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Sethisto

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Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Random,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Greatest Equine Who has Ever Lived!

incomplete

<p>Trixie wows the crowd with her dazzling displays, and mastery of all things magical.</p>

everyone

2011-07-08T18:04:11+00:00

2014-01-28T11:25:52+00:00

The Great and Powerful Trixie stood proudly upon a cliff high above a mass of mindless pony followers, her perfectly trimmed tail and billowing cape flowing in the wind. A small tinge of pity for the hoard below was quickly snuffed out by the realization that no creature could possibly match her excellence, it wasn’t their fault that she was just...superior. Flawless genetics and years of tireless practice had honed the ultimate conduit of pure unicorn power. “BEHOLD!” she shouted, causing everypony below to look up in awe, “The Great and Powerful TRIXIE in all of her electrifying majesty has ARRIVED!” An eruption of dazzling fireworks and lightning bolts lit up the night sky, followed by the thunderous sound of thousands of stamping hooves and cheering equines. Trixie illuminated the entire cliff face with a soft purple glow. The magical light accented her impeccable coat. “Simpletons of Equestria!” She exclaimed, with her most powerful vocal enhancement spell, “The Great and Powerful Trixie is about to ROCK YOUR WORLD!” Unknown to Trixie, the ground below her was weakening from the constant vibrations of the excited crowd below. Completely absorbed in her magic, she failed to notice the small splinter of broken earth creeping up the side of her earthen platform. Right as she was about to reach the climax of her epic Ursa Major VS Dragon light show in the sky above, a massive shift jarred her out of concentration. Before she could even register what was happening, the entire cliff face gave way, cascading freely toward the valley far below. Flashes of her past flickered through her mind, as the ground rushed toward her.. *** She woke up, tangled in sheets on the floor next to the bed. “Ugghh... Dammit Trixie!”, the purple mare glared down at her blue counterpart on the floor “This is the third time this week! Can’t we have just ONE night of uninterrupted sleep?”

Cereal Velocity

10

Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Accolade

complete

<p>Luna and Trixie both want Twilight Sparkle gone. Will teaming up solve their problem once and for all?</p>

everyone

2011-08-03T19:09:35+00:00

2011-08-03T19:09:35+00:00

Your heart is my piñata. Chuck Palahniuk Asking for help was not something the Great and Powerful Trixie was used to doing. Well, that and brushing her mane in the morning. It was always in perfect condition, of course, but nopony believed her when she tried to tell them that. It had been fun cavorting around Equestria for a few months, surely. She had had her fair share of fun, her fair share of adventure, and her fair share of pretty fillies claiming that they had never been so attracted to another mare in their life. She had performed for all manner of audiences; large and small, crowds of few and throngs of many. She had entertained entire cities and crowded bars, swarming parks and huge stadiums. She had done her dazzling magic for every type, from the most humble earth pony to powerful government officials and the greatest unicorn magicians- though, clearly, they were not as great as herself. She had truly seen it all in the eventful months since her failed show at Ponyville. And, yet, during her travels, something always nagged her from the back of her mind. Something that wouldn’t go away, no matter how many other mares she slept with or tricks she performed. It was something that she had never experienced in her life, and thought she never would. The problem was purple, had a star for a cutie mark, and had simply delicious lavender eyes. Trixie blinked at the stray thought. They were most certainly not delicious. How ridiculous. Nevertheless, her encounter with Twilight had most definitely irked her. In her one, rare moment of weakness, she had been shown up. Unthinkable. At first, she had been depressed about the whole affair. After that, she had tried to ignore it. When that didn’t work, she tried to distract herself with her performances. She put on the most impressive shows she had ever come up with since she had become a performer- shows that would have impressed the god queen rulers of Equestria themselves- and yet despite her brilliance, there still remained that nagging doubt that refused to leave her alone. She had even, after a few too many drinks one particular night, though about having a child with the preposterously pretty pony. She still wasn’t sure where that idea had come from, nor if it was even physically possible. It was her insatiable desire to rid herself of this nuisance that had led Trixie to the very doors of the Canterlot Royal Castle. Everypony had heard about Nightmare Moon’s defeat at the hooves of Twilight and the five ponies in her company. Trixie had been surprised that none of them had drawn the obvious conclusion about the encounter- that perhaps Luna wasn’t so thrilled to have been brought down so easily. She couldn’t prove it, but it was all she had to go on. Getting past the perimeter guards to her castle hadn’t been easy, nor had the trip up to Canterlot been trivial, but she knew that there was at least one pony that could help her, and that she lay inside these walls. She was her only hope- and Trixie hoped she could convince her to help. Taking a deep, dramatic breath, she knocked on the massive doors with a hoof. *** Luna tossed aside another crumpled piece of parchment into the growing pile next to her. Who would have thought getting revenge on your enemies could be so much work? And it was, of course, revenge that she wanted. Strangely, it had not occurred to her to begin planning such a thing during her imprisonment on the moon. It was only after she had returned to Equestria that she had begun to consider such things, and it was turning out to be far more difficult than she had anticipated. Perhaps, she thought, looking past her mountain of ill-formed plans at the moon outside, I shouldn’t have spent all that time dancing. To tell the truth, the whole Nightmare Moon thing had been a last-minute effort. It had almost worked, too, except for that insufferable purple unicorn and her little gaggle ruining everything with their magic tricks. Just thinking about her made Luna’s blood boil. That whole escapade had just been embarrassing. Only her quick thinking and fake tears when her sister had shown up had salvaged the situation and made her look like a victim instead of a laughingstock. Luna looked at the paper in front of her, entitled The Celestia-pult. She lidded her eyes. This was hopeless. Maybe it was time to turn her attention to getting rid of Celestia’s prized student instead of her- go for a psychological blow instead of a physical one. Surely that would make things easier. And yet, still, nothing came to mind. For all Luna’s taunting and all her posturing during her attempted takeover, the small unicorn she had fell to was indeed very powerful- and she had been tutored by her sister, no less. Even taking that into account, if it were discovered that Luna had been the one responsible for the unicorn’s untimely death, she wouldn’t just be banished to the moon this time. At the very least, she would end up with egg on her face again, and she couldn’t afford that. Not again. She would clearly need help to pull this off. The trouble was there was no one she could trust. A thousand years away from home tends to leave ones former acquaintances quite dead. That meant she would have to get social and buddy-buddy with somepony, and that was something she loathed to do- but she knew it would be a necessary chore. At the very least, they could end up slightly useful and absorb some magic before it hit her. The only problem was who to choose to embark with her on this epic adventure. At that moment, there came a small knock at the front door to her throne room. Luna looked up at the guards in front of the massive slabs of wood, nodding to them to indicate they should let whoever had knocked through. The guards silently complied, pulling the doors open. Standing in the moonlight of the garden outside was a small blue mare, wearing a purple cloak and hat studded with colorful star and moon patterns. Without waiting to be invited in, the mare entered the throne room with a purpose to her stride. The guards looked on at her warily, but did not stop her. As the stranger approached Luna, the god queen could see a fire and a drive in her eyes. The mare did not bow or prostrate herself before her when she was close enough, as Luna was used to. These things alone made Luna very interested in what she had to say before she had even begun to speak. And speak she did. “Princess Luna,” the mare said loudly, her voice echoing in the nearly empty throne room. “I require your assistance and partnership in ridding Equestria of a thorn in her side.” Luna had an inkling as to the mare’s identity, but her response was almost automatic. She lifted her head regally. “One does not ask for a princesses’ assistance in such a manner.” The blue mare sighed. “For the love of- do you even know who I am?” Luna did her best to sound annoyed, though in truth she was delightfully amused at her frankness. “You will address me properly, or I will have the guards escort you away.” The pegasus guards moved a step closer to the stranger at Luna’s words. The mare continued unperturbed in the same confident voice. “That would be unwise, your majesty. I seek to help bring you the sweet taste of victory you have sought for so long.” Luna blinked. Could it be? “What do you speak of? Who are you?” The blue mare donned a wide, manic grin, as if she had been waiting for that question. Her purple eyes glistened in the moonlight. “I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, and I want what you want- revenge on Twilight Sparkle.” Luna smiled the tiniest of smiles. Her prayers had been answered. *** The two unicorns retreated into the nearby library. Luna instructed all of the guards that had followed them to vacate the area, lest her sister become suspicious about a set of guards guarding a supposedly empty room. With the doors to the massive hall closed and securely locked, Luna could finally breathe easy. Her plan was going to come to fruition at last. She had feigned ignorance before, but she had recognized the small blue mare immediately. It was difficult not to hear of her escapades throughout Equestria, and she had been impressed more than once by a recounted tale of her performances. She had also heard of her show in Ponyville- and why this magician shared her hatred for Twilight. She glanced at the mare, who was poking around the books. She could not have found a more perfect partner to help her enact her revenge. “You have an impressive collection,” Trixie said to her from across the room. Her voice once again echoed in the empty chamber. Luna took one last look around to make sure they were alone, and then approached the small unicorn. “You said you needed my help. So, start asking,” Luna said. Trixie’s eyes shifted from side to side, as if she were embarrassed about something. “You have to keep this a secret,” the smaller mare whispered. Luna brought a hoof to her face. “Cross my heart, hope to f-“ “Yeah, yeah,” Trixie interrupted. “The truth is…” she trailed off for a moment, her face scrunching in disgust, seemingly at her own words. She swallowed and continued. “The truth is that stupid unicorn is more… technically proficient at magic than I am.” Luna nodded sagely at her pained admission. “That doesn’t surprise me. She is the personal protégé of my sister, after all.” “I don’t know what that word means, but I don’t want to hear about any hot-for-teacher stuff,” Trixie said, giving Luna an odd look. “All I know is her connection to your sister makes her very powerful. More powerful than myself. And it irks me greatly.” Trixie turned to look back at the shelves of books. “I’m sure you know the feeling.” Luna thought for a moment. “No, can’t say that I do.” “How was the moon?” Trixie asked, still facing the books. “Cold?” Luna narrowed her eyes at the mare’s back. “Point taken.” “Exactly,” Trixie said, levitating out a large book from the stacks and turning back around to face Luna. “So, you’re going to teach me.” “Teach you what, exactly?” Luna asked. Trixie turned the cover of the book so it faced Luna. The gold embossed title read Really Advanced Magic: Part I of XXIV. “You’re going to teach me everything I need to know to get rid of Twilight Sparkle, of course.” Luna blinked. “That’s all you need? Magic lessons?” Trixie cringed as if in pain from Luna’s wording. “Right. You teach me everything she knows, and a little more, and I remove a pesky problem from your life. Sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn’t it?” Luna pondered this idea for a moment. It did sound like a pretty good deal. She decided to make sure Trixie had the same plan she did, though, just in case. She started with an obvious question. “So, if I’m teaching you, what’s to stop me from just going and taking care of her myself?” Trixie just laughed. “Yes, the Great and Powerful Princess Luna strolling casually down the streets of Ponyville. That’s real subtle. There’s absolutely no chance that’ll backfire. Might as well stop by the sweets shop while you’re down there, and pick up a case of you’re stupid and so is that idea.” She finished the last part of her sentence with a completely deadpan expression. Luna furrowed her brow and pretended to look offended. “You’re not exactly low-key yourself.” “I don’t have both a horn and the wingspan of a dragon,” Trixie countered. “So unless you plan to kill her in her sleep- which isn’t very sporting, if we’re both honest- everypony will know it was you who killed the princesses’ prized student.” Luna completed the conversational thread with the obvious bullet point. “And that would not bode well for my life expectancy.” Trixie gave the princess a practiced, showboating grin. “Duh. Guess who’s got four hooves and can solve that problem for you?” Good, Luna thought. Trixie was on the same page she was- and even better, she thought she had come up with the idea entirely on her own. Her heart was racing with excitement. This had literally dropped into her lap, and it just might actually work. She couldn’t possibly screw this up. Once Twilight was out of the way, she could focus on her real goal: Celestia. For the rest of the night, Luna shared a few choice things with the smaller mare, planning out Trixie’s sleeping arrangements at the castle and her schedule of lessons over the next few days. When the sun was due to peak over the horizon, Luna led Trixie off to an unused room for her to get some sleep. What neither Trixie nor Luna had noticed was a white-furred alicorn, watching from one of the library balconies. *** It was breakfast as usual in the royal castle. Fine dishes from all over Equestria were on the menu, dressed up with the most ornate of place settings and fine china. Steaming piles of bacon and freshly-baked bread covered the table, all freshly prepared that morning. Luna honestly just preferred toast. As she arrived in the dining hall, Celestia was at the table already, cutting up a poached egg with a knife. As Luna sat down next to her sister, levitating her own knife to butter her simple breakfast fare, she discretely looked in the direction of her sibling. Celestia had the tiniest of smiles on her face as she chewed her food. Luna’s fear got to her- she was instantly a little worried. Had she discovered anything? Luna wasn’t going to be the one to give anything away, though. She looked in the opposite direction and took a bite out of her toast, ignoring her sister. After a minute or so of silence, though, her resolve broke down, and she looked back. Celestia had stopped eating and was watching her little sister with the same tiny smile. Luna frowned. “What?” she asked. “Nothing,” Celestia said in a sing-song voice. The two sisters simply stared at each other, each daring the other to speak- Luna with a glare, and Celestia with her maddening smile. The only noise in the dining hall was the chirping of birds in the garden outside. It wasn’t so much a menacing silence than a continuation of the rivalry that any two immortal siblings would have, if one were secretly trying to dethrone the other. As it turns out, Celestia spoke first. “She’s cute,” she said in a whisper. Luna nearly choked. “Excuse me?” “Your friend; she’s simply adorable,” Celestia elaborated, letting her mischievous grin spread a little further. Luna was thoroughly confused. Was her sister playing a game with her? Did she actually know anything? Had she heard what happened last night? She swallowed. “What are you talking about?” Celestia propped her head up with a hoof, putting her elbow on the table, smiling all the while. “Don’t be so shy about it, Luna- I approve. Don’t worry about it!” Luna’s jaw dropped slightly. She couldn’t possibly be… and yet, she looked completely serious. Luna was silent for several seconds, trying to process this. Celestia took it as her cue to continue, her voice taking on that familiar motherly tone that Luna hated. “Luna, you’re my sister,” she started, reaching across the table to ruffle her mane. Luna sat completely still, her face still a mask of disbelief. Celestia kept going. “I just want you to be happy- you know that, right? You don’t have to hide anything from me, and I’m not going to judge you. If that’s the path that you want to take, I fully support you.” Under any other circumstances, Luna would have been on the floor with hysterics. Now, though, she was at a complete loss for words. Celestia kept her genuine, happy smile as she waited for her sister to say something. Luna’s response was to quietly stand up, push in her chair, and walk out of the dining room to her quarters. *** Luna spent the day asleep, as usual. When she awoke, she avoided her sister at the dining hall for dinner, instead requesting that her food be sent up to her quarters. She didn’t want a repeat of that awkward conversation. Once Celestia had retired to her own room, Luna emerged, delving deep into the castle corridors to gather Trixie from her room, grabbing a tray of pastries from the kitchen on her way over. When Luna reached the unmarked door, she knocked quietly with her hoof. There was a sudden rustling from inside and a smattering of muffled swearing. Luna felt a little guilty- she hoped she hadn’t interrupted anything embarrassing. After a minute, Trixie mumbled, “enter!” Luna opened the door. Trixie was sitting up on the bed, the covers mostly over her, her face slightly flushed. Luna took a cursory glance around the room, but only found one alteration: a poster of one of the Wonderbolts on the wall. The name ‘Spitfire’ was written under the uniformed mare. Luna looked back at Trixie with a blank look. “Where did you get that?” Luna asked. Trixie shifted her eyes. “I brought it with me,” she said quickly. She looked at the pastries. “Are those raspberry?” she asked, changing the subject. Luna nodded. “The Great and Powerful Trixie loves raspberries,” she said, almost sheepishly, grabbing one of the puffs off the plate. After a quick snack for the both of them, Luna led Trixie through the complicated castle corridors towards the library. Her paranoia guided her around the longest way around that she could find, though she doubted Trixie noticed. Once they reached the doors, Luna once again dismissed the guards and led her accomplice inside, instructing her to secure the door behind them. Trixie turned around and was about to comply when Luna’s eyes met the sight she had been secretly dreading. Inside the library, on a far table, nestled between stacks of books and what looked like tiny pillows, was a large plate of sandwiches and a smattering of small chocolates. On top of the platter was a tiny sign stuck into the top sandwich that clearly bore the words, “Have fun, you two!” Underneath the words was a small red heart. Luna immediately turned around and started to walk out of the library. Trixie stared after her. “Where are you going?!” Trixie asked in a loud whisper. “Somewhere else,” Luna replied in a flat voice. *** The two ended up practicing in Trixie’s borrowed room that night. Three productive nights passed there without incident, but far from comforting Luna, this only served to fuel her latent paranoia. She still wasn’t sure what Celestia knew- if she were actually concerned about whatever she was concerned about, or if she were merely toying with her while she warmed up the straight-to-the-moon spell. Or both. She hadn’t been able to tell the difference a thousand years ago and she sure hadn’t gotten any better at it in the meantime. She didn’t let that stop her, though. There was work to be done. “Okay, so you know how to summon simple objects pretty well,” Luna said, beginning their third lesson for that night. Trixie, as if to prove a point, lit her horn and procured a perfectly smooth glass sphere into the air between them. It fell to the soft carpet. “Yep,” she said. “And we’ve covered how to materialize more complex objects,” Luna continued, prompting her this time. Trixie shut her eyes, her horn glowed once again, and after a few seconds, a brilliantly detailed gemstone came into existence. The light from her horn and the candles around them shined through the facets of the jewel, covering the room with radiance. Trixie opened her eyes and grinned devilishly. Luna let a tiny smile cross her face. “All very good. Now, we’re going to do something more difficult.” Using her own magic, she brought forth from the air a simple box. She levitated it in front of Trixie. “You’re going to teleport out the item in this box.” Trixie scoffed. “That’s it?” Luna cocked an eyebrow. “What must one do to teleport an object?” Trixie thought for a moment, and then her face fell, her grin disappearing. “You have to know what the object is.” Luna nodded sagely. “Precisely.” Trixie frowned. “How is this supposed to help me?” “You never know what skill might come in handy during a fight,” Luna said off-handedly. Trixie looked like she was about to say something in response, but gave up, shutting her eyes and focusing her magic. Luna placed the box on the floor, watching Trixie with anticipation. This spell was tricky, but not overly complicated. The object she had put in the box wasn’t hard to manipulate either, but the mare would need to master this spell before… Before Luna could finish that thought, there appeared with a flash of light a book between the two unicorns- a book far larger than would have fit in the box. Trixie opened her eyes in confusion at the same time Luna read the title. It was Colts and Fillies, a book infamous for its… racy content. It was often colloquially called, along with other reading materials like it, clop fiction. Trixie blinked in confusion and her jaw hung open. “Uh…” she stammered. Luna simply turned and silently beat her head against the wall beside her. *** The night of practicing was long and tedious, but fruitful. Trixie wasn’t used to the powerful magic Luna was teaching her, but she was learning fast, which was exactly what Luna had been expecting. The two magicians stopped working around the time when Trixie’s horn started to glow a weird color. Luna once again avoided Celestia at the breakfast table and had her food sent up to her room. When it arrived, though, it was the exact same plate of sandwiches and chocolates that she had seen in the library. Suddenly not hungry in the slightest, she frowned and pushed the plate away, crawling into bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She vaguely remembered dreaming of the moon. As she was accustomed to doing, she awoke at almost exactly dusk. She blinked a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes, and rolled over in her bed to get ready to raise Equestria’s nocturnal satellite and her accompanying stars. To her surprise, she rolled over onto something warm and pony-shaped. Yelping with surprise, Luna bolted upright and threw off the covers. Lying next to her in bed was a disrobed Trixie, who was looking back up at her with about as much surprise on her face as Luna felt. Neither said anything for a heartbeat, both of their jaws quite agape. Luna recovered first. “What are you doing in my bed?!” she squeaked. “What are you doing in my-“ Trixie started, but stopped suddenly when she looked around the room and realized that she wasn’t in her assigned quarters. Both ponies looked at each other again with a disbelieving silence. Trixie was blushing a deep red now that she realized what was going on. “You didn’t come here on your own?” Luna asked. Trixie took another look around the room, then down at herself, then back at Luna. “No! Where are my robes? What’s going on?” Luna still wasn’t quite awake, but she had a pretty good idea of what was going on. “So you don’t know how you got here?” she prodded. “NO!” Trixie repeated, quite forcefully. Another moment of awkward silence. Trixie uncomfortably grabbed a hooffull of the sheets and covered herself up a bit. “Let’s pretend this didn’t happen,” Luna said, blinking. “Agreed,” Trixie mumbled. Eager to put the morning- technically evening- behind them, the two quickly left Luna’s quarters. Now that Luna knew that Celestia knew where Trixie had been living in the castle, she made a mental note to find her a new room. In the meantime, though, they two would need a new practice space, and Luna thought she knew just the place. There was a balcony loft that she knew for a fact was unoccupied. It was a special room, usually reserved for when Celestia wanted to address her subjects in the most public manner possible, which wasn’t often nowadays. Before Luna had been banished, she remembered it seeing frequent use. Times had indeed changed. Stopping only to gather their spell books, the two made their way up the winding flights of stairs. Upon reaching the top, Luna opened the door to find the room exactly the way she had remembered it. Nice, quiet, and private. The two unicorns got settled, as they were now used to doing. Luna levitated one of the books and flipped to a dog-eared page. “So, we left off on barrier spells…” she began. “When she’s gone, what will you do?” Trixie interrupted. “Come again?” Luna asked. “That ridiculous unicorn,” Trixie clarified. “Once she’s out of the picture, what’s your plan?” Luna looked at the mare thoughtfully. At one point she might have hesitated in telling her this, but she had grown to trust her during her admittedly short visit. Plus, she was helping her- what harm could it do? “Celestia,” she said. “Celestia is next. This kingdom will be mine again.” “Sounds pretty vengeful,” Trixie noted lightly. “Says the mare that’s still focusing on one failed show,” Luna pointed out. “Says the princess who’s focusing on something that happened a thousand years ago,” Trixie countered. Luna was about to respond in kind when she realized Trixie had a point. They were both after something rather shallow and vain, weren’t they? And yet neither of them had really stopped and considered the consequences of the actions they were about to take. Luna looked into the younger mare’s eyes with a fresh understanding that she hadn’t expected. Perhaps there was more they could both learn from the other. Luna’s deep thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Luna swore quietly and lightly hit her head on the wall beside her. “Girls?” a sing-song voice came from the other side of the door. “Are you in there?” “Celestia, I swear to-“ Luna said, but the door opened before she could finish. Celestia popped her head into the room with a huge smile on her face. “Oh, hello!” she said cheerily. “Don’t mean to interrupt! Just wanted to see if I could get you girls anything,” she said, still smiling broadly. Luna gave her her best glare. “Celestia…” Luna mumbled. “Now, don’t be rude, Luna,” Celestia responded. “Ask your friend if she wants anything.” “Celestia,” Luna said, more forcefully. “Whatcha studying?” Celestia asked, peeking her head around to look at the books. “Celly!” Luna shouted, shoving her sister back through the doorway with her head. Once she was outside the doorframe, Luna shut and locked the door. She took a few deep breaths and then turned back to Trixie with a deadpan look on her face. “Point taken,” Trixie said quietly. *** Luna, exhausted from the night’s work, once again prepared to bed down for the duration of the day. She opened the large window that dominated one side of her quarters to let the fresh dawn air fill the room. She took a deep breath and savored it- the balcony loft had gotten quite stuffy after so many diligent hours. Trixie was absorbing her lessons almost as fast as she could think of them. They had perhaps one more night of studies before Luna felt the unicorn was ready to perform her mission. One more night, she thought, turning away from the window and approaching her bed. She could surely keep her sister out of the way for one more night. Seemingly in response to that thought, Luna heard a rustling behind her, on the other side of her room. It sounded almost as if somepony had come through her window. Luna sighed and closed her eyes as she felt a headache coming on. “What, Celestia?” she asked, turning around. Celestia was indeed perched on her open windowsill. “Now, now, Luna,” Celestia cooed. “No need to be grumpy with me.” “Why are you doing this?” Luna asked, narrowing her eyes. “I’m just looking out for my little sister!” Celestia said, climbing down from the windowsill. “Is that such a crime?” Luna gave Celestia her best glare, but said nothing. The white alicorn trotted cheerily to Luna’s bed, flopping down on it with a soft flump. She looked back up at Luna. “There’s something to be said about being a good host, you know,” she said, playing with the sheets with a hoof. “Though, it was nice of you to give her her own room and all. Shows respect for her privacy.” Luna continued her silent glare. Celestia continued, oblivious. “You could certainly have asked me to procure a better room, certainly- but I understand! You’re taking this gently. Slowly. I can appreciate that. Give her the old razzle dazzle. It works, sometimes. Sometimes it doesn’t- who knows with these performer types?” Luna thought she knew where her sister was going with this, but kept her glare up. Celestia took a tiny pause in her diatribe and levitated a sandwich from the tray that Luna had left untouched near her bedside. She took a bite and spoke around the food. “Though, dear, you might not want to leave her waiting too long. That’s rude.” Luna’s glare dropped to a flat expression. “Celly, we’re not-“ “Oh, don’t give me that,” the alicorn countered lightly. “You can’t hide anything from me, dear.” Luna resisted the urge to sigh. There was no way she was getting out of the conversation. She decided to take the easy way out. “Obviously not,” the alicorn grumbled. Celestia gave her sister a beaming grin, her point made. “That’s the spirit,” she said, getting up off the bed and magically opening the door out of the bedroom. Just as she was about to leave, she turned and looked back at Luna. “Be gentle with her. She’s kind of temperamental,” she said slyly. With that, Celestia walked past the threshold, the door closing behind her . Luna hit her head on the closest wall. *** This was it- the final night. Luna had picked a room as far away from her previous choices as she possibly could, to hopefully throw Celestia off. Luna looked on expectantly at Trixie as she closed her eyes and tried to perform the last spell for the night. If the performer could do it, then she had learned all that Luna could teach her- all that she needed to know to kill Twilight. It had been over a week of nonstop practicing and drilling and planning, and it was all coming to fruition right before Luna’s eyes. Trixie started to take on a peculiar glow as she focused her magic. Her horn positively lit up the room, it was becoming so bright. The blue unicorn mumbled something under her breath that Luna didn’t hear. Without warning, the mare disappeared in a flash of light. Luna smiled at the space that she had previously occupied, now covered in wisps of smoke. She- they- had done it. “I did it!” Trixie shouted from where she had successfully teleported - the other side of the room, near the balcony window. Luna turned around to see Trixie on her hooves, looking around in awe at her achievement. With the moonlight highlighting her form against the blackened sky, Trixie almost looked the same as she had the night she had broken into the castle grounds- but much happier. “And thus endeth the lesson for tonight,” Luna said contentedly. Trixie stamped a hoof on the ground in approval and whinnied. “Damn straight! There’s nothing that little unicorn can do to stop me now!” Luna gave the blue mare a wide smile. “There’s one last thing we need to discuss,” she said. All that remained now was to fill Trixie in on the exact details of how she would carry out her assignment. Luna had been obscuring the details of this intentionally up until now, just in case, despite Trixie’s protests. Now that their lessons were over… Luna’s heart skipped a beat when Trixie moved away from the window. Past the balcony railing, she saw the unmistakable silhouette of a horned, winged figure with a long, flowing mane, just out of sight. Celestia was here, watching them. Luna tried to keep her face impassive, but inside she was panicking. Not now. Not now, when she was so close. Her mind raced. She needed to get her sister away from that window for ten minutes. Ten minutes was all she needed. She knew her sibling, and she wasn’t going to be able to chase her off again; she’d just come back. Celestia needed to leave on her own. Luna swallowed, and her heart fell into her stomach. She knew exactly what her sister was waiting for the two of them to do. She looked at Trixie’s advancing form, hoping against hope that her hastily-constructed idea would be enough. Trixie was not going to like this. Here goes nothing. As Trixie walked the final steps towards Luna, the elder mare indicated silently that she should sit, which she did. Once Trixie was close enough, Luna put her snout gently against the blue unicorn’s ear and gently nuzzled it. “Celestia is in the window,” Luna whispered softly. Trixie, taken aback by both the unexpected gesture and the news, almost pulled away from Luna, but the alicorn lightly grabbed her ear with her teeth to stop her. Trixie took only a second to absorb the news, and then pulled her head back, seemingly understanding the gravity of the situation. “What do we do, then?” Trixie whispered back nervously. “We need to get her to leave,” Luna replied softly. Trixie paused, unsure of what to do. “Just pretend I’m Spitfire for a minute,” Luna elaborated. To Trixie’s credit, as corny as Luna’s encouragement had seemed to her, the blue mare took the hint without much hesitation and relaxed her posture. Her face had taken on a slight shade of red. Luna faltered, though. She was so out of practice that she wasn’t sure she could make this look convincing. Plus, Trixie was a mare. Luna would have to fake this like she’d never faked before. Just take it slow, she encouraged herself. Luna continued her nuzzling motion under and around Trixie’s ear, massaging the side of her head with her snout. She alternated between rubbing that spot and kneading the underside of Trixie’s neck. Every few moments she would nip a little at Trixie’s ear, which, after a few rounds, began to elicit soft moans from the blue mare. To her surprise, Luna could feel Trixie’s face getting redder and redder. She hadn’t expected that. She felt a little guilty for doing this to her, but she was sure the unicorn understood what was at stake. Though Luna wouldn’t admit it, her guilt was alleviated slightly by the sheer virtue of the fact that she was either apparently doing a decent job or that Trixie was a remarkably good faker. Luna stole a quick glance towards the window. She still saw the shadow of her sister watching them. It dawned on her that this would get awkward quickly if Celestia had no plans to leave, but Luna liked to think her sister had some sense of dignity. Time to continue. “I’m going to kiss you,” Luna whispered quietly, mostly as a forewarning. Trixie’s eyebrows shot up even as her eyes remained closed, as if she had been awoken from a trance. All Luna got in response was a soft hum and a nod from the blue mare. The alicorn stopped her nuzzling and brought her lips experimentally to Trixie’s. Their height difference made the movement a little awkward at first, which Luna solved by backing up a bit from her student. The heat coming from the performer’s face was very apparent now. She hadn’t been sure what to expect Trixie to taste like, but Luna thought she tasted a tiny hint of blueberries. Trixie didn’t reciprocate the kiss at first, but slowly, gradually began to push back on Luna’s lips with her own. The princess had no idea if she was doing her part correctly, but Trixie seemed to be enjoying it just fine. Luna kept it up for the better part of a minute before Trixie offered her tongue. Luna was surprised by the gesture, but accepted it. Their makeout session intensified. After another minute, Luna broke the kiss. “What was that about?” she asked quietly, taking another glance at the window. Celestia was still there. “Authenticity,” Trixie cooed, nuzzling Luna’s neck as the alicorn had done previously. Luna resisted the urge to shrug. Her sister was being very persistent- it was probably time to look a little more serious about what they were doing. She looked down at her student. Her face was now bright red. She looked further up, and eyed Trixie’s horn warily. This she did have some experience in, but it had been so long since she had practiced it that, in this case, she was even more unsure of how to proceed. Here goes some more nothing. Luna gently brushed Trixie’s horn with her snout, which caused the mare to tense her body slightly. Luna repeated the action a few times until Trixie seemed used to it, then gave the appendage a light lick. Trixie sighed with pleasure, and involuntarily ducked her head a little. Luna took that as her signal to proceed. She gave the shaft another lick, stronger this time. Trixie almost shivered. Luna looked up for just a moment to the window, and saw the sight she had been hoping for- the figure was turning away from the balcony! Just a few more seconds… “Wait,” Trixie said suddenly, forcefully. “Wait a second.” Luna’s heart skipped a beat as the figure in the window paused, and turned back to the castle. No! Not now! I’m so close! “What?” Luna hissed. The blue mare had already stood up before Luna could stop her. Her eyes were focused oddly, her breathing was irregular, and she looked angry. Her blush had spread across her entire face. “I see what’s going on here!” “Trixie, sit down!” Luna whispered loudly, hoping to salvage the situation, but already instinctively knew that her plan had just fallen through the floor. At the very last second. Amazing. The mare narrowed her gaze dangerously, her tone absolutely furious as she unsuccessfully tried to wipe her horn clean with a hoof. “You’ve been planning this all along! You and your sister have set this all up so you can get me into bed!” Luna’s face dropped into utter disbelief. “What-“ “Do you think the Great and Powerful Trixie is stupid?!” Trixie continued. “You don’t care about getting revenge on Twilight! You don’t care about teaching me magic! All you wanted was Trixie’s Great and Powerful bits!” Luna blinked in confusion. “Why would I want your mone-“ “I’m…” Trixie started, but her face scrunched up with anger before she could finish. “Insulted!” she managed. “It was a mistake coming here!” With that, the blue magician turned away from Luna and lit her still-moist horn with magic. “I expect my things to be mailed by morning!” she screeched. With that, Trixie disappeared in the flash of magical light that Luna had just taught her, leaving small contrails of smoke where she had stood just a moment ago. Luna was left staring blankly at the spot, wondering how her until-then perfect plan had fallen apart in thirty seconds. She blinked. Yep, Trixie was gone. That had just happened. She was too surprised to be angry. She was too surprised to be upset. She was just confused. From behind her, Luna heard soft hoofbeats as Celestia approached. Luna didn’t turn to face her. “I’m so sorry, Luna,” Celestia said in a voice that contained no sorrow whatsoever. “Sometimes things happen. She really wasn’t your type, anyway.” Luna let her head hit the floor.

knighty

14

Anthro,Comedy,Human,Romance,Tragedy

My Little Dashie's

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin commodo ligula eget viverra mattis. Morbi mauris enim, eleifend ut volutpat nec, vulputate a elit. Proin malesuada ut eros vitae consequat. Donec bibendum in purus porta iaculis. Aliquam

incomplete

<p>If you need any help with grammar, story construction, or just general advice on writing Fanfiction, please check out this excellent guide by Ezn<br />Once you&#39;ve created your story, you&#39;ll be able to add chapters for it.<br />Don&#39;t forget to submit your story on the story page when you&#39;re ready for it to be seen by others<br />Not accepting stories that are just links to gdocs. If your story is heavily formatted, provide a link to the gdocs version at the top but still provide a copy here.&quot;&quot; &amp;</p>

mature

2015-04-17T19:40:35+00:00

“Hey Soarin, I’m gonna run to the market real quick and pick up a few things for dinner, alright?” Rainbow asked as she trotted towards the door, tightening her saddlebag around her back. Laying a hoof on the door’s handle, she smiled and glanced over her shoulder to see her coltfriend sprawled out on her couch. “Oh, okay. You want me to come with or are you good?” Soarin asked, his muzzle just barely poking up above the back of the couch as he flipped through a magazine. “Nah, it’ll only take me a little bit to get the stuff we need. You can just chill here for a little bit. See ya!” Rainbow said as she trotted outside, letting the door close behind her. Soarin waited a few seconds before he looked up over the couch, listening hard to pick up the sounds of Rainbow flying away. Once he was certain she’d left, Soarin scrambled up off of the couch and trotted over to the window, smiling as he watched his marefriend fly towards Ponyville. “Finally!” he said, pumping a hoof in excitement. Opening his wings, he turned and flew up to Rainbow’s bedroom and landed right in front of her dresser. His wings bristling in excitement, he folded them back to his side and gently pulled open the top drawer. “Jackpot!” he said as his gaze fell upon the contents of his marefriend’s panty drawer. “Hehe, I hope she doesn’t mind me seeing what she’s got…” There were panties of all colors and styles, but what really drew his attention was a hot pink pair that had a small white heart on the front. Flipping the panties around, he saw the back had the words ‘My Little Slut’ on them, making him grin slyly. I wonder what they’d feel like if I put them on… he thought, his eyes widening as he eyed the soft panties in his hoof. He knew that Rainbow was going to be gone for a little while longer, so he figured that he had enough time to have a little fun for himself. Doing his best to keep his stiffening wings folded, he lowered the panties to the floor and stepped through the leg holes, then slowly pulled them up his hind legs. The feeling of the soft fabric sliding up his legs sent a small shiver down his spine, making him moan softly. Biting his lip, he pulled the panties up the rest of the way, smiling in excitement as he let go of them, letting them smack tightly against his toned ass.

knighty

14

Anthro,Comedy,Human,Romance,Tragedy

My Little Dashie's

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin commodo ligula eget viverra mattis. Morbi mauris enim, eleifend ut volutpat nec, vulputate a elit. Proin malesuada ut eros vitae consequat. Donec bibendum in purus porta iaculis. Aliquam

incomplete

<p>If you need any help with grammar, story construction, or just general advice on writing Fanfiction, please check out this excellent guide by Ezn<br />Once you&#39;ve created your story, you&#39;ll be able to add chapters for it.<br />Don&#39;t forget to submit your story on the story page when you&#39;re ready for it to be seen by others<br />Not accepting stories that are just links to gdocs. If your story is heavily formatted, provide a link to the gdocs version at the top but still provide a copy here.&quot;&quot; &amp;</p>

mature

2015-04-17T19:40:38+00:00

eergergerg ergertger erger  tger  ergertger er  gertger  ergertger  e tger ergert ger ergertger ergertger erge   rt ger ergertger e rgertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertg er ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger erg ertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergergergerg sdgergewrgergertger ergertger  ergertge r ergertger ergertger er gertger ergertger ergertger erger tger ergertger ergertger erge  er ergertger  erge rtger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger ergertger

knighty

14

Anthro,Comedy,Human,Romance,Tragedy

My Little Dashie's

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin commodo ligula eget viverra mattis. Morbi mauris enim, eleifend ut volutpat nec, vulputate a elit. Proin malesuada ut eros vitae consequat. Donec bibendum in purus porta iaculis. Aliquam

incomplete

<p>If you need any help with grammar, story construction, or just general advice on writing Fanfiction, please check out this excellent guide by Ezn<br />Once you&#39;ve created your story, you&#39;ll be able to add chapters for it.<br />Don&#39;t forget to submit your story on the story page when you&#39;re ready for it to be seen by others<br />Not accepting stories that are just links to gdocs. If your story is heavily formatted, provide a link to the gdocs version at the top but still provide a copy here.&quot;&quot; &amp;</p>

mature

2015-06-07T16:41:21+00:00

Citizen Weevil Chapter Three Down in Six Points, Part III Shroud hated P.E.. Apart from a good game of hockey, he utterly hated anything to do with Physical Education. It wasn’t just because he was, by all my means, a nerd, but also because he had the grave misfortune of being a changeling colt. As a male of his species, he could never hope to grow as big and muscular like the females often did; the only reason the Changeling Kingdom conscripted countless stallions were because they made for good cannon fodder. He couldn’t get anything out of this class other than humiliation and pulled muscles. The school auditorium/gymnasium was crammed with students from different grades behaving like a horde of zoo animals let out of their cages. The bad weather meant P.E. had been relegated indoors for the day, to the joy of lazy dough balls like Bigmouth, whose most arduous exercise included the trip from his living room to his fridge. Shroud was sitting on the bottom of the bleachers in his small group of friends, made up of Zamira, Bigmouth and Scruffy; some of the few students who weren't running amok. Bigmouth finished licking his hooves and the inside of his potato chip bag and let out a long, drawn-out slovenly burp. “... Oh, dudes! I’m totally stuffed.” Zamira shot him a genuinely surprised look. “That’d be a first. You know Posy’s probably gonna make us climb the obstacle course today.” He belched again. “So?” “So you gotta do the flying section, cuz you’re a pegasus!” she snapped, retching and waving away his noxious gas. “And when was the last time you could lift your big butt off the floor?” “Pfft, I got that covered...” He took something out from under his pigmy wings and showed it to them, smirking confidently. “Check it.” All three of them stared baffled back and forth from Bigmouth to what was a crumpled-up napkin with quite possibly Equestria’s most pathetic excuse for a fake doctor’s note ever poorly scribbled in green felt-tip. “You know, Bigmouth, I get you’re stupid, but this is just you showin’ off,” Zamira declared, Shroud only shaking his head unimpressed. “There’s no way Posy’s gonna fall for this!” “You didn’t even spell ‘can’t’ right,” Scruffy pointed out amongst the ‘note’s’ many, many flaws. “And what the heck is ‘Achy-Breaky Pelvis’?!” “It’s a real condition, Plotfaces!” he snapped as he folded the napkin and tucked it away. “My grandpa had it! Just you watch: old Coach Psycho’s not gonna have a choice—” The double doors kicked open, but the sound was lost in the tidal wave of noise created by the wild animals known as children, picked up only by the small group who let out a collective ‘eep’ and hurried into a line. The rest of them did not notice the mare marching into the room, that is, until her terrifying, booming voice shook the foundations of the room. “SHUT UP OR I WILL KILL YOU!” Most of the students shut their traps immediately, some even flash-freezing where they stood as they recognized the voice that made them want to void their bowels and saw its owner standing over them like the golem she was. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND! SHUT UP AND GET IN LINE OR I WILL PHYSICALLY-KILL-YOU!” They were all lined up perfectly like a company of soldiers, none making a peep, before she was even finished yelling. She was a pegasus mare with a titanic frame made up of an overabundance of massive muscles rippling under a plush crimson coat and black tracksuit. She also sported a jet black mane done up in a short style. With such a figure, at first glance, let’s just say some honest mistakes were made... with unpleasant results. “Alright, you little mutants, listen up!” Coach Rosy Posy began as she marched up and down in the line of students in a brisk military fashion, keeping her smouldering eyes forward and flexing her mighty wings. “As you know, because of today’s weather and the do-good bureaucrats who’ll freak out if so much as one of you little punks gets a cold, today’s P.E. will be taking place indoors.” Shroud almost snickered aloud. Bureaucrats were nothing to worry about. If his mother found so much as a single cut or graze on his leg, she’d come down to the school and literally rip all the teachers in half like catalogue books. “Now since the newest equipment still hasn’t arrived from Manehattan prison, we’ll be playing a school pastime instead...” She whipped a large red rubber ball from under her wing. “DODGEBALL!” The gym came alive again with the older students cheering in jubilation, while the silent majority's faces collectively contorted with grimace. A certain pair, one a bronze-headed griffin and the other a milky white earth filly, both of them wearing the dumbest, slack-jawed expressions Shroud had ever seen, were in an uncontrollable fit of giggles. “Huhuhuh, dude, Slaughterball!” The filly laughed stupidly, hoof bumping her best friend and flinging her lime and pink stripped mane from her face. “Excellent!” They cheered, standing up on their hind legs and playing an air riff. “Wikus and Metalhead, shut the hay up!” Posy yelled. Both of them shut their traps and got back in line, albeit still struggling to restrain their laughter. The musclebound mare brushed her mane back, calming down and resuming her march down the line. “Now before any of you little maggots dares asking, I’ve already assigned your groups. Any questions?” “Eh-hem! Coach?” She stopped and sighed exasperatedly upon hearing that obnoxious voice from below. Her head cranked down to stare unimpressed at the little turquoise tub of goo standing smugly at her hooves. “Alright, Bigmouth, what’s today’s excuse?” she asked him dryly. The hefty colt took out his ‘note’ and hoofed it to her, retaining his confident smirking and posture. She skimmed through it, seemingly able to make out the chicken scratch, before glaring at him intently. “... ‘Achy-Breaky Pelvis?’. Really?” “It’s a medical condition,” he retorted. “Ask a doctor!” “My office, Butterball,” she ordered stonily, pointing at the double doors. “Now.” Bigmouth huffed and sulked off with the musclebound mare giving him an ‘encouraging’ nudge as she followed him out. His classmates hardly bothered to mask their laughter, Shroud and Zamira especially. That fat little lump always managed to get away with murder, and seeing him get what was coming to him was immensely satisfying. “Told ya it wouldn’t work, fatso,” she whispered when was still within earshot. “Bark chewer!” “What did you say?!” “Enough!” Posy spread her wings to keep them apart. “Crete! Get your classmates started before I get back while I take care of this! You know what to do.” An oversized minotaur calf blew a whistle hanging from a lanyard around his neck before she was even out the door and began ordering the other students around. Crete was Posy’s unofficial 'assistant' and judging by his exceptionally large

knighty

14

Anthro,Comedy,Human,Romance,Tragedy

My Little Dashie's

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin commodo ligula eget viverra mattis. Morbi mauris enim, eleifend ut volutpat nec, vulputate a elit. Proin malesuada ut eros vitae consequat. Donec bibendum in purus porta iaculis. Aliquam

incomplete

<p>If you need any help with grammar, story construction, or just general advice on writing Fanfiction, please check out this excellent guide by Ezn<br />Once you&#39;ve created your story, you&#39;ll be able to add chapters for it.<br />Don&#39;t forget to submit your story on the story page when you&#39;re ready for it to be seen by others<br />Not accepting stories that are just links to gdocs. If your story is heavily formatted, provide a link to the gdocs version at the top but still provide a copy here.&quot;&quot; &amp;</p>

mature

2014-11-14T10:08:44+00:00

asfasfasfgergerg

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T22:53:20+00:00

2011-07-10T22:53:20+00:00

The party loving pink pony; Pinkie Pie, extinguished the last light within Sugarcube Corner, and with that, she was gone. *** Rainbow Dash looked up into the flashing strobe and immersed herself. She blinked, and the outline of the resident pony DJ was obvious, nevertheless, when she blinked again, DJ Pon-3 was gone. Strobe lights were funny like that, and Rainbow Dash pondered whether that it was due to the fact that ponies wouldn’t have had strobes in the wild. However, at this point she decided that she didn’t really care, as she was out at a club, and that there probably wasn’t enough alcohol in her bloodstream if she could think that coherently. “Rainbow! You dragged me out here, and now you’re just ignoring me?” It was Twilight Sparkle. Well, Rainbow had been told to call her Twilight, but she was unsure what she’d done to warrant such a close friendship. “Twilight, you know when you just look into the lights, and then you go all trance-y? What’s all that about?” Well, she had to think of something to say, and the ‘lights thing’ was already in her head… “What?” “Uhhh, on second thoughts, never mind.” ‘Damn’, Rainbow thought to herself. ‘Why’d I mention the lights, It was a stupid idea. Moving swiftly on…’ “Twilight, can I get you a drink?” “That’d be splendid, Rainbow.” … “Well, it’d help to know what you want.” “Rainbow, do you mind if I tell you something?” Huh, she always has to beat around the bush, but if I told her that, she’d probably just laugh at me for using such a cliché. “Is it what you want to drink?” “Well, sort of.” … “Go on then…” “You may be surprised, but…” Twilight goes off into an inaudible whisper. “You’ll have to speak up, Twilight.” Twilight moved towards Rainbow’s ear and whispered; “I’ve never drunk before.” Red spread across the purple pony’s cheeks. Rainbow stifled a laugh, but Twilight missed it, in her embarrassment. “Don’t they have booze in Canterlot?” “Well…” “I’ll just get you what I’m having, shall I?” In a small voice, Rainbow heard; “That’d be nice.” “Be back in ten seconds, flat.” Rainbow turned and clopped towards the bar. Maybe she’d been a bit mean on the poor filly, but she couldn’t help but think that at somepony had to be a bit mean on the new pony. Well, maybe the not so new pony. Twilight had been living in Ponyville for quite some time now. Anyway, Rainbow had invited her out, so that was something. “Four double Fillykicks please” She mumbled, nonchalantly. Best to get a couple of rounds in, she thought; saves coming back for more so quickly. *** “Rainbow Dash, What in Equestria are you doing?!” “Just having a bit of fun, Twilight, lighten up.” “Yes, okay, fine, just get off of the table!” Twilight Sparkle was overwhelmed with the drunken version of Rainbow Dash, she was even more of a loose cannon than she was normally.Twilight didn’t even think that was possible. ‘She’s ruining all order in the club!’, Twilight thought; her obsessiveness rife within her. “Geez, Twi’, stop being such a killjoy!” Despite the uncooperative speech, Rainbow still got off of the table, but she still insisted on flying down. And now she’d started shortening her name to ‘Twi’. She’d asked her to call her Twilight, not Twi’, but Twilight had learnt not to argue with a drunk Rainbow Dash, as that was the reason she’d ended up on the table in the first place. “Hey Twi’, you wanna dance?” “Fine, but only if you don’t draw attention to us like that again.” “Like what?” Rainbow ought to know perfectly what she meant, eyes were only just being averted from them now, and there were quite a lot of ponies they were sharing the table with, who’d put drinks down on said table. “Oh, let’s just go.” Probably best to move along, before we’re hoofed with the bill for the ponies who’d put drinks down on said table. “Oh, Twi’, I love this song!” Twilight wasn’t sure how Rainbow could tell the difference, the thumping bass just sounded the same as the previous song, but she supposed that maybe the alcohol within her own bloodstream was beginning to take its toll on her senses. “It’s not bad, I suppose.” “Louder, Twi’, I can’t hear you!” “It’s not bad, I said” The two ponies were on a rather cramped dance floor, below the bar area, crammed full of other rather drunk ponies, all doing some sort of drunken dancing/stumbling about type affair. Suddenly, Rainbow fell forwards, jolted by a few over-enthusiastic colts, into Twilight, sending them both into a heap on the dance floor. As her senses came back to her, she could only hear an incredibly irate Rainbow Dash, screaming at the top of her lungs. The music had stopped. “…F YOU HADN'T BEEN BEING A BUNCH OF IDIOTS, WE’D STILL ALL BE HAVING A…” “Rainbow?” Twilight’s voice was quiet. “...NICE NIGHT OUT, BUT NO, YOU HAD TO…” “Rainbow?” Twilight tried her best to be louder. “…GO AND- Twi’, you’re awake!” Twilight could feel pain across her forehead, spattered with a sort of wet feeling. “Twi’, can you open your eyes for me?” She tried to open her eyes. Vision came through, dappled by red. “Twi’, say something, please?” She pulled her head off of the floor, mostly ignoring the wetness, and looked up. There was a mostly red faced filly looking down at her, but she couldn’t quite make out the face it’s self. “Rainbow, where are you?” Twilight’s voice was still quiet. “Uhhh…” The red filly waved a hoof at her. “I’m right here, Twi’.” “But, what? Rainbow, you’re all red.” “Yeah, blood is red, ya’ know.” Twilight’s sight had mostly come back to her by now, at least as far as she could tell, and Rainbow was right. Her face was largely red, caked in blood, with what looked like it was a rather deep gash on her forehead. “By Celestia, Rainbow Dash! What happened?” Rainbow looked pale, in-between the spatters of blood. “Look; I’m fine, but I think we need to get out of here. Can you stand?” Twilight pushed against the sticky floor with her fore legs, trying to ignore the pain in her left leg, followed by her putting her hind legs firmly out. She’d live; it was probably just a couple of large bruises, she thought. Twilight looked around; the two of them really had brought the club to a standstill. There were mostly concerned faces, looking towards them, but slightly backed off. Twilight put this down to how irately Rainbow had been shouting at everyone. She also noticed a couple still going at it, dancing like a couple of mental ponies; she chuckled, and wished she had not a care like they did. “C’mon, Twi’, let’s go.” Rainbow was impatiently beckoning her to the door, At least from the side, she wasn’t all red. The two fillies stepped out into the cold. Twilight could see her breath, during the silence after the club. Rainbow hadn’t said anything since, so she’d merely entranced herself staring at the patterns and the swirls in the low light of the night. However, she couldn’t help think about convection currents, and how water vapour condenses when cold. Twilight smiled bitterly to herself, why couldn’t she just enjoy things? She always had to over analyse everything. “Rainbow, you’re being awfully quiet.” “Yeah?” “Are you really sure you’re okay?” “I’m fine.” For somepony who was so concerned about her earlier on, Twilight was surprised that she was being so blunt when it came to concerns regarding herself. Maybe Rainbow just couldn’t let go of her cool exterior, like Twilight herself couldn’t help but analyse everything that came before her. “You look awfully pale…” “I said I was fine, Okay?” Twilight could tell that she wasn’t. Rainbow’s once powerful, confident stride had diminished into a stumbling, slow stagger, although it seemed as though she was trying to cover it up. Anyway, Twilight had a sneaking suspicion that Rainbow was quite hurt, as would be flying along side her, if she could. In fact, this was probably the furthest Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash walk, well, ever. “Rainbow, I hate to say it, but you don’t look just ‘fine’. I’m sorry, but you look terrible.” Rainbow shot Twilight an evil look, but it looked pained, half-hearted. “Look; you have a massive gash in your forehead, you’ve lost a lot of blood, you’re staggering along, you look like you’re going to be on the floor, if you don’t get at least some rest, and yet you’re still insisting that you’re ‘fine’? I don’t know what your definition of ‘fine’ is, but it’s definitely wrong!” Rainbow didn’t respond, she just let out a dissatisfied huff, and looked away from Twilight. “Rainbow, I’m just trying to be a friend, and you’re just pushing me away. Is that what you want?” Something seemed to catch Rainbow’s eye, as she looked away from Twilight once more, instead gazing in the general direction of Sugarcube Corner. “Hey Twilight, do you see that?” ‘Ah, so she completely ignored me.’ Twilight noted. “See what?” “Isn’t that Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow waved her hoof in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Twilight could see a pink-tinged shadow, walking away from the cake parlour, slowly, subtly. “Why, I do believe it is.” Twilight tried to sound un-interested, as she was still annoyed with Rainbow’s dismissal of her worries; but it was intriguing, none the less. Where would Pinkie be going at this time of night? “Heh, that Pinkie Pie can be so random, huh, Twi’?” “I don’t know, but to be honest, Rainbow, I’m still more worried about you than what Pinkie could be doing at all. Don’t think because you changed the subject and started talking cocky again that I’ll just give up.” “Look, Twi’ just leave it, okay? I’ll be fine.” There was silence once more. Twilight actually still felt pity for the cocky pegasus pony, but not for the pain. She really couldn’t let down her ‘cool’ exterior. They walked, in the dead stillness, and Twilight thought to herself that it was always quite funny when pathetic fallacy applied to the real world. Then she kicked herself once more for becoming to analytical of her own life. “Well, this is me, then.” Twilight and Rainbow were stood outside of the Library which acted as Twilight’s surrogate home. She looked into Rainbow’s eyes. “Rainbow, I’m still worried about you…” Rainbow looked up into the sky, eyes darting away from Twilight. “Rainbow, please?” “Twilight, just leave it.” She sounded exasperated, but in a quite, morose tone. “But-“ “What’ll it take to shut you up?” Twilight was quiet for a second, as ideas formed in her head. “Stay the night here?” Rainbow looked back down at Twilight, but stared at her, not making eye contact. “What?” “You know, sleep at my house.” “Yes, yes, I know what you meant, but why?” “Isn’t it obvious?” Rainbow stared at Twilight obliviously. Obviously not, Twilight thought. “Well, you’re not well, anypony can see that. If you stayed here, I could just keep an eye on you, in case you take a turn for the worse. I could get you cleaned up, you’re covered in blood.” “Twi’, I’ll be-“ “Rainbow Dash, please? Just for me?” Rainbow looked into Twilight’s eyes. “Don’t just tell me you’ll be fine.” “Fine.” Twilight chuckled at her turn of phrase, but Rainbow obviously didn’t get the humour in it. She ushered Rainbow inside, before she could change her mind.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:22:19+00:00

2011-07-10T21:22:19+00:00

The library seemed vast, shrouded in darkness. The cavernous room was eerie, and the motley assortment of books formed cold, unnatural shapes, juxtaposing the soft, gradual shapes of the clouds Rainbow Dash was so used to coming home to. She didn’t like it. Well, Rainbow didn’t like spending much time in the library anyway, it seemed as though it was lacking in energy; lacking in life. Twilight’s addition of light wasn’t much better, either. Long shadows of cast aside books littered the floor, making the library seem somewhat even more surreal. At least the shadows weren’t definite anymore; they petered out into grey, slowly morphing back into the warm, flickering yellows of Twilight’s candlelight. It was more like the clouds of her home, which settled Rainbow, but she didn’t like the incessant flickering, it seemed far too uncertain, almost ethereal. “Rainbow, do you want to sit down?” She jumped, retracting away from what had seemed to be a bellowing noise, against the ambience. Twilight may have noticed, but Rainbow tried her best to shrug it off, with a non-committal huff. “Yeah, why not.” Rainbow slumped down onto the sofa that Twilight was gesturing to, and shut out the confusing half-light of the library. She couldn’t let the strange shapes and shrouds faze her, she was supposed to be strong. No, she was strong! “Twi’, could I get a glass of water?” “Certainly, Rainbow.” Twilight turned around, rump facing Rainbow, wiggling as she slowly moved towards the basin, just out of the main library area. Just before Twilight moved out of earshot, Rainbow heard her mumble to herself. “Oh, and a please wouldn’t go amiss, Miss ‘I’m too full of myself to be polite-’” Twilight went on, but Rainbow couldn’t care much, at least she was getting what she wanted; her body was crying out for hydration, and she knew Twilight was good enough natured to comply with her meagre demands. “Miss Dash, here’s the water that you so eagerly await!” Twilight’s voice was a cusp above sarcastic. “I brought some painkillers as well, madam. That gash upon one’s forehead must be a touch painful.” Rainbow chose to ignore the mock-royal treatment, and knocked back the small white caplets, gulping them down, with most of the water Twilight had brought for her. Even so, the clinical bitterness of the pills was persisting on her tongue. “Thanks, Twi’” Rainbow looked into Twilight’s eyes, and did her best to smile, but it wouldn’t come through. She wouldn’t tell Twilight this, but she was putting all her effort into not letting the tears inside her well up from the gash on her forehead pulsing pain. She brought her hoof up to the wound, and brushed across it. Rainbow let out an audible gasp, her head was still tender. “Don’t be a silly pony, Rainbow! Of course it’s still going to hurt!” Twilight was being far too chirpy for Rainbow’s tired, pained head, and so she chose to remain quiet. “Rainbow, we ought to get you cleaned up, you’re absolutely caked in blood!” It was true; she could feel its dryness clinging to her face, stiffening her mane, beginning to itch. “I’m going to run you a nice, warm bath! You just take it easy, okay?” “Thanks, Twi’.” Rainbow wasn’t really in the mood to talk; she’d rather be at home now, sleeping. Still, she was sure this was the only way to keep Twilight quiet, and it had worked; to an extent. Twilight Sparkle turned around once more, this time heading towards the bathroom. She was once again wiggling her rump, swishing her tail side to side, almost as if she was trying to entice Rainbow. She didn’t want to admit it, but Rainbow was enjoying it. She hadn’t meant to look, but the flick of Twilight’s tail had caught her eye, and then that was it. She was thinking of Twilight in other ways. She was cute, Rainbow would give her that. It was the lilac colour; that hue painted Twilight in intense innocence, yet upon a rump so fine, Rainbow was wondering how she’d never seen through such an innocent veil. Maybe it was Twilight’s personality. She’d spent so much time thinking that, well, Twilight was quite frankly boring. Yeah, she was a good friend, and not bad to be around, but books? Seriously? It’s not like Rainbow was a stranger to the occasional book, she’d been to flight school, and there was no escaping the textbooks there. Of course, she didn’t know that when she’d signed up, but that was beside the point. It was then that Rainbow realised what she was doing. She was slumped upon a sofa, in Twilight’s library, fantasising about her, whilst staring at her rump. Thinking of another filly like that?! Rainbow, have you gone mad?! She checked her wings; they were up in the air too, along with her thoughts. Rainbow hated that about herself, the one thing she couldn’t control. To be so excited that her wings manifest a life of their own. It just wasn’t cool. Rainbow could feel her face burning up, but she decided it was probably just due to the wound on her head; it definitely wasn’t anything to do with her… ‘feelings.’ Besides, if she was going to be with another filly, it would be with somepony else. Somepony she’d already shared her feelings with. She didn’t like to think about it, though. That a pony like her; “Rainbow Dash; The fastest flier in all of Equestria!” would do such things with another filly. It just wasn’t cool. However, Rainbow couldn’t keep the two fillies out of her head. Twilight Sparkle, who was currently running a bath for her, and Rainbow’s other, already established, albeit secret… ‘Friend.’ Just thinking of the situation made Rainbow burn up, so much so that she couldn’t even bare to name the other damn pony. If she’d known that it was going to turn out this way, well, she might have changed things. Just a bit, at least. Rainbow Dash realised that her wings were up, yet again. “Damn things!” She uttered. Rainbow folded her wings away, and laid down upon her back. That ought to keep them in control, she thought, as another wave of heat cascaded over her face. “Why won’t my wound just stop burning me up? It’s just so…” Rainbow exhaled a long breath, wavering. She’d beaten her self into a corner, and she knew it. So what if she was embarrassed? It was probably just the alcohol taking its toll on her, she thought, although she knew that she didn’t believe it. Rainbow wavered yet again. So there wasn’t just one thing she couldn’t control, Rainbow thought, to her annoyance. Maybe that’s just how it works. Of course, she still wasn’t going to tell Twilight that. It just wasn’t cool. *** Twilight slowly swayed towards the bathroom, watching her hooves blur before her. “Heh, it’s like I’ve got, like- I don’t even know how many hooves!” Then Twilight then realised what she’d done; she’d used ‘like’ in a sentence, and twice at that! She trotted into the bathroom, still ‘tutting’ at her literary disregard; she was beginning to sound too common for her liking. Twilight cranked the faucet on the bath over to hot, and watched the water flow out of the old, chunky library pipes. At least it was functional, she thought to herself. Some of the newer designer bathroom suites had stupid twiddly, nonsensical handles on the faucets. She didn’t have time to put up with such gimmicks! Well, she was a busy pony, what with all the studying and all. Twilight winced, as she realised she’d blatantly disregarded the English language again! That didn’t even make sense! Maybe it was down to the alcoholic intoxication, she thought. She’d definitely read books about it; there was a section in her copy of ‘Slumber 101’ labelled ‘Adult’, which touched on Alcohol, amongst other things, but that wasn’t the kind of book she was thinking about. Twilight needed something more academic, really. All of a sudden, the quote she was searching for surfaced within her brain: “The first few beverages will affect judgement, reaction time and brain activity, regardless of a Pony’s metabolism, tolerance to alcohol or BMI. As alcohol consumption increases, reactions will become even more sluggish and delays in physical and mental coordination will become far more pronounced.” Twilight was pleased with herself; she’d remembered the quote with such ease, although she was a bit disappointed that she’d turned to ‘Slumber 101’ before the acclaimed yet controversial thesis; “Alcohol: The bane or father of Equestria?” Twilight sat down on the cold, tiled floor of the bathroom, and brought her hoof over her fringe. It felt matted, rough to the touch. It was odd, she thought, having another pony’s blood upon one’s self, especially that of Rainbow Dash. Twilight wasn’t sure why it was so odd for Rainbow in particular; it just didn’t feel quite right. Maybe it was because she was too cool to bleed? Twilight knew this was complete nonsense, the moment she thought it, but she entertained the thought, if only momentarily, just out of mild humour. Anyway, the cocky pony would probably insist that she was too cool for bleeding, regardless of the facts. Condensation began to form on the tiled floor. Twilight slid her hoof half-heartedly, causing a light, traced line to form across a few tiles. The line, however, was only definite for a couple of seconds, as condensation began to incur upon the divide she’d drawn. Twilight didn’t like this lack of certainty; it was as if as soon as she’d created the definite, perfect line, the boundaries were blurred. It was as if the condensation was disobeying her rules, trying to overwhelm the change, trying to remain the same. However, Twilight still felt a sense of victory over the constantly condensing tiles: Even if it covered up the lines she’d created, there was still presence. If you looked, ever so closely, you could see that there was indeed a line there before; It’d merely just… changed. Twilight thought back to the events of the evening, and realised that she didn’t actually know why Rainbow was bleeding so much. Well, she knew that it had some relevance to a collision between them, but nothing like a straight up collision could have caused such a deep gash as the one Rainbow had acquired upon her head. To do something like that, somepony would have to use something sharp, something piercing. A wave of realisation overwhelmed Twilight, and she leapt to her feet, leaving wet hoofprints upon the floor, soon to be consumed by the condensation. She staggered over to the sink, snagging a towel en route. However, it wasn’t the sink Twilight was after, but the mirror above it. She slowly brought the towel up to the once reflective mirror. Shaking, Twilight slid the flannelly material across the surface, and she was presented with a fleeting look at her own face. It may well have only been distinct for a couple of seconds, but she saw it. Her horn was red. However, it wasn’t a sort of jolly red, not the kind of red you’d associate with whimsical, happy things. No. It was a horrible red. A dark, accusatory crimson. Even though the outline was no longer visible, it was still there. Twilight could see the marks on the mirror, from where the condensation hadn’t quite healed over properly, and within that, she saw herself. She was only a smudge, when viewed through the veil of the condensated mirror. She was a Purple smudge; Indefinite. Dashed with crimson.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:25:06+00:00

2011-07-10T21:25:06+00:00

Rainbow was dozing, her mind drifting through the library’s musky essence. She’d been laid there for a while now, waiting on Twilight’s call, but she’d heard a distinct lack of sound from her friend, just the constant of the distant flow of water was audible. Even though Twilight was a quiet pony, at times, especially when in the library, Rainbow had to admit it was odd that she’d said nothing to her or even made a noise since leaving. Maybe she was a quiet drunk? Hopefully not, Rainbow thought. She couldn’t stand silence, it made her jumpy. Not that her friends would know that. However, that wasn’t completely correct, really. It wasn’t the absence of audio that made her jumpy. It was what lies within silence. Anyway, Rainbow was fine, for now. The sound of the trickling water was tiding her over. If Twilight didn’t talk? ‘Well, that’d be troubling,’ Rainbow thought; although she’d weighed up the silence with the presence of a friend, and all of a sudden, well, it just didn’t seem as bad. She’d experienced it once before, on that cold, stormy night. A massive clap of thunder had caught her off guard, in the ambient soundscape that had surrounded her, and she’d dropped to the ground, fearful. Then that filly had rescued her, taken her in, and just sat with her. Neither of the ponies said anything, it wasn’t needed. Just to be together. Two ponies as one. Only somepony special could make her feel safe like that. Of course, Rainbow had still told her not to tell anypony about the fear she’d experienced that night. It just wasn’t cool. Rainbow could feel another ‘wave’ of warmth gearing to flush across her face, so, to distract herself, she decided to see what Twilight was up to; She’d been taking her time, after all. As soon as she rolled over to stand, Rainbow’s wings eased back out into an arc. She chose to ignore them, she didn’t really care. Yet still, Rainbow felt embarrassed, as her thoughts turned to Twilight once more. As Rainbow clopped sluggishly through the library, she wasn’t fazed at all by the once sinister manufactured shapes of the books. Much more so was Rainbow worried about a sound, coming from the bathroom. A sound other than the flow of water; the sound of a quietly crying filly, morose. She hadn’t heard the sobs at first, but as Rainbow neared the door, each sob became more pronounced, a spike of noise amongst the listlessness of the library. “Oh Rainbow…” Rainbow Dash froze, a mane’s breadth from the door separating Twilight and herself. “I can’t believe I’d do such a thing…” Twilight sounded pained, it was layered within every word of her voice. Not even the barrier of the door could take the chilling edge off of the words, for Rainbow. She felt each word hit her ears, laden with despair. “I just-“ Twilight broke into tears. Rainbow was finding it hard to cope with Twilight’s emotions. Each sob was worse than the last, making Rainbow feel uneasy. She’d not heard much of what Twilight had been lamenting about, but it was clear that she was the source. “I’m so sorry…” It was too much. Rainbow had to go in. She couldn’t bear hearing her friend like this. Rainbow brought her hoof up to the door, and tapped it, quietly, yet firmly. Regardless, the taps echoed around the library, accentuating their presence. “Twilight, I’m coming in.” Rainbow sounded uncertain. “Wait, Rainbow. Just give me a-“ Rainbow pushed the door open, regardless. A plume of vapour hit her, filling her lungs with warm, moist air, and clouding her vision. “Second,” Twilight finished. Twilight was slumped upon the floor, head in hooves. Her purple, starkly against the black of the tiles made for a powerful contrast. It was almost as Twilight was alone. The tiles were streaked with indefinite misty lines, once drawn in by hoof and tear. “Twilight?” Rainbow tried to remain sounding calm, yet her concern for Twilight wavered through into her voice. Twilight looked down, shielding her face from Rainbow with her hoof. “Y-yeah?” Twilight’s voice was as quiet and as light as the vapour that hung in the air, but without the stifling heat. Rainbow slowly clopped around Twilight’s place on the floor, making a move towards the seemingly hap-hazard plumbing leading to the large, old bathtub of the library. She cranked the faucet closed, with a screeching creak that sliced through the mist, breaking the tension, whilst simultaneously reinforcing it’s intensity. “You alright?” At least she sounded more confident this time, Rainbow thought to her self, albeit a tad quizzical. “Well, I’m just a bit…” Twilight exhaled, but her huff was interjected by a spike of sorrow. “You know?” Rainbow faced Twilight once more, although she didn’t return the gesture. Rainbow thought, for a moment. She thought about how Twilight was definitely not just a bit ‘You know,’ and how Twilight had cried to herself, for some reason regarding herself. If only she could remember what it was that had made Twilight feel so morose. Rainbow knew it was to do with her, or something she’d done. However, that somehow made it worse, as it had clearly rubbed off onto Twilight, but she herself, well, she hadn’t the foggiest idea as to what she’d done. It didn’t help that Rainbow wasn’t terribly well versed within the art of emotions. It was probably down to the fact that she’d never experienced anything like this before; she’d been far too busy racing around to think about such embarrassing things. Nevertheless, Rainbow was sure she could fix this; after all, she was the best young flier, so she could be the best at emotions, too, surely? This should be easy. Rainbow picked her hoof up and eased it silently towards Twilight, reaching through the vapour. She brought her hoof up to Twilight’s chin, and brought her eyes up to her own. Twilight snapped her eyes shut, but didn’t resist Rainbow’s soft, reassuring touch. Rainbow noticed the red streaks upon Twilight’s horn, jolting her memory. This was probably what had her down; she must have been feeling guilty. Guilty for something Rainbow wasn’t even worried about. It was just a small gash, nothing more. Twilight was overreacting, probably partially due to the alcohol she’d consumed, but also probably partly to do with her obsessive, delicate personality. She’d been known to snap when under tension before. “Twilight…, Open your eyes.” ***** Twilight slowly brought her eyelids apart. Only by a crack, at first, but then widening, looking up to Rainbow’s tentative, attemptedly reassuring smile. “Twi’, I know you’re feeling a bit shaken…, but let’s not get all tearful, eh?” Twilight continued to study Rainbow’s face, moving on from her smile. She was a pretty pony, really, but Rainbow would probably deny the notion. Then again, if she’d tried to make an effort on fabricating any sort of ‘look’, then it would probably fall down. “Okay.” It was just the way she hung herself so nonchalantly, without a care in the world. Even with her wound… Twilight felt sadness well up inside her. Even with that unsightly gash upon Rainbow’s forehead, she looked good. In fact, it somewhat enhanced her tomboyish beauty. But she’d just shrug it off, she’d say; ‘Oh that? It’s just a scratch, no big deal!’ Oh, but Rainbow, it is a big deal, Twilight thought. You need to think about yourself, too, instead of trying to please everyone. “Twilight, maybe you should get in the bath, to-“Rainbow faltered, momentarily. “-To calm down, you seem a bit…” Twilight nodded her head, but still managed to make it look morose, albeit unintentionally and slowly raised herself off the tiles. She left uncertain hoofprints upon the floor, fading away, barely there. “But Rainbow, I ran the bath for you. I can’t just usurp you of that pleasure, I’d feel bad…” Rainbow smiled, more certainly than the last time. “Twi’, you’re too kind. But you need this more than me, I think.” The last couple of words seemed to peter out, back to uncertainty. Twilight thought it odd, hearing Rainbow Dash so tentative. She was usually so brash, so cocky. To hear her like this… It didn’t seem right. “Well, why don’t we share?” Rainbow’s face flushed out in red. But not like that dark, accusatory crimson upon her forehead. A jolly red, pale. The kind of red you’d associate with friends, and happiness. It made Twilight smile. “What, get in the bath? Together?” Rainbow’s wings started to rise, slowly. “Yes, why not? It’s big enough, and it would be practical; we wouldn’t have to run another, once one of us had finished, and well, I’d like to help clean up your wound…” Twilight liked this idea, it’d be quality time with Rainbow. She could use it to get to know her better, after all, they were friends, but the more Twilight thought about it, the more she realised how little she knew about Rainbow Dash: The fastest flier in all of Equestria! She ought to have a couple of interesting stories to tell her. “Okay, if you’re sure...” Rainbow sounded very flustered, all of a sudden. What’d got into her? Maybe it was just the alcohol, warping her emotions slightly. Twilight clopped towards the bathtub, hauled herself into the warm water, and melted in bliss. She let out a calming sigh, and stretched her legs, relieving tension. Twilight looked into Rainbow’s eyes, and then to her forehead, to the wound. Against the blush of Rainbow’s cheeks, it didn’t look quite as bad anymore. ***** “Come on Rainbow, get in!” Rainbow halted for a moment, and then put her fore-hooves on the side of the bath. She looked into the water; although blurred, she could see Twilight’s legs. This wasn’t a good idea, Rainbow thought to herself. She should just have said no, but she didn’t want to put Twilight down. She’d only just come up, as well, she’d be delicate, and Rainbow didn’t want to shatter her again. I mean, look what Twilight’d done just by sitting on the floor by herself. But Rainbow couldn’t help but have inappropriate thoughts. Thoughts like that. “Uh, Rainbow, you should probably close your wings first?” Damn things, always popping up uninvited. She was trying to be a friend. Twilight was vulnerable, melancholic, and yet Rainbow’s body had other ideas. She just wanted to help! “Yeah, Twi’, I already got it.” Rainbow tested the water with her hoof, it was an amiable temperature. The kind of warmth you’d get that makes you just want to sleep, forever. Rainbow faltered once more, looking down at the seemingly impenetrable water’s surface, even thought her hoof was touching it, not even ten seconds ago. She would try to be a good friend, even if she had to hang her own feelings. No, Rainbow wouldn’t try. She’d be the best friend there could be. Forcing herself, she took the plunge.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:19:50+00:00

2011-07-10T21:19:50+00:00

The warmth of the water engulfed Rainbow, she could feel its swirling encapsulate her; capture her, even more so than the vapour did. Now? The once warm, oppressive vapour was now like fresh air, for Rainbow. Now it was the water that was clingy, effortlessly smothering her body, she was in its grip. “Rainbow, you’re looking awfully stiff!” Twilight was stating the obvious for her. “Why don’t you lean back and relax?” Yeah, relax. Right. If only she could stop thinking about the current situation. Twilight and herself, in a bath, together. It was all far too exciting. Rainbow sighed, melancholically; she couldn’t let Twilight know that she was even remotely into fillies. Plus, it wasn’t like Rainbow lusted after each and every filly; it was just the select couple: Twilight, and that other filly, but somehow, that made it worse. Still, she had to make it look otherwise, after all, there were reasons Rainbow hadn’t told anypony about these feelings. She had to play it cool. “Rainbow, if you lean up against me, I can clean up your-” Twilight’s voice panged with a twinge of guilt. “Injury.” There goes that innocence again. Does Twilight not see the intimacy in that position? ‘Play it cool, Dash. Play it cool.’ With her newly devised internal mantra, Rainbow tentatively shifted backwards, the film of the water ever-clinging to her body. Her back made contact with Twilight’s belly, its warmth sending shivers down Rainbow’s spine. It was odd, warmth giving her the shivers, but she was more shocked at how Twilight’s warmth differed from that of regular warmth. The warmth of a living, loving pony. Not the warmth of a cold, inanimate object. Rainbow laid back into Twilight, overcome with emotions, deciding that focusing on her mantra was more important than keeping bodily composure. “Ah, good. Rainbow, you don’t mind if I touch your forehead, do you?” Yes, right, that’s why she was here, so Twilight could help her clean up. “N-no, it should be fine, Twi’” ‘Great, I’ve stuttered,’ Thought Rainbow, ‘and on top of that, I accentuated her name a bit too much…’ “Okay, just tell me if it hurts, okay?” Rainbow juddered her head, ever so slightly, to show the affirmative. It was the reaction that used the least amount of concentration; she needed it, after all. She needed it to keep on top of her mantra. She needed it to keep her wings down. “Are you still going to Pinkie Pie’s party tomorrow?” Twilight spoke nonchalantly, as if this was no different to a regular conversation. As if there was nothing that hung in the air; only vapours. “Y-“ Rainbow began to answer, but Twilight’s manoeuvres caught her off guard. Twilight leant forwards, pushing into Rainbow, their bodies locking together, in an unintentional embrace, becoming one. Rainbow felt Twilight’s hoof; tracing along her shoulder, moving towards her face, carefully brushing her mane away, to reveal her tender wound. “Pardon, Rainbow?” Wow, Twilight really was clueless. It was clear from her voice; there were no quiet, husky whispers, just stark, everyday voices. This made Rainbow feel a bit more at ease. “Yes, Twilight, I should make it.” Rainbow was glad she’d managed to get the words out this time, she’d show Twilight just how confident Rainbow Dash; Equestria’s best young flier could be! “Good, I shall look forward to seeing you there.” Twilight’s voice was still normal. “I’m going to clean your wound now, okay?” Twilight brought her leg up to Rainbow’s forehead, with flannel in hoof. She brushed across the cut, slowly, tentatively. It hurt, but Rainbow didn’t mind; she could feel the affection Twilight was putting into her care, and it was like anaesthesia. Rainbow closed her eyes, to divert her feelings; both the pain and the blush threatening to coarse their way across her forehead. She thought about Twilight and herself; how had they ended up in this situation? “Rainbow, your head is all cleaned up!” Rainbow opened her eyes, and looked down. The water was contaminated with red. Red, watered down from her blood, but it didn’t look sinister, it was more reminiscent of love. Hah; Twilight, if only you knew, my head is far from clean, inside. It’s as convoluted as the pink, swirling around in the empty, clear water. But you won’t know; you’ll never know. I can’t tell you, it wouldn’t be cool. “Thank you, Twilight.” At least she was still confident in her speech, if not in mind. “Anything to help out a friend!” Rainbow felt Twilight’s body relent for a second, a cool rush of air in place of where their pelts pressed together. Rainbow sighed for a second, relieved, but then she felt Twilight once more, her fore-legs snaking under her own, almost caressing her body, closing around her front, pulling their bodies together once more. Twilight softly laid her head upon Rainbow’s shoulder, and brought her mouth up to Rainbow’s ear. Rainbow’s heart was pounding; this was what it was like, that time before, with that other filly, before she’d confessed to her. That was like her, to do something as brash as that- but not like Twilight. It wasn’t like Twilight at all. “Oh, Rainbow,” Twilight’s voice was quiet, husky, whispery. It was just how Rainbow had imagined, not only moments ago. It sunk into her, like her stomach had been sinking; twisting and turning with each of Twilight’s seemingly blasé touches. “I’m so sorry…” Rainbow felt warmth on her shoulder, but not like the warmth of life, or the warmth of something inanimate. It felt cold. The cold of sorrowful, regretful tears. This wasn’t what she’d imagined at all. Intimacy like this was supposed to be joyful, that’s what she’d learnt, anyway. “Twilight?” Rainbow could feel her compassionate sadness, against Twilight, as one, reverberating with each tear, each miniscule movement. Their bodies jolting, juddering, with each wave of emotion. “I just… I j-j-just didn’t mean to hurt you s-s-s-“ ‘I have to calm her down.’ Rainbow thought, ‘I can’t bear to hear her like this, to feel her like this.’ “Twi’, It’s fine.” Rainbow put her most affirmative voice on. “Didn’t I tell you it was fine?” Rainbow could still hear Twilight in her ear, snorting, choking on sorrow, ungainly. “I’m so s-“ “Twilight, just…” Rainbow was lost for words, not sure how to comfort Twilight. Rainbow picked her legs up, from her sides, and moved her hooves to Twilight’s, still clinging to her. Rainbow prised them apart, exhaling slightly, and moved slightly forward, away from Twilight. She felt Twilight’s head leave its place on her own shoulder, and Twilight’s hooves leave her own, withdrawing. Rainbow dipped her forelegs back into the water, and using them to steady herself; she twisted around, as fast as the ever-clinging water would let her, to face Twilight. “Just… don’t be so hard on yourself,” Rainbow sliced through the water’s resistance with her right foreleg, to connect with Twilight; hoof to hoof. Rainbow saw their hooves meet, tentatively yet firm, within the swirling translucent red of the water. Rainbow was studying Twilight’s face, she had a delicate air about her, her lavender somewhat contrasted by the blood red Rainbow had left upon her. Twilight was looking down into the water, dejected. Rainbow picked her left hoof out of the water, dripping. She brought it up to Twilight’s chin, and slowly, ever so slightly, brought Twilight’s gaze up to her own. “Okay?” The edges of Twilight’s frown faltered, twitching into the faintest of smiles. Delicate. Subtle. But definitely there. “Yes…” Twilight’s voice was still quiet, still incurred upon with undertones of moroseness, but with a hint of affirmation. Rainbow stroked her hoof up from Twilight’s chin to her cheek, slightly ruffling the thin, downy pelt that coated her. Rainbow looked into her eyes; they were coy, yet forlorn. Rainbow could see that the thin purple irises were not as definite as they could be, blurred by tears and a red bloodshot presence. This didn’t stop them from being pretty, yes, the melancholy shimmered through, but that somewhat made her eyes seem all the more vivid, all the more real. “You’re a fantastic pony, Twilight.” Rainbow’s confidence had left her, and in its place, there was careful heartfelt speech. “No; you’re a fantastic friend. “ Twilight looked very pretty; there was no two ways about it. Rainbow studied her face a bit closer, leaning in. No, wait, she couldn’t find Twilight that pretty; she wasn’t into fillies. It was just something about her, something alluring. ‘Well, whatever,’ Thought Rainbow ‘I suppose Twilight can be cool sometimes too.’ Rainbow felt her hind legs bump against Twilight’s, leaning in closer. Rainbow weaved her legs over Twilight’s, the water now putting up little resistance, pulling their bodies closer, chest to chest, haunches brushing together, then resting upon one another, diffidently. All the time, Rainbow was peering upon Twilight’s face, examining every last detail; how the edges of her mouth slowly petered out into a smile, how her endearingly innocent dolefully joyful eyes darted around, as if looking for an answer, where her pink streak of mane slowly faded out, into deep purple. Rainbow took her hooves back from Twilight, and placed them around her back, pulling them the last couple of intimate inches together; closing the indefinite gap of vapour between them, becoming one, once more. Rainbow felt Twilight’s arms join around her own back, brushing just above her wings. With this touch, Rainbow realised that her wings were doing that ‘thing’ again. Though she didn’t care, she was beyond that now, it didn’t really matter what was cool or not. Not with Twilight, anyway. Rainbow slowly moved her face towards Twilight’s, now seeing every detail upon her. She could see each hair, each impurity, every part of her intricate prettiness. Well, Twilight could never be just pretty, could she? She’d even have to make that complex too, wouldn’t she? However, instead of continuing to move face to face, Rainbow drifted her head over to Twilight’s side, making a move for her ear. Rainbow’s mouth was closing in, almost touching; when she adopted the huskiest tender voice she could; “Twilight, you deserve so much more…” Rainbow slowly retracted her head back, brushing her lips across Twilight’s cheek, for a bit longer than what could be described as a fleeting accident. Rainbow regained eye contact with Twilight, which was accompanied by another flush of warmth across her own face. This was fine though, she just knew Twilight would be feeling the same way. “Ah… Uhm… Rainbow, I, I don’t know what to say…” Twilight was cut short, by Rainbow, leaning forwards the last couple of millimetres and bridging the gap between them, in a clumsy, ineloquent kiss. She bashed her teeth into Twilight’s, but she didn’t mind, something that trivial couldn’t ruin the sweet couple of seconds they’d spent connected. Rainbow pulled away, just by a fraction, parting from Twilight’s lips, but still almost touching. As Twilight’s eyes opened, they gave way to a look of confusion, which quickly subsided into longing. The gaze was all the confirmation Rainbow needed; she was sure that words weren’t necessary at this moment in time, which was what she’d heard in stories, anyway. She closed her eyes once more, and moved in the short distance between herself and Twilight. Again, they made contact clumsily, Rainbow missing Twilight’s mouth by a fraction. She righted her mistake, (albeit enjoyable), and brought their mouths together. At first, their kiss was only skin-deep, lips to lips, but Rainbow pushed forwards, opening up, deepening. Rainbow thought, as she explored with Twilight, it was as if they were closer, not only in body, but in minds. Rainbow slowly eased her tongue forwards, in a tentative sway, dancing across Twilight’s teeth, and then onwards, coercing Twilight’s tongue to join the dance, to share the ecstasy. Within their intimacy, it was really as they truly were together, not just in mere physicality, but within minds. Rainbow could feel a flood of emotions, emotions she’d never felt before, emotions that belonged to Twilight. Rainbow broke the ring she’d formed around Twilight with her legs, in favour of expressing her self further. She brought her left hoof up to Twilight’s mane, tracing its way up her back, as she went, stroking. The rush of emotions was hard, for Rainbow. Although it was beautiful, it was just so… Intense. She’d only experienced emotions like that once before, during her times with that filly. With that filly… A wave of guilt came over Rainbow, overcoming the new, intense emotions. Rainbow pulled away from Twilight, prising her tongue from its lustful dance, bringing her hooves back in check, breaking Twilight’s embrace, and finally, prolonged by Twilight’s eager leaning forwards; Rainbow broke the kiss. For a moment, a thin, delicate string of saliva connected the two fillies, glistening, only to be shattered by Rainbow’s drive to look down, into the void filled by reddened water, where they once connected so tenderly. “I’m, so sorry, Twilight.” Rainbow spoke to the water, in a tiny voice. Her words were absorbed, without a reply. In an even tinier, almost inaudible tone, she continued; “but I have to go…” Rainbow got to all fours, and dripping blood-tinged water back into the bath, she flapped her already-erect wings, and flew out the door; spraying red back into Twilight’s bemused, disconcerted eyes. She found the library front door easily, and threw in open, but in her frantic haste, Rainbow neglected the idea of closing it behind her. As the cold night air whipped past her in the sky, chilling her sopping wet pelt; Rainbow couldn’t care less, she just repeated the same hysterical thoughts around in her head: “Oh, Celestia; I’ve betrayed them both, I’ve been disloyal. And I’m supposed to be the element of Loyalty…” ***** The bath water had long since become frigid, yet Twilight still remained in the reddened mixture, beginning to wrinkle, but still in the same position that Rainbow had left her in. However, Twilight didn’t care that she was cold and wrinkling, or rather, she didn’t notice. She was too busy desperately trying to piece together what’d just happened. There had to be a reason, she knew it; things didn’t just happen. There was always cause and effect, as science would have her know. Also, if she looked into her magic studies, she knew that Rainbow would never leave like that, not if she didn’t have good reason to, she was the Element of Loyalty, wasn’t she? Even so, Twilight would have liked to have had an explanation for the whole thing. She’d been enjoying her time with Rainbow, even if it was unexpected, she’d thought they were just sharing a bath out of necessity, like Twilight used to when she was small. She’d been taken aback, but it seemed like the right thing to do, after all, she was here to learn about the magic of friendship. Twilight sighed to her self, and stood up on all fours, mirroring Rainbow’s image, and levitated the same towel that she’d used to clear the mirror to her. With a sinking feeling within her stomach, Twilight thought to herself; “Why does friendship have to be so… Complicated?” Tears came back to Twilight, involuntarily, delicately, leaving sorrow behind, slowly diluting the reddened water. ***** Rainbow was tired, even after just ten minutes of flying, but she attributed this to the mach speed at which her brain was whirring at; not how the evening had taken its toll on her athletic body. “I’m supposed to be loyal; I’m supposed to be loyal.” As she landed, Rainbow felt a small pang of bittersweet satisfaction; she’d made it this far. Rainbow’s eyes were dimming, now, out of exhaustion, but she could still focus on what she’d come for. She hesitantly crept forwards, towards the window she’d come for. It was open a crack, like a small glimmer of hope. Rainbow brought her hoof up to the window, and pushed it open, the pane of glass sliding silently into the dark stillness of the room. She timidly hauled herself over the windowsill, landing in the room with a silent clop. There were shadows, all of unnatural, unnerving shapes, carved by moonlight, not dissimilar to that of Twili- Of the library’s shadows. Nevertheless, Rainbow did her best to ignore them, and honed in on a more toned, natural looking shadow, laid on top of what seemed to be a bed. “I need to talk to you…” Rainbow’s voice was ghostly, diminished in the dead of the bedroom. She sighed, with a tint of frustration; she’d have to be louder. Rainbow brought her voice up to a loud, firm, important tone, and with a hint of apprehension, announced: “I need to talk to you; Applejack.”

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:28:52+00:00

2011-07-10T21:28:52+00:00

Rainbow felt pain, coursing through her body. Only aching within her legs and wings, it was mainly concentrated upon her head. It was as if somepony had tried to dig into her brain. Even if it wasn’t so; it still felt that way. As much as Rainbow tried to shut it out, she could see the warm light through her eyelids; there was no way she could pretend it was still night. As much as she respected Princess Celestia, Rainbow wished she hadn’t brought the day about so soon. Rainbow hauled her eyelids open, tentatively, easing her eyes into the bright morning light. She looked over at the open window, and watched the piercing sunlight, reflecting off of flecks of dust, swirling around, forming dappled, complex patterns, seemingly restless. The ground was hard against Rainbow’s hindquarters, as she sat up, trying to shrug the aches off of her back. She stretched her back out, fore hooves reaching up to the clouds. Or rather, the ceiling. Rainbow felt dizzy, for a moment, her vision slowly, but only partially leaving her for a second. Her home was made of clouds, not ceilings, windows and hard, wooden floors… Where was she? She looked around slowly, being kind to her over-sensitive eyes. The floorboards looked rough, untreated. Rainbow swept her hoof across them; they felt rough, yet worn; devoid of splinters. The walls were also wooden, but seemed more reassuringly smooth, but Rainbow supposed that it could have just been to do with the fact that the walls were just further away than the floor, but she decided to stop thinking of further complexities; it was the morning, after all. Rainbow stretched her forelegs out once more, and decided to brave standing up. She grudgingly lifted her body off of the ground, and whilst arching her back, she spread her wings out, extending from tip to tip, cutting through the dust-laden air. Slowly, wings folding away, she clopped towards the window, the window with apple-print curtains. Rainbow realised where she was, moments before the view of the Sweet Apple Acres’ apple orchard came into view. She’d spent the night at Applejack’s… “Oh, Celestia…” Rainbow groaned, “What did you do last night, Dash?” Rainbow stood there, for a while, letting the tiniest of breezes wash over her, airing her stale, matted mane. Rainbow was clearing her thoughts, or attempting to, at least. She let a groan out into the quiet voice of the wind. ‘I think I just need to go…’ Rainbow thought. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, after all, things with Applejack were tenuous at best, and whatever had happened last night, well, it probably didn’t help their relations all that much at all. Although she wouldn’t admit it, Rainbow knew all too well what she was like after a few drinks… Things would probably be better after she’d mulled them over a bit, and Rainbow really didn’t want to drum up any awkward conversation between herself and Applejack; she had problem enough thinking about that sort of stuff, let alone talking. Rainbow pushed against the window’s frame, exposing herself to the fullness of the farm’s calm breeze. It came with a slight fragrance of apple, reminiscent of days long past, napping in trees, casual chats about nothing with Applejack, thinking to the future. It’d been a while since one of those chats; they’d stopped as soon as Rainbow had deemed them ‘Too embarrassing…” And yet, what’d they replaced these times with? Stunted, difficult words, exchanged in fleeted meetings. Just because of one night. Maybe that was one other thing Rainbow couldn’t control: Friendship. Rainbow moved her fore hooves up onto the windowsill, ready to take off, out of the window, but the papery feel beneath her right hoof made her think otherwise. She looked down at the paper, and lifted her hoof up. Folded, it was adorned with ‘Dash’, in scruffy, yet attemptedly careful writing. Rainbow felt her stomach twist, she knew whose hoofwriting this was, and with what premise it was probably written after, yet still, she unfolded the letter as quickly as possible. After all, Rainbow couldn’t bear to not know. Dash, I knew you’d try to climb out the window, and pretend like nothing happened, but I’m hoping a loyal pony like yourself would realise that their friend needs them, and change their mind? We really need to talk, but y’know, like a proper talk. Not an ‘It’s 3AM, I’m really drunk and decided to break into Applejack’s bedroom’ talk. I’ll be out applebucking; I’m on a tight schedule, but come and talk to me. I can always take time out to see you. You really did say do some interesting things last night. -That ‘Other’ Filly (Thanks for the new nickname, by the way…) “Oh, Celestia.” If there wasn’t such a cooling breeze, Rainbow would’ve probably burned up and melted, right on the spot. ***** “…light?” “Twilight?” “Twilight?” On the uncouth awakening of having her own name shouted in her ear, it was obvious Twilight was going to be unhappy, but surprisingly, that wasn’t what had garnered the most of her early-morning contempt. What had been bestowed with that award was, in fact, the overall wet, ice-cold feeling that surrounded her body. “Twilight, why were you sleeping in the bathtub?” Without opening her eyes, Twilight responded, groggily. “Don’t be silly, Spike, I’m just a bit cold, that’s all. Now, if you just pass me my blanket, I’m going to go back to sleep… I don’t feel too good.” “Uhh, Twi’? Don’t go all ‘Pinkie Pie’ on me; you’re definitely in the bathtub.” Twilight opened her eyes, and was met with a slightly pink-stained white, taking up her peripheries. “Ah.” “You see, Twilight?” Twilight was most definitely in the bathtub, she knew that much. However, further from that, she knew nothing. She remembered walking home, after a night out with Rainbow Dash, and then… “Oh...” “Twilight, are you okay?” The pony braced herself, and then put what seemed like far, far too much effort into lifting her body out of the chilled, pink-y concoction. Although despising the effort put into the task of standing up, Twilight still took it upon herself to shake the blood infused water across the bathroom, and across her assistant, Spike. “Ugh, Twilight! You’ve been soaking in that! I don’t want it on me!” Nevertheless, Twilight, now dry, wasn’t really fussed about her assistant’s wellbeing. She had other things on her mind, other fillies… “Oh, Rainbow…” “Twilight, you mean Spike, right?” Twilight felt a light blush across herself; she hadn’t said that out loud, had she? “Yes, Spike.” Twilight tried to speak with an air of authority, but her voice was failing, under assault from the memories from the previous night. Well, the ones she could still remember. Twilight stepped out of the bathtub, onto the well-streaked tiles of the floor. “Spike, you know how you’re my number one assistant?” Spike groaned; he knew what was coming next. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll clean the bathroom for you.” Twilight could hear the dejectedness in Spike’s voice, but she wasn’t too fussed, she knew he’d bounce back. After all, he really was a fantastic assistant. “Thanks Spike!” Twilight spun around on the spot, turning to face the doorway. As she lifted her hooves, she left pale red marks upon the tiles, adding colour to the once labyrinthine lines traced, the night before. Twilight could think clearly, now. There was colour to her thoughts, and colour on her mind. As she walked out into the library, everything looked a little brighter. The shelves, once imposing, stifling the library with their books, no longer seemed to oppress, to demand silence. Now, they stood for possibilities, for opportunities, each one different. However, none of the hundreds of possibilities that surrounded Twilight could have been anywhere near negative. Life was just too fantastic. As a breeze swept in, through an open window, Twilight thought to herself; about friends, about friendship, about Rainbow Dash. She wondered, ‘All this time, I’ve been studying friendship, and nothing has ever felt quite this fantastic. Is this true friendship?’ Even though Rainbow had left her during the night, Twilight was sure she’d had an important reason, after all, she was the most loyal pony in all of Equestria, and more importantly; she was her friend, and Twilight believed in her. “Rainbow, I just can’t wait to see you; we have so much to talk about…” ***** The view across the apple orchard was beautiful, from on top of Bloomberg’s old hill. It was good for thinking, and for reminiscing, after all, it held a lot of memories, for Applejack, at least. Lost in the scent of freshly bucked trees, and their bruised bark, Applejack’s mind began to drift, to the thoughts that lay within her. They’d happened so long ago, and yet, they seemed so vivid; almost pelt-deep. Even though Granny Smith had told her otherwise, so many times, she’d taken shelter under Bloomberg, during a sudden thunderstorm. It was odd; getting caught in such rainstorms was commonplace, for somepony that works on a farm, but for some reason, Applejack felt bothered by it. She still wasn’t sure why, despite the amount of times she’d been through the events in her head. In the end, it didn’t really matter, these things weren’t really the reason Applejack constantly replayed these memories. It was: when a dripping wet rainbow fell from the skies, streaked with tears, shaking, sobbing. Applejack had said nothing to the poor filly; they just sat, in a trembling, yet compassionate embrace, nuzzling, tears soaking into her back. It was Dash who’d done the talking, but it was nothing like Dash’s usual, cocky speech. It was so very real. Real problems, real thoughts, real feelings. Applejack had been fine, up until that point. She liked that Dash could trust her, depend on her, after all the years of their banter-esqe relationship. She’d finally opened up, and Applejack was glad for that. Of all ponies, Applejack knew better than to handle things by herself, but there was no telling Dash that. It was a good thing she’d come to that conclusion herself. Still, as strong as Applejack tried to be for Dash, the next thing she said had caught her off guard. “Applejack…” Even looking back on it, Applejack felt embarrassed. However, that feeling was always overwhelmed by another, every time. “I think…” Overwhelmed by confusion. “I think I l…” Confusion, tinged with sadness. “Love you…” Applejack felt the trio of emotions inundate her, as if she was reliving the memory, of that rainy eve, on Bloomberg’s hill. “Why’d yew have ta go and puzzle me so, Dash? You toying with me or something?” Applejack frowned through her sad, embarrassed confusion. One minute Dash was fighting with her, over even the most trivial things, the next? Dash would be on top of her, crying into her arms once more, as if they never argued, as if all Applejack were was just a friendly face in the dark, somewhere to dump her emotions. Applejack sighed, and thought to herself. ‘I guess that’s what y’all get for being the most dependable pony in Ponyville, huh?’ ***** Rainbow Dash didn’t feel like flying. Her heart wasn’t in it. It was elsewhere, occupied, gone. Rainbow Dash slowly trotted up in-between the rows of carefully planted apple trees, towards where she thought it lay; in the hooves of that other filly, at the top of Bloomberg’s hill. Rainbow shook her head, a desperate attempt to try to understand what was happening. Everything she had, everything she’d made, albeit accidentally, was falling apart. It’d been fantastic, even if it had only been a choice few evenings, shrouded in rain, teary-eyed. If only she had another reason to spend time like that with her. Nopony else could know, after all, Dash had to be cool. Rainbow gulped, and continued her slow, pained walk, up to Bloomberg’s hill, two thoughts reverberating around her mind. “What have I done?” “Why do I have to be cool?”

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:40:17+00:00

2011-07-10T21:40:17+00:00

Chills surrounded Rainbow Dash. Chills of temperature, and chills of doubt. Rainbow had never really experienced doubt before; she was a confident, strong, ‘cool’ pony. Only twice had she done so, yet her previous experiences still hadn’t managed to shirk the way it smothered her. Nor did it lessen the blow on her insides; lurching around with every contemplation of every possible eventuality. She’d thought that the somewhat scenic walk through the apple orchards coating Bloomberg’s hill would be able to calm her, to ease her angst, yet, as Rainbow increased in her altitude, she got further and further away from what felt safe. Rainbow thought this was odd, as she’d normally feel at ease rushing up through the clouds, engulfed in their strangely comforting, soft, ethereal feel. Nevertheless, now, they didn’t emanate any positive vibes at all; the cool positivity now seemed like cold, sad detachment. That’s what Rainbow thought, anyway. Perhaps she was spending too much time with earth ponies. The systematic abundance of the apple trees didn’t help Rainbow’s state of mind either. With each tree she passed, her mind wandered more and more towards Applejack, and what Rainbow had said to her. Not that Rainbow really remembered. Applejack’s letter had jogged her memory a tad, and the wound upon Rainbow’s head had helped it on its way, but it still wasn’t all there. She remembered about Twilight and herself, almost begrudgingly. However, it wasn’t remembering the events that jarred Rainbow’s mind so. It was her own thoughts and feelings. Thoughts and feelings that nopony could really synthesise, even in retrospect. They were very much real. From Rainbow’s experience, she only knew these feelings from a tiny amount of night encounters before, but all from the same place. A place which now, seemed only to be foreshadowed with doubt, despite its open, airy atmosphere. Bloomberg’s hill. ***** Twilight was sprawled out on her sofa, happy, merely through just existing. She exhaled, in a long sigh, finally relaxed after her night on cold enamel and water. On breathing back in, Twilight noticed a slight odour. One that was somewhat familiar, yet alien, to the library at least. She moved her gaze down, and against the white fabric of the sofa, Twilight saw faint, pale fibres. Curiously, Twilight brought her head down to the fabric, and gave it a quick, speculative sniff. Twilight knew that was quite unscientific, and could be considered as odd, but in the situation, she’d decided it was the right thing to do. Besides, nopony was in the library with her, so nopony else would know to be able to call it odd. Not that she would have minded, anyway. After a couple of minutes, Twilight realised what was so familiar about the scent, after all, she’d spent a good part of the night before engulfed in it. The scent had caressed her, surrounded her and been with her. Twilight lightly pushed her face into the sofa’s cushions, and inhaled as deeply as she could, swimming in the memories of Rainbow and herself. Yet, as she was deepest in thought, she involuntarily broke down into a fit of childish giggles. ‘Wow, Twilight’ she thought to herself. ‘That really was odd…’ Regardless, Twilight just immersed herself in Rainbow’s scent once more. She’d often wondered why everypony in romance novels did things like this; just sitting, thinking about their loved ones, inhaling their scent. Now, though, things were different. Perhaps, like in those books, she wasn’t odd, but she was in love. Twilight inhaled another gasp of Rainbow’s scent, and filled her thoughts with the pegasus. Nopony had ever quite shone in this sort of light to Twilight before, and so, she intended to make the most of it. After all, it felt good. ***** Applejack had been laid out on Bloomberg’s hill for quite some time now, exasperated. Not that she minded the location, but she really had to get back to work on the farm. She was the most dependable pony in Ponyville, and knew she really should get back to bucking, but… Applejack didn’t feel like doing anything. Not out of laziness, Applejack was far from lazy, and she knew it; but somehow, that made it worse. However, her disdain for it did nothing to counteract it. The one thing that gave Applejack solace was that at least she knew what was causing her listlessness. Light hoof-fall began to puncture the murmuring soundscape of rustling leaves and light breeze, and with each muffled clop, Applejack’s thoughts began to run amok. She was painting situations in her head, some more brash, whilst others were tenderer. Applejack knew it was silly, but she couldn’t stop acting the scenes out in the safety of her own mind. She could get the words just right in there. There was a modest sound of setting down, beside her, and Applejack, still with her eyes firmly closed, knew who was there. She heard a sigh. Not one of exasperation, but a long, drawn out sigh of relief. Applejack found it reassuring. She laid there, basking in the sunlight, alongside her counterpart, just doing nothing, just revelling in her company. Applejack would have liked it to stay that way, Rainbow and herself, just sat around. Applejack didn’t even have to open her eyes to acknowledge Dash; they both knew that presence was merely enough. Yet, Dash didn’t make that possible. She had to keep up the whole ‘cool’ charade. They couldn’t just bask in the ambience of Equestria, not when other ponies were around. Dash was so intent on keeping their ‘rivalry’ up, that it seemed to be clouding over what they had between them. Applejack wished, even though she thought it a bit foalish to do so, but she still wished. She wished that Dash could just learn to switch off. Even though Applejack had such feelings for her, Dash was starting to wear on her patience. As time went on, more time, according to Dash, had to be spent ‘keeping up appearances’. As much as Applejack hated to have to lie to everypony, as the two of them put more and more effort into covering up, times like these became more and more precious. They came to mean more than they ever used to. Times when Applejack and Dash had nowhere to be, nothing to do. Just to be. To be, but together. However, as much as Applejack wanted to dwell on such a seldom moment like this, she knew she had to break her much sought silence, and for a conversation she didn’t really want to start. In fact, Applejack was quite sure, for a moment, at least, if she wasn’t the element of honesty, well… She wouldn’t have even thought of starting a conversation about such a thing. Especially when the obvious results weren’t going to be something either pony engaged would have wanted, but Applejack knew what the right thing to do was. For a moment, Applejack caught herself thinking. ‘If only I wasn’t the element of Honesty.’ Applejacksighed, but unlike Dash’s earlier sigh, it was an exasperated, annoyed sigh. Even though she was troubled with the fact that she’d wanted to disown her own element, Applejack knew she was in the wrong, and she knew that if she could accept it already, her honesty wasn’t far gone. Nevertheless, this only accentuated Applejack’s thought. This conversation needed to happen. If she was questioning her own element, well, that’d be like questioning a cutie mark. “Dash?” Applejack’s voice was quiet, yet harsh, overshadowed by Dash’s now increasing breaths. At least Applejack knew she wasn’t the only anxious pony. “What in tarnation was last night about, eh? Applejack’s voice was still hushed, yet not as quiet as it had been, she had Dash to contend with as well, now. “Applejack, I-“ Dash cut herself short. Applejack wasn’t surprised, she’d sounded uncertain from the first letter of her name. Applejack opened her eyes, into the sunlight. Everything was bleached, shades of white. She looked over her shoulder, at Dash, and smiled, even though the rainbow pony looked so morose. It was strange, seeing the majestic Dash in a whitened colourless format. It was almost as if she was a different pony. ***** Rainbow Dash looked up to the sky. She could feel the words she wanted to say, building up inside of her. Yet, none of them would come out, no matter how hard she coaxed them. Rainbow was annoyed by this. It was almost as if she couldn’t control herself at all. It wasn’t as bad when it had just been her wings that acted up, but now? Everything was moving too fast. Not in speed, of course, Rainbow was still the fastest, she was quite sure of that. It was just in everything else she did. It was as if Rainbow’s life wasn’t in her own hooves anymore. Seemingly, it belonged to everypony else. “Dash, y’know you can say anything to me, right?” Rainbow was still looking to the sky for answers. She remembered the days in which she could just fly, not thinking about anything, just to move, and fast! The sky had stayed the same since then, a place where a pony can be free, no worries, no thoughts. It was funny, but upsetting. The sky, which had been her friend, was unable to help her, as it was free, emotionless. Rainbow Dash levelled her gaze, and brought her eyes to meet Applejack’s. As much as she’d wanted to stare away, and let time go on; Rainbow couldn’t just let Applejack hang like that. After all, it was her own fault. “I’m just… so sorry” Rainbow felt her eyes begin to water, and a wave of melancholy hit her, with more force than she thought it would. “I’m so sorry for what I said, and what I did…” Even though it was an apology, it was bittersweet. For even though Rainbow knew she was saying the right thing, the right feelings weren’t behind them. Mainly, this was due to the fact that she couldn’t really remember what she was apologising for. There were things that Rainbow did remember, though. She remembered that the whole night was shrouded by her own crestfallen state. She remembered sitting with Applejack, crying into her mane, and most of all, the overwhelming feeling of regret. One particular image stuck in Rainbow’s head; the morose smile of a pony, one who looked let down, deceived. A pony with beautiful, green eyes. Howbeit, Rainbow didn’t see them, not anymore, as they were clouded, hidden behind a veil of emotion. Even though they tried to be honest, to be dependable, Rainbow knew them well. She knew that they were anything but. “What about Twilight?” Rainbow gasped. That was brash, even for Applejack. Rainbow tried to keep her gaze locked with Applejack’s, but the dampness of her own eyes forced her to look down at the ground, as she tried to regain control of her own tear ducts. Rainbow thought for a while. ‘What about Twilight?’ Twilight was nice, and all. Well, she was very nice. Initially, Dash had thought that Twilight was boring, always buried in books, telling everypony “interesting facts”, obsessed with learning. Dash was her friend; she just didn’t like the things Twilight did. Yet, over time, Twilight changed. Not completely. She still had a thirst for knowledge, as she probably always would. In fact, it was probably that thirst for knowledge that changed her; due to her study of friendship. Twilight had developed a whole new social side, and Rainbow liked it. However, Twilight still had much to learn, and Rainbow knew so. Wasn’t that the reason she’d asked Twilight to come out? For Rainbow, it was nice to be the one teaching, for once. Not to be the one in control, but to be able to help another pony, who’d have complete faith in her, even if she only knew a little. It was a nice change to how things with herself and Applejack went. They were just stumbling around in the dark; neither pony had known how anything had ‘worked’, per se. It’d been uncertain, and each time spur of the moment, and that was fine, for Dash, at the time. After all, she was ‘The Fastest Flier in all of Equestria,’ and didn’t have time for anything serious. Not that she’d known what anything serious would have actually meant. However, Rainbow wasn’t sure if she wanted that anymore. She wasn’t even sure about herself anymore. Eventhough her time with Twilight had been short and impulsive, much like the spurts of time she’d spent with Applejack, Rainbow could see the start of something much more reliable with Twilight. Reliable. Was that what she needed? Was that what she wanted? “Uhh…” Rainbow’s voice still wavered, huskier than usual, the immersion in emotion taking its toll on her. “…I need to go and think, Applejack.” Rainbow looked back towards Applejack’s gaze, once more. Her green eyes were no longer just clouded. The clouds had burst, and begun to leak; two lines traced across the freckles that pockmarked her face. “You’re always moving, aren’t you? Why can’t you just slow down?” Applejack sounded hurt. It was as if she wasn’t trying to hide it now, her honesty shining bright, even when shrouded in upset. “I’ll talk to you about it properly, Applejack… but another time. “ Rainbow hated having to shirk such an important talk off, especially in one of the few times the two of them would normally so desperately strive to have. “I just need to sort my head out.” “Ah can see that, Dash.” Rainbow passed an unhappy smile Applejack’s way. She knew she needed to sort it out, but the words Applejack had fed back had hurt. But Rainbow knew she couldn’t help it. She was the element of honesty. “I’ll talk to you as soon as I’ve worked it out…” Rainbow’s words faltered, momentarily, and a thought lapsed up; ‘Was that really the best thing to say?’ “I…” Rainbow felt her chest tighten. “I promise.” Rainbow stood up, rather more quickly than she meant to, and with the biggest trace of a reassuring smile as she could muster, she turned away from Applejack, and began the decent from Bloomberg’s hill, step by step, down between the apple trees, letting their swaying branches’ sounds engulf her once more. Rainbow Dash just didn’t want to fly.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:42:29+00:00

2011-07-10T21:42:29+00:00

An eerie silence shrouded Sugarcube corner. It wasn’t that Mrs Cake disliked silences; she positively revelled in the thought of just snatching couple of quiet seconds, in-between the constant flow of customers, and Pinkie Pie’s incessant yet overly optimistic babble. However, when those seconds were snatched by Mrs Cake, they were always somewhat bittersweet. In contrast with Pinkie’s overbearing, the silence was bland, boring. Always, though, Mrs Cake would build the silences up, within her own head, growing ever more excited, and when they came along, she would always wonder to herself about why she built these moments up to herself; as she always knew, in the end, they’d be disappointing. Fleeting, too. Ending as abruptly as they started, punctuated by the shrill alarm of the oven, by the tinkling of the door bell or merely just the living, breathing laughter of Pinkie Pie, finding hilarity, even in the mundane face of life. Mrs Cake supposed it was hope that kept her going. It kept her thinking about what could happen, even if the thing that could happen was just something as trivial as a few moments of silence. Or perhaps it wasn’t the silence at all, but what the silence put into perspective. The times lacking in vivacity contrasted Pinkie’s presence well, and even if Mrs Cake didn’t realise it sometimes, that was what kept her going. Although nopony really knew it, save for her husband, Mrs Cake probably would have left Sugarcube Corner, if Pinkie Pie hadn’t turned up. It wasn’t the baking of cakes that was the issue; after all, nopony grew weary of their cutie mark’s origins. It was the running of the shop that’d made her want to leave. Everyday, Mrs Cake would see the same old faces, come to order the same thing, day in, day out. Yet, even though they were such devoted customers, Mrs Cake hardly knew any of them. If any at all. It was only ever; “Good morning, Mrs Cake!” Or an; “I’d like a batch of muffins, please, Mrs Cake!” And then possibly a; “Thank you very much, Mrs Cake!” Mrs Cake never really knew anypony, after moving to Ponyville, short of her husband, Carrot Cake. Then, when a young Pinkie Pie had appeared in Ponyville, just, as it turned out, on a whim, Mrs Cake felt reason for staying. Pinkie had exploded into Sugarcube Corner, on a particularly rainy afternoon, which seemed to have shirked a large number of the Cakes’ customers, and turned the whole store hooves-up. Even though, without Mrs Cake’s permission, the excitable filly Pinkie Pie had eaten much of the shop’s contents, without even so much as acknowledging her, Mrs Cake was smiling. This was because, in a short couple of minutes, the young pink filly that Mrs Cake hadn’t even heard mention of before had suddenly managed to show more gratitude for the cakes that she’d baked than everypony before her, put together. It was as the young filly was attempting to climb a particularly tall wedding cake, to reach the sickly-sweet candy bride and groom, Mrs Cake was no longer smiling. For the First time in a long while, Cup Cake laughed. It crept up on her, at first, but as she watched the young pink pony’s further attempts to climb up the icing-coated tiers, eventually resulting in the collapse of the frosting-fortress beneath her, the laugh became louder, until it filled Mrs Cake’s store to the brim. Candy-ponies in mouth, and with a self-satisfied grin, the young Pinkie Pie spun around, noticing Mrs Cake for the first time, and, instead of apologising, like any other pony might well have done, Pinkie Pie dropped the candy newly-weds, and joined in Mrs Cake’s laughter. After the main body of the two’s laughter had subsided, into just a light giggling, the young filly said her first words to Mrs Cake. “You’re kinda funny, miss!” Mrs Cake couldn’t help but smile, the filly that had appeared in her shop and eaten all of her stock, climbing up cakes and spreading icing around the room whilst not even realising she was in the presence of another pony was calling her funny. Then, before Mrs Cake knew it, Pinkie Pie had taken up residence within Sugarcube Corner, but she didn’t mind. Pinkie was Mrs Cake’s life, or so it seemed. It wasn’t “I’d better go and open up Sugarcube Corner,” in the mornings, anymore. It was always “I’d better go and check in on Pinkie Pie…” Sometimes, to Mrs Cake, it was like Pinkie Pie was the daughter she never had. Even if she wasn’t, Pinkie sure brought that laughter into Mrs Cake’s life. Wallowing in the thoughts of Pinkie Pie only made the silence worse for Mrs Cake. It wouldn’t have been so harsh on her, if Carrot Cake had been there, as his presence would have at least incurred on the deathly silence of the shop. However, it wasn’t Pinkie Pie’s absence that had stolen away the sounds from Sugarcube Corner and Mrs Cake. It was the presence of a letter, left behind by the young pink filly that had once burst into her life. As abruptly as Pinkie Pie had exploded into Mrs Cake’s life, with her ever-present element of laughter, the explosion had died down, leaving only ashes of memories behind. Mrs Cake looked down at the letter Pinkie Pie had left, and as she stared into it, drops began to fall from her eyes, soaking into the paper. At least she didn’t have to deal with the silence anymore.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-07-10T21:46:45+00:00

2011-07-10T21:46:45+00:00

Twilight hauled her saddlebag on, yet lingered by the door of the library, instead of leaving. This was because, due to her eagerness to leave, and her exceptional organisational skills, she was once again, ready far too early. She looked up, back towards the literary forest behind her, and called out to her assistant; Spike. “Spike!” Twilight heard the soft padding of Spike’s steps, ricocheting delicately off of the bounds of information, upon the shelves of the library. Twilight liked how the library’s cavernous nature accentuated such sounds. It was as if the books were helping her further than anypony thought they actually could, relaying real world sounds to her. Nevertheless, even though the sounds of his steps were all too obvious to Twilight, Spike refrained from vocalising his movement. However, Twilight was kind of expecting this. She suspected that Spike was still rather annoyed from having to clean up behind her, and thus, would probably try to make a point, and not speak to her for as long as he could. But, Twilight knew he wouldn’t hold out too long… After all, he had to speak to her, Spike was her assistant! “Yes, Twilight?” Twilight could see that Spike was trying to sound as dejected as he could, but looking at the floor whilst doing so. She was sure that if she could make eye contact with her assistant, he’d probably snap out of his act. “Would you like to come to Pinkie Pie’s party with me?” Spike’s eyes shot up, brightly, away from the forced melancholic stare at the ground, apparently forgetting all disdain for having to clean up behind Twilight. “Oh boy, I’d love to, Twi’!” Twilight grinned, and instead of replying, she just waited for Spike’s next inevitable question. “Will Rarity be there?” Even though she knew she’d have this question asked of her, Twilight was hoping Spike wouldn’t ask it, as then, she’d have to be the bringer of bad news, and twice in one day, at that! First the horrors of cleaning, and now this! “I’m sorry, Spike, but didn’t I already tell you?” Spike looked blankly at Twilight, Obviously she hadn’t done so. Or perhaps he forgot? No, Twilight thought to herself; Spike wouldn’t forget anything about Rarity. “Spike, Rarity won’t be there…” Spike exhaled loudly, disappointedly, and brought his gaze back down to the floor. However, Twilight, used to his behaviour, carried on. “She’s away with Fluttershy, on a spa weekend break, I recall her mentioning it last week.” Twilight took a couple of hoofsteps towards Spike, and gave him a quick tap on the shoulder, and attempted to act more like the mother figure, instead of her normal role. “I’m sorry, Spike…” Spike looked back up to Twilight’s eyes, with a sad smile. “It’s okay, Twilight, I’ll just stay here, I’ve still got some cleaning to do.” Twilight let out a quiet chuckle to herself. Even if Spike didn’t mean to, he always put a grin on her face. “Oh, but Spike, Rainbow Dash’ll be there too!” Twilight immersed herself in thoughts of Rainbow, reminiscing just from the combination of her name rolling off of her own tongue, mingling with her left over scent, still lingering from the night before. Twilight just couldn’t wait to see Rainbow, even if Pinkie Pie and Applejack were to be at the party too, Twilight was sure she could have Rainbow to herself, for the most part, anyway. “Twilight, why do you keep mentioning Rainbow Dash? Other ponies will be there too, you know?” Twilight felt a tad embarrassed, again, but managed to hold out on any blush, this time. How had she managed to let Rainbow’s name slip out twice!? Not that Twilight thought that she ought to hide what she thought the two fillies had together. No, she wanted to run around Ponyville, declaring her love for Rainbow. Twilight wanted everypony to know. However, Twilight knew two things, both drawn from her time reading romance novels. The first was that, in these novels, it was apparent that most of the couples would wait to announce their relationship together, and Twilight wanted to be gracious, and give Rainbow that opportunity. The second was that, had Twilight done so, the whole thing would’ve been horribly cliché. “Oh, Spike, look at the time! I’d best be off!” Twilight knew she still had a few more minutes until she was actually scheduled to leave, but she’d decided that it’d probably be the best to leave early, after all, it meant she didn’t have to figure out how to vocalise all these thoughts in her head, and then find a way to convey it so Spike would understand it. ***** Due to instinct, Rainbow Dash had headed straight home. Yet, as she lay, sprawled upon her cloud sofa, she couldn’t help but feel that her relaxation was merely synthesised. Although, at heart, Rainbow wanted nothing other than to be able to exist, to have it easy, she knew that she was far from able to do such a thing. The fillies that were running around within her brain were making sure of that. Of course, Rainbow knew that there weren’t actually tiny little ponies running around her head, but it sure felt like it to her. Not only due to the bizarre concoction of affection and animosity the two conflicting fillies managed to somehow create within Rainbow’s brain, but because it felt like they were trying to dig their way out of her skull. Still, Rainbow was aware that that wasn’t actually the case, although the wound upon her forehead had been conceived with one of the two ponies, Rainbow was adamant that such a scenario would never occur. That’d be crazy on a level higher than Pinkie Pie. Thinking of Pinkie Pie, Rainbow had already made the decision that she wasn’t going to attend her party. Not because of Pinkie’s craziness, no, that was somewhat of a draw for Rainbow; it was fun, for a while, anyway. No, the reasons behind her want for being alone were, yet again, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. Asmuch as Rainbow would’ve liked to meet up with Applejack, and make amends, or to as much as an extent as she could, Rainbow knew that Twilight’s presence would hinder that; and possibly even damage Applejack’s and her own relation ship beyond repair. But even if Rainbow didn’t go, would Twilight and Applejack’s encounter without her harbour even more problems? Without her there, Twilight might stumble into problems with Applejack. Yes, Twilight was a clever pony, but even she hadn’t learned of the relationship between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and, with this in mind, she could potentially ruin everything. Rainbow wasn’t an idiot, and she knew Twilight. She knew that Twilight would be itching to tell everypony about their newly formed bonds. Not because Twilight liked to brag, or because she wanted to gossip, but merely because Twilight would be happy. Twilight wouldn’t want to hide her happiness. Instead, she’d want to spread the reason for her happiness, so everypony could feel it, too, and without knowledge of Applejack’s relationship with Rainbow Dash, there’d be no reason for her to hide it. Rainbow didn’t know how much Applejack knew of her night with Twilight, nevertheless, Rainbow knew that after their imminent meeting, she’d probably know everything. Well, perhaps not everything. Rainbow hoped that Twilight would at least be a bit prudish with some of the details. Even though Twilight was smart, her naiveties within love could lead to revelations of more intimate scenes. However, Rainbow Dash supposed that not even Twilight’s naivety stretched to describing such… Scenes. Anyway, even though the whole situation seemed incredibly daunting for Rainbow, without any certainties to rely on, she knew one thing. She still wasn’t going to Pinkie Pie’s party. ***** Applejack could still feel the cool breeze, carried down from Bloomberg’s hill, yet it didn’t ruffle her mane as much as it could’ve done, as she’d pulled her Stetson down tightly, in an attempt to cover her face. Or rather, her eyes. Applejack knew it was silly, if she was upset, that was all there was to it, why bother hiding it? Yet, it had seemed the right thing to do, to cover up her red, puffy eyes. She looked down at the floor, moving below her, as she absent mindedly, slowly clopped her way over to Sugarcube Corner. She hadn’t really wanted to go, in fact, if she hadn’t stopped crying, Applejack probably wouldn’t have left Bloomberg’s hill at all. However, Applejack knew that she had to go; after all, there was at least a small chance that Dash would be there, and Applejack desperately needed to see her. When Dash had left her upon the hill, Applejack hadn’t returned to help her brother, like she’d said she would. Instead, she’d just remained, pondering. Wondering why Dash had continued to be like she was, always trying to look cool, all the time. Yet, to Applejack, it was apparent that this ‘keeping up’ of appearances seemed to only apply to the relationship surrounding Dash and herself. Not that Applejack would’ve realised this, had Dash not told her herself. Applejack played back the groggy scenes from the night before, in her head: Dash was nuzzling her, burying her tearful eyes into the orange of her own neck, warming. Yet again, like their times before, Applejack had just listened, absorbing Dash’s melancholy, desperate to make the pony she loved feel ‘right’ again. However, try as she might, Applejack couldn’t forgive Dash for her actions, not yet, anyway. Despite Dash’s forlorn upset, and despite Applejack’s dependability, her forgiveness, it would take a while for Dash to get the catharsis she so desperately desired. Even though Dash was full of apologies, none of them were quite spectacular enough to compensate for what she’d broken in to confess to Applejack. Although the fact that Dash was willing to make an effort to confess showed that she still had feelings for Applejack, and she knew where she’d gone wrong, it still didn’t fix what she’d done wrong, but only showed that she wanted to try. The last variable was what pained Applejack. The variable that Dash may not have even meant to come and confess to her at all; it may well have been just the alcohol in her bloodstream that had taken over. Applejack stole a glance upwards, and realised that she was nearing her destination, Sugarcube Corner, as was another pony, from the opposite direction. A purple filly. As Applejack gazed forwards at Twilight Sparkle, trotting gently towards her, she remembered, once more, the words that Rainbow Dash had passed on to her the night before, the words that had clouded Applejack’s thoughts ever since she’d heard them; repeating, constantly. “Applejack, I’m so sorry. I really am, but…” “But I think I’m in love…” “With Twilight…” ***** Twilight Sparkle couldn’t contain her joy; it was only moments from her arrival at the party, she’d be able to see Rainbow again! Escaping from her runaway scenarios in her head, Twilight began to focus back onto the real world, after all, she was nearly at Sugarcube Corner, and needed to pay attention to walking, if she didn’t want to trot into anything. As Twilight looked towards the entrance of the store, she could not only see the ornate cakey exterior of Sugarcube Corner, but the contrasting orange of Applejack, waiting by the door, looking to the ground. “Hey, Applejack!” Twilight called out loudly, yet she got no response. Applejack just kept gazing into the ground, seemingly unaware of Twilight’s presence. Perhaps Applejack just didn’t hear her, Twilight thought. It was rather blustery, and that could’ve just overwhelmed her voice, despite how loud she called out. Reaching the entrance of Sugarcube Corner, Twilight sidled up to Applejack, with a smile. “Hey, Applejack!” At first, Twilight thought Applejack was just ignoring her, yet, as a couple of seconds went by, it was clear that she was just being a bit slow, pre-occupied. “Oh. Hi, Twi’” Applejack sounded rather dejected, to Twilight. Initially, Twilight would’ve just put the tone of voice down to an accidental slip in Applejack’s southern drawl, yet after reading her gait, Twilight couldn’t have mistaken Applejack’s apparent emotions. “Applejack, are you okay?” Twilight nuzzled up to Applejack, she was clearly in a state of upset, and Twilight wanted to fix that; Applejack was her friend, and she hated to see any of her friends in such a state. However, something then happened that Twilight wasn’t expecting; whilst she’d thought that nuzzling Applejack would help her to feel at least a bit better, instead of returning the embrace, Applejack shrugged her off, and pulled away. “Ah’m fine, Twilight.” There was that tone again, Applejack certainly was not okay. Her voice was layered with trembles, immersed in despondency. “Applejack…” Twilight stepped towards Applejack once again, attempting to embrace her, yet, before she could even make contact, Applejack pulled away, mimicking her own earlier actions. “Just leave it, okay?” Applejack’s voice was hurt, but irritable. However, this time, tone wasn’t all Twilight had to go on, as Applejack looked up to her, making eye contact, with a pleading gaze, through clouded irises. Twilight didn’t like it, but if Applejack didn’t want to talk about it, there was little she could do, Applejack was her friend, and she wanted to respect her wishes. She could have responded, but Twilight thought it was best to leave it at that, with an affirmative silence in place of an answer. Trying to move on from her friend’s melancholy, Twilight decided to move towards the front door of Sugarcube Corner, ready to brave what was undoubtedly going to be a rather over the top welcome from Pinkie Pie. As Twilight reached forwards to push open the door, she noticed that the sign on the door read ‘closed.’ This seemed slightly odd, but Twilight assumed that the sign didn’t really apply to them, and was probably there due to the party they were attending. When the door swung open, despite what it’s label tried to profess, Twilight was met with an all to familiar sight; streamers, balloons, confetti, banners and all. It was a trademark Pinkie Pie party. However, something didn’t seem quite right. Twilight stood in the doorway for a moment, with Applejack reluctantly in tow, until she could put her hoof on what was feeling amiss. “Oh, Celestia! Mrs Cake! Are you alright?” Mrs Cake was laid on the floor, among the party detritus, below a banner that read “Pinkie Pie’s Pony-fabulous Party!” She clung to a piece of paper, pouring her tears into it. Stuttering through tears, Mrs Cake mumbled into the paper, inaudible to Twilight. Moving closer, Twilight lowered herself down on the floor, levelling herself with the morose pony. Attempting to give Mrs Cake a comforting pat, Twilight brought her fore-hoof down on her shoulder, and did her best to make friendly eye contact with the tear-stricken pink of Mrs Cake’s eyes, but they remained fixated upon the content of the paper in front of her. In a softened, consoling tone of voice, Twilight continued. “I’m sorry Mrs Cake; I didn’t quite hear you… What’s wrong?” In-between sobs, Twilight, caught the reason for Mrs Cake’s sorrow, escaping in almost silent whispers, like she couldn’t bear to pass the words from her lips. “It’s Pinkie…” “She’s…” “Gone.”

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2011-09-18T21:39:08+00:00

2011-09-18T21:39:08+00:00

“You’re wasting my time, Pinkie.” A lot of ponies tell me this. I don’t think they mean for it to be as mean as it comes across, but the feelings are still there. For a time, I just endured this. Somehow, it didn’t hurt much when said by ponies I didn’t really know. Then, my friends started saying it. It hurt. Did they not trust me? Did they not believe in me? Did they not love me for who I am? If I stopped acting as I did, I’d no longer be Pinkie Pie. I’d no longer be the pony you continue to hurt for being who she is. Do you know what’s worst about it? My friends; Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, they haven’t even noticed that they’re hurting me. Is it because my feelings are so unimportant to them? I thought they might’ve noticed, and tried to help, but seemingly, the magic of friendship isn’t really as strong as it once appeared to be. Mrs Cake Cup Cake, don’t for a second believe that this is your fault, because, if you do, you couldn’t be further from the truth. Your company has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and you’re the reason I’ve been here as long as I have. Without you, I wouldn’t have lasted as long as I’ve done so. But, despite that, this is goodbye. Even though I always feel your love, it’s no longer enough to counter a life in a town that seems to think my time is worth nothing. If I’m gone, then I’ll no longer be able to waste everypony’s time. Don’t bother to tell my friends the others about this. I wouldn’t want to waste their time. -Pinkie ***** Twilight stared at the letter for what could’ve been hours. However, she’d not read a word on the letter for ages, she was staring into it, past the words, to try and find what Pinkie really meant… Twilight knew Pinkie, she was her friend. Surely the Pinkie she knew wouldn’t have done… ‘that’… But Twilight began to wonder, staring into the paper, whether the Pinkie Pie she’d known was Pinkie Pie at all… It wasn’t just the not knowing that Pinkie had been hurting that upset Twilight, it was the fact that she had been hurting because of her friends, and they hadn’t even noticed. That, and the friendliest pony she’d ever met; Pinkie Pie, was telling her that ‘the magic of friendship wasn’t as strong as it once appeared to be.’ Finally, Twilight looked up, from the crumpled, tear smeared words she’d been reading, and upon doing so, realised that she was no longer standing firm like she’d been when she began reading, but collapsed on the floor, curled up in front of Mrs Cake. She could hear Applejack’s heavy breathing from beside her, no doubt caused by Pinkie’s words. Twilight sighed, unhappily. It may well have heightened the awkwardness of Sugarcube Corner’s silence, but Twilight wasn’t really fussed. Although she didn’t know the scientific basis behind it, she knew that a sigh could normally alleviate any of her grief. She’d hoped that this would’ve been true in this situation too, but, her efforts seemed in vain. In fact, to Twilight, it seemed that the thought of a sigh dealing with such important, sensitive things such as Pinkie’s disappearance made the bitter sinking sensation within her a thousand-fold worse. Twilight looked across to Mrs Cake, through her slowly clouding eyes, to meet with already cloud-burst ones. Even though the movement of eyes should only take a tiny amount of effort; to Twilight, if felt as if she’d never performed a task more arduous: to meet Mrs Cake’s eye’s in honesty. “Mrs Cake…” Mrs Cake looked on to Twilight, saying nothing, her forlorn expression speaking in place of words, tears dropping down in place of tone. Twilight rifled through her own brain, searching for the perfect words to say – How do you avoid upsetting somepony in this situation? Unable to think, Twilight looked away from Mrs Cake, to Applejack, for support. Yet, even the dependable, honest pony Applejack was was unable to reassure Twilight; her eyes were glazed over, fazed out, staring at the floor. Joining Applejack, regaining her gaze down at the floor, Twilight resigned herself to the fact that in the time she needed to, she’d never be able to truly find words that wouldn’t hurt, and so, Twilight decided to speak her mind. Raw, yet still tentatively. “I didn’t realise Pinkie Pie felt this way…” Twilight gulped, she knew what she was saying was probably incredibly cliché, and far from eloquent. Holding back tears, Twilight continued, “But if she did, why didn’t she say so?” Twilight still looked to the floor, somewhat guiltily, away from Mrs Cake. Even so, she still heard her sigh, tinged with sadness, but overwhelmed with what sounded like disappointment “Pinkie always told me you were the clever one, Twilight Sparkle.” Upon mention of her name, Twilight looked back up, reflexively, towards Mrs Cake. She was no longer tear stricken, but her eyes were dulled, her snout pulled back, ever so slightly, in a look of disappointment. Perhaps even anger. “However, I’m beginning to seriously doubt what she said.” Twilight answered in silence, fearing that what she’d said had worsened the situation. “If you really were smart, Twilight, you’d have noticed that Pinkie Pie really hasn’t been that ‘Pinkie’ for a long while now…” Unable to find speech once again, Twilight was relieved to be rescued by a choice few words of Applejack’s southern drawl, even if they did sound slightly wavering. “But Mrs Cake, Pinkie was happy. Wasn’t she?” Once again, Mrs Cake sighed, remorsefully. “That’s just it, isn’t it?” Twilight and Applejack’s confused expressions must have made their thoughts clear to Cup Cake, as she continued on, explaining further. “To you, and everypony around her, Pinkie Pie was the ‘happy pony,’ wasn’t she? This was good, for Pinkie. She could spend her days spreading the happiness she loved to surround herself, and then when she had an ‘off’ day, she felt no guilt in taking time away, to rest. She felt no guilt in being unhappy, when she had to be.” Mrs Cake looked on, seemingly nostalgic, to Twilight’s perceptions, towards the window, into the distance. “However, after the Summer Sun Celebration, after she gained the element of Laughter, after she met you, Twilight, she started feeling guilt.” Twilight’s stomach sank, further than it’d already sunk, with the horrible realisation of what was going to come next. “After she had her element bestowed to her, spreading laugher and happiness were no longer just an enjoyment. To Pinkie, she felt that it was her duty to do so. This was fine, for a time, but then I realised that she was having less and less unhappy days. To begin with, I thought this was good, I thought she was just becoming an even happier pony than she already was. It was when the off days became so scarce that they petered away into nothing; that I started to worry.” Mrs Cake’s nostalgic look had left her face, once again to be replaced by the grief stricken look she’d worn earlier, tears once more tumbling to the ground, sobs beginning to punctuate her speech. “When I confronted her, Pinkie said that I should stop being so silly. She shouldn’t question what her element bestowed upon her. If she could’ve done, Twilight would’ve said so. After all, Twilight was not only one of the smartest ponies in Ponyville, but one of her very best friends…” Although it may not have been so, but to Twilight, it seemed as though within her upset, Mrs Cake had delivered the last few words with venom. Even if she didn’t mean to say her words like that, they still took their toll on Twilight, seeping deep into her, as she realised how devastating her negligence had been to Pinkie. She’d been suffering, yet she was too worried to tell anypony. After all, Pinkie Pie, the party loving pink pony, the spirit of the element of laughter, wanted anything but to bring about unhappiness… All Twilight would’ve had to do was say a few words, and then Pinkie Pie would never have gone… Gulping down, forgetting the delicacy of the situation and remembering the urgency, Twilight began to speak quickly, her organisational skills coming into play. “Mrs Cake, we need to find Pinkie Pie. Before she does anything…” Twilight paused for a moment, searching for the right word. “Silly… Where would she go when she was feeling ‘off?’” Mrs Cake sighed, again. “Twilight, if you really were Pinkie’s friend, you’d-“ Twilight butted in, still headstrong from her sense of urgency. “If you really want to, we can discuss to what lengths my friendship with Pinkie extends to, but right now, if you really cared, you’d help me find her.” Twilight looked dead into Mrs Cake’s eyes, unwavering. For the first time in a while, Sugarcube Corner felt a bit happier, warmed by the faintest of smiles. Even if Cup Cake was still looking down to the floor, tears still seeping out, it was still there. “On the days when Pinkie wasn’t feeling so ‘Pinkie,’ she used to climb the mountain trail above Ponyville.” Cup Cake’s smile tinged with sadness again, “If she hasn’t left completely, she’ll be there, I’m sure of it.” Twilight began to pour concentration into her horn, focusing on Pinkie’s supposed location, yet she still had concentration for a few choice words. “Thank you.” “All I did was tell you where she was, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight shook her head, smiling happily. “No, thank you for believing in the magic of friendship again…” Just before Twilight blinked away, she caught the glimpse of one of the happiest, teary eyed faces she’d ever seen… ***** Applejack jumped, gasping suddenly. Even though she’d gotten mostly used to Twilight’s magic, whenever she disappeared like that, well, it just didn’t seem natural. Applejack turned away from Mrs Cake, slowly trotting towards the door, but feeling guilt with every hoofstep. How could they just not notice Pinkie’s unhappiness? As she reached the doorway, Applejack faltered, hoof waiting in the air to push at the door. As much as she wanted to just leave the resonating tension of Sugarcube Corner, she knew that she ought to say something before she did so, just to try and patch things up. Looking over her shoulder, glancing towards Mrs Cake, Applejack spoke, huskily, tentatively. “Mrs Cake, we’ll find Pinkie Pie.” Applejack tried desperately to convey her voice in its normal, reassuring affirmative manner, but it just wouldn’t come through. In the end, she settled once again for tentative huskiness. “We’re her friends, after all.” Not wanting to let the melancholy linger, and wanting to leave on an optimistic note, Applejack finally outstretched her forehoof, nudging the door forward, emptying her lungs of the bitterly sickly sweet air, and breathing deeply, replacing it with the cold fresh air of outside. As the door behind her slammed shut, sending a light breeze through Applejack’s Stetson topped mane, she began to slowly trot, absentmindedly, deep within thought, in no particular direction. However, Applejack knew she wasn’t going anywhere in particular; it was a conscious decision to just wander around, as what was a pony supposed to do on receiving such news? Applejack’s mouth moved to form an ‘o,’ as she realised what she had to do, and where she had to go. She had to let Pinkie Pie’s other friends know what was happening. Fluttershy and Rarity were away, far out of town, which left Applejack with one main choice. She had to go and see Rainbow Dash. Regaining control over her hooves’ direction, Applejack pointed herself at the floating mass of clouds and rainbows at the edge of Ponyville, and trotted on. Absentmindedly staring at Dash’s cloud-house, trudging onwards, Applejack’s mind became overcome with worry, not just as Pinkie’s words sank in, more and more so, but also over the prospect of meeting Dash. Not because of the relationship between them, Applejack wasn’t a stupid pony, she knew there were more important things to confront than the growing distance between them, but even so, Applejack couldn’t help but let constant worries about what Dash was actually thinking about her. Applejack knew that Dash wasn’t at all the most emotionally mature pony, and so, she knew that Dash would probably react somewhat badly to Pinkie’s letter. Load that on top of how Dash was reacting over the relationship between herself and Applejack, and well… In truth, not even Applejack, the pony who was pretty much closest to Dash, the pony who’d stayed up on stormy nights, listening to Dash, listening to her every thought, could know how she would react. Despite her not knowing, Applejack liked that about their relationship, the idea that Dash didn’t hide anything from her, she trusted in Applejack enough to confide in her all of her secrets, however, she still felt the need to tell Applejack all the little things too. The tiny, inconsequential things that amount to nothing. No thought was deemed too small, nor too pointless to tell her. However, despite Applejack’s happiness that she could be there for Dash, and to listen to her, this was also, unfortunately one of the things that made Applejack begin to question the relationship between them. It was the way Dash told her these things. Always in secret, during nights, reminiscent of their first night spent together. Why couldn’t they meet during the day? What was wrong with meeting how ponies in a relationship normally would? But, the meeting places weren’t the only problem for Applejack. The way these thoughts were told to her; they felt cold. Cold, passed on thoughtlessly, dumped onto Applejack. Not once had Dash ever asked if Applejack was okay, or if there was anything she wanted to talk about. Sure, Applejack knew Dash was loyal. She was the most loyal pony Applejack had ever known. She would always come to see Applejack, if she called for her, without hesitation, and despite Dash’s lack of asking after Applejack, would always tell her that she loved her. Until now, that was true. Now, Applejack felt Dash’s loyalty wavering, unhinging with her far from mature emotions. Applejack didn’t doubt Dash’s loyalty one bit, however. She just suspected that Dash’s loyalty was beginning to shift to somepony else. As Applejack reached the base of Dash’s cloud-house, she scuffed the ground with her hooves, kicking up dust, trying to delay what she knew was going to be a difficult conversation. She would’ve liked to think otherwise, but with the element of honesty within her, Applejack found it hard to even lie to herself. With her still wavering southern accent, Applejack began to call out… “Dash, I need to talk to you.” As much as she’d been building it up to look bad, Applejack was still very much looking forward to speaking with Dash. Sounding more eager than stern, Applejack yelled, loudly. “Dash, haul yer flank out here RIGHT NOW!” ***** Rainbow Dash smiled, sadly. She knew Applejack was going to turn up at her house, sooner rather than later, but even so; she still couldn’t think of anything that she could say which would help her out of her predicament. She had contemplated flying off. To fly off and not talk to Applejack at all. But Rainbow Dash wasn’t that stupid. She may have been stupid enough to drop herself into the mess she’d gotten herself into, but she wasn’t about to abandon all of her friends over something like this. She was the spirit of the element of loyalty, after all. Rainbow Dash trotted towards her door, and, in the presence of Applejack, the only pony who could really make her feel uneasy; sheepishly poked her head out, nervously grinning. “Hey, Applejack.” Rainbow Dash sighed; she could see the look on Applejack’s face, her serious, determined look, and with that, she knew that it was pointless to resist Applejack. Of course, that wouldn’t stop Rainbow Dash from trying. “I said git down here now, Dash.” Rainbow Dash still stayed behind her door, head poking out. However, instead of dancing about the issue, she decided to come out and just be truthful; she felt as if too many lies had passed between the two of them. Well, Rainbow Dash wanted to think that they were between the two of them, but really, they were just her own lies. She spoke, subdued. “I… Don’t know if I’m quite ready for this talk yet, Applejack…” As embarrassed as Rainbow Dash was about actually admitting such a thing, she still looked down to Applejack, continuing to meet her gaze. It was as if they were together on one of their nights; she just didn’t mind Applejack being there, and knowing more than Rainbow Dash might ever let on to just anypony. “Quite rightly, Sugarcube, I don’t think I’m all that ready for ‘that’ talk mahself, either…” Applejack’s voice was no longer as harsh. It’d calmed, somewhat, softened. This was the voice that Rainbow Dash was used to, on cold, dark nights. This was the voice that Rainbow Dash especially loved. “But I’m not here for ‘that’ talk.” Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow, questioning. “Ah need to talk to you about something else, Dash.” Rainbow Dash was still somewhat confused, what could Applejack want to talk about that was more important than their relations? Even without her somewhat egotistical tendencies, Rainbow Dash struggled to see what could possibly need to be more imminently addressed than that. However, she didn’t complain; it gave her more time to think of what she could actually say to Applejack that wouldn’t ruin everything. Yet, the fact that she didn’t know what to say wasn’t the only reason that Rainbow Dash was stalling. It was also that she’d never really stopped to think about what she was going to say before. Yet now? It seemed like she was doing so all the time; especially with Applejack. Slowly, spreading her wings, Rainbow Dash descended from her cloud-house, not flying down, but floating down. “What?” Rainbow Dash touched down in front of Applejack, face to face, trying to still seem confident by still meeting her eyes. “Ah ain’t gonna beat around the bush, Dash. This is something you need to know, sooner rather than later.” Even though Rainbow Dash knew that they weren’t talking about the relationship between the two of them, she still couldn’t help but let her mind run away, applying everything Applejack was saying to the two of them, regardless. Rainbow Dash heard Applejack inhale, loudly, and then begin to speak, in a pained, upset tone. “It’s Pinkie Pie; she’s…” Applejack silenced for a moment, her look turning thoughtful. “Gone.” Rainbow Dash blinked, confused. “Gone?” For what felt like the thousandth time in the day, Rainbow Dash didn’t actually know what to say. Pinkie Pie, gone? Why would she leave? Why would she leave without saying goodbye? Was she not important enough to Pinkie Pie to at least tell her she was going? Perhaps she wasn’t gone, Rainbow Dash supposed, but she’d merely gone away, for a day or two. That was what she wanted to believe. However, from the look she’d got from Applejack; the concerned, serious, matter-of-fact look, Rainbow Dash was sure that that wasn’t the case. Still, that didn’t stop Rainbow Dash from hoping. Hoping that Pinkie Pie had, in fact, gone away, on an unplanned holiday, just for fun; anything but just ‘gone.’ After all, Pinkie Pie did unplanned things like that, didn’t she? “Gone where?” Again, Rainbow Dash heard Applejack sigh, unhappily, whilst scuffing her hooves against the ground, looking down. “We don’t really know, for sure.” Rainbow Dash felt her insides turn over, her worst fears seemingly confirmed. “Twilight’s gone to look for her, where Mrs Cake thought she could be.” Rainbow Dash suddenly felt a tiny bit better, her ears pricking up at Applejack’s words of possible redemption. Rainbow Dash began to speak quickly, suddenly eager. “Where? Where did Twilight go?” ***** Applejack turned around, looking towards the mountain beyond Ponyville, away from Dash. She wanted to draw out this moment, even if it was just for a few seconds more, because, Applejack knew, as soon as she told Dash where Pinkie’s supposed location was, she’d be gone. Applejack didn’t blame her for this; she knew that Dash was loyal, and that even the few seconds Applejack was keeping her from Pinkie were probably tearing her apart. Even so, Applejack still wanted Dash close to her; after all, she was hurting too. “She’s gone to the mountain trail, the one above Ponyville.” Pretty much as soon as the final word had left Applejack’s tongue; she heard the predictable sound of wings flapping, frantically, quickly, and then, as Dash shot past her, she felt wind shoot along with her, washing through her hair. Her Stetson trembled in the wind, unsteady. She couldn’t fault Dash for having wings, after all, without them; she wouldn’t be the Dash that Applejack knew. Sometimes, she just wished Dash would slow down a bit, to wait. Perhaps even to think. Applejack sighed, sadly. She didn’t normally mind being left behind by her friends; she was proud to be an earth pony. But right now, there was nothing more that Applejack wanted then to be up to speed, with them. As the final gust formed by Dash’s flight whipped past Applejack, it loosened the Stetson’s trembling perch, stealing it away, flying gracefully in the wind, sweeping down to the ground. Falling.

Krypqe

15

Mrs. Cake,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

With a Heavy Heart

Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is gone, Vanished, in the dead of night. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is on the verge of losing Two more of her closest friends, as she learns of the complications of a Love triangle, even if she doesn't realise yet...</p>

teen

2013-08-27T20:30:38+00:00

2013-08-27T20:36:28+00:00

Twilight drew short, sharp breaths. The air felt as if it was cold, but Twilight couldn’t be sure whether this was true, or just her mind taking things to be worse than they really were. She only thought this because similarly, the ground was shaking under her hooves. Yet, she knew that she was not in the midst of an earthquake, for two reasons: At that moment in time, there was no air of panic; the world seemed silent, lest for the sweeping, crashing waves of wind, breaking upon the mountain ridge. The other reason overjoyed Twilight. If the ground had been shaking, she was sure that the small pink figure on the edge of the mountain, far up the cliff side, would have tumbled down the rocks quite some time ago. She sighed, fearful, and began to canter along the track, kicking gravel, splashing mud, her uneven hoofsteps echoing out along the ridge, accompanied by the same, short, sharp breaths, gulping at the wind. Her gaze was not to the floor, not worried for where she was placing her hooves, but instead, it was fixated upon pink. In the grey of the mountain, it was easy to see, vivid against its lacklustre surroundings. If Twilight had strained to see, she may have seen a couple of flecks of blue, staring out. However, she still would never have seen how overcast they were. Not that she’d ever noticed when they were up close to her. Twilight shook her head, but still kept her eyes forward, locked on. There was no point punishing herself for what she’d missed. Yes, she knew that she had been stupid; she’d never really had any sort of conversation with anypony about their elements of harmony, when she should have. But Twilight had never been faced with a problem like this before. Never had she ever become so close to anypony, let alone be bound to magic so strong, not just the magic of friendship, but the magic binding the spirits of harmony to their elements. She could never have known! Even so, Twilight stopped herself from thinking upon that tangent. She knew that even though she’d lacked the knowledge then, and would not have known what to say to Pinkie, she could have easily found out. Twilight’s element of harmony, not to mention her cutie mark, were both representative of magic. However, Twilight knew not to just leave her train of thought there. If she had done so, she would’ve felt guilt. Not that she didn’t deserve to, Twilight knew that she deserved whatever she was given. Yet, Twilight needed to not feel guilty quite yet. Wallowing in guilt was to stay still, not to repent, and certainly not to fix. This, while laying her eyes upon Pinkie, standing tall within the mountain landscape, was exactly what Twilight intended to do. To fix everything. To touch Pinkie with the magic of friendship once again. Not just her own magic, but the magic of everypony. Yes, Twilight knew that Rarity and Fluttershy would not be able to be there, so it may not look like the most united front, to Pinkie. Even so, Twilight knew that even without them, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and herself could convey enough love for the two absent ponies. After all, they all still loved Pinkie; there was no doubt about that. Twilight stared over the mountain, looking out, surveying its greyness. In the distance, she could hear a rushing, gathering volume behind her, wind beginning to whip at her mane. In front of her, Twilight could hear the wind’s roaring, ricocheting off of the drab rock face, ever heightening. Crashing past her, the wind reaching an amplified crescendo, Twilight had to firmly root her hooves to the ground, her body swaying. Firing past her, the sound began to die away, ever slowly, along with a stark streak of colour, piercing the grey of the mountain’s sky. ***** Rainbow Dash could barely see. Of course, this had nothing to do with the tears in her eyes. Flying this fast always blurred the world, sometimes even beyond distinction. This was especially true of flying through somewhere so monotonous. If combined with tears, this effect would be increased a thousand-fold. It wasn’t tears alone that were ruining Rainbow Dash’s vision. No, not at all. Rainbow Dash knew pretty much where she was going; she could see that streak of pink easy, despite how much the wind made her eyes water, that fleck of colour was the only reason that Rainbow Dash knew that she was heading in the right direction. She had little idea about what to say to Pinkie, but even so, she knew that she had to be there. Rainbow Dash hoped that being there would be enough, and when she got there, she’d just know, and that would be enough. As the pink in her vision began to expand, Rainbow Dash began to slow her wing-beats, and breathe steadily, her mane slowly beginning to droop as the wind around her slowed, no longer whipping past her, no longer lending a feel of grandeur, but leaving her feeling still. Having pulled along side Pinkie, Rainbow touched down lightly, her hooves barely making a click. Rainbow sighed, and slowly lowered her body, tucking her hooves underneath her, laying down. In a slightly cracked, but optimistically reassuring voice, she began to speak. “Pinkie… Lay down?” Pinkie’s body appeared to shiver, and after a few hushed moments, took a couple of steps back, away from the cliff, and set down too, but more sprawled then Rainbow, less composed. Rainbow felt her throat seize up, unable to force any words out. Although this annoyed Rainbow Dash, she also felt some relief. She had thought that she would have had to say something to Pinkie, something meaningful. Yet, it seemed that where just her presence with other ponies had not been enough for them, for Pinkie, it seemed to be just enough. Rainbow shuffled forwards, scraping her legs across the rockiness of the ground, moving closer to Pinkie. Silently sighing, Rainbow brought one of her fore-hooves out from beneath her, and placed it across Pinkie’s shoulders, whilst slowly leaning her head in, resting it against Pinkie’s, softly. Rainbow hadn’t consciously chosen to do this; after being unable to vocalise how she felt, her body had just begun to convey her thoughts for her, doing its best to comfort Pinkie. Rainbow had decided not to shirk this, as although Pinkie was normally very vocal, she also wore her heart on her sleeve, and conveyed a whole lot more of her emotions through her body language, rather than her constant chatter. Really, Rainbow Dash was unsure of why she hadn’t tried to reach out to Pinkie through actions that much before. Sure, she’d interacted with her, hugged her, nuzzled her, but she had only ever done this because Pinkie was her friend, and not because Pinkie had needed help. Rainbow Dash was glad, however, that she was able to comfort just through actions. After all, from all her time with Applejack, she knew she could be at least somewhat comforting. Or could she? Surely, if Rainbow Dash’s actions had been so comforting, Applejack would never have been as upset as she had been. Rainbow Dash sighed, sadly, unease welling up within her again. Once more, her thoughts were dominated by Applejack. Murmuring quietly, cuddling close, forgetting where she was, Rainbow’s thoughts began to leak out. “I really love you…” Rainbow felt the pony behind her shift beside her, just the tiniest bit, but just enough to make it much easier to cuddle up closer. Thoughts of Applejack were now rife; passing through her mind like it was all Rainbow knew. “I… Don’t know why I ever doubted it…” Rainbow could feel more shifting beside her, and the wetness of a nose, pressing lightly into her neck, as the pony’s breathing began to deepen. In the distance, she could hear the unmistakable clicking of hooves, galloping across rock, ever nearing. She focused even more on Applejack, on all the times they’d spent together. Where Applejack had given her all for Rainbow; listening to her, lying with her, guarding her thoughts, taking on her burdens. Not once, had Applejack ever asked for anything. Not even for Rainbow Dash to be loyal to her. But then, why should she have had to ask? Even if Rainbow Dash hadn’t been the spirit of the Element of Loyalty, she knew Applejack would still have deserved unprompted faithfulness. That was, at least. “I’m… So sorry that things got so messed up.” The hooffall clacked loudly, and ground to a halt, leaving the ponies once more in the ambience of the howling winds. Rainbow, however, didn’t pay the sounds any heed, as she was no longer listening. She was too lost in her own mind. “I’ll do anything… Anything at all, if I can make it better.” Rainbow sighed, yet again, and bit her lip. “I love you, Applejack.” Rainbow opened her eyes, to the harsh, battering winds, suddenly bringing her back to reality. As she noticed the pink in the corner of her eye, the Pegasus froze. Her side no longer felt so warm, the pony that had been next to her had already moved away, and was now peering over the cliff edge once more, sobbing deeply, her tears tumbling down, dashed against the rocks below. “Those words sounded very sincere, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow flinched. Pinkie’s voice sounded broken, though not stuttering. Wistful. “But…” Pinkie paused, and scraped her hoof on the rock, drawing a long, audible line, even with the high winds. “It’s a shame that I believed they were meant for me.” Rainbow moved forwards, towards the precipice, hooves only inches away from where the cliff met the sky, drawing level with Pinkie Pie. She followed the line drawn by the edge with her eyes, to Pinkie’s own hooves, her almost blindingly bright coat, contrasting with the bleak environment, to her face. That was where the brightness ended. Pinkie’s face was scrunched up, contorted. Below her eyes, her fur was sodden, fresh tears still welling up, beneath her nose, the fur was matted. However, Rainbow Dash couldn’t see any of this. It was the eyes that had her transfixed. “I guess that was just wishful thinking.” They were no longer blue. They were no longer the eyes of Pinkie Pie. They were grey.

Miyajima

18

Trixie,Adventure,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix of the Trade

complete

<p>The &quot;Great and Powerful&quot; Trixie has headed out to Appleloosa for a new start and a clean slate, but can she really leave behind a lifetime of bragging and showmareship?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:33:35+00:00

2011-07-10T21:33:35+00:00

Nopony could remember a time when it had rained so hard. The normally dry and dusty plains of Appleloosa and the surrounding area were flooded with the heavy rainfall. The blue unicorn pony looked at the rain through the window of the train carriage, and wondered briefly if the ponies pulling the train would make it to Appleloosa before the track was flooded. She was, herself, absolutely drenched, her pale mane plastered to her head and neck. She was a far cry from the "Great and Powerful Trixie" she'd once proclaimed herself to be. After losing her caravan in Ponyville, she had wandered across Equestria, scraping a living with her magic shows, illusions and parlour tricks, and occasionally stooping so low as to use them for theft. Although brought low by Twilight's actions, Trixie was still far too proud to ask anypony for help or rely on generosity. Now she was heading out to Appleloosa, where peace had recently been declared between the settlers and their Buffalo neighbours. The frontier town had a reputation for being a clean slate where ponies could start anew, and Trixie knew that she, of all ponies, needed that. The rain was coming down all the harder when the train pulled into Appleloosa station. Trixie stepped out of the carriage and walked into the main street, up to her ankles in the river of rainwater flooding through the frontier town. Following the lights glowing warmly from the windows, she came to Appleloosa's renowned "watering-hole", the Salt Block. Pushing her way through the swinging stable doors, she stood at the entrance for a few seconds, dripping onto the wooden panelled floors. Directly opposite was the bar, where salt was served with impunity, along with juices, water and other drinks. Some older settler ponies sat perched on the barstools, hunched over their glasses and little dish of salt. Behind the bar stood a tall grey pony in a waistcoat, sporting a magnificent handlebar moustache. He was busy cleaning a glass he was skillfully balancing on his hoof. There were tables scattered around the room, most of them occupied by groups of ponies just as wet as she was. After being outside in the rain, she felt a wave of warm air wash over her from the fire roaring in the grate to one side of the saloon. Shaking off the worst of the rain, she went across to the bar, lifting herself up into the barstool and ignoring the side glances from the settler ponies. Even in her bedraggled state it was obvious she was an outsider, she still held herself proudly out of sheer force of habit. She fished the last of her bits out of an equally bedraggled satchel and placed them on the bar. "A hay smoothie and a room for the night." She said, without turning to look at the bartender. He took the bits and soon returned with the smoothie and a receipt for the room. Trixie sat there, slowly drinking her smoothie and glancing around the saloon. She didn't talk to anypony, and none of them seemed interested in talking to her. A couple of the older settlers near her at the bar muttered to each other in hushed tones about the new arrival, but the rest of saloon seemed to simply ignore her. She sighed inwardly as she remembered the days when people would rush out of their homes to see the "Great and Powerful Trixie", and how she'd be the talk of the town for the week or so she'd stay in each place. It wasn't until Ponyville when the ruse had finally fallen through and the illusion shattered. Rousing herself from her self-pity, she reminded herself that this was Appleloosa, and here she'd start again, and become the Great and Powerful Trixie once more. ~~~ Trixie woke up the next morning with the sunlight shining through the window of her small room. She'd been able to secure a room on the east side of the saloon, facing out into the main street, and through the flimsy, single-pane glass she could hear the chatter and noise of carriages being pulled up and down the street, and ponies going about their daily business. She reached for her hat and cape, as she did every morning, which only reminded her that they too had been lost in Ponyville. Muttering nonsense under her breath in her half-asleep state, she rolled off the hard single bed and set about looking for a brush for her mane and tail. Opening the drawers of the simple wooden dresser on the far side of the room, she found an old comb and shaving mirror, which would have to make do. Managing to tame the frizz of her rain-washed mane a little with the oily comb, she looked at herself in the small mirror for a while, before sighing and stowing it in her satchel along with the comb. She headed downstairs and past the now-empty saloon. The storm had passed over Appleloosa, which was now glistening in the early morning sunlight, the cool, fresh air blowing the last of Trixie's drowsiness away. The river of rainwater had left behind a thick bed of mud, which was already criss-crossed with the tracks of many carriages, caravans and carts. Ponies were setting up their market stalls and unloading their wares to sell all up and down the street. Most sold some variation on apples, although some more of the land outside Appleloosa was now being cultivated, and here and there ponies were beginning to sell the more common staples of Equestrian cuisine - carrots, salad vegetables and hay. Driven by her empty stomach, Trixie walked nonchalantly alongside one of the apple carts that was still unloading, and quickly took an apple using her magic when she was sure nopony was looking. Taking a bite as she walked away, she looked around for any opportunity she could seize on. Whether someone hiring labourers (though the thought disgusted her, she was rational enough to admit she couldn't get away with theft forever), or somewhere she could use her magic to make money. Without her equipment, however, her magic was little more than simple telekinesis, smoke and lights. Not enough for a full show, at any rate. She'd never really learnt how to do real magic, the sort that Twilight pulled off. It always seemed too much like hard work and with little reward, for after all, simple spells, amplified by special effects like smoke, fireworks and illusions, were enough to dazzle anypony. She wasn't the only unicorn to use this technique, not by far; Rarity's fashion shows were often augmented by illusions and tricks of the light conjured by the unicorn pony and amplified by floodlights, mirrors and coloured lenses. However, though it looked impressive, it required a lot of preparation and equipment that Trixie could no longer obtain or afford. She wandered down the street, pondering working in the saloon as an entertainer, but again her pride flared up at the thought of being nothing but simple entertainment for a bunch of ponies who wouldn't even remember her the next day. Image was everything, and although she'd had to start as a nobody, she couldn't face doing it again. As she walked, she suddenly heard a loud shout from the far end of the street, and looked up to see a tall pony standing atop a crate in front of a caravan. A simple cloth banner was hung over the caravan, reading in bold script: 'Doctor Leechcraft's Patent Pony Panaceas - Cures All Ills'. Strewn across a makeshift stall, little more than a plank over some barrels, were all manner of glass bottles, little bags and herbs. At one end sat a large coiled snake, snoozing in the early morning sun. The pony, who Trixie assumed was this 'Doctor Leechcraft', had a dark grey coat with black mane and tail. On his flank was a small green bottle, which matched the colour of his eyes. He also sported a large black leather hat, which gave him an almost fearsome appearance, combined with his overall dark colouring. Trixie watched, first with mild amusement, and then with fascination, as the pony regaled the gathering crowd with made-up testimonies of non-existent patients about the effectiveness of his "all-herbal, all-natural" remedies. In his presence, it seemed, even the most able and well pony suddenly felt aches and pains that could only be cured by a bottle of 'Doctor Leechcraft's Daffodil Tonic'. Keeping to the back of the crowd, Trixie just stood and watched as first one pony, then another, bought the tonics, liniments and remedies sold by the 'Doctor'. Glancing at the herbs lying in sprigs on the stall, she recognized some as perfectly ordinary grasses with absolutely no medical qualities whatsoever. But under the spell of Doctor Leechcraft, even a plant recognizable as hay to a young filly was suddenly a sprig of rare Manewort from the lush forests of southern Equestria, rumoured to bring shine and body to mane and tail. But then a shout went up from the crowd. Trixie turned to see a young colt looking displeased with his purchase. "Hey! This 'ere's nothin' but apple leaves! Y'promised it was a rare herb from Griffondelf!" The colt exclaimed, glaring at 'Doctor' Leechcraft. Leechcraft looked taken aback, and his sales patter faltered. He began to stutter, and now that the illusion of confidence had vanished, Trixie noticed he wasn't that tall after all. Another voice piped up from the crowd. "An' if this ain' jus' coloured water, I'll give up mah salt fer a week!" An older settler pony yelled, knocking a green bottle off the stall. Once its contents had been spilt onto the street, it was plainly obvious that the old pony was right. Leechcraft just continued to stutter as the crowd, previously spellbound by his confidence and showmanship, now railed at him for a fraud. They dispersed, angry and disgusted, leaving Leechcraft looking dejected on his podium. Trixie finished her apple and tossed the core over her shoulder, standing aside as the ponies left Leechcraft's caravan. A plan was beginning to form in her mind. Leechcraft was picking up his bottles from the mud where the ponies had dropped them when she came along beside him and levitated them with her magic. Leechcraft didn't look up, and mumbled what might've been a 'thanks' under his breath. He put the rest of his wares away, and was surprised to find the blue unicorn pony still standing there. "Can I... help you?" He ventured, not sure what to make of her. Trixie smirked. "No." She replied, curtly. "But I think Tr- … I think I can help you." Leechcraft looked up and down at her, unconvinced. "An' how d'you think you're gonna be able to help me?" He said, a trace of mocking pride mimicking her own in his voice. Trixie ignored the subtle insult. "You're a cheat, 'Doctor Leechcraft'. A cheat who's good at bragging, but you can't back up your claims when they're questioned, can you?" Leechcraft visibly winced at the accusation. "If this is your idea of 'help', missy..." He picked up another discarded bottle in his mouth and put it with the others. "... then I can do without." Trixie leant in closer. "But what if your products worked as well as you claimed?" Leechcraft raised an eyebrow and looked her square in the eyes. "An' you're sayin' you can do that? Huh. S'just sales patter, missy. Sometimes works, sometimes don't. Should've known better'n to try shillin' apple leaves in Appleloosa..." He muttered, half to himself. Trixie levitated one of the bottles back out of the crate and looked at it. It was a small blue bottle, that looked like it just contained water. She sniffed it, and could just make out the scent of mint in the water. She turned to Leechcraft. "Mint leaves in water. Completely ineffective except for freshening your breath. But now look..." She tipped the bottle, pouring its contents onto the road. Her horn, already glowing faintly, flashed brightly at the tip, conjuring a bright red flower from the sodden leaves. "... Growth Tonic." She finished, smirking, and placed the now empty bottle in the crate. Leechcraft looked at the flower. "But you conjured that yourself. Ain't nothin' to do with the tonic." "They won't know that." Trixie grinned, briefly. Leechcraft looked at Trixie, then back at the flower. Slowly the idea dawned on him, and he broke into a grin of his own. "... You're good, missy. Y'got a name?" "Trixie. And I know. I know."

Miyajima

18

Trixie,Adventure,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix of the Trade

complete

<p>The &quot;Great and Powerful&quot; Trixie has headed out to Appleloosa for a new start and a clean slate, but can she really leave behind a lifetime of bragging and showmareship?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:32:27+00:00

2011-07-10T21:32:27+00:00

A few minutes later, Trixie was sitting on the floor of Leechcraft's caravan, as comfortable as she could get on the threadbare carpet. Leechcraft had hung up his hat and was pouring them two stiff drinks (whilst Equestrian ponies didn't drink alcohol, they tended to create very strong flavoured punches and cordials). He topped off the syrupy green drink with a sprig of fresh mint, and carefully picked up the tray in his mouth. Before he had a chance to put it down, however, Trixie had already levitated her drink off the tray. He sat the tray on a small, rickety stool, and took a sip of the cordial, sighing. Trixie decided it wasn't really to her taste and placed it down on the floor, subtly pushing it aside. They sat in silence for a few moments, Leechcraft examining the blue unicorn with a calculating look in his eye, and Trixie doing much the same to the dark grey earth pony and his caravan. She was first to break the silence. "You can't have always sold fake produce," She began, feigning disinterest and glancing around the sparsely decorated caravan, "... or you'd have been run out of Equestria long ago. I imagine then, that you've fallen on hard times, and you're trying to work your way back up." Levitating the cup again, she forced herself to take another sip of the cordial. Although the strong herbal flavour was too bitter for her, she was thirsty, and was going to take anything she was given. She looked back at Leechcraft. "Well, am I right?" He finished the last of his cordial. "I'm goin' t'answer that with a question of my own, Miss Trixie." He said, smirking. "You're in exactly the same boat, I'm guessin'. I've been around, an' I can tell you're no Appleloosan. You're too well spoken, fer starters, an' y'carry yerself like a filly showin' off her new saddle. So, if you're here, talkin' t'me, that means y'got nothin' better t'do. Am I right?" Trixie was caught off-guard by Leechcraft's own conclusions. The momentary flicker of uncertainty was enough to make her lose her concentration, and the cup fell to the ground, spilling the sugary cordial on the caravan floor. Leechcraft grinned broadly, and pulled a hankerchief from his waistcoat pocket with his mouth, tossing it over the spill. "But yes, missie, you're right. I ain't a cheat. Least, not when I can help it. An' I didn't get this mark for nothin'." Leechcraft motioned his head at the green bottle on his flank. "I run this caravan all across Equestria, y'see. I stock up on supplies when I'm near the Everfree Forest, s'only place I can get half the herbs for my tonics. Then I travel, an' sell all the stuff I make. Thing is, tho', in recent years I jus' can't get as deep into the Forest as I used to, an' I can't find th'right herbs no more. But I gotta live somehow, an' I jus' can't face settlin' down in one place, so I water the stock down, try an' make it last as long as possible." Trixie had regained her composure, putting on the same haughty tones as before. "But what you were selling out there was junk. Coloured water and apple leaves. Nothing medicinal about it." "Right again. I've run out of herbs, but I'm still at least a week away from Ponyville, an' I got t'pull this thing by myself." Leechcraft motioned with a hoof at the caravan. "S'not like I can jus' eat grass, either. Round these parts you're lucky t'find a single blade, let alone a patch big enough t'eat." Trixie sat in silence for a few moments. She was certainly no stranger to the difficulties of the travelling life herself, although she, too, could never settle down in one place. She knew, however, that it was not an easy way to live, and you could never be sure where your next meal was coming from. Leechcraft looked at her, grinning. "But with your help, missy, I can make this junk fly off the shelves faster than they can get their bits out of their purses. Heck, I might be able t'skip the Everfree Forest altogether, jus' sell whatever I find!" Trixie smirked herself, masking her eagerness at the proposal. A chance to use her magic and exercise her skills in stretching the truth again was just what she was after. Even if it meant putting up with the minor inconvenience of acting as 'sidekick' to a quack of a salesman, it was better than having to face the shackles of employment. "Of course, I'll require food and lodging." Leechcraft bowed low. "My caravan is yours, missy. I rather sleep outside anyway. Grass an' earth is better than any bed I've ever had." Trixie picked herself up and immediately set to re-arranging the meagre furniture to her liking. Leechcraft looked at her glowing horn for a moment, and, avoiding the levitating mats and table, picked up his hat from the stand. He flicked his head sideways and flung the hat at Trixie, it landing slightly skewiff, and being too large for her, slipped over her eyes. Her concentration once more broken, the furniture fell to the floor, sending the tray and Leechcraft's empty cup flying. Trixie, barely containing herself, lifted the hat from her head. "And what was that for?" She spat through gritted teeth. Leechcraft was stifling a laugh. "Well now, missy, I was thinkin', with you lightnin' up like Celestia durin' the Summer Sun Celebration every time you're doin' something with your magic, they're sure to catch on quick. So, you'll be needin' a hat." Leechcraft said, trying hard not to let any trace of mirth into his voice. Trixie held the hat in front of her with her magic. She looked hard at it for a moment, and placed it back on her head, with great ceremony, tilting it back so it rested over her horn, but didn't slip over her eyes. She levitated the small shaving mirror out of her satchel and looked at herself in it. "Tie my hair back and I'd look like that farm filly with the fancy rope tricks." She thought to herself, moving the mirror around to examine every angle. She was forced to admit that it didn't look too bad, as a replacement for her old conical hat. Besides, every magician needed her props. "It's the wrong colour. I'll need a white one." She said, matter-of-factly, not looking up from the mirror. "Well, I've known you barely an hour an' you've already taken over my house, so Hay, let's spring for a new hat." Leechcraft replied, clearly finding the situation deeply amusing despite his best attempts at remaining stoic. "I did pretty well at my last stop, so I got enough bits. 'Sides, the tailor here knows me. I can probably get a discount. Let's wait 'til later, mind, when the crowd out there don't wanna lynch me no more." Leechcraft grinned. ~~~ Trixie and Leechcraft spent the remainder of the morning and the early afternoon mostly in silence. Both were so used to living by themselves that they felt no need to make conversation beyond simple statements, responses and requests. They shared a meagre lunch, and Trixie forced herself to drink another cup of Leechcraft's cordial. She found the taste beginning to grow on her, but it was still an effort to swallow it. Leechcraft finished putting the plates back into a small cupboard with one door missing built into the side of the caravan, and took a glance out through the equally small, scratched window. "All clear. Guess most people are out tendin' to th'orchard. Come on then, now or never." He stepped out of the caravan and held the door open until Trixie had followed. She didn't thank him, not that he really expected her to. He led the way up the main street, ignoring the glares and glances from any ponies still outside. He walked straight past the clothes store with its large wooden sign swinging in the light wind. Trixie looked up at the sign and stopped in front of the store, staring after Leechcraft. "I thought you said we were going to the-" She began, but realised that Leechcraft had no intention of stopping, and for that matter, wasn't listening. Taking a deep breath, she stopped herself from yelling after him and making a scene, and trotted quickly to catch up. Leechcraft turned a corner into an alleyway off the main street, and when Trixie caught up with him, he was standing by the store's side entrance, smirking. He took in Trixie's glare and rolled his shoulders in the equivalent of a shrug. "After this mornin', I don't think folk'd take too kindly to me jus' walkin' in the front door." He offered by way of explanation. "Besides, like I said, I know th'gal here. Jus' watch." He raised a hoof and knocked gently on the door, then stood back. After a few seconds of silence, the door swung open, revealing a plumper, older mare in a bonnet and sporting a pair of glasses balanced on her muzzle. She narrowed her eyes at Leechcraft, and adjusted her glasses with her hoof. He grinned at her. Slowly her glare gave way to a smirk, followed by a smile. "Leechcraft, y'old villain. What brings yer round 'ere this time? In trouble with Silverstar? I tell yer, if you try an' hide in my dressin' rooms again like th'last time he hounded you out I ain't gonna hold him back!" She glanced aside and suddenly noticed Trixie, a mixed expression of annoyance and amusement across her features. "Well, who's this fine young filly you've picked up? Looks like a city girl t'me." She smiled at Trixie, who was taken aback by the sudden implication that she was involved with the 'Doctor' and, for once, at a loss for words. Leechcraft stepped between them before Trixie had a chance to regain her wits and temper. "Uh, it's nothin' like that, Charity. She's jus' agreed to help me with my work is all, an' I thought I'd buy her a hat as a token of appreciation." He said, smiling disarmingly and taking a backward glance at Trixie. The seamstress, Charity, looked at the pair and rolled her eyes. "Well, it ain't my place to pry. Come on in, little missy, lets get yer measured up. Been a while since I had city-folk drop by here." She said, backing up and letting Trixie and Leechcraft in, and closing the door behind them. Trixie took a look around the room while Charity went to fetch her measuring tape. It was practical and no-nonsense, like the rest of Appleloosa, consisting of barely more than the plain wooden floors and walls. They were in the storeroom behind the shopfront, as she could tell by the racks of cloth and clothes strewn haphazardly around the available space. She turned to face Leechcraft, who was staring at his hooves. "What was that about the 'last time' you were 'hounded out' of Appleloosa?" She said with a smirk. Leechcraft shot her a glare. "T'ain't the first time I've been here, y'know. An' last time they got the Sheriff involved." "You're not one to learn a lesson, are you?" She asked, not expecting a reply. An unbidden thought emerged in her mind that the question could just as easily be applied to her. Leechcraft opened his mouth and was about to deliver a snappy comeback when Charity returned. She wasted no time with idle chatter and immediately set to measuring Trixie's head to find a fitting hat. "The problem with you unicorns is that horn. It's nearly impossible to make a decent hat that fits over it." She mumbled, pencil between teeth, while writing down measurements. She adjusted her glasses again and peered at the numbers. "Ah, yer in luck. Think I got jus' the thing." She said, whipping the tape off Trixie's head and rushing back into the shopfront. She returned half a minute later with a large white hat, with a high crown and a wide brim. She held it out towards Trixie on the end of her hoof. "We call it the 'Boss of the Orchard'. S'new style, imported from Fillydelphia, colt named Studson designed it fer us settler ponies out here in Appleloosa an' the other new towns 'round 'ere. I think this'll suit yer right down t'the ground. Hide that horn of yours too." Charity winked at Leechcraft. "Don't think I 'adn't guessed. Unicorn comes into town an' next day she's at my door with you, of all ponies. I thought t'myself: 'He's up t'somethin'' soon as I saw yer." Leechcraft put on his best look of feigning ignorance and innocence. Trixie levitated the hat off Charity's hoof and placed it on her head, turning to admire herself in the mirror. Now that she finally had a chance to look at herself in a full-length mirror, she realised what a mess she looked. Her coat was mussed up and her mane knotty, having been left to dry naturally after the rain. Her quick combing when she'd got up earlier that morning hadn't had much of an effect. On the other hoof, the hat was perfect. It rested just above her eyes, shielding much of her face if she looked down, and the high crown of the design served to hide her horn without the hat getting caught on it, as so often happened with headwear designed for Earth Ponies. She picked up the mirror with her magic and gently swivelled it around herself so she could see herself from every angle. It reminded her of the time, long ago, when she had bought her original hat and matching cape from a boutique in the city. Then she'd been The Great and Powerful Trixie. Now? Well, she wasn't sure what she was now, but the title didn't seem as apt without the wizardly get-up. She took another glance at the mirror and smiled. 'Doctor' Trixie would do.

Miyajima

18

Trixie,Adventure,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix of the Trade

complete

<p>The &quot;Great and Powerful&quot; Trixie has headed out to Appleloosa for a new start and a clean slate, but can she really leave behind a lifetime of bragging and showmareship?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:31:05+00:00

2011-07-10T21:31:05+00:00

There were times when Leechcraft wished he was able to levitate objects like a unicorn. In fact, magic of any kind would’ve been nice. Not that he resented being born an Earth Pony; after all, it was the Earth Pony’s special knack with all things natural that led him to find his path in life, even if he did tend to deviate from it more often than not. It was just that, after the sixth time of opening his saddlebag, pulling out the tome with his teeth, setting it gently on the ground, flicking the pages carefully with a hoof until he found the right entry, then picking it up and putting it back into the bag that was barely big enough to hold it; he really began to envy the unicorn’s ability to make these little things in life just that much easier. Especially since it had been rubbed in his face all afternoon with that blue unicorn filly he’d made the mistake of employing. Well, was ‘employing’ the right word? She had, in the space of a few hours, kicked him out of his own home, somehow got him to buy her a new wardrobe, and now he was out here in the plains trying to gather what herbs there were to be found, whilst she redecorated his caravan to her tastes. When he looked at it that way, though, he couldn’t help but chuckle. He guessed this was what it was like to be married. He stopped in front of another cactus and looked at it. The torrential rain of the previous day had made his journey to Appleloosa a long and arduous one, pulling his caravan through what had suddenly become several inches of mud, but, almost as compensation, it made today’s task a lot easier. A little water was all it needed for the dry, dusty and dead plains of Appleloosa to burst into life again, and the cactus hid in its shade several different plants, all coming out into flower. He knelt down on his forelegs to look at them more closely. Years of experience meant he was able to identify nearly all of them without having to resort to the aggravating task of pulling out his copy of Super Naturals once more. There was the Plainswort bush, the Dusty Mare’s Tongue, Yellow Hoofswell, Five-Pointed Hornshine... But one plant in particular caught his eye. Carefully untangling the trailing stems and leaves, he uncovered a small, unremarkable-looking plant hidden under the shade of its taller neighbours. Plains Mint! A rare find in the rocky soils of Appleloosa. Whilst it had no real medicinal use, it was Leechcraft’s favourite flavour of mint, and one of the ingredients in his cordials. He smiled happily and carefully bit it off at the stem, placing it into his other saddlebag. He gathered up the other plants as well, mentally checking off what they were all used for. Plainswort Leaf: bitter, and left an awful taste in the mouth. Added to water, it made a convincing “medicine” for just about anything. After all, all medicines tasted bitter, or so common belief went, and if you thought it was helping whatever ailed you... Well. In some ways, it was better than the real thing. Dusty Mare’s Tongue: another fairly useless weed that, after being dried and crushed, gave off a strong smell that was only useful for keeping away flies. However, if you told the customer that the scent helped to clear the lungs and fight off coughs, then what they didn’t know didn’t hurt them. More importantly; what they didn’t know netted you a hoof-full of bits. Yellow Hoofswell was just a nice flower to look at, bland-tasting and giving off no scent. It was an old Equestrian belief that the plant had healing properties related to the hooves, due to its rather distinctive, hoof-like shape. Like many herbalists, Leechcraft knew that it had no healing properties whatsoever, but old beliefs ran strong in places like Appleloosa, and he knew to capitalize on it. Finally, there was Five-Pointed Hornshine. That was one plant that actually did do something... Except that it only affected unicorns. Hornshine, true to its name, helped stimulate the growth of new keratin over a unicorn’s horn, covering over scratches and chips and giving the horn a reflective lustre if used regularly. Satisfied that his little harvest would gather enough bits to feed him and his ‘guest’, Leechcraft put the last of the plants into his saddlebags and started back towards Appleloosa. By now it was early evening, the sun beginning its journey below the horizon and tingeing the sky orange. Leechcraft walked at a slow pace, taking in the scenery. He wanted to live free, out in the wild lands of Equestria, where the weather didn’t have to be scheduled by pegasi, where the plants grew without being cultivated, and where animals roamed wherever they liked.. The neat and ordered fields of Ponyville and the other towns and cities of central Equestria felt dead to him, lacking that true spark of life. He knew, before long, the settlers’ expanding influence in Appleloosa would push back the wilds once more, and in time the plains and canyons would just become more fields and meadows, choked of the very thing that made them once beautiful. “Then I’ll jus’ hitch up and move to the next border towns.” He thought to himself as he entered Appleloosa. The workers were returning from the orchard after their day’s tending to the trees and pathways. Most of them returned to their homes, but Leechcraft saw a few groups enter The Salt Block for their daily nip. He felt like a little salt himself, but knew he’d hardly be a welcome sight in the saloon after the morning’s fiasco. Tomorrow, on the other hoof, should everything go according to plan, he’d have enough bits to buy every pony in Appleloosa a lick. He turned down a side street and followed it through to the residential area of Appleloosa. He had moved the caravan here before leaving, since it had been getting unwanted attention sitting in the main street. Here, with the signs taken down and hidden among the other carriages, caravans and carts, it blended in just fine. Then he heard the muted explosion and saw clouds of billowing, sparkling smoke spilling from the blown-open windows of his mobile home. Cursing all unicorns, he galloped the last few feet to see what damage Trixie had wrought. ~~~ Leechcraft and Trixie had just returned from the clothes store, where she had decided that the hat wasn’t quite enough, and bought herself a jacket and neckerchief on Leechcraft’s tab. He had grumbled a bit at the price, but eventually gave in. He had dropped Trixie off at the caravan, explaining that he was going out beyond the town’s limits to see what herbs he could find to sell. In the meantime, she was free to do what she liked, and she decided to spend that time sprucing up her new abode. She had been able to tell from the moment she first laid eyes on it that it was a bachelor colt’s caravan. The wood was rough and full of splinters, the furniture (or what passed for it) was in disrepair, and it generally looked a complete mess. Whilst Trixie wasn’t particularly houseproud, she had her standards. She’d spent the next hour or two cleaning and tidying, using magic to stitch the carpet back together and smoothing out the worst of the wood with her hooves. The end result was still a mess, but at least it was a mess she felt she could live in, for now. She sat down on the carpet and put her head on her crossed legs, staring at the wall. Now she came to think about it, she wasn’t sure what she planned to do. She’d offered her services in magic to an earth pony she’d never met in return for a place to sleep and a chance to earn some bits. Was that a wise decision? … Probably not, she conceded, but it kept her stomach full and her mind occupied, which was the main thing. Besides, she was sure that if he... tried anything, she was more than capable of holding her own. While she was still concentrating on the ‘occupying the mind’ part, it became rapidly apparent that her stomach was far from full. It was getting on for early evening now, and all she’d eaten that day was a stolen apple and a light salad. Getting up from the floor, she trotted across to the cupboards and searched through them for anything suitably edible. Nosing through, she found an airtight jar that looked much like the one Leechcraft had prepared lunch from. Lifting the lid with her magic, she looked at the leaves and blooms inside. They looked quite appetizing; the leaves were glossy, the petals were thick and waxy-looking, and the smell was quite overpowering, reminiscent of a full field of wildflowers in the height of summer. She guessed that this was just a pre-prepared salad, and took a plate from the cupboard, tipping the contents of the jar onto it. The strong scent began to permeate the room as the leaves and petals fell onto the plate, making her feel a little dizzy, but she chalked it up to hunger and dug in, not stopping until the last of the petals had been licked up. That took the edge off her hunger, at least. She realised that she still felt light-headed, but now supposed it was the strong, lingering scent of the flowers. She levitated the empty plate off the table and placed it in the small sink. … At least, that was the intention. Noting a distinct lack of plates in sinks, she turned back around and saw the plate still stubbornly sitting on the table. Frowning, she concentrated and tried again. A spark flew off her horn as the plate wobbled and rose a few centimetres, before falling back to the table. Trixie felt her dizziness getting worse, and it seemed that the scent of the flowers had almost become stronger, but she ignored it and focused completely on the plate that was apparently mocking her. Attempting the simple spell once more, she struggled to even bring a single spark of magic to bear against the plate. Her head was beginning to spin, and small floating specks were appearing in her vision. She felt stifled, and briefly thought of opening the window, but her quick temper overrode her more logical train of thought, and her attention snapped back to the plate that was arrogantly defying her. She set her legs apart, grounding herself, and closed her eyes tight, concentrating as hard as possible on the offending piece of tableware. Slowly, she felt the magic building up in her horn, but was now struggling to ignore her head’s spinning. She wobbled, lost her footing, and fell onto her side, the pent-up magical energy erupting in a cloud of chaotic, swirling smoke. The burst of energy blew open the windows, and she heard the galloping of hooves towards the caravan. Her vision swam and blurred, lights flashed in front of her eyes, and her head reeled like a boat in a storm. The last thing she saw before slipping into unconsciousness was Leechcraft bursting in through the door. ~~~ She awoke some time later, and instantly regretted doing so. Her stomach churned, and her first instinct was to roll over onto her side and retch. The half-digested remains of the glossy leaves and waxy petals were swiftly caught in a bucket that appeared before her as if by magic. Once she had stopped vomiting, she looked up through bleary eyes to see where she was. As her vision cleared, the shape of Leechcraft’s face came into view, wearing a concerned expression that vanished almost the instant she registered its existence. “Good, you’re still with us. Ain’t gone off t’join the dead jus’ yet. Open your mouth.” The command bypassed all higher thought, and Trixie obliged. A hoof-full of small, jagged-edged leaves was stuffed in immediately. “Chew.” Again, Trixie complied. They had a dry, slightly spicy taste to them, and her stomach heaved at it, but she forced herself to swallow the leaves after chewing them thoroughly. Her head slumped back onto what she realised must be the bed. Now she was properly awake, she was able to take in her surroundings, and saw she was still in Leechcraft’s caravan. She felt awful. He head was pounding, and her horn ached, an unusual sensation normally only felt after the casting of a particularly difficult spell. She still felt sick to her stomach, and it seemed almost every part of her body was screaming at her. She clenched her eyes shut and curled up in response to the pain. “You’re lucky, missy. There was enough poison in them flowers t’kill a draft pony. Fortunately they weren’t fresh-picked, so it was less dangerous. Still, maybe that’ll teach y’not t’eat plants y’don’t recognize, hrm?” Leechcraft’s voice cut through the haze of pain, and Trixie opened her eyes again, lifting her head up to look at him. She tried to say something, but couldn’t form the words. Exhausted from just that effort, she slumped back into her curled up position. “You jus’ sleep it off... You’ll be back on your feet in the mornin’.” Leechcraft said, looking at Trixie with a sympathetic gaze, at least now he was sure she wasn’t looking at him. He glanced at the contents of the bucket, the strong scent of the poisonous flowers now mixed with the stench of bile and stomach acid. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he took the bucket’s handle in his mouth and poured it out on the dirt outside the caravan. He looked up at the sky, gazing at the waning moon overhead. It had been early evening when he came back to the caravan to find Trixie lying unconscious on the floor. The strong scent lingering inside was enough to tell him instantly what had happened; Trixie had obviously mistaken one of his merchandise jars for food and helped herself. He’d put her into the bed and kept watch over her for hours, muttering prayers to Luna and the rising moon, despite himself, that she would wake up again. It was now well past midnight, but she had pulled through the worst of it and her body had done the rest. He said a quiet word of thanks to the moon, went back inside and put the bucket away. “I’ll jus’ sleep over this side of the caravan t’night. Just in case y’need me.” He said, although he wasn’t sure if Trixie heard him. Her breathing was slow and steady; the herb he’d given her was well known for inducing a restful sleep. Sighing to himself he laid down on the floor, noting that the carpet was in a better state than he remembered it being, and the floor felt smoother. He smirked as he laid down his head; now they’d both done each other another favour.

Miyajima

18

Trixie,Adventure,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix of the Trade

complete

<p>The &quot;Great and Powerful&quot; Trixie has headed out to Appleloosa for a new start and a clean slate, but can she really leave behind a lifetime of bragging and showmareship?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:36:32+00:00

2011-07-10T21:36:32+00:00

Trixie woke up. The first thing she noticed as her eyes snapped open was the ache in her back. Evidently during the night she’d turned onto it and stayed there, which was a position not exactly comfortable for ponies at the best of times. Turning onto her side, her brain started following her body’s lead and filtered through the usual early morning thoughts: Where am I? What day is it? What am I doing in this bed? Who is that colt sleeping on the floor over there and why is he sleeping on the floor over there? Slowly, it came back to her. She was still in Appleloosa. She’d been taken ill and must’ve been put into the bed. The colt was... something to do with leeches. She glanced at his cutie mark, trying hard to draw out his name from her scrambled thoughts and memories. She was still staring at him with that blank look of the recently awoken when Leechcraft himself began to stir. Yawning and running his tongue over his chapped lips, he turned around to see Trixie looking at his flanks, and couldn’t help but grin. Trixie broke out of her trance almost immediately, and blushed, despite herself. “Well then, still alive I see, good start.” Leechcraft said, stretching and lifting himself up off the floor. “No thanks to you!” Trixie snapped back at him. Leechcraft looked a little taken aback. “If you hadn’t kept your poisons next to your salads none of this would’ve happened!” She continued, glaring at the earth pony and trying her best to hide her red cheeks. At this, Leechcraft’s look of shock melted into a wide grin. “Guess that proves you’re feelin’ better alright.” He turned and started searching through the cupboards to prepare breakfast. Trixie was feeling hungry, again, having lost what was left of the previous day’s meals. She was grateful for Leechcraft’s intervention the previous night, and was cursing herself for being such a foal as to eat a strange plant she didn’t recognize. Not that she’d dare show it, of course. The Great and Powerful Trixie was not accustomed to being in debt to anyone, and she didn’t plan on starting anytime soon. To take her mind off things, she set to work brushing her bedmane, which, as she saw in the mirror levitating in front of her, was quite a sight. Leechcraft was skillfully tossing plates onto the table with the air of somepony who’s spent a lot of time practising the trick (and even longer cleaning up). and looking for any available greens. He still had a couple of jars left of salad stuff, he knew that much, but there wasn’t anything to... spice it up with. It’d have to be lettuce with a side order of lettuce. As the cupboard door swung shut, he took a moment to look at it more carefully. Where it’d been lop-sided and rough the day before, Trixie had straightened it and smoothed it over like she had the floor. The whole caravan looked better, for that matter. Part of him supposed that it was Trixie’s way of thanking him for taking her in and giving her a place to sleep and eat, but the cynic in him believed she had probably done it for her own comfort as much as his. After all, he’d only taken her in because she was useful to him, hadn’t he? He turned his attention back to breakfast, and was soon finished. He sat down at one side of the table and waited while Trixie was still struggling with the knots in her mane, oblivious. After a few minutes, he coughed into his hoof. “It’s, uh. Gettin’ cold...er.” He said, causing Trixie to turn. She rolled her eyes and put the brush and mirror back down, and sat herself opposite Leechcraft. They both ate in silence, and it took Trixie some effort to force it down after all she’d been through the evening before. When they’d both finished, Leechcraft cleaned and put the plates away while Trixie dressed herself in her new clothes. She spent several minutes just tilting the hat back and forth until she was satisfied it sat right. Leechcraft, by comparison, had fallen asleep in his waistcoat, and just tugged on it a few times with his teeth to get the worst of the creases out. Leechcraft was the first to break the silence. “I’ll be needin’ to prepare my stuff for sellin’. I got some left over from yesterday, that’s them bags over there. Obviously that ain’t gonna go down so well, so I’ll mix it together with the stuff I brought in last night. I did a lot of the work when you were asleep, so it’s just a matter of packin’ ‘em now.” Leechcraft waved a hoof at the sprigs of herbs dangling from the caravan’s ceiling. Trixie looked up at them. They just looked like withered, dead plants to her, but she had learnt firsthand that Leechcraft probably knew what he was doing when it came to flora. She spared a moment to ponder how in Celestia’s mane he’d managed to tie the little bundles to the beams, and was slightly disappointed when she realised he had no intention of taking them down again. Instead it seemed that he was taking similar-looking plants from another container, crushing them under his hoof, and scraping the pieces into a bag. Since he hadn’t asked her for any help, she just continued watching with mild interest. She didn’t often see earth ponies at work, and it was odd seeing Leechcraft perform all these seemingly intricate tasks with nothing more than his forehooves and mouth. He took about an hour to complete the task to his own satisfaction, mixing up tonics (barely more than bits of leaf tossed into water) and preparing powders. He would occasionally start talking whichever herb or flower he was currently working with, explaining their uses to Trixie, or the folklore surrounding them. She was quite surprised to learn that some herbs had different effects on the three different types of ponies, as Leechcraft was explaining to her as he worked with the Five-Pointed Hornshine. “Only works on unicorns, this ‘un. Give to a pegasus or an earth pony an’ it won’t do a thing. Just tastes a little bitter. But to unicorns? Over time it helps strengthen your horn and I’ve heard some herbalists say it can even improve your magic, but I ain’t in a position to prove or deny that.” He said, crushing the leaves and putting them into bottles. Trixie levitated a stem from the small pile and looked suspiciously at it. “It’s not... Poisonous, is it?” She said at last. Leechcraft smirked. “Missy, all you’ll be gettin’ from eatin’ too much of that is a bit of a headache. ‘Sides, you think I’d be sellin’ it if it was poisonous?” Trixie frowned. “... Then why were you keeping that other plant here? The one I...” She faltered. “Like I said, differen’ plants do differen’ things to differen’ ponies. The one you dined on last night is commonly known to unicorns as ‘magebane’, but to earth ponies and pegasi it’s nothin’ more than a painkiller, albeit one of the stronger ones. I use it myself when I’ve been pullin’ this thing all day.” He rolled his head, indicating the caravan. “Doesn’ do squat to us, but with unicorns, it messes ‘em up somethin’ fierce. No one’s really sure why, but some of the bigwig doctors up at Canterlot guess it has somethin’ in it that interferes with a unicorn’s natural magic somehow, an’ the results are usually fatal. Worst you’ll get on a pegasus is that they’ll lose feelin’ in their wings for a few hours, but that’s rare. To us earth ponies it’s harmless. Hay, we even call it ‘white restwell’.” Trixie blinked a few times, and looked back at the hornshine she was still holding. She took one leaf off it and nibbled on it. Leechcraft was right, it tasted bitter, but she didn’t start having any adverse reactions to it, so she finished off the rest of the leaf. Leechcraft snatched away the rest of the sprig in his teeth and put it back in the pile with the rest. After he’d finished, he looked out the window, peering at the sky behind the nearby houses. “S’gettin’ on for late mornin’ now, I reckon. I’ll pull the caravan back inta the main street an’ we can set up shop. Then with your magic, an’ my dashin’ good looks an charisma, we’ll be takin’ more bits than we know what t’do with.” He winked at Trixie and swept outside to begin hitching himself up. Trixie briefly pondered staying inside and letting him pull her, but decided to at least lighten the load a little, and stepped out after him. She didn’t help him with the harness; again, she was quite interested in watching how the earth pony managed to strap himself in without the aid of magic. She did notice a few of the town’s residents glaring at Leechcraft from the windows of their homes, however. She was glad that they didn’t seem to be directing any of that hostility towards her, but she supposed that with her new clothes she just blended in with the townsfolk. Leechcraft either didn’t notice (or, thought Trixie, didn’t care), and started forcefully walking back down the side-street, dragging the caravan behind him. It was a slow start to pull it out of the ruts it had worn itself into, but once onto the now dry earth, it rolled along at a respectable pace. Trixie walked behind, looking up and around at the buildings. Like everything else in Appleloosa, they were no-nonsense wooden constructions, with few (if any) frills. Any paint or decoration seemed reserved solely for the fronts of the shops, where there was a little here and there to highlight the more elaborate wood carving and identify each store. The caravan turned slowly into the main street, and Leechcraft pulled it to the same place he’d set up the day before. The other shop carts in the street had either sold most of their goods or were in the process of packing up, but when the ponies looked up and saw Leechcraft, they all began glaring at him. Leechcraft had just unhitched himself from the cart when he noticed a crowd had begun to gather around him. He took in the angry expressions and murmured threats and gulped, looking around for Trixie, to find she had vanished without a trace. Swallowing again, he put on his most disarming smile, but the sweat showing on his brow gave away his fear. “N-now, gents, one at a time, I’ll be finished settin’ up in a moment...” He began, before a well-aimed carrot struck him in the side of the head and knocked his hat clean off. “We don’ want none o’ yer tricks, yer quack!” A voice shouted from somewhere in the throng. There were cries of agreement as more ponies armed themselves with leftover produce and began pelting Leechcraft with all manner of food-based projectiles. He was fending off a hail of unripe apples when there was the unmistakable ‘splutch’ of an Apple Pie hitting the ground. The crowd turned and parted immediately, hiding or eating the incriminating evidence of the attack. Sheriff Silverstar strode right up to Leechcraft, ignoring the other ponies. He glowered at the cowering earth pony for a few moments, before lowering his head down to him. “Leechcraft... Ah thought Ah told you not t’show yer face ‘round these parts again.” The Sheriff said in a low tone. Leechcraft laughed nervously. “W-well, eh-heh, y’know how it is, Sheriff, pony’s gotta make a livin’, righ’?” He said, smiling as innocently as he could when he knew there was no way out. “Deputy!” The Sheriff yelled, lifting his head and looking through the crowd. There were a few seconds of awkward silence, but then a grey pony with a large hat and a mouthful of carrots was nudged forward. Sheriff Silverstar narrowed his eyes at his deputy, who spat out the carrots and gave a mock salute with his hoof. “Deputy, take this low-life t’the cells. We’ll decide what ta do about ‘is property later.” Sheriff Silverstar ordered, glancing over at Leechcraft’s caravan. The deputy duly stepped forward and produced a pair of hoof-cuffs from his belt, swiftly latching them around Leechcraft’s front pair of legs. Leechcraft blinked, surprised, before being hoisted briskly to his hooves by a yank on the chain. As the deputy led Leechcraft away and the crowd dispersed, Trixie emerged from her hiding place between two closely-built shops. Her first thought was to leave, immediately. She could make it to the next town in a quick day’s trot, and from there... From there... Do what? She furrowed her brow. For that matter, she didn’t even know where the next town was. She glanced at Leechcraft’s caravan, briefly picturing herself once again as The Great and Powerful Trixie, standing on a stage in front of the little mobile home, dazzling Appleloosa and every town beyond with her magic. She sighed, and looked down at the ground. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt... indebted to the earth pony. He had saved her life, and more importantly, given her a home, shelter, food and work. “So he’s a generous crook,” She thought to herself, “but he’s still a crook.” Then her mind wound back to everything she’d done since she left Ponyville, disgraced. She’d stolen, she’d lied, she’d tricked, and committed acts of all-around questionable legality. “... And here I am, justifying stealing his home, by telling myself he’s just as bad as me.” She looked up, determined, and tilted her hat with her hoof. She grinned to herself. “He’s a crook... … And so is Trixie.”

Miyajima

18

Trixie,Adventure,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix of the Trade

complete

<p>The &quot;Great and Powerful&quot; Trixie has headed out to Appleloosa for a new start and a clean slate, but can she really leave behind a lifetime of bragging and showmareship?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:42:16+00:00

2011-07-10T21:42:16+00:00

Trixie looked around to make sure the crowd of angry Appleloosans had dispersed before darting out from her hiding place and making a bolt for the caravan. She didn’t know how long it’d be until the Sheriff decided to move it, or some nosey pony decided to have a look inside, and she needed some peace and quiet to decide what to do. She shot inside before anyone had a chance to see her and bolted the door to prevent interruption. Letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding, she looked around at the caravan’s interior, her gaze lighting on the piles of prepared stock that Leechcraft had intended to sell that morning. She started sifting through the bottles, bags and dried herbs, trying to recall what Leechcraft had told her about them all barely an hour or so earlier. Admittedly, she hadn’t really been listening to most of it, too preoccupied with her own thoughts (and preening), and now she was beginning to regret it. “Gah, was it the one with the spiky leaves and blue petals, or smooth leaves and square stem?” She thought as she picked up first one herb, then another, peering at them both closely. “Why doesn’t he label anything!?” She let them both fall, and huffed in frustration. “Trixie, you’re going about this all wrong. If you’re going to break Leechcraft out, first you need to make a plan.” She looked out of the window of the caravan at the buildings lining the street, taking care to avoid being seen. She quickly spotted the Sheriff’s office; it was the only building in Appleloosa with barred windows. She knew she had to get inside and have a look around the place, but at the same time was reluctant to let herself be seen in case she was recognized later. “... It can’t be helped, I need to know the layout of the office before I try anything.” She looked around at the caravan again. Leaving it unguarded while she went over to the sheriff’s office was a risk she’d have to take. She put on her satchel and took one of every item Leechcraft sold, in case the caravan was emptied or taken during her absence. Peeking out of the circular hole cut into the door to make sure no one was looking in her direction, she quickly stepped out and closed the door behind her. Assuming an air of confident disinterest (one she’d long since mastered when talking to ‘fans’), she trotted briskly down the street to the Sheriff’s office. She looked up at the building, quickly making a mental note that there seemed to be only one visible door, directly at the front. All the windows were barred, with the bars built into the frames, and securely fastened. It was only one storey high, and she supposed that there was no skylight, from what she’d seen of other Appleloosan buildings. Clearly getting in and out was only possible through the front door. While she was contemplating any other possible means of entry, the door swung open to reveal the deputy. He saw Trixie standing in front of the verandah and quickly stood to attention, adjusting his hat and trying to look as single and available as possible in front of the gorgeous light-blue mare. If there was one thing Trixie had learnt from her years on the road, it was how to read body language. Ponies could lie with their mouths easily, but the rest of the body took a lot more training. She saw the opportunity, and seized on it. She drew in breath and was about to state her demands in the same haughty tone she was used to using, but stopped and checked herself. “No no no. Not the ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie this time. You want him to be putty in your hooves. Eye flutter and pout at the ready!” The deputy stepped forward, putting on his best charm. … Which wasn’t saying much, but he made the effort. “Yer look a little lost there, missy. Can I be any help?” He said, giving her a wink. Trixie looked up at him and instantly put on the full works. She pouted a little, doing a convincing impression of a scared little filly lost in the big city. “W-well, I’m n-new here, and, uhm, I was... Looking for work?” She said, fluttering her eyes at the deputy. He fell for it hook, like and sinker. “Then yer come to th’right pony! I’m Deputy Irons.” He said, turning to show her his cutie mark; a pair of hoof-cuffs. “If yer after work, we could always do with more helpers in the orchard...” Trixie looked down and let her ears droop, scuffing a hoof on the ground. “... but if that ain’t yer cup o’ apple juice, me an’ th’Sheriff could do with someone t’help with all this filin’!” Deputy Irons waved a hoof at the office door. Trixie looked back up, smiling sweetly. “Oh, th-thank you, sir! That’ll be just perfect for somepony like me!” She said, pulling out all the stops. Deputy Irons never stood a chance. “Well, I gotta go on my rounds, but uh... Maybe you an’ me can get some salt later, huh?” Deputy Irons winked at Trixie again, walking past her. “Oh, jus’ head on in an’ talk to th’Sheriff. Tell ‘im I sent yer if ‘ee asks.” When Deputy Irons was safely out of the way, Trixie broke into a grin. She trotted up the steps and pushed open the door to the Sheriff’s office. Sheriff Silverstar was riding a chair behind a desk piled high with papers, his hooves crossed and on top of the pile. His hat was tilted over his eyes, and Trixie guessed he’d decided to catch some sleep while his deputy was out. She tread as lightly as possible on her hooves, trying not to wake the Sheriff unnecessarily. She took a quick glance around the room. The Sheriff’s desk was to the left of the door, and behind it were a row of cells with brick walls and iron bars. Two were currently occupied. Leechcraft was in one, facing the wall with his back to Trixie, and in the other snored an old pony with a pickaxe for a cutie mark and salt encrusted on his muzzle. To the other side of the room was the Deputy’s desk, some cabinets for filing, and finally a humble bed and living space off to one corner. Trixie was shocked out of her mental planning by the loud creak of a floorboard. She lifted her hoof off the offending piece of lumber immediately, but too late. The Sheriff jolted awake, overbalancing the chair and collapsing to the floor with a yelp. Leechcraft turned and barely suppressed his laughter, before noticing Trixie. Fortunately, he had the presence of mind not to call out to her, guessing that it was best, for the time being, to leave the Sheriff under the impression that they were unacquainted. Sheriff Silverstar picked himself up, muttering curses at the chair, now little more than a pile of kindling. He caught sight of Trixie at the same time as Leechcraft, and narrowed his eyes at the blue unicorn. “Can I help yer, ma’am?” He said, in the tone of one who has no intention of actually helping but is obliged to ask. Trixie giggled nervously. “I-I was... told I could find work here?” She said, quickly adopting the same stance and tone as earlier. “Who told yer that?” “Y-your deputy, sir. He s-said I could help with... filing.” She looked down at her hooves, rubbing her forelegs together. Sheriff Silverstar wasn’t quite as easily swayed as his Deputy. He stood in silence for a few moments, glowering at Trixie, but finally sighed and waved a hoof in the direction of the Deputy’s desk. “Fine. It’s all over there. Get ‘er done by tonigh’ an’ I’ll see about payin’ yer.” He said, and started picking up the pieces of his wrecked chair off the floor. Trixie saw the opportunity to ingratiate herself and swept over. “Please, let me!” She didn’t wait for an answer, and immediately began levitating the pieces of the chair, quickly slotting them back together. A little light from her horn escaped from under the brim of her hat while she worked. Sheriff Silverstar blinked, looking back and forth between her and the repaired seat. “Unicorn! Well naw, that’s more useful. Problem with half the ponies out ‘ere in Appleloosa is they can’t grip a pen in their mouth fer longer than a coupla hours, so we never get this paperwork done. But you’ll be absotively perfect!” He said, smiling enthusiastically behind his moustache. Trixie smiled sweetly at the Sheriff and went over to the deputy’s desk, perching herself on the chair. She briefly pondered why chairs were always made in this style, with the uncomfortable and unusable backrest, but dismissed the issue for later contemplation. She fidgeted for a few minutes, trying to get comfortable and simultaneously cause as little squeaking as possible on the floorboards. The Sheriff had climbed back into his chair and fallen asleep, which Trixie was thankful for. Keeping up that false smile and shy-yet-enthusiastic demeanour was tiresome. Leechcraft, meanwhile, was sitting in his cell, watching Trixie through the bars. He guessed she was planning something, and he supposed that ‘something’ involved getting him out of jail, but he didn’t know how she planned to accomplish it. He’d only been locked up for an hour or two, but had already counted all the bricks in the wall (twice) and given up on making conversation to the snoring miner, taciturn Sheriff or over-zealous Deputy. He hoped that whatever Trixie was planning, she went through with it before he died of boredom. Or Apple Pie to the face. ~~~ In the hours that passed, Trixie felt she’d learnt more about Equestrian Law than was strictly safe to one’s health. For such a small and new town, Appleloosa had a lot of ‘criminals’, even though some of the charges were... questionable. She levitated one form in particular, peering at it. Braeburn - Charged with Over-Enthusiasm in Guided Tour of Appleloosa, Resulting in Loss of Trade. Fine: Two Hours Community Service as Appleloosa Tour Guide Rolling her eyes, she ticked and signed the appropriate boxes and rubber-stamped the form, placing it in a neatly stacked pile with the countless others she’d already worked through. It seemed that for every file she took from the mound of paper, two more appeared in its place. It hadn’t been a total waste of an afternoon. Not only had Trixie learnt that there are at least seven different ways to assault somepony with an apple, but more importantly, she had learnt where the Sheriff kept his keys. Only an hour or so previously, the Sheriff had awoken from his nap to let the old miner out. Judging by the way he talked so amiably to the eldery pony, Trixie guessed he was a regular customer. Sheriff Silverstar kept the keys inside his waistcoat, returning them swiftly as soon as he’d let the miner out. He’d left Trixie in charge of the office while he took the miner back home, but before she had a chance to go over and talk to Leechcraft, Deputy Irons had returned from his rounds. The last hour or so since had consisted of Irons flirting, badly, and posturing at any given chance. Trixie had tried her best to ignore it and carry on with the filing, but by now her patience was wearing thin. She wasn’t sorry to hear the town’s (newly reconstructed) clocktower strike five, releasing her from duty. Veritably leaping from her seat, she made a quick dash for the door, but was surprised to find Deputy Irons blocking her way, leaning on the doorframe, both sets of legs crossed in a casual manner and hat tilted down. “So, how about that salt?” He said, flicking his hat back up with a well-practised gesture and a grin. Trixie felt her heart sink. There was no way she was getting out of this one. She nodded, mutely, feeling the tiniest pang of guilt when she saw how overjoyed the Deputy was that she said yes. “Great! Come on! If we get to th’Salt Block early we’ll avoid the rush!” He said, rearing up and running off down the street without waiting to see if Trixie was actually coming. She looked back at Leechcraft in the cell, who shrugged at her. Sighing, she followed after Deputy Irons. He was standing outside the saloon waiting for her as she approached, still grinning enthusiastically. He pushed open the swing-door with such force it was nearly knocked off its hinges, and held it open for Trixie to enter. She looked around the familiar saloon. It was still warm and inviting, and she could hear a pony clumsily trying to play a piano in the corner, not an easy feat with hooves. The saloon was still mostly empty, a couple of ponies sat here and there at tables, and two stood leaning against the bar, talking to the barman. Deputy Irons came in behind Trixie and strode to the bar, knocking on it with his hoof and making the other customer’s cups rattle. The barman strode over and looked down his nose at the Deputy. He was at least two hands taller than Irons, and took full advantage of it. “Yes?” He said, the single syllable hanging in the air like a death threat. Irons fought to keep up his bravado in front of his ‘date’. “Two salts, Morton, an’ I’ll take an Apple Twist. The lady here’ll have a...” He paused, and turned around to Trixie. “... a, uh... Whaddya wan’ t’drink, missy?” Trixie blinked. “Oh, uh... H-hay smoothie, please.” Morton, the barman, peered at Trixie, but decided not to pry. He set to work preparing the drinks and measuring out the salt as Trixie took a seat next to Irons at the bar. Irons scooted his stool closer to hers. “So, I didn’ catch yer name...” He started. Trixie forced herself not to roll her eyes. She gulped and adopted the same tone of voice she’d used earlier. “T-Trixie.” She replied, avoiding looking at him directly. She’d had an idea of how to remove Deputy Irons from the equation, and now needed to wait only for the perfect opportunity. They chatted, although the conversation was a little one-sided. Deputy Irons didn’t seem put off by Trixie’s short answers and had started talking enough for the both of them. Morton returned a couple of minutes later with their drinks and salt, and Irons flicked a hoof-full of bits at the barman. They talked as the bar slowly filled and their drinks emptied. Irons was telling Trixie of how he came to settle in Appleloosa and his life in Manehatten, always wanting to be a cop but never quite making the grade. Trixie, in return, made up a story about her life on the road before coming to Appleloosa, at least when she got a word in edgeways. Irons was onto his third Apple Twist and second salt when the moment Trixie had been waiting for finally came. “I’m jus’ -hic- g-gonna... go out b-back fer a sec, -hic- Trix. Wait up -hic- f’me!” He half-rose, half-fell off his stool and stumbled towards the saloon’s doors. Trixie briefly wondered whether the ‘no alcohol’ thing was strictly observed in Appleloosa, but didn’t waste time thinking about it. She flicked open her satchel and dug through the herbs inside, using her hooves to avoid unwanted attention from the other ponies in the bar. She thought it quite likely that she was the only unicorn in the entire building, and didn’t want to draw light to that fact. She cast her mind back to the previous night, trying to remember which herb Leechcraft had given her to send her off to sleep. She hadn’t gotten a good look at it, but she remembered that it smelt quite strong and tasted spicy. After looking through a few of the small bags, she found what she was looking for. A bag of small, jagged-edged leaves, that smelt strongly of pepper even through the combined scents of the other plants. She looked around, then surreptitiously dumped a good portion of the bag into Deputy Iron’s drink, quickly stirring it in. Fortunately, an Apple Twist called for cloudy apple juice, so the leaves weren’t immediately visible, not that she thought it’d be a problem with Irons in his current state. No sooner had she put the bag back on top of the other herbs and closed the satchel, than Irons came back into the saloon, after a false start walking headfirst into the door frame. With some difficulty, the Deputy managed to slump back onto his stool. “Y’know, yer n-not -hic- like the other m-mares around ‘ere, Trix...” He slurred. “Y’really -hic- l-listen. It’s n-nice to have so-someone -hic- t’talk to, y’know?” He finished with a flamboyant wave of his hoof and picked up his drink in his teeth, knocking it back. He went out like a light, hitting the floor with a thud. Morton leant over the bar, looking down at the now-snoring form of Deputy Irons. A small smirk played at the edge of his lips. “Well, seems our good Deputy can’t hold his salt, fellas!” He announced to the bar, getting a response of raucous laughter as the other ponies turned to look. Trixie had slipped off her stool and made a move for the door as soon as Irons picked up his drink, and took advantage of the distraction to slip out unnoticed. “One down...” She thought to herself, glancing up at the darkened sky and rising moon. The sky to the west was still awash in orange and purple, so she guessed the sun had only just set. There were a few stragglers on the main street going to and fro, but most were now at home or in the saloon. She made her way back along the street to the Sheriff’s Office, peering in through the barred windows. Sheriff Silverstar was still working at his desk, and it looked like Leechcraft was asleep. “... One to go. How am I going to get him out of the way?” Her eyes twinkled with inspiration, and she briskly trotted away, back towards Leechcraft’s caravan. She was relieved to find it was still there, and quickly went inside. She ransacked the cupboards once more, before lighting on the canister Leechcraft used to hold his prepared mint cordial. She flipped the lid open and poured the rest of the sleeping herb into the mixture, shaking it to make sure it spread through. Dumping her satchel and taking the canister in her mouth, she ran back out of the caravan and up the street, coming to a halt outside the Sheriff’s Office. She composed herself, fluffed up her mane and tail a little, and then walked inside smiling. Sheriff Silverstar looked up from his work as he heard Trixie enter. “Back already, missy? Would’ve thought Irons’d keep yer occupied fer the evenin’.” Trixie placed the canister down on the Deputy’s desk. “Oh, he’s gone to bed. Had a long day of patrols.” She replied, flicking open the lid. The minty smell of the cordial filled the room, and Silverstar craned his neck to see what she was doing. “Already? Mighty early fer him. Say, whatcha got there?” “It’s a cordial I made, it’s not much, but I thought it could be a small thank you for letting me work here.” Trixie poured out a cup of the cordial and levitated it across to the Sheriff’s desk. He looked at it quizzically. “Really? Fer me? Tha’s righ’ kind o’ yer, missy. It smells delicious, mus’ say.” The Sheriff said, picking up the cup and taking a swig. He set it back down on the desk and looked up at Trixie. “Say, I was lookin’ through that paperwork y’did an’ it’s... it’s... uh... Land’s sakes, I feel... t-tired...” Sheriff Silverstar slumped forward and hit the desk with a thud. Trixie smiled. Knowing exactly where to look, she levitated the keys from the Sheriff’s jacket and slotted them one after the other into the lock on Leechcraft’s cell until one finally turned. Giggling to herself, she swung the door open and dropped the keys on Leechcraft’s head. The earth pony shot to his hooves with a start, looking around wildly. “Whas- wheresth’fire- … … Oh, evenin’ missy.” He said, blinking in disbelief as he took in the open door and Trixie standing before him, grinning. “I’ll tell you when we’re out of here, come on!” Trixie turned for the door as Leechcraft caught sight of the Sheriff and gasped. “... You... You didn’t...” He stuttered, looking agape at the slumped over pony. “Didn’t what?” “You know... You didnt...” Leechcraft drew a hoof across his throat and stuck his tongue out. “Of course I didn’t!” “Then wha-” “I said come on!” Trixie was out of the door before Leechcraft had chance to continue. To settle his own fears he put an ear to the Sheriff’s head, and sighed with relief when he realised Silverstar was just asleep. Wasting no more time, he galloped out of the door after the blue unicorn. When they reached the caravan, Leechcraft quickly harnessed himself to his mobile home and began moving. However, speed was of the essence, and Leechcraft was no draft pony. Trixie placed a hoof on his shoulder, stopping him, and levitated her hat off her head, setting it down over Leechcraft’s own. She stood in front of the caravan, legs apart to ground herself, and concentrated hard. With a spark, her horn ignited, magic flowing up the spiral and gathering at the tip as she cast the spell. Leechcraft suddenly felt his load lighten, and looked back to see the entire caravan lit up in that eerie purple glow that accompanied any unicorn magic. The wheels began to spin of their own accord, slowly at first, but quickly picking up the pace. Leechcraft was pushed forward, still tied to the harness, but felt the straps loosen and pulled free. He watched in amazement as his caravan rolled past him at a quick trot. Trixie’s horn stopped glowing, and she panted for breath, but the caravan kept moving. “Quick! Follow it!” She gasped, taking a gulp of air and breaking into a gallop after the caravan, now moving away at a good speed. Leechcraft blinked, and grabbed Trixie’s hat from his back, running after her. ~~~ “... So then, while he was outside, I slipped the herbs into his drink!” “Hah! Bet he wasn’ expectin’ that.” “Went out like a light.” Trixie and Leechcraft were sitting out on the prairie surrounding Appleloosa, around a small fire blazing under the starry sky. Trixie’s ‘Come to Life’ spell had finally worn off the caravan, allowing them to stop and take a break. After catching their breath, Leechcraft had built up a fire and Trixie had lit it, and then related her day’s activity to the earth pony. “So I’m guessin’ you tried the same stunt on the Sheriff?” Leechcraft said, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. “I took your cordial and emptied the rest of the bag into it, then gave him some to drink. Worked like magic.” She said, grinning. “Well, I can’t thank yer enough. Mind, they wouldn’ ‘ave done anythin’ bad t’me. Probably jus’ forced me into community service for a week or two ‘til I’d paid off my charge, but y’saved me that much. My only regret is that I won’t be there t’see ol’ Silverstar’s face when he wakes up tomorrow. Hah!” Trixie’s grin faded a little, and she stared into the fire. “Leechcraft... Can I... Stay on with you?” She asked, after a moment’s silence. Leechcraft put on a stern expression. “‘Course not. I’m goin’ t’leave you out here all alone with nowhere t’sleep an’ no food or water.” Trixie looked up at him in shock. Leechcraft’s mouth twisted into a smirk. Trixie followed suit, and the pair soon burst out laughing. “Yeah, ‘course y’can stay with me.” He said, after they’d finished. “We both saved eachother now, so I reckon we’re even.” Trixie smiled, and looked Leechcraft right in the eyes. “Thank you. For everything.” She realised she meant it, too. She’d come to Appleloosa looking for a fresh start, somewhere she could begin anew and become the Great and Powerful Trixie once more. Now she sat out here on the plains with a con artist that she had just broken out of jail. A con artist that saved her life and had given her, unconditionally, a place to sleep, food and water, a new wardrobe and, above all, work. Her boasting had cost her friends in the past, but this was the first time she remembered it helping her make a new one. “Doctor Leechcraft, and his assistant: The Great and Powerful Trixie.” She thought to herself, smiling. “I can live with that.”

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-19T20:50:00+00:00

2013-04-30T18:16:37+00:00

The 63rd Rune By: Alexstrazsa Chapter 1: How Could You Be So Wrong, Twilight? Books and scrolls littered the floor of Ponyville’s library, leaving only a small path for Twilight to walk through. At the epicenter of the organized chaos was the unicorn herself, glancing between a large, old book and a partially finished chalk drawing on the ground. Occasionally she moved to a large stack of books detailing old languages and flipped through them, mumbling to herself as she cross-referenced symbols and details to a piece of parchment. After several more walks between her references and the near crumbling book she was so focused on, she grinned and took a piece of chalk with her magic. “Now... I need to draw these runes just right...” Twilight said to herself, tracing an intricate pattern into the floor of the library. Beads of sweat were starting to form on her brow, from the concentration she was putting into the small piece of chalk scraping along the floor. Just a little more... she thought, finishing a sixth circle with a complex rune in the center. She brought the chalk back to the beginning of the main circle, and as it connected, she took a deep breath and stopped focusing. “Finally, it’s done.” The purple mare stepped out of her home and took a breath. It had been a while since she got some fresh air, and it was a nice change from the musky basement. As she closed the door behind her, the town’s grey-coated and blonde-maned mailpony paid her a visit. “Greetings, Twilight!” Derpy chirped. She opened her satchel and brought out the usual mail. Bills, advertisements, and the monthly check from Princess Celestia arrived. “On time as usual,” Twilight replied with a smile. She took the letters in her mouth and set them next to her door. “I haven’t missed a day yet!” Twilight thought for a moment, then asked “Derpy, could you do me a favor?” “Sure thing, Twilight!” “While you’re making your rounds today, could you tell Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy to meet at the library around three?” “Not a problem,” Derpy said, turning to leave. “Thank you!” Twilight yelled out as the mail pony flew off to her next destination. She then picked up her mail and went back inside. It was time to give the library a good cleaning. - - - Three o’clock arrived faster than Twilight had anticipated - she was still picking up books when she heard the first knock at her door. She opened the door to find Fluttershy - a light yellow pegasus with a long, pink mane - standing there. “Hello Twilight,” Fluttershy said, in a soft voice. “Is there something you needed?” “It’s more of an announcement,” Twilight replied, letting Fluttershy in. “You’ll know when everypony gets here.” The pegasus gave a warm smile as she walked in. “Oh, how exciting.” One by one, the other ponies arrived. Applejack tipped her hat as she walked in, followed several minutes later by Rarity. Pinkie Pie bounced through the door, licking the remains of some dessert off her face. Lastly, when everypony was settled, Rainbow Dash arrived. “Sorry about that, everypony!” Dash said as she rushed into the library. “My uh... alarm didn’t go off.” Applejack looked to Dash with a less than convinced expression. “So what ya meant ta say is that ya overslept.” “Eh... I guess you could say that,” The rainbow-maned pegasus replied, her cheeks growing red. “Well, that’s okay,” Twilight said, stepping before the rest of her friends. “Now that you’re all here, I have a very important announcement to make!” She motioned behind herself. “If you’ll notice, there are six circles written on the floor behind me. They are all contained in a larger circle. This is called a ‘rune circle’, and I’ve been working very hard on it.” “Well what’s it do, Twi?” Applejack asked. “You see, it’s all part of a complicated spell which I put together. It uses ancient, shape shifting magic and runes to alter a ponies physical composition and body structure. Every single rune serves a purpose and acts as a different component in the-” “Equestrian, please,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, with visible irritation on her face. “It changes the type of pony you are,” Twilight replied, deadpan. At this, Pinkie Pie’s face lit up. “Ooh, so you mean that Fluttershy could be an earth pony, or Applejack could be a unicorn, or I could be pegasus pony?!” Rainbow Dash’s face turned to dread at the thought of Pinkie Pie with wings. She had to say something. “Are you sure that’s safe, Twilight?” “I’m absolutely sure it’s safe. I’ve double and triple checked everything about this spell. Besides, it should only be temporary. At most it’ll last one or two hours.” Dash sighed with relief. She didn’t have to worry about a certain pink pony with wings for too long. “Well, I suppose we could all use a change, could we not?” Rarity asked the group. “I mean, I’ve always fancied being able to fly, especially since the competition in Cloudsdale.” “And all that fancy unicorn magic would really help out with my apple buckin’. I s’pose I could try it for an hour or two,” Applejack added. “So, what would everypony like to be? You can choose whatever you like!” Twilight asked, grinning to each of her friends. This would be a great chance to test her strength, and how much she’d learned. “Um, if it’s okay Twilight, I’d like to be an earth pony. Maybe I can be closer to my animals friends that way,” Fluttershy explained. “Ah’d like to be a unicorn then, Twilight. We’ll see if Ah can wrangle that magic,” Applejack said. “I want to be a pegasus pony! Then I can hang decorations and streamers really easily, and deliver treats and sweets really fast!” Pinkie Pie added, bouncing up and down. “If you could be so kind as to make me a pegasus as well, I would be appreciative? It’s been so long since I’ve flapped a pair of gorgeous wings!” Rarity sighed, her eyes looking to the distance. “I’m just gonna stick with being a pegasus,” Dash said, flapping her wings a few times. “I like flying way too much to give up these bad boys.” “Okay, that settles it then! Everypony, except Dash, stand in one of the outside circles. I’ll go into the middle and begin the spell,” Twilight announced. The others complied, and stood in one of the outer rings. Twilight stepped into the middle. Her horn began to glow, soft at first, but then increasing in brightness. The spirals shone as bright pink magic coursed the horn. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes, recalling how to proceed with the spell. Below her, the rune began to glow a bright purple. Its energy flowed into the outer rim, then began to seep into the rest of the complicated inscription. Luminescent purple light filled every bit of chalk on the ground, drenching the room in a lavender glow. Rainbow Dash did nothing but watch as Twilight strained with the spell. The magical energy built up in Twilight’s horn made it glow bright white, and it began to hum with energy. The runes and circles on the ground sparked and hissed, overflowing with power. Just then, Twilight’s knees began to shake, threatening to buckle under exertion. No, I can’t give up! I need to finish this! Her thoughts began to get panicked, as she felt the magic slipping with every passing second. It’s too strong! I can’t control it! The magic began to surge out of control, violent bolts shooting out and hitting bookcases and walls alike. Just a little longer... It was over. She couldn’t maintain it any longer. With nothing restraining it anymore, the raw magic exploded with power, sending a rippling shock wave throughout the library. With her magic drained and on the brink of exhaustion, Twilight slipped into unconsciousness. - - - Twilight felt different... somehow. She opened her eyes partway and found her vision to be blurry. She looked around for her friends, and found them lying in their respective circles, with Rainbow Dash behind a couch. At least, she could see the colors of their coats and manes. Twilight made an attempt to stand up, but found her legs feeling like jelly. After a brief fight with gravity, she managed to steady herself, then cautiously went up the stairs and into her room. She needed to find her book, and find out why she couldn’t pull that spell off. By all means, it shouldn’t have taken that much energy and magic to successfully cast, so what had gone wrong? “Ugh, where is it?” she groaned. It was at this point that she noticed something was very out of the ordinary. “Hello.” she said, listening. It was deeper, and had a more masculine tone. Oh no... oh no... she panicked, her mind already going through the possibilities. She had to see herself. Twilight rushed over to her dresser and looked into the mirror. “What have I done?” Her once long mane was now shortened on the top of her head and the back of her neck, and it was styled in different length locks. Her pink and light purple highlights stuck out slightly farther than the rest, making them more noticeable. She looked towards her flank and noticed her legs had grown longer and bulkier; her tail shorter. She took notice of her larger snout as well. He was now a stallion, and all of his friends were as well. Moments after this realization hit him, he heard loud hoofsteps and muffled shouting from below. The others had awoken by now, and they didn’t sound happy. He rushed downstairs to find the rest of the group looking over themselves, some angry and some confused. “What in the hay is this, Twilight?!” Applejack shouted, walking to Twilight. The accent was there, but it was more gruff now. His hair was still long and in a ponytail, but that was the only thing the same about Applejack. “I don’t know what went wrong, Applejack, and I’m really sorry about this!” Twilight said, trying to calm the farmpony down. He looked to the others. Rainbow Dash was missing, Fluttershy was sitting in a corner, Pinkie Pie was unsurprisingly as happy as ever, and Rarity was coming close to a panic attack. “Is anyone hurt?” “I’m just fine Twilight, except my voice, which sounds really funny now! I’m like a stallion!” Pinkie Pie said, jumping around the library. Fluttershy only looked at Twilight and shook his head. “Fluttershy? How’s your voice?” Twilight asked. What came from Fluttershy wasn’t deep like she expected, but very gentle and sweet. “I feel okay, Twilight... nothing hurts. I’m just... like this,” he answered. “That’s a relief. Rarity, how about you?” Twilight asked, looking at Rarity. “How about me? How about me?!” Rarity said, storming over to Twilight. “Just look at this mess! My fabulous mane, although still stunningly beautiful, is far too short now! And just listen to me! I sound like... like... him.” “Who?” Twilight inquired, trying to recognize the voice. “...Blueblood,” Rarity hissed. “This simply will not do at all! Not only do I need to completely change how to get ready for outings, but now I need to design an entirely new wardrobe! I can’t be walking around in dresses like this!” “So... you aren’t hurt?” Twilight asked. “My pride maybe, but I’m not. I am quite alright. Oh, it’s going to take forever to sew suits...” With everypony in the library accounted for, only one needed to be checked on - Rainbow Dash. “Did anyone see Dash?” Twilight asked, looking at his friends. “I think she mentioned something about flying,” Pinkie said, pointing a hoof at the door. With this, Twilight poked his head outside to see Rainbow Dash high in the sky. He was flying down with incredible speed. Twilight could make out a thin barrier of resistance pushing against Dash, and as expected, he couldn’t push through it and it snapped back, hurtling Dash through the sky. “Dash! Come back down! We need to talk!” Twilight yelled. Rainbow Dash heard this and soared to the entrance of the library, landing on his hooves with a resounding thud. His brows were creased with anger and his teeth were clenched. “Rainbow, what’s wrong?” “I can’t fly fast enough!” Rainbow Dash yelled. Twilight could make out small tears forming in his eyes. “I’m too big now! I can’t go fast enough to do a Sonic Rainboom.” “I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but-” “That was all I had, Twilight! Speed! I was the greatest flier in Equestria! Now... now I can’t even pull off my best stunt!” Rainbow yelled. He pushed past Twilight and into the library. It makes sense... Twilight thought, recalling what he knew of physics. He went back intro the library. Now that everypony was healthy and here, he could figure out what went wrong. He levitated the ancient book over and looked through it, desperately trying to pinpoint the issue. Looking over the chalk, he scrutinized the the details of the circle for a moment before exclaiming “Ah ha! Here’s our problem.” “What’s up, Twi?” Applejack asked. “Come look at this.” The unicorn motioned for everypony to join him, then turned the book so they had a better view of it. “If you’ll notice, there are one hundred runes that need to be written precisely in order for the spell to work.” He waved a hoof in a circular pattern around the diagram, then continued. “However, this particular rune was damaged at some point before I started the spell.” Twilight pointed at a rune in the book, then lowered it and pointed at the corresponding one on the floor. Where it should have been inscribed and untouched, it remained smudged and nearly indistinguishable. “I went and counted. That one is the sixty third rune, and I highly suspect it’s the reason we’ve changed.” Twilight then closed the book, levitating it to the stand it had been on earlier. “I’m not sure how it happened, as it could have been error on my part or an accident from one of you. Either way, what’s done is done. Fortunately, we should just be able to wait it out. Then, we can all get on with our lives, okay?” Numerous murmurs of agreement came from the rest of them. All they could do now was wait. One hour passed. Pinkie tried to get them all to play a game, but only Rarity would bite. A second hour came. Dash was flipping through some Daring Do books that he had already read, deciding to get to the exciting parts. Rarity and Pinkie Pie’s game of checkers had long since ended, with Pinkie coming out with 33 wins to two losses, and the party pony opted to go into the kitchen for a snack. Then, the third hour came around. Twilight looked at the time and began to worry. The spell should have worn off an hour ago, so why were they still stallions? “What’s the deal, Twilight? I thought we’d be back to normal by now,” Dash said, also looking at the time. The others were frequently shifting in place and tapping their hooves against the floor, along with the occasional groan. “I don’t know Dash, this should have worn off. Maybe I should recheck the rune circle to see if something else-” “Um, I don’t mean to interrupt Twilight, but, uh... Pinkie Pie isn’t here anymore,” Fluttershy said. “What!?” Twilight exclaimed, eyes growing wide. Somehow, nopony noticed when the party pony left the building, and he could have been anywhere by now. Twilight knew that none of them would want to leave the library though, for fear of what the town would think of them. It was then that Dash answered Twilight’s silent prayer. “I’ll look for her. Him. Whatever.” With that, Dash opened the door and cautiously walked outside. He looked around, making sure that nopony was in the near vicinity. Taking a few steps and checking again for good measure, the pegasus fully left the library. “Now, if I were Pinkie Pie, where would I go? Oh, duh. Sugarcube Corner!” he said to himself. He began trotting towards the sweet shop in search of Pinkie. The town square was approaching, and Dash gulped. It was now or never. As he walked into the town, ponies began to happily look at him. One called out from the crowd. “Good afternoon, Rainbow Blitz!” she greeted. Rainbow recognized this as Bon-Bon, but they had never really talked before. “Uh... Hi, Bon-Bon,” Rainbow said, with a forced smile. “Oh gosh, he talked to me!” Bon-Bon exclaimed to Lyra, who was standing next to her. “You are so lucky, Bon-Bon,” Lyra replied, waving to Dash. As Dash walked through town, he continued being greeted and talked to by other ponies, some of which she had never met before. “What in Equestria is going on here?” he mumbled. Finally, he had made it to Sugarcube Corner. When he opened the door, he was warmly greeted by Mrs. Cake. “Oh, hello dear! Are you here for Bubble Berry? He’s upstairs right now,” she said, while ringing up a customer. “Uh, yeah. I’m here to pick up... Bubble Berry,” Dash replied. “Go right ahead and get him,” Mrs. Cake said. Dash walked up the stairs and opened the door to Pinkie’s room, and found him looking in a mirror. “Pinkie, why did you leave?” he asked. “Oh, I was getting bored of that stuffy old library, so I decided to go outside and try out this funny voice! In fact it’s so different that everypony is calling me Bubble Berry! Don’t those silly fillies know that it’s me?” Pinkie said, smiling the whole time. “That was happening to me too. Random girls kept talking to me and calling me ‘Rainbow Blitz’.” “Ooh, Blitz. That sounds neat! It kinda suits you when you look like that, doesn’t it? I mean stallions aren’t really types to ‘dash’, they’d do something cooler like ‘blitz’, and lucky for you you’re a stallion now, so everything works out right?” “Not really Pinkie... it doesn’t work out. I don’t exactly want to be a stallion. Now come on, we need to go back to Twilight’s and see what we can do about this.” “Aww, if you say so Dashie. I really like how I look like now. I’m all bigger and taller and my mane isn’t as long, but that’s okay because it fits me this way!” It was going to be a long walk to the library for Dash, filled with Pinkie ranting about his new look. The two of them finally arrived, which took longer than Dash had hoped, due to more of his ‘fans’ popping up. “Thank goodness you got back okay. What happened out there?” Twilight said, closing the door as they walked in. “Just the usual. A lot of ponies coming up to me and calling me awesome, asking for autographs, needing pictures with the incredible Rainbow Dash... normal stuff. Well... except for the part where they called me Rainbow Blitz... and a lot of them were... uh... I think they were hitting on me,” Dash explained, his cheeks growing slightly red. “And they called me Bubble Berry!” Pinkie chimed in, with a little hop. “It was really weird at first, but I got used to it.” “Wait, what? Everypony acted completely normal?” He then looked to Dash. “Mostly normal, at least. No one wondered why you two were stallions?” Twilight asked, puzzled. “Exactly. It was like we’ve always been this way,” Dash said. Always been this way... Twilight thought. A situation suddenly occurred to her. “What if this isn’t all the spell did?” he said, motioning to their bodies. “What if it changed memories too?” “Can a spell be that powerful?” Applejack questioned. “I don’t see why not,” Twilight replied. “That would explain why I couldn’t control it - it took too much magic to use.” “So, this spell backfired so badly that it turned us into stallions, changed the memories of Ponyville and who knows how much farther, and it doesn’t reverse either?” Dash said, eyeing Twilight with disappointment. “You could say that...” Twilight sheepishly said. “How could you be so wrong, Twilight?” a voice came from upstairs. A very feminine voice. “Who is that?” Twilight called out. It was then that Spike appeared, wrapped up from head to toe in his blanket. “It’s me,” Spike answered, his voice higher pitched. Through the blanket, one would notice eyelashes and down facing green tufts on her cheeks. “Spike... are you...?” Twilight started. “Yes, I am. And yes, it’s your fault. You better fix this, Twilight,” Spike threatened, pointing a claw at Twilight. The six ponies downstairs weren’t the only ones affected by the gender change, apparently. “Okay, I can figure this out. Spike, take a message for the Princess.” Dear Princess Celestia I’m in need of your help. Over the past few days I’ve been experimenting with an ancient magic that I found in the library. I needed to learn old Equestrian to understand it, and I overestimated my magical abilities when attempting to cast it. The spell was merely supposed to change what type of pony somepony was, but something went terribly wrong. After failing to cast the spell, I awoke to find myself... as a stallion. My friends have all become stallions as well, and poor Spike has become female. It also seems that the ponies of Ponyville have had their memories changed, and they all recognize us this way. I don’t know how to reverse this, and I’m requesting your assistance. Please reply as soon as you can! Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle “That should do for now. Thank you, Spike.” Twilight said. In what seemed like an impossibly short amount of time, Spike produced a scroll from Princess Celestia in a puff of green fire. Sparing his companion the embarrassment of speaking any more, Twilight levitated the scroll to himself and read it. To My Faithful Student, The spell you had casted was indeed of ancient origins, and I’m afraid the only way to help you is to meet you in person and assess your situation. Please travel to Canterlot as soon as you can. You and your friends will be admitted entrance into the castle with no problem. I will do everything I can to assist you. Don’t forget to bring the book that you took the spell from as well. I hope to see you soon. Princess Celestia “Well, everypony, it seems we have no choice. We need to travel to Canterlot.” Twilight said, levitating his satchel over. “You mean, we need to go out like this? Out in public?” Rarity asked. “Nuts, Twilight. There ain’t anything else we can do?” Applejack chimed in. “I’m afraid not. We have to go to Canterlot and get help from the Princess herself,” Twilight responded. “If we need to... then I’ll go,” Fluttershy said, standing up. “Whee, an adventure! And since Canterlot is far I can use my funny voice as much as I want!” Pinkie Pie said, hopping around. “I suppose... showing off my ‘new’ look couldn’t hurt. I mean, I am still Rarity after all,” the white unicorn said, rubbing a hoof through his curled purple hair. “Ah s’pose I can work with this for the time bein’,” Applejack added, tipping his hat up. “As long as we can fix this, I’m ready,” Dash said, with a slight smile. “Then it’s settled. Let’s pack our things and head to Canterlot!” Twilight exclaimed.

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-09T03:35:05+00:00

2013-01-17T05:03:55+00:00

Chapter 2: Why Are You Calling Me Dusk? The sky blue stallion touched down on a cloud ledge floating above Ponyville. In front of him was a large fluffy mansion. To some, it was a large structure in the sky, far more architecturally detailed than most buildings. To Rainbow Blitz, it was just a place to crash - sometimes literally. On this day, however, he wasn’t there to lounge around or sleep - he needed to pack his things and leave. The trip to Canterlot would be long, difficult, and not have nearly enough nap time. It would all be worth it in the end, since as much as he was enjoying the attention because of his new masculine body, Blitz wanted to be Dash again. He entered the sky manor, surveying his surroundings. Even now, he noticed changes with his house. The living room was slightly messier than he was comfortable with. Empty food packaging littered the coffee table, while magazines laid casually on the floor. Blitz picked one up, looked at the page it was on, then promptly put it down and felt his cheeks grow hot. The house wasn’t a proud sight, and Blitz was a little ashamed that this is how he lived. There wasn’t enough time to dwell on his altered home life, however, so he disregarded the mess and walked up the stairs to the second floor. As luck would have it, Blitz’s room was right where he left it. He gently pushed open the cloud door and walked in, noticing that it was just as unkempt as the living room. The bed sheets were tossed every which way, assorted books and clothes were on the floor, and somehow, parts of the cloud floor had gotten stained. With a disappointed sigh, he walked to the closet and pulled out two saddle bags. Now, what do I need? Something in case it’s cold out, something to sleep in, and food. That should be good! he thought. Blitz walked to his dresser and started to open the drawer when he noticed several pictures in frames resting on top. In each one, he was standing next to several ponies, smiling brightly. Were they fans of his? He had gotten a lot of those in the past several hours. Blitz decided to keep it a mystery as he bagged a sweater. He then found a sleeping bag in the closet to use, and after storing it, he walked back downstairs. From the kitchen he took some food - a bag of chips, a likely flat bottle of soda, and as a last resort, some oats - snacking on a hooffull before leaving the residence. After a final glance at the household, Rainbow Blitz dived off the edge of the cloud. He unfolded his wings and flew gracefully through the air, heading to Twilight’s library. - - - Elsewhere, a certain white unicorn was arriving home. The purple maned fashion pony stepped into the Carousel Boutique, with the intent of simply gathering a few things and leaving. What he found, though, caused him to lose his train of thought and stand dumbfounded at the entrance. Beautiful dresses had been replaced by gorgeous suits in all shapes and styles. Rarity walked to the closest one and scrutinized the design. It was a dark, pinstriped suit with glossy buttons on the front. There was a matching, patterned tie to go along with it. Hmm... the stitching could do with some improvement, and the buttons seem a tad too high... He circled around with a critical eye, looking for any imperfection or tailoring error. “I’m fairly impressed with myself,” he finally said, with a smile. A small voice suddenly called from upstairs. “Elusive? Is that you?” Sweetie Belle poked her head out of the upstairs railing and looked down at Rarity. “Oh, it is you! I’ve been waiting for you to come ba-” she started, but was interrupted by a very agitated sounding Opalescence diving at her hair. “Ow, get off!” The frustrated feline caused Sweetie Belle to lose her balance and tumble down the stairway. “Oh my goodness, Sweetie Belle!” Rarity said,watching in fear as his sister roll down the stairs. As Sweetie Belle came to a stop at the foot of the steps, Opal walked over to Elusive and rubbed his front leg, purring. “Dear, are you alright?” Rarity asked. “Yeah, Elusive, I’m fine...” Sweetie Bell wearily got up, and shook herself off. Elusive? Is that what I’m called now? Rarity thought. Sweetie Belle’s next sentence solidified this fact. “Elusive, is it okay if Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stay over tonight? We have crusading to do!” she asked, trying to look as adorable as she could. “Well, I certainly can’t decline a request to a face like that,” Elusive replied, lightly rubbing his hoof through Sweetie Belle’s mane. “Oh yes! Thank you, thank you!” Sweetie Belle cheered, hopping in place. “I just need you to do one thing for me, okay?” “Anything for you, big brother.” “I have very important business in Canterlot that I need to attend to, and while I’m gone, I need somepony to take care of the Boutique while I’m away. Do you feel responsible enough for that?” Elusive asked, walking around Sweetie Belle. “I think I can. Do I have to... sell anything?” “No!” Elusive said, slightly louder than he had intended. It was just that he had remembered the last time Sweetie Belle tried to ‘help’ with anything in the shop, leading to one of the largest messes he had the displeasure of dealing with. “No, no. You just need to stay here and watch over everything. I’ll leave a sign saying that the shop is currently closed. How does that sound?” “I can do that!” Sweetie Belle replied, happily. She then trotted back up the stairway, disappearing into the second floor of the boutique. Now that the shop is taken care of, I can properly pack. Elusive thought, retrieving saddlebags from the store room. How would he ever choose the proper suit for this occasion? - - - Meanwhile, at the local apple orchard, another pony was facing a much more important issue. Applejack trotted down the path that led into Sweet Apple Acres, passing the small vine-laden archway and the water well. As he walked, it occurred to him just how long he had been gone. Ah should probably check on Apple Bloom and Big Mac. he thought, passing the old barn. All he needed to do was tell Macintosh that he needed to go to Canterlot with Twilight and settle an... issue with the princess. It wouldn’t take long. “Howdy Applejack!” Apple Bloom called, exiting the house. She was wearing her cutie mark crusader cape and had a saddlebag on. “Well hey there, Apple Bloom. Watcha up to?” Applejack replied, silently thanking Celestia that his name was unchanged. “I was gonna go to Sweetie Belle’s and do some crusadin’!” the filly replied, showing off her cape. “Is it okay If I go, bro?” “O’ course it’s okay. Just don’t go gettin’ into trouble, ya hear?” “I promise! Thanks Applejack!” Apple Bloom trotted off down the dirt road, leaving her brother behind. “Rainbow was right, they do think we’re normal.” Applejack said to himself, watching his sister disappear at the outskirts of the farm. “What ain’t normal ‘bout ya?” a deep voice came. Applejack looked back to the house and saw Big Macintosh standing in the entrance. His signature sprig of wheat hung from his mouth. “Ah’m jus’ fine. It was nothin’,” Applejack said, nervously. “You sure?” the crimson stallion replied, his eyebrow rising slightly in question. “You were gone awfully long.” “Well, Mac, somethin’ came up with princess Celestia.” This piqued Big Mac’s interest. “Ya see, I have t’go to Cantelot an’ talk to her. Ah’m goin’ with Twilight.” “Twilight? Twilight who?” “Y’know, Twilight Sparkle. Does all that fancy magic an’ likes books?” Big Mac cocked his head to the side, clearly confused. “Ya mean Dusk Shine? He’s th’ only pony I know ‘round these parts like that.” Aw shoot, they all got new names? This’ll be tricky. Applejack was trying to think of an explanation for this. “Well uh, yes, ah’m goin’ with him too. Twilight is jus’ a new pony in town is all.” He faked a smile. “Eeyup. Makes sense.” His face was unreadable, so Applejack could only assume that Mac believed him. “If ya’ll need t’go, you best get your stuff packed.” “Yep, ah better,” Applejack said, entering the house. - - - For the animal friendly pegasus, things weren’t going quite as easily. On the outskirts of Ponyville, just past a short patch of woods, sat an earthly cottage. The roof was covered with grass, and if not for the windows and door it would’ve resembled a large boulder. Many birdhouse hung in the nearby trees, and burrows yawned in the ground. It was a natural paradise for wildlife. A small stone bridge allowed passage over the local stream, and this is where Fluttershy stood, quizzically observing a small signpost planted at the bridge. In light pink cursive text, it read 'Welcome to Butterscotch’s Cottage.' He didn’t know who Butterscotch was, but he knew this was where his home had to be. Walking past the sign and over the bridge, he called out to the animals. “Hello friends, I’m back.” Silence. Well that’s strange. Normally they all come out to greet me. Fluttershy pondered the absence of her companions as he approached the door of her cottage. He pushed the door and found that it wouldn’t budge. It appeared to be locked from the inside. Oh no, did I forget to leave the door open? Fluttershy pushed again, but to no avail. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the nearby window. Looking over, he spied Angel, his most trustful animal friend. The white rabbit had a stern expression, and shook his head as to say “No.” Fluttershy let out a gasp. “Oh, Angel Bunny, would you please open the door for me?” he asked. Angel declined. The rabbit left the window perch for a moment, and hastily returned with a picture frame. He pressed it to the window, revealing a photo of Fluttershy as a mare, surrounded by a group of animals, with Angel sitting on her head. Shock hit Fluttershy as she realized Angel didn’t recognize her. “Angel, it’s me, Fluttershy. Don’t you see?” Angel kept his stern expression. “Please, let me in. Don’t you remember me?” The rabbit’s attitude was nearly set in stone. Desperately needing a way in, Fluttershy began to recall events that she shared with the bunny. “Do you remember winter wrap up, when we helped the animals come out of hibernation? What about when I was helping Philomena, and Twilight came and tried to help too?” Angel’s expression lightened as the pony went through their recent history together. “Angel, do you remember when I found you? When you were hurt on the side of the road and I took care of you?” This had a deep effect on the snowy rabbit. Almost immediately after hearing this, he rushed over to the door and unlocked it. Fluttershy happily entered the house and pet Angel’s head. “I knew you would remember.” he said, gently. Angel then took the photo again and held it up, motioning at Fluttershy, then the picture, and finally shrugging as to say “What happened?” Fluttershy had a bit of explaining to do. As Fluttershy was telling the story, her animals slowly began to come out and recognize him. “...and that’s when I came here,” he finished, surrounded by all different types of creatures. “So Angel, when I’m gone, could you please take care of the house?” Angel nodded. “That’s a good bunny,” Fluttershy said with a smile. He stood up, and prepared to get ready for the impending journey. While gathering the few supplies he needed and heading to leave, he thought to himself Butterscotch... is a nice name. - - - Bubble Berry hopped down the street, humming to himself. He was on the way to Sugarcube Corner, to both get ready for the big upcoming adventure and to tell the Cakes that he would be gone for a few days. Bubble bounced to the sweet shop’s door and opened it, sending a bell chime throughout the store. Mrs. Cake peered from the kitchen door and spotted Bubble Berry. “Oh, hello dear!” she greeted. “Hiya Mrs. Cake!” Bubble Berry replied. “So, what did you have to do with Rainbow?” “We found out that we’re going on a super duper important but fun trip to Canterlot to talk to the princess!” he chimed. “Is it anything serious?” Mrs. Cake replied, a hint of worry on her face. “Oh no, we just need to talk about magic!” “Well, have fun, and be careful!” “I will! Now where’s Gummy...” Bubble said, going up the stairs. It was time for adventure! Ponyville’s clock tower chimed seven times as the six stallions entered the town’s library. Dusk Shine was eagerly awaiting them, his own saddlebags neatly packed and equipped. “Welcome back, everypony,” Dusk said. “We have a lot of ground to cover, so we’ll be leaving as soon as I map out our route.” His horn lit up and a map levitated from the bookshelf and neatly unfurled itself in front of him. He brought it to a desk and laid the map flat, inspecting Equestria’s geography. It was a fairly straight path, passing a lake, several large hills, and eventually ending off at the mountain range Canterlot was located in. Overall, they would be in Canterlot by noon the next day. “That ain’t too bad,” Applejack said, looking over the map. “The trip t’Manehatten was a lot longer than that, an’ I was jus’ a lil’ filly when ah took that journey.” “It’ll be over before we know it,” Dusk replied, tracing over the path in dark ink. He marked a rest area along the route, then rolled the map up and tucked it into his saddlebag. “Is everyone ready?” “Sure are,” Applejack said, tipping his hat. “As am I,” Elusive replied, lightly shaking his purple mane. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” Blitz said, flicking his tail. “Let’s go!” Bubble Berry excitedly said, Gummy clinging to his mane. “Eeep...” Butterscotch squeaked. “Alright then!” Dusk Shine picked up his bags and threw them on his back, then opened the door for his friends. As they filed out, he called to the top floor. “Spike! We’ll be back in a few days! Just watch the house, okay!” “...Okay,” a high pitched voice came from the balcony. Poor Spike... we’ll get you, and the rest of us, back to normal. Dusk Shine exited the library, and closing the door behind him, trotted off to catch up to his friends. - - - It wasn’t long before they had passed the ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ sign and were on the long road to Canterlot. The grand city of royals was visible on the distant mountain range, its expansive waterfalls cascading down the cliffs and into nothingness. It was a beautiful view, witnessed by mostly everyone in Equestria. The group watched the city in awe as they walked, making small conversation as they traveled. It was then that Elusive brought up their new bodies and names. They shared their stories of how they figured out their names, then discussed the bodies. “I’m beginning to grow quite fond of it, to be honest,” Elusive said, looking over himself. “I never dreamed that a stallion could be so fashionable.” “Well, I didn’t want to admit this in town, but I’m kind of liking the attention I’m getting,” Blitz stated, looking down in partial embarrassment. “I guess I’m just really awesome. Well, more awesome then usual.” He then extended his wings and gave them a flap. “But I still can’t do a Sonic Rainboom like this, so I’m going to need to go back to normal.” “Suit yourself,” Applejack responded. “I’m mighty strong as a stallion. Earlier I tried buckin’ and apple tree, and I jus’ about broke the poor things trunk.” “Oh you guys, I just like the way I sound!” Bubble Berry cheerily exclaimed. “I mean my mare voice was all high pitched and squeaky, but now I sound like this and it’s deeper you know?” He brought a hoof to his mane and bounced it up and down. “And my mane is just as poofy as ever, even though it’s shorter! It’s so fun.” “Yes, well, that’s nice for you guys... but, I think I’d like to go back to being a mare...” Butterscotch quietly said. “I mean, this is different and all, but none of my animal friends know who I am anymore, and I just can’t let them go without care...” “I agree,” Dusk said. Suddenly, his eyes widened as a realization kicked in. “Wait, did you say your animals didn’t recognize you?” “Um, yes. That’s right...” “But the sign in front of your cottage was changed?” “Yes, it was.” “Then that must mean... the spell only affected up to Butterscotch’s cottage. Wait, why am I calling you Butterscotch?” “Um... because that’s my stallion name... and we should call each other by the right names... if you want to.” Dusk rolled his eyes as he levitated the map out of his bag, along with a quill. “So, if the spell started here...” he placed a dot on the library. “And ended here...” another dot was jotted down right before the cottage. “Then this must be the range.” He drew all the way around, creating a circle that covered all of Ponyville and some of the outer boundaries as well. “Wow, that’s huge!” Blitz said, eyeing the circle. “Indeed, it is. I had no idea it would be this powerful...” Dusk’s tone was downcast. He was responsible for all of this, and he felt terribly guilty about it. “But it’s okay, this will all be fixed soon.” The sky began to turn dark as Celestia’s day came to an end. Looking toward the horizon, Dusk Shine suggested that they set up camp for the night. They had only been travelling for several hours, but it was dangerous at night and the group was growing weary. Five of the ponies began to unpack their sleeping bags and arrange them in a circle while Applejack gathered firewood from some nearby trees. Within a couple minutes, and some magical assistance, a cozy fire was crackling in the center of the six stallions. While attempting to sleep, Blitz raised a question that Dusk really didn’t want to think about. “Guys, what do we do if this... doesn’t go away?” “You mean ‘sides never lettin’ Dusk use magic on us again?” Applejack retorted. “Why are you calling me Dusk?” “Dunno. Jus’ seems natural. I’m kinda used to it already.” “Well that’s not my name, and these other names aren’t ours either!” Dusk was beginning to get bothered by the others acceptance of their ‘names.’ “But I’m liking Rainbow Blitz. It sounds even faster than Dash.” “And Elusive just sounds so classy. It fits me perfectly, if I do say so myself.” “Butterscotch sounds nice, and it fits my color.” “Me too!” Bubble said. “And it’s like my mood. I’m always so happy and bubbly, and I’m berry colored. Bubble Berry!” “Yes, those things all may be true, but we’re still us, aren’t we?” Dusk asked. “Dusk- I mean, Twi, have you looked at us recently? We ain’t the same.” “Maybe not on the outside, but on the inside we are.” “I don’t know Dusk, it just seems so natural to me,” Blitz said, looking into the night sky. “For some reason it feels weird to call you Twilight.” Hearing this, a thought began to brew in Dusk’s mind. Surely the spell couldn’t have done THAT, right? He pondered, slowly starting to think that this was much more serious than he had originally thought. It can’t be... it’s not changing... OUR thoughts, is it? Dusk could feel his heart rate speeding up as he thought more and more. Just calm down, Dusk. No! Twilight! I am Twilight Sparkle. Not... Dusk Shine. “Look, everypony, I know we’ve changed, but we’re going to be back to normal. If anypony in Equestria knows what to do, it’s the Princess. As soon as we get to Canterlot, we’ll have our answers. I promise. For now, get some rest. We need to start moving early tomorrow.” His friends muttered to themselves as they curled in their sleeping bags. With a bit of magic, Dusk extinguished the fire, and was left with nothing but darkness and his frantic thoughts to aid his slumber.

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-17T02:17:38+00:00

2013-04-30T18:35:58+00:00

Chapter 3: Thank You For The Gift, Princess Dusk Shine was backed into a corner, surrounded by five ponies who used to be his friends. Their faces were contorted in anger as they shouted at him. “I’ll never forgive you for this!” One yelled, nearly striking Dusk with his hoof. He tried to apologize, but they just wouldn’t listen! They were closing in on him now, preparing to wreak vengeance on the frightened unicorn. Before they struck, the pink one spoke. “Dusk! Breakfast is ready!” Dusk Shine awoke with a jolt. He opened his eyes, wincing as they adjusted to the sunlight, and let out a breath of relief - only a nightmare. “I’ll get it in a moment...” he groggily said, standing up. Dusk shook his mane out and walked to where Bubble Berry was serving breakfast. He had prepared a decent spread of berries, hay, and oats for the group to enjoy, and was happily handing it out to them. “Thanks a bunch, sugarcube,” Applejack said, grabbing a bowl full of food. “Don’t mention it!” Bubble replied. “What made you want to make breakfast?” Dusk asked, also grabbing a bowl. “Well, since I was up already, I said to myself ‘Hey! Everypony will be hungry when they get up!’, and since I make food all the time, it just made sense to make food for you guys too. Now, we won’t all be starvy warvy when we get to Canterlot.” Dusk chuckled at the pink ponies explanation. “Thank you, Bubble.” It didn’t cross Dusk’s mind that Bubble’s real name was Pinkie. After they all had finished their breakfast, the group packed up and left. All that was left behind was some charred ashes where their fire had once been. Coming ever closer to them was the grand mountain that Canterlot perched on, and it loomed over the small group as they approached the path that led to the regal city. Even though it was just a walkway, it was still inviting and elegant. Flattened light grey dirt led the way; a nice contrast to the jutting and rocky mountain. Not taking a moment to wait, the group began to climb. Within the hour, the group was standing in front of the drawbridge into the city. As usual, it was opening and inviting, and two guards stood at either side of it. Their golden armor shone in the sunlight, and they stood still like statues, not wavering in the slightest. It was almost surreal. “Welp, ain’t no sense standin’ here lookin’ at it.” The orange stallion proceeded to walk over the drawbridge, the rest of the ponies following him. The city was bustling with aristocrats, upper class, and merchants alike. Hundreds of conversations went on at once, whether they be about taxes, who bought what recently, or whether the monarchy had made an acceptable choice. The scents of various high end perfumes and colognes wafted through the air, accented by the ornate and luxurious suits and dresses that their owners proudly displayed. All of the occupants strode with a deliberate and florid gait, as if they would be judged and criticized for not walking correctly. It was not what Dusk Shine was used to. After a short while of walking, the group was at Canterlot castle. It was much larger up close, and it’s large towers seemed to reach the heavens. The echos of higher gusts twirling through the tall peaks reverberated and reached the gate. In front of them was a large, ornate door, with another set of guards in front of it. As the six approached them, the guards spoke up. “Are you Twilight Sparkle?” the dark one asked. “Twilight... yes, I’m Twilight Sparkle,” Dusk replied. “The princess will see you and your companions immediately.” He stomped his hoof on the ground, and with a deep creaking, the door began to open. Dusk and the rest filed through into the entry hall. The ceiling was high and vaulted, with decorative chandeliers lighting the way. A crimson, lavish carpet was spread throughout. Even though they had been here for the Grand Galloping Gala, it remained an astonishing sight, but not to Dusk Shine. He was used to travelling these hallways frequently, and practically knew how to get to the royal chamber by heart. He led the way, passing the occasional guard, all of which stood silently. Soon, they had reached the entrance to the royal chamber. Large tapestries hung from the walls, with one side depicting symbols of the moon while the other showed the sun. Old sets of display armor stood valiantly at either end of the door, armed with decorative spears. On the large door was a picture of a sun, but half of it was a blue moon. The symbol was common, and everyone knew it represented the two royal sisters. The guards positioned at the door nodded, then pushed the doors open for the group. Inside, Celestia waited on her throne. Excitedly, Dusk quickly entered the room. He walked towards the princess, who quizzically looked at him and his friends. “My, what a change!” she said, her face turning to a smile. She light nuzzled Dusk as he approached her. “It’s nice to see you, Twilight, although I wish the circumstances had been better.” “Me too, Princess,” Dusk replied. Without another word, he pulled the spell book out of his bag. “I’ve brought the book, like you asked.” “Thank you. Now, let’s see what you’ve gotten yourself into.” The princess levitated the book in front of her and turned through the pages, quickly finding the right spell. Her eyes narrowed as she began to read. “My, this is a very ancient book. In fact, the spell you attempted wasn’t even complete.” Dusk’s heart sank. “What do you mean?” “Well, it happens to be an experimental magic, that many powerful unicorns had been constructing together. Unfortunately, it proved to be too difficult to successfully cast, and so it was lost in time. Until, that is, you discovered it under your library!” The princess closed the book and stood up. “I’m afraid we’ll need something a bit more than just a reversal spell to undo your problem. Please, follow me.” “Where are we going, princess?” Dusk asked, standing at Celestia’s side. “I’m going to show you something most ponies don’t know about. Something that I’ve kept to myself, Luna, and a hoofful of select scholars. You’ll see in a moment.” Celestia led them through a nearby door and down a long spiral staircase. The air began to grow cold and damp as they descended, despite the many torches leading down. Eventually, they reached a single bookcase at the bottom. “We walked all that way for this?” Blitz blurted. Applejack quickly smacked him in the back of the head, causing Blitz to groan in pain and rub where he was struck. Celestia simply smiled as her horn lit up. “Is this what we came here... for...” Dusk began, but trailed off as the books were levitated out and rearranged in such a way that the spines created a large ‘L’. Shortly after, the bookcase shifted to the left, revealing a door in the wall. The word ‘Library’ was engraved on it, in simple writing. “So that’s what the ‘L’ stands for! I’m so good at guessing games,” Bubble said, beaming. “Precisely. As of late, however, it could stand for ‘Luna.’” The princess gave a short sigh. “She spends all of her time cooped up in here reading. In fact, she reminds me of you, Twilight.” Dusk blushed with embarrassment for a moment, before following the princess into the library. The room was very vast, with tall bookcases reaching to the ceiling. They were arranged like the spokes on a wagon wheel, meeting at the middle and expanding outwards. On the ceiling was a very expansive mural, depicting the creation of Equestria, the raising and lowering of the sun and moon, and Luna’s banishment. It was extremely intricate and detailed, and Dusk couldn’t help but admire it. They walked to the center of the room, where Dusk noticed several tables and chairs were positioned. He also saw a large stack of books on one of the tables, and could hear a pony busily flipping through pages. Straining his ears, he heard the clacking of... something together. It sounded like wood against wood. Celestia cleared her throat. “Ahem. Luna?” She asked. The clacking and flipping of pages stopped, and a cobalt pony poked her snout over a stack of books. Dusk had a nervous twitch at the sight of the princess and immediately turned his head and mouthed to his friends ‘Don’t act up.’ “Yes, Celestia?” the moon princess asked. Then she noticed the others. “Oh! Ah... who came with you?” “You might not recognize them, but these are the Elements of Harmony.” Luna cringed slightly at the words. Celestia continued. “They’re here because of an unfortunate incident involving a spell. You’ll notice that they’re stallions now.” Luna narrowed her eyes and confirmed the fact. “Oh my. That looks serious.” “Indeed it is. I’ve come here to find a particularly ancient spell. Would you care to help?” The moon princess stepped out from behind her stack of books, revealing her full wings and jeweled necklace. “I... suppose I could help. What are you looking for?” “Well...” Celestia started, circling around the center area. “Something along the lines of gender reversal.” Luna closed her eyes for a moment, in deep concentration. She tried to recall any book that might have a spell that strong. She opened her eyes as one came to mind. “You could try the... Forbidden Scroll.” Dusk became uneasy at the word ‘forbidden.’ He looked from princess to princess, waiting for Celestia’s response. The room was terribly silent for an agonizing amount of time. Finally, Celestia spoke up. “We could attempt to. However, it is called forbidden for a reason, sister.” “Yes, I know, I read all about it. It started as a collection of the most powerful spells created, but through corruption and dark intentions it became full of sinister and dangerous magic, which caused it to be seized and forbidden to be recreated by our glorious and benevolent ruler, Princess Celestia.” Upon finishing, a smile crept upon Luna’s face. Celestia seemed pleased at her sister’s knowledge, and returned the kind look. “That’s exactly correct. However, not all of the spells within the scroll were dangerous. We shall take a look at it.” “Thank you, Princess,” Dusk said, looking up to her. “Yes, thank you very much,” Butterscotch added. The rest of them took turns thanking the princess, who rolled her eyes. “Please, there’s no need to be so formal with me. Now, let’s find that scroll. Luna, if you will.” She nodded to Luna, who was leaning over to read a book. She perked up at the mention of her name. “Oh, yes, of course,” she said, turning. “I believe that scroll is this way...” She led Celestia and the six ponies down one of the many hallways. They continued until they had reached the very end of the room, where an old, dusty display case stood. It had an old wooden frame, and the foggy glass was just translucent enough to reveal an aged scroll, lightly hovering on a small pedestal. Celestia’s horn lit up as she began to mouth several words. The case was surrounded in blue light for a moment, which then seemed to shatter and dissipate. “Ah, even after all these years, I still remember that anti-shield spell,” Celestia said, in a whimsical tone. She levitated the scroll in front of herself and unfurled it. Dusk looked at the spell as Celestia did, and noticed it was in a language he didn’t recognize, even after all of his research. He also noticed that the text had a faint glow to it. Clearly, this was some powerful magic. For the next few moments, Celestia pored over the scroll, scrutinizing it’s every detail. The rest sat in silence, waiting for her to announce what to do. After many minutes, and with a look of concern on her face, the Princess of the Sun finally spoke. “This spell is indeed very old. So old, in fact, that it was made during the times when physical objects were still used for incantations.” Being versed in magic, Dusk spoke up. “What do you mean, princess? Do we need to include artifacts of some sort?” “Precisely, Twilight. They appear to be very rare ingredients, however. I can only hope they still exist.” “Well, what do we need?” Blitz asked anxiously. “Patience, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia replied, looking over the scroll once more. “The answer is written in a riddle.” “Ooh! Riddles! I love riddles!” Bubble Berry suddenly chimed. He had been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. “What is it, what is it?” Celestia couldn’t help but grin at the young stallion’s enthusiasm. “You’re quite eager! Let us begin.” She began to read from the text: Up in the heavens The master contains the key Down is the answer Bubble sat down and rubbed his chin with a hoof. “Boy oh boy, this is a real stumper! What could be in the heavens?” “Perhaps it doesn’t literally mean the heavens?” Elusive said, looking at Bubble and giving a shrug. “It must mean something in the sky then,” Dusk announced. Suddenly, Blitz spoke. “Cloudsdale! It’s up in the sky, and somepony probably thought it was like a heaven.” “Very good reasoning, Rainbow Dash.” Celestia spoke. Dusk recalled the second line. “So, the master is in Cloudsdale, and it has the key. But... Cloudsdale doesn’t have a master, does it?” “Well, it used to.” Rainbow Blitz said, turning his head to Dusk. “It’s taught in all Pegasus schools. Long ago, there was a Pegasus king, who sorta ruled Cloudsdale like Celestia did. Eventually he got old, and after he was gone, they wanted to honor him by making him the last King of the Pegasi.” “Ah yes, I remember him quite fondly,” The sun princess spoke. “He went by ‘King Archimedes Darkbillow III’, and was a very prestigious leader. He cared much for the Pegasus race, and his passing was mourned by many. Even today, I miss the stories he used to tell when we met. However, what’s past is past. I can’t be reminiscing when my dear pupil is in need, can I?” She looked down to Dusk and smiled. “Ah don’t get tha’ last line. ‘Down is tha answer’? Tha last two lines said it was in Cloudsdale!” Applejack said, starting to pace around. “What other kinda ‘down’ is there, anyhoo?” “One could feel ‘down’, as in sad,” Elusive said. “You can be down for the count!” Blitz excitedly added. “Um, it could be a feather...” Butterscotch quietly said. “What was that?” Dusk asked, approaching Butterscotch. “Well, when I take care of birds, sometimes they leave feathers. It’s really called feather down... oh, but that’s silly...” “No, no, no, it makes sense, Butter... Fluttershy!” Dusk looked towards the princess. “I think I know what the first ingredient is.” “And that would be?” Celestia asked, waiting for her disciples answer. “It’s a feather from the Pegasus king!” the purple stallion triumphantly said. “Very good, all of you.” Celestia said, with satisfaction. “Even I wasn’t entirely sure what the answer was. Now, for the next ingredient.” “There’s another?” Blitz dejectedly said. “This spell requires three material ingredients in total. One representing time, one representing memory, and one representing gender. Due to to it’s owner and age, the feather would appear to be time.” The princess looked over the scroll and read the second riddle: Golden and sacred The binds of the two beings It hides in the throne Upon hearing this, Luna spoke for the first time in a while. “I... I think I know the answer to this one, sister.” “As do I. What were you thinking?” Celestia asked. “Well, the ‘throne’ mentioned in the riddle refers to our old throne, when we still inhabited the temple in the Everfree Forest. ‘Golden and sacred’ is an artifact that was placed there long ago - a gift from the Gryphon kingdom. Finally, the ‘two beings’ represent...” “...us.” Celestia finished. “Or, in this particular case, two opposing forces - sun and moon.” “Exactly.” Luna said, confidently. Blitz looked between Celestia and Luna quizzically. “Wait, what does that have to do with this spell?” “Think of it as a parallel, Rainbow Dash.” Luna answered, looking to the pegasus. “It is not obvious at first, but consider your problem. You are attempting to go from male to female, correct? Opposites. Sun and moon? Also opposites.” “Oh. I guess that kinda makes sense when you put it like that...” “Then we have to tread into that dreadful forest, don’t we?” Elusive said, with visible disgust on his face. “Yes, it seems we’ll be taking another trip to the castle of the solar sisters,” Dusk announced, looking towards his friends. They all nervously shifted at this, knowing full well the dangers that lurked in that forest. “Excellent work, young ponies.” Celestia pleasingly said. “You’ve now figured out what two of the items are. It is now time to figure out the final piece of the puzzle.” The princess cleared her throat and announced the final riddle: Darkness and despair All that remain in this place Hide the mystic flow The ponies pondered this riddle again and again in their heads, but couldn’t seem to find an answer. “Only place ah can think of fer ‘darkness an’ despair’ is th’ Everfree Fores’. One a’ the parts is already in there, though.” Applejack didn’t have any idea where it could be, let alone what the ‘mystic flow’ could be. “Applejack is right,” Dusk said. “Princess, do you know what this could mean?” Celestia thought for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Bubble Berry. “Ooh! I think I know the answer to this one! Maybe the dark and spooky place is Old Canterlot! Am I right? Am I, am I?” Hearing the words ‘Old Canterlot’ caused Celestia’s eyes to widen. “How do you know of that place, Pinkie Pie?” “Well, I used to hear stories from Grandpa Pie, who’s great, great, great, great, great, great grandpa was in the royal guard. He told me all about Canterlot, but not our Canterlot! This Canterlot was inside the mountain back when it was dangerous and scary outside. Eventually they built New Canterlot on the side of a mountain, then they sealed up Old Canterlot so people wouldn’t get confused! So our Canterlot is Canterlot, but Old Canterlot was their Canterlot, and it’s old to us because we’re here now when New Canterlot is Canterlot. See?” Bubble Berry grinned after his long winded explanation, leaving the other five terribly confused. Celestia and Luna, however, exchanged concerned looks. “It’s quite a benefit to your group then, if you know of Old Canterlot. It may indeed have the final ingredient,” Luna spoke. “What exactly is the last ingredient then?” Dusk asked. “What could ‘mystic flow’ refer to?” “I believe the answer you’re looking for is liquid magic.” “Liquid... magic?” A quizzical expression crossed Dusk’s face. “Precisely. Before magic was properly harnessed by Unicorns, it was kept in a liquid state for ingestion and simple use.” The influx of new information about the past was beginning to overwhelm Dusk Shine. He attempted to stay focused on the issue at hand, rather than the mysteries of the past. “So, the last part of the spell is liquid magic?” “That is what it appears to be,” Celestia confirmed. “So, you’ll need to travel to Old Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and the Everfree Forest to gather the reagents for this spell.” “I have but one question about all of this,” Elusive gathered the attention of the group. “Just where might we find all of these ingredients? Surely, Old Canterlot, Cloudsdale, and the old castle are rather large places. We can’t hope to spend all of our time searching.” Luna answered one of the questions. “If I remember correctly, the throne room in the old castle will be past the third tower, in the middle of a large complex of buildings.” At this point, Dusk had taken out a pencil and piece of paper and began writing down information. “The room is large and circular, with two thrones in the center. The artifact will be in the center of the thrones, and there should be a method of retrieving it.” “Thank you, your majesty,” Elusive bowed while speaking, but quickly stood back up. “This still leaves the other two pieces.” “I kinda know where king’s grave site is,” Rainbow Blitz said, looking to Elusive. “That’s where they put the king’s stuff when he kicked the bucket.” “Simply wonderful. This is proving to be much easier than we thought, is it not?” “We still don’ know jus’ where this magic water is s’posed to be,” Applejack said, slightly darkening the mood. “I can assist you with that problem.” The sun princess closed the scroll and placed it back into the display case. The glass door shut, and a blue light encased the container, but it’s glow disappeared as quickly as it was formed. A light hum filled the air, then trailed off. “If there is any liquid magic left in Old Canterlot, you will find it in the Enchantment Wing of the old royal library. There was a small pool for research purposes left there, which may still exist today.” “I can’t thank you enough for all of your help, princess,” Dusk Shine said, approaching her. “It is my pleasure, Twilight. I pray that this information is correct, and helps to reverse the spell.” Celestia leaned down and nuzzled Dusk’s neck. He quickly returned the gesture and they parted. Dusk then looked towards Luna, who was standing a bit behind her sister. “I must thank you as well, Princess Luna.” “Oh. Well, you are very welcome,” Luna replied, sheepishly. “One day, we should meet for a better reason.” “Yes. I agree.” The moon princess cracked a smile before looking back down to the floor. One day... she thought. The remaining six thanked the princesses, and the group, save for Luna, traveled back to the throne room of Canterlot. Celestia personally escorted them to the entrance of the castle, and before they left, spoke to Dusk. “Twilight, I want you to take this.” The princess produced a small, transparent orb which had a faint yellow glow to it. “If you touch it with your horn, you’ll be able to speak with me no matter where you are. Should you need help, simply ask, and I will do what I can.” Dusk Shine humbly knelt down. “Thank you for the gift, princess. I will be sure to use it wisely.” The princess smiled before telling Dusk to catch up with his friends, who were over the drawbridge already. Dusk gave one last goodbye before turning his back on the castle and meeting with his friends. “My, it’s getting rather late, don’t you think?” Elusive said, looking at the sky. Time had passed by very quickly in the castle, and they didn’t realize just how long they had been there until now. “Perhaps we should find a place to stay? We don’t want to go out at night.” “I’m gonna hafta agree with Elusive here,” Applejack said. “It’s mighty dark out, and there ain’t gonna be anythin’ done at night.” “If you insist, we’ll find an inn,” Dusk said, leading the group. Being a large city, Canterlot had several places to stay, and the group decided to stay in the first one they saw. It happened to be a tavern by the name of ‘The Prime Pegasus.” Inside, there were few patrons. Several sat at tables, and nopony was sitting at the bar. The bartender looked up as they entered, and gave them a warm welcome. “Greetings, lads. Are ya here ta’ stay the night?” “Yes, sir,” Dusk answered. “Always good ta see new faces. It’ll be fifty bits per night, but that includes dinner and breakfast! Hows ‘at sound?” “That there’s a deal if I ever did see one.” Applejack said, taking a seat. The bartender gave a hearty laugh. “I’m likin’ you fellas already! It’ll be three hundred bits total, and I’ll put yer names down.” The six stallions each brought out their money and passed it to the bartender, who quickly scribbled their names in the large registry. When he was done, he looked back to the group. “Now, what’ll it be fer dinner? Menu’s right behind me, so take yer time.” He walked to the side of the bar and started to clean a collection of mugs. “So, how long do you think this’ll take?” Blitz asked Dusk. “Well, several days at the very minimum. We have a lot of travelling to do, and Everfree Forest will take the longest.” Blitz frowned slightly. “Do you really think this will work?” “I trust the princess completely, Dash.” “Blitz.” “Wait, your name is Dash.” “Yeah, I know that, but Blitz sounds cooler. You know how cool I need to be, Dusk.” “Fine, I’ll play along and call you ‘Blitz’, but you have to call me Twilight.” “Deal,” Blitz replied, with a grin. “I certainly hope I’ve packed warm enough.” Elusive said, looking over his bags. “A place like Old Canterlot seems terribly cold and damp. “Oh no, I hope it’s not too dark,” Butterscotch added, his face changing to worry. “It’ll be fine, Butterscotch,” Dusk said. “Elusive and I can use magic to light the way.” “I suppose that’s okay...” “Alls ah’m worried ‘bout is gettin’ back on the farm,” Applejack gruffly said. “Applejack, do you worry about anything other than your apple trees?” Elusive asked, looking over to Applejack. “O’ course. There’s mah family, and mah finances, and mah friends.” “Oh good, we’re on that list,” Elusive flatly replied. “Hey, don’t start anything funny,” Blitz said, looking between the two. “That’s my job, remember?” “Fair enough,” Applejack said, still looking at Elusive. Just then, the bartender came back and asked about their orders. They ordered something filling off the menu, and continued to lightly chat about their upcoming journey. As they ate, a light grey mare with a pink treble clef cutie mark entered the tavern. She had dark hair, amethyst eyes, and had a large instrument case with her. The pony practically dragged it to the bar, and sat down next to Blitz, looking a bit downcast. “Bartender,” she said, half-heartedly lifting a hoof. “Get me the usual.” “In here again, Octavia?” The bartender asked, preparing a drink for her. “Same stuff, different night,” She dully replied. “We get a performance, no one appreciates the music, and we end up leaving with empty hooves.” “I’m sorry ta hear that.” He pushed the drink to her, which she immediately started to drink. Blitz was listening to the conversation and looked over to her, then at the large case at bottom of the bar stool. He didn’t realize how long he was observing her, as she put her drink down and looked over to him. “Can I help you?” she asked, clearly irritated. “Oh, uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to stare.” “Then don’t.” “I just uh... overheard you.” “Great.” She took another sip of her drink. “What do you play?” “Double bass. Why?” “I was just curious.” Blitz wasn’t sure where to take the conversation. Octavia looked at him from head to toe, then finished the rest of her beverage. “Is anyone else in your ba-” “Are you trying to hit on me?” she interrupted. “What? No,” Blitz said, starting to get red in the face. “Are you sure about that?” Octavia pressed the issue, her face inching closer in his direction. “I’m, uh, positive.” She gave him another once over. At this point, the conversation between the other five had ceased, and they were listening in on Blitz, eagerly waiting to see what would happen between him and this aggravated musician. “That’s good. Most stallions don’t care about what I do. They just care about what I might do. You seem a bit more honest, though.” She looked at Blitz, and her expression lightened up. The bartender delivered another drink, which she took some of. “I might want to get to know you more.” Rainbow Blitz wasn’t sure what to say, but he could feel his cheeks burning up. Was this going to happen everywhere he went? From behind him, he could hear his friends suppressing their giggling. “That sounds... great. Yeah, I’d like that.” Blitz replied, trying to keep his cool. Octavia turned away and looked straight ahead of her. “How long are you going to be here?” she asked. “Just for tonight, then I have to leave... for a long time.” “That’s a shame.” “Yeah, I wish I could stay longer, y’know?” Octavia finished the remainder of her second drink, then looked back to Blitz. “I might think about paying you a visit tonight. We can talk more then.” “Sure, sure.” He gulped. “That sounds cool.” Octavia went back to her third drink, and Blitz turned back to his friends, all of which were quietly giggling to themselves. “Very funny, guys...” Blitz said, sarcastically. “You bet it is,” Applejack said, a huge grin on his face. “It is always amusing to see you like this, darling,” Elusive added. With the occasional chuckle, the group finished their dinner and headed to their rooms upstairs. They all said their ‘good nights’, and the humorous ‘good luck!’ to Blitz, and retired for the night.

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-09T03:10:44+00:00

2013-04-30T18:38:58+00:00

Chapter 4: Oh Heavens, Did You Say Dirt? Groomed and all packed up, Dusk Shine made his way down to the bar just as the clock behind it struck eight. Looking around, he noticed he was the first to awaken out of the group. The barkeeper flashed Dusk a smile as he sat down at the bar. “Mornin’, son. Sleep well?” “As well as I usually do.” “Good ta’ hear!” he cheerily replied, while pushing a menu in front of Dusk. The violet stallion opened his mouth to speak, but the barkeeper interrupted. “If you’ll recall, ya got yerself a free breakfast here. So, lad, what’s it gonna be?” A free breakfast! Dusk had forgotten about that detail in his slumber, and he had been prepared to leave without a meal. The rumbling in his stomach declared just how dreadful of an idea that would have been. With little hesitation, he scanned over the menu, looking for something light. Oatmeal, hay pancakes, fruit salad and... apple jacks? “Yep! Somethin’ new from one o’ the Apple families. Some sorta cereal and little bits a’ apple.” Dusk hadn’t realized he said the last part out loud. The food’s uncanny resemblance to his farmer friend had caught him off guard, especially this early in the morning. After looking at the choices one more time, he decided to order the cereal. The bartender grabbed a jar of what appeared to be apple and hay, opened it, and dumped a bit of the mixture into a bowl. He then poured milk over it, and set the dish in front of Dusk. “Enjoy!” he said, turning to take another patrons order. Dusk looked into the pool of milk, hay and apples sitting in front of him, pondering for a moment if it was the right way to use his free breakfast. Levitating a spoon, he brought part of the mixture to his mouth, and with a nervous gulp, ingested it. Not bad. Applejack made his way down the stairs, shortly after Dusk had finished breakfast. After greeting the bartender, he took a seat next to Dusk. “Mornin’, partner.” “Good morning, Applejack. Did you know one of your family members has a line of cereal?” “Shoot, do they? What’s it called?” A friendly smile crept across Dusk’s face as he said “Apple Jacks.” The orange earth pony’s brows furrowed into a look of concern. “...any good?” “Oh, absolutely. You should try some!” Applejack’s expression quickly turned from concern to pleasure with the news. It wasn’t long at all before he had a bowl for himself, and was digging in. While he was focused on his food, he didn’t notice Butterscotch take a seat next to him. “Good morning, everypony.” The unexpected voice next to him caused Applejack to jump and drop and his spoon on the counter. After recovering from the slight shock, he looked over to Butterscotch, who was huddled over in his seat, looking a bit fearful. “I-I’m... I’m sorry, was I too l-loud?” Applejack sighed, looking over the yellow pegasus. “Nah, you weren’t. You jus’ startled me is all. It’s alright.” “Sorry about that...” Butterscotch replied, beginning to sit up. By nine o’clock, Bubble Berry and Elusive had come downstairs and gotten their meals. Elusive explained that he had come down so late because he’d ‘simply needed to style his mane just so’, and Bubble had been very busy testing the bounciness of his bed. The group had a chuckle at the pink ponies silly explanation before returning to their meals and having idle chit chat. Finally, Rainbow Blitz walked down the stairs. He knew exactly what was coming, and braced himself for the surge of questions about his late night ‘guest’. The mare in question followed him down the stairs, and more than one high pitched whistle was heard as they entered the room. Ignoring the jeers, he and Octavia sat down next to the rest of Blitz’s friends. “Well, good mornin’ there, loverboy!” Applejack hollered over, a grin on his face. “Have a good rest?” Blitz could almost feel the implications in his words, and he knew that a good explanation would be required. “Yeah, I did have a good night,” Blitz replied. “And how was it for yer friend?” “He was very charming.” Octavia’s smooth voice came, looking past Blitz and over to Applejack. “My, is that how they put it these days?” Elusive retorted, lightheartedly. Everypony but Blitz and Octavia gave a light chuckle. “Well, actually...” Blitz started, but was cut off by Octavia. “For your information, gentlecolts, we didn’t do anything... vulgar. We simply talked.” Dusk leaned over and looked to Blitz. Out of all of his friends, he assumed Blitz to be the first pony to leap at an opportunity like this one. Dusk needed to hear that again, because Octavia couldn’t possibly have said what he thought she said. “I’m sorry, but... you two... talked?” Blitz was the one to speak this time. “Well, yeah. She was practically crying when she came to my door. I decided to do the cool thing and listen to her.” “So, lemme get this straight, sugarcube. A pretty mare like her comes to your bedroom, cryin’ her eyes out, drunk outta’ her mind and lookin’ fer attention... and ya talk to her?” The cyan pegasus nodded. “Yep. Pretty much.” “I’m surprised, Rainbow,” Elusive spoke, continuing in a dramatic tone. “That was a very sweet thing for you to do! Taking to a distressed mare like her and calming her in a time of need! Oh, such a romantic gesture.” Blitz’s cheeks began to brighten at the words. Elusive was right, it was a pretty sweet thing for him to do. “See? All Blitzy had to do was be nice!” Bubble chimed in. “And nice he was,” Octavia said, getting up from the bar stool. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an ensemble to meet. Oh, and Blitz... thanks again.” She turned to the blue stallion and unexpectedly gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, before turning and leaving the tavern. Dusk and the others watched her leave before looking to Blitz, who was blushing a bright crimson. “Hoo boy, she sure had a thing for you!” Applejack said, relishing every moment of Rainbow’s embarrassment. He was never going to let the pegasus live this one down. After a brief chuckle from everypony, Dusk spoke up. “Now that we’ve had our breakfast, and some laughs,” he looked at Blitz with a grin. “We should be heading out to the castle now. The princess will be waiting for us.” The group moved out of their seats and double checked their belongings. The barkeeper gave them a smile as they began to leave. “Thanks fer stayin’, and ‘ave a good day!” With that, he watched the six colorful stallions leave, and went to clean a collection of mugs. It wasn’t every day that such a peculiar group walked out of the bar. - - - The morning sun hung brightly in the eastern sky as the group approached Canterlot Castle. As they reached the drawbridge, Dusk stopped for a moment and levitated the mystic orb out of his saddlebags. Recalling it’s instructions, he moved it to the tip of his horn and lightly tapped it, causing a magic spark to jump between the two. The orb took on a life of it’s own as it hummed and floated a few feet in front of Dusk. It then appeared to shatter, but upon further inspection had divided into numerous smaller orbs, which now floated about in a spherical shape, just big enough to encompass an alicorn. Seconds later, the faded shape of Celestia appeared in the middle, smiling and looking to Dusk. The holographic magic brought several ‘ooh’s and ‘aah’s from everypony, who quickly silenced as the sun princess spoke. “Ah, it’s good to see you, Twilight. It looks as though you’ve activated the mystic orb with little trouble.” “Yes, Princess, and it’s very helpful. This magic is quite advanced!” Celestia gave a brief chuckle before continuing. “I’ll be sure to teach you about it when you’re done with your quest. So tell me, what is it you would like?” “Well, we needed instructions on how to enter Old Canterlot.” “Of course, of course. Twilight, I trust you know the layout of most of the castle, correct?” “I studied the floor plans quite a bit, so yes.” “Excellent. Then, if you go to the lower levels of the castle, from the basement, you’ll find a large, sealed door at the end. This is the original entrance to Canterlot. I will send Princess Luna to assist you in opening it.” From elsewhere in Celestia’s area, Luna’s voice rang out. “Celly, I’m busy studying!” “She’ll be there, don’t worry,” Celestia added, with a wink and smile. “Thank you so much, princess. We’ll be sure to go there as fast as possible.” “Good luck with your search!” After this, the image of Celestia disappeared, and the orb returned to it’s small, glass-like state. Dusk returned it to his bag and marched forward, leading the way. “Dusk, do you think we’ll be okay?” Butterscotch asked, saying the first words in a long while. “We’ll be fine!” Blitz barged in, interrupting whatever Dusk was about to say. “Old Canterlot is just going to be filled with old books and dirt, anyway.” “Oh heavens, did you say dirt?” Elusive nearly stopped in his tracks at the mention of that icky, grimy, filthy substance that was so bothersome to fully wash out of a coat! “It’ll be fine, ya’ll. Ain’t nothin’ we have to do but go in, get some fancy, magicky water and leave. Easy as bakin’ an apple pie.” “I could really go for some pie!” Bubble Berry excitedly said, hopping around the group. “Tell ya what, if we can fix this spell and get ta’ how we used ta’ be, Ah’ll make pie for all o’ ya!” Applejack brightfully announced. Bubble and the others gave a light cheer and laugh as they entered the doors of the castle, looking forward to finishing their journey. - - - Princess Luna paced back and forth in front of the large stone door to Old Canterlot. It had been over a millennium ago that she had last been to this entryway, and memories of much less peaceful days resurfaced. Fortunately, her pained reminiscence was halted by the soft clopping of hooves in the distance. The alicorn looked at the far end of the room to see Dusk Shine and the rest of his friends entering. “Greetings, Princess,” Dusk said, bowing when he approached her. The others followed his respectful lead. “Hello, Twilight, and friends. I trust you are all prepared?” “Absolutely.” “Good. I’ll open the door for you six, but be cautious to tell either myself or Celestia when you return, so it may be closed again. “Of course, your majesty, and thank you.” Luna’s horn began to glow a bright white, and rumbling could be felt throughout the room. With the loud grinding of stone, the large door moved sideways, revealing a foreboding passageway that descended into darkness. Bits of dust and loose stone fell to the ground as the door stopped and Luna’s horn lost it’s magic glow. With an affirmative nod, the princess teleported out the room, leaving the group to themselves. The passage leading deeper into the mountain was little taller than an alicorn, which left Dusk and his friends feeling a bit claustrophobic as they descended into the darkness. Not only was it small, but the blackness was so suffocating that the light from Dusk’s horn could barely penetrate it. Had it not been for the dropping temperature, they wouldn’t have known how close they were. The first clue that they had arrived, other than the cold, was that Dusk noticed the light wasn’t reflecting off the walls anymore, and that the tunnel had actually opened into a large cavern. “Guys... I think we might have made it,” Dusk said. His horn flashed brighter, and a large flare shot out and arced in front of them. Six jaws collectively dropped at what they saw in the new found light. The cavern they were in was gargantuan in scale, and far ahead in front of them, an old stone castle lay, surrounded by small residential buildings. It was nearly as big as present day Canterlot, but tucked away in this mountain. Massive columns stretched between the floor and ceiling, some so wide that if Dusk and the others were to stand around it, they wouldn’t be within a hoof’s length of one another. The simple reality of what was lying in the mountain caused Dusk to lose all train of thought for a moment. “It’s... it’s real big,” Applejack said, eyes darting from one thing to another. Even Bubble Berry was at a loss of words, but not for long. “Grandpa never told me how BIG this place was!” “Yes... it is quite extravagant, isn’t it...?” was all Elusive could say. Rainbow Blitz was knocked out of his amazement a bit quicker, thinking of all the flying he could do. He spread his wings and took off, cheering. “Blitz! Get back here!’ Dusk called, starting to run after him. This was everypony else’s cue to start moving, and they trailed shortly behind the purple unicorn. “Just look at all this room!” Blitz shouted, circling one of the large columns and diving down into a spin. “I never thought I’d be able to say I flew in a mountain!” He did several corkscrews and flips midair, but failed to notice his proximity to the column. “Oh, shoot,” He managed to say, before colliding with the stone. Moments after hitting it, he slid down to the bottom and groaned, rubbing his head. Standing up, he shook himself off and waited for the others to catch up, all while being thankful none of them had witnessed his blunder. Crack. “Finally!” Dusk said between breaths, catching up to where Blitz was. “You should really warn us before you do that.” “Yeah, maybe I should, but hey, we’re in front of the castle now.” Dusk blinked, then looked up. There were indeed in front of the castle. It’s large structures reflected off of the flare. “It’s so much bigger up close,” Butterscotch said, looking over the building. “You should have seen it from the sky! Also, Dusk, we might want to hurry up with this.” “Why’s that?” “Well, it might just be me, but I don’t think all those important looking columns should have big cracks in them.” “Wait, what?” Dusk looked to the nearest column, and upon examining it, immediately noticed what Blitz was talking about. Large, jutting cracks were shooting through it, splitting off into hundreds of smaller ones. It was clearly from the many years of endurance this column had to put up with, and Dusk wasn’t sure how long it was going to last. “Blitz, you’re right. We should get this over with. Follow me, everypony.” Dusk proudly lead the group, walking right to the massive stone gates of the castle... before realizing they were closed, and he couldn’t open them. “Well that’s a might inconvenient.” Applejack looked over the closed gate, which hadn’t been opened in hundreds of years. He then thought of his apple bucking experience. A grin crept across his face as he walked forward. “Step aside, ya’ll. Ah’ll get this here gate open.” They all nodded silently and backed up, giving Applejack some room. He galloped towards the gate, then quickly turned and slammed his hind hooves into it as hard as he could, sending a thundering crack throughout the entire cavern. “See, nothin’ to i-” “AJ, look out!” Blitz cried, spreading his wings and lunging forward. The blue pegasus tackled Applejack to the side, moments before the stone gate crumbled and fell, right where the orange pony had been. The destruction of the stone kicked up quite a bit of dust, obscuring the vision between Blitz, Applejack, and the others. To their relief, Blitz spoke up. “We’re good!” The other four sighed and ran over to them. “Oh my, are you okay?” Butterscotch said, worriedly looking over Applejack. With a brief cough, Applejack stood up and shook himself off. “Ah’m better than I woulda been if Blitz hadn’t been quick on his hooves.” “Yep, that’s me. Always saving everypony’s flank.” Blitz grinned. “Don’t go gettin’ used to it. I’m sure ya’ll are gonna get in trouble with somethin’.” “Usually do!” the pegasus flared his wings out and gave a light flap. Dusk coughed, getting the attention of the others. “Now that the gate is... open, we should probably get to that liquid magic.” “Dusk is quite right. I’d rather not stay in this... dusty place for longer than we need to.” Elusive walked forward to start and lead the group inside, but allowed Dusk to pass him so they knew where to go. They made their way through the dark and foreboding halls, watching their every step. The crumbling building’s structure threatened to cave in at a moments notice, causing each of them to be on guard - ready to avoid falling stone or a collapsing floor.. Any windows the castle once had were now shattered and broken, and old tapestries had long been consumed by insects, leaving only the faded gold bars used to support them. The light seeping in from the outside flare made Dusk’s magic lighting slightly more effective, but the room was still fairly dark. He almost didn’t see the sign above them that said “Library”. “We’re here!” Bubble Berry exclaimed, taking notice. “So we are...” Dusk slowly opened the large wooden door in front of them into an expansive, circular room lined by bookcases. The room had two floors, with a banister traveling around all the top level. The roof of the building had a mostly broken stain glass picture, and from what Dusk could make out, at one point it was a picture of Celestia. Immediately garnering his attention, however, was the soft blue glow coming from the middle of the room. There sat a a small fountain, with glowing blue liquid sitting in it. There wasn’t a single ripple going through the solution, and as the ponies approached, they could perfectly see their reflections in it. “My goodness, the magic here is so strong I can feel it. Tell me you feel the same, Dusk?” Elusive spoke, admiring his reflection in the water. Dusk, however, was gritting his teeth and seemed to be in pain. “Duskie, are you okay? You don’t look so good!” the pink pony inspected him with a worrisome look. “It’s... I’ll be fine. It’s just a lot of magic... I think... this is a defense mechanism...” Dusk said through his teeth. He backed away from the fountain, feeling the pain lessen. “It seems that the more powerful a unicorn is, the worse the pain will become.” “Shoot, Ah’ll get it then, Dusk.” Applejack went to Dusk’s bag and opened it, retrieving a small vial from inside. He held in it in his mouth and dipped it into the pool, filling the vial to the mouth. Using a hoof, he popped the cap on the end and slipped the now glowing container back into Dusk’s bag. “Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” “Thank you, Applejack. Now we can get out of here!” Dusk said, securing his bags. “Finally! Now we can go on to the cool part.” “Whatever do you mean by that, Blitz?” Elusive gave him a questioning glance. “I mean going to Cloudsdale of course! That place is so much more awesome than this stuffy place.” “Not to mention it’s brighter,” Butterscotch added. “Oh boy, should I throw a party to celebrate our magic water?!” “Sugarcube, just hold off on the parties ‘til we’re mares again, will ya?” “If you say so, but means I’ll have to throw an extra big, super duper funtacular one!” “Hehe, we’ll be looking forward to it, Bubble,” Dusk added with a smile. The group retraced their steps, following Dusk’s lead. In a short time, they had navigated to the entrance of the castle, which was clearly noticeable by the destroyed gate. As they were talking, Butterscotch heard a faint crack in the distance. “Guys...” The others continued, going back to the subject of Blitz and Octavia. Crack. “Guys.” “Now, Ah’m just sayin’, Rainbow, if it was me, Ah woulda-” “Guys!” The group turned to look at the flustered yellow pony, who was staring at them with a furrowed brow. Crack. “What’s up, ‘scotch?” Blitz asked. C-c-c-crack. “Don’t you hear that cracking noise?!” The five of them perked their ears up and look around, searching for a sound. Crack. “There it is!” Dusk said, looking in the direction of... “THE COLUMN!” they cried, bursting into a full gallop. With a thunderous shattering, large stone shards shot out of the stone, finally giving way to the ages of weight it had to support. The destruction of the first column began a deadly chain reaction, with each successive column falling to the overabundance of weight. Chunks of the ceiling plowed into the floor, destroying buildings and laying waste to the castle. The six ponies pumped their legs furiously, avoiding the falling rocks and debris that was rapidly spreading. Dusk looked back for a moment, but instantly regretted doing so, as all he saw was a hailstorm of dust and stone flying at them. “We’re almos’ there!” Applejack cried out above the sound of crashing rock. On the spot, Dusk shot out another flare above the entrance, leading them to their salvation. Just then, a large chunk of earth fell right in front of them, shattering the ground and spraying debris around, which they narrowly avoided. However, the sudden obstacle threw Elusive off, and he was now falling behind the rest of the group. “Somepony, help!” he cried, taking notice of the rapidly approaching wave of mountain careening towards him. With lightning speed, Blitz pulled a backflip and barrel rolled to Elusive. He quickly went next to him, flying low to the ground. “Jump on!” he yelled, nudging Elusive with a hoof. “I... but...” “Just do it!” With no more hesitation, Elusive jumped on Blitz’s back and the two took off. The others had reached the entrance of the cavern already and were frantically calling for them to hurry. With a grunt and final flurry of wingbeats, Blitz flew into the small passageway and crashed into the ground, throwing Elusive off and rolling several feet before dully hitting the bottom of the stairway. Behind him, the mountain finished caving in, and left a mass of rubble and dust where the chamber once lay. “Is... everypony alright?” the rainbow maned pegasus slowly got up, coughing a few times. He gave his mane a quick shake and surveyed the area. In front of him were Applejack, Bubble Berry and Dusk Shine, whose hoof was being nursed by Butterscotch. He looked behind him and saw Elusive wearily getting up. His white coat was tarnished and covered in dirt, and his normally shiny and prim mane was dull and unkempt. Despite this, though, he still managed to give Blitz a smile. “Thank you, Blitz. I suppose that this is... the second time you’ve saved my life.” Blitz recalled back to the Best Young Fliers competition. “I guess you’re right, Rarity. Err... Elusive.” “It’s fine, it’s fine. Blitz... Dash... you saved me either way.” “Heh... don’t worry about it. As long as you’re safe.” With a dignified grin, he turned back to the others. “How is everypony holding up?” Applejack stretched his neck a bit. “Ah’m good here.” “I’m doing great!” “Oh, I’m fine, but Dusk sprained a hoof...” the yellow pegasus finished wrapping Dusk’s hoof in bandaging. “He’ll need some help getting back.” “I’m sorry everypony,” Dusk said, with a sad sigh. “I went and hurt myself on the last stretch.” “Oh, it’s fine, dear.” Elusive walked over, helping to pick Dusk up. The lavendar unicorn’s eyes widened as he noticed the state Elusive was in. “Gosh, Elusive... your...” he trailed off, not knowing what to say. “Yes, yes, I know... Sometimes you just can’t avoid a mess. Enough about me! Let’s help you up these stairs.” After a particularly long climb up the dark stairway, they finally saw the familiar light of Canterlot’s basement. The group was lively when they reached the top, glad to finally be in fresher air. The liveliness quickly changed to surprise however, as they noticed both Luna and Celestia waiting for them. - - - “Oh my goodness, I’m so thankful you’re okay!” The sun princess said, kneeling down and nuzzling Dusk. “I had no idea how damaged the city had become. I’m very sorry for putting you in such a life threatening situation, Twilight.” “It’s okay, princess,” Dusk said, merrily. “Oh, and look what we found!” His horn adopted a faint purple glow as his saddlebags opened and the vial of blue liquid was brought out, glowing brightly. The princess had to stifle a gasp as she saw the container. “Liquid magic...” Celestia said, eying the glowing flask. “Excellent job, all of you. You’ve probably found the most difficult ingredient.” She looked down the hallway to Old Canterlot. “And now, the most rare.” “Oh yeah... we have the last bit of liquid magic EVER!” Bubble said, looking at vial. “Indeed you do,” Luna spoke up. “So we should keep it safe until the time is right.” “Luna is correct. I’ll take this off your hooves, Twilight,” the princess said, taking the vial in her own magic grip. “Thank you, princess.” “Now, I believe the next thing on your list is from... Cloudsdale, right?” Dusk thought for a moment, then agreed. “I shall lend you a royal balloon for you and your friends to use.” “Yay, I love balloons!” “That’s very generous of you, princess.” “I only want the best for my faithful student.” Celestia gave Dusk a warm smile. “Now, if you’ll all come with me...” --- On a high landing in Canterlot, a large balloon sat, tied down and holding several occupants. Applejack sat fidgeting in the balloon, next to Bubble Berry and Butterscotch. Blitz hovered in the air next to it, forelegs hanging limp at his sides. Celestia and Luna were speaking to Dusk Shine in front, discussing their plans. “I’ll contact you when we arrive, princess.” “Then I shall be waiting to hear from you. How is your memory holding up?” “My memory...” Dusk thought back to the past, and faint visions of his friends and their adventures remained. “I’ll be honest, princess. My memories are very distant, as if they’re fading.” A look of concern swept across Celestia’s face, and she closed her eyes in thought. “You will have to hurry then, Twilight. I fear that in few days time, your memories may completely change.” The reality of the situation was starting to hit Dusk, who began to hyperventilate. Suddenly, he was overcome by a soothing warmth, and snapped back to reality to find the princess embracing him. “Be safe, my student. Please stay in contact.” “Before you go, Twilight, take this.” Luna brought for a pendent from her bags. “It has a simple enchantment which should be able to jog your memories by looking at it.” “I’m honored, princess Luna,” Dusk said, placing the necklace over his head. He took a glance at the midnight blue orb in the center, and several memories flooded back into his mind. Running through a forest... giant ring of color... anvil to the head... “Whoa.” He blinked several times. “That’s a bit strong.” Luna giggled a bit. “Yes, it’ll do that the first time. Be careful, though, because the effect will get weaker with every additional use.” Dusk nodded. “I’ll make a note of that.” He looked back to the balloon. “I think we’re just about ready.” “Take care, Twilight,” Celestia said, with a soft smile. “Yes, do be safe,” Luna added, waving a hoof. Dusk hopped in the balloon and untied the rope with his teeth. Slowly but surely, the balloon started to lift off. Using some magic, Dusk sparked a flame and created some wind to push them towards Cloudsdale.

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-08T02:59:11+00:00

2013-04-30T18:43:03+00:00

Chapter 5: Are You Sure We’re Going the Right Way? The rush of wind blew through Dusk Shine’s ears as the large purple balloon sailed through the sky. His horn held a steady glow as he pushed the vehicle with a magical gust of air in the general direction of Cloudsdale. Behind him, Canterlot was fading to nothing but a black speck on the horizon. He stood firm in the basket of the balloon, looking forward and not saying much, focused only on channeling his magic. Suddenly, he cringed, accidentally stepping on his injured hoof. Picking it up, he leaned against the basket of the balloon and regained his concentration. “Ugh, this is so slow!” Blitz complained, flying next to the balloon, forelegs crossed and mouth in a pout. Dusk shifted his eyes to the sky blue pegasus and shook his head. “Not all of us have wings, Blitz.” “Yeah, I know that. If you guys could fly, this would be so much quicker.” As if to prove his point, he made several fast laps around the basket of the balloon. “I mean, come on!” “Blitz, darling, do be patient. Besides, this gives me enough time to fix my mane,” Elusive said, stroking his mane with a hoof while levitating a mirror in front of him. The unicorn didn’t have much time to clean himself off after his tumble in Old Canterlot, and even after hours of adjusting and preening, he still pouted at his reflection. The whole ride had been spent brushing and styling his tail and mane. “Yeah, but you have something to do,” Blitz snapped back. “Jus’ calm yourself, Blitz. We’ll be in Cloudsdale ‘fore you know it.” Applejack reassured, leaning on the edge of the of the basket. Every so often, he brought a hoof to his hat to keep it from flying away in the breeze. “Ooh, Blitzy! Wanna play a game?” Bubble asked, bouncing in place and beaming towards Blitz. The pegasus rolled his eyes before hovering closer to the balloon. “Why not?” Bubble was near ecstatic as he got closer to Blitz, fidgeting with anticipation. “Okay, okay, okay! Are you ready?” “Sure,” Blitz flatly replied. “I spy something... blue!” Blitz’s eyelids were half shut, partially in boredom, partially because he knew exactly what Bubble was thinking of, and he couldn’t believe he would pick this game, of all things. With a sigh and a roll of the eyes, he replied, “...the sky.” “That’s right!” Bubble exclaimed, throwing his hooves in the air. “Alright, your turn!” Blitz sighed. He brought a hoof to his forehead and shut his eyes, giving a soft frown. “You know, I just...” It was at this moment that Blitz gave up on trying to find something to do, and went with Bubble’s craziness. Removing his hoof and letting his forelegs hang limp at his sides, he looked around, then noticed Butterscotch in the corner, quiet as a mouse. “I spy something yellow.” The pink pony shifted his eyes, scanning everything around him. He then spun, getting an idea, and his vision darted towards Butterscotch. “Ooh, ooh! I know. It’s Butterscotch!” “You got it,” Blitz replied, sarcasm lacing his voice. Just then, as Bubble was about to call out his next object, he noticed how glum Butterscotch looked. He hopped to where the butter colored pegasus was sitting and took a seat next to him. “Hey, Scotchy. What’s wrong?” Butterscotch blinked a few times, then turned to Bubble Berry. He seemed to be disconnected from everyone else, and had to shake his head to focus. “Oh, um, I was just thinking.” Bubble cocked his head to the side and frowned. “Thinking about what? Whatever is was, it was making you all saddy waddy.” The pegasus turned his head to the side, a section of hair covering his eye. “I wasn’t sad, Bubble. I was just... concerned.” He said that last word at little more than a whisper. “Concerned about what? Is it about the balloon?” he looked up, as if in inspecting the dirigible for any problems. “The balloon is fine, because Dusk has it all under control!” Bubble said, returning to his cheery self. “No, it’s nothing like that.” “Then what’s wrong?” Butterscotch nervously shuffled his hooves in place, avoiding eye contact with Bubble Berry. “Well, um... I was... thinking about the past...” Bubble cocked his head to the side, an expression of bewilderment mixed with puzzlement crossing his face. “What about it?” The yellow pegasus looked to Berry, his light teal eyes beginning to water up. “...’Scotch?” Berry said in a soft voice, his usual smile drooping into a frown. “I... I can’t remember things...” Butterscotch admitted, closing his eyes and looking downwards. The soft hum of magic floating in the air stopped as Dusk Shine’s concentration broke, causing the balloon to hang in the empty sky. The purple unicorn looked down at Butterscotch with wide eyes. “Butterscotch...” he slowly started, trying to remain calm. “What do you mean, ‘you can’t remember things’?” “How I got my cutie mark... I... I can’t remember it... no matter how hard I try.” “Everypony,” Dusk announced. “Try to remember important parts of your past.” The unicorn scanned over the faces of his friends, only to find their thoughtful expressions turning to those of sadness and fear. His heart sank in his chest as he too wasn’t able to remember key moments of his life as a mare. “Jus’... what does this mean, Dusk?” Applejack asked, his eyes begging for an answer. Dusk could only close his eyes and shake his head. “AJ... it means we need to hurry up,” Dusk replied, his horn beginning to glow again. Once more, the balloon was sailing through the sky, although a bit quicker this time. The mood of the balloon’s passengers had dropped, with neither of the friends talking to one another. They each stayed in their places, motionless and silent, too busy thinking about their dire situation to do anything else. Even Bubble Berry, who was normally happy and bright in even the most frightening of situations, remained mute - he couldn’t laugh at something like this. Rainbow Blitz was the first to speak, and that was because he had spotted Clousdale in the distance. “Keep going, Dusk!’ he said, from his flying area around the balloon. “Cloudsdale is real close now!” Dusk’s horn grew just a bit brighter as the balloon proceeded to the city in the sky, it’s large rainbows and Roman styled columns visible even from a distance. Dusk could even see the top edges of the coliseum. Now that the city of clouds was within reach, he thought this would be a prime opportunity to tell his friends about the necklace. “Everypony, listen up,” he said, in a commanding tone. The rest of the group turned and looked at him, their eyes filled with concern. “You might have noticed the necklace I’m wearing.” Dusk said, touching the amulet with his bandaged hoof. The others let out murmurs of agreement and nodded their heads. “Princess Luna gave this to me,” Dusk continued. “It has a special enchantment on it, which will replenish your memories by looking into it.” Applejack let out a sigh of relief. “Well, shoot, Dusk. You shoulda’ just said somethin’ before. That’ll save us a heap of trouble, won’t it?” “I wish it was that easy, Applejack,” Dusk said, looking downwards. “But the effect becomes weaker with each use.” his vision shifted back up, his eyes moving between each of his friends, their attention locked onto him. “We need to use them very carefully, is that clear?” The group shook their heads in affirmation. Dusk nodded as well, his mouth curling into a smile for the first time in a while. “I’ve already used it once, so you’ll each get a look when we arrive in Cloudsdale.” “That sounds fair to me,” Elusive chimed in, flipping a lock of his purple mane. “And it’s such a lovely hue...” he added, admiring the blue gem around Dusk Shine’s neck. “Yes, it is quite nice, but don’t look to deep into it. The spell might accidentally trigger,” Dusk warned, covering part of the gem. “Then I’ll be sure to be careful around it.” Elusive then brought a hoof to his chin and looked around in thought. “Do you think the Princess would part with it?” Dusk chuckled and shook his head. “Most likely not, but you can always ask.” Moments later, the balloon shook as it bumped into something soft. Dusk blinked, then realized what had happened. “Oh, we’re here!” he announced, the wind pushing against the balloon settling as his magic faded into the air. “Finally!” Blitz cheered, doing several stunts around the balloon. “Now, let me just cast the cloud-walking spell,” Dusk said, casting it on those who needed it. Bubble leaped out of the balloon, landing face first into the clouds they had docked at. “Boy, I am so glad to be out of that balloon! I was going loco in there!” The pink pony rolled around in the fluff, tiny bits of cloud pulling off the main bits and clinging to his puffy hair. Dusk rolled his eyes and smiled as he hopped out of balloon as well, the clouds catching him. “So, Blitz,” Dusk started, following the flying blue pegasus with his eyes. “How do we get to the tomb of King Aurelius?” Blitz hovered in the air for a moment. “Oh, that’s easy! It’s this way!” He said, before bolting off in the direction of Cloudsdale’s main district. Dusk sighed, tapping his hoof against the ground. “How long you think it’ll take for him ta realize?” Applejack asked, adjusting his hat as he stood next to Dusk. “I’ll give him another ten seconds,” Elusive replied, looking in the direction he had flown off. Sure enough, after several moments, Blitz flew back, with his characteristic rainbow trail behind him. His cheeks were red as he touched down. “Yeah... right... no wings,” he said, averting his gaze and giving a sheepish laugh. “Just uh... follow me.” He turned, and started to walk in the direction he came from. - - - After the lengthy trip through Cloudsdale’s residential district, the group found themselves in front of the tomb of King Archimedes Darkbillow III. The building was of decent size, and despite being made of cloud, seemed aged and faded. It was almost as if the building were made of storm clouds, rather than regular ones. Large, intricate columns stood, holding the front of the roof, in classic Cloudsdale fashion. Various text from an older language was engraved throughout the architecture, representing Darkbillow in some way. There was even a statue of the pony himself, standing tall and upright in front of the entryway. Dusk admired the statue, taking notice that it was made out of the same thick construction cloud that much of the other core structures of Cloudsdale were made of. It reminded him of the arena that the Best Young Fliers competition had taken place in. “From what our books said, he was a cool pony,” Blitz said, flying near the statue. It was very modest in size, only slightly bigger than Blitz was. “Oh, yes, he was one of the first pegasi to push for trade routes and traffic between Cloudsdale and other towns,” Butterscotch spoke up. Everypony looked to him in curiosity, and he sank a bit in his spot. “I... um... read a lot about him...” “Celestia made him seem like a very kind pony,” Dusk added, looking up to the statue. Although he had an intimidating name, the statue told a very different tale. It wore a soft smile, and old, bagged eyes. The mane was slicked back, and a crown - very similar to the one from the Best Young Flier competition - adorned it’s head. It’s face had a mid-length beard, which was styled into that of a lightning bolt, and similar could be said of the eyebrows. “This guy sure had some style, huh?” Blitz said, motioning to the eyebrows and flashing a cheesy grin. Elusive rolled his eyes. “If ‘style’ is the word you would like to use...” “Enough admiring this old stallion, we have some feathers to get!” Bubble Berry said, with a wide grin on his face. He bounced happily past the statue, humming to himself. That was when he noticed his tail twitch. “This should be a piece of ca-” he started, before being cut off by the feeling of his body slip through the clouds and plummet downwards. Everypony gasped as they watched their pink friend disappear through the white fluff, his screams of fear fading by the second. After realizing what had happened, Blitz kicked a hole in the clouds and flared his wings. “I’m coming for ya, Bubble!” he yelled, darting through the layer of cloud. He sped through the air, leaving his rainbow trail floating behind him. Similar to when Rarity had fallen, he had no goggles on, so the wind stung at his eyes as he pushed himself downwards. Berry looked around in a frenzy, waving his hooves in every which way. His mind was spinning as he plummeted, still unsure of how he ended up like this. Looking upwards, he saw Blitz flying towards him and yelled “Blitz, help me!” “I’m almost there!” Blitz screamed over the sound of the air rushing past him. It was then that he felt the all too familiar sensation of the air resistance building as he approached sonic speed. Panic began to overcome him, as he recalled his failed attempts at a Sonic Rainboom when he had first become a stallion. He gritted his teeth, pumping his wings faster, as Bubble was only feet away from him. The air resistance was building up. “Come on...” The distance between the two was closing. “Blitz!” The soft crackling of electricity could be heard, building up. “And... got you!” Blitz held out his forelegs and pulled upward, catching Bubble Berry and stopping their descent. The pegasus looked up, noticing how far he had traveled. “No Rainboom today... but I guess I didn’t need one,” he said to himself. “Whew... thanks Blitz!” Bubble said, shaking a little. Although he was smiling, there was still a great deal of fear in his eyes. “You’re really saving everypony, aren’t you?” Blitz grinned, flying upwards and back to Cloudsdale. “Looks like it. I’ve gotten AJ, Elusive, and now you. I’m on a roll with this adventure!” Bubble let out a nervous laugh, looking at Blitz and clutching him a little tighter. “Let’s just get to Cloudsdale... then we can celebrate.” “Oh... right. Yeah,” Blitz said, his cheeks reddening a bit. - - - “This is really bad. This is really, really bad!” Dusk said, pacing around. “They aren’t here yet. Why aren’t they here yet?!” The unicorn looked around to everypony around him, as if they would give him an answer. “Jus’ calm down, Dusk. I’m sure Blitz an’ Berry are jus’ fine,” Applejack replied, trying to calm his unicorn friend down. However, Applejack could feel the nervous sweat forming on his brow. “Calm down? How can we be calm!? Bubble just fell off of Cloudsdale!” “Hey guys!” Dusk spun around at the voice, finding Blitz carrying Bubble. Blitz hovered closer to the cloud, allowing the pink earth pony to jump off and land on the solid cloud. He fell to his knees, kissing the whiteness. “I never thought I’d ever want to be on a cloud this much!” he said, hugging the soft material. “Thank goodness you’re alright!” Elusive said, trotting over to Bubble Berry and Rainbow Blitz. “We were all terribly worried when you fell!” Bubblle gingerly rubbed his face into the clouds. “I was worried when I fell, too!” “I’m glad you’re alright...” Butterscotch said in a soft voice, joining Elusive. “We’re all glad you two are okay.” Dusk said, joining everypony else. He breathed easy now, knowing his friends were fine. However, he was still frowning. “But I don’t know why you fell. That spell should have worked...” he pondered for a moment before his eyes widened. “Oh no, I forgot to contact Celestia!” “What’s the big deal?” Blitz said, dropping out of the air and landing next to Dusk. “She told me to contact her when we got here!” he said, using his magic to dig the orb out of his saddlebag. “And we’ve been here a while!” He tapped the orb to his horn and it began the same separation process it went through the previous time. Before long, many orbs were hovering in a spherical pattern, and the transparent image of the sun goddess appeared. “Greetings, Twilight. I see that you are in Cloudsdale.” she said, smiling. Dusk bowed down, looking to ground with hot cheeks. “Yes. I’m sorry for not contacting you sooner, princess.” Celestia only chuckled. “It is no concern, Twilight. Now, have you located King Darkbillow’s tomb?” The unicorn stood up, looking into the eyes of his mentor. “We have, princess. In fact, we’re right in front of it.” He used his hoof to motion to the thick cloud building. “That is excellent to hear.” Dusk shifted his weight and bit his lip. “There’s just... one problem, princess.” Celestia raised her eyebrow, her lips moving into a soft frown. “Oh? What might that be?” “Well... I gave all of my non-pegasi friends the cloud walking spell, but when Bubble Berry stepped near the entrance, he fell through. I’m... not sure what went wrong.” The princess closed her eyes in thought. “It would appear that there is a protective spell all around the building.” She opened her eyes again, looking straight at Dusk. “I’m afraid only your pegasus friends will be able to enter.” “What?!” Butterscotch and Rainbow Blitz said, in tandem. They stopped what they were doing, shocked by this new information, and all they could do was stare at the princess in disbelief. “Normally, this spell cancels out all magic except natural cloud walking; this way, nopony would be able to damage or steal anything in the building. That includes your imitation cloud walking spell, Twilight.” She frowned, looking to Dusk with sadness in her eyes. “So... that means... only Butterscotch and Blitz can go in,” Dusk said, slowly turning his head to look back at the two pegasi. “This is correct, Twilight,” Celestia confirmed. “Please, have them go as quickly as possible. I do not know how much time you’ll have left before the gender altering spell finalizes.” Dusk turned back to Celestia, nodding. “Of course, Princess. I’ll contact you when we have the feather.” “I will be looking forward to news of your progress, my faithful student. Farewell, and good luck.” With that, the smiling image of Celestia disappeared, the small orb reforming and falling in front of Dusk. He levitated it back into his saddlebag before turning to his pegasus friends. “Well, you heard the Princess,” Dusk said, sighing. “You two will have to go in by yourselves.” he moved his gaze to Rainbow Blitz, who was being rather quiet. “Blitz, you know about this place, so you’d know where the feather is, right?” A wide smile spread across the cyan pegasus’s face as he averted his gaze and shifted his weight. “Yeah... uh... about that...” “Oh, please, tell me you don’t know,” Elusive said, rolling his eyes and flipping his mane. “Um... Well...” Blitz stammered, looking at everything and everypony except Dusk Shine. The unicorn snorted, his eyes half lidded and mouth tucked in a frown. “You don’t know, do you?” “...Not exactly.” Blitz replied, his facing getting red tiny as he looked to Dusk and cracked a weak smile. The group sighed, with looks ranging from rolling eyes to disappointed frowns being cast in the rainbow maned pegasi’s direction. “Hey, I never told you I knew where it was!” he said, in an attempt to defend himself. Dusk shook his head, sighing. “Either way, you and Butterscotch have to go in and find it, because you two are the only pegasi here.” “Yeah, I know...” Blitz said. He turned to look at Butterscotch, who was looking at the ground and remaining very silent. “Yo, ‘Scotch, are you ready?” Butterscotch looked up to Blitz. “I suppose so.” he said, shifting his forelegs in place. “Alright, let’s get it over with, then.” The cyan pegasus walked past the statue and into the building, Butterscotch following close behind. “Good luck!” Dusk called, as the two disappeared into the building. A small frown moved across his face as he lost sight of his friends. I hope they find it... - - - “Does it have to be so dark in here?” Blitz asked, straining his eyes against the darkness. For a building that was supposed to be a monument to the greatest leader Cloudsdale ever had, the architects certainly slacked with the lighting. He look around, noticing the mass of hallways and turns available, then sighed. “Oh, come on. A maze? They really added a maze?” “I guess it makes sense.” Butterscotch said, also looking around. “This place has many artifacts from King Darkbillow’s personal collections, and it would be terrible if-” he caught sight of Blitz’s curious staring. “...if they got stolen.” Blitz turned a corner, only to find three more paths available to him. “Seriously? Ugh, I don’t care about any of that junk, we just need this dumb feather.” He looked to the three different routes and motioned his hoof between the three, mouthing the words to ‘eeni meeni mini mo’. He finally landed on the middle route and smiled, beginning to walk in that direction. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Butterscotch asked, looking around to get a sense of direction. “Nope!” the blue pegasus replied, continuing his determined strut. “Oh...” Butterscotch trailed off, lowering his head and looking down. He sighed and continued walking straight ahead. Several moments passed in silence, before he asked “What do you think the feather looks like?” Silence. “Um, Blitz?” he asked, looking upwards only to find a cloud wall, shaded in the darkness of the building. The yellow pegasus looked to his sides, then turned to check behind him, finding only an empty hallway. “Blitz?” he said, in a louder voice. Butterscotch shifted his eyes from side to side, his mouth turning into a more and more worried frown. “Blitz!” he yelled out, running back the way he came and looking down the corridors. Not finding his friend, he let out a frightened squeak, then began to run down the hallways wildly, trying desperately to find his friend. Meanwhile, Blitz was casually walking down a hallway, eyes half lidded out of boredom. He stretched his wings out, flapping them a few times before ruffling them up. “We’ve passed like three rooms so far with nothing but crud in them!” He heard no response, but figured it normal - Butterscotch was always quiet. Blitz made several more turns, and not finding anything useful, turned to talk to his friend. “Hey, Butterscotch, do you think...” he paused, noticing the empty space behind. He stared at the place where his fellow pegasus should have been, blinking several times to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. “You have got to be kidding me.” Blitz backtracked, looking down the halls he had passed in vain. His buttery friend was nowhere to be found. He walked down several more corridors, only to find himself now getting more and more lost with every turn. With a frustrated groan, Blitz spread his wings and took to the air. “Now there’s two things I have to find!” he said, beginning to fly through the narrow halls. Elsewhere, deep in the cloud maze, Butterscotch was running down whichever hallway was closest. He pumped his legs, catching fleeting glances down other corridors as he passed them, looking for any hint of a blue pony. He was so caught up in his desperate searching that he nearly ran past a small pedestal, illuminated by a single beam of light coming through the ceiling. Noticing the peculiar object, he stopped his running and moved closer to examine it. It was a rather small pedestal, made out of cloud and crafted into an old styled column. On top of it rested a glass case, circular and rounded at the top. Butterscotch could barely see the light glare off of it because of how polished and clean the glass was. What caught his attention, however, was the object resting within the glass, hovering just inches above the pedestal. A tuft of charcoal grey feathers floated within, fluttering from the magic keeping them aloft. They were faded and dull, clear victims of time’s grasp. Butterscotch stifled a gasp as he looked upon the feathers, fearing they would crumble if gazed upon the wrong way. “These must be... Darkbillow’s...” he said, looking through the glass. His thoughts were confirmed as his vision shifted downwards and he saw a dusty plaque below. It read: Here lie the last living remnants of our King. King Archimedes Darkbillow III May he live eternal in the Summerlands. After several moments of stillness, Butterscotch removed the glass case with care. Pausing for just a moment, he plucked one of the feathers from it’s resting spot and cringed on instinct, expecting a trap or some other terrible device to spring. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes and sighed with relief. He then placed the feather into his saddlebags, making sure to do it with the utmost delicacy. When he had secured his bags, he put the glass back on the pedestal and smiled, for it looked like nothing had been changed. This was when Rainbow Blitz careened into the room, slamming into Butterscotch and knocking both of them to the ground. “Oh, Ouch!” Butterscotch whimpered, hitting the floor with the thud and sliding a few inches. Blitz jumped up, wide eyed and filled with confusion. “Oh my gosh, sorry ‘Scotch!” he exclaimed. He reached out a hoof. “Are you okay?!” “I’m... fine...” the yellow pegasus replied, his voice wavering. Blitz stuck a hoof out and became red in the face from embarrassment. “Let me help you out.” Butterscotch, with his head spinning, took the hoof and was pulled to his hooves, wobbling as he stood fully up. “Hey... Blitz...” he said, shaking his head to get rid of the dizziness. The cyan pegasus was about to say something, but then he noticed the room they were in. Upon seeing the glass case, he asked “Are those Darkbillow’s feathers?” “Yes, they are,” Butterscotch replied, able to hold his train of thought now. “I already took one.” motioning to his saddlebag. “Oh, awesome,” Blitz replied, with a cheeky smile. He then looked as his surroundings again, with a puzzling look on his face. “We should, uh... try to get out of here.” Butterscotch nodded. “They’re probably worried about us. We shouldn’t keep them waiting.” “Alright, let’s... try to find our way out,” Blitz said, making his way to the nearest corridor. He then paused, looking back to Butterscotch. “And this time, stay close to me.” He smiled as he brushed away part of his pink mane from his eyes and looked to Blitz. “Of course.” - - - Dusk Shine paced around in front of the building, occasionally looking in the direction of the entrance. Upon seeing nothing changed, he went right back to his idle trotting, an imprinted circle starting to form in the area he was walking. “What do you think is taking so long?” he asked, looking to his friends who were still outside. Applejack tipped his hat up, looking under the brim to Dusk. He was sitting against a piece of architecture and crossing his forelegs. “Ah’d say they’re probably jus’ lost or somethin’. Ah wouldn’t worry too much ‘bout it, Dusk.” “But what if something bad happened? What if they need our help?!” The unicorn began to pace faster. “Dusk, darling, do be calm. What’s the worst that could happen in some musty old crypt?” Elusive asked, running a filer across one of his hooves. He inspected it carefully and smiled, moving to the next hoof. “A lot can happen! Who knows what kind of ancient traps could be in there? I bet I have a book about this at the library...” Dusk thought, tapping a hoof to his chin. Bubble Berry bounced over to Dusk, smiling and cheery as ever. “Applejack and Elusive are right, Dusky. It’s just a boring old building!” He hummed a tune and skipped around Dusk, who didn’t look amused in the slightest. “And besides, Blitz is the toughest pony around. If anything bad came along, he’d kick it right in the flank!” “Ah can vouch for that.” Applejack chuckled, tipping his hat back down and closing his eyes. “But what if something really bad happens to them?!” Dusk almost frantically asked, his mane beginning to become distraught. “It wasn’t so bad,” the pegasi’s voice said from nowhere. Dusk almost jumped out of his skin, reeling around to find Blitz and Butterscotch approaching them. His imaginative fears dissipated, and out of habit, he ran and hugged Blitz. Blitz’s eyes went wide with surprise for a moment, caught off guard by the hug. “Whoa, Dusk, buddy, I’m fine.” The unicorn broke away, blushing. “Sorry, I just got worried about you two.” “It was only a maze,” Butterscotch said, with a light smile. “But how did you get out?!” the unicorn asked, looking between the two of them. Blitz laughed. “It turns out all we had to do was keep going left.” “Well, that’s a relief,” Dusk said, his bewildered expression turning to a smile. His gaze then shifted to the pegasus’s saddlebags. “Did you get the feather?” Butterscotch nodded, opening his saddlebag and shifting through it. Very carefully, he pulled it out of the bag, clutching it between his teeth. Dusk stared at the ancient down, inspecting it curiously. He reached out a hoof to touch it, but decided against it, drawing back afterwards. “It’s incredible,” he replied, in a hushed tone. “Yay, another ingredient!” Bubble Berry exclaimed, bouncing over to Dusk and Butterscotch. Butterscotch managed to tuck the feather away right before Berry hugged him. “I think we all need a group hug!” he said, motioning for the others to come over. “Shoot, why not,” Applejack said, getting up and walking to Berry. He wrapped a foreleg around Butterscotch and grinned. The earth pony then felt a leg touch his neck, and looking over, he was surprised to find Elusive next to him. “We’re all together in this, Applejack.” he smiled. “And I won’t let our personal differences change that.” “Shucks, Elusive. Ah guess Ah can respect that.” “I would certainly hope so,” Elusive replied, in a singsong voice. The six of them gathered in for a large hug, laughing together. After the fun had died down, they stood in a circle, talking amongst themselves. “Okay, okay everypony,” Dusk started, smiling. “We’re almost done, but there’s one more leg of our trip. I’ll contact Solaris and tell him the-” he stopped himself. “Who the heck is Solaris?” he thought, questioning the name his mind had brought up. “Who?” Butterscotch asked, cocking his head to the side. Dusk Shine shook his head. “Um... nothing. I meant to say, I’m going to speak with Celestia and tell her we have it.” In a moment’s notice, Dusk had brought the orb out, and it was dividing and spreading into a sphere in front of him. The others spread out, giving the magical object room to expand. Celestia’s image flickered, sitting at a table and chewing some food with her expected grace. “Oh! Sorry to interrupt you, princess,” Dusk said, shying away from the image. She swallowed, then smiled. “It is quite alright, Twilight.” The princess levitated a fork full of salad to her mouth, and right before biting it, asked “Have you found the feather?” Dusk nodded. “We have. The last thing we need is the artifact, right?” Celestia finished another bite of her food. “That is correct. Do you recall where you defeated Nightmare Moon?” “Yes, princess. Your old castle in the Everfree Forest.” “You will find it there, my student.” She set her fork down, finished with her meal. “Now, answer me something, Twilight.” “What would you like to know?” “Tell me the story of your cutie mark.” Dusk Shine blinked, taken aback by the question. “Oh, um...” he pondered for a moment, trying to look back into his memories for when he received. However, all that came to mind was darkness and mystery. “I...” he stuttered, trying to remember anything about that fateful day. Celestia frowned. “You do not know, do you?” she asked, her mood sinking by the second. “No... I don’t,” Dusk said, looking into the eyes of his mentor. “Sometimes... I think you’re too talented for your own good, Twilight,” Celestia said, pushing her plate away from her. “The spell is quickly catching up to you, and I am beginning to fear for the worst.” “What do we need to do, princess?” Dusk asked, looking around and fidgeting. “First, calm yourself, Twilight,” Celestia said, becoming serious. “Second, you must leave Cloudsdale and head to the Everfree Forest immediately. Not even I know how much more time you have before the spell becomes irreversible.” “Of course, princess. We’ll leave as soon as possible,” Dusk replied, still looking distraught. “I will leave you now, my faithful student. Please, hurry.” Without another word, the image of Celestia disappeared, with a fizzle. The orb reformed itself and fell to the ground with a tink. Dusk levitated it into his saddlebag and looked up to his friends, which were staring at him with varying expressions of fear and worry. “You heard the princess. We can’t just stand here. Let’s move!” Dusk said, looking over their faces. “He’s right, ya’ll. We best get a move on!” Applejack added, moving in the direction of the balloon. The rest expressed their agreement and followed, transitioning into a full gallop as they raced against time itself. - - - “Quickly, get on!” Dusk yelled, jumping into the basket. In his haste, he tripped over his injured hoof, but the edge of the basket saved him from an embarrassing fall. Applejack followed, leaping next to Dusk - Butterscotch and Elusive close behind. Blitz wrestled with the rope to tie it down, and after snapping it with his teeth, also got into the balloon. “Punch it, Dusk,” Blitz said, leaning over the edge. The purple unicorn looked at him with confusion, which turned to a sigh. Concentrating, his horn lit up an the balloon began to it’s journey to the Everfree Forest. Glancing down at the pendent around his neck, a thought occurred. Should I use it now? He pondered the question, thinking hard about the choice he was about to make. No... I can’t waste it.

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-08T02:57:19+00:00

2013-04-30T18:50:51+00:00

Chapter 6: Dusk Shine, Get Ready! With a loud thud, and the sound of wicker forcing dirt and rock out of the way, Dusk Shine’s balloon landed at the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. The balloon was close to the gnarled, sharp and unkempt treetops, but none of the six ponies were concerned with its safety. In a hurry, Rainbow Blitz flew out of the basket and landed on the ground, beginning to tap his hoof as soon as he touched the soil. “Come on, hurry it up. We don’t have all day!” he snapped, looking to his friends. “We’re goin’ as fast as we can, Blitz,” Applejack replied, hopping over the edge and landing near Blitz. He took a brief moment to shift his hat out of his vision. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the sound of grunting and hushed curses coming from the balloon. Both he and Blitz looked over to find Dusk angrily kicking the door to the balloon out, and in his short outburst, he tripped over the edge of the basket and fell forward. Dusk let out a yelp as his front hoof came in contact with the ground, and he groaned while attempted to stand. “Shoot, Dusk! Lemme help ya out!” the orange stallion cried, rushing to help the unicorn off the ground. “Ya gotta be careful when your hoof ain’t in shape, sugarcube.” “Ugh, I’m sick of this!” Dusk exclaimed, regaining his footing. “I’m not going to screw up the rest of this journey because I was careless and hurt myself.” Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder and looked over to see Butterscotch standing next to him, looking at him with concern. “How are you going to fix it?” the pegasus asked, inspecting the bandaging with curiosity. Dusk leaned down and bit the edge of the gauze with his teeth, pulling on it and tightening the knot. “We’re going to Zecora,” he said, after snapping off the excess bandage. “Are you certain she’ll still recognize us?” Elusive’s regal voice sounded. The light colored unicorn was just getting out of the basket, and in a smooth motion, closed the door behind him. “I can only hope so, Elusive,” Dusk said, looking to his fellow unicorn. “If not…” “Oh, come on, she has to remember me,” Blitz said, arrogance lacing his tone. “What other rainbow-maned ponies do you know around here?” “Blitz’ got a point there, Dusk,” Applejack added, looking over the light blue pegasus. “I haven’t seen anypony else quite like him in all my years livin’ in Equestria.” “And even if she doesn’t remember us, I can just sing my evil enchantress song!” Bubble Berry suddenly chimed in, hopping in the middle of the group. “She’s sure to remember that!” “Ah…” Dusk started, with a nervous chuckle. “We’ll see what happens, Berry… hopefully you won’t have to sing.” “Aww…” The pink pony pouted, his hopes of being able to burst into song stamped out. In no time at all, however, the thought drifted from his mind. Dusk turned to the entrance of the forest, peering down the dirt path that he was so familiar with. The dim rays of the setting sun crept over the tree tops, scattering faded orange light throughout the entryway. “Come on, everypony… let’s find this last piece.” He announced, not averting his gaze from the road. The others said nothing and nodded, following their unicorn friend into the depths of the forest. Behind them, the upper half of Luna’s moon began to creep over the horizon, replacing the darkening orange with luminous white. - - - Dusk Shine threaded through the forest, avoiding the rocks and gnarled branches in his way. Finding the encroaching darkness to be troublesome, he closed his eyes and, with a flash of his horn, created light for everypony to follow. “Thank ya kindly, Dusk,” Applejack said in a quiet voice, trailing several feet behind the unicorn. “No problem…” Dusk replied, looking farther down the path for any sign of Zecora’s hut. After a few minutes, he spotted a light in the distance. “I think we’re almost there!” he exclaimed, quickening his pace. “Take it easy there, champ.” Blitz said with a light chuckle, while hovering alongside Dusk. He was ready to catch Dusk at a moment’s notice, should the unicorn lose his footing again. Dusk glared at Blitz, but took his advice and relented. After several minutes of walking at Dusk’s limping speed, the light in the distance had become the soft glow permeating through the windows of Zecora’s hut. The small building looked as it always did, with jars hanging from tree branches and staves, carved heads, and masks gracing the outside. The pungent smell of some mixture or another wafted through the air around the cottage. Dusk Shine’s nose scrunched up slightly at the scent as he approached the door, and taking a breath, he leaned against the frame and knocked with his working hoof. “I shall be right there - do not fret. My brew is done, and just needs to set,” Zecora’s voice came through the windows on either side of the door. The noise of tools being shuffled around a pot followed, then the soft sound of hoofsteps on the dirt floor. The door of the hut opened, revealing the zebra. She was smiling at first, but the expression changed to that of confusion as she looked over the six ponies in front of her. “I know of a pony with similar hair, but you are a stallion and she is a mare.” “That’s because I’m Twilight, Zecora,” Dusk said, with a soft frown. Zecora stepped back in shock, her eyes moving from stallion to stallion, observing each one in full. “That is impossible, how can this be? Is this magic or some other trickery?” “Here we go!” Blitz said, crossing his forelegs and rolling his eyes. “It’s a bit of a story…” Dusk Shine added, scuffing his hoof against the dirt. Zecora raised an eyebrow in a mix of curiosity and skepticism, which was unusual for the zebra. “Come inside and tell your tale. How did you change on such a scale?” she said, stepping aside for Dusk Shine and the others. The violet stallion nodded and thanked her, walking into the building with care. The others repeated the motion, and before long the six of them were in the main room and circled around the simmering cauldron. Zecora stepped up to the pot and looked upon the stallions. She paused for a moment before asking “Twilight my dear, you are in quite a mess. I have not seen this before, I must confess.” Dusk Shine sighed, shaking his head and staring into the bubbling green liquid of the cauldron, struggling to make out his reflection. What he did see, however, was much different than what he was used to. “It’s all because of an old spell I found in my library and tried to cast. Needless to say, it... didn’t turn out how I wanted it to.” He looked to each of his friends, all of them silent and looking into the cauldron as he was. “You know of my skills, voodoo and remedies. I can cure sickness, and most terrible disease. A problem like yours, though, I am quite unsure. With magic this strong, I have not a cure,” Zecora replied, looking at Dusk over the cauldron and frowning. “That’s what I thought...” he replied. “Which is why I’m here about this.” He lifted his hoof, revealing the bandaging to the zebra. “Do you have anything to cure a sprain?” Zecora nodded her head and smiled, turning around and ruffling through various ingredients on a nearby table. “For a problem so small, a potion can be mixed. Within mere moments, your injury will be fixed.” Dusk, along with the other five, let out a sigh of relief and looked to the busy zebra, who had plucked several berries and cut a few sprigs of herbs, and was now crushing them in a bowl. She took a sample of the liquid in the cauldron and mixed it with the other ingredients, and before long, brought a small cup of liquid over to Dusk. “A drink from this cup is all that you need, and your injury will be healed at alarming speed,” Zecora said, with a caring smile. Levitating the cup to his mouth, Dusk tipped it back and drank the now faded green liquid. He closed his eyes as his face contorted in disgust, the bitter drink passing into his body. Once he was finished, he set the cup down and stuck his tongue out. “Ugh...” he groaned, smacking his lips together. It was then that a peculiar sensation of warmth encompassed his hoof. Looking down, he felt the heat rise in intensity, and the pain began to dull. After several moments of this, the warmth faded, leaving Dusk’s hoof feeling normal. Gritting his teeth and shifting his eyes away, he pushed it down on the floor, but felt nothing. He applied a bit more pressure, and upon feeling no pain, started to grin. “I can’t thank you enough, Zecora!” he said, looking to the zebra. Zecora only nodded and smiled, taking the cup from Dusk and setting it aside. “I knew that potion would do the trick, as long as it stays in your stomach. And although it’s not the best of taste, it performs its task with great haste.” “Is your hoof... really fixed, Dusk?” Butterscotch asked, inspecting the lavender stallion’s previously injured hoof. He went so far as to lift it up and shake it around, as if testing its stability. Dusk chuckled, letting the pegasus look at his hoof in awe. “Yes, it’s really fixed. I have to say I’m impressed, Zecora.” “Yeah, it’s pretty awesome, but shouldn’t we, uh, get moving?” Blitz said, raising an eyebrow. He flicked his tail to get his point across. “Dash is right, you should not linger. In fixing your problem, she is quite eager,” Zecora chimed in, organizing several jars of herbs. “Hey, who you callin’ a girl?” Blitz said, shooting a glare to Zecora. His outburst was met with stares from the six others in the room. “What? She called me a ‘she’! Do I look like a mare to you?” He met their concerned gazes with a heated one of his own. “What are you all staring at me like that for?” Dusk gulped, then circled around the cauldron to be in front of Blitz. “I didn’t think I’d have to do this so soon, but...” “What? Do what? What do you think you’re- Ah!” The pegasus was cut off as he closed his eyes and reeled back slightly. He stumbled and fell to the ground, the gasps of the others the only thing he heard as he hit the floor. When he came to and opened his eyes, he noticed Dusk lowering the sapphire amulet. “Blitz, you okay?” Applejack said, hurrying to the cerulean stallion and offering a hoof. Blitz shook his head and brought a hoof to his temple, rubbing it. He reached out, and after missing a few times, got a hold of Applejack, who pulled him up. “Yeah... I’m good,” he replied, still rubbing his head. “You gotta warn me before doing that, dude.” He added, looking to Dusk Shine. “Those memories really bucked me in the head...” Applejack let out a light laugh. “Bet it ain’t nothin’ next ta me. Now, can you stay on yer hooves or do Ah gotta carry ya?” Rainbow Blitz shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be okay. I just need to stay grounded for a bit...” A cough from Dusk regained their attention as the unicorn’s brows knit together. “I think that’s our cue to leave, everypony. I... really don’t want to have to do that again.” He looked to the ground, scuffing his hoof against the floor. “Yer right, Dusk. Let’s get on outta here and find that fancy artifact,” Applejack said, walking to the door and opening it. He motioned outside, and the other five stallions nodded and started to file out of the hut, save for Dusk. The purple unicorn looked to Zecora, who was watching them leave. “Again, thank you for the help, Zecora. I don’t know where I’d be without you.” The zebra simply gave a knowing smile and replied "Do not worry about being a nuisance. You can always come to me if you need assistance." Dusk Shine opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. He then closed it and approached Zecora, and taking a breath, put his right foreleg around her in a hug. “Thanks.” Before she could say anything, Dusk Shine backed away and smiled. “I’ll be sure to visit when I’m back to normal.” - - - It wasn’t long before the group had managed to find the castle of the royal pony sisters, still standing and full of overgrowth from its years of solitude. It looked just as it did when they first discovered it - and the bridge was still intact. “That’s quite the relief,” Elusive said, looking over the rope bridge as they begin to file across it. “...are you certain this is still safe?” “It’s holdin’ up, ain’t it?” Applejack replied, moving across without a second thought. The unicorn studied the old bridge again and shrugged. “Yes, I suppose it is. Just be quick about crossing... I don’t trust this shoddy wood.” He stepped across with caution, but picked up his pace after confirming the bridge wouldn’t snap like a twig at the slightest touch. After all six had crossed the bridge, Dusk led them into the main chamber of the castle. It was just the same, though this time it was lacking the Elements of Harmony on their large pedestal. With a flash of his horn, he brought out a piece of paper from his saddlebag, which had the Princess’s directions to the throne room on it. He skimmed over the text, taking everything to memory, then just as quick, stuffed it back. “Stay close to me, okay? We don’t want to get lost in here.” They nodded to Dusk, following him through the halls and old chambers of the castle without a word. It was much bigger than they had thought, with multiple rooms descending into the ground at points, or even climbing into towers they hadn’t seen from ground level. More than once had the five trailing behind glanced at one another, unsure if they had taken a wrong turn at some point, or if they had been given wrong instructions. Just as Rainbow Blitz was about to speak up and question their path, they turned into a large room that was at the end of an ascending staircase with two distinct looking chairs at the far end. “We’re here!” Dusk exclaimed, trotting into the chamber. “Oh wow... It’s everything I thought it would be. Can you believe the princesses used to rule from here?” He turned to his friends with a wide grin, his eyes almost glistening in joy from all of the historical presence he was taking in. “I can believe it!” Bubble Berry said, hopping farther into the room. “Look at how big it is. Ooh, and look at those big windows behind the throne!” Dusk hadn’t noticed the windows when he first entered, opting to focus on the old architecture and design instead. A circular section of the right window was just the right size to perfectly encompass the moon, flooding the room with brilliant white light. The glow lit up the surrounding artwork, projecting a full scene onto the floor in front of them. Dusk simply stood in awe of the precision that was necessary for such a design to work. It wasn’t until Blitz tapped him on the shoulder that he snapped out of his trance. “Yeah, it’s cool and all, but we have some super old doohickey to find,” The pegasus said, glancing around the room. Dusk could feel his cheeks go hot in embarrassment. “Oh, yeah... right. Artifact.” He looked around the room, remembering that the object was supposed to be gold - but nothing like that caught his eye. “Everypony, start looking in an area of the throne room. Try to find anything that might help us get the relic.” The six of them split into different sections of the chamber, searching for anything at all that might help them. Dusk inspected near the windows, checking for any loose bricks in the floor or wall. Elusive sifted through a bookshelf with care, shoving a foreleg into his snout to sneeze every so often from the dust build up. Blitz and Butterscotch took to the air, looking through the remains of old tapestries and around the large columns that supported the room. Berry slid across the floor with one ear glued to the stone, as if he was listening for something in the ground. Applejack rolled his eyes and sighed at Berry’s antics, looking over the entryway for anything out of the ordinary. Their searching, however, ended up being fruitless. “Ain’t nothin’ around around here... sorry Dusk.” Applejack said, sighing and walking to the middle of the room. “Nothing’s up here either!” Blitz called, scanning around the top of the chamber once again. Still not finding anything, he glided down next to Applejack, his hooves making a light screech as his slid to a halt. “I’m sorry, Dusk.” Butterscotch added, landing with a soft thud next to Blitz. “I tried really hard, too.” With a cough, and another sneeze, Elusive joined the rest of them. “Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything of the sort. My apologies, Dusk.” In front of the growing group, Bubble Berry slid across the ground and stopped. He looked to the floor in concentration as he listened to the stone, even sticking his tongue out in focus. After a few moments, however, he sighed and stood up. He snorted and walked next to Blitz, then said “Nothing. And I was so sure the rocks would tell me their secrets.” “Well, guess we’re outta options, then ain’t we? Unless Dusk found somethin’ over there...” Applejack said, looking to Dusk Shine. The unicorn was standing still, looking to the ground. His mane, even with its short length, still managed to obscure his eyes. “Dusk? You okay?” Applejack took several steps forward, approaching his friend. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it when his ears perked up and he noticed the faint sound of liquid hitting stone. It didn’t take him long to find the origin of the noise: a patch of dark spots on the floor below Dusk. “It’s all my fault...” the lavender stallion said, at an almost inaudible whisper. “Dusk, you don’t have ta-” Applejack was interrupted by Dusk slamming his hoof on the ground, sending a hollow echo throughout the room. “It’s all because of me!” he yelled, looking up to farm pony. His violet eyes were reddened, and glistened with tears that slowly slid down his face, while his brows were creased in anger. “I’m the reason we’re all stuck like this!” The four ponies grouped up said nothing, not even sure what they could say. Bubble glanced to Elusive, and vice versa, both questioning the other with what to do. Butterscotch did the same to Blitz, but the sky blue pony only looked to Dusk, his mouth in a frown and his eyes in a determined gaze. “It’s... It’s okay, Dusk. We’ll figure somethin’ out,” Applejack said, in an attempt to calm Dusk down. Unfortunately, this only brought a choked sob from the unicorn. “That’s just the thing... we won’t. You heard Celestia, there’s only one spell to fix this... and we can’t finish it!” The outburst caused Applejack to take a step back. Now, even he wasn’t sure how to get Dusk to relax. “I never should have tried that spell!” Dusk said, rubbing his eyes with a foreleg and looking down. “I was so... so... so stupid!” He slammed his other hoof down, sending another loud echo through the chamber. “And I got all of you involved... my closest friends... the only ones who cared about me... And I completely abused your trust!” Elusive opened his mouth to say something, but to his surprise, Blitz put a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder and shook his head. Elusive raised his eyebrow in question, but Blitz returned to looking at Dusk. “Our lives... our lives will never be the same...” Dusk said, his voice wavering. The unicorn’s body shook, part out of fear, and part because of the multitude of emotions going through his head. I’m a failure... They’ll never trust me again... Celestia will get a new student... “I really... failed all of you...” he conceded, looking to the ground. The room went quiet, save for Dusk’s occasional sniffle or cough as he continued to weep. “Dusk...” Elusive began, searching for the words to continue his sentence. “You mustn't be so hard on yo-” “No, Elusive. I should. This is entirely because of me...” He wiped his eyes again, which didn’t do much to stop the tears. “I’ve ruined all of our lives, all because I couldn’t cast a spell right... I don’t deserve to be the Element of Magic!” he yelled, breaking down into more audible sobs. “Dusk, don’t go sayin’ that... you can do magic better than anypony I know,” Applejack replied. “It doesn’t matter how good I am! I... I screwed up when it mattered most, and you were all caught in the aftermath. I don’t even... I don’t even deserve you as friends!” Dusk cried, looking back to the ground and shaking. “Dusk Shine, get ready!” Blitz’s voice rang out, startling everypony in the room. Dusk looked up, just in time to see Blitz flying at him, a hoof extended outward. With a sickening thud, the pegasi’s hoof impacted with Dusk’s jaw, with enough force to send the unicorn flying backwards and his saddlebags hurtling to the far wall. Blitz skidded to a halt on the floor just as Dusk collided with the left throne and fell to the ground, coughing. “Pull yourself together!” The other four ponies stood with their mouths hanging open in shock. They were too stunned to say anything, giving Blitz the time to continue. “You’ve done nothing but bring us together as friends, and without you, we probably wouldn’t even know each other. You definitely deserve us, and you definitely deserve to be the element of magic. Being stallions for the rest of our lives isn’t gonna change that.” It took a moment before Dusk Shine stirred, adjusting his legs to push himself up. With some struggle, he rose, revealing a reddened and swollen area on his muzzle, along with a small trail of blood running from his mouth. Butterscotch turned his head away, while Elusive could only put a hoof to his mouth and gasp. Looking to Blitz, Dusk raised a hoof and wiped the blood away, glancing at the red smear on his foreleg as he did. Then he smiled. “I appreciate it, Blitz.” “Whu... What?” Applejack suddenly said, looking between Blitz and Dusk. “He jus’ punched you dead in the face, and you’re thankin’ him for it?” Dusk Shine’s gaze switched to Applejack. “Sometimes, AJ... I guess words can’t solve a problem.” He looked back to Blitz gave a toothy smile. “It takes action.” “Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about,” Blitz replied, returning the grin. It was then that Elusive spoke up. “Ahem, if I may interject on this little moment of bonding, I think you’ll find that Blitz’s little action was just what we needed.” He motioned to the throne, which had slid back at a slight angle from Dusk’s impact. “Huh. Look at that!” Blitz said, flapping his wings just enough to push him next to the throne. Looking down, he noticed a small gap in the floor, indicating a compartment in the stone. “AJ, wanna help me push this?” “Sure thing!” the earth pony said, hurrying over to Blitz. The two of them leaned against the seat and pushed. With some strained effort, it slid across the ground, revealing the whole of the chamber. Butterscotch and Bubble Berry hurried over to the hole, and the six stallions peered inside. “Is... is that it?” Butterscotch asked, noticing the faintest glint of metal at the bottom. Dusk’s horn then lit up, and the faint glow surrounded the object. “Only one way to find out.” He lifted the object from the hole, revealing a gleaming, golden statue. Images of the two alicorn sisters were engraved on it, rearing on their hind legs and their backs facing one another. The relic gave off a faint, curious glow itself. “This has to be it. It’s just as Celestia described...” “So we’re almost done!” Bubble Berry exclaimed, hopping in place and beaming widely. “We’ll finally be back to normal and I can throw a super humongous party for us all and...” he trailed off, bouncing about the group. “We are almost done... in fact, we just need to get back to Celestia,” Dusk said, a smile crawling onto his face. “Come on, everypony, let’s get to Canterlot as fast as we can!” “Finally! Ah was wonderin’ when we’d get ta this point.” Applejack replied, turning around and making his way to the door. Turning around, Dusk levitated his bags over to himself and put them back on, then secured the artifact to his back with some spare rope. “...and we can invite everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville to come, and they’ll be so super excited and...” Dusk chuckled, then said “Come on Berry, let’s go.” The pink pony nodded and hopped to the rest of the group, who were waiting at the door patiently. “Now, before we go, all of you, take a look.” Dusk said, holding the necklace up. “Oh, and like you saw before with Blitz... brace yourself.” The five ponies nodded and stared into the necklace. One by the one, they stumbled a few steps back and shook their heads. Dusk himself was the last to look, but by this point, it barely had any effect on him. Guess I’m out... he thought, frowning as he let the necklace drop. “Goodness... does it have to be so strong?” Elusive asked, rubbing his temple. “Eh, it’s not so bad the second time around.” Blitz said, giving a cheeky grin. Applejack then kicked at the door, opening it. The sound was enough to get the others to look in his direction. “Enough talkin’,” he began, with a smile. “We got a spell to cast.” - - - Outside the Everfree Forest, the six stallions galloped towards the balloon, which was still sitting where they left it. The balloon had deflated a bit, but Dusk began taking care of it with his magic as he hopped into the balloon. Elusive, Bubble Berry and Applejack followed, closing the door behind them. “Blitz, Butterscotch, you two help get this thing back in the air,” Dusk said, concentrating on the heating element for the balloon. “Got it, boss,” Blitz said, sticking his front two hooves under the basket and flapping his wings. Butterscotch did the same to the opposite side and the balloon began to rise. “Just a bit longer, guys,” Dusk said, his horn ceasing it’s glow. He looked over the edge of the basket and watched the ground start to leave them, followed by the treeline. “Thanks!” he called out of basket. Butterscotch flew in with the others, immediately closing his wings and staying near the middle of the group. “It’s the final stretch, everypony,” Dusk said, with a smile. “It’ll all be over soon...” Looking to the distance, he saw the edges of Canterlot on the mountainside. “It’ll all be over soon.”

Alexstrazsa

19

Main 6,Octavia,Princess Celestia,Adventure,Comedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The 63rd Rune

Twilight and friends get turned into... stallions!?

complete

<p>When a spell goes wrong, Twilight finds herself and her friends... as stallions! Will they be able to reverse the effects and return to their normal lives? </p><p>Spanish Translation by <a href="/user/352294/SPANIARD+KIWI" rel="nofollow">SPANIARD KIWI</a>: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Runa-63-1000350600</a></p>

everyone

2012-03-09T02:50:47+00:00

2013-04-30T19:23:15+00:00

Chapter 7: You Know What This Calls For!? Before the basket had even touched the landing platform, the six stallions were leaping from the gondola and galloping into the castle. Their thunderous travel reverberated throughout the halls as they made their way to Celestia’s chambers. Without a second thought, they careened through the door, sending it bursting open and hitting the walls with a resounding crash. “We have the artifact!” Dusk Shine called, panting heavily. He undid the ropes tying the object down and levitated it up to Celestia’s field of view, flashing Celestia a weak smile. Seeing Celestia’s shocked expression, he cast a look behind him, taking in the dented door and terrified courtiers. Realizing what they had done, he immediately said “Oh, goodness! I’m so sorry, we should have knocked first!” The Princess shook herself and gave a light chuckle as she stood up from her desk. “It’s quite alright, Twi-” Her tone changed from bemusement to worry as she noticed the large bruise upon Dusk’s face, and Celestia started forward with a concerned expression.“By the stars, how did you get so hurt?” Dusk looked back to Blitz, who was doing his best to avoid eye contact with Celestia. “It’s... uh... a long story,” The lavender stallion replied, with a mischievous grin. The princess raised an eyebrow and started to say something before thinking better of it. “Perhaps you can share it later. For now though, I’m sure that there’s a counter spell to be made that all of you have been waiting for.” Taking control of the artifact with her magic, she floated it to her desk, not bothering to even move the papers resting upon it. “Whew... I’ll be glad ta be mah old self again...” Applejack said, letting out a sigh of relief. “However...” Celestia continued, opening one of the drawers. She sifted through it and brought out several pages of parchment full of writing and diagrams. “It will take quite some time before the spell is ready to be cast.” The group of stallions sighed collectively. “How long, princess?” Dusk asked, frowning softly. “I’m not entirely certain, Twilight. My apologies,” Celestia replied, putting the papers down and turning back to the group. “I will, however, contact you as soon as it’s done.” She then closed her eyes, and her horn began to glow. Can you hear me, Twilight? went through Dusk Shine’s head, startling the unicorn. It didn’t take him long to realize what happened, though, and he answered. “Yes, I can hear you.” Celestia opened one of her eyes and looked to Dusk, saying “Don’t speak... think.” Dusk nodded, then thought I can hear you... can you hear me? The Princess smiled, replying with Indeed, I can. Before you leave, I would advise you to not stray far from Canterlot. Even with my magical ability, the spell will only go so far. “I understand,” Dusk Shine said, looking up to Celestia and smiling. “Hey, hey. What’s that all about?” Blitz asked, his eyes shifting between Celestia and Dusk Shine. “Oh, the princess can speak to me magically,” the unicorn answered, with a smile. “And we can’t leave the city, or the magic link will break. Is that okay with everypony?” Various murmurs and nods of agreement sounded from the other stallions. “Excellent. Now, if you’ll all excuse me, I must start working,” she replied, giving a polite nod. The six of them bowed, then turned around and left the room, leaving Celestia to prepare. The princess approached the artifact and began to look through her notes. - - - “What should we do now?” Butterscotch asked, walking alongside the rest of the group. They were just now passing through the large entrance gate to the castle. Their hooves lightly clopped against the wooden bridge underneath them, leaving behind the faintest of echos. “I’m not sure.” Dusk hesitated, his mind going through a list of potential problems. “But I’d rather we don’t go too far from the castle.” Just then, they reached the residential district of Canterlot. “Well, Celestia did say she she needed rather a lot of time, did she not?” Elusive asked, looking to the other unicorn. Dusk nodded, at the same time giving Elusive an inquisitive look. “Yes, she did... why?” “I was just thinking that we could do a bit of light window shopping is all,” he replied, giving Dusk an innocent smile. All the unicorn could do was sigh. “I would really prefer if you didn’t - you can go shopping at any other time.” “But we’re in Canterlot! It’s not every day that I have the luxury of being around the glamor and fashion in royalty!” Elusive protested, pouting. “Celestia probably won’t be-” “Please?” Elusive interrupted, inching closer to Dusk Shine. “I won’t be long, I promise! It’ll just be a quick browse!” “We should stay to-” “Please?!” The white unicorn interrupted again, getting even closer. His pout had turned into a full frown and his eyes were glistening, as if he were on the verge of tears. Dusk let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, and looking away from Elusive, said “Fine... but don’t be gone too long...” “Yes!” he cheered, his purple mane bouncing just as he did. “Oh, I can’t wait to see all of the new fashions! Perhaps I can even get some ideas for a new line, and maybe-” “Nah ah. Not so fast.” Dusk was the one to interrupt this time. He turned his head to look at Blitz, who was absently looking to the sky. “Blitz is going with you.” “I’m doing what?” “He’s doing what?” Bubble Berry put a hoof to his mouth and giggled. “You guys sound funny when you talk at the same time!” Ignoring the pink pony, Blitz and Elusive shared a smiliar look of bewilderment. “You’ve seen what’s been happening with our memories. I don’t want one of you to wander off and forget who you are in the middle of Canterlot, okay?” Dusk said, his expression softening. “It’s only to keep you safe.” “I guess I’ll stay with Elusive,” Blitz groaned, glancing over to the fashion pony. “But I can’t promise I won’t fall asleep out of boredom.” Dusk laughed and gave a warm smile to both of them. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Now, don’t take too long. Meet us at The Prime Pegasus when you’re finished, okay?” “Certainly. We won’t take long, I swear it,” Elusive replied, returning the grin. He then looked to Blitz. “Come along then, Blitz. We have new fashions to peruse!” “You have no idea how excited I am,” Blitz said, sarcasm lacing his voice. Elusive didn’t seem to notice, so Blitz kept his thoughts to himself. The two then proceeded into the business district of Canterlot. - - - The two stallions made their way through the bustling streets of the city, taking in the sights and sounds. Elusive was particularly enjoying the trip, looking into each clothing outlet and high end shop as a young foal would look into a toy store. After browsing the main displays of several places, they came upon a store by the name of The Distinguished Gentlcolt. In the window was a single suit, adorned with numerous small gems and intricate layers of fabric that formed complex patterns on the piece. Several lights focused on the design, and Elusive found his vision only focused on the expertly crafted article of clothing, as if he were entranced. “Oh, we must go inside!” The unicorn exclaimed, admiring the finer details of the suit. He brought a hoof to the glass in a vain attempt to touch the delicate fabric. “But you aren’t even buying anything.” Blitz sighed, looking to the clothing like it was any other piece of fabric. “Besides, it doesn’t even look that great, and it’s not like you can wear it when this is over.” Elusive turned his head, staring at Blitz in open shock. “Excusez-moi?! I’ll have you know that this... masterpiece...” he briefly looked back at the suit, then returned his gaze to Blitz. “Is some of the finest tailoring I have ever seen! Clearly, you have no sense of style, or else you would see the genius put into this design.” Blitz snorted, then said “Ya think? When have I ever been into fashion?” The unicorn brought a hoof up as if to start making a point, but then lowered it and creased his brows. “Never, I suppose. A shame, too. You’d look wonderful in a custom tailored ensemble.” “Pft, good luck getting me into one of those,” The pegasus snapped, rolling his eyes. “You’d sooner find me in one of your lame coffee shops.” “They are not ‘lame’!” Elusive huffed, frowning. “They are refined. Though I wouldn’t expect you to know anything about that.” “Whatever...” Blitz retorted, looking away and giving his wings an agitated flap. “I’ll wait out here. You can go look at your fancy clothes.” Elusive’s only reply was a quick “Hmph,” and he disappeared into the store. Blitz stood outside of the door for a moment, contemplating what he would do next, but his thought process was interrupted by a familiar sounding voice. “Rainbow Blitz? Is that you?” Blitz turned around to come face to face with the same mare from the bar - Octavia. She was without her instrument or bow tie, and this time had a soft smile on her face. Her purple eyes and dark mane shone in the daylight, and her presence caught Blitz off guard. He remained awestruck for several moments before she waved a hoof in front of his eyes and asked “Anypony there?” He blinked several times and shook his head, then said “Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I didn’t think I’d see you again.” “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again either, so it’s nice to find you in the city. Speaking of... what are you doing here?” She asked, looking around like the city was foreign. “I’m here with a friend.” Blitz turned his head to look back into the shop. He could barely make out Elusive’s purple mane through the display window. “I’m waiting for him to finish looking around this place.” Octavia nodded, looking in the same general direction as Blitz. After a moment, the two looked back to each other, and the grey mare asked “So, I was off to get lunch before I found you. Would your friend mind if you joined me?” “Uh... I don’t think so. Just gimme a sec,” Blitz replied, walking into the store. Within the minute, he was back out, smiling to Octavia as he approached her. She returned the smile and asked “Well?” “It’s cool. I just need to be back here in an hour or so. We’ve got time.” “Wonderful. I know a lovely place that isn’t too far from here,” The mare said, leading Blitz further into the district. A wide grin plastered across his face, the pegasus followed alongside her, confident that his unicorn friend heard him through the changing room door. - - - Dusk Shine rested his head on his hoof as he watched the seconds tick by at an agonizing pace. He continuously glanced to the door of the inn, then back to the clock, anticipating Blitz and Elusive to return at any moment, for it had been far longer than the ‘quick browse’ that had been promised. “Yer bein’ awfully quiet, Dusk,” Applejack said, taking another gulp of cider. “It ain’t like you to stay so hush. What’s on yer mind?” “They still aren’t back yet,” the unicorn replied, looking back to the door. He tapped his hoof against the tabletop rapidly. “If you’re worried, we can look for them, can’t we?” Butterscotch asked, turning his head to Dusk. Brows furrowed in thought, the unicorn brought a hoof up to his chin. “That would be a good idea,” Dusk mumbled. After several more moments of thinking, he stood up, and after brushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes, said “Okay, here’s the plan. Butterscotch and Bubble Berry, you two go to the castle and tell the princess the situation. I would tell her myself, but it would be better to have you two already at the castle. We don’t want four lost stallions, do we?” “Oh, that would be bad...” the pegasus said, with a soft frown. Dusk Shine turned his head to Applejack and continued, “AJ, you and I will search the town. Hopefully, they haven’t gone too far, so we should still be able to find them in the business district.” All three nodded in agreement. Applejack stood up, followed soon after by Bubble Berry and Butterscotch. The unicorn then looked to Butterscotch and Bubble Berry and said “When you reach the princess, ask her to contact me, okay?” The pink pony brought a hoof to his brow in a salute. “Yes, sir! Operation ‘Get Celestia’ is a go!” He stood on all fours, beaming towards Dusk Shine. “We’ll find that princess is no time!” Dusk nodded. “Great! Do whatever it takes to find her. Now, let’s go!” The four hastily left the inn and split ways, briefly nodding to each other as they separated. Bubble Berry and Butterscotch disappeared into the gates leading to the castle while Applejack and Dusk Shine went into the crowded streets of the business district. Before they got much further, Dusk stopped Applejack with a hoof on his shoulder. “Applejack... take the necklace. I can’t use it anymore, so it’s better off with you.” The amulet was encased in his distinct magic aura and levitated off his shoulders, quickly changing ownership to the orange earth pony. “So... I jus’ show it to ‘em, right? And it’ll work?” Applejack asked, glancing down at the new accessory. Dusk Shine nodded and began walking again. “It’s as simple as that. Just be careful that you don’t accidentally look in it, alright?” “Sure thing, Dusk,” Applejack replied. The two made their way through the district, keeping an eye out for any signs of Elusive or Rainbow Blitz. After the fifth store, Applejack came out looking less than satisfied. “This ain’t goin’ anywhere,” he said, looking to the unicorn with agitation. “He could be in any one of these stores... and there are quite a lot!” he replied, craning his neck to look down the long road. The stores and ponies surrounding them stretched on for as far as he could see. “Should we start askin’ ponies if they’ve seen ‘em?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow and briefly scanning over the crowd. “It’s either that or we keep checking every store,” Dusk replied, gulping. “Yeah... Nah.” The orange stallion walked off and approached the first pony he found - an average dressed mare with several accessories and wearing a generous amount of makeup. “‘Let’s see if Ah still got it...” he mumbled to himself. Then, he cleared his throat and spoke, in a upper class Manehatten accent, “Pardon me, ma’am, but could you answer a question of mine?” The pony in question raised an eyebrow, looking at Applejack like he had sprouted an extra head. It took a moment for her to regain her composure and respond, and she was still apprehensive about it. “And... what might that be?” “I’m looking for two young stallions. One is an off white unicorn with a styled purple mane and the other is a brilliant light blue with a bright, spiky rainbow mane. They stand out quite a bit.” Applejack replied, with a light chuckle. “Oh. I believe I saw those two earlier,” the mare replied, causing a smile to grow on Applejack’s face. “Thought it was only in passing. If I’m not mistaken, they went... that way.” She waved a hoof and motioned farther down the road - the only way they could have gone. The stallion’s grin lessened slightly. He tipped his hat forward and replied with “Thank you very much for your time.” The mare nodded and continued on her way and Applejack walked back to Dusk, who had his mouth hung open in shock. “Ah thought you knew Ah could speak jus’ like these fancy folks,” he said, with a wink. “Too bad we didn’t learn anythin’ useful...” Dusk Shine shook his head, then said “Let’s just keep going. Maybe somepony farther down will know something.” “Maybe...” Applejack replied, starting to move down the street. The two stallions continued the pattern of looking through several shops, then asking a passerby if they had seen the ponies in question. Eventually, their search led them to an extravagant looking clothing store. The words “The Distinguished Gentlecolt” were emblazoned above the shop in gold, cursive lettering. “If he ain’t in here, I don’t think we’re gonna find him anywhere else,” Applejack said, cocking his head to the side and looking over the lavish storefront. “It’s certainly... shiny enough.” “Well, there’s only one way to find out...” Dusk replied, walking towards the door. He opened it and stepped in, hearing a small bell ring from the top of the door as he did so. The unicorn was greeted by an array of mannequins, all displaying some new type of clothing style. They were each embellished with complex patterns, small gems, and various accessories such as bow ties and decorative flowers. Dusk did his best to ignore the florid designs and moved farther into the shop, and sure enough, he found who he was looking for. The white unicorn was chatting with the owner, motioning to one of the suits every so often. The shop owner looked very pleased, and nodded his head in agreement occasionally. “Elusive, thank goodness you’re in here,” Dusk said, letting out a relieved sigh and beginning to walk towards the purple maned pony. Applejack silently followed him, glancing around with a constant look of discomfort. Elusive glanced to Dusk Shine, then back to the owner. It took a moment, but his head snapped back to the lavender unicorn, and he looked at Dusk with great curiosity. “Dusk Shine? Applejack? Whatever are you doing here in Canterlot?” Dusk felt his heart sink in his chest upon hearing the words. He gulped, then said “Elusive... we’ve been here the whole time, remember?” Elusive rose one of his eyebrows. “Whatever are you talking about, Dusk? I’ve been in Canterlot since... since...” he trailed off, looking past Dusk. He then blinked a few times, then said “You know... for the life of me, I can’t remember why I’m here. Isn’t that curious?” “Do you remember anything, Elusive? Anything at all?” Dusk said, inching closer to the unicorn. He wore a frown, and could feel beads of sweat starting to form on his brow. “Please tell me you remember something.” The white unicorn looked down in thought, then responded with “I’m terribly sorry, Dusk, but I’ve really no idea why I’m here... or even how I got here.” “So you don’t remember being with Blitz? Or traveling with us the past few days?” Elusive shook his head, with a look of concern on his face. “Nothing of the sort.” He then looked to Dusk, studying the unicorn for a moment. “Are you feeling okay, Dusk? You seem a tad pale... and as though you could use a bit of sleep. Perhaps you should see the prince and get some rest.” A single word stood out. Prince. “What do you mean... ‘prince’?” Dusk Shine asked, warily. “Prince Solaris, of course. Who else would I be talking about? Then again, it could refer to Prince Artemis as well...” Dusk turned to Applejack and said “This is bad, AJ... this is really bad.” “Well, Ah’m hopin’ this works like you said it does.” Applejack replied, not moving his gaze off of Elusive. “Hey, ‘lusive. Check out this here gem.” He took the amulet in his hoof and lifted it up for the unicorn to see. “My, Applejack, that looks lovely. Wherever did you-” He was cut off by a rush of memory, which stunned him briefly. After closing his eyes tightly and wobbling in place, he slowly opened them and looked to Dusk and Applejack. Elusive blinked several times, then his eyes grew wide in terror. “Oh my goodness, Dusk Shine, I’m terribly sorry about all of this! One moment I was browsing the store, the next I had no idea why I was even here... I cannot apologize enough for taking so long!” “It’s fine, Elusive. Really,” Dusk Shine said, a smile appearing on his face. It didn’t last long, though, and his expression quickly turned to a more serious one. “What we need to know is where Blitz went.” “Rainbow Blitz? He came in earlier and said that he was... going to lunch. He mentioned some mare as well. The same one from the inn, I believe. Octavia, was it?” Dusk brought a hoof to his face, letting it slide down slowly. As it did, he let out a groan of frustration. “We need to find him, now,” Dusk said, motioning to the door. “We don’t have much time.” Elusive nodded and replied with “I understand.” He then turned to the owner, who was looking to the group in a mix of confusion and awe. “I’m terribly sorry, sir, but our business venture will have to continue at a later date. Farewell!” The three stallions then galloped out of the boutique, leaving a speechless tailor in their wake. “Okay, they went to eat, so that rules out everywhere but restaurants!” Dusk exclaimed, galloping through the streets. Elusive and Applejack followed right beside him, keeping up the brisk pace. “We need to look in every place we can get food, and quickly. Let’s move!” “Got it, Dusk!” Applejack called, glancing around for the nearest eatery. A building adorned with a large, crossed fork and knife caught his attention. “Over there!” he said, motioning in to it. Dusk and Elusive nodded, following him to the building. The orange stallion wasted no time poking his head into the building and looking around, only to find no sign of his rainbow maned friend. As quickly as he entered, he left, shaking his head as he made eye contact with Dusk and Elusive. “Nothin’, but there can’t be that many food places around here. And if he’s with that Octavia girl, I’m bettin’ they went to someplace fancy.” Dusk nodded, starting to head down the street. “Good thinking, Applejack. Let’s keep going.” As he began thinking about what sort of place Blitz would be in, Princess Celestia’s voice flowed through his mind. Your friends have arrived at the castle, Twilight, and are safe with me. I am nearly done preparing, so attempt to find the Element of Loyalty as quickly as you can. I’ll do my best, princess. Dusk thought back, closing his eyes briefly in concentration. Their search landed them in front of a small cafe, on a small side street in the district. Above the door was the depiction of a coffee cup, with a small tendril of steam wafting from it. The three of them looked over the building, then shared a glance. “Ya... really think he’s in here, Dusk?” Applejack asked, cocking his head slightly. “It’s a bit... uh... cushy.” “It’s as much of a guess as anywhere else, but we have to try,” Dusk replied, opening the door. “Please be in here, please be in here...” he whispered to himself, closing his eyes and taking a breath as he entered the building. He exhaled as his eyelids fluttered opened and he looked around the interior of the cafe. His vision darted from patron to patron, and he was almost about to turn around and leave before noticing the top of a red and orange mane poking out from one of the booths. In the opposing seat was Octavia, holding a cup and having a conversation. Dusk sighed with relief, then walked out and told his other two friends to come inside. Octavia noticed the three approaching and gave a warm smile, then waved them over. “Fancy meeting you three here.” The pegasus turned his head, giving a surprised look when he saw the three stallions. “What are you guys doing here?” he asked. “The better question is, what are you doin’ here?” Applejack asked, giving Blitz a look of confusion. “I do recall you saying something about coffee shops being ‘lame’ earlier, Rainbow,” Elusive chimed in, with a sly grin. Blitz scratched the back of his head, then looked around the cafe. “Octavia caught up with me earlier and we went to this place... but now that you mention it, I don’t really remember why I’m in Canterlot.” “Well, we’re here to take you back to the castle, Blitz,” Dusk added, moving between Elusive and Applejack, “The princess is waiting for us.” Octavia gasped, putting a hoof to her mouth and glancing between Blitz and the other three. “My goodness. I didn’t know you had an audience with Celestia herself, Blitz. You should’ve told me you had important plans, or else I wouldn’t have kept you so long!” “Celestia...?” Blitz mouthed out, as if it were a foreign word that he had never heard before. “Ya know what? We don’t have time for this,” Applejack groaned. He pulled up the amulet and put it in front of Blitz’s face. “Lookie here, Rainbow. It’s nice an’ shiny.” The pegasus went wide eyed and fell back in his seat, provoking a concerned look from Octavia. “What in Equestria was that?” she asked, leaning over the table. She glanced nervously between Applejack and Blitz, who was just getting up. Applejack let the amulet go, allowing it to fall and hit his chest. He then looked to Octavia and gave a smug grin. “That, missy, is a bit of alicorn magic for ya.” “Ugh, again? I told you to warn me before doing that...” Blitz moaned, rubbing the side of his head. He then blinked and looked around the cafe, finally looking to Octavia. He frowned, then said “This looks kinda bad, doesn’t it?” The dark mare nodded slowly, keeping her mouth closed. “Uh... hmm...” The rainbow maned pegasus tapped forehooves against the table top. Glancing to his friends, he said “I’m sorry about this... but I kinda need to leave.” He gave Octavia a sympathetic look, then slowly started to inch out from the table. “Can I at least get an explanation of what you’re doing?” she asked, with a light frown. Blitz halted his movement, then glanced to his friends with a look that said ‘help’. Elusive brought a hoof to his neck and cleared his throat, then said “Allow me to tell her, Rainbow.” He looked around, then walked next to Octavia and began to whisper in her ear. She at first had a look of curiosity, which shifted to one of mild disgust. Finally, her eyes widened to give her a look of shock. As Elusive finished and stepped back, she opened her mouth a few times, and only on the third attempt did any words come out. “I see.” She flatly replied. “So... yeah...” Blitz mumbled, looking to the ground as his cheeks began to grow crimson. “That’s how it is.” The five of them remained silent, with the four stallions glancing to each other, waiting for one of the others to say or do something. Octavia stared at the table, blinking occasionally, but otherwise not moving a muscle. After the long and uncomfortable silence, she finally spoke. “Blitz... you should go and have that spell cast.” She then looked up to him with a stern gaze. “And you shouldn’t try and be somepony you aren’t.” Rainbow Blitz gulped, watching her violet gaze pierce through him. “Octavia, I... I didn’t mean to-” “Hush. You don’t have much time left, do you?” “No... I don’t.” He answered, with a sigh. Moving from the table, he stood up and briefly shook out his mane and tail. He then looked to his friends and nodded. “I’m ready.” The other three returned the nod and began to walk towards the door. As Blitz turned to follow them, he felt a hoof touch his shoulder. He looked over to find the grey mare standing next to him, with the faintest smile on her face. “When you change back, Rainbow... come and find me in Canterlot.” Blitz blinked a few times, surprised at her request, but after the gears in his head had sufficient time to turn, he smiled as well. “I will.” He said, giving her a cheeky grin. “You can count on that. ‘Til then...” he continued, turning back to the front of the cafe. “...gotta dash.” - - - The four stallions galloped into Celestia’s chambers with more care than before, but with the same haste and determination. Bubble Berry was sitting next to Butterscotch in front of the princess’s bed, and the two waved as the others made their way inside. “And that’s... 36 minutes and ten seconds on the dot! Looks like you won the bet, ‘Scotchy! I thought they would be way slower than that.” Bubble chirped, looking to his bare hoof. “I’m just confident is all,” the yellow pegasus replied, with a soft smile. Dusk Shine broke away from the group and walked towards Celestia. “I’m sorry for the delay, princess. It took us a lot longer than I hoped to find Blitz, and we tried to get-” He was interrupted by Celestia’s armor clad hoof touching his chin. As he stopped talking, he noticed a large vial hanging by a strap around Celestia’s neck. It was capped with a foam cork, and contained a gold, dust like substance that seemed to give off a faint glow. A light prod of the princess’s hoof brought his attention upwards to her face. She smiled and said “You don’t have to apologize so much, my student.” She then let go and looked over Dusk to the rest of the group. “Is everypony ready?” She was met by nods and murmurs of agreement. Nodding herself, she said “Excellent. I’m going to bring us all to Ponyville, so please stand around me. The other five stallions quickly made their way to Celestia and circled around her. She closed her eyes and her horn began to glow a brilliant white. Shortly after, a bright flash emanated from the alicorn’s horn, bathing the room in light. When it faded, the seven ponies were nowhere to be found. In Ponyville, however, they had reappeared with a similar bright flash. It garnered the attention of several passerby, who stood and stared at the new arrivals. Celestia looked over the stallions, who were shaking their heads and doing their best to stay upright. “Goodness... I suppose I should have warned you that it might be a bit severe,” she said, frowning slightly. “It mighta been nice,” Applejack shakily replied, falling back onto his haunches. Celestia watched the farmpony for a few moments before turning her head to Dusk Shine, who had recovered already. “Now, before I begin, is this everypony?” “Not quite,” Dusk replied, looking to his library in the distance. “I still have to get Spike.” “Very well,” The princess replied. “I’ll begin preparing the spell circle while you fetch your dragon companion.” Dusk Shine nodded, then galloped off in the direction of his home. The unicorn reached the library door at a speed even Rainbow Blitz would be proud of, and opened the door with the same urgency. “Spike! I’m back! Where are you?!” He yelled into the library, looking around. The library looked clean and well kept - evidence that Spike had been doing his job even when Dusk wasn’t around - yet there was no answer. “Come on, Spike! Are you sleeping this late in the day?” He then heard a crash from upstairs, followed by a rustling of something. “That might be a yes...” Dusk mumbled to himself, walking up the stairs. He reached the door and turned the handle, but as he pushed the door forward he heard a yelp, followed by “Wait, Twilight, don’t come in!” “What could be so wro-” Dusk started, opening the door all the way. He then trailed off as he noticed what Spike was doing. The feminine dragon was surrounded by an assortment of clothes, and upon further inspection, they turned out to be dresses. Spike herself was halfway through removing one, still gripping the edge of the skirt. The two stared at each other, unsure of where to even begin. Spike broke the silence first. “Twilight, I can explain! I just don’t know what came over me! There were a bunch of dresses, and some makeup, and-” “We don’t have time for this, Spike. Just...” he paused, looking over the dragon in a mix of confusion and disgust. “Just get ready and come downstairs. We’re going to fix this.” With that, he turned around and groaned, then left the room. Spike shrugged, then pulled the remains of the dress off. She took one last look in the mirror before wiping the poorly applied makeup of her face, then broke into a jog downstairs to meet with Dusk. The pile of dresses would wait until later. - - - Celestia was handling the golden powder with the utmost care as she sprinkled it across the ground in an intricate pattern of circles and lines. As the flakes touch the ground, they seemed to absorb into the ground like ink to parchment, and stay there even if touched. She was just connecting the circle together as Bubble Berry spotted Dusk and Spike running towards them. “They’re here, they’re here!” he excitedly said, bouncing in place. Celestia looked up as she finished and smiled in the direction of Dusk. “Take a circle, everypony,” she calmly said, turning to her student, who was still galloping towards them. The five stallions stepped in a circle and waited for their next instruction. Dusk got closer to them, but began to slow down to a canter. Spike passed him, looking back with a bit of surprise. “Hm?” Celestia quietly hummed, raising an eyebrow curiously at Dusk’s change in pace. He then slowed to a walk, and the princess noticed a growing look of confusion on his face. Mere feet away from the group, he stopped entirely. “What are you all doing?” He said, looking to each of them. “And... who is that?” He motioned to Celestia. Applejack gulped as he felt his heart sink. He looked down at the amulet, knowing that Dusk had already used his three chances to get his memory. “Tell me this ain’t happenin’ now...” The farmpony whispered, looking back up to Dusk. “Why, we’re here to change back. It’s what we’ve been striving for this entire time.” Elusive said, looking to the lavender unicorn with concern. “Change back? Change back to what?” Dusk quickly asked, his eyes darting from pony to pony. His gaze ended on Celestia, and he furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong with them? What have you done?” “She hasn’t done anythin’ to us, Dusk! This here’s Celestia. Your teacher? The one ya’ll look up to every day?” Applejack added, cracking a faint smile as he waved a hoof at the princess. Dusk Shine took a step back, looking at Applejack as if he’d just been insulted. “Her? That isn’t Prince Solaris!” He looked back to Celestia with fire in his eyes and grit his teeth. “What did you do to them?” Celestia frowned, looking to her student with a forlorn gaze. “Twilight, I’ve done nothing to your friends. I know you don’t remember, but please trust me when I say I am only trying to help you.” “She’s right, Dusk. You need to change back to normal too.” Butterscotch added, moving more into view so he could give Dusk Shine a compassionate look. “You gotta step in the circle, Dusk!” Blitz snapped, tapping his hoof impatiently. Elusive threw him a stern look, which he simply snorted at and continued looking at Dusk. “I need to get back to weather patrol.” Dusk Shine took another step back, and he began to frown. His face turned to a look of fear as he looked at his friends in disbelief. “I... I don’t believe you! She’s changed you somehow!” he yelled, taking a third step back. Celestia shifted her eyes to look at Applejack, who was standing next to her. “Applejack... I don’t know how much more time you all have. It’s imperative that you get Twilight into her rune circle,” she whispered. “Ah’ll get him...” the orange stallion whispered back, opening his saddlebag slowly. “Ah never go on a trip without mah rope.” He then looked to Blitz, who was looking back at him. The two briefly nodded at each other, then turned their gaze back to Dusk. “Dusk, ya gotta come here. As the Element of Honesty, Ah’m tellin’ ya the truth. There ain’t nothin to be afraid of!” he called, as genuinely as he could. Dusk Shine shook his head, then shakily yelled “N-no! I don’t believe you! Somethings wrong with all of you!” As he finished, he turned to run away. “Blitz, now!” Applejack yelled, pulling the rope out of his saddlebag. Blitz flared his wings and gave them a powerful flap, shooting forward towards Dusk Shine. The unicorn looked behind him, his horn lighting up as he did so. A magic barrier shot up in front of Blitz, which the pegasus narrowly avoid by diving to the side. “Get back here, Dusk!” Blitz yelled, flapping his wings to avoid another glowing wall which had shot up in front of him. He briefly looked behind him to find Applejack hot on their trail, swinging the rope above his head. The pegasus continued forward, his tail starting to leave a rainbow streak behind him. He was rapidly gaining on the unicorn, even with all of the obstacles being put in his place, and after several more wing beats, he could almost touch the unicorn’s tail. “Stay away!” Dusk yelled, looking behind him and shooting a purple bolt of magic at Blitz, who spun to the side to avoid the blast. “Whoa!” he cried, feeling the heat of the blast pass by his body. Dusk had gotten ahead with the distraction, but Blitz was quicker than that, catching up to him almost instantly. He anticipated the next magic blast, and as it passed him, he used the opportunity to make one more strong push forward, tackling Dusk Shine to the ground. The two twisted and spun around each other, kicking up dirt as they flailed. “Watch yerself, Blitz!” Applejack yelled, throwing the lasso ahead of him. The cyan pegasus rolled out of the way in time to watch the loop catch around Dusk’s legs, and with a strong pull, it tightened up and restricted him. “Now let’s bring him back before he can use any magic!” Applejack then tugged on the rope, running back to the group. Dusk struggled against the binds, desperately trying to free his legs and escape. His horn lit up as he attempted to cast a spell. “Oh no you don’t!” Blitz intervened, pushing the unicorn around and breaking his concentration. He then pushed against Dusk’s back and flapped his wings, trying to move the unicorn across the ground faster. Celestia only watched with a pained grimace as her pupil was pushed around and dragged across the dirt like a wild animal, but it had to be done. She turned away, only hearing his struggling and angered swears as Applejack and Blitz brought him closer to the group. As the neared, her horn began to glow, and Dusk was encased in a soft yellow glow. “I can handle things from here. I’ll bind her and dampen her magic enough so that I can perform the ritual.” “Yes, ma’am!” Applejack said, galloping into his circle. He then looked to Dusk, who was covered in dirt and being held down on the circle, and frowned. “I’m really sorry, partner...” “We did what we had to do, AJ,” Blitz said, flying to his rune circle as well. “He’ll forgive us after this is all over.” “Are you all ready?” Celestia asked, one last time. They each responded affirmatively, except for Dusk, who was struggling even against the princess’s magic binds. “My apologies, Twilight.” Her horn then began to glow, and the markings below them started to light up and shine. Magic energy arced between the different symbols and letters, causing a soft hum to fill the air surrounding them. Celestia closed her eyes, brightening her horns glow, and the runes began to shine with power. Several of them put a foreleg to their eyes to shield them from the intense light. Then, an extraordinary flash originated from Celestia’s horn, and a massive wave of yellow, crackling white energy erupted through the entire town. - - - Pain. Pain seared through her mind and her eyes flashed open, yet promptly closed when the equally painful light of the sun filled her vision. It took her a moment to finally open her eyes, and when the harsh brightness became more bearable, she saw the clear blue sky above her. Several more throbs of pain washed over her head before she realized she was on her back, and lying in some grass. She put a hoof on the ground to steady herself, and with a weak push, Twilight Sparkle sat up. The unicorn’s vision was blurry at first, but the first thing she noticed was that her mane was in her eyes. Brushing it away, her sight began to clear up, and she saw the quickly sharpening images of her friends around her. Then, she heard their pained groans as they started to get up - most likely with the same symptoms she was experiencing. In the middle of it all was Celestia, resting on the ground and seeming very tired, but with a clear smile on her face. “Princess...?” Twilight groaned, rubbing her head as she looked to her mentor. “Yes, it is I, Twilight,” the princess warmly responded. She had a very faint yet noticeable increase in her breath rate. “Did it work?” the purple maned unicorn asked, beginning to stand up and survey the area. “Indeed, it has. You, your friends and Spike are all back to your original forms,” Celestia replied, getting on all fours as well. A particularly loud groan took their attention, which belonged to Rainbow Dash. One of her wings twitched as she rolled upright and rubbed her forehead. “Jeeze... not even crashing into mountain has given me a headache like this.” “Ah can’t say I’ve had worse than this either...” Applejack grumbled, getting to her hooves. She picked up her nearby hat and placed it on her head, not bothering to fix it’s positioning. “Anypony else feel like they ate too much candy?” a high pitched voice said, belonging to Pinkie Pie. She stood up and shook out her bouncy mane, wobbling in place slightly. The final groan came from the white coated Rarity, who stood up on her third attempt. She kept her eyes closed as she massaged her temple and said “Goodness, I hope we never have to go through something like that again...” “Me neither,” Spike added, pushing himself so he was sitting upright. He kept his balanced with one arm before fully standing and shaking off. “Feels like I fell down the library stairs... again.” Everypony, even the princess, gave a light chuckle at the dragon’s comment. “So... we made it,” Fluttershy said, smiling to the rest of the group. “Yes... yes we did,” Twilight declared, giving the rest of the group a grin. A loud gasp from Pinkie caught her attention. “You know what this calls for!?” She excitedly asked, beaming. Before anypony could answer, she grabbed all of them in a large embrace and pulled them together. “A big hug!” The eight of them laughed as they shared the victory together, holding each other closely and warmly. They continued for as long as they thought necessary, and when the laughter died down and they separated, Pinkie piped up again. “Oh, hey! You know what this really calls for?!” Applejack chuckled and said “Ah bet I can guess.” “A PARTY!” - - - The whole of Ponyville had gathered in Sugarcube Corner, all packed together and surrounded by snacks and party goods. Applejack had spent all day baking with Pinkie, while Twilight and Dash had been inviting ponies to come. Rarity and Fluttershy worked together on decorations and custom party hats for the six of them. When everything had been finished and the moon began to rise over the horizon, everypony prepared for what would be one of Ponyville’s biggest celebrations. Celestia herself attended the party, and after much convincing, finally got Twilight to settle down and enjoy herself. They partied long into the night, and savored every second of it. - Fin -

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T07:09:14+00:00

2012-10-13T07:09:14+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 1 by PK Pony legends spoke of a time when the moon and the sun moved across the sky at the behest of two great goddesses, but those times had long since passed. One day, they simply went... missing. No trace or hint of their whereabouts were ever found, and worse, the sun and moon froze in place above the planet. At first it hadn't been too bad- ponies on the daylit side frolicked and enjoyed the constant sunshine, while the ponies on the night side enjoyed the cool calm of the world at night. Then, things began to take a turn for the worse... 10,000 Years Later Jigsaw's horn shone a blue light on the dark walls of the cave. A creamy yellow pegasus trotted along behind him. Both shot glances over their shoulders every few minutes. "Are you sure we're going the right way, Jigsaw?" said the pegasus. To be perfectly honest with himself, Jigsaw was just as scared as his new apprentice. He'd been put in charge of the tribe's water management system several years ago. The cave had a massive system of pipes, valves, and tubes linking the general populace to the only source of water for hundreds of miles: a vast, underground lake. At one time, the lake had been a safe and even pleasant place to visit, but those days were long gone. Horrible creatures had moved into the lake, and any visit there risked a fight with one of them. Jigsaw's job wasn't easy, even if he didn't have to worry about things lurking in the dark. He had to adjust and reroute the water depending on broken pipes or areas that had fallen to the monsters- and there were more of those every year. The very survival of his civilization depended on it. This year, however, the Tribunal had seen fit to give him an assistant to train. Jigsaw found it strange that her special talent was stealth. How could that help him? He tried not to think about it that much, though. He was glad he was no longer alone. The blue light cast by Jigsaw's horn made sharp shadows appear on the rocks ahead of him. Tiptoe ruffled her wings. She never thought she'd be going into the lower sections of the cave. Nopony did- except for water maintenance and some "daring" adventurers. The Tribunal had been attempting to put a stop to it for years- their numbers had already been reduced dangerously. There had been a time where thousands of ponies lived down there- you could still find the empty, carved-out caverns if you walked far enough. But ever since the Grand Cataclysm so long ago, they had sealed themselves off from the outside world of sun and desolation and attempted to make a life in the caves. They numbered only in the hundreds now. Suddenly, the claustrophobic tunnels opened up to a narrow walkway that spanned the length of the cavern, ending with a spiral staircase that led up into a smooth rock sphere cut into the ceiling. Metal pipes ran out in all directions and down into the lake. Mercifully, the water was still and nothing stirred in the darkness. Jigsaw trotted out first and slowly made his way towards the staircase. The top of it stretched off towards the cavern’s ceiling. Tiptoe spread her wings wide. How she wished she could take off! She'd never seen a room so large. She could do more than just hover- she could really soar! Unfortunately, she knew that that was a bad idea. Something could be lurking up there. Back with the tribe, the largest room they had was the main chamber, and that was no more than the height of twenty ponies. Pegasi were ground-ridden most of the time. Sometimes, in excavating caverns, there were drop-offs that required pegasi to fly over to help to build a bridge, but those were few and far between. Pegasi were still treated well- the Tribunal was made of two delegates from each type of pony, but the pegasi as a race were declining. Less and less were born, and more and more earth ponies were taking their place. Some pegasi never even got their cutie marks at all. Tiptoe was one of the lucky ones- her feather cutie mark represented her light weight and ability to sneak, which had proven very useful when attempting to clear out monster infestations. That’s how she came to be assigned to work with Jigsaw. She was supposed to find ways around creatures instead of confronting them. "C’mon, Tip!" Jigsaw yelled at the pegasus. She was simply standing there at the tunnel mouth, her wings spread wide, her jaw agape. "Silly pony," he said to himself, "she wouldn't last a second on her own. " He knew the feeling, though. The cavern was the largest room in the entire cave complex- so large that nopony had ever walked the circumference around the lake, or at least, nopony that tried ever made it back. The ceiling was several hundred feet up and shrouded in darkness. She trotted up to the staircase and clambered up the wide stone steps towards the stone sphere that served as the control panel for all the water systems throughout the cave. Even the sphere, which seemed tiny in this enormous cavern, was wide enough inside for about thirty ponies to stand abreast. Jigsaw was waiting for her at the top. "Okay, this is how it works. First step is to turn on the working lights." He flipped a switch and the room hummed to life. Various dials and gauges on the walls began moving and from somewhere up above a ticker began printing readouts on paper that had yellowed with age. A deep rumble shook the room, a splash could be heard below, and a huge reptilian head shot out of the water and raced up towards the shining orb on the ceiling. It was triangular and had milky white eyes that appeared to glow yellow in the harsh light from the viewing port that wrapped around the orb. "What IS that thing?" Jigsaw yelled, jumping behind Tiptoe and putting his horn out hastily. "I've never seen anything like it!" Amazingly, seeing the two ponies in the room, the serpent appeared to recoil and slink back into the water. The two ponies looked at each other and shared a nervous giggle. A bright light shot out from where the dragon had been, metal pipes groaned and snapped, and the sphere broke free and plunged into the water below.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-23T03:13:27+00:00

2012-10-23T03:13:27+00:00

Antipodes Chapter Two By PK The sphere crashed into the water below. Water poured into the room through the wrap-around viewport, buffeting Tiptoe and Jigsaw. The creature outside was flitting around the sphere, slamming into the walls, attempting to get at the prey inside. The blows shook and deformed the sphere, causing objects to fly off the walls and into the rapidly rising water below. A jet of water shot out of the viewport, slamming into the two ponies and knocking them off their hooves. Tiptoe hurtled hear over heels in the water. Struggling against the current, she extended her wings out flat, and her tumble stopped. She flapped furiously and managed to prevent herself from slamming into the wall on other side. She swam up to the level of the water and broke the surface. “Jigsaw!” She yelled. “Jigsaw, where are you?” The only response came in the form of the roar of the sea serpent outside, which had now managed to wedge it’s head into the viewport and was glaring down at Tiptoe with it’s milky white eyes. Tiptoe took a deep breath and dived under. She saw Jigsaw down near the bottom of the sphere, floating near the main control console. He looked unconscious. She paddled down to him and grabbed his neck in her mouth, then began pumping her wings. The beat of the pony’s wings shot them upwards until they broke the surface of the water. Tiptoe gasped. The sea serpent had managed to pry the veiwport open long enough for it to slink it’s head inside. The triangular nostrils flared as it caught the scent of the ponies, and its head turned in their direction. It shot down towards the two ponies, its jaw open wide. Tiptoe dropped under the water and the serpent slammed into the wall behind them. The serpent’s body went limp, and Tiptoe began flapping her wings to attempt to fly up and over the water- but her poor wings were soaking wet, and the extra weight of Jigsaw was simply too much. Tiptoe instead beat her wings under the water and began forcing her way up the torrent of water towards the viewport. The sea serpent stirred. It reared its head up at the pegasus that was swimming up the current and opened its mouth wide. Tiptoe saw the serpent’s mouth open and braced herself, expecting it to strike. It didn’t. Instead, she saw a white pinprick of light appear in the depths of the serpent’s throat. She stopped beating her wings and tumbled backwards, just in time to miss getting hit by a beam of intense white light that shot out of the serpent’s mouth and punched a hole in the side of the sphere. There was a strong gush of water, then everything was still. The sphere was now filled to the top with water, and Tiptoe could escape! Unconscious Jigsaw still in mouth, she shot out of the sphere and upward. She looked down to see something that she hadn’t expected- the serpent was trapped! It couldn’t pull it’s neck out of the opening it had made in the viewport! As she swam up, she watched with a certain satisfaction as the sphere sank deeper and the tail of the serpent whipped past her and out of sight. The satisfaction was short lived, however, as she looked up and realized there was a rock wall above her. The sphere had been pulled and tossed around underwater by the serpent’s attacks and had slipped under a stone overhang. Tiptoe began to panic. She hadn’t exactly had time to take a deep breath before swimming out, and she didn’t know if Jigsaw was breathing. The terror and chaos in the sphere had kept her from realizing the true gravity of the situation. Their lives were in danger! She stopped flapping her wings and desperately looked around for any way through or around the overhang. Her wings were aching from the exertion of flapping underwater. She saw a small crack in the rock ceiling and made for it, her wings screaming in pain with every flap. She was getting desperate for a breath, and the swimming wasn’t helping matters. They broke the surface in a small room directly above the crack in the stone. Tiptoe flew out of the water and tumbled onto the ground, coughing and gasping for air. The only light in the room came from fluorescent mushrooms that grew along the walls. She dropped Jigsaw and began checking if he was breathing. He wasn’t. Tiptoe had no idea what to do. She hadn’t been trained in this before; how could she have been? The only liquid water that wasn’t in pipes was in the reservoir, and nopony would ever be crazy enough to try to swim in that. She did the only thing she could think of: She took a deep breath, leaned over him, and began blowing air into his lungs. Immediately, Jigsaw convulsed and rolled onto his side. He spit up water and began coughing. Tiptoe let out a sigh of relief and collapsed on the cave floor, exhausted. Several hours later, Tiptoe awoke to find Jigsaw was awake and sitting up, his horn lit, staring intensely at the pool of water. “What are you doing?” she asked. Jigsaw jumped. “Oh! You’re awake.” he pawed at the ground. “I’m making sure that thing doesn’t come back.” “It won’t. I saw it go down with the control room.” Tiptoe said. “Oh. Well... thank you. For saving me.” Tiptoe blushed. “What else could I do?” Tiptoe began examining the room. It was very small- maybe 2 ponies high.There was a group of bioluminescent fungi in the corner, though their light was drowned out by the blue light from Jigsaw’s horn. There was a tunnel that led off into the darkness in the wall behind her. “What’s going to happen to the tribe?” Tiptoe asked. “What will the control station going down do to the water?” “Without the controls, it will just keep flowing as it always did. We just won’t be able to control it.” “But... but what happens if there’s a leak in an area we can’t fix? What happens if the pressure drops?” “Then... then we can’t do anything about it here, can we?” Jigsaw looked up at Tiptoe and sighed. “There’s nothing we can do about it here. Can you walk?” “Of course I can walk.” Tiptoe said. She began to stand up and a sharp pain shot through her flank. Her wings felt as though somepony had tried to pull them off. She attempted to spread them out. She let out a cry of pain and retracted the wing back to her side. “Don’t move.” Jigsaw said. “Let me take a look at it.” He walked over to Tiptoe and his horn suddenly flared with a blue light. He touched it to the spot where the wing connected to the flank. Tiptoe felt a tingle spread out and into her wings. It helped to take the pain away. “How did you do that?” Tiptoe said, her eyes wide. “My special talent is finding out how things work. That includes biology.” He turned his flank to show her his cutie mark- two gears meshed together. “It’s sprained, by the way.” Jigsaw said. “You pushed yourself way too hard back there. How did you even hurt your wings, anyway? Weren’t we underwater?” Tiptoe quickly recounted what happened in the sphere. “You managed to move quickly enough to escape the serpent while carrying me?” Jigsaw said, an eyebrow raised. “I’m impressed.” Tiptoe smiled sadly. “But now I can’t use my wings at all. That’s pretty much all I have.” Jigsaw shot her a skeptical glance. “You took charge back there. Better than I ever have. You saved my life. You’re more than the sum of your parts.” He began to walk towards the entrance to the tunnel. Tiptoe’s face flushed with color. Nopony had ever complimented her like that- she was a pegasus! Mostly ponies just looked down on her with pity. Some even disliked her just because of her wings. She’d never even flown before, not really. The most she had ever flown was hovering in the main chamber- and that was only so she didn’t forget how. She still remembered the moment she stood in the cavern for the first time, seeing so much empty space above her. She couldn’t see how she’d ever get back there. She didn’t see how she would ever get to fly. But Jigsaw’s words had stimulated something deep inside her. She imagined this was how it would feel to soar. She trotted gingerly over to the mouth of the tunnel. Jigsaw glanced over his should to see the pegasus standing behind him. “We should follow this. I don’t know that we have any other options.” He paused and added “I’m scared, Tiptoe.” Tiptoe cantered up and stood beside Jigsaw. “What else can we do?” she said. Together, they trotted off into the unknown.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:26:20+00:00

2012-10-13T05:26:20+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 3 By PK Tiptoe fell into place behind Jigsaw as they pushed forwards through the darkness. The glowing fungus that grew near the entrance didn’t extend into the tunnel, so the only light came from Jigsaw’s horn. Tiptoe tried to glance over her shoulder but winced at the pain in her wings. Jigsaw stopped and turn to face her. “Are you alright?” He asked. “Yeah, I’m okay. Let’s just keep going.” The tunnel curved upwards as the ponies walked on. As they moved on, the walls slowly became more and more smooth. The rough surface of the floor became more and more regular. “Are these stairs?” Asked Tiptoe. “I don’t know. How could there be? Nopony could ever have been here before.” Jigsaw replied. However, as they walked further, it became clear that they were stairs. The walls were tiled, too. The air also got warmer the farther they climbed. It was no longer the cold, damp air they had been used to breathing for the last few hours- it was hot and dry. “Jigsaw? I think we might be getting close to the surface.” Tiptoe said, her hair bristling at the thought. Nopony ever went to the surface- not ever. “We can’t be that close. If we were, we’d be dead by now, wouldn’t we? And besides, our tribe must have been here at some point. How else do you explain the stairs?” Jigsaw said. He wasn’t entirely convinced, though. His job involved going through some of the oldest areas in the entire complex, and none of the places he’d ever been to ever went this far out. Suddenly, the stairs ended with a large slab of metal blocking the entrance to what seemed to be a stone room cut into the wall. There was a small circle of silvery metal near the iron slab of the doorway. “Jigsaw, have you ever seen anything like this before?” Tiptoe asked, inching away from the imposing slab of metal. “No, not out this far. Tiptoe... I think these might be ruins of the old world.” Tiptoe reared back in alarm. “Ruins of the old world? That’s forbidden, Jigsaw! Ruins of the old world are insanely dangerous! They always lead to the surface!” Jigsaw gulped and said, “I’m not exactly thrilled about the prospect, but look. We’re at the same level as whatever is behind this door, and we’re not dead, are we? If the sun could shine through up here, it would be just as hot on this side of the door.” Tiptoe backed down. “Alright. I’ll trust you. But if we open the door and we’re outside, I totally told you so.” Jigsaw rolled is eyes and turned to look intensely at the locking mechanism next to the door. The plate of metal was surrounded by intricate etchings in the metal that didn’t seem to have faded with time. Jigsaw looked intently at the marks but couldn’t seem to make sense of them. He focused and touched the tip of his horn to the metal. Instantly, he could sense the inner workings of the mechanism. The etchings on the lock were magical- and the method of opening relatively easy. Jigsaw inserted his horn into the lock and the room lit up. Locking mechanisms that hadn’t budged for thousands of years began grinding out of place. Bolts slid and came undone. The door slowly creaked open, making a horrible grinding noise. Blue light shot through the etchings on the door and up channels in the wall into reservoirs in the ceiling, lighting up the underground space. Tiptoe looked in with a mixture of fear and wonder. Children in their tribe were raised on stories of the outside world before the Great Cataclysm. They say that ponies could walk the surface freely and that plants even grew up there. Of course, any pony now knew that would be a death sentence. Nothing could survive exposure to the sun, not even for a second. It had been like that for as long as anyone could remember. However, the ruins of the old world still existed, here and there- but almost always it was far too dangerous to explore. The buildings were usually very close to the surface, or filled with monsters. Ponies had since learned to stay keep their distance, no matter the treasures that may lay within. “Jigsaw, what is this place?” Tiptoe asked walking forward in awe behind Jigsaw. The room was enormous, though many parts of it seemed to have fallen in on themselves. To their right lay a large rectangular device that rested on tracks. “I haven’t the slightest idea, but look up there. I think there’s writing. Can you read any of the old language?” “Only what they taught me in training. Shouldn’t you know more than I do? You are the head of the water department.” Jigsaw chuckled. “Doesn’t mean I paid attention in class. Do you think you could try to read it?” Tiptoe smiled. Jigsaw rarely laughed, and when he did, it was usually a good sign. It helped to put her at ease. “I can try.” She stared at the faded sign hanging on the opposite wall for several minutes and muttered to herself. Eventually she said “I can’t be sure, but it says something to effect of ‘Fillydelphia Public Transportation’... something. I can’t figure out the last word.” “Network.” Jigsaw said. “That one I can recognize. So, this place was some kind of transportation network for the old world? But... The door...” Jigsaw paused, apparently lost in thought. Tiptoe imagined she could see the gears on his flank turning. Then, he looked up at her and smiled. “Do you realize what this means? This is working old world technology! And more than that, it’s safe! Do you realize what this could mean if we could get it back to the tribe? The scientific value of this facility is... I don’t even know! Priceless!” Jigsaw’s entire body appeared to shift. Most of the time in the tunnel and the cave, he has simply walked along in silence, his head down, but now, he held his head high. He was in his element. He had been fascinated by technology ever since he was just a foal. Unfortunately for him, the pickings were slim in the tribe- the only technology available was either old world tech that had been salvaged and heavily modified or improvised from materials on hand centuries ago. Jigsaw didn’t mind, however. He simply invented. Before he had even reached adulthood, he had built a water-clock that also purified sediment- something invaluable in the caves. This had caught the attention of the tribunal, which had put him in the water management department- quite prestigious for such a young pony. He quickly climbed through the ranks due to his brilliant sense of machinery- he simply seemed to understand subtleties that other ponies didn’t. It wasn’t all fun and games, though. He had had several run-ins with terrible creatures, and sometimes all the people under his command didn’t make it out with him. Over time, he turned from a happy, upbeat young unicorn to a cold and sarcastic head of water management. “Jigsaw...” Tiptoe said, walking along side him. “This is great, and everything, but if we can’t get back to the tribe, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Jigsaw turned to Tiptoe and stared at her quizzically, as if he had forgotten that she was there. Then his eyes seemed to get wide and he broke out in the largest smile she had ever seen. He pointed over her shoulder with his horn. “How about we take that?” He was pointing at the subway car. “Jigsaw, you’re insane! That... thing... must have been here since the cataclysm! There’s no way it works, and even if it did, we have no idea where it would take us! Not back to the tribe, that’s for sure!” Jigsaw seemed to find the younger pony’s incredulity amusing. He raised an eyelash and gave Tiptoe a playful smile. “You doubt the mighty Jigsaw?” Tiptoe just stared back, her face unchanged. The smile fell of Jigsaw’s face. “Okay, look. It’s the same choice that we had at the door. We can either keep going, or stay here and starve to death. And I can get the car going. I know I can.” Tiptoe sighed. “If my wings weren’t so sore, I’d slap you right now.” She smiled in spite of herself. Jigsaw chuckled and said “Oh, Tiptoe, what would I do without you?” “You would have drowned. Or been eaten by a sea serpent,” Tiptoe thought. She followed Jigsaw anyway. Jigsaw pried the door open and walked inside the ancient compartment. Faded advertisements lined the ceiling of the car. Jigsaw felt like a foal in a sugarcube store- the wealth of knowledge in this room was almost unthinkable! He trotted into the driver’s area and looked at the console. It seemed to be mostly intact- a couple of the buttons had fallen off, but mostly alright otherwise. He touched his horn to the console. Instantly, the layout of the car appeared apparent to him- and there were a lot of problems. Rusted over gears, unconnected wires, bolts having been disintegrated over the march of the interregnum since the Great Cataclysm. “Looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me here.” Jigsaw muttered to himself. Tiptoe gasped in wonder as the entire car appeared to be encased in a swirling ball of blue light. She looked in to see Jigsaw’s horn was spewing off a brighter blue light than she had ever seen. Inside the car, time itself seemed to be moving backwards. Tears in the fabric on the chairs restitched itself, the metal seemed to regain its luster, the cracks in the glass healed. Metal objects from around the station flew up and appeared to bend themselves into complicated shapes, then fly under the carriage to attach themselves to some unknown mechanism. The blue light faded from Jigsaw’s horn, and he collapsed and slumped forwards on to the control panel. Tiptoe ran up to him. “Jigsaw! Jigsaw are you okay?” His eyes fluttered open. “I’m fine, I just did a rather large spell there. I might be out of it for a while.” Tiptoe looked around the compartment. Lights were flicking on and some large mechanism was whirring into life. With a jerk and a screech, the car began to move forwards. “You can do all that, but you can’t fix my sprained wing?” She said, laughing. “Machines are easier than ponies. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to rest for a while.” Tiptoe led him over to one of the rows of seats, which he promptly climbed upon and fell asleep. Tiptoe climbed onto the row next to him and closed her eyes, too.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:37:22+00:00

2012-10-13T05:37:22+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 4 By PK Jigsaw lay on his back in the subway car, his head hanging upside down off the edge of the row of seats. Tiptoe sat opposite from him, staring out the window at the aged stone tunnel rushing past. “See anything yet?” Jigsaw said. “Nope. Nothing but rocks, puddles, and sand.” Tiptoe replied dully, smooshing her face against the glass. “It’s been 3 days!” Jigsaw said, rolling over and sitting up on his haunches. “You’d think this a subway system would lead SOMEWHERE interesting, but all we’ve found are empty stations.” “At least my wings are better. And at the speed we’re going, I’m just amazed this thing hasn’t broken down or reached the end of the tracks.” Tiptoe said. Jigsaw’s voice adopted a tone of mock indignation. “Why, I never! You have so little faith in the mighty Jigsaw?” Tiptoe rolled her eyes. Jigsaw had been in such high spirits lately. It seemed he was still ecstatic be in a piece of working old-world tech. Tiptoe wasn’t quite as happy about it. The machine creaked and shook, and occasionally it would break down, requiring Jigsaw to go out and scavenge for materials to fix it. They couldn’t keep it going forever- Jigsaw’s powers might have been prodigious, but this WAS a piece of 10,000-year-old tech. “I’m getting pretty thirsty,” Tiptoe said, “can we stop for water?” “Sure thing, I was getting pretty thirsty too.” Jigsaw said. He jumped off the seats and trotted into the driver’s cabin. His horn glowed blue as he pulled down on a lever and pushed several buttons. The whole car bucked and screeched as the wheels locked in place. Blue sparks could be seen flying from under them. Eventually, the car shuddered to a halt. “I really, really hate that.” Tiptoe said, extracting herself from the window and hopping out the door into the tunnel. Jigsaw jumped out shortly after. “I think it’s kinda fun!” He said. Tiptoe rolled her eyes and they started off together up the tunnel, looking for water. The lamps on the front of the car lit the tunnel for several hundred feet ahead, and they quickly came upon a pool of fresh water and began to drink. When they had drunk their fill, Tiptoe said, “I’ve been wondering for a while now, what exactly powers that thing? I noticed the lights turning on in the station when you put your horn into that door.” “I’m glad you asked!” Jigsaw said, his ears perking up. “You’re familiar with electricity, right?” “Yeah, we learned about it in school. They use it to electroplate metal, right?” “Right. But that’s not all it can do. In the old world, they had ways of generating massive amounts of electricity. Electricity was used to replace magic so non-unicorns could operate some of the more advanced technology. That subway car back there was one of them, but now I’ve jury-rigged it to use magic. The lights at the station were magical, too. Magic and electricity have rather strange interactions. In fact, in this one book, I read about this time a unicorn tried to enchant a certain piece of old-world tech, and he ended up...” Jigsaw kept talking, but Tiptoe had long since stopped paying attention. All these technical details really didn’t interest her, and magic was just a mystery to her. She was more worried about the food situation. They hadn't eaten more than the occasional mushroom for 3 days now, and her mood was starting to show it. Jigsaw seemed unaffected, which bothered her even more. “... of course, that being said, I still enjoy magic and magic powered things, obviously, I just think they both have their place. Not that it really matters since we can’t even generate an- Hey, what’s the matter with you?” Jigsaw said, seeing her ears pressed down against her head. “Will you just stop talking!” Tiptoe yelled. She spread her wings out. “All you’ve done for the last three days is talk about the stupid subway car! What makes you think I care? I asked one question, I didn’t want your whole life story!” She stood there, wings outspread, fuming. Jigsaw stared at her, his eyes flicking back and forth between hers. Then he seemed to shrink. “I’m sorry.” he said. “Let’s head back to the car.” He began to walk towards the subway car, his head held low. Tiptoe followed far behind him. Before long, they were back in the car, and with a spark from Jigsaw’s horn, they were hurtling down the track again. Several hours later, Tiptoe sat on the bench in the very back end of the subway car. Jigsaw lay curled up in the front-most. Tiptoe glanced his direction and squirmed in her seat. She wasn’t happy about what she’d said earlier. She got up and slowly walked towards Jigsaw. “Jigsaw...?” She said tentatively. “What do you want?” Jigsaw replied, without looking at her. “I wanted to apologize for... my outburst earlier. I think I’m just stressed from... everything that’s happened in the last few days.” Jigsaw sat up and stared out the window for several seconds. Then he turned, and Tiptoe was shocked to see his eyes were glistening with tears. “Listen. I want to tell you something.” he said. He patted the seat next to him with is hoof, and Tiptoe jumped onto the seat and settled in. “You’re not the first apprentice I’ve taken on, you know.” he began. “There was another before you. A young earth pony by the name of Antimony. As brilliant a geologist as I’d ever seen. We were supposed to travel together into one of the old world ruins. We... well, we didn’t make it far. We ran into a cave ogre along the way, and I’m ashamed to say that I ran for it. Antimony tried to stand her ground and... she didn’t make it out. She died because I was too cowardly to stay and help. Since then, I’ve traveled on my own, until the tribunal forced me to take you on.” Jigsaw looked up at Tiptoe. “You saved my life twice back there in the water. I won’t ever leave you to fend for yourself, Tiptoe.” “But... why are you telling me this?” “Because... because I wanted to tell somepony. And... I wanted you to know. What you mean to me.” Jigsaw met Tiptoe’s eyes, and they held each other's gaze for a long moment. Then, Tiptoe broke away and jumped down. “I’m getting pretty tired. I think I’m going to go to sleep.” “Yeah, okay.” Jigsaw said, looking slightly disappointed. He lay his head back down on the seat cushion. The train rocked. He was surprised and pleased to find out a moment later that tiptoe had curled up on the seat next to him. He smiled and closed his eyes. It was then that the subway train ran out of track. Tiptoe and Jigsaw were launched from the seats and went hurtling around the inside of the subway car until it finally came to a stop. Jigsaw sat up and looked around the mangled car. “Tiptoe! Tiptoe, are you okay?” He yelled. A wing appeared from under a pile of seat cushions. “I’m fine, Jigsaw! What happened?” “I don’t know,” Jigsaw replied, “But I’m guessing it had something to do with that.” He gestured out the back window at the track behind them, where no track could be seen for as far as they could see. “We probably ran out of track and skidded to... wherever we are.” Jigsaw said. “Does this mean we have to walk?” Tiptoe asked, her ears drooping. A bolt of blue light appeared to shoot from Jigsaw’s horn and into the metal floor of the car. “It’s broken even beyond my ability to repair it” said Jigsaw. “Maybe if I had a few years and intimate knowledge of the mechanics of this thing I could, but as it stands, yes. We’re going to have to walk.” Tiptoe grumbled and she and Jigsaw climbed out of a broken window on the side of the car. Jigsaw lit his horn and they began down the tunnel. “It always seems to come down to this, doesn’t it?” Jigsaw thought.“walking down a tunnel, with only the light of my horn to guide us, no idea where we’re going.” Farther down, Tiptoe thought she could see something. A small pinprick of light. “Jigsaw! Put out your horn for a second!” she said. Jigsaw complied and put out his horn. Sure enough, there was light farther down the tunnel. “C’mon!” Jigsaw yelled, and began galloping. Tiptoe followed as fast as she could. The rapidly approached the source of the light- another station. However, once they broke into the station proper, the two of them recoiled in horror. “Sunlight!” they shouted in unison. They instinctively put a hoof over their eyes and braced for immolation. However, it didn’t come. Jigsaw lowered his hoof cautiously. “Tiptoe? I don’t think... I don’t think it can hurt us.” Jigsaw slowly walked forwards into the beam of light. It felt pleasantly warm on his skin. “I think.... I think we rode farther than we thought. I think... I think we’re in the temperate zone.” Tiptoe’s brain seized. The temperate zone was just an old pony’s tale told to little fillies to make them sleep better! It couldn’t possibly exist! But there Jigsaw was, standing full into the sunlight, his face up and his eyes closed. Of course, they both remembered the story well. The great goddesses Celestia and Luna ruled the night and day in harmony, and the world was in perfect balance. Day and night came to all areas of the world, and only a few were too hostile to support life. The great sun and mighty moon traversed the sky equally. But then, the Great Cataclysm occurred- the goddesses had simply vanished. The sun and moon stayed frozen where they were, and the world fell to chaos. The tribunal’s records told of a group of ponies on the daylit side descending into a massive cave complex when the weather began to get too hot and sealing the entrance with a massive metal door. They were who Tiptoe and Jigsaw had descended from. The great metal door had only been opened twice afterwards- once at 1,000 years after the Great Cataclysm, and another after 5,000 years. Both times the sun had proven to be as harsh as ever- in instantly killed any living thing exposed to its rays. Tiptoe walked forward hesitantly into the sunlight and something seemed to shift inside her. She looked up and saw the sky- the real, blue sky- for the first time in her life. She spread her wings and beat them downwards. “Tiptoe, wait!” Jigsaw yelled, but it was too late. Tiptoe took off and flew up to the hole in the ceiling and out. She felt lighter than she ever had. She soared upwards, flapping her wings as hard as she could. She dove. She flipped. She raced through the open air and breathed deeply. The air had a peculiar smell that she assumed must have been the foliage present all over the ground beneath her. She had never been happier in her life. How did she ever live underground before this? The sky was where she belonged. She dove back into the small hole in the ground and saw Jigsaw standing there, his mouth agape. “I saw you outside. That was... incredible!” Jigsaw said. “But... can you get me out of here?” “I can try.” Said Tiptoe. She flew above Jigsaw and grabbed him with her front hooves and beat her wings. Slowly, they made progress up to the hole in the ceiling. When they made it out, Tiptoe dumped Jigsaw onto the grass and landed, panting. “I really need to work on my wing strength if I’m going to be carrying you!” She said, laughing. Jigsaw simply stared up at the sky. “I’ve never seen anywhere so big... The sky is immense! And the grass! There’s so much of it! I've only ever seen grass in the botanical gardens! I mean, I’d heard the stories, but nothing can actually prepare you for...” He trailed off, still looking straight up. “Look at... look at the sun and the moon.” The sun hung low and red in the western sky, casting a low, warm light over the grass. The moon hung in the east, dominating the skyline. It looked pockmarked and dull gray. “That... that isn’t how they look in illustrations.” Jigsaw said. “They look almost as if they’re... dying.” Tiptoe looked at the two celestial bodies on either side of them. “That’s true, but we’re here, now, and we’re very much alive, and I’m exhausted.” “Agreed.” said Jigsaw, yawning. “It’s been a pretty crazy week.” Together, they curled up on the ground and fell asleep. The strange, perpetual twilight cast long, spindly shadows onto the nearby trees.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:54:52+00:00

2012-10-13T05:54:52+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 5 by PK Jigsaw and Tiptoe woke up to find the sun and the moon were still frozen in the sky. They had no way to tell how much time had passed, but they both felt as though they’d gotten a good night’s sleep for the first time in a long time. “I think the next thing we should do is focus on finding some food.” Jigsaw said, his stomach rumbling. “We haven’t really eaten much of anything for the last few days.” Tiptoe nodded and took off. “I’ll look for food from up here!” she said, flapping her wings and rising higher into the sky. Jigsaw just sighed to himself and trotted off towards the western edge of the clearing, where a small grove of trees was growing. The smell of all the green plants were almost too much for Jigsaw to take, but he knew better than to eat strange plants. Most of the food in the caves were grown in the arboretum, and very few ponies were allowed into it. It was the second largest of the caverns and by far the most heavily guarded. Jigsaw had been in several times to manage the enormous water distribution system that supplied water to all the plants. The trees and grass weren’t too much of a shock to his system because of that- he just wasn’t used to quite so much of it. Tiptoe, on the other hand, had only been in the arboretum once, when she first became Jigsaw’s apprentice. She had eaten the food from it, of course. She’d seen pictures. The first time she entered it, however, she was completely taken aback. She could feel the magic emanating from the lights on the high ceiling, a strange and rather uncomfortable sensation on her back. The sun was completely different, though. Far-off and weak though it may have been, it felt natural and comfortable to her. She soared over the green carpet beneath her, getting up as much height as she could. As she climbed, she began to notice something far-off to the east. It appeared to be a castle built into one side of a small mountain range. It appeared to be in a miraculously well preserved state- she thought she even saw a banner waving from the top of a spire. She flew down to inform Jigsaw. Jigsaw was walking out of the copse, a few dozen apples floating in a hazy blue field above Jigsaw’s head. “Tiptoe!” He said as he saw her land rather clumsily in front of him. “There were apple trees back there! Try some, they’re delicious!” Tiptoe and Jigsaw sat down together on the grass and began to eat the apples. When they had eaten their fill, Tiptoe stood up and began to tell Jigsaw about the strange ruin in the eastern mountains. Jigsaw listened intently as she described the castle’s appearance. When she was done, he stood up. “Do you realize what this means? We may not be the only ones! There may be other ponies out here- we might get home yet!” Jigsaw said. “Yeah...” Tiptoe said, ruffling her wings. Truth was, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go home. Back there, she’d just be another member of a dying race, and she couldn’t use her wings. Now that she was under the open sky, she couldn’t conceive going back underground. Not for life, anyway. “Oh! Can you do me a quick favor?” Jigsaw said to Tiptoe. “I want to try and salvage some stuff from the wreck of the subway car down in the cavern. I have an idea.” “Uh, okay, I suppose,” Tiptoe said, “but I don’t want to stay down there too long.” She and Jigsaw trotted over to the jagged tear in the earth that led down to the cave entrance. Tiptoe grabbed Jigsaw and they began the slow decent into the cave. They touched down lightly in the gloomy half-darkness of the cave. Jigsaw walked over to the wreckage of the subway car and looked at Tiptoe. “I’d hold to something if I were you.” Jigsaw said, a sly smiling crossing his face. Blue light shot out of his horn. It hit Tiptoe like a wall and she flew back into a stone pillar at the other side of the chamber. She opened her eyes to see that Jigsaw was encased in a swirling vortex of what appeared to be blue plasma and salvaged parts from the old car. All she heard was a roar of energy as the parts began to fly together or break apart in the tide of energy. Then, as suddenly as it started, the blue light streamed back into Jigsaw’s horn and he collapsed onto the ground. At his hooves was a small metal platform with a sleek metallic box on the underside and two small lights on the front end. Oversized wheels were positioned on the front and back ends of the platform. Tiptoe flew over to Jigsaw just as Jigsaw stood up unsteadily. Tiptoe stabilized him and said “That was the most powerful magic I’ve ever seen! How are you on your feet?” “The subway car was more than this took. At least I had a general idea of what I wanted to do this time around.” Jigsaw replied. “This thing will make the trip to the castle much faster. It runs on magic, though, and I think I'm beat for a little while.” Tiptoe lifted Jigsaw outside and they lay down on the grass. “Jigsaw?” Tiptoe asked, “What do you think is going on at home? Do you think the water’s alright?” “Do you want me to be honest or kind?” Jigsaw said. Not the answer Tiptoe was hoping for. “Honest.” “Well, first off, we’ve definitely been reported dead by now. The water pressure will have been steadily falling since the massive leak caused by the control sphere falling out of the ceiling. The arboretum will probably take priority, and water will get shut down for most citizens.” His voice got quiet. “I’d give them a week until the water runs out entirely.” Tiptoe’s eyes got wide. “The whole cave? There’s nothing we can do?” “The only thing we can do is try to find something out here that will allow us to make it back. All we can really do is go forward. I don’t really see any other options.” Jigsaw looked up at the strange sky. Streaks of light traveled across the eastern sky. “I... I’m kinda glad we made it here, you know.” Tiptoe said slowly. “I... like it out here.” Jigsaw sighed. “I know. I just wish it didn’t have to come at the expense of the entire tribe.” “At least we’re not alone,” Tiptoe offered tentatively, “we still have each other.” Jigsaw looked over at the little yellow pegasus lying on the grass next to him. “Yeah, we do.” he said. “At least there’s that.” Tiptoe blushed and turned her head away from Jigsaw. Jigsaw stood up. “I think I’m feeling better now. Good enough for the trip, anyway.” He trotted over to the hole in the ground and his horn glowed blue. Slowly, the cart lifted out of the hole, settling itself on the grass outside neatly. Jigsaw jumped on the platform, and Tiptoe promptly followed. Jigsaw’s horn glowed blue yet again, and there was a click and a hum from beneath the platform. The wheels began to move, gathering speed. Soon, Jigsaw and Tiptoe were speeding along on a nearly silent, surprisingly stable platform. “How do you keep it from shaking?” Tiptoe said over the sound of rushing wind. Jigsaw created a bright blue flash from his horn for an answer. “Magic. Right.” Said Tiptoe. “You’d think I’d be used to it by now.” Several hours of riding later, the temperature had dropped noticeably. The mountain range loomed overhead, with the castle high above. It appeared much larger up close- it took up almost one entire half of the mountainside. The decay was more apparent, too- despite the large banner waving from the highest tower, many bricks were missing from the stone walls, and more windows were gone than present. “Should we go inside?” Tiptoe said, looking up at the imposing front doors. They appeared to have once been intricately carved, but the carvings had all worn off long ago. “I’m not entirely sure how we would go about that.” Jigsaw said. “I don’t see any doorknobs. Maybe we could just...” He walked into the door and pushed on it with his head. The door swung open surprisingly easily. Inside, the light seemed to die only a few feet from the door, leading off into darkness. Jigsaw hesitantly took a step inside. As soon as he did so, he knew he had made a mistake. That air around the two ponies seemed to thicken and taste of metal. Then, a roar and a wave of heat emanated from deep inside the castle, and the two ponies were swept inside. The heavy stone door to the castle slammed shut behind them.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:27:02+00:00

2012-10-13T06:27:02+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 6 by PK The heat pulling the two ponies into the ancient castle dissipated as the stone door slammed shut behind them. Jigsaw didn’t waste any time. As soon as he could move again, he ran over to the door and touched it with his horn. To his surprise, the door not only wouldn’t move, it seemed to actively resist his attempts to open it. “Tiptoe! Where are you?” Jigsaw called through the darkness. The light of his horn didn’t seem to carry more than a pony length in front of him here, and the air didn’t taste quite right. He got the distinct impression that this was a very bad place to get stuck. A muffled reply came from his right. “Jigsaw! Over here!” Tiptoe yelled. Suddenly, all along the walls, green fire burst into life in torch brackets aligned at either side of the entrance corridor. The green light seemed to cut through the gloom far better than Jigsaw’s horn had been able to- but as soon as the torches lit, Jigsaw doubled over in pain. His horn felt like it was going to split open. It felt as though the magic inside him was writing and screaming inside his head. They had obviously entered a place of almost unthinkably powerful dark magic. Even Tiptoe could sense it. Her hair stood up and she shuddered from head to toe. Then, as quickly as it happened, it relented. Jigsaw stood up and looked around to see Tiptoe standing a few feet away from him, he back still arched. He walked over to her. “Tiptoe, could you feel that?” He said as she straightened out. “Yeah, I could. What was that? Was that... magic?” she whispered, casting nervous glances at the green torches burning slowly above them. “Yeah, it was. Very, very powerful magic. We need to be on our toes here.” Jigsaw said. Tiptoe let out a smile in spite of her fear. “Good thing you have me around, then.” Jigsaw chuckled. “Come along, then. I think we should follow where the torches lead. It’s that or wandering around in the darkness. At least this way we can find the source of this magical field.” Jigsaw and Tiptoe set off down the stone hallway of the castle. The ceilings were high and vaulted, though large portions of it had fallen in or simply crumbled away. There were the tattered remains of tapestries on the wall and what was once a rich crimson carpet lay shredded at their feet. As they walked, they encountered several doors and branching passageways, though none of them had lit torches. The green light cast an eerie glow over everything- it seemed to drown out colors and made Jigsaw’s eyes constantly struggle to focus. Tiptoe wasn’t much better off. Though she was much less sensitive to the magic in the air, she still felt the effects. The lights unnerved her and made her feel nauseous. The castle floor angled downwards. Jigsaw started down the slope, but Tiptoe paused at the precipice. Jigsaw looked back over his shoulder. “What’s wrong?” he said. “I... I don’t want to go back underground!” Tiptoe blurted out. “I only just got out on the surface, and I don’t ever want to go anywhere where I can’t fly again!” She stamped her hooves on the stone tile. Jigsaw was taken aback. Tiptoe had only raised her voice at him once before, and it still came as a shock to him. He shook off his surprise and spoke to the agitated pony in a quiet, calm voice. “Listen. I know I can’t hope to understand how you feel. You must have felt so cooped up all those years back down in the caves- but listen. We won’t be down here forever, and we need to go down there or we’ll never get out of here. I’ll be right here the whole time. And besides, you can handle yourself! You fought of a sea serpent singlehandedly while carrying me at the same time! Then, you managed to revive me when I had stopped breathing. You’ve saved my life a lot more than I’ve saved yours. You’re the bravest, most kindhearted pony I’ve ever met.” He walked up to Tiptoe and nuzzled her neck. She froze for a moment, then relaxed. Nobody had ever shown her affection like this, and she certainly hadn’t been expecting it in the current circumstances. The green glow from the torches seemed less harsh and bright. Then, a loud crashing sound came from down the passageway and Jigsaw snapped his neck upwards. The green glow of the torches seemed back in full effect. Tiptoe and Jigsaw shared one glance full of meaning, then they began the descent into the bowels of the castle. As they walked down, the material that made up the walls seemed to change. The smooth tiles of the areas above were soon replaced with large, sloppily cut slabs of stone. The pain in Jigsaw’s horn returned, though not as intense as it was up at the top of the castle. It was more like a throb of energy that got stronger the farther they walked. Then, without warning, they entered a very large cave. On the left was what appeared to be a swirling force field of magical energy, through which blue sky could be seen. The cavern seemed to have been cut into the mountain. Old-world writing on the walls proclaimed this to be a pegasus take-off area. However, the most conspicuous area in the room lay to the left, where an extremely large selection of gold, gemstones, and skeletons lay. At the very back of the cave, on what appeared to be a giant platform cut into the rock, sat a dragon. Its hide was midnight blue, with areas of creamy white around the base of his horns and fingers. Deep red veins seemed to course across his skin, glowing brightly with every heartbeat. His eyes were little more than bright green slits under his eyelids. Jigsaw and Tiptoe screamed out loud at the sight of him. The corners of the dragon’s mouth twitched at the sight of the two ponies. It opened it’s mouth and blew out a blast of green fire. It surrounded the two ponies and swirled like a vortex, immobilizing them. Jigsaw and Tiptoe struggled against the binding green flame, to no effect. Jigsaw attempted to use magic, but the pain in his horn swelled to such a great magnitude that he cried out and nearly lost consciousness. The dragon flew over to the two ponies and examined them closely. When he saw the two ponies he had ensnared, however, his eyes grew wide and he retracted a few steps. He raised one hand and brought it slicing down through the air, and the bonds on the two ponies lifted. “Speak, then, if you are able” the dragon’s voice boomed. Every syllable felt heavy, as though with each word, a massive rockslide was tumbling down a mountaintop. Jigsaw spoke up first. “My name is Jigsaw, and this is my...” he cast a glance at Tiptoe. “... friend, Tiptoe. We’re from the caves to the west, and we’re looking for a way to get back home.” The dragon’s eyes narrowed. “The west? It is nothing but barren wastelands overland, and the underground ways are far too dangerous for your kind. I know of one way, however; you must complete a task if you expect my aid.” Jigsaw was shocked at the dragon’s eloquence and quick answers, though his body language had betrayed a moment’s hesitation. “What is your name?” “My name? I have had many names. Before the fall, I was known by one name. Now I am known by Tantalus.” The dragon said, his voice reverberating throughout the room. “Before the fall?” Jigsaw said, his mouth agape. “You were around before the Great Cataclysm? Do you know what happened?” Tiptoe couldn’t help but notice that even when a giant dragon was bearing down on them, Jigsaw couldn’t pass up an opportunity to learn. “I was. I am the last in the world, I believe, that can provide a firsthand account.” “Princess Celestia and Luna vanished because of one foolhardy young pony. I do not know his name. He was fooling about with powers far beyond his comprehension. He had come across a tome of ancient and unspeakable evil, and he spoke its words. Celestia, Luna, and a young ward named Twilight Sparkle both vanished by this dark power. The young pony who had used the spell fled into hiding, using the book to grow his power. He began feeding off of other ponies to make his own power grow. He hides there in the east, even now. He is a demon, my sworn enemy, and he is who you seek. Find him, and kill him, and you will find your way home.” Jigsaw blinked with indignation. “That’s it? We meet a creature that was around before Celestia and Luna vanished and before the Great Cataclysm, and he barely tells us anything? I could have found out more in the library back at the Tribunal!” He didn’t voice his feelings, however. The dragon still looked angry. “Very well. We will do this for you, if it will grant us safe passage.” Jigsaw said through gritted teeth. The dragon smiled, a rather disturbing gesture, as it revealed rows of blackened teeth. He turned his head and blew a green mist at the side of the cave, which crumbled away. “Go. Hunt the demon. Return when you have finished. I will find your way home.” Jigsaw and Tiptoe walked out of the cave. As the passed the pedestal where the dragon had been sitting, Tiptoe noticed something strange: Far back, away from the rest of the treasure, lay a large, cracked blue gem. Underneath it, in what looked like a crude carving done with a claw, was the word: Rarity Tiptoe hadn’t the slightest inkling of what that could mean. They walked out onto the snowy mountainside, and the cave wall seemed to repair itself behind them. Tiptoe then looked at Jigsaw and said, “That... that was incredible, what you did back there. Talking to a dragon like that.” “I get the feeling that he was hiding things from us. A lot of things.” said Jigsaw. “His explanation seemed way to simple, and he was far too quick to give us this task and get us out of there. I’m not sure I trust him.” Then, without warning, Tiptoe walked up to Jigsaw and kissed him full on the mouth. Jigsaw stood there for a moment, his eyes wide open in shock, then he closed them and enjoyed the moment. After several seconds that felt much to fast to Jigsaw, they broke apart. Tiptoe blushed, but stayed in eye contact with Jigsaw. “What was that for?” he stammered. “For saving me.” she said. “C’mon, we have a long ways to go if we’re going east.” Tiptoe took off and began flying down the slope of the hill that formed the mountainside. Jigsaw stood there stunned for a moment longer. Then, he set off down the snowy curve, following the yellow pegasus, who was now flying loops through the air.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:57:36+00:00

2012-10-13T05:57:36+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 7 By PK The wind howled past Jigsaw and Tiptoe as they trudged through the snow. A series of mountain ranges could be seen looming behind them, though they had left it far behind. They had been walking for the better part of a day, and the temperature was dropping all the while. The sun remained frozen in the west as ever- though it had now been eclipsed by the mountain. The dull gray moon loomed larger and larger. The green fields at the base of the mountain had slowly become more sparse until the grass was almost entirely covered in snow. A few stunted trees somehow managed to survive here, though Jigsaw had no idea how they managed to grow when all the water was frozen, at least as far as he could see. Jigsaw peered through the low light and saw a larger-than-average tree with low, overhanging branches. He called over the wind to Tiptoe and they two ponies galloped towards the shelter. Jigsaw shook the snow off of his hooves and turned to Tiptoe, who was resting against the side of the tree. “I think we should talk about what happened back there.” “You mean the kiss?” Tiptoe asked quietly, blushing and turning her head away from Jigsaw slightly. Jigsaw’s heart did a funny sort of flip on hearing Tiptoe mention the kiss, but he tried not to show it on his face. “I meant the dragon, Tantalus. Specifically, what he asked us to do.” The smile dropped off Tiptoe’s face. “Oh. That. What exactly is it we’re supposed to be doing? It’s not like he gave us very specific directions besides ‘east’. As far as we know, it could be a million miles east! And besides...” her voice dropped in volume. “I don’t think I could kill anypony, no matter how evil they might be.” Jigsaw nodded. He appeared deep in thought. Jigsaw looked up at the moon, huge in the sky, and let out a sigh. “Remember back in the subway car? When I told you about Antimony, my first apprentice? Well, I wasn’t entirely truthful. She was... she was my mate.” Tiptoe let out a little gasp. “Your mate died? That’s... that’s awful. I’m so sorry. But... why are you telling me this now? What does this have to do with anything?” “I lied when I said I wanted to talk about the dragon.” Jigsaw said. He looked up at Tiptoe. “We can’t be together. It’s just too dangerous. I can’t lose another pony because I can’t handle the situation! I just... I can’t deal with it. And who knows what we’re about to walk into?” Jigsaw looked intensely at Tiptoe, then dropped his gaze to the snowy ground below. Tiptoe looked taken aback. “Jigsaw... I didn’t mean to put this kind of pressure on you. I really do like you, but I understand that now isn’t the best time to form a relationship!” she said. The sides of Jigsaw’s mouth twitched, but the smile didn’t last very long. “Thank you for understanding. Now, I think we should get some sleep. We have quite an adventure ahead of us.” He stood up and walked over to Tiptoe. He hesitated for a moment, then walked over and nuzzled Tiptoe. “I really do like you, you know.” Tiptoe blushed. Jigsaw lit his horn and lifted away a patch of snow , exposing the ground below. He lied down in it, and Tiptoe joined him. The two ponies closed their eyes. Tiptoe opened them several hours later find Jigsaw already awake. He had a small pile of twigs and rocks in front of him. As she watched, Jigsaw’s horn glowed blue and the twigs lifted off the ground and bent themselves into an elaborate structure. “That’s amazing!” Tiptoe exclaimed. Jigsaw let out a yelp and the structure sprang apart. He looked over to see Tiptoe sitting up in the clearing, giggling. “Oh, you’re up.” Jigsaw said, looking a little annoyed. “What are you doing?” Tiptoe said, standing up and stretching her wings. “I’m just tinkering. It helps me relax.” he said. As Tiptoe watched, the twigs formed elaborate geometric patterns in mid-air. “I wish I could do something like that,” Tiptoe said, “I haven’t even gotten to use my special talent.” She shot a glance over her shoulder at the feather emblazoned on her flank. “Haven’t really had to sneak anywhere.” “Well, you never know. We’re heading out into a frozen wasteland to find some unicorn that’s apparently powerful enough to kill goddesses. Not to mention, who knows what’s left over from the Great Cataclysm? There could easily still be traps left unsprung the farther in we walk. You may soon have more work on your hooves than you bargained for.” Jigsaw winked, then stood up and walked out of the protective branches. Tiptoe followed, a little confused by how Jigsaw’s mood had changed since last night. They walked out into the semidarkness of the plain. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a sullen gray light over the snow. The sun in the west had shrunk to a mere sliver of red light shining over the mountain range behind them. Tiptoe flapped her wings and took off, spiraling upward. Jigsaw set off at a canter. After only a few minutes of flying, Tiptoe was rushing back towards Jigsaw. “You won’t believe what I just saw!” She cried, obviously excited. “What? What is it?” Jigsaw said. “At first, I thought it was just a pile of rubble, but as I flew closer, I saw lights come on!” “Tiptoe, the last place we walked into that looked inhabited, we got trapped and recruited by a dragon.” “Well, do you have any better ideas?” asked Tiptoe. “Well, I suppose not. And I am pretty hungry...” “Then follow me!” Tiptoe said, taking off and flying away. Jigsaw rolled his eyes and set off after her. Tiptoe arrived at the ruined building several minutes ahead of Jigsaw and began to look around. The wall that was still standing was maybe a floor high, though it looked as though the building was one much larger. Old world writing was etched over the ornate metal door that led inside, though most of the writing had been worn off by time, so that the only letters remaining were “AMY F CLSTA”. Tiptoe hadn’t the slightest idea what it could mean. From above, the building just looked like a jumble of steel beams and rotting wood. The lights that had shined through the window from a distance hadn’t reappeared since the approach, but Tiptoe was confident that something was alive inside, because when she opened the door, the air from inside was surprisingly warm. Jigsaw galloped up to Tiptoe, who was waiting near the door. “This is the place you saw? It doesn’t look very inviting.” “We’ll never know unless we go inside, now, will we?” She nudged the door open with her nose, and a buffet of warm air hit the two ponies. “Well, that’s encouraging,” said Jigsaw, his eyes widening a bit. Jigsaw lit his horn again and closed the door behind him. Inside was a narrow hallway that extended about 30 feet to a relatively featureless metal desk. The real eye-catcher in the room, however, was the large, golden sun emblazoned on the wall behind the desk. As they two ponies walked forwards, the sun suddenly blazed golden, flooding the room with light and heat. Jigsaw’s horn glowed even brighter in response to the magic in the air. Then, as suddenly as it began, the lights shut off and the warmth vanished. Jigsaw and Tiptoe stood frozen in mid-stride, stunned. Jigsaw put his hoof down. “Well, that explains the lig-” His words were cut off by a sudden horrible buzzing. A sharp crack and a flash of blue light came from the end of the hallway, and white lights flickered to life along the length of the hallway. Jigsaw walked up to one and examined it with wonder. He touched his horn to the metal casing and a spark jumped between his horn and the metal casing on the light. He stepped back and nodded appreciatively, apparently impressed. Tiptoe just looked on quizzically. Jigsaw turned around to face her. “The old world technology was apparently built to last. There’s an elevator down at the end of the hallway that goes... very far down. I don’t know how far.” “You can tell all that just by looking at a light?” Tiptoe said in awe. “This cutie mark isn’t just for show, you know!” Jigsaw said, a wide smile parting his face. “Now come on! Who knows what we’ll find down there?” Tiptoe let out a heavy sigh at the prospect of having to go underground yet again, then followed Jigsaw down the hallway. They had to climb over a few broken steel beams, but before too long, they came to a small door in the rubble. Jigsaw touched his horn to the door, and after a few minutes of effort, the door slid open haltingly. Inside was a rather strange sight from the metal hallways- interior walls appeared to panelled with wood. On the side opposite of the door, the sun symbol was once again repeated on the wall, only this one was a half sun instead of a whole. It still gave off a slight heat. “Well, I suppose we should head down.” Jigsaw said, walking into the elevator compartment. Tiptoe followed him apprehensively. Jigsaw’s horn glowed bright blue, and the elevator hummed to life, moving smoothly down the shaft. Arriving at the first floor, the two ponies stepped off the elevator to see a very strange sight. Banners emblazoned with the sun symbol were strewn all around the room, though most appeared to have been burned. Many strange and spindly-looking devices lined the walls. A loud, low tone like someone striking a large bell rang out as the two ponies walked into the room. Tiptoe’s hair stood on end and her feathers ruffled. Jigsaw’s horn glowed blue for just an instant, then the blue light seemed to expand out from his horn in rings and then vanished. Jigsaw gulped. “There is some serious magical protection around this room. And I mean serious. If we hadn’t have passed whatever criteria it checks, we would have been dead already.” “If this room is so well protected, what did that?” Tiptoe said, gesturing towards the pile of burned banners with her hoof. “That’s what worries me.” Jigsaw said, looking uneasy. Nonetheless, he trotted off towards a large archway to their left that has ornate old world letting over the entrance. It read “Celestial Observatory”. “Wait up!” Tiptoe shouted, cantering after Jigsaw. They entered into the dark room simultaneously, taking in the strange model of the sky that lay above them. Lined along the walls were dark monitors. On the floor was a dual insignia- A rising sun side by side with a crescent moon. Jigsaw walked to the center of the room, turned in a full circle, and lowered his head. Tiptoe was confused for a moment, but then Jigsaw’s horn erupted in a brilliant blue light. Pieces of metal, glass, what looked like cut crystal, and a few scattered electronic components flew through the air in swirl of activity, fastening themselves to unknown mechanisms behind the domed surface of the observatory. The sun and moon logo on the floor seemed to glow with a golden light, and there was a loud bang. The lights kicked on Jigsaw lifted his head, a sly smile on his face. Suddenly, the screens along the wall burst into life. On them were an image of an earth pony outfitted in full armor, a look of terror on his face. An explosion shook the screen and the earth pony began talking rapidly, though no sound could be heard. “Hold on just a second,” Jigsaw said. His horn lit up with only the faintest corona of blue light, in contrast to the rod of whirling blue plasma it had appeared to be just minutes ago. A blast of sound filled the room. “-ow on supplies! I don’t know how much longer we can hold out like this. I thought the war with the west was bad enough, but this... thing... has managed to breach all our defences! It’s already killed almost everypony else in the whole facility! We’ve managed to hold out here for now, but I don’t know how long our defences will hold. Listen, if anypony finds this video, there’s still hope! Go east to the Night Palace. Our researchers found something to do with Princess Luna’s disappearance. Go! No-” the recording was cut off by what appeared a torrent of emerald flames, a flash of golden light, and a roar. Then the tape ended and the screen went blank. The sun and moon on the ceiling hadn’t moved. “What was all that about?” Tiptoe said. “Was that recorded... during the Grand Cataclysm?” “I think it must have been. War with the west? What else could it have been?” Jigsaw replied. “I’m more interested with this Night Palace and whatever broke in here. What do you think happened to it? I’m going to dig through the system to see if there are any records after that.” Jigsaw’s horn glowed blue yet again as he touched it to the wall. It was then that a loud alternating tone rang out from the speakers in the room. The lights switched to a dark red color and heavy bulkheads fell all around the room. The two ponies were trapped. Jigsaw looked nervously at Tiptoe. “Oops.”

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:59:12+00:00

2012-10-13T05:59:12+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 8 By PK Alarms blared all around the Jigsaw and Tiptoe, so loud they had to shout to be heard. The formerly dark room was illuminated by harsh red lighting. The screens around the room were lit up, flashing a word in the old language that neither of the two ponies recognized. “What have you done?!” shouted Tiptoe. “I don’t know! I must have set off an alarm!” Jigsaw shouted back. “No, really?” “Look, there’s a chance I can still fix this! Not all of the systems have been locked down! If I can just... get...” Jigsaw closed his eyes in concentration. Tendrils of blue light burst from his horn and seemed to spread across the wall like vines, taking the edge off the red light that shone through the room. The tendrils of energy seemed to wiggle their way into the various cracks and gaps in the surface of the wall. Some of the monitors stopped flashing and instead displayed lines of text that flew by far too fast to be read. A swirling cloud of blue light appeared around the unicorn and soon he was obscured from view. Tiptoe stood back from him, staring in awe at the bright blue ball of swirling light. One by one, the monitors stopped flashing and the lines of text appeared. Eventually, all the monitors were displaying the rapidly moving text. Then, without warning, all the monitors went dark, and the red light was extinguished. The room was illuminated by the swirling blue light coming from Jigsaw, but even as she watched, the light spun slower and slower until it faded away. The blue tendrils shot back into Jigsaw’s horn and he collapsed to the ground. The room went dark. Tiptoe ran over to Jigsaw’s collapsed form, barely visible in the darkness. He was breathing, but unresponsive. Suddenly, the room was flooded with light. The monitors all around the room had flared to light, each one showing the same image. The symbol on the floor began glowing, as well, and with a loud slamming noise, the metal doors on one side of the room receded into the walls. The air suddenly grew warm, and the metal sun and moon moved into the center of the domed ceiling. They met, the sun fitting perfectly inside the stylized crescent moon. Tiptoe stared in awe at the open doors. Floodlights lit the passage beyond, which stretched downwards. She sighed to herself. “Do they really have to make opening doors that dramatic?” Jigsaw’s eyes fluttered open. “Did it work?” “Oh! You’re awake. It kind of worked. Half of the door opened, and this half leads downwards.” “Lovely. What does this symbol mean? It’s everywhere.” “Who knows? It obviously has something to do with the sun and moon. Maybe it used to be a government institution.” “I think it’s more than that. The magic here is some of the strongest I've ever encountered- except maybe for that dragon. This facility is way higher up than a simple government institution.” “If it’s so powerfully protected, then how did you manage to get in so easily?” A smile crossed Jigsaw’s face. “Because I’m good at what I do.” Tiptoe nudged him playfully. She couldn’t quite forget, however, that every time he did magic, it seemed to be more impressive than the time before it. She wondered how she could ever compare to his level of ability. Jigsaw stood up shakily and approached the passageway. “There’s nothing more I can do from here. Our only option is to go through that door, I suppose.” He passed under the metal archway, Tiptoe following next to him. The passageway turned into a staircase as they walked on. The passageway ahead was only illuminated for a few feet in front of them- more lights came on as they walked forward, and the lights behind them switched off. Before long, they came to a platform. The hallway ahead of them was forked. On the left, the sun-and-moon insignia was engraved on the ground . Tattered scraps of fabric were littered along the ground. On the right, the passage was barren. “I think we should follow the symbol. It seems like it’s led to good places so far.” Tiptoe said. Jigsaw shrugged. “I don’t really see why not.” As they entered the hallway, the sun-and-moon insignias on the floor began to glow softly. It provided the only light in the hallway, as this particular passage way conspicuously devoid of lights along the wall. Eventually they entered a much larger, round room. It was obvious this room had once been lavishly decorated: Empty flower vases, tattered banners, and torn-up chairs and seats littered the space. The most interesting feature of the room, however, lay directly opposite the door. Two ornate thrones sat against the wall. One looked as though it was once bright white, though it had been faded and dirtied with time. The other throne looked black as night. Behind the thrones was a giant, solid-gold sun-and-moon insignia. Jigsaw and Tiptoe stared at it in awe. After a few seconds of slack-jawed staring, Jigsaw spoke. “I think... I think this was once a royal chamber. Celestia and Luna themselves once sat here! This explains all the heavy-duty magic- they must have enchanted this place themselves!” “It’s incredible you managed to break through the enchantments, then.” “Well, they’ve gotten much, much weaker over time. Before the Great Cataclysm, this place was as good as impregnable.” “Then... then what was that attacking on the video screen back in the room with all the monitors?” “That’s what worries me. If something powerful enough to get through those enchantments exists... I don’t even want to think about what it could do.” They walked up to the thrones and noticed a small stone platform in-between the two seats, this one strangely uncarved. Tiptoe walked onto it. A low buzzing sound could be heard emanating from the platform, but other than that, the room remained unchanged. Jigsaw walked on to the platform to join her. “What do you suppose this could be for? It doesn’t seem to do anything.” Jigsaw said, prodding the stone surface with his hoof. The room was filled with a brilliant golden light. The stone surface of the platform appeared to turn to clear crystal, beyond which stars could be seen. Then, the crystal opened up, and the two ponies were sucked inside.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T05:59:37+00:00

2012-10-13T05:59:37+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 9 by PK Jigsaw and Tiptoe plummeted through the crystal tube. Through the transparent walls of the tunnel, pinpricks of light could be seen—like stars, but shining much brighter, with a golden light. The transparent crystal was coarse and jagged, but a warm cushion of air seemed to push the two ponies away whenever they came too close to the edges. Tiptoe flapped her wings furiously in a futile attempt to stop her descent. No matter how hard she flapped, she didn’t seem to slow at all. Jigsaw fell below her, tumbling head over heels through the tunnel. Below them, approaching rapidly, a large, black plane stretched out in every direction. After a few minutes of terrified free fall, the termination of the tunnel reached the two ponies. Jigsaw and Tiptoe suddenly found themselves standing on another platform in another throne room. The platform was glowing with the same bright, golden light as the other had, but within moments it had faded back to gray stone. They were not alone. Seated on a strange throne was a deep red unicorn, his jaw slack in amazement. Then, Jigsaw and Tiptoe lost consciousness. ~~~ Jigsaw blinked his eyes open. His whole body ached as though he’d just been thoroughly beaten. He was lying on a comfortable mattress in a small but lavishly decorated bedroom. There was a large red curtain that had an ornate black “R” sewn into it. Jigsaw got shakily to his feet and approached the curtain. He tugged on the tassel hanging down on the side of the curtain with his mouth and the curtains were drawn open. He couldn’t believe what he saw. Spread out below him was a massive city. He was in a tower that appeared to grow out of the center of the mass of buildings, with stripes of alternating buildings and farmland spreading out from it like the spokes of a wheel. Far off, at the border where the buildings stopped, a massive, shimmering blue barrier rose up from the ground. It seemed to encase the entire city in a shimmering blue globe, through which the sun and moon could still be seen on either sides of the sky. Jigsaw stared out the window in awe at the city spread out beneath him. He simply couldn’t believe what he saw. He couldn’t comprehend how a city like this could even exist so long after pony civilization had collapsed. He staggered away from the window and sat on the bed. He stared out the window and tried to understand how he had gotten here and how this place could even exist. Luckily, he didn’t have to wonder for long. The door to his room hummed quietly and slid into the wall. A very small shockingly blue pegasus walked in, and upon seeing Jigsaw sitting up on his bed, smiled. “Who are you?” Jigsaw said, a sharp edge of suspicion in his voice. “My name is Cerulean. I’m glad you’re finally awake,” she replied. Her voice was very reassuring. “How did I get here? Where is here? How does this place even exist? Where is Tiptoe?!” His voice rose as he spoke, eventually ending in a shout. Cerulean didn’t falter. “There’s no need to shout! Trust me, you’re safe here. Your pegasus friend is just across the hallway. She hasn’t woken up, yet, though. Tiptoe, you said her name is? And what might yours be?” “Jigsaw.” He said, narrowing his eyes at Cerulean. “I want to see her.” Cerulean nodded. “Of course. Follow me.” She got up and walked over to the door. It appeared nothing more than a slab of green metal—however, it had the sun-and-moon symbol emblazoned on it. Cerulean touched it with her snout. It glowed for a moment, and the door slid into the wall with the soft hum he had heard earlier. It led out into a plain hallway of gray stone. Directly across from Jigsaw’s room there was an identical door, though this one appeared to be slightly newer. The door opened and they cantered inside. Tiptoe lay on a bed in the center of the room. It appeared identical to the room they had just come from, only mirrored. The shimmering blue globe outside the window swirled and twisted like air currents, casting a strange blue light into the window. “See? I told you that she’s just fine. She’s still suffering the aftereffects from using the portal. Speaking of which, we have some questions to ask you. Please accompany me to the royal chambers.” Cerulean said, her smile as wide as ever. Jigsaw still felt rather uneasy with this pony, but the chance to finally get some answers was too lucrative for him to pass up. He followed Cerulean out the door and into the hallway. The hallway had a rich red carpet stretching down its length. The gray stone walls had small orbs every few feet that were illuminated. Cerulean cantered along this hallway, Jigsaw close behind her. Soon they reached a spiral staircase which rose out of the ground in a large domed room. Strung along the sides of this room were ruby red banners bearing a black hoofmark and a single word underneath that Jigsaw didn’t recognize. “What does that say?” He asked Cerulean. “Why, it says Stalliongrad, of course!” The two ponies reached the top of the spiral staircase. They trotted a short distance under a metal archway before coming back into the throne room Jigsaw and Tiptoe had originally appeared in before passing out. Now, Jigsaw could get a proper look at it. It appeared to have had a much different layout originally—parts of the room seemed to have been slapped on the extend the room. Red was everywhere. A rich red carpet covered the floor, and red tapestries hung from almost every window. The hoof motif was also omnipresent, from the shape of table in the room to the right, to the archway they had just passed under, to the logos on the tapestries. At the far end of the room was the deep red unicorn he had seen before. His cutie mark was some sort of red ribbon. He was seated in a throne that was split down the middle, half deep alabaster black, the other a bright white. It looked as if somepony had cut the original two thrones in half and stuck them together. Cerulean bowed and walked out of the room. The red pony jumped off the throne and cantered over to Jigsaw. “I’m pleased you’ve finally woken up! Please, come and sit with me. I imagine you must have many questions. I know I do.” He let out a genial laugh and winked at Jigsaw. He then began walking over to a doorway in the northwest corner of the room, which led into what appeared to be some sort of meeting room. A large number of chairs were arranged in a circle around a central table. The red pony took a seat and Jigsaw sat down directly across from him. “Now, I believe some introductions are in order. My name is Rubidium and I am the governor of the glorious city of Stalliongrad! Who are you?” “My name is Jigsaw.” “Jigsaw? What an interesting name.” Several unicorns entered through a small door in the far wall, plates of food hovering in front of them. They placed them on the table before giving a short bow and exiting the room. Jigsaw eyed the food warily for an instant before his hunger got the better of him. As he began eating, Rubidium began to speak. “I was quite surprised to see you appear in the throne room, particularly out of that portal. It hasn’t worked in… well, I don't think it ever has! How did you get here? And from where?” Jigsaw stopped eating and regarded the deep ruby colored pony across the table from him. Despite all the things he had done for him and Tiptoe, Jigsaw couldn’t help but be unnerved by him. However, he didn’t want to make enemies of the first group of ponies he came across. He decided to tell the truth. He began to recount the story from the beginning, though he tried to omit any details that weren’t crucial to the story. Rubidium sat across the table listening intently. His expression was inscrutable. When Jigsaw had finished, Rubidium hopped off the chair and began to pace back and forth. “So… you really know nothing?” he said, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t know any more than what I told you.” “I need to show you something. Follow me.” Rubidium trotted over to a wall and touched a panel with his snout. The table in the center of the room began to sink slowly into the floor. When it had lowered completely, a sheet of metal slid out to cover the hole. Then, to Jigsaw’s amazement, an enormous replica of the tower they were currently in appeared, taking up most of the space in the room. His eyes went wide. Jigsaw walked over to the tower and swept his hoof into it. It passed through as if there were nothing there. “It’s a hologram!” he said with amazement. “How is this possible?” Rubidium walked out into the center of the room and the image of the tower shrunk down until it was only the size of a pony, then the spokes of land and buildings that surrounded the tower shimmered to life at it’s base. “Before the fall, Stalliongrad was Equestria’s main military base. As such, some of the most brilliant scientists and advanced technology in the entire world was present here, including some of the most powerful protection the goddesses could bestow. After the fall, we were the only city in the middle ring that survived the war between the dark side and the light side. They simply couldn’t penetrate our protection. We waited out the war, and once it was over, we began to rebuild. The technology you see here is the result of ten thousand years of progress while the rest of the world stood still.” “The middle ring?” “The habitable zone in the middle of the planet. Where plants still grow.” “And how did you stay safe from the Grand Cataclysm? What defences could you possibly have strong enough to repel all of Equestria?” Rubidium smiled, though it didn’t show in his eyes. He did a sweeping gesture with one of his legs and the image rotated to show the city from above. Clearly visible, like channels of liquid silver and gold running under the entire city, was the sun-and-moon insignia. “This is the symbol of Celestia and Luna. I take it you know who they were?” “Well, yes, of course.” “They are not totally gone. You said you encountered a dragon named Tantalus on your journey?” Jigsaw nodded. “The story he spun you was only partially true. There was no unicorn- he was the one meddling with power beyond his own control. I do not know why, or how, but he was corrupted by dark powers beyond comprehension. He attempted to destroy the goddesses, and most believed he was successful.” Rubidium gestured towards the main chamber. “Follow me.” Rubidium led Jigsaw into the room and towards a small staircase behind the throne. At the top was nothing more than a white disc in the floor. They stood on it, and much to Jigsaw’s surprise, it slid smoothly downward. They appeared to be descending down a glass tube, through which the entire city could be seen laid out beneath them. The sense of scale was almost overwhelming to Jigsaw. The tower was many hundred, perhaps even thousands, of feet high. As they descended, smaller towers began flying past the two ponies. Inside, Jigsaw saw glimpses of the lavishly decorated interior. However, the small, run-down shacks at the border of the shell that surrounded the city could still be seen in the distance. Soon the disc reached the bottom of the tower and continued on underground. The tube appeared to have been built into the facility much later than the rooms it intersected. They all appeared to be original to the military base and abandoned. Eventually, the platform began to slow and glided to a halt. They entered into a stone room that appeared to have been carved in a rush. The walls were craggy and uneven. Jigsaw could sense the room had a very strong magical field surrounding it. The lights in the ceiling had been replaced with the more familiar globes of magical energy. Rubidium noticed Jigsaw staring up at the lights and said, “We can’t have anything that runs on electricity down here. It won’t work.” “Why not?” Jigsaw replied, his curiosity piqued. “You’ll find out.” Rubidium said before turning and walking down the passageway at the end of the room. Jigsaw followed, and they soon came to an intricately carved stone door. It appeared as though this door was given far more attention to detail than the rest of the rest of the room. Numerous carvings of ponies in various poses resided at each corner, while circles of old-world text Jigsaw didn’t recognize surrounded the central symbol of a brightly glowing sun-and-moon symbol. “Would you care to do the honors?” Rubidium said. “I would love to!” Jigsaw said. He walked up to the door and pressed against it. The sun and moon flashed brighter than ever, and the words on the door rotated around it, lining up to form words Jigsaw didn’t understand. Rubidium, however, had understood. And he wasn’t pleased.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:03:08+00:00

2012-10-13T06:03:08+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 10 By PK Tiptoe’s eyes fluttered open. She was surprised to find herself lying on a comfortable mattress in a lavishly decorated room. The red hoofprint and R motif was ever-present on the walls. A strange, shimmering blue light shone in through a window on the left of the room. Tiptoe approached it and gasped. The city spread out beneath her. Rows upon rows on smooth, elegant-looking white towers rose from the ground below her. As she looked farther out, however, the buildings became more blocky, less clean, and less well-kept. At the edge of the line of buildings were little more than run-down shacks. On either side of the strip of buildings was green farmland, with buildings sparsely placed in rows. A shimmering blue shell of energy surrounded the entire city. Tiptoe stared out at it, taking it all in. A quiet ding and a hum emanated from the door at the front of the room, and a very small, bright blue pegasus walked in, a wide smile on her face. Tiptoe reacted instantly, jumping away from the door and extending her wings as menacingly as she could muster. The blue pegasus didn’t drop her smile. “Who are you?” Tiptoe demanded, a slight waver in her voice. “My name is Cerulean. Don’t worry, you’re perfectly safe. Your friend Jigsaw, too.” she said evenly. “Jigsaw was here? Where is he now?” Tiptoe said, retracting her wings. “He’s off with our governor. He’s perfectly safe, I assure you. He was in here earlier, in fact.” Cerulean said. Her voice was so bubbly that Tiptoe found it a little sickening. “Can I go see him?” Tiptoe asked. “Of course not! He’s very busy right now, but don’t worry! I’ve been tasked to show you around. Come with me!” Cerulean walked backwards, her smile still wide, and beckoned out the door into the plain gray hallway beyond. Slowly, Tiptoe and Cerulean left the room, the door sliding with a soft hum into the wall behind them. They began their descent down a richly carved stone staircase. ~~~ The door swung open and the hallway was flooded with a brilliant white light. Jigsaw had to avert his eyes for a moment, and Rubidium took a few steps back. After a few seconds, the light faded to a level that allowed Jigsaw to look at the item producing it. Right in the middle of a large crystalline apparatus was what looked like a miniature sun. It was a deep yellowish red color and appeared to rotate and swirl in place. Surrounding it were two long crystal arms that extended into the ceiling. White light was flowing out of the sphere and into the crystal arms and travelled into the walls. Jigsaw hesitantly walked forward into the room. “What... what is this? What is it doing?” Jigsaw asked, examining the sphere closely. It gave off a warm light. “What you’re looking at, Jigsaw, is a fragment of Celestia herself.” Rubidium said softly. He stood at the threshold of the door. Jigsaw stared at Rubidium in shock. “You’re joking, right? There’s no way this is possible.” “But it is. When the dragon split the goddesses, not every fragment was lost. This one fell here. When Tantalus attacked, we built this to harness the power of the sphere and create the shield that still protects us. We’re not entirely sure, but we think there are six in total- three for Celestia, and three for Luna. Nopony knows where the others are. Even if we did, we have no way of getting there. You’re the first that’s ever managed to get in from outside.” Jigsaw stared at the sphere and attempted to absorb all the new information. It was almost too much to take in at once. “Who exactly is ‘we’?” Jigsaw asked. “The ancient Stalliongradians. They recorded everything. I could show you to the historical libraries if you’d like.” Rubidium stood leaning against the doorway, watching Jigsaw meander around the room. “I’d like to see that, I think.” Jigsaw said. “First, though, I’d like to finish examining this.” He gingerly touched the tip of his horn to the crystal arms that jutted out from the walls. As his horn began to glow, the white light inside the crystal responded by bending towards it. Suddenly, a high-pitched whine came from the walls of the chamber and the floor began to rumble. The crystal arms suddenly began to rotate around the sphere. Then, as quickly as it began, it was over. Jigsaw looked up in fright at Rubidium, who had a small smile on his face. “What was that?” Jigsaw said. “The attenuation rods need to realign themselves periodically. Now follow me. It’s not safe to be in here for much longer. There’s going to be a powerful blast of magical energy. Which, coincidentally, is why we don’t have electronics down here.” Jigsaw took one last look around the room before heading out behind Rubidium. Together they walked into the pod-like elevator and began the ride back up. Jigsaw simply stood and watched as the scenery flashed by his eyes. They were about halfway up the tower when it slid to a halt. The doors on the front whooshed open to reveal a brightly lit library. The room was rectangular, with what looked like polished wooden walls. Jigsaw cantered out of the door. “You wait here and read anything you like. I have to tend to some business.” With that, Rubidium’s horn glowed red, and the elevator’s door shut silently. It then began its descent down the tube and out of sight. Jigsaw had only taken a few steps towards a bookshelf when a portion of the wall slid open to his left. Behind it were Cerulean and Tiptoe. “Tiptoe?” Jigsaw said, surprised. “Jigsaw! You’re all right!” Tiptoe said, running into the room. The two embraced as the door slid shut behind them. “Where have you been?” Tiptoe said after they had separated. Jigsaw then began to recount the tale of what had happened to him while Tiptoe was asleep. At the revelation of the fact that Celestia and Luna were broken up into fragments, she gave an audible gasp. Eventually, Jigsaw finished, and silence fell as she digested the information. Finally, she spoke. “Jigsaw, do you entirely trust these ponies?” ~~~ Rubidium rode the elevator down to the second lowest level. He stepped out into the stone hallway, squinting through the dim, greenish light. Only the emergency lights were left on this low. He began to trot down the hallway. About halfway down, a sudden flash of rainbow light flashed behind him. He didn’t need to look back. He knew Cerulean was behind him. “I led the pegasus to the holding area, just liked you asked. I assume the plan is going to proceed as we discussed?” Rubidium shot a glance in Cerulean’s direction that made her freeze in place. “He opened the door. He walked right up to the fragment of Celestia as if there was nothing there. He’s far too valuable to dispose of now. The pegasus can go, though. Is the subject ready?” Cerulean breathed out a sigh of relief and replied, “Of course. Right this way.” They continued walking on in silence. Eventually, they came to an unassuming mahogany door to the right of the hallway. Cerulean pushed it open and Rubidium entered. The room looked as if it had once been a war room, though it was now heavily altered. The far wall appeared to have been carved out and extended several dozen yards into solid rock. Several pieces of equipment and magical apparatuses lined the walls. At the far end the wall, surrounded by all kinds of machinery, was a table. Strapped onto it was a purple female earth pony. As Rubidium approached, she began to struggle, but the metal clamps around her hooves kept her latched on tightly. Cerulean looked away. Rubidium approached and a small apparatus on a metal rod extended out from some device on the wall. At the tip was a series of concentric circles. Rubidium inserted his horn into the device and it began to glow ruby red. The earth pony shuddered and whimpered as a beam of red light issued from her chest and was funneled into Rubidium’s horn. His coat became smoother, he stood taller, and his muscles became better defined. In a few moments, it was over. Rubidium stepped away from the device and it retraced into the wall. The earth pony in the shackles was dead. It looked as though it had aged a lifetime. The floor in front of the table slid open and the shackles unlocked. The body fell into the open pit and the floor slid shut again. Rubidium stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Cerulean, who was still looking away. “I think it’s time you retrieve our young intruders. I’ll be in my quarters. Don’t take too long.” Cerulean nodded and pressed her wings against the small disk hidden under them. She began to glow before a flash of rainbow light filled the room and she was gone. She appeared in the hallway directly outside the library. She took a moment to compose herself and assume her signature smile before swiping a hoof across the door controls. They slid open in front of her, and she let out an audible gasp. The room was empty.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:04:04+00:00

2012-10-13T06:04:04+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 11 by PK Several minutes earlier… “Jigsaw, do you entirely trust these ponies?” “What do you mean?” Jigsaw said, taken aback. “I haven’t really seen any reason not to trust them. I was wary at first, but why would they show me something as precious as the fragment of Celestia if they were hiding things from us?” “I don’t know, Jigsaw,” she said uneasily. “I noticed pretty much as soon as they let me in here. Look around. Do you see any controls for the doors?” Jigsaw glanced around the room. The elevator shaft at the far end of the room didn’t have any visible controls on the smooth glass surface. The door that had slid open to permit Tiptoe’s entrance was now flush with the wall. “Okay, you have my attention,” Jigsaw said. “Was there anything else?” Tiptoe lowered her voice. “Have you actually seen any other ponies besides the blue and red ones? I walked through several floors of this place and the only ponies I saw were outside the tower. I think we’re being held prisoner.” Jigsaw opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again. He retraced the path they had taken to the library in his mind, and it slowly dawned on him that Tiptoe was right. He hadn’t seen a single other pony during his whole trip through the tower. He supposed he had been too taken in by the wonder of the city. “What do you propose we do about it?” Jigsaw whispered. A large grin began to creep its way across Tiptoe’s face. “Just follow my lead.” Before long, the two ponies were standing on opposite sides of the sliding wooden wall panel that served as the only apparent entrance to the room. They heard a quiet mechanical hum come from somewhere inside the wall, and the doorway slid up smoothly. Cerulean stood in the doorway in confusion for only a moment before Tiptoe shouted, “NOW!” A blue glow surrounded Jigsaw’s horn as he lifted a heavy book off a nearby bookshelf. It went sailing through the air and hit a surprised Cerulean right in the head, stunning her. Tiptoe and Jigsaw used the moment to run out the door. Tiptoe then ran around to the backside of Cerulean and kicked her with her back legs—hard. Cerulean went tumbling into the library. Just as she shook her head to regain her focus and began speaking, Jigsaw waved a hoof in front of the door controls. The door slid shut with the familiar humming noise. “We did it!” said Jigsaw, breathing hard. “We actually made it!” Tiptoe shushed Jigsaw. “We can’t be heard! Just because we didn’t see anypony earlier doesn’t mean there couldn’t be guards. If we’re going to sneak out of here, you’re going to have to follow my lead.” Jigsaw was somewhat surprised at Tiptoe’s take-charge attitude, though he understood why it had taken hold. Stealth was her special talent, and this was the first time she had ever gotten to utilize it. He remembered the boost of confidence he had gotten when he was trapped in the subway station and figured it must have been similar to how she was feeling now. He just hoped he could keep up. “Just follow my lead, and stay as quiet as you can.” Tiptoe whispered, walking over to the wall on the right of the hallway. She lowered her head and stood on the very tips of her hooves. Jigsaw was amazed as she began to move forward along the wall—her hooffalls, once loud against the stone, seemed to have faded into silence. Jigsaw stood unsteadily on his hooves—he felt that he might fall over at any moment. However, after a few steps forward, he began to learn how to step lightly and make as little sound as possible. However, if he attempted to go Tiptoe’s speed, he ending up making a very loud noise, so Tiptoe was constantly forced to stop and wait for him to catch up. They set off down the hallway, Tiptoe stopping at every corner to look ahead and make sure the coast was clear. Jigsaw was mesmerized—her body seemed to flow from place to place, showing an elegance and conservation in movement he had never seen in a pony before. She even used her wings. Every now and then, in a larger room, she would take off from the ground, flapping her wings in a slow, stiff motion that was almost totally silent, exploring the upper levels of the multistory rooms. The tower had been completely deserted so far, although it looked as though it had been built to accompany a huge amount of ponies. Several times, Jigsaw spoke up to question the necessity of sneaking, but Tiptoe quickly silenced him. Tiptoe peeked her head around a corner of a brightly lit, white-tiled hallway, then signaled for Jigsaw to follow her. After Tiptoe’s tail had vanished out of sight around the corner, Jigsaw slowly made his way around to follow her. They entered into what looked like a lobby. It appeared unpowered—there were no lights on anywhere. The ceiling stretched at least six stories above them, and rows of balconies jutted out from small rooms arranged around three of the walls, like an office complex. The entire western wall, however, was taken up by a single pane of glass. Through it, taking up almost the entire area of the window, was the moon. The silvery light that filtered in through the window cast an eerie light over the entire scene. Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s shadows climbed halfway up the wall as they approached the window in awe. The city could be seen spread out beneath them, lights twinkling in windows. Jigsaw approached the window, nearly mesmerized, when Tiptoe prodded him from the side and pointed towards a door to their left. Muffled voices could be heard coming from the other side. Jigsaw and Tiptoe remained rooted to the spot. Soon, however, the voices moved past the door and out of earshot. After a few moments, Tiptoe spoke up. “Jigsaw, we’re going to need to get through that door.” “What? Are you crazy?” Jigsaw hissed back. “We can’t go out there! There are other ponies out there!” “Exactly,” Tiptoe said. “Which means that there has to be a way out down there. Think about it. So far, we haven’t even been able to go down a level. We also haven’t seen any other ponies. If there are some out there, it stands to reason they must have come from somewhere, yeah? I vote we go exploring.” “But what if we get caught?” Jigsaw said, glancing out the window at the glistening city below them. Tiptoe chuckled quietly. “We won’t. Now I get to pay you back for all the times you showed off your magic. Try and open the door while I’m gone.” She winked at Jigsaw before leaping into the air and soaring up to one of the balconies above the door. She walked inside the small room behind the balcony and vanished from sight. Jigsaw couldn’t help but smile at Tiptoe’s high spirits. They had been in such a constant state of rush and terror since this whole adventure began that he had learned to appreciate the little moments when he could. He took one final look out at the moon before cantering over to the door. First he attempted to open it by means of the control panel fastened to the wall. It appeared to be much older than the sleek, motion activated control panels on the library door—this one had a control panel covered in strange and unfamiliar characters that extended from the wall at a slight angle. A small screen was directly above it. To either side of the keyboard was a large, round button—one green, and one red. Jigsaw decided to hit the green one on instinct. The screen winked to life, showing an image of a black hoofprint. Then, with a mechanical screech, the door slid open…to reveal a thick sheet of plaster on the other side. At the same time, Jigsaw heard Tiptoe yell down from the balcony. He galloped out to the center of the room. Tiptoe stood braced against the balcony railing, her front hooves resting against the top rung. “Did you manage to get the door open?” she called down. “Yeah, but it was blocked off!” Jigsaw replied. “I don’t see any way through unless you think we can kick a hole in it, in which case there would probably be armed guards right outside.” “I figured as much! The room in here is empty, but the door is locked from the inside. It leads to a hallway directly above this floor, and there’s a stairwell at the end of the hall!” “That’s great, but how am I supposed to get up there?” Jigsaw called back. “Hold on!” Tiptoe shouted. She put her hooves back on the ground and took a few steps back before galloping forward and leaping over the railing. She spread her wings out wide and soared down in a series of wide spirals before finally landing in front of Jigsaw with a single flap of her wings. “Okay, now you’re just showing off,” Jigsaw said. “Oh, don’t pretend you don’t like it,” Tiptoe said with a playful wink. Jigsaw was surprised, though not entirely displeased at Tiptoe’s attitude. Before he could speak, however, she took off again, looping around Jigsaw before coming to a stop hovering over him. “I’m going to grab you and pull you up to the balcony. It’s probably not going to be comfortable. Are you ready?” she said. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose,” Jigsaw responded. Tiptoe wrapped her hooves around Jigsaw’s midriff and began to beat her wings. Jigsaw was buffeted by several strong gusts of wind before they began to rise off the ground. He hung limp in Tiptoe’s arms as they slowly rose towards the balcony. Tiptoe beat her wings as hard as she could. The extra weight of Jigsaw made the flight excruciatingly slow. She had gotten stronger in the week or so they had been on the surface, thought the weight of a full-grown pony still posed a significant challenge to her. After a few agonizing minutes of flying, Tiptoe finally reached the level of the balcony. She dropped Jigsaw off before landing on the ground and collapsing onto her back, panting heavily. Jigsaw gingerly arched his spine back down into its normal position, acutely aware of the imprint Tiptoe’s hooves had left on his stomach. Nonetheless, he turned to her and said, “That was incredible back there. I don’t know that I’ve ever even heard of a pony being carried up that far!” Tiptoe stood up, having caught her breath. Her feathers were ruffled from the exertion she had just put them through. She began fluttering them in an attempt to flatten them down when Jigsaw interrupted her. “Let me do that. I can actually reach them, after all.” He flattened down the stray feathers with one hoof. When he was done, Tiptoe turned to face him. “Thanks,” she said, a note of fatigue still present in her voice. They locked eyes for a brief moment. Both of them remembered the conversation they’d had under the snowy pine tree what seemed like ages ago, and they could read it on each other’s faces. Tiptoe, however, decided to take action. In one quick motion, she leaned forwards and gave Jigsaw a quick peck on the cheek. “I know what we talked about, but you never said flirting was off the table,” she then turned around with a flourish and trotted into the dark room beyond. Jigsaw stood stunned at the entrance to the room for a few moments before stating “I like her. I really like her,” to nopony in particular. He then entered the dark room. Inside was just as empty as Tiptoe had described. To Jigsaw, it looked to have once been a residential area. There were several small rooms branching off of the main one, all just as empty. The only light in the room came from the light that filtered in from the doorway. Tiptoe stood at the opposite side of the room, where a simple wooden door was located. This one seemed to be about as old as the one in the lobby—it had a similar control panel in the wall off to one side. Tiptoe pressed the green button with her nose and the door slid open. Beyond was a brightly lit hallway. So brightly lit, in fact, that it temporarily stunned Jigsaw. When his eyes had adjusted, he saw a small red carpet that extended to either direction. To the left, the hallways simply turned and vanished from sight. To the right, however, a stairwell was clearly visible. Rich, warm lights in the shape of a sun lined the hallway every few dozen feet. “C’mon,” Tiptoe whispered, “We have to get going before someone else shows up.” They had only made it halfway to the stairwell when the sound of voices came up from below. Tiptoe froze in her tracks for just a moment before she turned on the spot, jammed the open button on one of the nearby doors, and jumped inside. Jigsaw followed her lead and jumped in after her. She pressed the red button on the control panel and the door slid shut just as two ponies came walking up the stairwell. Jigsaw and Tiptoe placed their ears against the seam of the door in an attempt to overhear the conversation going on outside. “…is that he’s finally found a replacement for the Attenuator, but he escaped with the other pony that came through the portal! They’re running around in the old residential areas right now! That’s what the lockdown earlier was about, I think. I don’t even think most of these old doors are even hooked up to the network any more, though. Doesn’t really matter, the bottom level’s sealed off anyway. Poor guy, though, I sure don’t envy him,” said a deep, gruff male voice. “Have you ever seen the Attenuator in person?” The reply came from a much more subdued and younger-sounding male voice. “No. But I’ve heard the screaming.” Several seconds of silence followed this statement. “Haven’t you ever wanted to just let her go?” the soft-spoken male voice said. Suddenly the sound of a flurry of motion came from outside and a loud bang and sharp shake of the door caused Jigsaw and Tiptoe to jump back. It appeared as though one of the ponies outside had been pinned against the door they were currently hiding in. “Listen up, kid. I know you’re new here, but if they hear you talking like that, they will not hesitate to kill you. What you just said has gotten ponies…good ponies…drained. So you’d do best to forget you ever thought that.” The door shook slightly and they heard sounds of gasping coming from outside. “Now, come on. We need to get back to quarters before we’re caught after lockdown.” Tiptoe and Jigsaw shared a look. After a few moments, the footsteps outside the doorway faded away. Tiptoe asked Jigsaw to light his horn, and he complied. “What’s the Attenuator? And why do they want me for it?” Jigsaw asked, his voice shaking with fear. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t sound like anything you want to be a part of. And what do you think they meant by ‘drained’? What’s going on in this place?” Her voice shook at the last sentence, giving away her nervousness. When she looked at the fear etched on Jigsaw’s face, however, she mustered up every last fragment of courage she had. “It doesn’t matter. We’re going to get out of here. All you have to do is trust me.” She took a step back and extended her wings just a little. “Do you trust me?” Jigsaw looked up at her. “With my life.” “Good, because this won’t be the first time I’ve saved you,” she said with a wink, heading towards the door to the room. Jigsaw knew she was putting on a brave face for his benefit, but it didn’t really matter to him. The fact that she was willing to try at all meant a great deal to him. Still, though, he couldn’t shake the line about screaming out of his head. The door to the room slid open and Tiptoe poked her head out and looked up and down the hallway. She turned and nodded silently to Jigsaw to indicate the hall was clear. They headed out together, approaching the stairwell uninterrupted. Soon, they were descending down a flight of small, red-carpeted steps, ears perked up to listen for footsteps coming up the stairwell. What they found at the bottom was not what they had been expecting. There was no hallway at the bottom of the stairway—instead, a round platform, similar to the one in the throne room, though not identical, was located in the center of a small room. This one, however, appeared to be made out of a dark black, reflective stone instead of the course and dull gray stone from above. A thick cord extended from the back of the platform and off into a wall. A rather melodious humming was coming from the platform. The most striking feature, however, was the holographic message displayed at head level over the platform—“Lockdown protocols in place. All intergate travel is disabled. Return to your quarters until further notice.” Tiptoe and Jigsaw cursed in unison at the turn of events. “Well, I suppose that explains the lack of ponies. What do we do now?” Jigsaw said as Tiptoe walked onto the platform. The holographic image floating above fragmented and distorted as she passed through it. “Can you do anything with your magic?” Tiptoe asked. She stepped off the platform and Jigsaw took her place. His horn began to glow as tendrils of blue light made their way down to the platform. Suddenly, the melodious hum issuing from the platform became harsh and discordant, and Jigsaw flew off and slammed into the wall behind it. Tiptoe let out a gasp and galloped over to him. Jigsaw groaned. “Are you okay?” she implored. Slowly, Jigsaw moved up to sit on his haunches. “It’s going to leave a nasty bruise, but nothing’s broken. The security here is just too tight. I can’t break in.” “How is that possible?” Tiptoe said, a little exasperated. “I’ve seen you work a thousand bits of way more impressive magic!” “Yeah, on systems that were thousands of years old or had no protection in the first place. Those computers in that compound back there were over ten thousand years old—the magical protection on them was nearly gone. These are fresh. Maybe if I had a few weeks I could break them, but for now we’re out of luck.” Tiptoe glared at him for a moment, then shook her head. “At least we’re safe here, for now. Nopony’s going to come through the portal while it’s on loc—” Before she could finish the sentence, the hologram above the platform vanished and the tinkling melody coming from it grew in volume. Just when Tiptoe was getting worried about the noise level, it suddenly cut back to near-silence and two large blue words appeared above the platform: “Good luck”. Both Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s faces broke out in huge grins. They looked at each other, and without another word, jumped on to the portal. A sudden flash of light came from underneath them, and they both felt as if gravity had been reversed. The world melted away into a blur of colors and shapes, constantly shifting and changing direction. They had the sensation of great speed, though it was hard to tell. Suddenly, with a rather jarring slam, the world became solid again, and they found themselves standing on a portal in a room with smooth, white walls. They didn’t pay too much attention to the architecture, however. Their attention was taken up by the door. The ornately decorated entrance was visually striking. White designs reminiscent of creeping vines criss-crossed their way across a window made of glass that refracted the light from the glowing blue shield into beautiful patterns of color that played along the back wall. But what they noticed most wasn’t the door itself—it was what was outside it. Beyond the double doors was the city of Stalliongrad. The portal had taken them right to ground level. Jigsaw began to laugh. He couldn’t believe they were actually going to make it out of this alive! Outside the doors could be seen the slick, high-tech buildings he had been glimpsing in the elevators for so long. Ponies outside were going about their lives, eating at restaurants, laughing among themselves, and even operating slick-looking vehicles on narrow streets. Together, they pushed open the double doors of the tower and walked out into the bustle of Stalliongrad. Minutes earlier… The elevator entrance in the library whooshed open. Cerulean cowered behind a bookshelf. She didn’t need to look. She could already see the dancing red light casting the shadow of a unicorn on the wall. Rubidium came around the corner and faced Cerulean. His horn looked as though it was on fire—a huge corona of red energy emanated from his horn, making him difficult to look at directly. When he spoke, the volume nearly shook books off the shelves. “You let them escape?” he said. “How can you be so incompetent! Do you understand what this means?” Cerulean didn’t respond. Rubidium let out a roar of rage and a torrent of red energy flew from the tip of his horn and hit Cerulean. She began to scream and writhe. Her coat began to lose its elasticity and vibrant blue color. After a few moments of this, Rubidium stepped back, breaking the connection. “Be thankful I didn’t take it all.” Cerulean, who now had the appearance of a pony 40 years her elder, didn’t respond. Instead, she simply lay curled into a ball and sobbed. Rubidium trotted over to her and lifted her face in his hoof. “Tell me you’re thankful,” he hissed, “or I take it all.” Cerulean looked up, a look of anguish and anger etched on to her face. “Thank you.” Rubidium dropped her head and walked back to the elevator, riding it back up. Cerulean made a decision. She adjusted the device under her wing until it glowed a deep red color and pressed down on it. She flashed out of the library and reappeared an instant later in the hallway leading to the Attenuator’s chambers. The screams that usually filled the hall were quieter today. Cerulean guessed that the facility’s lockdown meant it was pulling less power, thus reducing the pull of the Attenuator. She opened the door at the far end of the hallway with her override password and entered. In the center of the room was a decrepit, white, female unicorn, strapped on to a table. Two crystalline rods extended from the ceiling, stopping about three feet from her horn. From each rod, an extremely bright plume of magical energy billowed into her horn, to be converted into usable power. The power was drawn away by a large, metallic ring-like device clamped around the base of her horn. Upon hearing Cerulean’s entrance, the Attenuator opened her eyes. Cerulean caught her glance and began walking over to her. The Attenuator braced herself for what she though was going to be some fresh punishment, but instead Cerulean simply whispered, “I’m sorry.” Cerulean then slowly made her way over to the main control panel for the facility, located on the far side of the Attenuator's chamber. She opened the lockdown protocol and entered the code for the override. The computer prompted her with a text box asking “Lockdown deactivation message?” In the box, she typed two words. “Good luck.” The red lights on the control panel all turned green as the portals came back on line. The screams of the Attenuator started fresh and clear and the power requirements for the facility shot up. The sweet, tinkly music that accompanied attenuation also grew in volume. Cerulean walked up to face the Attenuator, who did her best to suppress the screams. Cerulean began to speak. “I may have lost years of my life, but I can stop it from ever happening again.” She then turned back to the console and entered her emergency keycode. Power to the entire facility was cut, leaving only the shield intact. For the first time in her memory, the Attenuator felt the pain ebb away. Cerulean turned to leave. Before she did, however, the Attenuator spoke in a voice that sounded every bit as sweet as the music accompanying attenuation. “Thank you. For the first time in a long time, I have hope.” Cerulean had never heard the Attenuator speak before. She smiled to herself, turned the teleportation plate under her wing to its green setting, and pressed it. She vanished in a flash of light.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:05:57+00:00

2012-10-13T06:05:57+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 12 By PK Jigsaw stood on the pavement, staring up at the towering buildings overhead. He was about to speak when he received a jab in the side from one of Tiptoe’s wings. “Ow! What was that fo-” he stopped short, interrupted by Tiptoe’s glare. Slowly, he began to take notice of his surroundings. His attention slipped from the architecture to his immediate surroundings to the general attitude of the ponies surrounding him. They were all walking with their heads lowered, eyes set resolutely forward. Jigsaw, with his head up and mouth open, looked very out of place. He quickly lowered his head and walked side by side with Tiptoe. He still couldn’t help the occasional glance up, though. The hyaline spires of the city extended hundreds of feet skyward—but, they were all dwarfed by the tower they had just left. It extended several times higher than even the highest building near it, thousands of feet high, piercing the sky like a needle. It appeared even more piecemeal than the rooms inside it had led him to believe- it appeared as though it had once been a much smaller tower that had been continually built upon. The base was rectangular and dark, though as the tower ascended, the exterior changed many times, from orbicular walls to the final, sleek, antennae-like point at the very top. The exact center of the shimmering protective dome around the city radiated out of this central point, encasing the city in its constantly billowing blue light. The effect was something like the bottom of a pool, though the warm, white lights of the city helped to lessen the effect. The city itself was immaculately clean. Ponies were filing in and out of several nearby buildings. They quickly assumed the same head-down posture that everypony had, quickly making their way away from the tower. The sidewalks were made of a white material that felt something like rubber. The roads were made out of what looked like black volcanic glass, though Jigsaw knew that would be an exceptionally bad material to build a road out of. As they walked along, some ponies shot them strange looks, but they weren’t bothered. After a few hundred feet of walking, Tiptoe and Jigsaw came to a crossroads. The road curved off to the right in one direction and continued straight on in the other. This far from the tower, the ponies were beginning to raise their heads and talk to each other. Tiptoe nudged Jigsaw and gestured with her nose towards a space in between two buildings right where the roads diverged, and they slipped inside. Tiptoe was the first to speak. “Jigsaw, where are we going to go?” Her voice quavered, as if she was unsure of herself. Jigsaw still hadn’t quite recovered from the shock of the city. He had a wide-eyed, stunned expression on his face. “What are you talking about?” “Yeah, we escaped,” Tiptoe said, “But we’re still in danger. We have nowhere to go!” However, before Jigsaw could respond, a bright flash of red light and a sharp crack came from the entrance to the alleyway. When the light had faded, a small band of ponies was blocking the exit. Around their midriffs, they all had a red jumpsuit encircled by a black stripe. At the head of a the pack was a gargantuan, forest-green earth pony. Embedded in his shoulder was a small, round disc that was currently flashing red. When he spoke, his voice was harsh and raspy. “Did you think you could escape from Rubidium that easily?” he hissed, walking forward slowly. “W-who are you?” Tiptoe said. She began edging backward, and Jigsaw quickly followed her. “We’re who Rubidium sends when he wants something dealt with,” said a small blue pegasus who emerged from behind the burly green pony. Her voice was dripping with malice. She looked directly at Tiptoe when she said “dealt with”. Jigsaw’s horn flared to life and he stepped forward. “Stay away from her!” he shouted. The group of ponies looked at each other briefly before breaking into derisive laughter. The green pony moved out of the center to allow a gray unicorn to take the center stage. His horn began to glow with a dim white light and Jigsaw was thrown against the concrete wall of the building next to him. Tiptoe gasped, but Jigsaw stood up and shook off the shock. He didn’t try to take the offensive again, however. “What do you want?” he demanded. “Our orders are to capture you,” the gray unicorn replied. “The girl is disposable.” At this, Jigsaw bristled in anger. Tiptoe’s back was against the wall now. Jigsaw was directly in front of her. Rubidium’s hit squad moved in slowly. The gray unicorn’s horn was glowing brighter. Jigsaw looked over his shoulder at Tiptoe, and in that instant, they both understood what the other was thinking. Jigsaw crouched down, and the group of ponies advancing towards them were momentarily taken aback. Then, Tiptoe leapt up, grabbing Jigsaw’s midriff and pumping her wings furiously. They sailed over the stunned ponies and landed back near the mouth of the alleyway. “Run!” Tiptoe screamed, and they took off. Rubidium’s hit squad wasn’t stunned for long, though. They raced after them. The chase was on. Jigsaw and Tiptoe galloped down the roads, blowing past crowds of highly confused-looking ponies. The strange vehicles driving down the roads slammed to a halt when they saw the strange pursuit. Jigsaw glanced over his shoulder to see the blue pegasus rapidly gaining on them, her wings flapping furiously. Jigsaw directed Tiptoe around a corner. They were now running parallel to the edge of the shimmering shield. Jigsaw glanced back again and saw, to his relief, that there didn’t appear to be anyone following them. He was just about to slow down when Tiptoe yelled, “Stop!” Jigsaw whipped his head back around to find that the group of red-banded ponies had somehow managed to beat them to the end of the street and were now running towards them. Jigsaw dug his hooves into the sidewalk and skidded to a stop, then quickly turned direction and galloped away. Tiptoe had taken off and was now flying slightly ahead of Jigsaw. “Tiptoe!” Jigsaw yelled. Tiptoe slowed down slightly so as to be next to Jigsaw. “What?” she called. “We have to get inside somewhere and fight them off! We can’t just run forever!” Jigsaw said. “You’re right!” Tiptoe shouted back. “But how can we ever hope to fight off these ponies?” They didn’t have to wait long to find out. They barrelled around a corner and down an alley only to find that their path was blocked by the rather imposing front doors to one of the many giant towers. They turned around only to find that the group of ponies standing at the mouth of the alley again. The green earth pony stepped forward. “Really, you two? All that running to end up in exactly the same situation?” The blue pegasus swooped up into the air. “And don’t think you can try that fancy flying trick again. This time, I’m ready.” Jigsaw noticed a faint metallic scent in the air. Suddenly, a bolt of what appeared to be lightning shot from one side of the alleyway to the other, stopping the progression of the hitponies. Tiptoe stared at Jigsaw. “Did you do that?” “No!” Jigsaw said, stunned. “I can’t do anything like tha-” He was interrupted by a sudden blast of light and heat. He and Tiptoe were pushed back into the wall by the force of the blast. When the light faded, a single female, inky black unicorn was standing between Tiptoe and Jigsaw and the hitsquad. Her shoulder appeared to have a somewhat large, glowing rectangle set in it, reminiscent of the green pony’s, only much more bulky looking. Her cutie mark showed a stylized orange-and-yellow wisp. The burly green pony stood there in shock for a moment. The pegasus quickly landed, and the unicorn lowered his head. “So, Rubidium actually decided to send you after these new arrivals? Why is that?” the black pony said. Her posture was strangely laid-back, in stark comparison to the hitsquad, who looked as though they might snap at any moment. Tiptoe silently wondered why this simple unicorn inspired such fear in this elite squad. “None of your business, Incendia. What are you doing here?” The burly green pony said, his voice even lower and raspier than usual. Every muscle in his body was tense. Incendia, to Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s shock, actually sat down and began to exam the alleyway. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to his particular district before. Lovely outdoor gardens.” “You didn’t answer my question,” the green earth pony snarled. “Oh, fine then, if you insist. I’m here to do what I always do! Save people and ruin your day.” She turned her head and winked at Jigsaw and Tiptoe, though they couldn’t help by notice that she was beginning to tense up too. Then, with a shout and a flash of white light, bedlam broke out. The gray unicorn had lifted what seemed to be an entire car and hurled it at Incendia, while the blue pegasus followed not far behind. Incendia responded in a split second. She hit the button on her shoulder, and she vanished in a blast of heat and light. She reappeared a few seconds later directly behind the group. The car hit the ground and skidded to a stop only a few feet from where Jigsaw and Tiptoe were standing. Incendia’s horn began to glow deep orange, and she began to chuckle. Then, without warning, her whole body erupted into flames. From her horn spouted what looked like a gigantic whip of fire, which she swung around a few times before lashing out and the burly green pony. He quickly jumped aside and galloped out of the alleyway, shouting instructions to his cohorts. The two other ponies quickly galloped out into the street to join him. Jigsaw and Tiptoe cautiously approached the mouth of the alleyway to get a view of the action. Incendia was now engulfed in flames. The blue pegasus struggled to dodge the flaming tip of the whip as it flew through the air. She wasn’t fast enough, though. The flaming whip caught her in the side, ripping apart her red banner, and creating a deep cut down her flank, bisecting her cutie mark, a soaring bird of prey. She went spiraling to the ground. The unicorn levitated a large table from a nearby house and hurled towards the flaming unicorn. Incendia reacted instantly. The fiery whip zig-zagged through the air, wrapping around the table like a lasso. She spun around on the spot and swung the table through the air. She released it and sent it flying towards the gray unicorn. It soared through the air, smoldering slightly from where it had been in contact with the length of fire. The gray unicorn’s horn began to glow, but it was too late. The table collided with him with a loud, dull thump and he fell backwards. His head slammed against the strange material of the sidewalk and he stopped moving. The green earth pony glanced to his fallen comrades and then turned his head and began to manipulate the device in his shoulder. Incendia’s eyes widened and she shot out a tongue of flame, but too late. With a press of the disc, a strange shimmering effect surrounded the green earth pony. The flaming strand deflected off it, causing the field to ripple. The green pony charged at Incendia. She attempted to jump out of the way, but the green pony was surprisingly quick for his size. He collided into her and she tumbled backwards off of the road and onto a small stone bench on the sidewalk. Her flames went out. She sat up slowly. The green pony galloped over to her, then turned his back. He raised his back legs as if preparing to kick her. Jigsaw and Tiptoe looked away- nopony could possibly survive a buck to the head from such a large pony. Fortunately, Incendia had her wits about her enough to duck down. The green pony’s hooves hit the stone of the bench harmlessly. With what looked like a great effort, Incendia ignited herself again. She rolled out from under the green pony and bent her head down. A small bright white light began glowing at the tip of her horn. The green pony opened his mouth in shock, but it was too late. From the white point, a concussive blast of flame leapt out. Jigsaw and Tiptoe ducked to the side of the alleyway to avoid the intense heat radiating out from the wave of fire. The green pony’s shield remained intact, but the blast knocked him off his hooves. He hit the ground hard and skidded several feet. He didn’t get back up. Incendia gave one final look around before extinguishing her flames. She suddenly swayed on her feet and had to brace herself to stop from falling over. She was panting heavily. Jigsaw and Tiptoe ran out to see her. “That was incredible!” Jigsaw said. “Who are you? Why did you save us?” Tiptoe shot a disapproving glance at Jigsaw. “More importantly, are you okay?” Incendia straightened up a little, though she was still panting hard. “My name is Incendia. I’ve come to rescue you.” “But who are you?” Jigsaw insisted. “Why are you trying to rescue us? How did you find us?” “I’m from the resistance movement,” Incendia said, “and as for ‘why’ and ‘how’, I think it would be best if I showed you. Come with me. I promise you, we’re the good guys.” Tiptoe and Jigsaw shared a look. “We don’t really have any choice, way I see it.” Tiptoe said. “Good.” Incendia let out a weak smile. Many things happened at once. Incendia’s eyes suddenly focused on a point directly behind Jigsaw and Tiptoe. They turned their heads to follow her line of sight and saw the gray unicorn was back on his hooves, a small chunk of concrete levitating over his head. He let out a shriek and launched it towards them. Incendia jumped forward, forcing Tiptoe and Jigsaw out of the way. The spinning chunk of concrete struck her on the right front leg, and she screamed in agony. With a sickeningly loud crack, the leg bent backwards- far more than a leg ever should. She collapsed to the ground, whimpering. Her leg was splayed out at an impossible angle. Jigsaw and Tiptoe ran in front of her, blocking the gray unicorn’s path. Before they could get a chance to retaliate, however, a loud clicking sound came from behind them. Incendia had pressed the rectangular device embedded into her shoulder. Instantly, Jigsaw and Tiptoe felt as though they were being torn apart. They were being alternately pulled on at all sides and then compressed. Breathing was nearly impossible. Then, when they thought they couldn’t take it anymore, the suddenly slammed to the ground. Jigsaw felt as though he had just been run over by a large boulder- his whole body ached. Judging from Tiptoe’s shocked expression, he figured she did too. They were in a small, unassuming room that appeared to have been quickly and shoddily made out of wood. There was no furniture, only a single electric light hung from a ceiling. Then, with a fresh blast of light and heat, Incendia appeared before them. She crumpled to the ground. Immediately, two other ponies- a female unicorn and a male pegaus- rushed into the room. When they saw Jigsaw and Tiptoe, their faces lit up with joy. It was short-lived, however, because they soon noticed Incendia lying in a heap on the ground, her right leg splayed out at an unnatural angle. The next entrant into the room surprised Jigsaw more than anything else. Cerulean stepped through the doorway, her trademark smile replaced with one that appeared genuine.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:17:28+00:00

2012-10-13T06:17:28+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 13 By PK Jigsaw simply stared in shock and horror at Cerulean. It was undoubtedly the same pony, though she appeared to have aged twenty years since their escape from the library—her fur had lost its lustrous blue sheen, her wings had become ruffled and flat. Her walk, however, was upright and proud, a distinct change from her simpering disposition she exhibited in Rubidium’s tower. Tiptoe recovered from the shock first. She flared her wings outward and marched towards Cerulean. “What are you doing here?” she seethed. Before Cerulean could respond, Incendia spoke. She was standing propped between the two ponies that had entered earlier, her leg still splayed out painfully. When she spoke, her voice was clearly strained. “We know she used to work with Rubidium. She defected to our side and gave us some very valuable intel.” “Oh?” Tiptoe shot back. “What intel did she give you that was so important?” “Well, she told us how to find you, among other things.” Tiptoe opened her mouth as if to respond, then closed it again. Cerulean smiled weakly. The two ponies holding up Incendia led her over to a small cot that folded out of the wall at the far corner of the room. They began bandaging her injured leg. “I know you don’t trust me,” Cerulean said, “and I know I have no reason to expect you to. That being said, will you allow me to explain my motivations?” Tiptoe had a sour expression on her face, but she walked over to commune with Jigsaw. “We might as well hear what she has to say. If what Incendia says is true, Cerulean saved our lives.” “No, Incendia saved our lives,” Tiptoe muttered, though it was more to herself than anypony else. She nodded, and Cerulean began to speak. “Rubidium, as you are no doubt aware by now, is a tyrant. However, you have been shielded from the worst of what he can do. I was his assistant. I’ve found out more than most anyone else in Stalliongrad ever has, and it goes far deeper than anyone can imagine.” “And just why did you suddenly have this change of heart?” Tiptoe asked with more than a touch of venom. “I’m getting to that,” Cerulean assured, “just hold on.” She began again. When she spoke, her voice was hesitant and her words were carefully chosen. “I didn’t become Rubidium’s assistant of my own free will to begin with. My family…they couldn’t afford to keep me. We lived near the barrier, you see.” “Why should that affect anything?” Tiptoe queried. “The more affluent ponies live closer to the center of the city. No one that can afford it lives near the barrier. It may keep the worst of Tantalus’ onslaught off, but…it doesn’t keep everything out. My family…they lived right on the border.” At this point, she fell silent, staring at the ground. After a few moments, she spoke again. “As I said, they gave me up. Most ponies given up to the government just get drained, but–” This time, it was Jigsaw that interrupted. “What exactly does that mean, ‘drained’? We heard some security guards mention it.” Cerulean looked at Jigsaw with sadness in her eyes. “Draining is how Rubidium keeps order. How he instills fear in the populace. And…and how he stays alive.” “What?” Jigsaw and Tiptoe said in unison. Behind them, Incendia shifted uncomfortably on the cot, her leg fully bandaged in a reflective, silvery fabric. “Rubidium’s reign of terror didn’t just start recently,” Cerulean said. “He’s been ruling for the past ten thousand years.” Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s eyes grew wide with shock. Neither of them spoke for a few moments, but soon Jigsaw managed to squeak out “How?” “Draining. Draining is the process by which Rubidium steals a pony’s life. He’s the cause of my…” she faltered. “…my current condition. It’s also why nopony has overthrown him throughout his entire reign. Well…” she glanced at Incendia. “At least not successfully, anyway.” Incendia chose this moment to attempt to get off the cot. She stood unsteadily on her three good legs, holding her bandaged leg just above the ground. She limped forward, and the two other ponies followed her closely, ready to catch her if her balance wavered. She approached the small group near the doorway. “We can’t stay here too long. This is only supposed to be an intermediary safe spot, and we’ve already left far too much evidence behind.” She glanced behind her at the charred spot on the ground where they had teleported in. She began to fiddle with the settings on the pad embedded in her shoulder. It was changing colors rapidly, before it settled a glowing orange hue. “Don’t you think I should do it?” Cerulean offered. “After all, you are injured, and we carrying six ponies, and—” she stopped after an icy look from Incendia. Tiptoe was surprised a fire pony could look so cold. She hit the button on her shoulder. The familiar disorientation and discomfort that accompanied their earlier trip through the teleporter returned, magnified what felt like five times. The whirling colors whizzed past them at incredible speeds, and they felt as though forces from all sides were alternately pulling and compressing them. Eventually, when they felt they couldn’t take anymore, they tumbled out of the light and pressure in a heap and into a small, brilliantly white room. There was a moment of panic as Jigsaw struggled for breath, but after a few seconds his lungs opened up. He gasped for air, and the others soon followed. The all stood up, and Incendia hobbled over to the door and pressed a small button on a panel next to the door. Immediately, a blue beam of light swept down over the ponies in the room, and the light on the panel flashed twice before turning green. The door swung open. “It’s safe to come in. Sorry about the rough teleport. Hopefully we can fix that soon.” Incendia said. “How exactly do those work?” asked Jigsaw. “Jigsaw,” Cerulean began, “I understand you have a lot of questions, but I can’t answer them all at once. It’s best that we focus on what’s pertinent.” “Oh, alright,” Jigsaw conceded. Together, the group filed into the room, with Incendia leading the group and Cerulean trailing in the back. They were lead through several narrow, metallic corridors, each one with branching hallways. Incendia lead them through an extremely complex, labyrinthine pathway, and Jigsaw couldn’t help but feel that it was intentionally designed that way. “Why is it always underground?” Tiptoe muttered to herself. “Why can’t the resistance have a nice, open-air office?” Jigsaw chuckled and glanced over his shoulder at the pegasus, who blushed when she realized she had been overheard. Before too long, they arrived at a small, domed underground area. Jigsaw was struck by how similar the room looked to the much larger area that they had used to teleport into Stalliongrad in the first place. Fortunately, this room did not lock down upon entry. The two unknown ponies gave a bow to Incendia and backed out of the room. “Welcome, everypony, to the headquarters of the resistance!” As she spoke, the room came to life. A large holographic image of the city, complete with shimmering magical shield, was projected in the center of the room. The glittering light from the image of the shield cast a cool, blue light around the room, illuminating it with much more clarity than the small, white lights inlaid in the wall. The room was less similar to the underground bunker than Jigsaw initially thought. Three rows of seats surrounded them, and a central table lay directly beneath the hologram. Incendia cantered over to the table. “Well, Cerulean,” Incendia said, “you may continue.” Cerulean nodded and turned towards the two ponies sitting together on the other side of the table. “Where was I? Draining? Yes. Most ponies given up to the government are used for Rubidium to feed on. Families that give up their children get a monetary benefit, but it’s barely enough to survive on. Still, ponies are desperate.” “So how were you not drained?” Tiptoe inquired. “I…I still don’t know. Rubidium simply picked me out of a lineup and made me his assistant. I always just assumed there was an opening. Naturally, I was terrified. At first, I wasn’t told much of anything. I was sent out on mysterious errands with no explanation as to why or what I was accomplishing. Over time, however, I began to earn a reputation for my…results. I always accomplished my goal, because I was so frightened of what would happen if I didn’t. Eventually, I qualified for one of these.” She turned her head to point towards the gently pulsating disc on her shoulder. “They’re formally called Personal Transportation Devices, but most everypony just calls them teleporters. All higher-up government ponies get them implanted so they can travel around the city unimpeded.” Incendia spoke up at this point. “Not the resistance, though. We had to make our own. As you’ve experienced, it’s…rougher than the official version. We don’t exactly have the best materials or information to work with. Rubidium runs a very tight ship. That is, until Cerulean here came along. She brought such a wealth of knowledge with her that we couldn’t turn her away.” “But do you entirely trust her?” Tiptoe asked. Incendia and Cerulean’s eyes met for a brief moment. An understanding seemed to pass between them. “No. But the resistance is struggling. The two ponies you saw in here earlier? That’s it. That’s all that’s left. We’ve been getting worn down for months and we haven’t had any new recruits. I was worried that we were going to get wiped out…until Cerulean showed up. So no, I don’t entirely trust her, but we’re at the end of our rope and I have to take opportunities as they come.” Tiptoe looked down at the table and nodded slowly. “I understand.” A small smile appeared on Cerulean’s face as she looked at Tiptoe. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.” Her gaze moved from Tiptoe to Jigsaw, and her smile fell. “Unfortunately, there is one other matter of importance we have to discuss. And the concerns—” “The Attenuator.” Jigsaw interrupted. “They said I was her replacement. Who is she, and why am I due to replace her?” Cerulean took a deep breath before she began speaking. “The Attenuator is the backbone of the city. The fragment of Celestia in the city’s underbelly is the power source, but the power is raw and unrefined. That’s where the Attenuator comes in. The power from the fragment is funnelled up from the fragment and into a special room in the tower where the Attenuator is kept. We’re not entirely sure what it is—some quality of the unicorn’s special talent, natural ability, or possibly just personality allows them to convert the raw power from the fragment into pure, clean power. The process is…extremely painful. Rubidium takes every unicorn given up to him down to the fragment’s chamber. Most of the time, the door guarding the fragment won’t open under any circumstances. I don’t know why. Rubidium does, but he would never tell. Anyways, whenever a unicorn capable of attenuation approaches the door, it will open. They can even approach—and in some cases, touch—the fragment.” Jigsaw sat upright on his chair, staring intently at Cerulean. Tiptoe glanced back and forth between the two. The look of intensity on Jigsaw’s face was almost frightening. “Attenuators are exceedingly rare. Attenuation shortens the lifespan of the pony in question, and as they age, the power output drops. It can be…unpleasant when they need to be replaced. Sometimes we have been forced to…to artificially extend the life of the Attenuator. The current one has been around for over one hundred and thirty years. Your arrival was so fortuitous because Rubidium had begun to believe that whatever quality that lead to successful attenuation had gone extinct. The power output had been dropping dramatically for decades, and soon we wouldn’t have been able to maintain city infrastructure. He was becoming desperate. When I let you two escape he was furious. Angry enough to take it out on me. He drained years off my life, after all I did for him, all the years I had already sacrificed in his service! It was the final straw. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t watch one more pony undergo the draining process. So, I gathered up all the information on the tower as I could, released the lockdown, and defected.” “That’s what Rubidium wants me for?” Jigsaw said, his voice shaking. “He wants to torture me for my entire life just to generate power?” “That’s the long and short of it, yes,” Cerulean confirmed. Tiptoe spoke up before Jigsaw could respond. “He has to be stopped!” Jigsaw nodded emphatically. “He can’t be allowed to do this. Not just to me. To every pony in the city.” Incendia smiled. “So. Jigsaw, Tiptoe. Would you like to join the resistance?” Jigsaw and Tiptoe looked at each other for a brief moment, then turned to Incendia. “Yes,” Jigsaw said, “we would.” “Excellent! Follow me.” Incendia said. The entire group stood up, and Incendia lead them out the door they had come from. They continued down a metal passageway to a small room on the left. It was very plain and undecorated. Two cots folded down from the wall on the far side and a computer terminal glowed on the right wall. On the left, a small door lead to what was ostensibly a bathroom. “This is where you’ll be staying. Sorry it isn’t fancier, but it’s all we have.” Incendia said. One of the ponies that had helped prop her up earlier appeared at her side, a saddlebag draped over his back. Incendia’s horn glowed orange, and a small, rectangular device similar to the one in her shoulder floated out of the bag. “Don’t worry,” she said with a smile, “we’re not going to implant this one. This is just for emergencies. If the base comes under attack, stand near the device and simply press down on the button. You’ll be transported somewhere safe. Jigsaw caught the floating disc in his mouth and carried it over to one of the cots on the wall. He bent down and set it under the cot. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone, I think. You’ve had quite the day.” “I’d appreciate that. The only sleep I’ve gotten was when I was unconscious in the tower, and that wasn’t exactly restful.” Tiptoe said. Jigsaw nodded in agreement, and Incendia stepped back out of the room. Jigsaw turned and began trotting towards the cot, when he suddenly turned around. “Incendia!” he yelled. “Wait a second!” Incendia look back. “Yes?” “Can you send the details from Cerulean’s files to the terminal in the room?” “Of course, I’ll send them right over. Just remember to get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.” On that note, the door to the room slid shut, and Tiptoe and Jigsaw were alone. Jigsaw turned back to the cot and climbed upon it. Tiptoe climbed onto the one next to him. They turned to face each other, and Jigsaw let out a sigh. “I’m scared, Tiptoe. Really scared. It was almost better when I didn’t know what the Attenuator was…it’s worse than anything I could have imagined.” Tiptoe looked at Jigsaw sadly. “I know. I can’t imagine what it must be like for you.” There was a moment of silence as Jigsaw stared at the glowing computer on the wall. “Do you ever think about home?” he said quietly. “I haven’t had much time, honestly,” Tiptoe replied. “But yeah, I have.” “I wonder how it’s holding up,” he said. “It’s been, what, a week? Two? I can’t even keep track anymore. Either way, the water pressure will have stared falling significantly by now. The arboretum will have had to cut back on water dramatically if not altogether.” “Is there no chance they could have fixed the pipes by now?” Tiptoe asked. “I know that you were the head of the water department, but you had ponies working under you, right?” “Of course I did. But this wasn’t something simple like a burst pipe or even an invasion by monsters. The entire main command module for the entire network was blown out of the ceiling! That couldn’t be rebuilt in a decade, let alone a few weeks. I suppose it’s possible that with some good luck they could have patched some of the leaks and salvaged a little more pressure out of the system, but I doubt anypony would have figured out what had happened in time.” Tiptoe nodded slowly. “So, it’s hopeless?” “Not entirely, but I just don’t know how they could have…let’s not dwell on it. We have a new society to save.” Tiptoe chuckled despite herself. “How did we ever get involved in all this? Saving civilizations? Wandering around the surface of Equestria? It all seems like something out of a story.” “Yeah, it does.” Jigsaw mused. “But the stakes are very real. The fate of this entire city is apparently resting on me. Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this? What makes me suitable to be an Attenuator?” “I don’t know,” Tiptoe said, “but we can’t let them get you. We have to fight back. All we can do is hope that Incendia has a decent plan.” Jigsaw nodded. “Tiptoe?” “Yes?” “I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t here.” Tiptoe blushed. “I don’t know what I would do without you either.” Jigsaw jumped off the bed and did something that shocked Tiptoe—he kissed her. Tiptoe blinked in surprise. “Wha—but I thought you said you didn’t want to get into a relationship? I thought you said it was too dangerous?” “Tiptoe, there’s a psychotic, practically immortal, immensely powerful unicorn that wants to strap me into a torture chair for hundreds of years and turn me into a magical transformer. At this point, I’ve been forced to realize my priorities. And first and foremost is you.” Without another word, Jigsaw trotted away from the cot and to the computer terminal, where an image of the teleportation pad appeared onscreen. Tiptoe laid down and smiled to herself. She closed her eyes and dozed off, the light from the terminal and Jigsaw’s horn casting long, spindly shadows on the wall behind her.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:18:04+00:00

2012-10-13T06:18:04+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 14 By PK Jigsaw’s eyes opened. He blinked almost at once at the harsh, fluorescent light that was illuminating the room. He rolled off the cot and stood up, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. The door to the bathroom opened and Tiptoe cantered out. Upon seeing Jigsaw standing at the foot of his cot, she smiled. “Oh, you’re finally awake!” she said.” You stayed up so late with the terminal that I thought it would be better to let you sleep. I’ve been up for a few hours already. I left you your breakfast on my cot.” She gestured towards the cot with her head where a small meal was sitting on a metal tray. “Oh, thank Celestia,” Jigsaw said, “I’m starving.” He walked over to the tray and sat on the bed. His horn began to glow with a faint blue aura as the food floated to his mouth. Tiptoe trotted over and sat next to him. “So,” Jigsaw asked in between bites of salad, “what’s on the agenda for today? Did you get any news from Incendia?” “Yeah, she told me to bring you back to the main chamber once you’d woken up and finished eating.” “Did she say what for?” Jigsaw asked. “No,” Tiptoe said, “she said we should both be there.” Jigsaw finished off the salad and stood up. “Well, I suppose we ought to go, then.” Together, they set off down the hallway. Jigsaw wondered for a moment how they would find their way to the main chamber after all the twists and turns it had taken to get to their room, but at the first fork in the hallway Jigsaw noticed a small strip of lights along the ceiling had been illuminated. He assumed that they lead to the main chamber and followed them. He was right. After several minutes of following the twisting corridor, they entered back into the large, domed chamber. Incendia was seated at one side of a large table in the center of the room. Above her, a large holographic image of the familiar sun-and-moon insignia blazed, illuminating the room with a warm glow. Incendia looked up as they crossed the threshold and smiled. “I’m glad you’re up. We have a lot of work to do.” she said. She got up from the table and walked around it. Jigsaw was shocked to see that her leg was unbandaged and appeared to support her weight. Incendia noticed Jigsaw’s stare. “Medical technology has come pretty far in the last few thousand years. A broken leg won’t put you out of commission for long, if you have the supplies.” Jigsaw nodded appreciatively. “That’s good to know.” Incendia smiled and said “Now, we do have some business to attend to. We have to use the teleporter, so brace yourselves. We’re going to take a little tour of the city near the outskirts so you can see just how bad things are.” Jigsaw and Tiptoe nodded in acknowledgement. They gritted their teeth as Incendia hit the button on the teleporter. They began the now-familiar process of being tossed from side to side, though it seemed less intense than it had before. With a jarring jolt, the world solidified, and they were standing in a very small, very rundown shack that seemed to be made out of plastic sheets. It was barely large enough for the three of them to fit in. “Just follow me and don’t say anything,” Incendia instructed. She led them out of the shack and onto a rough dirt street. Jigsaw and Tiptoe almost gasped in shock at what they saw. Stretching out before them were row after row of the same shabby buildings they had just come out of. Extremely downtrodden and emaciated ponies wandered around on the narrow dirt street. None of the sleek, shiny vehicles could be seen here. Tall smokestacks in the distance belched black smoke, most of which blew mercifully out of the shimmering dome, but what didn’t settled near ground level and made the air smell sooty and thick. Far off, Rubidium’s tower could be seen rising ominously out of the center of the city, surrounded by the much smaller peaks of the other towers. Incendia began walking directly away from the tower. They reluctantly followed her. Tiptoe couldn’t help but notice the other ponies’ reactions to Incendia. They would glance up and see the teleporter embedded in her shoulder and their eyes would grow wide. Some wore expressions of joy, others of fear, on most it was a mix of both. They would retreat into shacks or side streets on her approach. Within moments, the entire street was clear. Incendia didn’t walk like the other ponies, either. She held her head high and walked quickly. She didn’t show any signs of the limp from the previous day. They were rapidly approaching the edge of the city. After only a few minutes of walking, they reached it. The shimmering blue barrier terminated just ahead of them. The blue light that shone off of it seemed to drown out all the other colors of the city. Even Incendia’s fiery mane seemed to lose its luster under the blue light. Incendia’s horn glowed a bright reddish-orange hue and a small rock lifted off the ground. She tossed it through the shield. As soon as it made contact, there was a flash of light and a concussive burst of air that nearly destabilized Tiptoe. On the other side of the glittering wall of light was a small pile of ash. Incendia began to speak. “You’ve already seen the inner city, where those with the money live. The rest of the ponies are forced out here, to the slums. The barrier protects, yes, but anything that comes into contact with it will be instantly destroyed. They ponies living here have to deal with the constant possibility of death because of something as simple as a misstep. Not to mention this is Rubidium’s prime feeding grounds. Nopony will notice if a pony goes missing in the dead of night from here. It’s awful and it’s wrong, and it’s what we’re sworn to fight for.” As she spoke, smoke began to coil off of her coat and into the air around her. Jigsaw and Tiptoe subconsciously backed away from both her and the barrier a few feet. When Incendia finished, Tiptoe spoke up. “That is awful. I can’t imagine having to live like that.” she said quietly. The smoke rising from Incendia’s coat stopped and she seemed to slacken a little. “Come on. I have something else to show you.” It was then that the lights of the city flickered out and the glittering shield disappeared. ~ Rubidium wiped the blood off his horn, leaving trails of red on the white walls of the Attenuator’s chamber. The attenuator’s body lay slumped on the table, still strapped onto it. The wound in her chest was still fresh. There was a flash of green lightning on the horizon and the ground rumbled and shook. Rubidium smiled. “Won’t be long now.” ~ Incendia’s eyes grew wide. For the first time, Jigsaw saw actual fear in them. When the green light flashed, she turned to Jigsaw and Tiptoe and smashed the button on the teleporter on her shoulder. After another jarring transition, they were back in the underground atrium with the holographic projector, though it was now only projecting a single, weakly lit red bar. Cerulean was already present, but the two unidentified ponies were gone. Incendia glanced at Cerulean who said, “Gone. No idea where they could have gone.” Incendia nodded. “What are we going to do?” she said. Panic was seeping into her voice, and it was clear to Jigsaw and Tiptoe that she had no idea what to do next. Cerulean didn’t answer. She didn’t look as frightened, but she was extremely tense. Suddenly, as image burst into being above the table. Rubidium’s head was floating above the table, as large as a small building. Tiptoe gasped and Jigsaw let out a shout. Incendia cantered up to the table and stood in front the projection. Rubidium chuckled. “Incendia! Glad to see you’re still kicking, so to speak! I heard about your leg. I suppose you’ve notice our little situation with the shield,” he said. “What have you done?” Incendia demanded. Rubidium let out a cold, humorless laugh and his head moved out of the image. Behind it could be seen the Attenuator’s body with what appeared to be a stab wound in her chest. Incdendia stared in shocked disbelief until Rubidium stepped back into the image. She took a deep breath, and spoke in a voice that sounded uncharacteristically weak and shaky. “You’ve signed your own death warrant.” “Have I?” said Rubidium. “If only there were some replacement for the Attenuator handy!” His eyes turned to Jigsaw. “I’m not going to mince words. You have about fifteen minutes before Tantalus gets here. You can either get here before that happens and restart the shield, or you can die along with the rest of the city. I’ll be waiting.” His horn began to glow red, and he let out another cruel laugh. The image went dark. Jigsaw spoke first. “I have to go. I don’t have any other choice. Staying means that this entire city would die, and I can’t allow that.” Tiptoe spoke next. “You can’t go! You’d be stuck there for hundreds of years or more, just like that other pony! It would be a fate worse than death! And all the other ponies would still be living in fear and oppression! I say we focus on fighting Tantalus.” “Impossible,” Incendia interjected, “He’s much too powerful. There’s a reason we needed the power of a goddess to stop him from attacking.” “I think I might have a plan,” Cerulean said, “but it’s dangerous, and might not end well for eve-” They never got to find out the rest of Cerulean’s plan, because at that moment, the entire room shook. The metal groaned and creaked.”Oh... oh no. He miscalculated.” “What do you mean?” Jigsaw said in alarm. “Miscalculated what?” “Tantalus,” Incendia said quietly. “He’s already here.” This time, Cerulean pressed her teleporter button. The world melted away, only to reform itself a moment later. They were standing in another slum, though in a completely different position. The sun was eclipsed behind the tower, and as such, the light from the moon was the only thing that illuminated the buildings. They stood still in the street in silence for a few moments until a massive roar shook the buildings. “Run!” shouted Incendia. The group took off towards the edge of the city, along with what seemed like most of the ponies in the city. Soon, a huge crowd was galloping towards the border. But after only a few minutes of this, Jigsaw stopped and let out a cry of anguish. A splitting pain had suddenly begun in his horn- pain so intense it froze him in his tracks. “What is it? What’s wrong?” Tiptoe said. Her answer came in the form of green flames that suddenly burst into life around the border of the city. Several ponies that had been galloping towards the border couldn’t stop in time and ran right into the flames. The flames flashed in intensity for a brief moment before returning to their jade green color, leaving no trace of the ponies behind. The group stared in horror at the scene unfolding before them. Ponies began running in every direction, and before long, the streets were mostly clear. “What do we do now?” Tiptoe said. “I still have one idea,” Cerulean said. “The portal in Rubidium’s throne room might be able to get us out of here. I have no idea where it would send us, but you two managed to make it work before, so who knows?” Jigsaw and Tiptoe weren’t afforded the opportunity to think it over. An enormously loud roar echoed out from somewhere on their left, and a glance revealed that Tantalus had taken off and was now flying toward the tower. A green corona surrounded him as he flew, leaving swirls and whorls of green mist in his wake. Underneath him, the scene was grisly. The green fire that was blazing at the city edges seemed to follow in his wake, setting alight the shabby shacks and buildings beneath it. As he flew on, the fire lost its green lighting and became orange. Screaming could be heard coming from the burning sections of the city. “We have to help them!” shouted Incendia. She began galloping towards the blazing fires to the east. “Wait! Don’t run towards him!” Jigsaw shouted. Incendia didn’t stop to respond. Jigsaw and Tiptoe shared a glance and made a snap decision—they took after her, Cerulean hot on their heels. They ran through the rubble of what had once been row after row of shabby huts, now reduced to flaming wreckage. As they were running, Tiptoe dodged around a metal beam and lost her footing. She tumbled to the ground. She recovered quickly, though, sitting up and shaking her head. She looked back to see what she had tripped over and screamed in horror. The body of a bright green earth pony was strewn over a small sheet of plastic. Hearing the scream, Jigsaw looked back at Tiptoe only to see her staring in horror at the body of the earth pony. “Stop!” he shouted. His voice held such authority that even Incendia stopped. When she turned to see the scene behind her, her face fell. Jigsaw galloped over to the now sobbing Tiptoe. “Tiptoe,” he began, “I know it’s awful. I know it’s sad. I’ve seen my fair share of dead ponies in the caves back home, but we can’t stop now.” He lifted Tiptoe’s up from the ground and towards him. “Look around. If we don’t move now, we’ll end up just like that. We may still have a chance to save them if we leave now.” Tiptoe looked up and nodded slowly. She got to her feet and joined the main group. “Are you alright, Tiptoe?” Incendia asked. “I think so. I’ve just... I’ve never seen a dead pony before. Not in real life, and not like that. Seeing the Attenuator run through was awful, but this... this is something else.” Her expression slowly hardened, and she looked up into Incendia’s face. “They’re going to pay for this. Both of them.” “That’s the spirit,” Incendia said, though she didn’t look entirely sure of herself. “Now, we have work to do.” They galloped for a few more minutes through the rubble until they had reached the spot where Tantalus had taken off. The destruction was almost unimaginable. Ponies were running madly through the streets, many on fire. The sound of explosions and screaming drowned out the crackling of the fires that still raged all around them. Incendia’s horn began to glow, and suddenly Jigsaw understood why she had taken off towards the fire- she was extinguishing it! As her horn glowed more intensely, the flames around her grew smaller until they went out completely. It was costing her a great effort, however, as she could only extinguish a small area at once. Jigsaw glanced nervously at Tantalus, who by this point was nearly at the tower. “Uh, Incendia?” he said, “Noble as this is, if we don’t leave now, he’s going to destroy the tower.” “I know,” Incendia replied through gritted teeth. “That’s why you have to go on without me. Cerulean, you know what to do.” “We’re not leaving you!” Jigsaw shouted over the roar of sound. “We’re all getting out o–” He didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Cerulean had pressed on her shoulder teleporter, and the three ponies had vanished, leaving Incendia behind. The familiar lights and colors surrounded Jigsaw for a moment, but just before the normal moment of departure came, Jigsaw felt the familiar splitting pain in his horn, and the colored lights began to fly past with increasing speed and ferocity. The pressure on all sides of Jigsaw increased, far past the point of Incendia’s teleporter. Jigsaw was gasping for breath and unable to fill his lungs. The colors flying past began to slowly turn into the same bright green shade as Tantalus’ fires. Then, with one final, nearly unbearable compression, the world righted itself. Jigsaw has just enough time to see Cerulean and Tiptoe fall to the ground before he too slumped over, unconscious. ~ Rubidium paced around the Attenuator’s room. He was fuming with rage—the leftover protection from the fragment should have slowed Tantalus more than it had! His only option now was to fight. His horn glowed blood red as the latches on the Attenuator’s table undid themselves. The Attenuator’s body slid off the table and fell to the floor in a heap. Rubidium stood on the platform and his horn glowed even brighter. The attenuation rods in the ceiling rotated in their sockets and once again the white beams of energy shot from them. Rubidium was flung backwards by the force of the energy flowing into him. He tumbled off the table and was forced into the far wall, the attenuation rods faithfully adjusting their angle to continue their stream uninterrupted. Rubidium writhed in pain on the ground of the chamber. Then, as quickly as it had began, the flow of energy ceased. Rubidium lay on the floor of a chamber, curled into a ball for a few moments, smoke rising off his horn. Then, with a moan of pain, he stood up and opened his eyes. His horn began to glow, and his eyes soon followed suit. He bellowed out a laugh, and a ring of red energy rippled out from his horn, shattering the windows of the chamber. ~ Jigsaw woke to Tiptoe’s shouts. He opened his eyes to see her standing above him, saying “Thank Celestia you’re awake! We have to run!” The scene around them was hellish. They were clearly in the upper areas of the city, with its tall, sleek buildings, but it looked as though they had been hit just as hard as the outer areas. The spires were almost all missing their points. Fires raged out of control. Buildings were crumbling from all sides, raining flaming wreckage down on the street, which now had massive cracks and leaked a prismatic fluid that shone with all the colors of the rainbow. “How long was I out? What happened?” Jigsaw asked. “Tantalus interfered with the teleportation,” Cerulean said. “We’re very close to the tower, however. When we get inside, we should be able to take the teleporters up. Those will be much harder to interfere with.” “He knows we’re here?” Jigsaw asked, aghast. “It would appear so, but I think he’s more worried about Rubidium at the moment.” Cerulean responded. “What do you mean, ‘worried’? What does he have to be worried about?” Jigsaw asked. His answer came in the form of a sudden blast of heat and light. The pain in his horn returned in full strength and it took everything he had to keep standing. “What in Equestria was that?” he asked. “Look behind you.” Tiptoe said. Jigsaw whipped his head around in time to see Tantalus bring down his massive fist on a ball of red light that was standing on a street less than 300 yards away. With the strike, another blast of light and heat hit, refreshing the pain in his horn. He didn’t need any further convincing. Without another word, the three ponies took off in the opposite direction of the battling forces, towards the tower. The tower was in bad shape. Large chunks of it were missing, and small waves of energy were pulsing from cords hanging from the severed rooms, causing them to twitch unsettlingly like tentacles. The wind began to pick up behind them, and Tiptoe looked over her shoulder at the battle between Rubidium and Tantalus. Behind Tantalus, one of the taller buildings had been uprooted and was floating in a hazy green field over Rubidium. Tantalus raised his claws upward, then brought them down in a sweeping motion. The tower plowed into the ball of red light surrounding Rubidium and the familiar blast of energy was released, though it seemed to be magnified tenfold with the force of the impact. “Get behind a building!” Tiptoe shouted in horror as a wave of fiery debris flew through the air towards them. Jigsaw and Tiptoe dived into a side alley, but Cerulean wasn’t as fast on her hooves. A flying shard of metal struck her in the side as she turned to jump into the alleyway, and she landed inside in a heap and let out a cry of pain. Tiptoe gasped and ran over to her. The shard of metal was embedded so deep in her midsection that it was protruding from the other side. Blood was gouting from both sides of the wound, and Cerulean was giving horrific gasping sobs. The color was rapidly draining away from her blue coat. The battlefield seemed to have grown calm, for the time being. The only sounds that could be heard were the crumbling of far-off buildings and the crackling of burning fires. “Don’t worry about this!” Tiptoe said through her tears. “It’s all going to be alright. We can make it through this! Just don’t die! For the love of Luna, don’t die!” Tiptoe was crying now too. Blood was beginning to pool under Cerulean, matting her fur. Cerulean looked up at Tiptoe and took a deep, wheezing breath to control her gasping. “At the lobby teleporter... enter ‘six two four four two’ and select the green setting. It will take you where you need to go.” She coughed, and bright crimson blood spattered out of her mouth and onto the wall next to her. With what was supreme effort on her part, she looked up and whispered two words to Tiptoe. “Good... luck.” With that, her head fell to the ground. The blood stopped spurting out of the wound and slowed to a trickle. Tiptoe’s sobbing grew more intense and she threw her front legs around Cerulean’s body. Jigsaw approached and placed his head on Tiptoe’s. His horn glowed with a soft blue light, and Cerulean’s eyelids slid shut. “We have to go now, or her sacrifice will have been in vain.” Jigsaw said, barely audible over the sounds of collapsing rubble outside. Tiptoe stood up and nodded, though her eyes didn’t dry. Jigsaw peered around the corner of the alleyway and, seeing it was clear, signed for Tiptoe to keep following him. Together, they galloped out into the street and headed towards the tower. However, the calm didn’t last long. They were only a few yards out form the entrance when the sharp pain in Jigsaw’s horn returned and a beam of red light shot out from behind them. Jigsaw chose to ignore it. They were rapidly approaching the doors to the tower now. With one final sprint, they barrelled through the remains of the ornate doors and into the lobby. Once inside, Jigsaw didn’t waste any time. His horn began to glow with a blue light and the holographic display burst into life above the teleporter. He entered in the code Cerulean had said and soon a green light was blazing above the platform. “Get on!” Jigsaw called, stepping onto the platform. Tiptoe complied, and the two vanished with a flash of light. A moment later, they appeared in a dark, stone hallway that was shaking as though it was in an earthquake. Dust was crumbling from the walls with every tremor. “Where are we?” Tiptoe shouted over the muffled sounds of explosions and the rumbling of the walls. Jigsaw looked around and saw something familiar- A large, ornately carved stone doorway, symbols glowing almost blindingly white. “It’s the doorway to the fragment of Celestia!” Jigsaw shouted to Tiptoe. “Why would Cerulean send us here?” “She said it would take us where we needed to be... What if we’re supposed to take the fragment with us? To stop Tantalus from getting his claws on it?” “Are you insane?” Tiptoe shouted. “How would we even take it with us?” “I don’t know!” replied Jigsaw. “But we have to try something! Why else would she have sent us here?” Jigsaw approached the door, and the symbols on it began to flow and transform themselves into new orientations. The sun and moon insignia on the door blazed golden, and the door slid open. Jigsaw entered cautiously, his eyes trained on the object in the center of the room. The fragment of Celestia in the center of the room seemed to have swollen to twice the size it was when Jigsaw had seen it before. It still had the appearance of a miniature sun, but it was now cycling through colors. The golden-yellow glow it normally had was being interrupted by flashes of green and red. Jigsaw’s horn began to buzz with the raw power of the fragment. He approached it slowly and cautiously, trying to think how he could transport it off the platform it was on. He attempted to lift it with magic, but the buzzing in his horn simply got more intense, and the miniature sun got more agitated, flashing red and green at an even greater speed. Experimentally, Jigsaw reached out a hoof and lightly tapped the surface of the sphere. To his surprise, there was no pain. It felt soft and pleasantly warm. Jigsaw then lowered his horn and touched the point of it to the sphere. A high-pitched whining began to to emanate from the center of the room and the buzzing in Jigsaw’s horn grew in intensity until he could barely stand it. He attempted to wrench his horn away from the sphere, but it was impossible. “Jigsaw!” Tiptoe shouted. She ran towards him, but when she got to the doorway, some invisible barrier stopped her from entering. The air in front of her seemed to ripple like the surface of a pool. She threw herself into it nonetheless, attempting to break through to Jigsaw, who was now screaming. The sphere was growing brighter and brighter. Then, with a sudden whoosh of air and final flash of golden light, the fragment disappeared. The barrier in front of the door vanished and Tiptoe tumbled in. Jigsaw, miraculously, was still standing. His horn had taken on the appearance of the sphere- swirling pools of golden light flowed along it’s length. “Jigsaw! Are you okay? What happened to the fragment?” Tiptoe said. “I’m... I’m fine, Tiptoe. I’m not sure what happened. I think... I think the fragment’s entered into me, somehow.” “What?” Tiptoe said in shock. “How do you know?” “I can feel it. I don’t really know how to describe it. It’s like a buzzing sensation in my horn.” As he spoke, the golden light faded from his horn, and darkness returned to the room. Jigsaw instinctively lit his horn, flooding the room with cool, blue light. “Does this mean you have the powers of the sphere now?” Tiptoe said. “Can you use them to beat Tantalus?” Jigsaw cocked his head to one side. “No, Tiptoe, it’s not like that. It’s not something I can draw upon. It’s just... there. I think this is what the ability to Attenuate is for. I think it’s for transporting the fragments... to bring them back together.” The end of his sentence was punctuated with a massive blast that nearly shook them off their hooves. “We need to get out of here, at any rate,” Jigsaw said. “Get to the elevator!” They quickly galloped through the hallway to the glass elevator. The platform was resting slightly off-level at the bottom of the tube. Jigsaw stepped on and pressed one of the smooth buttons on the side of the platform. Nothing happened. “Okay, hold on,” Jigsaw said as he lit his horn. The platform was surrounded by a blue aura and began to shoot up the tube. Fortunately, the tube appeared to be intact, and after a few minutes of rising rapidly, they reached the throne room. The view from the windows were obscured by the smoke that was billowing up from the ruins of the city below. Jigsaw and Tiptoe quickly crossed the room and stood on the platform where their Stalliongrad journey had begun. With the familiar golden light, the grey rock melted into crystal and opened like a gaping mouth and swallowed up the two ponies. ~ The red glow had almost completely vacated Rubidium and Tantalus raised his claw and brought it smashing down on top of him again. His coat was turning darker and lines and creases had begun appearing on his face. It was only a matter of time now. Tantalus gathered as much energy as he could and let out a torrent of green flames from his reptillian snout. He felt the protection of the shield give way and in a final burst of red light, it was over. Tantalus looked down at the smoldering pile of ashes on the ground in front of him and spoke in a voice that shook the rubble at his feet. “That was for Rarity.”

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:15:41+00:00

2012-10-13T06:15:41+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 15 By PK Tantalus surveyed the burning wreckage of the city. He had finally achieved his goal, his revenge on Rubidium, but it still didn’t help the rage. He could still feel it boiling away inside him, barely controlled by the sheer effort of his will. Then, he doubled over in pain. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, as though part of him was being ripped out from the inside. He knew what it was. The fragment of Celestia had been absorbed, and it had left the city. The rage was uncontrollable. He opened his mouth wide, and green light seemed to grow from deep inside his throat. For just an instant, Tantalus tried to suppress it, but he knew it was hopeless. The light erupted out in a funnel of magical energy of nearly inconceivable power. It expanded in all directions, burrowing deep into the earth, up into the sky, and out in every direction, obliterating all in its path. ~~~ Jigsaw and Tiptoe tumbled through the chaotic funnel of light and sound. The crystalline walls of the tunnel flew past the two ponies, coming close to collision but never actually touching them. After several minutes of being tossed through twists, turns, and bends in the tunnel, they were spit out of another platform in an unfamiliar room. The rotting wooden walls had begun to buckle under the strain of an unknown load above them, making the room’s age clear. In one corner of the room, a steady trickle of water flowed from a large crack in the ceiling. The room was poorly lit by several small, blue lights hanging haphazardly on the walls. They sparked feebly in an attempt at greater brilliance as Tiptoe and Jigsaw picked themselves off the ground and began to take their bearings. The pad was located in the back left corner of the room. It had a low ceiling- perhaps only a yard above Jigsaw’s head. What was once a table lay in the center of the room. One leg had broken in two, causing one corner of the table to rest on the wooden floor. Scraps of green fabric could still be seen clinging to the surface of the table, though it was almost entirely bare. The teleportation platform itself was also in abysmal condition. Large cracks and seams ran through it, occasionally sending out sparks of blue light. Jigsaw was surprised they had even managed to come through it. In general, the room appeared to be in far worse condition than even most ruins they had seen. “Are you alright?” Jigsaw asked. He could only just see the outline of Tiptoe on his left through the dim light. “I’m okay,” she replied, though her voice was shaky. “Where are we? What is this place?” “I don’t know,” Jigsaw replied. They looked around the room, their eyes beginning to adjust to the gloom. At the opposite end of the room was a door with what were once small glass windows, though the glass had long since fallen away. “Jigsaw, can you light your horn?” Tiptoe inquired. Jigsaw obliged, his horn igniting with a brilliant blue light, brightly illuminating the rather small room. The lights on the wall flicked again in response to the magical energy, though now they were barely visible. “I think we should get out of here,” Jigsaw said nervously, looking towards the cracks in the ancient wood above them. Tiptoe nodded and they began to canter towards the door. The floor creaked with every step they took, bending and buckling under their weight. Tiptoe began to flutter her wings slightly in an attempt to keep her weight off the floorboards. Fortunately, they reached the other side of the room without incident. When they reached the door, Jigsaw pushed against it to open it for a moment, then stepped back. “Hold on,” he said, “there’s some kind of protection around this door.” “What kind?” asked Tiptoe. “I’m not sure. It was very faint, but it’s there. Hold on.” The light from his horn faded to a small blue pinprick as he touched it to the seam where the door met the wall. He began to run it along the edges of the door, repeating this several times. When he was done, he stepped away and relit his horn. “I can’t tell what it’s supposed to be. It’s very, very weak. I think it was placed here before the fall, and hasn’t held up well since then. Like most of this place,” he added as an afterthought. “So, it’s safe to go through?” Tiptoe asked. “It’s safe,” Jigsaw confirmed, “but it might not be pleasant. I have a feeling it was meant to keep people out.” “... or in,” Tiptoe added. Jigsaw pushed the door open. Beyond the door was another very dismal-looking hallway. It was pitch black, and the wood had buckled and bent so much from water damage that it seemed to meander around corners. Sections of the wall had fallen in altogether, and a pile of debris lined up along the wall where wood paneling had once been. Jigsaw began to walk through the doorway. Immediately, he felt a strange buzzing in his horn and a pressure trying to force him back the way he came. He struggled forward as the feeling became more intense. It was as if somepony had stretched a sheet of clear plastic over the doorway, and he had to force his way through. The air around him began to grow hot. Then, just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to get through, the pressure released and he tumbled forward, hitting the wall at the opposite end of the hallway. He stood up and shook himself. “You can come through, but it can be pretty uncomfortable,” he said. Tiptoe nodded and pushed against the invisible barrier in the doorway. From this angle Jigsaw could just barely make out a golden yellow sheen that seemed to be pressing against the pegasus. But after a few moments of struggling, it broke and Tiptoe began to fall forward. Jigsaw’s horn flared, and a blue nimbus appeared around Tiptoe, providing enough support for her to recover from her fall and stand upright. “Thanks,” she said. Jigsaw nodded, and they began their slow trot into the gloom of the hallway. After a few minutes of winding darkness, they came across a heavy metal door that seemed quite at odds with the purely wooden aesthetic they had seen so far. They pushed it open with an ear-splitting screech and entered into the room beyond. The room was in a similar state of disrepair, though it seemed to be made of more modern materials. Crumbling plaster sloughed off the walls, revealing an iron framework beneath, and the same faint, blue lights from the portal room lined the walls. It was small and square, with a still relatively intact desk in the center. Jigsaw took a step towards it when Tiptoe spoke behind him. “Look at the door.” Jigsaw turned to look at it, and his confusion grew. On the metallic surface of the door was a very large scorch mark- as if something had been burned off the door. Inspecting it closer, Jigsaw found that the edges were jagged and rough and that the mark was actually a crater. It was as if a section of the door had been melted off. “What happened here?” Jigsaw asked, more to himself than Tiptoe. There was nothing at the base of the door, as one would expect if the metal had been melted off. It was simply gone. Jigsaw looked around the room again. On the two walls on either side were smaller, wooden doors, also with scorched gouges cut out of them. One was missing its entire bottom half. “I don’t like it here,” Tiptoe said nervously, looking up at the heavily cracked ceiling. “Wherever we are, I don’t think it’s safe.” “I think you’re right,” Jigsaw said, “but how are we supposed to find our way out of here?” “I have no idea. Maybe there’s something in the desk that can help,” Tiptoe replied. Together, they made their way over to the desk. Jigsaw’s horn flared with light and the desk drawers pulled themselves out and floated above the desk in a haze of blue light. In unison, they all upturned themselves and dumped their contents on to the desk. Jigsaw was disappointed in the results. Almost everything in the desk had crumbled to dust, with only a few scraps of paper remaining. But, just when he was about to drop the drawers in dismay, a lone, intact sheet of paper floated down to land upon the pile of scraps. Jigsaw carelessly tossed the floating drawers aside and picked up the sheet. “What does it say?” Tiptoe asked, taking off to hover above Jigsaw so as to get a better look at the document. Emblazoned in the upper left corner was the sun-and-moon insignia, next to strings of Old World writing. “I think it says... ‘instructions’, or possibly ‘protocols’. It’s a set of directions for what to do in an emergency. I think... I think this is some kind of emergency bunker or war room.” “War room?” Tiptoe said. “You mean, from the Grand Cataclysm?” “I don’t know, it doesn’t say anything about what emergency... but I think I can use it to find our way back. It says ‘corridor three has surface access and should be blocked during lockdown’.” “Which one is corridor three?” Tiptoe asked. The room shook violently. Jigsaw and Tiptoe lost their balance and slammed into the ground. The iron bars began to buckle and snap, groaning like an ancient beast waking from a long slumber. Dirt began to pour in from the cracks in the walls, and the ceiling slipped a few inches lower. The blue lights flickered out. “Run!” shouted Jigsaw, and began galloping towards the door to his right. Tiptoe quickly followed, and they blasted through the aging door and flew down the hallway. With a jerk that nearly knocked Jigsaw off his feet, the room they had just left collapsed. A wave of dust blew past him, obscuring his vision. Tiptoe took off and flew ahead of him, flapping her wings hard. The dust began to clear, and Jigsaw saw something that almost made him laugh with relief- a stone stairwell that ascended into darkness above them. As they began running up the stairs, however, Jigsaw noticed something was off- his horn was positively humming with magical energy. Then, a few steps farther up, a sharp pain shot from his horn and through his left side, causing him to collapse in pain. Tiptoe turned quickly in midair and alighted next to Jigsaw, who was now lying on the steps, convulsing, as though he was having some kind of fit. Then, his horn erupted with light, but not the familiar blue light. Golden light streamed out of the tip of his horn, thick and warm, floating in the air above them. An ear-splitting bang sounded from somewhere above them, and a rock about twice the size of Tiptoe came tumbling down from farther up the staircase. Tiptoe shoved Jigsaw to the side of the wall and pressed herself against it. The boulder tumbled past them, missing by only a few feet. Then, with another ground-shaking rumble, a sound like an explosion came from overhead. Tiptoe squinted up the staircase in the light cast by the strange swirling magical tendrils, which now seemed to be swirling even faster. What she saw caused her to scream in terror. Rapidly tumbling down the stairs was a jumbled mash of metal beams, stone, and wood. Tiptoe threw herself over Jigsaw’s body in an attempt to shield him from the worst of the onslaught and braced herself. Then, just before impact, the swirling tendril of light suddenly coalesced. Tiptoe looked up in awe to see what looked like a gigantic sun blazing over her head before it’s brilliance forced her to look away. The rumbling of the rocks had ceased, and they appeared to be frozen mere inches away from her face. Then, with another blinding flash, the sun sent out a burst of heat. It was unlike anything Tiptoe had ever experienced. She let out another cry of pain and tightened her hold against Jigsaw. Then, just when she thought she might sear, the heat and light faded to darkness. She opened her eyes. They were huddled over in the center of a ring of scorched earth about thirty feet in diameter. Tiptoe didn’t have time to consider the strangeness of the scenario, however. With one final shudder, she released Jigsaw and drifted into unconsciousness.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:14:26+00:00

2012-10-13T06:14:26+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 16 by PK The first thing Jigsaw noticed was the pounding in his head. The pain radiated out from the base of his horn, causing him to raise a hoof to his head and massage it gingerly. As soon as he touched his head, however, the pain spiked. He let out a yelp and opened his eyes. He was lying in what appeared to be a circle of scorched ground. He slowly pushed himself up on his haunches, blinking his eyes to clear his vision. Even the smallest movement caused him to wince with pain. A light layer of snow coated the ground just outside the circle, with a grove of evergreen trees growing not far beyond. On the horizon, barely visible over the glare of the sun, was a flickering green light. Jigsaw’s horn hummed for a moment, then the glow was gone. Jigsaw squinted at the spot where the glow had been when he heard a rustle behind him. He whipped around in alarm, but was relieved to see that it was only Tiptoe. She was lying on her side, facing away from him. Jigsaw got up and trotted over to her in concern. Her mane seemed to be singed, but she appeared otherwise uninjured. Jigsaw then turned his attention to the charred ring around them. It appeared to be about twenty feet in diameter. Jigsaw scuffed at the ground with his hoof, revealing bare earth under the layer of soot. He tried to think back to the last thing he remembered- doubling over in pain on the staircase. How had he gotten here? And why did his head hurt so bad? He decided the only thing for him to do was to try and wake Tiptoe up. Tiptoe opened her eyes slowly, not quite understanding what she was seeing. Then, as understanding rushed back to her, she jumped back on to her feet and looked around wildly. She was relieved to see a rather startled looking Jigsaw standing next to her. She threw her hooves around him and hugged him tightly. Jigsaw bit his lip to stop from yelling out in pain. “I’m glad to see you too,” Jigsaw said, obviously bemused, “but what exactly is going on?” Tiptoe let go of Jigsaw and said, “You don’t remember?” “The last thing I remember, we were climbing up a staircase when I got this horrible pain in my horn. Next thing I knew, I woke up here.” Tiptoe nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. You had some kind of fit on the stairs, and the roof caved in up ahead. I tried to get you out but I couldn’t move you nearly fast enough. Then this strange light came out of your horn. It looked like that sun symbol we’ve seen before.” “Sun symbol?” Jigsaw said. “Do you think it could have anything to do with the fragment of Celestia?” “It must,” replied Tiptoe. “What else could it have been?” “I think- I think it was trying to protect me, since I’m carrying it. I can’t quite tell, but I get certain feelings from it. They’re really vague and unclear, but I think that was a sort of last resort to keep me safe and you just got taken along for the ride.” Tiptoe thought this over for a moment before breaking out in a smile. “So does this mean we can’t be killed? It’s going to keep us safe!” Jigsaw shook his head gravely. “No. It’s going to try. I don’t know that it will always succeed, and even if it can, I don’t think my body can handle it. Whatever it did back in that staircase nearly took me out for good. Tiptoe’s smile gradually vanished as she remembered Jigsaw convulsing on the stairs, his eyes rolling back into his head. They sat in silence for a time after that, mulling over the information. A chill wind picked up, slowly beginning to blow away the soot and re-cover the area in snow. The two ponies began to shiver. “Come on,” Jigsaw said, “we should go into the trees. At least we’d be sheltered from the wind.” Tiptoe nodded, but still sat on the ground, staring out at the moon, large, dull, and silvery-gray in the sky. Tears began welling up in her eyes. Jigsaw made his way over to her. “Are you alright?” he asked. Tiptoe blinked, tears running silently down her face. “Doesn’t it ever overwhelm you?” she asked quietly. “Don’t you ever just want to give up?” Jigsaw didn’t really know how to react. “What do you mean?” “I mean we just saw an entire city full of innocent ponies die. Ponies we knew! Because of us!” The tears were coming faster now. “We don’t know that it was because of us,” Jigsaw responded, trying to sound reassuring. “Oh, really?” Tiptoe’s voice became harsher. “You think it was just chance that Tantalus showed up when he did? That he managed to get into the city after ten thousand years of being held back?” “Tiptoe, I don-” Jigsaw began, but Tiptoe cut him off. “I don’t want to hear what you don’t know! I want to hear some answers for once! What are these fragments for? Why are we trying to find them? Why aren’t we trying to find home? Don’t you care about anyone back there?” She began sobbing, her tears falling onto the mixture of soot and snow at her feet. Jigsaw was stung by Tiptoe’s remarks, but he stayed calm. “Tiptoe, you know that isn’t fair. Of course I care. Do you think I wanted this... this thing to embed itself inside me and nearly kill me? No, I didn’t. I don’t have any more choice in this than you do. The only thing I can think to do is keep looking for these fragments. Maybe we can use them to get revenge on Tantalus for killing all those ponies. I don’t have all the answers. But I do know that we can’t give up. Incendia wouldn’t have wanted that.” Tiptoe took a deep, shuddering breath to steady herself. The tears stopped. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just... what happened back there was so terrible, and we’re just expected to keep going, and we don’t even know where we’re supposed to go! It’s all so insane!” “You’re telling me. The most exciting part of my day used to be going to fix a leaky pipe.” Jigsaw said, a small smile beginning to tug at the sides of his mouth. Tiptoe didn’t smile, but instead flung herself around Jigsaw again. This time, Jigsaw reciprocated by nuzzling Tiptoe’s neck. “We’ll make it through this. We managed to escape everything thrown at us so far, right?” Tiptoe didn’t respond, but dug her face into Jigsaw’s mane. Jigsaw exhaled sharply from the pain of the added weight. “Is something wrong?” Tiptoe asked concernedly. “I’m still pretty sore from the whole ordeal.” Tiptoe released Jigsaw and smiled despite herself. “What do we do next?” she asked, turning on the spot to examine her surroundings. “I have no idea where we are. Which direction should we go?” Jigsaw opened his mouth to answer when suddenly, he froze. Tiptoe saw his eyes gloss over as if he had somehow fallen asleep while standing upright. Just when she was about to say something, he snapped out of it, his eyes becoming sharp and alert. “Northeast,” he said. “We need to go northeast.” Tiptoe looked at Jigsaw quizzically. “What was that about?” “What was what about?” “You froze for a bit when I asked you.” “What are you talking about? I didn’t freeze,” Jigsaw replied, obviously confused. “You did!” Tiptoe insisted. “You stopped talking and your eyes glossed over, then you sort of snapped out of it and said we should go northeast.” “Strange,” Jigsaw said. “I feel fine. I just definitely think we should go northeast.” “Well, I suppose we don’t have any other leads.” Tiptoe sounded uneasy. Jigsaw nodded and stretched, attempting fruitlessly to work out some of the soreness that still pervaded his muscles. Together, they set off on hoof into the grove of trees. The tall evergreens provided shelter from the chilly wind, at the cost of blocking out what little light the far-off sun and dull moon provided. Jigsaw lit his horn, though it took rather more effort then he was used to. The small light given off caused strange, spindly shadows to be cast from the tree branches, causing the two ponies to occasionally jump at what they perceived as something stalking right next to them. Invariably, they would let out a nervous chuckle, then continue down the path, eyes still flitting from side to side. Mercifully, though, they made it through the copse without encountering anything worse than low branches. However, when they emerged from the thick group of trees, the wind was stronger and more bitter than ever, and the snow was several inches deeper. The gale blew so hard that Jigsaw almost had to yell to be heard over it. “I think we should camp out in the forest until the wind dies down! I don’t think we could last very long out here!” Tiptoe shouted a word of agreement and they quickly turned back into the dense grove of trees. Though they were now protected from the wind, they still shivered bitterly, having lost any body heat that the hike through the copse had given them. They walked a small ways farther into the trees, coming across a small area that was large enough for a fire. Jigsaw began gathering fallen twigs and other refuse from the forest floor, piling it in the center of the clearing. When he felt that the firepit was satisfactory, he leaned his head down and held the tip of his horn an inch away of some of the bark he had stripped from branches to use as kindling. A small spark shot from his horn and struck the bark, igniting it. he blew gently on the smoldering chunk of wood, until flames sprang up and began to consume the pile of twigs. The two ponies huddled around the fire, soaking up the heat and the light. Finally comfortable, they let the exhaustion of their ordeal wash over them, and they curled up on the ground and fell asleep.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:18:59+00:00

2012-10-13T06:18:59+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 17 by PK The sun beat down on the rough, featureless stone, as it had for the last ten thousand years. Once, it had been covered in a thick layer of soil, but over time, it had dried and turned to dust. The spot hadn’t seen activity since. Until today, that is. The air seemed to shimmer with a light even brighter than the pervading sunshine, and with a sharp crack, a pony stumbled seemingly out of nowhere and collapsed onto the parched rock. ~~~ By the time Jigsaw woke up, Tiptoe had already been up for quite some time. The fire was burning weakly in the fire pit—Tiptoe obviously didn’t know much about building a fire. Jigsaw stood up and stretched, shaking off bits of forest debris. Tiptoe turned her head and smiled. She was sitting on her haunches near the fire, attempting to take the edge off the cold. Jigsaw trotted over to her and sat down beside her. “How long have you been up?” Jigsaw asked, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. “A few hours, I suppose. I didn’t sleep very well. Too cold,” she said. “Did you find anything to eat?” “No. The only thing in this forest, as far as I can tell, are trees. No fruit anywhere.” “That’s too bad. I’m starving,” Jigsaw said. He cast his gaze around the small clearing. It appeared completely unchanged from the night before, save the multiple pairs of hoofprints that now covered the ground. Jigsaw sighed and stood up. “I suppose we should keep going. Maybe we’ll find something to eat along the way.” Tiptoe remained sitting, staring into the weakly sputtering fire for a few moments. Then, with a resigned sigh, she stood up. She stretched out her wings out to their full length. Jigsaw almost gasped. He had forgotten just how large Tiptoe seemed to be when she wanted to. “I’m going to fly up and see if there’s anything interesting from above.” “Alright,” Jigsaw conceded. Tiptoe flapped her powerful wings down once. The resulting blast of air blew burning embers from the fire out in all directions and nearly knocked Jigsaw over. The embers, fortunately, landed in the clearing, which was devoid of flammable material. Jigsaw chuckled to himself as he turned to put out the smoldering bits of wood that were littered around the fire pit. Tiptoe had come so far from the scared little pony in the caves. Eventually, the fire was out; the only light that streamed through was the eerie moonlight from above and the weak sunlight. Jigsaw looked up. Tiptoe was high overhead, flying in a wide figure eight. Jigsaw turned his head back towards the treeline. He stepped out into the weak ray of sunlight that was eking its way through the trees. Jigsaw was surprised to find that even though the sun was only barely visible over the horizon, the ray of light warmed him more completely than the fire had. Tiptoe swooped down and alighted next to Jigsaw. She looked somewhat concerned. “What’s wrong?” Jigsaw asked. “There’s a mountain. A very large one, directly in our way,” Tiptoe said, flatly. Jigsaw looked stunned. “We didn’t see a mountain yesterday! How could one just have appeared?” “I have no idea, but how are we going to get around it?” Tiptoe asked. “Could you carry me?” Jigsaw asked. “Over a mountain?” Tiptoe said incredulously. “No, I don’t think I could do that. I doubt I could even get over it by myself.” “How wide is the base?” asked Jigsaw. “Could we just wa–” he froze mid-sentence. His eyes glazed over again, though this time, Tiptoe could almost see a dull, white light emanating from inside them. As before, it only lasted a moment, before Jigsaw blinked and continued talking. “–lk around it? Actually…on second thought, I don’t think we should go around it. Something tells me that what we need is on top. We should climb-.” He saw Tiptoe’s frightened expression and cut himself off. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “You froze again, but this time seemed different. Your eyes glowed,” Tiptoe said, visibly concerned. “My eyes glowed?” asked Jigsaw, though he sounded more interested than frightened. “Just a little,” said Tiptoe, “and only for a second.” “What do you think it could mean?” Jigsaw asked. “Do you think it has anything to do with yesterday?” “It must,” agreed Tiptoe. “What else could it be?” “Should we do anything about it?” Tiptoe said. “I…I don’t think so. Something tells me it’s okay; that it’s a good thing. Call it intuition I suppose.” “Or I could call it the fragment of Celestia living in your horn.” Tiptoe said, a smile beginning to creep across her face. “What, you don’t trust me? When have I ever led you astray before?” Jigsaw said, in a theatrically exaggerated voice. They began to laugh. “I’d forgotten how good it feels to laugh,” Tiptoe said, the good mood fading as quickly as it came. Jigsaw nodded somberly. “Shall we make our way out?” Tiptoe asked. “I suppose so. Climbing that mountain won’t be easy.” Jigsaw said. ~~~ The pony that had collapsed on the sun-scorched earth twitched and opened her eyes. Immediately, she knew she was in danger. She sprang to her feet, surprisingly energetic for somepony who had been unconscious just a few moments before. The sun was about a quarter of the way up the sky in the west- she knew that if the teleporter had taken her even a few miles farther, she wouldn’t have lasted as long as she had. Even now, her throat was dry, and she could tell she had stopped sweating. She had to get out of there, now. She glanced over to her shoulder, at the teleporter. It was flashing red. Red meant danger. After the teleporter was used, it required a certain amount of recharging before it could be used again. However, it did have an emergency backup supply for an emergency situation, and this definitely qualified. The only problem was the location was impossible to specifiy. Before, she hadn’t cared where she ended up, so long as it wasn’t there. But at least she had been able to specify that she wanted to be somewhere survivable—at least for a little while. If she teleported now, she’d have no control. She decided. She turned her head to her shoulder and pressed the flashing red button. With a sound like a small explosion, she disappeared from the desert. She reappeared an instant later on a steep cliff-side, and promptly lost her balance. She tumbled head-over-hoof down the steep incline until she came to rest on something hard. Her head was pounding- she had hit it on a rock on the way down. She weakly lifted her head to look at her shoulder. The screen of the teleporter had been smashed. She attempted to stand up, only to fall back down. The ground was slippery. For a moment, she was confused. Then, she connected the pieces. She was lying on ice. She almost let out a cry of joy. She stood up, more carefully this time, ignoring the pounding in her head, and slowly made her way over to the shoreline. Once there, her horn began to grow a deep orange, and she bent down to touch it to the ice. A puddle of water began to form, from which she drank greedily. She drank for several minutes before she stopped herself and sat by the side of the frozen river. She was going to be alright. It was then that Incendia looked up. What she saw almost made her pass out again. ~~~ Tiptoe flew above the snow, keeping pace with Jigsaw’s slow progress through the heavy drifts. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, but the feeling of the air beneath her wings was too great for her to pass up. It helped take her mind off the horrible events that had happened in the last few days. Jigsaw, on the other hand, was trying to analyze everything that had happened. It was how he had always dealt with tragedy in the past—logically, coldly, and detached. It was the only way he knew. Antimony had been the worst. His thoughts always strayed to her when he thought of the tragedies of the last few days. He had been so innocent back then. He was fresh out of school, and together, they were considered some of the most promising engineers of their time. The accident had been such a shock to him. He didn’t know how to handle it—it was as though his entire life had crumbled out from beneath him. He had buried himself in his work, avoiding the pain. It had had its uses, he found. He accomplished many great things—a new pumping system that was over twice as effective as the old one had been chief among them. He never quite recovered emotionally, however. He improved with time, true. But he never quite regained that easygoing, carefree personality he had had before the accident. Not until Tiptoe, anyway. When he was with her, Jigsaw finally began to come out of his shell. He began making jokes again. The day-to-day minutia of daily life in a cave had become far less tedious. He was becoming like he had been when Antimony was still alive. At first, this terrified Jigsaw. He didn’t want to open himself up to any other ponies ever again; not at that level, anyway. It wasn’t until that night in the bunker that he decided to take the chance and open up to Tiptoe. Jigsaw looked up at her silhouette far above and a thousand thoughts shot through his mind. “Did I make the right choice? Am I setting myself up for another loss? Is this fair to her?” He looked towards the mountain that loomed ever closer. He couldn’t allow himself to think like that, not now, not when so much was resting on their shoulders. He had made his choice. So had she. Still, the fear was there. ~~~ Several hours later, Incendia sat at the base of a large, frozen waterfall. It appeared to have been frozen instantly—the ice appeared as if it cascaded over the rock and crashed into the river below. Far ahead, jutting out over a narrow precipice, the spire of a tower was visible. She simply stared up at it. She had never seen anything so impressive. She had seen towers back in Stalliongrad, but those had mostly been built for functionality. Or for the wealthy to lord over the less well-off ponies. This caused Incendia to look back down. The thoughts of Stalliongrad filled her mind with conflicting emotions. Technically, what she had fought for her whole life was complete. Rubidium was dead. It wasn’t at all how she wanted it, though. Her thoughts turned towards her last moments in Stalliongrad. She had split up from the group in the rubble of the outer city and turned her attention to the injured ponies that littered the streets. Her efforts to help were almost always stymied, however, by the sheer insanity around her. Ponies galloped through the streets at random, not caring who or what they ran down. Eventually, she realized it was futile. Her only hope was to meet up with Tiptoe, Jigsaw, and Cerulean. She set her teleporter to take her to the nearest safehouse to the tower, then slammed the button. She just hoped the building was still standing. It wasn’t. Luckily, it had been almost totally leveled, so she only fell a few feet onto a flat piece of stone. That was the least of her problems. Clearly visible, only about a quarter mile away, were Tantalus and Rubidium. They were locked in vicious combat, flashes of red and green light radiating out with every blow. She could feel the magic in the air. It made her sick to her stomach. Then it happened. With one mighty blast, Tantalus managed to knock Rubidium to the pavement. With one final, crushing blow, Rubidium was extinguished. Incendia felt it. It was like her very bones wanted to escape the magic in the air. It wasn’t right. Tantalus let out a mighty roar, and green fire began to fly out in all directions. Incendia barely had time to react. She set her teleporter to random and smashed it, hoping it would take her somewhere far away. Looking up at the dark, icy castle, it certainly had. Something flitted by at the corner of her vision. Incendia whipped her head around to see what had caused it, but saw nothing. Then the pain came. Her head still pounded from her tumble down the mountainside. She lowered her head and closed her eyes until the pain subsided. When she opened them again, she caught sight of her reflection in the ice. What she saw frightened her. She looked on the verge of death. Her normally sleek, almost mirror-shined black coat was ruffled and unkempt. Her flank had several deep lacerations, each with a mixture of dry and fresh blood on them. What frightened her most, though, was her mane. It was singed. That should be impossible. She was entirely immune to fire. “But not the green fire,” she realized. Again, the motion in the corner of her eye. This time, she moved her head more slowly to avoid the shooting pain. A wisp of some silvery substance disappeared beyond a rocky outcropping on the other side of the frozen river. Slowly, cautiously, Incendia got up and began to make her way towards the other side, when she heard a faint sound coming from her left. She turned to look, and to her delight, she saw two ponies galloping towards her across the frozen river. ~~~ Tiptoe spotted her before Jigsaw did. A small black dot at the foot of the waterfall. They had found the frozen river relatively quickly—for whatever reason, it was almost devoid of snow, and despite the slippery surface, progress across it was much faster than through the heavy snow. Tiptoe swooped down to the surface of the ice and slid into place next to Jigsaw. “You’re not going to believe who I saw!” Tiptoe said, the words tumbling over each other in her excitement. “What? You saw someone out here?” asked Jigsaw. “Who?” “I think it was Incendia!” Tiptoe said. “Where?” Jigsaw said, hardly believing his ears. “The base of the waterfall!” Jigsaw didn’t need to hear any more. He took off galloping in the direction of the icy wall, Tiptoe hot on his heels.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:10:19+00:00

2012-10-13T06:10:19+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 18 By PK Incendia took a few lumbering steps towards the two rapidly approaching shapes, but she stumbled and stopped only a few feet from her starting place. Tiptoe, in contrast, flew as fast as her wings could carry her, nearly crashing into the ground in front of her. "Incendia!" Tiptoe shouted. "I can't believe it's you! You're alright! We never tho-" she stopped halfway through her sentence as she began to process Incendia's appearance. She looked to be on death's doorstep. Her formerly black, shiny coat was ruffled and browned. A disturbingly large gash on her flank was surrounded by dried blood. A fresh cut above her eye sent scarlet down the side of her face. Despite all this, however, she stood tall, and a broad smile played across her face. When she spoke, her voice was strong and clear. "It's good to see you too, Tiptoe." It was at this moment that Jigsaw came scrambling up to join them, his footing precarious on the icy soil. "It's really you," he said, his eyes wide. "How did you escape? And... and what happened to you?" Incendia swayed on her feet for a moment and sat down. "I'll tell you everything, but can we rest for a while? I've had quite the ordeal." "Apparently," Jigsaw said. "Rest sounds like a good idea. We've been walking for hours." Jigsaw took a step closer to Incendia. "Are you sure you're alright? You look..." Jigsaw didn't finish the sentence. Incendia understood. "I feel like it," she said, letting weariness creep into her voice. "May I take a closer look?" Jigsaw asked. Incendia nodded, and Jigsaw's horn lit up with its familiar blue glow. He knelt down next to Incendia, slowly moving his horn back and forth along the length of her body, the tip hovering just above her skin. He paused a few times over the most heavily injured areas- the gash on her flank, the cut on her head, but he also paused over areas with no apparent injury- several times over her stomach and the base of her head. Every now and then, blue sparks seemed to shoot out out of his horn and dance along Incendia's fur until they suddenly stopped and sank down, seeming to vanish. Tiptoe watched with great interest. Incendia had her eyes shut and her teeth gritted, as though the sensation was painful. When Jigsaw was finished he stood up, his face blank. "How is it?" asked Tiptoe nervously. "It's bad," Jigsaw said, "but I think she'll live. I managed to fix up some of the smaller things, but she has some serious blood loss and a concussion." Incendia reached a hoof up to massage one side of her head. "That would explain the pounding headache." "I might be able to help with that," Jigsaw offered, his horn once again erupting into brilliance. Incendia shook her head. "I've had far worse injuries back in Stalliongrad. Right now, I'd just like to sleep." Jigsaw nodded. "I suppose me and Tiptoe can get to work building camp. I... I hate to ask, but could you make a fire? Just for tonight?" In response, Incendia's horn began to glow orange, and a small, brilliantly bright sphere of fire appeared in the center of the group. Jigsaw thanked her, and he and Tiptoe set off to find supplies. As soon as they were out of sight, Incendia gasped at the effort of the spell and nearly lost consciousness. "Stupid", she thought. "Overextended myself. Take it easy." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked over at the swirling ball of fire in the center of the clearing. The ice on the ground below had already melted into a glassy black puddle, and the heat emanating from it was coming off in waves, warm and comforting. She smiled to herself. At least one thing had gone right. Tiptoe and Jigsaw spent several minutes searching the surrounding area for supplies for beds, but quickly gave it up when they realized the ground was completely barren. When they made their way back to the glowing sphere, they found Incendia was already deep asleep, nestled far closer to the burning sphere than either of them could have bared. Jigsaw and Tiptoe curled down together near the edge of the sphere's influence, where the heat was at its mildest and most comfortable. Jigsaw lay on his back, staring up into the sky. "It's actually kind of pretty," Jigsaw said. "What is?" Tiptoe asked groggily. "The sky. The moon." Tiptoe rolled over to look up. "It is," she said. "I haven't really had much time to look. Not since we first came out of the underground." "First came out of the underground," Jigsaw repeated quietly, smiling a little. "That's what we did, isn't it? It seems like it was so long ago. Did you ever think we would see the sky?" Tiptoe didn't answer. She didn't have to. Instead, she studied the sky. The sun was now fully out of view, blocked by the mountains, but a sliver of the moon was visible over the castle, perched majestically at the spot where the waterfall once cascaded over the mountain. The waterfall itself remained the same as it always had been- frozen, cold, and beautiful. The sky was not totally dark. The sun, however low and faint it may have been, still sent streaks of color through the clouds. The dull, silvery-gray light of the decaying moon was not bright enough to blot out the stars. They marked the sky like uncountable millions of pinpricks. "It really is beautiful," she said quietly. "Just imagine what it looked like when the goddesses were still around," Jigsaw said. A long silence followed this. So long, Jigsaw thought that Tiptoe had fallen asleep. When she spoke, Jigsaw gave a small start. "I love you, Jigsaw," Tiptoe said. Jigsaw closed his eyes. He stood at a junction, a choice before him. His relationship with Tiptoe needed to be cemented here and now- or it never would be at all. He made his choice. "I love you too, Tiptoe." With that, Tiptoe rolled over and closed her eyes, drifting off almost instantly. Jigsaw's rest didn't come nearly as fast. He remained awake for quite a long time, staring up into the strange and alien sky, until he too nodded off, bathed in the light and warmth of the strange magical light, so stark in contrast to the icy, frozen wasteland that surrounded them. ~~~ Many hours later, after each of them had slept their fill, they sat together, attempting to gather the last bit of warmth from the rapidly failing spell. The small ball of fire was slowly rotating in the air, and with each revolution, it seemed to get smaller and become more insubstantial. "It'll be gone in another hour," Incendia said. "How do you feel?" Tiptoe asked, looking concernedly at the gash on her flank. "I've had worse before. Don't worry, I'll be alright," Incendia said with a smile. "I won't slow you down." "I wouldn't speak so soon if I were you," Jigsaw said, looking out at the frozen waterfall. "we need to go up to the castle." "I figured as much," Incendia admitted. "How are we supposed to get up there?" Jigsaw tore his eyes away from the silhouette of the castle, tall and majestic against the dull gray of the moon, and began to search the face of the mountain. However, after only a few minutes of this, Tiptoe spoke up. "When we were on our way here, I noticed something strange on the mountain. There's a dark line that runs out from behind the castle all the way down to the base of the mountain... uh..." she gestured with her hoof somewhere off to the left. "Over there. I know it's not much to go on, but it's better than nothing." Incendia shrugged. "If that's all my have, we might as well check it out. Come on." She stood up quickly and began to walk off towards the direction Tiptoe had indicated, but she could only take a few steps before the pounding in her head and the dizziness forced her to stop. Tiptoe walked over to her side. "Are you alright?" "Yeah, I'm fine, really. Just got up too fast, that's all," Incendia said, still smiling weakly. Tiptoe nodded and began walking, though she kept glancing back at Incendia to make sure she was following. Jigsaw soon caught up with them, having broken camp. They made their way slowly across the frozen river. Though they tried their best to keep their eyes on the ice before them, they couldn't help but be drawn up to the castle. It seemed almost as if it was pulling them towards it. Eventually, they reached the other bank of the frozen river and continued on. Tiptoe walked in the front of the group, occasionally taking to the air to search for the dark line she had seen from the sky. Jigsaw hung back, walking alongside Incendia, who, despite a noticeable limp, was keeping pace admirably. They didn't have to search long. The path started just beyond the waterfall, around a small, rocky outcropping. The path itself was in remarkably good condition considering its age. There were steps carved into the mountain, out of what appeared to be white marble. The only sign that time had affected them at all were the cracks that were omnipresent on every step. They continued up and out of sight, twisting around to follow a natural mountain ridge. Jigsaw stared up at them in awe. "This is unbelievable. How long must it have taken them to build these? This mountain isn't marble; they would have had to bring blocks all the way here, cut them into shape, then carve out the mountain! It must have taken decades, maybe even centuries! This is truly a marvel of the wo-" he stopped in mid-sentence, noticing Incendia's look of incredulity and Tiptoe's expression with clearly betrayed her desire to burst into laughter. "Are you done yet?" Tiptoe said, smiling. Jigsaw lowered his head, murmured something that might have been "yes", and began to climb the stairway, followed closely by Tiptoe, who was helping support Incendia up the stairs. Progress from that point on was quite slow going. The stairs were icy in many places, forcing them to be extremely cautious. As they climbed higher, the cold became stronger and more penetrating, necessitating small breaks where Incendia would conjure a miniature and much smaller version of the ball of fire she had made at the camp. It was at the third one of these breaks that she spoke up. "What exactly is it you hope to find in that castle?" she asked. They were a few hundred feet up the mountain by now, giving them a clearer view of the castle. Jigsaw was confused for a moment before he remembered. He let out a laugh and said, "Have we really not told you?" Incendia looked confused. "No, you just showed up out of nowhere and invited me to come with you. I didn't ask for an explanation because I thought one would be coming, but it looks like that's not the case." Jigsaw then began the long explanation of what had transpired since their separation in the rubble of Stalliongrad, with Tiptoe interjecting to fill the details when Jigsaw had passed out. After several minutes of explanation, they fell silent. Incendia didn't respond at first. Instead, she stared up at the dull gray moon, which appeared to have grown to over twice its original size in the sky since they became climbing. "So... that's what we're after? The fragments?" she said after several seconds of contemplation. Jigsaw and Tiptoe nodded in response. "Are you so sure that's a good idea?" Incendia asked. Jigsaw looked shocked. "Of course it is! They must be brought together!" "Think about it," Incendia continued. "The fragment in Stalliongrad was exploited for ten thousand yeas and used for unspeakable evil. You think the Attenuator was the worst of it? Or the draining? There were much more horrible things. I don't think we should be collecting the fragments. I think we should be locking them away, making sure that nopony can use them to commit such atrocities ever again!" She shouted the last line, fires sparking to life in her mane, though she couldn't hide her reflexive wince of pain at the sudden outburst. Jigsaw and Tiptoe took a step back in fear and alarm. Incendia stared at them intensely for a moment before her eyes went wide and she extinguished the flames. "I'm sorry," she said hastily. "It's just... I spent my whole life in that place. You were there, what, a few days? You didn't get the full brunt of the horror of the place. You didn't..." she swallowed. "You didn't have to live in it. If you'd seen what I have, you wouldn't want to collect them either." She sat down and turned her head away from the group, staring into the fiery ball she had conjured. Tiptoe approached her slowly and sat down next to her. When she spoke, it was in a calm, kind voice. "I can't imagine what it must have been like to grow up there. I'm sorry. But what we're doing here... we're not going to use the fragments for evil. We can't even use them for anything if we want to." "That's not true!" Incendia interjected. "You teleported from that staircase!" Jigsaw entered the conversation. "That was out of my control, and it nearly killed me." "Jigsaw's right," Tiptoe said soothingly. "We're going to try to use the fragments to undo all of the wrong. We're trying to help. Maybe we can use their powers for good instead!" Incendia stared at Tiptoe's face for several moments, then turned her eyes upwards towards the moon. "I've never seen it this big before," she said, under her breath. "It's beautiful." They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, the three ponies staring up at the moon, a single pinprick of flame burning brightly in a world of darkness and cold.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:12:10+00:00

2012-10-13T06:12:10+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 19 By PK Incendia put out the tiny flare after they had warmed up as much as they could and they began to climb the winding staircase once more. The increasingly bitter cold coupled with the dim light and physical exertion felt like a heavy weight pressing down on them, making them sluggish and irritable. The staircase itself must have been marvelous when it was new- it wound along the mountainside, occasionally winding inside passageways of what were clearly once exquisitely carved friezes, but had long since been worn away to near illegibility. At one point, the path led them through an enormous rocky overhang that cast them all into pitch black darkness. After about an hour of grueling climbing, they climbed over the crest of a small ridge to find that they had reached the castle at last. The building was even more majestic up close- it was in nearly pristine condition. The cold, however, was more biting than ever. The three ponies stared up at it in awe. Incendia was the first to speak. “An actual old-world ruin,” she said, her eyes wide. “ I never thought I would actually get to see one.” This caused Jigsaw to tear his eyes away from the castle to look quizzically at Incendia. “You basically lived in an old world city! What do you mean, ‘never thought you’d get to see one’?” Incendia turned to stare at Jigsaw, then a small smile crossed her face. Jigsaw was relieved to see it. This little bit of lightheartedness was such a refreshing change from the dour and silent walk up the mountainside. Suddenly, the cold didn’t seem as bitter. “Jigsaw, there wasn’t an original building in that whole city, save maybe the tower. You probably know more about the old world than I do!” Jigsaw chuckled at this. “I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired. I think we should camp here tonight and go in when we’re well rested.” “Oh, I thought you’d never say so,” Tiptoe said, falling to the ground in a theatrical faint. They all laughed. Reaching the top of the mountain, seeing the castle spread out above them, seemed to drain their stress away. They were still hungry and exhausted, but the general mood was jovial. With a spark and a wave of heat and light, Incendia conjured the familiar sphere of warmth. Jigsaw noted idly that it bore a resemblance to the fragment of Celestia he had collected. He felt a strange tingling in his forehead. “Why don’t you tell me about your home?” Incendia asked. “If we’re going to be traveling together, we might as well get to know each other better.” Jigsaw and Tiptoe began to tell Incendia about their lives before the adventure. Incendia was an excellent audience. She listened intently when they described the caves and how they had come to be populated, she gasped when they discussed the creature that had attacked them in the water control sphere, and the whole group became paralyzed with laughter when Jigsaw shared the story of the time he had opened the wrong valve and flooded the Tribunal chamber. “I was on lavatory duty for a month!” Jigsaw choked, his eyes streaming with laughter. “Oh, by the goddesses!” Tiptoe said, breathing heavily. “I remember when that happened! It was weeks before the water pressure got back to normal! I didn’t know that was you!” “If there’s one thing that taught me, it was to always make sure the valve I’m opening isn’t-” “-isn’t the alpha valve?” Tiptoe completed. They burst out into fresh bouts of uncontrollable hilarity. Incendia looked back and forth bemusedly between them for a moment before she understood. It wasn’t the joke that was making them laugh. It was the relief. She’d been there herself, at times, after particularly narrow escapes from Rubidium’s security forces or magical protection. It was the only way to release the tension. She smiled, but she also felt an acute pang of loneliness. She couldn’t join in on the laughter. Jigsaw caught Incendia’s eye, and slowly, his laughter stopped. He was looking at her with a measure of concern. “Incendia? Are you feeling alright?” She blinked and refocused on Jigsaw. “Yeah, sorry.” “How are your injuries?” asked Tiptoe. “Actually, I feel okay, all things considered,” Incendia responded. “I think it looks worse than it actually is. My head is what’s really hurting.” Tiptoe glanced at the enormous dried gash on Incendia’s flank. “You’re a tougher pony than me,” she said. Incendia giggled in response. “Trust me. Getting injured is nothing new to me.” Jigsaw raised an eyebrow but didn’t retort. Instead he said, “That was a nasty concussion. Do you want me to try to do something for the pain?” Incendia shook her head. “No, it’s alright, really. I don’t like ponies fussing over me. I never have.” “Then would you mind if I took a look at the device on your shoulder?” Incendia’s eyebrows raised in a look of surprise, then she said, “Okay, but it’s broken. I don’t know how much you could hope to learn from it.” “I was up almost the whole night we spent in your bunker reading through your databases. I want to see if I can repair it.” Incendia shrugged. “Be my guest.” The device on her shoulder glowed orange in tandem with her horn. There was a metallic clank noise, then a deep, low note sounded. Jigsaw was reminded unpleasantly of the sound of Attenuation. Then, with an unceremonious squelching pop, the metallic disk fell out of Incendia’s shoulder, leaving a hole about an inch deep. Jigsaw magicked it over to himself and began examining it. Tiptoe, however, was staring at the circular hole in Incendia’s shoulder. “Does it hurt?” she asked, rather timidly. “No, not at all!” Incendia said. “I’ve had it for so long that having it not be there feels a lot stranger.” Conversation was light after that. Jigsaw was too involved in slowly disassembling the device to talk much. Incendia was too tired from her injuries and the hike to engage in much conversation, and fell asleep quickly as a result. The flare seemed to gravitate towards her in her sleep, stopping when it was almost directly above her. Tiptoe wondered idly how she could resist the heat before she, too, drifted comfortably off to sleep. Jigsaw followed not long afterwards, curled on the ground, the partially disassembled mechanism in between himself and Tiptoe. ~~~ Far away, in his mountain lair, Tantalus paced. Things had not gone according to his plan, not at all. All the two ponies were supposed to do was break the protection around Stalliongrad- he had no idea they could actually escape with a fragment of Celestia! He glanced over at the cracked, worn sapphire resting on its pedestal and felt a stabbing pain in his head. The anger seemed to ebb. Maybe it was for the best? Maybe he should let them be brought together...? “No,” he thought. “I’ve worked too hard for too long to let it come to this.” He straightened up and turned away from the pedestal. He had work to do. He walked over to the mouth of the cave and spread his wings to their fullest extent. At their widest, his wings were almost sixty feet across. All along the edge, green flames erupted into life, casting a strange, flicking light on the cave walls. Then, something distracted him. A wailing alarm from somewhere deep in the cave caught his attention. He stormed back into the depths, breaking his own protective enchantments as he went, resetting them behind him with hastily blown bursts of fire, which formed into wriggling symbols of angry red flame before they spun apart, forming a shimmering barrier in the air. He reached the spot he was looking for. The blue gem on its stand of honor. Rarity’s last gift to him. A whining, hissing, and buzzing was coming from the stone. Golden light shone out of the spiderweb cracks in the surface. Tantalus recoiled in shock and anger. He had enchanted the stone long ago, of course- he knew what it meant. He inflated with anger. How dare they attempt to take what was rightfully his? Those ponies- those disgusting creatures that crawled unbidden on the surface of the world, his world! The fury began welling up inside him once more, but he was too focused to let it take over. Instead, he channeled it. With one mighty breath, he blew out a whirling torrent of green flames. They spun like a tornado, whirling around him until in an instant, he shot off out of the mouth of the cave, little more than a pillar of green fire. ~~~ When Jigsaw and Tiptoe woke the next day, Incendia was already awake. Her normally coal-black body was engulfed in bright orange and red flames, and a thin line of fire extended from where her horn normally was. She was waving it over her head, bringing it down with a sharp crack on to the ground before her, leaving deep gouges and smoldering embers. She was magnificent to behold. She appeared to radiate not only heat, but also a focused intensity, a feeling of strength and power that the other ponies felt they could draw upon. Incendia caught sight of them as she twirled on the spot, and the flames began to recede. Soon, her coal-black coat returned, though her mane made it look as if she was still burning. With a slight tinge of unease, Tiptoe noted the last place where the flames receded was her eyes. The black pupils took a long time to reemerge from the swirling orange, yellow, and red surface her eyes became when she was on fire. “You’re up!” she said excitedly. “Finally! I’ve been up for hours already, practicing.” She glanced up at the massive door at the foot of the castle. “Are we going in?” Jigsaw looked to Incendia, then to Tiptoe, then up at the castle. He let out a sigh and said, “I suppose so, but don’t treat this lightly. Who knows what we’ll find in there.” Incendia’s smile weakened, but she didn’t drop it. “I know, I’m not. I’m just itching for some action!” Tiptoe raised an eyebrow incredulously. “It’s been three days since your home city was destroyed by a dragon and you’re injured. You’re itching for action?” Incendia winked at Tiptoe and said, “What can I say? I’ve always been a...” She paused and snickered. “... fiery one.” Tiptoe groaned loudly at this. “I swear by the goddesses themselves, if you start making fire puns, I will smother you in your sleep.” Jigsaw, however, was staring disapprovingly between the two. Incendia ignored him and, turning on the spot with an exaggerated flick of her tail, began walking towards the door. Jigsaw started forward, yelling over his shoulder at Tiptoe as he galloped, “I think I should go ahead! We don’t want her accidentally tripping any protective enchantments!” Tiptoe rolled her eyes and took off, moving quickly to catch up with the two ponies approaching the door. It was massive. Like most things of the old world, it must once have been beautiful. Ancient, faded carvings covered the surface, and it was at least twice the size it needed to be to be functional. Over the doorway, in intricately carved Old Language script, were words that Jigsaw immediately understood. “Canterlot Castle!” He said with a start. “This is Canterlot!” Tiptoe whipped her head around to Jigsaw and let out a disbelieving “What?!”, but Incendia simply stared at him quizzically. “I’ve never heard of that,” she said slowly. “Should I have?” Now it was Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s turn to look puzzled. “Well, yes! Canterlot was the seat of power in the old world. It was where the goddesses reigned,” Jigsaw said. Then, with a furtive glance up at the spires, he added, “It was also also where they were said to have met their ends.” They all turned their gaze back up at the door. It was much too large for them to move on their own. “Do you want to try magic?” Incendia said, studying the small seam that ran down the center of the door. “I suppose,” Jigsaw answered. “Tiptoe, if you could push too, that probably wouldn’t hurt.” Tiptoe nodded and stepped up to the door, extending her wings wide, and braced herself against it. Incendia and Jigsaw’s horns both began to glow, and the door was surrounded by a strange mottled green-and-orange outline. They each took a step forward, straining against the resistance of the door. “Push!” Incendia grunted through gritted teeth. Beads of sweat were beginning to form on her coat. Tiptoe flapped her wings down once. It kicked up an enormous spray of dirt and rocks, but the door lurched open a fraction of an inch. “Again!” said Incendia. Tiptoe flapped down again, and again, and again, the door moving a little bit more every time, until finally the door had opened wide enough for them to squeeze through. Jigsaw and Incendia put out their horns and panted. Tiptoe turned to face them and said, “That wasn’t so bad!” “We were doing most of the work!” Jigsaw said, though not unkindly. “You were fantastic, Tiptoe,” Incendia said, smiling, though she was still breathing hard. With a private smile, Tiptoe stepped aside to allow Jigsaw and Incendia to enter before her. She had the hardest time squeezing into the small space in the door. Her wings were pressed so hard into her flank that they left an imprint, but she managed to make it through. What she saw didn’t surprise her in the slightest. The inside of the castle was pitch black. The only light was coming from the small crack of the door and Incendia and Jigsaw’s horns. The one thing that did surprise her, however, was the temperature. The inside of the castle was warm. It felt perfectly comfortable, and she was immensely grateful after the cold she had been forced to endure for the last several days. “Is there anything we can do about the darkness?” said Incendia, her horn beginning to brighten. In response, Jigsaw closed his eyes and pointed his horn downwards. At first, Tiptoe couldn’t understand what he was doing, but as she watched, he began moving his horn along the ground, over to the wall on the left, and up until it was about level with his head. Then a single brick slid smoothly out of the wall and clattered to the floor beneath them. A small tangle of wires and other wiring Tiptoe didn’t recognize. Then, without warning, a brilliant bright blue flash issued from Jigsaw’s horn, temporarily blinding the two other ponies. When Tiptoe had blinked away the bright spots on her retinas, what she saw made her breath catch. A startlingly bright, twinkling aqua-blue light was shining out of Jigsaw’s horn. It was pulsating gently, but rapidly, and with each pulsation, the blue light snaked through the wire and out into the walls, growing brighter in intensity every pulsation. Tiptoe glanced over to Incendia and was amused to see that she was staring at Jigsaw with her jaw slack. Then, with another blinding flash of light and the sound like an a dozen pots and pans falling to the ground, the lights that lined the room kicked into life. Jigsaw took a stumbling step backwards, steadied himself, and took a deep breath in and out. He smiled when he saw the looks on Tiptoe’s and Incendia’s faces. “That felt good.” “How in Equestria did you do that?” Incendia said, staring from the tangle of wires to Jigsaw to the lights and back again. “That was some of the most- I don’t- not even Gizmo could have done-” She sat down on her haunches, staring at Jigsaw in disbelief. Jigsaw shrunk away, obviously embarrassed. “Years of practice,” he said sheepishly. “Really, I’m not that good. It’s just my special talent. The spell was pretty easy when you know what you have to do. All I had to do was give the system a little jolt, all the wiring and stuff was still there.” Incendia didn’t look convinced, however; she got up and began trotting down the corridor without another word. Jigsaw and Tiptoe followed close behind. The hallway came to an abrupt end at what appeared to have once been part of a much larger chamber. The walls sloped around them sharply, forming a dome about twenty feet tall that appeared to have been made quickly and carelessly out of concrete. A single, bare old-world bulb hung above them by a black wire which went straight up into the concrete. Directly ahead, at the opposite side of the dome, there were three openings in the concrete, each leading- as far as they could tell- into darkness. “What do we do?” asked Tiptoe. “I think we should split up,” said Incendia. Tiptoe giggled nervously and said, “That’s not how we do things around here. Right, Jigsaw?” Jigsaw didn’t respond, however. He was staring down one of the tunnels. “...No, no, Tiptoe, I think she’s right,” he said finally. “Don’t ask me how I know, but I think we’re each supposed to go down one of these. Alone. It’s the only way we can progress.” Tiptoe held her mouth open, aghast, then shook her head violently. “No! We can’t split up! How can I protect myself? I don’t have your magic!” Jigsaw tried and failed to contain his smile. Tiptoe’s fear quickly turned to anger. “What’s so funny? Is it pick on the pegasus day again?” She said, her eyes beginning to water. “Because I got enough of that at school!” Jigsaw was taken aback by her reaction. He cantered over to her and spoke softly. “No, no, that’s not why we’re smiling. We’re smiling at the fact that you think you’re helpless.” “What do you mean?” Tiptoe said with a small sniff. “I mean that you managed to escape from a sea serpent while carrying me unconscious on your back without breathing. And that you managed to carry me out of that subway station when you had never flown more that a few dozen feet before. And that you managed to sneak me out of Rubidium’s compound. You’re not defenseless, Tiptoe. You’re probably the most capable pony here.” “Tiptoe, you are a badass. Trust me, I have experience with these things. Don’t ever let anypony tell you otherwise.” Incendia added with a wink. Tiptoe looked back and forth between the two unicorns then stared down the dark tunnel. “Alright,” she said, “I’ll go. But how am I going to see?” In response, Incendia’s horn flashed orange and a tiny ball of light appeared and floated over to hover just above Tiptoe’s head. “That’s one of the first spells I learned how to do. It will follow you around and light your way.” Tiptoe smiled. “Thanks, Incendia.” Incendia nodded. Jigsaw moved back to the middle tunnel, with Tiptoe on his left and Incendia on his right. He stared down his tunnel for a moment more, then looked to his left and caught Tiptoe’s eyes. As sure as he was that this was the right thing to do, he was still nervous. He thought Tiptoe could sense it. He tried to put a lot of unsaid emotions into that gaze. Then he glanced to his right, at Incendia. She looked tall, proud, and powerful- but the look in her eyes was unmistakable. She didn’t want to split up either. He gathered all his courage and gave her a steady nod, then he began to make his way into the tunnel. ~~~ Tiptoe, trailed closely by the small ball of light, made her way into the tunnel once Jigsaw and Incendia had vanished out of sight. The walls were craggy and looked to be made out of the same hastily poured concrete as the dome. Tiptoe wondered what reason anypony could have had to build this. The tunnels seemed to slope upwards at a gentle angle, and also gently curved to the left. She figured she must be walking in enormous loops, going slowly but steadily upwards. To what, she didn’t know. She took the time to reflect back on the day so far. Incendia seemed much more lighthearted than she would have guessed. She wondered if it was a coping mechanism. Either way, she seemed to be a welcome addition to the team. She also had to admit it was nice having another girl on the team. These thoughts gave her pause. When had she started thinking of them as a team? Life had changed so much so quickly. “And not all for the worst,” she thought. Her thoughts turned to the night she and Jigsaw had spent in the forest and she smiled. Eventually, she came upon a square doorway carved into the rock. When she cantered through it, she was surprised to find that she had entered an entirely new space. It was at least two stories tall and had wide glass windows on the far side that overlooked the frozen landscape beneath. What she was more concerned with was how she had entered the room. The doorway she had come through- which she would have sworn was a concrete square- looked like an ordinary door from this side. She pulled it open only to find that there was nothing but a solid concrete wall behind it. She felt the fear well up in her again. She looked frantically around the room and found what she was looking for- another door, red-and-gold trimmed. She galloped over to it and pulled it open. She was incredibly relieved to see another room behind it. She galloped in, slamming the door behind her with her mouth. She breathed a sigh of relief and began to take in her new surroundings. Then the horror hit again. It was the same room. She wheeled around. The door she had just come out of was the one she had originally entered the room with. She pulled it open again to find herself faced with the same wall of concrete that had blocked her way before. She began to hyperventilate. This had to be some kind of magical thing. Jigsaw would know what to do. “Tiptoe.” The voice had come from somewhere behind her. She spun once again and saw a sight that nearly made her cry with delight. Standing there, looking just as frightened as she was, was Jigsaw. She galloped over to him and threw her hooves around him. She began to cry. “Oh, Jigsaw, I’m so glad you’re here! The room wouldn’t let me go, and I was afraid I would be stuck in here forever, and I wouldn’t ever see you again, and-” “Get off of me, you filthy pegasus.” Tiptoe froze. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. She immediately let go of Jigsaw and stepped back, tears still streaming down her face, though for entirely different reasons. “Jigsaw, how could you sa-” she began, but she stopped when she saw his eyes. They weren’t Jigsaw’s deep, watery blue eyes. No, these were featureless silver discs. “You’re not Jigsaw!” she gasped. “And what makes you so sure?” said the thing that was in Jigsaw’s form. It grinned, but this did nothing to help its appearance. Its mouth went far too wide, and each tooth was filed to a point. Tiptoe also noticed, with a cold shiver, that it didn’t move its mouth when it spoke. “I’m what he’s too afraid to say,” sneered the voice. “That’s what this place does. It lays bare one’s heart.” The thing began to walk in circles around the petrified pony. Tiptoe was too afraid to move. With every passing second, the thing was appearing less and less like a pony- its hooves growing longer, mouth wider, eyes larger. “What’s the matter?” asked the thing. “Afraid of the truth?” “You’re not telling the truth,” Tiptoe squeaked. The thing stopped pacing. “And what would you know of the truth? You, barely out of school, never at the top of your class! I hated that you were assigned to me. I couldn’t stomach the idea of working with a pegasus.” It nearly spat the last word. Though it looked like a warped and stretched Jigsaw, its voice was a perfect imitation. “What good could you have been to me? I didn’t need and assistant. I didn’t want one! All you ever could do was get in my way. And just look at the consequences!” The thing made an expansive gesture with his hooves. “You’ve led us here. And my, my, what a trail of destruction you’ve left in your wake!” The thing cantered closer to Tiptoe, eyeing her intently. “It was your fault, you know. The creature that attacked us could sense your fear. It knew you were weaker. I knew it would happen. You killed them, pegasus. You killed everyone back home. They could never repair the water system with their star unicorn taken from them.” Tiptoe was shaking with suppressed sobs now. The creature continued. “Not to mention Stalliongrad. Thousands died, pegasus. Perhaps millions. The last city in all of Equestria, wiped out because of your foolishness.” Tiptoe couldn’t stand any more. “You’re lying!” She shrieked, tears running hot and wet down her face. “The real Jigsaw loves me! He knows none of those things are my fault!” The thing cackled at this. “Love? What does a mere foal like you know about love?! All you ever were to me was a replacement for Antimony. A last resort when I thought I couldn’t have any other, more desirable mates. But now...” The thing cantered up to Tiptoe and put its horrible mouth right next to her ear. When it spoke, it was in a raspy whisper. “Now I’ve found another unicorn. A pony who can actually take care of herself. Somepony who won’t hold me back. Why would I ever want you? A useless pegasus, who’s only contribution to the group so far has been to ruin even our best laid plans?” Somewhere deep in Tiptoe’s mind, a small part of herself that had not been consumed with despair spoke up. “I can’t just lie back and take this. Whatever this thing is, it isn’t Jigsaw, regardless of how much it knows. Fight back! It’s what they would want!” “Stop calling me ‘pegasus’,” she said quietly. The thing’s smile dropped off its face. It quickly moved away from her and stared at her for several seconds. “What did you say?” it said after several seconds of tense silence. “I said, stop calling me ‘pegasus’!” Tiptoe said, her resolve strengthened by the creature’s reaction. “Then give me a reason not to!” hissed the creature. “Prove your worth! Prove that you can be anything other than a useless burden to ou-” Its last words were lost in the clatter of hooves against stone. Tiptoe was charging towards it, and the creatures was too stunned to move out of the way. As she approached it, she threw her hooves up in the air- and with an impact that made Tiptoe’s sides ache, she embraced the creature. “No! No, get off me! What are you-” it spluttered, twisting back and forth in an attempt to break her grip. It was no use. Tiptoe hung on as tightly as she could, her eyes screwed shut. After about 15 seconds, the creature stopped abruptly. It spoke once more, but this time, its voice was soft, almost feminine. “You pass, Tiptoe.” Then, with a rush of wind, the thing Tiptoe was holding was gone. She flopped face-first onto the ground in front of her, and she didn’t get up right away. She rolled onto her side and began to cry, harder, deeper, and more desperately than she ever had in her life. She remained like that until the door at the other side of the room was blasted off its hinges. ~~~ Incendia, guided by the light of her horn, made her way into the rightmost cave entrance. She trotted quickly and confidently through the winding cement passageway, stopping only to examine some small cracks in the concrete, through which a dull, silvery light was shining. Eventually, she had made her way up to a large, ornately carved wooden door. The surface was covered in carvings of ponies in all sorts of activities. Incendia stared interestedly at the Old Language letters that were carved all around the door, though it was completely incomprehensible to her. She hadn’t seen many authentic examples before. When she had seen her fill, she magicked the door open and stepped inside. Incendia blinked. The room was pitch black. After a moment, when her eyes had not adjusted, she increased the intensity of her horn. This didn’t help anything. Incendia was puzzled until she looked down. It wasn’t that she still couldn’t see: the floor of the room was a smooth, featureless black surface. She squinted through the dark for something to see, but as far as she could tell, the room was just featureless. Disappointed, she turned to make her way back through the door and smacked the side of her head against a strange object. She stumbled back and waited for the fresh pain in her head to subside. Finally, when she could open her eyes, she looked up at what she had hit. She screamed. It wasn’t the door. Standing before her was a very small hut constructed shoddily out of old, rotting wood and paper. She turned and galloped as fast as she could in the opposite direction. The hut was familiar to her. It was her childhood home. She glanced over her shoulder in terror and screamed again. Though she was galloping at full-tilt, she wasn’t getting any farther from the hut. She could hear the sounds coming from inside, now. The shouts of anger and fear. She tried to ignore it, but it was impossible. She stopped attempting to gallop away and flung herself to the ground, clamping her hooves over her ears to try and block it out. It didn’t work. The sound seemed to just grow louder and more horrible. With a cold shock, Incendia recognized the voice of her mother. “No! You can’t have her! You can’t, I won’t let you!” “You’ve had your fun,” said another voice, which Incendia instantly recognized as Rubidium’s. “You’ve managed to evade me for an impressively long time, but your time has come. Hand over the girl and I will leave peacefully.” “Never!” her mother cried. “I’ll fight you!” came a deeper, male voice that Incendia recognized as her father’s. She heard Rubidium give a horrible chuckle. “Two unicorns? What ever will I do?” A horrible flash of red light burned its way into Incendia’s eyes, even through her closed eyelids. She heard a strangled scream. Though she couldn’t see it, the image of her father, gouting blood from a gash across his face, came unbidden into her mind. Then, she heard her own voice, though it was higher, shriller. “Mom! Dad! No!” She knew what was coming next, and despite every cell in her body screaming not to, screaming to run away and never look back, she lifted her head and turned to look at the small hut. “My, my, just who I was looking for!” came Rubidium’s voice, dripping with sarcastic joy. A white flash of light came from inside the hut, and for just a moment, Incendia could see her own silhouette. She heard a grunt of pain come from Rubidium. “You’ve made a grave mistake!” he roared. She saw a bolt of red light streak across the doorway, and her own face, alive with terror, was thrown into sharp relief. With that sight, the memories she had tried so hard to repress came flooding back, their clarity and accuracy confirmed by the events playing out before her eyes. She remembered her mother aging, wrinkles appearing on her skin, until she was nothing more than a dessicated corpse. She remembered Rubidium’s cold chuckle, how his wounds had closed as new ones opened on her mother. And she remembered when she had reached her breaking point. Rubidium turned his eyes on her, and she lost control. Her horn exploded with orange light, and the small candle on the table in the corner flared into an enormous fireball. Rubidium’s look of smug success changed to one of shock. He opened his mouth and said something Incendia never heard, then turned to run out of the hut. She remembered her younger self’s short-lived feeling of success. She had won. He was gone. Then, with a horrible realization, she remembered her father. She looked to her left to see a dark shape, lying on the floor next to the table, twitching, completely engulfed in flames. She recoiled in horror. Her horn was still glowing, still feeding the fire, and only now did she realize she didn’t know how to control it. She mustered up all her courage and determination and focused on turning the flames down. The older Incendia lowered her head again and grasped it with her hooves as the hut exploded. When the debris had stopped falling, she turned her head back towards the ruin of the hut. Lying in the middle of the flaming wreckage was a small, black filly, her horn weakly flickering orange. With a happy musical tinkle and flash of white light that was most unfitting for the circumstances, a stylistic rendition of a flame appeared on her flank. The adult Incendia was breathing hard, as though she had just run a marathon. Her mind had gone blank. She had been trying for years to forget this- and then, in one fell swoop, the entire even had come flooding back in agonizing detail. Then, she saw something that brought her out of her stupor. The filly version of herself stood up and looked directly at her. Incendia blinked twice. She didn’t remember this. The pony standing in the center of the burning debris began walking towards her. With each step she took, the filly Incendia appeared to age. She grew taller, sleeker, and stronger, until she was roughly the same age as the real Incendia. This version of Incendia, however, was at once more beautiful and more horrible than the real Incendia. Her mane, instead of the coppery orange-red hair of the real Incendia, was nothing more than a layer of red flames burning on her neck. “Wh-what are you?” Incendia stammered. “What am I? Oh, I think you ask the wrong questions,” said the Incendia-thing, with a smile that lacked an ounce of kindness. “I believe the better question is, ‘who are you?’” Incendia couldn’t find any words. She opened and closed her mouth silently. The Incendia-thing chuckled a cold, mirthless chuckle. “At a loss for words? That’s a rarity. I know you, Incendia. I am you.” “What’s going on?” Incendia managed to say. “Why are you showing me these things?” “Because that’s what this place does,” it said. “It shows you the truth you don’t want to see.” Incendia just whimpered, still cowering on the ground. The Incendia-thing frowned at this. It stalked closer to Incendia and roughly jabbed a hoof in her side, causing her to grunt in pain and roll onto her back. She was now looking directly into the thing’s eyes, which she now realized were a blank, silvery-white. “Look at you!” it shouted, so loudly that Incendia’s ears rang. “Look at the so-called ‘Terror of Stalliongrad’, the ‘Voice of the Ponies’! Look what she has been reduced to. Crying and huddling on the ground like an animal. I’m disgusted. I expected better.” These words stirred something in Incendia. Something of her rebellious spirit still remained, and, with the greatest effort it had ever cost her, the orange/red flames sprung to life, covering her from head to hoof. The Incendia-thing retracted a hoof, and quickly widened the gap between them. “That’s more like it,” it hissed. Incendia let out a crazed shriek and lashed out a tongue of flame at the thing. It hit dead-on, slicing across its face. Its head jerked sharply to the left, and a deep gash was clearly visible on its face, oozing out a thick, silvery substance that faded into nothingness before it could hit the ground. “Oh, Incendia,” cooed the thing, “violence won’t get you anywhere.” “Let me go,” growled the real Incendia. She was already putting herself back together, preparing to fight her way out. “Not until you’ve seen the truth. We’ve already seen your past. Why don’t we take a look at your present and future?” Its eyes began to glow, and images shimmered into being between them. Incendia dimmed her flames unconsciously. Floating in the space between them was an image of their camp the night before. Incendia was sitting on one side of the floating orb of light, her legs curled up beneath her, while Tiptoe and Jigsaw sat on the other side, nearly falling over each other in laughter. As they watched, the background faded away, until soon the only images left were Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s laughing faces. “You’ll never be happy like they are,” the thing hissed. “You lost that when you allowed Stalliongrad to be destroyed.” “I didn’t allow it to be destroyed,” Incendia said. “That was Tantalus and Rubidium.” “Either way,” sneered the thing, “my point still stands.” “How can you possibly know that?” Incendia shot back. “You can’t see the future.” “No, but I can see the truth,” it said smugly. “What exactly are you hoping will happen? That you’ll stumble across some other town? That you’ll find a mare willing to throw her life away to join you on this suicide mission?” Incendia winced. “Or are you, perhaps, hoping for some dissent within the group? For Tiptoe to coming running and declare her love for you?” The thing let out a derisive laugh. “Of course not,” Incendia said, though she sounded shaken. “I barely know her.” “Indeed,” said the Incendia thing, somewhat cryptically. “You see, I am right. Can you stand it? Will you be able to sit back and watch their love bloom while you wither on the vine?” “I’m not doing this for myself!” Incendia shouted. Something had snapped inside her. She didn’t know what she was saying now. It wasn’t coming from her mind. She was speaking directly from her emotions. Dimly, she registered the thing that was imitating her had raised a foreleg as if to step backwards. “I’m doing this because I have nothing left! I made a mistake! I was careless, and Stalliongrad was destroyed because of me! I didn’t know how important those two ponies were. I let down everypony I had ever known! Everypony I had ever loved!” For just a moment, the thing’s eyes flicked orange, and an image of a beautiful chocolate brown earth pony replaced Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s. Her bright yellow eyes seemed to cut through the gloom. In a blink of an eye, it disappeared. Incendia didn’t even have time to register it. “I escaped Stalliongrad, but I shouldn’t have!” She was getting hysterical now, shouting at the top of her lungs. “I didn’t know why at first, but I do now! I need to help them! They showed me kindness, healed me! I know I haven’t known them for very long, but this feels right! More right than anything I’ve ever done! I’ve done so much wrong by so many ponies, but now I have the opportunity to do something good, my own happiness be damned! And you...” She ignited again, though this time, the flames licking up around her body were bright blue. “You will not stop me!” She took a defiant step forward with each word, breaking through the illusion of Tiptoe and Jigsaw’s smiling faces on the last one. “Understand?” Incendia said. She noticed, dimly, that the thing imitating her was now the one cowering. She didn’t look beautiful anymore. It looked weak and feeble, almost insubstantial, illuminated by Incendia’s blue flames. It still spoke, though it was almost without any emotion whatsoever. “Would you die for them?” “Of course I would,” Incendia snarled. “I wasn’t sure until right now, but now I am. I learned everything I needed to know at that campfire. These are good ponies. They have loved ones, hopes, dreams, and ambitions! And despite everything they’ve been through, they’re still fighting the good fight, and they don’t even know why! But I do. Love.” With that final word, she finished, waiting for a response. Instead, the thing simply stood up. It suddenly no longer looked menacing. It was staring at Incendia with what she could only describe as the proud look a parent might give to a child. All traces of malice were gone. “Don’t be so quick to give up on your own happiness,” it said. “And...” It paused, eyes darting back and forth between Incendia’s own, as if trying to make up its mind. Then, it continued: “Your father’s final thoughts were... that he was happy his daughter had the strength to stand up for what was right.” With that, a sound like rushing wind filled Incendia’s ears, and the thing vanished. Suddenly, bright moonlight flooded into the room, replacing the black, featureless walls with color and texture. Incendia didn’t notice, however. The thing’s final words rang in her ears. She was overwhelmed, tears sizzling against her still-hot coat, a strange mixture of joy and sadness filling her heart. Her sobbing continued uninterrupted until the fountain crashed through the ceiling. ~~~ Jigsaw entered the dark passageway at a trot, and was delighted at what he found. A small crack in the wall, just large enough to squeeze through, led to what he assumed must once have been a guard outpost. Swords and shields lined the wall, but Jigsaw only had eyes for one item. A set of saddlebags sat, dusty and unused, in one corner of the room, and Jigsaw immediately picked it up and flipped it onto his back. Then, as though the act of lifting the bag had jogged his memory, he remembered he had left the parts for the teleporter back at their campsite. Hoping against hope they weren’t out of range, Jigsaw lit his horn. Several minutes later, he let out a sigh of relief as the parts came flying in through the crack, landing snugly in his bag. He squeezed his way back through the crack, a difficult task now that he was wearing saddlebags, and continued up the dark passageway. It was grueling work, though not as strenuous as the climb up the mountain had been. The tunnel constantly switched back on itself, with a series of platforms that Jigsaw was forced to climb up. It was almost as though it was a staircase built for giants, but that wouldn’t explain the low ceiling. Still, he climbed, and finally, the last ledge led to a beautiful room- something like an indoor garden, though all the plants had long since withered away. An ornate gem-encrusted silver fountain was in the center of the room, surrounded by comfortable-looking padded benches. Jigsaw gladly lay down upon one of them and began examining the fountain. It was covered in a thick layer of dust, making it clear that it hadn’t been used in a very long time. On a whim, Jigsaw focused his attention on the fountain, and attempted to see if he could get the water flowing again. The fountain glowed faintly with blue light, and sure enough, Jigsaw could sense a a collapsed section of pipe a few feet under the statue. He smiled. It had been quite a while since he had repaired a pipe system. He closed his eyes and the glowing around his horn intensified. He could feel the pipe swelling, repairing itself as ordered by his magic. Finally, when he was done, he opened his eyes, expecting to see a cascade of water flowing from the fountain. Instead, the ground rumbled and lurched, nearly throwing him off the bench, and a feeble trickle of water spurted from the mouth of one of the silver ponies before it stopped. From somewhere in the distance, Jigsaw heard a shriek. “Who’s there?” he shouted, jumping down from the bench. “Jigsaw? Is that you?” came a voice Jigsaw recognized instantly. It was Antimony’s. From behind the fountain came a silvery-gray unicorn, her cutie mark of a beaker stark in the light from Jigsaw’s horn. Jigsaw stared for several seconds, jaw slack. Then he spoke in a disbelieving monotone. “I must be dreaming. I fell asleep on this bench and now I’m dreaming. It’s the only logical explanation.” “Jigsaw, it’s not a dream!” chuckled Antimony. “I’m standing right he-” She never got to finish her sentence. From the darkness behind her, a gigantic shape began to emerge. Jigsaw recognized it immediately. “Look out!” he cried. Antimony whirled around just in time to see an enormous snake-like creature slide out of the darkness. It was at least eight times the size of Jigsaw, and its body was covered in sores, which appeared to be oozing a silvery substance. “Oh, Goddesses, Jigsaw, help me!” shrieked Antimony. Jigsaw couldn’t move. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He had relived this moment over and over again in his dreams and while awake, thinking what he could have done differently, but now that it was happening again, he was too afraid to act. “I don’t understand!” he called, tears beginning to stream down his face. “Why is this happening? What-” His words were cut off by the roar of the snake creature, which struck its rotten head down onto the silvery gray pony, sinking it’s horrible yellow-and-black fangs deep into her side. Antimony let out a cry of pain and terror. Jigsaw let out a strangled scream as the creature whipped its head from side to side, tearing a bloody chunk out of Antimony. The horrible fangs slid out of her side with a sickening squelch. The force of the snake’s violent undulations tossed Antimony’s lifeless body to the floor, and she skidded to a halt at his feet. The snake began to eat the chunk of Antimony it had torn out with horrible crunches and slurps. Jigsaw stared down at her, gasping for breath, not understanding what had just happened. The snake creature stared at him with piercing green eyes for just a moment before it faded away. Jigsaw lowered his head to Antimony’s and began to sob into the safe fur of her mane.. Then, with an odd, jerking twitch, Antimony’s body moved. Jigsaw backed away quickly. Something was wrong. Antimony stood up, leaning slightly to her left, opposite where the chunk of flesh had been torn out. When she opened her eyes, Jigsaw was shocked to discover they were featureless, silver discs. “The first of many,” it said, in an alarmingly casual tone. “Y-you’re not Antimony!” Jigsaw said, taking another step back. “Of course not,” it hissed. “I am the truth.” “What do you mean?” Jigsaw said. Tears were still streaming down his face. “I am what you’re too afraid to face,” said the thing. “I am representative of all those who have died for you.” Jigsaw didn’t respond. He felt as though his throat had swollen shut. “What’s the matter?” the thing said mockingly. Without warning, it was directly in front of him, shouting into his face. “Afraid to act?!” It took a step back and began to pace back and forth in a horrible parody of Antimony’s gait. “Poor, little Jigsaw. So detached, so intellectual. Always top of your class! Poor, pitiful Jigsaw, who suffered a loss so early in life. One wonders if you feel anything at all.” “Of course I do,” Jigsaw said, exerting a massive effort to keep his voice from cracking. He attempted to blink away his tears with no success. “And yet you stood there and watched her die, again!” it retorted. “Tiptoe wonders sometimes, you know. She wonders if you really do love her. If you even can love anymore. And who could blame her? Not I, certainly.” “What do you want?” Jigsaw asked, emotion creeping back into his voice, causing it to quaver. He couldn’t keep up the facade any longer. The thing appeared to stop for a moment, as if to think of how to respond. Then it said, “To illuminate that which is too often left in the dark.” With that, the thing’s form abruptly changed to that of Tiptoe’s. “Stalliongrad died to save you,” it said in a perfect imitation of Tiptoe’s voice, though without any trace of her signature kindness. “You let an entire city perish rather than simply sacrifice yourself. You were too afraid to act!” It began stalking steadily closer as it spoke. “Your quest is futile, you know. What exactly is it you hope to achieve? To reassemble the broken goddesses? They are a relic of an age long since forgotten. It’s only a matter of time until I end up like her.” With that, the thing’s neck jerked sharply to the side, and with a sickening crunching sound, it collapsed to the ground, legs and wings splayed at impossible angles. “All that you will accomplish is to kill the world that much faster.” “You’re wrong!” Jigsaw shouted, his voice sounding hoarse and unfamiliar to him. “You’ve been saying that I sit back and let others die for me, then you tell me I should give up? That doesn’t make any sense!” As he spoke, his crying intensified, though he had no idea why. The thing stood up and stared at Jigsaw, as if inviting him to continue. “You don’t know the truth. You only know how to tell convincing lies. I’m doing this right now so nopony ever has to die for me again!” His sadness and confusion were beginning to turn into anger. His horn began glowing so brilliantly blue that he felt as though he could almost see through the Tiptoe-thing, which bore a look of terror on its face. “And don’t you ever tell me I don’t love Tiptoe. I’m done with taking things lying down. Never again am I going to sit back wile things like you terrorize what I love!” Jigsaw finished the sentence shouting, the cords in his neck taut with anger. The thing sighed, almost as if it had been waiting a very long time for this, then stared at Jigsaw intently. “It will do,” said the thing, with a finality that did not invite a response from Jigsaw. It began to walk backwards, away from Jigsaw, and he heard the sound of rushing wind begin. Then, suddenly, the wind died down, and Jigsaw recognized the expression on the thing’s face: despair. It stood, staring at him for a long time before it finally spoke. “Antimony wants you to be happy.” it said, so softly Jigsaw almost didn’t catch it. The expression on it’s face showed the same despair, though it seemed now to be tinged with a touch of regret. Then, with that, the rushing wind picked up again, and the thing was gone. Jigsaw collapsed onto the bench, fresh tremors of fright and sadness shooting through his body. When he finally dried his eyes, he had made a decision his mind. He would find Incendia and Tiptoe. They had been apart far too long. He didn’t have the chance to get up, however, because at that moment, the fountain erupted. ~~~ Without warning, water began gushing through the fountain at such high speeds it sprayed the walls and floors. Jigsaw was so taken aback that he was washed off his bench by a jet of water from an ornate golden pegasus. Spluttering, he ignited his horn and ran to the base of the fountain, touching his horn to it. He understood what was about to happen only moments before it did. The floor around the fountain cracked, and with one final jet of water, the fountain crashed down, pulling Jigsaw with it. He jumped into the fountain, acting purely on instinct, which proved life-saving when they collided with the floor below with a sound like a small explosion. The water softened the impact enough that Jigsaw avoided collision with the hard, metal walls of the fountain. He climbed out of the basin, gasping for air, and was surprised to see a very shocked Incendia gawking at him. “What just happened?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Never mind the fountain,” Jigsaw said, his voice hard with determination. “We have to find Tiptoe.” The authority in his voice kicked Incendia into action. “Right,” she said. “Any ideas of where to look?” Jigsaw glanced around the room. “Where did you come in?” Incendia gestured to the door directly behind her with her horn. “Then we should probably check that door,” Jigsaw said, gesturing to a door in the back-left corner of the room, opposite where Incendia had come out. They cantered over to it without another word. Jigsaw’s horn began to glow, but the door wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked,” he said, peering at the keyhole. “I think I can figure it out, just give me a few minutes...” “Oh, just let me do it,” Incendia said, sounding somewhat exasperated, as she stepped between Jigsaw and the door. Her horn cast its familiar orange light, and the door blew apart in a flash of fire. They heard a scream come from the other side, and Jigsaw rushed inside. “Tiptoe! Tiptoe, is that you?” Jigsaw shouted in alarm. His head whipped back and forth frantically until he saw her, standing up about twenty feet away. He took off towards her at a gallop at the same time as she did. They met in the middle, throwing hooves around each other, sharing a passionate kiss. “I’m so sorry!” Jigsaw exlcaimed as they broke apart. “I should never have said that we should split up. I’ll never leave you alone again!” Once more, tears were flowing, but these were tears of joy; tears of relief. “I don’t ever want to be apart from you again! There was this creature, and it said the most horrible things, and-” “I know.” Jigsaw said, soothingly. “I know.” “I love you, Jigsaw!” Tiptoe said. The note of pleading in her voice was unmistakable. “I love you too, Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said resolutely, staring steadily into Tiptoe eyes. “Don’t ever doubt that.” And with that, they kissed again. Incendia turned away when she saw this, feeling flustered. This wasn’t a moment meant for her. Another pang of loneliness shot through her. At least until a pair of hooves closed around her neck, taking her completely by surprise. She looked up to find that Tiptoe had rushed over and embraced her. It was too much for Incendia to take. She began to cry again, for the life that she had lost, for long-lost loves, for the future, and for the overwhelming feeling of affection she felt for the creamy yellow pegasus. She didn’t think she could ever express how much this simple hug meant to her. After several moments of hesitation, Jigsaw also placed a hoof around Incendia’s neck. They stood together like that for longer than any of them knew. They weren’t concerned with the passage of time just then. When they broke apart, Jigsaw was not entirely shocked to see a silvery-white orb, just like a miniature moon, floating in the center of the room. It had been the most emotionally trying experience of their lives, but they had found what they were looking for.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:13:13+00:00

2012-10-13T06:13:13+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 20 By PK The silvery orb hung, silent and mysterious, in the center of the room. It’s surface was perfectly smooth and glassy, and it rotated slowly, sending off wisps of shadowy mist. “So... what happens now?” Incendia asked, her voice low and hushed. In response, Jigsaw began to walk slowly towards where the sphere hung, his head bowed low as if in reverence. He felt a strange, pulsating buzz begin in his horn, as though it were anxious to make contact. Cautiously, he raised his head until the very tip of his horn broke the silvery surface of the sphere. For a moment, a single ripple issued across its surface, causing the silvery light to shimmer. Then, Jigsaw was enveloped in a sheet of whirling silver mist. Incendia started forward towards him, but Tiptoe extended a hoof, catching her in the chest. “I don’t think we should interfere,” she said in a near-whisper. Shimmering intensely, the mist whirled faster and faster around the unicorn, until with a brilliant flash of white light, the mist zoomed up and into Jigsaw’s horn. The flash was so bright that it momentarily blinded Tiptoe and Incendia. When they blinked away the bright afterimage, they were surprised to see Jigsaw, standing where the sphere had been, his horn glowing sliver, tendrils of light seemed to reach up from the floor and flow into his horn. “Jigsaw, what’s going on?” asked Incendia, more than a little alarm in her voice. “I don’t know!” Jigsaw shouted in response, shaking his head violently to try and draw the tendrils away from his horn. Where the silvery substance left the smooth marble floor, large cracks began to appear. The surface lost its sheen, dulled, and became brittle. Jigsaw galloped towards the other two ponies, away from the rapidly growing spiderweb of cracks. The tendrils were now licking up the walls, drawing some shimmering energy out from the walls and windows. it was as though whatever protection that had kept the place intact was being stripped away, and the ten thousand intervening years were beginning to take their toll. The moan and rumble of slipping stone was so loud that they couldn’t even hear themselves shouting. Soon, the three were forced into the only untouched corner left in the room, pressed as close together as possible to stay away from the advancing wave of cracks and decay. Chunks of rock were beginning to rain down from above, some large enough to crash through the floor and beyond. Finally, the floor beneath them cracked and sagged, and the last of the silver light began to flow into Jigsaw’s horn. Several moments of tense silence followed the end of the strange light show. None of them dared to speak for fear that the sound of their voice might somehow cause the floor to give way. Gaping holes were present from where pieces of the ceiling had caved in and smashed through the floor, causing the room to resemble the pock-marked and crumbling surface of the moon above. “Is everypony okay?” Incendia asked in a low whisper. Still, the sudden sound nearly caused Tiptoe to jump in surprise. “I... I think so,” Jigsaw answered shakily. He was panting heavily, and his horn still glowed silver, though it was fading in brilliance and intensity. “I’m okay,” Tiptoe murmured absentmindedly. She was starting at Jigsaw with concern. Jigsaw, however, was staring at the floor. His eyes were darting quickly around the area, taking in every little detail. Eventually, he turned his eyes to Incendia. “How good is your levitation?” Incendia looked taken aback. “Same as any other unicorn, I suppose. I mean it’s not my special talent, but I practice all the basic mag-” she cut herself off mid-sentence, her eyes widening with comprehension. “Jigsaw, you’re not seriously considering...” “I am,” he said, simply. “What is he considering?” Tiptoe said, looking back and forth between the two unicorns. Jigsaw turned to face face her. “We’re going to carry ourselves down the mountain,” he said, a faint gleam deep in his eyes. ~~~ Tantalus touched down at the base of the castle, tongues of green fire licking at the barren earth for a few moments before spinning away into nothingness. He clenched his enormous reptilian fists. He knew he was too late. They had already collected the fragment, and the castle was beginning to crumble. Somehow they had managed to break through his wards and discover the mountain, but more pressingly, the fragment had already entered the vessel, and the castle had finally decayed. Despite all this, he found himself grinning. He knew he was at an advantage. He was familiar with this particular castle. He had come here back before the Grand Cataclysm many times. he knew that he had them cornered. He took in a great breath. He could feel the spell he was about to cast burning within him, wriggling and squirming, begging for release. With a mighty exhale, the spell left him in a torrent of green fire, whirling around the base of the castle, enveloping it, and burrowing into the faults and fissures of the foundation. The mountain gave a mighty shake, and the already unstable castle began to crumble. ~~~ Jigsaw, Tiptoe, and Incendia screamed as huge chucks of marble, the heads of statues, and even- once or twice- the skeletons of some long dead ponies rained down from the ceiling above them. “Now!” shouted Jigsaw, looking at Incendia. “We have to do it now!” Incendia’s horn glowed in response, enveloping the chuck of marble they stood on in a bright orange glow. Jigsaw joined in soon afterwards, the blue glow of his own magic mixing with the orange. With a lurching, jerking movement, the rock lifted from the floor and began to float to the remains of the large window that overlooked the waterfall. They were constantly forced to split their attention between keeping the chunk of marble floating and deflecting the chunks of debris that were raining down from above. Tiptoe hovered just above the rock, keeping her weight off it. Suddenly, with a thunderous blast, an enormous and horribly tarnished bronze alicorn statue came crashing down from above, heading directly towards him. Incendia’s head snapped up and she braced herself against the surface of the floating marble. “Jigsaw, get ready!” she shouted. Then, with a flash of orange light, she let go of the marble and focused on the statue. Pain exploded in Jigsaw’s head, and his feet slid several inches over the surface of the stone, coming dangerously close to the ragged, fractured edge. His horn shone intensely, magic radiating from it so intensely that even Tiptoe could feel it- like sort of a warm buzz heading down from the center of her forehead all the way to the tip of her tail. The marble dipped and bobbed dangerously, but stayed airborne. The bronze statue was floating in the air directly above them. Incendia looked much the same as Jigsaw did- fluid magic flowed off her horn, the energy radiating away from her so powerfully that it was almost visible. “I don’t have the strength to move it!” Incendia said through gritted teeth. Tiptoe didn’t know what to do. The statue was so large that she didn’t stand a chance of moving it on her own, and she didn’t want it hanging over them all the way down the mountain. She didn’t seem to have much of a choice, however. Moments later they zoomed out the window and left the crumbling ruins of Canterlot Castle behind. They hovered in the air for a moment more before, with an earsplitting crack followed by a series of the loudest booms Jigsaw or Tiptoe had ever heard, the castle snapped off its foundations and began tumbling down the mountain. The waterfall shattered under the pressure of thousands of tons of rock and metal, and and in several more minutes, the mammoth avalanche was over. A thousand feet below them lay a gargantuan pile of twisted wreckage. Tiptoe nearly laughed in relief, until she remembered they still had to make it down to the ground below. Jigsaw and Incendia began to sweat under the punishing weight of keeping the marble aloft. Abruptly, a huge burst of green fire licked at their backs, breaking their concentration. “Tantalus!” shouted Incendia. The sheen of magic around both objects vanished. With that, Jigsaw, Incendia, the statue, and the platform all plummeted. Tiptoe just barely managed to dart out of the way of the alicorn statue’s outstretched wings, only half an inch away from hitting her. She folded her own wings dove down, towards where Jigsaw and Incendia where clinging to the platform, horns lit in a desperate attempt to slow their plummet. As she dove, she saw a vast dark figure shoot past her, green flames trailing behind it. Tantalus would be waiting for them. Finally, with one monumental effort, Jigsaw and Incendia managed to coordinate their efforts enough to slow both themselves and the statue. When they hit the ground with a jarring, though mercifully non-fatal impact. They didn’t get a moment of rest, however. Incendia hadn’t been able to stop the statue’s decent entirely, and they had to roll off the platform to avoid getting impaled by the ancient horn. The statue cleaved the marble platform cleanly in half and clattered to the ground, seemingly undamaged. Jigsaw had the fleeting thought that it must be enchanted. Tiptoe alighted next to them a moment later. “Oh, thank Luna’s grace you’re alright! We have to run! Tantalus beat us down here, he’s waiting for us!” Incendia and Jigsaw were breathing raggedly, but they still looked around in alarm. However, the moonlight was so dim that they couldn’t see more than a few yards in any direction. They didn’t detect any motion, however, and the only sounds were the clatter of small rocks as they came careening down the hillside to join the ruin of the castle, which was only a short distance to their left. They allowed themselves a sigh of relief. “I don’t know why but I think he’s gone. Maybe he thought there would be no way we could stop the platform in time,” Jigsaw said, his breathing slowing. “Incendia, do you think you could cast one of those flaming balls to follow us around?” “Allow me,” said a horrible, growling voice from somewhere directly ahead of the group, back towards the forest. A huge shape shrouded in green fire was illuminated some three hundred feet ahead and covered the distance in mere seconds. Jigsaw’s horn began to glow anew, and orange flames erupted all along the length of Incendia’s body. Tantalus stood over them, staring down at the flaming unicorn in mild surprise. The veins on his face pulsed unpleasantly, almost seeming to glow with an internal light. “Two has become three, I see,” he said, sounding mildly amused. His voice was horrible, resonating with such a terrible power that actually made Tiptoe lower her head and retch. Fortunately, she hadn’t eaten anything for almost three days and had nothing to throw up. Tantalus’ very presence was noxious. Tantalus ignored this, though his smile grew a hair wider. He stared intently at Incendia. “Where did you come from? A survivor of Stalliongrad? No matter, I-” His words were cut off by Incendia’s flaming whip, which lashed at his exposed stomach. As far as any of them could tell it had not had any measurable effect on him, but his smile dropped. “You dare to interrupt me?” Tantalus snarled at her. “You will pay dearly for that.” “Why are you doing this? Jigsaw asked, desperate to stall for time. Tiptoe stood behind him, wings outstretched, but her quivering was unmistakable. She was petrified. Tantalus turned his attention instead to Jigsaw. “You foal. You do not know what powers you interfere with.” “Then why don’t you tell me!” Jigsaw shouted. Tantalus sneered and, to Jigsaw’s utter astonishment, said “Very well. You do deserve an explanation. You have gotten significantly farther than any before you, at any rate.” “Why did you let us go from the cave?” Jigsaw asked. “Because I thought you might be able to get me into Stalliongrad. The story I told you then was essentially the truth, as you may have guessed. Rubidium was a royal guard that lusted after the power of the goddesses. He unleashed power beyond his control.” “What power?” Jigsaw asked. With a growing horror, Tiptoe noticed that the edge in Jigsaw’s voice was beginning to fade, being replaces by his familiar inquiring tone. Incendia was still blazing, eyes locked on Tantalus as if waiting for him to act. “It is... difficult to put into words. The sort-of antithesis to the goddesses. Evil itself, ones such as you might call it,” he said. His tone was like that of a teacher speaking down to a foal it considered inferior. Tiptoe knew that tone all too well. “But where did it come from? How did it get trapped in the book, and what does it have to do with you?” Jigsaw said. “Where? Is it honestly relevant?” Tantalus said drolly. “Dredging up ancient history will not help you. Suffice it to say that the goddesses had it sealed away very near the beginning. Something about... ideological conflicts.” “As for what it has to do with me, I am amazed you have not guessed yet, Jigsaw. For all intents and purposes, it is me.” Jigsaw took a step back reflexively. “What? How is that possible?” “It is difficult to speak of different parts of one’s self. I was once two entities, before the fall. A dragon named Spike and the being which Rubidium had unleashed. Spike had hidden away in the chaos following the fall, and the being approached him, brokering a deal. Spike had... his own reasons for accepting. Such power the being had! For several years, we remained separate. Spike was weak. He fought the inevitable for so long. Eventually, however, he succumbed to my influence. Very little of him remains, now. For all intents and purposes, I am the being. I have had free reign over the world for the for the last ten millenia.” To Jigsaw’s utter astonishment, Tiptoe spoke up. “That’s not true! Back in your cave, I saw a gem on a pedestal. Who was Rarity?” Tantalus froze. The smug smile dropped off his face. “Do not speak of things you don’t understand,” he muttered, his voice deathly quiet. The terrible power behind his voice seemed a little less overwhelming. Jigsaw had a sneaking suspicion that more of this “Spike” remained than Tantalus cared to admit. “What would she think of what you have done?” Tiptoe said. It was a total shot in the dark, but she hoped it might have some effect. It did. Tantalus let out a mighty roar and brought one claw slashing through the air, slamming into Jigsaw and knocking him away. Tiptoe was exposed now, and Tantalus wasted no time in extending his other claw, lifting Tiptoe right off the ground. With another roar, he brought her slamming down onto her side, pinned to the ground by one massive, black claw on her cutie mark. Incendia let out a cry of horror, and her flames grew in size and intensity until they once again became blue. She braced herself against one of the chunks of rubble and her horn began to glow even more brilliantly. The air near Tantalus’ head shimmered for a moment before a huge, fiery explosion erupted into life near his hear. When the fire had cleared, Tantalus’ head was smoking, but he didn’t appear to have even noticed. “Do not speak of things you don’t understand!” he repeated with a mighty bellow. Jigsaw watched in horror as he began to slowly drive his claw into Tiptoe’s cutie mark. She let out a horrible scream of pain, a sound unlike Jigsaw had ever heard her make. He stood there paralyzed for a moment, but only for a moment. Images of Antimony came flooding back into his mind. He couldn’t let this happen. He wouldn’t. He took off at a gallop towards where she lay screaming. With a sickening crunch, Jigsaw heard what must have been her hip being crushed under Tantalus’ cruel talon. Then, to his own astonishment, his horn burst into life. Jigsaw could feel magic flowing from it, magic that was unfamiliar to him. With a shriek of anger and surprise, Tantalus withdrew his bloody claw from Tiptoe. A shimmering shield of silver light enveloped the three ponies. Jigsaw didn’t care about where the shield had come from at that moment, however. He leaned over Tiptoe, who was shaking on the ground in a pool of her own blood. Tantalus had severed an artery, and with each frantic pump of her heart, another spurt of blood flowed out of her flank. Incendia stood staring, wide-eyed, at the scene before her. Jigsaw looked up at her, tears in his eyes. “Incendia, please, help me, I’ve never been good at healing magic! There’s blood everywhere, what do I do?” Incendia didn’t speak. Instead, she shot a glance at Tantalus, who was now slamming his fists furiously against the magical barrier, then over her shoulder. She took a few slow steps backward, then turned tail and ran out of the protective shield, which flashed brightly to allow her passage. Jigsaw was shocked, but he shouted after her, “Fine! Run! Abandon us like you did in Stalliongrad!” Tantalus stopped slamming onto the shield to watch her jump over a pile of rubble opposite where the platform had landed and out of sight. “She has some sense,” Tantalus said. “Perhaps she will make a valuable ally. Do you see how futile your quest is, now? You cannot trust your allies. All that awaits you is death. Give up and join me. I can heal her. Together we can rule this world.” Jigsaw looked up at Tantalus for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but another voice, speaking from somewhere behind him, caught his attention. “Hey, Tantalus!” He whirled around to try and find the source of the voice, but it still took him several moments. Clambering, slowly and unsteadily, horn blazing so brilliantly it looked to be more plasma than solid, over the rubble was Incendia. Tantalus smirked. “What new tactic is this? Have you not yet learned that fire cannot hurt me?” Incendia was trembling, biting her lip so hard it was bleeding. Blood was flowing, fresh, from the cut on her flank. Her eyes darted above Tantalus’ head in response. Jigsaw and Tantalus both looked up at the same moment. Hovering directly over Tantalus’ head was the bronze Alicorn statue, horn pointed down, encased in an orange shimmer of magic. Incendia spoke, her voice quavering, as though each word cost her a monumental effort. “Nobody fucks with my friends.” There was a flash of orange light and Incendia collapsed onto the pile of rubble, tumbling down to rest on the ground. The bronze alicorn statue fell, the point of the horn driving itself directly into Tantalus’ eye, so deeply it protruded out the back of his head. Some part of Jigsaw’s mind realized that he must have been right about the enchantment on the statue, for when it met Tantalus’ head, white sparks shot out like a firework. Dark bile began to bubble out from the wounds in Tantalus’ eye. He swayed on the spot, then, with a flash of green fire and a deafening bang, the statue exploded and Tantalus was gone. The shield shimmered out of existence as suddenly as it had come. Tiptoe let out a weak moan of pain, bringing Jigsaw’s attention back to her. His horn ignited, and he held it close to the gaping wound in Tiptoe’s side. He could feel the injuries- each one sharp and clear to his sense, but he felt the familiar sense of fuzziness- like there was some kind of obstacle in his way that prevented him from figuring out how to fix it. He focused all his energies, perhaps more than he ever had before. Silently, in desperation, he even said a prayer to the goddesses, willing them to lend their strength to him if they could. Then it happened. The barrier was gone. Deep inside Tiptoe’s flank, Jigsaw could see flesh knitting back together. Blood vessels snaked along muscle and sinew to rejoin. Her shattered hip shifted and cracked, fusing back together. Jigsaw’s entire body had gone numb and cold. He was shaking uncontrollably. He knew he had gone too far, this time- this magic could very well kill him. But he didn’t care. It just strengthened his resolve. Finally, after what felt like hours to Jigsaw, but could only have been a few minutes, the wound in Tiptoe’s flank was sealed. With a happy musical tinkle and a flash, her cutie mark once again reasserted its rightful place. Jigsaw lost consciousness just as Tiptoe regained hers. ~~~ Far away, in Tantalus’ gloomy castle, the blue gem on a pedestal began to vibrate and shake. Yellow light shot out of the fissures on its surface. With a loud snapping sound, another crack snaked across the surface of the gem. Green smoke billowed out of the crack until the floor was covered in the thick fog several feet deep. The smoke began to float together, and with a flash of green light, Tantalus was lying on the cave floor, his scaly skin looking raw, red, and undeveloped. His eyes opened, whole and intact. ~~~ Incendia woke up first, to the gentle nuzzling of Tiptoe. She blushed intensely and stood shakily to her feet, attempting to hide her face from Tiptoe. She wasn’t sure how successful she had been, but Tiptoe made no comment. Jigsaw was still lying where he had fallen, horn fizzling weakly. His breathing was shallow and rapid. Tiptoe trotted over to him and Incendia followed. “What happened?” Incendia asked. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember was blacking out from pain, and then... I think he healed me,” Tiptoe said, staring at Jigsaw with a mixture of affection and concern. As they spoke, Jigsaw stirred. His eyes fluttered open. Initially, they were unfocused, but as he stared at them, they sharpened. Tiptoe galloped over and put her head very close to Jigsaw, whispering as though she were afraid that her voice could injure him. “Are you okay?” Jigsaw smiled weakly and said, in an oddly raspy voice, “I’m just glad you are.” With that, he passed out again, but Tiptoe wasn’t quite as worried. His breathing had steadied some. “Come on,” Incendia said, her horn glowing. She turned towards the forest. “We should find shelter”.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:19:39+00:00

2012-10-13T06:19:39+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 21 By PK Arduously, they began their trek back towards the distant treeline. Incendia led the way, Jigsaw floating gently behind her in an orange halo. Tiptoe stumbled after them both. Her hip felt stiff and awkward, and her condition was exacerbated by the frozen river’s slippery surface. She was lightheaded and dizzy, too, and her stomach was growling loudly. Incendia wasn’t doing much better. She was making very slow progress along the river; the effort of keeping Jigsaw’s unconscious body aloft was straining her already spent energy. Her horn felt uncomfortably hot, a sensation which was almost entirely unfamiliar to her. She had used too much magic, and she knew it, but they were so close... Finally, after many more determined hoofsteps, they found themselves on the cold dirt of the river bank. The rubble from the castle extended all the way out to the timberline, though only the tips of the highest spires actually touched the stunted forest. They made their way into the woods, and the moon’s gray, lonely light was quickly lost in the branches and needles of the canopy. Incendia’s red-orange glow flared brightly in response to the growing shadows. The crack of foliage and twigs under her hooves heartened her, and before long, they had found an area sufficient to make camp. Incendia gingerly lowered Jigsaw to the underbrush and collapsed onto her haunches, breathing heavily. “Are you alright?” Tiptoe asked, trotting over to Incendia’s side and looking down at her with concern. “I’m fine,” Incendia replied. “I just need some rest. And some food,” she added, her gut twisting uncomfortably. “Oh, Goddesses, me too,” Tiptoe sighed, her head drooping. “I don’t suppose we can eat these.” She prodded absently at the pine needle carpet. Incendia shrugged and leaned her head down, snatching the greenest needle she could find with her mouth and began to chew. Her face contorted in disgust and she spat the needle back out. “Ugh, I’m not that hungry.” Tiptoe turned her head away from the green patches on the ground in disappointment. She felt even hungrier now that food had been denied. To distract herself, she set about to gathering firewood, because Incendia looked as though she was about to collapse. Jigsaw lay, breathing shallowly but steadily, at her side. Before long, Tiptoe had collected a stack of twigs and dried branches into the center of the clearing. Incendia watched bemused as Tiptoe attempted to set up a fire pit with little success. The feeble pile of kindling and branches kept collapsing no matter how the pegasus arranged them. Tiptoe swung herself around to attack the pile from a different angle, her backside facing Incendia. Incendia’s eyes initially widened in surprise at the new view, accompanied by a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She couldn’t help but notice the curvature of Tiptoe’s body. She found herself leaning forward, brightening the light from her horn ever so slightly to get a clearer view. With a twitch, Jigsaw stirred. Incendia tore her eyes away from the creamy yellow pegasus, who had now taken to attempting to club the tinder into place, and refocused on Jigsaw. Suddenly, she felt a stab of guilt and shame. She squirmed and padded at the ground. The words of the thing that was guarding the fragment of Luna came back to her. “You’ll never be happy, you know.” She swallowed hard. What if there really wasn’t anypony out there for her? Her gaze turned back to Jigsaw. This wasn’t fair to him, either. Tiptoe wasn’t hers to ogle. What right did she have? If he hadn’t been there, she felt sure she would have been doomed to a life of wandering aimlessly through the desolate wastes, assuming she could even have survived her injuries without his healing magic. And this was how she was repaying him? But, in spite of herself, she found her gaze wandering back to Tiptoe... She shook her head and looked away. She sat there, her eyes trained resolutely on a spot to her left where she could see neither Jigsaw nor Tiptoe, her fluttering heart at odds with the horrible clenching and knotting of her stomach, until a thump from her right brought her head whipping around. It took her several seconds to process that the sound came from Tiptoe. She had sat herself down next to Incendia and was staring at her expectantly. “Fire!” Incendia blurted out after several seconds of silence. She blushed intensely. “You want me to light the fire!” “Yeah, that was kind of what I expected,” Tiptoe said, giggling. Incendia bolted up and made her way over to the pile of tinder and branches in the center of the clearing, her ears flat against her head, silently thanking Celestia that Tiptoe couldn’t read minds. She gathered up her strength- what remained of it- and a feeble ember sparked to life at the tip of her horn, leaping from it to smolder in the pile of twigs and branches. Incendia blew on it gently, and in moments, orange flames were blazing in the heart of the fire pit. It wasn’t as warm or as bright as Incendia’s magical flares had been, but it was all she could do. Tiptoe watched Incendia curiously. She had never seen her blush like that. Had she done something to embarrass the unicorn? What thoughts could she have interrupted? Then, with a weak cough and a groan, Jigsaw drove all thoughts of Incendia from her mind. His eyes fluttered open. He was exhausted, but alert. “Jigsaw!” Tiptoe shouted in delight. Incendia hobbled over to them as fast as her tired legs would allow her. Jigsaw blinked several times, then made to sit on his haunches, but Tiptoe pushed him back down. He didn’t try to get up again. Instead he opened his mouth and croaked, in a barely audible whisper, “What happened?” “We could be asking you the same thing,” Tiptoe said, with a glance at Incendia. “The last thing I remember, I was pinned under Tantalus’ talon. Then, next thing I know, Tantalus is gone, I can barely move my leg, and everypony but me is unconscious!” The words tumbled out of her mouth, and her eyes were wide and bright with relief. Jigsaw’s breathing was slow and steady now, and when he spoke, his voice was noticeably louder and stronger. “It was Incendia. She lifted the alicorn statue and dropped it right onto Tantalus’ head.” Tiptoe gaped at Incendia. “You lifted that?” Incendia blushed yet again, staring into Tiptoe’s wide, green eyes. “I had to. Tantalus was going to kill you if I didn’t do something, and that was the only thing I could think of doing.” Tiptoe didn’t look any less impressed, however, and she didn’t look away until a cough from Jigsaw forced her to. “How are you feeling?” asked Incendia. “Like I got stung by a cave-manticore,” groaned Jigsaw. “Oh!” Tiptoe exclaimed with a start, as though the thought had only just occurred to her. “Why aren’t I hurt?” “I was wondering about that, too,” Incendia said. “I thought Tiptoe was... I didn’t think she would make it.” “You didn’t?” Tiptoe asked, her previous glee giving way to fear. “How bad was it?” Jigsaw tried once more to sit up, and this time, Tiptoe let him. He swayed a little, but after several deep breaths, he sat up. He then began to tell the side of the story that only he was awake to see. The gaping hole in Tiptoe’s side, the healing magic, Tantalus’ vanishing in green flames. When he was done, Tiptoe looked at her flank, amazed, stretching out the restored foreleg in appreciation. “It feels just fine, though it is a bit stiff. How did you do it? I thought you weren’t good with ponies.” “I’m not,” Jigsaw replied. “Or, at least I wasn’t. There was always a barrier there. Like the feeling you get when you try to do magic that falls outside your specialization.” He glanced to Incendia as he spoke, and she nodded in understanding. “I’m not familiar with that feeling,” Tiptoe interjected, a noticeable edge of irritation in her voice. Incendia tilted her head in thought. “It’s... difficult to describe,” she said thoughtfully, “but I suppose the best metaphor would be a wall of glass. It’s solid, you can’t go through it, but you can see that there’s a whole world outside it. Only, everything outside is fuzzy and out-of-focus, and...” She stomped her hoof on the forest floor. “I’m not explaining it right!” she snapped. “It’s really hard to put into words. It’s more of a feeling.” “It’s okay, Incendia,” Jigsaw said. “I don’t think it’s something non-unicorns can understand.” Tiptoe bristled, and was about to make an indignant remark until Jigsaw continued coolly, “Just like I don’t think we could ever understand what flying is like.” Tiptoe deflated, the tension leaving her muscles. She was being petty, she knew. She couldn’t help her inability to do magic any more than the others could help that they couldn’t fly. The silence stretched out after that. All three of them turned towards the fire, attempting to soak in as much warmth as they could from the dancing light. “I’m really tired,” Jigsaw eventually said. “I think we should turn in for the night. Unconsciousness doesn’t count as sleep. Tomorrow our agenda is food.” Incendia and Tiptoe both chuckled at this and agreed. Incendia got up and trudged over to the other side of the fire, leaving Jigsaw and Tiptoe essentially in private. Tiptoe nuzzled against Jigsaw. “I’m really glad you’re okay,” she said softly, over the sound of the crackling fire. “I was afraid I would lose you.” Jigsaw returned the nuzzle before rolling over onto his back to look up at the sky. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it either,” he said, his blue eyes alight with the reflection of the stars. “When I saw you lying there... there was so much blood. I couldn’t let it happen. I dug deeper into myself than I ever had before. I knew right away that I had gone too far, but I didn’t care. So long as you were alright, I didn’t really care what happened to me.” “I care,” Tiptoe said. She rolled over onto her back too and nestled herself against Jigsaw. He was warm- warmer than he should have been- but she didn’t mind. It helped take the edge of the cold. They stared up into the star-mottled sky together, the moon hidden behind dense tree limbs. “Did you ever think you would see it in person?” Jigsaw asked. “The sky, I mean. The stars.” Tiptoe stared up at them, twinkling down on the two ponies. Great swaths of color painted the sky, much more intense with the light of the moon blocked. “No,” Tiptoe began, “I didn’t. I...” She paused, hesitating for a moment, then continued on. “I used to dream about the sky. The bulkhead would swing open, and outside, it would be just like the pictures in the old books. The sky would stretch out as far as I could see, and I would take off, and I would fly higher and higher, never having to go back again. I wouldn’t be just another useless pegasus up there. There would be others, and they would... I would have a purpose.” She stopped, swallowing hard. Her throat seemed to have swollen shut. “You have a purpose, Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said quietly. “You saved my life. I wouldn’t be here without you.” He turned and kissed Tiptoe on the top of her head. “And you’re probably the only thing that’s kept me from going insane.” “What do you mean?” Tiptoe asked, face still slightly red. “I mean that you’ve been the one thing that’s kept me from cracking. This whole thing... it’s crazy. Last month, my biggest worry was making the trek to recast the spell on the purifier battery. And now...” He raised a hoof and hovered it near his horn. “I can feel them. It’s like a pressure, pushing against the edges of my horn, trying to get out. It wasn’t very bad when all it was was the first fragment of Celestia, but now... Tiptoe, I’m carrying pieces of the goddesses. That’s enough to drive anypony insane. You’ve been my lifeline, my one tie to my old life that I’ve had to cling to. I don’t know what I would have done without you. I suppose it’s a moot point, because I would have drowned a long time ago.” His hoof was shaking now with the effort of holding it aloft, and beads of sweat were forming on his brow. Tiptoe reached up and moved it down, and Jigsaw let out a breath. “It’s just...” he sighed. “I don’t show it, but I’m scared. I don’t know why I’m the one that got saddled with this. I don’t know anything about the world out here! Surely there were more capable ponies than me. Incendia! She could do this so much better than I could. She knows how to fight! I just don’t know if I can do this!” He rolled over and wrapped his hooves tightly around Tiptoe’s neck and squeezed. Tiptoe felt the warmth of Jigsaw against her again. The feeling seemed to travel through her entire body, leeching the chill out of her bones. The cold night air felt artificial in comparison. “So, that’s your purpose,” he whispered into her ear. “You give me something to fight for.” ~~~ Incendia lay on the other side of the fire, curled into a tight ball in a futile attempt to conserve heat. The light breeze that was blowing through the trees occasionally wafted the heat from the fire towards her, but that also came with snippets of Jigsaw and Tiptoe’s conversation. Every word was like a spike being driven into her heart. She tried to focus on the crackling of the fire. Eventually, she managed to fall asleep. She awoke to find something resting on her neck. She froze. Her instincts told her to catch fire and burn whatever was holding her down- her time in the resistance had taught her that waking up with something placed against her neck was not good. Then, it moved back and forth, and she realized what it was. It was a pony, and it was nuzzling her. She let out her tension with a breath. “Are you awake?” came Jigsaw’s voice, strangely loud in the silence of the forest. Incendia sat up to look at him. “What are you doing?” Jigsaw was barely visible in the fading light from the dying fire. Clearly, nopony had bothered to get up and add new twigs. Incendia was just able to make out half his face in the light from the embers. It was for this reason that it took her several moments to indentify the expression on his face- shame. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I said when you went to get the statue during the fight with Tantalus. You’ve proven yourself to be one of the kindest, most loyal ponies I have ever known, and you deserve better.” He bowed his head low to the ground. “Jigsaw, I...” she wasn’t sure how to respond. She had forgotten about his words, written them off as exactly what they were- meaningless words shouted in the heat of an emotional moment, while she was doing something that looked mightily suspicious. She had no idea he felt so strongly about them. “I forgive you. It’s fine, honestly, I understand,” she stammered. Jigsaw raised his head slowly. Even this small action seemed to have exhausted him. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.” With that he turned and made his way back around the dying fire pit and carefully laid himself down next to the still-sleeping pegasus. Incendia turned away from the fire, her mind racing. In his state, it must have cost Jigsaw an immense amount of willpower to do that. Her mind went back to her time in the resistance- the endless parade of ponies that would come and go, inevitably getting captured or killed in combat operations. None stayed for long, nothing was constant. She had only ever gotten close to one, but she had gone just as quickly as the others. This was an old pain, though. Hardened by years of fighting and struggle, of issues so much larger than just herself. She hadn’t ever put herself first, why should she start to now, when others still depended on her? Still, she couldn’t help but feel the warm tingle of joy. Jigsaw obviously cared about her more than she knew. The words of the thing guarding the fragment of Luna came back to her once more. “Don’t be so quick to give up on your own happiness.” Incendia focused all her energy on the pile of embers and ash, and a small flame flickered to life in the center of the pit. She didn’t even notice the cold as she curled up near it and went back to sleep. ~~~ Tiptoe woke first, tiny tongues of flame still burning in the fire pit, in spite of the fact that the fire had long since burned out. The stars were every bit as bright as they had ever been. In a few minutes, everypony had been awoken. Their goal was immediately apparent- food. Their hunger had grown so severe over the night that they could hardly focus on anything else. They barely even exchanged words of greeting. Instead, with a wave of her horn, Incendia extinguished the few remaining tongues of flame in the fire pit and the group made their way westward- away from the baleful light of the moon and towards the warmth of the sun. The walk was even more tedious than the climb up the mountainside staircase had been. Their stomachs seemed to protest with every step, screaming for them to eat something, but there was no food in sight. The forest blocked out what pitiful light from the sun that managed to reach this far, and the ground was utterly bare. Finally, they made it through the copse of trees and out onto the snowy ground beyond. Their hearts sank. There was no green outside the forest. To their left, a hill sloped gently up and curved away out of sight. The light from the sliver of sun peeking over the horizon was reflecting off the snow, causing them to squint, but this was only a mild irritation. They were appreciative for what little warmth it provided. The breeze was also blowing from the west, the warm air causing the snow to become a slushy slurry under their hooves. Jigsaw realized dimly this had to be how the trees got their water. Suddenly, he paused. “Wait!” he shouted to the others, who had began to walk away from the hill. They paused and turned to face him. “What is it, Jigsaw?” Tiptoe asked, a note of concern in her voice. “Are you feeling okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine!” Jigsaw said excitedly. “I think I just figured out where we can find food! Tiptoe, fly around and check the other side of the hill!” Tiptoe opened her mouth to ask why, but Jigsaw’s eyes were so alight with excitement that she instead flapped her wings and flew into the sky. She saw the Jigsaw was right almost immediately after takeoff. When she was only a few dozen feet off the ground, green began to peek its way over the crest of the hill. “Grass!” Tiptoe shouted in delight to the other ponies back on the ground. “There’s grass on the other side of the hill!” Incendia and Jigsaw didn’t need to hear anything else. They took off towards the hill, galloping as fast as they could towards the promise of food. Tiptoe noticed, with a stab of worry, that Jigsaw was noticeably slower than Incendia and was panting heavily. With an awful pang of hunger, however, her eyes were drawn back to the sloping green hill. ~~~ An hour later, the hill had been almost entirely stripped of grass. Jigsaw, Tiptoe, and Incendia sat at the top of the hill, trying to let their meal settle. They had eaten far more than they were used to. Not because the grass had been particularly tasty- it wasn’t. It was short and chewy, tainted with the unpleasant taste of dirt and- Jigsaw thought- magic. Either way, they were full, and finally were able to think clearly. “Oh, by Luna’s horn, let’s not ever go that long without food again,” Incendia said. “Agreed,” Tiptoe added, giggling. Incendia smiled, then turned her gaze toward Jigsaw. “So, where’s the next fragment?” Jigsaw looked conflicted, as though he wasn’t sure what to say. He bit his lower lip. “It’s... far away. But I think there’s something I should show you first.” The other two ponies watched curiously as Jigsaw pulled the saddlebags off his back and upturned them. The only thing that fell out was the pile of parts for the teleporter. “I think I can fix it,” Jigsaw began, “but only partially. The problem is the power source is dead, and we don’t exactly have a supply of refined goddess energy to recharge this one. We need to find a new power source.” “Jigsaw, where are we going to find something capable of outputting that kind of magical energy?” Incendia chimed in incredulously. “They were hard enough to find back in Stalliongrad.” Jigsaw smiled at this and looked slyly at the two ponies. “That’s why I’m going to make one.”

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:20:35+00:00

2012-10-13T06:20:35+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 22 By PK Incendia stared at Jigsaw, eyes wide, her mouth moving soundlessly as she struggled to find words strong enough to express her disbelief. Finally, she found her voice. “Are you crazy?” she shouted. “Do you understand how long it took the Resistance to find one of those? We didn’t make it! The only one who ever did was Rubidium himself and the top scientific minds of the city! It took us months to steal one, and even longer to reverse-engineer it to work in the teleporter! That was the only device we ever managed to make, and even then it never worked quite right. Ours was always rougher than the real thing.” Tiptoe reflected uncomfortably on the sensation of Incendia’s shoulder-mounted teleporter. It felt as though they were being peeled apart every time they had used it. “I don’t actually intend on fixing the teleporter,” Jigsaw said, “I intend on modifying it to operate under a new spell.” Incendia’s incredulity shifted to curiosity. “What kind of spell? I didn’t even know you could put other spells in there.” “We may not have advanced as far as you Stalliongrad ponies did, but we did make some new discoveries. We got pretty good at enchanting things and wringing every last bit of power out of what we had on hoof.” “The next fragment is located halfway around the world. On the sunny side. We’re going to need a vehicle to get there.” ~~~ “Foolish!” Tantalus’ roar shook the piles of gems loose, sending them cascading down to the stone floor, many of them smashing into pieces on impact. The cracked blue gem stayed firmly on the pedestal, however. It was still issuing beams of golden light and vibrating slightly. Tantalus bent down to examine it, though he was careful not to let any of that light strike his face. The gem was covered in a spiderweb of cracks, several of which ran almost to its center. Tantalus took a deep breath and blew out softly. A noxious green cloud seeped out from between his lips and squirmed into the cracks on the shiny blue surface. The golden light slowly diminished in brilliance, until after an agonizing few seconds, a dull emerald glimmer began to shine from deep within the gem. Tantalus let out a sigh of relief and put his face into the beams of green light. His skin started to sizzle and burn under the baleful radiance but he didn’t move. He was lost in thought. Worry gripped him- genuine worry, the likes of which he had not experienced in ten millenia. The meddlesome ponies now had two fragments, one from each goddess. But even worse than that... He had been tricked! Forced to retreat, and by a denizen of Stalliongrad, no less! He could barely stand the insult. He turned his face away from the gem and looked out towards the mouth of the cave, a small smile begin to tug at the ends of his reptilian lips. He had, at least, managed to kill one of them, even if it had allowed for that wretched unicorn to pull her trick. He also knew their location. If he acted quickly, he could strike while they were weakened. He made his way back, deeper into the cave, kicking aside the loose gemstones, sending them skittering across the stone floor. Soon, he came to a small alcove. The room was lined with tall, cluttered bookshelves, most of their contents moldy or damaged beyond recognition. Nevertheless, many were still standing proudly. In the center of the room was a small desk- one far too small for him to use- but it was stacked high with parchment. It was time to write a letter. ~~~ A warm wind was blowing from the west, helping to take the edge off the chill. They had been walking steadily westward for the better part of the day, and the terrain had begun to reflect their efforts. A green carpet was laid out under their hooves and small shrubs with bright red berries were becoming increasingly common, along with rolling hills. Tiptoe was regularly forced to fly up to the tops of them to scout ahead. “Jigsaw, what exactly are you hoping to find?” Incendia said. She was limping again, the gash on her flank still obviously painful. “We’re bound to run into something if we keep this up long enough, I’m sure. Besides, we needed to get to somewhere with food. I didn’t really expect us to find ruins and build it in a day,” Jigsaw replied, rolling his eyes. “Shhh!” came a hiss from the top of the nearest hill. Tiptoe had flown ahead and was now staring at something out of sight, her ears flat against her head. She began to make her way back down the face of the hill slowly and silently, not turning her back to the hill till she had reached Jigsaw and Incendia. “There are three other ponies just over that hill collecting berries from one of the bushes,” Tiptoe said in a whisper, her voice tense with apprehension. “What should we do?” Jigsaw’s eyes widened with excitement. “Other ponies? They might lead us back to civilization! We have to talk to them!” “Are you sure about this?” Tiptoe said, her ears still flat against her head. “Don’t worry, Tiptoe,” Incendia said, a note of pride evident in her voice, “if they start trouble, they’ll have to go through me first. I killed a dragon, remember?” Tiptoe chuckled, and an uneasy smile replaced her worried frown. “Alright, I suppose. They can’t be any worse than Tantalus, anyway.” Jigsaw nodded and began to climb up the hill, followed closely behind by Incendia. At the foot of the hill were three earth ponies, picking berries out of the bushes with their mouths and putting them into small baskets around their necks. “Hello!” Jigsaw called out. The three ponies looked up in alarm, dropping their mouth-fulls of berries onto the ground. “We don’t mean you any harm!” Jigsaw shouted down at them. “We’re... peaceful explorers. May we come down?” The three earth ponies shared a glance, then one of them stepped forward. His fur was emerald green, with a cutie mark that resembled a sapling, and his face was creased with concern. When he spoke, the words tumbled out of his mouth, as though he was reciting something from memory. “Halt in the name of mighty Luna! We are citizens of Totemhoof, endowed with all the rights and privileges that come with that post. If you show any signs of aggression, we will be forced to react accordingly.” Jigsaw glanced over his shoulder at Incendia and Tiptoe before repeating his previous statement. The three unknown ponies took a step backwards, their eyes darting wildly back and forth, clearly unsure of what to do. The same one with the sapling cutie mark advanced again and continued, his voice sounding marginally more firm, though his brow was glistening with nervous sweat. “Follow us. The elder must be informed of new visitors.” “But we just want to talk,” Jigsaw insisted. “We can’t. Y-you have to follow us.” Jigsaw couldn’t understand why the mysterious group of ponies looked so nervous to be leading them, but he quickly shrugged it off and signaled for the other two to follow him. They crested the hill and fell into line behind the green earth pony. He kept glancing back at them and whispering things to the other two earth ponies, whose eyes were locked resolutely forward. “Are you sure we should be following them?” Tiptoe whispered from beside Jigsaw. The sudden sound made him jump. Fortunately, the three mysterious earth ponies did not seem to have noticed. “I’m not very happy about it either, but I don’t think we really have much of a choice. They said they were citizens of somewhere! That means they may have vehicles!” “If they have vehicles, why are these ponies on hoof? We can’t count on this place being as advanced as Stalliongrad, and if you remember, Stalliongrad had certain trade-offs too!” Tiptoe hissed. “I know, I know. But, honestly, what could we find there that would be worse than Stalliongrad?” “I’m not really anxious to find out,” Tiptoe grumbled. They walked for about an hour in silence after that. As they moved deeper west, the hills became steeper and more numerous, but they didn’t have to climb them. The earth ponies led them on a winding track through the valleys formed in between the hills, their baskets rattling around their necks, until finally, the leading earth pony stopped and turned to face them. “We’re about to enter the village. If you speak the truth about your intentions, you will have nothing to fear.” Jigsaw was surprised- his voice sounded much stronger and more confident. He brushed aside a branch from one of the ubiquitous bushes to reveal a small horn, seemingly carved out of bone. The earth pony took it in his mouth and gave two short blasts, the sound echoing off the steep hills. Two much higher-pitched blasts came a moment later, and the earth pony nodded resolutely and jerked his head towards the bend in the path. “Through here.” Rounding the bend, Totemhoof was clearly visible. Nestled between two great hills, the village was almost entirely isolated from the surrounding countryside. What looked like the remnants of a radio tower was sticking out of one of the hills, the top of which was obscured by a thick blanket of cloud, which extended over the rest of the village. The buildings themselves were small and looked as though they had been assembled out of scrap metal, wood, and bits of other buildings. Though there were small silver light posts every few dozen yards, Jigsaw’s heart sank- there were clearly no advanced technology here. The village was certainly no metropolis- Jigsaw couldn’t imagine more than five hundred or so ponies living in it. What drew his eye most, however, was a building that was easily twice the size of any other in the village. It was located about halfway up the steep hill to the radio tower and appeared to have been constructed with much more care than any other in the village. It was a massive cathedral, with a giant sun-and-moon in front of it, easily the largest they had seen thus far. This one, however, was subtly different- the crescent moon was glowing intensely, while the sun seemed dull and unlit. Something about it made Jigsaw’s stomach squirm, but he couldn’t dwell on it, because a group of menacing-looking unicorns and pegasi were coming up the path towards them. They were dressed very peculiarly- each one wore robes of dark blue or purple and hoods which shrouded their faces, though the bladed staffs held in the mouths of the pegasi couldn’t be mistaken. One unicorn stepped forward. Jigsaw assumed he must be the leader due to his fine robes- intricately inlaid with stars and moons, and the purple fabric seemed to shimmer with an internal silvery light. He stood there for a moment before his horn began to shimmer a deep purple- the same color as his robes- and his hood fell. His face was weathered and aged and his dark coat mottled with grey, but his eyes were bright and alert. When he spoke, his voice was strong and clear. “I am the high priest of the Church of the Moon. Who are you?” “My name is Jigsaw, and this is Tiptoe-” he gestured his head to his left, “-and Incendia.” “Where did you come from, and why?” Jigsaw hesitated for a moment, unsure of how truthful he should be.“From the west. We’re sort of... wandering. We ran into your group of berry pickers outside, and they led us here.” “Ah. Are you from Stalliongrad?” The priest asked casually. Jigsaw opened his mouth to respond, but Incendia cut him off. “You know about Stalliongrad?” she asked. “Oh, my, yes. We’ve had several refugee groups trickle in over the last day or so, ever since Tantalus’ latest attack. Are you refugees, too?” the priest asked. With a flash of white light, a scroll of parchment and a narrow, brilliant cobalt-blue quill materialized out of the air near the elderly pony. “Well, yes,” Incendia responded, not entirely untruthfully. “But we can’t stay long, we have to-” “Nonsense!” the priest said. “Our doors are open to any Stalliongrad refugees. Any enemy of Tantalus’ are friends of ours.” The elderly pony smiled at them, and the guards that flanked either side of the narrow passageway began to disperse. Jigsaw couldn’t help but notice that the priest’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. The priest began to walk down the winding path that led to the village, leaving it empty of ponies. Jigsaw took that as his cue to begin making his way down the passage. He glanced over his shoulder and was surprised to see that the group that had led them into the village was nowhere in sight. He could have sworn that they hadn’t walked ahead of them. Perhaps they had turned back? It wasn’t worth dwelling on. He set off down the path, Tiptoe and Incendia on either side. The pathway widened considerably as they cantered into the village, and it wasn’t long before the heavily trodden earth was replaced with a wide cobblestone street. Buildings were carved directly into the side of the hill, windows lit up from within. A creamy yellow stallion with a quill and inkwell cutie mark met them a small ways into the village, introducing himself as Quill Dipper, and led them away from the group of guards down a winding road which led deeper into the center of the village. The streets were packed with ponies of all kinds, and many of them nodded or called greetings as they passed. Before too long, however, their guide led them down a a relatively empty and narrow footpath. Quill Dipper began to talk as the noise of the streets died down. “Welcome to Totemhoof! I hope you’ll forgive our general state of disorganization, we’re really not used to getting new ponies, let alone hundreds.” “Hundreds of other ponies survived Stalliongrad?” Incendia asked, her ears darting up in surprise. “Yeah, we’re about a day’s journey west of Stalliongrad, as the pegasus flies. We’ve been having groups of those refugees showing up since yesterday, and we’ve been settling them in some of the empty buildings,” he said. He repeated the next line so softly that Jigsaw could barely hear him. “We have a lot of those.” “Why is the cloud cover so heavy here? It was pretty clear before we got into the valley,” Tiptoe said. “Ah, that’s due to our team of expert weather pegasi! Unlike the rest of modern Equestria, we keep a firm control of the weather. We believe the only way to the future is to recapture the ways of the past and to give glory to the great moon goddess. That’s one of the most important things you should know about life here- we are almost all members of the Church of the Moon, dedicated to the worship of Luna. The moon has provided for all our needs and we lend it our devotion in thanks.” The passed by a small garden. A small, blue earth pony filly and her mother were digging in the dirt, dropping seeds into the holes and pouring water on the mounds of dirt behind them. Jigsaw took a deep breath through his nose, the sent of the fruit growing on the vines filling his lungs. Vividly, memories of his limited time in the Arboretum came flooding back to him. With the heavy layer of cloud above, he could almost pretend the valley had a ceiling. It felt more like home than anything else had. He looked over his shoulder at Tiptoe, and she smiled back at him. The continued to make their way up the path until they arrived at a small metal building with a pointed roof. “Sorry, but this is the only building we had available for you. It’s a little small for three of you, and we haven’t hooked up electric lights yet, but you won’t have to share it with anypony else.” “Thank you for doing this, honestly, but I can’t imagine we’ll stay long. We can’t afford to linger too much.” Quill Dipper smiled wryly. “That’s what they all say. Don’t worry, you’re safe from Tantalus here. We have our defenses.” Jigsaw suppressed a doubtful snicker. Quill Dipper led them into the house, showing them around the four-room interior. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said it was small- they barely had enough room for them to walk around without bumping into each other. There was only one bedroom, but after only a few minutes inside the house, two pegasi came swooping down from the clouds, clutching a mattress with a pillow on it in between their teeth. “It’s just temporary, until we get more supplies,” Quill Dipper assured them. “Until then, two of you are going to have to share a bed. I hope that won’t be an issue.” “I don’t think it will be,” Jigsaw said, glancing at Tiptoe, who was standing behind Quill Dipper. She blushed intensely and mouthed “Jigsaw!” indignantly, though her small smile betrayed her true feelings. Incendia simply swallowed hard and looked at the bare mattress lying unceremoniously on the floor of the small building. Quill Dipper did a sweeping survey of the room. “Well, I suppose that will just about do it for you tonight. You’ll hear the morning announcement when the work day officially starts, and from then on, the turn of the hour will be announced until the night cycle. It’s how we keep time here. Right now it’s early night. I’ll be back at noon tomorrow to show you ponies around more.” He paused for a moment, and when he resumed, his voice was soft. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you, having your home destroyed like that. If I ever lost Totemhoof, I don’t think I would have the strength to carry on. I just hope we can help heal your wounds. Welcome to Totemhoof. You really are welcome here.” Jigsaw nodded respectfully, a knot forming in his stomach over the lies of omission he had made to get here. Quill Dipper turned to leave, and almost made it outside the door before Incendia blurted out “Wait!” Quill Dipper turned, “Yes?” “Why are you doing this? Helping the refugees, I mean? What do you get out of it?” Quill Dipper smiled. “I told you, we worship Luna and the night. We would be remiss if we didn’t offer a place to rest.” He left and closed the door behind him. The torches on the wall flickered, their smoke drawn towards small triangular vents cut into the ceiling. Jigsaw yawned. “This was certainly an unexpected development, but the concept of sleeping on an actual bed is too attractive for me to dwell on it now. We’ll regroup in the morning.” “Sounds good to me,” Incendia said, curling up on her mattress near the doorway. Jigsaw and Tiptoe went into the bedroom, closing the simple wooden door behind them. Incendia’s mind raced. She was ecstatic that some of Stalliongrad’s inhabitants had survived. She couldn’t imagine how they escaped, but it didn’t matter to her. She was so relieved, in fact, that she was almost unaffected by the giggling and creaking sounds coming from behind the closed door at the other end of the room. Almost. Incendia lit her horn and snuffed out the flames of the torch and pulled her pillow up over her ears.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:21:10+00:00

2012-10-13T06:21:10+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 23 by PK Jigsaw found himself standing in a verdant field. Flowers of all shapes and sizes bloomed around him and the air was fresh and clean. The sun was almost directly overhead, but it wasn’t harsh or burning. It felt pleasant against his skin, warm, life-affirming. Now that he had felt it, the light of the midday sun, he wondered how he had lasted so long without it, and how he could ever go back to the pale imitation of the sun that resided on the surface now, or the heartless light of arcane fire or electric filaments. There were ponies, too. To the right, and a short distance ahead, a small town was visible. A majestic clock tower grew from the center of town, the hands having just recently struck noon. The skies above were criss-crossed with pegasi, flitting to and fro among the clouds. Jigsaw took a deep breath, allowing the cool air to fill his lungs, filling him with energy. Then, as he watched, a green shockwave emanated from somewhere beyond sight and began to spread, inching unrelentingly towards the town and the field and all the frolicking ponies in it. Just before it reached him, Jigsaw closed his eyes. His coat stood on end, and he heard the sound of distant screaming. He took a breath in and nearly choked. The air was smothering and dank. He opened his eyes. He was underground, back in the caves of his youth. The musty, humid air suddenly invaded his lungs, bringing with it, a wave of panic that slowly subsided. After taking a few moments to compose himself, he set off at a trot, passing by the flickering lights, placed at uneven intervals throughout the tunnel. He came into a large atrium. On either side of him, carefully carved stone staircases led up the ledges in the yellowish rock of the cavern. He was back in the main chamber. Ponies bustled around, pipes clutched in their mouths, notepads levitated in front of them. In the center of the chamber was the council chambers, jutting up towards the ceiling like some thorn in the earth, wide at the base and narrowing as it went up before ending in a flared tip. Jigsaw made his way inside the doors. The carvings on its surface seemed to writhe and squirm at him as he passed- images of ponies cowering from the sun, the large metal door slamming shut, the bolts sealing them both inside and out. He walked into the lobby and made his way down the stairs into his office: a small room, deep underground the main chamber, decorated with blazing arcane torches and bisected by a network of pipes, gauges, and a small bronze fountain, which he had made himself and which depicted a beautiful pegasus pouring water out of a large jug and into a small pipe which led down into the floor of the office. Jigsaw shut the door and the lights immediately shut themselves off, plunging him into near-total darkness. He attempted to light his horn, but to his horror, he found it was gone. The magic welled up inside him and dissipated. Before the terror of his situation set in fully, the scene before him was suddenly illuminated. He was standing on a floor made of a strange, slippery, metallic substance, and before him a mountain of the stuff grew. At its crest was the council building, larger than life, and next to it, a giant replica of the fountain stood. He was drawn to it inexorably, but as he moved, the metallic material of the mountain began to collapse and slough away, crumbling and cracking under his feet. The tower fell, crushing the fountain, and the ground under Jigsaw gave way. He was falling now, chunks of metal raining down around him. There was no floor, no ceiling, and no walls, only black nothingness as far as he could see. Black and chunks of metal, and that was all there was. Then, from one of the chunks, a figure burst forth. Tiptoe flew towards him, a yellow streak in the featureless black of the landscape and the mirror-like surface of the metal. Tiptoe scooped him up and began to fly up, towards a bright light directly above, the disk of the sun, but her flight was erratic and jerking. Jigsaw turned his head and was shocked to discover she only had one wing. She was flapping it for all she was worth, but it wasn’t enough to support his weight. With one final effort, she gave a mighty flap, bringing them tantalizingly close to their goal, before they fell back, falling down into the black gloom, faster and faster, towards that field near the town of death and darkness... Jigsaw awoke with a start, shivering from the cold. It seemed he had kicked all the blankets off his body in his sleep. Tiptoe slumbered next to him, so entangled in the covers that only her head was visible.There was light outside the window of the small room, causing long stripes to be projected out of the slats covering the windows. Totemhoof was awake. ~~~ Half an hour later, Jigsaw, Incendia, and Tiptoe were gathered in the small kitchen. Incendia was chopping a long, slender green root into slices and magicking them onto rectangular plates. Jigsaw had never seen it before, but Incendia swore up and down they were delicious. Hesitantly, Jigsaw lifted a slice up to his mouth and took a bite. “Oh, Goddesses!” he gagged. “That’s disgusting!” The root tasted bitter, like spoiled fruit, but he was the only one that seemed to mind. “You’re crazy,” Incendia said, dropping several slices into her mouth and chewing greedily. “These are delicious.” Before Jigsaw could respond, however, he heard the front door to the house creak open. Through the doorframe and the dim light from the torches, Jigsaw could make out the shape of Quill Dipper entering the house. “Jigsaw? Is anypony home?” he called. He had two weighty saddlebags draped over his back, and he looked exhausted. Jigsaw walked out to the living room and called for the others to follow. Quill Dipper greeted them and shrugged the saddlebags off his back. They hit the ground with a dull thump. “Good morning, everypony!” he said, panting slightly from the exertion of carrying the bags. “I trust you all slept well?” “Best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time,” Jigsaw said. “I’m glad to hear that,” replied Quill Dipper. “Today is going to be a busy day for you all!” Without further ado, he opened up the heavy burlap saddlebagsm which Jigsaw could tell was full of clutter, and pulled out three pairs of much smaller saddlebags, and three scrolls of rolled-up parchment. “These are yours! You’re lucky you came when you did. We had some extras! Now, we’re stretched a little thin today because of the-” he stopped for a moment, then shook his head and continued. “We’re stretched a little thin, so we can’t give you the usual tour. All I can really do is give you these.” He unrolled one the tubes of parchment to reveal a beautifully illustrated map of Totemhoof. “This ought to direct you to anywhere you might need to go. I don’t have a map of the skies for your pegasi companion there, but I’m sure she can handle herself well enough on her own in the air, right?” he said with an absentminded smile. “Thank you,” Jigsaw said, “this is very generous.” “Don’t mention it,” Quill Dipper said. “Now, I’m sorry, but I really must go now. I’m already late!” “Really, we do appreciate it-” Jigsaw began, but Quill Dipper threw his saddlebags back over his shoulder and began to make his way out. “I’ll talk to you all later!” he called, hurrying out the door. “That was odd,” Jigsaw said. One of the maps flew into the air in a hazy cloud of blue light, unfurling at hoof’s distance from Jigsaw. The calligraphy was beautiful, and the lines on the map were crisp and clear. At the bottom lefthand corner of the map was a stylized image of a quill and the name “Quill Dipper”. Jigsaw cracked a smile and curled the map back up and stuck it in one of the saddlebags. “So what are we supposed to do?” Incendia said. Jigsaw turned to find them looking at him expectantly. “Well, don’t look at me! I don’t know any more than you do. I suppose we’ll just do what Quill Dipper said. Wander around the town, see the sights.” “I’m not convinced that’s such a good idea,” Incendia said, shuffling her front hooves. “I really don’t think the townsfolk mean us any harm. If they did, they would have done something when we were asleep, wouldn’t they? Or have poisoned the food in the kitchen, or something,” Jigsaw said dismissively. “I still don’t know,” Incendia said. Jigsaw sighed and focused all his attention on Incendia. Her ears were pressed flat against her head, and her pupils were wide. “I understand why you’re nervous,” Jigsaw said, “but this isn’t Stalliongrad. I don’t know why, but this place- it feels better. I think we’re okay here.” “I know, I know,” Incendia said, “it’s just that this place brings back memories. I thought I was away from Stalliongrad, then this place came right out of nowhere and- and I wasn’t ready, is all. I’ll be fine.” “You did get away from Stalliongrad,” Jigsaw said. Incendia nodded, and began to make her way towards the door. Jigsaw and Tiptoe grabbed their saddlebags and maps and followed. ~~~ The door opened, and the intensity of the light made Tiptoe blink and squint. When her eyes got the chance to adjust to the harsh light, she was shocked at what she saw. The sky above was still blocked off with clouds, which seemed to glow with an internal light. The strange, ominous radio tower protruded out from the hilltop, but something was noticeably different about it. Near the top of the tower, searing through the clouds, was an enormous glowing orb, bright enough to illuminate the streets of the town below. It wasn’t quite daylight, but everything was easily visible. Curling up the sides of the tower, like vines, were heavy cables pulsing with light, like giant fiber optic cables. Near the center of the sky was a brightly illuminated patch of cloud. Black specs- Tiptoe thought they must be pegasi. When she turned back to point this out to the others, she found they had disappeared while she was staring at the clouds. From all over the town, pegasi were flying up, wings flapping furiously as they shot up into the sky. Tiptoe wasn’t sure if she should join them or not. She set off down the narrow sidewalk. Their house was built rather high on one of the hills that encircled the town, and most of the buildings near it were unoccupied, so Tiptoe had to walk for several minutes before she came across anypony else. An elderly electric blue earth pony was walking around her garden, a bag of feed clutched in her mouth. Every few seconds she would shake the bag, sending a spray of feed to the ground below. In the corner of the yard was a chicken coop, full of loudly squawking chickens, just waiting to be let out. Tiptoe cleared her throat nervously. The earth pony looked up at her and dropped her bag of feed. “Was there something you needed, dear?” she said, cocking her head to one side. “Yeah, I was just wondering... I’m, uh, a refugee of Stalliongrad, and I’m not sure where I’m supposed to go,” she said, stumbling over her words. The earth pony smiled. “The immigrant pegasi usually report for concealment duty, just like the natives. They’ll teach you up.” “Concealment duty?” Tiptoe asked. “Where is that?” “The sky, of course!” she said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Goodness, you are new, aren’t you? Where’s your guide?” “M-my guide?” Tiptoe said, taking a step back unconiously. “Your guide!” the elder pony exclaimed. “They sent out a notice to every household the day before yesterday, giving procedures on how the immigrants are to be handled. You are to be shown around with a guide. Luna wills it!” “I... took a wrong turn. Got separated. Please, can you just tell me where to go?” “The hole in the clouds. Be careful, her will obscures.” The elderly pony said, he eyes focusing on the bright area in the sky. “Thank you,” Tiptoe said awkwardly, backing away from the earth pony and her garden. She made her feel uncomfortable. Deciding she really didn’t have any other option, she extended her wings. She paused for a moment, savoring the anticipation that came before flight, then flapped her wings down. With a buffet of air and a gentle swirling of dust, she left the ground. When she was only a few dozen yards, it suddenly hit her that she had never flown up to cloud level before. In fact, she had never really flown much higher than a hundred feet or so. She hovered in mid air for a moment, watching the few remaining straggler pegasi take off into the sky. For a moment, panic gripped. What if she fell? Did she have the skills to catch herself? But then she felt the wind, the warm breeze blowing from the west. The weightless sensation flying gave. The freedom, and the promise of something new to explore directly above. She soared upwards, feeling the changes in the air currents, the updrafts and downdrafts, the give-and-take of flying, until she burst through the cloud layer. What she saw nearly made her fall right out of the sky. All around her, sculpted out of cloud, was an entire second town. The moon, bright and silvery, was visible in the east, and most of the buildings were turned to face it. Pegasi were bustling around, trotting right on the surface of the cloud, going to and fro between the buildings in the clouds. Some, in uniform, were marching out to the west, while others, dressed in yellow, were flitting about in the air, catching stray bits of cloud and redirecting them to where they were needed. The most striking aspect of the city in the clouds, however, was the sculptures. Larger than life, they were molded out of cloud in the shape of ponies of every sort, though pegasi were by far the most common. They appeared to be leaping and bounding up the center of the cloud city, faces turned towards the moon, each sculpture spaced a few dozen yards apart, flanking the main street. As they got closer to the eastern edge of the city, towards the moon, they began to take on more and more desperate appearances. They were crawling, hooves outstretched. At the edge of the cloud city, the barrier where the cloud floor ended and the sky began, stood an enormous sculpture of an alicorn- Luna herself, molded out of dark storm clouds, wings outstretched to encircle the moon. It made Tiptoe decidedly uncomfortable. To the west, the top of the radio tower poked through the clouds, providing illumination to the entire cloud city. Tiptoe couldn’t help but notice that not only were there no buildings anywhere near it, but there were no ponies- not within three hundred yards, at least. She began to make her way east, towards the strange statue of Luna. It took her longer than she thought- the statue never seemed to get any closer as she walked forward, though the tower behind got farther and farther away, until she suddenly found her self at the edge of the layer of cloud, directly under the torso of the gargantuan sculpture. It looked so much larger close up. Her thoughts wandered back to the thing that had been protecting the fragment- and she shuddered. The clouds did something odd when they reached the end of the city limits. Instead of dissipating and spreading like natural clouds, they billowed and poured over the edge, creeping all the way down to the edge of the hills and sliding over, forming a thick fog that covered most of the land below. It was like watching a cloud waterfall in slow motion, tumbling over the precipice. “You really shouldn’t stand that close to the edge, you know.” Tiptoe spun around to find that a grey pegasus was standing directly behind her, a scowl on his face. “We can’t do anything if you fall here. Your wings won’t help you, either.” “Who are you?” Tiptoe spluttered. “Probably who you’re supposed to be with. Stalliongrad refugee, right? It’s not hard to tell. You look like you’ve never stepped hoof on a cloud in all your days until just now. Bet you never even made so much as a drizzle.” “Uh, yeah, I am,” Tiptoe said. “My name’s Thunderclap and I’m supposed to teach you foals about weatherworking. What are you doing over here? Nopony’s suppose to come this far east unless they have business over here, and you most assuredly don’t.” “I got separated from my group,” Tiptoe said defensively, “and if nopony’s supposed to be over here, what are you doing here?” The peagsus narrowed his eyes. “I live here,” he said, gesturing to a small building near one of the front hooves of the sculpture. “Oh.” The grey pegasus stared at Tiptoe for a moment longer, then rolled his eyes and turned away. “Follow me.” Tiptoe hesitated for a moment, then began cantering off behind Thunderclap. She couldn’t help glancing over her shoulder at the massive sculpture of Luna, and the dull, crumbing orb framed by its wings. She felt a stab of sadness- a longing for something she had never known. An hour later, Tiptoe was seated on a small translucent stool with a group of about thirty other pegasi of all shapes and sizes. Most looked to be in significantly worse condition than she was. Many were missing large patches of feathers. One had such a large gash across his face he could barely open his left eye. Thunderclap paced back and forth on the cloud surface, looking the group over, the perpetual scowl clearly etched on his face. Without warning, he pounded his front hooves down on the ground and flapped his wings. He soared up in the air, taking a large column of cloud with him. With a few deft wing flaps and a single buck from his back legs, the cloud began to condense and rain- directly onto Tiptoe and the group. “This is quite possibly the most important job in the entire city. Weatherworking allows us to stay hidden from those that would do us harm and gives us the water to provide crops. Luna’s grace may be great, but even She cannot summon clouds from nothing. They are drawn here from farther west, but they’re hard to come by, understand? Do not ever let me catch you wasting a cloud, understand?” “Now then. Let me ask you all a question. Did any of you stumble across this place by accident? Did you just waltz into the city limits?” A few ponies shook their heads, and a few weak “no”s rose from the group, but Thunderclap pounded down on the clouds. A huge flash of light and a monstrous book echoed out from under him. “No, sir!” he shouted. “If you expect to be doing this job, I expect proper discipline!” “Yes, sir!” the group called. “Excellent. Now, how many of you have worked the weather before?” One hoof raised uneasily into the air. “Step forward.” Tiptoe watched as a very small brown pegasus made her way off her stool and stood in front of Thunderclap. “What did you work?” he asked. “I moved a cloud that managed to get inside the city shield,” she said. “Just once.” Thunderclap was silent for a moment. “That’s it? You moved one cloud?” “Yes, I was a servant in one of Rubidiu-” “I didn’t ask for your life story,” Thunderclap said quietly. “Go sit back down.” The brown pegasus hurried quickly back to her seat. “Now, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to give you all areas of the town. Your job is to make sure that the rain that’s scheduled to happen today happens. If it doesn’t, it’s on your throat. Luna be with you, you’ll need it!” Thunderclap said. Before long, Tiptoe had been assigned to some nondescript patch of grey cloud. The area was apparently over a farm and was scheduled for heavy rainfall, so there were three other pegasi in the area, all flapping their wings and bucking the cloud to try and squeeze water out of it. The clouds swirled and shifted, but nothing more than a few drops got squeezed out. Tiptoe fared no better. The clouds seemed to obey her even less than the other ponies. She kicked and bucked, flapped and flew, but the cloud just billowed and drifted away, forcing her to corral it back into the blanket of cloud. Even the other pegasi were giggling. She just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get it to rain. It was just water, after all... Suddenly, an idea hit her. This was just water, right? She knew about how water worked. She’d been groomed to operate a huge network of water, after all. What was this but slightly more primitive water management? She turned her head and looked at the feather on her flank. This may not have been her special talent, but she knew she could do this. She had to. She dived through the clouds, barreling through a blanket of grey until she burst out the other side. She hovered just underneath the clouds and flapped her wings- once, twice, three times. The clouds billowed and swirled under the buffets of air, rising up into the sky. When she was satisfied with the result, she flew upward again, punching through the clouds. The other pegasi had stopped to stare at the huge wall of clouds which was now advancing steadily upwards. Then, she begin flying around the clouds, closing the distance around the cloud with each revolution, until she had compacted the clouds into a narrow pillar of quickly rotating cloud. From that point, all she could do was wait and mutter a prayer to Luna. The pillar began to sink under its own weight and turn grey. She dove down through the cloud layer again, and began to push up on the grey pillar of cloud now trying to poke it’s way out of the sky. She pumped her wings as hard as she could until- Rain. The water poured out, a nearly solid sheet that almost caused Tiptoe to fall out of the air. Before she could lose control, however, the water broke apart into narrow droplets and began falling down towards the green carpet below. She hovered, letting the water soak into her coat, looking up at the circle of cloud she had made. ~~~ She didn’t listen to Thunderclap’s admonishment of her “unorthodox” style, or that she had sent way too much rain over a far too small area, or that she could have hurt herself flying below the clouds. She didn’t listen to the adulation of the two ponies who had been working near her, who insisted that Thunderclap himself probably couldn’t have made so much rain out of such a small cloud. Her mind was still down there, in the weird light of the tower, with the rain spattering on her face. When she headed back down to the ground at the end of the day, she was freezing cold, exhausted, and happier than she had been in a very long time. She arrived at the house at roughly the same time as Incendia, who was smoldering slightly. She could feel the heat coming off of her from a few feet away and kept her distance. “Tough day?” Tiptoe asked. “You could say that,” replied Incendia. She smiled weakly and they went into the brightly lit house together.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:22:26+00:00

2012-10-13T06:22:26+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 24 By PK Hey, guys. It’s me. I just wanted to personally apologize for the truly ridiculous wait between the last chapter and this one. I don’t really know what I can do except apologize profusely and give you this chapter. It’s my second longest, if that helps! Incendia made her way down a cobblestone pathway which weaved in between the many short buildings built into the side of the hill. She was reminded vividly of Stalliongrad- the buildings here seemed to have been pieced together out of plates of metal from some long-demolished structure, just as they had been in the slums of Stalliongrad. This place was different, however- most of the metal surfaces were glossy and reflected the bright light from the streetlamps and the veiled luminescence of the distant radio tower. The buildings stood strong and sturdy, and almost all of them had lights gleaming out of the windows. Up and down the road, ponies were leaving their homes, some pulling wagons filled with tools or green food. Incendia’s stomach gave a sudden grumble. Whatever she had eaten that morning hadn’t filled her up very much. She approached a rather bland-looking elderly brown earth pony who was pulling a small cart stacked high with shining tubes, which appeared to be made out of some kind of crystalline glass. She asked him if he knew where she could find food. The earth pony opened his mouth to answer, but caught himself when he saw the circular indent in Incendia’s shoulder. “Yer one of them Stalliongrad refugees, ain’t ya?” he said after several seconds of silence. “Yes, I am,” Incendia said. “Is that a problem?” “Ain’t no problem,” the earth pony said, “just might be difficult fer ya to get yer hands on some food without any money. Try old Cloverhoof’s market over yonder, he’s always been kind to charity cases.” “Charity cases?” Incendia huffed. “It’s hardly my fault that I don’t have any money!” “Woah now, don’t split yer bit,” the elderly pony said quickly, “ah just meant that not a lot a’ folks around here would be willing to hoof a bill like that, refugee or not. Y’all got one of them maps they hand out to you folk, right?” Incendia rolled her eyes, but her horn began to glow and the map that Quill Dipper had left her flew out of the bag slung over her back and unfurled in mid-air. “Well, we’re here, an’ yer gonna want to head in that direction,” the earth pony said, jabbing a hoof at a large green area next to a small fountain. “Can yer see how to get there from here?” “I think I can,” Incendia replied, studying the map. “Well, alright then. Ah gotta git back to mah work, but it was a right pleasure talkin’ with you,” the elderly pony said, starting forwards with his cart. Incendia rolled up the map and walked away, feeling disgruntled. “Charity case? Who does he think I am? What does he think Stalliongrad is? We don’t need handouts from anyone.” She shook her head and continued her journey through the curving streets of Totemhoof. As she made her way further into the city, the buildings grew taller and closer together. More and more of these buildings seemed to be made of wood rather than scrap metal. She passed an enormous building which appeared to be made of some strange silvery stone. At the top of the curving ceiling was a crescent moon carved out of a brilliant crystal, which was refracting and shining the light from the radio tower down upon the street in a glittering pattern. Incendia was so taken by the sight that she collided with a scarlet unicorn, who was meandering in the opposite direction. “Oh, sorry!” Incendia sputtered. “I wasn’t paying attention!” “Don’t worry about it,” the scarlet unicorn replied. “I wasn’t watching where I was going eith-“ She stopped mid-sentence, staring at the small crater in Incendia’s shoulder where the teleporter had been. “What happened to your arm?” “Oh, that? I’m a Stalliongrad refugee. I used to wear a device in my shoulder there, but it got damaged and had to be removed.” The scarlet unicorn looked appalled. “Why did it have to be embedded in your shoulder? That’s barbaric! What did it do?” Incendia was surprised at her reaction. “It was a teleporter, and it had to be embedded in the shoulder because otherwise there was a chance it could get lost or stolen.” “Your protection against theft was to bury things inside your own body?” the unicorn asked, a look of disgust still evident on her face. “Perhaps it’s a blessing to the world that that place was finally wiped off the map. Luna knows we’re happy to not have it looming over us anymore. I think we should have let you… ponies… wither and be done with it.” Anger began to bubble up inside Incendia, but before she could do anything about it, the scarlet unicorn huffed and turned, proceeding into the cathedral. Incendia stood there for several seconds more, debating whether following the unicorn inside would be worth it. Before she could make the decision, however, a stream of earth ponies filed out from the side streets and the cathedral and marched past her. The unicorn’s words momentarily forgotten, Incendia watched them march past in wonder. They seemed to be an equal mix male and female, and they all wore deep midnight blue cloaks, but the fabric was unlike anything Incendia had ever seen before. The material seemed to shimmer gently with a light of its own. The reflected glow from the cathedral roof seemed to be dampened and absorbed by the cloaks, almost as if they were bending the light inwards on themselves. Incendia figured it must be magical. The cloaks were not what she was devoted the majority of her attention to, however. She was more concerned with the heavy, spiked balls attached to their tails and the lances gripped at sharp angles in their mouths. As unfamiliar as Incendia was with her surroundings, she knew a military movement when she saw one. These ponies were gearing up to fight. Then, as quickly as they had appeared, they had gone, marching down another street and out of sight. The street was now deserted but for Incendia and the crystalline moon’s peculiar sheen. Incendia continued down the path the map had indicated, and it didn’t take long for her thoughts to wander back to that infuriating scarlet unicorn. Totemhoof’s wonder was wearing off quickly. She had spent her whole life fighting for the good of the people of Stalliongrad, and is this what her efforts had led to? The destruction of their homes and the corralling of whatever paltry survivors that remained into a city that at best merely tolerated them, or thought of them as “charity cases?” After generations of oppression and fighting, this was the ultimate fate of her people? Incendia could hardly stand it. She could feel her temperature rising. Small fires crept up into her brilliant copper mane only to abruptly extinguish themselves. She had to maintain control. She didn’t think the population of Totemhoof would be any more understanding if she burst into flames. As far as she knew, that wasn’t a very common ability. She took a deep breath and forced herself to concentrate. After several seconds she had cooled down enough to continue on, though her mood hadn’t really improved. The streets widened as she made her way forward. She figured she must have passed into some kind of commercial district, as nearly every building she passed was brandishing a sign above its door. Advertisements behind clouded glass windows depicted smiling fillies clutching dolls in their mouths or burly earth pony colts swinging hammers down upon some molten metal on a black anvil. There was even an advertisement showing a midnight blue mare in a lacy saddle. Incendia lingered in front of that window perhaps a bit longer than she should have. Eventually, she found the spot the map had indicated. A fountain depicting a majestic alicorn- Incendia assumed it to be Luna- surrounded by kneeling ponies stood in the center of a small cluster of carts loaded to the brim with all sorts of ingredients. A lime green unicorn with a four-leaf clover cutie mark stood behind a counter and a very rusty cash register. Several ponies milled about among the carts, idly filling bags with various goods. Incendia approached the unicorn behind the cash register. “Can I help you?” he asked, smiling. “I hope so. My name’s Incendia, and I’m a refu-“ “A refugee from Stalliongrad?” the unicorn finished. “I assumed as much. Well, you’ve come to the right place. The name’s Cloverhoof. Pleasure to meet you, Incendia. That’s an interesting name. How did you get it?” Incendia dropped her eyes to the cobblestone ground. “I don’t know.” Cloverhoof evidently sensed that he’d trodden on a sensitive subject, for he cleared his throat and continued, “Well, help yourself to anything in the square. Stalliongrad refugees get one free pass.” “One free pass?” Incendia asked. “I couldn’t stay in business if all the refugees just came and took what the wanted all the time. As much as I want to help you out, I have mouths to feed too,” Cloverhoof said. “And I want to drum up business. Trust me, once you taste my food, you won’t want to shop anywhere else!” “Thank you,” Incendia replied. “I think I’m going to take a look around now.” She turned on the spot and rolled her eyes, cantering off towards a promising pile of bright red flower petals. A steely grey pegasus stallion with an anvil cutie mark was standing near the cart, reading a label on the bottom. He looked up when he saw Incendia, but quickly lost interest and went back to examining the label. Incendia sniffed at the petals and, glancing around, snagged one off the side of the pile with her mouth and chewed. It was sweet and watery and reminded Incendia of the berries they had eaten on the hillsides. She wondered if they came from the same plants. She made her way around the cart to the label that the grey stallion had been examining earlier. It read: BLOODBERRY PETALS Freshly picked by one of our highly-trained scavenger teams, these are the most pristine bloodberry petals this side of the Divide! Get them while you can- supplies are highly limited. Incendia regarded the label idly before lifting a small bundle of petals off the pile and floating them towards her pack. Before they had made it even halfway, however, a deep voice sounded from her left. “Excuse me, miss, but are you-“ Incendia jumped and turned to face the sound. Her old battle reflexes kicked in- every muscle in her body tensing. The crimson petals suspended in the air were incinerated in a flare of light and heat. Standing before Incendia was the grey pegasus she had seen earlier, a very shocked expression on his face. Incendia exhaled sharply and relaxed. She glanced back at the remains of the petals- a pile of ashes on the ground- and cursed under her breath. “I’m sorry, miss, I only wanted to know if you were a Stalliongrad refugee.” Incendia stared blankly at the stallion for a few seconds before she understood what he was asking. “Oh! Yes. I’m sorry about the petals- I was just startled is all. I’m a refugee.” The grey pegasus smiled uneasily. “That was some powerful magic you just did,” he said. “I could feel the heat from here.” He chuckled nervously, and his eyes flicked down at the crater in Incendia’s shoulder before darting back up to meet her gaze. “It was damaged in the escape attempt,” Incendia said. “I had to remove it.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare,” the pegasus said. “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name? Incendia wondered if she should be truthful with him for a moment. She had learned early on in Stalliongrad not to give out her name to just anyone- she might be recognized as the leader of the resistance. But, after a moment, she remembered that she had already told her name to Cloverhoof. Besides, Stalliongrad had gone, and Rubidium’s followers with it. Probably. She figured she could take him anyway even if he did start a fight. “Incendia,” she said curtly. “Good to meet you, Incendia. My name is Ironmane,” the grey pegasus replied, “and I have a favor to ask you. I was in one of the first immigration waves to arrive and I’ve already used up my one free pass here. I get enough food at home-“ he stopped mid-sentence and glanced away from Incendia. “At where I’m staying, but I love these little red petals, and I can’t afford them. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to get me a bag?” Incendia didn’t even have to consider it. “Of course I will. We refugees have to stick together, don’t we?” Ironmane’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, miss!” Incendia loaded up her bag with the petals and brought them over to Cloverhoof, who marked an inventory list then told her she was free to go. Incendia dropped the bag at Ironmane’s hooves, and he grabbed the strap in his mouth and slung the bag over his back. “Sorry about scaring you earlier,” Incendia said apologetically, “I’m just still a little on edge. Things have been a bit… harrowing since Stalliongrad.” “I know what you mean,” Ironmane said. “Sometimes I wonder if we’re even better off here. Did you see that march a while back? Something big is going on and nopony is willing to tell us anything. That, and..” he dropped his voice and looked around. “All this Luna worshipping business creeps me out, frankly. The goddesses never did me any good, and they sure don’t look like they’re doing this place any good either.” Incendia nodded absently. She had never really stopped to consider what she thought of the goddesses- she knew that a piece of Celestia had been powering Stalliongrad, but it had never occurred to her that people might still worship the goddesses. She had assumed the fragment had been just that- a fragment, some tiny part of the powers that once were that still lingered. Nopony in Stalliongrad had really worshipped it- they respected it’s power, but the goddesses were mere bedtime stories at best. Then Jigsaw and Tiptoe had come along and changed everything she had thought she’d known about the state of the world. Tantalus had always been a far-off threat, something that was probably terrible on the outside but also something the city’s shield had always been able to keep out. Sometimes, before Jigsaw came along, she used to wonder about whether Tantalus could possibly be worse than being trapped in a fishbowl with Rubidium like that. At least Tantalus only killed ponies, he didn’t suck them dry to add to his own power. And the Attenuators were nothing more than a genetic anomaly- ponies capable of withstanding the power of Celestia flowing through them. But then Jigsaw had absorbed the fragment and escaped the city. She had seen a piece of Luna personally- the thought of the creature animated by it still made her shudder- and she had seen Tantalus up close- and driven a statue through his eye, no less. She must have gone silent for a long time because Ironmane scuffed his hooves against the cobblestone road and said, “I didn’t mean no offense if you hold with the old goddesses, miss.” “No, no, it’s alright,” Incendia said, coming out of her introspective reverie. “I was just… thinking about things. I didn’t take offense.” Ironmane nodded and said, “You know, I really appreciate what you did back there, getting me these petals and all. Why don’t you come and meet my group? Like you said, us refugees have to stick together, right?” Incendia shrugged. “It was no problem. And sure, I suppose.” Ironmane led her through a few blocks of winding sidewalks and tall, industrial-looking buildings, before he came to a quaint cottage nestled between two much larger buildings. Incendia guessed this had originally been a residential district, but all the houses had slowly been replaced with factories and shops. “Home sweet home, I suppose,” Ironmane said. “Come on in, I’ll introduce you to Aurora.” Incendia followed him inside. Though it looked like wood from the outside, Incendia was surprised- and a little relieved- to discover that it was actually sheets of metal painted to look like wood. She didn’t do too well in wooden buildings. The inside was warmly lit by wall-mounted light fixtures in the shape of torches. There was very little furniture, just a table with a few chairs. The kitchen appeared to be built into the far corner of the room, though it was separated by a long countertop. There were three doors on the left, each of them closed. “Aurora!” Ironmane called. “I’m back from the market. I got the petals and I brought a guest!” “You got the petals?” came a female voice from behind one of the doors. Incendia heard paper rustling and the sound of a quill clattering against a desk, then a dark blue unicorn came out of the farthest door. Her tail was a light purplish-blue, and her cutie mark was a ribbon made up of all the colors of the rainbow. Incendia had to concentrate to stop her jaw from going slack- this unicorn was gorgeous. But Aurora ran up and embraced Ironmane, and Incendia’s hopes fell. “Just my luck,” she thought, “all the pretty ones are taken.” “And who is this?” Aurora said, turning towards Incendia. Incendia noticed with a start that she had a teleportation device embedded in her shoulder- a proper one, smooth, round, and flush against the skin. The display flickered weakly between green, red, and blue. “This is Incendia,” Ironmane said. “She gave up her one free purchase to get us the bloodberry petals.” "How nice of you!" Aurora said with a smile. "I don't know of many ponies who would do that. You're welcome to stay for dinner if you like, but we don't have much in the way of food. It would help so much if this place only had an oven," Aurora said, pouting. "Oh well." "And oven?" Incendia said with a wry smile. "I think I may be able to help you with that." ~~~ Fifteen minutes later, Incendia was standing in the kitchen, all of the ingredients laid out before her, as well as a menagerie of pots and pans. She didn't recognize most of the food- strange, lumpy brown roots, green stalks of what looked like celery but had no rigidity, strange fruits of all shapes and sizes. Some foods were familiar, however- ruby red apples, carrots, and grass clippings were present. "Now, the locals tell me these-" she indicated the bulbous brown root- "are delicious baked. Do you think you could do that?" "I can do you one better," Incendia said, grinning. "You might want to step out of the kitchen." Aurora did as prompted, though she looked a little bemused. Incendia closed her eyes and concentrated on the food on the counter. Her horn shone with a brilliant orange light, and the food on the counter was soon enveloped in a haze of magical energy. It all lifted off the counter and began to sort itself into pots and pans of various shapes and sizes. Next, she lifted the pots off the counter and ran them under the tap, allowing them to fill with water. She gritted her teeth- levitating so many objects simultaneously was difficult, and now that they were full of water, they were heavy to boot. She wasn't done yet, however. The main event had yet to begin. She closed her eyes again and focused harder on the heat radiating from her horn and burst into brilliant golden flames. She heard Aurora and Ironmane gasp in the other room. "Don't worry!" she called, her voice wavering with the strain of the magic. "I'm okay! Just keep back!" Incendia could hardly see through ferocious inferno whipping around her. She could feel all of the pots and pans floating in the air nearby- the water already beginning to boil, the roots baking. She braced herself harder against the metal floor of the cottage as energy continued to pour out of her horn. From the outside, all Ironmane and Aurora could see was a swirling ball of fire, brighter and more intense than anything they had ever seen before. The heat was immense- when Incendia had first ignited, Aurora thought for a moment that her eyebrows must have been seared off. As they watched, however, the fireball began to swirl less and less rapidly. The individual pots and pans could be seen flying through the air, orbiting Incendia like planets to a sun, each encased in another deep red fireball of their own. Soon, the fireball diminished until it was so small that Incendia's outline could be seen, an intensely blazing golden form standing on a red-hot metal floor. Eventually, the flames ceased licking up her coat, and it cooled gradually from white hot to dull red to black. Her mane seemed to burn longer, like a wildfire streaming out from her head and flank, until the wisps of flame coalesced into strands of coppery orange-red hair. For a long time her eyes lingered as pools of molten metal, but before long, they too cooled from blazing white to their normal orange. With a grunt of effort, Incendia set the pots and pans down on the stone countertop, all filled with perfectly cooked steaming fruits and vegetables. "That was more difficult than I expected," Incendia said, panting slightly. Sweat trickled down her flank, not from heat, but from exertion. Ironmane and Aurora stared at her for a long moment, long enough for Incendia to think that she had done something wrong. Then they began to whoop and holler, clopping their front hooves down on the metal floor. "That was incredible!" Aurora said. "I wish I could do magic like that!" "In all my years of working the forges, I've never seen a pony that could work heat like that!" Ironmane said. "That was amazing!" Incendia smiled. "Thank you. I've had... plenty of opportunities to hone my skills." "Well, I think this counts as a special occasion," Aurora said. Her horn began to glow pale silver and a small green saddlebag came zooming out of the farthest door on the left and landed in front of her feet. She opened the top and began rooting about inside it. "This was in my bag when I escaped from Stalliongrad... ah, here it is!" She pulled out a ruby red bottle with an ornate silver-topped cork firmly fastened at the top. "This is my great-grandmother's famous fermented dandelion juice. Must be at least a hundred and fifty years old. Probably the last bottle in existence." "You saved some of your dandelion juice?" Ironmane asked, a huge grin splitting his face. "Maybe Luna is watching over us!" "I've never had any," Incendia said. "Oh, just you wait," Aurora said. Her horn sparked, and the cork shot out. ~~~ Incendia, Aurora, and Ironmane all sat around the small table. Empty plates of food were stacked in the kitchen, but the bottle of dandelion juice was still being passed around. Incendia had made a small fire in the center of the table, and it's light and warmth warded off the cold of the outside air. "That was delicious, Incendia," Aurora said. "Thank you." "It was my treat," Incendia replied. "I haven't gotten the chance to do any magic for a few days anyway and I was getting antsy." They chuckled. "So, what did you two used to do back in the city?" Incendia asked, taking a swig from her glass. "I worked in the forges, if that wasn't obvious," Ironmane said, glancing towards his anvil cutie mark. "A pegasus working in the forges?" Incendia mused. "Unorthodox." Ironmane shrugged. "It's not like I had much of a choice. I wasn't born into doing what I wanted like my beautiful wife here," he said with a smirk. Aurora giggled and bumped against Ironmane with her shoulder. Then she turned to Incendia and said, "My father was a scientist working directly for Rubidium, assigned to the personal teleporter project back in the day. We were... lucky. That's why I got this," she said, jerking her head towards her shoulder, "and why I was allowed to be an artist." "An artist," Incendia said, placing her glass down on the table. "Didn't meet too many of those in Stalliongrad. Who did you work for?" "Another scientist. Working on the Attenuators. He wanted sculptures for his home." Aurora's eyes fell. "I didn't like what they did to those poor unicorns. I'm not proud." "Now, honey, don't pout. What's done is done, and it's all over now," Ironmane said, nuzzling Aurora. "I suppose," she said. "I never felt like I was doing anything with my life back there, though. I'm not sure I even miss it," she said, taking another sip of dandelion juice. "How did you two meet?" Incendia asked. "She needed metal for a sculpture, and I was the one they sent to deliver it," Ironmane said. "One look and I knew she was the mare for me." "Oh, stop it, you," Aurora said. "But, yes, that is the bare bones of it. How about you, Incendia? You haven't told us much about yourself. Any special stallions in your life?" Incendia sighed and picked up the glass of dandelion juice and took a swig. "No... no stallions." "Aaah," Ironmane said. "I'm not one to judge." "Why don't you tell us about her?" Aurora said. Incendia hesitated for a moment, then took another drink of dandelion juice. "Her name's Tiptoe. I didn't meet her until just recently- only a few days before Stalliongrad's destruction, in fact. I didn't think too much of her then. The last few days were... ah, hectic for me. Once I got out and got to know her... I don't know. I don't usually go for the quiet types, but she just... she has this, pardon the pun, flame. She's been through more than I even want to think about and she's still so... innocent. I never really... I don't think most of us knew innocence back in Stalliongrad." There was a moment of silence, where they all stared at the magical flames in the center of the table. "That, and she's pretty damn attractive," Incendia said, swirling her glass in mid-air. Ironmane snickered. "I'll drink to that," he said enthusiastically. Aurora just shook her head, but she still clinked her glass with the others and drained the remaining dandelion juice. "So, are you two together, then?" Aurora asked. Incendia's smiled faded away. "No." "I recognize that tone," Ironmane said. "That's girl trouble, right there. What's wrong?" Incendia sighed again and prodded the flames with her horn absently. "She's taken." "Oh, you poor dear," Aurora said. "I'm so sorry." "So am I," Incendia thought. "Can we change the subject, please?" Incendia asked. "Of course, dear. I'm sorry I even brought it up," Aurora said. "It's no problem. So, how did you guys escape?" Incendia asked. "Same way as most, I suspect. As soon as the shield fell, it was obvious the worst had finally happened. I knew that horrible dragon would be arriving any moment, so I gathered up as many ponies as I could and teleported out of there." "How did you know the teleporter would work?" Incendia asked. "You couldn't teleport out while the shield was up. How did you know where to point the coordinates?" "My father helped build these," Aurora said. "I can do more than make pretty sculptures, you know. Besides, I could ask you the same thing," She winked playfully. "As soon as the shield was down, I just dialed it as far as I could from where I was. What I didn't know was how many ponies I could take with me." "How many can you take?" Incendia said. "I've never taken more than three or four." "I managed to get about forty," Aurora said. "I might have been able to get more if not for all the chaos right before the end." "Forty?" Incendia said incredulously. "That's insane!" "I didn't think it would work," Aurora said, "and it almost didn't. That's why it's been just flashing colors since, I expect. I don't know anypony who has a working one anymore, though you're the first I've met who had one taken out." "How many ponies do you think escaped?" Incendia asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer. "Oh, probably in the hundreds," Aurora said. "The government workers and their families- really anypony with a teleporter- was rounding up as many ponies as they could and getting them out of harm's way. Some even risked going into the outer edges to get some of the less fortunate. Didn't... you do the same?" "I only brought two others," Incendia said. She felt bad lying to her, but it was a small lie, after all. Besides, she was too happy about the survivors. The upper class had actually put themselves in harm's way to save the "lower" ponies, in defiance of what Rubidium would have wanted. Perhaps it was the dandelion juice, but just thinking about it made her feel warm inside. "Well, I don't blame you," Aurora said. "It was so chaotic. Riots in the streets. If I didn't know in advance I could take ponies with me, I probably wouldn't have tried." "Except for me," Ironmane cut in. "Yes, except for my dear husband," Aurora corrected. "So, what about you, Incendia?" Ironmane inquired. "You haven't told us much about yourself yet." Incendia had a cover story prepared, of course. She had to have some way to explain her appearance. "Firefighter," she said. "As you saw before, I've always been good at controlling fire. I teleport in, get the survivors out, then put out the fires." "Were you a noble's daughter, then?" Aurora asked. "Middle class," Incendia said. "My special talent caught the attention of Rubidium's administration." "Admirable occupation," Ironmane said. "Spent a lot of time in the outer rings, didn't you?" "Naturally," Incendia said. "Might have saved my life once or twice. You should have seen the conditions of the forge I had to work in when I was young. They actually used paper in the walls. Paper!" "Smart," Incendia said, giggling. Ironmane shook his head. "It's no wonder we had about three fires a day." They sat in silence, watching the fire flicker on the tabletop. The mood in the room seemed to shift, becoming more solemn. "I do miss my workshop," Aurora said quietly. "All my best pieces were there." "I know what you mean," Ironmane said. "All they have me doing here is forging maces and swords. They won't even tell me what it's for. I appreciate the hospitality, but I'm not sure I like the secrecy. They're gearing up for something big, I’m sure of it." Incendia's ears pricked up at this, but she said nothing. Outside, from one of the many street-posts, nine loud buzzes announced the time. "I'm getting kind of sleepy, dear," Aurora said to Ironmane. "I am too," he said. "It was wonderful meeting you, Incendia, but I'm afraid we're going to have to close up shop for the day." "That's okay," Incendia said. "It's probably time for me to get going too. It was nice meeting you, too." Ironmane and Incendia stood up at the same time. Ironmane gave her a respectful nod and walked to the closest door on the left and entered it. Incendia's horn ignited and the fire on the table was sucked into her horn. "Are you coming to bed, Aurora?" Ironmane called from the other room. "In just a minute. I want to say goodbye to our guest," Aurora called back. She got rather unsteadily to her hooves. "Thank you for having me," Incendia said, smiling. "It was a very nice evening." "Incendia," Aurora said with a sweet smile, "I may not look it, but I've been around a while. I can tell when somepony isn't being entirely truthful." Incendia's guard went up immediately. "What do you mean?" "Now, now, it's not my place to pry," Aurora said. "You've done right by me as far as I'm concerned, and everypony's entitled to their secrets. But I can tell that you're hurting inside, and I'm going to guess the source was that mare you mentioned earlier. If that was a lie, I'll eat my hooves." Incendia didn't make eye contact with Aurora, but she blushed intensely. "Now, I know it's not my place to give relationship advice, but if you truly love somepony, I think it will work out no matter what the situation. I mean, look at me. I fell in love with a pegasus from the poorest parts of the city. Do you really think I even thought it had a chance of working? Of course I didn't. But just look at us now- maybe it's not exactly how we imagined it, but we have a roof over our heads, we're together, and we're safe." She walked over to Incendia and placed her head gently on her neck. "Just remember you're not alone." With that, Aurora turned and trotted towards the bedroom, the door closing behind her with a gentle click. Tears fell down Incendia's face, turning to steam before they reached the end of her snout. ~~~ The trip home was uneventful. It was lightly drizzling. The mysterious light from the radio tower had diminished significantly in brightness, but spindly, trident-shaped streetlights had flared to life along the roads, casting the city streets in a somewhat eerie blue. She arrived home at roughly the same time as Tiptoe, and her smile at the sight of Incendia made the water coating her flank curl off her in trails of steam. Incendia hoped she didn't notice. "Rough day?" Tiptoe asked. "You could say that," Incendia responded. They opened the door and walked in together. Incendia was surprised to find Jigsaw already in the house, sitting at the table, a grim look on his face. "We need to talk."

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:23:36+00:00

2012-10-13T06:23:36+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 25 by PK Jigsaw stepped out into the cold, wintry breeze and surveyed the city below him. Hundreds of pinpricks of light shimmered from the streets below, a mixture of dim yellow bulbs and bright blue magical flames. He noticed something he hadn't the night he arrived- there was a distinct distribution of magical lights versus mundane. Their cabin was on the south slope of the valley that Totemhoof sat in, giving Jigsaw a good view of the whole city. The farther east he looked, the more common the arcane lights became, culminating in the giant, decrepit radio tower on the west hill, complete with the mysterious glowing silver orb and shimmering cables snaking up it’s side. As he looked west, the blue lights became less and less common until they were almost totally replaced by electric lights. The building architecture changed noticeably as well. On the east side, huge, sweeping structures of wood or metal were common, while smaller, more practical designs were more common in the west. What captured Jigsaw's attention most, however, was the radio tower on the top of the east hill. Jigsaw could feel something emanating from it- some strange, attractive power. He figured there must be a fragment of Luna here- the Luna worship and the mysterious shielding from the outside world was a dead giveaway. What troubled him was why he couldn't sense it until just now, and why the sensation was so faint. Were these ponies abusing the power of the goddess as well? All these thoughts rushed through his head in the few moments he spent walking down the lane. He wanted to go west, but hesitated. The prospect of exploring without Tiptoe and Incendia was not appealing to him. If ever a situation called for stealth, this was it, and he still wasn't sure if he could pull off any defensive magic after his healing spell on Tiptoe. It didn't take him long before his natural curiosity overcame him. He figured that he didn't need to sneak in to anywhere- not yet, at least. He had no reason to suspect these ponies of wrongdoing, and besides, it wouldn't hurt to get a closer look. He set off towards the radio tower. As he made his way down the streets of Totemhoof, he couldn't help but take mental notes about the city. He had no way of telling how old the city was- it was clearly scavenged from old world materials, but they were pristine and expertly assembled- sheets of metal riveted together rather professionally. It wasn't anything like Stalliongrad, with its thrown-together ramshackle huts. These were proper buildings. By far, the most ornate buildings he saw were the temples. There was one almost on every street corner. Though some were small and unimposing, most were decorated with gigantic statues of the moon or of ponies groveling at Luna's hooves. Jigsaw shifted uncomfortably. Something about the temples didn't sit right with him. He didn't want this town to have any dark secrets. Stalliongrad had been bad enough. Were all the cities in the world like this? Squirreled away in hidden valleys or hiding behind walls, protected only through by whatever small power of the goddesses were left? He didn't know why he cared so much. This whole thing had brought him nothing but trouble. He didn't even know that the goddesses still existed at all until he had left the caves. When he was a colt, he read everything he could get his hooves on- old world technical manuals, contemporary cave fungus growing techniques, fictional novels of great cities existing deep under the caves. The books had always painted a beautiful image of the surface world before the fall and the Grand Cataclysm. His favorite thing in the library, though, even more than the books, was the mural that was painted across the cave roof, which had been carefully smoothed and flattened by the cave's original inhabitants- the first generation of survivors. It showed a group of ponies of all different types standing on a lush, green hill as the rose crested over it in the background. In the far left corner of the mural, the huge, steel door that blocked the cave off from the conditions of surface life was swung wide open. Buildings could be seen in the background, black against the rising sun. Written underneath it, in old world text, was the phrase "To the Future." Jigsaw scoffed spitefully at the thought. He wasn't even sure there was a future to be had, here. Sure, the buildings here seemed to be ornate and civilized, but they were still living in the past instead of looking to the future. Ten thousand years had passed, but you wouldn't think more than a few decades if you looked at it. And where did Tantalus fit into all of this? Jigsaw still didn't understand what role he played in all this. What could he possibly stand to gain from all this? Why didn't he take the fragments for himself, when he clearly knew where they were and knew Jigsaw was looking for them? And, perhaps most pressingly, what in Equestria was he, really? He had been hopeful that, after Incendia had dropped the statue on his eye, that he was gone for good, but the more he thought about it, the less sure he was. Tantalus hadn't left a corpse- he had vanished, disappeared in a puff of green smoke. Plus, Jigsaw was sure he would know if he had really been killed. Whatever strange effects hosting the goddesses had on him had always made his head pound and his stomach twist when Tantalus was nearby, and he felt sure he would have felt in some way if he was gone forever. Jigsaw shook his head and tried to focus on the matter at hand. He didn't like to let his mind wander too much. It never helped anything. He passed through a street that was lined with carts, each with a loud, fast-talking pony trying to hawk his or her wares. They sold everything from shovels and shears to silver moon necklaces. Jigsaw was tempted to stop at a cart that was selling healing potions, but quickly realized he had no money. He made a mental note to come back if he ever got his hooves on any, however- he was almost certain another trick like healing Tiptoe would kill him. He couldn't count on being able to pull off another feat like that. He wasn't even sure how he did it the first time, but he had a feeling the freshly absorbed Luna fragment had helped. He wished there was a book on the whole thing that could explain it. As he pushed his way west, he couldn't help but notice that the crowds in the streets began to get thinner and thinner. Fewer shops were open, and most of the windows were dark. Eevn some of the temples looked as though they had been empty for a long time. One even had a broken window. It wasn't long before Jigsaw was standing alone at the foot of a huge stone archway build into the side of the hill, directly under the radio tower. Jigsaw hadn't even seen another pony for almost five blocks. He began to get uneasy. Had he broken some kind of unspoken rule by coming here? He began to turn and walk away when the wooden door to the temple creaked open, causing Jigsaw to nearly jump out of his skin. It was the old priest that had greeted them when they first came to Totemhoof. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I- I was just wandering around," Jigsaw said. "I'm sorry if I'm not supposed to be here, I just-" "You aren't supposed to be over here," the elderly pony said, but his eyes were soft. "But, I suppose I can let it go this once, since you are so new. Interested in the church, eh?" he said, smiling. "Yes," Jigsaw lied. He was relieved he hadn't gotten in trouble on his first day in the new city. "Come inside, then," the priest said. Jigsaw followed him inside, and the massive wooden door slung shut behind him. The interior was a rounded tunnel, lit by glowing crystals, which jutted out of the walls at irregular intervals. "Are those magical?" Jigsaw asked, nodding his head towards one of the formations. "Oh, yes," the priest said. "Before the fall, this was one of Equestria's largest crystal mines. That's what created this whole valley, you know- the mines." Jigsaw's interest was piqued. "What kinds of crystals were down here? Spell-fixing or focusing?" The priest looked at him and smiled again. "Ah, a scholar of the arcane sciences, are you?" Jigsaw nodded. "I used to study magic myself in my youth, though I understand you Stalliongrad folk had a much deeper knowledge than I ever did. Both kinds of crystals were found here, and still are. It's how we keep much of the city powered, and why we were so slow to adopt electricity." The old pony studied Jigsaw for a moment before saying "Come with me. I have something that I think might interest you. I'll tell you more about Luna along the way." Jigsaw followed the unicorn down the tunnel, which sloped downwards at a gentle angle. The priest began to inform Jigsaw of the history of Totemhoof. "We're not very old; at least, not compared to Stalliongrad. Totemhoof was established 1,750 years ago, roughly.” "It wasn't occupied after the fall? Why?" Jigsaw asked. "I do not know. I wasn't there. Our records only go far as back as that. The valley has always had a natural cloud cover, but it was only the great Silverwind- my ancestor- that uncovered how to work the weather to keep us hidden from Tantalus." "The weather keeps you hidden?" Jigsaw asked, intrigued. "Indeed. The secrets have long since been lost to us, but so long as we keep enough cloud above us, we remain hidden from the outside world. Tantalus only knows our general location, and if he wanted to, he could dive headfirst into the fog and never find us." "I've never heard of anything like that," Jigsaw said. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, “How does it work?” "We have no idea.," the old priest sighed. A few yards ahead, the tunnel ended in a small door cut into a stone wall. The priest paused when he reached it and turned to stare at Jigsaw. "You... you remind me of myself, when I was younger. I'm about to show you something, but I need to know if I can trust you. Can I trust you?" "Yes," Jigsaw answered warily. The priest's horn ignited and the stone door swung inward, bathing the tunnel in light. He signaled for Jigsaw to walk in, and he complied. Jigsaw blinked. For a moment, he thought he was back in the main chamber of his home. The cavern was immense and clearly not natural. Cement pillars rose from the ground and up into the darkness of the ceiling. The walls looked to have been hastily excavated, as they were rife with craters and pits, but as Jigsaw looked up, the wall became smooth. Up near the top, metal plates were bolted on the smooth, sandy colored stone. Crystals jutted out of the excavated pits, providing light to the room. But, the most notable aspect of the space, by far, was what lay in the center. A huge pit, at least a hundred feet in diameter, was dug into the ground. This pit wasn’t rough like the ones on the walls, however- the walls had been smoothed and a firm-looking wooden staircase spiraled down along the rim. From the center rose an enormous crystal sculpture of an alicorn, the largest Jigsaw had ever seen. It had clearly been hewn from an even larger crystal- every facet of the sculpture glistened and gleamed. Unlike the formations jutting from the walls, this one didn’t shine with blue light; instead, it pulsed gently with a soft, silvery glow. “What is it?” Jigsaw asked. “Our most sacred treasure,” the priest said. “Legend holds that, when this area was first settled, our ancestors found the tunnel to this place. Most of the metal buildings you see out there were salvaged from here. Our best guess was this once was an industrial warehouse, but that was so long ago all reliable records are lost. When somepony was prying up a floorboard, they found the tip of a crystal poking out. They began to dig. Many other crystal deposits were discovered, but most of them were scarcely larger than a pony. But this crystal in particular never seemed to end. The deeper they dug, the more crystal there was. Finally, after months of effort, they had unearthed the whole thing. Legend holds it was twice as large as it is now.” Jigsaw tried to imagine that- a crystal almost the size of a dragon. “Our ancestors began to cut up the crystal to use in various mechanisms. It’s a spell-fixing crystal, you see, but it has the unusual attribute of being able to hold a spell almost indefinently. That’s what made me join the church as a youth, incidentally- the chance to study this magnificent natural phenomena up close.” “So this isn’t a secret?” Jigsaw asked. “Yes and no. It was a secret from you. You must understand, Jigsaw, Luna commands us to help those in need, but if we gave away all our secrets so freely… We can’t afford to trust so implicitly.” “Then why trust me?” Jigsaw asked. The priest regarded him for a moment. “I’ve lived a long life, you know. I know how to take the measure of a pony. I don’t think you mean us any harm.” “Then why is the part of town above us closed off?” The priest didn’t meet Jigsaw’s gaze. “Some secrets you would be happier not knowing.” This sent up red flags in Jigsaw’s mind immediately, but on some level, he agreed. Jigsaw turned back towards the crystal. “Is there more to your story?” “Yes,” the priest confirmed. “This is where it gets confusing. Legend states that after so much of the crystal had been cut up, the elders decided to carve the rest into a sculpture dedicated to the mighty Luna, our protector. Then… then the legend states that the ‘essence of the gods’ was introduced into the crystal and ‘locked away beneath key and spell, awaiting the Uniter.’” “What does that mean?” Jigsaw asked. “There is a door at the far end of the cavern. Many have tried, but it cannot be breached by any means. Still, once a year, many pilgrimage down here and try to open it in an attempt to find the Uniter.” Jigsaw had a sinking feeling he knew exactly what that was, but he knew better than to speak up. Instead, he asked, “Can I get closer?” “Of course. You’re welcome to touch, too, if you so desire.” Jigsaw made his way closer to the sculpture. His mind was working overtime. On one hoof, he was relieved- the town actually did seem to be more or less what it had presented itself. But why were parts of the town closed off? What exactly did this crystal mean, and what was behind the door? The light from within the sculpture seemed to pulse faster, as if responding to Jigsaw’s agitated mental state. Jigsaw’s horn began to tingle as though it had pins and needles. He made his way down the spiraling staircase until he stood at the bottom of the structure. It was even more impressive than before, standing almost three stories high. Upon close inspection, Jigsaw was able to see that the crystal was tinged blue, though the color was almost entirely drowned out by the white light. Tentatively, Jigsaw reached out a hoof and laid it against the surface of the crystal. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting- a great surge of power, the revelation of the location of the fragment, or something equally as impressive. Instead, all that happened was his hoof begun to tingle as well, like it had fallen asleep. “Can you feel anything?” the priest called. “Just a sort of tingling,” Jigsaw called back. “Some of us can feel it. Most of us can’t. It’s good to know you ponies from Stalliongrad are not dead to the goddesses." Jigsaw made his way back up the staircase, and soon stood next to the priest again. “I have two more questions,” he asked. “Oh?” the priest said, an eyebrow raising. “Why Luna? What about Celestia?” The priest smiled. “You will forgive an old unicorn for forgetting to explain. We respect Celestia also, but she is not our patron. We do not find protection under the sun, nor do we find peace. Luna represents the ability to overcome our own worst nature. She encourages us to face our fears head-on and not to doubt ourselves. Celestia is far more passionate and quick to action. Luna recommends cautious action. Do you know the legend of Nightmare Moon?” “Of course,” Jigsaw said. “Every foal in the-“ he caught himself just in time. He had about to say “the caves.” “-place I grew up knew the old stories.” “Good,” the priest said. “That’s an example of what I mean. That story illustrates that, sometimes, even the best of us fall from grace, but that nopony is lost for good.” Jigsaw nodded. “I understand. I do have one more question.” “Yes?” “What is the radio tower?” The priest frowned. “That is a mystery even to us. The old legends make no mention of it other than as a marker of the east, and none can approach it. It seems to be masked with the same magic that protects this city. If somepony attempts to approach it from the ground or the air, they will appear to be walking directly towards it- until they suddenly come out the other side, or worse, stumble off the clouds up above. Strange as it is, Totemhoof could not exist without it. It’s first and most obvious use it regulating our day and night cycle. It turns off and on on a strict 12-hour schedule. What’s less obvious is that we grow our crops by it’s light. Indirect and filtered by cloud though it may be, any crop it touches grows hardy and strong. I believe it to be a gift from Luna herself.” Jigsaw nodded silently and turned to look at the crystal again. “Can I have some time alone here?” Jigsaw asked. The priest hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Certainly. I will be outside if you need anything.” As soon as the priest disappeared in the darkness of the exit, Jigsaw’s horn began to glow, and his saddlebags undid themselves. Jigsaw felt awful, having had to lie to the kindly priest so often, but Jigsaw had no idea how he would react if he knew the truth. It was better not to tell him. The pieces of the teleporter came floating lazily out and arranged themselves in front of Jigsaw. He found what he was looking for, and with a small amount of effort, a small ball of metal came floating out. He placed the other components on the ground and began to focus on the small ball. The top of it lifted off, revealing the tiny sphere of crystals within. Each one was held in place by a thin metal rod. Jigsaw had found it when he was tinkering with the device by fireside, but he hadn’t thought much of it until now. An array of focusing crystals was aligned all around the spell-fixing matrix- the gem that held the teleportation spell. With great care, Jigsaw pried it from the inside of the sphere and levitated it to himself. It was a deep red, almost mahogany colored, and opaque. A very large crack ran down the length of the gem along with several smaller cracks to either side. Any magical properties it once had had long since been leeched out of it. Jigsaw grasped it in his mouth and led it over to the statue in the center of the room and gingerly touched the point of it to the surface of the statue, saying a silent prayer to Luna to fix the gem. He knew it was a long shot, but stranger things had happened to him. Nothing happened for a few seconds, then the gem suddenly got very hot, so hot that Jigsaw had to spit it out and back away. To his surprise, however, the gem did not fall to the ground. Instead, it stuck to the statue, quivering, as though the point had been driven into the surface like a knife into the earth. Then it burst into flames, burning brightly for several moments, before it was consumed. It didn’t even leave ashes. Jigsaw was stunned. He hadn’t expected that to happen. He had hardly expected anything at all to happen. Now he had no way of repairing the teleporter. He cursed under his breath before gathering up all the parts and stuffing them back into his saddlebag. He still had one thing he wanted to try before he left. After almost five minutes of walking through what he know realized was a truly gigantic underground space, he arrived at the far side. He almost snorted with laughter when he found what he was looking for. The legendary locked door that nopony had been able to open for almost two thousand years was nothing more than a simple maintenance door, identical to the one he had encountered immediately after escaping the caves. The writing on the door was in the old language and almost entirely unrecognizable. In the center of the door, like a bull’s-eye, was a small hole, intended for a unicorn horn. Jigsaw took a deep breath. Did he really want to do this alone? This might be his only chance to enter without arousing suspicion, but he still wasn’t up to his full strength. Eventually, his curiosity won out, and he lowered his horn into the receptacle. He nearly passed out from the shock. There were powerful enchantments on this door, dozens if not hundreds of wards to keep out all but the authorized user. The protective magic weighed down on Jigsaw as though a boulder had been suddenly dropped on his back. He wanted to shout out, but he thought better of it. Then after a few moments, he felt the spells snap. There was a blinding flash of light, and a retort like a firecracker, and the door swung open. Jigsaw stood there, panting. If he hadn’t been completely sure there was a fragment somewhere in this town, he was now. Nothing could possess a pony to cast a spell that powerful unless they had something valuable to hide. He stepped inside, and the door swung shut behind him. There was a rush of air and a feeling of intense heat, and Jigsaw knew that the spell had set itself again. At least he didn’t have to worry about being followed. He was in a simple, unadorned metal hallway. Rusty and corroded pipes ran along the roof and flecks of paint could be seen peeling off the walls. Jigsaw set off at a trot, taking note of all the rooms he passed. This seemed to once be a barracks of some kind. Metal frames that must have once held mattresses were lined up against walls in almost uniform distribution. Something about the place felt familiar, but he couldn’t quite place what. Soon, he reached the end of the hallway. A thick, rectangular ventilation shaft seemed to have fallen from the ceiling to his left, all but blocking the path, so he set down the right passageway. Then, like he had walked straight into a pole, it hit him. He knew this place because he had been somewhere almost identical before. Before they got to Stalliongrad- the strange building with all the Celestia symbols that they had almost trapped themselves in- this place was almost exactly the same. Jigsaw tested his theory the next spot he found where there had clearly once been paint. He took a deep breath and blew the dust off the wall, and there it was. The outline was faint, but there had clearly once been a moon insignia on the wall. Totemhoof was built on the former site of an underground bunker belonging to the Luna side of the Grand Cataclysm. It didn’t take Jigsaw long to find the bank of computers where he had nearly trapped himself before. He knew better than to turn them on this time around, though the temptation was strong. Instead, he headed off through one of the doorways and down a staircase. The rest of his trip was uneventful. The place had clearly been picked clean eons ago- probably by whoever had enchanted the door. Jigsaw was on the verge of giving up and going home before he found something extremely out of place. He had just finished climbing down another flight of stairs. By this point, he was so deep his ears had popped. The hallway that stretched out before him was only a few yards long, and it ended with another door. This door, however, was clearly not original to the facility. It was made of wood and engraved with the cycles of the moon. Jigsaw’s heart leapt when he saw it- it was obvious what was behind this door! When he opened it, he could hardly believe his eyes. He was standing on a catwalk near the top of another immense room, though not quite as large as the room with the statue. What drew his eye immediately was what was in the center. Docked to a large tower was a Lunar Battleship. He had seen diagrams and pictures in books in the library where he grew up, of course, but he never thought I had seen one in real life. It looked as though the years had taken a toll on it, though. In the pictures, it looked huge and majestic, soaring through the air over crowds of cheering ponies. Flown by Luna herself, it was supposed to be a huge armored balloon, impenetrable even by dragonfire, the perfect melding of magic and machine, the ultimate in pre-fall war technology, able to staff a crew of almost thirty ponies. The mast at the front of the ship depicted a pegasus soaring towards the skies. This one did not look nearly so good. The floor beneath it was scattered with tiny pieces of metal, indicating parts had fallen off of it. The balloons still looked inflated, amazingly, but the mast had corroded to a near-unrecognizable state. Jigsaw’s first thoughts were that their vehicle problems were solved- with this, they could sail around the entire world in a matter of weeks, and even stand a fighting chance of beating off Tantalus’s attacks. Soon, though, reality set in. If this thing could even fly- which he doubted more and more as he looked at it- there was no way it’s more advanced offensive and defensive systems were operational. Then an even more bizarre thought hit him. Why had they docked an airship hundreds of feet underground? More pressingly, how? Eventually, he tore his eyes away from the ship and began to inspect the rest of the room. The ceiling seemed to be made of strange glass- Jigsaw had no idea why that was. Then he found what he had been looking for. In one far corner of the room the panels had been torn off the wall and a small recess had been dug into the wall, revealing more crystals. In the center of all these, floating serenely, was the fragment of Luna. The crystals all around it were pulsing with the same soft white light as the statue above had, and strange, heavy wires were attached to the crystals and ran up into the ceiling. Jigsaw realized with a jolt that these were the same cables he had seen distantly running up the side of the decrepit radio tower. “That’s one mystery solved, at least,” Jigsaw said to himself. He made his way down a narrow industrial-looking spiral staircase to where the fragment lay. He was almost upon it before he screeched to a halt. If he absorbed this fragment, what would that mean to Totemhoof? It seemed as though this was their source of life. At the very least, it was the thing that allowed them to grow food. They weren’t stealing its power like Stalliongrad was. No, they had been resourceful and found out how to use the power of the fragment to their advantage without committing terrible crimes. Jigsaw had no idea how they managed to discover the fragment’s effects on crystals, but he had no doubt they would disappear if he took the fragment away. He couldn’t do that to the town that had taken him- and many Stalliongrad refugees- in and kept them safe. He needed to talk to Tiptoe and Incendia. He retraced his steps back up through the facility, which wasn’t difficult, as he’d cut a wide swath through the dust on his way down. He unlocked the door leading to the chamber with the statue, and closed it carefully behind him. He made his way swiftly towards the door at the other end. He had no idea how long he had been down there, but he doubted the priest wasn’t suspicious by now. Much to his surprise and relief, however, the priest wasn’t waiting for him outside the door. Instead, he found him near the exit, standing in the waning light from the radio tower above. “You spent a while down there,” he observed. “I don’t blame you. It strikes each of us differently.” “It was… an experience,” Jigsaw said with a nervous chuckle. “It was nice to meet you, Jigsaw,” the priest said. “You, too,” Jigsaw said, setting off towards home. But after only a few steps something made him pause. He turned to face the old priest. “Who are you? What’s your name?” The old priest smiled. “The important thing is that you know yours. You’ve been through a lot, I can tell. Seen things nopony should have to see. But it’s important you never lose track of your own identity. You’re very troubled, Jigsaw, but I know you have a good heart.” Jigsaw said. “Thank you again,” he said, and began to canter away. “Moonbow,” the priest called when Jigsaw was nearly out of the church courtyard. “My name is Moonbow.” Jigsaw arrived at the house to find it empty. He was concerned that something had happened to the other two, but after only a few moments, he heard hoofsteps outside the front door. Incendia and Tiptoe entered, the smiles on their faces dropping as they saw Jigsaw’s face. “We need to talk.” Jigsaw gave them a detailed account of everything he had done that day. When he finished, nopony said a word. “We can’t take the fragment away from these ponies,” Incendia said. “They don’t deserve that. And… and this is the only place my people have left.” “Absolutely not,” Tiptoe agreed. “I don’t think so either, but we’re going to have to eventually. We can’t just leave it here.” “Maybe there’s some way around it!” Tiptoe said eagerly. “Some way to take the fragment and still keep the city functioning.” “If you know it, feel free to tell me,” Jigsaw said. “I’m open to ideas.” Tiptoe went silent, blushing slightly. “Thought not. Now, I think we should focus on the two things we can do something about- the airship and whatever is causing the whole east side of the city to be effectively off limits. Do you know anything about that?” Tiptoe shook her head, but Incendia spoke up. “I saw a huge squadron of armed ponies filing out of one of those churches. I know a military action when I see it, and that was one on a massive scale.” “They’re fighting something?” Tiptoe said. “What could it possibly be?” “I want to say Tantalus,” Jigsaw said, “but I doubt he would attack so overtly. I don’t think he has any way to know our location, anyway. I don’t sense him nearby.” “Those goddess-powers are kinda scary, Jigsaw,” Incendia said, smiling slightly. “Scary, but useful,” he said. “Can we discuss this in the morning?” Tiptoe said, yawning. “I’m exhausted.” “Agreed,” said Incendia. “I’m completely burnt-out.” Jigsaw groaned, but he couldn’t help but smile. It didn’t hurt that Tiptoe’s yawn had been just about the most adorable thing he had ever seen. “Alright, we’ll call it a day for today and reconvene in the morning. Goodnight, everypony.” As if on cue, the light from the radio tower snuffed out, signaling the start of night. Jigsaw and Tiptoe made their way into the bedroom and the brunt of Jigsaw’s exhaustion finally hit him. Climbing all those stairs had taken more out of him than he had thought. He flopped onto the soft mattress, thankful he had something more comfortable to sleep on that dirt and twigs. Tiptoe snuggled in alongside him, and they fell into deep, if not entirely untroubled, sleep.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:24:18+00:00

2012-10-13T06:24:18+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 26 by PK Tiptoe awoke with a start. Something had stuck her- hard- in the back. She attempted to roll over, but was hit again, this time just below her ribcage. With a flap of her wings, she propelled herself out of the bed and spun to look at what was hitting her. Unsurprisingly, it was Jigsaw. He was tossing and turning violently in his sleep. The sheets lay in a heap at the foot of the bed, presumably kicked off. Tiptoe didn't know how she hadn't been woken up before, Jigsaw was trashing so violently. She approached the bed to try and wake him when she noticed something odd: even though the lights of the city had only just begun to glow, the interior of the room was bathed with a golden light. She glanced around to the braziers mounted on the walls and saw that they were cold. The light seemed to be emanating from Jigsaw himself. Tiptoe froze, suddenly unsure if waking Jigsaw was the best choice of action. However, after a moment of consideration, she began to inch closer and closer to him. "Jigsaw?" she whispered. "Jigsaw, are you okay?" Jigsaw didn't respond. He was still thrashing about, threatening to tumble out of bed. "Jigsaw?" she called a little louder, unease creeping into her voice. This time, however, Jigsaw seemed to respond. The thrashing became less violent, and the tension seemed to leave his muscles. Tiptoe let out a sigh. Her relief was short-lived. A moment later, Jigsaw began to twitch and writhe uncontrollably. Tiptoe's eyes widened with fright. "Incendia!" she shouted, her voice cracking, "Incendia, get in here, I think Jigsaw's having some kind of a seizure!" She heard a muffled clatter and a sizzling sound, but at that moment, the light atop the massive radio tower burst to life, signaling the start of morning. Jigsaw stopped twitching, going truly limp this time. The golden light slowly receded until the room was illuminated only by the light filtering in through the window. Tiptoe approached Jigsaw slowly once more, and tentatively nuzzled him. "Jigsaw? Are you alright?" Jigsaw's eye's flung open, and his horn began to glow with a blue light. This was unlike the light that normally shone from his horn, however. It was a significantly darker shade of blue. Tiptoe tried to step back, but was horrified to find that Jigsaw's magic was holding her in place. Jigsaw's eyes began to glow, shining with a deep blue light in much the same way that Incendia's eyes glowed when she ignited. "Jigsaw, what are you doing?" Tiptoe pleaded. "Let me down!" Jigsaw turned to look at her, his eyes unfocused and glossy, iridescent in the light from the window and shining from within. When he opened his mouth, the voice that issued out bore little resemblance to his own. It was deeper, more forceful, and dreadfully raspy. It said, each word booming through the bedroom, "You have not yet seen the shape of things to come." It was then that Incendia burst into the room, a frying pan containing three sizzling eggs floating in an orange haze just behind her. Her mouth fell agape with horror at the scene in the bedroom that was playing out before her— Tiptoe struggling in mid air, suspended in a tight band of light projecting from Jigsaw's horn. She dropped the eggs and focused her energies towards the spot in between Jigsaw and Tiptoe. With a sound like a firecracker, they flew apart. Tiptoe caught herself in mid-air with a flap of her wings, but Jigsaw flew out of bed and smacked into the far wall. The glow instantly disappeared from both his eyes and his horn and, a moment later, he got shakily to his feet. "What... oh goddesses, my head... What just happened?" he asked. Tiptoe galloped up to him and flung herself over his shoulders. The sudden shock nearly threw Jigsaw back onto the floor, but he stumbled and managed to maintain his footing. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Tiptoe cried, pulling away from him. "I thought something awful was happening to you!" "I feel like I just had a statue dropped on me," he said, with a shaky smile at Incendia, who was still eyeing him suspiciously. "I'm okay now." "You weren't okay when I came in," she observed, making her way closer to the spot on the bed where Jigsaw had just been and examining it, as if she expected to find some kind of residue. "What happened?" she asked, turning to Tiptoe. "Jigsaw kicked me awake," Tiptoe said, "and it looked like he was having some kind of seizure. He was also... well, he seemed to be glowing. Then, right when morning started, he picked me up and he said 'you have not yet seen the shape of things to come,' then... well, you came in and did the rest." "I'm so sorry, Tiptoe," Jigsaw said. "I didn't do those things. I don't know what came over me." "Well, at any rate, I couldn't sleep well last night," Incendia said, "so I got up early and made breakfast. We might as well eat. Big day ahead of us." They all made their way into the main room. As they exited, Jigsaw shot a dark look out the window at the radio tower and muttered, "I may have some idea of what came over me." In short order, Incendia had them all settled down at the table. Luckily, she had been able to salvage the eggs that had dropped on the floor of the bedroom. After breakfast, they all felt a little calmer and more levelheaded, and some semblance of normalcy had returned. "Where did you learn to cook so well, Incendia?" Jigsaw asked. "It wasn't always a life of excitement, Stalliongrad," Incendia said. "I had time to experiment with my powers here and there, and being a natural stove means I was often the one that had to cook. Eventually, I started just doing it to relax." Jigsaw nodded, then let out a deep sigh. "We should probably talk about what happened this morning." He felt the mood in the room change instantly. Whatever calm mood had pervaded before was gone. Undeterred, he pressed on. "I don't know, but I think it was a warning. Something is going to happen today, and I don’t think we have a lot of time to act." "How can you possibly know that, Jigsaw?" Incendia asked. "Because whatever it was, it was inside me. I can't really explain it. I just… I really think this place is in danger." "Well, what's our plan of action?" Tiptoe said, with a sharp look at Incendia, who was still eyeing Jigsaw suspiciously. "We need to sneak into the church and get a closer look at the airship," Jigsaw said, though he didn't sound entirely sure of himself. "What about the fragment?" Incendia asked. "Shouldn't we collect that while we're at it?" Jigsaw sighed again, got to his feet, and began pacing around the table. "I've been thinking about that, and I just don't know. The fragment is the only thing keeping this place safe. Who knows what would happen to it if it was taken away?" "But we can't just sit here and do nothing," Incendia countered. "After what happened this morning, do you really think that you'll be able to just walk away?" "Probably not," Jigsaw conceded, "but let's just get going. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Jigsaw threw on his saddlebags and they left their cozy home and began to retrace the winding route Jigsaw had taken the previous day. The streets were sparser and and more bare than they had ever seen before. Here and there, ponies were erecting shops or watering flowers, but they seemed lethargic and listless. In fact, the only ponies who seemed to not be diminished were the pegasi. Their forms were still clearly visible, silhouetted against the gray of the sky. Eventually, they came to a section of street that had a small wooden barrier erected in it, which stated simply "Closed for repairs." They took a detour around a large grassy field and ended up walking on a colorfully tiled path that was within touching distance of the magical cloud barrier. "Have you noticed that every day there seem to be fewer and fewer ponies about on the streets?" Incendia asked. "It's bizarre. I wonder what's going-" Her words were cut off but a sudden blast of sound and hot air. The concussive wave broke over them, blowing clouds at them like a heavy fog and obscuring their vision. Before any of them could react beyond a gasp, however, the clouds suddenly rushed back into the cloud wall as if pulled by a powerful vacuum. As if pulled away, Jigsaw began to make out shapes on the path that had not been there before. Several ponies were lying splayed on the path ahead of them, as if they had been suddenly deposited there. They were all dressed in the dark blue capes of the temple guards, though most looked as though they had been torn to shreds. Several of the ponies had bright scarlet burns on their coats, and one was lying in a pool of rapidly increasing blood. "By the goddesses, what was that?" Incendia said. "My ears are still ringing. It sounded like something exploded!" Jigsaw opened his mouth to reply, but closed it suddenly when he noticed that one of the ponies- the one lying in a pool of blood- had a quill and inkwell as a cutie mark. Tiptoe and Jigsaw spoke at the same time, having evidently noticed the same thing. "Is… is that Quill Dipper?" They rushed over to the unicorn and tried to get a closer look at his face. Jigsaw's stomach clenched. It was Quill Dipper, and the blood was coming from a gash on the side of his face, running from his right ear, across his eye, and through to the tip of his nose. Blood gushed out in pulses. "Is he breathing?" Tiptoe asked in hushed tones. Jigsaw leaned down and put his face near Quill Dipper's. "Yes, but it's very shallow. I'm going to do what I can." Jigsaw's horn ignited, and he waved the tip over the cut. The wound glowed for a moment, and the blood lessened from a torrent to a trickle. "That's all I can do, I'm afraid," Jigsaw said. "I still haven't recovered fully from last time." One of the ponies who wasn't bleeding began to stir, groaning and grunting with pain. Jigsaw and Incendia rushed over to help him up. "Are you injured?" Jigsaw asked, eyeing the large burn on the earth pony's flank. "Nothing I can't deal with," the pony replied. "Then, do you mind if we ask a few questions?" Jigsaw said, his tone shifting from one of care to cold determination. "You're refugees, right?" the injured pony asked. "We're… not supposed to tell refugees about it, it's…" he trailed off upon seeing the look in Jigsaw's eyes. "That pony on the ground over there is a friend, and I think we deserve to not be kept in the dark. You can either tell us, or we're going to find out for ourselves." The earth pony looked for a moment as if he was going to resist, but his resolve faded. "Follow me," he said, taking a few shaky steps towards the cloud barrier. "Wait!" Tiptoe called, "What about Quill Dipper and the others?" The earth pony blinked, as if surprised to find that there were other ponies there, then slowly backed into the barrier. Without warning, it surged forward, engulfing them once more. When it contracted, the other ponies were gone. Even the blood had vanished. The tile looked as though it had been scoured clean. "Where did they go?" Tiptoe inquired. "Somewhere safe," replied the earth pony. Soon, Jigsaw, Tiptoe, and Incendia were making their way through the layer of cloud. It felt strangely different than when they had entered Totemhoof- the fog seemed like steam in a sauna, hot almost to the point of being uncomfortable. It seemed to try to buffet them, too, pulling them to one side or pushing them the other. As they walked, Jigsaw had to fight the urge to veer off to the left or right and continue following the burned pony. After several minutes, however, they emerged from the cloud barrier. What they saw was something far worse than any of them ever anticipated. They were standing at the foot of the huge hill that surrounded the valley that contained Totemhoof, and before them stretched out a battlefield. The sound was nearly deafening. Explosions could be seen off in the distance every few seconds, rocking ground with each blast. Pegasi swooped back and forth through the air, piling cloud on to the cloud barrier. Jigsaw couldn't help but notice they were all dressed in the blue robes of the temple guards. The ground directly in front of them was filled with tents and camps. Earth ponies and unicorns rushed around, moving equipment or soldiers. "What's going on?" asked Incendia, her eyes wide. "What is this place?" "We're fighting a war. Let's get into a tent, then I can explain everything to you. We're not safe out here." A moment later, the four of them were huddled inside a pure white tent which had been erected directly in front of the cloud barrier. The earth pony stumbled over to a wooden cabinet in the corner of the tent, opened the doors with his teeth, and grabbed a tube of salve, which he squeezed onto the burn on his flank. "We've been fighting a war. That's why so many houses are deserted and why we've been so willing to take in refugees," he said. He spoke quickly, pausing only to take breath, as though he'd been waiting a long time to say these words. "It all started just a few days ago. We've always been prepared, of course, just in case somepony tried to invade, but they came so suddenly. Followers of Tantalus, you know." "What?" Jigsaw spluttered. The earth pony ignored him and continued. "They just came and came and came and didn't stop. At first we just let the cloud barrier do its thing, but after a while it started to get thinner and thinner. We realized that they were degrading it somehow! So we launched a counterattack, but they're crazy. They're not even ponies, some of them! I didn't even know griffons were still around until they started attacking. But they just keep throwing themselves at us! I don't know how they do it, but they never seem to get smaller in number, even though they're dying by the hundreds. Well, it worked, I suppose, because they managed to diminish our numbers so much that we were worried about sustaining our population. Almost all the pegasi have been assigned to keeping the cloud barrier functional, and the rest of us are out fighting on the front lines. After we figured out the refugees didn't like Tantalus any more than we do, we decided to let them in, but Moonbow himself stepped in at the last minute and barred anyone from telling them about the war until they were ready. It makes sense when you think about it, I suppose. They came from a city that was destroyed into one that was about to be if we didn't win. How's that for unlucky?" The trio simply sat for several moments, not sure how to react to the information so unceremoniously dumped into their laps. It was Incendia who spoke first. "You lied to them?" she demanded, advancing towards the earth pony, who suddenly looked as though he regretted telling her that bit of news. "You lied to my people? Made them think they had finally found a safe home?" "Incendia…" Tiptoe said softly. "It wasn't his fault." Incendia wasn't listening. The earth pony was now at the edge of the tent, unable to back up farther, and Incendia was still advancing. "Do you have any idea what we've been through? What most of our lives were in Stalliongrad?" As she spoke, her horn began to glow, and flames began to form on her coat. She was within inches of the earth pony, who now looked abjectly horrified. Tiptoe lunged forward as if to make a motion to stop her, but Incendia merely stamped her hoof and turned away from the earth pony. The flames on her coat slowly ebbed and died. "I'm sorry about that," Tiptoe said to the earth pony, who was still eyeing Incendia wearily. "I understand," he said. "But please remember, I'm just a hoof soldier. I didn't choose to do this, and I haven't been able to talk about it with anyone since." "I'll wait near the mouth of the tent," Incendia said. "I need some air." She tromped off looking disgruntled. "I'm sorry about that," Jigsaw said apologetically as the earth pony stepped away from the canvas wall of the tent, still looking unnerved. "I'd like to ask you a few questions." "Like what?" the soldier replied. "Like what exactly does the cloud barrier do?" "It keeps the city safe. Anything that enters the clouds that isn't a resident of Totemhoof or possessing the permission of a citizen to enter won't be able to. They'll just get turned around and come out the other side of the valley, or right back out where they entered. Sometimes they even come out at the top of the clouds. We don't know how it was made, but it's the only thing that's kept us safe from marauders since the founding of the city. Radio tower is kinda like that too, same principle," The earth pony stammered. "What about what you did with the cloud and Quill Dipper?" "That's another thing citizens can do, if we need to. It's a defense mechanism— we can use the clouds to transport injured ponies to a healer. Anypony can do it, if they can get in the clouds." "What did you mean by followers of Tantalus? Who are they?" "You never heard of them back in Stalliongrad?" "Uh, no," Jigsaw said quickly. "They didn't freely release information about that back there." "Ah, okay. Well, they're nasty characters. You should consider yourself lucky for having not heard about them. We don't know much about them, other than they follow Tantalus. They don't seem to have any kind of organization and they don't stop coming, ever. They just throw themselves at us. Never dispose of their dead. Near as we can tell, they don’t even treat their wounded. They just let them rot where they fall. And the unicorns use some of the worst magic I've ever seen. Huge fireballs, ponies turned inside out, the works. They don't look quite right either. Like the walking dead, they are. Not dead, though. Die as easy as anything else. More like they just went crazy and don't care about anything anymore." "How did you end up getting blasted through the cloud layer?" Jigsaw asked. "Some kind of explosive they lobbed at us. We were standing near the clouds at the time and the blast knocked us through them." "I need to see the battle for myself," Jigsaw said. "Don't know why'd you want to see that," the earth pony replied, "but okay, there's some binoculars in the cabinet." Jigsaw levitated the binoculars out of the cabinet and all three of them left the tent. Incendia was standing just outside, staring out at the distant battlefield. Jigsaw listed the binoculars and looked out at the spot where Incendia appeared to be looking. The battle was too hectic and fast paced for him to make out much of anything, but he saw a few strange dark shapes— griffons, perhaps— darting to and fro in the air, and strange green fires that charred the earth beneath. A mass of blue, presumably the temple guards, stood facing away from Totemhoof, forming a defensive wall which was hurling what looked like spears at the disorganized mass behind it. Jigsaw passed the binoculars to Incendia and Tiptoe in turn, each surveying the battle playing out so far away. When they had looked their fill, Incendia turned to the earth pony. "How long did you say this battle has been going on for?” “This is the fourth day of fighting, I think,” the earth pony replied plaintively. “It’s hard to tell when you don’t have the lights of the city to tell the days apart.” “You set all this up in four days?” Incendia said incredulously. “Like I said, we’re always prepared for invasions. They just... usually aren’t of this magnitude. We’ve never lost so many before.” “What do we do now?” Tiptoe whispered to Jigsaw. “The plan isn’t changed. We still need to get to the fragment. There’s nothing we can do about this.” “But Jigsaw,” Tiptoe whispered back insistently, “if we take the fragment, then the clouds will probably dissipate! We can’t risk that knowing what we do now!” “We’ll discuss it when we get there. Either way, we still need to get down there to check out the airship. It looked like we might be able to get it working again or at the very least get some useful things to scavenge,” Jigsaw spoke, his words sounding hollow and monotonous. “Are you okay?” Tiptoe said, her throat constricting slightly with worry. Jigsaw blinked. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just... that’s a lot to take in at once. My mind is reeling.” “I understand what you mean,” Incendia said, joining the whispered conversation. “This is exactly what I was hoping wouldn’t happen.” “Should we get going?” Tiptoe asked the group. “I don’t see much point in sticking around.” “Agreed,” Jigsaw and Incendia said in unison. “Uh, excuse me,” Jigsaw called to the earth pony soldier, who was so intent on watching the far-off battle that he had apparently not noticed they had stopped. “Can we get back through the cloud layer since we’re not technically citizens?” “Hm?” the earth pony mumbled, still intent on watching the battle. Then, he seemed to process that somepony had spoken to him. “Oh, yes, you should be fine. Giving you a house was implicit permission, I should think.” “Could you give us permission, just in case?” Jigsaw asked. “I don’t want to stumble out above the clouds. Only one of us has wings.” “Yeah, sure. I, Spring Seed, give you permission to enter and leave Totemhoof as you see fit,” he said, though he still hadn’t taken his eyes off the battlefield. “Well, we should be good to go, then,” Jigsaw said, turning back towards the group. “Goodbye,” said the earth pony dreamily, “and good luck, whatever it is you’re trying to do.” “I think he got a blow to the head in the blast,” Jigsaw hissed to Tiptoe, who had to repress a snort of laughter. They made their way through the cloud layer, once again fighting the compulsion to drift one way or the other, before finally emerging back onto the tiled pathway. ~~~ Jigsaw, Tiptoe, and Incendia stood before the mighty facade of the church. Jigsaw felt that the huge stone building seemed significantly more imposing now that he was faced with the prospect of sneaking inside. “Remind me again why we can’t just walk in?” Tiptoe said nervously, her eyes wide and neck craned upwards to take in as much of the building as possible. “Because I don’t think I have free reign to just walk in there any time I feel like,” Jigsaw said, “much less with two other ponies in tow. Plus, even if they don’t mind that, I highly doubt we’ll be left alone long enough to get inside the door at the back. Apparently, regular citizens aren’t even allowed in most of the time. So we’re gonna need you to work your magic, Tiptoe.” She gulped and nodded. “You two are going to have to do exactly as I do, though. I can’t guarantee we’ll all be safe.” “Hey, look at me,” Jigsaw said gently. Tiptoe tore her eyes away from the church and focusing on Jigsaw. Before she realized what he had in mind, he leaned forward, and their lips met. Incendia glanced towards the ground, suddenly flushed. They broke apart. “You’ll be fine, Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said. “I believe in you.” Looking bolstered, if a bit flustered, Tiptoe nodded and began to make her way up the steps. After a brief struggle with the heavy door, all three of them managed to slip inside the ancient, weathered stone building. The hallway was rather chillier than outside had been. In place of torches, those strange crystals jutted out of the walls at seemingly random intervals. The intermittent lighting was a blessing for Tiptoe, however. She slunk alongside the walls like a cat, holding herself lower to the ground than normal. Her bones suddenly seemed to stop factoring in to her movements. It was as if her whole body had gone fluid, flowing along the wall and around corners as if she were made of water. Incendia could hardly believe what she was seeing. Tiptoe seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. While she and Jigsaw had to struggle to keep their hooves from clopping loudly against the stone of the tunnel, but Tiptoe seemed to be able to turn off sound around her. For Incendia, it added a whole other layer of attraction to Tiptoe. Several times, ponies emerged from branching passageways, talking quickly in hushed tones. Tiptoe whipped back against the wall, Incendia and Jigsaw following her lead, pressing themselves tightly into the crevices and imperfections in the rock wall and hoping they didn’t look directly at them. They also had to pause occasionally for Jigsaw to try and remember which branching passageway would lead them to the correct chamber. Finally, however, after what seemed like hours of tension, they approached the small, roughly cut stone door. Jigsaw shimmied open the door, and the trio slipped inside. The giant crystal sculpture glimmered from the recessed pit in the center of the cavern, but the rest of the cave was utterly unremarkable. “I think we can stop sneaking now,” Tiptoe said, straightening up. “What is that?” she asked, tilting her head in the direction of the statue, which was pulsing rapidly. “It’s not important,” Jigsaw said. “What’s important is what’s over there.” They made their way through the room, the rapidly pulsing light from the statue creating a nearly blinding strobe effect, making their motions look oddly robotic and unnatural. They approached the door at the far side of the cave, and Jigsaw inserted his horn. The pulsing light from the statue suddenly ceased, becoming placid and calm. Incendia’s hair bristled as she felt a sudden wave of heat emanate from the door, then, with another loud snap and a flash of light, the door swung open. Jigsaw took charge, leading them down the labyrinthine and decrepit network of stairs and corridors. “We always seem to come back to this, don’t we?” Jigsaw said, glancing over his shoulder at Tiptoe. “The two of us, walking through narrow, underground passageways, in the dark.” “And there’s usually mortal peril involved,” Tiptoe added, giggling. “Hey! I’m here too!” Incendia chided. “Well, Incendia, welcome to the club,” Jigsaw said, laughing. They turned a corner and their mirth died instantly. “This is the door,” Jigsaw said. “The airship is in here.” “And the fragment?” Incendia asked. “What are we going to do about that?” Jigsaw didn’t answer. Instead, he opened up the door with a push of his head, bathing the dark hallway in brilliant light. The airship sat there, looking exactly as it had when Jigsaw has been there previously. In the carved out section of the room, the fragment floated serenely, looking as though it was suspended in a brightly glowing thunder-egg. “It’s beautiful,” Tiptoe said, staring at the airship. “Has it really been here for all this time?” “Well, obviously, somepony came in here at some point to deposit the fragment.” Jigsaw replied evenly. “But it hasn’t flown in all that time?” Tiptoe said, her voice low. “I doubt it.” “Why is the ceiling black?” Incendia asked, staring up. “That’s a very good question,” Jigsaw said. “I haven’t the slightest idea.” “It kinda looks like the sky on the night side of Stalliongrad, when clouds would block out the moon and the stars,” Incendia said absently. “Fitting,” said Jigsaw. “But now I think we’re going to have to decide what to do with the fragment.” “We can’t take it,” Incendia said without delay. “My people are surviving here. If we take that fragment, it might make the clouds dissipate. We can’t afford to take it.” “I don’t know,” Tiptoe said hesitantly. Both Jigsaw and Incendia looked at her in surprise. She gulped. “Well, we don’t really know what made those clouds, do we? We don’t have any proof it’s the fragment. For all we know, it’s just been sitting here. Plus, what do you think the consequences of not taking it would be? Maybe it would protect the city in the short term, but can we really afford to just sit around and let Tantalus run rampant? He’s not going to stop looking for us just because we stopped fighting.” “What are you saying?” Incendia said waspishly. “Are you saying we should just finish the job you two started back in Stalliongrad? And what do you think those cables are for if the crystal is just sitting here?” Tiptoe’s eyes grew wide. She looked hurt. “Incendia,” Jigsaw said, stepping forward into Incendia’s field of vision, “you know we didn’t mean what happened in Stalliongrad. We didn’t want it to happen.” “But you want it to finish!” Incendia shouted, her horn sparking to life in spite of herself. “You’re willing to risk the destruction of my people— for what?” “To stop the destruction of everything else!” Tiptoe shouted back. She was getting angry, too. “Now, you two,” Jigsaw said. “Let’s calm down and discuss this like adult—” BOOM! The room suddenly jerked and shook, as though an earthquake had struck. The three of them stumbled, and hundreds of years of dust trickled down from the ceiling. "What was that?" Incendia shouted. "The room is collapsing!" Jigsaw cried. "Things must have taken a turn for the worse in the battle up above.” “What do we do?” asked Tiptoe, her eyes darting around the room frantically. “We can’t go back!” Jigsaw shouted. “Those tunnels will have already collapsed! Quick, into the airship!” Incendia and Tiptoe rushed to the base of the airship, and Tiptoe took off, flying up ten feet and snatching the door handle in her teeth. It swung down, a staircase unfolding out of it. The staircase seemed to be made of brilliantly cut crystal. “Jigsaw! Get in here!” Tiptoe called, gesturing towards the airship door. “Hold on! I have an idea!” He turned around to the fragment, which was still floating serenely amid the numerous glowing crystals. The room gave another great rumble, nearly throwing Jigsaw off balance, but before long he came to it. “I hope you’re happy,” he whispered under his breath. “I hope you know what you’re doing. Because from here I’m not seeing too much difference between you and him.” He leaned down low and touched the tip of his horn to the silvery orb. Instantly, light and sound exploded around him. He was surrounded by a whirlwind of silver mist, swirling around him faster and faster. His horn burned, his head felt as though it was about to burst, and then- It was over. He stumbled for a moment, then blinked. He knew what he had to do. ~~~ Tiptoe rushed inside the airship, joining Incendia in the dark interior. The space they were in had clearly once been grand. It was tall enough for Tiptoe to do a loop-de-loop, and the walls still contained stripes of dark blue paint. BOOM! Another tremor, stronger than the first, shook the airship. Tiptoe was thrown face first onto the cold, metal tiles of the floor. This time, the room did not settle. It kept shaking, throwing them to and fro. Bits of railing crumbled down from a walkway above, slamming into the ground like giant bullets. Incendia and Tiptoe crowded together under a rotting wooden desk in a weak attempt to protect themselves from the heavy debris slamming down around them. “What do we do?” Tiptoe asked again. “Jigsaw had collected the fragment, and then...” Some ancient piece of heavy machinery smashed down mere feet from their hiding spot, prompted both of the trapped ponies to scream with shock. Incendia made a snap decision. There was no way they could get out of here, they must have been thousands of feet underground. If she was going to die in this pit, she had to say something first. “Tiptoe, there’s something I need you to know,” Incendia shouted over the sound of metal slamming into metal. “What?” replied Tiptoe. “I love you!” Suddenly, it was as all the sound had been sucked out of the room. Tiptoe started at Incendia, wide-eyed in shock. She opened her mouth to respond, when Jigsaw’s voice interrupted her. “Where are you two? I think I know how to get out of here!” Tiptoe and Incendia bounced up from under the desk to see Jigsaw standing there, a shining crystal floating in mid air to his left and the disassembled bits of Incendia’s shoulder teleporter to his right. “We need to get to the engine rooms! This way! We don’t have any time to waste!” He took off running down a hallway to the left, the other two hot on his hooves. Before too long, they came to a room that was full of all sorts of strange-looking metallic objects. Tubes and pipes were everywhere, and three tanks of softly glowing liquid lined the walls to their left Jigsaw didn’t have any time to look around, however. Time was of the essence. With reckless force, he tore a large, dark black crystal out of a small chamber in a huge machine in the center of the room and stuck the brightly glowing crystal in its place. Then, he turned on the spot and galloped out, yelling at the others to follow. They turned a corner and came to the narrow coil of a spiral staircase, which they climbed as quick as they could. The top of it was the underside of a trapdoor, which Jigsaw threw open with wild abandon. The room beyond was lined with screens on three of the four walls; some were larger than a pony, yet others seemed so small that they looked as though they could never have shown anything useful. Jigsaw shot around the room, tearing our bundles of cable— with his teeth, no less— and hastily splicing in bits and pieces from the teleporter. “That’s all I can do,” Jigsaw said, rushing up to the back of the room, where a large, padded chair stood facing the fourth wall, which wasn’t so much a wall as a lack thereof. Where it should have been, there was simply a large, open space, through which they could see out onto the room. “We’re at the top of the ship?” Tiptoe said with confusion. “How did we get up here so fast?” Jigsaw wasn’t listening. He settled himself into the chair and his horn began to glow. A small dashboard rose out of the ground at his hooves, complete with yet another screen and a bright red lever. “They really built this for show, didn’t they?” Jigsaw said, more to himself than anyone else. He threw the lever down. The noise was deafening. A huge, high pitched hiss sounded, a deep rumbling, louder than any coming from the room outside began deep in the bowels of the ship, and extremely high screeching sounds emanated from all around them. Then, all sound died, save for a small hum. A bright light glimmered around the fourth wall for a moment, and an instant later the catwalk collapsed. One of the thick metal supports came swinging down directly towards the hole in the wall. Tiptoe and Incendia flinched instinctively, but when the column slammed into the hole, there was a flash of light and a sizzle, and the support ceased to exist. “What was that?” Tiptoe asked, her eyes wide. “I have no idea,” Jigsaw responded, “but we have to get out of here. Hold on tight!” Tiptoe and Incendia both bit on the nearby railing as the airship gave an almighty jerk and, to their utter shock, they began to rise up. Jigsaw’s horn was glowing a brilliant blue, and the screens around the room were coming to life one by one, displaying hundreds of lines of old world text. The pure-black ceiling had begun to flicker, glowing a brilliant white. As they rose, they seemed to pass right through it, the view of the crumbling underground chamber slowly wiping away to alabaster. Then they were out, floating out of the clouds, a few hundred yards away from the radio tower. Jigsaw started out at the tower in disbelief, then all three of them let out a hesitant laugh that quickly grew hysterical with relief. When they glanced out of the wall again, the laughter stopped abruptly. The clouds were pulling away from the city, swirling away as though repelled by a magnet. From their vantage point in the skies, they could clearly see the legions of Tantalus’ worshippers pouring up and over the hills protecting the city. The trio stared down at the city, watching the orange flicker of fires begin to spring up. “No,” Jigsaw said quietly. “No.” “What are you-” Tiptoe began, but Jigsaw’s horn had begun to glow brilliantly again. “We’re in the most powerful battleship from before the fall. I intend to use it. Press any and everything at that panel,” Jigsaw said, pointing to a number of screens displaying red, rapidly flashing old world text. “I’ve set it to only target Tantalus’ supports.” “You can do that?” Incendia asked. “I don’t know how it works, but they show up green on the targeting system,” he answered. “Citizens show up blue. Press it.” Incendia pressed the largest button she could find, and the room shook yet again. The high-pitched screeching sound began yet again, and Incendia stared up at the display. It was flashing scarlet, and text was flying by so quickly she could barely even tell letters apart. The screeching was deafening and then... A blue wave emanated from the bottom of the ship, speeding almost lazily towards the town, rippling and shimmering as it went. It washed over the town with what seemed, from their vantage point so far above, to be extreme sluggishness, but cover the town it did. “Press it again!” Jigsaw shouted, his expression intensely focused on the scene playing out below them. Incendia jammed the button again, and the airship gave another mighty shake. The alarms got even louder, and from far off, several small explosions could be heard. but down below, the blue light grew and grew, until it reached such an intensity that it was nearly blinding, then faded away. Down below, the mob of the invading army began doing something astonishing. “What’s going on?” Tiptoe asked as she peered over the side of the ship. The mass of green and red that was Tantalus’ forces seemed to have frozen in place, surrounded by a soft, blue glow, as though that strange wave had suddenly replaced all the ponies with ice sculptures. Jigsaw got up from the command chair and walked over to the console Incendia was operating, which was still spitting text faster than he could read. “What was that?” Incendia asked quietly. “What did I do?” “I used to read all about these as a colt,” Jigsaw said, staring at the console. “They were supposed to be the grandest vessels of their time, as well as the most powerful. It was said just one could win a war.” “Is it supposed to be making all these noises?” Incendia inquired, turning to look at the screens. “No,” Jigsaw said, pressing a button just below the one Incendia had pushed. Instantly, Jigsaw felt as though he was half as heavy as he should have been. They had begun to descend, and quickly. The alarms reached a fever pitch, nearly deafening them with their insistent whines. A bright white beam shot from the bottom of the ship, just visible out of the fourth wall, and slammed directly into the ground, moving perpendicular to the ship, which was floating lazily towards Totemhoof. Jigsaw galloped back up to the command chair and tried desperately to get the ship to rise, but nothing seemed to be responding. The controls were very simple- the magical engines made up for any intricacies of motion that could not be controlled by a joystick, but no matter how hard he pulled, the ship didn’t rise. The light from below passed over the now dark radio tower. The light seemed to get siphoned inside, flowing down the heavy cables and into the earth. All over the streetlights began to ignite, growing brighter until... Another blast rang out from below, the sound of thousands of streetlamps exploding, a dismal cacophony that caused the white light to spill out and rush through the streets as though the streetlights had become spigots. Wherever white light met the blue glow that still surrounded the frozen forces of Tantalus, there was a small flash, and they seemed to vanished. The ship moved away from the radio tower, and the white light died. The white light stopped flowing from the lampposts instantly, but the damage had been done. Over three quarters of the invading force had been hit by the light, and the quarter that was left was shrugging off the paralyzing blue wave and retreating. The damage to the city wasn’t negligible, however. The explosions of the streetlights appeared to pockmarked the surface of the city with craters, and the invading army had started several fires that were raging out of control. Jigsaw yanked on the joystick, and, mercifully, it responded. The entire airship jerked to one side, careening over the hills that surrounded Totemhoof, and then... The screens died, and the ship began to plunge out of the sky. ~~~ Jigsaw’s eyes fluttered open. For an instant, he thought he was back in the caves, waking up in his office after falling asleep at the desk. Then he remembered. The ship, the strange weapons, the crash... “Tiptoe!” he yelled, making a motion to jump out of bed, but a searing pain in his side stopped him. He looked down to see a white bandage wrapped around his midsection, a streak of scarlet seeping through. He was in a hospital! “Jigsaw?” Came a reply from somewhere out of sight. Lights flipped on, and Tiptoe and Incendia came running from the left. “Your’e okay!” Tiptoe said, tears in her eyes. “What happened?” Jigsaw asked, standing up very gingerly. “How long have I been out?” “About six hours,” Incendia said. “You got the worst of it when we hit the ground. You had a pretty bad cut on your stomach, but the doctors say you should be okay if you take it easily for a few days. “We’re in Totemhoof?” Jigsaw asked. Incendia and Tiptoe shared a knowing look. “You were incredible back there,” Tiptoe said. “I don’t know how you knew what to do, but you saved the city.” “I just drew off of what I’d read,” Jigsaw said. Then, with a smile, he added, “I’m good at figuring out how things work.” “Well, after the crash, the residents of Totemhoof came rushing out to see what was happening,” Incendia began. “Neither of us were injured very badly, and the airship didn’t seem to even have been scratched. We followed the route back down through the engine rooms and met the Totemhoof residents outside. We explained to them what had happened, and they took us in for medical care.” “What about the clouds? Isn’t the city exposed now?” “Apparently,” Tiptoe said with a smile, “they had some old prophecy that warned them of this. Moonbow thought it was you from the moment he met you. He says they mourn the loss of the essence of Luna, but that the city should no longer be a target to Tantalus now that nothing of value to him remains there. And, because we decimated the forces so completely, they should be able to fight off and straggles that might come.” “So... we did it?” Jigsaw asked tentatively. “Yeah,” Tiptoe replied, “we did it.” “The question is,” Incendia said seriously, “What do we do now? The engine room looked shot. It was pouring smoke and fluids were leaking everywhere.” “We pushed it too far,” Jigsaw said. “It was in no condition to be doing what it did, and my repairs were very haphazard. I think we have to try to at least get it flying, though.” “Why?” Incendia asked. “I mean, I know you wanted a vehicle, but do you really trust that thing?” “No,” Jigsaw said, “but we need a vehicle. The next fragment is west- very far west. Far enough that we won’t make it if we don’t have some kind of protection. We at least have to try salvaging from it.” He let out a yawn and paused. “I know I’ve been out for six hours, but I feel like I could sleep for another six. We’ll go at it tomorrow.” Tiptoe nodded. “We haven’t slept since the crash. We were too busy worrying about you and having to talk to Totemhoof officials. Sleep sounds good. We have temporary rooms in other hospital wing.” “Sleep well,” Incendia said, exiting the room at a trot. “Goodnight,” Tiptoe said, leaning in close to Jigsaw. “You were amazing out there. I love you.” She planted a quick kiss on his lips, then left the room as well. Jigsaw fell asleep more quickly and feeling more satisfied than he had in a long time.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-03-13T07:38:08+00:00

2012-03-13T07:38:08+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 27 By PK Took long enough, eh? Sorry about the wait. Again. So much school. Should be better now. Happy Antipodes 1-year anniversary! Thank you so much for sticking with me for this long. I never expected the story to gain the traction that it has and it's thrilling. Have some bonus art by the fabulous madmax: http://i39.tinypic.com/2wo9bau.png ~~~ Boom! The explosion shook the ground under Spike's feet, causing him to stumble and as he scrambled over the rubble of a ruined building. All around him, flashes of light from mortars and mines drowned out the harsh light of the sun. The heat was unbearable. He knew he couldn't pay attention to the war going on around him. It wouldn't let him. It had sought him out, explained its plight. It said it could help him if he helped it. All he had to do was let it, and he had. He ripped aside a pair of sun-bleached drapes and leapt through the shattered window frame. The building he was in now had an intact roof, and he couldn't help but take a moment to enjoy the relief from the sun. The goddesses had fallen almost twenty years ago, and the light and dark sides of the planet had been fighting each other over the narrow strip of comfortable land ever since. The bearers of the Elements of Harmony had tried to intercede, of course, but without Twilight, and with what happened to Rarity… "Not yet," hissed a voice from inside Spike's head. "We have to hide the fragments first. You can't let one of them find them." "Here?" Spike whispered. "We have the entire planet to choose from. Why here? Fluttershy is here, you know. Right here in this town. If we can't let her find it, why not hide it on the other side of the planet?" Spike's head began to pound. It was angry. Spike had to work to stop it from using his voice. "It has to be where they are. Places they hold dear, or spent a great deal of time. It is the only way they can hidden." "I don't understand." "I don't expect you to understand. I expect you to act. Every second you waste here is another Rarity suffers. Go." Spike shuffled into motion, spurred into action not entirely by his own will. It was just as well, he thought. He did need to get moving. He ran out of the ruined house and down a side alley full of sun-baked storefronts. "Where?" he asked as yet another blast rattled debris loose from the rooftops. The Lunar Armada was close to taking Fillydelphia by now. "Too far," it hissed. "You must get closer. She did not spend much time here. Toward the caves." "Isn't that dang— ah!" Spike's words were cut off by a sudden, splitting pain in his temples. "Go!" it shouted, its voice louder than any other thoughts. Several minutes later, Spike saw the pit, surrounded by heavy equipment. Before the fall, the caves had been used as a tourist attraction for Fillydelphia. It was the largest natural cave system in all of Equestria. However, once it became apparent that Fillydelphia wasn't going to habitable for much longer, and that the cataclysmic war wasn't going to end in victory for either side, Fluttershy had begun to spearhead an initiative to move as many ponies as possible into the caves, which scientists had assured her would be sheltered from the heat of the sun. And there she was, a yellow blur skittering back and forth over a panicked mass of ponies, trying to usher them past the old tour building and into the enormous steel Stable-Tec doors. The ground rumbled softly under Spike's feet, the shock waves carrying from the city out to the caves. Instinctively, Spike glanced back over his shoulder. A silvery-white battleship hung in the air over the city, bright bolts of light arcing down in to the city. A loud, metallic crunching sound drew Spike's attention back toward the pit that lead to the caves. Fluttershy was on the ground now, making sure the last few ponies— an elderly couple— managed to get past the doors, which had begun to slowly edge forward. When they had gotten inside, Fluttershy paused and turned, looking up from the bottom of the pit. Suddenly, Spike was stricken with an urge to run down and join her. It had been so long since he'd spoken to any of them, it had been so chaotic. Maybe he should— "Aaargh!" A sharp pain shot through Spike's head, as if a nail was being driven into it. The pain brought him back to his senses. Rarity was still out there, trapped by that horrible Rubidium that had started all this. He couldn't turn his back on her. Fluttershy turned again and ran into the dark mouth of the cave, and a few moments later, the massive steel door slammed shut. The sound of the locks and seals engaging were loud enough to be heard from Spike's location. "Where do I go now?" he asked. "The building by the edge of the pit," it said. "That is close enough." "There?" Spike said incredulously. "That's where they used to give tours of the caves. Shouldn't it be… I dunno, grander?" "You must." "Fine." Spike darted over the yellowed grass and past mechanized drills, over to the neglected tour building. Compared to most of the buildings in the city, it was nearly pristine. Several inches of dust were visible on the countertops through the window, but the windows were intact and there were no holes in the ceiling. In fact, when Spike pulled open the door, he was hit with a blast of cool air. The building still had electricity. He wanted to stay and cool off, but he knew he didn't have time for that. He had to hide the fragment. He felt the alien presence in his mind stir, filling him with power. He closed his eyes and concentrated on it. he could feel it swirling and billowing within him, a nearly limitless well of power and energy. Tendrils of green light began to emanate from his body. The air around him crackled, and he thought he could smell the distinct scent of ozone. Then, seeming to ooze out of his chest, a ball of fire like a miniature sun presented itself, swirling furiously and crackling with bolts of green light. "Woah," came a soft voice from his right. Spike whipped around to see a pink unicorn standing up from behind the main desk. "What is that?" she asked, stepping closer. "No!" the voice shouted. "There must be no witnesses! She could tell one of the others!" "Shut up," Spike snapped in defiance. The pink unicorn's smile faltered. "Who are you talking to?" "There's only one thing you can do now," the voice said. "You have to kill her." "What?!" Spike shouted. "I can't do that! What did she do?" "She's seen. She could tell one of the others. She's a liability." "You don't know that!" Spike shouted. The pink unicorn was clearly unnerved by this point, and she began to inch her way towards the door. "Now!” the voice shouted, and without his consent, Spike lurched forward and grabbed on to the pony's tail. He was shocked at his own strength- the pony was struggling with all her might to run, but Spike barely felt a tug. He opened his mouth to protest at this unordered use of his body, but the voice spoke, cutting off his own words of protest. "Do you think you can rescue your Rarity without causing death? It is impossible. Does Rubidium deserve life? Does anyone who's helped him? Do you know what he's doing to her right now?" "I know, I know!" Spike said, shaking with anger at the idea. The pink pony stopped trying to run, and sobbed to herself. "Then you must kill her. If even one thing goes wrong, it all does. We must have no witnesses!" "I…" Spike stared at the pink pony and the last decade of constant strife and warfare burned brightly in his mind. "Now!" it shouted. Spike felt the sound leave his mouth, and his claws flashed across the pony's neck. ~~~ Boom! "What was that?" Tiptoe shouted. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine!" Jigsaw shouted from the next level up. "Well, I'm sure it will grow back, anyway." "Oh, ha, ha. Very funny," Tiptoe replied. As soon as Jigsaw had woken up, he had dragged Tiptoe over to the wreck of the airship to assess the damage. They hadn't been able to find Incendia, but a resident of Totemhoof had assured them they had seen her in the center of town, looking for food. Once they got to the airship, Jigsaw had spent roughly a half hour spouting off technical jargon before he realized Tiptoe didn't understand it at all and sent her downstairs to attempt to clear some of the rubble out from the ground floor. Jigsaw coughed and attempted to wave away the smoke from the blast. He cursed under his breath and pulled the small lever down. "What is wrong with you?" Jigsaw said to the ship. "What's wrong?" The ship was in bad shape. They had managed to completely burn out the main batteries when they had fired the weapon, and the crash had caused significant damage to most systems not damaged by the massive power surge caused by the weapon. Jigsaw knew it wasn't all bad, however. The engines were mercifully undamaged, as were the navigation and targeting systems- not that the latter would do much good without weapons. What interested Jigsaw most was a strange device he had come across while exploring the ship's engineering level. It resembled a huge orb on a stand with several heavy cables hanging from it. When Jigsaw had found it, the cables had been hanging loose. After he had plugged them in, the ship's power draw jumped considerably, nearly overloading the power source, before suddenly dropping back to zero again. He had examined it for almost an hour and had no idea how it worked. Still, though, his examination of the ship gave him hope that he could at least get it off the ground again. The citizens of Totemhoof, as a token of their gratitude, had been swarming over the exterior of the ship, fixing tears in the fabric and welding holes in the metallic exterior. Jigsaw touched his horn to a panel, sending a pulse of energy through the system. After a few seconds, he felt a sharp shock in his horn— the energy pulse had been interrupted. He focused his energy on the break and felt the broken wires knit themselves back together. With some apprehension, he flipped the lever again. A high pitched whine emanated from the panel for a few moments, and then, with a horrible electronic cracking, the power died, leaving Jigsaw in the dark. "Well, it's an improvement, I suppose," he grumbled to himself. ~~~ The ground floor of the airship was littered with the broken planks of wood, twisted metal, and circuitry, mostly knocked loose from the walls and crumbling trappings by the crash. Tiptoe flew around the area, throwing pieces of rubble into a cart she lugged behind her. After flinging a twisted metal chair into the cart, it began to get uncomfortable to keep the cart aloft. She landed unsteadily and began to trudge out of the door and dump the garbage. The ground around the airship looked like an alien landscape— the airship had left a wide swath of upturned earth, scarring the mostly uniform landscape of wiry, coarse grass. Fragments of still-glowing crystal made the crash site glisten in the moonlight like a reflection of the night sky. Tiptoe had unloaded half of the cart when she heard the sound of a falling plank of wood and a muttered oath. When she walked around the pile, she spotted Incendia, attempting to scramble over a small pile of lumber, a pair of saddlebags hanging heavily over her shoulders. When she saw Tiptoe, she froze. "I got food!" She blurted out. "Food! For us. For the two of you, I mean. Because you've been working so hard, I mean." Tiptoe was unimpressed. "You've been avoiding me, Incendia. We need to talk about what you said yesterday." Incendia swallowed. When she next spoke, she sounded stiff and formal. "I'm sorry. We were in a tense situation and I didn't think. I promise I won't let it interfere with our task, I—" "Incendia," Tiptoe said, cutting her off, "you don't need to make excuses. It's okay. I mean…" Tiptoe's stomach felt like it was full of lead. "I… I can't reciprocate. I just… Jigsaw is too important for me. I mean I'm flattered, but…" Incendia was trying her best to stop herself from shaking. She had no idea where this emotion was coming from, but it felt as though a dam had been opened. "… don't ever think I don't love you." Incendia’s gaze shot upwards. "Incendia, you're one of the strongest, most capable ponies I've ever met. You've saved my life before and I can't imagine how we could do this without you. I do love you, Incendia. Don't doubt that." Incendia took a few moments to collect herself before she spoke again. "You don't know how much that means to me. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't feel like this, but I just can't help it. I feel like I've betrayed Jigsaw. And you." "Don't," Tiptoe said, smiling warmly. "Honestly, it feels kind of obvious in retrospect. I've caught you looking more than once." Incendia blushed so hard that what little grass remained on ground at her feet was incinerated. "So… you're really not upset?" Incendia asked. "No. I'm not. Honestly, it's okay," Tiptoe responded, "but this is really something Jigsaw should know about. It wouldn't be fair to him to keep it hidden." "I'll tell him," Incendia said. "I owe it to him." "He's in the engine room. Just follow the posted signs." "I can't read the old language well," Incendia reminded Tiptoe. "Oh, right," Tiptoe said with a giggle. She drew some symbols in the dirt. "This is what you need to look out for." Incendia thanked Tiptoe and made her way into the ship. The stairs leading up into the second floor of the airship were in disarray. Incendia nearly cut herself several times on jagged bits of metal just trying to maneuver through the stairwell. She had doubts that the ship would ever be in the air again if even the stairs were trying to kill her. Once she got up into the engine room, however, her doubts were assuaged somewhat. Giant pistons, quiescent now, protruded from the walls like fingers of some giant hand. Huge machinery was crowded around the walls. Incendia couldn't even begin to speculate on their functions. In the center of the space was a clear vat of dull grey fluid, rotating lazily. Jigsaw was balanced precariously on the narrow rim of the tank, his horn glowing vibrantly. With a loud zap and a strong smell of ozone, a bolt of light shot from his horn and down through the liquid. The liquid began to swirl much more quickly in its tank and radiated with bright blue light. Jigsaw nodded as though he was satisfied and hopped down from the lip of the vat. He jammed a hoof on to a green panel at the base of the vat, and a massive pipe lowered haltingly onto the vat and began to suction off the glowing liquid. The liquid spread through the overhanging network of pipes, suddenly turning the ceiling into a glowing spider web of light. While following the flow of the liquid, Jigsaw spotted Incendia, standing entranced in the doorway. "Incendia!" Jigsaw said, with a smile. "I'd been worried you weren't going to join us today! Did you want to help out up here? Celestia knows I could use the help." "Sure, but I need to talk to you first," Incendia said. Jigsaw's smile faded. "I always have time. What's on your mind?" "Here, I brought food. Think you could take a few minutes off to eat?" Jigsaw glanced at the pipes overhead. "No leaks. Sure, now's as good a time as any." Soon, Incendia and Jigsaw had laid out a meal of fresh produce from the farms of Totemhoof. "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Jigsaw said apprehensively. Incendia sighed deeply. It marveled her how she had handled years of living as a rebel and nothing had made her stomach as uneasy as talking to Jigsaw. "I… have something to confess. Something that's been bothering me for a while now." "Oh?" "I… I'm attracted to Tiptoe." Jigsaw blinked. Incendia rushed onwards. "I've always liked mares, ever since I was a little filly. And, well, when Tiptoe showed up, she was just so different than all the other mares I'd seen in Stalliongrad, something just drew me too her. It probably doesn't help that my last relationship was an utter disaster and I'd been having a dry spell for quite a while by the time she showed up, but—" Incendia's face flushed when she realized what she'd said. "—feel free to stop me at any second, because I'm feeling like I'm a filly all over again." Jigsaw stood there for a few moments, his face unreadable except for shock. Incendia's throat constricted. Just when she thought she might turn and bolt because of nerves, Jigsaw spoke. "Incendia, I… I don't really know what to say. I'm shocked." Incendia didn't respond, but the butterflies in her stomach felt like they had been turned to lead. Jigsaw apparently noticed the change of mood. "I didn't say I was upset," he said quickly. "Just… surprised. I didn't really expect that. I'm not… offended, or anything." Jigsaw took a bite of his salad. The situation was so awkward, Jigsaw imagined he could feel the tension as he moved his hoof through the air. "She is pretty great, though," Jigsaw said. "I can't say I disapprove of your taste." Incendia laughed. Jigsaw saw the tension leave her body. "I… I'm sorry, again. I won't let it distract me from what we have to do. I just… it's been hanging over my head for so long now I had to get it out there. It wasn't fair to any of us." "It took a lot of guts to talk to me like this, Incendia." "It shouldn't have. I've had to tell the families of resistance members about their deaths. That's what should fill me with nerves, not this. It feels so… immature. I should be better than this." Steam began to curl up from the corners of Incendia's eyes. "Incendia…" Jigsaw scooted closer to her. "This is nothing to be ashamed of. I've lost ponies before, too. I was married once, remember? I had a mate. I expected to spend the rest of my life with her. We even got a place, together. Right on the outskirts of the inhabited areas. Huge plot of land just given to us. Nobody wanted it because the water system out there had been broken for ages. But when you get the two brightest engineers in one spot, there's not much we couldn't overcome. We were going to have plants growing in our backyard. Maybe even some trees. Something beautiful for our foals to grow up in." "What happened to it?" asked Incendia. "After Antimony died, I went back a few times and gathered my things. Mostly moved into my office. That old place… too many memories. Gave it to Antimony's family. Don't think they ever did anything with it." "I'm so sorry, Jigsaw. But what exactly does this have to do with—" "Because just because I'd dealt with that trauma, it didn't make life any easier. Not with Tiptoe. When she got assigned to me, I was drawn to her immediately. It scared me so much, Incendia. I didn't ever want to go through what I'd been through with Antimony again. So I just ignored it. Pushed it down. Drove her hard. She was good at what she did. Useful to have a pegasus with you… hard to reach places, and all. “I… was kind of relieved, in a way, when we got cut off from the caves. Now, don't get me wrong, my first thoughts were of everyone left behind, but… it felt like a new beginning. The caves hadn't felt like home for a long time. I didn't know what I would find out here, but I thought anything had to be better than what I was leaving behind." Incendia whinnied softly. "Was it? Better, I mean?" Jigsaw stared at the phosphorescent pipes, the fluid within them coursing through them like the blood of a giant. "What do you think?" "I still don't feel like I belong completely," Incendia said. "especially with the issue with Tiptoe. I feel like at best I'm just tagging along for the ride and at worst getting in your way." "You aren't, Incendia," Jigsaw said. "Not at all. And you need to stop beating yourself up about things." "I can't help it," Incendia said. "All my life I've been in charge of ponies and responsible for what happened. I was in control, and now I'm not, and I don't know if I can-" "Incendia, none of us wanted any of this. We're all in way over our heads. I never thought I'd even get to see the surface. Hell, up until we got out there, I didn't even know there was any surface to be seen. I certainly didn't expect to have the future of the world riding on my shoulders." "How do you keep from going crazy?" Incendia wondered. Jigsaw took a while to respond. "The two of you. Knowing I'm not in it alone. The thought, however remote, that maybe my children will grow up in the sunlight. Real sunlight, not the magical kind. The thought that maybe I'll be able to grow those crops after all. The thought that maybe not everything I used to read in the old books is lost. There has to be more to it than this, right? All the suffering, the ponies just struggling to get by day to day." "I never had much access to the records of the past," Incendia confessed, "but there were always rumors. They said being near Celestia was like standing in front of the sun itself. Apparently, she glowed so brightly that you couldn’t look directly at her, and she could rain fiery death upon her opponents, and—" "I think the legends got twisted over the years," Jigsaw said with a smile. "We had the original manuscripts laid down by the founders. One of them actually knew Celestia and Luna personally, apparently." "What were they really like then?" Incendia asked. "Really tall, with pegasus wings and unicorn horns." "That's not a very satisfying answer." "This isn't a very satisfying salad, either." Incendia laughed. "I wasn't really focused on gathering great ingredients. I was just trying to kill time with plausible deniability." "It's fine," Jigsaw said. "I'm glad you made it. And I'm glad you came up for this talk. I don't feel like we've had one… well, ever." "I'm glad we did too. I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything that's been going on. But… if our last, best hope had to rest on anypony, I'm glad it's with you. You're a great stallion, Jigsaw. I'm proud to know you." "Likewise, Incendia. I couldn't make it without you." Incendia stood up. "Before I go, I just wanted to make sure… You're not upset? About me and Tiptoe? Er, I mean, about me?" Jigsaw laughed. "Not at all. I'm flattered, if anything. Plus, now I know I can come talk to you about mares if I want to. No offense, but when you're the only stallion around two mares, sometimes it can get a little stifling." Incendia snorted. "Oh, and I'm not a mare anymore?" Jigsaw's eyes widened. "Oh, no, that's not what I meant, I just meant that , you know, I thought you liked stallions, and I realize now I shouldn't have assumed, I just—" "Relax, Jigsaw. It was a joke." "… Oh. You didn't have to let me go on that long." "Yes I did." Incendia turned to walk away. "And… Jigsaw, I'd like that. Being your confidant." ~~~ The next day, the ground floor of the airship had been nearly cleaned out. Jigsaw stood on the staircase that lead up to the engine room, Tiptoe and Incendia sitting on the cracked and discolored tiling. "Is there any reason you got us up for this?" Incendia asked groggily. "In fact, did you even come back to the house last night?" "He didn't," Tiptoe confirmed. "I'm just as confused as you are." Jigsaw smiled. "You guys are gonna like this. I think I got the engines working again." "What?" Incendia exclaimed. "Already?" Jigsaw nodded. "It took me all night, but I managed to cobble something together. I haven't tested it yet because I wanted you all to be here, but I think I got the engines, shields, climate control, and main computer up and running, which are all we really need to fly this bucket of bolts around. It won't be doing any more light shows like it did a few days ago, but it will get us where we need to go." "We need to go west, right? Towards the sun?" Tiptoe inquired. "Right," Jigsaw said. "The shields we have now won't do much in the way of protecting us from attack, but it should at least keep the cool air in and protect us from the solar radiation." "I'm not sure I trust this thing to keep us safe," Incendia said, glancing around nervously at the remains of the ornate lobby. "What if the shields fail and we're all incinerated? When I first teleported out of Stalliongrad, my teleporter malfunctioned and sent me somewhere way west. If not for my special abilities with heat, I probably would have died. I don't want to relive that again." "Incendia, would I be presenting this if I didn't think we were absolutely safe? Even if the shields fail, we can seal off whatever section of the ship we're in and the climate control devices should be able to handle it. And, interestingly, I don't think we even had the computer up and running the first time we flew this thing. It might make things significantly easier." "Okay," Incendia said. "I'm still not sure, but I trust you. When are we going to leave?" "As soon as possible," Jigsaw said. "We can't let Tantalus get ahead of us." "I'm kind of sad to leave Totemhoof," Tiptoe said wistfully. "The ponies here have been so kind to us." "What say you we test the new engines out?" Jigsaw said. "Might take your mind off it." "I'd like to see that," Incendia chimed in. Jigsaw led them up the rickety staircase to the engine room. The walls were almost covered in transparent tubing now, and a low hum could he heard as the glowing liquid was pumped through them. Jigsaw's horn began to glow, and a console on the far side of the room sprang to life. Old world text danced across the screen. Jigsaw's horn sparked, and the screen flashed green. The room sprang to life. The gentle hum of the pump rose to a deafening bellow. The huge pistons that lined the walls began to fire, adding their booming voices to the cacophony of machinery that now resounded around the room. Flashing lights and alarms blared from many parts of the engine room, but they felt the airship give a distinct jerk and the uncomfortable sensation of being in a very fast elevator. "It works!" Jigsaw shouted over the noise. "We're floating a few yards off the ground! I'm going to shut the engines down now, they're a bit loud." Jigsaw's horn sparked again, and the noise slowly died down. The airship lowered itself to the ground. "Well, all things considered, I think that went pretty well," Jigsaw said. "Now, we need to go gather our things. We have a fragment to get."

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-13T06:24:48+00:00

2012-10-13T06:24:48+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 28 By PK (After yet another arduous month, another chapter full of Antipodes-y goodness! Enjoy! Also I just recently remembered that the Antipodes TVtropes page exists, and it's horribly skinny. if you guys add to it, I'd be forever grateful~ http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/Antipodes ) The crowd that had gathered around the airship was impressive. Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and races, had turned out to wish the trio of refugees a happy goodbye. Young pegasi hopped up and down on the top of the airship, shrieking with laughter. Moonbow stood in front of the trio, dressed in the heavy blue robes they had seen around the city so often. As he turned to address the crowd, they quickly grew silent. "Citizens of Totemhoof!" he bellowed, his voice strong and clear. "We have assembled today to bid farewell to the team that single-hoofedly saved our city. For thousands of years, Totemhoof has been protected by the graces of our goddess, Luna. It was foretold that one day, the Uniter would arrive and deliver us all from an unfathomable evil. That day has finally arrived!" The crowd hollered in approval and stamped their hooves. Moonbow watched for a few moments before clearing his throat. "Please, settle down and be respectful," he chastised. "Long have we waited for this day, and though we have suffered heavy casualties, the city of Totemhoof shall endure as it always has done. Luna's divine essence now dwells within Jigsaw." Moonbow gestured at Jigsaw, and Jigsaw bowed politely to the crowd. "And though our city is no longer protected by the shroud of clouds, we shall stay strong as we always have." Moonbow turned to the trio assembled behind him. "We want you all to know that our prayers will be with you on your journey. We have delivered several week's worth of provisions to the airship with the hopes that it will serve you well." "Thank you so much," Jigsaw said. "Thank all of you." Moonbow stepped aside, and Jigsaw took his place to address the crowd. "Your generosity is truly moving. However, I feel it prudent that I reveal something that many of you have already guessed. Tiptoe and I are not, in fact, refugees from Stalliongrad. We came from another… village, underground and far to the west. Totemhoof is the first place we've come across that has treated us with genuine kindness and respect. I will always remember that." Jigsaw bowed and stepped back. The crowd began to stamp their hooves excitedly, cheering and hollering. After several minutes, Moonbow dispersed the crowd, gave one final, respectful bow to the trio, and left. "Well, I guess this is it, isn't it?" Tiptoe said quietly. "We're leaving again." "Maybe the next fragment will be in a lush jungle. And there will be apples growing from every tree, a big lake of fresh water, and all the berries we could eat," Incendia said wistfully. "Somehow, I doubt it," Jigsaw said cynically. "Follow me. There's something I want to try." The trio entered the airship and Jigsaw led them through the labyrinthine network of catwalks and stairwells until they reached the engine room. The claw-like pistons lining the walls seemed oddly menacing in the narrow chamber. Jigsaw stopped in front of mysterious sphere in the center of the engine room. The thick cables and tubes had previously been hanging loose were now connected and humming with power. "What is that?" Tiptoe asked. "You'll see," Jigsaw said. "It was unplugged when I first came down. I think it was unplugged because it drew too much power, but with all the weapons systems offline, it should be okay." “What, they designed it so not every part of the engine could be on at once?” Tiptoe asked incredulously. “That’s just stupid!” “I don’t think that was it,” said Jigsaw. “This particular warship was old even before the fall. Probably lots of little bits of wear and tear made the ship extremely inefficient. It would certainly explain why I’ve had so much difficulty fixing it. I think the only reason it’s held up as well as it has is because it was so close to the fragment for so long. Either way, though, it should be safe to plug in now. Probably.” "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Incendia asked warily. "Incendia," Jigsaw said, his horn beginning to glow, "this is what I do." A blast of blue light emanated from his horn and the engine room roared to life. The pistons along the wall began to fire, the magical explosions momentarily bathing the room in ethereal blue light before slamming back up to repeat the process. The sphere, in contrast was almost anticlimactic. It began to hum loudly, and after several moments, a green light in the floor that wrapped around the base of the pillar began to flash. Jigsaw backed away from the sphere. "You're gonna want to stand back. I have a feeling it might—" The sphere made a screeching sound and let loose a wave of pale blue energy, throwing the three of them to the ground. "What in Equestria was that?" Tiptoe asked, leaping to her feet. The sphere was still humming as though nothing had happened. "It's a shield system!" Jigsaw replied. "Now we can walk around on the outside decks without having to worry about the sun frying us. It should keep the temperature inside the shield consistent, assuming the climate control stays functional and nothing pierces the shield." "What happens if we meet Tantalus along the way?" Tiptoe asked. "I'm sure we can find another alicorn statue somewhere on this ship. Incendia, that's your job, from now in." Incendia chuckled. "Very funny. But, really, Jigsaw, do you have any plan for that?" "We could try ramming him, but I don’t know how much good that would do," Jigsaw admitted. "I do still have the weird goddess powers. If anything, I'd expect them to be stronger now. It could kill me, yes, but in a worst case scenario, it could save you." "Not acceptable," Incendia retorted. "We can't stand to lose you, Jigsaw." "Well," Jigsaw said, "I'm going to try and repair the weapons systems on the way. It's possible I might have them fixed before we get there. Even if I don't, it's a big airship. I doubt he could survive if we just steer it into him." "I dunno," Tiptoe said. "Apparently he survived that statue to the face." "I've been wondering about that," Jigsaw said somberly. "I figured he wasn't gone forever when his body vanished at the castle, but how does anything survive that? What is he, anyways? I mean, he said he was some entity possessing a dragon, but why did he even let us go when we stumbled right into his lair? Why would he care about taking down Rubidium? And why hasn't he just gone out and destroyed the fragments, or moved them, at least? He was powerful enough to wipe them out, but it almost seems like he's doing nothing to stop us now." "There's no way we can know, Jigsaw," Tiptoe consoled. "We just have to do what we've been doing." "But are we doing the right thing? What if we're somehow playing right into his hands?" "Can't be," Incendia said. "He sure tried to kill you back at the castle where you got the first Luna fragment." "He didn't, though!" Jigsaw said. "Sure, he tried to kill Tiptoe, but if he really wanted me just dead and done with, I have to think it would have been easy for him to do it. He actually gave me valuable information! I think there's some kind of ulterior motive at play here." "That's actually been bothering me too," Incendia piped up. "What does he get out of destroying the world?" Jigsaw shook his head. "We can debate this all day, but I don't think it will really make any difference. Let's head up to the cockpit and plot a course." ~~~ Tantalus stood, examining the cracked blue crystal. Tentatively, he reached out a finger towards the gem. However, before he made contact, the crystal began to quiver violently. Golden light poured out from the cracks, and Tantalus’s finger recoiled. The pulsing light inside the stone repulsed him. His reliance on it disgusted him even more. The gem was his physical anchor to the world, yes, but it was also painful; corrosive to his very spirit. A flash of green light behind him caught his attention. Lying on the cavern floor was a tattered strip of parchment, on which a letter was scrawled in barley legible old world text. According to it, Jigsaw had not only managed to defeat his small army of followers, but he also had managed to commandeer a Lunar battleship. Tantalus swept up from the cave and out into the mild air. It was clear that his usual methods of action weren't working— perhaps some insidious mechanism of the hated Goddesses was at work. It was time to try another route— a much more dangerous route. Tantalus reached the hole in the ground where the Fillydelphia subway was exposed to the sky and dissolved into green mist, swirling into the caverns below. ~~~ Jigsaw swiveled idly in his chair in the control room, staring out at the almost painfully bright, sun-bleached landscape that stretched out seemingly forever in every direction. A bright red light on the wall suddenly shone brilliantly for a few moments before a loud clunk and a low hum issued from the air vent over his head, blowing refreshingly cool air down into the room. They had been travelling for the better part of the week, and it had proven to be a dull experience. Watching the corpse of Equestria glide by below them had been interesting at first- watching the landscape change from sparse grassland to lush, fertile fields. Here and there, ruins in various states of repair were visible: towering pillars, small houses, and, in one instance, what appeared to be the skeleton of a dragon. All too soon, however, the interesting landscapes gave way to sunbaked blades of yellow grass and soon nothing but a featureless expanse of yellow and brown. Jigsaw tried to pass the time by attempting to repair the weapons systems, but the damage was too extensive to make any headway. To try and alleviate their boredom, the trio had taken to exploring the ship. To their dismay, this proved to be no more entertaining than watching the landscape below. The airship appeared to have never been flown after the Grand Cataclysm- until Jigsaw took it up — so most of the rooms were shaken up as a result of the crash, none of them contained anything more than overturned furniture or silent computer consoles. Jigsaw hopped out of his chair and set off towards the metal stairs that led down into the lobby. When he arrived, he found Incendia and Tiptoe giggling about some private joke. "What are you laughing about?" Jigsaw asked. "Oh, hey, Jigsaw! Incendia was just telling me some stories from her days in Stalliongrad." Tiptoe replied. "I could use some stories, there's pretty much nothing to do up there. Computer takes care of most of the work. I think we're getting close now, though, I can—" The floor jerked below Jigsaw's feet, sending him careening into Incendia. "Ow!" Incendia exclaimed, getting back to her feet. "What was that?" "I think the airship stopped," Jigsaw said. "We're here." "Finally!" Tiptoe exclaimed. "But how are we going to get the fragment? It has to be over a thousand degrees out there. And where is it? Where could it be hidden?" "I could maybe last a few minutes out there if I lit myself on fire, but I don't think that would be very useful." Jigsaw nodded. "I say we just land. The shield will extend a few hundred feet in all directions. We wait for the ground to cool off and then we look around for anything that seems out of place." "Sounds good to me," Incendia replied. They turned on the spot and began to make their way back up towards the control room When the trio reached to top of the staircase, they stopped dead in their tracks. Stretched out before them, just in view outside of the magical viewport that took up the far wall of the control room was a huge pit in the earth. The walls appeared to have once been smooth and uniform, but time had clearly taken its toll. Whole sides of the pit had sloughed off and were lying in heaps at the bottom. Fragments of metal— possibly the remains of a walkway— clung to the intact sections of wall. Jigsaw's eyes grew wide. Without a word to the others, his horn ignited. Blue tendrils of light erupted out of his horn, burying themselves in the terminals around the room. Old world text began flashing by on the terminals and the view outside the magical wall began to flicker. Suddenly, a map of Equestria flickered to life on the screen. Tiptoe gasped softly. The map was illustrated with dozens and dozens of huge cities, all labeled in old world text. One city, in the far west, had a flashing red light above it. She recognized it instantly. "Fillydelphia," she read. "Jigsaw, this isn't… We're not…" "We are," Jigsaw said. "We're above the ruins of Fillydelphia. The caves. Our home." ~~~ The tip of the airship jutted out over the edge of the pit, casting a shadow the land hadn't seen for thousands of years. Incendia was standing at the bottom of the pit, watching as Tiptoe laboriously lowered Jigsaw down the deep chasm. They gently touched down on the still-steaming ground and looked out into the mouth of the cavern beneath it. Looming ahead of them, protected from the heat of the sun by an overhang of rock, was the huge, metal door that lead to the upper levels of the caves "How can there be a fragment in there? Wouldn't you have noticed it if you'd been living on top of it for your whole life?" Incendia asked. "It doesn't work like that," Jigsaw said. "I didn't start sensing the fragments until after I got the first one. I still find it a little hard to believe, though, even for me." "What are we going to find inside?" Tiptoe asked nervously. "You don't think they could all be dead, do you?" "It's a very real possibility," Jigsaw said solemnly. "But I have to believe they could have figured something out. I wasn't the only one that knew how the water system worked after all." "How are we going to get inside that huge door?" Incendia asked, staring up at its pockmarked face. "It's over twelve feet of solid steel, reinforced with magical crystals to keep us safe from the elements," Jigsaw explained. "The history books said it was built to be difficult to open from the inside, but easy to open from the outside. The founders wanted it to be opened easily if the world ever became habitable again and wanderers came across the entrance to the cave." "So, the caves were natural? They were here before the fall, and your ancestors just moved into them?" Incendia asked. Jigsaw began tapping various spots on the cavern wall with his horn. As he wandered slowly around the space, he spoke: "Yes. It's the largest natural cave system in the world, or so they say. Used to be a tourist attraction, but during the Grand Cataclysm, the founders had the idea that we could hide away from the sun underground. It took quite a while to get the water system working well enough to support the population, but obviously, it worked well enough. Ah, here we go!" Jigsaw's horn began to glow and a small pile of rubble near the door levitated away, revealing an ancient, battered looking control panel. Jigsaw stared at the control panel for several seconds. "I don't know if I can do this," he said, softly. Tiptoe trotted up to stand by his side. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Whatever we find in there— whatever happened to everyone we knew is my fault. If we open this door, there's going to be even more blood on my hooves. Even more ponies that died because I couldn't do my job right, and I don't—" Jigsaw's words were cut off mid-sentence as Tiptoe pressed her lips to his. Incendia blushed intensely and averted her gaze. "Jigsaw, whatever happened in there was not your fault," she said when they pulled apart. "You were trying to do your job. Nopony could have foreseen that sea serpent attack, and nopony could have done anything about it. There was no way to go back once we were in the subway." "Thank you, Tiptoe. Let's… just get the door open." "Together," Tiptoe replied. They each grabbed part of the corroded lever in their mouths and pulled. The ground instantly began to shake. From somewhere far off, alarm sirens blared. Then, with a deafening screech, the massive steel door began to retract into the dark, empty space behind it. A rush of air whirled past them, mixing with the dank, musty air inside the caves. Inside, massive gears could be seen whirring under the stress of moving the massive steel door. It was over in moments. The door stood wide open, and the entryway to the caves was spread before them. "Have you ever been this far up?" Tiptoe asked Jigsaw. "No, I never went above the main chamber. Never had any reason to. No water got up here, not enough pressure. Let's just get going." ~~~ The glasslike surface of the underwater lake began to roil and bubble. An amorphous blob of green smoke suddenly broke the surface and darted to the edge of the water. With a flash of green, Tantalus was standing on the shore, smiling down at the gently rippling water. He raised his claws and gestured at the water's surface. A green light began to shine up from somewhere deep in the lake before him, with a screech so loud it shook loose stones from the walls, a sea serpent rose out of the water, swirling, coiling, and struggling against the bands of green light that were constricting its midsection. "My, you did cause a lot of trouble, didn't you?" Tantalus said with a grin. In response, the sea serpent opened its mouth and screeched. A bright white light began to build within its throat, but Tantalus waved his claw, causing the serpent's neck to arch away from him and the beam of energy to impact harmlessly with the water of the underground lake. "Now, now, behave yourself. You may yet be of some use to me." The sea serpent screeched and writhed as Tantalus dissolved again into green smoke. This time, however, it floated towards the sea serpent, funneling into its mouth and nose until there was none left. The serpent's eyes began to glow green and, with a loud snap, the bonds holding it broke and it plunged into the lake below. ~~~ Jigsaw's horn sparked as he placed it against one of the hundreds of pipes that snaked along the walls. They were several floors underground now, and they had not seen a single sign of life so far. "Nothing," Jigsaw confirmed, stepping back. "The pipe is bone dry. We're deep enough that if the water was working even intermittently, there should have been at least some moisture in the pipe, but—" "Jigsaw?" Incendia yelled from the darkness further down the stairwell. "Tiptoe? Can you come down here?" "Yeah, sure," Tiptoe said, fluttering down the stairs with Jigsaw on her heels. "What's going—" Tiptoe’s words were cut short by the scene before her. Three earth ponies were directly in front of and to either side of Incendia, pointing what appeared to be sharpened stone rods at her neck. "What's going on? Jigsaw asked. One of the earth ponies glanced at him, did a double take, and lowered his makeshift spear slightly. "Jigsaw? Is that actually you?" he asked, almost in awe. Jigsaw squinted to try and get a better look at the pony in the dim light of the magical torches on the walls. He was light brown, similar to Jigsaw, and his cutie mark was a miner's pickaxe. Jigsaw had vague memories of passing by him in the market. "It's me. Now, let's just put the spears down, okay? We don't mean you any harm. We came to help." The brown pony glanced at his compatriots, and a silent understanding passed between them. In a fluid motion, they lifted their spears from Incendia and pointed them directly at Jigsaw. Instantly, flames erupted all over Incendia's body. The three ponies holding Jigsaw hostage stared at her wide-eyed. "How about you drop the spears right this second and I don't burn you alive?" Incendia threatened menacingly. The three earth ponies complied and quickly stepped back. "What are you?!" one of them asked, staring at the bright white orbs that had replaced her eyes. "I'm a unicorn with an especially special special talent. Now, you're going to answer my friend's questions, and you're not going to try anything cute." They all nodded eagerly. "Thanks, Incendia," Jigsaw said, rubbing the spots where the spears had made contact on his neck with one hoof. "What's going on? Why did you attack me?" "As if you don't know," spat the third earth pony, a burly, dark purple stallion. "You caused all this!" Jigsaw glanced and Tiptoe and swallowed. "What do you mean?" "You were supposed to fix the water! Both of you! You were supposed to make it better!" he yelled. "Instead, you vanished, and the water stopped altogether!" "It wasn't my fault!" Jigsaw started, then caught himself. "Tell me what happened." "If you'll let us, I can show you," the brown earth pony cut in. "Incendia, stay close behind them," Jigsaw said. "I want to see what they have to show us." "Me too," Tiptoe chimed in. The flames covering Incendia's body dimmed until a single jet of flame danced at the tip of her horn. "Let's get walking." The three earth ponies led Jigsaw down a highly familiar route- they were approaching the arboretum. "You're not taking me to the main chamber to speak with the Tribunal?" Jigsaw inquired. "The Tribunal doesn't have any power anymore," one of the ponies responded from up ahead. "You're going to see." They approached the doors that lead to the arboretum. The purple pony that had snapped at Jigsaw earlier gave the door an unceremonious kick and it swung open. "There. See what you did now?" A horrible stench came rolling out of the arboretum, and Tiptoe yelled in horror as Incendia recoiled in disgust. Jigsaw blinked in disbelief, dumbfounded by what he saw— and what he smelled. Inside the formerly lush and verdant space were hundreds of bodies. Ponies had been tossed haphazardly onto the shriveled, browned remains of the food crops. Splayed limbs and limp bodies lay haphazardly across the decaying fields of grain and wheat. Ponies of all shapes and sizes, from the youngest foals the the most elderly in the village were strewn with little regard for their dignity. "Oh— oh, Celestia," Jigsaw uttered. "What happened here?" "What do you think?" the purple pony snapped. "There was no water. Those that didn't die of thirst killed each other to get what water was left or got torn apart by monsters trying to get to the lake. " "That’s awful," Incendia gasped. "You just piled them here?" "We normally cremate our dead," Jigsaw said. "We didn't have the resources to keep operating the furnaces," the brown pony said. "Everything happened so quickly. Every now and then, a trickle of water comes through the pipes, but it's not enough to keep the plants— or us— alive." "Close the door," Tiptoe whispered, turning her back to the horrible sight before her. "I don't want to look anymore." The brown pony gently nudged the door with the top of his head, and the door creaked closed. "How many? How many are left?" Jigsaw asked hollowly. "About a quarter of us, holed up in the main chamber," the purple pony responded. "The three of us were part of a team checking the pipes for any moisture." "We have to fix this," Jigsaw said emphatically. "We can get the fragment later. I can't allow this." "You?" the purple pony sneered. "You caused this whole disaster! Everypony blames you for it!" "It wasn't his fault!" Tiptoe objected. "There was nothing we could have done! We were attacked and forced into some kind of underwater cave! We were both hurt, and you know nopony here knows how to swim!" "Then you should have died trying!" the purple pony spat back. "Instead of trying to save any of us, you ran away from it all! Then, you come waltzing back in here, all healthy and happy, looking to scavenge whatever you can off the dead?! We don't want your help. I'd rather die with my dignity." "Don't listen to him," the brown pony said. "We've sent some of our own to try and fix the pump station, or at least get some water from the lake, but none of them have come back. He's just… we're all in shock. It all happened so quickly. We never realized how much we depended on the water supply until it was gone." "Then we're going," Jigsaw said. "I know the caves down there better than anypony else. We're going to make this right. Incendia, are you with us?" "Of course!" Incendia said. "It sounds like you're going to need some protection." Jigsaw turned to face the earth pony trio. "I don't know who you are. I don't think we ever met while I was living here, but let me tell you this: I spent my every waking hour here trying to keep everypony safe and happy. I loved it here. When I left, it wasn't by choice. I'm going to make things right." ~~~ "Are you sure we're going the right way, Jigsaw?" Incendia asked. "Relax, Incendia," Jigsaw said, carefully sidestepping an unstable patch of ground. "I've made this trip five times now." Before long, they emerged into the cavern that held the underground lake. "Oh, Celestia," Incendia muttered. "It's enormous. You could fit twelve of the airships we flew in on in here without running out of room." "Like I said, largest natural cave system in the world," Jigsaw replied. "Now, come on. We have a job to do." The stone pathway that once led to the center of the lake was littered with the remains of the pump station. Shattered glass and twisted metal was strewn over the sand-colored stone. Far above them, in the ceiling of the cavern, twisted metal and pipes jutted out of the wall at odd angles. A constant cascade of water— the water that should have been going to the dying ponies above— was pouring out of the pipes and splattering against the stone below. "How are you going to fix that?" Tiptoe asked. "We could barely keep the pressure up when the pump station was intact, now look at it!" "I have an idea," Jigsaw said. "All we need to do, really, is—" The surface of the water broke with a blast of sound and a roar. The sea serpent rose up out of the water, eyes glowing green, a light already forming in its throat. Incendia gulped. “Shit.”

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-05-05T03:19:40+00:00

2012-05-05T03:19:40+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 29 By PK The sea serpent undulated as it prepared to let loose a deadly blast of energy. “Move!” Tiptoe shouted as she darted up high into the air. Jigsaw and Incendia glanced at each other and each galloped off in opposite directions. The beam of light burst forth from the serpent’s throat, blasting a crater in the rock where they had been standing. Incendia flashed bright orange, igniting a whirlwind of flame. Digging her hooves into the ground, she slid to a stop, turning to face the serpent as she took aim. Tongues of flame sprouted from the ground at her feet and shot towards the sea serpent, wrapping it in white hot strands of flame. The serpent writhed and shrieked, smoke rising in oily, black coils as the fiery ropes constricting around the serpent burned into its flesh. However, with a mighty jerk of its serpentine back, the bonds around its body broke in a flash of light. The charred skin underneath the bonds oozed a pale green fluid. Incendia allowed herself a small smile upon seeing the damage her flaming ropes had inflicted, but it was quickly wiped off her face. The serpent hissed and the flesh seemed to knit itself closed, as though time were running in reverse. The flesh slowly uncharred and the green fluid retreated back into the creature’s torn veins. “Jigsaw!” she shouted, “It can regenerate! It can—” “I know!” Jigsaw called back. “Just give me a second. I have an idea!” New skin glistened on the monster’s side as it bared its terrible fangs, readying a strike against Jigsaw. As it reared back to strike, Tiptoe dove down from the top of the cavern, bringing the full force of her hooves squarely on the serpent’s triangular nose. Tiptoe felt the cartilage in the beast’s nose snap under her hind legs as she pounded her wings to propel herself downwards. The serpent roared in agony and withdrew back into the murky water of the cavern. “Is that it?” Tiptoe asked. “Is it over?” “I doubt it,” Incendia said. “That thing regrew muscle and skin like it was nothing. I don’t think we’re done.” “But how could it do that?” Tiptoe inquired. “I had to fight that same thing off when Jigsaw and I were here last time, and when I kicked it, it stayed hurt!” “I don’t know!” Incendia responded. “Jigsaw, what do we do?” “Just keep it off of me!” he shouted. His horn glowed a brilliant blue as pieces of pipe and mechanical components began to swirl in the air above his head. “What are you going to do?” Tiptoe asked. “Well, it can regenerate damage, right? So I was trying to think of ways to stop it, and I thought if we could just—” Suddenly, a massive eruption of water burst from directly underneath Tiptoe. The serpent’s trunk-like body shot out of the water like an arrow, mouth wide open, horrible fangs glistening in the pale light. Tiptoe fortunately jerked away from the spray of water, and the serpent’s deadly bite missed her by several feet. The serpent splashed down into the water momentarily before rising again and opening its jaw wide at Tiptoe, priming another burst of light from deep within its throat. Incendia took aim at the creature and gritted her teeth. In the pit of her stomach, she felt the arcane pressure of a powerful spell building. When it was finally too much for her to take, she forced the energy up her body and through her horn, where it manifested as a small sun that raced directly into the spine of the serpent. The ball released its magical payload on contact. It exploded in a sphere of white-hot flames, singing the end of Tiptoe’s tail and gouging a crater in the serpent, exposing a stark, white bone to the air. A sharp pain stabbed at Jigsaw’s forehead where his horn met skull, but he ignored it. He concentrated his energy on the contraption before him: an ever-narrowing series of pipes connected to the central water main jutting out of the cavern roof. The tattered flesh finally closed and the serpent turned its attention once again to Incendia. As it opened its mouth to strike at her, it froze. For a second, Incendia saw its eyes flash green, and a torrent of green flames emanated from the monster’s throat. Incendia froze in horror at the green flames hurtling towards her, remembering the only other time she had seen them: her skirmish with Tantalus outside Canterlot. Her hesitation cost her. Though she was able to gather her wits enough to leap to the side, the green flames caught her right flank, and an utterly alien but horribly sharp pain shot through her— the pain of a burn. “It’s Tantalus!” she shouted. “He’s controlling it or giving it power or something! Only his flames can burn me!” “That would explain why it can regenerate!” Tiptoe exclaimed. “He’s making it stronger!” “Jigsaw, do you still have a plan?” Incendia gasped, trying to block out the searing pain in her shoulder. “Get it over to me,” Jigsaw said through gritted teeth. “I think I’ve got it.” Incendia started at the contraption Jigsaw had designed: a bunch of broken and twisted pipe segments, held together with bonds of Jigsaw’s blue magic, quivering slightly with Jigsaw’s effort to keep it together. “What are you going to—” Incendia began. “Just get it over here!” Jigsaw shouted. “And watch the water!” Incendia gave up trying to argue and turned to face Tiptoe. “Tiptoe!” she shouted, “I’m going to try and rope it in! You fly behind it and pummel it with your hooves to stop it from bucking out of my binding!” Tiptoe nodded and, without further ado, Incendia focused her magical energies. From the tip of her horn sprouted a tube of fire bordered on the sides by a orange halo of telekinesis, shaping and focusing the flame into a lasso. Incendia whipped it around her head once before sending it sailing around the monster’s neck. The monster writhed again against the flaming rope that held it, and again, Incendia felt her control pushed almost to breaking point. This time, however, as the serpent began to push in the opposite direction, Tiptoe dove, hooves out, and ploughed directly into the serpent’s eye. The serpent, momentarily blinded by pain, ceased resistance to Incendia’s tugging. She gave one mighty jerk of her horn, bringing the serpent’s head crashing down to the stone pathway where it twitched and undulated. As the creature came crashing down, an enormous sphere of light erupted from Jigsaw’s horn and rose up into the ceiling. An immense rumbling and gurgling could be heard throughout the cavern, resonating off the uneven, craggy walls... Incendia glanced around, afraid the cavern was collapsing. “Look out!” Jigsaw warned as a jet of water began to hiss out of the end of the tube he was levitating in front of him. Incendia was utterly baffled. She had no idea how this tiny stream of water could possibly help them— until Jigsaw began to move it. As Jigsaw slowly brought the jet closer to the serpent, a visible, black groove appeared in the rock. Tiptoe chose that moment to speak up, confirming her suspicions. “Jigsaw forced the full pressure of the system into that jet! That beam could cut through solid steel! Jigsaw, are you insane? If you let go of any of those pipes for even a moment, we’d be flooded!” Jigsaw didn’t answer. As the jet made contact with the base of the serpent’s neck, its slit pupils dilated and flashed green. It began to struggle harder against Incendia’s fiery bonds, but with a renewed effort, she summoned another two wisps of flame and wrapped them tightly around the creature. With one final motion, Jigsaw sent the water jet sweeping up and across the neck of the sea serpent. For a moment, the serpent’s headless body began to flail sickeningly, finally snapping the fiery bonds that held it, and jerking from side to side on the stone platform. However, the head of the sea serpent lay still against the sand-colored stone, its wide eyes unseeing. Another flash of light burst from Jigsaw’s horn, and the jet of water slowly settled into a spray and then, finally, a trickle. The pipes dangling from the cavern ceiling shuddered and collapsed onto the platform behind him. For a moment, there was an eerie silence in the cavern as Tiptoe alighted next to Jigsaw and the trio stared down at the blood-soaked head of the beast in disbelief. Without warning, a sickly green cloud burst out of the mouth and ears of the serpent, billowing into the empty space of the cavern. Jigsaw collapsed as a wave of nausea and pain overtook him, stronger than it had ever been before. Something told him that that green mist had to be Tantalus— or whatever force he had sent into the serpent. It hung in the air for just a moment before it rushed into the dark surface of the lake, leaving a roiling greenish tint to the water for a few seconds before it dissipated. As the two mares watched the slowly fading green light, Jigsaw staggered to his feet, breathing slowly to try and calm his upset stomach. “Are you alright?” Tiptoe asked. “I’m fine,” Jigsaw said. He shook his head to clear it. “Is everypony else okay?” “I’m alright,” Tiptoe confirmed. “It got me,” Incendia said through gritted teeth. Her right flank looked like the gashes on the serpent’s neck. Almost all of the cutie mark had been burned away, leaving the muscle under the skin exposed to the air, a stream of blood spurting from the wound with each pounding beat of her heart. “Oh, Goddess,” Jigsaw said. “Let me try and do something about that. Hold still.” Jigsaw’s horn began to glow, although the halo of light surrounding it was flickering and sputtering. Incendia felt the pain in the wound ebb and the bleeding slow to a trickle. Jigsaw’s eyes were shut tight and his whole body was tensed. “Incendia,” Jigsaw said, “I don’t have the power to heal you fully right now. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to fix the water system.” “You think you can fix it?” Incendia asked, looking at the pile of twisted metal behind Jigsaw. “Not like it was, no,” he replied, “but I can at least make sure water gets up to the lower levels again. Just force the system to be perpetually on maximum. It’s an ugly solution and will wear out the purifiers about ten times faster, but it’s better.” Incendia shifted her weight to her right hind leg, testing it, and winced as a fresh jolt of pain shot through her body. As her mind turned back towards the mass grave in the arboretum, she knew there were things more important than her injured leg. “Okay, Jigsaw. The water system is more important right now. My leg feels better, anyway.” “Thank you Incendia,” Jigsaw said softly. “I’ll make it up to you somehow.” “Tiptoe,” he said as he turned back to Tiptoe, “I can’t do this all by myself. I’m going to need you to help me out. We need about forty yards of pipe at least a foot in diameter, and I need you to start placing them end to end. Try and gather up any bolts you see.” “Are you sure you’re okay?” Tiptoe asked. “I don’t want you to burn yourself out...” Jigsaw sighed and leaned forward to kiss Tiptoe on the tip of her nose. “I know my limits. I’m okay.” Jigsaw smiled. “Let’s get to work.” As Jigsaw and Tiptoe went to work fastening pipes together, Incendia craned her neck around to get a better look at her injury. The skin was no longer charred. Instead, it was an angry, glistening shade of red. Gingerly, she took a few steps forward. Though each step caused a fresh white-hot jab of pain, she was able to walk. “How’s your leg holding up?” Tiptoe asked as she lifted a thick iron pipe into the air. “It still hurts, but I can walk alright. As long as you’re sure there’s no more giant snake monsters down here, I think it’s going to be okay. I’ve taken worse back in Stalliongrad. Just... never burns.” “I’m pretty sure the water’s mostly safe now,” Jigsaw said. “Monsters like that tend not to crowd together. Try soaking in it. Might help the burn.” Incendia trotted over to the bank of the underground reservoir and cautiously dipped in a hoof. The icy cold water made Incendia shiver she and withdrew her hoof quickly. Surreptitiously, she glanced up at the two other ponies to ensure they weren’t watching. Once she had made sure they weren’t, she ignited her horn and aimed a small jet of blue flames at the surface of the water. After a few seconds, she dipped her hoof back in. The water had become refreshingly cool. Gingerly, she began to ease herself in, deeper and deeper, until the lukewarm water began to lap up against her burn. She bit her tongue to stop herself from crying out in pain. For a moment, the cool water intensified the pain of the burn so much she could barely stand it, but it soon ebbed, and even soothed the stabs of pain from the burn. She slowly lowered herself onto her haunches, making sure she kept the burned flesh exposed to the water. As the water flowed around her, she let out a relieved sigh. The water felt so good against her burned skin. Incendia glanced up to see Tiptoe hovering overhead, helping guide a pipe that Jigsaw was levitating into its correct position. Incendia’s gut tightened as Tiptoe glided overhead. She watched the pegasus soar back and forth through the air in graceful arcs, following Jigsaw’s instructions. She knew she had no logical reason to feel upset. Jigsaw hadn’t been unfair or unkind, and neither had Tiptoe. In fact, their reactions had been better than she expected. So why did she still get a twang of despair when her thoughts turned to Tiptoe? Suddenly, she found herself wishing another sea serpent would rise out of the lake. At least When she was fighting her mind was clear. At the moment, she felt as though her insides had been thoroughly torn up. She hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? Hadn’t she spent her whole life to helping other ponies? Didn’t she deserve some happiness too? A stabbing pain in her side distracted her and she noticed for the first time that the water around her was boiling. “Ah!” she yelled, scrambling backwards toward the shore. “Incendia?” Jigsaw called. “Is everything alright?” Incendia backed up onto the shore, panting heavily. “Everything’s okay!”Incendia shouted, a little hysterically. “It was just a little stab of pain in my side. I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” Jigsaw shrugged and went back to work bending a length of pipe. The pipe structure nearly reached to the far wall the far wall by this point. Incendia was impressed— clearly, Jigsaw and Tiptoe knew what they were doing. “Actually, Incendia, could you come over here?” Jigsaw called. “We can’t seem to get these pipes to fit together as snugly as we’d like.” Incendia slowly trotted over to the edge of the cavern, where a very broad pipe rose out of the ground. “What’s that?” Incendia asked. “That’s an auxiliary pipe to the water purifiers. Ordinarily, the water is pumped directly from the lake and down into the purifiers as needed, but since we have no way of getting down there, this will have to do,” Jigsaw explained. “Wait a minute. We’re not at the deepest level of the caves?” “Not quite,” Jigsaw replied. “The water purifiers were designed to last a lifetime before they need to be repaired, though. I’ve never gone down there. But with the pumps running on max all the time now, they’re probably going to burn out in ten years instead of a hundred.” “At least they had the foresight to build an auxiliary pipe,” Tiptoe said. “Our ancestors understood engineering pretty well.” “Maybe even as well as you two,” Incendia said with a wry smile. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she saw how hard Tiptoe was blushing. “Anyway, what did you need me for?” Incendia inquired. Jigsaw levitated another, slightly smaller segment of pipe. “This pipe is just a little too small to fit onto the auxiliary pipe. Can you possibly melt the mouth of the pipe so it just forms a seal around it?” “Oh, sure. No problem,” Incendia replied. Incendia trotted over to the pipe, and with a burst of orange light, a beam of blue flame shot form from the tip of her horn. Slowly, she began to work her way around the mouth of the pipe, making sure the molten metal was spread evenly over the gaps between segments. After a few minutes, the two pipes were firmly fastened together by a small ring of steel. “That is the ugliest weld I’ve ever seen in my life,” Incendia said, giggling in spite of herself. Jigsaw gave the pipe a firm kick from his back legs. The pipes didn’t budge. “As long as it works, I don’t really care,” Jigsaw said. “Tiptoe, do you think we’re ready for a test run?” Tiptoe leapt into the air and flew over the length of the mishmashed series of pipes, surveying the construction. “Looks okay to me,” she said. “As long as the water can make it through without bursting the pipes, I don’t think it’s going anywhere.” Jigsaw nodded. “Okay. I’m going to turn on the pumps. We should probably stand back.” The trio backed up to the entrance of the cave and Jigsaw’s horn glimmered with blue light once more. The monolithic rumbling sound once again emanated from the ceiling of the cavern as the unseen pumps again resumed activity. The pipes suddenly began to groan and creak, moaning in protest as the massive torrent of water was forced through them for the first time since Jigsaw and Tiptoe had left. “Are you sure this is going to hold up?” Incendia said with a nervous laugh. “After all, that water was strong enough to cut through that snake...” “Only after I forced it through a tiny nozzle. These are tough old pipes” Jigsaw said with a grin, rapping a pipe protruding from the wall with a hoof. “These survived ten thousand years of this. I can’t imagine they’d break now.” Sure enough, after a minute or two of loud groaning and rumblings, the noise calmed down until only the rushing of water could be heard. “So... that’s it?” Incendia said. “It’s fixed?” “The upper levels should have water again,” Jigsaw confirmed. “But like I said, there’s no fine control here, and if anything goes wrong, they can’t just shut off water to one part of the caves like they used to. Still, though...” Jigsaw’s tone became somber and serious. “Hopefully it can undo some of the damage that’s been done.” “Come on, Jigsaw,” Tiptoe said sweetly. “We shouldn’t hang around down here too long.” Jigsaw nodded and together the trio began the long ascent to the upper levels. ~~~ Before they even entered the main chamber, Jigsaw could hear the splashing. As he pushed open the ornately carved stone door, he couldn’t help but smile. From every household, ponies were celebrating. Unicorns ran through the streets, some levitating huge buckets over their heads to catch the water pouring from every faucet, others forgoing even that and levitating amorphous blobs of water collected from nearby fountains. Earth ponies drank greedily from the water troughs lining some of the houses. What few pegasi were left did loops in air over the chamber, their water-soaked fur dripping onto the bystanders like rain. Foals frolicked in the fountains, playfully splashing water on each other. Tears of joy formed in Jigsaw’s eyes, and swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. It didn’t last long. One of the earth ponies, a sky blue mare, caught sight of the three of them entering the chamber and the smile vanished from her face. She stumbled backwards, eyes locked on Jigsaw, before she whipped around and began galloping in the opposite direction, towards the central spire of rock that jutted up from the middle of the room. “What was that about?” Tiptoe said, cocking her head to one side. As if in answer to her question, a moment later, the blue mare came trotting back up towards the trio with an elderly pony in tow. “Starburst!” Jigsaw and Tiptoe gasped in unison. “Who’s Starburst?” Incendia whispered to Jigsaw. “One of the tribunal,” Jigsaw whispered back. “I thought they were all dead!” Starburst was dressed in a tattered red cloth that had clearly been regal and stately once . His dark grey skin was dried and cracked, but a sheen of water glistened on his lips. “Jigsaw, Tiptoe,” he said, his voice quavering, “Come with me.” “What about Incendia?” Tiptoe inquired. “We’re not going without her.” “She’s part of this too. Bring her,” Starburst replied. He turned and began to trot slowly back towards the pillar of shaped stone. The trickling of water and the lapping tongues of thirsty ponies continued, but gasps of shock and horror as well as hushed whispers replaced the sounds of celebration as the trio made their way down the main chamber. The three ponies reached the base of the tower and Starburst pushed the door open, bathing them in the light of the magical torches that burned on the walls. In spite of the strange situation he was in, Jigsaw was struck by the fact that his old office was only a few floors down from him right now. He wondered if it had been destroyed in the intervening time. “Come. To the tribunal chamber,” Starburst said. “There is a very important matter we must attend do.” The tribunal chamber was a circular room located in the dead center of the tower. Nine wooden seats, the only wooden constructs in the entire cave system to have survived the centuries, were arranged in a semicircle around the wall opposite the doorway. Ordinarily, the tribunal members sat there – three of each race – and made decisions that affected the lives of those living in the caves. Now, however, all that seemed to be left was Starburst, who took a weary seat in the central chair. “Jigsaw, do you remember me?” he asked. “Yes, of course,” Jigsaw said. “You were on the tribunal. Are... are there any more left?” “It’s just me, I’m afraid,” Starburst confirmed sadly. “Dehydration isn’t any less harsh on rulers, I’m afraid.” Jigsaw shifted uncomfortably. “Jigsaw, I brought you in here for one reason: punishment.” Jigsaw blinked, dumbfoundedly. “What do you mean, punishment? We just fixed the problem! The water’s flowing again!” “I know, I know,” Starburst said, “but do you think they’re just going to forget what happened? Every one of us lost loved ones. We saw our very society collapse around us, and... the public needed a scapegoat, someone to blame for it. To keep order.” “What are you saying?” Jigsaw asked, his voice strained with the effort of containing his anger. “We, The tribunal, decided to blame you. Can you blame us? You went missing that day. It was too convenient to pass up.” Jigsaw’s control broke. “So you decided to pin the blame on me? Let me become a monster in their eyes to stop them killing one another? What did you tell them? Did you say I deliberately sabotaged the water pumps?” This time, it was Starburst’s turn to look uncomfortable. “Well, did it work?” Jigsaw snapped. “Did it stop them?” “Of course not,” Starburst murmered. “I’m not saying it was right. I just want you to understand.” “Why didn’t you blame Tiptoe, then?” Jigsaw demanded. “Relations between the pegasi and the other two races were tense before the drought. If we blamed this on one, the other races might attack. The official story painted her as an unwitting accomplice.” “So what happens now?” Jigsaw asked harshly. “They’re going to want your blood in exchange for the lives that were lost during the drought,” Starburst said bluntly. Jigsaw was so stunned he couldn’t speak. Tiptoe, however, managed to squeak out “E-execution?” “I’m not going to allow it,” Starburst said solemnly. “I don’t want any more innocent blood on my hooves.” “However, I can’t let you stay, either. The best I can do is exile you. I don’t know how you came to be here from the surface and, truth be told, I’d rather not know. Go back where you came from and leave us alone, or else my power will not be able to protect you again.” Jigsaw stared at the grey earth pony in stunned silence. “So this is the thanks I get?” he said quietly. “I just risked my own life and the life of my friends to correct a horrible accident and this is my repayment?” “It isn’t right,” Starburst said with a sigh. “I know. But it’s the only way to keep the peace.” “Fine!” Tiptoe shouted, so loudly and unexpectedly that both Jigsaw and Starburst jumped in surprise. “I suppose this what I should expect. Being a pegasus down here, I never got the same treatment as anypony else, and now I’m being exiled for saving the lives of everypony that’s left? Fine. I don’t want to stay.” A few seconds of stunned silence followed Tiptoe’s outburst, broken only by Starburst rising from his chair. “It has to be a public affair to have the effect it needs. Please, follow me. And...” Starburst sighed again. “I’m truly sorry.” The trio followed Starburst out in front of the pillar of stone, where a few dozen ponies had gathered to watch the announcement. “Jigsaw and his cohorts have committed the worst crime imaginable– the shirking of duty to his community. Due to his actions, hundreds lie dead. Crimes of this magnitude have only one sentence: death.” The crowd began stamping their hooves and cheering. “However,” Starburst called over the din, “due to their work on the water system, I have decided to spare them the death penalty.” The crowd grew silent and still as statues. “Instead, I have decided they are to be exiled, never allowed into our home again.” The crowd’s reaction was instant. Disapproving jeers and boos filled the room. “Kill them!” shouted a stallion. “An eye for an eye!” yelled a mare. “Silence!” Starburst shouted. “My word is final. They are to leave the way they came and never return. You are to allow them safe passage to the surface.” The crowd parted reluctantly and allowed the trio to make their way to the exit of the main chamber. As they passed through the ornate carved doors, Jigsaw glanced back over his shoulder to get one final glance at his home. What he saw was the face of every pony he had ever known staring back at him, hatred etched in their faces. ~~~ The sunlight blinded the trio as they stepped out of the cave. Thankfully, the protective shield of the airship was still operational, and the intense sunlight was relegated to a mere annoyance. As they reached the base of the airship, Jigsaw sunk to his haunches and began to shake. Tears fell from his eyes and on to the thirsty ground below, knocked loose by his ragged, shallow breathing. “Jigsaw, are you alright?” Incendia asked softly. “What do you think?” he snapped back. “That was my home back there, Incendia! Everyone I ever knew is dead or thinks I’m some kind of mass murderer!” “Not everyone,” Tiptoe said, sitting down next to him and gently nuzzling his neck. “You still have me. Though Jigsaw allowed her to gently rub her head against his neck, he made no effort to respond. After a few moments, he managed to stop the flow of tears and his breathing slowed. “Wasn’t there supposed to be a fragment here?” Jigsaw said. “Wasn’t that the whole reason we—” As if on cue, a blinding flash of light that outshone even the sun itself gleamed from the mouth of the pit, hundreds of feet up. Slowly, a swirling ball of pure white light, like a miniature sun, began to lower itself into the pit before finally coming to a rest at Jigsaw’s hooves. “Are you serious?” Jigsaw shouted at the sphere. “After all that, after all we just went through, you appear now? I just got kicked out of my home! Incendia nearly died! We all nearly died, and it was for nothing?” “It wasn’t for nothing,” Incendia assured him. “You saved the lives of everypony that was left.” “So what?” Jigsaw snapped back. “There can’t be more than fifty of them left! You can’t sustain a breeding population with that few specimens. They’ll all be dead in a few generations, anyway. All we did was delay the inevitable!” Neither Incendia nor Tiptoe conjured a response. “And what was it for?” Jigsaw was screaming at the sphere now, tears once again rolling down his face. “What do you want from me? What do I have to do? Tell me! You can help me heal Tiptoe, and you can teleport me halfway around the world, but you can’t just tell me why? What is Tantalus, really? Why is any of this happening to me?” Jigsaw backed away from the sphere a few steps and let out a sob. Then, without warning, he charged at the serene sphere, the tip of his horn impaling the swirling surface of the fragment. Instantly, Jigsaw was lifted off his feet as a tornado of light surrounded him. Yellow and white light from the sphere spiraled around Jigsaw, flowing into his horn, which glowed so brightly that Incendia and Tiptoe had to look away. Within moments, it was over. The white halo of light began to fade from Jigsaw’s horn as he gently floated to the ground. When his hooves finally touched earth again, Jigsaw turned to face the airship and let out one more strangled cry of defeat. Gingerly, Tiptoe approached him. “Are... are you going to be okay?” she asked, so softly that Jigsaw could barely hear her. “I... I don’t know, Tiptoe. I really don’t,” Jigsaw said dully. “Let’s get inside,” Tiptoe said. “There’s fresh food and water in there. It will help clear your head.” Robotically, Jigsaw nodded and shuffled up the small staircase into the lobby of the airship. Incendia and Tiptoe followed behind, glancing nervously between each other.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-07-28T17:39:08+00:00

2012-07-28T17:39:08+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 30 By PK (Hey, guys, it sure has been a while! Sorry about that! By popular request, here’s a summary of the events of the last chapter to refresh your memory: Jigsaw, Tiptoe, and Incendia got back to the caves and fixed the water supply, but the populace wasn’t ready to forgive them and exiled them from their home. Jigsaw found a celestia fragment and suffered a bit of a nervous breakdown.) Tiptoe extended her wings, soaring over the emerald green carpet spread out below her, wind buffeting her back and forth through the air as she made an unsteady landing on the top of the airship. She trotted over to a small, round hatch on the top of the airship and flipped a lever with her hoof. The door sprung open. Tiptoe fluttered her wings as she descended into the control room. When she touched down, Incendia glanced up and gave her a curt nod. She sat on the ground in front of a monitor, which flashed blue and displayed a sentence in the language of the old world. A small quill floated in the air before Incendia, sketching the glyphs on a ragged sheet of paper. "What's going on?" Tiptoe asked, trotting closer. "No idea," Incendia replied. "The monitor just started flashing a minute ago. I don't know what it says so I thought I ought to write it down and bring it to... well, I thought I ought to write it down." Tiptoe could feel the name hanging in the air even though it hadn't been said. Her thoughts turned against her will towards the last week. ~~~ Ever since they left the caves, the atmosphere in the airship had been strained. Tiptoe was more shaken than she had thought by what she had seen in the caves. She'd had terrible nightmares the first night back in the airship, and she’d awoken that first night in a cold sweat, tears wet in her eyes. She realized she hadn't even asked what had become of her mother and father. To make matters worse, Jigsaw hadn't been there. After absorbing the fragment of Celestia, Jigsaw had tuned the ship eastward and locked himself in his cabin without a word to any of them. When Tiptoe came in for the night, she found him already lying in bed, breathing slowly. She gently squeezed in next to him and drifted off. When she awoke to find him missing, Tiptoe wandered around a corridor, only to find him scribbling idly in the old language at a small desk in a disused barrack. "What are you writing?" Tiptoe asked cautiously. "I don't know!" Jigsaw said, slamming the quill on the desk. The ink reservoir at the top shattered and black ink began to run over the words on the parchment. "I don't know what I'm doing here. It's only gotten worse, Tiptoe. I could stand it before, but now it's like they're screaming in my head, only, I can't make out the words!" Cold dread settled in Tiptoe’s stomach. "You're talking about the fragments? Is that why you weren't in bed?" "I don't remember leaving bed, but I remember I never fell asleep. All I know is one second I'm trying to drift off, and the next second you’re standing here asking what I'm writing." Jigsaw's horn ingited and Tiptoe noticed that the magical aura no longer shone bright blue but was tinged with gold. The stained parchment lifted off the table. "I can't even read this," Jigsaw exlaimed. "I don't know any of these words. I don't know what they want, and I don't know why I'm even fighting it." All the anger drained out of his voice and his shoulders drooped. Tiptoe tentatively made her way over to him and gently nuzzled his neck. "You're still you," she assured him, "and I'm sure that they're only doing these things because they're important. We're the good guys, right?" Jigsaw gave her an angry glare. "Are we? We don't know anything more about Tantalus than we did at the start. We don't know his endgame. We don't even know our own!" "But the princesses are—" "But the princesses are good in the stories?” Jigsaw interrupted. “Those are thousands of years old, Tiptoe! We have no idea if the story changed at all over time. They also said the whole world was dead, but we saw the truth of that!” "But Tantalus has done horrible things!" Tiptoe said. "You've seen him slaughter hundreds! He tried to kill us!" "And what if he had good reason for doing it?" Jigsaw retorted. "We don't know! We just don't! And we've done terrible things, too! You saw that grave, same as I. We did that." Tiptoe gasped in horror. "T-that's not fair, we didn't mean to do that." "We did it all the same!" Jigsaw shouted. "Maybe Tantalus is just trying to make a better world. Maybe the ends justify the means." "They don't," Tiptoe replied, narrowing her eyes. "They never do." "And yet the princesses have no problem using me as their puppet!" Jigsaw shouted, shoving the parchment covered in odd runes towards Tiptoe. "They just take control of me and use me. I don't know what they want of me any more than you do. That fragment didn't appear until after we got exiled, Tiptoe. We turned the water back on and they exiled us and we didn't even have to go in there to get the fragment." Tiptoe was shocked. "Of course we had to! They were dying! They're our family!" "Were," Jigsaw corrected. "They exiled us, remember? And besides, what we did wasn't any kinder. They have no way to grow food with the arboretum... full. We just traded thirst for starvation. Besides, even if they could eat, they didn't have enough to sustain a viable breeding population. What we did was cruel, Tiptoe. They might last another generation or two, at best, before dying out. We're guilty of genocide just as much as Tantalus is, Tiptoe, and all for these stupid fragments." Tiptoe was about to bite back at him when their eyes met. His eyes betrayed him as they glistened with barely contained terror. "Well?" Jigsaw snapped. "Say something!" "I love you," Tiptoe said, moving closer to him so that her coat brushed against his. "I’d— what?" Jigsaw sputtered, taken aback. "I know you're afraid," Tiptoe said. "I can't imagine what it's like for you, but I love you Jigsaw." Tiptoe pressed her lips against his, feeling the smooth, wet skin of his lips against her own. Jigsaw shuddered and, for an instant, tried to pull away. His resolve didn’t last and after a moment of resistence he gave in and pressed against her, unloading all of his pent-up emotion into one long, passionate kiss. After a long moment, they broke apart. "I love you too, Tiptoe, I..." Jigsaw swallowed hard, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "I'm so scared, I just..." "It's okay," Tiptoe said. "It's..." Jigsaw's pupils dilated, and Tiptoe thought she caught an unfamiliar glimpse of gold inside the eyes she knew so well. Jigsaw galloped out of the room without saying another word. ~~~ "I'm sorry," Incendia said softly. "I know things are rough between you two right now. I'll bring it to him later." Tiptoe nodded. "Thank you." "Did you see anything out scouting?" Incendia asked quickly, changing the subject. "There's nothing but a grove of trees to the northeast. We really need to resupply if we can." Incendia nodded and trotted over to the dusty chair in the center of the room. Her horn glowed orange and a small wheel and navigator’s compass rose out of the floor. She spun it with her mouth and a low hum came from deep within the airship. The world outside the window wall tilted and turned as the airship rotated until it faced a far-off patch of green that was the orchard. "I think I'm going to take a nap," Tiptoe said. "All that flying tired me out." "Alright," Incendia said. "You know where to find me." Tiptoe shuffled her hooves awkwardly, but she thanked the coal black unicorn and headed out of the room. Incendia felt her heart flutter as Tiptoe turned her back to her to leave, and then immediately felt a stab of shame. She knew she shouldn't be watching. She knew she shouldn't feel happy that Tiptoe and Jigsaw were having issues in their relationship, especially since Jigsaw's life—or his sanity, at the very least—was at stake. Incendia gave her head a quick shake to clear it and grabbed the paper she had been writing with. She doubled checked the symbols against the screen and then trotted out of the control room. She stopped at the third landing, and the metal door slid aside for her with a soft electric hum. As it opened Incendia found herself greeted by the clanging of pistons, the strange quavering hum of the ship’s power lines, and a keening high-pitched sound she knew as the whine of a crystal under strain. Jigsaw was standing over a bright console near the door with his mane frayed and unkempt, and the bags below his eyes quite startlingly pronounced, though he didn’t seem to notice her. “Jigsaw?” Incendia askedhesitantly. Much to her relief, his ears perked up at the sound of her voice and he turned away from the console. “Incendia,” he said, “Haven’t seen you in over a day. Is—” “She’s asleep,” Incendia said. “Oh,” Jigsaw said, the corners of his mouth falling slightly. “What did you want?” “A monitor in the control room started sounding an alarm and I didn’t recognize the words. Here’s what it said,” Incendia replied, floating the parchment slip towards the unicorn. “A power coupling came undone,” Jigsaw said. “They’re always coming loose. I must have missed this one,” Jigsaw said, leading Incendia along a series of tubes mounted on the wall. “Jigsaw, she’s worried about you,” Incendia said, “and so am I. Have you slept at all this last week?” Jigsaw stopped and turned to look at her., and though his eyes shone bright, the rest of his face was etched with weariness. “Not once, Incendia. I’ve tried. I’m so tired, I feel like I’m about to pass out on the spot, but they want something from me. They keep trying to take control, but they’re broken; not whole, so they can’t do it properly.” Incendia’s eyes widened with surprise. “You haven’t slept once? This whole week? And you never told us?” “I didn’t feel like it was important. So long as I can keep myself busy fixing the airship, I can think. But when I stop…” Jigsaw’s eyes were glowing. Incendia felt that they were look through her and into her soul. “Something’s gone wrong. Something they know but can’t tell us. We have to hurry!” Jigsaw shouted. Incendia took a step back. Jigsaw blinked, and suddenly, his eyes were back to normal: bloodshot, tired, and blue. “I’m sorry, Incendia, it’s the goddesses. They’re upset at our pace. I can’t control when they come out.” He smiled weakly. “At least they’re not trying to kill me. When Tiptoe and I escaped Stalliongrad, they teleported us out of a dangerous situation and I felt like I was being torn apart. I don’t think they’re going to let me die of sleep deprivation.” “Are you sure you’re okay?” Incendia asked. “I’m hardy sure of anything anymore, Incendia,” Jigsaw answered. Incendia opened her mouth to respond, but Jigsaw cut her off. “Why hasn’t Tiptoe come to visit me?” he asked. Incendia shuffled uncomfortably. “I think she’s afraid. You’ve been… so strange this last week.” Jigsaw snorted derisively. “Yeah, thanks for telling me. I wasn’t aware. I’ll just turn off the ancient goddesses in my head, then.” “Not funny,” Incendia replied. “I know,” Jigsaw said, his voice falling once more. “I don’t know what I would tell her. That night I ran out on her— I can’t imagine what that must have looked like to her. I don’t even know what they wanted me to do." He sighed. "I'm so tired." Before Incendia could respond, the airship gave a shudder and the engines began to cycle down. "What's going on?" Jigsaw asked, turning to face the nearest console. "Why are we descending?" "There's a huge forest nearby. We're running low on food and water. We're touching down to reload." Jigsaw nodded. "That sounds nice. Maybe going outside for a while will help me calm down." ~~~ Tiptoe, Incendia, and Jigsaw stood side by side, saddlebags slung over their backs, as the stairs lowered from the base of the airship to the ground. Incendia glanced to her sides. Tiptoe hadn't spoken a word to Jigsaw since he had shown up in the lobby to disembark. The door to the airship began to sink into the floor, shining a narrow shaft of light directly into the eyes of the assembled ponies below. Incendia blinked and squinted, temporarily blinded as her eyes adjusted, and gasped when they had. The forest had looked so small from the sky, but now that she had landed, she could see that had just been an illusion. These were no ordinary trees: they towered towards the sky, thick branches laden with huge fruits in every color of the rainbow. The bark of the trees was a strange blue-green Incendia had never seen before. "What are they?" Tiptoe asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "I don't know," Jigsaw responded. "The fruits look like huge apples, almost. What could have caused them to get so large?" Tiptoe's stomach twisted at the sound of Jigsaw's voice. She knew she shouldn't be upset— Jigsaw wasn't fully in control of his actions— but she still couldn't help it. Her gut twisted when she thought of him. Incendia glanced around the airship as the silence stretched on relentlessly. Realizing the stalemate her companions were in, she cleared her throat. "Should we head out?” Tiptoe nodded curtly and set off down the stairs, Incendia and Jigsaw following closely behind. The air outside the airship was cool, moist, and wonderfully fresh. A few yards away from the edge of the stairs, the river rushed by, the water running white as it flowed around a row of upthrust rocks. "How are we supposed to get over that?" Incendia asked. "I mean, Tiptoe can just fly, but…" "Those rocks in the river," Jigsaw responded. "They're small but they're not that far apart. I think we can use them as stepping stones." Incendia eyed the rushing rapids wearily. "If you say so. Tiptoe, you'll be there to catch us if we fall, right?" "Of course I'll catch you, Incendia," Tiptoe said. Jigsaw’s mouth hung open in shock. He took a breath to respond but thought better of it, stung. He wordlessly turned and trotted toward the rocks. It looked as they had once been smooth and flat, but time and the constant rush of water had dulled them down to rounded spikes, spaced a few feet apart and spanning the length of the river. He gingerly placed a hoof on the first one, but found to his relief that the rock was gritty and gripped his hoof well. He began to slowly move between the spire, making sure that each hoof was balanced before he reached out. After several tense minutes, his hooves found the soft, moist dirt of the opposite bank. Jigsaw turned to face the other side and saw Incendia standing at the edge of the river, staring intently at the first stone. To his relief, Tiptoe had taken off and was hovering downstream, ready to pull anypony who fell from the rushing water. "It's okay!" Jigsaw called over the roar of the water. "The rocks aren't nearly as slippery as they look." Incendia reached out a hoof and pressed it carefully against the rock and began to make her way slowly across the series of stones. After several shaky moments, Incendia hopped off the final rock and landed next to Jigsaw, and with a soft flutter, Tiptoe landed beside her. "I'm not looking forward to doing that again," Incendia said shakily. "So what are we trying to get? Can we eat those fruits?" "I don't know, but I think I can find out. Come on," Jigsaw prompted. Together, the trio trotted towards the towering trees. As they walked, the grass around their feet slowly gave way to thick shrubbery. Tiptoe's wing brushed against one of the thick, thorned branches of a nearby bush and a feather yanked free, causing her to shout in surprise and pain. "What happened?" Jigsaw said, whipping around to face her. "I'm fine," she said. "I just got caught on a thorn from one these bushes." Jigsaw glanced towards the tree line. "The woods look like they're full of them," Jigsaw said. "Try and be careful— we don't want anyone getting caught in one of those." "I could burn them, maybe," Incendia offered. "No," Jigsaw said quickly. "Too dangerous. We can't risk a forest fire." They soon reached the edge of the forest and got their first up-close look at the strange, twisted trees. From their base, each tree was so full of thick branches that the trio couldn't see the top. The thick, rainbow fruits hung heavily from each limb, dangling ominously over the assembled ponies. "What are these trees?" Incendia wondered aloud. "I've never seen anything like this." "Look at the ground," Jigsaw said, pawing at a small patch of dirt with a forehoof. The dirt was strangely colored— greenish-blue, like the bark of the trees, and it glowed with a faint luminescence. Incendia leaned in to get a closer look and recoiled when she felt a strange tingling in the tip of her horn. "What is that?" "The ground here is saturated with magic. That explains why the trees are so large and strangely colored," Jigsaw explained. "Does that mean it's safe to eat the fruits?" Incendia asked. In answer, Jigsaw touched the tip of his horn against the tree. His horn began to glow with a soft blue light and the tree responded in kind, taking on the same dim luminescence as the dirt below them had. The limbs rustled as though in a breeze. After several seconds, Jigsaw pulled away. "What just happened? Incendia asked. "The fruits are safe," Jigsaw said. "I don't know what they are, but they're not poisonous, I think. Be sure to rub them on your lips before eating one and if you feel a sting, or any sort of numbness, don't eat it." "What happened to make them this way?" Incendia inquired. "I have no idea," Jigsaw responded, "but we should probably be careful in there if we're going to gather these. I have no idea what this might have done to other forest life. Incendia, do you mind taking point? I need to stay behind for a moment." Incendia was about to protest when she saw Jigsaw glance towards Tiptoe. Silently, she nodded and trotted off into the forest. "Should I harvest from up above, then?" Tiptoe's eyes didn't meet Jigsaw's. "Tiptoe, I know that you're mad at me. I know that I haven't come to see you after I ran off that night. Can I just—" Jigsaw was cut off when he saw the tears forming in Tiptoe's eyes. "Mad? Jigsaw, I'm not mad, I'm— I'm scared!" Tiptoe stamped her hooves on the forest floor. "Scared?" asked Jigsaw, perplexed. "Of course I'm scared!" Tiptoe shouted back. "I thought you were losing your mind! After you ran off like that…" she trailed off. "Then why didn't you come to see me?" Jigsaw said. "For the same reason you didn't come to see me!" Tiptoe shot back. She stared at him intensely for a moment before sighing. "Okay. Maybe I was angry, too. I don't think anypony can blame me for that." "Tiptoe, I'm sorry. I never meant to do that. Can I just explain for a moment?" Tiptoe wanted to scream at him, but she swallowed her anger and nodded stiffly. "You remember after Tantalus attacked us outside that castle? When you… he almost killed you? And I called on the power of the goddesses to heal you?" Tiptoe nodded. "Well, I don't think they're fully under my control. Not like they were then. Or maybe they never were, and our goals just coincided.” Jigsaw paced as he spoke. “Either way, right now they're stronger than I am. They're each almost complete and they know that we're close to finishing. They want something out me but they can't communicate what, and they can't use most of their power because I couldn't handle it. That's what I've been putting up with for the last week. It's like having two feral animals in your head both fighting over the same piece of meat." "I already knew that," Tiptoe said, her eyes resolutely aimed at the ground. "I haven't ever just sat you down and explained what it feels like, have I? It's hard, Tiptoe. And confusing. I just… I didn't want to see you because I was afraid I might hurt you. I don't know what I'm capable of like this." Tiptoe tilted her head back, and her eyes met Jigsaw's. "What about right now?" she said. "Aren't you worried now?" Jigsaw smiled the saddest smile the pegasus had ever seen. "Tiptoe, I haven't stopped worrying since the day they assigned you as my apprentice." Tiptoe stared into his eyes, waiting for the flash of gold that would signify an abrupt end to the conversation. Instead, all she saw were the same brilliantly blue eyes she'd known for so long. She took a hesitant step forward. Every muscle in her body is tense, screaming for her to turn away, but before she knew it, she found herself pressing her lips against Jigsaw's for the first time in a long time, and her anger seemed far away. The seconds stretched on as their kiss intensified. Jigsaw pressed his mouth tighter against hers, relishing the feel of her lips against his. For the first time in a long time, he wasn't afraid. After what felt like ages, they finally broke apart, breathing heavily. "I love you," Tiptoe said breathlessly. "I love you too," Jigsaw said breathily, smiling. A sudden scream and an orange glint from somewhere deeper in the forest broke them out of their reverie. "Incendia!" Jigsaw and Tiptoe shouted together. As one, they galloped off into the grove of trees, heading towards the dimming orange light. ~~~ Incendia leapt to the side, flames trailing behind her, as the strange creature lashed out at her again. Her glow intensified as she sent a shimmering strand of flame flying through the air at the strange, green mouth. Incendia slowly made her way through the thick undergrowth, trying not to focus on what Jigsaw and Tiptoe were engaging in behind her, when a plant unlike any growing around it caught her eye. It appeared to be a gaping blue-green maw on a stem, with shining dark brown teeth. As she approached, the plant had lashed out at her with that strange mouth, slicing a deep gash in her flank and causing her to cry out in pain and surprise. The flame whip struck the top of the creature's head and sizzled there, burning a deep gouge into its flesh, but it didn't even seem to feel it. The thing lashed out at her again and Incendia brought her flames roaring as high as she dared and the creature recoiled. A rustling sound behind her caused her to whip her head around. From out of a thick bramble, Tiptoe and Jigsaw came racing. Jigsaw's horn was lit. "What's going on?" Jigsaw shouted. "That plant is attacking me!" Incendia shouted back. "I can't get away from it!" Jigsaw glanced at the top of the plant and saw the deep gouges Incendia's flames had left in it. "I have an idea!" Jigsaw yelled. "Tiptoe! Can you fly above it and create a distraction?" "Yeah!" Tiptoe shouted back. She flapped her wings and took to the air, soaring in tight circles above the plant. It thrashed this way and that, striking at her, teeth bared like a snake. "Okay, Incendia, wrap flames around the base of the plant and apply as much heat as you can!" Jigsaw said, eyes trained on Tiptoe. Incendia wrapped another flaming rope around the base of the plant. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the fire. She could feel the flames licking up the side of her body, extending out through her horn into the fiery whip, and reached into her magic reserves. The flames grew hotter, the orange giving way to white, and then to blue only moments later. The plant's mouth stopped biting and shuddered as it turned to Incendia. It gave one last feeble attempt at a lunge before the flames cut through the stem, causing the carnivorous plant to collapse at her hooves. Incendia gasped for air and the flames covering her began to fade until her coat returned to a solid black. Tiptoe touched down gently, the flutter of her wings displacing a coating of dead leaves and moss that coated the forest floor. "What in Celestia's name was that?" she said. "I have no idea," Jigsaw said, "but I think we had better get out of here. Even the plants are trying to kill us." "Good idea," Incendia said. "But, uh… does anybody know which way we came?"

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-09-13T14:54:42+00:00

2012-09-13T14:54:42+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 31 By PK The bright blue juices from the strange fruit drizzled down Incendia's muzzle, the bitter, slightly electric, taste fresh in her mouth. "Are you sure these are safe to eat?" she asked, eyeing the half-eaten fruit floating a few inches in front of her. "Pretty sure," Jigsaw said, his own fruit hovering next to him. "When I examined the tree, I really didn't feel anything malignant. These definitely aren't natural, though, whatever they are." Incendia's stomach growled in hunger, but she put the fruit away. "I think I'll save this for later," she said. The trees only grew thicker as they walked. A layer of thick gray clouds blocked out the sun, the blue green light illuminating the area coming from the thin layer of moss on the forest floor. A loud, clear whistle and a rustle of branches heralded Tiptoe's return. She slowly fluttered down from the canopy, the buffets of air disturbing the moss below and causing it to flare brighter and cast strange, spindly shadows on the trunks of the trees on the edges of the clearing. Tiptoe alighted on the bright patch of moss and she trotted up to Incendia and Jigsaw. "Something's keeping me from breaking through," Tiptoe said. "When I fly up, it’s like… like there’s something breathing down, a hot gust that keeps me from going up any farther.” “I was afraid of that,” Jigsaw said seriously. “I think we’re more than lost. Something wants us here.” “A fragment?” asked Tiptoe, ruffling her wings. Jigsaw sighed, his shoulders drooping as he stared at the ground. “It would explain a lot. These trees didn’t grow like this naturally. In fact, I think that might be why the goddesses have finally calmed down. Maybe we’re getting closer.” Incendia cleared her throat, and Jigsaw turned to look at her. “If there is a fragment here, wouldn’t that make three? As in one full goddess? What happens then?” Jigsaw’s face remained blank, but his voice was heavy with fatigue. “I guess we find out.” For a long while, nopony made a noise, preferring to sit in the gloomy light from the moss and eat the strange fruits. “I think we should probably camp here tonight,” Jigsaw finally said, breaking the silence. “Incendia, can you light us a campfire?” “There’s no firewood,” Incendia pointed out. “I’m a bit nervous about burning these branches, as full of magic as they are. Can you do that fireball, the one you did back at the castle?” “It will only last a few hours,” Incendia warned. “We can’t count on it to keep things away.” “It’s the best chance we have without being unsafe.” “Alright,” Incendia said. Her horn shimmered orange, and with a sudden flash of light and heat, a tiny ball of fire hung a foot above the ground in the center of the clearing, rotating like a miniature sun. The heat and light it gave off seemed to drive out some of the gloom. “Thank you,” Jigsaw said, promptly curling into a tight ball and closed his eyes. “I’ll be right back,” Incendia said. “Nature calls.” One of Jigsaw’s eyes fluttered open. “Don’t go far, and if anything happens, shout.” Incendia nodded and left the clearing. She trotted past the giant, thick trunks of the strange trees before stopping at the mouth of another, much smaller clear area. A warm breeze picked up, blowing through the clearing, and a clear beam of silvery light washed out the strange blue green illumination of the fungus. Incendia looked up to see the bushy limbs of the trees had been pushed aside, giving her a clear view of the sky. Incendia stared up in awe, for above her was not the colorful twilight she had grown accustomed to. The moon was directly above— not the crumbling, dull gray moon she was used to, but a whole, bright moon, shining brilliantly down into the clearing. However, even as she watched, the moon shifted and changed, seeming to flicker and grow transparent for a moment before snapping back into place, as though it was being projected. The sky didn’t seem right, either— instead of the pale blue tinted with the orange of the perpetually setting sun, the sky seemed tinged green— a sickeningly familiar green. Then, without warning, the tree limbs snapped back into place, cutting off the strange silvery beam of light. Where it had touched the clearing, the moss seemed to glow brighter, and brighter until a strangled shout from the distance broke Incendia out of her reverie. A moment later, Tiptoe burst out from between the trees, screaming, “Incendia, help! Something’s attacking the camp!” ~~~ Jigsaw’s dreams were turbulent. He was walking over a snowy landscape, the wind whipping around him and causing white frost to form at the edge of his mane. His voice rasped when he tried to speak, his throat as dry as sandpaper. As the wind picked up, however, it blew away the layer of snow, revealing a huge, elaborate tangle of water pipes, valves, gauges, and switches. Jigsaw bent down and touched his horn to the nearest valve and felt the blockages in the system. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, drawing magical power from his internal reserve and holding it for a moment, then he let the spell loose. Blue light pulsed from his horn and down through the pipes, forcing the blockages out and breaking them into pieces. Jigsaw smiled at a job well done and turned the nearest valve with his mouth. A small faucet and basin rose from the pipe and Jigsaw eagerly awaited the flood of water he expected. The faucet rumbled and, with a distant scream that was nearly drowned out by the wind, thick, steaming blood poured out. Jigsaw’s eyes whipped open just in time to feel a hot, wet gust of air blow through the clearing. As it met the glowing miniature sun in the center of the impromptu campsite, the sphere flickered and grew suddenly bright, sending off a wave of heat so intense Jigsaw had to scramble to his hooves and step back before it suddenly winked out. Jigsaw looked around wildly, but the only thing he saw was Tiptoe, standing at the edge of the clearing, wings outstretched in shock, staring back at him. “What in Celestia’s name was tha—” Her words were cut off by a pair of sudden, piercing electric blue lights that appeared from the darkness behind the edge of the clearing. The lights came forward into the gloom of the moss, and the creature’s featured became defined. A small, somewhat squashed face surrounded by a pale blue mane, leading back to a monstrously huge body terminating in a long, segmented tail with a sharp, hooked stinger on the end. “A manticore,” Tiptoe said, her voice barely more than a whisper in the gloom of the clearing. The manticore sniffed at the air, bright eyes flickering back and forth between the two ponies. “Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said, his voice oddly even and calm, “go get Incendia. Now.” “Jigsaw, I can’t leave, you—” “Go!” Jigsaw shouted, igniting his horn and slamming the manticore across the face with a magically bent tree limb. Tiptoe lept off and galloped into the darkness, and Jigsaw focused on the manticore, who stared at him angrily, baring its teeth. The creature roared at him and lowered its head for a charge. Jigsaw jumped to one side, skidding a bright track in the moss below. The manticore wasn’t able to turn tightly enough to hit Jigsaw, but his tail whipped around and the stinger caught him in his right flank above his cutie mark, leaving a bright red trail. Jigsaw let out a strangled cry as a white-hot pain shot through his whole right side. The manticore growled and lined itself up for another charge. Jigsaw attempted to stumble to the side, but his right side didn’t appear to move. With horror, Jigsaw saw that tendrils of electric blue were winding out from the spot where the stinger had pierced his flesh. The white-hot pain was rapidly fading, replaced by a horrible, tingling numbness. The manticore roared and lowered its head to charge again, when a bolt of bright orange came whizzing out of the trees and slammed into the muscle bound side of the creature. The beast roared and stumbled, crashing into the ground and cutting a gorge into the mossy ground and revealing the dark soil underneath. Not a moment later, Incendia and Tiptoe burst out of the undergrowth, panting heavily. Flames danced around Incendia’s horn and, as the manticore unsteadily rose to its feet, the flames immediately spread down and brought her coal-black fur. The manticore shook it’s head, seemingly unphased by the attack. Where the fireball had hit, blue sparks danced across the manticore’s skin, as though a bundle of electrical wires had been exposed. Before the manticore could fully recover from the shock of the sudden hit, Incendia blazed brightly and blasted it with another burst of fire. The creature staggered, but the fire seemed to roll off it with an electric crackle of power. “Incendia! Look out!” Jigsaw cried, and Incendia artfully dodged the sudden flash of black as the creature’s stinger embedded itself where she had been standing a moment before. The manticore yanked its stinger out of the ground, leaving a pool of blue venom behind. It raised the stinger in preparation for another strike, but before it could follow through, a flash of yellow darted in, twisting the stinger out of position and causing the beast to roar in pain. Tiptoe dived down again, hooves outstretched, driving the tip of the stinger deep into the wood of a nearby tree. The manticore roared in frustration and attempted to pull its stinger out of the unyielding wood. “Incendia! Now!” Tiptoe shouted. Incendia braced herself and felt a pressure building in her horn, drawing magic from her internal wellspring and focusing in her horn. The flames that billowed forth from the tip of her horn began to turn blue, flowing over the rest of her body. When Incendia couldn’t stand it anymore, she let the power issue from the tip of her horn and directed it towards the trapped creature snarling at her from across the clearing. The flames poured over the manticore, flames meeting the magical flesh with a sharp blue crackle. However, the crackling appeared to be diminishing even as Incendia watched- the blue flames seemed to be creeping under the crackling blue shield, scorching the flesh below. The manicore began to writhe, strangled cries of pain and agitation barely audible over the jet-like roar of Incendia’s onslaught. With one mighty yank and the sound of splintering wood, the manticore freed itself from the tree and retreated, smoking, out of the clearing and into the dark of the woods. With concentrated effort, Incendia cut off the flow of magic and felt the flames that cloak her die down and fade into darkness. She stood there, breathing hard, staring at the flaming trunk of the tree with the oozing stinger wound embedded within until a dry cough from her right caught her attention. “Jigsaw!” Tiptoe shouted, rushing over to where he laid on the ground, scarlet blood staining the blue-green moss below. Strange, curling electric blue tendrils spread out under his skin from the gaping puncture in his flank, pulsing eerily, like a perverse heartbeat. “I can’t feel my right side,” Jigsaw said, weakly. “I think that stinger was poisoned.” “Are you okay?” Incendia asked, trotting up beside Tiptoe. “I don’t know, but you saved my life,” Jigsaw said, lifting his head so as to better see the two. “Thank you. I need you both to step back, though. I’m going to try and heal it.” Incendia and Tiptoe obliged, and Jigsaw slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. To Tiptoe’s disgust, a small amount of brilliantly blue liquid spurted from the wound as he sat up, mixing with the blood soaking into the moss below. Jigsaw’s horn began to glow, a much more comforting and familiar blue. He craned his head around, attempting to better aim at the hole in his flank. His horn began to glow brighter. Tiptoe’s ears suddenly perked up. A quiet, extremely high-pitched keening noise had begun in the clearing. As the glow in Jigsaw’s horn grew in intensity, the sharp noise grew louder. “What is that?” Incendia shouted over the ring that had risen to a deafening pitch. In answer, Jigsaw gave a shout of pain, and the keening noise grew louder still. His horn flashed several times, so brightly that Tiptoe was momentarily blinded, then, without warning the noise was cut off and Jigsaw slumped to the ground with a heavy thump. Tiptoe rushed forward, but Jigsaw allayed her fears by struggling again into a sitting position. “What happened?” Tiptoe asked, eyes wide with concern and surprise. “I have no idea,” Jigsaw responded, breathing heavily. “It’s like something is blocking me. A-and… and I feel so weak.” His eyelids fluttered and he swayed where he sat for a moment before he snapped back to consciousness. “Okay, listen. I’m almost certain there’s a fragment here. I don’t know what else could have affected the local flora and fauna so much, but I don’t think I have much time.” “But,” Tiptoe said desperately, “but the fragments of the goddesses will protect you, right?” “That’s the thing,” Jigsaw said. “I can’t feel them anymore. Or, I can, but it feels like they’re far away and being blocked in the same way I am. It has to be a fragment. We need to get to it quickly. You need to…” Jigsaw trailed off as his eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped, unconscious, onto the glowing ground. “Jigsaw?” Tiptoe said, quietly. Then, she shouted “Jigsaw!” “Look,” Incendia said, “he’s still breathing.” Tiptoe looked closer and, sure enough, Jigsaw’s chest was still rising and falling slowly and regularly. Gently, she lowered her ear to his chest, listening to his labored breathing for a moment. “Well,” she said anxiously, “what do we do?” “We’re going to have to find the fragment by ourselves,” Incendia said grimly. ~~~ Jigsaw felt as though he was floating weightlessly through a world devoid of substance or color. Jigsaw retched, and a moment later, he felt a sharp shock as he collided with the ground. Dimly, he heard a high-pitched, melodious voice say: “Jigsaw?” Slowly, his eyes focused, and Tiptoe’s face swam into focus. “Where are we?” Jigsaw said. His throat felt dry and hot, and his mouth tasted of bile. “Incendia carried you through the forest,” Tiptoe said. “Every now and then, that strange, warm breeze would blow from one direction or another, and we just followed it until we found this place. I don’t know what it used to be, but the walls are still standing and the door locks.” Jigsaw looked around, taking in the space they were in. The space was lit by a bright, floating orb, hovering in the center of the space, like a miniature sun. There was no moss on the ground, instead, lightly colored packed dirt formed a solid surface. The wooden walls were spotted and warped with age, and seemed to have taken on some of the strange blue color of the trees, but they were otherwise still intact. Incendia slept soundly under directly under the floating orb, her face distorted by the heat waves radiating off the sphere. The door at the far end had a heavy wooden beam across its berth, blocking entry from the outside. Jigsaw himself was lying on the ground underneath a small bench that was serving as an impromptu cot. With great effort, he managed to clamber onto the surface of the bench and lay down. “Do you have any water?” Jigsaw asked weakly. Tiptoe nodded, trotted out of Jigsaw’s vision, then came back a moment later with a small, curved flask in her mouth. Gingerly, she tilted a small amount of the liquid into Jigsaw’s waiting mouth, and he gulped it down eagerly. “We’re going to sleep here, for now,” Tiptoe said. “I’m sorry, Jigsaw but we just can’t keep going.” Jigsaw nodded. “It’s okay. I think I need some proper sleep too. Just… just hurry, okay?” Tiptoe nodded, and with that, Jigsaw laid his head down and drifted into sleep. Tiptoe gulped and her eyes went unbidden to the wound in Jigsaw’s side. The spiderweb of blue, pulsing veins spread had spread further out from the wound, which was oozing a semi-transparent, bluish liquid. Carefully, she bent down and softly kissed Jigsaw’s forehead, then turned towards the warmth of the sphere. She approached as to the burning sphere as she dared and whispered, “Incendia? Are you awake?” Incendia stirred and her eyes opened. “I am now,” she said, sleepily as she got to her feet and moved away from the ball of light. Tiptoe shuffled her feet uncomfortably and said, “I’m really scared, Incendia.” Incendia looked at the pegasus and sighed. “I know, Tiptoe. I’m scared too.” “What if we can’t find the fragment without him?” Tiptoe continued. “What if that breeze thing isn’t what we’re supposed to be following?” “It doesn’t do any good to speculate,” Incendia replied. Tiptoe sat down and turned her eyes to the fire, staring intently. “Back in Stalliongrad,” Incendia continued, “we saw a lot of injuries. Lost a lot of ponies. Living like that… I guess you sort of get used to death. I didn’t let ponies get close because you never knew who you might lose and when. “I had… when I first started out, when I first decided I needed to rebel, I had a girlfriend. Her name was Selene. She was the most beautiful shade of brown you could ever see, and she…” Incendia’s voice caught, and she had to swallow hard before continuing. “We fought back together, at first. Recruited a team, built a headquarters, built a life. Then, one day, she found out her sisters had been killed by Rubidium’s forces, and… I found her in the bathroom. She had... She followed them.” Tiptoe broke her gaze from the fire and stared at Incendia. Steam was rising from the corners of her eyes. “She left me all alone. After all we’d done, all we were planning to do, and she left like that. After that, I learned I couldn’t get too invested in any members of the team because I didn’t know what was going to happen next.” Incendia’s voice grew stronger and more confident as she spoke. “That’s not going to happen here, Tiptoe. I know what’s going to happen next. We’re going to find that fragment and Jigsaw is going to get better. He’s not going to leave you. I’m going to make sure of that. I swear.” “Thank you,” Tiptoe said. Then, she paused. “Incendia? Could I sleep with you tonight?” Incendia’s eyes widened in surprise, and she felt the heat of a blush rise to her cheeks. She hesitated for a moment, then came back into the world. “Of course you can,” she said with a smile. Tiptoe trotted over to Incendia and lay down, head resting gently against Incendia’s neck. Together, side by side in the warm, magical light, they fell asleep. ~~~ They awoke when the spell holding the magical ball of fire in mid-air unraveled and it blinked out of existence with a ear-splitting snap. Tiptoe anxiously trotted over to where Jigsaw lay shivering on the wooden cot. His wound hadn’t closed, and though it was no longer weeping bluish fluid, the electric blue tendrils radiating out of the wound had grown in both numbers and intensity, and were flashing much more rapidly. “How is he doing?” Incendia asked, slinging her saddlebags over her shoulder. “He looks a lot worse,” Tiptoe said. “ I don’t think we have much time.” Incendia nodded. “We’d better get going, then.” Tiptoe flew over to the wooden door and flung the bar over it upwards, letting the doors to slowly creak open and reveal the thick vegetation beyond. Incendia’s horn began to glow, and Jigsaw was gently lifted off the cot, hovering in mid-air behind her. As if on cue, the warm breeze began to blow in through the open barn doors. Strangely, though the air felt pleasantly warm on Incendia’s skin, the same gust felt as though her horn had been plunged into icy water. The glow in her horn diminished, and Jigsaw wobbled in the air for a moment before she refocused and her horn flared back into brilliance. Together, they set off into the gloomy half-lit world beyond. ~~~ The vegetation grew thicker the deeper they penetrated into the forest. Eventually it was so thick that Incendia had to lashing out with a flaming whip in order to cut the thick brambles apart and carve a path through the foliage. The warm breeze continued to blow out from random directions, growing in strength and frequency as they walked. Tiptoe and Incendia interpreted this as them getting closer to the source. “How large is this forest?” Incendia asked, carefully stepping over the smoldering remains of the brambles. “It didn’t look this large from the air.” “I guess it’s like the castle with the first Luna fragment,” Tiptoe said. “It’s probably been leading us around in circles or something.” “At least it isn’t throwing ghosts at us,” Incendia said, shuddering. “That was disturb— Ah!” Incendia stumbled into a river that rushed through a small canyon in the forest, quickly stepping back and checking that Jigsaw was still floating behind her. “Oh, Goddesses, I didn’t see that coming at all! My heart is pounding, how do you think we can—” Incendia noticed the slack-jawed expression on Tiptoe’s face and turned to follow her eyes. As she looked across the expanse of the canyon, her breath caught in her lungs. A huge, half-sunken ruin was visible across the canyon, ruined spires jutting up at forty-five degree angles to the trunks of the trees around them. But the most impressive vista was the countless tangle of spiderweb-thin strands of blue light that crept out from somewhere inside the ruins. “Wow,” Tiptoe said. “I’ll bet the fragment is in there.” “We have to get over there soon,” Incendia said, glancing back at Jigsaw’s sweat-soaked face. “I don’t see any way to get over.” “Look over there,” Tiptoe said, pointing at a spot on the far side of the canyon. “Do you see those posts?” Incendia squinted for a moment, then saw that there were indeed two brown posts sticking out of the ground at odd angles, frayed and yellowed rope still tied around one of them. “I think there used to be a bridge here,” Tiptoe said. “But I don’t see any way to get over it now.” “I’m going to try levitating Jigsaw over,” Incendia said. “You fly underneath him in case anything happens. Once he’s over, you can carry me.” Tiptoe grimaced at the thought of carrying Incendia, but nodded her assent. Incendia gritted her teeth and carefully floated Jigsaw to the mouth of the canyon. Tiptoe dived off the edge, wings outstretched, and shouted, “Ready!” Jigsaw’s unconscious body hovered out over the ledge, slowly and steadily advancing towards the opposite edge of the canyon. Without warning, a gust of scaldingly hot air blew out from the castle. Incendia once again felt the heat all over her body, except on her horn. Her horn felt as though it had been plunged into icy water, so cold and shocking that the orange glow surrounding it died instantly. Jigsaw dropped out of the air like a puppet whose strings have been cut. Tiptoe gasped and flew up to meet him, arresting his descent in a flurry of flapping wings. “Incendia!” she shouted. “What happened? Are you alright?” “Yeah!” came Incendia’s shaky voice. “I don’t know what happened. That air blast just… it was like it shut off my magic.” Tiptoe struggled to flap back up to the level of the canyon, then, as gently as she could, she deposited Jigsaw on the far side. With deep unease, she noticed that the blue tendrils on his flank were pulsing in time with the blue veins on the ground. “Can you still get me over the canyon?” Incendia called. “I hope so,” Tiptoe replied. Incendia gulped. After a very shaky and uneven flight, Incendia and Tiptoe plopped down on the other side of the canyon rim. “Is he alright?” Incendia inquired, looking at Jigsaw nervously. “He’s still breathing,” Tiptoe said, voice quavering, “but it’s shallow and irregular. We need to find that fragment as soon as possible.” Incendia nodded, and without another word, her horn ignited, and Jigsaw again floated up into the air. As they approached the sunken ruin, Incendia’s horn began to tingle, like a cold pressure forcing itself against her face, trying to quash the magic that emanated from her horn. With every step she took towards the castle, Jigsaw sunk a little more in the air. “Do you feel that?” Incendia asked through gritted teeth. “Yeah, I do,” Tiptoe said. “It’s like I’m wading through ice water. We must be close to the fragment now.” “Yeah, that, or we’re walking right into a trap,” Incendia said darkly. With great effort, Incendia made it across the threshold of the ruin and into the strange foyer. The floor, though tilted sharply, gripped her hooves and made walking only slightly more difficult. Plant life had invaded this space, too. Tree limbs trespassed into the hall through long-shattered windows and shrubs and bushes grew in abundance. At the far end, on a raised dais, a silvery-blue orb hovered silently in the air. Every few seconds, it let out a pulse of bright blue light, accompanied by a blast of hot air. Once again, the hot air turned suddenly icy on Incendia’s horn, and Jigsaw slumped to the ground again. “Incendia!” Tiptoe shouted. “I know, I know,” Incendia said, “I’ll pick him back up.” “No, Incendia! He’s stopped breathing!” Incendia whipped around and galloped to where Jigsaw lay. Sure enough, his chest had ceased its rise and fall, and his eyes were shut. The wound was pulsing violently now. “We need to get him to the fragment now!” Incendia said. “Just grab him!” Tiptoe took to the air and wrapped her forehooves around and under Jigsaw’s shoulders. She beat her wings hard, and she took off over the slanted floor and dove towards the floating orb. The hot air roared out yet again. Tiptoe beat her wings so strongly they felt as though they were going to tear out of their sockets. Even so, she could only barely manage to hover in place, a tantalizing few feet from the fragment. In one last, desperate action, Tiptoe hurled Jigsaw at the fragment, putting all her remaining strength into the motion before tumbling back in the onslaught. As the tip of Jigsaw’s horn met the surface of the pulsing orb, the roar of wind died abruptly. The electric blue streaks in the orb began to fade, and silvery light enveloped Jigsaw. As Incendia and Tiptoe watched, shockingly blue liquid began to trickle out of the wound in Jigsaw’s side, then, with a sudden flash of light, the fragment was gone, and Jigsaw was standing, unaided, on the dais. “Jigsaw!” Tiptoe and Incendia shouted, rushing toward him, but they came to a screeching halt when he turned to face them. His eyes were a solid silver, as shiny and reflective as a mirror. When he spoke, his regular voice was overlaid with a resonant, and unmistakably female voice. “Fear not. Jigsaw is recovering. You have the honor of being the first in these many millennia to address Princess Luna.”

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-10T05:45:13+00:00

2012-10-10T05:45:13+00:00

Antipodes Chapter 32 By PK (In the last chapter, our intrepid trio ventured deep into the Everfree forest only to find it twisted by an unknown magic. Jigsaw fought with a manticore and was fatally poisoned. Working together, Incendia and Tiptoe brought Jigsaw to a mysterious ruined castle, where and unconscious Jigsaw collected the new fragment and Luna fully reformed, expunging the poison in the process.) “I— you’re— what?” Tiptoe spluttered. Jigsaw’s solid silver eyes flashed in Tiptoe’s direction. For a moment, a slight frown creased his face, but then recognition dawned. “Tiptoe,” Luna’s voice said, “I understand that you must be confused. Know that all shall be explained soon.” “But…” Tiptoe blinked took a deep breath. “What happened to Jigsaw? Are you… is he alright?” “His wounds were serious, but I believe I have expunged the poison. He is merely unconscious, in a healing sleep. I am using his body as a sort of mouthpiece.” “What gives you that right?” Tiptoe responded incredulously. Luna’s eyes narrowed for a moment, and Tiptoe’s stomach twisted with a sudden realization of whom she was speaking to. “Forgive us, Princess,” Incendia responded quickly, breaking the tense silence. “We’ve been through a lot today.” Luna sighed. “I am not without sympathy to your plight, or to his, but in times as dire as this, action must be taken. We shall have to share this body. I have no desire to take it as my own.” Tiptoe nodded begrudgingly. “Okay, but when he wakes up, you let me talk to him, alright?” “You said you don’t want to take that body as your own,” Incendia cut in. “Does that mean you can’t regain your former form?” “We should not discuss such matters here,” Luna said, glancing around the ruins. “This is not an auspicious place for such talks. It is fortunate that you found one of my battleships. I have power enough for this.” “For what?” Tiptoe asked, but a sudden swirl of air rushing around her cut her words off. Jigsaw’s horn began to glow with an eerie silvery light. “No!” Incendia cried. “You’ll burn him out! He can’t—“ A sharp snap echoed out through the forest as the trio vanished from the ruins. ~~~ Tantalus carefully wrapped the hide around his claw, making sure that the wriggling and squirming green symbols that slid across the surface were all present. When he was confident that they were, he reached out and gingerly grabbed the cracked and softly glowing crystal with one gloved claw. In response to the touch, the crystal began vibrating and shooting off shafts of brilliant, golden light. The symbols on the hide flared and burned against the crystal, though their brilliance diminished as the golden light slowly washed them out. Unbidden, images flooded into Tantalus’ mind. A purple unicorn smiling down on him. A bright, shining gemstone, begging to be eaten. A brilliantly red unicorn, his image rippling due to the magical field between them, laughing as Spike pounded his fists against the shield, desperately trying to penetrate it… Tantalus roared and forced the images back. This was his body now. And its work was nearly done. The pieces were falling into place. He had to get to Ponyville. He stood at the mouth of the cave, brightly shining gemstone in hand, and unfurled his wings. Neon green flames spurted from his snout as he exhaled. With a great pump of his wings, he took off into the twilit sky. ~~~ “—handle it!” Incendia blinked and glanced around. Jigsaw stood before her, horn rapidly dimming, and Tiptoe stood at her side, blinking and looking around as confusedly as she was. “What just happened?” “I brought you to the ship,” Luna replied. “It is fortunate you found one of my battleships. It was designed to be receptive to me.” “That was dangerous,” Tiptoe said. “You could have killed him!” Incendia winced, convinced she had angered Luna again, but she only smiled. “Now that I am whole, I am better able to focus and restrict my magic. Before, our minds were fractured, not thinking clearly, and we lacked restraint. Every time we were forced to tip our hooves, Jigsaw had to channel the raw force of a goddess. That is dangerous even for one with his blood.” “His blood?” Incendia asked. “What do you mean?” “I suggest you have a seat,” Luna said. “We have much to discuss.” Incendia and Tiptoe shared anxious looks, then plopped down on the chairs that lined the wall. “What do you first wish to know?” Luna said. “Can you make the sun and moon move?” Incendia asked. “The legends say Celestia did it while you were… well, imprisoned on the moon.” “I cannot.” Luna replied solemnly. “Celestia was always the stronger of us, and I am greatly weakened by the centuries I spent split. If I was at my peak, perhaps… but that is neither here nor there. The only hope for healing the world is for both of us to regain our bodies and combine our powers, as it should be.” “What happens to Jigsaw when we get the last fragment?” Tiptoe asked anxiously.” “Do not fear,” Luna said. “Given adequate time to regain our powers, we should be able to reform ourselves and vacate Jigsaw. He shall not be harmed.” “What happened when you were broken?” Incendia asked. “Why is any of this happening?” Luna hesitated, as if trying to find the correct words, then said, “What do you know of the beginning?” “The beginning of what?” Incendia and Tiptoe asked in unison. “Everything. The world,” Luna replied. “Not much,” Incendia admitted. “Where I came from, information on the goddesses was hard to find.” “Yes,” Luna agreed, “Stalliongrad. My sister has fragmented memories of it. If you do not know, then I suppose I must start from the beginning.” “Before the world, there was order and chaos, with the void separating them. Order and chaos waged constant battle, but the void intervened. From nothing came the world, barren and empty, a battleground. From order came my sister. In those days, she was a pure avatar of order. Where she strode, life sprung, spreading across the surface of the world. She created the sun in order to spread order’s light over the world.” “I came soon after. I was formed out of the void. Neither chaotic nor orderly, but capable of both, wanting only to be, I gave minds and thought to the creatures that roamed the world, allowing them to ponder their own existence and choose what path they wish to follow. I created the impartial moon, sharing the night sky with chaos’ realm but reflecting the light of order. Celestia embraced me as a sister, and I resolved to strive towards order and away from chaos.” “Then… came Tantalus. Though the youngest of us, he was by far the most powerful. Chaos wants only to destroy the works of my sister and me and remake it as it sees fit. Tantalus is not his original name, nor is his current form his original, but that is irrelevant. He used his power to cut my sister off from order and… corrupt my nature. We were greatly diminished. He created the night sky and stars, a mockery of both the blank canvas that is the void and the light that is order. For a time, Tantalus held sway over the world.” “However, we found a way to control him. It was one of your kind that found the way, in fact. They poured the best of themselves into six magical artifacts- the elements of harmony. They presented them to us, and combined with our powers, we bound Tantalus into a special vessel. Over time, we began to identify with the elements and with your kind more than our respective spheres. Really, we are only shadows of what we were at the beginning. Eventually, my sister gave the elements back to your kind.” Tiptoe looked as though she was going to be sick, but Incendia had enough composure to say, “This is fascinating, but the elements of harmony haven’t surface for thousands of years. What exactly is our plan going forward?” “Hush, child,” Luna said, “I must explain fully if we are to have any chance against Tantalus.” “We buried the vessel deeply and got back to the business of running the world. That was our mistake. Tantalus was too powerful to be fully contained. He bided his time, gaining strength, sending out parts of himself when he could. I… I understand him better than most. For a time, he managed to corrupt me. You know I was banished to the moon, correct? That… that is why. Once I knew the touch of chaos in the beginning, I was never truly free of it. Susceptible. I grew complacent. Only the elements of harmony freed me of Tantalus’ influence.” “Rubidium was a truly exceptional magic user, but much too hungry for power. He dabbled in powers that should have stayed dormant. Eventually, he found the book Tantalus had been imprisoned in and freed him. Tantalus had grown strong while bound, but we had managed one important goal- we had cut him off from chaos as he cut my sister off from order. He could not form a coherent physical body, so he had to posses the nearest available mind.” Luna opened her mouth as though she was going to continue, but hesitated. With sudden sympathy, Incendia saw her blink away a tear. “The nearest open mind was a young unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. She… she bore an element of harmony. Her mind was unprepared, and Tantalus used her raw power to unleash a vicious attack against us. She… did not survive.” “I knew this part,” Tiptoe finally said. “That was in our historical accounts.” Luna nodded. “I would hope so.” “I’m sorry,” Incendia said, not unkindly, “but I don’t understand how any of this is relevant to us.” “I shall be quick, then. Though we did not drain his power as intended, Tantalus was prevented from retaking his original form. He- like us- has become more mortal. We believe he is bound to his physical body now. If we destroy it, he will be eradicated with it.” “That’s not true,” Incendia said sadly. “I drove a statue through his head after we got your first fragment. He just came back angry.” Luna made a move as though to respond, but froze in place. After a moment, she said, “Jigsaw is awake.” She blinked, and when her eyes opened again, the silver glow was gone, replaced by the solid, familiar blue of Jigsaw’s. He staggered forwards for a moment, but Tiptoe rushed forward and allowed him to lean on her. “Thanks,” he said hoarsely. “I don’t know how she was keeping me upright. My leg aches.” “Are you going to be alright? I mean… you were so bad in the forest,” Tiptoe said weakly. “I actually feel okay, other than my leg,” Jigsaw said. “Now that Luna’s whole, she’s not pushing against my mind anymore.” “I don’t understand,” Tiptoe replied. “It’s hard to explain. It’s like I had a thorn in my head and now it’s been pulled out.” “I’m just glad you’re okay,” Tiptoe said, her voice quavering. “I thought I was going to lose you.” Before Jigsaw could respond, Tiptoe threw her hooves around him in a tight embrace, and after a moment, Jigsaw returned the gesture. A few moments later, the two broke apart, and Jigsaw began to hobble down to where Incendia stood. To her great surprise, Jigsaw wrapped his hooves around her, too. “You saved my life back there,” Jigsaw said quietly. “You didn’t even hesitate to go up against that manticore. Thank you.” Incendia relaxed and smiled. “What else could I do?” Jigsaw released her and Tiptoe trotted to his side. “I feel like I want to sleep for a year,” Jigsaw said. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep for a while,” Tiptoe said. “Luna gave us a lot to think about.” Jigsaw could feel the mood in the room change. The sense of levity was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “She’s not done,” Jigsaw said. “There’s still things she wants us to know.” “She thinks that Tantalus has taken the soul of the body and trapped it in something, binding the body and himself to the earth. She says if we can release the original spirit of the body, Tantalus will be vulnerable.” “’For Rarity,’” Tiptoe said. “The gemstone we saw when we first went to Tantalus’ castle. Remember how angry he got when I mentioned it?” “That’s brilliant!” Incendia said. Her mane began to shimmer and flicker, as though it was about to catch fire. “All we have to do is destroy that crystal and we have that bastard right where we want him! We have to get to that castle!” Jigsaw shook his head solemnly. “Destroying the crystal will only take away his immortality. Once he’s exposed, he won’t be so easy to destroy. And… there’s a caveat.” “What?” Incendia inquired. “It works both ways. Luna’s bound to me now. She’s possessing me the same way. If I die, Luna goes with me. She thinks that’s his plan- maybe it wasn’t at the beginning, but when he realized that I stand a chance of actually assembling all the fragments, I think he just decided to let me. He thinks that he’ll be able to take me out once I have all six and destroy the goddesses forever.” A stunned silence followed this pronouncement. Eventually, Tiptoe managed to squeak out, “But that doesn’t make any sense. Why didn’t he just kill you after the first fragment if that was the case?” “He tried,” Jigsaw replied dryly. “Several times. But I think that was an attempt to maintain the status quo, because this is a dangerous gambit. But if he killed me when I only had some of the fragments, it would just release them from my body because they still have a tether on the world. Tantalus would just snatch them up and hide them again.” “I don’t understand any of this cosmic stuff at all,” Incendia said. “I don’t either, really,” Jigsaw said. “Luna’s telling me all these things, and I’m not convinced even she understands it all. She’s trying so hard to be stoic and regal, but I can tell she’s scared and hurt and disoriented. And… truth be told, so am I.” “I’ll always be there for you,” Tiptoe said, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. “I will be too,” Incendia said, voice full of conviction, though her stomach churned at the sight of the kiss. “We and Tantalus are on a level playing field now. We can end this once and for all!” “Have I ever told you that I love you? Both of you,” Jigsaw said, with a genuine grin. “You’re my best friends. I wouldn’t want to do this with anypony else.” “I wouldn’t either,” Incendia replied. “So what’s our plan?” Tiptoe asked, bringing the party back down to the matter at hoof. “We need to go get the last fragment and avoid Tantalus enough for the goddesses to regain their bodies and get out of me,” Jigsaw said. “Once they’re out, the can help us steal the gem and defeat Tantalus.” “What about the sun and moon?” Tiptoe said. “can they really be restarted?” “Luna says yes, but not until they’re back to full strength. Having Celestia back will speed the process considerably. Right now, though, I feel as though I need to sleep.” “Agreed,” Incendia said. “I’m exhausted.” “I suppose I should try, too,” Tiptoe said. “Luna’s gone quiet,” Jigsaw observed. “I guess that was all she needed to tell us for now.” “She certainly told us a lot,” Tiptoe said wearily. With that, the trio set off down the stairs from the control room and towards their rooms. Jigsaw immediately dropped onto the bed and snuggled under the sheets. Tiptoe hesitated. “Jigsaw, will you be alright here by yourself? I have to go do something.” “I might be asleep when you get back,” Jigsaw mumbled. “Fair warning.” “You sure are in a good mood,” Tiptoe noticed. “All things considered, I would have thought you’d be…” “More upset, not less?” Jigsaw offered. “I thought so too, but… Almost dying tends to put things into perspective, as does seeing things from Luna’s point of view. For the first time, I feel like we have an actual, real plan. I don’t feel like I’m a pawn in some cosmic game of chess. Well, maybe I am, but at least they’re honest about it, you know? I’m just happy that I’m still breathing and that when things were at their worst, my girlfriend and my best friend did everything they could to help me.” Tiptoe swallowed in a futile attempt to clear away the lump in her throat and said, “I love you.” “I love you too,” Jigsaw muttered from somewhere deep in his pillow. “I’ll be right back,” Tiptoe said. “I just need to talk to Incendia for a bit.” “Mmkay,” Jigsaw responded sleepily. Tiptoe quietly slipped out of the room and into the hallway and made her way down the tight passageway to Incendia’s room. When she opened the door, Incendia was sitting on the bed, an old world instructional pamphlet folded open and hovering before her. “What are you reading?” Tiptoe asked. Incendia jumped in surprise. “Tiptoe!” she said, startled, “what are you doing here?” “Sorry,” Tiptoe apologized. “I should have knocked first.” Incendia relaxed. “It’s alright. I was just looking at these diagrams. I can’t read very many words of the old language, but the illustrations are interesting.” “I could help translate for you, if you’d like,” Tiptoe offered. “We had to learn to read the old language because so much of the old consoles were labeled with it.” “That’s alright,” Incendia said with a smile. “I think I might prefer not knowing what it says.” Tiptoe trotted over to Incendia and sat on the bed beside her. Incendia fought to keep the butterflies in her stomach from showing on her face. “You impressed me in the forest,” Tiptoe said. “You’ve proven over and over again that you’re willing to sacrifice yourself for others, and this time the other you saved was my boyfriend. Thank you.” Tiptoe leaned forward, closed her eyes, and planted a small kiss right on the tip of Incendia’s nose. It was very warm— on any other pony, it might have been feverish, but on Incendia, it just felt like the heat from a warm campfire. When she pulled away, Tiptoe said, “I’m sorry about how things had to be between us. I know it can’t be easy for you to watch me and Jigsaw, but through it all, you’ve never complained or let it interfere with your work. I just want you to know that I notice, and I want you to know that I do care about you, Incendia.” Incendia’s mouth flapped up and down wordlessly, and Tiptoe giggled. Without making a sound, she hopped off the bed and trotted out of the room. Incendia came back to her senses when the bedsheets under her ignited. She hastily put them out and stared back at the door where Tiptoe had been only a moment before. ~~~ The huge, gnarled tree grew ever larger as Tantalus flew towards it. He could feel the fragment inside it, calling desperately towards its greater whole, trying to draw it near. He touched down on the emerald carpet that covered the ground, and the grass immediately withered and died. Hastily, he dropped the gemstone and threw the enchanted animal hide off his claw. He would have to move it later- there was no rush now. Here was where he would wait. He smiled, bearing his razor-sharp teeth. The trap was set, and it was only a matter of time until they sprung it.

PK

20

Original Character,Alternate Universe,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Antipodes

An epic post-apocolyptic adventure fic surrounding Celestia and Luna's dissapearence.

complete

<p>Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago. </p><p>(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)</p><p>Spanish translation here: <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835" rel="nofollow">https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835</a></p>

teen

2012-10-19T04:08:57+00:00

2012-10-19T04:08:57+00:00

Chapter 33 “Are you guys ready for this?” Jigsaw said. The trio stood in the control room. Lights flashed along the rows of corroded monitors, displaying information on the state of various parts of the airship. The magical fourth wall shimmered, displaying small river and verdant forest spread out below them. “I’ve been waiting for this,” Incendia said with conviction. “It’s time we end this. For Stalliongrad.” Jigsaw nodded. “Tiptoe?” “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. “I’m sticking with you no matter what.” Jigsaw smiled. “I guess this is really it, then. Once we cast off, there’s no going back. Once we get the final Celestia fragment, we can figure out how to steal that crystal from Tantalus with the help of the goddesses. Luna says with both of them combined, they should be able to shroud us from Tantalus long enough for them to regenerate.” “Is there anything you need us to do?” Incendia said. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s much for you to do on the ride over. Luna— you know, if it’s okay with you guys, I think I’ll just let her explain.” Incendia shrugged, and Tiptoe said, “If you’re okay with it.” Jigsaw closed his eyes, and a gentle, cool breeze blew through the room. When he opened his eyes again, they were solid silver disks. “Hello again,” Luna said curtly. “I do not require any assistance piloting this vessel. It was designed for me to fly, and I shall fly it once again. Let us waste no more time.” With that, Luna hopped onto the command chair and closed her eyes. Jigsaw’s horn began to quiver and a strand of silvery light billowed from the tip. It streamed down, flowing like water into the consoles at the base of the command chair. Lights on the console sprang to life. Rusted metal struts and peeling paint began to recede and reseal, and the whole airship began to shake. An extremely deep tone rumbled up from the engine room, and the forest outside the ship began to spin away. In no time, they were soaring over the treetops. “Where are we going?” Tiptoe asked, staring down at the forest below. “Ponyville,” responded Luna. “Where’s that?” Incendia asked. “A few hours east,” Luna replied. “It was where Fluttershy lived most of her life— as well as the other bearers of the elements of harmony.” “Is there anything we should know about it?” Tiptoe asked. “Is the fragment going to be defended?” “Almost certainly, though I have no way of knowing how,” Luna said. “So what do we do in the meantime?” Tiptoe asked. Luna blinked, and when her eyes opened again, the solid silver was replaced by Jigsaw’s blue. “We prepare. Follow me.” Jigsaw hopped off the command chair and led Incendia and Tiptoe out the door and down the flight of stairs. “What are we doing?” Tiptoe asked. “Luna doesn’t want to admit it, but she’s terrified. We’re going to give her a little peace of mind. I think we can get one of the weapons systems back online.” “Just out of curiosity,” Incendia said, “Is Luna just, like, talking to you? All the time?” “Not really. Sometimes she speaks up, but most of the time she’s just watching, or… sleeping, I guess? She comes and goes. I think most of her time is spent resting and stopping the Celestia fragments from messing with my mind, which I appreciate. Take a left down here; this should be the battery.” They entered into a small, cramped room, taken up from floor to ceiling by two strange, coiled cables. The cables were filled with a bluish-white fluid that was fluorescing weakly. “This is what powers the main weapon systems. It was pretty thoroughly burned out when we used it in Totemhoof, but I think I can get it up and running. We have some extra power now that we don’t need the climate control systems.” “This is the weapon? It’s so… tiny,” Tiptoe said. “Oh, no,” Jigsaw said. “The main body of the weapon is underneath us, all the way to the bottom of the ship. This is just what powers it. These pipes are filled with liquid spell-fixing crystal, and when we fired it in Totemhoof, we essentially drained them of their magic, as well as putting awful strain on the machinery. With all of your help, though, I think I can fix it. Incendia, you’re going to have to get this fluid heated up. Stand over there and shoot a jet of fire at that tube. Not that one, the one next to— yeah. Tiptoe, you need to watch that gauge on the wall there. If it gets into the red zone, pull that lever to release the pressure. Everypony ready?” Incendia nodded and her horn began to glow. She turned and pointed it at the pipe that spiraled from the ceiling and shot a jet of fire at it. In response, the liquid began to glow a little brighter. Jigsaw stood in front of the spot where the cables met the floor and his horn began to glow. There was a massive groan of metal bending and a cacophony of noise as far-off gears protested being forced into motion. The liquid in the pipes began to flow down into the machinery through the left tube and back up and out through the right. As Jigsaw concentrated, the liquid began to glow more intensely until with a sudden flash of light and a sound of rushing water, Jigsaw staggered back from the pipes. “Pull the lever, Tiptoe!” he shouted, and Tiptoe responded by grabbing the lever with her teeth and yanking down. A soft hiss echoed from somewhere in the ship, and the liquid’s flow slowed to a trickle. “You can stop now,” Jigsaw said to Incendia. The glow around her horn dissipated and she trotted up to Jigsaw and Tiptoe. “It didn’t work quite as well as I hoped it would,” Jigsaw said, panting. “I think we’re only going to squeeze one shot out of it before it goes down for good. If we do need to use it, we’re going to have to make it count.” “So… what do we do now?” Tiptoe asked apprehensively. “We wait,” Jigsaw said. “I’m heading back up to the control room.” ~~~ Tantalus saw the airship begin to rise over the horizon, headed towards Ponyville. Right on schedule. He reached one claw out and sunk his talons into the bark of the ancient, gnarled tree. He felt a resistance to his touch- the force inside pushing back against him, but it was trivial to push past it and sink his claws fully into the tree. The whole trunk seemed shudder as he began to pour power into it. The pressure against his claw grew fiercer, but his grip did not slip. A sickly green aura began to glow around Tantalus and spread out to the tree. The pressure grew stronger and stronger, until Tantalus had to grit his teeth and put his full strength into keeping his claw in, but eventually the resistance broke. The leaves on the treetop, far above his head, wilted and died. A simple, wooden door at the base of the tree swung open silently. Tantalus smiled, revealing rows of sharp, black teeth, but only for a moment. He began to dissolve, his physical body melting away into a cloud of loosely formed green smoke. The smoke hovered in the air for a moment before it seeped into the ground. ~~~ “That’s Ponyville,” Jigsaw said, staring out the window. “That’s where the last fragment is. Luna says we have to get in and out, fast— we Tantalus shouldn’t be able to detect us, but we’ll be far safer in the ship then on the ground.” “I’m scared,” Tiptoe said to the room. “I can’t believe we’re actually here.” “I’m scared, too,” Jigsaw said, walking to her side. “I’m terrified. I don’t know what’s going to happen after this. But there’s one thought that keeps me going.” “What’s that?” Tiptoe asked. “What else can we do?” Jigsaw said with a small, sad smile. The airship began to silently descend over the ruined town. Decaying, fallen-in thatched roof cottages lined streets that had once been pristine and clear, but were now overgrown with twisted trees and shrubs. “By the Goddesses,” Incendia said, “look at that tree!” The huge tree in the center of Ponyville seemed to be reaching towards the sky. The branches were twisted upwards, seeming to reach towards the sun. “I’ve never seen anything so large,” Incendia continued. “Not even Rubidium’s tower was that big. It must be a mile high!” “That’s gotta be where the last fragment is,” Jigsaw said. “I’m going to take the airship down.” Jigsaw hopped into the control chair and his horn began to glow. In response, the ship began to circle around the giant tree, gently gliding lower and lower until it touched down in a large clearing near the tree. A moment later, the trio stood assembled at the exit of the airship, staring down at the shattered stones and yellow grass. “Alright,” Jigsaw said, taking a deep breath. “Alright. We have to go in and get out as soon as possible. Are you guys ready for this?” “Let’s just go before I think about it too much,” Tiptoe said. “I’m okay,” Incendia said. “Let’s just get on with it.” Jigsaw nodded and took the first step down the ramp that led to the huge tree. The broken cobblestones forced them to make slow progress up the ancient road to the tree. Jigsaw, Incendia, and Tiptoe stood away from each other, watching every side for signs of trouble. Their caution was unwarranted, however. After several minutes of careful walking, they reached the base of the tree. “Let’s start walking around the base,” Jigsaw suggested. “There’s bound to be something here.” As they began to make their way around the massive tree, Jigsaw took the opportunity to examine it more closely. It was truly massive. The shadow it cast stretched cut a stripe of emptiness out of the forest, trees unable to grow in the area perpetually starved of sunlight. The tree itself had a noticeable curve to it- several hundred feet of overhang where it reached out towards the west and the sun. Suddenly, Jigsaw noticed something and shouted, “Stop!” “What? What is it?” Incendia said as her horn sprang to life and her coat melted into flames. “Up there, in the tree,” Jigsaw said. “About thirty feet up. Tiptoe, can you fly up and find out what that is?” Tiptoe squinted for a moment, then caught a glimpse of a small tube that appeared to protrude out of the side of the tree. She gave her wings a flap and ascended towards the tube. “I have no idea what it is,” Tiptoe said. “It looks like it’s embedded in the wood. There’s a lens covering the end.” “A lens? Incendia said. “Are there more lenses inside?” “I’m not sure,” Tiptoe said. “I think so.” “I think it’s a telescope,” Incendia said, bemusedly. “What’s a telescope?” Tiptoe said, fluttering to the ground. “You guys don’t know what a telescope is?” Incendia said. Jigsaw shrugged. “Never heard of it.” “They’re used to look at stars and planets and stuff. They magnify things thousands of times.” “Oh, well, that would be why I haven’t heard of it,” Jigsaw said. “Didn’t have many heavens to observe in the caves.” “True. Why is it embedded in the tree, though? That’s really odd,” Incendia sai. “Hold on,” Jigsaw said. “Luna thinks she knows where this is. She says the tree is hollow and grew around the telescope- the door should be just around the bend.” “This thing is hollow?” Tiptoe said, staring up towards the canopy, far, far above her head. “That’s incredible.” “I don’t know that the whole thing is hollow,” Jigsaw said. “But at least the bottom is.” It only took them a moment more to find the door. It was nothing more than a corroded hunk of wood on rusty hinges. Flakes of paint still clung here and there to the rough, wooden surface. “Together,” Jigsaw said solemnly. “We go through the threshold together.” The three ponies lined up, side by side, and faced the doorway. Beyond it was a curtain of darkness. They stepped through the doorway. Instantly, Jigsaw’s fur stood on end. It felt as though he had just walked through a strong electric field. A small, aching pressure began to build at the base of his horn. “Did you feel that?” he asked. Incendia and Tiptoe nodded. “Let’s make this quick,” Jigsaw said. His horn sprang to life, shedding blue light through the room. Rows and rows of ancient, rotted books lined the wooden walls on shelves. Old language words Jigsaw had never seen before were faintly visible on the scraps that remained. Directly ahead of him, the fallen-in remains of a loft were visible. “What do we do— ah!” Tiptoe shouted as a sudden flash of light blinded the trio. A small orb of light, about the size of Jigsaw’s head, flew out of the ground. Angry jets of flame were shooting off the sphere in thin strands, reaching out several inches from the surface of the orb before collapsing back to join them. The surface spun and churned like the surface of a stormy, fiery sea. “It looks… angry,” Tiptoe noted. “Almost like the one from Stalliongrad.” “That was too easy,” Incendia said, her ears perking up. “We just walked in and found it. It’s never been that simple before.” “You’re right,” Jigsaw said. His stomach sank. “I don’t like this. When I collect this fragment, we make a break for the ship.” “Agreed,” Tiptoe and Incendia said together. Jigsaw walked forward and touched the tip of his horn to the roiling surface of the orb. Instantly, wind began to whip up through the room, swirling around Jigsaw and lifting him off the ground. The orb began to shrink in size, seeming to flow into Jigsaw’s horn, which began to glow with an intense golden light. Moments later, Jigsaw stood firmly on the floor, panting. “Are you okay?” Tiptoe asked. Jigsaw turned to face her and opened his eyes. They were solid disks of gold. When he spoke, Jigsaw’s voice was overlaid with another— a more mature, feminine voice, full of urgency. “Run!” A huge blast knocked the trio off their feet. Green flames billowed in from the doorway, igniting the piles of yellow paper stacked around the walls. “Tantalus!” Incendia shouted. She could feel the unnatural heat emanating off the flames. Jigsaw blinked, and his eyes returned to normal. He quickly scrambled to his hooves and said, “He was lying in wait the whole time! He’s … he’s going to try and kill me while I’m vulnerable. We need to get out, now!” “Stand back!” Incendia shouted. Her dark fur melted into bright flames, and she pointed her horn at the nearest wall of bark. “Cover your ears!” she shouted. Jigsaw and Tiptoe complied, scrambling back and pushing their ears down as hard as they could against their heads. Boom! Incendia’s horn flashed and a blast of hot air hit Jigsaw and Tiptoe with such force that Jigsaw thought he had been punched in the chest. He gasped for breath for a moment before his lungs finally unlocked and he drew in a gasping breath of hot, dry air. A smoking, gaping hole had been blasted into the wall. To his right, Tiptoe stood shakily to her feet, breathing heavily. She saw the hole Incendia had blasted and glanced back at Jigsaw and the quickly spreading green inferno, and sprinted towards the hole. Jigsaw followed moments later. “What’s going on?” Incendia shouted once they got outside. “Where’s Tantalus? By the Goddesses, which way is the airship?” “Celestia’s complete,” Jigsaw said quickly, “and she knew Tantalus was here. He’s attacking while they’re not strong enough to reform entirely. He’s stronger than they thought— he can hide himself from magical detection. We have to get out of here before— Ah!” Jigsaw doubled over as his horn flared with light. In the space before him a, a form began to shimmer into existence. Silvery white light began to flow out and into the form solidifying it, giving it substance. “Luna,” Tiptoe whispered in awe. Luna stood before them, still slightly transparent. Her coat was dark blue, and her mane flowed and rippled, reflecting celestial objects and events. She was at least twice as tall as any of the others. Jigsaw struggled back to his feet. “I thought you said you weren’t strong enough to reform!” “I am not,” Luna confirmed. “This is merely a projection. It is autonomous, but if it is destroyed, will temporarily rob me of the greater part of my power. It is my aim to protect you. My sister should follow shortly.” As if on cue, Jigsaw’s horn flared with light, and golden fire began to stream out of it. The shape that emerged was even taller than Luna— and even more regal. Celestia’s outline seemed to glow with the brilliance of the sun itself. When the golden fire finished flowing out of Jigsaw’s horn, Tiptoe and Incendia were at a loss for words. “Greetings,” Celestia said. “I only wish we were meeting under better circumstances. As it stands, we have to—“ “Have to what, dear sister?” came a deep, rumbling voice from somewhere out of sight. “Do not call me that,” Celestia said, her mouth twisting into a snarl. “You are no brother of mine.” “Such hostility!” Tantalus said with a wheezing laugh. With a flash of green light, he was standing before them. His scales were mottled blues, and his skin appeared to be bulging and bloated. His rows of black teeth glistened in the light from the flaming tree behind them. “I’ve been waiting for this,” he said, his voice suddenly quiet. “You’ve played into my plans quite nicely.” Incendia’s horn began to glow, and flames again roared to life around her. “We know what you are now,” Jigsaw said. “You can’t hide anything from us!” Tantalus chuckled. “And how does that information help you? You cannot be so blind as to see how you have assisted me every step of your journey.” Jigsaw furrowed his eyebrows, and Tantalus’ smile widened. “I have been trying for millennia to wipe the earth clean of the work of my sisters,” Tantalus explained. “Some cities of your kind have managed to escape my grasp. You allowed me into Stalliongrad, just as I asked you. You finally revealed the location of Totemhoof to me. I shall attend to it later. Even your underground home was destroyed as a direct result of your actions. You’ve expedited the death of this world far more than even my wildest dreams.” Celestia’s partially transparent horn began to glow, and she stepped between Jigsaw and Tantalus. “Run,” she said, and a beam of golden light shot from her horn and struck Tantalus in the face. Tantalus staggered and roared. The sound cut right through Jigsaw, and a stabbing pain shot through his head. Tantalus’ form began to glow and shimmer with sickly green light. Jets of green flame began to shoot out of the ground all around the ponies. “Run!” Celestia repeated. This time, Jigsaw heeded her words. He set off in a gallop around the tree; Incendia and Tiptoe hot on his trail. Flashes of bright light and deep, echoing booms emanated from behind them, shaking the loose pebbles on the ground and making it difficult for Jigsaw to maintain his speed. “There’s the airship!” Tiptoe shouted. “Once we get there, we can—" Another blast drowned out the rest of Tiptoe's sentence as the huge tree behind them splintered and cracked, green fire beginning to burst out of the bark. Jigsaw didn't look back. He kept his head down and charged towards the airship. From somewhere behind him, a high-pitched, animalistic wail echoed out, along with a wave of magical energy that caused his flesh to feel as though it was burning. His vision blurred as tears of pain streamed down his face. Above him, the dark shape of Tantalus drifted into view, swatting madly at two bright, shining shapes that flitted in the air around his head, blasting him with novas of golden and white light. Suddenly, Jigsaw heard an electronic hum and the sounds of the blasts outside were slightly muffled. “Stop!” he shouted, skidding to a halt at the base of the airship. “We’re inside the shield. Is everyone okay?” Tiptoe and Incendia, to Jigsaw’s great relief, were right behind him, breathing heavily. “I think my right wing got singed,” Tiptoe said, stretching it out. “but I’ll be alright.” “I’m fine,” Incendia said. “What-“ Suddenly, the scene was illuminated with harsh, green light, and Jigsaw instinctively turned to find its source. A huge wreath of roiling, churning green flames surrounded Tantalus, expanding out rapidly like a tiny green sun. Jigsaw could feel the sickening influence of Tantalus’ magic, even behind the shield. Even the air seemed to be responding to the raw power, warping and contorting the light that passed by the expanding ball of flames. Celestia and Luna were beating a hasty retreat from the attack, diving down through the air towards the airship, the green ball of flames hot on their tail. With only seconds to spare, they slammed into the ground. The green fire collided with the airship’s shield, and suddenly the airship was encased in a glowing blue dome. The green light was replaced with a soft, shimmering blue, like the bottom of a clear pool of water. Celestia and Luna appeared unharmed, though Jigsaw noted he could see through them much more clearly than their initial appearance. “How much of this can the shields withstand?” Incendia asked in awe. “Not much, if he keeps this up,” Jigsaw said. “I wasn’t sure it would work at all. We need to get inside.” The roar of the fire stopped abruptly as the door of the airship closed behind them, and Jigsaw noticed for the first time that Tiptoe’s breaths were coming in short, ragged gasps. She was crying. “Are you okay?” Jigsaw said urgently. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?” Tiptoe shook her head and took a deep breath. “No. I’m sorry. I’m just… I’m just scared.” To the surprise of everypony assembled, Jigsaw began to laugh. “What’s so funny?” Incendia said harshly. “Did you all forget?” Jigsaw said. “We primed the weapon before we came here. He’s right where we want him. Incendia’s intense look of focus gave way to a huge grin. “Jigsaw, I could kiss you right now!” “Ask Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said, “and let’s get up to the bridge. You too, princesses!” Jigsaw dashed up the stairs, passing the extremely bemused princesses before they could get a word in edgewise. Halfway up the flight of metal stairs that led to the control room, the airship rocked to one side, tossing the mass of ponies against the wall. “What was that?” Jigsaw asked. “Tantalus is trying to break through the shield,” Celestia replied. “Are you sure this weapon is strong enough to defeat him?” “What do you think, Luna? It’s your airship, after all.” “It was my army’s,” Luna corrected. “I did not design it. It was designed for me, true, but I only piloted it twice. And... that was a very long time ago. Without a full diagnostic, I have no way of saying for certain.” “So, not no, then?” Incendia said with an impish grin. “That was good enough back in Stalliongrad. Let’s give that son of a bitch what he deserves.” Celestia gave a begrudging smile. “Though I can’t say I approve of your language, young lady, I must say that I admire your spirit.” Incendia gave Celestia a once-over. “Your spirit is looking pretty good, too.” Celestia’s partially transparent face flushed red, which was rather impressive, considering. “Incendia,” Tiptoe said tersely, “you can flirt with the immortal goddesses later. For now, let’s take care of the problem at hoof.” The magical fourth wall of the control room displayed a scene of utter carnage. Tantalus appeared berserk— he darted around outside the barriers of the shield, huge, leathery wings flapping furiously as he beat upon the shield. The huge tree in the center of Ponyville had become a towering inferno, green flames reaching up its side and high into the sky. The smoke was now beginning to choke out the weak light from the sun. His eyes were flaming pits of green fire that left trails behind them when he moved. The veins that covered his body pulsed grotesquely. Even through the magical wall he seemed to be projecting power, radiating off waves of corrosive energy. The green light hurt Jigsaw’s eyes. Don’t think about it, he told himself. Focus on getting the weapon online. It’s going to work. Jigsaw once again hopped into the familiar commander’s chair and closed his eyes. His head was buzzing with all that had happened, just in the last twenty minutes. He could feel the goddesses’ spirits, still residing within his mind, burning brightly. Tendrils of light sprung from Jigsaw’s horn as he began to bend the machinery to his will. One by one, the tendrils spilt and branched out, forming a web of light that stretched over the room. The tendrils terminated at the various computer monitors that lined the walls of the room. One by one, they sprang to life. Tiptoe recognized some of the old-world words that flashed by, including “danger,” “malfunction,” and “overpressure”. “Uh, Jigsaw…?” she said hesitantly. “It’s all or nothing here, Tiptoe,” Jigsaw said. “I have to push it.” The airship began to rumble, and not from Tantalus’ continued blows against the shield. Tiptoe recognized the familiar clamor of the engines beginning to fire. “Celestia, Luna, can you make a shield of your own? To protect us?” Jigsaw said, his voice oscillating due to the quaking of the ship. “Yes, but we could not last against Tantalus indefinitely. Why do you—” “Make it now,” Jigsaw interrupted. “This is going to get messy.” Celestia and Luna closed their eyes as Jigsaw hopped off the command chair. A tiny sphere of brightly shimmering white light surrounded them. The screens lining the walls of the command room stopped flashing, the text replaced by a simple red screen. ~~~ Tantalus realized too late what has happening. With a bright flash of light and a sound like someone sounding a huge gong, a ball of white light as large as Tantalus himself was fired out of one of the barrels and engulfed him. The light seemed to eat away at his very being. Tantalus shrieked with surprise and outrage as his flesh boiled away, dissolving into smoke. Down below, another white light was beginning to build up inside the airship’s barrel, but this one didn’t fire out. It fired up. ~~~ Even though he knew it could happen, the severity of the explosion rocked him. The calm control room burst suddenly into blinding light and deafening sound and they were hurled around inside the shield as they tumbled through space. Fortunately, the princesses’ shield functioned as advertised, protecting them from the damaging effects of the blast. After a few minutes of confused screaming and tumbling, they came to a stop. The airship was utterly decimated. The gigantic structure lay burning on the ground before them, a huge, gaping hole visible in the smoldering envelope. “Jigsaw,” Incendia said numbly, “You’re insane.” Tiptoe began to chuckle, then broke out laughing. Before too long, Jigsaw and Incendia joined in, the laughter growing in intensity until it reached near hysterical levels. Even Celestia allowed herself a smile, though she did say, “That was a foolishly dangerous move. If we’d suffered a direct hit, I don’t know that we would have survived.” Jigsaw took several deep breaths, tears of relief streaming down his face. “Yeah, but it worked, didn’t it?” Celestia did a slow 360, searching the skies. “I suppose it did,” Celestia said. “The shield around the airship would be down, and he would not hesitate to attack us now.” She smiled a warm, kind grin that reminded Jigsaw somewhat of his mother. “Congratulations, Jigsaw. That little stunt may well have saved the world.” ~~~ At the base of the burning tree, buried under an innocuous mound of dirt, a small, cracked blue gemstone started to vibrate. Golden light flared from its core as the mound collapsed, exposing the gem to the light of day. The golden light faded to darkness, and a green pulse began to beat softly. ~~~ “Can we just take a minute?” Tiptoe suggested, sitting down on the shattered cobblestone. “I need some time to just digest stuff.” “I’m just happy we’re alive,” Jigsaw said, smiling. “You know,” Incendia said, still giggling, “I thought I’d seen everything trying to undermine Rubidium’s government, but you’re crazier than I ever was.” “Payed off, though,” Jigsaw said. “We’re down one airship, but we’re up two goddesses and down one evil god. I’ll count that as a win.” Incendia and Jigsaw sat next to Tiptoe on the uneven cobblestone and stared at the burning wreckage of the airship and at the dying flames that still licked weakly up the side of the tree. “Celestia?” Tiptoe said. The projection of Celestia jumped and turned to face her. “Didn’t mean to startle you,” Tiptoe said. “I was just wondering… you know, how you’re doing. Luna had some time to adjust to being in Jigsaw’s body before she had to fight.” Celestia smiled. “I appreciate your concern. The part of my essence that was tapped for so long to power Rubidium’s shield… I’m glad my sister was here to help me recover. I may not have had the power to act as swiftly as I did otherwise.” “What’s our next move?” Incendia asked the group. “What can we do now that the airship is gone?” “I guess it’s the same as the old plan,” Jigsaw said. “We just wait for the princesses to recover their full power, manifest fully, then we all storm Tantalus’ lair and destroy his gem. How long do you think it will take you to recover?” He directed this last sentence towards the pair of alicorns standing awkwardly apart from the group. “I would guess several days,” Luna said. “We should recover quickly with a host as ideal as you.” “That’s… good to know, I guess,” Jigsaw said. “You can hide us from detection from Tantalus?” Luna’s head fell. “I apologize I did not sense him waiting for us here,” she said. “Without my sister, I was… weak. I overestimated myself and put us all in danger.” “Oh, Luna, you always were too hard on yourself. I’m just glad we’re back together again,” Celestia said, with a warm, motherly smile. For a moment, the five of them stared out over Ponyville, the three young ponies and the two ageless alicorns, and everything was at peace. “Wait,” Celestia said, breaking the peaceful silence. “Something’s not right.” “What is it?” Tiptoe said anxiously. “I sense it too,” Luna said slowly, “but it couldn’t be. He would not be so foolish.” “He had enough foresight to attack us here,” Celestia countered. “He may be arrogant enough to have brought it with him.” “Brought what?” Jigsaw said. In answer, a huge flare of green light burst from the base of the burned-out husk of the tree. “Oh no,” Tiptoe said, oh, Goddesses! He’s brought the crystal! He’s reforming right now!” “What do we do?” Incendia said, her normally calm voice quivering with fear. “Sister?” Luna said, her voice tinged with desperation. “We’re too weak to destroy the crystal.” “I know,” Celestia said. “So that’s it?” Incendia said belligerently. “We make it this far, but, ‘nope, the world is doomed because we didn’t think that maybe Tantalus might realize what we’re doing’? That’s bullshit!” “Incendia, calm down,” Celestia said cooly. “I will not calm down!” Incendia fumed. “Tantalus destroyed my city. He’s killed millions over the millennia! Probably billions! You’re telling me that once we actually bring the goddesses back from the dead, that’s when we’re doomed?” “Incendia!” Celestia snapped. “There is a way.” “Then what is it?” Incendia asked. “Jigsaw,” Celestia said, turning her gaze in his direction, “did Luna already warn you?” Jigsaw swallowed. The color seemed to drain from his face. “Y-yes,” he stammered, “but is that really necessary? I mean, what if I just run into the forest and you hold him off?” Celestia shook her head. “We would not be strong enough to keep your location secret. He’d find you soon enough.” “Warned him of what?” Tiptoe said. Her stomach felt as though it had suddenly become weightless. “I didn’t think it was important,” Jigsaw began, talking quickly. “I didn’t think it would become relevant, but… last night, Luna told me of… the emergency contingency plan. If everything seems like… like it’s going to end badly, there’s a way out. If I willingly sacrifice my life for the princesses, if I give up my life energy for them, they’ll be able to reform instead of fading away.” A moment of shocked silence followed this announcement, then Tiptoe spoke. “You— you’re kidding, right?” she said, forcing out a laugh. “You can’t be serious.” “I’m so, so sorry,” Celestia said, “If there was any other possibility, I would suggest that, but there isn’t. This is the only way I can foresee.” “I can’t believe this!” Tiptoe shouted, her fear giving way to anger. “You are just as bad as Tantalus! You’re just going to let him die now? After everything he did for you? You’ve been messing around in his head for weeks! We’ve put ourselves in harm’s way more times than I can count trying to save your sorry flanks! Sure, maybe the world is a little safer under your rule, but you’re just as willing to let ponies die to get what you want!” “Tiptoe,” Jigsaw began, but she continued right over him. “I’m not sure any of you are worth the trouble! If this is what we have to do to survive, maybe we don’t deserve to!” Celestia and Luna looked as though Tiptoe had physically hurt them. Jigsaw walked in between them. “Tiptoe, you know that’s not fair. They were forced into this, and if there was any other way, they’d take it. Trust me, they’re in my head. This wasn’t entirely unforeseen, and… I’ll do it.” Jigsaw’s stomach felt as though it was boiling. Every muscle in his body, ever fiber of his being was screaming at him to run, to get as far away as he possibly could, but he forced himself to remain still. “What… Jigsaw, no, you can’t!” Tiptoe screamed. Tears began to flow, hot and wet, down the side of her face. “I can and I have to,” Jigsaw said. Behind him, the green mist pouring out of the gem began to coalesce and was forming the outline of a reptilian skeleton. “I don’t want you to go,” Tiptoe whispered. Jigsaw leaned close and kissed her. For that moment, the rest of the world melted away, and it was just him, just him and Tiptoe, and he became painfully aware of the life he wasn’t going to live with her. “I love you,” he said. “Don’t ever forget that. Be happy. Goddesses, I love you.” Despite his best effort, tears began to well up in the corners of his eyes. His legs began to tremble as his fear began to show. “Incendia,” Jigsaw said, turning away from Tiptoe, “it’s been an honor travelling with you. Take care of Tiptoe for me.” Incendia nodded and swallowed hard. “You’re the bravest pony I’ve ever met, Jigsaw,” she said. “Godspeed.” “Celestia, Luna” Jigsaw said nodding to each of them. “You’ll never be forgotten,” Celestia said, voice full of conviction. “Not so long as I’m alive.” “Goodbye, everypony,” Jigsaw said. “It’s been an honor.” “No!” he heard Tiptoe’s voice shouted as he turned to walk towards the green mist that Tantalus’ still-forming body was encased in. He glanced back in time to see Incendia embracing Tiptoe as she struggled to get out and run to his side. He turned back towards the mist. He could feel his heart racing as he walked, pounding against his ribcage as if it wanted to escape from his body and avoid the fate he knew awaited him. Jigsaw’s eyes were drawn towards a small, green shoot of grass poking up between shattered cobblestone. He noted, with interest, the vines curing around the support structures of the ancient buildings. Distantly, he was aware that Tantalus' skin was closing up over his muscles. Tantalus stepped out from the swirling mist. His skin was slick and dark, as though he had just stepped out of water. His mouth was twisted into a grin, the rows of razor-sharp black teeth clearly visible. “I did not expect you to come to me,” Tantalus said. At such close range, his voice was painful in Jigsaw’s ears. “This is perhaps your first intelligent move. You cannot win against me.” Tantalus leaned in close to Jigsaw, bringing his massive, reptilian head close to Jigsaw. Jigsaw had to fight to keep himself in place. Tantalus’ breath felt searing against his skin and it smelled of burning plastic. His eyes were pits filled with green fire. “There’s only one thing I don’t understand,” Jigsaw said, fighting to keep the fear out of his voice. “And what is that?” “What’s the significance of Rarity?” Tantalus’ eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a snarl. “Your death will be slow,” he hissed, his voice somehow more animalistic and unnatural. “Your friend’s deaths will be slower.” Jigsaw’s resolve almost broke as one of Tiptoe’s anguished sobs echoed through the ruins, and he reflexively took a step back from Tantalus and towards Tiptoe. Tantalus’ claw whipped through the air and grabbed Jigsaw around the neck, raising him high into the air. “I want you to see her face,” Tantalus hissed. Tiptoe was actively fighting Incendia now, flapping her wings furiously and screaming as Incendia braced herself against the shattered cobblestone, her hooves hooked resolutely under an overhang of rock, forcing Tiptoe to stay rooted to the earth. “Bear witness!” Tantalus bellowed. “My final victory is at hand!” Tantalus raised the claw that was not holding Jigsaw and raked a talon across Jigsaw’s chest. Jigsaw screamed in pain as his skin split. Scarlet blood began to flow, hot and fast, down over his chest, soaking his lower body. He struggled and squirmed in Tantalus’ grip, trying to slip out. Jigsaw froze as he saw Tiptoe’s eyes grew wide as blood began to flow from his body. Her wings stopped flapping, and Incendia closed her eyes, tears steaming against her coat. Jigsaw saw her mouth move, but the sound seemed to take a long time to reach him, as though it was being echoed down a long tunnel. His name. The last thing he was aware of was Tantalus’ claw closing over his head, a sharp shock, and darkness. ~~~ Tiptoe watched in silent horror as Tantalus grasped Jigsaw’s head and gave a twist. The snapping sound of Jigsaw’s neck seemed to reverberate through the space. Instantly, Celestia and Luna vanished, popping out of existence as if they’d never been there at all. Incendia let go of Tiptoe in shock and horror. Tiptoe didn’t attempt to move. They stood, rooted in place, as Tantalus let Jigsaw’s lifeless form slide out of his claw and onto the blood-soaked ground. “It didn’t work,” Incendia said, staring at Jigsaw’s corpse. “They just vanished. It didn’t work.” “Jigsaw,” Tiptoe said, her voice unusually small. “No.” Tantalus began to laugh, a low rumbling that soon built to a hysterical pitch. “Nothing can stop me now,” he gloated. “The self-proclaimed princesses are dead, and the world is left to me!” Incendia took a shuddering breath, and her horn flared into life. Her coat once more melted into twisting flames, first orange, then blue, then into a white so bright and hot Tiptoe had to avert her eyes. “How quaint,” Tantalus said. “Even after your last hope has been extinguished, you still hope to fight?” Incendia responded by letting out an inarticulate, primal scream and charging at Tantalus. She felt an incredible surge of power flowing through her, fueled by her anger and grief, and she directed it at Tantalus. The stone beneath her hooves began to give way, turning red and molten, as a huge burst of light and heat flew in Tantalus’ direction. The smug smile dropped off of Tantalus’ face as the fireball raced towards him. He raised one claw and testily sliced through it, diverting its flow around him. “You dare—” Tantalus began, but Incendia didn’t let up for a second. Tantalus was forced to beat his leathery wings and shoot upward into the air to avoid the barrage of flames. Incendia’s hooves began to protest— the puddle of molten rock was too hot even for her, but she didn’t notice. She was driven by one single, all-consuming desire: to cause Tantalus as much pain as possible. One of the bolts of fire caught Tantalus in his left shoulder, the force of the blast knocking him back to the ground. To Incendia’s satisfaction, he let out an exclamation of surprise and anger. “Incendia!” Tiptoe shouted. Incendia ignored her, taking the opportunity to blast the momentarily stunned Tantalus with a stream of white flames. Tantalus regained his wits quickly and stood up, the white flames seeming to do no more than push him back. He inhaled as though to breathe fire, but a sudden shock sent both Incendia and Tantalus tumbling to the ground. Incendia was thrown out of the puddle of molten rock and the white-hot fire sputtered out as her concentration was broken. “Incendia! Look!” Tiptoe shouted, pointing her hoof in the direction of the tree. Incendia glanced in the direction Tiptoe was pointing and the light in her horn extinguished itself. Even Tantalus appeared to be taken aback by what was occurring. A brilliant, swirling rainbow of colors was flowing from the tip of Jigsaw’s horn, forming a funnel of color that expanded outwards from his body. The ground gave another great heave as a shockwave rippled out from Jigsaw. “What is this?!” Tantalus roared. He let out a blast of green flames, but when they met the swirling torrent of rainbow light, they sparkled and flared brightly, the flames simply stopping at the border of the light. “It’s working,” Incendia said in awe. “It’s working!” The ground began to shake and rumble as the funnel grew in size and brilliance. Inexorably, it advanced upwards, climbing until it was higher than the monolithic tree. Tiptoe watched, mesmerized, as the sky itself seemed to react to the whirling column of light. Light and color flashed in streaks across the sky, seeming to race towards and into the funnel, until the entire sky was taken up with a patchwork of multicolored lights, snaking across the sky like a ribbon. Abruptly, the funnel of light flashed and began to race back towards the ground, and a roar so loud and deep Incendia and Tiptoe cringed echoed out through the air, as though the sky itself was being torn. The light slammed into the ground, leaving behind two balls of light so bright Incendia and Tiptoe had to squint to look directly at it. The lights began to quickly lose brilliance, fading until they resembled the familiar shapes of Celestia and Luna. “Impossible!” Tantalus wailed. “I killed the host! I saw you vanish! I cannot be beaten!” Celestia stepped forward, the last of the light fading from her form. “You always did underestimate them,” Celestia said. “The mortal ponies. You never saw their inherent power.” “How is this possible?” Tantalus growled. Luna stepped out of the light next. “The sacrifice,” Luna said, her voice uncharacteristically fierce. “Jigsaw gave his life to save his friends. To save us. To save everyone on this earth from you. That has power.” “Power,” Celestia said, extending her wings to their full span, “that we can use.” She flapped her wings and twisted back through the air, corkscrewing through the air towards the tree. Tantalus roared and shot another jet of green fire at her, but Luna interceded, her horn flashing and dispersing the blast, seemingly without effort. Celestia touched down at the base of the tree and her horn began to glow. A small cracked blue gem rose out of the soil, and Tantalus’ eyes grew wide. For the first time, Incendia saw fear in them. Celestia placed the gem on the ground before her and crushed it with a hoof, shattering the fragile crystal like glass. For a moment, nothing happened, and the group stood in tense silence. Then Tantalus began to scream. His voice grew in volume and pitch until it seemed to be the only sound in the world, a sound of pure agony and pain, and the green fire burning in the pits of his eyes faded. Tantalus’ body slumped to the ground, unmoving. Incendia barely had time to blink before a small orb of flickering green light rose out of Tantalus’ mouth. It appeared superficially similar to the fragments of Celestia and Luna they had encountered, but it seemed as though it was constantly bulging and snapping back to a sphere, as though it was fighting against some force that aimed to keep it in shape. Then, with a loud crack, the orb began to elongate and take on a new shape. Celestia and Luna watched the scene unfold grimly. The creature touched down on the parched earth. It resembled an alicorn— vaguely. Its neck and legs were hideously elongated. The wings were misshapen and malformed, and the horn bent sharply at the midsection. Its outline appeared fuzzy and shifted constantly. “It’s good to see you as you once were,” Celestia said, her voice dripping with venom. “Only now, you don’t have any tie to chaos or your host body.” Tantalus took a step back, small, green fires remaining where his ephemeral hooves touched the ground. “Do you have any final words?” Luna said, walking to his sisters side. “Luna,” Tantalus said. His voice seemed to crackle like lightning, but he seemed to has lost his former bass timbre. “We have shared power before. I gave you freedom when your sister sought to imprison you as she did me. Join me once more and we shall rule, together!” “I have made my choice,” Luna said coolly. “I side with order.” “Celestia,” Tantalus said, a note of desperation creeping into his voice. “You need me. The world needs me! Without me, there will be no balance!” “Balance,” scoffed Celestia. “You don’t care for balance. You just care for destruction. You don’t differentiate between what is good and what is evil. You exist to seek imbalance.” “Goodbye,” Luna said coldly, “and good riddance.” Their horns began to glow as Tantalus let out an agonized wail. Jets of light shot from their horns and wrapped around him, encasing Tantalus in a cocoon of light. The cocoon began to shrink, and Celestia and Luna began to chant something— something whose words gave Incendia and Tiptoe a splitting headache and blurred their vision. When the light had shrunk to a mere pinprick, Celestia and Luna’s head snapped in their direction, and a tiny, glowing sphere surrounded them. Seconds later, the pinprick of light exploded, and Incendia and Tiptoe lost consciousness. ~~~ Tiptoe’s eyes fluttered open to see Celestia leaning over her, horn glowing. Her skin felt warm, and she realized Celestia was healing her. With some effort, she raised her head, just in time to see skin close up over a wound in her side. “What happened?” she said weakly. “I’m glad you’re awake,” Celestia responded, smiling. “I’m sorry you had to see that. That was… I guess you could call it Tantalus’ death rattle. He’s… he’s not here anymore.” Tiptoe nodded and began to slip back into sleep, but a sudden thought jolted her upright. “Jigsaw!” she shouted. Celestia withdrew her head quickly. “Now, don’t get up so fast, you got pretty knocked around, even with the shield. You need to-“ “Did you bring him back?” Tiptoe asked urgently. “I saw that light coming out of his horn, and you healed me. Surely you can-“ “I can’t,” Celestia interrupted, a sad smile on her face. “Nothing can bring the dead back. Not even my sister or I.” Tiptoe’s heart felt as though it had dropped into her stomach. Unbidden, tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” Celestia said. “We all have lost loved ones. He died a hero.” Tiptoe didn’t say anything for a moment, then managed to choke out, “Is Incendia alive?” Celestia’s smile wasn’t tinged with sadness this time. “Incendia!” she called. “Tiptoe’s awake!” Incendia trotted into view a moment later, her mane tattered and walking with a pronounced limp, but visually no worse for wear. Her expression was a mixture of relief and grief. Tiptoe stood to her hooves unsteadily and, after a moment, embraced Incendia and began to sob audibly. “I know,” Incendia cooed, “I know.” Celestia and Luna glanced at each other. “Is it time?” Luna said. “I think it’s greatly overdue,” Celestia said. “Tiptoe, Incendia, you may want to look west.” Celestia and Luna’s horns began to glow once more. Celestia slowly lowered her horn to the ground as Luna flew upwards. Incendia gasped at the result. The sun, huge and red in the western sky, began to move. In fits and starts, like an old machine that needed oiled, the sun slipped lower in the sky, until finally, the sun set on Ponyville for the first time in a long time, the dying light casting red streaks over the clouds. The group sat there, Celestia and Luna staring solemnly at the horizon, Tiptoe weeping silently into Incendia’s shoulder, bearing witness to the end of what had been, after all, a very long day. The End Epilogue One Year Later The sirens still went off in the morning, even though they didn’t have to. The rising sun streamed in through the window onto Tiptoe’s face as her eyes opened slowly. She still had trouble getting used to seeing the sun move. As she did every morning, she debated just staying in bed. She had another royal function to attend— nothing to look forward to but a day of Celestia and Luna parading her around Totemhoof’s socialites. She wondered if that was better or worse than the tedium of her day job- managing the weather. She rolled out of bed and onto the soft cloud floor. She left her royal dress in the closet. Her breakfast was a simple meal— a selection of fruits and berries she scarfed down quickly. She had made her decision. She wasn’t going to go to the royal function or work. She left her home and flapped her wings, taking flying up and over the aerial section of Totemhoof. When she saw the hole in the clouds that allowed access to the terrestrial city, she folded her wings in close to her body and dove down. It was still early in the morning, so she didn’t have to fight against the flood of pegasi that would normally be commuting to the sky to work. Totemhoof glistened below her, nestled in the shadowed valley. The sun was just beginning to peak over the top of one of the huge hills that surrounded it. The buildings had been heavily modernized in the year since the Day of Rebirth, partially due to Celestia and Luna taking residence in the city, and partially because of the Stalliongrad scientists lending their expertise to the citizens. Tiptoe touched down in a small, green park, only dimly illuminated by the sun at the early hour. In the center of the park, a small, domed structure stood, a single black-clad pegasus standing guard at the door. At the tip of the dome, a beautiful, golden statue of a pony stood. Flowers and gifts surrounded the tomb. The floral scent in the space was almost overpowering. Tiptoe approached the tomb and towards the beautifully carved marble door. She didn’t need to speak to the guard. He extended a hoof and quickly entered a sequence of numbers into a keypad at the base of the door. The marble door slowly swung inward. A sarcophagus of solid gold sat in the center of the room, adorned with only a single word: “Jigsaw”. Tiptoe nodded at the guard and the door slowly swung shut behind her. “Sorry I didn’t bring any flowers,” Tiptoe said to the sarcophagus. “I didn’t think you’d want any, anyway.” As she spoke, her voice became more and more strained, but she didn’t cry. She’d learned how to hide the tears. “I miss you so much,” she said. “There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about you. Sometimes I wonder if it was all worth it. Maybe we should have just stayed underground and made a life in that subway car or something. It would have been enough, if you were with me. Without you, I’m just… I’m lost.” Tiptoe jumped as the heavy marble door swung open again and Incendia walked in, a small bag of bright red berries floating in front of her. “Tiptoe!” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry, I’ll just—” “It’s okay,” Tiptoe interrupted. “You have just as much a right to be here as I do.” Incendia shuffled her hooves awkwardly and said, “Thanks. I brought some bloodberries. It’s not much, but… I remembered he liked them when I brought them that once.” “Seems so long ago,” Tiptoe said wistfully. “I haven’t gotten to see you in a while,” Incendia said tentatively. “I can’t seem to find you at the royal functions.” Tiptoe squirmed uncomfortably. She always tried to get out of the functions as quickly as possible— it hadn’t really dawned on her Incendia might be looking for her. “What have you been up to?” Incendia asked. “Managing the weather,” Tiptoe said. “Regulating the rainfall on crops and things. It’s an important job. What about you?” “Manufacturing, mostly. Smithing alloys and other metallurgy. Helping the Stalliongrad refugees integrate.” “That’s nice,” Tiptoe said, without much feeling. The silence between them stretched out uncomfortably until Tiptoe said, “How’s your personal life? Found a special somepony?” “No,” Incendia said quickly. “No, I haven’t. What about…?” “No,” Tiptoe murmured. “Tiptoe,” Incendia said, her voice soft, “Are you alright?” Suddenly, it was as if the year Tiptoe had spent hardening herself had never happened. She broke down, her breath coming in ragged gasps as sorrow overtook her. “I’m not!” she said, louder than she intended. “I don’t feel happy. That was one of the last things he told me and I’m not doing it! I don’t know how I’m supposed to go on without him! I’m failing him, I’m failing myself and Totemhoof, and I don’t know how much longer I can—” Incendia interrupted her by gently laying her head across Tiptoe’s neck and gently nuzzling. “I’m so sorry,” Incendia said. “I know how you feel. There’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about what happened last year. But… you should know I’m always there for you.” Tiptoe took a deep, shuddering breath, and said, “Thank you. I needed to hear that.” “Tell you what,” Incendia said, “How about we just skip the royal function altogether today? I’ll go the market, get a lot of tasty food, and we can go back to my place and I’ll cook it up, and we can talk over dinner. Anything you want to talk about. Just the two of us.” Tiptoe smiled, a real, genuine smile, for the first time in a long time. “I’d like that.” The sirens went off that night, even though they didn’t have to. Neither of them had any intention of sleeping.

123PinkiePie

23

Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life

Who Wants Ice Cream?

incomplete

<p>Pinkie Pie is feeling lonely when all of her friends leave her behind on a car trip. However, she&#39;s destined to make more until her old pals return.</p>

everyone

2011-08-07T23:01:09+00:00

This chapter is basically for an intro. This story takes place the week after the gala. The picture is my fan-character, Pixel Poppy. That is why the characters tab has a fan-char pony. Don't ask how there are cars in Equestria. The also apparently have microwaves and blenders. I will change the picture later.

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:15:46+00:00

2012-01-23T01:15:46+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes First Transcript: The Celestia Interview [In the year 1001 of the Celestian calendar, Equestrian scientists developed advanced magic making it possible to broadcast music over long distances. This innovation was called “radio,” and quickly became a sensation throughout Equestria. For a period of time, only one frequency playing classical music was available. This changed when a popular young disk jockey with the stage name DJ-P0n3 (born Vinyl Scratch) formally proposed the creation of an independent radio station called K-COLT. It was approved, with DJ-P0n3 as the host. In addition to playing rock-and-roll and other popular music, DJ-P0n3 also hosted the first Equestrian talk show known as “The Vinyl Scratch.” These broadcasts were recorded for historical significance. What follows is a transcript of the first morning broadcast of the Vinyl Scratch]. DJ-P0n3: Goooooood morning, Equestria! The sun is up and so are you! You’re listening to K-COLT and it’s time for THE VINYL SCRATCH. [Record is scratched repeatedly]. DJ-P0n3: Yes that’s right, the best show on the airwaves by virtue of being the only show on the airwaves. But even if it wasn’t, no other station would have me, the turntable temptress herself, DJ-P0n3! Droppin’ all the hits and rockin’ all of Equestria! [Indistinct mumble is heard away from mic]. DJ-P0n3: Oh, don’t be such a killjoy. We’re here to have fun! [Cough.] Forgive me, listeners. Apparently when I pitched the idea for this station, the Princess thought it necessary to assign me a co-host. Allow me to introduce my lovely assistant, Octavia. Octavia: Pleased to meet you all. [Long pause.] DJ-P0n3: What? Octavia: “Lovely” assistant? DJ-P0n3: It’s a compliment. Something wrong with that? Octavia: Well, no, it’s just a little ... odd. DJ-P0n3: Okay, so you don’t want me to call you lovely. I can deal with that. Octavia: Wait, I didn’t-- DJ-P0n3: My homely, train-wreck of an co-host will be here to give you all perspective on jazz and classical music, while I comment on music ponies actually listen to. Octavia: Lots of ponies love classical music! DJ-P0n3: Yes, usually the same ponies who play shuffleboard and no longer have any of their original teeth left. [Octavia mumbles angrily]. Octavia: Philistine. Let’s just get on with the show. DJ-P0n3: Alright then! Today we’ve got a very special treat for all you foals and fillies out there! We have an interview with the boss pony herself! That’s right, we have the one, the only Princess Celestia here in the studio! Not bad for our first show, eh?! [Sounds of objects hitting the floor] Octavia: W-will you sit back down? You’re going to break something! DJ-P0n3: Psh! Yeah right. This is all my equipment. It’s just like me: durable, made to last, and flexible! Not like your -- hmmm -- what instrument did you play again? Octavia: The cello but-- DJ-P0n3: Right! It’s not flimsy like your stupid cello. [Octavia sighs.] Octavia: [Muttering.] It’s too late to quit, isn’t it? DJ-P0n3: Yep. Anyway! It’s time to give the ponies what they want! Let’s bring Celestia on in here. Octavia: Right after a word from our sponsors. Vinyl, why don’t you go ahead with the ad? [Pause.] Octavia: Go ahead Vinyl. [Another pause.] DJ-P0n3: We ... have sponsors? Octavia: [Shouting.] Do you ever pay any attention to anything?! We had a meeting this morning about it! DJ-P0n3: Oh. Right. That. [Silence.] Why don’t you do the honors this week, Octy? Octavia: How can you possibly be my boss?! And don’t call me Octy! [Octavia instantly switches to a sweet tone of voice, as if nothing had happened.] Octavia: Today’s episode of the Vinyl Scratch is brought to Musky Mustang Hoof Polish, the only waterproof hoof polish on the market and 20% less expensive than the leading brand. Musky Mustang is a must-have! DJ-P0n3: [Giggle.] Sell-out. Octavia: What’d you say? DJ-P0n3: We’ll be right back with that interview! Until then, here are some of the latest tunes. [INTERMISSION] [After approximately fifteen minutes of songs, the show abruptly resumes. For several minutes, DJ-P0n3 and Octavia seem unaware they are on the air.] Octavia: [Whispering.] It’s just that you seemed to be egging me on. DJ-P0n3: [Whispering.] Yeah but-- Octavia: Do you enjoy messing with me or something? DJ-P0n3: Well, of course. Octavia: What? Why? What’s wrong with you? DJ-P0n3: Hey listen-- Octavia: I don’t believe yo-- DJ-P0n3: Listen. Listen to me. It’s what they want. Octavia: What are you talking about? DJ-P0n3: It’s what the audience wants. They want to be entertained. Octavia: Making fun of me is supposed to be entertaining? DJ-P0n3: Yes. Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying. Octavia: Maybe the punk outfit you associate with would enjoy that, but civilized ponies like myself wouldn’t like such drivel. It is base and vulgar! DJ-P0n3: Trust me, relax. Enjoy it. You just have to argue back. Octavia: I can’t do that. I have a reputation to uphold. DJ-P0n3: You were fighting with me fine a few minutes ago. Octavia: That wasn’t fighting. That was called being the voice of reason. I imagine you’ve never heard that before. DJ-P0n3: Whatever, just play along, okay? Now when we go back on, hit me with a really good one, see how it feels, and I’m sure you’ll start to like it. Know what I mean? Octavia: ... you’re a sociopath. That’s all there is to it. I’m working for a crazy pony. DJ-P0n3: You’re cute when you’re mad. Octavia: And another thing! Stop with ... um ... does that red light mean we’re on? DJ-P0n3: Wha? OH CRAP! [Sounds of loud thumping against the mike, followed by the broadcast cutting out for half a minute.] DJ-P0n3: And we’re back! Sorry about that, folks. We had some technical difficulties. Caused by, um, technical ... things. But we’re fine now! So we’re about to bring Princess Celestia into the studio now but first, I think Octavia had something to say. [Silence] Octavia: [Whispering.] Now? DJ-P0n3: [Whisper] Yes, dummy. Octavia: Um, yes. Well. Miss Vinyl, you are … DJ-P0n3: Yeah? Octavia: A ... horrible individual to know. Yes! And you should, um, learn some manners and act like a productive member of society! You... rascal. [Long pause.] Octavia: [Whisper.] Did, did I do it wrong? DJ-P0n3: [Barely keeping herself from laughing] No, no. Not at all. [Clears throat.] And now, listeners, we won’t keep you waiting a moment longer! It’s time to bring out Princess Celestia! [Sound of rickety door opening and shutting.] Octavia: Your Majesty! It is an honor for you to grace us with your prescience. Celestia: No, the pleasure is all mine. I am enjoying the show so far. DJ-P0n3: Oh reeeeeeaaally? Hm, Octavia, what was that you were just saying? Octavia: Vinyl... DJ-P0n3: Something about anypony who likes this being base and vulg- Octavia: Princess! Thank you for joining us. Why not start telling the listeners about yourself? Celestia: Hm. Well, my sister and I created Equestria. So there’s that. I’ve been princess ever since then. I like to think I do a pretty good job. I sincerely want to make every citizen in Equestria happy. DJ-P0n3: Still single? Celestia: Pardon? DJ-P0n3: Nevermind. Octavia: Any hobbies? Celestia: In my spare time, I enjoy teaching. I’ve actually been helping my sister a lot as of late. Octavia: Aww, isn’t that nice? DJ-P0n3: Ah. Since you brought it up, how is your sister doing? Celestia: Great. She’s just been having some ... difficulties adjusting to modern life. DJ-P0n3: And that would be because she was imprisoned on the moon? Celestia: Yes. DJ-P0n3: For a thousand years? Celestia: That’s right. DJ-P0n3: By you? Celestia: [Pause.] Yes. I-it’s not something I was terribly proud of. DJ-P0n3: I see. Well then, why don’t we talk about that a little, shall we? Octavia: Um, Vinyl? What are you doing? DJ-P0n3: Princess Celestia! Is it not true you and Luna were very close? Celestia: Yes, and-- DJ-P0n3: From what I recall, Princess Luna simply wanted to be appreciate more? Isn’t it true that’s what started the troubles? Octavia: Seriously, what are you doing? [Princess Celestia starts to say something, but is cut off] DJ-P0n3: Didn’t she want the night to be longer? Isn’t that all she’s guilty of? I’d say throwing her on the moon is a pretty steep punishment, wouldn’t you? Octavia: I-- I just want to say I’m not with her. Can we just make that clear? DJ-P0n3: Princess, do you really think that was the correct decision? Celestia: That ... my sister was very proud of her nights. They were beautiful. On a clear one, you could see every star that ever was. She wanted everypony in Equestria to enjoy it. B- but she became jealous and refused to raise the sun. I tried to reason with her. I truly did. But she wouldn’t listen. Her jealousy and bitterness transformed her into Nightmare Moon. Everypony was so frightened, they didn’t know what was happening. I had to do something. I had no choice but to-- DJ-P0n3: But to space her. Celestia: T-that’s a bit out of context. DJ-P0n3: Fair enough. Please explain the context of hurling your little sister into the dark reaches of space. Octavia: Please stop. Celestia: I tried to avoid that. I attempted diplomacy first, but she would not listen. I … I had to do it. DJ-P0n3: Okay, so you said you tried reasoning with her. That didn’t work. So your next logical plan was intergalactic exile? Celestia: I-- DJ-P0n3: I mean, I’m sure there were other options. I don’t want to seem like a backseat deity, but I would probably, you know, try a few other things before jumping to “ENJOY SPACE, LITTLE SIS!” Celestia: That’s not what happened at all! It tore my heart out to do that. I never wanted to do that to my dear sister! Octavia: [Muttering.] This can’t be real. I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming and we’re not actually tearing apart the princess live, destroying my entire career. We’re not. DJ-P0n3: Did you ever visit her on the moon? Celestia: Well. [Pause.] No. No, I … suppose I didn’t. DJ-P0n3: Not even once. For a thousand years? That doesn’t seem very kind to your “dear” sister? Celestia: That … she’s fine now! We hold no ill will towards each other! She understands what I had to do. DJ-P0n3: Fine? Oh I beg to differ. According to my sources, Princess Luna is afraid of microwaves and modern technology! That doesn’t seem so fine to me! Octavia: I’d just like to announce I have no idea how this pony got into the studio. I am not affiliated with her in any way, she just started rambling and wouldn’t leave. Never seen her before in my life. Celestia: She’s not afraid, she’s just ... curious. DJ-P0n3: Yeah, I think it’d be do. Anything would be curious after being on the moon for a millennia. We have microwaves, turn-tables, rollerblades, razors, restaurants, and rock-and-roll. The moon has, like, craters. And that’s it. Octavia: I- I’m sure the moon isn’t that bad. There must be other things there. DJ-P0n3: Okay, craters and dust. So yeah, two things. Must be a boring thousand years. Celestia: Well I ... I didn’t … Octavia: [Obvious forced laughter.] HAHAHAHA, Vinyl. You are such a kidder. Hahahaha, excuse us Princess... Octavia: [Whispering to DJ-P0n3.] Are you trying to get us killed?! DJ-P0n3: [Whisper.] Don’t worry. I’m going somewhere with this. Octavia: Yes, you are going somewhere. Prison. DJ-P0n3: [Raising her voice.] So Princess, I have one last question. You say Luna is fine now? Celestia: Certainly! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! DJ-P0n3: And she apologized for returning earlier this year and attempting to bring eternal night to Equestria? Celestia: Of course she did! DJ-P0n3: Well then, my question to you is this: if Princess Luna was classy enough to say sorry for the trouble she caused, did you ever apologize for sending her to the moon? [Silence.] Celestia: ...no. No, I never did. [Pause.] W- would you excuse me? I … have something urgent to attend to. [Rickety doors swing open, a flutter of wings is heard.] Octavia: ...unbelievable. DJ-P0n3: Told you. Octavia: You can’t possibly have planned any of that. You couldn’t have known that’d happen. DJ-P0n3: Haha. Octavia: You know what? I was wrong. You’re not a sociopath. You’re just very, very stupid. And the depressing part is that I agreed to this of my own free will. [Thumps head on desk.] It’s contagious. I’m dumber just by being near you. DJ-P0n3: All I know that this first show has been quite memorable. Octavia: What if Celestia hadn’t been as nice as she was? Did you stop to think of that? What if she actually put you on the moon? What would you have done then?! DJ-P0n3: Honestly? [Chuckle.] Then we’d be airing episode two in from space. Octavia: How can you be this reckless? DJ-P0n3: Because that’s what I’m here for, my lovely assistant! Octavia: I told you not-- DJ-P0n3: [Yelling.] That is the spirit of radio! There’s no limits! Octavia: Why are you standing up again?! Don’t get so-- DJ-P0n3: We’re here for truth, justice, and the power of rock and roll! It is our way! It is the only way! Even if we stop broadcasting, our signal will just travel across the universe forever! Stars fade away, comets burn out, black holes devour suns, but even out there in the black, ROCK will always live on! That means music will last longer than the heavens themselves! That is radio! That is K-COLT! And THAT. IS. THE VINYL SCRATCH! Octavia: ...you’re insane. DJ-P0n3: [Laugh.] Octy, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Octavia: You’re seriously going to call me that all the time, aren’t you? DJ-P0n3: Oh yeah. And that’s all the time we have for today! Tune in tomorrow! Octavia: If we’re not cancelled … DJ-P0n3: And until next time, remember: even if you’re spaced, the signal will always follow you! [End of tape.] [That was the end of the first historic broadcast of “the Vinyl Scratch,” but it was not the last. Despite Octavia’s fears, the show was not canceled and, in fact, became phenomenally popular. Despite Vinyl Scratch’s dismissive attitude towards her own advertisements, it managed to attract more sponsors and never had any shortage of funding. To this day, Octavia is not clear if Vinyl Scratch had planned this or if it was simply a side effect of her own psychosis. Princess Celestia chose not to end the show, even though it was within her full authority. She would later speak fondly of the interview, in spite of its inflammatory nature. She admitted that, after leaving the studio, she visited her sister and apologized. She would not go into further detail about the nature of their conversation, other than saying they spoke at great length. It may also be of interest that the following night was the longest one in recorded history. It was crisp, clear, and showed off the wonders of the universe. Meteors showered across the sky and galaxies seemed to dance in the distance. Many ponies still speak fondly of that night, where the sun stood still just long enough for everypony to enjoy the beautiful starry sky.]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:10:20+00:00

2012-01-23T01:10:20+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Second Transcript: The Spitfire Interview [What follows is a transcript of broadcast 1F15 of the Vinyl Scratch, approximately two weeks after the infamous first episode interview with Princess Celestia]. DJ-P0n3: You’re about to enter another dimension, not of sight and sound but of ROCK! You’re listening to K-COLT! Next stop, THE VINYL SCRATCH! [Record scratch.] DJ-P0n3: You’re listening to the first talk show in Equestria. Accept no substitutes! I’m your host, the priestess of punk herself, DJ-P0n3! Octavia: And I’m her co-host Octavia ... still shocked we haven’t been sued yet. DJ-P0n3: Well, it’s still early in the day, so who knows?! Haha! Octavia: You don’t feel the least bit ashamed of what happened on yesterday’s show, do you? DJ-P0n3: DJ-P0n3 does not know the meaning of the word shame! Octavia: [Sigh.] Why am I not surprised? DJ-P0n3: Besides, yesterday’s show was fantastic! What is there to be ashamed of? Octavia: Well, let’s see. For one thing, you embarrassed our guest. Again. DJ-P0n3: What? Noooooo, I was a model host to Photo Finish. Octavia: At first. Then you made fun of her, just like you did the Princess! DJ-P0n3: Okay, first of all, I did not make fun of the Princess. I used my cunning wit and intelligence-- [Octavia lets out a “Ha!”] DJ-P0n3: To deliver the truth for the sake of justice! Even Celestia agreed I was right in the end. Octavia: That doesn’t excuse you badgering her on air! She’s the ruler of all Equestria! DJ-P0n3: Well I never voted for her. [Octavia slams head on console.] DJ-P0n3: And second, I didn’t embarrass Photo Finish. Not exactly. Octavia: You said her accent was fake! DJ-P0n3: No, no. That’s not what I said at all. I simply asked “What accent are we SUPPOSED to think that is?” There’s a difference. She didn’t seem that offended. She did give me that free camera. Octavia: She threw it at your head! DJ-P0n3: Yes. For free. Octavia: Whatever. The point is I ended up having to apologize for you. Again! DJ-P0n3: Oh, stop being such a stick in the mud. You know you love it. After all, you still come into work every day. Octavia: [Angry muttering.] That’s because I’m afraid if I take a day off, you’ll set the studio on fire. DJ-P0n3: Octy, when has that ever happened, except for that one time? Octavia: Let’s ... let’s just get on with the show before I get a migraine. DJ-P0n3: Right! Well, we have a great show for you today. Now, we were going to have an interview with Prince Blueblood, but for some reason he canceled at the last minute. Octavia: Probably because he actually listened to the show and realized you’d spend all morning mocking him. DJ-P0n3: [Fake sincerity.] Mock him? Me? Why Octavia, I am shocked you’d think such a thing! I ... I think I might cry. Octavia: Crying would imply you actually have emotions. DJ-P0n3: Well, forget all about the Prince, folks, because we’ve got a guest who’s even better. She’s one of the fastest flyers in Equestria and the definition of cool. That’s right, we’ve got Spitfire of the Wonderbolts here in the studio! Who needs some stuck-up snob when we’ve got her, right? Octavia: There you go insulting ponies you’ve never met again. DJ-P0n3: You’re just mad because he’d be the only guest we’ve had snootier than you. Octavia: He is not snootier than me! [DJ-P0n3 bursts out laughing.] Octavia: Wait, I mean I’m not snooty! I mean he’s not snooty! I mean, ugh, shut up! DJ-P0n3: You know, I don’t know how I had fun before I had you to pick on. Awww, now your face is all red. So cute… Octavia: Jerk! DJ-P0n3: And that’s not all, listeners! This interview will be extra special. You may not know this, but Spitfire and I also happen to be best friends! Octavia: Wait, really? DJ-P0n3: Yep. Since we were adorable babies! Thick as thieves! BFFs! All that junk. [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: What, you don’t believe me? Octavia: No, it’s just that ... Spitfire is a Wonderbolt. A respected person. And you’re ... well, you. You can understand why I’d be a little confused. [Door quietly opens and shuts.] DJ-P0n3: Ohhhh? You don’t believe it’s possible for me to have friends? Octavia: No, I just expected your friends to be more like … mental patients or criminal riff-raff. [Spitfire chuckles in the background.] Spitfire: Well, Vinyl does drive me crazy, but I’m not a mental patient just yet. [DJ-P0n3 giggles.] Octavia: [Yelps.] OH! Um ... Miss Spitfire. I- I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear you come in. I wasn’t... I didn’t mean to ... she made me say it! Spitfire: [Laughing.] Don’t sweat it. I’m just kidding around. DJ-P0n3: Uh oh, who let the ratty mule in the studio? Octavia: [Aghast.] Vinyl! How dare you-- Spitfire: Haha, still the same old Vinyl. Love the show. Nice to see someones paying you to run your mouth. DJ-P0n3: I know! Can you believe it? I get health insurance too, and all I have to do is play music I like and make fun of our sponsors. Spitfire: And all I do is fly around and look cool. DJ-P0n3: We are such thieves! Spitfire: I know! [Both laugh together.] DJ-P0n3: Ah, look at that. Too big to give a hug to your friend? You’re such a jerk! Spitfire: I learned from the best, didn’t I? Haha. [They hug.] Spitfire: Awww, it’s good to see you too, Vinyl. Octavia: Well ... that’s definitely something. DJ-P0n3: What? Octavia: Nothing, it’s just ... I never took you for the hugging type. It just seems so … nice of you. DJ-P0n3: Oh. Thanks! Octavia: Almost makes me forget you’re really a complete lunatic. DJ-P0n3: [Gasp.] I’ll have you know I can be very affectionate! Octavia: Hmph. I find that hard to believe. DJ-P0n3: [Slyly.] Say the word and I’ll show you just how “affectionate” I can get. Octavia: S-stop kidding around on the air! Spitfire: [Whispering.] You think she’s joking? Octavia: Huh? Spitfire: Oh nothing. DJ-P0n3: Thanks for joining us, Spitfire. It’s been too long. Spitfire: No problem. I love the show. [Chuckles.] You two are fun together. Octavia: [Wearily.] “Fun” isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind. “Rock bottom” is more like it. DJ-P0n3: Haha, Octy’s such a kidder. Octavia: [Deadpan.] Someone help me. Please. DJ-P0n3: So, Spitfire! Why don’t you start by telling our listeners about the Wonderbolts? Spitfire: Well, we’re the best flyers in Equestria. We’ve done air shows everywhere from Cloudsdale to Manehatten. We have a pretty demanding schedule, but I’m not complaining. Best job in the world. Octavia: What’s the rest of the team like? Spitfire: Oh, they’re all really nice. We all love meeting fans. They’re all very cool. DJ-P0n3: Yes, very cool. Makes me wonder how they let you in, Spitshine. Spitfire: [Snort.] I ... almost forgot about that nickname. Octavia: Vinyl! Don’t disgrace the only guest who actually likes us! Don’t you know anything about showing respect?! DJ-P0n3: You’re right. That was disrespectful. Miss Spitshine, I meant to say. Octavia: Vinyl! Spitfire: [Giggles.] No really, it’s fine. Vinyl’s just being herself. Octavia: I know. And that’s precisely why it’s wrong. DJ-P0n3: Haha, that’s a great lesson, Octy. All you fillies listening, remember what Octavia says: never be yourself. Octavia: No, the lesson is to never be like Vinyl. Ever. Spitfire: Words to live by. [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] DJ-P0n3: Can’t really argue with that one. Spitfire: Trust me, Octavia, I already know. She’s always been like this. I could tell you some stories. DJ-P0n3: Ah yes, my favorite kinds of stories: the ones about me! Octavia: [Sighs.] Are there any where Vinyl gets hurt? Spitfire: Tons. Octavia: Tell me all of them. DJ-P0n3: Psh. Octy, if you’re fishing for something to make fun of me for, good luck. I’m an open book! I’ve never been ashamed of a single thing I’ve ever done! Spitfire: Oh? Then I guess that means you’ve told her about the concert? [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: The um ... [Cough.] The what? Spitfire: The concert? I know you haven’t forgotten. DJ-P0n3: I, er, don’t recall that. Spitfire: Oh really? Good thing I remember it then... DJ-P0n3: No! I mean ... [Nervous laugh.] Nobody needs to hear that-- Octavia: No, by all means Miss Spitfire, please continue! [Octavia scoots mike closer to Spitfire.] Spitfire: Well, back when we were fillies, you might not believe it, but Vinyl was a bit of a show-off. Octavia: ...really? I would have never guessed. Spitfire: She loved music back then and just knew that had something to do with her special talent, but didn’t know what her “thing” was. DJ-P0n3: Really, this ... this is nothing anypony needs to hear... Spitfire: She wanted to get her Cutie Mark so bad so she took every instrument in town, regardless of whether she had actually asked for them or not, and tried all of them. And guess what? She found one instrument she just loved. DJ-P0n3: Ooookay, well that was fun. Wasn’t that fun? Yep, fun, er, isn’t it time for the ad? Yeah, I think it’s time for the ad. Why don’t we run that right now?! [Muttering.] Where’s that button?! Spitfire: I mean, she LOVED playing it and she wanted everyone to see. So she invited everyone in town to have a concert. She even built a little stage out of sticks and everything, made a little sign with her name on it, and everything. She was certain that if she held a big concert, she’d definitely get her cutie mark. She was so proud of that instrument … Octavia: Well then, Miss Spitfire, I just have to ask … DJ-P0n3: [Nervous muttering.] Where’s the plug on this console? Octavia: What was the instrument? DJ-P0n3: Spitfire, don’t! Spitfire: Are you ready for this? DJ-P0n3: You can’t! Spitfire: An accordion. DJ-P0n3: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! [Octavia laughs uncontrollably.] DJ-P0n3: [Groans.] I can’t believe you told them. I was young and confused! Spitfire: What’s there to be ashamed about? [Stifled laughter.] It was beautiful, really. I mean, when you did that polka version of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” ... tears were in my eyes. [Snort.] It was ... it was so moving. Octavia: Ahahahahaha-- [Bangs hoof on console.] DJ-P0n3: Yeah just ... get it out of your system, Octavia. Spitfire: The tragedy of it all was her concert was cut short because the accordion happened to belong to the sheriff. She didn’t really think of that when she invited him ... Octavia: AHAHAHAHAHA, oh god, I can’t breathe, Hahahahaha! Spitfire: So he dragged her off-stage. But she wouldn’t give back the accordion. I mean, she loved that thing. She was kicking and biting him. They had to practically pry it away from her! [Laughter continues loudly in the background.] DJ-P0n3: It’s fine. It’s fine, Spitfire. [Chuckles.] You know, I was gonna be nice. You wanna play that game? We’ll play that game. How would you like to tell our listeners who your first kiss was? [Octavia stops laughing.] Octavia: Vinyl, calm down. There’s no need to retaliate. It’s not that there’s anything wrong ... [Covers mouth to hide laughter.] With you. [Voice cracks with laughter]. Playing the accordion. DJ-P0n3: No, trust me, you’ll all love this. Tell them, Spitfire. Spitfire: Aw, don’t be like that, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Inquiring minds want to know! Octavia: Do you have any respect for anypony’s privacy? DJ-P0n3: No. Octavia, guess who it was. Octavia: I’m not going to join in such childish-- DJ-P0n3: Guess. Octavia: Wha-- How should I know? Some nerdy colt or something? DJ-P0n3: Not exactly... Spitfire: Heh, you’re seriously going to tell them, aren’t you? DJ-P0n3: No, Octy, it wasn’t a nerdy colt. I’ll give you three hints: it’s a different gender, it’s someone you already know, and the answer is me. Octavia: What?! DJ-P0n3: It’s true. Spitfire: [Chuckle.] I can’t believe you’d bring that up. It was just a practice kiss. DJ-P0n3: Hey, if I have to suffer, so do you. That’s what friends are for. [Pause.] Also, listeners, for the record? She uses tongue. Octavia: [Angry.] Vinyl, that is wildly inappropriate! DJ-P0n3: Why so mad? [Grins.] You jealous? Octavia: Oh, you wish! DJ-P0n3: Cause if you are, we can fix that right now. Your choice, open mouth or closed mouth? Octavia: Gross! DJ-P0n3: You have kissed before, right? Octavia: I-I don’t see what that has to do with anything! DJ-P0n3: So then you haven’t? Octavia: I didn’t say that! DJ-P0n3: But it’s true, isn’t it? [Octavia stammers.] Octavia: You- DJ-P0n3: I already told you. We can fix all this right now... Spitfire: [Chuckle.] This interview went in an odd direction. DJ-P0n3: That tends to happen here. [Octavia stammers some more, then thumps head on console.] Octavia: [Muttering.] I am ashamed to know you. You know that, right? DJ-P0n3: Wha? Oh yeah, whatever. Hmm ... you know, I just got a great idea. Octavia: No fires! DJ-P0n3: No, not this time. [Scoots chair.] I’ll be right back. Octavia, go to commercial. Octavia: What? Wait! [Sound of hooves clomping on the floor.] Octavia: I don’t know how to work-- [Door slam.] Octavia: ... the console. [Sigh.] It’s okay ... if that moron can do it, I should be able to. We’ll be right back after these messages, folks! [Long pause.] Um ... which button does she usually ... oh, here we go! [Hits button. “Boing!” sound effect plays.] Octavia: No wait, this one! [Hits button, followed by fart sound effect.] Octavia: Come on! [Hits button. Slightly different fart sound plays.] Spitfire: You okay there? Octavia: I’m fine! I can figure this out. Okay, now I know for sure. It’s this one! [Hits button. Volume lowers slightly. Octavia continues unaware she is still broadcasting.] Octavia: There we go. [Exhales.] Today is just one of those days. Miss Spitfire, I just want to say how sorry I am about everything. Spitfire: [Chuckles.] It’s fine. This is pretty fun. Octavia: Yeah, but that stuff Vinyl said-- Spitfire: It’s not a big deal. We were just fillies. I’m not embarrassed. After all, you know how Vinyl is … Octavia: I guess. [Pause.] Can I ask you something? Just between us? Spitfire: Yeah? Octavia: Well it’s just ... you seem relatively normal. Spitfire: I try, yeah. Octavia: And you say Vinyl’s always been this way, right? Spitfire: Pretty much. Octavia: Well ... why are you two friends? Spitfire: That’s a weird question. [Laughs.] I’d figure you’d know already. Octavia: What do you mean? Spitfire: Well, you’re her friend too, right? [Silence.] Octavia: Um, what? Spitfire: You’re not? Oh. Sorry, I just ... well, you guys sound close. Octavia: Were we listening to the same show?! You think that’s how friends treat each other? I don’t think so! We’re not close at all! All she does is make fun of me. We never actually talk. We’re not friends. We’re ... I don’t even know what we are. Spitfire: Hey, calm down. No reason to get upset. Octavia: I’m not upset! I’m just … [Sighs.] I don’t even really know why I’m here. Every morning I wake up afraid of what I’m going to have to put up with today. Am I going to watch someone else get torn down for no reason? Am I going to lose more of my dignity? I’ve only got so much left … Spitfire: ...are you okay? Octavia: I don’t know. [Glumly.] The thing is, I know that nopony who listens actually cares what I think. They just listen to see me suffer and laugh while Vinyl destroys somepony for shock value. It makes me feel ... dirty. And Vinyl doesn’t realize it. And even if she did, she wouldn’t care. She doesn’t seem to care about anything aside from getting attention. That’s really all I’m here for: to be a prop she uses to give herself more attention. I guess that doesn’t make me much better than her, when you think about it. Spitfire: … Octavia: That’s why I asked. [Sad mumbling.] Why would anyone want to be friends with somepony like her? Or me? [Long pause.] Spitfire: Heh, you sound just like me, you know? Octavia: Yeah. Sure. Spitfire: No really. I know how Vinyl can seem sometimes. [Pause.] Would you like to hear a story? Octavia: ...fine. Spitfire: Well, Vinyl and I were friends growing up, that’s true. But ... I wasn’t so much her best friend as I was her only friend. Octavia: She didn’t have any other friends? Spitfire: Pretty much everypony thought she was obnoxious. Or loud. Or annoying. Octavia: [Sarcasm.] Yeah, not sure where’d they’d that idea … Spitfire: So pretty much everypony ignored her. Vinyl hated that. Probably why she talks so loud all the time, so everyone has to pay attention. And even though we were friends, sometimes even I really hated her. Octavia: Really? Spitfire: She loved to pick on me. Called me Spitshine, Spittoon, Spit-swapper ... mostly spit puns. She wasn’t that original. I actually thought she didn’t like me for a long time, even though I hung out with her and everything. Octavia: So? Spitfire: Well, eventually I had to leave for Flight School. We were both still pretty young at the time. Neither one of us had our Cutie Marks. When I told Vinyl I was moving, she didn’t say anything. She acted like it didn’t bother her at all. Tried to play it cool, I guess. So I ended up going to Cloudsdale to learn to fly. After I was there for a couple months, I got a letter from my parents saying Vinyl was in the hospital. I immediately freaked out and flew home. Octavia: Why was she in the hospital? Spitfire: That’s exactly what I wanted to know. When I got there, I found out she’d broken her leg. I went right to her room and asked her what had happened. Apparently, she’d fallen out of a tree. She had climbed it, built some little “wings” for her hooves out of cardboard, and jumped out of it. She was trying to fly. Octavia: … Spitfire: So I said, “Vinyl, that is without a doubt the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Why would you do something like that?” She said, “I wanted to go to Flight School. You have to fly to go to Flight School.” As if it was just common sense or something. When I asked her why she wanted to go there, she was quiet for a minute. That was a first, by the way; seeing her quiet about anything. And she just looked up and said, “I wanted to see you again.” Octavia: She said that? Spitfire: Yep. Evidently, all she had done while I was gone was figure out ways to come see me. [Pause.] I didn’t know what to say to that. After that I always wrote to her and visited when I could, but with my job, we still hardly see each other. To be honest, I was kind of glad when I heard you two on the radio. I figured Vinyl had found someone else she could actually be herself around. Octavia: I ... I never knew any of that. Spitfire: I’m not surprised. Vinyl doesn’t talk about her feelings much, but she has them. She’ll act like nothing bothers her, laugh, and make fun of you ... but she’ll also never tell you a lie, she’ll never cross the line once it’s been drawn, and she’ll never, ever, let you down when you really need her. [Gives a nervous laugh.] Sorry. I’m rambling a lot today I guess. Did I at least answer your question? Octavia: ...yeah. Yes, I think it does. [Door slams open.] DJ-P0n3: Alright! I’m back! Sorry, it took me a few minutes to find this. Spitfire: A camera? DJ-P0n3: Yep. Just got it yesterday. For free, too! [Octavia coughs.] Octavia: Well, I guess we should go back on the air. Um, where’s that button? DJ-P0n3: Oh, you’re already on the air. Octavia: Huh? Wait, how did you-- Spitfire: What’s the camera for? DJ-P0n3: To take a picture! Duh! Just have to set it up right here ... [Sounds of tripod being set up.] There we go! Get up here Spitfire. Spitfire: What’s this for? DJ-P0n3: This is the best episode ever, so I always want to remember it with a picture of my best friends! [Pause.] Hey. Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: Well, get up here! We’re friends, right? Octavia: ... yeah. Of course we are … [Sounds of footsteps.] DJ-P0n3: And let me just get her too. Alright, now everypony smile! [Shutter snaps.] DJ-P0n3: Awesome! Spitfire: Well, I suppose it’s time for me to get going. We should do this again though. DJ-P0n3: The studio door is always open for you. Spitfire: That’s good to know. [They hug.] Spitfire: Bye Scratch. DJ-P0n3: Till next time … [Door opens, then quietly shuts.] DJ-P0n3: Well, I thought that was a pretty good interview, don’t you think? [Octavia says nothing.] DJ-P0n3: Something wrong? Octavia: You knew we were on the air already … DJ-P0n3: Yeah ... turns out somepony actually left the radio on downstairs. Octavia: ... you heard everything, didn’t you? DJ-P0n3: Yeah. Guess I did. [Long silence.] Octavia: Listen, I-- DJ-P0n3: You’re wrong, you know. Octavia: Huh? DJ-P0n3: You said nopony cares what you have to say. That’s not true. It’s a pretty dumb thing to say. Cause I can tell you, at least one pony does ... [Uncomfortable silence.] Octavia: So ... what are you doing after the show? DJ-P0n3: I dunno. Octavia: You want to go get something to eat after this? DJ-P0n3: Yeah. I’d like that. [Pause.] Whoa! Sorry about that folks! Things got sappy there for a second! That’s no way to end a show! These things always have to go out on a big laugh ... um ... wait I know! [Clicks button. Fart noise. Dead silence for almost a minute.] Octavia: [Genuine laugh.] Way to kill the mood there, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: It’s what I do best! That’s our show! See you next time folks! [End of tape.] [Spitfire remained a loyal friend of the show well into present day, returning to the show frequently enough to nearly be considered a regular character.] [After the airing of this episode, fan letters flooded K-COLT in droves. Almost all of them were addressed to Octavia, and almost all of them assured Octavia that they, in fact, also cared what she had to say. Octavia never threw these letters away and many of them still decorate the studio walls.] [Vinyl Scratch said in a later interview on “Late Night with Lyra and Bon-Bon” that she has only had one and only one picture she felt important enough to frame: the very same photograph she took on that memorable episode. She said she keeps it on her desk at the studio, so she can look at it everyday.]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:22:47+00:00

2012-01-23T01:22:47+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Third Transcript: The Call-In Show [What follows is a transcript of broadcast 1F22 of the Vinyl Scratch, approximately one week following the Spitfire interview.] DJ-P0n3: Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Nope ... it’s just ROCK! You’re listening to K-COLT and there’s no escape from THE VINYL SCRATCH! [Record scratch.] DJ-P0n3: You’re listening to the number one radio show in Equestria! I’m your host, the devious disc diva herself, DJ-P0n3! Octavia: And I’m Octavia, the sane one. DJ-P0n3: So, Octy, want to tell the listeners about our date yesterday? Octavia: Stop calling it a date! It wasn’t a date! DJ-P0n3: Why? [Mock despair.] You’re ashamed of me, aren’t you? Octavia: Yes. Very. DJ-P0n3: [Gasp.] How could you say such a thing?! What happened to the proper lady I used to know?! Octavia: She met you. That’s what happened. DJ-P0n3: [Fake crying.] You never look me in the eye anymore! Octavia: Alright, stop acting silly and tell them if you’re gonna. DJ-P0n3: [Instantly stops crying.] So listeners! I actually went to Octavia’s concert last night at Blueblood Hall. Since apparently any no-showing stuck-up coward prince can own a theater now. Octavia: You’re still mad he didn’t show up so you could make fun of him, aren’t you? DJ-P0n3: Not at all. I can make fun of him whether he shows up or not. It’s just more entertaining to see the look on his face. Octavia: Heh. You’re horrible sometimes. You know that, right? DJ-P0n3: [Whispering into the mic.] Octavia doesn’t want to admit it, but she’s smirking right now. Octavia: [Stifled laugh.] No. I’m not. Don’t listen to her. DJ-P0n3: Liar. Anyway, Octavia’s band had a concert there the other night. Octavia: It’s an ensemble, not a band. DJ-P0n3: Whatever, same thing. For those who don’t know she plays the cello. Usually classical isn’t my thing … Octavia: Because, you know, it’s actual music and not just noise like you’re used to. DJ-P0n3: Buuuut Octavia was really good and so was the rest of her band. It was very nice, moving music and all of you should go listen. Octavia: ...oh. Well, thank you. That’s a very sweet thing to say. DJ-P0n3: Does that mean we can make out? Octavia: Oh, shut up. DJ-P0n3: Okay. Later then. Octavia: Whatever. So after the concert, we went out to eat. DJ-P0n3: As a date. Octavia: It wasn’t a date. DJ-P0n3: It was a date, and I can prove it to you with sheer logic! Octavia: [Groan.] Oh, this should be good … DJ-P0n3: We went to a classy restaurant, right? Octavia: Of course. As if I’d go anywhere else. DJ-P0n3: And our table had candles, right? Octavia: Yes, but what does that-- DJ-P0n3: So it was a candlelit dinner. Octavia: ... well, so to speak … DJ-P0n3: You had your hair done ... and you were wearing perfume. Octavia: I was in public, of course I was. Just because you don’t care about your appearance doesn’t mean-- DJ-P0n3: You asked me if I thought it smelt nice. Octavia: Well, it was new perfume ... I-I was curious. There’s nothing weird about that. DJ-P0n3: Uh huh. So it mattered to you what I think? Octavia: [Pause.] No I-- DJ-P0n3: You wanted to know if I was impressed or not. Octavia: [Forced laugh.] That’s ... now you’re just grasping at straws. DJ-P0n3: [Grins.] And that’s not even getting into the stuff you said after a few drinks … Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: About how much you really loved working with me. Octavia: Okay, no drink is strong enough to make me say that. DJ-P0n3: And that it was nice that we were getting closer. It was quite adorable, really. Octavia: I’m positive you made that part up. DJ-P0n3: [Chuckles.] Clearly you’re still in denial of your undying love for me! Octavia: You’re the one who’s in denial here. Can we just drop the subject please? DJ-P0n3: Okay, fine ... but it was totally a dat- Octavia: SO! Listeners, if you’d like to see my ensemble and I play, we’re doing shows all this week, including one tomorrow night. From what I understand, tickets are going fast so you’d better hurry if you want to see us! DJ-P0n3: See? I am rubbing off on you. Octavia: What are you talking about? DJ-P0n3: You’re shamelessly promoting yourself. That’s definitely something I’d do. Octavia: I am-- wait. Wait. Jeez, you’re ... you’re actually right. DJ-P0n3: Yep. Octavia: [Deadpan.] Oh god. What have I become? DJ-P0n3: Well folks! Today’s show is going to be a little different. We don’t have a celebrity guest today, but today is special because you, listeners, can be on the show! I’m sure all you listeners at home have heard of the latest craze: the telephone! Well we happen to have one right here in the studio. [Drops heavy rotary phone on console.] DJ-P0n3: Neat, huh? Octavia: I still don’t see what the big fuss is about it. DJ-P0n3: You just don’t understand progress. Get with the times, granny. Octavia: What did you call me? DJ-P0n3: Anyway, this magical invention will let you talk directly to us from anywhere in the whole world ... provided that you’ve purchased a phone or can mooch one off your friends. Octavia: This thing has only been around for a week. How did you get one anyway? DJ-P0n3: We got one for free, thanks to our new sponsors! Speaking of which, this episode is brought to you by the Derpy Express, the most endearing delivery company in Equestria. Derpy Express: making sure your package gets sent in the general direction it’s supposed to go. Octavia: Since when do you actually care about doing the ads? DJ-P0n3: Since our sponsors started sending us cool stuff. Look, they sent muffins too! [DJ-P0n3 munches on muffin.] DJ-P0n3: So folks, if you’ve ever wanted to chat with us, now’s your chance. Just call and you’ll be on the air with us. Feel free to ask us any question you want, no matter how intimate or embarrassing! Octavia: You know, you really shouldn’t say that last part so cheerfully … DJ-P0n3: Just give us a call at ... um ... hang on I have the number written down here somewhere. [Sound of things being knocked over.] DJ-P0n3: No ... no … Octavia: Stop wrecking stuff. DJ-P0n3: Come on, I’ve got this perfectly under-- [Glass breaking.] DJ-P0n3: Oops. I’ll uh, I’ll clean that up later. Oh wait, here it is! [Paper rustling.] DJ-P0n3: Just give us a call at, let’s see here ... 4. Okay, give us a call at 4 and you’ll be on the show! Octavia: You couldn’t remember that?! DJ-P0n3: Well, when am I ever going to have to dial my own number? [Phone rings.] DJ-P0n3: Looks like we have our first caller! [Picks up receiver.] DJ-P0n3: Hello! You’re on the air with the Vinyl Scratch! [Caller speaks with a heavy, hissing accent found commonly in Diamond Dogs]. Diamond Dog Caller: Hello, radio DJ pony! DJ-P0n3: That’s quite a strange voice you got there. You’re a ... pony? Diamond Dog: Yesssss, sure. We are perfectly normal Earth horse-ponies. We was just wondering ... is your refrigerator running? [Snickering is heard in background of call]. DJ-P0n3: Sorry, we don’t have a refrigerator in the studio. Diamond Dog: Well then you-- huh? Um ... [Muttering.] What, what I say now? Background Dog: Hang up-- Diamond Dog: [Whispering.] But what is joke? Background Dog: Hang up, stupid! Diamond Dog: Um ... let us give you call back. [Hangs up, dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Huh ... well, that was different. Octavia: [Groan.] Yeah, I can really see the usefulness of this invention. [Phone rings]. DJ-P0n3: Okay, now you answer it. Octavia: What? No, you answer it! DJ-P0n3: I answered last time, now it’s your go. Octavia: I... I don’t feel like it. DJ-P0n3: Why? [Laughs.] You scared? Octavia: [Shouting.] Like I’d be afraid of something so dumb! [Pause. Phone rings again.] Octavia: Okay, fine! [Click.] Hello? Caller: [High pitched.] HI! Octavia: Eep! [Receiver clatters to the floor, followed by muffled laughter from DJ-P0n3.] Octavia: Stop laughing! I just ... didn’t expect it to be so loud. I was ... startled that’s all. I-- DJ-P0n3: Ssh, ssh, don’t worry. [Snicker.] Don’t worry. I’m here now. I won’t let the phone hurt you. [Touches Octavia’s shoulder.] Everything is gonna be ooookay. Octavia: I hate you. DJ-P0n3: [Grins.] I love you too, honey. [Octavia sighs. DJ-P0n3 picks up phone.] DJ-P0n3: Sorry about that, caller. You’re on the air with the Vinyl Scratch! [Caller sounds like a filly with a southern accent.] Apple Bloom: Um, hi. I’m sorry if ah scared Miss Octavia. Is she alright? Octavia: No, sweetie, it’s fine. I’m alright. DJ-P0n3: Aww, you sound adorable, caller. Did you have a question for us? Apple Bloom: Well … [Other fillies speak in the background.] Sweetie Bell: [Whispering.] Go on, ask. Scootaloo: [Whispering.] Yeah, before Twilight finds out her phone’s gone. Apple Bloom: Well, me and ma friends were just wonderin’ ... how did ya’ll get your cutie marks? DJ-P0n3: Aha, now there’s a good question. You wanna go first Octy? Octavia: What? Oh um ... no, you go ahead. DJ-P0n3: No problem! Actually there’s a story in that. It all started after I tried to put on my innocent little concert, only to be cracked down by the establishment! Octavia: That tends to happen when you steal an accordion from a police chief. DJ-P0n3: So after that, our school had a dance. As part of my punishment, I was told I couldn’t go. I had to stay in class and write an essay about what I had done wrong. I begged them to reconsider, but my teachers said no. [Sniff.] It was ... very traumatic. Octavia: You were so guilty though. DJ-P0n3: I was a victim of circumstance! I wasn’t going to take that punishment lying down. I decided it was time for me to strike against the system. So I flipped my paper over, wrote “STICKIN’ IT TO THE MAN!” on the back and started to look for a way into the dance. Luckily, I knew my way around the ventilation system pretty well … Octavia: How could you possibly know that? DJ-P0n3: I um ... had to use it to sneak out of school all the other times I was a victim of circumstance... Octavia: You were one of those kids who never learned a lesson from anything, weren’t you? DJ-P0n3: Hey, I learned plenty of lessons. And one of them just happened to be how to sneak out of school. I got much more use out of that than I ever did geometry, let me tell you. Anyway, when I finally crawled into the gym, they just had the gym teacher at a turntable playing slow songs. Stuff with no beat! No rhythm! No soul! Every filly was just standing around, no one was having fun. Clearly it was my civic duty to do something! Octavia: Why is it that every time you say something is your civic duty, it involves criminal behavior? DJ-P0n3: So I quickly snuck back to my desk at school, retrieving some of my favorite records … Octavia: Wait, you kept records at school? Why? It’s not like you’d have anything to play them on. DJ-P0n3: I loved music, so I took records with me everywhere, even if I couldn’t play them. [Laughs.] You might not be able to believe this but I was a weird kid back then. Octavia: You’re a weird kid now! DJ-P0n3: Then I returned to the gym and used my cunning and stealth to disable the downer music. Luckily, the gym teacher thought the turntable was broken and left to find somepony to fix it. Guess he wasn’t smart enough to check if it was unplugged first. Once he left, I plugged it back in and heroically commandeered the turntable for great justice! Octavia: Nothing about that was even remotely heroic. DJ-P0n3: So I flooded the entire gym with the sounds of rock-and-roll! Everypony suddenly got in the mood and started dancing! They were so happy, everypony went from not having fun to having the time of their lives, all because of me! That’s when I realized the tremendous power of music and rock! It wasn’t just about having something nice to dance to; it was about speaking to your very soul! Hearing something that can make you feel like lightning is running through your veins and a wildfire is spreading in your heart! A sound that can shake the heavens and make the entire air electric! That’s what I felt every time I heard music and I wanted everypony to feel the same! All they needed was somepony to guide them, to show them the power of ROCK! AND IN THAT MOMENT I KNEW I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD DO IT! WHEREVER THERE WAS ROCK, YOU WOULD LOOK WHO WAS TOWERING OVER THE SPEAKERS, WHO WAS AT THE TURNTABLE, AND YOU WOULD KNOW IT WAS VINYL SCRATCH! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! [Long pause.] Apple Bloom: ... and uh ... and then ya got your cutie mark? DJ-P0n3: What? Oh yeah. Then that happened. And uh ... then I was put in detention for about a month and a half. Scootaloo: Wow! That was a cool story. Octavia: Um ... little fillies? I just want to tell you not to imitate anything Vinyl said. She’s not exactly a role model. She’s more like ... the perfect bad example. DJ-P0n3: Okay, well, why don’t you give them a better example? How’d you get yours? Octavia: Oh well ... it wasn’t exactly as fun as your story. I’m sure no one wants to hear it. Sweetie Bell: No, tell us. Octavia: Well. [Clears throat.] When I was a filly, I lived in Manehatten. I came from a very good family, but I didn’t exactly fit in. You wouldn’t know it now, but I used to be rather shy. Lots of ponies used to pick on me. I started taking music classes and I really liked the cello. [Laughs.] Actually, the only reason I picked that instrument at first was so I’d have something really heavy I could swing at the bullies. So I practiced really hard and then one day we had a concert at school. I had a solo and everything. I was so excited about it. DJ-P0n3: Ah, I see. So you killed and got your cutie mark right? And then everypony respected you? Octavia: [Nervous laugh.] Um, not exactly. When I got to my solo, I actually got really nervous and I ... I ended up hitting a few wrong notes. [Pause.] Well, more like a lot of wrong notes. [Pause.] I’m ... almost positive I hit the right note at least once. DJ-P0n3: ...oh. Octavia: It was so bad some ponies in the audience started laughing ... and a few parents too. I started crying. [Speaks glumly.] Everypony in band got really mad at me. They said I ruined the concert, teased me in band class. I ended up getting picked on even more than I did before. I got so depressed I didn’t want to play anything ever again. All I wanted to do was make music that ponies would enjoy. Kinda like you, Vinyl. I guess. DJ-P0n3: Um. Yeah, I guess. That ... wow. Octavia: Oh! Don’t worry. This story has a happy ending. Eventually I got so determined to prove how good I was, I practiced the cello more and more. I must have practiced more than any other pony in band class. Then I finally begged my music teacher for another solo in the next concert. She agreed, despite everypony saying I’d just mess up. So finally, when it was my turn, I played despite how nervous I was. I gave a beautiful solo that ended with everypony clapping. And that’s how I finally got my cutie mark. Apple Bloom: Whoa. Octavia: It was a lot of hard work, but in the end, everything was worth it. [Laugh.] Sorry if my story wasn’t as cool as Vinyl’s. DJ-P0n3: [Pause.] No. It wasn’t as cool as mine... it was way cooler. Octavia: ... thanks Vinyl. Apple Bloom: Well, um, thanks for answerin’ our quest- [A mare is heard in the background.] Twilight: So that’s where my phone went! Scootaloo: Uh oh. Apple Bloom: [Talking fast.] Uh oh! Gottagokaythanksbye! [Slams phone down, dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Huh. Well, that was fun. Cute kids. Octavia: ... yeah ... DJ-P0n3: [Softer voice.] Hey, you alright? Octavia: What? Oh yeah, sorry. I don’t usually think about the past a whole lot. Drudged up a lot of memories, I guess. DJ-P0n3: Hey now, don’t get in a sad mood or anything. What’s past is past, right? Octavia: I guess ... DJ-P0n3: [Pause.] Wait! [Rustles through stuff.] Here, have a muffin! Octavia: O ... k. [Takes muffin.] Um ... why? DJ-P0n3: No one can be sad if they have a muffin. That’s a scientific fact. [There is a long pause, presumably consisting of Octavia giving DJ-P0n3 a blank stare.] Octavia: Heh, I guess that helps a little. DJ-P0n3: See! Told you. Science! Anyway, we’re gonna take a quick break. In the meantime, enjoy some of the latest hits! [INTERMISSION] [After several songs, the show resumes. Apparently DJ-P0n3 and Octavia have learned from past mistakes, as this time they seem aware that broadcast has resumed.] [Paper rustling, followed by quiet laughter.] Octavia: This ... this is officially the worst idea ever. DJ-P0n3: Welcome back, listeners! Sorry about that. Octavia and I were just having a discussion over the break. I was proposing a musical project we could work on together. Octavia seems to have doubts about it ... Octavia: Why don’t you let the audience decide? DJ-P0n3: I was writing a rock opera that I was hoping Octavia would collaborate with me on. I mean, she plays cello, her involvement could definitely class it up a bit ... Octavia: I don’t think I’m suited for that type of project. DJ-P0n3: Oh, come on, Octy. [Giggles.] We could make such sweet music together. Octavia: Remind me. Why haven’t I filed a restraining order against you yet? DJ-P0n3: Anyway, listeners, let me explain the plot ... Octavia: In a very fast-and-loose definition of the word “plot.” DJ-P0n3: I just had Octy read over some of it. It’s the story of Princess Luna and Celestia creating the world. I went to great effort to make sure it was historically accurate. Octavia: It has robots taking over the world! DJ-P0n3: Okay, so maybe I took a few liberties ... Octavia: Well, let’s see. According to what you have written here, Princess Celestia apparently starts a nuclear war- DJ-P0n3: Yes. Octavia: Creates a dystopian future where she rules over robot ponies-- DJ-P0n3: Uh huh. Octavia: And Princess Luna, who for some reason has the ability to shoot lasers, comes down from space on a, quote, “chariot of fire and vengeance and more fire”-- DJ-P0n3: Yep. Octavia: And proceeds to throw the entire moon at Celestia, which explodes on impact for some reason. And then Celestia turns into a dragon. DJ-P0n3: Serpent. It’s a serpent, not a dragon. Octavia: Whatever! Look, I will admit this is ... creative ... but you just can’t have an opera where nonsensical things happen for no reason! DJ-P0n3: Clearly you’ve never heard a rock opera before. Octavia: [Sigh.] Why don’t we get back to the call-ins now? DJ-P0n3: Alright listeners! We’ve still got some time left, so anyone out there, feel free to give us a call. [Phone rings. Click.] DJ-P0n3: Hello? Diamond Dog: Hi there. Perfectly normal Earth pony-thing again. So we was wondering if you had Prince Albert in-- [DJ-P0n3 hangs up the phone.] DJ-P0n3: Okay, so, anyone else out there, feel free to give us a call! [Phone rings again. DJ-P0n3 answers.] DJ-P0n3: Hi there, you are on the air with the Vinyl Scratch! [Caller is an older, disinterested sounding mare.] Caller: Hello, I’m with the Blueblood Theater. Is Octavia Ann there? DJ-P0n3: Um, yes she’s right here. Caller: May I speak to in private? Octavia: Oh. Um ... sure. [Octavia takes receiver. The phone is taken away from the console, magic no longer broadcasting it on the air. Octavia’s voice is low, but can still be heard in the background, on the phone.] Octavia: Hello? ... yes, this is she ... uh huh ... yeah ... [There’s a brief pause, after which Octavia sounds slightly alarmed.] What? But why? ... Yes but-- oh wait, he did. [Pause, followed by Octavia sounding more dejected.] He said that, did he? ... oh. Well, I see ... no, no, I understand ... thanks. [Phone is gently clicked on the receiver. Phone is thrown back on the console. The sound of Octavia scooting back in her chair is heard.] DJ-P0n3: Okay, sorry about the interruption there, folks! So, what was that about Octy? [Octavia says nothing, a quiet sniff is heard over the air.] DJ-P0n3: Hey wait. Are ... are you crying? Octavia: [Voice cracking.] No, of course I’m not. Don’t be ... don’t be ridiculous. [Voice cracks more.] I’m fine ... [Long pause.] DJ-P0n3: Octavia, what happened? Octavia: It’s nothing. It’s stupid. DJ-P0n3: Tell me. Octavia: ... my show was canceled. All of our shows at the theater were canceled. DJ-P0n3: What? Why? Octavia: They said due to lack of interest. DJ-P0n3: Lack of-- oh, lack of interest, my flank! The concert was packed last night! Octavia: [Deep breath.] Well, she mentioned something else. Apparently the Prince saw my show last night. She said that he ... well, that he thought it wasn’t very good. DJ-P0n3: ...what? Octavia: “Mediocre” was the word she used. DJ-P0n3: So he canceled the show? Octavia: [Voice cracking again.] Well, she didn’t exactly say that but yeah ... looks that way. [Long pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Seemingly calm.] ... huh. Well ... would you excuse me for just one second, sweetie? Octavia: [Gives humorless chuckle while still clearly crying.] I told you not to call me that... [DJ-P0n3 picks up phone, takes it away from the console. Even though the other side of the phone cannot be heard, DJ-P0n3 speaks loud enough for the mic to pick her up clearly.] DJ-P0n3: Hello, operator? Yes, could you connect me to Prince Blueblood. Octavia: Vinyl, don’t-- DJ-P0n3: Just a second, Octy. [Turns back to phone.] Yes, I would like to speak to him ... [Gives a very dark laugh.] Oh yes, he’s expecting this call ... yes, I’ll hold. [Brief pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Overly cheerful.] Hi there, Mr. Blueblood ... oh sorry, Prince Blueblood, of course. [Chuckles.] Of course. My name is Vinyl Scratch ... yep, the DJ ... [Hearty laugh.] Yes, that’s right, the crazy one ... no, no, this isn’t about that interview you canceled, not at all. Just wanted a little talk. A little chat, you know. [Another pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Disturbingly cheerful] How am I? Well, haha, that’s the funny part. I’m ... I’m really quite mad ... yes, at you ... well, I’ll tell you! [Sits back down at console.] You see, I hear you didn’t much care for my friend’s concert last night and had it cancelled ... no no, I’m quite certain it’s not a misunderstanding ... noooo, I think we should talk about this now! [Laughs.] See, it’s like this... Octavia: Vinyl... DJ-P0n3: [No longer laughing, her voice becomes bitter.] Look, Princy, it’s like this. I don’t know what kind of ivory tower upbringing you had, but clearly if you were listening to my friend’s show and you found it, um, “mediocre,” then you don’t understand taste well. Maybe you’ve just never listened to music played by somepony who wasn’t manufactured in whatever snob factory you get most of the musicians who play at your second-rate theater. Apparently you don’t know what it sounds like when somepony actually puts they’re whole heart and soul into their music, or you just don’t understand that I was at yesterday show and know that Octavia’s band killed. Standing ovation and everything. Maybe you have a difference of opinion and that’s fine. [Chuckle.] Everypony has a right to their own opinion. And since you so graciously gave my friend your opinion, I shall return the favor by expressing my opinion of you. [Inaudible stammering is heard on the other end of the phone.] DJ-P0n3: Now, now, you shouldn’t interrupt other ponies when they’re talking. But I can understand that urge. I do love to talk. [Grim chuckle.] Now my opinion is that, I think, you cancelled my friends show because of what I have said on this show before about you. [Anger rising in her voice.] Namely, that I believe you are a bland, unintelligent, cowardly, prissy, stuck-up, laughable excuse for a stallion with a silver spoon shoved so, SO very far up his flank that you cannot possibly relate to anypony, anywhere, ever. Now, I have said that, not Octavia. It is fair for you to hate me. After all, that’s my job. I make fun of ponies. It’s entertaining. I mean, even Celestia understand that. She still lets me say what I like, even though she could easily ball me up and throw me into a black hole if she felt like it. Mistakes she’s made aside, that’s a classy move. She’s a class mare. You, however, are not classy. You are ... [Pause.] Well, the words I think of can’t really be said over the air. After all, fillies listen to us. Lots of ponies listen to us. [DJ-P0n3 raises her voice so it can be heard even clearer over the air.] DJ-P0n3: Lots of listeners who now, thanks to me, are now completely aware that you, Prince Blueblood, are the sole reason why Octavia is not having any more shows at your theater. My listeners like Octavia, Mr. Blueblood. They don’t like you. Nopony likes you. Heck, I have to wonder if Celestia even likes you. Or if your own mother does. Assuming, you know, you actually have a mother and didn’t just slither out of a pile of filth one day. But anyway! I have to go now. I just wanted to inform you that I’m sure my fans will have a very, very happy response to you depriving them of the chance to see my co-host play. [Thinks for a moment.] DJ-P0n3: Actually, now that I think of it, that won’t be the case. Because you know what? I’ve got the bits, I’ve got the resources, I can put on my own concert! And we’ll do it right outside your theater, for free, whether you like it or not! ... no, sir, I don’t really care if you threaten to arrest me or not. I’ll go straight to Celestia if it comes to that. Say whatever you like, I don’t answer to you or anyone. Now, Prince, I think I have thoroughly wasted enough of my time listening to you. You should be glad that you canceled our interview because, quite frankly, if I see you face-to-face, you will be picking your teeth up from the floor. Good day, sir! [DJ-P0n3 slams phone down, then picks up phone and hurls it through window. Sound of broken glass is heard in the background.] [DJ-P0n3 sits back in her chair. Octavia is silent, almost certainly in shock over what just happened. There is a long silence.] DJ-P0n3: [Takes a very deep breath.] Well, then, I think that about wraps up today’s show. Octavia: ... wow. DJ-P0n3: Do you ... feel any better? Octavia: I ... [Laughs.] Yes, I do feel a little better. You didn’t have to do that, you know? DJ-P0n3: No, actually, I’m pretty sure I did ... Octavia: ...you really thought my show was that good? DJ-P0n3: Octy ... do you even have to ask? Octavia: No, I guess I don’t. Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: Yeah? [Octavia hugs Vinyl.] Octavia: I’m glad I met you. You’re very sweet. [Nuzzles against Vinyl’s neck.] Even if you are completely crazy. DJ-P0n3: Um. Yes, well. Thank you. Um … Octavia: Wait are ... you’re blushing? Seriously? DJ-P0n3: No! [Coughs, makes voice sound deeper.] No, course not. I-I’m too cool for that. Octavia: Heh, sure you are, Vinyl. Sure you are. DJ-P0n3: Well listeners, that’s our show for today. Assuming I’m not thrown in jail or sent to the moon, we’ll be back tomorrow for a live broadcast from our concert. Octavia: Wait, what? You ... you were serious about that? DJ-P0n3: Of course I am! When am I ever not serious? Octavia: Um, like 100% of the time. DJ-P0n3: Yeah, well, I’m serious about this! Octavia: Well listen I’m ... I appreciate the gesture, Vinyl, but you can’t just set up a concert in the middle of Canterlot in one day, without a permit, without any kind of permission! DJ-P0n3: Oh? Just watch me, Octy. Just watch me. [Beat.] DJ-P0n3: Also ... I think I’ll have to go buy a new phone too... [End of tape.] [To be concluded ...]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:32:17+00:00

2012-01-23T01:32:17+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Transcript Four: The Concert [What follows is a transcript of broadcast 1F23 of the Vinyl Scratch, the day after the call-in show.] DJ-P0n3: It is 7 PM and you’re listening to K-Colt! It’s a nice clear night and we are live onstage outside Blueblood Theater! And it looks like we’ve got a couple ponies out here already. ARE YOU READY TO ROCK?! [Yells of approval come from an obviously large crowd.] DJ-P0n3: You’re listening to a very special evening broadcast of the Vinyl Scratch! I’m the diabolical musical mastermind herself, DJ-P0n3. Octavia: And I’m Octavia, hoping I don’t get charged as an accessory before the night is over. DJ-P0n3: And we’d like to welcome you to Octaviastock! [Loud cheers and hoof claps.] Octavia: [Nervous laughter.] I’m ... still not sold on that name. DJ-P0n3: Come on, it’s memorable. Octavia: Why did you name it after me? DJ-P0n3: Cause you’re the star, of course! Octavia: No, no ... it’s more the whole ensemble-- DJ-P0n3: The what? Octavia: [Sigh.] The band. DJ-P0n3: Oh. Octavia: It’s more the whole band ponies are here to see. I’m just the cellist. I’m-- DJ-P0n3: [Over speakers.] Hey, everypony! Who thinks Octavia is being way too modest?! [Roars of approval from the audience. After it dies down, one pony far in the back of the crowd speaks up.] Heckler: I don’t. DJ-P0n3: No one asked you! [Turns back to Octavia.] See, they all agree with me, which is the next best thing to being right. Octavia: [Blushing.] Eheh, well ... I guess. DJ-P0n3: Don’t tell me you’re nervous. Octavia: Well, duh. Of course I’m nervous! We’re running a concert right next to a theater and we could be arrested! DJ-P0n3: Haha, don’t be silly. I’m sixty percent sure we won’t be arrested! Octavia: [Groan.] Oh, great. That sets my mind at ease. Sixty. That’s barely a passing grade. DJ-P0n3: Don’t worry your pretty little head! Vinyl’s got everything under control. Have I ever steered you wro-- Octavia: Yes. You have. Frequently. DJ-P0n3: Well, this time I won’t. Octavia: I have to admit I am a bit impressed that you threw this all together. DJ-P0n3: I know, right! Isn’t it perfect? Octavia: [Pause.] Well ... I am grateful and everything but... DJ-P0n3: But what? Octavia: You’ve never really organized a concert before, have you? DJ-P0n3: I’ve ... organized raves before. It’s almost the same thing. Octavia: Yeah see, no. No it isn’t ... although that would explain why so many ponies in the audience have glow sticks. DJ-P0n3: I thought it would be appropriate. Octavia: Most concert halls don’t hand out glow sticks. DJ-P0n3: Well maybe they should! They’re cool! Look I have one right here! [Pulls out glow stick, twirls it around with telekinesis.] See! Plus, science has shown glow sticks increase everypony’s ability to enjoy music! Octavia: Okay, first of all, you made that up. Second of all, even if you didn’t, what is the logic of that? What about glow sticks makes ponies more able to enjoy music? DJ-P0n3: Because um ... [Pause.] Because glowing. Octavia: Yeah. That’s real scientific. Also the stage looks a bit ... different. DJ-P0n3: What’s wrong with the stage? Octavia: It’s just that most concerts I’ve played at don’t have stages with quite so many speakers ... or with pyrotechnics, for that matter. DJ-P0n3: Come on, I got a good deal on those from some blue unicorn. Speaking of which, allow me to thank today’s sponsor! [Telekinetically pulls out small stack of note cards.] DJ-P0n3: Today’s pyrotechnics were provided by the Great and Powerful Trixie, most powerful magician in Equestria, Savior of Hoofington ... [Goes to next note card.] Slayer of the Ursa Major, Sorcerer Supreme, Wielder of the Flame of Anor... [Goes to next note card.] Masterful Performer, Snappy Dresser ... [Flips through note cards.] Single, Enjoys Long Walks on the Beach ... jeez, there’s like fifty more of these... [DJ-P0n3 throws note cards aside.] DJ-P0n3: Yeah, so, Trixie: she’s good at magic apparently! Moving on! Octavia: Wow Vinyl, her ego sounded almost as big as yours. DJ-P0n3: Psh, what are you talking about? I’ll have you know I’m quite modest. Octavia: Yeah, because all modest people take out giant billboards in Canterlot saying they’re the best DJ ever. DJ-P0n3: Hey, don’t knock the billboard. That is well worth the fifty bits a month. And that was to promote K-COLT. I can’t help it if the billboard says I’m the best. And that the artist just happened to make the billboard a picture of me standing on a radio tower dual-wielding electric guitars that shoot lightning, while you stand next to me waving your cello bow like a sword. Trust me, when you put it in context, that billboard is very, very modest. Octavia: I’m convinced you don’t even know what the word modest means now. [Sigh.] I suppose it’s almost time for my ensemble to take to the stage. The others should be nearly finished preparing. [Octavia rubs her hooves together nervously.] DJ-P0n3: Listen, don’t worry, you don’t have anything to worry about. You’ll do fine. Octavia: I know. I just always get a little performance anxiety before a show. DJ-P0n3: [Slyly.] You know, if you’re really feeling that stressed, I can think of one or two things we can do to relieve some ... tension. Octavia: [Blushing.] D-don’t be stupid. And don’t tease me, alright? It’s not helping. DJ-P0n3: But teasing each other is the entire basis of our relationship. Unless, you know, you wanted to change the basis of our relationship to making out and snuggling, because that’d work too. I’m open to that. [Octavia is clearly trying not to laugh.] DJ-P0n3: Ah! See? I am helping you feel better. Octavia: [Stifling laugh.] No, no. I’m ... I’m above being amused by such vulgar jokes. [Pause, followed by chuckle.] DJ-P0n3: Yeah right! [Giggles.] I knew I’d be a bad influence on you if I just kept at it. Octavia: That’s not something you should be proud of. DJ-P0n3: But I am anyway. [Both ponies giggle.] DJ-P0n3: Just enjoy yourself. You already know you’re going to do great, so what’s the point of getting worried about it? You and your band are awesome. Octavia: I keep telling you it’s called an ensemble. DJ-P0n3: Yeah. Your ensemble-band is awesome. Octavia: Well ... that is very sweet of you to say. [Looks out at the audience.] I was also worried about something else actually. How much money did you spend on all this? DJ-P0n3: Eh, I wouldn’t worry about that. It wasn’t a whole lot. Octavia: Don’t lie to me. This all seems rather expensive ... DJ-P0n3: Okay, so maybe I spent a little bit on the stage and glow sticks and security... Octavia: Security? What security? DJ-P0n3: Yeah, funny story. Remember those Diamond Dogs who called in the other day? Octavia: Yes? DJ-P0n3: Well ... [Door to booth opens. A Diamond Dog sticks his head in wearing a ragged white shirt with the word “SECURITY” printed on it.] Diamond Dog: Miss Sunglasses-Pony, someponies in the audience is getting restless. DJ-P0n3: Don’t worry, the show should start in a bit. Just keep it under control until Octavia can get onstage. Diamond Dog: Um, who? DJ-P0n3: You know, “Bowtie Pony.” [Nods head over to Octavia.] Diamond Dog: Oh! Yes, yesss. Right away, Miss ... [Diamond Dog exits. Octavia looks at DJ-P0n3 in disbelief.] Octavia: ... you hired them? Seriously? DJ-P0n3: Ah, they’re not so bad. Besides, they work cheap. I’m paying them in milk bones and costume jewelry. Octavia: Okay, but still, this whole concert seems like a lot of trouble for you. All the time and money and everything ... DJ-P0n3: I don’t care about that. It’s all worth it if it makes you happy. [Octavia says nothing for a moment.] Octavia: I ... I don’t know what to say. No one’s ever done anything like this for me. DJ-P0n3: Ah, it’s nothing really. Octavia: No. It’s not just nothing. Not to me. [Pause.] You know ... Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: Yeah? Octavia: [Smiles.] There’s ... actually something I’ve been meaning to tell you. [DJ-P0n3 coughs nervously. Her voice starts to crack.] DJ-P0n3: Really? [Clears throat, tries to remain cool.] I mean, yeah. That’s cool. Whatever. Octavia: Well ... I mean I just wanted to say that ever-- DJ-P0n3: Y-yeah? Octavia: Well, it’s just ... I wanted to-- [Frédéric, the dignified Piano player in Octavia’s ensemble, pops up from the backstage.] Frédéric: Pardon me, is this a bad time? DJ-P0n3: CRAP! [Frédéric raises an eyebrow.] Octavia: Um ... what is it Frédéric? Frédéric: I’m afraid we have a problem. We can’t go on yet. Beauty Brass still hasn’t arrived. Octavia: What?! What’s the hold up? Frédéric: We’re not sure. We cannot get in touch with her. She should have been here an hour ago. Octavia: Oh, that’s just great. Frédéric: I wouldn’t worry, she’s probably just running late. You know Brass. She always waits until the last minute, especially when she insists on lugging that sousaphone around by herself. Octavia: Yeah ... yeah, you’re probably right. Frédéric: In any case, we’re going to have to stall. Do you two have any ideas? DJ-P0n3: I can think of something. Frédéric: Very well. I will search around her, in case she simply got distracted by a shiny object or something. Octavia: [Nervous laugh.] R-right. Thank you, Fred. Frédéric: I apologize for the interruption. [Starts to walk backstage.] I shall allow you two to return to your intimacy. Octavia: WHAT?! [Frédéric gives a knowing smile, but says nothing as he leaves. The tape is audio only, but it can be inferred that Octavia’s face is beet red at this point.] DJ-P0n3: Well ... um ... [Smiles.] Octavia weren’t you saying something? Octavia: What? Oh. Yeah. Um, well, I ... n-nevermind. DJ-P0n3: [Muttering under her breath.] Horseapples. Octavia: Well, what are we going to do now? We can’t go on without our sousaphone player. [Slightly frantic.] And for all I know, Brass could have wandered into the Everfree Forest or something! And every second we don’t play, all those ponies will be more and more disappointed, assuming the Prince doesn’t arrest us first! I-- [DJ-P0n3 gets on hind legs and grabs Octavia by the shoulders, shaking her.] DJ-P0n3: Listen to me Octavia, calm down! Octavia: I -- okay, I’m calm. I think-- DJ-P0n3: [Still shaking her.] You have to calm down! Do you hear me?! Get it together! Octavia: I’m calm now! You can-- DJ-P0n3: Everything is gonna be ok-- Octavia: [Yelling.] Why are you still shaking me?! DJ-P0n3: Because it’s fun! [DJ-P0n3 finally stops. Octavia, now slightly dizzy, falls back down in her chair.] DJ-P0n3: Now don’t worry. I have a perfect plan to kill some time. Octavia: [Deadpan.] It isn’t about playing your rock opera, is it? DJ-P0n3: Well ... not anymore. But here’s a better idea. [Over the speakers.] Fillies and gentlecolts, due to some technical difficulties, there will be a short delay starting the show. In the meantime, I’m going to do a very special interview. Octavia: [Muttering.] Wait, what? DJ-P0n3: As a special treat to all of you, I, Vinyl Scratch, am going to interview Octavia! With no regard for how personal or intrusive my questions may be! Octavia: I don’t recall consenting to this. DJ-P0n3: [Whispering.] Do you have a better idea? Octavia: Good point. DJ-P0n3: [Over speakers.] So, what do you listeners think? Doesn’t that sound great?! [There is clapping and yells of approval from the audience, followed by silence. There’s a distant shout from the back.] Heckler: Actually, that sounds more like desperate filler. DJ-P0n3: Well, it’s a good thing I don’t care about that guy’s opinion! Heckler: I resent that! DJ-P0n3: So why don’t we get started? [Turns to Octavia.] Okay, so here’s how it’ll work. You be you, and I’ll be me. Octavia: Sounds difficult so far. DJ-P0n3: Except you’ll just act like a normal guest. Octavia: A normal guest on our show? DJ-P0n3: That’s right. Octavia: So I guess that means I’ll just sit back and be horrified at the insane questions you ask me? DJ-P0n3: Yep. Octavia: So ... basically I’ll be acting the same way I usually do on the show? DJ-P0n3: Pretty much. [Settles in chair.] So Octy, why don’t you start by telling our audience about yourself? Octavia: Well, I’ve been playing the cello since I was a little filly. I love music. I deeply enjoy my job at K-COLT ... [DJ-P0n3 grins.] Octavia: Though some mornings I’m not quite sure why. DJ-P0n3: I think everypony here already knew that. Octavia: You were the one who asked me that! What do you want me to say? DJ-P0n3: Well, tell us something we don’t already know like ... what about the other members of your band? Octavia: Well, my ensemble and I have been together for ... well, as long as I remember. I’ve actually known all of them since I was in high school. There’s Frédéric, who you’ve already met. There’s also Beauty Brass, our sousaphone player. She’s a bit of a scatterbrain, but she’s quite nice. We’ve been almost like sisters for as long as I can remember. Heh, I guess kind of like you and Spitfire. DJ-P0n3: Really? Did you kiss her then? Octavia: Shut up. And then there’s Harpo, who plays the harp. He’s sort of the quiet one. Everypony in our group is very nice. DJ-P0n3: And they’re all very talented. Trust me, I heard them the night before last. [Suddenly angry.] Before they were booted out by that no-good sack of-- Octavia: Now now, Vinyl. [Nervous chuckle.] No need to get into that again. Heckler: She almost said a naughty word. I’m offended! DJ-P0n3: [Yelling.] Kid, you are on thin ice! [Clears throat.] Anyway, Frédéric seemed very nice. Octavia: He’s very gentlecoltly when he wants to be, yes. DJ-P0n3: And you’ve known him since you were in school? Octavia: Yes. DJ-P0n3: So ... were you and he ever ... Octavia: Ever what? DJ-P0n3: Well I mean, he’s your childhood friend and everything. So it stands to reason that you two could have been ... Octavia: Oh! [Chuckles.] No, no. That’s ... he’s almost like my brother. That would be weird. Besides I-- [DJ-P0n3 instantly perks up.] DJ-P0n3: You what? Octavia: I’m not exactly into, er ... never mind. DJ-P0n3: No, go on, what were you gonna-- Octavia: [Suddenly overly cheerful.] Hey, let’s change the subject! Did you know I have a cat? I have a cat. Cats are great! Let’s talk about cats instead! DJ-P0n3: Oooookay. Say, Octavia, why don’t you tell us about your cat. Octavia: I actually just got her. It’s an orange little tabby cat. She’s a cute thing. Very affectionate. Sweet. DJ-P0n3: Sounds like she’s the exact opposite of you. Octavia: [Groans.] You know, at this point, I really should have seen that coming. [Smiles.] But she’s a very nice kitty. The only problem is she has a habit of jumping up and clinging to me. Which she does really well. She has very sharp claws. I know she’s just being affectionate, but it can be very painful. DJ-P0n3: Much like being in an actual relationship. [Chuckles.] She does sound cute. What’s her name? [There’s a short pause.] Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: The name. Of the cat. Octavia: Oh ... well um, her name is ... [Mumbles something indistinct.] DJ-P0n3: What was that? Octavia: Well ... DJ-P0n3: Come on, what’s her name? Octavia: [Shrinking down in her chair.] Lil’ Scratch. [Brief pause, followed by DJ-P0n3 laughing uproariously. Octavia sighs.] DJ-P0n3: [Crying with laughter.] You’re serious? You named your cat after me? Octavia: Well, what else would you name a cat that scratches everything?! It seemed appropriate, I-- Stop laughing! [DJ-P0n3 covers her mouth with her hooves.] DJ-P0n3: Sorry it’s just ... wow. Octavia: [Sigh.] Never going to hear the end of this, am I? DJ-P0n3: Okay, okay, I’m just kidding around. That is honestly a very sweet gesture. Octavia: [Blushing.] It wasn’t for any specific reason! Like I said, it was just the only name I could think of. It has nothing to do with you. DJ-P0n3: Riiiight. But you know, because we’re such good friends, I am going to take the high road and not use the ... thousands and thousands of possible jokes I could fill up the next hour with. About you ... petting Scratch. [DJ-P0n3 tries to keep herself from laughing and fails.] [Octavia groans, hits her head on the table.] Octavia: Remind me, why are we friends again? DJ-P0n3: Come on, you know I’m just kidding. But honestly, that is pretty adorable and very nice. Heh, if I ever get a dog, I’ll name it Octy. [Thinks for a moment.] Come to think of it, that’s not a bad idea. [Calls over speakers.] SECURITY! [The sound of footsteps is heard on the tape. Diamond Dog opens door and sticks head in again.] Diamond Dog: Yes, Loud Crazy Pony? DJ-P0n3: Hi there. Just wanted to let you know I’m gonna call you Octy from now on. Diamond Dog: My names is Rover! DJ-P0n3: You can be both now. Rover: [Growls.] We finds that very demeaning. We is not common hounds. DJ-P0n3: [Grins.] Did I mention that in addition to what I was gonna pay you before, I’m gonna give you a big juicy steak for doing such a good job? Rover: ...Steak? [Tail wags.] DJ-P0n3: Mhmm. Now what were you saying? Rover: We is absolutely common hounds! We do whatever you say, Nice Steak-Giving Pony. DJ-P0n3: Hehe. No problem. Everypony give a big hand to head of security, Octy-slash-Rover! [There are polite claps in the audience.] Heckler: Is the show actually going to start soon? Or do you intend to bring every unnecessary staff member up for a bow? [DJ-P0n3 pauses for a moment, tapping her hoof on the desk. She wears a grimace on her face that makes it look like she’s going to yell, but instead she spoke far softer than normal.] DJ-P0n3: [Whispering.] Alright... I think I’ve been patient enough. Nopony talks that way about my crew. [Looks over at Rover.] Did you hear that, Octy? He called you unnecessary. Rover: [Aghast.] He did? [DJ-P0n3 nods.] Rover: [Glaring.] He did, didn’t he? DJ-P0n3: That’s right. Octavia: Vinyl, I really don’t think this is-- DJ-P0n3: You know what? I bet he doesn’t like dogs at all. Probably thinks they’re scruffy. Rover: Scruffy? DJ-P0n3: Yep, and dirty too! Rover: [Barely contained rage.] Dirty?! DJ-P0n3: Yeah! That’s not a very nice thing to say, is it? Rover: No, is not! Is terrible thing! Heckler: Wait, I never-- DJ-P0n3: Oh, now he’s talking back to you! Rover: What? DJ-P0n3: Are you gonna take that?! Rover: [Growls.] Grrr, of course not! DJ-P0n3: [Devious grin.] Well then ... Rover? [Thumps hoof on the table.] Go fetch. [Rover charges out into the audience. There is some hushed conversations the crowd. In the background of the tape, the heckler can be heard.] Heckler: Wha- hey! What are you doing? Unhand me, you ruffian! Octavia: Vinyl! I’m surprised at you! That wasn’t warranted. [DJ-P0n3 shakes her head.] DJ-P0n3: Yes it was. He can make fun of my show all he wants, but nopony insults my crew. Ever! Same as with that prick Blu-- [Falls silent.] Huh ... Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: Now that I think about it ... that guy did sound kind of familiar ... [The heckler can be heard shouting louder.] Heckler: Get your hands off me! Do you have any idea who I am? ... what do you mean you don’t care?! You little mutt ... yes, I called you a mutt! What are you going to do about it? [Pause.] I-- oh no. NononononoNOOOOOOOOOOOO-- [Again, this tape is audio only. However, according to eyewitness reports, at this point in the recording, a colt was spun around and savagely hurled through the air, over the crowd.] Heckler: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! [The heckler soared in the air for several seconds before violently crashing into the stage not far from DJ-P0n3 and Octavia’s booth. A white unicorn covered in dirt and muck rose from the splintered wood, barely standing on his hoofs.] Octavia: Prince Blueblood?! [Everypony in the audience gasps.] DJ-P0n3: Ha! It was you all along! It all makes sense now! [Prince Blueblood, still dazed from being the fall, shook his head and glared at DJ-P0n3.] Blueblood: That’s right. I, Prince Blueblood, have come to finally put a end to your reign of terror! [DJ-P0n3 stares for a moment, then bursts out laughing.] DJ-P0n3: Hahaha, oh, this ought to be good! Blueblood: Oh, you won’t talk your way out of this one! It is time for you to face a true, dignified magnificent hero that will- [Octavia covers her nose with her hoof.] Octavia: I’m sorry but ... oh Celestia, what is that smell? DJ-P0n3: I think its Duke Jerkwad over there. Blueblood: ... a true, dignified hero that will bring an end to-- DJ-P0n3: [Gags.] Jeez, it smells like something crawled in your mane to die. What is that?! Blueblood: [Angry.] I am trying to deliver a dramatic boast to herald my heroic deeds! Are you going to let me fini-- DJ-P0n3: Trust me, whatever is causing that odor is way more interesting than anything you have to say. Right, audience?! [There are murmurs of approval from the audience.] Blueblood: I- It’s not even that bad an odor! DJ-P0n3: Compared to what? Road kill? Blueblood: [Grumbles.] It’s pond scum, alright ... and some rotten fruit ... [Telekinetically flicks some of the filth from his hair.] And I think there’s some skunk spray in there. [Shouting.] Look, that’s not the point here! Octavia: How did that happen? Blueblood: I’m glad you asked! [Points hoof at both the hosts accusingly.] It is all because of you two that I smell of commoners and algae! And for that reason, I have come to enact my cunning plan to put a stop to your anarchy once and for all! Octavia: Anarchy? Excuse me, sir, but all we’re doing is playing music and hosting a show. That’s hardly evil. Blueblood: You don’t understand, do you? [Sigh.] Very well. I will lower myself to your level and grant you an explanation, since you are clearly too embroiled in villainy to comprehend my motives yourself. Octavia: Listen, we’re having a concert here. We don’t have time for-- DJ-P0n3: No no, Octy. Let him talk. Octavia: What? Blueblood: Thank you. I see there is some sense left in you. DJ-P0n3: [Whispering over to Octavia.] Come on, play along. This’ll still buy us even more time. Besides, this is great! I don’t even have to make fun of him. He’s doing all the work for me! Octavia: [Whispering.] Are you crazy? He could still have us arrested! We should get out of here. DJ-P0n3: And deprive the ponies of a show? Trust me, we can make this work, just like we always have. Octavia: But what if-- DJ-P0n3: Okay, how about this? Look at Blueblood. Does he really look like he’s capable of pulling off anything dangerous? [Octavia looks over at Blueblood, who now has flies swarming around his dirty mane.] Octavia: ... Good point. DJ-P0n3: Right. [Clears throat, speaks up.] So, Prince Blueblood, thanks for coming to our very illegal concert. Please continue with your not-at-all delusional story about how we’re evil and you’re the moral paragon. Blueblood: [Smiling.] Why yes, thank you, I believe I shall. Octavia: [Whispering.] D-does he not understand you were being sarcastic? DJ-P0n3: [Quiet laugh.] I don’t think he gets the concept of sarcasm at all. Blueblood: [Clears throat.] Do you remember last month when you interviewed my Aunt Celestia? DJ-P0n3: [Rolls eyes.] No, I had completely forgotten interviewing the ruler of Equestria. Blueblood: Oh. [Pause, then continues without any irony.] Well, last month you interviewed my-- Octavia: We remember, okay?! What about it? Blueblood: I listened to that interview. I recall it quite clearly. Octavia: You actually listened to our show? Blueblood: I was doing so in an effort to relate to the common folk. Without having to interact with them directly. [Hastily adds.] Not that I have anything against the common folk. I dearly love all the mouth-breathing, inbred masses. It’s just ... I’d rather not touch them. DJ-P0n3: Of course. Blueblood: For health reasons! I don’t want to risk catching a disease like the plague or the consumption. Or poverty. Octavia: [Deadpan.] You’re so down to earth, you know that? Blueblood: [Without any irony.] Thank you. [Points to DJ-P0n3.] Anyway, after listening to you insult my aunt on live radio, I was shocked! Mortified! Horrified! I could not believe such an anarchist radio show could exist, where royalty could be treated with such little respect! DJ-P0n3: Heh, yeah, it was pretty awesome, wasn’t it? Octavia: Vinyl, that’s not funny. You’re lucky Celestia was such a good sport about it. Blueblood: Yes, my aunty is very polite. She told me not to make a big deal of it, and I tried not to think of it. Then I receive an invite to be interviewed on your show. Now, I am no idiot-- DJ-P0n3: Really? Cause you could have fooled me. Blueblood: Quiet! I knew all you’d do is mock me for your own amusement. DJ-P0n3: Well, that wasn’t all I’d do. I had other things planned. [Laugh.] They were great, too. One of them involved bees. Lots and lots of bees. I was sad I couldn’t use that one. Octavia: Please tell me you’re joking. DJ-P0n3: Of course I’m kidding! [Pause.] Maybe! Blueblood: So, I turned down your invitation. I mean, mocking my aunt is one thing, but making fun of me? That is a line that the media should not cross! DJ-P0n3: There is a thing called “freedom of speech,” you know. Blueblood: I have nothing against freedom of speech as long ponies say exactly what I want them to say! But even though I didn’t come on your show, you mock me mercilessly for no reason! DJ-P0n3: [Angrily.] For no reason? Don’t act like the victim here! I have plenty of reasons to hate you! Almost everything you do is horrible and selfish! Blueblood: [Shocked.] What are you talking about? I am a selfless public servant! DJ-P0n3: Oh really? What about that time you had an ice skating rink bulldozed so you could build a swimming pool for yourself!? Blueblood: Hey, that swimming pool was not only for me! It’s a community swimming pool, open to everypony ... provided, of course, that you have a royal invitation, valid government issue ID, and forty bits. But children get in for half-price (as long as I don’t have to look at them), and that is true generosity! DJ-P0n3: Uh huh. [Over speakers.] What do you ponies in the audience think? [There are thunderous boos directed at Blueblood. Blueblood raises an eyebrow, honestly confused. A rotten tomato strikes Blueblood in the eye. Blueblood sighs.] DJ-P0n3: Huh. I guess that means they don’t agree with you. Blueblood: A true visionary is never appreciated in his time. Octavia: I hardly think canceling a show my ensemble and I poured our heart into counts as being a visionary! DJ-P0n3: I think it counts more as being a tool. Blueblood: [Scoffs.] Of course you would say that. After the way you treated me on the air, you expect me to give you audience in my theater?! Simply associating with that DJ has corrupted you. For all I knew, your next performance could have devolved into some undignified hootenanny of glorified rebellion that could spur riots among the carnies and circus folk that compose your show’s audience! [Pause, looks at the audience.] Er, no offense, by the way. [Someone throws a soda can at Blueblood, which is impaled on his horn.] Blueblood: Ugh. But it didn’t matter even then. You refused to listen even then! And on top of that, because of your rude words yesterday, everypony has hurled garbage upon me as if I were a common street urchin! I had a skunk thrown at me! Who does that?! And it’s all because you have turned me a laughingstock! DJ-P0n3: You turned yourself a laughingstock, Blueblood. Blueblood: And now, the time for talk has passed! Since both defy me even now, I had to take it upon myself to put an end to this chaos! DJ-P0n3: [Chuckles.] What chaos? Everypony’s having a good time except you. Everypony wanted to see Octavia’s show, except you. That’s why ponies got so mad at you! Don’t you get that maybe what you think is right might not be good for everyone else? Blueblood: [Raises eyebrow.] I ... don’t understand the question. DJ-P0n3: Okay, let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of empathy before? Blueblood: I don’t believe in voodoo. [DJ-P0n3 facehoofs.] Blueblood: But that doesn’t matter now. I’ve already put my plan into action, and I will bring ruin to this concert... er, in the name of justice. And love and stuff. DJ-P0n3: What plan? You sat in the back and said things that were kind of annoying for a half hour. That only counts as a clever plan if you’re a three year old! Octavia: [Deadpan.] If he was, I wouldn’t be surprised. Blueblood: Fools! That was only one phase of my plan! To increase agitation in the simpleminded crowd with heroic taunting! Octavia: Also, great idea insulting the crowd when they’re all listening right now. Blueblood: I wouldn’t worry about that. My research indicates the average lower-middle-class Earth pony has an attention span of about three minutes. Much like goldfish. [Boos from the audience. More garbage is hurled in Blueblood’s direction, but Blueblood actually dodges this time.] DJ-P0n3: Okay mastermind, what’s the rest of your plan? Have us arrested? Blueblood: Um ... no actually. Nothing would make me happier than to have you both jailed without trial and sent to the spice mines for a few decades! But aunty said I’m not allowed to do that. [Stomps hoof and whines.] Never get anything I want... DJ-P0n3: Hehe, good to see Celestia still has a good head on her shoulders. Blueblood: So instead, I did the next best thing! Made it impossible for your concert to go on at all! And on top of that, put an end to this experiment called radio! Octavia: What are you talking about? You haven’t done anything like that! Blueblood: Haven’t I? I guess it hasn’t occurred to you where your sousaphone player is right now! Octavia: [Eyes widening.] WHAT!? You know where Beauty Brass is? DJ-P0n3: Wha, you’re serious? You did that?! Blueblood: Ha, so now you’re interested in what I have to say? Perhaps I know where she is and perhaps not. You can refresh my memory ... if you play your cards correctly. Octavia: What did you do to her, Blueblood?! I’m not asking you again! DJ-P0n3: Yeah, this is not funny! [Blueblood gives a heartless chuckle and flashes a creepy grin.] Blueblood: No, it isn’t. Do you see the results of your actions now, Vinyl Scratch? Do you see what your insanity drives me to do for the sake of justice?! Hehe, do not worry, your marching band reject is safe. Just ... out of the way. [Octavia, no longer her calm usual self, is boiling with rage.] Octavia: Tell me where she is, Blueblood! Blueblood: I intend to. For a price. DJ-P0n3: You’re holding her ransom? In front of everypony?! [Brimming with disgust.] You really are vile. Blueblood: If a prince does it, it can’t possibly be a crime. But I’m not a bad guy. I just want things back to normal. So I have very simple terms. I’ll show you where she is, and in exchange, this concert is over. And the deed to K-COLT is signed over to me! DJ-P0n3: What?! Octavia: How dare you? Blueblood: Those are the terms. What will you do? [The entire audience boos, begins throwing pebbles and garbage at the stage. Blueblood doesn’t even bother moving.] Blueblood: Go ahead, throw more. I don’t care anymore! I’ll still get what I want. [Stares at Octavia.] So, Miss Octavia, Miss Vinyl Scratch, what will you do? [DJ-P0n3 says nothing for a long moment.] Blueblood: Tell me, Vinyl Scratch, how does it feel to be the one rendered speechless for once? Times up! What are you going to do?! [DJ-P0n3 looks down at the floor, biting her bottom lip. She opens her mouth to speak, but Octavia holds out her hoof to stop her.] [Octavia speaks in a voice not much higher than a whisper.] Octavia: I’ve got a better deal... Blueblood: Oh? And what would that-- [Octavia stands on her hind legs and smashes her right hoof into Blueblood’s face. Blueblood flies back, several of his teeth falling to the floor. Octavia stands over him without an ounce of pity on her face.] Octavia: Here’s the deal. Tell my where my friend is or I’ll keep hitting you until someone drags me away! [Blueblood looks up in horror. All confidence that was in his voice is now gone. He scoots away from Octavia as she approaches.] Blueblood: W-what are you doing? What about your friend? Octavia: Oh, you’ll tell me. [Glaring, gritting her teeth.] I’ll make you sing! [The color drains from Blueblood’s face as Octavia approaches him.] [DJ-P0n3 reaches out and grabs Octavia.] DJ-P0n3: No Octy! You can’t do this! Octavia: But he has Beauty Brass. She’s probably alone and scared somewhere, for no good reason! She ... [Voice cracking.] She’s my friend. DJ-P0n3: I know. But you can’t do this. You can’t lower yourself to his level. Octavia: But-- DJ-P0n3: Listen, I may be a jerk, but I don’t want you to be one. You’re a better pony than me in pretty much every way. I want you to stay that way. [DJ-P0n3, for the first time ever, lowers her shades from her face and peeks over at Octavia with her light red eyes. They are sincere, heavy with emotion.] DJ-P0n3: You get it? [For a moment, Octavia says nothing, before finally nodding.] Octavia: You’re right. I’m sorry it’s ... I was just so angry. Thank you, Vinyl. You’re right. DJ-P0n3: I usually am. Octavia: [Sigh.] As much as I hate to admit it ... I can’t go around beating any jerk up. DJ-P0n3: That’s right, Octy. [Places shades back over her eyes and flashing a devious grin.] That’s what we have security for! [As if on cue, Rover the Diamond Dog leaps onto the stage, right by Blueblood, who is still frozen in terror.] DJ-P0n3: Blueblood, I think you’ve met Octy, er, Rover. Whatever. Rover, are you rabid? Rover: [Grinning.] Dunno. DJ-P0n3: Not sure? [False surprise.] Wow, that sounds bad! Blueblood, I suppose you better tell us what we want to know. If not ... well, I don’t think I could stop Rover from making you his new chew toy. [Blueblood begins to stammer.] Blueblood: I don’t--she--she’s-- Frédéric: She’s completely fine. [Everypony looks to the side of the stage, where Frédéric has returned. Following him is Harpo, the purple harp player in Octavia’s ensemble. And behind him was--] Octavia: Beauty Brass! [A cyan pony carrying a sousaphone approached the stage. Octavia runs up and gives her a big hug.] Octavia: Brass, you had me so worried! Where were you? Frédéric: I appears she was locked in the fillies’ restroom the entire time. She didn’t see who it was, but it appears the culprit has already revealed himself here. Octavia: [Blinks.] Wait, it took this long for somepony to check for her in the bathroom? Frédéric: I don’t make a habit of barging into the ladies room. Luckily we were able to hear her from backstage. Beauty Brass: [Talks in a very loud voice.] I CAN SCREAM REALLY LOUD, YOU KNOW! POWERFUL LUNGS! COMES WITH PLAYING A SOUSAPHONE! [Takes a very deep breath, then speaks in almost a whisper.] Sorry ... been screaming so long it’s HARD TO ADJUST my voice... [Octavia chuckles.] Octavia: That’s okay, Brass. I’m just glad you’re okay. Frédéric: I suspect the Prince’s plan was to flee the second he got the deed, hoping we wouldn’t notice Brass was not that far away the whole time. Harpo: [Says nothing, nods significantly.] Beauty Brass: [Glares at Blueblood.] YOU LOCKED ME IN THE BATHROOM! THAT’S SO NOT COOL! DJ-P0n3: Well, now we just have to figure out what to do with ol’ Blueblood. Frédéric: [Scratching chin.] I propose we settle it like true gentlecolts. Octavia: You mean with words? Frédéric: No. With dueling pistols. Harpo: [Nods with a grin.] Blueblood: WHAT?! Octavia: Fred! Frédéric: [Deadpan.] That was a joke. DJ-P0n3: I think it’s best we just get him out of here. Octy-Rover? Would you kindly take out the trash? Rover: Of course, Miss DJ Pony! [Rover throws Blueblood over his shoulder, ready to carry him off.] DJ-P0n3: WAIT! [Rover stops. DJ-P0n3 telekinetically picks Blueblood’s teeth off the floor.] DJ-P0n3: For the tooth fairy. [DJ-P0n3 drops them in Blueblood’s hoof. Blueblood glares.] DJ-P0n3: Oh yeah! And here! [Telekinetically reaches under her seat and throws a glow stick towards him.] Free glow stick! [DJ-P0n3 chuckles, very pleased with herself.] Blueblood: ... I hate you. So. Much. [Rover carries Blueblood off-stage.] Blueblood: This isn’t over! I’ll be back! You haven’t heard the last of-- [Rover covers Blueblood’s mouth with its paw.] Rover: Shuts up! Jeez! [Blueblood is carried off, the entire audience erupts with applause, shouting “Whoo!” “Yeah!” “You go girl!” and the like.] Frédéric: Well, after that extremely stupid and convoluted interlude, I think it’s time we finally played. Harpo: [Closes eyes and nods.] DJ-P0n3: Your friend seems pretty chatty. Frédéric: Oh, he can be when he wants to be. Nonetheless, it’s time we all take the stage! Beauty Brass: YES! I’M SO EXCITED! YAAAAAAAY! [Takes breath, lowers voice.] I mean ... yaaaay~ Octavia: You guys go set up. I’ll be with you all in a minute. [Frédéric, Harpo, and Beauty Brass all go backstage. Octavia turns to DJ-P0n3.] DJ-P0n3: Well ... I sure know how to throw a concert, don’t I?! Fistfights, randsom, disappearances ... just need some rifles and dynamite and we’d be in business! Hahaha... Octavia: ... DJ-P0n3: What? Octavia: ...were you really going to agree to Blueblood’s deal? You know, back there. Just to save my friend? [DJ-P0n3 thinks for a minute, then shrugs.] DJ-P0n3: Doesn’t really matter now, does it? Octavia: But you would have, wouldn’t you? DJ-P0n3: [Brief pause.] Some things are more important than K-COLT. Or me. [Octavia stares for a moment, then shakes her head.] Octavia: [Smiling.] You really are a big softy, you know that? [Octavia and DJ-P0n3 both laugh.] Octavia: You know ... I never did say what I wanted to tell you, before all this. [DJ-P0n3 stiffens up.] DJ-P0n3: Oh yeah! I forgot all about that! Octavia: Well I ... I just wanted to say ... I don’t really get close to a lot of ponies, so I’m really glad I was able to meet you. I didn’t really like you at first, but you are a very good friend. You went to the trouble to do all this just for me and, well ... I just wanted to say ... you’re my best friend, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Wow ... I’m really touched. Thank you, Octy. I’m glad I met you too. You make me want to be a better pony. I really appreciate that ... you know, even if it means I am stuck in the friend zone. [DJ-P0n3 chuckles. Octavia thinks for a minute, then leans over and gives DJ-P0n3 a small kiss on the cheek.] Octavia: Well, I don’t know about that! [Octavia leans back and smiles. DJ-P0n3’s face turns a deep red.] DJ-P0n3: Um ... I ... I--oh boy--I don’t--wow-- Octavia: Quite a way with words you have there, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: [Nervous giggle.] Why don’t you just go on stage now? I’m going to go drench my head in a bucket of water. [DJ-P0n3 goes off stage. Octavia goes back stage. Moments later, the curtain rises. Everypony is at their respective instruments. Octavia is in the center, her bow in her hooves. She smiles out at the crowd as the entire audience claps.] [Back at the table, DJ-P0n3 goes to the mic and shouts.] DJ-P0n3: Let’s kick it! [The concert, “Octaviastock,” was a resounding success, both critically and commercially. Octavia and her ensemble played their hearts out, and all members would later agree it was their most memorable performance. DJ-P0n3 made back all the bits she spent on the concert simply on sales of glow sticks alone. DJ-P0n3 said in an interview later, “that concert was the smartest bad idea I ever had.” Blueblood tried to sue K-COLT, but was unsuccessful on the grounds that, according to an Equestrian judge, “Nopony cares what he thinks.” In fact, Princess Celestia, in order to teach him a lesson, arranged for him to spend his weekends working in the spice mine in order to teach him about friendship and humility. When asked if he learned anything from all this, Blueblood said it was, quote, “complete bunk.” Shortly after the concert, DJ-P0n3 and Octavia became roommates. When asked for more details about this arrangement, DJ-P0n3 simply smiled and said, “Draw your own conclusions.” The Vinyl Scratch show continued for a long, long time, leaving many more episodes to be transcribed. We shall leave you now with the closing message read at the end of K-COLT’s broadcast each night. “This concludes our broadcast day. Good night and good luck.”] THE END ...but Vinyl Scratch and Octavia will return in “Vinyl Scratch Tapes: Season 2”

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:35:03+00:00

2012-01-23T01:35:03+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 First Transcript: The Second Call-In Show [In the year 1001 of the Celestian calendar, Equestrian scientists developed advanced magic making it possible to broadcast music over long distances. This innovation led to the creation of the first independent radio station, K-COLT, and the first talk show, “The Vinyl Scratch,” hosted by DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch), and her co-host Octavia.] [The Vinyl Scratch quickly became the most popular show in Equestria, despite (or perhaps because) of DJ-P0n3’s eccentric, boastful behavior, leading to some of the most interesting, memorable interviews with famous ponies in any media. Their show was also notable in that events of their show’s first season also contributed to mass public disapproval, hatred, and scorn of Prince Blueblood, nephew of Princess Celestia.] [After initially disliking DJ-P0n3, Octavia eventually warmed up to the strange pony and the two became close friends and eventually roommates, further fueling speculation of the nature of their relationship. Their show continued to be widely popular, Octavia and DJ-P0n3 themselves becoming famous celebrities.] [After a brief hiatus following the incident in front of Blueblood Theater, The Vinyl Scratch returned for a second season. These episodes were recorded and transcribed for historical significance.] DJ-P0n3: It’s that time again! All power to amps, fire up the pyrotechnics hotter than the sun, play until your hooves split apart, and blast the volume till it cracks the heavens and the earth! Hail to the good times, because ROCK has got the right of way! It’s time for THE VINYL SCRATCH! [A record is scratched.] DJ-P0n3: That’s right! We’re back and louder than ever! [Giggles.] Did you miss me, listeners? I missed you! But don’t worry, we’ve returned to give your lives meaning once more! This is the very first Equestrian talk show with me, the Mad Minstrel Mistress herself, DJ-P0n3! Octavia: Do you just... have a thing for alliteration or something? DJ-P0n3: And the pony who just used a word I don’t understand is my lovely co-host, Octavia. Octavia: [Sigh.] Did you ever pay attention in school for even a ... wait, why am I even asking? Of course you didn’t. DJ-P0n3: Nope. [Chuckles.] Seriously though, it’s good to be back. Isn’t it, Octy? Octavia: [Giggles.] Of course it is. As much as I enjoyed our trip, it does feel nice to be back. DJ-P0n3: For those of you who don’t know, we took a brief hiatus after the concert after we ran into some minor legal issues. Now, we’re all adults here, so I’m not going to name names ... but it’s entirely Prince Blueblood’s fault you were deprived of happiness! Octavia: Vinyl, calm down. Let’s discuss this rationally. DJ-P0n3: Yes ... Yes, rationally. [Cough.] What I meant to say is ... you should all go out and tar and feather that little-- Octavia: Vinyl ... DJ-P0n3: Alright, alright. [Cough.] Well, after that concert we held of ... questionable legality ... Octavia: Which is to say, no legality at all. DJ-P0n3: Basically. After that, ol’ Princy tried to have us sued. However, this was quickly thrown out of court due to the fact nopony cares about anything the Prince does or says at any given moment, from now until the end of time. And that’s not just my opinion, that’s what the judge put in the court record! Octavia: It was ... tiring. DJ-P0n3: After dealing with all that, we had a bit of a vacation. Me and Octy went to Manehatten for a show her and the ensemble put on. Which KILLED, by the way. Octavia: Aww, thank you, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: It was just a ton of fun. I even helped a little bit organizing the whole thing and selling merchandise to support the band! Octavia: Ensemble. DJ-P0n3: Whatever. Octavia: I do ... appreciate the thought and enthusiasm Vinyl, but you really didn’t have to make all that merchandise. Part of being a cultured musician is to realize art and music are more important than material gain. In fact, the true meaning of being a musician is to play even in the face of-- DJ-P0n3: Incidentally, if any of you ponies at home would like to buy some stuff, please go to your local retailer and ask for them. If they do not have them, DEMAND them! 100% of the proceeds go to supporting Octavia and her ensemble. We got Beauty Brass brand glow sticks, Frédéric Horseshoepin cups and plates, a photo of Harpo signed by me PRETENDING to be him... you can even buy a t-shirt with Octavia’s face on it! Octavia: [Facehoof.] Oh Celestia... DJ-P0n3: Aww, come on, Octavia shirts are cool. Any shirts without your face are therefore lame, so I urge every filly at home to replace their entire wardrobe with these and burn all other clothes! Octavia: [Deadpan.] She’s joking. Don’t do that. We don’t need more lawsuits. DJ-P0n3: They’re so cool that I’d be wearing one right now if Octy didn’t ask me not to. Party-pooper. Octavia: I don’t think it counts as party-pooping. It’s more like ... thinking it’s monumentally creepy to see the pony you’re living with walking around in a shirt with your face on it. DJ-P0n3: [Gasp.] Oh, so you think I’m creepy now? Octavia: [Deadpan.] Very. DJ-P0n3: [Giggles.] Come on, it’s all in good fun. You should wear one! Octavia: That’s just narcissistic! DJ-P0n3: Come on, I’d do it! Octavia: Precisely! DJ-P0n3: [Giggles.] It’d be cool for you to wear it! That way it’d be like there’s two of you! [Flirtatious.] Which actually reminds me of that one dream I had where-- [Octavia loudly coughs.] Octavia: ANYWAY! Why don’t we actually start the show? DJ-P0n3: Right! Time to get back in action! We don’t have an interview today, but we’ve got some stuff in the works that will knock your socks off! Even if you don’t actually own socks, they will be knocked off! But today, we’re going back to an old favorite. We had so much fun with the first call-in show, we decided to give it another shot! Why didn’t we ever think of doing another one before? Octavia: Because you threw our last telephone out a window. DJ-P0n3: Ohhh, right... that did happen. [Pause.] Ah well, good thing we got another one. [Drops rotary phone on the console.] DJ-P0n3: So listeners, once again we will be taking your calls! More ponies have telephones than the last time we tried this, so I’m sure we’ll be getting lots of great calls from interesting ponies! Or maybe we’ll just get a bunch of telemarketers. Either way, it’s sure to be exciting! Octavia: Also, I should mention this phone was provided as a donation by this week’s sponsor, the Ponyville Library. For books of all size and shape and obscurity, just visit the current caretaker in residence, Twilig-- DJ-P0n3: Also, this library has a dragon! Octavia: Um ... I don’t see what that has to do with the library ... DJ-P0n3: Because he’s a dragon. And dragons are just ... metal! [Clicks button, guitar riff.] DJ-P0n3: So go to Ponyville Library, and see a great big, giant, humongous, terrifying-- Octavia: It’s a baby dragon. DJ-P0n3: --compact-sized dragon! Ah, well, still cool. Octavia: Um ... and the library? DJ-P0n3: Oh yeah. They have like one or two books there too, I guess. Octavia: Wow, Vinyl, you’re just so good at this advertising thing. DJ-P0n3: Anyway, time to hit the ground running! Start calling in now! We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s easy, just pick up that phone and dial ... [Pause.] Dial ... ummm … Octavia: [Deadpan.] It’s 4. DJ-P0n3: Oh yeah! Just give us a call at 4! [Phone rings.] DJ-P0n3: And that sounds like our first caller. [Picks up receiver.] Hello caller, you're on the air with Vinyl Scratch. [The pony on the other line is a mare who speaks in a very giddy yet heavily slurred speech.] Berry Punch: [Overly cheerful] Heeeyyyyyy there! :) Octavia: Oh dear... DJ-P0n3: Wow, you sure seem to be in a good mood, caller. Berry Punch: [Giggles loudly] S'cause I like ta have a good time all the time. 'Scuse me for a minute. [Takes sip of drink.] Ah! Theeeere we go. Mah name ish Berry Punch. I ... I run a bar in da town I’m in now... can’t ‘amember which one ... ya know... tha’ one town? With the ... thing? And the guy? Octavia: [Sarcastic.] Very descriptive. DJ-P0n3: Ah, a bar! Sounds like you enjoy working there. Octavia: [Whispering.] No kidding. Berry Punch: [Giggles.] Ahm I on the radio? Tha’s so cool. Hiiiiiiiii everypony! [Giggles some more.] So coooooool~ Octavia: Umm ... Did you have a question or anything, Miss Punch? Berry Punch: Huh? Oh! Yes. Yes! It is like ... So good of a question tha’ ... Hang on. [Takes long sip, followed by several gulps] Ah! Okay! I’m ready! [Pause] Wha' was I talkin' 'bout-- Octavia: [Frustrated.] The question! Berry Punch: Okay, wha' did ya wanna ask me? Octavia: Ugh! DJ-P0n3: I had a question! Where can I get some of ... whatever it is you’re on? Cause it sounds AWESOME. Octavia: Vinyl! Berry Punch: I... It’s actually it’s a new drink. My own cre... create... creat... my own thingy tha’ I made. It’s called Punch Berry? [Giggles.] Huh? Huh, ya get it? Octavia: Um... yeah. Berry Punch: Cause it’s like mah name. Octavia: [Deadpan.] I gathered that. Berry Punch: Tha’s the funny part. Octavia: Miss, did you actually have a questi- Berry Punch: Fun tah say too. Punch Berry ... Berry Punch. Punch Punch Punch Berry Berry Punch Punch! Octavia: Listen-- DJ-P0n3: ... Hey, that is fun to say. Berry Punch Berry-- Octavia: Don’t encourage the drunk! Berry Punch: Hey now! I take offense ta that. That is-- hang on a second. [Long sip.] Ah! Octavia: Now listen, this kind of subject matter is inappropriate. Fillies listen to this show, you know. We have to be good role models. We can’t glorify drinking. DJ-P0n3: Oh, you big hypocrite. You drink too! Octavia: Only after a show! Or sometimes before ... for ... nerves ... very occasionally! And er ... w-with breakfast that one time, look, I’m not on trial here! DJ-P0n3: [Low giggle.] It makes you get all ... affectionate. Octavia: [Irritated.] Vinyl! Berry Punch: [Giggles] Hey. Hey. Hey, Octavia. [Octavia sighs.] Berry Punch: Hey ... hey hey, Octavia, hey. Hey! Hey! Heeeey! Octavia: [Irritated] What?! Berry Punch: ... I forgot again. [Laughs] Octavia: Ugh! Next caller! [Hangs up, dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Well, she was nice. Octavia: [Deadpan.] Nice and sauced. DJ-P0n3: Come on, I’ve seen drunker. Octavia: Like where? [Long pause.] Um ... Vinyl? Why are you staring at me like that? DJ-P0n3: [Fake innocence.] Oh, nothing~ Octavia: What I don’t ... I don’t get like that! DJ-P0n3: Do you remember much when you’ve been drinking? Octavia: Well ... not ... really. [Pause.] It’s ...I can’t possibly act like that. That’s just so undignified and-- stop smiling like that! DJ-P0n3: [Clearly grinning.] I’m not smiling. Octavia: I’m looking right at you. DJ-P0n3: You’re seeing things, Octy. [Chuckles.] Sure you haven’t been drinking? Octavia: You’re insufferable! DJ-P0n3: You know you love it. [Octavia pauses, then clearly tried not to chuckle.] [Phone rings.] Octavia: I’ll get it ... [Click.] Hello caller, you’re on the Vinyl Scratch. [Caller is a vaguely familiar mare with a cool and collected voice.] Caller: Hey Octavia. Just called to make sure Scratch hadn’t gotten you both evicted yet ... Octavia: Wha? Who? [Pause.] Wait... DJ-P0n3: [Excited.] Spitfire? Spitfire: Last time I checked. [Chuckles.] [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] DJ-P0n3: Oh, you old mule! I’ve missed you! I haven’t seen you since you helped us move. Octavia: Speaking of which, I wanted to thank you for the help, Miss Spitfire. I know you have such a busy schedule as it is. Spitfire: Hey, what are friends for? DJ-P0n3: Exploitation of cheap labor, of course! Spitfire: But seriously, I did have a question. Octavia: Oh! Wonderful. Finally, a proper caller. DJ-P0n3: Aww, I kind of liked the callers so drunk they can’t walk anymore! Octavia: [Deadpan.] Only because they’re the only ones who find your jokes funny. DJ-P0n3: Of course! Why do you think most raves serve alcohol? [Giggles.] Anyway, go on, Spitfire. Spitfire: Well I was just wondering … what is it like for you guys now? You know, living together now. [Octavia blushes and stammers for a moment.] Octavia: Um ... well, that’s ... kind of a ... personal question that I’m not sure I’m comfortable answering in a-- DJ-P0n3: It is sexy beyond your wildest imaginations! Octavia: VINYL! [Stammers.] T-That’s not appropriate for the radio. DJ-P0n3: Oh, everypony knows I’m just kidding around. [Giggles.] Besides, it’s not like I said anything embarrassing. Octavia: There’s nothing embarrassing to tell, really. [Vinyl is silent.] Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: Oh, it’s nothing. Octavia: Oh, don’t try to say that! You’re smirking. You’re thinking of something. DJ-P0n3: [Trying not to laugh.] No really, it’s ... it’s nothing. I’m ... [Giggles.] I can’t think of anything embarrassing. Octavia: [Sigh.] Just go ahead and say it. DJ-P0n3: No no, it’s ... it’s too much. [Giggles.] Besides, you’ll be mad. Octavia: I’ll be mad if you don’t tell me! DJ-P0n3: Oh come on, that’s entrapment! Spitfire: Vinyl feeling bad about something? That’s not a good omen. Maybe we should just-- Octavia: Just. Say. It. DJ-P0n3: Ooookay, but remember, I warned you ... [Coughs.] So! Spitfire! When you were over, what did you think of Octavia’s cooking? Octavia: [Shocked.] What? Spitfire: [Off-guard.] What? Oh. Oh. It was... it was ... good. Really. DJ-P0n3: Notice the long pause. Octavia: [Astonished.] I ... there is nothing wrong with my cooking. You said you liked it. DJ-P0n3: It was ... well ... Octavia: Well what?! DJ-P0n3: I’m ... pretty sure most ponies don’t make apple pies ... with mushrooms in them. Octavia: I um ... might have misread the recipe ... a little ... DJ-P0n3: You don’t say? I would never have guessed. Octavia: It... it couldn’t have been that bad. Right, Spitfire? Spitfire: [Awkward.] Well, it wasn’t ... that bad. I mean ... it had an interesting ... er ... variety. It was certainly ... creative. DJ-P0n3: Yes. Literally no pony, anywhere else, ever would have thought to do that. I have to give you that. [DJ-P0n3 lets out a short giggle.] Octavia: ... [Sigh.] [Once hearing Octavia’s sigh, DJ-P0n3’s laugh falters.] DJ-P0n3: [Hesitant.] H-hey. Hey. Don’t take it so hard, Octy. It’s just a joke. We joke on each other all the time. Ha-ha-joke, you know! It’s ... [Softly.] It’s nothing to get upset about. Octavia: [Sadly.] ... yeah. I know... DJ-P0n3: Um ... you oka-- Octavia: [Slightly bitter.] Okay, you want to be like that. [Clears throat.] Everypony, let me tell you about some of the things Vinyl likes to do at home ... Spitfire: Um ... maybe we should just change the subject-- Octavia: Have you ever heard Vinyl sing in the shower? If you haven’t, let me paint a picture for you. Imagine everything good about music, then imagine it being trampled to death, before being drawn and quartered ... DJ-P0n3: Oh come on, don’t be like that. I’m not THAT bad. Octavia: It’s like a headache in audio form! DJ-P0n3: Oh. Oh! Is that what you think? Spitfire: Um ... guys? Just relax for a minute-- Octavia: If you ever sing in public, it’d be a crime against the state! DJ-P0n3: [Not paying attention to Spitfire] Now you’re just exaggerating! You said you liked my singing! Octavia: [Frustrated.] Well, you said you liked my cooking, but I suppose that was just a lie too! DJ-P0n3: It wasn’t a lie ... just ... enhancing the truth. Octavia: Yeah, enhancing the truth with lies! Spitfire: Um ... really, maybe you guys should stop and-- DJ-P0n3: I was trying not to hurt your feelings! Octavia: Yeah, until you thought it would be funny! DJ-P0n3: I warned you. And, come on, it was a little funny. Octavia: Well not to me! I’m not a bad cook! If you want to know the truth, it’s just that I spent half the night wracking my brain, trying to think of something, anything, to make that wouldn’t be completely plain or mediocre! And when I finally did, everything fell apart because I was so nervous, when all I really wanted to do was make something special for our first night in our new home! [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Sincere.] I’m ... sorry, Octy. Octavia: Yeah, sure you are. [Angry.] And if it was really that bad, why did you nearly eat the whole thing all by yourself?! DJ-P0n3: Because you made it for me! [Long pause.] Octavia: I... DJ-P0n3: [Sighs.] Spitfire, you asked that you wanted to know what it’s like living together with Octavia? For serious? Spitfire: Yeah... DJ-P0n3: [Softly.] All joking aside ... I get to wake up every day, living with the pony who makes me the happiest. I get to laugh together with her, joke with her, and just be there with her. Every second I’m with her makes me feel like I’m in front of a cheering crowd after the best set I’ve ever done. I’m ... [Chuckles.] I’m just grateful she somehow manages to put up with me every day without punching me in the face ... I really couldn’t be happier than I am, right now. [Long silence.] Octavia: Vinyl ... that’s ... that was so sweet. DJ-P0n3: Heh ... sorry to get all sappy on everypony. Spitfire: Awww ... Vinyl ... you big softy. [Laughs.] DJ-P0n3: You ... still mad, Octy? Octavia: No ... I suppose you did try to warn me. I guess if you, of all ponies on the planet, was afraid something you said might go a bit too far, I probably should have listened. DJ-P0n3: Nah ... I really should have known better. Heh, I think we should all just admit we’re mature adults ... and blame Spitshine for all of this. Octavia: [Deadpan.] Yes. Spitfire: Hey! [Octavia and DJ-P0n3 start snickering, and after a moment, Spitfire joins in.] Spitfire: Whew ... you guys are crazy. DJ-P0n3: Well, you’re the one who hangs around such bad company! [Snickers.] Spitfire: Bad? No ... you guys are the best. DJ-P0n3: Aww! Spitfire: I guess I better head out. DJ-P0n3: Keep in touch. Spitfire: Nothing could keep me from it ... bye you guys ... [Click, dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Well, that was a surprise! It’s always fun to talk to ol’ Spitshine. Octavia: ... I ... really mean that much to you, Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: Octy ... [Pause, then a giggle.] It ... just wouldn’t be the same without you, you know? Octavia: I’m ... glad. [Phone rings.] DJ-P0n3: Oops, looks like my plan to snuggle with you in the studio will have to wait for a bit! Octavia: [Laughs.] Vinyl! [Click.] DJ-P0n3: Hello, you’re on the Vinyl Scratch. [There is a brief pause, followed by the slow clapping of hooves. Clap ... clap ... clap ... the voice that follows is one of a stallion, self-important, smug, and familiar...] Caller: [Sarcastic.] Bravo, Miss Vinyl Scratch. And you too, Miss Octavia. So ... touching. Sickeningly sweet even. [Sinister.] Or maybe just sick. Octavia: [Bitter.] That voice ... DJ-P0n3: Blueblood. Blueblood: Haha! I’m flattered you remember! Yes, it is I, Prince Blueblood. And this time, you will not be able to stop as I deliver the fell hoof of justice upon-- [DJ-P0n3 hangs up. Dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Oops, well, would you look at that? We’ve been disconnected. By my hoof slamming the phone down. I guess we can’t-- [Phone rings.] [Click.] DJ-P0n3: Hello, you’re on the air with-- Blueblood: [Whiny.] Hey! I know you didn’t just hang up on me! DJ-P0n3: [Mock sincerity.] Why Prince, I’m shocked you would even think such a thing. Blueblood: Good, because-- [Hangs up, dial tone.] [Ring.] [Click.] DJ-P0n3: Y’ello? Blueblood: Listen-- [Slams phone down, then rings again almost immediately.] [Click.] Blueblood: You little-- [Hang up.] DJ-P0n3: [Snickers.] You know, life is pretty good to me sometimes... Octavia: Vinyl, this is getting absurd! Let me handle this! [Phone rings.] DJ-P0n3: Go right ahead. [Click.] Octavia: Is this the Prince again? Blueblood: [Sigh of relief.] Finally, somepony with a brain. Now then, could you kindly tell your insane friend to-- Octavia: Call again and I’ll knock out the rest of your teeth. [Slams phone down.] [DJ-P0n3 dies laughing.] Octavia: Oooooh, that felt good. DJ-P0n3: Haha! What was that you were saying before about being a good role model? Octavia: I blame you for corrupting me. DJ-P0n3: Oh, so suddenly I’m Discord or something? Octavia: That’s the working thesis, yes... [Phone rings.] Octavia: Oh for the love of ... [Click.] What did I just say?! Can’t you take a hint? Berry Punch: [Hiccup.] Aw, baby, why ya gotta be tha’ way? [Octavia’s head hits the desk as the phone is softly hung up.] [Phone rings.] [Click.] DJ-P0n3: Yeeeeesss? Blueblood: Yes. Hi. Don’t hang up. DJ-P0n3: [Dark chuckle.] Gotta say, I love it when you call. I can make fun of you all I want and never once feel guilty. Blueblood: In all honesty, I probably should have known better. I can’t presume your social graces would mature beyond fart jokes and vulgar grade-school level insults. DJ-P0n3: You say that like it’s a bad thing. Blueblood: Hmph! Enjoy your immaturity while you can. For you see, K-COLT has just entered it’s winter. Octavia: [Sarcasm.] Oh no, I’m so frightened. DJ-P0n3: Yes, we’re totally soiling ourselves in fear over here ... Blueblood: [Without irony.] And rightfully so! Octavia: [Sigh.] Still as good at detecting sarcasm as you ever were... Blueblood: Oh ... [Confused.] Well, thank you for the compliment. Octavia: No, I was being ... Ugh, you know what, nevermind. Blueblood: Anyway ... I’m sure you consider yourself clever for squirming through the legal system so well, and leaving me disgraced, humiliated, and forced to work in the spice mines to learn “humility” or some other such gibbersh ... DJ-P0n3: Haha, yeah, I am pretty awesome, huh? Blueblood: Well ... until I can become king and repeal such inconveniences as due process, fair trial, and manual labor ... I shall have to do the next best thing. I shall bring K-COLT to its knees with my most ingenious plan yet! Finally, I shall show all of Equestria that you are nothing more than a farce, nothing more than an agent of Discord and menace to all that is just and-- DJ-P0n3: [Ignoring Blueblood.] So Octavia, what were you thinking about for lunch? Octavia: Well, there is that lovely place on the Boardwalk where-- Blueblood: Hey! I’m still talking! DJ-P0n3: Your point being? Blueblood: D-don’t try to play it cool! I know you’re intimidated by the looming threat of my plan! DJ-P0n3: [Laughs.] Intimidated? You were like ... maybe a serious threat for all of, what, five minutes at the concert?! And then when you tried to pull your last plan, my co-host punched you in the face and you curled up in a little ball. Octavia: Ah yes ... good times ... Blueblood: I ... have no memory of any of that happening. DJ-P0n3: We had it recorded. Blueblood: Nothing but manipulative editing that I will not dignify with a response. And on an unrelated note, shut up! [Pause.] But that’s fine. Perhaps you won’t laugh when I reveal to you the specifics ... a plan so crafty and righteous that all of-- Octavia: [Bored.] Get on with it or we’re hanging up. Blueblood: NO WAIT! [Cough, then tries to play it cool.] Ahem. Very well. I will now take this time to announce that K-COLT has been rendered obsolete! For I would like to announce the creation of a new radio station starring somepony far more respected and entertaining ... ME! And once my show takes the air waves, the public will clearly see the show of superior quality and leave you penniless and unwatched! [Maniacal laugh.] What do you say to that, Miss Vinyl Scratch?! [There is a brief pause, followed by DJ-P0n3 and Octavia bursting out laughing uncontrollably.] Blueblood: [While laughing continues.] Er ... clearly you are in denial ... [Laughing continues.] I am sure right now the crushing weight of my inevitable victory is ... [Laughing gets louder.] STOP LAUGHING! DJ-P0n3: [Still chuckling.] Oh, Celestia, are you serious?! You really thought that was going to ... to be an earth shattering event?! Octavia: That’s just so ... cute. Blueblood: [Stammering.] C-Cute? CUTE! [Furious.] You ... impudent pieces of gutter trash! Laugh all you want. I’ll show you ... this isn’t just a game to me, Miss Vinyl Scratch and Miss Octavia. Nopony treats me the way you have! I am going to go out of my way to completely ruin you. Even if it takes me a hundred thousand years, even if I have to CLAW my way up your radio tower just to do so, I will not rest until you are a footnote in the pages of history! I will come down upon you like a thief in the night and ... [On the end of the phone, a gruff stallion voice is heard in the background.] Gruff Pony: Blueblood! Your break ended a half hour ago! DJ-P0n3: Wait ... who’s that? Blueblood: [Embarrassed.] Oh ... I um ... suppose I’m still ... technically at work in the spice mines ... Gruff Pony: That phone bill is coming out of your pay check! Now get back to work! Blueblood: [Hopeful.] If I refuse, am I fired? Gruff Pony: No! Get your pickaxe! Blueblood: [Angry grumbling.] I have to go ... DJ-P0n3: Bye Princy! Good luck with your posh lifestyle of self-delusion and digging through dirt clods. Blueblood: [Pause.] I hate you. You listen to me, I’ll be back! My radio station is nearing completion, and when it does, I’ll-- DJ-P0n3: Yeah, yeah. Don’t call us, we’ll call you. [DJ-P0n3 hangs up, dial tone.] DJ-P0n3: Well now, that was fun. [Giggles.] Can’t believe he was actually serious. Can you believe that? Prince Bootlick with a radio show ... Octavia: Yeah ... [Sigh.] DJ-P0n3: What? ... oh, don’t tell me you’re actually worried. Octavia: Not really, it’s just ... well, he’s titanically stupid. DJ-P0n3: Uh huh, just discovering that now? Octavia: No I mean, he’s stupid enough to try something really ... I dunno drastic. And, idiot or no, he is still a prince. He has the resources to try something. And if he tries to attack my ensemble again, I just ... I dunno, it’s in my nature to worry. DJ-P0n3: Well, I know we have nothing to worry about. Octavia: Why? DJ-P0n3: It’s simple ... I have the utmost confidence! Octavia: What? In yourself? DJ-P0n3: No. In us. [Pause.] Octavia: [Softly.] Vinyl ... DJ-P0n3: Yes? Octavia: That is beyond corny. DJ-P0n3: [Chuckles.] Yeah, I guess that was pretty bad. Gosh, I’m sappy today. Octavia: Maybe so ... but you’re right. Thank you, I feel much better ... I think ... perhaps I should do something nice for you. DJ-P0n3: Yeah? Octavia: Perhaps ... when we get home ... DJ-P0n3: Y-yeah? Octavia: I’ll ... wear that ridiculous shirt with my face on it. DJ-P0n3: YES! SCORE! [Chuckles.] Well anyway, everypony, that’s all the time we have today. I didn’t have to throw the phone out the window this time, so we might do this again sometime! Until then, this has been ... THE VINYL SCRATCH! ENCLOSURE Document 1678: Partial transcript of phone conversation, recorded from Equestrian Telephone Switchboard 7-A [Several pages of this document are missing, but the remaining pages have been included in this transcript for historical significance. Use of this document into public record was approved by Royal Seal.] [FIRST TWO PAGES MISSING.] Caller A: So that’s the jist of it. I’ve never run a radio show before ... and I’m certain I could if that drooling moron could do it ... but as much as I hate to admit, I can’t do it alone. After all, what is a radio show without a co-host? [Sigh.] Look, I know this might be a bit of an ... odd request, especially considering you’ve sponsored that ... inane program before. But I’ve seen your performances. I know you can captivate a crowd, even despite some recent ... er ... shall we say ... mixed reviews? Caller B: Hmph! The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie has evolved beyond the need to critics! Trixie is quite reserved and modest towards such pea-brained idiots who wouldn’t know a good show if it came back and bit them in the-- Caller A: As ... I was saying ... I’m willing to offer you a very, very, VERY generous paycheck in exchange for helping me run my own competing show. I believe with you on my side, nopony will be able to stop us. And all you have to do is put on a good show. I don’t think I have to ask if you’re capable of doing that. Besides, this might help you get back on your hooves after the recent unpleasantness. Caller B: Trixie doesn’t NEED anypony’s help ... but still ... Trixie must admit the idea is interesting ... Caller A: Think about it ... everypony in Equestria would KNOW your name. Caller B: Hmm... Princy? Caller A: Yes? Caller B: The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie ... thinks this is beginning of a beautiful friendship ... mhahahahahaha MHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! MHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! [Pause.] Caller A: Was ... the laughing really quite necessary? Caller B: Shut up. [FINAL PAGE MISSING.] [END OF DOCUMENT.]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2012-01-23T01:37:18+00:00

2012-01-23T01:37:18+00:00

The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: First Broadcast [Crackling sound is heard over the transmission.] Trixie: No, no, you idiot! That wire connects here! Blueblood: How would you know? You lost the instructions! Trixie: All things bow before the magic of Trixie, machines included! Blueblood: Machines don’t bow. Trixie: Maybe to YOU they don’t. Now connect that wire! Blueblood: Why am I listening to you anyway? I’m the Prince and I say we should connect it here-- [Loud electrical shock.] Blueblood: GAH! Peasant technology! Trixie: See? Blueblood: Who invented this contraption?! I’ll have him deported for this! Trixie: For what? Inventing something that shocked you? Blueblood: Yes. Trixie: Ugh! Just let me do it! [Clattering is heard over transmission as wires and scraps of metal are being moved around.] Trixie: AHA! There! See, it’s easy if you’re the Great and Powerful Trixie. It’s a shame you don’t qualify ... Blueblood: Hmph! Such manual labor is far beneath my station! Trixie: We wouldn’t have had to do it if you just brought some servants over. Blueblood: I would have, but when I ask them to do things like this, they just start going on about things like “overtime pay” and “unionization” and “child labor laws,” it’s all very boring. It’s easier just to do it myself. Honestly, I’d much rather be doing this than mining spice ... [Sigh.] Which reminds me, I have to be at work in a few hours. Trixie: You know, if you hate working in the spice mines, why don’t you just ... quit? Blueblood: [Shocked.] And admit there was something I can’t do? Never! Besides ... Auntie Celestia told me to do it and ... I’d rather not make Auntie angry again. Trixie: Hmm ... Trixie is not sure whether to respect your determination ... or pity your cowardice. Blueblood: My Auntie once crushed chaos itself. Think about that before you call me a coward. Trixie: Psh! Such a feat is nothing to the Great and Powerful Trixie. Trixie can fight chaos, darkness, and any other abstract concepts with one hoof tied behind her back! [Pause.] Hmm ... I think we should be transmitting now. Blueblood: Oh, really? Hm ... perhaps we should test it ... [Clears throat.] Testing ... testing ... 1, 2, 3, obey ... Trixie: [Chuckle.] Amateur. Let me handle this ... [Clears throat, scoots mike to her.] Trixie: [Whisper.] Hello, Equestria. Do you know who this is? You should. [Slowly rising voice.] This is the voice of one who has learned the true name of a thousand beasts. This is the voice of the hero who tamed a dragon with but a stare, defeated the cockatrice of Everfree Forest, and felled a deadly manticore! This is the graceful, elegant champion who saved Ponyville from an Ursa Major! This is the rising star, the thunderbolt, the shout in the dark! Nothing like Trixie has ever graced your ears before and nothing will again! [Loud electrical shocks are heard as lightning dances off Trixie’s horn into the radio console.] Blueblood: GAH! Trixie: I am GREAT. [Loud crack of thunder.] Trixie: I am POWERFUL. [Thunderclap.] Trixie: I. AM. TRIXIE! AND NATIONAL PONY RADIO IS LIVE! [As loud electrical shocks are heard in the background.] Hahahahahahahaha AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! [Laughing falters, as does the sound of electricity. Trixie clears her throat.] Trixie: Test complete. Blueblood: ... whoa. Trixie: Whoa is right. Blueblood: That was ... that was impressive. [Cheery.] I don’t even mind the ... strong smoking smell that’s coming from the console after you did that. Trixie: Psh! This console is made of stronger stuff than that. [Trixie bangs hoof on the console.] [Loud clattering sound followed loud electrical sound.] Blueblood: Er ... is it supposed to make that sound? Trixie: Um ... sure, why not? [Nervous chuckle.] [More clattering, followed by loud whoomph as console is engulfed in flames.] Trixie: ... oh my. [Fire alarm goes off.] Blueblood: FIRE! [Flames crackling gets louder.] Trixie: Uh oh. [Oddly calm.] Perhaps we should ... reschedule this ... Blueblood: [Yelling in the background.] Quick! We need to smother the flames with something! Get me a blanket! Or an Earth pony! Trixie: Well um ... [Flames getting louder.] Trixie: We’re having some technical difficulties right now. We’ll be right back ... huh ... I wonder if this thing is still transmit- [Loud static.] [End transmission]. The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Second Transcript: The Band Ensemble Interview [What follows is a transcript of broadcast 2F08 of the Vinyl Scratch, roughly one week after the second call-in show and several hours after the first transmission from the Prince Blueblood’s “National Pony Radio.”] DJ-P0n3: It’s that time again! Turn all the speakers up to 11, break out the drums and the electric guitars because we are the spark that lights up the morning! This is ... the Vinyl Scratch! [Record scratch.] DJ-P0n3: That’s right, the number one talk show in Equestria that DOESN’T accidentally set itself on fire! Octavia: Most of the time. DJ-P0n3: As always, I am your host, the Alluring Artist herself, DJ-P0n3! And with me is my co-host, the best cello player I’ve ever seen, Octavia. Octavia: I’m the only cello player you’ve ever seen, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Right. So it’s true. Octavia: Well ... yes, but-- DJ-P0n3: Anyway! We have some big news on today’s show, but first, I might as well talk about what everypony’s wondering about. I’m sure a few of you listeners heard that other garbled radio station earlier this morning ... turns out the Prince wasn’t just talking out of his rear when he said he was making a radio station. We’ll have more on that as it develops ... assuming, you know, their station isn’t still on fire. Octavia: His co-host reminds me of somepony ... DJ-P0n3: Hm? What do you mean? Octavia: Well, let’s see ... she’s obnoxious ... DJ-P0n3: Yeah? Octavia: She has an ego the size of the moon ... DJ-P0n3: Uh huh? Octavia: And she’s a gigantic hammy unicorn who seems to crave any attention from everypony? DJ-P0n3: Soooo? Octavia: This ... you don’t see any similarities between her and somepony else our listeners might be familiar with? [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: ... Harpo? Octavia: No it’s not Harp-- you’re just messing with me, aren’t you? DJ-P0n3: [Grinning.] When am I not? Octavia: Point taken. DJ-P0n3: But enough about that! I have much more important news! You might recall last week I helped manage Octavia and her ensemble’s most recent show. Well, it was a big hit! Octavia: It ... it was a good show, yes. DJ-P0n3: Octy’s just being modest. Now, not that I’m the type of pony to brag or anything ... Octavia: Oh, here we go ... DJ-P0n3: But they are bigger than Celestia now! Octavia: [Sigh.] I think that’s a bit much, but ... it was a good show. DJ-P0n3: Yep! In fact, it was so good they’ve been getting fan-mail pouring in non-stop! [Drops a heavy sack of papers by the console.] This one sack is just what came in this morning! [Cheery.] Hey Octy, is it okay if I go through your mail?! Octavia: Well-- DJ-P0n3: Okay, thanks! [Starts rooting around through papers.] As I was saying, Octavia’s been getting tons of fan mail! And not just the usual letters with ponies asking to marry her! Octavia: I’m positive most of those were written by you. DJ-P0n3: And you never replied back! [Mock despair.] How could you leave me out there, alone, in the cold?! Jilted! Shunned! How will I go on?! How?! Octavia: ... are you done? DJ-P0n3: That depends. Have I won an acting award yet? Octavia: No. DJ-P0n3: Then no. [Switching back to fake despair.] WHYYYYYY? [Octavia stifles her laughing.] Octavia: Seriously though, we should get to the point. DJ-P0n3: Well, a lot of the letters we’ve been getting are business related. Awesome stuff like billboards ... gigs ... record deals ... and at least one letter wanting to make a comic book where you and your ensemble drive in a van and solve mysteries. Octavia: What do solving mysteries have to do with music anyway? DJ-P0n3: What don’t they have to do with it? Octavia: ... that’s so stupid I don’t know how to respond. DJ-P0n3: Hurray, that means I win by default! But anyway, I figure since I’ve been helping the ensemble more, I figure it’s appropriate we have a proper interview with the other members of Octavia’s quartet. Trust me, with all of our powers combined, we’re gonna be big. Bigger than cheesy pizza crust! Let’s bring them in! [Door opens, hoofsteps into the studio.] DJ-P0n3: Alright! Let’s just introduce them one at a time. First, we have the piano player and lead composer. He’s been called one of the most talented piano players in Equestria, has won several Fancies for his solo work, and he’s an eligible bachelor. Please welcome, Frédéric Horseshoepin. Frédéric: Charmed. Though I’m not quite sure why it was necessary to mention I was a bachelor. DJ-P0n3: I’m just trying to help you out, Freddy! Trust me, I know a thing or two about what fillies are looking for. And you’ve got the whole package! You’re cultured, you’re sensitive, you’ve got ... white hair which makes you look distinguished even if you’re not. I mean, you could just sit in a chair and eat out of a can of beans with a spoon, and you’d still look dapper. You just got to put yourself on the market! Frédéric: You make it sound as if I’m a slab of meat to be put on display. DJ-P0n3: Yes, that’s exactly how it works! Octavia: How romantic. DJ-P0n3: Aww, don’t worry Octy. You’ll always be my slab of meat! Octavia: Um ... thanks. I ... think? DJ-P0n3: Next up, we have the sousaphone player and close personal friend of Octy. You may remember her from the concert we did where she was locked in the bathroom by a certain Prince Blueblood, who shall remain anonymous. She’s a lot of fun to be around! Please welcome, Beauty Brass. Beauty Brass: HI EVERYPONY! [Horribly loud electrical feedback.] DJ-P0n3: AHH! Octavia: Umm... Beauty? You don’t have to yell into the microphone. Beauty Brass: REALLY? [Loud feedback.] Um ... I mean ... really? Octavia: Um ... let’s just scoot the mic a bit farther away. Beauty Brass: THAT’S A GOOD IDEA! IT’S always hard to ADJUST AFTER PRACTICING! Octavia: Hehe ... sorry, Vinyl. You’ll get used to that eventually. Beauty Brass: I’M SORRY! DJ-P0n3: No, I like that! I like loud stuff! I mean, after all, I blast loud rock n’ roll and techno all the time. The loudest music is always the most popular, so, logically, being loud is just ... cool. Octavia: There was nothing resembling logic in-- Beauty Brass: [Big smile.] HOORAY, I’M POPULAR! DJ-P0n3: And then finally, we have the harp player of the ensemble who is also a talented composer in his own right. He played in his first concert hall when he was still in grade school, had a record released of his harp playing when he was only a few years old, and has won several Fancy music awards. He’s also quite the motormouth. Please welcome, Harpo Parish Nadermane. Say hi, Harpo. Harpo: [Says nothing. Nods.] DJ-P0n3: Riveting. Octavia: Hehe, well, Harpo’s never been much of a talker. Frédéric: It’s true. Always the quiet one. He’s been that way as far back as I can remember. Even I find it hard to figure out what he thinks sometimes ... Beauty Brass: BUT HE’S STILL A SWEETIE. [Harpo smiles.] DJ-P0n3: ...sweetie? [Octavia chuckles.] Beauty Brass: ... I DIDN’T ... ahem ... I didn’t say that out loud, did I? DJ-P0n3: You did. Loudly. Beauty Brass: Um ... Octavia: Perhaps we should change the subject. DJ-P0n3: Oh, alright. So ... how did you all get together? Octavia mentioned you all got together in high school, but that’s pretty much all I know. Octavia: Well, as I mentioned before, Beauty Brass and I have been friends since we were in grade school. We knew each other long before we both got into music and got our cutie marks. DJ-P0n3: Aww, that’s so cute. [Giggle.] I can just imagine you and Beauty Brass doing all kinds of girly-girl stuff when you were really little. Bet you did stuff like ... play tea party and stuff. Octavia: I ... heh, I was above such infantile things. Beauty Brass: YEAH, WE PLAYED PRINCESS INSTEAD! Octavia: Beauty! [DJ-P0n3 chuckles.] Octavia: Well, it’s better than being a criminal like you were as a filly. DJ-P0n3: Hey, it’s okay. We all played silly games like that as kids. I mean, I used to play doctor with Spitfire all the time. Octavia: WHAT?! DJ-P0n3: Yeah, I would pretend I was a surgeon, and Spitfire would pretend to have like persistent pegasus paralysis or something. Then I’d pretend to saw her leg off and I’d have to go before the medical board for malpractice. It was awesome. Octavia: Oh. [Pause.] Of course. I thought you meant ... nevermind. [Cough.] Anyway, I didn’t meet Frédéric and Harpo until high school, when we were all in band class. Frédéric and Harpo were very nice. They even tried to make friends with me even after I ran into some ... unpleasantness when I first started band. DJ-P0n3: Oh? What happened? Octavia: Well ... I really enjoyed everypony in band class ... but the instructor we had was a truly horrible old stallion. He was very rude ... on one of my first days, I missed a note playing cello and he just ... laid into me. Admonishing me for such mediocre cello playing. I was very ... sensitive about my music playing and I nearly started crying. Beauty Brass tried to comfort me, but I was still really upset. And then Frédéric, who I had never even spoken to before, stood up and said ... [Chuckles.] Do you want to say what you called him, Frédéric? Frédéric: I’m fairly certain you can’t say it on the radio. [Pause.] I think we actually had our first real conversation in detention afterwards. Octavia: Then after that we all hung out all the time and Frédéric actually suggested we join up with him and Harpo. DJ-P0n3: Oh, so he and Harpo had already teamed up before that? How did that happen? [Frédéric chuckles.] Frédéric: Well ... there’s a story there. Isn’t that right, Harpo? Harpo: [Says nothing, smiles.] Frédéric: Ah, you’re smiling. I know you remember too. DJ-P0n3: Well, out with it then! Frédéric: Well ... it began as most stories do, with a young colt’s dream being trampled upon. DJ-P0n3: ... so this story is going to be a feel-good comedy romp? Octavia: Clearly. Frédéric: I had always loved music, as long as I can remember. The first gift I remembered getting was a tiny piano. I loved playing it ... even if it took me quite a while to become competent at it. I had even tried to write my own compositions. Many were bad ... many, many, MANY of them were bad. Nothing but meaningless noise. Octavia: Not unlike the music Vinyl likes. Frédéric: Quite right. DJ-P0n3: Hey! Frédéric: But eventually I got better. Nothing exactly award winning, but good for a little foal. My parents moved to Canterlot when I was in the first grade and when I went to my new school, I was excited to see there was a music class. A music class that put on recitals! I had dreamed of playing one of my compositions before an audience for so long! So, my very first day, I took one of my better pieces--one of the ones that didn’t sound like a cat dying a sad, lonely death--and presented it to the music teacher. And I asked if I could play it at the next recital, making sure to turn on the ever-manipulative puppy dog eyes. DJ-P0n3: That’s an important skill. I try it on Octy all the time. It’d work if she wasn’t such an ice queen. Octavia: No, it’d work if you remember to take your sunglasses off before giving the stare. DJ-P0n3: I can’t just take these off anytime. They’re prescription! Octavia: Oh that’s just ... wait. Really? DJ-P0n3: Yeah, why else do you think I wear them at night? Octavia: Because you do a ton of weird things I don’t question! [Pause.] Wait, why don’t you just wear normal glasses instead? DJ-P0n3: Because I do a ton of weird things you shouldn’t question. Octavia: Touché. Beauty Brass: GESUNDHEIT. Frédéric: But, puppy dog eyes aside, it was to no avail. She said “I’m sorry, Freddy, but we already have a composer.” I asked who ... and it was at that point she pointed to the quiet colt in the corner with the harp. Harpo: [Says nothing, grins.] Frédéric: Now, I was only a child, not a fraction of the gentlecolt I would become, so I narrowed my eyes and said “So? What makes him so great?” And the teacher pointed at his flank. DJ-P0n3: What, he was great because he had a nice flank? Frédéric: What? No! Beauty Brass: WELL, MAYBE. Octavia: Beauty! Beauty Brass: [Blushing.] Oh dear ... I was TRYING to whisper that ... Octavia: You can’t whisper! Frédéric: As I was saying ... what she was truly pointing at was his cutie mark. I was stunned. We were in the first year of school! NOPONY had their cutie mark yet. It was impossible. I learned that Harpo was essentially a child prodigy. He had already played in concert halls, at such a young age, and everything he played was music he’d written himself. I couldn’t believe it. How could somepony be so ... so far ahead of me, after how hard I had slaved over that piano? It had to be wrong. I said, “I bet that cutie mark isn’t even real! It’s probably painted on!” So I ran right up to Harpo as he was playing his harp, and tried my best to wipe off the fake cutie mark. No matter how hard I tried, it stayed on. It was real, of course ... I was shocked. At this point I realized everypony was staring at me ... and that to the outside observer, it looked like I had just rubbed Harpo’s flank. DJ-P0n3: Pfft! Hey, I think Beauty Brass might be jealous of you now, Freddy. Beauty Brass: I-I AM NOT. REALLY ... SHUT UP! Frédéric: I looked up at Harpo. He said nothing, only raised his eyebrow. I laughed nervously and ran away. [Sigh.] So despite being horribly embarrassed, I kept going to music class. They of course let me play piano ... but I couldn’t play my own compositions. After all, Harpo was practically famous, so he was quite the draw at music recitals. And the worst part ... at least to me at the time, was that he was good. Not just good, magnificent. His music was beautiful and the way he played a harp ... I never much cared for the harp, but he made it sound ... angelic. I suppose I should have admired him ... but all I held back then was resentment. I wanted to topple a giant ... and I could hardly have a chance to even nip at its heels. Harpo: [Says nothing, blinks.] Frédéric: It was ... quite frustrating. All I wanted was a chance to prove myself, a chance to become great ... nopony is going to remember a piano player who only plays “Camptown Races.” DJ-P0n3: That’s ... a lot of pressure to put on yourself. I mean, you were just a kid. Frédéric: Perhaps ... but then, I was ... not the happiest child. [Sadly.] But that is what drives some musicians ... or at least me. The pressure to become great ... and the fear of being forgotten... DJ-P0n3: ...yeah. You’re right... [Pause.] Octavia: ...Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: [Perks up.] Hm? Oh! Sorry, lost my train of thought. Haha! Octavia: ... a-alright. Frédéric: But, regardless of that, I still persisted. I wrote music all the time, sometimes staying up all night to do so. Whenever I thought of quitting, I thought of Harpo. How long did he work on his? How many sleepless nights had he had? I wanted to think he slaved as hard as I did ... but my greatest fear was that it all came easy to him. What if it came easy to all those with talent? I didn’t know, I was just a child ... I was afraid that I was working so hard for something I could not achieve ... and that I was nothing but a fool. But I was more afraid of quitting. Harpo: [Says nothing, scoots chair closer to Frédéric. Pats him on the back with his hoof.] Frédéric: [Smiles.] Thank you. [Pause.] Frédéric: Where was I? Oh yes! [Chuckles.] Well, this went on for some time. Then one day, I showed the teacher more of my arrangements, some I was especially proud of. There was a big recital coming up very soon, so I begged her to just use one, just this once ... but I got the same dismissal I had before. It bothered me far more than usual. Instead of blaming the teacher, I blamed Harpo. He was in the corner, quiet as always, playing his harp. So I marched up to him, clutching the compositions in my hoof, and I shouted at him. I screamed at him like the idiot child I was, saying I was tired of his attitude, that he was stuck up and that the music he’d written was lazy and his harp playing was mediocre and that he had no talent. It was all lies ... unfair lies ... but I was so furious I did not care. He said nothing, as per usual for Harpo. I shouted “And don’t give me the silent treatment! I know you can talk! Don’t mock me! Say something! ANYTHING!” Harpo looked at me hard for a moment, then he just smirked ... and stuck out his tongue. And then I punched him. DJ-P0n3: You punched him? That’s ... a little violent for you. Octavia: I know. When I first heard this story, I couldn’t believe it either. Frédéric: Yes ... well, I wasn’t born a gentlecolt, after all. [Cough.] I realized this was a brash, idiotic idea a few seconds later, when Harpo glared at me and bit me in the shin. DJ-P0n3: Ouch. Frédéric: Yes, as I recall that was my reaction as well. [Chuckle.] It was the only fight I had ever been in. There was no style or grace, no concept of what was fair. We bit, kicked, head-butted, aimed for ungentlecolty anatomical targets, threw percussion instruments at the other’s head ... heh, I think we ended up destroying half that music room before they finally pulled us apart and sent us to the principal’s office. My snout was bleeding and there was an uncomfortable ringing in my ears, but I didn’t care. I was still mad. [Sigh.] Frédéric: We sat next to each other in the office, not acknowledging each other except through glares. Finally as I was waiting, my anger faded ... and I began to think of what I had done. After starting such a commotion, making a fool of myself in the music room ... there was surely no way they would play my work now. I looked at my work, music that I thought would never be heard outside of my own head ... and as much as it shamed me, my eyes began to well with tears. Harpo only stared at me, but I turned away ... and dropped all that I had written in the garbage. [Pause.] Frédéric: We both ended up suspended for several days. But then something very peculiar happened. On the day I returned from my suspension, Harpo did not. He had called out sick, but nopony worried. Surely he would be back soon! After all, the big recital was coming up ... then he was out the next day. And the next. And the next. And then everypony worried, especially the music teacher. Without Harpo to compose something, they had nothing. And it didn’t help that the school advertised prominently the child prodigy would be playing. What little confidence I had left stirred. I said I already had the perfect piece at home and could bring it in tomorrow. The teacher finally said yes! And I was happy ... of course, by that point I had thrown away everything I had before, so I spent that whole night writing something new ... and I thought it was my best work. Harpo: [Says nothing, but there is a glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes.] Frédéric: Finally, it was the night of the recital, but still nopony had seen Harpo. I ... finally got to hear everypony play my music ... I got to play something on the piano that I had written myself ... and at the end, there was a standing ovation. I stood there, overwhelmed ... hardly even noticing that my cutie mark had appeared the moment I finished. Even after all the shows I’ve ever done, all the places I have ever played ... nothing compared to the feeling I had there, in that auditorium ... DJ-P0n3: That’s ... that’s really sweet. Octavia: Yeah ... it’s a great feeling. You never forget the first time. DJ-P0n3: [Stifled laughter.] Octavia: What? Did I say something funny? DJ-P0n3: [Sweetly.] Oh, nothing. Octavia: Oh, don’t play innocent. I’ve known you long enough to know there isn’t an innocent bone in your body! DJ-P0n3: Not true! My femur is plenty innocent! Octavia: I’m ... shocked you even know that word. DJ-P0n3: Learned it from playing doctor. Frédéric: Anyway ... as I was leaving the show, who should I see as I walked out but Harpo. He walked up to me and gave me a little bow. I was so surprised to see him I temporarily forgot how mad I had been before. I said, “I thought you were sick.” Then, to my complete and utter shock, he smiled up at me and said, “I lied.” DJ-P0n3: Wait, wait ... hang on ... he said that? Frédéric: Yes. DJ-P0n3: He said words? Like ... with his mouth? Octavia: That is the traditional way one does that, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Well ... I just kinda thought he was mute. Frédéric: So did our entire school. He can talk just fine. He just doesn’t. DJ-P0n3: And ... wait a minute. He faked being sick? Why? Frédéric: I wanted to know the same thing. So I asked. And he said-- Harpo: [Coughs, clears throat.] Beauty Brass: ...HARPO? Harpo: [Whisper.] Perhaps ... I should tell it ... Frédéric: ...heh. I guess that’d be appropriate. DJ-P0n3: Whoa! Um ... yeah, go ahead, Harpo. Do you still remember what you said? Harpo: [Whisper.] I cannot forget. I told Frédéric how I had seen him cry. I told him I had pulled what he had written from the garbage. I read them. I could hear the music in my head ... and it was good. I am a composer myself and I know the work that goes into it. I could feel the hard work and toil that went into it. I felt that the colt who had fought me was my equal, somepony who shared the same drive I did, and I could not hate him because we are the same. He deserved a chance. I faked sick so that he could have that chance. He took it. And he performed better than I ever could. Frédéric: I didn’t know what to say. For a moment, I was angry. In my pride, I felt like I was forced to take charity from Harpo. I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, he laid something down at my hooves: the compositions I had tossed away. Do you remember what you said, Harpo? Harpo: [Smiling.] I do. I said, “And if you ever throw anything so beautiful away again, I will bite your shin off next time.” Frédéric: I looked at him, then I looked at the papers, then back at him. All of my anger was gone. I ... didn’t know what to feel. So eventually, all I could say was “Thank you.” And after that, we were inseparable. We played together, we composed together ... and the rest as they say is history. Harpo is, and always shall be, the best friend I’ve ever had. [Pause.] Beauty Brass: [Sniff.] THAT’S STILL SUCH A BEAUTIFUL STORY! DO YOU NEED A HUG? Frédéric: No I think I’m-- Beauty Brass: HUG! Frédéric: Oof! [Beauty Brass leaps over and hugs Frédéric and Harpo.] Beauty Brass: YOU ALL ARE MY BEST FRIENDS TOO! [Squeezes tighter.] Frédéric: [Trouble breathing.] Help ... me ... DJ-P0n3: [Grinning.] Oh ... I think we can help. Right, Octy? Octavia: I suppose we can. DJ-P0n3: GROUP HUG! Frédéric: [Strained laughter.] Not what I meant. [DJ-P0n3 and Octavia join in the hug.] Octavia: Aww ... this is nice ... Frédéric: [Strained.] So is breathing ... [Everypony stops hugging.] Frédéric: [Deep breath.] Alright then ... choking aside, that was very nice. Heh, I hope my story wasn’t too dull. DJ-P0n3: Not at all, Freddy. It was quite good! [Grins.] Not to mention this story is going to make you mad popular with the fillies. Frédéric: Really, I’m not too concerned about-- DJ-P0n3: Every filly out there, if you see Frédéric walking around, you should give him a big hug! Or whatever else feels appropriate! Frédéric: ... oh dear. DJ-P0n3: Don’t worry, Freddy. I’m gonna take you under my wing. I’ll get you the hook up. I know lots of fillies who aren’t picky and are eager to make bad decisions! Frédéric: ... is there a way to get out of this? Octavia: Well, it’s Vinyl, so ... no. Frédéric: I see. [Sigh.] Well, I suppose we should probably be going. I have to look over a few of those contracts we were sent. [Door opens.] This was ... quite fun. We should do this again. DJ-P0n3: Yeah ... we should. [Hoofsteps, door closes.] Beauty Brass: I SUPPOSE I SHOULD GO TOO! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! I LOVE BEING ON THE RADIO! Octavia: Yes ... we’d love to have you back just ... try to work on that volume problem. Beauty Brass: OKAY! I SHOULD [Cough.] I mean ... yes ... I should work on that. We should go now though. [Door opens.] Beauty Brass: SO! [Cough.] I mean ... so ... Harpo? Harpo: [Perks up, interested.] [Hoofsteps.] Beauty Brass: Well, I was wondering ... well ... maybe if you weren’t ... doing anything later maybe you wanted to... [Door closes, Beauty Brass’s words become indistinct.] Octavia: Well ... I hope all of you listeners enjoyed hearing the rest of my ensemble. They are quite a bunch. Right, Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: [Pause.] Octavia: [Softly.] Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: Oh, sorry. Hehe ... sorry. It’s just ... [Voice becomes softer.] That story really made me think. Octavia: Really? DJ-P0n3: I mean ... Freddy was that sad as a kid and nopony ever knew ... and he was so afraid of being forgotten. He lashed out and ... heh, kind of acted like a jerk and ... and didn’t really feel whole until he found a friend. It just made me think about ... things. [Brief pause.] Octavia: Vinyl? DJ-P0n3: Yeah? Octavia: Nopony would ever be able to forget you. No matter how much they tried. [Smiles.] Especially not me. DJ-P0n3: ... heh. Octy? Octavia: Yeah? DJ-P0n3: I’m ... glad I picked you as my co-host. Octavia: So am I ... DJ-P0n3: Heh ... well, I suppose we should wrap things up. [Perks up.] Hang on! We can’t end the show without having a big laugh at the end! [Door pops open.] Beauty Brass: OCTAVIA! OCTAVIA, I HAVE A DATE! [Bounces up and down.] I HAVE A DATE, I HAVE A DATE, I HAVE A DATE, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! [Horrifying electric feedback, sound of a speaker blowing out.] Beauty Brass: Oops ... was that bad? That sounded bad. DJ-P0n3: [Smiling.] Yep, that’ll do nicely. That’s all the time we have for tonight! G’night everypony! The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: Second Transmission [Crackling sound is heard over transmission.] [Fire extinguisher is being blown with Blueblood’s telekinesis.] Blueblood: [Out of breath.] Ugh ... ugh ... okay ... I think that’s the last of it. Phew ... [Fire extinguisher is put on the floor with a clank. Blueblood sits down. Trixie sits next to him.] Blueblood: ... you alright? Trixie: [Curtly.] Yeah. Yeah, whatever. Blueblood: What’s your problem? Trixie: What do you mean “what’s my problem?” Everypony listening is going to think Trixie’s a complete fool for setting a fire! They’re probably still laughing right now! Blueblood: Well ... um ... well, yes, if I had to pick a problem with the broadcast, the fire would definitely be among them. Trixie: GRR! Just leave Trixie alone, okay? You’re not helping! [Bitter.] As if Trixie needed more ponies laughing behind her back. Blueblood: Pardon? Trixie: [Angry.] Nevermind! Just ... [Sigh.] Just forget it. [Pause.] Blueblood: Um ... [Clears throat.] You know ... all this hard work and attempted arson must have made you hungry. Would you ... I mean, perhaps it would be best if we got something to-- Trixie: Are you seriously asking Trixie out after making fun of her? Blueblood: [Genuinely shocked.] I ... I thought humor would lighten the mood a-- Trixie: How dare you? How dare you laugh at Trixie?! Have you any idea how long I prepared that speech?! The work I put into it? Do you know how much showstopping power I put into that only to have it blow up in my face? Do you have any sense of decency? Do you ever think?! Blueblood: [Stammering.] I’ve ... dabbled. Trixie: Grr! You’re impossible! [Gets up from chair.] Trixie is going home. She shall entertain more of your idiocy tomorrow ... if you’re lucky! [Hoofsteps.] Blueblood: But I was just trying to-- [Door opens, then slams.] Blueblood: ... FINE! [Bitterly.] Be that way! Go on! I don’t care! I ... [Voice falters, becomes a soft whisper.] I don’t care at all ... [At this point in the recording, Blueblood apparently notices the console is active.] Blueblood: Oh ... oh dear. Um ... [False pleasantry.] Tune in tomorrow for another installment of the Prince Blueblood Show on National Pony ... [Stops, and sighs.] Just ... forget it. [Clicks button.] [End transmission.]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2013-01-26T00:01:20+00:00

2013-01-26T00:01:19+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Third Transcript: The Luna Interview [What follows is a transcript of episode 2F07, one day following the interview with Octavia’s ensemble and the first broadcast of rival radio station, National Pony Radio.] Octavia: [Imitating Vinyl’s voice.] Good morning, Equestria! Time for me to say something over-the-top that makes no sense and use the word ROCK a lot because of my limited vocabulary! It’s time for ... THE VINYL SCRATCH! [Record scratch.] Octavia: That’s right, the Vinyl Scratch. A show that is the brainchild of me, the Elegant Elitist Egotist herself, DJ-P0n3! DJ-P0n3: [Imitating Octavia’s voice.] And I’m Octavia, the prissy assistant who likes to speak in an overly dignified manner to try to make myself seem mature, when I truly enjoy my cohort’s antics. Octavia: [Stops impression, chuckles.] That’s actually not a bad impression. DJ-P0n3: [Still imitating.] In fact, I enjoy everything about Vinyl, that charismatic filly. Her talented wordplay, her angelic voice-- Octavia: Uh huh, okay, joke’s over. DJ-P0n3: [Octy voice.] Sometimes when I see Vinyl, I indulge in certain ... thoughts. Octavia: Ha, okay Vinyl, that’s enough. DJ-P0n3: [Not stopping.] Those red eyes, that blue mane ... she just seems so virile-- Octavia: Vinyl! [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] DJ-P0n3: Oh, come on, I’m just kidding around. Octavia: Just because you think something is fun doesn’t mean everypony else does! DJ-P0n3: Yes it does. Octavia: [Sigh.] It’s like talking to a child. DJ-P0n3: [Teasing.] I know you are, but what am I? Octavia: A moron. DJ-P0n3: Yeah, but I mean besides that? [Octavia snickers.] Octavia: Let’s just get on with the show. DJ-P0n3: Alright! Well, first of all, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Octavia and her ensemble on their recent ascent to godhood! Octavia: Um ... I think you might be overstating it a bit. DJ-P0n3: Maybe a little. You see, her ensemble (under the management of yours truly) has signed a big deal with Stallion Stereophonics! It’s a big step for them and they should feel very proud! Octavia: [Nervous laugh.] Well, it is ... a big opportunity, to be sure. DJ-P0n3: What’s wrong? You still feeling iffy about this? Octavia: Well ... I dunno. I’ve never really been in it for the money. It’s about the music. DJ-P0n3: That’s very true... buuuut it’s nice to have both. Like ... one is good, but both, that’s awesome. Just saying. Besides, it’s not really about money! It’s more about getting your name out there! Octavia: [Dryly.] Yes, because being on the most popular show in Equestria isn’t enough exposure. DJ-P0n3: Oh ... yeah. But still! Octavia: Listen, I am very grateful for all your help, Vinyl. And I do realize this is a big step for us. It’s just ... it feels weird. Our ensemble has been playing for a while, yes, but ... we were never widely popular until the concert. I’ve always been used to ... struggling, I guess. I suppose it’s a bit weird to think of myself something other than, well, an underdog. DJ-P0n3: Hm ... I guess that could be a bit strange. But the thing about underdogs is that they always win in the end! Octavia: Well ... either that or fall into obscurity and depression. DJ-P0n3: Heh, gotta love your cheery outlook on life sometimes, Octy. Octavia: [Chuckle.] You have enough dumb optimism for the both of us, Vinyl. [Octavia pauses.] Octavia: [Quietly.] But ... I realize my ensemble and I wouldn’t be at this point if it wasn’t for you and this show. So I just ... I just wanted to say ... DJ-P0n3: Octy? Octavia: Yeah? DJ-P0n3: Just give me a hug, stupid. [Octavia chuckles.] Octavia: You’re impossible. DJ-P0n3: Heh ... guess I am. [They hug.] Octavia: Thanks. DJ-P0n3: Anytime. Octavia: [Pause.] Um ... didn’t we have a show? DJ-P0n3: [Wistfully.] Yeah ... Octavia: Then you should probably stop hugging me now. DJ-P0n3: Wha- OH. Oh right ... [Nervous cough]. Right then. The interview. Yeah. We should like ... do that thing. Octavia: [Chuckles.] Way to stay professional, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Anyway! All you listeners are in for a treat today! We have a show unlike any other! We have the one, the only, Princess of the Night! That’s right, we have Princess Luna here for an interview! Are you excited? I sure am! Octavia: Yes, because the last time we had a Princess here, that went so well. DJ-P0n3: [Nervous chuckle.] Heh, yeah ... well, that’s all in the past! This time will be different! Seriously, it’ll be awesome! She’ll be able to set the record straight, we’ll all laugh and make friends, I’ll show her my rock opera ... Octavia: Oh dear. No. No. Just ... no. DJ-P0n3: What? Why? Octavia: Because there are laws against cruel and unusual punishment. [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] DJ-P0n3: Well, we’ll just see what she thinks herself. Please welcome ... Princess Luna! [Silence.] DJ-P0n3: Ahem ... Princess Luna! [Nothing happens.] DJ-P0n3: Princess Luna? [Whisper.] Uh oh. Octavia: Um ... are you sure she’s here? DJ-P0n3: Of course she is! I mean, every guest before has always been on time! Octavia: So ... you didn’t actually check? DJ-P0n3: Well ... not as such, no. Octavia: You mean you don’t check if our guests are here before we go on the air. Ever? DJ-P0n3: Um ... heh, well it sounds bad when you say it like that. Octavia: So ... let me get this straight. You mean every single show, you’ve never checked to see if our guests actually showed up first? You just loudly said their name and they always walked in? Is that what you’re telling me? DJ-P0n3: Yes. That’s basically the jist of it. Octavia: How do you function like this?! DJ-P0n3: Pretty good, apparently. Octavia: GAH! [Head hits the desk.] DJ-P0n3: So um ... sorry for the technical difficulties, folks ... Octavia: [Muttering.] More like mental difficulties. DJ-P0n3: Heh ... well, we’re gonna put some music on while we sort of ... figure out what’s going on. Don’t touch that dial. You’re listening to THE VINYL SCRATCH! [Cuts to music.] The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: The Argument [Crackling sound heard over transmission.] [Door swings open.] Trixie: [Grumbling.] Not sure why I even bother showing up early. Probably isn’t even here yet, that miserable sack of-- Blueblood: Hello, Trixie. [Sound of cider being poured into glass.] Trixie: [Shocked.] Prince?! Oh ... [Clears throat.] Trixie didn’t expect to see you here so early. You’re lucky the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie returned at all. Blueblood: [Dejected.] Lucky? Me? Heh ... you clearly don’t know me that well. [Takes sip of cider.] Trixie: Um ... [cough.] Are ... are you drinking? Blueblood: No, I’m knitting a quilt, yes I’m drinking. [Takes sip.] Was that good? I’ve been practicing my sarcasm. Was that funny? Trixie: [Uncomfortable.] Not ... not as such, no. [Tries to raise voice.] The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie is ... [Voice falters.] Okay, seriously, are you alright? You’re drinking at like ... eight in the morning. Blueblood: It’s morning now? Oh ... Trixie: You’ve been drinking all night?! Blueblood: Not all night. Don’t be ridiculous. Trixie: Oh. Good. Blueblood: I mean, at some point I had to get up and go to the bathroom. Wasn’t drinking then. [Takes sip.] At least I don’t think I was. Trixie: Uh ... huh. [Pause.] Are ... are we on the air now? Blueblood: I dunno, probably. Trixie: Probably?! Blueblood: Well this thing seems to turn off and on when it wants to. Trixie: Ugh! You must be doing something wrong, then. Machines don’t just do that on their own. Blueblood: They might if they were set on fire. Trixie: Oh, oh, that’s real mature! What are you trying to do, make Trixie feel stupid? Blueblood: No... [Takes sip, slurs.] I’m just saying a stupid thing happened and you were the direct cause. Take from that what you will. Trixie: ... what ... did you just say to Trixie? Blueblood: [Slurs.] And another thing, why do you call yourself “Trixie” like that? Trixie this, Trixie that. Are you afraid you’ll forget your name if you don’t? Are you that dense? Trixie: [Eerily calm.] Say that again. Blueblood: I didn’t stutter. Let me put this in terms you’ll understand. Blueblood (that’s me) just asked Trixie (that’s you, in case you needed a reminder) if she really is that dense. Then Trixie (that’s you again) asked Blueblood (that’s me) to say that again. Evidently Trixie (you) didn’t hear it right the first time. [Takes sip.] Is that sufficient? [There is a pause, then Trixie grabs glass and shatters it against a wall.] Blueblood: Hey! That was only half-empty! Trixie: I DON’T CARE! [Slams hoof down on the table.] You know, Trixie took this job thinking that you could make her look good. And you know what, you did! Because ANYPONY would look like a saint next to YOU! I almost felt SORRY for you, because I thought I had hurt your feelings by turning you down, that that was the reason you got sauced! But you know what, if this is how you treat somepony, I don’t care! I don’t care because YOU don’t care. You don’t care about anything or ANYPONY but yourself. If you’re drinking yourself into a coma because you’re depressed, you know what, YOU PROBABLY DESERVE TO! Blueblood: [Shaking with rage.] Oh, and I suppose you think you know everything about me, huh?! And who are you to call me selfish? All you talk about is yourself! If you think I’m that horrible, I suppose that makes us two peas in a pod! Trixie: Psh! If Trixie was EVER as big a jerk as you, Trixie would throw herself out the window. Blueblood: Go right ahead, I’ll open it for you! Need a push? You’d probably be too chicken to go through with it otherwise, coward. Trixie: Oh! Oh, is that what you think? Keep talking. That fire yesterday is about HALF of what Trixie can do to you, you failure! Blueblood: Oh, really? I doubt that very seriously. You couldn’t even fight an Ursa Minor! Trixie: WHAT?! Blueblood: Yeah. Bet you didn’t know I knew that. I looked into it. I know all about what happened in Ponyville. You couldn’t defeat an Ursa Minor and my auntie’s apprentice had to bail you out. You’re all talk! You act like you’re the big hero, but I know that, underneath all that, you’re just ... small. You think I’m a failure? LOOK IN THE MIRROR! [Long pause.] Trixie: [Voice shaky.] You ... you ... Blueblood: [Softly.] Oh Celestia, are you crying? Trixie: [Voice cracks.] Just shut up! Blueblood: I ... oh dear. Listen, I was ... look, I didn’t mean ... here, let me-- Trixie: [Furious.] Get away from me! Forget this! Trixie QUITS! Trixie never wants to see you again! [Rises from chair, chair clatters to the floor.] Blueblood: But I ... I’m-- Trixie: Save it! Do the show yourself, oh gallant Prince! I’m-- [Door knocks loudly.] Trixie: Oh, for Celestia’s sake ... [Yelling.] Whoever it is, go away! We’re busy! Or not home! Or dead! Whatever Trixie has to say to make you go away! [A great, booming regal voice emerges beyond the door.] Voice: CLEARLY GREETING ETIQUETTE HAS GROSSLY CHANGED IN OUR ABSENCE! IT WAS ONCE CUSTOMARY TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR A GUEST! Trixie: Wait ... what? Blueblood: [Stiffens.] Uh oh. Voice: It is of little import. Tis our duty to adapt to modern customs. We shall gently allow ourselves in. [The sound of a horn glowing is heard, followed by the door being shot off its hinges and crashing to the floor.] Voice: Oh ... pardon. We are having difficulty practicing restraint. Trixie: [Stammering in shock.] You ... you’re ... Blueblood: ... auntie Luna? Luna: Yes, little Prince. But ‘auntie’ is not the only title we bear. Is this the speaking apparatus for this contraption? Trixie: You mean the microphone? Luna: Yes, what thou said. [Raises voice, room shakes. Speakers distort.] HEAR ME, CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA. ALL WITHIN THE SOUND OF OUR VOICE, HEAR AND BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT! [Speakers distort, loud pop is heard.] [Transmission disrupted.] The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Third Transcript: The Luna Interview The No-Show Episode (Continued) [Music ends after several minutes.] Octavia: Hello, listeners. Just wanted to give an update on this um ... unconventional situation here. Vinyl is currently on the phone trying to contact the castle and see if we can locate Princess Luna’s whereabouts-- DJ-P0n3: [On telephone.] What do you mean you don’t know where she is?! Octavia: Which is going swimmingly, as you can tell. DJ-P0n3: She left already? Well, she sure isn’t here! [Pause.] Yes, I’m sure. [Pause.] Look, I don’t think I’d just overlook a Princess being there or not. [Pause.] Okay, look, can you put Princess Celestia on the phone? [Pause.] Yes, she knows who I am. I made fun of her publicly. We’re like best friends! [Pause.] No, I don’t have any shame, what does that have to do with-- hello? Hello? [Slams phone down.] DJ-P0n3: ... nice guy. Octavia: So ... basically we’re right back where we started. We have no idea where she is. Did we have a Plan B? DJ-P0n3: “Winging it” is Plan B. Octavia: Why do I have a feeling that was Plan A too? DJ-P0n3: Um ... I could ... I dunno ... pretend I’m Princess Luna and you could interview me. [Clears throat, speaks in deeper voice that sounds nothing like Princess Luna.] I AM PRINCESS LUNA. I USED TO LIVE ON THE MOON ... MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON. Octavia: ... DJ-P0n3: ... that’s all I got. Can we pad that out to a half hour? Octavia: [Sigh.] I just don’t understand. Nopony’s ever stood us up before. DJ-P0n3: Yeah. I mean, nopony but the Prince. [Pause.] Hey ... you don’t ... you don’t think ... [Pause.] Octavia: [Half-hearted chuckle.] No, no, that’s impossible. He couldn’t have anything to do with this. DJ-P0n3: Psh! Yeah, t-that’d just be ridiculous. Like he’d ever do anything competent. I mean, look who we’re talking about! Octavia: Right. DJ-P0n3: Right! Octavia: [Whisper.] Right. [Pause, followed by knocking at the door.] DJ-P0n3: Yeah! See, that’s probably the Princess right now. She’s probably just late because she’s on ... I dunno, lunar time or something. Octavia: There’s no such thing. DJ-P0n3: Well, why don’t we ask her? [Hoofsteps, door opens.] DJ-P0n3: [Cheerful.] Welcome to the studio, Princess Lu-- you’re not Princess Luna. [A pegasus with a ditzy voice and a cheerful attitude is at the door, holding a mailbag.] Derpy: [Confused.] Um ... am I supposed to be? DJ-P0n3: No, I guess not ... how can I help you? Derpy: Are you ... [Checks mail bag.] Ms. Vinyl Agatha Scratch? Octavia: [Yelling in background.] Agatha?! DJ-P0n3: [Yelling back.] Shut up! [Turns back to Derpy.] I mean ... yes ... yes, that’s me. Derpy: I have a letter for you. [Derpy hands DJ-P0n3 a letter held in her mouth.] Derpy: Thank you for choosing Derpy Express. Have a nice day. [Flaps wings.] DJ-P0n3: Watch the ceiling! [Thud.] Derpy: Ouch! Sorry ... [Wing flapping disappears in the distance, door closes. DJ-P0n3 sits back down.] Octavia: [Snicker.] Agatha ... DJ-P0n3: Yeah, yeah, I know! Enough about that. Should we open it? Octavia: Well ... it’s not like we have anything else planned right now. [DJ-P0n3 tears letter open.] DJ-P0n3: [Muttering.] Alright, let’s see here ... ah, it’s from Princess Luna! [Mutters to herself while reading.] “Apologize for such short notice,” yada yada, “with heavy regret,” blah blah, “we shall not be able to grant an audience with thee as previously scheduled ...” Wait, what?! Octavia: Does it say why? DJ-P0n3: Hang on, hang on! It’s hard to read with sunglasses! [Pause.] Wait ... [Sudden anger.] Oh, that arrogant little two-faced snake! Octavia: What?! DJ-P0n3: [Reading.] “Unfortunately, we have an urgent meeting of a most personal matter to attend to with our nephew, Prince Blueblood.” [Crumples letter.] That jerk! He probably snaked the interview right from under us by lying to the Princess! Octavia: That ... well, maybe there’s another explanation. DJ-P0n3: Oh, don’t be naïve! This ... [Frustrated grunt.] Well, I’m not going to take this lying down! [Vinyl stands up, chair falls over, followed by hoof steps.] Octavia: Vinyl! W-what are you doing? DJ-P0n3: Getting to the bottom of this! I’ll be back in a bit! Bail money is under the desk! [Door opens.] Octavia: Wait! What am I supposed to do about the show? DJ-P0n3: I dunno, do something cute. Octavia: Something cu-- DJ-P0n3: Be back in a bit. Later, sweetie! [Door closes.] Octavia: [Sigh.] Why do I have a feeling I’m going to end up in court again? [Nervously.] Um ... so ... listeners. Um ... how ‘bout them Wonderbolts? Heh heh ... [Groan.] I have a bad feeling about this. The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: The Luna Interview [Crackling sounds heard over transmission.] Trixie: ... I think it’s working now. Luna: Our apologies! We had no idea modern technology could not contain the Royal Canterlot voice. We are sincerely sorry for making thy speakers collapse. Blueblood: [Muttering.] Kind of day I’ve had, there was a fifty-fifty chance of that happening anyway. Luna: Pardon? Blueblood: Nothing. [Sigh.] [Trixie and Blueblood begin whispering to one another.] Trixie: [Whispering.] You could summon up a bit more enthusiasm, you dolt. Blueblood: [Whispering.] What do you care? Weren’t you in middle of storming out of here anyway? Trixie: Trixie is not staying for your sake, if that’s what you think. The Princess showing up is the only interesting thing that’s happened on this show. It would be a disservice to deprive her of a chance to meet with the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie. Blueblood: [Sigh.] Should have known better ... Trixie: What? Blueblood: Nothing. Forget it. Luna: [Loudly.] Is this whispering normal? Should we be whispering now also? Trixie: [Raises voice, overly cheerful.] No, no, of course not. Blueblood: So auntie ... to what do I owe the pleasure? Luna: [Hesitates.] Oh. I ... [Cough.] We simply wished to drop in on our nephew. Is that not normal? Blueblood: Well ... no. I ... don’t get very many visitors. Ever, really. Not even on holidays. Trixie: [Pause.] Are ... are you being serious? Blueblood: [Bitter.] What do you care? [Silence.] Luna: [Clears throat.] Perhaps we should change the subject. Um ... oh! Perhaps, Prince, thou shouldst introduce me to thy ... companion? Trixie: [Off-guard.] Oh ... I- I’m Trixie. Blueblood: ... that it? You’re not going to give yourself a grandiose introduction? Trixie: Huh? Sorry, Trixie just has a lot on her mind right now. [Pause.] Like, seriously? You have no visitors at all? Blueblood: I really don’t feel like talking about-- Luna: [Overly cheerful interruption.] We are most honored to meet thee, Miss Trixie. We have heard thou art most talented at magic ... Trixie: How would you know that? Luna: Oh. Well ... we have listened to thy program. We recall thee speaking of thy magical prowess. Blueblood: [Perks up.] Wait, wait ... auntie you ... you listen to our show? Luna: Of course. Trixie: Yeah, what’s weird about that? Blueblood: Because the ratings from yesterday showed only two ponies actually heard our show ... Luna: ... oh. [Pause.] Trixie: Wait ... does this mean nopony heard Trixie’s grand speech yesterday? Luna: We did. We enjoyed it. Thou hast a flair for dramatic thunder. Trixie: Oh. Well. [Chuckles.] Thank you. Luna: We find it more effective in the outdoors though. Trixie: Yes. I gathered that much. Blueblood: But I ... I’m afraid I don’t understand. Why would you listen my show? I mean, honestly, the whole reason I’m doing this is to make my enemies angry ... disregarding the fact I muffed that up too. Why ... why would you, of all ponies, enjoy listening to me? Why are you really here? Luna: [Honestly confused.] Little prince ... isn’t it obvious? Blueblood: Well ... perhaps, but I’m notoriously dense. Luna: Tis not necessary to be so hard on thyself. Trixie: No ... no, he is kinda. Blueblood: Yes. Luna: We ... [Lowers voice.] I am your aunt. You are family. I have ... not always been a good at keeping family ties. I was a horrible sister ... a horrible ruler ... and I deserved far worse than the punishment I received. I have a second chance ... and I shall not squander it. I wish to be better family than I once was. I listened because thou art my nephew. And I came because I heard thee in pain ... I hear thy voice echo the same loneliness mine once did. What kind of aunt would I be if I ignored it? Blueblood: I ... [Whisper.] I’ve done nothing to deserve such kindness. Ask anypony. I’m horrible. [Bitter laugh.] I spent all night drinking and shouted at my only friend ... Trixie: [Pause.] You ... you consider me a friend? Blueblood: You’re the only pony who ... tolerates me. Perhaps that’s the most I can hope for. Luna: Prince ... why art thou so sad? Trixie: Yeah ... this isn’t all because I turned you down yesterday, is it? Blueblood: No ... that’s not it. It’s all of it ... [Sigh.] I ... know I’m not the best pony alive. I know I’ve even done selfish things ... but it is hard, knowing that every single pony in this kingdom thinks the world would be better off without me. I ... thought I was doing the right thing, something noble, by standing up to that DJ, doing something clever ... and all it lead to was make her mad enough to embarrass me publicly. I got angry and I tried to get back at her. I wanted justice, but that only made everypony hate me more. Heh ... you know, I checked my approval rating not long ago. It’s -1%. Which I’m not even sure is possible since that means less than zero ponies like me, but I’m inclined to believe it. I was never popular before ... after all, I’ve only had one bloody date my entire life and I managed to mess that up too ... but at least then, I had some respect. [Sadness vanish as anger slowly rises in Blueblood’s voice.] Blueblood: Now everypony outright hates me. I get shunned, have things thrown at me, get hateful phone calls all the time ... there’s even a foal who hurls a rock through my window every month. A foal doesn’t even like me. And even if I forced him to stop, everypony would just find some reason to hate me for THAT too. I could walk out of the studio now and hand puppies and kittens to every child in Canterlot, and it STILL wouldn’t be enough. My name is less than dirt now, my dignity gone, any self-respect I had ... destroyed. All because of her. Luna: Who? Blueblood: You mean you don’t know? Luna: No? Should we? We don’t believe thou hast mentioned this ... individual on thy show before. Blueblood: Oh ... I suppose you wouldn’t know if you only listen to my show. She is the one who ruined my life ... the one who time and time again goes out her way to humiliate me ... she is -- [Loud hoofsteps ascend the stairs.] DJ-P0n3: [In the distance.] BLUEBLOOD! Blueblood: [Shocked.] She’s here. Luna: Pardon? [The hoofsteps get louder until they suddenly stop as DJ-P0n3 stands in the doorway.] Blueblood: [Filled with venom.] Vinyl Scratch. Luna: [Surprised.] What? DJ-P0n3: Alright, Princey, you’ve got something to answer for this-- hey, who blew the door up? Luna: That ... that was us. DJ-P0n3: [Cheerful.] Oh, hello Princess Luna. It’s an honor. I feel bad we couldn’t have that interview. Luna: Wha- oh, we understand now! Thou must be that other radio show host. We apologize that we had to cancel. We-- DJ-P0n3: You don’t have to apologize, Princess. I’m just sorry you were tricked by this ... sorry excuse for a colt! Luna: ... what? DJ-P0n3: [To Blueblood.] Bet you thought it was really sneaky, trying to snake an interview out from under me! I don’t know how you did it. My working theory involves hypnosis and ... a room filled with mirrors or something. Blueblood: [Sigh.] Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t need this right now. Do you think you can destroy my dignity some other time, I’ve had kind of a day-- DJ-P0n3: [Recoils.] Oh Celestia, your breath smells like a sewer! What did you do, drink garbage water and gargle skunk spray? Blueblood: Not that I know of. DJ-P0n3: Jeez! You smelt bad enough before! [Shakes head.] But anyway, you must have thought it was a pretty sweet plan, but you’ve got another thing coming if you think I was going to stand for you deceiving one of my guests. Luna: [Meekly.] Pardon us, but we believe this may be a misunderstanding-- [DJ-P0n3 gives no indication she hears the Princess.] DJ-P0n3: After all, it must have been a trick. Who would actually CHOOSE to be around you? Luna: [Raises voice.] Now, see here-- Blueblood: [Bitter.] I don’t suppose many would, after you humiliated me. DJ-P0n3: You messed with my friend! Blueblood: You started it when you insulted my auntie Celestia! Luna: [Anger rises.] Wait ... THOU art the one who interviewed our sister?! DJ-P0n3: [Seems to hear Luna for first time] Huh? Oh yeah. It was the first show. It was all in good fun. Luna: Fun? DJ-P0n3: Uh huh. [Turns back to Blueblood.] And don’t pretend like you’re doing this for Celestia! All you care about it yourself! That’s all you’ve EVER cared about. Blueblood: [Whispering.] And I suppose you just get everything about me, don’t you? DJ-P0n3: There’s not much to “get.” You’re just so ... simple. You’re just a mad, angry little colt who cries when he doesn’t get what he wants. [Luna gives a low growl, mutters something indistinct. In the background, the sky begins to get dark. Lightning can now be heard in the distance. Meanwhile, Trixie steps forward.] Trixie: What is your problem, you psycho?! Just lay off and go back to your own boring show. DJ-P0n3: [Mock joy.] Aww, Princey, you made a friend. Blueblood: Well ... we’re not really-- Trixie: You’re darn right Trixie’s his friend! Nopony insults him but TRIXIE! DJ-P0n3: [Sigh.] Look, Trixie ... you don’t seem all that bad and I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but ... you’re just wasting your time. He’s completely selfish and he’s just going to hurt you in the end. Trixie: But not before I hurt you. [The thunder gets louder. The sky outside gets darker.] DJ-P0n3: He made my friend cry and locked one of HER friends in the bathroom! This is the pony you’re defending! He can’t even stand up for himself, he has to hide behind you! Why are you defending such a loser?! Luna: SILENCE! [There is a loud thunderclap punctuating Luna’s command. Her eyes glow as the sky outside is covered in black clouds. Luna’s voice echoes with such power, each word seems to hit with concussive force.] DJ-P0n3: [Shaken.] Um ... i-is there a problem, Princess? Luna: IN ALL OUR YEARS ... IN ALL OUR MILLENIA OF LIVING ... WE HAVE NOT SEEN SUCH IMPUDENCE ... SUCH LACK OF RESPECT ... SUCH AN INSULT AS THIS! [Thunderclap.] Luna: THOU DAREST TO INSULT OUR FAMILY BEFORE OUR VERY EYES?! DJ-P0n3: I ... um ... A-am I missing something here? Trixie: [Grinning.] Oh, Trixie wish she had popcorn for this. DJ-P0n3: I ... [Stammers.] But this doesn’t make any sense. You ... Blueblood didn’t trick you into coming here? Luna: WE CAME OF OUR OWN VOLITION! WE CAME TO COMFORT OUR DEAR NEPHEW AFTER HEARING HOW DISTRAUGHT HE WAS OVER THE RADIO. A STATE FOR WHICH WE NOW KNOW THOU ART TO BLAME! DJ-P0n3: Hey now, that’s not the whole story-- Luna: QUIET! [There is a loud crack of thunder outside, as if the lightning had struck closer.] DJ-P0n3: Eep! Luna: WE HAD ... REGRETTED HAVING TO CANCEL OUR PRIOR ENGAGEMENT BEFORE ... AFTER ALL, THOU HADST ASKED US KINDLY TO APPEAR ON THY SHOW. WE HAD ASSUMED THOU HADST RESPECT FOR US. DJ-P0n3: I do have respect for-- Luna: BUT NOW WE FIND OUT THAT THOU HATH CAUSED OUR OWN BLOOD MUCH DISTRESS! THOU HAST LEFT RUIN IN THY WAKE WITH THY WORDS ... AND THOU DOST NOT CARE EVEN SLIGHTLY! DJ-P0n3: Hey, he started it. I was just-- Luna: THAT ALONE WOULD BE ENOUGH OF AN INSULT ... BUT NOW THOU SAYEST THOU ART THE SAME ONE WHO INTERVIEWED OUR SISTER MONTHS AGO! DJ-P0n3: Um ... yeah, but what does that have to-- [Thunder strikes outside, the sound of the wind gusting can be heard.] Luna: IT WAS THEE WHO HUMILIATED OUR SISTER ON THE AIR, CRITICIZING HER, ASSASSINATING HER CHARACTER IN REGARDS TO HER DECISION TO BANISH US! DJ-P0n3: Um ... well, yeah. That ... did sort of happen. [Confidently.] But so what? Celestia’s a class act, but it wasn’t right of her to do that. Why would you be mad about-- Luna: BECAUSE THOU WERT NOT THERE! WE HAD BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE JEALOUSY AND DISCORD IN OUR HEART. WE HAD BEEN PREPARED TO PLUNGE EQUESTRIA INTO DARKNESS. WE WERE WRONG, WE SPAT AT OUR SISTER’S EFFORTS FOR PEACE, WE WERE SELFISH, MALEVOLENT ... OUR SISTER HAD NO CHOICE! THOU HAST NO RIGHT TO CRITICIZE. SHE PUT THE SAFETY OF EQUESTRIA BEFORE HER OWN FEELINGS. SHE LET US LIVE WHEN WE DESERVED TO FALL! SHE ... [Luna lowers voice to a whisper. As her voice lowers, the storm outside becomes quiet and stops.] Luna: She did the same thing we would have. And she had nothing to apologize for ... as much as she may believe now. My sister ... thought she had wronged me, thought she was horrible, all because of that interview. [Quiet anger.] Had we known thou wert the same creature that interviewed our sister, we would never have agreed in the first place. [There is a pause. DJ-P0n3 struggles to find her words.] DJ-P0n3: This ... I ... listen, I’m sorry about that. I ... I just wanted to have a good show and I thought somepony, anypony, should say something, ANYTHING about how you were treated. I was ... [Whisper.] I was trying to do the right thing. Luna: You failed. DJ-P0n3: [Shaken.] I ... but I wasn’t ... I didn’t ... [Pause.] I ... I have to go ... [There are quick hoofsteps, as DJ-P0n3 disappears down the stairs.] Luna: [Takes deep breath.] Whew. We ... might have overdone it a bit. Trixie: No ... no, Trixie thinks that was just the right amount. Who did she think she is? Right, Princey?! Blueblood: [Oddly quiet.] Yes ... yes, I suppose. Trixie: Huh? Luna: [Sigh.] We must learn to control our temper. Justified or not, when we lose control it leads to ... consequences. Trixie: Like what? Luna: Nightmare Moon. Trixie: Oh ... oh, yeah. Luna: Now ... we must depart! Prince? Blueblood: Yes? Luna: We ... understand how hard it is when one feels shunned by Equestria. We felt lonely ... jealous ... and it led only to darkness ... just ... [Pause.] Remember you are not alone. Blueblood: [Shakily.] ... thank you, auntie Luna. Luna: Anytime. [Hoofsteps, followed by the flap of wings.] Trixie: Well ... that was interesting. Heh, you know, Trixie had no idea that DJ was such a loony. I mean, Trixie knew you said she was a jerk but jeez ... clearly she didn’t recognize she was speaking to the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie! Guess she got what was coming, right Princey? [Silence.] Trixie: Prince? Blueblood: [Sadly.] Yes? Trixie: What’s wrong? Your arch-nemesis just got told off by a goddess; you should have a stronger reaction to this. Blueblood: [Weak smile.] Well, I suppose that was a bit cathartic ... but it doesn’t really change anything. Nopony even listens to this show ... as much as I’m touched my auntie actually cares, I’d be surprised if even one other pony actually heard that. [Sigh.] Tomorrow I’ll still be hated, Vinyl Scratch will still be considered the big hero, and foals will still throw things through my windows ... Trixie: [Softly.] Hey, you don’t know. Maybe things will get better. Blueblood: [Bitter laugh.] I sincerely doubt that ... I’ve given up thinking will ever get better for me ... [Darkly.] I just want things to get worse for her. [Pause.] Hey? Trixie: Yeah? Blueblood: Can I ask you something? You were all set to leave me here not long ago. You said I really was horrible ... but you still stood up for me against Vinyl. Why? Trixie: Oh. Oh! [Dismissively.] Heh, well, don’t get any funny ideas! It’s not as if Trixie cared or anything ... Trixie was just annoyed by her! Nothing more! Blueblood: Oh. Trixie: [Pause.] Besides ... you’re not the only pony who thinks nopony cares about them. [Brief pause.] Blueblood: [Slightly amused.] Heh ... this has been an interesting show. Trixie: Yes ... Trixie supposes. [Defensively.] Hey hey! Don’t smile at me like that! Trixie thinks you’re getting too familiar! Blueblood: My apologies! [Chuckle.] I suppose Luna was right ... I really am not alone ... I think ... that helps. [Sigh.] This would be a more touching moment if my head didn’t feel like a chariot ran me over, drug me for several feet, then left me in a ditch. Trixie: That tends to happen when you drink alone all night, you idiot! Blueblood: Tell you what, next time I’ll invite you. Trixie: [Playfully.] Hmph! Trixie’s sure she’ll have better things to do ... but she might on the slim-to-nonexistent chance she has nothing to do. Blueblood: Heh ... I’ll take what I can get. Anyway, I think I’ll leave a bit early today. Hopefully the hangover will go away soon ... or ultimately kill me, one of the two. Trixie: Later. [Hoofsteps, door swings open.] Blueblood: Oh, and Trixie? Trixie: Yeah? Blueblood: Thank you ... for being my friend. Trixie: [Mock groan.] Don’t be such a sap, Princey. Blueblood: [Chuckle.] Fair enough ... it’s just ... good to know Vinyl hasn’t made my life completely hopeless ... farewell. [Door shuts.] Trixie: [Whispering.] Oh don’t worry, Princey. Vinyl will get her just desserts. Just leave that to the Trixie the Great. [Sound becomes distorted.] [Transmission ends.] The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Third Transcript: The No-Show Episode (Continued) [Due to the radio transmission being distorted by a mysterious storm that suddenly appeared and vanished in Canterlot the day of the recording, much of Octavia’s solo show was not recorded. This transcript resumes roughly fifteen minutes after Vinyl’s exit.] Octavia: [Resuming midsentence.] -- and then they made Beauty Brass and I clean up all the broken glass before they threw us out. So that’s why we no longer work in a department store. But I liked the bow-tie that came with the uniform, so I’ve always worn it since then. I think it suits me. [Pause.] Well, it appears Vinyl’s still not back yet ... I’m running out of ideas for stories now. I suppose I could call Spitfire, see if she has anything embarrassing about Vinyl to share with-- [Door opens slowly.] Octavia: Ah, there you are! You missed it, Vinyl. I was sharing embarrassing stories about myself. It wasn’t the same without you hear to appreciate it. DJ-P0n3: [Quietly.] Oh ... okay. Octavia: ... something wrong? DJ-P0n3: No, no, I’m ... I’m fine ... Octavia: So ... is Princess Luna with you? DJ-P0n3: No. No, she isn’t. I ... don’t think she’ll be coming back for an interview. Octavia: What? Are you sure? DJ-P0n3: Pretty sure, yeah. I’m sorry about that, listeners ... [Whispering.] I’m really sorry. Octavia: ... okay, what happened? You’re not acting like yourself. DJ-P0n3: What do you mean? Octavia: Well, you’re not all ... “ROCK AND ROLL, ELECTRIC GUITAR, PYROTECHNICS, YELLING RANDOM THINGS!” [Lowers voice.] It’s ... strange. DJ-P0n3: Yeah, it’s ... it’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. [Pause.] C-can I ask you something? Octavia: Um ... yeah. DJ-P0n3: And I want you to be honest with me. Octavia: Of course. What is it? [DJ-P0n3 pauses for a moment, then there is a clattering sound as she places her sunglasses on the desk. She speaks in a soft voice.] DJ-P0n3: Am ... am I a bad pony? Octavia: What? What are you ... why are you asking that? DJ-P0n3: I ... I don’t know. [Pause.] Do ... do you think you’d be comfortable running the show solo again tomorrow? I think maybe I want to take a day off. Octavia: But ... you never take a day off. Ever. DJ-P0n3: I know. But ... maybe I should. [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Quietly.] Well, I suppose we’ll just call it a day. Remember to tune in tomorrow for another episode of ... of the Vinyl Scratch. [Hoofsteps, followed by door opening.] Octavia: Wait, Vinyl! What’s going on? You forgot to turn off the console! I ... [Clears throat.] Sorry about this, listeners. Tune in tomorrow. Hopefully Vinyl will be feeling better. See you next time. [Yelling.] Hey Vinyl, wait up! What happened?! Vinyl?! [End transmission.]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2013-01-26T00:04:06+00:00

2013-01-26T00:04:04+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Fourth Transcript: A Very Special Episode [What follows is a transcript of episode 2F08, one day following the infamous episode where DJ-P0n3 abruptly left the radio station .] [Sound of a reel-to-reel tape player being played is heard.] Octavia: [Recorded message.] Hello, listeners. This is Octavia, here with a pre-recorded message, assuming I’ve figured out how to work this thing right. I know you’re probably expecting to hear Vinyl’s voice right now, saying something completely insane before she tells you this is the Vinyl Scratch. [A sound of a record being scratched is heard.] Octavia: [Sigh.] Somehow it’s just not the same ... [Cough.] Unfortunately, that isn’t the case right now. Vinyl is feeling a bit ... unwell. If you happened to listen to that other radio show yesterday, you probably have some idea why. I’d like to go into it right now, but I know Vinyl wouldn’t want to talk about it. She’s always been a bit stubborn, heh. [Pause.] Octavia: She asked me to do today’s show alone. I asked her what she wanted me to do ... and instead of making a joke like normal, she just said whatever I wanted to do would be fine. And then she just sat there, not saying anything. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to do, but I finally figured it out. I just need some more time to get it together, so today’s episode will be a bit delayed. For now, we’ll just be playing some music. [Pause.] Octavia: And to anypony who might be listening ... I know things might seem sad right now, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, things never stay that way. There’s always hope. And if Vinyl were herself right now, I think she’d agree. Trust me. [Smile.] I’ll be seeing you all soon enough ... [Click.] [Music starts playing.] The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: Mail Call [Crackling sound heard over transmission.] [Clanking is heard against metal.] Blueblood: [Exhausted.] Okay then. Either that’s fixed the issue with this console or broken it more. So there’s a fifty-fifty chance I’m simply talking to myself now. Ah well. [Sound of wrench being thrown to the floor is heard.] Blueblood: Not too shabby, considering I had to do it all myself. I cannot believe every mechanic I tried to call in hung up on me. Well, all except for the one who had enough etiquette to verbally abuse me before hanging up. [Lowers voice.] Then again ... should I have expected anything different? [Pause.] Blueblood: [Takes deep breath.] Well ... nevermind that. I should take auntie Luna’s advice. Have to remember I’m not alone ... somewhat ironic to think about that now considering my co-host hasn’t shown up yet. Not sure why, but no matter. Have to remain productive. If I don’t, I’ll just do something stupid that will make everypony hate me more. Should be easy. After all, it’s not as if I’m consumed by thoughts of revenge and spite every waking moment that I know will end in an inevitable self-destructive spiral into darkness and loneliness. [Chuckles nervously.] Because that would be ridiculous. [Clears throat.] Blueblood: Well, anywho, I suppose I should attempt to run this radio show professionally. Hello, listeners ... that is to say, probably just Luna. Hi auntie. Now then ... I don’t have a guest today. Or a co-host. Or any kind of plan. [Pause.] I um ... well, there is this one joke I heard. So a griffin, a mule, and a seamstress walk into a bowling alley ... [There is a knocking at the door.] Blueblood: Oh, pardon me a moment. [Hoofsteps, door opens.] Derpy: Hello there! Are you Prince Blueblood? Blueblood: Um ... yes. Why? Derpy: I have a giant bag of fan mail for you. [Grunts.] [Drops heavy bag of mail on floor.] Blueblood: [Shocked.] B-but that’s impossible! I hardly ever get any mail! And I don’t have fans! Derpy: Well, apparently you do, cause they sent mail! [Giggles.] I’m glad you have mail now. Everypony likes mail! Mail makes every pony happy! Well, except bills ... but if ponies only get bills, I just give them muffins and then they’re happy too! Blueblood: I don’t ... but ... [Speaks softly.] I don’t know what to say. Derpy: Well, thank you for choosing Derpy Express. I hope you enjoy your mail. [Flaps wings, sound of head slamming into ceiling.] Derpy: OUCH! [Door is closed. The sound of flapping wings gets quieter as she disappears down the stairs.] Blueblood: Well ... [Chuckles.] How about that? This was a nice surprise. I can’t remember the time I’ve gotten so much mail. Usually I only get cards from Celestia for my birthday. She was the only one who ever bothered. This is ... wow. [Laughs.] This is such a nice surprise. You know, maybe things are turning around. I mean ... my auntie stood up to Vinyl for me, Trixie is my friend, I finally have some self-respect. Wow. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been in such a good mood. [Cheerfully.] I don’t want to set myself up for disappointment or anything, but nothing can ever go wrong for me from this moment forward. [Opens bag, tears open letter.] Blueblood: Let’s read one of these letters, shall we? [Paper rustling.] Ahem. “Dear Prince Blueblood, I listened to your show yesterday.” Yes, viewership is going up! [Continues reading.] “Your aunt made my favorite celebrity in the whole world, Vinyl Scratch, sad.” [Voice slowly becomes sadder.] “I think it was really mean of your aunt. And it was very mean of you to just let it happen. Vinyl isn’t bad at all, the fact it makes you happy to see her so upset just makes me sad for you. Please stop being so mean. Love, Rumble.” [Pause.] Blueblood: Hehe, that’s ... that’s probably just a vocal minority! After all, I can’t expect everypony to understand. It’s ... let’s read the next one. [Opens letter.] Blueblood: “Dear Prince, musicians have to stick together. If you think we should feel sorry for you when you made Vinyl and Octavia feel like crap, you have another thing coming. Love, Lyra. P.S. Stop hiding the existence of humans, I know you and Celestia are just covering it up.” [Crumples letter, tears another one open. His voice becomes slowly more angry and more unhinged.] Blueblood: “Dear Blueprick...” [Hurls letter aside, tears open another one.] “Where do you get off...” [Tears letter apart, rips next one open.] “Dear Blueblood, you are the biggest hypocrite the world has ever...” [Crumples it up, opens another one. He’s practically snarling.] “The only reason I listened to your show is because Vinyl said she was coming over to beat you up, I was sorely disappointed she didn’t...” [Opens letter, pulls out a card.] Blueblood: [Seething with anger.] This one’s just a card that says “Please die in a fire.” Who wrote this?! [Opens card.] “Hugs and kisses. Love, Mom.” [Dark laugh.] Thanks, mother. Really needed that now. [Rips card up with telekinesis.] Blueblood: You ... sickening little worms. You just can’t let me have anything, can you? You just can’t! You think I need you to care about me? Well, I don’t! I never needed any of you! You think that DJ is any better than me?! She’s rotten on the inside. Just like me. Just like all of you! [Knocks chair over.] If it’s the last thing I ever do, when I die and go to Tartarus like you all seem to want, I’ll bring you all down with me! I’ll drag you all down, kicking and screaming, so we can suffer together! [Blueblood hurls chair against the radio console, audio distortion can be heard. Sound of glass being broken, paper being torn, and things being wrecked and broken can be heard.] [Pause. Blueblood says nothing for a moment, as if taking it all in.] Blueblood: [Whispering.] Well, you know what? I don’t have to wait. I don’t have to wait at all. I don’t know why I ever held back, why I ever thought things might get better. No more. No. Now ... now I’m not afraid of getting a little dirty! [Picks up phone.] Blueblood: Hello, operator? Get me Stallion Stereophonics... [Crackling sound is heard over transmission.] [Transmission ends.] The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Fourth Transcript: A Very Special Episode (Cont.) [Music plays for almost an hour and a half. After the end of one song, transmission resumed instead of transitioning to the next song. According to historical testimony, this was more than likely caused by the reel-to-reel tape player used by Octavia falling on the console.] [A few moments of silence are followed by the sound of hoof steps. The door is kicked open.] Trixie: [In a great booming voice.] VINYL SCRATCH! YOUR RECKONING IS HERE, AND HER NAME IS TRIXIE! TIME TO-- hey, where is everypony? [There is no answer. Trixie is alone, aside from the low sound of discs spinning on a turntable.] Trixie: Hello? Is any pony here? Somepony come out and appreciate my vengeance! [Silence.] Trixie: Oh come on! Why is no pony EVER around to see how dramatic Trixie is?! [Hoofsteps.] Trixie: Ah well, no matter. Trixie doesn’t need an audience to enact vigilante justice! Nopony makes fun of my friends but me! Now ... what to do ... [Muttering.] I suppose I could start by running up their phone bill or ... something. Hm, maybe I should have thought of a plan instead of spending all my time planning that entrance ... [In the distance, a door is slammed, followed by hoofsteps ascending stairs. Voices can be heard faintly in the distance.] Octavia: [In the distance.] Come on, it’s right up here. DJ-P0n3: [In the distance.] Octy, I really don’t want to be here. Octavia: [Getting closer.] It’ll only take a second. I just need your help with one little thing ... Trixie: Eep! Trixie can’t get caught in the act like this! Not without a plan or spectacular entrance to speak of! I have to hide until I figure out what to do ... and how to curb this sudden compulsion I have to talk to myself! [Door opens. The sound of Trixie’s horn glowing is heard and objects being moved around. She is presumably out of sight as the door opens and DJ-P0n3 and Octavia enter.] Octavia: There we go. See? That wasn’t so bad. DJ-P0n3: [Sadly.] Okay, what did you need my help with? Octavia: Oh ... I just found something lying around here. I was wondering if you could help me figure out what it is. DJ-P0n3: Octy ... can’t this wait? You have a show to do, after all. Do you even have a guest for today? Octavia: You could say that, yes. DJ-P0n3: Octy ... I’m not ... [DJ-P0n3 sighs.] DJ-P0n3: I’m not fit to stand behind a mic. I’m no good ... Octavia: Vinyl, don’t talk like that. DJ-P0n3: Please, can I just go? Octavia: [Gently.] Humor me, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Fine ... we aren’t on the air, right? Octavia: Um ... [There is a pause. Presumably, Octavia sees the red light on the console, indicating that they are on the air.] Octavia: [Hesitantly.] N-no, of course not. Let me just make sure. [Octavia clicks a button on the console. The volume is turned up.] Octavia: There we go. Now, let me just find that ... [Sound of papers rustling and items being moved around.] Octavia: Dear Celestia, your desk is such a mess, Vinyl. I’m surprised there isn’t something alive in there. DJ-P0n3: [Dejected.] There might be. I dunno. [Octavia sighs.] Octavia: [Perks up.] Ah, found it. [Octavia picks up something from the desk, brings it to Vinyl.] Octavia: Tell me, Vinyl, what is this? DJ-P0n3: ... Octy, what are you talking about? You know what this-- Octavia: Just tell me, what is it? DJ-P0n3: [Sigh.] A picture ... Octavia: Of what? DJ-P0n3: Me ... and you. And Spitfire. Octavia: Do you remember when it was taken? DJ-P0n3: Of course I do. It was when we had Spitfire on our show. Octavia: Do you remember when you heard Spitfire and I talking about you? DJ-P0n3: Yes. So? Octavia: [Gently.] I ... used to think so little of you. It’s hard for me to imagine now, but it’s true. Spitfire helped me see that there is good in you. And after we got to know each other more ... I realized that, for all your faults ... I have never met a pony more loyal, honest, and caring. DJ-P0n3: ... really? Octavia: Really. [Pause.] I know you’re upset because of all that stuff Luna said, but you aren’t a bad pony. You never were. DJ-P0n3: That’s sweet of you to say ... but she was right. The way I treated Celestia and my other guests ... that wasn’t a very nice thing to do. Octavia: You were entertaining. No pony takes it personally. DJ-P0n3: Blueblood did. Luna too ... back then, when I trashed Blueblood, I was so sure I was doing the right thing. Now I just ... [Quietly.] I don’t even know anymore. Octavia: He did plenty of horrible things to us first. DJ-P0n3: Only because you knew me. If it wasn’t for me, none of it would have happened. Octavia: It’s not your fault, Vinyl! DJ-P0n3: ... I’m not so sure about that anymore. [Sigh.] I know that you’ll be there for me no matter what, Octy. I’m just not sure I deserve it. I’m glad you think I’m a good pony ... but you might be the only one who actually thinks that. [Pause, followed by Octavia chuckling.] DJ-P0n3: What’s so funny? Octavia: I think our guests might make you feel better about that. DJ-P0n3: Guests? There’s more than one? Octavia: Heh, there are a few, yes. [Yells.] Alright everypony! Come in! [Door pops open, followed by numerous hoofsteps, one after another.] Frédéric: I must say, Vinyl, you know how to keep a captivated audience waiting. DJ-P0n3: Freddy? [Hoofsteps as two more ponies enter.] Beauty Brass: VINYL! WE HEARD YOU WERE UPSET! IS EVERYTHING OKAY?! DO YOU WANT A HUG? I’M GOOD AT HUGGING! JUST ASK HARPO! Harpo: [Nods, followed by a wink and a satisfied grin.] Frédéric: Harpo, how is it possible you can make innuendos without even speaking? DJ-P0n3: You ... you brought your ensemble just to cheer me up? Octavia: Not just them. [The sound of wings flapping is heard.] DJ-P0n3: Spitfire?! Spitfire: Come on, Vinyl, you didn’t think I’d forget my best friend when she needed me, did you? [Chuckles.] That’s pretty stupid of you. DJ-P0n3: [Laughs while sounding on the verge of tears.] Yeah ... I guess I should have known better. You’re ... you’re a good friend. Spitfire: And so are you, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Octy ... I don’t understand ... how did you get everypony to come here like this? Octavia: Simple. I asked. That’s all I had to do. DJ-P0n3: What? Octavia: I told them how upset you were and I asked if they could come to help cheer you up a bit. To show you that the ponies who have been on your show don’t hate you or think you’re horrible. To show you that ... well ... you’re really loved. And they all jumped on it without a second thought. DJ-P0n3: You all did that ... for me? Spitfire: Of course. Your show was the most fun I’ve had since we were foals. Frédéric: Yeah. Not to mention you helped us hold a concert after our show got cancelled. You didn’t have to do that. Beauty Brass: YEAH! IT WAS SWEET OF YOU! Harpo: [Nods.] DJ-P0n3: [Perking up.] Yeah ... yeah, I did do that, didn’t I? Octavia: Vinyl ... the truth is ... you’re the pony I’m closest to. You were there for me when nopony else was. You helped my band-- DJ-P0n3: Ensemble. Octavia: Whatever. You helped us ... you gave Blueblood a piece of your mind the second you found out what happened. You’ve been there for me this whole time. Did you really think I wouldn’t return the favor? DJ-P0n3: I ... I don’t even know what to say. I ... thank you, Octy. [Pause.] But still, that doesn’t mean Luna wasn’t right. I mean ... what I did to Celestia ... that was awful. She ... probably doesn’t think much of me right now. Octavia: I thought you might think that. [Shouting.] Come in, Your Highness! DJ-P0n3: WHAT?! [A door creak is heard, followed by the beating of heavy wings as Princess Celestia glided in.] Celestia: Hello, Vinyl. It’s been a long time. DJ-P0n3: [Stammering.] Celestia! I can explain! I’m sorry about everything! There’s no need to feed me to Cerberus! Celestia: [Chuckles.] Please, Vinyl. You have no reason to fear me. DJ-P0n3: Well ... I wouldn’t say fear. I am a bit apprehensive considering I did kind of make fun of you on the air after you had, you know, allowed me to have a radio show in the first place. And accused you of banishing your sister to the moon because you couldn’t think of anything else. And wrote a rock opera where you were an immortal serpent god Princess Luna fought and banished to Tartarus. And made fun of your nephew and assassinated his character to the point where Discord has a higher approval rating than him. Anddddd your sister kind of hates me. So yeah. Just a teeny bit nervous. Celestia: Vinyl, you should know I’m not petty. I try to be very understanding when it comes to my subjects. [Pause.] Immortal ... serpent god? DJ-P0n3: [Nervous laugh.] I might have exaggerated some details. Celestia: Well anyway, your friend Octavia asked if I could speak with you. [Chuckles.] You have a true friend there, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Yeah ... yeah, I know. Celestia: Well ... after hearing what happened, I wanted to assure you I hold no malice towards you. In fact ... well, I thought you had some pretty good points. DJ-P0n3: B-But Luna said it made you feel guilty and that I didn’t know what I was talking about. She said it was her fault! Celestia: [Sigh.] Yes, Luna has been a bit hard on herself. As have I. Trust me, Vinyl, you were not the cause of my guilt. I know logically I did what had to be done. But sometimes I would look up at the moon and wonder, maybe if I were able do it all over again ... [Celestia pauses.] Celestia: Well, best not to dwell on it. The point is ... I don’t blame you, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Your sister seems to. Celestia: Ah yes, I had heard just as much on my nephew’s show. Luna and I had quite a long discussion about that. [Calls in a sing-song voice.] Lunaaa~ [Door opens, there are hoofsteps as Princess Luna walks in.] DJ-P0n3: Okay, seriously, did you all just take the same train here or something? Is anypony else going to show up I should know about? [In the background, Trixie sneezes quietly.] Spitfire: ... did anypony just hear something just now? Frédéric: Sorry. I was paying more attention to the two immortal god-princesses standing in front of us. Vinyl certainly does having a way of making life anything but ordinary, doesn’t she? Spitfire: Trust me, you’ll get used to it. Octavia: Oh. Um ... Princess Luna. I didn’t know you’d be coming. Celestia: I just thought Luna might have something to say after I explained my thoughts on the matter. [Clears throat.] Don’t you have anything to say, Luna? Luna: [Grumbles.] Celestia: Luna ... Luna: [Sigh.] Very well. We ... [Cough.] I mean ... I apologize if I overreacted in regards to my sister. My sister explained the situation in more detail. I was not aware of the concept of ... what did thou call’st it, sister? Celestia: Political satire. Luna: Yes, I was unaware of this political satyr thou payest tribute to. She assures me no malice was intended. DJ-P0n3: Thanks. That ... actually means a lot. Luna: [Irritated.] However! We shall not apologize for defending our nephew. We still do not think we were wrong. DJ-P0n3: [Pause.] Yeah. Maybe ... maybe you were right ... Octavia: Vinyl ... DJ-P0n3: Well ... I dunno, it’s just I’ve been doing some thinking. You know ... maybe we aren’t so different after all. Octavia: You never locked somepony in a bathroom. DJ-P0n3: Well no. [Pause.] Not that I can remember, anyway. Spitfire: You did lock us in a closet together once. DJ-P0n3: Yes, but that was for science. Luna: I do not condone what he did. But we hath all done things we regret. [Quietly.] Some ... more than others. DJ-P0n3: Yeah, I can agree with you there. Celestia: I must admit, our nephew has much he must learn. He is obviously slightly ... troubled. Frédéric: If by that you mean he’s completely bonkers, then yes. Luna: [Irritated.] I would remind you that is my nephew thou refereth to. He is a Prince. Frédéric: He’s also a loony. He held our friend for ransom on stage. And he didn’t even have the decency to be competent at it. Sorry to say it, but our dear prince is a few strings short of a lute. Luna: [Confused.] I ... fail to see the significance of this lute thou speakest of. The Prince is no minstrel. Celestia: It’s a metaphor, Luna. Luna: Minotaur? Celestia: No, that’s ... [Chuckle.] We’ll just go over that later. The point is ... as much as our nephew has done, he is still my nephew. He has much to learn, and I cannot learn his lesson for him. There is good in everypony and I hope that, one day, he shall change for the better. Octavia: You really believe he will? Celestia: I have to, Octavia. He is family, after all. DJ-P0n3: Who knows? Maybe he would have changed ... if it wasn’t for me egging him on. Octavia: Vinyl, why do you keep beating yourself up like this? DJ-P0n3: Because ... I used to be so sure of myself. I always thought I knew the right thing to do. But now? I don’t know. I don’t know if my instincts are right, if I’m really all for, you know, “truth, justice, and rock and roll,” or if I’m just a jerk? I don’t ... [Sigh.] I don’t know if I trust myself. [Octavia says nothing for a moment, then puts her hoof on DJ-P0n3’s shoulder.] Octavia: [Gently.] Maybe you don’t trust yourself right now, but I do. DJ-P0n3: Octy-- Octavia: No, listen. The whole reason I did all this ... I didn’t just do it to cheer you up. I wanted to show you how much I believe in you, just like I know you believe in me. That’s why I worked so hard to bring this all together. Maybe you’ve made some mistakes, but that doesn’t make you horrible. I know you have a good heart and that you learn from your mistakes. And I have all the confidence in the world that you’ll always find a way to do what’s right in the end. DJ-P0n3: I ... I’m really touched, Octy. I’m not sure what I ever did to deserve somepony like you. Octavia: [Chuckle.] And you think I’m the one who’s sappy. [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] Octavia: [Smiles.] See? It’s working. I made you laugh. DJ-P0n3: [Pauses.] The radio console ... it’s not off, is it? Octavia: ... no. DJ-P0n3: We’re on the air right now, aren’t we? Octavia: [Nervous.] Yeah. DJ-P0n3: So ... you said all that stuff in front of everypony in Equestria. Octavia: Pretty much. [DJ-P0n3 blinks, then chuckles.] DJ-P0n3: [Softly.] You ... did that for me? Octavia: Of course. DJ-P0n3: Thank you, Octy. That was so evil of you ... and I’m glad you did it. Octavia: Clearly I’ve been hanging around you too long. [DJ-P0n3 laughs.] DJ-P0n3: Thank you so much. I’m ... I’m just sorry I made you go through all this trouble. Octavia: You put together a concert just for me in one day once, and you think I went to too much trouble. DJ-P0n3: Heh ... yeah. Yeah ... but the reason why I did that isn’t because I’m nice or anything. Octavia: Vinyl, stop saying that about-- DJ-P0n3: No ... I just mean ... [Quietly.] You just always bring out the best in me. I’m ... [Lightly chuckles.] I’m not really sure what I’d be ... without you. [Pause.] Octavia: That’s ... I don’t know what to say. I’m not sure how I’d be without you either. DJ-P0n3: [Giggles.] You’d probably be a lot better off. Octavia: [Flatly.] No. DJ-P0n3: I’m just joking, Octy. Octavia: I know. But ... I wouldn’t be better off. I just need you to know that. We’ve ... always been a duet, you know. [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: Yeah. Yeah, I guess we have. Beauty Brass: D’AWWW! THAT’S SO ADORABLE. HARPO, ISN’T THAT ADORABLE? [Pause.] Harpo: [Deadpan.] Aw. Frédéric: I’m moved by your show of emotion, Harpo. You’re a real bleeding heart. Harpo: Yes. Spitfire: ... you all are a colorful bunch, aren’t you? Frédéric: I know. We should take up vaudeville. Octavia: So ... Vinyl, are you okay now? DJ-P0n3: I think I will be. I’m still not sure what to do, but I think I’ll be okay. Octavia: Well, I’m just glad you’re feeling better. At least now you know you have true friends who-- [Sound of tin smashing against a floor is heard, as if somepony burst out of their hiding place.] Trixie: OH COME ON, ARE YOU STILL GOING ON LIKE THIS?! SERIOUSLY?! Is that what it’s always like around you all? All this ... sugary sweet, lovey-dovey, self-congratulatory horseapples?! [Gags.] Trixie feels like she’s just going to puke listening to you all! Octavia: ... did you just jump out of our trash can? Trixie: Nevermind that! Beauty Brass: SOMEPONY SOUNDS GRUMPY TODAY. Trixie: [Sarcastic.] Thank you. Very astute, Whoever-You-Are. Getting back to opinions that actually matter ... Trixie had actually-- Spitfire: Wait, who’s Trixie? Trixie: What? Me! I’m Trixie! Spitfire: Oh. Why don’t you just say “I” then? Trixie: Because shut up! All you need to know is my name is Trixie! And you better not pronounce my name without a “Great and Powerful” in front of it! UGH! You are all so annoying! Now then, Vinyl. Trixie had actually come here to give you a piece of her mind! But you know what? Trixie isn’t even going to bother! DJ-P0n3: [Calmly.] Why? Trixie: [Quiet seething anger.] I’ll tell you why. Because it just won’t matter. You know what listening to all this ... drivel has taught Trixie?! You think it’s some lesson about love and friendship and all that hippie crap?! No. It’s that you’re all hypocrites. Trixie’s learned that you can do practically anything and everypony will break their backs to make you feel better. But when it comes to Blueblood, was there any second chance? Did anypony ever take his side? No. Because thanks to you, he’ll always be the villain and you’ll always be the hero, at least as far as the herded cattle that listens to your show is concerned. But it’s okay, because he’s “just a jerk,” right? But Vinyl-- [Sarcastic.] “Oh no! She’s so full of herself, but inside she’s a delicate flower! She hires known criminals as security guards to beat up aristocrats and insults ponies on the air all the time, but I’m sure she has good intentions. SOMEONE GET HER A FRUIT BASKET!” [Trixie blows a raspberry.] Trixie: Please. Sure, you may have felt bad about yourself for like, what, about twelve hours, but Blueblood is practically a basket case. Frédéric: Well, glad to see somepony agrees with my assessment-- Trixie: Shut up! [Turns to Vinyl.] You think you can have your minion put this show together, give everypony a warm and fuzzy feeling, and that suddenly makes everything okay? It doesn’t. Nothing’s different. Nothing’s changed, and neither have you. Everypony still hates Blueblood, and even though everypony despises him, it doesn’t hold a candle to how much he seems to hate himself. And that’s supposed to be okay. Because he’s the bad guy. [Scoff.] So much for the “magic of friendship.” So you know what? Forget this. Trixie’s out of here. [Hoofsteps.] Makes Trixie sick. [It is quiet as Trixie walks out. Door opens, then slams.] [Long pause.] Spitfire: Well ... she seemed ... interesting. Octavia: [Sigh.] Just forget what she said. It’s not even worth thinking about. Right, Vinyl? [Pause.] Octavia: Vinyl? [Worried.] Please don’t tell me that’s upset you again. DJ-P0n3: [Calm.] Hm? Oh ... oh don’t worry. I’m fine. Um ... Octy? Octavia: Yeah? DJ-P0n3: Could you close out the show for us solo again? There’s something I think I have to go do now. Octavia: But-- DJ-P0n3: [Chuckles.] Don’t worry, Octy. I know what I’m doing. Octavia: Are you sure? DJ-P0n3: Sure as I am about any of the stupid stuff I do. [Laughs.] I’ll be fine. But before I go ... [DJ-P0n3 clears throat.] DJ-P0n3: I just wanted to thank you all. You all came just for me ... even you, Luna. Even though I know you don’t like me very much, you still apologized for at least some of the things you said. Luna: Our sister said thou art a good pony. [Hesitating.] Perhaps ... perhaps she was not wrong. DJ-P0n3: But ... I just wanted to thank you all for being here. I’m not just saying that for the show or anything but really ... from the bottom of my heart ... thank you. Spitfire: Wow, Vinyl, I never thought I’d see the day when you’d be modest about something. DJ-P0n3: Heh, has to be a first time for everything. Frédéric: It’s always an honor to be here. Beauty Brass: WE’RE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU, VINYL. DJ-P0n3: Yeah. I know. Celestia: I’m glad I could be of assistance as well. It’s always a pleasure to be on the show ... despite what some ponies may think. DJ-P0n3: But most of all ... Octy? Octavia: Yeah? DJ-P0n3: No pony has ever done anything like this for me before. I just wanted to-- Octavia: Vinyl ... just give me a hug, stupid. DJ-P0n3: [Laughs.] Hey! You can’t just go and turn my own words around on me like that. Octavia: I think I just did. [They hug.] DJ-P0n3: Well ... I’m off. I’ll be back in a little bit. [Door opens, and closes.] Octavia: Well, listeners, I think that about wraps it up for today. I’m glad everything was able to get back on track. Tune in tomorrow for ... something. I’m not quite sure. With Vinyl, it’s always unpredictable ... but then, I don’t think I’d have it any other way. See you all next time, everypony. This is Octavia, signing off for ... the VINYL SCRATCH! [Scratches record.] Octavia: [Muttering.] Have to admit, that is pretty fun to do. [Raises voice.] Bye everypony! [Clicks button. Voices start to fade out.] Octavia: [Whispering in a low voice.] I suppose we have some time to kill for a bit here ... any ideas? Spitfire: ... anypony have a deck of cards? Celestia: I do. Spitfire: Poker? Frédéric: I’m in. Octavia: Me too. Beauty Brass: ME THREE. Harpo: [Nods.] Luna: “Poke-ar?” Can somepony teach us that? Celestia: Just show me all your cards and I’ll tell you if you win. Luna: Wouldst that be cheating? Celestia: [Innocently.] Noooo, of course not. [Giggles.] I must warn you all, when I play, I play for souls. [Long pause, everypony has a look of sheer horror.] Celestia: [Chuckles.] I’m kidding! Octavia: [Nervously.] Oh. Heh, of course. W-we all knew that. Hehe ... let’s deal. [Voices fade out completely.] The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: “It’s Almost Funny, Isn’t It?” [Crackling sound heard over transmission.] [Door creaks open.] Trixie: [Yelling.] Princey? Hey, are you here? Sorry Trixie’s a little late. She was ... attending to some business. Blueblood: [Quietly.] Ah yes, Trixie. Please, come in. [Hoofsteps.] Trixie: Whoa, this place is a mess. Why is their broken glass and paper everywhere? Blueblood: I ... had a little trouble with the garbage. [Chuckles.] But that’s not important right now. Trixie ... I have big news! Trixie: Oh ... [Clears throat.] Um ... you okay? You kinda have that whole ... “crazy look in your eyes” thing going for you right now. Blueblood: [Cheery.] I’m great! Just perfect! You know why? Because it’s over. Forever. They lose. They all lose. I win. [Bursts out laughing.] I finally win! No more Vinyl Scratch! No more Octavia! No more sleepless nights! I’m so happy I could cry! It’s ... I didn’t think it would ever come, but now that it has ... it’s just so funny! It’s so funny, isn’t it?! [Cackles some more.] Trixie: Uh ... huh. Why don’t you take a step back and explain that to Trixie in a way that doesn’t make you seem like a mental patient? Blueblood: Haha ... very well. I’ll consider this practice for when I reveal the intricacies of my plan to Miss Vinyl Scratch herself! [Chuckles.] It all came to me in an instant. All my plans ... it was all insignificant to this! My one shining moment! [Clears throat.] You may recall that the DJ’s co-host, Octavia, recently signed her and her mediocre quartet to a record label called Stallion Stereophonics. Trixie: Trixie ... doesn’t recall that. Blueblood: Huh. I’m certain they mentioned it on their show before. You’ve never listened to them before? Trixie: Question: does their show have Trixie on it? Blueblood: Um ... no. Trixie: Then it clearly wasn’t worth listening to. [Muttering.] Bunch of mushy garbage. Blueblood: Huh? Trixie: Nevermind. So what does that have to do with anything? They have a record deal? So what? Blueblood: That means they’re under contract with Stallion Stereophonics. They have copyright of any songs they record, can control where they tour, essentially meddle in all of that quartet’s creative affairs. Which wouldn’t be a problem, since that company has a reputation for treating artists fairly ... that is, until now. Trixie: What? Blueblood: As of about an hour ago, thanks to several extremely generous payments made to certain key members of that company’s staff, I am now the owner and CEO of Stallion Stereophonics! That means Octavia and her quartet work for me! You know what that means? I can do whatever I want to them now! If I decided they all had to play kazoos now, I could do that! If I decided their new album must be a polka, I could do that too! I could make their next tour play exclusively in the Everfree Forest, manticores get in free! I can make every horrible, despicably uncreative idea I have a reality and there’s NOTHING they can do about it, because I’ll never in a million years let them out of their contract! Even if they fight me in court, by the time they’re out of it, I’ll have damaged their careers so much they won’t be able to get work playing elevator music in a nursing home! Trixie: [Shocked.] What? But ... but that doesn’t make any sense! Why attack them? What does any of this have to do with Vinyl? Blueblood: No, no, you see. That’s the best part. [Cackles like a mad pony.] That’s the best, best part! It doesn’t. I don’t attack her. Not directly. But that’s the beauty of it. She’ll just have to watch. I want her to watch all the hope and promise in her best friend’s eyes twinkle out as I crush her dreams into a fine powder and toss in the wind. I want her to beg me to do something to stop this. I want her to offer K-COLT on a silver platter. I want her to promise me all the world ... and I want to look down and say “Not good enough.” Trixie: [Genuinely appalled.] Princey ... are you insane?! This ... this isn’t like you. Trixie doesn’t like that DJ either, but don’t you think this is a bit far? Trixie knows you better than anypony. You’re not like this. You’re not THIS bad. Blueblood: [Dark chuckle.] Everypony thinks I am. Why should I bother arguing with them? Might as well go for broke. Trixie: This is only going to make everypony hate you even more! You do realize that, right? You’re not THAT stupid, are you? NOPONY is going to like you after this. [Pause. Blueblood is no longer laughing.] Blueblood: Nopony ever liked me to start with. I’m tired of caring. Trixie: [Furious.] I just spent this whole day defending you! To Vinyl! To everypony! And you do this?! Blueblood: You ... you did? Trixie: Yeah! Now Trixie wonders if that was the right thing to do after all. [Screaming.] For Celestia’s sake, do you think any of this is actually going to make you happy?! [Blueblood doesn’t answer. There is a knock at the door.] DJ-P0n3: [Behind the door.] Hello? Is anypony there? Trixie: [Whispering.] Go ahead ... if that’s the kind of pony you really want to be. [Pause. There are hoofsteps as Blueblood walks over and opens the door.] Blueblood: [Visibly shaken.] Miss Vinyl Scratch. I’m ... I’m glad you’re here. DJ-P0n3: Really? [Chuckles.] That’s a relief. I’d have thought you’d rather push me down the stairs, than see me. Trixie: [Bitterly sarcastic.] Yes, because that’d just be horrible. He’d never do that. Right, Princey? Blueblood: Y-yes. I ... [Clears throat.] What are you even doing here, Miss Vinyl Scratch? Are you here to make fun of me again? DJ-P0n3: Well ... Blueblood: [Angry.] Are you here to take away the last drops of dignity I have? Go ahead, you can do it. It doesn’t matter anymore. DJ-P0n3: Well, I appreciate the invitation, but that’s not-- Blueblood: Because you know what? I have something to tell you. All those times you laughed at me, you’ll see who’s laughing now! Because guess what? I am now the-- DJ-P0n3: I want to be on your show. Blueblood: --wait. What? DJ-P0n3: Your radio show. You know, the one you’ve got on now. Blueblood: [Confused.] Yes, yes I am aware. I um ... this is ... [Whispering.] I don’t understand. Trixie: Yeah, Trixie’s a little confused too. Did she miss something? DJ-P0n3: Well ... Trixie, I think you were right. Well, at least a little bit. Trixie: [Bitterly.] Wait a few minutes, you might think differently. DJ-P0n3: What? Trixie: Nothing. Blueblood: But ... but, this doesn’t make any sense. Why would you ... why in the world do you want to be a guest on my show? DJ-P0n3: [Sigh.] Look, Princey ... can I call you Princey? Blueblood: No. DJ-P0n3: Princey ... I’ll level with you. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what Luna said. I wondered if I actually was the good pony I kept telling myself I was. And ... well, maybe I’m not horrible or mean but ... I think I may have made some mistakes. Let’s be real here ... you acted like a total jerk. But I wasn’t exactly a knight in shining armor either. Maybe we’re not as different as we think. It’s easy just to hate you, but ... [Laugh.] Is that really what the rest of our lives are going to be like? Us trying to hurt each other? Dragging everypony we ever cared about into this? Is that really worth it? Just for a grudge? Blueblood: [Softly.] I ... I don’t know. DJ-P0n3: The fact is ... we need to act like adults. You have a show, I want to be a guest on it. It’s on your home turf. You want to make fun of me, you can go ahead and do it. You can insult me, have me at your mercy, and, hey, maybe we can have a little fun. Maybe even move on a little. It’s worth a shot at least. But it’s your decision. [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: Heh, I’m sorry, I interrupted you a bit ago. What were you going to say? Trixie: Yeah, Prince ... what were you going to say? Blueblood: I ... [Long pause.] Is ... tomorrow fine for you? DJ-P0n3: Sounds good! Welp, see you all tomorrow. I’m gonna go back and have some fun with some friends. Gotta enjoy the little things, right? Blueblood: [Shaken.] Yeah. Sure. DJ-P0n3: Well see you. [Hoofsteps.] Also ... you should really get a cleaner in here. The floor here looks really bad. It’s starting to look like my desk at work. [Door opens, closes.] Trixie: Well ... [Blueblood sits down. He says nothing.] Trixie: You okay? Blueblood: [Stunned.] All this time ... all this time I wanted to find a way to get revenge and when I finally do ... [Sigh.] It’s almost funny, isn’t it? Trixie: Prince ... Blueblood: ... I have some thinking to do. I’ll see you tomorrow. I think it’ll be an interesting show ... [Crackling sound heard over transmission.] [End transmission.] [To Be Concluded...]

Corey_

24

DJ P0N-3,Octavia,Prince Blueblood,Trixie,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes

DJ-P0n3 and Octavia run a radio show interviewing famous ponies. Hilarity ensues.

complete

<p>After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.</p><p>[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.</p>

everyone

2013-01-26T00:08:10+00:00

2013-01-26T00:08:09+00:00

The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Season 2 Fifth Transcript: The Vinyl Scratch & Octavia Interview [What follows is a transcript of episode 2F09 of the Vinyl Scratch, one day following the episode where Octavia brought all of Vinyl’s friends to the studio and when Vinyl attempted to reconcile with Prince Blueblood.] [Sound of reel-to-reel tape player being played is heard.] DJ-P0n3: Goooooood morning, Equestria! The signal is strong! The frequency is just right! The turntable is ready, the records are spinning, the stars are right, the sexual tension is high-- Octavia: HEY! DJ-P0n3: AND IT IS GLORIOUS! It is time for ... the Vinyl Scratch! [Record scratch.] DJ-P0n3: That’s right, the original radio show on the original radio station. With the original jerk hosting, the one and only Ravishing Rocker, DJ-P0n3. Octavia: And I’m Octavia, the one without an alliterative title to speak of. DJ-P0n3: Well anyway, today’s show is going to be a little bit ... different. That is to say, there isn’t a show today. Octavia: Don’t worry though, this isn’t like yesterday’s show. Vinyl is feeling fine now ... even if her idea for what we’re doing today is quite outlandish. And by outlandish, I mean completely insane. DJ-P0n3: It’s not insane at all. I thought it was quite a good idea myself. Octavia: Yes, but you’re famous for having bad ideas and thinking they’re great. DJ-P0n3: Name one time that’s happened. Octavia: Stealing an accordion and having a concert. DJ-P0n3: ... crap. Octavia: See? DJ-P0n3: Well, anyway. [Clears throat.] Today Octavia and I will be guests on another show. Namely the one hosted by Prince Blueblood and Trixie. [Chuckles.] Now some of you may be wondering why I would want to do this. Octavia: Yeah, good question. I’m still wondering that myself. DJ-P0n3: Well, after everything that’s happened the last couple days, I thought maybe we should try to work out our differences. And the Prince agreed ... actually I was a bit surprised by that myself. Octavia: No kidding. I’m still not entirely sure if he’s being genuine or not. DJ-P0n3: I mean, it’s worth a shot. I’d much rather try to work things out than, you know, go on hurting each other and all our friends. Octavia: That’s ... actually quite mature of you. DJ-P0n3: Well ... [Speaking softly.] I’ve had a lot of time to think the past few days. Octavia: Well ... okay. I’m still leery about this, but if you think it’s going to be a good idea ... I’ll stand by you. Might as well. I mean, I’m in for the long haul. DJ-P0n3: Aw, thanks Octy. You’re always there for me. Octavia: And I always will be. DJ-P0n3: But anyway, we’re getting off track and this tape recorder only has so much time left on it! I’ve set up this station to just play music the entire morning. If for some reason the automated system fails like yesterday, I have Beauty Brass on standby to fill out the rest of the time by talking about her hopes and dreams or something. You know, filler. Beauty Brass: I’M HELPING! Octavia: Alright. So all of you who want to listen to our interview, tune over to frequency 101.2. It should be starting just a few minutes after you hear this recording. DJ-P0n3: We hope you enjoy it. Until next time, this is the Vinyl Scratch, signing out. [Tape clicks, music starts playing.] The Blueblood Tapes Transcript: The Interview [Crackling sound heard over transmission. The sound of a wrench clattering to the floor is heard.] Blueblood: Okay. Okay, I think we’re back on now. I’m getting pretty decent at this. Trixie: You can’t be that good if the console still keeps breaking. Blueblood: ... point taken. [Sighs.] Trixie: ... so? Blueblood: So what? Trixie: You’ve been quiet all morning. Blueblood: You worried? Trixie: [Scoffs.] Of course not! Trixie’s simply become ... accustomed to your inane yammering. Trixie doesn’t care. Blueblood: Except you do ... don’t you? Trixie: S-shut up! As if Trixie would care about anything! [Pause, then lowers her voice.] So ... what are you going to do? Blueblood: What do you mean? Trixie: What do you think I mean? You know, about that DJ and Stallion Stereophonics and ... and all of it! You’re not really going to go through with it, are you?! Not after agreeing to this interview, right? [Blueblood says nothing.] Trixie: You don’t even know what you’re going to do, do you? Blueblood: I ... [There’s a knock at the door.] DJ-P0n3: [Yelling from behind the door.] Hello?! Princey! We’re here for the thing! Octavia: [Muttering.] Way to be descriptive there, Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Well, they know what I mean! [Blueblood takes a deep breath.] Blueblood: [To Trixie.] Let’s just worry about the interview now, alright? Trixie: [Angrily.] Just tell me you won’t do it, you idiot! Just tell me you’re not THAT messed up! [Blueblood says nothing. Trixie gives an annoyed grunt.] Trixie: [Curtly.] Fine. Don’t answer me. Blueblood: Just ... play nice, okay? Trixie: Oh, Trixie will play nice. Because THEY’RE not the ones I’m mad at right now. Blueblood: Look, Trixie, I-- Trixie: [Aggravated.] Just remember ... whatever you do ... you’re the one who has to live with it. Blueblood: I know. Trust me ... [Quietly.] I know. [There are hoofsteps, followed by the door being opened.] Blueblood: [Awkward.] Um ... hi. DJ-P0n3: Hey. What up? Can we come in? Blueblood: I suppose. [Door shuts, followed by hoofsteps.] Blueblood: Um ... nice to see you again, Miss Octavia. Um ... things going well with your ensemble? Octavia: [Bitter.] Yes. We even signed to a record label, despite a few cancelled shows. Blueblood: Um. Yeah. Yes, I heard. DJ-P0n3: [Nervous laughter.] Now now, let’s all try to be civil. We’re all adults here. Trixie: Yes. Trixie is the very epitome of emotional maturity! Octavia: You do realize you’re saying that while wearing a cape and wizard’s hat? Trixie: Yes. What’s your point? Blueblood: Well ... please, take a seat. [Hoofsteps, followed by the sound of chairs scooting against the floor.] DJ-P0n3: So, when do we get on the air? Blueblood: We’re on now. At least, I think so. DJ-P0n3: Wait ... you mean, you don’t know? Blueblood: Our console seems to have a mind of its own. I’ve tried everything to fix it and it still seems to work only when it wants to. I’m not even sure if anypony will even hear this entire interview. DJ-P0n3: Huh. Did you check the back of the console to make sure the plug was in all the way? Like it isn’t loose or anything? Blueblood: What? Do you think I’m stupid? Of course I’ve checked that! DJ-P0n3: Are you sure? Blueblood: Of course I’m sure! Look. [Scoots chair.] I’m looking at it right now and you can clearly see the plug is ... [Long pause.] Oh. Um ... [Sound crackles for a moment, then is heard in perfect clarity as the plug is secured in the port.] Octavia: [Amused.] You were saying? Trixie: [Aghast.] YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME! THAT was the problem the whole time?! You never bothered to check and make sure the plug was connected all the way?! Blueblood: Well, you didn’t notice it either! Trixie: That’s beside the point, you giant idiot! Blueblood: Stop calling me an idiot all the time! Trixie: TRIXIE WILL WHEN YOU STOP BEING ONE! Blueblood: Well, how about YOU stop being a nag?! Octavia: Wow. Get a room, you two. Trixie & Blueblood: [Simultaneously.] What. [DJ-P0n3 starts snickering, then covers her mouth with her hooves.] DJ-P0n3: Okay let’s ... [Stifled laughter.] Let’s just do this. Blueblood: [Deadpan.] Yes. I agree. Let’s get this train wreck in motion. Allow me to fetch my interview equipment. [Blueblood plops a bottle of hard cider and shot glasses on the table.] DJ-P0n3: Um ... is alcohol really necessary for this inter-- Blueblood: Yes. Octavia: Huh... I’m okay with this. Blueblood: Good. DJ-P0n3: Well, I guess that’s not so bad. Just relax and have fun with it. That’s practically all I do, anyway! Octavia: Though your status as a positive role model is debatable. DJ-P0n3: Well ... yeah. But still! Blueblood: Well, I suppose we should get started. [Clears throat.] Hello listeners. Welcome to ... whatever this show is called, I’ve never really made that clear. Trixie: It’s called “The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie Hour Featuring the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie and Some Other Guy.” That’s you. You’re the other guy. Blueblood: Uh huh, and when did we decide that? Trixie: About a few seconds ago, when I just said it. After all, you have to give the star top billing. That’s called marketing. Octavia: [Sarcastic.] You know, Trixie, I’m just noticing this but ... I think you just might be a teeny bit egotistical. Trixie: Psh! You have no idea what you’re talking about. Trixie is modest. In fact, Trixie is the most modest. Ever. Blueblood: Okay, whatever. Welcome to ... this thing. Joining me today are two very special guests. We have with us today, noted cello player and member of a world renowned ensemble, Miss Octavia. [Pours a shot, takes it.] Also, she once knocked several of my teeth out. Octavia: Very true. May I have some of that? Blueblood: [Pours shot.] Whatever. [Shot glass is slid over to Octavia, Octavia takes a drink.] Octavia: [Happily.] Ooooooh, that’s good. DJ-P0n3: Yay! Octavia’s gonna get tipsy! This is gonna be a fun afternoon! Blueblood: Also joining us is noted DJ, radio host, and my worst enemy who is suddenly being nice to me for reasons I don’t entirely understand. Fillies and gentlecolts, Miss Vinyl Scratch. DJ-P0n3: Glad to be here, Princey. Blueblood: Well, I suppose I should ask questions. Um ... hm. How are you all? Trixie: Riveting interview questions there, Princey. Octavia: Yes, very professional. Trixie: [Angry.] Hey now! Trixie is the only one allowed to be sarcastic on this show! Octavia: [Sarcastic.] Really? That’s so reasonable of you. Trixie: Hey, what did Trixie just say?! Stop that. Octavia: I have no idea what you’re talking about. Trixie: Grr! [Slams hoof on the table.] Prince! Trixie demands liquor! Blueblood: Suit yourself. [Pours glass.] Sorta didn’t think you drank. Trixie: Shows what you know! Trixie shall drink you all under the table! [Picks up glass.] Give me that! [Trixie drinks the glass. There is a brief pause, followed by the sound of Trixie’s head hitting the desk.] Blueblood: [Worried.] Trixie! DJ-P0n3: Whoa! You okay?! [There is a brief pause, then Trixie raises her head.] Trixie: [Tipsy sounding.] I’m ... I mean, Trixie’s up. She’s here. She’s ... wow. [Hiccups.] That’s good. DJ-P0n3: Jeez. You sure you’re alright?! Blueblood: Perhaps you shouldn’t have anymore, Trixie. You might hurt yourself. Trixie: You might hurt yourself if you try to tell Trixie what to do! [Snatches bottle, pours another glass.] This is real magic, here. [Drinks.] DJ-P0n3: [Grabs bottle with telekinesis. Pours glass, takes a sip.]. Mmm. I have to admit, Princey, I didn’t think you’d know how to have fun. Blueblood: I don’t. But I appreciate the sentiment. [Pours drink.] So I suppose it is time, as the interviewer, for me to ask the intelligent, hard hitting questions. [Pause.] Trixie, ask some hard hitting questions. Trixie: [Takes sip, slurs.] Don’t ... don’t tell me what to do. I’ll have you know I’m the Great and ... Purpleful Trixie and I won’t be commanded to do ... things. Things OR stuff. Octavia: Dear Celestia, you only had two glasses. What a lightweight. Trixie: [Slurring.] Trixie would rather be a lightweight than a fatty like you. Octavia: [Leaps from chair.] What did you say? DJ-P0n3: Hey hey, wait a minute. Whoa! Let’s all calm down here. Come on, Octy. Clearly she’s not in her right mind right now. Octavia: I doubt she was ever in her right mind to begin with. DJ-P0n3: Aw, come on. There’s no need to start a fight or anything. Let’s just keep that bottle away from you, Trixie. [The sound of telekinesis is heard as Vinyl scoots the bottle away.] Octavia: Yes. I shall hold on to it. For safety reasons. [Pause, followed sound of a sip being taken.] Blueblood: [Deadpan.] Yes. How noble. [Cough.] Well, I suppose it’s up to me then. So ... Miss Octavia, Miss Vinyl Scratch ... DJ-P0n3: You know, you can just call me Vinyl. Blueblood: I could, but I won’t. [Takes another shot.] Anyway, Miss Vinyl Scratch, I do have a few questions. Though I must admit, they are of a most unconventional nature. DJ-P0n3: That’s not a problem! I have nothing to hide! Octavia: Yes. Being around Vinyl has a tendency to just sort of ... throw everything out in the open anyway. Blueblood: Heh. Funny you should say that ... that’s sort of what I wanted to ask about. DJ-P0n3: Hm? Blueblood: Let’s be honest here: pretty much nopony actually listens to my show normally. Everypony who is listening is only listening because you told them to. DJ-P0n3: I don’t really see where you’re going with-- Blueblood: So, pretty much anypony who’s listening already knows a lot about you both. Asking you questions about how you got your Cutie Marks or how you came to be in your current profession would simply be redundant, since almost everypony listening already knows the answers. DJ-P0n3: Huh. You know, I didn’t think about that. That’s actually a fairly smart observation. So what are you getting at? Blueblood: Heh. Well, as I recall, Miss Vinyl Scratch, you gave me free reign to embarrass you in this interview. DJ-P0n3: ... uh huh. Octavia: [Cheerfully.] Hey Prince. Remember that time I punched you really hard in the face? [Darkly.] Want to have a flashback to that? DJ-P0n3: [Unfazed.] No no, Octy. It’s fine. Octavia: What? DJ-P0n3: What did you want to ask, Prince? Blueblood: Well, I mean, since everypony listening already knows so much about you two, surely there must be something you haven’t told anypony. Some secrets that you’ve been hesitant to reveal on the air. Why not reveal something like that to our dedicated audience? What’s something you’ve never told anypony before? DJ-P0n3: Oh ... hey, that actually sounds like fun! Blueblood: [Confused.] Wait, what? Seriously? DJ-P0n3: Okay, I can do that. Octy, you want in on that. Octavia: I um ... well, I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that ... DJ-P0n3: Ah, come on. You’d only have to say stuff you’d want to say. It’s not like we’re asking to describe any of the sexy dreams you’ve had-- Octavia: Vinyl! DJ-P0n3: Oh come on! Everypony does that! Trixie: [Drunk. Starts giggling.] Any dream with the GREAT and ... PUMPERNICKEL Trixie inevitably becomes sexy by association. [Grabs bottle from Octavia, takes swig.] TRIXIE IS THE NATURAL EMBODIMENT OF THE SEXY! [Hiccups, head hits the table.] Octavia: ... huh. Well, that happened. Anyway ... [Sigh.] I suppose it couldn’t be that bad. Just let me slip further away from sobriety. [Drinks a sip of cider.] Blueblood: Alright. So, Miss Vinyl Scratch ... what it is, exactly, that somepony like you keeps secret? DJ-P0n3: Hmm ... [Thinks for a moment.] Oh, I know! [Fakes being serious and over-dramatic.] By day, I am but a simple DJ. But in the dead of night, I secretly become the masked vigilante known as Mare-Do-Well! Fighting a never-ending crusade against the criminal element... [Fakes crying.] All to avenge the untimely loss of my parents! Octavia: [Deadpan.] Your parents are still alive. Your mom even baked me cookies once. DJ-P0n3: No, I mean I literally lost them. When I was three, I couldn’t find where they were in a grocery store for a whole five minutes. [Fakes sobbing.] It was all very traumatic! I JUST HAD TO BE A SUPERHERO! Octavia: Yeah, superheroes tend to be smart and heroic. You don’t exactly meet the minimum requirements. DJ-P0n3: I’ll have you know I am very smart! As Mare-Do-Well, I am the most intelligent detective this world has ever-- pfft! [Laughs.] Okay, I’m sorry. I couldn’t say the rest of that with a straight face. Octavia: [Chuckles.] Ooh, ooh. I have one. [Clears throat.] Um ... well, I suppose I’m never going to hear the end of this but ... DJ-P0n3: But what? Octavia: I ... actually kind of like rock and roll. DJ-P0n3: [Loud gasp.] I don’t even know who you are anymore! Octavia: [Laughs.] Don’t suppose I’ll ever live that down. DJ-P0n3: [Softly.] Octy, how long have we known each other? You know me. [Chuckles.] Of course I’ll never let you live it down. Blueblood: Hey, enough clowning around, I was asking a serious question about-- Trixie: [Lifts head up, slurs.] Hey, hey. Everypony, hey. Trixie has a secret! Blueblood: Trixie, I was asking them. You don’t have to answer the quest-- Trixie: No no, shut up. This is ... [Hiccup.] This is super important... everypony lean in close. Octavia: Um ... why do we-- Trixie: Shhhhhh! [Whispering.] Everypony lean in closer... [Chairs creak.] Trixie: Closer. [Chairs creak more.] Trixie: I said closer. Blueblood: Okay, our foreheads are touching yours. It’s not POSSIBLE to get any closer. DJ-P0n3: [Slyly.] I can think of a way or two. Octavia: Vinyl! DJ-P0n3: I’m just kidding. So what’s up, Trixie? Trixie: [Whispering.] Okay ... so my terrible secret is ... my hat ... Octavia: Yeah? Trixie: It’s ... really pointy. [Hiccups, then giggles.] [Everypony leans back and groans angrily at Trixie as she giggles.] Octavia: Well, that was clearly profound. My worldview is indeed shattered. Blueblood: Ugh. I suppose I should have known better. I knew you all wouldn’t take this seriously. DJ-P0n3: Alright, alright. I did give you a free pass to embarrass me after all. [Sigh.] There is actually one secret I have. Blueblood: Really? Octavia: Really? W... what is it? [DJ-P0n3 lowers her voice. She suddenly becomes more serious.] DJ-P0n3: Octy? Octavia: Y-yeah? DJ-P0n3: You remember way back when we first met? When you first got the job? How I said on the air that Princess Celestia basically made me have a co-host, even though I didn’t want one? Octavia: Yeah. So? DJ-P0n3: Well ... that was a lie. Princess Celestia never made me do anything I didn’t want to. I asked her if she’d find one for me. Octavia: What? I don’t ... but why? I thought back then you acted like you didn’t really need any help. DJ-P0n3: I didn’t need help. Well, not really. I mean, I know how the console and everything works. I could have done it all myself. I just ... wanted a co-host. Octavia: But ... why? DJ-P0n3: Well ... [Sigh.] I was lonely. Blueblood: [Stunned silence.] Octavia: ... Vinyl. DJ-P0n3: Heh ... I never really had anypony to really talk to since Spitfire. I mean, I have fun. I party all the time. But ... still. [Whispering.] Still, sometimes I got kinda lonely. I guess I just couldn’t admit it ... so I never said anything till now. I did hope that I would get a friend out of it ... [Chuckles.] Or at least someone who would listen to me ramble on a bit. But ... I never really thought that it would ever turn out this well. Out of everypony ... I’m glad you were the one I met. Octavia: I’m ... I’m glad I was too. [There is a brief paused, followed by Trixie making a gagging sound.] Trixie: [Slurs.] Jeez, it’s just like a scene from a hokey kid’s book. DJ-P0n3: Heh, sorry. That kind of thing seems to happen a lot when we’re involved. Didn’t mean to get all sappy on you, Princey. [Pause.] Princey? Blueblood? Blueblood: Huh? What? DJ-P0n3: Um ... well ... I just got all sappy on you. I mean, isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to make fun of me? Like ... wasn’t that the whole point? Blueblood: Oh ... Yeah. I um ... [Unenthusiastically.] Haha, you have feelings, haha. And you’re ... you’re ... ugh. [Whispering.] Forget it. DJ-P0n3: What? Blueblood: I ... don’t think making fun of that would be fun anymore. Octavia: Really? Since when do you have a conscience? Blueblood: Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have one. [Bitter chuckle.] Haven’t you been paying attention? I’m horrible. It’s just ... well, I can imagine what it’s like to feel alone. [Hastily adds.] Not that I’ve ever felt like that, mind you. After all, I’m a Prince! Princes ... [Quietly.] Princes never feel lonely. But I can imagine what it’s like ... waking up in the morning with no pony there, feeling like nopony would even notice if you didn’t get up. Maybe everypony would be happier if you didn’t ... feeling like you have no other purpose than to take up oxygen. And never being able to tell anypony, because there’s just no pony else there ... DJ-P0n3: ... yeah. [Trixie, in a moment of clarity, opens her mouth and acts like she is about to say something, but then remains quiet.] Blueblood: I mean, that’s just what I imagine it’s like. Not that I would know. Loneliness is a ... peasant emotion, after all. [Pauses.] DJ-P0n3: ... Princey? Blueblood: What? DJ-P0n3: [Nervous chuckle.] You’re just the warm and cheery sort today, aren’t you? [Blueblood bursts out laughing for a moment, then covers his mouth.] DJ-P0n3: [Shocked.] Whoa! Blueblood: [Clears throat.] What? DJ-P0n3: [Amused.] Aww, you liked my joke. I can see you’re starting to be drawn into my eccentric charm. Octavia: I didn’t even know you COULD laugh. I mean, not like that. Blueblood: [Scoffs.] D-don’t be ridiculous. Clearly you are delirious. [Trying not to snicker.] I didn’t laugh at all. DJ-P0n3: D’AWW! THAT’S SO CUTE! You’re starting to like us! [Sniffles.] It’s enough to give me the warm and fuzzies! Blueblood: You must be mentally ill! Simply because I felt somewhat sympathetic doesn’t change a thing. I still hold nothing but contempt for you! DJ-P0n3: Really? Blueblood: Yes, really! DJ-P0n3: Uh huh. And yet here we all are. You agreed to have us here after all. Blueblood: [Pause.] Yes, well-- DJ-P0n3: You could have just said no to all of this, but you didn’t. Blueblood: [Pause.] That’s true, but still-- DJ-P0n3: And you know what? I think I know why. We’re not so different, you know? I think underneath everything, all you’ve wanted, all you’ve ever really wanted, is not to be lonely. You can try to deny it all you want, but it’s obvious that’s how you really feel. You hurt a lot ... and you did a lot of horrible, stupid things. Heh, trust me. I’ve been there. But the whole reason why I wanted to do this, why I even BOTHERED suggesting it at all, was that I thought that, despite all that, you really do WANT to be good. And ... I think maybe you might have it in you. At least, that’s what I hope anyway. [Blueblood gives a long pause, then lowers his voice. It sounds filled with regret.] Blueblood: [Quietly.] You don’t know anything ... you don’t know anything at all. The way I’ve been before, I don’t deserve-- DJ-P0n3: Princey? Blueblood: Yeah? DJ-P0n3: I forgive you. Blueblood: ... what? DJ-P0n3: I forgive you. All the stuff that’s happened ... I forgive you. Octy? What do you think? Octavia: I ... [Sigh.] I’m not really sure if I can forgive you for all of this. You’ve done a lot to me. Blueblood: ... yes. Yes, I have. Octavia: But ... [Carefully.] But I suppose, if Vinyl thinks you’re decent enough ... I’m willing to try. [Long pause, followed by an abrupt interruption.] Trixie: [Starts laughing.] That’s ... that’s rich. All of that and you know what the best part is? You still don’t know what you’re going to do ... do you, Princey? Blueblood: [Shaken.] Trixie, clearly you’ve had too much to drink. Maybe it’d be best if you just sit down and be quiet! Trixie: Oh no. [Hiccups.] No, no no. Trixie knows exactly what she’s doing. Trixie wants to know exactly the kind of pony you really are. Why don’t you tell them your secret? DJ-P0n3: [Confused.] What is she talking about? Blueblood: [Sigh.] I suppose I could only run away from this for so long. [Pause.] Yesterday I purchased Stallion Stereophonics. Because of that ... Octavia and her ensemble’s recording contract, their entire career, is entirely within my creative control. Octavia: What?! DJ-P0n3: [Stunned.] You’re ... you’re joking, right? Blueblood: You should know by now I don’t have a sense of humor. [Quietly.] I had done it before ... before all of this. Even when this started, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do. But now I know. It’s about time ... time I gave you what you both always deserved. Octavia: [Afraid.] You ... you can’t-- Blueblood: Just shut up! Just this once, just this one time, you will all sit down and hear what I have to say! [Pause.] DJ-P0n3: [Carefully.] Alright, Prince? What are you going to say? Blueblood: Miss Octavia? Octavia: [Furious.] What? Blueblood: It’s time you heard what your ensemble is now obligated to do. You will ... you will play again at Blueblood Theater. Octavia: ... come again? Blueblood: As I recall, you had a few shows that ... never came to fruition. It’s about time that was rectified. And one hundred percent of the ticket price will go to you and your ensemble. There is to be no dispute on this. Octavia: Wait, but weren’t you-- Blueblood: As for your album, when it finally is finished, you will go on a highly publicized tour where no expense shall be spared. And I don’t want a single complaint about any of that. Got it? Octavia: Yes, but-- Blueblood: Good. Now, since clearly I don’t have time to spend dealing with every little thing involving your ensemble every day, we’ll find time later to revise the contract and ensure creative control is given to some idiot who has that kind of time to waste. Sounds like that fits your description pretty well, doesn’t it, Miss Vinyl Scratch? [DJ-P0n3 pauses for a minute, then laughs.] DJ-P0n3: You know, I think it does! Blueblood: All right then. I’m glad we could come to an understanding. [Pause.] What exactly are you all smiling about? Trixie: [Hiccups, then giggles.] I knew it. I knew it all along. Octavia: I ... still can’t believe any of that just happened. DJ-P0n3: Awww ... our little jerk is growing up right before our eyes! Blueblood: [Annoyed.] Oh, don’t read too much into this. I simply don’t have the time to invest in properly crushing you anymore. It ... bores me. There was nothing more to it than that. You understand? DJ-P0n3: Sure, Princey. Sure. Blueblood: I mean it! [Trixie laughs. She slurs, but not as much as before.] Trixie: Trixie always knew you’d do the right thing in the end. DJ-P0n3: Wait ... you thought that was the right thing? You mean you like us now too? Trixie: Psh! Of course Trixie doesn’t. You both make me sick. [Dismissively.] But Trixie must admit she derives a certain amount of amusement in watching the next stupid thing you two do. And if you’re ruined, I can’t very well laugh at your idiocy, can I? That’s all. After all, I keep Blueblood around for the same reason. Blueblood: Hey! Octavia: [Muttering.] Jeez, be a little bit more in denial, why don’t you? Trixie: What was that?! Octavia: Nothing. Trixie: Hey, you better watch your tone before the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie-- hrrg! [Tries to keep herself from gagging.] Ugh ... please fetch the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie something to vomit in so she can then continue insulting you! Blueblood: Well ... I suppose I don’t have much else planned for this interview. I suppose it’s time to wind the show down. [Pause.] Umm ... DJ-P0n3: What? Blueblood: Well ... that’s the thing. I’ve never really ended one of these shows properly before. I mean, I’m not really much of a DJ. I only did this whole thing to annoy you both. Trixie: Yes! Truly he does not have the showmanship and professionalism of the GREAT and-- hrg! [Sounds of vomiting.] Trixie: [Deep breath.] And POWERFUL Trixie ... Octavia: Ugh! It’s on my hooves! DJ-P0n3: Yeah, Trixie, we’re never letting you drink again. Just saying. Octavia: I agree. Blueblood: I’d have to agree too, yes. [Sigh.] I was never cut out for this job anyway. I was probably better suited for the spice mines. I don’t think I’ll be having another show after this. I think I’ll just settle down and enjoy a much simpler life of managing my media empire. [Quietly.] I suppose you won’t have much of a reason to hang around me anymore, Trixie. Trixie: [Scoffs.] Don’t be stupid! You’re gonna have to try a lot harder to get rid of Trixie! Blueblood: [Chuckling.] I suppose I should have known better ... thank you. DJ-P0n3: And don’t forget something, Prince ... Blueblood: What? DJ-P0n3: You never did show up for that interview on my show, did you? [Cheerfully.] You’ll have to return the favor someday, you know. Feel free to drop in anytime. That’d be alright ... right, Octy? Octavia: I ... suppose. I mean, it’s only right, if we’re able to play at Blueblood Theater again. Blueblood: Yes. Octavia: [Angrily.] And if you apologize to Beauty Brass. Blueblood: [Confused.] Who? Oh, her! Okay, sure. Yes. Fine. [Pauses.] Not that I’m sorry or anything. Or am past all that contempt or anything. DJ-P0n3: You know, you don’t have to be in denial all the time. Blueblood: It’s worked pretty well for me so far. Now then ... how should I end this? DJ-P0n3: What do you mean? You just, you know ... you just do. Octavia: [Sarcastic.] Wow, Vinyl, I’m impressed how well you can explain things. DJ-P0n3: Well, I’m a DJ. DJ’s aren’t well-known because they can explain things. They’re all about, you know, spectacle! That feeling you get when the music is running through you and you can’t help but shake with the sheer power of ROCK! Blueblood: Well, you two are more suited to this than I am. Why don’t you two end it? DJ-P0n3: Well ... okay! Why not? [Clears throat.] Well, everypony. I hope you’ve enjoyed this. This probably will be the last episode of ... whatever this show is named. Trixie: I told you it was the “The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie Hour With--“ oh dear. Still queasy. Blueblood: Turn the other way if you’re going to puke! Octavia: Well, whatever it is, we’ve hope you enjoyed it. We certainly did ... in a very roundabout and unexpected way. DJ-P0n3: It was fun. And we even made some new friends. Blueblood: Hmph. I wouldn’t say “friends,” exactly. More accurately I’d say “ponies I’d rather not have assassinated anymore.” DJ-P0n3: We love you too, buddy! And you too, Trixie. Trixie: [Still sounding queasy.] Ugh ... Trixie feels sick. Somehow this is all somepony else’s fault! Octavia: [Chuckles.] I do admit, those two are amusing. Maybe having them around wouldn’t be so bad ... DJ-P0n3: Anyway, it’s time to say goodbye for a little while. But don’t worry. You can always find us on K-COLT, every morning, from now till the end of forever. So, this is DJ-P0n3 ... Octavia: And Octavia ... DJ-P0n3: Saying have a great morning and remember ... even when the signals out, the ROCK will always stay with you. Bye everypony! Octavia: Bye! [End transmission.] ================================================================ [That was the last broadcast of the very strange radio station, National Pony Radio. Ironically, this last broadcast was extremely high in ratings, largely due to DJ-P0n3’s influence. However, Blueblood declined to continue the show saying it’s, quote, “not for me.” Prince Blueblood, to the surprise of many, was better than his word. As promised, he apologized to Beauty Brass and, according to several interviews, she forgave him ... eventually. According to Octavia, “Beauty Brass yelled at him a bit ... you know, more so than usual. But after all that she forgave him. I think Blueblood’s ears were still ringing at the time, so I’m not exactly sure if he HEARD that part right away. I assume he did at some point, when his hearing came back.” In addition, he allowed Octavia’s ensemble to play at Blueblood Theater. It was by far the most popular show ever held at the Theater. And, despite the extremely large amount of money earned at the show, Blueblood kept his word and gave all of it to Octavia’s ensemble, as well as some to DJ-P0n3 for helping to manage it all. In addition to this, when Octavia and her ensemble’s album eventually did come out, he used all of his money and influence to promote it. It would eventually become the highest selling album in Equestrian history and Octavia’s ensemble, just as DJ-P0n3 once said, was considered “bigger than Celestia.” As a result of this, Blueblood’s reputation slowly began to improve. While he was still never exactly universally beloved, hatred for him died down as his actions become more generous and less of a jerk. He was often on “The Vinyl Scratch” and became a friend of the show. Despite this, he still claims that he, Vinyl, and Octavia are not friends and he harbors no affection towards them. Of course, nopony believed him. Trixie, never content to stay out of the spotlight long, was a frequent guest on “The Vinyl Scratch” as well ... regardless of whether they had actually invited her on or not. She also resumed her travelling show, putting on magic shows from town to town. The high ratings of National Pony Radio’s last show endeared her some popularity in the populous, which Trixie reveled in. However, Trixie’s true popularity would not come until much later, after the invention of a device known as “television.” This, however, is a story for another time. She and Prince Blueblood remained friends. Upon reviewing the historical transcripts, it becomes obvious Trixie cared about the Prince and was instrumental in his eventual development. Trixie dismissed all this and still claims that, quote, “The only reason why I’m still around him is because that idiot would probably DIE if he couldn’t bask in the radiance of the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie.” Nopony believed her either. Octavia eventually warmed up to Blueblood after he followed through on all his promises. Eventually, she would say that her and her ensemble probably owe a fair amount of success to him. To quote, “If he had never cancelled our show in the beginning, the concert Vinyl threw would have never happened and we wouldn’t have become popular in the first place. At least not as quickly as we did. When he finally stopped acting like a jerk, it just made things even better. I guess I owe him ... in a weird way. Sometimes I kind of feel bad about punching him. Sometimes.” DJ-P0n3 and Octavia enjoyed a fair amount of financial success from this arrangement, more than enough to have retired from running K-COLT. However, DJ-P0n3 and Octavia did not. They continued to run K-COLT and continued the Vinyl Scratch. When asked why she continued to do this, DJ-P0n3 said “K-COLT will always be my real home. I’ve met friends there, I’ve grown up there, I’ve had fun there. Even if somepony offered me all the bits in Equestria, I’d never give it up.” The Vinyl Scratch did continue for a very long time, leaving many more episodes to be transcribed. And as for Blueblood’s abandoned radio tower, it was eventually sold to another very strange musician named Lyra Heartstrings, leading to the development of another historically significant show. But that too is a story for another time ...] ================================================================ THE END ... but Vinyl and Octavia will return in “The Vinyl Scratch Tapes Specials”

Nathan

25

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Spike,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Porcelain Secrets

complete

<p>On her way home, Apple Bloom discovers Spike rifling through Rarity's belongings. Heading in to confront the dragon, they accidentally knock over a priceless vase! Will they be able to cover it up or will suspicion tear the town apart?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:59:21+00:00

2011-07-10T21:59:21+00:00

The school bell rang and all the young ponies filled out of the class room, excited for the long afternoon of adventures and playtime that awaited them. Saying her farewells to Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell, Apple Bloom began the long trot back to Sweet Apple Acres. While both the school and the farm were at the edge of town, they happened to be at opposite edges. Apple Bloom didn't mind the walk though; it made her feel proud and even a little grown up that she was able to make the journey home each day all by herself. Taking the scenic route home (as per the usual), Apple Bloom passed by Mr. and Ms. Cake's bakery for a free (well baked) cupcake from Pinky Pie and decided to head over to the library to do some personal research on Cutie Marks. The Crusaders were in full swing with their efforts to discover their potential, but Apple Bloom was the only one that seemed to take it seriously. Passing Rarity's boutique, the littlest member of the Apple family paused a moment to look in the window, hoping to see what fabulous new design the unicorn was working on. Unfortunately, Rarity didn't seem to be home at the moment. However... something was amiss. Squinting through the glass, Apple Bloom saw something rustling at the back of the shop. As stealthy as a snake, she slid the door open and crept inside to investigate. Making her way to the back of the shop, her eyes began to adjust and she was able to begin making out the details of the intruder. He was short and a bit tubby, with spines lining his head and down his back. This person certainly did NOT belong going through Rarity's dresser. Getting right up behind him, Apple Bloom took a deep breath and shouted as loud as she could, "SPIKE!" "W-whoa!" the young dragon wobbled and fell backwards into Apple Bloom, pulling a drawer loose and its contents spilling over the both of them. Struggling out of the tangle of fabrics and clothes, Spike glanced at Apple Bloom, who was also working to free herself. "Apple Bloom! What are you doing here?" Apple Bloom grunted as she kicked free a scarf that had gotten wrapped around a hind leg. "Ah should be asking YOU that question, Spike! Just what are ya thinkin? A gentleman can't just rummage through a lady's drawers like that, them's private! Blushing, Spike hurriedly began gathering the fallen contents of the drawer and replacing them. "I was just uh... um... I was looking for..." Apple Bloom planted a hoof on the jacket Spike was reaching for. "Spit it out!" "I was just uh... looking for stuff. You know, trying to figure out what Rarity likes so that I could..." Spike blushed harder, "get her something." Apple Bloom huffed and got right up in the dragon's face. "What in tarnation are you going on about, Spike? You expect me to buy a bunch of hogswallop like that? You were gonna swipe one of her bridles, weren't you?" "W-WHAT?!" "You heard me! Mah sister warned me about your types, but I never thought YOU of all dragons would be a PERVERT" Worry creased Spike's scales as he began to back away. "How can you say that Apple Blo-" "It's true, isn't it?" Apple Bloom pressed spike up against a pedestal and planted her hooves on Spike's shoulders. "ISN'T IT?" "Be careful, Apple Bloom," Spike warned, "you're gonna-" But the warning came too late, as the vase sitting atop the pedestal fell, shattering as it hit the ground. The two culprits stood there, gazing in shock at the pieces of broken porcelain. Turning her head towards spike, Apple Bloom's eyes narrowed. "This is all yer fault." "My fault?!" Spike exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. "You're the one who pushed me into the pedestal!" "Well if you hadn't been poking around Rarities drawers looking for a bridle, Ah wouldn't have had to confront ya, now would I?" "I wasn't looking for her bridles!" Spike blushed. "Well you WERE still snooping about her place without her permission!" Apple Bloom shouted. "So were you!" Spike retorted. "I..." "Ha! Got you there!" Turning towards the vase, Spike frowned. "I hope it wasn't important to her..." Apple Bloom was about to come back with a witty remark, when the magnitude of the situation truly dawned on her. "Oh horse feathers." "What?" "If mah sis finds out about this, she's gonna tan my hide till I sing." "Well it IS your fault." Apple Bloom rushed at spike, taking his hands in her hooves and kneeling in front of him. "Oh please don't tell nobody Spike. Apple Jack is still mad from the whole apple selling thing day before yesterday. She'd give me a real whoopin if she found out we-" Spike raised an eyebrow, "-I broke Rarity's vase. Please, Ah'll do ANYTHING!" Spike grinned. "ANYthing?" Apple Bloom blushed and looked down. "Well... maybe not anything... but if you DO tell, Ah'll make sure everypony in Ponyville knows you was snooping though Rarity's clothes looking for bridles." "But I WASN'T. LOOKING. FOR. BRIDLES!" Apple Bloom grinned wickedly. "Now it don't exactly matter what you were REALLY looking for, does it sugar cube?" Spike opened his mouth to speak but, not finding anything to say, closed it and folded his arms. "Fine." "Deal?" "Deal, now can we get out of here before Rarity gets back?" Spike glanced at the door nervously and began inching towards it. Bobbing her head in agreement Apple Bloom left the store with Spike, sneaking quietly down a nearby alley. "So what were you REALLY doing in there?" Apple Bloom asked, a sarcastic tone entering her voice. "I already told you, didn't I? I was trying to figure out what Rarity is into so that I could get her something nice." "Why?" Apple Bloom leaned in, teasing. "You got a cruuuuuush on her?" Spike just blushed and looked away. "You do!" Apple Bloom rocked back on her haunches and laughed. "It's not funny!" Spike yelled in protest. "I'm sure it ain't, but you are." Apple Bloom wiped a few tears from her eyes. "If it's that important to you, why don't you just ASK her what she likes?" "Ask her? Oh no. No way. I can't POSSIBLY do that." Spike crossed his arms in front of him. "Well why not?" Spike blushed and looked down at his feet. "It's embarrassing." Apple Bloom planted her hooves down on the ground and gave Spike a serious look. "Now Spike," she began to lecture. It would have been more effective, had it not been for the sheer cuteness once she began pacing in front of him. "You're a guy, so I don't expect you to know these things but here's the deal. Women don't like men who don't take chances. They don't like men who just hide their feelings away and search through their things to find clues or answers or whatever." She stopped her pacing. "Women like honest men. If you can't be straight up with her, then you might as well not even enter the rodeo." Spike sighed. "You really think so? I dunno..." The tiny Pony reared back and slammed her hooves on the ground. "OF COURSE I think so! I'm a girl too, ya know! I know how these things work! Why do all y'all men got to be so wool headed?" Glancing up at the near-setting sun, she gave a short gasp. "Aw fiddle sticks; I gotta get home before sis starts wondering what's keeping me." She glared back at Spike. "You be straight up with her, y'hear?" Spike sighed and nodded, apparently resigned to his fate. "Good. See you later, ya dumb dragon!" Apple Bloom ran off towards the setting sun and home. -To Be Continued-

Nathan

25

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Spike,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Porcelain Secrets

complete

<p>On her way home, Apple Bloom discovers Spike rifling through Rarity's belongings. Heading in to confront the dragon, they accidentally knock over a priceless vase! Will they be able to cover it up or will suspicion tear the town apart?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:00:34+00:00

2011-07-10T22:00:34+00:00

“An’ just where the hay have you been?” Applejack eyed her little sister who had just walked in the door. "Do you have any idea what time it is, Apple Bloom?" Looking down at the ground, Apple Bloom began scuffing one of her front hooves on the floor. "Sorry sis, ah had to stop by the library and do some research. Y'know, for the CMC." Rolling her eyes, Applejack trotted towards the dining room. "Didn't I tell you not to rush these things?" "We ain't rushing anything, we're just doing a little bit of extra reading is all..." Apple Bloom looked up and met her sister's gaze. "Y'know, to help us know what to look for!" "You'll know it when you find it, now go wash up. It's time for dinner." Dinner at Sweet Apple Orchards was always a simple affair outside of family reunions, and tonight was no different. It was Big Macintosh's turn to cook today, and he had prepared a few loaves of applebread with a honey oat spread to go on top. It wasn't much, but it was always delicious. Besides, it wasn't the food that counted. It was the family. "So what else have you been up to today, Apple Bloom?" Big Macintosh asked around a mouthful of bread. "You can't have been at the Library ALL afternoon." Apple Bloom looked up at her brother and smiled nervously. "Well... ah ran into Spike today and we talked for a while." Applejack grinned, leaning in. "Oh really? Spike, huh? I never thought you’d fall for a dragon. You kiss him yet?" Apple Bloom blushed, turning from banana yellow to beat red. "W-what are you getting at, sis?" she stammered out. "I ain't got a crush on him or anything. And besides, he's got that big ol' crush on Rarity, doesn't he? He'd never be interested in a little ol' Earth Pony like me." "Oh? So what did you guys talk about?" Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "He's trying to figure out what Rarity likes but is too afraid to ask her himself. I didn't have anything to tell him about that, but I sure gave him an earful for not having the guts to talk to the girl he likes. A real man should be able to admit his feelings!" Applejack snorted and shot a teasing look at her little sister. "Well look who's talking. You sure you ain't just the pot calling the kettle black?" "I." Apple Bloom shouted around a mouthful of applebread, spraying crumbs over the table "DO. NOT. HAVE A CRUSH!" "Whatever you say, sugar Cube," Applejack laughed. "Whenever you're ready to tell us who the lucky Stallion is, just give us a holler." Apple Bloom buried her face in the plate before her to hide her blushing as she picked up another piece of bread, ignoring the honey oat spread getting on her nose. Applejack could be such a tease some nights, especially when she felt bad after giving her a scolding. Finishing her dinner, Apple Bloom announced that she was tuckered out and heading off to bed. The next day dawned bright and early. There was no school that day, it being the week end, but that didn't excuse any pony on Sweet Apple Orchards from their morning chores. Apple Bloom had just finished up the last of her daily tasks when she heard voices coming from the barn. "... broken into. She's all a tizzy over the entire thing, but then I guess she has a right to be. Haven't had anything like this happen in years! Everypony is gonna be suspicious of each other for a while." "What was taken?" "Oh nothing, but all of her stuff was mussed up and there was a broken vase. You know how Rarity gets over these things." Apple Bloom gulped and tried to ignore the conversation as she walked past. "And where are you going, little missy?" Turning around, Apple Bloom looked up at her sister. "Ah was just going into town to visit my friends. We were supposed to get together today!" "Oh no you don't, little sister. Not today. There's a criminal on the loose, and I ain't lettin you wander all around Ponyville all by yourself." "So you mean ah can't go?" Apple Bloom put on the look she had practiced so many times in the past. Lip out, eyes watering. It had never failed her... except with sis. "I ain't saying you can't go, just that you can't go alone." Applejack stamped her hoof for emphasis. "If you wanna go into town, either me or Big Macintosh has to go with you." "But sis!" "Don't you 'but sis' me! One of us has to go with you and that's final!" "Fine..." The atmosphere in town had grown tense. The best of neighbors glared out their windows at each other, eyes filled with suspicion. The pegasi patrolled the skies, keeping an eye out for any suspicious individuals. Nopony could quite believe that a break in had occurred in Ponyville of all places. And why break into Rarity's place? Chances are anything a pony wanted would just be given to them, such was her generosity. "I'm sorry Apple Bloom, but my mom doesn't want me playing with anybody today," Scootaloo said, standing in her doorway. Sweetie Belle had much the same to say, neither ponies' parents wanted their kids out and about with a "thief" on the loose. "I'm sorry, sugar cube. Everypony is all riled up by this thing, but they'll get over it. Ah'm sure you'll get to play with your friends once this all blows over." Applejack's words were little comfort though, as they began their way back to the farm. As they were walking, they came upon a commotion starting up outside Rarity's shop. "Now what in tarnation is happening over there?" Applejack wondered out loud and lead her sister towards it to see what was going on. "Just admit it, Rainbow Dash! You were the one that broke my vase!" "What do you mean 'I did it,' Rarity? I never touched your stupid vase!" Apple Bloom gave a slight cringe. Rarity stomped her hoof down and leaned forward, shouting. "You wouldn't HAVE to touch it! You could have blown it over with your wings! And it is NOT stupid." Rainbow Dash sighed and began to fly off. "I don't have to listen to this." "Oh yes you do!" Rarity's horn lit up, pulling Dash forcefully back down to the ground. "Okay, that's it!" Rainbow Dash spun around and lowered her head. "It. Is. ON!" "Wait you guys! Stop fighting!" Twilight Sparkle came dashing forward, breaking through the crowd that encircled the arguing ponies. "Just what has gotten into you two?" "Why don't you ask her?" Rainbow Dash scoffed, pointing her nose in Rarity's direction. "ME?! YOU'RE the one that broke MY vase!" Rarity accused. "Girls, girls!" Twilight put herself between the two ponies. "Settle down! Rainbow Dash, did you touch Rarity's vase?" "Of course not! Why would I?" Rarity snorted. "Well obviously I must have offended her in some way. Maybe she took it the wrong way when I asked if I could trim those DREADFUL banes." "You think so? Well maybe I aught to come over THERE and snip off YOUR hair" "You wouldn't DARE!" "Watch me!" Finally, Apple Bloom couldn't take any more of it. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaait!" she cried, galloping out into the middle of the circle. Applejack called for her to get back, but she didn't listen. "Rainbow Dash ain't the one that broke your vase, Ms. Rarity." Rarity reigned herself in and sat back on her haunches, looking at Apple Bloom with surprise. "Really? And how do you know?" Apple Bloom looked down at her feet, ashamed. "Because... because ah'm the one that done it." The crowd gave a collective gasp. "Ah didn't mean to break it, ah swear! It was an accident. ah'm so sorry..." Rarity sighed, settling down. "That’s quite alright, my dear. But I DO expect you to work to pay it off, do I make myself clear?" "Yes ma'am." Rarity nodded. "Very good." Turning towards Rainbow Dash, she smiled weakly. "Um... I'm sorry about all the... you know... accusations and such." Dash shrugged. "Don't worry about it. You were upset." Applejack came up behind Apple Bloom and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "You. Home. Now." Apple Bloom nodded and turned to leave. On her way through the crowd, she saw Spike standing there, worry in her eyes. She smiled weakly at him and, resigned, walked towards her fate.

Nathan

25

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Spike,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Porcelain Secrets

complete

<p>On her way home, Apple Bloom discovers Spike rifling through Rarity's belongings. Heading in to confront the dragon, they accidentally knock over a priceless vase! Will they be able to cover it up or will suspicion tear the town apart?</p>

everyone

2011-11-14T06:00:16+00:00

2011-11-14T06:00:16+00:00

Spike watched Apple Bloom leave, his heart sinking as he watched the little pony be lead away by her big sister. The crowd had parted for them and all eyes were focused on the one who had been the cause of the rampant suspicions that had swept through the town. Except that wasn't true. It WASN'T Apple Bloom who was the cause of this, and the baby dragon knew it. Guilt weighing heavily on his heart, Spike made his way back to the Library with Twilight. "Hey Twilight?" "Yes, Spike?" Spike scratched his head nervously. "Hypothetically, what would you do if something you did ended up getting a friend in trouble?" Twilight Sparkle turned her head and gave spike a flat stare. "Hypothetically?" "Y-yeah, hypothetically!" the dragon grinned sheepishly "Spike, does this have anything to do with Rarity's vase?" "Well..." Back at sweet Apple Acres, things were not looking up for little Apple Bloom. "Just what the hay were you THINKING, Apple Bloom?" Applejack nearly shouted. She had lead her sister into the barn to deliver her scolding. "Breaking into Rarity's boutique? I thought you was smarter than that. Didn't we teach you better?" "Ah didn't break in!" Apple Bloom insisted. "Somebody else was in there before me!" "Oh really? And just who might that have been?" "It was..." Apple Bloom looked down. "Ah can't tell you." "And why the hay not?" Apple Bloom looked her older sister firmly in the eye. "Cuz I made a promise, and there ain't no way Ah’m breaking it. Ah'm a big pony now and big ponies don't break their promises!" Applejack sighed. "Look Apple Bloom, ah appreciate what you’re doing. It'd be bad for a member of the Apple family to be caught breaking a promise, but this here's different. Whoever was in there first was up to no good in there, you know that." Apple Bloom shook her head. "He weren't doing anything bad. He was acting mighty stupid, sure, but it was for a good reason!" "Apple Bloom, what good reason could somepony possibly have for breaking into another pony's place of business?" "Ah... ah can't tell you that neither." "Fine. That's the way you want it, then that's the way yer gonna get it." Applejack snorted and trotted towards the barn door. "Run out into that orchard over yonder and fetch me a switch. Don't you go skimping on the size now. I'm gonna get Big Macintosh." Sighing, Apple Bloom left the barn and went out into the orchard to pick an appropriately sized branch. She knew full well that her Sister would just go out and pick a bigger one if she disappointed. She wasn't going to back down though. The Apple family kept the promises they made to their friends. True, she no longer had to worry about Spike telling on her but... that was no excuse. Spike hadn't told anypony about her, and she wasn't going to tell anybody about him. It took Apple Bloom a while to find a branch that was long enough yet flexible enough to satisfy her sister’s standards. Dragging the stick in her mouth, she began marching back through the orchard. It was an awfully pretty sight this time of year, with all the blossoms in full bloom. It wasn't too uncommon for her or Applejack to find young couples out for a stroll. Hay, even a few weddings had been held under the colorful canopy. Coming back in view of the barn and farm house, Apple Bloom barely noticed somebody leaving the house. Coming up to the barn, Apple Bloom set the switch down and waited patiently for her siblings to arrive and discipline her. It wasn't long before Applejack stuck her head in the barn door. "Go ahead and leave the switch there, sugar cube. We won't be needing it tonight." Confused, Apple Bloom got up and walked out of the barn, catching up to her sister. "Ah'm not complaining or anything, but what changed your mind? I thought for sure ah was going get my hide tanned back there." Applejack sighed and shook her head. "We just got a visit from Twilight Sparkle. And Spike. They explained the whole thing; you ain't got nothing to worry about anymore." "Spike did WHAT?!" "Its okay, Apple Bloom." Applejack gave a small chuckle. "You kept your promise." "Ah gotta talk to him! Is he still here?" Applejack shook her head. "Naw, they just left a couple minutes ago, but you should be able to catch up with them if you hurry. I'm surprised you didn't see 'em leaving on your way back." Galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her, Apple Bloom raced down the path leading from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville. It wasn't long at all before the town came into view, as did Spike and Twilight. "SPIIIIIIIIIIKE!" Apple Bloom cried out. The older pony and the dragon turned back to see Apple Bloom racing towards them. Skidding to a halt, Apple Bloom took a few seconds to catch her breath. "Spike... can I talk to you for a second?" "Uh..." Spike looked back at Twilight Sparkle who nodded. "Sure, Apple Bloom." He climbed down from Twilight's back and folded his hands behind his back nervously. "Why'd you tell them, Spike? Ah wasn't gonna say nothing! Honest!" "Because it wasn't your fault, Apple Bloom. I'm the one that was going through Rarity's things to begin with; you were just trying to stop me." Apple Bloom looked at Spike confused. "Well, have you told anypony else yet?" Spike shook his head. "No, but we're on our way to Rarity's to apologize. Somehow I think I'm even further away from my goal then I was before I started." Apple Bloom giggled. "You know, instead of riffling through her stuff to get to know here, y'all could have just asked one of us." Seeing Spike's confused look, she continued. "Ah may not know Rarity that well personally, but I hear a lot about her from mah sister. You could have asked me or any of her friends what she likes. Who knows, maybe you can even get her something to help with the apology!" "Like what?" Apple Bloom smiled. "Well... You’re a dragon right? You gotta have some jewels by now, and diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend." Spike scratched his head. "Diamonds? Huh, I never thought of it that way. I guess when you spend your entire life thinking of something as a dessert; it's hard to think of it otherwise." "Hey Spike?" Apple Bloom scuffed a hoof on the ground nervously. "Yeah?" Walking up to the dragon, Apple Bloom leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks," she whispered before turning and galloping off back towards Sweet Apple Acres. Spike stood stunned and blushing until Twilight scooped him up onto her back. "Come on, Casanova. We got another stop to make today." The End.

Nathan

25

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Spike,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Porcelain Secrets

complete

<p>On her way home, Apple Bloom discovers Spike rifling through Rarity's belongings. Heading in to confront the dragon, they accidentally knock over a priceless vase! Will they be able to cover it up or will suspicion tear the town apart?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:05:43+00:00

2011-07-10T22:05:43+00:00

The sun was setting in Equestria, Celestia’s duty coming to an end as Luna took up her nightly task. Ponies were headed home for the day, all their work and shopping done and their bellies ready to be filled with whatever delectable dishes awaited them at dinner. Down on Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom trotted through the door and into her home, glancing about nervously. The scene just kept replaying itself in her mind. "Hey Spike?" she scuffed a hoof on the ground nervously, the sun setting behind her on the path between Ponyville and the farm. "Yeah?" Walking up to the dragon, Apple Bloom leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks," she whispered before turning and galloping back to Sweet Apple Acres. “Just what am ah doing?” the young pony muttered to herself, settling down on a couch. “Spike has a crush on Rarity. He doesn’t have time for little ol’ me…” “So did you manage to catch up to him?” Applejack walked into the room and smiled at her younger sister, who nodded. “Don’t think you’re completely off the hook just because he came forward. You’ll be doing some extra chores here to make up for all this trouble you helped cause.” Apple Bloom sighed dejectedly, although she had already figured as much. Just then, an idea occurred to her. “Hey sis?” “What is it, sugar cube?” “Umm...” “Well come on, spit it out.” “Do you have any good tips for, y’know, kissin an stuff?” Applejack stared dumbly at her sister for a moment as she tried to process what she had just been asked. “What in tarnation brought this on all of a sudden?” Applejack eyed her sister suspiciously and then got a big grin on her face. “I was right! You do have a crush on that little dragon!” A crimson blush blossomed on Apple Bloom’s cheeks. “No, well,” Apple Bloom stammerd, “not necessarily.” Taking a good moment to collect herself, she put on her best indignant face and stared up at her sister. “Ah just figured this is something every pony should know! And ah figured you’re a lot older than me and have more experience so I’d come and ask you! You’re practically an expert as far as ah’m concerned!” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “And just what the hay is that supposed to mean? You calling me a-” “A-ah didn’t mean anything by it sis, honest!” Apple Bloom stammered out nervously. “It’s just that, well” she sighed “I figured you’d just know more than me is all. Can you teach me?” Applejack frowned and turned away, considering for a moment. A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes and she turned back to her sister, idea already formed in her head. “Sure thing, just sit on down and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.” --- “Applejack, are you pulling my leg?” “Farmer’s Honor, little sister. I can tell no lies.” “But…” “Uh-huh” “With a pickle?” “Yep.” “And the thing with the ears?” “All true” “But that’s disgusting!” Apple Bloom stomped out of the room, a mixture of shock, confusion and revulsion painting her face. “If that’s what kissin is all about then I want nothing to do with it!” “Ah dunno, sugar cube,” Applejack called after her. “You just might get a Kissin Cutie Mark, after all. Wouldn’t that be something?” “Ah’d rather die!” Apple Bloom growled as she trotted up the stairs to her room. But maybe Spike is worth it, she thought to herself as she settled down to sleep. Only tomorrow would tell. --- “APPLEJACK!” Apple Bloom came screaming onto the farm. “APPLJACK, YOU TWO-TIMING SNAKE OF A SISTER!” She found her quick enough, working out in the orchards and making sure the new saplings had enough support. They had just added a few new rows to the edge, vaing cleared away the brambles and the new trees needed all the care they could get. Applejack looked up from her work, her amusement concealed behind a mask of feigned innocence. “Why Apple Bloom, whatever has you in such a fuss?” “You know darn well what you done! What the hay was all that stuff you told me yesterday about kissn?” The little filly stood, coat slick with grease and hair drenched with brine. Bits of flower petals were still visible on her chin. Applejack could no longer help herself, she fell to the ground and began rolling in laughter. “Oh my word, you actually believed it! Ah never thought you’d fall for it!” “APPLEJACK!” Apple Bloom shouted at her chortling sister. “How could you! Ah’ve never been so embarrassed in my life! And now I’m going to smell like vinegar and tomatoes for weeks…” “Yeah, sorry about that, little sister,” Applejack managed to get out before snorting again, “but let’s face it. You’re just not ready for that kind of relationship yet.” “Like hay I ain’t!” “Just listen for a sec, Apple Bloom.” Apple Jack sat up next to her sister. “Kissin ain’t one of those things you can just do at the drop of a hoof, and nopony can tell you how to do it either. That kind of thing only comes with experience, trust and love. Not the fake kind a puppy love that is here one day and gone the next, but the real stuff that sees ponies spending the rest of their lives together. You make sure that when you give somepony your first kiss, not just a peck on the cheek but a real, full blown kiss, that the lucky gentlecolt that gets it deserves it and that you are sure he’s the right one.” Apple Bloom sighed and looked down at her hooves. “You’re right. Ah guess I have been acting a bit silly.” Applejack nodded and smiled. “At least we got that straight. On the bright side, I bet Spike doesn’t know quite what to think anymore. At the very least you probably confused him an awful lot.” Apple Bloom began walking with her sister through the trees and back towards the farm house. “Yeah,” she grimaced, “I suppose I should apologize before too long.” “What for?” “I never told you what I did with the pickle.”

ZAquanimus

28

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

Fly Away

complete

<p>Many years have passed. Rainbow Dash left Ponyville to join the Wonderbolts. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are all grown up and now Scootaloo is following in Rainbow Dash's hoofsteps albeit with her own personal twist.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:34:10+00:00

2011-07-10T21:34:10+00:00

Fly Away By ZAquanimus “Yee-Haaaw!” Scootaloo groaned and pulled her pillow over her head. “Yeeee-Haw!” Scootaloo let out a sigh and pushed her pillow aside, turning her head to look out her window. The sun had barely risen over the trees of Sweet Apple Acres. Dawn must’ve been within the last hour. “Every Morning... Confound those Apples.” She chuckled and rubbed at her eyes. She really shouldn’t be complaining. Apple Bloom and her family had taken her in and cared for her like she was kin over the years; they had even allowed her to build a cloud house over their property once she was old enough to want the privacy. Scootaloo rolled out of her bed, stretching her legs after she landed on the “floor” of her bedroom. The Apples were awesome ponies she thought to herself as she walked over to her shower room, and the closest thing she had to a family. Scootaloo walked into her wash room and pressed a small cloud that seemed out of place into the wall. Instantly it began to rain throughout the small room. She stepped forward into the middle of it, sighing as the water ran down her mane and dropped down to the floor where it would cycle back around to the ceiling again. A self-contained shower system that she had designed herself. Normally the water would just wash out of a pegasi’s home and it’d be as if it were raining; But Scootaloo had seen that as a mighty big waste of water and had figured out how to get the clouds to filter out the filth as the water ran through it, ensuring clean, efficient water. She just had to change out the cloud acting as the filter once a week. Scootaloo went back to the door and pushed another little cloud “button” into the wall, cutting of the flow of the water as she walked back into her bedroom. They called her the Atmospheric Artisan; she could do things with clouds that other pegasi had never even dreamed of. Her cutie mark confirmed that, a conductor’s wand over a cumulus cloud with little lines running along it representing the winds. She went to the back of her bedroom and began climbing up some stairs to the roof where she would dry off. Sure she could make herself a room for blow drying like she had in other cloud homes in Cloudsdale and elsewhere; but she preferred drip-drying in the sun. She laid down on her roof, Celestia’s sun higher in the sky than before. Giving her a better view of Sweet Apple Acres, seeing that the clouds were running as she left them the night before. Some were beginning to get plump with water and would rain tomorrow as scheduled. That was how she helped the Apples, she wasn’t very good at applebucking, maybe if there were some particularly stubborn apples she’d fly up and grab them. But mostly she was just Sweet Apple Acre’s personal sky-keeper. It was the least she could do for them. Shaking her mane back and forth, Scootaloo felt it was dry enough and went back downstairs. She wondered how she would be spending her day, she swept her eyes across her room, coming to rest on a weathered pair of goggles, her most prized possession. She walked over and picked them up, looking over them fondly, perhaps she would practice some of her tricks. She sighed as she looked up at her poster of the Wonderbolts hanging over the spot where the goggles went. “Maybe som...” Scootaloo cut off as she heard a shout from outside. “Scootaloooooooooo~ Scoootaloooooooooooooooooooooo~” Walking over to her window she looked out to see Apple Bloom and the frou frou of the trio, Sweetie Belle. “Scoooootalooooooooooo~” Applebloom called one last time before seeing Scootaloo’s head poking out from the window. “it’s about time you get up sleepy head! Hurry up and get down here, we got something to show you!” “It’s absolutely diiiivine~” Sweetie Belle chirped. “I’ll be down in a sec! Hold your horses!” Scootaloo groaned as she turned back inside, Sweetie Belle was starting to sound more and more like her sister everyday. She liked them and all, but that frou frou lingo of theirs wore on her nerves at times. She placed the goggles back on the shelf as she walked to her door, opening it to see the whole Apple Family and Sweetie Belle standing right below her. Scootaloo was a bit perplexed. “Hey watcha all doing over here anyway, it’s Applebucking season ain’t it?” Applejack chuckled “Well shucks sugah’cube, Ah figured it’d be okay to take a small break to see off our favorite little flyer on her big day, isn’t that right Big Macintosh?” “Eeeyup.” “Wait, what do you mean my big day?” “Applejack tilted her head a bit “Well isn’t to...” Apple Bloom cut her off. “Today’s the Wonderbolts Try outs!” “Eep..” Scootaloo felt her heart sink like a stone. She had completely forgotten. She rushed back in and grabbed her goggles before galloping back out the door. Throwing herself out of her cloud house and beating her wings as she turned into a spiralling corkscrew to gain altitude. She could just barely make out her friends and family yelling out their best wishes. Scootaloo somehow heard Sweetie Belle over all the others as she reached cruising altitude and angled off to Cloudsdale. “Do us proud honey.” **************************** Scootaloo arrived at Cloudsdale in record time. Rushing as she flew towards the Cloudsdale Arena where she knew the try outs were being held. She saw pegasi all around her, she knew they were probably making a raucous as they made their way to the arena to watch the try outs. But all she could hear was the beat of her heart, pounding in her ears. She should’ve felt tired from flying so far so fast, but all she felt was her heart in her throat and adrenaline coursing through her veins. She flew into the entryway meant for those trying out and everything faded. She might have started out a bit bumpy today. But now she was ready. Today she would become a Wonderbolt. **************************** Hours later she stood within the archway leading out to the arena. She had been late, but they still let her into the try outs. But she was the last one, and all the waiting had been wearing on her nerves. There was a roar of applause as the pegasus currently trying out pulled off their finisher. All try outs were allowed 3 minutes to strut their stuff so to speak. She wouldn’t need that much time. She had practiced her move for months, and she knew it wouldn’t disappoint. The colt, it had been a brown colt with an hourglass for a cuiemark, trotted back through the archway. Scootaloo tried to swallow, gulping air as she walked into the arena. The light blinding her for a second as she stood, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She didn’t need to wait long, her heart started pounding, hammering in her chest as she heard a voice over the roar of the crowd, her head snapping to look in the direction of the V.I.P. section where the Wonderbolts would be sitting. “Hey there Squirt, I was hoping you’d show up. To be honest I was beginning to worry that you chickened out.” Scootaloo saw them, Spitfire the previous Wonderbolts leader one side, Soarin who had been her second in command on the other, and sitting between them with the biggest smirk on her face was the first Wonderbolt out of Ponyville, the leader of the Wonderbolts, and her hero, Rainbow Dash. “Long time no see, ey Squirt? I see you still got my goggles. How’s Ponyville doing these days? No wait, tell me later. Right now, show us what you got.” Scootaloo felt the blood rushing to her face as she lowered her goggles over her eyes and flew out into the center of the arena, gaining speed for her routine. Rainbow Dash sat back with an expression that anyone who didn’t know her would’ve called smug. Turning to Spitfire she said, “Keep an eye on her, this kid has got the stuff.” Spitfire rolled her eyes and giggled before turning her attention back to the arena. “Whatever you say Dashie.” Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly and followed Spitfire’s gaze. Whispering to herself. “Come on, knock us out Squirt...” Scootaloo’s heart was racing, her breath coming out in short, quick gasps as she gathered up all the clouds within the arena, trying to make it look as smooth and graceful as possible. But she just needed the clouds, nothing more. She pushed the last cloud to the center of the arena, where a rather large round cumulus had developed from her efforts. Satisfied with the mass of the cloud Scootaloo began her climb. Beating her wings harder as she reached the top of her ascent she did a triple backflip into a dive, heading straight toward the clouds she had gathered. Preparing herself she corkscrewed, picking up speed as her flight through the air began to create static electricity from the friction. Rainbow Dash recognized it as a tweaked start to a maneuver that she had incorporated into the Wonderbolts’ routine when she had taken charge. But she was unsure of what Scootaloo was gonna do with it. Scootaloo kept picking up speed as she tore into the sphere of clouds, where she unleashed the Buccaneer Blaze. The static buildup threw itself into the clouds, charging them up into powerful thunderheads that immediately began to jostle each other, spitting out lightning in every direction. Scootaloo dove under a particularly close bolt and turned back around as she reached the other side of the sphere. Turning sharply she flew around the outside of the clouds, the mach cone that she had produced during her dive followed her, creating a wall of air around the clouds. Whereas other pegasi like Rainbow Dash could only fight to break the sound barrier, Scootaloo was capable of bending it to her will. The wall of air she was producing was crushing the clouds down into each other, making a smaller sphere before she felt the clouds begin to push back against her. She veered off away from the sphere as all the clouds within it let out a lightning bolt at the same time. With a booming roar of thunder the sphere ignited into a ball of electricity so bright that it was like a miniature sun. The lightning sphere kept booming, it would’ve drowned out the crowd if they hadn’t all been stunned into a silent stupor. Scootaloo looked on, watching over her creation. Her wings lazily flapping as she kept herself afloat in place. Her move, the one she had been working on in concept for months but never actually tried out had worked. The Scootsplosion was a success. **************************** Scootaloo was outside of the Wonderbolts’ locker rooms. Rainbow Dash had told her to wait there so that they could catch up. She was nervous, it wouldn’t be until tomorrow that the Wonderbolts publicized their decision, if there was even one. It would be nagging at her all day if she let it, the anxiousness, it would slowly driver her... There was the sound of clopping, there was someone coming out of the locker room. Scootaloo turned to see Rainbow Dash, her legs crossed, leaning against the door frame, as smug looking as ever. “Well looks like you did it Squirt, you’re in, you’re a Wonderbolt.” Scootaloo didn’t even hear the rest of what Rainbow Dash was saying. She felt like her heart had stopped, her mind was numb, a buzzing was in her ears, she could’ve sworn that she had forgotten how to even breath. She looked at Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo could see her lips moving, speaking. Then she could only see a rainbow of colors through a haze as she threw her legs around Rainbow Dash, hugging her tight as the tears of joy flowed freely from her eyes. “Whoa, whoa Squirt. Don’t start with the girly water works, emotions and all that hay.” Scootaloo chuckled and withdrew, blushing as she looked to the floor bashfully. “I’m sorry Dash, I’ve just missed yo... eep.” Scootaloo stood stunned as she found herself in Rainbow Dash’s legs, being the one hugged this time. Rainbow Dash blinked away a tear as she hugged Scootaloo tight “I missed yah too Squirt.” She let go and put her hoofs back on the ground, turning back into the locker room. “Now let’s get you suited up. We’re gonna pay Ponyville a visit. **************************** Scootaloo looked over towards Rainbow Dash, she was flying with her hero. Flying with her new flight leader. She felt another tear well up and get blown away by wind whipping past them. This was the greatest day in her life. “Hey Squirt,” Scootaloo turned her head again to see Rainbow Dash lowering her goggles. “It’s time to tell Ponyville that their Wonderbolts are back in town.” Scootaloo nodded as she lowered her own goggles. “Yeah, Let’s do this.” They both pulled into a climb, taking them higher even higher than Dragon Mountain. Scootaloo could see all of Ponyville sprawled out below them, even her house over Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree Forest. Beyond that she could just barely make out Canterlot. “Now!” Scootaloo was brought back to the task at hand as Rainbow Dash began her dive towards the center of town. Scootaloo raced after her, they had discussed how they would make their entrance on the flight over from Cloudsdale. She angled a bit away from Rainbow Dash, waiting until she saw the mach cone appear before her. Scootaloo then angled back towards Rainbow Dash as she broke the sound barrier and created her Sonic Rainboom. Scootaloo flew around the ensuing rainboom ring, corralling as she had the storm clouds during her try out. She flew around the perimeter of the rainboom, cutting it off with the wall of air as Rainbow Dash circled back around for a loop. The rainboom began to push against her as she finished corralling it, Scootaloo flew away to match her dive with Rainbow Dash’s straight towards town square, where she saw all her and Rainbow Dash’s friends standing in front of Twilight’s office. A congratulations banner hanging over town hall. Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash slowed down for the landing, as an explosion of light flashed from behind them. Everypony looked stunned, their eyes wide and mouths agape as the duo landed beside them. Scootaloo turned to look back at their creation and was dumbfounded. Hanging over the center of Ponyville was a glowing, tumultuous, orb of color. Every color you could ever imagine, and even some that you couldn’t was pulsating within the orb, and the rainbow produced by Rainbow Dash’s contrail haloed the orb. It was the first of many miracles that would encompass her career as a Wonderbolt.

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-08-28T07:18:34+00:00

2013-12-17T04:17:14+00:00

“Sister, I understand where you're coming from, but the only way to satiate your wonder is by going to see it in person. No book can really give you the full picture.” Celestia spoke kindly to Luna, a tone of understanding in her voice. Her eyes softened as she looked upon her younger sister, with only the utmost care in her gaze. As shy as she was, deep down, Luna knew she was right. For the ten weeks she had been back to Equestria, most of her waking moments, aside from her duties raising and lowering the night sky, were spent in the royal library. Desperately wanting to catch up on everything she missed, it was a sub-conscious effort to relieve some of the remorse she felt for letting Nightmare Moon consume her physical being. Luna rarely left the castle grounds, but even there, she could tell much had changed during her millennia-long banishment to the moon. The goddess had her nose in every book, every scientific journal, every legal document she could get her hooves on. Soon, she could understand modern theology, history, politics and science. She even tried to modernize her room, adding a soft carpet and a crystal chandelier to the décor of her room. Well, almost everything, as her cherished abacus still remained always close by. The clacking of the beads, how smoothly they ran to and fro. Whenever she felt in despair, Luna could always turn to her abacus, softly toying with it and marveling at how something so simple could be used to do so much. The pale blue and silver color scheme reminded the alicorn of her own beloved night sky, it's stars twinkling in harmony with the moon and the streak of the milky way. Even through her relentless studying and analyzing of every text she could find, Luna still felt her curiosity unsatisfied, chewing away at her like a parasprite. Therefore, today she gathered up enough courage to ask the only pony she had ever talked to since her return, her older sister, Princess Celestia. Celestia bore no essence of surprise as Luna confessed her burning desire to find out what innovations the world experienced. Instead, she simply smiled, stating “In order to truly know, you have to find out for yourself.” -~- Those very words reverberated in her mind, as Luna hugged the cloud in front of her. Reluctantly, she had accepted her sister's advice, and was now going off on her small journey to see what the world was like. Celestia offered to have some guards to escort her where she pleased, but her reserved nature turned it down. Celestia never told her she had to meet other ponies, but simply see how the world changed, right? She could just slip in for a few days, watch from the safety of the shadows, and leave. Unfortunately, she didn't know where to go. She'd been in Canterlot her whole time back in Equestria, except for a few hours for a party in... in... 'Ponyville! That's it!' She had thought to herself, 'I'll just observe Ponyville for a bit, take a note or two, and then I can head straight for home.' And so, as quickly as she could, she flew out from Canterlot, and headed towards Ponyville. At first, her re-acquaintance with flight was euphoria of emotions. She had felt a fluttering feeling of freedom, as she nimbly dipped and dove among the clouds. Her mane rippled in the wind as Luna skimmed over a cloud, only to dive through it a second later. 'Luna, stop being such a silly filly.' She giggled as she thought to herself. Even though she didn't embrace her title as “Princess” as much as her sister did, she still felt bound to act somewhat on par with the nobility. As she was about to continue her controlled descent, two voices roared out around her. “Scootaloo, come on, are you racing or not?” a voice called out. It was feminine, but not by much. “You betcha!” replied another, this higher voice belonging to a younger pony. Luna squeaked in surprise, diving behind a nearby cloud. She hugged onto it tightly, not wanting to be seen. Her plan would be foiled if anypony saw her! Moments passed before she dared peek to check if the coast was clear. Luna let go a sigh of relief as she saw nopony around. All she could see was the blue sky, and a green field below. Squinting, she examined it closer. A vegetative area rimmed the heath, one section leading off into a forest. She could also make out a small creek flowing, and a cheery cottage behind it. But, besides that, it was a welcome contrast to the bustle of majority of Ponyville, which lay a little far off to her right. Luna brightened a little, feeling her luck had changed. 'All I need to do now is hop down a few clouds without getting seen, and I can land on the border of the field. No pony will see me, and I'll be okay', she reassured herself, as she flew down to the next cloud below her, bouncing a little as the fluffy mass absorbed her momentum. Gradually, she made her way down, as the warm breeze of late summer began to flow over her navy coat. It was a pleasant surprise from the chilly climate in Canterlot. Being situated half-way up a mountain was only a surefire way to ensure colder weather. Looking down below, Luna realized this was the lowest cloud before ground-level. Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes roll over the landscape, wanting to take it all in. She gasped, marveling at the beauty of something so simple. The green heath rolled into a dense thicket of shrubbery, which eventually morphed into an emerald forest. The same creek that flowed past the cottage, now cut through the trees, glimmering like a path of sapphires in front of her. Birds chirped and sang happily, as a rabbit grazed amongst the grass. Luna hadn't seen something so wonderful, yet basic, in over a thousand years. On one side of the cloud, and still entranced by the landscape in front of her, Luna barely heard the pegasus' arrival. A rainbow streaked through the cloud, it's wing clipping the princess. She gasped in shock more than pain, knocked off from her cloudy perch. Dazed from the swift impact, she began to fall towards the ground. Rainbow Dash grunted a bit as she flew through the cloud. Her wing snagged a little, but that was normal. Wind sometimes built up behind a cloud, and could provide some resistance if strong enough. Air flowed past her ears, muffling the sound of Luna's squeak. Rainbow Dash wondered for a second, doubting if she heard something or not. She took a quick glance over her shoulder a second later, but saw nothing. The alicorn had already fallen out of her line of sight. The pegasus was about to examine it further until she felt a hoof tap her head. “Tag!” Scootaloo screamed in delight, taking off up into the sky. “Oh, it's on!” Rainbow replied, soaring after her. Unbeknownst to her, Luna was plummeting towards the earth. She was still dazed, her vision fuzzy and ears ringing. It took her mind a few seconds come to and process what was happening. She tried to scream, but the wind rushing past her face prevented all vocal sounds. Beginning to force her body to work, Luna desperately tried to flap her wings, her legs flailing about. But, a millennia spent in the moon had weakened her muscles, and she could not fly as strong as she once could. Looking down, Luna saw the ground rapidly approaching. She put all her strength into stalling her descent, her wing muscles straining to fight the force of gravity. She attempted conjuring a spell to slow her down, but once again her years on the desolate satellite had taken a toll on her skills. A little blue spark erupted from her horn, only to peter out and vanish altogether However, another quick glance told the Princess that she would still impact the green field at a painful speed. The thought only lasted for a second, before she summoned the last of her strength, tapping into some reserves she herself never knew existed. Luna's shield flashed into being, the navy blue sphere enveloping around her. It wouldn't save her completely, but she could just possibly avoid anything to serious. Luna last heard the shield evaporate in a sizzle as she ran into the ground. The world went black. -~- “Hello?” A quiet voice rolled delicately on the wind. Luna felt a soft hoof prodding her shoulder. 'Where am I?' she asked herself, 'All I remember was sitting on that cloud until something hit me and I..' The fall. It all came back to her. The rushing of the air, the swirling view of blue and green. The vain attempt at screaming, the futility of her wings and magic, and eventually the casting of her shield before impinging into the ground below. Now, she was laying on her back, the faint rustle of grass rubbing up against her. The air was calm, but comfortably warm. Luna would have enjoyed the feeling more, if her head did not ache like a fury Celestia herself hadn't seen. “Are you okay?” The voice asked again. It was gentle, with no traces of negativity, only care to be found. Oddly enough, the she felt surprisingly calm. Even with her pains, she didn't worry as much as she expected she would. Luna attempted opening her eyes, the world coming in as a blur. The world around her was fuzzy, her sight becoming adjusted to the light. Blinking again, she looked up, staring into a set of reassuring blue eyes, almost the same shade of her own. The face surrounding them was of a young mare, her yellow coat matching nicely with her natural pink mane. For a second, she didn't mind, after all this pony seemed very nice. 'This pony!' The though ran through her mind. Luna screamed, instinctively scrambling back a few feet. The other mare screamed as well, a startled look in her expression. Without a second look, the new pony turned tail and began running away. The alicorn watched as the yellow pony charged towards the cottage. After a quick examination, Luna realized that she was a pegasus, small wings hugging her sides. The mare kept streaking away, the last of her pink tail visible before she entered the house and slammed the door behind her. Luna propped herself up, taking a deep breath. 'Odd,' she thought, beginning to calm down, 'Why did she decide to run and not fly?' Sighing, she rhetorically pondered whether more had changed than even she could imagine. As she got up, her thoughts evaporated to the sight around her. Everywhere, flora and fauna alike populated her view, reintroducing herself to the world she had left behind , as curiosity once again flared in her mind. She could barely remember her last encounter with nature this vivid. Her headache now no longer as harsh and too engrossed in her surroundings, the alicorn began to let herself wander. She smelled every flower she could spot, their scents only furthering her desire to explore. Although she preferred the allure of the night's sky, Luna couldn't help but agree with herself that this was truly marvelous to take it all in. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Luna reminded herself to stick to plan. Observe. She began walking throughout the forest, carefully scrutinizing anything that seemed different or new to her. As she continued her walk, a raging battle developed in her head, where emotions swung and fought each other. On one hoof, she would love to do nothing else but let out a squeak of joy and roll around in a flowerbed. She wanted to give in and let her inner child, one who had been locked up for so long because she wanted to be like her older sister, run free in the surrounding forest. On the other hoof, she still clung to the reasoning behind why her inner child was locked up, to be just like Celestia. She could almost see it that if her sister were in Luna's position, she would act with such wisdom and composure that Luna could only hope to achieve someday. The alicorn groaned as her head began to hurt, as she weighed the possibilities. The pain kept growing as her headache roared back to life, stimulated by Luna's concentration being withdrawn from the forest. Pain scorched through her horn, until she thought she could bear it no more. With a moan, Luna fainted onto the ground, her body landing softly along the comforting forest floor. -~- Fluttershy gasped in worry as she saw Luna collapse onto the ground. She had been following her for the past few minutes, after summoning the courage to go after the Princess. She had just been getting back from a day at the spa with Rarity when she saw the goddess fall from the sky. Just before she hit the ground, and brief flash shot through the air. The yellow pegasus could only think the worst. With her compassionate side taking over, all Fluttershy could do was gallop as hard as she could to check on Luna. Luckily, her fears dissipated as she neared the navy blue pony. All her bones were intact, and apart from a moderate concussion, the mare was in miraculously good condition. Only after tapping her a few times and calling to her, did the goddess awake. As her eyes blinked open, all Fluttershy was able to do was to bite back her involuntary urge to scream, a byproduct of her shy attitude towards new ponies. Especially such a highly renowned pony like Princess Luna. When the alicorn screamed first, the emotional dam broke and the pegasus screamed too, her anxiety coming out in a high-pitched yell. Without even really thinking, Fluttershy ran home, the wind swooshing by as she galloped straight to her doorstep, panting heavily as she slammed the door behind her. And now, watching the princess in another state of unconsciousness, Fluttershy knew she had to do something. “Oh dear...” She sighed to herself, apprehension building like a toxic cloud in her chest. With a grunt, she wrapped her forelegs around the mare, and used her wings to lift up. At first, she could go no further than getting Luna just above the ground. 'Oh no...' Fluttershy began, wondering if she could ever get the Princess to her house, 'Come on Fluttershy, be strong! She reassured herself, 'It's a bit like Pinkie Pie told you... Not a “Hop, Skip and a Jump”, “But a Flap, Heave and a Pull.”... I hope.’ -~- The fragrance of tea tickled Luna's nose as she awoke. A damp, cold cloth that was once over her face, had now flopped onto a soft blanket as she lifted her head up. She rubbed her hooves over her eyes and stifled a yawn. “Where am I?” Luna asked herself for the second time that day, only this time it was out loud. The room was a mix of a calming and somewhat pale color scheme. Brown and green were the dominant colors, but others could be found, such as a pale yellow shelf, or a few blue and red books that resided in a small bookcase to her left. Sounds of birds chirping flowed past her ears, the pattering of little feet scurrying around could be heard throughout. A small bunny hopped into her view, carrot in paw, directly across from her. Making eye contact, the little creature pointed it's remainder of a carrot straight at Luna, before scurrying off. Luna gasped a bit, not expecting such a level of intelligence from a forest animal. 'Did Equestria really change that much?' A small tray clattered quietly to her right, as it was placed on a nightstand. Luna looked over, to see that the same yellow mare from before was standing next to her. Her pink mane flowed to the ground as her eyes studied the small alicorn. “I'm very sorry, Princess Luna. I just saw you collapse, and I couldn't resist but to help you.” Her light blue eyes shifted from Luna to the ground, “If you want to leave.... I can understand that.” Her voice was the same as before, quiet and soft. “No no, thank you very much.” Luna replied quietly. She was overtaken by this pony's willingness to allow herself to stay in her home. Perhaps not all ponies were as self-centered as those in Canterlot. “Can you tell me...” Luna stopped. She almost could feel herself hitting the ground. The rush of the wind ending as she closed in closer the the earth. She bit her lip, not knowing if she could finish the sentence. Without the charm of the forest around her, the real weight of how close she was to becoming seriously hurt or injured, now hung upon her like a thousand pounds. Tears began to well up on the corners of her eyes. They sprung up with a vengeance, threatening to sweep her off her hooves and dump her in sniveling mess. How careless she had been! “Shhh... It's okay.” Fluttershy told her. “It wasn't too bad,” She continued, the calming effect in her voice amplified as she realized Luna's distress, “all you hurt was your head, and not nearly as bad as it should've been. You don't have to worry about it any more.” Fluttershy put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. The blue mare looked up at her, giving her a half-hearted smile. Luna was still in a little bit of shock, but the smell of the nearly-forgotten tea wafted into her senses. A twinge of bergamot resided, giving the smell a more exotic touch. “Is that tea?” She asked, her voice shaking. There were two little cups, each steaming around a a flower-painted porcelain teapot in the center. “Oh yes.” Fluttershy replied, eying the tray. She looked back at Luna, trying to smile a bit, “Would you like some?” Luna nodded, and accepted the cup the mare gave to her. As she took it, Fluttershy realized this was a good time to change the subject. “So... Why are you here in Ponyville?” Fluttershy asked, trying her best to keep a casual tone, and get the Princess' mind off her terrifying ordeal. Admitting it to herself, Fluttershy knew she would never act so open to an unknown pony, unless it were under circumstances like this. Luna looked up at Fluttershy, and adjusted herself on the bed so she could face her better. Her light blue mane getting in her eyes as she did, before blowing it out of her face. “Well, you see...” Luna began, relaying her story, including her task from Celestia and even admitting her reclusive plans to studying Ponyville, up until getting knocked out of the sky. “And then I just started falling...” She concluded, her voice beginning to shake again. Fluttershy was growing a little frustrated. All her animal friends usually didn’t work themselves into more grief after being hurt. Instead, they usually listened to her and did as she said. ‘Why do other ponies have to be so difficult?’ She thought, arguing between her compassion for others, and her growing disappointment in herself. ‘But I have to help her! She’s hurt and...’ Fluttershy looked at Luna, seeing how badly shaken she was. ‘She looks just like I would after a tumble like that. I’ve got to help... Somehow.’ Determined to stop the younger goddess from worrying too much, Fluttershy asked her another question, “What do you plan on doing tomorrow? You're welcome to take a look around here at nearby the plants and animals.” Luna sniffed, still a little emotional still from talking earlier. “I honestly don't know. Even after observing all the nature around here before I passed out, a voice inside me is telling me that I still will be looking for answers... It was all very beautiful, but it still feels like something would be missing.” She zoned off towards the ground. As Luna began to sniffle some more, Fluttershy realized she was right, she would miss out on something. After going on a few adventures with Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony, she knew exactly what the Princess needed to help her understand the world. A friend.

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-08-11T12:14:12+00:00

2013-12-17T04:17:54+00:00

Fluttershy shut her front door, Luna waiting next to her. The goddess put a hoof on the clumsy, low-brimmed gardener's hat Fluttershy had given her, vainly trying to move it into a comfortable position. It was too big for her liking, but Luna didn't want to be noticed in the streets of Ponyville. Ahh, yes, where were they going? The... Spa, was it? Luna had only briefly heard the term mentioned in a few of her texts, but she didn't look into it. She hadn't really seen the importance in them, but Fluttershy sure did make them sound nice. She told Luna how she and her friend Rarity met there once a week, to talk and catch up. Fluttershy explained all the relaxing things they could do there, from mud baths, to massages, and even a new concept she didn't quite understand... A sauna? That was the one part she was wary of... Sitting in a very hot, humid room was relaxing? However, she reminded herself that she had already accepted her proposal. She surely couldn't turn back now. Fluttershy had been so kind to take her in and heal her, although Luna simply used a medical spell on her concussion when the yellow pegasus left the room, and the least she could do was take her word for it and try to enjoy it. “So Fluttershy”, Luna began as they walked down a dirt path, “How far is it to the spa?” She was curious, because she hadn't been in busier part of Ponyville yet. The mare looked over at her, a little smile on her face. “Oh, not too far, we won't have to go too deep into town.” She turned her focus down the path, a few buildings of Ponyville emerging into view. “After you told me your plan to observe the town, I understood how shy you were, so that's one of the reasons why I picked going there.” Fluttershy turned back to Luna, “Besides, I'm not the most outgoing pony myself.” Luna chuckled a little, glad that the other mare understood her fears. She was a princess after all, and without this hat in public, she'd surely be spotted. Almost all ponies in Ponyville knew what she looked like, because of the party there a few months earlier. As they entered the main part of Ponyville, it felt as if the gears in Luna's stomach churned like clockwork as she saw all the other ponies in the streets. Some were talking, others selling goods from small kiosks and stalls, looking through the windows of the various stores, even three fillies running wildly, yelling happily as they went. And Luna had to get through all of this, undetected. She began walking again, trying to keep her breathing regular, 'Just calm down...' She thought to herself, 'All I have to do is just act normal and stick by Fluttershy.' Exhaling deeply, she heard the pegasus whisper to her. “Luna... Are you okay?” She asked. Luna looked over to her, Fluttershy's eyes wide with concern, as they flickered towards her forelegs. She looked down, noticing they were wobbling uncontrollably. Luna blushed a little, “Ummm yeah... There's just...” She stopped, her voice tinged with concern. She glanced quickly at all the ponies in front of her. “There's just so many other ponies.” Luna concluded, her voice a little quieter. Fluttershy smiled at her, “It's not that bad.” She began her way up towards a yellow door in front of them, looking back up at it. “Besides, once we get inside, you can take your hat off and relax. The spa ponies working there are really nice.” As she approached the door, Luna couldn't help but feel better after talking with her. No wonder she was good with animals. She never seemed to get frustrated or angry with Luna's constant distress. Fluttershy opened the door, forcing Luna to take another deep breath and follow her in. As she entered, she had to admit that the spa looked exactly like the comfort it sought to provide. A warm purple color was painted on the walls, the room decorated with lush, leafy plants. A small, comfortable couch was in one corner, a plushy pillow on each end. Luna took her hat off, reluctantly, as Fluttershy walked up to the counter. A blue earth pony was on the other side, with a pink mane similar to Fluttershy's own. “Hello, Fluttershy!” The pony said, a smile on her face, “Weren't you just here yesterday?” Luna fumbled as she tried to place the clumsy hat on a hanger, now in a set of dismay over the new pony's observation. Trying to keep out of sight, she slowly began to creep back over to Fluttershy. She desperately hoped the pony at the counter wouldn't notice her. “Oh yes, I was here recently, Sunbreeze.” The yellow pegasus replied, “But me and my friend wanted to relax a little today. Surprisingly, I don't have much to do this afternoon, so why not spend it here?” “Well, I don't see Rarity here...” Sunbreeze said, her eyes searching for her. Luna groaned quietly to herself. She really didn't have any way out of this, so she gathered herself, and took a few brave steps towards the center of the room, trying her best to look as royal as she could. Although she attempted to keep her posture in check and walk balanced, she knew it looked feeble, at best. The spa pony's face lit up a bit, spotting Luna. “Ahh, so you brought Princess Luna with you!” Her tone was only slightly surprised, not nearly as giddy and shocked as the alicorn thought it'd be. Fluttershy turned around, looking at her. Her gaze softened, reassuringly, as she noticed the princess trying to show herself in public. The pegasus winced a little, her own thoughts switching to memories of the pressure she was under, when Rarity asked her to model for her. As her short-lived career into the modeling business took off, she was constantly annoyed by pushy fans and photographers. She could definitely sympathize with Luna. “Yes, I thought I'd show her the best spa in all of Equestria!” Fluttershy responded, without looking back at Sunbreeze. She signaled for Luna to come over to her, before turning back towards the counter. “Hehe, well, I don't know if I'd go that far.” The light blue pony told her. “But, I'm sure you two will enjoy it here. Feel free to head over to your tables when you're ready. We'll have somepony over soon for your facials and massages.” She turned around, grabbing a few things behind her. Placing them on the counter, she faced the two ponies again. “Here are your robes and your key. Your room is number 12, down the hall on your right.” Luna was glad that Sunbreeze referred to the both of them, not directing attention solely on her. “Thank you!” Fluttershy said, taking the two robes in her mouth. She left the key up there, which Luna grabbed precariously with her telekinetic magic. She followed the yellow mare, making their way down a white hallway. The floor was made out of a dark hardwood, and what were supposed to windows were little more than squares in the wall. A thin linen cover was draped over them, which swayed peacefully and allowed a breeze to enter through the hallway. In Luna's mind, perhaps Fluttershy really was right, this could be the best spa in Equestria. So far, the mare at the counter was pleasant and courteous enough, and the rooms were painted and designed to be as light and inviting as possible. With a breath, she finally felt the cool ecstasy of calmness entering her brain. Abruptly, her friend stopped at a glass-framed door to her right, with he blue mare almost running into her. She placed the robes down, looking over at Luna. “Key please,” She asked sincerely. Luna floated the thin metallic object over to her. Grasping it with her teeth, Fluttershy put the key into the bronze doorknob. With a turn and a click, the door opened. Passing the key back to her, Fluttershy picked up the robes and moved into the open room. It was colored in a pastel green, with similar open windows along one wall. Two small white beds were in the middle of the room, above a floor of polished wood. Luna let go a sigh of relief. “Nice, isn't it?” Fluttershy asked. She picked up one of the robes, turning it over to her. As the yellow pegasus pony went to close the door, Luna examined the clothing. It was a rectangle of a soft, white material Luna hadn't recognized before, but after feeling it, assumed it to be like the towels she'd used in Canterlot. It came attached with two sleeves, a fluffy collar, and a belt, all of the same material, wrapping around the middle of it. 'Surely this can't be too difficult.' Luna told herself. She slid her forehooves through the sleeves, and pulled the belt around herself, tying it with her telekinetic powers. It felt a little odd, the collar was a little bulky around her neck, and the odd stitching, or lack there of, was in such a manner that it was restricting her ability to move her forelegs together. But, since it was so soft and nice on her dark blue coat, she didn't mind. She turned around to face Fluttershy, who already had put hers on. The yellow pony's eyes widened a little, before she let out a soft giggle. Luna could tell she saw something wasn't right and frowned. “What's wrong?” She asked, the her voice turned a little frantic, “Is there something on my face?” Fluttershy allowed herself another giggle before replying, “No, you put your robe on upside-down, silly.” Luna stared at her for a second, before realizing that her robe was tied around her stomach, while she felt her belt was tied on her back. Luna squeaked in embarrassment, before she felt blood rushing to her face. She dreaded the thought of looking at herself in a mirror, because right now the amount of red on her expression would clash with her navy blue coat. “Haha, silly me.” Luna replied nervously. She looked up at the other pony to see the look on her face, but her eyes only held amusement in them, nothing else. Hastily untying her robe and putting it on correctly, like she saw it on Fluttershy, she began to feel better. The robe, when on properly as it was now, was immensely comfortable. It's plushy texture conformed to her, the collar acting like a pillow around her neck. “There ya go.” Fluttershy observed, noticing Luna now wearing the white robe in the correct fashion. “It should feel better now, huh?” Not waiting for an answer, she walked over to one of the padded tables, laying upon it. “Ooh, this does feel good.” Luna said, half to herself. She climbed on the vacant bed, just like Fluttershy was doing. “If you think the robe feels nice, then I think you'll love the rest of the stuff we'll be doing here.” Fluttershy told her. “You shouldn't be so afraid to see the world, Luna. If a shy pony like myself can do this once a week, along with openly walking around Ponyville, and even attending an occasional party hosted by my friend Pinkie Pie... I don't see why you can't either.” Luna's heart warmed with that comment, only being able to nod, before the door opened again, with two other mares entering. Neither of them stared at her, just simply smiled and walked over to a side of the room, where a small table was. One carried a bowl and a few brushes, the other holding a plate with slices of cucumber in it. The alicorn's curiosity peaked. “Why are we eating?” She asked Fluttershy. She never expected a spa to be somewhere to serve any food. Although, the cool, crisp taste of them certainly did match the spa's calming atmosphere. “Oh no,” Fluttershy replied, “Personally I usually don't use them, but someponies like to put them over their eyes. They're supposed to help against wrinkles.” Luna tilted her head to her response. It seemed a little strange to her, but all the other ponies in the room didn't look like they shared her thoughts. “And the bowl with the brushes?” Luna continued. “Oh, that's just an avocado facial mask. It's supposed to help keep your skin and coat from drying out.” She looked to Luna, reading her next question. “I get a few touches on my face.” Luna took a deep breath. Since even Fluttershy did it, it couldn't be too bad. “I'd like to try what you do, I guess.” “Great!” The pink-maned mare replied, a smile on her face. Within an instant, one of the spa ponies came over, and brushed a few strokes of the green-ish cream on her face. Luna gasped a little in surprise, the cool sensation of the paste on her cheeks was new to her. Over the next few seconds although, she began to enjoy the touch of the cream, feeling nice on her skin. Personal upkeep wasn't high on her priority list while in Canterlot. Aside from her daily bath, she hardly paid attention to herself between her studies. “And now for the massage. I assume you'd like the same as I?” Fluttershy said. Luna turned to her and nodded. One of the spa mares came over to her, placing her hooves on her back. As with the facial, it felt odd at first. But after a few minutes, she began to enjoy the rhythmic kneading along her spine. Luna placed her head down on the bed, exhaling deeply as she closed her eyes in comfort. -~- “Luna... Luna are you awake?” A quiet voice called to her. Luna ran a hoof over her eyes as she lifted her head. She yawned slightly, before realizing Fluttershy was staring at her. “What?” Luna asked, sounding a little drowsy. “You've been asleep for nearly the whole massage.” A little giggle mixed in with her voice. Luna blushed again in embarrassment. “Don't worry, I did the same thing my first few times.” She continued, getting off the bed. She stretched, arching her back a bit. “Come on, get up. I'm sure you're feeling great, and we still have lots more to do.” Luna picked herself up and off the bed, smiling warmly at how well she felt. Her neck usually had a permanent crook in it, after having it angled for so many books and tomes. Now, her whole spine and its surrounding muscles were in bliss. “Oh, by the stars, you're right!” Luna exclaimed, joining Fluttershy in a luxurious stretch. She felt now more than a little eager to continue on their way. “I knew you'd like it.” Fluttershy replied with one of her smiles. “Come on, let's go!” She said, oddly enthusiastic, as they exited through the door. The mud bath had been quite a challenge to Luna, at first only being able to stick a single hoof in the ill-reputed mixture. But, with Fluttershy consistently encouraging her, she managed to get in. She began to enjoy the calming bath as she talked and chatted with her friend. Unlike their previous conversations, these were friendly, both sides doing as much talking and listening as the other. Fluttershy told Luna about her friends, the other elements of Harmony, and of their many crazy adventures. She talked about the time she had persuaded a dragon to leave Equestria, and how she once had become a famous fashion model, even though she hated it. She also included what she did in Ponyville, keeping good care of the various animals that lived in Ponyville's limits, and also about her mischievous bunny Angel. Luna gasped, “So that's who pointed their carrot mockingly at me this morning!” Before Fluttershy was about to reply, Luna began to laugh. Fluttershy was at first stunned by her comment, but her laugh was so contagious that Fluttershy herself couldn't resist. Within moments, both of them were giggling and laughing like a pair of fillies. As they entered the hot tub, Luna told Fluttershy of the grandeur of the castle in Canterlot. The elegant tinted windows that seemed to litter across every wall. She talked of the majestic, floating chandelier in the dining hall, and more importantly to her companion, the charming gardens, telling her about all she’d seen there. Luna talked about the sublime melodies sung by the birds, as they flew from tree to tree. She even admitted that the only time she really stopped studying was to admire the blooming flowerbeds, going into detail how the gardeners planted them in such a way to make things such as rainbows and other pleasantries. Luna explained how she loved to read there, nestled under one of her favorite oak trees. -~- The two concluded their trip to the spa in the sauna, and unlike Luna’s previous predictions, it was indeed a nice invention. The warm, humid heat put her in an even calmer mood, and she almost drifted off to sleep before the yellow mare poked her. A sense of urgency was in her voice, “Oh my, it's time we should get going. I have to get home soon to feed my animal friends. It'll get dark in an hour or-” Fluttershy stopped and blushed a bit, realizing her mistake. Luna was the pony who brought upon the night to begin with. “Well, actually, no it won't, if we sit in the spa longer.” Luna shook herself, her bright blue mane sprinkling little droplets of water that had remained from the tub. “Oh yeah, I guess you're right.” She added in. The alicorn was a little sad to leave, but the other mare did have a point. If she forgot her duties as the night goddess, Celestia would surely be displeased. Luna began following behind Fluttershy, who had opened the sauna door. They both returned their robes and the key as the left, Luna even managing to say goodbye to Sunbreeze on their way out. The friendly earth pony just smiled, waving goodbye, thanking her for coming. As they left the spa, a thought popped up in the alicorn's mind. “Speaking of the night, what do you ponies do during the night?” Luna asked Fluttershy. She secretly hoped she'd say something better than just “sleep”. She may not be Nightmare Moon anymore, but she still felt a pang of jealousy because ponies were so active during the day, and seemingly dormant in the night. “Well, sometimes when she has one,” Fluttershy began, “My friend Pinkie Pie throws parties, and more often than not, they last long into the night.” She giggled, “Once, I didn't leave 'till after the sun had risen the next morning. Also... what else...” Fluttershy racked her brain, “I know I'm forgetting something.” The pegasus tilted her head a bit, pondering in the deep stretches of her memory. Then, her face brightened again, “Oh silly me! How could I have forgotten sleepovers?” Although Luna didn't sense it, hope was weaved into her voice. “What's a sleepover?” Luna asked questioningly. She gave Fluttershy a puzzled look. Realizing a chance to spend some more time with her new friend, Fluttershy offered suggestively, “Well, why don't you try it? Your sister Celestia did tell you to find things out yourself.” Luna smiled back at her. She didn't know what it was, but after her enlightening visit to the spa, Luna knew she could trust her, and she sensed that Fluttershy felt the same way. This new revelation hit her harder than the ground she landed on earlier that morning. 'Is this what having a true friend feels like?'

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-07-12T03:47:19+00:00

2011-07-12T03:47:19+00:00

"Oh! I think I get it now," Luna claimed. The setting sun was playing a dance of gold and orange on the sky, as the two mares walked over a bridge towards Fluttershy's house. The house cast a long shadow upon them in the waning sun. Fluttershy, on the inside, was about to explode with happiness. This slumber party, unlike her previous with the "Cutie Mark Crusaders", was surely looking up. It was the first one she'd ever hosted with another equine, at least personality-wise, of the same age as her. Her new friend certainly seemed to enjoy being around her, and the pegasus was sure they'd make this one a success. Also, on a more personal level, Fluttershy was proud of herself. This was the first friend she'd made on her own in a long time, not aided by the whole "Elements of Harmony" thing. Actually, on second thought, she hardly made any other friends in her whole life. Only a few ponies even tried to approach her in Cloudsdale, and only a slim fraction of those got to know her on any personal level. As she approached the dimly-lit red door, Luna turned to face her. "Fluttershy, I'll be in the house in a second. I just have to go do my duty and raise the moon. It'll only take a few moments." Her blue mane rippled a bit in the breeze, her equally blue eyes gazing into the Fluttershy's own, filled with excitement and wonder. "Oh... Oh sure, Luna!" Fluttershy told her cheerily. Her hopes rising once more, as the alicorn's gaze had confirmed her hopes. "I'll go inside and make some tea." She concluded, going inside. She exhaled in delight as soon as she closed the door behind her. This is going to be SO fun! She thought. Fluttershy continued onto her small kitchen, it's old, cast-iron stove and oven adding a rustic touch. Turning on the stove and setting a kettle over the flames, she heard a small cough coming from behind her. Whipping around, she saw it was her bunny, Angel. He gave her a huge smile, before repealing it and replace it with a quizzical look. She had to admit, that mischievous little rabbit knew her well. "Oh Angel, I just made a new friend today." Fluttershy responded sweetly. Instantly, she felt compelled to share her feelings. "We're going to have a sleepover, and it's going to be great!" Her tone was brimming with expectation and delight. "It'll be just the best. We're gonna tell stories, laugh, braid tails... Maybe we'll even play 'Shhh!'" Giggling, she noticed that Angel had dropped into a sulky composure. His shoulders sagged, his ears flopped down. The bunny even dragged his carrot behind him by the stem. He started out of the room, eyes drooping. "Aww..." Fluttershy said, catching up to him, "Angel, you know you're my favoritest bunny ever." He didn't even turn around, continuing on in his melancholy march. She flew over him, landing in front of Angel, blocking his path. Placing her head on the same level as his, Fluttershy stared at him, her pupils big as saucers. A small smile crept up on his face. Noticing a crack forming in his sullen attitude, Fluttershy scooped the rabbit up in her forehooves, nuzzling him gently. Angel tried his best to resist, but within seconds he couldn't help but hug the yellow mare, his tiny arms going halfway around her neck. "Don't you worry." Fluttershy told him, as she put the white animal on the floor, "Now, go get ready for bed. It's almost nighttime y'know." Not bothering to wait for a response, she headed back for the kitchen. The kettle was just beginning to whine, steam starting to show from the covered spout. Daintily gripping the covered handle, she set the kettle to the side, and turned the stove off. Just as she finished filling the teapot, Fluttershy heard the door open and close. "Sorry I took so long, Fluttershy. I also wrote a letter to Celly so she wouldn't worry." Luna called out, unaware of her friend's exact location. Fluttershy took the tray in her mouth, rounding the corner towards the door. Luna spotted her instantly as she entered. "There you are! For a second I thought you went upstairs or something." Realizing Fluttershy couldn't speak with the tray in her mouth, she chuckled, "Her, let me take that for you." Her horn light up blue as her telekinesis took hold of the tray, as they both walked over to a green couch in the corner of the room. Luna placed the tray on the wooded coffee table in front of it, before sitting down on the simple, yet comforting furniture piece. Fluttershy joined her, her ears suddenly perking in excitement. "So, what do you want to do first?" She asked, her manners coming into play as Luna was, after all, the guest. "I don't know, I've never done this before? You have, right?" The blue mare looked at her. "By the way you explained it, I think you must have had some great slumber parties in the past." "Well... No." Fluttershy confessed, "My last one was actually a disaster." "Oh..." Luna said, her eyes dropping to the floor in disappointment. Fluttershy giggled, "Would you like to hear about it? My friends all loved hearing the story." "Oh sure!" Luna replied eagerly. "You did say storytelling was a part of having a sleepover!" Her eyes glaring at Fluttershy in curiosity. She took her tiara off, trying to get comfortable, letting her hair run loose. "Well, it all began when I brought Opalescence back to Rarity's house..." Fluttershy started, retelling a tale she had on numerous occasions. -~- "Wait, wait!" Luna gasped, trying to control her laughter, "Are you telling me that the three little fillies broke your table, and then tried to fix it to find their cutie marks?" Fluttershy giggled a bit, reminiscing in the image of Applebloom and her friends creating something that did not look like it's former self. "Oh yes," she giggled once more, "I had to get Applejack to fix it for me the next day." Luna burst out laughing, almost falling off the couch, "That is so cute!" she exclaimed. Her sides heaved before she could contain herself, "So what happened next?" "I suggested that we play a game." Fluttershy responded. The alicorn's eyes lit up at the mention of it. "Ooh! What game?" She asked. A rare, playful glint appeared in the pegasus' eyes, unnoticed by her still-giggling friend. "You want to play?" "Would I!?" Luna gleamed. "Okay... It's called 'Shhh'" Fluttershy replied, trying her best to keep a level face. "What's that?" The alicorn asked, cocking her head to one side. Her expression was clueless. "Well... It's a game about who can stay quiet the longest. Sound fun?" Not waiting for an answer, she continued on as Luna's look went from clueless to utterly lost. "I'm the world champ y'know. I bet ya can't beat me!" Fluttershy stuck her face a little closer to Luna, before taking in a huge breath and slamming her mouth shut, her cheeks puffed out. For a second, the princess was mystified. Then, she squinted her eyes in competition, before following the mare's actions. For a few seconds, both of them sat there on the couch, facing each other. They looked like enormous squirrels, cheeks as if full. Soon enough, both of them started to shake. Luna's face twisted with effort, as Fluttershy's eyes widened. At nearly the same time, both exploded with laughter, giggling like fillies on a winter morning. "Hehe, Fluttershy, you should have seen the look on your face!" Luna exclaimed, falling on her back. "Oh, haha, I couldn't!" Fluttershy responded between laughs, "I was too busy try to not laugh at yours!" She collapsed, toppling off the couch with a thud. Luna scrambled over to the edge of the couch, where the until-recently quiet pegasus had been. "Fluttershy, are you okay?" She asked with concern in her voice. Fluttershy, who was sprawled on the run below, picked herself. She rubbed a hoof on her forehead, touching it gently. "Oh yes, I think I'll be fine." Hey eyes scanned the scene, noticing the tray, which had not been touched. "Care for some tea?" "Sure!" Luna replied, as Fluttershy poured some of the steaming drink into her cup. She grasped the cup in her magic, bringing it to her face. She blew on it carefully, before taking a sip. "Mmmm..." She murmured, relishing the taste and comfort of the warm brew. "I heard that some famous musician is coming to Ponyville next week." Fluttershy said, before taking a sip of her own. "My friend Rainbow Dash can't stop talking about her. Actually, both Rainbow and Pinkie Pie are going to the performance. Ooh... What's her name!" Fluttershy racked her brain for answers. "DJ Pon four or something like that." "Oh yeah?" Luna responded. "I wonder what music she plays. I don't know what DJ means, but I've heard the Canterlot Orchestra once when they played in the castle for Celestia. I liked it." She began to pretend to play a violin, the imaginary instrument being played slowly by a bow made of air. Fluttershy giggled, "Oh no, it's not classical. Rainbow let me listen to some of her music. It had a catchy beat to it... and some sounds used were nice, but..." The mare tried her best to compliment it, but she smirked as she realized it was futile, "It's just very loud, very strong and really fast at times. I'd rather listen to my birds' melodies any day... Just don't tell either of them I said that." "Well, I think I'll have to listen it sometime, can't hurt to try, right?" The words came out of Luna's mouth before she knew what she was saying. 'What's this?' She thought, 'A day ago, I would have just disregarded it. Now, I've decided to listen to some music that sounds, well, not like something I'd prefer. Although, the openness feels... Nice.' "I guess not," Fluttershy replied with a smile, "Come on, let's go see if I can find my picture book of all the different baby animals I've met. They're really cute." "Okay!" Luna said, head picked up in interest, as she followed the pegasus. -~- Luna took a deep breath, watching the faint glow along the horizon begin to grow. She wished that the night would've never ended, being one of her favorites in her whole thousand-year-plus lifespan. She was a stranger to this harmless fun that she had with Fluttershy during their slumber party. Most of her life had been dictated by drawing up legal codes, planning economic budgets and deeming where the country's governmental power should be exercised. She was the mastermind behind all of the Equestria's basic foundations of government. Viewing the problems her subjects faced as a big puzzle, Luna did enjoy creating new solutions, but she left the presentation to the aristocracy to her older sister, Celestia. Celestia was charismatic and could woo any crowd if she so desired. She was like a real estate agent, selling a house that was built from Luna's blueprints. Before the navy blue alicorn thought to participate in politics, Equestria was a loose confederacy of feudal kingdoms. Constant strife between these princedoms were uncontrollable, Celestia's poorly drawn-up laws and regulations being easy to find loopholes in. Luna, distraught at the chaos, put her creative mind to work. Just like the night sky, she worked around problems like arranging her constellations. She wiped the slate clean, disregarding all progress her sister had made. Starting from scratch, she built the basic system of the aristocratic-dependent Oligarchy that had been in place until now. Although it was fun, Luna always knew the risks involved. One slip up, and certain ponies would be at each other's necks by the following morning. This is why the previous night had such an experience for her. Never before had she felt so carefree, like the binds of royalty had disintegrated into stardust. She never felt the urge to act overtly proper around Fluttershy, the understanding in her voice and eyes telling Luna that she wouldn't mind however the princess acted. Sighing, Luna dropped her leer at the rising sun. It wasn't worth trying to bring back the moon, because Celestia would send guards for her and probably search for her herself. Luna may as well accept it and enjoy the rest of the day with her friend. As the alicorn walked away from the clearing she was in, a faint breeze carried a melody through her ears. It moved it a range of ups and downs, the notes rising and falling like the waves on the ocean. It spoke of sadness, the dramatic lows basically spelling out "regret". Often, the sounds rose to a cheery high, speaking of joy. Just as the music were to reach it's highest potential, with the tempo rising, in a blink of an eye the notes dropped by octaves. Even Luna couldn't help but shed a tear. It were as if the most beautiful day appeared, only to have it ruined by the worst of storms. As the sounds began a succession of deep chords, it began to change once more. The tempo was slow, but began a steady rise in tone. But, unlike the sunny notes beforehand, the melody was drawn out, notes as long as eternity, even more depressing than the quick descent only played seconds before. Trying to triangulate the sound, Luna crept through the undergrowth, as the sound grew louder and louder. Little thorns pricked at her coat, but curiosity was an anesthetic to her menial pains. Although she couldn't pick out what instruments were played, this music was beautiful, even if it was sad. Like in nature, some of the most desolate, most melancholic locations held unfathomable emotion and grace. Soon, the ferns and bushes began to thin out, leading into a gray area between the forest. Small saplings grew, with long grasses and flowers along the ground. As Luna walked through the softer grass, it led to a rocky clearing, with a sole sapling growing on it's exterior. "Fluttershy, what is this?" All ranges of birds were sitting on the young tree, and glanced over to the alicorn as she entered. She had spoked quietly enough to not scare them, but got the pegasus' attention nonetheless. Fluttershy normally would have squeaked in surprise if an unknown pony had entered, but Luna's voice broke through her concentration while still keeping her calm. As she turned to face her, Luna could see the anxiety in her eyes. "The Apple Harvest Celebration is only a few days away, and Applejack asked me to perform with the Aves, my ensemble of birds here in the forest." She fidgeted her hooves on the ground nervously, "Umm... This is the only time they have available to practice, so... I'm sorry I had to leave the house, Luna." Luna chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, "Don't worry, it's fine." Her voice turning more considerate, "Besides, it was wonderful." A few of the birds puffed their chests out at the comments, proud for being commented on their musical abilities. "Oh..." Fluttershy was taken aback, "Thank you." She was about to turn around, before stopping. " I just can't get rid of the feeling that something is missing." A look of fretfullness was on her face. "May I ask who wrote it? I'd love to hear the Canterlot Orchestra perform it. It was so emotional, like a spectrum of feelings." Luna replied, trying to change the subject slightly. "It was sad, but nonetheless beautiful." Fluttershy lightly flipped a few strands of hair out of her eyes, the morning breeze gaining a little speed. "Well, I did..." Fluttershy peered into her eyes, as Luna felt the gaze reach into her soul, "They say the best music comes from the heart." Both her heart and stomach did a flip, as Luna knew what she was talking about. "I'm..." She started, trying to sound as reassuring as possible, "I'm so sorry." "No no... It's okay. My fillyhood in Cloudsdale wasn't the brightest," Fluttershy said, zoning out, lost in memories. "It got to a point where I just rejected other ponies in total, and that's sorta why I'm so..." Tears began to form along the ridges of her eyelids. Luna could only take a few steps towards her, before placing a hoof on her shoulder. Fluttershy sniffed loudly, a single tear streaming down her cheek. Her face was a mix of sadness and depression, and a few touches of anger thrown in. She slammed her eyelids shut, her brow wrinkling as she tried to bite back her feelings. Unknown to seeing this strength of emotion in others, Luna tried to replicate what Celestia had done for her. "Shhh..." Luna replied, her own voice shaky. She wiped away the single tear still lingering on Fluttershy's face, but she could tell more were coming. Without warning, the pegasus wrapped her arms around Luna's neck with alarming speed. At first, Luna was shocked by how suddenly it happened. But, within a few seconds, she had her own hooves around Fluttershy's back. The princess rubbed her back in a slow, calming manner, trying to comfort her. By then, the yellow mare's single teardrop grew into a constant stream of moisture, most of it ending up on the princess' shoulder and mane. She let go a fury of sobs and sniffles, as she hugged Luna even tighter. As if by sheer coincidence, Fluttershy's rhythm of sobbing matched that of her custom-made melody. The teardrops were sprinkled in like high notes. To Luna, it seemed as if the mare had poured all her anguish and grief into her sole piece of work. Fluttershy buried her snout into Luna's mane, the sobs still coming out between gasps for air. The normally calm equine was now a raging torrent of despair. Luna said nothing, letting her friend cry on her shoulder. It pained her to watch, she never knew the pony had such pent up sorrow. Fluttershy always acted immune to any serious negative emotion; anger, frustration and dismay never lasting for more than a second. Now she knew why. All the room for containing her true feelings was taken up by her memories of her younger days. A simple mask is all she wore, a thin dam that was now bursting over Luna's shoulder. With the new epiphany rapidly making sense in her mind, Luna too felt the tears coming from her eyes. With so much she had seen in the world, and from the rocky satellite orbiting it, the alicorn knew exactly how she felt. After all, she had been locked up in the moon for a thousand years, regret and remorse eating at her soul like a virus since the second she became trapped in Nightmare Moon's grasp. Until now, she really hadn't known how badly she had been cut by her banishment to the moon. Nightmare Moon had plunged an invisible dagger into Luna, who only now had figured out how deep it went. The new-found feelings from within her heart were pouring out now, in the form of blue teardrops, containing emotion darker than the night itself. "Shh..." Luna whispered in Fluttershy's ear, her voice shaking. The pony in her arms was still shuddering tremulously, but it didn't matter. Luna had to help. If there was anypony to help the pegasus with her internal grief, the alicorn knew it was herself. "Don't worry, shh..." She continued on, as moisture rolled down both their faces. She nuzzled her quickly on the cheek, exchanging teardrops. Luna drew her mouth closer to Fluttershy's ear than previously before, taking a deep breath between her own sobs. Tears squeezed out of her eyes as she shut them closed. She began to move her lips, barely reaching a whisper. Although Fluttershy didn't know it, the words were meant for the both of them. "It'll be okay."

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2012-09-02T06:53:20+00:00

2013-12-17T04:19:52+00:00

“Thanks, Luna.” Fluttershy's voice had returned to normal, the tears dried on her face, “I haven't done something like that in front of another pony, except my mother.” “Don't worry,” Luna said, gazing into her eyes, “I needed that too.” The sun now rose above the treetops, its warm rays lacing the ground around them. “Let's go for a walk. Even though I don't say it much, it looks beautiful today.” -~- Fluttershy had begun to feel better, as they walked among the deciduous trees near her house. Her and Luna hadn't barely said a word, both admiring the scenery. “Hey Luna,” Fluttershy began, “Do you sleep through the day, or the night? Or do you even sleep at all?” She'd wondered why the goddess slept the previous night, when the night was her own creation. “Well, technically, I don't need sleep,” Luna told her, “But I do enjoy it... When I was helping Celestia create Equestria, or times when I got engrossed in painting the night, I wouldn't sleep for years.” She closed her eyes, memories running through her mind. “But, sleep is refreshing and it feels nice.” She concluded, opening her eyes. “That's not what I meant” Fluttershy said, then realizing she had come off too assertive for her liking, “Umm, but you don't have to say it... I mean.” Luna laughed, “I don't mind. But yes, onto the point,” She glanced up to the sky, as they continued walking on the forest floor. “I tend to sleep in the day, so I can enjoy the night... But, since it was a sleepover, I thought It'd be proper.” She looked back to Fluttershy, “Besides...” The alicorn took a deep breath, “Besides, I'd rather not sleep during the day, if I could spend it with my best friend.” She smiled weakly, not knowing what to expect for voicing her feelings. It felt so... foreign to her. Fluttershy was taken aback for half a second, not expecting such a touching response. Then, she moved a little closer to her, “Aww, that's sweet of you. M-Maybe I should stay up for the night more often, too.” She giggled, as they came out of the trees near the pegasus' house. “Now, come on. I have to do some shopping today in Ponyville... Want to tag along?” Luna let go a sigh of relief, “Sure, that sounds great!” She said ecstatically, never before going into the town's stores. A rush of excitement shocked through her body, from her hooves up to the tips of her wings. Fluttershy led her friend over to her house, both of them entering. She grabbed the big gardener's hat from a hanger and gave it to Luna. “Oh no,” Luna said, “I think I can manage today,” The quiet mare smiled, “That's the spirit! See, you're getting better.” She pointed out. Luna thought for a second, tilting her head. “I... I guess I am.” she claimed, a bit of confidence rising in her voice. She began to ponder on the new enlightenment now at her hooves. She began to act- well, weird around her pegasus companion. She spoke her mind freely, laughing with snort and all. The goddess felt welcome and accepted by her, not overtly trying to be nice or polite because of her royal status. Luna realized that around Fluttershy, she could be herself without fear or shame. Something... Something she even didn't do much around her sister. Before she could go any further in her thoughtful discovery, a voice broke through her musing, “Luna... Luna, are you okay? Oh dear.” Luna shook herself back into reality. “I'm fine.” She smiled, “Just a daydream.” “Oh good.” Fluttershy exhaled, “Well, I've made sure everything is okay while we're gone, so let's go on over to Ponyville.” Her saddlebags that she had on clumsily sat over her wings, restricting her movement. “Quickly...” She added in quietly, “Don't tell Rarity, but... um, these saddlebags aren't the most,” The twin bags sagged and slumped over to one side, “Comfortable...” She ended with a sigh, before adjusting them again. Luna giggled, opening the door as the pegasus followed her out. As the walked along the dirt path, she slowed down to let Fluttershy catch up to her. “Hey, you got to ask me a question earlier, so do you mind if I ask you one now?” Luna asked. Fluttershy turned her head to face Luna, her pink mane getting in her face before she moved in with a hoof. “Sure.” “Well, I've wondered why you treat me like a regular pony.” She started, “Most ponies in Canterlot are always bowing, calling me 'Princess' and doing me unnecessary favors. Meanwhile, you listen to me and respect me like any other pony.” Fluttershy frowned, thinking that she may have offended her. “Oh no!” Luna doubled back, “I really like it... a lot. Celestia is the only other pony who calls me by my name only, and it's nice to be able to talk with somepony else who doesn't grovel half the time.” Her friend's ears perked up, “Oh! Well... I mean, I don't like to talk about it much... But, I am the element of kindness.” She said, trying to sound as modest as possible. “When you were hurt, I sort of panicked and forgot my manners. As time went on, I thought you didn't mind. After hearing about your business here in Ponyville, and how scared you were, it was only in my nature to try to help you.” “I appreciate that,” Luna replied quietly. Her emotions taking over her, she bent over and quickly nuzzled Fluttershy. Her coat was so soft, even better than the robes she wore at the spa the other day. A sense of security once again flowed over her. The timid pegasus eeped in surprise, bringing Luna back to her senses. “Oh!” Luna squeaked in shock of her own compulsive action. She blushed hotly, the heat so intense, she could imagine her whole coat being red. She looked up the path, realizing Ponyville was at their hooves. “Err,” She started, looking at the yellow mare. Her cheeks were still blushing too, but she seemed to have calmed down. “S-Sorry... Well, I guess we're here.” The awkwardness in the air was as thick as fog. “Y-yes...” Fluttershy said quietly. “Well, come on. I'll show you some of the stores.” Luna followed farther behind, her tail drooping a little. 'Luna! What did you do there!' She screamed at herself, within the confines of her own mind, 'Will Fluttershy even like me anymore... I mean, it was just a quick nuzzle.' Guilt chewed at her, making her itch, 'Right, I better go apologize.' Now in town, Luna could feel the eyes of several ponies boring into her, even a few gasps and whispers. It made no difference though, her mind occupied on more pressing matters. As Fluttershy approached a small market stall, Luna trotted up to catch her. “Fluttershy,” she began. The pegasus turned to face her, her eyes revealing no secrets. “Yes?” She asked, in her usual, quiet tone. Luna rubbed a hoof on her neck. “I just wanted to say I'm sorry about before...” She trailed off, but blurted out again before the mare could answer, “Friends don't do that, do they?” “Luna, it's okay.” Understanding now began to show in her expression. Luna began to feel better, as Fluttershy continued on, “And no... Friends usually don't do that, but you've been gone so long, I couldn't blame you for not knowing. It's fine... I was just startled, that's all.” A faint blush formed on her cheeks. “Thank you.” Luna said, heaving a sigh of relief, as Fluttershy turned towards the stall and began browsing through it's products. The alicorn scanned the vendor in front of her, various burlap bags positioned on a red cart. “So...” She continued, trying to break the mood, “What are you buying here?” “Oh, just some seeds for my birds. The last Winter Wrap-up brought back more birds than usual, so I'm constantly running low.” Fluttershy replied, before picking up a small bag of seeds in her mouth and placed in her saddlebag, while simultaneously placed a few bits on a ledge of the cart. “What's the Winter Wrap up?” Luna asked, mystified. The two ponies walked up to a small store, a green door in front of them, with an image of a sewing machine on it. “Oh,” Fluttershy said, opening the door, “It's just an event in which the whole town clears the snow and ice to make way for spring. We have to plow the land, plant seeds, clear the sky, and fetch the birds that flew south.” She explained. The pegasus browsed through a shelf of spools of thread, before picking out a gray one. “Can you hold this?” She asked Luna. “I need to fix a blanket for Angel. I think he had a dream where he ate a carrot, and ended up biting his own bed,” she chuckled. “Sure,” Luna replied eagerly, “No problem.” She lifted the spool over her head with her telekinesis, as she followed Fluttershy around the store. The small shoppe was full of various clothing repair material, but it also had a small selection of saddles and dresses. Fluttershy had noticed it too, as she made her way over to them. She stopped at a mannequin, upon which rested a cyan dress, with white and light yellow curves added in as the skirt swept over the tail and onto the ground. It came with a set of light blue sapphire studs and a white gold-chained necklace with the same gemstone on it. On the feet of the mannequin were four cyan boots with white straps that wound up the leg. “Oh my,” she muttered. “Try it on,” Luna said, encouraging her. “I don't know much about fashion, actually hardly any at all... But I do know when something looks perfect for somepony.” Fluttershy took a second look at it, before turning to Luna, “Oh I don't know...” she sighed, “It is really gorgeous, but I think... I think it's too much for me.” Her voice was low, but the goddess could sense the underlying hope in her tone. “Now, Fluttershy,” Luna's voice became softer, “It can't hurt to try it on. We both know that you want to.” The pegasus' expression started to show a smile forming. “Pleeaaseee,” Luna added in with a smile of her own. Fluttershy pouted, playfulness glinting in her eyes, “Oh alright, I'll try it on.” “Yay!” Luna squeaked, telekinetically taking the dress and it's add-ons, while simultaneously pushing Fluttershy into the sole changing room before she could change her mind. The blue mare laughed as she closed the door behind her friend, “Now, don't come out until you have put it on.” After a few minutes, the door clicked open, as a single, cyan boot-clad hoof poked it's way out. The timid pegasus lowered her head a bit, feeling out of place in her elegant dress amongst ponies in their everyday self. Luna's eyes lit up, “Fluttershy! You look gorgeous in it!” She took a few steps closer to her, marveling at how well the blue jewelry accentuated her eyes. “I know...” Fluttershy said quietly. Turning around, she examined herself in the mirror hanging on the door. A smile crept up on her face. “Maybe I will buy it.” “That's the spirit!” Luna said, walking with the superiorly-clad mare over to the mannequin. Fluttershy lifted the price tag and gasped. “Oh no...” She murmured to herself, “That's much to much for me.” Her face drooped. “Let me see,” Luna butted in, determined to help her friend out. “Oh, this?” The mare giggled a bit. “It's only eight hundred bits.” “Exactly!” Squeaked Fluttershy, lowering her head as she realized she raised her voice above her normal level. “That's a lot of money, Luna.” “Well...” Luna began, “You have been such a help to me lately, and here's finally somewhere in which I can assist you.” Her horn glowed a bit, a dark light enveloping it. “Hold on, I've got to get a cheque paper from Canterlot.” With a poof, a small booklet and a quill appeared in front of Luna. Fluttershy eyed it curiously, “What's cheque paper?” “It's a new form of payment. It's a piece of paper which I sign and give to someone, and when they turn it into a bank, it's basically a note saying that I gave that pony a certain amount of bits from my own depository of money.” Luna was glad she remembered it from her studies. Teleporting a chest of 800 bits wouldn't be so easy. “But Luna... I can't accept this.” Fluttershy told her quietly. “Oh, I insist, Fluttershy.” The alicorn looked into her eyes. “You have been too kind to me... Kinder than anypony I could imagine, and you've been patient with my inaccuracies because I've been gone for so long,” Luna blushed a little at the memory of nuzzling the pegasus. “Come on, go take it off and we'll bring it up to the counter,” Luna told her, opening the dressing room's door. Fluttershy sighed, “Since I know you won't give up," Then her voice raised excitedly, "Thanks so much, Luna!" -~- The sun was setting once more as the two burdened mares approached the small cottage by the woods. Even though Fluttershy's saddlebags were bulging, and Luna's horn was glowing brightly as a trail of items followed her, both were laughing as they entered the rustic house. “Honestly,” Luna admitted, “I never knew walking around and looking in stores could be so fun!” “I usually shop alone, so it was nice to go with somepony else for a change.” Fluttershy placed her saddlebags on the floor, as Luna followed suit and dropped off her train of bags nearby. The goddess looked out the window, gazing at the approaching dusk. “Well, I have to go raise the night sky soon.” She felt her heart plummet as she said those words. She'd probably have to go home to Canterlot soon. “If you want, you can come watch.” Fluttershy muffled a yawn with one of her forehooves. “Sure... I'm a little tired, but I'd love to see it.” “Okay, come on,” Luna said, opening the door. The yellow mare followed her out, a little drowsy as she went. The alicorn led her out into the middle of the nearby clearing, which gave the best view of the darkening sky. Luna sat down on the grass and closed her eyes, a breeze ruffling her mane. Channeling her energy from deep within, she made a mental image of the night sky in her mind. Opening her eyes again, she focused on the thought that her mental image would appear in front of them both, in the sky. Over the course of a few minutes, the sky darkened, stars peeping out. Just above the horizon, a gibbous moon shone. The sweeping blanket of the Milky Way splashed along the dark void of space. Fluttershy gasped, overtaken in admiration. “I tend to think that the night is myself,” Luna explained to her, “When it was just me and Celestia, I spent years pouring work into the sky we see now...” She chuckled a bit, “I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel like I poured my soul into it.” “I've never seen a night so clear as this,” Fluttershy replied, her eyes huge. “Hold on...” Luna told her, the alicorn's horn now brightening once more with primal magic, “I think I can reveal the older stuff I created, stars so far forgotten that they've clustered together and almost vanished completely.” Luna gave a grunt of effort, before a shock of energy raced from her and shot up towards the sky. It kept going farther and farther out, until it was smaller than a star. “Watch,” Luna told Fluttershy, a little winded. As if on cue, the night lit up like it never had in a long time. Distant galaxies erupted into the seemingly black void, their colors of light orange, dusty blue and deep red adding a mix into the fray. The now endless, infinite number of stars twinkled like the finest jewelery, each a sparkling diamond. The black abyss the night was previously known for was now replaced by a beautiful display of colors and light. “Luna...” Fluttershy said in complete awe. “This is the most...” Her voice was searching for the correct words. “This is... I can't find what to say. 'The most beautiful thing I have ever seen' would be an understatement.” The goddess was shocked at her reply. She never knew ponies could take such delight in her creation. “Re-Really?” She sniffed, overtaken with emotion. “Yes.” Fluttershy told her firmly, before looking over into Luna's eyes. “Thank you so much for letting me watch this.” She said, giving Luna a hug. If a pony could ever melt into a pool of happiness, Luna was sure she could now. Waves of strong feelings overcame her... Ones she was unaccustomed to. Fluttershy's coat brushed on hers, her pink mane mingled with the Princess' own, the yellow mare's soft breathing tickling her neck. Then, much to Luna's internal dismay, Fluttershy let go of her, stifling another yawn. She laid down on the cool grass, resting her head on her forelegs as she still gazed at the sky. “I could almost... Fall asleep here.” Luna's eyes remained locked, still rigid in shock over her flood of emotions. She dared not to move, still trying to make sense of what she felt. Her analytical mind raced, trying to solve the gigantic mess of puzzle pieces laid out in front of her. However, her heart had already figured it out. As much as she tried to tell herself it wasn't true, she knew deep down it was. Taking a deep breath, a single thought floated into her mind. 'I've fallen in love with her.' Like opening a Pandora's box of joy, she felt like she could do anything. The single act of admitting it to herself caused her heart to flutter with bliss. All of her worries, her regret and pain had been erased by a morphine of pure affection for the other mare. She finally turned her gaze to her. Fluttershy was asleep, her body rising and falling slowly, her breathing barely audible. Luna's eyes softened at the adorable sight of the resting pegasus. “Oh Fluttershy...” She said in a whisper, “How can I ever tell you?” With her confession, Luna felt much more open with herself. But, even though she’d finally come to admit she loved the mare, her shy personality made it seem impossible to tell Fluttershy the truth. Realizing that she still needed to be taken home, Luna picked her up as daintily and gently as she could with her magic, making sure not a limb moved the slightest. A faint glow of blue enveloped around the yellow pony, as she began her trip back to the cottage.

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-07-17T19:41:01+00:00

2011-07-17T19:41:01+00:00

Fluttershy awoke with a start, her eyes agape. Frantically scanning her vision across the room, she tried to make sense where she was. 'This isn't where I fell asleep...' The memories of the previous night flooding back to her. Then the quiet mare facehoofed, coming to realize this was her own room, she was sleeping in her own bed. She figured Luna must have brought her back. 'Oh no! Luna may have left for Canterlot already,' She thought, literally flying out of her bed towards the stairs. 'I didn't get a chance to say goodbye!' As Fluttershy zoomed downstairs, she lost control of her speed and bumped her head into the slanted ceiling above. “Ow!” She squeaked out loud, rubbing her forehead as she landed at the base of the stairs. “Fluttershy, are you okay?” A voice called from another room, before showing itself. Luna stepped out from a doorway, trotting over to her. “Luna!” Fluttershy said in shock, her surprise numbing her pain, “I thought you'd left for Canterlot already...” She said, her voice lowering. “Hehe, no silly.” A new warmth was in her voice that the pegasus couldn't place, “I wouldn't dare leaving my best friend without saying goodbye.” Her eyes glistened as she looked at Fluttershy. She guessed her next question, “After you fell asleep, I brought you back to your bed...” Luna looked away towards the ground. “I thought about leaving a note... But it didn't feel right,” She confessed, looking back up, “So I stayed here for the night until I could properly thank you.” Fluttershy looked a little confused, “Thank me for what?” “For being so hospitable and nice, of course!” She said, before moving in and giving her a hug. Luna wrapped her arms so tightly around her, that Fluttershy had trouble breathing. “Oof... Lu-Luna... It w-was... Noth-Nothing.” The yellow mare managed to say, trying to breathe. The alicorn maintained her snake-like grip, “Aww, sure it was!” She said happily, smiling. Fluttershy tried to inhale, but all oxygen going into her lungs were repelled by Luna's bearhug. “Luna... I-I can... can't,” She attempted to speak, in between gasps for air. “Can't what?” Luna said, frowning. Her grip loosened a little. “Breathe...” Fluttershy finished. Instantly, Luna let go over her, as the other mare coughed and took a huge breath of air. “I'm so sorry!” Luna apologized, before adding, “I guess I got carried away.” She blushed. Fluttershy put a hoof up, trying to catch the breath. “No, it's okay,” She said after a few seconds, “I understand.” “Anyways...” Luna said, trying to break the mood, “I'll be back in a few days to see your performance. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but Celestia needs my help for planning next year's budget.” “Really?” Fluttershy said, mild astonishment riddling her voice. The Apple Harvest Festival was a small thing, no royalty ever attended it, unlike the Running of the Leaves or Summer Sun Celebration. “Yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world!” Luna said eagerly, the odd warmness coming back into her voice. Fluttershy just smiled, as she looked out the window. The sun was approaching it's zenith. “Luna, I'm not trying to rush you, but it looks like I overslept, and it'll be noon in a bit...” She hesitated. “I think you might worry Princess Celestia if you stay too long.” -~- Luna frowned, knowing she was right. “I guess you have a point.” She walked up next to Fluttershy, opening the door with her magic, her heart trying to give her confidence, 'This is your time to tell her.' The alicorn hesitated, looking over at her. 'Go on... She'll understand.' “Fluttershy, I... I” She couldn't muster the strength to finish the sentence. “What?” The other mare asked her, her soft blue eyes staring directly into Luna's. Fluttershy's gentle voice almost coaxed the words out of the goddess' heart. “I- I'll miss you.” Luna's frown deepened as she accepted defeat. Meanwhile, Fluttershy smiled warmly to her, “Stop worrying, I'll miss you too. But, you're going to be back in a few days, right?” Luna gave a half-hearted smile of her own. “Yeah, I guess.” She said, walking out the door. As she took off, she called back to the Fluttershy, “Bye!” “Bye!” The quiet mare said, her voice raising to an unusually strong level, as she waved goodbye. -~- “Luna! There you are!” Celestia said, as the dark blue mare entered the castle. “To be honest, I was a little worried. But you look fine, come on, you can tell me about what you learned back at your room. I managed to get you a small surprise while you were gone.” “Okay,” Luna responded, her tail sagging sullenly. Celestia didn't notice as she was already leading the way up the stairs. “So, I got your letter that you found somewhere to stay overnight?” Celestia said, trying to start the conversation as they walked down a windowed hallway. Adorned with marble, they sun bounced and reflected everywhere, even Luna's coat shined a little brighter. “Oh yes,” Luna replied, unfocused, “The pony was real nice about it.” She didn't feel like talking much. Celestia turned to her right, opening a door, which led to Luna's room. She walked inside, as Luna followed. Using a flick of magic, she opened a closet door, floating out an object as her younger sister sat down on her bed. “Surprise!” Celestia said, drawing out the object from behind her back. It was Luna's cherished abacus, it's fading colors now repainted, and the cracking frame was now replaced with new, polished wood. “Since you were finally away from your abacus so much.” The larger princess explained, “I managed to get the royal carpenters to fix it and refurbish it to it's former glory. Luna looked up, only the slightest warmth sparking in her eyes. “Oh...” She said quietly, “It's looks good, I guess.” Although she was one of the wisest ponies in Equestria, Celestia couldn't help but leave her mouth agape, utterly stumped and confused. She expected her younger sister to be giddy with delight, not so... Disinterested and melancholy as she was now. She frowned, “What's wrong Luna? Didn't you enjoy your stay? Didn't you learn a lot?” “Oh, I did really like it there,” Luna answered, trying to sound more appreciative of her experiences, “And I learned a lot too.” She counted back all she found out, “I went to the spa, I shopped at all the neat stores... I even got to enjoy a nice walk in the woods. I truly did learn more than I expected. If Celestia was confused before, now she sounded utterly lost. “Wait... You? MY Luna went to the spa, and did some shopping?” She tried to hold in a chuckle, to no avail. “You're joking, right?” Luna looked up at, giving her a glare that could freeze the sun. Celestia's chuckling died instantly, realizing she was serious, as her sister insisted, “I did. I did all of it, and you know, what the hay, I enjoyed it too. It's just...” Her voice trailed off, before setting her head down gloomily on her forehooves, sighing. “Luna, you know you can tell me what's wrong.” Celestia said, reassuringly. The smaller alicorn looked up the her, “Yes, I know...” She replied, before adding in, “And I will, someday. Although... Not yet.” Luna zoned off into space, before concluding, “Somepony else just needs to hear it first.” -~- The sun had set and risen twice, as Fluttershy found herself staring at Canterlot once again. Perched on cloud up in the sky, she usually enjoyed watching the whole town and it's surrounding forest from here. But now, only one place caught her eye, and that was the distant capital of Equestria. Growing accustomed to her newfound friend, Fluttershy felt partially empty with Luna now gone. Sure, she'd be back the next day to watch her performance, but the pegasus knew that they couldn't enjoy the same experiences they had only days before. The royal alicorn brought a sense of openness to the timid mare. Fluttershy didn't feel the need to always apologize for saying what she thought, and she felt she could trust Luna with her fears and dreams. Now, there was no release valve, nothing to keep emotions from building inside her. She had tried confiding with Angel, but it felt like it did no good. Luna was just something different completely, and it only made Fluttershy feel worse because she couldn't place it. Sighing, she took one last weary at the grand, white city on the mountain before turning around and fly down to earth. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, so the yellow pony decided to get home early to rest for her performance, anxiety already rooted in her bones. -~- Mayor Mare just started her speech as Fluttershy paced behind the curtain. Streaks of nervousness shot up through her hooves. Her stomach had passed away hours ago, flipping and flopping so much she barely noticed it now. Her mane had been styled nicely by Rarity that morning, who surprisingly, didn't make any suggestions when Fluttershy showed her the new dress she'd bought. Now, the earrings shone in the dim light, her necklace swaying a bit as she walked in circles. Her light blue dress was reaching all the way to the floor, making swishing noise as she traipsed on the dim stage. Her birds were all lined up on an elaborate lateral metal bar, which was connected to another, vertical bar that was firmly secured into the hardwood flooring. Luckily, the timid pony wouldn't have to face the audience as she conducted her ensemble, her back turned to them to monitor the music being played. But, the thought didn't comfort her much... She'd still be playing in front of all those ponies, a daunting variable that she hoped wouldn't wreck her performance. Fluttershy had been practicing the same melody for weeks now, sure her birds knew it by heart. Even she could hum it in perfect tune, and had the pitch of each bird memorized. She may not be as a perfectionist as Rarity, but she still wanted this to go as smoothly and as un-attention-attracting as possible. The only thought worse than performing in front of such a crowd, would be to mess up. Her coat began to turn hot with extreme worry, almost turning into temporary paranoia. This was much, much worse than she imagined. She began to breathe rapidly, coming close to hyperventilating. This was too much. “Fluttershy!” A voice called out, before a familiar blue mare stepped up onto the stage with her. Or, perhaps less than familiar. Fluttershy had never seen Luna in a dress before, a maroon and navy blue skirt going over her flanks. A maroon bow was tied cosmetically on the back, with two ruby earrings to match it. “L-Luna?” the pegasus said weakly, “Is that you?” She was still breathing hard, but the comfort of her friend being there had taken the edge off. “Of course it's me!” Luna replied, “I told you I wouldn't miss this for the world...” Fluttershy's ears ticked in remembrance. There was the odd warm tone again, and she was getting irritated that she couldn't place it. “Oh...” She replied, in between breaths, “Thanks so... Much for... Coming...” The alicorn walked straight up to her, placing a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. “Hey... Hey calm down. You're going to be just fine, okay?” Luna's reassuring tone further slowed her breathing, forcing the yellow pony to take a few deep breaths, albeit shaky. “There we go...” Luna said, “Think, Fluttershy, you've been practicing and rehearsing for weeks. The song is beautiful. You have nothing to worry about.” Her voice grew confidently towards the end. “But... But what if they don't like it?” Fluttershy asked, her breathing now lessening in speed. “What if I mess up?” Luna brought a hoof up to her chin, staring directly into her eyes. “Listen, no matter what you do, no matter what it sounds like... I'll always be there for you.” The blue mare said, before giving her a gentle, reassuring hug. Fluttershy was choking up a bit, those words lifting her spirits out of the dark hole they were previously in. She returned the hug, her friend's grip no longer like a constrictor, but now much more considerate of her. A sole tear of raw emotion dripped down her cheek. Luna let go of the pegasus, wiping away her tear, “Besides, you look gorgeous. We don't want you to wreck your makeup with crying, now do we?” Fluttershy could only nod, taking a deep breath, confidence rising within her chest. Her friend's calming words made her feel like she could do it. Like she could take on the crowd of ponies, and give them the best quasi-classical performance they've seen. Maybe she was over-exaggerating a bit, but she felt more confident than she had in a long time, perhaps ever. “If it makes you feel better.” Luna concluded, “I'll stay behind the wall here, and you can look to me if you have trouble... Okay?” Fluttershy could only nod, smiling as she turned to her birds. “Okay, let's get ready. Mayor Mare should be done any second now.” Her voice sounded as crisp as mountain air, even if it was her usual quiet level. As if on cue, Mayor Mare raised her voice a bit, to be heard well enough through the velvet curtain, “... And now, we have Fluttershy performing a musical treat for us, before we get this festival underway!” Luna retreated to a safe distance, as Fluttershy took a deep breath and pointed at her birds with a hoof. Shaking it in a steady beat, she counted off quietly, “And a one, a two, a three, and...” The pink-maned mare shone as the curtain's opened, the light meeting her dress. The soft sound of birdsong floated in the air, as the majority of the stage was now in view of the audience. Just as she had heard before, Luna listened as the melody rose steadily, happily. Fluttershy raised her forehooves at a section of her ensemble, a higher tone added in to the mix. The noted kept dancing higher and higher, skipping and jumping around. The bird's music radiated everywhere, even the night's crickets tuned out. The joyful sound was all around, and only two ponies knew what came next. Without warning, the happy timbre died with a few short notes, plummeting to deep octaves. The newer notes were stretched out, the birds holding sullen sounds for seconds at a time. The beat slowly rose, and so did the tone. The tunes were still long and drawn out, as their pitch finally reach it's starting point. Unlike the first time Luna heard them, however, they began morphing into the same cheery notes as the beginning. Then, after half a minute of a more happy melody, the song finally slowed to a stop. Fluttershy turned to face the crowd. After some initial clapping, a few ponies stood up and kept clapping. More and more ponies followed suit, until it blew up into a full standing ovation. The mare wanted to cower in her shyness, but a sideways glance at Luna changed her mind. The alicorn was beaming, her expression giving Fluttershy the strength the stand firm on the stage. After twenty seconds or so, the clapping died down, “Thank you.” Fluttershy said, before exiting behind the stage. A cheer broke out, as the other ponies began to gravitate towards the festival's numerous attractions. As soon as Fluttershy got behind the curtain, Luna began jumping up and down in excitement, “You did it!” She cried, “Yay!” Fluttershy looked around to check if no one was around, before unorthodoxly joining in on the hysteria, “I know, I know!” She exclaimed, “They even liked it! And I didn't hide or anything, but I stayed there! I did it!” The rush felt so... Liberating to her. “I'm so proud of you.” Luna told her, now quieter. She gave her a quick hug. “Aww, thanks.” Fluttershy said bashfully. A rush of emotion overcame her as she looked at the other mare, adding in, “I could have never done it if it weren't for you, Luna.” The pegasus' mind ticked again at the sound of that reemerging, excessively warm tone. Within that same second, she realized Luna hadn't said it. 'That was in my own voice.' She thought, shocked, '...By the stars, what is it? I know... I know I've heard it before.' Fluttershy browsed through her memories, trying to find it. She thought back to her recent times with her friends in Ponyville... But no, it wasn't there. Reluctantly, she pried into her darker memories of flight school. Again, no, it wasn't amongst the bullying, name-calling, and crying. Concentrating more, she forced into her days as a foal. There, she found it. She could only remember the voice of her father, although it was all she needed. “Fluttershy, you're the best thing that's ever came into my life.” It wasn't quite the same, but the realization hit her like a train. It all made sense now... The feelings of emptiness when she was gone, the tolerance for everything she did, the simple joy of just being around her. The warmth in her own voice, nearly an exact copy of her father's. It was unmistakably it. It, it was primal, unbreakable, undeniable, unsurpassed love. This love, this was not shared to any other organism for Fluttershy. She loved her animal and equine friends all the same, but this one for... For Luna, it was many times stronger than anything she'd ever felt. The warmth in her voice now enveloped and covered her whole body. It made her feel impervious to anything. Like a suit of armor, she could go through anything. Luna was all she needed. 'Luna... I love you.'

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-07-25T05:03:43+00:00

2011-07-25T05:03:43+00:00

The moon was now steadily rising in the night sky. It's reflected light glittered in the trees around two lone ponies. A light wind rustled through the trees, quietly adding a sweet melody of swaying tree branches. The ponies were walking side by side, talking quietly as they both enjoyed the beautiful scene in the night sky. Luna had outdone herself again, bringing a wide spectrum of colors into the night, and calling upon the stars to glitter with a ferocity that hadn't been seen before. She wanted the night to go well, to be perfect, if she could make it so. Her friend Fluttershy had put on such a dazzling performance of musical prowess earlier, that the alicorn felt she had to return the gesture in her artwork. It'd also serve another purpose, to help encourage her to confess her feelings to the yellow mare... But for the hour and a half they'd been walking together, she had no such luck. Luna was a stranger to admitting her true feelings. Pre-Banishment era, she would confide her feelings deep within herself, which had a dangerous consequence. The brewery of grief and jealousy had spawned Nightmare Moon, a side of her that she lost control to. Never again would she place such a role on herself, to carry all her feelings inside. But, every time she looked at Fluttershy, Luna lost all her will to tell the mare what she felt. Fluttershy was so sensitive, that the goddess felt if she told her, the other pony would be intimidated or scared. She didn't want to lose her best friend, now of all times when she was still weak from her exile in the moon. “Luna, are you okay?” Fluttershy giggled, “You've been staring at that tree for some time now, hehe.” Luna blinked back into her reality, her love's quiet voice derailing her thoughts. She blushed, as she realized she had been zoning out at a tree during her revelations. How long had she been staring? “Haha...” Luna laughed embarrassedly, “No, I was just...” She sighed, before continuing on, “...Thinking.” “Oh I didn't mind.” Fluttershy replied, “Besides... You were kinda cute with your mouth open, looking like you were trying to chop down the tree with your mind.” Luna's mind was blown at the comment. Fluttershy thought she looked cute? She blushed even harder than before, not knowing what to say. “Uhhh, y-yeah, well I just had something on my mind.” She managed to reply. Fluttershy giggled again, her pink mane flowing in the breeze, “Well, come on. I know a great place around here where we can see the whole sky.” “Okay,” Luna replied, her coat returning to normal color. It still felt hot though, an unusual sensation to the blue pony. She hadn't been social with nearly anypony in a long time, excluding the previous few days, and in those days she had blushed more than ever before in her life. It felt... Good, knowing she was still capable of behaving like a normal pony. She followed Fluttershy out to the outskirts of the treeline, the dim white light showing around the silhouette of two deciduous trees. From here, both could see the night's sky, the awe of the lights produced by unknown cosmos. “Wow,” Luna said, “You're right, it looks really neat from here.” “I thought you'd like it,” Fluttershy said, “Besides...” Her voice broke off quietly, as she gulped, “I need to tell you something.” Luna tilted her head in curiosity, before butting in, “No, I have to tell you something first, Fluttershy. It's... Important. I have to leave for Canterlot in a few hours, and I really need to say this.” Luna's eyes turned pleadingly to her. The mare only nodded, gazing into her eyes. Luna took a deep breath, trying gather herself. “Fluttershy, I... I,” She stuttered, “I, I Lo-,” Her words clung to her throat, refusing to come out. Fluttershy gave Luna a puzzled look, as the princess chuckled nervously. “I mean, I looo...” Her lips were puckered out, a surprised expression on her face. Fluttershy tilted her head back and gave out a high pitched laugh. She almost fell over until she saw how down Luna now looked. “Oh, Luna, what is it?” She said, sitting back up and killing her laughter. “I'm sorry if I laughed, it's just the look on your face was hard to resist.” “I was trying to say something important!” Luna told her, frustration in her voice. She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, turning away from her friend. “Aww...” Fluttershy cooed, bringing herself right up behind the blue mare, their coats narrowly brushing. The timid pony reached her snout up towards her face ever so slowly, so Luna wouldn't notice. Luna recoiled in surprise as she felt Fluttershy nuzzling up against the side of her face, rubbing against her as gently as possible. Then she shut her eyes, enjoying the heartwarming gesture. “You can tell me anything you like,” Fluttershy told her, bringing her head away. Luna opened her eyes, softening as she locked hers with Fluttershy's own. 'She's too beautiful.' Luna thought to herself. Those harmonious blue eyes, she could get lost in them forever. 'It's now or never...' “Fluttershy,” Luna said quietly, command now back in her voice, even if it was a whisper. She kept focus on those eyes, taking a deep breath. The pegasus kept her gaze on the alicorn, her pupils growing in earnest. “I love you.” -~- Fluttershy said nothing, her mouth silent. The same could not be said for her mind, however. It was a beehive of emotion and activity. Did she hear right? Did the one she love, Luna, really love her too? If hearts could grow wings and fly, hers would have then. No words, no concept could explain how she was feeling, knowing that her love, a royal pony who she thought she would never have had a chance to be with, loved her too. Fluttershy knew she wasn't a pony much for words. Gestures of kindness was her language, a reassuring hug, or a friendly smile were her dialogue. She knew there was only one way she could convey her feelings fully to Luna. Gestures of love were a different type of language for her, although somewhat similar to kindness. Fluttershy didn't know exactly how to do it, but she was sure the message would get across. Leaning in closer to Luna, Fluttershy slowly brought her lips to hers, translating those three iconic words perfectly, as she wrapped her forehooves around the blue mare. -~- Luna had fidgeted nervously, in the half second Fluttershy said nothing. She was almost compelled to apologize, before she felt soft lips upon her. Her eyes widened, in complete disarray as the yellow pony brought her hooves over her mane. She never expected this, admitting to herself that she'd be less surprised if Fluttershy fled in embarrassment. 'Take it for what it is, Luna. The most wonderful pony in Equestria loves you too, don't worry.' A small voice told her in her head. It was a long time since her conscience had visited her, well over a millennium. Following the advice, she closed her eyes, tilting her head to kiss her companion better. She too wrapped her arms around her, drawing herself closer in. Luna unclenched her teeth, letting her tongue gently coax out Fluttershy's own. With a little effort, the pegasus opened her mouth. Their tongues met, finishing a bond that had been building for almost a week now. This bond, unbreakable, was represented as the two ponies kissed in the night. Fluttershy let herself go headfirst into bliss, and immersed herself in the moment. Her heart slowed as she embraced Luna more passionately, pushing even closer to the mare off her hooves. Breathing in her scent, Fluttershy lost it and tried to bring herself as close as possible to Luna. However, the added push from her companion pushed Luna off balance, as she tumbled to the ground, Fluttershy falling on top of her. The mare was completely sprawled on Luna, their bodies merging flawlessly, as her back rested on the cool grass below. Their lips were still locked, but not for much longer. Fluttershy finally broke the intimate kiss, breathing heavily. A small strand of saliva was all that remained, but only for half a second as it disintegrated in the breeze. Luna was panting as well, but her eyes were calm as she stared up at the one she loved. It felt as if Euphoria itself could be crackling like lightning between them, the goddess enjoying the physical closeness she was sharing with the other pony, warmth radiating from all around her. She could stay like this forever, her arms wrapped around Fluttershy, their coats brushing. “Do you really have to go?” Fluttershy finally whispered in her ear, before burying her muzzle along Luna's neck and mane. Luna smiled, “No. I think Celestia will understand.” She kissed Fluttershy's neck, rubbing her back. Slowly, Fluttershy got up, much to Luna's dismay. She gently poked Luna's shoulder, “Come on, get up.” The pink-maned pony closed her eyes, smiling as she browsed the previous few moments in her memory. “That was amazing, Luna... But I- Uhh... we should be getting home soon.” She was still standing over Luna, and noticed she still hadn't gotten up. The yellow pony looked down, and saw that she was grinning up at her. Fluttershy replied more sternly, feeling something was wrong, “What is it?” “You're so beautiful.” Luna told her, then began to get up, as the other mare's serious expression dissipated. “Aww...” Fluttershy felt her heart melting. Being it told to her, the phrase sounded better than anything she'd read in her romantic novels. “I love you too.” She said passionately. Then the two began to walk off towards her cottage. -~- Luna pecked Fluttershy on the neck as the came over the small brick bridge, which led to the front door of the small house in front of them. Fluttershy giggled, playfully pushing her away, “Stop, hehe, that tickles!” Her companion laughed, enjoying the moment. Luna was about to do it again, when a light flashed in front of the pair. In the brief second, Celestia appeared. Fluttershy eeped in surprise, as the older goddess teleported in front of them. “I'm sorry to intrude, and I'll try to make it quick, but I have to ask Luna somethings.” Celestia explained, her words coming out in rapid succession. Confusion riddled her voice, as she continued on, “Is it really true, you two in love? I mean, I heard the news half an hour ago, but I had to make sure. Sorry if I was interrupting, but even I didn't expect this.” Luna looked over to Fluttershy, rubbing her back to calm her down, before turning back to her sister, “Yes, it is true, sister" Celestia's eyes softened, gladdened by the news that her younger sibling had found someone she loved. “Well, then that would bring up my second question... Would you like me to raise and lower the moon for the next few days?” “That'd be great.” Luna told her, “Thank you, Celestia.” “I figured you'd rather like to sleep in and enjoy being with her for awhile. Don't worry Luna, I'll keep it in check.” The sun goddess replied. Her horn glowed, readying to teleport back to Canterlot. “Wait!” Fluttershy called out. Celestia stopped, casting her a puzzled glance. “Umm... I mean,” The mare's voice got quieter, “Who told you we were in love?” “Why, nature's own messengers, of course,” A small green bird flew down, perching on the Princess' shoulder. “They can do more than just music.” She winked at them both, and with another brief flash, was erased from view. “That's just like Celly,” Luna chuckled, “She's so nosy and it's no wonder she ends up ruining the mood.” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow curiously, “The mood was ruined?” She asked, before planting a kiss on Luna's cheek. “Besides, I couldn't care,” She yawned, “I'm too tired to care.” They approached the door, Luna opening it for them with her magic. The cottage was dark, but it lit up slightly from Luna's horn. She followed her upstairs, Fluttershy's hooves plodding along tiredly. Now, Luna herself was feeling a little weary. The pegasus climbed into the bed, pulling aside some blankets to make room for her companion. Luna gulped, before filling in the vacant side of the bed, lying on her back Fluttershy snuggled up to her, resting her head on Luna's shoulder and threw her forehooves around her neck. Her breath gently rolled over the princess' face, her sweet scent flooding Luna's senses. “You know what?” Luna said. She turned her head over, seeing Fluttershy had her eyes closed. The yellow mare simply replied with a drowsy, “Hmm?” before nestling her muzzle along Luna's neck. She hugged the alicorn tighter to her, the coats meshing like one. “This just feels so... Right.” Luna continued, staring up at the ceiling, “Lying here with you, with you so, so close to me. I feel, fulfilled.” “You know what I mean?” She asked Fluttershy, looking over at her. But, the mare was now asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully, brushing up along Luna's side. Using her arm that wasn't wedged between herself and her love, she brushed a few strands of hair out of Fluttershy's face. Luna sighed, “You look too peaceful to answer right now...” She rested her head on the pillows, turning herself to be chest to chest with Fluttershy. She wrapped her free hoof over her, taking one last glance at the mare's pretty face. As Luna closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep, a single, poetic thought rose to her mind. 'Even if a ship sails too far, it can still end up somewhere beautiful. And that's right here... With Fluttershy.'

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-07-19T03:16:48+00:00

2013-12-17T04:20:32+00:00

Luna stopped short of Sugarcube Corner, Fluttershy at her side, “Well, what if they don't like the me?” She asked. A worrisome tinge was in her voice, anxiety chewing at her insides. Fluttershy nuzzled her gently, “Don't worry... Just stay out here until I call you, okay?” She looked up, still seeing her partner casting fretful glances at the door in front of them. “Hey, they won't mind... I promise.” She added, reassuringly. Luna sighed, “I guess you're right. I trust you, and that's good enough for me.” The pegasus pecked her on the cheek, before walking up towards Ponyville's bakery. Inside, she could hear quick, bass pounding music playing. The party's host, Pinkie Pie, was still ecstatic after the DJ P0n-3 concert, and was now playing some of her music. Pinkie Pie was holding one of her signature parties, the day after she went to see DJ P0n-3. There, the energetic pony had got to talk with the famous musical artist, and even managed to get her hooves on some DJ equipment, after leaving such an impression on the celebrity. Apparently, her love for the party scene and tireless enthusiasm struck a chord with the DJ. Fluttershy gulped. It was over a week since she embarked on her romance with Luna, and so far, no ponies in Ponyville really knew about their intimate relationship. She'd gotten an invite to the party this morning, and decided it was the best time to tell her friends the news. However, it seemed easier said than done, as nervousness tingled at her hooves. Without bothering to knock, she opened the door. The floor was a mess of confetti, balloons everywhere. A few pink strobe lights revolved around, their rays filling the room. Refreshments lined a table along a wall, while an enormous, vinyl record-shaped cake was placed on the other side of the room. In the middle, a dance floor was positioned, lights illuminating it's borders. Behind that, a Pink mare was standing at a table, large headphones over her ears. She was concentrating on one of her turntables, adjusting the record with one hoof, while playing with mixer with her other hoof. Two ponies, her friends Rarity and Applejack, appeared in her view. “Hold up y'all! Fluttershy's here!” Called the orange earth pony. The music quieted down, Pinkie Pie placing down her headphones and bounced over to them. “Oh hi, Fluttershy!” She said enthusiastically to her, “Glad you could make it!” Two other ponies, Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, joined the others. “Yeah, I haven't seen you around lately, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said, eying her suspiciously, “Not in the air, or even transporting your animals. You look... Different.” She stared at her, “You didn't go into the Everfree Forest, did you?” “What?! No, of course not... I couldn't, I wouldn't!” Fluttershy recoiled in surprise. Her fellow pegasus' scrutinizing looks made her feel uncomfortable. “Now hold on,” Twilight butted in, “I'm sure Fluttershy didn't do that. However, I too have noticed your absence... Did something happen?” No other pony spoke, her five friends' eyes looking on questioningly. The nervousness in her hooves now shot up through her legs, causing them to wobble a little. Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Well, Yes. I mean, sort of... Ooh I don't know.” Her voice growing quieter, “I met somepony special to me.” Her friend's faces contorted with bewilderment, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, who asked, “Wait... What? Special? I don't even...” She trailed off, lost in thought. Then she gasped, “Oh! Y-You mean like... Dating?” Her voice sounded lost, unaccustomed to the thoughts of love. “Umm....” Fluttershy replied, lowering her head, “Yes?” Rainbow Dash's expression joined the ranks of the others, all of them staring in astonishment. They sat like that for a few seconds, before the timid pegasus broke the silence, “Oh dear...” Fluttershy said to herself, blushing hotly. “I-I guess I better go ask her to come in now.” As she turned around, Applejack and Rarity looked at each other. Rarity mouthed a single word, unable to speak, “Her?” The quiet mare opened the door, calling out, “Okay, you can come in now! They're just a little... Umm, surprised.” She held it open as Luna sheepishly entered the room, her shy expression deepening as she saw the other ponies' faces. She smiled awkwardly to them, as Fluttershy closed the door, coming up next to her. By now, the amazed equines had their mouths open, not knowing what to make of the spectacle in front of their eyes. The quietest pony of them all, first off, was in a serious relationship. That alone was something they never even considered. Second, and completely mind-blowing, was the fact that she was dating a princess, an immortal alicorn that seemed as distant as the stars she created. Fluttershy put her arm around Luna, trying to ease the awkward standstill, to no avail. “Hello,” Luna said, trying to help, “Fluttershy has told me so much about you girls, and I've always wanted to meet yo-” “Aww, ah'm so happy for ya, sugarcube.” Applejack randomly blurted out. Being the element of honesty, she was the first to tell that this indeed was real. “You two look perfect for each other, better than caramel an' apples, if ah do say so mahself.” Her gaze softened, her freckles rising in her cheeks as she smiled. Her words broke the spell, and an outburst of praise barraged the couple as the other ponies came back to life. “You two are soooo adorable together!” Pinkie Pie squealed, her hair bouncing up and down as she jumped with delight. “Yeah, I think you'll make a wonderful couple. I'm so happy for you!” Twilight said, before giving both her and Luna a quick hug. The latter mare was not expecting it, and tensed in surprise as the lavender pony hugged her. “Umm... Yeah, ditto.” Rainbow Dash said, scratching her mane, embarrassed. Emotions, especially the more caring ones, were not her strong suit. Rarity, the last pony to talk, stepped up to her, an expression of faux insult on her face. “Now, Fluttershy... We both know that I was the one whose always wanted to marry a noble pony... And now, you upstage me by falling in love with the top of Equestrian society!” Then her expression lightened, as she chuckled, her voice replaced with joy. “I'm so glad you found somepony special in your life. You both must join me at the spa sometime to tell me how you two met.” “Ok, Rarity.” Fluttershy replied, giggling. Rarity's sarcastic humor really helped her feel better. Pinkie Pie dashed in the middle of the group, “Hey, weren't we here to party?!” She cried. Not waiting for a response, she jumped over her DJ Setup, placing the headphones over her ears. Pushing up a slider, the volume of the music returned, it's hard, yet catchy beat reverberating throughout the room. The ponies, dispersed, except for the couple. Luna looked over to Fluttershy, unconsciously tapping her hoof to the beat, “Is this DJ P0n-3?” She asked. “Oh yes,” Fluttershy responded, “It's probably her most successful release. It's called 'Manticores n Stuff'.” She nuzzled her, quietly whispering in her ear, “Don't tell them, but I really like this song.” Luna experimentally moved her body to the beat, enjoying it. “I do too,” she announced, before padding over the illuminated floor tiles. “Wanna dance?” She asked, looking back at the pegasus. “Umm, yeah.” Fluttershy responded. She walked up to her side, slowly moving her shoulders and head to the song. “There you go...” Luna told her, steadily dancing with greater enthusiasm until her whole body flowed with the booming bass. “Come on!” She continued delightfully, “It's really fun once you get into it.” “Okay,” The yellow mare said, trying to match her partner's rhythm. After a few minutes, Fluttershy got the hang of it, dancing with joy. She giggled as she and Luna synced their movements, their coats continually brushing together. Until the early hours of morning, the two mares enjoyed themselves, dancing, talking, eating and drinking to their heart's content... Which of course, was each other. -~- The sun was cresting along the horizon as the pair left Sugarcube Corner. “Thanks for the party!” Luna called out behind her, towards Pinkie Pie, who was waving good bye at the door. The alicorn was leaning on Fluttershy's shoulder, her legs weak. “You know, I've never had that much fun, ever.” Fluttershy looked over at her as they kept walking, “I can tell, since you overdid yourself. You danced for so long, it looks like your hooves are going to fall off!” Luna giggled, “No they won't. Even if they did, It wouldn't stop me from dancing with you again.” She paused, smiling at her memories, “You know, you're quite the dancer once you get going.” “Really?” Fluttershy's voice squeaked, blushing. They kept walking towards the outskirts of town, the majority of it's inhabitants just beginning their day. “Oh yes.” Luna told her, “There's a lot more to you than meets the eye.” The two were rounding the corner of the path they were on, which soon changed from stone to dirt as they got closer to the cottage. “For instance.” She continued a moment later, “You seem very quiet and timid, but you've been the most inspiring, caring pony I've ever met.” “Aww, Luna, that was really sweet. But, I'm sure there are other ponies like me.” Fluttershy said modestly, as the sight of her cottage came into view. “No, I doubt it.” Luna dismissed, “That's what I was going to say next; You're always so focused on other ponies and animals, that rarely do you get a chance to see how wonderful you are.” She took a deep breath, reaching over to nuzzle her “And that's where I think I fit in. I'm here to remind you of how compassionate, funny, and undeniably beautiful you are, even if you don't always see it.” Fluttershy returned the nuzzle, “And I will always be there for you, whatever troubles you face. Your joys are my joys, your problems are mine aswell.” She stopped, now on top of the small brick bridge, “And I think... Since your problem is to remind the most beautiful pony in Equestria of how amazing she is, it's also my problem to remind you as well.” She leaned in closer to her, whispering a single sentence, “I know only one way to do it.” Then she embraced Luna, kissing her passionately. As their tongues met, Luna could once again feel electricity forming between them, symbolizing a bond that could last eons, if forever. With that, the alicorn could feel an older, darker part of her wither and vanish. It was like erasing all the shadows from a sunny day, or taking out the trash. Getting rid of the bad, keeping the good. She felt anew. Falling in love with Fluttershy was her most cherished accomplishment of her life, forcing her to look at the world differently, a rebirth of Luna herself. Old knowledge was flowing into her brain, ones she never learned a thousand years ago. It was like a Renaissance of the Moon. Fin. [For now...] Dear Dead Frontier's Brony Brigade I would like to thank you all for your unwavering support and constructive criticism throughout my first fanfic. The amount of time and effort you put into proofreading those 115 pages of drafts (Yes, I counted them) was undoubtedly stellar. You may not be the largest MLP-community. not by a long shot, but you're definitely the best. ~Smiggel Aka Habanc P.s. Note: Have the Orbital Friendship Cannon ready for when the trolls come back from their bans. Kthxbai :D

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2011-08-27T02:15:12+00:00

2013-12-17T04:22:29+00:00

This is a short add-on to the storyline. It plays no real significant part within the actual story, set months after the Epilogue took place. This chapter wasn't designed for much more than the enjoyment of Luna x Fluttershy shipping (Because, to be honest, there isn't nearly as much as there should be). It was inspired, or more specifically made me depressed/angry enough to write, by this picture: So, yes. I saw this picture, got incredibly sad for a few moments, and then I thought to myself 'Well, why can't Luna have a happy Christmas? Or, for that matter, A happy Christmare? So, if you find this not as enjoyable as the others, here's an explanation. This part isn't going up on Equestria Daily. It's too much of a pain to get stuff on there. Luna felt a soft hoof rub her shoulder. “Come on, time to wake up Luna. It's almost morning.” Eyes not even opening, she used her magic to pull her blanket closer to her. She had no intentions of getting up yet, her body and mind still drowsy. “No! Five more minutes!” She pouted, nestling her face deeper into her pillow. She shuffled herself in a more comfortable position before letting out a elongated yawn. Fluttershy rolled her eyes, sighing humorously. Even though the lunar goddess didn't need sleep, she had since become dependent on it ever since meeting Fluttershy. Usually she would get the extra few minutes of rest, but today was different. Today required immediate action. Fluttershy gently flew over the bed and landed behind Luna. She rubbed up close to her companion, whispering in Luna's ear, “Loons, can you get up, if you don't mind?” She tried her best to sound as caring as possible. Luna's mouth began to twitch into a smile, the rhythm of her breathing changing slightly. Fluttershy kissed her on the cheek, realizing a crack was forming in Luna's stubborn attitude. “Besides, do you remember what today is?” The alicorn opened a single eye, peering at Fluttershy questioningly. “Oh, you don't, do you?” Fluttershy continued softly. “Because I do, and I remember how it was almost impossible for you to fall asleep last night. You were so excited because you knew today is-” “It's Christmare Day!” Luna squealed in delight, shooting up out of bed. The blanket was still wrapped around her, now covering her head due to her rapid movement. Fluttershy laughed at the sight of her beloved mare hovering in the air, a blue blanket draped over her head. Not even wanting to take the time to remove the blanket, Luna flapped her wings, carrying her in the direction of the stairwell. “Woo hoo! It's Christmare Day!” She yelled childishly as she flew. “It's Christmar- Oof!” Luna crashed into the wall, the stairwell mere inches to her left. She knew Fluttershy's cottage well, but not well enough to navigate it blinded. Bouncing to the ground, the blanket undid itself as Luna eventually came to. “Ouch...” She said, rubbing her horn gingerly. Fluttershy gasped in surprise as the darker pony slammed into the wall. She was worried that Luna could have been hurt, and scrambled off the bed to reach her. However, Luna was quicker, shaking her head briskly as she rose again to her feet. “Come on Fluttershy! It's Christmare Day!” She called back, scampering down the stairs. Fluttershy giggled as she trotted behind her. Despite her royal position and stature in society, she had discovered that Luna tended to act like a filly at times. Not that it was bad, quite the opposite, as Fluttershy couldn't help but find it adorable. Fluttershy found Luna waiting for her downstairs, sitting by the ornament-laden tree they had put up a few nights earlier. She was happily reaching under the tree, as if to find something. “Uh, Luna... Are you sure you're okay?” Luna looked up at her, smiling brightly. “Why wouldn't I be? This is my first ever real Christmare Day!” Fluttershy recoiled slightly in surprise. “It... It is? Don't you and Celestia celebrate it too?” “Oh, well... Yeah I guess.” Luna waved her hoof in dismissal, “But we were too busy doing parades and celebrations to really do anything like this.” She got up and trotted over the the yellow mare, “Besides, I have the best pony to share it with.” She quickly kissed the now-anxious Fluttershy. Fluttershy felt her heart drop at that comment. Fear pulsed through her veins, her mind fighting itself over a single fear. 'What if I ruin it?' “Anyways, can we open presents?” Luna took a step back, looking up at Fluttershy with pleading eyes. “Please?” Fluttershy sighed and nodded, as Luna gave a joyful whoop before charging back to the tree. Fluttershy settled herself on the couch as Luna came back, presents carried by her magic, perhaps ten in all. Setting them on the ground, Luna hopped onto the couch next to her. “Here you go!” She said cheerily, lifting a present to Fluttershy. The pegasus grabbed it, it's bulky, rectangular shape hard for her to figure out it's contents. Cautiously, she began tearing off the red and white polka-dotted wrapping paper. Underneath, revealed a white box. Prying it open, Fluttershy removed the translucent wax paper to reveal... “Socks?” Fluttershy said, picking one up questioningly. It was predominantly pink, with small blue butterflies on them. They were very soft and plush, undoubtedly made by some of Equestria's best tailors. “Yeah.” Luna said, “They're really comfortable and soft on your hooves. I know you don't like getting the high-end treatment all the time, but these ones are much better than what you'd find in an average boutique.” She stammered slightly, “I-I thought about getting you regular ones, but I felt it would be a dishonor to buy you something that may not have been comfortable as these.” Fluttershy couldn't find any spot to disagree, not speaking as she felt the expertly-crafted hoofwear. These socks were indeed the perfect things to wear around the house, especially in winter. They were light, yet incredibly cozy and warm. “I love them.” Fluttershy said, a smile forming on her face. She noticed that Luna withheld a doubtful expression. The nagging fear about ruining Luna's first Christmare Day raced back to the front of her mind. “I really do, in fact I think I'll put them on after we finish with the rest of the presents.” She looked down, grabbing a blue present in her hooves and tossed it to Luna. “Speaking of presents, here's one for you.” All remnants of her previous emotions dissipated as the alicorn squeaked in joy and began opening her present. Unlike Fluttershy's dainty procedure, this was more like a mad dash to discover what was inside. Wrapping paper flew as the eager pony charged onwards, landing on Fluttershy amongst other places. Pushing a piece of vibrantly-colored paper out of her eyes, Fluttershy saw Luna hugging a small blanket. It was dark blue, with a sole crescent moon in white. “How, how did you know about this?” Luna asked, looking up at her. “Oh, Celestia told me about it a month ago. You never told me you had a special blanket as a filly.” Luna blushed furiously and tried to respond, but Fluttershy cut her off, “She said you lost it a long time ago, so I decided to make you a new one.” Then she added in more quietly, “Do you like it?” “Of course I do!” Luna said loudly, only changing her voice after seeing Fluttershy cringe and massage her ears. “It's perfect... Just as I remember it.” She rubbed her face into the comfortable texture of the blanket one last time, nostalgia almost overpowering her before setting it down. “Time for another present!” -~- “Aww, this is perfect!” Luna said cheerfully, putting down a small card, “This spa pass is going to be a wonder for my back. Although, how'd you get it?” “Oh...” Fluttershy began quietly, “Y'know, I just asked Rarity to get a deal with them. It was nothing.” Luna looked around, the hill of wrapping paper almost half a pony high on the floor. There was a stack of boxes and gifts on the small coffee table, almost creating a short wall. No other present remained, and she smiled as she looked back to her love. “Anyways, this was perfect, Fluttershy. Thanks so much for making my first Christmare day so amazing, I'll remember it always.” She leaned in to give the pegasus a peck on the cheek, but was stopped by hooves along her chest. Luna looked down, and noticed that the hooves barring her way were yellow. She looked at Fluttershy, her quizzical looks rapidly forming into a confused frown. “It's still not over, Loons. I have one last present for you, the most important of them all.” Fluttershy said, withdrawing her hooves off Luna and retrieving something from behind the couch. Pulling out a small brown box , she passed it to the blue mare. “What is this?” Luna asked, mystified. She shook the box with her magic, pressing an ear to it. Fluttershy giggled, “I guess you won't ever know, since you aren't opening it.” Luna blushed quickly, before being replaced by a joyful expression as the opened the box. She poked her head inside, smiling in anticipation. When she looked back up at Fluttershy, a sullen look was on her face. Her bottom lip was trembling. “You got me a piece of string?” Fluttershy smiled warmly, shaking her head. “No. Try pulling it out of the box.” Luna sniffed slightly, before her horn lit up in a magical aura. Fluttershy could see as the string made it's way out of the box, until it stopped short with a twang. Not backing down from the challenge, Luna's face hardened and her horn grew a little brighter as she put more force into pulling the small tendril. The string flew out into air, Luna's magic tearing it out of the box. She hardly noticed it fly by, as a small compartment opened within. Carefully, she lifted the hidden objects out of the cardboard box. Two thick slips of paper were held in the air, suspended by Luna's telekinesis. She brought them close to her face, it's expression morphing rapidly back to joy. “Are these what I think they are?” Luna asked, giddiness rising in her voice. “I-I think so?” Fluttershy said, sounding uncertain, “I mean... I certainly hope they are. You've only been talking about going to the Haliflanks Convention for weeks now.” A playful glint appeared in her eyes, if only for a second. The Haliflanks Convention was a musical jamboree hosted within the city square on New Year's Eve, where performances were held unlike any in Equestria. Musicians and bands came from all across the spectrum of music to play there. What made the convention special, was the types of music that were played. More often than not, musicians of totally different genres would be paired together and given only a few days to come up with a song to perform. This year, the main attraction was a performance by two earth ponies. The first was the renowned Double bassist from Canterlot's royal ensemble, Octavia. Second, was a dance music composer, a pony from Germaney known on stage as “Moguine”. Luna admired both of them, and it was undoubtedly the only time the two musicians would perform together. Fluttershy was caught off guard as Luna wrapped her arms around the pegasus. A small “oof” could be heard as the air was expelled from her lungs. However, all sense of discomfort disappeared as she felt the alicorn nuzzling up against her. It was times like this that could cause a pony like her to just forget about the world. Fluttershy hugged her back, whispering, “I'll take that as a yes.” Then she added in a less humorous voice, "I love you too, Luna." Luna said nothing, instead enjoying the pulses of emotions that soared body. Although it'd happened to her before, merely knowing that she was loved was a euphoria. It was indescribable by any words created by ponykind, impossible to create at any laboratory or scientific facility. This sense of belonging, of being deeply cared for... This was what truly made her Christmare Day one to remember.

Habanc

29

Fluttershy,Princess Luna,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Renaissance of The Moon

complete

<p><b>Note From the Future Habanc: This is four years-old garbage. I would take it down in a heartbeat if it was insignificant.</b></p><p>Princess Luna is sent to learn about the changes in her absence. But soon, with the help of another shy pony, she ends up learning more about herself and her emotions, than the land around her.</p><p>The Teen rating is here due to some moments of heavier shipping. Nothing explicit, or even close to that, but just a fair warning.</p><p>(This is really old stuff, yo. Seriously I would remove it, if it weren't like removing dinosaur bones or something.)</p>

teen

2012-09-11T03:25:41+00:00

2012-09-11T03:25:41+00:00

Luna wrapped her forehooves tighter around Fluttershy as she awoke. She let herself enjoy cuddling her mate for a moment longer. Burying her nose in the pegasus' mane, she inhaled deeply before opening her eyes. Fluttershy was still asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully as sunlight dappled across the bed. It was early in the afternoon, on a gorgeous, sunny February day. The two had left early that morning from Ponyville, the moon still hanging in the sky. Even though Fluttershy fell asleep on Luna's shoulder on the chariot ride over, both were exhausted after arriving in Canterlot. So, after enjoying a late breakfast with Celestia, the two went up to the lunar mare's room and took a nap. This week, the two ponies had decided to take a vacation in Canterlot for a nice way to relax from the daily bustle at the cottage. Writing treatises and legislature was especially stressful when you had forest creatures running around everywhere. Luna had come around to love each and every one of them, but that still didn't make it any easier. Therefore, the alicorn decided to take her companion out for a breather and show the mare around her favorite spots in Canterlot. It took some convincing, but a promise to save one of the days for a quiet night in sealed the deal. “Fluttershy,” Luna whispered in her ear, before nuzzling her cheek softly. “Come on, it's time to wake up.” The yellow mare opened her eyes slowly. “Hmm? What time is it?” she asked. Luna smiled. “Time to out of bed and into your best dress.” “Why?” “Because tonight we have reservations at Le Chantehoof, remember?” Fluttershy got up with a start. “Oh my gosh! You're right!” She looked around frantically. “What time is it?! Are we late? Do you think we cou-” Luna reached in calmly and kissed her. Fluttershy's eyes widened for a second, before closing them as she kissed the princess back. Seconds later, they broke apart. Luna opened her eyes and smiled, announcing casually, “The reservation is hours away. You're fine.” Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, good, I was really getting worried for a second there.” Blushing slightly, she added, “Thanks for being so sweet, it's not everyday I get woken up with a nuzzle and a kiss.” Luna put a hoof to her chest, pretending to be hurt. “What?! I give you a peck on the cheek every morning!” “Yes, but also I'm the one who wakes you up and the only thing you can do is peck me on the cheek until you've had your tea.” Fluttershy giggled. “I meant a more romantic kiss like what you did back there... I liked that.” The alicorn grinned. “Maybe I should make a habit of it.” She reached in and quickly kissed Fluttershy again before hopping off the bed. “C'mon Flutters, we don't have all night to get ready!” -~- Fluttershy rubbed up closely to Luna as they walked side by side down a sidewalk in downtown Canterlot. The night was windy and chilly, but also as clear as could be. Ponies walked to and fro along the street, the busy lifestyle of the city not slowing down as the moon began to rise. Luna looked over at the pegasus, admiring her new outfit. A dazzling, crimson dress reached from her neck down to past her cutie marks and it sparkled in the moonlight brilliantly. She also wore a set of boots and a woven scarf of the same color to compliment it. Luna herself wore a sleek, luminous white dress, with ruffled edges that blew in the wind. But that was far from her mind as they neared closer to the restaurant. “Whew, it's chilly in only this dress.” Fluttershy shivered, pressing even closer against her. “Don't worry, we're just about there,” Luna reassured her. “Besides, have I told you that you look gorgeous in it?” The mare laughed. “Oh yes, numerous times.” She looked up at Luna, “So, what's this place like?” The alicorn shrugged, as they came up to a door being attended by a very official-looking pony. “Why don't we go in and see for ourselves?” The pony outside opened the door for them, bowing slightly. Luna thanked him as they entered. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was much more preoccupied with looking around the high-quality restaurant. An adorned chandelier hung from a high ceiling, presiding over a room filled with tables of the highest echelons of Canterlot. Serving ponies dressed in tuxedos scurried across the room, refilling refreshments and serving meals. Exquisite artwork adorned the walls, and a huge, luxurious carpet covered the floor. Luna came back over to her and smiled. “Do you like it?” “Well, yes... But don't you think that this is a bit too upscale?” Fluttershy glanced around nervously. “You know how I feel about being around so many upper class ponies.” A month ago, the two had to stay for a day in Canterlot so Luna could give an address to the nobility of Equestria on the new tax laws. Fluttershy tried to sit-in and watch her beloved mare in action, but she couldn't handle the scrutinizing eyes of all the dukes, duchesses, barons and counts as she entered to room. “I know,” Luna said as she nuzzled her comfortingly. “That's why I made reservations for a private room.” An usher promptly came up to the pair and bid them to follow her up a set of stairs that ended in an open hallway overlooking the main dining room. The usherpony led on, and quickly arrived at a door at the end of the hall. Opening it for them, she let Luna and Fluttershy in first. The room was furnished with similar adornments as in the main dining room, except the seating was a wide booth that faced a large window. From there, they could see all over Canterlot, including the many spires jutting out above normal-sized buildings. It all glimmered like a thousand candles, with the moon rising still above the horizon. “Wow...” Fluttershy managed to utter as she entered the room. “So, now do you like it?” Luna asked. She wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder. “Come on, let's go sit down.” Fluttershy smiled as she scooted into the booth. “This is simply amazing, Luna. How did you do it?” The princess waved a hoof dismissively as she slid next to Fluttershy. “Oh, it was nothing. I just wanted to make sure you could enjoy a great night out without feeling anxious.” Doubt flashed in the pegasus' eyes for a moment. “Thanks... But are you sure I look okay? Everypony in the main hall looked so proper and well-dressed.” Luna rolled her eyes. “This is our own room, so nopony out in the other room can see you.” She gently took the scarf off from around Fluttershy's neck. “Besides, you look absolutely stunning, so you don't have anything to worry about.” Fluttershy looked into her eyes, and planted a kiss on Luna's cheek. “Thanks.” She giggled a second afterwards. “And don't think I haven't been looking at you either.” “Ah- um... Thanks.” Luna opened up her menu and held it close to her face to hide her growing blush. -~- A waiter rolled a cart into the room, stopping just around the corner of the booth. “Your meals, Princess Luna and Miss Fluttershy,” he announced. Using his own magic, he placed two plates on the table, a serving of vegetable casserole for Fluttershy and truffles over pasta for Luna. “Mmm, this looks good,” Fluttershy muttered aloud as the waiter left. “Yes, well... I wish we were served a little more than this,” Luna replied, looking down disappointedly at her meal. “It's maybe only a little bigger than my hoof,” she pouted. “Oh, stop it.” Fluttershy giggled. “I have plenty here if you finish yours.” “But I don't like vegetable casserole...” Luna said, still pouting. She crossed her forelegs stubbornly. The pegasus rolled her eyes, and took a bite out of her meal. “The city looks beautiful tonight,” she said, changing the subject. “Winter nights in Canterlot usually are,” Luna responded, forgetting entirely about her portion dilemma. She stared out the large window in front of them. “I've kinda missed this place. It's not as clean or friendly as Ponyville, but it still has its charm.” “Yeah, I guess it does.” Fluttershy agreed, taking a sip from her glass of wine. She grimaced as she swallowed, and quickly took a large swig from a glass of water. “Ugh! Th-that tasted horrible!” Fluttershy remarked. “How do you drink that?” “What, you've never had wine before?” Luna raised an eyebrow. “Why did you order a glass then?” “I- I thought it would make the dinner feel more fancy...” Fluttershy admitted. The dark blue mare giggled, leaning over and hugging the other pony. “You don't have to order a certain way to impress me or make this date feel any more special. Besides,” she continued, “it took me two centuries of feasts and ceremonies to get used to the taste.” “Oh.” Luna took a bite of her own dish. “Wow, these truffles are great! I haven't had any in months!” Fluttershy gave her a quizzical look. “What's a truffle?” “Oh, it's just a rare, tasty mushroom that grows under the ground. Want to try a bit?” Luna asked. “Umm... Oh sure, why not,” the pegasus replied as she shrugged. Luna stabbed a small piece with her fork, and fed it carefully to Fluttershy. The pink-maned equine chewed it slowly, examining it's flavor. She swallowed, and tapped her chin with a hoof for a few seconds. “Hmm, it's actually not that bad. It's a little too rich and hearty for me, but I can tell why you'd love it.” Luna took a sip of her wine and winked at Fluttershy. “You know me too well.” “And I love every bit I know.” Fluttershy replied, leaning in and kissing her. -~- Princess Luna helped her marefriend up into a hoofdrawn carriage, before getting onboard herself. Going to the front of the cabin, she tossed a few bits to the driver, then turned back around. She sat down and wrapped a foreleg around Fluttershy, who was grinning at her. “What?” Luna asked promptly. “Is there something on my face?” Fluttershy shook her head, “Oh no, I was just admiring something about you.” Luna grinned back. “It's my good looks, right?” “Oh, something like that.” She giggled, before changing the subject, “Tonight was really nice.” “Thanks, I had fun too.” Fluttershy leaned against her shoulder, exhaling deeply. “So, what do you think about a foal?” Luna coughed and choked abruptly, “Ahh- um what?” She looked completely caught off-guard. Fluttershy laughed. “Oh, calm down! I'm kidding!” Then she added quietly, “...for now...” “Ha ha, very funny,” Luna said. “You've been quite the joker tonight.” The pegasus nuzzled her affectionately. “I'd be honored, if I were you. I'm only this open when I'm really comfortable with the other pony.” She settled back in the crook of Luna's shoulder. Luna kissed the top of her head. “I know.” The carriage rolled quietly down the streets of Canterlot, slowly heading for the royal castle as the moon reached its zenith. “Wait,” Luna began with a start, minutes later. Fluttershy looked up at her curiously. “So, what were you admiring about me earlier? Was it my mane or my eyes?” “Uhh, no.” Fluttershy replied, looking away. “Well, what was it?” Luna asked. “I know you always make that grin when you see something you like.” Fluttershy chuckled anxiously. “It's nothing, honestly. I just expected a pony as old as you would know.” She smiled. “But it's perfectly fine that you don't understand.” “Hmph,” Luna pouted, just as the carriage rolled to a stop outside the castle doors. The two ponies got out, and walked side-by-side into the castle. Inside, Celestia was waiting for them. She was sitting near the base of the stairs, looking over a stack of papers. Her eyes lit up as she noticed the two enter. “Celly!” Luna exclaimed, “What are you doing up so late?” “Oh, I just couldn't miss the opportunity to ask you two how it went.” She replied. “So?” “It was a lot of fun,” Fluttershy answered. “Your sister here was very considerate, courteous and funny.” “Wow, are you sure you're talking about my sister?” Celestia joked lightly. “I'm proud of you, Luna. Who knew you'd be like this six months ago?” Princess Luna blushed slightly. “Oh, I just did my best to have a great time. It was nothing, really.” “Nothing?” Celestia echoed her. “Luna, this is the first time I've seen you in a dress so...” She fought to find the right word. “So...” “Slimming?” Fluttershy offered. “Ahh, yes,” Celestia agreed. “Quite slimming.” She turned to the yellow pegasus. “You like it, don't you?” Fluttershy nodded, “Why yes, I do. I definitely wouldn't mind if she wore more like it more often.” The white alicorn nodded with understanding, a smile gracing her lips. “I can see why you would.” Luna yawned, not understanding the conversation completely. “Alright, well can we go to bed? I'm tired.” Celestia shook her head. “Fluttershy may, but I'd like you to stay down her for a second so I can tell you something in private.” Luna looked up in curiosity. Meanwhile, Fluttershy came over and kissed her on the cheek. “Don't worry, I'll keep the bed warm until you come up.” As the pegasus ascended the stairs, Celestia stepped in closer to her sister. “So, how was it? No offense to Fluttershy, but I wanted to hear from you about how it went.” Luna smiled. “It was really, really nice. We walked out to the restaurant, had a beautiful room to ourselves, and enjoyed an excellent dinner.” “Good, good,” Celestia said. “Did you do anything afterwards?” Luna shrugged. “Not really. We shared a small dessert and then we got a carriage to take us back here. It was a little weird in there, but overall it was a great night.” “Weird?” Her sister asked. “How?” “Oh,” Luna waved her hoof dismissively. “I went up the front of the cabin to pay the driver, and when I turned back around to go sit with her, Fluttershy had this weird grin on her face. I don't understand why and she wouldn't tell me.” Celestia had to hold a hoof up to her mouth to stop her from chuckling too loudly. “Alright, let's pretend I am you, and you are Fluttershy. Okay?” She took a few steps away from her. Luna gave her a confused look. “Okay, sure, but I have no clue where you're going with this.” Celestia was facing away from her. “So, you were like this when you paid the driver?” She asked without looking back at Luna. Luna scratched the back of her neck. “Yeah, just like that.” Celestia turned her head around to look back at her sister. “You don't notice anything?” Luna shook her head. The taller alicorn smirked, and walked back over to her. “Well, it appears she was admiring you.” “Yeah, she said that, but I still don't understand.” The lunar princess looked perplexed. “Well, take some time to think about it, dear sister. There's only so much one pony can see when another has their back to them.” When Luna still looked lost, she winked. “Just think about it.” Then, the solar princess walked out of the room towards her study. Luna tapped her chin with a hoof. ”Fluttershy was admiring me from behind... Hmm-” Suddenly, she blushed. But unlike before, she didn't feel self-conscious or too embarrassed. Rather, she felt more confident and esteemed. She pumped a hoof quietly, before bounding up the stairs with some newly-acquired energy. -~- Author's Note I hardly ever do these kind of notes at the end, but I'd just like to say thanks for all the support I've gotten for this fic. It was the first one I've ever written on the My Little Pony universe more than a year ago, and the awesome response I got from everyone on FIMFiction encouraged me to finish this story and go on to write many more (There are a ton of WIPs that aren't published here either). I've written these bonus chapters for you guys and gals here because you're all awesome and incredibly supportive. I could have easily put these up on EqD, but I feel it's better here for all of you to enjoy. Sorry if the editing is off, but I can't find enough time to edit it at the moment. Once I find an hour or two this week I'll look through it and give it a proper look-over. Until then, enjoy it as much as you can! It's been awhile since I've written such an innocent (although I may have just taken that down a few notches, sorry!), heartwarming, up-close, emotionally-lifting and heavy shipping, but I tried my best to recreate what I was putting out a year ago!

Bannhammer

30

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Fluttershy,Rainbow Dash,Romance,Sad,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Dot Dot Dot

Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh are having another night at the bar, and Dash has something to tell h

complete

<p>Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh are having another night at the bar, and Dash has something to tell him. Big Mac learns an important lesson: Sometimes it's what you don't say that makes the difference.</p><p>UPDATED: Combined the two chapters and made adjustments for over all improvement.</p>

everyone

2011-11-03T22:31:03+00:00

2011-11-03T22:31:03+00:00

Dot Dot Dot The mood at the Trough n' Trot was lively, as it always was. Two regulars were in the back at their usual spot. Every Thursday night for the last five months this duo had come in for a few drinks and a good time; they'd managed to build up a great friendship and a reputation as partiers. During a regular night, the two ponies would drink together, and run up quite a tab. They usually spent their time talking, nothing more. Normally they were relaxed, but something was different that night. The two stood in relative silence, and while that was quite normal for the stallion, the Pegasus' quietness raised a few concerns from her friend. Big Macintosh's neat whiskey sat on the table, untouched; while Rainbow Dash slammed her glass down after knocking back her third vodka. She wiped her mouth and signaled for another. "Are you, uh, alright there, Dash?" Big Mac looked across the table at the collection of empty glasses that was slowly growing in front of Dash. It didn't take long for the newest drink to join them. “Yeah, Yeah I'm just fine..." Her eyes fixed on Big Macintosh’s face. The blue Pegasus quickly nodded and flagged down the bartender for yet another round. She could drink Applejack under the table, so these few shots did nothing to her system. It took a lot more than that to get her wasted. Besides, Dash wasn't drinking because she wanted to get drunk, she only wanted to calm her nerves for what she was going to say. The blue filly had no idea how Big Mac would respond. "... just fine." An awkward silence followed, neither pony knew what to say. “So um, how’s life?” Big Mac struggled to start the conversation. He didn’t usually do much of the talking. “Same old, same old, managing the weather and stuff...” Dash didn’t seem to be all there, and she took another shot of vodka and looked off to the side. “Well I think somethin’s up, you’re hitting the stiff stuff a bit hard t’night.” He raised an eyebrow. Normally Dash had something fruitier for a drink. “Yeah, so? It won’t hurt me!” she responded, unwilling to admit that something was on her mind. Her glass landed on the table and she immediately reached for another. “Sure, but it’s hell on mah paycheck...” he muttered. “Wuzzat?” “Nutin...” “...” The blue pegasus paused and pressed her hoof to her head, how was she going to talk to him about this? Her friend noticed her expression, and mistook it for sickness. "Am I gunna have to take ya home?" he grinned, already knowing the answer to that question. He always walked her home. “Nah. I’m good.” "Well A'hm just worried 'bout ya, that's all." The large stallion smiled and finally downed his drink. He didn't want anything bad to happen to his best friend because she was the only pony he felt comfortable talking to. Big Mac gave an honest grin and added, "You know I gotta look out for ya." "Why's that?" Rainbow absently fiddled with the glass in front of her. "Well, you mean a lot to me." "Really?" She perked up. If he felt for her what she felt for him, it might make her task a bit easier. "Of course! Most ponies wanna be 'round me 'cause I do stuff for 'em, but yer the only one who I can actually talk to!” He tapped the table, looking down at his hooves. “Little sister’s don’t count. Applejack is too stubborn, and Applebloom is still a young’un. That's why I love..." He stopped himself mid-sentence with another shot. This short pause seemed like an eternity to Dash; she leaned forward over the table, her muzzle hovered precariously over the fresh vodka. They'd talked about many things, but never the nature of their relationship. With a satisfied grunt, Big Mac slammed the glass back onto the table. He resumed his sentence, and his grin widened. "... That's why I love being yer friend!" Upon hearing the word “friend”, Dash sighed, grabbed the vodka and threw her head back, allowing the strong liquor to sting her throat. The glass landed in front of her, and she stared at Big Mac from across the table. Rainbow wouldn't let this get her down, she was certain that the red stallion was merely unsure of how to express his true feelings, hopefully she could coax them out with her upcoming speech. " Ya sure there ‘aint something wrong?" Mac still had a confident grin, and he stared right back at her. "..." She methodically traced the rim of the empty glass with her right hoof, trying to find the courage to say what she needed to. Dash felt another hoof gently grab hers. "Dash, if there's something you gotta say, then say it, I'm all ears." She’d been staring at him the whole night, but it was then, that very moment when he was reaching out to her, that she looked at him in a different light. When Rainbow Dash gazed into those deep green eyes, her fears vanished, and without a second thought a steady stream of words poured out of her mouth. Those within earshot turned their attention to the blue filly, who was motioning with her left hoof to help emphasize her point. But as soon as they heard exactly what she was talking about, they quickly returned to their own affairs. Those at a greater distance, like the pink filly hustling the pool tables, had to rely on visual clues to determine exactly what was going on. They watched the gesticulating pegasus as her words created an expression of utter shock on the red stallion's face. For Rainbow Dash, her own voice seemed to fade away until the bar became silent, devoid of anything except for the horrified farmer in front of her. Big Macintosh's brain acted much differently, Dash's words grew in volume until they thundered in his head, effectively muting the the surrounding conversations and the din of the bar. He barely noticed when a new shot of whiskey was placed in front of him. She continued talking, and near the end of her speech she finally got to the point. Dash opened her heart and laid bare the contents, convinced that doing so would bring shy Big Mac out of his emotional shell. She was committed to finally saying what had been eating away at her for the last few months. After a deep breath, she summed up her speech with a simple confession. At this point, Big Macintosh straightened up and withdrew his hoof from hers. In a daze, the farmhand grabbed the new whiskey and gulped it down. Instead of placing the empty glass on the table, he simply let it fall out of his mouth where it landed on its side without breaking. "So um, that's what I wanted to tell you..." Rainbow Dash exhaled and waited apprehensively for the response. "..." The largest member of the Apple family was frozen in place, and his silence only served to worsen the already delicate situation. Big Mac's face clearly showed his confusion. He felt that the Trough n' Trot was slowly spinning, and every moment quickened its dizzying pace. "Big Mac?" The fastest flier in Equestria rounded the table and stood next to him; her head was facing down but her purple eyes gazed up at him yearningly. Rainbow Dash was trembling anxiously, unsure of how the red stallion would respond. In the back of her head, she slowly realized that maybe she was wrong about Big Mac's true feelings. "..." His mind raced, painful memories flooded his head and he felt a terrible sense of déjà vu. Mac was quiet, as usual; and while he was fully aware of how his silence would be interpreted, he didn't want to make it any more painful then it needed to be. "Is, Is something wrong?" The blue pegasus was worried, and her voice was barely audible as she waited for any sort of a reply. "..." Big Mac looked around, his eyes scanned the bar; looking at everything inside but the mare in front of him. He almost seemed scared. "Say something...." Dash was almost at tears. She took a tentative step forward, practically begging for some sort of response from the earth pony, but he only took a step back to maintain distance. She stopped in her tracks, why was he doing this to her? Dash’s vision blurred, and she cried out one last time. "Say something!" “...” He cringed, it pained him to do this, but he didn’t want to cause more pain than necessary. Big Macintosh bit his lip to keep anything from escaping his lips. “Just answer me!” she demanded. Her voice rose as she took another step forward. “...” “Please...” Rainbow Dash’s anger dissipated, and instead a bitter sorrow took its place. "..." Mac was steadfast in his silence. Rainbow Dash made it tough on him, her teary gaze and soft voice tore at his conscience; but he would not speak, he didn't want to go through this with her. Dash finally got the message, or lack thereof. "Um, I..." she was choking up. The blatant rejection felt like flying headfirst into a wall. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and spoke slowly, futilely trying to mask the utter devastation she felt. A weak grin was betrayed by her shaky voice and trembling legs. "I'm j-just glad I t-told y-y-you and I... and I..." She couldn't finish her sentence. Dash took a final glance at him, her violet eyes filled with tears of humiliation and despair. Big Mac almost said something, but he stopped himself, an open mouth and a blank stare the only sort of reply Dash would receive. She whipped her head away from him and galloped off, almost knocking over the ecstatic pink pony who was counting that night's winnings. The blue filly reached the door and stopped, debating whether or not to turn around. Mac watched silently as she shook her head and took off flying. The noise of the bar slowly went back to normal and the stallion was left to his own thoughts. The only thing he was doing was more shots. The next few minutes were spent in total silence, and while his mind was racing, his expression was blank, so lost in his thoughts he didn't notice the filly bounding towards him. "Nice one, Mackie!" "Not now, Pinkie Pie." His stern voice was unwelcoming, but it didn't stop the greatest partier in town. " Oh, so you CAN talk!" Pinkie giggled. "I thought you went mute, 'cause that's the only explanation I could think of for you to do that! Unless a rabid ferret bit your tongue out, or maybe you burnt your tongue on coffee! OOH! Maybe you were trying to communicate telepathically! Or eve-" "What're you doin' here?" Big Mac glared, waiting for her to leave. "Just running the pool tables, apparently I'm some kinda shark! RAWR!" She threw her front hooves in the air, the stallion was not amused. "Well why don't ya jes go back to yer table and leave me be?" Big Mac gulped another whiskey. Pinkie got right up in his face, and she imitated his voice to perfection. "Well why don't ya jes go after Dashie and admit yer a big dummy for what ya did?" "Ah can't do that..." "Why not?" The pink partier backed away, genuinely intrigued. Mac took yet another shot, contemplating his predicament. Pinkie Pie wouldn't understand. "ah jes’ can't." She giggled and turned her head sideways. Pinkie Pie's bubbly attitude was wearing thin on Big Mac, who wasn't in the mood for anypony, much less this one. "That's not a reason, silly! Besides, I thought she was your best friend!" He recoiled at the word ‘friend’, that’s what he thought too! Big Mac grew defensive. "Are ya here to lecture me?" He was so occupied with Pinkie Pie he never noticed a group of four fillies entering the bar. "Of course not! That's her job..." "What're yo-" An orange hoof slammed into a table, sending the glasses flying and almost breaking the old hunk of wood. Big Mac almost jumped, and his ears flattened when he saw who it was. Applejack glared at her brother, frowning. "You no good, low-down, yelleh bellied varmint..." Big Mac gulped, but this time it was nothing but air. Silence. The entry of the five mares drew the attention of all the ponies in the bar. For a few tentative moments, all eyes were focused on the group, but after a while, the interest faded. Ponies returned to drinking, especially Big Macintosh. The mood returned to normal. Big Macintosh put his glass down and scanned the surroundings, looking for a way out; but the five mares in front of him made it clear that he wasn’t leaving anytime soon. Resigned to his fate, the draft horse nonchalantly took another drink; his eyes only half open. "What're y'all doin' here?" He grimaced, either from annoyance or pain. The timid pegasus tried to start the conversation off politely, but she didn't get far. She was interrupted by the more militant mare. "You know darn well why we're here!" His hotheaded sister snapped back. Applejack knew her friends would be mostly silent, so she picked up their slack. "Ah don't s'pose y'all dropped by fer drinks?" Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth to speak, but Applejack beat her to it. Big Mac watched the unicorn roll her eyes and step back and stand idly by. "Cut the crud, Big Mac! We saw Dash flyin' away!" "You don't even know what happened, do you?" The red Stallion scowled. "You have no clue…" "That's why yer gunna tell us what happened!" She demanded. "Only if you want to, Big Ma-"Once again, Fluttershy tried to keep things civil, but she was thwarted by the orange mare. Shaking her head, the kind pony stepped back beside Rarity. Applejack turned to the yellow pegasus and cut her off. "He doesn't have a choice!" She whirled back around towards her older brother. "What happened?" Any concern she had for Rainbow Dash was overshadowed, and her focus was on finding out what stupid thing her brother did. "…" Big Mac used a time tested fail safe, don't say anything. Instead of a fearful silence, it was a solemn one. He knew what he had done, wasn't that enough? "Am I gunna have to ask you again?" Applejack spoke through gritted teeth. The most honest pony in Ponyville was quickly losing whatever patience she had. The knowledge that her best friend was hurt only spurred her to be more aggressive. "You never asked in the first place." Big Mac retorted, only realizing his mistake a split second later; about the same time his sister did. In a blur, an orange hoof swept the table, sending all of the glasses onto the floor with a clatter. Most of them didn't break, but the sound drew the attention of every patron in the bar. Once again an awkward silence filled the air. Most of the ponies there silently paid their tabs and shuffled out, hoping to avoid further drama. "Do Ah have t' say 'Please'?" Applejack yelled at her brother. She got right in his face, but he wasn't fazed. "You hurt Rainbow Dash, and Ah need to know how!" "Ooh! Ooh! I can tell you what happened!" Pinkie Pie threw a hoof into the air, trying to be called on. Big Mac wasn't concerned, but his sister wheeled her head around. "You can?" "Yeah! I was here, I saw everything!" "Well, out with it!" Applejack trotted over to the party prone pink pony. "So, I was playing pool, which is hard, by the way; I mean, I have to hold the stick in my mouth, and then I have-" "Pinkie, please do stay on topic." Rarity interjected, cutting off Pinkie Pie politely but firmly, finally engaging herself in the conversation. Pinkie recounted the comedy of errors. She told how Big Mac burnt his mouth with coffee, only to be viciously mauled by a ferret. The ponies around Pinkie Pie gave her strange looks, but that didn't stop her from continuing on, finally ending with Big Macintosh's futile attempt to communicate telepathically. "Ugh! This is getting us nowhere!" Applejack curtly added. Her brother took a deep breath, and he stepped around the table. "Ah'll tell ya." Applejack held her tongue, giving Big Macintosh a rare chance to speak for himself. She simply backed up a few paces to give him room. The draft horse took a deep breath, already anticipating the backlash. When he spoke, it was slow and deliberate, with a solemn tone. "Ah could tell that something was up. She was havin' more drinks than usual. We were mostly quiet, an' then she started talking…" "''Bout what?" Applejack couldn't resist, and she interrupted Big Mac with a vague question. "'Bout us, 'bout our friendship, 'bout how she felt for me. She wanted to know if Ah felt the same way…" Big Macintosh's mind was focused on two ponies, Rainbow Dash, and a different mare from his past. His eyes shifted downward as he tried to force the image out of his head. "Well, how does she feel about ya?" Big Mac responded without hesitation; almost as if he sounded surprised. "She loves me." His sister stared blankly, and his answer made her jaw drop. A hush fell over the group; the empty bar now devoid of sound. Applejack snapped back to reality. "So, um, what'd ya do?" "Nuthin'" A simple answer for a complicated situation. Twilight Sparkle didn't quite understand, and she asked for clarification. "Ah didn't do, or say anything." Big Mac regretfully answered. "Ah just stood there." "You what?" Applejack responds, but her surprise quickly turned into anger. "How did she take it?" Fluttershy inquired. "Well, Y'all saw her flyin' off." "Ya let her leave, jes like that?" "Not quite!" Pinkie chimed in. "First, she yelled at him, then she galloped off, almost knocked me over, too! I could tell she was crying." "Pinkie, you saw all that? Why didn't you say so earlier!" "I tried! But you wouldn't listen!" Despite this revelation, Big Macintosh didn't seem concerned; he simply stared off into the distance, occupied with something else. His sister, however, focused on the here and now. "What really happened?" "What most of Mackie said was true, he just left out some stuff." Pinkie enthusiastically listed all of the omitted details, Dash's tears, her shouting, and finally her hasty exit. "I could see it, you know? I could see her heart break." She lowered her head and paused again, as if trying to find the right words, her sudden shift in tone caught everypony's attention. She summed it up in a strikingly depressing fashion, and while Rainbow’s friends were mostly disturbed by Pinkie's strange attitude change, AJ quickly understood her point. The middle child of the Apple family turned towards her brother, as did the others. She advanced on him slowly, seething. Noticing this, Big Macintosh said a few words in self-defense. "Ah didn't see it coming, and Ah didn't know she felt like that..." "Big Macintosh…" AJ had none of it, she was about ready to jump on him, but he continued on. "Ah know it hurt, but it coulda been worse. Ah jes wanted to make sure it didn't hurt more than it needed to." He tried to continue, but painful memories returned, and he started to choke up, he muttered his next line. "Ah couldn't let it happen again, not to her." Big Mac realized that nopony had heard that, so he continued. "Ah jes tried not to hurt her." "Well, ya didn't do a great job of that, didja?” she shouted. "All ya had to do was say something, and ya couldn't even do that!" Applejack stepped towards her brother. "Now she's flown off to who knows where, all because yer a damn coward!" "Sis, Ah-"Big Mac protested, stung by the word 'coward'. "When ya find her, and ya will find her, ya'd better get down and beg forgiveness! Celestia knows it's more than you deserve." "What?" "And don't ya go near her again after that, you've hurt her enough!" "Why should I lis-" "Because yer a damn fool fer what you did t' her!" "…" Big Macintosh fell silent, he knew when to fight, but his sister was too stubborn to listen. He took a shot, trying to drown not only his sorrows but the memories that clouded his mind. What had happened pained him, but he couldn't talk about it. He had never told anypony about what had happened, and he wanted to keep it that way, even if it meant being seen as a bad stallion. The large draft horse wasn't able to mope for long, however, because his sister made sure to get his attention. "Ah mean honestly, Big Macintosh, ya broke her heart! Ah never thought ya could be so stupid!" Fluttershy wanted to intervene, but she found herself mumbling instead. "That's not really helping anypony, Applejack." "You've screwed up before, but this is the worst one yet!" Big Mac did not like losing his cool, and he desperately tried not to do it. His heavy breathing and scowl displayed his contempt, but he held back a much greater tide of emotion. His disposition didn't go unnoticed and some ponies decided that their friend's brother was a lost cause. "Such a brute! No wonder the night went as it did!" Rarity trotted away, leaving the stallion to his fate. Once again silence took over the bar. Applejack glared at her brother while he just stood there waiting for more alcohol. Big Mac seemed apathetic on the outside, but his emotions were tearing away at him. His anger was mostly directed at himself, but his sister and her friends weren't helping. The pink party pony, cheerful, yet subdued, answered the questions from the pegasus at her side. Big Mac broke the silence by asking for everypony to leave him alone. Applejack was in no mood to leave, and she changed the subject. The collection of glasses that are now scattered on the floor intrigued her."Are ya gunna pay for all these?" "I always cover the tab..." Big Mac answered, not realizing the effect his words had on the mares. Applejack smacked her hoof into her forehead, covering her face from view. "Are ya serious, Big Mac?" "What?" The red draft horse was seriously confused. Applejack needed clarification. "I knew you were hangin' out with Dash; but let me get this straight. Ya set a time and place, ya open the door fer her, ya spend quality time together, ya pay for the drinks, and then ya walk her home? And ya did this on a regular basis?" "Eeyup." Big Mac didn't see where this was going. "If you've been dating fer so long, ya should've seen this coming!" "We weren't dating!" "Then what was it?" "We we're just hangin' out!" His sister scoffed. "T' think, ya hurt Dash because ya couldn't see the obvious…" she shook her head slowly, before glaring at Big Macintosh right in the eyes. Fluttershy sensed where the orange pony was going with this. "Applejack don't-" Before she could be stopped, Applejack let loose and started yelling at her brother. "Honestly, Big Mac, you should just stick to buckin' apple trees, because you must be the dumbest sum'bitch in Ponyville! You just hurt mah best friend, jes what were you thinkin' when you stood there and didn't say a word?" "Oh, I'm sorry Ah don't got time to think 'bout this sorta stuff!" he furrowed his brow as his voice steadily rose to match his sister’s. "Obviously ya got much more free time than I do, because yer in here yellin' at me!" Big Mac lifted one of his large hooves and pointed it accusingly at Applejack. "Ya know, not all of us have the time fer slumber parties, Galas, and fashion shows! Some of us got actual work to do, so excuse me if Ah don't know too much about datin'!" "If ya do so much work, what're ya doin' here?" "This is mah one night off! Ah can't exactly get a drink any time ah want, but ah s'pose you got no problem with takin' a day or two off." Big Mac was tense as he waved the hoof around and continued to argue. "Are ya sayin' ah don't work hard?" "Well yer obviously good at throwin' parties and chasin' zebras! Not exactly what I'd call strenuous work…" "Without me, Applebuck season would have been a disaster!" "Really? The one time Ah'm unable t' work, you need your friends t' pitch in; the first time in Apple family histr'y that we needed help!" If Applejack wasn't going to pull any punches, he wasn't either. Only one pony found herself willing to try to intervene. "That's not fair, Big Macin-". Once again, Fluttershy found herself cut off. Big Mac saw her out of the corner of his eye; she seemed frustrated, but he focused on bigger things at that moment. The draft horse continued on. "Damn it AJ, Ah bust mah flank out in those orchards all day, every day! So do me a favor and leave me be!" "Not if yer gunna hurt mah friends, Big Mac!" "If you care so much about Rainbow Dash, what are ya doin' here? Why ain't ya out lookin' for her? She could have left town by now!" his words slipped out, and he grimaced after the last part. He needed to follow it up with something else. "Ah-" Applejack protested, but the tables were turned, she was now on the end of an anger fueled rant. "Because you don't care! Ah may have messed up, ah know it, but instead of tryin' to make me look like a fool you should look fer her! Y'all say she's yer friends, but when it comes down to it, y'all don't give a rat's as-". His face slowly faded into realization, and finally into resentment. "Stop." "Fluttershy?" Big Mac turned his head towards the pony who had spoken. "We do care, Big Macintosh, we just need your help." The large pony started to respond, but he pulled away when his attitude caused her to shrink back with a muttered "Eep!" "Mah help?" The red stallion stared blankly at the pony in front of him. Big Mac watched the pegasus take a deep breath and step towards him."I want to understand; I want to know what happened and why it happened. It's the only way we can help Dash." Her honest words hit home for Big Mac, who saw the sincerity in her eyes. "How can Ah help? Ah've hurt her enough." "Ya can help by fessing up t-"Applejack jumped in, but the glare she got from the yellow pegasus stopped her in her tracks. With a discontented grunt she relented to the more gentle method of problem solving. "Um, if it's ok, I'd like to ask some questions." Fluttershy tiphooved up to the imposing stallion in front of her. "Nothin' doin', not with all them here." He motioned to the rest of the group. The kind pony took a few moments to think, with a gentle tone she politely asked the others, "Would you ladies start looking for Rainbow Dash? If you don't mind, that is." "Ah ain't going nowhere!" "Besides, she could be anywhere!" Rarity voiced her discontent. "We'd have to search every nook and cranny in Equestria!" Twilight made her opinion clear as well. "No, you won't." Big Mac instinctively replied upon hearing about nooks and crannies. "What do you mean?" Applejack looked at her brother suspiciously. He exhaled quickly, and spoke plainly. "When Dash is stressed, she likes to fly it off. And she won't be in any nooks or crannies; on account a she's a bit scared of tight spaces…" "Ah still ain't leavin', what about you girls?" The farm mare turned to her friends for their response. Twilight Sparkle and Rarity hesitated and looked towards Fluttershy for direction. The pegasus simply nodded, and without a word the two mares turned to leave, followed the entire way by Applejack. "Y'all are traitors!" Fluttershy used the distraction to address Big Macintosh. "How do you know that Rainbow Dash is claustrophobic?" He looked at her quizzically. "Um, Afraid of tight spaces?" "She tol' me…" He looked down at his hooves, lost in his memories. "You talked about a lot of things with Dash, right?" "Eeyup." Big Mac traced the rim of his glass, deep in thought. He saw Applejack heading back towards him and he took a deep breath. "You didn't mean to hurt her…" Big Mac instinctively reacted with a loud rebuttal, "Of course not!" His outburst terrified the timid pony, who cowered back. He saw what he'd done, and he cursed himself under his breath. Hadn't he hurt enough ponies today? "Why are ya yellin' at her!?" Applejack rushed over. "It's… it's ok Applejack." Fluttershy gulped and regained her composure. She was certain that Big Mac had something on his mind, and she wasn't going to give up, for his sake."If you didn't mean to hurt her, why didn't you say something?" "…" He grimaced, unwilling to answer, the thoughts in his mind too painful to share. "I just want to understand." She looked at him sincerely. "Ah can't…" He tried to speak, but he started to choke up. Big Mac reached for a bottle, but he stopped himself. The earth pony just exhaled and lowered his head. Applejack silently slid in next to Fluttershy. "What's his problem?" She muttered. "Applejack, I don't think prodding him for answers will get us anywhere." "Well, what else can we do?" Fluttershy didn't answer, instead she slowly approached Big Mac. "What're ya doin'?" Applejack called after her; she noticed the shaky legs of the pegasus. "Can…" She took a deep breath. "Can you tell me how it started?" "Hm?" Big Mac snapped out of his stupor and faced the terrified pony. He didn't seem to understand. "How you and Dash started these get-togethers, I mean…" She was careful not to use the word 'date'. The draft horse didn't expect anypony to ask about that. At least that was something he was willing to share."Well, um…" "Fluttershy, what does that have to do with anything?" "Let him answer!" Fluttershy responded; taken aback at her forcefulness, she added. "Uh, if you'd be so kind…" Big Macintosh nodded, grateful for the support. "Well, it was a few months ago, right before Applebuck season. There was a big storm comin', so we needed to buck some of the trees early. AJ was supposed to help me, but she got caught out in the storm and went to some slumber party instead; so Ah decided to get the job done mahself." "If you knew there was going to be a bad storm, why didn't you wait?" "Ah don't leave work unfinished, ever." He answered sternly. "Oh…" "Get to the point!" Applejack honestly had no clue where her brother was going with this. Big Mac glared at his sister and continued. "Ah got a bit done, but ah was caught outside when the storm hit. Ah only had a few trees left, so ah toughed it out." Fluttershy was riveted by the story, and she watched him closely. "What happened next?" "Well, a bolt of lightnin' hit the tree I was workin' on and the top of jes fell right on me." Big Mac patted his side. "Broke three of mah ribs." "Oh, that's terrible!" "Ah was pinned down, the rain was pourin' and the wind was howlin'; Ah thought the rest of the tree would fall right on top of me." This was the first time Big Mac told anypony about this, and he was glad there was somepony willing to listen. "Were you scared?" "Ah bit…" He admitted embarrassedly. "Hmph." Applejack didn't care about any of this; she was upset that Big Mac had told her something different. In fact, he gave her a completely different explanation for that injury. "How did you get out?" "Well, all of a sudden, the rain stopped. There was a tiny break in the clouds, directly above me. When Ah looked up, Ah saw her. Dash swooped in and helped get the tree offa me. Then she took me into the barn." "She helped you." "Eeyup. She tried t' leave, but ah couldn't let her act of kindness go unrewarded; so ah offered t' buy her a drink. I was bein' chivalrous." Big Mac was proud of using that word, he'd made it a point to be a gentlecolt at all times. "So that's how it started." "Eeyup." Applejack decided she'd had enough. "If y'all we're just friends, why'd ya keep takin' her on dates? And why'd ya buy the drinks and walk her home?" "He just said why, he was being chivalrous." "What?" "Paying for the evening, walking the mare home, that's what the stallion is supposed to do, no matter the relationship. It's something our generation seems to have forgotten. Big Mac was just doing the right thing in his mind. Dash just interpreted it differently. I don't blame her though, months of 'dates' would get me to start asking questions too." "You gotta believe me, Ah always cared about Dash." "Yes, Platonically." "Huh?" The two Apple siblings asked at once. "As, um,…" Fluttershy paused, trying to find the right word. "'…buddies', not as colt-friend and mare-friend." Big Mac nodded, greatly appreciative; his sister simply stood there silently. Applejack shook her head and faced her brother."Nope , Ah ain't buyin' it." "What?" "Ya said ya never meant to hurt Dash, and that ya really did care 'bout her feelin's." "Eeyup, and i meant it!" For once Applejack found herself unable to match his fervor, her confusion and frustration manifesting in a solemn frown. Her speech was slow and deliberate, a far cry from her passionate yells from earlier. She didn't even look at her brother as she spoke to him, the younger sibling merely stared off into the distance. "Ya tol' us that ya really care about Dash, and that ya didn't mean t' hurt her..." "Eeyup, and Ah meant it, too!" The red stallion shouted, scowling. He didn't need these ponies telling him that he screwed up, the look on Rainbow Dash's face was enough. When she turned to face him, Big Mac saw something in his sister's eyes that made him feel more sad than threatened. When she asked him her question, he listened intently. "Then what were ya thinking?" His little sister was clearly distraught. The large horse felt a whole mix of emotions swirl through him. And the confusion and anger culminated with a seemingly blank stare. "She stood right there, and she poured out her heart t' ya!" Applejack looked around, exasperated. "Ah mean, all ya had t' do was say something! Anything!" She rested her gaze on the draft horse in front of her. "And yet ya didn't even give her the dignity of a response!" She paused, waiting for her words to sink in before continuing. "She was almost in tears, Big Macintosh." The red stallion opened his mouth to speak, but that was quickly prevented. Big Mac was unsure of what he would have said anyway, his mind clouded with memories he'd rather not share. How could his sister yell at him about things she didn't understand? The pain Big Mac felt tore away at him, and any anger he had was gone. "So what were you thinkin'! How does doin' that t' her show that you care?" Fluttershy intervened. "Applejack, he didn't know she felt like that." "Even if that is true..." The orange mare turned to face the pegasus."...why not just say so? Why'd he stay quiet? He should've known how much it would hurt her!" "I don't know, Applejack." "I'll tell ya why, It's because he doesn't care!" "That's not true." Out of everything said that day, that was the worst. The idea that he willingly hurt his friend wrenched his gut, and the blatant accusation hurt him more than any blow could. "Then what is it? Tell us!" Her anger returned. "Ah can't..." This wasn't a satisfactory response. His sister's temper boiled over, and she raised a hoof to strike him. Fortunately she restrained herself. "Stop feelin' sorry for yerself!" Applejack's voice rose to a yell, intended to strike fear into her half-witted brother. "Yer not the one who got their heart broken! Yer actin' like yer the one in pain, and it's downright disgustin'!" The orange mare continued yelling, spewing a stream of insults meant to show her brother how insensitive he was. Big Mac winced at her words. "Applejack! This isn't helping anypony!" Fluttershy intervened, and her shy disposition was nowhere to be found. "He's your brother! Why can't you just try to help him?" "He hurt our friend! I'm supposed to coddle him cause of it?" "You don't have to be so mean!" "I want him to know that it's all his fault, that it never should have happened to Dash!" Fluttershy was about to respond, but something clicked in her mind. Thinking out loud she muttered, "It happened before..." "What?" The pegasus quickly walked up to the large stallion. "Big Macintosh, earlier you muttered something along the lines of 'I couldn't let it happen again'" The gears in her mind picked up the pace and spun at a dizzying speed. "Ya... Ya heard that?" The draft horse regretted ever saying that. It seemed that they would find out after all. "What're y'all talkin' about?" "What happened?" Fluttershy asked. "What happened before?" "..."Big Mac shook his head, he would not speak. "Was there somepony else?" "E-... Eeyup..." He tried to turn away, but Fluttershy moved with him. "She... She..." He struggled to speak, his emotions getting the better of him. "Did she share her feelings with you?" "..." He nodded. "Fluttershy! What're ya goin' on about?" Applejack shouted frustratedly. "Did you react the same way?" The yellow pegasus ignored her friend's outburst. Her focus was entirely on the pony in front of her. "..." The draft horses muzzle swayed from side to side as his response. His silence only frustrated his sister more. "Speak, Dammit!" Applejack commanded, mostly because she felt out of the loop. "Ah didn't see it comin'. We were jes getting dinner like usual..." Big Mac's eyes were clouded with tears, and he looked around the bar, trying to see a way out "What did you do?" Big Mac relented. "Ah tol' her the truth. Ah tol' her that ah didn't feel the same way. and that we should just be friends." He started to choke up, reliving the memory was obviously painful. With hushed tones the red stallion continued on. His solemn answer silenced his sister, who just watched the pitiful sight of a broken stallion. Big Mac's head drooped and his shoulders sagged as waves of pain and depression washed over him. "How did she take it?" Fluttershy asked, fully aware of the delicate situation. "She just broke down, cryin' and yellin'. I dunno how long she cried, but when it was all over she just tol' me t' leave. The poor mare was in so much pain, and i knew it was all my fault." Big Mac spoke slowly and deliberately, emphasizing each word as he told his sad story. The pegasus listened, intent on understanding what happened, while the orange earth pony merely watched, amazed that she had never heard of this until now. Her brother continued, "Ah looked for her the next day to try to fix things, but ah couldn't find her. It turns out she'd left town that morning. Nopony's heard from her since." "Who was it?" Applejack pressed, but Big Mac's look made it clear that he would never give up that name. Even now, he still tried to be chivalrous. Fluttershy stared at Big Mac, reflecting on what he had said. The poor stallion blamed himself; never quite able to recognize the fault of the mare or the extremity of the response. With Dash his actions weren't malicious, nor were they justified. They were simply misguided. His judgment was corrupted by memories of something so painful and extreme that it directed his actions. "So when you didn't say..." "Ah knew that saying something would be the worst thing Ah could do." Big Macintosh was blunt. Now that the truth was out, there was no need to hide behind false ignorance. He managed to hold back tears, "Ah didn't want to hurt Dash as much as Ah hurt her." Fluttershy wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault. Just because one mare reacted that it didn't mean that Rainbow Dash would do the same. She sighed, knowing that no matter what she said he would still blame himself. Instead, she focused on a more prevalent matter. "Big Macintosh, Rainbow Dash isn't just going to just leave town, you need to see her again. Right, Applejack?" She turned to her friend, instantly regretting it the moment she noticed the look on Applejack's face. "Ya never tol' me about that, Big Macintosh... Ya never tol' me about any of this stuff..." She paused, exasperated, but her frustration slowly faded after a few tense moments. "I'm yer sister..." She looked at him and quietly asked, "Don't... don't ya trust me?" She seemed deflated, her anger simmering under fresh confusion. Big Mac quickly embraced his sister. "You know Ah do, sis..." He dried his tears and comforted her. "Ah just didn't wanna think about it anymore." His sister opened her mouth to speak, but he pulled her in tighter to silence her. "Ah'm sorry." Fluttershy could barely hear Applejack return the sentiment. The tender family moment touched Fluttershy's heart, but it didn't last long. A bright flash erupted in the bar, and Twilight Sparkle appeared next to them. The sudden appearance of the unicorn caused the pegasus to fold her wings and crouch down, while the Apple siblings broke their embrace and fell over. Their state of inebriation made the simple task of getting up near impossible. "Um, Sorry to interrupt. We found Rainbow Dash." "Where is she?" Applejack asked, taking the initiative from the presently petrified pegasus. "She's just flying around over the park. We told her to come down but she won't listen. Rarity is there, I can teleport us over to her." Fluttershy picked Applejack up. "Big Macintosh, I think Dash needs to see you." "Ah don't know.” He craned his neck to look at her from his position on the ground. “Ah'll jes end up hurtin' her more." The idea of making Rainbow Dash yell at him or worse made him cringe. "Big Mac, ya might not know what to say, but avoidin' her will only make it worse. Either she's gunna hate you, or she's gunna hate herself. Do ya want either of those t' happen?" "No." "Then ya gotta talk t' her, tell her the truth." Applejack tried to instill confidence in her brother. She felt her anger rising up again. “Stop being a coward!” "We won't make you do anything, but you have to make up your mind." Fluttershy added. "..." Big Mac was quietly contemplating his options. His sister sighed, and decided to say one final thing. "Big brother, ah know ya hurt her, and you know ya hurt her, and you know she's out there, in pain... she needs ya.” Applejack gritted her teeth and looked to the side. Why ya did it isn’t important anymore, and ah don't care if ya meant to do it. I just want to know, what are ya gunna do now?" She asked, whipping her head around to watch her brother intently. “You’d better do something, or Ah’m gunna buck the hell outta you!” The anger had returned but the orange mare restrained herself. He stood there; Everything that had happened swirled through his mind. Big Mac struggled with his decision, and all he could do was keep thinking. He was silent, the minutes ticked by, but eventually he led the other ponies out of the bar. He didn’t know what was going to happen that night, but he knew what the first thing out of his mouth would be. “Ah’m Sorry.”

ZAquanimus

31

Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Scootaloo,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Gotta Put a Smile on Your Face

complete

<p>It's a very important day for Rainbow Dash, and all she has to do is bake a cake. The only problem is, she's never baked a cake before.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:39:50+00:00

2011-07-10T21:39:50+00:00

Gotta Put a Smile on Your Face By ZAquanimus Rainbow Dash flew through town at such speed that she was just a chromatic blur. Everypony looked up at the rainbow maned pegasus wondering what had her in such a hurry this time. Thankfully none of the ponies that saw her called her down, she just didn't have anytime to stop this morning. Dash looked back to make sure her saddlebags were still hanging on tight as she sped through the sky over Ponyville towards her home, a bowl with a wooden spoon held in her mouth. She touched down on the “patio” of her home without slowing down and sped through the door. Running over to her kitchen she dropped the bowl onto the counter and undid her saddlebags, letting them drop to the floor. “Aggh, what to do, what to do!” Dash rummaged through the contents of her saddlebags and brought out a thick pink book with a wooden spoon and eggbeater on the cover. She dropped it onto the counter and started rifling through the pages of the cook book she had borrowed earlier from Twilight, frantically searching for a cake recipe. “Yes, here's one!” Dash propped the book up against the wall of kitchen, so that she could see the recipe without having to stand directly over it and looking down. She then turned to rummage around in her bags again, bringing out two eggs she had gotten whilst at Fluttershy's and placed them on the counter, only to see them sink through the cloud. Dash stuck her head out of the kitchen window and looked on, aghast, as the eggs plummeted to the ground below. She groaned and turned back inside, piling everything back into her bags as she took off, out her door before she even heard the barely audible cracks of the eggs hitting the ground. “Augh, how could I be so stupid!? Of course the actual food wouldn't stay on the cloud, they aren't enchanted like Fluttershy's Bowl and Twilight's cookbook!” Dash conked herself in the head a few times as she flew back to Ponyville, working up the nerve to do what she now needed to. **************** Rainbow Dash knocked on the door and waited, grimacing as she heard a crash come from inside as somepony knocked something over on their way to opening the door. The door whipped open as the pony inside pushed it open, Dash barely jumped back in time, scowling as she turned back to face the pony. “Oh hey there Dashie!! Watcha doing knock, knock, knockin' on my door? Huh? Huh Huh?” Dash closed her eyes and groaned, hoping that she could get through the next few minutes before she forced herself to leave. “Hey there Pinkie Pie, I was wondering if I could borrow your kitchen fo..” “Oooh!!! Watcha making!?” Pinkie asked as she suddenly had her nose pressed against Dash's. Dash took a step back and rubbed at the back of her head as she thought about what to tell Pinkie. “Well um.. It's um.. It's a secret.” Pinkie Pie gasped and hopped into the air. “A Secret!?!? No worries, your secret is safe with me! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Going through the gestures that always accompany the Pinkie Pie promise whilst still hopping. “And of course you can use the kitchen!” Pinkie stopped hopping for a second as a thought crossed her mind. “Wait a second, you don't know how to cook Dashie. Ooh Ooh Ooh!! Do you want some help? Do yah!? Do yah!? Do yah?!” Bouncing with each of her last questions, emphasizing her excitement. Dash sighed a little and looked away as she answered. “Well you see Pinkie, I think I'd rather work on this on my own. It's... special.” “Oooooh! Okey Dokey Loki!” Pinkie Pie turned around and bounced back into the kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner, stopping long enough to see Dash walk up to the counter before she bounced away to the front of the store to see if anypony was waiting to buy treats. Rainbow Dash sighed as she turned her head to pull the bowl and spoon out of her bag and set them on the counter, then slipping off the saddlebags as she pulled everything else out and set it all on the counter, glad to see that none of it was falling through. Dash chuckled at the thought of the flour sinking through the solid counter top as she walked over to the fridge to grab a couple of eggs. Sure that they wouldn't be missed in a bakery, they probably had plenty more. Dash placed the eggs next to the bowl, then propped the cookbook up on some kind of stand that seemed like it was meant to hold books open. She looked over what ingredients the cake recipe called for and tossed everything in as she read, completely forgetting that the eggs had to be cracked and only the insides used. “Two eggs... a stick of butter... a cup of milk... a cup of flour... two cups of sugar... and... a teaspoon of vanilla, her favorite.” Satisfied with the concoction Dash grabbed the wooden spoon in her mouth and stirred everything in the bowl. Picking up the bowl she moved over to the oven, carefully opening it with a hoof before she placed the bowl on the middle rack. Closing the door Dash leaned forward to look at all the little knobs on the front. “Umm... how long... an hour..? At... 500 degrees? Oh wait, this works!” Dash smiled as she pressed her hoof on a small red button that was conveniently labeled as “Bake a Cake”. Satisfied, Dash turned back to her the countertop and began cleaning up, putting what wasn't completely used back into the fridge for the Cakes and Pinkie to use later. After cleaning up the kitchen Dash sighed, leaning against the counter, her ears perking as she herd a ding come from oven. Trotting over to it, grabbing a mouth mitt on the way, she pulled the oven door open and carefully pulled the cake out. Rainbow Dash groaned as she set it onto the counter, looking down to see that the cake was a muddy brown mess, pockmarked with eggshell fragments. Realizing her amateur mistake she threw the failed cake into the trash and washed the bowl before starting over. Making sure this time to remember to crack the eggs on the counter and opening them over the bowl so that their contents would fall into the bowl, hopefully without any eggshells. Dash continued the process, this time following the instructions of the cookbook,which she had overlooked entirely before. Finally putting it all into a caketin like she should have the first time around. Collapsing onto the counter she just waited, taking a breather from all the work she had done. Dash began imagining some new moves that she had been wanting to try out, disappearing into the land of her imagination. *************** Rainbow gasped as she looked at the clock tick-tocking away over the kitchen sink. Turning to the oven she threw it open and grabbed the cake with a mouth mitt and dashed out, telling herself that she'd come back to clean up her mess later. Flying as fast as her wings could take her with a hot cake tin held in her mouth she flew back to her house. Not bothering with the front door she just flew through the kitchen window and dropped the tin on the counter, too much in a rush to even sigh in relief as it stayed fast, clearly enchanted to sit on clouds. She searched through her cabinets in a hurry, looking for a plate that was big enough to hold the cake. Finding one she dropped it onto the counter and gasped in pain as she turned the tin over onto the plate. Having forgotten that it was probably still oven-hot even after the flight. Not paying the stabbing pain of the burn any heed she pulled the tin off the cake and tossed it into her sink as she turned to grab the finishing touches from her saddlebags. “Aw, Horse Apples!” She shouted as she realized she had left them back at Pinkie's. Scrambling back to the counter she rummaged through the drawers, looking, hoping that there would be at least one. “Ah-HAH!” Dash mumbled around the candle that was now gripped in her teeth. She turned and stuck the candle into the center of the cake, striking a match that she had found alongside the candle on her hoof she lit the candle. Letting out a relieved sigh as she dropped the match into the sink, watching it fizzle before sinking to the ground in exhaustion. “Rainbow Dash, I'm home!!” Dash's throat seized up in surprise as she flailed for a bit, getting herself back to her feet as she grabbed the plate and ran out to the foyer. Just barely able to see over the top of the cake she saw Scootaloo dropping her saddlebags in the corner by the door, and smiled as she saw Scootaloo turn around and gasp. “Happee Birfday Squerrt!” Rainbow Dash grunted as the smaller filly tackled her. Gasping as she saw the cake land on the floor, somehow landing with the plate down, surviving. “OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!!!” Scootaloo cried as she nuzzled Dash. Rainbow Dash chuckled and nuzzled Scootaloo in return, turning to look at the cake. “Well how about it kiddo? Blow out the candle and make a wish.” Scootaloo nodded and stepped over to the cake, leaning down to blow the candle out before taking a bite of it. Dash looked on expectantly and cringed when she saw a look of disgust play across Scootaloo's face. “Blargh!” Scootaloo shouted before spitting out a half chewed piece of cake. “There's eggshells in there!” Dash looked closely and indeed saw that there were the telltale white fragments of eggshell. Falling over Dash broke into laughter, her hooves holding her stomach as she laughed louder and louder. “Well of course there are eggshells! Who do you think I am? Pinkie Pie!?” Scootaloo joined in the laughter, jumping back onto Dash as she started to tell her about her day.

iheartfornax

32

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Trixie,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Magic Effect

incomplete

<p>Through the workings of an ancient scroll, the world of ponies is transported to another universe. Will this cold, heartless, and uncaring void be the end of ponies everywhere? For to carve out a place of their own in this new galaxy, what ancient secrets, forbidden practices, and forgotten artifacts must see the light of day and night?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:45:21+00:00

2011-07-10T21:45:21+00:00

The Great and Powerful Trixie trotted back to her wagon, away from the strange and terrible-looking ruins deep in the forest, brushing aside her things on the open stage to make way for the scroll. It's length spilled from the planks and onto the ground, and even in the bright light of her lanterns, the paper and black text upon it seemed under a shadow, the words difficult to read. The Great and Powerful Trixie smiled. This was the scroll she had read about--the magic spell that had been eradicated from knowledge for its forbidden power. It was the spell worthy only for the Great and Powerful Trixie. What the spell actually did escaped her, but it didn't matter what it did. She would master it, and she would show them all. That accursed Twilight Sparkle and all the plebeians of that hic town would remember her name forever. The Great and Powerful Trixie would be known throughout Equestria as only second to the Princess-Godess herself. Ponies everywhere would speak her name in hushed reverence at her memory, or jubilant celebration at her arrival. Luckily for The Great and Powerful Trixie, the pony language didn't change much over the centuries. Despite its age it remained intact and legible; the strange paper's magical preservation had kept it safe in the bog waters of the Everfree Forest where she had found it and where she beheld it now. The Great and Powerful Trixie decided that she should try it out now, removing any chance that the scroll might fail in front of her adoring fans. There was power in these words; her voice deepened considerably as they escaped her lips. Her horn shined even brighter in the night of the Everfree forest. --- Celestia awoke. She had a sense of dread the likes of which she hadn't felt since her sister rose up against her more than a millennia ago. Rushing over to her mirror it flashed here and there rapidly, from ponyville to Appleloosa, through the Everfree Forest until she found the source of this great disturbance: Trixie. She looked closer at the scroll in the center of the growing whirlwind. Her mind reeled at the sight of it. Memories long suppressed and regrettably retained flooded her thoughts. This was a relic of the Time Before--back when all of Equestria hadn't been peaceful, ages and ages ago, when the unicorns of the land had been powerful beyond imagining. Back when there wasn't a need for her willful suppression of magic. Back before the infection. The boastful pony had succumbed to anger and thoughts of revenge. She had found the last surviving copy of the scroll, with the incantations meant to empower the reader. Trixie was far, far out of her league here. "Guards!" She called as she galloped to the door. Two dark-grey unicorns clad in gold armor slammed open the door, on full alert from the uncharacteristically dire tone of her voice. "Come with me, prepare to jump!" They nodded gravely and motioned over two pegasus guards to join them next to her. They knew what this meant: their day had finally come. All the training, the psychological conditioning, the mental and physical hazards they had volunteered themselves to suffer through for honor of protecting their Princess-Goddess. It had been generations since her Royal Guard had been more than just for show, but now the time had come to pony up. Their hearts raced within their chests, their straight faces hiding the eager smiles just beneath at the thought of what lay on the other side of the white flash of light. --- The wind swirled about her, picking up leaves, branches, and speed as she spoke. The wagon trembled and shook, her beautiful curtains flapped wildly, and her small camp was soon swirling all about her. Adrenaline coursed through her veins at the sight of her own power. The scroll held its place in front of her when the wagon picked up and joined the hurricane of debris forming around her. Harsh, sharp shadows blanketed the forest in front of her in contrast to dazzlingly white in a flash. "Trixie! Stop!" she thought she heard behind her. But her thoughts and eyes were darting quickly between the dark words on the paper and the dark spot forming in the air near her. The sight shocked Celestia and her guards when they blinked into existence just outside the tempest of wreckage. It was working despite only one pony reading it! She had to save her before it was too late. "Stop her." She quietly commanded. Her guards gave each other a slight nod before dashing to each side of Trixie's whirlwind. They danced around trees, occasionally using them for cover from the larger pieces swirling about. The storm kept the pegasus ponies from flight, and they kept low to the ground. There, in the center of it all, Trixie's horn glowed brighter and brighter with each passing second. Celestia made her way through, using her magic to deflect the debris. One of the unicorns bounded through the wall of wind and reached Trixie, but the spot had grown too large. He looked at it for a moment before screaming. "It's...It's empty! It's all empty! So much NOTHING!" His hooves dug into the ground while he stared and tried to escape, but his quivering mass soon joined the rest of the wreckage. The second lunged to tackle her, but misjudged his timing and was caught by the wagon. Celestia and her pegasus guards reached her in the eye of the hurricane and stomped the scroll to the ground. But Trixie continued chanting, and Celestia could hear the deep guttural voice grinding within her throat now that she had come close. The princess looked at her and saw it was too late for the poor pony. The recursive magic had already begun and would not free her until the spell was complete. The world was going white. The Great and Powerful Trixie couldn't stop herself now. Her mouth spoke on it's own. She could feel herself getting weak. No, this was more than weak. She was getting weary, as if somewhere deep inside her very life was being sucked away. The scroll disappeared, and in it's place Princess Celestia appeared. She looked right at her, her face seemed sad and, even worse, disappointed. Trixie could feel her voice getting hoarse. She knew it was too late. She had made a terrible mistake. Celestia looked into Trixie's glowing eyes. Around this quiet place the storm raged. She stood next to her and wrapped a wing around the small pony. She could feel Trixie's body getting thinner beside hers. Tears dripped from the pony's eyes, her expression still fixed in an unblinking, forward stare. Her voice was little more than wheezes now, her head lowering slightly as her muscles twitched around her brittle bones to keep her upright. Celestia pulled her close and held her up during her final moments. "Oh, Trixie, I'm so sorry..." --- Rarity's focus broke for a moment as she sewed late into the night. The seam had meandered far to the right of her marked lines. "Oh dear, just look what I've done! I never should have taken an order that large," She sighed. "Perhaps I should--" The world blinked. She looked around her shop for a moment before rubbing her eyes. Something felt wrong. Very wrong indeed. Maybe she had worked through too many late nights. This was the last large order she would put off until the very last moment, she promised herself. "Applejack? Applejack!" A small voice asked, silhouetted by the light in the hall. Applejack turned in her bed, rubbing her eyes. "Huh?" She spotted Applebloom at the door. "What's all the fuss about, sugar-cube?" "Ah had a nightmare." Her large eyes glinted the moonlight in the dim room and Applejack could see her lower lip raised to a sad face. "Ah reckon' you'll want to sleep with me then. Well, come on." She replied wearily. Twilight awoke suddenly. Something felt wrong. She looked around her darkened library, but the only sound she heard was Spike's light snoring. For a moment she had felt cold, chilled to the bone, but only for a split second. She wondered if it even happened. "Spike? Spike, wake up!" She whispered loudly. He mumbled something about his mommy and rolled over in his bed. "Come on, Spike. Something is wrong, I just know it!" He sat up begrudgingly. "What is it, Twilight?" "Did you...feel anything just now?" "Just you waking me up..." "Oh, ok...Nevermind then, guess it was just a nightmare." "Ok Twilight." Spike laid back down and pulled the blankets over his head. Twilight remained awake for a long time, wondering what that terrible feeling meant, if she had just dreamed it. Celestia sat on her throne for a long time, deep in thought. She moved to her mirror and looked through Equestria, checking to see if anypony had noticed anything. Her kingdom seemed to be taking its normal morning routine, business as usual everywhere she looked. Except for her guard's padded cell. In the corner a small fort of pillows and blankets shook slightly from the pony within. He continued to mutter and ramble in his madness about "the void" and "the nothingness beyond." Nurses cared for him day and night deep within her castle, sworn to secrecy. This was the first pony in thousands of years to actually go mad, and its implications of this situation should never be spread. She looked up at the last glinting stars in the early morning sky. Soon some of the unicorn ponies would notice what was out of place, and it was only a matter of time until her favorite student discovered what had happened. She was always very diligent and often times single-minded. She had uncovered the old tomes of prophesy and had taken the learning of esoteric knowledge well. If anyone could be trusted with the truth, it was Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They had a thousand years to figure it out anyway. --- The Illusive man took another drag, and the smoke had a slight blue tinge from his glowing eyes in the darkness. He tapped the console on his chair, bringing up a hologram of the pastel-colored planet. No one had ever visited that planet before, at least no member of any of the space-faring races. Well, discounting the probe they had sent. What had returned, though, was something beyond anyone's wildest dreams, even for the man who saw the dark underbelly of the galaxy and things no other man could imagine. Here was something beyond biotics, some source of unknown power and potential. Something the humans could use, or exploit, in their war against fate. On a planet that could easily support human colonization, no less. The flora and fauna were of the same chemical make-up of Earth's biosphere, save for the one dominant species. The ground, however, contained unimaginable amounts of raw materials seemingly sparse in the rest of the galaxy: rare metals, diamonds and isotopes galore, and (when it would come down to it) labor from the inhabitants. The planetary system was the strangest by far: instead of planets orbiting a star, it seemed that, in this system at least, the star revolved around a planet. At first his scientists had thought it to be a frame-of-reference mistake, but the probe they sent confirmed their original observations that this system defied conventional physics. No star charts of maps of any kind had noted this system's existence, which at first would be understandable given it's location beyond citadel space, but no one else had noticed it either. No other races were concerned about this deviation from the laws of the universe, this treasure trove of resources, no word from any of Cerberus' spy networks about it whatsoever. It was as if it just appeared out of nowhere. Another tap on his console summoned a gentle female voice. "Yes, Tim? What can I do for you?" "Get me a science team and a diplomat, on the double. A sociologist too." "Yes, sir. Right away." He stared at the planetary display while his secretary went to work, thinking of all the plans he had in store for this untapped potential contained on this pastel-colored rock. "Finders, keepers."

iheartfornax

32

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Trixie,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Magic Effect

incomplete

<p>Through the workings of an ancient scroll, the world of ponies is transported to another universe. Will this cold, heartless, and uncaring void be the end of ponies everywhere? For to carve out a place of their own in this new galaxy, what ancient secrets, forbidden practices, and forgotten artifacts must see the light of day and night?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:52:09+00:00

2011-07-10T21:52:09+00:00

Celestia moved to face her magic mirror. She had raised the sun and dealt with her few royal duties, and now she had a chance to rest for a bit. Smoke and sparkles appeared and danced and swirled in the air next to her, congealing into a letter. It was from her faithful student Twilight Sparkle, but she already knew that. She also knew what its subject, and it read: My Dearest Teacher, It has come to my attention that none of the stars in the night sky are properly aligned. I have tried every rotation and inversion of the known constellations, but I can't find how they've been moved. None of the deep space objects I've been observing remain unchanged either. It's almost as if someone has replaced the sky, or, more alarmingly, we no longer occupy the same place in the universe as we did before. I know your powers are great Princess, but hundreds of years of documentation and study of the constellations above Equestria have been undone. But all I ask is for your reassurance that it is all for the best. Who am I to question your wisdom? I anxiously await your reply. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Celestia began to write a response when a messenger knocked on the door to her room. She opened the door to greet him. The unicorn levitated an object in the air before his face and brought it to her. She moved a table to him and he set it down before reporting. "Princess, this arrived at the palace late last night. A pony said she found it on her farm in a field, in the middle of a big hole in the ground. She also said it was smoking when she found it, and that it changes color when she touches it, so we've been moving it with magic ever since." "Thank you. Please stay for a moment..." Celestia looked hard at it. It looked...rough. Jagged. Dull. It was about half the size of a pony and somewhat oval-shaped. Bits of dirt still clung to it around the hairline cracks that traced its surface. She lifted it in the air for careful observation. One end of the grey thing was blackened badly and there in the center something peeked through behind dark glass. She rubbed a cloth over it, revealing an arrangement of circle- and square-shaped bubbles behind. A small red bubble blinked red for a moment before the square one lit up. "Hello, Princess Celestia." She was taken aback; the guard twitched at the sudden movement of the object as she jerked it away for a moment before pulling it close again. A figure, silhouetted by multicolored flames, looked back at her with glowing blue eyes. "I'm sure you're wondering just who and what I am, but I assure you we mean no harm," the thing spoke again. "Who am I speaking to?" she asked warily. "People call me 'The Illusive Man,' but you can call me Tim for short. I represent the greater interests of humanity. I already know your name; we've had the cameras recording since this landed." "I am Princess Celestia, Ruler of All Equestria." she said, continuing with formal introductions anyway. Faint memories nagged at her--something about this creature seemed familiar. "Where are you? I have never seen a creature like you before." Tim raised a limb with a small white stick burning at the end near his eyes for a moment before responding with a puff of smoke, like a dragon. "Lots of people would like to know that, but where I am isn't really important. What's important is the safety of your people." "What do you mean 'people'? Equestria is a land of Ponies, Tim." "Ponies, then. When your system appeared suddenly on the fringes of the Traverse, we had to investigate. Do you know what happened?" She looked at him for a moment, narrowing her eyes. He just stared back. "I take it you do, and just aren't going to tell me." He puffed again. "Well, I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about in the future. You see, I'm trying to warn you. Your ponies are in great danger. All of them. I think we can help each other out." "Equestria hasn't known true danger in millennia. Are you threatening me?" "No. Consider this a gesture of goodwill. I didn't have to send this probe out to contact you." "Your warning, then?" "In about a day, your time, a ship will try to land on your planet. The people inside are slavers and have only their own interests at heart." He paused again to let out another puff of smoke. "A...ship? And what do you mean 'slavers'?" "They're coming from the sky to take your ponies away from you; either to work for them for the rest of their short lives, or," another puff, "worse, sell them to someone else like tools." "How do you know this? Did you send them yourself?" "No, our monitoring systems in this probe picked up their chatter on the way here. They'll be heavily armed and greedy. You'll have to defend yourselves." "Why should I trust you?" She asked softly. "You can wait for them. When you see what kind of universe you've entered and want some help, tap on this object a few times and I'll be in touch." The square bubble went dark. Starbuck paused. He knew something was wrong. Princess Celestia had ordered them into the Everfree Forest without her carriage. They were flying low, and fast. The Princess hardly ever flew anywhere herself, much less with a squad of four pegusus ponies armored to the teeth. The light gold armor held fast to his body with straps, he could fell the wind rushing through the gaps faster than he had experienced since his entrance exam to the Royal Guard. No announcement had been made when she left. No ponies other than her own guards there to see her off. This trip wasn't planned, and Princess Celesita never left Canterlot without notice. This flight was testing the limits of his abilities. Taller trees now stabbed out of the ground below him; the Princess moved through them almost effortlessly, but him and the rest of his group struggled to dodge them all. When they passed over a clearing, he took a moment to look at the sky above and beyond her. There, in the sky, a small grey and white object fell gracefully to the ground, small blue lights here and there on it's surface. More trees, he turned his attention back to the Princess in the lead, doing his best to keep up. The Everfree forest was the sprawling untamed area of Equestria. Here, things worked differently than the rest of the world: strange animals lived here, weather acted on its own, and the creatures that came out from time to time were often "taken care of" by the Royal Guard. Here was the only place in all of Equestria that evil could occur naturally, and from it's depths exploration teams funded by the Crown reported the discovery of vile things that threatened the innocence of Her people. There was no telling what he'd see when they got to wherever she was leading them, but he would be ready, whatever it was. Suddenly, she slowed and desceded under the canopy and touched down. Her guards took up positions around her, and she motioned silently for them to move foward. They moved quietly, their years of hard training finally paying off, making not a sound as the approached an unnatural clearing. In the middle a very large slab of dark metal lay surrounded by odd--rough, really--looking creatures moved immense boxes. None of them stood on their forelegs. They all had rough, dark-colored hides and small, strange things on the end of their forelimbs. He couldn't make out the details of what he assumed were their heads, but he could hear their stern tones as they yelled at each other. Each of them must be at least as tall as the Princess herself. They walked around buildings and columns as they did, moving boxes and waving around long contraptions that looked like a combination of sticks and boxes. She motioned for them to exit the trees and into the clearing. One of the creatures immediately noticed the Princess's brilliant white coat and flowing colored hair. "Halt! Who goes there!" one of them yelled out of what Starbuck could only assume was its mouth. In its hand a small box with a tube coming out the end was pointing to Celestia. The Princess bowed her head slightly, keeping her eyes on it. Starbuck was surprised that it spoke their language. "I am Princess Celestia, Ruler of all of Equestria. May I ask what you are doing here in Everfree forest?" "We came here for mining operations." His voice was guttural, and his teeth looked like a tangle of curved needles. All four of the eyes in his head blinked for a moment. "If you know what is good for you, native, you will leave this place." "Where did you come from?" The Princess replied, unfazed by these strange sights and sounds. "Do you live in this forest?" "Are you stupid? We do not live in an ugly place like this." The box thing, tube still poked out at Celestia, shook at the end of his limb. "We did not come from this planet, we came to it! We are taking your natural resources, you ignorant peasant. Now leave this place before I have to hurt you." The second the threat passed his bulbous, disgusting face two of Celestia's guards were in front of her, wings spread to cross in front of her. The other strange creatures pulled boxes of their own and tubes of all different sizes were pointed at them. "Where are you taking them?" She asked. "All you need to know is that we are taking them off-planet and there is nothing you can do about it!" "Please leave. I do not want you to take our anything away from Equestria." "What did you just ask me?" "I'm sorry, I didn't speak loud enough. I asked you to please leave Equestria." "You are a fool." He replied, and pointed his box at Graphite, who glared at him with practiced stillness. Graphite's head jerked back suddenly and he fell limp, collapsing onto the ground. Blood poured out onto the dirt of the clearing and Starbuck knew now just what those small boxes did. He dug his hooves into the ground, keeping his bearing. Princess Celestia looked down at the corpse by her hooves without moving, and for a moment he could see for the first time in his life, hints of anger on Princess Celestia's face. Her horn flashed and in an instant each small box in sight had split longways along the tubes. "Save the one in the front!" Celestia yelled. The couple of seconds they inspected the dark-colored flowers in their hands, Starbuck and his companions sprung into action. Six of the evil creatures, save the one who had spoken, were now their responsibility. The first one he rammed head-on. Standing on only two legs, the creature was easily knocked onto the ground. Landing on his chest, Starbuck reared back on what he now realized was armor of their own--but the creature's face looked soft. The gold-plated shoes that adorned his hooves were more than just for show; they were very heavy, and very sharp. The angles were well-hidden by the sculpting, and most ponies wouldn't even know what to do with something like these. But he knew what they were for, and how to use them. It was for this he suffered through all that training, for this he had sacrificed the single greatest thing a pony could have: to protect Princess Celestia, and through her, the balance of all the world. He held open his wings and pushed them up, increasing the downward force and sending his sharpened hoofwear into the thing's face. And again into his throat. An arm swung on his side and knocked him off, but he tucked and rolled, satisfied that this one was going to be to occupied with holding in all the blood coming from his head, and moved to the next one. The second one was using the ruined box as a club now, and moved to swat Starbuck right out of the air. He tucked his wings in and dove for the ground in front of it, using his forelegs as an anchor, his body executing the move without thought, muscle memory taking over and swinging him around to buck at the creature. They had joints that bent forward at about the right height, but he hadn't seem any of them bend them backwards. Using his whole body as a spring, his plated hooves met the plate armor with a dull thud. A crunch and scream followed and the huge creature collapsed in a heap, grabbing for his leg. Starbuck took the opportunity and bucked again, aiming for his face. His hooves caught the thing's chin, sending its head curving back, the rest of his body following. Princess Celestia strutted slowly toward the one who has spoken to her. He panicked, looking around to see his friends getting pummeled by the armored pegasus. Her horn glowed again and he felt himself lifting off the ground. He looked back to her, her huge pink eyes boring into him. "Why didn't you leave when I asked you to?" Her soft voice lilting through the cries of his friends. "I asked you nicely." His hand shot up to his earpiece. "Get back to the ship you fools!" The engines fired to life, blue flames pressing against the brown earth. The tall white creature in front of him raised an eyebrow at him. "Ship?" A smile spread across her face, "Oh, I don't think you're going anywhere." The noises from the ship died, and for a moment, there was complete silence, punctuated only the by the sputtering coughs of his comrades. The other ponies, about half her size, now hovered around her, splatters of blood arced across their hooves, armor, and faces, all glaring silently at him. A low rumbling started from the ground below him, and for a moment of hope he thought the shuttle's engines had fired back up again. But then she spread her large wings and lifted off the ground as it sunk like sand beneath her. He struggled to look around, but there wasn't really anything stopping him from observing the sinkhole below him, drawing the entire clearing to a center point somewhere below the ship. Voices yelled and barked at him through his earpiece; the shuttle was dead and they were sinking into the ground. Corpses and their equipment rolled and bumped into the shuttle from the increasing incline, and the two that still lived were clawing in futility at the sides of the rolling dirt, mud caking with the exposed blood spread across their hands and body. Eventually the ground swallowed them all up; dirt came to the surface like water and grass grew instantly. The clearing looked as if they had never even been there. "This creature has requested an audience with me.” The princess spoke in a cheerful, matter-of-factly voice. Starbuck knew what that meant in this situation. "Please make sure he's prepared,” she said as she lowered him to the ground. "Bow before the Princess of all Equestria!" Starbuck barked. Twister, his jaw hanging slack and dislocated from the fight, drooled a little blood as he bucked him in the knee. Starbuck followed suit, and the creature crumpled in howls of pain. The pegasus ponies helped him into a kneeling position before her, pushing him forward onto his forelegs. Celestia released him from her magical grip and summoned a scroll and quill. "I have some questions for you. Please, try and answer them honestly,” she said through a smile, “nopony likes a liar.”

iheartfornax

32

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Trixie,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Magic Effect

incomplete

<p>Through the workings of an ancient scroll, the world of ponies is transported to another universe. Will this cold, heartless, and uncaring void be the end of ponies everywhere? For to carve out a place of their own in this new galaxy, what ancient secrets, forbidden practices, and forgotten artifacts must see the light of day and night?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:59:58+00:00

2011-07-10T21:59:58+00:00

The Princess and her team of guards were in the forest until dark, interrogating the disgusting creature with little success, when Luna arrived after bringing out the night. She was much more cruel to him than Celestia. She wasn't afraid to get her hooves dirty, either. "You will-” a bloody cough interrupted him, “-regret your rash actions, ignorant native. My kind will be back for revenge, and for the riches of your planet," he said, blood dripping from his mouth. Luna was facing away from him, looking up at the alien sky. "Please, call us ponies." She turned back to him. "Do you know what we have crafted, Batarian? It has been millennia since I last heard a story told of what war is. What it was." The batarian spat. "Weak. You are all weak. We will crush you with eas—“ A stick across his forehead interrupted him. Luna's eyes narrowed in a glare. "We're a million times worse than anything you could imagine! There was a time when we had to fight. Ages and ages ago all of ponydom was in danger. Understand that you aren’t the first to threaten us. Do you know what happened to those that came before you?" The batarian started to speak, but she struck him across the face. Small streaks of green smeared across his face from the leaves still attached to the crude bludgeon. "They don't exist anymore! There's a reason no one ever foals around with us anymore!” A guardpony approached her. "Ma'am, the chariot has arrived," Starbuck whispered in her ear. Above them a chariot descended, two pegasus pulling along a pair of unicorns. The two of them stepped off carrying a doctor's bag and moved over to the large alien sprawled across the ground. Princess Luna," The white unicorn with bright red hair bowed before her and spoke with a heavy accent. "Ah yes, Doctor Dustov; glad to see you could make it. He doesn't seem to want to answer our questions." "I am glad Princess think so highly ov mine skills," she said. “But I do not know vhere ve vill be vorking vith him. This place is too dirty for scientific vork.” “I’ll prepare him for transport. We’ve been out in the fields long enough,” she said, a smile creeping across her face from feelings of nostalgia. “I know just the place.” Utter darkness. The batarian could feel himself lifting into the air again. Pain screamed at him with each small movement of his broken limbs. He lost track of time, fading in and out of consciousness, the dreams mixing with reality, until reality rudely awakened him. He found himself staring up at a blue-tinged light hanging down at him. He moved his head to inspect his surroundings. The walls of the room were a seamless dark grey-blue color, the only openings he could see were a couple vents and a door to his right. He seemed to be strapped to a table--not that he dared to move his arms or legs. Shock had dulled the pain of his broken elbows and knees, but that didn’t stop the fear from the terrible knowledge that he was now incapable of escape from creeping into his psyche. The small natives were surprisingly strong, and he had not counted on their brute strength overcoming his shields so easily. Now that he thought about it, he was sure that the kinetic limits were too high for melee combat, and he had been a fool to forget that vulnerability. No one in the universe continued to use hand-to-hand combat since the advent of mass-effect projectile weapons. He racked his brain, thinking he recognized the form these natives resembled. Perhaps a much, much lighter and pastel-colored version of the elcor, but with hair. They were still unbelievably smooth; they lacked the small, odd peculiarities of true organic material. It was as if their skin had no texture to it, and when they turned, the edges of their bodies blurred into fine curves. He had dismissed it before as a trick of the eyes, but now he was sure. The evidence of this reality, the pain he still felt in his chest and limbs, confirmed this wasn’t a dream. His reverie was broken by the sound at the door. The dark one with the long blue horn stepped through the opening, followed by several other natives of a range of pastel hues. All of them were wearing tissue across their faces, with goggles resting awkwardly on their small foreheads. “...Und here is patient,” he could hear the heavy accent in her voice. He had been surprised that, despite the apparent lack of spaceflight by inhabitants of this planet, they still spoke common quite well. He spotted a couple large bags carried in the mouths of two that followed behind her. They set it at the base of the table, their eyes fixated on him. The dark blue one, obviously in charge, now stood over him, looking down into his eyes. He gained a small amount of amusement from her indecision of which eyes to look at. “I am Princess Luna. You may address me as Princess if you wish,” she spoke down to him in a commanding tone, “Now, we have some questions for you that we would be most pleased if you answer, but I doubt without proper motivation your tongue will loosen.” "Are you going to torture me? That is against galactic law, native.” “Torture?” she chuckled, “Stars, no. You see, we don’t hate you; ponies are incapable of hate, darling. But we are curious...” Her eyes drifted down to the other ponies at the end of the table. They had opened their bags and were setting small silver tools on a tray, the accented one directing them. One of them held a scroll mid-air and a feather danced behind it, its end scratching against the parchment. A smaller bag floated up, opening to reveal a sparkling pink powder. “Doctor, please,” Princess Luna said as she looked at the white pony. “If you give him the knock-out powder,” she paused to look down at him, “he won’t be able to answer me.” “Yes, mine Princess. Please, ask avay.” “Oh, I think I’ll wait and watch a bit before starting the questions. Please, continue the procedure.” “Yes, mine Princess.” The doctor moved nearer to his head and looked at him. The goggles now covered her only set of eyes. “Now, for record, are you colt or filly?” Another pony beside him with another quill and scoll, scratched furiously on the parchment. The sounds grated in his ears. “Und please,” she continued, “stay very still for moment, ve must make picture of you.” “I will never submit to your kind,” he said defiantly, “all your efforts are in vain.” Princess Luna looked down at him again. Her hair seemed to sparkle and shimmer, flowing despite the stillness of the air in the room; from his point of view the galaxy looked back at him from within it. “I can’t give you the powder until you start talking, darling.” He felt incredible, piercing heat on his chest. They were removing his armor, exposing his bare chest. “Now, ve will start vith ze epidermis, followed by ze muscular and skeletal systems,” the doctor started, looking back at the others on the other side of him. They listened to her intensely as she outlined what they were about to do to him. His stomach turned at the prospect of enduring any of that without anesthetic. “You fools will kill me before I talk. You will never get your precious information!” “No, dear,” Luna spoke again, her lilting voice filled with a false affection, “we have become very, very good at keeping our patients alive. We’ve had a long time to perfect our medicinal magic and sciences.” “Now, mine assistants,” the doctor spoke loudly, “ ve start at ze right forearm. Please make notes very detailed as ve begin.” Celstia walked slowly down the halls. The stale, sterile air down here had remained undisturbed for many thousands of years, but she still remembered the layout. Each wing for every specific purpose, each of them part of this vast relic of ages past. How many years had it been since something so drastic was required? How many years since anypony had even dreamed about such wonders that were kept in this place? She and Luna were the only ones who had lived long enough to remember--remember why this was necessary, why these artifacts and terrible things had been perfectly preserved. But she had recognized the need, and realized that now was the time to dig them up again. This place had miles of hallways and chambers, reinforced vaults and safes, labs, workshops, and libraries filled to the rafters with books of forbidden knowledge--at least it had been forbidden--and instruction manuals and blueprints galore. It pained her heart that all of ponykind would have to endure this again, but she was confident that they would make it through. The power of friendship had seen to it before, and it would see them through hard times again. The librarian of Ponyville arrived home late. She had spent the day reading in the park, followed by another party at Pinkie Pie’s house. A large, formidable-lookinig pegasus pony clad in golden armor stood just outside her door with a large package on his back. She walked up to him and apologized. “Sorry! Sorry I’m late. I hope you haven’t been waiting very long for me here.” “It’s no problem, ma’am. I only just arrived,” he spoke in a deep, guttural voice uncommon to most other ponies. He unhooked the package from his back and handed it to Twilight, who floated it next to her. “Princess Celestia sends her regards. Please take great care of this parcel, ma’am.” “Oh, of...of course...Thank you sir,” she responded hesitantly. It wasn’t normal for Celestia to send a messenger, even moreso that Spike hadn’t coughed it up earlier. The heavy package was wrapped in burlap and bound with a thick leather belt. She made sure to close the door behind her before unclasping it, revealing a small letter alongside the spine of a large book. No, she thought, this isn’t just a book, it’s a tome. Gold filigree arced across the front and back page between the gold trim, surrounding a unicorn symbol carved out of shiny obsidian set in the front cover. She unrolled the scroll that bore the Royal Seal and began to read it. Twilight, my most faithful student, I hope this finds you well. I had to be sure that it reached you personally. Something very big is about to happen, something that will effect all of Equestria. You will find this letter attached to a copy of an ancient tome of pony history, and I ask you to read it entirely as soon as possible. Please share the stories and secrets of this book with your closest friends when you finish. However, its secrets must stay secret until I write you again. Please, as you read, keep an open mind, and understand that nothing remains the same forever. Your teacher, Princess Celestia. Princess Celestia didn’t often keep secrets as far as Twilight knew; but then, the best-kept secrets are the ones you don’t know even exist. She took the book up to her bed and got comfortable, setting the book across her pillow. Twilight felt excitement at the length of the table of contents, looking forward to a long night of reading what she knew was a very rare book. This book wasn’t just any history book; it began at a point several millennia ago, thousands and thousands of years before the ordeal with Nightmare Moon, even before Equestria existed. The pages turned faster and faster as she became more enthralled with its epic tale, not even noticing Spike’s return to the Library. “Twilight, are you ok?” Spike asked from the lower level. “Twilight!” “Huh?” she replied, realizing her eyes had filled with tears. “Yes, Spike, I’m, uh...I’m fine.” The secrets within this book truly were terrible, and while she was flattered that the Princess had deemed her worthy of this knowledge, she now wanted nothing to do with it. She understood already why this had to be kept under lock and key, away from the curious minds of innocent ponies. The book had a warning on one of the earlier pages, advising the reader of something called “memetic hazards,” but she had thought nothing of it; there was very little to worry about in the realm of knowledge held by ponies, but now she knew better. She knew, and the burden to infect the minds of her friends weighed heavily on her. But she trusted that whatever Princess Celestia had planned kept the best interests of her subjects in mind. What could have happened that would require the staining of her mind like this? “Twilight, are you sure you’re ok?” “I’m fine, Spike, really. Just go to sleep. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.” “But it is morning. You’ve stayed up all night reading that book!” “Well just let me finish it. Princess Celestia sent it to me and told me I needed to finish it as soon as possible.” “Oh, ok. Want me to bring back something from Sugarcube Corner?” “Yes. Thank you, Spike.” Her sigh was ragged as she flipped another page. How long could she hold out to tell her friends?

iheartfornax

32

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Trixie,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Magic Effect

incomplete

<p>Through the workings of an ancient scroll, the world of ponies is transported to another universe. Will this cold, heartless, and uncaring void be the end of ponies everywhere? For to carve out a place of their own in this new galaxy, what ancient secrets, forbidden practices, and forgotten artifacts must see the light of day and night?</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:16:51+00:00

2011-07-10T22:16:51+00:00

The technology recovered from the Batarians had been brought back to the ancient labs and analyzed, and it became startlingly clear to her from the reports the difference in their weapon-design paradigms. A pile of report scrolls lay piled on the floor next to her bed, all originating from somewhere deep inside the mountain. One of them detailed the operational theory of the weapon, its origins, and its inner workings complete with detailed sketches of the disassembly. Another carried a transcript of the Batarian’s interrogation and the degree to which he faltered as they administered the surgical procedures upon his completely alien biology--there was another scroll for that, covered in more sketches and notes outlining the procedures and every note and diagram of his anatomy, along with speculations of theorized female constructs. All of them were copies; the originals were headed for the Royal Archives for safekeeping. Celestia remembered the day that she had begun mentorship of Dustov: like most of her students, only Celestia had recognized the potential where others only cowered in fear and ignorance. There had been some concerns about her after her cutie mark had been revealed to be a scalpel across a threaded needle--there were so few surgeries performed or even needed in the soft world of Equestria--but she showed incredible talent in her field. She was meticulous, reliable, methodical, and above all, curious. Celestia could not ask for a better pony for the job. Dustov had been personally assigned by Celestia for the wet-work down in the labs, and her notes showed annoyance at Luna’s presence and interference during the dissection. She sighed; she’d talk to Luna later about it, but there was nothing to be done about what had already happened. The...probe, as he called it, levitated in front of her. She had removed it from the small sealed room they had kept it in, since it had been revealed that it was ever-watching, but now she wanted to talk with The Illusive Man again, a human. She recalled the description the Batarian had given them of humans: ambitious beyond their capability, racist, manipulative, deceitful, conniving, both morally restrictive and evangelical, and bred like vermin. They were a blight upon the galaxy. She considered his words with a grain of salt. It had been hundreds of millennia since she had been required to deal with inter-species and galactic politics, and the petty squabbling of mortals gave her such a headache. It was safe to assume, however, that this galaxy was not a safe place to wander about. She needed details, specifics. “Guard,” she called, “please summon Quill for me.” “At once, your highness,” he replied through the door. A short moment later, the unicorn pony known as Quill knocked once on the door and bounded into the room, a bright smile on his face. A quill across a scroll was branded on the flank of his light-brown coat, and as he trotted gleefully into the room, his frazzled blond hair bowed up and down. He carried several scrolls in one side of his saddlebags and a bundle of quills with several bottles of ink in the other. “Yes, your highness? What can I do for you?” he started. “Shall I take a letter? An essay? A memo? A list? Speaking of lists, I just recently completed one abou-” “Please, Quill,” she interjected, “A transcript will be fine.” “Of course, Princess.” He whipped out his writing equipment, horn aglow. “Classification?” “Top Secret, Code White. I will be speaking to someone through this device, Quill. Anything it says is to be labeled as ‘Tim.’” Quill nodded slightly. Her hoof tapped against the glass a couple times above the square bubble. She knew he could see her. The thing flickered to life. “Hello, Princess.” Tim sat against the multi-colored backdrop of what Celestia thought was a star of some kind. Only his silhouette was visible and two blue dots glowed from inside his head. “Greetings, Tim. I have considered your offer of assistance, but I believe you will want something in return.” “That’s true, Princess. Not much in the galaxy is free after all, but I think we can reach an agreement that benefits the both of us.” “I’m sure we’ll see.” “Now, I’m not sure exactly what you want. Maps? Weapons? Basic technology, like computers?” He paused to take a drag. “We’re not exactly sure about your technological progress,” he exhaled, light blue smoke drifted in the air in front of him. “If you dealt with the slavers that easily, I’m sure you can make do.” “Maps and weapons will be fine, Tim.” She thought for a moment before asking “What do you mean by ‘computers’?” “Electronic information systems. We use them for just about everything. Do you have anything like that?” “I’m afraid not.” “That’s fine. This probe has an empty VI in it. I can send the information to him and he can explain everything.” Another puff. “That is, once our negotiations are complete. I have yet to explain my part of the bargain.” “I’m listening,” she said with a smile. “Your world is full of precious minerals and resources that my people want, Princess. Jewels, diamonds, eezo, and, most importantly, magic. Not just any kind, the kind that actually works. I’d like to trade some knowledge. These abilities can be very useful to my organization.” He put the smoking thing back up to his face. “And just what will that entail, Tim?” “I’ll send a small delegation of representatives of my people to your planet. You can train them for me in exchange for the VI’s data.” Celestia raised an eyebrow theatrically, “You’ll have to do better than just basic technological knowledge then, Tim. If you can include the secrets of space-flight with us,” add a smile, “we’ll gladly train your friends in the use of magic!” “Done. You’re going to need it. I’ll send the data now. The VI will explain everything you need to know. Also, the probe will serve as a beacon for my crew’s ship to land, so you’ll need to put it in a proper landing zone when they arrive in a couple days.” “We look forward to making new friends, Tim.” “Good. I expect this relationship to benefit us both,” he said right before the square bubble went black again. Celestia placed the object back inside the closet and looked at Quill. “Did you get all that?” she asked. “Yes, Princess,” he replied, still scratching feverishly on the parchment. “Take a note. There’s a scroll with a list of names marked with a cog on the end; I want you to send summons to the ponies on that list.” “Yes, Princess.” He paused, then looked up at her. “Are we really going to teach them magic, your highness?” “Don’t be silly,” she said with a smile, “if they haven’t already learned how to use it, they lack the capability.” They certainly did not lack the capability for manipulations and lies. But here was another opportunity for study. Here an opportunity to learn more about these humans first-hand presented itself; she couldn’t let this chance for testing them slip away. “And take another letter to Doctor Dustov, same classification. Tell her to prepare for much more work; she’s going to have new specimens to study in a few days.” Gregor looked down at the map. The ship sped toward the traverse faster than light itself, to a small, pastel-colored rock afloat in space. Around him stood the rest of his team. They were going over the mission details but Gregor thought the crew was trying to play another prank on him. “So let me get straight,” he spoke with a thick Slavic accent, “people on planet are all ponies. Ponies from Sol?” He crossed his arms. “No, Gregor.” It was Robin who spoke at him. Her amazing looks had cooled his anger throughout the trip, even though she annoyed him greatly. She always seemed to speak down to him, but he thought the view from below made up for it. “They only resemble ponies from Earth. Surprisingly, they speak common and seem to have social values resembling our own. The Illusive Man thinks they can train us in magic.” “Magic? From pony?” “I heard that they move their own sun around their planet.” “Sound like crazy story from back home. I think you speak too big of pony’s talents. And what about magic? Magic also fairy tale. I say we arrive and see biotics.” “It doesn’t matter, Gregor. You’ll do as the boss says.” “Anyway,” Mark interrupted, “regardless if magic exists, once we land we are to present ourselves to their leader.” Mark was the team leader in title only. That spineless man thought too much for his own good, and Gregor knew that his place was back in the safety of his lab. Once again, it was up to him to carry the team through. “But that’s not our only objective here. The boss also wants us to observe and record everything about this place. Social hierarchies, customs, technological level, population density...the list goes on and on. Just keep your armor’s recorder on and we’ll review our findings each night in the shuttle.” “What? We’re staying in the shuttle?” Robin sounded almost indignant. “I thought they would arrange for us to stay in the Castle.” Mark looked at her with disgusted surprise. “Yes, we’ll just let them all watch us in our sleep while we go over the details of their civilization.” “Just suck it up, Princess. Ship life ain’t so bad,” Emily stated proudly. She was new to the team; Gregor didn’t quite know what to make of her. She was their tech specialist; the things she could do with an omni-tool were far beyond anything Gregor had seen, and he’d been through many a desperate situation. He knew, deep down, beneath the rough exterior lay a soft and sensitive soul. She had opened up to him at the chow tables late one night, something about living on a ship her whole life like a Quarian. She probably liked him, and he intended to make the most of it. “Don’t you have something to calibrate, sweetie?” Robin shot her a glare. “Eat a bag of dicks, Robin.” Emily retorted, with the finger as a bonus. This woman was growing on him, Gregor thought to himself. “Guys, guys.” Mark tried to regain control of the meeting. They turned their heads to him as if he had interrupted with trivialities. “You all have the plan at your personal consoles. You should study them before we land. Uh...any questions?” “Yeah, can we go now?” Emily asked. “Meeting adjourned.” Gregor turned to leave without a word. The first one out the door was John. He didn’t speak much, or make much noise at all, really. Gregor had only heard him speak when he introduced himself to the ship’s captain, and even then it was only his name. He had heard that the man was an assassin of the highest caliber and had received personal orders from The Illusive Man. Gregor could respect a man who kept to himself, kept quiet, but this man went out of his way to keep his voice low, and the armor he wore was custom. He avoided him as much as possible. “Hey, uh, Emily,” he called her out in the corridor. “Maybe you and I could go over mission plan together. You know, be sure we know plan better than others.” She smiled at him, her soft green eyes narrowed and one eyebrow arched in suspicion. “Sure, Greg. We can study together if you like.” “Good. My quarters or--” “Oh, uh, just so you guys know,” Mark popped his head out of the briefing room, “We make the jump in eight, so get some sleep beforehand.” “Sure, Mark,” Emily walked towards Gregor, passing Mark’s face. She smiled and gave his cheek a couple of pats as she did. “We’ll spend plenty of time ‘sleeping.’” Gregor turned and grinned widely at his look of confusion. The Captain of the Guard burst into the barracks early that morning. The stern look on his face had, for a moment, caused Starbuck to worry someone had squealed that he had been the one to take the last apple tart in the break room. He knew how much Captain Brickwall loved treats, and whenever Apple Fritter would send his squadron a bundle of her very own apple tarts, he would only begrudgingly follow her specific instructions that he should share them with the rest of his men. He had told them he had come from a farm not too far away from a small rural town called Ponyville, and that had been where he met Apple Fritter, whose picture he kept on the desk in his office. Starbuck and the rest of the ponies in the royal guard had come to notice that whenever they were called inside, if her photo was face-down on the desk, they were in for it. He looked like he had come from a farm; his muscular bulk filled the door frame, covered in the gilded heavy plate armor that had been custom-built for his size. “Starbuck!” He barked, and every head in the room turned to face him. One of the ponies in the back of the room winced when the force of his voice caused his delicate four-story house of cards to collapse. Starbuck slammed shut the book laying open on his bed and thrust it into his hooflocker, scrambling over to where the Captain stood. “Sir!” He barked in return, standing in front of him at attention. “Starbuck…” he growled as he started to circle him. Starbuck could feel the captain’s eyes inspecting every inch of him; but his eyes were fixed ahead, listening to the deep thumps of the captain’s hooves stalking around him. “Hrm…Yer armor seems ta’ be up ta’ snuff, Starbuck, but what…” Suddenly his face appeared in his field of view, inches from his face. “…is that I see on your flank?!” His voice was deafening from this close. “Have ya’ forgotten yer basic hygiene, Guardpony? Didja’ roll ‘round the yard earlier and miss a spot in the baths? DO AH NEED TUH WASH YA’ MYSELF, STARBUCK?” “No sir! The blemish is my cutie mark growing through. My scheduled visit with the bleachers is in one hour.” His cutie mark, a red five-pointed shooting star, was starting to grow back. Each of them, when they volunteered to be in the Royal Guard, had submitted to bleaching their coats pure white and dyeing their manes in shades of blue. They gave up the showing of their cutie marks when they joined as a symbol of the personal sacrifice they made in service to the Princesses. Eventually all of them would grow back, and regular trips to the bleachers were required. “Really, Starbuck? Well I got some news for ya’. Take that stuff off and get going there right now!” His frown turned into a grin in an instant, his accent becoming less thick. “Princess Luna has *personally* requested your transfer to the Nightguard!” Starbuck’s mouth fell open, but only for a moment. He had only volunteered to stay after dark with Princess Luna after Celestia had gone. With all the guards there at the same rank, she’d taken to giving him the commands, and he had followed them without question, as he would have with Celestia. Whatever he had done, she’d taken notice to him. “Tell the bleachers you’d like a shade of Knightmare purple!” His hoof came up and smacked against his shoulder, nearly toppling him over. “And while yer at it, turn that set’a armor back in. You’ll be wearing silver in a night or two.” “Y-Yes sir!” Ivory Clockwork and Cog had been in the same master’s degree program at the Manehatten Institute for Technology when Princess Celestia called upon their teacher, Professor Pushbutton. Graciously he had suggested they could help as well, and now the three of them were here, under the castle. Well, not technically under it, but underground near it. Ivory had promised absolute secrecy before she had been allowed to even enter the enormous underground complex. Bookshelves upon bookshelves and racks of scrolls filled the room in which she stood now. Pushbutton had sent her for a book on experimental kinetics, a subject she had learned about early on in her coursework, but they regarded it as something with little application in the real world. An area of theory and conjectures, fit only for the mathponies and their giant chalkboards. But the Professor thought differently. She returned to the lab with the book. The Professor stood in front of a large green chalkboard, equations and diagrams of what she recognized as collision maps, vector diagrams, and various calculations of mass and velocity. On the table in the middle of the room a large metal object sat on the table. The lights in the room reflected off the gleaming, newly forged metal. The thing was roughly rectangular, with a protrusion at an obtuse angle at one end, and at the other, a hollow cylinder. “That’s called a ‘Gun,’ Ivory.” The Professor looked at her. He had noticed her entrance and turned from his board to interrupt her stare. “A ‘Gun’...” she worked the word in her mouth. She had never heard the word before. “What does it do”? “Well, according to our books,” the Professor said as he walked over to his desk, stacked high with books and papers, chalk still levitating in front of him, “It’s a kind of weapon. A mass accelerator.” “A weapon?” Her eyes fixed upon it as she brought the book over. She had been briefed on weapons and their functions, but this was the first time she had seen one of them outside of sketches. “Yes, a weapon.” He took the book from her and browsed quickly through it. “ The earth ponies down in the shop built it to the specifications given by the VI Adam. They had to use a strange substance called ‘eezo,’ a material we’ve never encountered before.” “Have you used it yet?” “No, we’re going over the plans the earth ponies had sent us right now. Team Five’s testing results are over there.” He pointed to a small stack of papers near the gun. Team Five had been the team tasked with testing the weapon on various materials and in differing environments. She had been to the hay hall with some of them; this was the thing of which they had talked excitedly about assembling and testing. “What are we supposed to do with it?” “Princess Celestia has tasked us with testing its limits of operations and any defenses we can suggest for it not already posited by the VI. We don’t want to have to rely on Roughspace tech for defense.” She pulled up a piece of canvas with a schematic diagram. This object used magnets to accelerate a small shaving of metal to incredible speeds within less than a second. She had once done a study on magnets and their possible applications to pony life, but this was simply ingenious. There wasn’t anything like this in any of the university labs she had used anywhere in Equestria. She mentally kicked herself for overlooking something so simple. “What did the VI have to say about defenses?” “Well, they use devices of varying size that generate fields about their bodies. Hardly completely effective, they wear off after taking only a few rounds. And they’re useless against slower-moving projectiles; that’s why it was so easy to incapacitate the Batarians back in the Everfree Forest. Team 10 said they found a much larger version in the vehicle they recovered in that scary place.” “What do they call them?” she asked. She felt a twinge of jealousy for Team 10, who had been assigned to deconstruct and reverse-engineer the small spacefaring vehicle. Team 10 consisted of several dozen ponies of all kinds, and they spent all their time talking eagerly about the things they had discovered while disassembling a totally alien craft. Others in the complex held them in high regard and almost all of them shared in Ivory’s feelings. “The devices, I mean.” “Oh, they call them shields, or kinetic barriers. They use the material called Eezo too. Speeding objects turn them on, but otherwise don’t block anything. A good idea, too, so the wearer doesn’t suffocate.” Cog opened the door to the room, wheeling in a large steel block from the forgery. On one side concentric circles were set into the metal, and behind him an armor rack borrowed from the Royal Guards’ armory followed, covered in a golden-colored robe. “Here’s the stuff you asked for, Professor,” he said in an eager voice. “The block was a bit of trouble at first, but I found some wheels for it--we can take them off for the test if you want. And, uh, who’s gonna wear this?” The model was a unicorn pony and set at the base of its horn was a thick gold ring, as if someone had sliced a cylinder width-ways, with two prongs that sat on either side of the model horn, shaped and colored like lightning bolts upside-down. Their points almost touched the tip of the horn, and cloth straps ran down the back behind the ears to attach to the main portion. The robe on the back of the model hung loosely; strips affixed with small diamonds swayed and swung with its movements through the room, and strips of shining purple runes crisscrossed across its entirety. “Why, Ivory of course,” Pushbutton said. “She is the most adept at magic among the three of us.” “B-but, Professor,” she began to argue, “I don’t--” “No buts about it, Ivory. I know you’re not a magic specialist, but you’re better at it than either of us and you know it. Just put on that clearance outfit and we’ll get started.” “Is that what this is?” Cog asked loudly, eyeing the clothing up and down. “The pony down at the armory said this thing had been covered in dust where he found it and had no idea what it did. What does it amplify?” “It allows amplification of a certain kind of magic the user casts. For this model, it will be lightning strikes. Go on, put it on.” “Lightning...” she sighed. She had never been very good at magic, even as a unicorn pony. There were plenty of other ponies in Equestria who were much better than her; she knew some of the best magic users were in this complex somewhere. And lightning strikes? She could cast little more than a little spark or shock from her horn at some of her friends as jokes, but only when she was near enough and concentrated deeply. In fact, telekinesis was the only kind of magic she could use at all, and even then it was only on things like clocks, watches, books, and locks. Engineering had been the obvious choice for her career. Reluctantly, she levitated the ring down around her horn and fastened the straps around her body. The cloth clung to her lightly and, save for the weight of the device on her horn and the diamond fasteners, she could hardly feel its presence. “Good. Now Ivory,” Pushbutton said in that tone of a teacher he so enjoyed using, “I want you to focus on the space right in front of the block. I’m going to throw something at it, and I want you to strike it with a lightning bolt as fast as and hard as you can.” “Professor,” she started to object, “I’m no good at this kind of magic. I can barely make a spark at something standing still. How am I supposed to get something in motion?” “C’mon, Ivory. I know you can do it!” Cog encouraged. Professor Pushbutton sighed and his horn started to glow as a small metal pointer levitated over from the table near the large green chalkboard. It came to a stop about two feet from his face, hanging in a light purple glow. “That outfit will increase your magic exponentially, regardless of your talent. I’ve read of the magic testing from when you were younger, and I can say with certainty that you’re suited for this. Now, focus on your horn, feel the power lent by the suit; it has been enchanted by both Princesses themselves to help ponies increase their magical strength. Try and hit this pointer with a bolt of lightning.” She concentrated on the feeling of the suit and the ring with the lightning bolts on either side of her horn. Her horn began to glow, and she felt lighter; like a burden of which she had been unaware had been lifted from her shoulders and back. She felt she could jump and fly out of the room. Imbued with confidence, she now focused on the pointer in the air before her, the endless possibilities of her new abilities overshadowing the feelings the suit had initially effected on her. In an instant, a tiny thundercloud the size of her own head was summoned from aether above the pointer and fired a string of blindingly bright light at it. It only lasted an instant, but the pointer now glowed red-hot, sending curls of white smoke into the air. “I knew you could do it Ivory!” Cog shouted, leaning back to clop his hooves together. “Good, Ivory,” Pushbutton smiled widely. He turned to Cog. “Hold this while I fetch the goggles.” The other pony’s horn glowed in response, keeping the glowing rod from touching anything while the professor retrieved the protective eyewear. Ivory blushed. It had to be true, then, that this outfit she now wore was enchanted by the Princesses of the Day and Night. She swelled with pride, standing a little taller. The Professor returned with a set of goggles for the two of them, his pair already covering his eyes. “Here, put these on, Ivory. You’ll be doing much more than just heating things up here. Much more.” Cog’s eyes widened and he smiled at the idea. Ivory slid them on and giggled at Cog, who’s goggles were a tad too big for his face and fit awkwardly on his head. The Professor let out a small cry as Cog’s concentration broke on the pointer, levitating it himself when the struggling pony let it drop. “Cog, you should be more careful,” the Professor chided warmly. “Now Ivory, I want you to focus on the space in front of the block--put a cloud above beforehand if you wish. I’m going to throw this pointer at the target, but I want you to use lightning to prevent it ever reaching it. “But, um, how am I going to do that with nothing but lightning, Professor?” she asked, flabbergasted at the very idea. “It won’t affect its direction or velocity.” She created a small dark thundercloud above the area in front of the block as she spoke. She looked over at Cog for help, but he was listening intently to the Professor. “I’m not asking you to do either of those things, Ivory. Think about what I asked.” She looked to Cog for help again, but he just returned a blank stare. He was as stumped as he was. She turned to look at the space in front of the block, thinking hard of ways she could use the lightning to move the pointer as it flew in the air. Perhaps she could create opposing magnetic charges in the block and the pointer to repel each other--no, she had no idea how to use lightning to do something that advanced! Today was the first time she had been able to make a proper bolt at all, much less this! Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she caught the mischievous grin on the Professor’s face as he threw the pointer, still red-hot from earlier, like a dart at the block next to her. In desperation she chose to simply make this bolt as powerful as she could muster, her horn now blazing with a purple light. Her eyes couldn’t move fast enough to keep up with the pointer, and she closed them tightly in concentration. She could feel the blast rock her back onto her hind legs; even from behind her eyelids, she could see the flash, and the sound was deafening in the large room. When she opened her eyes some of the tables had been knocked over and loose papers were strew across the entire room. She spotted Cog first when his head popped up from behind an overturned lab table, his head swaying dizzily. The Professor stood up in front of another, his legs shaking as he did, but a wide grin on his face despite what had happened. “Much better than I expected,” his voice was faint even in her ears despite his shouting. “Princess Celestia will be most pleased at our progress!” “What progress?!” she shouted in reply, “We’ve only proved that the suit works!” She trotted over to help Cog back to his hooves. Pushbutton had a hoof up to his ear as he inspected the face of the metal cube. His eyes widened in realization. “Oh wow! Ivory, come look at this!” Specks of red-hot metal peppered the entire side. Here and there larger bits of molten metal faintly glowed, but the rest had already blackened and cooled into dust inside the tiny pits made by their impact. The surface was perfectly smooth in the three innermost circular markings. “Do you realize what this means?” the professor’s eyes were wide, and a smile stretched his open mouth. “Ivory, take the robes and the gun to the testing chambers on level 48. Cog, follow her and bring the block. I’m going to stop by the metal shop and get my hands on a barrier generator!” His sudden exit into the hall caught him in the path of two other ponies passing through, carrying stacks of papers on their backs. Stumbling into their sides, the loads were scattered about the hall in a flurry of black ink on white parchment. With a quick apology, the Professor’s body struggled to catch up to where his mind was taking him. Cog looked closely at their target as Ivory focused on the gun in front of her. He expected her to take that three levels down? She could barely hold the book in the air on the way back from the library, much less something almost as big as her head. Perhaps she could convince Cog to pull it on top of the cube, she could move that far easy. Calming herself, she focused on lifting it. It sprang into the air, perfectly suspended at eye-level. She raised an eyebrow and turned her head for a moment, expecting it to start sinking, but there it remained. She turned to look at Cog. “Wow! Great job, Ivory! Maybe that suit makes you better at telekinesis too!” She smiled and nodded her head, deciding not to point out his oversight.

iheartfornax

32

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Trixie,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Magic Effect

incomplete

<p>Through the workings of an ancient scroll, the world of ponies is transported to another universe. Will this cold, heartless, and uncaring void be the end of ponies everywhere? For to carve out a place of their own in this new galaxy, what ancient secrets, forbidden practices, and forgotten artifacts must see the light of day and night?</p>

everyone

2012-01-16T04:25:10+00:00

2012-01-16T04:25:10+00:00

Celestia spied Luna as she walked into her throne room talking to one of her Royal guards. The sun was setting, sending soft orange and red shades onto the walls and bathing the room in gentle colors. She gave her head a quick jerk to the side when her sister noticed her entrance, and they walked casually into her room. “My, I can see you’re taking quite a liking to that pegasus, my sweet little sister.” Celestia chuckled. Luna blushed. “Starbuck is quite a pegasus, big sister.” She smiled to herself. “I’d like to ask you to transfer him to my own personal guard. I am sure he would not mind the change of coat.” “Or the new company,” she smiled back. The doorframe to Celestia’s room passed overhead as they made their way to the mirror. “He’s yours. I’ll tell him when I get back. Now,” her horn started to glow slightly, causing the mirror next to her to flash to life, “I have something to show you.” Stars appeared across the mirror and streaked as she moved it’s view around in the sky far above the world. Luna looked on in genuine interest; she had abandoned the use of her magic mirror when the night had only revealed darkness wherever ponies were sleeping, so this ability had become fresh in her mind again after its long absence. The view turned to face the moon, aglow in its early rise, and centered on a small silhouette. From this distance it looked like a small prickly object, and only uglier as the view came closer and closer: two pockmarked orbs, full of little lights and rectangular holes and thin pointy spikes and scratches and burn marks and what she could only guess was red lettering, were bridged by a metal latticework that surrounded a smaller shaft that solidly connected them, with orbs and boxes and drooping wires scattered about its length. This horror was a blot upon her beautiful moon. “I found it this morning. This is the thing that the creatures of Rough Space use to travel the great distances between worlds, sister. This is what the Batarian was calling his ‘ship.’ And there are more of his friends inside it.” Luna looked at her in disbelief. “They have remained? What possesses them to stay so close?” “I don’t know, Luna. Whatever the reason, it probably isn’t in our best interests. You’re going to need to wake up Dusk and go ask them.” She closed her eyes in a grin. “I sure hope they’re friendly!” Luna’s eyes widened at the mention of Dusk. How many years had it been? Her time on the moon was fleeting compared age of that name. After a second, the fond memories of Dusk came flooding back to her; a torrent of sights and sounds of the adventures they had experienced together. “I have already selected a group of friends to power her, Luna. They’re waiting for you to show them down to the storage area.” “And a compliment of Pegasi?” “I’ve already made arrangements for your ‘Vigil Nocte’ to be reestablished. They’ll be waiting for you.” Twilight Sparkle trotted quickly to Carousel Boutique, Spike bouncing along on her back, grinning ahead eagerly. The white and purple pony was found inside humming in front of her sewing machine, the walls lined with dresses on pony models in varying stages of completion. Several objects floated in the air around her surrounded with a light blue aura. Her focus wasn’t broken when Twilight’s entry rung the bell at her door. “Um, hello?” Twilight asked, unsure if she should be interrupting. “Oh! Twilight, Spike!” Rarity blinked. “I didn’t hear you enter. How long have you been standing there? I’m so sorry to keep you waiting.” “Oh, we just got here.” “H-hey Rarity,” Spike waved at her, a dreamy look in his eyes. “Hello, dear,” Rarity replied, completely ignoring the longing looks. “So, are you…” Twilight looked about the room, “…busy?” “Why, yes actually. I’m afraid I’m behind on a couple orders.” She returned to her sewing for a moment to finish a stitch in the fabric, then looked over her glasses to see Twilight still looking at her. “Oh, I’m sorry, did you need something?” “Yes, I need you to come with me over to the library. I have something to tell everypony and it’s...kind of important.” “Well, I always have time for my friends, Twilight. What is it? Some news?” She started to put away the objects she had suspended back into various cubbies and drawers throughout the shop. “It’s, uh, complicated. I had hoped to explain it all when the others get there.” Twilight turned to leave. “Others? Who else is coming?” Rarity asked, trotting quickly over to her side. “Well, I saw Applejack earlier and she said she’d come,” Twilight turned to face Rarity when they both were outside. “And Rainbow Dash too, but she’s getting Fluttershy. All that’s left is-“ “Hey!” Pinkie Pie’s nose pressed up against Twilight’s, sending her head back a few inches in surprise. “Hi Twilight! I saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy all going to the library earlier, so I thought I’d find you and see what’s going on? Are you having a party? Is it somepony’s birthday and I just forgot? I usually don’t forget anypony’s birthday, except for sometimes my own, like that one time I-” “Pinkie Pie!” Twilight interrupted, “I was just going to go looking for you. I need you to come with me to the library too. I’m not having a party, just an, um, get-together.” She laughed hesitantly at Pinkie Pie’s stare. “Okey-dokey-lokey! Sounds like fun! We could make it a party anyway! Look, I even brought some streamers and other party stuff!” She reached behind her and pulled out some party whistles from out of nowhere, unfurling them among a rain of confetti. “I’m not sure that would work, Pinkie. This isn’t a party, I just need to talk to you all. Really.” “Oh dear, I hope it’s not bad news.” Rarity put a hoof up to her chest. “It’s not bad news, is it Twilight? That would just make my day simply awful.” “Okay, I think everypony’s here,” Spike said, fetching the book Celestia had sent from Twilight’s bed. The ponies had finished gathering around the book in the center of the library, giving both Twilight and the book quizzical looks. Twilight sighed, both nervous and sad at the prospect of the task ahead. A wise pony had once said: “The pony that increases in knowledge, thusly increases in sorrow.” At first she had thought little of it, that it couldn’t be that bad, but now she knew all too well. There were things that were better forgotten. But the Princess herself had charged her with telling her friends about this, about the history of Equestria forgotten to all the but the oldest of dragons and the immortal Rulers of Equestria. Where should she start? The origins of Equestria? The Unfortunate Enemies? The Great War? She doubted any of the ponies with her could even grasp the very idea of war, much less that ponies had any hoof in it. Another thought occurred to her: how would each of them receive this? Being ponies, the Blessing of The Sisters was on each and every one of them, herself included. She hadn’t succumbed to the ideas presented in the book, and she had grown up reading books on (what she thought at the time) every conceivable subject, and she was fine. Antisocial, but fine. Fluttershy worried her. The sensitive pony would probably cry her eyes out. What about Rainbow Dash? She knew the blue pony was very competitive, almost aggressive, but nothing tragic had come from it; would the ideas of- “Twilight!” Spike called, poking her shoulder. She shook her head. “Uh, Twi? You ok?” Applejack asked. “Yeah,” Rainbow Dash interjected, “What’s this book you gotta tell us about? Are we gonna have to sit through a lecture?” She crossed her forelegs, hovering just above the floor. Twilight took a deep breath. She had to do it, the Princess had told her to. It was now or never, she told herself. “Well girls,” she started, “Princess Celestia sent me this book a few days ago and she said that I would need to tell all of you about it.” Rainbow Dash groaned. “You asked us over here to listen to a book report?” “No,” Twilight quickly responded, shaking her head, “Well, not really. I just have to-“ Spike’s burp interrupted her. A letter bound with red ribbon and bearing Celestia’s seal floated among sparkles in the air. “Oh, a letter from Princess Celestia!” Spike instantly grabbed it out of the air and opened it, her previous train of thought completely gone. “Dear Twilight, my most yadda yadda…” he began, reading ahead silently, “You and your friends are hereby summoned to Canterlot, and are to leave as soon as possible!” “Canterlot?” Rarity squealed in delight. “My my my, what for?” “Ooh! I love guessing games!” Pinkie Pie shouted, bouncing up and down on her hooves. “Is it a party? A Royal Party?” “Aw yeah, a trip to Canterlot! The Wonderbolts are having an air show there in two days!” Rainbow Dash pulled in one of her fore-hooves. “I’ll be-I mean, we’ll be able to go see them!” Pinkie was still bouncing up and down beneath her making guesses. “Now hold on there, Pinkie. He hadn’t said what the invitation is about.” Applejack put a hoof on Pinkie Pie’s chest, keeping her on the ground. “Go ahead, Spike.” “Hmm…” Spike eyes narrowed, “It doesn’t say. Just that transportation will be provided at-“ A loud knock sounded on the door, startling them. Twilight walked over and opened it with her horn to see two white, gold-covered pegasus ponies. “Oh, um, hello sirs.” “Miss Sparkle,” the one on the right addressed her, recognizing her instantly. Twilight wished she could do the same for the guardsponies, but they all looked the same to her. “We are here to give you and your friends transport to Canterlot, immediately.” “We have provided a chariot to bring your friends without wings,” the other said. “The Princess has told us to prepare for four. Is this correct?” The first one asked. “Yes, that’s correct,” she replied, unsure which one she should answer. She supposed that Spike could just sit on her back in the chariot. “We are prepared to leave whenever you are ready, Miss Sparkle,” the second one answered. “Um, excuse me sirs, but you’ll have to give me and my friends and few minutes to prepare.” She turned and looked at her friends, the same faces of wonder and excitement that they wore when they arrived now had a different reason. She sighed; she hadn’t been able to tell them yet. She had no idea how to summarize it in the few minutes they did have, and most of them needed to make some preparations for their responsibilities here. Time had run out for her, and the Princess would be so very disappointed. “Well, are any of you ready to go to Canterlot? I’m sure that there are some things you have to take care of first.” “Oh, darling, nothing says importance like getting behind on orders because of Royal Business,” Rarity said, all smiles, “I can make time in my schedule.” “Big Macintosh can take care of the farm for a day or two,” Applejack said. “I always have time for the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow Dash did a flip in the air, “I mean, uh, the Princess.” Pinkie Pie gasped, then sped out the door and between the guards without a word. Twilight looked at Fluttershy, who simply nodded. “Well, I guess that’s everyone who’s going,” Twilight told the two guards. “I think a couple of us need to pack first.” The guards turned and trotted back to the chariot parked near the library where two more waited, already in the harness of the chariot. “Twilight, I simply must get my best clothes to go see the Princess,” Rarity told her, “I just have to run back to my shop and-“ “There! All packed!” Pinkie Pie shouted, reappearing next to them. A pair of saddlebags dropped from her mouth on the ground in front of them. Applejack’s and Rarity’s saddlebags, fully-packed. “I wanted to go right now, so I just stopped at Rarity’s and Applejack’s house to get their saddlebags on the way so we wouldn’t have to wait! Look, they’re all full of the stuff they need, plus I have my own too, see?” Twilight raised an eyebrow at the pink pony. “Pinkie, Carousel Boutique and the Apple Family Farm aren’t on the way to Sugarcube corner.” “Ah, thanks Pinkie Pie!” Applejack walked over and picked up her saddlebags, setting them on her back. Rarity opened her bags, picking out a scarf and some stylish wind goggles before donning them too. Twilight put her face to her hoof; she knew better than to ask how she did it. Starbuck’s eyes stung a little. The dye still burned on his coat, and rubbing his eyes only brought him tears. He trotted down the marble and gold corridors of Celestia’s castle to the armory and felt pride when the ponies that passed him left their eyes on him a little too long—it had been quite a long time since anypony had seen wings of purple that close to black, save Nightmare Moon, and he was among the first in a thousand years. He made an effort not to smile at anypony. It was easy as a guard to be stone-faced all the time, but here, deep within the Palace and off-duty, the absence of warm greetings between the members came off as sullen, even pouty. A toothless, closed-mouth smile in return would let the others know he was in pain, then they’d ask what was wrong, and he’d have to open his mouth. Mason was already waiting for him at the chow hall, wearing his gleaming light-purple Knightmare Armor. The curves of his flowing plates ended in accentuated points. His helmet helped keep his mane, which looked like a purple and blue wing of a bat, standing upright, and the metal swept into points at the end of his snout. The sides of his ornate purple shoes joined together along a tall edge at the front, and at his chest dark purple, nearly black, swept forward from the base of his wings to join at a clasp that looked like a light blue iris with a slit pupil. Which was also the most noticeable alteration: Mason’s eyes were a dark gold and had the same slits for pupils. The line of ponies extended past him around the walls of the room, chatting amongst themselves and the ponies already standing at the tables nearby. Every now and then he’d notice one of the groups stop talking for a moment to look at him and Mason, who was motioning him over to the head of the line. “Starbuck!” Mason called, “Glad to see you could make it in time for dinner, thought the operations might take a little longer than expected. Mouth still sore?” Starbuck had seen him last only this morning, but the success of today’s operations on him were as plain as day, and he showed no discomfort from either the alterations nor the looks his open mouth garnered in the crowded room. Starbuck’s head still throbbed from the recent changes and he didn’t want to risk cutting his tongue again, so he simply nodded. “Well, that’ll pass with time. You’d better get used to using your mouth more, Knightmare!” He turned and walked into the doors leading into the kitchen, a quick tilt of his head telling Starbuck to follow. They passed through many chef ponies who blustered and neighed at the strangers’ blundering walks; while they had learned to move through the kitchen with ease, Starbuck and Mason blundered between the cramped counters, ovens, and vats nearly knocking over several trays of food and a few pots of soup. Mason’s armor didn’t make it any easier on them, but they reached the trot-in refrigerator without incident. A purple unicorn pony with a large chef’s hat met them with a queasy look. “Mason, I presume?” “That’s right. Me and Starbuck here need a couple plates of dinner. Extra rare, please, and hold the steaming,” Mason replied confidently, ignoring or oblivious to the scrunching brow of the pony in front of him. A couple slow nods and the chef disappeared into the fridge for a moment, while Mason led Starbuck over to the a folding table near the back of the kitchen the chefs used as a break area. They each sat down on either side and, beyond the view of so many ponies, Starbuck allowed himself to open his mouth to ask the questions pressing on him. “Is this some kind of special food for us?” he asked. “Yes,” Mason answered as if he had been waiting for Starbuck ask, “and tomorrow’s special order will the the last one served to you in a kitchen, if I have anything to say about it.” “What do you mean? And what’s ‘Rare’? Some kind of weird spice or sauce?” He hadn’t ever heard of something like that, even living within the palace with the nobles and the Princesses’ with their exotic meals of strange flowers, vegetables, and grasses imported from all corners of Equestria—-but then, the life of a guardspony didn’t really involve regular meals of gourmet cooking. “Ha!” Mason guffawed, “Spice! That’s pretty good, Starbuck.” He paused for a moment, brining a hoof up to his chin. “Those new teeth probably hurt your mouth, don’t they? Bet’cha cut your tongue on them a few times already.” Starbuck nodded in agreement. “Do you know why you got that operation?” “Well, I suppose I-“ “Ah, the food is ready!” Mason interrupted, turning to look at the plate floating near to his table. Starbuck turned to look for his chef, and spotted the unicorn’s glowing purple horn on the farthest side of the room, one hoof over his nose. Strange, he thought, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a chef pony make something that stank before--maybe it’s the extra Rare on my food. He turned back to inspect his plate, and his own nose shared its opinion with the chef who left as soon as the plates hit the table. His head pulled back a little at the sight, then up to Mason, his own mouth agape to ask questions with a lost voice. “Eat! You’re a Knightmare now, you’ll eat like one!” Mason barked at him, pointing a hoof at the disgusting dish. Starbuck looked down at his plate again, his mouth still hanging open. An identical meal sat on the plate opposite him, in front of Mason, who stared at him. “Is…is this what I think it is?” Starbuck managed to ask. “Yes. Now stop talking and start eating! I know you’re hungry, they don’t let you eat or drink for a long time before operations, and lemme tell ya’ that the stuff on this plate and another one just like it is the only thing you’re gonna eat today.” Lemon Hearts was nervous as she followed the Princess of the Night through the ancient underground corridors. Behind her five of her friends trotted on in silence; their day had been long already before they had been voluntold to help Luna. The permanent illumination of the warmly lit, cream-colored halls had thrown their sleep schedules out of order, and they could see the small dark circles under their eyes in the brass-covered pillars that extended from floor to ceiling and hugged the walls down every corridor. Luna, however, stood in stark contrast; light didn’t quite reflect off her dark blue coat, but rather fell against it and drowned. She maintained the same shade regardless of shadows or light, and Lemon wondered if she would turn invisible in the dark. If darkness existed anywhere in this labyrinth of halls. She hadn’t spied any windows or markings of any sort in their descent into the mountain, and had lost track of the time entirely. Behind them all followed several Knightmares: ponies in the Night Guard dedicated to protecting Luna. Reflections of the halls glinted off their brightly polished armor, and underneath were their coats of an unnatural gray. Swirling arcs were engraved above their eyes on their helmets, flowing up to meet the bat-wing manes on top. They had seemed nice enough, but then again, most of the Royal Guards didn’t talk much when on duty. After such a long walk, they stopped abruptly in front of a large, ornate door in the side of the hallway. The dimensions of the passage had been slightly expanding since the turn so far back, but she hadn’t noticed it until now. Silver filigree twisted and curled at its edges against flawless obsidian, and she estimated that perhaps ten ponies would have to stand on each others’ backs to touch the top. Luna’s horn glowed as she operated a small lever at normal pony height. The door opened with a hiss, letting out a small breeze past her and her friends; her ears felt the decrease in pressure in the hall, like going up too fast in a balloon. “My dear ponies,” Luna smiled, “please enter.” She gestured with a hoof to the door, and the three of them obeyed. Now the walls were a light purple, or maybe blue, with sweeping curves carved in the stone for doors and windows. Luna continued to lead them deeper and deeper into what Lemon was sure was Luna’s private wing of the castle. As they trotted, lights began to flicker on here and there from out of the dim light of the corridors, filling the halls with soft illumination. The room they stopped in had a short pillar in the center, with smaller ones surrounding it. A large throne with a crescent moon for its back sat on the opposite side. It reminded her of the small outdoor theater seating she had helped create back home. A large dome of a ceiling topped it off, and every surface had certain parts made of black stone; the podiums were topped with a slate of it, the inside of the dome was inset with it, and on the throne the armrests were covered in it. The floor stepped down surrounding the pillar in the center like an angular bowl; Lemon was reminded of a small outdoor theater they had once made back home. “Wow...” Lemon’s voice faded. “What is this place?” “Thou stands before the Center of Command,” Luna started proudly, “it shall serve to control the entirety of my Sky Palace. But first, we must awaken it. Please, come hither.” “A-awaken it?” Roseluck started. Luna led them up around the pillar at the bottom, where she sat down on her haunches in front of it. “Gather and join thine hooves,” Luna commanded, “Now, close thine eyes and dwell on thoughts of thy friends, thy sweet memories of companions and good times had by all.” It seemed like an odd thing to do, but they did as they were told. Lemon looked around, across the top of the stump of a column, before she closed her eyes at her friends with her: Bumblesweet, Roseluck, Cherry Spices, Lillyblossom, and Sugar Grape. A fuzzy feeling crept into her after a moment. These were the friends she had grown up with at the edge of Manehatten, her best friends that had been with her through thick and thin, who remained her friends even when she had been cold or uncaring or made mistakes. She began to remember the things they had been through together, the fond memories of their adventures, their sleepovers, tea parties, and everything else about them that made her feel increasingly warm inside. Light flashed beyond her eyelids, and she opened her eyes in time to see Luna’s horn glow, firing a small spell into the point at the center of the dome overhead. Her friends’ smiles turned upward to watch the fizzles and sparks of the spell’s aftereffects that sprinkled down around them. Lemon looked around the room, and she could see small motes of light begin to sparkle on top of the podiums in sharply-defined shapes of Equestrian runes. “Good evening, Princess Luna. It’s been a long time,” Lemon heard a sweet voice behind her say. It didn’t sound like any of her friends, and as far as she knew, they were alone in here. She turned back to find its source and saw it in the middle of them all. Between them stood what appeared to be a unicorn comprised entirely of magic light: her form looked semisolid, as if glass with a deep blue tint; only her green eyes (that which they could see) looked like anypony else’s; and light reflected and shimmered off of glitter that danced around inside her, beneath her skin. Lemon spied the sign of a sunset on her flank, colored deep red. “Dusk!” Luna shouted happily as the crystal pony jumped down to hug her, “So, very, very long!” She seemed solid enough. “I guess I should be thankful I can’t count that high, Luna,” Dusk smiled. She looked over Luna’s shoulder to the other ponies in the room. “Hello! Who are you?” “Dusk, these are the ponies we used to wake you. Their friendship brought you forth from your eternal slumber!” Luna was all smiles at this point, a marked difference from her usual demeanor. “What are you?” Cherry Spices asked bluntly, “Why do you look so different?” “Heh, it has been a long time Luna. That’s a good thing, I guess.” She looked at Cherry and the rest of the group as she spoke, “My name is Dusk, and I’m the pilot of this Sky Palace.”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T05:57:23+00:00

2011-09-19T05:57:23+00:00

The acrid scent of rot and decay. That was the first scent to fill Twilight’s nostrils as her eyes fluttered open slowly, hooves trying to quickly cover her nose as she adjusted to the lack of light. After a few moments of her eyes darting around she stood up slowly, the scent weakening from its original intensity as it was replaced by grogginess and the onset of a headache. As she let out a groan, rubbing her forehead lightly, she heard similar sounds behind her. She turned around and closed her eyes to focus past the headache, a bright light forming from the tip of her horn. Its glow illuminated her friends who were slowly standing up and adjusting to the sudden light and awakening themselves. Rainbow Dash hovered up off of the ground, hooves shielding her eyes. “Not so bright, you’re gonna make this headache worse.” The light dimmed as the six ponies were still illuminated, standing in what seemed like a pool of mud and dirt within a rotting tree. The interior walls were overgrown with vines and weeds and it seemed like the tree would collapse without them. Rarity was quick to begin fidgeting, trying to get caked bits of mud out of her mane and coat as she hoped to suppress a panic attack. “Yuck! Of all of the disgusting places for some spell to take us. It’ll take me forever to get my mane back to pristine condition. It’s like I’ve been tossing and turning in the stuff for days!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack simply rolled their eyes as they moved over to Twilight, who seemed just confused as the rest of them. Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie tried their best to calm Rarity down, despite how impossible a task it seemed. Applejack looked down at Twilight, who appeared focused on looking for her own answers as she stared into the mud. “You... do know where it took us, don’tcha Twilight? I mean, we couldn’t be too far from Ponyville, right?” Applejack tried to keep a smile as she spoke, though it was a bit difficult considering the situation they were in. Twilight looked up at Applejack, nervously smiling back to her. “Not... exactly. But, I’m not talented enough to take us all that far. We’re probably just... somewhere in the Everfree Forest. I mean it is wild enough to be.” Twilight turned around with the tree, focusing the light on the walls as she saw a torn section of bark leading out of the decrepit tree. She looked back to the others, noting that Rarity had at least calmed down a little, though she was still tugging at parts of her mane every few moments. The others were gathered around her, waiting for Twilight to the lead the way. As they stepped through the hole, Twilight’s horn illuminated the forest, moonlight shining weakly through the canopy. There wasn’t any way to see the night sky clearly, and so Twilight decided that they should at least find a clearing nearby to get a sense of their location. The six trotted along slowly through the thick woods, trying to search for a break in the treeline. Fluttershy shook nervously near the back of the pack. “S-should we really be going off in some random direction? What if there’s something dangerous out here?” Applejack looked back at her, slowing down to get to her side, “We have to find someway outta here. Besides, we’ve handled ourselves just fine here before, so don’t you go frettin’ Fluttershy. Once Twi finds out where we are we’ll be out lickity split.” Rainbow Dash hovered over the others as she looked up at the rough canopy, her wings flapping idly. “Or I can just fly up now and find out for us. It’s not like it wouldn’t take me a minute.” Twilight slowed down, looking back at the pegasus. “No, if something happened to you we’d have no way to know about it. Just wait until we find a clearing and then you can fly around all you want.” The pegasus landed back on the ground, sighing heavily, “Fine... I still don’t know why you had to have us with you to try that spell in the first place.” “You would have preferred if I vanished without a trace and ended up here on my own?” Twilight responded, rather smugly. “... Good point.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It seemed like hours passed by before they managed to see stronger beams of light shining through the trees ahead. As the group entered the small clearing, they could see the night sky clearly and Rainbow Dash took the opportunity to jet up into the air. The others took a chance to rest their hooves for a moment as Twilight looked up at Rainbow Dash. “What do you see Rainbow Dash?!” she called out from the ground below. It took a few moments before Rainbow Dash flew back down to the ground, looking a bit worried, “I-I don’t know. There’s forest in every direction, and a few mountains, but I saw smoke in the distance. Maybe somepony is out camping?” she proposed with a slight grin. Pinkie jumped up between the two. “Oh yay, we can throw them a camping party then! I mean I don’t have any balloons or streamers or cake or anything but maybe I can whip up something with some sticks and leaves and berries.” Twilight seemed a bit amused as she dismissed the comments from Pinkie Pie, looking at Dash. “I guess it’s the only thing we have to go on. Point the way Dash, we’re right behind you.” Rarity sighed as the group marched on, “I’ll never get a chance to clean this mess up at this rate.” “S-shouldn’t you be a bit more worried about finding our way home Rarity?” Fluttershy asked meekly, lowering her voice, “Or maybe finding food and water if we’re stuck here?” “I suppose so, but a girl still has to have her standards. Oh! And water would mean a chance for a bath. We’ll have to make sure to keep our eyes out for that then,” Rarity said gaining an air of confidence at the thought. “That’s... not exactly what I meant.” Applejack moved up beside Twilight, “Supposin’ it is somepony that’s causin’ that smoke. What exactly are we gonna do? We can’t ask some stranger to give six ponies food and shelter for nothin’ in return.” “I’m sure whoever it is will be more than willing to help us. Even if it’s only directions on how to get out of here.” She looked up at the sky. “Besides, the Princess will want a report on her spe- Ah!” Twilight was cut off as she felt a splitting headache, images of her home and the strange book she had read the spell from flashing in her head. She had received it from the Princess... hadn’t she? She could barely seem to remember. “Are you alright sugarcube?” Applejack asked, placing a hoof on Twilight’s back sympathetically. “Y-yes... just a headache, that’s all. It’ll be good to take some time and relax once we get home to Ponyville. The spell must have just... taken more out of me than I thought.” The pounding seemed to subside quickly as Twilight brought her thoughts back to the present, though she still felt troubled by the sudden pain. After a few more minutes of walking, they could finally see the smoke clearly from under the canopy. It wasn’t long before they felt a slight rumble in the ground, as if there were some kind of stampede off in the distance, and it only seemed to get stronger as they got closer to the smoke. None of them seemed fully certain in their course now, but given that they didn’t know where they were, it was the only thing they could do. “What if it’s something dangerous? What if it attacks us, or tries to eat us?” Fluttershy said hiding behind the others as they kept moving. “I told ya already Fluttershy, we ain’t gonna let nothing bad happen to us. Maybe the Princess just... sent some ponies out to look for us, that’s all,” Applejack said trying to comfort the pegasus, and quell her own doubts at the same time. “... Do you hear that?” Rainbow Dash said as the rumbling was getting louder. She flew up a few feet ahead of the rest. “It sounds like, I don’t know, some kind of machine.” The others looked confused as the rumbling and faint sounds in the distance were replaced with the crash of falling trees. Despite their better judgements they picked up the pace and charged forward. The rumbling grew stronger, and the sound of destruction and machinery filled their ears with each hurried step forward. It wasn’t long before they saw blinding lights coming from beyond a set of trees. A behemoth of metal was on the other side, a series of sharp claws and teeth at its front, cutting through the dense trees in its path as it bellowed dark smoke into the sky above. The six ponies did their best to hide, finding a set of heavy bushes close to the treeline. Whatever this monstrosity was built for, it seemed to be doing its job well as it progressed deeper into the dense forest, crushing whatever its gaping jaw did not swallow whole under a set of thick treads. However, it wasn’t the wanton destruction that had the six friends worried as they kept hidden, it was that there were a group of what looked like ponies following the monster at its side and rear, and they were wearing armor and helmets. It was almost like they were prepared to go war in the wilds they were cutting through, or at least prepared for a sudden fight. “Who the hay are these guys? They’re gonna tear apart this whole forest at this rate,” Rainbow Dash muttered quietly, barely managing to keep herself from charging headlong into the unknown to demand answers. “All of those poor critters and their homes... We can’t let them do this,” Fluttershy said strongly, gaining a bit of courage in her voice. “What are we supposed to do about it darling? It’s not like we can just waltz up to some soldiers and demand they stop doing... whatever it is they’re doing. Maybe they have to accomplish something important,” Rarity responded with a sigh. “We can’t just sit around and do nothin’, ain’t that right Twilight?” Applejack asked to the unicorn. “I-I don’t know... maybe we should just wait here until they leave an-.” Twilight was cut off as the large machine stopped, several of the armored ponies pressing a button on their suits, a pair of oddly shaped metal rods extending at their sides. Silence overtook the woods as the rumbling of the machine began to die down to a faint hum, and the rustling of leaves in the wind was the only thing that could be heard over it. They were looking around nervously as one of the soldiers stepped forward, a set of pins on the chest of his armor, though he was too far away for any of the six to tell what they were for. “It looks like a false alarm men. Now get moving. We don’t have any time to waste. We have to find what Her Highness wants and get out of here befo-” As he turned back to the other soldiers a spear flew through the air, grazing the side of his armor. It easily cut a section of his flank, crimson staining his armor. The rough sound of metal on metal cut the silence quickly as he glared at the trees. “Quickly! Take positions around the crusher! Spread fire in all directions! No prisoners!” The rest of the soldiers moved around the iron behemoth as they aimed the metal tubes at the seemingly empty wilds, a mix of thunder and fire filling the air as the leaves and branches of trees were torn-apart in seconds. A few of the girls let out a screech as Applejack jumped up. “We have to get outta here now!” It didn’t take much more than that for the rest of them to scurry out of the bush, trying to stay low as the forest was torn apart by shrapnel around them. Through either some stroke of luck or skill, none of them managed to be injured by whatever was being shot at them. Only the sounds of thunder and screams of agony echoed through the woods behind them as they kept running. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It seemed like an eternity passed as they kept running, even once the sounds of battle were silent in the distance. The six ponies managed to stumble into a clearing next to a waterfall, taking a moment of relief in their luck. All of them took another chance to rest their hooves, and to get something to drink. Rarity was especially enjoying the fact she had a chance to clean her mane, even if it was just to get the mud and leaves out. Rainbow Dash sighed as she kicked a rock into a nearby tree, “Great, so now we still have no idea where we are, and there’s some crazy psycho ponies out there trying to kill us?! Not to mention we don’t have any food at all! Can’t you just zap us out of here or something Twilight?” Twilight had been sitting on a nearby rock, trying to go over the predicament they had found themselves stuck in. They had no way back home, no idea where they were, and somepony out there was willing to destroy half the forest looking for... something. She looked up at the irritated pegasus, letting out a sigh. “No, I can’t. I don’t know which way Ponyville is, and even if I did, I’m too exhausted to get us there in the blink of an eye. Besides, I don’t think they were trying to kill us specifically.” “What the hay is that supposed to mean? They tore apart half the forest in our general direction.” Applejack stood up, walking over to Rainbow Dash. “Because something attacked ‘em. They had no idea we were even watchin’ them. But I reckon after our escape somepony had to notice us. Maybe they’ll come lookin’ for us.” “It stopped,” Pinkie Pie stated calmly as she looked up at the sky, the others looking confused at her for a second. “The smoke, it stopped,” she continued as she pointed in the direction they had ran from. Sure enough, the last bit of black smoke in the sky was fading into thin air as the six watched from the safety of the clearing. “D-do you think they got e-eaten by something?” Fluttershy asked, shivering. “That hunk o’ metal is probably done for at least. I don’t reckon whatever it was coulda done in that many soldiers though,” Applejack said rubbing her hoof idly along the ground. “We shouldn’t worry about that now,” Twilight said as she stood up on the rock, “We should try and get some rest here, and once morning comes we can probably walk around a lot easier.” The others nodded in agreement as they found a section of grass close to the waterfall, the sounds of rushing water fading as one by one they drifted off to sleep. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight’s dreams were not peaceful to say the least. Images befitting nightmares and horror stories were all that seemed to fill her thoughts as her mind kept trying to find its way back into the past, searching for some, any kind of answer. Each image flashing into her mind for only a moment, mixed within chaotic gibberish. The library she called home in Ponyville. “Are ya sure you should be tryin’ this Twilight?” A strange dark book filled with runes and scribbles. “Of course, the Princess wouldn’t send me a book to study if I couldn’t handle what was inside.” A picture of herself and her teacher, Princess Celestia, being burnt. “What’s happening?!” The ruins of the castle in the Everfree Forest. “I-I can’t feel anything... it’s getting so cold!” A solar eclipse. “Tw-twilight! What’s going on?! Stop it!” Darkness. “... I can’t.” A grin, staring at her from the shadows. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight leapt up from the ground in shock, gasping for air as sweat fell down her brow. She looked around as she began to calm down. “It... must have been a bad dream.” She held her head as the headache started to form again, a rustle in the trees catching her attention. Slowly, Twilight stood up, moving towards the forest’s edge, calling out into its empty confines, “H-hello? Who’s there?” There was no response as she lowered her head, sighing. “Right, just the wind... I should try and get back to sleep.” She turned around, face to face with a masked earth pony, a smooth facade of painted wood starring at her, cold eyes piercing through small holes. She jumped back, letting out a shriek in response, “W-who are you?!” She pointed her horn in the pony’s direction, trying to at least seem threatening. “I could ask you the same.” The voice was a colt’s, rough and aged. His coat was dark blue, an odd match to his brown mane of hair. Twilight could barely make out his cutie mark through the patches of armor on his body: an eagle. Her attention was pulled away from him as she noticed other masked ponies coming from the treeline, some of them with crude weapons attached to their sides. Her friends were just beginning to wake as Rainbow Dash and Applejack were quick to jump to their hooves, trying to get between the strangers and their path to the others. It was obvious that they were outnumbered, but they weren’t about to go down without a fight. There was a sharp whistle that cut through the air as the masked ponies began to back off. The one facing Twilight looked past her to the treeline, “Aqua? I thought you said that anypony left behind after the attack was to be taken out. We can’t let her-” An unmasked unicorn stepped out from the treeline with a light blue coat and white mane. Her appearance seemed unnaturally graceful considering the companions she was traveling with, adorned with a simple silver gown. She looked more like she belonged at a gala than the ragged wilds which surrounded her as she cleared her throat. “I am aware of my words, Breeze, but it seems the conditions have changed. You heard them talking before the attack, didn’t you? What they were searching for.” She walked up to Twilight, standing before the confused unicorn, looking back to her companions. “I think we have found them. The only thing she fears coming back to haunt her.” Twilight stood firm, horn still pointed at the masked pony. “W-what are you talking about?” Her friends moved up behind Aqua and Breeze, looking cautiously at the other masked ponies and the weapons they carried. A smile grew on Aqua’s face, one of sincerity and relief as she replied to Twilight’s question calmly, “You six... you’re the Elements of Harmony aren’t you? From the Legends of the Sun.”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:02:49+00:00

2011-09-19T06:02:49+00:00

Rainbow Dash nervously eyed the masked ponies that were escorting them through the woods. She still didn’t trust them, and she was sure that her friends felt the same way. After all, they were the ones that were about to attack them in their sleep, and then this Aqua showed up and they just wanted to back off like that? How the hay did she know who they were? Why were they following and attacking those soldiers? Who were they all working for? What was this Legend of the Sun nonsense? Applejack nudged Rainbow out of her train of thought, whispering to the edgy pegasus, “Would ya stop lookin’ like yer gonna tackle one of them to the ground and hold ‘em hostage? It’s not gonna make anything better. Besides, she said she’d answer our questions when we get somewhere safe, remember?” Fluttershy moved close to them, her voice low as well, “And they said they’d give us food and shelter too. So they seem... nice, I think.” Pinkie Pie hopped up next to them, avoiding the subtlety the others had managed as she shouted with her usual energy, “And then we can throw them a welcome party, well I guess they could throw us a welcome party, but maybe we could throw a ‘thanks for welcoming us’ party. Oh, but what if they don’t have balloons and streamers and cake leftover after the first party? I’ll have to work extra hard then to get the second party ready then.” Rarity rolled her eyes at the hyperactive pink pony. “We should probably hold off on the parties until there’s something to celebrate dear; like finding our way home.” “Oh, good idea Rarity! We can save the welcome party and ‘thanks for welcoming us’ party for when we get back to Ponyville, and we can show all our old friends our new friends.” Even in the oddest of situations Pinkie Pie was managing to put her joyful side forward, even if that seemed to be her only side. Twilight was walking a few feet ahead of the others as they conversed about the strange ponies that were leading them through the forest. She had her own questions to ask, but they would have to wait like all of the others. Well, all of them except for one perhaps. She trotted for a moment to get closer to Aqua at the head of the pack. Breeze was still at her side, keeping a vigilant watch around them. “Excuse me...Aqua was it? I’m sorry but, could you at least tell us where you’re taking us?” She tilted her head back, still showing the same sincere smile to the confused unicorn. “Of course, we’re going to Gallant Hollow. It’s our village here at the base of the mountain. It shouldn’t be much farther.” Breeze glared at Aqua. “Lady Aqua, we shouldn’t be talking about these things around them! How do we even know they’re n-” Aqua cut him off quickly, “We have to have faith Breeze... it’s what makes us different from the others, who only believe in the absolutes She gave them. It is why we follow the creeds of the Legend and why we are still alive here today. However, it is still possible somepony, or something, is watching... Crimson Sky, fly ahead and let the guards know we’re coming with guests, and that Pollen was injured during the raid.” The red-coated pegasus nodded as he took off just above the treeline, leaving the others behind. Aqua turned back to Twilight, “I do apologize for the secrecy, but given the circumstances...you’ll understand, I’m sure.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was about thirty more minutes before they were greeted by a heavy wooden gate, which swung open with a loud creak at their arrival. Inside was a sight that they had never seen, like finding an oasis tucked away within the dark woods. Before them was perhaps the largest tree anypony had seen in a lifetime, hollowed out and bustling with activity. Lights shone from its windows, and a small stream of water encircled the tree before snaking deeper into the village. Several smaller trees were hollowed out the same, with ponies running between them urgently, carrying papers or small packages. There were numerous tents set up around the hollowed trees, lit lanterns hanging at their entrance. It seemed like the village extended all the way to the base of the nearby mountain, which towered over their heads through the thick canopy, blocking out the moon in the night sky. As the gates closed behind them, two ponies wearing nurse capes came to the side of one of their escorts, a dark green pegasus pony whose wing appeared bound by gauze under his armor, stained a deep red. A white unicorn stepped up as the two helped him to a nearby white tent. “We’ll have things as good as new in no time Lady Aqua. Was he only grazed?” “Yes, luckily. Are the others gathered at the Hollow?” “Everypony couldn’t make it on such a short notice, but the majority are ready for your report.” “Good, that will be all.” She nodded to the unicorn before turning to the six ponies. “Please follow me, and do not stray far. This place is larger than you think.” She looked at Breeze. “You are relieved, your help was appreciated as always.” He nodded silently in return to her as he followed the white unicorn to the tent. Twilight looked at her friends, who could only offer a shrug in response. They didn’t have any choice now, if they even had one to begin with. Aqua led the group through a door at the base of the large central tree, with opened into a massive central room inside. All the way to the high ceiling they could see segmented floors, ponies running in and out of doors, some of which seemed to be meeting rooms, while the others were small offices. The open air leading up to the ceiling was filled with small objects floating magically in any given direction, or pegasus ponies quickly navigating from one floor to the next. Aqua began walking across the open room, a few ponies nodding in acknowledgement to her or exchanging a quick greeting. She took the six to a long staircase tucked into the corner, which ended at a large room above the ceiling at the top of the tree. As the door swung open, the sounds of debate quickly filled the air, as nearly twenty or so ponies of various age and appearance were caught up in at least ten different conversations. Aqua only rolled her eyes as she stepped into the middle of the room, the six ponies filing in behind her. The talking slowly subsided as their attention was focused on the strange ponies, though some kept muttering between one another. Aqua bowed to the group as they quieted, clearing her throat. “Thank you all very much for coming here on such a short notice. I have a few things to report. The first is that two new villages has been finished here in the Everfree Wilds. Both of them are far from the reach of Equestria, and Gallant Hollow still remains our closest stronghold to the borders. We have sent enough volunteers to aid them in stabilizing their food supplies and security, and their leaders will have more detailed reports within the week. We have also gained the support of another of the minor noble houses within the Kingdom, and every precaution is being taken to keep Her eyes averted from the exchanges.” It seemed surprising given the sounds of arguing beforehand that nopony had even attempted to interrupt Aqua during her speech. She continued on with various accounts that were beyond the comprehension of the girls. Politics, military movements, supply routes. What exactly were these ponies planning? “Which brings us to our most pressing development... Sir Breeze’s squad led an assault under my command on a convoy about 30 minutes away from here. When we noticed their movements we had thought that these troops were attempting to locate a village, but upon observation it seems their mission was one more pressing. They were searching for the Elements from the Legends, and I believe that we managed to find them first.” Every eye in the room turned to the six young ponies gathered near the door. All of them seemed confused still, Fluttershy hiding behind Applejack meekly as the others tried to stand tall. After only a few moments the room exploded into debate once again. “You can’t expect us to believe that these are the same from the legends, can you? That nonsense is over five hundred years old!” “We’ve followed the Legends for centuries, you want us to lose faith now?!” “A war cannot be won on faith alone. We need strength and supplies, not superstitions and prayer.” “If we deny their existence and they really are the Elements, we’re as lowly as those that serve Her!” “Enough!!!” Aqua’s voice echoed through the room as silence returned, “This meeting is adjourned for now. Any debate over this subject will have to wait for now. May the Sun’s Majesty see you all home safely.” It took a few minutes for the ponies to file out of the large room, still muttering amongst one another. Aqua stood alone as she let out a sigh, turning to the six. “I apologize that you were placed under such scrutiny, but not all of our members are as... faithful as I am. You may ask your questions now, if you would like.” Rainbow Dash had barely waited for Aqua to finish as she flew through the air, stopping a few inches from her. “How do you know who we are?” “From the Legends of the Sun, which speak of a brighter time in our history. A time when two sisters helped one another rule over this Kingdom in Harmony.” “What are you ramblin’ on about? We ain’t never heard of anything like that before,” Applejack interjected. “Because the six of you are from that time... it’s the only way. A thousand years ago, before the Usurper stole the throne from her sister, when the kingdom of Equestria shone bright like a beacon of hope. When light shined in this world, other than from a cold emotionless moon.” Fluttershy stuttered over her words, “W-what? A t-thousand years? But... we were just in Ponyville before Twilight cast her spell...” Rainbow Dash shrugged, chuckling at the thought, “Right, it’s just some kind of joke, isn’t it? There’s no way we could be gone for a thousand years... we’d be, well, long dead by now!” Aqua sighed heavily, shaking her head, “I know that it sounds odd, and I know that you don’t want to believe me, but this is the only explanation I can offer. Whatever that spell you cast was, it has brought all of you here today, and the Usurper knows about it.” Twilight walked up next to Rainbow Dash, pushing her back. “You said Usurper... Who are you talking about?” “You probably know her by her true name. Nightmare Moon. She who subdued the Sun’s Majesty and shrouded the world in darkness since that day one thousand years ago.” Everypony’s jaw seemed to drop as Rainbow Dash hovered back down to the floor. “That’s impossible, we beat her in the Everfree Forest, and Luna went back to normal, didn’t she?” She looked at Twilight questionably. The unicorn was at a loss for words as she turned to Dash, “I... don’t know. I mean, she seemed fine, and Princess Celestia spoke about her feeling well.” Applejack stamped a hoof onto the ground furiously “That little... She was just playin’ everypony for foals! I can’t believe we all fell for it.” Aqua stomped her hoof down a few times, hoping to keep the six focused as she continued, “Regardless of why she returned, she has been in control for over a thousand years. She destroyed most signs of her sister’s reign and let the Everfree Wilds overtake them. Every book that mentioned her, every city that stood as a sign of her rule, it was all crushed without question. Those that resisted her were either banished... or sentenced for high treason, but there were more than enough ponies willing to sell themselves to evil for a chance at survival and luxury. And so she rebuilt Equestria in darkness, a society where only those that served their queen without question were worthy of importance, or happiness. A world of cold machinery and oppression.” Rarity gasped, “T-that’s simply dreadful!” Fluttershy moved from behind Applejack. “B-but the Princess... How could she be defeated? She used the Elements of Harmony before when Nightmare Moon came.” “But you were all the Elements, in a physical form. Without you to call upon, the Princess had to stand alone against her sister. And in that hour she was tricked as well. The Legends say that her magic was taken from her by Nightmare Moon in the heat of battle, and then she surrendered wholly. Now you know why those soldiers, Nightmare Moon’s, were searching for you. Because you are all awake again, you are the only thing standing in her way, and she will do anything to stop that.” Pinkie Pie actually seemed depressed as she spoke up, “How are we supposed to do anything against a whole army of Black Snooty’s meanie pants soldiers? We’re only six ponies.” “That will have to wait until I can speak to the other Council members of the resistance. We may not be a part of Equestria anymore by name, but we will not see our brothers and sisters oppressed with no hope in sight. For now, I will lead you to your quarters for the time being. We are already overcrowded with a few refugees, but the village’s library has been quartered off for you. You can take a chance to read up on what you have missed after you get some food and sleep. What little there is to read at least...”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:05:16+00:00

2011-09-19T06:05:16+00:00

The small cots set up inside of the corner of the hollowed out tree were not the most comfortable thing a pony could have slept on, but considering the circumstances they were all in, it was about the best the six mares could have expected. Even as the lights of a nearby lantern were dimmed and good nights were exchanged, nopony could really find the urge to sleep. Rainbow Dash turned over, letting out a rough sigh into her pillow as she started chuckling under her breath. “H-how is any of this even possible? We couldn’t be gone for a thousand years, it’s just...it’s nonsense. And Nightmare Moon was in control this whole time and nopony did anything to stop her?” Applejack turned to face her. “I know it don’t make a lick o’ sense, but what else explains all this? Nopony’s ever heard of villages in the Everfree Forest, and here we are sittin’ in one... and just thinking that everypony in Ponyville is...” She bit her tongue, trying to hold back tears. There was a light sound of sobbing coming from one of the cots in the darkness, Fluttershy lifting her head in its direction. “R-rarity? Are you alright?” She quickly scrambled to wipe her face with her hooves. “O-of course darling. Just, getting something out of my eye... that’s all...” “You don’t... have to keep it in. If it’s something on your mind...” Fluttershy got out of her cot, moving to Rarity’s side. “I just... I never said goodbye to Sweetie Belle yesterday. There were so many things I could’ve apologized for, but now...” She grabbed at her pillow, feeling Fluttershy’s hoof on her back, “I can’t take any of it back, all of the times I put work first over spending time with her, or when I got short with her. To think about... how heartbroken she would have been without me I-...” Fluttershy wrapped her hooves around Rarity as the unicorn flung her head onto the pegasus’s shoulder, crying openly. Tears started to trickle down Fluttershy’s cheeks as she held Rarity close, her own thoughts drifting back to Ponyville, her cottage, and the meadow where all the animals she cared for lived. “H-How could they... without me?” she choked out, clinging tighter to Rarity, “A-all those poor animals... H-how could I not be there for them? How could I abandon them?” Her hooves shivered as she held on to Rarity, the two caving in to a wave of tears and sorrow. Applejack looked at the display in the dim light, still trying to hold back her own tears as she whispered to herself, “Everypony in the Apple Family... I promised I’d teach Red Delicious some lasso tricks at this year’s reunion, and I was going to ask Braeburn how things were in Appleloosa...and Apple Bloom.” Tears dripped down onto her pillow as she wiped her eyes with a hoof. “I’ll never get to see her face when she finally gets her cutie mark... to see how happy she’ll be...” Dash turned away from the others, letting out a small sigh as she muttered under her breath, “W-what is everyone crying about... i-it’s not that big a deal.” A smug smirk was plastered on her face as a tear started to stream down its side. “The Wonderbolts... who really needed ‘em? I-I was fine on my own... and that filly Scootaloo... S-she was a nice fan,but... she could’ve handled herself without me around.” The single tear was joined by others as Dash kept chuckling, muttering under her breath, “She... she would’ve kept thinking of me... trying to be like me... She would’ve stayed strong...” Twilight tried to push her own lamentations of the Princess, of Spike, of everyone to the back of her mind as she hoped to drift off to sleep amidst the cacophony of sorrow. After a few moments she heard mumbling at her side join the symphony. Her attention drawn was as she resolved that sleep was a hopeless endeavor, wiping a tear idly from her cheek. Pinkie Pie sat on the cot as she looked down at her pillow frowning, muttering under her breath, “Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Lyra, Bon-Bon, Derpy, Lotus, Caramel, Flora, Lily, Carrot Top, Daisy ...” Twilight looked at the others for a moment before turning to Pinkie. “Pinkie Pie... What are you doing?” “I-I have to remember everypony... I have to, to throw a party to make up for everything. For all the birthdays I missed, and holidays, and special occasions. And Mr. and Mrs. Cake’s anniversaries, they always liked it when I did something special for them... or Lyra and Bon-Bon. They always tried to keep things between them hidden, but everypony could tell how close they were. I was going to throw them the biggest party when they finally told everyone.” She smiled brightly as she looked at Twilight, dried tears matted along her cheeks. “W-we have to, right Twilight? Even if they aren’t here now...” Twilight smiled in return, wiping her own tears away. “R-right Pinkie, but... we should probably sleep for now though... I know we’re all upset about this... a-and it seems so hard to believe, but... we’re not going to get any rest like this...” Rarity dried her eyes, nodding as she gained her usual regal presence once again, though tears quickly replaced those wiped away. “Y-you’re right Twilight... this is no way for a lady to be acting at a time like this. T-thank you very much for your help Fluttershy, you’re a good friend and... I’m sure your animal friends w-were fine without you...” Rarity offered a smile through her tears, hoping to calm Fluttershy’s laments. “I-I know I... they could probably take care of themselves, but...” She tried to stop her tears as she trotted back to the cot, laying down. “A-angel bunny he... he would have been strong for them... I know he would have...” Her face gained a small smile as she nuzzled her pillow lightly. It took some time, but the room returned to a silence as one by one the ponies drifted off to sleep; the calm soon replaced by sobbing as their consciousness drifted off to dreams. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight’s dreams were once again tumultuous, constantly shifting between events she either couldn’t recall or found herself trying to forget. Somewhere amongst the tides of memory she found calm as her vision became focused. She felt cold, like all the heat from her body was gone. Her eyes were closed, but as she heard muffled voices in the distance, her mind filled with images once again. “You did wonderfully, I told you that the spell would work perfectly with your magic as the catalyst.” The dark leather bound book lay open on the floor, its pages flying past her eye before stopping at one in particular. The words were gibberish, but as runes danced off of the parchment, one started to become clear before it all faded to black. “None can challenge my will now, especially not her.” The ruins of the castle within the forest, a faint, purple glow coming from its empty windows as laughter filled the air. “And in return, I shall offer you everything you desire. Power. Fame. Im-.” The voice cut off as she saw the eclipse, hearing the sound of burning wood and screams in the distance. “The old Equestria is dead. From its ashes will rise a new, greater power: one controlled by her Majesty, Queen Nightmare Moon. If you do not wish to die with it, surrender now.” Red. The taste of metal. Crying in the distance. Heat growing warm against her cold skin, sweat pouring down her brow as- “Twilight? Twilight wake up!” Applejack nudged at the tossing and turning unicorn as she jumped up in the air, looking startled as her friends were gathered around her cot, worry on their faces. The library was well lit, and she could hear the sounds of the village as it bustled with activity once again. Even if the sun did not hang in the sky, the ponies of Gallant Hollow were certainly treating things like a bright new day. "W-what happened?” Twilight said rubbing her forehead, the visions from her dream starting to fade. Her eyes started to dart around the room as she saw a few loose bits of parchment and a quill in the corner. Rainbow Dash stamped her hoof down, trying to keep Twilight’s attention, “You looked like you were seeing ghosts, that’s what. And you kept mumbling to yours- Hey!” Rainbow Dash was caught off-guard as the unicorn leaped out of the temporary bedding and over to the papers. Her horn was glowing as she tried to scribble down every last detail she could recall before it faded from her memory. “What the hay is her problem? This is the third night in a row...” Rainbow Dash remarked glaring at Twilight, her wings flapping as she headed towards the door, “I’m gonna go grab some food again, I’m starving.” "Ummm...Twilight, I think we should maybe go with Rainbow Dash. Not that writing isn’t a...fabulously fun activity.” Rarity said as she trotted over to the door, Fluttershy following behind her meekly as she looked between the two unicorns. Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at one another before gazing over Twilight’s shoulder, the scribbles barely legible as they were coupled with drawings and small notes. Applejack tapped Twilight’s shoulder, “Ummm, Twi? What exactly are ya...drawing there this time?” She didn’t seem to respond as she was obsessed with the parchment and every detail on it. It took a few moments before she stopped, tears forming in her eyes, “I-I don’t know...I keep having these dreams and they’re...so vidid... I can’t tell if they’re nightmares or...” She held her forehead, “I need to lie down.” She slowly went back to the cot, laying down quickly. “We’ll go get you some chow and be back in a bit... Just try and relax Twilight, okay?” The two left as Twilight groaned, pulling a pillow over her head. Outside the lights of several lanterns illuminated the village as ponies went about their daily routines, a few young fillies and colts running around playfully. Applejack couldn’t help but smile to herself, that even in the face of all these ponies were going through, it was like everything was still normal. It had been three days since they’d arrived in Gallant Hollow, and nearly all of it had been spent in the library; lamentations, sorrows, and heartfelt thanks were shared between the six friends as they sealed themselves off from the world they had stumbled into. Aqua had been kind enough to provide them with meals, but the six had resolved the day before that they had spent too long locked away already, and so they ventured out with her advice to find a food tent in the morning, or early as she kept calling it. Pinkie and Applejack saw the large beige tent in the distance, a few tables set up outside as ponies grabbed a bite to eat. She couldn’t help but be surprised when she stuck her head inside and heard arguing coming from within, and the source was the familiar white unicorn. “I’m so sorry, but are you sure there’s not something more...cultured available? I’m not one to turn down perfectly, uhhh edible grass.” There was a tinge of annoyance in her voice, “But maybe some daisies or-.” “Look lady, if ya don’t want food, you can leave and let somepony else take your spot in line. We have lots of mouths to feed and I’m not gonna have another riot eatin’ my stores.” “R-Rarity...maybe you should just take it?” Fluttershy said picking up her own plate, thanking a pony behind the counter. She tilted her head up, “Fine...but it wouldn’t hurt to have something of higher quality available in the future...” Her horn lit up as the small plate floated through the air, trailing her as she followed behind Fluttershy. Applejack rolled her eyes as she waited in line with Pinkie Pie. She started to notice eyes around the tent watching them, ponies making remarks to one another. She tried to ignore them as best she could, since it was only natural to be wary of newcomers in a place like this. It wasn’t long before their turn in line came, “Can I get two plates please? We got a friend waitin’ for a bite to eat, but she’s a little under the weather.” “Not a chance, if everypony starts asking for extras for imaginary friends we’re gonna run out. She can come and get some when she’s better.” He lowered his voice, “if she’s even real...” Applejack raised an eyebrow in response, “What kind a’ nonsense is that? You can’t take a pony’s word for it?” The colt looked up, “Lady, I don’t care if you’re the Element of Honesty from the Legends. One, ration, per, pony. Next!” Applejack glared as she heard Pinkie Pie snorting and giggling behind her, almost falling down to the ground amidst the crowd. Applejack sighed in defeat as she moved along, picking up her plate before exiting the tent and trotted back to the library, Pinkie hopping along behind her and somehow managing not to spill an ounce along the way. They could both notice ponies watching them closely as they arrived back at the library, Rairty and Fluttershy eating at a table in the corner, but with Rainbow Dash nowhere to be seen. Applejack took her plate over to Twilight, placing it down next to her, “There ya go sugarcube.” “But that was yo-” Pinkie Pie started before she found a hoof at her mouth suddenly. “You just eat up Twilight, hopefully gettin’ some food in ya will help with that headache.” The unicorn looked up at Applejack, smiling in return to her, “Thanks... I just want a chance to find out whatever it is I was dreaming about, and what’s been going on here for so long.” She looked out the closest window, barely seeing the night sky through the canopy, “I hope the Princess is alright...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dark clouds of smoke hovered over the large metropolis city that stretched for miles, blocking out the star-lit sky. Its cobblestone streets were like a shawl on the dirt beneath, hiding the beauty it could bare, and that which it once held. The shining meadows and vast forests that once covered Equestria’s landscape were nothing but a memory now, and what little natural resources remained were in far-off lands, harvested out of sight from prying eyes. The lines that separated the social structure of the despondent landscape were obvious to the naked eye. The majority of the city and its outskirts were made of houses that appeared tossed together in minutes, on the verge of falling to pieces around their inhabitants. Space was scarce as dozens of houses were crowded together with little of a gap between them, several large factories crammed in nearby, billowing smoke into the large cloud overhead. A few of the ponies walking through the streets bore large headbands of black against their foreheads, their heads hung in shame. Across a set of bridges over a large river, each packed to the brim with guards, the city seemed more stable and well-maintained. There were homes, businesses, and the streets were wide and free of debris. However, underneath the appealing exterior there were still dark alleyways filled with misdeeds and corruption, hunger and strife. The city slowly rose up a large hill towards the mountains, the smaller homes being replaced by extravagant mansions, looking down over the shamble of a city with pity. From their tops flew banners of what seemed like cutie marks, symbols of the family that lived within and of their right to power, no matter its source. Corruption, magic, legacy, loyalty, money, fame, strength of will, mind, or arms; the city had no shortage of its vices to overshadow whatever good tried to raise its weary head. At the top of the hill, above it all, stood the menacing towers and peaks of a large castle. Its massive iron gates and walls stood barred, visages of a unicorn’s head looking over the city in all directions, its eyes closed and its head bowed. From behind the castle, black smoke grew to join with that from the far away factories in the clouds above. From the tallest tower, she looked over it all. Her world, the one that she took claim of to recreate. Those that were weak no longer had their lives handed to them on a platter, and those with the strength to become something could finally rule over those beneath them. She turned away from her creation towards the stairs, a grin on her lips as her violet, flowing mane followed behind her like smoke. She descended from the tower, step by step, her heavy hooves ringing echoes against the iron walls. As she passed the ground floor she went deeper, finally arriving at the bottom. A heavy wooden door with two guards adorned in pitch black armor greeting her. They needed no instructions as they bowed, excusing themselves from their posts as her horn glowed a dark light, the door swinging open. Inside, on the cold stone floor she sat, her neck wrapped in iron and chained to the stone beneath, her once glorious white coat covered with soot and ash. She offered a smile as she craned her neck up, staying seated, her multi-colored mane and tail still managing to flow with some of its majesty, “My dear sister. What is so special about this occasion to bring you down to visit? It’s been years since we saw each other, would you like to catch up on things? Or will this be like your last visit when you needed me to preform parlor tricks for your nobles? Should I pull a rabbit out of a hat this time? Or perhaps try something more mundane like juggling or jumping through a hoop?” A wry smile grew from her lips. The dark-coated alicorn only glared in response, a tinge of anger in her voice, “I see you still have that wit of yours after all these years. But no, I don’t need my prized pet today...” She turned away, her wings unfolding, “I know you felt it... you don’t have to hide it anymore. I know that they’re back as well. Your faithful student and her dear friends.” Celestia closed her eyes, sighing, “Are you going to gloat again? It becomes rather dull after the first hundred years, don’t you think? Maybe shutting your mouth for a decade might do you some good, to let you think about what you’ve done again.” She squirmed a bit in pain as the dark light grew from Nightmare Moon’s horn once again, Celestia’s chains glowing with magic. “You think a thousand years in this pit would teach you some manners.” “And you think a thousand years on a throne of lies would teach you honor...” She coughed heavily as the pain stopped. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Once they are gone it will finally be finished. Every obstacle will be gone, and nopony will be willing to risk their lives to save a dusty old relic from a forgotten age.” A small book floated over from the corner, dark runes covering its pages as it flipped open, “Would you care for a history lesson again? Let’s start from the beginning...”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:09:49+00:00

2011-09-19T06:09:49+00:00

Several of the books from a nearby shelf flew onto the open table as Twilight’s horn glowed brightly. The others only watched from a distance as the stacks grew taller with each book piled on top. Applejack finally moved up behind her, placing a hoof on her shoulder, “Uh, Twilight. I think that might be a bit much if ya ask me. Maybe you should just start with one or two?” Her horn stopped glowing suddenly as one of the books continued flying through the air, hitting a nearby wall with a thud. Twilight blushed a bit as she turned around, “M-maybe you’re right...one of these has to cover most of what’s happened.” Pinkie Pie pointed at a large book on one of the higher shelves, “What about that one? It does say ‘History of Equestria’ on it...” Twilight sighed as it floated over to her sluggishly through the air, “I was trying to avoid that...it has that crescent moon symbol on the binding, which means they’re all ones she had written. It’s probably nothing but a pile of half-truths and propaganda.” Pinkie blinked a few times in response, “But we can’t really know that. And it’s the only thing that probably has all of this stuff in it, you silly filly.” Twilight let out another sigh of defeat, “Fine... I guess it’s better than nothing.” She cleared the other books off of the table before placing the large book down, flipping through its pages, “I guess we should start from the beginning...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the days before her Majesty's rule, Equestria was nowhere near its current strength within our world. Those with the will to lead or the strength and determination to make a place for themselves in the world were deprived of many of their opportunities, while those that were too weak to pull their own weight were given the world to be their oyster. We let land that was rightfully ours remain held by savages and inferior races, its resources squandered or ignored. Our Queen, the glorious Nightmare Moon, saw an error in all of this, taking it upon herself to act accordingly. As she struck down her sister’s reign with remorse, she knew that Equestria would prosper under her guidance. As such, the symbols of her predecessor’s reign were removed as well. The once respected and admired capital of Canterlot was destroyed to make way for a new glorious symbol of our strength. The capital of Mare Umbra was established at the center of our nation and has since grown into a prosperous industrial, educational, and military hub for hundreds of years, rivaling long standing cities such as Fillydelphia, Manehatten, and Cloudsdale. Following her ascension, the size of Equestria grew by over seventy percent as land was claimed from several surrounding nations and wilds, including: Aeolus, the collective of nation states that belonged to the Gryphons of the north, the Faerwind Forests, the wilds that existed to the east which were dismantled to make way for new villages and cities, Savanra, the vast grasslands and deserts of the far south that were once inhabited by the zebra and other creatures, and several mountainous regions that were inhabited by wild creatures or dragons. At each of these fronts, Nightmare Moon herself led the charge of battle, serving as but one symbol of our strength and power. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celestia tried to suppress a snicker as her sibling read the words off the pages, “I can’t believe they all buy that from you. You think somepony would have the decency to look at the signs under it all, wouldn’t you?” “It is the winners that decide history, not the weaklings that fall before them.” “But with how ruthlessly you took everything, with how you drive them now like slaves and pawns... why would you even bother hiding what really happened that day? Are you afraid they would actually start to hate you for it more than they already do? Oh wait, the ones that would revolt can’t even read this drivel, can they?” She winced as the pain from the chain at her neck returned for a moment. “I deprived them of remembering the sadness so many experienced that day, and now you’re probably the only one left who knows...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The normally bright midday sky above Canterlot was dim. In the sky, the sun had been blocked out by its sister moon, something completely unheard of in the entirety of Equestria’s history. As ponies gathered in the streets to gaze up at it in amazement, some felt a sense of dread as whispers and rumors filled the air. The chattering was broken by a thunderous roar from the top of the castle’s highest tower. As the ponies’ attentions were drawn, some gasped in surprise while others began to scream in horror. Nightmare Moon stood on the balcony overlooking the city, her smoky mane flowing above her head into a vast purple cloud, shimmering in the dim light. She had finally accomplished what she had sought to do for so long, and now no pony was left to stop her. Her horn glowed with a dark light as she began to speak, her voice booming throughout the city. “Good evening my subjects... It has been far too long since I saw you all. I’m afraid our time will be a bit short however... Celestia’s reign of this kingdom is over. This eclipse above your heads is the ending of her failed rule, and the banner of my new beginning. This world coddles the weak, and pushes the strong into the dirt to prevent them from having what they rightfully deserve... Power. I will remold it to how it should have been from the start. And first, we’ll start here.” There was a flicker of light from inside of the tower, followed by a scream of pain as Celestia fell onto the balcony. The dark-coated mare leaned down to her sister’s ears, whispering gently to her, “And now you can watch everything you made disappear...” There were screams from below as fires started throughout the city. Ponies ran in every direction panicking as they tried to gather their belongings or simply flee to the gates. Soldiers appeared from the castle as the citizens ran for the exit, standing between them and escape. Their normally shining golden armor was now pitch black, glowing with tints of orange from the flames that grew ever closer. They held their ground, keeping the scrambling ponies from leaving, the blaze growing higher within the city. Nightmare Moon’s voice bellowed through the city once again, “All of you have a choice! You can serve me without question, or you can burn to the ground with your once glorious city... I’m sure you’ll all make the right choice.” The large cloud of smoke wrapped around the top of the tower as she and Celestia vanished from sight. The flames continued to consume the city as several carriages appeared, and one of the soldiers stepped forward, a silver crescent moon on the front of his armor. “The old Equestria is dead. From its ashes will rise a new, greater power. One controlled by her Majesty, Queen Nightmare Moon. If you do not wise to die with it, surrender now. All those that do will gain a place of power in her new order.” Canterlot burned in the distance as several of the carriages fled, screams of pain in the distance drowned out by the collapse of buildings... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We will never forget those that were the first to trust in Nightmare Moon’s vision. Let their names and their symbols be remembered forever, even if their lines may end. Meadows, Prairie, Flowers, Orange... “APPLE?!” Applejack yelled out from behind Twilight’s shoulder, pushing the unicorn away to skim the page again, “T-that’s impossible! There’s no way an Apple would help Nightmare Moon, no way a’tall. We’d rather go down with a fight than serve some two-timin’ filly like her.” She stamped her hoof down, looking at the others with anger in her eyes. Rarity rubbed a hoof under her chin, looking to where Fluttershy had taken shelter behind her, “Well, darling... Maybe you didn’t, uhhh, know some of your family so well. And there is the possibility they were... forced?” “Or it could be a typo,” Pinkie Pie said as the others glared at her, “...well it could.” “There’s... there’s just no way. We Apples’ve been around for generations, and there ain’t never been a filly or colt in our line foalish enough to do somethin’ like that!” Twilight put her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, “We don’t know what happened Applejack, we just have to assume it was a dire circumstance... There’s a reason for everything, I’m sure of it, along with all of these other families here.” Twilight looked back down at the list, recognizing some of the other names from her time in Canterlot, before she became Princess Celestia’s pupil. There was no way that so many ponies would willingly follow Nightmare Moon, would they? She pushed the thought back as she flipped past several pages of the list. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During the first hundred years of our Queen’s rule, there were many conflicts that posed a large challenge to our nation’s prosperity, and in fact the world’s. It was not only the initial resistance that other nations presented, but also various peasant revolts and rebellion movements. The majority of these were unsuccessful, except for the most prominent. The annexing of Aeolus as a state of Equestria was widely successful due to the assistance of the previous Gryphon administration and military. In fact, to this day the gryphon reserves are a common portion of any standard Equestrian military battalion. However, several of the lower-caste members of Aeolus were not pleased with the transition of power. A series of rebel groups known under the common flag of “The Steel Wings” emerged and continued attempts at sabotage and assassination for over thirty years before the group dissolved. These “Steel Wing Rebellions” posed a large challenge at the time given the lack of directly-controlled military presence within the region. However, thanks to the cooperation of local officials and several of Nightmare Moon’s personal troops, the revolts were finally ended with little incident. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Personal troops, is that what you decided to call the ponies you dragged from their families and homes by force and sent to die in a fight they didn’t understand? And where’s the part about destroying villages without remorse, or the thousands that died from needless bloodshed?” Nightmare Moon offered a grin in response, “And what would you have done, asked them kindly to stop and then invite them over for tea. It would be quite the spectacle, wouldn’t it?” The book slammed shut as she walked over to Celestia, “You could never understand the importance of doing what it takes instead of the right thing.” Celestia’s head stayed low as she let out a sigh, “The right thing is what it takes... What you did was what you wanted, just like the same skittish filly from thousands of years ago who couldn’t keep her temper.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sounds of battle echoed through the skies above the city of Wingless. Only weeks before, the only grounded city in Aeolus had been peaceful, filled with ponies and gryphons working on plans for expansion or the mining operations in the hills nearby. Now the cold ground was matted with dried blood, the corpses of gryphons and ponies alike strewn throughout the streets. It had been days since the siege began to root out the rebels, and thankfully most of the civilians had been removed from the battle. On the ground amidst the ruins of destroyed buildings, groups of unicorns tried together to fling large pieces of rubble at the rebels in the sky, while several pegasi above, armed with small blades attached to their wings or hooves, tried to avoid being sliced to ribbons. Every few seconds another body would fall, piled needlessly atop the lifeless bodies already present. A brown-feathered gryphon swooped down from the battle above, dashing towards a building, quickly knocking one of the unicorns into a wall as their horn dimmed, the large piece of rubble nearby dropping to the ground with a thud. The gryphon’s claws managed to cut through the unicorn’s throat with ease, a muffled scream escaping her lips before being silenced. In moments a few earth ponies had tackled the gryphon off of her, a series of blades attached to the saddles at their sides piercing through it. A smaller unicorn rushed over to the injured one, trying to stop the bleeding. One of the earth ponies spat on the fallen gryphon, “She’s not going to make it for long... We have to fall back to another post, or we’re gonna be in the body pile soon.” One of the unicorns looked up at the battle above, “She said more reinforcements are going to be coming, we can’t leave now.” “Like I’m gonna risk my neck on the words of some higher up sittin’ in a tent looking at all of this and sippin’ apple juice.” There was a thud as another limp body crashed into the side of the building, leaving a crack in the brick. “We’re moving out, now.” As the group left the barely breathing unicorn on the ground, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the sky, the fighting momentarily halting. Every pony and gryphon’s attention was drawn to a large hill at the edge of the city, a single unicorn overlooking the battlefield. There were cheers from several of the ponies throughout the city, “See? It doesn’t even matter, this’ll be tied up in no time.” The unicorn’s horn glowed brightly, her visage obscured from sight as a large cloud formed, blocking out the night sky above the city. Several of the gryphons and pegasi tried to retreat from the cloud, but found themselves held in place underneath its ominous form, a thin blue energy coating their bodies. The same began to happen with several of the ponies on the ground, struggling to try and move. A few were lucky enough to be close to the edge of the city, escaping the fate that awaited their comrades. The dark cloud began to glow brightly, spreading past the edges of the city before its center opened up. The last thing they saw was a bright light above their heads as a large boom deafened their ears. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Following the initial obstacles to Nightmare Moon’s rule, a period of peace and prosperity has existed in Equestria for hundreds of years. Education, economics, science, industry, and several other fields were developed quickly and have remained in steady development for years sense. However, to keep order and stability, many acts and laws have been ratified to ensure the state we remain in today. To this day the most prominent remains... Twilight blinked, “What’s the Magic Privilege Act? It doesn’t say anything about what it is, except it ‘ensures the privilege of magic is not misused’...” Her attention was drawn away from the book as the sound of the door to the library opened slowly. Aqua stepped through the entrance, a smile on her face as she looked at the assembled. “It’s good to see you are all awake, and looking into things as well it seems. Oh, I apologize for not telling you sooner, but I happened to spot your friend... Rainbow Dash was it, earlier near one of the food tents. She seemed a bit, discontent with being cooped up in the village, so I had her go and talk with one of the scouting parties. Hopefully a chance to stretch her wings will calm her down.” The light-blue unicorn looked over Twilight’s shoulder as she approached the book, her smile fading momentarily to a grim frown. Twilight flipped through the pages quickly, “Do you know what this Magic Privilege Act is Aqua? I can’t seem to find anything on it.” The unicorn turned around, “...is something wrong?” Aqua let out a sigh as she walked over to a window, “I don’t think you girls should hear about something like that.” Applejack stepped up a bit, “We can’t be havin’ ya keepin’ secrets from us Aqua. If we’re gonna help y’all around here, we need to know what’s gone an’ happened to Equestria, all of it.” Pinkie Pie hopped over to the unicorn, her hoof lightly around Aqua’s neck, hugging her, “Besides, if it’s too bad, I can throw us a party and we’ll cheer right up! I guarantee it.” Aqua’s lips shifted to a thin smile, “Very well... I suppose it might be best however if I told you how exactly it affected me, and brought me here.” She cleared her throat for a moment before she looked over the assembled ponies, “I was born to the noble house of Pearl in the capital of Mare Umbra. My family was noble on the basis of my great-grandfather’s service in the military several years before. My father wanted me to study in politics or economics so that our family could advance on more than the laurels of our past. I wasn’t really interested in my classes often, but I continued at my father’s wishes. One day, going into the shopping district on my own, I saw a young colt in an alleyway. I wasn’t too unaccustomed to the sight, given the state of the city, but something about him seemed...odd.” Aqua continued, looking back at the window, “Sure enough, a few minutes later I saw him running from a few of the guards with some fruit stuffed into his saddlebag. I wasn’t really sure why I did it, but...I used my name to get him off the hook. His name was Bluetail, and he was a unicorn from the Dark Side slums. We spent so much time together after that day; he told me about the Legends that ponies followed and put their faith in while they toiled away in the slums. Being the foolish filly I was I tried to explain the order of things to him, but the more I heard about everything they suffered through, the more curious I got, especially about the ponies in the Wilds he always spoke of. I even tried to teach him some magic, since they weren’t educated in it like the nobles were.” She left out a sigh as she looked down, “...After a few months my father had been curious about where I was going all the time. He sent one of his guards out to follow me, and found Bluetail and I practicing magic... Because of that Act, the lower class is not allowed to practice magic outside of where it is required for occupation... My father had him arrested, and my punishment was being forced to watch his...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The small square in Mare Umbra’s merchant district was filled with ponies gathered around a small wooden stage that had not been used in months. As such, a majority of the crowd was, in a word, excited over the events about to transpire, rumors flying amongst them. Amongst the masses there were two guards with an older colt, a young filly hiding behind his legs with terror in her eyes. He looked down at her with remorse, moving to the side as she was forced to look at the empty stage once again, “No, you have to watch this... This is why we are above them...” It was a few minutes before a trumpet sounded through the air, a trio of guards walking through a nearby alleyway, a white coated unicorn with a blue tail in chains behind them, his coat covered with dirt and bruises. The crowd let out a cacophony of boos and cheers as he was led onto the stage, one of the guards remaining on the ground as a scroll floated in front of him. “For the crimes of breaking the Magic Privilege Act on multiple occasions, this peasant, Bluetail Craft, will receive the normal sentence for his punishment.” The scroll closed as the guards pushed the colt down onto a wooden block on the stage. The small filly fidgeted, trying to look away from the sight. Her heart wanted to do something, but her body couldn’t move an inch. Her mind wanted to look away, but her eyes were fixated on the stage, as if there was some hope it would all go away. And then she appeared, the Queen, flying in from the skies before she came to rest on the stage, which seemed to buckle slightly under her weight. The small colt tried to struggle against his captors, a hoof digging into his side at his resistance. Nightmare Moon looked out over the crowd as she cleared her throat, “Let what you all witness today serve as a reminder of how our world is. The strong are those with privilege and will, and the weak are those that will learn their place. There must exist a gap between us all for prosperity and stability to continue. Everypony must make sacrifices...” A small box next to the wooden block opened up with a screech, aged by rust and negligence, as Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed dimly. A square metal tool with a hole inside of it floated out of the box, the hole sliding over the colt’s horn, tightening close to the base. Despite the resistance the guards gave, the unicorn still tried to break free, “The ponies won’t stand for this forever! The Legends of the Sun will come true, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it! The Sun’s Majesty will retu-.” He gasped in pain as he was hit in the side roughly by one of the guards, losing his breath. Nightmare Moon only offered a smirk as her horn glowed brighter, the instrument shining with a similar dark light. He screamed in pain for a few moments before it was done, the unicorn’s horn lying on the floor of the stage, sparking with a flicker of light as the last bit of magic it held escaped. One of the guards quickly covered the stump of the horn with a black bandanna, tears on the unicorn’s face as he muttered quietly to himself, “S-she will come back...” The Queen’s gaze remained fixed on the colt as her smirk grew, “And spouting such heresy in my presence as well. I think that deserves a worse punishment...Captain, give me your blade.” The colt who had read Bluetail’s verdict appeared hesitant before pulling the blade from its sheathe at his side, the handle gripped between his teeth as he bowed. It was only a moment before it glowed with the same dark light and yanked from the Captain’s mouth, pressing lightly at the unicorn’s neck. Nightmare Moon’s voice boomed as her gaze was fixed on the blade, drawing a small bit of blood from his coat, “And remember this...fairy tales are not worth believing...” A small flash of light from her horn enveloped the square as the sword rose before quickly slicing its way down... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Everypony in the library was silent, a look of shock on their faces as Aqua finished her tale, turning back to them and wiping a tear from her eye, “B-Bluetail, he...was unlucky. Maybe she just felt like toying with him, giving him a false hope that he’d live, but more than likely she was proving a point...of how meaningless his life was. Most of those that have their magic taken from them are sent to the factories or mines, living their lives locked up like slaves... A few are just shoved back into Dark Side, traumatized by the experience... T-the rest, no one knows...” Aqua tried to calm her sobbing as she continued, “...I gave up my nobility to find the ponies Bluetail always spoke of, hiding here in the Wilds. I wanted to help, I had to, because I couldn’t that day. There are so many nobles that lend their support in the shadows, but they’re only playing both sides of the game. That’s why I believed in all of you when I found you out there, and why there is hope for this war yet...” Aqua’s tears were quelled for a moment as she turned back to the window, taking a moment to gather herself, “The Council has yet to come to a decision about your role here, and if you are who you say you are. Given the large number of delegates seated on it, and their current preoccupation with less... superstitious events, it’s going to take some time before a meeting can be arranged. However, I have managed to convince those present that it is advantageous to tell the ponies here in the Wilds you’ve come back.” Twilight’s shock over Aqua’s story was broken at her announcement, “W-what do you mean? We’ll get mauled out there if everypony knows who we are!” Rarity stepped up to Twilight’s side, “Not that I don’t enjoy some attention now and then, Twilight’s right... If you all worship these Legends about us, everyone is going to want us off saving the world for them.” “We are not going to reveal who you are, or where the Elements were found. We do not want to endanger your lives here, whether you are the Elements or not.” Aqua turned back to face them, “I’d suggest you find a way to occupy yourselves around the village, because this may take longer than I had hoped... It will go miles to showing the Council that you mean well, and what you are capable of here. In the meantime, I will do my best to gain support, and call a conference here in the Hollow.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Celestia glared in anger as Nightmare Moon began to leave the room, “You’re a monster, not for taking our throne for yourself, not for stealing land or murdering innocents... Just for that one thing, thinking you have the RIGHT to take their talents from them!” She looked up, glaring at her sister, “When this is over, you will have no mercy from me, the same as I was shown...I won’t make the same mistakes again...” “That day won’t come sister... you should stop wasting your breath.” The door slammed shut, leaving Celestia alone in the darkness once again.

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:13:32+00:00

2011-09-19T06:13:32+00:00

Twilight groaned as she awoke in the corner of the library, a pile of books strewn around her small cot. It had been almost two weeks since she and her friends had arrived in the village of Gallant Hollow, and things had started to settle down; relatively at least. Her nightmares had all but vanished after the first few nights, and everything else was going smoothly. As Aqua had promised, their identities had been kept a secret for the time being, and while rumors were still rampant about the village after the announcement of the Element’s return, they were left to their own devices. One by one everypony had started to settle in, and they’d all found some way to show their support by lending a helping hoof... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack groaned as she shuffled around the library, a small weed between her teeth. She had hoped she could help the village by lending her hoof with farming food, but she was a bit dismayed when she found out that they got almost of it by gathering in the nearby woods. Unfortunately, the village had no shortage of ponies that could lend a hoof with a small task such as that, so for the past two days she had shuffled around the library, and the sound of her hooves scraping across the wooden floor had practically driven Twilight up the wall. “You know, you don’t have to walk back and forth here Applejack...you could do it outside.” Twilight said with a disgruntled tone in her voice, though she tried her best to sound sincere as she was focused on a small book floating in front of her. Applejack stopped suddenly, “I-I’m sorry Twilight, it’s just bein’ stuck in here with nothin’ ta do, it doesn’t feel right!” She let out a sigh, “I don’t wanna be gatherin’ sticks and leaves for days on end....” She looked at the unicorn for a moment before she turned to the door, spitting the weed out of her mouth, “I need to go for a walk.” The door slammed shut behind her as she let Twilight return to her studies. Applejack’s head hung low as she trotted slowly through the streets, muttering under her breath, “Consarnit! If only there were somethin’ else worth spendin’ mah time on.” Her concentration was broken as the rough sound of rusted bells ringing through the air pierced her ears. As her head shot up she could see ponies galloping into some of the nearby hollowed-out trees, while others trotted quickly towards the gates, wearing armor with weapons attached to their sides. Applejack’s gaze shifted between the two sets of ponies before she quickly followed the ones headed towards the front gate. A few unicorns were busy moving cut logs in front of the gate one at a time in an attempt to barricade it, while several earth ponies and pegasi took stations near the top of its walls. Applejack was stopped short by a colt wearing tattered armor across his flank, a rough contrast to his bright coat, “The guards have this under control civilian, you should get back to your home until things are resolved.” “Like ahm gonna sit by and twiddle my hooves when there’s some emergency goin’ on round here. I’m not some helpless little filly. Now tell me what the hay is happenin’... and don’t say you don’t need an extra hoof to help.” Applejack stared down the young colt who seemed more than a little shocked by her response. He let out a sigh as the bells continued to echo through the village, “One of the scouting patrols spotted a hydra nearby. They usually don’t come this close to the village, and it’s headed in this direction pretty fast. Hopefully we can keep the gates secured and wear it down...” Applejack looked up at the towering gates. No matter how big they were, they were still made of wood. They couldn’t really keep something like a hydra from smashing them open, could they? A familiar looking pegasi landed next to the colt, wearing much looser armor to allow her wings room enough to move freely, “It’s almost here, the captain says we need everypony at the re-...Applejack?” Applejack grinned as she looked at the pegasus, “Rainbow Dash? Is this where you’ve been running off to every day?” “You know this pony Dash?” the colt grunted in frustration as he looked back at the gates, the ground starting to shake lightly, “Alright, fine, you can help, but we don’t have any extra armor to spare, so if you end up battered and broken in the nurse’s tent for a week it isn’t on my conscience.” Rainbow Dash slung a hoof around Applejack’s shoulder, “Like she would let any kind of monster hurt her. Isn’t that right Applejack?” “You can bet your horseshoes on it Dash.” Applejack watched as Rainbow Dash waved a hoof and flew back up above the gates. She turned her attention to a small set of crates nearby, a bit of rope hanging out of one, “Well, this is gonna be a lot tougher than the rodeo...” The ground began to shudder heavily as the sound of falling trees echoed in the distance. Several of the ponies readied small catapults behind the walls while the unicorns kept the logs pressed firmly against the gates. Applejack ran up one of the staircases to the top of the wall, several bits of rope hanging loosely from her neck. It was only a moment before she saw the hydra break through a cluster of trees. Luckily it seemed smaller than the one she and her friends had encountered at Froggy Bottom Bog, though its size was still a bit daunting. A set of three heads let out a hiss as it charged towards the gates. A voice rang out clearly through the air as the ringing of the bells stopped. “Fire!” At the order the catapults aimlessly flung rocks over the gates. Most of them landed around the hydra, though one managed to impact a single head, which hit the ground a few moments later. Its tail swung around in a large arc at the wall, knocking a few ponies off of the top and back into the village. One of the ponies flew straight into a catapult, splinters raining down in the vicinity as the ponies operating it rushed to his side. As the other ponies tried to rearm the catapults, several of the pegasi tried to keep the hydra’s heads occupied. Applejack took a moment to secure a crude lasso to her tail, holding another one in her mouth as she jumped down onto the ground below. She managed to barely dodge out of the way from another tail swipe, ducking into some nearby brush. As the heads were preoccupied with the pegasi, she waited for her moment. One of the still-conscious heads impacted the ground roughly close to her, Applejack taking the moment to wrap the lasso in her mouth around its neck as it tried to regain its bearings. It only took her a few moments to crisscross through several trees, securing the rope to a heavy tree trunk with a tug. As the constrained head struggled to break free from the rope, its partner crashed into the ground as well. Applejack flung the second piece of rope around its neck, a rough whistle from her hoof cutting through the air, “Rainbow! Help me out over here!” The blue pegasus flew down, grabbing the lasso from Applejack’s tail as she helped tie the second piece of rope to another tree. There was a spree of cheers as the two returned back to the clearing, a few ponies emerging from the gates to knock out the still-conscious heads. The aged colt that had escorted them into the village came out to greet them, “Rainbow Dash, it’s good to see you didn’t spend all of your time showboating today...” Dash rolled her eyes, “Whatever Breeze, you owe this one to Applejack anyways.” She put her hoof around her friend’s shoulder. Breeze turned his attention from the pegasus to Applejack, “I can see that... That was quite impressive Applejack. How would you like to join up with the guards? We can always use another strong hoof at our backs, especially a skilled one like yours.” Applejack smiled at Dash before she turned to face Breeze, “You can count me in. Just hope it ain’t always this excitin’.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rainbow Dash’s first flight had proven more effective at livening the pegasus’s spirit than Aqua could have expected. During the following days she had gone out on patrols with the guards at nearly every opportunity, though her attempts at showing off had gained her the ire of most of the veteran guards, but the respect of a few younger ponies. Following the attack by the hydra and Applejack’s joining the guard, however, the pegasus’s spirit for competition only seemed to grow... “Chillax Applejack, I was only showing Pollen and Crimson some moves, they asked me to!” The pegasus sighed as she hovered behind Applejack, the other guards on their patrol further ahead: two pegasi, a unicorn, and four earth ponies. It wasn’t, well, completely her fault one of the other guards got in her way while she was waiting for everypony to meet at the rendezvous point. It was only natural she’d want to practice with nothing else to do but nap... especially with a war probably on the way. “Then at least watch where ya goin’! We don’t have the extra hooves to be putting ponies in the nurse’s tent for getting injured practicin’ tricks.” Applejack readjusted the armor running along her flank, glaring at Rainbow, “So please, try an’ keep your eyes open next time Rainbow.” “Maybe somepony else should be keeping their eyes open t-.” She was cut off as the other guards started to take formation up ahead. It was only a split second before they saw a flash of orange jump out from the nearby brush, knocking two of the earth ponies into a tree, and out cold. Applejack and Rainbow Dash rushed in from behind as the guards started to corner the manticore, readying the weapons on the side of their armor. One of the earth ponies pulled a small blade from its sheath with his mouth before he charged in, trying to dodge the manticore’s claw before he was sideswiped by the tail. His blade managed to put a scratch in the manticore’s hide as it flew out of his grip. The earth pony grit his teeth as he got back to his feet, the unicorn checking on the two unconscious guards. The two pegasi moved to Dash’s side, the colt with a dark green coat speaking up, “We need to distract it. Applejack, can you help the others take it down?” “You got it partner,” she said with a nod as the pegasi flew off above the treeline. Applejack got up beside the others, trying to keep the manticore pressed up against the trees as they pointed their weapons at it. It was only a few moments before the three pegasi swooped in, a mix of colors obscuring the manticore’s view as it tried to swipe at them. His claws barely missed the three on several occasions before one impacted Pollen, pushing him away a few feet in the air. Applejack and the others counted down before the pegasi moved out of their path to the manticore, the group jumping together, letting out a set of kicks to the manticore’s dizzied face. The force managed to knock it into a nearby tree, splintering it impact before the creature slumped down to the ground, groaning in pain. The two pegasi with Dash moved over to the unconscious guards as she landed next to Applejack, a smug look on her face, “See? Practice does pay off Applejack. Been working on that one for two days, and see what it gets us? One knocked-out manticore with no bruises to show for it.” She looked at the two guards on the ground a few feet away, “...mostly.” “I didn’t go sayin’ there was anything wrong with practicin’ Rainbow... Ya just need to be careful is all. You’re not the only pony ‘round here and we need to look out for one another.” Applejack looked back at the two guards being pulled up to their hooves and those that were tying the manticore down, “And besides, you could take a moment and act serious once and awhile. It won’t hurtcha.” “I always have my eyes open Applejack. Nothing is getting past me,” Dash scoffed looking to the manticore, their group’s captain busy tightening a rope to keep its paws together. She started to follow Applejack before she noticed a flash out of the corner of her eye, the smallest bit of movement in the manticore’s tail as it tensed up. Applejack could only feel a gust of wind as a rainbow-colored streak whizzed past her, right before she saw Rainbow Dash roughly knock their captain and his companion to the ground. She was about to yell out at Dash until she felt the earth shake, the manticore’s tail embedded almost a foot in the ground inches from where the captain had stood a moment earlier, its body falling limp. Dash slowly hovered off of the captain on the ground before she offered her hoof to help him up, which he seemed to accept reluctantly. The earth pony let out a chuckle as he looked between the manticore and Rainbow Dash, “Well, color me impressed...I guess I actually owe you one for once Dash. Though don’t expect me to keep it that way for long.” He trotted past her and to the others, “Get Lantern and Shade up on their hooves again, we can’t stay here much longer... I don’t want any more of those things jumping out on top of us like this...” Rainbow Dash didn’t even try to suppress a smirk as she looked at Applejack, who could only press a hoof lightly to her face in response, “Not a word Dash...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rarity let out a sigh as she trotted next to Fluttershy through the open streets of the village. It wasn’t hard to occupy their days getting a look around the expansive village and mingling a bit with its inhabitants. The place seemed so calm despite the overshadowing presence of dread that hung in the air, even as they saw fillies and colts playfully running through the streets. Reminiscing about old times in Ponyville seemed the only way to make time move by faster than a snail’s pace. The unicorn lifted her head quickly with a smile, a chuckle escaping her lips, “Oh, and then there was that time that Pinkie Pie threw a surprise party for that little filly Scootaloo. I swear that girl seemed on the verge of running away for her life between greetings and hugs from nearly every pony in town. Thank goodness Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom managed to keep her calm long enough to enjoy herself.” Fluttershy smiled in response, “All of the adventures those three found themselves in, it reminds me a bit of us, don’t you think Rarity?” “I suppose so, though you know I preferred a quiet day sewing or at the spa over being out and about in the muck finding my talents...” She looked at Fluttershy, “Speaking of, we should spend tomorrow over at that hot spring near the base of the mountains. They said it’s al natural, and I’m sure it does wonders for one’s coat, much better than going without a bath of course.” Their peaceful walk was interrupted by the sounds of familiar shouting in the distance as their friends garnered a few odd looks from the villagers. “Look Applejack, the past is done. I promise I’ll take your advice, okay? Just drop it already!” “I’ll believe that when I actually see it, but fine. I know buggin’ you ‘bout it ain’t gonna solve nothin’.” Applejack turned around to leave before almost bumping head first into Rarity and Fluttershy, “Oh, hey girls. You two out fer a walk?” Rarity nodded, “You could say that, and I see you two are settling back into the usual friendly quarrels?” Applejack glanced at Rainbow Dash, the pegasi’s hooves crossed as she hovered over the ground, “Just tryin’ to keep this little showboater from makin’ new rivals every half second. Can’t have everypony on the guard thinkin’ she’s nothin’ more than a showoff.” She winced a bit as she readjusted her armor, muttering under her breath, “Consarnit... Would it hurt anypony to actually fit this stuff?” Rarity looked at Fluttershy for a moment before raising an eyebrow at Applejack, “Is... something the matter darling?” “It’s just this darn outfit. I swear it don’t make a lick o’ sense to just hand everypony the same ol’ thing without even a thought to how it fits.” She winced again before letting out a sigh, “Hey! They probably got some unused sewin’ machines round here somewhere, you should fix ‘em up for us Rarity. I’d sure feel better with your work on my flank than these stock scraps, and I know Rainbow here keeps whining that she can’t fly easily in ‘em.” Dash landed next to Applejack as she brushed one of her wings with a hoof, “It’s not my fault they just cut a wing hole in them and assume it’s gonna work.” Rarity moved closer to them, smiling widely, “Why of course Applejack. Anything I can do to help a friend in need, but I might need some more ummmm... scraps was it?” She ran a hoof along Applejack’s side, inspecting the rough stitches that kept the bits tied together, “There have to be bigger ones than these, aren’t there?” Applejack tried to avoid jumping away from Rarity’s close inspection, “Well, they only get what they can scavenge... and that usually ain’t a lot. They don’t stumble on nothin’ ‘cept once a week or so, and it’s not the best quality stuff.” After managing to find the village’s stockpile of armor scraps and a few ragged sewing machines that had seen fairer days centuries ago, Rarity had set off on her work. It only took a few hours to piece together Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s new “duds,” though she took an extra day to add a bit of style to them. It wasn’t long after that there were lines of guards waiting outside of the library looking for adjustments of their own, and shortly after Twilight had to push Rarity out to remove the constant clicking that echoed inside of the tree. Soon she had more orders in a day than she did in a week at Carousel Boutique, though Fluttershy was more than happy to lend a hoof when the need arose. Along the way she managed to add her own personal flair to every single one of them, much to the annoyance of the more senior guards. She even had civilians asking for the upkeep of their own garments, and word was that a even members of the Council had requested hoof-made outfits. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluttershy sat outside of the food tent as she watched several ponies trotting by with urgency. She didn’t have much of a chance to spend time with Rarity since her orders started to slow down, at least to the point where she wasn’t constantly fixing armor and had some normal requests from the villagers to work on that didn’t require Fluttershy’s help. Fluttershy had tried joining the guards after she heard about all the creatures they had to deal with from Rainbow Dash and Applejack, but her friends seemed too concerned for her safety to vouch for her. With Pinkie Pie still missing and Twilight trying to study, it seemed like she was on her own... Not that it was a horrible thing. It’s not like her friends were trying to abandon her, they were just... preoccupied. She took another small bite of grass from her plate before the ringing of a bell drew her attention, the sound of the front gates opening with a creak that resonated through the village and the sound of urgent hooves barely audible underneath it. Perhaps it was her sense of curiosity or simply a desire to cut short the spree of nothing she had been doing, but whichever it was, Fluttershy made her way towards the front gates, seeing a group of thirty or so ponies make their way into the village. She could barely make out what seemed like three or four pairs in the group carrying ponies between them on crude stretchers, trying to get to one of the medical tents through a crowd that formed to greet the others. Fluttershy galloped over to them as they disappeared into one of the small white tents, a chorus of groans flooding her ears as she grew closer. A clear voice rang out from inside the tent, like a conductor amidst the chaos within, “We need to keep them stable or they’re going to go into shock! Gauze, get some presses ready, and Well, stop worrying about those two, they only have a few bruises or a head injury, these ones are bleeding out. Is there anypony else that’s on call?” A deeper voice called out in response, managing to overcome the groans, “Everyone else is either out on patrol or seeing to the sick over at the base of the mountain, we won’t be able to get to them in time.” Fluttershy moved forward, lifting the drape to peak inside the tent. She saw two ponies barely holding onto consciousness in the corner, but her focus was drawn to the center of the tent, even as she tried to avert her eyes from the cruel sight amongst a growing puddle of red. Before she could move away there was a hoof pulling her into of the tent, a white unicorn looking her over, “You. We need an extra hoof in here, get her some scrubs.” In a flash the two ponies behind her tied a small cloak to her back and a mask to her muzzle before she was pushed over to a bedside. The pegasus laying on the cot underneath her had a large set of cuts on her underside, a rough set of bandages trying to keep the blood from flowing freely to no avail. The unicorn looked up at Fluttershy from the other side of the cot, “I just need you to keep her still so that I can stitch her up.” Her horn glowed as a needle and thread floated up by the pony’s injuries, the other two nurses doing their best to lessen the other pony’s bleeding a few feet away. Fluttershy swallowed hard as she put her hooves up on the pegasus’s flank, trying her best to be gentle enough not to make matters worse. She remembered having to help her animal friends so much before, but never with something this serious. Sprained legs, small head injuries, or fits of illness, that was all that it was, but this wasn’t an animal with an injury. It was a life in danger, and she wasn’t going to run away from a situation like this. It took only a few seconds for her to gain the confidence to press down a bit harder as the pegasus started shaking a bit, hoping to stop her from tearing away the bandages before the nurse was ready. “P-please, just stay still...it will only be a minute, I promise.” Her voice didn’t seem like it carried much weight over the mix of groans to the pony’s deaf ears, but the shaking slowed down as the bandages were peeled off one by one, the unicorn quickly managing to stitch the wounds closed. It was obvious that she’d done something like this numerous times before, though Fluttershy wasn’t exactly sure how much of a help she was. Several minutes passed before the nurse was done and the needle and thread rested on a small table nearby. She held up a small damp cloth to Fluttershy with a smile. “If you wouldn’t mind, just rub this along the stitches. And thank you so much for helping, I guess we’re lucky you stepped in...” She turned away and headed over to the other two nurses that were busy with the other pony. Fluttershy looked down at the pegasus before she gained a small smile, rubbing the cloth lightly against the blood-stained wounds. It was a while before she was pulled from the tent, the four ponies inside having been helped as much as they could be. “Thank you again for the help. We could always use an extra hoof around here, if you wouldn’t mind helping... I’m sorry for pressuring you, I’ve just noticed you around the village for the past few days without a whole lot to do.” Fluttershy shuffled her hoof against the ground timidly, “O-of course, I’d love to help... I’ve just never really, helped anyone with injuries except animals before. I’m not sure how much of that will help...” “A helpful hoof is better than nothing dear. If you’d like I can teach you a few things here and there. And I’m sure you’ll pick up on it in no time at all,” the unicorn said with a smile, turning back to the tent, “Just be here tomorrow when the early bells ring, hopefully something this... gruesome won’t be waiting.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A calm set of bells echoed through the streets of Gallant Hollow, signalling the end to another “day”. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were just arriving back at the library following another long patrol, though it was at least uneventful this time around. As the door opened up they could see Rarity and Fluttershy in the corner talking about the day’s events, and of course Twilight somehow managed to keep her nose planted in a book for several days. Rainbow Dash landed outside of the door before she started to unbuckle her armor, letting it fall onto the floor in a heap, “It’s always good to get out of that...even if Rarity did make them more comfortable.” “You can say that again Dash... nothin’ like gettin’ a chance to come home after a long day’s work and rest your hooves.. even if it’s just fer a night.” She took off her set as well, though she at least had the decency to put it on a small rack by the door. Applejack took a quick look around the room, “So, still no sign of Pinkie Pie?” Twilight looked up from her book as she tried to force a smile, “Not one... it’s been days since we got here and after our little history lesson we haven’t seen any sign of her. Though I’m sure she’s alright. I mean, it is a pretty large village after all.” Applejack started to close the door, “But we haven’t seen heads or tails of ‘er since then. I know she ain’t one to go runnin’ off in ta somethin’ dangerous, but we can’t go expe-.” The orange earth pony was pushed away from the door roughly as it was knocked wide open, the familiar pink pony landing awkwardly on the floor of the library as she looked up at the assembled, “Hi girls!” Fluttershy quickly bounded across the library, managing to wrap her hooves around Pinkie and lift her up off the floor, “Pinkie Pie! We were so worried about you, we kept trying to find you everywhere.” Rainbow Dash and Rarity helped Applejack back to her hooves while she tried to shake herself out of a daze, “Ya know you can open the door slowly next time Pinkie...” Pinkie Pie managed to find herself standing again, returning Fluttershy’s hug for only a moment before she slipped out of her grip, “But I had to get back here quickly. I needed to tell you all what I’ve been doing!” She managed to keep hopping up and down with her normal energy as the others watched in confusion. Twilight’s eyes tried to keep up with the bouncing pony, “And...what exactly is that Pinkie?” She stopped to move closer to the others in a flash, “Duh! I had to meet everypony in the village. I mean I couldn’t just leave a whole big place full of new ponies to make friends with go un-...friended!” The others looked at one another suspiciously before Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Isn’t that a...bit far-fetched Pinkie Pie? I mean there’s like, a few hundred ponies here at least.” “Well that’s why it took so long you silly filly. I had to introduce myself to everyone more than once, cause some of them were too busy to notice who I was the first time. And then I had to ask them about where they came from or what they were doing here. And memorizing everypony’s names took so long. I thought I’d never finish this soon!” “Y-you memorized everypony’s names?” Fluttershy asked. She, like the others, appeared extremely doubtful. “Of course.” Pinkie Pie opened her mouth as she started to take a deep breath only moments before Applejack’s hoof found its way to her lips, barely stopping the pink pony from her impending spree of names. “I think we can just take yer word for it Pinkie Pie. But ya know you didn’t need to spend forever and a day out an about gettin’ to know everypony here,” Applejack commented before removing her hoof. “Well... if we’re going to be here for a while, I have to know everypony. That way we can make new friends to spend time with while we’re here, and it makes it easier to forget about,” her smile faded for only a moment, “losing everything.” Her happy disposition returned almost supernaturally fast, “Isn’t that what you’ve all been doing finding a place to work?” The five friends looked at one another. It was true, finding a place to occupy their time during the day had taken their minds off of the past they’d left behind. Even Twilight’s mindless studying had kept her occupied long enough to forget the friends and life that had been taken from them by Nightmare Moon. Maybe it was all for the best. Twilight stepped up to Pinkie’s side, “Well, as long as you didn’t scare anypony half to death with surprise parties.” “Of course not silly, I just planned a few parties tomorrow, and none of them are surprises. Oh! I’m also helping one of the food tents by making sweets.” Dash raised an eyebrow, “...Sweets? But all they have here is leaves and twigs.” She lowered her voice as she mumbled under her breath, “and they don’t even taste that good.” “Well obviously I’ll have to be creative. It’ll take a few tries but I’m sure once I get the right ingredients they’ll be super tasty and everypony will be wanting some. Besides, they only let me use the stuff they can’t feed to anyone.” Twilight closed the still open door as she looked at the others, noticing a few ponies in the street staring awkwardly at the doorway. She could of sworn she heard one of them say something about ‘that’s Pinkie Pie for you’ before she spoke up, “Well, we should probably get to sleep. You all probably won’t see me tomorrow, Aqua has something important she wanted to talk to me about in the morn- early.” Twilight corrected herself, trying to get used to the new terminology she had been catching up on. The group bid one another good night as a blanket of silence fell over the dimming lights of the village. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight barely managed to see anypony except a few guards or a lone vendor setting up for business as she walked through the quiet streets of Gallant Hollow. As she approached the large hollow tree at the village center, she could still see a few lights shining dimly from its windows, casting long shadows into the village. It wasn’t odd given the circumstances, they probably had to spend all hours of the “day” planning, and of course there were guards on duty at all times. With a light yawn she entered the building, receiving a kind greeting from a group of ponies gathered in the center of the room. She wished she had more time to stay and chat with them, but Aqua had summoned her to the Council room she and her friends had been brought to on their arrival. With a begrudging goodbye she started the long trot up the steep stairs, relieved once she finally came to the top. The door was already open as she poked her head inside, seeing Aqua looking over some papers at a desk across the long room. The light blue unicorn looked up from the desk as she heard Twilight’s hoofsteps, “Oh, I’m terribly sorry for not coming down to meet you Twilight. I was trying to get these signed before the next Council meeting, just a few administrative things, nothing serious.” Twilight tried to suppress another yawn as she put on a smile, “Oh, it’s alright Aqua. I just wish you had called me here a bit... later than this. I’m not usually a mor- early pony.” Twilight let out a small cough at her correction, “You said you had something important to ask me?” Aqua moved out from behind the desk, her horn dimming as she approached Twilight, “Yes, in fact. It’s a bit, personal though, but I hope you won’t mind the question. It’s about your cutie mark.” Twilight seemed a bit skeptical as she glanced at her flank momentarily, “My cutie mark? What about it exactly?” “Well, I guess I didn’t want to ask you and your friends so openly about it, but...you’re the Element of Magic aren’t you? The core.” Twilight nodded as she tried to seem uninterested by the odd terminology, “Y-yes, I am. I was Princess Celestia’s personal pupil in fact.” She frowned as she became aware of her situation once again, “Before all of this happened... of course.” “Perfect. Then I have a favor to ask of you.” Aqua moved past Twilight to close the door, her horn letting out a glow again as a set of scrolls floated over to her and Twilight. “I have a small, let’s call it a project, for you to work on. I’m sure you remember from the books you read and our conversations that magic isn’t universally taught in Equestria like it was in your time.” Twilight smiled, showing off the pride she carried for recalling the fact, “Of course, magic is only taught in the military, industry where it’s required to complete a task and sometimes in the noble houses. Even then, what unicorns are taught to do with their magic is limited, like industry workers only learning how to operate machinery effectively, or battle unicorns learning how to fight with it.” Aqua returned a smile to Twilight’s enthusiasm, “Exactly, and that’s why I need your help. So many unicorns born here in the Wilds, or that escape from the oppression of Equestria are like you. Their talent is magic, and they are deprived of the tools and the knowledge to improve upon it,” her horn glowed brighter as several of the scrolls opened. On them were a set of pictures accompanied by a list of names, about a dozen or so in total, “These are all such unicorns we could find. It took me a while to get them all to come here, but they will arrive within the week, and they need a teacher.” Twilight looked around her to confirm she was alone with Aqua as she finished skimming over the scrolls, “M-me? You want me to teach a dozen unicorns how to use magic? But I barely finished my own studies under the Princess.” “There’s nopony else like you in the entire Wilds Twilight... Please, I know that this is hard for you, but I believe you can teach them more than anyone else here could.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight moved her hoof to cover her mouth as she let out a yawn. Today was finally the day her students would be arriving in Gallant Hollow, and she started to have second thoughts about staying up past the late bell for last minute studying. She could hear the sound of hoofsteps filling the streets outside as she walked to the open window, gazing up at the night sky through the canopy above. She could barely make out a single star as her eyes closed, whispering under her breath, “Please Princess Celestia, give me the guidance to show them the way. Like how you showed me.”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:15:38+00:00

2011-09-19T06:15:38+00:00

Twilight let out a sigh of relief as the final book slid firmly into its home on the highest shelf. Despite her lack of sleep, the excitement of this moment had started to re-energize her in moments, allowing her to quickly tidy up her “classroom.” Aqua had said there wouldn’t be many buildings open in the weeks following their initial discussion, and so Twilight had suggested using the library for her teaching, and while her friends weren’t too pleased with the idea at first, over a few days they had taken the time to move out of their initial abode. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had moved into one of the guardhouses, mainly because the frequency of their patrols had increased drastically, and they needed to be at the ready. Rarity and Fluttershy had converted a back room in Rarity’s new shop to a makeshift bedroom for two, though it hadn’t turned out to be anything fanciful, much to Rarity’s misfortune. Pinkie Pie on the other hoof had practically vanished once again, though Twilight and the others were reassured by the constant chatter about her amongst the populace. Someponies were even saying she kept sleeping in a kitchen somewhere, working past the late bell on some new attempt at sweets, which most ponies had turned down the offer to try. Twilight took a deep breath as she glanced around the empty library a final time. There was so much potential in these unicorns that Aqua had sent her, just from reading the small descriptions she had been provided. She couldn’t help but wonder if they felt the same excitement she had so many years ago... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The small purple filly galloped through the streets of Canterlot as the early light of dawn began to shine over the horizon. Her saddlebags were filled to the brim, but their weight seemed no hindrance to her speed as she darted between passersby, trying to avoid bumping into anypony and spilling her precious cargo of parchment and literature. It wasn’t long before she finally arrived at her destination, a tall set of spires growing overhead, their shadows casted onto her path by the dawning sun. The day had finally arrived, the first day she would learn about magic under her teacher, and it was going to be Princess Celestia herself! It was only as Twilight’s eyes beheld the large, darkened stairway leading to a massive set of doors that her burst of strength and speed faded, and the weight of her saddlebags became apparent. Her gallop slowed to a trot as she began to climb the steps, her horn glowing dimly as she approached the top, pushing one of the doors open. She had been so amazed by the school during her entrance exam, but it was nothing compared to its halls now. Amongst the shining walls and floors of the great hall were unicorns of all shades and sizes, illuminated by the golden sun that shown through its windows; some urgently galloped to a destination, while others meandered about with friends and listened to tales of travels or adventure from their recent summer break. As the heavy door shut with a loud crack behind her, Twilight noticed the eyes of many of the unicorns turn to her. She began to move through the crowd, and it wasn’t long before she heard the whispers under someponies’ breath piercing her ears, just as their eyes pierced her form, “Is that her, Celestia’s pupil? How could she pick somepony so...young?” "We’ve been going to this school for years, and we’re always at the top of our classes.” “I passed that entrance exam in seconds, how could Celestia pick somepony like her instead?” “Maybe her parents bought her way into the school?” “No, you heard what Stargaze said... She’s the one that caused all that damage to the south tower.” “Maybe she’s a freak of nature, and Celestia has to keep her under lock and key so she doesn’t kill everypony around her.” Twilight’s focus on the crowd was interrupted as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She glanced behind her quickly, and barely managed to suppress a scream of surprise as she came face to face with one of the teachers from her exam, “Ms. Sparkle?” The filly only offered a small mumble and timid nod in response. “Very well, please follow me. The Princess is waiting for you and you’re already running late.” As Twilight left the great hall up a wide staircase, her sight blinded by the morning sun gleaming through the tall windows as the weight of her saddlebags began to wear her down... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight found herself drawn back to the present as she wiped a hoof across her face, the sound of the door to the library being opened resounding through the once-silent tree. She spun around quickly, and came face to face with a guard holding the door open. One by one a small group of a nearly a dozen ponies filed through the narrow opening and spread out before the guard bowed his head and left. The group totaled eleven unicorns of mixed age and appearance: seven of them were young, towered over by their four peers, and barely seemed old enough to be there on their own. Two of the older unicorns whispered between one another, looking at Twilight with doubt in their eyes. The silence hung like an ominous fog for several moments before Twilight cleared her throat, glancing over them, “Hello, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I am sure you have all been told about why you’ve been brought here. All of you have shown signs of great magical power, and I have been tasked to train you.” The young unicorns seemed distracted as they glanced around the room, though one or two appeared to stay focused on Twilight as she let out a small cough, “All of you come from many different places, but together you all share a common talent, a skill that you can train and harness in ways you could only imagine.” Twilight continued her small speech as she kept her eyes focused on one unicorn in particular, a dark-brown colt who seemed more focused on the floor than her as he muttered to himself. After a few more words of kindness and encouragement, Twilight’s horn shimmered dimly as several books floated over and landed in a neat pile in front of her, “I want you all to tell me your names and then show me what you’re capable of. Lift as many of these at once as you can, and there’s no need to be worried, we’re only finding out where we can work from before we start.” One by one the unicorns stepped up to the pile of books. Most of the young fillies and colts could only lift a book or two before their horn began to dim and their limit was signaled by an audible bang. The older unicorns managed to do better, lifting four to six about a foot into the air before they slowly lowered them down to the floor. Finally, it came time for the last unicorn, the dark-brown colt, to step forward and show his skills. Twilight looked at him with a small smile, “And your name?” The colt was silent before a pale green filly in the line who had called herself Juniper spoke up, “His name is Dusk.” A small filly and colt next to her suppressed giggles as he shot a glance back at them before his focus returned to Twilight. Without a word his horn shone brightly, the entire pile of books floating into the air slowly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Twilight was amazed by the sight, that is until his horn started to flicker and the books shuddered in midair. It was only a moment before they shot out in random directions, almost hitting several of the young unicorns near the door before Twilight’s horn lit up in response and brought them to a swift halt. Twilight carefully let the books rest on the floor as she walked to the colt’s side, his head hung low, “Dusk? You don’t have to push yourself past your limits... Magic isn’t something that can be forced. You have to focus on it, and use it car-.” She was cut off as Dusk turned around moving towards the door, his gaze focused on the floor ahead of his front hooves, “I don’t need anypony’s help! I didn’t even want to come here in the first place... It was all her idea!” He pointed a hoof at Juniper before he dashed towards the door, knocking one of the older unicorns out of his way. Twilight looked around nervously at the remaining students before she cleared her throat. “I...I think that will be enough for right now. Feel free to go and relax for a few hours, and meet back here after the mid-bell.” She turned back towards her cot in the corner with a sigh as the ponies shuffled out of the library one by one. She hovered one of the books over to her before she turned back to the door, finding Juniper face-to-face with her. She jumped a bit in response as the book dropped to the floor with a thud, “Oh.. umm Juniper? Is there, something you wanted to talk about?” The filly shuffled a hoof against the floor, “Y-yes. I just wanted to apologize for Da-... umm, Dusk. He’s a really nice colt, I promise just... he just isn’t very accepting of help.” Juniper finally noticed Twilight’s confusion as the purple unicorn recovered from her shock, “Oh, I’m sorry. We grew up together in Swallow’s Den and we were always really close friends. His parents always encouraged him to try and practice magic, and he was really good at it. I mean they always said they were proud of him...” She looked back down at the floor, “Everything was fine... u-until his parents disappeared a few years back. He’s seemed so, different since then. He’s always pushing away everypony’s help, even when my parents offered to let him stay with us.” She looked back at Twilight as she stomped a hoof on the ground, “I just couldn’t let him sit there and sulk over it for the rest of his life... Please don’t punish him for running off like that, it was me who dragged him along i-.” Twilight placed a hoof on Juniper’s shoulder, bringing the filly’s rambling to a halt, “I can understand that you’re, well, a bit cautious about this whole thing, but please don’t worry. I’m not going to punish him for being... timid.” Twilight assumed there wasn’t any better way to phrase his actions in polite company, clearing her throat before she continued, “He can come back when he’s ready, and it’s obvious he has a lot of raw talent. Thank you for talking to me about this, but please don’t worry about it, okay?” Juniper smiled as she gave a nod in response, “Thank you Ms. Sparkle, I’ll try and talk to him, I promise.” She trotted out of the doorway leaving Twilight alone once again. Twilight picked up the small book again before the scroll that Aqua had given her and a quill floated over to join it. As she jotted down the names and her observations she held a hoof to her forehead, letting out a groan, “This is going to be harder than I thought.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Days seemed to pass by like the turn of a page, and before Twilight realized it, over a week had passed. Every one of her students had shown some improvement, though she remained reluctant to move past anything basic. True to Juniper’s word, Dusk had returned after two days, and while it appeared he was eager to join with everypony else again, he still resisted Twilight at every turn. Whether it was a helpful suggestion or well-earned praise, he merely turned a blind eye to her, as if her methods were some madmare’s ramblings... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight glared down at the book below her in disappointment before she rubbed her hooves against her forehead. It had been hours since Princess Celestia had left her alone to tend to some important task at the castle in Canterlot, and nearly all of that time had been spent staring hatefully at a small rock a few feet in front of her on the floor. The spell seemed so simple as Twilight tried to change the shape of the rock to make it something more complex, and the book described it simply enough: “Focus on the rock, visualize it change, control its change.” However, every attempt she made ended the same. The rock shook in the air and then fell back to the ground unchanged, taunting her. As she stood up from the floor and shot one last glare at the inanimate stone out of frustration, her mind started to float back to Celestia’s small bit of advice: “We should always keep our minds open to how we can change Twilight. Sometimes the best way to do something is not what you are told by everypony else; yet shunning the opinions and advice of others for your own methods only ends in the same disaster as following them like dogma. It takes balance between the two to remain open to the world, to continue to evolve in our understanding, and in our talents.” Twilight trotted over to a small open window, and gazed out over the city of Canterlot. The streets bustled with ponies going about their days below, while businesses, shops and restaurants alike were filled to the brim with customers. Above them she could look down over dozens of pegasi flying to destinations, some of them carrying mailbags or parcels, while others wore the armor of the royal guards, busy going about their patrols. Everything seemed so small below her as she thought about the Princess’s words and how it related to all of them. In fact the only thing that wasn’t under her was the Princess’s castle in the distance, which reflected a brilliant mixture of gold and white over the city as the high noon’s sun hung overhead amidst a lake of white clouds and a sea of blue. Twilight turned back after a few minutes of contemplation, and stared down the rock once more. “Alright, the book isn’t, always right, maybe? Or it’s only partly right?” Twilight questioned her own words for only a moment as she shook her head to regain focus, her horn glowing. She reached out, trying to feel the rock with her magic as she clenched her eyes closed, “I can make it happen, I can do it...I’m in control...” She saw it inside of her mind, the stone slowly shifting and changing to a small ball again and again. It was a few tense moments before she opened an eye slowly, surprised by the ball now sitting in her opponent’s place, “I...I did it?” The silence of the small library was suddenly broken by the sound of cheers and shouts echoing amidst the bookcases, easily drowning out the small creak of a door opening. Celestia smiled in silence at Twilight’s excitement before she spoke up, “I see you had some success after all?” Twilight nearly crashed into a small pile of books as she stopped, trying to hide a blush, “P-princess Celestia. I didn’t expect you back so...soon.” Twilight looked at the ball which was sluggishly changing back into a rock before she smiled again, “Your... advice was greatly appreciated Princess.” “I only knew you needed a nudge in the right direction Twilight. Everypony in this world needs to learn their lessons differently, my student, and we all deserve a chance to learn them. Remember that.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As another day came to a close and Twilight’s students began to gather their things to leave, she watched Dusk intently. Just as he was about to leave she stepped up behind him, holding a hoof to his shoulder in hopes to stop him, “Dusk? Would you mind staying for a few moments?” The colt looked in aggravation at the door as he saw the last of his classmates leaving before he gave a begrudging nod to Twilight. She let her horn shimmer for a moment as the door closed and locked before turning her attention to him, “I want to talk to you about your recent behaviour in classes. I’m trying to do my best to help you all better your talents and learn to use your magic to its fullest so that you can help everypony.” She made a note of his eyes rolling before her tone became serious, “The way you treat my teaching makes it seem like you don’t even appreciate your own talents, and I’d like to know why.” “I don’t need to tell you anything.” Dusk stated simply as he started to move to the door, but stopped in his tracks halfway, mumbling under his breath, “...You’re just the same as them.” Twilight rolled her eyes, “Do you mean your parents? I don’t know what happened with them, bu-.” Twilight was interrupted as Dusk turned back to face her, a gaze of amber staring through her, “You’re right, you don’t know! They left me without a word. If they did that it means they didn’t think I needed their help anymore, that I didn’t need anypony’s help... that they didn’t need me.” His head pointed back to the floor as he shuffled a hoof back and forth, gritting his teeth. Twilight looked down at the colt with sincerity in her eyes, “Dusk... I want to help you, please, tell me what happened. ” He closed his eyes as he hoped to vanquish his growing tears, “...They were like everypony else. They listened to the Legends and hoped the sun would rise again some day. When I was born, they said it was a sign to them... they told everypony I was a ‘herald’ of the promised day. My mother even named me like...it was my destiny... Daybreak.” His focus remained on the floor as he continued, “They always said I’d do something great... that my magic was a gift from the Legends, and they, kept telling me how proud of me they were. And then they just disappeared...” He shifted his gaze, turning away from Twilight slightly, “One day I just woke up, and they were gone. Some ponies in the village said they’d seen them taken away by someone, or something. Others said they were just fanatics that went on some wild goose chase.” He looked up at Twilight, quivering with the same fear in his eyes that she had felt the first time she arrived at the school in Canterlot so many years ago, “B-but they wouldn’t just leave me! They wouldn’t abandon me unless they knew I was ready to stand on my own four hooves, and I did! Everypony tried to hold me up, or shelter me, or coddle me, but I didn’t need their help, I don’t need their help, I’m strong! I’m going to do something great someday, and I’ll do it on my own, because that’s what they’d want from me!” His stern expression had finally conceded itself to sorrow as tears streamed down his face, “...it’s what they’d want.” Twilight stared in shock at the dark-coated colt, a dozen questions storming through her mind in an instant; questions about herself, about Dusk, more than she could hope to answer. She pushed them to the back of her mind as she wrapped her hooves around Dusk, holding back her own tears, “Your parents wouldn’t want that. They would want you to become better, to make friends and accept the gifts everyone around you is willing to give. We can’t rely only on what others tell and give us, but shunning their gifts only ends in disaster. We have to take both what other ponies can share and what we can offer ourselves in order to move forward.” She let go of the colt as her gaze shifted down to meet him, and a smile grew on her face, “Will you do that for them?” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had been a full month since Twilight and her friends had arrived in the village of Gallant Hollow. Each of them had found a place and carved themselves into the landscape. Whether it was new friends, the services they provided, a few well-planned parties and attempted treats, or simply words of encouragement, they had become something more than passersby. As another early bell echoed through the streets, Twilight’s students once again found themselves in the rigours of training and study. Twilight was surprised at how they had all progressed in so short a time, especially Daybreak, who had taken back the title his parents had blessed him with at his birth. After their talk he had changed so drastically that it was as if he’d been replaced by somepony else overnight. While others struggled with grasping the lessons Twilight taught them, he sought to master them, and even when faced with failure or difficulty he managed to press through. Twilight had even taken him under her wing, serving as her own personal pupil. While others relaxed during the weekends or took their breaks during the day, Daybreak would spend his hours in study with her, determined to make his parents proud. Just as a new day was about to begin however, it was all brought to a grinding halt by a knock on the library door. Twilight looked over her students and offered a small apology as she trotted to the door, her horn shimmering as it swung open. She was greeted by the sight of two older guards, captains from the look of their uniforms, her friends assembled behind them, “Twilight Sparkle, the Council of the Wilds has convened, and at both their and Lady Aqua’s request, you and your companions are ordered to report to the Hollow immediately.” Twilight was given little more than time enough to say a goodbye to her students before she was practically dragged out of the door and began to trot alongside her friends. She moved up to Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were wearing their armor, “Do you two know what’s going on?” Applejack turned to her, “Shoot no. We were just about to go out on patrol when we got dragged along with them around the whole village looking for Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash kept a few inches off of the ground as she glared at the two senior guards from behind, “Pollen said the Council is made up of ponies from all over the Wilds, and even some from inside Equestria... Wasn’t Aqua spending all of her time trying to get them to trust us while we busted our backs around here for three weeks?” Fluttershy kept close to Rarity as they moved up behind the other three, “Do you think she actually convinced them? …I mean she said it would take a while and helping out around the village would help. Do you think we finally made an impact?” Twilight looked between everyone before she lingered on the library growing smaller behind her, “I’m sure whatever it is, she’ll let us know when we get there...” The large hollow tree grew closer before it towered over their heads. However, as the door swung open and they expected to be lead up the large stairs to its top, they were greeted by the large open floors of the central room filled to the brim with ponies engaged in debate and conversation, its cacophony assaulting their ears. There were literally hundreds of them of varying shades, size, and shape all the way to the ceiling that sheltered them above, with pegasi occupying nearly every inch of the open air. As the two guards entered the room, silence fell over the assembled as a few dozen aged ponies on the main floor of the tree stepped forward with Aqua at their side. A unicorn at the center with a dark grey coat and aged eyes looked down on the six with scrutiny, “Are these the ones you spoke of Lady Aqua?” “Yes, they are the six ponies we found out in the Wilds following our assault on Nightmare Moon’s troops. Considering their arrival and the information we gathered from the patrol, there is no doubt in my mind that these six are the Elements of Harmony from the Legends of the Sun.” Twilight and her friends stood proudly again as they had on their arrival, even amongst the hundreds of eyes locked on them. The aged unicorn stepped closer, “And what are your names?” Twilight spoke up for the others, “I am Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity.” With each name she pointed a hoof to them before turning her gaze back to him, “We are the Elements of Harmony: Magic, Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, and Generosity. But I think we deserve to know who you are too...” The grey unicorn chuckled lightly in response, “Fair enough. I am Laurels, and I am the head of the Council of the Wilds. Lady Aqua has been kind enough to...enlighten our ears for the past few weeks of who you are, and given no shortage of debate in return. Many of our members, myself included, still remain sceptical to the timely arrival of the Elements at such an opportune time. Your kindness and aid around this village hasn’t been unnoticed of course, but we still need more proof. Lady Aqua has agreed to a test, though it should have come in time on its own.” Twilight and her friends looked at Aqua who stepped forward as she was mentioned, “You will all be tasked with traveling to an ancient site mentioned in the Legends of the Sun. It is known only as the Temple of the Sisters, and lies somewhere deeper in the Wilds than we have settled for some time. The Legends say that when the Elements of Harmony return to the Temple, where they defeated the Usurper a thousand years ago, they will be able begin again the cycle of day and night. You six must travel there together to prove that you are who you say...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The throne room of the Castle Umbra, known only as Castle Nightmare to Equestria’s foes, echoed with a grim silence. Along its black steel walls hung the flags of vanquished foes, the symbols of nations and rebels alike that stood against Nightmare Moon’s rule and failed. Their standards stood like the severed heads of game in the hall of a trophy hunter, treasured and flaunted for all to see. At one end stood the massive throne of purple and black, filled by Nightmare Moon’s form as nobles and advisers alike gathered within the vast halls that seemed to stretch on for miles. A single window in the ceiling of the room let the moon’s light shine down onto the throne, yet somehow managed to darken the vast halls. It was only a monthly occurrence, but still one of great importance as Her Highness received word on the status of her empire and its subjects. One by one ponies passed before their Queen, offering their graces and praise. Nobles had gifts to offer, whether they were relics, knowledge, trained soldiers, or resources gathered from the far edges of Her Highness’s empire. Once the nobles had left their gifts and abandoned the hall, her generals and advisers would speak of the state of her domain. It was a rather bland month in retrospect. An accident in a series of mines near the deserts of Old Appleoosa believed to be the work of militants, a small set of peasant uprisings at the edge of Manehattan quelled as they had begun, and the graduation of another class of Eclipse fliers from Cloudsdale’s illustrious Flight Academy. Nightmare Moon tried to suppress a set of yawns as the reports were delivered and finally came to a close. She paused only for a moment as the last of her military advisers began to leave her sight, “Wait... You are aware of our operation within the Wilds, correct?” The earth pony stopped in his tracks, and swallowed hard before he turned back to her with a bow, “Y-yes Your Majesty. We have yet to receive word back from the captain you placed in charge of the operation. It is believed that the mission is proceeding as planned for the time being.” Nightmare Moon smiled wide, “And how long has it been since the operation began, it is a month, is it not?” He tried to keep himself from shaking as he kept his place, “Yes, about thirty days Your Majesty.” “Are you aware why I personally selected the captain for that assignment?” She stood up from the throne and slowly moved down the ebony steps until she towered over the colt, “It is because throughout his short career, he has made himself known in two ways. One, he has yet to fail a single assignment given to him, no matter how trivial or difficult it may be.” Her mane flowed down to lift up the earth pony’s chin to meet her gaze, “And two, in every case, he has updated me about every trivial, little, insignificant detail he comes across, much to my annoyance... In fact, on many occasions I have received letters hoof-delivered to me by his personal guard, every month, on the dot.” Her gaze twisted into a glare as her horn lit with a dark light, lifting the colt off the ground and up into the air, “I want an entire battalion at the Wilds in a week’s time, and I want it all torn to the ground and burned. Take everything: Talons, Eclipse, Battlehorns, Crushers, whatever it takes to tear it asunder and drag those six fillies out into the open with their hooves tied together, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!” The colt quickly nodded his head in response before he was dropped back to the ground. Nightmare Moon turned back to the throne as the rest of the ponies sifted out of the room in hurry. Nightmare Moon sat back down slowly before shifting her gaze back, “And you, what do you have to say?” A small unicorn cloaked in black stepped out from behind the throne, her voice struggling to remain strong after the display she had witnessed, “T-the injections are continuing as planned...but we’ve run into some, well, complications. Some of the subjects are exhibiting psychological problems and we think it might be a hea-.” Nightmare Moon waved a hoof in the air, “Continue as planned. The side effects are expected.” The unicorn looked up at Nightmare Moon in disbelief, “But at this rate there won’t be anypony left that will su-.” Nightmare Moon’s eyes glowed a dark black as her voice bellowed through the empty hall, sounding only for a moment as a multitude of voices layered upon one another, “I said, continue. I will not have dissension amongst my most trusted members. You are dismissed, Amber.” “Yes Your Highness.” The unicorn left through a small passage leading to the back of the Castle as Nightmare Moon turned her gaze to the moon shining bleakly onto her throne. “The war is finally beginning sibling. We’ll see how strong your Elements are this time, and if you can save your precious world from the brink of disaster...”

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-18T23:12:21+00:00

2011-09-18T23:12:21+00:00

The moon hung silently overhead as Twilight and her friends made their way through the overgrowth of the Everfree Wilds, their path barely illuminated by the silver light that shone down through the canopy above. It had been two days since their departure from Gallant Hollow with enough provisions to last them a week’s journey, and the conditions they faced were thankfully not as rough as they had expected. While their destination was deep enough into the Wilds that it had remained uncharted by any pony for hundreds of years, the map Twilight had taken from the library before their departure was more than sufficient to bring them close to Ponyville, or at least what they hoped was its location. Underneath the tangled roots and vines of trees Twilight barely made out the burned-in images of hoofprints and debris within the cold dirt, as if they were a warning sign to any travelers of the disaster which occurred on that spot so long ago. Her sight shifted between her friends as her mind had begun to rebuild their old home piece by piece. They had just passed Sweet Apple Acres, its crop replaced by decrepit and rotting foliage that bore little more fruit than a lifeless rock, and as they entered the outskirts of the town, everything fell back into place. Under close inspection they could see the remains of fountains and statues, degraded or crumbled, yet not completely destroyed by time’s passage, buried beneath a tangled weave of vines and roots. The arrived near the center of the village, Ponyville’s once massive town hall at now nothing but a mound of ash and dirt at their hooves. Applejack sighed as she rubbed a hoof along the ground and examined the black marks it left on her coat. “It’s hard ta believe... even after so long, some of it’s still here.” Rarity tried her best to avoid the large piles of soot and ash as she rested her hooves next to an overturned log. Her saddlebags opened up at the glow of her horn as she pulled out a small canteen of water. “I’m more amazed its taken us more than a day to get this far, it’s like that map is less help than Rainbow Dash when it comes to sewing. Oh, no offense darling.” Dash only rolled her eyes as she rested on a sturdy limb of a nearby tree. “Oh, believe me, none taken... Are you sure this map is even going to help Twilight? I mean we have no idea where that Castle or Temple or whatever it’s called is from here. And if we go in the wrong direction we’ll be wandering for days!” Applejack looked up at the pegasus, taking her own canteen from her saddlebags. “We haf ta trust in Twilight here Dash... I know it’s been awhile since we went through that part of the Everfree Forest, but it can’t be too hard to retrace our hoofsteps, right Twilight?” Twilight looked down over the map as she attempted to make heads or tails of its contents other than the directions they had already followed. “I suppose so... I mean we headed west when we left Ponyville before, so if we follow the path that’s, maybe still there, it shouldn’t be so hard, right?” She tried to offer a smile of confidence to her friends as they all took a moment to rest. Pinkie Pie dug into a small sack from her bag as she pulled out something that closely resembled a clump of burnt dirt and quickly shoved it into her mouth. The others only offered her odd looks as she swallowed it with some difficulty. She let whatever “flavor” it held sink in before she spoke up, “Hmmm, too crunchy, and bland.” She picked out another as she repeated the process. Fluttershy walked up to her with a small look of concern. “... How can you keep trying those Pinkie? I mean your baking can, uhhh, wait until we get back, can’t it?” “Awww, but I spent weeks making all of these, and I didn’t want to try them until they’d sat for a while, you know, to see if they held onto any flavor.” She easily swallowed another one, mumbling through crumbs, “Too chewy, and muddy, but it might work...” Twilight folded up the map before placing it gently into her saddlebags once more. “We need to get moving again soon. Every second we waste is another that Nightmare Moon is getting stronger.” Rarity sighed as she rubbed her hooves together, “But we’ve been walking for a day straight already. I feel like I’m going to collapse if we go any further.” Applejack nodded, looking around the square. “I hate to say it, but I think Rarity’s right this time, sugarcube. We need a good night’s sleep on our shoulders if we’re gonna make it there safely. Maybe the library is still in one piece, I mean it did hold together for our little ‘nap’ and all...” It only took a few minutes before the group found themselves at the large hollow tree they had awoken in a month earlier. Its walls were still kept rigid from vines, weeds, and roots in the time they had been gone. Somehow even more had managed spring up, covering it inside and out in a vain attempt to conceal the hole they left through. As the others tried to lay out blankets amongst the dim light Twilight and Rarity provided, Twilight moved along the wall, her hooves pushing away some of the vines that concealed the tree’s past. She was surprised to find that some of the books were still intact after so long, or at least their bindings were. As she pulled out one of the books, opening it slowly, she was only greeted by the crumbling of paper as it fell to the floor in a fine mist. With a begrudging sigh, Twilight placed the cover back in its home and joined the others. As everypony drifted off to sleep amidst the tree’s walls, Twilight’s thoughts were back with the village they had left behind: her students she had left under their own tutelage, the friends and lives they had all left behind at a moment’s notice, and the ponies they were meant to protect that didn’t yet believe in them. Then there was Ponyville: the friends they had abandoned, the ponies they would never see again, the home that rested as rubble under their hooves now. In one fell swoop they’d walked away from a life they held so dearly, right into the remains of one they had been torn away from. The last thought that passed her mind as sleep overwhelmed her was a simple one: “It won’t happen again...” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As the six awoke from their slumber and prepared for another day’s journey in Ponyville’s ruined town square, Twilight took another look around the shelves of the library, hoping she would find something in readable condition. It was only a few minutes before she stumbled on what had started everything: “The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.” The words along its spine remained legible after so long, and she prayed it would not crumble like the others as it slid out of the bookcase and floated in front of her. With a deep breath and her eyes sealed shut, she let her magic slowly open the pages. She was honestly surprised when it was intact, as new and crisp as the day she had found it on Nightmare Moon’s return. She was even more shocked when it opened to a page with a neatly-folded note, untouched by age or decay. As the book rested on the floor and the note unfolded, she was greeted by the all too familiar writing of her teacher, Princess Celestia: To my Faithful Student Twilight, I know that in time this letter will reach your eyes, even if it takes longer than I care to imagine. Yes, the worst has happened, and while I fear for my subjects’ safety in this dark hour, I must make sure that this reaches your door before I cannot act any further. The path you must follow is a more dangerous one than you can imagine, and with more obstacles than you will be able to count, but the strength you and your friends possess will bring you to your destination in time, I am certain of it. Remember, the magic of friendship can weather the fiercest storms, pierce the strongest armor, and brighten the darkest night, but only if you trust in it. The sun will rise again, and you will be its dawn. With Hope, Princess Celestia As Twilight started to fold the letter and place it in her bags, she saw dark lines appearing along its back. After a few moments they began to piece themselves together, one after another, until before her eyes was a map; its markings led west, with an ‘X’ marked at the end of a winding path. In all her life she wouldn’t have imagined the Princess could have seen all of this happening, and yet been unable to stop any of it. Was it all merely a back-up, some plan designed solely if she should fail in battle against her sister, or were she and her friends truly the only hope she had? She tried to stifle her doubt as she stepped out of the tree and found her friends waiting for her. Rainbow Dash flew down from the canopy, shaking a few leaves off her wings as she landed next to Twilight. “What took you so long?” Twilight wiped a small tear from her eyes as she held up the note. “Just finding a map for us. I don’t know how accurate it will be after so long, but the Princess left it for us. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but we have to trust it...” The others nodded amongst one another before they started moving, their heads held high at the stroke of luck, though Dash seemed a bit skeptical as they trekked deeper into the Wilds. “How do we know it isn’t some trap Nightmare Moon left for us? We can’t just trust some words written on a scrap of paper that just happens to be intact in a library after a thousand years.” Rarity sighed as they trudged along the darkened path, “It’s not like we have anything else to follow darling. Besides, if she were laying in wait to pounce on us I’m sure somepony would’ve taken notice after this long.” Fluttershy looked between Dash and Rarity. “But... Dash does have a point. I mean it all seems too much like a coincidence when you think about it... Maybe we shouldn’t just be, well, following it blindly, but that’s just what I think...” Applejack shot a glance at Dash behind her. “I keep tellin’ ya ta stop bein’ such a downer bout this whole thing, now you’re makin’ Fluttershy worried. It’s not like we wouldn’t a’ gone off in this direction anyway.” As the bickering only intensified, Twilight tried to stay focused on the map before she turned back to everypony, still trotting forward. “Girls! We don’t have time to argue about all of this. I know Celestia wrote it, it has to be from her, and arguing about it is only going to set us back more than we already are, so if you could ju-.” She was cut off as Applejack rushed to her side. “TWILIGHT!” It was only as Twilight turned back to her front that she noticed the sharp drop only a few feet ahead, concealed by a few bushes. As she skidded to a stop she swallowed hard, offering a bleak smile to Applejack. “S-see? That’s the kind of thing that can happen because of this...” She peered over the small brush to get a look down the cliff’s edge. It wasn’t so steep after a few feet, but it was obviously too much for them to climb down safely. “I think we’re going to have to find another way down there girls...” Pinkie Pie looked around at a nearby hill that jutted up behind them and the large open valley that was at the bottom of the cliff face as she rubbed her chin lightly. “It seems so familiar...” It took only a moment before she hopped in place, shouting, “Aha! I got it! I got it!” Everypony looked at Pinkie with a confused look, before their gazes shifted back to their surroundings. Applejack tapped a hoof against her chin before speaking up, “I think Pinkie’s right... this is where that cliff fell apart.” She took a chance to prod her hoof lightly against the ground, inching towards the edge, “Though it’s a mite more stable now thankfully... Don’t supposin’ you girls wanna take a leap ah’ faith?” Applejack held back a chuckle at as Twilight and Rarity raised an eyebrow in her direction, “Didn’t think so...” Fluttershy spoke up after a few moments, pushing some brush aside to peer through, “I-I think there’s a cave over here... I-I don’t know if it will go anywhere.” The others trotted over to the brush, seeing the entrance to a small cave just around the corner. Its entrance appeared just large enough for them to fit into, though on closer inspection it appeared to widen several feet in. Twilight stepped forward, her horn flickering to life as she shined a light into the cave. “It looks like it goes down, though I don’t know how deep it is. Still, it’s better than trying to get down from that cliff,” Twilight said, stepping into the cave as her friends followed one by one. Twilight’s horn grew brighter as the pale moonlight faded behind them. Their timid hoofsteps echoed through the cave before fading into the distance, splitting off into every direction as the girls began to pass tunnels jutting out of the passageway, some of them ending in dead ends within their view, while others looked to go on for a while. Rarity let out a sigh as she looked around the cave walls, dripping lightly with moisture, “Are you sure this is the right idea? I mean we have no idea if this even has an exit.” Dash rolled her eyes. “Then we’ll just go out the way we came. I don’t think the entrance is going to just disappear or something.” Fluttershy spoke up from the back of the pack, “B-but what if we go down the wrong path on the way back? W-we could end up lost down here forever. Or worse...” “I doubt there’s much worse than that,” Rarity added, moving up behind Twilight, “Maybe there’s some other way?” Twilight turned back to face Rarity, trying to keep a smile on her face. “I doubt that... the cliff wasn’t too steep, but still, I don’t want to risk it falling apart underneath us.” Twilight stopped in her tracks as she heard a light rumbling down the tunnel, the rest grinding to a halt behind her. It only lasted for a few moments, but it was enough to grow doubt and frowns on the group’s faces. Applejack let out a sigh of relief as the rumbling stopped, stepping up to the front of the group. “I’m sure it was nothin’ girls,” she said with an unsure smile before moving forward again, “We need to keep movin’ so we can find a way outta he-” Her words were cut off as the rumbling returned, more forceful and closer than before, as rubble and dirt started to filter down off the ceiling. It was only a moment before the small pebbles were replaced by large chunks of rock, the top of the cave closing in on itself between Applejack and her friends. She quickly galloped away from the cave-in, hopping to avoid any damage should the rest of the tunnel suffer the same fate. It took a few moments for the dust to settle as Twilight got back on her hooves, the light at her horn returning as she regained focus. “I-is... everypony alright?” She was greeted by nods as they looked around, Twilight counting in her head as she scanned over her friends. “W-wait, where’s Applejack? A-Applejack?!” The group quickly jumped to their hooves, trying to call for their friend. The orange pony let out a groan, rubbing her head lightly after having dived into a small split from the tunnel. She could hear the muffled yells in the distance, her gaze drifting up to the pile of rubble a few dozen feet away from her. She took a moment to shake stars out of her vision before stumbling over to the wall of rock, barely visible in the darkness. She shouted to try and carry through the stone, “T-Twilight? Girls are you there? Is everypony okay?” Twilight dashed over to the wall. “Applejack, thank Celestia you’re alright. W-we’re okay over here, but...” She looked up towards the ceiling, a few loose rocks falling down the length of the cave-in. “I don’t think we can dig through this Applejack. H-hold on, we’ll try and find someway around.” Applejack let out a sigh, “I don’t know if that’s a good idea Twi... We ain’t got an idea of what caused this, and if it’s even gonna happen again, but-” She turned back away from the wall, squinting into the empty darkness. “I can’t exactly see much over here, so I guess y’all are gonna have ta take a chance. Just, take it easy girls... I don’t wanna be stuck in this cave too long.” Twilight turned away from the wall for only a moment, nodding to her friends. “Just stay put Applejack, I’m sure one of these tunnels leads to the other side of this wall.” Applejack could hear soft whispers fading into the distance as her friends trotted down the tunnel. She shook her head for a moment before laying down on the cold floor, rubbing her eyes with a hoof as she strained to see anything in the darkness. It was several minutes before she heard the quiet pattering of hoofsteps in the distance, snapping her head up quickly as she saw a small flicker of light down the tunnel. She jumped up to her hooves, moving forward with a smile on her face. “Girls! Glad y’all found a way aro-” Applejack stopped in her tracks as she was greeted with the sight of a young colt trotting up to her, a dirtied pair of goggles over his eyes, with soot and dirt matting his light brown coat and red mane. Along his flank were two heavy saddlebags, and a small arm of metal jutting out from his right side, holding meekly onto a small lantern. He tried to suppress a chuckle as he moved up to Applejack, pushing the goggles up with a hoof, his green eyes locked on her. “I think you might be a bit incorrect on that.” Applejack kept her legs tense, backing up a few inches as her eyes adjusted to the light, squinting as she tried to stare the strange colt down. “W-who’re you? What’re you doin’ down here?” “I could ask the same to the mare that looks like she’s going to tackle me into a wall...” The colt sat down on his flank, pushing the lantern over his shoulder before reaching into his saddlebags and pulling out a large piece of parchment. He unfolded it on the floor, a mesh of lines of varying color barely visible in the dim light as he grabbed a crude pen attached to its side, making a simple mark on the map before looking up at Applejack, “Yew knowf-” The colt blinked, stopping to place the pen down on the map before he continued, “Sorry. You know these caves are... kinda dangerous.” Applejack remained wary, her eyes focused on the colt, though her stance relaxed as she spoke, “We... Me and my friends aren’t from around these parts.” “New to the Wilds or just... here? And, what do you mean we exactly?” The colt tilted his head to the side, looking past Applejack at the wall of rock. “You seem to be alone at the moment.” “We were goin’ down this tunnel when a cave-in started for no reason... They’re supposed to be tryin’ ta find a way around it, though I don’t exactly know how that’s goin’.” Applejack’s stern look faded as her lips turned to a frown. The colt rubbed his chin, looking down at the map as his hoof moved across it, tracing lines. “Well, there aren’t many way they could of gone... All the splits stop past here except for a few, but there’s enough ways to put them anywhere.” He looked back up at Applejack with a smile. “Tell you what, I know this place pretty well, probably more than your friends at least, let me just see if I can map out a few things and...” The colt became lost in his thoughts as he muttered to himself as he looked back at the map. Applejack glanced back at the wall, shaking her head. No... I ain’t got any idea who the hay this colt is... and I’m sure the girls can find their way here soon enough, but I can’t just go sittin’ here for days. What if he’s some kinda spy from Equestria, or somethin’ worse... Applejack looked down at the colt, who had finally stood back up on his four hooves, placing the map back in his saddlebag. “Look... I know it’s pretty odd to be finding a colt out in the middle of nowhere, so...” He held out a hoof, a thin smile on his lips. “The name’s Dig... well, kind of a title-slash-nickname thing, hobby too. I’m a... scavenger, sort of. I come out here looking for scraps of history or something that some half-wit noble or scholar’ll be interested in... I know it sounds silly, but there’s a lot to find out here... I-I’m not out to steal from you or anything I-I just want to help.” Applejack looked the colt in the eyes, her breathing slowing before she began to turn her head from side to side. “I... I know you mean well.” And every fiber of my being is sayin’ not to trust you... Applejack echoed in her mind, “But...” Her hoof moved up, pressing against the colt’s before shaking it up and down lightly. “Name’s Applejack... nice ta meet ya Dig. Let’s hope you do know your way round her like ya say you do, I don’t want my friends showin’ up here without me around.” “Don’t worry, it’s just a few twists and turns, that’s all. We’ll find them no time, I promise.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dig sighed, trotting slowly in front of Applejack as he glanced around the cave, “You know, I’ve actually found some stuff in these caves before... though they’re always changing every time I come here. A lot of ponies don’t come out this far on superstition. They say some... tragedy happened and the whole place is haunted now. I don’t believe it per say, but there’s plenty to find. Gotta be something digging all these tunnels but, well, I never see it.” It had been nearly thirty minutes since the two had left the cave-in. Applejack had kept her guard up around Dig, despite her acceptance of his offer for help, but her mind kept wandering to thoughts of her friends somewhere inside the endless tunnels. She was only brought back to reality as the colt stopped suddenly in front of her, her head nearly knocking into a saddlebag as she ground to a halt. “Wait... w-why are we stoppin’?” The colt flexed an ear idly before turning back to Applejack. “They’re close. Applejack, thank you... for trusting me that is.” He reached into the saddlebag, pulling out a small satchel, tied shut by a knot at its top. “I-I found this a few days ago around here. I really don’t think anyone would be interested in it, but... I think it’s a good sign of appreciation.” He slowly undid the knot, the cloth falling to reveal what appeared at first glance to be a few pebbles in the faint light. “I found them over by where some ponies say there used to be a village and, I know it sounds crazy, but I think they’re seeds. Amazing that there used to be something like that out here... and that they’re still in one piece. Must of been petrified to last this long. You ummm, you seem like the patient type... I mean you’ve had the patience to stand walking around with me while I’m rambling. So, maybe you’ll value these more than somepony who expects them grow...” Applejack slowly reached for the satchel in Dig’s grasp, her eyes locked on the small seeds in the dim light as she dropped to her hind legs. Her eyes started to well with tears at a closer inspection of the small curves, and her mind only came to one conclusion. She tried to hold back tears as she clenched her eyes shut, resting the small satchel on the floor as the lantern’s glow fading from her eyelids, replaced by a faint purple light in the distance, and a familiar voice calling out to her. “Girls, I think that’s... Applejack! Applejack is that you?!” Applejack’s eyes snapped open as she looked up to the sight of her friends galloping at her. She was quick to rise back to hooves and trot over to the others, her lips turned up to a smile, “Girls, thank goodness I stumbled onta y’all.” The others looked perplexed as Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Umm, Applejack I thought it was too dark to go wandering around here... and that is a wall of rocks back there from the looks of it.” “What are ya talkin’ about Dash? I’ve been-” Applejack glanced back over her shoulder, greeted by the same wall of rocks she had thought to have left with Dig close to an hour before. Her smile faded for a moment as she shook her head, holding a hoof to her forehead. “I... I musta, dozed off waitin’ fer y’all I guess...” Twilight stepped up past Rainbow Dash. “Sorry Applejack, we stumbled on the way out before we found you so we took a while to make sure we could find our way back. It was Rarity’s idea to leave some crumbs behind, and thankfully Pinkie brought enough of those... ummm, ‘treats’ for us to find you.” “Eh, they were only a first pass,” Pinkie commented, taking a bite of another smoldering crumb of food. “Hmmm, surprisingly salty.” The others shook their heads with a smile as they began to trot away from Applejack, whose focus was still on the cold wall of rubble. Her gaze shifted down as she turned to follow her friends, barely catching the glimmer of the satchel out of the corner of her eyes. Her mouth hung agape as she timidly reached a hoof out, surprised when it didn’t fade from existence before her. With a smile she tied a knot in the satchel and wiped a tear from her cheeks, galloping to catch up to the others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It was not long before the girls were greeted by the pale moonlight at the end of their path, emerging from the cave into a vast valley. They could barely see the cliff above their heads as they trotted forward, the path out of the valley thinning as trees jutted out from the nearby rocks, their rocky path soon giving way to the familiar overgrowth and forest of the Wilds. It was not long however before a faint fog was visible in the distance, growing thicker with each timid step the group made. Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, her horn glowing in an attempt to pierce the thickening veil. “Stay close girls... we don’t want to get separated in all of this...” The group closed into a tight circle, trying to keep their eyes focused on the path ahead, Twilight’s horn barely lighting the way more than a few feet ahead. Fluttershy kept at the back of the path, the eerie wind blowing through trees setting her on edge as her eyes darted from side to side. Her mind twisted the faint images of trees through the fog into nightmarish figures, the whistling of the wind into the pattering of hoofsteps, and the shiver along her spine into eyes peering from the shadows. Her eyes shut tight as she started to slow down, her voice barely carrying through the fog, “Ummm, g-girls? M-maybe we should just w-wait until this fog clears so that there’s n-nothing spooky or... s-scary or...” She swallowed hard to clear her throat. “D-dangerous that jumps out at u-” Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly, her face twisting into a look of terror in seconds as she was greeted by the empty fog in front of her. Her shaking increased as she timidly continued forward, eyes darting around the fog, her voice carrying little weight as she was overcome with fear, “G-girls? I-... this is some kind of p-prank right? I don’t really think it’s a... good time for that.” Fluttershy tried to squint through the fog, hoping to find the faint light from Twilight’s horn in the distance to ease her woes. Instead, she was greeted by the silhouette of a tree growing closer in the veil, a small circle of clear air around its towering form. Fluttershy inched towards the tree, eyes darting from side to side. “T-Twilight? Rarity? A-... anyone?” Fluttershy nearly jumped back from the gnarled roots as she saw a small pair of auburn eyes, followed shortly by a flash of red as they disappeared around the bend. Her curiosity began to peak as she approached the large roots, peering around the trunk. “H-hello? I-it’s okay... I won’t h-hurt you.” She was greeted by a small red fox, cowering behind a heavy root as it let out a whimper. Its weight shifted uneasily, trying to stay off of its front legs which bore a darker shade of crimson along their length. Fluttershy reached a hoof over her mouth as she tried to inch closer. “Oh my, y-you’re injured.” The fox whimpered in response once more, shuddering as it tried to back away. “No, please don’t run, I-I have something that will fix you right up.” Fluttershy laid down a few feet from the fox, lifting a saddlebag off of her flank before she reached inside, pulling out a small satchel. As its contents of bandages, gauze and poultices emptied onto the damp ground, the fox timidly approached them, sniffing lightly before slinking back. “D-don’t worry, they’re good for you. Well, at least they’re good for all the ponies in the Hollow...” Fluttershy patted a hoof lightly on the ground next to her as the fox approached, laying down at her side. It only took a few moments for Fluttershy to clean the pair of wounds and wrap gauze securely around them, a small pin keeping them help together around the fox’s legs. The fox gave a small sniff to its dressings before prodding the root with its paws. After a few moments it jumped forward, nuzzling against Fluttershy’s front hooves. The pegasus smiled before standing up, “See? All better... Just, ummm, don’t go doing anything dangerous, okay foxy?” The fox’s ears twitched lightly as it looked behind Fluttershy, quickly darting away from the tree. Fluttershy stood up quickly, trying to follow the fox, but its form faded suddenly into the fog. “N-no, wait, you can’t be running around yet!” Fluttershy turned around, making out a dim light breaking through the fog. She donned her saddlebags, galloping at the glow as she heard the distance shouts of her friends growing closer. Twilight’s voice was the loudest of them, shouting into the thick veil, “Fluttershy?! Fluttershy are you out there?!” The pegasus trotted out of the fog, seeing her friends gathered in a tight circle. Pinkie and Rarity were quick to rush to her side, hugging her close. Rarity sighed in relief, “Oh Fluttershy, we were so worried about you darling. Where ever did you run off to?” Fluttershy’s ears flattened as she looked down. “I-I’m sorry, I just... got a little scared and... I’m sorry.” Fluttershy looked back up as a small gust of wind started to pick up through the path, the fog thinning enough for the group to see the path they had taken from the valley, though the tree Fluttershy had visited was oddly out of sight. Twilight’s horn dimmed as the moonlight returned to illuminate their path, moving away from the others to get her bearings. “Well, that’s a good stroke of luck for us. Come on girls, we need to get moving before it rolls back in.” Twilight and the others began trotting down the path from the valley, while Fluttershy took one glance back to the treeline, barely making out what looked like two small eyes peering back at her. With a smile she rushed over to the others, shouting for them to wait. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It was a few minutes before the path thinned as the trees grew closer on either side of the group, moonlight fading as Twilight’s horn illuminated itself once more. The group was shocked when the path split into two before them, either path twisting and turning amongst the trees, blocking their destination from their sight. Twilight looked down at the map, shaking her head. “This doesn’t make any sense, this isn’t anywhere on this map.” Rainbow Dash sighed, rolling her eyes lightly at the unicorn, “Well neither was the treacherous cliff or the foggy valley, was it?” Twilight stared back over her shoulder at Dash for only a moment before rolling up the map. “We have no idea where these go, but we have to pick one. Which one do you girls think is the right one?” Pinkie Pie tried to stifle a giggle as she hopped up to the fork in the path, pointing a hoof down the right split. “Duh, the right path is obviously to the right. What other way would it be?” The others looked between one another, their eyebrows raised in confusion as Applejack shuffled a hoof nervously against the ground. “Ummm, Pinkie Pie? I think yer logic might be a bit, uhh, off there.” Twilight stayed focused on the map as the others gathered around her, peering over her shoulder. “Well, I suppose just picking one of these paths should be fine. I mean what’s the worst that could happen right?” Rainbow Dash floated up to the fork, staring down the left path. “Oh, probably just some deadly trap, an ambush, maybe us going in the wrong direction for, you know, forever? Yeah, let’s just go and chance it huh?” Rarity glared at Dash with Twilight, a small tinge of irritation in her voice, “I don’t think that kind of... negativity is welcome right now dear. I say we just, flip a bit or something. I mean honestly, it’s nothing to fret about.” Twilight nodded, turning around to look at the others. “Right... let’s just go down the left and-...” Twilight blinked, looking over the others before raising an eyebrow. “Umm, where did Pinkie Pie go?” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The pink filly hopped steadily down the turning path, humming lightly to herself with a grin across her lips. She giggled, talking to herself as she continued along, “Oh, I’m sure they’ll figure it out eventually. I mean it’s so obvious.” It wasn’t long before her ear flicked, her hops grinding to a halt as the she heard the faint echo of crying in the distance. Her smile bent itself into a thin frown as a hoof ran across her chin. “Who could be all the way out here and crying? Oh my gosh! What if Fluttershy got lost again?! Oh no!” Pinkie galloped down the path, the faint sorrow growing in intensity as a she saw a small blue pegasus curled up into a ball on the muddy path, tears matted across her cheeks. Pinkie’s advance slowed as she called out, “Hi! Are you lost?” The filly’s head jerked up, darting around to find the source of the greeting before her blue eyes met with Pinkie’s. She rose to her hooves, trying to back away. “N-no! I’m not lost I just...” Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she looked away from Pinkie. “I’m just p-passing through.” Pinkie blinked, her frown turning back to a smile as she hopped to the filly’s side, wrapping a hoof around her shoulder. “Well that’s silly, why would you be passing through a scary place like this? You should be off at your home where it’s safe, or going to a friend’s home where it’s safe, or just going somewhere where it’s safe. Unless there’s somewhere safe around here. Oh! If there is can you show me?! Me and my friends are looking for something.” The filly tried to squirm out of Pinkie’s grasp, her frown turning to a smile despite her efforts to keep a solemn disposition. “I... ummm, I know where I’m going and-” Pinkie’s grip loosened as she jumped in front of the filly. “Oh, that reminds me! I don’t even know your name yet. I’m Pinkie Pie! What’s your name?” The filly’s eyes darted away from Pinkie, though she managed to move herself into the pegasus’s gaze with each shift. It wasn’t long before she conceded defeat. “I-I’m Cumulus... everyone in the village calls me Cumi though, but, I don’t like it.” Pinkie Pie giggled, pulling the filly close again, “That’s silly, you shouldn’t hate the names friends give you. Unless they’re mean names, but if they’re from friends how could they be mean?” Cumulus looked down, trying to pull away from Pinkie again. “I... don’t really have any friends.” Pinkie moved her hooves to her mouth, a gasp slipping from her lips for a moment. “No no no no! That can’t be true! Everypony has to have some friends.” “Well I don’t...” The filly moved away, sniffling as she laid back on the ground, “That’s why I ran away...” “No, there has to be somepony you could be friends with. Nopony should ever be without a friend. Never ever ever!” Pinkie moved away from Cumulus, clearing her throat as she started to rummage through her saddlebags. The blue pegasus looked on in confusion as a record player popped out from its contents, spinning up and filling the air with a simple tune. Everypony needs a friend, someone to help them out With no one to be your pal, all you’ll do is sit and pout Finding one isn’t hard, you just have to take a look Searching far and wide, here and there, even inside a... book? The music stopped as Pinkie rubbed her chin, shaking her head lightly. “No... it doesn’t work really well... Umm, let’s just skip the song.” Her hoof nudged the record player aside as she turned back to Cumulus, whose sniffling and tears had been replaced by a smile and a light snicker under her breath. Pinkie smiled in returned as she hopped forward, pulling her up to her hooves. “See? It’s not so hard to cheer up. Just turn that frown upside down, those tears into cheers, and those sniffles into, ummm... wiffle balls? Raffles? Truffles? Those are tasty, do you guys have truffles where you come from?” Cumulus rubbed her hoof across her cheeks, whipping tears away as she smiled, “I just... nopony ever seemed like they wanted to be-” “Now don’t ever think like that! You have to have something in common with somepony. Maybe you both like art, or parties, or grass... Lots of ponies like grass, that should be easy.” Pinkie smiled as she moved back to the record player. “But you should leave here for sure, I mean your chances of finding anypony to be friends with out here is pretty slim. Well, except for me, but I wanna be everypony’s friend... Unless they’re meanie pants. Pinkie turned on the record player again as she turned back to Cumulus. “Hey, do you wanna help me with my song?” She was greeted by the empty path, tilting her head for a moment before shrugging “I guess she decided to head off. I hope she’ll be okay.” Pinkie Pie returned to the player, turning its volume up as she mulled over the song in her mind. There has to be something good that rhymes with look... she mused before hearing the patter of hooves approaching along the path. Pinkie turned around, face to face with her friends as she waved a hoof at them. “Oh, hey girls! I was wondering when you’d finally get here. I told you the right path was to the right. And don’t worry, there wasn’t anything dangerous down here, just somepony who needed a little help.” Twilight blinked, looking between Pinkie and the record player. “Ummm, Pinkie... What are you talking about? And where did you get that thing from?” “Well obviously I was going to need music if I had to cheer somepony up with a song... Though I don’t think the song really did it so much, but it all worked out for the best anyway. See how I found the right path?” Twilight looked at the others. “But Pinkie we haven’t even seen if this path goes anywhere.” Pinkie Pie held back another giggle as she pointed at some hoofprints on the ground, leading towards the group from the other end of the path. “If these prints came from the other side it has to go somewhere right? Besides, if you turned around and walked down the left backwards it would technically be your right, so maybe they were both right.” Dash shook her head as she started to float down the path. “Let’s just get moving... My head is hurting trying to even understand that.” With a few odd glances at Pinkie the group headed forward once again. It wasn’t long before the sound of rushing water carried itself to the group’s ears, the path opening to the familiar river they had once crossed. Its banks had grown as its width and depth had shrunk. It was no longer a challenge to cross like they had experienced before, especially without a serpent throwing a tantrum in their way. It only took a moment for group to cross, though Rarity stayed close to the shore afterwards. She cleared her throat, looking at the others as they came to a halt, glancing back at her. “Oh, girls, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind stopping for a moment, would you? We’ve been out here in this muck and well, I think this is the best opportunity I’d have for a chance to... clean up.” Dash groaned as she dragged a hoof across her face, “Are you serious? We have somewhere important to go! We can’t stop to take a bath...” “Well excuse me for wanting to stay hygienic out here with this filth. I’m only considering my safety and, well... sanity. Do you know the horrible things dirt and germs can do to you? Let alone to one’s coat. Oh, it’s dreadful just to think of it.” Twilight patted Dash lightly on the shoulder. “Look, we’ve been walking for a while. Maybe a few minutes of rest could do us all some good.” The group started to rest their saddlebags on the ground before Rarity cleared her throat. “Oh? Is something wrong Rarity?” Rarity stared blankly at Twilight and the others. “A bit of privacy would be nice, if it isn’t too much... trouble.” With a few groans they picked their bags up once more, trotting towards the treeline and out of sight. Rarity smiled to herself as she laid her bags down, her magic pulling a small cup from its contents as she trotted into the river. She took her time, trying to work out as much of the matted dirt and mud from her hooves and coat. As she drew close to finishing, she heard a small rustling from the tree line, her eyes rolling in irritation as she sighed, “I’m not finished yet girls. If you wouldn’t mind being a little patient, please?” Rarity’s gaze shifted to the brush, just as a young colt stumbled from its confines onto the dirt. She tried to hold back a shriek as her hooves struggled in vain to cover some portion of her body. It was only after his body laid still for several moments that she jumped out of the river, rushing to his side. His coat of dark yellow was nearly snuffed out by the rough patches of brown and black armor strapped around his flank and haunches, his mane of orange and red ragged as he gasped for air. “Umm, s-sir? Are you alright?” Rarity asked the colt, nudging a hoof at his flank meekly. “Oh dear, you must be parched and starving with that look on your face. Just stay right there.” Rarity trotted back to the river, recovering her saddlebags before dropping them back to the ground next to the colt. He tried to shift his body, rolling onto his back as Rarity pulled out a small bag of rations and a canteen, holding it to the colt’s lips as he tried to chug it down. “My goodness, whatever are you doing out here in this condition? It’s simply dreadful.” Rarity moved the canteen away, replacing it with the small napkin full of grass and mulch, which the colt quickly consumed. He tried to stifle a cough before breathing a sigh of relief, his voice strained, “T-thank you m’lady... It’s... a good sight to see such helpful folks out here.” He winced in pain before rolling over, rising up to his hooves with a bit of trouble. “I-I got separated from some friends. I’ve been trying to find my way back, but these Wilds are just, well, confusing on the mind. I’ve been out of supplies for nearly a day and... I heard the river and voices, hoping I’d find somepony.” Rarity tried to keep the colt steady, her hooves running across his coat, trying to check for a wound under his armor. After finding nothing serious, she spoke up, “Well you happened to be lucky for today dear. How far are you from home?” “I-I’m not sure... we were a day out when we got separated, and it’s been 3 days since then... I didn’t travel too far each day, but I think I can find my way back in the same time, if not shorter...” Rarity smiled, her horn glowing as her saddlebags lifted from the ground, resting on the colt’s back gently, “Then you’ll need quite a bit in case you get lost again.” The colt shook his head, looking at Rarity in disbelief. “No, I couldn’t take all of this, leaving somepony like you out here with nothing.” “It’s no worries darling, I have more than enough friends who can help me. You are the one that’s alone out here. I’d suggest you get moving soon though. We’ve gone through some rather unpleasant weather on our way here.” “B-bless you m’lady. You’re truly a saint.” With a small wave the colt departed, leaving Rarity next to the river alone. It took a moment before she trotted to the tree line, following a set of hoofprints to a clearing where her friends were resting. “All done girls. And from what I recall we shouldn’t be too far now, right?” “I hope so Rarity,” Twilight said, picking herself off of the ground. “Let’s get moving girls, I’d rather we get there before anything else rolls into our way.” Dash hovered up into the air. “Oh come on, what’s the worst that can happen, we’ve already made it this far. Just a quick trip over that bridge and we’re home free!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Applejack looked to Dash, nudging a hoof into her side. “Just a quick trip over eh? That’d be all well an’ good if it were still here.” She looked out over the open chasm, two sets of rope tied to the other side of the gap, though what it was attached to was blocked by a thick fog. Dash rolled her eyes as she lifted off of the ground, flying out over the gap. “Yeah yeah, I’ll get it fixed in a jiffy, piece of cake.” Her wings fluttered as she flew down into the small chasm, searching through the dense fog for the remains of the wooden bridge along the cliff wall. It took a bit for her to get close for fear of crashing into the side, but she could make out its worn form, still holding together after so long. She was shocked when she reached out to grasp it and felt a gust rip past her, nearly knocking her into the jagged cliffs. She was quick to turn around, shouting into the fog, “Who’s there?! Show yourself.” Another gust moved through the air towards Dash, which she barely noticed and dodged before it sliced into the cliff face, chipping a small bit of rubble off which fell into the endless abyss. Her front hooves shuffled back and forth in front of her face. “Come on, are you scared of fighting me face to face? I’m not gonna run away from a challenge.” The fog began to thin in front of her as Rainbow Dash came face to face with pegasus adorned with black armor. Her mouth formed a thin smirk at Dash’s response. “Of course not little filly. Though I don’t think fighting a defenseless foal is the best option to test my skills now is it?” “Who are you calling defenseless, huh?! You think I can’t handle myself, that I can’t take you on?!” Dash’s gaze tapered down to a glare as her body leaned down, prepared to charge at her foe. “Now that’s the tenacity I like to see in my prey, but I wonder if you can back it up with your own two wings.” The armored pegasus whipped her wings forward quickly, sending another gust at Rainbow Dash, but she only managed to impact the wall once more. As Dash tried to charge forward and push the pegasus into the cliff wall, she only moved out of her path with a laugh. “Is that as fast as you can go? This is going to be easier than I thought. Try and catch me if you can featherweight.” The pegasus dashed off deeper into the fog and left Dash with a sneer on her face. “Featherweight?! I’ll show that lit-” She looked back at the remains of the bridge the hung from the wall before she glanced back up, the moonlight barely piercing the thick fog. A fight was just what the pegasus wanted, and Dash was more than willing to provide it, but now wasn’t the time. With a sigh and one last look into the fog where the pegasus had fled, Dash hovered over to the hanging rope and gripped it in her mouth before she shot up to the other side of the gap. It only took a moment before the ropes were taught, turning to face her friends with a smile. “Sorry about that girls, just a bit hard to see down there.” As the others started across the bridge, Dash took a moment to collect her thoughts before following them. Through the thick fog and over the rickety bridge the six fillies walked, just as they had a thousand years before, and were greeted by the sight they had long since forgotten: the ruined walls and deteriorated towers of the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, somehow not completely swallowed whole by time’s passing. As they drew closer to its walls and the stone gate passed over their heads, they were greeted by a large open room, filled only with the statue that had once held the “Elements of Harmony,” or at least the stones that bore their symbols from ages past. Twilight looked around the room as she approached the statue, the letter from her saddlebag a foot or so in front of her, “What are we supposed to be looking for? Is it something? Someone? The Elements were destroyed when we fought Nightmare Moon, so it can’t be those... So what could it be?” A hoof brushed along her chin as she examined the letter for any kind of clue it might offer, or hoped that something might magically appear out of thin air to offer them guidance. Her focus was broken as she heard Pinkie Pie shout out something from behind her. “A combo! I feel a combo coming on...” Pinkie’s tail twitched for only a moment before her ears began to flop, followed by a shudder along her spine. Everypony looked nervous and Applejack appeared ready to take cover under the nearby statue as Pinkie simply blinked. “Huh... I haven’t felt that one in a while.” Twilight’s eyes darted around the room as she moved to Pinkie’s side. “Well? What does it mean? Is it something bad, something good, something at all?!” Pinkie rubbed her chin as she traced her tongue along her lips. “Hmmmm, don’t remember, but I’m sure it’ll come to me.” A roar pierced through the air like a crash of thunder, everypony poised on their hooves for whatever was on its way. The roar was followed by the flapping of wings, the feeling of heat in the air, and the crash of one of the nearby towers into a chasm. The ponies only caught a glimpse before the beast towered over their heads. It was a dragon, its large emerald eyes fixed on them through the shattered remains of the Castle’s roof. Its dark scales gleamed in the pale moonlight, contrasted by bright spines along its back. Its neck craned down into the room, his face only inches from Twilight as smoke drifted out of his nostrils. Twilight tried to keep her composure as the dragon stared intently at her before it shot a glance at the other five. Her mind was overcome by fear, but somewhere amongst the tempest of doubt she held onto the hope of who she prayed it really was. The dragon’s glare and grim visage was replaced by a smirk as its neck reared back out of the room. “Well, well, well. I never thought the day would come.” His voice echoed through the silent halls, a deep bass that assaulted their ears. He started to laugh at Twilight and her friends’ expressions as he looked up at the moon, “Oh come on, it hasn’t been that long for you, has it?” He leaned back down to Twilight’s level, though nowhere near as close to her as before. “To forget your number one assistant that is.” “S-s-SPIKE?!” Twilight gasped as her eyes went wide at the realization, her fear replaced by joy as she jumped forward, tears rolling down her cheeks, “It really is you! I-I hoped, some part of me knew, it just had to be you!” “I guess I have changed a lot since the old days huh? Though you all look the same as before. I guess that’s to be expected, given the circumstances.” Dash flew up to Spike’s side and nudged a hoof lightly into his thick scales. “Well, glad you beefed up a bit over the years there Spike. Can’t say we aren’t gonna need a little muscle with what’s on the way.” “I was just glad after the runes started going off that it was really all of you... There have been so many that just stumble in, false alarms...” Spike shook his head lightly, “But no, that’s not what this is about. You guys need to get on board, we’ve got somewhere important to be.” Rarity looked up at Spike with a small chuckle, “Surely you don’t mean... riding on you, Spike? I mean, I’m sure you can get us where we’re supposed to go, but it’s just-.” Spike laughed, accompanied by a small puff of smoke from his nostrils, “Don’t worry, it’s a smoother ride than you’d think.” He turned around and let his tail rest on the ground to provide them a path onto his back. “Trust me, it’s important...” As each pony slowly climbed onto Spike’s wide back, he glanced at Rainbow Dash, still in the air at his side. “Don’t want to join Dash?” “Ehhhh, no thanks Spike. No offense but I prefer my own two wings to someone else’s. Besides, I can race ya there.” She flew in a small circle to get her wings stretched. “That’s going to be a bit hard not knowing the way, don’t you think? But you’re on Dash, I have been practicing out here with nothing to do, so don’t expect a pushover.” He made sure that everypony was secure on his back before his wings flapped heavily, lifting off from the ruins. The flight was almost as smooth as Spike had promised, though his attempt at outpacing Rainbow Dash managed to upset that stillness a few times. The Wilds looked so different from above as Twilight glanced over Spike’s side. She barely made out the lights of several villages in the distance, including Gallant Hollow at the base of the mountain they had traveled from. Granted, the lights could have been mistaken for anything from so far away, but the other lights she spotted could not. They were past the borders of the Wilds in Equestria, the land they once called home, and the one they now called an enemy. It wasn’t long before they faded from sight and Spike began to land at the entrance to a large cave. Spike let his passengers off before he moved inside, his heavy footsteps causing the ground to shudder in response. Around a few dark turns the ponies were greeted by a bright light, right before their silence was broken by a squeal of excitement from Rarity, “My goodness Spike! How ever did you find so many jewels?!” She quickly rushed forward from the others to inspect the pile as Applejack and Dash rolled their eyes. Spike moved into the large open cavern and took a seat against a smooth wall which showed signs of wear. “Don’t go getting envious of them Rarity. I mean it is my dinner for the next year or so.” Twilight moved up to Spike’s feet, her neck craned to keep eye contact with him. “Spike, you said there was somewhere important we had to be? Is this it?” Spike nodded, “It’s actually to meet someone.” His tail moved behind the large pile of gems and emerged seconds later carrying a small crystal ball in its grip. He gently placed it between the ponies before he moved his tail away. Dash raised an eyebrow at the crystal before she turned to Spike, “Ummm, I don’t really feel up to playing fortune teller after all of this trouble, Spike. If we’re supposed to meet someone, shouldn’t it be face to face?” There was a bright flash of light from the orb as it hovered a few feet above the ground, a faint echo emanating from it that transformed into a voice, calm and clear, “I’m afraid that won’t be possible at the moment Rainbow Dash.” Its owner was affirmed as Princess Celestia’s face appeared within the orb, a glow of white and gold around her. Twilight pushed Dash to the side in an attempt to get closer to the Princess’s image. “Princess Celestia, but how? I thought you were captured, or... worse.” Her hoof shuffled against the floor at the thought of the Princess being gone forever. The orb turned to face her, Celestia’s face offering a smile to her student. “It’s very good to see you and your friends Twilight Sparkle, but I’m afraid it’s not so simple. I am merely a fragment, a piece of the Princess which she tore from her mind and soul in preparation for Nightmare Moon’s return. Luckily, Spike was able to perform a few tasks for her, including caring for me these many years.” Spike bowed his head. “It was my pleasure, Princess.” Twilight’s face was affixed with a look of confusion at the “Princess’s” words. “Something like that... how could she have done that? It would’ve taken most of her magic, she could’ve defeated Nightmare Moon.” “Celestia was aware that if Nightmare Moon had taken the steps necessary to remove you and your friends from her reach, then she had plans to deal with her as well. Her only option was to ensure that if, or when, you should return, you would have the tools necessary to combat Nightmare Moon.” The orb rotated, allowing Celestia’s visage to glance at the six fillies. “And now that you have come here, it is time you know exactly what transpired on that day a thousand years ago.” Celestia’s horn within the sphere glimmered with the same golden light the orb emanated. An image appeared in the air above, a light blue mist that twisted itself into an image of Twilight’s library. “I do not know the entire circumstances surrounding it, but Twilight, you and your friends were trapped within your home in Ponyville. A spell almost as ancient as the world itself was cast by you, and placed you all in a stasis. Because of the spell, no pony was able to enter or affect the library in which you six resided for some time, though the spell’s effect did fade on the tree before it did you. The Princess was unsure how long the spell would last, but she was immediately aware of the perpetrator and their motives.” The image shifted to Canterlot, and the throne room within its walls gleaming with golden light. Celestia was seated upon its throne, her gaze locked upon Nightmare Moon at the room’s entrance and the dark shadow which grew from her mane. “Nightmare Moon had returned once again, and sought to bring about the same endless night she wished for twice before. However, she had assistance this time, a unicorn of strong magical talents and a heart, mind, and soul easily bent to her will.” Fluttershy looked up at the image that seemed so real above them, “Who would do something like that, to help someone so dark?” “It was somepony you are all too familiar with unfortunately, whose hatred was a seed cultivated to fruition.” The mist shifted again as a young blue unicorn hovered above them, a wand with dust trailing its path along her flank, “Trixie, the unicorn that you and your friends had driven from Ponyville in embarrassment. How she came to find Nightmare Moon, or was twisted to her will is beyond my knowledge, but with Trixie’s aid, Nightmare Moon was able to remove Celestia’s magic, the only thing that kept me linked to her.” The mist shifted to Nightmare Moon’s visage with images of destruction behind her, each one fading and replaced anex with each passing moment. “Without Princess Celestia to oppose her, Nightmare Moon brought about the night she had longed for, and came to rule Equestria, and the world followed after. You are no doubt aware of how the world stands now. Equestria is ripe with oppression and corruption at its core, infecting everything it touches, and in the Wilds ponies hope to hide for the rest of their days in solitude and fear.” The mist faded as the glow from the orb dimmed. “And so here you all stand, the Elements of Harmony, the symbols of hope and freedom that will be the banner which unites this world against Nightmare Moon.” Dash stamped a hoof on the ground. “And how are we supposed to do that? We don’t have weapons, and there are only so many ponies in the Wilds. We can’t just make an army appear out of nowhere.” “But you can build one. Equestria’s enemies may be subverted, but they are not gone entirely. You will have to travel far and wide in order to find those that will aid you, and the path will not be an easy one. However, I do have a few gifts that may help. The first is a means of transportation. In the ruins of Canterlot, buried deep in the mountains is a gateway, a portal once used as a means of traveling to far-off nations. Princess Celestia was able to use it for diplomatic reasons. However, you will need a key, which is your second gift. Spike, if you please.” Spike nodded as his tail moved back behind the pile and returned with a large book in its grasp. He held it up to Twilight before placing it gently on the ground. It was colored solid white and adorned with gold and gems. At its center was a bright golden sun, shaped to match Celestia’s cutie mark. Twilight’s horn glowed as she lifted it up to her and flipped through the pages. “This... I’ve seen this before. This is Princess Celestia’s spellbook, but... no, no I can’t take this, I don’t-.” “You must, Twilight. Princess Celestia herself had Spike take this from Canterlot, for you. She alone wanted to entrust it to your hooves.” Twilight wiped a tear from under her eyes. “T-thank you, Princess.” “And there is one last gift, for all of you. While I do not have the magic that the true Princess Celestia possesses, I was given enough to unlock your potentials.” Applejack looked between everyone before she gazed up at Celestia’s image, “Potentials? I don’t think we know exactly what yer talkin’ about Your Highness.” “You’ll see in a moment Applejack, though I think you all may want to close your eyes.” They were only given a moment before a flash of golden light enveloped the entire room. Everypony could feel the weight of their saddlebags vanish from their shoulders, only to be replaced with something else. For Applejack and Rainbow Dash it felt heavy, though not constricting, while for Rarity and Pinkie Pie it felt somewhat lighter their bags had been, and for Fluttershy and Twilight it almost felt like a feather was draped across their shoulders. As the flash faded and the normal light returned to the cave’s recesses, they were greeted by the sight of one another, adorned with armor, each different from one another. Applejack stood covered with silver plate on her entire body, accented by sections of alabaster, and three orange apple crests at the front of her armor, with a golden sun seated behind it like a shield. The armor tapered off around her neck, but as she looked at the others it expanded and formed a helmet around her face, giving her enough vision to still see clearly around her. She reared back on her hind legs with a small grin on her face. “Now this is better than them leather scraps by a long shot!” She was shocked when the side of her armor expanded the same as the helmet had, and a spear grew out from her side, glistening in the light of the cave. “And that ain’t half bad neither.” Rainbow Dash had sections of light plate on her legs and body, colored silver like Applejack’s, but accented with streaks of blue instead of white. A red thunderbolt on the foreground of a golden sun sat on her chest. Her armor expanded the same as Applejack’s to form a light helm on her head that opened in the back to let her hair flow freely. On her wings were a similar material that easily bent with the flexing of her wings. As she fully flexed them and took a glance at her armor, a series of blades shot out underneath. Each blade was thin enough to move easily in the wind, and were all colored differently: on her right wing were red, yellow, and blue, and on her left were orange, green, and violet. As she drew her wings back to her flank, the blades receded in the blink of an eye. “Oh yeah, definitely cool.” Rarity’s armor was not as heavy as Applejack’s or Dash’s, but it did cover most of her body, colored a glowing white that reflected the dim light of the cave like a mirror. At her front were the three purple diamonds of her cutie mark against a golden sun, just as the others, but at her back was a small white gown flowing over her flank and hind legs, cut off just before it reached the floor, with a small quiver attached to her side. She looked over herself with a smile on her face. “Well, this is quite fashionable, though I doubt how useful it’s all going to be on the battlefield.” As she moved her hoof up to the diamonds at her front, portions of her armor separated into various shapes and stretched out from her body, reflecting the light as they moved like mirrors and lenses. Rarity’s horn glowed to remove one of the arrows from the quiver, her eyes examining it as it floated in front of her. “And it has been a few months since I used one of these.” Pinkie Pie was covered with small bits of cloth, blended together to look like a jester’s costume colored in pink, yellow, and blue. The similarly colored balloons of her cutie mark against a golden sun hung from her neck as a small medallion, twisting lightly from its chain as her hoof nudged it. Against her flank sat two small saddlebags, each adorned with a theatre mask against a pink background: Tragedy on her left flank, and Comedy on her right. Pinkie quickly took them off and placed them on the ground in front of her as she proceeded to open them. Everypony seemed shocked as Pinkie nearly shoved a leg shoulder deep into the ‘Comedy’ bag, digging around for several moments before she pulled it back out. In her grasp she held onto a small plastic figure which was shaped to look like her, though it did a horrible job at it. “My hair doesn’t look like that,” she mussed before tossing it back onto Spike’s pile of gems. Fluttershy’s body was adorned with an elegant gown, colored to match her yellow coat with small vines and flowers embroidered on its length in a mix of white, green, and purple. Underneath was a small layer of white leather, and at her front it was emblazoned with the three pink butterflies of her cutie mark, against the background of a golden sun. Fluttershy felt a small heat from the crest as it glowed with a pink light. She felt somehow stronger amongst its glow, as if its warmth revitalized her. “This... it’s beautiful.” Twilight looked between the others before she turned to herself. Along her flank was a simple robe of white and gold, and atop her head, just behind her horn, was a golden tiara, but not the one that had appeared on Nightmare Moon’s defeat. Instead, it was Princess Celestia’s, or at least shaped in the same form, with Twilight’s cutie mark at its crest in a gleaming mix of purple and white. Around Twilight’s neck was the same large golden necklace that Celestia wore as well, and with a smile she looked back up at the floating orb, “Thank you, Princess Celestia. These are... they’re amazing.” The orb started to shudder in the air before it came to rest on the ground, its bright light dimming as Celestia smiled up at Twilight, her voice straining to continue, “Well, that has taken more out of me than I expected. Spike can lead you to the ruins of Canterlot, but you will have to split up to reach your destinations effectively. The gryphons of Aeolus have been the start of many rebellions over the years, and while the zebras of Savanra abandoned their northern grasslands at Nightmare Moon’s invasion, rumors say they are still alive within the oases of the vast deserts of the south. However, you and Spike, Twilight, will have somewhere special to travel.” The others looked at Twilight with perplexed faces as Celestia continued, “On the other side of this world, on the far side of the sea lies a small chain of islands, known for millennia as Kraulith. It is there that you will find the ancient home of the five tribes of dragons, an area of peace and refuge far away from the other races of this world. Since Nightmare Moon’s reign began, not a single dragon has been seen outside of Kraulith, and I want you and Spike to attempt and recruit them to this cause.” Celestia grunted in pain as the orb’s glow began to flicker, “You have to leave now, time is of the essence. I will remain here to collect my strength again.” Twilight moved closer to the orb and leaned down to stare into Celestia’s image as it flickered within the ball. “Please, Princess, there’s so many questions that we have to ask, we-.” Twilight stopped as the crystal ball was clear once again, deaf to her pleas. With a sigh she raised her head back up, looking at the others, “Then... I guess we have to go. Spike, we’ll need to go to Gallant Hollow first to tell them about what’s going on. Can you take us there first?” He nodded, “Of course Twilight, I’ll be waiting outside, whenever you’re all ready to go.” The ground once again shook with Spike’s footsteps as he left the cave. Twilight gave a short glance to the Princess’s spellbook on the cold ground before she grabbed her saddlebags a few feet away from her, freeing enough room to place it snugly inside. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The sky above Mare Umbra was filled with the crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning as rain crashed down heavily on its cobble streets. Within the slums of Dark Side the ground melted into a soup of mud while ponies tried feebly to stay warm within trembling shacks. The recesses of Castle Nightmare offered some refuge from the bitter cold, but even its guards at the peak of its walls and towers, steadfast and vigilant in their watch, shivered in the torrential downpour. Illuminated by the flashes of lightning, slowly approaching the iron gates of the Castle, was a dark blue carriage pulled by a pair of pegasi, dressed entirely in black. As they touched down outside of the gates and waited for its doors to part, a figure stirred inside of the carriage, brushing sleep from their eyes as a faint yawn resonated from within. Once under the cover of the Castle’s main entrance, the two pegasi detached from the chariot and moved to the side. A figure cloaked in a blue and black shawl stepped from the chariot, and walked towards the Castle’s doors. “Rip, Tear, you can take your leave for now. I won’t need your assistance for quite some time.” The two pegasi bowed before they flew off to one of the guard towers, leaving the pony to herself. As she walked through the massive doors and through the winding halls she was greeted with bows at every turn. Before long she arrived at the throne room, with Nightmare Moon and her guards to greet her as she kneeled in front of her. Nightmare Moon smiled at the cloaked figure, “Ah, it’s good to see you again. What news do you have to bring me?” The figure rose to her hooves as the shawl removed itself with a faint magical aura. Locks of silver glistened in the faint light against her light blue coat as she grinned at Nightmare Moon, a hoof adjusting her cloak, “Nothing of interest, Your Highness. The pathetic rebellions were nothing before the might of the Great and Powerful Trixie.” “I expected nothing less. You’ll be pleased to know that Foulric and Mossrow are on their way to Wilds at this moment, and our problem will be solved soon.” Trixie’s face contorted to one of shock and anger as she shouted, “What?! You let those pathetic generals take the honor of dragging that pathetic unicorn and her friends to your throne?! I’ll have to depart now to show those precious little Ponyvillians what’s been waiting for them all these years.” Trixie turned to leave the throne room quickly. Nightmare Moon’s mane billowed with fury as she glared down at Trixie. “No, you have things to tend to here. Besides, your vengeance can wait until they lie broken on this floor. Amber is preforming less than admirably at her task, and she will need your assistance to ensure things go correctly.” “What?! The Great and Powerful Trixie being stuck on some senseless science project instead of out on the battlefield? Besides, Foulric can’t see more than the medals on his fluffy, feathered chest, and Mossrow is more obsessed with showing up his peers than fighting an actual battle.” “Enough Trixie!!! You have your orders, and you will follow them. The final hour is drawing close and I will not have anything slip out of my grasp at this crucial hour. I am fully confident in Foulric and Mossrow’s abilities.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The cold air of the night sky whipped past everyone as Spike made his way towards Gallant Hollow with Twilight’s directions. Rainbow Dash was busy trying out her new armor, and was more than capable of making her usual aerobatic maneuvers, even with the odd plates attached to her wings. In fact the entire set almost made them easier to complete as she performed a few rolls around Spike’s torso with ease. “Man! These are incredible. How come we didn’t get this cool stuff the first time we beat Nightmare Moon? You know, not that my necklace wasn’t totally awesomer than all yours already.” Twilight and the others could barely hear Dash over the roar of the wind as they drew closer to the distant mountain with each passing moment. It was only as they neared it that their attention was drawn to something else. Smoke. The same smoke they had seen on the day they had awoken, but this time there was more of it, and it was coming straight for them.

Flashgen

33

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

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-09-19T06:20:48+00:00

2011-09-19T06:20:48+00:00

About a mile into the Everfree Wilds, the crushing of bark and the splintering of tree limbs resonated through the air, deafened by the hum of engines as seven large metal monstrosities pushed forward, tearing down every tree in their path as a pair of grinders attached to their fronts tore the wood to shreds. From their backs spewed pitch black ash and smoke which rose into the air as an ominous signal of the destruction they carried with their arrival and left as their trail. At their sides were several earth ponies, making sure that they were working properly as they cut a swath through the treeline, growing deeper by the minute. The more alarming sight, however, was what the smoke concealed from sight in the open fields behind them. Set up across several acres was an army prepared to march, made of troops resting in tents or tending to supplies or catapults in similar appearance to the metallic monsters cutting through the woods. Amidst the scattered tents were several circles of earth ponies or unicorns facing off against one another in armed combat or dodging bolts of magic flung through the air, which left a sizzling trail of heat behind them. The air was thick with the scent of blood lust and rage as an injury or death appeared a somewhat common occurrence, and while the former was remedied quickly with the aid of some trained unicorns cloaked in grey the latter was left to rot on the soft green grass. In the skies above, several lightly armored pegasi and gryphons did the same, practicing maneuvers or traveling between tents with orders, maps, and supplies for the march to come. One young gryphon in particular dashed through the calm sky with urgency towards a large tent set up at the edge of a hill overlooking the army, her brown and white feathers blowing lightly in the gust that trailed her. She took a moment to compose herself after landing at its entrance before throwing the drapes open. Inside the massive tent were a few ponies wearing black uniforms gathered around a large table littered with maps and documents concerning troop make-ups and supplies that had been accounted for. The air hummed with debate over proper strategy or what kind of enemy force they might expect to encounter. At the head of the table stood a large gryphon, his entire body covered with black feathers, tipped with a light tinge of red, with a black metal plate at his breast, adorned with two crossed golden talons. He seemed uninterested in the discussion as his eyes stayed focused on the documents around the table, until the younger gryphon entered. His neck craned up as his voice bellowed over the discussion, “That is enough for now captains. The strategy Mossrow and I have prepared will be more than adequate. Remember, we are dealing with a highly organized group of ponies more than capable of defending their homelands for this long, and in an environment that is extremely harsh to its outsiders. Make sure that your troops are well aware that these are not untrained savages, and that they should be ready for whatever we come across. We’ll commence the march in two hours’ time. You are dismissed.” As the captains filed out of the tent and set out to return to their troops, the black gryphon looked to his visitor with a warm smile, “Ah, Avia, I see you’ve returned from the crusher group. Do you have good news to report?” The young gryphon bowed quickly in response, “Yes General Foulric, the crushers have been keeping their speed for the last hour, and there appear to be no major hiccups so far. Unfortunately, much of the debris can’t be cleared at this pace, so we may have some trouble marching the entirety of the troop line through as planned.” Foulric shook his head lightly, “I knew this idea wouldn’t work... Mossrow is nothing but a brutish foal trying to push through a brick wall with his bare hooves. Have the troop movements cut in half for normal ground forces, keep the same planned Battlehorn and catapult contingents moving forward like the original strategy called for. Get the information to the Scryers for relaying once the movements start.” Avia nodded as she stood up from her bow, “And what about General Mossrow? Do you know his whereabouts?” “Given his past, most likely out enjoying his usual ‘festivities’... I’m sure his stomping grounds are whatever circle forms closest to his quarters, so we won’t need to travel far to find him.” “I can have one of the guards call him back to you.” The black gryphon shook his head, “No, I’ll go have this discussion with him now.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The clash of steel resonated from the center of the dirt ring, ponies of all shades gathered around. Inside its boundaries a small, light green colt squared off against a dark red colt who towered above him, adorned with armor. In each colt’s mouth was a blade, held tightly between their teeth. Despite their differences in size, however, the larger colt was breathing heavily, on the brink of exhaustion as the green colt dashed forward for another strike. He tried to get his guard back up as the smaller colt swiftly dodged a slash of the blade, using his own to push his opponent’s head upward, leaving his legs open. With a swift buck to his legs and a grunt of pain, the large colt released the blade as it pierced the soft earth next to his body, now strewn across the dirt. The green colt quickly placed the blade against his throat, stamping a hoof onto his gut as he stared into his eyes with a grin, muttering lightly around his blade, “So predictable, filled with pride before the fight and fear at its conclusion... I wonder if your mother even let you stop sucking from the teat before you asked her to sign you up to play soldier...” Beads of sweat fell down the colt’s face as his eyes darted from side to side, “Please... I- I’m sorry, w-we’re supposed to be on the same side!” The blade pressed harder into his neck, drawing a trickle of blood, “And now you’re begging! It’s enough to make me laugh... You don’t even belong under my command you pitiful little bi-” A shout pierced through the crowd, “Mossrow!” The ponies around the ring parted to let the black gryphon enter the ring, Avia standing at its boundary as she kept a close eye on the two. The green colt smirked as he turned to face his peer, twisting the blade lightly with his tongue before he jumped off the colt, throwing his weapon through the colt’s hind leg, pinning him to the ground in a small puddle of crimson as he screamed in pain and two cloaked unicorns moved forward from the edge of the ring. “Foulric, such a pleasure to see you out on the field. I thought you’d be up in your little tent giving orders for the entire battle like usual. Do you want to get your precious talons bloody this time around? I promise it comes out, though I think it might match your feathers it leave it in.” The green colt turned back to the sobbing colt, muttering under his breath, “What a foal... do you expect an enemy to care while you’re bawling at the edge of death?” Foulric narrowed his gaze, “The march is starting soon, I thought I had told you to stay at the generals’ station so that we could finalize the movements. And injuring your troops isn’t exactly helping our situation.” Mossrow trotted towards the edge of the ring, rolling his eyes, “If it’s injuring ones like that, we’ll be better off in the long run. Besides, you always boast about how my strategy is nothing but horse-apples, so isn’t my input less than appreciated?” He turned back to Foulric, “I see you brought your little prodigy, is she going to be attached to your hip like usual?” Foulric tried to ignore his “partner’s” pokes and prods as the crowd began to dissipate and the three began to walk back towards the generals’ tent at the crest of the hill, “The path cleared by the crushers isn’t going to be free of debris like we expected, so the ground troops will be cut in half for the march. But the special troops will be the same number. We’ll have to move slowly to be prepared.” “I still don’t know why we need to be so cautious. These savages won’t stand on their hooves for a second once my soldiers get close to them.” “These ‘savages’ are more prepared than you might expect, and your troops are not used to fighting out here. Besides, we have no idea what they might have in sto-” Foulric was cut off as a loud roar echoed through the sky and everypony’s attention was drawn to the treeline of the Everfree Wilds. Under the pale moonlight they could barely see a shape that resembled a massive lizard only a few feet above the tree tops in the distance, soon obstructed by a massive blur flying towards the camp. The ground under their hooves shuddered like an earthquake as one of the crushers crashed into a section of tents, a series of screams silenced in a moment’s notice as shards of metal flew into the surrounding area and an explosion of gasoline and oil showered the meadow with a burst of flames. Mossrow couldn’t help but grin as he turned to the gryphon, “You’re right... it looks like this will be more exciting than I could have dreamed...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spike let out another roar as the ponies on the ground below began to scurry quickly around the remaining six crushers in a panic. He flew away from their cover as he looked back to the five ponies still on his back, “Are you sure about this Twilight? I don’t know if you all should be heading down there.” “We have to Spike, the others still need time to get here and we’re the only ones that can hold them off.” Twilight turned back to Applejack, whose helmet obstructed her face, “Are you sure you’ll be alright down there Applejack?” “Sure as sugar, ain’t nopony gonna stand a chance against this here Apple.” Her vision scanned across the debris stricken path out to the meadow, spotting several ponies trying to make their way back to the main camp, “Spike! Over there, just get me close and ah’ll take care of the rest!” Spike flapped his wings quickly as he barreled through the air, his shadow passing over the group in moments. Applejack wasted no time as she jumped from the dragon’s back with a yell, “YEEEEHAW!” It was only seconds before her arrival at the ground was followed by a large shockwave, knocking several of the ponies to the ground while others quickly prepared the weapons on the sides of their armor or drew a blade in their mouths. Applejack took a quick count of her opponents before one dashed towards her. He was met with a swift buck, sending him flying into a nearby tree that splintered on impact. The others wasted no time in trying to gang up on her as the side of her armor expanded to form her spear, twisting and shifting at her thought as she tried to knock her attacker’s weapons away or send them flying. Even those that got through had their weapons slide harmless against her armored flank before she countered their attack. A few of the soldiers regrouped as more of their companions arrived, fleeing from the scene of destruction caused at the cluster of crushers as flames began to grow in the air. Applejack cursed under her breath, “This is gunna be tough... but it ain’t nothin’ an Apple can’t handle!” She charged forward towards a group of three colts as she clenched her eyes shut, a single thought repeating in her head: “It’s to save lives...” Her spear easily pierced through the side of one of the colt’s armor before she flung him away, a tinge of red flowing down from its tip as she bucked the other two away. Applejack repeated the phrase under her breath as more soldiers arrived, “...It’s to save lives.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spike opened his claws as he gripped another crusher, giving a shout as he flung it into the camp like the previous one, knocking two more to their sides as their operators abandoned them. Once most of the ponies were gone from the front he landed with a heavy flap of his wings, bending down to let the others off. “I’ll do my best to keep them occupied with Rainbow Dash in the clouds. You guys need to be careful.” Twilight gave Spike a nod as she looked at Fluttershy, still on the dragon’s back, “You’ll be safe with Spike, Fluttershy... And don’t worry, we’ll be okay, I promise.” Fluttershy could only reply with a small squeak as she laid her head down on Spike’s scales, trying to hide her face under her mane as he took off back in the air. Twilight looked at Pinkie and Rarity as she squinted to see Applejack in the distance, “She won’t be able to hold them off for long on her own, we need to get moving. Rarity, can you keep them at a distance?” Rarity rubbed a hoof on her chin as one of the arrows from her quiver floated in front of her, “I only did this for recreation darling... I’m not sure I can hit a moving target, but I can do my best.” “We need just enough to get them cautious about charging forward to meet us...though Spike will probably help with too. I can try and do my best to help, but I wasn’t able to study much fighting magic under Princess Celestia... I’ll try and find something in her spellbook before they actually move forward. Pinkie, are yo-” Twilight turned to look at the pink earth pony, only to find her missing from where she stood moments before, “...I guess she already left on her own.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the flames began to rise in the distance, troops started to scurry into the path of destruction left by the crushers in small numbers, rushing to meet their fleeing peers, while in the skies above several pegasi and gryphons grouped up in attempt to prepare for a charge from the massive beast who soared nearby. As a set of twenty or so moved with talons and blades ready, a streak of rainbow-colored light soared out from a nearby cloud and between three armored pegasi before they began to fall down to the ground below, scars under one side of their wings as they tried to slow their decent with the other. The streak twisted through the air sharply as it returned, the group faced to meet it. With every return trip however, more of the gryphons and pegasi met the same fate, falling down to the ground slowly. Only one gryphon was left as the streak began to dissipate, Rainbow Dash hovering before him. “T-there’s no way one pegasus could do that! Not even an Eclipse, it’s impossible!” Dash smirked as she flexed her wings, the blades on their underside glimmering in the pale moonlight, “You’ve obviously never met the fastest pegasus alive, now or then!” She pushed her hooves forward as the blades retracted for only a moment, letting her wings flap to pick up speed. The gryphon reached his talons forward as he soared towards her, trying to swipe at her as she got close. With a shift of her weight and twist of her wings, Dash barely dodged from the swipe, the blades on her right wing shooting out as she passed the gryphon, his wing torn in half as feathers and blood fell like a light snow to the ground below, followed by his figure. Dash noticed another large group of fliers approaching as she turned to fly to Spike, taking only a moment to rest on the dragon’s back, “We have to hold out... for all of them.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight and Rarity galloped across the debris of the forest as they could see Applejack holding out against a dozen or so earth ponies around her, and in the distance they could see several more making their way towards them. As Twilight opened the saddlebag at her side, carefully removing and opening Princess Celestia’s spellbook, Rarity took position near the tree line and squinted to get a closer look at the ponies charging forward. As an arrow floated to her side and the tip aimed towards the approaching soldiers, she felt a small piece of her armor break off and hover in front of her eye, bending and flexing as the image zoomed in her sight. “...Well, that certainly helps. Stylish and functional.” Rarity focused through the sight as her magic bent around the arrow, a blue wisp of air forming the faint shape of a bow around its form. With a deep breath, the string began to tense as the arrow shuddered lightly in place. Once her vision was focused on one of the soldiers, she aimed ahead of his path and let the arrow go, quickly piercing the side of his armor as he fell down with a grunt of pain. A few of his companions stopped to help as the others continued their march forward before Rarity drew another arrow, “...This has to be done...for everyone at the Hollow... for everypony we left behind.” Meanwhile, Twilight quickly skimmed through the pages of the spellbook, past several pages of several traditional spells before it opened to a list of a more offensive variety. Everything from focusing on throwing larger projectiles to summoning fire or twisting the elements to one’s will were listed on its pages. As she looked up and took note of Rarity’s progress on the soldiers and Applejack’s situation with the dwindling number around her still on their hooves, she kept the book open as her eyes closed tight. Her horn began to grow brightly as her breathing slowed, a wisp of air kicking up dust around her figure. After a few moments of concentration her eyes opened wide, covered by an aura of purple energy as she focused on the battle ahead of her. It was only seconds before a wave of flame cut off the path of the reinforcements, stopping them in their tracks. The flames quickly receded as a wave of purple energy collected and shot out down the path, knocking ten of the ponies to the ground or into the tree line before it faded. “I won’t let them hurt anyone else, I won’t!” Her horn glowed even brighter as she prepared for the next wave of attackers, the air around her blowing in a frenzy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foulric stood at the crest of the hill outside of his tent as he overlooked the devastation. Nearly all of his catapults had been shredded by the second crusher that had exploded in the back of the camp, while many of his ground forces were either dead or injured nearby. Luckily, it was only the rear of the troops which were left in shambles while the front of the camp had moved to engage their attackers, and Mossrow had of course left to join them. Meanwhile, in the sky above his gryphons and pegasi were moving to engage the flying beast and rainbow streak that had joined it. What troubled him however were the bursts of light and energy coming from the woods, and the forces he could see retreating. He sighed as he turned back to the tent and stepped inside, where a unicorn with a black cloth covering his eyes was waiting for him. “Are you ready for the connection sire?” Foulric gave an uncomfortable nod as he sat down for a moment. The connection to the Scryer network was not the most enjoyable experience, but it was necessary for any battle situation, especially one so dire. It took only a moment before he felt the wisps of magic around the edge of his neck, followed shortly by a burst of pain as he felt his mind invaded by the thoughts of dozens of ponies, all shouting between one another, their emotions in a furious storm as they tried to overcome his own calm. It took a few moments before he could gain control of himself again, quieting the shouts as his own thoughts came back to the forefront. He opened his eyes before looking back to the blinded unicorn, his voice booming through the connection, “All captains and squad leaders, this is General Foulric. We are against an unknown opponent and our forces have been caught off guard. I want all available captains to report in on their status and call a regroup at the entrance of the path into the Wilds. All gryphon and pegasi units press the attack on the winged lizard, but be prepared for a quick retreat at my order.” Foulric exited the tent and was greeted by Avia, waiting on him as ponies made their retreat in the distance. With a heavy flap of his wings he lifted off, making his way towards the front as he drew information from the minds of his captains. Whoever they were up against, they were definitely stronger than his troops. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluttershy watched the battle bellow as she could see the charging ponies headed towards Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity making their retreat. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was taking a moment to rest as Spike hovered in place, waiting for another wave of fliers to try and take him down. She had wanted to do something, to help, but she couldn’t fight, she couldn’t stand up here, not against an entire army. She just wasn’t brave enough, or strong enough, to place her hooves on the ground. As a final wave of ponies made their way through the debris of the wilds while others made the retreat, she closed her eyes, muttering under her breath, “I want to help...” In response the crest at her front began to glow, the cloth draped around her billowing lightly from a sudden gust of wind and warmth in the pink light. A soft voice filled her head, uttering only a single phrase: “Let them fight for you.” Amongst the fallen trees, large roots and vines began to burst from the ground, grasping the charging ponies by the hooves as they were held in place. Their arrival was followed by the rustling of leaves and the crack of branches as a manticore jumped from the brush, tackling an earth pony to the ground with a swipe before it turned to the others. Fluttershy tried to avert her eyes from the scene as she shook her head, “N-no, please. I don’t want to...” The soft voice spoke again, “Hope is your weapon... it will cleanse you and others of their sins, rally the souls of your allies, and shatter the hearts of your enemies.” As Fluttershy opened her eyes slowly she could see the group of ponies unconscious, the roots and vines slowly releasing them as the manticore made his way back into the woods. “But I can’t...to have to protect them like this...by hurting somepony else.” Fluttershy’s self-doubt was interrupted as Spike began to twist and turn within the air, his tail lashing out at a nearby gryphon who charged out on her own. Dash had already faded in the distance with a large streak trailing her as Fluttershy looked down at the glowing pendant, a tear going down her cheek, “b-but...I won’t let them hurt my friends... I can’t!” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “What do you mean the ground rose up?! What happened to the troops that reported it, they couldn’t have gone silent like this.” Foulric hovered at the precipice of the battle, taking a quick note of the troops that had started to gather below. The Scryer network was filled to the brim with confusing reports or simply a lack of information, but it wouldn’t be long now before he was prepared to make the counterattack. His hopes however, were quickly crushed as he heard the familiar voice fill his mind. “These savages think they can take us on?! Why did you run like cowards from a chance at glory with your tails between your legs?! This little farce is going to end now, and I’m going to do it myself!” Foulric could see the green colt charge into the Wilds with a blade drawn in his mouth, “If any of you want to have an ounce of respect for yourself left, you’ll follow me or be killed when I’m done with them.” “Delay that order, this is General Foulric, you are not to-” His words were of little use as the entire ground force charged forward down the path, followed by what forces remained in the air joining their comrades by the dragon. Foulric tried to keep his focus as he glared at Mossrow’s form, and let out a low growl under his breath, “This is going to end badly...” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack’s breath was slow and heavy as the last of her attackers fell down with a shout of pain. Her armor shined in a mix of red and silver as her spear retracted itself. She was soon joined by Twilight and Rarity as her helmet opened, letting her look directly at them, “That was one hay of a workout...glad y’all could lend a hoof or it mighta been worse.” She grunted as she finally became aware of a few small chips in her armor, seeping blood slowly. Twilight rushed to her side, “Applejack! You’re injured, let me try and-” The purple unicorn was cut off as Applejack’s armor pieced itself together slowly with a pink glow, the cuts fading from view as it did so. She looked back at her flank with a smirk, “It don’t hurt much anymore, so I reckon it ain’t gonna be much trouble.” She turned to face the charging ponies, “But those guys sure are.” Twilight nodded slightly, “I don’t think we’re going to be able to take them on our own... It should be soon, we’ll have to hold them back until they’re ready.” Rarity moved the bent section of her armor up again as she took a closer look at the charging front of troops, “Holding them back is going to be more than a feat darling... I think we’ll need to settle for biding their time.” She looked back to Twilight, “Are you sure they’ll be here soon?” “They have to be, or else-” The charging ponies were only a minute’s journey from the girls when a series of arrows and spears flew from the surrounding woods into the bulk of troops, and quickly left then scattered and confused before they were surrounded by earth ponies, blades drawn. It was not long before the fighting started in full force, and Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, “Good, they managed to get here in time.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Twilight and her companions saw the smoke rising in the distance, panic was the first though which burrowed its way into their minds. They had only just found what they had been looking for, only just understood what they needed to do, and already violence marched on their doorstep. Spike quickly flew down towards the treeline in an attempt to avoid notice from the distance as he looked back over his shoulder, “What are we going to do, Twilight?” Her mind raced as she tried to consider every possibility, muttering under her breath as she tapped a hoof to her forehead, “We could charge in, but we have no idea what we’re up against, but letting them get further in too soon will mean we might not be able to stop them... We could try and use Spike to come at them from behind and the front, but... No no.” She looked up at the others with a sigh, “We can’t do this on our own, we have to get to Gallant Hollow and warn them about this... maybe they’ll know what to do.” With a nod Spike continued on his path to the hidden village, making sure to remain close to the treeline. It wasn’t long however, before a few pegasi appeared in their path, trying to appear bold as they visibly quivered at the sight of the winged beast. Rainbow Dash quickly hovered in front of Spike, hooves raised in front of her as she tried to explain the situation to the frightened guards. After a few moments of uncertainty, they nodded in response and flew ahead of Dash as the group continued ahead. Spike began to slow his descent as he approached a small clearing a few minutes’ journey from the gates of the village. As he let the others off his back, Twilight looked back up at him, “I’m sorry you can’t come Spike, but I think you’re about as big as the entire village.” He gave a small chuckle in response, as he curled up inside the clearing and Twilight made her leave with the others. After a quick gallop through the woods and waiting for the gate to open, they found themselves greeted by every face they had left in the village a few days earlier. At the head of the crowd were the council members, Aqua at their side with a smile on her face. Laurel let out a small chuckle as he looked up at the six, “Well, well, I guess you did find what you were looking for.” Twilight spoke up quickly as she moved to the center of what little open ground there was, “We wish we could come back under better circumstances, but on our return we saw smoke on the horizon, and it’s the same kind that was with that... machine when we first arrived. We think that Nightmare Moon is trying to invade the Wilds, and probably with a full army.” There were hushed gasps and whispers amongst the crowd as Laurel looked at Aqua with a small nod and then back to the six, “We are aware of the smoke, and share your assumptions. We have already sent scouts to nearby villages to try and rally what troops we have available, but without any information about what we’re up against...” Twilight looked back to her friends, adorned in the armor they had been gifted so shortly before. They were the beacons of hope for these ponies, they had to do something. With a heavy heart she turned back to Laurel, “We’ll go first.” Applejack moved up to Twilight’s side, a hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder as she tried to keep her voice low, “Are you crazy, Twi? I mean, me and Dash’ve been out fightin’ and what not, but y’all ain’t got much experience at it.” Twilight kept her voice low as she responded, “We don’t have a choice, Applejack... they still need time to prepare...” She raised her head back to turn to Laurel and Aqua, “How long do you need?” Aqua took a moment to think before speaking up. “We’ll need a few hours... all of the ground forces should be moving now, and the pegasi from the other villages will arrive within the hour. If we send the scouts back out to tell them to move faster, they should be at the edge of the Wilds in full force before the late bell.” Twilight nodded as the crowd began to dissipate and orders were shouted amongst what guards were present. The entire village became a well-oiled machine as Twilight and her friends gave a quick farewell to Aqua and made their trip back to Spike in the clearing. They formed a small circle near the dragon’s head and sat in silence for several minutes. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up as the others seemed content with sulking. “Well? What are we doing sitting here? There’s an army out there waiting for the flank kicking of a lifetime and we’re the ones that are gonna give it to ‘em first, right?” She stamped a hoof down and tried to force a smile as she received a few confused glances, stuttering a bit as she continued, “I mean...we’re the Elements of Harmony...we’re supposed to be out there fighting right now, not sitting around and sulking about that we have to...” Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves as she shook her head from side to side, “I-I can’t... How are we even supposed t-t-to, kill somepony else...” Dash’s smile faded as the others gave Fluttershy a few uneasy looks, Rarity moving over to comfort her as tears streamed down the pegasus’s cheeks. “We have to,” Applejack said as she stood beside Rainbow Dash, “We’re not like them, we aren’t tryin’ ta barge into somepony’s home and drag them out by their hooves... We’re defendin’ these ponies, and their home. Defending our home.” Her words were greeted by nods as Twilight and Pinkie Pie joined their friends, shortly followed by Rarity and a less than eager Fluttershy. The group boarded Spike’s back and lifted off as the dim lights of the village faded behind them, and the ominous smoke drew ever closer. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Foulric’s talons sharpened again as a pegasus flew past him. The sound of torn feathers and a small shout of pain accompanied the pony’s descent as the gryphon took a glance over the battlefield; it had all fallen apart right before his eyes. The ground troops had been easily surrounded after their foolish charge forward, and now from the forest pegasi were springing out like weeds into the sky. The confusion hadn’t helped their situation in dealing with winged beast, and even worse his captains had been sending reports about a lack of will in their troops, almost like something was trying to force them to give up. He tried his best to mend the broken situation as he barked orders through the Scryer network, hoping to get the ground troops in a circle to defend their position. His concentration was tested, however, as a rainbow colored bolt began a charge at him. His yellow eyes tried to keep focused as it bolted in every direction imaginable, hoping to catch him off-guard. At the final moment of its approach his claws reached open, talons withdrawn as he grasped at the figure, and the two went twirling towards the ground. His eyes stared deep into the face of his assailant as his beak let loose a grin, “I knew I could catch you.” Dash tried to wiggle her way free from the gryphon’s grip as the two kept hurdling through the air. Any attempt she made to budge her way out of his talons was met with resistance, but her wings were free to move. Her right wing pointed at the gryphon’s side as one of the blades shot out, slicing through the side of his stomach as he winched in pain, releasing her and grabbing at the wound. Dash retracted the blade as she hovered a few feet from the gryphon, her breath heavy with exhaustion. “You’re... a lot more resourceful than I expected... You must be one of them, aren’t you? The Elements of Harmony... I didn’t expect so much strength from you, to be honest. Now draw your weapon and come at me. I won’t be holding my talons back this time.” Foulric dashed forward as he took a swipe at Dash, who dodged upwards, trying to keep her distance. Meanwhile, on the ground below, a small green blur continued to cut through many of the masked and armored ponies that had ambushed the Equestrian soldiers from the woods. He gave a swift kick to a nearby colt before twisting the blade in his mouth with expert dexterity, cutting through the neck with a splash of blood. A grin of pleasure was affixed to his face as he turned to his next opponent, speaking with a rough rasp through the hilt of his weapon, “I knew this would be fun. You savages certainly are resourceful!” He felt the ground shaking under his feet as a silver armored pony came charging in from the Wilds side of the battle. He quickly dodged from its path as his blade slashed across her leg armor, but was unable to cut through it. The blade fell to the ground at his hooves as blood poured out of his mouth. He smiled through the pain as he grabbed the blade once again, jumping at the armored pony’s back with a shout, trying to pierce through a section. Applejack let out a winch of pain as Mossrow’s blade found its target, but she was quick to buck him off her back, and the blade with him. She felt a surge of adrenaline as the armor closed itself with a pink glow again and she felt a searing pain on the wound at its closure. Her spear formed at her side as the colt regained his balance. “Well, well, well, you must be one of them. I was wondering when some fitting opponent would join the fray. And you aren’t one to disappoint, are you?” He spit out a small chunk of blood onto the blade as he ran a hoof through the dirt, signaling his charge for only a moment before he clashed with the heavy spear in an attempt to knock it away from her flank before he rushed behind her, “I’m not going to lose to some savage, even if you are this strong! I’m a damned General!” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A few tree limbs crunched under frantic hooves at the rear of the line as a group of five earth ponies tried to make a hasty retreat from the slaughter that had been before them. They tried to shut out the cries for help from their captain as the edge of the Wilds came closer and closer, and with it a chance at freedom. Just as they reached it however, their escape was cut short by a pink earth pony who appeared more fitting in a circus sideshow than a battlefield. They raised their weapons cautiously before inching forward. Pinkie looked between her five opponents with a glare before it quickly faded to a smile and giggle, met quickly by baffled looks, “Hehehe, oh, wait, I mean. Grrr!” She raised up on her hind hooves as she started to reach into the saddlebag at her side, the face of comedy fading from sight as she dug around inside. “Oh, wait, I can find it, just...give me a second.” She faced away from her attackers as she placed the bag on the ground, both of her front legs buried inside to her shoulders. The five troops were torn between fighting the odd pony and simply skidding past her to freedom until she turned back with a large cannon mounted above her shoulder. Fear overtook them as the sound of whirling gears and crackling electricity filled the air, accompanied by the sound of a kazoo shortly afterwards as balloons and streamers filled the air, and a large cake landed with a splat on the ground between them. “Oh, I had it set to party... are you gonna eat that?” Pinkie’s attention was cut short as the ponies continued their approach, and were halted once more, but this time by the twitching of her tail. Pinkie looked back with concern as she backed away from the five, shaking her head, “Uh oh... you guys had better run, I’m not kidding around.” They paid no heed to her warnings as they continued forward, and one colt began his charge in full force, only to be flattened with his companions by a purple-scaled blur as the ground shuddered with its arrival. Spike let out a small burst of fire into the air at an approaching gryphon before he turned his head to Pinkie. Fluttershy looked down over his wings with concern, “P-pinkie Pie, you should be more careful... I-I don’t know what I would have done if-” Pinkie let out a giggle as she hopped up onto Spike’s back, “Don’t be silly Fluttershy, the twitching stopped. Now let’s go!” Fluttershy looked back down at her glowing pendant as Spike lifted off into the air once again, swatting away the frightened gryphon in his path. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mossrow grunted as he landed away from Applejack, flexing the blade in his mouth as he surveyed his damage, and took notice of the small chips of armor that had fallen to the ground, and were luckily not repaired like his initial hit. The filly was obviously showing signs of exhaustion, but unfortunately, the green colt showed them as well. Matters were only made worse as the battle around them had been shifted against his soldiers, and some of them were even fleeing in terror. If he was not preoccupied with this little nuisance he would have killed them where they stood. With another scrape of his hoof against the dirt he charged in, dodging the swipe of her spear as he gave a strong buck to her legs, managing to knock the filly to the ground for a moment before he raised his blade for a blow. From the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a small shimmer before an armor sailed past him, grazing the side of his ear. As Mossrow turned to the source he was greeted by a blinding flash of light before he fell down to the ground, his blade flying a few feet away. “Y-You little bitch!” He glared through his eyelids as he tried to move his hoof in the direction of the blade, but it was soon kicked away by his opponent. As his vision slowly returned he was greeted by Applejack towering above him and two unicorns approaching to join her, one adorned in flowing white robes and the other with armor that was slowly piecing itself back together along her flank. Mossrow grinned through bloodstained teeth as he looked up at Applejack, “What’s the matter? Can’t finish things on your own you lit-.” He let out a grunt of pain as Applejack pressed her hoof lightly onto his side, glancing at Twilight as she spoke between heavy breaths, “He’s...he’s one of the ones leading them... at least he said so... What should we do?” Twilight looked down at Mossrow before glancing at the waning battle behind them. She was quickly greeted by a splash of blood on her hooves as the green colt twisted his neck to look at her. Mossrow’s voice was twisted as he spoke, on the verge of hysterics, “Kill me... that’s what your goal is right? You probably think you’re high and mighty and fighting for justice? Then kill the evil that’s going to rip your throat out if you don’t.” “N-no... we aren’t like that. We are not like all of y-” “Look around you little foal... the blood, the smell of death and violence,” Mossrow paused to take a deep breath, visibly pleased as he did so, “I love it... and you’re causing all of it, and you’re even stupider than I expected if you don’t believe it...” Twilight glared in response to the colt’s comments before she turned and started to walk away. As she turned, she heard Applejack grunt in pain as Mossrow craned his neck up, biting at her through a broken section of armor. He quickly dashed to the fallen blade before he leapt through the air, Twilight turning suddenly to face him. Time slowed down for a brief moment as he took in the look of fear upon her face, the smell of death and blood that she would know as her last feeling, and the screams of pain he would delight in even if the afterlife greeted him. It was all foalhardy. The blade fell down to the ground as Mossrow’s breaths became ragged, the tip of Applejack’s spear dripping crimson to the ground as it pierced through his body. It was only there for a moment before retracting, and his body fell down to the ground with a thud. His hooves twitched lightly as he smirked up at Twilight, his last words echoing in his mind as his final ounce of life slipped away, “...You always have to be right Foulric.” In the skies above Foulric heard the pony’s final thought as he shifted his attention for a moment to the battle below. Dash sped past the gryphon in his moment of distraction, leaving another small cut on the side of his breast as he dodged away at the last moment. He closed his eyes as he reached into the network, ‘Avia, Avia are you alright?’ It was only a moment before his question was returned with her voice, ‘Y-yes General Foulric.. w-we’re losing ground in the air. We can’t hold them off for-’ ‘That’s fine...I couldn’t do this if I didn’t know you were safe. All troops! Fall back immediately under the order of General Foulric! Mossrow has fallen on the battlefield, I repeat, fall back immediately!’ He turned to the pegasus with a small frown, “I’m afraid we’ll have to settle this another time.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond as the gryphon made his hasty retreat with the rest of his troops. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheers of joy and celebration filled the air as the last of the Equestrian army made their exit from the scar cut into the Wilds, and several ponies seemed focused on jubilation while others made an attempt to get much needed rest against the dim treeline. Near the edge of the scar by the abandoned crushers Spike rested on the ground, with Twilight and her friends gathered around. Twilight herself seemed filled with disbelief, “I-I can’t believe... we won. We actually did it...” Rainbow Dash looped around in the air shortly before landing, “Hay yeah we did! Did you see me cut through those gryphons I was like woosh! And kapow! A-” Dash stopped as there was a small pain in the side of her wing, rubbing it lightly with her hoof, “A-alright, I may have gone overboard...” Fluttershy ran a hoof lightly against the ground as her pendant still let out a dim light, a timid frown on her face, “I-I’m glad no one was... I mean, we had to right?” Applejack retracted the helmet as she sat next to Fluttershy, “Don’t go gettin’ your mane in a tustle there sugar cube... They didn’t leave us a choice.” She turned to face Twilight, “So, what now?” “We have to split up. We can’t waste any time now. Nightmare Moon will know we were here, and we need an army to fight with...” She called a soldier over, who trotted up with a bow, “Tell Lady Aqua that we will be gone for... an unknown amount of time. We will return with good news, we promise.” The soldier nodded before heading back to the mass of ponies as Twilight got onto Spike’s back, “You know the way right?” “Of course,” Spike said with a smile, waiting until everypony was aboard to lift off into the air, “But how exactly are we going to split up? I know the Princess said you and I have to go to Kraulith, but what about the others?” Twilight looked back to them with a smile, “I’m already prepared for that Spike. Dash and Fluttershy should head to Aeolus, since it’s probably easier for pegasus to get around than earth ponies and unicorns. Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity should be fine in the Savanra Desert. And once we get to the portal I can summon us some, ummmm, less obvious attire.” Rarity looked at Twilight with an eyebrow raised, “But Darling, these are only one way, right? I mean I hope you don’t expect me to get us back, and Dash and Fluttershy aren’t capable of that for sure...” “The gates are designed around that,” Twilight’s horn glowed as the Princess’s spellbook flipped open to the others. “Once the gate is activated, the other side will be 'open' for about a month, and allows the ponies that walk through it to return where they came from. I just hope it works if we’re going to different places at the same time.” She smiled as she closed the book, “I know we can do this girls, and then, once we have our army, we’ll march on Equestria, save Princess Celestia... and defeat Nightmare Moon, once and for all.”