” replied Dr. Sun. “And when did ponies start having problems?” “About two days ago,” said Dr. Sun. “Check your bandages,” said Redheart. Dr Sun unwrapped his own fetlock to find a similar red moss growing on his wound. He recoiled in disgust. “None of your potions or spells fixes it, but simple water kills the moss? You've been cleaning your wound with alcohol then?” Dr. Sun nodded, shaking his fetlock. “The ponies who aren’t infected, most of them have come in for injuries right?” “I... really don’t know” said Dr. Sun. “I haven't treated that many wounds this week. Every pony seems to be too sick to be getting injured. The only ponies that come to mind are myself and Braeburn.” He pulled a chart from the wall, and began flipping through it. Redheart joined him and found exactly what she was looking for. She pointed to the physical exam. “In the past two days, there have been two injuries,” said Redheart. “Your fetlock, and Braeburn’s flank. Over the past three days, Pokey, Cheerilee, and I had our own scrapes to contend with. I do think that these injuries have kept us safe.”” “I don’t follow,” said Pokey. “Vaccination,” she said. “We’ve gotten the moss into our blood stream, so we’re immune to the respiratory effects. It’s kind of like anthrax; the respiratory form is deadly, while the cutaneous form is mildly irritating. We can be cured of it by a simple bath.” She turned to Dr. Sun, who had busied himself with washing his fetlocks. “What are you using to treat your respiratory patients?” “Right now?” asked Dr. Sun. “Clean beds, sunshine, and fresh air. Nothing else seems to be doing any good.” “Have you considered using a sauna?” asked Redheart. Dr. Sun stood there a moment. His brain turned over the idea for a moment when his eyes lit up. “That’s brilliant,” he said. “But we’ve only got one sauna in town, and the entire population is infected. Even if we wanted to build more, most of the ponies that have the knowhow are far too sick to help.” “Start rounding up the ponies who have the knowhow then,” said Redheart. “We’ve got to get Appleloosa back on its feet.” By the time Redheart and the others had left the clinic, it was late enough that the restaurants had closed. The only place still open was the Salt Lick, which was a somewhat disreputable watering hole. Still, the ponies had to eat, and with Medley's supplies gone, it was restaurants until they could resupply. The ponies all felt much better after a bath, and true to Dr. Sun’s treatment, the moss had turned brown and fallen off. The Ponyville Trio sat around a table in a dark corner, as they looked over Cheerilee and Redheart’s notes. Cheerilee looked over the clay tablets the Hamite’s had given her. They were mostly children’s tales and pieces of creation myth. Her eyes wandered over a section about the Great Flood. “You know, this moss reminds me of The Blight,” said Cheerilee. “The Blight?’” asked Pokey. “As in flood mythology, Biblical blight?” “Exactly,” said Cheerilee. “Almost every culture has piece of flood mythology.” She pointed to the clay tablet. “The Hamties talk about the Great Waters, and the Diamond Dogs refer to it as the Great Bathing.” Cheerilee searched through her saddlebag a moment before coming across her tattered copy of The Book of Celestia. She put it down in front of the ponies, pointing to a passage. “And lo, did Celestia see that the Blight had conquered all the lands outside of Equestria, and the ponies of the plains had fallen victim to its taint,” she preached, standing on her rear legs. “The land swallowed in a sea of Red, our goddess saw no way to save her home, but to flood the plains with a terrible rain that lasted for forty nights and forty days.” A crowd of ponies stopped to listen to Cheerilee’s oration. “In the sacrifice of these lands did Celestia save Equestria from the red Blight, and make peace for ponies everywhere.” She raised a hoof to the sky. “And thus did Luna order the creation of four stars in the heavens to save the land from Blight, and to spare the lives of those infected by its madness. Together as sisters, the goddesses ensured Blight would never again infect the lands, that the rains would never again be forced to wash clean the sins of Blight, as rain washes clean all sins of Equestria.” A few ponies applauded Cheerilee’s fine preaching before turning back to their drinks. “You think these stones are the stars that Luna created?” asked Redheart. “That... actually makes sense,” said Pokey. “The Kin of Luna have always been told to look for gems and wealth. I’m guessing after the whole ‘Nightmare Moon’ incident, the Stones of Brilliance either got lost or stolen. This must have been what we were looking for." Pokey considered the implications for a minute. Many of the Kin's actions suddenly made sense. “Well then, we’ve got to find the Stones,” said Redheart. “Ponies lives are at stake here, and we need to help them.” “I realize that,” replied Pokey. “But how are we going to solve this town’s problem and find the stone in time?” Cheerilee looked down at her notes. She reread the passage in her Book, then looked up at the ceiling. She smiled as the idea crept into her mind. “We need to make it rain,” she said at last. She looked around the bar at all the earth ponies, and her smile faded. “We could really have used Medley because I don’t think there’s a single pegasus in Appleloosa.” “There is another option,” said Redheart. “And it picks two apples with one hoof.”

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:43:08+00:00

2011-09-02T14:43:08+00:00

Chapter Nine: Think Different Just because you can’t come up with a great idea doesn’t mean that some other pony can’t either Medley’s fetlocks chaffed under the Diamond Dog’s cuffs. She sat in the dark, trying to hold back her tears. Bella had begged Scratch to leave her alone, but he would have no part of it. The gyp had received a sharp slap for her insolence, and Medley found herself chained to a wall. She stared up through the grating into the night sky. If she could get free, she could fly away from here and leave this horrid place once and for all. If she did that, she wouldn’t get the emerald. Without the emerald, this whole trek would have been pointless. She laid her head down on her hooves and tried to think. What would Cheerilee do? She’d probably be able to sweet talk the Diamond Dogs out of the emerald, or institute some sort of rebellion. Medley didn’t feel her oratory skills were up to the task, especially given her low position of bargaining. Diplomacy wasn’t going to solve anything here at the moment. Well, what would Pokey do then? He’d cut off the cuffs, then kill every last Diamond Dog, most likely. Medley grimaced at the very thought of such violence. She was no warrior, but when all you have is an razor, every problem looks like hairy chin. She didn’t even have that gift, so that idea was out too. What would Redheart do? She probably wouldn’t have gotten herself into this mess to start with, that’s for sure. Either that or she would have already had the others on some sort of gambit to rescue her and the emerald. Medley, of course hadn’t thought that far ahead. She thought of all he friends as she tried to come up with anypony else who could solve her dilemma. She thought back to the train. “What would War Jenny do?” she asked herself. Well, if she were War Jenny, she’d pick the locks on the cuffs and steal everything that wasn’t nailed down. Medley looked at her cuffs for a moment, and thought back to the tunnels. She had taken a pin, and with a few quick turns of her head, undone the lock of the cage. Could it really be that simple? Medley fished around in her mane for a moment before finding a bobby pin. She plucked the pin up in her teeth, and jammed it into the keyhole on her cuffs. A moment of unskilled fumbling later, and the cuff snapped open. “You’re kidding me,” she said. “It’s that easy?” She looked around for a moment, and undid her other cuff. She fluttered above the stone ground, and slipped out of the unguarded hallway that was her cell. She flapped around the corner only to duck back into the tunnel. Two burly Diamond Dogs walked past the tunnel. They were snarling about their routing at the hill. One mentioned that they should just eat the pegasus in payment for all the dogs lost there. The other slapped him. “We need slaves more than we need a meal, you dolt!” he said. “How we gonna get diamonds and gems for the ladies if we ain’t got no slaves, huh?” The two beasts walked past Medley. They were paying more attention to their own ham handed violence than to the tunnel where the prisoner was supposed to be. She flapped out behind them, and flew toward the exit. Some of the tunnels here had fresh timber supports, while others were simply rough cut stone. The Diamond Dog’s amazing claws could easily tear through rock, and it was clear they had expanded well into this cavern in just a few days. In the few hours she’d been a prisoner, she’d heard the crumbling rocks of excavation. She already recognized several new tunnels, some of which had been filled with barrels of water and other supplies. Medley slipped into one, and miraculously found her saddlebags atop a heap of leather and skins. It stank of Diamond Dog, but it was reassuring to have her packs back. The secret pockets inside even had her purloined gems. She quietly stuffed some more gear into her bags: rope, a lantern, dried foods, some canteens. She turned around to leave, when a squat, simple looking Diamond Dog walked into her. “Oy, what are you doing out here?” he bellowed. Medley grabbed a shovel off the wall and with a panicked swing, knocked the Diamond Dog off his feet. He slumped to the ground in a heap. Another Diamond Dog came running after the noise to find the first dog lying in the corner. He kicked thedog. “Get up!” he yelled. The mutt staggered to his feet. “You think you can just go nappin’ on the job?” “I saw that pony in here!” he protested. “She’s escaped!” “No one gets out of those cuffs, you fool,” said the second dog. “I ought to have you whipped for bein’ so ignorant!” The first dog’s eyes darted around the room. There was no sign of the pegasus after all. Maybe he had imagined it. He left the supply cave and wandered down the tunnel, unsure of where his sudden headache had come from. Medley fluttered down from the ceiling and put the shovel back on its rack. That was too close, and she vowed not to get caught again. She fluttered out into the tunnel and toward the entrance. What Medley found about Diamond Dogs was that they never looked up. Their sloped foreheads and heavy brows made it easier to stare at the floor. She made her way back to the nursery and crept past sleeping Diamond Dogs and fluttering by inattentive guards. The pups were all asleep, happily curled up with their mothers in their own separate dugouts. She passed Bella, who sported a brand new black eye. Medley looked down at her and Pupp; guilt ate at the back of her mind. If she had left a minute earlier, neither one of them would have been in this predicament. On the other hand, she couldn’t just leave her here with an abusive sociopath. She fluttered up to Bella, and shook her gently. The copper coated gyp opened her eyes. “What are you...” she lowered her voice. “What are you doing out here?” she hissed. “You’re going to get yourself killed!” “I can’t just leave you here!” whispered Medley. “Come with me. There’s got to be a better life then this for you.” Bella gestured at all the sleeping dogs and pups. “I can’t leave them,” said Bella. “They’re safe because of me. I stand up for them. Don’t worry about me, I can take it.” “You shouldn’t have to,” said Medley. “The way they treat you is unacceptable. Do you really want Pupp to grow up like that beast?” Medley gestured out toward the exit. “There’s an entire world out there full of possibilities. It took me this long to learn that just because you’re here, doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be better off somewhere else.” “What about the rest of the women?” asked Bella. “Should I leave them behind to suffer the wrath of the men in my absence?” “Well, no,” said Medley. She looked at all the sleeping pups. She grimaced as she tried to think like Cheerilee. Her brain feverishly cranked out an idea she had earlier that night. “Revolution!” she said at last, and a bit too loud. Several of the mothers raised their heads. Medley dove into the dugout, and hid under Bella’s blanket. The mothers set their heads back down. Bella lifted the blanket to find Medley covering her head. “Are you out of your pony mind?” she whispered. “They would cut us to ribbons, and make our lives even worse. They shower us with gifts. All we have to do now is keep the children safe. So what if we can’t work? Or make decisions? Or...” Her voice trailed off hopelessly. “It’s not that bad.” “Is it?” asked Medley. “Back in Ponyville, our mayor is a mare. The richest ponies in Equestria are mares. Our Goddess is a mare. There’s nothing that your men can do better than you. Are you just afraid because they’re bigger than you?” “Somewhat,” admitted Bella. “Their claws can rip through rock, what would they do to us?” “I’m betting yours can too, right?” asked Medley. “Well, yes, but...” “You think size matters?” asked Medley. “You know that massive Diamond Dog back at the hill?” “Atlas, yes,” cringed Bella. “He was the worst of the lot; I’m glad he was never chief. He was too stupid to lead anything but his own tail. I have no idea what killed him, but it must have been a horrendous beast.” “My friend Pokey did that,” said Medley. “He’s not much bigger than I am, but he has more fight in him than a dozen of your best warriors. Size doesn’t matter, Bella. It’s how much you want it.” She looked around uneasily. “And right now, I just want to get out of here.” “Then leave us,” said Bella. “My mother lived this way, and her mother lived this way. We’ve been like this for generations. Most of the women here wouldn’t know what to do with freedom if they got it.” Medley sighed, and came out from under the blankets. “I can’t force you to come with me,” said Medley. “But I want you think about it.” “I promise I will,” said Bella. “Now get out of here before you get caught.” Medley fluttered out of the nursery and toward the cave entrance. The tunnel here had been reinforced with fresh timbers, and the walls had been expertly graded. The construction here was already superior to the previous cave, probably to prevent any errant pony heroes from wrecking this one. Medley poked her head out into the entryway; a massive round boulder had been rolled in from the cavern entrance. She cursed under her breath. Medley fluttered back down the nursery to ask Bella if there was another exit, when she ran head first into Scratch. “Hello, Poppet,” he croaked. “Out for a midnight stroll are we?” He bared his grimy claws at the pegasus. Medley fluttered backwards into the cavern as the dog’s booming steps awoke every single mother and pup. Other Diamond Dogs awoke and flooded into the cavern entry. Now Medley was trapped and surrounded. She looked about the room. Redheart would have had a plan for this. What would Redheart do? “Any last words before I make your hide into a rug?” growled the Diamond Dog. “Don’t hurt her!” barked Bella. “Shut it woman!” bellowed Scratch. The Diamond Dog violently backhanded the gyp into a wall with a powerful blow. Bella fell to the ground, concussed into silence. Medley’s mind furiously pounded out a plan. It was a long shot, but it was all she had. “I said, you got any last words, pony?” “I challenge you!” said Medley. Her voice wavered. “I challenge you for leadership of the Diamond Dog tribe!” A murmur ran through the gathered crowd of dogs. A pony? Challenging a Diamond Dog? Absurd! Scratch chuckled. His gravelly voice set Medley’s teeth on edge. “Little pony, you have no idea who you’re messing with do you?” demanded the dog. “I am Scratch, fiercest of the Diamond Dog’s, victor over scores of mutts and curs. You are but a harmless little pony, what can you even do against me?” “I’m sure that’s what Atlas thought, too,” shot back Medley. She found confidence in her boast. “All that tells me is that you’re afraid of me. Who wants such a weakling for a chief that he won’t even fight a pony? And a mare at that!” Medley stood with her wings outstretched at the center of the cavern. A ring of Diamond Dogs surrounded her and the chief. The room again filled with ripples of dissent. “Silence!” demanded Scratch. The room felt silent at his bellow.“You shall have your challenge, Pony.” He pointed a rusty claw at Medley. “And I shall have your hide.” “Then we fight tomorrow at noon,” said Medley. “Then we fight with claws!” shouted Scratch. “Then we fight outside!” shouted back Medley. “Then we fight to the death!” roared Scratch. “Accepted!” bellowed Medley. She scarcely believed what she had just agreed to. “I choose my second as Blade!” growled Scratch. “I’m sorry, second?” asked Medley. “Oh! A second. Um... I choose Bella!” calling out the only name she knew here. Satisfied with the terms of the duel, the Diamond Dogs dispersed. Medley was left alone in the cavern entrance with the copper coated gyp. She helped Bella to her feet, and escorted her back to her dug out. “Are you insane?” asked Bella. “You’re going to get yourself killed.” “I’ll be fine,” said Medley. “As soon as we get outside, I’m going to bolt and...” “You can’t do that!” protested Bella. “I am your second! That means I will have to fight in your stead!” “Is that what that means?” asked Medley. Her eyes widened in panic. “Oh my goddess, I didn’t know.” “Your heart is in the right place,” said Bella. “But your mouth keeps writing checks your flank can’t cash.” “You have banks?” asked Medley. She had no idea where the gyp would have even learned such an idiom. “What’s a bank?” asked Bella. “Never mind,” sighed Medley. “I need to get some sleep. Big day tomorrow. Only get killed once you know.” Or in my case, twice, she thought to herself. Medley spent the night curled up with Bella and Pupp. She slept better than she had in days with a child by her side, and awoke late the next morning to the sweet sunshine of a new day. It looked to be a beautiful day. She gazed out into the dusty wasteland and thought hard about her future. On one hoof, she could fight, and possibly get herself killed. There would be no divine intervention this time, and no pony would ever know what had happened to her. On the other hoof, she could run away, and leave Bella to die in her place. That would leave Pupp without a mother. Neither solution was acceptable. She thought back to the train and realized that War Jenny been right all along. She was trying to protect her. And what that donkey even mean “in her condition?” Medley suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She retched, and lost her breakfast behind a rock. She retched again as she tried to remember what War Jenny had said. Don’t you city ponies every pay attention? echoed War Jenny’s voice. Medley suddenly put two and two together. She began scratching at the dirt with a hoof. She was counting days. Medley came up with the number forty seven. Medley slumped into the dirt. “Shit.” She sat outside a moment before Bella and Pupp walked outside. The gyp stopped and turned to the pegasus. Bella tried to analyze the look of shock on her face. “What’s wrong?” asked Bella. “Forty seven days,” she said. Bella furrowed her brow trying to understand the pegasus. Was this some sort of code? “I... what?” asked Bella, nervously. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.” “Fourty seven days,” said Medley. “That’s twelve days late.” “Late for wha...” Bella stopped. Her jaw dropped as the meaning of the numbers came to her. “You cannot fight! I won’t allow it!” “If I don’t fight, you will,” said Medley. “I’m not about to risk your life for mine.” “You’re risking your child’s life too!” shouted Bella. A few of the other mothers perked up at Bella’s shouting. They surrounded Medley. “You’re with child?” asked a ginger coated gyp. “You cannot fight like that! Why would you have even come here?” “I didn’t know!” wailed Medley. “Oh goddess, what am I going to do?” She paced around the dirt under Celestia’s sun. Noon was rapidly approaching. She put her hooves to her head. She needed to think of a brilliant plan. What would Cheerilee do? Or Redheart? Or War Jenny? None of their advice came to mind as Medley’s thoughts swirled in her head. A voice boomed from the tunnels. “It is time,” called Scratch. “Where is my future rug?” The mothers backed away. from Scratch. Some pushed Medley into the bushes. Others stood in front of the bushes to obscure the turquoise pony from the chief and his cronies. Scratch strutted out of the cavern, prancing like a peacock. He wore an ornately quilted vest with metal plates sewn into the patterns of violent imagery. On his right shoulder pad were at least twenty deep scratches of tally marks. Medley stared from the bushes as the scene unfolded. “The fight is going to begin, with or without you little pony,” taunted Scratch. “Where are you?” “She is with child!” shouted Bella, her hackles raised. “I will not let you fight her!” “If there is no fight, then she will be my slave again!” taunted Scratch. “You think I have no mercy? Two ponies are better than one for digging. Put her back in irons, and all is forgiven.” “No,” growled Bella. “Then you will fight?” he asked. “She has left you to die in her stead? How brave! Now you see why we use ponies as slaves and food!” He laughed viciously, and the other Diamond Dogs laughed with him. Bella leapt at Scratch. She landed a ferocious bite; Her teeth sank her teeth deep into his arm. Bella swung her back legs around and kicked. The vicious scratch tore one of the plates from his armor. Scratch came back with a underhanded swipe. His rusty claws glanced the gyps coat and threw copper fur everywhere. Bella dodged backward, and swept the monstrous dog’s legs from under him. Scratch fell backwards, knocked flat by the gyps kick. She pounced on his chest, and went for the throat. A vicious paw scythed through Bella’s coat and filled her copper fur with streaks of crimson. The blow threw her off his chest. Scratch bounded to his feet, and charged Bella with a two handed uppercut sent her tumbling to the ground. Medley tore through the bushes and past the mothers trying to protect her. She jumped in front of Bella. Her wings were flared in defiance. She knew exactly who to think like now. What would Pokey do? Pokey would end this clown using every dirty trick in the book. “You touch her again,” growled Medley, “and I promise that I will end you.” “So the pony appears!” laughed Scratch. “I now get to kill two ponies instead of one! What a great day to be me!” His words stuck in Medley’s ears as his crony’s hollow laughter echoed behind him. It didn’t matter that he threatened her. It didn’t matter that he’d threatened Bella. It didn’t even matter than he was twice her size, and twice her weight. What mattered is that he dared to threaten the life inside her. The beast struck at Medley; she dashed to the side and lined up a charge. Scratch picked up Bella’s head and, held his claws to the gyp’s throat. “Give up now,” he demanded. “Or your friend dies.” Medley stomped a hoof. Like a bolt of lightning Medley dashed across the dirt. Medley caught Scratch in the chest with both hooves, and slammed him into the side of the cave. Scratch heaved as the wind was taken from his lungs. Medley grabbed the dog’s ornate vest, and with a vicious head-butt, blasted off the ground. Fueled by unbridled rage, she rocketed toward the river. The cave became a speck on the ground below. She stood on a low hanging cloud, and held the cur out above the swirling waters. Scratch finally recovered enough to look down. “What are you doing?” he shrieked. Medley locked eyes with the Diamond Dog; his pupils went wide in fear. “Ending your reign of terror,” said Medley. “Bella and Pupp shouldn’t have to live in fear of beatings and repression from you or anyone else.” She grabbed the emerald collar with her teeth, and tore from around his neck. “I told you what would happen if you touched her again,” she growled. “And ponies don’t break promises.” She shoved Scratch from the cloud. She watched in triumph as he plunged into the churning waters below. Medley touched down a few minutes later amid the gathered crowd of confused Diamond Dogs. She unfurled her wings, presenting the sacred Emerald of Brilliance held in her teeth. The Diamond Dogs, male and female both, bowed to her. Bella hobbled up to her. “You did it!” she cheered. “You actually did it!” “I’m not even sorry,” she said. “I guess that makes me a murderer.” “You’re not a murderer, Medley,” Bella reassured her. “You’re a hero. Scratch thought he was fighting a weak mare, one who would follow the rules, and cower after the first blow.” She looked up at Medley, her eyes wide with awe. “He didn’t realize that ponies aren’t weak. You have shown us all a better way, Chief Medley.” Bella bowed to Medley, and backed away. She looked down at the emerald in her mouth. She was their chief now, wasn’t she? She put the collar in her saddle bag, and flapped into the air to address the Diamond Dogs. “Diamond Dogs,” she announced. “I am not your chief any more than I am one of you. I came here to retrieve the emerald your people stole from my goddess centuries ago.” She looked out on the crowd of dogs as she held their rapt attention. “Look at your lives. Look at your ways. Just because you’ve always done something doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it.” She pointed to the gyps. “Look at your family and ask yourself if you would want them to suffer the slavery that you are so willing put on others.” She pointed to the men. “Look at your wives and mothers. Don’t they have ideas that would make you stronger and better?” She addressed the crowd as a whole now. “I’ve seen what Diamond Dogs can be. Whatever Scratch was, whatever Altas was, that’s not it. You can be more than savages and raiders. You can be a force of good, a source of wealth and inspiration to your kind. You’re not evil; you just don’t know anything else. Maybe a new leader can teach you something different.” Medley turned at last to Bella. “You were willing to die for me and my child. I can’t thank you enough.” “You brought back my baby to me,” said Bella. “Consider us even.” “The Diamond Dogs need a leader, and you’re the only one willing to stand up for the weak," said Medley. "Will you lead in my place?” “What if I’m not strong enough?” asked Bella. “What of the challenges? I am no fighter.” “Then abolish the challenges,” said Medley. “You’re the ruler now. They'll follow you.” She put a hoof on the gyp’s shoulder. “Raise this tribe like you would a child. Nourish them and help them grow to their potential, just like you would for Pupp.” Medley took to the sky towards Bridleburg, and left the Diamond Dogs to their new future. Bella watched her fly away and smiled happily. Such a promising young pegasus would surely make an excellent mother again.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:44:17+00:00

2011-09-02T14:44:17+00:00

Chapter Ten: The Dances of the Skies Only when you let go can you find freedom Redheart was amazingly chipper about wandering out into the buffalo territories. She hummed most of the way through the canyon. Pokey was left sorely annoyed. Cheerilee studied maps of the region as Redheart led the herd across the desert floor. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” asked Cheerilee. “I’d hate to wind up like, well, him.” She nodded to a dessicated buffalo skull in the sand. “We’ve got three days worth of fresh water,” said Pokey. “And we both know this region like the back of our hooves. Stop worrying so much.” “Worrying is what I do,” said Cheerilee. “It’s not every day you walk out into an infectious wasteland.” “We’ve been vaccinated,” replied Redheart. She had been unable to remove the smile from her face. “And besides, I think you’ll really enjoy the buffalo. They’re extraordinary folk.” They walked past yet another moss covered boulder towards the distant plume of smoke when Pokey stopped suddenly. He turned back into the dessert. Redheart and Cheerilee turned to look at whatever he was facing. “What is it?” whispered Cheerilee. “You can come out now, Little Strong Heart,” called Pokey. A young buffalo appeared from behind the rocks; her khaki hide stood out in sharp contrast to the moss covered rocks. “You may actually be getting better as you get older,” smiled the buffalo. “And Miss Redheart, I know that every buffalo will be happy to see you again” Pokey shook hooves with the young buffalo, and introduced Cheerilee. “Cheerilee is a school teacher,” he said. “She's a scholar of ancient Equestrian history and non-pony cultures.” “A pleasure,” said Cheerilee. “How long have you been following us?” “Not too long,” she admitted. “With all this red dirt, it’s much harder to hide.” “That’s actually what we’re here about,” said Redheart. “How is the herd fairing?” “Not too well,” admitted Little Strong Heart. “We’re not as sick as the Appleoosans yet, but we’re getting there.” She looked around the landscape, her eyes filled with worry and doubt. “It’s going to get worse isn’t it?” “Not if we can help it,” said Pokey. With Little Strong Heart at the lead, the ponies came to the village in short order. Tepees rose into the sky, staked to the moss covered ground in small groups. A few buffalo were scraping the moss from their tepees, while others wandered the village looking for ways to help. A few buffalo jumped to alert at the presence of ponies, but relaxed when they saw just who had come to visit. A buffalo approached the group. His coat was a dusty brown, and though he was smaller than most of the buffalo, he still towered over the ponies. “It is an honor to see you again,” he said. He bowed his horned head. Redheart stared deep into buffalo’s dark eyes for a moment. “A pleasure as always, Plains Strider,” she said at last. Cheerilee thought she heard sadness in the greeting. She turned to see a tear forming in the corner of Redheart's eye. Redheart caught her staring, and affixed a smile. “May we speak to Chief Thunderhooves?” “I will let him know you have arrived,” said the buffalo. He nodded to Pokey, who simply nodded back. A few children came barreling from the tepees. They ran circles around the hooves of the ponies. “Miss Redheart is back!” one of the khaki coated buffalo called. The children shouted and danced around her. Redheart leaned down to nuzzle the calves. “I’m so happy to see all of you again,” she said. “I missed you all so much!” “Oh wow!” shouted a deep brown buffalo calf. “It’s really him! He's really here!” The young boys stared in reverence at Pokey. “I’m beginning to feel like the odd pony out,” teased Cheerilee. “I had no idea you were so revered among the buffalo. “Are you kidding?” asked one of the buffalo. She had been scraping moss off her tepee. “Pokey is a legendary warrior among the buffalo. He and Miss Redheart come out this way at least twice a year, although she probably shouldn't.” There was venom in that statement, and Cheerilee felt its sting. The buffalo stopped scraping for a moment, and looked at Cheerilee. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” “I’m Cheerilee,” introduced the pony. “I’m a teacher, and amateur cultural anthropologist.” “A mare of letters,” snorted the cow. “I am the medicine cow, Standing Grass. What brings you out this way? A book you’re writing? A magazine article perhaps?” “Nothing of the sort, actually,” said Cheerilee. “We’re here on an assignment from Princess Celestia, and, on a related note, to help with the Red Dirt.” The cow huffed dismissively. "Good luck with that," she sneered. "I've done everything I can to try to fix it, but nothing seems to work. Baths only kill the moss on the skin’s surface. Once it’s in the lungs, there is no hope.” “Actually...” said Cheerilee. “It’s a good thing the buffalo are made of sterner stuff than you ponies," interrupted Standing Grass. "I hope you don't die out here. I really don't know anything of your burial rituals." Cheerilee was too flabbergasted by the buffalo's rudeness to react. Standing Grass wandered away just as Chief Thunderhooves arrived to greet the ponies. The massive umber coated buffalo greeted the ponies with a raised hoof. The ponies returned the greeting. “Greetings,” boomed Chief Thunderhooves in his usual monotone. Pokey groaned, preparing for the chief’s traditional introduction. “For many moons we have greeted you pony folk as friends of our tribe. Much have we learned from your wisdom, Miss Heart of Red, and too your courage, Horn of Black. For eons we...” “Chief, can we skip this part?” asked Little Strong Heart. “I think they’re actually here for a reason, not a social call.” “Oh,” replied the mud colored buffalo. “Very well then, what brings you back again to our home, friends?” Redheart stepped forward and bowed to the chief. “We have come to ask for the Sapphire of Brilliance,” said Redheart. “Our Goddess Celestia has need of the stones, and has sent us on a quest to find them.” Chief Thunderhooves nodded thoughtfully. “I would happily give it to you, Heart of Red,” said Thunderhooves. "But we no longer have it. We gave it to a researcher from your city of Canterlot two summers back.” He looked to the skky as if to summon a memory. “She said that the Princess had need of it then too. I thought I mentioned that when you two were here that summer.” He scratched a hoof to his chin. “Kind of rude, now that I remember it. She had an unusual name. I believe it was Ingrid Marie.” Cheerilee’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she blurted. “That nag was out here?” “Cheerilee!” admonished Redheart. “Language!” “Sorry, sorry,” apologized Cheerilee. “That... mare has been a thorn in my side since she was my professor.” Cheerilee’s brow furrowed in disgust. “My apologies, Chief Thunderhooves; my language is wholly inappropriate for such refined company.” “No offense taken,” replied Thunderhooves. “I didn't care much for her either. No matter!" He clopped his hooves together. "We will have a tepee set up for our guests, and a celebration in honor of your return.” The herd cheered. “That’s really not necessary,” said Pokey. “Actually a celebration is quite in order,” said Redheart. “Chief, I need to speak with Dancing Hooves about a rain dance.” Thunderhooves shook his head and stared at the ground “She will not be able to help you,” he replied. “Her time is near, and the Red Dirt has taken its toll on her fragile body.” Redheart was taken back at Thunderhooves words. “She will not be able to perform the Dances of the Skies, and none of our calves have the spirit of dance to learn what she has to teach.” “Oh no,” gasped Redheart. “Please, let me look at her. Perhaps there’s something I can do.” “You are welcome to try, Heart of Red,” said Thunderhooves. “Standing Grass has done all she can. You may find Dancing Hooves in her tent.” “Thank you chief,” said Redheart, sadly. “I’m sure we’ll see you this evening. In the mean time, I’ll see what I can do to comfort Dancing Hooves.” She turned back to Pokey and Cheerilee. “I wish I had actually paid attention in my Buffalo Studies class,” said Cheerilee. “I was far too distracted that semester by this fantastic grey stallion...” She gazed at the sky dreamily for a moment. “I thought you dated mares in college?” asked Pokey. “THAT WAS A PHASE,” snapped Cheerilee. “Sleep with one or two mares, and apparently you’re a vanilla frosting lesbian for life! Sheesh!” A few buffalo turned to stare at Cheerilee. “At any rate,” said Redheart, trying to pull the conversation back to the matter at hand. “The rain dance is made up of two parts.” “Wait,” interrupted Cheerilee. “The Dance of the Skies is an actual dance? I thought it was just a metaphor for the ceremony and prayers.” “How well did you do in that class anyway?” asked Pokey. “I got a C,” admitted Cheerilee. “The Buffalo just weren’t that interesting to me back then.” One of the passing cows stopped and shot her a dirty look. “No offense,” she apologized. “Now the Zebras, there’s a fascinating bunch of equines.” “You’re a curious pony,” said Pokey. “I’m glad I’ve gotten to know you.” “Well thank you, dear,” said Cheerilee. She turned back to Redheart. “Now about this dance.” “Right,” said Redheart. “It consists of two parts: The Meeting of the Land and Sky, and the Call to the Clouds. The Call to the Clouds is done first by one dancer. The Meeting of the Land and Sky comes next and requires a partner.” “Okay,” said Cheerilee, processing the information. “So, the one dancer who can do both these dances...” “Is currently ill,” finished Redheart. The ponies started trotting to Dancing Hooves’ tent. Signs of the mosses spread were evere in the village. The dirt had been tinged red with its taint, and many of the buffalo bote swaths of vermillion moss on their backs. The ones who didn’t were pale and sickly. Though the buffalo were larger than the ponies, they too were succumbing to the effects of the moss. “I’ll see if she can teach one of the calves the dances,” said Redheart. “I don’t know that we’ll be able to find any buffalo that can do both parts though.” “Does it have to be buffalo?” asked Cheerilee. Her mind churned along on an idea. Redheart looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m betting it’s never been done.” “Since when has something being impossible factored into this trip?” asked Pokey. “There’s no harm in asking,” said Redheart. She grabbed the tent flap in her teeth and held it open for the ponies to pass inside. The inside of the tepee was surprisingly roomy and pleasant. The walls were covered in tribal designs, and tally marks of years gone past. A mural of the Buffalo’s history graced the far wall of the tent, and a small fire burned in the center. A woven grass mat lay on the ground, with a silvering umber buffalo resting quietly on it. “Dancing Hooves?” asked Redheart quietly. The cow opened her eyes, and glance at her visitors. “Oh,” she said. It was clear she was trying to sound happy. “Oh, my dear Heart of Red, you’ve come to see me off to the final stampeding grounds have you?” “That wasn’t my plan,” said Redheart. “I came here to help cure you.” “It is far too late for that, child.” The buffalo coughed with such intensity that Redheart feared she might pass before their very eyes. “I am an old cow, and I have been an old cow since before I met you.” She squinted at the two ponies standing in her home. “Ah, Horn of Black! I knew I’d see you again before I passed. Is this mulberry filly your wife?” “Sweet mercy of Luna, no,” replied Pokey; Cheerilee punched him. She hit surprisingly hard for a mare. “This is Cheerilee," he said as she rubbed his shoulder. "She’s a teacher and a dancer, much like you.” The buffalo eyes widened, and her smile grew. “Ah, a dancer!” she said. Dancing hooves tried to get to her feet. “Have you a spirit of music, and a heart of dance?” “Music has brought me joy all my life,” said Cheerilee. “And dance has taken over my spirit when I let it run.” “I was hoping you could teach us the Dances of the Skies,” said Redheart. Dancing Hooves nodded solemnly. “The Call to the Clouds is tricky, and must be performed precisely,” said Dancing Hooves. “I have not been able to teach it to a single member of my herd, and I fear the dance will die with me.” She looked up at Cheerilee. “But I think you may have the spirit to learn. What is your name?” “I’m Cheerilee,” she said. “No, Cheerilee, what is your spirit’s name?” corrected the buffalo. “What is the name your spirit calls when when you set yourself to dance? What do you feel when the music takes you?” Cheerilee's thoughts darted around in her mind, trying to understand what she was asking. What took over when she danced? What had she always done when her spirit came alive in the fires of movement? “Prancing Crimps,” she said suddenly. “I always had my hair in crimps whenever I danced. The music and my mane filled my spirit with fire.” The buffalo smiled knowingly. “Then you are Prancing Crimps to our tribe,” said Dancing Hooves. “You shall learn my Call to the Clouds. The other dance, I cannot teach you for your spirit of joy will not take the lesson to heart. The Meeting of the Land and Sky requires sorrow.” She pointed a hoof at Redheart. “You, however, already know it, and you already have a partner.” Redheart’s smiling face turned to sorrow in a single moment. “How dare you,” she choked. “You know I can’t.” “If you are to call the rains, then you must,” said Dancing Hooves. “I will teach Prancing Crimps the Call to the Clouds, and tonight we will prepare to call the rain.” Redheart threw the flap open and galloped into the camp. Cheerilee gave a confused look to Pokey. “I think I need to have a word with her,” said Pokey and he followed after Redheart. Pokey found Redheart her a few minutes later. She was playing a game of tag with the children. She had on her best fake smile to hide tears. She chased after the children. They squealed ion delight as they avoided her. “Don’t let the pony get you!” called Redheart. The children giggled and screamed around her. They came in close, and then ran away again. She tagged one with a hoof, then dodged away.“You’re it! Now catch me!” “Redheart, can I talk to you?” asked Pokey. She shot the fake smile at him. “Can’t you see I’m playing tag?” she asked. “Hey kids,” said Pokey. “I’ll give five bits to whoever can find me a snipe.” “Whoa, five bits?” asked a khaki buffalo calf. “Come on, I know where I can find one!” The children stampeded away. Pokey and Redheart were left standing alone in the field. “Level with me,” he said. “What’s really wrong?” “I... can’t talk about it,” choked Redheart. She looked away. “Not in the open at least.” “Then let’s take a walk,” said Pokey. Redheart and Pokey walked in silence out of the village. One hoof in front of another, they walked to a spot where no one would hear them, and no one would pry. They stopped a few hundred yards away, surrounded by the moss covered rocks and tumbleweeds. There wasn’t another soul around for a quarter of a mile. “I’m in love,” blurted Redheart. “Not with me?” asked Pokey. She glared in rage at the unicorn. “Are you ever not a complete ass?” snarled Redheart. “I’m sorry,” he said, quietly. “I have no right to be inconsiderate.” “The problem is...” she looked back to the village. “I in love with a buffalo,” Pokey seemed unsurprised. “Oh, don’t tell me you find it abhorrent, too” said Redheart. “I’ve gotten enough of that from every pony else.” Pokey only shook his head. “Not at all,” replied Pokey. “I've never loved anyone but ponies, but when the spirit of love finds you, it doesn’t fall along lines of reason. Ponies, mules, or even buffalo; love brings hearts together, no matter who they belong to.” He looked out to the mesas. “Back when Trixie and I ran with the Kin of Luna, I knew a Diamond Dog and a zebra who were devoted to each other, heart and soul.” He looked back to Redheart. “So how did you meet?” “I was here doing charity work,” reminisced Redheart. “I thought that going out and teaching civilized medicine to the savages would look good on my resume.” “Savages?” asked Pokey. “Really?” “I was a foolish filly back then,” said Redheart. “I used to think they were filthy, brutish creatures with barely a spark of sentience. But I got here and found all this.” She gestured out to the mesas and the rolling scrubs lands of the desert. “And then I actually met them. I learned about their ceremonial magic and tribal cures. I started to understand their language, their culture. I began to understand them. And that’s when I met Plain Strider.” She looked into the mesas, her eyes filling with years of onrushing memories. “You were there at the council of tribes weren’t you?” asked Pokey. “I was,” said Redheart. “I remember that armor of yours, and how good it looked on you. If I hadn’t met Plains Strider, I probably would have wound up in your bed that night.” “You tell me this years later,” scoffed Pokey. “Thanks.” “Oh hush,” admonished Redheart. “It’s not like we didn’t spend plenty of time together later. Anyway, the medicine bulls had gathered to discuss new treatments for the pox that had come up from the south.” “If I recall correctly,” said Pokey, “The Kin of Luna got blamed for that, until you proved it was a Diamond Dog infection.” “Yes, that was quite a misunderstanding,” sighed Redheart. “But that’s where I met him. He was a messenger. Everything about him just spoke to me. His kind eyes, his soft voice, his charming wit. I just fell mane over hooves for him.” She shrugged. “I don’t know why, I never found any other buffalo attractive in the least. There’s just something about him.” Pokey nodded silently as he took in her story. “After that, I tried to come out here as often as possible. We met in secret out here in the plain, talking for hours, and making love under the stars.” Redheart looked up; Pokey deliberately avoided her eyes. “We had been meeting in secret for years when we were finally found out.” “Standing Grass,” said Pokey. Redheart nodded “She said our love was forbidden.” She choked on her confession as she tried to find the words. “She told me that we were to never see each other again, and if I came near him, she would kill him to preserve his honor.” She looked up at Pokey, her beautiful blue-grey eyes filling with tears. “But I couldn’t stay away. I had to see him. I still came back to the tribe as often as I could, every time staying in the village under her hateful gaze. I couldn’t be with him anymore, but I could see him.” She looked up at Pokey as tears streamed down her muzzle. “And that was enough, I guess.” “So you’ve been torturing yourself all these years by coming out here,” said Pokey, staring out into the setting sun. “And those times on the train you and I spent together?” “I wished you had been him,” sobbed Redheart. Pokey simply nodded and put a hoof around his companion. Redheart bawled into his shoulders. Sobs of regret wracked her body. Her crying left tear stains on Pokey’s soft blue coat. He held her in silence. The years of misery and pain ran through her sobs as if a damn had burst. “I’m sorry Pokey,” she wept. “All these years I’ve used you to torture myself with what I can’t have. I knew how you felt, but I just couldn’t give up on him.” “I forgive you,” said Pokey. He stared into the distance. “Love makes us do strange things. Plain Strider loved you the same all this time, even when he knew about us.” She looked up at Pokey in shock. “You told him?” gasped Redheart. “He asked me to look after you,” Pokey admitted. “I moved to Ponyville at his instance to keep an eye on you and to keep you safe. I had a feeling about you two, which is why I told him what happened.” “And what did he say?” “He said that he was glad you had found comfort, even if it wasn’t with him.” Redheart sniffed looked back at the village through her tears of regret. All this time, and yet here she stood at the same impasse she had stood at before. Could things really be different this time? Was that what was supposed to happen? “Do you think he still loves me?” Redheart asked. “After all these years? After everything that’s happened?” “Plain Strider loves you more than you can imagine,” said Pokey. "I know you haven't spoken more than greetings in years, but I have. He wants nothing more than to be with you, but he made me promise to never tell.” His head sank to Redheart's shoulder. “And ponies don't break promises.” He closed his eyes, and tried to find the words to apologize. "I should have told you. I haven't been a very good friend to you, and I'm sorry.” They stood in the grass for a long time. Redheart tried to make sense of it all while Pokey stood as her pillar of support. He looked back at the tribe as the sun dipped low behind the horizon. “I suppose we should be getting back to the tribe,” Pokey said at last. He helped Redheart to her hooves, and wiped the tears of regret from her eyes. She tried to read his face. There was sadness there too, but it was the pain of loss rather than the pain of regret that hid behind his yellow eyes. She slipped the brilliant diamond from around her neck, and put it around Pokey's instead. She touched his chest, and looked into his eyes. “Whatever happens, promise you won't hate me for what I've done,” sniffed Redheart. “I could never hate you,” he said. “No matter what, I want you to be happy.” They walked in silence back to the tepees. The celebration was already getting underway as darkness took the sky. Buffalo sang and danced; they told stories of great triumphs and of the spirit's victories. They found Cheerilee dressed in feathers and beads as she emerged from Dancing Hooves’s tepee. Her mane had been crimped, and she stood smiling from ear to ear. Pokey and Redheart stared in shock. “I am ready for this,” beamed Cheerilee. “I hope I’ve got these moves down right; I’d hate to call up a snow storm.” “You’ll be fine, dear,” said Dancing Hooves as she shuffled from her tepee. “Prancing Crimps has the spirit of a true dancer. I am glad to have passed my dance to her before I leave this world.” She looked at Redheart. “Are you ready to do your part?” Redheart looked at Pokey, who only nodded in silence. He disappeared into the village with a purpose. “Yes I am,” she said. Dancing Hooves shuffled over to Chief Thunderhooves and whispered in his ear. He held his hooves up, and the gathered crowd became silent. “Heart of Red and Horn of Black have asked for our help,” he boomed. “They have asked us to call forth the rains to save the ponies of Appleloosa, and to cleanse this red dirt from our home.” The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves. They hooted at the rising moon and the skies above. “But none of my tribe have the spirit of dance needed to call the rain,” he said. The crowd murmured, and looked embarrassed for its failings. Guilty glances passed between them. “This is not the fault of member any of our tribe," Thunderhooves continued. "The spirits can be fickle, and their blessings may not come when we need them too. Dancing Hooves has found a spirit able to carry the Calling of the Clouds.” He raised his hooves to the sky and summoned the crowd to join the circle. “Gather, buffalo. Gather now and listen to the tale of the clouds, and watch their dance. Give now your songs and prayers to the sky as Prancing Crimps fills our circle with the spirit of dance.” He nodded to Cheerilee. She stretched her hocks, ready to dazzle the Buffalo as they began a singing chant “Long ago when the world was young,” boomed Thunderhooves, as the chanting filled the night. “The sky and the land were as one.” Cheerilee danced on her back hooves. She threw her fetlocks in the air and spun in a circle as the chief continued his story. “But the land and sky knew they could not be together if life were to graze upon the plains, and soar into the heavens.” She pranced from hoof to hoof around the fire as she swept her arms, and leaned toward the licking flames. “As the world separated, clouds formed at their split.” Cheerilee cocked her arms, and shook her fetlocks as she danced around the fire. “The clouds are the children of earth and sky. They are land to those who can reach them, and but wisps of vapor to the children of the land.” She leaped over the fire and spun as her arms stretched for the heavens. Cheerilee landed on her feet, and slowly twirled around the fire ring Her beads and feathers trailed behind her and wrapped the mulberry pony in soft whiteness that resembled a cloud. She felt lighter on her hooves as she twirled. She swooped in great arcs across the fire ring. Cheerilee felt herself becoming the spirit of the clouds. She whipped in circles as the buffalo chanted and sang around her. The moistening air filled with the hum of a dozen mantras. The night air practically sang with electricity as clouds rolled in from the distance. High above, the clouds heard the ceremony and came to listen to their tale. The sky filled with darkness, and blocked out the waxing moon. Appleloosa Valley was covered in shadows, and the night grew darker still as the clouds rolled in. Cheerilee continued her dance. More clouds to the valley than had been seen in ages came to watch their story. Cheerilee felt the spirits of the sky watching her as she danced with every ounce of her spirit. She threw her hooves to the sky as the clouds above rumbled their approval. Thunderhooves looked to Dancing Hoofs. The graying buffalo nodded, and the chief continued his tale. “We have called the clouds to watch us now,” he whispered. The songs of the buffalo had become a hushed hymn. “But to bring forth their tears, we must remind them of the story of their parents.” Redheart appeared from Dancing Hooves’s tent. She wore the blue robes of ceremony that represented the sky. Plain Strider appeared from the other side of the ring. He was wearing the wheat colors of the earth. They danced opposite the ring. They reached out across the fire to each other, and inches apart, they circled the flames Standing Grass moved to protest, but found herself shoved back down by an angry hoof. Pokey glared at the cow. His horn glowed with inky black light to punctuate the unspoken threat. The buffalo growled at him, but said nothing. Plains Strider and Redheart danced around the circle. They came close together, only to be driven apart again by the grace of their movements. For every step they took toward each other, they took another two back. They spun, and reached again over the flames in agonizing proximity before they pulled away. A drop of rain fell between them. Thunderhooves continued his tale. “The sky and the land are two estranged lovers forced to watch as the other passes by,” sang Thunderhooves. Plains Strider and Redheart swept past each other. They came within a hair of touching. The white pony and the dusty brown buffalo swirled again. Back to back they stood, then stepped away. They turned and locked eyes in a shared memory. The flames flicked and spattered in protest as the clouds above trickled rain upon the ceremony. Thunderhooves voice became song as he prayed to the heavens above “For the creatures of land and creatures of sky to be,” sang Thunderhooves, “the lovers must remain apart, forever destined to watch the other from afar.” Redheart and Plains Strider danced to each other. They avoided touch only by the sheerest of divides. Redheart's robes brushed against Plains Strider. They stepped back one final time, their hooves outstretched to each other, and to the heavens. They touched with but an iota of contact. They stared across the divide, and their eyes fixed on the other. “Thus ends the tale of the earth and sky, and because their love can never be, the heavens weep for them.” Lightning and thunder wailed from far away. It filled the plains with the shocks of light and echoing booms of sorrow. The clouds burst forth and sobbed torrents of rain onto the valley. The clouds filled the sky with endless lightening. The buffalo darted for their tents. Redheart and Plain Strider stood alone in the downpour. Their hooves still touched as the sky fell around them. In that moment, among the lightening and the rain, they found each other again. Redheart pulled Plain Strider close, and pressed her lips to his. Pokey was sopping wet when he entered the tent. He didn’t bother to shake off he simply stared back into the downpour. Cheerilee stood near the fire. She was near vibrating with elation. She had removed her ceremonial garb, and was wringing out her feathered dress. She chattered happily when she saw Pokey enter. “Can you believe it?” asked Cheerilee. She was still grinning. “We actually called the rain! I haven’t danced like that in my entire life. And Redheart! Celestia above; the passion in her dance! I had no idea!” Pokey stared into the village. He was barely listening to the pounding rains or to Cheerilee jubilance. She walked to the flap to see just what he was staring at. He watched as Redheart threw her arms around Plain Strider, and as she sobbed in his arms. He watched as the rains fell around them, and as the bolts of lightning illuminated their shared sorrow and joy. He watched as the heavens poured upon them, and how they held each other as if to never let go again. Cheerilee didn't see what happened next. Instead she watched Pokey as he failed to hide his own tears.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:45:37+00:00

2011-09-02T14:45:37+00:00

Chapter Eleven: And Then There Were Three When the Goddess closes one door, she opens another Pokey sat staring at the inside of his tepee for hours, listening to the rain. Cheerilee sat across the fire, and watched as the blue unicorn stared into space. “She’s not coming with us,” he said at last. “I’m betting we never see either one of them again.” “I know,” said Cheerilee. The rain outside continued, though it had slowed from a downpour to a steady cleansing rain. The ponies sat in silence for a while; neither wanted to discuss what had happened. Cheerilee tried to break the uncomfortable silence with thoughts of the quest ahead. “Do you think we’ll be okay without her?” asked Cheerilee. “We’ll be fine,” said Pokey as he stared into space. “You said you know the mare that has the sapphire?” “Ingrid Marie,” groaned Cheerilee. “I was sort of hoping she’d be dead by now.” She looked at the fire ring for a moment. “I guess that’s a pretty horrible thing to say.” “I wouldn’t worry about it,” said Pokey. “If some pony has managed to earn your ire, then I’d say they’re not a pony I’d want to associate with. You’re a good mare, and any enemy of yours is an enemy of mine.” Cheerilee walked across the tepee, and sat down next to Pokey. “I’m sorry,” she said, softly. “How long has it been?” “Years,” answered Pokey. “But every time we came out here...” He hung his head. “I thought this trip would be the one that put us together forever. I thought Celestia had answered my prayers. I should have known better. Celestia hates me and wants me to suffer.” He looked up again at the walls of his tepee, and searched for a moon to pray to for answers. “Did you ever tell her?” asked Cheerilee. “I did,” said Pokey. “Every time we lie in bed on that train, I told her I loved her. She told me she loved me too. And I suppose she did, in the way that you do when you’re lonely enough to seek comfort with some other pony.” Pokey shook his head. “But she’s with her soul mate now, and not even Celestia could tear them apart.” The rain abated to a trickle. The tent filled with the sounds of tiny patters of rain on leather. Pokey stood up, and gathered his saddlebags. He moved for the flap before Cheerilee spoke up. “Where do you think you’re going?” asked Cheerilee. “I’m going after the emerald,” he replied. “You shouldn’t have any problem finding the two stones in Canterlot. Which reminds me...” He pulled the diamond from his neck and tossed it to Cheerilee. She picked up the chain from the dirt floor. “Maybe I’ll find it,” he said. “Maybe I’ll get killed along the way. Who knows?” Cheerilee’s mulberry face turned purple with rage. How callously he tossed aside not only their quest, but the one piece of the puzzle they actually had. Pokey trotted for the tent flap, when the diamond cracked him in the back of the head. He turned around to see Cheerilee fuming. “Damnit, Pokey,” admonished Cheerilee. “You think just because you’re heartbroken you can go throwing away your life? You think you can really do this by yourself?” “What happened to your unshakable faith in my abilities?” he asked sarcastically. “Don’t talk back to me,” she snarled. “I’ve watched you do things I can scarcely believe. You’ve saved the lives of dozens of ponies. You killed a beast ten times your size. You saved an entire village. You made miracles happen, Pokey; real honest to goddess miracles.” Her face screwed up in frustration. “You’ve done so much in such a short time, and now you just want to throw it all away because you’re upset that Redheart found happiness?” Pokey hung his head and sighed. “She never told me no,” he said. “She never said her heart belonged to another. I should have known; I was just too blinded by what I wanted to see it.” He turned back to Cheerilee. “I don’t care about this quest anymore. I’ve lost everything I’ve held dear: my family’s heirloom, my faith in myself, and most of all, her.” He looked up sadly at Cheerilee. “I don’t have anything else to lose but my life. Why not sacrifice that too at the altar of Celestia whims?” “Because that’s not who you are,” said Cheerilee. “You’re Pokey Pierce. Greatest warrior of a generation. Slayer of monsters and beasts. Rescuer of children. Kin of Luna.” She approached, and put her head on his shoulders. “You’re all these things, Pokey, but most of all, you’re a fighter. You refuse to let anything else beat you; why would you let this?” Pokey closed his eyes, and sat quietly in the dirt. Cheerilee sat next to him, quietly offering what support she could. “You’re right,” he said at last. “I can’t leave you out here alone. We’re not done yet, and I can’t let personal tragedy get in the way of our insane despot’s request. Let’s head to Appleloosa. We’ll figure out what to do when we get there.” ... The fledgling sunrise shone dully through the clouds, barely illuminating the valley as it crept over the horizon. He should have been tired, but all Pokey felt was numb. He realized that trekking four hours over open ground in the rain and dark probably wasn’t the best idea, but he no longer cared. Cheerilee walked silently beside him as she followed the soft glow of Pokey’s horn. They walked silently over the miles. The wrinkled brown husks of moss fell away from the rock faces as they walked by. Sure enough, the rain had caused the moss to crumble, and the ground lost its vermillion tint. Their plan had worked as expected. The ponies and buffalo both would be happy to be free of the mosses’ scrouge. In that early morning hour, Pokey and Cheerilee trotted into to the city of Appleloosa. It was far too early for anything to be open. The stores sat closed as they waited for the morning sun to peak through the clouds and dawn a new day. The pair sat in silence at the rail station, and listened to the rain patter against the station roof. True to her word, Redheart had saved the ponies of Appleloosa, and given their quest at last a meaning. It had also given her what she always wanted. Whatever Celestia would have offered would pale in comparison to what she’d already received. Pokey knew that no such reward lay at the end of this road for him. He thought back to Medley, and how he had watched her annoyed pouting when her train rolled away. She would get what she wanted eventually. And Cheerilee? Well, they were headed to make the life of her arch nemesis miserable, and she’d go down in history as the mare who found the Stones of Brilliance. What more could she ask for? In the distance, a train whistle sounded. Pokey checked the town clock, and then looked at the schedule. This train was six hours behind. It occurred to him that the sudden rain had probably washed out the track somewhere along the line to Bridleburg. The ponies aboard the train were going to be really annoyed when they found out the town was still shuttered for the evening. Pokey watched as the train pony’s iron shoes sparked against the metal tracks as the cars ground to a halt. One of the train ponies looked up at the clock, and, upon seeing the time cursed loudly. He looked over to see Pokey and Cheerilee at the station. “Hope we’re not too late for you,” he said. “Track washed out a few miles up. Darnedest thing, a real gullywasher blew up from out of nowhere. I did take all that red moss off the tracks though,” Pokey just nodded, and watched as the passengers exited the train. More than one of the ponies had a few choice words for the train ponies. “Where’s the next stop?” asked Pokey. “This train is headed back to Bridleburg,” said the lead train pony. “We’re far enough behind that we’re just gonna combine the two.” “There’s not a roundhouse till Stalliongrad,” said Cheerilee. “How do you switch the cars?” “Oh, we got a unicorn that does that,” replied the pony. “Not so bright, but boy howdy can he lift stuff.” It would be several hours before the train had been flipped to the correct direction. The town had long since opened for business again and Cheerilee and Pokey found themselves at the Salt Lick. Despite the seedy atmosphere, they really did have good waffles. “And then there were two,” sighed Pokey as he staring down at his breakfast. “Do you think Celestia had a purpose for sending us specifically on this quest?” “What do you mean?” asked Cheerilee. She covered her own breakfast with syrup. “Look at how it’s turned out so far,” said Pokey. “She sent Redheart out here to reunite with Plain Strider. You’re out here because you’re the only pony smart enough to figure out what we were supposed to be doing. Medley wasn’t supposed to be out here, and I’m pretty sure she sent me out her because she wanted me to be miserable,” said Pokey. “That’s unfair of you,” chastised Cheerilee. “She sent you out here to protect us. Somehow, she knew that the road would be dangerous. There isn’t another pony out there that I’d rather have by my side.” Pokey nodded and continued to eat his breakfast. They ate in silence for a while before Pokey spoke up again “That really means a lot to me,” Pokey admitted. “I realize that I’m not going to get what I wanted out of this journey, but I’m glad that I can keep you from harm.” “Don’t forget about Medley,” said Cheerilee. “You saved her life twice.” “She’s probably at home right now, curled up in front of the fire with her foals,” mused Pokey. The thought actually made him feel less miserable. ... Medley winged into Bridleburg late that evening. The high winds and sudden rush of clouds to the south had really surprised her. She had gotten her cutie mark from being an expert on predicting cloud patterns and rain, but it was a skill that turned out to be not that helpful. Most pegasi were by weather savvy by necessity, and there were more weather savvy pegasi then there were jobs for them. She had lost her previous job in the snow factory because she had taken maternity leave, and there were scads of other equally qualified pegasi to take her place. The way these clouds moved, and the way they took moisture with them was unlike anything she’d ever seen. Medley was sorely tempted to follow them, but her nagging instincts told her to do otherwise. She flew over the city and searched for the clinic. The plan was to find Dr. Castor, give him the emerald, and then go home. Medley had come to the realization that she probably shouldn’t be out here in her condition, but she couldn’t just take the stone to Canterlot. The trio would go looking for it in the Diamond Dog Territories, and realize that some pony else had already gotten it. Redheart, Cheerilee and Pokey would have to come back through Bridleburg on their way to Canterlot. Even if they wanted to go directly after the emerald, they’d still have to come back here. She’d leave word at the train station for them, and leave the emerald with whoever she could trust. That way, Pokey couldn’t yell at her for having completely ignored his instructions. She fluttered over the city and finally spotted the enormous red mosaic cross that served as the landing pad atop the hospital. She touched down on the red stone to find the vermillion moss covered most of it, as it had in the Diamond Dog territories. She shook it off her hooves, and headed down the stairs. Dr. Castor stood in the middle of the clinic; He was ordering around ponies like some mad orchestra director. Many of the ponies here were emaciated, and closer resembled the walking dead than a healthy populace. The red moss began to creep along the edges of the walls, and ponies. Dr Castor spotted the turquoise pegasus coming in from the landing pad, and ran to her. “What are you doin’ ‘ere?” he demanded. “You think you’d have the good sense to go home after yah nearly died. Trust me when I say Luna’s not stingy with the miracles, but you’re pushin’ your luck.” “What happened here?” asked Medley, staring at the scene in shock. “That damned red moss is what happened,” said Dr. Castor. “All those ponies from the caves? They brought it back with them, and it’s spreadin’ like wildfire.” He looked at Medley for a moment, and then tossed a surgical mask at her. “I don’t even wanna think about how this moss would affect your baby. Get out of town while you can.” “I need to give you something,” said Medley. “What, your undying gratitude?” asked Dr. Castor as he set up another vaporizer. “Luna did all the work, love. Send some thanks her way. Poor gal really doesn’t get the respect she deserves.” “No,” said Medley. She pulled the emerald collar from her saddlebag. “I need you to give this to Pokey.” The emerald shimmered in the hospital lights, then flared an explosive green. The room filled with the light and bathed the ponies in its warm emerald sheen. For a moment, the world went green as the emerald pulsed lights into the clinic. One of the ponies whinnied in terror as the light pulsed, then flickered away. The room went silent, as every pony in the room felt the weight of the sickness lifted. Dr. Castor looked at the emerald with utter confusion. “What the duece was that?” he demanded. The moss in the corners of the room had shriveled into black husks, and then crumbled into dust. Ponies scarcely able to breathe before found their lungs cleared, and the color returning to their coats. “I... have no idea,” said Medley. “Is that what these things are for?” “Love, I dunno where you got that rock,” said Dr. Castor. “But you may have just saved Bridleburg.” ... Once again the ponies found themselves on a train, this time headed north to Bridleburg. The train clacked along the rails. It was louder now that the spreading moss was no longer muffling the sounds of the tracks. “You think that rain storm is really going to fix the problem?” asked Pokey. “I’m guessing not,” said Cheerilee. “Remember all the moss in the Diamond Dog Territories?” “It does rain there more frequently,” said Pokey. “But I get the impression that water doesn’t kill the moss, it just inactivates it for a while.” “I think you’re right,” said Cheerilee. “According to most texts, after the great flood cleansed the lands, there was a tri-colored rainbow that graced the sky.” She fished the Diamond from her pack, and set it on the table. “Diamonds don’t produce that sort of light, but they can refract, reflect, or focus it.” “Here’s the better question,” said Pokey. “If these stones are meant to kill the moss, why hasn’t it been dying around us?” “I’m not really sure,” said Cheerilee. “I’m guessing it’s because they’re supposed to work together. But if they’re supposed to cleanse the entire world, they should have some power by themselves, right?” She looked at the diamond again. “Unless...” She held the diamond to the sun light, and angled it at the table. The diamond absorbed the sunlight, and amplified it’s brilliance till neither pony could stand to look at it. The diamond focused the amplified sunlight into a pinpoint of heat. The table burst into flames before Cheerilee could put the diamond away. “The diamond is a focus,” said Pokey as he pounded out the fire. He pushed open the train window with a wave of his horn. “It doesn’t do anything on its own, which means we need all of them to really fix the problem.” Cheerilee pondered as the smoke ventilated from the windows. “Hey, this is a no smoking car!” yelled a voice from the hall. “Sorry!” Cheerilee yelled back. She turned back to Pokey; waving a hoof, and coughing. “We should be writing all this down so in a few thousand years some other band of ponies won’t have to figure this out,” she said. “You’re going to have to do that,” said Pokey. “I can barely read.” Cheerilee looked surprised. “Really?” asked Cheerilee. “It’s not really something I worried about in my youth,” admitted Pokey. “Trixie and Jenny always did the reading and thinking for us.” He looked out the window as he watched the town of Appleloosa become a dot in the distance. “I kind of wish they were here.” “I’m not a good enough traveling companion?” smirked Cheerilee. “It’s not that,” he said. “I just miss my sisters.” Cheerilee looked at back Pokey with doubt. “War Jenny is your sister?” she asked. Pokey shot a confused look at the pony. “Not literally, no, she’s not even a pony,” said Pokey. “Didn’t anyone ever explain the birds and the bees to you?” he joked. “I mean, you’ve been around a while. I’m sure you’ve figured out where foals come from; especially since you managed to not have one of your own.” Cheerilee’s persistent smile shattered at the callous remark. Her eyes filled with tears as she ran sobbing from the train car. Pokey stood stunned for a moment. What had just happened? The train had found its way into Bridleburg before Pokey even caught glimpse of Cheerilee again. She said that she was going to get a hotel, and that Pokey could find his own accommodations. Pokey walked through the streets; the light of the near full moon filled the sky with its pale beauty. He trotted toward the clinic, hoping that Dr. Castor would lend him a room for the evening. By the most fortunate of circumstances, Pokey ran into Dr. Castor as he was escorting a turquoise pegasus out of the clinic. Her was flank boldly marked with a raining cloud. She looked up to see Pokey staring in total confusion. “Hi!” she said happily. “What in the name of Luna are you doing here?” he demanded “I thought I put you on the train back to Ponyville.” “I got off,” Medley said with a smile. She danced up to Pokey and gave him an enormous hug. “I told War Jenny that I would tell you that she did an excellent job trying to keep me on the train.” She stepped back, still grinning. “She didn’t actually though, or I wouldn’t be here.” Pokey face-hoofed so hard he thought he might break his nose again. “My goddess, Medley,” he said. “I put you on that damn train because you’re...” “Pregnant?” she asked. “Yeah, I figured that out already. Thanks for telling me, by the way,” she said sarcastically. Medley looked around a moment. “So where is every pony?” asked Medley. Pokey ignored her question. “Why aren’t you in Ponyville?” he asked. “Because I was getting the emerald,” said Medley. She dug the emerald from her pack, and presented the gemstone in her teeth. The acorn sized stone pulsed green, filling the street with its emerald light. “And I figured out what we’re supposed to do with them.” “Use it to destroy the Blight so Celestia doesn’t have to flood the world again?” said Pokey. Medley frowned; so much for the thrill of being smart. She stuffed the emerald collar back into her bag. “What’s this about a flood now?” asked Dr. Castor. “Flood mythology, Doc,” replied Pokey. “The Time of Cleansing to us, anyway.” “Right then,” said Dr. Castor. “If that’s what you’re tryin’ to prevent, then don’t let me get your way.” He looked to Medley, then back at Pokey. “Do send this young lady home though, would yah?” “Believe me,” said Pokey. “I’ve tried.” “Where is every pony?” asked Medley again. “I’ll let Cheerilee explain,” said Pokey. “She’s at the hotel.” “Well if she’s there, then what are you doing here?” asked Medley. “I think I upset her,” said Pokey. “I made a crack about her not having any kids and...” “You did what?” barked Medley. “You inconsiderate ass! How could you?” “How could I what?” asked Pokey. “I thought we were at the point in our friendship where we could joke around a bit, but apparently not.” “She can’t have foals, you idiot,” growled Medley. Pokey grimaced. The weight of his sheer stupidity crushed him like a piano from the sky. He face hoofed again. “I gotta go get some flowers,” said Pokey. “I’ll meet you back at the hotel.” Cheerilee stood in her hotel room listening to the radio. The walls were decorated with a light pink floral wallpaper, and the same cheap art she’d come to expect from Equestria’s hotel industry. A sad song came in over the airwaves, making her feel even worse. She felt foolish for having snapped at Pokey, but he was so absolutely callous that she couldn’t help herself. The knock on Cheerilee’s door was unexpected. If it was Pokey, she’d vowed to punch him in the face. She took a deep breath and opened the door to find Pokey with a bouquet of flowers, and somber frown. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I had no idea. I shouldn’t have even joked about it, and I’m sorry. I’m a horrible pony.” Cheerilee stared at the flowers, then back at Pokey. She sighed, affixing a small smile. “You’re forgiven,” she said. “I shouldn’t have been so sensitive. I’m too old to be starting a family anyway. It just caught me by surprise, that’s all.” The door opened wider to reveal Medley, standing beside Pokey with a cart of food. She stared in disbelief for a moment. “Didn’t we put you on a train?” she asked.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:46:46+00:00

2011-09-02T14:46:46+00:00

Chapter Twelve: Somewhere Other Than Here You can’t run from your problems fast enough to make them go away “That’s the most beautiful story I’ve ever heard,” said Medley. Her eyes were full of joyous tears. “Like a story book princess come home to her prince. I’m so happy for her.” Pokey ground his teeth and forced himself to remain in silence. “Yes, it’s wonderful,” said Cheerilee as she tried to change the subject. “You said something about a revolution?” “Yes!” chirped Medley. She pulled the emerald collar from her bag, and dropped it onto the table. The emerald sparkled just like the diamond. It amplified the light and gave the room a green tint. It pulsed a bit, but nothing like it had done at the clinic. Cheerilee stared in disbelief at the stone. She looked back at Medley, completely baffled. “Where in Equestria did you find this?” she asked. “After I got captured, I starting thinking like you three,” replied Medley. “I was cornered and out of options, so I challenged the Chief of the Diamond Dogs to a fight to the death for control of the tribe. It’s apparently been used as the symbol of office.” “And that was Pokey’s contribution to your ideas?” asked Cheerilee. “Actually, Redheart’s,” replied Medley. Pokey choked on his drink. “You did what?” demanded Pokey. “Luna above, child, I put you on that train to protect you and then went and almost got yourself killed? Again?” “It turned out fine,” she huffed. “I know it could have just as easily ended horribly, but that’s not what happened, all right? I got the emerald, now we’re half done. Did you get the Sapphire?” “Its apparently in Canterlot,” said Cheerilee, her eyes narrowing. “In the hooves of my arch nemesis.” Medley scratched her mane in confusion. “You have an arch nemesis?” she asked. “Wow, she must be a real nag if you of all ponies hate her.” “Language, ladies,” chastised Pokey. “I find it pertinent to remind you that you swear more than both of us combined,” admonished Cheerilee. “At any rate,” continued Pokey, “you’re getting on the next train for Ponyville, even if I have to tie you up and stuff you in a trunk.” “I thought you weren’t into that sort of thing,” said Cheerilee. Pokey hung his head, and sighed. He couldn’t go around cracking jokes at Cheerilee if he wasn’t ready to take them back. He also reminded himself that Cheerilee knew where the last two stones were and that he needed her help. Medley tutted at Pokey. “My dear old man, I am a changed pegasus,” she said. “I’m not the wide eyed girl that once I was, and if you think you can threaten me, you’ve got another thing coming.” Pokey facehoofed again. His face still hurt from the broken muzzle, and the growing frustration at his traveling companions wasn’t helping anything. “Medley,” said Pokey, “I know you’re riding high on your taste of first blood, and you suddenly think the world is your hayloft.” He pounded a hoof on the dining cart; the dishes clattered as they jumped from the steel tray. “But I’ll be damned by both Goddesses if I see you get hurt again. You have a child on the way. What happened to your motherly instincts?” “They’re telling me that you two need me,” she said. “I was always told to never give up, and to never let a pony stop me from doing the right thing.” She looked Pokey directly in the eyes. “Redheart was the grounding influence on you two. You and Cheerilee need me. If I leave you alone, you two are liable to level half of Canterlot searching for the stones.” She put up her hooves. “I sent word to Snow Catcher and the fillies that I’d be home in five days. If we’re not done by then, I’ll leave. Deal?” “Five days,” said Pokey. “If we find ourselves in another fight, you go home then and there. Agreed?” “Then it’s settled,” said Cheerilee. “You go home in five days, done or not.” They shook hooves. Medley grabbed a bottle of wine from underneath the cart. She held the bottle in her hooves, and pulled the cork with her teeth. “What do you think you’re doing?” asked Pokey. “Well, I can’t have any,” said Medley. “But we got another stone! That’s reason for celebration, isn’t it?” Pokey nodded in approval. “Our pregnant and fluttery friend makes a good point,” said Pokey. His horn glowed, and the bottle poured two glasses of wine. Medley raised her own glass of juice as Cheerilee and Pokey raised their own. “A toast!” he announced to the gathered ponies. “May we find the remaining stones quickly, and may our enemies rue the day they upset dear Cheerilee.” The glasses clinked, and for the first time in several days, Pokey smiled. Pokey slept on the floor that evening. Medley and Cheerilee shared the queen sized bed. Cheerilee got up in the middle of the night to sleep in the tub, as Medley apparently sleep fluttered. She had kicked Pokey in the head a few times as her wings flapped her sleeping body around the room. Pokey found himself wondering how Snow Chaser put up with it. Morning came all too soon for the battered stallion. Pokey snuck out of the hotel at dawn’s first light with purpose. He had to retrieve his armor from Blueprint. He also had to retrieve donuts, but the armor was his highest priority. True to his word, Blueprint had repaired the barding. Each of the scales had been backed with a thin coating of rubber, and the lacquer had been refinished in a deep blue that light seemed to fall into. The leather had been replaced with a woven metal fiber that moved as easily and quietly as a shirt. The armor wasn’t just repaired. It was better than it had ever been; it was quieter and provided more protection than anything he had ever seen. But what he wore now wasn’t what his father had left him. That, like so many things on this quest, had been shattered against the rocky shores of fate. Despite how it looked, how it felt, and how it moved, Pokey found himself wishing for his old barding back. Pokey walked through the streets of Bridleburg toward the train staion. His new duds attracted the attentions of every mare in town. He could have sworn he heard some pony wolf whistle. An older earth pony recognized the armor’s design and shot him a hateful glare. Pokey made his way back to the train station to find Medley and Cheerilee holding shopping bags. Medley’s bags included one from a hardware store in addition to some bags with clothing. “What’s all this?” he asked. “Well we’re going to Canterlot, right?” asked Cheerilee. “I’m probably going to have to argue a case before Canterlot University to get the stones, so I needed a new collar. And Medley apparently has sticky hooves. Seems she made off with some of the Diamond Dog’s treasures and did some shopping of her own.” Pokey raised a skeptical eyebrow at the pegasus. She grinned, and tried to not look guilty. “I’m out here because I need the money,” she admitted. “I figured a few extra gems here and there couldn’t hurt. Plus I got them from the ruined caves, so it’s not like they’d miss them.” “We have our thief at last,” said Pokey. “I knew you were out here for a reason.” “Too bad we lost our nurse,” said Medley. “We were almost a real adventuring party for a moment.” “Yeah,” sighed Pokey. “We almost were.” ... “I’m really starting to get sick of riding trains,” said Pokey. The car swayed gently as they stood at a table, awaiting drinks. “Would you rather walk?” asked Cheerilee. “I wish I could teleport,” said Pokey. “Twilight’s the only pony I know who can do that,” said Cheerilee. “It’s really a pity, though. We’d be done by now if you could just pop us from place to place.” “Let’s not bring up my magical inadequacies,” said Pokey. “I’ve got enough issues without adding an inferiority complex to the list.” The train clattered along the tracks for a few minutes as the table went silent. The waiter came by to deliver tea for the table “So, Canterlot University?” asked Medley. “I never went to college. What was it like?” Pokey started in with a snark about Cheerilee’s romantic preferences in college when she shot him a look that said armor or no, she would injure him for finishing that thought. “It was more than just parties and ponies,” said Cheerilee. “It was a lot of hard work, and unfortunately, everything was geared toward unicorns. About half the classes were magic related and that left me without a lot of options. So I chose history and non-pony studies. I would have gotten my PhD, if it hadn’t been for that... mare.” She practically spat the word. “Ingrid?” asked Pokey. “She blocked my paper on The Kin of Luna Rebellion because she thought it was too sympathetic toward their cause,” she huffed. “I should have known better than to try to present such a paper to that bigot.” “Sorry, Kin of Luna?” asked Medley. “Who are they?” Pokey and Cheerilee exchanged a glance before Pokey started to explain. “The Kin of Luna are the equine worshipers of our dear goddess Luna,” he explained. “They’re nomads, of sorts, and consist of every type of equine in the world. Zebras, donkeys, mules. Ponies too, when they join. There are also a few tribes that have giraffes.” Medley grimaced. “Sounds like an unruly bunch,” said Medley. “Why would any pony want to join with them?” “Because they accept every member of their tribe as an equal,” said Pokey. His voice was tinged with annoyance. “Anyone can become their ruler. In fact, you’ve already met theirs.” “I have?” asked Medley. “War Jenny,” said Pokey. “You mean to tell me that your old girlfriend is the leader of an entire nation?” snickered Medley. “Boy, talk about choosing to dump the wrong pony.” Pokey’s eyes narrowed into a hateful glare. “Jenny is like a sister to me,” growled Pokey. “And I am a Kin of Luna. So before you go thinking they’re a nation of your inferiors just because they’re not ponies, think again.” He stood from the table. “And just remember who dragged you out of that cave next time you want to think less of a donkey.” Pokey stomped off and left Medley and Cheerilee in silence. Medley looked down at the table. She instantly regretted making fun of something she clearly didn’t know enough about. She looked up at Cheerilee with a concerned glance. “Wow,” she said. “I had no idea.” “Well, you never asked,” said Cheerilee. “And it’s not like he volunteered the information. He’s just upset right now because of Redh...” Cheerilee bit her tongue. Her eyes widened in amazement at how much she had almost let slip. “What about Redheart?” asked Medley. “That’s really not my place to tell,” said Cheerilee. “Care for a scone?” Pokey found himself again staring out a window. He was, quite frankly, sick of traveling at this point and really just wanted to go home. But Ponyville just wasn’t going to be that much of a home anymore. Perhaps he’d return to Jenny and the Kin. She was probably still in the area around Bridleburg, and Dr. Castor would always know where his daughter was. Maybe he’d start traveling with Trixie. She always seemed to know where she was going, and she would be glad to have her brother back by her side. The door to the sleeper cabin slid open. Medley quietly walked inside and closed the door behind her. She stood next to Pokey. He glared at her through his helmet. “What do you want?” he demanded. “I wanted to apologize,” said Medley. “I’m afraid what I know about non-ponies is kind of limited, and I just assumed that all the other equines were practically savages.” She folded her wings to her sides. “I guess I should know better, having dealt with the Diamond Dogs, and the Hamites.” “Old prejudices are hard to get rid of,” said Pokey. “You’re kind of naive about the world. You’ve probably never left Ponyville before now, and your inexperience has almost gotten you killed.” He looked over the mare, who stared down at the floor. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad I’ve gotten to know you and all the others I’ve met on this trip. I think its bringing us all closer together.” “We’ve only been out here, what five days? We’ve barely gotten to know each other, and here we are half way done.” Pokey shrugged. “Chances are, we’ll finish this up, part ways, and never see each other again.” “I hope not,” said Medley. “This trip has changed my life. You’re a really fascinating pony, Pokey. And who knew that Cheerilee had such depth? I thought she was just a school marm, and here she’s a good enough dancer to call the rains? And Redheart! It’s like something out of those romance novels she was always reading...” Medley caught the look of frustration in Pokey’s eyes, and changed the subject. “But you; you’ve done it all: traveled the world, saved a village, fought beasts and monsters. You’re pretty amazing.” “Thanks,” said Pokey. He was looking for a way to end the conversation. “Just doing what’s required by the dear goddess.” He sneered the last sentence, and tried to fill it with as much disdain and hatred as he felt for Celestia. “I wish you wouldn’t hate her,” said Medley. “Can’t you love them both?” Pokey turned and locked eyes with the pegasus. “Medley,” said Pokey, “let me tell you something. From the bottom of my heart, and the depths of my very soul, I do not believe that Princess Celestia cares one whit about us ponies.” “Well I think you’re wrong,” said Medley. “Luna told me that even when the clouds cover the sky, the sun and moon will always watch over you.” Pokey regarded Medley with a look of suspicion. When had she heard that? “And I think that you’re treating Celestia unfairly just because she didn’t give you the answers you wanted right away. She’s a goddess, and she works in mysterious ways.” Pokey ignored Medley. He turned back to stare out the window. Medley huffed and made for the door. “Don’t blame me when you get sent to the moon,” she said, and slammed the sliding door behind her. It was another hour before Cheerilee came into the sleeping car to find Pokey still decked out in his armor. “Don’t you worry that you’re going to stand out in Canterlot wearing all that?” asked Cheerilee. “The Kin of Luna design may make you a target.” “Not really,” replied Pokey. “And even if it does, so what? I’m invincible in this suit. Ponies do what I ask because they’re afraid of me. The intimidation factor is amazing.” “Pokey,” sighed Cheerilee. “I think the real trouble is that you’re afraid.” “You must have me mistaken for some pony who’s not wearing sixty pounds of barding.” “You’re afraid of the future,” said Cheerliee. She lay down on her bed. “Now that Redheart’s gone, you don’t have anything left to work for. You’re adrift without a purpose again, and because this quest is coming to an end, you’re afraid you’ll end up like you always were.” “And how’s that?” asked Pokey, sarcastically. “Alone,” said Cheerilee. “What are you going to do when you get back to Ponyville?” “I’m not going back,” said Pokey. “So you’re going to leave your restaurant behind? All your friends? Your house? Your cat?” “That cat really hates me,” noted Pokey. “And I don’t have any friend in Ponyville. I only went to those stupid parties because Redheart wanted me to. That, and I hate balloons.” Pokey muttered to himself. “Lousy pieces of junk.” “I tell my students that you need a goal if you're going to go anywhere in life,” said Cheerilee. “What’s your goal? If anything in this world could make you happy, what would it be?” Pokey thought for a minute about what Medley had said to him. Why can’t you love them both? His eyes narrowed. “Thank you Cheerilee,” he said. “I think I know what my goal is now.” “Anything I can do to help?” she asked. “It’s better you don’t know,” replied Pokey. … The train arrived in Canterlot precisely on time. The Ponyville Trio disembarked to the glittering spires of the capital city, and made their way toward Canterlot University. Pokey followed silently behind Cheerilee and Medley. He was taking in what joy he could find in this unfamiliar city. The spires and waterfalls of the city made him feel somehow at home. Touches of unicorn magic permeated the city, and the impossible landscaping and even more impossible topiary made it feel welcoming. Pokey decided at once that he’d stay here for a while after they had completed their quest. Cheerilee had put on her ruffled collar and glasses to get that perfect professorial look. Medley had gotten fake glasses, and had put her hair up in a bun to appear older and more like she belonged on campus. Cheerilee led the trio to the entrance of the university, where they were stopped by one of the royal guard. He looked over Pokey’s armor jealously before questioning Cheerilee. “What is your purpose at the university this afternoon?” asked the guards-pony. “I have need of the Ancient Artifact Archive,” said Cheerilee. She dug through her saddlebag and produced a small wallet with a few stamped pieces of paper. The guard looked at them, looked at her, and then waved them on through. They walked away from the guards shack at a trot. “What was that?” asked Medley. Cheerilee shoved the wallet back into her saddlebags. “The Ancient Artifact Archive is restricted to professors, PhDs, and current students,” said Cheerilee. “I thought you said you didn’t...” Cheerilee put a hoof to Medley’s mouth to prevent her from speaking the rest of that thought. “If I get caught, they’ll take my teaching license,” warned Cheerilee. “I still have my student ID from when I was in grad school; I just... updated it a little.” “Wouldn’t they have changed?” asked Medley. “I had Twilight Sparkle forge me a copy of hers,” admitted Cheerilee. “But seriously, don’t tell anyone. We could all get in very serious trouble. The archive is full of dangerous things.” “I like this less and less,” said Medley. “You wanted adventure?” said Pokey. “This is an adventure. If you don’t like covert ops, the train station is that way. Me, I love these sorts of jobs.” “I wish I shared your enthusiasm,” said Medley. They trotted through the campus grounds, and through the spiraling towers that made up the university. They passed squads of tittering unicorns, some of whom stopped to stare at Pokey’s armor. Pokey grinned back, gave them a wink. “Really Pokey,” admonished Medley. “They’re half your age!” “What can I say?” asked Pokey. “Mares love a stallion in uniform.” They walked until they came to a squat, unhappy looking building far on the corner of campus. Cheerilee closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths. She pushed open the front door and walked through. Though the building was only one story on the outside, it sank deep into the earth, plummeting down a dozen stories of half open space. Bookshelves stretched down into the bowels of rock, and display cases lined the aisles for as far as they could see. An old blue stallion with a pure white mane sat at the front desk; he was snoring quietly. As Cheerilee approached, the stallion looked up. She noticed his cutie mark: a golden laurel wreath. “Cheerilee!” he said with some excitement. “Why I thought you graduated years ago!” “Oh pony-feathers,” muttered Pokey. “Of course the stallion at the front desk recognizes her.” “Why yes, Professor Yorsets!” said Cheerilee with the same joy. “It’s so good to see you again. How are the wife and fillies?” “They’re just great, thanks for asking,” said the Stallion. “Young miss Blue Belle attended that horrid gala this spring where those insolent mules from Ponyville trashed the event. The horror!” Pokey bit his tongue. He remained silent at the offensive remark. “But enough about me and mine!” He looked at Pokey, and lifted his glasses. “My goodness, is that Pokey Pierce?” “Yes indeed it is, sir,” said Cheerilee. “Why I hadn’t heard you were married!” he exclaimed. “Congratulations on landing quite the accomplished horns-pony.” “Oh, you know each other?” asked Cheerilee, nervously. “Well not personally,” said the stallion. “But his exploits are quite famous in certain parts of Equestria. Oh, where are my manners?” he asked. “Cheerilee, you will introduce me?” “Oh right,” said Cheerilee. “This is Medley. She’s a non-traditional student whom I'm showing around the campus.” “Charmed,” bowed Medley, having no idea what was going on. “And of course, you know of Pokey,” said Cheerilee. “He and I were married last spring. I’m just showing him my old stomping grounds. This is Dr. Bastion Yorsets, professor of non-pony studies.” “A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the stallion replied, bowing. “Likewise,” said Pokey, sarcastically. “Dr. Yorsets,” said Cheerilee, getting to the heart of the matter, “I was wondering if I could use the Archives. I’m working on an article about the Hamites and their flood mythology.” “You’re not a student anymore are you?” asked Dr. Yorsets. “Well, no,” she said, finding it hard to lie to her favorite professor any further. Pokey ground his teeth, and tried not to groan at Cheerilee’s selective honesty. The blue stallion looked around for a moment; he leaned in to whisper to Cheerilee. “I’ll let you in dear,” he whispered. “But only because it’ll annoy that nag Ingrid Marie.” Cheerilee giggled, and tousled her old professor’s mane. “Thank you so much, sir” she said. “You always were my favorite.” They walked past the front desk and into a gilded wire elevator. Cheerilee looked at it for a moment, as if summoning a memory. She pressed one of the middle numbers, and the cart sank slowly into the bowels of the Archive. “Married?” asked Pokey. “Really?” “Play along,” said Cheerilee. “I didn’t expect he’d still be working here.” “That’s the second time some pony’s confused us for a couple,” noted Pokey. “I know,” said Cheerilee. “Why does every pony assume I have such terrible taste in stallions?” Pokey opened his mouth to reply. “Say anything about mares, and I will throw you off the balcony.” “How are we going to find the Ruby in this mess?” asked Medley. “I can’t imagine finding anything here.” “Medley, dear,” said Cheerilee. “An archive like this is made for finding things. You just have to know how to look.” “Looks more like a needle in a haystack,” said Medley. “It’s actually more like a needle in a needle stack,” said Pokey. “I can’t understand any of this.” “That’s because you don’t know how to look,” said Cheerilee. The elevator opened to a wonderland of boxes and display cases on the lower floors of the archive. The trio got out of the elevator and stood flummoxed for a moment. Cheerilee walked over to a filing box full of cards, and pulled out one of the drawers. She shuffled through the cards for a minute, then put the drawer back. She shuffled through another and found the one she was looking for. She pulled a pencil from her collar and wrote down a number on a piece of paper. She presented the archaic code to Pokey and Medley. They stood waiting for an explanation. “It’s the location of the ruby,” said Cheerilee, brightly. “I can’t read that well, but I’m pretty sure that’s not a word,” said Pokey. “Follow me,” Cheerilee sighed. They trotted through the expanding aisle of boxes, twisting and turning till they came to a beautiful mahogany display case lined with soft velvet. Tablets lined the edge of the display case, as did a few Hamite masks and spears. In the center of the case there was a blank spot where the Ruby should have been, and a small card that read “Artifact transferred due to royal request.” Cheerilee stared at the card in disgust. “You have got to be kidding me,” she said.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:48:48+00:00

2011-09-02T14:48:48+00:00

Chapter 13: Challenge Accepted He comes at you with a hoof, you come at him with a horn. That’s the Kin of Luna way. “I keep telling you, Celestia hates me,” said Pokey. Cheerilee ignored the remark as she dug through a stack of boxes. She finally came to the scroll she was looking for and began reading its contents. “I mean, it has got to be personal at this point. Why else would she send us out to find something she already has?” “Because there’s more royalty than just her,” said Cheerilee. She showed Pokey and Medley the scroll she had been searching for. It had been embossed with an official royal seal, and contained enough legal language to make any pony’s head spin. Pokey raised an eyebrow of the top of the scroll. He couldn’t read half the words on the page. “What are we looking at?” asked Pokey. “And who is Blueblood?” asked Medley as she scanned further down the paper. Cheerilee looked over the scroll in disgust. “Blueblood is a prince who thought the Ruby of Brilliance would look great in his home,” she said. “Let me guess,” said Pokey. “This was ten years ago.” “Actually, it was part of a spring redecoration,” Cheerilee replied as she rolled another inch. “Isn’t prince a fairly significant title?” asked Medley. “I’d hate to go upsetting the nobility and wind up in prison. We’ll just explain that we’re on a mission from the princess, and he’s sure to give us the stone.” “I doubt that,” said Cheerilee. “He’s likely to treat us as commoners.” She looked over the rim of her glasses at Medley. “I’d say we have less chance of getting to him then we would of getting to Luna.” “Great,” groaned Pokey. “Another stuffy, over bred, pain in the flank royalty to kiss up to.” “I’m sure he’s not that bad,” Cheerilee lied. She looked through the archive one last time before placing her boxes back on the table to be re-shelved. “So, then we’ll go find Ingrid Marie and...” “What about the ruby?” asked Medley. “We’ll have to get that last,” said Cheerilee. She looked back at the Hamite cases. “Ingrid Marie may be a stuck up nag, but she’s not royalty. We can get in to see her, and we don’t even need an appointment. I spent part of my graduate studies as a secretary. You’d be surprised what you can get with a few kind words and a bottle of wine.” They made their way back up the elevator and to the front desk, where Dr. Yorsets was quietly napping. He snapped to attention as the elevator door clanked open. The unicorn smiled as Cheerilee and her companions approached. “You find what you were looking for?” he asked. “Yes and no,” said Cheerilee. “Isn’t that always the way with research?” “It really is,” said Dr. Yorsets. “Anything else I can do for you?” “Actually there is,” replied Cheerilee. “Where is Dr. Marie’s office?” “She’s the assistant dean, these days,” said Dr. Yorsets. “I’m glad I got tenured when I did, else she would have gotten me fired long ago.” “Well I hope to make her miserable for you,” smirked Cheerilee. She extended a hoof to her professor. “Do take care of yourself, sir.” “You too, darling,” he replied as he shook hooves. The trio walked through the massive double doors of the Archive and out into the campus. The sun hung low in the sky; the day had been passing the ponies by as they canvassed Canterlot. Something caught Pokey’s eye as they exited; the distraction caused him to walk face first into a large white stallion. “Pardon me,” said Pokey. “How dare you!” whined the white unicorn. “A commoner has touched me! The indignity of it!” It was then Pokey noticed the amber maned stallion had otherwise surrounded himself with several other large unicorn stallions. Cheerilee had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from swearing. The stallion stared at Pokey expectantly. “Aren’t you going to bow in the presence of your prince?” he demanded. The other stallions surrounding him moved up. It was a clearly presented challenge to the blue unicorn. “And why would I bow to you?” asked Pokey. “You look like another stuffy, inbred blue blood to me.” Cheerilee cleared her throat loudly, as if trying to warn Pokey of something. Pokey was too busy with his macho posturing to notice. “How dare you!” he said again. “Gentlecolts, take care of this ruffian.” The stallions took a step forward as Pokey shifted into a battle stance. They paused a moment as they came to the realization that this wasn’t their normal commoner. “Sir,” said one of the stallions. “I’m pretty sure he’s not a commoner. That armor he’s wearing is uh...” The unicorn searched for the appropriate words. “Well it might be nobility.” “From what backwards country?” scoffed the white stallion. “I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s certainly far inferior to my own.” “I am a Kin of Luna,” said Pokey. “And I suggest you keep walking if you want to keep your pretty hoofs unscuffed.” “You have challenged my honor!” scoffed the stallion. He floated a white slipper from his pocket, and slapped Pokey’s chest with it. “I challenge you to a duel.” Pokey’s laughter came so quickly he didn’t have time to suppress it. He let out a short guffaw before regaining his composure. “Well, do you accept, Kin?” demanded the stallion. Pokey considered for a moment before floating off one of his armored shoes. He cracked the white stallion across the face with it. The white stallion fell to the ground in a heap of twitching unicorn. “I accept,” said Pokey. “Have your second meet mine at the Canterlot Commons Inn at seven to discuss preparations.” He put his shoe back on, and trotted away. The mares followed, though they were far too stunned to comment. As they got further away on campus, Cheerilee regained enough composure to explode at Pokey. “Do you know who that was?” she demanded. “Some stuffy, inbred blue blood?” asked Pokey. He really hadn’t considered who he had just challenged. “That was THE stuffy inbred Blueblood that we were looking for!” shouted Cheerilee. “You… you… just assaulted royalty!” Pokey shrugged. “I accepted his challenge,” said Pokey. “I don’t wear slippers, so I used what I had.” Cheerilee’s protests turned to strangled noises of rage. Pokey giggled underneath his helmet as they trotted for the administrative offices. “We’re never going to get the ruby from him now,” said Cheerilee. “I hope you’re happy with yourself.” “We’ll just have Celestia order him to give it up,” said Pokey. “It’s not like he has any real authority anyway. We do live in an autocracy, you know.” “You’re surprisingly well spoken for someone who can barely read,” noted Medley. “Explore enough of the world, my dear Medley,” replied Pokey, putting on sarcastic airs, “and you too will learn all sorts of things. Things like when to use proper etiquette, or when to smack some pony upside the head with an iron boot.” “Who’s your second?” asked Medley. “Do you even know any pony in this city that’d be willing to fight for you?” Pokey paused, and looked at the pegasus. “That’s a great question,” he said. “I’m even more impressed that you know what a second is.” “Explore enough of the world...” Medley parroted in the same sarcastic tone. “I guess it’s going to be Cheerilee,” said Pokey. He nodded to the earth pony. “I’m not going to fight Blueblood if you chicken out,” huffed Cheerilee. “No, you’re not,” said Pokey, “because I’m not going to chicken out. You just need to set up the time and place with his second, so I can wipe that smirk off his over-bred face.” They trotted to the administrative offices to find them still open. The administrative office was a castle in its own right, but in miniature. The spiraling outdoor staircases led to the highest levels where purple domed roofs held golden spires. The lower half of the building was made of pure white marble, and featured a massive carving of Celestia raising the sun. Cheerilee stood unimpressed. “This way,” she said cheerfully. She pranced up the stairs knowing that what she was about to do would annoy Ingrid about as much as possible. They came to the office door at the top of the stairs. It hung open and creaked softly in the gentle breeze. The secretary’s desk had been cleaned out, and the inner door hung open. A few bottles of cider rolled across the carpet as the ponies stepped into the office. The walls had been papered with a red, quilt like texture, trimmed at the edges with gold. A border of yellow with red apples paraded around the ceiling, traveling down the walls at the hutch on the far wall. A beige unicorn with an umber mane sat slumped over on her desk. Tears spotted the beautiful wood surface, and an obnoxiously pink piece of paper sat crumpled at the edge. The unicorn looked up to see the visiting ponies. “Dr. Marie?” asked Cheerilee, quietly. “Are you alright?” “Oh, um...” she wiped her eyes. “Yes, what can I do for you?” “Dr. Marie, you may not remember me...” started Cheerilee. “No, I remember you,” she sniffed. “It’s good to see you again, Cheerilee.” “Yes,” said Cheerilee. She looked around the office at the empty cider bottles before seeing that the bright pink paper was a termination slip. “Are you alright?” “I’m fine,” she sniffed. “I’ve just been terminated. Fired. Given the old heave ho. I guess all my years of being a nag have finally caught up with me.” She blew her nose into a handkerchief, filling the room with a stunning rendition of a foghorn. She floated it away, stuffing it inside her desk. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” said Cheerilee. “What happened?” “Oh, I upset that snotty young aristocrat Blueblood when I wouldn’t give him some stone I acquired a few years ago.” She gestured over to a small glass display case that contained a sapphire the size of an acorn. The gem lit up the room with a soft blue glow. “That, coupled with my less aggressive stance towards non-unicorn students made it easy for the board to dismiss me. I didn’t even care about that stupid stone really. I just didn’t want that foppish gelding getting his hooves on it.” She looked at the stone; tears still formed at the corners of her eyes. She floated another cider from beneath her desk, and struggled to open the cap. Pokey walked up and snapped it off with the ridge of his horn. “Thank you,” she sniffed. “Though I'm surprised you would treat your horn like that. Most spells require precision trimming to function.” “Not mine,” said Pokey. “None of them have anything do with precision.” “I believe I could have taught you some things back in the day,” said Ingrid. She gave Pokey the once over, and smiled. Ingrid pushed back a wisp of mane from her tear stained face. “I probably still could, if you’ve got some time.” She winked at Pokey before she turned back to Cheerilee. “I’m guessing you’re not here on a social call, considering I single hooofedly ruined your academic career.” “We’re actually here about that stone,” said Cheerilee. “Celestia asked us to find the four Stones of Brillance, and you just happened to have one.” Ingrid took another sip of her cider. “There’s four of these?” she asked. “Where are the other three?” Cheerilee dug the diamond necklace out of her saddlebag as Medley pulled the emerald collar from hers. The three stones lit up the room with an unearthly aqua light that poured from the windows and onto the campus. The light died down after a moment. Ingrid Marie was speechless. “That is the single most beautiful thing I have seen in my entire career,” she gasped at last. “I’ll happily give you the stone. Do you know where the last one is?” “Blueblood has it, apparently,” said Medley. “But we’re going to have a heck of a time getting it. Pokey cold cocked him with an iron shoe after he challenged him to a duel.” “Oh, that braggart had it coming, I’m sure,” smirked Ingrid. “But I’ll let you in on a little secret. He has a massive gambling problem. It’s in your best interest to get that stone away from him before he pawns it off to goddess knows who.” “Fantastic,” muttered Pokey. “I’m sorry you’ve gotten yourself terminated,” said Cheerilee. “There are always open positions at Ponyville schools if you feel you can handle a bunch of young fillies and colts.” “Maybe it’s all the cider talking,” said Ingrid. “But that sounds like a splendid idea.” “Then I hope to see you soon,” said Cheerilee, taking the sapphire. “Please take care of yourself.” “You too dear,” said Ingrid as they made for the door. She looked down at her drawer, and spoke again. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Your paper on the Kin of Luna Rebellion was the finest scholarly article I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.” She pulled a dusty sheaf of paper from her drawer, and dropped it on her desk. She floated a stamp from a wire rack and marked the stack with a large APPROVED FOR DEFENSE. The stack floated to Cheerilee’s pack, and found its home among her other books and maps. “I met a donkey a while back who changed my mind about the Kin, and non unicorns in general,” said Ingrid. “He was a doctor who proved to me that you didn’t need magic to do great things. It’s because of him I started seeing what other equines could do, and it reminded me what I did to you. I dug up your paper as a reminder that my own prejudices robbed the academic world of a brilliant mind.” She looked at the stamp, and tossed it out the window. “Maybe I can make children happy like you, instead of making adults miserable.” Cheerilee trotted to her old professor, and gave her a hug. She walked out the door, flanked by Medley and Pokey. Ingrid stared for a moment at her desk and near empty office. Her horn glowed as she lifted the desk, and flipped it upside down. She giggled as the inkwells soaked into the rug, and the cider bottles rolled across the floor. “Well that was kind of anticlimactic,” complained Pokey. “I was expecting some serious academic kung fu, or at least a mane pulling cat fight.” “Sorry to disappoint,” said Cheerilee, looking back at the tower. “I really hope she does come to Ponyville.” “I thought you hated her?” said Medley. “I used to,” said Cheerilee. She continued down the steps. “But hate is a funny thing. It can turn to pity in a second when you realize that the pony you hate isn’t a monster, but misinformed. I’m sure no one knows that better than you.” She smiled. “I think she’ll be alright.” Medley looked up at the clock tower. “We have to get to the inn so we can meet with Blueblood’s second,” she said, pointing to the time. “I can’t wait,” giggled Pokey. “I haven’t fought a duel in years.” They arrived in short order at the Canterlot Commons Inn. Despite being one of the cheapest hotels in Canterlot, the trio would be forced to share a room due to cost, rather than simply wanting to remain close. The common area was littered with the underclass of Canterlot. A single impeccably dressed grey stallion with a white mane and a compass rose cutie mark sat with his flank against the wall. The stallion was busy fending off drunks trying to roll him for booze money. The entire room stopped to stare as Pokey entered the bar like some samurai from legend. The stallion immediately stood up, and ran to Pokey. “Oh thank goddess you’re here,” he said. “I’m South Pole, Blueblood’s lawyer, err... second.” He extended a hoof, smiling nervously. “Can we go somewhere else?” he asked, looking around. “Anywhere else?” “This is the only place we can afford,” lied Pokey. “Quite frankly we were expecting more camping and less hotels. Our purses are running on fumes.” While this wasn’t strictly true, Pokey was pretty sure he could weasel a better place to stay out of this guy. “I can put you up in a much nicer place close to campus if you’ll just get me out of here,” begged South Pole. “I’ve been here for an hour, and I’m afraid I might get shived if I stay longer.” Pokey and South Pole stepped outside to find Medley and Cheerilee yelling at two drunken earth ponies, explaining that they were not for rent. Pokey took a step toward them as his horn pulsed with its terrifying black light. “Problem, gentlecolts?” he asked. The earth ponies scrambled over themselves to get away from the terrifying samurai unicorn. He turned back to the grey stallion. “Lead on.” “Well, if it isn’t South Pole,” said Cheerilee with a smirk. “I haven’t seen you since you left for law school in Manehatten.” “Cheerilee!” he said. His face lit up with joy. “I... didn’t expect to find you hanging around with an armored lunatic.” Pokey shot a look at South, and he cringed in terror. “Not that there’s anything wrong with hanging out with armored lunatics in shady parts of Canterlot. I’m kind of envious. About the armor.” He adjusted his tie. “Shall we go? To some place less... stabby?” They called a carriage and within minutes were in a far nicer neighborhood. Cheerilee flounced her candy striped hair at the grey stallion. “So how did you come to work for Blueblood?” asked Cheerilee. “My law firm assigned me to him,” South Pole said. “He’s always in some sort of trouble and making challenges to others. When he saw I was on the Canterlot University fencing team, he appointed me as his so called second.” He floated a stack of papers out of his saddle bag, and passed them to Pokey. “Now if you’ll sign here, here, and here, we can pay you the standard amount to not show up.” “Shouldn’t you be discussing this with her?” asked Medley. South Pole looked at Cheerilee uncertainly. “You’re his second?” he asked. “I guess,” replied Cheerilee. “It was either me or her, and she’s pregnant.” South took a deep breath, and floated the papers to her. “Okay, so YOU sign here, here, and here...” “Oh he’s most definitely coming to this fight,” said Cheerilee. “Blueblood has sullied the honor of the Kin of Luna, and Pokey demands satisfaction.” She embellished her speech with great dignity to try to quantify the scale of Blueblood’s injustice. She hoped it sounded as ridiculous as she thought it did. “You’re kidding me,” said South Pole. “You’re a Kin? You look so... knightly. I thought the Kin were all, you know, terrorists.” “Wow,” said Cheerilee. “I realize you slept through that class, but really, terrorists?” She tutted at the unicorn. “I’m disappointed in you, South. I thought you were better than that.” “Wait,” interrupted Pokey. “This guy was the stallion you distracted yourself with during your Buffalo Studies class?” Pokey shook his head. “Cheerilee, I thought you had better taste in stallions back then.” Medley looked confused. “I thought you dated mares...” “THAT WAS A PHASE, DAMNIT,” shrieked Cheerilee. South Pole coughed, trying to steer the conversation back to what amounted to reality. “At any rate,” continued South, “you really want to fight a duel with Blueblood?” “I cracked him with my shoe for a reason,” said Pokey. “And it wasn’t because he had a fly on him.” “Well you’ve made me happy at least,” said South Pole, as they pulled up to the hotel. They exited the carriage to Canterlot Carriage Suites. The building was made of the same white marble that adorned most of the city, and rose twenty five stories into the sky. Though dwarfed by the other buildings around it, and its luxury faded from the years, it had that certain charm that one only found in smoky bars and old jazz clubs. The ponies walked inside the lounge area and stood at the low tables. “Why would your employer getting in a duel make you happy?” asked Cheerilee. “Because it’d be nice to see his massive ego cut down a notch,” said South Pole. He levitated a pen from his satchel. “Don’t get me wrong, Blueblood’s no slouch when it comes to duels. He wins most of them, and he’s put ponies in the ground before.” South tapped his pen on the table, and started writing things on the documents. “But you look like you’ve seen real combat, and that armor of yours is straight out of a history book. Now, as to the terms of the fight...” “Any pony else hungry?” asked Medley. “I could use some donuts.” “There’s a wonderful donut place down the street,” said South Pole. “I’ll buy.” South Pole ordered a room for the trio before they left in search of fried pastries. A short walk brought them to the donut shop near campus. Behind the counter stood a light tan unicorn with a brown mane and a cutie mark of sprinkled donut. In front of the counter sat a small purple and green dragon; he was nursing a cup of hot chocolate. Spike turned around as the door bell chimed, and his face went white. “Uh, hi guys,” Spike said, as he backed away from the ponies. “W...what’s up?” Pokey wrapped Spike in a telekinetic blanket before he had the chance to run. Pokey slammed the dragon to the ground. With murder in his eyes, Pokey’s horn sparked with dark light. “Hey!” yelled the stallion behind the counter. “You leave him alone!” “This lizard ruined my life,” snarled Pokey. “As a lawyer,” said South, “I have to advise you that assaulting a dragon in the city of Canterlot carries with it serious jail time.” “Please don’t hurt him,” said Cheerilee. “I’m sure that Celestia’s punished him for what he’s done already.” Pokey slammed Spike into the ceiling with his telekinetic powers. He threw spike into the wall before letting him drop to the floor. Pokey stomped out of the donut shop. He was cursing a blue streak as he left. Spike wobbled to his feet. “I thought he was going to kill me,” said Spike. “Well I wouldn’t have stopped him,” said Medley. “I very nearly died because of your thoughtless actions.” “Wait, you’re actually out looking for those stones?” asked Spike. “I thought you managed to get out of it.” “No,” said Cheerilee. “And in case you haven’t noticed, we’re short a party member.” Spike looked around and noted the absence of Redheart. Spike’s face dropped. He put his head in his hands and shook his head. “Oh, man,” he said. “I didn’t think that you could actually die out there. I thought that Celestia’s quests were all fun and games.” “Well, they’re not,” huffed Cheerilee. “Medley wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Luna’s intervention, and Pokey wasn’t exaggerating when he said you ruined his life. He’s sacrificed so much for this quest that there’s not much left of him to give.” “But you found the stones right?” asked Spike. “I mean, if you’ve got them, Celestia can just give him back the things he lost, right?” Cheerilee just shook her head. “You really don’t get it, do you?” she asked. “I realize that you’re just a child, but I would have hoped that being a dragon would have given you a better sense of perspective. You changed all of our lives. In Pokey’s case, it wasn’t for the better.” Cheerilee sighed. She looked out at Pokey stomping back to the hotel. “Go back to Ponyville, Spike. If I were you, I’d pray to the dragon gods for forgiveness. I’d also pray that you never meet Pokey in a dark alley, because if he sees you again, he will probably kill you.” Spike ran from the building and into the city in a blur of purple. Medley shot Cheerilee a confused look. “Why did you let him think Redheart died?” she asked. “Because it’ll make him think the next time he decides to shirk responsibility,” said Cheerilee. “Guilt is a harsh punishment, but it’s probably fitting for his crime.” “Are you gonna order something?” asked the stallion behind the counter. “Sorry about that,” said Cheerilee. “A Bostallion crème and a coffee.” “Coffee and an apple fritter,” said South Pole. “Alfalfa and maple walnut,” said Medley. South Pole stuck his tongue out at the horrid choice. “What?” she asked. “The whims of a pregnancy appetite are not to be questioned.” The ponies arrived back at the hotel to find Pokey pacing in a circle and muttering angrily about something. South Pole looked at Cheerilee with some uncertainty. Cheerilee only shrugged. “He’ll be fine,” said Cheerilee. “Now you were saying about the details?” “Oh, yes,” said South. “The prince prefers duels to be unarmored save for helms, with no magic, and to the first blood.” He pulled a few papers from his satchel. “That’s probably the safest for both parties, and it’s seen as the most civilized.” “Makes sense,” said Medley as she enjoyed her donut. “Now, you might want to consult with your armored friend over there about what he wants,” continued South, “but anything else, and I’ll have to consult with the Prince.” Cheerilee looked over to Pokey. He was still pacing and talking to himself. Cheerilee affixed a worried smile. “Let’s not bother him with the details just yet,” she said. “I’ll sign these for him.” Cheerilee clicked her pen, and scribbled her flowery autograph on the legal papers. “And there you have it.” “Fantastic,” replied South Pole. He floated the documents back to his satchel and looked around for a moment before moving to leave. He stopped halfway to the door, and turned around. “Wouldyouliketohavedinnertonight?” he blurted. His grey cheeks practically turned red with embarrassment. “Um...” said Cheerilee, caught dishoofed at the question. She looked at Medley, who grinned and nodded. “Well, I haven’t had a shower in two days, but... sure, I guess. Give me half an hour.” “Uh, great!” he said, nervously. “I’ll go call us a carriage.” He walked out of the hotel, leaving the pegasus and the earth pony exchanging looks. “Well, well,” smirked Medley. “Someone has a date.” “It’s not a date!” blushed Cheerilee. “I mean, he probably just wants to make sure of all the legal nonsense is squared away.” “Sounds like a date to me,” grinned Medley. “Let’s get you up to the room so you can get ready.” The girls disappeared upstairs, and Pokey stopped pacing. He closed his eyes for a moment, and drew a deep breath. He left to go find the hotel gym. He hoped they had a kicking bag.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:49:47+00:00

2011-09-02T14:49:47+00:00

Chapter Fourteen: The Art of the Duel This isn’t Stalliongrad! There are Rules! Exactly a half an hour later, Cheerilee walked from the elevator with her new collar ruffled. Her candy striped hair fell in cascades down her neck. She wore the Sapphire of Brilliance around her neck to accent her shining green eyes. Cheerilee winked back at Medley, who waved as she got in the carriage. Medley sighed as wistful memories of her own days of dating came back to her. “Oh, to be young and on the dating scene again,” she smiled. “You know she’s older than you, right?” asked Pokey. The blue unicorn was dripping with sweat, and his white mane stuck to his helm. “I was being sarcastic,” said Medley. She caught wind of the stallion, and waved a hoof at her nose. “You could really use a shower.” “I could really use a drink,” he said. “Shower first, then the bar,” gagged Medley. “Trust me, you reek of testosterone.” The carriage rolled along the cobblestone streets of Canterlot as it carried the teacher and lawyer ponies toward a medium sized castle. The architecture was typical of Canterlot: domed roofs, spiraling outdoor staircases, and sweeping white walls. Cheerilee was not impressed, and South Pole could see it. “You start to get used to it after a while,” said the unicorn. “All this overblown architecture makes me wish I was back in Manehatten. Those ponies knew how to build a city.” “I’ve never been,” said Cheerilee, looking back at her date. “I hear it’s nice.” “It really is,” mused South Pole. The carriage rolled to a stop outside the castle. “Not as unicorn centric as this town. It gives you a wider variety of cultures and customs. Better than all the high minded snobbery that seems to pervade this town.” Cheerilee nodded out to the castle. “Speaking of snobbery,” asked Cheerilee. “What is this place?” “This is Blueblood’s Southtown home,” said South Pole. “He stays here when he doesn’t feel like going back up town.” “Really now,” mused Cheerilee. “It must be nice to have that much money to throw around.” “Yeah, well,” coughed South Pole. “It’s not like his entire book keeping is on the level. His massive gambling habit alone...” South bit his tongue, as tried to put the words back in his mouth. “Oh, I already knew about that,” said Cheerilee. “Most every pony does,” said South Pole. “But what doesn’t make sense is how much he wins.” They walked along the side gardens until they came to a small, nondescript wooden door. “I think he’s a cheat.” “Quite the accusation, coming from his lawyer,” smirked Cheerilee. “Hey,” defended South. “I’ve earned every cent I’ve made from him, fair and square. He may be a cheat, but he pays well.” “I don’t doubt your integrity,” replied Cheerilee. “In fact, I admire that you’ve managed to stay pretty much the same awkward South Pole I’ve always known.” “Thanks?” asked South, unsure if that had been a compliment. South pushed open the door to reveal a kitchen staffed by a sleeping mule and brown earth pony. The duo sprang to full alert as the door slammed shut. They began running around comically, trying to look busy. They slowed to a halt when they saw it was only South Pole who had come in. “Hey, hey! If it isn’t our favorite lawyer!” said the tan mule. “We had a favorite lawyer, Hinny?” asked the brown pony. “I thought we were payin’ him to keep us outta jail.” “I dunno about you, Garson, but that makes him my favorite,” replied Hinny. He gave Cheerilee the once over, and nodded his approval. “And you bought a fine lookin’ mare witcha” He turned to the brown pony. “I told you he was straight; now pay up.” Garson tossed a small satchel of bits at the tan mule, and muttered in disgust. “What can we do fer you two lovely ponies tonight?” “How does dinner for the lady sound?” asked South Pole. “Is anyone else here? I’d like to show her around the estate.” “Nah, the boss ain’t here,” said Garson. “Heard he was off this evenin’ drinking with some underage fillies.” “How’s that different from any other week day?” asked Hinny. They high hooved, and erupted into laughter. “So...” asked South, “dinner?” “We gotcha boss,” said Garson. “Imma make for you a spaghetti in a white wine sauce with a side of asparagus in holindaise. For desert, a strawberry tart with fresh whipped cream. That sound good for you and the lady, boss?” “Fantastic,” said South Pole, glancing at a locked wrought iron gate. “Is the wine cellar open?” “Nope,” replied Hinny. He tossed a key to the unicorn. South Pole caught it on his horn, and dropped it in a pocket. “And we didn’t see you’se two go down there neither.” South bowed to the duo. “You are gentlecolts and scholars,” said South. “Nah, we’re a buncha cooks,” said Garson. “But you treat us good, and that makes you a good guy.” He turned to Cheerilee. “This pony’s an okay fella, Miss. You be nice to him, eh?” She smiled and nodded to the brown pony. He turned away to begin dinner as the two walked down the stairs. The wine cellar was as beautiful a sight as Cheerilee had even seen. Her inner lush wept to behold so many glorious bottles of exquisite vintages. Fine wines dating back dozens, even a hundred years lined the walls, all behind gilded brass cages. South Pole came to one cage, and opened it with the key the mule had given him. He floated over a few bottles, and showed one to Cheerilee. “Sauvignon blanc, from the Vineyards outside of Manehatten,” she read. “Vintage... why that’s the year we graduated!” “I thought it appropriate,” grinned South Pole. “I do know how you love the white wines.” “I’d ask if he’d notice them missing,” said Cheerilee. “But I’m guessing Blueblood doesn’t care much for the domestic vintages.” “Blueblood wouldn’t know good wine if it bit him,” said South Pole. “I wouldn’t even work for him, if the money wasn’t so good.” “So go back to Manehatten,” suggested Cheerilee. “I’m sure you can find just as nice a job there. It would beat this hideously expensive city.” “Maybe you’re right,” said South Pole, floating the wines to the dumbwaiter. “Hey you’se two down there?” called the brown Pony. “Dinner’s ready whenever you are.” Cheerilee and South Pole walked back up the stairs and into the lavish dining room. The walls were covered in portraits of Blueblood’s linage, all staring at the long oak table that graced the center of the room. Walnut framed double doors sat on either end of the dining hall, with smaller doors for the servants cleverly hidden behind carvings of unicorns. Cheerilee nodded in approval. “Very...” she searched for words. “Late century?” asked South Pole. “Why yes,” said Cheerilee with a smile. “It seems your time in school wasn’t a total waste.” Garson brought out the ponies’ meals. They ate with friendly conversation for a while, and in the course of the meal, polished off two of the bottles of wine. Hinny cleared the plates when they were done, and brought a magnificent strawberry tart with fresh whipped cream. The two equines had proven their kitchen skills, and Cheerilee was happy to give her compliments to the chefs. Hinny and Garson left the house, but not before reminding South Pole to lock up when he left. “Allow me to give you a tour,” said the unicorn. “Despite being a stuffy bore, Blueblood has some amazing taste in architecture and design.” “I would love that,” said Cheerilee. She was enjoying the pleasant warmness of her dinner wine. South Pole walked Cheerilee through the foyer, a spanning marvel of roman columns and arches. The border was made of compass roses hammered from bronze. Lined along the walls were mannequins that displayed ancient suits of Equestrian armor. Cheerilee noted the lack of pegasus or earth pony armors among the sets. She also noticed that most of them looked like they were on loan from the ancient artifacts archives. South Pole confirmed her suspicions. “Blueblood firmly believes in the superiority of the unicorn over all other equines,” said South Pole. “And all others exist to serve the glorious unicorn race.” South rolled his eyes in disgust. “And what do you think?” asked Cheerilee. “We’ve all got cutie marks don’t we?” he asked. He took a glance at Cheerilee’s. “That means we’re all good at something. Yours is about spreading cheer. Mine tells me to seek the right paths and find the truth.” “What about blank flanks like mules and donkeys?” “They’re the lucky ones, I think,” said South Pole. “They don’t get their destiny tattooed on their hind quarters when they’re young. They can do whatever they want with their lives, and no one will think any different.” Cheerilee tossed her caned striped hair with a smile. “Smart answer,” said Cheerilee. They walked through the foyer and through the dining room where they came to the gardens. Filled with beautiful trees and a hedge maze along the side, the garden was as fine as Cheerilee had even seen. Birds sat in the central fountain, and played in the gently flowing water. South Pole plucked a rose from one of the bushes and floated it into Cheerilee’s hair. “Why thank you,” she blushed. “You’re certainly the gentlecolt. I bet you bring all the ladies here.” “Not really,” replied South Pole. He looked rather embarrassed. “Once they hear I work for Blueblood, they assume I’m the same stuck up bigot that he is, and want nothing to do with me. The mares that want to get close to me because of him...” He cringed, clearly disgusted by the thought. They walked along the edge of the gardens for a bit. They stood quietly for a moment to listen to the birds and creatures that enjoyed this oasis of life in the city. It was pleasant, and in many ways, a simple charm denied to most ponies that lived in the city. ‘It is nice to spend time with an old friend,” said South, as they walked back to the manor. “I’m glad I’m able to offer such hospitality to some pony that appreciates it, instead of expects it.” South Pole’s face lit up with an idea. “I know what I wanted to show you. You’ll love it.” He opened the door off the garden and escorted Cheerilee inside a study. The study was a wonderland of books and maps with display cases interspersed along the walnut shelves. The room was bordered in the same walnut trim and decorated with compass roses. Windows separated some of the shelves and provided a stunning view of the gardens. Massive slabs of iron hung outside the windows, embossed with scenes of unicorns defeating monsters. At the far end of the study was another display case with a single shimmering gemstone. “The Ruby of Brilliance!” gasped Cheerilee. She trotted over to the case. The stone pulsed with a red light that filled the room with warmth. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” asked South Pole. “He brought it up from the archives a while back, and made it the centerpiece of his study. I think he cares more about that hunk of rock than he does any pony in Canterlot.” Cheerilee looked for a way to open the case. “I need that stone,” said Cheerilee. “What?” asked South Pole. Cheerilee moved closer to the case, and pushed the ruffles of her collar away. The sapphire and ruby flashed together, to fill the room with a majestic purple light. South Pole stood stunned to the spot. “That was...” he searched for words. “Amazing. How did you do that?” Cheerilee held out the sapphire around her neck. “These two stone are part of a set of four,” said Cheerilee. “You may have heard about the Red Moss coming out of Appleloosa and Bridleburg?” “Yes, but...” he struggled to come up with the thought. The wine had slowed his train of thought to a single pony. “What does that have to do with this artifact?” “Oh, Southie,” giggled Cheerilee. “You never were a pony of the Book.” She trotted over to the shelves and pulled a copy of the Book of Celestia from the stacks. She flipped to the passage about the flood, and pointed to the verse of the stones. “These two stones and the other two that we have are the stars. Their function is to end the Blight. Celestia sent us after them.” “You’re working for the princess?” asked South Pole. “You got it,” replied Cheerilee with a wink. “That’s why I need that stone.” “I would give it to you in a heartbeat, but...” he looked around. “I don’t have the keys to that display, plus it’s alarmed, and...” He stopped mid-sentence; his grey face lit up again. “I got it! What do you think of a wager?” “Wager?” asked Cheerilee. “Wager for what?” “The duel!” replied South Pole. “You wager your stone against his, and the winner takes both. I’m sure Pokey will wipe the floor with Blueblood. Losing that stone will really stick it too him.” “That’s brilliant!” said Cheerilee, throwing her arms around him. She kissed the unicorn, to his complete surprise. “I always knew you were brilliant.” She smiled as South Pole tried to come up with something intelligent. “Well then...” he stammered at last. “Why don’t we draw up the papers…” He levitated a quill from a mahogany desk. “And then we’ll... uh...” South dropped the quill as Cheerilee kept her arms around him. She was still smiling. “Why don’t you worry about that later, Southie?” she purred. ... “Where do you think she is?” asked Pokey. He had long since showered and was now on his eighth or ninth bottle of cider. The hotel room was typical of mid century design complete with dated wallpaper and blurry paintings of fields to line the walls. Medley looked up from the pile of locks she was fiddling with and found herself wondering the same thing. “Maybe her date went really well?” she offered. Pokey grumbled at the thought. “I’m glad some ponies are having fun on this trip,” he groused. Medley turned back to her locks. “Don’t come sniffing around my flanks,” warned Medley. “I’m a married mare with one on the way.” “You’re not my type,” he retorted. “Then who is?” asked Medley. “White earth ponies with hearts of gold and manes of pink candy floss,” mused Pokey. He turned his bottle upside down to find it empty. He levitated another, and popped off the cap. “What, you mean Redheart?” asked Medley. The padlock she had been working on snapped open with a click. “Yup,” said Pokey. He drank straight from the bottle. “Her and I, we had what you might call a ‘thing,’” He slurred and maked air quotes with his hooves. “You also might not call it that, seeing as how it ended up. We went out to the buffalo all the time, and came back on the train. We were, as they say, together in those times.” He took another long swig from his cider. “Sometimes in Ponyville too. She was lonely, I was lonely. I guess we just sort of used each other for companionship.” Medley looked a bit surprised at the revelation. “I didn’t know you and she were an item,” she said. “We weren’t,” admitted Pokey. “Not really anyway. Her heart belonged to that buffalo. I was just there.” He took another sip. “Lucky me.” “You’re not taking it very well,” said Medley. “If you really loved her, then you’d be happy for her.” Pokey cocked an eyebrow at the turquoise pegasus. “I’m so happy for her I could burst,” said Pokey. “Seeing her reunited with Plain Strider was at once the happiest and most miserable moment of my life. I am sincerely happy for her, but in the same breath is the realization that I can never have her. Thusly, I’m miserable for me, and me alone.” He lifted his bottle to Medley. “Salut.” Medley put down her lock. “Oh, grow up,” chastised Medley. “You’re gonna cry because you didn’t get the girl? That’s so foalish of you. Every pony knows you pick up the pieces and move on with your life.” She stood from the desk and walked over to Pokey. “Acting like a whiny gelding isn’t going to get you anywhere but rejected.” “Did you just call me whiny?” asked Pokey. “Yes I did,” said Medley. “Now you have two options. One, you can try to drink your problems away. That’ll get you a cider gut and liver disease. You think you’d be able to squeeze into your precious armor when you’re all fat and flabby?” “Probably not,” admitted Pokey. “Well then your other option is to pony up,” encouraged Medley. “Make your life better. Have a goal.” “I gotta goal,” muttered Pokey. “Well, what is it?” asked Medley. “Let’s just say our meeting with Princess Celestia will provide me with more happiness than you can imagine,” said Pokey. His tone was cryptic, and left Medley with a sense of unease. “Fair enough,” replied Medley. “Then what are you doing to that end?” Pokey looked at the bottles surrounding him. Medley was right; he wasn’t doing anything to help himself along the way. In fact, he was probably causing more trouble, given the hangover he was going to have tomorrow. He dumped the remainder of his cider in the sink. “You’re right,” sighed Pokey. “Acting like a colt isn’t going to get me any closer to my goal. I need to get some sleep. I’ve got royalty to maim tomorrow.” ... Cheerilee arrived back at the hotel early the next morning. She was grinning from ear to ear. Pokey laid his head on the restaurant table, and stared at the ceiling. Medley dug into a stack of pancakes. “Good morning,” Cheerilee sang. “I trust you all had a wonderful evening.” “Oh Luna, kill me,” moaned Pokey. “You morning ponies.” Cheerilee simply smiled and tossed a stack of papers at the hung over unicorn. “These are the terms of your duel,” she said. “Unarmored except for helms, no magic, to and the first blood. All very civilized.” Pokey levitated the documents with Herculean effort. He squinted with one eye as he tried to read them. “Well that’s not very fun,” muttered Pokey. “It’s not supposed to be fun,” said Cheerilee. “It’s supposed to be about honor, chivalry, and a few other things that escape me at the moment.” Cheerilee looked down at Pokey, then to Medley. Her eyes questioned the source of his misery. Medley tousled the unicorn’s mane. Pokey could barely find the strength to growl back at her. “Poor wittle Pokey is all hung over,” cooed Medley. “He thought drinking could make all his pwrobems go bye bye.” Cheerilee and Medley tittered in unison. “I hate both of you,” mumbled Pokey. “I just thought you’d like to know that.” “Lightweight,” mocked Cheerilee. “I had a bottle of wine to myself, and I had a fantastic night. And a great morning, too” She winked at Pokey. He slid his head off the table. “That’s way too much information,” moaned Pokey. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go try to cut off my own head.” He staggered away from the table. He hissed at the light like a feral cat. Medley smirked at Cheerilee. “What?” she asked. “I never thought you were the type to just jump into a relationship,” said Medley. “Who said anything about a relationship?” asked Cheerilee. “Can’t two consenting adults do what they do behind closed doors and not make a big fuss of it?” “That’s not the way I was raised,” scoffed Medley. “I was taught you only have one partner for life. I’ve only ever been with Snow Catcher.” “My dear Medley,” said Cheerilee. “I thought this trip had expanded your horizons.” “Not about that,” she blushed. “Physical intimacy doesn’t always equate to love,” said Cheerilee. “I’ve been with plenty of ponies, and the one thing it’s taught me is that if you confuse the two, well… what’s happened to Pokey is a testament to that.” “I really don’t want to discuss this further,” said Medley. “Let’s just say our beliefs differ and leave it at that.” “Fair enough,” said Cheerilee. “By the way, I found the Ruby.” “You did?” gasped Medley. “Do you have it?” “Well no,” admitted Cheerilee. “I bet our Sapphire against it. When Pokey wins, we take both. Use Blueblood’s gambling problem against him, so to speak.” “There’s a reason you’re the brains of this outfit,” saluted Medley. “I know,” replied Cheerilee with a smug grin. By the time noon rolled around, Pokey had recovered and felt in fighting shape. His throat was still dry, and his head still hurt a bit, but he was looking forward to the beating he was going to give that snotty aristocrat. They arrived at the dueling grounds across the street from the Southtown manor with minutes to spare. Blueblood and Pokey met in the ring; their seconds stood beside them. A small crowd of Blueblood’s entourage had gathered to witness the fight. Medley was there to witness for Pokey, and stood under a white parasol. The two combatants stood horn to horn, Pokey in his deep blue lacquered helm, and Blueblood in an embossed gold plated champron. “Gentlecolts,” said South. “The duel is to the first blood. When first blood is drawn, the duel is over. The wager for this duel is a ruby and a sapphire. To the victor go both stones. There will be no magic permitted, and no armor except for helms are to be worn. These are the terms of the duel as agreed upon by your seconds: Myself, and Cheerilee, respectively.” He nodded to the mulberry earth pony. She winked back. He cleared his throat. “Are there any questions before we begin?” he asked. “Let’s get this over with,” said Blueblood. He stretched his neck muscles. “I have other, more important things to attend to.” Blueblood slashed at Pokey before South Pole even had a chance to move out of the ring. Pokey caught the horn with his own and parried the swing as he had a thousand times before. He countered with a swing and caught the ridges of Blueblood’s horn. Pokey’s razor sharp horn sent shavings flying. Blueblood stepped backward a moment. The natural sharpness of Pokey’s horn wasn’t what he was expecting. Blueblood mentally revised his strategy and began to fight defensively. Pokey stabbed twice and slashed in three sparse movements. Blueblood parried the thrusts and ducked away from the swing with the grace of a butterfly. A lock of his finely coiffed mane fell to the sandy ground. Pokey smirked. The white unicorn dodged backwards, and then dashed at Pokey. He stabbed for his flanks. Pokey shuffled to the left to let Blueblood rush past. Pokey swung his razor sharp horn at Blueblood’s flank, and took a swath of the prince’s amber tail with the swipe. Blueblood’s entourage booed while Medley and Cheerilee clopped their hooves excitedly. Blueblood spun on his hooves and violently slashed at Pokey’s rear. Pokey ducked under the attack and came up with a swing of his own. Blueblood moved fast enough that the razor horn sparked viciously against his champron instead of his shoulder. Blueblood attempted to trip Pokey with a swinging fetlock. He caught Pokey’s shin, and threw the blue unicorn off balance for a moment. Pokey blocked a swing and parried a thrust. They crossed horns and came eye to eye. “Don’t start fighting dirty,” warned Pokey. “You start playing by my rules, and you’re going to lose an ear.” Blueblood threw a head butt that pushed Pokey back a step. Blueblood came down with three precise swings, each parried by Pokey. Pokey returned the thrust, and swung again. He came shoulder to shoulder with the white stallion. Blueblood tried for another trip. Pokey picked up his hoof to avoid the trip, and swung wide. Blueblood dodged the laughably wide attack but missed the crashing right hook that sent him to the ground. “I warned you not to fight dirty,” said Pokey. Pokey stabbed for the flank, hoping to score a touch. Blueblood rolled away and came up swinging. Pokey caught two swings with his horn, and caught a faint scraping across his helm. He had to admit that Blueblood was a skilled opponent, but this fight had gone on long enough. Pokey took a step back; he was ready to end this battle. He thought he saw Blueblood’s horn twinkle. Pokey found the world black in an instant. “Bastard!” yelled Pokey. “You used magic!” He swung his head as he blindly tried to gauge where the blows would come from. He caught one of them with his horn, then another across his helm. On the third swing, he felt the faintest of scratches on his shoulder. His vision came back in just enough time to see a rivulet of blood fall into the sandy soil.

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:50:35+00:00

2011-09-02T14:50:35+00:00

Chapter Fifteen: The Heist Revenge is a dish best served cold. Revenge is sweet. So it’s kind of like ice cream. “I’m telling you, he cheated,” cursed Pokey. “I believe you, I really do,” said South Pole. “But I didn’t see it, and neither did any of the other ponies.” They stood outside a cafe, now two stones short of their goal instead of just one. Rain had had been ordered to roll in, and pegasi filled the sky with unhappy grey clouds. The scratch on Pokey’s shoulder had stopped bleeding almost as soon as it had started. It was no worse than a paper cut, but it had been enough to lose both the stones to the cheering of Bluebloods cronies. “I’ll challenge him again,” demanded Pokey. “Two stones for two stones.” “I doubt he’ll go for that,” replied Cheerilee. “Did you see how angry he got when you took off part of his tail?” “Then what are we going to do?” asked Medley. “Break in and steal the stones?” The table fell silent at the remark. They all turned to look at South Pole. He put up his hooves in defense. “Oh no,” he said. “I would definitely lose my job if I helped you plan a heist.” “Then I’m going to steal your keys,” said Cheerilee. “I thought you hated your job?” asked Medley. “I do,” admitted South. “But I can’t just go throwing away the past few years of work because some group of ponies and my old girlfriend asked me too.” Cheerilee pouted at the unicorn and tried her best to look heartbroken. “Look, I can’t give you keys to the stones because I don’t have them,” he said. “I know how to get on the grounds, and I can get you inside, but after that, it’s up to you to get the stones. I suggest that you do whatever it is you’re planning on doing tonight before he moves them to his main mansion. You’ll never get past his security there.” “Just because something’s impossible doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” said Medley. “Still, I think I can get into that case.” “What?” asked Pokey. “Medley, if you think you’re going to participate in this heist, you’re out of your pony mind.” “And why not?” asked Medley. “I’m quiet. I can fly. And I can pick locks.” “Since when?” asked Cheerilee. “Since I saw War Jenny do it,” she replied. “It turns out it’s not that hard. I got those cuffs off didn’t I?” “A Diamond Dog’s cuff and a jewel case are two completely different things,” said Pokey. “Plus you’re pregnant. Why do I have to keep reminding you of this?” “I’ve been practicing!” said Medley. She dumped a saddle bag full of opened pad locks and hair pins onto the table. Some of the pins were broken, but the locks were all otherwise undamaged. “I can do this, I know I can. Besides, this isn’t my first ride into motherhood. A mare can stay happy and active until her eighth month of gestation. Nine in my case.” Pokey rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure ‘healthy pregnancy exercise’ doesn’t include burglary,” said Pokey. “Alright, hold on now, let’s think,” said Cheerilee. She tapped a hoof to her temple. “You say you’re fine, Medley, and I’m guessing you’ve got the experience that would tell you otherwise. What important is we need to see if you can open a jewel case.” She thought for a minute till an idea came to her. “If you can get the Hamite case at the Archive opened, then you should be able to open the jewel case. Otherwise, Pokey’s going to have to pull a smash and grab.” “That’s not going to work,” said South. “If the case is broken, it will trip the alarms.” “So?” asked Pokey. “So, parts of the alarms are giant metal plates that slide over the windows,” said South. “Blueblood isn’t the type to call the police at the first sign of trouble. He sends his goons in first, and then calls for the royal guard to clean up what’s left.” “We’re just going to have to not set off those alarms then.” said Medley. “Right,” said South. “I don’t even want to think about what will happen if you get caught in there.” “Oh, Southie,” giggled Cheerilee. “You mean ‘we’ don’t you? Now you’re an accomplice to grand larceny.” South stood speechless for a moment as he realized that he had just committed a felony. The four ponies found themselves again at the squat stone building housing the Ancient Artifacts Archives. Cheerilee flashed her forged student ID at the pegasus working the counter. She waved them through without even turning away from her fashion magazine. Pokey recognized it as the same one the nurse in Bridleburg had. As the gilded brass elevator sank into the stacks, South looked around remembering all the time he had spent here. “Wow,” said South. “This brings back memories.” “Good ones?” asked Medley. South Pole thought a minute. He recalled falling off a balcony after three straight all-nighters. “Not really,” he replied. The elevator doors clanged open, and the ponies got off. They trotted through the stacks, Cheerilee’s sense of direction lead them right back to the Hamite artifact case. Medley looked around for a moment to see if any other pony was nearby. The other ponies stood with their flanks to her to block the sight of the pilfering pegasus from any pony who might walk by. After an agonizing minute, the sound of a click echoed through the empty halls. The ponies turned around to see Medley. She was holding one of the Hamite masks to her face. “Booga booga,” she chanted. Cheerilee shot her an aggravated look. “Put that back,” admonished Cheerilee. “I thought you had more respect for Hamite culture than that.” “I do,” said Medley. She took off the mask and flipped it around to show Cheerilee the card on the back. “This one is for good luck. I figured we could use all we could get.” Medley put it back in the case, and closed it. She rubbed her hooves together in glee. “Now let’s go pilfer us some jewelry.” “I’m going to get disbarred,” whined South. “It’ll be fun, I promise,” said Cheerilee. They rode back up the elevator, and a minute later, spilled into the foyer. Now they were ready to start planning the heist in detail. South Pole saw the front double doors opening. He recognized several of Blueblood’s entourage walking in. South pushed the Ponyville Trio into a corridor, and shushed them. “What are you...” asked Cheerilee. “It’s Blueblood,” he said. “Hold on.” South trotted into the open, and greeted the white stallion with a bow. “Ah!” said Blueblood. “South Pole, my devoted second, I trust you approved of my fine hornsponyship this afternoon?” South ground his teeth. “Never better, sir,” said South. “I am having a masquerade this evening to commemorate my victory over that Kin,” he said. “Bring a date, won’t you? And not that horrid candy maned mare you had your eyes on this afternoon. Really, South, try to have some dignity. She looked like a school marm, for Celestia’s sake.” South tried to hide his shock. Did Bluebood really see him staring at Cheerilee’s flanks during the duel? His mind churned as he tried to come up with a plausible story. “Sir, she was a slave to that... Kin,” spat South. “He cut off her horn, and forced her into servitude. She escaped with me after the duel, and asked me to pass on her eternal gratitude for saving her.” South put on his best aires of disgust. “How dare he defile our proud horns?” shouted Blueblood. “I’d have killed him if I known that!” He scoffed, annoyed that he had missed an opportunity to slay an enemy of unicorns. “Very well, bring her if you wish. Your other friends, too, if you have any. Be sure to wear your most amusing costumes; I want to laugh this evening.” “Very well, sir,” replied South. “We shall see you at the north residence then?” “Oh no,” replied Blueblood. “That’s still being repaired from last week’s gala. We’ll see you at the Southtown manor.” Blueblood perked up his ears. “Did I just hear some pony swear?” “Probably some poor pegasus student who can’t hack it,” said South. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll let you be on your way.” Blueblood and his entourage trotted past South Pole, leaving the grey stallion to mull his thoughts. South retrieved the Ponyville trio, and shuffled them out the door before any pony could see them. Pokey looked back at the archive in disgust. “Are you bucking kidding me?” demanded Pokey. “Language!” chided Medley. “And really? A unicorn?” scoffed Cheerilee. “I’m proud to be an earth pony.” “I panicked!” admitted South. “How was I supposed to know he actually paid attention to what I was doing? He should have been paying attention to the duel.” “You should have too,” said Pokey. “I realize Cheerilee’s easy on the eyes, but if you had been paying attention, you could have caught him cheating and we wouldn’t be in this mess.” “I’m sorry!” said South. “Look, give me a break, I didn’t expect you to lose.” “Well I didn’t expect him to cheat,” said Pokey. “Thanks for the heads up.” “Colts, stop fighting,” interrupted Cheerilee. “We can’t pull off this heist now. Burglarizing a jewel case with a house full of ponies? It’s insane.” “Unicorns,” corrected South Pole. “He doesn’t invite other ponies to this kind of shindig.” They walked in silence away from the archives for a bit before anypony spoke again. “You know what?” said Pokey. “This might actually work to our advantage. You two go as guests. Medley and I will come in over the hedges and pull off the heist. You get to keep your job, we get the gems. Every pony’s happy, except Blueblood, but he can take a flying leap.” “Sounds dangerous,” said Medley. “You think it’ll work?” “Here’s hoping,” said Pokey. He looked over Medley for a minute.“But you’re not going to be sneaking anywhere with those colors.” Medley looked back at her coat. “What’s wrong with turquoise?” she asked. “I’ve been this color my entire life.” “Yes, but have you ever tried to sneak out of your house in the middle of the night?” asked South. “You stick out like a sore hoof. You’ll need a disguise.” “Ooh! Can I get a ninja outfit?” she asked. “I always wanted to be a ninja.” “Now you’re thinking like a thief,” said Pokey. “A ninja costume will be perfect. In fact, we should all hit the costume store. We’re going to make this a night Blueblood won’t forget.” The costume shop wasn’t that busy, and the ponies found themselves enjoying the selection a bit too much. Medley found a ninja costume that covered most of her body, leaving only a few tantalizing patches of her coat exposed. Cheerilee suggested taking it home as a gift for Snow Catcher once they were done. Pokey didn’t really need a costume, but chose a black carapasion to cover his armor, and a charcoal face powder to dull his coat. It was Cheerilee that took the longest to decide. She first tried on a similar ninja costume to Medley’s but found the idea of playing a thief a bit too much like showing her hoof. She also tried a maid costume to tease South. Cheerilee came from behind the curtain, holding a feather duster in her teeth. She winked at South. “Je suis un peu Pouliche,” she said. The grey unicorn was far too shocked to react, and Cheerilee flounced back behind the curtain with a giggle. To continue her torment of the stallion, she came out in a uniform resembling the one she wore as a school filly. All three of the ponies stared at her as she spun about in her skirt and blouse. Medley’s turquoise cheeks turned bright red, and she looked away in embarrassment. “I can see why the mares liked her,” said Medley. “Well, I can’t go attracting that much attention,” said Cheerilee as she disappeared behind the curtain. “Pity, I look great in this outfit.” She finally settled on an explorer’s costume. She enjoyed the pith helmet and vest, and vowed to wear it more often once she got back to Ponyville. “Go back to the school filly outfit,” insisted Pokey. He was met with an angry stare from South Pole. The grey stallion paid for the purchases, and they left the store. South floated the bill of sale into his pocket as they walked. “Why were there five costumes on that receipt?” asked Pokey. South Pole ignored the question, and tried not to blush. After a brief walk, the four ponies found themselves back at the Canterlot Carriage Inn. Cheerilee and South worked together for a few minutes on a crude map of Blueprint’s manor. They laid it on the bed. Cheerilee produced chess pieces from somewhere, and used them to represent the ponies. “Once I see the coast is clear,” explained Cheerilee, moving a queen into position on the map, “I’ll come to this hallway, and South,” she moved a bishop in front of her queen, “will signal you from the window.” “Why am I a bishop?” asked South. “I’d rather be a rook.” “Medley’s the rook, that’s why,” said Pokey. “Well you get to be the knight,” complained South. “That’s clearly superior to a bishop.” “I am a knight,” shot back Pokey. “Of sorts.” “I’ll make you both pawns if you won’t behave,” threatened Cheerilee. “Now, once we make the signal, it’s up to South and me to distract Blueblood,” she moved the black king into place, “long enough for Medley and Pokey,” she moved the knight and the rook over the hedgerow and into the study, “to make the grab. We only get one shot at this, and if we blow it, Medley's in serious trouble.” “The party works to our advantage,” said South as he pointed to the King. “Blueblood’s not likely to assault some pony in the middle of a gala. He’ll probably let his guards handle it. I can get you out of jail with minimal fuss.” “What about the guards?” asked Medley. “They shouldn’t be able to see you,” said Cheerilee. “And if they do, well that’s what Pokey’s there for. Don’t let them get away to raise the alarm, though.” “You are to fly away at the first sign that everything has gone south,” said Pokey. “Gone me?” asked South Pole. “Uh, haywire,” corrected Pokey. “Hinky. Stale.” He struggled to come up with synonyms. “The plan falls apart. Anyway, you’re to run at the first sign of trouble, do you understand me?” “Loud and clear,” saluted Medley sarcastically. “Once you make the grab,” continued Cheerilee, “Fly the stones to the castle, and Pokey will allow himself to be arrested. I’m sure a royal pardon will be easy to come by once we’re done.” “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve found myself in the slammer,” muttered Pokey. He glanced at a clock on the night stand. “Alright, this all goes down in an hour; let’s synchronize our watches.” The ponies all looked at their fetlocks. Pokey blinked in embarrassment. He had never worn a watch. “Okay, never mind.” “I’ve got to get this fake horn scar on,” said Cheerilee. “The rest of you get into your costumes. The carriage should be outside in a few minutes waiting to take us to the manor.” “Medley and I will walk there,” said Pokey. “We’ll watch for your signal starting in exactly two hours. If the plan’s a bust, break a window.” The ponies all put hoof in the center, and shook. There was no turning back now; every one of them was going to leave this hotel room a criminal. They dispersed to work on their own parts of the plan. … The carriage ride was quiet and uneventful. Both ponies inside the carriage remained in silence on the way there. Once again, South and Cheerilee rolled up to the manor, and once more, they were unimpressed by its architecture. “I really can’t wait to leave this city,” groused South. “I never thought I’d get tired of spirals and domes, but I find myself wishing for the concrete slabs of Manehatten.” “You’ll get there soon enough,” said Cheerilee. “Just make it through tonight, and we’ll be fine.” “We?” asked South. His voice was hopeful. “Don’t get your hopes too far up,” Cheerilee replied with a smirk. “Let’s just see how things work out, alright?” Cheerilee brushed her candy striped hair down her head to hide the horn scar that she and Medley had carefully applied. They stepped out of the carriage and down the receiving line where they shook hooves with a few of Blueblood’s esteemed guests. They came finally to the white stallion himself. He was sporting the Archive’s ancient unicorn armor. He also had gotten a hair cut to hide the damage Pokey had caused to his mane and tail. “So good to see you,” he sneered. “And I heard what happened to you my poor dear. If I had only known, I’d have made that fool pay with his life. You will let me help you, of course?” Cheerilee bowed to the prince. “Thank you, your highness,” she said. “Your generosity knows no bounds.” They walked through the arched foyer to find an array of costumes. Some ponies wore complicated masks of feathers and furs. Others used their magic to play with the light and created fantastic illusions of dragons or griffons. The two ponies mingled for a while. Cheerilee caught a glimpse of Hinny and Garson disappearing from the dining room. Cheerilee found herself being complimented on her costume, and questioned about her horn. A few tears convinced them that it was a sore subject, and they left it at that. One unicorn dressed as a ghost seemed to be following Cheerilee and South throughout the party. Every time she went to the punch bowl, the ghost tried to get closer. She managed to duck under a table and loose him. She trotted back to South Pole. “I think we’re being followed,” whispered Cheerilee. South tossed his head back in a hearty laughter, and caught a glimpse of the offending unicorn. “I think you’re right,” he muttered. Some pony questioned where South Pole’s costume was. He replied that he was dressed as a lawyer, and handed out fake subpoenas. Most of the unicorns got a kick out of the gag. Many had been recipients of the real deal themselves. An hour into the party, Cheerilee had managed to lose her tail. The ghost unicorn was nowhere to be seen, but Cheerilee could feel him closing on her. Blueblood stood before the crowd. He lifted a glass, and clanged on it with his horn. “Fillies and Gentlecolts,” he announced with a sweeping bow. “I bring you here today to celebrate your great Prince, none other than myself, Blueblood.” Polite stomping filled the room. “But to the point, we are here to celebrate victory on the field of honor!” Cheers filled the hall, as did the stomping of feet. “My victory? Why it was triumph over a so called noble of aKin of Luna,” announced Blueblood. The room filled with boos and hisses “Death to the savages!” yelled some pony. “And what is worse?” continued Blueblood. “This Kin was one of us, the glorious race of unicorns.” More boos and hisses filled the room. “And to add to his treachery and treason, this Kin of Luna has maimed one of our own.” Shocked gasps filled the room. A murmur ran through the crowd. Cheerilee shrank to a back wall, as she fiddled with one of the hidden servants exits as she tried to escape the hall. “My dear Cheerilee, will you please come forward?” The room turned to face her. Cheerilee looked around in panic. She tried to come forward, but found her legs heavy. Her heart pounded in fear as she made her way to Blueblood. His entourage cleared a small circle for her. “The finest minds of magic are here this evening,” he said to Cheerilee. “Surely some pony here can help this poor mare?” “I’ve... grown to accept my fate,” said Cheerilee. Her voice quaked in what sound like fear. “I dare not show my scars to such regal ponies...” The room filled with pitying murmurs. “Surely some pony here as the skill to help her?” demanded Blueblood. “Are we not unicorns? Do we not command the greatest magic in Equestria?” “I’ll help her,” said a familiar voice. The unicorn dressed in a simple sheet that covered all but her caring blue eyes appeared from the crowd. “Cheerilee, was it? Come with me, dear, and we'll fix that horn of yours.” The crowd stomped and applauded as they walked from the dining room. South Pole took the opportunity to slip out of the room and around to where he was supposed to signal for Medley. Cheerilee followed the ghost unicorn to one of the guest bedrooms. She shut the door behind him, and pulled off the sheet. Underneath it stood a white earth pony sporting a fake horn, and a candy floss mane. “Redheart!” gasped Cheerilee. “What are you doing here?” “The better question is, what are you doing here?” she demanded. “What do you think you’re doing sneaking around pretending to be a unicorn?” “I could ask you the same thing,” said Cheerilee. “I came after the last two Stones of Brilliance. How did we even know we were here?” “I’ve been two steps behind you for a day now. The doorman at your hotel told me where you were headed, so I snuck in around the side.” said Redheart. She glared at Cheerilee. “By the way, thanks for leaving in the middle of the night.” “Sorry,” sighed Cheerilee. “That was Pokey’s idea. I think he was just too devastated by you leaving to hang around any longer.” Redheart sighed. “Well, we’ve got no time to worry about that,” said Redheart. “We’ve got to get out of here.” “Absolutely not,” protested Cheerilee. “I’ve got Medley and Pokey coming in to steal those stones.” “Are you serious?” demanded Redheart. “I thought we send that pregnant filly home?” “Believe me,” groused Cheerilee. “We sure did try. Now she’s going to pick the lock on the case and get the stones.” Redheart looked completely shocked. “Where would she even learn a thing like that?” asked Redheart. “Long story,” said Cheerlee. She peered out into the hallway. “Why would you steal the stones?” asked Redheart. “Why didn’t you just tell him that Celestia sent you after them? Or have Celestia come and get them herself? Why the cloak and dagger routine?” “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” admitted Cheerilee. “I mean, after we lost the sapphire by betting it on the duel...” Redheart put a hoof to her face in frustration. “Now I’m really sorry I didn’t catch up with you sooner,” said Redheart. “Alright, what was your plan once you got in?” “I was supposed to distract Blueblood,” replied Cheerilee. “Oh,” gasped Redheart. “I’ve gone and botched your whole plan haven’t I?” “I think we can recover,” said Cheerilee. “Put your costume back on, and let’s get out of here.” They trotted out of the bedroom and toward the study. The hall was barren, save for one grey unicorn pacing near the window. He saw the Cheerilee and the ghost approaching. “So...” he asked, nervously. “How’s your horn regrowing?” “She’s with me,” whispered Cheerilee. “Get in, quick.” South checked the hallways, and the three slipped inside. ... Medley fluttered above the hedgerow just high enough to see the light from the window. Her black outfit helped hide her in the cloud filled sky. About ten minutes after the appointed time, she saw a light flash twice, then twice again. Medley pulled her hood over her mane, and Pokey tossed his carapison over his armor. Pokey nodded to the Medley. “Show time.” Medley hefted Pokey over the hedgerow. She found him easier to lift this time as they touched down silently in the gardens. Pokey scanned the area, and Medley took to the sky again. She fluttered near the treetops and motioned to Pokey positions of the royal guards patrolling the grounds. Most of the guards out here were earth ponies for some reason, and they didn’t bother to look up. Pokey easily slipped past the guards as Medley made her way to the door. She shrank into the shadows as Pokey passed the hedge maze. A dark coated earth pony trotted around the corner of the hedges. His helm was askew, and lipstick stained his bronze collar. Pokey nearly ran into him. A swift right hoof sent him tumbling to the ground. A unicorn mare emerged from the bushes; her costume disheveled, and mane in tangles. “Polaris?” she asked. “Where did you get off too?” The unicorn mare trotted past Pokey. He held his breath, the mare only inches away from stepping on him. She trotted off, and found her way back into the manner via the kitchen door. Pokey stood, and breathed a sigh of relief. He dragged the guard from under his carapison, and stashed the unconscious pony in the hedge maze. Pokey made his way across the lawn to the study. Medley floated down from the parapets as Pokey unlocked the door with a quiet click. “It’s all you,” whispered Pokey. “I’ll wait out here in case anything goes wrong.” He sank into the shadowy corner of the study; his yellow eyes were only just visible in the darkness. Medley nodded and flew inside. Medley fluttered into the darkened study. The two stones glowed in the case together; they filled the room with a pulsing violet light. Medley floated above the floor to the case. She pulled her pins from her clothing and bent down to start on the lock. This one was tougher than the artifact case, but she was confident she could do it. Medley held the pin in her teeth and jiggled left and right. She heard a click, but it wasn’t from the case. It had come from the door. She cursed quietly and ducked behind the display. Light poured in from the party outside. Two unicorns and Cheerilee walked into the study. Medley’s hooded face peered from behind the case. “Where is she?” asked South. Redheart lifted the sheet of her disguise. Medley saw the two ponies she was expecting, and the one she wasn’t. She breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad to see you,” said Medley. South stared at the door nervously. “How much longer?” asked South. “Another minute,” whispered Medley. “I’ve almost got it.” “We should go out there and run interference with Blueblood,” suggested suouth. He moved for the study door. A voice echoed in from the hallway. “Well, my fine young filly, allow me to show you what I won from that duel.” Blueblood opened the study door. The lock clicked open just as the white stallion entered the room. A unicorn, barely older than a filly and dressed in a nurses hat stood by his side. Blueblood stared in disbelief at the pegasus breaking into his case. “How dare you, you worthless savage!” bellowed Blueblood. “Guards!” “I can explain!” said Cheerilee. “And you!” he shot at South Pole and Cheerilee. “How dare you come into my home and help this swine! You’re fired!” “You can’t fire me!” shouted back South Pole. “I quit! En guarde!” The grey stallion dashed at Blueblood and crossed horns with the aristocrat. The sounds of the fight echoed into the receiving hall, and the thundering hooves of Blueblood’s entourage soon closed in on the study. Medley bucked and kicked the case free. The glass fell open, but it set off alarms of panic throughout the manor. The snap of a cable came from somewhere in the walls, and the massive iron slabs fell from the walls outside. They impacted the ground like the ringing of a school bell; each one blocked any hope of exit. Pokey nearly jumped out of his skin as they crashed into place. He stared at the thick iron plating for only a moment before his horn flared with dark light. Medley grabbed the two stones and franticly searched for an exit. Cheerliee shoved the unicorn filly out of the way just in time to prevent her from getting trampled by the barreling entourage. The iron plate on the south wall screamed in protest as Pokey’s impossibly sharp horn shredded the metal. It took a second, but he had cut a hole large enough for Medley to fly out. The plate fell backward into the garden, and crashed to the ground like a gong. One of the unicorn guards ran around the corner to investigate. He saw Pokey, and charged the armored unicorn. Pokey caught the horn with his own, and sent him spiraling flank over mane into the fountain. South Pole valiantly dueled with Blueblood. He ducked and weaved to avoid even the touch of the white stallion’s now glowing horn. The entourage closed in to surround the two unicorns. A red unicorn stabbed at South, only to receive a buck to the face from the Redheart. She kicked and bit at the armored opponents to drive them back from the two duelists. “Kill them all!” shouted Blueblood. He stabbed at South Pole, threw a hoof. “Cleanse my home of their savage filth!” Pokey smashed horn first through the windows. A shower of glass shards peppered the flanks of the unicorns fighting with Redheart. He rolled between them, and slashed at the straps of their barding. In the same maneuver, he leapt across the room at Blueblood. The unicorns’ armor fell away, and for a second they stood in shock. Redheart spun in place and bucked, knocking the unicorns off their feet and into the book cases. Pokey dodged under one horn and kicked another unicorn in the teeth. Another caught a horn on his armor, and received a vicious head-butt for his troubles. “Get the stones outta here!” yelled Pokey. With the gems clenched in her teeth, Medley galloped for the glass and dashed out into the night sky. She spiraled through a exit and blew past two pegasus guards who had come to investigate. They bolted after her; the pegasi guards were much faster than Medley ever could. She looked around desperately. They were only seconds behind her now; she needed a distraction. She dove into the hedge maze. The explosion of branches sent bits of shrubbery everywhere. The two pegasus guards landed, and dashed in after her. “Where do you think she got off to?” asked one. He looked around the corner, ready to attack/ “I don’t know,” said the other. “Keep an eye to the sky, she may try to bolt.” “Please,” scoffed the other pegasus. “She’s not fast enough to out run either one of us.” Something reached from the darkness and smashed the two armored helms together. The pegasi clattered to the ground in a heap of armor and feathers. “I’m fast enough to outsmart you two,” said Medley. She stood from the bushes. And took to the sky toward Canterlot Palace. She prayed to Celestia that her friends would make it out of there in one piece. Redheart kicked out the legs of the remaining entourage. South Pole was having a difficult time keeping ahead of Blueblood and had suffered several small gashes from Blueblood’s magically enhanced horn. His horn twinkled again, and South went bling. Blueblood charged in for the kill when he was blindsided by a crushing buck from Cheerilee. The kick sent him careening into the fireplace, and the mantle cracked under the impact of unicorn and armor. “You think you can hurt me, earth pony?” demanded Blueblood. “I’ll have your head!” He charged at Cheerilee only to be slammed into the wall by Pokey telekinesis. South’s vision returned, and he joined Pokey in holding Blueblood in place. “Cheerilee, run!” yelled South Pole. A burst of magic pulsed from Bloodblood’s horn. His spell broke the unicorns’ spell. Blueblood stood up and stamped a hoof at them. Cheerilee refused to run; she stood in defiance across from Redheart. The four ponies moves sideways to circle the aristocrat. “You hit him high, we’ll hit him low,” said Pokey. “Four on one?” snorted Blueblood. “Typical cowardice from the Kin of Luna.” “I told you once that you don’t want to fight dirty with me,” warned Pokey. “Let us walk out of here, and we won’t hurt you. I can promise you this won’t end well otherwise.” He stomped a hoof. “And ponies don’t break promises.” “I’ll see your head mounted above my mantle before I do that, Kin,” spat Blueblood. Cheerilee dashed at Blueblood. He rolled past her as horn twinkled again. Cheerilee cried out in shock as he vision left her. She tried to stop herself, but ran head first into a desk; scrolls and papers went flying everywhere. South charged at Blueblood. The aristocrat parried the charge and stabbed South Pole in the flank with a glowing blue horn. South staggered for a moment and tried to swear. He tumbled to the ground; his legs twitched as his body went numb. Redheart dashed in to help Cheerilee, and was met with a crushing buck that sent her tumbling. “Such is the fate of those who fight the crown,” spat Blueblood. He stepped over the defeated ponies to come hoof to hoof with Pokey. “Worse is the fate of those who are traitors to their own kind.” Pokey looked down at the defeated ponies, and his heart swelled with rage. The last time he’d felt this fury, he’d taken the head off a Diamond Dog. Maybe he’d get that lucky again. The two horns clashed. Pokey’s razor sharp horn taking shavings off Blueblood's. The white stallion’s horn glowed a dangerous blue. He head butted Pokey and threw a spray of books from the shelves with a burst of magic. Pokey dodged the books and grabbed a chair in his teeth. He swung and smashed the side of the unicorn’s armor with thirty pounds of mahogany. Blueblood staggered back, and then lunged forward. His horn caught on Pokey’s armor and bounced off. Pokey responded with a head butt of his own that sent Blueblood reeling. Pokey reared onto his back legs, and clapped both hooves to the sides of Blueblood’s head. He spun, delivering a roundhouse kick that sent Blueblood to the ground. The stallion spun to his feet. His horn slashed, catching Pokey’s fetlock. His armored shoe prevented injury, but the impact knocked him off balance and to the ground. Pokey rolled away from the thrust at his exposed underbelly. He bounded to his feet, and threw a left hoof. The impact dented the unicorn’s helm and staggered the white stallion. Pokey moved in to finish the fight as Blueblood’s horn twinkled. Pokey again found himself blinded. He was prepared this time, and hee listened for the heavy breathing of his opponent and stepped. Pokey played back in his mind how Blueblood always attacked. Slash, slash, step, thrust, step. He counted to himself. Pokey’s horn flashed black and sliced the air with its impossibly sharpness. He felt contact, then familiar sensation of his horn bisecting all it touched. He heard only screaming, and he knew his horn had found its mark. The top three inches of Blueblood’s impressive horn clattered to the walnut floor. He dropped to the floor in a convulsing heap. The aristocrat wailed in pain as he clutched his face. With his horn broken, his spells began to fade. South Pole pushed himself to his feet as Pokey’s vision returned. The blue unicorn stallion looked down at Blueblood. The stallion rolled along the floor in agony. “Damnit,” said Pokey. “I was aiming for his throat.” He looked at the tip of the unicorn’s horn as it rolled across the floor. “Well, I guess his blood’s not so blue after all.”

Vanner

152

Cheerilee,Nurse Redheart,Original Character,Prince Blueblood,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

One Last Quest

Adventure, Bravery, Faith,

complete

<p>Princess Celestia sends four adults ponies out into the world. They find that just because it's not your destiny to save the world, doesn't mean a goddess won't ask you to do just that. This story follows the tale of Pokey, Redheart, Cheerilee, and Medley as they find out what it means to sacrifice for the greater good of Equestria.</p>

everyone

2011-09-02T14:52:59+00:00

2011-09-02T14:52:59+00:00

Chapter Sixteen: Hail to the Queen How does one fathom the responsibilities of a queen? Or for that matter a Goddess? Four ponies sat in two prison cells across from each other. The black bars had been enchanted to resist magic, but none of the occupants had any interest in making an escape. They were still wearing their costumes from the party, and they all felt a little ridiculous sitting in jail. “I am definitely getting disbarred for this,” said South Pole. “At least you have a great story,” smiled Cheerilee. “That was probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.” “This really doesn’t compare to my best ‘I woke up in jail’ story,” said Pokey. “But I gotta say, that was a great kick back there. I think you knocked a few of his teeth loose.” “It felt really good,” said Cheerilee. “Nothing says equality like hooves to face.” “I really wish I had found you sooner,” said Redheart. “I’m sure this could have all been prevented with a little better planning. Really, Pokey? A burglary in the middle of a masquerade? Don’t you read enough stories to...” She paused, loathe to bring up Pokey’s inadequacies. Pokey only shook his head. “You do what you can with what you have,” said Cheerilee. “I’m just glad no pony got hurt.” Every pony stared at her. “Well, no pony that mattered, anyway,” she clarified with a flippant gesture. “Really, has anything actually gone according to plan on this trip?” “We couldn’t go a dozen yards without tripping over some pony we knew,” said Redheart. “Well, that’s part and parcel of the adventure business,” said Pokey. “You wander enough of the world and sooner or later familiar faces start popping up.” He rested his head against the prison wall. “Speaking of which, where the heck did you come from?” “I’ve been a half an hour behind you for the better part of the day,” said Redheart. “It wasn’t until I ran into Spike at the train station that I actually found out where you were staying.” She turned around to look in Pokey’s direction. “Did you really threaten to kill him?” “I would have, if those two hadn’t stopped me,” said Pokey. “Why didn’t you catch up with us sooner?” “Because you left in the middle of the night, you inconsiderate jerk,” said Redheart. “I came to your tent early in the morning to find you two gone. When I got to Appleloosa, the train was pulling out of the station and I had to wait for the next one. Thanks for leaving me. I thought we were better friends then that.” “I figured you and Plain Strider...” “What? Would abandon you?” asked Redheart. “Why would you think that? We were supposed to stick together, and help each other. For all your talk of family and Kinship, you were sure quick to leave me behind. You went and dragged Cheerilee off before I could even explain what happened.” “And what did happen?” demanded Pokey. “You and Plainstrider vowed your hearts to each other? Swore never to part again? Made love in the rain?” “Yes, yes, and yes,” snapped Redheart. “We were planning on coming back to Ponyville once we had finished with Celestia’s quest. I thought you’d be happy for me.” Pokey threw up his hooves in exasperation. “I’m so happy I could scream,” said Pokey. “Fantastic. A big damn happy reunion. Horray.” They sat in silence for a while longer and stared out at the rising sun. It was early that morning when a member of the Equestrian Royal Guard trotted to the front of their cells. It was a large white pegasus wearing the armor of his office. “You four have caused quite a stir,” he said. “We tend to have that effect,” mumbled Pokey. “And South Pole, my goddess,” he continued. “How in Equestria did you hook up with this bunch of lunatics?” “Good luck, I guess,” said South as he rubbed his head. “Talos, this is Cheerilee, my uh...” “Girlfriend,” smiled Cheerilee. South Pole beamed at conformation of what he’d already suspected. “And this is...” “Pokey, yeah,” he said. “You’ve become quite the talk of the town. Did you really cut off Blueblood’s horn?” “Only the tip,” admitted Pokey. “It’ll take a few weeks, but it will grow back. If he’s looking for an apology, he can forget it.” “No, I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” said Talos. “And she is...” South Pole had found himself at a loss. “You know, I don’t believe we were properly introduced before we were arrested.” “Redheart,” she said, smiling. “A pleasure to meet you.” “Likewise,” said Talos. He cleared his throat, and dug a royal proclamation from his armor. He put it on the desk and orated. “Hear ye, ponies of Equestria. The Ponies known as Medley, Pokey, Redheart, and Cheerilee, and any who have aided them, are hearby absolved of all crimes and misdemeanors, performed in pursuit of their assigned royal quest,. This includes, but is not limited to: assault, burglary, breaking and entering, assault with magic, forgery, grand larceny...” Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “Well when you say it all like that, it makes it sound bad,” she said. “...unlicensed dueling, and jaywalking.” finished Talos. “Furthermore, Princess Celestia requests their presence at the Royal castle tomorrow afternoon. That is, today, as she wrote this last night.” He rolled up the scroll. “So, basically, you’re free to go.” “See, I told you,” smiled Cheerilee. “Royal pardons all around.” “I’m too pretty for prison anyway,” said Pokey. “Oh thank Celestia,” said South, breathing a sigh of relief. “Now all I have to worry about it the bar committee.” “Oh, you’ll be fine,” said Cheerilee. “I’m sure most of them will think Blueblood got what he deserved.” A few minutes later, the ponies had been released from their cells, and were let back into the city. Pokey immediately left to walk back to the hotel while the others waited for a carriage. It took him an hour, but he finally made it to the Canterlot Carriage Inn. The others, he discovered, had already left for the castle. Pokey stood in the shower for a long time. He rested his head on the wall, letting the water run through his mane and down his back. It had been a very long night. Though the Canterlot jail cells were probably the most comfortable that he’d had the pleasure of visiting, he hadn’t gotten much sleep. His plan for the meeting with Princess Celestia swirled in his mind. All at once it seemed like the only answer and the worst idea he’d ever had. He was already sorry that Redheart had joined them, and he only hoped Luna wouldn’t be there. He turned off the shower, and donned his armor for what he was sure was going to be the last time. Pokey made his way to the palace alone. The streets didn’t glitter as brightly as he first remembered, but they still had that shine of elegance. He was going to miss Canterlot. If his planned worked as he had hoped, he was going to miss a lot of things. He came to the edge of the city, and the cascading cliff faces of Canterlot Castle Pokey stood amazed at the towering spires of the palace. He gazed up at the domed roofs, each pointed with a unique star shaped weather vane. The sounds of waterfalls pouring over the edges of the pools far below echoed against the verdant cliff sides and filled the palace with a calming white noise. He took a deep breath, and started up the stairs. The blue unicorn trotted up the gorgeous marble steps of the palace. Royal guards lined the stairs. Their golden armor shimmered in the beautiful clear day. A few eyes followed Pokey to admire his barding, but otherwise remained unmoving. Talos greeted Pokey at the top, and escorted him through the massive open halls into Celestia’s throne room. Cheerilee, Medley, and Redheart had arrived far ahead of him and stood in front of the throne. Plain Strider and South Pole waited quietly by the sides. The Stones of Brilliance hung around the mare’s necks. “Glad you could make it,” whispered Medley. “I was beginning to think you left town.” She put the sapphire around Pokey’s neck as he stood beside his companions. “The thought had occurred to me,” replied Pokey. He looked around at the assembled crowd. “I probably should have.” Talos reappeared from behind a curtain, and cleared his throat. “It is my great honor to present to you the ruler of our land,” announced Talos. “She who brings us the sun every morning. The good, the wise, and the bringer of harmony to Equestria, her royal highness, Princess Celestia.” The lavender curtains separated and the room bowed in reverence. The majestic white alicorn entered the room; her pastel rainbow hair wafted in the nonexistent breeze. She smiled gently at the gathered ponies. Pokey simply stared, and refused to bow to a goddess he no longer believe in. “It is my great honor to present to you the ruler of our land,” announced Talos, again. “She who brings us the moon every evening. The kind, the brave, and the bringer of peace to Equestria, her Royal highness, Princess Luna.” The ponies remained bowed, and Pokey finally joined them as the azure curtains separated. In strode the purple alicorn; her blue hair cascaded like a waterfall down her neck. She greeted the ponies with a bow. “My ponies, please rise,” asked Celestia. The four stood and faced their goddess. “Last night, Medley flew to my tower with the four Stones of Brilliance I had asked you to find.” She looked down at the ponies. “In your journey, you have traveled through the breadth of the Everfree Forest and to the depths of the Diamond Dog caves. You have returned from the plains of the buffalo, and to the heart of our beloved Canterlot. You have traveled Equestria in order to save it, brave ponies.” She looked to Pokey. Pokey only glared back. “Along the way, you’ve face peril and terror far beyond that of what any ruler can expect of her equines. I am truly sorry for having laid this task at your hooves.” She looked back to Luna, who nodded quietly. Celestia floated the Diamond away from Redheart as Luna took the Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby from the other three. The stones hung brilliant around the goddess’s necks. A pulsing white light filled the throne room. “I’m sure you’ve figured out by now what these are for,” said Luna. The ponies nodded, waiting in anticipation to see them in action. “I made these stones a long time ago to save the world from another flood. While I was... away, they were taken from the palace, and given to the Hamites for safe keeping. Over the years, they forgot what the stones were for. They were stolen, or given as gifts because none of them knew how important they were. When I first heard reports of the Blight returning, I went to get them back. When the Hamites didn’t have them, I asked my big sister for help.” “You were not who I would have originally chosen for this quest,” admitted Celestia. “A new generation of heroes should have been called to arms, but the Hamite prophecy said to send you four instead. “I realized that this was the sort of quest would take the maturity and grace that comes with age, rather than the brash impetuousness of youth.” She stepped down from the platform. “ And I knew that along the way, you’d have to rely on your past experiences and contacts to help you. I also knew you would be called upon to do things those young ponies like Twilight wouldn’t have thought of.” She looked at her gathered heroes. “Redheart would seek to save a village by calling the rains,” said Celestia. “Medley’s desire to protect children brought peace and equality to a tribe who would otherwise know none. Cheerilee’s gifts of knowledge and expertise brought the pieces together, and Pokey...” She looked sadly at Pokey, and shook her head. “Your strength and courage brought them all home.” Pokey stood still. It wasn’t time yet. “Sister,” interrupted Luna. “It’s time.” Celestia nodded, and took to the sky. The sun rose higher in the sky at her command, and filled the skies of Equestria with its life giving light. She hung in the air, hooves outstretched to the heavens as Luna took flight. The moon started its ascent early, and soon it moved to overshadow the sun. The ponies gasped as the eclipse formed in front of them. The moon slid into place in front of the sun; the edges of the sun’s light radiated around the rim of Luna’s moon. It was in that moment that the Stones shone brightest, and filled the sky above with a trembling light. A tri-colored rainbow burst forth from the corona of the eclipse. It spread in a circle of light across the skies of Equestria. The rainbow spanned across the sky and rolled through the air in a wave of color that cleansed the land below. The patches of moss which had snuck into the palace popped into clouds of black dust, annihilated by the power of the stones. A crack of deafening thunder rattled the throne room beneath them to shake the very foundations of the castle. The rainbow rolled through the heavens and showered the land in radiant light. It continued its journey, and finally disappeared from view to cleanse the land. Luna’s moon rolled across the sky again, and dipped below the horizon. The goddesses touched down in front of the four ponies. “My dear, sweet, Medley,” said Celestia, approaching the turquoise pegasus. “I’m truly sorry for what happened to you. When Luna told me she had to intervene on your behalf, I wept to think that I had nearly killed a mother of three. I didn’t find that the prophecy had changed until two days ago when I received word from Thasrow that you had come. It was a mistake to send you, and I am sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” “I was happy to serve, your Highness,” said Medley, bowing to her princess. “You are a mother to all ponies. Even if I wasn’t supposed to be on this quest, I would happily serve you again.” “There is no need for that, Medley,” Celestia replied. “You can go home to your children, and raise them as you have always wished. For you, I offer the promise of education for your children, and a sum to be paid to you and Snow Catcher annually. Never shall your finances trouble you again.” “Thank you, your majesty,” Medley said. Her voice was barely a whisper. “You have given me the greatest gift of all.” She cmae to Cheerilee, and bowed before her. “My dearest Cheerilee,” she said. “I know you have no desire of material wealth. Instead, I have something you have sought since you were a filly.” In a puff of smoke, a scroll appeared before the princess. “For your scholarly work, I am proud to award you with the title Doctorate of Philosophy. From hence forth, and according to your wishes, you may be called Doctor Cheerilee.” The earth pony’s face filled with joy. She bowed to the princess and her smile lit up the throne room. “Thank you, your highness,” replied Cheerilee. “I will use this gift it to spread knowledge in your honor.” Celestia smiled at Cheerilee, and shook her head. “A gift implies you didn’t earn it,” said Celestia. “Your work with the stones and the paper that Ingrid Marie forwarded to me indicates that you have earned your diploma a dozen times over. I know you’ll use your new title to spread knowledge, and I know your boundless cheer will keep education in the minds of all you meet.” She turned to Redheart, and only smiled. “I have what I’ve always desired, your majesty,” she said as she bowed to her princess. “It was because of your quest that Plain Strider and I are reunited. Nothing you could offer could compare to what you have already given me, and to have served you is the greatest reward of all.” Celestia nodded, and at last came to Pokey. “My dear Pokey,” she said. Celestia walked in front of the blue unicorn. He stared, stone faced, at the wall behind her. “I can’t fathom how much you’ve lost. Is there nothing I can do for you to ease the burden of what I have asked of you?” “I only want a word alone,” said Pokey. His voice was as cold and flat as marble he stood on. “Surely, whatever it may be, you can ask in front of your companions?” asked Celestia. “Have you not become family over this trip? Have your hardships not brought you closer together?” “It’s personal,” said Pokey. “If you don’t wish to speak with me, I’ll just leave.” “Very well,” said Celestia. “Please follow me.” She led Pokey to a door behind the throne room, and the two disappeared inside. Cheerilee looked up, worried at Pokey’ secrecy. Redheart bore a look of serious concern as the door shut behind them. “Your majesty?” asked Medley. Luna looked to the Medley; her face was blank with fear. “I really don’t think she should have done that,” said Luna. Celestia’s private office was surprisingly simple. A fireplace crested with a crown burned in one corner, and a stand for reading scrolls sat next to a low, round bed. The walls were a subtle blue, and tapestries hung from the walls depicting maps and stars. A basket of flowers grew in the corner. Celestia turned to speak with Pokey. He was at Celestia’s throat in an instant. His horn shimmered with a dark light. “You’ve taken away everything I’ve ever had,” Pokey growled. His horn glimmered an inch from Celestia’s perfect white neck. “I used to pray to you,” he said. His voice was quaking in rage. “Every day, I would call to you, asking for a sign that you cared. You have never answered the prayers of your followers. Not once have I seen a sign that you cared, Celestia. NOT ONCE.” His horn was shaking now; his whole body trembled in righteous fury. “I have sacrificed everything I had to your damn quest. How many more ponies must suffer because of you?” His eyes narrowed, and he drew breath in ragged gasps. “Give me a reason why I shouldn’t kill you and free ponies from your tyranny. GIVE ME A DAMN REASON.” “Because your life has been a lie Pokey,” said Celestia. Her voice was as calm and dulcet as if she were addressing a child. “Everything you’ve done since you left the Kin has been a lie. You’re not a chef. You’re not a home body. You don’t even like cats.” She stared at Pokey’s glowing horn; it reflected in her eyes. “You’ve been lying to yourself, Pokey, and that’s the one pony you should never lie too. You worshiped me when you thought it would make Redheart happy. Why would I answer insincere prayers? You’re a Kin. You worship my sister, like so many other ponies. Why didn’t you pray to her, Pokey? What made you think she wouldn’t listen?” Sweat formed at Celestia’s brow, and dripped down her face. “I know you hate me Pokey,” she said. “But I love you. Hard as that might be to believe, I love you just as I love all my little ponies.” Pokey kept his horn to her neck. He searched for the courage to strike her down. All it would take is the flick of the neck, and here he stood, unable to finish the job. Maybe Blueblood was right. Maybe he and his Kin were cowards. “I don’t expect your love in return, Pokey. I only ask that you understand. I do what I must to make Equestria a better place for every pony.” Celestia stepped back. Pokey stepped with her, and pinned her to a corner. “You think I’m a horrible tyrant, that imposes my will on ponies for my own sick amusements. Or perhaps that I’m some salacious monster who preys on the bodies and emotions of ponies to feed my insatiable lusts and ego. But I’m none of those things, Pokey.” She searched his eyes. She was looking for the hero she knew was inside this hate filled monster that stood before her. “What I am is a Princess,” she said. “And sometimes that means sacrifices. Do you know why I didn’t want to send you on this quest?” Pokey simply glared as he tried to force himself to strike. “I didn’t want to send you on this quest because I knew how much you’d lose.” Pokey’s face lit up with shock. He moved his glowing horn from her throat. "What?" he asked. His horn still flared with dark light. “You were the only pony in all of Equestria that could have done what I needed you to do. I didn’t know all of the challenges along the way, but I did know that you, and only you, were the only pony who I could count on to bring all those other ponies home.” Pokey’s spell wavered; the black light flickered a moment. “You are the greatest of your generation, Pokey. Don’t ever let any pony ever tell you different.” Celestia put her head on his shoulder. Her neck was only a merest touch away from the dark light. Pokey stood transfixed to the spot, unsure if she was bluffing. “This was your last quest, Pokey,” said Celestia.” Look at what you’ve accomplished. You are the pony who saved Equestria from the Blight. Fillies and colts will look up to you and want to be like you. Ponies will see that your Kin aren’t just mules and donkeys, but equines with hearts and souls that beat just the same as their own.” Celestia’s words pierced through Pokey’s hate, and his spell failed him. He stepped back from the princess, overcome with guilt. “What you’ve done will open the flood gates of love and tolerance once more. It will show ponies the best of all walks of life, and bring forth peace to our lands once again.” Celestia stepped away from Pokey, and spread her hooves for battle. “So if you still want to kill me now, go ahead. I won’t send you away; I won’t call for my guards. But I can promise you Pokey, I will not go without a fight.” Her own magnificent horn glowed with the same black light Pokey had come to depend on. “And you know what they say about ponies and promises.” Pokey shifted into stance. He cursing his cowardice for not striking when she was defenseless. Pokey and Celestia circled each other in the small office. Pokey searched the alicorn for a weakness, any vulnerability. He watched for an opening; that one opportunity to strike her down once and for all. They both knew this battle would only have one blow. Pokey glared at the princess with unbridled hate. Celestia only looked down on him with regret. “That horn of yours is dangerous, Pokey,” she said as they circled. “It’s probably one of the few things that could really hurt me.” She stared into his yellow eyes, not with hate or anger, but with infinite sorrow. “You have always used your power for good.” Tears filled the corners of her violet eyes. “Please don’t make me do this.” You’ve always used your powers for good. Celestia’s words cut through his rage as surely as his horn would have cut through her. He thought back on this quest; on all of his quests. Over the years, he’d lost, and he’d sacrificed, but in every situation where he had triumphed, he’d brought forth only good. Now he stood before a beloved goddess, not as a hero accepting the spoils of victory, but as an assassin. Had he fallen so far from his ideals because she had made him lose something? What would Redheart think? Or Medley? Or Cheerilee? This wasn’t what a warrior would do. Pokey’s dark light flickered out, and he fell to his knees. “I filled my heart with hate for you,” sputtered Pokey as tears of rage and guilt choked his throat. “And I came here to end your reign of terror.” He looked up at the white alicorn. His yellow eyes were full of the pain of failure. “But you’re not a tyrant any more than I’m an assassin. You’re just like every other pony; you do the best you can with what you have. Sacrifices are always required to achieve good, and I lost sight of the fact that I am that sacrifice this time. ” He slumped to the floor, defeated in spirit and broken in soul. “I have nothing left of me to give. I am a traitor to myself, and all that I’ve ever believed in.” He removed his helm and let it clatter to the floor. Pokey closed his eyes and presented his neck to the princess. “I accept your execution as a sweet mercy. Please swing true.” The dark light that surrounded Celestia’s horn faded as she wrapped her arms around Pokey. She held the unicorn as a mother cradles a child. “I love you Pokey,” she said. “Please forgive me. I promise I’ll never ask anything of you again.” Epilogue No story truly ends. It was the late in the winter when Medley heard hooves knocking from outside. She gathered up her foal, and made for the wooden door. Behind it stood Redheart. Her candy cane scarf accented her cheerful smile. “How is little Rain Fall doing?” she asked. “He’s doing great,” smiled Meldey. “How is Plain Strider handling the winter?” “He keeps claiming to be built for the harsh snows,” said Redheart. “But I know better. He’ll come around and buy some galoshes eventually.” She unwound her scarf and hung it up on a nearby peg. Potpourri dashed up to the white pony and hugged her legs. “Hi!” she exclaimed. Redheart picked up the filly. “Oh, you’ve gotten so big!” said Redheart. “What has your mommy been feeding you?” “Only the finest fruits and vegetables we can afford,” smirked Medley. “I’m so glad you decided to come back to Ponyville.” “Plain Strider wanted to settle somewhere that would accept us,” said Redheart. “And where better than my own home town?” Cheerilee appeared at the open door with a basket of cookies in her mouth. “Well, look who it is!” said Redheart. “Explored any new ruins yet, Dr. Cheerilee?” “Not at all,” said Cheerilee. “A summer break of digging through the hills of Stalliongrad will seem like a picnic compared to these fillies and colts.” She glared at Medley. “Speaking of which, your filly...” “I know, I know,” giggled Medley. “Ingrid Marie told me all about it. I’ll be sure to give her a firm talking to.” “It was pretty funny though,” said Redheart. “There wasn’t any permanent harm done, just a bit of discoloration of her mane. She’ll figure these kids out eventually.” “Is South going to be able to make it?” asked Medley. “I’m afraid he’s in Manehatten these days. We uh...” Cheerilee looked away. “We don’t get to see each other much anymore.” “Oh, dear; I’m sorry to hear that,” said Medley. “I really do like him.” “I do too,” said Cheerilee “We’re going to spend the spring break together, and we’ve got some plans for later in the year. We’ll be okay.” Cheerilee looked out the window. She thought she saw a dark light piercing the falling snow. “Have either of you heard from Pokey?” she asked. Medley shook her head. She poured out a few glasses of wine, and passed them to the other ponies “Not since Fall,” replied Medley. “I think he’s really gone for good this time.” “I hope not,” said Cheerilee. “I miss his foul mouth.” “I miss his crass humor,” admitted Medley. “I miss his company,” said Redheart. “He was always an interesting pony to be around.” They stood in silence a moment with their thoughts. Behind them, a fire warmed the house, and the children happily stood at the hooves of the mares. Cheerilee raised her glass to the ceiling. “To Pokey,” she said. “May he find faith.” “May he find love,” toasted Redheart. “May he find his home,” toasted Medley. ... The moon shined down on the landscape as it climbed through the night. Miles upon miles away, Pokey sat beside the fire with War Jenny. He stared into the Kin’s campfire. A few of the Kin were enjoying the products of good forage, and generally celebrating life. Pokey thought of the news coming from Equestria, and how his quest had played into the changes that were sweeping through the country. The Kin of Luna had started coming back to Equestria after word of the deeds of one had traveled the lands. True to her words, Celestia welcomed home all those who worshiped her sister, and urged peace among equines everywhere. There were growing pains, as was expected with any growing family, but the salvation of Equestria at the hooves of a Kin had helped bridge the gap. “What’s going on inside that head of yours, dear brother?” asked War Jenny. “Not thinking about leaving us again, are you?” Pokey shook his head. “I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever find what I’m looking for,” said Pokey. “Maybe I’ll travel with Trixie for a while. She’s always been good at finding what she’s looking for.” “And what are you looking for?” asked War Jenny. “Meaning,” said Pokey. “I’ve been given all these gifts. I have all these memories and adventures and quests, and nothing seems to tie them together.” He looked up at the moon. “Every night I pray for answers, and every night I come up with nothing.” “Don’t start to doubt your faith, Pokey,” said War Jenny. “You know that they both listen to you.” “My faith is the only thing I’m certain of anymore,” said Pokey. “And I thank Luna for giving me the strength to keep going.” He closed his eyes, and laid his head on his hooves. “So why question her for meaning?” asked War Jenny. “Did you ever consider that what you’re looking for can’t be found here?” Pokey’s head perked up. He looked at his sister as her idea sank in. He nodded, andconsidered the wisdom. “I suppose you’re right, my dear Jenny,” said Pokey. “Finding meaning in life really is that one last quest that we all take.” Pokey stared up at the moon, and prayed to the goddess he knew listened. He offered only thanks, and asked only to see the next moon rise. In the morning, he would pray to the sun, and thank Celestia for a new day. The encounter at the palace had changed him, and given him the faith in both Goddesses that most ponies never felt. It was a sense of completeness that he had been missing his entire life. He looked out onto the campsite, where mules and unicorns foals played together in the moonlight. They would be moving on in the next evening, but where ever they camped was home. Home. Pokey considered the word. Ponyville had never really been his home, though he had resided there for a number of years. The lies he had told himself had brought him only misery. Though he missed Redheart, her happiness had given him the courage to seek him own. Happiness starts at home, and he had found home again in the arms of his Kin. Home was where you could be yourself, and here among the Kin, Pokey was home once more.

Cereal Velocity

153

Princess Luna,Rarity,Sweetie Belle,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Nightmare to Remember

complete

<p>Ancient magicians filled scrolls with their powerful, untested magic. Most of these lay forgotten, lost to the ages. Some, unfortunately for those brave enough to search, are found.</p>

everyone

2011-08-03T19:11:04+00:00

2011-08-03T19:11:04+00:00

That's the thing with magic. You've got to know it's still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you. Charles de Lint Sometimes, Twilight Sparkle simply loved living in a library. The purple pony looked around herself for the first time in what seemed like hours, and gazed at the absolute mess she had made. Abandoned, open books were piled as far as she could see, pages splayed open to whatever subject she had been perusing when another tome had caught her eye. The shelves of the library, lit only by several sputtering candles, were looking rather bare at this point. This was one of her nightly rituals; once the sun had set and Luna had brought the moon to bear upon the landscape of Equestria, Twilight would retreat into her library home and unwind by locking her door and researching a subject that interested her. There was certainly no shortage of material- as small a town as Ponyville was, it still sported an impressively well-stocked selection of valuable references, something that had delighted Twilight when she had first arrived. It didn’t compare to the royal libraries in Canterlot, of course, but it made the town feel a little more like home. The mare rubbed her eyes with an elbow. At the moment, she was hoof-deep in whatever books on magic she could find. Arcane studies was one of her favorite fallback topics. When she couldn’t find anything else interesting, she would read about unicorn magic. Sometimes her research would reveal an interesting tidbit to help her in her own magic use, or perhaps unfold a fantastic tale of the ancient magicians who had pioneered the art. She couldn’t get enough of it; it was her bread and butter. The book currently occupying her attention was written in several languages, including some she didn’t recognize, but that didn’t stop her from trying to decipher it anyway. As far as she could tell, it was a spell book, probably copied from many old scrolls and bound together to make it easier to read. The worn leather cover was plain and black, with a gold leaf trim, and there was no title or other identifying information on the spine. She had fallen in love with the book as soon as she had found it in the endless stacks. It had a mysterious air about it, as if she were holding something extremely powerful. It even smelled good. She had, after about an hour of trying to read the pages, found one that had begun to make sense to her tired eyes. It was definitely a page for a spell, but she couldn’t make out the title of it, and, unlike some of the others, there was no illustration. The procedure for casting it was also extremely long, and mostly incomprehensible. The one thing on the page that she did understand, and the part that captured her attention the most, was the spell’s result. It read: Energies alternate and barriers are demolished. Living substance is rendered inconsequential. All besides is ravished by forces seemingly extradimensional and corporeally unknowable. Transposing this spell leaves the caster as a silent and solitary witness to forever. Twilight’s heart pounded as she read the passage over and over, her imagination playing over what such an event would look like. Surely this spell would require a magician of great power to perform. She toyed with the idea of trying the incantation blindly, but stopped herself almost immediately. Such a thing was surely out of her abilities. And yet she couldn’t stop staring at the page, looking at the symbols of the ancient text, and letting her mind's eye run wild. So enthralled she had been with the page, she hadn’t noticed how late it had become. Her candles had snuffed themselves out one by one as she read, and she was surprised when the last one went out, leaving her in total darkness, unable to see her book. She blinked a few times, and magically lit one of her lanterns. Maybe that was her cue to get some sleep. She got up from her sitting position, stretched her legs, and started to head in the direction of her bed. She stopped, though, and looked at the open book on the floor, seemingly nestled in the countless other volumes. It seemed to stare back at her, inviting her to read more. After a moment, she decided to keep it where it was. In the morning, she said to herself, I will try to figure that spell out. Twilight climbed her ladder, lifted the sheets aside, and crawled into bed, putting her head on the pillow with a contented sigh. Despite her mind still running wild with possibilities, she was asleep instantly. *** The purple pony found herself high upon a castle rampart, looking out between stone murder holes upon a distant, rolling landscape. In the sky above her was neither sun nor moon, but a dusky haze of fiery, luminescent scarlet, casting the entire countryside in deep, bloody shadows. Far in the distance, as far as she could see, Twilight saw equine figures dressed in silver, glimmering armor, wielding steel lances and shields, doing battle against black, amorphous shapes that could only be said to vaguely resemble horses. Behind the armored ponies were lines of terrifying wooden siege artillery, sending their flaming ordnance crashing down upon the shapes that were unlucky enough to be in the line of fire. Beside the siege weapons were lines of pony sharpshooters, each wearing saddle-mounted archery equipment. They fired into the line of shapes along with the larger missiles beside them. Magician unicorns lay the furthest back; their horns alight with power as they tried to turn the tide of the battle. Beside Twilight, similarly-equipped archery ponies were firing from the ramparts onto the battle below, trying to support the armored troops, seemingly oblivious to her presence. Despite their best efforts, the line of black shapes were slowly beating back the infantry and were advancing towards the artillery line, growing ever closer to the castle walls. Where am I? What is this? Twilight could only watch in horror at the scene before her, and did not notice at first when two ponies galloped to her side and yelled her name over the din of the battle. She turned to see Applejack and Fluttershy, both wearing similar armor, though theirs were scratched, dented, and stained with what looked like blood. One of Fluttershy’s wings was torn and held close to her side. “Twilight!” Applejack yelled, panting. Her voice seemed oddly muffled. “We’re out of time! You need to use it!” Use what? I don’t know what you’re talking about! You’re hurt- what happened? Are you okay? What’s going on? “No!” she found herself yelling, for reasons that remained a mystery to her. “I can’t!” Her vision flashed, blurred, the very sound around her skipped a beat, and when she opened her eyes before her stood two new ponies- Rarity and Pinkie Pie, wearing the same armor and sporting the same horrific injuries as the other two. “You have to!” Rarity shouted hoarsely. “They’re at the gates! You’re our last chance!” I’m the last chance for what?! “I can’t!” she found herself repeating. “I don’t know what will happen!” Another flash, another stutter in the world around her, and she saw before her Rainbow Dash, with a pleading, demanding look in her eyes. “Then we’re all going to die!” she screamed. Will somepony tell me what’s going on?! Instead of responding like she wanted to, Twilight found her body turning towards the battle below the ramparts. It was as if she wasn’t in control of herself any longer, if she had ever been to begin with. In the briefest moment of her conversation, the battle lines had drawn impossibly close to the castle, with barely any armored troops left between the black shapes and the gates. She could feel the thundering vibrations of hooves and the clashing of lances below her in her very bones. She closed her eyes and started incanting words she didn’t recognize, for reasons she didn’t understand. There was a precise sequence she was following, but whatever her mouth was doing, she didn’t know what it was. As she spoke, the sound around her dulled into nothing, but the vibrations remained, in an eerie reminder of what was occurring. She could feel her horn glowing with immense power, power she had never felt before. It coursed back from her horn through her body like waves of heat, and she timed her breathing to the pulses of energy as she spoke. It took only a minute. As she spoke the last words, the vibrations ceased. The sound, which had long hinted at leaving, came to an end as well. The world became silent and still around her, and the only thing she could hear was her own breathing. When she opened her eyes, she was no longer on the castle ramparts. She was in a world of inky black, facing one of the black pony shapes, who was a mere foot from her. Where a face should have occupied the head, there was nothing but a set of dead-looking eye sockets. It spoke. You have done well. *** Twilight’s eyes snapped open. She heaved a deep breath, but instantly recognized the library ceiling. She looked around herself, head whipping in all directions, eyes wide, heart beating like a jackhammer. The room was quiet, and it was still dark outside. It took several minutes of tense observation to convince herself that everything was okay. She swallowed, allowing herself to breathe normally. A dream. A nightmare. Once she knew she was safe, she moved with a purpose. She lit one of her candles, levitated it, and climbed back down her ladder. She quickly located the spell book she had left open in the middle of her pile. Lifting the book as well, she held the candle underneath the aged volume until it caught the flame. She watched as the dried pages slowly disintegrated into nothing. She returned to her bed only when she was sure there was nothing left of the book. Some things should stay forgotten.

Cereal Velocity

153

Princess Luna,Rarity,Sweetie Belle,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Nightmare to Remember

complete

<p>Ancient magicians filled scrolls with their powerful, untested magic. Most of these lay forgotten, lost to the ages. Some, unfortunately for those brave enough to search, are found.</p>

everyone

2011-08-03T19:08:29+00:00

2011-08-03T19:08:29+00:00

Logic only gives man what he needs. Magic gives him what he wants. Tom Robbins You have done well. Twilight barely slept the rest of the night, try as she might. When she did manage to nod off, she was haunted by the face she had seen. By the way her friends had looked. By what she had supposedly done. But, mostly, she remembered the words. She was quite sure most of them were nonsense, but the thing that kept running circles around her mind was the phrase she had chanted in her dream. She recalled every word she had said in perfect detail, and couldn’t help but repeat them to herself as she tried to sleep. She wanted to forget them, of course, but they wouldn’t loosen their grip on her subconscious. She couldn’t stop feeling what she had felt when she had cast that spell; the empty world, the lack of sound. It frightened her. She awoke at some point to the first rays of light coming through her observatory window. She couldn’t recall another time when she had been so grateful to see Celestia’s star, but she knew what she had to do. The purple pony got up out of her bed, walked to a table with her rolls of parchment, levitated a quill, and quickly wrote the phrase down word-for-word. It took up almost the entire page when she was finished. She set the quill in the inkwell and took a long look at what she had written. It didn’t make sense- she wasn’t sure why she had assumed it would, but she had felt an intense need to put it down on paper, after… She looked over her balcony at the small pile of ashes lying betwixt several of her books. She was surprised with herself, almost unduly so. Book burning wasn’t usually her style. This was a special case, she said to herself, feeling the need to justify her actions. Nopony has to know. She looked back to the parchment she had written the phrase on. Magically, she rolled it up and carried it with her, suddenly unwilling to part with it, as she descended her ladder and began the long process of cleaning up after herself after last night. The ashes went into a wastebasket, the books to their shelves, and the stray bits of paper to their respective tables. All the while she carried the scroll with her, never setting it down. Finally, it was all she was left with. She hesitated, and set it down on the table. It seemed to look back up at her, with what expression she couldn’t say. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to do with it now that she had it. It certainly hadn’t cleared her head like she thought it might. She shook her head and forced herself to continue cleaning up. This needed to stop- Rarity would be here soon. For the last several weeks, the unicorn designer had been mentoring under Twilight, interested in improving her grasp on magic. Rarity had said it was a purely academic curiosity she had in the arcane- “Darling, I don’t think you should be the only one to know these things!”- but Twilight wasn’t sure that was her real motivation. Maybe she was still embarrassed about the suit of armor business from a while back. Truthfully, though, she didn’t mind teaching magic. It was the one thing she was proud to know like the back of her hoof. She just hoped she’d be in the proper mood for it this morning. The first few weeks of her lessons had mostly consisted of magic theory, which a younger unicorn would have found quite boring, but Rarity had seemed to eat it up. Today was the first real lesson. Twilight cleared a small space in the middle of the library, placing a small table, some books, and her bag next to it. She was halfway through setting up some tea cups when she heard the familiar knock on her door, which opened to reveal the white unicorn. She smoothed her already perfect mane with a hoof. “Good morning, Twilight!” she said cheerily, but her expression softened when she saw the purple mare. “Goodness, dear, you look terrible.” She supposed she did. She hadn’t had time to worry about her appearance. She smiled good-naturedly. “I didn’t get much sleep last night,” she admitted. Rarity lowered a brow. “Perhaps we can do the lesson later? You look exhausted,” she said. “No, no, it’s fine,” Twilight said quickly. She needed this. She needed something mindless to clear her head. Rarity gave her an odd look before giving in and entering the library, sitting down on one of the pillows Twilight had laid out. Twilight did the same, sitting down at the opposite side of the low table. She rummaged in her bag and retrieved a small metal puzzle. She placed it on the table. “Did you read what I asked you to?” Twilight began. “Every word,” Rarity said, looking down at the puzzle. “Then let’s see how much you remember from last week,” she said. She nudged the bits of metal. Rarity took a critical look at it, and levitated it in front of her face, twirling it around and around to get a view of it from all sides. After half a minute, she began to magically manipulate the bits to form the desired shape. She closed her eyes as she worked. Twilight watched and waited. Rarity had a good deal of experience with controlling fine objects with her magic, so she had figured this would be a good place to start. She was right- in under a minute Rarity had completed the puzzle and set it down. She beamed with pride. “Done,” she squeaked. “Good!” Twilight praised, genuinely pleased. It was time for something more difficult for her, though. She levitated the tea kettle, full of water, and poured an amount into one of the cups in front of her. She set the cup in front of the white pony. “Freeze it,” she said simply. Rarity cocked a brow. “Freeze it?” she asked, uncertain. Twilight nodded. She knew the mare had no idea how to do this, but she wanted to see how she handled herself. “It’s a common spell for the weather ponies in Canterlot. Try it.” Rarity concentrated on the water in the cup, and her horn glowed as she tried to do as she was told. The water bubbled a bit, but other than that, nothing happened for a long while. She closed her eyes again, trying to figure out how to perform the spell. Twilight waited a certain amount of time before speaking up softly with her planned lesson. “The water moves, doesn’t it?” she asked. Rarity opened her eyes reluctantly, her horn losing its glow. “Come again?” “Can’t you feel it?” Twilight continued. “Try again.” Rarity looked at her with a lost expression. “Close your eyes, and try again,” she repeated. Rarity did as she was told, her horn lighting up. “Even though it is still, the water moves,” Twilight said softly. “Not to your eyes, but to your magic, it is obvious. It’s almost unnoticeable, but if you go deep enough into the water, you can feel it. There is energy, a force that makes it so. Focus on the cup, and you will feel it,” she said. Rarity remained silent, taking all this in. “Can you feel it?” Twilight asked. Rarity hesitated. “Yes. Yes, I can. I think,” she said. “Don’t think. Can you feel it?” Another moment of hesitation, this one longer. “I can feel it.” “Make it stop,” Twilight said. She could see the look of confusion on her face. “Make the motion stop. Take it away. Remove it.” Rarity’s eyes shut a little tighter and her horn’s glow brightened a bit. In a far shorter time than Twilight had expected, the water in the cup frosted over, cracked, and froze. It hadn’t frozen to the center, but it was definitely mostly ice. Rarity opened her eyes and looked at what she had done with delight. “I did it!” she exclaimed, stamping a hoof onto the ground. Twilight smiled at her success. “So you did feel it,” she stated. “Yes!’ Rarity said, still quite pleased with herself. “That was… exhilarating!” “So, where did you put it?” Twilight asked. Rarity’s smile faded. “What?” she asked. “Where did I put what?” “The energy,” Twilight stated. “Where did you put the energy you took away?” Rarity looked rather puzzled at the question. She laughed uncertainly. “I don’t know, darling,” she answered. Twilight shook her head. “That’s the lesson for today. When you take something away from an object, you have to put it somewhere else. Our magic is powerful, but even we cannot destroy the building blocks of our world. Not even Celestia can do that.” Rarity suddenly didn’t look so proud of her cup of ice. She bit her lip with a slightly guilty look. “So where did I put it?” she asked, looking back up. “I dissipated it into the air for you while you worked,” Twilight said. “I made the room warmer.” Rarity blinked. “That’s all? I didn’t feel anything.” “It was only a cup of cold water,” Twilight pointed out lightly. Rarity’s features relaxed as she understood, but creased once more at the implications. “What happens when you freeze something bigger?” she asked. “Like a lake?” “You don’t do it all at once,” Twilight said off-handedly. “When’s the only time you freeze a lake?” “For winter.” “What else can you do with water during the Winter Initiation?” Rarity looked at her ice, thinking for a moment. “Clouds?” she guessed. “Exactly,” Twilight said. “If you move the energy to the top of the lake, you boil that thin layer of water. If you do it right, you get vapor. The weather pegasus ponies take it from there. In Canterlot, anyway,” she amended. “I don’t know how they do it in Ponyville.” Rarity sighed. “I really must visit my family in Canterlot some time. It’s been too long…” she trailed off. She looked back at Twilight with a sudden interest. “What about a pony?” Twilight’s voice lost some of its luster as she guessed what the white mare was asking. “What about them?” “What happens when… you do that to a pony?” Rarity clarified. At that question, scenes from her dream flashed in front of Twilight’s eyes quicker than she could consciously identify them. The purple mare swallowed and her face turned deathly serious. She was sure that Rarity didn’t mean anything by her question; it was a logical next thing to ask. She had asked the same question herself when she learned that spell. That said, she wanted to leave the correct impression while she had the chance. “Why in Equestria would you want to do that?” she asked dryly, looking straight into her eyes. Rarity caught the hint and averted her gaze. “Duly noted,” she said quietly. An uncomfortable silence filled the air as neither pony said a word. After a moment, though, Twilight gave Rarity a soft smile. “You did well. Would you like some tea?” “Yes, please,” Rarity said, returning her smile, seemingly grateful for the change of subject. Twilight got up, went to the kitchen, and came back with tea bags. The two chatted away the hours amiably about whatever was on their minds, and passed the morning with more magic. The sun was high in the sky when Rarity departed the library with one of Twilight’s books. It wasn’t until many hours after that that Twilight realized her scroll was missing. *** Rarity felt a little guilty about borrowing the scroll she had found on the adjacent table, but she couldn’t help herself. She had never seen magic like that before, but she knew that if she asked Twilight to explain it to her she’d get another lecture. And yet she enjoyed the lectures. At least, she thought she did. Maybe she didn’t. She hated admitting it to herself, but she was jealous of the purple pony. Ever since she had arrived in Ponyville on Celestia’ ticket, she had been jealous. She had enjoyed her position as one of the more powerful magic users in the town up until that point. Certainly, there were better magicians in Canterlot where she had grown up, but in this town she had been revered for her skill. If not her skill itself, then the products of her skill- the finest clothing this side of Hoofington. And then she had showed up, and ever since the incident with that braggart Trixie she had been the go-to pony for her skill with the arcane. Rarity didn’t hate Twilight- far from it. She enjoyed the mare’s company. It wasn’t even a raging jealousy of her magic that she felt. The best way she could put it was… inadequacy. Embarrassment. She felt outdone and outperformed, though she knew that wasn’t Twilight’s intention. She wasn’t used to feeling like this. The uncertainly of the feeling was almost as bad as the feeling itself. Today’s lesson was the clincher, even though she had succeeded with the spell. Rarity shook her head as she entered her shop, locking the door behind her. She wasn’t sure whether she had wanted to outdo or impress her fellow magician when she had asked for the lessons in the first place. Maybe she didn’t want to do either. What she was sure of was that her first real step was this. She was going to fix this. She flattened the stolen scroll out on her table and peered over the words. Most of them she didn’t recognize, but she didn’t care. She didn’t know what this scroll did. She didn’t care about that either. She recalled Twilight’s lesson on incanting spells, and started to speak the words slowly and carefully. She felt her eyes getting heavier with each word, and her horn glowed slightly, casting a pale purple light on the scroll. When she reached the last few words, she relented, closing her eyes and reciting the last bits from memory. She wasn’t sure if she lost consciousness or not, but when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t in Equestria anymore. *** She was at her home in Canterlot. In front of her was a table, with a single needle and a single strand of thread sitting on top of a sheet of fabric. At the other end of the table was her mother, though much younger than she was now. Her youthful face was bright with a smile as she motioned with her hoof towards Rarity. “Go on, dear. What did you want to show mommy?” Rarity looked at the thread before her, and without really thinking, tried to levitate the needle as she had done earlier. Nothing happened. She tried again. Nothing. She stared intently at the needle, willing it with all her might to move just a single inch. The metal pin remained stubbornly in place. Her mother frowned. “What’s the matter, dear?” Rarity looked up at her with a reassuring smile as she continued to try to move the needle. She became more and more frustrated the more she kept at it, as the seconds ticked agonizingly by. Why couldn’t she do it? This shouldn’t be happening. This was supposed to be easy! She practiced for hours! Her mother was waiting; she wanted so badly to impress her, just once; to be a great designer like her! She began to cry out of pure helplessness, at her own failure. No matter how hard she tried, the pin refused to budge. She turned her face upwards, tears in her eyes, to face her mother, and found something in her expression that made her break down completely. Disappointment. *** She was back in that ancient ruined castle, facing down Nightmare Moon. She turned around to find her friends, but discovered she was the only one in the room. She steeled herself. It was up to her. She had to stop the god queen from bringing eternal night to Equestria. Nightmare Moon laughed. “The hero! Is that what you fancy yourself as?” Her horn glowed a deep black and Rarity found herself lifted up into the air, unable to move. She laughed harder, almost a frenzied cackle. “Do you know what happens to heroes?!” her voice boomed. *** She was at her workbench, staring at dozens of sketched designs over dozens of sheets of paper. Each one was rough, undetailed, and terrible. The floor of her shop was littered with tattered bits of fabrics, rolls of string, and discarded sewing implements. *** She was in front of her shop now, but the building was decaying and most of the paint had been chipped away. Windows were broken. There was no one around her, and the sun was covered by thick, black, angry clouds. Rain poured incessantly down upon her coat. Upon the door was a sign that said ‘Closed’. *** She was in front of her friends, each one looking at her with an angry glare on their faces, as if she had mortally offended them. She wanted to say something, to say hello, or to ask what the matter was, but each of them turned away from her in turn. She tried to speak, and nothing came out of her mouth. One by one she was left behind, when at the end all that remained was Twilight Sparkle, who wore the grimmest expression of the five. She narrowed her eyes and spoke a word that had no sound. *** She was in a grassy field, fully lit by Celestia’s bright summer sun. It wasn’t too hot, and there was a cooling breeze that sifted through the tall tufts of grass, making them sway with a comforting shuffling noise. The field was peppered by yellow flowers, and in the distance she just saw more rolling hills. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. She turned around as if by instinct. Behind her was a single apple tree, the only one she could see, with the shape of a pony underneath it. She trotted towards the tree curiously, trying to make out the shape. She was nearly upon the small figure when she recognized the white and purple mane. “Sweetie Belle!” Rarity called out. The filly turned to look at her, a smile on her face. “Hey, big sis! Come join me!” She did, closing the distance between them and sitting down in the shade of the tree. Her sister offered her an apple, which she took happily, munching on the snack. Neither spoke for several minutes, both admiring the scenery before them. Sweetie Belle broke the silence. “You hate her,” she said simply. Rarity looked at her, puzzled. “Who, dear?” “Twilight. You hate her.” “I don’t hate Twilight, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, surprised, though she didn’t completely believe her own words. “That’s not true and you know it. You hate her.” Rarity furrowed her brow and put down her apple. “Who told you-“ “You want her to die,” the filly said. “You want to kill her. You want to show everypony that you’re better than her.” She paused. “Look, there she is now.” Rarity turned. A purple unicorn was standing not ten feet from them. Her mouth moved as if she was calling out Rarity’s name, but she could barely hear her. She turned back to her sister, who was looking at her with a deadpan expression. “Prove to them,” she said. “I know you can do it.” Rarity recoiled, getting to her hooves. She looked between her sister and Twilight, growing more frantic. “Sweetie Belle! What are you saying? What’s going on?!” She heard her name being called by Twilight again, but the sound still reached her as if from a great distance, though closer than last time. When she turned back to her sister, she was gone, replaced by a black, smoky shape that only vaguely resembled a pony. The shape spoke to her in Sweetie Belle’s voice. “It’s what you want, isn’t it?” “No!” Rarity shouted. She heard her name again over the silence. “Why? What has she done for you besides humiliate you?” “She has done no such thing! Twilight is my friend!” she cried, stamping her hoof. The shape ignored her tone and spoke in the same deadpan droll. “No she’s not. Go on. No one will know.” “I’ll know!” “Irrelevant. You’re not leaving this place until you do,” the shape concluded. Rarity’s name reached her ears, again, louder. Rarity had never felt such rage in her life. Rage at things she couldn’t even remember, rage at the shape in front of her, and rage at her own helplessness. It all washed over her like a wave, and just as suddenly as it had come upon her, it was replaced by a single image: a small tea cup, filled with ice. She looked the shape directly where its eyes should have been, and lit her horn with magical energy. She narrowed her eyes, delving deep into the shape and finding that core that she knew would exist. She tore, violently and as hard as she could, the core from the shape. The world around her flashed a brilliant white, the sound stopped, and she heard her name again, louder than ever before. *** “Rarity!” Twilight shouted. She opened her eyes to find the purple unicorn standing over her, with Sweetie Belle behind her, tears in her eyes. She blinked a few times to make sure her world was real. It was. She launched herself upwards and enveloped Twilight in a hug, squeezing her as tight as she could. “I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’m so sorry!”

Cereal Velocity

153

Princess Luna,Rarity,Sweetie Belle,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Nightmare to Remember

complete

<p>Ancient magicians filled scrolls with their powerful, untested magic. Most of these lay forgotten, lost to the ages. Some, unfortunately for those brave enough to search, are found.</p>

everyone

2011-08-03T19:09:10+00:00

2011-08-03T19:09:10+00:00

A nightmare to remember- I’ll never be the same. What began as laughter So soon would turn to pain. The sky was clear and frigid. The air was thick and still. Now I’m not one to soon forget, And I bet I never will. James LaBrie for Dream Theater, “A Nightmare to Remember” Black Clouds and Silver Linings There was a small, awkward pause as Rarity regained her composure and the adrenaline began to dissipate from her body. Twilight hadn’t moved; almost as if she didn’t know how to respond. Rarity let go of her neck and sank back down to the floor with a nervous laugh. “Heh, hello,” she said lightly. Twilight gave her a look that was half confusion and half concern. “Are you alright?” the lilac mare asked slowly. “Sweetie Belle came to get me when she couldn’t wake you up.” Rarity turned over and got to her hooves, dusting herself off and regaining her usual air of confidence. She looked around, discretely, for the scroll. Relieved to find it was still sitting on her desk she turned to Twilight, hoping her teacher wouldn’t see it. “I’m just fine, dear,” she said through the gritted teeth of a, hopefully, convincing smile. Twilight frowned. “Rarity, what happened?” Her tone was decidedly more serious. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean,” Rarity responded, nonchalantly. “Rarity, if there’s something you need to tell me…” Twilight began, before being cut off by her student. “Twilight, darling...” Rarity’s gaze drifted around the room as she attempted to mollify the purple mare. As her focus wandered she came upon Sweetie Belle; the small unicorn looked just as unconvinced as the older pony. “I assure you there is nothing to worry about. I…” She paused for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. “...I had a small accident. I was working a little too hard and probably just fell asleep and hit my head,” she lied through her teeth. “I feel all right now, honest.” She gave Twilight her most disarming smile; the mare kept her frown. “Where’s the scroll?” Twilight remarked flatly. “Scroll?” Rarity asked innocently, glancing away from her teacher. Twilight didn’t respond, looking past Rarity for the piece of parchment. It took no time at all for her to find it splayed open on the table behind the fidgeting white mare. Her mixed expression now shifted to one of shock. “Rarity, this is dangerous magic!” she exclaimed, rolling the parchment up as she lifted it with her telekinesis. “You didn’t read this, did you?” The white unicorn, unsure of what else to say, swallowed nervously. Her head hung slightly, “Twilight, I only-“ “What were you thinking?!” Twilight shouted, preparing for a tirade. “Actually, you weren’t thinking, were you?! You don’t know how these things work! You could have hurt yourself, or worse! What if-“ “Stop yelling at her!” Sweetie Belle interjected angrily. She glared at Twilight with the most damning expression she could muster. “She needs to see the nurse pony- you can lecture her later.” Rarity made a mental note to thank her little sister. She made a show of putting a hoof to her forehead. “Yes, I think that would be best,” she said in a weary voice. Twilight, her expression now a mix of anger and concern, pursed her lips and said nothing. Rarity was afraid she would continue her rant; however, after a momentary pause, she nodded slightly and sighed. “She’s right. Let’s get you checked out,” she said under her breath. “This can wait.” With that, the purple mare stuffed the scroll into her saddlebag and led the two white unicorns out of the workshop. Rarity followed her, genuinely grateful for a chance to at least be examined by a professional. Her skin still crawled as she recalled the images she had seen. She was still nervous and uneasy, but it had just been a dream. She could handle a dream; nevertheless… As soon as the thought crossed her mind, her eyes fell over Twilight’s retreating shadow, cast by the afternoon sun. It could have been her state of mind, or a trick of the light, but the shadow seemed to twist unnaturally. It, for no more than an instant, resembled the spectre she had seen just minutes ago under the apple tree. She blinked her eyes, focusing once more on Twilight’s, now normal, shadow. Yeah, she thought to herself, I definitely need to see the nurse. *** The rest of the day was a blur for Rarity. The nurse pony had given her a clean bill of health, much to Twilight’s apparent relief. Truth be told, though, she didn’t really feel all that well. Every little thing around her seemed to remind her of the things she had seen in her nightmare. A lone apple bumped into her hoof as she made her way down Ponyville’s curiously empty streets. A cursory glance around did not reveal any possible owner for the offending fruit. All of the ponies that would normally have been crowding the midday streets were inside their homes and shops, silhouetted over their windows and doors. Off in the distance a dark storm cloud roiled and heaved. An oddity, as there was no scheduled storm for today, but the thunderhead loomed on. It unnerved her more than she wanted to admit, but she tried to put it out of her mind. Turning her attention to more immediate concerns, Rarity had been fully expecting some kind of lecture or lesson from Twilight after she had left the hospital. However, to her surprise, the purple unicorn simply gave her a knowing look and departed for her library home after bidding her farewell. The designer had mulled it over for the rest of the day. She didn’t remember sleeping that night, or even going to bed. She still had not reached a conclusion as she walked with her sister back to the workshop from the bakery the next afternoon, specifically avoiding Twilight’s library. Maybe Twilight thought she had learned her lesson proper and didn’t need it rubbed in anymore. But that was certainly out of character for her, she reasoned. This was, after all, the pony who gave impromptu lectures on anything to anypony who would pretend to listen. Maybe, said the nasty little voice in the back of her head, she’s reveling in the fact that she was right. Maybe she loves the fact that she taught you something without even trying. Rarity blinked. What a morbid thought, but what if it was true? Surely Twilight wouldn’t act like that, but who knew? Maybe that little episode was what she had been waiting for? Maybe Twilight had purposefully left the scroll where she knew she could find it. It wouldn’t be hard to guess that curiosity could get the better of her student. Maybe she had known exactly what would happen, and was waiting for Rarity to come crawling back to her with her tail between her legs because she knew she didn’t know how to deal with such a simple nightmare; if indeed that was all this was. Rarity tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat. What if that was all there was to it? What if Twilight had found some horrible spell in a book somewhere and written it down just to show her exactly how incapable she was? The words of the creature in her dream echoed through her head. What has she done for you besides humiliate you? A loud thunk drew Rarity back to her senses. She was so lost in her musings that she hadn't paid attention to where she was going; the sound was her hoof hitting the door frame of her workshop forcefully. Sweetie Belle gave her an odd look, concern still evident on her face. Rarity smiled at her quickly, “Lead hooves,” she said. “You don’t look so good,” the diminutive unicorn responded. Rarity ignored her for a moment and walked the rest of the way into her workshop. She needed something familiar to clear her head, and she knew just the thing: Twilight herself had commissioned a dress from her about a week ago, and she had been meaning to work on it between her magic lessons. This was the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. She turned back to her sister, trying to avoid thinking about the dream segment that had featured her, and forced a smile. “Just a little worn out,” she said soothingly. She levitated out a sketched design of a dress and some needles from the drawer next to her. “Do you want to help me with the new dress order?” The unicorn kept her skeptical look. “Now I know you’re not okay. You never ask me to help.” “I could use an extra hoof,” Rarity lied. “I don’t remember any dress orders,” Sweetie Belle persisted. “I’ve had it lying around for a while,” Rarity answered. The white unicorn looked at the sketched design; it had stars on the hem, and an ornate headpiece that ended with several graceful curves. The color guide suggested generous amounts of purple and dark blue fabric; it was obviously meant for a unicorn. “It’s not for Twilight, is it?” the foal queried. Rarity looked at the paper. “Is it too obvious?” she asked, worried. The paper suddenly seemed very unfamiliar to her, as if she drawn it while half asleep. “I could cut down on the stars…” “Twilight doesn’t usually go around wearing dresses,” Sweetie Belle said slowly. “Actually, she’s never commissioned anything from you before.” Rarity’s face fell and some of the enthusiasm left her voice as she put the design back on the table. “Sweetie, why does all this matter?” “It’s just weird, is all,” the diminutive unicorn said neutrally. “Don’t you think?” “No?” Rarity answered. A small nagging voice seemed to be just on the edge of her mind. Shaking her head, Rarity motioned Sweetie Belle toward one of the nearby tables. “Now, be a dear and grab me some of the lavender velvet and some white thread,” she asked, blinking her eyes in what she hoped was a pleading gesture. The filly complied after a moment, crossing the room to gather the supplies. Rarity turned back around and began to set up a mare mannequin. From across the room, Sweetie Belle spoke up. “Are you going to kill her for this?” she asked. Rarity’s blood turned to ice as her heart skipped a beat. Her head whipped around to face her sister. “What was that?” she squeaked. The filly turned around, wearing a confused look. “I said, are you going to bill her for this? She did help me wake you; it might be nice if you didn’t.” Rarity’s heart sat in her throat and her hooves felt numb. She swallowed hard, “Oh; oh, of course. I hadn’t thought of that.” She said, almost breathlessly. Her sister waited a beat with expectant eyes. “So, are you?” she asked again. Rarity blinked, “Oh! Oh,” she said, realizing she had forgotten to answer the question. “I suppose not.” She forced another smile, suddenly feeling very lightheaded. “Thank you, Sweetie.” The small unicorn kept her confused look. “If you’re going to pass out again, let me know in advance,” she said lightly, putting on a small smirk. *** I am not going back to her. I can handle this myself. That was the mantra Rarity repeated silently to herself as she and her sister worked diligently on the dress. Truth be told, she didn’t remember much of the process; only that it wasn’t going very well, and the two had abandoned the project after about an hour of work. They had promised to pick it back up later, but that was halfhearted at best. As Sweetie Belle retired to her room for a nap, Rarity couldn’t help but wonder if she was going crazy. She felt physically ill; whatever was going on here was clearly out of her control, which in turn made her angry with herself. I can handle this! And, yet, it appeared that she was completely incapable of such a feat. Helplessness dutifully added itself to her cocktail of emotions. And yet, if she crawled back to that insufferable purple unicorn, she would just prove to her, much less to herself, that she wasn’t competent enough to wield the magic she had been born with. She sat down in a nearby chair with a huff and tried to clear her head, standing up again almost instantly. She needed some tea; tea was always good for calming the nerves. The white unicorn walked to the edge of the hallway, heading to the smallish kitchen directly adjacent to her workshop. She pulled the teabags out from a nearby cupboard and levitated her favorite tea kettle and cup from another. After filling the kettle with water, she set it up to boil on the stove. She took one of the tea bags out of the container and tore it open. Her comforting routine stopped for a moment as she looked at the tea bag still suspended in the air. She never usually thought about how she used her magic from day to day, and yet, here she was, doing something that any earth pony and any pegasus would give their left hoof to try, much less be able to do. Maybe I don’t need to be the best. As the thought settled, she calmed down for what seemed like the first time in a very long while. Perhaps it was the very novelty of such a thought that soothed her. She had within her a gift, and maybe, she thought to herself, I forget that sometimes. The kettle let out a hiss, hot steam letting Rarity know the water was ready. She levitated the kettle, and poured a measured amount of the boiling water into her cup. With that she turned around to set the kettle aside. A gasp caught in her throat when she turned back to put the tea bag in the cup; the previously scolding water had turned to solid ice. Out of instinct and shock more than anything else, Rarity lashed out with her magic, sending the teacup flying across the room and into the wall with a sharp telekinetic discharge. The porcelain shattered, splashing still steaming water along that side of the room. Rarity stood motionless for many minutes. Her breathing was erratic and the calm feeling she had so briefly savored just a moment ago was but a fleeting memory. She stared at the remains of her favorite cup, desperately trying to convince herself that what she had seen was real. And yet, across the floor, the steam still rose from the water she herself had poured. With a grim realization, Rarity knew what she had to do. She knew who she had to see, and it was a pony far more powerful than Twilight. *** It wasn’t every day you got to see a monarch in person. Under normal circumstances such a thing would be impossible on such short notice, but these were not normal circumstances. Upon her arrival at Canterlot’s royal court an hour later, Rarity had asked the gate guards for an audience with Luna. Maybe they recognized her as one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Maybe Luna was more lenient with her visitors than Celestia. Whatever the case may have been, in under fifteen minutes she was waiting for the god queen in the royal library. Strangely, it was devoid of any other pony. The depository smelled faintly of dust and paper. The towering stacks of volumes around her were slightly intimidating; it had the air of a crypt, it was so quiet and still. Rarity much preferred the friendly atmosphere of Twilight’s library, but it was a little late to turn back now. In what seemed like no time at all, Luna had entered the library and shut the door behind her. Rarity had expected to see guards outside the door before it closed, but there were none. The princess was wearing naught but her crown, but she was still an intimidating sight, even scaled down from Nightmare Moon as she was. She seemed even more daunting in the comparative darkness of the library than she ever did in Celestia’s daylight. Rarity swallowed, remembering the night she had helped redeem her. Maybe she could do the same for her. The alicorn sat down next to Rarity quietly and fluffed her wings. “You said it was urgent,” she said in a neutral tone, inviting her to speak. Rarity did so, recounting everything that had happened after she had woken up from her spell-induced nightmare, including, somewhat to her embarrassment, her feelings of jealousy about Twilight. She had no idea what might be relevant, so she left nothing out. Luna listened quietly throughout her tale. At the end of her story, Luna sat for a moment, considering her words. She levitated a pitcher of pure water and poured a small goblet, offering it to Rarity. She took it gladly as Luna poured one for herself. “Let me ask you something,” Luna began. Rarity nodded. “Yes, princess?” “How do you think you got here so easily?” Rarity was confused by the question at first, and was about to respond in kind, but after thinking it over for a minute, she realized that her journey here had indeed been rather uneventful. Actually, now that she was trying to recall it, it slipped away from her. Luna continued without letting her respond. “Twilight would never have let you leave that house in the first place. She would have felt too guilty about her scroll and what it might have done to you. Your sister would have been far more illogical than she was. She would have never thought to bring to you a nurse. She would have been driven to help you herself.” Rarity was still trying to absorb Luna’s strange wording. “Her scroll?” Luna put her own goblet down. “Think about it. Twilight’s most prized possessions are her books. All of her spells are in her books. She doesn’t keep scrolls, she keeps books. When was the last time you saw her use a scroll for a spell?” Rarity tried to remember a single time in their lessons. She couldn’t. “Was the scroll written in her hoofmanship?” Luna asked, with a hint of finality in her voice. “Yes,” Rarity admitted slowly; it had been. “She wrote that scroll herself,” Luna said, her tone keeping its certainty. She took a sip from her goblet before continuing her thought. “Does Twilight strike you as a competent enough magician to compose a scroll-long incantation by herself?” Rarity hesitated, biting her lip. “Don’t be afraid to answer honestly. Remember your time in Canterlot and Twilight’s lessons. Incantations are extensive and complicated affairs only done by classically trained arcane scholars. They are not things to be left lying around on library tables.” Rarity sat stoic, unsure how to respond. “Did Twilight write that spell herself?” Luna prodded. “Probably not,” Rarity said, caving to Luna’s logic. “Exactly,” the princess said. “She was, in all probability, experimenting with an existing spell. Your fears about any deception on her part are unwarranted; you were never meant to see that scroll. Therefore, whatever she wrote is almost certainly not having its desired effect on you. Whatever that effect might have been, I cannot say for certain.” Rarity had finally connected the dots, but almost wished she hadn’t. Her heart jumped into her throat as her head whipped towards the princess. “I’m still asleep?” Luna looked her calmly in the eyes for the first time. “It is a possibility.” Rarity opened and shut her mouth several times, unable to think of anything to say. She looked around herself and realized that the library had shifted slightly from just moments ago, the minor changes now painfully obvious before this new realization. Some of the stacks had been shuffled slightly, leaving several of the books’ spine lettering changed. Though she couldn’t remember what they had originally said, she innately knew they were different. Tentatively, she gazed into her goblet; it was empty. “Is it such a surprise?” Luna asked, her eyes not leaving her cup as she took a sip. Rarity’s head swam as the world around her seemed to distort with her hyperventilation. “But… I…” Luna looked up from her goblet. Her face did not belie any hint of emotion. “Calm yourself, Rarity, and think. I have given you no new information. Everything I told you just now you already know, had you been able to see it. Accept the thought that everything you’ve experienced in the last day or so was all in your head. It is quite probable that you are simply occupying a new layer of the spell now; loosened from it’s grasp, but still tethered. Your rebellion against the rogue magic in your system caused your ascension. There is nothing more going on here.” Rarity could scarcely believe what she was hearing, and yet, beneath her panic, she realized Luna was making sense. She had been more lucid in the past twenty four hours than she had been since she cast the rogue spell, whatever lucidity counted for in this realm. The more she considered Luna’s words the more she realized the princess’s conclusion was the only correct one. She turned back to the god queen, trying to calm herself with more questions. “So, if you’re not Luna, who are you?” Rarity queried. “You,” Luna responded plainly. “Or, rather, your magic. Your subconscious is still mostly trapped beneath the layers of the rogue spell, despite the impressive damage you did to it.” Rarity swallowed, accepting the vague compliment. She knew the answer to the next question, but had to ask it anyway. “So, can I wake up?” “No. Not without my help,” Luna said. “That’s why I drew you to me.” “But I came to you,” Rarity protested weakly. “Remember that you’re still asleep,” Luna reminded her, looking away to take another sip from her goblet. “Your thoughts at this moment are only fragments that were able to free themselves from the lower layers of the spell; they have little basis in reality. I was able to connect them into something resembling consciousness so I could speak with you here. Hence, your increased lucidity within the past day or so; though in reality, much less time has passed. Twilight will surely be trying to wake you, as well. Whether she will be successful, I do not know.” Rarity nudged her goblet with a hoof- a sweet smelling purple liquid sloshed inside the container. She should have been able to draw that conclusion. Perhaps she wasn’t as self-aware as she thought she was, whatever that meant. She took a long moment to mull over the situation. “How were you able to do all this?” she asked, finally. “Magic works in mysterious ways,” Luna said simply. “Even your own, though you think it less powerful than you’d like it to be. Remember that.” At those words, the world around both of them shifted dramatically into a sunny beachfront. Rarity looked down in shock at the pillow she had been sitting on, now nothing more than a pile of sand. In the background she heard crashing waves, and seagull cries pierced the air in the distance. A beach ball now sat between them instead of a table. Luna hummed as she took in the scene. “This layer is destabilizing,” she said in her unwavering tone. She turned towards the white unicorn. “Listen to me carefully, because I won’t be able to speak to you after this.” Rarity nodded, trying to keep her breathing under control. “I’m listening.” Luna pushed the beach ball away, deflating it in the process. “When you descend back into the lower layers, I’ll be with you. You need to find and confront the shadow again. The darkness is the source and the symptom of this invasion. No doubt you have already figured this out. What you don’t know, and therefore I do not know, is what the shade is a manifestation of; what it represents.” Rarity rubbed a hoof on her face to make sure she was still there, still trying to take all this in. Her grip on the world seemed to be slipping away with each passing second. Parts of her body were becoming numb and it was growing more and more difficult to think. “How do you know it’s supposed to symbolize something?” “Magic knows magic,” Luna said. Her crown was now a seagull. “It’s up to you to figure out what the purpose of the darkness is. I think that when you do, you’ll find your way out. With my help this time, of course,” she added. “I’m with you every step of the way. Okay?” The world around Rarity buckled and heaved. “Okay!” she said with as much force as she could muster. “Good,” Luna said, her voice seemed to resonate from all directions as the world faded. “Good luck.” *** Rarity found herself on a cloud, and one that was pretty high up, by the looks of it. Her purple mane rippled in a gentle wind, and the sun shone vibrantly, but not terribly warmly, upon her. The town below her resembled a caricature of Ponyville more than real buildings. She couldn’t see any ponies in the streets, the roads seemed abandoned. The orange filly beside her sipped something from a delicately sculpted glass. “You were saying?” Scootaloo asked. Rarity looked back at the small pegasus. “Pardon?” “About Celestia,” the foal clarified. “What were you saying?” Stalling for a moment, Rarity looked at her own glass; an empty goblet stared back at her. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” she said after a moment. Scootaloo swished the liquid in her glass. “That’s okay, I’ll pick it up; is Celestia a god?” “Well, she’s a princess, and she can control the path of the sun…” Rarity trailed off. “That’s not what I asked, though,” the filly said. “Is she a god?” “I suppose so,” Rarity said slowly. “Her magic surpasses everypony else’s, and she was certainly powerful enough to banish Luna when the need arose.” “Did she create Equestria?” Scootaloo prodded. Rarity thought for a moment. “No.” “Then who did?” the filly asked. “Good question,” she hummed. “So,” Scootaloo said, getting up from her sitting position and walking to the edge of the cloud, away from Rarity. She spread her wings and let the wind catch them, ruffling her feathers. “Who’s to say that she is a god?” *** Rarity found herself amongst objects that reflected the light so violently that she had to shield her eyes for a moment. When she brought down her hooves, she saw around her a mountain of the most beautiful gems she had ever seen. Every color of the rainbow blanketed her in a wave of radiance that made her eyes sparkle with pure delight. The ground beneath her rumbled. She heard a noise not unlike an earthquake behind her- whipping her head around, the last thing she saw was an enormous black and gold dragon, returning to protect his treasure. *** The frenzied roar of the crowd could be heard through the thick red curtain separating Rarity from her destiny. She could feel the hot spotlights and the eyes of thousands of ponies anxiously awaiting her appearance. She looked down at herself; this was the most beautiful dress she had ever designed and it fit her curves perfectly. She had never looked more stunning in all her life, and now she was going to prove it. Brushing back her perfectly-groomed mane, she stepped out onto the runway. Except there was no runway. There was no crowd. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the theater, Rarity realized that there was absolutely nopony there. The sounds that had previously deafened her faded away, as the spotlights faded to black. *** The space around her was filled with an absolute darkness, making discerning her location an impossibility. In front of her was a mare with slate blue fur, and a duo-tone mane to match. She wore a purple cloak and a pointed hat with decorative stars embroidered on the fabric. Levitating in front of the cloaked pony, in a magical purple haze, was a single flower, with purple pedals. She looked at it with a neutral expression. “It’s just a trick, you know; the flower,” the blue mare said softly. She levitated it towards Rarity. “Would you like it?” Rarity gently plucked the flower out of the air with her mouth, unsure of what to say. The mare continued. “It’s life that I’ve created,” she said. “Isn’t it? The flower is alive. And yet…” she trailed off, looking forlornly at her cloak. “… and yet, it’s still a trick.” The blue unicorn looked back up at Rarity. “Is it still life, if it’s all a trick?” Rarity, still unsure of how to respond, gave the mare a comforting look. In response, she gave a small smile. “I guess… if the ponies like it, what’s the difference?” she asked gently. *** “You’re useless!” Twilight yelled, pushing the metal puzzle box and everything around it off the table. The mass hit the floor with a loud clatter, a heap of scrolls, books, and the remains of a teacup. Rarity opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a glare from the purple unicorn. “Useless!” Twilight repeated, louder than before. “A foal could do that spell! You’ve been at this for an hour and you can’t do a simple levitation spell!“ She got up in a huff, and walked several paces away from the table, breathing heavily in frustration. Rarity swallowed deeply. “I only…” she began. Twilight twirled around, fire in her eyes. “You only what?! You’re an embarrassment!” she shouted. “It’s no wonder you left Canterlot! Obviously you weren’t good enough to stay there. That was pitiful!” Rarity felt her composure slipping away from her. “If you-“ “And you call yourself a unicorn!” Twilight yelled. “You might as well get your horn removed. There’s nothing I can do with you. Get out of my house!” At that, Twilight turned back around, and began to pick up the items that she had prepared for that day’s lecture, the majority of which were now scattered on the floor. Rarity watched her for a few moments before gathering the strength to speak again. She felt like she was at the edge of tears. “Please…” she said softly, trying to control her voice. “Give me another chance. I’ll do better. I promise.” Twilight turned around, an incredulous look on her face. Rarity cringed, expecting her to yell at her again. “Another chance?” she said, with barely contained frustration. “Another chance? Okay, here’s your chance.” Twilight’s horn glowed a brilliant lavender, and Rarity felt her throat magically constrict. Her eyes opened wide as she gasped for breath around the crushing force. Twilight’s face became impassive. “What are you waiting for?” she asked. “Stop me. Surely you can do that!” Rarity brought her hooves to her throat and fell backwards off of her pillow in pure panic, all magical ability forgotten. Her heart raced in her chest as her view of the ceiling began to blur at the edges. Her back hooves kicked uselessly against the air and scuffed the floor of the library as she fought for even a single gasp of air. She heard Twilight’s tirade continue to echo across the room. “Even when your life depends on it, you can’t save yourself!” she shouted. “You don’t deserve your magic! You don’t deserve your gift!” Just when Rarity thought she might lose consciousness, the magical hold on her neck loosened and dissipated. She took a few choking, shuddering breaths, and her vision gradually returned to normal. In her thrashings, she had ended up looking at the door to the library. She thought she saw a face behind the frosted glass. She thought she heard knocking. She didn’t care. Getting to her hooves, she turned to face her teacher, who had a smug, satisfied look on her insufferable face. “Go ahead,” Twilight said softly. “Do what you wish; I welcome it.” Rarity’s face twisted into a snarl; she intended to. Lighting her horn with magic, she leveled it directly at the purple mare. She knew exactly what spell she was going to use. Before she could, though, she heard the door behind her open. “Rarity, stop!” a familiar voice shouted from behind her. She didn’t know what it was about the voice that caused her to pause, but she did. She kept her gaze on Twilight, who kept her arrogant expression, but otherwise made no move to challenge whoever had entered the library. A moment passed, then two. No pony in the room moved. The silence around them was stifling. “Rarity, look at me,” the voice said. Every fiber in her being was telling her to use her magic against her former friend. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she shook with the rage that she felt. Despite all that, despite what had happened just a moment ago, the voice behind her was like a crystal tone in her ears, lending clarity to her chaotic, strained thoughts. She still desperately wanted to tear the smirk from Twilight’s face, but… Against her better judgment, Rarity turned around and leveled her horn at the newcomer instead. She recoiled instantly, the flare of magic dissipating from her horn before a blue pegasus. Standing before her, proudly displaying her feathers, was Rainbow Dash. Beyond the multicolored pony, through the door, was only pitch blackness. Where Ponyville should have proudly stood was naught but a void. The rainbow-maned pony’s expression shifted to one of determination as she levied her gaze on Twilight. “Rarity, you’re going to do exactly what she wants you to do,” Rainbow Dash said. “Don’t! Just trust me. She learned from last time, and it’s what she’s counting on.” Rarity wanted dreadfully to tell the mare exactly what had just happened; what Twilight had done, but as she was about to, she was cut off, as if Dash had read her thoughts. “Look, that’s not Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said quickly, “It never was. Twilight would never do these things to you. Think! I can’t do this for you!” Rarity furrowed her brow as she listened to the pegasus; she was saying absolute nonsense. This was clearly Twilight in front of her now; and yet, now that Dash had said it, Rarity started to notice that this situation wasn’t exactly normal- but not in so many words. It was strange in a way she couldn’t put her hoof on. She was still angry, but a new emotion was settling over her; one that she couldn’t identify. She was torn; she didn’t know what to think, and it frightened her. Twilight spoke up from the opposite corner of the room. “Clearly, you are confused,” she said in a low, hauntingly familiar voice. “You shut your mouth!” Dash snarled. “Rarity, listen to me-“ “Why should you?!” Twilight yelled, louder. “You know what you want to do. It’s what you’ve wanted to do for a very long time. So seize your chance! Do it!” “Rarity, don’t!” Dash yelled. If she had been torn before, Rarity had no idea what to think now. Would Twilight have done those things to her? Maybe she deserved it; maybe she deserved to be ridiculed. But what had she done? Maybe she hadn’t done anything? So why was Twilight so angry with her? All she wanted, all she ever wanted, was to impress her. As the questions fought for supremacy in her mind, her thoughts became a morass of emotion and helplessness that she couldn’t control, much less fight. She slowly sunk to her knees in defeat, and tears filled her eyes. Rarity choked back a sob. “I give up,” she said, softly. “I can’t do this. I’m… I’m useless.” “You are not useless!” Dash said. “I can’t name one other pony in Equestria who has stood by her friends like you have! Stood by me! Stood by everypony, even when things were at their worst!” The words resonated in Rarity’s head the same way that Dash’s earlier ones had. As suddenly as they had come, the tears in her eyes dried. She turned her head towards the sky blue mare. On her face was nothing but admiration; she was telling the truth. “Of course I’m telling the truth, feather-brain!” Dash spouted. “She’s just telling you that to make you doubt yourself later,” Twilight shouted from across the room. Rarity whipped her head around to look at her once again. The fire in her eyes had returned. Twilight redoubled her efforts. “She’s manipulating you!” Another voice came from behind Rarity. “You held your ground against the diamond dogs. I’m not sure I could have done that,” it said. Rarity turned once again. Standing behind Rainbow Dash were three other ponies; Fluttershy, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. She recognized the voice as Applejack’s, who gave her a gleaming smile. “They’re lying to you!” Twilight’s voice took on a grave quality, becoming louder. Her exclamation seemed to fill the room. Fluttershy spread her wings with pride. “You helped us redeem Nightmare Moon!” Pinkie Pie beamed her widest smile. “You helped me realize that I hadn’t actually lost something that I held dear to my heart.” Twilight snarled behind her. “Do you think all of that redeems you?!” Again, Rarity turned towards her teacher. The purple mare pawed angrily at the ground, “Do you think any of those things matter?!” “They matter to me,” came a soft voice said from behind her. When Rarity turned round to face this new voice, she saw a second Twilight; standing in the center of the group of ponies. Not an angry, vengeful Twilight, but one with the most tender of expressions and the most sincere of smiles. “They matter to me, because you helped me realize you’re the best friend a pony could ever ask for,” she said. Friend. The word rang like a bell through Rarity’s muddled thoughts. She gazed upon this new Twilight’s face, searching for any hint of deceit. She found none. All she saw in her friend’s face was happiness; no judgment, no anger, no hate. She looked at the rest of her friends, gathered around her, lending her support. They all wore the same warm expressions, silently standing behind Twilight’s words. They didn’t have to say anything. They all felt the same way, and Rarity knew it. She knew, now. She knew how to leave this place, this plane of misery. Rarity stood up and turned, one last time, to face the Twilight Sparkle she now knew wasn’t real. However, what stood in her place was a smoky, black, amorphous shape, with a unicorn’s horn and a pegasus’ wings. The creature’s eye sockets were filled with fire, which gave off embers that floated lazily into the air. Though it had no face, Rarity could feel the rage it held; the rage that she could now put a feeling to. It was her own; her own rage, her own envy, her own blind, stubborn, jealousy for Twilight and for herself. With this realization came an overwhelming sense of calm; she knew what she had to do. She walked, slowly and deliberately, towards the shape. On her way to the pedestal on which it stood, Rarity magically picked up the fallen puzzle pieces. The creature didn’t move an inch as she approached. When she was a mere step away from it, she stopped, staring it straight in the eyes. “I know what you are,” she said calmly. “You have accomplished nothing. You can’t kill me. I am a part of you,” the shape said, in a twisted and grotesque masquerade of Twilight’s own voice. “I’m not going to kill you,” Rarity said simply. Releasing her magical hold on the puzzle pieces, she dropped them on the floor directly in front of the shade. She never broke her gaze with the fiery eyes. “Solve it,” she said forcefully. The shade hesitated for the smallest of instants. “What game are you playing?” Recognizing the shape’s refusal, Rarity again picked up the puzzle with her magic. Holding it directly between her and the abomination, she began to rotate the pieces, looking for their overall pattern. She fitted piece to piece, section to section, slot to slot in an attempt to solve it, as she had done in the real world not hours ago. The minutes seemed to drag on forever, but she refused to look anywhere else but at the face of the alicorn in front of her. As she got closer to completing the puzzle, the pieces changed slightly, refusing to let her continue. Determined, she rearranged the offending portions, but they changed shape once again. Every time they would do so, she would back up and resolve that part. After what seemed an eternity, she was left with the best solution she could possibly derive- yet despite her confidence in it, there was a piece missing. A hole, directly in the center. Rarity could have sworn she saw the alicorn grin. “You fight against something than cannot be defeated,” it said in a low voice. “If you truly know what I represent, you would not try.” And just like that, the final piece of the metaphorical riddle clicked into place for Rarity. She stared directly through the hole at the shape, and closed her eyes. Reaching out with her magic, she enclosed the shade with it, delving deep into the center of the mass, looking for the energy she knew existed. When she found it, she resisted the urge to do what she so desperately had wanted to do just moments ago. Instead, she took what she found and brought it out gently, fitting the energy into the last section of the now completed puzzle. When she opened her eyes, the shape was no longer present. In the puzzles place, there now floated a solitary apple. Rarity laughed. It was over. *** “You did it,” Luna said from beside her. They were back on the beach. She heard the gentle sound of waves lapping the shore, and the familiar cry of the seagulls. Rarity smiled at her. “With your help,” she responded. “I am you, remember?” Luna said playfully, nudging her with a hoof. Rarity positively beamed. “Never doubt yourself. You are stronger than you could ever imagine.” Rarity swallowed, her smile fading. “Thank you; for teaching me that.” Luna only motioned at the sun above them. “It is something that few ever learn. Go on, your friends are waiting.” Rarity looked up to the sun, and the world faded again. *** When she awoke, she found herself on a cot. She recognized the nurse pony’s office immediately. As she blinked the lights out of her eyes, she saw a number of faces standing over her, all wearing concerned expressions. She recognized them as well. Her friends, every one of them. She heard one of them ask if she was okay, though it came through somewhat muffled. She turned her head slowly to locate the source of the question. Her eyes drifted towards a purple mare, Twilight, her eyes looked red, as if she had been crying. Rarity could only smile. “Am I home?” she asked wearily. Twilight’s eyes were flooded with tears as she returned her smile. “You’re home.” End

Bjornfot

154

Main 6,Adventure,Dark,Random,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Object

complete

<p>This was a random thingy I made for the 300-word event way back on EqD.</p><p>It is actually exactly 300 words, but the word-counter on this site is fail.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T15:40:53+00:00

2011-07-11T15:40:53+00:00

Twilight Sparkle was busy reading in her library as she heard a light knocking sound. She closed her book and began trotting towards the door, now opening it with her magic as she prepared to greet her unexpected guest. “H-hello T-Twilight...” the shy, yellow pegasus managed to blurt out, stammering. “We... uhm...” A blue blur leaving a rainbow trail behind flew in through the door and landed on the opposite side of the room. “So, I was helping Fluttershy look for one of her chickens that had ran off into the Everfree Forest, when we found this... really strange thingy. It’s most certainly magical, we thought you maybe would like to have a look at it. I’ve never seen anything like it before!” Rainbow Dash said with great enthusiasm. “Great, we can bring it here to my library so I can study it!” Twilight responded. “Well, in that case we might need some help, it’s really big and probably heavy too.” After gathering Applejack and Rarity to help with pulling and magical levitating respectively, they soon sat on the floor of the treehouse. It was a peculiar thing indeed. Perfectly cube shaped, three feet tall, made out of a hard, shining material. Flashing lights, odd-looking buttons and levers and bright displays with strange symbols decorating it. A faint *beep* could be heard every second or so. “Hey, what’s that? What does the red button do?” said a bouncing pink pony that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. “Pinkie? Don’t touch any-” Twilight's words were too late, as the giggling filly already had begun to press random buttons. The others watched in horror as the object started to glow and beep intensely. A loud explosion echoed through all of Equestria as Ponyville was razed to the ground. The End.

Vanner

156

Rarity,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Carousel

complete

<p>When Fluttershy asks Rarity where she learned to sew, she learns that remembering where you came from isn't always easy.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T15:42:28+00:00

2011-07-11T15:42:28+00:00

Carousel Rarity pushed the last of the pins in place, supporting the satin skirt long enough for her to make her final stitches. The deep blue contrasted beautifully with Fluttershy’s natural yellow, and made for an extraordinarily unique dress. “Oh, Fluttershy, this is going to be my best dress ever!” she declared. “You’re just such a perfect model. Whatever would I do without you?” “Oh, um, I’m sure you’d be fine, Rarity,” replied Fluttershy. “I mean, most of us are the same size, so you’d be okay, I think...” Her soft voice trailed off leaving the thought to hang. Rarity scoffed as she lifted the dress over Fluttershy’s wings and back onto the dummy. “My dear pegasus,” scolded Rarity. “You really need to be more assured of yourself. You are a perfect model, even if you don’t care for the lights and photos.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin and considered the stitching for a moment. “And besides, you know nearly as much about fashion as I do. Where ever did you learn such a thing?” “Oh, I read a lot,” whispered Fluttershy. “I get a few magazines, and I’ve always liked the industry.” She fluttered over to observe Rarity stitching the skirt to the bodice. “But I could never afford to do what you do; it’s just so expensive. With all the fabric and the gems that you use, you’re lucky you can find them whenever you need them.” “I do have a gift,” beamed Rarity. “I’m glad that my gem finding spell was able to help me along the way.” “I know that’s how you got your cutie mark,” said Fluttershy. “But with that spell, why didn’t you become a jeweler? Where did you learn to sew?” Rarity’s concentration broke at the question. Her needle and thread clattered to the floor. Fluttershy took a step back, and bowed her head looking ashamed. “I’m so sorry, is that a sore subject?” Rarity forced a grin. “No, no, it’s fine,” she stammered. She was interrupted by a knock on Carousel Boutique‘s front door. She looked up the clock, realizing it was time for the mail. She trotted over to the front door and opened it with a wave of her horn. Outside stood the grey mailmare, Derpy Hooves. “Package for you,” grinned the wall-eyed pegasus. “Thank you dear,” replied Rarity, lifting the package from Derpy’s hooves. “How do you manage to come at the same time every day?” “Precise scheduling,” saluted Derpy. She reached into her saddle bags, and pulled a wad of envelopes from it. “Here’s the rest of your mail. See you tomorrow!” With that, Derpy flew away to her next delivery. “Oh, um, what’s in the package?” asked Fluttershy, coming down the stairs. “It’s patterns!” sang Rarity. “I can’t wait to see them! Back upstairs with you, I’ve got to try them right away!” Later that afternoon, Fluttershy found herself unable to concentrate. It was a perfectly innocent question, right? It’s not like something bad had happened? She fretted and paced in her cottage, unsure if she had upset Rarity. She had to know, but who to ask? Twilight Sparkle would have an answer. Fluttershy trotted out the door towards the Ponyville library. The long walk into town was refreshing as always, and Fluttershy found herself humming as she approached the library. She had almost forgotten why she came here at all. The Library door was open, so she stepped timidly inside. “Twilight? Are you here?” she called quietly. Seemingly in response to Fluttershy’s question, Spike crashed on the floor in front of her in a cloud of books. The startling crash spooked Fluttershy so badly she spun around to run, only to be greeted by the door frame. Fluttershy went down in a heap. “Ow,” groaned Spike from the floor. He lifted his head to see Fluttershy also on the floor, looking concussed. “Hey Fluttershy, what are you doing here?” “I came to see Twilight,” mumbled Fluttershy, “but all I can see now are stars.” “She’s not in,” replied Spike, prying his spikes from the floor. He hopped to his feet and helped Fluttershy to hers. “She just left to go see Rarity, so she’s probably at the Carousel Boutique.” “Why aren’t you with her?” asked Fluttershy, coming unsteadily to her feet. “Are you kidding? Looking like this?” he asked, showing himself off. Fluttershy noticed his was covered in paper dust and cobwebs that hadn’t been knocked off by his fall. “I’ve been cleaning to top shelves most of the day. Something about Twi’s parents coming into town.” “It’ll be nice to meet them, I’m sure,” said Fluttershy, quietly. She looked around the library for a moment and frowned. “Well, uh, I’ll catch up with her later I guess.” “See you later,” replied Spike climbing the stairs back to the stacks. “I’ll tell her you stopped by.” Fluttershy fluttered off towards the center of town with no real idea where to go next. Applejack wouldn’t know anything, and Pinkie’s information just wasn’t reliable. The only other pony who would know would be... “Sweetie Bell!” she said to herself. Of course she would know all about her sister. She fluttered off to her home, humming to herself again. She’d find out where she went wrong soon enough. Fluttershy easily found Sweetie Belle’s home, a small two story house on the edge of town, a few blocks away from Carousel Boutique. She knocked gingerly and waited a few second for the door to swing open; behind it stood a tiny white unicorn. “Hi Miss Fluttershy,” said Sweetie Bell. “Did you need something?” “I did, Sweetie Belle,” said Fluttershy. “Can I ask you some questions? About your sister?” “About Rarity?” asked Sweetie Bell, incredulously. “I guess. What’s do you want know?” “Well, um...” started Fluttershy. “Do you know, uh where she learned to sew? See , I asked her and she seemed kind of upset, so, I uh, hope I didn’t offended her or anything.” Sweetie Bell scratched her chin and pondered. The sight of her thinking made Fluttershy wonder just how much she remembered at all. “She’s been sewing since before I was born, at least,” replied Sweetie Bell finally. “She made my first foal blanket, that’s for sure. We didn’t grow up together. Her Dad... “Her dad?” questioned Fluttershy. She looked confused. “Don’t you mean, ‘our Dad’?” “Oh yeah, Mom was married before,” said Sweetie Bell. “Rarity’s only my half sister. That’s why she’s so much older than I am.” Fluttershy cocked her head to one side and stared at the little unicorn in disbelief. Rarity never talked about her parents, and certainly never mentioned that Sweetie Bell was only her half sister. “I don’t remember his name though. Mom doesn’t talk about him much and neither does Rarity. Do you want me to go get her?” “Um, no thank you,” muttered Fluttershy, clearly embarrassed. “Uh, thanks? I’ll be going now.” “Thanks for stopping by, Miss Fluttershy!” called Sweetie Bell. “I’ll tell Rarity you were here.” “Please don’t,” squeaked Fluttershy, timidly. She galloped off into the city, heading for her cottage. What have I done? she thought as she ran. Rarity’s going to be angry at me for going behind her back like that. She’s going to hate me! I’m supposed to be her best friend and I didn’t even know any of this! She charged through her front door, slamming it locked behind her. “What am I going to do?” she cried. She decided that rather than fretting, she should try to get some work done while she thought. Fluttershy went through the motions of her daily chores, hoping that the Zen of thoughtless activity would be enough to clear her mind. Instead, she thought more on the problem at hand. How mad was Rarity going to be? What could she do to make it up to her? She needed advice. She needed... The wash of falling rain startled Fluttershy out of her worrying thoughts. She looked outside to see that the sun had set, and that Luna’s moon was barely visible through the rain clouds. She was so concerned about what Rarity might think that she had forgotten to check the forecast. Her chickens! They would get wet! Fluttershy tossed her rain cloak over her shoulders, and ran for the door. She pulled it open to find Rarity standing outside her cottage, draped in a purple hood, with saddlebags over her flanks. “I heard you were asking about me,” she said ominously. “Sweetie Belle said you stopped by today with some questions.” “Well, I, um, that is...” Fluttershy stammered, backing away from the door. Lightning flashed across the sky, silhouetting a hooded Rarity’s against the night. Fluttershy screamed and dashed away from the door knocking over a table as she leapt behind her couch. “Fluttershy, what is the matter with you?” asked Rarity, entering the cottage. “Do you think I’m mad at you?” “I’m sorry!” wailed Fluttershy. “I didn’t know! Please don’t be mad!” “My dear Fluttershy, why would I be mad at you?” asked Rarity, doffing her cloak. “I can’t believe I never told you about that Sweetie Bell was my half sister, or that I never told you about my father.” She hung up the cloak on a peg near the door. “And to think of all the time we spent together.” “You’re... not mad then?” asked Fluttershy. “Heavens, no,” replied Rarity, taking off her saddle bags. “It’s a wonder you didn’t ask sooner. Here, let me show you something.” She righted the coffee table, and levitated a photo album from her saddle bag. Fluttershy timidly came out from behind the couch to look at the displayed pictures. In them was an older white unicorn with a greying mane standing next to a very young Rarity. His cutie mark was a needle and thread. “This was taken before I discovered my special talent,” said Rarity, pointing to the photo. “I never expected it had anything to do with gems...” --oo-- “What are you doing Daddy?” asked Rarity, peering over his workbench. “Well hello, Princess,” replied her father, hoarsely. “I’m just working on your mother’s dress for tonight's festival.” He picked up the dress and held it out to full length. “What do you think?” “It’s beautiful!” gasped Rarity. “Is there anything I can help with?” “I dunno, princess,” he replied. “Do you think you can sew this stitch right here?” He pointed his horn at one of the pinned hems. “It’d mean an awful lot to your mother if she knew that both of us worked on it.” “Oh can I?” asked Rarity. “I promise I won’t mess up. I’ve been watching you forever; I think I can do it!” “Well let’s give it a shot, shall we?” he suggested. The dress floated towards Rarity, as she lifted a needle and thread. “Now, put it your thread through the eye of the needle, just like that.” The thread missed the eye a few times before finally passing through. Rarity grinned with success. “Good, good. Now, cut off your thread here...” After an hour, the foot long hem was complete, helped little by the old tailor. Rarity stared proudly at her work, grinning as her mother entered the shop. “Carousel? There you... Oh!” Rarity’s mother gasped in amazement at the dress her husband and daughter were holding. “Oh my, it’s perfect!” “Rarity helped,” replied Carousel. “She finished off this hem here. She’s got quite a talent for this sort of thing.” He winked at his daughter. “Maybe she’ll get a cutie mark like mine.” “Oh Carousel,” she admonished. “You know you can’t rush that, and to put ideas in her head that you can just isn’t fair.” “I know that Mom!” declared Rarity. “It’s not like anyone else has one yet either, I’m not worried.” She trotted proudly over to the sewing machine. “Dad’s going to teach me how to use this one next!” “You really think she’s old enough?” her mother asked. “Well, I’m not getting any younger,” replied Carousel. “Someone’s got to take over Carousel Tailors.” --oo-- “Your dad taught you how to sew?” asked Fluttershy. Rarity smiled sadly, and nodded. “Ever since I was a little filly, Dad always wanted me to take over his shop,” replied Rarity. “He taught me everything I know.” She pointed to another picture of her father, greyer still, with he and Rarity, now older, behind the counter of tailor’s shop. “I worked with him for quite a while before everything changed.” --oo-- Rarity looked up at the clock, and sighed. Here she was, having to work in her dad’s shop while her friends were out flirting and partying after school. She moaned and threw back her head. Not a single customer had come in this afternoon, boring the poor unicorn to tears. She'd long since finished any of the alterations that had come in previously, and now she was left to read the fashion magazines she had read a dozen times before. “This is tremendously dull,” she said to no pony in particular. “All the other girls are out there being fabulous while I’m stuck inside this dreary old Tailor’s. My youthful beauty is wasting away in here!” She put a hoof to her head and swooned dramatically, even with no pony nearby to watch her theatrics. She angrily rested her hooves on the counter and continued to wait impatiently. After a few minutes of watching the clock slowly begin its march upward, she sighed in frustration and unrolled a scroll. “Well I guess I’ll just work on this design then,” she remarked. “It’s not like I don’t have all the time in the world.” The clock ticked slowly, agonizingly ticking by the seconds as the hands moved towards six. Rarity looked up angrily from her work at the clock, knowing that her dad would walk in as soon as it turned six with a saddlebag full of work. Just like he had every day since she started working at Carousel Tailors. The clock ticked on, filling the lonely shop with its echoing clicks. It was enough to drive a pony mad. The door swung open three minutes before six, startling Rarity from her work. Into the store strode a statuesque white stallion, golden mane flowing in the breeze. Rarity didn’t stop to consider that there was no breeze at the moment as she stared at the pony Adonis. “Good afternoon, Rarity,” said the unicorn. “I was told that I could find you here.” “Well, I’m happy that you were able to find me,” smiled Rarity. “What can I do for you Figaro?” She fluffed her hair flirtatiously. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Formal Spring Celebration?” he asked, bowing graciously. Rarity’s eyes lit up, and her smile filled the room with levity. The most attractive, talented young musician in Ponyville was asking her to the Formal Spring Celebration? What else could she say but yes? “But of course!” replied Rarity. “I will graciously accompany you to the Formal Spring Celebration.” “I’m honored by your acceptance,” grinned Figaro. “I’m eager to see your stunning dress.” Rarity felt like giggling, but suppressed the urge, deciding instead to smile as Figaro walked out the door. Carousel walked in a minute later, staring back at Figaro as he left. “Figaro, eh?” he asked. “I assume he wasn’t here to have his shirt tailored,” winked Carousel. Rarity simply rolled her eyes. “Oh Father,” she sighed, “You simply don’t know what it’s like to be wasting away in this dreary shop of yours.” “Ours,” corrected Carousel, taking off his saddlebags. “It’s as much yours as it is mine.” “Regardless,” continued Rarity, “I’m young and should be out there with the fabulous ponies of Ponyville, not stuck here in some drab tailor’s shop.” “Then you don’t want to make your dress for the Formal Spring Celebration?” asked Carousel, unrolling a bolt of cloth from his saddlebag. Rarity gasped at the fabric; it looked as if it were spun from threads of pure silver. The fabric floated to the table in front of her as she ran her hooves over it. “Where did you get this?” she gasped. “It’s the most beautiful fabric I’ve ever seen.” “I made it, obviously,” replied Carousel, smugly polishing his hoof against his chest. “Your old man has a few tricks he hasn’t taught you yet.” “But, Father, how ever did you afford it?” questioned Rarity. “With silver prices the way they are, and the shop doing so poorly...” “Nothing’s too good for my princess,” smiled Carousel. “Granny Smith was kind enough to give Carousel Tailors a line of credit.” “You can’t go borrowing money for gifts for me!” admonished Rarity. “I simply won’t have it.” She stuck her muzzle in the air indignantly. “I didn’t,” replied Carousel. “I borrowed the money to expand. You’re getting your own area to start in. Some pony’s got to take over the business eventually, and you’re the one to do it.” Rarity was taken aback. “M...me?” she asked. “But I’ve never designed anything for someone else. You’ve always done the designs, I’ve just finished them.” “No time like the present,” coughed Carousel. “You know how to design dresses, and your work is beautiful. You could sell your designs and make a lot of money.” He rolled the fabric back up, and dropped the bolt in front of his daughter. “The fashion industry is interesting business. Think of the ponies you’ll meet.” Rarity smiled broadly. This was an opportunity, indeed. --oo-- “I remember that celebration,” said Fluttershy pointing to the next picture. Rarity stood next to her father again, wearing a magnificent gown of sparkling silver. Carousel was dressed in a snappy collar, but he looked years older than the previous picture. “Your dress was so pretty.” “Were you there?” asked Rarity, quizzically. “I don’t recall seeing you.” “Oh, no,” replied Fluttershy. “That year it was held near the woods. I saw every pony going, but I was too shy to attend. I did read about it in the paper the next day.” “You missed quite the show,” cringed Rarity. “It was a fine disaster.” She pointed to another picture. --oo-- It had been a little over three weeks since her father had told her about his plan, and now Rarity had nearly taken over the shop. She christened her line “Rarity’s Boutique,” and began beautifying the store with decorations and paintings. She had been working tirelessly to improve the store: painting, redecorating, and improving the store front to attract customers looking for that special something. No longer was it a dreary tailor’s shop, the store had become a true boutique. Her father, who hadn’t been feeling well, simply signed off on the work, knowing it made his daughter happy to beautify. Rarity draped the shimmering dress over her dummy, the soft silver petals of the skirt flowing over the sides like a waterfall. The bodice was coming together nicely, and the sapphires lining the collar were the finest that she’d been able to find. She blinked wearily at it, trying to think of what to do next. She’d been running nonstop these past few weeks, and was rapidly running out of time to finish her gown. But there were so many other things to do! She had a dozen other orders to fill before she could finish her dress, and there just wasn’t enough time. “Hey, Princess,” coughed Carousel, coming into the store. “Sorry I haven’t been able to help too much; I know we’ve got orders to fill.” He coughed again, dropping his saddlebags. “I’ll be able to work today.” “Oh Father, you look simply awful,” replied Rarity. “Didn’t you have a doctor’s appointment today? What did he say?” “Oh, that’s all a bunch of horse feathers,” said Carousel, dismissively. “Something about my lungs. I can breathe fine, so he’s got to be wrong.” Rarity frowned at her father. “You do have to take care of yourself, you realize?” asked Rarity. “I mean, what would mother and I do without you?” Carousel chuckled, and coughed a bit. “You seem to be doing fine on your own, Princess,” replied the unicorn. “Looks like you could use an extra set of hooves to finish up your dress though.” “Oh, this?” she asked. “I’ll get to it, I’m sure. I’ve at least the weekend until the Formal Spring Celebration.” She tossed her mane in a haughty fashion. “Besides, I’ve got paying customers to worry about. If we keep up this pace, we’ll have that loan paid back in a few months.” Carousel’s eyes lolled about the room as Rarity spoke, not focusing on anything in particular. “Uh, loan?” he asked, in an unsure tone. “Oh, yes, right, loan.” He cracked a weak smile. “Can’t leave you saddled with that sort of thing.” “What are you going on about?” asked Rarity as she plucked up another order. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “Never better!” stomped Carousel. “Alright, let’s see those orders.” Over the course of the evening, the father and daughter team finished with the remaining orders, and found themselves with a stack of minor alterations they’d forgotten all about. As they worked late into the night, Rarity stamina flagged and she decided a short nap was in order. By the time she awoke, it was morning and nearly time to open the store. Carousel had gone home sometime the previous evening, but not before covering his daughter with a blanket. Rarity blinked a few times and gazed out onto the tailor’s shop. With all the work they had done the previous evening, she could finally finish her dress. She pushed off the blanket and smiled. It was a glorious day outside and it promised to be great day inside too. The store opened as usual, but today was different. More customers filled the floor than Rarity had seen in a year. Dozens came to admire her collection; others came to pick up their dresses and alterations for the Formal Spring Celebration. Every pony who came through the door remarked on how beautiful the store looked. A few told Rarity she should rename the store Rarity’s Boutique. She graciously accepted the praise and reveled in the recognition that was showered upon her. Truly everything was coming up roses. The day flew by so swiftly, Rarity hadn’t a moment to work on her dress until the store was ready to close at six. By then, the customers had thinned out, leaving Rarity in peace to tally up the day’s sales. Record numbers! They even had enough to pay back the loan from Granny Smith! Rarity clopped her hooves together in delight. Sure, her racks were bare, and there was barely a stitch of clothing to be found in the store, but she had succeeded. Her father would be so proud! The clock struck six, as it had done every day since she’d starting working in her father’s shop. She looked at the door with excitement to tell her father the great news. Only the door didn’t open at six. Nor did it open at a minute after, nor at ten minutes after. Rarity began to get worried. Where was her father? He was never late. She closed up the shop, and headed home. As she came in through the kitchen door, her mother stopped Rarity in her tracks. “Where were you last night, young lady?” she demanded. “Your father didn’t get in till nearly four in the morning, and you didn’t come home at all. Who were you out with? I don’t need you getting pregnant bucking off with some stallion like I did!” “Mother, please!” stomped Rarity. “I was at the shop all night with Father. I would think that he would have told you that,” she huffed. “I’m not running around with any pony, thank you very much. I’ve been working my flank off at my store, which you would know if you ever visited once in a while! And besides,” she added indignantly, “that stallion you bucked off with is my father, and the reason I’m here, thank you very much.” “You watch your tone,” her mother warned. “You think I don’t see how you’ve run your father out of his own business? He’s been working himself to death just so you can play dressmaker!” “I’ve been working just as hard as he has!” shot back Rarity. “He wants me to take over for him! He wants me to provide for our family! He’s just tired from all the work!” She glared at her mother. “Father’s fine, he just needs to rest a bit. I think we could all use a rest.” “Well he hasn’t gotten out of bed since he got home,” her mother groused. “He’s probably well rested enough to talk to you.” She threw some carrots into the pot on the stove. “Dinner will be ready shortly. See if you can get him to come down.” Rarity stuck her nose in the air and trotted up stairs. The nerve of that woman, suggesting that she was running her own father out of business! Why, the idea of it was preposterous! She nudged open her parent’s door to find the room darkened by the drawn shades. “Father?” she asked quietly. She could barely see him lying on the low bed. “Are you alright?” “Huh?” moaned Carousel. “Oh, hi, Princess,” he said weakly. “I’m sorry I didn’t come to work today, I’m not feeling so great.” “Oh don’t be silly,” she replied, with a pained smile. “You were up all night finishing my work. I wouldn’t have expected you to come in at all.” She thought about apologizing, but couldn’t find the words. “Come on downstairs, Mother has dinner ready.” They quietly walked down the stairs together to find supper on the table. “How are you feeling, dear?” “Oh, I’ve been worse,” replied Carousel. “Though quite frankly, tequila was involved in those occasions as well as…” “Carousel!” shouted Rarity’s mother. Carousel chuckled, and sat at the table. “So how did the shop do today?” he asked. “Fantastically!” exclaimed Rarity. “The racks are practically bare and we made enough today to pay back the loan already! I was hoping to head over to Sweet Apple Acres tonight to give the money to Granny Smith.” “That’s great, princess,” said Carousel weakly. “But what about your dress? Haven’t you finished it yet?” Rarity looked shocked at the revelation. “My goodness, you’re right!” she exclaimed. “I simply must get back to the shop to finish it. Thank you so much for reminding me to think of it! And with the Formal only a day away!” She galloped out the kitchen door. Rarity arrived at the Carousel Tailors in short order. She passed the sign out front with mild distaste. It was so… boring. She’d have to have it redone with her logo, once she got it designed. She went to open the door when the weight of her thoughts struck her. “Her” store? Her mother was right, it was still her father’s. She was shoving him out of the way. She had taken over all but a few feet of the floor space with her designs and dresses, leaving little space for her father’s alterations and jackets. She looked at the outside of the store, refinished and brighter than ever. The inside too was bright and redone. A tiny rack of her father’s designs sat in a corner, a silent monument to a daughter overtaking a father’s dreams. She had taken charge, hadn’t she? She was ready to change the name of the store to suit her, and didn’t even consider what her father wanted. He’d had the store for years, the same dreary tailor’s shop and he’d always provided for them. Sure they never had much money, but they always had food on the table. Rarity, sat down on the doorstep and felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had been selfish. She hadn’t even considered what her father had sacrificed to get her to where she was. And what guarantee was there that she would have such continued success? The weight of what she had done came crashing upon her like a ton of bricks. She stumbled into the shop, and looked at what she had created blankly. “Am I really that horrible?” she asked no pony in particular. “Isn’t this what he wanted me to do?” She wandered past the dummies and empty mannequins, looking at the bare racks of the shop. She was successful, and she’d done more business in two weeks than they normally did all year. She was giving back to her father everything they made there. For the first time, the family felt prosperous. How could that be wrong? She sat down at her sewing machine and began working again on her dress. She followed the pattern numbly with machine precision. It was just another order now; one to be filled and filed along the racks like so many others. She didn’t even care about the celebration tomorrow; she just wanted to go home and cry. Hours passed by as she finished her dress. True to her word, it was an exquisite masterpiece of design. Her father would be proud. Or would he? Rarity couldn’t even tell anymore. She laid the dress onto the dummy and wandered home. By the time she arrived home, her parents were already asleep. Rarity crept up to her room only to find herself staring at the ceiling, lost in thoughts. The entire town would be closed tomorrow in preparations for the Formal Spring Celebration, so she didn’t have to work. But what was the point in celebrating? She felt miserable, and knew she wouldn’t have a good time, let alone poor Figaro. Figaro!. She’d focus on making Figaro happy instead. Generosity always made her feel better. She’d be able to show Figaro an excellent time, and that would raise her own spirits immensely. The next morning came far too early for Rarity, even though she had slept in till nearly noon. She trotted out of the house, bleary eyed and as miserable as she had felt in ages. She slowly remembered her plan as she walked through the streets of Ponyville. She was going to show Figaro the best night ever. She’d need a plan. She focused on how to entertain her date for the evening. As she passed the spa, a bolt of inspiration shot through her. Beauty was paramount here, and looking as good as possible would make it easy to keep her date happy. A few hours later, Rarity emerged from the spa, her hooves trimmed and makeup professionally done to the nines. The Formal was in just a few hours, giving her just enough time to finish her preparations. She retrieved her dress from Carousel Tailors without giving the place a second glance. To dwell on it further would just make her unhappier. She quickly put it on and was stunned by how truly amazing it was. The silver fabric moved like mercury across her flanks, the sapphires accented her stunning eyes, and the pearl clasps made her feel like royalty. This was how Celestia must feel, she thought. There was a sharp knock, breaking Rarity’s fascination with herself. She composed herself and glided across the floor to answer the knocking, knowing exactly who to expect. Behind the door stood Figaro dressed in a stunning grey jacket. Rarity recognized the design immediately; she had finished the stitching on it not two nights ago. Figaro stood agape at Rarity’s beauty. “Your dress…” he stammered. “It’s… amazing. You’re amazing.” “Why this thing?” she smirked. “Oh, just something I threw together.” She slinked in closer to Figaro. “I do have such an evening in store for you.” “I, uh…” stuttered Figaro. “Well, yes, uh, dinner at the Trotting Fox to start then?” He grinned nervously. “Sounds delightful,” cooed Rarity. “Please. Lead the way.” Rarity heaped praise and flattery on her date as they made their way through Ponyville towards the restaurant. She complimented his taste in clothes, and his finely styled hair; his courteous manners, and how he didn’t even so much as glance at the other fillies in their formal attire. He laughed nervously at that remark, and ordered wine for the both of them. “I don’t believe I’ve had red wine before,” suggested Rarity. “I will defer to your superior judgment in choosing one.” Truthfully, she’d had never had wine at all, and after a few glasses, she was more than a little light headed. Nonetheless, Rarity maintained her composure throughout the meal, becoming more flirtatious as the evening wore on. “You simply must tell me the secret of your musical success,” she said seductively. “Just a special talent, or is there something… more to it?” “Just my talent, I guess,” deflected Figaro. “We’ve been talking about me the whole evening, let’s talk about you. How did you ever learn to sew so well when your talent is finding gems?” Rarity looked puzzled by the question. “Oh that?” she asked coyly. “It just helps to find accessories for my designs.” She brushed aside her mane provocatively to show off the sapphires adorning her collar. “Sometimes a subtle touch is what it takes to make something fantastic.” “Um, yes indeed,” stammered Figaro, trying not to stare. “Ah, waiter, the check please?” Figaro and Rarity left the restaurant and headed towards the Formal Spring Celebration. As they approached, they saw the ice sculpture of Celestia raising the sun. It sat atop a fountain made of the winter’s ice gathered during the Wrap Up. Surrounding the field were columns of branches and vines, heralding the arrival of spring. White linen festooned between the columns, creating an open air ballroom for the ponies of Ponyville. They arrived amid the flashing of cameras and the whispers of the crowd. Figaro and Rarity? What a beautiful couple! Surely it was love! A camera pony stopped them, and snapped a picture for the paper. The flashbulbs, combined with the wine were making Rarity’s head spin. “Do you mind if I freshen up?” she asked. “I’ll be right back.” She trotted off towards a mirror to check her makeup. She looked fine, but felt a bit dizzy. Perhaps she needed something more to drink. She lifted a wine glass from one of the passing waiters, and drained the contents. “Well that’s not any better,” she mused, wandering back into the celebration. Rarity bumped into the flanks of a white unicorn on her way back. “Oh pardon me,” she began, only to come face to face with her father. “Oh, Rarity!” he said, smiling. Even through her slightly blurred vision, she could tell that her father wasn’t feeling well enough to be out at this celebration. “How is your evening going?” “I’m here with Figaro,” she said, waving vaguely. “I’m here to make sure at least he’s happy tonight.” “Remember that celebrations can cloud your judgment,” admonished Carousel. He sniffed the air. “As can wine. Have you been drinking?” “A few glasses,” she replied skeptically. “It’s really helped me loosen up a bit. Helps me see what others want. I think.” She focused unsteadily on her father. “Worry about what you want,” advised Carousel. “And please don’t do anything you’ll regret.” “Like driving my father out of his own business?” she retorted. “Something that will make my family unhappy?” “Smile!” cheered another camera pony. Rarity and Carousel stood together, smiling for the camera flash. The camera pony wandered away to take more photos. “You haven’t made anyone unhappy!” replied Carousel. “Your mother and I…” “She’s so upset with me she can’t even think straight!” hissed Rarity. “The least I can do is make some pony happy tonight, even if it isn’t you two. Excuse me, Figaro is waiting.” She trotted away angrily, downing another glass of wine as she left. Rarity found Figaro, staring into the crowd at an earth pony stallion. “Why are you looking at Big Macintosh, when you’ve got me right here?” whispered Rarity. Figaro turned, startled to hear Rarity’s lilting, if somewhat slurred voice. “Glad to see you’re back!” smiled Figaro nervously. “Uh… care to dance?” “Mmm… absolutely,” purred Rarity. Figaro led the way to the ballroom floor where Rarity draped herself over her date. She was sure that Figaro was having a great time, and she knew just how to make it better. She leaned in closed during a soft and jazzy number. “Why don’t you come home with me?” she whispered, “and I’ll make this the best night ever.” Figaro reacted with positive horror to the suggestion. “Rarity, you’re drunk! I couldn’t possibly…” “Oh, but you could,” whispered Rarity, running a hoof through his mane. “Believe me; I want you to have a good time.” “Um…” Figaro looked around nervously. “Rarity, I, um, how to say, don’t swing that way.” She looked at him, confused by what he’d told her. “Don’t… swing that way?” she asked. It took a moment for the statement to process through her wine addled brain. “Oh.” She stepped back. “OH.” She stared at Figaro with unbridled rage. “Then why did you even invite me to this stupid thing?” As a few ponies looked her way, Figaro ushered her off the dance floor. He sat her down on the edge of the fountain. “I love your designs!” Figaro confessed. “I couldn’t wait to see what you’d come up with for the Formal Spring Celebration. Every time I see you in something new I think ‘My god, she’s just so gorgeous! How does she even think of these designs?’” “Just so gorgeous?” demanded Rarity. “And you don’t even like girls? What in Equestria is wrong with you?” “If it’s any consolation…” “Please just go,” wept Rarity. “I don’t think you’ll find me very good company for the evening. I’m sure there’s another stallion here who you would find more suitable.” Figaro opened his mouth to speak. He thought better of it, and simply walked away, leaving Rarity crying by the fountain side. A few moments later, an inebriated pegasus walked over to Rarity and slung his arm around her. “You look shad,” he slurred. “Why don’t yah come home with me, I’ll make you real happy.” “Please leave me alone,” sobbed Rarity. “I really don’t need company now. I just want to be alone.” “Aw, come on,” garbled the Pegasus. “Just a quick roll in the hay and you’ll feel so much better about yer boyfriend leavin’ yah.” “I said no thank you,” replied Rarity, shoving the pegasus’s arm off her. “Please leave me along.” “What do don’t want nonna this?” demanded the pegasus. “You couldn’t handle dish anyway, you tart.” “I believe the lady asked to be left alone,” suggested Carousel. “What’s it to you, wrinkles?” shot back the pegasus. “You want a piece of me, you old mule?” The pegasus took a drunken swing at Carousel. Carousel, seeing the hoof coming, magically grabbed the pony, and tossed him flank over mane into the fountain. The fountain, already melting in the spring air, shattered under the impact of the pegasus. The ice sculpture of Celestia began teetering as the fountain crumbled beneath it. The statue pitched violently, and came crashing down into one of the columns. Rarity jumped up from the fountain’s edge, dashing for the exit as the party began to collapse in on itself. Among the screams of ponies, she ran through the streets of Ponyville until she got to Carousel Tailors. Rarity threw open the door and ran inside. She looked around to see everything as she had left it: the walls painted white, the beautiful rugs, paintings, and her empty racks, a testament to her wild success. She looked into the mirror and saw her dress. It was still perfect. Even after running through town, it was still perfect. The dress enraged her. All this work, this time for a dress that couldn’t make one pony happy? She couldn’t make Figaro happy, she couldn’t make her family happy. She could have used the time to help her father, or at least pay attention to what he wanted. She tore off the dress, throwing it to the ground. She stomped on it, screaming and breaking loose the sapphires. Her hooves tore the delicate fabric, and snapped the claps. She cried out in rage, and threw the dress into the corner before breaking down into sobs. She felt a hoof on her shoulder. Rarity looked up through her tears to see her father standing there. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Oh, I’ve been simply horrible to you!” she bawled. “All this work? I haven’t done it for you and mother, it’s been for me, me, me!” She gestured wildly to the store. “There’s nothing of you left here but a rack tucked away like I’m ashamed of you. You made all this and I’ve done nothing but take! I can’t make you happy, I can’t make Mom happy, I can’t even make some young stallion happy. I can’t make anyone happy, not even myself!” She hugged her father and began crying into his shoulders. “I’m sorry I ruined everything,” she wept. “I’m so sorry that I’m a failure.” “You’re anything but a failure!” protested Carousel. “Look at what you’ve accomplished here!” he gestured to the store, to her dress. “Look at this place! You’ve transformed it from a no-rate tailor into a boutique rivaling any in Canterlot. You’ve done more in two weeks than I’ve done in years!” Rarity sniffed, looking around the store. “Do you think I’m not proud of you? Why wouldn’t I be? You’ve become everything that I wanted and more. You gave so much of yourself to this place that you had nothing left to give. Your mother and I aren’t mad at you for what you’ve done. She’s upset because…” Carousel paused. The pause was telling, and pregnant with trouble. “Because I’m sick, Rarity. I’m sick, and I’m not getting any better.” Rarity looked as if he were mad. She put a hoof to his head and pulled it away nearly as quick. His forehead was like a stove. “You have a fever!” she remarked. “Have you taken anything for it? Let me go get you some medicine.” “Oh, I’ve got worse than a fever,” replied Carousel. “I’ve known it for a while. I’m dying.” His eyes drooped heavily, as if made of lead. “There’s a reason I’ve been pushing you to take over; I knew I didn’t have much time left in me. I wanted you and your mother to be secure after I’m gone.” “What do you mean, dying?” stammered Rarity. “You’re just overworked. A vacation will do you well; we could go to Canterlot and…” Carousel just chuckled, and put a hoof on his daughter’s shoulder. “My darling Rarity,” he interrupted. “I don’t think you realize how much older I am than your mother. She was your age when she had you, and I was old then too. I’ve been blessed to have you both in my life for as long as I have. I’ve watched you grow up to be a wonderful mare. Your generosity to others has always amazed me. You’ve always wanted to help and give, and you’ve always tried to make me proud. Well here’s a secret, Rarity. You’ve made me very proud.” Rarity bit her lip trying to hold back tears. “I want you to have my store. You’ve already made it your own; now it’s yours to keep. Change the name to Rarity’s Boutique because that’s what it is now. It’s yours.” “You can’t be…” choked Rarity. “You’ve been…” “Medicated to my horn,” said Carousel. “I can’t sleep anymore; I can barely breathe half the time. I’ve been working so hard to secure a future for you two; I’ve burned my candle at both ends. There’s nothing left for me to give.” “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” sobbed Rarity. “I could have worked twice as hard! You could have been with us longer!” “Not much longer, Princess,” Carousel replied. “You’ve already worked yourself to the bone doing this much, I don’t want you to have to give everything of yourself every day just to try to please me for a few more weeks.” He smiled at his daughter. “You’ve always been generous; let me give you something in return.” Rarity began weeping again. She had spent so much time and effort trying to please her father that she’d ignored the obvious signs of his frailty. She simply had nothing left to give; the emptiness was just too much. Rarity collapsed to the floor sobbing. “It’s okay, Princess,” comforted Carousel. “I’ll always watch over you, no matter what happens. I know it’s hard now, but you’ll get used to it, I promise.” “I don’t want you to die, daddy!” wailed Rarity. “I don’t want to lose you!” “It’s going to be alright, Rarity, I promise. I’ve still got a few more weeks left in me. Besides,” he said, standing up. “I’ve got one last trick to show you.” He lifted up Rarity’s ruined dress from where she had tossed it. The dress was in tatters: clasps were broken, sapphires sheared off, and the fabric torn in several places. Carousel’s horn glowed brightly as the dress began to repair itself, the silver fabric weaving itself back together, the clasps mending and straightening, the gems reattaching themselves. Rarity was awestruck by this display. She’d always seen her father do things by hoof, and now this? “I… I don’t understand,” she stammered. “You’ve known this spell your whole life and you still did things by hoof? Why?” “Because beauty comes from within,” he explained. “Magic doesn’t do everything for you, sometimes it has to flow through your hooves and heart, not your horn. Dressmaking is easy, but to create a work of art like this dress?” he gestured to the now repaired garment. It looked better than ever and shone even in the darkness of the store. “That takes something of your self. And if you know how to do anything, Rarity, it’s give of yourself.” --oo-- Fluttershy looked up at Rarity as she finished her story. She saw her blue eyes filled with memories, and tears forming deep within. “I’m sorry about your dad,” said Fluttershy. “I shouldn’t have asked. It seems painful to talk about.” “It quite alright,” sniffed Rarity. “I loved him, and he gave me everything he had.” Fluttershy offer Rarity a handkerchief. She dabbed her eyes, and looked away. “Oh, now I’m crying,” she said. “I’m sorry; you shouldn’t have to see me like this.” She looked up at the clock on the mantle. “Oh my, Fluttershy, just look at the time.” She closed up her photo album, and packed it away in her saddlebag. “I don’t think I’m going to make our spa appointment tomorrow.” “Its okay, Rarity,” replied Fluttershy. “I understand.” --oo-- The sky was clear that morning, last night’s storm having washed away the clouds. The rains had given peace to the town, and swept away the feelings of long night. The streets once again bustled with life and laughter. But Rarity wasn’t in town that morning. Carousel Boutique was closed that morning with a sign that simply read. “Gone to visit.” Rarity walked through rows of granite that stood as a stone forest of remembrance. She approached one, a small monument to the man that gave her everything, and taught her the value of generosity. She laid her flowers on Carousel’s grave, and sat down next to him. “Hello, Father,” said Rarity. “It’s been too long.”

Brass Bell

157

Original Character,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Other Side of Everfree: Moondust's Dreams

incomplete

<p>On the other side of the Everfree forest, a filly deams of touching the stars.</p>

everyone

2011-12-12T20:50:35+00:00

2011-12-12T20:50:35+00:00

The sun was high in the sky, the birds were singing and a little filly called Moondust lay fast asleep. She had spent the whole night staring up into the starry sky. A butterfly flittered through her window and landed gently on her muzzle. Moondust sneezed "Choo!" and shook her head. The little butterfly flew out the window as Moondust drowsily opened her eyes and looked out into the day. Moondust stretched, yawned and clumsily clambered out of her bed. She walked out into the kitchen grabbed a bag of oatsand and emptied out the bag "Mmm an oaty breakfast, no, an oaty brunch, even better." She hastily gobbled down her oaty brunch and slung her saddle bags onto her back. She galloped out the door and left what remaind of her brunch on the table. She slowed to a trot as she passed the manor house on her way to the shops. The manor house was huge home of a grouchy brown coated stallion called Thorn. Moondust had always been told to be quiet and ladylike when around Thorn or his house not that she needed to be told of course. Especially after that day when she had tripped outside Thorn's house and grazed her knee. She remebered how Thorn had shouted at her for crying about her grazed knee. Just the thought of another telling off made her stomache turn. Moondust was almost at the shops, she took three bits from her saddlebags so she wouldn't have to rummage for them when at the counter. She walked up to shop door and pressed against it with her muzzle, it didn't budge. She tried to open the door again putting all her weight into it still, the door didn't budge. She took a deep breath and sighed, dissapointed that she still could not open the heavy door. She tapped at trhe door with her hoof and a tall dark haired mare came to the door and pulled it open. Moondust walked in put all three bits on the counter and said "Two sacks of oats please". The shop owner lowered a sack of oats into each of Moondust's saddlebags. Moondust made her way back to the door, she didn't try to open it sshe already knew she couldn't. She looked up at the door and turned her head to the shop owner "Could you please..." The tall dark haired shop owner looked down at Moondust and said "Moondust, I still don't understand how a filly like you can carry two sacks of oats, but cannot open my shop door." Moondust sighed and tried to ask again "Please I'm already carrying TWO sacks of oats, could you just..." Moondust was interruped by the sound of the shop door opening "...Thank you." Moondust began the long journey home struggling under the weight of the two sacks of oats she was carriying.

Brass Bell

157

Original Character,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Other Side of Everfree: Moondust's Dreams

incomplete

<p>On the other side of the Everfree forest, a filly deams of touching the stars.</p>

everyone

2011-12-12T20:48:10+00:00

2011-12-12T20:48:10+00:00

Moondust was exhausted, she had carried two sacks of oats all the way from the shops to her home, and it was quite a feat for a little filly such as herself. She stumbled though the front door and let her saddlebags fall to the floor. Moondust began clearing up her brunch; her legs were stiff and uncomfortable after her long journey home. She let her eyes close for what she thought was just a second but, when she opened them again, the sun was setting and her mother had come home and put away the washing up and both bags of oats. Moondust walked into the garden and stared into the sky, the moon was on the horizon and the stars were coming out of hiding for the night. Moondust loved the stars, they were beautiful. Her mother had always told her that she was born looking at the stars. Moondust longed to get a better look at the stars, perhaps even touch one, hold one, keep it in a draw and own one. It was getting late, too late for a little filly like Moondust. She yawned and rested her head on the soft grass. Realising that she could not see the stars whilst lying on her front, she rolled over now she could look at the sky all night without straining her neck. Her eyes wandered by the constellations, they mapped out the sky, beautiful as a whole or as a small group or as individuals; the stars were unlike anything else in the world. Moondust sighed and closed her eyes. Moondust's mother looked down at Moondust through the window. She smiled, and walked down the stairs to take the sleeping filly up to bed. She carefully picked up her daughter and carried her inside to bed; she tucked Moondust into bed and kissed her "Goodnight Moondust." Moondust's mother carefully left the bedroom to without making a sound and went some sleep for herself.