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AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2012-01-25T14:01:46+00:00

2012-01-25T14:01:46+00:00

Pinkie ran out of spawn, a smile plastered on her face. Unbeknownst to her however, a RED spy waited on the RED battlements, scoping for his next victim. ‘The Pink one does the same thing every time. Bounce through the door, kill everything in sight, I stab her when her back’s turned. Might as well cut the time’ He saw her drop onto the bridge. ‘Perfect. I’ll just jump down and…’ Before he finished he saw a strange twitch in her tail. She stopped on the ramp in. He jumped down, landing right behind her like a ghost. Before he could uncloak, however, she threw a fierce kick backwards, nailing him in the head and dropping him to the ground, dead. Pinkie turned around, surprised, but shrugged and continued inside. “What just happened?” The Spy rubbed his head. “There wasn’t anyway she could have heard me” “Hey, Frenchy! Y’wanna shape shift inta something who’s helping get rid of dat damn heavy that’s spawn campin?” The red scout ran past him, opening the door to reveal that she was just outside their door, mowing them down. “Feh. Typical” He cloaked and walked toward the door. The demo ran out in front of him, and she turned to attack him. The door shut before he saw the aftermath. He got close, once again invisible, but stopped as he heard her voice on the other side of the door. “Ear flop… eye flutter… knee twitch” ‘Great, she’s lost her mind. Now I can call it a mercy kill’ He walked out the door and she turned around, cracking her front hoof into his invisible jaw, killing him “What the hell!?” He respawned, holding his head. She’d hit him in the same place. “There’s no way she would have known!” He ran out the door, furiously hunting for her. But any time he got close, somehow she would know. Dropping from the battlements, right outside BLU spawn, even hiding on the bridge, she always got him first. He was nearly foaming at the mouth as he grabbed the Dead Ringer. As he dropped down from the battlements, he saw her. Pinkie’s minigun started spinning. He ran at her, taking several minigun bullets. After a few he dropped the fake corpse and maneuvered behind her, dropping the cloak and swinging wildly. He missed once, and she turned around. “WHY” He swung and cut her arm. “DON’T” Another swing that missed. “YOU” A slash across her other arm. “DIE!!?” Pinkie backed up, than pulled out boxing gloves from behind her back and hitting the him square. She looked around confused. Dash walked up to her. “Hey Pinkie, what‘s up? I haven‘t seen you all day. You okay? You seem kinda freaked” “My Pinkie sense has been going off all day, but nothing is happening. Plus, every time I try to shake it off I keep hitting some invisible thing!” Pinkie looked around, eying the sky. Dash looked over the dead spy and pieced it together. She threw an arm around her friend. “Pinkie, I think you’ll be fine. C’mon, I need some power to clear the court” Pinkie followed Dash, still looking around. RED Spy sat in the respawn, humiliated. “Screw it, I’m going after the Bunny from now on” ----- The crew sat around their fire, sharing their stories of the day, and just generally chatting. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, except for Applejack, who’s eyes were transfixed on the fire. “Anything wrong, Applejack?” She looked up and noticed that Twilight was staring at her, concern obvious on her face. “Yeah, I’m fine” She tried to put on a smile, but her eyes betrayed her. Twilight looked at her skeptically. “AJ, you know you’re terrible at lying” She sighed. “I guess I’m just homesick. I miss Applebloom and Big Mac and Granny” She thought of the farm, and her family Twilight looked down. “I think we’re all getting that way. I haven’t seen Spike since… How long have we been here?” She worried about the letters to Celestia that she couldn’t do. Any time she learned some new lesson about friendship, she wrote it down and placed it her saddlebag. But she was quickly running out of paper and down to her last quill. Hopefully they could get it working soon. “Almost 2 months” Rarity said almost immediately. “Sweetie must be positively worried sick” She hoped that her sister had stayed with someone. With her only caretaker gone, Sweetie couldn’t fend for herself for two months. “I bet Gummy’s bouncing off the walls without me there” Pinkie imagined that she would open the door and find her room torn to shreds, bite marks everywhere despite Gummy’s obvious lack-thereof. The image made her giggle slightly. “I hope the animals are doing ok without me” Fluttershy looked at Angel, who was in a fierce staring contest with the soldier. ‘Angel is one of the few that can handle himself without help. Oh, I hope someone is taking care of them’ “Well The Great and Powerful Trixie does not have time to worry of home! For she travels across the land, making the world her home!” Even with her usual volume, she cast a doubting look downward. “Still… Trixie would hate to see her last tour end in such controversy. Rallied into a magical duel and then never seen again?” She shook her head. Everyone had grown used to her, and now Trixie had to work even harder to put on her façade. “And I’ll bet you’re missing Scootaloo, Dash” “I guess,” Dash said in a melancholy, sotto voice. In truth, while she missed the kid who treated her as an idol, she realized she didn’t have near as much as the others to go back to. The Wonderbolts and Scootaloo where the only reasons, really. Her heart reached for her throat as she fought back the thought. But she dared not show this to the others. If there was one thing she refused to show, it was weakness. To her relief the topic changed to something cheerier. Derpy lay away from the group, notebook laid out again. While the others talked amongst themselves, she preferred to not let the others see her write. Everyone tended to label her as scatterbrained, or dumb, and she’d grown to accept that she couldn’t change it. Not at the moment, anyways. She shook the mask off, customized so that it only covered her muzzle, and grabbed the pen in her mouth. ‘Dearest journal. I fear that my pages may become to vast too hold in this journal. As I write I am nearing the final twelve or so pages, so I shall try to be more brief in order to extend their longevity. I have overheard Ms. Sparkle say that she is having difficulty understanding the blueprints. The most difficult part seems to be the understanding of this universes spatial relation to our own. However, it seems that once we figure out the location, all that would be left to do is acquire a large enough power source to run the teleporter. The blueprints for it have been modified accordingly. The others have began talk of home. It’s peculiar, they seem to avoid the subject when possible, trying to push past the anguish to work on the solution. I find it quite commendable. I miss her so much. It rends my heart to think that I may never see Dinky again. It is my sincerest hope no harm may come to her, or me. She needs her mother…’ A few tear drops smudged the ink before she even realized she was crying. She wiped her hoof across her eye and signed off, closing the book. As she went put it away, she felt a hand around her shoulder. She looked up into the reflective glass of the Pyro’s eyes, who seemed concerned. She sniffled, and laid the notebook out. After reading through the pages, the Pyro nodded solemnly and sat beside her. It seemed strange, but she felt safe around her new friend. She fell asleep, letting the fire dancing be the last sight before she drifted to sleep. ----- “Ms. Pauling, how do our mercenaries fare today?” Ms Pauling heard the voice behind her, her eyes trained on the screens showing every facet of 2-fort, RED and BLU. The gaunt Administrator took a drag from her cigarette. “The usual, Ma‘am” “Why, you seem as though you don’t have your usual enthusiasm” “Long night, I guess” ‘Which isn’t a lie’ She thought. She stood up, letting the Administrator take her usual seat. “Well, get to work on your duties. We are not paying you to slack off” “Yes ma’am” She grabbed her clipboard and headed to her usual office, her head swimming. The day before she had been tasked to watch the cameras, and had overheard the Sniper’s conversation. She had tried to forget her actions that day, but the story had dredged it back up. ‘It’s not fair. I was under orders! It was him or me!’ The night had been spent, not watching the cameras, but watching the old tapes. The first day's specifically. She sighed and looked at the first item on the clipboard. She grimaced as she picked up the phone and dialed. “Mr. Hale?” “Ah! It’s that plucky Ms. Pauling! I suppose you’re calling about the new weapons for the season?“ “Yes” “Well, I don’t have them” “What do you mean - “ “Fired the men in R&D. Buncha slackers, all of them. Spent a week on a shotgun! Aren’t hats the easier solution?” “No Mr. Hale, You were supposed to have new weapons“ “Welp, sorry little lady, I don’t have any” “Not a one?” “Would a hippie protest sign work as a weapon?” “I suppose, but… Mr. Hale? Mr. Hale?” she hung up as the other line went dead. She hated talking to that man. “Those ponies… they’re changing everything. The routines, the people, everything… I don’t think this is going to end well…” "Ms. Pauling" Her intercom buzzed. "Yes, Administrator?" "Drop whatever you're doing. I have a new order for you" ... ----- Angel relaxed on Derpy’s back as they walked, looking for new enemies. The two had become unlikely friends for a simple reason: neither had to say a word to communicate. The two hung around each other, Angel handling bigger and farther away targets and Derpy taking closer foes. He pulled the helmet over his eyes, starting to nod off. A jarring stop woke him up, however. He looked up to find them on the edge of the bridge. He cast his eye down the planks to see the enemy Pyro standing still on the other side, looking at them. ‘Taunting us’ Angel decided. He picked up his rocket launcher and fired. The Enemy didn’t move. Just before the rocket hit, a burst of air emanated and the rocket changed it’s course right back to them. Derpy ducked quickly, the rocket flying over her head. She stood back up slowly. Angel looked back at the scorch mark on the wall, and turned back around to see a flare hit him, setting him aflame. He felt a second one hit, much harder. With the last of his strength he pulled the trigger again before falling limp. The enemy blasted the rocket back, but she was ready this time, hitting the second trigger and sending it back herself. The enemy sent it right back, unmoving. Derpy returned it, also unmoving. Enemy. Her. Enemy. Her. The rocket flew back and forth on the bridge, it’s two combatants only movement being the pull of a trigger. The world seemed to move in slow motion as she calculated exactly when the hit the trigger. She sent it back a final time. ‘I’m out of ammo!’ The foe hit the second switch and the flamethrower clicked. A panicked look downward and the Pyro dodged to the right, the hot potato rocket slamming into RED base. An air of tension between the two lasted for an eon. Her opponent slowly lowered the flamethrower to the ground, and walked across the bridge, no weapon in hand. She stayed on her guard. ‘It’s a trick’ It felt like a lifetime before the firebug crossed the bridge. She gawked at a gloved hand being extended. Tentatively, she grasped it, and they shared a firm handshake. The Pyro ran back across, grabbing the flamethrower and disappearing into the building. She sat there for a little bit, trying to piece together what happened. When she came out of her thoughts a white paw was waving in front of her face. She looked at an angry Angel, who jumped on her back and pointed toward the building. She smiled beneath her mask and charged forward.

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-11-06T05:38:24+00:00

2011-11-06T05:38:24+00:00

“…Some say that when the moon is right… and the ground is fresh… The Horseless Headless Horsemann will rise from his grave again and reek havoc on the living once more” The Sniper looked around slowly, the light from the campfire highlighting his features in shadow. The girls were all huddled close together, shivering from the story he had finished. He gave a light laugh and retreated from the flames, casting him in a much more pleasant light. “’Corse that won’t happen again. Ol’ Silas hasn’t shown up since Halloween last year. And I doubt he’d grace us with an appearance this year” “How on earth did you defeat him at all!?” Twilight was playing the story in her mind. A monster destroying the team, it’s jack-o-lantern grin belaying the carnage it wrought. “A lot of bullets” “RAUGHHH!!!” The ponies all let out a shrill scream at the Pumpkin headed Creature turning the corner, arms extended and flailing a brutal looking axe. Their screams were intermixed, however, with laughing coming from Dash, Pinkie, and the team. “Oh, we got ‘em good, didn’t we?” Pinkie snorted, tossing an arm around the monster. It grabbed the stalk on top of it’s head and lifted up, revealing a hysterical Demoman laughing. Dash rolled over on her back, giggling fiercely. “’S a good thin’ I kept these, ‘eh?” “Very funny!” Twilight seemed more annoyed at the prank than the rest. “Ah lighten up! Here!” The Scotsman tossed her a bottle of the liquor with three X’s emblazoning it’s side. She pushed the bottle away disdainfully. “I’m sorry Twilight. It was just a prank. You’re not mad, are you?” She wanted to be mad at the laugh at her expense, but one look into Pinkie’s eyes made any anger she had at the joke dissipate. “I guess it was kinda funny…” “The Great and Powerful Trixie knew it was a joke all along! After all, this pumpkin head is so obviously a mask” She picked it up and thumped it. “Actually that’s his actual head. We kept it after we defeated him” Trixie screamed and dropped the jack-o-lantern. It rolled and landed right side up, staring at her. Everyone shared a laugh at the spectacle, and Twilight didn’t feel as bad. They continued to tell stories as the night dragged on, about homes, about families, and even stories of their newest conquests, until the Heavy told a grisly story about how he killed an Engineer once. After that, everyone went to bed, hoping they could forget the Russian’s sadistic tale. ------ Twilight awoke with a start. Something wasn’t right. She looked around, and a glow in the courtyard caught her eye. ‘Ugh. They forgot to put the fire out again’ She groggily walked into the court and froze. The campfire was nothing but embers at this point. Instead the glow was coming from the discarded pumpkin. As Twilight watched, it rose up, bringing with it a giant body, draped in ragged cloth. The lavender unicorn scoffed “Nice try, Dash! It won’t work twice!” “What’re you talking about?” The voice behind her sleepily asked. “Pinkie then?” The pink pony lifted Twilight off her feet in response to her name. A cold chill went down her spine. Slowly her friends started gathering around, watching the arms pushing with all their might to free itself from the ground. They were frozen in fear as it walked slowly over on it‘s bone legs to the gruesome axe. When it grasped the handle a purple glow enveloped the weapon. Then the candle-light eyes saw the girls. It walked over menacingly, crouching down to their eye level. “BOO!!!!” “THE HORSEMANN!!!!!” They scattered and the beast laughed, giving chase. Pinkie fired wildly, hitting it in various places. The Horsemann laughed, not even acknowledging the bullets. The minigun gave an echoing click, and Pinkie grimaced. “RUN!” Twilight was firing explosive after explosive, but to no avail. The pink party pony turned to run, but it was too late. “Pinkie!” Twilight turned tail before she saw her friend‘s death, but as she did a multi colored blur rushed past her. Dash started circling the Horsemann quickly, firing inwards. It laughed and stuck the axe out. Dash tried to maneuver out of the way, but her inertia was to great and the axe ended her assault. He stepped forward, looking for his next victim. A sharp swing into his knee answered that. He looked down and saw Angel, smacking him with the shovel‘s thin side. He leaned down close, and shouted another terrifying “BOO!!!!,” A sound so inherently terrifying that even Angel’s hair stood on end, turning him into a big cotton ball with a helmet. The Horsemann raised his axe and swung. Right before the blade made contact, however, Fluttershy grabbed the bunny’s tail and pulled him away. She threw him on her back and ran, all the while muttering “Ohmygoodness Ohmygoodness Ohmygoodness!” under her breath. Derpy ran in, billowing fire around, but a swift strike ended the firebrand. Trixie had huddled into a corner. He charged at her and Trixie screamed. “Over here, Bone-brain!” Twilight caught his attention. She ran at top speed while he followed. Everything she had she threw at him, explosion after explosion. With her back turned, however, she didn’t see the wall until she slammed into it. The impact dazed her, and when she realized where she was, a looming shadow covered her. It raised the axe, the point gleaming in the moonlight. With a horrible laugh and a swift move, the axe flew towards her ----- “AH!” She screamed, sitting bolt upright. The scream pierced the silence around. ‘What… a… nightmare?’ She looked around, taking in the silent night. Her friends all were fast asleep, perfectly safe. “Twilight?” She turned around and caught sight of a concerned Fluttershy. “Are you okay?” She felt her heart start to slow down from it’s cadence, and her breathing returned to normal. “I… Yeah, just a nightmare” “Oh, my. Do you want to talk about it?” Twilight looked over, the Horsemann’s Jack-o-lantern sitting and smiling. She kicked it away, and it rolled under the stairs and out of sight. “I think I’ll be fine, thank you” Fluttershy nodded, and laid her head back down. Twilight curled up and closed her eyes. ----- “Shoot!” She erased the mark on the page. “That’s not it either!” A drunken Demoman swaggered in, spotting her in the corner of the room. “Oy! What’s the problem?” She sighed. As the days drug on, she was getting more and more aggravated with the Scotsman who refused to let her work uninterrupted. “The same as always. I need to concentrate, so could you, you know,” She shook a hoof. “Scoot?” “Y’know, ye could at least do me job while ya do the same thing every day” She didn’t look up “I am,” She said, pointing to the door way. He looked in the direction and saw half a dozen placed haphazardly around the door frame. “Ye cannot to anythin’ with that!” “Hey, there’s no way they can get through that door!” “An’ what about th’ other door!” This made her lift her head. She shot a look to her right and indeed found the other door into the intel room completely unguarded. “Oh” “Lass, y’need ta take a break from the prints! It’s warpin’ yer mind” “I can’t. I have to get these done. The sooner I can figure this out, the sooner we can get home” “Ye been starin at the same sheet of paper fer three days now. And ye’ve made how much progress?” Twilight furrowed her brow. “Your point?” “Go have fun, take yer mind off! Blow up RED fer a while!” “I don’t find killing fun! I’m only doing it because we signed up for your jobs! We all are! No one here would be okay with killing if it weren’t for that whole ’regenerating clones’ thing. Why can‘t you get that through your drunken skull? Now could you leave me alone? Some of us have actual work to do instead of being useless drunks all day” “Look here. My job is no easy task” He snatched the paper from her. “Hey! I need that!” “You’ll get it back when you do what ye said ye were gonna when ye offered to take me job: blow up the REDs!” He bolted away, yelling over his shoulder. “When ye’ve done e‘rythin I do e‘ry day, the prints’ll be right back on that table ya love so much!” Twilight gave chase, but the Scotsman knew the base much better than her, and she quickly lost sight. “I can’t believe this. He’s gonna put us all in jeopardy for this?” She levitated the weapons she had been provided. “Fine. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can work” She paced toward the Spiral, but stopped at the base, where a familiar bottle sat. On it was a note: ‘You may need this - Demo’ She scoffed, but grabbed the bottle. If she took it, it meant one less bottle for him to get drunk on. ----- The sun stung her eyes slightly as she wandered onto the battlements. ‘Maybe I have been down in the intel for too long,’ she thought. She jumped down, Grenade-launcher primed. The Scout jumped down and she fired, hitting him square and gibbing him. ‘Ugh. I’ll never get used to that’ She avoided the blood and ran into the building. She fired another bomb, and a hapless Engi turned the corner at just the wrong time, taking the explosive between the eyes. Twilight ran around the corner, hearing the sentry beeping just a second after it noticed her, and moved swiftly out of the rockets path. A few stray bullets wounded her knee, but she was fairly unscathed. ‘Ok Twilight,’ she mentally prepped herself. ‘What is the best course of action? Let’s see… The grenades do their best when hitting directly, so I should hit the sentry with them head on!’ She turned the corner and fired a single bomb before the sentry’s chain guns tore her apart. ‘Ok, maybe not’ She trotted back to the Sentry, hiding behind a wall and studying it again. The Engi had retaken his place, vigilantly watching for her now. ‘So if the direct grenades didn’t work… the sticky bombs, maybe? How many should I fire? I don’t want to waste my ammo… I’ll run a test. Let’s see what one can do,’ She fired a spiky bomb next to the machine and detonated it. Nothing seemed to happen. ‘One isn’t strong enough, so, two, maybe?’ She fired two next to the machine, and again detonated them. Some smoke slowly drifted out of the machine, and Twilight mentally cheered. ‘Yes! Ok, two more, and - ‘ She heard a clang of metal on metal, and her brain jumped to the last time she’d heard a similar sound: Applejack fixing her own sentry. ‘Shoot, that’s right, he can repair it,’ castigating herself for forgetting something so obvious. ‘I’ll save a little time, so let’s go with four, th-’ Her thought didn’t end, however, as the RED Spy backstabbed her, standing still in the RED base. She respawned. “Ugh! Ok, one more try!” She ran this time, blowing up all that stood in her way. She got back to the corridor with the sentry. ‘Four’ She shot the bombs and detonated them quickly, hearing the sentry explode. She rounded the corner and was met with an irate looking Engi, who had a glowing shotgun pointed at her. ‘Oh, I recognize that, it’s the Frontie-’ ----- ‘r Justice… Shoot’ She had done her job, but at the cost of her life and time. ‘Maybe he’s put it back. After all, I did blow a sentry up. Demos do that, I remember it from the training,’ She thought as she ran down to the Intel, but the corner where she was working didn’t hold the blueprints, only a note. ‘Sticky Jump’ “Well fine” She ran back up to the battlements. “Maybe if I sticky jump across the bridge I’ll be able to get the prints back” She sat by the door , making angles with her hooves. “Ok, than I need an angle of-” She flinched as a light crossed her eyes. “What the hay? Who’s-” A sniper shot answered her question. She ran back out, this time getting her angle down from behind a large piece of sheet metal hiding her from sight. “Ok, so I want the maximum amount of thrust, and this thing can put out 8 at a time, so…” She fired the stickies one at a time into a tight dot. The Unicorn positioned herself over them and jumped, detonating them at her perfectly calculated time. The force from all eight was too much, however, promptly blowing the poor mare to smithereens. “Too many. It’s ok, learn by doing,” She was trying to keep from getting angry at the constant mess-ups, but that was becoming a chore. “How about one. One won’t kill me” She put the bomb in the same place, and jumped, again getting the timing perfect. She flew through the air, landing halfway on the RED battlements. She struggled to get up, but a shadow informed her of another presence. She looked up and sheepishly laughed at the Soldier. “Um… Hi?” ----- She sat in the respawn room. A quick check had not only found no blueprints, but no note as to what to do next. She looked around. “I shouldn’t be dying this much. What am I doing wrong?” “You’re too uptight, Twi” Dash spawned. “You’re thinking about it too much. Just let yourself go” “And how, pray tell, you come to that conclusion?” “Twi, the Demoman routinely uses high explosives with one eye AND while being constantly drunk. If he’s doing all that, well, I think you’re over thinking this whole problem. I gotta go. Got an Engi that‘s giving me trouble,” She left quickly. Twilight looked back at the bottle she had packed away. ‘You may need this’ She sighed. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to try this’ She opened the top, and took a few tentative sips before coughing and choking. The drink was so strong that Twilight wondered how she could drink it at all. But once the initial burn wore down, she took a few drinks. And a few more. And a few more. The alcohol burned her throat and her cheeks heated up. She’d polished off a third of the bottle before her brain caught up with the amount of alcohol in her system. “Alright, le’s do this!” She ran out of the steel door. All at once her instincts started taking control. It was as if the weapons knew they were in the hands of somepony inebriated, and were helping her. She fired a sticky at the base of RED’s building, blowing herself up to the battlements. She landed on a very surprised Sniper, who got the brunt force of the bottle smacking him in the head. She ran from the body, and spotted a Level 3 guarding the entrance to the spiral. Eight stickies hit the ground in front of it, and she giggled when the Engi and the wandering Heavy and Medic team also got caught in the blast. The Unicorn barreled down the ramp, hitting the Pyro in the chest with a grenade and clobbering the Spy with the bottle when she heard the soft uncloaking sound behind her. The intel laid unguarded after her rampage, and she grabbed it, heading back the way she came. The top of the stairs was in sight, but in the way was a RED dispenser, taunting her. She fired the grenades twice, and the machine exploded in a shower of sparks. Down the grate and out the door she went. “Home free, baby!” She yelled, but a yell from behind her pierced her ears. The sound of a man screaming. She turned, and saw what was making it: The RED Demo, bearing down on her at an incredible speed with a sword in hand. She tried to jump out of the way, but the sword caught her, and she and the intelligence fell in the center of the bridge. ----- She awoke in the spawn room with a clear head. “But… That doesn’t make sense! I was drunk out there, I can’t just be fine now!” She tried to figure it out, but no conclusion made sense to her. She jumped down, wishing to finish what she started. She grabbed the case on the bridge and ran back unimpeded. She stepped onto the caution tape in front of the desk. “Success. We have secured the enemy intelligence,” The loudspeakers announced “Well done lassie” The Demo stepped out from the corner, the prints in hand. “As I promised, ‘ere ya go” He tossed the prints to her, and she unrolled them back onto the floor in her little corner. “Thank you” “Now do ya see what I really do?” Twilight lowered her head. “I’m sorry I called you useless earlier” “Ah, I didn’t care about that. Soldier’s called me useless more times than he can count. What I cared about is you puttin’ so much work inta somethin that wasn’t movin. I bet ye can get a lot farther now,” He sighed. “Look, I know I’m not what ye wanted. Yer a smart girl, ye’d have been a good Sniper, or Medic. ” “Now now, I won’t have my friends putting themselves down on my behalf. You must be smart, you taught me a lesson, right?” She smoothed the plans out, and gave them a look over. “It was just what I needed, apparently, cause I can already feel myself figuring this out a little bit more” “Aye, yer welcome. I’m gonna go back to base, though” He turned, but she stopped him. “Can you answer one question really quick?” “Aye?” “When I died I was drunk. Yet I was completely lucid when I respawned” “Them regenerators got rid of the Alcohol in yer blood stream, just like mine” “So that means…” “Yep. E’ry time I die I start from scratch. I’ll tell ya, though, without the spawn I keep wakin up with hangovers. I think I nee ta cut back a little,” He chuckled and ran off. Twilight looked at the plans with new eyes, going over the new math. But before she did, She set a little something up under the Intel… ----- The Enemy has captured our intelligence! Click The Enemy has dropped our intelligence. ----- “So close!” She erased another mark. The Engi stood next to her, going over the designs. “So what’s the problem?” “It’s the power supply. There’s just no way to supply enough energy to maintain the bridge for long enough” The grey mare wandered in, a mailbox gripped in her teeth as her half-mask dangled around her neck. “Oh, Hi, Derpy. Sorry, I’m really busy, can you come back later?” The girl peered over Twilight’s work, and put the mailbox down, grabbing a pen. “What? No! Don’t!” Twilight sputtered as the mail mare wrote a few lines out. She put the pen down and Twilight looked over the marks. “Ugh, who knows how far you’ve set us ba… wait a second…” Twilight crunched the number’s introduced by Derpy’s seemingly random scribbles. “She… That’s it!” Twilight furiously drew a few more improvements. “Engi! She’s done it! She figured it out!” Twilight launched over the table, grabbing Derpy in a bear-hug. “We’re going home!” Engi looked over the plans. “Well I’ll be. I think these will work perfectly” He rolled them up, placing them in the pouch on his pants. “I’mma start building this. I should have it done by tomorrow, if I do it right,” She smiled. “I suggest y’all tell yer friends” He walked out of the room while Twilight spun Derpy around happily. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “Speak… Not… Ugh!” She shuffled through her bag, producing a journal. She handed the book to the Unicorn. “Read… Going” Derpy grabbed up the mailbox and left the room. Twilight opened to the first page, and took in the elegant hoofwriting. She sat down and started to read, until a thought struck her. “Where’d she get a mailbox?” ----- She closed the back page carefully, wiping her eye with the back of her hoof. ‘I never knew,’ She thought. ‘She doesn’t deserve her reputation, and I’m gonna fix this when we get back’ She put the journal in her bag and looked at the clock. ‘Oh my, it’s so late,’ She thought. ‘I wonder why no pony came to find me. Probably partying and completely forget’ She imagined Pinkie partying without a care and a smile plastered on her face. But when she walked into the court, no one was to be seen, except for Applejack. “Twilight! There you are! You gotta come! Something bad happened!” Applejack ran into the respawn, and Twilight followed closely. The door opened and she gasped.

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-11-19T00:04:16+00:00

2011-11-19T00:04:16+00:00

Everyone turned to the two entering the room. “Oh thank goodness, she’s alright” All of them were in a large circle, surrounding a body on a cot. “Engi!” The man had a dilapidated medigun trained on him. “What happened!?” “The… RED Spy,” he said through gritted teeth, obviously in pain. He was covered in bloody bandages, mainly around his chest and arms. “He ambushed me… Twilight, he took the plans” The sentence hit her like a freight train. She looked around quickly, trying to piece it all together “No...No!” “Dat’s not the only thing he took…” Scout’s voice was barely audible, but he pointed to the regenerator. A large section was covered in knife marks, and was sparking wildly. "Ain't no respawnin anymore" "How'd he get in!?" "Don't know. Doesn't matter. It's all over," Scout said more to his hands than anyone in particular, head clasped tightly. "We're done" Twilight looked around at the melancholy faces. They had all given up hope. Just like Scout. Even Pinkie's enthusiasm had drained, her hair losing some of it's signature curl. She caught sight of a grey pegasus in the corner, her back turned to everyone. Rarity levitated a small note. "The poor dear. She was holding this when she came in with Engi on her back, but she hasn't made a peep since she got here," Twilight brought the note to eye level and read the small print. It seemed hastily scribbled, and there was a hole in the top that obscured some of the words, but the handwriting still had an elegance about it that transcended the sloppy lettering. 'Mon Petite Poneys, I do hope you receive this note. After all, your friend with the lazy eyes could so easily be lost. It would be a shame to lose something so important to all of you. I did, however, pin it to the Engineer. Hopefully she's got enough brain cells to take him back to you. You have awakened my rage. I can no longer stand this torture I'm put through day in and day out. I've written this little note not three feet from her. I could have easily done her in. The Engineer is your last mercy. I will end all of this tomorrow. You've got one life now. Let's see how well you use it. The plans are in our Intel, and I am the final guard. Now I get to watch you squirm and futilely fight to do anything even resembling progress. RED wins. And you have lost. Au Revoire. PS: Keep the knife' Twilight was silent for a long time, drawing everything in. Her senses seemed distant, like a bad dream she was overdue to wake up from. She slowly trotted over to Derpy, taking care not to startle her. "Derpy?" The mare didn't turn around. "Are you okay?" A loud sniff punctuated the silence, along with a quiet sob. She slowly turned, but not far enough to be able to see Engi, even out of the corner of her eye. Twilight looked into the normally bright, gold eyes, now rimmed red and dull. She was shuddering periodically as she slowly shook her head. "My... fault" Twilight drew her into a hug, trying her best to calm the sobbing mare. She tried to think of words of comfort, but her mind was drawing blanks. She couldn't even cheer herself up, let alone someone who had so much more to lose. "You did your best, and no one blames you for what happened," she sputtered out. It didn't seem to help much, as Derpy turned away. "What... now?" The question rang around the silent room. Everyone lowered their heads in the realization. "I... I don't know!" Twilight collapsed to the ground, the floodgate of emotion finally breaching. Her eyes welled up and her mind raced. "All we've fought for..." They all sat quietly, some disappointed, others quietly angry, and still others barely containing their own flood of tears. The quite hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity. It was Trixie that finally broke it. “So this is how Celestia’s prized student ends? Not with a bang, but a whimper, stuck in some world she doesn’t belong. The Elements of Harmony, the defeaters of Nightmare Moon, of Discord, brought down by a man with a knife and a broken machine. I was wrong, Twilight. I thought you had the heart and soul to do whatever it took to return. But it seems I was mistaken” "There's nothing that we can do, Trixie!" “Twilight, do you know what I did after I left Ponyville?” Trixie asked. Twilight shook her head. "I trained. I went day in and day out, and every moment I had free I dedicated to topping the only unicorn who could best me! I thought it would be the match of the century to rematch you, and what do I find? Someone who hasn't progressed at all! You formulated a plan to defeat an Ursa Minor in all of 10 minutes, but now that you have a full night you can't think of anything?" “What… what are we supposed to do?" "I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to get those plans back tomorrow" "It‘s hopeless!” "No it's not!" Trixie shouted. "We've been here long enough! We are good enough to survive one attack! We can survive anything they can throw at us, but you don't want to do it because it might not work! Well I'll tell you this: it might not work, but we surely aren't gonna get home by giving up at the finish line because someone put a rock in the path!" Twilight looked at the ground, deep in thought. "I believe in you. I believe in all of us, but we won't get anywhere until you start believing in yourselves!" Trixie shifted her attention to the rest of the room. "...you didn't refer to yourself as Trixie at all in that..." Twilight wondered aloud "I'm not putting on a show anymore. What I've said is the truth. Now who's with me?" No one moved at first. "Fine. If no one will help, I'll do it alone. At least than I'll know that I died trying to save my friends" "...Well, it ain't an attack without a little defense to fall back on," Applejack took a place next to Trixie. "Not to brag, or anything, but I think you guys are a little too slow to get the job done," Dash's anger had channeled into her competitive nature, and sparked her to action. "I think you could use a Scout, don't you?" A pink hoof clasped Trixie around the shoulders. "Silly, I can't let my Medic buddy do it without some firepower!" Pinkie's minigun spun wildly. "Just let me at 'em, Sasha'll teach them their lesson!" Her face was lit up like it was one of her parties. "It would seem that the current arrangement is lacking a certain elegance, a certain, if you'll pardon the pun, class" Rarity twirled the knife with her magic. "And I cannot simply stand by and let a ruffian ruin all we've accomplished" Fluttershy quietly walked over, if only to help her friends. Angel hopped onto her back, shoving the helmet over his eyes and grinning wildly. Trixie looked at the pegasus and unicorn still in the corner. "Well?" Twilight kept her gaze downward. Her brain screamed to join, but it also told her to keep away. Trixie was right, she knew that, but the idea of putting her friends in danger at all made her hesitate. Until she saw motion out of the corner of her eye. She looked up to see Derpy slowly trot across the room. She turned around, pulling the mask over her muzzle. In her eyes was a steely determination that Twilight had never seen before on anypony, let alone the resident mail pony. "Trixie..." Twilight stood up, but her eyes locked back on the ground. "I couldn't live with myself if I knew that my friends deaths were ever caused by me. If I made one mistake on the field, if I miscalculated one variable, if anything went wrong at all, I will feel the most responsible because my plans led to it" "But if I don't plan at all, I'll feel even worse, because I'd die knowing that I could have changed it. So, I guess what I'm saying is..." She lifted her head triumphantly, revealing a smile. "That we've got six hours. Time to get working" The Scout watched them all move to a map of the buildings on the table. "Ya think they can do it?" He asked under his breath to the Sniper. "If anyone can... It's them" ----- "Alright, so no one will leave the spawn until their part. I don't want anyone getting caught unaware. Got it?" They all shook their heads. "Any other questions?" No one said a word, their enthusiasm brimming. "Good. Time for part one. Dash, you ready?" "You know it!" Dash popped the tab on the Bonk and chugged the can quickly. She felt her eyes open wide as the caffeine surged through her veins. Her nostrils flared and she blasted out of the spawn. In the eight real world seconds the Bonk would work, Dash's brain felt like it was an hour. Her wings pulled her as fast as they could as she weaved through RED's base, noting every person's position. A sentry beeped at her, but she was out of it's sight before it fired a single shot. She blasted back to the Spawn as the intense sugar high faded. "Well?" "A level three Sentry in the court, at the top of the stairs. A dispenser blocking spiral, so I'm not sure what's downstairs. And it looks like most of their team is going to attack the bridge soon. I saw the Medic hanging with the Soldier, the Heavy, and the Demo. Their Scout and Engi are patrolling. Sniper's in the usual place. I didn't see the Pyro or Spy, so I have to assume they're down in the Intel" "Excellent. Now for part two. Applejack, set up the defenses. Rarity, Fluttershy, You're up! You too, Dash!" ----- The RED quartet headed to the front doors. "So... War ends today?" The Heavy lead the group, the others letting him out front to act as a mobile wall to take their hits for them. "Yes, mein kamerad. Ze Spy has assured the BLU's end shall come today!" The Medic shouted, an aura of sheer joy in his voice. They all stepped outside. "AUGH!" They froze as the Sniper fell from his perch to the ground in front of them. A knife mark on his back revealed his fate. "Where are you, Spy!? I know you are he-AAUUUGGHHH" The Heavy fell to his knees, a Sniper round piercing his head. "Aye, i' looks like th' Sniper's finally learned the roOO-" He shot forward, propelled by two blasts from the Force-a-Nature. He landed hard on the other side of the bridge, collapsing from the fall damage. Dash rocketed out from between the Soldier and the Medic. "How's it goin, slow pokes!" She laughed. The soldier fired rockets at her, but she easily dodged them in the air. He started to reload, but a knife interrupted him. The Medic stood alone on the bridge. "It matters not! We'll respawn! And you won't!" He fired his needlegun at Dash, landing a few weak hits. "Than we'll just have to be quick..." Dash flew right up into the Medic's face, slamming the barrel of the gun into his chest. "Won't we?" She fired upward, launching him skyward quickly. The Blue dot traced the wall, then up the airborne German's coat to a point right between the eyes. Fluttershy shot and the Doctor plummeted to the ground like a limp doll. The timid Pegasus put a hoof to her ear, activating the microphone. ----- Twilight heard a small voice over the ear piece: "Bridge clear" "Perfect. Time for part 3! Everyone, we're going!" Twilight, Pinkie, Angel, Trixie, and Derpy ran out. The group ran onto the bridge from the battlements. Twilight stopped on the ledge while the rest kept going. "Dash! Fluttershy! Rarity! Keep the bridge clear! I don't want any surprises on our way back!" Dash saluted, while Rarity and Fluttershy nodded. "Angel, go up! Everyone else, go down!" Twilight laid down a sticky and blasted through the air. Angel fired a rocket at his feet, launching him straight up. Twilight grabbed the rabbit in mid flight, tossing him onto her back with a flip and landing on the other side. Trixie ran into the small room beside the court while Derpy ran into the nearby hall. They were about to turn the corner when a Boston accent greeted her. "Oh look! it's dat medic who can't figure out how ta use her weapons! What, ya come to die by my hands?" He chuckled. "Can't say I blame ya. I am pretty awesome" "The Great and Powerful Trixie is not the simple Medic you once knew!" "Really? So now ya ain't completely useless. Only 98% useless!" The Scout sneered. Trixie scoffed, eyes closed. "Ye of little brainpower, you know not who you speak to! For the Great and Powerful Trixie has learned a technique that shall make even the bravest of souls tremble in my presence!" "What, ya gonna talk me ta death? Look, I'm done messin around!" He ran at them, gun drawn, and pulled the trigger almost right next to Trixie. Trixie's eyes shot open, glowing brilliantly. "Showtime!" A brilliant blue glow encased her and Pinkie, giving them a look of moving steel. The pellets bounced off of Trixie's chest, and she laughed. Pinkie swung a wide punch and connected with the Scout's face. "Quick, it won't last forever!" The ran into the court and the Sentry greeted them with three quick beeps. A hail of gunfire and missiles launched at the two, bouncing harmlessly off. "I AM BULLETPROOF!" Pinkie's minigun tore holes in the machine that a frantic Engi tried to fix. The gun exploded brilliantly, and the Engineer tried to run, but Pinkie's bullets took him out quickly. "Twilight! We've got it! Go go go!" Twilight and Angel ran out from the battlements, charging down the spiral. Derpy meanwhile ran down the straight staircase. ----- Twilight stepped into the Room, and saw the Spy, standing in the middle of the room. "You've done well. I mean that. Not a single death so far. But that ends here" "Why are you doing this!? We'd be leaving! You'd never have to see us again!" "I don't care about not seeing you again. I want revenge. I've been humiliated for two months by a group of colorful ponies. You can't imagine what it's like to be the one who has spent his whole life fighting people and when a new enemy shows up, they are the toughest foes you've ever had! And they're horses!" He shook his head. "Now, say good bye. Because you're never going home!" A flare burst the man into flames. "AAU! What the-!?" He turned to the doorway, and Twilight took her chance. Angel jumped up. She did a roll, and the bunny landed on her hooves. She kicked as hard as she could, sending him flying. The Spy turned his head back just in time to see the white puffball smack him with a shovel. The RED spy fell to the ground, the plans unrolling away from him. Twilight grabbed the plans and quickly put them in her saddlebag. "Now for the final part! BOOK IT!" They took off, running at full speed up the spiral. But Twilight's heart sunk as she saw the RED Pyro at the top. 'NO!' her brain screamed. 'We were so close!' The Pyro started toward them, but stopped. It looked around, as if to see if anyone else was around. When no one else was, the unthinkable happened: The Pyro stepped out of the way. Twilight gasped, but wasn't going to argue. She ran past and down the grate, out the door. When Derpy passed by, the Pyro extended a hand to the mare. Derpy tearfully accepted the handshake, knowing she could never repay the person for what had just happened. ----- The RED Medic and Heavy crawled out of the sewers into the BLU base. "Dummkopfs! I bet they didn't even know about the sewers!" "So what now, Doktor?" "When they come through the door you mow them down!" The two ran toward the front doors, but stopped suddenly. An orange earth pony stared at them with a smirk on her face. "Well, howdy!" Her sentry caught wind of the intruders and fired on them, reducing them to shreds. "Aw, leaving so soon? Don't come again!" ----- Twilight ran onto the bridge with the others in tow. "We've got it! Come on!" Dash zoomed into the spawn while Rarity followed them. Fluttershy was zoomed on the bridge, watching for any final threats. The group ran in the door, and she galloped in. The group ran past Applejack, who brought up the rear. They all filtered into the spawn, with the waiting classes looking at them eagerly as the door shut behind them. "Well?" The Scout asked, wringing his hands Twilight pulled the plans out of the bag, and they all cheered when she unrolled them on the table. She turned to everyone. "Victory!" The cheering was deafening. "Not to spoil ze mood, fraulein, but we may already be too late," The Medic directed their attention to a curtain that hid Engi. "The Medigun isn't fixing him quickly enough, and I zink it's about to break," "W-what about Trixie's Medigun?" "It's only set to work on you ponies, not humans. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do" Twilight's head sank, but Trixie spoke up. "Actually, I believe there's one thing I can do, but I would like some privacy with the Engi. I need to make sure he's okay with it" The doctor pulled the curtain back and Trixie stepped inside. ----- Twilight lost track of how long Trixie was behind the curtain. She was just about to look in on her to find out, when a brilliant light bathed the room. The sound of a medigun healing followed the light's dispersal. Trixie popped her head out of the curtain. "Fillies and Gentlemen. I have solved the problem" She pulled back the curtain, and they all gasped. Standing behind it was an orange earth pony. His short yellow hair was messy and unrefined. He looked up at the team with blue eyes. A familiar voice escaped his throat. "So how do I look?" Everyone's jaws were agape. "Y-you-you're a pony!" "Courtesy of yours truly!" Trixie bowed. "Now hold your applause, please" "How did you.. I mean... What!?" Twilight couldn't even begin to search for the words she wanted to say. "It was the only way, I'm afraid. Since no one but him knew how to fix or modify the machines, and since the only working medigun only works on ponies..." She trailed off to let them put two and two together. The demo poked the Engi's ear, trying to prove to himself that he wasn't hallucinating. "Ow. Yes, Demo. I'm real" "So... is it permanent?" "Alas, yes. There is no way for the spell to end. For all intents and purposes, Engi is now a pony forever "And you agreed to this?" "It's better than dying. Ah wasn't gonna survive too much longer, I'll be honest" He looked over the plans. "Well," He pulled the goggles over his eyes and put his hard hat on. "I guess I better get started. We'll get y'all home soon, Ah guarantee it!" He gripped the wrench in his teeth and set about, procuring the materials. The others would help, grabbing the metal that he needed. Twilight pulled Trixie aside. "How did you learn that spell?" "Remember, Twilight, I trained for months since our first encounter. I've learned more than a few tricks since then" "Could you... teach me?" Trixie grinned, a strange mix between a competitive smirk and a genuinely friendly smile. "I think I can do that" ----- "And there's that... and here... and... got it!" Engi looked over the teleporter. It had taken him most of the day to get it done, but It was coming along. Instead of the smaller teleporter he'd always built, this was much bigger, functioning more as a portal. The apparatus was large enough to step through. He had scrapped the regenerator to attain the metal he needed. "Now for the finishing touches" "I've got to hand it to you, you certainly have gotten used to the whole 'Being a pony' thing pretty quickly," Dash handed him another piece, while Sniper dug through another box of parts, looking for anything that could be used. "It just feels natural, I bet it's part of the spell. Although I am forced ta spend more time than I want, on account of getting mah bearings. I'll be done soon, though" The man's work was interrupted by a sound he hadn't heard in years. The rumbling of a train engine. "No... it can't be..." Engi and Sniper looked at each other, recognizing it. "You go out, I got sound, I'll listen from here" Dash and Sniper ran outside, to the others in the court. A woman stepped off the engine and headed toward them. Fluttershy backed away. "It's her... isn't it?" Sniper nodded as she approached. "Ms. Pauling. It's been a long time" "Good evening, Gentlemen. And you as well, ponies" "What're you doin ere?" Scout eyed her with suspicion. "Cause last time ya came here, ya killed an innocent" The statement made her business demeanor slip for a brief second, showing hurt on her face. She quickly recovered, however. "That was far in the past, and I would like it to stay there. No, I am here on a matter of business. a congratulatory matter. You see, RED has broken the terms of the war, by sabotaging a key piece of equipment. Therefore, BLU is declared the winner" "It's over?" The Heavy asked. "You mean..." The Medic pieced it together. "We can go home?" Scout jumped up, excited. "I can see my ma again!?" "I'm afraid..." She pulled out her revolver. "Not" Fluttershy cowered, seeing the gun from her nightmares come into reality. "You are in possession of precious knowledge that the companies of RED and BLU would like to keep private. And as they say, 'Dead men tell no tales'" She took aim at the closest merc, which happened to be Scout. "I'm sorry it has to end like this" She slowly pulled the trigger... Then swung quickly, firing a bullet into the wall. A shower of sparks burst out and a piece of paneling fell off, revealing a broken camera. She turned again and fired at another spot on the opposite wall. Another camera was revealed. One more shot, and a third camera high above their heads was dismantled. "Ok, we're clear. She can't see us," She signaled to the train, and it pulled away from the base. "What the hell is going on!? I want answers! Now! Why are you here!?" "Yesterday the Administrator saw the RED Spy disable the regenerator, which as I said violated the terms of the war. She told me to come out here and terminate you. But I want to help you escape" "So ya send away the only means of travel we have in a desert!?" "You mean that train?" As if on cue, a massive explosion destroyed the train, lighting the night sky orange for a moment. "I found the bomb on my way here. She was going to kill you and me, no matter what. We no longer have a use to the companies, so they've planned to dispose of us" "So what's the plan, then?" "I... don't know..." The confidence in her voice simply drained. She adjusted her glasses. "I honestly didn't think I'd make it this far. But the point is that we've got one day to think of something, because she's probably already put some goons on a new train, and I don't think they'll be as sympathetic to your plight as me" "Puh-leaze. You expect me ta trust some dame who was about ta kill us? No dice" Scout turned and walked away. "I'll find my own way outta here. I'll get home. I've got to see Ma" "I don't think you realize what's going on here!" She yelled at him. Some deep seated anger that she had been harboring for a long time found an outlet. "You're wanted! They will go to any lengths to find you!" "I don't care! My ma's the only reason I've been doin this" "Please, stop..." She was starting to flush red. "You think I enjoy doin the same damn thing every day? No!" "For your own sake, stop..." Her voice was starting to lose the refined edge it had. "I do it because I know my ma's getting the money I make!" "Scout, you mother thinks you died five years ago!" Never had a silence been so heavy. Not a soul breathed. Even the wind seemed to stop for that one moment. Scout didn't turn. The only sound was a softly uttered "...what?" She'd broken down. "She sent them out! Death reports, on all of you! Anyone who knew you thinks you died within a year of coming here. You'd all said to give your money to your families. BLU faked your deaths so they didn't have to keep pay for anything bigger than hats or weapons!" They all stood in silence, as they looked to each other. "So my ma... my brothers... they all think I'm dead? How do you know!?" He had gone from the silence to a boiling rage. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what was in the packages! They told me years later... It's all my fault..." She collapsed to her knees, the force knocking her glasses off. Scout stood a while longer. He tromped away, presumably to find somewhere to be alone. As he walked away, he threw a mean punch at the wall, busting a hole in it. He continued in silence. Fluttershy tentatively stepped toward Miss Pauling, picking up her glasses. She lightly nuzzled the weeping woman, until she calmed down enough to raise her head. Fluttershy dropped the glasses into her palms. "You dropped these" Miss Pauling sniffled, putting her glasses back on. "Thank you..." She looked up at the concerned eyes of everyone in the court. "I guess I'm making a fool of myself... again. I won't blame you for not forgiving me. I can't say I truly forgive myself..." An uncomfortable amount of time passed, but Sniper sighed. "Ya did what ya had to, Miss. it was part of the job," He said plainly. "As an assassin, I'd have to call myself a pretty big hypocrite for getting mad at someone for doing their job" Slowly the mercs forgave, or at least put their feelings aside for a later time. Miss Pauling looked slowly around, having a hard time looking anyone in the face. The air in the court was broken by Engi walking out to the top of the stairs. "Hey y'all! I gotta wrap this up, y'think y'could..." He gestured that he needed his helpers back. Sniper and Dash traipsed back into the spawn room. The Engi walked down to the still bleary-eyed woman in the court. "Listen. What ya said... I believe ya. You don't seem like a bad person... But these things are gonna take a lot more time, y'hear?" She didn't respond, only looking at the new colt in amazement. "Mr. Conagher?" "Heh, I haven't been called that in a long time" "You... you're a pony now?" "Part of a spell. I didn't have much choice, it was either this or dyin'" "But... I... What are you going to do? You can't go back into the real world, even if you could get out! You're a talking horse" "That's why I was gonna follow 'em to their world" He pointed a hoof at the mares. "Speakin of which, I gotta keep workin, especially now that we've got a time limit" "That's... ingenious! That's how we're getting out of here!" She got to her feet. "Who's the one who cast the spell?" Trixie, now with a new audience member, put her showmare attitude back on. "That would be moi!" "How long would it take to do that to everyone here?" "For one as powerful as myself, no time at all!" "So you can do it before tomorrow?" "Of course, as long as my participants are willing," She turned to Twilight. "Especially if I could get a little bit of assistance?" Twilight nodded. "What are ye goin on about?" The Demo chimed in. "Don't you see? We have a way out of here! To their world!" "So we're all gonna be turned into horses?" "Look, I know it's a stretch, but it's all we've got. So who's first?" No one moved. "Guys, this is the only chance! We're not getting out of here alive as humans! But you have a teleporter out of here if you're ponies!" Still, no one moved, looking uncomfortably towards one another. "Fine then," She turned to Trixie. "I'll go first" "You do understand that this is permanent, don't you?" She nodded. "Then let us begin. Close your eyes" Trixie's horn began to glow brilliantly. A bright light overcame Miss Pauling. the lights grew brighter and brighter, acting as a beacon in the dark night. Everyone averted their eyes. When they turned back, a violet Pegasus met their eyes, dark purple hair still in her signature buns, glasses perched on her nose. She looked startled, then began looking herself over. "A Pegasus?" "The spell bases everything on your personality, I have no control over what kind it turns you into" She took a few flaps of her new wings, slowly rising. "I think I'm getting the hang of this!" She hovered over the heads of the team. "Ok, now have I proven myself trustworthy?" The Medic stood. "I still don't know how to feel about ze news, but it does no good to have died in vain. Doctor?" He cast a sly grin at Trixie. "If you would?" Trixie's horn began to glow, followed by the bright light. When it faded, standing in his place was a white unicorn, a shock of red for a mane. He perched his glasses back on his nose. "Well?" "Perfect. Who's next?" The Heavy moved forward. "Heavy will go" The Russian placed his weapon on the ground and plodded over to the Unicorn. She cast the spell, and the bright light overtook him. He looked over his sky blue hooves, then felt his head, bumping a horn but no hair. "Even as pony, I have no hair" "If I give you a mustache for a while would that help?" "...Yes" Twilight put a black mustache on the smiling Ruskie's face. The Pyro stepped forward next. "One... Two... THREE!" The spell hit and enveloped the pyromaniac. Pegasus wings flared. The coat was yellow with orange hair, like a living fire. Bright red eyes shown where a mask had been, now disappeared. But something seemed different than the two that went before. The muzzle was pointed more, similar to Miss Pauling... "Yer a girl?" The Demo was the only one to say it, but shock went through almost everyone present. "Uh... yeah? Duh," She looked around at the shocked eyes. "Wait... Seriously? None of you knew? I've been here all this time and you never knew? The Purse in my cubby? The gardening hat?" "I always thought you were just a fruit," The Soldier sat, unmoved. The Pyro and Soldier started arguing. Dash listened over the speaker in the spawn. "Pyro's a girl?" "Makes sense to me" Engi didn't even look up, while Sniper was upside-down up to his waist in a large box, trying to reach a part at the very bottom. ----- Deep in the intel, he sat, looking at the only picture he had left. A faded portrait, taken one family holiday, when he was eight. His brothers surrounded his mom, mid fight captured forever. The eldest held two of them by the scruffs of their Christmas sweaters while he was being held apart from another by the length of his mother's arms. In the corner, His other brothers stood scoffing and shaking their heads. Half of them had seemed to inherit their fathers fiery spirit, while the others got his mother's cool head. He could never remember what had set the family off, but he loved the picture as he grew older and wiser. So many mistakes he wished he could set right. As he looked at it he played with the dog tags around his neck. 'I'll always love them' He stood up, slipping the photo into his pocket. ----- He came up to a scene that he never thought he'd see. A large Blue unicorn, holding apart a white Earth pony with a helmet on his head and a fiery filly shouting profanities at each other. It took him a second to register what was going on. His brain finally clicked, and he decided to stop the chaos with a trick his mom taught him. He put two fingers to his lips and let out a shrill whistle. Soldier fell over, clutching his ears. "Loud! The Helmet doesn't help at all!" A purple unicorn with an eye patch over one eye laughed at him "'s what ya get, mate!" A gold stallion turned to him, brandishing a pair of signature sunglasses and a vest around his chest. "Feelin better, mate?" "Yeah" A bright light caught his eye, and he saw a dark blue Unicorn step away from Trixie. "Merci," he could pick that accent out of a crowd of millions. "I'm goin with you tomorrow" Sniper cast a glance at him. "You sure, mate? "I've been thinkin about it pretty hard. And what happened was five years ago. Five years. By now they've gotten over it. And even if I did get to them, then what? Go back inta hiddin, never get to see them again anyway? Make em experience my death twice? Not a chance. I can't do that to them" Trixie trotted over to him. "You are the final performance of the night. I suggest you remove anything that you find valuable" He pulled the dog tags off of his neck, then put them in his hat, along with his picture. He set them on the ground. "Ready" ----- The group gathered into the spawn, all 19 standing in a semi circle. Behind them was a sealed crate, filled with items of sentimental value from all the classes. They looked expectantly at Engi. "Well?" He hooked a large wire into the base of the object, now looking like a doorway. After a few quick adjustments of the various knobs and levers on the device, he flipped a large switch. A formidable spark surged through, and the device began to whir as the power surged. Bulbs on the frame lit up, one by one. The final light shone, and they began to arch. Energy built quickly, and with a mighty sound, the portal formed. It was like looking at a postcard. The dense amount of trees signaled that it was to drop them off somewhere in the Everfree forest in the middle of a storm, but it was definitely home. They cheered, Pinkie practically bursting with excitement. "Well, y'all, say yer goodbyes. Cause once we step through this, we ain't comi...anyone else hear that?" They listened for the new sound, and sure enough, they could hear it in the distance. "...haaaaaaaaAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLEEEEEEEE!!!!" "Oh no..." Ms Pauling put a hoof to her face. The sound of splintering wood outside the steel door was drowned out by an exclamation of "PROPERTY DAMAGE!" that seemed to shake the walls themselves. They ran outside to see a gargantuan man standing in front of them, with a large bag full of what appeared to be bloody and battered protest signs. "Mr. Hale, what are you doing here!?" "Ah, Miss Pauling! You're here!" He didn't turn around, still working his right foot out of the wooden floors. "I came to deliver the new weapons! You did say that protest signs were acceptable, right?" "Yes, but-" A crack broke a part of the boards off, Saxton Hale's foot still firmly stuck in them. He turned around expecting them to be at eye level. He looked down and gasped "Blimey! You're ponies! The ponies!" He picked up a panicking Fluttershy. "I can't believe it! I must be dreaming!" "Please help me," Fluttershy quietly asked in the Australian's arms. "Wait, you watch it to?" Scout cocked his head to the side. "Of course!" Miss Pauling stepped forward. "Mr. Hale, the war is over" "What do you mean the war's over?" "I mean that RED cheated, therefore BLU is the winner" "So I... 'borrowed'... All these hippie protest sticks for nothing!? No, that won't do. Is RED still spawning?" "Well I suppose so, they haven't shut everything down yet" "Perfect!" He let Fluttershy down and patted her head. Then he picked up a sign with 'Give Peace a Chance' emblazoned on it. "Fillies, Gentlecolts, I've got a war to continue" He ran away, yelling at the top of his lunges all the way. Engi cleared his throat. "As I was sayin', Say yer goodbyes, everyone. Cause we ain't coming back" ----- Zecora strode along the familiar path, heading toward a large group of flowers for her potions. Though it stormed around her, she needed the flowers desperately, A sound startled her into dropping the set of flowers she had just picked. A large doorway seemed to open up in a nearby oak, and a large group started trotting out of it. She shook her head and rubber her eye, not believing it at first. "Are my eyes deceiving me? Or is that Twilight Sparkle I see?" She ran towards the unicorn, nuzzling her friend who had been gone so long. "We did it! We're home..." Twilight looked wistfully over the landscape, taking in the sight of her colorful world as she remembered it. Even in the rain, she knew this place. Her heart fluttered and it felt as though a tremendous weight had lifted off her shoulders. "Two months and a half since we saw you last. Where did you go after the blast?" "It's a long story, and I'll tell it to you at another point, but I think we need to check in with Ponyville first," She looked around. "Of course, my friend. Over that hill, You’ll find the road to Ponyville," The group thanked Zecora, and stopped on the crest of the hill. A few miles away, she could see it clearly. Her home. ----- Mayor Mare shuffled a new set of papers onto her desk. Legislation that she didn't really care about. The entire day had been dreary. Life had been dreary since they disappeared, and it was taking it's toll on her. Through all the trouble they caused the fact of the matter was the Ponyville needed the keepers of the elements of harmony. Search parties had been searching the land day and night, but to no avail. She put a pen to the paper, an order to stop the search parties. 'If they were going to be found,' she thought, 'We'd have found them by now' A loud slam on her door followed by frantic knocking interrupted her. She grumbled as she answered the door to a grinning pegasus. "Yes, Cloudburst?" "They- the-I mean- down the- Fillies" He was sputtering and pointing toward the town entrance. "Spit it out, I don't have all day" "They're here!" "Wh... You mean?" The pegasus shook his head so hard she thought he might hurt himself. "Down Mane Street! C'mon!" He flew off in a hurry, the mayor giving pursuit. The town went into a deafening roar of applause as the Keepers of the Elements of Harmony, along with their new friends, stepped foot onto Ponyville soil. Rarity spotted a shuffling in the crowd, Ponies making way for the mayor. The tan mare adjusted her glasses. "It's true! you're back!" She turned to the Pegasus that followed her. "Call back the search parties! And alert the families!" A million questions bombarded the group at once, but Twilight brushed them off. "We'll answer questions at another time. We've been through a lot, you know" "Rarity!" Sweetie ran through the mayor's legs, running to her sister. The two affectionately nuzzled. "Oh Sweetie, I've missed you so much!" A dog ran barking up to Applejack, followed by her sister and brother. The Apple family shared a group hug, finally reunited. Pinkie's faithful yet clueless gator waddled up to her, as if she never left. She smiled at him, and he replied by applying a vice grip with his jaws to her hair. "Aw, I love you too, Gummy!" Dash stood, waving at those who were welcoming her, but slightly concerned. Of all the people she expected to see, Scootaloo was the top of the list. But the filly was nowhere in sight. She flew high, looking for her biggest fan. She spotted her, far away, on a hill under a tree. "Hey Twi!" Twilight looked up. "I'll be back later! Don't start any parties without me!" Twilight nodded, before hearing a sound so sweet that she couldn't help but feel herself tear up. "Mommy!" The purple filly ran to her mother, the golden eyed postmare. She leaned down and the filly jumped up, knocking her mother onto her back from the jump. "Muffin...!" The two locked in an embrace, so tight that Twilight thought the two may never come apart. 'Although,' she thought, 'I think that would be just fine for them' She searched for her own assistant, but the Dragon wasn't making an appearance. She moved toward the library, but the crowd was in her way. "Excuse me, I need to get through" "Just one thing, Miss Sparkle" The mayor pointed a hoof at the ten ponies following them. "Who are they?" Twilight castigated herself for forgetting something so simple. "Ponyville, if you please, I'd like you to meet the Team" ----- The walk to the library was surprisingly quiet. She figured most of Ponyville had shown up to see their return, which left very few out in the streets. She slowly looked around, the sights and sounds of a world that had started fading from her memory in that unfamiliar world. "Twilight!" She turned around, and saw Trixie galloping toward her. "Trixie? What 's up?" She slowed to a walk as she approached the Violet unicorn. "I just wanted to..." Trixie's sentence trailed off, mumbling her last few words. "To...?" "To say... g...b..." Again, she mumbled. Twilight leaned in. "One more time?" Trixie huffed, then straightened her shoulders, Locking eyes with Twilight. "Good bye. I'm leaving town once I find my cart, and I... well... I couldn't have my rival not know about my departure!" She'd regained the ego that The Great and Powerful Trixie was known for. Twilight giggled. "Will you be coming back, 'Rival'?" "Count yourself lucky, Twilight Sparkle, for this will not be the final time you see The Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie looked around, as if some invisible entity would see her drop the facade. "Besides... if every time I come to town is this exciting, I may just come back more often," Trixie rose up on her back legs. "Farewell, Twilight!" A puff of smoke, and the mare ran off at a full clip. Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled. She stepped to the library door, pushing it open quietly. The house was dark, but in the darkness, she could make out her purple assistant snoozing on the sofa in a ball. She quietly walked over to him and nudged him. "Spike... wake up Spike..." He rolled over, rubbing his eyes. "Stupid dreams. You don't have to keep reminding me, y'know" He rolled back over. "Spike, this isn't a dream" "That's what the last one said, so prove it" He held his arm out. "Pinch me" Twilight prodded the dragon lightly with her horn. "Ow! Wait..." The dragon's eyes lit up. He jumped at Twilight, hugging her around the neck. "It's you! You're back!" She wrapped a foreleg around him, tears flowing freely. "I'm not dreaming this time" She was content to staying as close to Spike as possible for the moment. After a few minutes, the two let each other go. "Spike, I need you to take a letter" ----- 'Dear Princess Celestia, It has been months since my last letter, and I apologize greatly. due to a magical mishap, I was sent to another world. One so different from our own it's shocking. But even in the strangest environments, you can learn the majesty of friendship. Over the months me and my friends, new and old, learned our lessons. From the grip of obsession and finding ones place to forgiveness and just plain letting go of your inhibitions. While I will follow with more detailed reports, I wished most to say that we have all returned, intact and okay. But we do not return alone. Friendship takes on many forms, and these new ponies are no exception. Originally they were the only ones around to help us return, and we repaid them by saving their lives. I will write again soon, but to be honest I need rest badly. So I will end with this: A good team and a good friendship are very similar. Neither can function without mutual trust, and cooperation. An just like friendship, teamwork can accomplish tasks even greater than ever seems possible. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle'

PatchworkPoltergeist

65

Applejack,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Alternate Universe,Sad,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Somewhere Only We Know

Every night, in a little stable just outside of town, an old mare lays down to sleep. Every night she has the same dream of rainbows and open sky...

complete

<p>Every night, in a little stable just outside of town, an old mare lays down to sleep. And every night she has the same dream of rainbows and open sky...</p>

everyone

2012-08-01T18:27:18+00:00

2023-07-20T18:59:18+00:00

Today the sun is shining and the sky is blue. I forget that sometimes. That the sky can get to be this clear, this perfect shade of blue. There is no grey here. Here there is cerulean and azure and sapphire and cyan, and all around they are landmarked by little puffs of cirrostratus and cumulus. Here at night there is indigo and violet, there is black and cobalt, and all around are flecks of glowing stars dappled all along the sky. (I know someone that can name all the stars and all the shapes the stars can make. She's very smart, this friend of mine.) Come the dawn, my world is birdsong and pink and lavender. At sunset my world is orange and red and yellow, almost like the sky is on fire (but not really, there are no fires here). Here the colors are so rich I taste them on my tongue, and are so vivid I can feel them in my bones. Sometimes I forget that clouds don't always have to be grey. Clouds can be cottonball white or peachy swirls, or supple blankets of greyish mauve. Clouds are whatever I want them to be. If I want it to rain, it rains, and if I want sunny skies all day long, I can make that happen too. I can do that because here I have wings. (I don't know what I'd do without my wings. I don't know how ponies without wings even live with themselves.) I must have really been out of it lately, because sometimes I even forget that I have wings, which is only the most ridiculous things ever. I mean, they're only attached to my body; I was born with wings. (Rainbow Dash, you need to get more sleep, it's making you crazy.) Flight is who I am. Speed is my middle name. (Heck, it IS my name; they don't call me Dash for nothin'.) The wind cuts through my coat and my mane's blown around in about a million directions, but of course I don't notice or care. I rip through the soft wet cumulonimbus and tear up soggy nimbostratus, and in its wake sunlight streams down all around me and I trail rainbows in my wake. I fell, this one time. A long time ago, I fell. I was sure all that'd be left of me was a splatter of fur and bone and feathers. A bloody indistinguishable smear on the grass. By all logic, at the speed I was falling, how far I was falling, that's what should have happened. But it didn't. Bad things like that don't happen here. Instead I folded in my wings. I streamlined and I aimed. I pulled up and up and up until gravity let me go. I didn't fall. I just soared. Fast, fast, fast, FASTFASTFAST. There had been a monstrous clap of thunder and behind me rainbows peeled out across the sky in all directions all across town, across the country, across the world, maybe even farther. Waves and waves of color all around and everywhere. Everywhere around me and all inside of me. That's how I feel right this minute, here in the open air. Far away from grey skies and bad vibrations. With these wings I can go anywhere. I can do anything. The Ponyville sky is my home. But it doesn't have to be. If I got the urge, I could just up and leave Ponyville. I could fold back my wings and make a beeline for wherever in whatever direction I felt like. I could just decide to climb up and up and up until the skyline and me shook hooves. If I wanted I could go to Hoofington or Canterlot, or to Stalliongrad or Fillydelphia or I could find a new place nopony's ever seen before. I can do that. I can. But I won't. I won't because I don't want to, because my friends are here, and there's no point in me going anywhere if they don't come too. That's how it is. It couldn't be anything else. With a plop I land upon a cloud, soft and spongy underneath my hooves, almost like I weigh nothing at all. I poke my head through the wispy white and look down to see a little quintet of ponies, all in different pastel colors, just like I am, resting in the shade of a great tree. The tree has windows inside of it (for some reason I don't remember why). The ponies are all sleeping. Except one. The pink pony is awake; she's looking up at me with a smile. Her name is Pinkie Pie and she's always smiling. I think she likes rainbows as much as I do. "Hi, Dashie!" says Pinkie Pie. "Didja have a good flight?" "Heya Pinkie," I say back. "How's it goin'?" "Oh, I'm okay. But how about you?" She frowns, just slightly. "Are you feeling better? How's your knee today?" For some reason, that question makes me really uncomfortable. "What the hey are you talkin' about Pinkie Pie? My legs are fine." Pinkie blinks a couple times, and then shakes her head like she's trying to get rid of something stuck to her mane. "Oh. It's nothing, Rainbow Dash. It's just me being silly old Rinky-Dinky-Pinkie again. Don't worry about it." So I don't. I glide down to a tree branch right above my best friends in the world and streeeeetch in a dappled bit of sunlight. This, right here. This is the life. Although… now that I think about it, my knee does feel a little sore... But… No. NO. I'm not worrying about it. I'm not. I am relaxing here with my best friends. Nice and peaceful-like. Yessir, the one thing Rainbow Dash loves is a good nap with her buddies. I love it here. I wish I'd never leave. But. Sooner or later a pony has to… "Wake up!" The old mare woke with a start, scrambling to her feet. She barely avoided the boot aiming for her haunch. "Finally. You been sleeping half the day away, lazy beast." Dash pawed the ground, and gave her best snort of indignation at the gangly fur-less thing that had so rudely dumped her out of slumber. Weakly, a hind leg lashed out at it, even though they both knew there was no way she'd hit him. Sure enough, he evenly dodged the kick with a chuckle. Dash gave him another snort. He wouldn't be laughing if she was just a few seasons younger. Dash would never have taken this kind of treatment lying down. Give her a year or two of her youth back and she'd have sent him flying into the manure pile in ten seconds flat. She'd have put up a hell of a fight, given this guy a nice hoof sandwich right smack in the chest. In the chest if she was feeling generous. Then she'd have run off far, far back into the pasture for a graze and keep running off whenever someone came close, and then she'd let them catch her, but only when she was damn well good and ready. If they still insisted on coming after her, it took at least five of them and a good rope to reel her in, dodging Dash's hooves and teeth all the way. For years Dash had been the fastest pony in the stable, if not the fastest pony in a five mile radius. And she was still the fastest pony in the stable. (Of course, that was now more because she was the only pony left in this stable.) None of the Masters rode Dash. They'd said she was too unreliable to ride, certainly not suitable to rent out. After four years of rolled over stable hands and kicks to the chest and exhausting chases from one end of the fence to the other, they eventually gave up on riding and focused on pulling instead. The cart was arguably even worse than having a rider. At least with a rider she could still see what was going on and didn't have to deal with those annoying blinders. The cart always seemed too heavy, and the harness was always pulled too tight. Worse, Dash could never break into a full gallop with a cart attached. For one thing, it made Masters pull the rein so hard her mouth bruised. For another, the pony adjacent to her wouldn't be able to keep up; she'd be dragged along or trip and make them all crash, pony, cart, driver and all. No pony could keep her pace (well, maybe one but she was always attached to carts not carriages) so she had to constantly keep a frustratingly slow pace in order for Twilight or whoever it was she was partnered with to keep up. At least she could still have a good paddock run and lead a merry chase before they managed to hitch her up. That at least had been nice. Ironically, it had been running that had finally taken the dash out of Dash. She'd never seen the gopher hole until it was far too late and she was splayed out in the grass screaming. Dash lifted her ruined foreleg. It still looked a little bent the wrong way, and scarred terribly around the knee. She shuddered inwardly and put her leg back down, resolving to keep from looking at it anymore. Thankfully she was still able to trot; on good days she could even manage a decent gallop for a pony her age. But still nothing like she'd been before. Back in reality there was a tug. "C'mon now, Dash. Are you going to cooperate today?" A halter had slipped over her head while she was busy being lost in thought. There was really no point in fighting it. Dash allowed herself to be led into the yard where the carriage waited to carry her Master into town. Dash no longer had to pull the supply carts. The rental business ended some time ago, so now the only thing a pony was really good for is to go into town every now and again. A long time ago Dash would have been happy to get rid of the carts, but these days she often found herself longing for them. With the carts she at least had the company of other ponies. Like that one mare that used to share the stall next to her. She would sometimes pull the carts with her, but more often she was the one the Master rented out or rode himself. The mare was always in good spirits, so she was easy to handle. That was likely why she was the one sold first; she was a likeable and fun mare. Dash couldn't remember many specifics about her right now, not even her name. It had been a long time since she left the stable. She remembered the unkempt mane, though. It was the first thing anyone noticed about her, it was always bushed out in a wild and frizzy mass of fluffy curls that bounced in time with her trot. Her tail was no different, save for the fact that Dash could swear it was even fuzzier than the mane. The stable boy had constantly been picking out burrs and things out of it. That mare had gotten the strangest things caught in her mane sometimes. Not just the normal stuff like twigs or dead grass, but also things like metal washers or old eyeglasses, and one time they actually found half a bar of chocolate stuck to the end of her tail. And despite being constantly groomed and brushed, that mane would never get straight. No matter what they did, they could never get her masses of curls to cooperate. It was so strange. But it was also what made her special, just like Dash's speed or Twilight's old way of standing perfectly still and studying the leaves on the trees. Dash flicked an ear and nickered at the thought of her old friend. She wondered what the mare was doing now. It had appeared as if the mare's new master had gotten her for his children. Dash hoped that was the case; her friend would have liked that at a lot. She adored new riders to pal around with, though to be honest that mare liked pretty much everything. She could even make pulling carts fun, in her odd little way. Making her way down the road, Dash tilted her head towards the sky. There was nothing different about the sky today. It was the same even shade of slate grey it always was, broken up here and there by spatterings of black smoke trickling up into the atmosphere. Looking at the smoke reminded Dash of something… something else that could be up in the sky too, up there with the birds and things. Come to think of it, the sky itself felt strange this afternoon. Like it should have been different, though she couldn't pinpoint how or why. The sky was the same grey it had always been; there was nothing different about it at all. Dash shrugged it off. It's probably just an old mare's imagination. There was no point in worrying about nothing. She decided to try and cheer up. They were going into the city today, and that was something to look forward to. These days a trip into the thick of the city was rare, and as the dirt road eased into cobblestone Dash picked up her pace to a cheerful canter. It was very grey in the city. The buildings and walls and vendor stands crowded in distressingly close. The world slowly turned into nothing but brick, stone, steel, smoke, and mortar. The choke of thousands of bodies made everything too hot, and the constant drone of noise made it hard to concentrate sometimes. The roads were too narrow, and there was a greater chance of having accidents. Dash never would have been trusted here in her younger days. A pony had to pay very close attention to her instructions or risk disaster. Despite that, Dash loved being in the city. It gave her a chance to look at something new for once, and the danger of the city made for some decent excitement. The best thing about being in the city was Dash finally got to see other ponies besides her. Maybe she'd get to see one she knew. Maybe they'd remember her, and maybe they could even spend a little time together. That was a silly thing to think, Dash knew, because ponies in the city would be too busy to do anything like that. Still, a mare could hope. By the time the Master had them come to a stop, Dash's spirits were higher than they'd been in ages. It was busy in town today, and knowing her Master, he'd be inside for a long time. More than enough time to watch ponies. There! There was one now, carrying a girl with a basket of flowers. And there was a pair of big stallions tugging along a wagon, and over there were three silly fillies goofing around together. And over there, stuck in a glut of traffic was a carriage different from the others. It was much bigger than the other carts and carriages, with elaborate swirly things carved into the sides and shiny with brass decorations. It looked expensive. The five ponies pulling were equally fancy, but Dash was only interested in the mare at the head of them. Her coat was a well-groomed shining white, making a striking contrast to the four dun ponies behind her as well as the slate grey and dusty browns of the surrounding city. Bright ribbons of purple and pink had been braided into her mane and tail, and her harness was adorned with little silver bells so that with every step she jingled. She looked a little older than she had when she left the stable, but there was no mistaking her. That coat, the fancy breeding, the trademark high step, and her head held so high. It had to be Rarity; it couldn't have been anyone else. Dash did a little prance in place and called out to her, but the pretty mare didn't seem to notice. Dash tried again and again, but to no avail. The old mare stamped in frustration. What was going on? Couldn't she hear her? Was she ignoring her? Then Rarity called back, a dainty little chirp, and gave a flick of her tail. She didn't turn to look at her, though. That wasn't like her. Rarity always looked a pony straight in the eyes… Maybe she was just more worried about the traffic, or the driver was lenient with the riding crop, or… The carriage pulled farther ahead, and Dash saw why Rarity hadn't moved her head. It wasn't because she wouldn't, it was because she couldn't. She was barely able to move her head at all. Rarity wasn't holding up her head from pride, it was held there by force. Her reins drew her neck backwards and her head way, way, way up so that her neck was in an almost perfect straight line. It was there to make Rarity look fancier, but it also made her exhausted. Looking closer, her breath was labored, often coming out in little short bursts and it made her cough. Dash wondered how it was even possible to pull when a pony was strained like that, especially a light and dainty pony like Rarity. She was never built for this kind of endurance. How she managed to bear it, Dash had no idea. The traffic was moving again. The carriages moved onward toward their destinations. Before they rounded the corner a lady peered out of Rarity's carriage, frowned, and went back in again apparently complaining of something. Dash saw a flick of Rarity's tail before she rounded the corner, and then she was gone. Bye, Rarity. Somewhere on Dash's left side there was a sudden movement. The mare gave a startled little jump and instinctively lashed out with her back leg. An attack! But from who? Out in the open like this it could have been anything – a rouge dog or a wolf or a dragon or some brat with a slingshot! Well, they weren't gonna get the best of Dash! She bucked in her harness and kicked again. There was a splash and a shout. "Ow! Hey!" The mystery person stepped into view, right arm dripping wet. Dash's master scowled at her from under his wide brimmed hat. Whoops. He grumbled something under his breath, likely something about ungrateful ponies and set out a bucket of water before vanishing back into the brick building. Despite almost accidentally kicking him in the shin (not her fault he snuck up on her like that) she was happy for the water. It was late summer and the heat in the city had been slowly building to a broil, and the clouds making everything humid weren't helping. A nice watering was just the thing she needed to be refreshed. Now, if only she had a snack to go with it. Like a nice serving of oatmeal, or apples. Thinking of apples was messing with her mind; she could have sworn she smelled apples. A lot of apples. Almost as if they were right next to… her. Dash turned her head left to see an apple cart sitting right next to her and rolled her eyes. Stupid blinders. How did she manage to miss an entire cart and two ponies sitting right next to her? They must have pulled up when Dash was busy watching the traffic. Looking more closely at the pair of ponies, she began to understand why she hadn't heard them. The gelding was peacefully asleep on his feet and his partner, the mare, looked ready for a nap herself. Steam from their sweaty coats drifted lazily about them like a fog. The size difference between them was ridiculous; the gelding was several times bigger and bulkier (maybe he was really a horse instead of a pony?) while the mare in his shadow was not only dwarfed by his height but almost looked dead on her feet. Dash tilted her head and blinked at them sympathetically. Whoever owned them drove them hard. The mare was probably Dash's age but looked at least twice that. Her dull coat was filthy and hung from her scrawny frame as if someone had spread a tarp over a skeleton, and all along her back and legs ran an ugly network of shiny scars. A similar pattern could be found down near the mare's soft belly, and these were still a dull red, not fully healed yet. The tired mare shifted on her cracked hooves and almost stumbled. For a moment her legs began to violently shake, before finally, thankfully stopping. She'd probably been through a lot of owners; on her haunch Dash could see several brands overlapping. And the one at the very bottom looked… kind of like... Dash's. Dash nervously fidgeted on her three good legs. No. There was no way. No way this pony was the same one. The mare Dash knew was full of spunk and vigor, the only pony in miles that could keep up with Dash at a full gallop. This couldn't be her old rival; she had no stubborn determination or good-natured competitiveness in her eyes. But when the mare's ears perked up and turned to look at her, Dash could deny it no longer. Without a doubt, this was her. Oh, Applejack. Dash nickered sadly to her. For a second, Applejack lost the dull sheen in her eyes and she gave a little toss of her head, quietly nickering back. She motioned down towards Dash's legs, to her foreleg with the ruined knee, and it was Applejack's turn to look sympathetic. And for some reason, that just makes everything both a lot better and worse. More than anything else, Dash's heart longed for a run at that moment. A real run. One without halters or bridles or riders or carriages or spurs or fences or saddles. A run unhindered by some stupid busted knee or cracked hooves, the way a gallop was supposed to be. With Dash and Applejack and Rarity and Twilight and all of the other mares still together in their paddock, just like they all did when they were fillies seasons and seasons ago. Dash wanted to do that so badly, but she couldn't. So instead she just pressed her nose against Applejack's neck. On the trip back home from the city, it started to rain. Finally. The air lost its claustrophobic heaviness and made everything smell a little bit fresher. The cool rain felt nice on Dash's coat, and the pitter patter rhythms relaxed the old mare. It even made her forget how rainstorms made her arthritis act up. In the stable, her Master gave her a pat on the neck for behaving today and rewarded her with a nice bucket of fresh oats. Dash wasn't very hungry though. She'd eat them later, for now she was more interested in hunkering down for a nice, relaxing lie-down here where it's nice and soft in the clouds… I turn over in my sleep and lazily hug a section of soft cumulus close to my chest. Somepony below is calling out to me. I ignore it. Sleep is nice… five more minutes, mom. But then I remember: today I've got something to do. I crack open an eye and the first thing I notice is that the sky is grey. That just won't do, this Pegasus doesn't feel like grey skies today. Today I've scheduled a nice sunny sky; I'm going to need it if I'm gonna meet Applejack for a game of horseshoes. I fire like a shot into the air the air, wings splayed in a lazy glide, for a quick survey of the job. Nothing too hard, this sky will be clear in ten seconds flat. I love my job. By Celestia, I really do. The gentle softness of the clouds kiss my feathers and there's a gentle little poof as one by one the clouds explode into little bits of water vapor. I fly up, down, sideways, frontways, backwards. I do a barrel rolls and a rash of rapid-fire dives in and out of cottonball-white cirrus. I rip through the soft wet cumulonimbus and tear up soggy cirrostratus, and in its wake sunlight streams down all around me. A streak of rainbow slashes through the sky in my wake. I take a moment to climb up, up, up, above the clouds. I can see Canterlot way off in the distance – I'm going there later this year. I'm gonna meet the Wonderbolts. And my skills are gonna rock their world. But that's later. For now, I fold in my wings and let myself fall into a dive. The wind screams in my ears, blood rushes through my veins. At the last minute, before the ground can come into view I pull up and make a straight dash right through Ponyville. I'm going too fast to stop and see everypony, but as I cut though, I can hear them. And like the awesome friend I am, I always answer. "Good morning Rainbow Dash!" "Mornin' Fluttershy! Morning, Twilight!" "My, my. Look who's up early. For once." "Ha-ha. Very funny, Rarity." "Rainbow Dash! Are you still coming Bon-Bon's anniversary party this week? Do you feel any better this morning? You sure look better!" "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Pinkie! You know I never miss a party. And I feel awesoooooome!" And it's totally true, too. I usually feel pretty awesome (because I AM awesome) but today… I dunno, there's just something fantastic about today. I'm feeling so fantastic that I don't even notice the tangle of branches ahead. It's too late to turn or pull up, and I go crashing into a bunch of oranges and reds and browns and oranges and reds until finally I crash into a barn. "Heh, heh. Totally meant to do that." "Shore you did." Applejack's upside-down face blinks at me, half an apple still in her mouth. "Sugarcube, you ever considered just walkin' in here like a normal pony?" "Pfff. Uh, hello?" I flip onto my hooves and give my wings a good strong flap. Several leaves scatter down from a nearby apple tree. "Pegasus pony here! I don't do walking." "Well, let's hope fer yer sake yer aim at tossin' is better'n yer aim at flyin'." She smirks, "Ah'd hate t' embarrass you." Yeah, right. I don't even dignify that with a response. Instead I let my horseshoe do the talking for me. After a second or two to aim, I rear back, toss my head and let the shoe fly- aaaaaaaaaand PERFECT SHOT! "Whoo-hoo!" Applejack shoots me a playful smirk, "Not a bad pitch for a pony who works with her head in the clouds." It's been a while since me and Applejack hung out like this, one on one. Our schedules are usually too tangled. Applejack, she's almost always working the fields or pulling in harvests or planting seeds or trimming apple branches. I think Applejack works too hard. She should relax more. I know she says she loves a good day's work, but sometimes I swear that pony almost looks dead on her feet. But not today. This morning, Applejack has nothing to do except have fun, play games, and smile. We oughta do this more often. I hate to admit it, but that pony can actually give me a run for my money with it comes to athletics. (Still not gonna let her beat me!) It's impressive, but I never tell her that. Maybe I should, someday. Today I'm hanging out with my good buddy Applejack. Maybe later we'll meet up with Pinkie Pie and Rarity and Fluttershy and everybody else. We can make a day of it, just hanging out and goofing off together. I've done a fantastic job clearing the sky. There is no grey here. Today the sun is shining and my sky is a perfect shade of blue.

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2012-01-12T22:20:55+00:00

2013-04-03T21:17:26+00:00

“...And that's how I learned to stop worrying, and love the Bomb. Always your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle,” finished narrating the lavender pony with a content flourish, satisfied with her most recent report. It was a sunny Tuesday afternoon, and Twilight stood in the middle of the Golden Oaks Library's common room, basking in the glory of another finished Friendship Report. “Twi...” began her young scribe, “Do you really think Princess Celestia needs to hear about you guys getting tanked on Pink Jägerbombs?” he asked, holding the latest scroll in his hands and prepping it to be sent. Spike just couldn't shake the feeling that this letter was a bit lacking in overall academic merit, especially when compared to the previous week's 40-page Ralneigh Scattering Friendship Report—a lesson that Rainbow Dash had been less than enthusiastic to learn but had ultimately saved Ponyville from certain destruction. Twilight trotted over to Spike and gave him a playful noogie across his head scales (well, as much of a noogie a pony can give a dragon, anyways). “Come now, Spike; Pinkie taught us all a very important lesson in Friendship! Granted, I was somewhat skeptical at first when she called alcohol a 'Friendship Lubricant', but you can't argue with results!” she replied, giggling at the look Spike was giving her. Spike hitched an eyebrow. “Results, huh?” he said, his voice dripping with the sort of skepticism only someone raised by Twilight Sparkle could possibly muster. Horn glowing with magic, Twilight smiled and levitated Spike over to her desk, placing him near the open window. “You weren't there like I was, Spike; you should've seen Applejack and Rainbow Dash—they were acting like they were super best friends all night,” she beamed, gently nudging him with her nose towards the nearby window. “Looking at them at the party, you wouldn't have known that they spend all day bickering and one-upping each other—in fact, Pinkie told me that after I passed out, AJ and Dash left the party to hang out with each other for the rest of the evening!” Spike sighed, still not entirely convinced. “I guess...” he agreed, reluctantly giving up on his misgivings. As he prepared to fire up the scroll and send it to Canterlot, he couldn't help but muse over the one glaring omission in Twilight's report: the fact that she spent all morning twisting and moaning on the floor, wretchedly mired in absolute despair over her first hangover and asking repeatedly to be taken out of her misery. “Please Spike, if you truly love me you will light the sacrificial rite and end my suffering!” he recalled her saying not six hours ago. Twilight looked on as her latest missive went up in smoke, as it were, being magically delivered to her mentor. “Thanks Spike. Now, could you fetch me the mop? I've got some... mopping to do,” she asked her friend with a wince, dreading the clean-up that awaited her in the bathroom after her stomach oh-so-kindly jettisoned last night's food and Friendship Lubricant in a fit of teenage rebellion. Spike winced a bit as well. Hopping down from the desk and padding his way to the broom closet, images of the previous night started to rush back into his head. In retrospect, he had to begrudgingly admit at being quite impressed with the forcefulness and distance Twilight could put into the art of upchucking. Spike was certain that, if it hadn't been such an unpleasant experience for her, Twilight would've certainly turned the event into a scientific lesson about fluid dynamics. Spike smiled at the thought of a Friendship Report on that. He was, however, much less impressed with the location Twilight chose to regale him with the live demonstration. 'If she thinks I'm cleaning that up, she must still be drunk off her hooves!' he thought, retrieving the mop and bucket and walking over to the kitchen sink to fill it with water. Along the way he passed by the front door, now lovingly adorned with three unicorn horn-shaped holes where a certain somepony had tried to ram it open in her drunken stupor. “Here ya go, Twi—” began Spike, moving to hand over the mop and bucket before and uncontrollable fiery belch made his body quake, making him lose his grip on both items in the process. “What the...?” A scroll materialized and dropped into his now empty, outstretched claws; fortunately, Twilight had caught the bucket in her magical grasp before it hit the ground. “Oh my!” Twilight happily interjected, clopping her hooves, “That was a quick turnaround!” she exclaimed, removing the ribbon on the scroll with her magic, then levitating it to her line of sight. “Oh, this isn't from Princess Celestia...” she added after a quick glance, immediately noticing that the letter was not horn-written. Spike waddled over to Twilight's side, peering around her and trying to read a letter from his low vantage point. “But who else would send a letter through dragonfire? And who else would know my own fireline? Is it Princess Luna?” Though he could perform it naturally, the spell was notoriously difficult for a pony to master and involved signing magical contracts—in blood—with dragons for the use of their leylines. The end result was a spell known by very few ponies; very few ponies who lived rather luxuriously from the exorbitant going rate for a letter that needed to be delivered instantly. Twilight's eyes darted from left to right as she quickly scanned through the letter, her mouth moving soundlessly as she read—a small habit she still couldn't fully suppress from time to time after an entire fillyhood spent reading so many books aloud for herself, and then for her little brother. “It says it's from Metro Goldmane Brayer, Legal Affairs...” Spike was now intrigued; he'd seen the name wrapped around the famous roaring Manticore at the start of enough films thanks to Pinkie Pie's weekly movie nights. “That's the famous movie studio, isn't it?” he asked, climbing up to Twilight's withers to attempt to read the letter over her head. Twilight nodded absently, still reading. “Says I'm to meet with them and a... 'Great and Powerful Trixie, The'?” And that's all it took; the unicorn's face went quickly from a look of relief, to a look of happiness, to a contorted look of disbelief in the space of a few seconds. “Is 'The' supposed to be her title? What in Equestria is a 'The' supposed to even mean?” she asked no pony in particular as she stomped a hoof in annoyance. 'Aaand we lost her. Again.' Spike rolled his eyes as he hopped back to the floor. “Focus Twi, why do you have to meet with them?” he asked, knowing how Twilight got whenever she started thinking about the blue unicorn. 'Rarity would totally be proud of your theatrics, that's for sure.' Twilight shook her head, shaking off her disgruntlement. “Right, right.... Well,” she said, taking a moment to compose herself and finishing reading the letter, “they want to talk to me about Author's Rights and royalty payments...” she answered, trailing off and dropping the scroll. Spike brought his tail to his mouth and chewed it unconsciously as he pondered on that bit of information for a few seconds. “But Twilight, what for? Are you writing a book or something?” He already knew that wasn't the case though, seeing as he spent most of his waking time at her side. 'Unless she's been writing one at night with that owl guy!' he thought, sudden feelings of jealousy resurfacing momentarily as he pictured that evil, evil bird of prey... preying on his time with his loving big sister/heartless taskmaster. Suppressing his long-held suspicions, Spike picked up the scroll and started reading it. The young mare shook her head again, beginning to pace around the large bust that adorned the common room. “I've no idea what this letter's about, Spike; the only things I've written since starting college are my research reports and dissertations, and I send all of those to Celestia. The letter said that they would send a carriage for me today to take me to Manehattan,” she explained, making her way to the stairs that led to her loft. “I... I'm going to pack,” she announced unsteadily, glancing back to where her assistant still stood. Spike blinked. “W-wait, you're actually going?!” he sputtered, dropping the scroll. “Is this because of Trixie? I don—” Both Spike and Twilight were startled out of their impending argument by a knock at the front door. Twilight's ears flattened against her head and she bit her lip as she considered whether to explain herself to Spike again or ignore him and just tend to the door. The decision was as easy as the Trixie debate between them was old; Twilight trotted past Spike and towards the Library's lobby. “Uh, coming!” she called as she reached the door. With a small burst of magic, she opened it and came face to face with a dark gray pegasus mare. The somewhat tall pony had her short black mane slicked back; she wore a black coat and a tie, as well as a chauffeur's cap. “Miss Sparkle?” asked the professional-looking pegasus with an even tone. Twilight blinked dumbly a few seconds before finding her voice. “Uh.. yeah—I mean, yes, that's me!” she chuckled nervously, standing aside to let the pegasus in. The pegasus bowed her head lightly, then regarded Twilight with serious, but kind eyes. “Allow me to introduce myself: my name is Holly Diver, and I've come to pick you up on behalf of Metro Goldmane Brayer Studios,” she explained, extending her right front hoof. Twilight met the pegasus's hoof with her own. “Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you,” she replied, bowing lightly as well. “You're ah, you're here a lot sooner than I expected,” she admitted sheepishly, scratching the back of her head. Holly Diver shook her head. “My apologies, I know this is all very sudden but as I understand it, this matter requires your presence as soon as possible,” she said as she glanced from side to side. After making the sure the coast was clear, Holly's face took on a mirthful, somewhat malicious grin as she regarded Twilight with conspiratorial eyes. Twilight was taken aback and resisted the urge to shy away as Holly stepped closer to her and started whispering in her ear. “Your bratty little friend is in a heap of trouble thanks to you!” she breathed, almost giggling. Holly stepped back and steeled her face, once again donning her professional decorum. “Ahem, as I said,” she began, looking around again, “it is imperative we depart for Manehattan with haste; as far as I know, this will all be resolved rather quickly, and you should be back home by nightfall.” Twilight Sparkle was more confused than ever before, but she quickly found her wits and nodded vigorously. “Yes! Yes, uh, let me just grab a few things and I'll be right out!” she stammered, hurriedly retreating back into the library and almost tripping over Spike as she did so. “S-sorry Spike!” she called, already halfway up the stairs. A few minutes later, Spike was waiting for Twilight near the front door, stern look and crossed arms at the ready. “And just where do you think you're going, young filly?” he asked, clearly quite unhappy with Twilight's hasty decision to just up and leave once Trixie's name was mentioned. Twilight, saddlebag secured at her side, stopped in her tracks at the sight of him, but her eyes grew defiant. “Look, Spike, I have to go, you know I have to—Holly said Trixie's in trouble,” she declared and, softening her gaze, continued, “Can I count on my Number One assistant take care of the Library for today?” she asked, pleading with her eyes. Spike's gaze hardened. Twilight grinned inwardly; Spike could never hope to match her own petulance when she was his age—he was an easily-broken amateur. “Maybe you could invite the Cutie Mark Crusaders to keep you company?” she offered, her eyes glittering. 'Almost there...' she thought. “Hmm, you know? The Cutie Mark Crusaders will need a babysitter... Perhaps you could invite Rarity over as well?” she added ever so innocently. The purple dragon gulped as his eyes wavered. “I... uh...” he replied, uncrossing his arms. 'Gotcha!' Twilight celebrated internally. “Thanks Spike, you really are the best!” she said, telekinetically bringing him up to her face and nuzzling him before plunking him on the floor dashing out the door and closing it behind her. Much to Twilight's embarrassment, her 'carriage' had been parked in the middle of town, where the ostentatious and unnecessarily-large 5-pegasus limousine was drawing quite a crowd. Though humble by Canterlot standards, the gaudy thing was a conspicuous enough sight to probably make the headlines in tomorrow's paper, along with a photo of herself accompanied by Holly Diver, who carried herself with quite a bit of presence. Twilight wondered if a week would ever go by without her appearing in Ponyville's gazette for some reason or another. “Twilight, Darling! Is that you?!” Rarity exclaimed, her melodious voice ringing from somewhere within the crowd of curious bystanders. Twilight's ears perked as she heard the familiar voice call out to her. Scanning the throng of ponies, she managed to catch a white horn and a shock of indigo hair quickly carving its way across the sea of manes like the world's most fabulous shark fin. Rarity gave the last pony she shoved out of the way a tight but polite smile as she dusted herself off and approached her friend. “Twilight, sweetie, I simply must know what marvelous, marvelously-rich stallion has sent for you with such a fabulous stagecoach!” she grinned widely, her eyes glittering. Twilight chuckled sheepishly. “No, Rarity, it's not—” “Gasp!” gasped Rarity, “And why are you carrying that saddlebag? Shouldn't the hired help be, well, helping you with that?” she asked, glaring at Holly Diver, who glared right back. Rarity turned to Twilight once more. “And Twilight, why didn't you tell me you would be holding audience with an esteemed member of high society? We could have done something—anything—with your mane and coat!” Twilight blinked. “I uh... What's wrong with my mane?” she asked, somewhat worried as she turned her head and gave herself a once over. “I feel I must remind Miss Sparkle that we are needed in Manehattan today.” Holly interjected, still glaring at Rarity, who huffed and turned her muzzle upwards, closing her eyes indignantly. “Sorry Rarity, I have to go now—this was very short-notice; if I had known, I would most certainly have sought your help getting ready,” Twilight reassured, putting a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. Rarity brought her hoof over Twilight's own and gave her a smile. “Oh, I know you would have, Darling,” she replied as her thoughts ran wild, wondering if she'd seen Twilight in the company of any extremely rich pony lately. Had Twilight been sneaking out and meeting somepony under the cover of the night? Had Twilight found the Altair to her Vega? 'Now Rarity, you know Twilight better than that...' Perhaps she had found the Juliet to her Rodeo? The Guinevere to her Prancelot? The Haylen to her Paris? 'Well, at least she's gotten over that cheap little magician and her cheap little tricks!' Twilight smiled back before noticing that Holly Diver was holding the carriage door open for her. She gave Rarity an apologetic look. “I'll see everypony later, OK? Oh and Rarity, I know this is quite sudden, but I was wondering if you and your sister could perhaps keep Spike company while I'm away?” she asked as trotted away and she stood on the carriage's step. “I would love to, Twilight,” Rarity replied, hoof on her chest, chin held high. “But you simply must tell me everything about Manehattan and the beautifully rich pony you're meeting there when you come back! Do we have a deal, sweetie?” she asked, her eyes shimmering with barely-restrained gossip-lust. Twilight chuckled awkwardly. “It's a deal, Rarity,” she agreed, stepping into the carriage. Holly Diver closed the door and made her way to the front of the luxurious vehicle, taking her position forward of the five other pegasus ponies that were already rigged to the spacious chariot. After donning her own rig, she turned to the pegasus mare to her right. “Preflight checklist?” she asked with a smile. “Complete,” replied the white, red-maned pegasus, sporting similar attire and manestyle as Holly. “Winds aloft?” Holly continued, watching as the crowd parted to give them room for take-off. “25-knot tailwind at 5,000.” continued the white pegasus, her tone all business. Holly nodded; that would save them at least thirty minutes of flight time! “Perfect. Flight plan?” “Filed. Ponyville Flight Service will provide vectoring,” she replied dryly as she stared on straight ahead. Holly rolled her eyes at the display; 'Time for some applied CRM!' she thought as she turned to face her First Officer with a grin. “Care to take the command for this flight, Rafale?” “WOULD I?!” beamed Rafale, her wings flapping excitedly as she blushed brightly and trying to train back her serious face. “Er... Yes, it'd be my pleasure, Captain.” Behind her, the rest of the flight crew chuckled at her expense. Inside the carriage, Twilight listened as each one of the six pegasi started flapping their wings one after the other, until a steady, reverberating hum permeated the cabin. Resting her chin on her hoof, elbow on the windowsill, she watched as the scenery started accelerating past, before retreating downwards and giving way to the blue skies, pockmarked with small clouds, a rare sight this time of day. “I guess Rainbow Dash must still be hanging with Applejack.” Twilight concluded. She wondered what became of her other friends as the carriage climbed even higher. “Maybe they're still hung over?” she asked herself, watching as the miles and miles of Sweet Apple Acres became less distinguishable with the ascending height. She felt slightly bad for her friends; she'd woken to a mind-rending hangover because of her—in hindsight—terrible alcohol tolerance and she had been the first to pass out at the party. Twilight couldn't even imagine how the rest were faring if they actually kept on drinking through the night. She was slightly amazed that Rarity looked as beautiful as ever, not trace of a bad morning on her. 'Speaking of beautiful unicorns...' Twilight mused as Manehattan's skyline became visible towards the horizon. Twilight blinked. “Whoa, where did that come from?” she chuckled nervously, eyes darting left and right, even though she knew no one else was in the carriage. Twilight sighed heavily. She had spent a few months looking for Trixie, but her duties at the Library meant that she couldn't wander away too far or for too long. She felt compelled to find the magician, and was worried about the fact that Trixie had left all of her mostly-destroyed belongings back in Ponyville. 'How did you make do without your stagecoach? Your bits? All of your things?' she wondered idly, a pained look of worry clear on her face. 'You didn't have to run away, Trixie, we could have helped you...' During her search, Twilight had come across evidence that Trixie had managed to get back on her hooves again—nearby towns spoke of the dazzling showmare and her amazing stories about the great unicorn that defeated the Ursa Major, but Twilight always managed to miss Trixie by a day or two. Just as she did in Ponyville, The Great and Powerful Trixie seemed to just roll into town without previous announcements, put on a show, and then continue on to the next one. Twilight's eye twitched at the thought. 'How can anypony live without a schedule? She could be maximizing her exposure and audience if they actually knew when her shows were going to happen!' she mused, bringing a hoof to her face as she rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. Thinking about Trixie and what she could do to be all the greater and powerful...er always put Twilight in a mood. She could understand why Spike was worried—she had no reason to care that much about a pony that acted like a jackass to her and her friends. “But I do...” Twilight admitted in resignation. “Trixie, what in the world did you get yourself wrapped up in now? Haven't you learned your lesson?” Twilight asked the empty cabin, which refused to reply. Twilight retreated from the window and rested back on the plush seat of the carriage, her eyes closing as she let her thoughts lull her to sleep.

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-07-12T16:21:20+00:00

2011-07-12T16:21:20+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 2: Mare in the Big City Spike watched from the window of the library's first floor as the gaudy-looking carriage took to the sky. “I hope you know what you're doing, Twilight...” he murmured before jumping back down from the windowsill. With a sigh, he started picking up the clutter Twilight had left in her wake after coming in at two in the morning, thoroughly stunk up and incoherent. He'd read in the news about drunk flying, drunk carriage operators, and all manner of irresponsible activities being performed by ponies with less-than-ideal blood-alcohol levels, but he never thought he'd see drunk researching. Between periodic trips to the bathroom, the inebriated mare had actually started going through her books in search of a spell to, well, Spike actually didn't know. Her reading ability at this point not really an 'ability', she had begun to angrily argue with her books, breaking into heaving sobs as she believed them to have suddenly changed languages to spite her. 'Twi, you're trying to, uh, read them upside-down.' Spike shook his head at the memory. Twilight's sudden burst of tears had mellowed out just as suddenly, at which point she began amorously caressing one of the hard covers, and cooing at it. “I *sniff* forgive youh, book... bookie... bookbookie...” she slurred, planting soft kisses on the spine of the deep blue book. “You'd... you'll never gonna leave me, bookbookie, you'd let me help you, not run away and disappear forever and then I can't fuh-find yooouuuu~” Twilight finished with a pained wail. Spike's eyes twitched as he recalled that part. He made the decision then and there to never, ever consume a drop of alcohol in his life when he became of age. As he kept picking up books and sundry items, he managed to stumble upon a pair of items that should have been in the broom closet, not out there in the middle of the lobby. He blinked as he looked at the cleaning instruments. He squinted his eyes, before they suddenly became wide with horror as he remembered why the mop and bucket were out there in the first place. “Confound that pony!” he screamed, as the realization set in as to the nature of the dark deed that awaited him in the bathroom. - - - - - - Twilight awoke with a start as the carriage which she occupied shook lightly but insistently. “Bluh?” she asked intelligently, eyes unfocused and half-lidded. Wiping the drool from her mouth and the luxurious seat she had just been resting on, Twilight quickly sat back up and tried her best to smooth her mane back and not look so obviously bed-headed. Looking out the window, she realized that the source of the rumbling was the carriage's wheels, now in contact with the ground, as it was taxied around the busy streets of downtown Manehattan, awash in long shadows created by the late-afternoon sun. She smiled at the sight—it had been so long since she had been around a large, bustling city like this one; a city by the bay, a city that rocks, a city that never sleeps! Her eyes lit up at the sights and sounds she passed by: stately and stuffy Manehattanites, trendy and angsting hoofters, oat-dog vendors peddling their boiled cabbage, boombox-carrying street studs; they certainly were a varied bunch out in the city! The streets were wide and full of carriages big and small, all matter of pony drawing and occupying them. A little colt waved happily at her from a red carriage two lanes over, and Twilight cheerfully returned the wave, smiling brightly. Realizing that the carriage was slowing down, Twilight turned her gaze skyward, now finding herself in the shade of a massively tall building. Scanning the large plaza that the metallic skyscraper occupied, she spotted a beautiful fountain with a bronze statue of a muscular winged pony with large hooves. The monumental pony was standing on its hind legs, forelegs kicking triumphantly in the air. Squinting, she barely made out the large font on the statue's plaque. “Clydesler Building...” And then, as she scanned further down the plaza, Twilight saw her. Her. Twilight's face reddened as she started grinding her teeth. The Great and Powerful Trixie, her posture haughty, her smile genuine in her belief of superiority. Twilight wasn't even sure if there was anypony else with her—she looked like she was addressing someone, but the lavender unicorn could only focus on that... that entity that got closer and closer as the carriage reached its destination. Twilight's hooves trembled with ire. 'How dare you be so happy and carefree? I busted my rump looking for you, you little witch!' Twilight felt her anger reaching a fevered pitch. 'Two whole months where no pony in all of Equestria knew where you were! Two whole months where I didn't know where you were!' The carriage halted. Twilight glared daggers at the door. 'You ran into the Everfree Forest! You could have died!' Twilight was willing herself to not blast open the carriage door. 'And then you just suddenly pop back into the news again, same old show—the greatest unicorn in the land—as if nothing had happened! I bet you knew I was looking for you!' The carriage's door opened, courtesy of Rafale, but whatever the pegasus may have said was lost to the void of Twilight's tunnel vision. You're not even looking this way! You could care less about what you put me through!' The Great and Powerful Trixie laughed airily as she finished telling the newscolt her latest anecdote. She had heard Rafale announcing Twilight Sparkle's arrival but frankly she was having too much fun with her captive audience of newsponies, and secretly trying to put off talking to the lavender unicorn as much as she could. She would have preferred to keep contact at a minimum, perhaps not even addressing her until they were at the legal office, but curiosity got the best of her as she noticed that all the newsponies were no longer paying attention to her. “Really guys,” Trixie chuckled, “she's just a silly filly from Nowhere, Equestria...!” the laughter in her voice died down as she turned around to face Twilight Sparkle. Or, was it? The Great and Powerful Trixie took pride in her photographic memory, a real boon to her elaborate performances; Twilight Sparkle was most certainly not a red-eyed, bright-yellow fire-maned beast. “squeak.” Before anypony gathered there could really begin to comprehend what was happening, a bright flash invaded their eyes as Twilight burned out her transformation, reverting back to a slightly singed, lavender unicorn with a streaked, dark mane. The Great and Powerful Trixie was about to comment, but diction left her as she was hit full-force by the biggest, saddest puppy-dog eyes she had ever seen. “Why, Trixie?” Twilight asked, almost whispered. Then the tears came. “I was so worried about you!” declared the pony, jumping and hug-tackling The Great and Powerful Trixie to the ground. For her part, Trixie was still quite speechless and downright horrified, as all around her the newsponies used this opportunity to start taking pictures of The Great and Powerful Trixie looking quite not 'Great' or 'Powerful' (Or 'The'). Trixie would have continued to worry about the contents of tomorrow's tabloids, but she was currently being nuzzled by the weepy unicorn on top of her, and that was destroying her motor and mental skills quite thoroughly. “Don't you know how long you made me look for you?” sobbed Twilight, not wanting to let go of the infuriating jerk of a pony she so hated. And that's when it happened. Twilight had let her defenses down, and as she nuzzled Trixie, her horn came in contact with the magician's own horn. The contact proved to be electrifying. Literally. Twilight choked out a surprised gasp as she felt a bolt of unfettered magic arc between their horns, the dark-maned pony trying desperately to reign in her sudden magical paroxysm. Trixie whinnied and bucked under her, not expecting to be suddenly injected with that much magic—it only took a second for the showmare to lose control of her own magic as her horn started discharging the excess energy, blasting one of the nearby cameraponies and turning him into a potted cactus. For their part, the newsponies covering the developing disaster took one surprised look at the plant, then continued taking pictures of the unicorn pair while dodging errant magic bolts. One newspony was not quick enough, getting hit by a blast that turned her mane into a row of beautiful roses. “Oooh...” she cooed, smelling one of the flowers, before fireworks started exploding from each flower, causing an even bigger commotion and general panic among those gathered there. Twilight's eyes widened as she finally gathered her wits enough to realize that yes, there were other ponies there besides Trixie, 'How did I not notice them before?' Looking down, she noticed the blue unicorn under her, staring back with an indescribable mix of fury and embarrassment on her face. Twilight blinked, 'Ohmygosh did I just... Oh no I had a premature casting!' cringed the lavender pony, blushing brightly. “I-I swear this never happened to me before!” she pleaded, 'I'm not a 14-year-old foal anymore, how could I lose control like that?' The Great and Powerful Trixie was in panic mode. This was emphatically not how this reunion was supposed to go down—all thanks to Twilight Sparkle once again sticking her admittedly amorous muzzle where it didn't belong, again. Thirty seconds is all it took for the lavender menace to potentially destroy The Great and Powerful Trixie's career, again! And the newsponies! Every newspaper in the city was there. With cameras. 'We need to get away before she scuttles my reputation, again-again!' Trixie grabbed Twilight's shoulder and started shaking her to stop her blubbering, then she pointed at the large building in the middle of the plaza. “INSIDE. NOW.” Trixie declared with a finality in her voice that held no room for objections. Twilight nodded nervously. “O-OKAY, but you have to believe me that that's never ever ever happened to me before!” she added, before her horn started building up energy once again. Before Trixie could ask what was the lavender pony up to, they both disappeared in a crackle of magic. The transformations cast on the newsponies reversed as soon as the magical pair disappeared, and then an utterly awkward silence permeated the air among everypony present: newsponies, curious bystanders, and the six pegasi that had flown Twilight Sparkle to her meeting. No one knew quite what to say or how to react, until a strange sound drew everypony's attention to the dark pegasus mare rigged to the fancy carriage. It was a throaty snerk, as Holly Diver shook slightly, her head bowed and her eyes closed with noticeable force, her eyelids trembling with tears forming at their edges. Rafale peeked out from under the carriage, where she had taken cover from the magic show, and regarded her Captain with worry. “Cap'n, are you okay...?” “PPFFFFFFFFTTGWAHAHAHHAAH~!” guffawed Holly Diver quite loudly, startling everypony. “HAHAH*wheeze*OHGOSH!” she was on the floor now, “that was SO worth having to cart around that bratty blue witch everywhere for the past month!” she was gonna laugh her flank off. “HAHAHA, oh man I'm gonna pee myself! HAHAHAHA!” Rafale blushed as she pulled down her cap to cover her face, utterly embarrassed at the spectacle her Captain was making. She wanted to find a hole to crawl into, and possibly a second one to bury her Captain in. End Chapter 2

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-08-01T16:17:32+00:00

2011-08-01T16:17:32+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 3: Warp Holes and Revelations Rarity hummed cheerfully, her horn glowing with magic as she worked on her latest design, pencil moving by telekinesis and sketching smooth, flowing lines on a small canvas. The drawing was expertly taking shape, revealing her next sure-fire success in the world of fashion. The elegant unicorn chuckled lightly, 'It won't be long now before Hoity Toity's Galleria will be made up entirely by my designs!' It had been a lazy and slow afternoon at the library, something that afforded Rarity with the chance to continue her design work, despite the presence of the energetic Cutie Mark Crusaders, who had spent the first two hours at the Library bouncing off the walls and generally sowing discord and disharmony wherever their little hooves trotted. It was a small wonder they had quieted down and settled in the basement to play by themselves. 'Thank Celestia.' Rarity looked to her side, where a tuckered-out Spike sat on a high stool watching her work, a content smile plastered on his face. Rarity smiled right back at him—the little dragon had been ecstatic at seeing her arrive with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, 'He must've been feeling lonely, the poor thing,' she guessed, remembering that the purple reptilian had stayed at her side all afternoon, watching her sketch and helping her curb the CMC's overflowing enthusiasm. “Such a helpful young dragon you are, Spike.” Spike nearly fell of his stool, caught off-guard by the compliment. That simple line was enough to lift his spirits and make him forget the hardships he'd endured in the past 24 hours, cleansing him of all he'd seen and heard from his drunken owner. He gave Rarity a goofy grin. “Shucks Rarity, I—” “THERE'S TH'VARMINT!” shouted Apple Bloom from across the room, head peeking out from the basement door, before doing a forward roll and striking a pose. The filly was wearing a metal buckler on her back. Behind her, Scootaloo leapt from the basement and took her place to the left of Apple Bloom, an oversized sword sheathed around her back, dragging the tip on the floor. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: ROYAL GUARD: DRAGOON SQUADRON: SPECIAL OPS; TEN-HUT!” “For Equestria! For FREEDOM!” shouted Sweetie Belle, taking her place in between her two other friends, the tip of a halberd tied around her horn. “My sisters! Tonight we earn our Dragon-slaying Cutie Marks or die trying—FOR THE PRINCESSES!” she declared, lowering her head and pointing her bladed horn in the general direction of Spike. The only dragon in the room gulped. “D-Dragon-slaying?!” Rarity heaved a tired sigh as she put away her sketching tools. 'I suppose 15 minutes of quiet was stretching it a bit.' “CHAAAARGE!” - - - - - - The Great and Powerful Trixie had seen many things and many locations in her young life, the result of her nomadic lifestyle. Sure, she may have added certain embellishments to the more boring aspects, but as a whole, the blue unicorn felt she was a worldly pony. The folds between dimensions, however, did not count towards her sum of worldly experiences considering they were quite literally out of this world. Looking at the lavender pony whose hooves she was currently holding, The Great and Powerful Trixie began to wonder if she was even supposed to be conscious for this part of whatever spell Twilight Sparkle was currently casting; the dark-maned mare seemed to be currently unresponsive, except for her pupil-less, glowing eyes and shining horn. As far as Trixie could tell, they seemed to be traipsing through this not-space at a fairly good clip, despite the fact that they were both just... floating there. Turning her head and scanning the void of nothingness and everything, she suddenly came face-to-face with two big, blue, smiling eyes. Trixie was sure she developed arrhythmia from the scare. “HI! HIIIIIII!” the pink pony waved, standing too close for comfort. “I know you! I know you!” the pony shouted, hopping with excitement. “Do you remember me? Of COURSE you do! I know everypony, so that means that everypony knows me!” The blue unicorn felt that the arrhythmia may have also given her an aneurysm, because her brain was trying so hard to understand what was going on, but it just wasn't happening. Truly, she couldn't brain right now. It was at that point that Twilight's horn sparked, suddenly shooting out a beam across the infinity of the aether. The pink earth pony's form stretched infinitely in the opposite direction of the infinity that lay ahead of the two unicorns. “Aw phooey! You guys are leaving already? No fair, Twilight never stays here for more than two or three shakes! At least tell me where you're going!” Shakes? As in milkshakes? This was ridiculous, Trixie surmised—clearly a dream. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be at the Clydesler Building if you need her, Dream Pony!” Trixie waved, deciding to play along. “Okie-Dokie-Loki!” “Whuh... what?” Trixie asked, getting up from the tiled floor of the Clydesler Building’s main lobby. A light orange unicorn pony regarded her with a very unamused face, her yellow eyes glowering. “I was asking, Miss Trixie, if you were quite done trying to destroy this production with your little stunt out there.” the pony's dark red mane had a straight cut that fell to both sides of her head and neck. Her cutie mark, a quill and inkwell, had always made Trixie wonder. The showmare decided to ignore the fact that Twilight Sparkle had apparently teleported them inside for now, because that was ridiculous and frankly quite impossible. She regarded the orange mare with equal annoyance. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to remind a certain Miss Spelling that The Great and Powerful Trixie was not the pony that called this... this ruinous interloper here!” Trixie huffed, facing away from the orange unicorn and pointing an accusatory hoof at the lavender pony lying on the floor. Twilight Sparkle slowly got back on her hooves, wobbling slightly like a newborn foal. Teleportation always left her feeling a bit out of sorts, and for some reason, everything always tasted blue for a while afterward. She shook her head and focused on the two unicorns in front of her, seemingly in some sort of argument. “Is that so?” Spelling used her magic to adjust her rimless glasses. “Well, The Miss Spelling would like to remind The Great and Powerful Trixie that without The 'Ruinous Interloper', The Great and Powerful Trixie's film will never see the light of day.” Twilight wondered what in Equestria they were talking about, but at the moment she was too busy staring at the admittedly fancy floor, wallowing in utter shame at how she had reacted when she saw Trixie. 'What got into me? How could I have jumped her like that!' Twilight heard the discussion quiet down around her, and she looked up to find Holly Diver standing in front of her, holding Twilight's saddlebag. “Miss Sparkle, your luggage.” said the professional pegasus, stone-faced except for her eyes, which trembled with barely-contained mirth. “Oh, thank you, Ms. Diver...” she said, numbly grabbing it from the other pony. 'She looks like she wants to laugh... Oh Celestia, I can't believe I cast all over Trixie's face like that!' The orange unicorn used her magic to materialize a checkbook. “Holly, would you care to do some overtime work for me?” she asked as the checkbook floated over to the dark pegasus. “I need you and your crew to find each newspony that witnessed Trixie's episode and persuade them to give up their cameras and sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.” Holly Diver grabbed the checkbook with her mouth, and raised a knowing eyebrow as she pocketed the powerful object in her coat. “The usual amount?” Miss Spelling brought a pensive hoof to her chin. “Hmm, make it triple for the two ponies that got turned into floral arrangements.” she answered, waving her hoof dismissively. Inwardly, Miss Spelling wondered how many more bits Trixie’s antics were going to cost the studio. “Right.” Holly nodded, “Well, if you'll excuse me, Miss Spelling, Ms. Trixie,” she turned and winked at Twilight. “Ms. Sparkle.” Trixie rolled her eyes as she watched the insufferable chauffeur leave; she did not like how friendly the hired help was being to Twilight. 'They'll hire anypony these days.' Casting a sidelong glance at Twilight Sparkle, The Great and Powerful Trixie deduced that the Interloper seemed to be knee-deep in shame-wallowing. She felt a pang of... empathy? Trixie had to chuckle internally at her mind's suggestion that she should feel anything like that towards this pony of destruction. 'Still, I suppose if we're going to get her to sign, she should be in at least better spirits.' “You go on ahead, The Miss Spelling, for The Great and Powerful Trixie refuses to attend this meeting unless she is looking her best!” she said, giving Twilight a light shove. “Come, you little cry-filly, we must clean you up lest you make The Great and Powerful Trixie look bad by association.” “H-hey, please stop shoving!” complained Twilight, being completely ignored as she got pushed into an elevator by the blue unicorn. Twilight watched as Trixie used her magic to press the button to the top floor and curiously enough, the door-close button at the same time; then Trixie proceeded to stand next to her and look straight ahead at the now-closing elevator door. As the lift began its slow ascent, Twilight began fidgeting, the silence deafening and only helping her mind to fester in its bad thoughts. Each barely-audible 'ding' made her flinch a little, so consumed she was in her embarrassment. 'I have to stop thinking about it, Trixie hasn't even mentioned it... Maybe she didn't notice?' Twilight psyched herself up with false hope, and decided to break the cacophony of quietude. “So.. Uh... A movie...?” she asked, awkwardly. 'Well of course she would be an elevator talker.' Trixie sighed. “If you must know, yes—one of The Great and Powerful Trixie's shows has finally caught the eyes of a very prominent Hollyhoof director.” said the magician haughtily. Twilight couldn't help to be impressed; Trixie had made the jump from roadshow pony to screenplay writer in half a year! “And which show?” asked the studious mare, feeling strangely uplifted at Trixie's apparent success, “Let me guess, does it involve a Great and Powerful pony vanquishing an Ursa Major?” she asked playfully, already feeling better. Trixie blushed, then harrumphed indignantly. “Yes, as a matter of fact it does! But The Great and Powerful Trixie is no one-trick pony!” she continued, challenging Twilight with her eyes. “The Great and Powerful Trixie's new show has even impressed the highest ponies of the Canterlot court!” Twilight blinked. 'Celestia never mentioned this to me!' The elevator reached the 81st floor, and both unicorns exited. The lavender mare followed the blue magician down a stately hallway, exquisitely decorated, comparable to the decor down the halls of the castle back at Canterlot! Trixie felt a certain elation at the amazement plastered so openly on Twilight's face. “Obviously as the genius visionary behind this cinematographic tour de force, The Great and Powerful Trixie has been granted the use of this very exclusive penthouse.” Trixie giggled, “An amazing apartment for an amazing pony, don't you agree?” she asked as she produced the penthouse's card key, apparently hidden in her mane. Twilight felt a pang of sadness. “Trixie... I'm happy for your success, I really am but, must you be so boastful?” The Great and Powerful Trixie flinched slightly as she stepped through the door, “I-It's not boasting if it's true now, is it?” the azure pony went into the beautiful kitchen of the apartment. Twilight's gaze traced around the apartment—it really was quite royal. “Look, Trixie, I've been meaning to talk—” SLAP. A wet towel to the face. “Whuh...!” “Wipe your face. You look like you've been crying and drooling and roasting in an oven.” Twilight blushed as she did what she was told; she hadn't realized that all of the day's events could be so easily read on her face. After wiping her face and singe marks, 'When did I get those...?', Twilight watched as Trixie walked back to her, a soft brush floating by her magic. “Hey...!” she complained after the magician used said magic to push Twilight onto a chair. Standing behind the seated unicorn, Trixie hovered the brush over Twilight's mane, contemplating it. 'You have no right to look so good with bed-mane!' Trixie frowned, feeling somewhat jealous at Twilight's effortless looks. “Really, the second most-powerful unicorn in Equestria, and yet you squander your life away sleeping... Just look at this mess you call a mane.” 'Ohmygosh she's brushing my hair!' She thinks I'm powerful! She thinks I'm... a slacker?' Twilight was blushing for a number of reasons right now. “I do not s-squander my life away!” Twilight turned her head to face Trixie, but the blue mare used her magic to gently turn her away again. “Stay still while I try to work on this disaster.” Trixie explained, smoothing out the librarian's mane. Twilight fidgeted a bit, suddenly feeling completely flustered under Trixie's gentle ministrations. “I... I just had a late night out...” she explained shyly. Twilight yelped in surprise at the sudden forceful tug Trixie gave the brush she was using on her mane. “A... Late night out?” Trixie felt something of a lump in her throat, and a sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. 'The Great and Powerful Trixie does not care what some silly mare does at night or with whom!' Trixie internalized, “The Great and Powerful Trixie didn't take her mortal enemy for that kind of pony!” she goaded, digging for answers. Twilight quickly spun and faced Trixie again, blushing brighter than ever, before Trixie once again turned her away. “What kind of pony are you talking about? I was just out drinking with my friends! I'm allowed to do that! I'm not a little filly anymore!” Twilight's voice was defensive and somewhat petulant as she flailed her hooves, “And mortal enemy? Why am I your mortal enemy?” she tried turning around again, but Trixie had been expecting it, and held her in place. 'Out with her friends...' A weight was lifted from Trixie's back as she released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. The Great and Powerful Trixie was instantly feeling quite a bit chipper than she had been ten seconds ago. Smiling broadly, the azure unicorn spun Twilight to face her, and was met with an adorable sight—that of a blushing, pouting, annoyed Twilight Sparkle. Playfully brushing Twilight's locks down over her eyes, Trixie beamed at the bookworm. “That's what we are, you simple filly—that's why you're here; there's a character based on you in my movie,” Trixie explained as she floated the brush away to a nearby table. “and we need you to sign off on that, you know...” Trixie walked back to the kitchen, ducking down behind the counter. “...Give us permission to use your likeness, not sue us for damages or defamation; it's just a formality, really...” Trixie produced a bottle of clear liquid. “You'll be properly compensated for your consent, of course- The Great and Poweful Trixie is as benevolent as she is amazing!” the unicorn declared, excitedly kicking her front hooves before quickly settling down. Turning to face the stunned Twilight Sparkle, Trixie smiled broadly. “Vodka?” End Chapter 3

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-28T03:46:34+00:00

2011-09-28T03:46:34+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 4: And Justice For All “Shucks Ms. Rarity, we wasn't really gunna hurt 'im none, honest!” Apple Bloom flailed uselessly, currently being held a few feet off of the floor by magical telekinesis. “Yeah!” interjected Scootaloo, under the effects of the same magic. “We were just gonna whale on him a little, ya know,” the eager pegasus made a few kicking motions with her forelegs, “... until our Dragon-slaying cutie marks appeared—then we were totally gonna stop, for reals!” Sweetie Belle tried her best puppy-dog stare on her sister. “We're very sorry Sis...” her eyes sparkled, the cuteness of a thousand foals contained within, “C-can we keep the—” “Absolutely not.” Rarity stamped her hoof, before magically uninstalling the halberd blade from Sweetie Belle's horn and attaching it to her own; across her back, the buckler and sword rested, secured by leather straps. “I will put these back where they belong, while you three will get your rumps up to the loft, and you will stay there until bedtime.” the white unicorn said with finality, releasing her magical hold on them. “What a gyp!” “C'mon sis!” “Ain't fair!” “It's still light out!” “Booo!” came the chorus of complaints—there were so many weapon-related cutie marks to try for! Rarity turned her head, hearing a soft knock at the door. “Up. Now.” she stated, turning back to the troublemakers. “But~!” “Up up up up-up-up-upupupupup!” Rarity tittered, chasing the giggling trio halfway up the heart-stamped stairs, watching them continue on and into Twilight's study. She breathed a drawn-out sigh as she trotted back down and towards the door. “Coming~!” she called. “Good afternoon!” Rarity opened the door, surprised to find a slightly haggard Fluttershy on the other side. “Darling!” she exclaimed, stepping outside. “Um, not so loud, please...” cringed the yellow pegasus, lowering her head with a pained grimace. “Oh honey, I apologize—” Rarity stepped closer at put a comforting hoof on the delicate mare. “...are you still feeling the effects of last night's party? You look a bit paler than usual.” “... I...” Fluttershy looked up with bloodshot eyes, fell back on her haunches, and quickly shuffled away with an 'eep!' Rarity looked at the wallflower like she had grown a second set of wings. “Fluttershy, maybe you ought to get some rest—” Fluttershy put her forelegs in front of her face as Rarity approached her. “Please don't... I'll give the bits back... um, it was a silly bet anyways...” Rarity blinked. “Sweetie, what are you on about? You won that money fair and square—you have a magnificent aptitude for hard liquor!” she exclaimed, bringing up a hoof to scratch her shoulder, where the sword's leather strap was starting to bother her and... Oh, yeah. That. “Oh, oh no no no-no-no, Fluttershy! This, this isn't what you think!” the weaponized pony giggled nervously, 'I can't very well let on that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were playing with weapons on my watch!' Turning around and posing for the ex-model, Rarity used her horn to cast an illusion of an endless meadow, thousands of swords stuck into the soil at random angles and distances from one another, as if they had fallen from the skies like rain. “This is Shield-Maiden Chic!” she beamed, dispelling the fields of unlimited blades. “It's all the rage back at Trottingham—quite the brave fashion statement, don't you think?” Rarity turned to give her profile to the pegasus, thrusting out her chest, arching her neck and raising a hoof, looking positively heroic. Settling down a bit, Fluttershy offered her spa-buddy a tiny smile. “It's very lovely, Rarity.” she answered sincerely. The unicorn dropped her pose. 'It is?!' Rarity's surprise almost betrayed her confident face. “Well of course it is! But enough about me—do tell me, what brings you to the Library today, Fluttershy?” The soft-spoken mare's gaze turned skyward as she searched through the haze of her hangover-riddled mind for an answer. “Oh, I was gonna ask Twilight... and—! ...And you too, Rarity, I wasn't going to forget about you... the, um... The weather pegasi, they can't find Rainbow Dash...” the meek pegasus pointed a hoof skyward, the afternoon sun barely visible among the many clouds over Ponyville. “I'm afraid Twilight isn't here at the moment, but...” Remembering quite well the events of the night before, Rarity didn't need to wonder too hard about the confident pegasus's whereabouts. “...as for Rainbow Dash, Darling, have you checked Sweet Apple Acres?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend. Fluttershy shook her head. “Um, no. I thought she would be here, because of the—” It took her a moment to decipher Rarity's eyebrow. “Oh my...! Yes, I.. I-I suppose that would make sense after... after last night...” Fluttershy almost melted in the heat of her blush. “Well, I guess I should go look for them, I mean her! Look for her!” “Take care!” Rarity suppressed a giggle as she watched the poor pegasus very unsteadily take to the sky, wings beating out of time with each other. Trotting back into the Library, Rarity had to wonder just how Fluttershy was still standing—let alone flying—after her sublime feats in the art of alcohol consumption less than a day ago. Absentmindedly closing the door with her magic, Rarity stepped up to the middle of the lobby and started calling for the young, mercifully not-slain dragon. “Come on out, Honey! The fillies are up in the loft!” Rarity walked towards the kitchen, the general direction in which Spike had scampered off to in fright. “Spike?” she called again, opening the cabinets one by one. As she opened the second-to-last one, a pair of cyan hooves stuck out, holding the purple dragon out to her. Spike waved. “Hi Rarity.” “Ah, there you are!” the unicorn used her magic to float Spike down from the cabinet and onto her back, placing him on top of the small metal shield. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.” “No prob, Rare. Lookin' kinda cool there.” Closing the cabinet, Rarity trotted back to the table where she had left her sketches. “I'm dreadfully sorry about Sweetie Belle's behavior today Spike, I hope this doesn't reflect badly upon your opinion of me.” 'Who is this beautiful warrior princess that has come to rescue my heart?' Spike was beside himself, almost at a loss for words. “N-no way, Rarity! I could never think badly o-of you!” “You are such a sweetie, Spike! I—RAINBOW DASH?!” Sketches and pencils flying in her wake, Rarity bolted to the kitchen and nearly tore the offending cabinet's door off its hinges. “Rainbow Dash what in Equestria are you doing in there?!” The unicorn stamped her hoof lividly, her immature-filly tolerance levels already depleted thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Rainbow Dash flinched at Rarity's shrill voice, looking rather uncomfortable stuffed in the cabinet, surrounded by cereal boxes and spices. “Keep it down, will ya?” “Tell me what you are doing in Twilight's kitchen!” Rarity was not in the mood for this. A safe distance away, Spike covered his mouth so as not to burst out laughing at Rainbow Dash's predicament. The cyan pegasus eyed Rarity's newest accessory warily. “Careful where ya point that thing!” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, I'm uh, kinda hiding from Applejack right now, so if you—” A sudden, insistent pounding at the door made the startled acrobat hit her head against the top of the cabinet. “Twilight? Twilight sug, you in there? Ah need to speak with ya!” called a familiar voice from outside, the pony still knocking on the door with a bit more force than necessary. “Just a minute!” shouted Rarity loudly but sweetly, before turning her attention back to Rainbow Dash. “You better not have broken her heart!” the designer whispered as she glared daggers at the weather pegasus, who looked like she was about object before Rarity closed the cabinet door on her. Applejack shifted nervously as she waited for Twilight to answer the door. 'I hope that hot-headed filly can forgive me...' she mused, looking down and wondering why in the world the Library's front door seemed to be covered in splinters and small holes. The farmer turned her gaze back up as the door opened. “Whoah Nelly!” Applejack stood on her hind legs, kicking the air with her forelegs. “Rarity?! What in tarnation—” “Fashion statement.” Rarity deadpanned. Applejack settled back on all fours, tilting her head in confusion. “That's a right powerful statement yer makin' there, sugarcube.” she commented, 'Fashion statement or declaration of war?' Rarity giggled, “I suppose it is!” the unicorn made a mental note to incorporate weaponry in her next batch of designs—who knew violence could be stylish? “Now, Twilight Sparkle is not in today, but perhaps I could be of some aid?” The orange earth pony fidgeted a bit. “Well, Ah reckon this here's a personal matter, but Ah just can't find Rainbow Dash anywhere... I fig'erd she might be holed up in here at the Library, on account of the—” “Oh, I am so sorry, Applejack—” interrupted Rarity, a bit loudly. “I haven't seen our friend all day.” she continued, making obvious gestures with her eyes. 'She's in here!' they said. “Perhaps I could pass a message along?” Applejack furrowed her brow, wondering what was wrong with Rarity's eyes, before realization settled in. “Oh, oh! Yeah, a message, right! Well, if you see her, couldya please tell 'er that I've been lookin' for her all afternoon? Just tell 'er that we need to talk about...” Applejack's ears drooped sligthly, “...about this mornin'...” the cowpony blushed. “Don' want that silly filly gettin' th'wrong impression, ya hear? Applejack ain't that kind of mare, unnerstand sugarcube?” Rarity blinked, somewhat stunned. “I.. I think I do, Applejack...” her anger at Rainbow Dash had now completely drained away. “Good! Well, Ah hafta get back to the farm,” Applejack reached under her hat and dropped a large, pale flower from it. “This, uh, this is for Rainbow Dash, if you see her. Thanks a bunch, Rarity!” said the farmer, dashing away. Rarity stood in silence for a couple of minutes, before picking up the flower and heading back inside, making her way to the kitchen. “Rainbow Dash?” she ventured, her voice soft. “...” Rarity stepped closer to the cabinet. “Come on out of there Rainbow Dash, please.” “Go away.” came the muffled reply. With a sigh, Rarity used her magic to open the cabinet and floated Rainbow Dash out and back down to the floor. “I want to apologize Rainbow Dash, it was not my place to assume such things from a loyal pony such as yourself.” “Yeah yeah...” Rainbow Dash waved her hoof dismissively, “Don't get your saddles in a bunch over it.” the airmare looked at the floor, her face unreadable. Rarity stepped closer to the crestfallen pegasus, placing her chin on the cyan pony's rainbow mane. “Oh Rainbow Dash, there will be others—please don't let this—” Rainbow Dash moved away from Rarity's comforting gesture. “Don't, Rare.” The pegasus tried swallowing the lump in the back of her throat, to no avail. “Applejack had her fun, and that's all it was—a night of fun, and now everything goes back to normal, because she's not that kind of mare.” the pony rambled, fighting back the tears. “Besides, I'm gonna be a Wonderbolt! I don't need some smooth-talking Element of Dishonesty tyin' me down and crampin' my style!” her wings flapped unconsciously, her eyes loosing long held-back tears. The designer unicorn was close to tears herself, until she remembered Applejack's present. This was it! “Rainbow Dash, honey...” Rarity gave some thought as to how to present the farmer's gesture. 'Appeal to her ego, of course!' The flower floated magically to Rainbow Dash's line of sight. “Perhaps you are getting ahead of yourself, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow Dash looked at the beautiful, pale flower. '… An apple blossom...' “Rainbow Dash, not everypony is as gallant and fearless as you are—why, us normal ponies can barely get up in the morning we're so scared of every little thing!” Using one of her own manepins, Rarity clipped the flower to Rainbow Dash's mane, behind her right ear. “Perhaps Applejack left you this—the gift of hope—because she is a scared little filly, looking for somepony to give her the courage to be as passionate and open with her feelings as you are!” Rainbow Dash's eyes were wide now, a slight blush on her face. “...Give her courage?” Rarity gave the pegasus a warm, honest smile. “Well of course, Rainbow Dash—why, just a single one of your feathers contains more courage in it than the entirety of the Royal Guard army!” Rainbow Dash's wings were now at full spread, her posture straight and imposing. “Yeah... Yeah! You know what, Rarity? You're totally right!” the pegasus stamped her hoof, ego thoroughly stroked. “Oh I'm gonna courage that filly so hard she won't be able to tell an apple from a carrot!” “That's the spirit!” Rarity was glad that she was able to cheer up the colorful pony. Stepping up to the seamstress, Rainbow Dash threw her forelegs around Rarity's neck, giving her a big hug. Rarity hugged the pegasus back, and even Spike and Pinkie Pie joined in and hugged them both. “Thanks a lot, you guys.” Rainbow Dash said, tightening the hug. The hug quickly dispersed, everyone involved yelping in surprise at the inclusion of the mistress of ceremonies herself. “Pinkie Pie?!” Rainbow Dash was first to react. “What're you doing here?” Spike and Rarity both nodded, wondering the same thing. “I'm here for the party, DUH!” The pink pony hopped in place. Rarity blinked. “I'm sorry dear, but who told you we were holding a party?” “Well it was OBVIOUS—you think you can sneak a party on ol' Pinkie twice?” Pinkie Pie brought up her fore hooves, tapping one against the other, counting off as if she had fingers. “First Applejack asked me to find Rainbow Dash, and then one of those cool weather ponies asked me to find Rainbow Dash, and then that funny-looking mailpony was asking where Rainbow Dash was, and then the Mayor was asking about Rainbow Dash, and then even Fluttershy and then ohmygosh I realized what this is!” Pinkie Pie flailed, “It's a SEARCH PARTY!” With her scream came a rain of confetti, seemingly out of nowhere. Pinkie Pie interpreted the stunned silence of her audience as sheer excitement for the festivities to come. “Soooooooo I followed this really awesome rainbow streak in the sky that lead directly to Library because whenever you SEE an awesome rainbow streak in the sky it usually MEANS that an awesome Rainbow Dash is IN that sky, streaking rainbows awesomely!” Rarity facehooved, the gesture imitated by the purple dragon standing next to her. “Well I guess that explains how everypony decided to look for you here, Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus blushed slightly. “Eheh... I guess I don't know my own speed...” Already in the kitchen preparing to bake a cake, Pinkie Pie turned back to her party guests. “Aaaand why else would everypony be at Twilight's house unless you were holding a party?” “Actually, yeah, where is Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked, only now realizing that the Alpha Nerd was not among them. Rarity chuckled. “Oh, did you not know? I am house-sitting for Twilight Sparkle, seeing as our bookish filly has finally snagged a handsome, filthy-rich stallion from Manehattan! They are probably out on a wonderful, expensive and luxurious date as we speak!” “What?!” Rainbow Dash was skeptical, to say the least. “But Rarity, that's not right at all!” Spike said, tugging at the indigo-maned pony's tail. “The one that sent for Twilight was Trixie!” he explained. “WHAT?!” Rarity felt a conniption coming on. “That... that hussy is taking our Twilight out on a wonderful, expensive and luxurious date as we speak?!” Spike facepalmed at the scene that was unfolding. “No! No, guys, it's something legal!” he waved his arms, trying to get the riled-up ponies' attention. “It's some copyright thing or something, I think.” “WHAT?!” Rarity felt her conniption turning into rage. “That... that charlatan is suing our Twilight?!” “OhmygoshohmygoshOHMYGOSH! We gotta help her!” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings in her unrest, floating a few feet off the floor. “She could go to jail! You have no idea what they do to ponies like her in jail!” “Guys...” Spike tried, to no avail, to clarify the situation. Then again, he didn't trust Trixie either, she could be suing Twilight eight ways til Sunday. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity stamped her hoof, “Twilight left only a couple of hours ago! You're the fastest—go get Applejack and get moving to Manehattan—I will find Fluttershy and see if I can find a sitter for the Cutie Marks Crusaders!” Rainbow Dash saluted. “Right!” she said before immediately deflating, “But how am I gonna find her?” Pinkie Pie ducked away from the fridge, “Well she's at the Clydesler Building, silly!” she answered, quickly ducking back in to look for more ingredients and handing them to Apple Bloom. “We don't need a sitter!” Scootaloo complained, dropping the ladle she was using to mix the batter. “We can help too!” “Yeah! CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: PROFESSIONAL LEGAL COUNSEL: JUSTICE FOR ALL!” cheered Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Pinkie Pie, all covered in cake mix. “Absolutely not!” - - - Big Macintosh had been watching his sister work all day. A colt of few words, he hadn't had the heart to mention just how terrible her apple-bucking had been since she came back from last night's party. Besides, pointing out the obvious would only serve to frustrate the powerful kicker even more, something Big Macintosh was very keen to avoid. “Doggone apples!” complained Applejack, grunting in aggravation. “Why won't y'all fall right?!” “Sis, Ah reckon yer heart's not innit today...” drawled the stallion, “Maybe you oughta go back to bed for'a while.” Ears pointed back, Applejack stared fiercely at her brother. “Now what're you implyin'? 'Coz Ah can work just fine, Big Mac! In fact, Ah—” “YOINK!” Applejack's words caught in her mouth, as a transonic rainbow streak nearly lopped her head off, passing within millimeters of her ears, creating a vacuum that almost knocked her over. “What the...” Applejack realized her hat was missing, and turned to watch the familiar blue blur rocket away, clouds parting in her way. The farmer felt a surge in her heart, “Oh so you want me to chase ya, huh, Hot-Sauce?” she chuckled. Turning back to her brother and wearing a determined face, Applejack scraped the ground with her hoof, rarin' to go. “Big Mac, Ah think Ah will take a rest from apple-buckin'— 'coz Ah reckon Ah gotta take back what's MINE!” “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh nodded, watching his sister speed off, chasing after the rainbow. - - - It didn't take long for the Fastest Pegasus in Equestria to arrive at the lobby of the Clydesler Building. What the Fastest Pegasus in Equestria wasn't expecting though, was the wall of security ponies that seemed determined not to let just any random, unidentified pony into the building. Rainbow Dash grinned smugly—being the Fastest Pegasus in Equestria didn't just mean the fastest flier... it also meant the quickest thinker! - - - Twilight Sparkle looked around the large, fancy wooden table of the even larger, fancier meeting room she was in. She was seated at one end of the rectangular table, with Miss Spelling and The Great and Powerful Trixie seated closest to her, followed by a large number of frankly grumpy-looking businessponies, all silently staring back at her. She and Trixie had lost track of time at the penthouse, and had arrived at the meeting an hour later. Looking down at the 60-page contract in front of her, the lavender unicorn felt more than a bit intimidated by the entire situation. Using her magic, Twilight levitated one of the glasses of water that had been brought in by a secretary, and brought it to her lips. 'I wish my friends were here...' “Miss Spelling?” crackled one of the intercoms on the table. The orange pony looked at the intercom with disdain as she clicked the comm button. “We are currently in a very important meeting, this better be urgent.” “It's about Ms. Sparkle—her lawyer is here. Miss Rainbow Dash The Second, Esquire?” Twilight choked and spat out the gulp of water she had been drinking, unintentionally spraying Trixie's face for the second time that day. End Chapter 4

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-23T17:30:15+00:00

2011-09-23T17:30:15+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 5: Counselor Dash has the Stand Slowly, the slow elevator slowly ascended ever so slowly; painfully so for Rainbow Dash. It didn't help that the stupid thing was stopping at every... other... floor... for everypony and their mom to get in or out. Rainbow Dash tapped her front hoof impatiently, exhaling a sigh upwards and flitting her colorful locks, becoming more impatient every second that crept by. She glared at the security pony that was escorting her through the building and to the meeting room—the lazy colt had balked at Rainbow Dash's request of just running up the seventy or so flights of stairs to where Twilight was probably getting sued for all she was worth. ’Probably more.’ Rainbow Dash frowned; so many months ago Twilight had stopped the pegasus from chasing after Trixie and giving her a well-deserved thrashing for making her friends, and more importantly, herself look stupid in front of all of Ponyville. ’Shoulda let me do it!’'Twilight had actually believed that Trixie would eventually come back after having realized her mistakes, apologize, and then they would become friends and write to Princess Celestia together about it. 'For a supernerd you're not that smart, are ya, Twi?' Of course, when that didn't happen, the stubborn unicorn had started letting her mind run with thoughts of what might have happened to Trixie, and it wasn't long before she'd worried herself into personally searching for the azure mare. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes; against her better judgment, she had acted as Twilight's eyes in the sky during those searches, even as she continued to complain to the worried unicorn that the faker was not worth the effort. Rainbow Dash sighed, ’Once you set your mind to something...' she mused, recalling how compelled Twilight was to find out what made Pinkie Pie tick. Rainbow Dash realized that her escort had stepped out of the elevator and was holding the door open for her. Spotting a '75' printed on a black plate on the metal frame surrounding the door, Rainbow Dash stepped out and followed the lazy guard as he lead her down a fancy hallway. 'Don't worry Twi... Nopony messes with my friends—'specially not The Lame and Stupid-Face Trixie!' The guard came to a stop and directed the rainbow-maned pegasus into a spacious lobby occupied by a single pegasus mare—a secretary sitting at her desk next to a large, wooden double door. Rainbow Dash licked her lips and pressed down on Applejack's hat, tilting it slightly to her left so as not to damage the pale flower still pinned to her mane. “Showtime!” - - - Twilight Sparkle was deeply regretting her refusal to partake upon The Great and Powerful Trixie's vast collection of spirits; she could really use a drink right now. She blinked,'Does that make me an alcoholic? Oh Celestia, as if I didn't have enough things to worry about now!' The unicorn lowered her head a little, willing herself not to hyperventilate. She looked to her right, where a now-dry Trixie sat in silence, simmering with barely-contained ire. Twilight's ears drooped, 'How are we ever gonna become friends at this rate?' Looking around the room once more, Twilight could hardly conceal the dread that was chilling her to the bone. The meeting room was unnecessarily big, and just as ostentatious as the rest of the building. The heavy, agarwood table took up minimal space set in the middle of the luxurious corner office. The location afforded the room with two windowed walls, providing an expansive view of the Manehattan skyline, a rainbow streak cutting right through the mostly-gray horizon of buildings. 'We are definitely not in Ponyville anymore...' she thought, glancing at the dour, dull-colored, unhappy businessponies that she supposed were judging her every living, breathing second; their silence was stifling. 'And now Rainbow Dash is on her way here?' the lavender pony brought both hooves to her face; this was not going to end well for her mental well-being. As if on cue, the meeting room's large, oaken doors slammed open, causing the door handles to crack and chip paint off of the walls, and startling most of the ponies gathered there. “Miss, I told you to please remain seated while I announ—” Twilight's right eye twitched. 'Oh Luna I hope that's not—' “Howdy, ya'll!” greeted Rainbow Dash, trotting into the room, her posture commanding and confident. “Rainbow Dash The Second, Esquire, at your service!” she bowed theatrically. Standing a few paces behind the colorful pony, the secretary held her hoof in the air and her complaints in her throat, both useless against Rainbow Dash's forwardness. Catching up to its counterpart, Twilight's left eye began twitching as well. 'Oh Celestia she's wearing Applejack's hat why is she wearing Applejack's hat what is she doing here how did she find out I was here why did she say lawyer she's not my lawyer I should get a lawyer but not Rainbow Dash because she's not a lawyer why is she wearing Applejack's hat?' Completely ignoring the looks directed her way, Rainbow Dash made her way to stand at Twilight's side, before raising an eyebrow. To stand. “Huh.” she uttered plainly, before taking a quick glance about herself, then calmly taking a trot around the table, making passing comments to each businesspony she walked by. “Nice suit bro... Your mane looks funny... Does your mom dress ya...? Have we met?... Watch your tail, I almost tripped!... You can look but not touch, babe...” With each comment, Twilight sunk just a bit lower in her seat, embarrassment settling in once more—though not nearly as deeply as it had settled during The Incident. Twilight reddened. 'Aaaand now I'm thinking about THAT again. Great.' Rainbow Dash finished her circuit around the seated ponies, making sure to glare rusty, poisoned daggers at Trixie as she passed her by at the end—if looks could kill, Trixie would have died of tetanus if not promptly treated. The colorful mare looked around the room, annoyance clear on her face at apparently not having found what she was looking for. “S'cuse me fillies, gentledudes.” Rainbow Dash breezily flew out of the room, seemingly impervious to the solid block of tension that occupied the atmosphere in it. All eyes turned to Twilight once more. Before anything could be said, a loud scraping noise filled the hall outside, the source quickly becoming apparent: with great effort, Rainbow Dash was using her head to push a large, extravagant sofa into the meeting room, Applejack's hat resting on the plush seat. The secretary behind her meekly pleaded with the determined pegasus. “Uh, Miss, that's for the guests, Miss...!” Rainbow Dash closed the double doors on the secretary and continued to push the sofa towards her client, the scraping sound piercing everypony's ears and at the same time ruining the carpet and marble tile underneath. Twilight Sparkle rubbed her temples, as her apparently permanent blush intensified. 'Okay, this is very nearly just as embarrassing as public premature casting now.' The acrobat pony stopped pushing as soon as she felt the sofa bump Twilight's chair. With a satisfied smile, Rainbow Dash picked up Applejack's hat and put it back on—and while still completely ignoring the looks directed her way, Rainbow Dash took her seat at Twilight Sparkle's side. “Much better!” she exclaimed, making herself comfortable. Miss Spelling—already on edge thanks to a number of reasons mostly revolving around Trixie and the mounting financial costs of her antics—was having a very, very hard time containing her anger. “Are you quite done—” “OBJECTION!!” Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves on the table; one businesscolt loosed a girlish yelp as he fell out of his chair, his toupee landing a few feet away. “WE ARE NOT IN COURT!” screamed Miss Spelling, standing on her chair, her chest heaving. Quickly realizing her loss of control, the mare sat down, straightened out her hair, and took a gulp of her glass of water. “Counselor Dash, perhaps you have not been told what this meeting is about.” she ventured through gritted teeth. “Oh yeah? Well what's it to ya?” challenged Twilight's self-appointed attorney, leaning back into her sofa, hooves folded behind her head. As her pegasus friend began arguing with Miss Spelling, a humiliated Twilight wanted nothing more than to teleport far, far away. In her mind, she toyed with the notion of perhaps warping to the moon; it's probably quite beautiful this time of year. At least all eyes were now on Rainbow Dash instead of herself—or so she thought; turning to her right, Twilight realized that The Great and Powerful Trixie was looking straight at her. Twilight's face reddened to a warm glow, her thoughts a mile a minute. 'Ohmygosh she's smiling at me why is she smiling at me?' Among the other emotions she was feeling at the moment, Twilight felt some small relief in seeing that the magician didn't seem to be angry at her anymore, but that only lasted for a second as she squinted and came to a quick realization about Trixie's temper turnabout. 'Wait... she's grinning...? My embarrassment is funny to you?!' Twilight's mouth hung open indignantly, her eyes small dots as she stared at Trixie with unmasked ignominy. “This is not funny!” she mouthed silently at the simpering azure mare as soon as she found her what was left of her wits. The Great and Powerful Trixie was smirking from ear to ear. “Oh yes it is!” she mouthed back, nodding vigorously. Twilight shook her head, “Nuh-uh!” the lavender bookworm was trying hard not to take part in Trixie's infectious smiling. “Yah-huh!” Trixie pantomimed dramatically, finding Twilight's tiny, embarrassed smile terribly cute. Twilight lightly kicked Trixie under the table as she continued her silent argument with the showmare, not caring that her own smile now mirrored Trixie's. “Stop it! It's not!” “Oh it's on, little filly!” Returning Twilight's kick, both magical mares became fully involved in their game of hoofsie. It took them all of ten minutes to realize that Rainbow Dash and Miss Spelling had stopped arguing quite a while ago and they, along with the rest of the ponies at the table, were watching the playful unicorns with varying degrees of disdain or approval. Twilight and Trixie wore matching, glowing blushes as their schoolfilly giggling abruptly cut out, washing the room once more in dead silence. Turning to her friend for support, Twilight came face-to-face with Rainbow Dash's insufferably cheeky, smiling pucker, eyes full of mirth. “D'awwww!” the rainbow-maned wonder cooed, not being able to resist teasing her unicorn friend, even as she foaled around with the enemy. Miss Spelling adjusted her glasses. “Ms. Sparkle, Ms. Trixie; are you two quite finished, or do you have any more delays planned for this meeting?” Receiving no answer from the mortified ponies, the orange unicorn continued. “Now, as I was trying to explain to Counselor Dash, Metro Goldmane Brayer Studios will be releasing to the public a motion picture based on an original story by Ms. Trixie.” Looking to her right, Miss Spelling watched as Rainbow Dash nodded while scribbling on a legal pad she had at some point procured forcefully from the secretary outside. “Now, this original story is a semi-autobiographical account involving ponies, situations, and locations that Ms. Trixie has encountered—as seen through her eyes.” Rainbow Dash and Twilight both had to roll their eyes at that last part. Looking at her friend, Twilight was less than pleased to see that Rainbow Dash wasn't taking notes as much as she was drawing Applejack all over one page. Miss Spelling gave The Great and Powerful Trixie a meaningful glance before continuing. “As to why Ms. Sparkle's presence was required—the main conflict in this film involves the antagonistic dynamic between its two main characters, two unicorns based on Ms. Sparkle and Ms. Trixie. We at Metro Goldmane Brayer are prepared to compensate Ms. Sparkle for the use of her likeness in our production and its related products and advertisements.” Rainbow Dash raised her hoof but Miss Spelling anticipated her question. “All the specifics are already detailed in the contract provided for Ms. Sparkle. Everything should be in order, seeing as this is a pretty standard consent form; all we need is her signature.” Twilight looked down at the table, where the neigh-unreadable contract stared back at her with arcane legalese. She had tried reading through it, but its language was more mysterious than any ancient tome she had ever perused in her life. Really, she was about to sign the thing anyways, figuring her character's part in Trixie's movie was minuscule at best. Despite what Miss Spelling may be claiming, The Great and Powerful Trixie was not the kind of pony to give equal billing to anypony so easily—whenever this movie got around to getting made, Twilight fully expected her character to be on screen for all of ten seconds before being crushed, eaten, or crush-eaten by an Ursa Major. “Right then...” “Wait a sec, Twi!” Rainbow Dash stopped the unicorn from reaching for the nearby pen. “You gotta let me look at the contract before you sign it, dude!” Twilight regarded Rainbow Dash with a questioning look. 'I suppose it would make sense, if we're gonna keep up this farce...' Twilight nodded. “Right, right... How could I forget my legal counsel, after I called you all the way over here?” she chuckled nervously. The unicorn magically handed her friend the large stack of papers. 'Is she... speed-reading?' Miss Spelling sighed as she watched Rainbow Dash apparently skim over the entire contract in less than five minutes. “I suppose we could take an hour's recess for Counselor Dash to review the conditions of the contract, but I would like to advice the Counselor that time is money, and we cannot simply halt production so that she can nitpick numbers on what is an industry-standard contract.” 'Oh no...' cringed Twilight, closing her eyes. Rainbow Dash's wings spread menacingly. “An hour?! You callin' me slow, Four-Eyes?” The unicorn leaned away slightly from the threatening body language, until she realized what she had been called.“Four-eyes?!” she asked incredulously, leaning forward and glowering at the cyan mare. “Yeah, you heard me, Butt-Face!” spat Rainbow Dash, standing on the sofa. Miss Spelling's horn glowed dangerously. “Counselor Dash, please behave yourself!” Rainbow Dash beat her wings and hopped up on the table, glowering back at Miss Spelling. “Hah! You gonna sprinkle your unicorn pixie dust on me, Four-Butt-Eyes-Face?! Try it, see what happens.” Twilight Sparkle stood up from her chair brusquely, knocking it to the floor. “DASH! What's gotten into you? Stop t—” The unicorn's words caught in her throat as soon as the cyan pegasus turned back to face her. Rainbow Dash's face, her eyes—she wasn't out of control—her confident gaze pierced through Twilight's own with a clear intent. 'Trust me.' The exchange was not lost on Trixie. Breathing and finding her center, Miss Spelling relaxed and removed her glasses, floating a napkin to clean them. She didn't particularly like the fact that the lawyer pony could get her worked up so easily; she was glad Holly Diver wasn't present to witness the spectacle. “Please don't make me call Security, Counselor Dash. Return to your seat.” The pegasus turned right back to the orange unicorn. “Go ahead and call 'em! Maybe they can help you take this bogus contract and shove it!” A chorus of whispered gasps from the businessponies followed Rainbow Dash's outburst. “Twi, these chumps are trying to play you for a chump!” The pegasus shoved her hoof accusingly into Miss Spelling's chest. “Trixie and Four-Eyes didn't bring these goons here as lawyers! Ya think I don't know a group of bullies when I see one?” The Great and Powerful Trixie stood up from her own chair, about to complain. “Trixie did not bri—” Rainbow Dash continued, ignoring Trixie. “These suits are here to scare ya into signing the contract! You don't need 20 ponies to witness the signing! And where's the script for the movie? Were you just gonna sign your name away and let them write whatever about you?” Twilight stared at Rainbow Dash in surprise and admiration. She had been having an emotional day, to say the least—so much so that she had not had the presence of mind to actually question anything about this whole mess. Twilight felt disappointed in herself for not having fully analyzed and deconstructed the situation the moment she got to Manehattan. Right then, the unicorn came to the same painful conclusion the pegasus was just arriving to. “You've got them by the docks, Twi!” many tails twitched at Rainbow Dash's declaration, “You got all the power here—they can't start making the film without your permission, so why're they trying to force you to sign right now? Unless they're totally hidin' something from ya—go ahead, ask Trixie the Rat!” Rainbow Dash spun around to point accusingly at the mare magician. The Great and Powerful Trixie looked incensed. “Trixie is not—” “Trixie.” the showmare's heart sunk when she heard Twilight's tone. “Trixie, have you been lying to me?” The Great and Powerful Trixie had never felt as meager and powerless as she did at that moment. Try as she might, Trixie could not get her words out—she was trying hard to say something, anything to stop Twilight from looking at her like that, but her throat and vocal chords were currently refusing to cooperate and let any lie or, worse yet, any truth come through. The showmare could only see abject disappointment and betrayal in Twilight's bright, purple eyes. Her bright, teary eyes. 'Well done you stupid mare, you made her cry.' Trixie reached tentatively for the lavender unicorn. “Twilight, Trixie is—” Twilight flinched away from Trixie. “Dash was right about you. Everypony was right about you.” she spat out poisonously, before disappearing in a sparkle of magic. - - - Though something of an usual sight nowadays, the denizens of Ponyville had to hand it to six special ponies for always coming up with ways to provide shock and awe to the sleepy town nearly every afternoon. Lining the streets, the crowds watched with confused wonder at the sight—down Main Street and coming from the east, a purple baby dragon ran as fast as he could, pulling behind him a large hot air balloon that was barely floating off the ground. From the west on the same street were three ponies heading straight for the balloon, seemingly with great urgency. In front of the pack and leading the charge, Ponyville's pioneer dressmaker galloped, looking meticulously and perfectly coiffed as well as gallant and heroic, a sword and shield slung against her back, and a halberd tip on her horn shining in the sun. Behind the seamstress, Ponyville's Premier Pink Party Pony hopped airily and happily, easily keeping up with the leader of the pack. Bringing up the rear, Ponyville's most celebrated drinker as of last night half-galloped, half-fluttered, struggling to keep up with her friends' haste. “Oh no!” cried the pink earth pony, suddenly changing expressions. Rarity looked back at Pinkie Pie, never breaking stride. “What it is, dear? Is something the matter?” “They made Twilight cry!” whimpered the party pony, settling into a gallop. Rarity didn't have time to reply—Fluttershy had quickly picked her and Pinkie Pie off of the ground, and flapped speedily towards Twilight's balloon. The unicorn's eyes widened for a second, spotting the angry look the meek pegasus carried on her face. “Um, please hurry, Spike.” Fluttershy requested as she deposited her friends into the pink wicker basket. “You don't have to tell me twice, Fluttershy!” the young dragon quickly made his way to the throat of the balloon's envelope, plopping down on a small seat attached to it. Without hesitation, Spike started breathing fire into the envelope, quickly heating up the air inside and causing the aircraft to lift off. Fluttershy stayed outside of the basket, holding onto it with her forelegs as she flapped her wings to give the balloon some forward propulsion as her friends cheered her on. - - - Miss Spelling was having a bad day, undeniably. The meeting, after finally getting started, had very quickly spiraled out of control. The Great and Powerful Trixie's most amazing act of magic, the orange mare concluded, was the way she could make massive sums of money just disappear from Metro Goldmane Brayer's bank account on a daily basis, just by being herself. It was a mathematical wonder to witness how, with the addition of two acquaintances, Trixie had possibly managed to exponentially increase her staggering cost to the studio in the space of four hours. Miss Spelling was not pleased. She was not pleased with a lot of things, actually. First and foremost, the colorful but astute attorney had been entirely right and justified in her rant. The studio had asked Spelling to settle this matter cleanly and quickly, and against her better judgment, she had tried to do so. It did not please Miss Spelling, but it was her job, after all. This was the second thing the bespectacled unicorn was not pleased with, her job. 'Not that it matters, now.' The red-maned mare had already taken a risk by pushing so hard for this movie to get made against the wishes of most of the shareholders. She had started digging her grave by vying to give the unicorn magician complete creative control of the project. She had continued to dig herself deeper by bankrolling The Great and Powerful Trixie's very public, very controversial public persona. And now, in front of the entire (useless) Metro Goldmane Brayer legal team, she had spectacularly failed to settle a potential and potentially-costly lawsuit-in-the-making. Miss Spelling magically brought a napkin to herself, compulsively cleaning her already-clean glasses. ’Lawsuit or not, and whether the movie is released or not, my rump is fired.' The orange unicorn blinked in enlightenment as that thought settled in. “ALRIGHT!” she shouted, getting everypony's attention. “I want everypony but Ms. Trixie and Counselor Dash OUT OF THIS OFFICE!” Trixie and Rainbow Dash both looked up from where they had been scuffling on the floor after Twilight had teleported away. Trixie had been angry at herself and at the pegasus, and had quickly thrown herself at Rainbow Dash, who was more than happy to oblige the request to throw down. “NOW!!” yelled the orange unicorn, magically pulling the chairs out from under every businesspony gathered there. Miss Spelling smiled as she watched the herd of pettifoggers trot out of the meeting room with haste. Turning back to the blue ponies still on the floor, she adjusted her glasses. Miss Spelling felt liberated. She was going to be fired either way, so it was time to do things right, starting with the truth. “Counselor Dash, I... Metro Goldmane Brayer is prepared to make any changes you deem necessary to your client's contract. Please, do not be shy about what you believe your client rightfully deserves.” Motioning to the sofa Rainbow Dash had helped herself to, she continued. “We seem to have gotten off on the wrong hoof—perhaps I am to blame for that. May I speak candidly with you? I believe there are some things you must know about this production...” Miss Spelling's smile was bright and cheery... ...which kinda creeped Rainbow Dash out. End Chapter 5

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-28T04:02:43+00:00

2011-09-28T04:02:43+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 6: And She Ran so Far Away As Celestia's sun began its descent below the horizon, the rainbow streak that divided the heavens between Ponyville and Manehattan began diffusing softly into the evening sky, slowly losing its source of light. The mysterious, long-lasting weather phenomenon had baffled the citizens of the big city since it didn’t appear to be related to any precipitation; the sky had been clear all day, and neither was the streak manufactured by the famous Cloudsdale Rainworks—this rainbow was a band of condensed water particles. It was natural, but was deliberately drawn across the sky. Crowds of curious onlookers had followed the rainbow all the way to where it abruptly dropped off at the Clydesler Building Plaza, finding the pavement cracked with suspiciously horseshoe-like indentations. Holly Diver had actually gotten a glimpse of the pony responsible for this, but she found the spectacle and speculation of the crowd to be quite entertaining, so she kept her silence as she flew over the gathered ponies before making her way to the lobby of the building. Once inside, Holly lazily greeted one of the many security ponies stationed to the lobby. “Hey, Daze.” she waved, trotting over to the front desk where the colt was keeping himself entertained with a rubber band around his hooves. “Hey Diver, how are—huhwhat?” Daze did a double take as soon as he turned to greet the dark pegasus, the rubberband snapping off of his hooves and whipping his muzzle. Holly Diver stopped and raised an eyebrow at the guard. “Yes?” Following his gaze, she realized what might be troubling the lazy colt. “Oh. These.” she looked at herself, at least two-dozen cameras slung around her neck, back, and forelegs. “I like cameras.” she said plainly, before continuing her trot to the elevators. - - - Rainbow Dash had been quite comfortable on her purloined sofa, resting on her back, head over the armrest as she held a large stack of papers over her face—said stack had kept her entertained for a while now, the acrobat having read and reread it from start to finish a couple of times now. Kicking her hind legs and using the momentum to sit upright, she glared disbelievingly at The Great and Powerful Trixie. “Ok, ok hold up. You wrote this? For reals?” Trixie glared at the winged pony, blush bright on her face. “Trixie wrote it, yes. Why?” she asked from her seat, three chairs away from Rainbow Dash's sofa. Well, she knew why the cyan mare was asking that, but that didn’t mean Trixie had to own up to it. Rainbow Dash looked back down to the script in her hooves. The Brave and Beautiful Glitter Dawn. “Whadda ya mean, 'Why'? Have you read this?” asked the pegasus, tapping the papers with her hoof. The unicorn mare really didn't need this right now. “Trixie wonders if the rainbow trout has a point to make...” she commented, turning away from the cyan mare with a huff. Manifesting a file out of thin air with her magic, the azure pony began grooming her hooves in a show of forced indifference. Rainbow Dash dropped the script on the table as she slowly stood up from her sofa. “You wanna come over here and say that again?” she growled, the feathers on her wings puffing up slightly. “Ladies, please.” Miss Spelling adjusted her glasses. “Counselor Dash, I know you are upset, but your anger is misplaced upon Ms. Trixie, insufferable as she may be at times.” “H-hey!” The pegasus took flight, glaring at Trixie. “But she lied to everypony!” Rainbow Dash hovered slightly over the table, unable to keep still in her seat. Miss Spelling placed a hoof on top of the script, lest it blow away in the attorney's down-wash. “It was a terribly foalish, frankly idiotic thing she did, but I believe her reason for doing so was quite clearly out of cowardice, not outright malice.” “Well duh! I mean, I just read the thing.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as she crossed her front hooves over her chest. The azure mare’s eyes twitched. “Trixie is STILL in the room would you PLEASE stop talking about her as if she were NOT.” Why did everypony insist on assuming the worst from her all the time? Still in stationary flight, Rainbow Dash descended slightly to pick up the movie's script, before flipping it open. “Oh, I'm sorry,” began the floating pegasus, “Does 'The Mighty and Fearsome Pixie' have somethin' to say?” Miss Spelling watched as Trixie turned as red as a ripe Sweet Apple Acres apple under the Counselor’s knowing accusation. The magician-turned-writer hadn’t been too concerned about concealing her identity in her script, and much less in her live show; that genuine quality was one of the reasons Miss Spelling had been so driven to bring Trixie’s story to the masses. “Counselor Dash,” the orange mare began, raising an eyebrow. “I would have expected you of all ponies to be more sympathetic to Ms. Trixie's... cause for concern.” Using her magic, Miss Spelling floated Rainbow Dash's legal pad into the air, displaying it for everypony present. “HAH!” chortled Holly Diver, having just come into the room. - - - “Dangit dangit dangit!” Applejack cursed as the rainbow streak she had been following for the past two hours finally dissipated completely. She had entered the city limits 10 minutes ago and was still galloping at full tilt, the rumbling of her forceful sprint fracturing windows and overturning sidewalk tables at every outdoor establishment she dashed by. The farmer poured more effort into her gallop, figuring she had to be close to her destination—as far as she could tell, Rainbow Dash had flown a nearly straight line all the time; Applejack hoped that the pegasus's landing spot would be obvious enough if she just kept running down the sidewalk of the street she was currently stampeding through. At her current speed and current mindset, everything not directly ahead of her seemed to pass by as a blur. The dark hues of the city and the somewhat drab pastel colors of its citizens all seemed to blend together into dithering blotches of gray and other muted shades around the periphery of her vision. That is, except for one swath of very familiar bright lavender and deep blue that couldn’t help but stand out against the dull background. 'Shoot! I'd know that purple hide anywhere!' Coming to a screeching halt that startled many horse-drawn carriages into running into each other, Applejack doubled back and quickly caught up to Twilight Sparkle, who was dispiritedly pacing down the opposite sidewalk from the farmer, head hung low. The earth pony quickly and haphazardly crossed the street, causing another carriage pile-up which she paid no mind to. “Sugarcube! What's goin' on, hun?” she asked, coming up to the unicorn’s side. Twilight turned to the farmer, lip quivering. “Apple...jack? Oh, Applejaaaaaack!” the unicorn let loose the waterworks, quickly drenching Applejack in a teary hug. Applejack was momentarily stunned—that was not the reaction she expected from her book-learned friend. “Uh, Twi...? Is sumthin' the matter?” she asked rather uselessly. At that, Twilight proceeded to cry even harder into the orange pony's mane. “Huuokaaay....” - - - NYPD officer Bobby Flat-Hoof stifled a yawn as he watched the knife nut being hauled away; it had been a long day for him and the rest of the New Yoke City police ponies in Manehattan. The dark blue earth pony hated working overtime. Now, there was always something going on in a bustling city like Manehattan, that much was true... But today, today was just plain strange. Flat-Hoof had started his shift very early in the morning, working the beat uptown. Everything had been pretty normal—up until lunch time, it had been an average, even boring day in Manehattan, so much so that he'd stayed at the doughnut shop for a bit longer past his lunch hour. His peers had given him guff for perpetuating the stereotype, but since they were there at the shop before him and remained there after he left, he decided not to comment. A couple of hours later, the reports started piling in. Public indecency. Immoral Acts being performed on the streets. Flat-Hoof rolled his eyes; many of the calls had been from older ponies, one of them claiming that –this was the crumbling of the morals of Equestria, by way of that rotten, flithy, dirty, lewd, lascivious JUNK called Rock n' Roll - A report that Flat-Hoof planned to make a copy of and frame once he got back to the station. Flat-Hoof and his partner Gummie Horseshoe had made the trip to the Downtown area, specifically the Clydesler Building Plaza, only to find a whole lot of nothing going on. A few other patrolponies had gotten to the scene first, and were interviewing some of the witnesses. Apparently, none of them had seen anything happen, even the ones that reported the incident. The trip wasted, Flat-Hoof and Horseshoe returned to the station only to be dispatched once again, Downtown once again. The reports came from all over the city this time—a strange rainbow-colored beam of light shot straight through the city, aimed, coincidentally enough, at the Clydesler Building. The worried citizens had claimed this to be either a secret Canterlot super-weapon, the end of the world, or the work of “human-lifeforms”, the nickname given by conspiracy theorists to the mythological “extra-Equestrials” of legend. Though pretty to look at, it turned out to be a form of naturally occurring rainbow, albeit strangely linear compared to most. Trip wasted, once more. Horseshoe had made her annoyance clear during the walk back to the station; Flat-Hoof could only nod at his partner's mounting frustration about the lack of action. One hour later, action! Or so they thought. Clearly something had taken place. A large number of Manehattan's finest had been called Uptown after reports of a rampaging beast started coming in. One storekeeper flailed tearfully, claiming that the powerful monster, apparently hidden in a dust cloud, had ruined his life and probably killed millions. Flat-Hoof looked at the single, 5-inch crack running along a corner of the store's glass window and decided that this particular witness would not be questioned again. More distressing and equally baffling had been the 89-carriage pile-up along the same street. Apparently caused by the same massive behemoth that had knocked down some tables and ruined some glass, this vehicular disaster was going to be a complete logistics nightmare to untangle. Fortunately for Flat-Hoof and Horseshoe, they were called away from traffic duty by the strangest report yet: a hot-air balloon had come in low through the streets, propelled by a pegasus and powered by a miniature dragon, of all things. Now, a hot-air balloon around the city—that would be a novelty, but nothing to really call the cops over. No, what that balloon was carrying, that was the reason for concern; both partners had broken into a gallop. As they neared the scene of the incident, another patrolpony galloped up to them with the bad news: Flat-Hoof and Horseshoe had been late to the action once again—and they had missed a doozy this time! Allegedly, the balloon had deposited a young, pretty unicorn armed to the teeth right there at Clydesler Building Plaza. The crazy unicorn had then waltzed right into the lobby and demanded she be let in to see her friends—at which point building security decided to subdue her. She took out 15 security ponies before they finally got her under control. Flat-Hoof had to chuckle as Horseshoe loosed a string of curses; they had run up and down the entire city for hours on end, and they had nothing to show for it. NYPD officer Bobby Flat-Hoof stifled a yawn as he watched the knife nut being hauled away; it had been a long day for him and the rest of the New Yoke City police ponies in Manehattan. - - - Applejack sat at the table, picking at the remains of a half-eaten bowl of wild-flower pasta. She had correctly assumed that some food would calm down the distraught unicorn sitting across from her. What she hadn't counted on was the amount needed to do so. The farmer was worried this meal might overshoot her current financial state by quite a sum—especially after last night, when she had bet most of her pocket money against Fluttershy in her drink smackdown versus Big Mac. “Thanks, AJ... With all that's happened today, I had forgotten I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday...” Twilight Sparkle heaved a contented sigh, stacking her empty bowl on top of the other nine, and next to the 4 rounds of beer she had already been treated to. Applejack smiled at the unicorn. “Shucks Twi, you don't have to thank me none, I'm just glad yer not bawlin' yer eyes out anymore... I'm just no good at all that mushy stuff.” Twilight blushed. “I apologize for that... It's been a very trying day for me, Applejack... But what about you? What brings you to the city?” It was Applejack's turn to blush. “A rainbow.” she answered coyly, watching Twilight's expression. The earth pony quickly realized that her unicorn friend was not picking up on the obvious hint. “Rainbow Dash, Sugarcube. Ah was chasin' down that mangy pegasus when Ah ran into you.” Applejack decided to let Twilight get away with the change of topic for now. The unicorn in question blinked as the gears in her mind worked. “But Rainbow Dash's been in town for at least two hours now...” “I'm just a humble earth pony, hun; Ah ain't got no fancy-shmancy wings, just mah Sun-given legs to carry me wher'ver I need to go.” “AJ!” Twilight raised her voice, somehow managing to whisper loudly, “You ran all the way from Ponyville?” The marathon pony smiled. “Shore did! Non-stop express to the end of the rainbow!” “That's incredible, Applejack! But... Why? Did something happen to Rainbow Dash? Cause she seemed fine to me...” “Exactly!” Applejack winked at Twilight, “You don't let a fine filly like that just go, 'specially not after you fin'lly caught 'er!” the farmer was blushing deeply now, but it felt good to be honest after hiding it for so long from her friends. Twilight tilted her head in utter confusion. “Uh, caught her?” the unicorn's brain density was detrimental, at times. Applejack facehoofed. With a sigh, she waved over the waiter and asked for two more beers. “How do Ah put this real delicate-like?” she asked herself, bringing a hoof to her chin, her other hoof still nursing a mostly empty bottle. “Oh, Ah know! It's just like you and that purty snake-in-the-grass!” “S-snake...?” the unicorn shuddered. Applejack nodded, “Yeh, you know, that magic-snake-oil salesmare!” Twilight flinched. “Snake-oil…?” Applejack shrugged. “C’mon Twi, that slitherin’, belly-draggin’—” “AJ!” hissed the unicorn, shivering slightly. “Will you please stop talking about s-snakes?!” The farmer chuckled sheepishly. “I’m sorry Sug, Ah reckon I’m still a mite sore at Trixie even after all this time.” Twilight visibly slumped. “…Trixie?” “Right, Ah dunno if it were some big secret you thought you was hidin’, but let’s just say I’m not the only filly runnin’ marathons for love, ain’t that right Sugarcube?” Applejack took a sip of her beer. “Ah bet you never realized how long you were out walkin’ whenever you went on one o’ yer Trixie Hunts. It was hours, almost entire days at a time, Twi.” The farmer smiled cheerily. If Twilight had ever wondered how slack her jaw could go, she needn’t anymore. Luminescent blush permeating her whole body, she could only stare at Applejack as her bright purple eyes became minuscule black dots and her hair became slightly frazzled. Applejack chuckled into the mouth of her bottle, finding Twilight’s expression quite amusing. “Now don’ go freakin’ out on me Twilight—just ‘cause we ain’t all chummy with Trixie it don’t mean we’re gonna give ya a hard time about it; we’re yer friends, after’all.” Applejack thanked the waiter as he brought them another round of beers. “B’sides, you can’t choose who ya’ll fall for—Ah should know!” Applejack laughed at herself, opening the new bottle with her teeth. The orange earth pony finished her beer in one gulp. Wiping her lips, she pointed the empty bottle at herself. “Pers’nally, other than needin’ a attitude readjustment, Ah don’t think the filly’s a half-bad pony—Ah mean, she did stand up to that there Ursa critter when she coulda just as easily turned tail and let it eat ev’rypony… An’ that,” Applejack opened the second beer bottle and placed it in front of Twilight, “…is just the right kinda foolhardy, idiotic disregard for pers’nal safety in the face of danger that an Element o’ Harmony prides herself in!” the young business owner leaned back into her seat. “Ah think she’d fit right in… Ya know, whenever you git to catching her.” Twilight was now sure that it was indeed possible to die of embarrassment. She assumed that the feelings of confusion, fright, and mortification welling up within her were actually her internal organs shutting down one by one as all the blood within her body rushed to her face. Applejack watched with wide eyes as Twilight Sparkle fainted, falling forward and running her horn into the table. “Uh. Twi...? Sugarcube?” the farmer poked the unconscious mare with her hoof. “Aw man, now I have to carry her?” Applejack, still poking at Twilight, turned to face the complaint source. “S'cuse me?” Rafale sighed. “You can come too, if you help me drag her back to the office.” “Whah...?” Applejack watched dumbstruck as the white pegasus dropped a large amount of bits on the table, then proceeded to haul up Twilight up over her back. “Coming?” End Chapter 6 Bonus Art!: Holly Diver and Miss Spelling!

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-28T04:01:23+00:00

2011-09-28T04:01:23+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 7: With Friends Like These… Flat-Hoof rubbed his tired eyes, as he watched the emergent Manehattan night-scene pass by his window; the colt really, really wanted to get home. Of course, this day wasn't done with him yet. 'I didn't even ask if it could get any worse!' He had gotten the lovely opportunity to ride in the police carriage that was currently delivering the knife-nut back to the station; said perp was sitting across from him towards the back of the cabin, all chained up and closely guarded by his partner. Now, for a pony that had been forcefully persuaded to stand down by around twenty guards armed with batons and mace, the white unicorn remained surprisingly conscious and absurdly fabulous-looking. Worst of all, her mouth was most certainly completely intact; Flat-Hoof knew this because the mare had taken the alternative to her right to remain silent. The beautiful hoof-cuffed mare was adamantly pleading her innocence, having—in a very short amount of time—voiced a staggering list of complaints against the security ponies, the police ponies, and some 'talent-less, unworthy trollop named Trixie'. According to 'Miss Rarity', as she called herself, the trollop in question was trying to sue and/or seduce one 'Twilight Sparkle', which had prompted the white unicorn's drastic course of action. Horseshoe's bubblegum bubble popped loudly. “Right, and what better way to dish out vigilante justice than by cuttin' up the filly an' dumping her in the river? Sick nutjob.” the shocking pink-maned mare held the sword in her hooves, disgust plain on her features. “Excuse me?!” Rarity tried turning her head, but the brace placed around her neck and horn held fast. “I would have done no such thing! Not that you would know,” the unicorn turned her whole body and eyed the plainclothes cop with unabashed disdain, “but what you are holding in your gritty, unkempt hooves is most certainly the first ensemble of a new, cutting-edge Fashion Revolution that will sweep Equestria and make 'Miss Rarity' a household name—dare I say, more so than Princess Celestia herself!” Horseshoe blinked and looked at her hooves, something that made Flat-Hoof chuckle. “Just what the he—” Even all chained up, Rarity managed to portray a rather imperious image as she looked down upon the dour detective; quite a feat considering her slightly shorter stature. “And aviators? Really Darling, I hope you are wearing those ironically. Then again, considering the rest of your ugh, 'outfit', you clearly seem to be permanently stuck in an era most ponies would rather forget ever existed!” The policemare's eyes widened as her bubble accidentally popped, covering her muzzle in gum. “WHAT.” Horseshoe glared at the criminal unicorn, and then at her partner, who seemed to be writhing in his seat, trying not to laugh. Rarity watched with disgust as Horseshoe licked the gum back into her mouth. “And another thing, must you chew gum so loudly? It would behoove you to masticate with your muzzle closed—or are you deliberately trying to evoke that aura of frat-colt that you seem to be cultivating so well? Might I suggest an obnoxiously-colored cap, stylishly turned backwards and just slightly to the side?” Watching the unflappable, infinitely-cool, Luna-may-care Detective Gummie Horseshoe become undone right before his eyes, Flat-Hoof had to admit that his less-than-pleasant day would at least end on a high note. 'Best. Perp. Ever!' - - - “So you mind tellin' me where it is that we're takin' Twilight?” Applejack asked the white pegasus who was currently trotting ahead of her and who had Twilight Sparkle, unconscious and drooling, slumped perpendicularly over her back. Rafale shifted her shoulders a bit, trying to settle the unicorn in a more comfortable position; she didn't like having that weight over her wings. “I told you, we're going back to the office. The Captain said that Twilight still hasn't signed her movie deal.” If Applejack had been wearing her hat, it would have most certainly popped right off of her head. “Movie deal?! Twilight? Wha-huh-wut?” The red-maned pony turned back to face Applejack. “Um yeah, haven't you noticed all the posters?” Rafale raised her hoof, pointing at a massive billboard on the side of an apartment building across from the street. The image on display was a mostly-black picture with a lilac-colored unicorn in the center, heavily-shadowed by the light of her horn. The unicorn depicted had a black mane, her bangs cut straight, a shock of cerulean-blue and apple-red running down the length of it. 'OUR DARKEST NIGHT...' read the top left corner of the billboard, the slogan continuing at the bottom right corner, '...HER BRIGHTEST HOUR.' Applejack's stare became wall-eyed for a few seconds. “That there filly's the spittin' image of this here Twilight!” Rafale chuckled, recalling a scene from many months ago. “Yeah, Ms. Trixie was being a real nightmare during the casting... But after seeing the real Ms. Sparkle here, I can totally see why she was being so picky!” Applejack's eyes derped once more. “Trixie?!” - - - “Again, Counselor?” Miss Spelling raised an eyebrow, watching as the attorney's cowpony hat flipped off her head and hit the wall behind her for the second time in as many minutes. “It's not me, dude! I swear that thing has a mind of its own!” - - - Applejack rubbed her eyes as she continued trotting alongside the white pegasus. “Ok Sugarcube, yer gonna hafta explain all this real slow-like, 'cause I'm just a mite bit confused about ever'thing here...” Rafale shrugged. “Well, I'm not actually involved in the movie directly...” she gave the farmer an apologetic look. “...I'm just security detail for Ms. Trixie, who's the writer and creative director for Ms. Sparkle's movie.” Pausing momentarily to adjust the deadweight on her back once more, Rafale continued. “I don't actually know why they waited so long to bring Ms. Sparkle in—I mean, the movie's in post-production already... You'd think they woulda had her come in before shooting even started.” The pegasus heaved a small sigh. “Now everypony's pulling their manes out, going crazy cause Ms. Sparkle hasn't signed her consent for the release! That's why I'm here, actually—the Captain told me to follow Ms. Sparkle and not let her leave the city without signing.” Applejack glared slightly. “Is that right?” she asked, a sudden edge to her voice. “Yup.” Rafale produced a checkbook from her coat pocket. “Told me to use as much money as it took to get 'er to come back to the office.” “And if she don't want to sign yer papers?” Applejack was already setting her mind to the very real possibility of getting in a tussle with the pegasus to take back Twilight Sparkle. Rafale blinked. She could see the farmer's muscles become taut under her skin—her security training made it quite easy to read ponies, especially would-be aggressors; there were signs. And while Rafale could certainly take care of herself, the sheer number of muscles unconsciously flexing under that apple-covered flank—many more than what she thought a pony actually had—led her to believe that a peaceful solution was worth pursuing. “W-well, I'm just bringing her back because she hasn't given us a Yes OR a No. Once we get her answer, we won't be bothering Ms. Sparkle again.” The pegasus hoped to Celestia that her assumption would prove correct; something told her that Applejack would hold her personally accountable for the result of the negotiations if they go south. “Ah see...” Applejack's jaw was hard-set, still not completely trusting the pegasus pony. The winged pony knew she needed a way to pacify the not-so-tranquil fury she could sense still brewing within the draft pony. ‘Well, there’s one thing that always works...’ she mused, a small grin playing across her muzzle. “Well...” Rafale winked at the orange mare, “The Captain did tell me to use as much money as it took to get her back—if you don’t let me take her back, I might be forced to use the blank checks on you, missy!” she admonished with a smile. - - - “Seriously?” asked the incredulous Rainbow Dash, feeling Applejack's hat fly off her head for a third time. Flying over to the other side of the meeting room, the cyan pegasus picked it up and dug her hoof into the crown, pulling out the drawstring tucked inside. “Never again!” she smiled, the hat now securely fastened to her head. - - - “I see a black door and I want it painted pink/ Dull colors everywhere I want them to turn pink!/ I see the fillies trotting in their summer coats/ I have to turn my head away from this gray rote!” Spike sighed as he walked down the sidewalk. “I can't believe it took us an hour and a half to find a parking spot!” Did everypony in Manehattan own a carriage? “I see a line of colts and they're all lookin' sad/ With cupcakes and some fun both'll make them very glad/ I see people turn their heads and quickly look this way/ Like a newborn foal parties happen every day!” “Oh yes, and the parking rates were so frightfully expensive...” complained Fluttershy, her wings drooping a bit; she wondered when extortion had become legal in Equestria. “I wanna see it painted pink, painted pink!/ Pink as dawn, pink as rose/ I wanna have some fun, raining down from the sky/ I wanna see it painted, painted, painted pink! Yeah!” Hopping up to the steps to the Clydesler Building Plaza, Spike looked at the pink earth pony jumping her way to the top of the stairs, happily humming her 15th song so far since they arrived at the city. Apparently, the newness and bigness of the city had overloaded the party pony with all of the party possibilities possible for a party pony. “Pinkie Pie!” he yelled, trying to catch her attention. “Hm hm hmm hmmmm hm hm hmmmm—what?” she turned to face him mid-jump, slowly descending back to the pavement after a few seconds. “Pinkie, we're here.” the dragon pointed at the imposing building, majestically lit up from top to bottom now that it was nighttime. “Now c'mon, we gotta get in there and help the girls get back our Twilight!” he called, running ahead of the two mares who then followed him close behind. Upon entering the lobby, the trio from Ponyville were greeted with a curious sight: a crowd of onlookers and newsponies surrounded a small group of EMT ponies that seemed to be patching up a herd of security guards. The injured ponies had small bruises all over, some of them even had black eyes—but each and every one of them looked absolutely beautiful. It was as if a group of runway models had suddenly joined a moshpit. Mares and colts, they all had perfectly coiffed manes, shining, recently-brushed coats, and gleaming hooves, not to mention their guard uniforms looked impeccably hand-washed and professionally pressed. “Guys! It must be a Fashion Show After-Party!” exclaimed the earth pony, hopping with joy. Spike facepalmed. A number of ponies from the crowd turned to look where the sudden outburst had come from, silence suddenly filling the lobby. Fluttershy blushed and shrunk back behind Pinkie Pie, not particularly enjoying everypony's attention. “Is that...” One newspony squinted. “Ms. Fluttershy!” “Eep!” The crowd suddenly erupted, quickly surrounding Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Spike. “It's Ms. Fluttershy!” “Ms. Fluttershy what are you doing in Manehattan?” Camera flashes firing from every direction. “When is your next fashion show?” “Can I get a moment of your time, Ms. Fluttershy?” “Ms. Fluttershy I want to have your foals!” “Please Ms. Fluttershy, are you coming out of retirement?” Now in a near panic, Fluttershy tried backing away from the assault, but the crowd had already encircled her and her friends. “Um... I... uh... eeeep!” Spike suddenly loosed a fireball straight up towards the ceiling, quickly making the crowd retreat a few feet away. “Everyone stop crowding her!” he shouted as he took a step forward and outstretched his arms in front of Fluttershy, their size discrepancy somewhat diminishing the effect of the protective gesture. “Yeah you big meanies! Can't you see you're being all scary and stuff?!” Pinkie Pie complained, flailing madly at the crowd.. “T-thanks, um, guys...” Fluttershy, her long mane covering half her face, walked back to Spike's side. Stepping through the crowd, one of the totally gorgeous guards made his way to Fluttershy and her friends, his trot a sensual cadence of refinement and beauty. “Ms. Fluttershy, how can I be of service to you and your companions tonight?” he asked, mane flitting softly in the wind, a sparkle accompanying his stare. Fluttershy wondered how the colt's mane could be moving like that with no actual wind, but decided not to ask. “Um...” squinting, the yellow pegasus read the guard's nametag. “Mr. Daze, I... that is, we, my friends and I... came here to find um, Twilight Sparkle and uh...” she turned back to Spike in askance. “Oh, uh, the Great and Powerful Trixie.” added Spike, realizing that Fluttershy had not stayed for the entirety of Trixie’s disastrous visit to Ponyville. The crowd exploded once again at the mention of Trixie's name. “Ms. Fluttershy what is your relationship to The Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Ms. Fluttershy what is your role in The Great and Powerful Trixie's upcoming movie?” “Ms. Fluttershy, are you the father of Twilight's Sparkle's foal?” “Alright alright that's it, everypony out!” called one of the guards as she beautifully waved her baton, closely backed by the rest of the convalescing, attractive guards. - - - “Alright, send them up.” Miss Spelling let go of the intercom's button, facing Rainbow Dash. “Who are these ponies again?” Rainbow Dash looked up from where she was using a red pen to make changes to Twilight's contract. “Oh, well, Fluttershy is Twi's Animal Handler, on account of her dragon pet thing. That's Spike, the dragon pet thing.” The pegasus rolled her eyes, tapping the pen to her chin. “Pinkie Pie is Twilight's Event Coordinator.” Crossing her forelegs over her chest, Rainbow Dash tilted her head back, squinting her eyes. “There's also Rarity, her Stylist, and uh, Applejack is her Caterer.” she finished, blushing lightly. The Great and Powerful Trixie could only stare at the 'Lawyer' in disbelief. 'Are you for real?! And then they accuse me of telling tall tales!' Miss Spelling adjusted her glasses. “...I see. Ms. Sparkle has quite the entourage.” “T'chyeah! You know it, babe!” the pegasus exclaimed, flexing her foreleg. She didn’t know what that word meant, but it made her and her friends sound important. And awesome. The orange unicorn rolled her eyes, before turning to the dark pegasus that had recently joined them. “Now, how much longer will we have to wait for Ms. Mistral, Holly?” Holly Diver had been keeping busy at the far end of the table, deleting photo after photo from the cameras she had recently acquired from the now reasonably wealthy newsponies. “Rafale? She's a good kid, I bet she's on her way here right now with Ms. Sparkle.” smiled the pegasus, leaning back on her tilting chair, hind legs on the table. Every few minutes, she would let loose a barely-contained chuckle as she glossed over the pictures that had been taken that afternoon. The Great and Powerful Trixie had been slowly trying to inch her way over to the gray pony, curiosity gnawing away at her, but much too proud to admit that she wanted to see the compromising pictures of The Incident. Truthfully, the accidental contact had left quite a... lasting impression on the magician. In the meantime, Rainbow Dash and Miss Spelling had been poring over Twilight's contract, the orange unicorn quickly noticing that the cyan pegasus seemed to be arbitrarily adding a 20% cut to every royalty clause, as well as scribbling small notes and drawings depicting her disagreement with the wording of certain parts of the contract. Miss Spelling had to admit that the Counselor was frighteningly astute at spotting purposely obtuse legalese—her unorthodox style belied a sharp, cunning mind that hungered for justice. Miss Spelling smiled a bit as she read the attorney's latest scribble, '← Totally not cool- FIX IT!', with the 'FIX IT!' circled over repeatedly, a grumpy pony face drawn next to it. 'She must be absolutely dazzling to watch in the court-room!' Quickly running the numbers in her head, Miss Spelling realized that the final draft of this contract will probably leave Twilight Sparkle with enough bits to buy the entire town of Ponyville a few times over. 'Yup. So fired. Very fired.' her smile widened. That was when the double doors of the meeting room exploded open, Pinkie Pie rolling into the room and striking a martial arts pose, closely followed by Fluttershy and Spike, who merely walked in. The secretary behind them had decided to ignore their intrusion. “There she is! Get her!” yelled Spike, pointing at Trixie. Silence permeated the room for a moment, broken only by the sudden, wild cheering of a certain cyan pegasus. “WHOO! Yeah! Get 'er!” jokingly shouted Rainbow Dash, startling Miss Spelling in the process. Holly Diver quickly picked up one of the cameras and held the shutter down, catching frame by frame as one of the new ponies leaped from the meeting room's entrance and dove directly towards The Great and Powerful Trixie. “YIIIAAAAAAHH!” Squealed Trixie, getting mowed down by Fluttershy, both mares crashing to the floor and skidding for a few feet, with the pegasus ending up on top. And that was when everyone in the office was enveloped by bitter chill deep within their hearts, their very souls, as the room's temperature dropped to single-digits; Fluttershy had used The Stare on The Great and Powerful Trixie. “Um, WHAT did you DO to our precious Twilight?!” she asked forcefully through clenched teeth. The Great and Powerful Trixie's eyes widened as she tried to look away, her entire body growing cold and refusing to respond to even the smallest requests her brain was making. She felt trapped within herself, forced to look straight into a pair of eyes that seemed to be able to see anything and everything about the azure mare. She felt the summation of her whole life, the entirety of her feelings and innermost thoughts—all laid bare under Fluttershy's vehement stare. Everyone present had been frozen in place as well; Spike was at the entrance to the room, still with his arm outstretched and pointing in Trixie's direction, his mouth agape. Pinkie Pie had been frozen mid-jump, and was currently suspended in the air, eyes wide; Rainbow Dash had her own hoof extended skyward, having been caught mid-cheer, Miss Spelling next to her, glasses having flown off her face after the cyan mare's outburst. Holly Diver couldn't will her body to react—her chair had tilted past its balancing point during Fluttershy's leap, and now she could only brace mentally as her inner ear treated her to an eternity of falling sensations, even if it actually was more like a second and a half. Fluttershy was startled out of The Stare when Holly hit the floor with a loud curse. Momentarily confused, she looked around the room, finding everyone staring at her. Blushing under the attention, the meek pegasus lowered her gaze, only to come face-to-face with an azure mare that she had never met before. “Oh! Um, excuse me!” Fluttershy realized that she had been pinning down the mare, and quickly started flapping her wings to move away. Realizing this, Trixie quickly sat up, reached out and grabbed the pegasus, hugging her tight. “Trixie is...! I... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!” she began, her tears falling freely. “Trixie didn't mean for it turn out this way, really!” Trixie started crying harder, her shuddering lamentation filling the room. “It all happened so fast! S-she was never supposed to know!” Fluttershy flinched with every sob produced by the azure unicorn. She didn't understand the situation; she didn't even know this pony that well, but she could feel her sadness and regret. “It's ok, Ms. Trixie,” began the pegasus, as she brought her hooves around the sorrowful pony, “you mustn't cry, please, just tell me what's wrong—I promise my friends and I will try our best to help you...” Rainbow Dash blinked; she could feel Fluttershy's kindness radiating and warmly permeating the office—it resonated within herself and compelled her to get up from the sofa and make her way to the two embracing ponies. “I uh... Y-yeah, c'mon dork, you're not that big of a screw-up!” she added helpfully, awkwardly putting her hoof on Trixie's shoulder. “I mean, that script you wrote was, uh, kinda really cool,” Rainbow Dash blushed, “...ya know, if you're into that sappy stuff!” Trixie blushed, chuckling despite herself. Rainbow Dash must have read it at least three times, completely engrossed to the point where she had involuntarily shifted in her sofa during the action sequences, almost as if she were right there in the midst of it all. “Here ya go, you silly-filly!” Pinkie Pie was sitting next to Trixie, holding out a large, exquisitely-decorated cake, one slice already missing. On top, and written in cursive frosting, the cake read 'GET HAPPY SOON!' Trixie blinked, wiping her tears. “Whuh... Where did you get that cake?” “Well duh, I made it just for you!” Pinkie Pie replied, handing Trixie a big slice of the cake on a paper plate, along with a dixie cup full of fruit punch. “But, but WHEN—” Trixie was interrupted by Rainbow Dash, who had nudged her shoulder to get her attention. The showmare turned to face the cyan pegasus, who just gave her a 'Don't ask.' look as she enjoyed her own slice of the cake. Miss Spelling looked at the group of ponies and one dragon surrounding The Great and Powerful Trixie, all of them sharing cake as if they had always been the best of friends. Bringing a piece of her own slice to her mouth, the orange unicorn flinched. This cake was good, really good, but sweeter than anything she had ever tasted since at least elementary school. “Quite the entourage you have, Ms. Sparkle.” End Chapter 7 Bonus Art! The Billboard! Bonus Bonus Art! Police Ponies and Rafale!

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-29T18:04:51+00:00

2011-09-29T18:04:51+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 8: Missy and Holly Detective Gummie Horseshoe stood near the wall of the spartan room, glaring at the dangerous and hurtfully judgmental criminal that sat opposite to Officer Flat-Hoof; a small table separated them. Thanks to the mysterious traffic jam, it had the taken the police carriage two hours to get back to the station—two very long hours of vehement criticism and slander levied against Manehattan's finest, and specifically against her, had made the Detective pony quite surly. Processing the perp had been another eternal nightmare—the criminal's litany of complaints reached a new crescendo when Flat-Hoof presented the ink in which the pony had to dip her hooves to record her hoofprints. The criminal demanded her hooves be washed in purified water from Lake Minnetrotka after she was offered rubbing alcohol for cleaning them. The grievances only escalated after she was denied her fancy water, though she seemed momentarily elated at having her mug shots taken; she insisted she be given her own set of photographs for her portfolio. Making their way to the sparsely decorated questioning room, Rarity was seated at a small square table in the middle of the space, with Officer Flat-Hoof sitting across from her. Rarity at least found this colt halfway tolerable, unlike the brutish, unladylike filly that wore aviator shades at night and indoors. 'So terribly uncouth! Such appalling behavior! Such obnoxious, unruly hair!' The room was dreary, to say the least. Four walls, painted gray and slightly-grayer-gray, an even grayer door, and a white fluorescent lamp on the ceiling that emitted an annoying, low buzz; the lamp was flickering at the same high frequency as its buzz, bathing the room in a grayish, depressing light. “Miss Rarity, I'd like to get your own account of this afternoon's events, if it's not too much trouble.” Flat-Hoof produced a small notepad and a pencil from one of his pockets. Rarity could not stop looking at the policemare.'Does she not own a mirror?' The unicorn took a second to scowl at the offensive-looking, wild-maned light-gray filly, who had been glaring at her the moment they had entered the room. Turning back her attention to the dark blue colt, the seamstress sighed. “I would like to have my attorney present for this, Officer.” Of course, Rarity didn't actually have an attorney, but the longer she could stall being sent off to jail, the better. Flat-Hoof sighed, wondering how much overtime he was going to work this night. “Alright, Miss Rarity, we'll see to it that you do. May I have the name and address of your attorney?” “Yes, right... name...” Rarity's mind raced—the unicorn didn't know any law ponies, but perhaps one of her friends could help her out; Twilight would know what to do... 'But she's off gallivanting Celestia-knows-where with that little blue temptress!' Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were automatically disqualified—too Fluttershy and too... Pinkie. 'Applejack... That pony is a terrible liar!' Rarity winced; that only left one pony she could call upon... - - - Miss Spelling placed the contract in a blue binder that had her cutie mark printed on its cover. “It's been a long day, everyone, and I would like to be well rested for tomorrow's discussions.” glancing at Holly Diver, she continued. “Though I do not doubt that Ms. Mistral will bring back Ms. Sparkle tonight, I do not believe any of us are in the mood for negotiations at this hour.” she glanced at the ponies stuffed full of cake, still lazing on the floor around The Great and Powerful Trixie; the dragon among them had been stifling yawns for a while now. “Counselor Dash, I will make lodging arrangements for you and the rest of Ms. Twilight's assistants at the Reinz-Carlton; I know you all came here on very short notice.” Miss Spelling noticed the raised eyebrow and the smirk Holly Diver was giving her, to which the orange unicorn responded with an even look. “I will leave a message at the lobby so that Ms. Sparkle and the rest of her Assistants know where to find you once they arrive.” “Hey yeah... Where IS Rarity?” Asked Spike as he stood up from the floor, suddenly realizing that the most beautiful of ponies was not bestowing her holy radiance upon the unworthy souls gathered there in the room. “We dropped her off a while ago!” Pinkie Pie hopped to her hooves. “Ohmygosh Spike, you're right!” Rainbow Dash got up from the floor and looked at Miss Spelling questioningly. “That's weird; they never called us to tell us Rarity was lookin' for us...” “Oh, I hope nothing's happened to her... There was such a frightful crowd in the lobby when we arrived...” Fluttershy trotted up to the cyan pegasus's side. Miss Spelling adjusted her glasses. “Then it would seem she was turned away by security for some reason. I've got to talk to the ponies down at the lobby anyways, I will ask about her. For now, if it's not too much trouble for Ms. Trixie, perhaps you could all wait in the Executive Penthouse while I make the arrangements with the hotel?” The Great and Powerful Trixie blushed as the Ponyville denizens looked at her expectantly. It would be no trouble at all, the azure mare realized—she wanted to spend more time with these ponies. “That will be more than fine, for Trixie is as philanthropic as she is talented!” She could hardly contain her smile—these ponies had seen the most magnificent pony in all of Equestria for who she really was: an immature, scared little filly—and they still treated her as an equal! They wanted to help her! “In fact, Miss Spelling should forget her silly little hotels,” Trixie waved a dismissive hoof at the orange unicorn, “...there is more than enough room in Trixie's penthouse for everypony.” The prospect of a sleepover made the showmare quite giddy. Miss Spelling used her magic to remove her glasses, floating a napkin to clean them. She was surprised, to say the least, at The Great and Powerful Trixie's offer: it was probably the first time Trixie had actively sought a cheaper solution to anything. “Is that alright with you ladies, Mr. Spike?” Rainbow Dash shrugged and gave a lazy smile. “Cool with me.” Besides her, Spike yawned as he nodded, joining the ponies as they started gathering near the door. “And if Dashie's cool with it, then so am I, cause Dashie totally knows her Cool!” the pink earth pony hopped over to the cyan pegasus and ruffled her mane under her hat. Fluttershy watched as Rainbow Dash tried to bite Pinkie Pie's hoof, before proceeding to chase her around the room. “If... if we're not imposing...” she offered demurely, giggling at her friends’ antics. Putting her glasses back on, Miss Spelling nodded. “Well if that's the case, then that's quite alright.” Spelling's horn glowed as she floated her binder into a saddlebag that was under the large table. Placing the bag around her back, she turned to Holly Diver, who nodded silently at her. “I will draft the revised contract tonight and present it to the shareholders in the morning. If all goes as planned, I'd like to meet back here after lunch, say, at around three in the afternoon?” With everyone in agreement, Miss Spelling and Holly Diver stayed behind as the rest of the ponies and one dragon made their way to the elevator. “I've got the key to the office; you can leave the cameras here and finish up tomorrow.” Holly smiled at the unicorn as she slung one of the cameras around her neck with a camera brace. “You're just saying that ‘cause you've had me and Rafale on overtime since three in the afternoon.” Stepping out to the hallway, both ponies bid goodbye to the secretary, who was also packing up to leave. The unicorn and the pegasus made their way to the elevators in comfortable silence. It didn't take long for one to reach their floor; it was probably the returning one Trixie and her new friends had used. Once inside, Miss Spelling used her magic to press the button for the main lobby's floor; watching the elevator doors close, she addressed the pegasus besides her. “You didn't delete all the pictures, did you?” Holly Diver, who had been eying the camera's display, looked up at the unicorn. “Well, I deleted all the pictures, you know, all the blurry ones. And the ones with bad lighting. And with bad composition.” “Hm.” The dark pegasus smiled broadly as she stepped closer to the unicorn. “Look.” Holly Diver tilted the camera to the side, presenting its back to the orange mare. Miss Spelling examined the picture on display. “You've got a good eye, Holly. I'd like to have a copy of that one, it could be useful.” “No problem.” Holly Diver said, smirking. The silence that followed was punctuated only by the muted chimes indicating each floor that passed by. The whole time, Holly Diver was smirking at the unicorn in front of her. “Is there anything else, Holly?” asked Miss Spelling, slightly unnerved by the simpering pegasus. “Oh, well I don't know, maybe you can tell me.” Holly Diver turned off the camera. “You're making a new contract for Ms. Sparkle, you were gonna put them up in an expensive-as-Luna hotel, and you’ve had that goofy smile plastered on your face for at least a couple of hours now.” The pegasus’s own smile was nearly insufferable. “You're up to something.” Miss Spelling quickly trained her smile into an even line; the unicorn really thought she had put that thing away as soon as it had edged across her muzzle. “…I am allowed to smile, Holly.” Holly Diver nonchalantly supported her weight on her two right legs as she crossed her left legs over. “I never said you weren’t.” “Good, then.” “Good.” Silence befell them once more, Miss Spelling still staring straight ahead. The chimes continued. A few seconds passed. “Is there anything else, Diver?” asked the unicorn tersely, feeling the pegasus’s grin boring into the back of her skull. “What?” Even her words were smiling, “Am I not allowed to smile too?” A beat. “I suppose you are.” The unicorn closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “I suppose so too.” They were nearing the ground floor now. “Hey Missy.” Miss Spelling opened her eyes but still maintained her gaze forward. “…Yes?” The elevator dinged one last time as it finally reached the lobby. “You should smile more often.” With a scowling blush Miss Spelling finally turned her head to face the pegasus, but Holly Diver was already trotting past her and out the elevator door. Regaining her composure after a few seconds, the orange mare caught up to the gray pegasus, who was already waiting for her at the main lobby. Apple-eating grin in place, Holly Diver had been watching her long-time employer walk over from the elevator when something caught her peripheral vision. “Whoa Daze, what happened, man? Do you transform into a Stud at night or something?” The lazy security guard placed an elbow on the desk, giving the pegasus his profile, wind caressing his mane. “Like what you see, Diver?” “Eh, I could get used to it.” she smiled and shrugged, not noticing the odd look that passed by Miss Spelling's face for a brief moment. The colt raised his eyebrow. “Really now? My shift's over in a couple of hours, maybe you and I could—” “Pfffft!” Holly quickly brought a hoof to her mouth so as not to spray the colt. “I'd rather spend a thousand years banished to the moon.” she smiled brightly. The security pony cringed. At least he was alone at the desk; he didn't really need the day-shift guards to see him get shot down for the umpteenth time. “Ouch! That's cold, Diver. Dark-side-of-the-Moon cold!” “What can I say,” she began, quickly glancing at Miss Spelling and giving her a wink, “...I'm married to my job.” With a slight reddening of her cheeks, and wishing she had a napkin to clean her glasses, the unicorn turned to the security guard. “Mr. D-daze.” She flushed a little as her voice faltered. Clearing her throat, she continued, “Mr. Daze, I'm expecting some acquaintances of Ms. Trixie to come in tonight. Ms. Mistral will be escorting Ms. Twilight Sparkle, and you will also meet Ms. Applejack.” Miss Spelling stopped for a second to wonder why the colt's mane was swaying in the wind. “Please direct them to the Executive Penthouse when they come in, and tell them that negotiations will resume tomorrow at 3:00pm.” The colt wrote down the instructions in an oddly alluring manner, finishing by gently biting the end of the pen as he winked at the mares. “Anything else?” Holly Diver stepped back involuntarily, her body reacting negatively to the colt's mannerisms. Miss Spelling simply adjusted her glasses. “Yes, we were expecting another mare during the afternoon, according to Ms. Twilight's associates. We did not receive any calls from the front desk; did anypony by the name of Ms. Rarity drop by?” The pen dropped from the colt's mouth with a loud clatter as his eyes glazed over for a second. Slowly, he turned to face the unicorn mare. “U-uh, yeah, but we uh, took care of her.” “Took... care of her...?” Miss Spelling used her magic to remove her glasses. Daze slammed his hoof on the desk, his eyes suddenly wide. “The filly was crazy! She barged in here armed to the teeth! I swear she looked like one of those legendary desert warmares!” The lazy colt's eyes flicked between the two mares in front of him. “It took like twenty of us to take her out!” “Wicked!” Holly Diver was quite impressed, and at the same time disappointed she had missed the battle. “What was she armed with?” The security pony locked eyes with the pegasus. “Swords, spears, shields, this weird ax thing on her horn... She was a trotting armory!” He excitedly flailed his front hooves, almost reliving the moment. Miss Spelling felt faint for a moment. She did not need any more controversy around this movie, and now an assistant of Twilight Sparkle's had apparently tried to rush the building, swords a-blazing? “So, she came in, swords swinging... Why?” Daze went silent for a moment, before turning away from the mares. “Well ok, I guess it was one sword, and she never did... swing it.” Holly Diver rolled her eyes. “Pfft, knew it sounded too awesome to be true.” The unicorn glowered at the security colt. “So she came in and threatened to strike you with her sword.” “Uh...” Daze scratched his lustrous black mane. “She uh, she asked if we would be kind enough to show her to her friend's meeting.” the colt was suddenly finding it hard to meet the unicorn's eyes. Miss Spelling felt a headache coming on. “So you detained her and explained that her carrying weapons could be misconstrued as intent to assault.” Daze winced. Holly Diver winced as well; hers was a pity wince towards the poor security guard. The colt coughed. “A few of the guys tackled her to the ground when she was signing her name—you know, when you break it down like that, of course it's gonna sound bad!” the colt did not like where this line of questioning was headed. “She started bucking and kicking us really, really hard!” Having no napkins nearby, Miss Spelling shakily put her glasses back on. Counting to ten, she breathed in and out a few times. “Self-defense.” she muttered, before using her magic to drag the colt over the desk and to the floor in front of her. “You're going to personally call your superiors, and you will tell them that the security firm is not going press charges against Miss Rarity.” “But—” he yipped as Miss Spelling pulled on his ear with her telekinetic magic. 'What are you, my mom?!' Worst of all, he was being admonished in front of Holly Diver! “It's either that or a long, expensive, and very public trial that the firm will definitely lose. I know for a fact that you will lose because Miss Rarity's attorney will most likely be Counselor Dash, who is as brilliant as you and your ponies are unprofessional.” Miss Spelling's horn flickered off, releasing the guard's ear. Daze had never actually seen the orange unicorn in anything other than a neutral mood; it was rather unnerving. “But I can't just—” Miss Spelling stamped her hoof loudly. “Did your ponies identify themselves as security ponies, and clarify their intent and reasons before engaging Miss Rarity?” Holly Diver could only shake her head in disappointment at the poor colt's drawn-out silence; that kind of rookie mistake could cost quite a few ponies their job. Giving an apologetic look at the crest-fallen guard, the pegasus hurried to the building's main entrance, stepping out to the plaza where Miss Spelling was walking away without another word. “A little harsh on the guy, don'tcha think?” Holly Diver caught up with the unicorn, slowing her trot to match her employer's gait. “Perhaps.” Both ponies stepped down the stairs of the plaza, before continuing down on the sidewalk. “But this movie's got enough forces trying to work against it... I will apologize to your friend once I know for sure that Miss Rarity is in the clear.” Holly Diver snickered. “You're such a softie, Missy.” “Also, I am docking your overtime pay for unprofessional conduct and suggestive comments made to your employer.” “. . .” “. . .” “...Worth it.” - - - The Great and Powerful Trixie could not remember the last time she felt this kind of pleasant contentment. She had spent the better part of an hour just talking and drinking with the three ponies from Ponyville, shooting the breeze and trading tales of adventure with them over the generous amounts of liquor that Metro Goldmane Brayer had stocked the apartment with. They were all gathered at the kitchen table, the pink earth pony doing an admirable job as bartender, seeming to know just the right amount of alcohol needed to keep the group in a relaxed buzz and the conversation flowing carelessly. Where Pinkie Pie had gotten the bartender outfit she was wearing, Trixie chose not to ask. “And it was the most infuriating thing!” Trixie pointed her swaying hoof at Fluttershy, or at least towards the light-yellow pegasus's general direction across the table. “Those first couple of weeks, the only thing Trixie could cast was images of that, that...!” Raising her shot glass with magic, Trixie quickly downed the pink concoction the bartender had provided. “...That, that...” “Omega Nerd?” Offered Rainbow Dash, nursing a warm beer and sitting to Trixie's left. Fluttershy downed her 15th shot of Friendship Lubricant. “Um, nice, kind pony?” “Super-duper, pretty smart smarty-pants?” Pinkie very quickly placed another shot in front of Fluttershy, this one seemed to be on fire. Pink fire. “Yeah! That!” Trixie pointed at no one in particular, “The pretty pony one, who said that one?” Pinkie Pie placed a very colorful drink in front of Trixie. “I think Rainbow Dash did! What does she win?” “What'd I do now what?” Rainbow Dash hadn't been paying that much attention—now that the excitement of the day's events had passed, her mind had been allowed to mull over certain other things, and a certain other pony. She was quickly brought out of her thoughts, however, by a forceful knock at the door; raising her head and looking around the gathered ponies, she smiled a bit, “That's gotta be Twilight!” The Great and Powerful Trixie was stock-still for a moment as Pinkie Pie took hold of her hooves and started swinging them happily. “She's here she's here she's here! Aren't you like, so mega-ultra-happy that you could explode thrice?!” Fluttershy gave the showmare a bright smile. “I bet she'll be just as happy to see you, Trixie.” the yellow pegasus blew out her drink before quickly downing it. Rainbow Dash grinned at The Great and Powerful Trixie's luminescent blush, the filly couldn't even form any words. “Such a dork!” she said, flapping her way to the door. Adjusting her hat, she put on her best smirk as she opened the door. “'Bout time you got here babe, a certain somepony was starting to miss ya—” Rainbow Dash lost the ability to form words as a luminescent blush covered her face, her wings quickly springing to attention. Applejack's confident, half-lidded eyes stared back at the cyan pegasus with a raised eyebrow. “Is that right?” a half-smile, “Well, you tell that certin' somepony that this here filly's been missin' her an awful lot too, Sugarcube.” the farmer winked at the weather pony. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly skidded backwards a few feet by way of telekinesis, before the now-sober Trixie quickly took her place at the apartment entrance. The showmare's horn was still pulsating with purple magic as she pointed it at Applejack. “What happened to her? What'd you DO to her?!” It was at that moment that Rainbow Dash noticed for the first time that the Omega Nerd was slumped over Applejack's back. “Will ya quit yer yellin', ya bronc!” Applejack hissed at The Great and Powerful Trixie, “Twilight's just sleepin'!” Stepping forward to enter the apartment, the farmer eyed the azure pony. “Don't ever let me catch you implyin' I'd hurt any of my friends ever again, unless ya'll wanna lose that fancy horn o' yours.” Fluttershy approached the showmare and put a comforting hoof on her withers, as she turned to address the farmer. “Um, please don't be mad at her Applejack, Trixie has been feeling just awful about everything that's happened.” The Great and Powerful Trixie lowered her head in shame, softly scratching the floor with her hoof. “Trixie is sorry, A-Applejack. Trixie was... worried.” For a second, Applejack wondered if she may have had too much to drink at the pub. 'Did The Great and Powerful Trixie just... apologize?!' Then, she noticed it. Fluttershy, that sweet, gentle pony, had her sweet, gentle hoof on a crest-fallen, almost-teary Trixie. 'Poor foal must've gotten Stared something fierce!' Applejack couldn't help but chuckle. “Ah s'pose Ah would'of had a similar reaction if Ah saw one of my friends all unconscious-like.” Trotting further into the apartment, she whistled softly. “Fancier than a’ apple tree in full bloom! Now, we should put this filly to bed, she's plum tucker'd out on account-a yesterday's drinkin' and today's... whatever happened to her today.” The Great and Powerful Trixie trotted to Applejack's side. “Come, let's put her in Trixie's bed.” Rainbow Dash cheered. “Yeah baby!” “Ooh! Ooh!” Pinkie Pie quickly undid the bow tie from her bartender outfit, “Remember to hang this around the doorknob!” she exclaimed, galloping towards Trixie and tying it around her horn. Fluttershy softly padded to Trixie's side. “Please be gentle, Twilight is such a tender soul.” The room was silent for a full minute as Trixie, enveloped in a full-body blush, tried in vain to pick her jaw up from the floor. “Wh—... whuh.. THAT IS NOT WHAT TRIXIE MEANT.” her voice squeaked nervously. Her head flicked anxiously from side to side as she looked at each of the ponies gathered. Fluttershy was the first to break. “Pfft...” Trixie twitched. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy all started rolling on the floor, laughing themselves to tears. Trixie blushed further, trying to find somewhere to hide her embarrassment. Applejack just looked on, mightily confused. End Chapter 8

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-09-30T02:24:45+00:00

2011-09-30T02:24:45+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 9: Corrallin’ a Rainbow “...So after that, they handed over Twilight, an' told me not to worry none 'bout Rarity, 'cause they knew where she was stayin' at.” Applejack explained as she finished her 'drink'; Pinkie Pie knew of the farmer's elevated tolerance for alcohol and had taken to making sure that the orange pony's drinks always contained equal parts thunder and lightning, as well as a heaping amount of shock and awe. 'Might as well be drinking a ball of fire.' she mused, appreciating the party pony's thoughtful gesture as she felt the drink almost dissolve her internal organs. “Well, Ah don't know 'bout you ladies,” Applejack smiled at the group, giving Rainbow Dash a very quick glance, “But this here filly's gonna need to walk off all these drinks before she passes out from the fumes!” Pushing her chair back, the draft pony gave another quick glance to the cyan pegasus before turning away from the table, “Ya'll just keep on havin' fun, Ah'll be back lickety-split!” “Um, be safe, Applejack.” Fluttershy watched as her farmer friend trotted over to the door and left the apartment. “YAAWWN.” Rainbow Dash called attention to herself. “Man, I am beat! I think I'mma head outside and find a nice cloud to sleep on!” she said, theatrically stretching her hooves and wings. “Smell ya later, guys!” “Have a good one, Dashie! Don't forget to write!” Pinkie Pie waved excitedly as she watched the pegasus walk out the door. As soon as the door was shut, she quickly turned to Fluttershy with a devious smile. The Great and Powerful Trixie was suddenly very confused as Fluttershy not only returned the devious smile, but then directed one at the showmare as well! “What is... going on?” she asked, slightly perturbed. “Duh! We're gonna follow them!” Pinkie explained as she and Fluttershy got up from the table. Hesitantly getting up, Trixie still struggled to understand. “For what? Applejack said that she would return soon, and the pegasus is merely going to sleep!” Fluttershy softly nudged Trixie's side, trying to get her to move. “Um, I don't think Rainbow Dash was entirely truthful...” she answered with a gentle smile. Trixie started walking along at the yellow pegasus's insistence. “She wasn't?” Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes as she walked towards the door. “Double-duh! They're a pair of fibby McLiar-liar-docks-on-fire super-bluffy spurious sponies!” Trixie stopped, raising an eyebrow. “Sponies?” Pinkie turned back to face the showmare. “What?” “You... You said 'Sponies'.” Trixie stated evenly. Hitching an eyebrow herself, Pinkie Pie tilted her head in abject curiosity until it was completely upside-down. “Silly filly, that's not even a word!” giggled the pony, the rest of her body rotating to match her upside-down head. “Sponies, hah!” the mare rotated along her lateral axis, righting herself and facing door. The Great and Powerful Trixie had to swallow her complaint as Fluttershy gently shushed the showmare, pointing at Pinkie Pie who proceeded to turn off the light and then started to carefully open the penthouse door, peering outside as she did so. Nodding to herself, the party pony opened the door just enough to squeeze out. Holding out her left hoof back towards the pegasus and the unicorn, [Hold position], the earth pony furtively pressed her back against the hallway wall, sidling alongside it for a few steps. Still facing down the hallway, Pinkie Pie pointed her hoof twice at the door, before pointing the same hoof downwards to the space behind herself, and finally making a small sweeping motion close to the floor. [Two, to me—stay low] Trixie rolled her eyes. 'You have got to be kidding.' The showmare resigned herself to follow along, closing the apartment door and walking slowly behind Fluttershy, who softly ambled to the pink pony's side. Near the far end of the hallway, Trixie spotted Rainbow Dash trotting up to the elevators; she briefly wondered what the point of turning off the light in the apartment was if the rest of the hallway was lit. Pinkie Pie's motioning caught Trixie's attention—the earth pony pointed twice towards a door a short distance ahead before bringing her hoof over her head in a sweeping motion. [Two, go forward, I'll cover] Trixie walked behind Fluttershy, who swiftly and silently trotted over to the unlocked metal door and nudged it open with her head; the space behind it seemed to be a small break room with a table and a few vending machines. Trixie winced when the door creaked as it returned to its closed position; the showmare peered out the small, rectangular window on it, but couldn't see the earth pony. 'Did she run back into the apartment?' Rainbow Dash turned her head and looked back down the hallway towards the penthouse door. 'Great, now I'm hearing things too! Gotta calm down, it's just Applejack! Just Applejack!' The pegasus gulped as she turned her attention back to the digital display above one of the elevators. It seems this particular elevator had gone up and stopped at the 86th floor. 'Alright, here goes nothing!' Rainbow Dash pressed the metallic button on the wall between the two elevators, calling the closest one back down. The acrobatic pony didn't need to wait long, hesitating for only a moment as the elevator returned and opened its doors for her. Trixie's eyes became small black dots as she witnessed Pinkie Pie's head peek out from under the hallway's long, luxurious carpet. The carpet itself was completely flat, no indication whatsoever that the earth pony's entire body was still underneath. The azure mare watched as Pinkie rolled out from under the carpet and sidled against the metal door, her unruly mane covering the small window. Trixie stepped away from the door when she heard Pinkie give two swift knocks. “Uh... Yes?” “The password is 'Extrapolate'!” hissed the party pony urgently. Fluttershy walked past The Great and Powerful Trixie and pulled the door open. “Hello, Pinkie Pie.” she greeted pleasantly. “Hiya Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie waved before turning to Trixie and nodding once. “Ma'am.” she said respectfully. The showmare's mane became slightly frazzled as her left eye twitched. “Ma'am?!” “Shh! C'mon, we gotta hurry before we lose 'em!” Pinkie Pie darted down the hallways towards the elevators, Fluttershy gamely flying behind her. Trixie heaved a sigh as she galloped towards the pair, stopping next to them and turning her attention towards the elevators. “It stopped!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, pointing at the floor display. “Well then, shall we get this over with?” The Great and Powerful Trixie stepped up to the call button, but the party pony pulled her back by her tail. “What is it now?” asked the showmare, turning back to face the pink pony with her tail in her mouth. “We can't use the elevator! It'll give our position away! C'mon—” Pinkie Pie trotted towards a door next to the farthest elevator. “We gotta take the stairs!” she explained, holding the door open for her squad. The stairwell was decidedly utilitarian and undecorated, providing a deep contrast to the magnificent hallway the ponies had just come from. The Great and Powerful Trixie was thankful that elevator had stopped only five stories above theirs—there was entirely too much alcohol in her system right now to handle any kind of strenuous exercise. “What is it that the two ponies are hiding?” asked the showmare, wondering what the point of all this was. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie exchanged a look, the pink earth pony grinning mirthfully and the yellow pegasus smiling shyly. Both turned to face the showmare. “Um, Classified Information.” answered Fluttershy, winking sweetly at Trixie. The azure mare was slightly taken aback at the sight, finding the cuteness disarming. Reaching the 86th floor, handily marked by the number painted on the wall in large red letters, Pinkie Pie handed the pegasus a tactical mirror. “Alright, we're here! Sergeant Fluttershy, security sweep!” The kind pegasus nodded, taking the mirror's handle in her mouth and sneaking it under the door, which was promptly opened from the other side by a security mare. Fluttershy let out a goat-like bleat as her body went completely rigid, tipping over with a loud clatter. The Great and Powerful Trixie looked between the yellow pegasus on the floor and the uniformed pony in front of her. “Uh...” The earth pony security guard arched an eyebrow. “The Observation Deck is closed after 9pm, ladies.” The showmare fidgeted. “R-right... Trixie must have lost track of time...” Poking and nudging the downed pegasus, Trixie laughed nervously. “Such a kidder, this pony is... Apparently...” The unicorn's eyes suddenly went wide. Behind the security mare, a very familiar silhouette materialized from the shadows—the messy mane was unmistakable, though the goggles with glowing green lenses were new. Trixie's blood chilled as she watched Pinkie Pie's forelegs stealthily encircle the security mare's neck. 'Oh Celestia is she going to—' “What the—!!” “PLEEEEEASE~?” Pinkie Pie enveloped the security guard in a hug. “We just GOTTA see what our friends are up to!” “L-let go of me!” The security guard slipped out of the party pony's embrace in a slight panic; dusting herself off, the mare looked back at the trio of trespassers. “Look, none of you are supposed to be up here, I could lose my job if anyone notices.” The guard glanced around the spacious, darkened room, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through the expansive windows and her own flashlight. “I'm already pushing my luck letting those two outside, there's no way I'm gonna keep letting more ponies wander around like that.” Pinkie Pie grinned. “But, don'tcha wanna know why those two wanted to be all alone out there?” - - - On the outdoor deck of the 86th floor, two figures stood in the darkness, softly outlined in blue moonlight. “...So.” “...So...?” Applejack shuddered a bit. It had taken quite a bit of convincing to make the security guard open the door to the Observation Deck's outdoor section. The height was considerable, the night view was spectacular, and the strong breeze was as cold as the moon. None of that mattered right now. “Listen here, Rainbow Dash, Ah know how you must be feelin', but you had drank so much last night, Ah really thought—” Rainbow Dash, who had been sitting on top of the handrail at the ledge of the deck, turned to face the farmer and hopped down to the floor. “I was not drunk, AJ! I just needed something to loosen up, ya know, a little liquid courage to pour my stupid heart out like an idiot!” Applejack winced. “Yer not an idiot, Ra—” “Man, it's like I don't learn! Great burn there Applejack, you really had me going there last night—must have laughed all the way to the farm!” 'Don’t cry in front of AJ, don’t cry in front of AJ.' The farmer quickly headbutted the pegasus, sending her skidding a few feet back. “Ok, Ah take that back, yer some kinda idjit alright!” Internally, Applejack was in a world of pain—Rainbow Dash's head was harder than any tree the orange pony had ever bucked. 'I guess that was to be expected.' Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth, a tear welling in her eye. “What was that for?!” The draft pony trotted over the pegasus, gently placing her forehead against Rainbow Dash's own. “Dash, ya'll wern't the only pony doin' some heart-pouring down there by that meadow last night, now was you?” The acrobat pressed back against Applejack's forehead with some force. Rainbow Dash had been replaying Applejack's words from the previous night in her mind every chance she got; the pegasus had to admit that the smooth-talking farmer could probably talk her way into anypony's barn. “Yeah well, I'm not the one that just up and ran away first chance she got!” Applejack matched the pegasus's push; they were both straining to budge the other, and neither could gain any ground. “Dangit Rainbow Dash, if Ah didn't love ya so much I would pummel some sense into that bird-brain 'o yours! Ah already TOLD you, Ah ain't that kind of mare!” The farmer felt herself losing ground as Rainbow Dash began flapping her wings to push back harder. “Mah Granny always done told me to treat a Lady right!” Rainbow Dash's effort quickly petered out as she stepped back from Applejack. The cyan pegasus looked decidedly nonplussed. “Wh... she did?” She couldn’t picture the prehistoric pony being that... nontraditional. Applejack blinked, then blushed. “Uh, ok, she told Big Macintosh to always treat a Lady right, but s'all the same thing anyways!” The orange pony stamped her hoof. “Point is, Ah ain't the kinda mare to just love 'em and leave 'em, Rainbow Dash.” Not that she had actually had the opportunity to do so before, but still. Rainbow Dash blinked, her eyes widening at the intensity of Applejack's gaze. The constant breeze blowing across the outdoor deck picked up speed, whipping the farmer's long mane. The pegasus blushed a bit at the sight. “But, when I woke up you—” “It was getting' to be mornin' and Ah had first shift at the farm and it wern't gonna do me any good for Granny to wake up an' find that Ah hadn't returned home all night!” The earth pony smiled, still looking straight into Rainbow Dash's eyes. “No offense Sugarcube, but you must be the downright laziest filly in Ponyville—Ah really thought you would still be sleepin' by the time my shift was done with, Rainbow Dash.” Applejack's eyes shone mirthfully. “B'sides, Ah couldn't bring mahself to wake ya; ain't nothin' in Ponyville quite as adorable as yer sleepin' face.” Seeing the honesty in the farmer's eyes, the pegasus lowered her gaze, blushing brightly. “...So when you were chasing me 'round town...” “Ah wanted to apologize, explain...” the farmer turned her head as she blushed, but still met the pegasus's gaze. “An' maybe pick up where we left off?” Applejack raised her eyebrow suggestively. Rainbow Dash's wings popped to full span immediately. “Uh.” Applejack chuckled. “Twice in one night? Yer gonna hafta get that looked at, Hun.” she joked, rather flattered at the response. After picking her jaw up from the floor, the pegasus's face grew defiant. “G-good luck getting your hat back, tree-hugger!” The farmer stepped closer to the acrobat. “Oh-ho-ho-ho, is that a challenge? Ah already ran all the way here from Ponyville for that thing, and the hat! It'll be easy as apple pie!” Rainbow Dash blinked. “Wait a sec... Did you just call me...” Applejack smirked. “Ah might've...” “...A 'Lady'?! Who you callin' a 'Lady', chump?” the pegasus accused, pointing a hoof at the farmer. Applejack face-hoofed, and she actually felt as if at least four more faces had hoofed at the same time. “You shore are slow fer a pony so quick, Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus's eye twitched. “Who you callin' slow—” Rainbow Dash barely avoided the orange hoof that almost decapitated her. “HA! Not even close, Appletini!” joked the acrobat, holding on to the cowpony hat and taking flight. “Git back here ya mangy mustang!” the draft pony chased after the low-flying pegasus, who remained just out of reach for her. Applejack's hooves flailed ineffectually as Rainbow Dash easily dodged all of the farmer's attempts at taking back her hat. “Come at me, Sap-sucker!” challenged the cyan mare, flying away from the Observation Deck and hovering a distance away from the building. Illuminated from below by the building's ground-level floodlights, Rainbow Dash grinned victoriously at the earth pony—a grin that quickly faded as she witnessed the orange pony step away from the handrail, only to blast into a sprint before leaping over the ledge, and using the safety fence around the Deck as a stepping stone. “HORSEAPPLES!” cursed the winged pony as she hurriedly propelled herself towards the airborne, not-winged pony. Awkwardly catching the farmer, Rainbow Dash held her close to her own body. “AJ what in Equestria do you think you're doing?!” she asked, extremely alarmed. Staring into shining, green eyes, Rainbow Dash only then realized how close Applejack's face was to her own; she almost forgot to keep beating her wings, and she most certainly forgot how to breathe. “Well,” began the farmer, deftly pulling at the drawstring around Rainbow Dash's neck and taking back her hat, “Ah reckon I’m getting my hat back is what I’m doing—that there means Ah won; now where's my prize?” The now completely red Rainbow Dash found her voice and intelligence lacking. “I... Uh, I...” “You? Ah won me a Rainbow Dash? I s'ppose that ain't a half-bad consolation prize.” Applejack brought her hooves around Rainbow Dash's neck and hugged her gently as they touched ground back on the Observation Deck. Rainbow Dash didn't trust her brain or mouth anymore, so she just opted to return the embrace, hugging Applejack tightly, and nuzzling the side of her face. Each mare whispering confessions made the night before, they held each other like that for a few minutes, until a small voice cut through their near silence with a “Yay.” that startled them into separating. The couple looked at each other, and then towards the darkness of the indoor section of the Deck, where a sudden shuffling erupted, hushed voices urgently whispering calls for silence. The bright moonlight shone upon the 4-pony lump trying to look inconspicuous at the edge of the shadows inside of the building. Applejack and Rainbow Dash trotted over to the lump, standing right next to it and looking down upon it. “Don't worry guys, their visual acuity's based on movement—they'll lose you if you don't move!” whispered a familiar, jovial voice. Applejack stomped her hoof, startling the pony mass. “Ya'll oughta be ashamed of yerselves, spyin' on yer friends like that!” “Y-yeah!” exclaimed the security pony, quickly rolling away from the rest of the group and training her flashlight on them. “We've caught you red-hoofed, uh, friend-spies!” “Super lame, guys!” Rainbow Dash hoped they couldn't see her tremendous blush in the dark. Fluttershy lowered her head, mane covering half her face in utter disgrace. “Oh, I'm ever so sorry Applejack, Rainbow Dash! Um, I was just so happy... I shouldn't have screamed like that, and, um, I most definitely shouldn't have spied on you like I did...” the pony looked up at the couple pitifully with her uncovered eye. Pinkie Pie threw herself to the ground in front of Rainbow Dash. “I'm sooo sorry, Dashie! The suspense was totally killing me! Do you know how long I've been holding on to my 'Congratulations Rainbow Dash x Applejack!!' party banners? Months! Mooonnnthsss!” Ignoring Pinkie Pie's freakish contingency planning, the farmer turned to Trixie. “Well? Ain'tcha gonna apologize?” The Great and Powerful Trixie, who had been standing to the side and looking at the scenery, faced the earth pony with surprise in her eyes. “Apologize to... Trixie's friends?” Applejack raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Uh yeah, ya know, the ones ya'll were spyin' on durin' a real intimate-like moment?” Trixie smiled from ear to ear, schoolfilly giddiness coursing through her body. “Yes! Trixie will apologize, for it is her duty as a Friend to—to her Friends!” Stepping up to the couple, the azure mare reared up and kicked her forelegs excitedly. “Applejack and Pegasus! Friends! Trixie is Sorry!” she announced gleefully. Applejack raised her other eyebrow. “Huuokay... Uh, apology accepted, Ah guess? We was gon' tell you guys anyways, ya'll didn't need to sneak around like that.” “Still it was so cool and romantic!” Pinkie hopped happily in place. “And who knew Rainbow Dash could blush so red! Just look at 'er, guys! No wonder Applejack likes her so much, she looks like a pony-shaped apple!” Rainbow Dash blushed further as the security guard oh-so-helpfully pointed the flashlight at her; this could destroy her awesome reputation! She needed to divert this mushy attention elsewhere—she needed a scapegoat or... 'A scapehorse!' The pegasus grinned, looking at The Great and Powerful Trixie with an evil glint in her eye. “Hey hey hey! What're you guys fussin' over me for? I already got the girl,” the pegasus used her colorful tail to whip Applejack's rump, causing her hat to pop off her head for a second. “..Shouldn't we be concentrating on Trixie and her Twilight rut?” she asked, pointing a hoof at the blue mare. The flashlight's spotlight quickly switched over to the scandalized unicorn—in the darkness, a certain farmer smacked a certain pegasus upside the head so hard it almost rearranged the colors of her mane. One hoof in the air and mouth hanging open, the showmare in question blushed deeply. “Trixie's Twilight what?!” - - - “S'too early Spike...” Twilight Sparkle murmured softly as she felt someone nudging her gently, chasing away her dreams. The unicorn would have ignored the intrusion upon her comfortable respite, but the smell of a delicious breakfast quickly reached her nose and lingered there, teasing her with the promise of deliciousness if she would just get up out of bed. Opening her eyes, Twilight Sparkle was treated to the sight of a large, unfamiliar room; and that was just the half she could see, as she lay there on her side. The nightstand was much farther than the one back at her treehouse—this bed was expansive, to say the least. It was also insanely comfortable; the librarian wondered if it was made from pegasus down. The side of the room she was facing had a wall-to-wall window currently covered by a curtain, but the soft, white glow around it indicated that it was already morning. Twilight stretched happily—she felt incredibly well-rested, unlike the morning of her first hangover. Turning over to her other side, the smile quickly ran away from her face as her blush made a triumphant return. Next to the bed, magically floating a tray full of food, stood a smiling, equally-blushing blue unicorn. “G-g-good morning, Twilight Sparkle—” - - - Outside of Trixie's room, the showmare's new friends and co-conspirators stood at the door, ears pressed against it. “Do you think she's gonna like it?” whispered the pink party pony. “Like it? Shoot Hun, Ah cooked that myself! She's gon' love it!” “Oh my, I hope so, Trixie was so nervous... ” “Pshh, c'mon! Twilight's been pathetically lusting after that pony for months now! ” “Just like you with AJ, Dashie! ” The muffled explosion, the shattering noises, and the screaming that buffeted the door quickly silenced any objection Rainbow Dash was going to raise against Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie's eyes sparkled. “Wow, they must be really going at it!” End Chapter 9 Bonus Art! Lazily-colored version of the Billboard!

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-10-05T23:44:57+00:00

2011-10-05T23:44:57+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 10: Breakfast in Bed Cheerilee hummed softly to herself as she set the teakettle on the stove. Yawning, the grape-colored pony arched her back and stretched her hooves; trying to put the Cutie Mark Crusaders to bed had been... an adventure, to say the least. The teacher had found it difficult to deny Rarity's babysitting request after getting a good look at the well-armed stylist; she had found it even more difficult to keep the young fillies tucked in—Cheerilee wondered what it was about the Everfree Forest that attracted the girls so readily. Hearing the sudden ruckus coming from upstairs, the earth pony smiled wearily. 'And now they're awake again.' Cheerilee really had to wonder what sort of power source was nestled within each of the Crusaders—looking at the clock on her kitchen wall, she realized that the girls had only slept for two, perhaps three hours, and yet they were already up and back on the path to material ruin and destruction. Setting the table for four, the teacher placed a large plate full of sandwiches in the middle of it, as well as a jar of apple juice and four glasses. Making her way to the front door, she could hear her young charges running down the stairs and screaming something she didn't quite make out—apparently, it involved anesthesiology and magnetic pulse welding. Cheerilee stepped outside of the house and picked up the morning paper; she felt surprisingly well rested despite having spent most of the night braving the Everfree Forest's special brand of terror; the mare preferred to ignore her inner-filly, who had actually enjoyed the thrill of being chased around by Manticores and Basilisks. Stepping back inside, she found the Cutie Mark Crusaders hungrily and messily devouring the breakfast she had laid out for them. Placing the newspaper on the table, she smiled at the young ponies. “Quite the appetite you girls have!” With a spring in her step, the teacher trotted back to the stove to check on the teakettle. “WHOA!” “RARITY?!” “NO WAY!” Cheerilee turned her attention back to the Crusaders, who were standing on the table excitedly hovering over the newspaper. “Girls! Hooves off the table!” Quickly making her way over to them, she scowled at the fillies that seemed to be ignoring her. “Girls! Off the table, now!” she lightly stamped her hoof. “Your sister looks so awesome!” “She shore is givin' them city folk a what-for!” “RARITY?!” Dread befell the mulberry-colored mare; she had the sinking feeling that her childhood friend's evident appearance on the news was not fashion-related. Cheerilee used her head to nudge Scootaloo to the side, and then directed her attention to the paper on the table. Cheerilee felt faint—there on the cover was a large, grainy picture of a beautiful white unicorn, her back to the camera. Her curled, indigo mane made her unmistakable to those who knew her. The pictured pony was reared up on her hind legs, forelegs kicking wildly in the air, if the blurring was any indication. Out of her weaponized horn pulsed a large white ring of light, its ripple having apparently picked up and tossed a number of security ponies. 'WARMARE ON THE WARPATH' read the headline—the flower-flanked pony had to sit down before she collapsed. “'The unir... unindentefyied mare...'” “That's 'unidentified', Apple Bloom.” corrected the teacher out of habit as she stared at the ceiling, not sure what to think or do. The red-maned filly smiled at her teacher as she began reading again. “Right, that! 'The underdentified mare was taken into police custody for 17 counts of aggur... aggrababiated assault with magic...'” Cheerilee covered her eyes with one of her hooves. “'Aggravated'.” “That's what Ah said!” complained the filly, pushing Scootaloo away when the orange pegasus stuck her head close to the newspaper to look at the picture. “'...an' 25 counts of abbreviated assault an' batteries!” Scootaloo's eyes shone with admiration. “She hit them with batteries?! Man, your sister is almost as cool as Rainbow Dash!” Sweetie Belle's chest swelled with pride at the revelation. She knew her sister was talented, and smart, and pretty, but cool? Rainbow Dash Cool? “Well that's to be expected—she is my sister, after all!” Cheerilee picked up Sweetie Belle from the table and sat her down on the chair next to her. “Girls, becoming a felon is not 'cool'! Sweetie Belle, what your sister has done is nothing to cheer about...” She lightly stroked the filly's mane. “You should never, ever resort to violence!” Sweetie Belle quickly swatted away the comforting hoof. “But she's doing it to save Twilight!” huffed the young pony, crossing her forelegs. “Yeah!” Apple Bloom turned her head to face the teacher. “Ain't you always tellin' us how important it is to help yer friends?” Scootaloo picked up the paper and showed it to Cheerilee once more. “And besides, did you not see the picture? So. Cool!” The schoolteacher stared at her young students, not really sure how to respond to them. Looking at the picture once more reminded Cheerilee of one undeniable fact—Rarity never hesitates to fiercely protect all that she holds dear. Cheerilee ventured a smile as she recalled her own youth, and all her escapes to the Everfree Forest with her unicorn friend from school. - - - “So you tellin' me, instead of writin' a love letter or sendin' her flowers, ya'll wrote her a love movie?” That must have been the longest elevator wait and elevator ride in Trixie's life. “Trixie did not write a love movie!” The mortified unicorn's blush now competed with the cyan pegasus's earlier one. Said pegasus gave the showmare a good-natured shove. “Pffft! C'mon! The movie’s called 'The Brave and Beautiful Glitter Dawn'! Helloooo?” Trixie turned her nose up and closed her eyes. “All ponies appearing in this movie are fictitious. Any resemblance to real ponies is purely coincidental.” She couldn't believe Miss Spelling had not made Rainbow Dash sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Applejack smirked; Rainbow Dash had been giving Trixie a hard time all the way from the Observation Deck to the apartment, which they were now getting back to. “Glitter Dawn, eh? This's just me takin' wild guesses here but, that there name sounds mighty familiar...” “Ooh! Ooh! Does it remind you of Fluttershy?” asked the party pony, raising her hoof excitedly. Fluttershy giggled airily. “Um, I don't think it's me, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow Dash lazily brought a hoof around Trixie's neck as the showmare unlocked the apartment door with her card key. “C'mon Trix, you can totally tell us how much you loooooooooove Twi, we're all friends here!” the acrobat waved her hoof towards the rest of the ponies. The Great and Powerful Trixie turned to the light-blue pony, eyebrow hitched up high. “'Trix?'” Rainbow Dash smirked. “What, you want me to call you by your full name? Cause I totally saw it in the contract, B—” Trixie quickly held the rainbow-maned pony's mouth closed with magic. “Trix will be just fine, Pegasus… Er, Rainbow Dash.” Pinkie Pie hopped happily into the apartment, quickly making her way to the kitchen table where all the alcohol was still laid out. “So you are going to tell us how much you loooooooove Twilight?” she asked, filling up five shot glasses. “Trixie...” Trixie could feel everypony's eyes on her as she turned away and made her way to one of the large sofas in the living room. “Trixie respects Twilight's... Magic.” The azure mare sat on the plush sofa, her back to the kitchen as she faced the large window that made up the outer wall of the apartment. Unfortunately for her, the penthouse's bright lighting, combined with the nighttime darkness outside, effectively made the wall-to-wall window a large mirror that reflected back the shy, blushing face Trixie was trying to hide. Trixie knew this because she could see not only her reflection, but also the reflection of four ponies looking back at her with apple-eating grins. Trixie could only stare wide-eyed at the window. “Alright pardner.” Applejack chuckled, trotting towards the sofa. “Ah think we can help you win Twilight's... Respect.” The farmer took a seat close to the armrest of a second sofa, this one placed at a 90-degree angle from the armrest of the large sofa the showmare was occupying. 'Not like it's gonna be that hard, anyways!' mused the draft pony. Trixie, who was having a hard time meeting Applejack's gaze, turned to her right when she felt someone gently take seat next to her. Fluttershy smiled softly at the unicorn. “That is, if you wish for us, to um, assist you.” Trixie felt a hoof quickly wrap around her neck and pull her into a half hug. “Oh dude, she's gonna respect you so hard when we're through with you, Trix!” Trixie could smell the alcohol in Rainbow Dash's breath—she had to marvel at this group's speed when it came to imbibing. “I'm gonna have to make new banners soon!” Pinkie Pie walked to the sofa, balancing on her head a tray full of tall drinking glasses—each one was filled to the brim, and two of them actually had small shot glasses submerged in their contents. Every drink was different and color-coded to match each pony present; Trixie had to admit that they looked downright amazing. The Great and Powerful Trixie decided not to comment on the fact that the glass apparently assigned to her was a lavender drink that faded into dark blue towards the top, with a magenta and purple straw. “Trixie is... willing to accept… assistance.” she replied, closing her eyes and taking a sip of her drink. She could feel the ponies grinning at her. - - - “So, so then, then one'f these little brrats aks... asks Trrrixie, 'Is Twilight Sparrrkle yourrr Special Frriend?' in, in frront of the whole crrrowd!” The Great and Powerful Trixie guffawed, throwing her head back, her hooves at either side of her around Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash in a friendly embrace; both ponies were also laughing drunkenly with her. Applejack was kneeling at the coffee table loudly banging her hoof on it, her head down and cradled by her other foreleg. “Whooee!” she exclaimed, raising her head and revealing tears of laughter around her eyes. “That little pony had you all fig'erd out!” “Trrixie had to 'splain to hurr and to the whole ah, audience that it was all just a show, not a trrrue storry!” Trixie used her magic to unsteadily bring her 12th shot to the general direction her mouth. After a few attempts, she managed to take it to her lips, quickly downing it. “That little filly starr'd at Trrrixie for the rrrest of the show! She didn't believe Trrrrixie!” Peals of laughter filled the air as Pinkie Pie hopped back from the kitchen, balancing four more trays full of drinks. - - - “And... Ish not f-fairr!” The Great and Powerful Trixie cried while hugging a blubbering Rainbow Dash. Both were being hugged by a weeping Fluttershy. “I means... I... Trrrixie already made uh, a shtupid shhhow about you! Ish like, get out of my head, you stupid unicorrm! L-let me shleep! Stop-stop lookin' forr me!” Applejack covered her eyes with her hooves as she wept softly, laying face up under the coffee table, hiding from the glare of the apartment's lighting. “So sad, ya'll... Iff'in only we'd known...” The orange pony hiccup-burped. “...we woulda help'd ya'll a lot sooner!” Empathic sorrow filled the room as Pinkie blew her nose with a napkin, somehow managing not to drop her tray. - - - Trixie's eyes fluttered open as the bright sunlight coming from the apartment's window cruelly singed her face; at least, that’s what it felt like. The pounding in her head had a punishing intensity that she could feel reverberating throughout her whole body. She felt trapped, for some reason. Her blurry vision slowly came back into focus after a few minutes of hung-over amnesia, and it settled on an unamused baby dragon standing before her. “You guys are just as bad as Twi.” The dragon crossed his arms. The Great and Powerful Trixie could not for the life of her remember this purple thing's name. “Whah... What did you do to your face...?” she said hoarsely, her throat utterly dry. Spike's thin pupils shrank. “W-what do you mean?” Trixie tried to move, but turning her head made her realize that she had four ponies spooning her at various angles. Apparently, all five of them had somehow ended up under the coffee table, surrounded by empty bottles, cups, glasses, and cans. “Hgnnr...” she weakly tried to squeeze out from the pony embrace without much success. “Bathroom. Mirror.” she deadpanned, turning back to Spike and shakily pointing towards a hallway behind the young reptile. The dragon quickly padded down through it, checking each door until he found the bathroom, promptly and worriedly stepping inside. Even with the door closed, his scream woke up everypony in the drunken pile. - - - Spike sat in the kitchen sink, sniffling as Fluttershy scrubbed him firmly with a large wire brush, sparks flying off of his hard scales. At some point during the night, the group of giggling, drunken ponies—permanent markers in mouth—had walked into the bedroom the young dragon had been put to bed in after the office meeting. As the artist of the most offensive and tasteless body graffiti (the beautiful cursive a dead giveaway), Fluttershy had volunteered to wash the poor dragon before Twilight woke up and reported them to Celestia for immediate banishment. After taking very cold showers and the unusually effective Pinkie's Patented Prairie Pony hangover remedy, everypony had gathered at the kitchen, where Applejack and Pinkie Pie quickly set to work on making a grand breakfast. “You want Twilight eating out of the sole of your hoof, right? Then what better way than to feed her for reals?” grinned Rainbow Dash, doing her best to project her confidence waves towards the unicorn sitting across from her at the kitchen table. ‘If Fluttershy can do it...’ “Er...” Fluttershy was still hard at work erasing Spike's unwanted markings, turning to face the unicorn as well. “Rainbow Dash is right, um, Trixie. Whenever my little Angel is feeling grumpy, I just put a nice carrot in his cuddly paws and he instantly becomes my very best friend!” the yellow pegasus blinked. “Oh! Um, you guys are also, um, my best friends... I meant, um, best critter friend...” “An' my cookin's definitely gon' to earn you lots and lots of respect!” grinned the farmer-turned-cook as she tended to three different pans, all filled with french toasts. “After breakfast, you should totally take Twilight out and show her the city!” Pinkie Pie added copious amounts of strawberry syrup to the large stack of chocolate-chip pancakes she had just made. “And then, and then you should take her to the movies and—” Trixie flinched, and Pinkie Pie grinned sheepishly. “—uh… on second thought, how about a visit to the park?” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings excitedly. “Aw dude, that's an awesome idea! We'll make a picnic basket for you guys!” “Perhaps later, um, after the picnic and after the meeting... Perhaps you could take Twilight Sparkle out to dinner?” Fluttershy inspected her handiwork as she put down the abrasive cloth—Spike's scales were so clean each one was like a miniature purple mirror. “All done!” she smiled at the dragon, which still looked quite grumpy. The Great and Powerful Trixie looked around herself at each of the ponies in the kitchen. “Did the lot of you just suggest that Trixie spend her entire day feeding Twilight Sparkle to gain her... respect?” - - - Twilight stretched happily—she felt incredibly well rested, unlike the morning of her first hangover. Turning over to her other side, the smile quickly ran away from her face as her blush made a triumphant return. Next to the bed, magically floating a tray full of food, stood a smiling, equally-blushing blue unicorn. “G-g-good morning, Twilight Sparkle—” The lavender unicorn's body reacted on instinct as her magic quickly flared. All of the previous day's memories quickly rushed back in to her once-peaceful mind; the letter, the carriage ride, the mare she longed for, the incident, the suffocating meeting room, Rainbow Dash, Trixie's manipulation, and most prominently, Applejack's words. The things she had insinuated. “NO!” shouted the librarian as every light bulb in the room quickly sparked to life brighter than possible before exploding. Trixie stepped back, eyes wide. “Uh, d-do you not... like pancakes?” the showmare shrieked and dropped the tray when the stack of pancakes exploded as well, covering her in syrup and crumbs. The plates and the glass of juice shattered as they hit the floor. “What is the matter with—!” “Why why why why?!” Twilight stood on all fours on the bed, horn pointed at Trixie, tears flowing. 'How could I be in love with her! She hasn't changed one bit!' Trixie's own horn started glowing with magic—she wasn't sure what the apparently insane lavender pony might make explode next. “Why what?” asked the azure mare, unsure of where Twilight was going with her little magic outburst. Looking at the wasted food scattered on the floor, she turned back to the bookworm. “The breakfast? Is it the breakfast? Trixie just wanted to do something nice for—” “No! You are not nice! I wanted to believe you were—but everypony was right about you!!” How much time had she spent searching for this unicorn? Applejack had been right, Twilight realized; her searches had become more than mere worrying for the safety of the showmare. “I spent months looking for you! I wanted us to be... to be friends!” the blue-maned pony blushed despite herself. Trixie sighed; this was not going as she had hoped. “Look, Trixie knew that you were following her but—” “YOU KNEW?!” Twilight let out a scream as she magically picked up a pillow and flung it at Trixie, who was too slow to react to the cuddly projectile. The fluffy kinetic energy imparted upon her face was powerful enough to cause Trixie to do a full flip backwards, landing on her hooves again, slightly dazed. Trixie briefly considered that she should have held on to that last bit of information. “Throwing pillows at Trixie?! That is real mature, Twilight Sparkle!” Using her magic, the showmare picked up the same pillow and swung it in a wide horizontal arc, smacking Twilight's face with it. Twilight was mostly unfazed as she used her magic to try to wrest control of the pillow from Trixie. Horns glowing, the pillow floated in the air, pulsating with white and pink energy as both unicorns tried to take possession of it. “If... If you knew, then WHY?! Why did you run from me?!” the lavender pony's voice strained with her effort. The Great and Powerful Trixie was starting to sweat as she tried her hardest to pull on the pillow. “Why... why were you chasing me in the... in the first place?!” Trixie could feel Twilight's magic permeating the entire room; it felt nearly oppressive and it was a small wonder she was holding out this well. The tug-of-war ended abruptly as the pillow simply burst from the pressure, showering the entire room in feathers. The loud explosion only stunned Twilight Sparkle for a few seconds, before she picked up another pillow. “I asked you first! Why would you do that? Do you like to make me suffer?!” There was no other explanation—Twilight's mind raced as she remembered all the sleepless nights she spent tracking down a pony that apparently didn't want to be found. Trixie quickly blasted the incoming pillow with magic, turning into a mass of rose petals that started raining down on Twilight Sparkle. The deep blue unicorn stared wide-eyed at the crying pony in front of her. “Why would you suffer over Trixie?” Twilight glared at the showmare. “Why aren't you answering my question?” The Great and Powerful Trixie looked into Twilight's deep, purple eyes. They were still full of pain, just like the day before, when she had disappeared from the office. 'Why do you even care? Why did you come looking for me? We only met once before, you stupid filly!' Trixie almost let loose a chuckle at the hypocrisy of her own thoughts. 'That's right, we only met once before and I wrote a movie about you, so who's the stupid filly?' Trixie came back from her thoughts only to realize Twilight Sparkle was walking past her and towards the door, sniffling quietly. The showmare was hit with a powerful sense of finality as she watched the lavender pony walk away. 'DON'T LET HER LEAVE!' screamed her mind, startling the silver-maned pony into action. Without even thinking it, The Great and Powerful Trixie used her magic to scoop up Twilight in a magic bubble and put her back on the bed. “Trixie, I'm going.” sniffed the unicorn sternly, dispelling the pink telekinesis surrounding her body. Say something! Anything! “Trixie's new road show is called 'The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle'.” blurted out the showmare. Twilight, who was getting off the bed and was mid-jump, fell flat on her face. “Wha—” Trixie's face flushed—of course she had to say the first thing on her mind. “It's all about some stupid pony from Nowhere, Equestria that just happens to be the most powerful unicorn in the land.” Trixie tried to avoid Twilight’s eyes, to no avail. ‘Well, so much for her never finding out.’ The lavender mare was still in her fallen position, front half on the floor, rear half on the bed. Both ponies were silent for a minute as the statement sunk into Twilight’s head. “You... you made a show about me...?” “Trixie would prefer not to go into the details, but yes, the title character bears passing resemblance to you.” The blue unicorn tried to put on her best act of nonchalance. Twilight let the rest of her body fall from the bed with a loud thump; she lay on her back, staring at Trixie from the floor. “You. Made a show. About me.” the lavender pony's face was unreadable. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Yes, did Trixie stutter or something? And just to make this clear, all of Trixie’s shows are free, so she did not profit from your name.” The showmare had no idea what was going through Twilight’s mind at that moment, but Trixie certainly wished that the lavender pony would get up from her ridiculously cute position on the floor, legs up, bed-mane everywhere; it was terribly disarming—especially her eyes, now more curious than anything else. ‘At least the tears have stopped.’ “T-Trixie would like to add that in no way was your name slandered—in fact, Trixie made sure to always cast you in a positive light…” the azure mare blushed brightly. “Um, e-exceedingly so, some would say.” The showmare began fidgeting. “E-enough that were somepony to view it out of context, that pony might arrive at certain misunderstandings, which is something that Trixie would prefer to avoid if possible. After all, Trixie couldn't help make you look so good!” the blue unicorn winced at the path her own rant had taken. “Because! Because T-Trixie's magnificent stage magic can make anypony look good, not um, only just you s-specifically—it just so happened that this specific show is about you, so you ended up looking good, and after the way Trixie left Ponyville and then uh, if you saw Trixie's show and—” “Trixie!” Twilight Sparkle couldn't believe her ears—was The Great and Powerful Trixie rambling? 'Is she... nervous?' The librarian blinked. “Um, Trixie, did you avoid me... because of what I might think of your show?” It never occurred to the bookworm that Trixie even knew how to feel embarrassed. The blue unicorn's blush deepened considerably as she raised an anxious hoof. “W-well like, like I said, certain parts of the show could be misconstrued, and—” Twilight ventured a shy smile. “What happened to your illeism?” Trixie turned her head from side to side, frantically inspecting her own body. “My what?” Trixie stopped her search when she heard the light, almost musical laughter that escaped from the lavender unicorn. The Great and Powerful Trixie's heart skipped a beat—she had never actually heard Twilight laughing. 'Um, wow.' The azure mare decided that she'd like to hear that again, and possibly once more after that as well. “Trixie, were you afraid I wouldn't have liked it?” Twilight found the showmare's sudden insecurity oddly charming; she took a step forward as Trixie took one step back. “Are you nervous because you care about my opinion?” Twilight's face reddened—she had almost asked something slightly different, as she again considered what Applejack had told her. 'How would I even know if I really feel that way?' The unicorn blinked. 'Duh! Time to do some research!' The Great and Powerful Trixie's eyes widened as Twilight Sparkle's eyes, well, sparkled with determination. 'What just happened? Why are you smiling like that?' Twilight hopped energetically towards the blue unicorn. “Trixie, can you take me to a library?” “Whuh?” “And after that, I want to see your show!” End Chapter 10

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-10-06T04:25:03+00:00

2011-10-06T04:25:03+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 11: Pony Trainspotting “No, no, no, NO.” “Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!” The Great and Powerful Trixie opened the door with her magic; she was so involved in the argument that she didn't notice the quick sounds of shuffling and retreating hooves coming from the other side. “No!” She stamped her hoof for emphasis, but that did little to quell Twilight Sparkle's insistence... Or her bed-bouncing. 'Where did you get so much energy?! You were crying your eyes out a few moments ago!' The showmare stepped out of the room, then walked down the hallway and into the kitchen where she was met with a poorly-constructed scene of normalcy: Rainbow Dash had her head buried in a magazine that she was holding upside-down; Applejack was pretending to drink from an obviously empty mug—she was even moving her throat as if she were actually gulping down her pretend coffee; Fluttershy was nervously washing a still-grumpy Spike in the kitchen sink even though he was already clean; Pinkie Pie was sitting in the middle of the kitchen hunched forward on a tall stool, right foreleg resting on her left rear leg and bent upwards at the elbow to support her chin as she stared at nothing, seemingly deep in thought. Before Trixie could begin to comment on their terrible acting, Twilight bounced out of the room and began hopping circles around the blue unicorn while happily chanting “Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!” Trixie stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the merry lavender pony for the two minutes or so it took for her to stop her yessing and bouncing. Twilight Sparkle came to a halt at Trixie's side and threw her forelegs over the showmare's back playfully. “I don't hear a 'Nooooo'!” she giggled, before noticing the azure mare's silence. “Trixie? Are you going to show me? I really want to...” it was then that the bookworm noticed the four ponies staring at her. “...see... you are... you guys are... all here.” Quickly realizing she was still half on top of Trixie, Twilight swiftly used her magic to physically and forcefully fling the blue unicorn back down the hallway. “H-HEY!” A loud crash reverberated within the apartment. Wincing at the sound, the studious pony quickly recovered and tried to put on a casual, cheerful face despite her intense blushing. “G-good morning girls! W-what um, what a surprise to see you all here!” Spike shooed Fluttershy away as he climbed out of the kitchen sink, dripping water everywhere. “Nuh-uh! Rarity's not here yet!” Applejack chuckled. “Ain't you worry none 'bout Rarity, Spike. 'Cordin to Miss Spelling, Rarity got 'erself booked someplace fancy after she couldn't get in to see lovergirl over here.” “LOVER—” Twilight quickly turned back to check if The Great and Powerful Trixie was within earshot; peering down the hallway, she could see the door to the bedroom was on the floor and Trixie's hind legs were visible under the bed. “Lovergirl?!” whispered the lavender unicorn as she stepped close to the farmer. “AJ, did you tell everypony about what we talked about yesterday?” “'Course not, Twilight!” Applejack winked at the unicorn. “Ah don't have to tell nopony anything they done fig'red out fer themselves!” Twilight Sparkle's unruly bed-mane became infinitely more frazzled. “Ohmygosh GUYS!” The nervous nerd pony quickly looked back down the hallway again. “Ok, ok, OK! Look, I don't know what you guys think I may or may not feel about Trixie, but she can NOT find out!” If Rainbow Dash were to smile any wider, she would need more face. “Find out what?” Twilight turned to the colorful pegasus, eyes neurotically wide. “That I—that you guys think I like her! Promise me you won't say anything!” she hissed. Pinkie Pie quickly hopped from her seat over to the lavender pony. “Ooh! Ooh! Can we Pinkie Pie Swear?” Twilight's horn began to glow. “Yes! Yes you can! You have to!” Using her magic, she lifted everyone in the room and placed them in a small huddle around herself. “Go!” Spike rolled his eyes and Fluttershy giggled as the group brought their right hooves (and claw) together at the center of the huddle, before beginning the chant. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” finished the group, everyone performing the motions. “OW!” Twilight quickly fell back from the group, landing on her haunches and covering her left eye with both hooves. “Oh my, are you alright, Twilight?” Fluttershy broke from the group and knelt beside the downed unicorn. “Geez Twi, stop hitting yourself!” “Ain't that hard to do, Sug—ya'll are s'pposed to close yer eye first!” “Hi Trixie!” Pinkie waved happily at the pony just entering the kitchen. The pony in question seemed equal parts dazed and enraged as she unsteadily walked towards Twilight, horn glowing brightly. Applejack turned to face the blue unicorn. “Ya know, I've been meanin' to ask, but... S'there any particular reason y'all first came out of that room tarred n' feathered?” The Great and Powerful Trixie blinked—she didn't understand at first, but the horrified look of embarrassment on Twilight's face made the showmare quickly give herself a once-over. Pancake crumbs, chocolate chips, and strawberry syrup covered her mane, coat and tail; wherever there was syrup, pegasus down from the disintegrated pillow had stuck to her body. The silver-maned unicorn blushed as she glared at the explosive pony that caused it all. “YOU DID TH—” “WOW SUCH A MESSY EATER YOU ARE, TRIXIE!” Twilight instantly teleported to Trixie's side, before picking her up with her magic. “You really could use a shower!” she chuckled nervously, quickly crossing the living room with Trixie in tow and making her way to the same bathroom Spike had made his body-art discovery an hour earlier. All four ponies and one dragon stood in silence, looking towards the hallway both unicorns had disappeared to. Ten seconds is all it took for them to hear the bathroom door slam open, and a voice screaming loudly, “Out out out OUT!!” as Twilight Sparkle came into view again, magically flung from the bathroom, down the hallway, and into one of the walls of the living room. The unicorn's body peeled off from the wall where it left a deep imprint, before doing a slow forward flip and landing in an upright sitting position on a sofa below. Applejack and Rainbow Dash winced as Fluttershy and Spike quickly made their way to Twilight's side; a cheerful Pinkie Pie held up four large, square pieces of paper, each with a number written on it—10, 9.5, 5.5, and 9.0. - - - Miss Spelling adjusted her glasses. “Forgive me fillies and gentlecolts, but considering the way the studio has handled the film thus far, I just can't comprehend the zealousness with which you are all clinging to what will probably amount to insignificant changes to the studio's profit.” “Ms. Spelling, twenty percent is not an insignificant amount by any stretch of the imagination. These residual payments are unheard of!” The graying unicorn stallion in the business suit shook his head, looking disdainfully at the young orange unicorn mare sitting at the very end of the table full of shareholders and legal team members. Miss Spelling lowered her head slightly as she rested her chin on her hooves, the sunlight coming in from the large windows somehow reflecting from her glasses and making them glare brightly at everypony present. “Taking into account the near-biographical nature of this film in relation to Ms. Twilight, I would say that her contract is more than fair for what amounts to her stake in this Intellectual Property.” The unicorn raised an eyebrow behind her bright spectacles. “Besides, I can't help but point out that if the studio was somehow worried about the profits this movie was going to make, they would have put more effort towards realizing and promoting this project.” A second stallion, a pegasus with a strange and almost combed-over mane, spoke up. “Ms. Spelling, just what are you implying?” “Mr. Baulking, I assure you that I am being quite explicit—I am stating that this film is being treated by Metro Goldmane Brayer as exactly what it is: a contractual obligation to the studio's independent film label and nothing more.” Miss Spelling leaned back into her seat, glasses still shining. “Ponies of the Board let us not mince words here—I know full well that none of you wanted this movie to get made. It's been an uphill battle against all of you from day one because, let's face it, you only needed a movie to be released—it didn't need to be particularly successful for the studio to profit from it after taking advantage of Trottingham's film production tax breaks.” “Miss Spe—” “However, we are two months away from release and other than the billboards and posters that I personally managed to secure, I have not seen any real effort from the studio to promote this film in any way, shape or form, which leads me to believe that Metro Goldmane Brayer expects very little from this movie.” Miss Spelling used her magic to pour herself some water from the pitcher that was resting in the very middle of the table. Taking a drink, she continued. “And yet here you all are, pecking away at this contract like carrion-eaters fighting over the tiniest shreds of food in the desert. I'm sure you all worked very hard to bury this movie, so why are you trying so hard to make a profit out of it now?” - - - Holly Diver leaned back into the plush booth at Spurbucks, sipping on her overpriced cup of iced mocha lavender and sunflower-seed coffee. She had been carrying the stupidest, most satisfied grin ever since she had left the shareholder meeting with Miss Spelling. “Holly, I am not paying you to smile, you may stop at any moment.” The red-maned unicorn was currently face-down on the table, forelegs around her head, half-eaten slice of chocolate cake and unfinished hot chocolate besides her. Holly Diver smiled even wider now—she knew full well that Spelling could feel the mirth radiating from the pegasus. “There's a lot of things I do for you that I don't get paid for.” She instantly caught the orange unicorn's barely perceptible twitch. “Missy, I know the only reason you're hiding your face is because you don't want to give me the satisfaction of seeing your smile, but if you don't finish your cake I'm gonna do it for you.” Miss Spelling quickly raised her head and grabbed her plate, bringing it close to herself; she knew for a fact that Holly Diver never made idle threats about food. “I am willing to give you a 20% raise effective immediately and retroactive to the past six months if you forget what you saw today.” “Not gonna happen.” the pegasus answered cheerily. “I thought that was pretty boss when you called those suits carrion-eaters... But afterward, that hour-long tirade about how unhappy and avaricious and Sunless they all were? Pure gold!” Taking a sip from her too-sweet coffee, she continued. “Oh, and that bit about how you where gonna stand them all up in a single file and then run the entire filmstrip in through their mouths and out the other end along the entire line of ponies—that was just classy right there! I didn't think you had the imagination!” The Ponytrain Projector was a mental image that was going to stick with Holly Diver for the rest of her life. Miss Spelling had her eyes closed as she quietly finished her cake. “Momentary lapse in judgment, I've been under a lot of stress with this movie. Frankly,” a sip of her tepid chocolate, “I'm surprised I didn't get fired right then and there.” “I saw a couple of them crying on the way out... That might come back to bite you later.” Holly added, gauging the unicorn's expression. “Is that so?” Miss Spelling asked, not realizing the tiny smile that was forming at the corners of her mouth. - - - “I don't understand Twilight, what're we doing in here?” Twilight Sparkle used her magic to close the door to one of the smaller bedrooms in the penthouse apartment. This was the room where she had left her saddlebag the previous day, before she left with Trixie to join the contract meeting, and where the purple reptilian had apparently spent the night. “I need you to take a letter, Spike.” she answered, using her magic to float a pen and a legal pad towards Spike. The young dragon flipped through the first few leafs. “What's with all the Applejack drawings?” Twilight blushed. “Never you mind, Spike. Just use another page.” “Okay...” Spike gave the unicorn a quizzical look as he found a blank page. “Now, let us begin. 'Dear Princess Celestia, I write to you seeking counsel on matters of grave importance.'” The scribe blinked. “'Grave importance'? Seriously?” “Spike, you are writing a letter, not editing one.” Admonished the unicorn, ignoring the eye-roll thrown her way. “'It has been brought to my attention that some of my friends have arrived at a most precipitous conclusion about myself—'” “Presi-whatsis?” Spike started chewing on the back of the pen. “Pre-ci-pi-tous, Spike. Anyways, '…precipitous conclusion about myself based upon wholly unscientific observation of my past behavior pertaining to one specific pony that shall remain nameless.'” Twilight began pacing from side to side as she dictated. “'Though hopelessly unprofessional and lacking any sort of rigor or qualitative research, my friends have nonetheless produced an unsubstantiated theory based mostly on conjecture.'” Spike nodded. “Uh-huh.” He had already given up trying to ask for clarifications most of the time, resorting to just writing the words as he heard them whenever Twilight got like this. “'They speculate that I have somehow developed feelings similar to friendship, but on a more personal and deeper level, for this specific pony. They have based their supposition on the specific pony's disappearance, and my resultant search for the missing equine. Though laughable, the hypothesis is not entirely without merit; as such, I would like to pursue this investigation in a controlled, scientific manner—I trust that Your Highness may be able to impart some of her endless wisdom on how to best proceed with this experiment? Your student, always faithful, Twilight Sparkle.'” “Oh brother... You know Twi, maybe you should just talk to Trixie about it...” Twilight chuckled condescendingly as she pet the small dragon. “Oh Spike, that would ruin the control! Now c'mon, hurry up and send the letter.” Spike rolled his eyes once again as he set fire to the leaf, watching the magical smoke escape the room by slipping under the door. A few moments later, both unicorn and dragon stepped out to join the rest of the ponies having breakfast in the kitchen. Twilight blinked. “Where's Rainbow Dash?” A hat-less Applejack looked up from her plateful of pancakes. “Lil' firebrand got called downstairs while y'all were in the room. Somethin' about a request for her legal services.” the farmer shrugged, continuing on her breakfast. “Huhwhat?” - - - Police Officer Bobby Flat-Hoof yawned as he rubbed his eyes; after the previous day's long hours, Detective Horseshoe had dragged him to the gym, where the bubblegum pink-maned mare had beat the ever-loving stuffing out of a poor, defenseless punching bag all night long. He had never seen the level-headed pony so worked up over a perp before; the mare was widely known for her Luna-may-care attitude—every little thing just seemed to slide off of her impossibly cool shoulders. It was morning now and he had just gotten the message that the perp's attorney had been brought in to the station a few minutes ago. Making his way around the numerous desks and down the stairs to the front desk, he could see his partner chatting away with a very colorful pegasus pony in a cowpony hat. 'Nopony's ever gonna mistake her in a police line-up!' “C'mon, you gotta tell me, I told you mine!” Gummie chuckled—she loved comparing scar stories. “Alright, alright... It was my first day on the force, and we were chasing this pegasus purse snatcher—he thought he was gonna get away, but I had climbed to the roof of a nearby building when I saw him commit the crime.” The detective was energetically mimicking the same actions she was recounting. “As I expected, the criminal took flight as soon as he saw my partner chasing after him down the street—but the perp never expected an earth pony to get the jump on him from above!” Flat-Hoof finished his trot down the flight of stairs and joined the two lively mares. “Not that story again, Horseshoe...” the dark blue stallion shuddered. “...I still have nightmares about it.” The detective pony brought a hoof to her aviator shades and lowered them a bit, eyes peeking out over them, eyebrow raised. “Don't be such a gelding, Flat-Hoof; it was just a little blood!” The officer paled a bit. “It was most of your blood, Gummie!” Rainbow Dash's eyes were sparkling with adoration. “Most of your blood? Oh man, that is so cool!” Detective Horseshoe blew a large gum bubble before letting it pop. “Yes, yes it was.” Officer Flat-Hoof rolled his eyes. “Right, if you ladies are done comparing the size of your brushes with death, we still have a pony to interrogate.” The serious earth pony turned and started making his way down a hallway that led deeper into the first floor of the police station. “Yeah yeah...” deadpanned Horseshoe, as both she and Rainbow Dash turned to follow him. “Don't let him fool you...” Gummie turned back to wink at the pegasus. “...He likes to act like Equestria's most boring cop, but if you knew the crazy bull—” “Gummie!” - - - Rarity watched in annoyance as Rainbow Dash's smile grew wider and wider. They were sitting in the bleak interrogation room again, where the unicorn had been given a small amount of time to talk with her 'attorney' before the interrogation. The reason for the pegasus's deepening smile was the copy of Rarity's arrest report that she’d been given—it seemed to be greatly entertaining to the cyan pony. Rainbow Dash looked up from the stack of papers she was reading. “Rare, I know I don't usually say this but...” The pegasus blushed slightly. “Laying waste to a battalion of rent-a-cops? I...” The pegasus bit her lip. “...I'm proud to be your friend.” Rarity's eyes became wall-eyed for a moment; the honest sentiment had caught her completely off-guard. “B-behaving like a ruffian is no reason to be p-proud of—” “So!” Interrupted the pegasus, “Did you see a judge about your bail? I think getting out on your own recognizance is probably a no-go, but this is probably your first offense, right? Or, do you get into huge brawls often?” Rainbow Dash's eyes sparkled once again. “Oh dude, are you part of an underground rodeo club that meets every week just to duke it out because you all feel disenfranchised and alienated by society?” The unicorn looked completely scandalized at the suggestion. “Rainbow Dash, where are you getting these ridiculous ideas from? Have you been listening to Pinkie Pie's stories again?” Rarity cleared her throat as she sought to calm herself down. She reminded herself that she had decided to ask for Rainbow Dash's help out of her own volition. “As for your original question, yes, bail has been set for me—and what a dreadful experience this has been!” “Pfft, tell me about it! Hey, have you tried using magic with that thing on?” asked the pegasus, pointing at the brace that encircled her horn and neck. Rarity had almost started getting used to the thing; it had been attached to her as soon as she had been arrested and had not been taken off since. “I have not, R—” “Good! ...Don't. That thing is just gonna send the magic back into you... I've heard it hurts like an applebucker.” Rainbow Dash leaned back into her uncomfortable chair. “Anyways, I've got money to pay for your bail, and I know you'd never do anything like this...” The pegasus tapped the police report in front of her, “...without reason, so how about we get this interrogation thing done so we can get you to an arraignment?” Rarity looked at Rainbow Dash with extreme confusion. There was something very, very wrong here, and it wasn't just the fact that the unicorn had been wrongfully detained. She had chosen the pegasus because she was the only one available at the moment—Rarity had not been expecting any sort of competence to come from the simple-minded acrobat, yet here she was, talking Rarity through the motions, almost as if... Rarity blinked when the realization blindsided her. “Rainbow Dash... You've been arrested before, haven't you?” Rainbow Dash's sudden twitch sent the papers she was holding flying off the table. “WHA- huh, what? I... Pfffft, that's not... Who told you... I mean, define 'arrested'?” she chuckled nervously. End Chapter 11

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-10-06T22:01:26+00:00

2011-10-06T22:01:26+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 12: It’s Not a Date “So, what do you think?” Officer Bobby Flat-Hoof grimaced as he sipped on his coffee, or what the vending machine falsely advertised as 'coffee'. He sat at one of the small wooden tables in one of the break rooms at the police station—a room that was about as luxurious as the holding cells, and where the machines tended to be stocked with food and drinks that would violate a prisoner's rights to fair treatment. “On the one hoof, her story checks out with the medical reports—all the injuries were relatively minor and most of those ponies went back to work the same day—not something you'd expect if they had been attacked with swords.” Detective Gummie Horseshoe riffled through her jacket's pockets, looking for change as she glowered at the beat-up vending machine with the large logo down its front; a logo that hadn't been used by that particular soft drink company in at least 35 years. “Don't tell me you actually believe all that stuff about fashion accessories!” The gray mare's eyebrows arched over her ever-present shades. “Or is she too pretty to go to jail? I thought you already had a girl, Flat-Hoof.” The stallion produced some bits from his uniform pocket and placed them on the table, sliding them towards his partner. “What, you think I'm gonna make a pass at her? C'mon, after seeing how much you like her?” Gummie stamped her hoof on top of the change, hitting the table loudly. “Funny.” she deadpanned, sliding the bits off from the table and into her other hoof. “Thanks. Look, all I'm saying is, we took some statements from the guards, but this investigation's not over until we interrogate all of them.” The detective shrugged as she made her selection on the vending machine. “Yeah well, forgive me for not siding with the thoroughly armed nutjob on this one.” Gummie started pressing the button for her selection repeatedly when she noticed that the machine had not produced her cherished soda. “I mean, she said so herself that some Trixie character was trying to seduce her friend!” The gray mare turned around on the spot, her tail towards the machine. “It's kinda obvious that she's just a crazy, jealous filly trying to dock-block her ex-lover.” Detective Horseshoe kicked her hind legs at the vending machine, making it slam into the wall behind, the sound reverberating across the room. Another sip of coffee. “It's all sold out, Horseshoe.” Flat-Hoof tilted his chair back as he put his rear legs on the table, his eyes almost completely covered by his cap as it fell forward over his face. “It's been sold out for the past two weeks.” Gummie harshly kicked the coin return button on the machine. “...Stupid budget cuts... Then why were you able to get a stupid drink?” The mare deftly pocketed the change. The stallion shrugged. “I'm fairly sure I'm the only pony here in the station that drinks this stuff.” he answered, taking one final gulp and shuddering lightly. A single tear escaped his eye as the vile liquid intruded upon his body. “It's not very good coffee; the machine must still be practically full of it.” Both ponies turned their heads at the sound of the door opening—another pony of the law came into the room to join the pair. “Horseshoe, Flat-Hoof, I think we may have a positive ID on the suspect's vehicle—the eye-witness descriptions match that of a vehicle that was towed late last night in the downtown area.” The forest-green unicorn stepped closer to the table, floating some papers close to her head with telekinetic magic. Flat-Hoof blinked and gave a wry smile as Horseshoe took off her shades and faced the unicorn. “Really? You guys were somehow able to pick out the one hot-air balloon in an impound lot full of carriages? I'm impressed.” The unicorn looked slightly embarrassed as she sheepishly turned to Officer Flat-Hoof. “...It's got a Canterlot registration, but it doesn't seem to be stolen; there aren't any reports on it being missing.” she said, flipping through the papers and avoiding the Detective mare's mocking gaze. Nudging his cap up and away from his eyes, Flat-Hoof dropped his rear legs off from the table and then leaned across it. “Any weapons or anything unusual in the basket?” asked the stallion, holding out his upturned hoof towards his partner. The green mare shook her head. “Nothing... The balloon didn't even have a burner or gas tanks.” Detective Horseshoe glared at her partner as she reached into her pockets for her ill-begotten change. “Whose name is the thing registered under? The suspect's?” The unicorn officer winced a bit as she floated the papers down to the table. “It's uh, it's registered to Princess Celestia.” - - - “So yeah... Two years of my life I am never getting back, but hey, it got me a swanky house, so I guess I can't complain.” Rainbow Dash shrugged as she leaned back on the park bench, putting the half-chewed popsicle stick back in her mouth. The freshly-bailed Rarity sat in stunned silence next to the pegasus, her hooves covered in the melted ice-cream she had stopped paying attention to half an hour before; below her, a trail of ants surrounded the ice-cream that had dripped to the ground. She felt a headache coming on—this was entirely too much information to process. Sure, the unicorn wasn't completely surprised to learn that without Fluttershy's influence, the young Rainbow Dash had quickly spiraled out of Flight Camp and into juvenile delinquency, but the rest of her story was just absolutely incredible and ridiculous. How many repeat offenses do you need to commit to actually become friends with your court-appointed lawyer? Perhaps more tellingly was what happened when Rainbow Dash was legally prohibited from flying—all her boundless energy was suddenly redirected to fervent studying, of all things. 'Had nothing better to do.' was how the pegasus had shrugged it all off, but Rarity suspected that Rainbow Dash's diligent turnabout came from a passionate necessity to earn back her freedom—the dressmaker couldn't even begin to imagine what it must have felt for that young blue filly to have her wings bound so soon after tearing the Sonic Rainboom out from the pages of pony myth and bringing it into reality. Those bindings would not last, of course—the driven pony had made sure to rise to the challenge set before her and proved she could straighten up and fly right, so to speak. Rarity was slightly miffed—not jealous, for that would be unladylike—at the fact that Rainbow Dash had gotten a better education than her! The indigo-maned mare turned to her friend. “Rainbow Dash, then why... Well, why are you a Weather Pony now?” The pegasus quickly turned to face the unicorn, looking slightly offended. “Hey! That's a totally important job!” Rarity flinched. “Oh, I'm sorry Darling, I didn't mean it like that—it's just... Well, you could be so much more—“ The acrobat spit out the stick as she jumped from the bench. “Ugh! C'mon Rare!” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings, entering a low hover in front of the unicorn. “That boring, schooly stuff isn't what I do!” Rarity watched as the pegasus quickly blasted into the sky, brazenly carving a rainbow trail all the way to the spire of the Clydesler Building a few miles away—the scattered clouds in the sky dissipated around the pegasus, and the sky itself seemed to be getting a brighter, deeper blue behind her. 'Is she cutting through the smog?' The cyan pegasus circled the spire three times before carving a second rainbow trail back to Median Park. The seamstress had to chuckle as her friend skidded to a halt in front of her. 'Ten seconds flat.' she mused. “See? That's what I do, and I'm the best at what I do!” exclaimed the acrobat as the dust from her landing settled around her. Rarity gave her friend a genuine smile. “I know you are, Rainbow Dash, I was there when you got the trophy.” Rainbow Dash returned the smile with confidence. “Besides, I already forgot all that college stuff after that stupid exam they made me take—I made sure to clean out all that useless crud from my head in—” “Ten seconds flat?” Giggled the white pony as she got up from the park bench. The pegasus winked. “Now you're gettin' it!” “I suppose I am, Rainbow Dash.” said Rarity quite truthfully, her reservations about the pegasus's chosen path already leaving her. Looking down at her ice-cream covered hooves, she frowned. “Come on, let's see if we can find someplace where I can wash off this mess.” Rarity began trotting down the small trail that crossed through the wooded area of the park. It was a fairly secluded spot, and nearly as peaceful as Ponyville—quite the contrast to the city surrounding Median Park. The fashionista's thoughts drifted again to the pegasus that she was seeing in a new light; Rarity mentally chided herself for not having taken an interest in really, truly getting to know Rainbow Dash before. 'Perhaps a weekly spa session is in order!' “Hey uh, Rare?” “Yes?” Rarity turned to her side, facing the pegasus that was flying a short distance from the ground at the unicorn's walking pace. The acrobat's eyes flickered from side to side, almost as if she were scanning for eavesdroppers, “I meant what I said back at the station... About you being kinda, kind of a cool friend.” Rainbow Dash stopped beating her wings, landing on her hooves next to the white pony with a soft thud. “Thanks for not letting me give up on Applejack.” she said, lightly hitting Rarity's shoulder with her hoof. Rarity's eyes widened as giddiness coursed through her body—new couple, new gossip! “So I was right about Applejack? Was she afraid and confused about her feel—” “PFFFFT! No!” Guffawed the pegasus. “That mare can't get enough of me!” Rainbow Dash took a moment to flex her foreleg, admiring her muscles lovingly. “I mean, not that I can blame her.” Rarity's admiration for her friend quickly deflated as she raised an eyebrow at the rainbow-maned wonder. Before the unicorn could say anything, she noticed that a number of ponies were running through the woods and heading in the opposite direction as the pair from Ponyville. They all seemed to be so excited about whatever was happening behind Rarity and Rainbow Dash that the seamstress had to stop one of them out of curiosity. “Um, excuse me, sir... Is something the matter?” “Oh my gosh, didn't you see it?!” The earth pony was actually in tears as he stopped his gallop to face the two mares. Rarity and Rainbow Dash exchanged a confused look. “Uh...” “It's a double rainbow!” The pony was actually shuddering and as he cried. “It's a full-on double rainbow all the way to the Clydesler Building! What does it mean?!” Both mares backed away from the emotional pony as he continued on towards the bench that they had vacated a few minutes ago. Taking a closer look at their surroundings, Rainbow Dash and Rarity noticed that all of the ponies around them seemed equally as overexcited; all of them clamoring over the colorful, fading streaks in the sky. The cyan pegasus blinked as she saw one downtrodden pony in an overcoat with a large sign around his neck, 'THE END IS NEIGH'. “Uh, Rarity, should we...” “Yes, I believe it would be best for us to leave.” “Agreed.” - - - “Shoot girl, ain't you just a regular ol' Casanovah!” Applejack slapped Trixie's withers in a forceful, friendly manner. “That's a perfect idea!” The unicorn mare almost fell forward at the impact that rocked her entire skeleton and internal organs. “That is such an awesome super booktastic idea! I never would've thought to take Twilight out on a date to a library before but then again I've never thought about taking out Twilight Sparkle on a date before even though she's like super-smart and super-pretty and stuff but then again Mom and Dad are probably still mad from the last time I brought a filly home but I mean it's so obvious—Twilight loves books so much that she might as well live in a library! Wouldn't that be incredible for her? Ooh, ooh! You should totally buy her a library, Trixie!” “But Pinkie Pie, Twilight does live in—” “But then again Dashie's always saying that if Twilight likes books so much she should marry one, but if she marries a book then she won't be able to be with you Trixie! You should be careful at the library 'cause you never know when one of those sexy, wily books might sweep Twilight off her feet and steal her from you right under your nose! Ooh, but maybe you and Twilight and Mr. Book could try for an open relationship! Mom and Dad were super extra mad that time I brought home two—” Pinkie Pie was swiftly silenced from the rest of the ponies by a large, pink bubble that magically encased her. The Great and Powerful Trixie's horn stopped glowing. “Could we not talk about this as if Twilight Sparkle is not right down the hall showering this very minute?!” The unicorn mare looked... twitchy there in the kitchen of the apartment, surrounded by the rest of the ponies and the dragon she couldn't remember the name of. “Now c'mon, Ah know yer nervous about yer date with Twilight, but Pinkie Pie just wants to help—y'all said you wanted our assistance, remember?” Applejack poked the giant bubble, watching as it floated slowly away from her. Trixie blushed slightly. “This is not a date!” she hissed, turning her head to look back at the hallway, relaxing somewhat as she heard the shower still running... and singing? Spike crossed his arms as he leaned back on the cabinet door behind him. “Wish Rarity was here... Then I could go on a date too...” The young scribe was still peeved at the offensive drawings he had woken up to, and the scrubbing that followed. 'At least they didn't use a belt sander like Pinkie suggested.' Fluttershy giggled as she bumped the bubble with her head, sending it drifting softly upwards. “Oh but Trixie, it would be such a shame to waste this opportunity to get to um, know Twilight better...” “See? Fluttershy's got the right idea! Just find the most boringnest, secludest part of the library and work yer magic on her, if-ya-know-what-Ah-mean!” The farmer bumped the bubble as it neared her, sending it floating towards Trixie. “Ah betcha ain't nopony gonna stumble in on you two rasslin' in the back of the dumb ol' chemistry section!” Fluttershy lowered her head, hiding her blush with her long mane. “But... that's not what I meant at all...” Trixie looked positively galled—this was the second time these ponies suggested she do untoward things to Twilight Sparkle! “Speaking such aspersions upon Trixie's good name! What kind of perverse pony do you take her for?” Applejack smirked at the unicorn. “Now come on, y'all can level with me—Ah think we both know what yer really after, and it ain't Twilight's booksmarts!” The showmare bumped the bubble away with her muzzle before glaring at the farmer, stepping forward. “Trixie would never use her magic to take advantage of anypony, especially her!” Applejack stepped forward as well, glaring right back at the showmare, looking evenly into her eyes. Towards the back of the kitchen, Fluttershy and Spike looked at each other worriedly, until they heard the blond-maned mare loose a chuckle. “Ain't no way to hide lyin' eyes, Sugarcube.” Trixie blinked in confusion at the good-natured grin on the orange pony's face. “And yer eyes are tellin' the truth; Ah can tell y'all are gonna treat 'er right.” Stepping back and taking a seat at the kitchen table, the draft pony winked at the showmare. “Ah just needed to make real shore one last time before Ah sent'cha on a date with our little Twilight.” Fluttershy bobbed her head, trying to shift her long mane from covering her vision. “Um, but Applejack, aren't you younger than—” “Now Sugarcube, don't go an' involve yer fancy-pants math in on this.” All the ponies were startled by a loud explosion as Spike accidentally popped the giant bubble when he poked it with his claw. His surprised yelp was cut short as Pinkie Pie dropped from the bubble and landed on him. “—and that's when Mom and Dad kicked me out of the farm and then I needed a new place to live so I built Ponyville and invited all my friends to party every day!” Silence filled the room for a second or two until an alarmed Twilight Sparkle came out running from the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth and towel wrapped around her head, dripping water everywhere. “Whah whuf daht?!” In her haste, the lavender unicorn slipped and slid across the floor, slamming into the back of one of the living room's sofas. Everyone in the room winced; Trixie felt a hoof on her shoulder—it was Applejack, sullenly shaking her head and giving the showmare a pitying look that very clearly relayed: 'Yep, that's who you fell for.' - - - Twilight Sparkle wondered how many more times she was going to embarrass herself in front of The Great and Powerful Trixie—her only saving grace was that Rainbow Dash was not around to provide her thoughts on the lavender unicorn's less-than-graceful display of coordination and calm. The bookworm fidgeted with her saddlebag as she stood outside the apartment, waiting for her Test Subject to join her for their research outing—the showmare had told her to wait outside for one moment, claiming she had forgotten something back inside. Twilight tried keeping her mind busy with ways in which she could prove or disprove the prevailing supposition shared by her woefully unscientific friends. She furrowed her brow in frustration—despite the months of research stored in her head, nothing she had found in her study of Friendship was yielding anything relevant to the matter at hand. Twilight had a vague idea of what this suspected affliction—'Being in Love' as the laypony called it—was supposed to feel like, if Rarity's musings on romance were anything to go by. To hear her unicorn friend tell it, it would seem that a pony's body would go through a gamut of strange psychosomatic responses, some even hallucinatory in nature. Twilight flinched as she recalled when she first arrived at the Clydesler Building. 'That would explain why I couldn't see all the newsponies yesterday!' The thought that The Great and Powerful Trixie's mere presence could trigger such a response in her brain left Twilight Sparkle somewhat perturbed—not only at the implication that her less-studious friends somehow managed to produce a baseless but correct hypothesis, but also at the fact that this 'Love' thing apparently caused selective blindness! “Ridiculous.” “What did you call Trixie?” “GAH!” Twilight reeled away from the azure mare, sparkling in and out of teleportation a few times before materializing close to the hallway's ceiling and falling on her haunches a few feet away. “Ohmygosh T-Trixie! Don't sneak up on me like that!” the streak-maned pony could feel her heart about to burst from the scare she got. 'I didn't even notice when she came out of the apartment! Oh Celestia, she's making me blind and deaf!' The Great and Powerful Trixie raised an eyebrow at the adorable display; she briefly wondered what had distracted the lavender pony so thoroughly. “Trixie has been standing next to you for a while now.” Twilight got back to her feet, using her magic to dust herself off, intent on completely ignoring her magical panic attack. “W-well, since we're here, you know, both of us... I guess we should head to the library now?” she smiled sheepishly, ears turned back and one hoof slightly raised from the floor. Trixie blinked and blushed slightly—it's just a library visit, right? Not a date. “Uh, yes. There are two of us, and we're going to the library.” she replied stiffly, mirroring Twilight's nervous stance. Both ponies remained in silence for a moment, each avoiding the other's gaze as awkwardness permeated them thoroughly. They were both waiting for the other to take some sort of action, but as each second passed, each mare grew more reticent and fearful of breaking the uncomfortable air around them with even more awkwardness. “Oh fer cryin' out loud!” Both mares were startled out of their thoughts by Applejack's muffled voice coming from the other side of the apartment door. Throwing the door open, the blond-maned pony stamped her hooves repeatedly on the floor as she bucked wildly. “Git a move on you two! C'mon, c'mon! ELEVATOR NOW!” she shouted, before producing a length of rope and whipping Trixie's flank with it. The showmare reared up reflexively at the stinging hit, losing a loud neigh that frightened Twilight into rearing up and neighing as well. Both unicorns quickly took off, galloping at full tilt with Applejack right behind them whooping and hollering. “Git along, little ponies! YEE-HAW!” Down the hall, Pinkie Pie waited for the trio with a large DETOUR sign in hoof pointing at the elevator she had already called. Applejack easily corralled the unicorns into the elevator as Pinkie Pie stretched her foreleg inside and pressed the button for the main lobby. As the door closed behind them, the still-frantic unicorns quickly calmed down after their fight or flight instincts wound down. They looked at each other with wide eyes as their heaving breaths normalized—a silent agreement suddenly sparked between them: there is no need to ever speak of what just happened. Ever. With that settled, each mare quickly used her magic to straighten up her disheveled mane and coat. In doing so, Twilight was reminded of the saddlebag she had brought, and specifically, what she had packed in it the day before. Glancing at Trixie out of the corner of her eye, the unicorn grew nervous once more. 'Should I? What would she think of me?' The bookworm turned and faced the deep blue unicorn. “Um Trixie...?” 'Does this uncouth pony not know common elevator courtesy?' The Great and Powerful Trixie rolled her eyes. “Yes?” How to begin? “Trixie, do you remember Rarity?” Twilight shifted her weight anxiously. At Trixie's confused stare, the lavender unicorn continued. “She's that really pretty unicorn you uh... Well, you turned her mane into a rotting green nest?” The Great and Powerful Trixie winced—she didn't need to be reminded of how she had begun to misuse her magic, even after the vow she had made as a young filly. “Trixie recalls the... event.” “Well, see...” The librarian was quite visibly anxious, something that made Trixie somewhat uneasy as well. “After you left Ponyville I... Okay, you see, the point is I went to her to...” Twilight's horn began glowing, as the cutie mark buckle on her saddlebag became magically undone. “...I went to her because she's so good at... I mean, she didn't want to at first, but—” With a loud chime, the elevator came to a lurching stop on the 42nd floor, a crowd of business ponies quickly piling in and pushing Twilight and Trixie to the back corner of the space. Twilight quickly buckled closed her saddlebag. “Um, you know what? I'm just rambling, forget I said anything.” she whispered as she smiled apprehensively at the showmare. 'What were you thinking, Twilight? You were going to give yourself away and ruin the whole experiment!' The Great and Powerful Trixie's mind was currently reeling—her brain was coming up with an endless number of possible words that could fill in the blanks in Twilight's nervous rant, and every word that Trixie added just made the finished paragraph all that much worse. Just what is that Rarity character so good at, anyways? She couldn't possibly be better than The Great and Powerful Trixie! And yet, Twilight was apparently drawn to that white, haughty trollop of a pony who had the absolute gall to refuse the poor lavender unicorn's attention? 'Who the moon does that Rarity think she is? Trixie will show that talentless, bad dye-job who the better unicorn is! Trixie will give Twilight everything she wants!' Twilight Sparkle didn't know what to make of the determined, slightly evil grin smeared across The Great and Powerful Trixie's face. End Chapter 12

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-10-07T17:29:37+00:00

2011-10-07T17:29:37+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 13: The Volume of Love “I thought Trixie said not to follow her.” The young dragon crossed his arms as he watched his three friends getting ready to leave the apartment. Spike sat on the countertop, exasperation in his eyes as Applejack finished stuffing the picnic basket Pinkie Pie had 'found', while said party pony placed the finishing touches on Fluttershy to conceal her from her adoring public. Applejack chuckled as she struggled to close the basket, pressing on it with both forelegs. “Shucks Sugarcube, we ain't intendin' to follow Trixie at all!” she winked, finally managing to lock the overcapacity food carrier. Pinkie Pie happily collected the yellow pegasus's flowing locks under a blue-patterned bandanna, placing a flat-billed cap on top of it after tying it off. “We won't be able to follow Trixie 'cause we're gonna be super busy following Twilight!” she explained, stepping back and admiring her handiwork; aside from a cap, a bandanna, and a pair of large shades, Fluttershy wore an oversized white shirt with 'STUD LYFE' emblazoned on it in gratuitously fancy print. “Perfect!” Pinkie Pie adjusted the cap, turning it to one side and placing it precariously high on the gentle pony's head. “Doesn't she look great, guys?” Fluttershy demurely turned her head towards her friends, tingeing slightly. Applejack and Spike exchanged a queasy look. “She shore looks... something, Pinkie.” Placing the picnic basket on her back, Applejack trotted to the door. “Just... just don't let Rarity see ya in that getup, Hun.” The pegasus nodded nervously—Rarity would have a fit to end all fits, that was for certain. Following Applejack out the door, Fluttershy turned to look back at the baby dragon. “Um, Spike... Would you like to come with us?” The purple reptilian stuck out his tongue. “Ewww, and watch Twi go on a girly, lovey-dovey date? Super gross! Besides,” Spike ran his hands across his head spines, “What if Rarity comes over and finds the apartment empty? A gentleman should never leave a lady stranded like that.” he declared, thrusting out his chest and nonchalantly checking his claws. 'Gross, huh? He's worse than Apple Bloom!' Applejack gave him an amused look. “Heh, whatever you say, Sugarcube... Ya'll behave now!” she said, holding the door open as Pinkie Pie walked out of the apartment as well. The farmer turned to leave, but just before closing the door, she stuck her head back inside and smirked at the dragon. “Oh, and if Rainbow Dash comes back 'fore we do, you tell her Ah love 'er more than apple loves pie, ya hear?” Spike cringed immaturely at the draft pony. “Ew, Applejack! Not you too!” “And be shore to give 'er a whole buncha kisses for me, like this!” the orange pony puckered her lips and began exaggeratedly blowing kisses at the scribe as the ponies in the hallway began snickering. Spike quickly brought his hands to the sides of his head and shut his eyes, “Aaaahhh I'm not listening! Not listening! LA-LA-LA-LAAA!!” - - - The morning rush hour had subsided by the time the two unicorn mares took to the streets; of course, the change was imperceptible as there were still a multitude of ponies going about their daily lives—even at its sleepiest Manehattan was a bustling city always on the move. Though already late Spring, the temperature was comfortably cool at this hour thanks to the shade provided by the tall skyline of the city. The Great and Powerful Trixie had a lot going on in her mind as she trotted down the sidewalk alongside Twilight Sparkle, the pony that currently occupied most, if not all of her thoughts. Thankfully, the lavender unicorn had remained quiet since they left the Clydesler Building—just like Trixie, Twilight seemed to be deep in thought. The showmare had to admit that her companion's pensive face was utterly endearing—then again, she was beginning to think that of pretty much any expression the navy blue-maned pony made. Yup, there was a definite pattern to her thoughts on Twilight Sparkle, Trixie noticed. This predicament caused the azure mare great annoyance—not at having fallen for the awkward pony in the first place, but at having fallen for her so swiftly. She hadn't noticed it at first; in fact, she hadn't noticed it until days after her magic decided to stop working on the very same night she left Ponyville—what a spectacularly unpleasant experience those magic-less days were! It was quite frankly a miracle she had survived as long as she did in that unnatural forest. 'If it weren't for that zebra...' Trixie could still remember the striped equine's haughty laugh when she examined the non-magical magician—the showmare realized that, one of these days, she would need to go back and apologize to the wise mare; her words were completely and utterly true, but of course Trixie had not been in any mood to listen back then. —What a silly mare, why must you act so dramatic? Can you not see your affliction is purely psychosomatic?— The Great and Powerful Trixie rolled her eyes, 'A simple “You're in denial!” would have sufficed, zebra!' she mused, wondering how many days of suffering that would have saved her. Of course, things didn't exactly get much better for her mental health once her magic did return... ...In the form of Twilight Sparkle illusions, and only of her. The showmare could have done without the psychological trauma of spending a few days as a glorified Twilight Sparkle photo album. It was probably the first time she had cursed her exceptional memory, especially considering she hadn’t even tried to burn any detail about the lavender mare into her mind in the first place. Technically, this was still the case; Trixie still didn’t know much about the object of her unwitting affection, except from what little she had observed or gathered from the unicorn’s friends. One thing she did know was that somehow, Twilight Sparkle had appeared at some of the towns the deep blue unicorn was about to perform at, probably following the main trails that connected the larger villages. After that realization, Trixie had started taking the back roads and skipping over towns neighboring those she had just performed in. Of course, she had apparently been somewhat hasty in assuming that the lavender mare had stopped looking for her just because Trixie had succeeded in throwing her off her trail. ‘And she kept looking for Trixie all this time, just because she wanted to be Trixie’s friend? What an idiot! What a stubborn mule!’ The thought should have exasperated the showmare, but instead she found herself grinning stupidly and uncontrollably. In fact, she actually had to suppress a giggle; a giggle! That’s where she had to draw the line though—Trixie chortles, chuckles, and laughs jovially (or derisively, some would claim), but she does not giggle like some 15-year-old with a crush! Trixie blinked. She had giggled the day before, hadn't she? Confound this streak-maned pony! 'Well, no more! Trixie is above such schoolfilly anti—' A very loud CLANG startled Trixie out of her introspection; Twilight Sparkle had apparently slammed right into a large post box, running her horn clean through its side and probably into some of the mail within. The lavender unicorn looked utterly bewildered at her predicament; whatever it was that was occupying her mind must have been incredibly distracting—Trixie could do nothing more than to burst into snorting giggles at the sight. - - - Twilight Sparkle had a lot on her mind as she trotted down the sidewalk alongside The Great and Powerful Trixie, the pony who some speculate she may or may not be infatuated with. Thankfully, the azure unicorn had remained silent since they left the Clydesler Building—just like Twilight, Trixie seemed to have something weighing on her mind. This suited the bookworm just fine as it gave her more time to analyze the situation she now found herself in; specifically, she had been trying to work out a way to accurately measure love empirically. The way she figured it, she had a wealth of raw data on love already: what she felt for her parents, for Spike, for her friends, for Princess Celestia, and for her books. Although she could certainly feel how each of those was different, feelings were hardly scientific or appropriate for inclusion in a serious dissertation. What Twilight Sparkle needed was a way to precisely quantify the volume of love she was outputting at any given moment. 'That is, if love actually occupies a three-dimensional space... What if love radiates in a circle of straight lines at very high frequencies? I'll need some sort of love measuring tool... A Love Caliper?... Wait, is love a wave or a particle?' Clearly, actually converting love into a usable number was going to be the hard part; once that phase of the investigation was completed all Twilight really needed to do was compare her love of Trixie to a random sampling of her love for her friends and family. 'Love of Trixie...' The studious unicorn could feel herself grinning like an idiot—this could be a problem, she realized; Trixie seemed to possess some form of passive magic that could interfere with Twilight's motor skills, thought process, and nervous system just by proximity! Sure, the interference made the librarian pony feel really, really good about being around the other mare, but that could invalidate the entire experiment! How could she investigate her feelings for Trixie if her feelings for Trixie kept getting in the way? The Manehattan library was sure to have quite a lot of scientific literature on the topic of love—Twilight knew for a fact that Rarity owned a large amount of books on that very same subject; in fact, the white unicorn would probably make for a very useful case study and assistant in this investigation. The stylish mare was sure to have compiled an abundance of information on love already; plus, as the most vocal opponent to Twilight's search for the once-missing magician, Rarity would provide much needed counter-arguments against any pro-love bias that Applejack may have subconsciously planted on Twilight. Taking a subtle glance to her right, Twilight was surprised to find that her Test Subject was actually grinning quite happily for some reason. Something had obviously put the showmare in a great mood; it was the most uncanny thing—Twilight hadn't seen such pure mirth on Trixie’s face before; whenever the blue pony smiled, her eyes always held an edge of defiance, a confrontational glint that reflected her belief in every other pony’s amusing inferiority. Trixie looked almost like an entirely different pony, smiling like that. Twilight definitely liked that look but in the back of her head, a small voice echoed its complaints across her mind, and quite loudly. Twilight reddened—did part of her actually prefer the azure unicorn's brazen, boastful attitude? It was painfully obvious now that Trixie's magical influence on the lavender unicorn went much deeper than initially thought—sudden, shooting pain snaked its way across Twilight's face as her world became a mass of blue with blots of throbbing lights whirling around the periphery of her field of vision. As the pain subsided, she became aware of a dull ringing in her ears, and an unsettling sensation of being held in place by some unknown force that seemed to be clutching her horn. 'What's going on?!' Twilight Sparkle's mind went into panic mode as she began fidgeting against the metal abomination that had taken hold of her so violently. What a frighteningly tenacious grip! The lavender unicorn gritted her teeth as she funneled and gathered as much magic as she could into her horn—When time is of the essence, a massive application of force will always yield results—those had been Princess Celestia's wise words. Twilight blinked in surprise as the sound of musical giggling and assonant snorting filled her ears. A quick look to her right revealed the source: The Great and Powerful Trixie sat on the sidewalk, forelegs covering her face as she tried to no avail to stifle her laughter. “H-hey!” Trixie quickly clammed up and stood up straight, eyes shut tight and biting her lip as she shuddered with restrained laughter that escaped her body through her nose, judging by the loud sniffling she was unable to hide. Opening one teary eye, she peeked at the little siege pony still stuck in the innocent metal box. “Perhaps it would be easier to go around the mailbox?” she grinned brightly. Twilight turned beet-red as it dawned on her exactly what had happened. Dispelling her magic buildup lest she be arrested for destroying government property, the bookish mare instead used telekinesis to free herself from the post box before hanging her head in shame—shame that only escalated as she realized that a few ponies around the sidewalk and in a couple of carriages on the street were also openly laughing at her. 'Well, this day is turning out to be just as great as yesterday...' “W-what the moon—” “Oh sweet Celestia why?!” Twilight was startled into raising her head as soon as she heard the crackling thunderclap that silenced all the laughter—she was met with the sight of one of the carriage drivers and her passengers fleeing from the vehicle, and specifically, fleeing from the storm cloud that just happened to materialize within its cabin. The incredulous mare quickly turned around to see The Great and Powerful Trixie's horn flickering off, a stern expression on her face as she glared at anypony within line of sight. The unicorn mares were quickly left alone on the sidewalk as every pony on their side crossed the street so as not to go near The Great and Powerful Trixie. Raising an eyebrow at the strange look Twilight was giving her, the magician could only blush. “What?” she asked, a bit more tersely than she'd intended. Twilight flinched slightly, but still had her eyes locked on the showmare's own. “Why did—” The azure mare stared straight back at her companion, but remembering Applejack's earlier words caused Trixie to tear her eyes away from Twilight's questioning gaze. “Laughing at Trixie's acquaintance is the same thing as laughing at Trixie herself!” she huffed, facing away from the lavender pony. Twilight raised an eyebrow and shook her head as the fallacy physically struck her. “Wha... Trixie, you were laughing at me too!” she complained, getting up from her haunches and stepping close to the showmare, craning her neck as she tried to meet Trixie's eyes again. Trixie, for her part, avoided Twilight by turning her body away from the streak-maned pony. “Trixie was not,” she lied, taking a step back and away from the librarian. Twilight quickly circled the other unicorn, still trying to face her. “Trixie!” she called, as the showmare quickly spun away from her again. The lavender pony just barely managed to catch the taunting smirk on the magician's face before she turned away. “Trixie, stop that!” Twilight couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as she began running around the showmare, who kept turning around to avoid her stare. Twilight Sparkle had the distinct feeling that they both looked like idiots, spinning around as they were. - - - “They look like idiots.” Rafale deadpanned, peeking at the pair of unicorns from behind a newspaper as she sat on a bus stop bench across the street from them. “Well Ah dunno,” chuckled the farmer seated next to the white pegasus, also hidden by a newspaper, “Ah mean yeah, they do, but it's kinda cute—ain't that right, Pinkie Pie?” she asked as she leaned on the large and very conspicuous bale of hay next to her; said bale seemed to be wearing fake glasses and mustache. Next to the bale and in plain sight sat Pinkie Pie, looking as merry as ever. “Is it ever! I already sent my designs to the print shop! We should do a double ultra 'You Finally Hooked Up' party for them and for you and Dashie when we go back home!” “That would be lovely, actually... That is, if you don't mind, um, Applejack...” said the bale of hay demurely. Applejack tinged slightly. “Ya'll don't have to make such a big fuss on account of us, fellas.” The party pony quickly peeked around the bale to smile at the other earth pony. “Oh it's not any trouble at all, Jackie! Besides, I already sent the invitations!” “Jackie?” “Dashie and Jackie! Besides, everypony in town's been waiting on you guys since like, forever!” she flailed, rolling her eyes. Applejack half-smirked. “That obvious, huh?” She asked, already knowing the answer; it's pretty difficult to hide anything when you're Honesty incarnate. “We um, we had a betting pool.” replied the bale, shifting slightly. Before Applejack could respond to that, a sharp cracking sound startled both the bale and the farmer. Rafale sighed as she turned a page on her newspaper. “...Aaaaand she used one of her smokebombs. I hate those things.” The three Ponyville denizens turned their gaze across the street, where they spotted Trixie running away from a slightly blackened and completely surprised Twilight, a dissipating plume of smoke before her. “Come back here, you witch!” she shouted in false anger, giving chase after the cackling blue pony. “Ok, so that's one new carriage, five Non-Disclosure Agreements, and whatever the fine is for defacing government property,” listed Rafale, seemingly talking to herself. Applejack folded her newspaper and placed it on top of the bale of hay. “Say what?” she asked, turning to face the uniformed pegasus. Behind Rafale, another pegasus mare nodded and flew off with a checkbook in mouth. “Who was that?” “That was Mirage, one of my coworkers. She's gonna take care of...” Rafale waved her hoof in the general direction of where the unicorn spectacle had occurred, “...this mess while I keep an eye on Trixie.” “Oh.” Applejack got up from the bench. “Ah was wonderin' why you were followin' us followin' Twilight.” Rafale got up from the bench as well and fixed a bemused stare at Applejack. “What...? But you guys're the ones following me! I'm her private security, I'm supposed to be following Trixie!” The bale of hay sprouted yellow wings and gently left the bench as well, hovering next to the orange earth pony. “Oh that's so nice of you to worry over Trixie like that, um... uh....” The white pegasus bristled slightly at the accusation. “Rafale Mistral, and it's kind of my job to...” her words died down as she stared at the winged bundle. “...why are you wearing hay?” Pinkie Pie hopped excitedly from the bench and over to Rafale's side, throwing a friendly hoof over her withers. “Isn't it pure genius? See, I thought, 'Duh, everypony's already seen me in this disguise, so if I don't wear it now, they'll never recognize me since they're totally gonna be expecting me to be disguised like that and then I won't be!” “Uh... What?” Applejack grinned at the confused security pony. “Can't argue with that logic!” - - - The Giggling and Powerful Trixie galloped down the sidewalk at full tilt, deftly avoiding all the not-having-fun ponies walking in her way. She had no idea what had gotten into her—a small voice in the back of her head was actually scolding her for acting like an immature little foal, but for some reason, the showmare just couldn't bring herself to care, especially when Twilight Sparkle was acting every bit as foalish as her! “Gotcha!” shouted the lavender pony as she materialized right in front of the speeding Trixie. A couple of things occurred to Twilight Sparkle as the surprisingly sturdy magician mowed her down: first, does Trixie work out? She hits like a tank; second, perhaps she should have given the showmare a bit more distance to stop. A bit more than none. - - - “Besides, I believed you would be somewhat,” Miss Spelling reddened a bit as she sipped on her chocolate milkshake, “...well, pleased with my eventual dismissal from the studio, seeing as our—you're not even listening to me, are you?” she asked, noticing that the smirking pegasus had her attention focused on something happening over the orange pony's shoulder. “You just missed like the greatest thing ever, and you are not going to get yourself fired because that's stupid.” Holly Diver took one of the pieces of dark chocolate from Miss Spelling's plate. The unicorn adjusted her glasses. “And what, exactly, did I miss? You know very well that the studio's been trying to get rid of me from day one.” Holly Diver reached for another piece of chocolate, but the unicorn batted her hoof away. “So what, you're just gonna let them win? That's not like you at all, Missy. Oh, and you just missed Twilight Sparkle getting absolutely destroyed by Ms. Trixie.” she smiled, reaching for Miss Spelling's plate again. A pulsating, octagonal barrier materialized in front of the chocolate. “I bought those for you!” “Yes, you did. You bought them for me, which is why I couldn't possibly let you eat them.” she explained, taking another piece for herself. “Unlike you, I take no pleasure in antagonizing my superiors. And I hope you are not being too literal with the word 'destroyed'.” Holly Diver shrugged. “I think I've got a pretty good handle on what you take pleasure from by now—oh, here she comes, here she comes!” flailed the pegasus eagerly, pointing towards the entrance to Spurbucks. “Right, because I am going to turn around so you can steal all of my chocolate.” A pleasant chime from the bell placed on top of the doorframe heralded The Great and Powerful Trixie's arrival to everypony present. “You! Servant!” she declared, quickly stepping up to the counter and cutting in line. “Trixie demands a paper towel and a cup of ice!” The pale brown colt behind the counter eyed the azure mare with the weary, dead eyes of an Equestrian Classical Studies graduate turned barista. “Gjere, Goljam, Bolsoj, or Llarg?” Trixie eyed the the barista incredulously, momentarily confused. “T-Trixie does not speak Proletarian! Where is your manager?!” “Those are the sizes of our artisanal beverages, Miss.” explained the colt tiredly, waving his hoof over four near-identical display cups to his left. The showmare stared dumbly between the cups and the colt with the meticulously unkempt-looking mane—it must have taken him hours to it get to look like that. “Just... Just give Trixie the first one...” “One Gjere Minnetrotka Chilled Ice, that'll be fifteen bits. Would you care to join our Mochaholics Rewards Prog—” “Are you charging Trixie for ice?!” The scandalized pony was quickly finding everything about this colt highly offensive—especially the ascot he was wearing along with his uniform. The colt gave a short, exasperated sigh as he theatrically rolled his eyes. “Miss, all of Spurbucks's chilled beverages, including Chilled Ice Cubes, are mixed exclusively with ice made from the pure waters of—” “Oi! Perfect Mane Forever!” Both the barista and the magician (and a number of the more stylish patrons) turned to the source of the voice: a gray pegasus mare in one of the booths towards the back of the shop. “We got her tab, just give the lady what she wants, my good colt!” - - - Twilight held the improvised bag of ice over her left eye with magic as she trotted alongside Trixie down the street—she figured that being trampled had not been an entirely bad experience; Trixie had brought her a big slice of chocolate cake as an apology, even though the haughty unicorn had come up with a very flimsy lie about how they were giving out free samples and her not being hungry. Twilight was feeling quite a bit chipper, despite the bruised ribs—she had begun to suspect that Trixie had chased away the laughing ponies earlier because she didn't want them laughing at the slightly absentminded mare. The thought that Trixie might actually care just a little bit was making her feel as light as a pegasus. “...How do you do it?” “Huh?” the librarian stopped her trot, eyeing the magician curiously. Trixie stopped as well. “Show Trixie how you teleport.” “Huh?” The showmare blushed; she hated asking for help. “It can't possibly be that hard to learn if the pink earth pony can do it.” “Huuuuh?!” End Chapter 13

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2011-10-17T07:06:55+00:00

2011-10-17T07:06:55+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 14: Panic at the Bibliothèque It was a fairly innocent request; at least, that's what The Great and Powerful Trixie had thought over half an hour ago when she had first made it: Twilight knew a spell that allowed her to teleport, and Trixie wanted to learn it. Rather straightforward, all things considered. Of course, the magician had apparently committed a mortal sin against the Sun by so carelessly implying that Pinkie Pie could teleport as Twilight Sparkle was wont to do. To say Twilight took issue with that implication was a colossal understatement. The lavender mare seemed to be emotionally and physically offended by Trixie's statement, going so far as to insinuate that the showmare had verbally transgressed against the entirety of unicorn life—past, present and future. Now, Pinkie's shenanigans were certainly trying on the azure unicorn's belief in the laws of nature and causality, but her complaints were relatively minor—by orders of magnitude, in fact—compared to Twilight's ire. Instead of demonstrating the spell, the streak-maned pony had veered straight into the mother of all tirades, much to Trixie's initial chagrin. The showmare had attempted to distract Twilight with a meandering tour of downtown Manehattan and its famous locales, but the lavender pony was locked in frustration-venting mode and her eloquent indignation would not be easily derailed... That is, until her growling stomach made its own, separate indignation apparent. Raising an eyebrow at the sheepish bookworm but feeling quite hungry herself, Trixie pointed a hoof towards an oat-dog vendor on a nearby street corner; the line was somewhat long, but seemed to be moving quickly. Feeling uncommonly benign, Trixie chose not to mention the slice of chocolate cake Twilight had already consumed from Spurbucks, or the fact that they were hungry because the studious mare had detonated their original breakfast earlier that day in a dazzling display of petulance. The magician had to marvel at the immediate reversal in Twilight's mood as soon as she bit into that first oat-dog—clearly, there was some real merit to the suggestion of keeping her fed throughout the day. Trixie hadn't even finished paying when she spotted the other unicorn making the line again, happily licking her lips; she hadn't figured Twilight for the kind of pony to enjoy greasy street-food—somehow, she couldn't quite picture carnival food being served in the majestic halls of Canterlot Castle. Nonetheless, Trixie found herself happy to be able to indulge without feeling self-conscious; she had developed a rather healthy appetite from her years of exhaustive traveling and constant use of magic, yet Twilight matched her dog for dog like an Ursa Minor preparing for hibernation. After having had their fill and turning down the oat-dog vendor's offer of sponsorship in the next Poney Island Eating Contest, the sated unicorn pair continued their trot down the busy sidewalk in content silence. That is, until Twilight shifted her gaze upward, muzzle scrunching up slightly as she searched for a seemingly stray thought. “What were we talking about, again?” It was only after the words had left her mouth that The Great and Powerful Trixie realized her terrible mistake—disarmed by her post-breakfast bliss, the magician had given Twilight an honest answer, reminding her exactly where to start off her rant once more. Rolling her eyes, Trixie led the other unicorn down a few more streets as she listened to a seemingly endless list of reasons why Pinkie Pie's magic was not magic. Their walk ended at the bottom of an alabaster staircase at least half a city block wide and an inordinate number of steps high; after climbing halfway up said steps, Trixie sat down and watched Twilight do the same, all the while still deeply committed to her magical lecture. They rested there for at least another half hour, and The Great and Powerful Trixie smirked to herself as she watched the vexed pony; very soon after Twilight had restarted her rant, the magician had begun to playfully interrupt it every few minutes with illogical counter-points. Twilight, apparently extremely easy to bait, seemed completely oblivious to Trixie's teasing tone—the librarian took each and every fallacious argument in total seriousness, much to her own mounting exasperation. Now, in the back of her mind, Trixie knew that fueling Twilight Sparkle's aggravation was perhaps counterproductive to a hypothetical future reciprocation of her as-of-now unrequited love. Why do it, then? Aside from getting back at the other unicorn for talking her ears off (especially the constant Celestia name-dropping), the expressions and spirited gesticulation Twilight displayed during her infinite nerd rage were undeniably adorable and utterly amusing—this was truly a pony that wore her heart on her saddle! Trixie could certainly see what drove school-age ponies to mercilessly pick on their crushes: it was very, very entertaining. The magician couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped her throat as she recalled the picture of filly Twilight that she had seen during her stay at the Canterlot— “What's so funny?” Busted. 'Took her a while.' The Great and Powerful Trixie trained her aloof, half-smirking face at the mare sitting two steps down, but said half-smirk quickly fell away as she met Twilight's gaze; the look being cast her way brought pause to her comeback. “Er...” she replied smartly, not entirely sure what to make of the utter disappointment in those purple eyes glaring back at her. Twilight turned away from the azure mare, her face still glowering but not focusing on anything in particular. “Of course you weren't really listening.” she spat disdainfully before catching herself and blinking; she appeared genuinely surprised at her own words. “Ah,” she began, turning her attention back to Trixie and looking honestly apologetic, “I didn't mean that, I just...” Her eyes nervously flickered left and right as she searched for a way to excuse her caustic tone of voice. Trixie raised an eyebrow as the chip on Twilight's shoulder made itself blatantly conspicuous—enlightenment sparked across the showmare's mind as her thoughts flashed back to the previous day, and specifically, to Pinkie Pie's antics. Ridiculously impossible? Absolutely. Did Fluttershy mind? She was all smiles. Did Applejack mind? Too trifling for her to fuss about. Did The Pegasus mind? She at least had the common decency to look somewhat weary, but that went out the window as soon as Pinkie offered her something sweet to eat or drink. “Heh.” Trixie smirked at Twilight Sparkle, whose gaze snapped back to the entertainer's own violet eyes. The fact that all of her new friends barely acknowledged Pinkie Pie's utter disregard for the laws and limitations of time and space was quite a bit more jarring to Trixie than the very acts themselves—and Twilight, ever the fastidious scholar, was probably much worse off. Trixie turned her face with a condescending huff, peering at Twilight out of the corner of her vision. “It seems all you ever do is make erroneous accusations against Trixie's character, Twilight Sparkle.” She smiled as Twilight's shamefaced countenance quickly contorted into indignation and anger. 'Nopony around you is interested in finding out how she does what she does.' Trixie loosed another chuckle. “You must enjoy being proven wrong.” she added in a patronizing tone as she stood up, keeping her gaze trained on the lavender pony. Trixie recalled one of The Pegasus's nicknames for the bookworm: The One Nerd to Bore Them All. Twilight was deeply cared for by her friends, that much was evident, but she was still the nerd in the group—forget the Pinkie Pie matter: it was very likely that Twilight didn't have anypony she could geek out to about any subject matter. 'That's what she gets for moving to such a backwoods little town!' The blue unicorn very loudly shushed Twilight as soon as she opened her muzzle to voice her thoughts on the magician's attitude; Trixie smiled wide as the other mare's bruised eye twitched with barely contained fury. Very, very entertaining indeed! “Ah-HEM.” Trixie made a show of clearing her throat as she looked pointedly at Twilight; she loved this part of the act, the moment right before show time—when she could feel the apprehension in the crowd; their disinterest, their disdain. A street performer? Probably some glorified panhandler plucking coins from behind the ears of ponies with real jobs. Look at you, a unicorn doing magic; so very novel. How could you possibly impress us? “'Pinkie Pie, or Pinkieus Piecus, is a female Equestrian Thoroughbred Earth Pony, six hands tall, twenty Summers old and the Element of Laughter,'” recited Trixie, 'Whatever that means.' Twilight Sparkle's jaw hit the floor as an uncanny imitation of her own voice flowed smoothly out of The Great and Powerful Trixie's mouth, her rant being quoted word for word. It would have been perfect if not for the slightly condescending inflection imparted upon it; apparently, Trixie couldn't turn that off voluntarily. Trixie paced up and down the steps, walking in slow circles around Twilight. “'As everypony knows, the magical domain of Earth Ponies is the manipulation, manufacture, and repurposing of the land and its gifts. Their magic, thought to be the most ancient of the Pony Arts after the magic of our very own Goddesses of the Sun and Moon, is at the same time the most subtle and most direct expression of Magic known to Ponykind.'” Twilight blushed brightly once she realized that Trixie was expressively imitating her mannerisms as well. 'Do I really... flail like that?' “'To quote Princess Celestia et al,'” continued Trixie with a dreamy sigh, “'Earth Pony Magic is fueled by the land, the energy drawn through their hooves like the roots of a tree; every single step molds and shapes our world. Pegasus Pony Magic radiates from their wings; every single beat from every single pegasus molds and shapes our atmosphere. Unicorn Pony Magic comes from within; every single unicorn heart molds and shapes our innermost thoughts and wishes—'” The librarian was beside herself, almost literally, in fact. She hadn't seen Trixie cast any sort of memory spell or voice alteration spell, so it must—heywaitaminute! “I don't, don't swoon like that!” Twilight interjected, quickly rising to her hooves and blushing further. The interruption momentarily surprised The Great and Powerful Trixie—she was getting into her groove and would have recited the entire thing since it was still fresh in her mind. Shaking it off, she managed to offer Twilight an incredulous look. “Oh, is that a fact? Perhaps that is just your way of pronouncing The Princess's name then, all seventeen times you quoted her in the past hour.” Trixie did not want to think about what that implied of Twilight and her now-apparent affinity for beautiful, white-coated unicorns. “I didn't...!” Twilight blinked. 'She counted? Did I really?' Twilight's mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she searched for an explanation. “W-well, how could I not? Princess Celestia is an amazing polymath, after all!” she replied as she flailed slightly, not entirely sure why she felt like Trixie was accusing her of some sort of wrongdoing. Trixie gasped in a way that would make Pinkie Pie proud, looking positively scandalized by Twilight's shockingly frank revelation. “The filth! The utter perversion! Trixie should have known that such a power-hungry charlatan would live in absolute decadence of the flesh!” The magician was utterly mortified at the detailed mental pictures, or rather, by her mind's ability to come up with (and readily approve) them; certainly this was cause for concern, considering she always kept her acts free of ribaldry. “P-please tell Trixie you did not partake in that cabal of sin, Twilight Sparkle!” Twilight took a step back, caught off-guard by Trixie's words. “D-decadence of the...? What?!” Well, she was definitely getting accused of something, alright. “Trixie, I don't quite understand what you're gettin—Why are you looking at me like that?” - - - “Huh. Ah never woulda fig'erd Twilight being into that sorta thing... An' jus’ when you think you know a pony.” the farmer scratched her head, an eyebrow hitched as she observed the unicorn pair from her not-that-much-of-a-hiding-spot at the bottom corner of the expansive steps. Rafale, Miss Spelling, Holly Diver, the bale of hay, and a crimson Fluttershy all turned to look at Applejack with varying degrees of incredulity. Pinkie Pie, wearing red-cyan glasses, happily munched on some popcorn and appeared completely focused on the scene developing between Twilight and Trixie. Ignoring Holly Diver's apple-eating smirk, Miss Spelling sighed as she cleaned her glasses with a napkin from Spurbucks. “It means that she dominates numerous subjects,” she deadpanned, replacing her glasses. Applejack whistled, her sensibilities a bit overwhelmed with the added information. “Well shoot, Ah could figure out that much, Sug, but what's goin' on behind closed doors between a Princess an’ her subjects ain't no concern of mine; least, that's what Ah reckon.” “No, what I...” a flustered Miss Spelling had to hold on to her reply for a couple of minutes while Holly Diver rolled around on the sidewalk in uncontrollable laughter. Halfway through, Pinkie Pie had joined the dark pegasus on the ground, each mare apparently laughing at the fact that the other was laughing. Miss Spelling could see that Fluttershy seemed conflicted between being embarrassed and holding back her own mirth; Applejack, on the other hoof, seemed utterly confused as to what was so funny. Rafale, meanwhile, just stared back at the bespectacled unicorn with a weary sigh. As their laughter finally died down, Miss Spelling cleared her throat and gave Holly Diver a quick glare before turning to address the farmer. “You misunderstand. What I meant to say is that she is well-read on various sciences and arts.” “Oh.” A beat. “So, she ain't horsin' around with a whole buncha—” “No.” Miss Spelling replied curtly. Sensing Holly Diver's grin boring into the back of her skull, the red-maned pony turned around. “Yes, Holly? Do you have something that you want to say?” Holly Diver could feel her paycheck becoming smaller by the minute. “Nothing much... Just that I love it when you talk dirty.” she replied, very literally going for broke. - - - The Great and Powerful Trixie was enveloped in a full-body blush as she looked down at Twilight Sparkle, who was on her belly, banging her hoof against a step as she nearly asphyxiated in the throes of a laughter-induced asthma attack. “It was a simple mistake.” she explained, poking the lavender pony's side. For a second, the bookworm stopped laughing and looked up at the red-tinged performer. With a loud raspberry, she carried on with her guffawing, making Trixie's eye twitch. “It is not in your best interest to mock Trixie, Twilight Sparkle, lest you seek retribution.” Seeing her warning and accompanying glower summarily ignored, Trixie decided to get Twilight where it would hurt the most. “Hmm, it seems all this insolence has made Trixie forget the location of the library...” she commented offhandedly, flicking her hair. Twilight's chortling swiftly died down. “Hwah? Library?” she asked, tilting her head to one side. The Great and Powerful Trixie raised her eyebrows at the bemused mare, staring at her with half-lidded eyes. “You are kidding, right? Were you not shamelessly begging Trixie to take time out from her very occupied schedule to bring you to a library this morning? Trixie remembers your impertinence quite vividly.” The streak-maned pony tilted her head to the other side. “What are you talking about? ...Oh! OH!” Twilight's eyes widened in realization—she had completely forgotten the reason she was out with the magician in the first place! “Yes! The library! Let's go!” she exclaimed giddily, hopping in place. “Oh, so now are you done openly mocking Trixie? How convenient for you. Trixie is a busy pony, Twilight Sparkle, she doesn't know if there will be time now to walk to the library.” she cautioned, turning up her nose at Twilight. The bookworm's ears and mane dropped. “Oh, I see...” Trixie blinked at the abject dejection on Twilight's face—she had intended to draw out the teasing, but of course, all this love nonsense had made Trixie soft. Damn those bright purple eyes! “Trixie is feeling magnanimous, Twilight Sparkle; she will be the better pony and ignore your transgressions,” she smiled imperiously, “For now, anyways.” raising an eyebrow at the other unicorn. Twilight Sparkle's face quickly brightened, her eyes sparkling. “So, we'll go?” she asked, voice full of hope; it looked like she was physically restraining herself from hopping with joy. “No.” Trixie couldn't help but chuckle as Twilight's face fell once more. She would do this all day if she could. “We are already here, you see.” “What.” Twilight asked flatly, giving the azure mare a look that asked, Do you really think I'm that gullible? The Great and Powerful Trixie merely returned the look, Yes, you are, before raising a hoof and pointing to her left. Against her better judgment, Twilight panned her gaze up the remaining steps and focused on the massive edifice at the top; apparently, she had been sitting in front of the thing for the past half hour. Clearly, Trixie's proximity had once again dimmed Twilight's situational awareness, but the studious mare could hardly bring herself to care at the moment—what with a massive library in front of her. Happily galloping past Trixie and up the rest of the stairs, the bookish mare stared in amazement at the sight before her eyes, her smile widening as she took in the wonder of it all. The entire building was constructed out of granite, and was a wonderful recreation of Ancient Griff and Pegan architecture—a pseudoperipteral structure welcomed those seeking knowledge, its imposing white columns supporting an entablature with the words 'MANEHATTAN PVBLIC LIBRARY' in the angular font typical of the Griff alphabet. Above it all, the pediment's tympanum had intricate carvings of pegasi and griffons holding various instruments of study, their heads all turned towards the center of the triangular space, their gazes locked to a carving of the sun and the moon, the latter superimposed over the former. Past the majestic porch, Twilight could see that the building proper was a large domed-roofed structure; she realized it must be incredibly spacious inside—spacious enough to house thousands of books! Hundreds of thousands! As her heartbeat quickened and her chest tightened in excitement, Twilight briefly wondered if this is how Pinkie Pie felt all the time. Trixie had to do a double-take at the idiotic look plastered on the lavender unicorn's face; was she drooling? Never mind that Twilight could apparently make mental deficiency look so adorable, The Great and Powerful Trixie was more worried about the good-natured jokes her new friends had made about Twilight's love of books—she had assumed that they were just having a little fun at the dark-maned pony's expense, but the look on her face was almost lustful. Trixie blinked, her eyes turning to small dots as she managed to pinpoint that strange feeling suddenly brewing in the pit of her stomach. 'Impossible! Ridiculous! Simply beneath Trixie!' There was no way she could be feeling jealous of a building, of all things! How could she even compete with that, anyways? “Ohmygosh ohmygosh c'mon c'mon!” Twilight called from the door, waving her forelegs excitedly; when Trixie didn't immediately start moving, the lavender pony used her magic to telekinetically bring the other unicorn to the entrance of the library. The Slightly Miffed and Jealous Trixie allowed herself to be floated into the building, expecting to be set back on the floor once inside. That's what she anticipated, but as she was guided directly towards Twilight's open forelegs and into a crushing hug Trixie realized that she should really stop assuming normal behavior from this specific pony by now. “Thank you thank you THANK YOU!” squealed the bibliophile, hopping in place with the blue unicorn still in her grasp. A security pony swiftly separated them and admonished Twilight for tearing through the library's quietude with her loud outburst and shrieking; meanwhile, a blushing Trixie couldn't help but look up towards the distinctive domed roof of the building and smirk boastfully—Trixie 1, Library, 0. Catching up to the lavender pony, she could see that the small run-in with the rent-a-cop had done little to dampen her spirits. The sight actually made Trixie smile a bit—Twilight was almost glowing with happiness. Twilight skipped lightly towards the large, circular desk in the middle of the library, placed squarely beneath the skylight of the high dome that made up the roof. A small number of ponies sat within, occupied with busy work and with the tending of visitors. As she neared the desk, Twilight slowed her gait to appreciate the spacious public venue and its rows upon rows of very tall shelves that filled its cavernous hall; she could see all kinds of ponies going through the massive collection of books. Especially conspicuous were the pegasi fluttering about, since they could effortlessly reach the reading material without the use of ladders or magic. Twilight briefly wondered if Ancient Pegans had become such an incredibly intellectual and scientifically thriving race specifically because they could reach any and all books when other pony races could not—the thought actually made her giggle a bit. 'And to think that Rainbow Dash of all ponies is descended from history's greatest minds!' For many months now, Twilight had entertained a particular fantasy involving her chromatic friend: the day she would get to fill out the form required to grant Rainbow Dash a library card. 'A girl can dream...' “Good morning Miss, and welcome! May I ask what brings you to the Manehattan Public Library today?” Twilight was snapped away from her deviant thoughts by a cheery, deep purple pegasus that greeted her from behind the desk with a smile. Twilight returned the warm smile, closing her eyes happily. “Yes, yes you may! I am looking for some books in the scientific field of looooooooooouuuhhh—” Twilight drawled in panic as she immediately realized the critically grievous mistake she was in the process of making: Trixie was right there with her! How in Equestria was she going to read up on love with the Test Subject present? “...Loooong... distance... teleportation.” she added evenly, her slightly swollen eye twitching a bit as she tried to will away her blush. At least it hadn't been a complete lie; she would need some reference to better introduce Trixie to the teleportation spell. Both the pegasus and Trixie gave Twilight slightly confused and thoroughly unconvinced stares, even more so when the lavender pony tried to grin away the awkward silence that cut through the library's normal silence. A minute later, the silence was thankfully broken by the library worker, who quickly switched back to customer service mode. “Teleportation...?” The pegasus brought a hoof to her chin. “Well, they don't concentrate on teleportation specifically, but I can certainly show you a few hard science-fiction series that rely heavily on teleportation and faster-than-light travel.” Twilight's face contorted into a half-grimace at the mention of the word 'fiction'. “...Or perhaps you were looking for speculative science material? We have some tapes in the audio-visual department in which well-known scientists are asked to give their opinion on things like teleportation, cryptids, and Extra-Equestrial life.” The pegasus watched as the lavender mare visibly paled at the suggestion, her mane sagging slightly. “Er, there's this series of comic books that—” The library worker stopped herself as Twilight's countenance became jaundiced. 'Was it something I said?' Twilight Sparkle shook off her momentary intellectual discomfort when she noticed the slightly distressed look on the librarian's face; the poor pegasus must really have no idea what to offer her. 'I suppose nopony's ever seriously researched teleportation...' In all her years spent cooped up in libraries, she had never come across any scientific documentation on the subject—much less any account of anypony but the Princess actually performing the feat. “Um, you know what? I think I'll just browse around for a bit. Thanks anyways!” she explained, grinning sheepishly. “Well alright, come find me if you need anything else; I'll be glad to give you any help I can.” replied the pegasus, fluttering away towards another pony that had just come up to the desk. With a small sigh, Twilight turned to face Trixie, finding the magician with an insufferable smirk plastered across her face. “...What?” she asked, glowering slightly. Trixie's smirk widened. “Twilight Sparkle, have you ever played poker?” As a matter of fact, she had. “As a matter of fact, I have. Why do you ask?” “You've never won a round of poker in your life, have you?” The sheer satisfaction in Trixie's voice was palpable. Twilight's left eye twitched. “As a matter of fact...!” As a matter of fact, Trixie was entirely right. “...!” she replied smartly, her mane becoming slightly frazzled in her indignation. “...How did you know?” She was genuinely curious, not to mention genuinely peeved. Trixie let out a short giggle-chuckle, managing to sound cute and condescending at the same time. “It's magic, Twilight Sparkle; Trixie does not owe you an explanation!” “What?!” Twilight shrank a bit as everypony nearby shushed her loudly; Manehattanites took their quiet time seriously. Trixie merely grinned at the embarrassed pony. “You, however, do owe Trixie an explanation,” she mentioned, casually motioning for the other unicorn to follow her down the main hall of the library. Of course, Twilight knew what Trixie was getting at, but without reference books, how could she teach the azure mare? The spell itself was second-nature to Twilight, and it dawned on her that she had no idea of how to even begin explaining something that she performed almost subconsciously. 'Now that I think about it, nopony's ever asked me about this before!' Did everypony just assume it was her special talent? Was it her special talent? The other two ponies with the ability to teleport were the Sun and Moon incarnate; that made her technically the only normal pony that could cast the spell. Blinking, Twilight cast a quick, unnoticed glare at Trixie, who was trotting a few paces ahead of her. 'And Pinkie Pie does not count as a normal pony!' Then again, wasn't magic itself her special talent? Perhaps her prodigious stores of raw magic allowed her to teleport. Princess Celestia herself had told Twilight that she'd never seen a pony with such potential; it could be that the energy needed was just too much for any other unicorn to muster in one go. 'Any way I look at it, I probably won't be able to teach Trixie the spell...' She felt a small knot in her throat—part of her had been looking forward to having a student of her own, no matter how briefly. Then again, she had more important things to tend to: how was she going to make time for love research with Trixie at her side? The pair of unicorns continued their walk in silence for a few moments longer before stepping up to a row of glass doors at the back of the library. The Great and Powerful Trixie actually held the door open for Twilight and ushered her out with a small bow; Twilight was pleasantly surprised at the gesture, and not so surprised at the fact that even during an act of genuine courtesy, the magician managed to seep arrogance. Could swagger be a special talent? “Oh wow!” Twilight's eyes widened as she stepped out to a lush, well-maintained yard that was flanked by the building's wings on either side. It looked almost like a miniature version of the park back at Ponyville, down to the ornate, centrally-located fountain; the verdant garden contrasted starkly with the city skyline encircling the entire place. Looking around, she could see ponies of all kinds lounging about the breezy area, lost in their books. Twilight blinked; how did Trixie know about this place? 'Clearly, she's been here before.' Could it be? Could Trixie be... a scholar? 'Is that the reason why she wants to learn about teleportation?' A surge of tingling giddiness shot through Twilight's spine at the thought of an eager, young, open mind asking her for instruction... And to think she was about to give up and tell Trixie it couldn't be done! “Well, Twilight Sparkle? Trixie is wait—” “And you shan't wait any longer, my faithful student!” Twilight exclaimed in utter jubilation, swiftly turning around to face her Test Subject. 'Faithful student?!' Trixie blinked. Shan't? “Did Twilight just make up that word?” “Trixie, I don't know if you'll be able to learn this spell, but I'm definitely going to try to teach you!” Trixie glared at the other unicorn. “And just what is that supposed to mean?” “I don't mean to discourage you Trixie, but the first step to learning any new spell is to study all the facts beforehand, and in this case the fact is that this spell is entirely undocumented. There has never been any mention of it in any book or scientific journal I've ever read—as far as anypony knows, pony teleportation does not exist. It's probably impossible to—” The Great and Powerful Trixie's scowl quickly turned into a smirk. “No other unicorn knows how to teleport?” she asked, her violet eyes shining. Impossible? That sounded like a challenge. The lavender unicorn was slightly taken aback by Trixie's quick turnaround. “Uh, well, not that I know of...” Trixie huffed disdainfully, tilting her head and grinning at a confused Twilight Sparkle. “So the white unicorn can't teleport either, is that correct?” “White unicorn?” The librarian blinked. “Rarity? You mean Rarity?” she asked, receiving a curt nod from the azure pony. “She, she can't, I mean, I think the only reason I can is—” “Then Trixie will learn to teleport.” she declared matter-of-factly as she took a few sure steps forward. Twilight blushed at the wide, self-assured smile on the other unicorn's face; her eyes appeared to burn with unfettered defiance. Go on, tell Trixie she can't, they seemed to say. Twilight could feel herself getting redder and redder as the showmare stared her down; Trixie had unabashedly invaded her personal space in an aggressive show of confidence, and it was working. The bookworm was momentarily paralyzed by what she hoped was Trixie's sheer arrogance, though she suspected it might actually be Trixie's proximity. And her imposing presence. And her beautiful eyes. And her toned, curvaceous “OK THEN!” Twilight Sparkle quickly teleported herself to the base of a tree a short distance away, startling a couple of ponies that were resting under its shade. The Great and Powerful Trixie shook her head and blinked as she watched the flabbergasted ponies run away from the other unicorn. '...What just happened...?' Had she just made Twilight blush—without even trying? 'Trixie does not give herself enough credit!' she smiled to herself; what an auspicious surprise! Trixie quickly began to wonder if she could make it happen again. The azure pony hitched an eyebrow; why did the other mare blush in the first place, though? Trixie hadn't done anything out of the ordinary; perhaps Twilight was taken in by the magician's stunning countenance? Trixie's shining beauty was second only to her vast talent—it would only be natural for Twilight to be affected by its closeness. Of course, that didn't necessarily mean that the dark-maned pony had suddenly fallen in love with Equestria's most amazing unicorn—after all, it was a common enough occurrence for the showmare to have smitten ponies knocking at her dressing room door after every show; a blushing pony was nothing particularly new. 'But, it's a start.' If Twilight Sparkle managed to notice her obvious, truly spectacular good looks, then it was just a matter of time before the lavender unicorn fell for Trixie's winning personality and overflowing talent! Could she do it? Could she make Twilight Sparkle fall in love with her? Trixie rolled her eyes. 'Such an unnecessary question; Trixie can do anything!' With that reassuring thought, the performer started calmly trotting up to the tree, looking upon the slightly frazzled unicorn waiting for her. 'Time to turn this not-date into a date!' There was just one small problem, she realized—though many ponies had tried hopelessly to romance The Great and Powerful Trixie, no pony in Equestria had ever experienced the divine blessing of being courted by the showmare herself. Other than doing the opposite of whatever Rarity did to Twilight, Trixie was drawing a blank as to how to proceed on her new mission, though this did little to discourage her—in fact, it brought a small grin to her lips; it had been a while since she flexed her improv muscles! Twilight Sparkle had her back to her approaching predator as she worked her mind for an explanation on the nature of teleportation; she figured that filling her head with mathematical formulas would drive out her unscientific observations on Trixie's... physique. Of course, substituting one sexy thought for a different sexy thought was doing nothing to calm her nerves; she always did get a bit worked up by relativistic equations. 'Stupid, sexy Reinstein!' Twilight sighed; she had a feeling Trixie would not have the patience to be lectured on the finer points of time dilation and superluminal propagation of pony mass—she knew from first-hoof experience that almost nopony in Ponyville or Canterlot ever did. 'What would Princess Celestia do?' The lavender unicorn thought back to her early days as a sorceress apprentice—everything was so easy to visualize when her mentor explained it; Celestia's words were simple and straightforward, making sense of even the most abstract magical spells. Twilight raised her eyebrows—the Princess of the Sun never used math formulas when tutoring the dark-maned pony, did she? Looking back, Twilight wasn't even sure her beloved teacher even brought books with her half the time! The studious pony smiled contentedly as she recalled the mantra Trixie had repeated earlier; Celestia would often recite it at the beginning of a study session, usually accompanying it with vivid images crafted from her powerful magic. The Solar Sage tended to speak with pictures when dispensing wisdom—a teaching method that Twilight once believed to be best saved for little foals too young to conceptualize magical math... Nowadays, the top-scoring student was quite grateful for her instructor's intuitive approach. “Trixie thought that she... shan't wait any longer?” Twilight jumped slightly, snapping out of her daydreams. “R-right, yes! Let's get right to it then, shall we?” she asked, turning to face the magician. Twilight yelped and backed into the tree behind her; Trixie had been standing rather close to her when she turned around. Feeling the heat reaching her face once more, Twilight immediately looked for a way to make some distance. “L-let's start with a demonstration of the spell!” she almost shouted, disappearing in crackle of magic before Trixie could even ask her to hold on for a second. “Twilight Sparkle?” The Great and Powerful Trixie smiled, scanning the garden. “You dare hide from Trixie?” she asked teasingly, trotting towards the center of the yard. 'This is going to be fun! Now, where—' Trixie came to an abrupt stop as she noticed two very familiar rainbows sprouting from the Clydesler Building's spire out in the distance. “What.” - - - “Ok I really really really really need your help!” The deep purple pegasus blinked nervously at the unicorn that was currently holding her in the air with magic. It had caused her no small amount to dismay to be unceremoniously picked up from her desk and telekinetically pulled across the library and into a dark, lonely corner near the chemistry section. “Um...?” It was a panic-induced idea, but it was brilliant! While instructing Trixie on the finer details of teleportation, Twilight would have the perfect excuse to sneak into the library and collect some reading material for future study! Now she just needed a subtle way to ask for the books she required. “Here's my currently confounding conundrum: there's this annoying and adamantly arrogant magical mare that somepony I know may or may not have more-than-friendly feelings for. This however, is a seriously sensitive situation that calls for rigorous research and methodical measurement and involved investigations and organized observations and—” “Oh.” The pegasus brought down her right hoof onto the sole of her left hoof as realization dawned on her. “You needed a book on love because you like that other girl?” Twilight let out a frustrated grunt as she dispelled the magic surrounding the librarian—how did everypony manage to see through her so easily all the time? “Now c'mon,” the pegasus gave her a cheeky smile, “let's start in the anatomy section!” End Chapter 14 Author's Notes Took a while, huh guys? Thanks for being patient after all these months, and let me give a quick shout out to my beta readers and editors, who got my flank in gear after I'd bogged myself down with writing 5-6 different versions of this chapter: Armando, the brony that first got me into this pony business and proof-reader for all the chapters so far CrusaderVX, the first beta reader for this chapter (and keeper of future spoilers!) CoffeeGrunt, who has been taunting me since forever with all the fics he's written in my absence FifthAlicorn, editor extraordinaire, he was great help in getting the syntax and flow down (grammar nazi brofist!) Liz, who decided to grab the fic by the... dock and get it posted on FimFiction in record time Thanks guys, and a big thanks to everyone else that offered their support and their comments (and their complaints about the tardiness even after so long!)

Gravekeeper

67

Main 6,Original Character,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle

Twilight receives a legal summons involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What did she do now?

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle is summoned to settle a legal matter involving The Great and Powerful Trixie... What in Equestria did she do now?</p>

teen

2012-02-09T03:36:57+00:00

2012-02-09T03:36:57+00:00

The Ballad of Twilight Sparkle By: Gravekeeper Chapter 15: All of the Sparks “YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE, COPPERS!” With a grimace, Detective Gummie Horseshoe wiped off the spittle that landed on her face. She stared dumbfoundedly at the pegasus mare sitting across from her at the interrogation room table as a brief but decidedly awkward silence bloomed from the fallacious outburst. Luckily, it was not to last, as a sudden ire consumed the already high-strung earth pony. “You are alive, you idiot!” Five minutes into the interrogation, and Gummie was already feeling like she was going to have to choke a mare. The pegasus's brow furrowed as she squinted at her captor for a moment. “...Hmm, seems that I am... Well played,” she begrudgingly admitted, nodding sagely. A thought occurred to her as she noticed the sour face the policemare was making for some reason. “You ever wonder about umami?” she asked, looking pensive. “You always hear ponies talking about a sweet face or a bitter smile, but you just never hear anypony saying, 'She was wearing an umami expression as she boarded the midnight train going anywhere.'” Silence. Pregnant silence. Pregnant with triplets. The detective was at a loss for words as she gaped at the suspect, completely stupefied at the absurd tangent that had thrown a toaster in her mind's gears. It very quickly dawned on Gummie Horseshoe that the pegasus in front of her was not pretending to be a few trees short of an orchard—it's just that the land itself was completely barren and salted and nothing had ever grown there and never would. She scowled. “I'm not going to ask again,” she seethed as her nostrils flared, “Who the buck are these 'Crusaders' you're working for?!” Manehattan was full of gangs and thugs, but Gummie had never heard of any street herd going by that name before. Frankly, the name 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' sounded like some sort of dangerous paramilitary, and the golden-eyed pegasus's salute upon arriving at the police station only furthered that theory. With a furious snort, Horseshoe leaned over the table, tilting her head down to look at the blond mare over her ever-present aviators. “Are you enemies of the Crown? Griffon sympathizers? Leather traffickers?!” The blonde met the pink-maned officer's glare with an even gaze as she uttered her full name as a reply. Before the police pony could get a word in, the gray pegasus continued. “...my rank is Squadron Leader in Their Majesties' Equestrian Royal Air Force, and my Warmare Number is Oh-Fife-Fower-Niner—” The policemare's eye twitched dangerously as she realized what the gray pony was reciting. “You are not a prisoner of war!” Horseshoe slammed her hooves on the table, adding two more to the worryingly high number of shoe prints already on it. The fact that the pegasus didn't even flinch annoyed the detective deeply. “...You are a suspect in an ongoing investigation,” Gummie Horseshoe gritted her teeth, staring down the uncooperative mare, “...and you're going to answer all of my questions, if you know what's good for you.” The suspect brightened at this, a genuine smile quickly finding its way to her lips in spite of her dire situation. “Oh, I know what's good for me!” After a small incident involving her weight in Sugarcube Corner confections and a subsequent stomach pumping at the Ponyville clinic, her friends had been kind enough to introduce new and exciting things to her Whatever's-in-CT's-Fridge Diet Plan. “Let's see: calcium is good, and vitamin D is good, and—” The light-gray police pony shot up from her chair, sending it crashing loudly to the floor. “Don't. Get. Cute,” she hissed, jabbing her hoof towards the pegasus with each word. The blond pegasus tinged slightly, coyly tilting her head and giving her interrogator a reproaching look. “Um, are you coming on to me? That's not very professional...” A sharp, loud nicker erupted from the back of the room, drawing the two mares' attention to officer Bobby Flat-Hoof, who sat at a corner of the room, leaning his chair against the wall with a bored expression on his face as he pretended that the sound hadn't come from him. Turning to face the pegasus once more, Detective Horseshoe's temper flared as she spotted the innocent blush on the perp's cheeks. “Don't flatter yourself, double-bagger!” Horseshoe was never going to hear the end of it from Flat-Hoof. “D-double... Did you just call me ugly?” The pegasus frowned dejectedly, her snout scrunching a bit. That was so immature of the policemare to say! “Well, uh, your mother is fat!” she replied, deciding to take the high road and be the better mare. Gummie's shades nearly fell off from her face; just what in the Moon is wrong with ponies from Ponyville? “S-shut your mouth-hole, birdbrain! You don't even know my mom!” she shouted, pointing an accusatory hoof at the soon-to-be-choked pegasus. The blonde tilted her eyes upward, working her mind as she tried to recall something. “Um,” she started, foreleg on the table as she rested her forehead on her hoof. Almost immediately, she raised her head and loudly tapped the table with her shoe. “Oh! Lucky Horseshoe! 123 Everfree Terrace, Barnsfield, EQ, right?” Gummie's shades fell off from her face. “H-how...” The detective took a couple of steps back as a suffocating feeling gripped at her throat; this mental pegasus knew where her mother lived. Her blood ran cold at the thought. She stared into the golden eyes of this monster in a vain attempt at gauging the psychopathic insanity that was most certainly hiding behind the unusually benign stare. “Hm, I guess she's not fat...” commented the pegasus as she crossed her forelegs, a look of annoyance adorning her face. “Well, your mother is old!” She smiled earnestly, proud of her analysis. And just as suddenly, the detective's paralyzing fear turned into burning rage. “I swear, if you don't stop talking crap about my mom I'm going to take all four of my hooves and SHOVE THEM SO FAR UP YOUR—” With a soft click, Bobby Flat-Hoof closed the door to the interrogation room. Despite the sound-proofed walls, he could still very clearly hear Gummie on the other side, questioning the flippant pegasus mare and being wholly unsuccessful at it. The police stallion checked left and right to make sure the hallway was clear of witnesses. With a raspberry, Flat-Hoof was brought to the floor by a fit of uncontrollable laughter that he'd been holding in since the interrogation began. Ponyville was two-for-two now against his formerly cool, roguish partner, and he was going to make sure Gummie never, ever forgot her fall from grace. A contented sigh escaped his mouth as he wiped the tears of laughter from his face; he had never been involved in such a fun investigation before—up until Ms. Rarity and now, Ms. Doo, he didn't even know interrogating uncooperative suspects could be fun! Hearing approaching hoofbeats, Bobby Flat-Hoof quickly got back on his hooves, straightening his uniform and dusting himself off. A green unicorn policemare rounded the corner of the hallway just as Flat-Hoof finished replacing his cap. “What've you got for me, Merry?” he asked, all business. The unicorn gave him a brief questioning look; she could have sworn she'd heard someone laughing their cutie mark off just a second ago. With a shrug, she magically floated two folders towards the poker-faced dark blue stallion. “These are the public records for Ditzy Doo and her group,” she explained, “The Cutie Mark Crusaders are a non-profit organization incorporated in Ponyville, though Ms. Doo does not appear on their roster as a member or director.” Flat-Hoof nodded as he leaned against the interrogation room door and used his forelegs to leaf through one of the folders. “Born in Cloudsdale, honor student all throughout high school... entered officer training right out of Junior Speedsters... Four years active service in the ERAF before being medically discharged due to an injury... Currently employed at the Ponyville Branch of the Equestrian Postal Service.” The stallion blinked; that did not sound like the endearingly off-kilter pegasus currently in police custody. More specifically, it didn't sound like the pegasus that set off the metal detectors at the station doors by bringing in a cake with an industrial metal file and pocket blowtorch baked inside. This didn't add up at all. “She's got no previous arrests, and she sounds like a model citizen. Maybe these Crusaders needed a trusting patsy?” Merry nodded in agreement as she floated the second folder towards the stallion. “Seems that way. Among the Board members in the Cutie Mark Crusaders is one Sweetie Belle, sister to Ms. Rarity.” Flat-Hoof hitched an eyebrow as he began scanning the document. “Is that so? Talk about sloppy.” The Crusaders had all but given themselves away by using Cutie Mark Crusaders-branded stationery to write the crayon-scribbled note that was attached to the cake. From the outside, the foiled plan appeared rather amateurish—childish, even. Flat-Hoof knew better than to assume, though. The terrible writing and grammar was more than likely an attempt by the criminal to conceal his or her mouthwriting. Why use a public organization to send such an obvious, almost cartoony, fraudulent package? Why use the postal service to deliver it? Were the Cutie Mark Crusaders openly challenging the NYPD? “Also of note,” began Merry as she turned the open folder her way, “Is the fact that Ms. Rarity is a Trustee in the organization, along with two other ponies: one Applejack and one Twilight Sparkle. According to the Board of Trade, they have been standing in for the CMC's Board Members in all matters legal or contractual.” That name! Flat-Hoof's mind flashed back his partner's earlier conclusion: “Ms. Rarity's ex-lover,” the police stallion breathed, the weight of that revelation and each and every one of its possible implications falling upon his withers all at once. The unicorn mare smiled as she enjoyed the show—Bobby Flat-Hoof's face grew comically intense whenever his mind was working on overdrive to crack a case, and today was no exception. It was just about the only way the rest of the police force ever got to see any sort of expression on the young officer aside from his neigh-permanent bored-with-the-world disposition. It was widely agreed upon around the station that Bobby had been a sour, unsmiling Royal Guard in a past life—or in numerous past lives. “Thanks, Merry. I've got to let Gummie know about this,” he said, nodding towards the green pony and grabbing the floating folders with his mouth. Merry smiled at the other police pony. “No problem, Flat-Hoof. Don't forget about your date in Canterlot!” she replied teasingly as she cantered away. Flat-Hoof rolled his eyes at the parting comment; word had quickly spread around the station that he and his partner had requested an audience with Princess Celestia in order to question her about her connection to Ms. Rarity and the unicorn's hot-air balloon. Opinion seemed split: half of the police force thought the two investigators were only stopping briefly in Canterlot before continuing their journey straight to the Moon; the other half believed that the sheer atomic weight of Flat-Hoof and Horseshoe's solid plutonium reproductive organs would make escape velocity all but impossible. The Chief wanted nothing to do with it, and swore that if the two ponies messed up and it became public knowledge that the NYPD was accusing Celestia of being an accomplice to some crime... well, then they wouldn't need to worry about the Princess sending them to the Moon; the Chief herself would personally make sure that the two ponies disappeared from this Earth. Chuckling nervously at what he hoped was the Chief's idea of a joke, Bobby Flat-Hoof opened the door to the interrogation room and was quickly reminded of why he had stepped out in the first place. “I thought I told you to STOP MAKING THAT FACE AT ME!” Horseshoe all but shrieked, her voice a little hoarse from all the screaming. Ms. Doo, Flat-Hoof noticed, appeared to be crossing her eyes. “I told you, I'm not making any faces at you!” she exclaimed, her juvenile voice edged with a small amount of distress. Her wings fluttered unconsciously, her feathers billowing slightly. One of the first things a pony investigator is taught is that pegasi are terrible, terrible liars. Their wings are a natural lie detector, and it takes a concerted effort for a pegasus to hold them and their feathers still under heavy emotions. “She's not making fun of you, Gummie; in fact, I think you're upsetting her.” A rather audible cracking sound reverberated through the interrogation room walls as Gummie Horseshoe turned her head around to glare at her partner, without turning her neck. “Oh! I'm upsetting HER?!” she asked incredulously, a strand from her now-frazzled pink mohawk falling across her face. Flat-Hoof trotted up to the table and gently guided his partner off of it. “I think you need to cool off for a bit, Gummie. Let me carry on with the interrogation.” Before the slightly aggravated detective could voice her vehement disagreement with her partner's request, the now un-derped blond pegasus chirped in. “Oh!” she exclaimed happily, her eyes sparkling. “Were you guys doing 'Good Cop Bad Cop'? Is that why she's being such a tool?” Gummie Horseshoe emitted a choked gurgle as her rage caught in her throat; Flat-Hoof almost didn't have enough time to pin down the rampaging mare. Almost immediately, Ditzy crawled over the table to watch the very entertaining spectacle unfolding on the floor of the interrogation room. And to think that Carrot Top had always told her not to believe in all those supposedly 'over-the-top' police dramas! X-X-X-X-X “C'mon, Rare.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes—Rarity had been in such high spirits up until she remembered why she had come to Manehattan in the first place. Now? Not so much, thanks to the pegasus's casual mention of Twilight's date with Trixie, taking place at that very moment. The beautiful silver unicorn cantered speedily around the slower-trotting ponies occupying the sidewalk. Despite her haste, her canter was a perfectly-spaced, perfectly-paced three-beat gait performed with a rhythmic precision that was the envy of metronomes everywhere. “Sigh. Raaaaaaaare.” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs as she trailed her friend; rather than push her way through the crowded sidewalk, the sky blue pegasus chose to simply follow the unicorn by air, maintaining a low altitude that barely managed to clear the heads of the grounded ponies below her. Indeed, she had already knocked off plenty of hats and head ornaments, but she figured the wingless ponies were to blame for wearing those big things on their heads in the first place. Nose upturned and eyes closed, the fashionista seemed to be deftly navigating around other ponies via some sort of haughtiness-induced echolocation. “Rainbow Dash, can you not see that I am ignoring your protests on purpose?” she inquired, flicking her mane for effect. With a defeated shrug and a loud groan, Rainbow Dash let her forelegs hang limp, carelessly brushing manes or swatting inattentive ponies in the face. “Look, I just don't want you going all medieval on Trixie when you see her, dude.” “Medieval, Rainbow?” An affronted Rarity turned her head towards her friend and brought a hoof to her chest, somehow not breaking her canter. “What sort of ruffian do you take me for?” A moment of silence passed between them as Rainbow Dash's eyebrow hitched so far up her forehead it was threatening to circumnavigate her head via polar route. Rarity blinked, then proceeded to redden. “Yesterday's unpleasantness was strictly in self-defense, Rainbow Dash!” The chromatic pegasus replied with a wry grin. “Yeah, and you messed up like twenty ponies!” Rainbow Dash flailed excitedly, knocking away a random hat from a passerby's head. “I mean, don't get me wrong, Rare; if you managed to destroy so many ponies that easily, I'd love to see just what sort of unholy suffering you could unleash on a single pony!” “Rainbow!” Rarity was beyond flustered, horrified, appalled and mortified at the same time. The very small part of her that felt utterly flattered, she chose to ignore. “Point is, I don't think Twi would like it if you killed Trixie,” Rainbow Dash explained, lowering her altitude to just a few inches from the ground to avoid some quickly-approaching store-front awnings. “Besides, she's... she's alright,” she added, a bit awkwardly. The pegasus was not used to having to reverse her opinions, much less having to admit said reversal out loud, and much less out loud within earshot of anypony else. Rarity loosed a sharp “Hmph!” that clearly indicated the exception she took with her friend's statement. “Rainbow Dash, you are my friend and I simply adore you but, really Darling, at times you are far too obtuse for your own good.” “Hey!” Rarity was going to get it as soon as Rainbow Dash asked Twilight what 'obtuse' meant! “Why're you harshing on Trixie so bad, anyways? Even Fluttershy thinks she's okay!” The indigo-maned pony sighed dramatically, softly shaking her head. “Fluttershy thinks basilisks and wyverns are okay as well, if you'll recall.” The stunt flier raised a hoof to object, but her rebuttal died immediately on her tongue. “...Point.” “Rainbow, Trixie herself admitted to being nothing more than a charlatan and a liar,” explained the unicorn, slowing her gait down to a walk. She turned to face her pegasus friend, who alighted at her side and matched her walk. “Twilight is a very tender, wonderfully kind and good-hearted pony; I'd rather her first love not be given to such a vainglorious trollop.” Rarity's brow furrowed with concern. “Twilight is setting herself up for inevitable heartbreak—and a sweet, innocent pony such as her does not deserve to have her feelings toyed with by a unicorn like Trixie.” Rainbow Dash remained silent for a minute as she considered Rarity's argument. Stealing a glance at her companion, she caught the unicorn facing straight ahead; an angry, forlorn look marring her features. Now, the Best Young Flier didn't consider herself an expert on mushy stuff like 'feelings' and all that junk but, even she could see that this was really, really bothering the dressmaker; probably more so than she was letting on. “Rare, I think Trixie really likes Twilight, though...” she ventured with some apprehension—her heart was telling her that she could trust Trixie, but it also told her to always trust her friends. “Darling, I don't doubt for a second that Trixie has designs on our dear friend; Twilight is quite the catch, even if she doesn't realize it herself.” Rarity smiled, despite her troubled feelings. “It's just that...” The alabaster pony hesitated for a second, stalling with a sigh. “Rainbow Dash, did you know that unicorns receive special Ethics classes all throughout our primary and secondary education?” Taking the pegasus's puzzled stare as a 'No', Rarity continued. “I am loath to admit this, but there are a wide array of magical spells that could be used towards... unsavory goals, should the caster be so inclined.” Another pause entailed as she gathered her thoughts. “Spells that can affect a pony's feelings towards any object the caster desires, whether it be inanimate or not.” It took a moment for the implication to sink in for Rainbow Dash. “You mean, like, make somepony fall in love with you?” she asked, her wings fluttering with her rising alarm. “Why would they teach you guys something like that in Ethics?” Rarity, of course, had already anticipated the rather sensible question. “Tell me something, Rainbow Dash,” she began, “Could a weather pony such as yourself create a tornado?” The blue mare grinned insufferably, her wings extending slightly. “Hah! Other weather pegasi wish they could make tornadoes like I do!” Rarity frowned slightly. “No, Sweetie, I mean a real tornado—a storm big enough to destroy every building in Ponyville, for example.” Rainbow Dash's rising ego instantly deflated, her wings and tail sagging slightly. “Uh...” Her rose-colored eyes flickered between the unicorn and the ground, discomfort plainly readable on her face. She stopped walking. “I guess a bunch of us could... could make one,” she admitted, quickly snapping her anxious eyes back to Rarity. “But we'd NEVER—” “I know you wouldn't, Rainbow.” The unicorn brought a calming hoof to her friend's withers. “Now, is safe to assume you were taught how to create such frightful weather?” Receiving an affirmative nod, Rarity continued. “And why is that?” Rainbow Dash's ears snapped back; she knew Rarity wasn't accusing her of anything, but the pegasus still felt... judged. “We... we gotta know how a tornado forms! It's the only way we'll know how to, you know, unmake it if one appears!” she explained in a huff, raising a foreleg off from the ground. Rarity nodded, slightly raising an eyebrow and giving her friend time to make the connection. Rainbow Dash relaxed somewhat, bringing her hoof back down as realization hit her. “...Oh.” “Exactly, my dear; we must know what the spell is in the first place in order to dispel it.” The stylish mare resumed her walk down the sidewalk, Rainbow Dash following a few steps behind. “That leaves any well-read unicorn with quite a few emotion spells on hoof, unfortunately.” Rainbow Dash mulled over Rarity's words and insinuations. Why did the unicorn have to go and make her think? That was completely unfair, not to mention, beyond bogus. Screw it—her gut feelings told her Trixie was harmless, especially against Twilight, if one were keeping Ursa Minor vanquishing as score. “Rare, I can totally see what you're saying, but even if she's a lil' bit full of herself, I don't think Trixie's the kind of pony to do anything as uncool as that.” Rarity's pace slowed down until she came to a standstill once more. Rainbow Dash stopped a few steps ahead of her, eyes widening as she caught sight of the miserable smile marring her friend's beautiful face. “Rainbow Dash, love makes ponies do foolish things.” Avoiding the pegasus's gaze, Rarity dropped her smile. “You'd be surprised at what even the nicest unicorns you know might resort to.” X-X-X-X-X The Great and Powerful Trixie couldn't do it. She tried to remain angry at Twilight Sparkle, she really did—after all, the lavender unicorn had managed to cheat on her before Trixie had ever gotten around to asking her out! With a building, no less. 'The ignominy! The audacity!' And there she stood, prattling on and on about hyperspace and lateral movement through dimensions, brazenly pretending she hadn't just teleported into the library to fetch some books, despite the very obvious rectangular bulge in her previously slack saddlebag. Trixie had to begrudgingly admire Twilight Sparkle's uninhibited gall in the face of such damning evidence. The only thing the magician wasn't really sure of was how the other unicorn's newly re-bruised eye fit into all this, considering it had been healing quite nicely after the accidental trampling. Twilight Sparkle thanked the Sun and the Moon that Trixie hadn't commented on her delay. 'Maybe she didn't notice?' She was especially thankful that the azure mare had yet to spot her injured eye—there was just no graceful way to explain the unheeded warning appended to the title of one of her borrowed books: The Complete Egghead's Illustrated Guide to Pony Anatomy: Pop-Up Edition (Watch your Eyes!), indeed. Lightly shaking her head to clear away the still-fresh memory of the incident, Twilight turned to face Trixie with a smile as she finished her brief introduction. “Anyways, I guess that about covers paradox avoidance, dimensional stranding, and tidal spaghettification. Any questions so far?” The Great and Powerful Trixie blinked as she snapped her gaze to meet Twilight's eyes; her musings on Twilight's infidelity had given way to outright staring, much to the detriment of her attention span. Well, that wasn't technically true, she had been paying an inordinate amount of attention to the area surrounding the bookish pony's cutie mark. It occurred to Trixie that this was something very, very new; the last cutie mark area she had admired so lovingly was, well, the one in her mirror. “Trixie?” The Great and Powerful Trixie blinked as she snapped her gaze to meet Twilight's eyes—again. Somehow, she had managed to trace her eyes back to Twilight's aft section while mentally chastising herself for that very action. “Hmph,” she humphed, “Is Twilight Sparkle stalling? Trixie does not see what all this has to do with teleportation; just tell Trixie what she needs to do.” The amateur astronomer bit her lip. “Actually... I kinda am,” she admitted, her ears folding back. “I'm not exactly sure how... How I teleport. Technically, we're both about to learn how to do it,” she explained with an awkward smile on her face. “I know it doesn't make much sense but... I suppose some scrying is involved?” Bringing a pensive hoof to her chin, Twilight cast her gaze skyward, wracking her brain for answers. “Yeah, scrying is definitely involved, but there's clearly more to it than just simple divination. The more I think about it, the more it seems like a convergence of a multitude of spells, held without casting at the base of the horn. I would venture to say that an alicorn's helical form somehow aids in their homogenization—by the time they reach the focal point, they've synthesized into a single multifunction spell that finds the target destination, paradoxically at the same time that the caster is phasing through the 11th dimen—” Trixie rolled her eyes in exasperation—she didn't need another hour-long seminar on the origin of magic! 'She must really enjoy the sound of her own voice!' Of course, Trixie wasn't quite ready to admit to herself that she shared that sentiment; either way, it was time to cut this new tirade short, and the showmare knew the perfect way to do it. “Just show Trixie the spell one more time; slowly.” With condescending flick of her mane, Trixie paced towards the Omega Nerd, once again invading her personal space. “Trixie simply needs to watch Twilight Sparkle closely,” she breathily explained, leaning close to Twilight's ear, “Very closely. Trixie will learn all that she needs to know that way.” With that, she slowly walked a full circle around the other unicorn, making sure to lightly drape her tail across the lavender pony's body all along the way. For the first time in longer than she could remember, Twilight was momentarily drained of all cognitive thought. It was a strange, weightless, and blissful period in time whereupon she just existed and nothing more. As her synapses resumed their electrical transmissions and reason began to trickle back into her head, the lavender unicorn became keenly aware of the sensation of pure fire across every inch of skin that Trixie had so lightly caressed during her orbit. Now logically, Twilight knew that she hadn't actually been set ablaze, but the intense sensory overload that presently threatened to buckle her knees was both equally stimulating and worthy of thorough scientific study. And science, broken down to its most basic tenets, was all about reproducible results. Of course, to find out if the results are indeed reproducible, she would need to perform the same experiment a number of times—a very large number of times, for precision's sake. And for that fire. Twilight Sparkle blinked. 'No! Bad Twilight!' The streak-maned pony did her best to regain her composure, uncontrollable flush notwithstanding. How could she be considering such actions? 'Trixie probably has no idea of what she just did, and here you are thinking... things about her tail!' Twilight raised her head and turned to look at Trixie, who was still sauntering away from her. The librarian sighed inwardly—she had been dead to the world for no longer than a couple of seconds, judging by Trixie's retreating form. And her tail. 'Stop it stop it stop it!' The Great and Powerful Trixie halted her walk and turned around to face the other mare, catching the most adorable blushing pout she had seen from Twilight yet. Success! She had made the little bookworm turn red for the second time that day! 'Trixie bets no musty old building has accomplished that yet!' The magician was positively giddy with her small victory, in part because it proved that the first time wasn't a fluke, but also because even if it was just a tiny, insignificant blush, Trixie was still having some sort of effect on Twilight, and that had to count for something! “Enough dallying, Twilight Sparkle! Trixie has waited long enough!” she exclaimed, cutting through the relative silence of the library's garden. “E-eh?” Twilight replied intelligently as she was startled out of a reverie she didn't realize she had embarked on. “The spell, Twilight Sparkle.” The magician raised an eyebrow, smirking at the bewildered unicorn—the fact that she had apparently flustered the lavender pony was incredibly emboldening. Twilight wasn't sure if she was imagining the sudden wave of smugness that she felt radiating from Trixie. “R-right, right, the spell... Well, here goes,” she warned, horn flickering with a very pale, lavender glow. 'Showtime.' The Great and Powerful Trixie hadn't lied when she said she just needed to be shown the spell; the azure mare channeled a small amount of magic to her eyes in preparation. The entire spectrum of magic was largely invisible except when tightly focused, and even then, the aura created around a targeted object was barely perceptible, especially to non-unicorn ponies—Trixie, on the other hoof, had found out at an early age that with minimal effort, she could faintly see the very flow of magic irradiating out of anypony. Of course, there was anypony, and then there was Twilight Sparkle. In retrospect, The Great and Powerful Trixie should have expected such a sight; after all, Twilight had dispatched an Ursa Minor with a show of magical strength that was largely the purview of winged unicorns. 'Well of course the nerd would be a magic jock,' she mused in spite of her utter astonishment at the display in front of her: Twilight Sparkle was a magical dynamo, energy overflowing out of her entire body like a slowly-expanding explosion. Trixie's heart sank; that was the amount of magical energy required to teleport? It was then that the showmare caught sight of a few translucent, discrete tendrils of magic slowly arcing towards Twilight's horn. 'Spells!' Trixie watched as the five different spells began spiraling clockwise around the lavender pony's forehead. The spinning caused the spells to coalesce into a single bright spark that began to sizzle at the tip of the librarian's horn. “Huh, I had never tried to cast it slowly like this,” Twilight Sparkle commented, a hint of wonder in her voice. “I'm going to teleport to the fountain,” she added with a smile, pointing with her muzzle towards the centerpiece of the library's garden, situated some thirty paces away. “Here I go!” The Great and Powerful Trixie nodded, only half-listening as she focused on the unfolding demonstration. The spells all fired at the same time, or at least, in very quick succession; a circular pulse rippled outward from Twilight's position, carrying the spark towards the fountain on its wavefront. The lavender pony's body appeared to be under the effects of an anchoring spell, and as the spark reached its target destination, it deposited an anchoring spell of its own. Two very bright, very large sparks drew the attention of many ponies in the garden; those crackling discharges of magic were definitely in the visible spectrum, Trixie concluded. “I think I got it, Trixie!” Twilight called from the fountain, before launching into an excited gallop back to where the showmare stood. “I was right!” The Great and Powerful Trixie couldn't help but smirk—she recognized the spells Twilight Sparkle had cast; they were all common enough spells, and each one completely unrelated to the other. 'No wonder nopony ever thought to combine them before!' A scrying spell, normally used to dowse for items or to cheat at hide and seek; two anchoring spells, normally used as temporary glue in many foalhood pranks; a conjuring spell, normally used to bring forth magically stored objects like magazines a young filly isn't supposed to be reading; and a compression spell, normally used to pack lunches into really small lunchboxes. Trixie's mind couldn't quite wrap itself around a situation where Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies, would have been forced to combine all those spells at the same time. The streak-maned unicorn stopped her gallop near the magician, a beaming smile gracing her face. “It's a combination of spells, Trixie! There—” “Yes, yes, Trixie knows,” she interrupted, waving a dismissive hoof. Twilight's smile quickly faded as she quirked an eyebrow. “Huh? What do you mean? How could—” The Great and Powerful Trixie rolled her eyes theatrically. “Don't you worry your pretty little horn about the how, Twilight Sparkle,” she replied condescendingly, “Just let Trixie show you how it's done.” Using her magic, Trixie turned the other unicorn around, flicking her foreleg in a shooing motion. “Go on back to your little fountain, Twilight Sparkle, and get ready to be astounded!” Twilight reluctantly began to trot back towards the center of the garden, casting a questioning glance back to the cerulean pony behind her. “I didn't even get to tell her what the spells are,” she muttered to herself, smacking her lips as the residual taste of blue permeated her taste buds. Trixie had commenced the task of internally gathering each spell needed for teleportation. As she set about this endeavor, it dawned on her just how ridiculous Twilight Sparkle's raw ability was; in the space of a second or two, the studious pony could load and combine five spells and then fire them off immediately. Typically, continuous use of a spell created a certain muscle memory that greatly decreased the time it took to cast it; Twilight probably didn't walk anywhere, considering the speed at which she could cast a teleport. Twilight Sparkle watched with a healthy dose of skepticism as Trixie's horn pulsated with a pink aura; she'd been gathering magic for at least a minute or two, and didn't appear any closer to accomplishing the complex undertaking. 'Does she really believe she'll be able to pull off the spell just by having seen me do it?' Four minutes into the spell and The Great and Powerful Trixie was finding it increasingly difficult to actually hold and spin five different spells within her horn; given the relative simplicity of its components, the showmare had greatly underestimated just how much of a challenge moving between dimensions would be. Still, Trixie had to persevere—one didn't become Great and Powerful by giving up on physically impossible goals; besides, she had a girl to impress! Ten minutes in, and Twilight Sparkle was beginning to worry that Trixie might injure herself out of sheer, dumb stubbornness; holding in a spell for an extended amount of time was incredibly strenuous. If Trixie really did know the components to teleportation, then it meant that she was trying to contain five spells at the same time; something was going to give sooner than later. The star-flanked mare took a step forward. “Trixie, perhaps we—” Twilight's suggestion was cut short as the taste of blue in her mouth intensified and the air around her began to smell strongly of ozone. “No way!” The Sweating and Overexerted Trixie smirked viciously as she felt the spell finally come together in her horn. “A-HA! Prepare to be amazed, Twilight Sparkle, as Trixie effortlessly and gracefully makes her way to your side, without taking a single step!” Her loud boasting managed to attract the attention of many library patrons; the more curious ones among them slowly stepped towards the pair of unicorns to see what all the noise was about. Panting, Trixie looked around herself, noticing the growing crowd of ponies. An audience? Perfect. “Stand in reverent awe, simple ponies, as Trixie's fearsome power makes short work of time and space! Distance means nothing to a pony that can fold the very fabric of existence itself with a mere flick of her horn! Look upon and be thunderstruck by the most amazing feat of magic you will ever witness! Take heed!” With a dramatic flourish, Trixie pointed a hoof towards Twilight. “Trixie will instantly teleport to her lovely assistant right before your very eyes!” Her knee almost buckled as she brought her hoof back down, but the entertainer managed to catch herself and maintain some semblance of steadiness. “W-what?” A crimson hue enveloped Twilight Sparkle as she processed Trixie's words; the fact that the library's entire attendance had seemingly gathered to watch them was not helping. Even worse, the pegasus librarian was right there, front row, hovering above the crowd with a sly grin across her face. The Great and Powerful Trixie was trembling now as her horn sparked violently. 'Now or never!' Her mind screamed, tunnel vision settling in. With a lick of her lips, she grinned as she scanned the audience one more time, making sure to make eye contact with as many ponies as possible. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Trixie stomped her hoof loudly against the ground to bring all eyes to her. “Behold, Trixie's might!” she bellowed, before being enveloped in light. A loud series of detonations reverberated through the air as the crowd's attention was called towards the fountain, where a series of bright flashes sparked out of thin air, giving the appearance of a miniature fireworks display. All of the gathered ponies gasped—the lavender unicorn had disappeared! “HUH?!” The interjection drew the crowd's attention back to The Great and Powerful Trixie, who was now standing face to face with her lovely assistant, their muzzles centimeters apart. “T-Trixie?!” The crowd watched in rapt fascination as the magician closed her eyes and leaned forward. X-X-X-X-X To her credit, it didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to pick up on the words Rarity had left unsaid; it did however, take her a minute or two to actually react to the revelation. Despite being on a crowded street, the uncomfortable silence that befell both mares completely drowned out the commotion of their surroundings. Rarity maintained her downward gaze; it had not been her intention to confess to such a horrid misdeed but, nonetheless, the regretful words had resurfaced for the third time in her life—this time spurred by Rainbow Dash's light-minded approach to their argument. The unicorn dared not meet her friend's eyes, but she could still feel the weight of Rainbow Dash's stare upon her all the same. The fashionista mentally prepared herself for the worst; after all, she had taken somepony's affection, a clear betrayal of trust. Generosity and Loyalty, affronted; she had definitely earned whatever scorn Rainbow Dash had waiting in the wings, so to speak. Rarity was brought out of her internal turmoil by a pair of forelegs softly wrapping around her neck and pulling her into a hug. This was, by an enormously enormous margin, the response she least expected out of her hot-headed pegasus friend. In fact, this response was suspiciously similar to the one she received the second time she confessed to her indiscretion some time ago, to another pegasus. “Um, Rainbow Dash?” After a moment's hesitation, Rainbow Dash spoke up. “I did something really bad and really stupid once, a long time ago. Fluttershy, uh, hugged me,” she replied plainly, if a little strained. “You ah, looked like you could use a... a Flutterhug?” Rarity's short-lived stunned silence was most ungraciously dissolved by the most unladylike of chuckle-snorts, an aberrant and uncouth sound that the unicorn will deny—to her grave—ever came from her. “A Flutterh—” “Oh man this is so embarrassing! Just hug me back already or something, will ya?” Softly giggling, and with tears forming in her eyes, Rarity obliged her surprisingly kind companion. “I don't know what I did to deserve such a magnanimous friend, but thank you, Rainbow Dash.” The colorful mare wasn't sure she was going to be able to remember that word long enough to ask Twilight about it. “You're killin' me, Rare; can't you just call me 'cool' like a normal pony? By the way,” she added, tightening the hug, “All this girly mushy stuff? Totally didn't happen.” Rainbow Dash had a very strict limit of feelings that she allowed herself to express monthly—at the behest of Fluttershy—and Rarity had already depleted the rest of her year's allotment in just 24 hours. “My lips are sealed, Rainbow Dash.” she answered, smiling warmly at her friend as they separated. The pegasus was blushing slightly from the utter embarrassment she still felt. “And don't make this... this hugging and crying and feelings thing a habit!” she huffed, crossing her forelegs. “Oh,” Rarity began, playfully tilting her head, “I wouldn't dream of it,” she replied, not a hint of sincerity in her voice as she made a mental note to make three reservations for her next few spa visits. And who knows? Perhaps a little pampering could be a gateway for even more fun for the three of them. Doing each other's manes? Going to the café for brunch? Reading romance novels in the park? A small gasp escaped Rarity's throat. Trying on the latest fashions? She could picture it so clearly now; it was just a matter of time before Rainbow Dash would always be dressing in style! Rainbow Dash almost tripped over herself as a loud “WAH-HA-HA!” nearly gave her a heart attack. End Chapter 15 Author's notes: Hey all, thanks for reading! Let's keep this short (pfft) and sweet. First of all, I know we have a canon Derpy now, but her part in this story was actually written well before 'The Last Roundup' aired, so... yeah. Dat Jossing. Besides, I already kinda had plans for her. Just consider The Ballad a complete Alternate Universe from now on, if it's too much to take! Secondly, The Ballad has its own TVTropes page right here! Full disclosure, I am an absolute trope whore, and whoever started that page is best brony. Now go on and fill that page with the millions of references found in The Ballad... OR I WILL NEVER UPDATE AGAIN. *Cough* Ok, that's a complete lie, but still, go on and give the page some love in order to fill my insatiable trope lust! Thirdly and most importantly, I'd like to thank the now usual suspects for pre-reading, editing, and generally being made of rubber so that I could bounce ideas off of them. You know who you are, but in case you guys are suffering from some sort of identity crisis, here you are in no particular order: - Armando, The Original Pre-Reader and not at all related to the original sin; - FifthAlicorn, editor and nitpicker extraordinaire and not at all related to the Fifth Element; - Toronado, friendly dictator of the GTPlanet Bronies thread and all around someone who reads way too much into every detail (in other words, his approach to fics is exactly like mine!) - Cátsy, who's followed this fic more closely than even me(!), and who provided great input and lots of stream-of-consciousness dialogue to make sure Fifth and I never caught up to the Gdocs chat; - Rizu-Chan, laziest and sleepiest of my pre-readers; she has an unnatural lust for BBCode and FimFiction—yeah, she's a freaky thing, that one; - CoffeeGrunt, an unknown unknown, possibly the author of the relatively unknown Allegrezza, featuring a relatively unheard of OctoScratch ship. Thanks, guys, see you next chapter! (And totally before HL3, for sure!)

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-23T04:13:06+00:00

2011-07-23T04:13:06+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic by: RoflLuxRay Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze The world… is changing. It’s changing, it always is. A few years ago, no one ever suspected that those small creatures that called themselves “ponies” were nothing more than an anomaly for biologists to study. Their “magic”, their habitat, their lifestyle… They detonated mankind’s curiosity like that bomb the U.S threw on Hiroshima over sixty years ago. As time went on, a group of Russians discovered a way to enter their world, but are yet to find the way back. The so called land of Equestria, where they inhabit peacefully, quietly, away from the wars, the famine and the deceases that hunt mankind every day. Them Russians reached an agreement with the ponies, and are converting people into ponies and placing them safely in their worlds. Seems like a perfectly good idea, except for the fact that once “ponyfied”, as they call it, you abandon who you were. Keeping only fake memories those ponies plant on you so that you blend in perfectly to their rainbow colored nirvana. Humanity was quick and firm in their actions, the UN forbid ponification, but yet maintains somewhat “formal” diplomatic relationships with the pony’s ruler, Princess Celestia, through their envoy, Twilight Sparkle. This pony stands for free, deliberate ponification. “It should be everypony, I mean, everybody’s choice!” she said on TV the other day. I agree with her to some degree, it’s just that I can’t get to trust those creatures. I feel they have plans on their own for us. I’ve been doing some research on them ponies, especially on Twilight Sparkle; quite a name she packs. Apparently they have long life spans, my math says that she’s around her eighties, and she seems quite young and fresh. That horn in her head seems to be the source from her magic, I mean, it flashes whenever she uses her telepathy and telekinesis. I’ve also intercepted some interesting intel on some anti-ponies groups that target her and have a bounty on her head. If Twilight were to fall, humanity might follow. Ponies might have a way to save humanity if we live our lives through their ways… Our salvation through destruction, how clichéd is that. I am not a superhero, nor a pony sympathizer. But I do reckon that Twilight Sparkle must not die, not today, not tomorrow. Not ever; if ponies do ever die. I will do all in my power to stop them, to find a way to make all of this right. To make up for mankind’s mistakes and those I’ve made on my own. Twilight Sparkle is attending a meeting tonight in New York, where a trap is set. She’s supposed to arrive on a black SUV, protected by at least ten escorts in five sedans surrounding her in strategic positions. But one of them has gone rogue. He’s signed a juicy deal with senator Adam Chambers for the purple pony’s head. This… man is one of the reasons why ponies are so hated in America. He’s got one sweet mouth that son of a bitch. If my data is correct, then this rogue escort should plant a bomb on Twilight’s car during her speech, set to detonate upon her departure. But if they were to get caught, they can always shoot her like Lee Harvey Oswald. I must be precise, swift… I can’t fail. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 1 I stood at the edge of the building, looking at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. As I analyzed my way inside a shiver ran down my spine, forcing me to tighten my grip on the pillar next to me. With the help of my binoculars, I took a closer look on the street ahead of me and saw five sedans neatly aligned around a black Hummer. “That’s my target,” I muttered as my hand stretched for the sniper rifle next to me. The gap of thirty meters between me and the hotel’s balcony did not scare me; I was used to handle myself at high heights. Without hesitation, I leaped into the void; the cold winter wind struck the parts of my face unprotected by the balaclava mask. With a firm grip on my zip-line, I slid across the glowing streets into a balcony in the twentieth fourth floor. I was careful enough to avoid crashing straight into the glass window, even though it was the second time I used a zip-line and was the longest one too. Once safe, I took my binoculars again and saw the caravan even closer now, just a few blocks away from the hotel. I zoomed in and tried to locate any signs of rare activity. Nothing, the polarized windows, aided by the glowing streets of New York protected any passengers inside from any curious stranger, including me. I gazed down at the hotel entrance, where a bunch of leeches that carry the ID of a reporter awaited her, hoping to get her next story off the misfortune of an innocent pony. I could see that expectancy grew on the crowd along with the noise they made as the caravan was in their line of sight. It was in that moment when I took my PSG-700 and scoped down the SUV. Once in front of the red carpet, a henchman opened the door and I saw it. Though it was more like her, a young woman in a purple dress gracefully descended the vehicle in such fashion. Her long straight bi-colored hair, dyed in purple and pink ran all the way to her back. Anyone could swear that was a woman if it wasn’t for the horn that shot from her head. “So that’s what Twilight Sparkle looks like…” I muttered and removed my eye from the sniper rifle’s scope, “Let’s not get you killed,” I reached for my vest and pulled my binoculars again, this time to focus her escorts. One of them took control of the vehicle and drove it towards an underground parking lot west of the main entrance. “Bollocks!” I scolded at myself “How could I have forgotten that they have an underground parking…” As the SUV vanished into the darkness of the underground parking lot, I removed my mask and began taking my stealth clothes off; luckily, I had foreseen the event of me walking into that fancy party by wearing a black tuxedo under my apparel. Makes it harder to move, but it does keep you warm though. Once my clothes were completely different, I broke into the room behind me by picking the door. Blinded by darkness, I desperately inspected the walls for a shutter, and with a sudden click, the glass chandelier above lit suddenly, revealing a cozy, warm suite. I stared at the mirror in front of me and remembered why I was once married in my late twenties; no one could ever look away from a man with deep hazel eyes like mine. I approached the mirror to inspect my clear brown hair closely, trying to take it into a better position. With thirty seven years on my back it was harder to find a comfortable position for my slowly vanishing hair. Once done, I took my small briefcase and pulled out a Glock-19 and a P229 pistol, hiding them in my ankle and in my jacket. As I finished my preparations, I heard footsteps closing into the room. I quickly took everything and hid it under the master bed, shutting the lights off just in time before a couple of henchmen equipped with MP5-K entered the room. Their bulletproof vests were barely recognizable from where I stood, but it was easy to tell they were fully equipped. I gulped while hiding behind the long curtains on the far side of the room, hoping the darkness would cover my exposed shoes. “There is no one in here, I told you chief Bartoli is crazy,” one of them said with a voice that rattled in the room, closing the door shortly after. “That was too close,” I sighed in relief and carefully stepped outside the room, into the fancy corridor, lit by candle lights to fit the occasion. I strolled down with caution to avoid being seen before I arrived at the grand hall; where a party before the speech was going on. After wandering around the hotel for five minutes, I finally ran into the elevator. I pressed the down button and patiently awaited it. As I did, I heard a voice that seemed similar to me. “Good night, gentlemen,” it spoke as I turned to face it. My body shuddered when I noticed the two henchmen were behind me with their arms locked and loaded. “Good night,” I replied politely, hiding my fear under a relaxed tone of voice, “what’s with the firearms? Expecting trouble?” “Hopefully not. We have one big guest today, so security is a little tighter. Sorry if we are making you feel uncomfortable,” there was something in his voice that calmed my soul. “Don’t worry gentlemen, I’m sure everything will turn out just fine,” as I finished my phrase, the elevator door opened. Inside the clear metallic walls reflected everything around me. “Hold on,” one of them said as I stepped inside, I gulped and prepared myself to quickly draw my pistol, “We still have to clear the east wing, Mason.” “C’mon, Sullivan. There’s nothing in here,” the other one ranted. “Gentlemen, I know it’s not any of my business but I think it’s better if you check the east wing. I saw a man acting too rare around room 2476,” I interrupted in the most polite way I could. Both man glared at each other, until Sullivan gave in. “Alright, let’s head off to room 2476,” they turned and walked away towards the east wing, right from where I was standing. Once inside the elevator I pressed the button that was supposed to lead me to the party level. “Okay. So I’ll slip to the underground level to survey her car, then return to the party level to cover Twilight Sparkle”, I thought while the elevator descended slowly. Eric Johnson’s ‘Gem’ wasn’t enough to stop my heart from beating so fast. I’ve done coverage tasks, breaking and entering, assassinations and yet I was never this nervous. When the elevator opened, I saw a large, golden hall filled with white tables with fancy, expensive decorations and people all around me talking. The noise was overwhelming; you could barely hear the slow, sonata music over the sound of people talking about how lovely is the weather or if they find pony fashion attractive. I slid my way through the crowd, avoiding any contact with people other than the casual ‘evening’ with a somewhat drunk blue collar individual. I eventually reached the back garden, where security was guarding the entrance to the parking lot. I approached the henchmen slowly as I searched my pocket for the parking ticket. “Excuse me, gentlemen. I forgot my mobile in my vehicle, may I retrieve it?” I pulled the ticket out of my pocket; one of them took it and stepped aside after looking at it for a couple of seconds, “Please hurry, we are making small repairs on one of the vehicles.” I nodded and walked into the asphalt of the parking lot. It was darker in there, only small places were lit. I pulled out my P229 and approached the walls, where it was darker. Despite the party was quite close, it was quiet enough to hear people’s footsteps at a distance. Eventually, I was able to hear people mumbling in the distance. I walked closer and saw six people around Twilight Sparkle’s Hummer. A briefcase was visible next to one of them; it emitted a flashing red light. “Strap it under the car. The programming in it should take care of the rest, hurry up before someone sees it,” one of them desperately implied while handing over the briefcase to a man under the car. “Crap… If I kill these guys it should alert the rest of them, making them take the option of shooting her guns blazing,” I stepped back and turned around towards the party “ I think it’s better to let them think their plan is working.” “Did you find your cell phone, sir?” the henchmen asked, I carefully took out my blackberry, “Yeah, just a couple of missed calls from the kids,” I said with a huge, honest smile. Lying was something natural on me, a bad habit I learned from my times during college. “Alright then, enjoy the party,” I walked inside again with one thing in mind. Get Twilight Sparkle out of there in one piece. I strolled around the party looking for her, I eventually found her behind a thick layer of people. I pulled out my Blackberry and traced her cell phone using a chip tracking program, sending one message after I obtained her number. I was able to see when she read it, her face turned white in fear. “You are not safe in here; meet me in the bar as soon as you can. Ask for a dry martini,” was the message. I went to the bar, sat and asked for a glass of wine. “Are you waiting for someone?” the bartender asked in a nice tone, he was cleaning a cup as he approached me. “Yes I am,” I took a closer look at him and noticed a ring on his left hand, it had the symbol of the all England lawn tennis and croquet club, “You seem like a man who knows the ways of the British gentlemen. That’s one ring you have in there.” “Oh this,” he blushed while glancing at his ring, “My father was a Wimbledon umpire. He handed this down to me when I turned eighteen.” “I see-“ “One dry martini, please,” a woman’s voice interrupted our conversation; I turned to see her standing next to me. She was taller than I thought at first, around one seventy five, her lavender eyes shone above the rest of her face. “Miss Sparkle?” I politely asked. She turned to face me with a scowl, “I know you must be a little surprised from my statement on the message. But I was merely speaking the truth.” “What’s with your accent?” she asked while continuing her cold glare. “Pardon my Scouse, Miss Sparkle. We can discuss the matter of my accent later on, for I have important news to share with you,” I took a sip of my wine and asked her to sit. “Well you better be fast, my speech is about to start,” she disdainfully sat next to me as the bartender served the drink she ordered. “I have discovered that you are the target of an assassination,” I calmly said as I pulled a note from my blazer and placed it on the table. “What is that?” she grabbed the note and read it. “It’s an e-mail from one of your escorts to John Antonin, head of the American anti pony society. As you can see, he signed a thirty million dollar bounty with senator Chambers for your assassination.” “This can’t be right,” she said surprised “this man is my security chief, Carlos Bartoli. He’s using an alias, this is his e-mail.” “In that case, then this situation has become far more complicated than I anticipated at first,” I took another sip from my wine and continued, “I’ve spotted how some of your security planted a bomb on your car. You must use another exit. After your speech, I will be waiting for you here to take you to a safe house.” “I can’t believe this” her face turned white from fear, again, “A.J was right. They are going to kill me.” “Nobody is going to kill you, Miss Sparkle. I’ll be protecting you during your speech. Be quiet though, for my cover may be blown if you show signs of weakness,” I placed the empty cup in the table and stood up. “This is so kind of you sir, but why should I believe you?” she asked as I walked away. “You don’t have any reasons to not believe me,” I vanished between the crowd and headed towards the second floor, to save a good spot for her speech. From there, you were able to see the tables, the people, the stand, everything. Preparations were being finished for Twilight Sparkle’s speech, and people were already gathering around to wait it. I wandered around the second floor, looking for a good spot to witness the speech that also happens to be apart from the crowd. I found it on the far right corner, with a good sight of Twilight Sparkle’s left flank. Minutes passed on and a thunderous applause received her on the stand. The horn in her head began glowing in an intense white color, lifting a bunch of paper into the air and gently placing it in front of her. The applause stopped as she cleared her throat. “Thank you all, for coming tonight. It is an honor to have you here, listening to me for a minute,” she giggled for a moment, “Now. The purpose of this is to make some announcements regarding the matter of ponification. First, I am glad to announce that, after long discussion, we have reached an agreement with Japanese technology developer Sony, to assist in the development of a technology that would allow a most efficient ponification,” the crowd interrupted with an applause. “Also, it is my pleasure to announce you that progresses are being made with the UN to legalize, in a certain degree, ponification. It is well known that people are being sent to our world illegally, even though Princess Celestia does not encourage the practice, anypony who wants to become an Equestria citizen is welcome to join us. Once the legal matters surrounding human immigration have been solved, I’m sure humans and ponies can co-exist in a peaceful way and learn many things from each other.” During the respective applause, I noticed a man from between the crowd constantly approaching closer to the stand, something wasn’t right about the way he pushed his way in between the crowd “As a final announcement, I am proud to announce that Princess Celestia is attending this year’s Human-Pony Relationship Congress,” during the applause, I saw this man pulling a pistol from his blazer, he had to be stopped. I pulled my P229 and took the shot.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T02:55:57+00:00

2011-07-14T02:55:57+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction: Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau, by: Blaze Chapter 2 A scream paralyzed the crowd as the man fell into a pool of blood that poured from his head. Twilight’s security henchmen quickly withdrew her from the awful scene. “I’ve got to move, even though I had a silencer someone could have picked up on me pulling out a small pistol,” I thought was I ran back to the stairs, blending with the startled crowd that rushed towards the nearest exit. Suddenly, a text message appeared on my blackberry. “This is Twilight Sparkle. They are taking me to the parkin-“ it read. Once I reached the first floor, I dashed to the parking lot. However, the entrance was blocked by the same henchmen from before. “I’m sorry sir, but this route is blocked. Please, head to the main evacuation route,” they said in a rude tone as approached at full speed. “You’re not stopping me,” I drew my P229 and delivered two clean headshots before they could even aim down their weapons. I ran past their bodies into the parking lot, where security was heavy around Twilight Sparkle. Her complaining about the vehicle was clearly audible. “Bartoli, I demand to be transported in other vehicle, for my security,” she said on a bossy tone. “We’re sorry ma’am, but this is the only vehicle that’s suited for your needs, please step inside,” a man in a white tuxedo pushed her inside. “When a lady says she’s not comfortable with the ride, I suggest you fulfill her demands,” I yelled from afar, walking calmly towards them with my pistol behind my back. “Sir, please head towards the main evacuation route or we will open fire towards you,” the man in the white tuxedo said with the hands behind his back, every single mercenary next to him instantly pointed their weapons at me. “Please, I was just heading for my car. I want to get out of here as much as you do,” I slowly walked towards a blue Nissan Tsuru next to me, “but I can’t help myself,” the sound of a metallic object that landed on the floor was heard, “the lady does not want your ride,” I kicked the flash grenade on my feet, it slid from under the car as I covered my eyes from the sudden flash of light. Moaning and groaning filled the air as I ran towards the SUV, executing those who dared to point their firearms at me. “What the hell are you waiting for, kill him!” Bartoli shouted furiously, but just before he could pull out a pistol from his jacket, I placed the cannon of my P229 in his neck; he shuddered and raised his hands. “Don’t!” Twilight punched the pistol away from his neck an instant before I could shoot him. I turned to scowl at her. “You’re lucky the lady doesn’t think you’re worth pulling the trigger,” I struck him with the pistol on his neck, knocking him unconscious; afterwards, I offered my hand to help Twilight Sparkle descend from the SUV. “I hope I am placing my trust on the right person. You just killed half my security squad,” she said while readjusting her hair. “Please, Miss Sparkle. If I wanted you dead, you would be by now,” I grabbed her hand and ran towards my car. The alarm turned off as we closed in, I spun my head wryly towards the stunned men and saw the flash grenade was losing its effect. “Step in, the doors are open,” I opened the trunk of the red car and pulled out an M16 assault rifle, equipped with armor piercing bullets. “Are you kidding me, I can’t drive!” she yelled to me, staring at the driver’s seat. “It’s a European BMW, the passenger’s side is on the other side,” I replied in the same tone as her while loading the rifle. Some of those men were already on their feet, and some were already pointing their guns at my car. “What the hell are you waiting for? Get inside!” she shouted at me while opening the door, I ignored her and opened fire against the helpless henchmen in front of me. The firefight scared those who weren’t killed under the bullet storm from my full automatic M16. “Just finishing some tiny details,” the insides of the car were completely original and well preserved, for a car that’s from the early century. “Engine, start!” the car’s road echoed in the thick walls as it blasted off into the streets of New York. “Where are you taking me?” she asked while glancing outside. “To a safe house. I’ve been planning this for a couple of weeks; you will be away from any harm until this whole mess cleans itself up,” I replied in a mechanical way, as I reached bubblegum from my pocket. “Just one, please,” she took the small pack of green bubblegum, “you know, you already know my name, but I don’t know yours.” “My name is Leighton McRae, I am from Knowsley England; if you were wondering why I speak like this.” “Pardon me, Leighton. I’m not from around here and all those places you mention sound weird to me,” her voice reflected all her concern. It was easy to notice from her body language and that she could not stop tapping her fingers on the window. “I know they sound rare. After all, you were born a pony. I would not be amused if you told me that having fingers and walking on two legs is something you find awkward,” I teased while turning left towards the nearest exit of town. “It is, believe it or not. I’m still learning from you humans. Your traditions, beliefs, politics…” she sighed “for that I’m glad Princess Celestia sent me here.” “It’s not your fault that mankind sees you ponies as a way out from out chaotic world, let me tell you a little about mankind that everybody sees and no one admits,” she instantly turned her face towards me and stared with her eyes wide open. “Humans are greedy to a fault; we carve in lust and enjoy living on other’s demise. We see your kind as a threat to us, not because we can’t understand you, because we can’t exploit you. You are apart from out chaos, safe from our wars and deceases, we are jealous of you.” “I… haven’t thought of it that way,” she turned towards the window, “ponification must be legalized. There is too much at stake.” “I… have something else on mind,” my statement caused her to give me another of those cold looks, “don’t misunderstand me, Miss Sparkle. I don’t stand for anti-ponification. I am actually looking forward to the legalization of ponification, that’s one of the reasons why I must keep you alive.” “If that’s the case, then what are your motives? Who are you working with? The FBI? The Interpol?” “I am working all by myself, no one is behind my operations,” I calmly answered. “Then, why are you wasting your precious time protecting a pony?” the frown on her face turned towards a more sarcastic one. “I am a resourceful man with a mentality that is long extinct among humans; I’m doing this to ensure mankind’s continuity.” “Doing what? I’m just trying to soften up the tensions between your politicians and my Princess, I’m not a messiah. Keeping me alive will, maybe, only get the ponification legalized on earth, nothing else.” “Miss Sparkle-“ “Oh for the love of Celestia,” she shouted in a burst of anger “just call me Twilight.” “Alright then, Twilight,” I cleared my throat and continued, “I am also somewhat of a researcher and mathematician. My calculus indicate that the current human population in Equestria is no enough to repopulate Earth for over six generations.” “What’s with your fancy numbers, Leighton?” “Humanity faces extinction, no one admits it. We are dying faster than we can breed, and those who are born, are rapidly killed by deceases we unleashed on ourselves. If we can save at least six percent of the earth’s actual population it would be sufficient to generate enough variability to maintain a working population.” “So you want to save them by placing those humans on Equestria,” she teased with a blank look in her eyes. “Exactly; but it’s not just placing six percent there, let mankind kill itself and re-populate at once. It’s a slow process, humanity’s fall will not happen overnight. We must keep those humans on Equestria, and when the time is right, return to repopulate earth.” “You sound kinda crazy, you know?” she continued to look at me with those blank eyes. “I am not afraid of the prejudices that are bestowed upon me. My points of view are extremists to some, I do not blame them. However, I have staggering evidence that if illegal ponification remains for the next six months, the estimated flow of people into Equestria will not be enough to save the required people before deceases and war overcome humanity. Upon our arrival at the safe house, I will share this information with you.” “I have to tell you something, Leighton,” her eyes now changed with concern, I was relieved that the blank stares and intense glares were over. “Go on,” outside, the interstate highway darkness created a great atmosphere for a long, exquisite talk. “Humans do not keep their memories upon ponification; I doubt that through the generations ponies would ever want to repopulate your earth.” “That is why I must find a way to preserve memories upon ponification too, which is another reason why I must keep you alive. You see, humanity is not only rich because of the nine billion people that walk on the face of earth. Our culture and traditions are something tied to our identity, and it differs from place to place. If mankind is to be preserved, so must be the identities of every person.” Her gaze turned ahead on the road, “how far is this safe house?” “It’s a thirty minute drive from New York. Using this console,” I pressed a button next to the steering wheel, “you may send e-mails, make phone calls or simply watch TV. Please, be my guest.” “Thanks, Leighton,” she said with a smile, and after that she went silent. Apparently, Law & Order UK entertained her enough for her to drool all the way to the safe house. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Twilight, wake up. We have arrived at the safe house,” I shook her shoulder trying to make her snap from the deep sleep she fell after fifteen minutes of watching Law & Order UK. Her eyes opened slowly along with some senseless mumbling that came from her mouth, followed by a huge yawn. “Only thirty minutes eh?” “Humanity’s TV shows are boring for you, eh?” I countered with a blank look as I helped her descend the car. She gazed at the two story cottage ahead of her that barely appeared from in between the darkness. “When you said safe house I thought you meant a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere.” “As I said, I am a resourceful man. And I need comfort as well. Now, please,” I walked towards the white main door, the lights turned on as I approached revealing a beautiful porch decorated with glass chandeliers and fine chairs. A golden key allowed me to enter the house, the door made cracking noises as I opened it. “Wow…” Twilight’s jaw dropped, “I have never seen something like this in my entire life.” “British seventeenth century decorations, please, don’t drool on the rug. It costs a fortune to clean it,” I offered her a seat on my red colored couch, “Tea? Anything to drink?” she glanced at the porcelain tea set on the glass table in the middle of the living room. “Do you have any of this sour, black colored beverage you humans drink every morning?” she asked with a smile on her face. “Coffee?” “Yes, that. Do you have any?” A grin spread across my face, “Yes, I do. Feel free to roam the house as I prepare your drink,” she stood up and ran towards the bookshelf across the living room. I had never seen someone so interested in books in my life; luckily for her I had all sorts of them. Biology, physics, chemistry, medicine, philosophy, modern and classic literature, I had almost every important book mankind ever wrote in that shelf. “Where did you get all of these books? They are amazing!” she said with the smile of a child with a new toy. “I acquired some through auction sales, some others are gifts. Feel free to grab any of them, just don’t scratch them.” “I wish I could take these to Equestria. It would teach us a lot from you,” she glanced at the pages of Charles Darwin’s ‘The Origin of Species’. “Indeed,” I placed her mug on the table as I sat on my white wing chair, “that one you have in there is the keystone to modern biology. Our literature and knowledge is something that must also be preserved, hence the collection I gathered” “You really thought this through, didn’t you?” “I do not take this matter lightly. I believe mankind has to be saved, and so I will,” I took a sip of my green mug. “That’s one big mission for a single man, don’t you think?” she sipped her purple mug and coughed, “do you have any milk?” “It’s in the glass next to your mug. And if I don’t, who is going to? The UN is too busy in solving the differences between Arabs and Americans, let alone the Chinese. Every citizen out there is afraid of its government, democracy died with the last war the U.S unleashed on the Middle East. I don’t blame humanity for being humanity; I blame the actions the wrong people made. We had values once, I want that back for my kind,” I said with calm voice, but my words seemed to startle her however. “I want you to explain me, what do ponies have to do in this entire plan of yours?” she leaned back on her seat with her mug in hand. “Your kind lives in an alternate dimension to ours, safe from all of the wars and diseases that attack mankind every day. Your people are noble, gentle and dislike conflict, opposite to the conflictive, paranoid nature of humans. My plan is relatively simple, yet very complex because it covers almost every flaw I detected during two years of dedicated study. You see, by co-existing with ponies a daily basis, under your rules, humanity can regain the founding of a peaceful, working society. We transfer roughly six hundred million people to you lands along with all of our culture; books and traditions, you name it. Wait until mankind falls, then repopulate.” “That’s a lot of people to handle, I’m not sure if Princess Celestia would allow that many ponies,” she placed the mug back in the table and crossed her legs, her dress slid on them revealing thighs that overcame my expectations for those of a pony. “That is another reason why I brought you here. If Wikipedia is to be trusted, then your land is still vast and remains widely unexplored. We could establish new settlements for humans to inhabit, avoiding the overpopulation of cities like Manehattan and Fillydelphia. I believe that requires the approval of Princess Celestia, and I would like to ask for it.” “Hold on there,” she snapped and pointed her finger at me, “you kidnapped me to take you to Equestria.” I burst into laughter after I drank a sip from my coffee, “of course not. If I wanted to be ponyfied like everyone else I would have gone to Russia to get the job done. My interest is genuine, I would like to meet her and display the situation to the only flaw in my plan.” “Princess Celestia is your only flaw?” she asked with a big frown “Ultimately, the success of my plan depends on her to agree to accept a minimum of three million people.” “What about the other five hundred ninety seven million people?” her gaze turned sarcastic. “That is the enough amount of people to preserve a decent gene pool through the time to, via genetic engineering, revive mankind to an stable population in one hundred generations,” I finished my coffee and placed the empty mug on the table. “And if Celestia does not agrees?” she implied while crossing her legs back. “Three million more ponies is the population she would have on her hands in two years from now. She will agree to three million people,” she looked down meditating; silence fell in the room for a minute. “It’s your lucky day, Leighton. I believe you. I’m scheduled to report my speech tomorrow at noon. I know a spell to avoid your loss of memory upon ponification.” “Excuse me, Twilight,” I said with a nervous grin, “ I did not ask for ponification.” “You have no choice; there can be no humans on Equestria. Upon changing dimension you turn into a random kind of pony, but will become human once you return to the earth though,” I nodded, the nervous grin slowly changed for a confident one. “Alright then, Twilight. Go get some sleep. I must prepare for this,” I stood up and so she did after me. I asked her to follow me upstairs to show her the room where she would sleep. The candle in my studio was going to be lit one more night.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T02:57:27+00:00

2011-07-14T02:57:27+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction: Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau, by: Blaze Chapter 3 “It’s fifteen past eleven, she should be awake by now” I thought to myself with a big bowl of cereal in my hands. The small table next to the living room was lit by the morning May sun. The TV was filled with brainwashing crap, so was the radio and the newspaper. Every morning was a quiet one for me in that cottage, one of the reasons why I bought it with the sole purpose of hiding Twilight Sparkle. With every munch I took, I went all over again over the checklist for my unexpected visit to Equestria. I had foreseen it, but not so sudden. “Laptop, check. USB flash disk, check. Projector, check. Pony attire, check. Briefcase, check. Documents, check” repeated over and over in my head. “What time is it?” I snapped and spit the food in my mouth straight back into my plate. Twilight screamed in shock. “I’m sorry!” she yelled after her loud, high pitched scream. “It’s ok. That was the last spoon of cereal, I was about to finish anyway” I said in calm voice, cleaning up any chewed cereal that fell off the plate. “What time is it, again?” she sat on the opposite side of the table. “Sixteen past eleven, you slept ten hours and forty five minutes. Cereal? Tea?” I reached for a plate on the shelf next to me, her eyes opened wide and she shot up straight from the table. “We’re going to be late!” she took my hand and dragged me all the way to the backyard. It was a sunny day; some of the flowers emanated a scent that filled the air and made the surroundings truly come to life. “Oh yeah, you’re supposed to report to Celestia at noon” I forced my arm away from her tight grip, “hold on a second, I must go for my briefcase. You get ready, I’ll wait for you in the car” she stood there with giving me a rare look, I ignored her and went inside the house to retrieve all that I needed for my travel. It took me a few minutes of last moment organizing and grooming in the second floor, but once I descended the stairs, I saw Twilight standing in the middle of the living room arms crossed. “I said wait for me in the car; and why haven’t you changed your clothes?” I frowned at her purple pajama. “We don’t need a car or change our clothes, silly. I can go to Equestria from anywhere, come with me” she walked outside seemingly confident. “Look Leighton” she turned towards me looking down, “I’m going to take you to Equestria with the purpose of you sharing your plan with Queen Celestia, got it?” “I totally understand, Twilight. I am prepared” I replied with confidence, tightening my left fist. “Okay… Here I go” her horn began glowing in an intense lavender color that quickly covered the whole backyard in a soft purple aura. From the borders of this aura, lightning bolts began to focus on one area in front of us, eventually creating some sort of black hole. “Grab my hand!” she moaned from exhaustion, I took her hand with a mixture of fear and excitement. The aura suddenly turned red along with her horn, the sound of a huge vacuum sucking the air around us began emanating from the black hole. “Jump now!” she leaped into the dark hole, pulling my hand along. Everything went dark around me; it felt like falling straight into abyss. I remember her voice in the distance, audible, yet not understandable. My body changed, more like readjusted, morphed; filling me with an unimaginable pain. I gave into the pain after noticing I could not see myself, I just closed my eyes and hoped the pain would end soon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Leighton? Leighton are you alright?” I heard a feminine voice in the distance as my light struck my slowly opening eyes. “Did it work? Do you remember who you are?” “I feel like I was just ran over by a train, punched in the gut and dragged five miles by a horse, but if you ask me who I am, I will proudly identify myself as Leighton McRae” I said as I stood up, rubbing my head with a hoof, I noticed the feminine voice was a purple equine with a horn on its head. It was Twilight in her pony version. “You look great, you’re one proud Pegasus. Even though I’m not a huge fan of your color” she said walking towards a bookshelf next to us. It was in that very moment when I noticed we reappeared in a library. “According to this, my spell should keep you fresh and full of your memories during your stay in Equestria, please enjoy yourself” she headed up a spiral staircase in front of me; the architecture was something I had never seen before. It seemed like the insides of a tree. “Can anybody give me a mirror?” I asked as I tried my brand new hooves around. “You don’t say anybody in here, you say anypony, oh, and there’s one in the bathroom, left of the kitchen” her voice echoed in the wooden walls, I followed her directions and found a somewhat pleasant surprise in the mirror. “I look good…” I examined every single part of my body, my skin was colored red and my mane was a little browner than usual, let alone the couple of wings that appeared at the sides of my torso. They were there but I couldn’t feel them. “Twilight?” I asked with some concern, “what is that tattoo I have on my ass?” “Oh please!” she shouted with anger, “you say flank in here, not ass. That’s why we teach our manners to you humans first” she appeared next to me suddenly, “and you have a cutie mark? Most humans don’t have one, let me take a look” The look in her eyes was of one of a person who is merely curious, but nevertheless, a pony looking at your flank is a pony looking at your flank. “Yes, it has a pen and a sword. Can I remove it?” “No, of course not!” her fascination towards my ‘cutie mark’ made the expression in my face change, “sorry! I guess I’m a huge fan of your cutie mark, I had never seen anything like it. It means that you already discovered your special talent, something you identify yourself with; and it has something to do with pens and swords” “I enjoy writing, for I was once a journalist for the Liverpool Echo. Greatest days in my life” my mind suddenly filled with memories of those days when I was in my early twenties, “It was also the time of my life where I used to get the less sleep hours” I added with a smirk. “Twilight, are you home-” a small, purple dragon walked into the house with a note in hand; it let out a massive scream the moment my eyes met with him, “who the hell is this guy Twilight, is he a burglar? Back off!! You’re not taking anything!” it threatened with nothing more than a small piece of paper on hand. “Is this how guests are treated on Equestria? With a small dragon threatening you with a mere sheet of paper?” I implied in a sarcastic way, walking towards him in the most respectful way my hooves allowed me to. “Twilight, this pony is creeping me out. What’s with his voice…?” “Don’t be so harsh on our guest, Spike. He’s a new friend of mine; I met him back on earth. His name is Leighton McRae” Spike glared at me with furious eyes. “Pleased, to make your acquaintance” I offered a hoof, expecting to receive the equivalent to a handshake. He only stared at my hoof, rudely walking past me. “Is he a human? How come he can remember his life on earth? Why is he here? Celestia is going to demand explanations,” “He saved my life back on earth, the least I could do to repay his actions was to offer my help,” Twilight said as she approached a stand with ink and pen. “My specie faces annihilation. I come here with a plan to save us through your lifestyle; do not be afraid, Spike, I mean no harm to your people.” “I don’t usually like humans…” the small dragon glared at me with the same eyes from before, “but when I do they have a cool accent” his face turned happy suddenly for my surprise, “I just love the way you talk, do every human talks like you?” “I’m glad to see you two can get along. Let me write a letter to Celestia with my report, Spike, show our guest around,” her purple horn began glowing once more and the pen floated around, writing on the paper next to her. “Alright, Mister Leighton, follow me!” the now joyful dragon signaled me to follow outside, where a marvelous, colorful town appeared before me. Again, the architecture was simply breathtaking. A mix of impossible structures along with a large pallet of color gave the town its life. Around, lots of ponies walked past us, seemingly happy and waving hello at each other as if they were friends since the very moment they were born. It was clear that the life in this town was simple, lovely and quiet. “What’s the name of this place, Spike?” I asked astonished by my surroundings. “Ponyville, a small, peaceful town here on Equestria. Lovely, isn’t it?” “You bet your flank it is…” I couldn’t help but to notice the fact that I felt assaulted by everypony’s eyes. You could tell everyone knew each other in this place. “Here we live our lives in a simple way, though we got a lot of things going on. With the whole human immigration issue we sure have lots of more visitors every day.” “What’s the criminal occurrence in this place?” “We don’t have any of that. Everypony here is honest and straight, we don’t need to steal each other’s property or fight over something. But if we do, we take this to a court where a judge decides who’s right and both parties sign a treaty where they compromise to submit to the judge’s decision.” “So… you don’t have nothing like murder or kidnapping in this place?” I looked at him with skepticism drawn all over my face. “Nope, no murder or kidnapping. Why are you asking stuff like that?” he countered with a frown of his own. “From where I came from, people have fights even over who should keep a dead body. Coming to a place like this… is… weird to me.” “I see…” Spike stopped and pointed towards a building that had the appearance of a chocolate cake, “That is Sugarcube Corner. If you want to try the most delicious cakes on earth, that’s the place.” “The architecture is something that shines above the rest of this lovely town, is it local developed or nationwide fashion?” I stared at the muffin on top of the building. Spike giggled immediately after my question, “I just love the way you talk! Anyway, if you turn around this corner you’ll find the marketplace, where you can buy from food to souvenirs.” “In England, when you make a question, it is a common courtesy to take the bother to answer it, Spike,” I said calmly, hiding the hot pot of anger I was inside. “Ah, so you come from a place called England?” the jolly dragon asked innocently, it was clear that he didn’t had the intention to offend me. “Yes, it’s a large portion of an island in the north part of the earth. It is actually part of a larger kingdom, called the United kingdom, that compresses England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland under a single flag, even though each kingdom remains apart from each other by recognizable borders.” “Do everyone in the United Kingdom talks like you do?” his eyes filled with an unmistakable spark. “Yes, but it’s different from place to place. My accent is native to Merseyside and is commonly referred as Scouse, but you have the Scottish accent, the Geordy, the Mancunian… There are lots of different accents all across the United Kingdom.” “That’s awesome…” he looked down as if meditating, “I know! I have a couple of friends who have accents too, you should totally meet them!” he began sprinting suddenly towards a building shaped similarly to a carousel. At first I couldn’t find the correct rhythm to run properly as a pony, but after a couple of meters, I found it to be more efficient than human sprinting. I could now feel what was like to gallop at full speed. Spike genuinely broke into the building; he stepped inside without ringing or knocking. My education forced me to stay outside until the host allowed me to enter. I could hear Spike’s voice repeatedly shout ‘Rarity’ inside the building. Eventually, a feminine voice with a mid-Atlantic accent replied politely to wait. “I have a pony with me you should totally meet. Leighton, come inside it’s cool!” he shouted from inside. “Spike, my education forbids the act of me wandering inside somepony’s house without the host’s permission.” “My-my!” a white pony with a horn like Twilight popped up from the door dressed in a purple gown, “you have the manners of a true gentlemen. I am Rarity, proud owner of the Carousel Boutique.” “I am Leighton McRae, Lady Rarity,” I gently took her hoof and kissed it, “a pleasure, to make your acquaintance.” The white unicorn giggled in delight; Spike glared at me with furious eyes again, “I would gladly have you enter my chambers if I wasn’t swamped with work this evening. Where are you from? Your accent is distinctive.” “I am from Knowsly, England,” Rarity’s face suddenly changed to one filled with doubts. “Oh yeah, he was not born a pony. He’s a human that Twilight brought along with her,” Spike interrupted as he walked to my side. “Really? Such a lovely accent you humans carry, darling. And what brings you here, Mister McRae?” for my surprise, I was not discriminated as I thought I would. “I come with a proposal for Queen Celestia. Humanity will soon go extinct, and I plan to save it through your lifestyle.” “That’s amazing! I would love to have more humans here, imagine all the different fashion styles that would come along with them. The possibilities are limitless!” her body language was classy, and her accent distinctive. If she wasn’t a pony I would probably find someone like her attractive. “Alright Leighton, we have to go. Twilight probably finished her letter by now, so we should really go,” Spike nervously added, grabbing one of my hoofs and pulling me away. “Alright then, Leighton, darling. If you’re ever around town and wish to have an outfit that lives up to your… class, my humble establishment is always open for you. Consider it a personal favor,” she winked her eye as Spike pulled me away from the Carousel Boutique. We walked back towards the library in a somewhat awkward silence. “You know, Rarity’s accent is similar to mine. It’s known as mid-Atlantic accent back on earth,” Spike continued to ignore me; it was easy to tell he was mad at me. “What’s the matter mate?” I politely asked while placing a hoof on his back. “Nothing,” he hissed and pushed my hoof away from him. “I’ll analyze this to figure out what is wrong with you…” I took a deep breath; this however, did not stop us from walking out way back to the library, “Rationalization? No, time is too short, not enough time for proper digestion of thoughts, must be an immediate response. I was polite, Rarity was polite, doesn’t seem to carry negative thoughts towards her. Subject deliberately walked into Rarity’s chamber without permission, she didn’t seem startled either by my or his presence though. It must have been something I did. Unlikely, I kept a polite atmosphere and conversation, subject interrupted communication between Rarity and me, no, must be symptom, not a cause; must have been the fact of me talking to her. Attitude, seventy five percent of the word exchange occurred between her and me along with her expressive body language. Subject interrupted communication between me and Rarity due to feeling separated from her attention, a feeling commonly known as jealousy; ergo, you probably have feelings for her. Am I correct?” Spike stared at me jaw-dropped, “yes?” he said with a weird look in his eyes. “I knew it” I knocked on the pink wooden door of the library, “Come on in, it’s open!” was the response from inside “After you, Spike,” I politely opened his door under his weird gaze, after shutting the door close; I realized Twilight had a paper in hand. “Quick Spike! Send this to Queen Celestia,” she handed the paper over to the dragon, which held it close to his mouth. He blew green air towards the paper and it vanished into thin air. “I’m assuming that’s a pretty fast way of sending letters?” “Yes it is,” Spike giggled, “We usually get her response in a few minutes.” “Ok Twilight, what’s next?” I asked with a worried voice. “We wait for her response,” she turned towards a shelf behind her, the horn in her head began glowing and a book was lifted into the air. “I presume you told her that I had a plan to present.” “I did. Don’t worry Leighton, whether she approves or not, you’ll present your plan to her,” she glanced at the book in front of her face. “I am very grateful, for this opportunity, Twilight,” I bowed in a reverential way; she blushed and hid behind her book. Suddenly, Spike shuddered and burped. “How rude!” a paper flew straight from his mouth into Twilights hands. “Already? That was quick…” she opened the letter and cleared her throat and just before Twilight could begin reading the paper, the look on her face turned to show fear. “This can’t be good.”

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-14T02:58:32+00:00

2011-07-14T02:58:32+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction: Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau, by: Blaze Chapter 4 “I demand both your presence and Mr. Leighton’s presence today at six o’ clock?” I stared at the paper astonished, Twilight walked around seemingly nervous, “What does she mean? Why is this bad news?” “I knew I was making a mistake, stupid!” she punched herself violently in the face, I ran to stop a second punch. “What is going on? I demand an explanation! You’re freaking me out,” I shouted in desperation. “Spike, go ask Applejack for her cart. Leighton, grab your suitcase and stay in here with me, you cannot go outside,” she ran to the bookshelves and books began flying all around. “Right away, ma’am!” the green dragon rushed outside, I reached for my briefcase and pulled my blue laptop out. “What’s that?” she approached with a book in the air. “I’m checking my laptop, I need to verify my presentation and if the projector can function in this dimension,” I tried to typed my long, secure password without fingers, the efforts were futile. “Already missing your fingers?” Twilight teased with a sly grin. “They are helpful for more reasons other than just typing on a computer, I did not foresee this,” I continued my attempts at typing and Twilight turned to one of her books and went silent. It took me around five of six minutes to carefully type the password with the edge of my left hoof. “Voila! It works!” I exclaimed in delight, she glanced at me from the edge of her book. “Do you ponies have any electric outlet around here? I need to plug the projector,” my eyes quickly scanned my surroundings, noticing the lack of electric installations. “Nope,” she said in plain voice, “but let me take a look at that,” her horn began glowing as she approached the small, white projector that I had just pulled out from the briefcase. The lights in it began flashing, without any power intake, it was on. “That’s awesome, Twilight. Now, let me connect this cable to the computer…” I took the A/V cables with my teeth and struggled to put them in the correct position, I rubbed my neck after the tremendous effort. “At least your trick is working; I can see the content of your laptop on my walls,” she stared at my Ferrari screen saver amazed. “I suppose it’s fair that I show you my slideshow with my-“ “Hey Twiight? You n’ ‘ere?” a feminine voice with a southern American accent yelled along with the sound of the door being slammed open. “Applejack? Thank Celestia you’re here, I need a favor,” she ran towards the orange colored pony, this pony had a large beautiful blonde mane and a cowboy hat on her head. Really suits her accent. “Spike said y’all needed my cart, and I’m here deliverin’ it personally.” “That’s wonderful. Thank you so much,” Twilight ran outside, probably to check the cart. I approached this Applejack carefully with a grin in my face, “Hello, Miss. I guess we haven’t met, my name is Leighton McRae, you are…?” I extended my hoof, expecting a handshake, more like, hoofshake. “You must be the pony Spike was talkin’ ‘bout. My name is Applejack, pleased to make yer acquaintance,” the orange pony said with a big smile as she took my hoof and shook it rapidly, almost in a way that could be considered violent. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Applejack,” I released my hoof from her grip, “I appreciate the favor you’re doing us.” “No problem at all, Mister McRae,” she stared at me intensely, as if looking into my soul, “I ain’t mean to offend, sir. But is it true that you’re a human?” “Indeed, I am a fine specimen born in Knowsley, England in August twentieth fifth of nineteen ninety seven.” I proudly replied as Twilight entered the library with a worried look in her eyes. “Everything is ready; we will leave in a couple of hours. I asked Rainbow Dash to convince a few Pegasi to pull our cart so we should get there in two hours or so.” “What’s troublin’ you, sweetheart?” Applejack implied placing her hoof in Twilight’s shoulder. “Nothing… I’m just stressed,” she took Applejack’s hoof off her shoulder and walked towards me, “Leighton, you were about to show me your slideshow.” “It’s true,” I snapped and walked towards the projected image on the wall, “I was about to show the reason why I came to Equestria, Applejack, would you care to join?” “Sure, I’d like to see what these fancy lookin’ devices can do,” she sat on the floor next to the projector. “Spike, would you mind passing me the pen over there?” I pointed at my briefcase; the dragon joyfully nodded and quickly handed it over. The pen shot a laser that interacted with the projections, allowing me to load the slideshow without touching the laptop. “Now,” I cleared my throat and ‘Project HC’ came on screen, “I present to you, Project Human Conservation; a plan to ensure the survival of mankind.” Everyone in the room stared with different looks at the projections, some of confusion, some of excitement,“the objective of this project is, as its name implies, to secure humanity’s conservation. I’m sure you are wondering, why does humanity need to be saved?” I pressed a button on the pen and the slide changed, “Humanity has reached a critical point in its history. Mortality rates are through the roof due to wars, famine and diseases and the birth rate is too low to cope up with the death rate. The inversion of these two rates is considered by experts as a ‘reverse demographic transition’. This phenomenon started in the late 2010’s with the release of the neofage on China, a genetically engineered virus that was said to regulate birth control. Instead, it got out of control and spread throughout all Asia.” “Were measures taken to control the neofage?” Twilight asked with pen and paper next to her. “Yes, but in the wrong way. The United States quickly developed a counter-inhibitor for the neofage, but instead of offering through the UN, it got stuck in private sector and reached the public at a price only wealthiest part affected by this could afford. Eventually, China went into a civil war that overthrew its government, establishing a new Military regimen by 2019.” “Please continue…” she muttered while writing on the paper, Applejack’s face displayed horror and Spike seemed quite entertained, his eyes were wide open and staring at the pictures of the China civil war. “As time went on, neofage cases were reported all across the world as it is transmitted through the air. Europe, Africa, America… The neofage made only one in a thousand births viable and it soon became the horror of the masses. Massive suicides, a spreading sense of apocalypse took over the population all over the world, and if seen from this perspective, humanity has its days counted. But it is not the only problem after us,” the slide changed to one displaying various graphics. “The graphics shown here are a comparison of the population growth and the estimated food production, between an hypothetical event first proposed by Thomas Malthus in 1798, and the current human situation. As you can see, there is not enough food to satisfy the demands in both graphics. The results?” I changed the slide again, showing horrible pictures of death, famine and social disorder. “Death of those unable to reach food, the poorest sector of humanity was the first one to fall. As the food went scarce, their prices rocketed through the roof, causing massive riots all over the world. This problem also strikes the birth rate, as a pregnant mother requires a proper nutrition for the new generation, lowering nativity even more. Now, one in every fifty thousand pregnancies generates healthy offspring.” “Shouldn’t this catastrophe stabilize the food demands?” Twilight asked again. “Mathematically, yes it should. However, Malthus’ theory can be applied to other resources. Energy, for example, is much related with the food. We have depleted all the petroleum available on the earth; this caused a whole domino effect on the food production. By not having fuel for its machines, the agricultural sector changed its fields from food crops to biofuel crops, decreasing production, hence raising the food’s prices. Less production, more cost.” “I didn’t know you humans have that many problems,” Applejack added with a horrified look on her face. “That, is only half of the problems humanity have,” I changed the slide once again, showing pictures of devastated cities and battlefields, “Wars, is one of the reasons why mankind is going extinct so rapidly. The current conflicts are between the United States of North America versus the United Arab nations and between the new People’s Republic of China versus the Russian Federation and the European Union in what is known as World War Three. The Americans fight for control over the Arab lands, that have vast resources and lands. The Chinese fight the Europeans and the Russians for a more even distribution of resources, as China has become nothing more than a god forsaken wasteland due to their overpopulation and civil war aftermath.” “So… Your people are now fighting for survival?” Twilight asked with a hint of sadness in her voice. “It’s a battle to steal other’s countries resources. Capitalism is a hungry beast that demands to be fed, and the war serves that purpose: more resources that translate into money for the starving monster. Instead of reaching an amnesty or developing other technologies for the harvesting of optional resources, the UN detoured founds from the Commission of Science and Technology Development, and Commission of Sustainable Development to the Counter-Terrorism Committee, a bureaucratic excuse to fuel the war. The outcome is a staggering body count of two billion people and counting. Official UN numbers claim that every day, three thousand people are killed as a result of the wars. This increases the death rate even more and halves the birth rate average, reaching an astounding count of one in one hundred thousand successful pregnancies.” “That is just awful!” Spike shouted while covering his face with his hands. “Taking these numbers, and making some calculations,” I change the slide once more, showing various numbers and formulas, “the current human population is rapidly falling into a population bottleneck, an event in which large part of a species is killed. This bottleneck causes the loss of variability and thus, a lack of adaptability to withstand new selective pressures. Considering the current birth and death rates, humanity will reach the billion individuals in two years from now; considering amnesty. But even then, projections show that even the aftermath of the war will sink economy into a massive recession, causing the extinction of humanity in three years from now. Actions need to be taken now.” “Then what’s the plan?” Applejack asked. “Transfer a minimum of three million people to Equestria. The minimum viable population size (MVP), which is the minimum quantity of individuals of a specie required to generate enough variability to thrive in its environment, for mankind with genetic engineering is of three million people, this was estimated using various population variability analyses with a success rate of 97.3%.” “So yer sayin’ that you need to save three million humans to ensure continuity? What’s with the success rate?” Applejack asked curiously. “The computer simulation takes into account the likelihood of a natural disaster to occur. There is a 2.7% of probability that mankind goes extinct if three million individuals are saved. However, the ideal MVP is of six hundred million people for instant results, this amount would require 500% less time and no genetic engineering. Considering the current flow of people into Equestria is of a hundred individuals a month, a maximum of thirty six hundred people are estimated to be here in three years from now. Legalizing ponification and offering it to the public for free around the world would cause a likely income of fifty thousand people a week, reaching five million two hundred thousand immigrants in two years, enough to preserve humanity.” “Five point two million people?” Spike asked astonished, “that’s like a tenth of the total population of Equestria.” “That matter is up to Queen Celestia to decide. Now that I have explained the numbers, I shall explain more numerical and the social implications of the plan ending with its implementation...” just before I could press the pen for the next slide, Twilight stood up seemingly contrite. “Leighton. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I think it’s about time we leave to Canterlot. The sooner we see Queen Celestia the better,” she, somehow, turned off the projector; her horn glowed as she faked a smile. Applejack and Spike gazed at her in a queer manner. “As you wish, Twilight. Help me pack my stuff up and we’ll be on our way,” I turned off my laptop and safely stored it on the briefcase. “Spike, go out and check on Rainbow Dash. Applejack, would you mind escorting Leighton into the cart? I’ll join you in a minute; I’ve got a couple of things to do,” Twilight ordered as she lifted a few books into the air, Spike bolted outside slamming the door open. “Not a problem, Twi. Leighton, follow me!” Applejack replied as she walked towards the exit. I knew Twilight was hiding something; it was easy to tell from her attitude, tone of voice and actions. Apparently, ponies suck at lying. I followed Applejack outside, where an old wooden red colored cart awaited in front of the house. “Step in,” she politely opened the door for me to step inside. A couple worn out of red cushions served as seats on each side of the cart; two circular windows covered by purple curtains dimmed the sunlight coming in. Applejack quickly closed the door as soon as I was inside the cart. “Applejack, what is going on?” my voice echoed inside the car. “I’m not sure, Leighton. I’m as confused as you are, but don’t worry. When Twilight behaves like this is because she’s got good intentions,” she assured with a happy grin. I saw her walk inside the house; solitude filled the cart for a few minutes, until my silence was interrupted by Spike’s voice. “Twilight! The Pegasi are here, we are good to go,” he said. Twilight quickly abandoned the house with a gray saddlebag on her back and stepped into the cart after ordering Spike to drive the Pegasi. “What’s on the bags?” I observed her bags cautiously; she pulled out a book and began reading it. “Books, just books,” the cart suddenly began moving, taking speed at first and taking off eventually. “What are the books for?” I asked on a demanding tone, she turn to stare blankly at me. “I’m trying to find a way to help you,” I checked the cover of her book, it read: ‘trans-species spells’. “Then why do you have to show this mysterious attitude?” I asked with a doubtful face. She let out a large sight just before closing her book. “Because you shouldn’t be here”

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-21T21:59:39+00:00

2011-07-21T21:59:39+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction. Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau Chapter 5 “Why, why shouldn’t I be here?” a shiver ran through my spine with the notice, it explained her attitude, her actions, everything. She looked down and avoided my harassing sight. “Humans are not allowed to enter Equestria so easily,” her voice filled with fear as she glanced at the clouds outside. “Alright, I buy that. But still, it does not explains the offense in my presence,” I approached her carefully, grabbing her hoof. “I shouldn’t have brought you here, Celestia is going to demand your head” she pushed my hoof away, I sat back continuing my glare at her elusive eyes. “Do you think a bunch of ponies are going to kill me so easily?” I remarked sarcastically. “She’s not going to kill you, Leighton. Celestia is quite a reasonable pony, and an excellent ruler, but she seemed quite angry on her letter. And I’ve never seen her angry.” “We humans have an old saying that goes: ‘There is always a first time for everything’. Calm down, if she goes insane I got your back,” I winked my right eye at her, causing her to show a nervous smirk. “Hey guys,” Spike popped his head from a small door on top of the cart, “these boys are pretty fast, we should get to Canterlot in thirty minutes or so.” “Noted, thanks Spike” Twilight said with a more tranquil grin. I reached for my briefcase and pulled out a heavy grey colored book. “The man who mistook his wife for a hat? What kind of book is that?” she stared at the cover with confusion. “It is not a novel about a man who confused his wife with a hat. It’s a human psychology book; I’ve been reading it for a few weeks now. The human mind is an unsolvable puzzle.” “You are always doing something interesting, Leighton. I still can’t believe all you told us back at the library about humanity,” she said with a sigh. “The information was not easy to gather, let alone to process. I had to learn how to gather it and process it too, that’s why this plan took two years to take shape.” “What did you do before making this plan?” she asked curiously, putting all of her concern aside. “Before devoting my life to this…” I sighed and gazed at the sky outside, “I was a Sociology professor and researcher at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University.” “Sociology professor? I don’t think you used to teach your students how to kill someone with a pistol” she implied with, again, confusion in her face. “Once the war began I had to learn how to protect myself from the looters and mercenaries that broke loose all across the UK. I was sloppy at first, but practice allows us to reach perfection, so they say.” “Right and how did you come up with a plan like Project Human Conservation?” she asked with even more curiosity as before, a trait that was sometimes annoying in her. “My job as a journalist eventually led me back into school to do a PhD in sociology as I noticed a radical change in human behavior, social structures and dynamics. I… dug into some books and ran into Malthus’ numbers, discovering that humanity was closing into them. I tried to warn, but they laughed the hell out of my flank, so now I’m saving theirs.” “Do you have any family?” “I once did,” I sighed again, “my mother was a Scottish nurse and my father a Liverpudlian cardiologist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, as well as a huge fan of Liverpool F.C. They both died during a bombardment in Liverpool from the Chinese; I was in London at the time.” “I’m sorry…” she muttered, “I didn’t know” “It’s ok. Their death was long ago. I’d rather look into my book now, if you don’t mind.” I took no offense from her comment, but I thought it was for the better if we kept silence until our arrival at Canterlot. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The cart stopped after a rough landing that shook both Twilight and me off our seats, “We’re here! The Queen’s Palace!” Spike announced through the door on top. I politely opened the door for Twilight to step down. “Thank you” she looked at me with a smile, I descended the vehicle and discovered a huge garden with a stone path that leaded straight inside the huge white castle, surrounded by a gray wall of brute rocks. In front of us, a majestic white Pony with her mane colored as the rainbow stood gazing at our presence. At her right, a smaller dark purple Pony with a deep dark blue tiara timidly walked to the bigger one’s side. “Queen Celestia!” Twilight instantly bowed at her sight, I mimicked almost instantly. “Arise, my dearest and faithful student. It is a pleasure to have you here” she greeted with a big smile on her face, the dark pony next to her remained silent, merely watching. “You demanded our presence here, and here we are, Queen” Celestia glanced at me with pretentious eyes. “I see that you brought the human along with you,” she turned to glare at me with the same eyes, “I am Queen Celestia, ruler of Equestria. Next to me stands Princess Luna, bringer of the night. Before me stands a Pony I have never seen before, indentify yourself!” she exclaimed in authoritarian voice. “I am Leighton McRae” I bowed once more reverentially, “Son of Steven and Allison McRae, born in the metropolitan borough of Knowsly, England. Your presence honors me, your highness.” “You said humans don’t have manners,” Princess Luna covered her smirk with a hoof. “Your gesture surprises me, Mister McRae. Arise,” I stood and stared directly into her beautiful lavender eyes, “Follow me into my chambers, we shall discuss important matters inside,” she turned and walked into the castle, decorated with golden and blue banners that symbolized the sun and the moon. In front of us, a staircase led into a huge golden throne with a smaller, silver one on its right. A pink carpet led the way into the thrones, guarded by two Pegasi with golden armor. Celestia gracefully sat on her throne and gazed down at Twilight and me. “If the letter Twilight sent is correct, then you are a human that came into Equestria with her help, am I correct?” she asked with a heavy glare on me. “Yes. After I saved Twilight Sparkle’s life at the Oriental Mandarin Hotel in New York I took her to a safe house east of the American city, where, after listening to my proposal, she agreed to bring me to this world with the sole purpose of me talking to you, your highness” I firmly stated, taking a couple steps forward, Celestia continued to stare at me with her face of disdain. “I remember that part in the letter,” she closed her eyes and let out an acceptance sigh, “since you saved Twilight’s life on earth, I think it is fair for me to listen to whatever you have to say; my attention is all yours, Leighton.” I quickly tried to reach my briefcase, my hooves waved in the air until I noticed that I left it back at the cart. My face turned red, rather pink actually, from embarrassment. “I had a slideshow prepared for the occasion, your highness” I sighed with disappointment, “but given its lack I shall explain only using my words,” my hooves trembled with a rare mixture of excitement and fear, Celestia’s stare was something I had never felt before. I cleared my throat and continued, “Humanity has reached a critical point in its history; the famine, the diseases and the war is wiping us out at an overwhelming pace. My studies indicate that mankind will go extinct in three years from now” “I am well aware of humanity’s situation,” She said in a plain tone. “I have elaborated a plan to save humanity by re-locating a minimum of three million individuals safely on Equestria. The plan is split in three phases: Phase one is the immigration, where we relocate a minimum of three million individuals on Equestria. Phase two consist of a co-existence between your people and mine, in which we wait until mankind vanishes from earth. Phase three is the gradual repopulation of earth.” “And how long would we have to host this humans?” she asked with a frown. “An approximate of one hundred and fifty years. By placing the only survivors of humanity in here we are sinking our specie into a population bottleneck. A population bottleneck is when a species loses a large part of its original population, hence, losing adaptability to new changes on the environment. To pull out humanity of this bottleneck, genetic engineering is needed. The required time means that three generations will have to pass until humanity is ready to repopulate earth and survive on its own” “Are there alternatives to host humanity for a shorter time?” “Yes, but the required population is of six hundred million. This population size would allow an immediate repopulation, however.” “I see it’s a matter of time versus amount of people.” Celestia looked at Luna; she gazed back at her sister and nodded. “What will happen to your diverse civilization? Knowing humans do not keep their memories upon ponification,” the purple princess asked while crossing her hoofs. “I was hoping you would allow humans to keep their memories, as our knowledge, traditions and identity must be preserved as well,” I spoke with determination, both Queen and Princess turned at each other with astonished looks. “Leighton, do you know why do we erase human memories upon their arrival to Equestria?” Celestia implied. “That matter is unbeknown to me, your highness.” “Your kind is… superior to us in certain areas. They have a more intricate and complex mind than our own, which is why humanity reached the technology and social complexity they have nowadays. But this trait also makes them… dangerous. Instead of developing a sense of union and comradeship, humanity began fighting for ideals and creating different explanations for the same thing. If I were to allow humans, like you, into Equestria, they might bring along the corruption, crimes and wars that ravage earth today.” “I would not bring dangerous murderers or famous movie stars, your highness. As I foresaw this, I created a psychological test for those who wish to be ponyfied, based upon various personality tests” “And tell me, what is keeping the subjects from lying in the test?” Celestia’s question amazed me; it caught me completely off guard. My whole test was based under the assumption of a completely honest subject. “What keeps a coward soldier from lying his way into Equestria?” I felt a knot on my throat and from this same feeling, courage began to pour. I advanced a few steps towards Celestia and stared at her eyes. “The same values that keep your people together, those that mankind lost through the ages and wait dormant inside the hearts of every good person that is terrified from his own government. I will not allow you to judge mankind as a whole by the decisions of corrupt governors and liars, because my kind is full of great persons that are worthy of a second chance and don’t deserve the hell they are going through. I did not scheme this plan with the idea of saving cowards and sissies, I forged it with the honest idea of saving a civilization that is spiraling down due to its own mistakes, hoping we could learn from them. Instead of giving up like every single human on earth or run to Equestria and leave everything behind to live my life as someone I’m not, I have kept faith in humanity. I am completely sure that if you grant humanity the opportunity to survive and learn from your civilization, we will grow back stronger and better,” Both rulers stared with amazement as silent took over the room for a minute. “That is a very moving speech, Leighton.” Luna said with a grin, “if it were my decision, I would accept your plan. But, the final decision is up to my sister,” she faced her sister with puppy eyes, “I have emitted my opinion, Sis.” “Leighton,” her stare turned more compassionate, glancing towards Princess Luna, “you are a very good spokesman. But I will not concede this opportunity so easily; have you planned the implementation as well?” “Yes I have. It will be an even split six hundred thousand people per continent, considering race and nationality. Strategic collection sites will be mounted on each country for a determinate amount of population.” “Have you considered that there will be people who will be left behind? If you mount your collection site on a big, crowded city people are going to fight to be saved.” Luna said. “As I mentioned, they are strategic. Statistically, people who live on cities are more prone to violent responses than those who inhabit the rural parts. We look into small towns from each country, collect their people and leave. Everyone will think it turned into a ghost town due to war.” “What about the culture and traditions. I will not allow them to bring cattle along,” Celestia said. “Humans are witty and creative, I’m sure they’ll find a way to exploit Equestria’s resources properly, under the correct legal frame.” I winked my eye at the Queen. The beautiful equine looked down meditating, the room went silent. “Alright, Mister McRae,” Celestia broke the silence with firm voice, “you have convinced me that your plan is actually a good idea. You have the support of Equestria,” her smile made me let out a huge sigh in relief, “Thank you very much, Celestia,” My efforts had paid off; humanity was going to be safe. “Now, Twilight,” her apprentice immediately straightened up, “please take mister McRae to the royal library, where he will explain his plan to our scientists.” “This way”, Twilight signaled me to move towards a side of the chambers, where a closed golden door protected by two Pegasi with golden armor was. “And Leighton,” Celestia’s voice made my body shudder; I turned to face her with a confident smile, “Humanity should be grateful to have someone like you.” “Thank you, your highness,” I reverentially bowed one last time before proceeding into the golden door. I felt relieved, but I somehow knew it had just started.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-25T19:26:28+00:00

2011-07-25T19:26:28+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 6 “So, when do you leave Ponyville?” Spike asked with curiosity, hopping around me restlessly. “I leave in two days; Queen Celestia assigned me as Twilight’s personal bodyguard. I’m supposed to watch over her during her speech at the UN,” I glanced at the staircase hoping to see Twilight appear. It was a long day at Canterlot, but it was worth it. Pony scientists are now looking into the implementation of project HC, we have Celestia’s approval and we only need the legalization of ponification. “Tell me, Leighton. What is it like to be a human?” he asked with an intense stare at my eyes. “Well…” I looked away from his green eyes, “It’s absolutely different from being a pony. You have hands, legs, toes and fingers that make your life a lot easier. But there is really no big difference between the feel and I’m more comfortable on all-four actually.” Spike sighed as he looked out a window, “I wish I could go. I think I would look totally different. I bet Rarity would fall at my feet if I was human.” “Why don’t you tell me, Spike; if you don’t mind the question. If Rarity is a pony and you a dragon, how is something between you two going to work?” my question froze spike for a second, he turned towards me with a sad look. “Do you think that’s the problem?” his voice filled with anguish. “I’m not sure mate. You know, we humans are good at broken hearts and situations like that, just let me ask you a few questions, do you mind?” I instantly felt regret just by looking at his face. “Absolutely no! What do you want to know about,” Spike face lightened up like a Christmas tree upon hearing my words. “For how long have you know Rarity?” I approached a table next to the window, illuminated by the sun rays coming from outside; it was a beautiful morning with no clouds, and if any showed up, a Pegasus quickly appeared and kicked it away. Spike took a chair from what would be the living room and sat in front of me. “Well, I’ve know her for a couple of years now,” he said. “That’s a start; and why haven’t you told her how you feel?” “Trying to convince Spike into confessing his love to Rarity?” Twilight said with a blank look in her eyes as she walked down the stairs, carrying the same saddlebags from yesterday. “I’m learning about this situation, and where are you going? I asked with a frown. “I’m going to see Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, and I have to run some errands. Leighton, take care of the library, and if you leave, there are keys on the stand next to the door, see ya!” she left the house with mild rush, perhaps she was running late because she left the door open behind her. “Don’t listen to her, where were we?” Spike closed the door behind her and clutched a jar filled of clear water from one of the shelves around him. “I asked you, why haven’t you told her how you feel?” I looked around for glasses, but Spike found them first from another shelf closer to him. “Oh…” he looked down thoughtfully, “I… I’m not sure about how she feels about me” “If I’d get one penny for every time I heard that throughout my life…” I sighed, “Look mate, that’s the way this whole business works. Commonly, women are the ones who want to be courted and keep their intentions hidden; you’re probably never going to figure out that you like someone unless she tells you so. Most of my formal relationships were born because I took the risk of saying how I felt.” “Formal relationship? Then what is an informal relationship?” he filled my glass with water. “It… have you ever heard about sex?” Spike face turned devilish as he drank from his glass. “I’ve heard that word before. I overheard Twilight and Applejack once saying that she found Big McIntosh having sex with somepony, I looked the word in a book and found a whole lot of ways to ‘have sex’.” “Well, an informal relationship is when to people only have sex and nothing else. It’s a shallow relationship, and it leads to nowhere in the future; it’s just to have fun,” I drank from the glass, the fresh water felt well on my throat. “Do you think Rarity would want to have sex with me?” I couldn’t help it and burst into a loud laughter. “Of course not! She doesn’t seem to like that kind of stuff.” “Then how do I tell her how I feel?” “You just walk into her chambers with a bunch of flowers and say: Rarity, I have something I would like to say. The rest is up to you, but keep in mind that once you walk into that room there is no going back.” Spike shot up from his seat with his chest high. “That’s a great idea! Thank you Leighton!” he ran outside and headed towards the flowery shop across the street. I giggled at him from my seat, his determination was something I had never seen before; he obviously had the soul of a child. “Well, now I’m all on my own. I wonder what I can do.” I thought to myself while staring out the window, the town was quite big and I had the whole day. It took me five minutes to prepare myself before I stepped out into the streets of Ponyville. After closing everything behind me, I walked east towards the marketplace, where it was apparently a poor day, or it was just getting started. Behind a small wooden stand I heard someone complaining. “No Apple Bloom, you can’t have some money to go and buy Rarity a dress, now, help me out with these apples.” “But Applejack!” I heard the voice of a small girl whining with southern accent. “No buts, yer a big filly. Now go n’ you earn it,” I approached the stand and saw Applejack and a smaller olive pony with a red mane trying to lift a box of apples. “Good morning, Applejack” I said from a side of her stand. “Oh, howdy Leighton. Back already from Canterlot? How’d it go?” she pushed her small sister aside and attempted to lift the box by herself. “I convinced Celestia from letting humans in. May I help?” I approached to her side. “Yes, please. This box is heavy as a dead priest,” we lifted the box with a coordinate effort into the stand. Apple Bloom quickly began sorting the apples around neatly. “Thank you, Leighton. It woulda took me the whole morning to lift that darn box,” she said with a smile. “Thank you mister!” the small pony turned to give a warm smile, that little filly was just adorable. “Oh yeah, this is my little sister, Apple Bloom. She helps me run the stand,” the small filly trotted towards me and stared at me with a pouty. “Can you loan me some coins mister?” “I would if I had any, Apple Bloom. But I don’t know the currency exchange for a five hundred euro bill.” I showed the purple bill and the child drooled at it. “You could trick a few people ‘round here with that thing,” Applejack pulled her sister away from me, “but this filly needs to learn the importance of a job and how work earns you money,” She patted Apple Bloom’s head. “Your sister is right, little one. Spending money is a better experience if you earn it through your own sweat.” Apple Bloom sighed and walked towards the stand, where a couple of customers were waiting to buy some fresh apples. “So, what brings ya here?” Applejack glanced at her sister working, making sure she wasn’t extorting the customers. “I was just passing by, I’m trying to get used to this town,” I noticed a hat was lying on a basket next to Applejack; she grabbed it and placed it in her head. “Well sugar cube, today is my day off, so whaddaya say we go n’ grab sum lunch?” “Sounds like a great idea,” I said with an honest smile, Applejack took some coins from the register next to her sister, who glared at her at the sight of the action. “Follow me, Leightn’, I know the perfect place for lunch” she walked in front of me seemingly confident, her blonde mane waved in my line of sight. “Ya know; it’s pretty awkward to have somepony staring at your flank” I snapped and trotted to her side. “My apologies, Applejack.” “So, what’s next with yer plan?” she took a sip from her chocolate milkshake through a straw. Around us, other tables with ponies enjoyed a healthy breakfast under the protection of an umbrella on their mushroom shaped tables. The seats were made of just hay, but it felt comfortable enough to enjoy the meal. “We wait, inform the world leaders and pray this works. But that is enough about me, Applejack. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself,” I sipped my white teacup. “Me?” she asked with an uncomfortable face, “I’m just yer regular pony workin’ hard to make it through the day.” “Everypony is interesting, Applejack. I am a people person, as we humans say. Do you have any family other than your little sister?” I crossed my hooves with interest. “Well, there’s Big McIntosh n’ O’l Granny Smith. All my cousins that live far west n’ Uncle and Aunt Orange,” she touched her chin thoughtfully. “You don’t have family of your own? Nopony ever reproduces in here?” my question instantly drew the attention of anypony nearby, they glared with hateful eyes. “No, I don’t,” everypony around turned away from our table, minding their own business once again, “ I haven’t found the right colt yet, why’d you ask?” “Well, it’s nice to see you can breed in this place. The only filly I’ve seen is your sister, and Spike’s crush on Rarity made me curious.” “Ah that Spike” she giggled, “they can’t precisely reproduce because dragons grow a whole lot bigger, but nothin’s keepin’ them from bein’ a couple,” “I see…” I drank again from my teacup, leaving no liquid inside. “N’ what ‘bout ya? Ya got kids of yer own?” her question instantly made me blush. “I… I once had a wife and a small child.” I hid my embarrassment under a calm tone of voice. “Where are they?” Applejack’s curiosity did not offend me, but it was touching a part of my life I do not share easily. Yet, there was something on her that made me trust her; enough to share this with her. “As war ravaged through earth, keeping my family safe became harder and harder. After we barely made it through a bombardment in our house in Liverpool, I had no choice but to make sure they were safe,” my head filled with their faces smiling, I looked down as I gathered the strength to pronounce the words that described their fate. “I… I had my family ponyfied to ensure their welfare.” “Oh my…”Applejack’s face filled with surprise, “they didn’t got to keep their memories, right?” “No they didn’t. My wife Angelica was a brilliant ecologist and my daughter Blaire was barely on kinder garden. It was hard, but it was the best for them.” “You seem… to take this matter lightly,” she asked with a frown, my face reflected no emotion at all as I talked. Deep inside, however, another story was told. “I do not. It breaks my heart to remember twelve years of successful marriage and four years raising a baby girl. Blaire’s birthday is next week’s Thursday, actually,” I took the white porcelain teapot and carefully poured the yellow colored liquid into my cup. “Would you take a look at that? Apple bloom’s birthday is that same day!” she said with a cheerful smile, my face quickly drew one as well. “You make sure she gets my congratulations when the time is proper,” I teased the tea to make sure its temperature was right, my hooves reacted quickly to the stimuli from my lips, “Bollocks this is hot!” the shout was heard all around the restaurant, everyone turned to glare at me with curious eyes again. “Just ignore ‘em. They all look at ya because they don’t recognize yer face,” she said with a playful grin. “My name is Leighton McRae; would you please stop staring at me?” Everypony turned back to their tables, food or conversation. Applejack laughed uncontrollably. “Now that’s some nerve, boy!” she interrupted her laughter to mumble. I quietly took my cup and drank some more tea from it. “So when are y’all plannin’ to return to earth?” Her laughter slowly calmed. “Two days. I still got today and tomorrow to enjoy this lovely town,” I glanced at a pink pony in the distance, her mane waved up and down with her physically impossible way of jumping. “Hey, why don’t you come to sweet apple acres help me out buck some apples?” her eyes sparkled with a look nopony could resist. “That sounds like a-” “Ah, Leighton, there you are!” A familiar voice echoed in the distance, I turned to see it was Rarity, “I’m sorry to rudely interrupt, hi Applejack- Spike told me you were back in town and I had to ask you if you could model a few attires for me” “Spike told you that? Didn’t he mention anything else other than my presence in town?” I asked while serving her some tea. “No he didn’t. But he was holding various flowers now that I recall,” she graciously took her cup and sipped. “I actually just booked some minutes of my time helping Applejack buck sum apples?” I attempted to mimic the orange pony’s accent, but failed miserably. My Scouse was too marked and I sounded like a complete idiot; and yes, both mares laughed. “Oh don’t worry Leighton. You can go help Rarity, I-” “Somepony help!” A green mare shouted at the entrance of the restaurant, “A gryphon is attacking a poor little filly in a stand at the marketplace!” Applejack’s face instantly turned white from fear. “Apple Bloom!” she shouted and galloped at full speed towards the marketplace, I followed as close as my hooves allowed me to with scared Rarity next to me. Damn she was fast. “I thought stuff like this never happened in Ponyville?” I said trying to open the wings tucked in my torso for the first time. “They don’t, a gryphon is a rare sight around here, but they are not violent.” Rarity quickly replied, passing me and catching up to Applejack, damn she was fast too. “Does somepony know how do these bloody wings work?!” my red wings slowly began unfolding, spreading. The marketplace was still far from us, I had to make my wings work and fly for the first time. “We ain’t Pegasus Leighton; you’ll have to figure it out!” Applejack sarcastically replied. The muscles around my wings became one with my body; I was able to feel them for the first time once they were wide open. Slowly, I began moving them up and down, trying to lift my body of the floor. Pushing my heart to the limit, I galloped as fast as I could and jumped once my body reached max speed. My hooves kept moving, but the ground was not there, I was floating in the air using only my wings; they felt natural and it wasn’t hard. I accelerated past the mares and saw a brownish figure next to Apple Bloom’s stand. “Leave the filly alone, you crazy son of a bitch!” I furiously shouted an instant before I noticed I did not know how to stop. The gryphon turned to stare at me with eyes full of hatred and its claws stained with apple pulp. “Leightn’!” Apple Bloom’s eyes lightened up when she saw me flying towards the stand at full speed, the little filly was covered with a mixture of apple pulp and blood, she didn’t seem badly injured though. The beast turned his body towards me, trying to receive the impact with its claws pointing at me. Adrenaline filled my veins as the beast became closer, muscles tightening, pupils constricting, time becoming slower… It was kicking in. When I approached him enough, he threw a slash at me filled with rage; I dodged it and swept his feet using my impulse. Upon impact, he flew in the air spinning without control. The collision was enough to slow me down and land, the gryphon stood up and roared maliciously. “C’mon” I mockingly whistled at it, taunting it with my hooves. It dashed at full speed blinded with anger, trying to hit me with another slash. I blocked it using a hoof and quickly dislocated the beast’s arm with the other. The cracking sound made everypony around shiver, along with a shriek of pain that the gryphon loosed. I kicked it in the chest before it could even finish its screaming, the beast wimped back with its arm completely immobilized. I saw Applejack run towards her sister, taking the small pony in her hooves. “Where do you think you’re going? I’m not done with you yet,” the beast turned and attempted to fly away but I struck it in the back and dislocated its wings as well with a forceful pull, it shrieked in pain once more and even harder. “Please… don’t…” It muttered with a defeated voice. “Looks like you’re about to get a cold shoulder!” I prepared my hoof to strike a final blow on the gryphon’s neck, but just before I throw a punch, Twilight broke through the crowd and once again grabbed my arm just in time , preventing me from killing the gryphon. “Will you ever let me execute someone?” I stared at her with a blank look. “I think this gryphon has learned his lesson, there is no need in taking his life, right?” She stared at the gryphon with authority, it looked down with remorse. “Thank you, pony. Your kindness shall not be forgotten,” the gryphon said with a male voice, it slowly stood up and walked down the street. Two Pegasi with golden armor quickly descended from the sky and escorted it. “Is everypony okay?” I looked around and noticed the surprised stare of at least a hundred ponies. One of them suddenly began stomping on the ground, emitting a noise somewhat similar to applause. The gesture quickly spread between the crowd and a thunderous ‘applause’ filled the streets. “So that’s how they do the applauses around here eh?” I asked Twilight with a proud smile. “Don’t get too cocky, they would be all over you if you’d killed that gryphon.” Ignoring Twilight’s commentary, I approached Applejack and Apple Bloom. The little filly had only a few bruises and cuts, nothing serious. “Thank Celestia you show’d up Leightn’. That rude gryphon didn’t have any change and flipped out when I took some apples off his basket,” she said with tears on her eyes, falling asleep shortly after. “That was pretty good, darling. Where did you learn to fight like that?” Rarity asked as she took a napkin and cleaned Apple Bloom’s forehead. “A few books of Jujitsu and a couple more of anatomy. Is Apple Bloom okay?” “Yeah… she’s got a few bruises n’ cuts, I’ll take her to the doctor just to be sure,” Applejack quickly replied while placing her sister down on the floor. “Alright, alright everypony. The show is over, go back to your daily lives,” Twilight shooed the crowd away, as quickly as they gathered, they disappeared. “Do you need any help with Apple Bloom?” I asked Applejack with a concerned look. “No, she does not,” Twilight said with bossy tone, I turned to scowl at her. “He’s just trying to be polite, Twi. There’s no need to be a complete bitch,” Applejack said with indignation. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” the purple unicorn sighed, “Leighton, something has happened. We have to return to earth right away,” there was a slight touch of fear in her voice that concerned me. It had to be something important.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-07-29T16:11:40+00:00

2011-07-29T16:11:40+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 7 “What exactly happened?” I asked with a disturbed tone, Twilight walked around nervously. She dragged me all the way from the marketplace to the library in such hurry, I wasn’t able to say goodbye to Rarity or Applejack. “Celestia just told me the communications with the Russian just went down. There is no response from them,” she grabbed a few books from a shelf next to her. “So what? A blackout, they are very common on earth.” “No, Leighton. Someone tried to enter Equestria a few hours ago; it wasn’t anyone the Russian sent,” “That’s weird. How long have the comms been down?” “Ten hours. Leighton. Someone is trying to enter Equestria without our permission,” she stopped flipping the pages of her brown book. “So what’s Celestia’s advice?” “She’s sending a strike team to the Russian base to figure out what’s going on,” she tossed her book and grabbed another one from the same shelf. “Don’t send a strike team. It will only cause more tension between ponies and humans, send me in,” I stared at Twilight with determined eyes. “Celestia said that you are in charge of the strike team. You’ll be meeting them on the outsides of the base once I send you back to earth,” “No, you don’t understand. The whole raid on the Russian facility must be a trap. They want you to send a strike team to dismantle their operations, and once the word spreads out that ponies killed a bunch of humans and Russian scientists, our credibility goes down the toilet. Send me in, I can take them down,” I yelled straight at her face, hoping she would understand. “No” she sighed, “you are just one pony, I mean, man. Who knows how many people are in there, if the facility actually went down.” “Then if there was only a blackout, one man asking what the problem is would look a lot better than a platoon of heavily armed ponies. Besides, if the facility was captured, then they probably won’t open fire on a human. Send me in; just make sure Celestia is aware of this. You know I can get the job done” I winked my eye at her once again; she dropped her book and let out a very disgruntled sigh. “Alright… Alright. But if Celestia throws crap at me it’s on you, I don’t usually disobey her orders,” Twilight’s horn began glowing in a more intense lavender color than before. “Hey, don’t tell me I’m going to appear naked somewhere in cold Russia,” I added sarcastically. “No, the books I’ve been reading are about how to make clothes appear upon teleportation,” an intense wind flooded the library, making lots of book fly around us. Slowly, Twilight’s horn filled the room with a crimson aura that had its own lightning. Just like before, black hole appeared right in front of us. “Now that I think of it, how is it that you can travel between the two worlds and nopony else can?” nervousness filled my body, the black hole roared in front of us. “It’s a signature spell Celestia taught me, just jump in for the love of Celestia, this is a lot harder than it actually looks,” Twilight bent with the tremendous effort she was doing, and without hesitation, I jumped into the hole once again. The experience was just as painful as the last time, except that this time I was able to see my body morphing back. And just like last time, I fainted in the middle of the travel. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up as I felt a chilling cold in my face; I appeared right under a pine tree somewhere in Russia. It was a sunny day, but in places like this the sun is only for illumination. “I’m sure I don’t get frequent traveler miles from this,” I wiped any snow off my black leather jacket and looked around me. A Street covered mostly by snow, showing pavement only in the wheel marks from the cars that had passed through appeared in front of me. Across the street, a few abandoned buildings barely stood, they had no windows and scorch marks all around them. Next to me, my briefcase was covered mostly by snow, showing only a small part of its black cover laid; I took it in my hands and wiped any snow from it. “Let’s see what she sends…” I opened the briefcase and took the sheet of paper on it. “Dear Leighton McRae. Twilight has already told me the risk you are taking and why you are taking it. Even though I do not entirely approve it, I will allow it because it seems the best course of action at the moment. My student also bows for your expertise in the handling of firearms and high danger situations, so, even though you are not a mercenary, an agent or any form of law enforcement, I will allow you to speak and take actions in the name of Equestria as you see fit. As for this assignment and further references, you will be now referred as LH7, an autonomous and undercover agent under my direct command. Now that I have clarified that, your orders are to find out what is the source of the communication breakdown in the Russian station and put an end to it. As a mission parameter, try to keep the casualties as close to zero as possible. Queen Celestia.” “LH7? I should have asked for 007,” I tossed the letter back at the briefcase and pulled out the same P229 from before and hid it under my jacket inside my black jeans. As for the briefcase, I disposed of it under a thick layer of snow. At the end of the street, a huge fenced facility’s entrance was guarded by a couple of men dressed in military clothes stood without any signs of being harmed by the war. “I don’t think I can sneak in through the main entrance. Getting in there, guns blazing sounds like a death wish,” I scanned the surroundings, looking for a possible route inside the facility. “LH7, come in,” a voice inside my head said with a feminine voice. I could tell it was Twilight’s after a few seconds of processing the information. “LH7 here, so now you have decided to repay the favor by being the voice inside my head?” “Sort of. I’ll be leading your intelligence in the meantime, tell me what you see at the entrance?” I glanced at the military guards up ahead; they were equipped with HK416, a standard assault rifle with winter camo. “Two guards, both male. Military outfits… they seem like MCCUU. They are equipped with HK416, I could tell one of those weapons with my left eye covered and the other on a stick,” “What’s MCCUU?” she asked with a confused tone. “Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, an American war outfit.” “American? What are they doing here?” she sounded astonished and scared at the same time, I decided to walk towards the entrance with a confident walk. “Mind if I ask?” the guards stared at me and readied their weapons. “Excuse me sir, you are approaching a restricted area,” one of them walked towards me pointing his gun. “I’m sorry, but I was hoping to be ponyfied. I have level four clearance from your Colonel,” I glanced at the other guard; he went inside the tollbooth next to him. “My partner is going to verify you clearance,” he spun his head to look at his comrade. In that same instant, I took his head and broke his neck with the classic spinning action. The body fell to the ground and the noise of his equipment hitting the ground alarmed the other guard. “Richards?” his head popped up from a window with a phone in hand. I pulled out my pistol and connected a headshot on his forehead; blood spilled the walls behind him. “LH7? Sit rep.” “I just shot two hostiles. I’ll proceed into the facility in a minute,” I dragged the bodies into the snow across the street, and carefully, buried them inside a layer of snow. The streets were empty, not a soul seemed to ever walk around here at all. “Celestia said zero casualties,” she scolded. “I read in the file: ‘Keep the casualties as close to zero as possible,’ I’ll try not to kill more, alright?” I returned to the bloodstained tollbooth and opened the green metallic fence with a button. With a screeching sound, the fence slowly slid open. Fortunately, there was no one around to notice me breaking in. Before I entered, I took the radio and rifle from one of the dead guards. “Ok. You need to sneak inside the facility, find out what’s going on and reactivate the ponification system. I need to prepare some things, so I have to get off the chat with you. Please, don’t do anything stupid.” “Leaving me so soon?” I asked with a smirk on my face, in front of me there was a massive concrete field with a few jeeps parked around the gray two story building with various communication antennae and a huge satellite dish next to them. “I’m really sorry Leighton, but I have to. Take care.” “At least tell me what you’re doing, don’t leave me here talking to myself looking like a complete idiot!” I shouted, but there was no response. Wherever she had gone she was gone for good. “At least now I only have to listen to me!” I sarcastically thought with a slightly devilish grin. The building in front of me showed no signs of any life form other than me, but that sole thought was not enough me to get me inside through the main door. Searching for an alternate route, I walked around the building. On the east side, a reinforced door with a yellow warning inscription seemed like the better option. “Richards, come in, over” was heard on the radio inside my jacket. “This is Richards, send your traffic, over” I replied, trying to hide my accent. I had always practiced a regular American accent to blend in during my travels. “What happened to your voice? Over.” “This fucking cold is tearing us apart, what did you expected? Over.” “Yeah, yeah. So, Lieutenant Bradley needs you in here for debriefing, over.” “Roger, where was it? This place is a fucking maze, over.” “You always have to be such an idiot…” the man in the radio let out a very, very disgruntled sigh, “Enter the building through the main doors, take the elevator all the way down and it’s the first door to your right. Over.” “Thanks, I won’t get lost this time, out,” I turned off the radio and tossed it under a jeep. The surroundings of the building were dead silent; I could clearly hear my footsteps against the pavement and my breathing, but not any other sound. “I guess I’ll have to do this the old fashioned shootout style…” I walked back to the main entrance; adrenaline filled my veins with every steep I took. Walking through the main door of a military facility is almost begging to get shot to dead, but there was no other option. I leaned against the wall next to the matte gray double doors; I checked my weapon’s ammo, closing my eyes shut with a firm grip on the rifle. “On the count of three, you enter the building, run for cover and improvise… One… Two… Three!” I slammed the doors open and saw an empty two story hall for a few instants before I dashed to a concrete pillar for cover. The sound of the doors being open echoed all around. I cautiously peeped and didn’t saw any signs of life anywhere; the spacious shadowed hall was empty. “Must be my lucky day,” I placed the rifle on my back and took a better look at my surroundings. Several cables ran through the floor and walls, all leading into a hole on the ground in the center of the hall. “Maybe I can sneak in through these pipes…” I looked down into the dark void with caution. I spun my head wryly suddenly when I heard a moving sound in the distance; I dashed for cover behind a steel duct next to the hole. From the distance, I saw two men walk out an old rusty maintenance elevator, dressed exactly the same as the guards outside. I took my rifle and scoped them with the telescopic sight, the eagle; globe and anchor were visible on their vest. The USMC was here. “Do you think Richards got lost again?” one of them asked the other one with a particular afro-American accent. “No, something must have happened, his radio’s dead.” I waited for the precise moment to open fire; my hands almost trembled with anxiety. They stopped to check the doors, it was the moment. I shot five 5.56x45 mm rounds into one of them killing it instantly, and two rounds to the other one’s legs. It moaned in pain and reached for its handgun. “Who the fuck goes there?” he shouted with a hint of horror in his voice, pointing everywhere in paranoia. I sneaked around the pipes and delivered a clean shot on his handgun. The firearm flew across the room as I pointed my rifle straight on his head. “Don’t move,” I calmly said as I sunk the barrel on his forehead. “Don’t shoot bro, it’s cool. You got me, just let me go,” he closed his eyes in terror, shuddering in fear. I pulled my rifle back from his head slowly. “Listen up mate, you’ll have to answer some questions if you want to crawl your arse out of here. What is the USMC doing here?” “We were sent here to secure the ponification facility, that’s all I know.” “Where are the Russians?” “Lieutenant Cavanaugh sent them to the basement; we’re keeping them as hostages.” “Hostages? What the hell is going on here, what’s the goal of securing the facility?!” “I told you, we were just sent here to secure the facility, Lt. Cavanaugh should know more about this, I told you everything I knew, just let me go now…” he closed his eyes again, containing a few tears inside. “One last thing. How many of you are down there? Do I need anything to use the elevator?” I sunk the barrel in his head again; making this guy squeal like a little girl was amusing for me. “No, but you’ll need a key card to access the debriefing room, here take mine,” he pulled out a yellow card labeled with Russian writing, “and there should be other eight people in there, you should find them all inside the debriefing room. Now please, for the love of god, let me go…” “Give me your radio and I’ll let you crawl away,” he tossed his radio to the floor and tried to stand using his injured legs, his efforts were futile until he approached the wall and leaned against it. He stepped outside and tried to walk his way to a jeep. “And I thought marines were tough…” I sighed, glancing at the elevator across the room. I inspected the other marine’s body and took his ammo, storing it inside one of my pockets; the magazines were small enough to fit a couple inside. I pushed a green button labeled with a down arrow; a screeching sound came from the mechanism and slowly began descended. A small lamplight next to the up and down buttons was the only light source once darkness overtook my surroundings. Brute gray rocks were barely visible all around me; their origin was likely volcanic. After a few minutes, the elevator stopped at a shiny metallic hallway. I descended cautiously and equipped my rifle; I could see my reflection on the walls around me. I reached an intersection and swiftly checked both sides, pointing at each in quick succession. Still, there was no one around. A few meters away right, I saw a glass sliding door with a keycard lock. “Looks like that marine wasn’t lying. I have a couple of minutes before they notice I already killed three of their marines, I should probably use them in releasing the Russians before killing all the marines,” I thought to myself, it was that thought what made me turn around and search the opposite hallway for stairs. The place was a maze if you didn’t know Russian, so I got lost after a few turns. Eventually, I ran into a door with a paper that read: “Crazy Russian scientists” “Now that’s interesting,” I gazed at the sign queerly, noticing this door also had a keycard lock. I slid the keycard in and the console emitted a beeping sound, releasing the lock afterwards. I entered and saw a huge staircase that led to a storage room. In the middle of the room, surrounded by lots of carton boxes and metal shelves, at least ten men in white lab coats were tied up all together and laid in the floor. “Are you OK?” I asked from a distance, expecting an unintelligible response. “You’re not American, are you?” One of them asked with a classic Russian accent, he seemed the oldest one of the group because of his dominantly gray hair and abundant beard. “No, I’m not. Celestia sent me in to check out the situation, what happened?” I fastened my pace to release them; I pushed a few boxes aside to reach them. “The Americans stormed in last night and killed a few of us. They claimed that this facility was now under the United States jurisdiction, a bunch of crap,” the knot around their ties was no match for my rifle’s bayonet, one by one, they all stood up and began talking between themselves in Russian. “Do you know why would they want this facility?” “They wanted me to help them build a bigger gate to Equestria; I think they are planning an invasion to the pony world.” “Did you help them?” “Of course not! I would not betray the treaty I made with Celestia for anything. I told them to shove it; they moved us here and tied us like animals.” “Alright. I’m going to need you to stay here for another while; I’m going to clear the building from those marines,” I handed my rifle over to this old doctor. “I can’t fire this thing, young man,” he stared at the weapon astonished. “You just pull the trigger if they come in to check. Hopefully, you won’t have to use it.” I walked toward the staircase with a sense of hurry. “Very well, young man. What is your name?” “Leighton McRae, now if you’ll excuse me, I must clean this building,” I ran up the staircase and pulled out my P229.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-02T14:48:01+00:00

2011-08-02T14:48:01+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 8 I stepped into the hallway again, closing the door electronically behind me to cover my trail. The whole facility still seemed abandoned, it was dead silent. Walking down the corridor right of where I started, I reached another intersection. “Freeze,” I felt a cold, piece of metal in my head. “Finally, I was getting lonely,” I raised my hands with a sly grin on my face, slowly turning to see the helmeted blue eyed marine pointing at me with a .45 MEUSOC pistol. “I’ll take that,” he snatched my pistol off my hands, “now; tell me who are you and what are you doing here?” “I can’t tell you,” I mockingly laughed at him. “Shut up, smartass” he struck me with the grip of his pistol on my back, the impact was hard enough to bend me. With his pistol always pointing at my neck, he walked me towards the debriefing room in complete silence. “Lincecum! Open up!” the sliding glass door opened up and another marine appeared, this one had regular brown eyes and a huge scar on his left eye. “Who the fuck is this guy?” Lincecum stepped back and allowed our entrance into the room. “I don’t know, I caught him walking around the facility with a pistol,” he tossed me violently against some monitors right of the room. I scanned the room a huge desk panel covering the most of the central part; it displayed several data and numbers. I couldn’t understand, for it was all in Russian. Surrounding the desk panel, six marines were staring at me with hatred, specially the one in the far side of the room with the abundant goatee. “What is this, Vasquez?” the marine with the goatee asked with a rattling voice. “I found this man outside in the hallways, he was armed with a P229, sir” Vasquez tossed the pistol towards the panel. “Bring him to me,” two marines escorted me towards this man, presumably, Lieutenant Cavanaugh. I walked with my hands on my back without offering any fight. “I’d expect more resistance from the man who has already killed three of my marines, why so cooperative?” “I’m not being cooperative, I’m not offering resistance. That is all,” I kept my face emotionless and my tone calm; it was the best option for this situation. “Quite an accent. Obviously you weren’t sent here by the Russians, who sent you?” “Look pal, I’m going to answer three questions. After that, you shall answer all of my questions,” I said with a devilish grin, he punched me on the face after. The grin still prevailed. “Do you really think you can escape-“ “Yes, you have two left” he punched me on the gut with fury; I gasped for air after the fierce impact. “Alright, I will play your game. Tell me, who sent you and just who the fuck you are?” he grabbed my head from my hair and stared at me with furious eyes. “I’m Leighton McRae and Queen Celestia sent me. Playtime is over,” I spit on his eyes and kicked the marine behind me on the groin. I turned quickly and stole the moaning marine’s handgun, executing it shortly after. “Kill that son of a bitch!” Cavanaugh shouted rabidly while ducking for cover completely blinded, for instants after his command every single marine filled the room with gun fire. “I told you, you should have tied him up!” Lincecum shouted to his fellow marine furiously from the other side of the room. Across, I was hidden behind the panel waiting for them to empty their weapons. “Cover me!” a marine ran towards my position bravely with his rifle in arms. I pointed my weapon to the source of his voice and fired without seeing. A moan and a body falling to the ground were heard after. The kill paralyzed a few marines; it was the correct time to begin my counterattack. Without giving it a second though, I stood up and saw seven marines scattered around the room in strategic positions. Shooting them all at once in the head was impossible. “Flashbang!” one of them tossed a metallic object towards my position, I closed my eyes and fired towards it an instant after I head the warning. I could tell I made impact because of the deafening blast and lots of marines groaning in pain were heard. Balance in my body was affected from the blast, but I was not as affected as the marines, for I shot the grenade much closer to them and closed my eyes before the impact. “Now or never” I thought before firing towards the stunned and helpless marines. One by one, their corpses fell to the ground with a shot either to the heart or the head, not a soul was spared except for the Lieutenant. “Now, you answer my questions as planned” I pointed the pistol straight into Cavanaugh’s face, he finished wiping the spit off his face the instant he saw my gun in front of him. “Fuck you,” he replied with indignation. “I’ll let you think this over,” I struck him fiercely in the head as revenge, making him fall completely unconscious. “I suppose this is mission complete” I walked over to the panel and picked up my P229, letting out a huge sigh of relief after. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “We owe you our life, Leighton,” the old doctor said relieved. “Not a problem,” I shook his hand with a honest smile, “now tell me how do you get this thing working” “The main generator should be intact, in a few seconds we should get back online,” he pushed a button on a side of the panel, everything around us lit instantly. “Seer, my snova onlîne” a scientist on the other side of the panel said in Russian. “Great, Nikolai just said we’re back online. I’ll try to establish communication with the ponies now…” he began typing stuff on the table at full speed; windows popped up and disappeared in the process. “This is Equestria telecommunication facility, please Sweet surprise, tell us it’s you,” a masculine voice sounded in the room speakers. “Sweet surprise here, Equestria. Inform Queen Celestia that LH7 mission was a success, we’re safe.” “Roger, Sweet surprise. We have Twilight Sparkle here; she wants to talk to LH7.” “Twilight?” I said in loud clear voice, the scientist wasn’t using a microphone, so I assumed there was no need for one. “Leighton? Are you alright?” it was clear that was Twilight speaking with her classic worried voice. “Just a few bruises and scratches, but alive, how about you?” I said with a huge smile. Hearing her voice once again somehow made my happy. “I’m glad you’re ok. Now, give me your full debrief.” “Mission is complete, I solved the communication problem and reinstalled the Russian scientists on their posts. The facility was overtaken by a special task group of the United States Marine Corps, claiming the US had control over the facility.” “Did you completely eradicate all American presence in the facility?” “Negative, I captured their leader, Lieutenant John Cavanaugh. The rest of his squad is KIA.” “Is the body count above ten?” “Nope, I killed only nine marines,” I giggled sarcastically and she sighed with a hint of disappointed. “You had to kill them all didn’t you…? Well, at least it’s not ten; Celestia said that she didn’t want more than ten bodies, so she should be pleased.” “Awesome, so what’s my next assignment?” I asked excited. “We need you back here to check a few tests regarding plan HC. My conference at the UN is delayed due to an emergency meeting; you know they have to re-organize everything after a big city falls, so that means you’ll have to spend a few more days on Equestria, unless you want to stay on earth.” “Oh hell no” I said with a chuckle, “take me back, just make sure I’m still myself once I get there.” “Alright, Doctor Lukashenko, send him back along with the captured soldier. We’ll make him talk once he gets here.” “Right away, ma’am,” Lukashenko pressed a button and the communication ended. “So, how do I get ponyfied the old Russian style?” I clapped my hands eagerly. “It’s a complicated process. Hey, Nikolai! Voz’mite yego vkomuntu transporta. “Horosho, •eer, sleduĭte za mnoĭ gospodin Leighton,” a short brown haired scientist signaled me to follow him. He took me to a room in the next corridor, one with a huge metallic structure shaped like a bowl embedded on the wall. Lots of wires ran everywhere around us, all connected into the huge structure. “Wait here, Mister Leighton,” Nikolai said with a heavy Russian accent, his English was not very fluent. Accents like his are the pure cliché of the Russian accent. He turned and abandoned the room in a hurry. I looked around me and saw a computer with legible letters for me. “I suppose I can look around…” I dashed towards the computer and inspected it, several menus displayed in front of me with various immigration records. “Looks like they have a tight control of who they send to Equestria…” browsing through the menus I stumbled upon a search engine. “I’m not sure…” I touched my chin meditating, “but…” my hands typed mechanically my last name, and two names popped up instantly. I opened them and found quite a surprise. “Angelica McRae. Status: Alive. Transferred to a safe house in Fillydelphia. Pony Name: Classified. Profile: Regular cultural change, subject exhibits no memory from her life as a human. Does not recognize her daughter as such. Relatives: Diana Blair McRae, daughter. Current situation: Tracking became impossible upon its departure from Fillydelphia, current location is unknown. Diana Blair McRae, status: Alive. Transferred to a safe house in Fillydelphia. Pony Name: Classified. Profile: No need for a cultural change due to its young age. Does not recognize her mother as such. Relatives: Angelica McRae, mother. Current situation: Tracking became impossible upon its departure from Fillydelphia, current location is unknown.” “Mister Leighton,” Nikolai returned with another scientist, dragging fainted Lieutenant Cavanaugh along. I closed the windows and stepped back from the computer instantly, pretending that nothing had happened. “So, is everything set?” I assisted in dragging Cavanaugh to the center of the structure. “Yes, please step inside the portal. Ponification will begin in a few moments,” Nikolai stood next to the computer and began typing in a similar speed to that of Dr. Lukashenko. Electricity began flowing all around the portal, the air grew heavy and by body numb. Slowly, I felt like I was sucked inside a dark void. Once everything went dark all around me, I could feel the same pain of ponification; a jolt of electricity ran all through my body and the pain stopped as I fainted during the process once again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up in the exact moment when I felt like my head was being electrocuted; I opened my eyes and saw Twilight next to me. “Leighton? Do you remember who you are?” she asked with a hint of worry on her voice. “I remember the first two times I did this my head did not felt like it exploded…” I stood up with a groan of pain, rubbing my head with my hoof. “I’ll take that as a yes. Welcome back.” “Back at your place?” I asked as soon as I recognized I was in Twilight’s house slash library. “You actually appeared at the portal in Canterlot, but I brought you here,” she smiled warmly at me. “What about Cavanaugh? Where is he?” “His interrogation in Canterlot should be over by now, Spike is supposed to bring me the results of it by now. Don’t worry, we’ll erase his memory after we finish with him and he’ll incorporate a security office in Manehattan.” “I’d send that guy back if I was you…” “Hey Twilight!” the sound of the door being slammed open filled the room, it was Spike holding a paper in hand, “the results of the interrogation are back!” “Hi Spike.” “Hey, It’s Leighton!” he took my hoof and shook it like he should have the first time we met. “So, what does the letter say, open it” Twilight said and the obedient dragon cleared his throat before pronouncing. “I’ll go straight to the questions…” he rolled his eyes around the paper, “Ok, here it goes. Who do you work for? ‘The United States Marine Corps. What was your mission on the RPF? Secure it for future experiments regarding a potential military incursion on Equestria.” “Doctor Lukashenko was right…” I touched my chin meditating. “What kind of experiments? The experiments were purposed to develop a technology that would allow us to begin a massive military attack.” “Stop, Spike,” Twilight said with indignation, “I’ve heard enough, send it to Queen Celestia.” “Alright, sending!” he blew a green flame to the paper and it vanished into a mass of olive dust that flew out the window. “I’m sure Celestia would have a very interesting opinion on this.” “Fortunately for you, she’s giving you the weekend off. You can finally help Rarity and Applejack like you wanted,” she began lifting books around using her magic. “So… I’m free to go?” I asked skeptically. “Free to enjoy yourself around the town, I’ll stay here check some stuff.” “Alright then…” Still skeptical and giving her weird look, I left the library with Spike behind me. “So, where are you going?” Spike asked curiously as I walked without destination down the street, my mind suddenly remembered a good destination. “Is Apple Bloom fine?” “Well, last thing I knew she was at sweet apple acres recovering from the attack; do you wanna pay her a visit?” “Lead the way mate,” I said with a happy tone. Spike began running ahead and I quickly catch up to him flying, a task I found now a little easier. At the end of the street, the surroundings became a forest with apple trees. A red barn became visible from between the trees; we were now in Sweet Apple Acres. “That’s not fair, you can fly!” Spike yelled playfully, I gave a corkscrew and looked at him from above. “What? I couldn’t use them just-” I crashed against another flying object, the impact made me fall to the floor and land in a painful way. “Leighton!” Spike ran to assist me with panic on his voice. “I’m fine… I’m fine…” I rubbed my head with a hoof and noticed the object was another Pegasus, a small orange one with a purple short mane. “Scootaloo! Where do ya think yer goin’?” Applejack appeared from the forest seemingly exhausted, “what the heck… Leighton?” she ran to help me stand up. “I’m fine, check on the little fellow.” The small Pegasus groaned in pain as it stood up, “Where am I…” she asked confused. “Oh my… are you okay?” Applejack grabbed Scootaloo’s head and shook it. “If you keep shaking his head like that, I don’t think so” I teased with a chuckle. She stopped the shaking and Scootaloo regained full awareness of his surroundings “Now, you tell me what were ya doin’ peepin’ on my house,” Applejack asked with a demanding voice. “I wanted to see how Apple bloom was,” regret filled her voice as she looked down. “And can’t you knock on mah door n’ ask? I ain’t gonna bite you.” “I’m sorry…” “It’s ok, you can come and see Apple Bloom,” she patted Scootaloo’s head with a warm smile, “and what about ya? Leighton?” “I was hoping to see Apple Bloom as well. Please, lead the way,” I politely pointed my hoof towards the road with a reverential bow; Applejack chuckled and walked all of us into her barn. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I’m so glad you were there to save Apple Bloom. I heard that Gryphon is now being prosecuted in Manehattan,” Applejack said thankfully. The insides of her house were cozy and classic Texan, you could see pictures of rodeos hung all around the house. She led me upstairs to a pink door labeled with A.B on it. “She’s been sleeping for quite a while now, so she should be awake,” she hinted in low voice, trying to sneak inside her little sister’s quarters making the less noise as possible. But the cracking of the wooden floor made every footstep audible. “Apple Bloom? Are you awake?” she said with soft voice. The filly turned to see us slowly; she was covered lots of layers of sheets and blanks, so her movement was limited. Her head was covered by a white bandage, thus, red mane was barely visible. “Leightn’!” Apple Bloom exclaimed in delight the moment she saw me, her eyes filled with happiness and excitement. “Are you alright?” I asked with sweet voice. “Yep. My sister and brother have been watching over me and I’m getting a lot better. Thank you!” “Did you sleep well?” Applejack asked. “Yeah, but I keep having these weird dreams,” “Experiencing nightmares is common among children with post traumatic stress, it should go away in a few days,” I assured placing my hoof on her head. “They ain’t nightmares. I dream that I walk around some rare places and I walk only on my forehooves, and that I call somepony mommy. It’s actually kinda fun!” Applejack retreated and hinted me go talk to her. “She’s been having those weird dreams since the attack. The doctor said that she had a huge bruise on her head,” she whispered to my ear. “That’s really weird. How old is she?” “She turns seven next week.” “Sleep disorders… She didn’t have these problems before the attack?” “Wait a sec, yer’e a doctor?” “No, but I know a few tricks about psychology, for I did my thesis in the human cerebral-social-sensorial relationship.” “Dunno what that is, but ya sure convinced me that you know what yer’e talkin’ ‘bout.” “I sure do, now; tell me, did she have sleeping disorders before the attack?” “No, I don’t think so. She woulda mention it.” “Don’t keep me out of yer talk! I wanna hear too!” Apple Bloom ranted with high pitched voice. “Ok sugar cube, Leighton’s goin’ to ask you a few questions. Be honest alright?” Applejack gently touched her sister’s bandage. “Okay, fire ‘em Leighton!” she exclaimed energetically. “I want you to tell me, do you dream of cream colored ponies that walk on their hind legs?” “Exactly!” she assured surprise. “Do these ponies have hooves with small fleshy tubes?” “Yeah!” her tone of voice rose above the mark from the previous answer. “Do they wear clothes like pants and shirts?” “Leighton, are you having the same dreams too?” Applejack snapped surprised. “No, I’m describing a human being.” “So the ponies in my dreams are humans?” Apple Bloom asked heavily confused. “If you description is accurate, yes they are.” “But there are ponies in mah dream too!” the filly whined. “Can you tell where you are?” Applejack asked with much worry in her voice. “I recognize Fillydelphia from the buildings.” “And what ‘bout the pony you call mommy?” “She runs inside a building and I can’t follow her.” Applejack retreated and whispered in my ear. “Dreams among ponies are not very common, so if she’s having them is for a reason,” she muttered with concern. “So?” “If she’s dreamin’ ‘bout my ma then she’s still alive and on Fillydelphia.” “That’s a bold statement. And you don’t know your own mother?” I asked with a frown. “Look… It’s whole complex business and is not easy to explain. You got involved now, so I’d like you to come with me to Fillydelphia to look for my ma.” “Hey, but…” I let out a disappointment sigh, “Alright, I’ll go with you.” “Thanks. Go n’ tell Twilight I’m loaning you for a few days, she’ll understand why,” she pushed her head against my flank to push me out of the room. “Hey, at least allow me to say goodbye to your sister,” I moved away from her impulse, “Take care, Apple Bloom!” “Sure do, Leightn’!” I heard instants before Applejack finished pushing me off her room. “What was that all about?” I scowled at Applejack; her response was a hoof straight to my lips in order to impede any more movement. “Look, we’re goin’ to do this the sneaky way. Granny Smith doesn’t let me travel far from ‘ere n’ Big McIntosh would kill me if he found out ‘bout this. Go n’ tell Twi and come back here ‘round four o’ clock, ‘right?” “Okay?” I replied with a huge frown on my face. Applejack hastily kicked me out of her house, looking quite good at lying to her family. And I thought ponies sucked at lying.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-06T16:39:21+00:00

2011-08-06T16:39:21+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 9 “Damn this thing is heavy,” I complained at the weight of the saddlebags Twilight loaned me for the trip. Even though they were small, they were built to hold lots of items. Uselessly, I spent the whole trip to Sweet Apple Acres trying to fly. “Having problems?” a familiar voice asked behind me, I turned to see it was Rarity wearing a peculiar pair of red glasses. “Just getting used to being a work horse,” I sarcastically replied with a chuckle. “A stallion of your class shouldn’t work that hard,” she giggled, “so tell me, Leighton. Are you visiting Sweet Apple Acres too?” she trotted to my side. “Yeah. I’m supposed to help Applejack with a classified matter.” “Oh please, there’s no need to hide your true motives. I know you and Applejack are going to Fillydelphia, but I do not know the motives behind it.” “Well, it has something to do with Apple Bloom and their mother. Talking more would mean an insult to her privacy,” I noticed she had saddlebags like I did, but much lighter ones. “That’s very interesting. I have to tell you everyone in Ponyville is talking about you. Saving Apple Bloom like you did the way you did was just marvelous, some even say that you may be bearer of an element of harmony.” “I’m flattered, would you mind telling me more about the elements?” Sweet Apple Acres was still a long walk from where we stood, and I always wanted to talk to Rarity one-on-one. “They are values, in essence. Ancient pony tales claim that those values hold a great power here on Equestria, and I proved it myself when I met Twilight and defeated nightmare moon using the elements of harmony. There’s supposed to be six elements, honesty, laughter, loyalty, laughter, generosity and magic, but Twilight said that there’s more scattered out there with a wider range of values.” “You defeated someone with Twilight using the elements of harmony?” I asked skeptically, Rarity giggled in amusement. “Yes I did, it is common occurrence that people act skeptical towards this tale. My element is generosity, Twilight element is magic and Applejack’s element is honesty. There are other three ponies you’re not acquainted with, Pinkie Pie the bearer of laughter, Fluttershy, the bearer of kindness and Rainbow Dash, bearer of loyalty that were also involved.” “I’ve heard all of those names but Pinkie Pie before. I assumed there was more interesting ponies around here; I never suspected you would be so full of story and culture!” “We sure are. Oh, as I was saying, there’s supposed to be more elements of harmony around. Certainly not as powerful as any of the six, but still worthy of being named, I’ve heard tolerance, love, hope, among others have appeared on ponies around Equestria.” “Those are the values mankind lost and I’m trying to get back!” “Well, some say valor lives within you. Nopony ever stood to a gryphon like you did before; you earned the respect of all Ponyville for your action. If humans are half the pony you are, they will be welcome here!” she said with a chuckle, silent fell for a minute in our walk. Sweet Apple Acres grew closer and closer, I had to use the moments I was spending with Rarity to the max. “So, why are you visiting Applejack anyway?” I broke the silent with a question that sounded forceful and thought over. Rarity, however, was not taken aback by the question and smiled at me. “My little sister tipped me off about Applejack’s travel, so she asked me to make a few gowns and coats for the occasion.” “I’m assuming you’re not doing this for free.” “Leighton!” she exclaimed with indignity, “I am the bearer of the element of generosity. It almost insults me the thought of asking my friends for something in return for my handwork.” “My apologies, lady Rarity. My question was merely for information; I did not mean to offend.” I bowed my head in apologies; a smile slowly took over the white unicorn’s face. “As expected, your chivalry saved you once again, Leighton McRae,” Rarity looked down for an instant, “Would you concede this humble unicorn a date upon your return to Ponyville?” she asked with excitement. I didn’t know until that moment my charms also worked on the pony dimension, and even without wanting to. “I am flattered by your proposal Rarity,” my mind analyzed the situation as fast as it could; reaching the conclusion of: “and I would be glad to join in the venue of your choice, I’m not used to the restaurants around here.” “I know the perfect one, fit to ponies of our class!” she said overjoyed, pointing her left hoof to the road, exactly to where Applejack was waiting with a cart and two Pegasi ready to leave. “Leighton! Rarity! So good you’re here,” she rushed to me and began pushing me to the cart with haste. “What’s the hurry, darling?” Rarity asked with a big frown. “Big Mac already noticed I’m missin’, we ain’t got that much time. Rarity, did ya bring the clothes I asked?” “Yes, I brought two gowns for you and-” “Thanks!” she snatched Rarity’s saddlebags and tossed them inside the cart. “Watch it!” Rarity said offended. “I’m sorry. But we really have to go now. Guys, set course to Fillydelphia!” Applejack whistled and climbed in the cart, slamming the door shut and ducking under the window. The Pegasi felt Applejack’s rush and took off violently; we lost footing, tripped over each other and our heads crashed violently “Was that really necessary?” I rubbed my head from the impact. “Yeah, I can see Rarity talkin’ to big Mac down there,” she looked out the window with extreme caution, even though we were a hundred meters above the ground and quite far from them. “Well, you don’t need to worry about him now. Why did you have to sneak out like you did?” I sat back on the cushion and she took off her hat, placing it right next to her. Applejack’s long blonde mane fell to her right side as she turned to see me straight in the eyes. “Look, Leightn’. I have a very good reason to take this chance and go to Fillydelphia, ya know. Do… ya know what is like to live yer life without knowin’ mom or dad?” sadness and melancholy took over her voice, her body language and her green eyes. “I don’t, but my wife was orphan too. I wish you could meet Angelica; she always had the correct words to make anyone feel better.” “Then she must have been really strong. I’ve lived my whole life without even knowin’ their names, ya know…” she took a deep breath and let out a melancholic sigh, “but for sum weird reason, Granny Smith n’ Big Mac are really overprotective over that data, no matter how hard I beg n’ cry, they just won’t tell me at least their names. In moments like that I hardly feel part of the family.” “I’m sure they have good reasons, there is no need to hold something against them. Your situation actually reminds me of Angelica’s; her uncle was extremely overprotective on everything regarding her parents. She worked so hard to find out about them that she winded up meeting me in the process” I remembered with a chuckle. “I’m sure hearin’ your story oughta make me feel better. So tell me, how’d you met yer wife?” My mind drifted off in the memories, trying to find the exact moment where to begin my story. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “It was a cold November in Liverpool in the year if 2021. I was just twenty four years at that time, enjoying my brand new job as an average reporter in the Liverpool Echo. I remember that particular night for being especially long, working on a note about the vanishing towns in Africa. My office floor became deserted once my good friend Jamie left; it was just me and the sounds of a nocturne city. A mid those sounds, footsteps were heard breaking through a lonely room. “Who goes there?” I asked with no response, focusing back on the note and its moral complexity in my small cubicle. With a steady rhythm, those footsteps began growing closer and louder, infusing fear in me. I was just a kid back then, fresh out of college and not used to working hard and on my own. “Who the hell goes there?!” I asked even louder this time, still getting no response. The footsteps, however, stopped after my shout. I decided that matter was now irrelevant and returned into my note, losing my head in it for another thirty minutes until I heard a door being slammed. I shot up from my chair and pepped above the edges of my cubicle, seeing only a row of at least other ten cubicles under the dim light of the ceiling light, the city lights visible in the distance. “This is not funny, show yourself!” My shouts were simply useless, and I was too scared to walk outside the fake security of my cubicle. A shadow moved through the walls, I could see it clearly; it was getting closer to the archive room in the far left side of the room. “Who are you? You’re not supposed to be here!” I remember yelling with a sense of authority in me, hoping that thing would at least say its business. I saw his head moved towards me, and running with something on hands. Instead of facing it, I ran like a little girl to the exit. “No, you’re all mine now!” I was tackled on my back and hand tied by someone with a feminine voice, my pride was just as hurt as my back. This woman grabbed me and made me walk towards the archive room. That room was protected by a regular four number password, one that’s easy to remember but hard to crack. The assailant was quick and firm in her commands. “Tell me the code!” I felt a chilling cold metal piece on my neck, I sang like a bird in spring. “Three, One, Four, One,” I squeaked with my eyes shut, hoping the thing on my back was not a pistol. The door opened and she tossed me aside, dashing inside the room and typing hastily something on the computer used for searching a determinate note. Unable to move, I was only able to see one word on the monitor in front of me: ‘Eiselstein’. She turned and frenetically dug through the archive looking for her file, and stopped suddenly when she found it. “This… Can’t be…” she muttered with sadness in her voice, I was intrigued despite she attacked me brutally, tied me like an animal and forced me to help her against my will and work code. And it was in that very same moment when I first saw her face for the first time; a long straight raven dark hair ran all the way down her back. Her olive green eyes began to fill with tears as she fell to the floor with a piece of paper in hand. “Are you okay?” I tried not to drool in front of her, for I had never seen someone so beautiful at the moment. She turned to scowl at me; I staggered upon contact with her gaze, “I’m trying to be a nice guy, you know. Are you okay?” “No, I’m not. And why the hell do you care?” she said slightly angry and I do not blame her, a stranger’s curiosity can really offend someone. But let me tell you, Applejack, there are times in life where the best person to talk to is a mere stranger, in that case, the man you assaulted a few minutes ago. “I care because anybody with a slight sense of humanity would. I know you just met me, damn; you just attacked me and tied me like a bloody animal, but I don’t care. You look like you could use a friendly ear right now, and I’m willing to listen to you,” she stared at me like I was someone out of his mind, a gaze I was going to get used to. “How do I know you’re being nice to me just because I’m a girl and you happen to like me?” she was always good at analyzing me, knowing the reality behind someone’s mind and actions. But I was always good at hiding my true purposes, even from someone so witty like her. “I don’t like girls who break into my office, assault me and tie me down like a pig. Sorry honey, but you’re not my type.” “Really?” she said with a scoff, “well don’t get too excited because I don’t like boys who like scream like little girls when you take them down,” we both giggled in that instant, I was quite comfortable talking to her as I laid on the floor immobilized. “I’m Leighton. Leighton McRae, I work here as a reporter, what’s your name?” I said with a huge smile on my face “I’m Angie,” she cleaned a few tears off her eyes and glanced at the paper she held. “I assume your last name is Eiselstein?” “Yeah, how the hell did you know?” she asked with genuine amazement, I twisted like a worm pointing the computer behind her. “I saw what you typed on the computer; it’s the most logical train of thoughts.” “Yeah… I figured,” she turned back again to her paper, breaking into tears just at first glance. “What’s the matter?” I crawled in a similar way to a worm to her side, my white shirt ended up as if I took a bath in mud, and I knew it. However, I couldn’t care less about it in that moment. “I…” she struggled against that inner voice that impeded her to talk to me honestly, “I broke in here trying to find about my parents.” “And was it really necessary for you to attack me like you did?” she grinned playfully, interrupting her weeping for an instant. “Would you have cooperated with me?” “You could have just asked…” I sarcastically implied and she giggled again. When a person is going through a rough moment, it is always good to make him or her laugh, but not with silly jokes. It’s about finding the right moment and the right words, it all comes together, some say. She decided to untie me after that last comment, I could have just ran towards the emergency button like any good employee would, but I stayed with her like any good person would. “Now tell me, what’s the matter?” I sat next to her; she stared at me with those puppy wet eyes I could never forget. She told me her story, how she had been living with her uncle ever since she had memory, how bad was the desire to know whatever happened to her mom and dad. How her desire led her to my office just by hearing her parents died here on Liverpool, how much money she saved since college to make the long trip from Glasgow to Liverpool and her plan to stay there until she learned the truth. Her parents were killed brutally shortly after she was born, no one could stand such horrible news, no one could live knowing your parents only by a picture of their blood covered corpses. In only one night, I ended up knowing more about her than any other person she met before, and so she acknowledged herself. Angelica spent her entire life talking only to a few people, not really showing how she felt to not even her closest friend or even those she dared to kiss but not truly love. I felt flattered and overwhelmed at the same time, I had never seen someone open her heart in such honest and pure way like her before. We finished talking around four in the morning; I offered to take her home, where our talk continued for another twelve hours. I felt the urge to share with her my darkest secrets and wildest dreams, and she found them to be marvelous. In less than twenty four hours we felt like we had known each other for years. Even though our initial impressions were those of persons who repulse each other, we ended up falling in love after a few months of seeing each other in a regular weekly basis when she found a job teaching biology in a small school near my work. Meeting me was the greatest thing that ever happened to her, she used to cry out every once in a while when remembering that shadowy, creepy way we met in a bench inside a room filled with newspaper from all ages. Who would have thought the very same night she found the fate of her parents she met the love of her life? Be careful what you wish, some say, because I can tell she never really got over her parents death; I remember her mourning them every fourth of April. We got married after a year of officially dating, I remember printing a newspaper headline with a picture of us with the words ‘will you marry me?’ just for the occasion, and of course she said yes after breaking down into tears in my arms. The wedding was held in a small church outside my hometown, Knowsly with a humble ceremony and few guests a tenth of August; our honey moon was a travel all across the Americas, all the way from Canada to Tierra del Fuego. With the neofage ravaging all across the world, having babies was a difficult task for any couple, we tried for at least seven years until she finally got pregnant of a baby girl we named after our mothers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “You see, Applejack, my wife was a strong person, and quite lucky to meet me that night. Don’t despise your family for protecting you from a truth that can destroy not only your life, but Apple Bloom’s life as well,” I turned my gaze away from the cloudy sunset on the window and saw her trying to hide her tears behind her hoof. “Now that you told me that I know… but I want to do this anyway. And… thanks for sharin’ your story with me, you must have really loved your wife,” she sobbed in an effort to hide her tears. “I still love my wife; I’m never going to stop loving her. But I live my life with the certainty that she’s happy here on Equestria, safe,” I let out a huge sigh. “And… ya know where she oughta be?” she asked with a more clear voice this time. “I read during my mission in Russia that both my daughter and wife were transferred to a safe house on Fillydelphia.” “That means you may find ‘em too!” she said enthusiastically. “I don’t take that for granted, I read they left Fillydelphia and their current location is unknown. Once I’m done with this whole human extinction madness, I will devote my life in finding them, and making sure they are safe even though they don’t know who I am,” Applejack’s face turned depressed, looking out the window once more. “That’s… so brave of you. I’d never met anypony as brave as you, Leighton. I’m glad you’re takin’ this trip with me,” she smiled at me honestly, a clear, pure honesty worthy from the bearer the element of honesty. “I’m glad you are allowing me to join you in such a special occasion, now please, tell me more about you.” I always found Applejack to be an interesting pony, and this was no better occasion to listen to her complete story. I learned about the cutie marks and all of her life as an apple bucking pony, how devoted she was to her family. We spent all the way to Fillydelphia talking, truly enjoying our company.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-11T00:14:33+00:00

2011-08-11T00:14:33+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 10 “Have you ever been to Fillydelphia?” I asked with curiosity, it had been a long trip and the night was already over Equestria. Outside the window, the lights of a nocturne city were seen in the distance. “Nope, but Granny Smith says I was once there when I was a little filly but I don’t recall it. Twilight says it’s quite similar to any of yer cities on earth, big buildings, lots of ponies everywhere, ya know what I’m sayin’.” “Certainly; and why did you ask Rarity the gowns and coats?” “I heard it’s pretty cold n’ there. Besides, Rarity dresses are awesome, I’m sure ya’ll like yours when we get there.” “Applejack, we’re about to arrive in Fillydelphia, where shall we land?” A voice asked from the outsides of the cart, it must have been one of the driving Pegasi. “Take us to the Colton Hotel. We’ve booked a couple of nights n’ there.” The cart moved brutally to one side, steering was always brutal when flying in a chariot drawn by Pegasi. “Okay, so what’s the plan?” “We get there, get some sleep and tomorrow at first hour, we began lookin’ for the building Apple Bloom dreamt of,” the lights in the city were a lot closer than I thought at first. Fillydelphia did look like any city on earth, but with considerably less size and practically no skyscrapers. The cart began descending drastically, I felt like I was in a roller coaster and tried to get a grip from anything near me and Applejack however, was enjoying the sensation. “C’mon Leighton, enjoy the ride!” she shouted with excitement, the cart kept descending rapidly. “I’m sorry, I’m not very used to this kind of turbulence,” I closed my eyes bracing for a brutal impact. For my relief, the cart stopped gently on a street; Applejack burst into laughter when she saw me all curled up on a corner of the cart. “The ride’s over, brave stallion,” she teased as she stepped down the vehicle, the city outside reminded me of any city in the earth, except ponies walked on its streets. The white building in front of us stood at least fifty meters tall, a decent size for a regular hotel on earth; the glass double doors covered the entrance to a fancy golden lobby with a large reception counter. “I didn’t know they had such fancy hotels in Equestria,” I said with much surprise. “If there’s ponies like Rarity walkin’ ‘round ‘ere, there’s hotels for ponies like her,” she stepped inside the hotel and rang the bell on the reception counter, a yellow mare with a green mane popped from under with a helpful smile. “Welcome to the Colton Hotel, do you have a reservation with us?” “Yeah, we booked a room yesterday. Applejack and Leighton McRae,” the mare quickly dug through the registration book and pointed it with a hoof. “Yes, we have your registration miss and mister McRae-” “Excuse me, milady. Applejack is not my wife, we’re business partners, she just happens to not have a last name like I do,” I quickly straightened with firm voice, I was not offended by the receptionist’s statement, and neither was Applejack. “Oh,” she said with realization, “my apologies. Well, you’ve been assigned with room 2476,” she handed over a keycard labeled with the number, “enjoy your stay!” “Thank you,” we left the counter and headed to what seemed to be the elevator. “Leighton, would you mind goin’ on ahead to the room? I’ve got to pick the bags back at the cart,” she snapped and walked back towards the entrance. “Alright then, see you at the room,” the elevator door opened, cozy red fur colored walls made it something I had never seen before. I pressed the button labeled with the number twenty four and waited patiently for the machine to lift me to my destination. Above, I noticed a speaker phone, usually used for the music. But this time, the news were being played. “The Fillydelphia Fillies defeated the Manehattan Colts thirteen to four. And on news from our dimensional neighbors, the United States of North America have confirmed that Adam Chambers is the new president, after the tragic assassination of Anita Goyle last Wednesday night. He stated America will reinforce the front of war and have a more radical pose towards ponification on his soil, revealing that the shutdown in the Russian ponification facility in the Koryak Mountains earlier this morning was caused by American armed forces. Ambassadress Twilight Sparkle is confirmed to assist to a meeting in the United Nations headquarters in New York City next Monday, to discuss a possible legalization of ponification and to put an end to the friction between ponies and humans…” “You have got to be kidding me!” I kicked the fur with my hind hooves in fury, “that son of a bitch is president now?!” the elevator doors opened and a couple of ponies stared at me blankly. “Excuse me,” I walked past them as politely as my anger allowed me to, looking around for the numerical order that would point towards my room. I wandered around the floor for a few minutes until I stumbled across a double door room labeled with the correct number, I slid the key and the door opened. The room seemed quite cozy and fancy, the queen size beds, the clear brown sheets, everything was nicely placed on the spacious room. I dived in one of the beds, my head crashed against the large white pillow as I sighed crankily. My mind analyzed what would happen upon my return to earth, now that the sworn enemy of ponies on earth is in command of the most powerful army in the world. After a few minutes of staring at the ceiling, Applejack came through the doors with the saddlebags, struggling to carry mine. I shot straight from my bed to help her upon noticing her handicap. “Let me help you out” I grabbed Twilight’s gray saddlebags and carried them to the nearest bed. “Thanks,” she stretched her muscles, “do ya know what time‘s it? Completely unaware of the hour, I looked around for a clock, or something that would point out the hour. “It’s quarter past ten, I was just messin’ with ya,” she said with a devilish grin, I just frowned at her joke. “If you want to take a bath there’s a bathroom over there,” I pointed a door next to a bed, “I call the bed over there, by the way.” “Sure, just watch over the room while I’m gone,” she took off her hat and tossed it straight to my face, with a hat flying at that speed no one could ever hope to catch it mid-air. “No problem,” I took the hat and placed it in my head, she stepped inside the bathroom and water flowing was heard shortly after. Since I was used to having at least a TV on any hotel on earth, the lack of one forced me to lie on the bed once again. It was comfortable, enough for me to cover my face with the cowboy hat and drift off in my thinking for a while. “Ain’t ya gonna take a bath?” Applejack lifted the hat off my head, light struck my eyes directly as I fell of the bed in shock. “Yeah, I’m going to, just… let me…” I dizzily walked towards the bathroom, crashing against the wall a couple of times. Something was clear, after I finished taking a bath, I was going to sleep. I gazed at the city from the balcony, comfortably sitting on my small chair with a cup of wine next to me. The sounds of this city were different. There was no ambulance racing through the city, there was no gunshots or people fighting. It was quiet, with an occasional pony greeting each other late at night. Nights were always long for me, ever since Angelica and Blair were ponyfied I couldn’t get a quiet night of sleep, no matter how tired I was. “Things are getting more and more complicated. With Chambers ahead of the United States, they will try to assassinate Twilight during her conference. He was cynical enough to admit he threw his forces to Russia.” The dark and quiet night was the perfect scenario for a lonely man who desires to spend his night thinking about the future and the past. I took a sap from my wine, enjoying its bitter taste before resuming my meditation. “I have to come up with another plan to stop mankind from destroying the ponies, specifically Twilight. Taking Chambers down is a must, and since nothing ties me to the ponies, I suppose I can take him down in the UN and pass as another terrorist. But that stops ponification from being legalized; it has to reach a conclusion before I can shoot somepony in the head. Looks like I have to wait for further options to appear-” “What the heck are you doin’ up so early in the mornin’?” Drowsy Applejack asked as she rubbed her eyes, interrupting my train of thoughts. “I’m not a whole night sleeper. I sleep four or five hours a day, I can’t sleep more than that,” I tried to keep the conversation as short as I could, but knowing Applejack it was likely that my night was not going to be lonely. “Why’s that?” she sat next to me, serving some wine on another glass cup. “Night always comes as a burden to me, not a relief. I spent many nights awake building project HC, I’m used to this.” “You’re just circlin’ the question, not answerin’ it,” she quickly deducted. Not bad for a pony with a few minutes awake. I looked down with acceptance preparing my next line. “Ever since I ponyfied Angie and Blair I haven’t been able to sleep well. Do you know why?” “I don’t,” she spoke softly. “Because I lied to them.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the bombardment in Liverpool, I decided to take my family far from the United Kingdom. But by the year of 2030, war was everywhere on the face of earth. I had to take them somewhere safe, a place where war could not find them. When I first told Angie about ponification, she instantly agreed. She was tired of hiding, running from cross fires with a child on arms. I was already skilled in handling firearms by that time, but you can only do so much protecting your family from a platoon of Chinese soldiers, fortunately, I was always wise enough to outsmart them and flee on the nick of time. The travel to the Russian facility was not easy, not many English people can enter Russia as refugees. I bribed a few people and threatened some more before we could even approach the facility. “That’s it. C’mon, we’re almost there,” I remember taking Blair in arms and walk down the deserted Russian streets. My girl had her grandma’s eyes; they were amber and shined like gold. Despite being just four years old, she was smart like her mother and careful like her father, I remember her enjoying listening to her mother’s tales about any creature she encountered in the backyard. She naturally inherited my hair color, but the face and attitude of her mother. “Leighton,” Angie suddenly stopped walking, “I’m… I’m not sure of this.” Just by looking at her I could feel her fear, it was not just the cold what made her shiver. “I know you’re not, no one could ever be,” I placed Blair down and took Angie’s hands, “but there is no other option. We have to do this, Angie. Look at Blaire,” I pointed at the small child running around and playing in the snow, “she does not deserves this, she deserves life where she’s happy, in a place where she’s not haunted by war or death.” “I know but… We’re just running to live a life where we are not ourselves, there’s no guarantee that I’ll remember you once we become ponies.” “Angelica, there is no magic on this world or the world of the ponies that could make me forget about you or Blaire, the very thought of it is just preposterous. No matter what happens, I will never leave you…” I took her in my arms and spoke the ultimate lie, an unspeakable offense but the only way she could ever trust me for one last time, “I promise.” I kissed her one last time before Blair rushed in from a side and warmly hugged her mom’s leg, her smile was innocent. Ignorance is bliss, so they say. We walked to the entrance of the facility, particularly deserted but very well protected by some man in blue uniform. I approached one of them guarding the steel door and told him we were here to be ponyfied. He asked for the payment ticket, I showed a paper with the two million Euros deposit to their account. The door opened, and my two dearest persons walked in. “Daddy, aren’t you coming?” Blaire asked innocently, Angie turned to me with her eyes wide open. I felt a void in myself; you’re never prepared to betray your own family’s trust for their own good. “Leighton?” Angie said as she took our girl in arms, leaning her face against her shoulder, “What the hell are you doing, come here.” “I’m sorry,” I felt like the ultimate imbecile, backing down like a perfect coward with a blank look in my eyes, “I could only pay for your ponification.” “Liar!” my wife shouted with fury, offended by my statement, “We have enough to pay for every single one of us. Why, Leighton, why would you do this to me?!!” she broke down into tears, Blair played with her mom’s hair, completely oblivious to the situation. “I… I have to save humanity,” was the best I could come up with, but it was the truth. I always had an inner hatred for mankind for being so selfish and destructive, until I met her. She was the person that showed me I was wrong about mankind; she showed me that good people still existed on earth. I could easily turn my back from my own kind and run from its fate, but that would mean we would fade away if someone didn’t took a stand. I had to take a stand, I had an uncontrollable urge to save all of humanity, I just wasn’t sure how. “For crying out loud, Leighton you’re not a super hero. You can’t leave us like this!” her words reached my very soul; I wanted to keep my family company. But this need was even bigger than them and I just felt horrible for it. “One day I’ll go with you, I have to do this!” I shouted as loud as I could, but I knew I had lost all credibility with the person I cared the most about, “I love you!” was the last words I ever told them, I could see in Angie’s face she even felt disgusted by them. “Daddy!” Blaire said before the Russians sealed the entrance, leaving me standing there like a complete fool. The void inside me was… is… something that still haunts me today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I can’t believe this…” Applejack said completely surprised by my tale. “It’s the truth. I’m not proud of my actions, but it had to be done in order to save mankind. I’ve come too far to just give up now,” I drank all the wine inside my cup, quite a considerable amount. “How could you?” she slapped me in the face, tears covered her eyes, “they trusted you and you just betrayed them!” “As I said…” I rubbed my left cheek, “I’m not proud of my actions, and I feel like an idiot just by remembering that very moment. But look at what I’ve accomplished; I’m close to saving humanity. My sacrifice and their sacrifice were not in vain,” silence fell on the balcony for a minute and we avoided all eye contact. “I’m… I’m sorry Leightn’,” Applejack said with remorse, “I got carried away with the moment. I forgot who you are in this moment; nopony should be judged by its actions, but rather what they learned from ‘em. You take strength from your family to stay in earth buildin’ yer whole plan.” “The end does not justify the means, but there was really no other option,” I sighed melancholically, “I just hope they can ever forgive me for that.” “If your plan succeeds, I’m sure they’ll understand,” she smiled at me and I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time, something I had completely forgotten about. Peace. I know it sounds incredible, but something in that orange pony’s words brought that long gone feeling back to me. “C’mon Leighton, It’s still pretty early, go back to bed and get sum sleep.” Applejack went on ahead and I followed shortly, enjoying that peace I hadn’t felt in so long. “Looks like I can be in peace with myself for one night at least,” I thought before crashing my head against the pillow, but a high pitched scream and an explosion coming from the streets woke us up before we could even enjoy the comfort of our beds. The explosion lightened up the room like the sun, the shockwave broke all the windows around us, followed by an earthquake that made the alarms of the hotel go off. Without hesitation, we left the room fearing for our lives. We dashed down the stairs and reached the lobby, where lots of ponies were hiding all around. “They’re here!” a pony covered in dust and blood ran into the hotel shouting with terror in his voice.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-14T18:12:10+00:00

2011-08-14T18:12:10+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 11 “What are y’all talkin’ ‘bout!” Applejack ran towards the pony and helped him lay on the floor. “The… humans, they found a way to get here. They are killing anypony who stands in his way,” he coughed blood that stained applejack’s coat. “That can’t be right, how do they look like?” I asked glancing at the outsides, lots of ponies galloped in all directions fearing for their lives. “They… look like normal ponies, wear a gray uniform and carry heavy weapons. They came from the portal’s building,” Applejack turned towards me with her eyes wide open. “Applejack, stay here; I’ll see what’s going on out there,” I was just about to start galloping when she bit my tail and pulled me to her. “Not a chance. If you’re plannin’ to go out there on yer own, it ain’t gonna happen on my watch.” “Look, I can handle myself out there, but I need you to stay somewhere safe.” “Everyone get down!” A blue helmeted pony with a military uniform said as he fired his M16 rifle to the air, behind him, at least other four ponies stood with his weapons readied. Screaming filled the room while they scanned the surroundings. “Clear?” the blue one asked, I took a closer look at his chest and read ‘Sgt. Baines’, on his left shoulder, , the eagle; globe and anchor were seen as well, they American. “Everything is clear sir, I don’t think they’ll do anything,” a soldier replied with the salute. “Go back to your dimension!” A gray old pony shouted furiously as he galloped towards them, I turned my sight away just before the soldiers opened fire on him. “Is someone else going to get shot today?” he asked as he cruelly kicked the dead pony’s body, everyone in the room kept silence in absolute terror. A solider approached us, pointing the gun at each one before turning his back. “Now!” I swiftly stole the soldier’s pistol from its holster and took him from the neck, using him as a human shield. Adrenaline always made time go slower for me, this time it allowed me to see the guards turning to point me with his guns. I began the shootout by killing two soldiers with clean headshots; their bodies slammed the ground before they could finish scooping me. Their response was quick, they opened fire on me killing their ally after a few rounds, I could feel how his body received the impacts. Without giving it a second thought, I dropped his body and flew towards the ceiling, followed closely by his gunshots. Landing on a glass chandelier above, I aimed down my pistol and shot one more soldier on the head. “Now you’re dead!” the blue sergeant changed to his equipped grenade launcher and aimed towards me, I was able to avoid the explosion but the shockwave struck me, making me slam the ground at high speed. My body was numb from the impact; the soldier changed to his rifle and prepared to deliver the shot of grace. “C’mon, move, move!” I closed my eyes and tried to move, but there was no response. Suddenly, I heard firing… But I was still alive, I opened my eyes and saw Applejack holding the first soldier’s rifle, the muzzle was still releasing some smoke. Her face was of amazement, she never expected to fire a weapon, let alone kill someone. “Are you alright?” I stood slowly and walked towards her, my back ached horribly. “Yeah…” she tossed the firearm aside, “are you alright?” “I suppose, I just survived a grenade launcher explosion.” “What are we going to do? You killed them and they will want revenge, we’re all going to die!” A purple mare shouted fearfully, everypony around were astonished by my feat and terrorized by the bloodbath. “Nopony’s goin’ to die, stop it,” Applejack hissed, I walked around and picked up ammunition from some of the dead bodies. “But what are we going to do now? We just can’t sit here and wait for them to find us,” a brown stallion exclaimed. “Listen up!” I floated to the center of the lobby holding a M16 with one hoof, trying to draw everypony’s attention, “the best option now is to bunker here and wait for rescue. You two,” I pointed towards a couple of stallions in a corner, “drag the bodies out of side and grab their firearms, if you don’t think you can fire them, give them to somepony who can, you!” I pointed the brown stallion from before, “build a barricade in front of the door with anything you find. The rest, if you can’t help go upstairs and hide, but stay together.” “You heard the man, do as he says!” Applejack affirmed my commands and everypony began moving. I observed carefully and took point near the door, outside there was practically not a single soul running for their lives. Distant gunshots and screaming were heard constantly. “Whatcha gonna do now?” Applejack asked concerned, carrying a pistol feeling like she could handle it, her confidence was amazing. “The best way to slay a beast with a thousand arms is to cut its head. I need to find who is leading this operation and kill him.” “And exactly how are ya plannin’ to do it?” she asked with a big frown. “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, I must seem unable; when using my forces, I must seem inactive; when I am near, I must make the enemy believe I am far away; when far away, I must make him believe I am near.” “I dunno what the hell you just said, but sounds reasonable. What are you going to do now?” “I’m going to finish their invasion before it spreads outside of Fillydelphia, I want you to stay here and bunker down with the rest of the guests,” I took a radio from one of the dead soldiers and changed its frequency to a private custom one before handing it to Applejack, “use this. If you’re having any problems, give me a shout and I’ll come back as soon as I can. I’ll keep these guys off your back by giving them false directions,” I winked my eye before I started floating, preparing to bolt out the door. “Don’t get yerself killed would you?” she said with a worried look, I gave her my best smile and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back. I promise,” I nodded before flying off the door towards the deserted streets, hoping she would believe in my words after what I did to my family. Outside the scene was horrible; lots of ponies around laid dead with holes in their bodies. Many buildings were on fire and had their walls collapsed, in just a few minutes the whole city was turned into a battle ground. I flew high to avoid being seen; constantly landing on rooftops to check what happened on the streets below. Eventually, a pattern of destruction emerged and it pointed to a red ten story building with its roof collapsed, I had a way in. I flew towards it carefully, avoiding any attention from the forces down on the streets. I landed inside the building and equipped the M16, luckily, I would not have to use it unless really necessary. “Alpha two-three, come in, over” was heard on my radio. “Alpha two-three here, over.” “Have you secured the hotel? Over.” “The hotel is secured, awaiting further orders, sir.” “Is that so? Well, tell me how is it that the signal of your radio points the roof of the command center then?” A shiver ran through my spine upon hearing those words, I had not anticipated that. “You shouldn’t be here, you know?” I said with confidence, galloping to the opposite side of the room for cover behind the debris. “You’re one brave son of a bitch; I have two strike teams outside the door waiting for my mark to enter and fill your sorry ass with lead.” “Could you please tell them to line up so I can shoot them one at a time?” I teased, preparing myself for one tough battle. “That’s it, go go go!” A platoon of eight soldiers broke into the room, inspecting every corner around, every rock and every collapsed piece of roof, the only trace they could find was the radio laying on the floor. Just before they entered, I flew my way around the building and entered through a broken window in the hallway from where they came from. With the surprise factor on my behalf, I entered the room and emptied the load of my weapon on the platoon. No one was spared. “Damn that Sun Tzu was right,” I changed the clip of my weapon as I stole a silenced MP5k from one of the dead bodies. The furious shouts of the man in the radio were heard vaguely echoing under one of the bodies. I returned to the hallway and heard footsteps on the distance; I rapidly took cover in a room on my left side. In that moment, an idea came to my mind, something I had seen in a James Bond movie while back. In that scene, James slid on the floor and fired against the bad guys that were caught by surprise. As the footsteps grew closer and closer, I prepared myself to copy the movie’s idea. Just when the acoustic of the place suggested me they were walking into the hallway, I slid into the hallway pointing my weapon to the soldiers and opened fire. The sound of the 9mm cases hitting the floor along were heard over the shots, the silencer was honoring its name. “I never thought that one could work,” I stood up and cleaned any dirt off my coat, running down the hallway and descending a metal staircase. I dashed inside a room for cover when I saw two soldiers talking in front of me. “Colonel Meyer is bunkering down in the second floor, he needs to be protected from the intruder, go!” I eavesdropped from my position. Knowing my destination, I flew through a window and headed for the second floor. Outside, there was no sign of activity, my attack drawn the attention of every nearby troops. I analyzed the building, searching for a good way to enter the second room. On the back part of the building, I saw a small circular window with no protection. I peeped on it and saw a maroon pony completely alone yelling something on a phone, the room seemed similar to the one used for ponification in Russia. Without hesitation, I broke through the window and pointed my MP5k straight to his face; he gasped from surprise and raised his hands in fear. “What? How did you-” I interrupted him by shooting him between the eyes, blood poured from the hole in his head as he struck the ground. “I thought you would know windows are structural weaknesses...” I said sarcastically, running to lock the door before someone noticed I killed the colonel. “Sir, the intruder is nowhere to be found and your position is secured, what are your orders?” I heard on the dead man’s radio. “I want you to go back to the hole from which you all crawled off before I kill every single one of you bastards,” I replied with anger on the radio, the lock of the door was forced almost instantly after my words, but I was quite far away by the time they entered the room and saw their leader laying dead on the floor. With a victorious smirk on my face, I flew back to the hotel where Applejack was. From a few blocks away, I was able to notice large golden carts labeled with Celestia’s cutie mark on the side, the sun was slowly rising on the distance. I landed on a side of the hotel and disposed of all my weapons before approaching the entrance, which was now guarded by ponies that looked exactly like the ones in Canterlot. “Good morning, gentlemen,” I greeted with a smile and Applejack suddenly burst from between the guards to hug me, taking me down while at it. “I can’t believe it, you’re alive!” “I told you I would return, I’m making the habit of keeping my promises,” she realized how close she was to my face and backed down completely blushed. “How’d it go?” she said with a scoff. “I cut the beast’s head; they should be helpless by now-” “Very well done, LH7,” a mare’s voice said from behind, the guards stood aside and Princess Luna appeared before me. “Princess Luna,” I bowed reverentially. “Stand, Leighton,” I straightened up my pose and looked up at the dark blue mare, “Queen Celestia sent me in her behalf to acknowledge what was happening here on Fillydelphia, would you mind giving me a debrief?” “Of course,” I cleared my throat and continued, “this was an invasion attempt from the US army forces, civilian casualties are very high; they shot anypony on sight. I secured the hotel and dismantled their center of operations located in a red ten story building southwest from this position.” I heard Applejack gasp next to me, and Luna seemed amazed by my report. “You’re quite handy for being just one pony, LH7, I’m impressed. Your work is over for now, the survivors will be taken care of by our military forces, Equestria is thankful for your actions.” “Thank you, milady.” “Your orders are to return to Ponyville right away, Twilight Sparkle is going to the earth to demand an explanation, you’re going in as her personal bodyguard,” Luna walked towards her cart and opened the door, inviting me to step in. “Right away, ma’am,” I stepped inside the cart followed by Applejack. “Take them to Ponyville, double time!” the blue mare said to the Pegasi driving the cart. The cart began moving and in less than fifteen seconds, we were already a hundred meters off the ground, this Pegasi were at least two times faster than the ones that brought us. “Leighton,” Applejack broke the silence in the cart, “how was the buildin’ from where these men came out of?” “A red brick ten story building, if it had any signs they were on the floor where I couldn’t see them, why do you ask?” “Well…” she looked out the window, “that’s the kind of buildin’ Apple Bloom saw. Do you just happen to know what was that buildin’ for?” “It was the building the human transfer safe house, they came through the portal in there…” My mind drifted off trying to deduce what that could mean. “Why in the world would she dream with the human safe house…?” “Maybe your parents were human,” Applejack didn’t seem grateful by my deductions. “I don’t think so,” she said sarcastically with a scowl, “O’l granny smith wouldn’t lie to us in such way, besides, I’m eighty four years old, if they were human they must have been from the very first to come, n’ why would they vanish mysteriously?” “Eighty four years? I wish I would like that good when I’m your age.” “You probably will, we ponies live quite some time, ya know.” “Ah!” I exclaimed in realization, “My math was right, you ponies do have long life spans,” she stared at me with a frown, the ambient growing awkward, “sorry, I got carried away in the conversation, any thoughts on the true reason for our travel to Fillydelphia?” “I ain’t sure… but I’ll confront granny Smith n’ big Mac with this, they have to talk now.” “I wish you the best with that, Applejack. And… I would like to ask you one favor.” “Sure, fire ‘em,” she said with a smile. “Before leaving Ponyville, your friend Rarity asked me out. Could you please explain her the situation? I don’t like leaving people hanging,” I said with some reservation I had no idea how could she react. “Alright, don’t you worry. But seriously, Rarity asked you out? Was your wife some sort of fashion diva?” “No, Angelica was a quiet, hardworking ecologist, but she did enjoy spending my money if I left my wallet alone.” “Do you find Rarity attractive?” her question jumped straight to my face like hot oil. “Well um… she’s a talking white unicorn with slight obsessive-compulsive disorder that clearly dislikes bad manners and speaks in a cultivated mid-Atlantic accent. I must say, I am impressed that she’s taking interest in a British pony-slash-human with messiah complex.” “So, do you find her attractive or not?” “As a person, yes I do, but I’m not used yet to checking somepony’s flank.” “I see, so you’re not giving up on yer wife yet?” “As I said before, I will love Angelica until the day I die. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t rebuild myself and spend the rest of my life with some-in this case-pony else.” “I wasn’t questionin’, just askin’. I’ll tell her once I’m back on Ponyville.” “Thank you, Applejack,” I closed my eyes, but I was not trying to sleep. I was figuring out how I was going to save humanity without destroying everything in the process.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-18T23:05:04+00:00

2011-08-18T23:05:04+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 12 “About damn time you showed up,” I ran into Twilight’s house with the clock ticking against me, she was standing in the middle of the living room with a suitcase next to her. “I’m sorry, I almost tripped over the dozen of soldiers I killed before getting here,” I replied crankily, I wasn’t expecting that kind of attitude from her. “I’m sorry Leighton… this whole situation has me on the mere brink of going crazy,” she instantly apologized, signaling me to walk to her side. “I suppose you have a plan that involves more that the two of us talking in front of one hundred and seventy six mad bureaucrats, right?” “No, I’m afraid I don’t have any plans, we’ll have to improvise,” her horn began glowing, casting the spell that created the dimensional wormhole between Equestria and Earth. “Ugh… you want me to go jump into the torture wormhole again,” I sarcastically implied just before Twilight grabbed my hand and leaped into the hole dragging me along. I was more used to the sensation now, the shift became a little painless this time, but I felt a particular part of my body didn’t changed. I fainted before I could notice if it did or not. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Is the ride over yet?” My head ached more than any other times; shifting dimension always left something new for me. I stood up slowly and recognized my surroundings; I was in my safe house outside New York City in a quiet morning, it was probably around ten or eleven in the morning. “You’re still not used to the travel eh?” Twilight teased with a mocking grin, she was now wearing a black suit with a white buttoned shirt. Her skirt completed the ‘business woman’ attire. “No one could ever get used to this, and why do I have to wear a tux now?” I glanced down at my attire and saw a pair of black glasses on my front pocket. “You’re my personal bodyguard, you have to look like it,” she walked inside the house and I followed her closely. “Alright, so what’s next?” “We go to the UN building and demand an explanation,” she said confidently, taking a few books from my shelf. The house was just as I left it, nothing was moved or touched. “I don’t think they will let you walk in just like that,” I opened the front door, waiting for her before stepping outside. “That’s when you come in; you kill anypony who stands in our way between us and the assembly hall.” “That’s not going to happen, they will not listen to you of your bodyguard goes crazy and starts killing people,” I closed the door behind me, she walked towards the car in quite a hurry. “Damn you’re right,” she leaned against the car, “but how are we going to sneak in?” “We’ll have to take a chance and walk through the front door nice and easy. Maybe they are waiting for you with a trap set,” I unlocked the BMW’s doors and she went inside the car. “Are you suggesting I’m to be used as bait?” she exclaimed with indignation. “If that’s the case we have an upper hand, we know that they have a trap set, but they don’t know that we know that they have a trap set,” I turned on the car and drove towards the interstate highway. “I don’t like your idea… this is getting out of control.” “Do you think I like using my friends as bait? Sometimes we have to take chances, sometimes these chances mean somepony has to risk its life, but think of the prize. If we get this right, we might stop this before it gets out of control.” “We’re doing this because you want to save humanity so badly, if I hadn’t met you everything would be different,” she said with an indifference scoff. “My plan is a symptom, not a cause. The Americans would have broken in your Russian facility and entered Equestria if I had not stopped them. They would now have control over Fillydelphia if I had not stopped them by killing the man in charge of the operation; I’ve been nothing but a blessing to you.” Twilight kept silence for a second; my words had hurt her pride. I always respected her for being so centered and determined, the pressure was obviously getting into her. “Now that I think of it…” she muttered, “you’re one type of a savior. You aim to save humanity, but don’t hesitate to kill your own kind.” “Oh that,” I rolled my eyes, “my plan is designed to save a small amount of people, those who truly deserve a spot as the future of mankind. The rest are to be disposed, if not eliminated as time passes on.” “That’s lots of people you’re talking about; don’t you feel bad for all those persons?” “Any person would, and I’m no exception. I consider them to be sacrifices for the good of mankind, and what’s with all the questions?” I turned to frown at her for a second; I couldn’t distract myself that much when driving. “I was just thinking about… how complex this whole situation is. I’ll question more about this later, Celestia asked me to,” I glanced constantly at the rearview mirror; two black sedans were following closely. The men inside of them wore black glasses and didn’t seem that friendly. “Twilight,” I said with a hint of fear in my face, “open the glove box and hand me the pistol inside.” She gasped instantly, “You don’t think we’re being followed, right?” “Just hand me the damn pistol over and hide in the back seat,” she obeyed at remarkable speed, leaping to the back seat covering her head under her hands. I readied the P229 pistol and let it on my lap, waiting for a moment to draw it. One of the black sedans accelerated and passed us, placing his car right in front of mine. “Twilight,” I gulped as the adrenaline rush filled my veins, “you better hang on to something!” I pushed the gas pedal to the bottom and overtook the car ahead of me. They revealed their intentions after I accelerated, as two men from each side of both cars showed their torsos with an assault rifle in hands. “Good thing I had this bad boy armored, hang on!” gunshots impacted the rear part of the vehicle, but the plating was hard enough to stand the firing. I accelerated past the two hundred miles per hour; the cars eventually became smaller in the distance and the gunfight stopped. “Is it over?” Twilight asked terrorized. “I don’t think so, these guys don’t know when to give up,” I turned violently to the left up the interstate highway, the rubber burned against the pavement. I heard the pony on the back slamming against the door with some violence, followed by a groan of pain. “Couldn’t you tell me there was going to be a sharp turn?” her head appeared on my side. “I told you to hang on, and I suggest you to do so,” she turned to the road and a saw a group of black cars lined up blocking the road. “You’re planning to ram them head on, are you?” she jumped back and ducked. “Of course not,” I pressed a button on the steering wheel and a couple of small missile launchers appeared on the hood. Pressing the button once more, the small rockets began flying towards the wall of cars ahead, making one big explosion from it. The shockwave was felt, but it did not destabilize the car as I drove through the wall of flames. “Are we dead yet?” she muttered with her eyes covered. “No, but I think we lost them,” I glanced constantly at the mirrors to check my statement. “Thank Celestia,” she sighed in relief, “so how long until we reach New York?” “It is a few minutes away from here, if I drive at two hundred miles per hour. I’ll slow down to avoid any attention.” “You might as well want to hide the rocket launchers on the hood,” she pointed the small rectangular structures. “Oh,” I giggled, “you’re right,” I pressed another button and they withdrew inside the car. “Let me know when we get there…” she crashed back in the seat letting out another sigh. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Twilight, we’re almost there,” she instantly shot up from the back seat upon hearing my words, ahead of us, the UN building was getting closer. After the roadblock somewhere in the interstate highway, we encountered no resistance to enter New York, quite a relief for Twilight. “Have you thought of something?” she moved into the passenger seat, using the mirror in the car to groom her hair. “No, but I do have a bad feeling about this.” “Of course you have, it’s like we’re walking straight into hell.” “No, it’s something beyond the fact that today someone is going to bleed. Something bigger,” I drove the car into the UN’s building public parking lot, to avoid drawing any attention. “Okay, so I’ve came up with some sort of plan for this,” she said as I turned the car off, “we walk inside the assembly room and politely ask for an explanation.” It was not that her idea was completely childish, but simply preposterous given the circumstances; my face reflected that thought with a big skeptical frown. “Would you like to invite them tea or take them to Equestria too?” I grinned sarcastically, “These guys will want your head on a silver plate before allowing you to speak in front of them; just stay calm and follow me.” “Just don’t get us killed,” she flipped her eyes and stepped out the car, I hid the P229 in my jacket and took her inside the building, there was no security for my surprise. Past the two double glass doors a big gray lobby with a carpet that displayed the symbol of the UN appeared. The large wooden reception counter, the security next to the assembly door room and pretty much any employee the building could have was gone “Where could they have gone to?” she glanced at the TV above the reception, and saw a UN session was being broadcasted live. “Look at that, a UN session,” on a closer look, there was chaos inside the chambers. Lots of people were yelling at the current spokesmen in god knows how many languages; the whole room was overcrowded with people foreign to the assembly. “UN reach amnesty, the war is over?!” Twilight read the headline astonished, it was unbelievable. “That can’t be right…” “Breaking news, the UN has reached a consensus between representatives from all the nations to put an end to the war, in exchange for an even split of undisclosed territory. The United States president, Adam Chambers is speaking now about a possible massive military operation in the dimensional world of Equestria. Her representative, however, is presumed dead after the tragic incident last Wednesday and her ruler, Queen Celestia, has not sent someone on her behalf. This has lead to the assumption that ponies have broken all relationship with the UN council and abandoned her embassy…” “They think I’m dead?” she shouted in fury. “Shit, they are planning a massive attack on Equestria you have to get in there now,” I took Twilight’s hand and dragged her up a staircase next to the main assembly door. “What the hell are you doing?” she released her hand before I could open a wooden door in front of us. “I’m taking you to a place where all these sons of bitches will listen to you. Now, I want you to stay here until it’s safe to go inside okay?” “Okay, but what the hell is inside that room?” she asked with a frown, retreating down the stairs. “Hopefully people without weapons, wait here,” I opened the door and saw a large room with cameras, microphones and other broadcasting devices. I shot most of them before they even turned to see me, there were at least ten of them, but it didn’t matter, my pistol’s magazine was large enough to handle all of them. On a closer look to the corpses, I saw they were average reporters. “Oh Celestia did you killed the newscasters? You probably did this on air?!” she shouted with fear, I looked around and saw the ‘on air’ light on, fortunately there was no cameras pointing at us. “It doesn’t matter, look,” I pointed to the big glass window in front of us, below, there was the assembly hall, filled with politicians and people making noise all at once. “Okay, so what’s next?” she gazed at them with fearful eyes. “You make your speech,” I locked the door and dragged a heavy shelf to help block the entrance. “What? They’re not going to listen to me,” she hissed. “Oh yes they will,” I approached the main board and handed Twilight a headset, turning the volume all the way up, “just wait a minute…” I took a headset as well and cleared my throat, “Would you all soulless snakes be quiet for one bloody second!?” my voice echoed in the grand hall, everyone kept silence suddenly, seeming surprised. “Now, thank you for showing at least the most basic of manners. Before you continue your selfish discussion about who gets the most ground, I will have your small chat interrupted to deal with someone you really need to hear, Equestria’s Ambassadress, Twilight Sparkle!” She turned to me with a queer look in her eyes, apparently speechless. “C’mon girl, it’s your time,” I said pulling away the mic from my head. “Okay,” she nervously cleared her throat, “I am Twilight Sparkle, an envoy of her Royal Highness Queen Celestia. I come to demand an explanation regarding the shutdown of the ponification facility in Russia and a recent invasion attempt on one of our major cities, Fillydelphia. I shall not leave until someone explains what happened.” “Twilight Sparkle…” the man in the main stand said with a calm voice, he was dressed in a navy blue tuxedo and seemed in his late forty’s, “I cannot believe you survived a few days ago, you ponies certainly have no way of dying.” “I demand more respect on my questions, spokesman. Identify yourself!” she stomped on the floor furiously. “I am president Adam Chambers, of the United States. The shutdown and the invasion were all of my creation; you do know how to defend yourselves. I underestimated you,” I looked at the mocking grin on his face through a monitor on my left, everyone in the room were dead silent, listening carefully. “There is no need for warlike attacks, we can reach a something if we just sit down and talk.” “There is no room for talking, Twilight Sparkle-” “Would you listen to yourself?” I yelled through the microphone, “You’re blocking yourself to new solutions. Are you plain stupid? Humanity is slowly fading away, and all you do is making our extinction faster.” “That is not true, you ignorant buffoon. My intentions are to save humanity through the conquest of Equestria; it’s that same motive what has stopped the war. Every human should favor this in order to preserve ourselves.” “So you can fill the pony dimension with scum like you?” I laughed mockingly, “I don’t think Ambassadress Sparkle would allow this insanity to go unanswered.” “Leighton is right!” she exclaimed, “If your kind decides they will try to enter Equestria forcefully I will not allow it to happen. From this moment on, I withdrawn our embassy from the UN and break any formal relationship with mankind. We will not tolerate any more attempts to overthrow our sovereignty.” “Alright, Miss Sparkle. And now that you’ve stated that, I shall now declare war on behalf of humanity to Equestria, making you and your friend terrorists on American soil,” he laughed maliciously, soon everyone in the room applauded his decision. “Okay, you made your thing. Get us out of here,” I took my P229 and aimed out the window, thinking of taking a long shot. “What the hell are you doing?” she gasped when banging on the door was heard. “Cutting another beast’s head,” I shot through the window; broken glass flew through the assembly hall and everyone went silent. Adam covered his chest with the impact, blood stained the walls behind him; the bullet went straight through his body. “Nice shot now get back here!” Twilight pulled me away from the window before I could tell if Adam was dead. She began opening the portal to Equestria rapidly; the door was about to be forced open as banging became more intense. “Open that thing, I’ll cover the door,” I ran to the door and shot through the wooden frame. “Keep ‘em busy, almost there!” the room was already filled with the crimson aura and the lightning bolts, but the portal wasn’t open yet. “What’s taking you so long?” I interrupted my shooting to look back at her. “I don’t know I can get this thing open…” she focused even more and the lightning became more intense, a small hole appeared in the middle of the room, but it wasn’t large enough for someone to fit in. “You better get that thing open, there must be at least twenty guys out there in line waiting to greet us,” I fired repeatedly against the door, “I can’t believe the entrance hasn’t blocked yet with dead bodies…” the magazine in my pistol ended, making me hide my pistol back in my pants and pull another shelf to the door. “Just a little longer…” the hole began growing slowly, but steadily. Banging became more violent on the door; they had brought a battering ram. “Hurry up!” the impacts on the door tossed me away from the door, but I kept coming back to push the shelf against the door. Anxiety took over me as I heard the door frame cracking. “Dammit, open up!” her horn shot a blinding flash of light that filled the entire room; I covered my eyes just in time. “Let’s go it is open!” the wormhole was completely open now, I ran to her side just before the door was opened completely, “jump!” We leapt into the wormhole just before the security could fire their weapons against us. As usual, I fainted during the painful experience.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-22T22:18:28+00:00

2011-08-22T22:18:28+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Chapter 13 “Leighton, c’mon wake up!” Twilight grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently; I snapped and groaned in pain. “What the, am I off the roller coaster,” I muttered in stress, my surroundings became clearer after that. I was right outside Celestia’s castle under a sunny day, probably around two or three in the afternoon. “Stop complaining and move we have to inform Celestia about what happened on earth!” she ran towards the golden double doors ahead, I trotted behind her still quite confused from the dimensional shift. “How come you’re never affected by the dimensional shift?” “Because I cast the spell, I’m not affected by it, now stop being a smartass and focus, we’re going to see Celestia,” she opened the doors cautiously and we trotted in, Celestia turned to us completely surprised. “Twilight, Leighton, what a pleasant surprise,” she greeted with a warm smile, which instantly faded upon seeing Twilight’s. “Celestia!” her student and I bowed before her, “something has happened.” “Did the humans explain why they attacked Fillydelphia and the Russian facility?” she asked with a hint of concern in her voice. “Yes, the attack was with the intention to conquer Fillydelphia, and that was just the beginning. They declared war on us and are planning a massive military incursion on us,” Twilight said fearfully. “Oh no,” she snapped, “I never… I never thought this would actually happen.” “Well it has, actions have to be taken now,” I said with firm voice, my post-dimensional shift stupidity was over. “There is no option; I have to close the link between our dimensions,” Celestia said seeming contrite. “But what about project HC?” I did not like the idea, but it seemed the most reasonable one, even though it would mean letting humanity to vanish. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to back down with your plan, Leighton. Humanity must face the consequences of its actions.” “There has to be something we can do…” I touched my chin in a desperate attempt to make my brain work a one-second wonder idea. “I support Leighton; he invested two years of his life into this project. C’mon Queen, there has to be an alternative!” Twilight cried out for my surprise, I never thought she would stand up to her own mentor to assist in my endeavor. Celestia looked down in meditation; her apprentice’s word had touched her. “There might be something that can be done to save humanity after all,” my face slowly drew a smile as she cleared her throat to continue, “I don’t believe humans are preparing her strike overnight, so in the meantime we can implement plan HC and start bringing the humans over to Equestria. As many as we can in two days from now, because when the third day arrives, I shall close the dimensional link.” “Very well, your highness; what are your orders for this humble pony?” I asked with a bow. “Always so eager to help, aren’t you?” she said with a smile, “for now, you are dismissed. But before you leave, there’s something special to share with you,” her voice caused curiosity on both Twilight and me, especially on me of course. “I’m all ears, your highness.” “Recent study from Twilight Sparkle has discovered rather interesting data regarding the elements of harmony, are you familiar with them?” “I’ve heard only that they are values expressed inside ponies hearts and met a few bearers.” “If so, then you know that there is Laughter, Kindness, Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity and Magic, as the six main elements.” “Rarity, the bearer of generosity, told me that there is supposed to be more scattered around,” I turned to see Twilight’s sly grin. “Yes, there is. More elements scattered around ponies with noble and pure hearts are out throughout Equestria, and Twilight has found a spell to locate them.” “That’s great,” I said completely aware of where this was going. “If what she and I suspect is true, then you should glow with her spell. Please, Twilight,” her student lost no time and she began casting the spell, her horn glowing intensely. From it, a white aura emanated and surrounded me gently; I could feel its touch as soft as silk. “So how do you know when-” I felt as if something inside me was being pulled out, dying the aura in an intense red color, like my coat. The aura projected then into the ceiling and exploded like fireworks with the shape of my cutie mark, the pen and the sword. “Do you know why your cutie mark is a pen and a sword?” Celestia asked with a mystical sense in her words. “I believe it is from my times as a journalist in the Liverpool Echo,” I assured with a proud grin. “Cutie marks have a deeper connection with ponies than you think; it connects the past, the present and the future of a pony. I have to admit, I have never seen a human that had a cutie mark upon its arrival to Equestria before.” “What do you mean?” “Your cutie mark is not only something no one had ever seen before, but something that Twilight found in a book. In this book, a pony with a mark like yours was meant to do something huge for others through its brave and selfless actions. Not many cutie marks are referred on books, so your case is quite special in many ways.” “The book also marked that cutie mark’s bearer as skilled in communication with others, ‘the pen is his sword, for his words are as edged as one’, it said. But it ended with ‘the sword shall be used to overwrite history written in red ink’, I truly don’t know what that part means,” added Twilight. “It means that Leighton is meant to do something big, perhaps even bigger than what he has already accomplished. Regardless, my suspects were correct; you do bear an element of harmony.” “I am flattered by all of these statements, your highness. Do you know what element do I possess?” I asked boastfully. “That is something I cannot determine, you must do it by yourself. That’s why I am trusting you with an important task as project HC is implemented. The task consists in you going into Everfree Forest to bring back the scroll with the spell that will break the link between our dimensions, that is said to be somewhere inside the Ancient Castle’s Ruins.” “Right away ma’am!” I said with another bow, preparing to blast off the room at full speed. “You will not go alone, however. In order to access the hidden part of the castle you must take another bearer along, or this part shall not reveal itself. Make your decision wisely, Leighton, I await your return,” Celestia dismissed us waving her hoof, Twilight and I walked out the castle through the main doors in silence. “Who will you take with you to Everfree forest?” Twilight asked curiously, my mind was caught up in that particular decision in that particular moment. “I am not sure; do you know what kind of threats will I find inside?” I asked with my mind somewhere else but my ears on the situation. “Nothing if you’re lucky, but it’s filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures, that’s why not many ponies wander inside it.” “Do you know where that castle is?” “Any of my friends know where it is, you can take any of us.” “I can either take Twilight, Rarity or Applejack… I can trust Twilight’s magic, but she’s insecure. Rarity would really make a good team with me, but I doubt she’ll walk with me inside that forest unless she has to… And Applejack… she’s trustworthy and I know her better than anypony else on this world,” I thought as I gazed at the clear blue sky. “I will teleport us back to Ponyville, the entrance to the forest is there,” she prepared herself to cast yet another spell. “You’re not making me feel like a train ran over me two times in a row!” I flew away from her. “Don’t worry, this spell is a lot easier and does not makes you feel all dizzy and dumb, don’t worry,” she assured as her horn began releasing sparks. “You better be right, or I will kick you,” I landed and stood next to her, her horn let out a sudden flash of light and I could feel my body being sucked into a hole, a similar experience to the dimensional travel, only this time the experience lasted a few seconds and was mostly painless. Upon re-spawning on Twilight’s house, I felt like my body was on fire. “You’re lucky I don’t have the habit of kicking females,” I wiped off any dirt off me, the teletransportation left me covered in coal. “It’s nothing compared to the dimensional shift, don’t whine about it,” she walked to a shelf and began inspecting it. “I’ll go look for Applejack, you wait here,” I walked towards the exit. “So you’re taking Applejack with you eh? Don’t come back here, I’ll meet you at the entrance of the forest, tell her to take you there,” she took a red book from the shelf. “Alright, I’ll meet you there,” I flew off through the door towards east, for the first time I was able to take a good look at all of Ponyville. In the distant east, I saw Sweet Apple Acres’ apple fields clearly, and flew towards them as fast as my wings allowed me to. “Y’all crazy! I’m Taking Apple Bloom with me!” I heard from below, it was Applejack carrying red saddlebags with Apple Bloom next to her. Stealthily, I hid above the top of the trees to eavesdrop the situation. “But Applejack, you can’t just leave the family like that, think of Granny Smith,” A red stallion with a green apple cutie mark said with authority. “Do you think I like this? Do you think I like leaving all my family behind? This is really hard for us, Big Mac, but if you don’t trust us with the truth we can’t trust you back.” “I told you, we can’t tell you about it, it’s better if you don’t know. Stop this and come back home!” the red stallion yelled. “No McIntosh, we ain’t comin’ back. C’mon Apple Bloom, let’s go,” she turned and walked away from his brother, her little sister followed closely with tears in her eyes. “You can’t abandon your family like this!” he shouted with anger, running to snatch Apple Bloom’s pink saddlebags. “Let her go, McIntosh!” she struggled to release Apple Bloom from his older brother’s grip. The stallion was evidently stronger than both of them, I had to intervene. “If the lady says she wants to leave…” I flew straight into McIntosh’s body to tackle him fiercely, the impact only pushed him away from Apple Bloom, “I suggest you let her do so,” I landed between Applejack and Apple Bloom, staring straight at him. “Just who the hell do you think you are to hit me like a rammin’ cart?” McIntosh slowly incorporated. “I am Leighton McRae, pleased to make your acquaintance.” “Leightn’!” Apple Bloom climbed on my back and hugged me. “C’mon, let’s get out of here,” Applejack took her sister’s saddlebags and walked away from his brother, still stunned by the impact. He stared blankly at us, resigned to let her walk way. “Thank you kindly Leightn’, Big Mac is one tough stallion, I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t show’d up,” she said with a grin. “Not a problem, a pleasure to help. I assume things didn’t turn out for the best with your family?” I asked with her sister still on my back. “No… they still wouldn’t tell us the truth, no matter how much I tried. So I decided to leave them, if yer family ain’t trustin’ you, I don’t see why you should.” “You have a point, I’m sorry to hear that.” “It’s not that bad, we’re going to live with Fluttershy now!” Apple Bloom said with enthusiasm. “Yep, that’s where we’re headin’ now, so how’d it go with yer travel back to earth?” “Bad, the humans declared war to Equestria and insist in attacking, but don’t worry” I interrupted Applejack before she could say a word, “Celestia will close the link between the dimensions in three days, my project is now being implemented.” “That oughta be a relief for ya, looks like yer al set for now eh?” “Actually no, and I was looking for you because I need your help with something.” “Just tell me what is n’ I’ll make it happen,” she said with a helpful smile. “Celestia asked me to retrieve something from an ancient castle in Everfree forest, it’s a very important task that needs the help of an element of harmony bearer,” Apple Bloom swiftly jumped down my back and landed in front of me. “My sis has the greatest element of harmony of ‘em all!” the filly shouted boastfully. “You possess honesty, am I correct?” “Yep, that’s mah element, and I will be thrilled to help ya out. We drop Apple Bloom in Fluttershy’s cottage n’ we’ll be on our way.” “I appreciate it; allow me to join you in your travel to this Fluttershy’s cottage,” I nodded thankfully. “Of course you can join us, there ain’t no need for such fancy manners, Leightn’,” she said with a playful smirk. “You know me; I like to keep the formality to the max always,” I grinned in the same way. “Oh, oh, Fluttershy’s an element of harmony bearer too!” Apple Bloom added with enthusiasm, such an energetic filly she was. “Really? What can you tell me about Fluttershy?” “She’s a great pony, loves animals…” Apple Bloom’s speech continued for some more time, and after it, Applejack took control over the conversation. It was a fun walk to that cottage near the forest’s limits, surrounded by all sorts of animals. A small bridge led the entrance straight to a small wooden door, under the bridge, a small pond and river flowed, hosting all sorts of animals in it. Whoever this pony was, it was sure she loved animals. “Fluttershy?” Apple Bloom squeaked and soon, a yellow coated pony with a pink mane shyly walked out the cottage and greeted us. “Hi, Applejack, Apple Bloom,” she said to them with a smile, avoiding to see me. “Howdy Fluttershy, before you walk us into yer house I have somepony you should meet,” she pointed at me with a hoof, “This is Leighton McRae, Leighton, this is Fluttershy.” “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Fluttershy,” I took her hoof and kissed it, as I usually do. She seemed intimidated by this habit, however, “I must say you have such a lovely cottage, my wife loved animals too.” Fluttershy’s face suddenly changed when I mentioned my wife’s career, showing a bright smile, “your wife loved animals too? You have to tell me all about it!” her voice was squeaky, some would find it annoying. She almost dragged me inside her cottage and tossed me into her couch, the apple’s giggled with this. “Tea or water?” Fluttershy asked as she rushed inside her kitchen looking for cups and beverages. “I was actually leaving, for I have a very important mission to accomplish,” I stood up seeming contrite. “You must THE Leighton Spike mentioned, is it true that you’re a human?” she dropped everything and rushed towards me, staring at a few inches away from my face. “Yes…” I tried to hide how awkward I felt with her so close to my face, “and I’m sorry to be so rude, but I really must leave,” her face began to show sadness. “Oh…” she muttered, “In that case I guess we will talk later.” “Of course we will Fluttershy, and very soon,” she walked back looking down. “Yeah, n’ I’m goin’ with him. Celestia asked him somethin’ really important; take care of Apple Bloom while I’m away would you?” Applejack added as she bit my tail and dragged me along with her. “I will, Applejack. Take care, both of you,” Fluttershy said now more neutral, her feeling processing speed was amazing. “We will, Miss Fluttershy. Until next time,” I waved goodbye before Applejack closed the door and released my tail. “What was that all about?” I asked with much surprise. “You should thank me; if you engage conversation with her it’s very hard to break free from it,” she walked down the bridge towards the main road. “But there are ways to do it with a little more style,” I teased as I trotted to catch up to her. “You sounded like Rarity right there,” she giggled. “Anyhow, I guess it’s about time I fill you in with more details regarding whatever we shall be doing inside Everfree forest.” “Oh, it’s true. Tell me ‘bout it,” she turned to a more serious face now as we walked towards where I though the entrance to the forest was. “Celestia told me that I bear an element of harmony, and that I must head to an ancient castle for two reasons. One: Find the scroll with the spell and bring it to her. Two: Find out what element I possess. Don’t ask me about the Queen’s motivation, I don’t know what happens in her mind.” “She’s sendin’ you to that o’l castle? I’ve only been there once, but I do recall how it’s structured. That’s all?” “Pretty much,” I turned to see Twilight waiting for us with her usual purple saddlebags. “Finally!” Twilight shouted from a distance, “I never thought you would take so long.” “You know I like cliffhangers,” I winked at her playfully. “Very clever,” she said evidently not amused, “you still have to get in there and retrieve the scroll. If you don’t, Celestia will not break the link between the dimension and the humans will kill us all, don’t fail.” “Thanks for the advice, any more doomsday reminders?” I said sarcastically, Applejack grinned next to me with the joke. “No, I guess I was pretty clear. I will wait for you in the bench over there, you can take as long as you want,” she walked back to a white wooden bench at a side of the road, staring at us the whole time. “C’mon,” I gazed at the darkness ahead of us; the vegetation was dense and blocked any sunlight inside. The forest did not inspire any trust. “Alright Leighton, follow me!” Applejack galloped into the forest at full speed, I took off and catch up to her shortly after. “Once I get this done, it’s all over,” I thought to myself just before Twilight vanished in the distance.

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-26T22:08:03+00:00

2011-08-26T22:08:03+00:00

“So why’d you chose me anyway?” Applejack asked as we walked following her indications, the forest all around us was engulfed by total darkness; I seriously wondered why we were able to see ahead of us. “I needed a bearer and someone I could trust, your element is honesty so relying on you comes naturally.” “I see, but why not Rarity or Twilight?” I scowled at her because of her questions, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate you choosin’ me.” “Rarity would dislike a place like this, if my deductions are correct, even though we would make a good team. Twilight’s magic has no match, but she’s insecure, enough to stop her from saving my life if the time is right. You, however, don’t seem to mind walking in a place like this and saved my life once already.” “That was pretty clear,” ahead of us a large beautiful lake appeared in the distance, lightened a little by the fading sunrays in the sky, night was slowly approaching on us, for we’ve been walking through the forest for a couple of hours already. “That’s weird, I don’t remember a lake ‘round here,” she stared blankly at the lake. “Is it a bad signal?” I approached the lakeside carefully. “I dunno, maybe we turned somewhere where we shouldn’t, I’m still trying to figure it out.” I analyzed all the lake, and noticed a river birthplace east from our position a few minutes away, “You mentioned a river and a sea serpent, I see a river over there but not a sea serpent,” I pointed with a hoof. “No sea serpent?” A voice emanated from the lake and a huge purple dragon shot from the depths in the middle, speaking in a heavy feminized way, “How dare you call me that? Don’t you see I’m a dragon?” “Pardon my confusion, dragon. I’m not familiar with the creatures of this forest” this dragon did not seemed dangerous and Applejack seemed happy to see him for my surprise. “Do not worry, traveler, no offense was taken.” “And I though you spoke in a weird manner,” she whispered next to me and approached the dragon, “Hello mister dragon, do you remember me?” “Of course I do!” the dragon exclaimed absolutely delighted, “your friend restored by beautiful mustache,” the dragon wrung its whiskers. “At least he’s not going to eat us,” I whispered at Applejack. “Look mister dragon, my friend and I are lookin’ for the ancient castle of the elements of harmony, but we got lost. Do you know where it is?” she asked the dragon. “Of course I do! The castle is just across this lake, you see. Climb on my back and I’ll show you,” he approached us and offered us a ride on his back. “Can we trust this guy?” I whispered in her ear. “Yeah, he won’t lie. Rarity fixed his mustache when we first came here, it’s cool,” she climbed on the dragon’s back with a swift hop, I sighed in resignation and climbed on the dragon as well. “May I ask why are you heading to the ancient castle?” the dragon broke our almost awkward silence as he moved through the calm waters of the lake. “Same reason from before, somethin’ to do with the elements of harmony,” Applejack replied a second before I did. “My-my… you ponies are always into something interesting. Well, the castle is across a bridge not too far if you follow the road ahead,” the dragon stopped riverside and we descended his back with caution. “Thank you, dragon,” I said with a bow. “Oh please, call me Steven. It has been a pleasure to help you!” the dragon submerged back into the depths of the lake, ahead of us there was a path surrounded by more darkness. “C’mon, we’re almost there,” she walked into the darkness and I trotted to her side. “How much?” I glanced at the trees around us; it felt like something was watching. “Not that long, just a few minutes walking,” she turned to see me, my face turned to display worry. “I think we’re being followed, let’s run,” I took off and encouraged her to run. She followed my example and we dashed along with me, fearing something was behind us. Due to our fear, we were too focused looking back to discover what was ahead of us. “Daddy?” I heard a familiar voice, one I thought I would never hear again. I stopped and stared completely flabbergasted, a young human child with long brown hair stared at us with amber eyes. It was Blaire. “That… Blaire?” I asked skeptically. “You’re tellin’ me that human over there is your child?” Applejack asked amazed. “You abandoned us,” the kid pointed at me with her index finger. “I…” “I know what’s goin’ on ‘ere!” Applejack snapped, “Twilight warned us about a creature that lived around ‘ere, she tricks you by showing an image of your past, do not talk to it. Ignore it.” ”Alright, this is unbelievable, lead the way,” she ran past Blair into a very dense fog. I almost lost sight of her, but I managed to fly my way to where she was; standing next to a fallen suspended bridge. “Darn it, this thing didn’t last,” she scolded at the bridge. “Daddy!” Blair continued to shout behind us, ignoring the child I lost years ago was a hard task, even if it was just an illusion. “Don’t listen to it, she ain’t real. The castle is just beyond this cliff, lift me up,” I took her and we flew through the mist, there was no visibility. After a few seconds of seeing nothing, the other side began appearing slowly. “Leightn’, now I see why Celestia send ya here,” I dropped her safely in the other side, I landed next to her afterwards, “she send you here to toughen yourself up.” “Seems more like a psychological torture to me.” “Don’t worry, we’re here,” she pointed to the massive castle in front of us, worn out by time and weakened by growing plants around it. The majestic entrance had no doors; they were now rotten pieces of wood lying on the floor nearby, “C’mon.” The insides of the castle resembled the one in Canterlot, but with a more old fashion. Some torn banners hung from the ceiling, some were on the floor covered by dust, the whole scene was depressing, not a soul had been here for quite a long time. “This place is lovely,” I sarcastically implied. “You always keep the spirits up don’t you?” she said with a smirk, “the elements of harmony were kept on the next floor up those stairs, follow me.” We went up a rock spiral staircase, leading into a massive hall with a big shrine in the far end of the room. The slowly fading sunlight came through some holes in the walls, some windows still conserved parts of the original colorful windows that depicted the story of Equestria. “I assume those are the elements of harmony?” “No, the elements are you and me. The rocks on top only represent them,” she walked to the centre of the room with me next to her. A rare pattern adorned the centre and it shone once we stepped on it. “What’s going on?” I asked surprised. The pattern on the floor suddenly shot a light straight into one of the stones in the shrine, marking it with Applejack’s cutie mark. “Bearer of the element of honesty, you are welcome to your humble home,” A feminine voice echoed around the room. “Who goes there, indentify yourself!” I shouted as I looked my surroundings for the source of the voice. “I am the one without name, the one who gave you the sun and the moon. I forged the elements of harmony and granted them into the ponies to ensure peace in Equestria. Some simply refer to me as ‘the maker’.” “Okay this is plain nonsense,” I cried sarcastically, “the maker? What are you, some kind of god?” Ever since I was young, I never believed in anything similar to a god of some sort, I’ve always been an atheist. “You are clearly not from this place, am I right? Human?” “My name is Leighton McRae, Queen Celestia sent me here to find the scroll with the spell that will break the link between the earth and Equestria. Tell us where it is and we will be in our way.” “Ah… Celestia, it has been so long since I last heard that name. If time has made her as wise as I believe then she sent you here for another purpose besides finding the sacred scroll with the forbidden spell.” “You know more than you should, speak your business,” I turned to see Applejack. She was surrounded by a white aura, apparently frozen with her eyes shooting an intense white light. “My business? Are you not a rude guest…?” “Okay, just… do what you have to do. I find this to be absolutely preposterous, but to whatever you must,” I closed my eyes, hoping to feel something that would make me end up like Applejack. Suddenly, something began lifting my body; it was a similar aura to the one surrounding her. “Hm… You emanate an interesting essence for a human. And you have the pen and the sword… I have questions for you,” I felt something struck me in the chest, making me feel drowsy. Everything became darker slowly as I floated motionless in the air. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “You… you seek a noble cause, but you are troubled by following it. A man who is haunted by its own ideals and decisions.” The voice echoed in my head, I opened my eyes and saw nothing but Applejack unconscious floating in a dark void next to me. “You said you wanted answers, and I’m willing to give them to you!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, expecting the voice’s owner would appear before me if I did. “Indeed. Your actions are noble, but the actions behind them are to be questioned,” In front of me, my memories began flashing rapidly in an invisible frame; stopping in the night I met Angelica, “You offered comfort to this woman, who had just assaulted you. A noble task indeed, but why did you decide to sit next to her instead of running to set the alarm off when you had the chance?” “She needed someone to listen to her, for she had just found out her parents were dead. Any good employee would have set the alarm off, but I stayed with her as any good person would.” “Impressive, for a human. Your kind degenerated into a wicked shadow of what they once were, I’m impressed you kept the nobleness humans lost somewhere along the way,” the memories began shifting again, forwarding into the moment where I had my wife and child ponyfied, “In this moment, you sacrificed your family to pursue your own goals, a selfish and cruel act. I want you to explain me why you did this.” “It may look like that, but what I did was placing them somewhere safe, in a place where war could not ever reach them, I did it with the sole purpose of saving the persons I loved the most. I decided to stay behind to save humanity, and I’m not proud for that decision,” I could feel a knot on my throat with every word I spike, “I look back to that moment and wished I stayed with them, but then I look at what I’ve done in this moment and know that we went through that bitter moment for a greater good.” “Indeed. It was the sacrifice of every single one of you that allows mankind to have a second chance, the one you granted them by convincing Celestia to execute the plan you devoted two years of your life. And now, I must ask you one last question.” “I am ready,” I said with confidence, the memories moved one last time, this time to play memories of me and Applejack. “Tell me, why did you choose the bearer of Honesty to join you in this quest?” “I’ve shared with her great moments. I trusted her with my secrets and she listened to my stories as I listened to hers. Of all the ponies I’ve met throughout my journey, she’s the one I cherish the most besides Twilight Sparkle and Rarity.” “I believe you are oblivious to an obvious fact,” “Explain,” I said with a frown. “You chose her because you feel identified with her, as she looks for answers regarding her past. You look for the same.” “What do you mean?” I asked with a hint of desperation in my voice, Applejack was still unconscious and floating next to me. “She looks for who she was; you look for who she is. Celestia is a lot wiser than I had thought,” the voice giggled in amusement, “No wonder she asked you to bring a bearer along, knowing you would choose her.” “Are you saying that…?” “Yes, Leighton. The pony next to you is no one else but your long lost wife,” I turned to see Applejack, who had transformed now into Angelica. She looked exactly as I remembered her, except for her hair, now dyed blonde, floating in the nothingness. “And that means…!” “That Apple Bloom is your daughter.” “This… this can’t be true; I’ve been with them all along!” “Your actions led both of you straight to them and to me and I see there is no mistake in it. I can see the spark in you, the one you felt when you spoke to Twilight’s dragon about love, the one you felt when you fought to save Apple Bloom’s life, the one that pushed you to battle an entire army to save the lives of innocent ponies. You are the second human to bear an element of harmony, followed only by Applejack. You bear the element of courage and valor, as it is indicated by the pen and the sword in your flank. You represent hope for humans and ponies, an example to be followed,” A light surrounded my neck and a red necklace with a jewel shapes as the pen and sword appeared once the light vanished. “I am flattered,” I nodded reverentially, as Angelica began waking up. “What’s goin’ on, Leightn’?” she asked with sleepy eyes. “I believe you have some answers for her as well,” I looked at her amazed, it was Angelica speaking with Applejack’s voice. I never suspected it, but it all made sense now, why I trusted her that much, the vanishing from Fillydelphia report, the cultural change indicated on the report in Russia, everything. “Indeed. Bearer of honesty, you joined this man in a pure act of friendship. You have been wandering for the answer regarding the past of you and your sister, and your search is about to end.” “Yeah, but what the hay is goin’ on ‘ere?” “You are in the realm, a place between the human and pony dimensions. I created this space so that I could not be reached by anyone unless I wanted to test them, as I’m the one with all the answers you may seek.” “So y’all sayin’ that ya know who my parents where and why do big Mac and O’l Granny Smith ain’t tellin’ me?” she asked with a frown. “Yes. But before speak your answers, I must tell you that your life will change upon knowing this. Do you really want to know more about yourself than you should?” Angelica looked down and touched her chin meditating. I hoped she would agree so she would know who I was, who she really was. She slowly turned to see me with a grin on her face. “A good friend told me that I must not hold regrets towards my family from protectin’ me from a truth that can destroy my sister’s life and my own. I don’t want to know about who my parents were if the people who love me don’t want me to,” I felt a void in me when she said that, as she slowly turned back into a pony, it seemed like she didn’t felt the transform, lucky her. It was her decision to live without knowing who she really was, I wanted to scream it in her face, but I knew I had to keep silence, no matter how hard it was. “Very well, the secret shall be kept and not spoken. I believe this is all I have to say to you, except for one last thing. If the time comes, Leighton, do not fear sacrifice, for you know what it feels,” from the depths of a ray of light engulfed us, making me lose conscience again. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “That was one bloody hell of a journey,” I rubbed my head as I woke up; noticing the necklace was gone. “Damn right…” she shook her head, trying to accelerate the waking up process. “Are you alright?” I approached her concerned; she ran past me and took a small brown scroll from the floor. “Look! This must be the scroll Celestia wants!” she took the scroll and held it high. “Okay, now we must go back and deliver this to Celestia.” “Allow me to help you one last time,” the voice said once again, opening a wormhole in front of us. “Thank you, maker!” I shouted to the emptiness of the hall, grabbing Applejack’s hoof and jumping straight into the hole. Before I could notice the insides of the wormhole, we appeared back at the entrance of the forest, where Twilight was completely asleep in the same bench where we last saw her. Time completely fastened while our stay in the realm, because the sun was slowly rising on the distance. “Twi!” Applejack ran towards the sleeping pony before I could notice, shaking her violently. “Wait wha…” Twilight muttered, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. “We’ve got it; we’ve got that scroll Celestia wanted!” Applejack shouted with excitement, jumping around her drowsy friend. “That’s awesome!” she opened her eyes widely as soon as she realized the news, “we have to go to Canterlot as soon as possible, where’s Leighton?” I walked towards her and greeted her with a warm smile, “Good morning, Twilight. Mission accomplished.” “Good, we can go back to Canterlot now, do you want to come, Applejack?” “No,” she rapidly replied, “I have to pick Apple Bloom from Fluttershy’s, I’ll see y’all when you’re get back!” she galloped away towards Fluttershy’s home, quickly fading in the distance. “Okay, we’re going to teleport now, are you ready?” she asked taking the spell casting position. “Look, I’m used to this now, just make it happen.” “As you wish!” a flash of light came from her horn and we appeared back at Canterlot, right in front of Celestia’s Castle. The experience was a less painful now; I was getting used to teleporting and shifting dimensions. “C’mon, let’s give this to the Queen,” she began running to the castle, slamming the doors wide open. Celestia gazed down at us with authority, but without looking like a complete bitch. “Queen Celestia!” I walked inside behind Twilight holding the scroll in a hoof. Walking in three legs was something new, but quite easy to handle now that I was more used to being a pony, “I have succeeded in retrieving the scroll from the castle.” “Have you learned a thing or two about yourself?” she asked with a mystic sense in her words. “Yes, I have. I am the bearer of the element of courage and valor, the castle showed me the right way,” I had no choice but to lie to her because I found the idea of speaking about a maker completely awkward. “Courage and valor…” she touched her chin with a hoof, “it fits you very well. I am proud to hear that.” “Sister!” Princess Luna ran inside the castle yelling desperately, “we have horrible news coming in!” “Speak, Luna,” Celestia said calmly. “One of our ponies working on project HC says that humans are planning to release an attack on Equestria today at noon!” “That can’t be right, how many humans have we brought?” “We’re bringing them faster than I thought; we already gathered one point five million here. I’m exhausted, but I will keep working on this.” “Twilight, I want you to help Princess Luna with the human processing, I’m sure your skills will ease her burden. How fast can we bring the rest?” “At this rate we should finish tonight.” “Save as many as you can, today before noon I will close the dimensional link between earth and Equestria, we cannot risk an attack.” “But not enough humans would be saved if you close the link!” Twilight protested immediately. “We don’t have time, it has to be done,” the Queen said with remorse, looking away from us. In that moment I remembered the voice’s words, ‘do not fear sacrifice, for you know what it feels’. “I will buy you time, enough to bring the rest here,” I said with determination, breaking through the hall’s silence. “And how are you planning to do so?” Luna asked with a skeptic look in her face. “I break into their base and sabotage their operations. Did this pony say where the attack was going to be launched from?” “Hold on there, you’re asking for a suicide mission!” Twilight yelled. “He mentioned a base in the US called Area fifty one, and she’s right. You can’t just do that, you’ll get yourself killed.” “But if he doesn’t, I will have to break the link with not enough people for his plan to succeed,” Celestia interrupted, “I understand why he wants to do this, and I will allow it. Leighton, you have showed great courage to accomplish this much for humanity. I will commend you with one last task as LH7, one you must accomplish on your own.” “I am ready to serve you, your majesty,” I gulped, with the certainty of knowing what was going to happen next. “Your mission is to break through the military base known as Area fifty one and delay the enemy attack on Equestria, by all means necessary. The fate of humanity and of Equestria is on your hands.”

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-31T00:00:57+00:00

2011-08-31T00:00:57+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Final Chapter: Salvation Through Destruction “I knew it would come down to this, I knew it all along, from the very moment I sat down in my studio for the first time to work on Project Human Conservation. I am not afraid of death; she eventually takes everyone she wants whenever she decides it is time. If the worse were to happen, do not mourn me, I died knowing what the stakes and my causes were, carrying them proudly until my final hour. Leighton McRae” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Are you sure you want to do this?” Twilight asked concerned, she slipped out her duty assisting Princess Luna to help me prepare to my mission. “I have never more sure of anything in my entire life. I know the odds are against me but I plan to live to tell the tale,” I stretched my body, preparing for the dimensional leap in the portal room, a similar one to the room in Russia, but with less cables and more space. “You still have a few minutes before I open the portal. Tell me, what do you need and where do you want to appear,” a piece of paper and a pen floated in the air, preparing to write my indications. “I need a black leather jacket and a white T-shirt; can you make the jacket bulletproof?” “I can try; what else?” “Black jeans, not too tight please. I’m going to need my faithful P229 and a backpack with the following equipment: Two claymore landmines. An M16 assault rifle with a M201 grenade launcher with twenty rounds, a couple of bandages and hemostats, an MP5k submachine gun, and of course, lots, lots of ammunition.” “I’m not sure if I can fit all of that in a single backpack, but I will try. Where do you want to appear?” “In a cliff next to the base, from there I’ll see what I can do.” “Alright, I’ll make sure you have all you need for your trip-” “Leighton,” Celestia broke into the room and glanced at her student, “Twilight. Is everything ready for the mission?” “Yes, your highness,” I stomped the floor with anxiety. “Very well, Leighton.” “I was just heading back to assist Luna,” Twilight said as she headed to the entrance with the tail between her legs, fearing she may be scolded by the Queen. “Stay with us a minute, I need your help in sending him to the earth,” Twilight stopped and happily trotted to the Queen’s side. “I am ready, your highness,” I straightened my pose and stared at her. “Your assignment’s success depends on the delay of the enemy forces into Equestria until nightfall, use all means you consider necessary in order to succeed. I cannot send somepony to retrieve you, so you must find a way back on your own. Make sure your watch is synchronized, because I will close the dimensional link at midnight.” “Roger, is that all?” I asked and, all of a sudden everything began moving slower except me and Celestia, Twilight her surroundings were frozen. “No, Leighton. I wanted to talk to you in private and this is the best way I could think of,” she walked around the room with sadness in her voice. “Nice trick, I wish I could do it,” I said sarcastically. “I’m sure that you feel that you’re leaving a lot of loose ends behind you. If you have any questions about anything, I shall answer them.” “That’s very kind of you, your highness. I have no words to express my gratitude,” I said with a bow. “Your manners are exceptional, humanity should be proud of having you among them. You changed the perception about humanity that I had and showed me they may be worthy of this chance I’m allowing you to grant them.” “Your words mean a lot to me, your highness. I will begin my questioning by asking, did you knew that Applejack is a human?” “She should be your wife, if I do recall. I knew it since Twilight defeated Nightmare Moon, I never expected a human could carry an element of harmony, such a pleasant surprise.” “What was the voice that spoke to me in the ancient castle?” “I see you met my mother. She’s an ancient spirit that created me and Luna long time ago; it was she who forged the spirits of harmony and spread them through Equestria. She must have granted you with the pen and the sword the moment you entered Equestria, as she granted Applejack with the honesty.” “Did you tell me to choose an element of harmony bearer knowing I would choose Applejack?” “Yes, but I feared you would incline for Rarity or Twilight Sparkle, humans are more unpredictable.” “Will the humans be safe here on Equestria?” “They will; I shall look after it personally. Your endeavor will not be forgotten if the worse were to happen, but I trust you will succeed.” “Can you grant me one last wish?” “Sure, as long as you don’t ask too much,” she replied with a frown, my last question caught her off guard. “Would you let my wife and child know who they are if I don’t return? I do not fear death, but I fear being forgotten by the two persons I love the most.” “Very well, it shall be done if you were to not return. I will see that their lives are not destroyed by this knowledge, don’t fear for it.” “Thank you,” I said with a nod. “Yes, that’s all, Leighton,” Celestia ended the time slowing spell and Twilight approached a console next to her. “I guess this is it,” I gulped and prepared for one last dimensional shift, nervousness took over me as Twilight pressed a button and the wormhole began opening in front of me. “Good luck, Leighton. Everypony is counting on you.” I jumped into the wormhole after I waving goodbye to the Queen and a good friend. As a personal challenge, I tried to stay conscious as long as I could, feeling how my body changed and re-adjusted in the nothingness. I fainted before reaching the earth. Everything in me changed, except for a particular part of my body. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I woke up to the sound of a passing helicopter, feeling the rough, hot surface I was lying on. My eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the sun, before I could realize I was on top of a cliff in the middle of a desert, with a huge military facility in front of me. “I should have asked for the weather forecast before wearing black to this place,” I wiped off any dirt off my jacket and saw a small backpack lying next to me. “Let’s see is Twilight sent everything…” I opened the black pack and saw everything I asked, all neatly sorted inside it. The backpack was a too small to fit in a large armed rifle, but somehow, it was in there, “thanks, Twi.” I placed the pack on my bag and took a closer look at the base ahead of me. Military movement was intense, trucks going in and out, helicopters flying all around and lots of mounted tents around a dried lake were clearly seen from where I stood. “Well, I better get moving,” the backpack moved a bit and I felt an unusual lump in my back. I took the backpack off and moved my shoulders, trying to feel these lumps. “I don’t think she re-spawned more bags on my back,” I took my jacked off and the lumps were still there, they were something on my body. I lifted my shirt and the lumps sprung straight out, revealing two red feathered wings on my back that spread widely. “Awesome,” I moved the wings around to make sure they were functional; it felt like shaking them would lift me off the floor easily. I tore two holes on my shirt and jacked using a knife I had in the backpack so my wings would come out without problems. “Looks like I have a way in,” I prepared myself to take off, just when a Mi-17 transport helicopter flew above me, labeled with the emblem of the Russian armada. Moving my wings, I flew to catch up to it, pulling my P229 from my jacket. I inspected the insides from a circular window near to its tail and saw a few troops inside talking closely; they would never expect me to attack them. I went to the cargo door and slid it open, shooting the passengers quickly with my pistol. Before the pilot could turn to see me, I shot him and the co-pilot in the head and took control over the aircraft by kicking the pilot off the cockpit. I had never flew a helicopter before, so the vehicle moved to the sides without control, detouring from my destination and heading straight on to a cliff next to it. “C’mon you bloody bird!” I moved the control stick to a side and avoided the cliff just in time, from there on flying the helicopter became a little easier, but it still moved from side to side occasionally. “Russian vessel sixty four, you are clear to land on heliport number six. Have a nice day!” was heard on the radio. I approached the base at full speed, without any intention of landing on heliport number six. I could see out the windows how thousands of soldiers were gathered around the tents in the lake, they were preparing the invasion. “Russian vessel sixty four, correct your course, we’ve got armed missiles pointing at you. Proceed to heliport number six or we will open fire,” the voice on the radio threatened with a hint of fear in his voice. “I wonder where I can crash you…” I swept the facility with my eyes and noticed a communication tower with a spinning dish on top nearby, one hell of a way to interrupt their communications. I turned the helicopter in direction of the tower and the missile alarm went off. Just before the helicopter crashed against the tower, I jumped off the aircraft and flew to a three story building nearby, propelled by the explosion behind me. The explosion, aided by two missiles just afterwards, caused the tower to fall apart covered in flames. I gazed down at the valley and saw how the troops began to break lines and run all around fearing for their lives. “It’s a good start,” I ran back to a door in the opposite side from where I landed, shooting the lock open. Inside, a metallic spiral staircase led me to gray hallway a door secured by a keycard lock and simple one on the opposite side. “Bollocks, I don’t think I’m shooting my way through this one,” I turned to the other door, conveniently labeled with ‘armory’ in the middle. I forced the look with a few shots from my P229 and entered the room, where lots of weapons from all sorts were neatly sorted around in metallic shelves labeled with the weapon’s name. On the far side, I saw a shelf with ‘Caution: Explosives’ on it, I opened it and grabbed a few blocks of C4, which I planted on the locked door outside. I retreated back to the staircase and detonated the charges, the building shook with the explosion. “I’m going to use a little more firepower now…” I took pulled my rifle from my backpack and loaded it, rushing through the dust haze from the explosion. After the dust vanished off my sight, I saw a large room with computers and a large map of the earth on the wall, displaying all sorts of lines and dots. I walked to the center of the steel platform and sparks flew from the metal, soldiers below have opened fire on my position. I ran to through the platform to a hallway, sparks and the sound of firing filled the room as I did. Inside this hallway, there was another metal staircase leading into the lower floor. Soldiers rushed in to look for me, but perished as soon as I saw them run inside. I dashed down the stairs and took cover in a desk on the lower level, everyone that was not a soldier began to run for his or her life, abandoning their posts. I occasionally popped from my cover to shoot a distracted soldier across the room, but when I killed one, two walked into the run expecting to kill me. It had to end, so I changed to the grenade launcher and aimed to the metallic platform above them, the explosion killed those who were on top of it and crashed down on the ones below, blocking the door from where I saw they were coming in. After I finished a few survivors, the shootout stopped, for the moment. “Let’s see what the hell are you up to,” I approached one of the many computers around and began poking it to see what data I could find. “Command, come in, this is the secretary of defense,” a old man dressed in navy blue with various decorations on its chest said on the screen next to the map, his face displayed terror as he realized what had happened to its command center. “This is command, sir,” I said hiding my accent. “Who the hell are you son and why aren’t you wearing your uniform?” he asked with a frown. “I’m Lieutenant Charles Olivera, I was just got here from my house in West Virginia; I didn’t have time to change to my uniform upon my arrival.” “Can you explain to me what the fuck is going on there?!” “The Russians have gone rogue, they crashed one of their helicopters into the control tower and tried to take over this command post. I’m the last man standing here, sir.” “Dammit… I thought Chambers convinced everyone to fight for this. Son, you just got promoted, and what I’m about to tell you is classified information. We can’t establish communication with the silos, so you’ll have to go and tell General Hackett to execute order sixty six. It is of vital importance that you contact him in order to contain the Russian rebellion, America is counting on you. Out,” the screen changed to display the emblem of the US army after his speech. “Poor son of a bitch,” I said with a devilish grin, “My American accent must be getting better, now that I think of it,” I flew up and broke through the glass ceiling, trying to locate those silos the foolish secretary of defense mentioned. Outside chaos had taken over the base, with shootouts and explosions everywhere. “As long as they don’t shoot me…” I flew at full speed through the battle field, the air in my face barely allowed me to breathe. On the west side of the base, at least ten massive sewer-like structures began to open slowly, losing some steam from the sides, I flew to them without hesitation. Everyone below was too caught up shooting among themselves; they didn’t pay any attention to the skies, allowing me to enter one of the silos without someone noticing it. Inside, a huge missile was being prepared for launch. I landed on a yellow steel platform and looked down, trying to locate the control room. “Freeze!” I felt cold metal on my neck; a chill ran through my spine at the same time, “you are not allowed to be here-” I swiftly took this soldier’s arm and twisted it, the pistol fell off the platform as he moaned in pain. “So convenient I find someone to talk to,” I dropped my rifle for a second and pulled the P229 from my jacket to sunk the barrel it in his head with fury, “would you mind answering a few question if you plan to breathe for another minute?” “Okay, just don’t shoot me!” he squeaked with his eyes shut, I always wanted to run into one of those hardened soldiers the Americans always brag about, but I only found soft, weak cowards. “Where is General Hackett?” “He’s in the launch control room.” “How do I get there,” I sunk the barrel down his head furthermore and twisted his arm a little more. “The fastest way is through the underground tunnels, at the bottom of the silo. He should be north down the tunnels in the large steel gates,” he moaned in pain. “You’ve been helpful, so much I’m considering letting you walk away. No one will believe you if you speak what you’re about to say,” I tossed him against a pipes behind him as I jumped off the railing, spreading my wings wide to avoid crashing in the ground. Lots of skeptic engineers saw me past fly them, not a single one of them dare to shoot at me. “Let’s see if this guy was not lying,” I said before reaching the bottom of the silo, where two large tunnels were seen in opposite directions. I took the one on the left, trying to remember if that was leaded north. The walls suddenly began shaking, as a light began burning in the distance, followed by a sonic boom that threw me to the floor. That light began growing closer and the temperature began rising, a missile had been launched. “That can’t be good,” I stood up and began running to the opposite side, I could feel the explosion getting closer and closer with each passing second. The heat began to burn the rock walls around me, I spread my wings and flew as fast as my body could, the ball of fire kept getting closer, now just a few dozen meters away from me. Before I could reach the other silo, the light revealed a hidden tunnel on the left, previously covered by darkness. “I have to try this,” the flames were too close to attempt a sharp turn, but they were certainly going to catch up to me before I reached the next silo. I spun my body and turned sharply into the other tunnel, the air pushed by the flames tossed me deeper into the tunnel and I crashed and rolled on the floor without control. But I was safe. I saw how the fire passed through the tunnel as I sighed in relief. “That was too close,” I wiped off any dirt in my jacket, ignoring all there was in my pants. I checked my backpack and pulled out the MP5k, a weapon like that works a lot better on close quarters. My body was exhausted from the tremendous effort I realized, but I had to keep walking through the tunnel lit with maintenance lights on the sides. The shootout outside were barely heard over the sound of every step I took, expecting the launch control room was somewhere around here. I wandered the tunnels for around ten minutes, until the sound of a moving truck met my ears. “We have to contain the Russian rebellion, sir, the invasion must not be delayed,” echoed against the walls, I instantly flew to the ceiling, I could see the truck’s silhouette in the distance. “I know, but some soldiers inform that the Russians alleged that they didn’t have any intentions to rebel, we must not discard foreign intervention,” the military jeep passed right under me with two men dressed in their military uniforms plus the diver on it. “We already launched an H-0 bomb as a warning, what else can we do?” I followed them cautiously through the tunnel. “We must execute order sixty six, we have no choice.” “Are you insane, Anderson? You don’t have the authority, only the secretary of defense can order that.” “We can’t establish direct communication from our bunker down here, and the command center does not respond. The Russians could be preparing something if they took over it; you have to execute the order.” “Enough,” the one in the left hissed, he seemed slightly older than the other one, “you do not have the authority, I will let the president take the decision.” “Very well,” Anderson said with resignation as the jeep stopped in front of two massive steel gates that slowly began opening after the driver pressed a button on its car. “It’s your lucky day, admiral. You’re going to meet the president.” “I never thought I would, I thought he was going to die yesterday, he was lucky the bullet went straight through him.” “Dammit,” I thought to myself as the jeep went inside the underground bunker, a small construction embedded in the rock with the symbol of the US department of defense above the small entrance. Both men descended the jeep and entered the building; one of them had a suitcase handcuffed to its hand. If I read the news well, a man with a suitcase handcuffed to its hand wore the golden codes. The driver remained alone outside the facility and pulled out a cigarette as the steel gates began closing. “Do you know how I can get inside that building?” I sneaked my way to his back, placed my weapon on its neck and asked calmly, the cigarette fell of his mouth with astonishment. “How… how did you get here?” he inquired raising his hands. “It doesn’t matter, you wouldn’t believe me and I’m the one asking the questions,” I struck him in the back with the grip of my machine gun, “so tell me how to get inside that building.” “The door doesn’t have any locks; anyone can walk in because no one can break into this bunker.” “I guess I just proved your statement wrong, mate,” I finished him with two shots from my weapon; the shots went straight through him and stained the floor in red. “I can’t just walk in there, guns blazing. I need see what they are up to before I can kill all of them,” I thought as I walked to the regular wooden door with a golden knob. At this moment, I was well past nervousness; my body and mind were focused on a single goal. I opened the door and entered a classy decorated lobby; it looked like any government building outside, with a huge rug with the symbol of the department of defense in the centre. “I can’t believe they are sending us out there,” a voice whined in the distance, I shot up to hide in the ceiling instantly. The habit of flying was really useful when sneaking. “We can’t help it; they don’t want any regular soldier eavesdropping on their war discussions. At least Morton is back, I could really use a smoke,” two regular soldiers walk under me and headed through the door. I went back on the floor and quickly planted my claymore on the door, the explosion was not big enough to shake the walls but it was thunderous, echoing in the whole lobby. I flew back to the ceiling and awaited enemy response, preparing myself for an ambush. “Wait for it…” my fists tightened its grip on the machine gun, and after a few minutes it was obvious there was not going to be any response. I descended the ceiling and headed through a hallway in the centre of the lobby, where large wooden double doors were seen at the end of it. “Again, I can’t break in and shoot everyone, I’ll probably die trying. There has to be something around here…” I scanned the surroundings and saw another door right next to me, labeled with: ‘Authorized personnel only’. This door was heavily reinforced, explaining why they did not hear the exploding claymores. I kicked the door open and saw a small darkened surveillance room, with a couple soldiers watching cameras from all around the base, except on this bunker. They turned to me with his guns, but my trigger was faster. I killed them just before they could shoot. “That was close,” I whistled in relief and placed my weapon on my back, inspecting the computers they were on. On the left part of the room, a huge glass window led to the conference room. They remained oblivious to the shootout, so the window must have been completely isolated from it. “Let’s see if I can listen what they are saying,” I poked around the computer’s menus and found out a lockdown mode, ready to be activated. “Nah, that’s too easy and will alert them that I’m here,” I stopped myself from clicking on that option, turning to another computer that controlled the cameras. I browsed through them and saw how chaos and war ravaged through the whole base, with shootouts visible on most of them. I stopped when I found the camera with the room next to mine; a large dark wood table was seen with men sitting all around it. I recognized Chambers at the bottom with Hackett and Anderson on the chairs next to him. I turned the volume up so I could listen to their conversation; all of them stared at each other with serious looks on their faces. “The Russian rebellion is a lie, tell all our soldiers to stand down,” Chambers said with confidence. “We are not sure of that, sir. They crashed one of their helicopters in the main communication tower, that doesn’t leave much room for interpretation, sir,” a young man dressed in a black suit replied on the other side of the room. “All warfare is based on deception, General Griggs. We all know the Russians are not the enemy, stop this nonsense and commence the invasion,” Chambers seemed calm, arrogant son of a bitch. “We can’t just tell them to stand down, be friends and enter the portal marching all together. We must contain the situation before the invasion,” Anderson said. “If I can’t start the invasion I want at least a piece of these ponies, are the nuclear bombs ready for launch?” “Yes sir, the gate generator passed its tests the last few days and should hold the launch,” said Hackett . “You are being too rash, mister president. If the gate generator fails then we would be releasing a nuke straight on our boys,” Anderson quickly added. “Then that’s a risk we must take, I want to blast those ponies with a nuke if I can’t invade them now, what other options do we have gentlemen?” “No more options sir, we must decide something now,” another man in the room broke his silence and stood up seemingly desperate. “Alright then, I want to launch the nuclear attack on them and contain the ‘Russian rebellion’. Tell our troops to cease fire and reason with them, I want the more troops as possible if we’re invading later. Has the portal been damaged in the battle?” “Our reports indicate damage is substantial and shouldn’t affect the performance, we should-” “Hold it right there fellows,” I said through a microphone, “Let’s not do something stupid alright?” “See, I told you the Russian rebellion was a lie,” Chambers said calmly, I could see in the cameras how the secret service quickly tried to open the door I had blocked by shooting the electric opening mechanism. “Indeed, mister president. You are the first person to survive an encounter with me, you should be proud.” “So it is you, Leighton was it?” “Since not a soul is leaving that room alive I suppose I can tell you my name, I am Leighton McRae, an agent to the service of Queen Celestia.” “A filthy pony dares to break into our base? I’m impressed, mister McRae, you knew how to convince my whole staff that the Russians were the real threat. But I felt it was you the whole time.” “Your feeling will not stop me, desist on the invasion to Equestria and your lives will be spared.” “Such foolish demands you have. Do you think I will allow you to stop me from saving humanity?” “You? Saving humanity?” I burst into laughter, “Is that what you think you’re doing?” I continued my laugh. “I see you have no respect for our kind, mister McRae. I am invading Equestria to grant humanity a second chance to thrive, to start all over and no one will impede me from becoming the leader of humanity in forging this brand new world.” “I have no doubts that for crazy bastards like you humanity is where it is, slowly drowning on its own crap,” I stopped my laughter and said with serious tone. “I have said enough, Hackett hand over the package,” Anderson pulled his black briefcase and opened it. “Oh no, you’re not,” I shot to the windows that lead into the room, but the plating was too strong for my 9mm submachine gun. I pulled the M16 and shot the windows, making small cracks where the impacts landed, it still endured the shooting. I turned to the camera and saw him pull out a yellow phone from the briefcase. “In absence of the secretary of defense, General Hackett is the ‘designated survivor’ so you must approve the codes I give.” “Dammit I did not thought this through,” I punched the window furiously, as the grenade launcher in my rifle poked my belly. “You idiot, use the grenade launcher!” I stepped back and prepared the secondary weapon, firing it against the window from a safe distance. The window blasted open and pieces of glass flew inside their conference room, I ran to cover under the frame and popped up to shoot a couple of secret service men, everyone in the room clustered around the president instantly. “Protect the president!” A man from the secret service shouted. “No need,” I scoped down the remaining two secret service men, they fell dead as they fired their pistols against me. I grinned to the sight of it and stepped into the room with confidence. “Back down!” Anderson pulled out a pistol from its vest and opened fire against me, making me take cover under the conference table. “The code is: 204B762K1L2, General Hackett, confirm the codes,” I closed my eyes and abandoned my cover to stop Hackett from delivering the codes, spreading my wings wide to intimidate. Once I opened my eyes, time began flowing slower; the adrenaline was helping me once again. I fired my weapon against Hackett, delivering a clean headshot. Anderson, however fired his against me, I could feel the two rounds he fired impact my abdomen and one of my wings before I turned to kill him as well. “Dammit!” Chamber shouted with fury, snatching a pistol from one of the dead bodies around him. He was the last man standing. “Drop it!” I pointed my rifle straight at him steadily, ignoring the throbbing pain in me. “No!” he shouted desperately, the black handgun shuddered along with his body, “you will not stop the launch!” “I killed your second man, you can’t launch the missiles, you lost!” “No, there’s still the H-0 bombs in this facility, there’s enough of them to blew up your whole pretty Equestria!” he stepped back as I walked towards him steadily; my face reflected the pain in my body. “Even so, you can’t launch them. You cannot fulfill the two-man rule, face it Chambers you lost!” “No, those bombs are launched directly from this facility and you are the only one standing between me and my glory!” He shot his pistol as I moved left to avoid the shot, but the bullet hit my left shoulder, making me lose grip of the M16 with that arm. There was no way I could shot the heavy rifle using a single hand, but I had no option if I wanted to kill him before he moved his pistol to finish me. Using all the energy I had left, I aimed the rifle to him and fired, the recoil was hard enough to dislocate my right shoulder, but it was worth it. Chambers flew back with the shots, staining the small US flag behind him with blood. It was after I sighed in relief when the pain kicked in entirely; I fell to my knees staggered. “It’s done,” I groaned in pain, standing up with the help of the table next to me and walking to the dead body of the president of the United States with the intention to steal the so called ‘biscuit’, which is the card with the authentication codes to launch any nuclear missiles. I relocated my shoulder using the little force I had on my left arm, the crack made a chill ran through my spine. “So this is the biscuit eh?” I took the small yellow card labeled with the emblem of the US department of defense and stared at it for a second, “That bastard can’t use you right now.” I scanned the room to see where this card was used, noticing a small keycard slot on the far side of the room near the broken window. “I have to figure out what’s going to be my next move,” I thought walking towards the slot in the wall, flashing the card in it. The wall moved and showed a small computer console that displayed the current location of all twenty H-0 missiles in Area 51, apparently this was what they had been working all these years. “I see one missile’s been launched to Moscow, due to… midnight.” I let out a big sigh, “so much for nuclear wars, I don’t think they know it.” In that moment, I realized the power I had in my hands, a power no one ever dreamed of having: The power to truly decide the fate of millions of people and my own through one single action, one decision. I had always dreamed of destroying humanity to free us from our own selfishness and suffering, but I hesitated every time I thought of pressing the button. “What is it? Isn’t this what you wanted?!” I scolded at myself for being such a coward, a part of me wanted to press the button and type the indications for the missiles, but the other preferred to leave the button alone. I couldn’t decide which part to listen. “If I’m going to do this, I must give it a really good though,” I took a deep breath to analyze the situation, “If I fire those nukes, it is very likely that I’m not walking out of here alive. But if I don’t, there’s no guarantee someone else will not come here and try to use them once I leave. I guess I have no choice,” I took another deep breath before speaking the decision in my mind. “Do not fear sacrifice for you know what it feels,” I typed the code in the biscuit and the computer shifted to target selection. I selected the larger cities of the world, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires; each one will have a nuke on their way. As my final selection, I chose the coordinates known for Area 51. With a final gulp, I pressed the confirmation button and typed a final launch code, the alarm instantly went off as the walls around me shook violently. The rockets were being launched, due to impact their targets in midnight. “It’s done, now I have to get the hell out of here,” I ran back to the entrance as fast as my wounded body could; taking a jeep and driving it at full speed through the tunnels. All the rockets had been launched, so there was no risk of fireballs on the underground. “Maybe I should stop and ask for directions,” I said sarcastically to myself to try to cheer the spirits up, driving through the tunnels flashing in red lights. My head worked at its full trying to figure a way into Equestria, my eyes opened wide when I thought of something, “That’s right! They were going to send the nukes through a special gate, I can use that!” A dim light appeared in the distance. With new found hopes, I drove at the light in the distance and saw sunlight once again. Outside, the battle was over; everyone who had not died probably fled fearing for its life once the missiles were launched, its trails were clearly visible in the sky. Lots of dead bodies lied all around, some were covered in blood and some were completely torn apart, it was a horrible scene. “Looks like I caused one hell of a mess,” I gazed at the aftermath while looking for that gate. It was supposed to be a large structure, if it was meant to send a missile straight to another dimension. I drove through the deserted facility, trying to locate the portal. After a few minutes, I saw a massive dish embedded on the floor of the lake. “That’s it!” I accelerated to take a closer look at it, noticing a large steel platform on a side. Feeling relieved, I looked at the watch in my hand that marked sixteen past noon. The jeep wheel’s rubber burnt as I tapped the brakes, I moaned in pain when the car stopped brutally. “I should have remembered I got shot,” I said with a smirk, my journey was soon to be over. I climbed the platform covering my wounds, with a huge sense of relief. On top of the platform, the whole base and a large part of the Nevada desert were seen. I poked around the console in the platform, trying to find a way to open the portal. The screen in front of me displayed a loading screen and offered the option to open the portal. Another loading screen appeared and the dish began to shoot rays from its sides, focusing on the centre. The wormhole slowly began to grow, sucking air from all around. “Looks like this is all folks!” I happily yelled at the distance, a second before the computer monitor turned red and emitted an annoying beeping noise. “Warning, critical damage on primary structures, system overload. Dimensional connection process interrupted, initiating cool down mode,” a deep synthesized voice said, shutting the portal off. I felt a void in me that instantly filled with fear, and a single phrase came to mind in that same moment. “I’m going to die.” “You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I shouted in furiously in disbelief, kicking the computer in front of me, “Now how the hell am I supposed to escape the judgment day!” I was wounded and tired, with little energy left. But I was too stubborn to just sit down and wait for death to come and get me; I still had one last chance to survive. “The Russian ponification facility!” I snapped and straightened up my pose, running down to the jeep and turning the engine on. I drove at crazy speed through the base, looking for any aircraft remaining on the base. “Come on… There’s got to be at least one,” I looked around frenetically for a hangar, eventually one popped in my line of sight in the distance, making me accelerate to it. I descended my car after braking in a similar fashion to the last time, opening the hangar door using by pressing a small button next to it to see a huge Boeing C-17A completely unharmed. Without hesitation, I climbed into the aircraft and headed for the cockpit. “Okay, you were able to fly a helicopter, you can fly this thing,” I browsed the enormous flight console, poking all the buttons. The engine turned on after I moved a red small switch above me, I sat on the driver’s seat and deducted how to drive the aircraft from what I had seen on some movies. “Please confirm destination,” a synthesized feminine voice asked. “Eh… Moscow, take me to Moscow.” “Setting course to Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow Russia,” replied the automated voice. “I suppose I have to lift this thing off the ground,” I fastened the seatbelt and the plane accelerated on its own, preparing for the take off. Fortunately, there was a small light that marked whenever I had to pull the steering wheel towards me. The speedometer marked a hundred miles per hour, and the light wasn’t on yet. “Come on stupid thing,” I nervously said as I ran out of track to take off, the fence and a hill began growing bigger with each passing second. I glanced at the flashlight and at the road, trying to hold cool and steady as long as I could, and just when the track was about to end, the light turned on at the hundred fifty miles per hour. “Lift that big ass for Leighton!” I pulled the steering wheel to me using all the force I had in my arms, fighting the staggering pain I felt. The aircraft slowly took off and avoided the cliff in front of me for a few meters but destroying the landing gear at the base of the plane. “Ha! I made it!” I shouted with excitement as the plane continued to ascend into the clear sky above me, I leaned against the seat trying to ease the pain. “Engaging automatic-pilot, ETA thirteen hours,” “Say what?” I said with surprise, “Can’t you fly a little faster?” “Negative, unknown operator, decreasing flight time would consume considerably more fuel. Please confirm with command to authorize this order.” “Fuck!” I punched the fuselage next to me, “Are you trying to kill me too?” “Negative sir,” the computer replied automatically. “Yeah, right,” I stood up and headed into the spacious back of the plane to rest, pulling out the bandages Twilight sent me and using them to heal up my wounds. They were not that bad, but I had already lost quite some blood, but not enough to feel all dizzy. I groaned in pain when I used a hemostat on one of my wounds and covered the wounds in my abdomen, arm and wing with bandages. The fuselage of the plane was cold and hard, but I felt tired enough to don’t care about it. My body tried to lure me into falling asleep, but there was no certainty that I would ever wake up of I did, so I fought my own impulses fearing for my life. My mind began drifting off in the memories, truly knowing what was like to dream completely awake. It was like my memories flashed in front of me, a picture of all the time I lived on earth. “I… c’mon Leighton you can’t fall asleep now,” I thought in an attempt to keep my tired body awake. I had ran, killed, flew and been shot in the course of the day, resting was even something a sane person would do. “No, don’t. Don’t fall asleep, think of what’s at stake, your life is at stake!” I fought the urge for a few more minutes, but the exhaustion was getting into me and there was nothing I could do about it. “I knew it would come down to this, I knew it all along, from the very moment I sat down in my studio for the first time to work on Project Human Conservation. I must not fear death; for she takes everyone whenever she thinks the time is right. Besides, I accepted this mission knowing what the risks and the stakes were, and succeeded. Who knows, it may even come as a relief to me.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Warning, fuel tanks at ten percent, ETA one hour and ten minutes,” the annoying tone of the automated pilot woke me up from my sleep; the first thing I did was see the watch in my wrist. “Ten minutes to midnight?!” I shouted in disbelief as I shot straight up from where I laid, running into the cockpit. “Tell me where we are, machine!” I yelled at the computer as I stared at the night sky outside. “We are currently flying above the Koryak Mountains, sir.” “This is where… You keep flying, I will see you later,” I left the cockpit and headed to the back of the plane again, forcing the sliding door open. I barely saw the silhouette of the mountains passing by through the darkness. “Warning, cargo door is open,” cried the computer. “I don’t give rat’s arse,” I ran to pick up the backpack lying right where I was sleeping a minute ago, “but I have to get off this god damned plane,” I jumped off the plane into the cold night, spreading my wings wide to stabilize my flight. “Bloody bandage really works!” I began moving my wings vigorously without feeling any pain, whatever those bandages had, it cured me completely. The darkness of the night covered the mountains; I only saw silhouettes as I flew straight down at blinding speed. “It’s got to be around here…” I scanned the darkness restlessly without results. Until a small beacon light flashed for an instant, it had to be it. I turned in direction of the light and accelerated even more, breathing was almost impossible at that speed. “Okay… now!” I turned my body trying to slow me down and avoid crashing head on the floor when I reached a considerable distance; I waved my wings as fast as I could. “Yes, that’s the facility!” I confirmed just before the wound in my wing reopened, making me lose control a dozen of meters off the floor. I impacted the ground fiercely, but survived the impact on the parking lot of the Russian facility. “Don’t tell me I just…” I felt a staggering pain coming from one of my legs and turned to see my lower body. My left leg was completely broken on the tibia, I screamed in pain upon seeing it. “No, I’m not dying like this,” I tried to stand up using the force I had on my arms, wings and leg, completely ignoring the backpack next to me. “I’m too close to give up like this,” I hopped on a leg towards the entrance, leaning against it to catch my breath for a second. Everyone in the facility were gone, it was just as deserted like the first time I broke into it. I looked up the sky and saw a small flashing yellow star; the missile was just about to fall. I stared at it for a minute, preparing myself of one last attempt to stay alive. The missile slowly began to take its shape in the distance, as the alarm in the facility went off. I hopped inside the building as fast as I could, flying for some moments to give my right leg a break. Emergency lights on the floor marked the way to the elevator, my body reacted with the desperation and the adrenaline on me, the heart racing at its top, my body feeling numb from the tremendous effort, I was exhausting myself more and more the closer I grew to the elevator. “Come on, come on,” I desperately punched the down button in the service elevator that slowly descended into the facility. “It may not catch up to me if I’m this underground, you still have a chance, fight for it!” I cheered myself up as the watch on my wrist marked two minutes before midnight. Suddenly, the walls began shaking with an earthquake; the nuclear bomb had just impacted Moscow. “Won’t this thing go faster!” the earthquake began growing more intense, along with the sound of an explosion in the distance. It had to be one hell of a bang to sound so clearly underground. Thirty more seconds passed before the elevator reached its destination, I hopped desperately to where I remembered the portal room was, the lights of the facility flashed on and off as everything around moved violently. “There it is,” I slammed the metallic door open and approached the console to turn the portal on, the servers around me filled the entire room with sparks. “Faster… faster…” the quake began growing stronger as time passed on, I glanced at the watch that marked fifty seconds before midnight. The portal turned on suddenly, sucking all the energy remaining in the facility, the only light on the room came from the portal. I hopped to the portal as quickly as I could, but the earthquake made me lose balance. I fell to the ground completely exhausted just a few feet away from the portal; I spun my head wryly and saw a wall of flames raging through the hallway, coming straight at me. “Whatever happens to me, I have no regrets. My mission is done; some say there is no more honorable death than dying for a greater good. But I would not die fighting for the cause of a leader of for a flag; I would die for my own ideals, because following my heart led me straight into the depths of hell itself. My conscience will rest in peace, cherishing all those moments I spent with the people I loved and the friends I found along the way. The voice in the castle is right, I must not fear sacrifice, for I know what it feels. And I do not fear giving my life for a greater good; because I gave away the thing I loved the most for it. I, Leighton Donovan McRae, am at peace.”

RoflLuxRay

74

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Dark,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Salvation Through Destruction

A british rich man tries to save humanity in this Action-packed Thriller

complete

<p>A rich British man takes on the mission of saving humanity through an elaborate plan that requires cooperation of both Human and Ponies, in an earth where makind faces its last days. Will he thrive? Or shall he fall to the sins of every human being?</p>

everyone

2011-08-31T00:04:09+00:00

2011-08-31T00:04:09+00:00

Salvation Through Destruction Based on Concepts from: The Conversion Bureau by: Blaze Epilogue Ponyville, six months later “Is everything set?” Twilight gulped with her question. “Yeah, you just get in there and read what you have to; there is no need to panic. You can do it,” Spike patted her on the back and signaled her to walk to the stage, where she would be giving a speech in front of the whole town. She gathered the enough courage and climbed the small wooden stairs into the stage, in front of every single pony that inhabited in the small town, which glared silently at her. “Good morning, Fillies and Gentlecolts,” a sheet of paper floated in front of her, “Today, we gather to honor the sacrifice of a man who bravely gave his life in the name of his making, for all of us. It was his work, his idea what saved, not only humanity, but all of us from the threats of the United States. Everypony was touched by his selfless actions in some ways, how do you properly honor someone like him? His sacrifice is something we must never forget, which is why Queen Celestia is proud to announce through me the following: One: The Queen has approved that a new settlements for both humans and ponies is built southeast of Manehattan, a city that will allow Ponykind and humanity to grow stronger and be the example of what he envisioned when he came to this world. The city shall be call: McRae!” All the ponies stomped the floor in what was their way to applaud, Twilight cleared her throat before continuing and the crowd stopped. “Two: A monument will be built in Fillydelphia, to honor all those ponies that died six months ago, and to recognize the valiant effort he made to repel the invading forces from our homeland,” Another applause interrupted Twilight’s speech for a moment, she felt a knot in her throat after she glanced at Spike’s handwriting in the paper. Struggling to contain her tears, she continued her speech. “Finally, I must speak about the kind of pony he was. Determinate, brave, noble and charismatic, those fortunate enough to have been touched by his person will miss him. As the bearer of the element of harmony of Courage and valor, his example is something we must look up to and respect. And as a final act of respect to his memory, I hereby declare Project human conservation a success!” Applause filled the air one last time before she finally burst into tears. The years to come were of peace for all of Equestria, with the construction of McRae and the relocation at least six million human immigrants into the new settlement, which flourished magnificently as humans quickly adapted into the world and rules of Equestria, learning to cooperate and thrive through union. No criminal reports have been received at the time. Rarity took Leighton’s death seriously, confessing to Twilight how she had a crush for the red-coated pony. Despite feeling that another fine colt had slipped through her hooves, she got over his death and moved on to succeed in the world of fashion with a clothing line inspired by the class Leighton showed her, naming it ‘Knowsley’s finest’ after his friend’s hometown. Spike the dragon followed Leighton’s advice and shared his feelings with Rarity the anniversary of his sacrifice, doing it with a bunch of flowers and reciting the same words the red Pegasus had advised. The mare accepted the small dragon’s request after a few days of meditation, engaging in a long lasting formal relationship despite being from different species. Both rulers in Equestria were moved by Leighton’s sacrifice, completely accepting humanity as one with the ponies. Queen Celestia silently traveled one night to Everfree forest, to ensure the Courage and Valor were displayed along with the other elements of harmony, to honor the only human who ever dared to stand up to her. Applejack and Apple Bloom returned to work in the Sweet Apple Acres after seeing Leighton for the last time. After his death, Queen Celestia paid them a visit on a silent night, breaking the spell that blocked their life as a human. The notice did not surprise Applejack, who had been suspecting her humanity for some time now. Apple Bloom cried the death of her father for weeks, however, until Granny Smith told her she should be proud of whom her father was. Applejack McRae, as she prefers to be called now, was offered a position as the mayor in McRae, which she declined to stay working in Sweet Apple Acres along with her daughter, who would take that position years later after turning into a grown up mare. Apple Bloom McRae honors her last name by serving the town with passion and dedication. Twilight Sparkle received the books in Leighton’s cottage and took them in his library, continuously reading them to learn about human philosophy and literature. She continues to study the magic of friendship, learning that once a friend touches your heart, he never truly dies.

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-07-22T19:16:35+00:00

2012-07-22T19:16:35+00:00

The Epic Quest of the Brave Warriors in Search of the Mystic Treasure of the Forgotten City in the Distant Realm of the Lost Lands of the Fearsome Dragon King of Death -Or- Some Ponies Play D&D Grimstar the Black, mighty wizard of the southern deserts, squinted into the hazy distance of the enchanted forest. He was tall and thin, and the dark indigo robes he wore were covered with eldritch symbols. Sweat beaded on the jet black skin of his forehead as his staff pulsed with mystic energies, scanning the landscape for danger. After the mysterious disappearance of their prodigal companion, he was determined to defend his party. They were five strong, now: himself, the elvish rogue, the halfling cleric, the bard, and the barbarian, who was now approaching the wizard with the carcass of a stag slung over his shoulder. “Ho, Grimstar!” he said, “There is much sport in these woods!” He was a mountain unto himself, with rippling muscles, broad shoulders, and a dark, penetrating gaze. His enormous broadsword clinked against his gleaming silver mail as he hefted the stag. “Aye, that there is,” the wizard replied, “and much danger as well. I fear for the safety of our feminine companions.” “What is there to be a-feared?” said the barbarian, depositing his game on the forest floor with a muscular shrug, “They are mighty heroes, all. Though, perhaps,” he said with a jocular grin, “not as mighty as myself!” “Indeed, few are as strong as the celebrated Bloodcrusher Killthrust.” the wizard said, “But I have much doubt of our ability to survive the Catacombs of the Damned without the aid of a sixth stout soul.” “Then perchance we are in luck!” said Killthrust, “For I think I espy a dwarf!” “As do I.” said Grimstar, “Mayhap he will join our quest. Greetings, friend!” he addressed the dwarf, who seemed lost in the woods. “We are in need of a brave warrior such as yourself. Would you join in our quest to find the lair of the Dragon King?” There was an awkward pause. “Uh,” said the dwarf, “Okay, what do I do now?” --- Twilight sighed. “Come on, Applejack, we’ve been over this.” “Yeah, like, a billion times!” said Rainbow Dash, rolling her eyes. “I jus’ don’t get this crazy game, is all.” said Applejack, defensively. “It’s just like playing pretend,” said Twilight, patiently, “Spike and I used to play it all the time back in Canterlot.” She had been trying to get Applejack involved for weeks, but had only recently convinced her to give it a go. All of Twilight’s friends were gathered around an old table in a neglected corner of the Library’s basement. Dice, reference books, and miniatures were scattered over an intricately drawn map covering most of the table’s surface. Applejack sat between Twilight and Dash as they went over the rules one more time. Across from them, Rarity added a few more touches to her character sketch, while Fluttershy tried to avoid the cloud of snack detritus coming from Pinkie Pie’s direction. Spike sat at the head of the table, a stack of DM’s guides on his chair just barely bringing him up to the others’ eye levels. “Please, Applejack, could you just try to play along?” he said, poking his head above the DM screen, “Ever since Derpy stopped showing up a few weeks ago we’ve been short a player for my campaign.” "I’m tryin’, I swear,” she said, “but I don’t really see the point, I guess.” “The point is FUN, Silly McSillerson!” said Pinkie Pie, spraying orange cheesy dust over the table. “You can fight monsters, and loot treasure, and explore dungeons, and pretend to be crazy made-up creatures like elves and dwarves and halflings and humans!” “What’s a human?” asked Applejack, blinking in the face of the crumby assault. “It’s like a little pink monkey,” said Pinkie, “Only they don’t have tails and they’re not as hairy and they don’t live in trees and…” “…and sometimes they aren’t pink.” added Twilight. “…and sometimes they aren’t pink!” finished Pinkie with an excited bounce. “Alright,” said Applejack, gamely, “then what’s a halfling?” “The same thing,” said Twilight, referring to her player’s guide, “but smaller and less, uh, not-hairy.” “Uh huh, so what’s a dwarf?” “It’s… look, never mind.” said Twilight, “Spike put a lot of work into setting up this game, so just try to keep up, okay?” “Honestly,” piped up Rarity, “it really is a lot of fun, Applejack.” “Now, I can see Spike and Twilight gettin’ into this nerdy stuff.” said Applejack, “And Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, and maybe even Dash. But what in the heck do you see in all this, Rarity?” "Oh, I felt the same way as you at first, darling.” she said, “But it can become rather addictive. Especially when Spike showed me all of the adorable little figures you can decorate!” “And that, Fillies and Gentlecolts, is the story of how all my miniatures ended up in pretty pink sun dresses.” said Spike with a scowl, holding up a violently pink orc. “Spike, dear, that’s clearly an evening gown. It’s much more formal, you see, and…” “Look, can we get back to game?” interrupted Dash, “I’ve hardly even started kicking tail!” --- Grimstar and Killthrust led their new companion to their camp. “Allow me to introduce our fellows.” said Grimstar, “Alas, where are my manners? I have not asked your name! What are you called, may I ask?” “Um, my name is…” the dwarf said haltingly, “Uh, Dwarfy… Dwarfer… son. The dwarf.” “Yes, well, a very… traditional name, I’m certain.” said the wizard, diplomatically. “You have already met our barbarian, of course. A terrible braggart he is, but there are no better to have beside you in the fray of battle.” “I speak only the modest truth,” said Killthrust, “If it seems as bragging, you have but your own jealousy to blame.” “The great beauty is Darlynn Evansong, the Fair.” Grimstar continued. “Charmed.” said the elf with an elegant bow, her jewelry jingling against her armor, “I look forward to joining my bow to your axe.” “Our healer,” Grimstar said, moving on, “Gracelove Silentall, a cleric of the order of the Silver Star.” “So, um, very pleased to meet you, ah, Dwarfy.” The halfling said with a demure curtsy. She wore the simple gray robes of her order and clutched a set of prayer beads. “And, last but not least,” said Grimstar, “Zinnadiana Lyreplucker the twenty-seventh, our spoony bard.” --- “Okay, Spike,” said Applejack, “You have to tell me what a…” “It’s-whatever-Pinkie-Pie-wants-it-to-be-I’m-not-having-this-conversation-again!” --- The band of heroes advanced to the edge of the forest, entering the foothills of the Black Mountains of Elldör. Zinnadiana played a merry tune on her lute as they walked, the bells on her jerkin jingling to the beat. “…and NE-ver a MIGH-ti-er par-ty there WAS! Oh, NE-ver a…” “Be still your capering, bard,” said Killthrust, “lest your head meet the flat of my broadsword!” “Yeah, Pi… I mean, Zinnadiana,” said Dwarfy, “I don’t think a song is necessary right now. Uh, forsooth!” “Cease your bickering, fellows!” said Grimstar, halting their progress, “My staff senses danger!” Ahead of them, just as the forest cleared, lie a pack of dire wolves, snapping at each other over the remaining bones of a recent kill. They had not yet noticed the heroes, and Grimstar took the opportunity to discuss their strategy. “A spell of petrifaction would allow us to pass unharmed.” he said. “And leave us open to attack, should it fail.” said Darlynn, “A flurry of my arrows will make short work of them.” “Nay,” said Zinnadiana, “I shall play them to sleep with my magic flute!” “Waste not your spells and arrows,” said Killthrust, “I will take them single-handedly!” “I want to make friends with them.” said Gracelove. --- The entire table groaned, collectively. “Not this again.” said Spike, his head in his hands. “What?” said Applejack, “What’s wrong with that?” “Oh, you know Fluttershy,” said Pinkie, cracking open another bottle of sarsaparilla, “she just loves the fuzzy critters!” “Fluttershy, you can’t tame any more monsters.” said Twilight, “You already have two beholders, a mind-flayer, a kobald…” “…three owlbears, half a dozen zombies…” continued Dash. “…and a gelatinous cube!” Rarity finished. “And I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but you aren’t spending any more of our gold pieces on cube food!” “But you can’t just let Mr. Jiggly starve!” said Fluttershy, aghast. Her eyes welled up with tears. --- The party continued their journey, their new furry companions in tow. Grimstar led them on, forging a path through the twisting ravines and rocky outcrops. The way was difficult, and he paused to consult an ancient scroll for guidance. “The scroll of prophecy speaks of a tunnel which will allow us passage through these mountains.” he said. “Though it is doubtlessly crawling with peril, it may save us a day’s worth of climbing. If only the Gods would make their intentions clear, that we may decide on the best way forward…” Suddenly, as if in answer to Grimstar’s wish, the sky was rent asunder and a fearsome archangel descended, wings blazing with holy light and bearing a flaming sword. "That was convenient.” said Dwarfy. “Verily!” “Lo, great heroes of the land!” the angel spake in a booming voice, “Your tarrying is most displeasing to the Gods! I bringith forth their instructions, that you may follow them and move on already!” Killthrust’s eyes lit up at the sight of the magnificent angel. “Finally, a challenge worthy of the Bloodcrusher!” he said, unsheathing his broadsword, “Have at thee, wingéd monster, I fear you not!” “What foolishness is this?” said the archangel, its golden eyes narrowing. “This is most unwise, Killthrust.” said Darlynn as she attempted to hold back her comrade. "Indeed,” said Grimstar, aiding her efforts, “You must not antagonize an emissary of the Gods!” “Oh, you doubt my strength?” said Killthrust, breaking free of their hold, “Taste my steel, foul creature! I will take thy wings as my own!” He charged forward with a terrible battle cry, his sword tracing a powerful arc towards the angel. A burst of holy light deflected the attack, however, and the angel turned its wrath on the stricken barbarian. “You dare assault me?” the angel said in its fury, “I, who have guided your quest from the very beginning? If this is how you choose to use your strength, barbarian, perhaps you would do well to be free of it!” With this, a bolt of magical lightning struck the fallen warrior. “Argh, I am cursed!” he said, “What be the heck?” --- “What the heck, Spike?” said Dash, “You can’t just curse me!” “Actually, he can.” said Twilight, checking the rulebook, “He’s the Dungeon Master, so technically, he can do anything he wants.” “Darn right I can!” said Spike, leaning over his DM screen at Dash, “I’m sick of you screwing up all of my encounters just because you had a few lucky rolls when we were making characters!” “That wasn’t luck, I’m just better at this than you are.” The pegasus said with a smug grin. “They were dice rolls!” said Spike, jumping with anger, “That’s the definition of luck!” “Aren’t I supposed to get a saving throw?” she said, ignoring him and grabbing Twilight’s guide. “You were stunned, you don’t get a saving throw!” Spike retorted. “I have the talisman of mystic barrier,” she said, standing up, “It protects against curses!” “It’s a holy curse, it doesn’t work!” he said, jumping onto the table and marching up to Dash until they were inches apart. “Fluttershy can heal me!” she said, leaning into his glare. “Fluttershy thinks you’re a jerk!” he shouted with a furious hop. “What? She does not!” she turned to the other pegasus, who was currently hiding with her head under the table. “You don’t think I’m a jerk, right Fluttershy?” “I, um, well…” “Don’t answer that, Fluttershy!” Spike said, turning and marching back to his place at the head of the table. “That’s it, no more Mr. Nice Dungeon Master!” he sat down and resumed narrating, “You enter the tunnel, and the entrance snaps shut behind you, leaving you trapped…” --- The ground shook under the parties’ feet. They squinted into the gloom of the tunnel, but could not make out the source of the massive footsteps. A luminescent sphere rose from Grimstar’s fingertips, casting a pale light on their surroundings. “By the Gods…” he said as the light fell on their aggressor, “It’s a stone ogre!” The massive bulk of the ogre filled the tunnel, blocking any route of escape. Its skin was as hard and grey as the tunnel walls around it and its horrible maw was filled with sharp, jagged teeth. It carried the trunk of a fallen oak as a club, and wore a purple muumuu. It let out a mighty roar, and hefted its club to attack. --- “Whoa, Spike.” said Twilight, “Don’t you think that’s a little above our level?” “Yeah, that sounds a little… serious.” agreed Applejack. “I don’t care!” he said, furiously, “I spend hours working on this campaign, and all of you just argue and mess it up! You kept pushing me and pushing me, and now you’re gonna have to fight an ogre!” “What-do-we-do?! What-do-we-do?!” panicked Pinkie, “I don’t know any songs that work on ogres!” “I have some armor with bonuses against ogres,” said Rarity, “…or I would, if some dragon would let me carry more than three sets of armor at a time!” “Wah, wah, baby wants a Bag of Holding!” said Spike, unmoved, “Better do something quick, it’s getting closer.” “Fluttershy, sic your dire wolves on ‘im!” said Dash. “I can’t, they might get hurt!” she replied from under the table. “Come on, we can do this if we work together!” rallied Twilight. Applejack cleared her throat. “Hey guys? What does it mean when the red one says ‘twenty’?” The table went quiet. Spike stared at the d20 in front of Applejack. He coughed. --- The massive body of the beast lay still on the tunnel floor. Darlynn checked it for treasure while Gracelove worked at healing the party’s injuries. The others gathered to congratulate the shocked dwarf, his bloodied axe still clutched in his hands. “A spectacular battle, my lad!” said Killthrust, holding aloft the ogre’s head, “You’ve earned yourself quite the trophy!” “Yeah, that was kinda cool.” said Dwarfy, “Uh, zounds!” “I’ll write a new song about it!” said Zinnadiana, “The saga, no, the EPIC saga of Dwarfy Dwarferson!” “Well done.” said Grimstar, nodding sagely, “I knew you would become a valuable member of our band.” “Shucks, it wasn’t any…” he stopped, “Holy pony-feathers, what time is it?” --- Twilight blinked at the clock. “Wow, you’re right, it’s after midnight already! We’d better call it a night.” “But…” said Spike, still staring at the d20, “But we didn’t even get to the Catacombs of the Damned!” He looked up. Everyone was already getting up to leave. “Sorry, Spike.” said Twilight, patting him on the head on her way past. “Maybe next time.” She gathered her books and headed for the door leading upstairs, the others following her. “Good game, everypony!” said Fluttershy. “It was, wasn’t it?” Applejack said with a grin. “I told you you’d get hooked!” Rarity said, putting a hoof around Applejack’s shoulder. “I’m TOTALLY serious about that song, by the way!” Pinkie Pie bounced after them. Spike looked around, distraught, “You can’t… I mean… I didn’t…” he pulled himself together and shouted after Dash, “You’re still cursed!” "You’re still a dork!” she said, not looking back as she left the room. --- Deep in the steam tunnels that twisted like a labyrinth under Ponyville, a small, grey pegasus knelt in the darkness. She waited patiently for the sun to rise in the grate above her, conserving her strength. She smiled grimly in the dripping gloom. Today, she would crush her enemies, and see them driven before her. Today, she would hear the lamentations of their women. Yes, she thought as she sharpened her halberd, today will be a good day…

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T22:38:29+00:00

2011-08-17T22:38:29+00:00

D&D Ponies 2: Electric Scootaloo -Or- Episode 2: Return of the Poni -Or- 2 Dungeons, 2 Dragons -Or- D2: Judgment Neigh -Or- LARP Free or Die Hard -Or- That Sequel You Wanted It was a dark and stormy night. Well, actually, it was closer to early afternoon and a light drizzle, but Applebloom wasn’t about to split hairs. Her friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were sprawled out beside her on the rug in Twilight’s library, bored out of their minds. This meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders was going nowhere, and not even very fast. Even though they were inside, the dull, grey light coming through the windows and the tapping of the rain on the roof sucked all the energy out of the little fillies. Applebloom narrowed her eyes angrily at the clouds through the window. “Stupid pegasus ponies, makin’ it rain on a weekend.” she pouted, “No offence, Scoots.” “Whatever.” Scootaloo shrugged and stretched her tiny wings. “Can you think of anything to do?” she asked for the umpteenth time. “Shouldn’t we be crusading for our cutie marks?” said Sweetie Belle. The young unicorn was feeling especially fidgety. She rolled over on her back, waving her hooves in the air absent-mindedly. “That’s what the CMC is for, right?” “Ugh, I’m so sicka’ doin’ that!” said Applebloom. “Yeah,” added Scootaloo, “It’s, like, all we do anymore. I just wanna hang out sometimes, ya know?” Their non-conversation was interrupted when Twilight and Fluttershy trotted into the room. The two had agreed to keep an eye on the kids while their big sisters were out for the afternoon, with Rainbow Dash treating them to a Wonderbolts performance. “How’s it going, girls?” Twilight said with a cheery smile. “Lousy.” said Applebloom, grumpily, “There’s nothin’ to do here!” “Yeah, we’re bored!” Sweetie Belle said, rolling upright. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy said with genuine concern. “It’s not your fault, Miss Fluttershy.” said Scootaloo, “It’s just the dumb ol’ rain.” She sat down with her friends as they hung their heads in a theatrical display of self-pity. “Aw, don’t be that way, kids!” said Twilight in a peppy tone that was starting to irritate the fillies. “You’re in a library after all, and I’ve got books just filled with fun things to do! You can read any book you want!” The CMC rolled their eyes in unison. It was a move they had been practicing. They had gotten good enough to pull it off on command, the instant an adult started acting lame. Twilight didn’t seem to notice them, though, as she started sorting through the books for an appropriate volume. “Let’s see, Miss Mare’s Rainy-Day Funbook? Nah, how about The Dangerous Book for Fillies? Hmm, that’s a little advanced for girls your age. Maybe we could try…” “What’s this one about?” said Applebloom, cutting her off. “It’s called a ‘Monster Manual’. That sounds pretty cool!” She had found a stack of tattered paperbacks with colorful covers stashed in an out-of-the-way bookcase. They had been shelved out of order, as if someone were trying to hide them. In an instant, Twilight snatched it away from her. “No no no, not those books!” she said, laughing nervously, “Those are, uh, boring! Yeah, you wouldn’t be interested in…” “Hey, check out this one!” Scootaloo said, ignoring her. “The Dungeon Master’s Guide. Awesome!” “I don’t think this is a good idea, girls.” Fluttershy said meekly. She and Twilight tried to keep them away from the forbidden books, but the fillies managed to squirm around them. In the struggle, a small velvet pouch was knocked off the shelf, spilling its colorful plastic contents on the library’s floor. “It’s a game! It’s a game!” Sweetie Belle squealed, “Look, it’s got dice and everything!” “What gives, Twilight?” Applebloom said, turning to face her, “Why are ya holdin’ out on us?” “Yeah!” rallied Scootaloo, “You said we could use any book we wanted!” Twilight sighed, “I know, I know. I’m sorry. It’s just… my friends and I decided we wouldn’t play this game anymore after… the Incident.” “Incident?” said Applebloom, screwing up her face in thought, “Oh, you mean when that mailpony went all nutty?” It was the only thing she could think of that would cause Twilight to speak in such hushed tones. It had been a major scandal in Ponyville for months, and the mayor even made a big speech about it. She mostly remembered afterwards, when Applejack had given her a long boring lecture about the difference between fantasy and reality. Still, she tried to put a positive spin on it. "It wasn’t so bad though, was it? I mean, no one was hurt. ‘Cept for the beavers, I guess…” She trailed off. Scootaloo jumped in, trying to salvage the argument. “But they got better! Fluttershy took care of ‘em, right?” Fluttershy looked away sadly. “Toothy and Chompers still aren’t quite the same.” “Come on, please?” said Sweetie Belle, “We totally promise we won’t go crazy!” In desperation, the CMC turned their most powerful weapon on Twilight, another one they had been practicing. Looking up at the older unicorn, their eyes went wide and misted with tears, and their bottom lips trembled. They called it the D’aww Bomb, and they were masters at it. “I don’t know…” Twilight said, her resistance wearing down. Her friends had all been upset by what happened. Spike had taken the Incident especially hard, giving up DMing in the spirit of ‘never again’. Still, she had to admit that she missed her weekly gaming session. “I guess it couldn’t hurt, so long as Derpy doesn’t find out…”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T22:42:47+00:00

2011-08-17T22:42:47+00:00

Act 1: Grim Twilight Grimstar the Black examined the three apprentice heroes before him in the courtyard of his wizard’s tower. They were an undisciplined and rowdy bunch of scoundrels, but he had high hopes for their futures. Truly, was he not the same, in his own youth? Were his friends not equally unruly, even at the peak of their skills? Once again, the wizard remembered the great tragedy which had split his own party asunder and scattered its members to the far corners of the land. The return of their prodigal companion had been both unexpected and disastrous. Sadly, their quest for the Dragon King would remain unfinished forevermore, as even the Gods themselves had abandoned them. He furrowed his dark brow, banishing the bleak reminiscences from his mind. Striking the rocky ground forcefully with his staff, he gained the young ones’ attentions. “Lo, novice adventurers,” he said, “It is time to begin your training!” --- “Okay,” said Twilight, setting up the DM screen, “we need to make your characters.” Spike was in Canterlot on official business, so she decided to take over Dungeon Master responsibilities herself. The three girls sat on the rug in front of her, acting unusually quiet and attentive. Fluttershy sat on the couch nearby, happy just to watch for now. Twilight shuffled through her old character sheets, glad she hadn’t had the heart to throw them out. “First things first, what should we name them?” “Ummmm…” Applebloom said, trying to think of something appropriately medieval-ish, “Oh, I know! How about Apple-BOOM!” “Yeah!” said Scootaloo, liking the direction this was going, “And I could be SHOOT-aloo!” “And I’ll be, uh…” Sweetie Belle thought hard, “I got it! Sweetie HE…umf!” “You know what?” said Twilight, her hoof in Sweetie Belle’s mouth, “You all have such nice names already. Let’s just stick with those, okay?” --- The training session had gotten off to a rocky start, but Grimstar soldiered on. Leading his young charges onwards through the hilly countryside, he decided to try appealing to their intellectual curiosity. “You are new to these lands,” he said, “I do not wish to boast, but I am wise in the way of the warrior. Ask of me anything you like, and I shall answer you truthfully.” “Okay, then,” said Applebloom, gamely, “What are we?” “An excellent question,” said Grimstar, “For what indeed is the measure of a man? Is he to be judged by his birthright or more by his actions? Or is there, perhaps, a deeper level of…” “No, I mean, why are we all pink and weird?” “Ah,” said Grimstar, disappointed, “You speak of your nature as human beings. Although you have not yet revealed to me your racial heritage, so there may be something dwarfish or elfish about you.” “Can’t we be ponies?” asked Sweetie Belle. Grimstar laughed heartily, “Why would you want to? In this world, ponies are merely unintelligent beasts of burden!” “That’s… a little messed up.” said Scootaloo, scrunching up her nose, “But I guess I’m okay with being a hoo-man.” “Yes, I can see now that you are all full-blooded humans.” he said, quickly moving on, “Come, I shall teach you to wield a sword.” They crested the hill and made for the edge of a wild forest, its floor tangled with undergrowth. “What’s so hard about using a sword?” asked Applebloom, struggling to keep up, “You just hold the blunt end and stick the pointy end in bad people.” "I assure you, it will take more than that to become true warriors.” Grimstar halted the party as they came upon a path cutting through the dark woods. “Ahead is your first challenge. I will give you each a weapon, that you may learn their proper use.” The wizard magically produced armaments from his robes and presented them. “For Scootaloo, a sturdy short sword. A bow of finest yew shall go to Sweetie Bell. And last, a stout mace for Applebloom.” "A mace?” said Applebloom, dubiously, “Can’t I wield somethin’ cooler?” "I want a sword,” said Scootaloo, “that’s, like, an axe too. An axe-sword!” “Can I have a magic wand?” said Sweetie Belle, “I wanna point at stuff and make it go ‘pew pew pew’!” “You are sure to come across finer weaponry on your journey. For now, these will do.” Grimstar patiently reassured the heroes. He pointed ahead, into the dusky gloom of the wood. “Behold, the first enemy on which you will prove your mettle!” There, in a small clearing dimly lit by the thin columns of light coming through the forest canopy, a small, blue-green gelatinous creature awaited them. It gurgled at them menacingly. “That’s it?” Applebloom said skeptically, “A little jelly blob? What’s it gonna do, wiggle at us?” “It is a creature appropriate to your level.” said the wizard. “I kinda feel sorry for it.” said Sweetie Belle, “It doesn’t even have arms. Or… anything else.” “YARRGH!” shouted Scootaloo, ignoring them and charging into the fray. Rushing into the clearing, she stomped the creature under her heavy leather boots, causing it to burst in a spray of blue slime. The others stared at her blankly. “What?” she said, looking back at them, “It was comin’ right at me! You saw it!” “Well, that’s one less a’ those things.” Applebloom said stoically. She turned to Grimstar. “What’s next?” “Next… yes.” said the wizard with an awkward cough, “I sort of thought that would take… longer.” --- “Uh, let’s see…” Twilight flipped frantically through her guides. The fillies eyed her quizzically. “You can’t think of anything, can you?” said Applebloom. Twilight eventually gave up. “No… I guess I can’t.” she sighed, “This is harder than it looks. I guess Spike was right about that.” The girls groaned in disappointment. “Wait,” said Sweetie Belle, an idea occurring to her, “What about Fluttershy?” Fluttershy looked up from her place on the couch. “Me?” she said, startled, “What could I do?” “You tell us bedtime stories all the time,” Sweetie Belle persisted, “I bet you’d be a great Dungeon Master!” “You really think so?” “Go ahead.” said Twilight, getting up and inviting her over, “You can’t be any worse at it than I am.” “O… okay.” said Fluttershy, taking her place behind the DM screen. “I’ll give it a try…”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T22:47:10+00:00

2011-08-17T22:47:10+00:00

Act 2: Fluttershy Gives It a Try After bravely defeating the evil slime monster, the three little heroes continued through the dark, scary forest. They weren’t afraid, though, because they were all so cool and strong, and they knew Grimstar the friendly wizard was there to protect them. “Don’t worry, girls!” he said in his deep manly voice, “I know of someone who lives in this wood and may have need of our assistance!” As they walked, the forest began to open up into a beautiful secret glen, hidden away from the outside world. Wild orchids and lilies grew around their feet, and cute butterflies and hummingbirds drank their sweet nectar. A babbling stream filled with silver fish wound its way through the forest floor and dewdrops glistened on the green leaves of the tall trees. The sun was shining brightly and everything was very pretty. Deep within the folds of the twisting valley, a lone halfling tended to her garden. She sang sweetly to her animal friends, who gathered on the eves of the round wooden door leading to her burrow. She greeted the party as they approached. “Hello, Grimstar!” she said, waving, “What brings you to my glen this morn?” “Good morrow, Gracelove.” he said, “I have brought along some neophytes in need of your instruction.” A neophyte is like a student, but old-timey. “Oh, how wonderful!” she said, “They just might be able to help me with my goblin problem.” "All right, goblins!” said Applebloom. "Lemme at ‘em,” said Scootaloo, “I’ll kick those goblins’ butts!” "No, don’t do that!” said Gracelove, shocked, “These are NICE goblins!” --- Scootaloo made a sour face, glancing at the other girls doubtfully. They looked back at her and shrugged. “What’s the matter?” asked Fluttershy, worried, “Am I doing it wrong?” “No, no, it’s just…” said Applebloom, “I thought we were supposed to fight monsters, not help ‘em.” "I don’t want to tell you what to do, Fluttershy,” Twilight said carefully, “but the book says that goblins are neutral-evil.” “That doesn’t mean they can’t be nice.” said Fluttershy, reproachfully. “Well, actually…” Twilight started. She paused, looking at the pegasus for a moment, then reconsidered. “I… guess it doesn’t.” she said, giving up. “I don’t mind helping the goblins.” said Sweetie Belle encouragingly, “Let’s see how it turns out.” --- Following Gracelove, the party entered the goblin village. The little green creatures shied away from them as they approached, hiding in their mushroom-houses. Only one remained in the open, leaning on his cane as he hobbled up to meet them. He had a scruffy beard and wore a floppy white hat. Gracelove introduced him to the heroes. “This is the Daddy Goblin.” she said, “He’ll tell you what’s wrong.” “Thank the heavens you’re here!” he said in a squeaky little voice, “A big, mean owlbear has been attacking our village and stealing all our berries!” Scootaloo rolled her eyes. Applebloom elbowed her in the ribs. “We’d be happy to help you out, Mr. Goblin.” she said, “Can you tell us where it lives?” The goblin nodded and pointed to a hill nearby. “It lives in a cave up there.” he said, “But be careful! He’s really mean!” They made their way stealthily up the hill. At the top, the owlbear pawed viciously at the ground outside a cave stuffed full of stolen berries. “Now would be a good time to discuss your strategy.” advised Grimstar. “Strategy, schmategy, let’s just hit the dang thing!” said Applebloom, sprinting up the hill, “Eat my plus-one mace, ya goofy-lookin’ critter!” She landed a mighty blow directly to its beak. The owlbear reared back, momentarily stunned. As Applebloom prepared for a second swing, it turned tail and ran off into the woods, yipping with fear. “Yayyy!” said Gracelove, clapping, “You did it! Good job, girls!” --- “This is lame.” said Scootaloo. “Is it? I’m sorry.” Fluttershy said dejectedly, “I’m trying my best…” “No, I don’t mean you’re lame, Fluttershy!” Scootaloo backpedaled desperately, “You just say lame stuff sometimes, and do lame things, and… I’ll stop now.” She wilted under the angry glares of her friends. The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” said Scootaloo, happy to have something to change the subject. She trotted over and opened the door. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity stepped out of the drizzle, taking off their raincoats. Scootaloo called back to her friends. “Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, your sisters are here!” The girls rushed to the door excitedly to greet their siblings. “Hey, sis!” Applebloom said, emerging from a hug, “How were the Wonderbolts?” “They put on a pretty good show!” said Applejack, grinning, “I wasn’t expectin’ much in the rain, but they sure pulled off some impressive moves.” “I told ya,” said Dash, still high on hero worship, “Flying in the wet is totally different from normal flying. It’s like an art form!” “I hope you girls were having fun with Fluttershy and Twilight.” said Rarity, nuzzling her sister. “Uh huh!” said Sweetie Belle, looking up at her, “We don’t have to leave now, do we? We were playing a game!” “Oh?” Rarity raised an eyebrow, “Which game is that?” “It’s a secret!” Sweetie Belle said with a conspiratorial look. “Yeah!” Scootaloo joined in, “Secret, but fun!” Twilight walked up, a sheepish look on her face. “I… sort of let them use our old D&D stuff…” she said, reluctantly. Rarity looked concerned. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” “Come on, sis,” Sweetie Belle pleaded, “we were having so much fun! Applebloom just beat up an owlbear!” “Hmmm,” said Applejack, mulling it over, “I guess it’s okay by me. You kids are smart enough to not go overboard, right?” The girls nodded, putting on their best angelic faces. “Wow, this takes me back.” said Dash, seeing the game set up on the rug. “Who’s DM?” “Um, I am.” Fluttershy said timidly, “But I don’t think I’m doing very well at it.” “Mind if I take over?” said Dash, “I’ve always wanted a go in the captain’s chair.” Fluttershy joined Twilight and Applejack on the couch as Rainbow Dash took her place. The kids sat down in front of her eagerly. Rarity excused herself and headed for the kitchen. “Anyone mind if I make some tea? I need to warm up a little after sitting in that rain all afternoon.” “Yeah, great, whatever.” said Dash, waving her off and turning to the fillies. “Alright, stand back kids. I’m about to rock your faces off!”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T22:50:51+00:00

2011-08-17T22:50:51+00:00

Act 3: The Bloodcrusher Cometh “Are you ready?” said Rainbow Dash, rubbing her hooves together. "I’m ready!” Scootaloo shouted back gleefully. "Are you psyched?” Dash continued. “I’m psyched!” answered Scootaloo. “Are you PUMPED?” “I’m so FREAKIN’ PUMPED!” “ARRRRRGHH!” “AAAAAHHHH!” “Can we just get on with it already?” said Applebloom, annoyed. --- Suddenly, there was a HUGE explosion from deep within the cave, hurling the berries or whatever way out into the air. As the noise died down, they could begin to hear a deep, dramatic rumbling coming from the depths of the dark cavern. It got louder and louder, until finally an awesome flaming motorcycle rocketed out of the cave mouth! Riding it was a massive barbarian warrior, bristling with weapons and spinning a morning-star in the air. He ramped off a rock, flying over the party’s heads in super slow-motion, then turned the bike into a power-slide as he landed, screeching to a stop. “I heard tell,” he said, removing his sunglasses, “that someone has need of Bloodcrusher Killthrust!” “Whoa…” said Scootaloo, her eyes as wide as saucers. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged a look. “How the heck do ya crush blood?” said Applebloom, doubtfully, “It’s a liquid.” “You shouldn’t have a motorcycle in the medieval epoch,” Sweetie Belle astutely noted, “It’s not thematically accurate.” “You’re never gonna stop waving that vocabulary test grade in our faces, are you?” Scootaloo grumbled at her. Sweetie Belle stuck out her tongue. “It’s not my fault that I did better than you.” Killthrust ignored them and dismounted his magically powered and totally period-appropriate vehicle. “I’ve just returned from defeating the fire daemons of the Lower Reaches, but I believe I will require some assistance in my next epic adventure!” “Alright,” said Applebloom, deciding to play along, “what do you want us to do?” Killthrust grinned, crossing his muscular arms. “King, uh… Ronnie… has been kidnapped by ninjas!” he said, pulling out his axe-sword-tar and playing a few power chords, “Are you bad enough dudes to save the King?” “Aw, yeah!” said Scootaloo, pumping her fists in the air. “Sure, that sounds like it could be fun.” Sweetie Belle said diffidently. “Then we will be off!” Killthrust threw down a smoke bomb, enveloping the party in an acrid cloud. When it cleared, they were standing in a desolated, pock-marked plain. Lava pools and rocky spires surrounded them, and peals of thunder ripped through the dark and tumultuous sky. “How did you do that, Killthrust?” said Grimstar, waving the remaining tendrils of smoke from his face, “Barbarians can’t make use of teleportation spells!” “I think you’ll find that barbarians do whatever they please!” Killthrust told the wizard, “Anyway, there’s no time to talk. A dragon is attacking!” Appearing seemingly out of nowhere, a terrible red and black dragon roared ferociously at the party. “For Ponyville!” Scootaloo shouted as she led her friends forward. They charged up to the dragon’s massive fore-foot and attacked it savagely, but their weapons bounced harmlessly off of the scaly hide. It flicked its claw, sending Applebloom flying across the sun-baked clay of the plain. “No fair!” she said after she slid to a stop, “This dragon’s too hard!” “Nonsense,” said Killthrust, “You just have to know how to fight it!” The barbarian leapt at the dragon, landing on its enormous snout and grabbing hold before it could shake him free. Wedging his foot in its horrific maw and gripping its upper jaw in his powerful hands, he levered the beast’s mouth open, his bulging muscles rippling with the effort. He took a glass vial from his belt and uncorked it with his teeth, its contents fizzing violently upon being exposed to air. Finally, he tossed the potion down the dragon’s gullet and jumped away, rolling as he hit the ground. The dragon looked around for a moment, confused, until the potion reacted and exploded it from the inside. A blazing column of fire stood where the dragon once was, as its entrails fell on the party like rain. “Looks like that dragon…” Killthrust said, putting his sunglasses back on, “…wasn’t fireproof!” “Yeah…” Applebloom said uncertainly, wiping guts out of her eyes, “I don’t know how I feel about pretendin’ to kill dragons, since we know one in real life.” “No time for that,” said Killthrust, “this battle has not concluded yet!” He pointed west, where an enormous army of orcs massed. “A whole army?” Scootaloo blanched. “That’s not all!” said Killthrust. East of them, ranks of skeletons chittered to each other as they marched forward in a flanking maneuver. A throng of frost giants advanced from the north, carving through the ground like glaciers. The party attempted to move south, but they were cut off by a horde of giant spiders. Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet cracked open, and hundreds of balrogs emerged! “Stand your ground, warriors!” Killthrust shouted above the din, “Today is a good day to die!” “No it isn’t!” said Sweetie Belle, horrified, “Today is a terrible day to do that!” “That’s quite enough of this foolishness!” said Grimstar. He put his fingers to his lips and whistled, high and loud. A flock of giant eagles appeared from above, swooping down to pick up each of the heroes in turn. They flew off towards the horizon, leaving the monsters below to fight amongst themselves. --- “Is it over?” Fluttershy asked, poking her head out from under the couch cushions. “I’ll say it is.” Twilight said, looking at Dash crossly, “How could you possibly think that was a good encounter for level-one players?” “Yeah, not cool, Dash!” said Scootaloo, narrowing her eyes. A freshly prepared tea service levitated into the room, followed closely by Rarity. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Rarity!” tattled Sweetie Belle, “Rainbow Dash is trying to kill us!” “Seriously, Dash?” Rarity eyed the pegasus sardonically, “I leave for five minutes and you try to kill my sister?” “I was just trying to make it cool…” Dash said, her ego stinging. “Well, it wasn’t!” Applebloom scolded, “It was just a buncha explosions an’ stuff!” She turned to her big sister on the couch, “Why don’t you try it, Applejack? I bet you could show us how it’s done!” “No way, forget it.” said Applejack, firmly, “I’m good at a lot a’ stuff, but I don’t know nothin’ about masterin’ no dungeons.” Applebloom looked disappointed. “How about you, Rarity?” asked Sweetie Belle, hopefully, “You’re the most creative pony I know! Maybe even in all of Equestria!” “Well, I’m not sure about that.” said Rarity, blushing from the compliment. “Though, now that I think about it, there is a scenario I’ve wanted to try out for some time.” Rainbow Dash reluctantly joined the other failed DMs on the couch, Twilight moving to the floor to make room for her. Rarity carefully set the tea service down on the end table and took her place. She cleared her throat, covering her mouth politely, “Ahem…”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-01-27T19:46:32+00:00

2012-01-27T19:46:32+00:00

Act 4: Rarefied Air The eagles soared through the cloudy sky, passing over tall mountains and wide, blue seas. Eventually they came upon a chain of remote islands, isolated from the brutish and uncouth mainland. Grimstar squinted at the edge of a cliff just below a dormant volcano’s rim, making out a tiny light flashing in a distinctive pattern. “Someone is signaling us,” he shouted to his companions through the rushing wind, “We should land here!” They circled the cliff until a suitable landing spot was found. After touching down, Grimstar slid off of his eagle’s back, patting it gently on its beak. He helped Gracelove and the three novices dismount, but Killthrust refused his aid. Instead, the barbarian jumped from his eagle and executed a series of acrobatic flips, landing with a cocky grin. The wizard sighed testily, but said nothing. The party looked around at their new surroundings. The area was well maintained, with a small cobblestone walkway leading up the mountainside from the island below. As the party followed the path upwards, it passed through an elaborate wooden gate and twisted gracefully around a small pond filled with large, golden-scaled fish. It continued on, leading to an elegant, multi-tiered pagoda nestled between two rocky outcrops that jutted from the volcano rim. Its wood was silver with age. Though the structure had obviously been well looked after for most of its existence, at some point it had come into a state of disrepair. The façade had faded badly, and many of the decorative shingles were missing from its roof. The shimenawa (sacred plaited rope) above its door indicated that it was a shrine, or had been at some point. The multitude of omamori (protective paper amulets) and hamaya (evil-destroying arrows) covering its every surface implied that it was haunted. Surrounding the pagoda were dozens of finely carved stone statues of foreign gods. They were scattered throughout a grove of fragrant cherry trees, whose blossoms drifted lazily from their branches and blanketed the ground like fresh snow. “Cooooool…” said Sweetie Belle, “Everything’s all Japanese-y!” "It is quite beautiful.” agreed Grimstar, “Though, I wonder where the person who signaled us could be?" “I suppose that’s my cue.” An elvish archer emerged from behind one of the stone statues holding a silver hand mirror, which she used to flash reflected sunlight at the assembled heroes in the same pattern they had seen before. Her pale features were offset by her dark, straight hair, which was held in a tight bun by a lacquered comb. Her kimono (Asian-style dress) was of the edo komon style, in white with indigo accents forming a repeating chrysanthemum pattern and featuring the triple-diamond mon (emblem) of its wearer. A silver obi (sash) was tied around her waist, a small tanto (blade) tucked discretely into it by the small of her back. Her long flowing sleeves were embroidered with matching silver silk, and trimmed in... "Augh, stop talking about dresses!” shouted Scootaloo. “It’s good to see you again, Darlynn Evansong.” said Gracelove. “What brings you to such a distant and exotic land?” “My services have been engaged by the Shogun,” she explained, “His retainer has mysteriously gone missing of late, and treachery is suspected.” “He should keep it by his bed.” advised Sweetie Belle, “That’s where I keep my retainer.” “How amusing.” said Darlynn, dryly, “Though of course I am referring to a trusted servant, and not a dental health device. But, alas, look at the state of you!” “Oh, don’t worry about it,” said Applebloom, brushing some of the filth from her shoulders, “It’s just dragon guts.” “There is a hot springs nearby,” Darlynn said adamantly, “I insist you refresh yourselves before we continue.” --- “We don’t have to role-play taking a bath, do we?” asked Scootaloo. “No, no,” Rarity reassured her, “We can just skip to afterwards.” --- Feeling cleansed in both mind and body, the party gathered by the edge of the hot springs to discuss the challenges that lie ahead. Darlynn served them matcha (ceremonial green tea) as a purification ritual. “You know,” noted Applebloom, “If you said stuff in English to start with, you wouldn’t have to keep defining everything.” “Are we actually having a tea party?” Killthrust asked, scowling, “Or have I gone mad with boredom?” “It’s a tea ceremony, you uncultured…” Darlynn started. “So tell us, Darlynn,” Grimstar said quickly, “how can we aid you in your mission?” The elf regained her composure. “I have tracked the missing retainer to this location, the Silver Pagoda.” she explained. “There is evidence that he entered the pagoda several months ago, but did not leave. I suspect that he was overwhelmed by obakemono.” She paused, looking at Applebloom, “By which I mean, ghosts.” “Whoa, spooky!” said Scootaloo, impressed. “Indeed,” Darlynn replied, “The shrine is overrun by such creatures. We will need to secure each floor one-by-one. In addition, the doors between each level are locked by fiendish puzzles, which will need to be solved before we advance. Doing so will give us access to the next room, and hopefully, reveal a clue to the fate of the Shogun’s deceitful servant. Before we can begin, however, we must…” Suddenly, a bunch of awesome ninjas jumped out of the trees, attacking the party and ending the stupid tea thing! They were armed with swords and throwing stars and those things that are like two sticks all tied together, and they began a vicious assault on the heroes. Killthrust drew his sword, bravely defending his comrades. “Ambush!” he shouted, “To arms, warriors!” --- “What in Equestria do you think you’re doing?” cried Rarity, yanking the DM screen away from Rainbow Dash. “I’ll tell you what I’m not doing,” Dash retorted, attempting to grab it back, “I’m not sitting around for hours drinking fancy tea and yakking about… stuff!” “Please stop fighting…” said Fluttershy, too quietly to get the dueling DMs’ attentions. The CMC watched the developing argument with interest, their eyes following the DM screen as both ponies tried to claim possession of it. It wasn’t a game, but at least it was entertainment. “I’ve worked too hard on this to let you ruin it!” Rarity continued. “You shoulda worked harder at not making it boring!” Dash snapped back at her. “You had your chance, don’t mess up mine!” “I don’t need to! You were taking forever to go nowhere!” “It’s called setting a scene, you… you barbarian!” “Would you two look at yourselves?” Applejack interjected, “You’re both acting like a couple a’ foals!” “Me?” Rarity said incredulously, “If anyone is acting foalish it’s…” The doorbell rang. Rarity and Dash stopped their struggle, looking at the door in confusion. It rang again, frantically, as if someone were leaning on the button. “Twilight?” said Rarity, concern edging into her voice, “You weren’t expecting more visitors today, were you?” Applejack gulped. “You don’t think it could be… you know…” She made her eyes go askew. Twilight shrugged. “It’s the weekend, so I don’t think she’d be doing her rounds. Still…” The ringing continued unabated. Twilight got up and nervously approached the library’s entrance. Whoever was ringing the bell switched to pounding angrily at the door. Before Twilight could reach it, the door was forced wide open, slamming against the library wall. Lightning crashed in the sky, casting a terrifying silhouette in the doorframe. “You…” it said in a deep, furious voice. It stepped forward into the light, revealing a shaggy mass of pink hair, dripping from the rain. “You... were having a party! Without me!” Pinkie Pie glared angrily at the gathered ponies. “I can tell, you know. My party sense was tingling! Oh, hey, are we gaming again?” Pulling a characteristic emotional one-eighty, Pinkie Pie shook herself off, transferring most of the rainwater to Twilight. Before anyone could object she zipped over to the rug, hip-checking Dash and Rarity out of the way. “I’ve been wanting to try this forever!”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-01-27T20:09:02+00:00

2012-01-27T20:09:02+00:00

Act 5: Pink Thunder Grimstar, Gracelove, and the girls fought off the ninjas, while Darlynn and Killthrust fought with each other. “You foolish oaf!” the elf shouted, “You gave away our position!” The barbarian began a pithy response, but was drowned out by a sudden, strange noise, like a cracking hiss. The ninjas around them all dropped like rag dolls. “What in blazes was that?” said Killthrust, looking fruitlessly for the source of the sound. Grimstar prodded one of their fallen foes. “Arrows…” he said, “But from where…?” Wind rushed around them, stirring up the cherry blossoms into a swirling mass. The source of the wind drifted downwards through the clouds above. At first, all that was visible was a rope ladder with a single figure in a leather aviator jacket hanging from the end. She removed her goggles and pushed aside her bright pink scarf, revealing a familiar face. “Looks like I’m late to the party.” said Zinnadiana, “That’s a first for me!” The auto-crossbow in her hands hissed with released steam. “Hope you don’t mind, but I invited some friends along.” With this the clouds parted, and the gleaming sliver and brass bulk of the bard’s personal airship became visible. The zeppelin was built in a surrealistic art-deco style, covered in complex hatches and mechanical details, the purpose of which were not entirely clear on first viewing. Copper pipes stuck out at odd angles from its gondola, powering six colossal prop engines. Inscribed on its side in large gothic script was the name ‘Pinkitania’. “We get to ride a blimp?” Sweetie Belle said gleefully. “What happened to ‘thematically accurate’?” Scootaloo smirked. “Blimps don’t count.” said Sweetie Belle, not taking her eyes off the airship, “They’re too cool!” Zinnadiana jumped the last few feet to the ground, directing the airship’s pilot to circle around and dock at the cliff. It was surprisingly agile for such a large and cumbersome craft. “What about my mission?” said Darlynn, “The mystery of the Silver Pagoda lies yet unsolved…” “Aw, that silly old pagoda will still be there later!” Zinnadiana said, patting the elf on the back a little too roughly, “You won’t want to miss this. I’m hunting sky-pirates!” “Pirates? I am SO there!” said Scootaloo as she and her friends rushed across the gangplank and into the airship. The other heroes followed, slightly hesitantly. The interior of the ship was, if anything, even more complex than its exterior. Glass and metal tubing ran throughout the cabin, connecting various command stations. These were manned by a group of clockwork men, who moved jerkily about on rails set in the floor. One of them gave an erratic salute, steam whistling from its joints, as they boarded. “Welcome – aboard – Captain – Lyreplucker – and – guests!” it said, mechanically. “At ease, Ensign Clanky,” Zinnadiana said, jauntily returning the robot’s salute. “Turn up the engines to full power, and ready the artillery. Set us a course, Lieutenant Dwarferson!” “Wait, what am I doing here?” said Dwarfy Dwarferson, looking around in confusion. --- “I never said I was playing, Pinkie.” balked Applejack. “Well, I can’t take off without my first mate, can I?” Pinkie Pie said encouragingly. “Yeah, play with us, sis!” said Applebloom. “Okay, fine…” Applejack sighed. --- The Pinkitania took off through the clouds, crossing the sea and heading toward the mainland. “Are the steam-torpedoes fully charged, Commander Dwarferson?” said Zinnadiana. “Uh… sure.” said the dwarf, tapping uncertainly at a gauge, “But aren’t I supposed to be a lieutenant?” “I promoted you, just now!” Zinnadiana turned to the girls. “Applebloom, Scootaloo, I need you to man the fore and aft cannons. Sweetie Belle, you can work the tesla coil!” Not needing any further encouragement, the girls rushed to their stations. “What do you want us to do?” asked Gracelove, nervously. "Just hang on!” the bard replied with a mischievous grin. The airship rocked as a shell exploded near the starboard hull. A fleet of enemy airships broke through the cloud cover below and began their attack. The Pinkitania banked hard as the clockwork crew took evasive action. Zinnadiana took her place as captain and began barking orders. “Battle stations, everyone! It’s my arch-nemesis, Captain Top-hat and his Mechano-Mercenaries!” The girls wasted no time and returned fire. “Pew pew pew! Pew pew pew pew!” Sweetie Belle shouted ecstatically as electricity crackled from the gun barrel she controlled. “Avast, me hearties!” Zinnadiana shouted as she led her crew into the dogfight, “Blast those scurvy dogs out of the sky!” “Wait, are we the pirates now?” asked Applebloom, turning from the cannon’s controls, “That’s cool and all, I just want to…” “Look out!” interrupted Zinnadiana, pointing to a buzzing cloud off the port side, “It’s a swarm of mecha-monkeybees! Rear Admiral Dwarferson, release the heli-bunnies!” “What the heck are…?” started Dwarfy. A hatch opened in the side of the airship, and dozens of rabbits leaped out, wearing flight goggles and carrying harpoon guns. Their helicopter-backpacks buzzed into life as they took off. “Oh. I guess they’re just what they sound like.” said Dwarfy, blinking. The ship pitched wildly as a cannonball ripped through the Pinkitania’s hydrogen tank. Orange flames burst from the side of the craft as it quickly lost altitude and plunged through the clouds, leaving a trail of black smoke in its wake. “Curse you, Captain Top-hat!” Zinnadiana shook her fist at the sky, “I swear, one day your awesome hat will be mine!” --- “FWOOOM! PSHOOOOO! AOOOOGA, AOOOOGA! AAAGGHH, WE’RE GOIN’ DOWN!” Pinkie Pie collapsed in a giggling heap, sending dice and graph paper flying. “That was certainly interesting.” said Twilight, still wringing out her mane. Pinkie sat up, still giggling, “Okay, your turn, Applejack!” “What?” said Applejack in surprise. “She has a point, Applejack.” said Rarity, finally managing to disentangle herself from Dash, “We’ve all had a turn, so you may as well try it.” “Go on, I bet you’ll be great!” Applebloom enthused. “It’s actually pretty fun.” Fluttershy said with a slight blush. “Yeah, do it!” said Pinkie, “You know you wanna!” “Okay, okay, whatever.” Applejack gave in, “If it’ll shut ya’ll up, I’ll do it.”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-09-27T16:25:30+00:00

2011-09-27T16:25:30+00:00

Act 6: Jack of All… Darkness engulfed the heroes. The black void around them yawned away from their feet like a vast, unknowable chasm. Wind rushed past their ears, or perhaps it was only the blood rushing through their veins they could hear in the deathless hush. Had the crash killed them? Was this the afterlife, or some place between worlds? They attempted to speak, but only silence fell from their lips, and only silence answered them. --- “Yeah, I got nothin’.” Applejack said with a shrug. “Wow,” said Dash, “that was pretty disappointing.” “Hey, I only played this goofy game once.” said Applejack, defensively, “What did you expect?” “I know you can do better than that, Applejack!” said Pinkie Pie, “Just think of something cool, then say it. That’s how I do it!” “Okay, just give me a minute.” Applejack huffed, “It’s not like you gave me much to work with. How am I supposed to follow a blimp crash?” The doorbell rang for the third time that evening. “Oh, for crying out loud!” said Twilight as she got up to answer it. “It’s not like I mind having company,” she complained to no one in particular, “but since when did my library become Ponyville’s… social… hub…” She trailed off as she looked through the door’s peephole. “What’s wrong? Who is it?” Rarity said with sudden alarm. Twilight turned around, her face as white as a sheet. She swallowed hard. “Mail’s here…”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T23:04:17+00:00

2011-08-17T23:04:17+00:00

Act 7: The Day of the Derp Panic flooded through the library. “Quick, hide everything!” Dash whispered urgently as she attempted to gather up the gaming paraphernalia on the floor. “There’s no time!” Rarity hissed back, “She’ll think we’re hiding something if we take too long!” The doorbell rang again, underscoring her point. “Everyone stand up and block her view!” said Twilight, “I’ll try to send her off before she sees anything!” “What will Derpy do if she sees all this stuff?” Applebloom asked apprehensively. “We have no idea,” Applejack said as she frantically helped the girls into position, “that’s what we’re worried about.” “Look casual! She can’t know anything’s wrong!” Twilight directed. They tried to strike a nonchalant pose. If anything, it only made them stand out more. Twilight started to tell them so, but a third ring of the doorbell cut her off. She took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m opening the door…” The door swung open. Derpy stood placidly on the stoop, apparently not bothered by the rain. She was wearing her mailbags, and she held a slightly soggy package in her mouth by the twine it was wrapped in. One of her eyes made contact with Twilight, while the other checked out something interesting in the door frame. “Derpy!” Twilight said, trying to keep her voice from betraying her alarm and failing badly, “It’s so nice to see you! And you brought me my new book order, too! Why, I didn’t even know the post office started delivering on weekends!” She gave a shrill laugh, her eyes shifting back and forth. The mailpony smiled with professional pride. Her good eye slid off of Twilight, noticing the odd positions of the ponies behind her. They were unmistakably trying to hide something. Her expression changed to one of confusion. Twilight quickly moved in front of her. “Well, you must have lots and lots of work to get to, so don’t let me keep you here…” Derpy ignored her, curiously leaning sideways in an effort to see behind the other ponies. They leaned with her, trying to keep themselves between her and the game. Rainbow Dash shifted her footing as they did, accidentally bringing her hoof down on an errant d4. “Ow!” she shouted, her leg kicking involuntarily, “Dang it!” The die skittered across the floor and ricocheted off a bookcase. Every eye in the room followed it as it bounced around the library. Eventually it slid to a stop directly in front of Derpy. The room held its breath. Derpy stared at the little plastic pyramid, her face going blank as she recognised it. Slowly, her wayward eye swiveled around, until both of them were focused, laser-like, on the d4. She gently set down the package and shrugged the mailbags from her back, swinging the door shut behind her. She stepped into the library, no one daring to stop her. Without saying a word, she walked over to the DM screen, sat down, and cleared her throat. --- The heroes coughed as their vision returned to them. They were lying on a dusty plain, the smoking wreckage of the Pinkitania some distance behind them. The trails in the dirt behind them indicated that someone had dragged them to safety. "We’re… alive?” said Applebloom in astonishment, looking around. The landscape stretched away to the horizon, filled with rolling mountain ranges and twisting valleys, deep blue lakes and dark jungles. Towers and castles could be made out, faintly, in the distance, and rocky roads and worn paths criss-crossed the countryside. Every nook of the world seemed filled with danger and possibility. Even the jewel-blue sky above them seemed larger, somehow, as if it had needed to expand to reach the edges of the land. A single figure stood before them, facing away. He leaned on a halberd, its point embedded in the soft soil. He wore a wide-brimmed bush hat and a military greatcoat, both faded with age. Perhaps he was an ex-soldier, or perhaps the coat was stolen. He didn’t seem like the type to tell. The adults seemed reluctant to speak, so Sweetie Belle steeled herself and greeted him. “Um, hello…” she said, trying to be friendly, “What’s your name, sir?” “My name?” he said, turning to reveal his face. It was covered with deep lines and scars from past battles. He wore a leather eye patch over one eye, with a single dragon’s tooth stitched into the center. He rubbed his stubbled chin, mulling over Sweetie Belle’s question. “I have lots of names. None of them too well-respected in these parts. Those that bother calling me anything just call me… the Stranger.” “Cool…” said Scootaloo, unable to stop herself. Applebloom couldn’t help but agree. Still, she remained cautious. “If it’s not too much trouble,” she said, “can I ask what you want?” The Stranger considered this, pulling his pole-arm from the ground and resting it casually across his wiry shoulders. “I don’t want for much these days. It’s been some time since I lusted for combat, since I sought glory so greedily.” He looked away, sadly. “A warm meal, a soft place to sleep, that’s all I need, really. You, on the other hand,” he gestured to the girls, “you seem like you could use my help. Nothing sadder than a group of adventurers without an adventure.” “You… you have an adventure for us?” said Applebloom. He nodded. “Sure do. Real important one, too.” He gestured to the canvas bag slung over his shoulder. “I need you… to help me deliver a letter.” “That’s all?” said Scootaloo, trying not to sound disappointed, “Just, like, walk to the post office?” The Stranger grinned. “One does not simply walk to the post office.” He pointed the blade of his halberd at the landscape around them. “The Lich Empire is allied against us, and they will do anything in their power to stop us from delivering our crucial communiqués. In addition, there are many leagues between us and our destination, and many dangers therein. We will need to cross the icy peaks of the Devil’s Spine mountains, the deep chasms of the Death’s Grip Gorge, the orc strongholds of the Western Deserts, and, perhaps most terrifyingly, the black depths of the Soulless Swamp, crawling with blood-thirsty beavers!” “M… maybe we can just go around the swamp.” Sweetie Belle said haltingly, “You know, since those beavers are so terrifying and all.” “Good call.” said the Stranger, nodding in her direction, “Quick thinking like that will do you well on this journey.” He looked to the adults, who were still standing there, dumbfounded by his sudden appearance. “You are all welcome to join us.” he said with something like a hopeful twinkle in his eye, “For old time’s sake?” Grimstar stared a moment longer. Finally coming to a decision, he walked over and extended his hand to the Stranger in a show of brotherhood. “I would like that, old friend. I must admit, I missed our companionship terribly. I feel I owe you an apology.” Killthrust joined the wizard. “Truly, you were the greatest among us.” he said sagely. “He’s right.” said Gracelove, “We never used to fight with each other when you were around.” The others nodded solemnly in agreement. The Stranger waved off the apologies, but accepted Grimstar’s hand. “Let us not dwell on the past. There is much yet to be done.” He took up his halberd and led the party forward. “The road ahead is long and arduous, but we will surely prevail, together.” They headed towards the setting sun, their adventure only just beginning. --- Eventually, the rain slowed to a stop. A few pegasus workers pushed the clouds aside, letting the sun shine through. A warm breeze blew as the sunlight gradually began to dry the damp earth. The door to the library opened, and the CMC rushed out, laughing and full of energy. There were still a few hours of daylight left, and they were determined to make the most of them. Applebloom and Scootaloo found a pair of sticks and used them to duel with each other as they splashed through the puddles. Sweetie Belle chased after them, roaring as ferociously as her little lungs could manage. Derpy exited the library soon after them, picking up her mailbags and continuing her duties. Twilight clicked the door shut behind her. "Did… that actually just happen?” she said, still a little shell-shocked. “I think so.” said Pinkie. She was being unusually quiet. There was a long pause. Rarity eventually spoke up, her voice wavering with uncertainty, “Sh… should we tell the mayor?” “What would we tell her?” Dash said with a shrug, “I mean, all we did was play a game, right?” “A really fun game.” Fluttershy added, breathlessly, “I guess we should still do something, though.” “The smart thing to do,” said Applejack, a little reluctantly, “would be to put all this stuff away and never talk about it again.” There was another pause as they looked down at the game. “We’re not going to do that, are we?” said Fluttershy. It was more a statement than a question. They went quiet again. Twilight broke the silence. “I… kind of want to see what’s inside that Silver Pagoda.” The floodgates broken, Rarity enthusiastically picked up the DM screen again. “Is it okay if I work in the Pinkitania?” she said, “I actually really liked that part.” “Do you think Derpy would mind if I played her character?” Dash said, joining in, “Like, just for a few rounds?” “I think Killthrust is pretty cool, too.” said Applejack, abandoning all pretenses of responsibility, “Maybe you could blow up another dragon?” “Dash blew up a dragon!?” Pinkie Pie gasped, “See, this is why you guys can’t start this stuff without me!” Twilight and her friends laughed and chatted excitedly, gathering around the rug again. There were still a few hours of daylight left, and they were determined to make the most of them. --- The Stranger hefted his mailbags as he left the library. The young heroes ran through the streets before him, playing cheerfully. He smiled. He knew that he may never earn the forgiveness of those he had wronged in the past. He also knew, more than most, that redemption was a less a destination to reach than a road to travel. Perhaps, he thought, making those children happy had put him a few steps further along that road. He shook his head, clearing his mind to focus on the task before him. He had a job to do. He had to deliver the message. And the message always got through.

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2011-08-17T23:06:31+00:00

2011-08-17T23:06:31+00:00

Epilogue: Official Business “As you enter the Catacombs, the stench of death surrounds you. Screams echo through the stone halls, and a feeling of foreboding permeates your very soul. The dark passage twists away ahead of your party, splitting into three paths, each more horrible than the last. What do you do?” “Uh… I don’t know.” Spike hung his head in his hands. “Come on Luna, we’ve been over this.” “I’m sorry, Spike.” said the princess, shrugging her shoulders, “I just don’t understand this strange game, I suppose.” Light flooded through the castle’s basement as Celestia stuck her head through the door. “Is everybody having fun?” she said in a peppy tone that was starting to irritate Spike. “We’re fine!” he shouted back testily. “Are you thirsty?” the older princess persisted, “Should I make some orange drink?” “No, thank you! We’re good!” he said, drumming his fingers on the old table. “Okay, I’ll be upstairs if you need me!” she said, closing the door behind her. “Alright,” Spike said, getting back to business, “Now, the party encounters…” “My magnificent character casts Shadow Walk!” a blue unicorn butt in. Spike cringed, “Trixie, for the last time, you can’t cast anything above fourth level.” Trixie scoffed. “Nonsense! The Great and Powerful…” "I don’t care how great and powerful you think you are,” Spike cut her off, “your character is only level four, so you can’t Shadow Walk!” “This is lame. You’re lame, Spike.” said a gruff voice. “Don’t you start with me again, Gilda.” Spike turned on the griffin, narrowing his eyes. She snorted at him derisively. “I’m just saying I could run this dorky game way better than you.” “What, you want a turn as DM? Shall we each have a go, perhaps?” said Spike with mock politeness, then brought his fist down on the table, rattling his collection of miniatures, “No way. This is my campaign, we’re doing it my way.” He felt a hoof tap him on his shoulder. “Can Snails re-roll his character?” asked Snips, “He doesn’t wanna be a elf anymore.” "Yeah!” said Snails, “I want to be a half-elf, eh?” “I actually wouldn’t mind having some orange drink.” said Bon Bon, apropos of nothing. Spike slumped in his seat. “You guys suck.” he said glumly, “I miss playing with Derpy.” Lyra raised an eyebrow. “Who the heck is Derpy?”

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-07-20T21:47:26+00:00

2012-07-20T21:47:26+00:00

Ponies Play D&D Part 3: Applejack and Pinkie Pie’s Excellent Adventure -No, wait, that’s terrible. How about- Episode 3: Return of the Poni -No good, I used that one last time- Well, It Fits Better For This One -You think I don’t know that?- What Do You Want From Me? I’m Just a Title -This is getting irritatingly meta. Let’s just go with- Here’s Some More Nerd Ponies “Come on, Spike! How long is this gonna take?” “Hey, it’ll be done when it’s done, alright?” Applejack narrowed her eyes. “It’s been months. How much time does it take to come up with a new campaign?” “Look, do you want it done quick, or do you want it done right?” the little dragon huffed. He was surrounded on all sides by his guides and miniatures, covering what was usually Twilight’s writing desk. Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie craned their necks to get a look at his notes, but he snatched them up before they could see anything. “Hey, no peeking!” “He’s always like this before a new campaign.” said Pinkie, pretending she hadn’t just been looking, “Spike’s a super perfectionist DM.” “That’s right!” said Spike with a cocky grin, “You can’t rush perfection.” “Yeah, sure.” Applejack snorted, “So what the heck am I supposed to do ‘til then? Now that the harvest is in storage I’ve got nothin’ to do ‘til Winter Wrap Up.” “I’ve got a lot of free time, too.” said Fluttershy, “The cottage has been awfully quiet since all the little bunnies and everything started their hibernation.” “And Sugarcube Corner’s kitchen is being rebuilt!” said Pinkie, “After that explosion that I had nothing to do with.” “Well, tough cookies, sister.” said Spike, “I’m not rolling this out until it’s good and done. You’re gonna love it, too! I had to adapt the rules from six different games to be able to do everything I wanted, and now I’m customizing each of the areas for your characters.” Applejack pulled a sour face. “Does that mean I’m stuck playing Dwarfy again?” “Whats wrong with Dwarfy?” said Pinkie, “You don’t like Dwarfy? I love Dwarfy!” Applejack shrugged. “Ehhh, I’m gettin’ kinda sick of playing a generic dwarf fighter when there are so many cool races and classes I haven’t even tried yet. I wanna experiment a little. Maybe try something crazy and different, like a treant.” “I’d like to be a treant.” said Fluttershy. “No, no! What? No!” Spike said, getting flustered, “I’ll have to start all over if you make new characters!” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well, fine. But I at least want to take a prestige class or multiclass or something. Dwarfy’s a long way off from bein’ optimized.” “Aw, listen to you!” said Pinkie, chucking Applejack playfully on her shoulder, “A few months ago you were all, ‘Ah ain’t unner-stan’ this here dang ol’ game’, and now here you are, min-maxing like a champ!” Applejack grinned sheepishly. “Heh, yeah. Guess I’ve gone native, huh?” Spike rubbed his temples irritably. “You know, I’m not gonna finish this any faster if you all keep standing around and yakking in my ear.” “Okay, okay, we get the message.” sighed Applejack, “Come on, guys. I’ve got an idea.” As they all turned to leave, the door to the library’s study clicked open and Twilight popped her head out. Her hair was frazzled, and there were dark circles under her eyes. “Hey, Pinkie, can I talk to you for a minute?” she said, stifling a yawn. “Oh! We were just...” Pinkie started. “It’s okay, go on ahead.” said Applejack, “We can meet up back at the barn later.” She turned back to Fluttershy, “So anyway, Fluttershy, I’ve been meanin’ to ask you somethin’ about chipmunks.” “Oh, I know everything about chipmunks!” she said, following her out the door. Pinkie squinted in the dim light of the study as she entered. Books and scrolls were stacked high around the room, even more so than usual. The only source of light came from several candles surrounding a desk in the corner. Pinned to the wall above it were a series of complicated diagrams Pinkie couldn’t even begin to understand. “Wowsers,” she said, “Looks like you’ve been hitting the books pretty hard. So this is what you’ve been up to for the last few weeks!” “Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry I’ve been so distant lately.” said Twilight distractedly, sitting down at the desk, “I’ve been pretty busy working on a new spell.” “Cool-cool-COOL!” shouted Pinkie, doing an energetic little dance in place, “What’s it do? Does it turn ponies into things, or blow things up, or make sparkles shoot out of things? Go on, tell-me-tell-me-tell-me!” Twilight smiled wearily. “Nothing so dramatic. Not all spells can be sparkles and explosions.” She yawned again as she shuffled through her notes. “It’s a new method of magically assisted psychological analysis. It could be a boon to the mental health field. That is,” she grumbled, “If I can get it to work, of course.” Pinkie stopped dancing and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “Psychological? Like, for helping crazy ponies?” “Ideally, yes.” Twilight said, chuckling slightly. Pinkie looked at the piles of books and notes around the room, then back at Twilight. Her voice was suddenly serious. “This... this is for her, isn’t it?” Twilight nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. “Yeah... yeah, it’s for her.” “I thought she was getting better?” Pinkie said with concern, “She seemed okay the last time we saw her, didn’t she?” “She’s not violent anymore, if that’s what you mean.” said Twilight, “But every time I talk to her, she seems so... lost. Half the time I don’t know if I’m talking to her or the Stranger.” She sniffed, tears beginning to bead in the corners of her eyes. “Hey,” said Pinkie, putting a comforting hoof on her shoulder, “It’s not your fault.” “I was the one who introduced her to the game.” “None of us had any idea she’d react like that, Twilight.” Pinkie persisted, “You can’t blame yourself.” Twilight blinked away her tears. “It’s not about blame, it’s about responsibility.” she said, managing to summon up a steely resolve, “I’m going to fix this. I swear it.” “Okay, if you say so.” said Pinkie, “Is there anything I can do to help?” “That’s kind of the reason I asked you in here.” said Twilight, “Have you noticed how Applejack’s been acting lately?” “What, Applejack?” said Pinkie, sightly taken aback, “What do you mean? I guess she’s a little grumpier than usual, but she always gets like that when the harvest season is over. Unless...” Pinkie cocked her head at Twilight. “Hold on... you don’t think... I mean, this is Applejack we’re talking about, here.” “I’m not saying she’s turning into... you know.” said Twilight, “I’m just concerned, is all. You heard her talking earlier. She’s getting much deeper into the game than the rest of us ever have. I mean, multiclassing?” she gave an exasperated sigh, “There’s no going back once you start with that.” “So, you want me to keep an eye on her? Keep her from going crazy?” “I, uh...” Twilight blinked at her. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds like a bad idea.” “No-no-no, it’s a GREAT idea!” said Pinkie, the bounce returning to her step, “It’s like a mission! A quest! The quest to save Applejack’s marbles!” “Just let me know if she starts acting strangely.” said Twilight, “And try to keep her from playing the game, if you can.” “Aye-aye, captain!” said Pinkie with a plucky salute, “You can count on me!” Twilight watched her as she bounced out of the study, a mare on a mission. Act 1: Mac and Me Sweet Apple Acres stood calm and still in the crisp late-autumn air. The trees’ branches rattled skeletally in the breeze, their fruit long since picked and their leaves mostly fallen. A farm is never truly at rest; there’s always work to be done somewhere. Still, it was a stark difference from the hustle and bustle of only a few weeks ago, when the last harvest of the year was in full swing. Now, the farm was eerily quiet, giving the impression that it was girding itself for the long winter to come. Pinkie Pie bounced her way along the rough dirt road leading to the barn, a bright splotch of color against the muted browns and grays of the landscape. The barn door creaked open as she approached and Applejack waved to her from the door frame. “There you are! We’ve been waitin’ for you.” she said, letting her inside, “What was it Twi’ wanted to talk about?” “Magic!” Pinkie blurted out, “Just... magic stuff. You know, ‘cause that’s what she does, right?” “Studyin’ again, huh? Figures.” said Applejack, shaking her head bemusedly, “Sometimes I worry about that girl.” Inside the barn barrels of apples were stacked to the ceiling, meticulously organised by cultivar. Despite how full the barn was packed it represented only a fraction of the total crop. Most of the harvest were sealed up airtight and sunk into the lake for long-term storage, where the cold and lack of air would keep them as fresh as the day they were picked well into spring. Applejack lead her friend through the maze-like columns of barrels. “Come on, we’re set up over here.” she said. “Set up?” “Yeah, the game, remember?” Applejack said with a lopsided grin. Pinkie thought fast. “Hey, uh, don’t you want to do something else? Like, uhh...” she drew a blank, “...stuff?” After mentally kicking herself, she tried harder, looking for any excuse. “I thought Spike wasn’t finished with his campaign? We don’t have a DM.” “Sure we do.” Applejack said confidently, “I called in a favor.” They rounded a stack of barrels, coming on an open space lit by an old kerosene lantern. A rough circle of hay bails were arranged around a large wooden spool, tipped on its side and serving as a makeshift table. Fluttershy and Big Macintosh were already seated and waiting for them. “Nice, eh?” said Applejack, “It’s a mite chilly in here, but we’ve got some hot cider and plenty of apples to snack on. And the hay, if you get sick of apples. ‘Course, then you gotta choose between food and furniture.” “Big Macintosh?” said Pinkie, “I didn’t know you were into Dungeons and Dragons.” “Uh...” he started. “He ain’t, normally.” Applejack cut him off, “But he owes me one. Right, big bro?” “Whatever you say, sis.” the big stallion drawled, “But I still don’t get why you need me. I never even played this game before. Wouldn’ one a’ ya’ll make a better dragon-master?” “I told you,” Applejack said testily, “Me and Fluttershy don’t feel like it. Spike’s great and all, but he can’t improvise worth diddly squat. And Pinkie Pie’s games always end up blowin’ us all to kingdom come.” “That’s my style!” Pinkie said proudly, “Gotta end with a bang!” “I, uh, don’t think that phrase means what you think it means.” said Fluttershy. “So anyway, you’re the best we got.” continued Applejack, “Just do it like I told you, and you’ll do fine.” “Okay,” said Big Macintosh with a resigned sigh, “Here goes nothin’, I guess.” --- Zinnadiana Lyreplucker the twenty-seventh leaned back in her chair, sipping her ale. The tavern around her buzzed with life. It was the kind of dive bar that adventurers always preferred: cheap liquor, an inexplicably large number of weapons available for purchase behind the counter, and a high tolerance for bar brawls. Seedy-looking characters of all shapes and sizes were packed into every corner of the room, talking, drinking, playing cards, and doing their best to project an air of menace. “I don’t like places like this, Zinny.” said her companion. “I guess it’s a little clichéd,” said the bard, “But we’ve gotta start somewhere. They gave you a booster seat, right?” “That’s not what I mean.” said Gracelove Silentall, halfling cleric. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “A member of the Order of the Silver Star shouldn't be seen in a house of such ill repute.” “Pssh. Clerics.” said Zinnadiana dismissively, “Try and show ‘em a good time, and all they do is complain. Where’s our third, by the way? We ought to get ourselves equipped if we plan on seeing some action.” “I haven’t seen...” There was a crash as the doors to the tavern flew open, and a man clad in leather armor with a dark green hood stepped through. All eyes turned to watch him as he strode boldly up to the bar and rapped forcefully on the counter top get the bartender's attention. He lowered his hood, revealing an unruly shock of red hair and a pointed beard. “Greetings, barkeep! My name is Marcus Ealdræd.” he said, flashing a devil-may-care grin, “I require a pint of ale and a shank of mutton, and I’d like to take a look at your selection of scimitars.” --- “Aw, you’re not playing Dwarfy?” said Pinkie, looking crestfallen. “Nah, it’s like I said earlier.” said Applejack, “I want to try out some of the other races and classes. Marcus is a ranger I built around duel-wielding melee combat. He’s a human, too. Gotta love that bonus feat.” “How did you say that last name, again?” asked Fluttershy. “Like ‘all-dread’. Cool, huh?” grinned Applejack. “Oh, is that how you pronounce that little squashed-together a and e?” said Pinkie, squinting at the character sheet. “Beats me.” Applejack shrugged, “Just thought it looked cool. You guys sure you don’t want to make new characters too? We don’t exactly have a balanced party, here.” “No way!” said Pinkie firmly, “Every party could use a bard.” “Yeah, but a bard and a cleric?” said Applejack, “That’s a little defense-heavy. Anyway, I figured Fluttershy was more the type to play a druid.” “Oh, I thought about it.” said Fluttershy, “But Spike likes to use a lot of undead monsters, so I went with a cleric. The Order of the Silver Star is dedicated to the eradication of necrotic creatures.” “Necrotic creatures, eh?” said Applejack, tapping her chin with her hoof thoughtfully, “Hey, there’s an idea! Big Macintosh, try to work in some undead stuff.” She bent over her character sheet, scribbling some notes. “I can get a truckload a’ bonuses if I pick that as my favored enemy.” “Uh, sure,” said Big Macintosh, struggling to keep up with their conversation, “Let’s say there’s a haunted castle, or something, just west a’...” “Whoa whoa whoa whoa, what are you doing?” Applejack cut him off, “You can’t just tell us where it is. I told you, no railroading!” Big Macintosh blinked at her. “So, how’ll ya’ll know where to go if I can’t tell you?” “That’s a knowledge skill check, duh!” said Applejack, rolling her eyes. She pulled out her DM’s guide, flipping to the appropriate entry. “See? I put a buncha’ skill points into Knowledge (streetwise), and darn it, I’m gonna use ‘em!” “So let me get this straight,” Big Macintosh said dubiously, “If I just tell you, it’s ‘railroading’, but if we roll some dice and THEN I tell you, it’s fine?” “Exactly.” Applejack said brightly, “See, I told ya you’d get the hang of it!” --- “Word on the street says there’s a haunted castle just west of here.” said Marcus, sitting down at the table, “You want in?” “Sounds like a blast!” said Zinnadiana. “It would be my pleasure, Mr. Ealdræd.” said Gracelove, demurely. “Super!” said the ranger, clapping his hands together, “Need to pick up any weapons, or are you good?” In response, Zinnadiana plucked a few discordant notes on her lute, causing a bayonet to slide out of the instrument's neck with a barely audible hiss. She grinned at him. “Plus, I’ve always got my trusty steam-crossbow.” “Cool, cool.” nodded the ranger, “How about you, Gracelove?” “I have no need of earthly weapons.” said the diminutive cleric, “My faith will protect me.” “Suit yourself.” said Marcus, “I’ll get us some field rations and torches before we leave.” “Make sure you get a ten-foot pole, too.” said Zinnadiana, “We might need to poke some stuff.” --- “All right, that’s enough hanging out in the tavern,” said Applejack impatiently, “Lets pick up the pace, here.” “Hey, go easy on the big guy.” said Pinkie, “This is his first time as DM.”’ “I think he’s doing really well, actually.” said Fluttershy. She smiled encouragingly at him. “He’s doing... fine.” said Applejack, giving her brother a doubtful look, “I guess he’s got the right motivation. Right, bro?” “Hey, uh, let’s just move on, huh?” Big Macintosh said quickly. He smiled stiffly, his eyes shifting back and forth. Pinkie exchanged a look with Fluttershy. She shrugged back at her, but remained silent. The red stallion cleared his throat. “So, anyway, the castle’s big and scary, and it’s got bats flyin’ around it an’ stuff. The front doors open into a long hallway...” --- The hallway stretched out before the party. The walls were made of smooth gray stone, dimly lit by a few ancient, dripping candle holders and decorated with a series of faded portraits. They move forward cautiously, brushing cobwebs out of their way. “Nice place.” said Marcus, looking around, “Bit of a fixer-upper.” “Wait,” said Gracelove, halting their progress, “What’s that up ahead?” Marcus squinted in the hazy gloom of the corridor. There was indeed something ahead, standing in the intersection of two hallways. The creature looked like a large cat, but very thin, almost emaciated. It was dark blue, bordering on black, and two strange, snake-like appendages slithered at its shoulders. Grooming itself casually with one of its six paws, it seemed to pay the adventurers no heed. “Aw, sweet, displacer beast!” said Marcus, gleefully unsheathing his scimitars. “Hold up,” said Zinnadiana anxiously, “I’ve never seen them act like this. Aren’t they usually the type to sneak up on you?” “Nah, we got the drop on ‘im.” Marcus flashed his trademark grin, “My stealth score’s though the roof.” “Zinny’s right.” said Gracelove, “We should exercise caution.” “You’re over-thinking it.” said Marcus, “Just get your buffs and heals ready, and I’ll make with the choppity-chop.” The ranger crept along the stone corridor, his footfalls barely making a sound. The displacer beast faced away from him, appearing oblivious to his approach. Gracelove and Zinnadiana held their breath. When he was finally within range he leaped forward, spinning his scimitars savagely. “Eat it, squid-kitty!” The image of the displacer beast shimmered and disappeared as the blades passed through it, slipping out of his hands and clattering uselessly on the flagstone floor. Marcus froze in place, feeling hot breath on his neck. He slowly turned his head, coming face to face with a wall of needle-like teeth. “Clever girl...” A tentacle shot out, wrapping itself around the ranger’s torso and lifting him into the air. “Marcus!” shouted Zinnadiana, rushing forward to aid her comrade. “It’s okay, I’ve got this under... oomph!” he was cut off as the beast slammed him into the stone wall, “...Okay, maybe I could use some help.” he admitted, wheezing. “I’m on it!” shouted Zinnadiana. She launched a volley of bolts from her auto-crossbow. The beast’s free tentacle lashed out, flicking them out of the air effortlessly. Dropping her crossbow, the bard dove into the fray with her lute’s bayonet drawn. She played a stirring tune as she charged, sliding up the frets in a rapid glissando. The blade began to glow with arcane energy. The beast tossed Marcus back down the corridor over Zinnadiana’s head, bringing both of its tentacles to bear on the new threat. The ranger landed hard behind her on the cold stone floor, the air knocked out of his lungs. Zinnadiana didn’t waste the brief opportunity, ducking under the tentacle and jabbing her blade deeply into the creature’s side. The magical energy discharged, crackling across its flesh as it roared with pain. Rearing back on its hind legs, it brought its powerful claws down on the bard, knocking her to the ground. It staggered backwards momentarily, wrapping a tentacle around the lute still impaled in its side. Wincing, it gingerly pulled the blade out of the wound. It turned back to face the party, tightening its grip on the instrument and crushing it with a sad series of twanging noises. A deep growl rumbled in its throat. Marcus lifted his head, his vision returning to him. Across the hallway, he could see Zinnadiana sprawled out on the floor, still stunned from the earlier attack. Just beyond her, the displacer beast advanced on the tiny, unarmed cleric, its form shimmering and shifting like a mirage. “Gracelove!” he shouted, “Hold on, I’m coming!” He hauled himself to his feet, rushing forward. Suddenly, he felt his stomach lurch as the floor dropped out from under him. He fell headlong into an empty shaft, far too deep to see the bottom. Thinking fast, he pulled a dagger from his belt and jammed it into a crack between the stones of the wall, arresting his fall several yards below the trapdoor. He pulled out a second dagger and began to slowly pull himself back up the shaft, using the blades as improvised pitons. It was an agonizingly slow way to climb. “Dang it!” he shouted, inching his way up bit by bit, “Should have... put more... points... into... Climb!” Sounds of the battle above echoed indistinctly against the walls around him as he made his way upwards. His panic only worsened when the sounds went suddenly quiet. “Gracelove? Gracelove, speak to me!” he shouted, straining his aching muscles in an effort to climb faster. As he neared the top, a small silhouette moved into view above him, offering a tiny hand to help pull him up. “Thank the Gods, you’re okay!” he said, accepting her hand and cresting the ledge of the pit, “What happened? Where’s the displacer beast?” “Oh, I took care of him.” she said with a sly smile. “How could you possibly...” he started, then noticed a wobbly green form just behind the cleric. “Gah! Cube!” he shrieked, stumbling backwards and almost falling into the pit again. “Don’t worry, Mr. Jiggly’s friendly!” said Gracelove, “I summoned him to eat the displacer beast. Their illusions don’t work on gelatinous cubes. See? No eyeballs.” On closer inspection, Marcus could make out a vague shape slowly churning within the cube’s squelching mass. He stared at it disbelievingly. “So, you actually trained this thing?” he said, “I thought they only had the intelligence of an amoeba.” “Yes, but Mr. Jiggly is extra smart.” she said with motherly pride, “Aren’tcha, boy? You’re so smart! Yes you are! Yes you are! Who’s a good cube? You want a Jiggly Snack?” The cube quivered in what could generously be described as anticipation. “Okay, here you go, boy!” She reached into her bag, pulling out a screaming zombie head, which she tossed to the cube. It sunk into the goo and began to dissolve. Marcus looked away, feeling slightly ill. “Hey, where’s Zinnadiana?” he said with sudden concern. “I’m over here.” said a sad voice from down the hall. Zinnadiana was standing bent over the crushed remains of her instrument. “I’m fine, but the dang thing jacked up my lute.” “Oh, Zinny,” said Gracelove mournfully, “I’m so sorry.” “Ah, it’s okay.” the bard shrugged, “I still have my travel harpsichord.” --- “All right, what the heck was that all about?” said Applejack angrily. Big Macintosh swallowed nervously under her glare. “What’s the matter, AJ?” said Pinkie, “That was a great encounter! Didn’t you like the displacer beast?” “The displacer beast was awesome, I’m not talking about that.” said Applejack curtly, “I’m talking about that trapdoor. It’s awful convenient that it just happened to go off when it did. How many times did we pass over that spot?” “Ya’ll kept jumpin’ over it!” said Big Macintosh, starting to sweat, “And Fluttershy was too light to set it off.” “I trust Big Macintosh.” said Fluttershy, trying to defuse the situation, “I’m sure he’s playing by the rules.” “He’d better be.” said Applejack, still glaring at her brother, “We wouldn’t want somepony to say something unfortunate, would we?” “What do you mean by that?” said Pinkie, raising an eyebrow. “Nothin’!” said Big Macintosh, “She means nothin’!” “And besides,” continued Applejack, “We still haven’t seen any undead yet. I burned my favored enemy for that, and for what? And we could use some character motivation, here. Your story line's a joke! So far we’ve just been wandering around a deserted castle like morons. I mean, who’s castle is this suppose’ to be, anyway? Who are we fightin’ against?” Big Macintosh snorted, starting to get annoyed. “She’s an evil vampire queen, and she’s holdin’ all the innocent farmers hostage!” He blurted out, realizing what he was saying too late to stop himself. He fell silent, looking at his sister nervously. Across the table, Pinkie Pie stifled a giggle. “That’s...” said Applejack, blinking, “...actually pretty good. You just come up with that off the top a’ your head?” Big Macintosh coughed. “Sudden flash a’ inspiration, I guess.” “Well, all right then.” said Applejack, rubbing her hooves together, “Let’s go kick her butt!” --- The heavy wooden doors creaked ominously as the heroes pushed them open. They entered a cavernous room, devoid of windows and filled with a thick, oily mist. Twin staircases curved elegantly at either side of the room, mirroring each other and meeting at a balcony overlooking an ostentatious ballroom floor. At the center of the balcony was a raised platform, on which rested an elaborately decorated coffin. “Okay, here’s the plan.” said Marcus, “Me and Gracelove’ll watch your back, and you shank her with what’s left of your lute.” Zinnadiana looked uncertainly at the sharp shard of wood that used to be her lute’s neck. It did seem to make a decent stake. “You sure you just want to stab her while she’s sleeping?” she asked, “That doesn’t seem sporting.” “Hey, XP is XP.” he shrugged, “Besides, I don’t want to get caught off-guard like last time. Who knows what kind of minions she has waiting for us?” “I’ll have Mr. Jiggly patrol the lower level.” said Gracelove, “That way, each of us can keep an eye on a stairway.” “Good idea,” said Marcus, “I think that covers all our bases. Let’s do it.” Zinnadiana inched toward the coffin, the stake raised above her head. She glanced back at each of her allies, who gave her a nod when they were in position. She took a deep breath, then slowly lifted the lid. She paused a moment, staring into it. “Aw, crap.” “What?” said Marcus, “What’s wrong?” “The coffin,” she said blankly, “It’s empty.” Cackling laughter reverberated through the room, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. The mist around them swirled and coalesced, forming into the shape of a woman floating over their heads. The vampire had long, tangled white hair and a gaunt, feral face, and it wore flowing black robes. It grinned devilishly, showing off its sharp fangs. “BLAH!” it shouted, “I’m the Vampire Queen Apel’Jek, and I suuuuuuuuuck!” It flew around them mockingly. “Also, I’m ugly and my face looks like a butt!” --- Pinkie Pie erupted in a bubbling fit of laughter. She doubled over, clutching her sides with tears streaming down her face. Fluttershy suppressed a giggle of her own, looking nervously between Big Macintosh and Applejack. Applejack glared at her brother. “Oh, har har.” she said, “Real freakin’ mature.” “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about sis.” said Big Macintosh, trying to keep his lips from curling into a grin. “Come on AJ, that was funny!” said Pinkie, still snorting uncontrollably. “It was childish, is what it was.” said Applejack. She paused, a sadistic smile flashing across her face. She looked her brother dead in the eye. “Just like when Big Macintosh used to borrow my dolls to play ‘mommy’.” Big Macintosh exploded with rage. “You TOLD! You SWORE you wouldn’ tell!” He launched himself over the table, barreling into his sister and tackling her to the ground. “Bring it on, bro!” said Applejack, maneuvering into a headlock, “Wouldn’t be the first time I kicked your tail!” They rolled across the barn’s floor, kicking up a cloud of dust as they wrestled. Although Big Macintosh had a definite size advantage, the two were fairly evenly matched. Years of sibling rivalry gave Applejack the experience to be able to hold her own against her older brother. Pinkie looked at them for moment. She turned to Fluttershy. “So, this is all kinds of awkward, huh?” she said conversationally, “What was it you were saying about chipmunks earlier?” “Shouldn’t we stop them?” said Fluttershy. She watched anxiously as the brawling siblings bumped into a barrel, knocking it over and spilling its contents across the floor. “Nah, they’re fine.” she said casually, “All brothers and sisters get into a scrap like this every now and then. Trust me, I grew up with two sisters myself.” She bent down to pick up one of the apples that had rolled near her. “All right, fuji's! Score!” “Oh, well, okay, I guess...” said Fluttershy reluctantly. She furrowed her brow as a thought occurred to her. “Wait, all brothers and sisters? You mean, even little Applebloom...?” “Especially little Applebloom.” said Pinkie, “I’ll bet she’s a biter, too. The youngest ones are always biters.” She crunched on her apple. The siblings rolled to a stop, running out of steam. They each shakily stood up again, dusty, a little bruised, but none too worse for wear. Applejack looked around for her hat, her chest still heaving. “Okay... huff...” she panted, “You... huff... got that... huff... outta your... huff... system.” She found her hat and slapped it back into place, managing to catch her breath. “You wanna get back to the game?” “You’re kidding!” said Big Macintosh, “I did everything you asked me to, but you still told! Deal’s off!” “Listen,” said Applejack, digging in her heels, “You and I both know you got nothin’ to do for the rest of the day. Unless some work just falls outta the sky, neither of us is goin’ nowhere.” Fluttershy’s ears perked up. “Oh! I, uh, just remembered!” she said suddenly. All eyes turned to look at her. Her instincts told her to hide, but she soldiered on. “Big Macintosh, ah, agreed to help me with my animals.” she said, her eyes shifting nervously, “One of them is, um, sleeping in the wrong place.” Applejack looked at her skeptically. “Ain’t that somethin’ you could handle on your own?” “It’s, uh, a bear.” she said, thinking quickly, “Aaaaand he’s really heavy, so he, uh, agreed to help me move him?” Her voice raised into an almost plaintive squeak. Applejack looked doubtful. “Hold on,” said Pinkie thoughtfully, “Are you talking about Harry the bear? The one you were house-sitting for that one time?” “Y...yes!” said Fluttershy, “That’s him all right! Good ol’... Harry!” She laughed in what she hoped was a casual and disarming way. Applejack glanced between her and her brother, who was putting on his best poker face. “Well...” she said eventually, “I wouldn’t want to get between you and your work...” Over her shoulder, Big Macintosh shot Fluttershy a silent, desperate ‘thank you’. “I guess you’re off the hook this time, big bro.” The stallion and the pegasus got up to leave. Pinkie called after them on their way out. “Hey, Fluttershy!” she said, “You know, you really need to introduce me to Harry sometime.” “Y... yeah...” said Fluttershy, a rictus grin plastered across her face, “I s...sure do! Well, we’ll, uh, s...see you both later!” The two made their exit quickly, before things could get more complicated. Applejack snorted, kicking up some dust with her hooves. “Well, that was a wash.” she sulked. “It wasn’t all that bad.” said Pinkie, “We still had some fun, right?” “Yeah, but we didn’t get to finish!” Applejack huffed. “And now we’re down a DM and a third player.” “Maybe we could do something else.” said Pinkie, remembering her mission. She scrunched up her face in thought. “Why don’t we check up on your sister? Isn’t she hanging out with her friends at the clubhouse today?” “I dunno,” said Applejack doubtfully, “Are we already desperate enough to start playing with little kids?” Pinkie rolled her eyes. “I meant we should just try hanging out with them.” she said, “You know, your beloved little sister? Maybe have a heartwarming family moment?” She paused, trying to think of a more compelling reason. “Um... I think Rarity’s keeping an eye on them. It’d be nice to see her, right?” “Hey, yeah!” said Applejack, her face lighting up, “Rarity’s a great DM! Good idea, Pinkie!” “But... but I didn’t...” Pinkie started, but Applejack was already on her way to the door. She slumped her shoulders in defeat. “Aw, man... This quest is gonna be harder than I thought...” Next: Act 2: The Children’s Crusade

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-07-26T14:47:31+00:00

2012-07-26T14:47:31+00:00

Act 2: The Children's Crusade “Quest log, day two!” Pinkie narrated quietly to herself as she crunched through the leaves, just behind Applejack. It had actually been less than an hour since she’d started, but she wasn’t sweating the details. “Subject ‘Applejack’ is showing signs of dementia roleplayicus, AKA ‘going bug-nutty in the melon’. Patient requires constant supervision and separation from all role-playing materials. I will attempt to use familial social interaction to...” “Pinkie, will you stop whispering to yourself?” said Applejack, “It’s creepin’ me out.” “Oh, uh, sorry.” said Pinkie, “How far do we have left to go? It feels like we’ve been walking forever.” “Hold yer horses, we’re almost there.” said Applejack. They crested a hill and the clubhouse came into view. It had been almost a year since the kids had fixed the old place up, and the fresh lick of paint Applebloom had applied had begun to fade a little. It no longer looked like a brand new building, but it was nowhere near as dilapidated as it was before they started. Rather, it had taken on a homey and lived-in feel. The piping sound of children’s laughter could be heard faintly through the walls, along with a few bangs and crashes. Applejack knocked on the door. “Hey, sis, it’s me an’ Pinkie!” she shouted, “Let us in!” There was a shuffling sound from inside, and a small panel built into the door at child-height slid open. A pair of orange eyes stared up at her suspiciously through the slot. “What’s the password?” “Oh, come on!” said Applejack, “You know darn well it’s me!” “Don’t matter. Nopony gets in without the password.” Applejack sighed, shooting a glance at Pinkie Pie, who giggled back at her. “Okay, fine, you win.” she said. She leaned down to whisper through the slot. “I eat boogers for breakfast.” “Heh heh. Okay, come on in. We’re playin’ Dungeons!” “Oh, great.” said Pinkie dismally. She caught herself, looking back at Applejack. “I mean, oh! Great! That’s so great! Isn’t that great?” A few deadbolts clicked into place, and the door swung open. The clubhouse was decorated sparsely, with most of the furniture consisting of old things the Apple family had donated. The beaten-up chairs and wardrobes looked old-fashioned and out of place among the fillies’ other possessions, but they seemed to like them well enough. Pinned to one wall was a parchment labeled ‘Cutie Marks’ with a long list of professions, each crossed out. The floor was strewn with toys, ranging from plush animals to the hard plastic ‘action figures’ that Scootaloo preferred. Applebloom returned to the corner of the clubhouse her friends had staked out. Rarity was seated there with the slightly manic look on her face that she always had whenever she was in the company of her sister’s friends for more than a few hours. She waved to the two of them as they entered. “Hello Applejack!” she said, “Oh, and Pinkie Pie, as well! What brings you both out here?” “I could ask you the same question.” said Applejack, “I thought you weren’t too keen on babysittin’.” “We’re not babies!” interjected Scootaloo. “You know how it is.” said Rarity, ignoring her, “My services as DM are in high demand lately. I can hardly turn down my sister and her little friends, can I?” Scootaloo huffed at the word ‘little’, but was again ignored. “Guess not.” Applejack shrugged, “So, what’s with all this stuff?” She gestured at the toys on the floor, which seemed to be arranged deliberately. “Those are our characters.” explained Applebloom, “Spike won’t let us borrow his toys, so we gotta use our own.” “Yeah!” said Sweetie Belle enthusiastically, “I’m Miss Kitty, an’ Rarity is Fuzzy Bear, an’ Applebloom is Action Colt, an’ Scootaloo is Battle-Damage Batmare.” “Huh. You know, that’s not a bad idea.” said Applejack, looking appraisingly at the set up, “I guess anything could work as a miniature with a little imagination.” “Trust me,” said Rarity, “Imagination is one thing these girls have in abundance.” “Neat!” said Pinkie Pie. “So, who’s the big bunny?” She pointed to an over-sized stuffed rabbit in the corner. “Billy Bunny’s usually the monster.” said Sweetie Belle, “‘Cause he’s too big to be a good guy.” “Come on an’ pick out one for yourself.” said Applebloom. She drug Applejack over to a toy chest on the other side of the room. “I’ll help,” said Scootaloo, “I know where all the good ones are.” “Let me help too!” said Sweetie Belle, not wanting to be left out. The three fillies dug through the chest as Applejack watched in amusement. Remembering her mission again, Pinkie Pie jumped at the opportunity to talk to Rarity alone. She leaned over, whispering, “Listen, Rarity, I need your...” “Thank Celestia you’re here!” Rarity whispered back urgently, cutting her off. “I really need your help!” “I... you do?” Pinkie blinked, “What’s wrong?” “Nothing so far.” she said, her eyes shifting nervously, “I just don’t want to be out numbered.” “What, by the kids?” Pinkie snickered, “You’re not afraid of them, are you?” “Of course not!” balked Rarity. She cocked her head, reconsidering. “Well, not individually, at least. But when they get together, things tend to get...” her voice lowered to a bare whisper, “... messy.” “Oh, is that all it is?” said Pinkie, nudging her in the ribs, “You worry too much, Rarity.” “I just don’t want to lose control of the situation.” Rarity insisted, “I’m not as good at this as Fluttershy is.” “You’ll do fine.” Pinkie said, waving away her concerns, “But listen, I seriously need your help with...” “Hey Pinkie!” Applejack shouted from over by the toy chest, “You wanna be the stuffed rhinoceros or the ninja lizard?” “Um, I uh...” stuttered Pinkie, “The lizard, I guess.” “All right, that means I’m the rhino.” Applejack said, sitting down between her and Rarity. “What were you two talkin’ about? “Uh... nothing.” said Pinkie, looking downcast. “Well, anyhow,” said Applejack, either not noticing her distress or ignoring it, “I’ve been trying to figure out my class.” “Oh, you’re not playing Dwarfy?” said Rarity, “That’s too bad. You gave him such a charming ‘I don’t know what’s going on’ quality.” “Yeah, well, that wasn’t exactly on purpose.” Applejack grumbled. She turned her attention to her character. “Let’s see... We’ve got your rogue, of course, and Pinkie’s bard,” she said, flipping through the kids’ character sheets, “Scootaloo’s ninja, Applebloom’s cowboy, and Sweetie Belle’s... ballerina.” She cocked an eyebrow at the little unicorn, who beamed back at her. She shrugged, continuing, “Anyway, we could use a tank and a healer. That says ‘paladin’ to me.” “What about your race?” asked Rarity. “Oh! Oh! You should be an orc!” said Applebloom. “An orc?” Applejack asked, “Why’s that?” “I dunno,” the little filly shrugged, “I just like saying ‘orc’. Orc-orc-orc!” The other girls joined in. “Orc-orc-orc-orc-orc!” “Stop that, children!” Rarity said sternly, “You sound like trained seals.” “I guess I could try a half-orc.” Applejack said dubiously, “Would that even work as a paladin?” “Well, you said you wanted to experiment.” said Pinkie, “That sounds pretty experimental to me.” “More like just plain mental.” Applejack furrowed her brow. “The stat bonuses for half-orcs are all wrong. How would I even play it?” “It’s a roleplaying challenge, I’ll grant you that.” said Rarity, “Why not try what I do in these situations?” “What’s that?” asked Applejack. “Add a little exotic flair!” Rarity winked, “Why not call him a half-orc samurai? It would mesh well with my eastern motif.” “Hey, that could work.” Pinkie nodded, “After all, a samurai is just a paladin with an accent, right?” “Accent, huh?” Applejack thought it over, rubbing her chin, “I... guess that could work.” she shrugged, “Eh, what the heck. What’ve I got to lose?” “That’s the spirit!” said Rarity, “Since you’re new, do you want to just show up with the rest of us, or would you prefer a big entrance?” “Big entrance! Big entrance!” said Applebloom, jumping with enthusiasm. “Now, Applebloom,” Rarity admonished her, “It’s Applejack’s character, so it’s her decision.” “Gotta go with Applebloom on this one.” Applejack grinned and gave the filly a sisterly noogie, “Either go big, or go home, right?” “All right,” said Rarity, “If you’re ready, then let’s begin.” --- Wind whistled through the rocky spires of the Black Mountains of Elldör. The gnarled series of peaks jutted out of the landscape like the serrated blade of a knife, dividing the surrounding plains and leaving only a few narrow passages between them. These paths made for a claustrophobic journey, surrounding travelers in a maze of high rock walls. Deep, sharp shadows cut across them, leaving recesses wreathed in darkness on even the brightest days. Any creature so inclined could easily use these to make themselves nearly invisible to unwary travelers, right up to the moment they struck. This was a dangerous place for those without quick reflexes and a quicker blade. This was rogue country. Darlynn Evansong the Fair, elvish archer, professional spy, and agent provocateur, led an unlikely band of heroes through the mountain canyon. She was accompanied by her faithful friend and bard, who regaled her with stories of her recent exploits to keep up her spirits. “And that’s how we defeated the evil vampire queen!” Zinnadiana finished triumphantly, “And how I got this funky-sweet banjolele!” She plucked a few notes on her new instrument, singing gaily, “My dog has fleeeeas..." “A stirring tale!” said the elf, “I surely never want for entertainment when you’re around, Zinnadiana.” The bard bowed flamboyantly. “Always happy to help!” she said, “Though I’d think your current companions would have that area covered anyway.” She pointed at the young adventurers, who were rushing up to meet them. “Miss Evansong! Miss Evansong!” shouted Scootaloo, “I found a frog! You want me to assassinate it?” She twirled her num-chucks. “I... what?” stuttered Darlynn, “It’s just a frog. Leave it alone.” “But it could be a dire frog!” insisted the stealthy assassin. Applebloom tipped her stetson. “I could hogtie the varmant, I reckon, darn tootin’.” “I have a plus-two tu-tu!” said Sweetie Belle, apropos of nothing. Darlynn’s keen elfin senses detected that she was losing control of her charges. She decided to focus them on the task at hand. “Okay, comrades,” she said, “It’s time I tell you why I brought you here.” “Finally!” said Applebloom, “‘Bout time ya stopped being cagey with yer plan, consarn it!” Darlynn bent down and began drawing a map in the dirt. “These mountains divide the kingdom of Elldör from the Mithraisian Empire. The two countries have been in constant conflict for centuries, with only the difficulty in crossing the mountains preventing all-out war. Now, six weeks ago I received a communique from the Parliament of the Emerald Court. They wish to prevent the upcoming succession of the Archduchess of Plinith, a small principality of Mithrais, which would make her next in line for the throne. Given the emperor's recent failing health and her perceived weakness among the nobility, her ascension could lead to a power struggle and allow the Counsel of Elders to seize control of the entire eastern region!” Her allies stared at her blankly while she expanded her map across the canyon floor. “Now, keep in mind that modern Mithrais is an empire in name only, having lost most of their lands in the Three Plains War over a decade ago...” --- “Um, I’m gonna stop you there, Rarity.” said Applebloom, “But when in all a’ this do we start fightin’ monsters?” “The Counsel of Elders ARE monsters.” Rarity scoffed, “I haven’t even gotten to the part where they manipulated the market price of the barley harvest. Think of the poor serfs!” “No offence, sis,” said Sweetie Belle, “But isn’t this a little, uh, boring?” “Yeah, booooooo!” Scootaloo added helpfully. “Boring!?” said Rarity, narrowing her eyes, “It’s not boring, it’s intrigue!” Scootaloo rolled her eyes at her. “Who cares about that?” she said, “I just wanna hit evil stuff with sharp stuff.” “Well I... That’s just...” Rarity threw a desperate look at Pinkie and Applejack. “Come on, you two, back me up here!” Applejack coughed awkwardly. “Well, uh, I guess it couldn’ hurt to throw in a random encounter or two?” Rarity sputtered. “Random encounter!?" she said, spitting the phrase as if it were a personal insult, "I don’t do random encounters. What’s the point of fighting without the proper character motivation?” “Fun?” Pinkie suggested. “XP?” added Applejack. Rarity waived her hoof dismissively. “I’m sorry, but that’s just not how I do things.” “I’ll do it!” said Scootaloo. There was a short silence as the adults looked at her. “I don’t know, Scootaloo,” Rarity said hesitantly, “I’m not sure you’re ready for the responsibility of running a campaign.” This was clearly the wrong tactic to use. Scootaloo’s mane bristled. “Am too!” she said, “You always treat us like little kids, but we can do stuff just as good as you can!” “Yeah!” rallied Applebloom, “All three of us could do it together. We’re good at doin’ stuff together.” “I don’t know...” said Rarity. “Come on, sis, you never let us be in charge.” said Sweetie Belle. She looked up at her sister, her eyes going misty. “Don’t you try that on me again!” said Rarity, “As if I didn’t catch you practicing this morning.” “Aw heck, Rar, just let ‘em do it!” said Applejack, “At least so we can quit arguin’ and get back to the game. I ain’t even done nothin’ yet.” Rarity slumped her shoulders. “Okay,” she said, “I suppose letting you run one or two encounters won’t hurt. Maybe it’ll help you appreciate how much work this is.” “Hey, yeah!” said Pinkie, “It’ll be, I dunno, educational, or something.” “Just make sure it’s dramatic,” said Rarity. “And challenging!” said Applejack. “And fun, right?” Pinkie added, looking at them accusingly. “Don’t worry about it.” said Scootaloo as she flipped through the Monster Manual, “I’ve got the perfect thing...” --- “So that sums up the political situation of the Eastern region.” Darlynn continued her story, “Now, it gets really complicated once the West gets involved...” Suddenly, a slimy blue arm shot out and grabbed her, clamping over her mouth. Before anyone could react it pulled her deep into the shadows. “Darlynn!?” shouted Zinnadiana, drawing her banjolele. She pressed a button on the instrument's neck and a pair of axe-blades popped out the side of its resonator. She drew the remaining party into a defensive circle. “Darlynn, are you okay? Speak to us!” Her only answer was a low gurgling hiss, like the last breaths of a drowning man, echoing around them. Applebloom readied her six-shooters. “Show yerselves, ya sneakin’ pole-cats!” Sweetie Belle moved into an arabesque, shouting into the darkness, “Yeah, what do do you want from us?” “Meat!” All around them blue, frog-like creatures emerged from their hiding places, surrounding the party. The largest one held Darlynn captive in front of him, a razor-sharp claw pressed to her neck. “Dang it, slaads!” said Zinnadiana, “I hate these guys! You okay, Darlynn?” “I’m fine!” the elf shouted back, struggling against the creature's grip, “And the proper plural is ‘slaadi’!” “Quiet, puny meat-creatures!” the slaadi leader hissed. “Oh, YOU be quiet!” Darlynn shouted, “How DARE you interrupt me in the middle of my exposition! And you’re kicking up my map as we speak!” “Yes, yes, get angry....” said the creature, “It will make your flesh taste all the sweeter.” It licked its lips lasciviously. “You have no chance of escape. Your pathetic allies are all surrounded!” The rogue smirked. “Oh, no. Not ALL of my allies.” “Attackaru!” The shout came from high above them. A silhouetted figure leaped down from the edge of the canyon, thrusting the blade of a long-spear straight down as he fell. He landed with the point embedded through the slaadi leader’s skull, skewering it all the way through its body and into the ground. Its muscles spasmed a few times, then it went slack, still in a standing position. Darlynn freed herself from the creature’s loosening grip and drew her bow. Applebloom whistled, impressed. “That’s a right proper frog-giggin’ there, partner!” The mysterious new warrior was fully clad in eastern armor, and wore a helmet featuring a grotesque, snarling face-mask. He braced his foot against the slaad’s shoulder, drawing the spear from its body in a single, fluid motion. He joined the rest of the party, standing back-to-back with the rogue as they trained their weapons on the remaining monsters, who stood stunned at the sudden change in their fortune. “Excellent timing, Kraggak.” she said to her new ally, “I knew it was a good idea to have you follow us in case of an ambush.” The samurai removed his mask, exposing a rough, gray face that wasn’t much different from it. “Light, I forrow you,” he said, “Just rike in pran. When you in tlouble, I make super happy attackaru!” Darlynn twisted her head around to stare at him for a second, before thinking better of it and refocusing on the slaadi threat in front of her. “I... yes, um, thank you.” she stuttered, “S... surely you have turned the tide of this battle.” Kraggak smiled broadly around his stubby tusks, “Ugry flog-men no match for my kung-fu!” “Yes...” Darlynn said, slowly and deliberately. She closed her eyes, lowering her bow momentarily to pinch the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. “You okay, Dalrynn-san?” he said, “You need me to ray hands?” “I’m... fine.” the elf gritted her teeth, “Just getting a sudden migraine, is all.” The remaining slaadi seethed at them with raw animal fury. “They killed our leader.” one of them shouted, “What do we do?” “Idiot!” another, more level-headed slaad yelled at him, “They are still few, while we are many! Don’t let them escape!” The newly motivated group closed in around the adventurers. Zinnadiana struck out at the one closest to her with her banj-axe. It ducked and weaved, her swings missing by inches. “Stay still, darn it!” she yelled. It lashed out at her face with its claw. She tried to parry the blow, but its claws punched through the drum skin, stopping inches from her face. “Gah!” she yelped, tumbling backwards. She looked at her ruined instrument, “Aw, come on, I just got that one!” she whined. The slaad reared up to strike again, but stopped with a sudden jerk. It slumped over, one of Darlynn’s arrows protruding from its back. “Nice save!” she said, shooting the elf a thumbs up. “Perhaps next time you’ll bring a more durable weapon?” she said sardonically. “Oh, sure, ruin all my fun.” Zinnadiana smirked. Nearby, the young adventurers had one of the creatures cornered. “Ninja-punch! Ninja-kick!” said Scootaloo. “Plié! Battement!” said Sweetie Belle, coming to her aid. The slaad lashed out with its claws. --- “Arrg, I’m hit!” said Scootaloo. She flipped over a panel on her figure to reveal Realistic Battle Damage(TM), adding, “And I’m like, ‘You suck!’ Then they say, uh... they say...” “Ohh, tag me, tag me!” said Sweetie Belle. They slapped hooves, swapping places. “Okay, so the frog guys are all like, ‘Graah! We’re gonna smash yer bones and eat the squishy stuff inside!’, but I’m like, ‘Nuh uh!’, and then... uh...” she faltered. “I got it!” said Applebloom, tagging in. Pinkie nudged Applejack in the side. “What do you think?” she whispered over Applebloom’s narration. “Actually,” Applejack whispered back, “I’m a little freaked out at how well this is working.” “... And the rest of ‘em run off like a buncha’ sissies!” Applebloom finished. The other girls applauded. “Wooo! Go us!” said Scootaloo. “We rule!” added Sweetie Belle. “That actually wasn’t bad, for a first try.” Rarity admitted, “Although you should have made an Intimidation check before they ran away.” “Nah,” Scootaloo dismissed her, “We don’t really have to do that stuff if we don’t wanna.” Rarity’s eyes boggled. “But it’s in the rules!” “Oh yeah? So’s this!” Scootaloo opened the DM’s guide, showing it to her, “See? House rules. If the DM wants to change something, they totally can!” “That’s a pretty broad interpretation of...” Rarity started. “... AND” Scootaloo continued, ignoring her, “Since we’re the DM, I say if something’s cool enough, we don’t have to roll any dice or anything.” “Yeah!” said Applebloom, “If it’s awesome, it happens!” “Not a bad rule, if you ask me.” said Pinkie. Applejack rolled her eyes. “Completely game-breaking, but whatever.” “Okay, what’s next?” said Sweetie Belle, “We need another monster.” “Well, okay...” said Rarity, trying to maintain some form of control, “You can do another encounter if you want, but first let me show you how to calculate a challenge rating...” “Don’t worry about it, sis,” said Sweetie Belle, “We got this.” They gathered into a huddle. “Let’s do a dire pony!” said Scootaloo. “What?” Applebloom turned up her nose at her, “No way, that’s too weird.” “It’s not weird if they’re dire.” Scootaloo insisted. “We’re not fighting ponies!” said Applebloom. “How about an eyeball thing?” suggested Sweetie Belle. “Ohh, I’ve always wanted to try one of those!” said Scootaloo. “Perfect!” agreed Applebloom. Applejack eyed them warily. “Should I be worried?” she asked. “Nah,” said Pinkie, “What’s the worst that could happen?” “Okay, now I really am worried.” --- The ground shook underneath the party's feet. Kraggak bent over to look at the ground. He watched in puzzlement as a few pebbles began levitating into the air before his eyes. “Watashi-wha... !?” “Look out!” shouted Zinnadiana. She barreled into him, knocking him out of the way just as a disintegration beam ripped through the floor where he was standing. A cloud of dust and debris filled the canyon, obscuring their vision. “What is it?” asked Darlynn, shielding her eyes. “Whatever it is, we can totally take it!” said Scootaloo. “Yeah!” said Applebloom, “We’ll send ‘im runnin’ just like them no-good froggies!” Zinnadiana squinted through the dust. She could just make out the a number of wriggling shapes rising out of the newly-created hole in the canyon floor. One-by-one, each appendage turned to face the party, a single eye blinking open at each of their tips. As the creature rose into the air they were joined by a massive central eye and a mouth full of dripping fangs. “Oh no,” Zinnadiana said in a voice barely above a whisper, “We have to run.” “What? No way!” said Sweetie Belle, moving into an aggressive relevé, “Running is what the monsters do when they find out how awesome we are.” Zinnadiana dove again, knocking Sweetie Belle down just as a fiery blast slammed into the wall behind her. “Seriously, we need to run!” she said, “We can’t beat a beholder. We don’t have a spellcaster, I don’t have an instrument for my bard spells anymore, and Darlynn can’t flank it. We have to get out of here!” “O... kay...” said Sweetie Belle, still staring at the scorched wall where she had been standing only seconds before. “Nevel!” Kraggak shouted, “I mean, never! A gleat samurai does not act so cowardry!” The half-orc rose to his feet, standing defiantly before the beholder, and readied his spear. “Face me, monster, and I shall show you my tlue stlength!” The beholder turned all of its eyes on the warrior before it. It snorted, then charged at him, snapping its terrible jaws. Kraggak rolled out of the way, thrusting his spear up into its side as he landed. The blade bounced off of the scaly hide harmlessly. “You can’t hurt it, Kraggak!” Darlynn shouted, “Its defenses are too strong!” She positioned herself in front of the children, shielding them from any further attacks. “Yes... I... can!” said the warrior, punctuating each of his words with a thrust of his spear, “Just... need... to... roll... a... TWENTY!” He dropped his spear, switching to pummeling the beast with his bare fists. The beholder ceased its attacks, staring down at the half-orc in bewilderment. Kraggak was sweating now, his mind a blur as he rained blow after blow down on the creature’s body, each time failing to make even the slightest dent. He drew his fist back with a final scream of frustrated rage, aiming directly for the center eye... --- Applejack’s chest heaved up and down. She looked down, noticing her hoof extended in front of her. Her brow furrowed in confusion. Looking up again, she saw the others staring at her, slack-jawed. “You punched Billy Bunny!” said Sweetie Belle, agast. “I... uh... I guess I...” said Applejack. She looked around, disoriented. “It was your fault!” said Applebloom, coming to her sister’s defense, “You’re the one who wanted to use the stupid eyeball thing!” “Hey, back off!” said Scootaloo, shoving her, “It’s not her fault your sister’s nuts!” “You take that back!” said Applebloom, shoving her back. “Stop fighting!” shrieked Sweetie Belle, inserting herself between them, “You can’t just start fighting in the middle of a battle!” All three of them leaped at each other, rolling across the floor. “Girls, stop it!” said Rarity, “Don’t you... ! You can’t... ! That’s very fragi...” She flinched as the angry ball of fillies knocked over an elderly bureau with a crash. She turned her attention to Pinkie and Applejack, her eyes burning. The pair exchanged a nervous look. Before either of them knew what was happening they were landing in a heap outside the clubhouse. Rarity glared down at them from the doorway. “I can’t BELIEVE you two!” she barked, “I ask you for help, and now look what’s happened!” Over her shoulder, the fillies tumbled past. “Ow, Applebloom bit me!” Scootaloo yelped. “Did not, you liar!” said Applebloom, an orange feather stuck to her lip. Rarity slammed the door shut. After a short pause, it opened again, and Rarity stuck her head out. “And your accent was atrocious!” She slammed the door again. After a slight pause, Applejack spoke up. “Yeah, well, as if the goofy accent you’re always talkin’ with is so great...” she said, lamely. A tense moment passed, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie picked themselves up. They walked in silence for a while, until the fields started to give way to the outskirts of Ponyville proper. Applejack broke the silence, sitting down with a huff. “It’d be nice,” she said, “It’d be really nice if we could have just ONE game that doesn’t end in a fistfight.” Pinkie gave her a worried look. “You mean a hoof-fight, right?” “Y... yeah.” said Applejack, blinking, “What did I say?” Pinkie thought furiously. This was getting serious. She had to think of a way to keep Applejack’s mind off of games. After a sudden flash of insight, the answer was obvious. “Hey, are you hungry? I’m hungry!” she said, “I think there’s a Crispy’s around here somewhere. My treat?” She led the way to a little hut-like building on the edge of town. It was one of several slightly-upscale fast food joints that had been popping up all over town lately. The hut was just big enough for a kitchen, with a few picnic tables surrounding it acting as the ‘al fresco’ dining room. It was close to lunchtime and a few families were there, eating and enjoying the brisk weather. She sat Applejack down at a free table. “Just wait right here and I’ll go order for us.” she said, trotting off towards the little window in the side of the hut. A thought seemed to occur to her, and she spun back around quickly, “Don’t go anywhere, okay?” “I’m not goin’ anywhere!” Applejack said tersely. Pinkie eyed her for another moment, then reluctantly turned back. Applejack looked around grumpily. Above her, a yellow cartoon unicorn mascot grinned down at her from the restaurant’s billboard. She glared up at it, almost daring it to keep smiling, but it just kept offering her hay fries. “Well, if it isn’t my old pony chum,” said a voice, “What is it that makes you look so glum?” “Oh, hey Zecora.” said Applejack, noticing the zebra at the next table over for the first time. Feeling slightly silly, she tried to at least act neighborly. “What’s up? I never figured I’d see you at a place like this.” “I know my presence may seem ironic.” Zecora said, “But I can’t resist a nice celery tonic.” She tipped her cup cheerfully in Applejack’s direction. “But never mind my choice of drink. What misfortune has left you in such a stink?” Applejack heaved a self-pitying sigh. “Eh, I’m just havin’ the darnedest time findin’ a decent roleplaying group today.” she said morosely, “I’m sure you wouldn’t be interested.” Zecora’s ears perked up. “Ah, now there you just might be surprised. I enjoyed such games greatly when I was pint-sized!” For the first time since the fight at the clubhouse a smile sneaked across Applejack’s lips. “No kiddin’?” she said, “I never figured you for a gamer, either. Guess I’m learnin’ all sorts of stuff about you today.” Zecora nodded. “It’s true, worlds of fantasy left me quite entranced. Though I haven’t played it since it was still called ‘Advanced’.” “You know,” Applejack said slyly, “Me and Pinkie have been lookin’ for a decent DM. What do you say?” She raised her eyebrows suggestively. The zebra paused, looking both flattered and thoughtful. “I had planned to dedicate this afternoon to my studies...” she said, tapping the table with her hoof, “But what the heck! How often do I get to play games with my buddies?” “Awesome!” said Applejack, “Should I come by after lunch?” “It would be my pleasure.” said Zecora, “Visit my home at your leisure!” She got up to leave, passing Pinkie Pie, who was balancing an enormous tray of food on her head. “Hi Zecora! Bye Zecora!” she said, setting down the tray. “Okay, Applejack, I didn’t know what you wanted, so I got a little of everything. Except for the apple pies, I know you think they’re terrible. Trust me, this is just the thing you need to get your mind off of games.” Applejack was barely listening to her. “You’re not gonna believe this,” she said, “But I was just talkin’ to Zecora over there. Turns out she’s an old-school gamer from way back. Whoda’ thought, huh? Anyway, she invited us over to her place for a few rounds.” “W... what!?” Pinkie’s head whipped back and forth from Applejack to Zecora, off in the distance. Her left eye twitched slightly. Something deep within her snapped. “Oh for the love of- Seriously!? Are you serious!?” she shouted, “Is everypony in this town obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons!?” The tables around them went silent. A mare with two small foals stared daggers at her. She coughed, regaining her composure. “I’m just asking! I’m shouting ‘cause it’s an interesting question!” “I know, it’s great, isn’t it?” said Applejack, obliviously, “Pass the hay fries, I’m starvin’ over here!” Next: Act 3: Sweet Zecora’s Badasssss Song

Lucres

75

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Spike,Adventure,Comedy,Random,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ponies Play D&D

Title says it all. Nerdy ponies playing nerdy games.

incomplete

<p>New! Part 3: After Twilight notices Applejack becoming increasingly obsessed with the game, she tasks Pinkie Pie (of all ponies) to keep an eye on her. The two head out into Ponyville in search of adventure and the perfect game.</p><p>Part 1: Twilight has finally convinced Applejack to join her other friends in Spike's weekly D&amp;D game. However, will she be able to figure out the rules before they all drive Spike crazy?</p><p>Part 2: Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle have stumbled across Twilight's D&amp;D books, and convinced her to take up the dice once more. But will anypony meet their high standards to be their Dungeon Master? More importantly, what will happen when you-know-who finds out?</p>

everyone

2012-08-31T19:38:08+00:00

2013-03-06T21:32:28+00:00

Act 3: Sweet Zecora’s Badasssss Song At first glance, Zecora’s tree-hut seemed far different from the typical pony home, located as it was down a longish path through the Everfree forest and decorated with strange, often intimidating-looking art from her homeland. Standing in the kitchen, Pinkie Pie remembered how frightened she had been of the zebra when they first met. She chuckled quietly to herself; it all seemed so silly now. Once you became accustomed to the decor, Zecora’s home felt every bit as warm and welcoming anyone else’s. After all, she thought, how likely is it that an evil enchantress would have little knitted duckies on her potholders? “Quest log, day... uh, seventeen!” she whispered to herself, turning her attention to more important matters, “Disaster! Somehow, in spite of my efforts to stop her, Applejack has gotten us into yet another game! Also, although I can’t be sure, I think her symptoms are getting worse. In the last game, she seemed to find herself floundering in the fickle figments of fantasy, resulting in a perplexing punch to a poor, powerless plush. In the interest of her own safety, I may need to resort to drastic measures.” She picked up a frying pan sitting on the kitchen counter and gave it a few experimental swings. “N... nah,” she said eventually, setting the pan back on the counter, “I’d have a hard time explaining that to Zecora. Besides, things haven’t gotten that bad yet. I hope.” A voice came from down the hall. “Are you finished getting your drink? You’ve been taking pretty long, I think.” “I’m coming!” Pinkie said, heading back to the dining room, “I was, uh, super thirsty! Those hay fries sure were salty, huh?” Applejack shrugged. “Nothin’ wrong with mine.” She was sitting at a round wooden table nestled in a small alcove in Zecora’s dining room. Pinkie decided it was her breakfast nook, although she wasn’t sure if the zebra would call it that. Zecora had retrieved several cardboard boxes from her attic, one of which Applejack was busily digging through. “Come over here an’ check out all of Zecora’s old gaming gear.” she said, “It’s totally vintage!” She pulled out a well-worn manual, blowing the thick layer of dust off the cover and flipping though its yellowing pages. “Boy, I love these corny old illustrations. Oh, wow, are those pewter minis? All Spike’s got are the plastic ones.” She set the manual down reverently before investigating the new treasures. Each figure was meticulously hoof-painted, tiny works of art in their own right. “These things are so cool! Did you really paint all of ‘em yourself?” Zecora nodded, blushing slightly at the implied compliment. “I’m glad that you think they aren’t too shoddy. In the old days, we considered it half of the hobby.” Pinkie took a closer look at the little metal figures as she sat down. She picked up one that looked like a flying, upside-down plate of spaghetti with googly eyes. “Neat, a flumph!” she said, “I don’t think I know anyone else who has one of those.” “Heck, I didn’t even know they made ‘em.” Applejack scratched her head, “Flumphs have never been exactly, you know, popular.” “As monsters go, they’re far from the elite,” said Zecora, “But I have a liking for the strange and offbeat.” Applejack grinned. “Guess that explains why you hang out with us, eh?” Pinkie watched the two of them laugh, thinking carefully. Applejack seemed calm and friendly, a world apart from the sullen mess she had been earlier. She started to relax. Maybe things weren’t as bad as she thought. “So anyway, Zecora,” she said, “Whatcha you got planned for us?” Zecora was grinning ear-to-ear as she set up the DM screen, unable to keep a little bit of schoolgirl enthusiasm from peeking out underneath her normally stoic demeanor. “I’ve been wracking my mind for an appropriate theme.” she said, “What would you say to a more unconventional scheme?” “Whatever you want.” said Applejack, leaning back in her chair, “After the day I’ve had, I’m up for just about anything.” “Well, I was thinking that our game could explore the swashbuckling sailors from days of yore.” Pinkie leaned forward suddenly, accidentally knocking over a row of miniatures like dominoes. “You mean, like, pirates? Cool!” she said, practically vibrating in her seat, “I’m SO all about pirates!” “Well, yeah,” said Applejack, “But it’s not like they’re anything new for you. You work ‘em into your games all the time.” “Those are AIR pirates,” Pinkie said as if it were to most obvious thing in the world, “They’re totally different.” “Sure, like night an’ day.” Applejack rolled her eyes, “But heck, I ain’t gonna complain. It’ll give me an excuse to use a race I’ve wanted to try.” “Sweet!” said Pinkie, “Avast and shiver me timbers, ye scurvy landlubbers! Anchors aweigh and hoist the Jolly Rodger, yo ho!” “Try an’ take it down a notch, will ya Pinkie?” “Sorry.” --- Now begins a rousing tale Of windy shores and crashing sea Where bonny bands of heroes sail With merry hearts and jeux d’esprit Stalwart allies meet in these Our epic verse, inaugural I’ll tell you of them, if you please Excuse my dire doggerel Along the coastline, by the bay A nameless city-state we join A tiny dot on tiny cay Where idle sailors spend their coin We hear a cheerful bardic song Down by the dock’s marina She earns her bread the whole day long A-playing concertina “What do you do when foes surround And friends become much colder? What do you do when solid ground Begins to smoke and smoulder? What do you do when you are bound Between hard place and boulder? What beauty is there to be found In the eye of a beholder?” Though with her talent and her wit A skillful song she narrates Her audience, she must admit, Are a bunch of freaking cheapskates “At this rate, I’ll go broke!” said she “And get kicked out of my cabana But I’ll earn my way adventurously Or my name’s not Zinnadiana!” With that our busking bard sets out To find employment elsewhere ‘Til suddenly she hears the shout Of a convenient pirate job-fair “Come one, come all!” the voice proclaimed “And come get volunteered! Now is your chance to sail with famed Captain Xavier Orangebeard!” Orange by name, and likeness too As his fiery locks attest He wore a rapier, sharp and true Flintlock pistols crossed his chest Though elfin features seemed quite clear He was secretly exotic The gills he hid ‘neath pointed ear Revealed him as aquatic “I need recruits,” the elf explained “Right now, or even sooner Sound of body and well-trained To man a pirate schooner I need a group of scoundrels who Will serve me at my pleasure Fight at my side and I’ll give you A modest share of treasure” “A crew,” he said, “to help me try To seek immortal fame And with your toil, though you may die, Bring glory to my name!” “Come now, sailors! Are you not men?” He said with much frustration But for a glance e’r now and then They ignored his protestation “You there!” he said unto the bard “Are you just here to sight-see? Or the only one in this shipyard Brave enough to join me?” “To tell the truth,” she said, “I fear Your offer’s less than spiffy But since you’re the only PC here I’ll be with you in a jiffy” “Very well,” the captain quipped “I guess it’s you and me, then We’d best procure a proper ship Before we find more seamen” They searched the dock to buy a skiff A clipper, sloop, or yacht They found this difficult, what with A budget less than squat They came upon a lonely pier Where one was left to crumble And though the ship was somewhat queer Its price, at least, was humble They found the vessel’s current skipper (Some sort of fish-man creature) He offered them a friendly flipper And told them “Pleased ta’ meet ’yer!” “Cut the idle chit-chat, fishy!” The pirate captain sneered “Unless you want to end up squishy Your ship’s been commandeered!” “He doesn’t mean that as a threat!” The bard said, acting chummy “He’s just a little bit upset About our lack of money” “No worries, lassie,” said the trout “I need ‘nae compensation The ship be yours if ye clear out Its zombie infestation” The captain clapped and said, “All right! At last, my stars align! ‘Cause I’ve been itching for a fight And these mooks will do just fine!” He grinned enthusiastically And made an about-turn He dove into the briny sea And swam abaft the stern He climbed up past the bulward And rolled onto the deck He drew his trusty short-sword And resolved to give ‘em heck Before him stood the glass-eyed dead In shambling file and rank The bard, appearing beside him, said “You could have used the gangplank” “Where’s the fun in that?” he said With just a touch of scorn “Come on now, let’s make these undead Wish they were never un-born!” He boldly charged into to the fray And cut them apart like cheese blocks The bard stood quietly, out of his way While she prepared her squeeze-box She worked the bellows hard and flipped Aside a secret latch A hail of arrows, poison tipped Launched from its hidden hatch The zombies failed to be rebuffed Or even need assistance She crossly rolled her eyes and huffed “Stupid poison resistance!” She grumbled as the nearest dead Came toward her, arms outstretched She put her palm against its head To hold it back while she kvetched “How come every instrument I bag Ends up taking a floggin’? Might as well make it a running gag” As she smashed it on its noggin Their foes were felled both left and right No match for their aggression But still their numbers, through the fight Never seemed to lessen Orangebeard couldn’t locate any Source that fed the scare He shouted “Just how bleedin’ many Of these buggers are there?” The fish-guy waved his fins about To get the pair’s attention “There’s somethin’ that could help ye out That I forgot ta’ mention!” “I think ye needs to stop the fight Before it gets much worse There’s ‘nae point in killing ‘em outright ‘Til ye removes the curse!” --- “Curse?” said Pinkie, “What kind of curse?” Zecora looked up from her screen, slightly annoyed that her flow was interrupted. “Please forgive me for pressing,” she said, “But which character are you addressing?” “Huh? Oh, sorry.” said Pinkie, “I forgot to tell you, but we like to break character every now and then and talk about, uh, stuff. Discuss strategy, that sort of thing.” “And argue over every little detail, if we’re bein’ honest.” added Applejack. Zecora looked perplexed. “Wouldn’t that ruin immersion? No offence, that’s only my assertion.” “You know, I never thought about it like that." said Applejack, scratching her chin, “I guess it does, but we’ve been doin’ it so long I kinda got used to it.” “Yeah, so anyway,” said Pinkie, “Curse: what kind? I guess I’m asking the fish guy.” Zecora shrugged, deciding to roll with it. “No matter how many zombies are subdued,” she explained, “Their numbers will be constantly renewed.” “So, infinite zombies?” said Applejack, looking unimpressed, “That’s your idea of an encounter? A never-ending swarm of 1-hp minions? Seems more annoying than challenging.” Zecora raised an eyebrow at her. “I know it’s not my place to chastise, but do you not know a puzzle when it’s before your eyes?” “Ohhhh, I get it!” said Pinkie, her face lighting up, “So this is more of a thinkin’ fight, not a fightin’ fight.” “A puzzle?” Applejack blanched, “Uh, okay, it’s just... Spike never really put any puzzles in his campaign. How does that even work in D&D?” “It’s not that hard,” said Pinkie, “There’s no real set solution, you just have to think it out and adapt to the circumstances. It’s all about lateral thinking.” “But Intelligence is my dump stat!” Applejack blurted out. She paused for a second as the two looked at her from across the table. “Orangebeard. Orangebeard’s dump stat.” She coughed, her cheeks going red. “Uh, all right.” said Pinkie, cutting through the awkwardness, “I’ll take care of this one, okay? I think I have an idea.” “How? It’s impossible!” said Applejack, “We don’t have a spellcaster to remove the curse, or even figure out where it’s comin’ from.” “You’re thinking too narrowly,” said Pinkie, “You gotta try and come at the problem all sideways. Think about it: we have a whole bunch of zombies AND no crew. Why don’t we use one problem to solve the other?” “Wait, you’re not seriously suggesting...” “Oh, I’m suggesting it, all right!” --- Zinnadiana tapped her chin And analysed their plight She came to a solution, then That set her eyes alight She said “I need to make a stop So I’ll be right back, you guys!” She headed to the butcher shop To pick up some supplies She toiled through the afternoon With levers, cogs, and chutes The others came to see her soon And her long labor’s fruits The zombie horde was in the hold Bound to her automation Their jerky movements thus controlled A clockwork power station Gray-matter organs hung above Barely out of grasping hands And each zombie’s clumsy shove Advanced a treadmill’s turning bands “You see?” the bard said cannily Adjusting gears and chains “There’s no challenge out there we Can’t solve by using brains I think that for a ship this special, A new name’s overdue And so I hereby dub this vessel The Pinkitania II!” They scrutinized the machine’s details Admiring Zinnadiana’s work ‘Til an unexpected windy gale Caused the ship to tip and jerk They rocked under the bracing gust That made their sailboat’s timbers flex They left the zombies safely trussed And scrambled back above the decks A peal of thunder split the air Letting out a mighty crack A shadow stood out ‘mid the glare Enter now, Grimstar the Black! --- “Whoa, hold up there, Zecora.” said Applejack. “We can’t use Grimstar,” said Pinkie, “Not without...” She was cut off by a knock at the door. “Hello?” a voice echoed down the hall, “Zecora? It’s me, Twilight!” Pinkie pulled a double take. Then a triple take. Then another double take, for good measure. She stared wide-eyed at Zecora. “Do that again!” Zecora only smiled at her as she answered the door. “Oh, good, you are home.” Twilight said. She entered the shack, her saddlebags bulging with books. Pinkie flagged her down from the table. “Ohmigosh, Twilight!” she said, “You won’t believe this, but Zecora totally knew you were coming!” “Of course she did,” Twilight said, raising an eyebrow at her, “We agreed to meet up tonight so she could help me work on my spell.” “Now, wait a second,” Applejack said, eyeing Zecora suspiciously, “So you knew darn well when she was comin’ all along, but you still let us think... ?” “Do you forget to whom you speak?” Zecora winked at her, “I like to maintain an air of mystique.” “Yeah, no kiddin’.” Applejack chuckled. Twilight set her stack of books down with a grunt. “What are you guys doing here, anyway?” she asked. “We met out by the food courts.” Zecora explained, “Applejack was feeling out of sorts. It saddened me to see her pout, so I figured I would help her out.” “Help her... how?" Twilight asked, suspicion beginning to creep into her voice. “Well, obviously,” Applejack said, gesturing to the game table, “She’s DMing for us. I told her what lousy luck I’ve had with games today, and she...” “Games?” Twilight said, “As in, plural?” She looked at Pinkie, who seemed like she was trying to say something but couldn’t think of the right words. Twilight kept an eye on her as she spoke to Applejack again. “Just how many games have you played today?” “Welp,” Applejack tipped her hat, leaning back in her chair, “I guess this would be the third one. But the other two were sorta disasters, so they don’t really count. Today’s been kinda crazy.” She shrugged, smiling in a ‘what-are-you-gonna-do’ sort of way. “I... see.” Twilight’s face remained carefully blank. “Pinkie, can I talk to you for a minute?” Pinkie followed her into the kitchen, trying not to let the others see her guilty expression. When they were out of sight, Twilight turned on her. “What the heck, Pinkie?” she hissed, “I thought you were keeping an eye on her! Did you even try to keep her away from games?” “I did! I totally tried!” Pinkie’s eyes shifted, “But then I sort of... didn’t.” “That’s not going to cut it.” said Twilight, “I trusted you Pinkie Pie! But three games? Three!?” Pinkie hung her head, unable to meet her gaze. Twilight closed her eyes, trying to rein in her anger. “For the love of... Look, at least you can tell me how she’s been acting. What kind of character is she playing?” “Um, I think she called Orangebeard an aquatic-elf swashbuckler.” Twilight’s face fell. “Aquatic elf? You mean she’s been reading Unearthed Arcana? My God, it’s worse than I thought!” “Oh, come on,” Pinkie forced herself to sound bright and peppy, “It can’t be that bad, can it?” “I’ll be the judge of that.” Twilight pulled a notebook out of her bags and checked something. “We’ll compare her actions to the list of symptoms I’ve compiled. Now, has she had any violent outbursts?” “Uh...” said Pinkie, remembering Big Macintosh. Twilight clucked her tongue in irritation. “What about her state of mind? Has she been confusing fantasy and reality?” “Um...” she said, remembering Billy Bunny. “Pinkie!” Twilight groaned, “I need you to focus here!” “I know, Twi-” “Do you? Do you really?” Twilight paced a slow circle around Pinkie, glaring at her. “Because it seems to me like you’ve just been goofing off all day. This isn’t a game, Pinkie, this is important! Applejack could be in serious trouble here, do you understand that? Do you even care?” Pinkie reacted as if she’d been slapped. She stared at her hooves, her lip trembling. “I... I care, Twilight. You know I do.” she sniffed, “I’m worried about her too.” Twilight stopped pacing. “I didn’t... I didn’t mean to...” she stammered. She took a deep breath, gaining control over her temper. When she was calm again, she sat down next to Pinkie. “I’m sorry, I know you care about her.” she sighed wearily, feeling the long nights of the past few weeks catching up to her. “It’s just been so hard watching what happened to Derpy. Feeling like she’s slipping away, like there’s nothing I can do to help her. I can’t handle seeing it happen to another one of my friends. I just... I just can’t.” Pinkie sat next to Twilight for a moment. “I know it’s hard, Twilight.” she said, touching her gently on her shoulder, “But look... maybe playing is good for her. You know, to get it out of her system?” Twilight looked at her skeptically, “What do you mean?” “Well,” said Pinkie, “Derpy only went cra... I mean, she only had a problem after not playing for a few weeks. Maybe she was using the games to vent some frustration.” “Hm.” Twilight thought it over. “That’s not the healthiest way to deal with anxiety, but it is a psychologically recognised response mechanism.” “That’s exactly what I was thinking!” said Pinkie, gathering momentum, “So, maybe Applejack is under some stress, or something, and pretending to beat up trolls and stuff helps her deal with it. You know how sometimes you feel cruddy for one reason or another, but you bottle it up?” Pinkie mimed putting all of her troubles into a bottle, “But you don’t have any way to deal with it, so you just keep adding stuff to the bottle... ” she pretended her invisible bottle was getting bigger, “...and it’s just building and building and building until, one day, all of a sudden, BOOM!” She threw her hooves in the air. “And then Mr. and Mrs. Cake won’t let you use the pressure cooker anymore.” Twilight blinked. “So, what does this have to do with Applejack?” “What I mean is,” said Pinkie, “The first two games today didn’t, uh, didn’t end well.” Pinkie scratched her head nervously, “But maybe if we let her have a really good game and blow off all her stress, she’ll go back to normal.” She shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, right?” Twilight paused, weighing her options. “It’s... risky.” she said, “But if we can’t keep her from playing at all, we might as well try it. At least I’ll be able to watch her this time and evaluate her responses. I’ll try to use some psycho-analytical techniques to get her to open up.” “Yeah!” Pinkie nodded vigorously, “Get all up inside her noggin and root around a bit!” Twilight decided to ignore that. “We’d better get back before she starts getting suspicious.” Applejack was waiting for them when they returned to the table. “Well, it’s about time ya’ll showed up.” she said, “Hope you don’t mind, but we kept going a little bit while you were gone and a giant squid attacked our ship. You’re up next, Twi.” “Ah, so you feel like you’re being attacked by a giant squid, do you?” said Twilight, getting out her notebook, “How does that make you feel?” “...Slimy?” Applejack looked at her strangely, “Look, if we’re gonna role-play, let’s do it in character. You need to do some catchin’ up, anyway.” --- Zinnadiana took the helm And plotted out their routes “So Grimstar,” she leaned in to tell‘m “What brings you hereabouts?” “I’m traveling across this land To study magic’s various forms I figured a ship could use me on hand To help manipulate the storms” “True, a storm wizard to escort Let’s us pull all the stops out Good thing that’s always been your forte Or this might feel like a cop-out” “Finish up your chat, you two!” They heard their fearless captain say “Unless you’ve something better to do We’re under attack by a cliche!” Tentacles thrashed across the deck As Orangebeard engaged in combat Zinny whistled, “How in the the heck Could I have possibly missed that?” “Bend your oars and break your backs!” The captain shouted hoarsely “We won’t let some stupid squid’s attacks Throw our ship off-course, see?” The captain’s sword flew fast and free The squid returned his blows in kind And though he focused on the fight Something, somewhere, subtly Didn’t feel exactly right And nagged the back of his mind “Did any of you feel that, too?” He spoke with mounting dread “Like tentacles are gripping you But, like, inside your head?” “I fear I don’t know what you mean” The wizard told him, most astute “We’ll figure it out once we’ve been seen To dealing with this ugly brute” “Don’t worry captain,” said the bard These things are stupid bleeders “We won’t find the battle all that hard With you here as our leader” The squid then seemed to have a thought And found it quite attractive Wrapping him in a tentacle knot It took the captain captive “Release him now!” the wizard roared “You churlish cephalopod! Or I’ll show you the power stored Within my lightning rod!” Grimstar lifted up his staff And fire glowed within his eyes From up above, a golden shaft Of lightning tore apart the skies The creature held the captain fast And knocked aside his sword And as it caught the wizard’s blast It threw him overboard A sinking feeling filled him As the sinking captain sunk All the thoughts that he was thinking Were getting harder to get thunk Passing through the driftwood dregs He slowly drifted, aimlessly And saw the slimy things with legs That crawled beneath the slimy sea His eyes adjusted to the gloom And saw his fast approaching doom It seemed as though a giant fish With tentacles along its side And pores exuding with a squish A caustic, rancid smelling slime That coated its unearthly hide It fixed him an accusing glare With its rheumy eyes of three Orangebeard couldn’t help but stare At their unreal monstrosity He found it odd What twisted God Arranged the thing’s eyes vertically? He fought fruitlessly against the tide His muscles feeling drained and weak The creature swam along his side And, though lacking lips, began to speak “O, woe is thou, unwary traveler Beneath the ocean depths, I reign Entombed with I, the mind unraveller Your battle lost, your allies slain Although you’ve bested my familiar Behold, the master rears his head O, now feel your brain bewilder’d Let your thoughts sleep with the dead Every foe I’ve met has ended Tethered to me, or lamented Here among the sleeping dead” Orangebeard kicked his legs and forced His aching arms find purchase His efforts changed his sinking course And sent him towards the surface “See the fool who tries to flee Under my spell, already lost Be still now, or I’ll let you see My price, I levy when I’m crossed It pains me more than it does thee To levy such a potent cost” A blast of hot, psionic pain Rended Orangebeard’s mind ablaze He tensed himself, and tried to gain Some distance in between his crazed Pursuer and his unguarded self Taking shelter ‘neath a rocky shelf He shivered, lonely with his fears His heartbeat booming in his ears A moment’s pause, a thought occurred As he let his fears subside Did the pounding sound he heard Come from within, or from outside? His hiding spot, after reflection Was actually a giant fin To which attached, upon inspection A massive, sleeping terrapin He thought back to the bard’s advice And came to understand He thought of all he’d sacrificed And came up with a plan He kicked against the scaly fin Feeling the waking beast vibrate He found an opening within And prayed the thing would take his bait “You think you’ve lost me, do you, knave? I see you with my second sight Even when hiding in that cave Lit like a candle in the night Don’t think that you’ve escaped your plight” The creature charged at its opponent Ferocious, vicious, homicidal Orangebeard waited for his moment And jabbed the turtle’s giant eyeball He dodged the massive, snapping beak Tossed by the churning violence And with a final psychic shriek At last, his mind found silence Crawling up the turtle’s shell Orangebeard could almost take no more Emerging from his watery hell Onto a puzzling, sandy shore He looked around and gently swore (The only way he could react) It seems this giant turtle bore A tropical island on its back “I’ve seen my share of strangeness, true But now I’ve seen it all” said he Then something else came into view That proved him wrong immediately He thought the strange approaching shape Was a mirage, or something zanier As it got closer, his dry mouth gaped It was the Pinkitania! He recognized the beat-up craft But it was altered rather oddly It flew above him, held aloft By the squid’s inflated body Seeing a knotted rope descend He grasped it, and was pulled aboard By his familiar wizard friend Who greeted him with warm accord “We’ve really found you, thank the Gods!” The wizard slapped his back with glee “We were certain that the odds Had you forever lost at sea We thought the ocean need be scoured To find a single, missing man What luck that we have both encountered The exact same traveling zaratan!” The bard was there, across the deck Shouting, “Come ‘ere, ya great big lug!” She gave his cheek a gentle peck And crushed him in a massive hug Orangebeard shot the bard a smile And said, “It’s good to see you, kid I guess that was the last time I’ll Underestimate a giant squid” She released him from her tight embrace And said, “You aren’t the only one! We had to feed it what’s-his-face That fishy guy, the poor old chum It turned out that the lightning blast Just drove the monster bonkers When it destroyed our mainsail mast I thought we’d all be goners! We beat the squid eventually After a long, hard battle But then we found ourselves at sea Without a sail or paddle We might have been left stranded there With no one else around but shrimp But Grimstar summoned some hot air To make this calamari blimp” Orangebeard said, “I think we’re due A time at port to rest up, some I don’t know about the rest of you But I could use a tot of rum!” With that, our heroes did depart Sailing ‘cross the clear blue sky Perhaps one day they will embark To lands unknown to you or I What happens next, you’re asking me? I can’t tell you with much certitude For any tale of men at sea Will always end: “To Be Continued...” --- “That was certainly a glorious fight,” said Zecora, “But I think it’s time we call it a night.” “Aw, really?” said Applejack, looking up from the table, “I was just gettin’ into it.” Zecora nodded sagely. “In order to make a story that you’ll adore, it’s important that I leave you wanting more.” she said, “Besides, the sun will be going down soon. The path is dangerous enough at noon.” “Oh yeah,” said Pinkie, glancing at the clock, “I really don’t want to get caught walking through the Everfree Forest at night.” “Well...” Applejack said reluctantly, “That is true. I guess.” “I think I’ll stay over with Zecora for the night.” said Twilight, “She still owes me some work on my spell. And, uh, Pinkie? You keep working on that... recipe... I asked you about earlier, okay? Make sure it’s, uh, shelf-stable?” She gave her friend a meaningful look and a wink. “No problemundo!” Pinkie said, winking back, “I’ll add plenty of extra sugar, too! And some nutmeg!” She winked a few more times and made a stirring motion with her hooves. “Huh?” said Twilight. She shook her head. “I mean, sure. You do that.” “Thanks so much for playing with me, everyone.” Zecora said brightly as she packed away her things, “I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun!” Applejack and Pinkie Pie excused themselves, happy to leave behind a cheerful zebra. They walked along the forest path, watching as the light from the setting sun turned golden around them. Pinkie stayed a few paces behind Applejack, keeping an eye on her. “Soooo... what did you think?” she asked, “About Zecora’s game, I mean. Pretty cool, huh?” Applejack paused a moment, thinking. “I’m not really sure.” she said eventually, “To be honest, the rhyming took a little gettin’ used to. Kinda made resolving the attack rolls awkward.” “I liked that part!” said Pinkie, “Especially when she kept having to rhyme ‘THAC0’ with ’attack-o’.” Applejack laughed. “You’re not wrong, there.” They walked silently for a moment as she thought about it some more. “You know,” Pinkie said, “That was some quick thinking, the way you sicced that zaratan on the aboleth. I told you you could handle a little puzzle or two!” “Heh, yeah, I guess so.” Applejack admitted, “And for your part, it was genius how you threw the fish-guy to the squid to buy some time. Sacrificing an NPC to save yourself? I’ll make a min-maxer outta’ you yet.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “You know, I have to admit that was a really great game. Lots of action, a couple a’ interesting monsters, cool aquatic setting...” “Don’t forget when she split the party,” Pinkie added, “That was a pretty bold move. It’s a really hard thing for a DM to pull off, and she didn’t even flinch.” Applejack nodded. “Yeah... all things considered, it was probably the best game I’ve played yet.” Pinkie saw her opportunity and struck. “So, I guess you’re done playing for a while, huh?” she said casually, “I mean, anything we did now just wouldn’t compare, right?” Applejack stopped walking. “Hmm...” she said, scratching her chin, “I guess you’ve got a point, there.” Over her shoulder, Pinkie pumped her hooves in the air. “I suppose I could at least stand waiting for Spike to finish his campaign now. We’d have a hard time finding a better DM than Zecora. She’s pretty much the best ever.” “Is that so, little hayseed?” Pinkie spun around. Behind them, just to the side of the trail, was a beaten-up wooden trailer that she was sure hadn’t been there a moment before. A figure stood silhouetted in the trailer’s door frame. Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Hello, Trixie.” she said icily, “What are you doing out here in the woods?” “Never mind about that.” Trixie said, tossing her hair haughtily, “I overheard you talking about the little game you’ve been playing. Best dungeon master ever, is that right? I highly doubt that.” “Hey, uh, Applejack?” Pinkie said nervously, “We should probably get going...” Applejack ignored her. “Since when are you into Dungeons and Dragons?” she asked Trixie. “Oh, your little dragon-thing introduced me to it when I was staying in Canterlot a few months ago.” Trixie stepped out of the doorway and walked up to the pair with a practiced casual gait. “I mastered it immediately, of course.” “Wait, you were playing with Spike?” said Applejack, “He never told us he had another group.” “Didn’t he?” Trixie grinned, “Must have slipped his mind. He showed up in Canterlot after that ‘incident’ that was in all the papers, looking for whatever dregs he could scrape together to play with him. Pathetic, I know. I took pity on the poor thing, thought I would grace him with my presence.” Applejack fumed. “That... little... sneak!” she said, stamping her hooves furiously, “All that talk about how it was too dangerous to play with Derpy around, and he goes off moonlightin’ on us!” Trixie grinned again. “Appropriate choice of words, considering the guest of honor.” “... Luna?” Applejack gasped, “All this time he said he needed to work on his campaign, and he’s been sneakin’ off to play with the princess?” Applejack paced back and forth, snorting. “How long has this been goin’ on? Is he still doing it?” “Well, that I can’t tell you.” said Trixie, “I outgrew their little group a few weeks ago. Haven’t seen them since.” Applejack stopped pacing. She looked Trixie in the eye, her lips curling into a grin. “They kicked you out, didn’t they?” “No!” Trixie shouted, suddenly enraged, “Nobody kicks out the Great and Powerful Trixie! Trixie kicked THEM out!” “Sure, sure.” Applejack smirked at her, “I bet they got sick a’ your crap and tossed you on your backside.” “Oh, you do, do you?” Trixie stared her down, “Well, I’m surprised you even play a game like Dungeons and Dragons. I’d have thought it involved too much ‘fancy mathematics’ for a brainless little hick like you.” “Why, you rotten...” Applejack started. “Hahahaha!” Pinkie interjected, smiling desperately, “Boy, that Trixie is such a kidder! Come on, AJ, let’s get going and...” “SHUT UP!” they both yelled at her in unison. She sat down, stunned. Applejack marched up to Trixie until they were face-to-face. “So you think you’re better’n me, is that it?” “I KNOW I’m better than you.” Trixie sneered, refusing to back down, “At everything in general and this game in particular.” “Care to prove it?” “Any time, any place!” “What’s wrong with right here, right now?” “Nothing! I’ve got everything we need in my trailer!” “Fine!” “Fine!” Without another word, the two marched into Trixie’s trailer, slamming the door behind them. Pinkie was left alone outside. She sat in stunned silence. A cold breeze blew by, rustling the leaves around her. She stared down the path. The exit leading back to Ponyville was just visible over the next hill. “It’s not fair.” she said, her voice almost a whisper. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. Briefly, she imagined herself climbing the stairs to her apartment above Sugarcube Corner, drawing a nice hot bubble bath, maybe having that slice of cake she’d been saving, before collapsing into her bed. She looked at the forest’s exit again. The door to the trailer swung open and Applejack stuck her head out. “Pinkie, are you comin’ in or not?” she said, then ducked back inside, leaving the door swinging open. Pinkie glanced around nervously in the gradually fading light of the forest. She took a deep breath to steady herself, then climbed into the trailer, shutting the door behind her with a tiny click. Next: Act 4: Trixiedekaphobia

Ebon Mane

78

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

Creatures of the Night

complete

<p>Not all ponies prefer the day to the night. Twilight and Luna are creatures of the night, and for ponies like them, love is best found under starlight. </p><p>Note: This fic is terrible and only kept for historical purposes. It is vapid and poorly written. It was the first fanfic I ever wrote, back on Valentine's Day of 2011. Humble beginnings and all that.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:21:13+00:00

2011-07-11T00:21:13+00:00

Warnings and Disclaimers: Characters in this work are property of their respective owners, I do not own any of them, and do not intend to make any sort of profit off of this work. This My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction involves shipping. If you don't know what that means, please go read up on it at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shipping before reading. If you are made uncomfortable by ANY form of romance between ANY two intelligent beings, this fanfiction may not be to your liking. Continue only with caution. And now, on with the show: The summer night was warm and clear, and the night draped Ponyville in a blanket of darkness and quiet. A gentle breeze stirred Twilight Sparkle's mane; it was warm, and brought the scent of green and growing things from the farms and wildland. The lights in the houses had long since gone dark, but Twilight had not noticed them winking out, one by one. From the balcony of her home, she gazed upward, taking in the beauty of the stars. Her mind wandered in a waking dream, lost in trivial thoughts, soon forgotten. With Spike away on royal business, there was no snoring to break her from her starlight reverie, and so she had spent the last few hours lost in the beauty of the night sky. The new moon hung high over ponyville that night, and Twilight's eyes tracked its slow arc. She stood transfixed as ever so slowly, stars were eclipsed by the black disk, and other stars reappeared in its wake. For the first time since the Summer Sun Celebration, the moon was new, and Twilight took the opportunity to stargaze. She was glad that she had; moonless night took her breath away. Something Twilight couldn't place had changed, some detail on the border of imperceptibility, but it was enough to make what she had seen so many times before seem somehow wondrous. Twilight was so engrossed in the beauty of the spectacle that it took her a long time to see that there was a second dark gap in the stars on that particular night. Soon after noticing the object, Twilight recognized the shape as the silhouette of a pegasus, hovering effortlessly. Though she had no idea what reason a pegasus would have to be flying at that late hour, her curiosity compelled her to investigate. "Hello?" Twilight called out, and to her own ears the sound was almost deafening when compared to the serene silence that had preceded it. The other pony, however, seemed unperturbed, and floated gracefully down to a silent landing on Twilight's balcony. The darkness had long since robbed Twilight's eyes of differentiation between colors, and on that moonless night she could discern few details of the newcomer's appearance. Twilight could see little more than a strange glint in the other pony's eyes, though she could not guess what the look suggested. "Twilight Sparkle..." The other pony said quietly, almost whispering. Her gentle voice seemed familiar to Twilight, but she couldn't immediately place it. But then, Twilight saw that what she had thought was a pegasus had a unicorn's horn. The only pony other than her mentor that she had seen with both wings and a horn was... "Luna? Is that you? What were you doing up there? What are you doing here in Ponyville?" Twilight babbled in confusion, one eyebrow raised questioningly. The situation seemed surreal to her, she would never have expected a visit from Luna, not so soon after seeing her leave for her new life in Canterlot just weeks before. Luna turned her head to look up at the moon and spoke softly, "What was I doing up there? I was watching the beauty of the night. Some things are at their most alluring in the starlight." "Oh..." Twilight replied slowly, turning to look at the moon again, "Yeah. I know what you mean. The moon is more beautiful tonight than I've ever seen it." Luna smiled, her voice beaming with delight, "Thank you." Twilight looked at Luna in confusion, wondering why what she said warranted thanks, and Luna giggled softly, "I guess that look means you don't know that I'm back in charge of the movements of the moon. It's good that my sister trusts me again. I could never move the sun, but my sister was never as talented as I was when it came to the movements of the moon. I think that it's because she has never learned that the night doesn't have to be beautiful in spite of its darkness; it can be beautiful because of its darkness." And for a time, Twilight considered that in silence, as the two ponies watched the slow movement of the moon. Presently, she spoke up, "Luna? What was it like being the Mare in the Moon?" Luna closed her eyes and sighed, "I don't remember much of it, thankfully. A thousand year haze of jealousy and hate. I was another person then. Now, when I think back, all I remember are regrets. I only had a few years of harmony with my sister before I became jealous of her popularity . The thousand years I could have had with her haunt me, but I'm not burdened with the memory of them. I don't know how I could cope if I were." And then the night was silent again. Twilight tried to think of words of comfort, but none came to her. The moment passed. Still, Twilight's curiosity could not remain silent for long. "So why did you come to Ponyville tonight?" Luna smiled, "Three reasons. First, I came to thank you. When you and your friends defeated Nightmare Moon, you saved me from myself. You gave me another chance at freedom and life, another chance to treat my sister with love instead of resentment. You were my redemption, and I can never repay you for that." The sentiment struck Twilight dumb, and she scrambled to respond, "Well... I mean, thanks, but I just did what anypony would have done." "No. Not anypony. Only you could have done it. Only you had the magic and the spark. You're not just somepony who happened to help me. You're more than that to me. Which brings me to the second reason I came here tonight. I want to ask you if you can forgive me for how I treated you and your friends, for the monster that I was. Can you forgive me?" The night was silent for a time, and Twilight looked up at the moon again. A few stars disappeared behind it, and a few more appeared where it had been. "Yes. I can forgive you. I don't know why, exactly, but I feel like no one who could cause something as beautiful as this night can be evil at their core. As long as you've learned from your mistake, I can forgive you." Luna whispered, "Thank you," as tears welled up in her eyes. The night was dry when she spoke again, "And the third reason I came to your house is because," She paused for a moment, "Because even with my sister and the ponies in Canterlot, I'm lonely." Twilight looked back at Luna, "So you need friends from Ponyville? Do you want to be my friend?" Luna shook her head, "I have friends already. That's not the kind of loneliness I'm talking about Twilight." "Oh," Twilight tilted her head in confusion, wondering about what Luna had meant by that. Then, it struck her, and her eyes widened, "Oh! You're looking for a male pony in Ponyville? Heh, I don't know too many, but I'm sure Rarity or Pinkie Pie could point you in the right direction, if you wanted." Luna was silent for a moment. She looked away from Twilight, toward the wood beneath her hooves. When she answered, her voice took on a strange tone, twisted with self-deprecating humor, "I have always been a pony that takes the path less traveled. My sister prefers daytime, loves the sun over the moon, and enjoys the company, form, and romance of males. We are opposites in many ways, she and I." "Oh," replied Twilight, puzzled. Then she caught the meaning, "Oh! So you like..." Twilight would have said 'female ponies', but another realization stopped her train of thought dead. The strange attentiveness in Luna's eyes when she looked at Twilight had been puzzling, but now Twilight saw it for what it was: desire. Shocked by the development, the unicorn ended her thought with little more than a squeaked, "...me?" "Yes, you Twilight," the warmth of genuine feeling was obvious in Luna's words. Silence hung between the two ponies for a few seconds, and Luna gushed nervously, "I'm sorry if you're offended but it's just that you're so beautiful, and when you fought me you were so brave and determined and smart. You knew just what to say and you were such a hero," Luna's speech increased in tempo, the words running together as thoughts all tumbled forth at once, "And you love the night, you really appreciate it for what it is! We creatures of the night are fewer than those of the day, and my work is shown to fewer ponies than that of my sister, but it would be worth working to make every night's beauty perfect if the only creature in Equestria to see it is you, because you really see the moon and the stars for the unique beauty that they have, and I really hope I'm not weirding you out and I know you're probably into male ponies and please don't be offended and if you are I'm sorry beca-" At this point, Twilight completely derailed Luna's speech and train of thought with the simple act of leaning forward and kissing her quite thoroughly. A few moments later, the two separated, and Luna said the only thing left on her thoroughly scrambled mind. "Wow." Twilight's mouth twisted in a wry smile, "Well put. But I'm not offended. And I don't prefer male ponies. I didn't think I liked any ponies until a couple weeks ago, and in a way, I have you to thank for that. Plus, you were so cute babbling there, I just couldn't help myself. So you don't have to be lonely like that anymore, Luna. We can enjoy the night together." And so Luna and Twilight spent that night together, like they would spend many nights after, enjoying the darkness and the silence, the moon and the stars, and each other's company.

Ebon Mane

80

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

What Rarity Needs

complete

<p>Twilight's Research into Divination magic has given Rarity a vision about her future love. Will she interpret the portents correctly?</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:25:22+00:00

2011-07-11T00:25:22+00:00

Warnings and Disclaimers: Characters in this work are property of their respective owners, I do not own any of them, and do not intend to make any sort of profit off of this work. This My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction involves shipping. If you don't know what that means, please go read up on it at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shipping before reading. If you are made uncomfortable by ANY form of romance between ANY two intelligent beings, this fanfiction may not be to your liking. Continue only with caution. And now, on with the show: Spike opened the door to the library and stopped dead. When he'd left, the library had been as clean as he'd ever seen it; a spotless floor, the books in their place, Twilight had even convinced him to dust the shelves. She had said that she had important research to do, though she hadn't shared the details with Spike. "Oh, there you are Spike," Twilight called to him, using her magic to slowly clean up what appeared to be the aftermath of a small tornado's passage through the room, "Please take a letter. Princess Celestia should know about the results of my research at once." Spike grumbled to himself as he pulled out his writing supplies, "Welcome home Spike. I missed you, Spike. How was Canterlot, Spike? This letter had better be important." He dipped his quill in an inkwell and announced aloud, "Ready to go Twilight." Twilight turned from her task and cleared her throat, "Dear Princess Celestia, recently I performed some research into divination spells. I didn't learn as much about magic as I'd hoped, but I did learn a very important lesson about friendship. Before I tell you what I learned, let me tell you what happened, since today I believe that the story will make you at least as happy as the lesson. It all started..." *** Rarity didn't know why Twilight would need her help on any project having to do with magic. She was proud of her ability, but could never have done anything requiring as much power as getting rid of that Ursa Minor had; Twilight was simply much more magically inclined, even if she wasn't quite as elegant while using her power as one could hope. Still, Rarity was never one to ignore a friend in need, so when Twilight had come to her shop the week before and asked her to help with magic research, there had been no hesitation. Twilight had named the day and asked Rarity to come early, and she had agreed. Rarity arrived the morning in question without unnecessary delay, having taken less than an hour to get her appearance and hair just right. When she knocked on the door to Twilight's home, she heard a muffled, "Just a moment!" from within the tree. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal Twilight standing among an array of strangely placed objects and miscellaneous debris. "There, see, I just finished placing the last of the components. I'm so glad you could come and help me with this spell Rarity, come on in. And please don't disturb any of it." With that, she turned back to her book, set on a stand near the middle of the room. To Rarity's eyes, 'it' seemed to include bits of trash, torn paper, various plant parts, an upended table with a lamp balanced on one leg, a marble statue of a pony with two legs missing, and a circle in the middle of the floor marked with what she hoped was red paint. "I… see. All of these, er, items? They're the components for the spell?" Rarity looked about the room, twitching with unease at the mess. "Exactly," Twilight flipped the pages of her book, paying little attention to what she was saying, "It took forever to find all this stuff, and to lay it all out. But now, everything is exactly in its place. Perfectly right." Rarity forced a smile and suppressed the urge to start cleaning, "Perfectly right, of course, dear. Say, what sort of spell needs these... components? And why do I have to be here for it?" Twilight looked up from her reading, "I must have forgotten to tell you. It's a divination spell. This one is supposed to grant a vision that gives insight into some aspect of the future. I think. The text is vague on exactly what you're supposed to see and what it means. In any case, I need you because the spell calls for two unicorns, and at least one of them has to have skill in illusion or aesthetics," Twilight smiled at Rarity, "And you're my go-to pony when the issue is aesthetics, Rarity." "See the future?" Rarity asked in wonderment, taking note, of course, of the compliment. Twilight tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, "Well, that's not quite wha-" "I could see if I'll end up with Celestia's Nephew! Can we have the spell show us that Twilight?" Rarity, fixated on the potential of the spell, had forgotten about her clutter-related misgivings. Twilight nodded, "The spell doesn't work well with specific questions, but I guess you can be the one to decide what we ask. You are the one helping me out, so I'm glad to help you too. You just have to make sure to tell me whether it was right, however long that takes. Can you phrase what you want the spell to show in a less specific way?" Rarity considered this for a moment, and then replied, "I want to know what the future of my love life is." Twilight beamed, "That's a good one, Rarity. Okay, now, let me explain how we'll cast it. It's a tough one, so pay attention." * * * The explanation took a long time, and the casting took longer. The two stood in the red circle in the center of the room, arcs of light cascading among the strange array of items Twilight had gathered. Neither Rarity nor Twilight had ever cast a spell so demanding, but eventually a flash lit the room, and the two felt something intangible click into place. The room became quiet and still. Twilight cheered, "Alright! I think it worked. We should see the vision in just a few..." her voice faded as she trailed off. The sudden silence confused Rarity for a moment, but then she felt it too. The midday sunlight streaming in through the windows became glaring and oppressive, overwhelming Rarity's senses. Sweat began to bead on her brow. The world became glassy and unfocused, and Rarity felt as though something had grasped the fabric of creation and was pulling it, stretching it up and to the left. The warping of her sense of space unbalanced Rarity, and she fell to her knees, and then rolled over onto her side. Her hooves kicked sluggishly, pushing at empty air as her body fought to make sense of the perceptual shift, and her eyes could no longer maintain even a semblance of focus; the world became fuzzy in her vision, entities lost their edges and blended together into a sea of color. Rarity shut her eyes, unable to withstand the glare of sunlight any longer. In the darkness behind Rarity's eyelids, shapes moved. At first she could discern nothing in their subtle movements, but then a scene sprung forth from the chaos. A huge eye with a bright green iris filled Rarity's field of vision. She felt herself moving forward quickly, and the eye's size began to increase as she was drawn toward the green expanse of the iris. Soon, the details of the iris became clearer, and resolved themselves into hills, rolling green hills covered in trees, and Rarity was falling right toward them. As she dropped closer, more details became clear to her eyes. The trees were apple trees, endless expanses of apple trees filled with bright red apples. The tree Rarity was falling toward loomed suddenly in her vision; an apple was headed straight for her, or she for it, and she felt as though a collision with the shiny red orb was inevitable. Instead, the apple loomed in her vision, as its surface expanded toward the horizons. What had seemed to be the unmarred skin of the apple was revealed to be an ocean of apples, stretching as far as Rarity could see. Then, she hit it. Rarity landed lightly, for all of her speed, seeming to go from barreling toward the expanse to standing serenely on a field of apples in an instant. Her movement at an end, Rarity felt a calm come over her. She lay down on the apples, the fruit feeling softer than her bed at home, and a wave of apples rolled over her, covering her like a blanket. Rarity had never felt so at home, so at peace, so loved. Words seemed to appear in her head, placed there by no means at all. Rarity, the future of your love life is apples. And then Rarity was an apple. * * * The two ponies stood up cautiously, still not quite trusting the world around them. There was silence for a time, as each considered what they had seen. Rarity spoke first, "Did you see...?" Twilight nodded, "Apples. I saw it from your perspective. I was you. Sort of. I think. I mean, I knew I was me, but I knew you were you and I was you." Rarity coughed. "Apples," added Twilight, ever insightful. "What did that all mean, Twilight? Did the spell work right?" Rarity asked, filled with concern. "I think it means that your future love life will involve apples. Somehow. Hmm. Maybe the Apple family?" Twilight looked down, eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Could it be Big Mac? Was that what the vision was trying to tell me? Should I give up on the prince and try to love Big Mac?" Rarity thought the idea was a strange one. She hadn't talked to Applejack's brother much before; it had just never occurred to her to try. "Well," Said Twilight, considering, "It would be much more useful for research if we could find out if the visions are true. Or even useful. You should ask him about it." Rarity looked at the other pony in shock, "Oh Twilight, dear, that's just not how it's done. One can't simply ask about that sort of thing. It's much more complicated than that. I need to know whether he's right for me. Please help me with this." Twilight looked dubious, "I guess you know more about this sort of thing than me, and it will help my research. What do you need me to do?" As Rarity explained phases of her plan and complex contingencies, Twilight grew more and more distraught. Why couldn't this sort of thing be as simple as magic?

Ebon Mane

80

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

What Rarity Needs

complete

<p>Twilight's Research into Divination magic has given Rarity a vision about her future love. Will she interpret the portents correctly?</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:26:16+00:00

2011-07-11T00:26:16+00:00

As she walked toward Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight's thoughts lingered on Rarity's briefing. Rarity had described many qualities that she wanted in her ideal stallion, and seemed to want to know whether Big Macintosh qualified on every count. "I want a stallion that's strong and athletic, but not a show-off. I'd like him to be well-read and intelligent with good business sense. And of course he absolutely must be neat and organized. Oh, and good fashion sense is essential," Rarity had told her. Twilight had raised an eyebrow, "So basically you want him to be the opposite of his sister?" Rarity had paused, considering, "Well I hadn't really thought of it in those terms, but I suppose you could put it that way. It's not that I don't like Applejack, darling, she's a good friend, but her... ah... unique charms aren't really what I want in a stallion to spend the rest of my life with. You see what I mean, don't you, Twilight dear?" Twilight, of course, had seen. Rarity and Applejack could rarely go as much as a week without getting into some major fight or another, though they were able to make up every time. Even with her admittedly incomplete knowledge of romance, she could understand that it would most likely be impossible to go out with someone you got into fights with constantly. Who could put up with something like that, and why would they? Twilight arrived in due time at the farm that Big Mac ran with his sister. Rolling hills covered in apple trees spread into the distance, and Twilight was reminded uncomfortably of the vision she had shared with Rarity. Still, she had a job to do, so she pushed the distraction to the back of her mind and looked around for her target; it was fortunate, considering the size of the farm, that he was nearby and easy to spot. Big Mac was in the act of placing barrels under apple trees in anticipation of the bucking season when Twilight approached. She called out, "Hello Big Mac! How's it going?" The large red stallion turned from his work with a smile, "Why howdy Twilight. What brings you 'round ta Sweet Apple Acres? Lookin' fer Applejack?" "Actually, Big Mac, I was looking for you," Twilight replied, giving the cover story Rarity had made her practice repeatedly as an excuse to try and determine whether Big Mac's intelligence was up to Rarity's standards, "You see, I was going over the library catalog when I found a book on historical developments in agriculture in Equestria. It mentions the Apple Family as owners of Sweet Apple Acres over a hundred years ago. I thought you might be interested in reading about your ancestors." Twilight used magic to float the book in question out of her saddlebag and showed Big Mac. In truth, she had found it ages ago, but hadn't expected Applejack to appreciate any book, even one about apple farming, and never even thought about Big Mac. Inspecting the book, Big Mac smiled, "Why, thank yeh kindly Twilight, but ah already have this one." The simple statement took Twilight completely by surprise; she had anticipated several possible reactions Big Mac might have had when presented with the dry, obscure historical tome, but him being familiar with it had certainly not been one of them. "You own a copy?" "A-yep. It's some-where on one o' tha shelves back at tha house. Been months since ah've cracked that par-tic-u-lar tome," the huge stallion drawled. Twilight raised an eyebrow, "I hadn't pegged you for the bookish type Big Mac. No offense. I know Applejack doesn't read much." "Don't ah know it," Big Mac sighed, "Applejack ain't never had much use fer book learnin'. She's more 'bout kickin' and luggin', which leaves all the plannin' and figurin' to yours truly. Along with a good share ah the kickin' and luggin, o'course. When yeh run a farm, yeh need some-pony with book smarts around." Twilight was genuinely interested in the turn of the conversation. "What specific sorts of things do you need to know to run a farm, Big Mac? I've never researched it much," Twilight asked, enthusiasm evident in her voice. "Well..." the larger pony replied, evidently gathering his thoughts, "Yeh gotta know everythin' there is tah know 'bout apples and apple trees, how to re-cog-nize blights an' mold an' pests, an' how tah deal with those, o'course. Fertilizin's real important, so knowin' who's sellin' tha stuff an' what it costs an' if the seller's cuttin' it with sawdust or somethin' ta try an' pull a fast one on ya. Gotta talk to tha weather ponies tah know when tha' storms are comin' and when yeh can work fine, an' know which weather ponies can find a few mis-placed coins or apples and con-ven-ient-ly farget ta leave any clouds o'er Sweet Apple Acres or send more rain our way, dependin' on what we need. Say hi ta yer friend Rainbow Dash fer me, by the way, will ya? An' a farm's like any business; yeh gotta keep tha accountin' right or yeh won' know where yer money went at tha' end a tha' month. Gotta know the prices and suppliers fer any number ah things, barrels, carts, chemicals, an' buildin materials, jus' off the top ah ma head, an' how ta get 'em shipped cheap an' on time. An' o'course yeh gotta know tha price 'a apples all 'round Equestria, so yeh know how much ta ship out an' how much ta sell local. An speakin' a local, yeh gotta go ta city council meetins', ta make dern sure they ain't gonna hoof ya over on zonin', turnin' ag-ri-cul-tur-al inta re-si-den-tial o' some such foolishness. An that's jus' tha basics." Twilight's eyes had grown wider and wider over the course of the speech, and when it ended, she looked on in stunned silence, her eyes wide as Big Mac smiled down at her. "And of course," Big Mac added in an accent that would not be a hair out of place in the court at Canterlot, "You have to speak with a certain accent and diction, or the other farmers won't respect you, and the farm supply vendors will. As a shrewd businessman, I know that I want neither of those things to happen. I'm sorry I don't come by the library, Twilight. I'd like to, but I get all my books delivered in unmarked boxes. I've got a reputation to maintain." Twilight's jaw dropped. "A-yep. Ah trust yeh not ta spread that 'round all that much, on account of Applejack tellin' me yer a good friend. Now ahv got work ta get back ta. So long Twilight, thanks for bringin' that book 'round." With that, Big Macintosh pulled his cart to the next line of apple trees, leaving Twilight to slowly make sense of what she'd just heard.

Ebon Mane

80

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

What Rarity Needs

complete

<p>Twilight's Research into Divination magic has given Rarity a vision about her future love. Will she interpret the portents correctly?</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:27:14+00:00

2011-07-11T00:27:14+00:00

Rarity was glad that Twilight had agreed to see about Big Macintosh's intelligence. Her asking would be so much more subtle than it would have been if Rarity had been forced to do it herself and, at this stage at least, subtlety was a necessity. Of course, that was only one part of the picture. When Twilight left for Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity could not simply wait; she had other threads to tend to, and a plan to stitch together, and so she left the library when Twilight did, though in the opposite direction. All the evaluation in Equestria would matter little if Big Mac weren't single. Rarity did not want to play dirty, but she knew that if there were competition for Big Mac, she might have to; all's fair in love and war, after all. "The things one considers for the sake of romance," Rarity sighed to herself. Despite her misgivings, she knew she would not give up on her destiny easily, now that she'd caught sight of a worthwhile goal. On some level, Rarity had always known that her dream of marrying Princess Celestia's nephew had been just that: a dream; Big Mac seemed to be a much more realistic, if unfortunately far less glamorous, goal. Still, she had her vision, and who was she to argue with destiny? Rarity soon arrived at her destination: Pinkie Pie's house. To Rarity's eyes, the building was far too small to make a good home. It was simple wooden house with a large brick chimney, and it appeared to contain only one room, though Rarity had never been inside. The strangest thing about the place was the complete lack of windows; unless you counted the occupant, of course, in which case the lack of windows was a distant second in terms of strangeness. Rarity knocked on the door, and in just a moment Pinkie Pie opened the door a crack and stuck her head out to look around. "Oh hi Rarity. What brings you out here? Do you need candy? Cause they have candy at the store, all the candy here is mine and you can't have it! Unless you really want it. Do you?" "No thank you, Pinkie Pie, dear," Rarity replied, as smoke began to billow out of the slightly open door, "I've got a favor to ask of you is this a good time to talk? Is there something burning in there, darling?" Pinkie Pie giggled, "I've always got time to talk to a good friend about candy." She walked outside and closed the door without giving Rarity a chance to see into the house. "What do you need," Pinkie Pie added, smiling. "Uh, darling, what about the smoke?" Rarity asked, concerned. "Don't worry about that. It'll be fine till I can get back to it," Pinkie Pie replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof. Rarity was not convinced, but decided to drop it. Pinkie Pie would be Pinkie Pie, and if she were going to burn down her own house, she probably would have done so before now. "Well you see, it's a bit of a long story, but to put it in the simplest terms, Twilight and I used magic to see something about the future, and we had a vision that told me that I am destined to fall in love... or is it marry? The vision wasn't specific, but that's not the point, dear. The point is that I'm supposed to end up with an Apple, and I believe that the Apple in question is Big Macintosh. So that's why I need to talk to you: you know everypony who's anypony in Ponyville. Do you know if Big Mac is seeing anyone, dear?" Pinkie Pie's head tilted in thought, "Well I don't think so, but I'm not sure. Big Mac's not into the party scene, which is just too sad. Did you say you saw the future? Was I in it? Was I still pink? I suppose I could ask Applejack for you, she'd probably know. It's her brother, after all. And I know you can't ask her cause you'd just get in a fight and nopony wants that. Is there candy in the future?" Rarity put on a tolerant smile, "Yes, Pinkie Pie, there is candy in the future. And I'd really appreciate you asking Applejack about Big Mac. And darling, please do have some subtlety when you ask about this." "Subtlety is my middle name," Pinkie Pie replied, turning to walk toward Sweet Apple Acres, "I'm all about subtlety. I'll go ask her right now. Thanks for the alibi, Rarity. Bye" Rarity called out after her, "What about the smoke?" Pinkie Pie turned her head to smile at Rarity, "Don't you worry your silly mane about that. It's all under control." Rarity gave the door a mistrustful glance before calling again to the rapidly departing pink pony, "If you say so Pinkie Pie. Thanks again. Au revior, dear." She turned to head back to the library; Twilight might be back by this time, and she was quite interested in hearing the results of her little reconnaissance. "Oh Rarity, you're quite good at this. It look like it all might come together with no fuss at all," Rarity reassured herself, smiling as she thought of what needle she needed to thread next. *** Pinkie Pie hopped swiftly toward Sweet Apple Acres, passing Twilight Sparkle on the road not far out of town; the unicorn was headed toward Ponyville. Pinkie had called out to her purple friend, but Twilight hadn't seemed to notice her, probably lost in thought over another book or magic or something. Twilight always seemed to have her head in the clouds. Why couldn't she be more down to Earth, like Pinkie Pie? Come to think of it, Rainbow Dash had her head in the clouds all day, and she was still down to Earth. Maybe Dash was just really tall, metaphorically speaking. Pinkie considered this for a time. Her loosely linked chain of thought kept Pinkie Pie thoroughly entertained until she reached Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack did not appear to be at work among the apple trees, so Pinkie Pie headed for the farm house, thinking that the Earth pony might be taking a rare moment of rest at home. Pinkie was pleased when her knock at the door got a quick response. "Come on in, the door's unlocked, y'all." Pinkie Pie let herself in, and found Applejack in the kitchen, stirring something in a mixing bowl. "Whatcha doin' Applejack, ya cookin' somethin' sweet? Huh huh huh?" Pinkie Pie had to address the issue of food before she could get around to less important subjects. Applejack looked at Pinkie Pie sternly, "Well, ahm helpin' Granny Smith with preparin' fer bakin' her famous apple pies while she gets in a nap. They won't be ready fer hours yet, but yer welcome to a piece then. One piece, Pinkie Pie, an' not a whole hootin' pie like las' time." Her countenance softened, "Now what brings you 'round to Sweet Apple Acres? Ah know you can't smell pie makin' all the way from town. Somethin' twitchin' tell you?" Pinkie Pie considered how to ask her question, "Well, I didn't come out here for pie, even though I'm really happy you're offering now, since I do like pie a whole lot, especially Granny Smith's apple pie, but the reason I came was to ask a question: do you know if Big Mac is seeing anyone? Like, not with his eyes, but with the dating?" Applejack paused her stirring as she processed what Pinkie Pie had asked, then turned toward her slowly with a gigantic grin on her face, "Oh? Has our Pinkie Pie taken a shine to Big Macintosh? Don't be shy now, it's jus' us fillies here." Pinkie Pie shook her head, "I'm kind of asking cause another pony wants to know cause she wants a shot at him. I think he's nice and all and no offense but your bother isn't my type." Applejack's interest only seemed to grow, "So then who is it? This is some grade A gossip, yeh've got here Pinkie, an' that's a great way ta pass time on the farm." "Rarity," Pinkie Pie replied without thinking, and immediately got the feeling that she may have made a mistake. Applejack's playful grin had disappeared. "Rarity." Applejack echoed, voice utterly flat. Pinkie Pie put on what she hoped was a reassuring smile, "Uh, yes?" "Rarity told you she wanted to date Big Mac? Fussy, obsessive-compulsive, vain, full of herself Rarity?" Applejack asked, tension entering her voice. "Er, yes, that Rarity, though it's not nice to-" Applejack interrupted, anger dripping from every word, "You tell Rarity to stay away from Big Mac. D'ya hear me? Go tell her that." Applejack turned back to stirring the mix for the pie crust, the wooden spoon clenched hard enough in her teeth to begin to visibly dent. Pinkie Pie was shocked by her friend's sudden change of mood. "I gue-" Applejack had dropped the spoon just long enough to interrupt with a shout, "Go! NOW!" Pinkie Pie left. It hurt her to see one of her friends so upset. She hoped that Applejack would get over it soon. Maybe the pie would make her feel better, since a little twitch told Pinkie Pie that the apple pie would be just perfect this time. That was good; the last batch's crust had needed a bit more salt. *** Rainbow Dash reclined on a makeshift bed in the branches of an old oak. It was good to rule the skies; she could make her own perfect day for napping. The sun was warm, the sky was clear, and Dash had not a care in the world. Later, she might practice some of her tricks, or work on a new one, but the decision was all hers. Yep, life was good. Dash's self-congratulations were disturbed by the sound of a pony passing under the oak. Curious, Dash leaned over to see who the passerby was, and then grinned in recognition. "Hey Pinkie Pie, how's it going?" Pinkie Pie looked up, and Dash noticed that her face had an uncharacteristic look of concern. Her voice was tinged with uncertainty when she replied, words coming out in a rush, "Dash I think I screwed up you see I just came from Applejack's house cause Rarity had told me to go ask Applejack if Big Mac is dating anypony and I asked Applejack and she wanted to know who wanted to know and I told her it was Rarity and she got real mad and told me to leave and she was really mad and I don't know what to do." Pinkie Pie paused, out of breath. Dash's mood had darkened considerably. She didn't know why somepony always had to ruin her perfect days. "So let me get this straight. You told Applejack that Rarity wants to date Big Mac?" "Right," Pinkie Pie nodded emphatically. "And you don't understand why Applejack is upset?" "Right," Pinkie pie replied, continuing her nod. "So basically you're blind?" "Right," the nodding continued for a few seconds, then Pinkie Pie stopped and frowned. "Wait a second. I'm not blind! What are you talking about?" Rainbow Dash pointedly ignored the question, "Why does Rarity want to date Big Mac, anyway? She's never mentioned him before. She was always set on that prince in Canterlot." "Well, she said Twilight used some magic to show her future stuff," Pinkie replied, trying to remember details, "And she said the vision told her that she'd love an Apple. So she thought it must be Big Mac." Rainbow Dash facehoof'd. She'd thought that her friends were supposed to be smart. "Look, I'm going to go find Applejack and try to fix this. You just try not to screw anything else up today, okay Pinkie?" A streak of rainbow light shot off toward Sweet Apple Acres as Rainbow Dash flew, grumbling about the waste of good nap time. *** Rarity smiled. Twilight had seemed a bit distracted when she gave her report, but she was satisfied by Twilight's assurance that Big Macintosh was, indeed, intelligent enough to suit her. Nopony in Ponyville was more qualified to judge a stallion's smarts than the town librarian, after all. Still, she knew that she could not rest yet; while Pinkie Pie obtained information from Applejack, Rarity set off in search of Rainbow Dash. Dash's competitive streak would be essential in the next phase of Rarity's plan. She hummed to herself as she scanned each tree in her path for napping pegasi. *** Despite her speed, Rainbow Dash was able to spot Applejack from the air as she approached Sweet Apple Acres. The mare was standing outside, just staring at the ground; it looked as bad as Dash had expected. She landed just in front of the other mare, and said the first thing that came to mind, the best advice she knew how to give. "Applejack, you've got to tell her."

Ebon Mane

80

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

What Rarity Needs

complete

<p>Twilight's Research into Divination magic has given Rarity a vision about her future love. Will she interpret the portents correctly?</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:27:50+00:00

2011-07-11T00:27:50+00:00

Nopony had ever looked at Big Macintosh and thought of subtlety. The massive Earth pony towered over most residents of Ponyville, speaking slowly, moving slowly and, most ponies expected, thinking slowly. At times, Big Macintosh was disappointed by the fact that just about every pony in Ponyville assumed that he was on the intellectual level of Derpy Hooves at best; other times, he liked that nopony considered him capable of guile, stealth, or deception. After all, wasn't deception most effective where was least expected? Big Mac knew that something was odd about Twilight Sparkle's visit; as much as it had been a pleasure to see her, he expected that she hadn't come without reason. So, when another of Applejack's friends came to Sweet Apple Acres, he stayed out of sight and followed the pink pony, stationing himself outside the kitchen window after he heard Applejack calling from inside. From there, he just stayed quiet and still and listened as the two ponies discussed the issue stirring up so much activity; to Big Mac's surprise, he learned that the issue was him. He was not any stranger to the attentions of mares by any means, but most of the ones that were interested in him just wanted a stallion that was big, strong, and dumb, and Big Mac didn't want to disappoint the poor fillies on that last count, which would have been necessary in any serious relationship. Still, Rarity had never seemed the sort that would be into him, quite the opposite, in fact; he had doubted that she would ever want to be associated with a farmer in that way. But though he was surprised by the news of Rarity's interest in him, he was even more surprised by his sister's reaction to it. The outburst that caused Pinkie Pie to leave seemed far out of proportion to Applejack's normal feelings of over-protectiveness toward her big brother; it didn't make any sense to Big Mac until he heard his sister start to cry, just after Pinkie Pie had left. From there, everything fell into place in Big Mac's mind. It explained why she always talked about Rarity more than her other friends, and why she had been so unbelievably devastated when her dress order had made Rarity look bad in front of Hoity-Toity. It also explained why she never seemed to be much interested the stallions that often took a shine to her. In retrospect, it made a lot of sense, and Big Mac practically kicked himself for not realizing sooner. He saw immediately what he had to do, and ran quickly toward Ponyville, hoping to catch up with Pinkie Pie. He caught sight of the pink mare before too long. She had stopped, and appeared to be talking to an oak tree. Big Mac kept his distance, watching her, only slightly surprised by this behavior; he'd seen Pinkie Pie enough around town and at the few parties he had attended to know that talking to trees would not be out of character for her. He was surprised, however, when a rainbow blur streaked out of the tree's branches, headed off toward Sweet Apple Acres. Big Mac wondered what Pinkie had told Rainbow Dash as he followed the bouncing pink pony toward Ponyville. *** Rarity couldn't seem to find Rainbow Dash anywhere. The mare was lazy, but at least she was reliably lazy; Rarity knew that at this time of day, Dash would be napping somewhere. Unfortunately, all the trees in Ponyville were pegasus-free, and Dash hadn't been at her floating home when Rarity had yelled up to it. She was just about to give up the search when she spotted the other pony she wanted to see; Pinkie Pie was bouncing into town. Rarity trotted toward her pink friend, hoping for good news, but when she saw the look on Pinkie's face, she nearly despaired. Pinkie Pie was almost never seen without a smile, grin, or some other expression of joy; with such a serious look on her face now, the news Pinkie Pie brought could not be good. "Pinkie Pie! What happened? Is something wrong?" Pinkie Pie nodded, "Applejack is reeeeeal mad. When I asked her if her brother is seeing anybody, she wanted to know who was interested in him, so I told her it was you and she practically exploded! She told me to leave real angry like. I've never seen her so mad!" "Oh dear oh dear oh dear, you told her it was me? I know we don't always get along too well, but I didn't think she'd react that badly. Still, I'd hoped to wait till later to tell her about it. And on my own terms. Oh, I hope this hasn't ruined everything." Pinkie Pie looked crestfallen, "Oh no. So we're disappointed?" Rarity was already distracted, thinking of ways to salvage her plans, but she responded offhand, "I don't blame you, Pinkie dear, but I am disappointed." "Oh no. That's bad. How do we express disappointment? I know," Pinkie Pie yelled to herself, clapping her front hooves, "A party! No! Bad Pinkie Pie! Parties are only for good things. This is a Bad Thing. How do ponies express bad things? I know! Cursing!" The pink pony bounced with glee. Rarity had ignored Pinkie Pie's soliloquy, lost in her plans, before that last bit caught her attention, "Darling, wha-?" Pinkie Pie interrupted Rarity's question with a prodigious shout, "FUCK A MAILBOX. SHIT DAMN. ASS." Ponies all over town stuck their heads out of windows and opened doors to see what the commotion was. Rarity was overcome by a combination of shock, embarrassment, confusion, and amusement. "Pinkie Pie, dear, don't be vulgar! ...Especially when you're so bad at it..." She frowned at the other pony, who looked quite pleased with herself, "Did you at least find out whether or not Big Mac is single?" "Nope," Pinkie Pie replied, "Applejack told me to leave before she told me. About Big Mac, I mean, I didn't mean she told me to leave before she told me to leave, 'cause that would be silly." Rarity smiled, trying to make the best of a bad situation, "Well, thanks for trying darling. I have some thinking to do. You should probably go deal with whatever was smoking in your house." "No way!" Pinkie Pie grinned, "I'm going to go get me some cupcakes. I told you the smoke was all in hand, so don't you worry about it at all. Bye Rarity!" She bounced off toward the shop, humming quietly to herself. Rarity sighed to herself, "Now what am I going to do?" *** "Applejack, you've got to tell her." Rainbow Dash hadn't thought before speaking; she rarely did. Now, though, as she caught her breath and grew more and more uncomfortable while Applejack continued to stare at the ground, Rainbow Dash thought. It wasn't going to be that easy; Applejack's feelings for Rarity had been obvious to Dash for months, and if Applejack hadn't had the courage to tell Rarity yet, it would be hard to convince her to do so now. Still, Dash knew she had to try, and so she waited for a response as the silence dragged on. Finally, Applejack murmured her reply, kicking at the dust with a hoof, "Ah can't." Rainbow Dash was not pleased, "What do you mean you can't?" "Ah jus' can't, okay?" Applejack shouted. "Jus' leave me alone, okay Rainbow Dash? I don't want to talk about it." "So you're just going to give up?" Rainbow Dash asked, appalled. "The second bravest pony in Ponyville, and you can't gather the courage to tell one pony how you feel about her? I thought my favorite competitor was better than that." "It's nawt as simple as all that, Dash," the orange mare snapped back, "Ya wouldn't understand!" Fury washed over Rainbow Dash, fury and regret. She shouted, "Don't you tell me that Applejack! I do understand! I know exactly what it's like to fall for a friend, and not know if you'll ever have a chance to be with her, to fear that she would hate you if she found out!" Applejack's eyes widened in shock as Rainbow Dash continued to shout, words pouring forth in a torrent, "I understand what it's like to treasure every bit of bickering, every argument and competition and fight, because it's time spent with her! Don't tell me I don't understand! I do. I understand too well." Rainbow's tone softened, and the rasp in her voice became a bit deeper as she struggled to maintain her composure, "I also understand what it's like to see the object of your affection fall for someone else. When you started looking at Rarity the way I knew I looked at you, well... it hurt. It hurt so much that I didn't know what to do." Applejack gasped, "Oh, Dash. Ah never knew..." Rainbow Dash cut her off before she could say anything more, "It doesn't matter now. I got over it. Still, I wouldn't wish it on anyone; you shouldn't make the same mistakes I made. Whether or not I had a chance, I should have told you. But you have to tell Rarity; you do have a chance. Take it." "Ya might've had a chance with me Dash, but ah ain't got no chance with Rarity. She's taken a shine ta Big Mac, an' he's a stallion; she wouldn't be int'rested in mares like me," Applejack sighed, her gaze returning to the dirt. Rainbow Dash waved a dismissive hoof, "A pony can go for both stallions and mares. Trust me. But really, you do have a chance! Did Pinkie Pie tell you why Rarity was asking about Big Mac?" "Well... no Ah suppose." Rainbow Dash grinned, "Well she did tell me. Rarity and Twilight used some of that unicorn magic to learn something about the future. They learned that Rarity is going to love an Apple. I think they just assumed that it would be Big Mac, and started from there." Applejack perked up, "D'ya reckon...?" Rainbow Dash nodded, smiling, "I think they have the wrong Apple. That's why you need to tell Rarity about how you feel. Like, right now." Applejack grinned, "Alright, Ah'll tell 'er. Ah'll go find 'er right now." Dash shook her head, "No, you wait here. I'll go find her and tell her you have something to say to her. She might already be coming here; Pinkie was pretty upset when I saw her, and she probably told Rarity how you reacted." "Thanks a might, Dash," Applejack replied as Rainbow Dash started beating her wings, taking off and gaining altitude. Then, Dash paused and hovered a few meters in the air. "It's no problem Applejack. Just remember, if things don't work out with Rarity... Well, I'll still be around." And then, in a rainbow flash, she was gone.

Ebon Mane

80

Applejack,Big Macintosh,Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Rarity,Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

What Rarity Needs

complete

<p>Twilight's Research into Divination magic has given Rarity a vision about her future love. Will she interpret the portents correctly?</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:28:28+00:00

2011-07-11T00:28:28+00:00

Big Macintosh waited until Pinkie Pie was nearly out of sight before he stepped out from his hiding place behind the corner of a nearby house. Rarity hadn't moved in the interim; she stood, looking far off into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. Big Mac made no effort to mask his approach; his heavy footfalls thudded on the packed dirt of Ponyville's main street, but Rarity didn't turn to look at the new arrival until he addressed her directly, "Why howdy, Rarity. Ah ain't seen yew in a while. Why d'ya look so sad awn such a nice day?" Rarity turned, and when she saw Big Mac she tried to put on a smile, but it just made her look more worried to Big Mac, and her voice sounded uneven when she spoke, "Oh, why hello there Big Macintosh. What do you mean? I'm not sad." Big Mac sighed at her, "Now Ah may nawt be tha mos' per-cep-tive of ponies, but Ah dew know a sad mare when Ah see one, an' there's one in front'a me right now. This got somethin' ta do with that stallion ya took a shine ta?" Rarity's eyes widened, "How did yo-" "Word gets 'round quick on tha farm. Now, Ah don't know who this stallion yew got yer eye awn is, but Ah ain't heard no rumors before taday, so it seems awful sudden-like. What's got ya so int'rested in this stallion anyhow?" Rarity seemed to debate with herself for a moment before answering, "Well Big Mac, the reason is fate. You see, Twilight and I used magic to see a vision revealing the future, and it told me that I was destined to be with an... with a certain pony." Big Macintosh raised an eyebrow, "An what's some vis-un got ta do with matters ahv tha heart?" "Well don't you see?" Rarity asked, "That's exactly the kind of romance I'd want. A vision of love, a whirlwind romance, a bond blessed by magic and fate itself!" "Ah could see how ya'd want that kinda romance," the red stallion replied before pretending to think to himself for a few seconds, "But this here stallion, did ya spend much time with 'im afore tha vis-un?" "Well, no, bu-" Big Mac interrupted Rarity's protest, "An' does he like tha same things yew like?" "I don't see wha-" The Earth pony cut in again, "An has he shown int'rest in yew in tha' past?" Rarity was beginning to look discouraged as she answered hesitantly, "No, not really..." Big Mac nodded, "Ah see. So yer sad on account 'a him re-jec-tin yew. Well, Ah'm right sorry to hear 'bout that, but if'n Ah were that stallion an' you told me yew wanted ta date me cause 'a some vis-on yew had without even knowin' bout me, Ah'd 'a rejected ya too. In tha Apple fam'ly, we know love's got ta do with what ya feel in yer heart, not about what anypony, even fate itself, tells ya ta do. 'Least, that's tha way Ah see it." He knew that he had done his job when he saw the despair in Rarity's eyes. She wouldn't pursue him anymore, not after being rejected that way, at least, that's what Big Mac counted on. Now, he only had to point her in the right direction. After a pause, he spoke again, "Anyways, Ah came ta town cause Ah was lookin' fer yew. Somethin' ya done made Applejack upset, an' she's in a right state, so I came ta see if yew could go ta Sweet Apple Acres an' work out wha'cha'll need ta work out, an' make up." If anything, that made Rarity look even sadder, "Oh dear. Did she tell you anything about why she's mad at me?" "Nope. But Ah do know this. Y'all've been close friends fer a while, y'all're close friends now, an' y'all're gonna be close friends fer a long time yet, one way or another, so y'all're gonna have ta work it out sometime. Might as well be now. It's best not ta let these things fester. She's back at Sweet Apple Acres; go now, afore it gets toward sundown." Rarity was silent for a few moments, just staring at the larger Earth pony, but then she replied, "You're right, Big Mac. Applejack is more important than this." And with that, she turned and started walking toward Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh turned to watch as she left Ponyville behind. The red stallion sighed to himself. He hated to see her leave, but he did love watching her go; he almost kicked himself over letting such a grand opportunity to get in good with a great looking mare go. She sent Twilight to see if he had any intelligence, so she obviously cared about that and might even have been a good match for him. Still, his sister had first claim, and he never would have heard the end of it if he'd made a play for Rarity before she had a chance. He figured he'd need to give the two of them some time, so he decided he might as well stay in Ponyville for a bit. A thought occurred to him, and he decided to throw caution to the wind. He'd given up his chance with Rarity, but there were other options. Great options. He hummed to himself as he trotted toward the library, idly wondering why he had such a thing for unicorns. *** Applejack was restless. She'd waited inside, but had come out when she'd started worrying about whether she'd see Rarity approaching. She'd stood outside, until she'd started worrying about looking desperate. She'd started pacing, but had stopped when she'd started kicking up dust; Rarity wouldn't have liked that. Eventually, all her worries just sort of balled up inside her until she couldn't tell one from another, and she just felt sick. Still, she twitched with nervous energy, and decided to kick a dead apple tree, to relieve her stress. That sort of thing always made her feel better. There was a dead tree not far from the farm house, so she went over and just started kicking, as hard as she could. After a time, she wound up another kick, and it missed. She turned around in confusion, then laughed nervously to herself, "Ah guess Ah overdid it...." The splintered tree's roots had been torn out of the ground, and her kicking had caused it to fall over. She needed to get it out of sight before Rarity arrived. Grabbing a branch in her teeth, she started to drag the mangled log toward the woodpile behind the barn. "Hello there Applejack, darling, what are you doing?" As soon as she heard Rarity's voice, Applejack felt like the pit of her stomach had simply fallen out, opening into a vast chasm of fear. She cursed her own timing, and Rarity's, as she dropped the branch she'd been using to move the tree she'd downed. "Uh... well... Ah was jus' clearin' some dead wood. What brings you 'round? Rainbow Dash talk ta ya?" Applejack didn't know whether it was the right thing to say; her mind seemed to be filled with nothing but panic, and words seemed to drop out of her mouth without her consent. She hoped that she'd at least said the words in English. Rarity replied in a puzzled tone, "Well, I did see Rainbow Dash, but I was already on my way over. She just landed and asked whether or not I was coming here. When I told her I was already on my way, she just called me a lucky.... Well, she called me lucky and something rude, and then flew off. Isn't that odd?" Applejack was able to manage a weak laugh, "Heh, yeah, odd." The silence stretched between them as though it were tangible. Applejack heard herself break it, "So if Dash didn't tell ya ta come, why are ya here?" Rarity replied, "It was your brother, actually. After Pinkie Pie told me how angry you were at me, He said some things that made me realize that our friendship is more important than some strange vision, even if I want it to be true. I'm sorry I tried to go out with your brother without talking to you first. I understand why you're angry at me, and I'm sorry." "What," Applejack stated flatly, dumbfounded. "Rarity, Ah wasn't angry at ya. Ah was angry at mahself, and Ah was jealous ahv mah brother." "What," Rarity replied, in the same flat tone. "Why would you be...?" The silence stretched again, and Applejack felt herself near the precipice of decision. Once the words were out of her mouth, she wouldn't be able to take them back. Rarity might hate her. They might never speak again. Rarity might just turn around in disgust, and walk away. Applejack felt like she'd never be able to speak, but she knew that she had to anyway. The words poured forth from her in a rush, "Ah love you Rarity. Ah've loved ya fer a while now. An' Ah know Ah ain't no pure white stallion with a gleamin' horn. Ah've heard ya describe your perfect weddin' a thousand times by now, and Ah know ya ain't never mentioned no mare at the altar with ya. Ah know ya want a storybook romance that wouldn't cause no scandal nowhere, an foals someday. Ah know ya want all that, an Ah know that Ah can't give ya any of it. If that's really what ya want, well, Ah'll get outa yer hair. But do ya want all that 'cause'a what ya feel, or 'cause that's what everypony told ya to want? Do ya think it'll make ya happy? Is that tha point? Cause, Rarity, Ah know this if Ah know anythin': Ya make me a happy pony, an' if ya can give me a chance ta win yer heart, Ah'll do mah best ta make ya the happiest pony in all 'a Equestria." Applejack couldn't believe that she'd said all that, but it was her voice speaking, and Rarity had heard. Rarity smiled as tears streamed down her face, and for the first time in a long time, Applejack felt hope. *** "...And so a lot of ponies learned lessons that day. Applejack learned that sometimes, it can take a lot of courage to tell someone how you feel about them, but you'll never get anywhere by keeping your feelings to yourself. Pinkie Pie learned that you should always be careful with fire, and never leave it unattended. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that lesson has sunk in all the way; we all laughed when she took out so many different insurance policies on that little shack when she bought it last season, but now she's got five times as many bits as she paid for it, and she moved right back into the appartment above the sweet shop the night it burned down. I'm sure she'll be more careful in the future, though," Twilight dictated. "As for me, well, I learned that just because you don't seem to have much in common with someone at first glance, doesn't mean that they're not the kind of person you were looking for," She continued, looking over at a dark blue unicorn that was reading a large meteorological reference on one of the library's book stands. Spike had never seen him before, and on further examination, the unicorn cast a shadow much larger than his average sized frame gave him a right to. It would fool any pony, but Spike's draconic eyes detected the telltale shimmer of an illusion. After a brief pause, Spike's quill began to move again as Twilight continued to dictate her letter to Celestia, "Whether you knew you were looking or not." "And Rarity... Rarity learned that when it comes to love, you can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you might find... you get what you need." Twilight walked over to one of the library's windows and opened it, breathing in the fresh air and watching two ponies argue as they sat at a park bench in the clearing nearby. Twilight remained silent as they shouted at each other for a bit, but soon Rarity said something quietly enough that Twilight couldn't hear, and Applejack blushed. The two ponies smiled at each other, and Twilight smiled down at them before motioning Spike over to the window. "From your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Go ahead and send it, Spike." Spike gathered up the pages he'd covered in writing, rolled them up as well as he could, raised them toward the window, and blew. Green fire consumed the pages, and a cloud of ash, dust, fire, and magic blew swiftly toward Canterlot over the park bench where two very happy ponies sat, each content, for now, to simply enjoy each other's company.

Lord Blazer

81

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

Sinner in Equestria

A crash landing and the brink of death. Intervention to a precursor, leading to ancient revelations.

incomplete

<p>A mysterious ship crash lands in the Everfree Forest, its sole occupant on the brink of death. Managing to survive due to the timely intervention of the benevolent ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia. The mysterious alien creature is but a precursor to upcoming events, ancient and unearthed revelations from its past that will forever alter the future of Equestria.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T00:39:25+00:00

2011-07-11T00:39:25+00:00

'It's strange, how things crisscross and completely unravel in the end,' I thought to myself as I stared at the loose paneling, sparkling wires, destroyed panels and consoles of my ship's bridge. 'To think, that it all started with a simple desire…' I trailed off mentally before I shook my head, slowly circling the destroyed bridge. I ran a hand over a darkened monitor, numerous cracks running up and down the screen, the cracked glass reflecting the frowning visage of my face. Ruffled, medium length brown hair and tired, grey eyes stared back at me. Shifting my gaze, I withdrew my hand before turning towards to what was the "Captain's Chair" on the Bridge, positioned in the middle of the bridge and in clear sight of the bridge's view-port. The chair was slightly crooked but looked steady enough on the circular and elevated platform that it rested on. I slowly approached the chair and ran a hand up and down, feeling the cracked, luxurious leather of what used to be my seat. The ship suddenly lurched, forcing me to hold on to the chair as I turned my gaze toward the view-port, showing me the clear view of a planet, one who's gravitational field had caught my ship in. I closed my eyes and slid into the chair, the turbulence steadily getting worse with each passing second as my hands fastened the chair's tattered restraining belt around my waist, tightening the belt with a makeshift knot. As I sat in my seat, staring at the impending harbinger of death to me and the ship as the planet's gravity kept pulling. I knew that my ship wouldn't survive entering the planet's atmosphere in its current state, and neither would I. 'A fitting end for myself,' I thought before I licked my lips, "Well, old girl, this is it. Thank you, for serving me well in my travels," I said as I blinked and saw that the ship was now entering the planet's atmosphere, intense flames licking and deteriorating the ship further. I weakly threw up my arms up, flinching from the sudden sparks raining down on me. The angry hot rain of sparks subsided, and I lowered my hands as I turned my gaze back towards the view-port, I caught a glimpse of bright pastel colors through a momentary gap in the flames, and within a second the entire view-port's glass was covered by the flames. "And I'm sorry for everything," I finished as I started to feel the flame's heat, the bridge's view-port glass slowly giving way and melting under the flame's passionate touch. The last thing that I saw before closing my eyes, were the intense flames that herald both my entrance and death in this planet. *~*~*~* Nopony could believe it, yet there it was as they stared towards the heavens. A giant flaming comet was streaking across the sky, disintegrating before their very eyes, and causing the pegasi to scatter out of the mass' way before it was too late. Several pegasi turned their gazes towards the flaming ball, gasping loudly as it dwarfed Ponyville, casting its dark shadow over the town before continuing its suicidal descent towards the earth. A few of the pegasi sighed in relief, comforted by the fact that the town was unharmed, yet various other pegasi kept their gaze on the comet as it headed for the Everfree Forest. The red hot comet continued unimpeded in its fiery descent, roaring as if in pain as it kept disintegrating from the sheer heat, its roar reaching a crescendo before crashing into the castle ruins, obliterating them from existence. The shock wave from the crash toppled weak and decayed trees, causing them to crash into the sturdy trees and explode in showers of decayed bark and wood. Dirt flew into the air, casting a light shadow to what was now a crater before gravity pulled it down, quickly pelting the area with dirt. And as soon as it happened, it was over. The entire Everfree Forest sans the crater became silent and still, only the sound of loud hissing could be heard near the crater, the sound of water rapidly cooling heated metal. *~*~*~* The soft beating of wings shattered the silence of the forest, steadily growing louder before stopping, four gentle clops being the tell tale sign of a winged pony landing. Several more clops followed, and the sound of wing beats in the air renewed as worried and curious pegasi neared the forest, closing in on the crater. One hoof carefully stepped on the crater's edge, pink eyes gazed inside the crater and slightly widened at seeing what the 'comet' really was. The wreck was easily half the size of Canterlot, its jagged and melted edges told the pony that what she was seeing was only a part of something much bigger, and such implications worried her. It made anything her people made puny in comparison as she continued to stare at it, the oddly colored grey metal glowed red hot but the rising water in the crater's bottom kept cooling it rapidly, the hissing being joined by the beats of wings and clops of either pegasi landing or pony's arriving at the crash site. A singed white logo on one of the wreckage's sides caught her eyes, of a five fingered hand grasping a globe, a white banner under it adorned with strange markings. "Princess Celestia!" yelled the familiar voice of her beloved student, the princess simply turning her head and gazing at her student and friends with a gentle smile. "I trust everyone is alright, my faithful student?" she inquired, her student's nod bringing her comfort at knowing that nopony was hurt. Celestia made a simple gesture with one wing, wanting her student and friends to observe what exactly streaked through their skies, turning her gaze back into the crater's bottom. Soon, the supreme co-ruler of Equestria was surrounded by her student and said student's friends, who gasped in shock at seeing such a gigantic mass of constructed metal, even the random pink one was held in shock of such a sight. "What in tarnation is that?" muttered the orange colored filly, Applejack if she recalled correctly, to herself before her student and her friends broke out in speculative whispering between themselves. The Princess turned and nodded gently to her winged guards, their gold armor glinting as they glided into the crater. A sudden screech of metal against metal made the guards halt their approach, hovering warily. Slowly, one section of the metallic object's side started to move, the metallic screeching getting louder as the metal slab slid and seemingly disappeared into the metal, a pair of five fingered and furless hands grabbed and held on the edges of the entryway. All eyes were on the new creature that was desperately holding on to the edge as it stood on a pair of shaky legs, dressed in what she guessed to be the remains of a grey uniform. The two legged being's face was covered by its brown mane of fur, its body shaking terribly as loud hacks and coughs filled the air, a hand covering what she guessed to be its mouth, before they subsided. Only the sound of water rushing past the bipedal critter's legs and the strong beats of various pegasi wings filled the air, causing the creature to turn its head upward into the sky, its grey orbs widening and showing its face to everypony. The ruler of Equestria could not tell if it was from shock or temporary disgust that several ponies gasped, at seeing the grime covered and bloodied face. The strange being coughed once more, shaking more powerfully as both its hands covered its mouth, blood seeping through the fingers and dripping steadily into the water, slightly diluting the water around it in a dull pink color. It grasped the edge once more with a bloodied hand and almost lost its grip, securing itself somewhat the creature turned its gaze once more towards everypony. It had a grim and bloody smile on its face, as blood kept bubbling through its mouth. It licked its mouth, momentarily clearing it of blood before it haltingly spoke, "S-S-Such a…an Honor. To have r-r-received me," the stuttering baritone voice of the creature; now identified as a male, said before he stopped as he coughed and silently shook. He breathed deeply, shuddering before he resumed talking once more, "received me, a... S-S-Sinner," the male bipedal individual managed to say before his eyes rolled upwards, his body leaning forward and falling into the water with a splash, blood slowly pooling around his still form as chaos erupted.

Lord Blazer

81

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

Sinner in Equestria

A crash landing and the brink of death. Intervention to a precursor, leading to ancient revelations.

incomplete

<p>A mysterious ship crash lands in the Everfree Forest, its sole occupant on the brink of death. Managing to survive due to the timely intervention of the benevolent ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia. The mysterious alien creature is but a precursor to upcoming events, ancient and unearthed revelations from its past that will forever alter the future of Equestria.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T00:41:49+00:00

2011-07-11T00:41:49+00:00

Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche Explosions filled the night sky, the staccato of gunfire unrelentingly piercing the silence as the glow from the moon shone down on the battlefield. I panted, hoping and praying that the cavalry would arrive sometime soon before I bolted out from my cover. "Haley!" I yelled as I slid and ducked behind another wall of mechanical rubble, sparing a glance at the chestnut haired woman, her back against a singed metal panel, holding her stomach and slowly sliding down. Biting down on my lip, I pondered on what to do, for I knew that if I yelled again, swarms of soldiers would be upon us in an instant. "Thank god," I muttered as I heard the familiar screeching of incoming reinforcements, and of our possible escape from this hell hole. I peered out from behind the rubble before quickly ducking down as bullets riddled the remnants of a wall that I was using for cover. I hoisted my rifle, taking potshots at the goddamn bastards before a hand grasped my shoulder and- I gasped loudly, my eyes tightly clenched from the pain wracking through my body. "He's conscious!" yelled a female voice, the words echoing loudly in my ears as I could only groan from the barrage of torment. Gasping with short, pained breaths, I tried to lift a hand. A sharp jolt of pain shot through my arm, causing me to grimace and cry out in agony, my hand dropping back on to the mattress I lay upon. "He's not even close to recovering! These injuries are going to kill him if we can't operate. Get him back under before- Oh for Celestia's sake!" yelled a male voice. Very loud clops followed by the sound of the rummaging of instruments and metal filled the air, reverberating loudly in my ears. It was true, I had indeed started to panic: not because I was alive, but because I was being treated by doctors. I cracked open an eye to catch a glimpse of my doctors/captors, and what I saw before I once more fell unconscious shocked- me to the core before I glared at the cheeky son of a bitch who decided to sneak up on me. "Don't do that! I could have blown your head off!" I whispered sharply as the bastard simply grinned before shuffling next to me. "Well, that'd be kind of hard and all. Everyone knows that you love my face," he replied back before taking potshots over the rubble as I snorted, shaking my head. "We're almost to the breaking point in overtaking this damned fortress," I said, ignoring his comment before grabbing a fragmentation grenade that was clipped on his belt. Without a second glance I pulled the pin before throwing it with all my might over the rubble. "Is that so? Well, just so you know," the smug bastard started, "We've made sure to close all of the roads leading to the fortress, including all of the secret pathways they had the locals make for them," he said before pointing in Haley's direction, my gaze following his hand. I saw her being taken by our people to be treated, another distraction that would be taken off of the battlefield. "Shit!" Devon cursed as a shrill beeping steadily grew louder and louder, a tell-tale sign of one of the enemy's most dangerous and intimidating ground weapons. With a shrieking- beep I was brought back, my eyes opening and closing rapidly, glimpses of the doctors and nurses that were treating me driving me to a higher level of panic. It's perfectly understandable to start panicking, especially when one is aware of being surgically sliced open and having god knows what being done inside of one's body. Which is why it's also understandable that I started struggling with all of my strength, not noticing that I couldn't feel anything in my panicked state. "Doctor, He's conscious again!" yelled a female nurse, the beeping growing louder and completely erratic, "Knock him out before- I threw myself down to the ground, blocking my ears as the area erupted in a flash of light. It didn't help. My ears rung loudly from the detonation as I lifted my head, lightly shaking it to drive away the daze that could get me killed on this battlefield. I slowly shuffled back to my earlier position behind the surprisingly resilient rubble, the staccato of gunfire still ringing true in the night. "Any bright ideas now, smart ass?" I inquired of my still dazed comrade before mentally dismissing him, training my gaze towards where Haley had been. She was in good hands now, and seeing the empty space where she had been writhing only a few moments before brought an indescribable sense of relief to my being. "Well my good sir, it's a pleasure to confirm that I do have an enlightening idea," Devon said with a rather fake Terran English accent. "Kindly explain your marvelous idea then, Sir Devo," I replied in kind as I pressed my back against the rubble, my rifle at the ready. "Well, first we have to get rid of any unnecessary distractions, like Haley was for you," he started off, shuffling closer to me before he started to check his own rifle. "Since that's already done, the next thing we need to do is to get rid of any traitors," he said with a menacing grin, "And I'm sure you'd know all about that, wouldn't you, Great Betrayer?" With that question, the world before me shifted in its entirety. Gone was the gunfire, gone were the explosions that lit up that cursed battlefield, and gone was the menacing visage on Devon's face. I now stood in a dimly lit room, my rifle leveled towards three men, two of who were glaring at me. "Why did you kill Devon?" asked the man in the middle, his voice calm and his eyes staring unblinkingly at me. "He let her die, as did all of you," I replied sharply, eyes keen and flinty as I glared at them, loathing what they now stood for. "I will end this revolution, but I will not kill you now. Instead, I will slowly and methodically destroy everything that you've built to overthrow this corrupt government," I said, my voice surprisingly calm as a tempest of fury raged inside of me, as I slowly walked backwards. "She was the sole reason as to why I've been fighting for so long; my only purpose left in life was to see her taste and bask in freedom," I whispered, my voice cracking a bit before I willed myself, steeling myself as I continued to approach the door behind me. "You took that away from me. Now, I will take everything from you," I announced as the door unsealed and slid open, revealing a darkened hallway. Cries of 'traitor' and 'betrayer' come from the other two men, their rage-filled gazes piercing my form, "Betrayer? Maybe. Enjoy the consequences of your actions, gentlemen, and pray for mercy in the afterlife, for I will have none," I finished as I walked out of the room. I trained my rifle on the door's palmlock and shot it, the doors rapidly closing with an audible thump and sealing the men inside. A slightly useful measure for now, but one that would prove useless once their pawns got them out. I turned and headed down the pitch black hallway, ignoring the pounding on the metal door and the cries of me being the Great- "Betrayer!" I yelled, thrashing helplessly in the bed. "Get him back under, we're still not done!" yelled the doctor as they ceased their operation, the bloodied instruments now hovering over my body, urging me into a deeper state of panic. "Betrayer..." I trailed off in a whisper before my eyes rolled upwards, fainting from the sheer exhaustion my body was under. *~*~*~* A sigh pierced the silence that followed, "Let's get back to it, fillies and gentlecolts," said the voice of the head surgeon, the room slowly returning to order as they resumed their efforts to save the life of the strange being on their operating table. After two more hours, the crack team of Ponyville's best surgeons had finally stabilized the strange bipedal creature. A few moments later, the faithful student of the ruler of Equestria appeared, along with her assistant/baby dragon. "How is he?" Twilight Sparkle asked, a concerned tone in her voice. The head surgeon known as Doctor Mort simply sighed and shut his eyes, wearily sitting down behind his desk. "He's... stable at the moment; Princess Celestia gave us some magical scans of his injuries, but somehow he kept regaining consciousness at numerous points during the operation. However, we did manage to get him back under before anything disastrous could happen." "It was touch and go several times, and we almost lost him once he started yelling," Mort sighed once more and gave a small smile to the purple unicorn. "Thankfully, he made it through. He's now on the smooth path to recovery from his injuries, thanks to the Royal Unicorn Healers that Princess Celestia was kind enough to station here." Twilight gave a nod as he finished, the baby dragon on her back transcribing everything the good doctor had told them onto a piece of paper. "May I see him?" she asked the doctor who gently nodded, pointing with a hoof to the door next to the unicorn. "Yes, you may, but please be quiet," he said before turning to the papers on his desk. The gentle sound of the door closing told the good doctor that he was finally alone. Shutting his eyes, Doctor Mort brought his hooves up and gently rubbed them, exhausted from the almost twenty four hour surgery. "Whatever you are, may you find peace from your nightmares." ----- Having gently closed the door, Twilight approached the bed, her gaze on the being that now rested calmly atop the mattress under the white sheet. "So strange looking," Spike commented, propping his head atop hers and slightly squishing her mane. The creature looked different: having been cleaned, she noted, his face had a very small snout and a strange looking mouth. As the unicorn got closer, both she and Spike saw that he had only pink looking skin. "No coat, just a mane at the top of his head," Twilight started, her horn lightly glowing with power as she lifted a piece of the being's mane, revealing a rounded ear, "Rounded ears, small snout..." the unicorn trailed off. Squinting for a second or two, she nodded to herself, "and what appear to be eyelashes," she continued as the sound of rapid scratching filled the air, Spike writing down what Twilight said on a different piece of paper. "This will do for now," she said. Turning around to leave the room, the duo stopped, rounding back to face the male creature who was now mumbling in his sleep. "What do you think he's saying?" asked the baby dragon as they approached the bed again. "I don't have any idea, Spike, but it mustn't be pleasant," she replied. Her horn pulsing with magic, the unicorn slowly lowered it until it touched the being's forehead. He abruptly ceased his mumbling, calmly resting once more. "Let's hope that he gets some good rest," she whispered, Spike nodding in reply as the duo left the room, leaving the being to its rest undisturbed. ------- "Well, if it ain't Twilight!" exclaimed the orange colored mare known as Applejack. Twilight approached the country belle's apple stand with Spike still sitting on her back, "How y'all doing?" Applejack asked. The baby dragon lightly snapped his fingers next to Twilight's ear, bringing her back to reality. "Oh, Applejack! I'm doing fine, just a bit lost in thought," she replied, blushing slightly in embarrassment. Spike smirked as Applejack lightly shook her head, a smile on her face. "Yah gotta stop keeping your head in the clouds, Twi. Wouldn't want to embarrass yerself by crashing into somepony in the street, now would ya?" she asked as Twilight's blush deepened, clearly imagining the scene in her head. The purple unicorn glared at Spike who was stifling giggles at Applejack's playful teasing, the baby dragon clearly enjoying himself. "I guess you have a point, Applejack. Anyway, how are you doing?" Twilight inquired. "Ahm doing fine, just waiting a few minutes before closing mah apple stand trying to catch some late customers." "Hey, where's your sister?" Spike asked, finally having noticed the little filly's absence. "Ah had her stay at home after... yesterday. Ah thought it'd be safer for her to stay there today and help Big Mac," Applejack replied as the filly started to close shop, "Besides she works better at tha farm than at mah stand, really." "Ah, that reminds me," the apple farmer continued, turning her head to look at the duo, "How is that critter doing?" she asked, causing Twilight to blink. "He's...fine for now. Doctor Mort said that he's now recovering, which shouldn't take more than a day with Princess Celestia's healers helping," Twilight managed to blurt out, quite confused from the suddenness of the question. Applejack flashed her a smile before continuing to close the stand. "That's good ta hear, Ah reckon," the mare said after finishing, her apple cart ready to be hauled back to the farm. "Wouldn't want the fella to go hurt himself right after being treated," she added. Twilight simply nodded with a smile of her own, quite glad as well that the mysterious being was on the road to recovery. "Ah well, it's time for this pony to head on back to the farm," Applejack announced, the mare preparing for the trip home. "Ah'll see ya two tomorrow if Ah can," she said as she waved a hoof, walking down the street. "Bye, Applejack!" Twilight said, the unicorn and dragon waving a hoof and a claw respectively in goodbye at the orange mare. "Well, time to head home as well. It's getting pretty late, Twilight," Spike said, having noticed the darkening of the sky overhead. Said indigo mare nodded and started to head towards her home, pondering what the following day would bring. ------ High above the Everfree forest rested a sky blue pegasus. "How can such a thing fly?" she asked herself, gazing past the clouds and into the crater where the castle ruins once stood, rose colored eyes roaming over the metal mass. "It just doesn't make any sense!" she cried out in frustration, having gone over again and again the logistics of such a thing flying through the heavens. The sheer power the construct needed to even go past the the forest's treetops completely boggled her mind, "It's just impossible," Rainbow Dash muttered to herself. She turned around and stared at the open blue expanse, temporarily dismissing the problem from her mind in favor of gazing at her beloved sky. A small smile crept up on her face as her mind jumped between different trains of thought, her focus fixating itself on the peculiar and strange creature that now rested in Ponyville's hospital. Dash shifted around a bit, the pegasus now resting on her sides as she propped her head up with a hoof. "Whatever he is, I hope he recovers," she said to herself before blinking, a grin slowly growing on her face. "If that thing can still fly, then maybe," Dash trailed off, her imagination going into overdrive, "Maybe we can have a race," she finished, widely grinning to herself over the prospect of such a race ever happening. "It'd be the stuff of legends!" she cried out before blasting off of the cloud, flying into the distance towards her house. ---------- "All done," whispered a yellow mare, her wings gently resting as she stood in the middle of a spotless room, the air filled with the soft snores of her adorable bunny rabbit, Angel. Fluttershy smiled to herself gazing down at her beloved pet, quite content that her house was back in order. Yesterday's event had driven the animals her pet had invited to the house into a panic, causing a veritable rampaging storm that had turned her house into a mess, one that the shy pegasus had just finished cleaning. She glanced over everything in the room, wanting to make sure everything was in its rightful place. Fluttershy nodded in satisfaction before leaving the room, the yellow pegasus making her way out of her house and letting out a content sigh as she gently closed her door. The pink maned mare turned her gaze towards the heavens, gazing upon the sun's fading rays as night slowly rose from the sun's dying gasps. As the moon rose, the pegasus' thoughts went towards the strange individual who had crash landed yesterday. 'I wonder how that strange creature is doing... he looked so terrible... I just hope he's getting better...,' thought Fluttershy, her kindness always at the forefront, even for completely unknown creatures. "May you sleep peacefully tonight," she whispered into the night before heading back inside her abode to turn in for the night. ------- "My, what a day," muttered a white mare, her horn glowing with power as various instruments and tools floated back into their respective places. The fashion mistress known as Rarity nodded as she finished closing up her boutique, "Come on, Opal!" the unicorn cried out before giving her studio one last glance. A smile grew on her face, content that her boutique was ready for tomorrow. Rarity turned around, her horn glowing as the door that led to her second floor swung open and the studio's lights were turned off. Her adorable white cat now stood besides her, "Time for a luxurious bath before turning in for the night," she exclaimed in joy as the fashionista made her way upwards. "Mmmm, feels so delightful," Rarity softly moaned as she slipped into the tub, the warm water tingling her senses. The unicorn slid deeper into the heavenly aromatic waters, her muzzle bobbing atop the water as she sat still, relaxing under the water's massaging touch. As Rarity relaxed, her thoughts drifted to the strange creature and the strange clothing it wore. She tilted her head, deep in thought. "No, no, no, no, no. That wouldn't do at all," she muttered to herself as she imagined various designs centered around the peculiar being. "You will certainly be quite the trial," Rarity said aloud, smiling to herself at the fashion challenge the outlander brought to her. ------- Back at the hospital and unbeknownst to the medical staff, a certain pink pony sneaked her way past the main doors, the building's visiting hours having ended much earlier. "Sneaking suits have nothing on this," came the strangely raspy voice of Pinkie Pie, who was dressed in a rather strange attire. The pink mare had a black colored coat-tight suit that covered her entire body with the exception of her forelegs, and a pair of black gloves covered her forehooves stopping up till halfway past her forelimbs. Pinkie's suit was securely fastened by the various straps and buckles that were strapped to a pair of rings placed atop her chest and just above the pink mare's pelvis. Covering the fun loving mare's head was a simple gas mask, strapped behind her head and decorated with orange lenses and two unused voicemitters, one located in the front and the other to her left. "The things bronies imagine," she giggled to herself, the pony continuing on her way towards the interesting critter that had crash landed yesterday, while miraculously avoiding detection by the patrolling guards. "I wonder what his name is and if he's read Gulliver's Travels. Whatever that might be," the pink mare rambled on, shedding the costume in mere seconds and standing in front of the bed, the lights turned on but dim nevertheless. "Ooh, he's a big one," she marveled while avoiding his outstretched legs, taking a very long and hard look at the male. Pinkie Pie stiffened and the lights suddenly died out. A guard pony slowly opened the door, glancing through the room until his gaze fell on a little card, propped up against one of the creature's strange looking hooves near the door. "Lideo?" the colt asked himself before perking an ear, hearing a fading cackle in the distance. -------- "Ugh" a scratchy voice groaned from underneath the weight of a warm blanket; slowly blinking his eyes, the purple dragon known as Spike woke up. He shook his head groggily, before looking at the clock that sat on his night stand, continuing to stare at it until his eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh crud," he muttered to himself before scrambling out of his bed, hastily making it before dashing towards the still sleeping mare. "Twilight, wake up," coaxed the dragon as he gently shook her to no effect. Shaking her a bit rougher, he began to raise raise his voice as he bid her to rise, "Come on, wake up!" Twilight simply turned over, Spike glaring at her back in annoyance, "Mmm, just like that Big Mac," she moaned in her sleep. The smile on her face only added to Spike's horror. He took a few steps back before shaking his head, "I'll...I'll just pretend I didn't hear that," he muttered to himself as he left the room, given no other choice. "A liiiiiittle to the left, Mac...Thanks for moving that bookshelf for me," Twilight continued to mumble in her sleep, the smile slowly growing perverted. The dragon entered the room, an airhorn in his grasp as he approached the mare's bed. "Just remember, you gave me no choice," he whispered as he aimed the can towards Twilight and pressed down on its valve, a loud blaring sound erupting throughout the room. "Gah!" the unicorn cried in alarm as she stumbled from her bed and fell to the floor, her legs tangled in the bed sheets. Twilight groaned as she lifted her head, shaking away both her grogginess and momentary dizziness, "What is it, Spike?" the indigo mare asked still trying to get her bearings from the abrupt awakening. "Today's the 'big' day at the hospital, remember?" he asked as Twilight blankly stared at the baby dragon. Suddenly, her eyes widened. "You're right, and we're going to be late!" she cried out, her horn glowing as the bed sheets disentangled themselves allowing the unicorn to stand upright. "Spike, I want you to write a letter to inform Princess Celestia that we're on our way to the hospital, with regards to the strange creature. Also, do add that we'll report back after our visit," the mare said as her horn continued to glow, the bed making itself in record time. "Got'cha," confirmed Spike, and rapid scribbling filled the air as he followed Twilight's orders. With a flourish of green flame, the scroll was gone. "On its way," the dragon reported with a mock salute. Twilight nodded, "Let's freshen up a bit, eat something light first and then quickly make our way to the hospital," she said as she ambled out of the room, Spike following in her wake. ------- Twilight trotted down the street with Spike in his usual spot atop her back, the duo both heading towards Ponyville's main hospital. "I just hope we're not that late," she muttered to herself. "Oh relax, will ya? We're almost there anyway," he said, waving off Twilight's concern with a dismissive claw. "Besides, I'm sure they won't mind that you're late a minute or two," he finished before waving a claw in greeting towards Applejack who happened to be approaching from the opposite direction. "Heya, Applejack!" "Mornin' ya two," the orange mare greeted before grabbing two apples from her satchel and throwing them to the duo. "Ya two look like ya need it," she said with a lopsided smile that Twilight returned with gratitude. "Thanks, Applejack!" exclaimed Spike before taking a bite out of the apple, slowly savoring the apple. "So delishious," he softly moaned through bits of mangled fruit. "Spike! Manners," Twilight scolded after gulping down her own bite, shaking her head in exasperation as the dragon continued to messily savor Applejack's scrumptious apples. "Thank you, Applejack. That apple certainly hit the spot," she said as Spike finished his own apple, nodding and flashing her a smile in gratitude, bits of apple skin stuck in between his teeth. "Headin' down to tha hospital?" Applejack asked, having noticed Twilight's sidelong glances towards the institution. The indigo unicorn nodded in reply, "Yes, I hav-" "Look out below!" yelled the tomboyish voice of Rainbow Dash causing Spike to dive off from his perch, narrowly missing being included in Dash's signature 'crash-landing' with Twilight. The trio shook their heads. Spike was slightly dazed from his haphazard flight to safety, stumbling up from the spot on the road where he had landed, as the pegasus and unicorn took a moment to untangle themselves from each other. "I wonder if you 'land' like that on purpose, Dash," muttered Twilight as the both of them stood up, Dash chuckling nervously and blushing in embarrassment. Applejack just stood there, shaking her head with a wide grin on her face due to her friends' antics. "Hehe, right," Dash chuckled before turning her gaze to Twilight. "So, I heard you're going to the hospital. Is this about that thing?" she asked as the purple mare nodded in response. "Yes, as I was about to say before a certain pegasus crashed into me," she answered while mockingly glaring at the sky blue pegasus, who simply rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, "I have to be present before they wake him up after his healing treatment." "Can I come?" she asked, suddenly floating next to Twilight, pressing her face against the unicorn's. "I promise I'll be good!" she exclaimed. The mare slowly pushed Dash's face away from her own with a hoof. "Fine-" she managed to say before being pounced on by a very pink pony. "Heya, Twilight!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie before managing to loop an arm around Dash's neck, squeezing her as well. "So good to see you all! How are you doing?" asked the pink ball of energy before letting the purple and blue duo go. Applejack simply smiled at Pinkie, "Just dandy, Pinkie Pie," she said with a nod, followed by similar replies from Dash, Twilight and Spike who was still trying to stifle his giggles. "Twi here is headed to tha hospital, and ah reckon ah should too. Never know if the fella might be mighty hungry," she said while gesturing to her apple-filled satchel. "AJ's right, but we shouldn't dilly dally anymore than we already are," stated Twilight as the group of ponies plus one dragon trotted off towards the hospital. "Is that where we're headed?" the pink mare asked, "Is it to see that man?" she continued asking as the group as a whole turned to stared at her. "What's a...'man'?" asked Dash, voicing the group's confusion in a simple question as Pinkie Pie shook her head. "Silly Dashie. That's what he is, a man," she answered with a bright smile. Twilight opened her mouth to say something but decided against it, shaking her own head, "Leave it to Pinkie Pie to know stuff we don't." "Ah reckon we'll know more about this here... Man, once the poor fella's awake," added Applejack. With that said, the group continued it's trek towards the hospital, making smalltalk between themselves before Dash's eyes spotted a familiar pair of ponies. "Hey Rarity, Fluttershy!" The white and yellow pair slowed their pace, allowing the larger group to catch up and exchange simple pleasantries. "Where ya two headed?" asked Applejack; in response, Rarity pointed towards the nearing hospital with a hoof. "We're both headed towards the hospital, of course. Fluttershy, such a kind dear, wants to check in on the pitiable thing that crashed the other day. I, on the other hand, need to take some measurements for when the poor creature wakes up and will certainly need fashionable and well-fitting clothes," the fashionista answered, causing the group to smile - the elements of Kindness and Generosity indeed. "I want to know if he's okay, is all," Fluttershy replied softly before the group stopped in front of the hospital. With a simple nod between all of them, they proceeded inside. "Ah! Twilight Sparkle, just the pony I was looking for!" exclaimed a familiar grey colored pony dressed in a white doctor's coat, a stethoscope hanging around his neck. "Good morning, Doctor Mort! Please excuse the slight delay," the indigo unicorn said before the doctor simply waved a dismissive hoof at her. "That is of no concern, Ms. Sparkle, but we need you to come and see this, immediately," the doctor replied, quickly leading the group through a veritable maze of hallways and doors before coming to rest in front of a rather imposing looking door. One that a certain pink pony recognized. "What exactly is it that I have to see, Doctor?" the young scholar asked the Doctor as the physician flipped a catch next to the door with his hoof. "I bet it's about that man!" yelled Pinkie Pie as she pressed her face against the purple mare's, "Or maybe some sort of monster," she said as she stomped about, miming an imaginary beast of some sorts. Twilight chuckled nervously, the Doctor raising an eyebrow at the mare, before shaking his head dismissively, "Young ponies these days," he muttered under his breath before turning his gaze towards the group, as if sizing them up. Mort nodded slightly to himself before grabbing the doorknob with a hoof and opening the door. As the door swung open, the group gasped as they caught sight of half a dozen unicorn healers passed out on the floor. Only a single one remained standing, her glowing horn pointed at the still sleeping 'man'. "What happened here?" asked Rarity as the Doctor nodded to the unicorn healer. The Healer's eyes flickered to the doctor as if in acknowledgement, and she appeared to struggle against something invisible before completely turning to face the group. "I'll have some guards place your team in beds. Now go and rest Healing Touch, you've earned it," Doctor Mort ordered as the healer smiled in sheer gratitude. The group let the exhausted unicorn pass by. "As you can see, the patient has some sort of immunity against magic. The effects of spells cast on him are roughly halved, and any channeling spell used can't be broken until the caster is to the point of exhaustion or willful enough to break away," the good doctor explained to the group. "However, despite having exhausted almost the entire healer team, he's completely healed. That is why we had to rush over here, so you could see it for yourself," he finished before the entire group stiffened as they heard a low groan and turned their gazes towards the awakening 'man'. One of the creature's strange five fingered hands rose up, gently rubbing at his forehead as the man groaned once more. Slowly his upper body rose, revealing a dramatically scarred chest before he hunched forward and lightly shook his head. No noise came from the group of assembled ponies as they stared in awe at the awakening man. The only noises came from the man himself as he started stretching his upper body, loud cracks filling the air followed by low moans of relief. "Ah, that feels much better now," he muttered softly. The ponies were absolutely shocked. This 'man' was speaking their language. The man tilted his head sideways, more loud cracks filling the air as the ponies cringed, continuing to stare at him as he worked out all the kinks leftover from his long sleep. He pulled his mane backwards with both his hands, revealing his smooth, clean face before yawning loudly with his arms outstretched. "Eep," Fluttershy whispered in surprise, causing the man to stiffen in mid-yawn. Slowly, his head turned towards her and his gaze landed on the string of ponies, his grey eyes growing wide at the sight. Blinking not once, not twice, but thrice, the man shook his head while rubbing at his eyes. "I must be hallucinating if I'm seeing ponies, especially pastel colored ones." "Hey! We're right here, ya know!" Dash yelled as the man turned his gaze on her. "Great, not just ponies but pegasi and unicorns. Hallucinating about mythological and extinct equine creatures," he muttered to himself as his eyes roamed over everypony. "And we're not hallucinations either!" the sky blue pegasus yelled once more, glaring daggers at the man who simply laughed boisterously in return. "Oh. They have attitude, I like that," he said with a friendly grin on his face, "Okay, let's say you're all real. Where am I, then?" he asked. "You're in the land of Equestria, ruled by the Princesses Celestia and Luna, and currently resting in a hospital in Ponyville," answered Doctor Mort before anypony else could. "Equestria, huh? Fitting name for an Equine land," he replied as he gently rubbed his chin with a hand, "Okay, I'm in Equestria. What are your names then?" The string of ponies and baby dragon hesitated before answering his question, naming themselves one by one. The 'man' nodded in response, settling on Spike as he caught sight of him. "Damn, a baby dragon, too? Not really that strange, considering that I'm talking to mythological and extinct equine races," the 'man' said before he shook his head, "Well, it'd be impolite to ask your names without giving mine in return, though you all must know since you're in my head. My name is Rudolph, and I'm a human." "What's extinct and mythological mean?" whispered Applejack to Twilight, who closed her eyes trying to remember. "Extinct means that an entire species of animals died off, while mythological means imaginary and or fictitious," she whispered back, a bit relieved that their impromptu whispering wasn't noticed. "With the introductions out of the way," Rudolph said, completely gaining the attention of everypony, "I think it's time for me to test whether I'm hallucinating or not. And for that, I will need a volunteer." Suddenly and with an exuberant glee, Pinkie Pie was in front of his bed, bouncing on her two hindlegs. "Well, I guess that decides it then. Now then, Pinkie Pie was it?" he asked as the pink mare nodded rapidly, a bright smile on her face. "It's real simple, all you have to do is hug me," he concluded rather lamely. "Easy peasy!" exclaimed Pinkie as she tackled him, slamming the human into his bed and pillow as she wrapped her forelegs firmly around his waist. "Wha-" Rudolph managed to say as he stared with wide eyes at the mare hugging him tightly, his mind trying to comprehend the reality of his situation as it finally hit home. The human opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, prompting him to slowly close it as he continued to struggle with the here and definitely real now. Instead, he simply continued to stare at the physical impossibility that was now nuzzling his scarred upper chest, her bright pink and curly mane brushing over his naked skin as his mind worked in overdrive. "Ah reckon Pinkie broke the poor fella," quipped Applejack, an amused smile on her face as Dash started to snicker a bit. "Broke? I'd say he's experiencing the dreaded Blue Screen of Death that's been plaguing Twi's computer recently," the famous flyer replied, a cheeky grin on her face. "Hey! It's not like I do it on purpose," Twilight countered. "I blame Manesoft for that," she mumbled, blushing in embarrassment. "I wonder... What happened to him. To get those scars, I mean," Fluttershy softly replied, her concerned gaze on the still stunned man. "The poor dear must have gone through something horrific," continued Rarity, her eyes softening as they gazed upon his scarred body. The pink mare stopped nuzzling the human's chest, tilting her head forward, "How are you doing, Rudolph?" Pinkie Pie asked with a bubbly smile. The question jolted him out of his increasingly desperate mind, bringing him back to face the harshness of reality as he gazed down at the pink pony, completely at a loss at how to answer. "I don't know," he finally managed to say. "I don't know," he whispered as his eyes roamed over the group of ponies before returning to Pinkie Pie still clinging to him with a firm grip. "I should have died... And yet, here I am," Rudolph stated, gently gesturing with one hand about his location, gently stroking Pinkie's head with the other, and trying to reassure himself of the unshakable absoluteness of his new reality. "Saved from the jaws of death by honest-to-god ponies, unicorns and pegasi," he stated before the human chuckled cynically, driving shivers down the spines of everypony. "To think that I, of all people, would have a second chance at life," the man said as he shook his head lightly. "No matter. What's done is done," he said before running a hand through his locks of brown hair, "Pinkie Pie, think you can move a bit so I can sit up straight?" The mare simply nodded and complied. "Feeling a bit better now?" she asked him. Rudolph slowly nodded as he moved both his legs to the bed's left side and sat up into a hunched position, before finally noticing that he had a pair of haphazardly made and ripped white shorts on. "Sort of," he said softly as he placed his elbows on his knees, gently rubbing at his forehead with his hands. Feeling a bit daring, the pink mare took a chance and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, gently hugging him. The human male did not stiffen but only sighed. "Thank you," he whispered at the mare who simply nodded and held him gently. Rudolph breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly, repeating the motion a few times before he nodded to himself, "Okay. I'm fine now," he said before turning his head, flashing the pink mare a smile. The resulting whoop of joy from Pinkie made him chuckle. 'Such innocent joy and happiness from the simplest of things,' he thought to himself as he hooked his arms behind the mare's hocks. "Ooh, human back ride?" asked the pink party mare extraordinaire as Rudolph stood up, slowly regaining and centering his balance before turning around to face the string of ponies. "I'm... sorry about earlier. Didn't really expect to survive, much less be saved by ponies, as it were," the man said, doing his best to apologize to the group of ponies plus dragon in front of him. He noticed that their heads reached his abdomen in terms of height. "It's okay, Rudy! I forgive you," tittered the pink mare on his back, pressing her face against his, an innocent grin spreading across Pinkie's face. "Pinkie Pie's right, you weren't all that right in yer noggin considerin' the situation," pointed out the orange mare in the light brown Stetson. "That is indeed correct, though it is a bit strange that you seem to be taking all of this... in stride, if you will," said the doctor, quirking an eyebrow in suspicion and slight intrigue. Rudolph shrugged, causing Pinkie to let out a cry of joy from the motion of being bounced into the air. "Where I come from, it's not that rare to encounter new species via... uh, crash landings," he said before momentarily glancing towards the four paned window. "That being said, is my ship far from here?" Twilight shook her head, "It's not that far from the town, but it's a trek that I highly suggest you refrain from doing by your-" A low rumbling interrupted her, echoing through the room. The human chuckled nervously, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "Um, I wouldn't suppose you've got any food around here?" he asked with a cheeky smile. "In the cafeteria. And seeing as you appear to be in good health, I wouldn't be opposed to allowing you to leave the hospital. I'll fill out the papers authorizing your release, but before I finalize them, I want you to return here every afternoon for the next two weeks," Doctor Mort informed Rudolph, "Nothing major. Just think of them as post-surgical check-ups," the doctor said with a dismissive hoof. "Wait a minute. I didn't even think of that. We're completely different species, so how exactly were you able to operate on me?" asked the human who was now quite curious. "You can thank Princess Celestia for that," the doctor answered cryptically. "Now, Ms. Sparkle and her friends can lead you to the cafeteria," Mort continued as he gestured for the group to leave the room, "Afterwards, I'm sure that Ms. Rarity can design some spectacular fashion of clothing for you," he said with a pointed glance at the human, the fashionista preening at the doctor's compliment. The doctor led the group out of the room, Rudolph having to duck his head as he passed under the door's lintel. "I bid you all a good day. To you, Mr. Rudolph, I welcome you to Equestria," Doctor Mort said before trotting down the hallway, turning a corner and disappearing from view. "Well, let's get this fella some grub before Rarity gets ahold of 'im for the rest of the day," the orange mare said as Rarity scoffed, drawing amused smiles from everypony except the human. The group slowly made their way down the confusing hallways, asking the nurses for directions to the cafeteria as the human being ridden by Pinkie Pie continued to ignore the curious glances in his direction. "What's it like?" asked Dash as she walked alongside Rudolph, who quirked an eyebrow in response, "Beyond the sky, I mean," she elaborated further. "Ah, space," he realized, "It's... hard to really describe once you're actually in it, but I can definitely say that it's a wonder to see and experience space for the first time," Rudolph said, fondly remembering his first foray into the starry expanse. "I'll tell you more after we're done eating... uh, Dash, right?" "That's right, and I'll hold you to that!" she replied with a nod. "Hey, Rudy. What do humans eat?" asked the mare on his back, quickly gaining the human's attention. "Oh, that's easy, we're omnivores. Basically, that means we can pretty much eat anything," he answered as the group entered the cafeteria. The man ducked his head down to pass under the cafeteria door's lintel, Pinkie's curly hair bouncing harmlessly into it before snapping back into place. "Hey! Kind of like Spike! He'll eat anything that he can get his grubby little claws on..." Rainbow Dash said with a grin. The baby dragon perked up a bit at this and looked up to the human curiously. "Does that mean you can eat gems?" asked Spike, tilting his head to the side. "Well, okay, not anything. There are things that humans can't eat, rocks and gems being two of them," he replied, kneeling next to the table the group had chosen to sit at as he let the pink mare hop off and land harmlessly on the tiled hospital floor. "What about cupcakes?" asked the pink mare, suddenly presenting him with a frosted cupcake, complete with chocolate sprinkles. "Cupcakes? Oh, you mean pastries? Yeah, we can eat those." He grinned and took it from her hoof, giving it a look over before removing the paper wrapping and taking a bite. "You know, I think this is the best pastry I've ever had the pleasure of eating!" Rudolph exclaimed as he proceeded to finish the cupcake. "Delicious!" he declared before he licked his fingers clean of any crumbs. "Silly man! Cupcakes aren't pastries! They're cakes! That's why it's called a cupcake~!" the pink mare giggled, bouncing up and down in place. "Never heard of them called that way," he said before shrugging, starting to eye the chair next to him. It looked like an honest-to-god hard plastic chair to the human. 'It's starting to look like this civilization is somewhere around 21st century technology,' he thought to himself as he tentatively sat in the chair; he was quite relieved that it didn't make any creaks under his weight. An apple rolled into his vision. "Eat up, fella," offered Applejack. An opened satchel filled with apples rested on the table, its fruits being shared all around. Rudolph nodded towards the orange mare, grabbing the bright red apple and taking a small bite. "What is it with this place and delicious food," he muttered after swallowing his first bite, taking another one out of the juicy apple. "Excuse me if I'm a bit blunt, but I can't stop wondering: what exactly is a... human?" asked Twilight after she finished her apple, the human nodding in response as he too finished his piece of fruit. "That's a very difficult question but I'll give you the basics of what a human is," Rudolph said as he rested his arms on the table, "Humans are... just like me, in terms of having two legs and ten toes," he said as he wiggled a leg and its small toes. "Two arms and ten fingers," the man said, patting part of his arm and wiggling his fingers, "and being capable of reasoning, language, and intricate problem solving," he paused as he took a small breath. "That isn't to say that every human is born with the same stuff, we all age and mature in different ways, unique from each other," he finished as he scratched his cheek. "I see, and there many more 'humans' where you come from, I take it?" the purple mare asked as the brown-haired man nodded. "You'd be correct. Where I come from, humanity— that's the word for humans as a whole — is spread across the stars, living on a vast number of colonized planets," Rudolph answered before Applejack tilted her Stetson. "What do ya mean when ya say 'across the stars'?" she asked. The man pondered the question for the moment, when Twilight spoke up to answer. "He means across galaxies," replied the scholar. "Galaxies are astral formations with lots of stars and planets both similar to and vastly different from our own," she added after noticing the ponies' confusion. "She's correct, that's exactly what I meant," the human agreed before grabbing another apple, quickly taking another bite. "Any other questions?" he asked after swallowing. "Yeah! That 'ship' of yours, can it fly?" asked Dash, a glimmer of glee barely contained in her eye, which quickly died as Rudolph shook his head. "It'd be a miracle to get her fixed and working properly enough to fly once again. I highly doubt this place has the technology to fix it, anyway," he paused before continuing, "I'm not 100% sure, but I can check if there's a Mag Jet that's not totalled," he finished answering, having noticed the familiar gleam of many a pilot's eye in the pegasus. "What's a 'Mag Jet'?" she asked as the human grinned. "That's something you'll have to see for yourself," he told the pegasus before taking another bite of his apple. "I got a question for ya. How are you able to speak Equestrian?" asked the baby dragon sitting to his left. "Equestrian? Isn't this English?" the human asked as the ponies shook their heads. "How can that be?" he asked himself, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "The odds of two different species having the same language is absolutely bordering the impossible," he muttered under his breath before shaking his head, "Ah, screw it. Never was much of a thinker anyway," he finished, taking the last bite of his apple. "Mr. Rudolph-" Rarity managed to say before she was cut off by the man. "Please, call me Rudolph," he said as he waved a dismissive hand, "Mister makes me sound old." "Certainly, Rudolph. My question is, do you have any spare clothing?" the fashionista asked with a delighted smile. "Well... No, not really," he said before Rarity grabbed his hand with a hoof. "That won't do, at all!" she exclaimed. "We simply must get you some fashionable wear, immediately!" she said, dragging the human out of his seat. "...Since you put it that way," he muttered to himself as he yanked his hand back, standing tall and following the white mare, much to the amusement of the group who followed in their wake. -------- "It was always my dream to be a mannequin," Rudolph remarked, deadpan, as he stood as perfectly still as he could manage, not daring enough to move as pins, needles and a pair of very large scissors floated around him. "Oh hush," the fashion mistress chastised as she walked around him, "It'll be easier if you just accept it," she added. "What do you want me to say?" he asked rhetorically, "'Magic exists? Awesome!' Be thankful that I didn't faint from that particular shock to my 'world' view, thank you very much," he snarked before yelping in pain from a prick on his hide, "That was uncalled for!" "Are you accusing poor little old me of hurting you on purpose? Ghastly," Rarity said as the group of ponies plus dragon just stood there, watching the amusing verbal play-by-play between the fashionista and the unfortunate human. "Well, I certainly wouldn't call you innocent- Ow!" Rudolph yelped in pain, "I'm just going to shut up, it's not worth it," he muttered as Rarity smiled brightly at him. "That's the spirit! Now, stand still," she ordered, proceeding with her work. An hour later, after much prodding and needling on the poor man, the domineering dressmaker was finished and, with a flourish, presented Rudolph to the group. The brown haired human was now dressed in a form fitting grey shirt, a simple green scarf wrapped around his neck with its tail hanging mid-way behind his back, and a knee-length skirt in a checkered pattern of light and dark brown tones. "Hmm, not bad looking. Shirt, scarf and a skirt," Dash noted before the human hung his head, mumbling something under his breath. "What's that dear?" perked up Rarity. "I said that it's not a skirt... it's a kilt," he said as he raised his head, a straight look on his face, "It's a kilt," he repeated. "What's a kilt?" Fluttershy gently asked. "Something to hide my dignity with," he muttered under his breath before shaking his head, "It's a skirt but made for men and more durable," he said. "...So, it's still a skirt," pointed out Dash with a cheeky grin. Rudolph took a deep breath before nodding, "Essentially," he said, giving up any semblance of male dignity. "Anyway, I think I'm presentable now," he stated with a lopsided grin. "That ya are, Rudolph," said Applejack, eyeing the human with a grin, "Maybe Ponyville can handle ya now," she added as he groaned. "How was I supposed to know that my scars would make an old pony-" "The correct term would be 'nag'," interrupted Twilight without wasting a beat. "Fine," he said as he glared at the unicorn scholar, "How was I supposed to know that my scars would make a nag faint from just seeing them?" he asked, "And no, don't answer that. It was a rhetorical question," he added as he saw Dash opening her mouth. "Aww, you're no fun," she huffed as the human grinned. "Anyway, let's see. Ate food, have at least got some very snazzy looking clothes on me now. Though, I guess shoes can wait until later," the man said as he gazed at his bare feet, wiggling his toes. "And from the looks of it, you're going to be needing a place to stay," Spike commented as he looked outside, the sun slowly falling ever closer to the horizon. "My, how tha day goes by if ya don't pay attention to it," said Applejack. "Or if you're having fun~" giggled Pinkie Pie as she happily bounced around the man. "Mmhmm, that is very true," Fluttershy agreed as the group walked to the boutique's entrance, Rudolph pushing it open with his it with a hand. "Ladies first," he said with an exaggerated bow, the mares giggling as they went through the door. The group stood by the boutique's front steps, the ponies making idle chatter for a while before Spike prodded Rudolph. "Hey, you okay there big guy?" the baby dragon asked, having noticed his silence. "Y-yeah," Rudolph stuttered out as he looked into the distance, his gaze softening as the sun crept ever closer to the horizon. He turned around to face the ponies, their chatter ceasing as they caught Rudolph's gaze. "It's just that, I honestly expected to be treated with wariness and suspicion due to being different, yet..." he trailed off as he gazed back at the far head horizon. "Yet, instead, I've been warmly welcomed and treated as a friend," he said without breaking his gaze, "Why?" he asked them. Silence reigned between them before Fluttershy stepped forward, her eyes downcast as she stood next to the human before turning her gaze towards the horizon. "When everypony saw you... It was horrible. You were covered in so much blood, and your wounds... the sight was enough to make even Princess Celestia's personal guards cringe and turn away, and they are some of the strongest and most experienced fighters in all of Equestria," she said softly, closing her eyes in remembrance. "Seeing you there, lying helplessly in that pool of bloodied water... I can't speak for the rest, but I wanted to do everything I could to make sure you got better. Still, if it wasn't for Princess Celestia, you wouldn't have survived in the first place," she said before turning her gaze to the human. "No one should suffer like that," she said as Rudolph closed his eyes, slowly nodding. "I see...," he managed to say, opening his eyes once more and gazing into the distance before returning his gaze to the ponies. "I'm forever in debt to the people of this land for having saved my life. Thank you," he whispered as he bowed towards them. Dash rose into the air, floating next to Rudolph as she patted his shoulder with a hoof, "Don't sweat it, big guy," she said with a lopsided smile, "What matters is that you're fine now!" "Dash is right, that's the important thing," Spike stated as he hopped into Twilight's back, "Now, we just need to figure out where you'll stay for tonight," he added. "The little guy's right," said Applejack, "Ah can't bring him back to tha farm, it's darkenin' and neither Mac, Apple Bloom nor Granny know him," Applejack said with a shake of her head, "And he can't stay with Dash since he ain't able to fly and all," she added, the group not noticing the human's split-second glance at his right wrist. "I'd love to but I don't want to give Mr. and Mrs. Cake a BIG shock in the morning," apologized Pinkie Pie before she immediately brightened up, "But you can visit me tomorrow~" "I'd invite you to stay, but I just don't have a spare room for you to sleep in, dear," Rarity stated before throwing her mane back into place. "Well, then he can stay with me at the library, I should have a spare room he can sleep in," Twilight offered as the baby dragon on her back nodded. "That's good. I'd offer you a place to stay, myself, but I have my hooves filled with the animals I'm taking care for," Fluttershy gently said, "I'm sorry." Rudolph waved a dismissive hand, "Don't worry about it, Fluttershy, I understand. I'll stay with Twilight for the night," he said as he accepted the purple mare's offer, nodding as the group started to depart. "Have a good evening!" yelled Rarity while waving a hoof in goodbye, before entering her boutique and closing the door. One by one, the group diminished in number as each pony left for their respective households, until just Twilight, Spike and Rudolph stood in front of the library's open door. The brown haired man raised a finger at the sight of the furnished tree but, deciding better, lowered it. "I'm not even going to ask," he muttered to himself as he followed behind the pony and dragon duo, wondering just what life had in store for him in the coming months. ----------------------------- Omake # 1 What is a Man? "What's a...'man'?" asked Dash voicing the group's confusion in a simple question, and with that question the entire scenery changed and the group found themselves in a dimly lit room. In the back of the room, on a raised platform sat a well dressed and handsome creature similar to the one who was now in the hospital, swishing a wine glass in his hand. Down the platform's steps, stood another creature dressed in blues and whites. "Your words are as empty as your soul!" yelled the one in blue, pointing a coiled whip at him. "Mankind ill needs a saviour such as you!" "What is a man?!" yelled the well dressed one, throwing his wine glass to the floor as he stood in anger, "A miserable little pile of secrets!" With that yell, the scenery returned to that of Ponyville's main street. "And that's what a man is," Pinkie said with a bright smile. Twilight opened her mouth to say something but decided against it, shaking her own head, "I don't want to know," she muttered to herself, feeling the onset of a headache coming.

PuppyLove

82

Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Adventure,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Sugar and Spice - Part One: Sugar

incomplete

<p>Disclaimer: OC Ponies Ahead<br/>Lady Spearmint, maid and confidante to Princess Luna, may have an unimpressive appearance and stature, but makes up for it with a heavy chip on her shoulder.<br/>As her sister Violetta parties her life away on the other side of the Canterlot life, a new stallion by her side every night, Spearmint does her chores and obeys her superiors, pushing back resentment for the family that cast her and her blank flank out of sight. But her routine life is set on fire when the famed traveling entertainer Cherry Coke, known for her spunk and her well-intentioned plots often gone awry, comes to town to play for the Princesses and their ladies.<br/>Under the watchful eye of Midnight Ebony, a dark and mysterious knight errant she met on the road to Canterlot, Cherry Coke begins to concoct her last, but far from least, escapade.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:40:49+00:00

2011-07-11T00:40:49+00:00

Princess Luna flopped over on her bed as she watched Lady Spearmint, a homely-looking and crippled pegasus with odd pink legs, fold her purple cape. “You know, I heard they’re bringing in some famous player for the gala this year.” She mused. “What do you think, can she make as big of a ruckus as those Ponyville fillies did last time around?” Spearmint shrugged, moving onto the headdresses. “Who knows, maybe it might even be fun this time around.” “Right.” The Princess admired the elaborate chandelier she had had added to her room a few weeks back. “Fun. Sister parading around all queen-like even though it’s all meant to fall apart for her sick sort of entertainment anyway, me hidden in one of the turrets, high-class ponies being high-class, chaos ensuing--wait, no, the chaos is the only fun part.” Spearmint laughed. “Hey, Mint, would you be a dear and make sure to leave out my sapphire tiara?” Lady Spearmint knew that friends wouldn’t usually make friends clean out their closets, but she was Luna’s maid, and her only real friend anyway--so what did Luna know about friendship? Luna was ditzy and sometimes cruel and believed with all her heart that she was superior to others, but Spearmint couldn’t blame her for it. Princess Celestia’s newest gangly and awkward messenger poked her pretty teal head into the room and cleared her throat, pulling a scroll from her saddlebag. “An official summons from her Highness, Princess Celestia.” She began in a sweet sing-song voice. “For...Lady Spearmint of Balledieri, maid to Luna.” Spearmint flinched instinctively at her family name, and Luna rolled her eyes at her untitled name. “Please make your way immediately to the Welcome Hall.” Spearmint looked toward Luna, who shrugged. “Might as well.” The messenger stood in the room for a moment longer, then scurried off. *** “Hello, Spearmint. And Luna.” Celestia smiled down at the two fillies. Spearmint wanted to ask why they were there, but the Princess shushed her. “Our guest entertainment has arrived.” Luna snickered. “Oooh, so she can blow up the castle a few weeks earlier than planned.” “Now, sister, don’t go spoiling the Gala’s grand finale for Cherry Coke here.” Celestia’s eyes twinkled. “She has yet to attend a Gala. “Besides which, the castle wasn’t blown up. There was only severe property damage.” “I do specialize in property damage.” A young unicorn, pink and pigtailed, stepped out from behind a pillar. Luna smirked at the common pony and flounced back off to her rooms, but Spearmint greeted Cherry Coke happily. “I hear you’ll be performing.” “Six shows! And I’ll be writing them as I go.” Cherry Coke smiled brightly. “What’s up with her?” Spearmint looked over her shoulder to where Luna had previously stood. “Oh. Well...” Cherry raised an eyebrow. “She’s the princess.” Spearmint continued on before Cherry Coke could say anything. “Yes, yes, Nightmare Moon and all that, I know. She’s a sweet filly, she just has a bit of a...uh...superiority complex.” Cherry rolled her eyes. “Of course. So you’re her maid?” Spearmint straightened up at this, nodding. “Head maid.” Celestia answered for her, beaming proudly down at Spearmint. “She’s been working for us since she was just a young foal.” Cherry Coke nodded, processing this. Spearmint nudged her a little before starting to head to the guest wing. “Follow me, alright?” “So, if you’re a maid, why are you titled?” Cherry bombarded her with questions as they trotted towards her room. “Ooh, I love the spiral staircase. What is it like, living here? Why do you live here, actually? What happened to your wings? Has your family always--oh!” Spearmint stopped short at the last question, Cherry Coke skidding into her. “Don’t ask about my family. Or my wings, for that matter.” “Why? Is there a story? A good one? Is it a tragedy? Dramatic?” Spearmint continued on, but sent a withering glare back in Cherry Coke’s direction. “Oh, fine. I’ll shush up.” “Well, here we are.” Spearmint nodded and backed away from the doorway for Cherry to enter first. “Wow!” Cherry Coke gasped in awe. Spearmint suppressed the urge to giggle. “Oh, this isn’t even as good as it gets.” Cherry galloped as fast as she could to the bed, and made a flying leap onto it. “This is so cool!” Spearmint shook her head, amused. Cherry Coke lay back for a moment before looking up at the strange-colored pony. “You don’t have a Cutie Mark.” Spearmint flinched at her bewildered tone. “Why’s that?” Spearmint pawed at the ground, avoiding Cherry Coke’s eyes. “Well...” *** I was eight years old when they, my parents, kicked me out, just barely old enough to work and just barely past when I should have gotten my Cutie Mark. My own family was ashamed of me. I was a talentless black mark on the family tree. Or no mark--they burned my name off the tree, in fact. They couldn’t throw me out to the wolves, no, but they could send me to work at the palace. It’s what all the cool families were doing with their blank flanks, was it not? I remember that moment as if it was yesterday. “No!” She cried plaintively. “You can’t do this to me!” Spearmint’s younger sister, Violetta, looked on contemptuously as her parents packed Spearmint’s things away. “Yes, foal.” Her father nodded, his eyes vague and expressionless. “We can do whatever we want to you. We’re your parents.” “You’re not my parents!” She gasped. Her mother slammed the door in her face, and that was it. Spearmint stared out the rain-soaked window as the carriage pulled her away from her family and toward the palace. It wasn’t all that strange, you know. Again, plenty of the cool families had blank flanks. It’s what happened in places where everyone was an elitist idiot, Nature punished them for it, with ponies like me. I just never developed a talent. Violetta, she did, she was a dancer. Our parents were so proud. She was this sweet, innocent little filly and everyone just loved her. Weak, and dumb, though, just like all the rest of them city ponies. I thought sometimes that that was why I was so wrong, because I was bigger and stronger and I asked too many questions. That’s what all us ponies that got sent away were like. We were sent away, first to be trained, then if by the end of that we didn’t end up like they wanted us to be, all naive and pretty, then we would work for the Princess. And then, when Luna returned, we who weren’t even good enough for Celestia were sent to her. Five years later and here I am, Princess Luna’s head maid and confidante. *** Spearmint shook her head, distracted suddenly from her story by a flicker of dark green in a corner of the room, standing out from the light airiness. Cherry Coke, who had remained suspiciously quiet throughout the speech, widened her eyes and made a slashing motion with her forehoof. The green disappeared immediately. “What was that? It looked like part of somepony’s mane.” “Uh, no, I think it was just a trick of the light.” Cherry Coke babbled, shaking her head wildly. “So your sister sounded like a bit of a ditz.” “Oh, and not only that, she was mean.” Cherry Coke smiled as Spearmint went on, having successfully dropped the topic. “I mean, she was always mocking my pink legs, and my...my wings. And then, when I never got my mark, well, she had a field day then. “So, uh, what’s it like traveling across the kingdom all alone?” “Well,” Cherry Coke shuffled her hooves awkwardly. “Not exactly alone."

PuppyLove

82

Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Adventure,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Sugar and Spice - Part One: Sugar

incomplete

<p>Disclaimer: OC Ponies Ahead<br/>Lady Spearmint, maid and confidante to Princess Luna, may have an unimpressive appearance and stature, but makes up for it with a heavy chip on her shoulder.<br/>As her sister Violetta parties her life away on the other side of the Canterlot life, a new stallion by her side every night, Spearmint does her chores and obeys her superiors, pushing back resentment for the family that cast her and her blank flank out of sight. But her routine life is set on fire when the famed traveling entertainer Cherry Coke, known for her spunk and her well-intentioned plots often gone awry, comes to town to play for the Princesses and their ladies.<br/>Under the watchful eye of Midnight Ebony, a dark and mysterious knight errant she met on the road to Canterlot, Cherry Coke begins to concoct her last, but far from least, escapade.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:43:30+00:00

2011-07-11T00:43:30+00:00

Spearmint and Cherry Coke squeezed through the hordes of ponies trying to get through to the Assembly. “Wow,” Cherry Coke mused. “People must really be interested in what the Princess is going to say. What is she even going to say, anyway?” Spearmint rolled her eyes. “Uh, she’s going to introduce you. Of course.” Cherry Coke paled at this. “Do you think she’s even go--nevermind.” Spearmint shook her head, bemused, and led the filly over to a table near the center. Princess Luna tapped halfheartedly at the microphone a few times. Celestia rushed over. “It’s magical, sister, you need not worry.” The Princess nudged Luna on her way before beginning. “I’m sure you all must have heard of Equestria’s own traveling performer, Cherry Coke.” A murmur spread through the crowd at the mention of the entertainer, and Spearmint widened her eyes at Cherry Coke herself, impressed. Celestia continued to ramble for a while before coming to a point. “So with no further ado, I welcome to the castle--” Celestia smiled wide and a little too satisfied with herself for Spearmint’s tastes. “Cherry Coke herself, and a friend. He goes by the name of...” Celestia looked down at a hovering notepad. “Midnight Ebony, hailing from a faraway land on...official business.” Spearmint’s jaw dropped as a dark green and black alicorn stepped up to join Cherry Coke on her way to the stage. Midnight barely concealed his grin as Spearmint tumbled out of her chair, trying to catch Cherry Coke’s eye. She, of course, was not as successful, snorting loudly at the sight. The laughter rang out cruelly in Spearmint’s ears, a high-pitched giggle joining in in her mind. Images flew by before her eyes as she ran away, her twisted wings flapping madly. The images were things of nightmares. Violetta and a dark and mysterious alicorn, pain and fury and eternal darkness. “Hello, there.” A deep and slow voice cut through the whirling...daymare? “Would this happen to be the mare who took that glorious fall?” Spearmint spun around on a pink hoof to tell off the stranger, falling flat at the sight of Midnight Ebony himself. “Are you usually clumsy, or do I just have that effect on you?” Midnight joked dryly as he helped her up. Spearmint merely sniffed in response. “I never knew I could do that. Might be a nice secret weapon sort of thing. Oh my,” He continued as she scrambled up to face him. “You seem a little ruffled. Problem?” “Problem, indeed.” Spearmint spoke delicately and controlled. “I’m off to work and somepony is in my way.” Midnight snickered. “Oh, I thought you were just embarrassed. I’m sure you’re in a hurry to your job of taking care of Luna. Especially since she’s still in there.” Spearmint whirled around on the spot and began to fly off. “You know,” The irritating stallion appeared in front of her again. “It’s really no good trying to run from an alicorn.” “It’s really,” Spearmint huffed back. “Rude trying to chase after me.” “Oh, who said I was trying?” Spearmint turned a corner. “You’re not allowed past here.” “Oh,” He smirked in response. “Don’t worry. I’ve never let that stop me. “In fact, I quite enjoy a challenge.” He rolled over midair to look up at her. “I’ll take those wings as a hint you used to--” Spearmint spotted a line in the ceiling, flew upwards, and was through the trapdoor before he could finish his sentence. The last three words came through muffled, as she brushed off her forelegs and restored her wings to their normal, rolled up place. “Oh, Minty.” Luna sighed. “Escaping too?” Spearmint turned around, smiling down at her friend. “Pretty much.” The two looked down at the sound of crashing pillars. “Well. Sounds like the Gala is coming a few weeks early this time around,” Spearmint laughed. “How long d’you think we’ll last before everything comes crashing down?” “Minty, Minty,” Luna chided jokingly. “We shouldn’t talk like that. I’m sure Cherry Coke is very responsible and will lead us to our first successful gala since--oh, wait. We’ve never had a successful Grand Galloping Gala.” Midnight Ebony gave up on thumping at the ceiling, and the two waited quietly for a few moments, listening to him flapping away and back to the Assembly before bursting into giggles and snorts. *** Cherry Coke sat with the maids at meals the rest of the week before her shows began, but Midnight Ebony refused to even go to meals--proving, in Lady Spearmint’s mind, that he was as petty as he had seemed that first day. “Oh, and you should have seen their faces!” Cherry Coke was telling a story of a show she did in the prissy city of Manehattan. “Canterlot could never be that uptight.” “Don’t be cruel, Pounce.” She whispered, nudging the pink earth pony she had caught eyeing Flipside, one of the more prim and proper fillies at the table. Pounce,Celestia’s head maid and one of the few ponies among the staff to have a Cutie Mark, wasn’t exactly the most socially correct pony. “I happen to have experience in both cities,” Contessa Freckles, one of the pegasi waiters spoke as she glided past their table. “And I have to say Cherry Coke is right.” “They have this thing about not casting out their foals in Manehattan, though.” One of the messengers piped up. “Some say it’s a little bit of a bad thing to do.” The maids laughed as Freckles dived down to face the messenger. “Don’t I wish it. I happen to be from a family in Manehattan myself, sugarcube.” “Ah, well, though,” Cherry jumped in again. “You haven’t met Midnight Ebony yet. Man, is he just the epitome of--” “Beauty? Grace?” Midnight Ebony skidded into a spot next to Cherry for the first time since the Assembly. “Surely those are the only words that could be used to describe me.” “Ah, yes, graceful yet even with both magic and wings, you still manage to knock somepony over wherever you go.” Spearmint quipped as the alicorn turned to see the tables of angry courtesans calling for the servers to fix the destruction he had left behind him. Cherry Coke, meanwhile, was trotting off towards a clump of servers propping a table back up, her new plan reeling through her head. “You. The orange one.” Contessa Freckles looked up, as well as a few others. “Uh, me?” “How would YOU like,” She paused for dramatic effect. “Being my assistant?” Freckles nodded happily, pinwheeling throughout the dining hall. Cherry smirked, satisfied. The show could go on. “You’ll be playing...Have you ever met Lady Violetta?”

Ebon Mane

83

Big Macintosh,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Ships That Pass in the Night

complete

<p>Love doesn't always find a way.</p><br/><p>Note: I am aware that this is poorly written. You're probably better off just skipping this and reading The Three Notes, which is slightly better and stands well enough on its own.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:31:38+00:00

2011-07-11T00:31:38+00:00

Warnings and Disclaimers: Characters in this work are property of their respective owners, I do not own any of them, and do not intend to make any sort of profit off of this work. This My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction involves shipping. If you don't know what that means, please go read up on it at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shipping before reading. If you are made uncomfortable by ANY form of romance between ANY two intelligent beings, this fanfiction may not be to your liking. Continue only with caution. And now, on with the show: Twilight Sparkle watched the last orange rays of dusk fade. When night had well and truly fallen, she turned with a sigh and began preparations to close the library for the night. When she'd first taken on her role as librarian to Ponyville, she had only kept the library open until mid-afternoon. Those hours had generally been sufficient; the library was never busy, catering mostly to young ponies studying and adult ponies that wanted a new piece of fiction every few weeks. In the past few months, however, Twilight had kept the doors open late, all for one special customer. He came once every few days, like clockwork, to return the book he'd checked out on his last trip. Inevitably, he would spend a few minutes wandering around the library, perusing the shelves, deciding on what book to check out; he always checked out at least one, every trip. Usually, they would exchange a few words; greetings, pleasantries, the occasional jest. Twilight spent most of the time he was in the library trying not to watch him. It was difficult. He would end up leaving well after dark. Twilight did not blame him for that; she knew that work on the farm didn't end until near sunset, the trip from Sweet Apple Acres was a long one, and Twilight never regretted working a few extra hours to wait for Big Macintosh. Seeing the red stallion walk in to the library was the high point of Twilight's days. She didn't know what about him attracted her so much. Perhaps it was how safe he made her feel. Intellectually, she knew that her magic was a more powerful response to a threat than anything the Earth pony could have done. Still, there was something about his towering presence and the timbre of his voice that made Twilight feel like when Big Mac was in the room, nothing bad could ever happen, and nothing could possibly harm her. Perhaps it was the words they shared; His greetings swelled Twilight's heart and his jokes never failed to make her laugh. Perhaps the attraction was more physical than she would have cared to admit; long days on the farm had given Big Mac an impressive musculature. Whatever it was, Twilight could not deny its effect on her; butterflies had invaded her stomach in anticipation of seeing him. Eventually, as she had hoped, he arrived. He said his greetings. He returned his book. He asked her about her day, and made a few jokes. The conversation was a blur in Twilight's mind. He lingered in the library, checking in each of the sections, before finally selecting a tome to take home. He brought it to her so that she could check it out, and she took it from him with her magic, made a few marks in the logbook with a quill, and surreptitiously slipped a note into the book before levitating it into his saddlebag. Then, as quickly as he had come, he was gone. That was always the worst part of Twilight's days. As she locked the door, she thought of the note. All her feelings for him, spilled out on paper. This was her third note to him. Twilight Sparkle suspected that he had ignored her first two notes, but desperately hoped that it wasn't so. She thought that ignoring the notes might be his way of letting her down easy; she knew that she would have been devastated if he'd simply told her outright that the feelings were not mutual. With a heavy heart, she'd decided that this would be her last note to him. If he didn't respond to this one, she'd accept that they weren't meant to be, and try to get on with her life without him. However hard she expected that to be. *** Big Macintosh berated himself for his cowardice. It was the same as just about every other time he'd gone to the library. He had entered ready to declare his feelings for Twilight Sparkle, but his courage had fled as soon as he saw her. He'd forced himself to make small talk, feeling like the most awkward pony ever to walk on the face of Equestria. He'd managed to return the library book he'd checked out on his last unsuccessful attempt at asking out the unicorn of his dreams. All that accomplished, he'd failed to gather the determination necessary to attempt a confession, and puttered about the library for a few minutes, trying not to stare at Twilight, before finally grabbing a book at random and checking it out. The comedy of errors had been the highlight of his day, as it always was, but it left him practically kicking himself for his failure. He took one last look at the library, barely lit by the newly risen moon, before turning to walk toward Sweet Apple Acres. The walk home was inevitably the worst part of Big Mac's day; the stallion was alone with his failure and his regrets. Big Macintosh's only comfort was the weight of the book in his saddlebag. The book gave him a good reason to come back and test his courage again in a few days, though that's the only good he'd get out of it. Big Mac never read the books he checked out from the library; between his trips, they sat in his saddlebags unopened, gathering dust. He'd never so much as cracked a single one.

Ebon Mane

84

Big Macintosh,Cutie Mark Crusaders,Mayor Mare,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Three Notes

complete

<p>Friendships don't always last, time isn't always well-spent, and not everyone gets a happy ending. Everypony has their regrets, paths not taken, failures and lost loves. Sometimes, it's too late for second chances.</p>

teen

2012-05-15T04:23:50+00:00

2012-05-15T04:23:50+00:00

Applebloom looked down at the most imposing tome that she had ever seen. It sat on the impromptu table formed by the desks of Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and herself, dominating the surface entirely. "Changes In Equestrian Society In The First Hundred Years After Nightmare Moon's Banishment," the earth pony said, quoting the title to nopony in particular. Her voice didn't carry far in the din of the class; the room was filled with the sound of students familiarizing themselves with their own books, as well as the more sizable noise of students ignoring the schoolwork entirely. Applebloom glanced around the room, and noted that the other groups appeared to be having a lot more fun than hers. Sweetie Belle still seemed shell-shocked at the sheer size of their assignment. Her eyes wide with disbelief, she complained, "I really wish that we had been able to choose our book. I think we got the worst Equestrian History assignment in the history of Equestrian History. How are we going to do a report on a book that weighs more than we do? Look at this thing! It's huge!" Her forelegs gesticulated wildly in the direction of the tome, which did not deign to respond. Scootaloo replied with a dismissive grunt. "I really wish we'd been able to choose our groups," she said, looking over at a nearby group of pegasi, "This is the last project of our last year of school. I want to be able to do it with my friends." "Then I guess we'll just have to finish it quickly," Applebloom said, using a hoof to flip the heavy cover to reveal the first page of many. "Hey, what's that?" Sweetie Belle asked as her horn started to glow. She used her magic to grab a small, folded piece of paper, tucked into a corner of the cover. The unicorn unfolded it and started to read, first gasping, then giggling at the words. Applebloom looked on with impatience. "Well, what's it say?" "It's a loooooove letter," Sweetie Belle responded, an amused smile on her face, "Here, read it." She floated the page to Applebloom, who looked it over. The note was addressed to a 'special customer', and the neat text and perfect grammar gave contrast to the writer's apparent ignorance in the area of romance. It was almost as though the sender hadn't even known that they were writing a love letter. Applebloom couldn't help but smile in sympathy; she'd been ignorant of the birds and the bees at one time as well. "This is just too funny. That poor pony. I wonder how long this has been in that book. Scootaloo, want a look?" The pegasus glanced at the paper, her mouth twisting in distaste. "Not really. Seems kinda lame to me, some old love letter in a dusty library book." She returned her gaze to the classroom's clock and began to tap her hoof on the table impatiently. Applebloom turned her attention back to the letter, "I wonder if they ever ended up together. Whether the customer even got this note. How'd it end up in this old book?" She was suddenly overcome by a wave of nostalgia. "D'y'all remember when we would have seen this and done somethin' like yell 'Cutie Mark Crusader matchmakers, go!' and tried to figure out this note and get the two ponies together? For all of about five minutes, of course." That brought a bark of laughter from Scootaloo, "Ha! Yeah, we were so lame back then." She smiled just a bit, her eyes distant. Applebloom managed an uneasy grin and a weak laugh, "Heh, yeah, lame." In truth, she missed the days of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Sometimes it seemed like just yesterday that the two ponies in front of her had been her best friends, but for the last few years, they'd rarely spoken. After they all had discovered their cutie marks, they just sort of... grew apart. Now Sweetie Belle spent all her free time with her choir friends, Scootaloo was always at track and sky practice, and Applebloom was usually busy helping her siblings out on the farm. The young Earth pony doubted that they'd ever reconnect, especially with Scootaloo headed off to flight school in Cloudsdale next year and Sweetie Belle applying to colleges in Canterlot and Fillydelphia. Sweetie Belle used her magic to fold the letter up and slip it back into the book. She looked a bit sad as she said quietly, "We should leave it in there. Maybe someday, it'll find that special customer." Applebloom agreed, but as the bell rang and they closed the tome, she couldn't help but pity the sender of the note. A message like that, she knew, was sent from the feelings of one pony to the feelings of another. She couldn't help but think that a letter lost for so long might as well be an envelope marked with two addresses that no longer existed. *** The Mare sighed as she closed the front door to her house and slipped off her collar of office. She'd dreaded coming home, even more than she had dreaded her inevitable defeat. When she'd lost, she had been among her supporters, few as they were, and their kind words and sympathy had softened the blow. They'd all seen it coming; every politician loses an election sometime, and her opponent had run an amazing campaign, to nopony's surprise. Everypony had known that Twilight Sparkle would become the next mayor of Ponyville as soon as she had announced her candidacy. The Mare was surprised that the unicorn had waited this many years to try to run; the leadership and administrative ability that the librarian had shown over the years of winter wrap-ups and crises from giant bears to plagues to riots had convinced The Mare that Twilight would inevitably replace her at some point. She had just always hoped that the point would be one far in the future. As she lit the silent rooms of her home one by one, a realization hit The Mare: she wasn't going to be the mayor once Twilight took office. The house had always seemed empty, just one mare living in what was intended to be a family home, but The Mayor had always brought a sense of purpose back from her job, and that determination had seemed to fill the building and keep her company on the long, lonely nights. Now, The Mare could only bring the grim spectre of defeat, which seemed to speak from the dark corners of the rooms, filling her with doubts: 'where do you go from here?' and 'what will you do with yourself now?', but most dreadfully, 'was it all worth it?'. The night got colder when The Mare realized that she just didn't know. Twilight had told The Mayor that she could stay on as an advisor after the change of office; she was, after all, more familiar with the position of mayor than anypony else in Ponyville. The Mare wondered how long that would last, and what she could do after, and how it would feel to train her replacement for a position to which she'd dedicated nearly two thirds of her life. She shuddered at the line of thought, and resolved to drown it in a stiff drink. She didn't bother mixing the clear alcohol with juice as she normally did; that night, The Mare just wasn't in the mood. She shuddered at the taste, but managed to down quite a bit in one long draw. Presently, The Mare felt a bit better, or at least less aware of how bad she felt. She glanced idly around the room, thoughts unfocused. A campaign poster prototype hung on one wall. That would have to go. A banner had been hastily kicked under the sofa, and The Mare could still read 'CONG' as the first few letters. Probably a part of an aborted party to congratulate her on her victory. She wondered why her staffers had gone through the trouble of making the banner when they should have known that they'd never use it. She supposed that they might have kept the one from the previous election. Her eyes settled on a closed book set in a stand on the opposite side of the room. She'd checked the biography out of the library before the election season, but hadn't had a chance to read or even touch it after bringing it home, being busy with the campaign. It was written about one of the more famous mayors of Fillydelphia, a statespony that she'd always looked up to. It was sure to have details from after he retired; perhaps it would have some insight into what a politician could do when their public life came to an end. She made her way unsteadily across the room and stabilized herself against the stand before flipping open the book, struggling to focus her eyes on the page. The Mare's vision settled on a note that had been slipped into the book, just small enough to fit between the cover and the first page without being noticed. The Mare was lucky that it was open and readable immediately; she doubted that she could have even flipped it over had it been placed with the writing facing the other direction, much less flatten it had it been bent along the creases of past folds. The Mare slowly read through it, and shock over the contents of the note sobered her a bit as she scanned the letter a second time to confirm what she'd read. It was from Twilight to Big Macintosh, and it appeared to be a love letter. The Mare considered how public knowledge of this note would have been quite awkward for all involved; Big Mac and Fluttershy were expecting their third foal soon. If she'd known about this before the campaign, the scandal might have been enough to- No. No, she wouldn't have wanted to win that way. Besides, the letter looked old, and like it had been folded and unfolded several times over the years. It had probably been written long before Big Mac and Fluttershy had married. The Mare felt a bit of sympathy for Twilight; the letter was incredibly well written, full of imagery comparable to some of the best romantic poets she'd read, and the feelings it expressed seemed so strong and pure that it struck The Mare as a shame that the letter obviously hadn't worked. Twilight had never dated Big Macintosh. Actually, thinking back, The Mare couldn't remember Twilight ever dating anypony. The Mare sighed. That was another thing that she had in common with her victorious opponent; she'd never been in a relationship with anypony either. Straight out of school, she'd become the administrative assistant of the previous mayor, and after taking on more and more of his responsibilities to make up for his incompetence, she'd soundly defeated him in the first mayoral election after she had graduated. After that, she'd just been consumed by her work; she lived and breathed Ponyville, and had never had time for hobbies and stallions. Now, the empty silence of her house reminded that she'd never found romance, never married, never had foals. Hadn't she wanted all that, way back in the distant past of her childhood? The Mare stared at the love letter for a long time, thinking. She wasn't dead yet. She could still find love, find happiness as The Mare instead of The Mayor, even get a new job in something other than politics. She had a lot of money saved up; she could move to Manehattan. She was sure that there would be plenty of single ponies her age in the largest city in Equestria. The Mare closed the cover of the book. The dry biography had helped her, she thought, but not in the way she'd expected. She intended to return it to the library in the morning, and tell Twilight that she couldn't accept a position as an advisor; she intended to move out of Ponyville as soon as the unicorn was sworn in to office. She left the note inside, in the hope that it would help other ponies as it had helped her. The Mare smiled; her life wasn't over yet, and she intended to enjoy it to the best of her ability for as long as she could. *** Twilight Sparkle sat, legs folded under her, on a cushion in the center of the library as a classful of young fillies and colts wandered around her tree. Their teacher was trying but failing to keep them all at a respectful volume, and their enthusiasm made the unicorn smile. The population of Ponyville had grown over the decades, but the library was still at its busiest when a local school picked it as the destination for a field trip. Twilight didn't mind; she had been the center of attention often enough to grow comfortable with the position. Twilight generally proved to be a more interesting curiosity than the library itself to young ponies. Inevitably, there were questions about what it had been like to preside over Ponyville as mayor, and about what things had been like when she was young. She'd given up protesting that she wasn't that old when her mane had faded to gray, and now her coat, mane, and tail were all bleached pure white with age. Her horn had faded to white, and then gained the yellow-brown tarnish of old ivory. Only her cutie mark was unchanged, still brilliant purple after all these years. Nopony else in Ponyville was near as old as she, so she could understand the curiosity the foals had about the effects age had on a unicorn as ancient as Twilight. The teacher looked anxious about her class's behavior as she stood next to the librarian's resting place, "I'm sorry about the mess they're making, Twilight Sparkle. I'll get them to clean up before they leave." Twilight reassured the other mare in the croak that never stopped sounding strange to her own ears, "Don't worry too much about it. Let them have their fun. I'll have plenty of time to clean up when you're back at the school." Twilight had liked Schoolday Blues since the teacher was just a filly, always interested in learning and books and explainations. She'd never have admitted it to the others, but Schoolday was her favorite among Pinkie Pie's great-grandfoals. They chatted idly while the students investigated all the obscure corners of the library, read bits of interesting-looking books on magic, and asked Twilight the occasional question. They made her tell the story of defending the town from a full-grown ursa major twice. Eventually, it was time to go, and Schoolday Blues herded the students out the door and back toward the schoolhouse. Humming to herself, Twilight called upon her magic. The room filled with a purple glow as she levitated all of the books that had mysteriously ended up on the floor. The cataracts in her eyes made it hard to read at a distance, so she brought each book to her face in turn to read the title before whisking it off with a burst of purple light, sending them precisely where they needed to go; she knew the library by heart, and remembered the place for every book. Still, she somtimes missed having Spike around to help out; he'd gone to take his first draconic nap some years back, and with over ninety years left before he woke, Twilight didn't expect to see him ever again. He probably would have made some smart remark about expecting her to get up to help, anyway. It had been years since she'd stood to move a book the Earth pony way; her muscles were so weak and her bones were so brittle that she relied on magic almost entirely when she needed to move around. Without her horn, mundane tasks like getting the library in order would have been impossible, but with it, she made good progress. Soon, the floor was clear, the books were arranged, and the work was done. That's when Twilight really started to feel alone. Her work kept her busy, which was why she had insisted on continuing to serve as Ponyville's librarian well past when most ponies would have retired. In decades past, she would have received visits from her friends, or gone to see them, even Rarity in Canterlot, but one by one they had passed away. Fluttershy, the last survivor among the friends that the unicorn had gained on the day of Nightmare Moon's return, had died almost a decade before. Twilight remembered it as clearly as if it had happend yesterday; the pegasus had looked so serene when she passed on, like she never had to fear anything again. Twilight recalled the funeral, scores of Fluttershy's foals, grandfoals, great-grandfoals, and all their families had gathered in mourning. She wondered sometimes who would attend her funeral; all her close friends were long gone, and she had no foals of her own. She supposed that when the time came, she wouldn't be in a position to care. The opening of the library door interrupted her morbid thoughts, and she saw by the sun that several hours had passed. A young unicorn entered the room hesitantly, and Twilight looked at her with a welcoming smile; Twilight recognized one of the fillies from the class that had visited her earlier. "Hello there. What brings you back so soon?" "Um... Hi Auntie Twilight," the filly said hesitantly, "I'm looking for a book." It seemed these days that more than half the foals in Ponyville were descended from one of Twilight's friends or another, when they weren't related to two or more, and all of those young ponies called her Aunt or Auntie. Twilight couldn't help but swell with some pride whenever she heard them call her that; she had no more blood neices and nephews than she did sons and daughters, but it was nice to pretend. "Well I think I have one or two around here somewhere," Twilight quipped, "You looking for just any book, or for one in particular?" "I remember it from earlier. It had a note in it. I think I can find it." The filly went to the shelves and in a few moments, she levitated a quite a large tome on introductory magic over to Twilight and set it down in front of her. "Can I check this one out? I remembered it because of the note I found in it today." Twilight smiled at the little unicorn. She was too young to have a cutie mark, but was already levitating large objects. "My, my. That's some impressive magic for such a little pony! And you're going to study more, I see." Nodding, the filly struck a pose clearly intended to be heroic, "Yeah! I'm going to become the bestest magic pony ever, and protect Ponyville and be awesome just like you. You're my hero, Auntie Twilight! I'm going to read every day till I can lift an ursa." "A good goal. Just remember the one thing more important than strong magic." The little pony tilted her head as she looked at Twilight quizzically. "What's that?" "Strong friendships. You can have the strongest magic in Equestria, but it won't make you happy when you're alone. Strong magic or not, if you have strong friendships, you'll go far. Just remember that. And what note did you find?" Twilight lectured with a smile as she filled out some paperwork for the library's records. The smaller unicorn's horn glowed as she opened the front cover of the book and levitated a small scrap of paper close enough to Twilight that the mare could read it. "Just a little note, I don't really know why it was there, Auntie Twilight." Seven words. There was no indication who the note was to or from, but Twilight knew. Seven words, and so simple, but Twilight remembered writing them, so very, very long ago. The third note she had written had been the shortest, but it was the essence of what she had felt. What had taken the first two letters paragraphs to express had been stripped down to seven words that said it all. She managed not to break down in front of her customer as she slipped the note back into the book. "Why don't we keep that in there? I think it's a message that anypony would do well to read and take to heart. That's a good enough reason not to take it out." Twilight levitated the book into the small unicorn's saddlebag, and wished the filly luck in school as she left the library, weighed down slightly by the large tome. Then Twilight was alone with her strong magic and thoughts of the note. Seven words, but she remembered the message to Big Macintosh perfectly after all these years: I love you. Please don't ignore me.

Ebon Mane

85

Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

In The Rain

complete

<p>When Rainbow Dash crashes into an impromptu sleepover at Twilight's library, the unicorn seems to be acting strangely, though Dash doesn't think too much of it. As usual, the pegasus has little thought for the feelings of those around her. Some ponies are just oblivious.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:41:18+00:00

2011-07-11T00:41:18+00:00

Warnings and Disclaimers: Characters in this work are property of their respective owners, I do not own any of them, and do not intend to make any sort of profit off of this work. This My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction involves shipping. If you don't know what that means, please go read up on it at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shipping before reading. If you are made uncomfortable by ANY form of romance between ANY two intelligent beings, this fanfiction may not be to your liking. Continue only with caution. And now, on with the show: From the relative calm above the clouds, Rainbow Dash looked down with satisfaction at the storm she'd helped create. As far as the eye could see, a field of black roiled beneath her as unseen currents of wind howled through the tempest. The effort that she and her weather ponies had put into creating this had been prodigious, but Dash felt joy in knowing that Princess Celestia had wanted the strongest storm in years, and by the sun she'd gotten it. The rest of Dash's team had long since gone to ground; it had become impossible to work from within the storm, but she had stayed, ready to handle any last-minute adjustments that could be made from above cloud level. Now, as the sun began to set, Rainbow Dash steeled herself for the journey back to Ponyville. She'd be flying blind for thousands of feet, and she expected that visibility would be poor even below the level of the clouds; it was, after all, the heaviest rain she'd created in her whole career as a weather pony. With a whispered "Bring it on," she dove into the storm. Wind buffeted Rainbow Dash and her coat was drenched almost instantly as she struggled to control her descent; she knew she couldn't extend her wings to flap, lest a stray gust sprain a tendon or worse. Keeping her wings just a few inches from her body, Dash tried to stay in a roughly horizontal glide, turning in a wide loop to keep herself near her point of origin directly over Ponyville. She squinted through the pounding rain, straining her eyes and hoping every second would be the one she'd break through the clouds. After what seemed like an eternity, Dash was through the clouds, but she soon found that she was falling far too rapidly; her wings flared slightly, and she tried to level off as she turned her nose into the blasting wind, hoping it would bleed off some of her momentum. Lightning flashed, and Dash could smell the metallic sharpness of ozone in the air. Thousands of feet of altitude turned all too quickly into hundreds, and in a panic Rainbow Dash flapped against the vicious wind just hoping to come in slowly enough for a landing she could walk away from; the storm she'd created had far exceeded her expectations, and she felt a sliver of pride alongside the adrenaline rush and terror of her fight for survival. As she neared the ground, Dash's heart skipped a beat as she realized that she was coming in too quickly, far too quickly for any shred of safety. She spread her wings and groaned as as she felt her muscles strain to keep them from folding back; the desperate move began to slow her, but it was too little, too late. Rainbow Dash struggled to keep herself a few feet above the ground; the pegasus knew that if she so much as skimmed the dirt at this speed, she'd lose all control. For a moment, Dash had hope that she'd have room to make a perfect landing, but then a shape appeared out of the pounding rain, directly in her path; she hadn't been able to see far enough ahead to be able to avoid it. Rainbow Dash had just enough time to make out the shape of a huge tree as she shifted in flight, hoping to strike the trunk and absorb the impact with all four hooves to protect her wings and head. A final thought flashed in her mind before she struck: "Is that a door knob?" A shock rocked her body as she impacted the door; it absorbed a sizable portion of her momentum before buckling. Rainbow Dash tumbled into the tree, rolling end over end until she impacted a large cushion set against a wall opposite the entrance to the familiar library. For a moment, Dash was silent and still, hardly daring to hope that she'd escaped without any broken bones. Adrenaline coursed through her as the remnants of mortal panic faded; she gave herself a mental once-over, making sure that she could feel all her limbs, and that they were unharmed beyond bruising. Then, she jumped up, wings flapping as she hovered in the air and threw mock punches in jubilation, "Oh yeah! I need to do that again! Let a storm kill me? That's not how this pegasus rolls! Certain death is my bitch!" She laughed madly, filled with the joy of a habitual thrill-seeker that had once again cheated her way out of serious injury. Twilight's voice called from across the library, where she was attempting to use magic to repair the door's hinges and keep the rain out, "Dash, are you alright? What were you doing out there in the storm? You could have been hurt!" Rainbow Dash floated, grinning, arms crossed behind her head, "That's my storm. I was just showing it who's boss. It might as well be a spring sprinkle for all the trouble it could cause me. I'm pretty much awesome. I might have to stop to kick some lightning on my way home tonight." Twilight smiled, seemingly amused by her friend's bravado. "Seriously, Dash, you need to stop making these crash entrances," she lectured as she set the door back into place, securing it against the wind and rain, "and you can't go back out there. It's dangerous. You should spend the night here in the library with me." She put on a hopeful smile, "Please?" Putting a hoof to her chin as she turned lazily in the air, Dash considered Twilight's offer. Her adrenaline was fading, and the realist in her knew that traveling through the storm would be nothing short of miserable. Besides, her cloud home tended to get a bit... damp... in weather like this. Nodding at her friend, Dash accepted, "Well, I guess I can stay. I wouldn't want you to have to spend the night alone with this incredible storm raging outside, after all." Twilight turned from the newly repaired door, a grin on her face, "That's great, Rainbow Dash! This is going to be way better than my last slumber party. Let me just clean up this mess..." Her horn glowed as she levitated a few books that had been knocked down by Dash's passage, putting them back into place on a bookshelf. "It's a shame none of our other friends are around," Twilight said, not sounding even the least bit sincere, "Oh well, I guess it's just you and me tonight, Dash." Rainbow Dash was only half listening, distracted by the slow drip of water running off her thoroughly drenched coat. "Say, Twilight, do you have a towel or something around?" Twilight glanced at Dash, and put on an apologetic smile before replying, "Heh, sorry Dash. Let me take care of that for you. Close your eyes." The unicorn's horn began to glow. Dash didn't know where Twilight was going with this, but decided to trust her. Once the rainbow haired pegasus' eyes were firmly shut, she felt Twilight's magic settle around her her, a ring of force pushing from her nose back across her body to the tip of her tail, squeezing the excess water out of her coat. Dash opened her eyes and watched as Twilight floated an orb of water to the door and squeezed it out through the gap between the door and the frame. The size of the ball surprised Dash; she hadn't realized that she'd been so drenched. Belatedly, she noticed a trail of water she'd dripped over the library floor. She hoped Twilight wouldn't be angry about it; she knew the librarian was overprotective of her books, though Dash couldn't understand why. "Sorry about the mess Twilight. I'll make it up to you somehow." Surprisingly, Twilight didn't seem to want to take vengeance on Dash in the form of a lecture; she just waved a dismissive hoof as she replied, "Don't worry about it, Dash. You're safe, that's the important thing. Now what do you say we have some fun to forget about the weather? Last time I had a sleepover, Rarity showed me the proper way to do a really great beauty treatment." Rainbow Dash did her best to force as much disgust and disbelief as she could possibly muster into her next two words, "Beauty treatment?" Twilight Sparkle giggled, "I know, I know, I was skeptical the first time I read about it in 'Sleepover 101', but once I tried it, I found that it was super relaxing. I know you'll like it once you give it a try. Plus it involves mud." Dash perked up at that last bit, "I do like mud..." "So you'll try it?" The unicorn asked, voice hopeful. "Well...," Rainbow Dash considered it for a moment. She did like to relax after a nice brush with death. And there was mud. Twilight would probably want to do something involving books if Dash turned her down on this; that certainly would be worse than anything involving mud could be. She replied hesitantly, "Alright. But it better not turn out to be, like, the lamest thing anypony's ever done with mud or something." "Great!" Twilight clapped her hooves, "Wait right here, I'll get everything ready." *** "This is, like, the lamest thing anypony's ever done with mud." At first Dash had been cautiously optimistic; green mud was cool, and how bad could something called a mud mask be? But now, as she sat there, face covered in a thick layer of green mud that Twilight had insisted on applying for her (like she didn't know how to cover herself in mud right!), vision blocked by slices of some vegetable Twilight had put over her eyes, she could only think of how ridiculous she must look. Rainbow Dash could stand looking dirty or unkempt, but she wouldn't stand for looking silly. "This stuff sucks, Twilight." The purple unicorn sighed in annoyance, "If you'd stop talking and start relaxing, you might enjoy it. Just quiet down, and breathe deeply and slowly. Consider it your apology for breaking my door, if that helps." "Oh... heh. Yeah. Alright, I'll breathe." Dash had forgotten about that whole door thing. Cursing her vulnerability to guilt trips about things that were pointed out to her explicitly, she began to breathe deeply. Soon enough, Rainbow Dash began to feel the relaxation that Twilight had been talking about. The last bits of twitchiness from the adrenaline that had fueled her arrival at the library began to fade. Her battered muscles began to unknot, and even the pain of her bruises began to dull toward a warm tingle. She sighed happily. With her eyes shut behind the cucumber slices, Dash was pleased to find that her other senses seemed more acute; they seemed to be getting sharper every moment. Above the dull roar of the storm outside, she could still manage to pick out the soft sound of Twilight's breathing, which didn't seem too far away at all. The subtle smell of Twilight's shampoo grew in her nostrils, its fruity scent becoming sweeter, stronger, and more pleasant by the second. It was almost as if as her senses heightened, the other mare was getting closer and closer. Through some trick Dash's mind must have been playing on her, she thought she could sense her friend's presence just a few inches away, getting slowly closer. It seemed to Dash as if just a few seconds more would sharpen her perception enough that she'd be able to open her mouth and taste Twilight. She parted her lips... "Hey Twilight, this relaxation stuff is pretty awesome after all!" Immediately following her shout, Dash felt a gust of air, as if something were moving away from her extremely quickly, and then a loud squawk of protest from Twilight, followed very closely by a loud thump. She shook the cucumber slices off of her eyes as she asked with concerned urgency, "What happened Twilight? Are you alright?" The unicorn in question was on her back, mud-covered face scrunched in pain; she managed a tight smile while replying, "Nothing! Well... I fell. I mean, I must have relaxed too much and fell asleep or something," the mare replied, scrambling to her hooves, "And then fell. On my back." Rainbow Dash drew out her reply, "Riiiight... And where are your veggie eye things?" "Oh. Those. They fell. They must have fallen out. When I fell. Heh." Dash only saw her own cucumbers on the floor, but didn't press the issue. She just shook her head, an amused grin on her face, "Sometimes, Twilight, you can be as random as Pinkie Pie."

Ebon Mane

85

Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

In The Rain

complete

<p>When Rainbow Dash crashes into an impromptu sleepover at Twilight's library, the unicorn seems to be acting strangely, though Dash doesn't think too much of it. As usual, the pegasus has little thought for the feelings of those around her. Some ponies are just oblivious.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:42:48+00:00

2011-07-11T00:42:48+00:00

Rainbow Dash stared out the window, entranced by the spectacle of the tempest raging outside. Once the two ponies had washed the last bits of the beauty mask off of their faces, Twilight Sparkle had set up a spare bed across from her own. Now they each laid on a bed, legs folded beneath them, facing tempest's fury with naught but a thin piece of glass to protect them. The only illumination came from the lightning; Twilight had insisted that a lantern would ruin the experience of watching the storm. Watching the storm. Dash had flown through storms, created storms, even studied storms in flight school, but she'd never just watched a storm. The darkness made the sounds seem louder, more distinct. Raindrops made a constant backdrop of noise, pinging on the window, dripping from the leaves of the library, battering the wood unrelentingly. Intermittently, wind howled, causing the boughs to creak as they bent while leaves whispered deafeningly, brushing against each other and the branches. Every few seconds, thunder boomed, rattling the windows, but it was frequent enough that it was impossible to tell which noise matched any particular bolt of lightning. Lightning. The flashes lit the scene more clearly than a noonday sun, blinding snapshots that lingered in Dash's vision. Her eyes moved each time, hoping to discern a new detail when the next strike came. Flash. A tree bent nearly double, shaking from a gust, with many leaves stripped away. Flash. A closed shop with a sign above its door hanging from two chains, the painted board suspended in the apex of its swing to Dash's momentary perception. Flash. A large puddle, its surface rippling and chaotic, cratered by the splashes of raindrops and the waves of blowing wind, frozen like ice in the pegasus' vision. Rainbow Dash had never watched a storm before. The sight took her breath away. For long minutes, the two ponies were silent, consumed by the wind and the rain, the lightning and the thunder. At long last, Twilight spoke, "This is your storm, Dash." "Yeah...," Dash responded, too amazed to put forth her normal bravado. After a few seconds, Twilight began to murmur quietly, far quieter than the din of rain and wind. Dash heard every word. "I've always loved storms. Ever since I was a little filly in Canterlot, I'd look forward to them when the clouds rolled in, hoping for a downpour. A storm is a dangerous, prideful, uncaring thing, but I knew that it was no danger to me. It raged, but it raged around me, not at me. Under open skies, I felt vulnerable; anypony could come and harm me when the weather was good. The storm kept everypony away, and with its violence wrapped around me, I felt safe. Even though the storm didn't know how I felt about it, even though the storm didn't care, I could still watch in awe as it protected me. Swift, brash, violent, beautiful." Twilight sighed. Rainbow Dash just watched the storm. The lightning had become more regular; there was enough time now in the seconds between strikes that the clap of thunder hit her just before the next bolt lit the sky. Dash didn't usually like talking about deep stuff; those sorts of conversations usually just made her feel uncomfortable and awkward. Still, in the dark room, adrift in the sea of noise pouring in from outside, Dash found that she didn't mind listening to Twilight, even if she didn't understand what compelled the unicorn to speak. After a few moments, Twilight continued, "Dash, what would you do if you fell in love with somepony that was... forbidden to you? Forbidden so that if anypony knew how you felt, even your closest friends, they might hate you or be disgusted by you or... just... shut you out. Would you tell them, knowing that they might laugh in your face or insult you, that all your friends might shun you?" The pegasus had a suspicion that it was more than a hypothetical question, but she answered honestly, "If they were friends worth having, they wouldn't abandon me. Gilda was my best friend until she wanted to change who I hung out with, and who I was, and now she's history. I don't hide what I think or what I feel, I'd tell everypony and not give a hoof if they didn't approve." Thunder was coming more quickly on the heels of lightning now; it seemed almost as if they were alternating, the booms rolling over the ponies halfway between each of the periodic flashes. The unicorn was silent, for a time. When Twilight spoke, it was barely above a whisper, "I wish I were as brave as you, Dash." Rainbow Dash smiled, filled with pride, but as she stared out the window, the smile started to slip. "To be honest, Twilight, I've never been in love." Dash heard Twilight's bed shift slightly, springs squeaking, as the unicorn asked, "Not even a schoolfilly crush?" "Nope. Never. Stallions don't interest me nearly as much as flying," Dash replied, looking over at her friend; the unicorn was now facing her, rather than the window. Twilight leaned forward, "What about...," she hesitated, "...what about mares?" The pegasus tilted her head, "Mares?" Her friend broke eye contact, her gaze fixed firmly out the window. Claps of thunder followed swiftly on the heels of lightning strikes; there was barely time to blink between a flash and a deafening rumble. A dozen bolts had struck before Twilight was ready to answer, "Well... in Canterlot, it's not all that uncommon for mares to be... together. Romantically." Rainbow Dash blinked, "But then, what about...?" Dash had never heard of such a thing; she tried to wrap her head around the concept, "How would they...? I don't get it, Twilight. Canterlot is weird." Twilight Sparkle stood up and gave a weak laugh, "Ha. Yeah. Weird." She hopped off the bed and started descending the ladder to the library floor below. Dash watched her progress, confused. "Where are you going, Twilight?" "I'm going outside," the unicorn growled, voice hostile, "For a walk" It took a few beats for Twilight's words to register. Dash was certain that she must have misheard, but Twilight was headed right for the door of the library, appearing closer to the portal with every lightning strike. As soon as Dash realized that the unicorn wasn't joking, she hopped to her hooves, yelling, "Outside? are you crazy!?" Twilight shouted back, "I must be," her horn glowed, and the door flew open, "I must be crazy, Dash!" Twilight Sparkle disappeared into the storm, and Rainbow Dash rushed to follow.

Ebon Mane

85

Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

In The Rain

complete

<p>When Rainbow Dash crashes into an impromptu sleepover at Twilight's library, the unicorn seems to be acting strangely, though Dash doesn't think too much of it. As usual, the pegasus has little thought for the feelings of those around her. Some ponies are just oblivious.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:43:48+00:00

2011-07-11T00:43:48+00:00

As soon as Rainbow Dash was out of the library, the weather assaulted her. Heavy drops of freezing rain pounded the pegasus pony in a torrent that drenched her nearly instantly. The wind whipped at her, and she dug her hooves into the mud to keep herself from being blown backward. The world was consumed by a flash and a deafening boom of thunder as a brilliant jagged lance struck the lightning rod on a home a few dozen yards away from her. The light revealed Twilight Sparkle not too far ahead of her, struggling slowly away. Dash shouted at the unicorn, but if Twilight heard, she gave no sign. Her horn glowed dimly, and Dash suspected that the unathletic unicorn was using magic to make progress against the fury of the storm. Unable to risk taking to the air, the pegasus fought forward on hoof, not knowing what she'd do when she caught up with her friend. Dash's progress was slow, but the intermittent flashes revealed that her friend's lead was shrinking. The strikes were becoming more infrequent, and the time between lightning and thunder was growing. As the world was lit less and less often, it seemed to grow darker; Rainbow Dash relied increasingly on the light from her friend's horn, bobbing in the distance, to show the way. The pegasus, unable to see far in the downpour, hoped that Twilight knew where she was going. Eventually, the lightning stopped altogether. The rain continued, seeming to drive ever more mercilessly from the uninterrupted inky blackness of the sky. The muscles in Rainbow Dash's legs burned from fighting through the thick mud, but she redoubled her efforts as Twilight's horn grew closer. With a final burst of speed, she caught her friend, grabbing the unicorn's tail with her teeth. She pulled, expecting resistance from the unicorn, but Twilight just stopped. As Dash released Twilight's tail, intending to give her friend a piece of her mind for instigating the ridiculous chase, the unicorn whirled, quickly turning to face her. The purple hornlight gave just enough illumination to create an island of visibility in the surrounding dark; Twilight seemed to float in a void, the light not quite reaching the muddy ground. Before Dash could say anything, Twilight leapt at her; the unicorn threw her hooves around Dash's shoulders, and as the light from the unicorn's horn winked out, their lips met. Rainbow Dash's reaction was instant and decisive; she reared away, breaking Twilight's grip on her. The lightning began again, and the first flash illuminated perfectly the look of momentary disgust that had passed across Dash's face. Dash knew that her friend had seen the expression when the next flash showed that Twilight's countenance was a mask of utter despair. Understanding washed over Dash, and all the strange things Twilight had said suddenly made sense. It was so obvious in retrospect, and Dash cursed the situation; she didn't want to hurt her friend, but Dash couldn't think of Twilight that way, think of mares that way. The pegasus did what she had to do. Rainbow Dash gathered Twilight Sparkle into a hug. With Twilight's head on her shoulder, as rain drenched both their coats, Dash felt hot drops mix with cold. She felt her friend shake with sobs. Rainbow Dash knew that she couldn't be who Twilight wanted her to be, but she was loyal. Dash knew that the least she could do for her friend, for Twilight, was hold her. As she cried. In the rain.

Ebon Mane

85

Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

In The Rain

complete

<p>When Rainbow Dash crashes into an impromptu sleepover at Twilight's library, the unicorn seems to be acting strangely, though Dash doesn't think too much of it. As usual, the pegasus has little thought for the feelings of those around her. Some ponies are just oblivious.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:45:13+00:00

2011-07-11T00:45:13+00:00

As soon as Rainbow Dash was out of the library, the weather assaulted her. Heavy drops of freezing rain pounded the pegasus pony in a torrent that drenched her nearly instantly. The wind whipped at her, and she dug her hooves into the mud to keep herself from being blown backward. The world was consumed by a flash as a brilliant jagged lance struck the lightning rod of a home just a few dozen yards from her. The accompanying thunder was deafening, but the light revealed Twilight Sparkle not too far ahead of her, standing calmly in the rain, facing back toward the library. Dash shouted at the unicorn, but if Twilight heard, she gave no sign, not that Dash would have been able to see it in the dark or hear it over the cacophony of wind and water. Unwilling to risk taking to the air for such a short walk, the pegasus fought forward on hoof, intending to give that madmare Twilight a piece of her mind for getting them both drenched for what appeared to be no reason. Dash made slow but steady progress forward until a white flash of lightning revealed that she was just a few feet from Twilight. The unicorn's horn glowed a brilliant purple for a few seconds and then winked out; with it, the light seemed to take sound, vision, and feeling. Rainbow Dash could no longer feel the rain, hear the wind, or see anything. The impression didn't last long; a silent bolt of lightning revealed rainwater flowing feet above the ponies' heads, cascading silently over the surface of an invisible dome. Twilight was the first to break the sudden silence, her voice barely a whisper, "Why did you follow me out here, Dash?" A flash lit the world; Twilight had sounded angry in the library, but it seemed to Dash that the fire had gone out of her. She just looked sad, her gaze fixed firmly on the mud, and for an instant Dash felt sorry for her. When the darkness returned, and Dash's anger quickly followed, and the pegasus snapped at her friend, "I wasn't going to let you wander in a dangerous storm, Twilight. What were you thinking? You could have been hurt!" The unicorn's horn began to glow, its purple light providing a dim illumination, enough to show that her expression had gone blank. "I can handle it, Dash. Clearly," she said, the last word tinged with sarcasm. Rainbow Dash noticed that while she was dripping, soaked to the bone from a momentary exposure to the storm, her unicorn friend was dry as a bone. Dash silently cursed magic as an unseen force stripped the water from her coat. As soon as Dash was dry, the purple hornlight winked out. The pegasus was happier dry, but wasn't about to let her friend off the hook. "What's your deal tonight, Twilight? You've been acting strange and saying some really weird stuff. It's been getting more and more confusing, and this tops it all. I thought you were smart enough to come in out of the rain, but I guess I was wrong," Dash said, pleased at her own wit. A flash lit their little bubble; Twilight's gaze had returned to her hooves. "I needed to think," she said. Dash scoffed, "You can't think in the library?" "Not with you there!" The unicorn shouted. Rainbow Dash felt like she should have been offended by the implications of that. She may not have been the most brilliant pony around, but she certainly didn't make anypony around her dumber. Still, she gave her friend the benefit of the doubt and asked, "What do I have to do with you thinking?" Twilight was silent for a few moments. "...You distract me. I want to tell you something, but I just can't bring myself to. When I try, I just get scared. Knowing you're there, knowing I could get it over with for better or worse with just a few words, it's maddening." Dash sighed, exasperated, "So tell me." "It's not that easy, Dash. I wish it were," Twilight replied. "You have something to say, you have a mouth. I don't see what isn't easy." Some part of Dash really wanted to know what her friend was hiding; she felt like there had been so many hints, but she just couldn't put together the whole picture. Lightning struck nearby, and its light showed that Twilight Sparkle was staring at Rainbow Dash with an intensity that the pegasus had rarely seen from anypony. Silence hung heavy in the air, the raging fury of the storm inaudible though Twilight's magic barrier. A minute of impatient waiting later, Dash was ready to speak again, but Twilight broke the quiet before she knew what to say. Water sloshed as the unicorn shifted her weight and spoke, "Dash, has anypony ever had a crush on you?" "I don't know. Maybe?" Dash was caught off guard by the question. Twilight's voice was quiet, "...Well, one does now." "Who is it?" A bright flash revealed that Twilight had planted one of her hooves firmly on her own face. The unicorn murmured to herself, and Dash could barely hear the words over her own breath, "Ugh. You know what? Forget subtlety. Just like in the bog. A brave pony like her." "A brave pony like who?" Dash asked, as Twilight's horn began to glow, "What bog? What do you mean...." Dash was struck speechless as Twilight leapt forward, wrapping her hooves around the pegasus' neck. The light from the horn died, and Dash's eyes widened in the darkness as she felt Twilight's lips upon her own, moving softly. Too shocked to react, the pegasus found herself beginning to enjoy the moment as she breathed in the clean air of freshly fallen rain, the scent made all the better accompanied by the subtle aroma of Twilight. The pegasus found that her heart was beating quickly and that she was suddenly very short of breath. Dash's lips parted slightly as she gasped, and Twilight's tongue made its way between them. The pegasus found herself moaning appreciatively, and the last thought on her mind was 'Mares, huh? I could get used to this....' before even that faded. The storm was forgotten while Twilight held her. As they kissed. In the rain.

Abalidoth

87

Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Comedy,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Celestia's Teeth

complete

<p>Celestia makes sure to surround herself with the most competent staff<br/>in all of Equestria, but when they go too far in her service, she takes<br/>things into her own hooves.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T05:26:15+00:00

2011-07-11T05:26:15+00:00

Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun, supreme ruler of Equestria and revered by all ponies, shuffled to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Her ever-waving hair was flagging a bit, and since she'd already finished her nightly task of setting the sun, she was looking forward to getting some much-needed sleep. Her steward, a dour and matronly white unicorn by the name of Snowy Slopes, stood outside the bathroom door. She had only joined Celestia's staff after her last steward had gotten pregnant and retired to be with her family, a scant few months before. "Your Highness." "Snowy. Is there something you need?" Snowy shook her head. "No, Your Highness. I just wanted to inform you of a change of personnel in the palace staff. We've had extra money in the coffers lately, and it was decided to hire more servants to help you with day-to-day tasks." Celestia cleared her throat. "And I wasn't briefed on this?" "That's what I'm doing now, Your Highness." "Well, I think there might have been a better time for it. I'll be more than happy to go over the arrangements in the morning, though," Celestia said diplomatically. She took a step towards the bathroom door. Snowy Slopes stepped in front of her. "I think you ought to listen to the changes, Your Highness." "And I think I ought to be getting to bed." Celestia took one more step towards the door, and Snowy bowed her head and stepped aside. The door swung open to reveal one very nervous looking unicorn mare, almost a filly still, with a green-and-white mane and a mint green coat. She was holding a toothbrush in one shaking hoof. Celestia turned her head slowly to face Snowy Slopes, who was attempting to back out of the room as quickly as she could. "And who is this?" she asked gently. "This... this is Minty Fresh," the steward said. "Her special talent is dental hygiene, and she's going to... ah... she's going to be your tooth cleaner. Your Highness." "You hired somepony to brush my teeth." "Yes, your Highness." Celestia rubbed her forelock with one hoof. "Well, I don't begrudge you hiring new ponies, but I'd really rather brush my own teeth. Can you... I don't know, give her a different job around the palace?" Snowy Slopes shook her head, looking increasingly uncomfortable. "The anti-featherbedding provisions that you ruled on last month state that when a pony is employed by the Crown, she is required to do the job that her contract states in order to get pay. The only way to keep her from brushing your teeth, by law, is to fire her." Celestia looked back at the terrified young mare in the bathroom, who looked like she was trying to blend back into the marble countertop to avoid the princess's notice, and then back to Snowy. "Is this because I have a problem with bad breath?" she asked. She puffed a single breath into her hoof, then inhaled through her nose. "I don't smell anyth..." Snowy Slopes gasped. "No! No, Your Highness, nothing is wrong." "...are you sure?" As soon as she asked the question, she wished she hadn't. Snowy Slopes backed away from her down the hall, gibbering. "No Your Highness your breath is roses and sunshine always your gums are a credit to the great nation of Equestria I will see you in the morning your highness sleep well goodnight!" With that, she turned tail and ran back down the hallway to her own quarters. Celestia sighed and entered the restroom. She flashed a smile at Minty Fresh, who let out a small yelp and shrank back. "Well? Aren't you going to get started?" Minty Fresh raised her toothbrush shakily. "Could you... could you please open your mouth, Your Highness?" Celestia opened her mouth reluctantly. Minty Fresh approached her with the toothbrush and began to slowly brush the princess's front teeth. She was so gentle, afraid of what would happen if she irritated the most powerful set of gums in the land, that she barely cleaned the surface. Once, she poked the princess a little too hard, eliciting a slight wince of discomfort. This in turn drove Minty Fresh to a fresh round of apologizing and even softer, more ineffective brushing. All told, it took nearly half an hour for Celestia's teeth to be cleaned to her satisfaction. As she finished the rest of her evening preparations and sank into bed, Celestia fumed. Something had to be done. xxx "Your Highness, what are you doing?" Celestia looked up from her place at the secluded royal breakfast table."What does it look like I'm doing, Snowy? I'm eating breakfast." "You're eating pasta." "Garlic and basil pasta, to be exact." Celestia lifted another forkful to her mouth with her magic, slurping up a few stray noodles that came loose. "With extra garlic. Would you like some?" "No, thank you, Your Highness. What are you doing eating pasta in the morning?" "Perhaps I simply had a craving." Celestia took another bite, savoring the intense flavor. To be honest, she was enjoying this. Savory foods weren't usually her choice at breakfast, but this time she was on a mission. Besides, her personal chef was excellent at any time of the day. "A craving, Your Highness? Should I be concerned?" The steward certainly didn't look concerned – exasperated was probably the word Celestia would have used – but she seemed obligated to ask anyway. "Hm. Perhaps I'm pregnant. Now wouldn't that be a scandal for the news rags – the Princess of the Sun is with foal. I wonder which of my suitors would be the father?" "You don't have any suitors, Your Highness." "Maybe I should get some." Celestia took another bite, still appreciating what magic could be woven with such robust ingredients. "That would explain the cravings, in any case..." "Your Highness, what is this really about?" "I'm just hungry for pasta. Why, Snowy Slopes, are you worried that it will make my breath smell bad?" Snowy set her jaw. "No, Your Highness. Your breath is, as always, a credit to the Crown and the nation." "Tell me honestly." Celestia leaned as close to the steward as the table would allow. "Should I go to Minty Fresh, now, and have my teeth cleaned before I meet with any officiants?" "...No, Your Highness. Everything is fine." "Hm." Celestia chewed thoughtfully. She had hoped Snowy would crack under this initial pressure, but she had more than one trick under her wings. "Well, then. What's the agenda for today?" "We have a lunch meeting with the mayor of Bridlevale about some trade agreements, and a meeting of the Palace Council over dinner to discuss the recent personnel changes." "Ah. It's good that you consulted me before actually making the changes." "No offense, Your Highness, but payroll was due by the end of last week and you were busy with other things." "No, no, it's no problem." Celestia chewed on a small piece of pasta as she thought. "So I have two engagements today? Both over meals?" "That's right, Your Highness." "Hmm. Well, I'd best prepare, don't you think?" Celestia finished her bowl and pushed the bench back from the table. "After all, it's going to be a big day. Now, which way were the kitchens..." xxx The Mayor of Bridlevale was a sour-looking old stallion, the kind of pony who naturally finds himself drawn to bureaucracy. He was of somber coloration – brown coat, somewhat darker brown mane cropped in a conservative style – and his cutie mark was obscured by his formal attire. He sat at the end of Celestia's banquet table, surrounded by a few members of his city council, muttering ominously amongst themselves. By the time Celestia herself came to the table, already in attendance were her economic advisor Gold Coin, her political advisor Morningtide, and Luna, who had woken up specially for the occasion and still looked a bit groggy. "Good day," Celestia said with false cheer. The Mayor of Bridlevale was usually a tricky customer, and never seemed particularly friendly. Celestia always had a way of making others act reasonable – being about two heads taller than everyone else tended to do that – but the Mayor was generally immune to her particular charms. "Good day," the Mayor mumbled. "Now, your Highness, what's all this about lowering hay subsidies in the Bridlevale area?" "It's been a bumper crop year," Celestia explained. She made it a point of pride not to lie to her subjects, even if her advisors would have preferred she be a little more political. Gold Coin, in particular, massaged his temple with one hoof, knowing the full unleashing of sensitive economic information that was to come. "But part of that bumper crop has been coming from my town!" He frowned. "What am I supposed to tell my local farmers? They should produce less if they want to get Crown bits?" Celestia and Gold Coin stared at the mayor in confusion. "That's... that's not how subsidy cuts work," Celestia finally managed. "It just means we're buying Bridlevale hay at a fixed price, but since the price is low this year anyway, we're buying less of it." "Your Highness, you're not foaling anypony here!" The mayor slammed his hoof on the table and reared up to his full, not particularly impressive height. "My local farmers are being cheated out of -" The doors from the dining room to the kitchen burst open, and Snowy Slopes, dressed in her best "visitor garb," stepped through. "Lunch is served!" Celestia leaned back and breathed a sigh of relief while the silver-domed trays were brought through the door and arranged artfully around the table. "For a starter, we are serving watercress and mint salad," Snowy began. "Specially picked to be light and mild, with a positive effect on the breath." The princess smiled at that; it seemed like Snowy was trying to outmaneuver her. She would quickly find out, though, that a thousand years of experience gave a pony marvelous ability at subterfuge. Celestia cleared her throat and tapped on her glass. Snowy turned to her liege with a wary eye. "Your Highness? Do you have something to add?" "Well, I just thought that since the Mayor and his staff are two days' journey from home, they might feel a little out of sorts here in Canterlot. As such, I've asked the chef to prepare an appetizer with a little more rural character." The servants apprehensively removed the silver domes from the platters. Underneath each was a wheel of white cheese with a greenish, spotty rind, surrounded by different kinds of crackers. Snowy, Gold Coin, Morningtide, and the servants stared in confusion. Luna just raised an eyebrow. But the delegation from Bridlevale had a much more pronounced reaction. "Bridlevale Blue!" The mayor nearly jumped out of his seat in excitement. "I have to say, Your Highness, I had no idea you had such taste in cheese! Did you know, my wife's ancestors were the first cheesemakers to make Bridlevale Blue?" "I had no idea!" Celestia lied cheerfully. "I've been looking forward to trying it myself." The servers were at a loss as to how to introduce the meal, so they began silently cutting wedges off of the wheel. As soon as the first piece was cut, a pungent aroma filled the room. The server with the knife jumped back as if struck, and Snowy's eyes began to water. The mayor was, if anything, only more excited. "That's real Bridlevale cheese, all right!" The smell only intensified as the wheels were further segmented. Celestia wasn't sure how the chef had managed to come by five wheels of a relatively obscure, locally produced aromatic cheese, but her chef was a pegasus pony who, in his youth, had run with a band of griffin smugglers. He always had a tendency to...acquire...certain things, and seemed to enjoy taking unusual requests from Celestia. The entire Bridlevale contingent tapped their hooves on the table impatiently as the cheese was served on their end. Not even the impropriety of eating before the Princess could stem their enthusiasm, and they tucked in to the smelly appetizer with gusto. Celestia's side of the delegation was less certain, and Morningtide in particular seemed distressed by the turn of events. Celestia was a little worried, herself. Still, she had eaten plenty of unpalatable "delicacies" in the name of good diplomacy – the fried candy bars from Cloudsdale came to mind – but at least this was a tradition with a good number of years behind it. Celestia was just about to bite into a cheese-topped cracker when Snowy interrupted her. "Your Highness, wait!" The cracker, enveloped in the purple haze of Celestia's magic, floated downwards a bit. "Yes, Snowy? You don't think this would affect my breath any, do you?" Snowy Slopes froze up. "No, Your Highness." The mayor paused in between bites. "Yer Highness," he said, a bit of his rural accent beginning to creep into his voice, "the breath's just part of it! Why do you think it was a Bridlevalean who invented chewin' gum? We got a statue of 'er, right in the town square, right next to the one of my great-great-great-great-great-grandpa-in-law!" "Well, I'm sure that won't be a problem. My staff has informed me that I'm immune to halitosis." She shot Snowy a look. Snowy said nothing, so Celestia bit down into the cracker. To say that Bridlevale Blue tasted better than it smelled would be an understatement. In fact, the highly aromatic cheese was some of the best Celestia had had in her thousand-plus years of Equestrian leadership. It was creamy and flowed like butter over her tongue, enveloping her in a nutty, smooth cheese flavor. As she chewed thoughtfully, she thought about the state of her plans. Snowy was still obstinate about the tooth brushing but getting closer to her breaking point; and the once standoffish mayor was chattering about replacing some of the subsidies with a Bridlevale-Canterlot cultural exchange program – cheese tastings, to be precise. Two birds, one stone. Oh, and there was also the delicious cheese – make that three birds. xxx "What are you up to, Celly?" Luna's voice snapped Celestia out of her smugly victorious reverie. She had been returning to her chambers to rest before the coming meeting and hadn't expected that Luna would be coming the other direction. "Nothing, dear sister. Why do you ask?" The purple alicorn fluttered her wings a bit and stalked closer to Celestia. "And you didn't override the chefs and serving staff for a little political leverage over the Mayor?" "Well, I may have done that. Just a little." "But what I can't figure out is why you're antagonizing your steward. Is this about our new dental specialists?" Celestia sighed. "Luna, you always were able to discern my – wait, did you say our?" "You didn't think they'd hire somepony to take care of your teeth without doing the same for me? We are, theoretically, the co-rulers of Equestria." Celestia nickered at that. "I suppose I was just hoping they'd leave you alone. Hmm, I'll need to change my plans..." "Really, Celly, it's fine." Luna sidled up to her sister and nuzzled her on the cheek. "I appreciate your efforts in keeping me out of the public eye – and the attentions of the servants – but sometimes I don't mind being fawned over a little bit. After a thousand years on the moon, it's...nice." "I just wish they'd consult with me before treating me like..." Celestia blinked at what she was about to say. "Well, like royalty. Which makes sense, but..." "You don't understand why they're doing it, do you?" "No. I can honestly say that I don't." "They're afraid, Celestia. They're doing it because they're afraid." "Why, though? I've given them no reason to be afraid of me!" Celestia stamped one hoof on the inlaid marble floor. "I set up the Council and the High Court to work towards a rule by all ponies. I hear petitions until my ears are about to fall off, granting almost every request. I do everything I can to encourage constructive dissent of my policies. Why do they still treat me like I'll become some horrendous tyrant at the slightest discomfort?" "Because they're not afraid of you. They're afraid of losing you." Luna walked over to one of the windows of the bedchamber hall, where the sun was just barely visible at the apex of the sky. "During the Summer Sun Celebration, when I kidnapped you..." Celestia saw the darkness growing in her sister's eyes, and crossed the hall to face her directly. "When Nightmare Moon kidnapped me. Luna, you know I would no more blame you for that than stall the sun's progress myself." "When Nightmare Moon kidnapped you," Luna continued, "ponies were missing more than just the warmth of the sun. They missed their luminary, their beloved leader. You're the heart of Equestria, and you were even before my...before Nightmare Moon's rise. They've started treating you more delicately because those few hours showed them just how much they had to lose. It showed them how much they took you for granted, Celestia." Celestia thought back over the year or so since her student and her friends had taken the mantle of the Elements of Harmony. Her staff was, increasingly, shielding her from public events that could not be sufficiently secured. Her personal guard had more than doubled, on the express command of her Captain of the Guard. Her personal physician seemed exceptionally keen to keep an eye on her health, despite the fact that she had gotten sick maybe five times in the past thousand years. "They're...protecting me." She nodded. "On some level, I already knew that. But it doesn't make it any easier for me to take. I'm no more fragile than I was a year ago, or five hundred years ago." "So let them know that. Play your little schemes." Luna smiled. "You always were one for harmless tricks. Father would have been proud of how you mixed a prank with a bureaucratic measure today." "That was more lucky coincidence than anything. The diplomacy was planned in advance; the prank just worked into it." "Still. Don't get anypony hurt. Everypony's on your side, big sister, but not all are as keen to your methods as I. Good day – I'll see you at twilight." As Luna turned away to her own rest chamber, Celestia said "Thank you, Luna. How did I manage so long without you?" Luna turned back, just for a second. "The same way you always dealt with pain. You worked harder." Celestia, uncharacteristically pensive, waited and thought for a while before retiring to her own chamber. xxx The inner meeting hall of Canterlot Palace was a much simpler affair than the sumptuous dining room where Celestia had met with the mayor of Bridlevale. This was furnished more like an office, although an expensive one, with a table grown from rare trees in the Everfree Forest. Celestia sat at the head of the table, with her Council of Advisors around her; all exceptionally competent ponies who had been selected because they were better at their jobs than almost anypony in Equestria. "And now we can move on to the majority of our discussion today." Snowy Slopes pushed aside a small stack of papers and pulled a larger stack in front of her. "As I'm sure you've all noticed, there's been an increase in palace staff, spurred by a few labor regulations that Her Highness helped pass through the Legislature. Some of the increase has been to areas that already exist, but are somewhat understaffed; the rest are new positions created to fill a need." The princess hummed to herself as she followed along. It wasn't strictly required for her to attend these meetings, but she tried to do so every week anyway. Still, there wasn't usually much for her to do. One of the side effects of retaining the most competent ponies was that they tended to get things done without one's help. "I'm just going to go through the list of personnel changes; if you have any questions, stop me." Snowy peered down at the paper before her, cleared her throat, and began to read. "Gardeners. We're adding four gardeners to the back gardens and nine to the front; there's going to be some alterations to the shift schedule..." The meeting went on in that vein for about an hour. Celestia listened with one ear, biding her time and waiting for her cue. All of the palace goings-on were important to her, of course, but she could catch the important points of the meeting without knowing whether the fourth of seven extra banquet chefs should have a flex schedule. Finally, there was a knock at the door. "Ah, that must be dinner." Snowy stood as the doors swung open and servers came in with silver-domed platters. "We're serving a light dinner; watercress-and-mint salad with shaved apple. We have had a few...intrusions...with food tampering in the kitchen, so we've told the chefs not to let anypony in." Celestia chuckled to herself. Snowy thought she was being clever, but she should have known that Celestia never used the same tactic twice in a row. She waited patiently while the salad (which, she did have to admit, was one of her favorites) was served. "Excuse me," she began when all of the serving ponies were out of the room. "But I've been having some odd cravings recently. I hope you'll indulge me if I brought a snack?" Snowy's eyes opened in apprehensive horror, but everypony else in the room was just confused. Celestia used her telekinesis to open one of the cabinets in the room and remove a large burlap sack. She floated it across the room, pausing for emphasis, and dropped it on the table with a heavy thud. The lip of the burlap sack tipped over, and four bright yellow onions fell out. The rest of the councilors' faces matched Snowy's as Celestia floated one up to her lips and bit down hard. The CRUNCH reverberated around the room. "But don't let me interrupt." Snowy closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to steady herself. "Very well, your" CRUNCH "Highness, it doesn't" munch "really matter one" munch "way or another." "Mmph. Good to hear, Snowy. Carry on." "So now we" CRUNCH "can move on to" munch "the changes in the holiday" munch "kitchen staff schedule. We" CRUNCH "don't have a major holiday" munch "coming up, but we can" munch "use the upcoming diplomatic" munch "feast as a test run. We're" CRUNCH "going to bring in temporary..." munch munch "Your Highness, do you mind?" Celestia dropped the half-eaten onion. "Am I eating too loudly? Apologies. Or is it my breath?" "YES!" Snowy blinked tears out of her eyes. The vapors from Celestia's snack had fully filled the room, and everypony but the sun goddess had bloodshot, teary eyes. "Yes, that is, it's a bit noisy. I wouldn't want to interrupt your... dinner, but...?" Celestia closed her eyes demurely. "I apologize for interrupting, Snowy. Do go on." "Thank you, Your Highness. As I was saying," munch "the holiday schedule" munch "requires a change" crunch "in the menu," munch "which will..." The underside of Snowy Slopes' eye twitched. "...will what?" asked Gold Coin. "...will have no onions. Or garlic. Or rancid cheese, as diplomatically appropriate as it might be. It will, in fact, have no food that our beloved Princess could use to turn her breath into a trainwreck of horrific odors. The same beloved Princess who is currently throwing a temper tantrum because I was trying to spare her feelings by delegating her dental hygiene elsewhere. The same beloved Princess who has always had a minor case of halitosis, especially in the mornings and during the summer. The same beloved Princess with the stressful job of raising and lowering the Sun every day, and as such is entitled to a little pampering. The same beloved Princess who has driven me, over the course of a single day, to rethink ever taking this position." Celestia chucked her onion behind her head and began to dig into the watercress-and-mint salad as fast as she could shovel it into her mouth. "Please don't quit, Snowy," she said between bites. "I need you. You're one of the best stewards I've had in a thousand years. I just wanted to drive home the point that I'm no more fragile than I was before the Summer Sun Celebration. If anything, I'm stronger now that Luna has returned to take care of the nights. You were too stubborn to just listen, though." Snowy slopes bowed her head and turned towards the door. "I am sorry, Princess. I'll leave you now." "No, no, no. Don't apologize. Your stubbornness is part of what makes you such a good steward. It's just that... well, I have flaws. I have bad breath sometimes, a tendency to micromanage, and I'm fairly bad at managing money. I'm certain that that's not the full extent of it, and that is why I need ponies like you around me. In fact, why don't you tell me a flaw that I didn't list?" Snowy Slopes' clear blue eyes locked on to Celestia's, and new resolve flashed through them. "You have awful taste in interior decoration, Your Highness." "...Is that why you insisted on a renovation when you took the job? And arranged for it to happen when I was in Fillydelphia dealing with that parasprite infestation?" "That's exactly right, Your Highness." Celestia chuckled. "You're a lot more subtle than I gave you credit for, Snowy. I can tell that I'm going to have to call on my thousand-plus years of experience to outmaneuver you." "Or you could just let me work in your best interests, Your Highness." The princess sat back on her haunches with a radiant smile. "What would be the fun in that?" xxx Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun, supreme ruler of Equestria and revered by all ponies, trotted happily towards the bathroom to brush her teeth. She always felt more invigorated when she'd had a prank-filled day. Also, she'd hopefully convinced Snowy not to dote on her so much, giving her a great deal of freedom in the days to come. Celestia had been feeling so good that she had worked together with Luna to make an unusually beautiful sunset, something that she had missed doing when Luna was on the moon. It was only when she opened the bathroom door to the sound of soft sobs that she realized she had forgotten something. Minty Fresh sat there with a tube of toothpaste in one hoof and a toothbrush in another, slumped against the wall in utter dejection. Her green-and-white mane was in complete disarray, and her eyes were red from tears. Luna's words from earlier that day went through Celestia's mind. Don't get anypony hurt. Everypony's on your side, big sister. "Are you alright?" she asked. Minty apparently hadn't noticed the Princess come in, and she startled so hard that the toothpaste tube went flying toward the bathtub. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Your Highness! It will never happen again! Please forgive me, Your Highness!" "...what, exactly, did you do wrong?" Celestia had meant her question as a genuine inquiry, but Minty looked chastised, as if it had been a schoolmare-ish And what have you learned from all this? "I don't know, Your Highness, but once I find out it will never happen again!" "You don't know what you did wrong, but you still think you did something wrong? What would give you that idea?" Minty swallowed back another sob. "I was following your eating choices all day, to better gauge what kind of oral care you need, and... and... you're trying to punish me! To make your breath so bad that I would quit!" Celestia shook her head. You were right again, sis. "I was upset that they appointed you to do something that I can easily do myself. It has nothing to do with you personally; you actually did a fine job of brushing my teeth this morning." Minty sniffed a couple of times, but her sobs seemed to have stopped. She looked up at Celestia expectantly. "And besides, a pony with your expertise probably has better ways to serve the realm." "I... I suppose, Your Highness. Are you certain you're not unhappy with me?" "Actually..." Celestia thought for a bit. All day, Minty had been following her around, gauging her food choices to tailor her oral care routine. For a mare that was hired solely to hold a toothbrush, that was far above and beyond the call of duty. Minty Fresh really did have better ways to serve the realm. "Actually, you are hereby fired from your position of service under the Crown." Minty's disheveled mane fell flat, and she bowed her head. "Your Highness, I'm..." "However, it just so happens that I'm in need of an... informant within the Canterlot College of Dentistry. Somepony that I can trust. Somepony with a special talent in oral healthcare, with a keen mind for medicine. Do you know anypony like that?" "Well, Your Highness, I have a sister in Ponyville who..." Minty blinked. "Oh. You were talking about me." "Indeed I was. Do you think you could handle the position?" "Well, I was already on the College Council when I was hired for this, so probably." And you hired her to brush my teeth? We need to have a talk, Snowy Slopes. "Fantastic. Come in during petitioning tomorrow; I'll see to it that you get fast-tracked to the front of the line." "Pardon the forwardness, Your Highness, but when you say 'informant' do you mean 'spy'?" "Not quite. I need somepony who will report on the actual goings-on, without political bias or undue loyalty to the Council. You'll answer directly to me. I have various agents like you in different academic and nongovernmental bodies all around Equestria, who give me the inside story with no sugarcoating." "I'm a dentist, Your Highness. Sugarcoating is my mortal enemy." Celestia chuckled. "Quite. In any case, sleep well and we'll speak in the morning." Minty slowly made her way to the door, knees shaking with relief and excitement. However, when she had barely made it into the hallway, she turned back to face the Princess. "Tea tree oil." Celestia was in the process of fetching her toothpaste from the bathtub ledge and wasn't fully paying attention. "Pardon?" "Tea tree oil. It's a remedy for minor chronic halitosis. Mint will just cover the smell up, but a mouthwash of water and tea tree oil will help eliminate it entirely." "I think I'll give it a shot. Thank you, Minty Fresh." "You're welcome, Princess Celestia." The young mare made her way out of the hallway, leaving Celestia alone in silence. My Faithful Student: You haven't sent me a letter in a while, so I assume everything is quiet in Ponyville. In light of that, I thought I would pass along a few lessons about friendship from a recent experience of mine. The first is a lesson I had to teach, and it is this: your friends are not always as fragile as you think they are. Sometimes, even when you think you're doing them a favor, or sparing their feelings, they'd really rather stand on their own four hooves. The second is a lesson I had to learn, and it is the reverse of the other. Your friends are not always as strong as you think they are, either. It's important to remember that something you think is harmless might genuinely ruin somepony's day. Oh, and one more thing. I've found a solution for Spike's little problem. Next time you see your zebra friend, ask her where you can find some tea tree oil. Warmly, Princess Celestia

Ebon Mane

88

Mayor Mare,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Mayor on Mare

complete

<p>Twilight testifies at The Mayor's court case.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T00:53:22+00:00

2011-07-11T00:53:22+00:00

Warnings and Disclaimers: * I do not condone any of the actions taken by the characters in this work. These are all very bad ponies, especially the lawyers. This is all nothing more than a monument to my juvenile sense of humor. Not sure how to format this correctly here. Sorry, but the court document formatting only exists on the google doc version here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DXezWfod-b7goxMis7XntgrnxDdhr3aCnMaxSstAlNk/edit?hl=en&authkey=CLSK-7oE * Characters in this work are property of their respective owners, I do not own any of them, and do not intend to make any sort of profit off of this work. This My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfiction involves shipping. If you don't know what that means, please go read up on it at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Shipping before reading. If you are made uncomfortable by ANY form of romance between ANY two intelligent beings, this fanfiction may not be to your liking. Continue only with caution. And now, on with the show: IN THE EQUESTRIA DISTRICT COURT FOR THE OUTER DISTRICT OF CANTERLOT AT PONYVILLE, CANTERLOT PROVINCE, EQUESTRIA The Principality of Equestria, Government, Vs. The Mayor of Ponyville, Defendant, Transcript of witness Twilight Sparkle before the honorable Powder Wig on April 22, some year or other As recorded by the magic of soon-to-be-former stenographer Needle Horn. The record will show whatever Needle Horn damn well pleases, because he's going to be in the Gryphon Lands by this time tomorrow, sipping drinks with little umbrellas in them on the beach. Appearances: The record will show that the stenographer does not care about their names and calls them as he sees them. On behalf of the government: Some Douchebag In A Suit Big Stuffy Lawyer Assistants Equestrian Attourneys On behalf of the defendant: Scum Bag Con E. Shyster Disgusting Money-Grubbing Lawyers THE COURT: Your next witness, Mr. Douchebag. DOUCHEBAG: Twilight Sparkle TWILIGHT SPARKLE Was sworn in and magically bound to speak no word that is not true and testified as follows: DIRECT EXAMINATION BY THAT SAME DOUCHEBAG: Q. Good morning. Can you please state and spell your name for the record? A. Twilight Sparkle, T-W-I-L-I-G-H-T S-P-A-R-K-L-E Q. In what capacity are you familiar with the defendant? A. I knew her as the mayor of Ponyville for six years during my residency there, though we were never close until iI worked as her administrative assistant for several months. Q. And when you were hired as her administrative assistant, you intended to have a purely business relationship with the defendant? A. Um, that was my intention, yes. The record will show that the stenographer has never heard anyone say 'um' while under a truth spell. But the lawyers are too dumb to notice, and the stenographer wants to see where this is going. Q. The defendant has been accused, as you know, of treating her subordinates in a manner not consistent with a proper business relationship. In your time as her administrative assistant, did she ever act in an inappropriate manner? A. Yes, on multiple occasions. Q. Could you give examples of what occurred on some of these occasions you mention? A. Alright. Well, it all started after a couple of weeks on the job. She began to page me on the intercom every morning to ask what I was wearing. I found that to be strange; like every other pony in the office, I didn't wear anything at all to work, as it was too casual an environment for a saddle or dress, but she always seemed happy to hear that I was wearing nothing. That went on for about a week before she put a new policy into place: I had to read all of her business correspondence to her, which I didn't mind too much, except that she kept muttering to herself constantly. I cast a spell one morning to hear what she was saying, and it was all things like 'Oh yes, you read that Parks and Community Services Commission report, you dirty little filly. I need to hear about how you're straining that tight budget. I'm going to undersign your expenses so hard.' I didn't use any hearing spells after that. The next month, she decided that since I could write so quickly with my magic, she would dictate all of her outgoing correspondence to me so that I could put it all down on paper. I wouldn't have minded that, except that from then on, she wouldn't ever seem to stop talking about her dictation. She'd ask me if I liked her dictation. She'd talk about how big her dictation was. I never found it difficult, but she insisted that I made her dictation hard, that she was going to give me all of her dictation, and that if I resisted, it would only make her dictation harder. Soon enough, I could barely handle all of the dictation she was giving me, night and day. The record will show that whatever else the stenographer screws with in this document, the above was the real testimony she gave for that question. Needle Horn can't make this stuff up. Q. Did the defendant's actions on those occasions make you feel uncomforable? A. Most of it confused me more than anything. A lot of it made me feel strange. I, um, didn't like it. Q. Did you encourage the defendant's behavior in any way? A. Uh, no, I didn't. Q. At any point did the defendant touch you inappropriately while on the job? A. Yes, she did, on multiple occasions. Q. Do you recall the first time this happened? A. Yes, I do recall it. Q. Could you describe what happened that day, for the record? The record will show that Douchebag seems to have confused the words "the record" with the words "my own perverted amusement". A. Well, I had to stay late because the mayor wasn't done with her correspondence. Once everypony else had left the office, she slid up next to me and complimented my looks, then threw a hoof around my shoulder while giving me her dictation right in my ear. It, um, made me very uncomfortable. After I was done taking her dictation, her hoof moved, and she touched me. Q. Ms. Sparkle, could you point to the area on this doll where the defendant touched you? The record will show that Twilight Sparkle pointed to the doll's cutie mark. The record will also show that the audience in the courtroom gasped in a suitably dramatic fashion. It might just be the whiskey talking, but this is the most entertaining court case the stenographer has recorded in a long time. Q. Did you ever bring your concerns about the defendant's behavior to her attention? A. Yes, I did discuss the matter with her. Q. How did she respond to your concerns? A. She told me that it was something I had to do to keep my job. She said that it's more or less and unwritten part of an administrative assistant to the mayor's job description. MR DOUCHEBAG: No further questions, your honor. The record will show that everyone in the courtroom is glad that the windbag is done. Well, the stenographer is, and that's all that really matters. THE COURT: Cross examination, Ms. Shyster? CROSS EXAMINATION BY MS. SHYSTER: The record will show that Shyster looks happy and, in the stenographer's opinion, there's nothing more worrying than a happy lawyer. Q. Ms. Sparkle, are you considering a campaign for the position of mayor of Ponyville in the next election? A. Yes. Q. Are you aware of the effect that this trial will have on the defendant's chances of re-election to that office, regardless of whether or not she is acquitted of the charges brought against her? A. Yes. Q. Could you describe what you think those effects will be? A. She most likely will not be re-elected, due to the scandal caused by this case. Q. So accusing the defendant of these acts was in your own best political interest, is that correct? A. Yes The record will show that the jury might have bought it hook, line, and sinker, but you can tell that the Shyster won't quit while she's ahead. The stenographer has no doubt that she'll crash and burn. Q. Did that knowledge factor into your decision to report the defendant to the authorities in any way? Oh, there it was. You won't get what you want out of this one, Shyster, truth spell or no. A. Um, no. That is one angry lawyer. Priceless. MS. SHYSTER: No further questions, your honor. (End of Witness) *** Twilight Sparkle smiled for the reporters; she hated press conferences, but the press could be a politician's best friend- or her worst enemy. They knew that she was only here to answer one question, and they also knew well enough not to ask it first. For a few minutes, they asked banal questions about the campaign and her views on parks and foals and other such trivialities. Eventually, one of the reporters became impatient enough to ask the million bit question, "Ms. Sparkle, what are your thoughts on the judge's decision to declare the trial a mistrial due to gross inaccuracy in record keeping by the stenographer?" Twilight's thoughts on the matter were that if she ever met that damned stenographer, she'd wring his neck; the nerve of that pony, interfering with her carefully laid plans! She'd gone through so much trouble to figure out how to get around the truth compulsion of the witness stand without stuttering, and done an admirable job, despite the occasional 'um' or other such noise when she actually told a lie. It had been a stroke of genius to ensure that most of what she'd need to say would be the truth. It irked her that the trial would have to be done over; the next judge might be competent, and notice her deception, however remote the possibility. Of course, saying such things to the reporters would never do; she opted to reply with a smile and kind words instead, "I have full confidence in the Equestrian legal system to see justice done, however long that may take, but I hope that soon enough I can put what I have suffered behind me and continue toward a brighter future. Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm afraid I don't have time for further questions." As Twilight trotted away from the crowd, ignoring the few stubborn reporters who attempted to follow, she reflected upon what terrible things a mare must do to get ahead. Some days, she felt guilty for falsely accusing the mayor, but she often mused that all's fair in love, war, and politics, and this was a matter of all three. With this masterstroke, she was practically guaranteed to win the next mayoral election. Now all she needed to do was choose the right administrative assistant....

WingbeatPony

89

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

A Pony's Guide to Dragons

incomplete

<p>Spike is curious about other dragons, and so he turns to Twilight for a lesson. She's got just the thing he needs - a book on dragons, of course!</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:54:11+00:00

2011-07-11T01:54:11+00:00

"Hey, Twilight, do you have any books on dragons?" Twilight Sparkle barely glanced up from the book she had open on the book stand. All around her in the library, books lay in stacks, waiting to be put back on the shelves. "Sure, fourth shelf in the bookcase on the east wall, under D. I'll have Spike get a ladder for-" She blinked, finally registering who had asked the question. "Spike, you are a dragon. What could you possibly need a book on them for?" "That's just it, Twilight!" said Spike. "I don't know anything about other dragons! Well, except for the one you saved me from in the Everfree Forest. And that other one everyone was talking about. They just sound so...mean. Are all dragons like that?" Twilight closed her book and turned around. "Actually, I know just the book you need. A Pony's Guide to Dragon Companions. It's a white book with a gold binding. It's on the fourth shelf..." "...of the east bookcase, under D," finished Spike. "I heard you the first time." Spike pulled the book down and dusted off the top. It was fairly large, and embossed with Princess Celestia's seal. The gold leaf had flaked off in a few places and one corner looked a little sooty, but otherwise the book was in good shape. Twilight levitated the book out of Spike's grasp onto her book stand, knocking the other book carelessly out of the way. "This is an excellent resource! It's the very first textbook I ever got after enrolling at Princess Celestia's school. It told me everything I needed to know about raising you. I still pull it out from time to time." She smiled, and opened the cover. "So, where do you want to start?" Spike pulled up a stool and looked over Twilight's shoulder at the illustration on the title page of a green, winged dragon raising his claws and breathing fire. "Well, for starters...am I gonna look like that when I grow up?" Twilight giggled and began flipping pages. "Not exactly, Spike. You're not that kind of dragon." She stopped a few pages in, and began reading. “Congratulations, student, on receiving your very own dragon, and beginning your education at Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns! A dragon will prove quite useful to you in your lessons, as its nature as a creature of magic and thick scales make it ideal for practicing magic with. In order to build a good relationship between you and the dragon, it is crucial to know what kind of dragon you possess. The demeanor, abilities, and needs of each dragon are unique, but knowledge of their gender and breed will start you off on the right hoof. To begin, determine whether your new baby dragon is male or female. Be gentle, as hatchlings are delicate and can be unpredictable if handled roughly. First, using both hooves, lift your dragon-” Twilight flipped the page. "Let's just get to the breed part," she said. Blushing, she continued, “A dragon's breed can be determined by looking at a few key elements. First, note whether they have wings or not. Dragons which possess fully-fledged wings tend to be more aggressive, as they are most closely related to their wild cousins, the wyverns. Other domestic breeds may possess flightless or vestigial wings, which can be difficult to spot on a young hatchling. Second, check for gills or fins. These dragons are related to water serpents, and tend not to breathe fire or smoke. Finally, observe the color of the scales and underbelly for information on some specific breeds. Refer to the chart in figure 8.” Spike yawned. "You don't need to read the whole thing. Just the important parts." "Sorry," said Twilight. "You're a domesticated, wingless northern fire dragon with a fairly high amount of dragon magic, mainly in pyrokinetic transfer." "You didn't say anything about dragon magic," said Spike. "I skipped to the important part, like you asked," replied Twilight. “Besides, I’ve read this book from cover to cover. Dragon magic is in another chapter later on.” "Okay, fine," said Spike. "But what about being domesticated? Am I like a pet?" Twilight looked at the worry on Spike's face, searching for the words. She hadn't counted on this being...awkward. "Not...a pet. No. You're a companion, and I don't own you. But I did raise you to be an assistant for ponies. So I guess you're my personal secretary." "I see," said Spike. "So what about the dragon you saved me from? And the other one you banished from Equestria?" "I didn't banish him, Spike," said Twilight. "We just had to ask him to find another place to sleep, that’s all. Besides, you have Fluttershy to thank for that. I'm no hero." "Yeah, yeah, but what kind of dragons were they? I mean, they were wild dragons, right?" “Yes, exactly! I've got another book, Dealing With Wild Dragons, if you'd like to know more about them. It's on the fourth shelf..." Spike cut her off. "No, this is interesting. You never did tell me about what I was like as a hatchling. How did my egg end up at the School for Gifted Unicorns, anyway?" Twilight turned a few chapters ahead. "Well, the school has only ever gotten a few eggs. A couple of them were found in abandoned nests by the royal guard on patrol, and a few-" "I'm an orphan?!" exclaimed Spike. Twilight grimaced. "...And a few were given to the school by their parents, like you were..." "I'M ADOPTED?!" "...maybe I should just read you this paragraph," said Twilight, having found the page she was looking for. "As you learned in the previous chapter, wild dragon eggs face a long and difficult incubation. As a natural defense, the mother surrounds each egg with a magical barrier of protection, to the best of her ability. The stronger the barrier, the more likely her offspring are to survive, so the species maintains its high magical nature. Domesticated dragons also perform this instinctive task, although since they possess a conscious control of their magic, they can create quite elaborate barriers for their eggs. Due to the strong alliance between the draconian and unicorn races, some dragons have offered their eggs to the school as a showcase of their magic-weaving talent and as a test for young unicorns. Often, it takes several young unicorns to completely hatch an egg." Spike sat forward. "And you hatched me all on your own, Twilight! That's amazing!" Then he sat back, furrowing his brow. "So...I am adopted?" Twilight sat thinking for a moment as well. "When you look at it that way, I guess you are. I had Princess Celestia and your mother to help me in the beginning, though.” Twilight idly flipped a page back and forth as she strove to find a way to break the tension. She glanced at the illustration of a dragon carefully placing a large, spotted egg before the princess. “I’ve got an idea, Spike! The next time I write to the princess, I'll ask if we can arrange a meeting with your mother." Spike grinned. "Do you really think you can do that?" "Well," said Twilight, "I can try. Dragons, even domestic ones, can be quite elusive. It all depends on the princess being able to get in touch with her." "Can't she just write her a letter?" asked Spike. "She writes us notes all the time. I never know when I’m gonna burp parchment." "You're a special case, Spike," said Twilight. "That's your unique form of dragon magic. It's turned out to be quite handy for the princess and I. Each dragon has a different magical talent, just like us unicorns." "Can you tell me about that? What can other dragons do?" asked Spike. "Oh, gosh, Spike, there's so much to talk about! There are dragons who can see things happening miles away, dragons who can move the wind and water, dragons that can always tell if someone is speaking the truth, dragons that can turn rock into gemstones...but maybe we should save that for another day." Twilight closed the book and floated it back onto the bookcase. "But if you're really interested, you can read about it yourself. It's in chapter twelve. If you ever need to find the book, it's..." "On the fourth shelf of the east bookcase, under D. I got it, Twilight," said Spike. "And thank you." Twilight smiled. "Any time, Spike."

Ebon Mane

90

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

The Door

complete

<p>A sleepover at Twilight's library goes horribly awry when the ponies find themselves the characters in a ghost story instead of the narrators. What is behind the door?</p>

teen

2012-04-29T08:56:43+00:00

2012-04-29T08:56:43+00:00

It was a dark and stormy night, and Rainbow Dash couldn't seem to stop bragging about it "Even I didn't expect it to rain this hard when I pulled in the clouds; I guess the fronts hit each other juuuuust right. This is pretty much ideal, plenty of rain, an overcast day or two to let it soak in, then clear Spring skies. It's going to be beautiful." The weather pegasus put her forelegs behind her head, looking quite pleased with herself as she hovered effortlessly, drifting around the library. Applejack sighed in exasperation, "We know, sugarcube. Ya told us earlier. An' then ya told us again. And again. Seems like you've told us about twenty times now, and I'm getting sick of it. No more weather. Ain't no other pegasi here, so you're just borin' us with shop talk." For her part, Twilight Sparkle was just glad that this sleepover was going better than her last one; Applejack and Rainbow Dash got along well, despite their competitive natures. She was a bit disappointed by her other friends' absence, but she understood. Rarity's show was a big opportunity for her, Fluttershy's wounded animal friends were more important than a little gathering, and though Twilight hadn't understood Pinkie Pie's excuse in the least, she knew that the pink party animal wouldn't miss a gathering without a good reason. Spike, predictably, had volunteered to accompany Rarity. Dash spoke again, harsh but not hostile, "Oh yeah? So what should we talk about? Got any suggestions, groundbound?" The Earth pony seemed to struggle to find an answer. Twilight Sparkle had more or less let the other two decide the course of the night after the two of them had outvoted her on the beauty treatment issue, but now she knew exactly what it was time for. A glance at her newly acquired grandfather clock confirmed that it was just half an hour till midnight. The unicorn smiled to herself; it was a perfect time for the next phase of the sleepover. She spoke up before Applejack had a chance to respond to Dash's challenge. "Actually," the unicorn said, "I have an idea. It's dark, rainy, spooky. Perfect for scary stories." Twilight's horn glowed, and she magically extinguished all the other lights. Rainbow Dash landed, and she and Applejack glanced at each other, grinning, before Twilight's horn also went dark. Dash's rough voice hissed from the darkness, "I like the way you think, egghead. I'll go first." The three settled into their pillows as she began her tale. The pegasus was clearly not an experienced storyteller, and seemed to have confused 'scary' with 'violent'. Still, her throaty voice was well-suited to her almost lovingly detailed descriptions of decapitations and disembowelments, and by the time she ended her story, Twilight Sparkle was, if not scared, at least deeply disturbed. Applejack, on the other hand, seemed to do quite well now that she wasn't trying to insult Rarity with her ghost stories. Her narrative voice, honed by countless tales told around a campfire, was perfect for spooky tales of the supernatural. While Dash's tale had been as brash as the pegasus herself, Applejack showed an uncharacteristic subtlety. The tension built and, to Twilight's delight, the unicorn found that she was quite delightfully terrified by the tale. She was almost sad when Applejack leaned forward, ending with a low, conspiratorial whisper, "...an' some ponies say that on dark, stormy nights, ya can hear the screams of the three young mares, still desperately tryin' to escape." The mare's timing was impeccable; as soon as she finished, the clock struck midnight. A deep, resonant tone counted up the hour, and Twilight counted with it. One. The three ponies all but held their breath as they listened to the notes. Five. The only other sound was the dull patter of rain on the leaves of the library. Nine. Twilight felt a shiver run up her spine as a dread without object overtook her. Twelve. As soon as the clock's last chime faded from the air, a discordant, metallic boom echoed through the library. Thirteen. Twilight Sparkle leapt to her hooves in panic. "What was that?" she asked, voice a frantic whisper. "Ah don't know," Applejack said, matching her friend's tone, "but it sounds like it came from the basement. We... we oughta check." She didn't seem pleased by the prospect. Twilight lit her horn, casting a dim illumination over the library, and led her friends to the basement entrance. The unicorn gave the door a magical push, and it swung open slowly, creaking loudly on unoiled hinges. The noise seemed deafening after the relative silence. The three ponies passed cautiously through the entryway, pausing at the top of the stairwell to the basement proper. Only the first few steps were visible in the dim light, and the way down seemed to disappear into a great black void. The sound of rain was muffled here, and the silence hung heavy in the air. Twilight started down. The stairs squeaked and groaned, old wood shifting under the weight of the three ponies. The unicorn's horn created an island of visibility adrift in the dark room; the ponies knew that they were only a few yards above the basement floor, but to their perception, the gaps to either side seemed like yawning chasms, bottomless and forbidding. Twilight sighed in relief once her purple glow revealed the last step and the basement floor. She trotted over to her workbench, and lit an old kerosene lantern with a spark from her horn. It was low on fuel, and the illumination it provided came and went as the flame guttered, but the harsh firelight was better than just her horn, though only barely. The basement was revealed to the three ponies. Twilight's scientific equipment dominated the room, still and silent, covered with dark displays and unlit indicators. A few other workbenches lined the walls; one of the previous occupants had apparently been a sculptor, but magic rendered hammers and chisels useless to Twilight Sparkle. Dozens of the tools hung, lined up carefully by size and gauge, rusting away, forgotten. The few bookshelves kept in the basement held works not suited to a modern audience: old correspondence and journals left to the library in the wills of the deceased, a few tomes in languages unrecognizable, and books of magic that would be dangerous if accessible to the general public. Twilight had tried to catalog the shelves when she'd taken ownership of the library, but she had never finished. Each item she'd examined had felt more and more wrong to the unicorn, as though the books themselves had objected to her scrutiny. Now, the dusty shelves seemed to shift with mirth in the dancing lamplight, mocking Twilight's failure. The unicorn spoke uneasily, "Nothing looks like it's fallen. Do either of you see anything?" Rainbow Dash spoke up from near the stairs, "Maybe it was this? Something hitting this door?" The other two ponies made their way to where Dash stood, and the pegasus pointed behind the stairwell. A metal door loomed, black cast iron visible in a few spots not covered by a dingy coat of blood red rust. Most ponies had little use for latches and locks, but this had both, in the form of a very detailed pony head. The lower jaw hung open, and Rainbow Dash poked it with a hoof; the jaw moved, ancient mechanisms squeaking. The door was clearly intended to open when the pony's mouth closed, but it was locked. The keyhole was right between the cast-iron pony's eyes. "Uh, what's on the other side of this here door, sugar cube?" Applejack murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know," Twilight replied, "It was locked when I moved in. I figured I'd check it out when I found the key." She paused. "And?" The Earth pony asked. "And I never found the key." The three ponies stared at the door for a moment. The door shook as another boom echoed through the library, and the ponies shied away in fright; something had clearly struck the metal from the other side. Twice more booms rang out, rattling the portal and breaking flakes of rust off of its surface. Eyes wide, Twilight found that she couldn't break her gaze from the door. Only Rainbow Dash had the courage to speak. "W-who's there?" the pegasus called out weakly. She was met with silence for a few seconds, then, ominously the latch began to rattle, the cast iron pony's jaw working up and down. "Somepony's trying to get in," Dash observed. "Well, it's locked." Applejack stated. "Girls," Twilight Sparkle whispered, a hint of panic creeping into her voice, "A pony would be able to open the door. It's locked from the other side." The the other two ponies shot her a panicked glance as the rattling of the door's mechanisms got louder and faster, more urgent. Finally, it stopped and the stylized latch fell back to rest, mouth open. In the dim, flickering light, the cast iron pony looked like it was trying to scream. The metallic banging began again at a frenzied pace, and the door started to dent outward from the force of the blows. The three mares wailed in terror and rushed up the stairs. Twilight's horn glowed as she toppled a bookshelf over, blocking the door in an attempt to delay the progress of... whatever it was. As soon as the trio returned to the ground floor, Twilight Sparkle began to shiver. The air was icy cold, and her hornlight barely lit a fraction of the room, leaving the rest in ominous shadow. Applejack was the quickest, and made it to the door first. The Earth pony struggled to open the door, grunting in frustration. "It won't open," she called out, "I'm gonna try to buck it down!" The Earth pony turned and wound up for a mighty kick, but when her bare hooves struck the wooden door, they produced naught but a metallic crash. The wood wasn't even scratched. Applejack's jaw dropped. "It felt like metal," she said, "It sounded like the door down there...." Twilight could only look at her friend in horror, but Dash seemed to get angrier at the Earth pony's news. "I'll get you both out if I have to carry you out. I'm going to break a window." The pegasus said. She flew out of the range of Twilight's light. From the crashes and thumps, the unicorn knew that Dash was trying her best, but after a few seconds, the pegasus growled in frustration and called out from the darkness above, "The windows are frosted over, they should be brittle, but for some reason I can't break them!" A tremendous crash sounded from downstairs, the bangs of metal and thumps of books cacophonous to the unicorn's ears. Something had broken the door down. "So," Twilight said, turning to face the open basement door, "We're trapped." She could hear the creaks of the stairs as something made its way up toward the ponies, and the flickering lamplight cast a formless shadow on the landing. Seconds ticked by, and Twilight held her breath as she waited for the creature to come into view. The lights went out. Twilight couldn't even see her own glowing horn. She gasped, futilely turning her head, hoping that some hint of illumination could be found in the inky darkness of the library. There was none. The sudden silence was deafening. The familiar sound of a book hitting the floor shocked Twilight. The noise repeated, and all too soon the unicorn could hear a downpour of books all around her. Something knocked her from her hooves, and she fell hard. Twilight found that she could see; her hornlight illuminated a small circle around her, but the walls and bookshelves of the library were nowhere to be found. More startlingly, Applejack and Rainbow Dash had also disappeared. The unicorn took stock of her surroundings. She seemed to be standing on books. The tomes made a regular, level surface as far as her light revealed. Something pressed upward against her hoof, and she raised it quickly by reflex. She looked down, and found that something had raised the books under her. Cautiously, she kicked away a book leaning against the object, morbidly curious about the aparition. The cast iron pony latch stared up at her. Twilight ran, as fast as she could. A part of her mind wondered how the door had followed her upstairs, how all this could be happening, where the walls had gone. The rest just seemed to want her to go faster. She looked back, and saw that the door was behind her; it had risen out of the sea of books. Silently, the monolith seemed to glide toward her with no visible means of propulsion. Twilight paled. The door was gaining on her. The unicorn faced forward, focusing on speed, and suddenly a familiar wall resolved before her; she dashed into the basement entrance and skidded to a halt on the landing, trying her best not to fall off into the basement below. Behind her, Twilight heard a prodigious crash. Terrified, she forced herself to look. At first glance, it seemed like the metal door had crashed into the frame of the basement entrance. Then Twilight noticed that the wood door was gone. Not knocked off its hinges, not splintered, just... gone. The monstrous portal had replaced it completely. Cautiously, Twilight moved toward the stairs, but found that they had disappeared, replaced by black emptiness. She was trapped on the landing. Alone with the door. A voice whispered, low and seductive, "Come inside Twilight Sparkle. There's nowhere else to go. It's all so easy, just a few steps and it'll all be over..." "No! I won't! You're not real! You can't hurt me!" Twilight said, voice shaking in mortal terror. The door seemed to loom larger, growing taller by the second. The voice seemed almost amused as it replied, "Oh, Twilight, Twilight, you wound me. Why would I hurt you? I only have your best interests in mind. I want to take you away from this place. I can give you peace. Peace forever." The voice seemed to come from every direction, and none. There was a click from the lock. The jaw of the latch closed. The door swung inward, and Twilight gazed into the black void behind it. The opening seemed to breathe, exhaling the stale, dead air of a tomb. "There's a party on the other side, Twilight Sparkle. All your friends are waiting for you. They can't start without you. Don't you want to join them? Rainbow Dash and Applejack want to keep the slumber party going. Come in, Twilight. Come in." Twilight took a step forward. Her heart hammered in her chest. Every part of her seemed to scream out, protesting against the possibility of walking through that dread portal, but she had no choice. There was nowhere else to go. The voice whispered its appoval, "Yes, Twilight. It will all be over soon. You don't have to fear me. You'll never have to fear anything, ever again." And then Twilight was through. Behind her, the door closed with a bang. Creatures surrounded her; she could hear them breathing in the darkness. Twilight shuddered in terror, resigned to her fate. "April Foal's!" The lights came on with a flash. Twilight stared in shock at her friends. Pinkie Pie was bouncing in excitement. Rarity looked extremely pleased with herself. The purple unicorn stammered, "W-what?" Rainbow Dash laughed, "You should have seen the look on your face! Best April Foal's prank ever!" "But it's only March thirty-first...." Twilight sparkle said, but then realization struck her; everything had started just after midnight. "How did you? Everything was so... so real." Rarity chucked uncomfortably, "Well, that was me darling. Maybe I went just a tad overboard, but I was very much in the zone. My illusion magic has been improving by leaps and bounds, you see, and I wanted to make it as convincing as possible. I have your instruction to thank, of course. Sorry I... er... tried so hard. I just wanted to impress you, dear." Applejack cut in before Twilight could respond, "Rarity was real impressive, sugar cube. She had you levitated the whole time, nearabouts, an' your legs were workin' like a clown at a rodeo." Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing, "And the whispers?" Fluttershy squeaked from the corner, "Sorry, Twilight." "She came up with the whole idea too," Spike said, "What can I say? The filly knows scary." Twilight's jaw worked soundlessly. After a few seconds, she was able to manage a few words. "Confound you ponies."

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-01-02T13:46:11+00:00

2012-01-02T13:46:11+00:00

The last rays of sunlight had long since faded when Celestia alit upon the highest balcony of the tallest tower in Canterlot. She rarely came to this particular corner of her castle; some error in design or construction had left it without a door, making it impossible to access without flight. The princess of the day had little use for the deserted balcony, but she suspected that it was the solitude that had attracted its other occupant. Princess Luna stood across from her, back turned, wings tucked at her sides, head raised toward the heavens. If she had noticed Celestia's landing, she gave no sign. The white alicorn moved to her sister's side, hooves clopping slowly on the rough stone. "Good evening, little sister." Luna sighed, continuing to gaze up at the heavens as she responded absentmindedly, "Is it? I do like when the moon is a waxing gibbous. I did my best tonight. I always try my best, but some nights are better than others. Isn't that odd?" "Sister," Celestia ignored the question, "I haven't seen you at court. You need to come back to the world, learn to live again. You've avoided our subjects so much that I fear your desire for solitude may be consuming you. How long has it been since you've moved from this spot?" "Since the last full moon, sister. Since the last full moon." Celestia felt guilt at that; she hadn't realized how time had run away from her. She should have come sooner. Since Luna had returned to Canterlot, they'd spoken only a few times. The regent of the day felt her face fall as she considered ways to reach the sister she'd imprisoned so long ago; the dark mare was close enough to touch, but still as distant as the cold, pale moon. Even so, the princess of the sun felt as though if she could just find one crack in her sister's shell of bitterness, she could have the old Luna back, the Luna that had loved to laugh. She attacked the problem from another angle, "Why don't you try some sleep? I found it to be a very pleasing experience, the first time I did it five hundred years ago, or so; I'm no longer surprised that most ponies do it once a day." The princess of the night looked toward Celestia, raising an eyebrow, "I remember when you would have considered sleep to be beneath you. You've become similar to our subjects in so many ways since you imprisoned me." Celestia answered with good cheer, despite the other alicorn's hostile words, "I gave up on tyranny and on holding myself above them since your imprisonment. Even old ponies can learn new tricks." Her mouth twisted with a wry half smile, which faded as her gaze and tone grew distant. "Being like our subjects is not a bad thing, dear sister, as you well know. The fact that you ate and drank and traded jests and wit, the fact that you seemed like one of the herd while I stood apart, partaking in none of it, that was one of the things that made the ponies of Equestria love you." "Well, sister, I'm afraid that my wit is somewhat dulled; I am a thousand years out of practice, after all. I believe my verbal jabs leave bruises where once they cut to the quick," Luna smiled, but it did not change the sadness obvious in her eyes, "Loved, did they? In the past. They used to love. I threw it away in a futile gesture that they could never have understood in the first place. Sister, I was moved by your forgiveness, after all I'd done, but if they knew the truth about how things were... I don't know if our subjects would ever be able to forgive me. For what I did then. For telling them now, when it's all so long lost. The love they had for me is a thousand years dead, and it's a far more recent burial than I ever deserved." The white alicorn turned her head away from her sister to hide the mist forming in her eyes, "I'm sorry, Luna, that they love what I've done for them so much more. I maintained your part of the cycle for a thousand years, but I know that it is the fact that you set things in motion that weighs so heavily upon you, not the maintenance. If I could take some of that burden from you, I would, and perhaps you would never have been driven to such desperation, but you know that I could never have done as you did, could never have given the gifts that you gave." Celestia sighed. "This was always our lot. Only I can give them the gifts of light, and only you could have given them the gifts of darkness." Luna slowly ground one of her hooves into the rough stone upon which she stood. After a moment, she whispered, "That helps little, sister. If I look at it that way, then I should be condemned not only for what I have done, but also for what I am." Celestia met the other alicorn's eyes, her stare suddenly intense. "Luna, if you disregard everything else I've said to you, hold on to this: I could never have made Equestria as wonderful as it is, as full of magic and beauty, if you had not been there to shape it beside me. Whatever the mortal ponies feel for you, I will always see you as my equal, and I could not have accomplished this," her hoof gestured in an arc, encompassing Canterlot below and the valley that spread beyond, silvery in the light of the moon, "without you." "That...," the dark mare paused. "That means much." "As for forgiveness," the pricess of the day said, "I don't blame you for seeking it, Luna. From yourself or from others. It took me centuries to find it in my heart to forgive myself for what I stood aside and allowed you to do. I only hope that you're a wiser being than I am. If you want to love your place as you once did, sister, if you want to forgive yourself, then connect with our subjects. It is their forgiveness, their empathy, their friendship, their love, that taught me a better way than callous detachment. Their capacity for understanding may be beyond even our reckoning. Centuries ago, when a few ponies found it within themselves to forgive me for the tyranny I inflicted upon them, to be my friends, that was what started to melt the ice in my heart. Frozen things are brittle; they break easily, sister, and the heart is no exception. Think on it. Goodnight." She flapped her wings, soaring away from the balcony; she feared that anything else she said would do more harm than good. From behind her, Celestia heard a whisper on the wind, "The forgiveness of our subjects..."

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-01-02T14:58:54+00:00

2012-01-02T14:58:54+00:00

"Twilight, tell this here madmare what a terrible idea it is to pull that there stunt over Sweet Apple Acres!" Applejack begged the unicorn that had become the voice of reason in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had just finished explaining her trick again for Twilight's benefit. Applejack didn't understand more than a bit about the pegasus' talk of barometric pressure, humidity, dew point, and all the rest of that Cloudsdale nonsense, but she knew a terrible plan when she heard it. She stood in Twilight's library, surrounded by books, but the earth pony didn't need to read a single one of them to know that lightning and apple trees don't mix. Rainbow Dash gave a dismissive snort, "Come on, Twilight, I've been up in the clouds for years and I know weather. Applejack doesn't know the first thing about lightning; if I practice at her farm, the weather conditions are perfect most days, so it won't be anything more than a bit of a flash. I'm sure there won't be any fire. Well, no fire I can't put out quickly with a spare cloud." Applejack was not at all reassured by Dash's statement, and the pegasus' disregard for her livelihood grated on her, '"Any fire is too much fire! It takes years of hard work to grow an apple tree, Dash, not that you'd know anything about that." Rainbow Dash was in Applejack's face as quick as wind, shouting, "What? I'm up there every day, busting my flanks to give your trees their sun and rain!" "Girls," Twilight Sparkle tried to interject. Applejack studiously ignored the unicorn, preferring to argue. "Busting your flanks when you're not too busy napping most of the day away. I can't get my day's work done in ten seconds flat like you, Rainbow Dash. Have you ever even seen the sun rise? Or is it always noon when you set to work?" Twilight's patience seemed to be thinning. "Girls." The pegasus seemed to be enjoying herself. Grinning, she countered, "I'm the best at what I do, so I can get it done quickly. Some ponies can't handle that sort of thing. You really shouldn't brag about how slowly you work, Applejack. Unless you're asking for help." Applejack's anger flared at the low blow. "That's it! Hoof-wrasslin'. Now." Rainbow Dash's smile only grew. "You're on." The two began to look around, searching the library for a suitable surface. "Girls!" Twilight shouted, her voice amplified by magic. Her friends winced at the painful volume, and turned to look at the unicorn, who had put on her 'no nonsense' face. Applejack sighed; things had just started to get fun. Seeing that the belligerents were paying attention, Twilight Sparkle continued in a normal voice, "I'm going to do some research on this sort of trick. I've seen the Wonderbolts doing it, so I know it's possible. I'll just make sure that it's safe, and then we can all talk about this again. Does that sound good to you two?" The unicorn smiled hopefully. Applejack made a non-committal noise, but was distracted from her effort to find a way to extend the argument by a knock at the door. The three ponies looked at each other in confusion; the library was open and Twilight kept the entrance unlocked. Spike was usually on doordragon duty, but he seemed to have slipped away at some point, presumably to avoid getting caught up in the argument. For a few moments, the door went unanswered. Then Twilight shrugged. Her horn glowed as she magically opened the door. Paying no mind to the customer, she shouted, "We're open, come in!" It had been nearly a month since the Summer Sun Celebration, but Applejack recognized the newcomer immediately. Midnight blue cloat, light blue mane. Wings. Horn. Applejack barely had a glimpse before she found herself staring at the floor, bowing deeply toward Princesss Luna. It had been instinctive, the same sort of reaction that most ponies experienced when Princess Celestia was nearby. There was something about the alicorns sometimes, some aura of majesty, that could do strange things to ponies caught unaware. The Earth pony glanced at her friends. Rainbow Dash was grounded, nearly prostrate, and the pegasus looked quite shocked about it. Twilight, apparently accustomed to Celestia's presence, merely stared at Luna. There was a hardness in the unicorn's eyes the like of which Applejack had never seen there before. The apple farmer gathered her resolve and stole a glance at Luna, who merely looked surprised. "Oh! My apologies!" The Princess exclaimed. Something nearly imperceptible changed, and Applejack felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She straightened up, no longer feeling an irresistible desire to worship the dark princess. Applejack had perceived the alicorn as being something amazing, something literally awe inspiring, but now she just looked like a pony, if a particularly well-formed one that happened to have both wings and a horn. The urgency in the dark mare's voice was replaced by a distant tone as she continued, "That was rude of me. I used to hide that all the time without thinking about it, but I fear that I'm out of practice. I'll remember to keep it away from now on." "What are you doing here?" Twilight's words had an edge to them that Applejack hadn't thought the mild, bookish mare was capable of. Rainbow Dash, of course, was capable of far worse, and she cut in before Luna could respond, taking an aggressive step toward the princess, "Yeah! Did you come for revenge? We'll stop you again if we have to! Your night isn't welcome here!" Luna recoiled as if struck, but regained her composure quickly. "No. I don't want revenge. You were right to stop me when you did; I was misguided. I was wrong to want to bring eternal night to Equestria. Wrong for so many reasons...." The alicorn looked at her feet as she trailed off, sorrow etched upon her face. Applejack couldn't conceive of Princess Celestia ever allowing herself to look as vulnerable as Luna looked at that moment, and the Earth pony found herself feeling almost sorry for the princess. It seemed strange to her that she should pity one of the rulers of ponykind. Twilight's voice broke the silence, "True or not, that doesn't exactly answer my question." "I suppose not," the alicorn sighed, "The reason I came is... well... I wanted to apologize. To apologize and to beg your forgiveness. The forgiveness of all the Elements of Harmony. I want... I want to try to be a friend to all of you." The three mortal ponies were silent for a moment, trying to process what they'd just heard. Rainbow Dash reacted first: she scoffed, "You tried to kill us. You sicked a manticore on us! A manticore and trees! Well, more the manticore than the trees. Do you know how much a manticore's tail hurts when it whacks you out of the air? You dropped my groundbound friends off a cliff! You made me think... I thought I had to give up...," She trailed off for a moment, her eyes distant for a few seconds before they snapped back into focus, narrowed on the alicorn, "You think you can just walk in here and expect us to forgive you?" The pegasus hovered angrily, forelegs crossed over her chest, a scowl on her face. "I don't forgive so easily. I bet the others agree. We're not omnibenevolent like Celestia." Applejack and Twilight stared at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. The unicorn managed an incredulous, "Dash, where did you learn the word omnibenevolent?" The pegasus rubbed the back of her head with a hoof, looking sheepish. "Word a day calendar." "And here I thought I knew ya, Dash," Applejack shook her head, smiling in amusement. She hoped that the word meant what it seemed to mean; she didn't want to ask. Quiet returned to the library for a few heartbeats. Luna's whisper cut through the silence, "Celestia is not all-forgiving. She had her own reasons for welcoming me back to my old place at her side." Twilight's voice darkened, "Reasons she didn't see fit to share with her most trusted student, of course. They must be some truly amazing reasons, to cause the Princess to make such a tremendous error in judgment, to ignore justice so fully. You escape from your prison and lock Celestia away, threaten to bring eternal night to Equestria, try to kill my friends and I, and what do you get for it? A crown and a throne, and your sister's best efforts to return you to the glory and position you abdicated through betrayal so long ago. Oh, and a welcoming party, of course. We stop you, and save Equestria, and what do we get for it? A small thanks followed by a large cover up. No reward. Nopony outside of Ponyville knows what happened on the night of the Summer Sun Celebration. We aren't even allowed to mention it to ponies that weren't in Ponyville that night. Oh, how we could have put that bragging Trixie in her place.... All because the Princess didn't want your reputation ruined. Like ponies won't figure it out. It doesn't take a teleportation magician to realize that the moon looks a lot different these days, and there's a new alicorn around, and maybe, just maybe, there's something to those old stories. You won't be able to escape from the stigma of what you've done for long. When it all catches up to you, you won't have a place at the Princess's right hoof anymore." Luna had looked more and more devastated as Twilight ranted, but something in the last bit seemed to catch her attention. Applejack could barely hear the alicorn whisper, "I... think I see." The princess straitened, and her regal mask softened with compassion. She spoke with quiet surety, "This is not a contest between us. You are still my sister's favored student. What she did, she did for you as much as me. In time, you will see." Twilight Sparkle seemed to swell, shaking with rage. "Don't you patronize me! You don't know the value of what you threw away." The alicorn merely sighed. "You don't know the value of the gifts she gave you." The librarian set her teeth, jaw unmoving as she spoke two vicious words, "Get. Out." Luna looked as though she were about to speak, but thought better of it. The alicorn turned and walked out slowly, shaking her head. Twilight stared out the door after the alicorn for a long time as Applejack tried to think of something to say to the unicorn, some comfort. Before she could even try, Twilight shouted, "Everypony out! The library is closed for the day. Out!" The unicorn turned away and began levitating stray books, propelling them into bookshelves with loud thunks. Some of them managed to find their places without knocking everything else on the shelves off. Others were not so successful. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were the only other ponies in the library. They looked at each other, but Dash seemed to be as confused as the farmer was. With a dark look, the pegasus flew out the open door, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake and shouting over her shoulder, "I'm going to warn the others. She's back for revenge, I know it." Applejack wasn't so sure. The Earth pony walked out, glancing back at Twilight before closing the door behind her. The unicorn still hadn't stopped shaking; Applejack had never seen the librarian in this kind of mood; she seemed inconsolable. Outside, the noonday sun beat down on what had been a bustling ponyville. Princess Luna sat alone and unmoving in the clearing in front of the library, staring at the ground. Many of the ponies that had been going about their business were now gathered in small groups, whispering in hushed tones and surreptitiously glancing at the newcomer, fear or anger written large on their faces. Rainbow Dash was already well out of sight. Applejack sighed. If what Twilight had told her and the other Elements about Luna's past was true, this was just the sort of thing that had led to her becoming Nightmare Moon in the first place. The Earth pony knew that she had to do something. She just wished that she knew exactly what it was. Applejack approached the princess and dropped to a knee in a bow, and got her attention by stating in a shaky voice, "Princess Luna." The alicorn turned her head to look at Applejack and gave a shallow smile, "Stand up. My sister was the one fond of ponies bowing to her; I've always found it to be a bit distasteful. I don't recall your name, but I do recall that you were one of the ponies who subdued me in my madness. Honesty, right? Thank you." Applejack rose slowly to her hooves, somewhat put off by the wandering of Luna's thoughts. She managed to reply, "Yes, Princess, Honesty. My name is Applejack." The alicorn broke eye contact and looked up, gazing directly into the sun's glare. "Good to see you again, Applejack. Please, call me Luna. Just Luna. I'm glad that the circumstances of our second meeting are somewhat better than those of our first. The ponies here are afraid to approach me, but you are not. You must have a purpose; what is it?" "Rainbow Dash thinks that yer here to get revenge for what we did to you." The Princess nodded, "I know." "Twilight Sparkle seems to hate you, but she didn't at your welcome celebration, and I don't know what changed." The Princess nodded again, "I do know what has changed for her. Or rather, what changed within her. She has her reasons. Everypony has their reasons, even if the reasons are unreasonable." Applejack paused. Luna's eyes hadn't left the sun; a normal pony would have been forced to look away in pain long since. The Earth pony supposed that the alicorn must have been used to her sister, or something. She tried not to let the oddness of it distract her as she continued, words spilling forth uncontrolled, "I... I know the value of honesty because I know the value of trust. My friends are all ponies that I know I can trust, but yeh've got to give the trust before you can get the knowledge. I'm not certain that yer not plottin' some sorta revenge. I can't know for sure. But I think that you're being honest when you say that yer sorry. So I'll trust you. And I'll forgive you. And I'll help you convince the others, even those two stubborn mares back there. Just don't betray my trust. Got that?" The orange mare paused for breath. The princess was crying. Applejack doubted that the tears had anything to do with looking at the sun too long. The alicorn spoke, whispered words that barely reached her ears, "Yes. Thank you. You won't regret it." Applejack looked away. She wasn't good with tears, her own or those of other ponies. Not wanting to remain silent, she said the first thing that popped into her head, "You look like you haven't eaten in a spell. You hungry? How about some apples? My treat." Shocked at herself, she looked back at Luna, fearing the alicorn's reaction. The princess replied with a wry smile and dry words, "I would love some apples. It really has been a spell since I've eaten. In fact, it feels like I haven't had a bite to eat in a thousand years."

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T01:12:04+00:00

2011-07-11T01:12:04+00:00

Applejack set another basket full of apples in front of Princess Luna. The alicorn levitated two of the fruits and popped one into her mouth, chewing slowly as she rotated the other. Luna studied it from all sides, humming softly to herself. Applejack smiled appreciatively. Nopony had ever been this interested in her apples before; the princess couldn't seem to get enough of them. She had already emptied three baskets, and the Earth pony estimated that the slight alicorn had eaten at least her body weight in fruit over the course of the afternoon. The businesspony in Applejack was irked by the value of what the princess had eaten, but she couldn't help but be fascinated by one pony eating in a few hours enough food for a week of generous meals. "Enjoying the apples, Princess Luna?" she asked. "I thought I told you that it's just plain 'Luna'," The alicorn murmured softly. Applejack might have thought she'd offended the princess, if it hadn't been for her subtle smile. The apple that she had been examining began to lose its outer layer; large sections of bright red skin peeled off the fruit and began to orbit around it. The princess spoke almost absentmindedly as she concentrated on the apple, "In any case, I am enjoying the apples very much. I haven't eaten in a long time, and I had forgotten what a delight it is. Most art is concerned with the satisfaction of one sense at a time, usually sight or hearing. The culinary arts must engage all five senses to be truly effective." Her magic removed the last of the peel from the levitating apple, leaving an off-white orb surrounded by a ring of red debris. Applejack was entranced by the magical display. Luna continued to stare at her work as she spoke, "And of course, many of the most beautiful things in this world are to be found in very unassuming places. Consider the apple: it is a thing of nature, but no longer fully wild, guided by the hooves of ponies to its current form. It is pleasing to the eye, a wonder to every sense, but for all its beauty it is also functional." Thin black lines began to appear on the apple, diverging and meeting in no obvious pattern as the alicorn continued her distracted murmuring, "Art at work, keeping ponies alive; many from my time would have dismissed it as common, pedestrian, and many more would have taken such things for granted, but I imagine that they'd miss them very quickly if there were none to be found." The off-white orb floating in front of Luna broke apart into a cloud of expertly carved pieces. Applejack could see right angles, sinuous curves, jagged edges, each fragment unique and minutely detailed. Applejack had never thought of apples as items of beauty before; far as she saw, grub was grub. Still, she wasn't about to argue with a princess, and though she hadn't understood everything that Luna had said, she still swelled with pride to hear such kind words about her life's work. The farmer didn't consider herself qualified to discuss beauty with one of the immortal rulers of Equestria, so she changed the subject, "Uh, Luna... where do all them apples go? If I ate half o' that many apples, I'd be burstin' at the seams, but ya downed at least a hundred apples without slowin' down, and ya still look like one ah them Canterlot runway models. Do you alicorns have four hollow legs or somethin'?" Luna glanced up from her project; the pieces of the core had begun to come back together in a shape quite unlike the original orb. She blinked at Applejack, looking confused, then glanced at the empty baskets around her. "A hundred apples?" she asked. Applejack nodded, "Pips, core, and all." "Well. There goes my diet. Sorry about this. I didn't realize how many I'd eaten. When alicorns eat, the food just sort of goes away. But we do enjoy it! Still, I feel bad about wasting so much of your crop. At least it'll be good for advertising." The alicorn said. As she spoke, the new form of the apple pieces became recognizable. Applejack marveled at the miniature trunk, roots, and branches that the fragments had formed; bits from the core served as knotholes on the rough, irregular faux bark. Luna's magic seemed to be keeping the fruit from turning brown with exposure to air, and the construct retained its ivory coloring. "Advertising?" The Earth pony asked. "Yes," Luna replied as the floating bits of peel tore themselves into ever smaller pieces, "Advertising. Ponies still advertise, right? Why, I recall that I couldn't even walk into a shop without them putting an 'Approved By Princess Luna' sign in the window. It got a bit annoying sometimes, but I never wanted to explicitly tell anypony to take such things down; I didn't want to feel responsible if their business went under." Tiny bits of apple peel formed a swarm that converged on minuscule branches. When the red blur stilled, a perfect model of an apple tree floated between the two ponies. White apple flesh formed roots, a trunk, and branches covered in foliage of red apple peels. Here and there among the branches, seeds hung in imitation of ripe apples. "I'd never do somethin' like that without your permission, Luna," Applejack said, entranced by the unorthodox sculpture, "An' that. That tree. That is amazing. I've never seen anything like it, or anypony do magic like that." The princess raised an eyebrow and spoke dryly, "Every night, I seem to move an unfathomably large object a distance that you'd be unable to put into words, and this, among all my feats, is what impresses you?" It sounded quite stupid to Applejack when Luna put it that way, but once again the princess didn't seem offended. She continued, "You have better taste than I gave you credit for, Applejack. As for advertising, I admit that I don't have quite the same name recognition that I did before, so I'll have to repay you another way. Wait here." With that, Luna trotted to the nearest apple tree, one that had been mostly bucked clean to feed her, and sat down. The glow in her horn intensified as she considered the tree. A purple halo formed around it, humming with magic, then faded. Where shadows fell on the fruitless branches, blossoms as dark as night bloomed, and fruit began to grow from them. In mere seconds, a new crop of apples had fully grown; to Applejack, the lustreless black orbs looked for all the world like holes in the air. Then, with a final pulse of magic, the dark apples began to sparkle. Luna plucked one with magic and levitated it to Applejack. She balanced the strange fruit on a hoof and gazed at the lights that danced across the black peel. Stars. A sea of stars filled her vision, unfamiliar constellations spinning slowly across a window to a night sky. Spiral splashes of milky white whirled in the distance while pinpricks bloomed in brilliant flashes before they disappeared. The apple glowed momentarily as a sun seemed to pass close to its surface; Applejack could see what looked like huge plumes of flame flying from the orb, all seemingly frozen, moving too slowly to be perceived. There were more stars than Applejack could ever hope to count. She didn't know how long she stared into the apple, but she was only broken from her reverie when she heard Luna's voice, "You're supposed to eat it, you know." So she did. And it was delicious.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-07-11T01:13:12+00:00

2011-07-11T01:13:12+00:00

Luna could think of nothing to do after she left Sweet Apple Acres that afternoon, but Applejack had told her where to be the next morning, and so she had gone to wait. She flew over Ponyville, spotted the Forest Road, and landed nearby in a suitably clear field. The view was not as good as it had been from her balcony, but the alicorn found it to be a worthwhile change of scenery. The sun set, and Luna raised moon with an imperceptible magical effort. Her work done, she relaxed, standing motionless in the sea of grass as she enjoyed the night. Dew formed on the alicorn's fur and feathers in the early morning chill; the newly risen sun had nearly dried it by the time she saw Applejack walking up the road. The Earth pony called out a greeting, and Luna's lips curved slightly in an unbidden smile. She waved a wing and trotted out to travel beside the other mare. Applejack had a serious expression and got down to business immediately, briefing Luna as they passed one of Ponyville's outlying farms, "We're headin' out to Fluttershy's cottage; Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness, and just about the nicest pegasus you'll ever meet. She doesn't have a grudge holdin' bone in her body and she'll forgive you lickety split, as long as you can get around one big problem: that pony is a coward. She's a close friend of mine and dear to my heart, but the biggest scaredy-pony I've ever laid eyes on. She'll probably bolt the moment she sees you, on account of that whole Nightmare Moon thing, especially if Rainbow Dash got to her first. Unless, o' course, we give her nowhere to go. So we're going to catch her when she's in her house; there's only one door and she won't fly out the window on account of her wings lockin' up when she's scared." Applejack paused, and Luna took the opportunity to cut in, "You say that she's a coward, but she didn't balk at facing me when I was Nightmare Moon. She didn't flee then; why should she do so now?" The Earth pony nodded, "Well, that's one of the admirable things about Fluttershy; she can be very brave when she needs to protect her friends. Of course, you're not gonna to be a threat to her friends, of the pony sort or of the critter sort. You'll be taking care of the animals for her while she's cooped up. She'll be watchin' you, and if you're nice to her animal friends, I'm sure she'll warm up to you. Eventually." Luna raised an eyebrow, "So your plan is to trap her in her house until she's forced to talk to me? That doesn't sound very... kind." "Well," Applejack replied with a nervous chuckle, "We're just gonna call this 'tough love'." "And what if one of her other friends shows up?" "Oh, that's taken care of," The Earth pony stated, a mischievous smile spreading across her face, "I left notes for others sayin' that Fluttershy got called off to help with an emergency with some critters in another town, a real bad outbreak of somethin' or other. I told em' I'd come round once a day to take care of things here and make sure all the animals got fed an' everythin' while she was gone. It's not worth this long trip to go to the cottage if Fluttershy isn't around, so they shouldn't bother us." Luna's lips curled in a sardonic grin, "Some Element of Honesty you are." She couldn't keep the amusement from her voice. Applejack laughed, "Well hold on there, missy! Honesty means bein' worth trustin', not sayin' no word that isn't true. A pony can speak only the truth and still be slippery as an eel, using carefully chosen facts as a weapon against you, and a pony can tell only lies and know that every one of them is worth believin', and lift your spirits with falsehood. Which pony do you think is more worth trustin'? More honest?" The two ponies traveled on in silence. They passed empty fields and stands of oak and elm, and the land began to look a bit more wild. The sounds of nature, bird calls, brooks, and the wind in the trees, all became more noticable as they left the din of Ponyville behind. Luna thought on what the farmer had said. The princess found that she did not mind being called 'missy.' It had a charming informality to it. As for Applejack's view on trust, the princess was unsure, but it was certainly a question worth asking. After a few minutes, the two mares spotted the cottage. Its surroundings teemed with wildlife; squirrels chittered in the trees, ferrets played in the fields, and there seemed to be a bird on every branch. The calls of the animals filled the air with song. It had been a long time since Luna could enjoy such a menagerie. Even the old royal gardens couldn't compete in sheer number of animals. It seemed to the alicorn that Fluttershy must have been extremely skilled, or incredibly charismatic, to attract so many animals to her care. Possibly both. Applejack put out a hoof to stop her a few hundred yards from Fluttershy's home and spoke in a rather unnecessary whisper, "You wait here. The animals shouldn't give us away; I've got a bunny on the inside. I'll go in alone, in case Fluttershy is watching out the window. I'll tell her what's goin' on, and that should distract her. Give me a ten count after you see the door close behind me, then trot out to the clearing where she can see you. Once she knows you're out here, she probably won't leave the house. I'll tell you more after that's all done. You got all that?" Luna was rather pleased by how seriously Applejack was taking this; she nodded. The Earth Pony set out toward Fluttershy's home with a determined stride. The princess watched her cross the clearing, knock on the cottage door, and disappear inside. She counted slowly, then trotted swiftly out to to a visible area, and waited. It wasn't long before Luna saw the curtain on the front window twitch aside, and the face of a pink-maned yellow pony peek out. They made eye contact for just an instant, Fluttershy's eyes as wide as saucers, before the pegasus dropped out of sight. Luna found herself smiling. Eventually, Applejack emerged from the cottage, closing the door behind her, and approached the princess. "That went about as well as I expected. She wants to talk to you, but she's afraid. If you go in there, she'll just clam up and shudder in a corner. So, we're going with my plan. Have you worked with critters before?" Luna tilted her head, thinking. "Well, I created a lot of animals, but that was a long time ago. Most creatures are very different now. I haven't had a pet in.... Well, the species is extinct now, to give you some idea." "Uh...huh...," Applejack replied, raising an eyebrow, "I guess I'll have to show you everthin', then. I've taken care of things 'round here before, so it shouldn't be too bad. Fluttershy keeps most of what you'll need in a shed or the chicken coop, so you shouldn't have to get anything from the house." The Earth pony spent the next few hours showing Luna everything Fluttershy did for the animals. The Alicorn rather enjoyed herself, feeding birds, helping a family of voles with their burrow, letting mice ride on her outstretched wings, and generally assisting however she could. Around noon Applejack gave a final speech, "I've got my own land to take care of, so I'll leave you to it. Just try to stay away from the house; no need to spook Fluttershy any more than she already is. When you need to sleep, I've got a guest room that you can use, if you'd like to fly over, but try to wait until Fluttershy is already asleep." "That won't be a problem," Luna interjected, "I don't sleep." The Earth pony's voice was completely flat, "What." "My sister and I don't need to sleep. It's like eating. We can. Celestia has, and says it's fine. But we don't need to. I've never tried it. It can't possibly be as good as eating. Is it?" Luna was genuinely curious. "Uh... no, Luna, I guess it's not. If you don't sleep, what do you do at night?" "I look at the stars. That's kind of my thing. I was known for it. Ponies even named a science after me. I guess Lunastronomy didn't last through the time that I was imprisoned in the moon?" Luna was disappointed; there had always been at least two or three Lunastronomers alive, studying the stars. Before her banishment, at least. "You have got to be the weirdest...," Applejack muttered before she caught herself, "Uh, no, not by that name. I think it's just astronomy now. That's a hobby of Twilight's, but y'all don't seem to be on speaking terms, yet. Still, that's good, common ground could be useful. I'll think about that, but for now, we have to focus on Fluttershy. I'll leave you to it. Have a good day. And night, I guess." With that, the orange pony trotted off toward Sweet Apple Acres. Luna spent the rest of the day feeding, helping, or just spending time with Fluttershy's companions. The animals seemed to mistrust the alicorn at first, but food and softly spoken words won many of them over, and eventually all were accustomed to her presence. Every so often, the princess thought that she could feel the pegasus watching her from the window. Whenever Luna turned to look, she saw only a gently swaying curtain. Eventually, it was time to raise the moon, and the lights in the house came on as the sky grew dark; the work, however, continued. Nocturnal animals emerged, and Luna found herself surrounded by owls, bats, and other creatures of the night. A strange furry creature that looked like a cross between a rat and a monkey stared up at her. Its huge eyes seemed to glow like lanterns in the dim moonlight, and its disproportionately large tail twitched restlessly. It was quite possibly the cutest thing the princess had ever seen, and she greatly enjoyed feeding it. Untiring, she tended to the new pack, long after the illumination in Fluttershy's cottage was extinguished. Luna wondered how their normal caretaker could handle all of this; the pegasus couldn't possibly have twenty four hours a day to dedicate to her work. Eventually, dawn came again, and the nocturnal animals returned to their dens, branches, holes, and other miscellaneous dwellings. She was a bit sad to see them go; anything that lived its life under the moon, any citizen of the night had a special place in her heart. The second day of her task began much like the first. Applejack came by in the late morning to deliver baskets of apples, one to Fluttershy and another to a particularly intelligent-looking rabbit. When Applejack reemerged from the cottage, Luna told the Earth pony about her progress with the animals, and the orange mare nodded, smiling, "Fluttershy ain't so certain you're scary, now. Keep doin' what you've been doin', and you'll be just fine." Her tasks complete, Applejack left. It was late afternoon when Luna heard it; a weak caw from across the field. She wandered toward the cry, looking for the source. Soon, she could see a raven in the grass, walking slowly in circles as though it had no idea what to do with itself. Both its wings were twisted unnaturally, flesh and bone showing where one had been partially severed; its feathers were devastated, sticking out at odd angles where they were not slicked down by blood. The bird had been mauled, and clung tenuously to life. Luna's horn glowed as she approached it, scrying its body to determine the extent of the damage. Before she could get close, the raven noticed her, and she felt its heartbeat increase; her large, unfamiliar form sent the mortally injured animal into a panic. The alicorn knew that too much of a shock could kill it outright, and that she would have to be very close to be able to heal the bird without inflicting enough pain to be a death sentence. Mending living tissue correctly was a monumental task; even the best unicorn healers could only speed natural regeneration. The raven needed more than that. Luna lowered herself slowly to the ground, trying her best to be nonthreatening. As she inched forward, she called out softly, hoping to reassure the bird, "Please come here. I want to help you. I can make it better." She knew that it was the tone, not the words, that mattered; the raven couldn't understand her speech. Despite her best efforts at coaxing and crawling, the raven kept its distance, the grounded bird hobbling away whenever she came near, unapproachable in its confused panic. Luna could almost feel the seconds ticking away as the raven weakened, approaching death. The princess collapsed as she realized that there was nothing she could do; trying to approach quickly could shock the poor thing literally to death, and grabbing it with telekinesis certainly would. Tears welled in her eyes as she contemplated the futility of her efforts. She didn't think of her attempt to win over Fluttershy or what the black bird's death would mean for it. The raven had become just one more creature that recoiled when she reached out, one more thing that feared her, one more subject whose trust she could not win, and that drove her to despair. Luna wept into her hooves. Her failure would cost the creature its life. "Come here, little one," A soft voice called out from beside the alicorn. She looked up, and through misty eyes, she could see Fluttershy standing beside her, motioning with a hoof. The raven was slowly but intently making its way toward the pegasus, giving the pink-maned mare as much of a look of devotion as its solid black eyes were capable. Fluttershy looked down at Luna, concern etched on her face, "Please don't cry, Princess. Can you help him?" The raven was huddled against one of the mare's hooves. The alicorn nodded, adding, "Just try to keep him still." Her horn pulsed with magic; she held it nearly touching the raven's head, its dark aura washing over feathers and blood. She could count on her hooves the number of times she'd mended living flesh. The difficulty didn't lie in repairing damage, but rather in doing so without causing permanent deformity. If the sinew and muscles came together wrong, the raven would never fly again. Time seemed to slow as Luna's magic enhanced her perception; she saw each cell, each fiber, every ruptured blood vessel as she traced nerves, shutting down cells to numb the wounds. She didn't bother with subtlety; any cell with a hint of damage was banished as she summoned a healthy copy in its place. New blood vessels bridged the gaps in the raven's flesh as conjured blood began to flow through them, replacing what had been lost. The muscles were a different challenge; trauma had deformed the tiny threads of muscle tissue. Luna burned off the ends, tracing back to relatively undamaged flesh on both sides of each wound. Cell by torturous cell, she reconnected the sides, one fiber at a time; each ending had a twin, and connecting them incorrectly would weaken the muscle. She mended the tendons, and tested their elasticity, making adjustments. Splinters of bone came together around restored marrow, new calcium mending them on a level that natural healing could never have recreated. Skin grew over the wounds, and Luna set the raven's feathers aright, growing new ones where old plumage had been lost. Finally, Luna restored the nerves, returning feeling to her charge. Nearly a second had passed. The raven appeared stunned, but Luna could feel its heartbeat return to normal as it tested its new flesh. Soon, with a caw, it took off and circled above the ponies' heads, gliding on mended wings. Satisfied, it returned to perch on Luna's horn. Fluttershy giggled, "Oh, Well done, Princess. Good as new. I think he understands." Luna, her eyes crossed as she looked at her new horn ornament, smiled, "I'm glad. And please, just call me Luna," the alicorn paused, "I wonder how long he's going to stay there." The raven cawed, twisting its head to look down at the alicorn with one black eye. She was sure that if it weren't for the beak, he would be smiling at her. Eventually, the bird went on its way. In that time, Fluttershy managed to work up the courage to invite Luna inside for tea. They drank in silence, the pegasus appearing nervous and the princess just not seeing any significance in the lack of words. After finishing a third cup, Luna spoke, "Thank you for the tea. It's very good," she paused, "And thank you for helping me with that raven." Fluttershy responded quietly, "I was watching from the window, and saw what you were trying to do. I couldn't just stay inside with you trying so hard to help that poor little guy. I'm sorry I was too afraid to talk to you earlier." Luna examined her empty glass to avoid looking at the other pony, "It's alright. A lot of ponies are afraid of me. I'm just glad that you're able to talk to me now." Silence returned, but after a moment, Fluttershy broke it, "Luna, can I ask you something? Why did you become Nightmare Moon?" Luna tilted her head, "Twilight didn't tell you?" Fluttershy looked away, "I'd like to hear it from you," her eyes moved to meet the alicorn's, "If that's okay." The princess sighed, "You love these animals, do you not? You want to help them, care for them, guide them. You provide only your best for them, as well as you know how. Their affection is your only reward, but it is more than enough. Am I correct in all that?" Luna paused, and Fluttershy nodded, so she continued, "What would you do if you wanted to show your affection for some creatures, to guide them and provide for them, to play with them and enjoy their company, and they shunned you? Fled from your domain and presence? Rejected your gifts and spurned your love? How well would you take it?" "I...," the pegasus looked down, gaze locked on the floorboards, "I... don't think I would take it very well," her eyes widened, "Not very well at all." "So you understand some part of my pain," Luna sighed, "These creatures are like family to you, but I created the ancestors of your ancestors, long, long ago. Ponies are my children by more than adoption, and I love you all as such, but it is easy to become angry when your children don't do as you think they should. When they forget, and abandon you." Fluttershy's bashfulness faded as her interest grew, "You created ponies with Celestia?" "I created many things with Celeista. Ponies, though, as they are now, are more mine than hers. The three separate forms, as well as...," Luna paused, and her eyes grew distant as a cloud of sadness passed over her face, "...well, there are other blessings that separate my ponies from Celestia's, things that are essential to ponies as you know them. Just hope that you never meet one of Celestia's children, if any yet remain." And then they were silent, as Fluttershy traced a hoof along the floor, seemingly deep in thought. Eventually, she spoke again, "Luna, if you don't mind my asking, are you going to become Nightmare Moon again if you, um, don't get the love you want from, er... us?" Luna shook her head, "No, Fluttershy, and not just because it would be evil. I've learned that you can't win love with threats and violence. The path to the sort of love I want is the path of patience and kindness. The hoof that helps, not the hoof that harms." Fluttershy murmured, barely loud enough to be heard, "Applejack said that you came for forgiveness. I forgive you, Luna. Just remember- be kind."

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-05-20T11:39:54+00:00

2012-05-20T11:39:54+00:00

Dear Princess Celestia, I miss you. I want to hate you, I want to hurt you, I never want to speak to you again, but still, I miss you. I've been in Ponyville nearly a month now, enough time to send you a few reports on the magic of friendship, and in that time the bonds I share with the ponies here have only grown stronger. By many measures my life is better here than it ever was in Canterlot. I spend time with my friends, I laugh with them, I learn about their interests, and I help them when I can. I'm known around town for my level head and strong magic, the very qualities I take the most pride in. Running the library is a dream come true for me. I should be happy with what I have. And yet, I miss you. The old you. The you I thought I knew. I'm tired of trying to act like nothing is wrong. I'm tired of you pretending that everything is the same, as if a few lines in a letter about your duty to your sister and how I should feel honored could make me forget what you did. I had read ancient texts that mention you as a master manipulator, but I dismissed them all. How could the cold-hearted mare they described be the benevolent princess who had been so true to me for so many years? Oh, what a foal I was. It started as a tiny suspicion, but you know me, princess; I can't help but try my best to find every minute detail, to get the clearest possible understanding. You taught me that. You taught me so many things. The more I thought, the more the evidence piled up. You gave me a break from formal study knowing that I would take the time to pursue my own interests, which inevitably means the library. The librarian just happened to have a new book to recommend to me that day, on one of my favorite subjects. You've always told me that the myths and legends of ponies have some grain of truth to them, and so my curiosity was piqued by the story of those alicorn sisters, and I had to look into the Elements further. I still don't recall when you told me about them, but it must have been you; no other source could have made such an impression on me that I remembered a mere mention years later. When I read about the Mare in the Moon in the copy of Predictions and Prophecies that you'd given me for some birthday long ago, I sent you a letter. Your immediate reply was surprising at the time, even with my hope for a quick response. In retrospect, you must have had it prepared. Am I so transparent that you don't even need to read my letters? Are my friendship reports merely wastes of ink? In any case, you replied in the only way that could have guaranteed that I wouldn't drop the issue, that thoughts of the Elements of Harmony would stay with me: by dismissing my concerns completely, in the most supercilious manner possible. I was concerned for Equestria, concerned for you, and you mocked that concern. What better way to ensure that I would remember the Elements of Harmony and the details of the legend than to kindle within me a burning need to prove myself to you? It was masterfully done. If you'd told me that you'd made arrangements for the Mare's return, or that you'd strengthened the wards, or that you knew of an error in the book I read, and perhaps thrown in a word or two of praise for my diligence, I would have dropped the issue in an instant. But I couldn't drop it, and you sent me to Ponyville, and a tiny library that happened to have just the book I needed. The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide? How many copies of a treatise on an artifact lost for a millennium could possibly exist? Of course I didn't find that until after I'd gone over the checklist of celebration preparations, and met the ponies that you'd chosen to oversee preparations. The only one of my friends that you didn't set in my path was the one that would have found me and thrown me a party no matter what I did. How long did you know that those were the ones? How long did you know that they'd make great friends for me? How long did you keep that knowledge from me, knowing how alone I was? You knew what I would face at the Summer Sun Celebration, but you didn't warn me. When I noticed that duplicity, it opened the flood gates; there were so many elements of your plan that had to have been set up years in advance. You wrote that letter to get me to do what you wanted. How much else in the time that you've been planning this has been a lie? Did you stage my entrance examination to the royal academy? Did your words of encouragement follow a secret script? When I did well at my studies, were the looks of pride and affection that you gave me coldly calculated? If I write an autobiography, will it end up in the fiction section? We elements acted out our parts, following the script you wrote, and now your sister is free. You've even managed to rid yourself of me. By my own request, no less! Congratulations. Your grand design, come to fruition. At least I was a useful tool. I suppose we all have a role to play. Every life is a story, and every story has a plot, a theme, a goal, something essential at the center of the narrative. Was saving Luna the great goal of my life? Was my character written for your plot? I wouldn't be surprised. I've known for a long time that you're the main character in my life, though I never dreamed that you would also be the antagonist. You were my world. Your voice, your approval, those were the reasons that I got up in the morning. Everything I've done, from the first time I saw you at that Summer Sun Celebration so many years ago to the present day, has been for you. Through good times and bad, you've been a fixture in my life. You're my teacher, my mentor, my ruler, and my goddess, but you mean even more to me than that. So much more. I wasn't even old enough to know what a schoolfilly crush was when I first saw you, raising the sun and filling the world with radiance. I fell in love with you then, and I've loved you ever since. All of my studying was for you. First it was just to get into your Royal Academy. Since then it's been the fact that when I succeeded, when I read the books, and did precisely what they said, and worked the magic better than anypony else in the class, you would smile at me. A simple constant that I built my life around: you smiled at me, and your eyes filled with pride. Were you proud of me, or were you proud of yourself? I'm afraid to even consider that it might be the latter. I feel so betrayed. I've read half the royal library, and yet I still cannot find the words. Even so, I miss you. I feel a deep pit somewhere within me whenever I see the sun. I feel it because you're missing from my life. The rays cannot warm my heart the way your presence always did. Its beautiful radiance is no substitute for your radiant beauty. It gives me life, but it does not make me want to live. The sun is yours; I must shun it, lest I be reminded of you. So much reminds me of you. I saw Luna today. She had no part in what you did. I hate her still. She's here because you used me. My anguish was the cost of her salvation, and you gladly paid. I don't know if I can ever forgive either of you for that. I know that I certainly can't forget it; the moon reminds me every night. Her presence seems like a pale reflection of yours. She is cold and distant, but there is an undeniable beauty. The moon is hers? I can believe it. You are like the sun and she is like the moon. With those celestial bodies barred to me, what can I strive for? My cutie mark, of course, bears my answer. I must be the stars. My trust in you was my downfall. The fact that I love you is what made your betrayal hurt so much. I won't let that happen again. I can't live with another wound that hurts this much. And so I won't trust, and I won't love, and I won't be hurt. The moon and the sun dance through the sky, but they have no effect on the course of the stars; the stars care not for them. That is how I will protect myself. Apathy will be my armor. No matter what may transpire with the sun or the moon or Equestria below, my course will be unaffected, and I will not feel the pain. That is my goal. I must become like the stars. I must give up trust and love. I will dedicate myself to this. But I may still miss you. Your Wayward Student, Twilight Sparkle * * * * * Flames consumed the letter, hot and red. Twilight Sparkle's magic held the paper above a candle as she watched smoke rise from the message. She could not bring herself to send it. A clean cut, she reasoned, was best. In truth, reason had little to do with her actions. Deep within, she felt that as long as she didn't send the letter, the contents wouldn't be true. They couldn't be true. She desperately wished that it were all just some dream, that she'd wake up in her bed in Canterlot with a jolt, already forgetting the details of her vivid nightmare. The letter burned, but its words did not. They stuck in the unicorn's mind, and played over and over again. They sounded like the world crumbling. Twilight stared at the ashes, a pile of burnt paper and burnt bridges. She whispered to herself, "I've got to be like the stars, and the stars don't cry...." Indeed, the stars did not cry that night, but Twilight Sparkle did.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-09-12T09:14:51+00:00

2011-09-12T09:14:51+00:00

The morning sun shone over Sweet Apple Acres, and Luna whistled cheerfully as she chewed on an apple. Applejack tried not to think about that too hard; she couldn't even whistle with an empty mouth. She suspected that whistling and chewing at the same time was not quite possible, but didn't feel the need to bring it up with the princess. Impossibilities seemed to spring up like weeds wherever Luna went. In the presence of a goddess, the Earth pony reasoned, there is no need to take special note of miracles. The alicorn polished off her second basket of apples. Applejack was glad that the princess insisted on growing new fruit to replace any that was bucked for her; Luna's ability to eat as many apples as the rest of Ponyville combined had been worrying, at first. The regrown apples put any possible objection to rest; each and every one was exquisite. Sometimes Luna's apples were even better than natural ones, like the intriguingly sour blue-skinned fruits or the batch from the day before that had grown in fermented. The Earth pony smiled at the admittedly fuzzy memory. Those had sold well. The alicorn stared at the third basket in front of her, her brow furrowed in concentration as though it were filled with puzzles instead of apples. Seeing that she had paused, Applejack coughed to get her attention, "So, Luna, how're'ya likin' Ponyville?" After Luna had spoken with Fluttershy, Applejack asked her to spend some time in town. Anything the princess did there, other than laughing maniacally and trying to bring eternal night to Equestria, could only improve the residents' opinion of her. From what the Earth pony had seen on the occasional visit, the alicorn just sort of wandered around, looking at plants and playing with animals. She only seemed to speak during her daily visits to Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack shared stories and apples with her. "It's quite nice," she replied with enthusiasm, "the architecture is so modern. In my time, I was never really one for small communities, but they have their own charm. I've always been more at home in the crowds of whatever capital we had than in the outlying villages. Towns are terrible for solitude; it's much more easy to be alone when you're in a crowd. Towns are also terrible for socializing; it's much more easy to find a friendly face when you're in a crowd." Applejack nodded and smiled. It was her normal strategy for when ponies said things that she didn't quite understand and didn't really want to, and she'd found herself using it quite often around Luna. "How 'bout the ponies? You make any new friends?" The alicorn's face fell, "No. But at least they don't go out of their way to avoid me anymore. Mostly. It's a start." Applejack had expected that; even the ponies that didn't resent Luna for being Nightmare Moon would be be too nervous to approach a princess in most situations. Today, things would be different. Applejack had a plan. The idea had come from an offhoof comment about common ground. She'd thought about what her friends had in common with Luna, and it had become obvious to her the next time she'd seen the princess devouring apples with reckless abandon. The Earth pony explained her plan to the alicorn, and as Applejack spoke, Luna's smile grew. By the end, the princess was positively beaming. Then, with a flash of magic, she was gone. *** The long hall glimmered in the morning light. In place of walls, thin marble columns rose, spiraling, fluted, and intricately carved, framing views of royal gardens below and sky all around. The ceiling, high above, was a flawless surface of gleaming white marble, interrupted only by the brilliant silver of a crescent moon and countless stars. It was mirrored below by the unbroken expanse of the floor; Celestia's golden throne, shining like the sun on its stepped dais, was the only furniture, the only object in the room. A sunburst of gold inlay radiated from it; the widest beam extended to the entryway, an arch on the only closed wall, leading back to the palace proper. The throne room was designed to fill ponies with hope, awing them with its beauty and inspiring them with its majesty. It was meant to be a joyful place, of contemplation or convocation, a place from which the princess could rule her subjects with wisdom and generosity, sharing in their joy and comforting them in their sorrow. A place from which the light of the princess could shine all over Equestria. Celestia brooded on her throne; the atmosphere could not have matched her mood more poorly. In less than an hour, the audiences would begin, and she would have to put on a mask of cheerful benevolence. The ponies of Equestria looked to their ruler for confidence and tranquility; the princess hoped that they could find it, even now that she could not. A shadowed spot appeared amidst the blinding brightness of metal and marble. Luna was dwarfed by the size of the hall, but it was impossible to miss her; the contrast between the dark coat of the night princess and the brilliant white of the floor drew Celestia's eyes immediately. For a moment, neither spoke. The day princess stepped down off the dais to meet Luna on even height, "Welcome, sister. This is the Grand Audience Chamber, and my throne room. It will be our throne room, when you wish it to be. You've been gone; rumors have come from Ponyville, saying that you're spending time there. Are they right?" Luna raised an eyebrow, "Your faithful student hasn't mentioned me in a letter? From what you've told me of the little pony, I would have expected you to know the very day I saw her. I'm fairly certain that my visit made some sort of impression on her. Did she forget me so quickly?" Celestia looked away, her face darkening, "She is not - I have not corresponded with her, of late," she looked back toward her sister, feigning serenity, "Sister, I apologize if Twilight has been hostile to you; I fear she may blame you for some of my indiscretions." "I see." Something in the words made Celestia suspect that her sister had seen far more than she wanted to reveal. "In any case, dear sister," the white alicorn smiled, "What were you doing in Ponyville? And to what do I owe this visit?" "In Ponyville, I am working to gain trust and make friends. As for my visit," Luna looked a bit sheepish, "I came to ask to borrow money. I apologize for the horrible cliche. I just need a modest sum, a pittance by the reckoning of the treasury." Celestia felt a strange mix of confusion and pity at that, assuming the worst. "Money cannot buy trust, or friendship, or happiness. You haven't forgotten that, have you, little sister? It's very nearly as bad as power for that purpose." Luna nodded, "I know. It is, at this point, necessary but not essential. I will use it wisely, with the knowledge that the things most worth having are obtained by a more valuable currency than notes and coins." "Very well. Take what you need." Celestia expected her sister to teleport to the treasury at that, but she did not. The princesses were silent for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Luna spoke again, "You are sad, sister." "As are you. It is said that tragedy leaves one sadder but wiser. We have seen much tragedy in our lives, sister, and gained much wisdom. Isn't sadness to be expected?" Celestia let her mask slip, just a little, and the light of the throne room seemed to dim in kind. "For me, perhaps," Luna said, "But you never showed sadness, and I don't think you even felt it, before my exile. Even during the fall of the alicorns, you were detached, analytical, unfeeling. Did you shed even a single tear for your favored creations? I suspect not. I didn't understand then, and I still do not." "Be glad of that. I was different, then. When sadness became possible for me, the tears came. I mourned my children. I mourn them still," Celestia sighed, "But I never understood your actions during that disaster either; in the darkest years, when we thought that nothing could be done, you yet smiled and joked and laughed with those doomed ponies." Luna's unfocused eyes stared off into the distance, "And died a little inside, every day, as I cried where those that were left could not see it. Even when I was sad, I tried to be happy as well, because laughing with tears in your eyes is better than weeping in undiluted sorrow. And where your detached analysis failed, my laughter found a solution. A solution worth laughing at." "A solution I could not have imagined on my cruelest day," The day princess said, her eyes shimmering, "But it serves. As detestable as your blessing is, sister, it serves. Laughing while sad, you say? A wise lesson. Why have you forgotten it, my melancholy, mirthless little sister?" Silence filled the throne room once again. Neither alicorn could meet the other's eyes. Eventually, Celestia noted the position of the sun, and spoke in a grave tone, "Beware, Luna. A terrible event approaches us." "What?" Luna's eyes widened. "Go now. If you're here when they come, then you will share my fate," the white alicorn whispered urgently. "What fate, sister?" "I will be forced to sit on my throne all day, and listen to the most boring ponies in the land talk. My court comes into session soon." And with that, the ruler of Equestria began to laugh. Luna shook her head, but smiled despite herself as magic took her away. *** "This building looks delicious." Applejack chuckled at Luna's observation, "If you think that's appetizin', wait 'till you see what's on the inside." The two ponies walked into the overgrown gingerbread house that was Sugar Cube Corner, and found that it was mostly deserted. They'd managed to arrive after the breakfast crowd and before the lunch rush, just as planned. Luna's saddlebag seemed to have enough bits for the operation, the farmer noted, judging by how the princess clinked when she moved. The only occupant of the store was the pink Earth pony behind the counter. Pinkie Pie grinned when she saw Applejack and shouted, "Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner. How may I fill your day with deliciousness on this delightful... day?" Her grin disappeared when she noticed Luna standing behind her orange friend. It was replaced by a suspicious scowl, "Oh. I see you brought Black Snooty. Welcome to Sugar Whatever, how may I yadda yadda yadda?" Applejack's brows furrowed, "Pinkie Pie! Is that any way to talk to a payin' customer?" "But Applejack! I've got to be rude. Rainbow Dash told be not to 'be all Pinkie nice to her' cause Luna wants to," Pinkie Pie's eyes became distant and her face scrunched up in thought, "wreak horrible vengeance upon us," Her bright countenance returned, "which is bad because I don't have any perfume." Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Rainbow Dash said that. Exactly that? 'Wreak horrible vengeance?' That sounds more like Twilight than Dash." "That's what I said! But she just grumbled something about a calendar and flew off. Woosh!" Pinkie Pie threw a hoof in an arc in demonstration. "Do you believe everythin' Dash says, sugarcube?" The orange pony asked. "Yep," the pink mare replied with a nod and a smile. "Do you believe everythin' I say? How about that?" Another nod, another smile, "Of course I do." "So I say that Luna isn't here to... uh... whatever with the vengeance," Applejack nodded, satisfied with her logic despite the momentary stumble, "What now? We can't both be right." "Sure you can," Pinkie insisted, looking quite pleased with herself. Applejack and Luna waited for the pink pony to elaborate on that, but she just sat there, smiling. "Riiiiight. Well, I know y'all can't turn away a payin' customer, in any case. The Cakes won't let you. Luna, go ahead and buy somethin'." Applejack waved a hoof at the displays and the diverse array of cakes and pastries just behind the glass. Luna rushed forward, eyeing the bounty hungrily. She walked slowly back and forth in front of the counter, examining each row in turn. Suddenly, she stopped, staring at a cupcake. Her eyes grew wide as she examined it. Dark cake was visible though a thin, white wrapper. It was topped with a towering spire of scarlet frosting; how the item managed to stay upright was a mystery. Little blocks of chocolate and ripe raspberries were embedded in it, barely clinging to the sides of the heap. The princess seemed mesmerized. She tapped the glass with her horn, "Is that... raspberry chocolate?" "Precisely," Pinkie Pie proclaimed with perceptible pride. The price was pronounced, payment passed from patron to proprietor, and the pink pony presented the pastry to the princess. Luna levitated the cupcake closer and began to rotate it. Her eyes seemed to trace every line of the frosting swirls. She sniffed it, then sighed contentedly. "This is going to be good," she whispered, apparently to nopony in particular. Finally, she opened her mouth and, with one huge bite, devoured the pastry. Her eyebrows lowered as she chewed thoughtfully, and Applejack wondered how it would compare to her apples. Part of the businesspony didn't want to lose the monopoly on princess-feeding in Ponyville. Luna swallowed, then sighed contentedly, "Please give my compliments to the baker. That was exquisite." Pinkie Pie giggled, "I baked that one, silly. And thanks." Applejack resisted the force pulling her hoof toward her face; leave it to Pinkie to call a princess 'silly.' "You did?" Luna asked, "Well, then thank you. The rice paper wrapper was an interesting choice, but did not go amiss." "You liked that?" The pink pony seemed overjoyed, "I do that all the time, ever since one day I thought to myself, 'Pinkie Pie, what's the one part of a cupcake you can't eat?' and then I was like 'the wrapper!' and I put my plan into action as soon as I got out of the well." Luna nodded and smiled, her attention once again focused on the display case. Her horn glowed, and a red aura appeared around several pastries. "How much for these, my good mare?" Bits changed hooves and baked goods disappeared in a frenzy as the night princess consumed a dizzying array of sweets. Luna had a comment or question for each, and Pinkie Pie was delighted to respond with information of varying relevancy. The princess praised a sour blue apple, boysenberry, and lime pie, and the pink pony lamented a failed pineapple, potato, and pickle pie experiment that she described as, "Not nearly as popular as I expected.'" In response to Luna's lamentation that there were only a dozen cinnamon cookies available on the display, the baker produced a box from the back room with scores more; they lasted less than a minute. Applejack couldn't begin to understand how the alicorn managed to avoid being covered in crumbs. Luna purchased a gigantic three layered vanilla cake, and devoured it in one bite. Applejack objected on principle, "Land's sakes, how'd you get that down like that? It was bigger than your head! It don't make no sense." Pinkie Pie laughed, and Luna just shrugged, "Magic or something. I wasn't really paying attention to the how of it. Cake is far more important." "Your horn didn't glow!" The farmer said, "The world follows some simple rules. Apples fall down. Ponies grow old. Horns glow when unicorns are doin' magic. You're gonna drive me crazy one of these days, Luna. Messin' with my trust in the rules." The pink pony behind the counter laughed all the harder at Applejack's confusion, and Luna's mouth twisted into a wry smile. Her horn began to glow, "There. My horn is glowing. Happy, Applejack? Am I allowed to ignore the rules now?" The orange mare grumbled and turned away, only to find that the approaching lunch hour had provided an audience; nearly a dozen ponies stood in a rough line behind her. They were obviously waiting to be served, but were all too entranced, awed, or just plain confused by the spectacle that Pinkie Pie and Luna were providing to complain about the wait. Applejack suddenly felt a bit guilty for bringing the princess. Luckily, clopping from the stairs heralded the arrival of Mrs. Cake, who greeted her shop with a, "Oh, hello dearies. Busy day today, I see. I'll take the next customer over here, please." She swiftly took her station next to Pinkie Pie and smiled, motioning to Applejack with a hoof. The farmer blinked, confused for a moment. "Oh," she turned to the pony behind her, "You can go ahead. I'm with the princess." Applejack moved to an out of the way corner and watched as Mrs. Cake sold to a seemingly endless stream of ponies. The ponies in line couldn't help but stare at the spectacle of the alicorn, who seemed hellbent on running Sugar Cube Corner out of baked goods. Many patrons even stayed after eating their lunch, murmuring to each other and taking in the show, forming a crowd around the edges of the room. Luna didn't seem to notice them; the food and the baker kept her thoroughly distracted. Bread, cakes, anything that Pinkie Pie suggested added to the growing pile of bits on the counter. Sometimes, suggestions became a bit... exotic. "Oh! I know! You've got to try cupcakes with hot sauce. They're my favorite!" Luna raised an eyebrow dubiously, "In all my years, I've never heard of that particular combination. It sounds absolutely insane." She leaned forward, eyes wide, and nodded eagerly, "What kinds of hot sauce do you have?" Pinkie Pie's face scrunched up in concentration, tapping one hoof against another to count out her list, "Well, from least spicy to most spicy, we've got eh, mild, hot, very hot, hottest, inferno, 'I'm not kidding seriously Pinkie I just breathed fire what is wrong with you why did you let me eat this', rainbow, and double rainbow. Some of them are named based on taste-tester feedback!" She grinned, "Rainbow and double rainbow use real rainbows, as fresh as I can get. I hear they're spicier directly out of the pools of Cloudsdale, but I've never been there, so I just use the ones at Dash's house." "Double rainbow?" The Luna asked, "What does that mean? What's the difference between rainbow and double rainbow?" Pinkie Pie shook her head, "That's a trade secret." She paused, "But, since you're a princess and all, I guess...," The pink pony looked to each side before leaning forward conspiratorially and whispering at a volume that probably carried her words halfway to Canterlot, "I use twice as many rainbows." She returned to her previous position and raised a hoof to her mouth in a shushing gesture, winking at the princess. Luna just blinked, "Okay, double rainbow it is then." After she managed to extinguish the majority of the flames, the alicorn gave her mixed compliments to the baker, "That was delicious, but you probably shouldn't serve those to your mortal customers. Repeat business comes primarily from ponies that remain fully intact inside after eating your products." Pinkie Pie nodded, seemingly awed by this revelation, and thanked Luna profusely for the advice. After a few dozen tarts, Luna pointed to what appeared to be a decoration on the counter. It was a short cylinder of black marble, encrusted with gems of all shape and color. It almost looked like a stylized cake. The princess asked about it, and Pinkie Pie's face fell, "I baked that when Spike moved into town, because I know how dragons love to eat gems, but Twilight Sparkle won't let him buy it. She says it's unhealthy because it has too many empty carats." The princess bought it, and ate it. Applejack shook her head. Why was she surprised? She grinned and called out from her resting place, leaned up against a wall, "Are you gonna eat the counter too, Luna? It's right shocking that there's a moon left, now that I know y'all can down rocks." The princess just smiled, looking in equal parts both sheepish and amused, but Pinkie Pie yelled back indignantly, "Hey, you'd be pretty hungry too if the only thing on your menu for a thousand years was moon pies!" It was impossible to tell whether or not the pink pony meant it as a joke. The ponies spent the remaining time before closing talking and cracking jokes. The energetic inanity of the baker, the straightforward semi-seriousness of the farmer, and the dry wit of the princess complemented each other well, and the customers that passed through often lingered to chat with the trio of ponies. Pinkie Pie and Applejack laughed loudly and often, but Luna just smiled enigmatically, breaking into a grin when anything particularly amusing was said. Eventually, the sun began to set, and Pinkie Pie locked the door, the day's business done. She turned to Luna and said, "You know, I've been thinking. We should throw you a party! Like a, 'hey, remember that other princess?' party or a 'welcome back to Ponyville' party. Or something. We could have it tomorrow!" The princess tapped a hoof against her chin in thought. "Well, my birthday is next week. We could throw a birthday party...." Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Y'all have birthdays?" Luna blinked at her, seeming slightly confused as she asked, "What? Don't you? I thought that would still be around," completely missing the point. Before Applejack could answer, Pinkie Pie, bouncing with excitement, interjected, "How old are you gonna be? It's gotta be over a thousand, right? Is it a thousand and one? Two thousand?" "Four hundred and eighty seven million, seven hundred and ninety two thousand, four hundred and twenty one," the princess recited. The Earth ponies' jaws dropped. Pinkie Pie seemed to be, for once, speechless. "But I've been told that I don't look a day over five hundred thousand," Luna added with a wink. Applejack gave a weak laugh, "Heh. Good one. You really had us going there for a second. Four hundred million. Heh." "That part wasn't a joke." Applejack blinked, "You mean... really?" Luna nodded. "That don't make no sense. How's that possible?" Luna smiled wryly, "Immortal, remember? I don't age. I don't die. In a billion years, I'll still be counting off birthdays. What makes you think that you caught me in the first few thousand years of my life?" The princess sighed, "Ponies have no sense of scale. They measure all things against themselves, a measurement that for many purposes, I'd find quite lacking. Ponies always think that 'distant' means 'just a bit past the furthest I've gone', and that 'ancient' means 'just a bit older than me'. Try to understand that the stars are more distant than you can possibly fathom, and that I am equally ancient. If you can't, just take my word for it." Just when Applejack thought that Luna couldn't surprise her anymore. Pinkie Pie whispered to herself, "Four hundred million... I don't think I have that many candles...." "Maybe just one big candle?" Luna suggested. Pinkie Pie's usual energy returned, "That'll have to do. That many birthdays just means that I'll have to try extra hard to make sure that this birthday is your best birthday ever!" She nodded to herself, smiling. "Anyway, I've got a lot of baking to do to replace what we sold to our best customer today! Come back tomorrow. We've got so much to plan!" Applejack and Luna said their goodbyes and left the shop in good spirits. As they headed toward the road out of town, Applejack paused to glance back at Sugar Cube Corner. She whistled, "Well now, Luna, look at that. That's at least one more pony that respects your name." The princess turned around, and in the light of the setting sun, they could see that Pinkie Pie had hung a plain black and white sign in one of the windows of the Corner. A smile spread across the alicorn's face as she read the words: Approved By Princess Luna.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-09-12T09:35:47+00:00

2011-09-12T09:35:47+00:00

Luna watched as the light of the sun dimmed, the last rosy touches of twilight slowly dwindling. Night had begun to fall as she escorted Applejack back to Sweet Apple Acres, and so the alicorn's horn lit up with a milky glow. As she set the moon on its nightly course, the light from her horn danced, sending out tendrils and flares of brilliant illumination. None of it was necessary for the task, of course, but the princess found it amusing to indulge her Earth pony companion's faith in the 'rules'. Horns always lit up when magic was done? Sure, why not? She noted with satisfaction that the farmer had assumed the dumbfounded stare that always came when Luna brought forth beauty with her spells. When stars emerged from the deepening darkness of the night sky, Luna let her own light dim. The princess found that she couldn't stop smiling. Even so far from Sugar Cube Corner, the sense of playful joy that had filled that place lingered within her. "Your friend has very powerful magic, Applejack," the alicorn said. The Earth pony blinked, tilting her head in confusion, "Twilight?" "My sister's student? I suppose she does," Luna replied, "But I was talking about the baker." "Pinkie Pie? Uh, Luna, you do know that Pinkie's an Earth pony, right? She ain't got no magic," Applejack chuckled, "Leastways, no more than I have, and I ain't noticed any parts of me glowin' or things around levitatin' or nothin'." The princess shook her head, "All ponies have magic, Applejack. Unicorns have one kind, but only the most obvious. Pegasi have their own power, to touch the weather and bend it to their design, and to allow them to fly. The wings alone could not hold a pony aloft; it is magic that allows that. Only the most powerful of unicorns can hope to replicate, even for a short while, the gifts granted to a pegasus at birth." She paused. Applejack took the opportunity to interject, "Pinkie Pie can't fly, neither. Well, except when she has that contraption...." "Contraption? That lets her fly?" Luna doubted it, but many things could change in a thousand years. She didn't pursue the issue, "In any case, Earth pony magic is nothing so flashy. You were given the most subtle form of it, one that you cannot control, one that can neither be seen nor heard. It is unsurprising that most ponies know nothing about it, though they feel it every day. Earth ponies provide something of themselves to those around them, sharing their greatest advantages with other ponies. In such a way, an Earth pony can become, for her colleagues and companions, a fount of cheer and laughter," the princess turned her head to meet Applejack's gaze, "Or of confidence and resolve." The farmer looked away. She remained silent, and Luna was content to let the rest of the journey pass quietly. In time, they found themselves once again among the apple orchards. As they passed a familiar clearing, the princess paused, contemplating the basket of apples that she had abandoned that morning. Applejack continued on for a moment, then stopped and turned, "Luna? What're you waitin' on?" "I just got a good idea for what to do with those apples. Come on, I want to show you!" The princess shouted as she took off running. Applejack angled her head to keep the wind from taking her hat and followed, remaining just behind the alicorn. Eventually, Luna slowed to a trot, then stopped when she reached her goal. The basket was right where she remembered. The princess noted with satisfaction that it was still quite full of apples. Applejack came to a stop beside her, breathing hard. Luna smiled at the Earth Pony, "Watch this." She lowered her head and touched her horn to the apple on top of the pile. A red aura appeared, spreading from the tip down to the apples below. The fruit on top began to glow a brilliant red, and one by one the others lit up, dozens of them, in orange, yellow, green, blue, and deepest violet. Applejack squinted and turned her head, protecting her eyes from the overwhelming light. With a satisfied nod, Luna turned away from her work, lowered her front, and kicked her target high into the air. The basket flew in a lazy arc, spreading a cloud of glowing apples across the sky. The container dropped gracelessly after the apex, falling to the ground, but the fruit seemed to hang in the air before drifting slowly downward. Each time one struck the ground, it bounced in a seemingly random direction, though their paths never took them far from where the basket had landed. The grass beneath them became a prismatic sea of flowing light, its colors ever-shifting as the orbs' complex pattern played out. Applejack fell to her haunches near the edge of the illuminated area. The mare's shadow flickered and danced as the occasional apple passed near her. Luna smiled. All was going according to plan; she twisted her magic just a bit. One apple detached itself from the crowd and began to float toward Applejack. The farmer's gaze locked on the slow projectile, tracking it as it descended toward her. The orb's orange glow pushed the shadows away from her, its brilliance nearly blinding. She was so entranced by the spectacle that she didn't even try to avoid the fruit. It bounced off the tip of her snout with an audible zap. There was no force of impact, but the discharge of magic and electricity must have been quite shocking. The princess grinned at her inward pun; the greatest acts required a lot of setup, but they yielded the finest reward, and Luna found herself very pleased with the results thus far. Applejack had not moved save to allow her jaw to drop. She could do nothing more than blink in shock, her eyes crossed as they remained focused on the point of impact. It was the most ridiculous facial expression that the alicorn had seen in quite a long time. She snorted in amusement, but waited for the real payoff. She knew better than any that the most important part of comedy was.... Applejack turned to look at her, shock and disbelief playing across her face. Just as the Earth pony closed her mouth, preparing to speak, a wave of magic and static washed across her coat, causing each hair to grow several inches and stand on end. A single, confused word emerged from what appeared to be an orange puff-ball wearing a cowboy hat, "What." ...Timing. Luna's shoulders shook; her lips pressed tightly together as she tried in vain to contain her mirth. Then, like a bursting dam, the alicorn's laughter spilled forth, booming in the quiet of the night. "Did I jus' get pranked!?" Applejack's question only drove the princess to new heights of amusement, and she nodded an affirmative, too busy laughing to speak. "What the hay!" Luna sank to the ground, pounding a hoof into the grass repeatedly. "A whole day with Pinkie Pie with not even a chuckle, and now you're laughin'?" The princess flopped over onto her back, still shaking. "Hush already! It ain't that funny!" Luna shook her head and waved a hoof, and a conjured mirror appeared in front of the Earth pony. The still-bouncing apples provided more than enough illumination to see by. "...Okay, maybe it is that funny. But that don't mean you gotta keep laughin'." Luna ignored her appeal. "Can you at least fix it?" The princess subsided into giggles as she undid her act with a fiery flash. The flames consumed the extra hair but left Applejack unharmed and back to her accustomed grooming. The alicorn finally fell silent, but a pleased grin remained on her face as she awaited further commentary from the other mare. "If you'da told me two months ago that a princess would be playin' tricks on me, I'd'a called you a madmare," the Earth pony said, grinning as she shook her head slowly. Luna rolled from side to side, freeing her wings from where they had been folded beneath her. She spread them out along the grass, stretching them, and sighed, "I always loved pranks. Before the banishment, humor was my constant and treasured companion. I was known as a trickster, a mischievous foil to my sister's stony seriousness. I'm sure that the capitol has been frightfully dull in my absence, though Celestia seems to have taken up some of the slack, I'm proud to say. I was concerned for her, even when I resented her for what I thought she had," The alicorn's smile slipped a bit, "But now she laughs." Silence hung between the two ponies for a time. Eventually, Applejack spoke, "I've never heard you laugh before, Luna." "It has been quite a long time since I have," The princess frowned as her eyes grew unfocused in recollection, "As Nightmare Moon, I laughed only to mock, and I took no true pleasure in it. When you rid me of that part of myself, the jokes and jests and jabs returned, but the joy did not come." "Until today?" The Earth pony asked.Pink "Until very recently." The alicorn replied, gaze locked on the stars above. Applejack smiled, "So now you can laugh?" "So it would seem." The farmer began to walk toward where the princess rested, "I reckon I need to get you back for that prank you just pulled." The princess looked at her, raising an eyebrow, "And how do you plan to do that?" Applejack stopped just beside where Luna lay, and she leaned forward to loom over the princess, a wicked grin spread wide across her face, "Bad jokes, of course," the alicorn blinked in confusion as the Earth pony continued, "What do you say when a dog runs away?" "What?" Luna asked, more out of confusion about Applejack's way of getting her back than as a response to the joke. "Dog-gone!" "That was a terrible joke!" the princess managed, her laughter giving lie to her assertion. The farmer scoffed, "You ain't heard terrible yet. Did you hear about the fire at the circus?" Luna shook her head, eyes wide in a silent plea for mercy. "It was in tents!" The alicorn managed to laugh and groan simultaneously. Applejack managed to look more and more pleased with herself with each joke, "What did the apple say to the carrot?" "Was it 'my farmer is a sadist'?" The Earth pony ignored Luna's jab, "Nothing... apples don't talk!" The princess covered her eyes with a foreleg and tried to keep her mouth closed. She hoped that the other mare would mistake the shaking of her shoulders for something other than repressed amusement. The farmer's voice lit up with excitement, "Oh! Here's one that you should know the answer to, Luna: how does a stallion on the moon keep his mane short?" "Please don't tell me." "Eclipse it, o'course," the Earth pony said with a satisfied nod. Luna curled into a ball and rolled over, her sides shaking, "Such awful puns. Why am I laughing!?" "Because I'm... uh... what was it... oh right, I'm wreakin' horrible vengeance upon you. And now for the final blow!" Applejack paused for effect, "Clop clop!" The princess looked up at her tormentor in stunned disbelief. That joke form had been begging for a merciful death since long before her imprisonment on the moon. The Earth pony's brow furrowed and mock impatience filled her voice, "I said 'clop clop'! I know you know the response, I can see it in your eyes. Clop. Clop." Luna, resigned to her fate, responded, "Who's there?" Applejack uttered a single, grave syllable, "Ya." With a sigh and a shake of her head, the princess said, "Ya who?" and winced in anticipation. "Don't go cheerin' yet, I ain't even finished with the joke!" Luna went limp on the ground, "I think that one actually killed me. Is this what death feels like?" Applejack put a hoof on the alicorn's shoulder and puffed out her chest in a triumphant pose, "I've slain the prankster. My vengeance... uh... I got it. Got vengeance. Is that right? Whatever." The princess chuckled appreciatively, "You have great delivery; why don't you tell good jokes instead of using your powers for evil?" "'Cause I learn most of my jokes from Pinkie Pie. And they don't got to be good, sugar cube. You just gotta laugh. I like when you laugh; you should do it more." Luna smiled up at Applejack. "I should." Sugar cube... she could get used to that.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-02-12T18:59:45+00:00

2012-02-12T18:59:45+00:00

Twilight sighed. Another night, another pile of ash upon her desk. She wondered idly if she would ever have the courage to send one of her letters to the princess. The thought of how Celestia might respond filled the unicorn with fear. The possibility that Celestia might not respond at all? That filled her with absolute terror. Ever-present panic tainted her writing; the words came forth twisted and malformed, anguish in ink spilled out across a page. They carried a truth too weighty to ignore and too devastating to acknowledge. Fire was Twilight Sparkle's only defense against them. Twelve gritty grey hills. Had it really been less than two weeks? It felt like an eternity. Her nightly ritual complete, for good or ill, Twilight retreated to the words of others. They were a cold comfort, but one of the few that she allowed herself. Research and studying seemed pointless to her now, but she continued by rote, hoping that the once-pleasing actions would bring her at least an echo of the joy of her past. She'd had no success, but she couldn't bring herself to stop trying. The writing drowned out the words inside of her, words that formed a darker narrative than any she kept in her library. This time, she selected her most treasured tome: The Journal of Heavens Sparkle. It was a family heirloom, indescribably ancient, its pages preserved by magic and the care of generations of loving hooves. Despite the title's claim, it was clearly a work of poetry. A journal was meant to deal with the mundane, but Heavens' writing touched only upon the extraordinary. It spoke of fortunes gained and lost, star-crossed lovers fighting futile battles against capricious fate, bloody feuds begun over trifles, and the reconciliation of mortal enemies. Passages told of children that were born, grew into their own, and died in their parents' hooves, of the pain of burying one's mate, of lost opportunities and failed ventures, of confusion and despair. The work was often grim, but for all the tome's tragedy, there was also joy. Twilight could practically feel wind beneath phantom wings as Heavens described the exhilaration and freedom of soaring amongst the clouds, and she nodded in recognition as she read a page describing the heady rush of bending powerful magic to one's will. There were treasured friends and moments of triumph, and all throughout, even in the darkest sections, there was an undeniable, infectious zest for life. Her ancestor must have had quite an imagination; if the journal were to be believed, he'd experienced more than any dozen unicorns of Canterlot. Twilight Sparkle lost herself in another life, and, for a time, forgot her pain. *** Rarity opened the door of her boutique and was greeted by a familiar sight: Pinkie Pie waiting outside, positively beaming with enthusiasm. The pink mare clutched a small, black paper in her mouth; it was undoubtedly a party invitation. Eyes pleading, the Earth pony leaned forward, humming insistently. The unicorn smiled and greeted her friend with a, "Good morning, Pinkie Pie. How do you do?" as she levitated the item out of Pinkie's toothy grasp. She was rewarded, by some loose definition of the term, with an explosion of speech, "Hi Rarity! You're invited to a party! A super-duper fun birthday party with balloon animals and cake and candles and balloon animals. It's for Luna! She's turning...," Pinkie Pie paused, bringing a hoof up to her chin as her face contorted with thought, "She's turning a lot. She's really old. But don't tell her I said that, okay?" "Oh. Well. Alright, then," Rarity stared at the pink pony, who gazed back expectantly. It was far too early for this; what a week to give up coffee! "Well?" The pink menace asked, drawing the word out. "Well what, Pinkie!?" Rarity snapped. If the other pony noticed the shortness of the designer's demeanour, she did not show it. If anything, her grin grew wider, "Aren't you going to look at the invitation?" Rarity sighed. "Of course, dear. Sorry for that... unpleasantness." Too early for this by half. She looked down at the card that had been presented to her. It was black. A perfect, featureless black. She looked up at Pinkie Pie. "Other side." The unicorn flipped the card. The back was black. A perfect, featureless black. She shot a long-suffering glare at her tormentor, who merely waved a hoof at her with a giggle. "No, silly, the other other side." "Pinkie, there are on-" "Do it!" the pink mare interrupted. Rarity reluctantly indulged her friend, wondering where the prank was going. On what she could have sworn was the first side, there was a single full moon in the center of the card. She looked up, brows furrowed. Pinkie Pie just nodded toward the card, "Wait for it...." A vertical line cut the moon in two, and the halves began to drift away from each other. The one on the right began to wax, growing as it neared the edge of the card, while the other waned, traveling to the left. In the space between, stars appeared, slowly at first, then more quickly. When the tiny sliver of a crescent disappeared and the full moon passed beyond the far reaches of the invitation, the stars had formed words. Rarity read aloud, "You are cordially invited to the birthday party of Luna, to be held in six days' time at Sweet Apple Acres. Please arrive at dusk. Do not bring gifts; your presence is the greatest gift that I could ever hope to receive." With a quiet pop, the invitation turned into an apple. Rarity blinked. Far, far too early for this. She managed to smile at Pinkie Pie, "Thank you for giving me this, darling. I assume that you have more to deliver, so I'll leave you to it." She began to close the door, hoping that she'd be safe if she didn't make any sudden movements. "Hey!" the Earth pony shouted, thrusting a hoof into the path of the door. Rarity was overcome by a sense of dread. Pinkie Pie smiled sheepishly and pointed at the floating fruit that had taken the place of the invitation, "Um... are you gonna eat that?" *** For the second time that day, Rarity opened her door. It was a much more civilized hour, a morning of needlework had driven away the last remnants of sleep, and the mare finally felt herself ready to face the day. A wide-brimmed sun hat shaded the unicorn's eyes, protecting her from the afternoon glare. Locking up the shop behind her, she set out toward her favorite weekly treat at a brisk yet dignified trot. It certainly wouldn't do to keep Fluttershy waiting. Rarity slowed to a leisurely walk as she neared her destination. The sweeping pink roof set her favorite building apart from the shops and homes of Ponyville. She could practically feel herself relaxing already, just from proximity to the blessed place. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, ready to greet her friend and gush about how much she had needed their weekly spa treatment. The words died on her lips. Where she had expected to see a yellow pegasus, there sat instead another pony, one only slightly less familiar. Rarity's eyes quickly took in the wings and horn, the crown and night-blue coat. Though she could not manage to form a coherent thought through her shock, well-practiced etiquette saved the unicorn from embarrassing herself. She dropped into a precise bow, removing her hat with levitation, and managed to say something resembling correct words, "I am at your service, Your Grace." "Thank you for the offer; it is generous, just as I would expect from you, but I believe I have things well in hoof. Your service simply won't be necessary," Luna said. The prostrate mare tried to determine what the appropriate response would be to such a dismissal. Was the princess being rude? Was it deliberate or not? Rarity should have known that she'd run into the alicorn at some point; she wished that she'd tried to get more information from Fluttershy. Where was that pegasus, anyway? Rarity's train of thought was thoroughly derailed by an insistent cough from the princess. She glanced up to see the other mare looking down at her with a raised eyebrow and a wry grin. Luna spoke, "You can stop bowing now." The unicorn blinked and was still for a second before her eyes widened and she scrambled to her hooves. She laughed nervously, "Of course, princess Luna, I'm sorry. I just... wasn't expecting to see you. Here. Now. Not that I mind!" "Ah, yes," Luna nodded, "I suppose this would be a surprise. I was visiting our kind friend this morning and happened to mention wanting to speak with you. She offered to let me take her place at your weekly spa session. I didn't want to intrude, but she was insistent," the alicorn paused for a moment, smiling, "Well, as insistent as she ever seems to get. I regret not informing you ahead of time, but I wanted any discussion to take place in a relaxed atmosphere. In any case, I'm quite looking forward to it; this sort of thing was just catching on a thousand years ago, and I never got around to trying it out. I hope you don't mind." As soon as the information sunk in, Rarity beamed. A day at the spa with a princess? Fluttershy knew her too well; she'd be impressing Canterlot nobles for months with this story; nopony outside of Ponyville knew about the whole Nightmare Moon fiasco, after all. Luna was just another princess to them; a new one, and not as prestigious as Celestia, of course, but still a princess. "Why, I don't mind at all, princess Luna. It would be an honor to accompany you." "Please, I prefer not to use my title. Just 'Luna' will suffice. So... um... how does it all work? What do I have to do?" The alicorn asked, looking around. She didn't seem quite aware of the fact that they were in the waiting room, rather than the spa proper. Rarity hung her still-levitating hat on a convenient rack. "Don't you worry, pr- Luna," she said, "Aloe and Lotus will take care of everything. Just relax, go where they point, and let them work. Lotus!" the unicorn called to the blue Earth pony stationed at front desk, "The usual for me, and the full treatment for Princess Luna." "It would be our pleasure," the spa pony replied as she ushered them through the inner door. *** Aloe poured water on the rocks of the sauna. The customers spoke as though she weren't there, just like they always did. So much the better. "So, Luna, what do you do to keep your mane in such amazing shape? Is there some spell?" Rarity asked, leaning toward the princess. The spa pony hoped not; such a thing could be bad for business. "I don't really do anything to it," Luna said. "Just basic washing and brushing?" The unicorn asked. Aloe knew her customer well enough to hear the hidden disdain behind the words. She created a bit more steam and took the opportunity to get a closer look at the alicorn's mane. The pink mare didn't know what Rarity's problem was; whatever the regimen, it was clearly working for the princess. Luna let out a weak chuckle, "Not exactly. Why do you ask, in any case?" "How could I not be curious, darling?!" Rarity gushed, "Your mane, your tail, your coat, your hooves, everything! They're all perfect. Not 'the stylist just finished' perfect, either. Truly flawless. It's like...," Rarity tapped a hoof against her chin, lost in thought for a few seconds, then brightened, "It's like you're some figure of ideal beauty, and everypony else is just a flawed copy." The unicorn frowned, seeming to consider what she'd just said. The alicorn's ears folded back, and she looked away as she mumbled, "That's an... interesting... comparison." The spa pony didn't allow her customers to dwell on that subject for long. She coughed lightly and gestured for the pair to follow her. It was time for facial treatments. Rarity took the opportunity to inform the princess of her own grooming practices. Aloe was quite familiar with the dissertation; it was the unicorn's favorite topic of conversation, at least when she met someone new at the spa. By the time they met Lotus in the appropriate room, the designer was just warming up to her customary script. Luna was silent as she followed Rarity's lead and climbed on to one of the room's seats. Aloe moved quickly to the alicorn's side and began to prepare the mud mask. The customers, lost in their own little customer world, didn't notice the jealous scowl that Lotus shot the other spa pony, or the pink mare's wink in response. The princess was Aloe's customer; she'd won the coin toss fair and square. It wasn't her fault that her sister wasn't very lucky. And if she happened to get offered a position in the palace, well... Aloe shook her head. She'd have to actually impress her customer first. As her sister applied Rarity's mask, she dipped her own brush in the bucket of green muck and got to work on Luna's face. A few expert movements, and the substance was fully applied. The Earth pony smiled with satisfaction at her work. The mud mask slid off the princess, impacting the floor with a loud 'splat'. Rarity's droning voice continued unabated. Aloe gaped at the perfectly clean face of the princess, who was busy gaping at the mess on the floor. Lotus snickered. Luna looked at the green-coated face of Rarity, who was still quite oblivious, then at the pile of mud in front of her. Her eyes widened. "Oh. I see. Well," she whispered to the mare attending her with a sheepish smile, "care to try again? It'll stick this time." It did, much to the Aloe's relief. She applied the cucumbers without incident. The spa pony let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. Lotus stuck her tongue out at her sister, who responded with a very rude hoof gesture. Luna giggled. The spa ponies blinked at the princess, whose eyes were still covered by the vegetable slices. Rarity stopped in the middle of itemizing the benefits of different brands of conditioner to ask, "Is something amusing, Luna?" "It's nothing. Please, you were saying...?" the princess replied. The unicorn continued, and the earth ponies shrugged at each other. Aloe opened a drawer and selected from among a line of metal files. Her alicorn customer's horn had an intriguing texture, but smooth horns were very much in fashion. She didn't know how soft the dark spike of the princess was, so she started with a fine grain. With a whispered, "Hold still please, your majesty," she steadied the tool against her teeth and began to lightly file at the regal horn. After a few moments, she stepped back to examine the progress. Aloe blinked. There was no progress; the horn looked no different from before. She frowned and switched to a rougher file, taking longer, more deliberate strokes. It didn't help. The surface appeared untouched. She attacked again with renewed vigor, shaking her head to scrape more quickly. After a minute's work, she had made no mark. The spa pony frowned. Sticking her head deep within her file drawer, the pink mare retrieved her most impressive implement of horn-removal. The huge tool had come with the set, but she didn't think it was intended for ponies. Perhaps rocks. She'd certainly never used it before; the wicked spikes that studded the business end of the file gleamed, good as new. Aloe wondered if the implement was covered by weapons laws. Lotus had long since finished the touch-up of Rarity's horn. Her jaw dropped when she saw what her sister was doing. Aloe may have let her composure slip a bit, but she knew horns better than just about any unicorn, and the Earth pony wasn't about to let this one get the better of her. She drew her new implement across the alicorn's spike in a stroke that would have ground half the length off of most unicorns. Aloe's effort left not even a single scratch. The texture was unchanged. The force hadn't even tilted the dark mare's head. Luna whispered, "What are you trying to do, anyway?" Aloe struggled to keep her voice composed, "Just filing your horn smooth, princess. That's the preferred style, currently." "Oh," the princess replied with a wry smile, "Well, good job then. Thank you." The spa pony frowned, and glanced at the alicorn's forehead. Sometime in the few seconds she had spent looking away, the horn had become perfectly smooth. Aloe felt her eyelid twitch, just a bit. *** Rarity paused mid-word. Had she just spent the last half hour telling a princess about how she maintained her appearance? The unicorn was neck-deep in a mud bath, wrapped from head to hoof in seaweed, in the same room as one of the goddesses of ponykind, and could think of nothing better to do than ramble about pedicures. It was ridiculous. She'd allowed her nerves to get the best of her. After a few seconds of silence, Luna spoke, "Is something wrong?" "Oh, certainly not. Just a moment, please," the unicorn replied. She took a deep breath and collected her thoughts; it wasn't too late to salvage this spa trip, and keep the princess from remembering her as a beauty-obsessed dimwit. She certainly would prefer to be known as a beauty-obsessed genius, but at this point she would settle for 'halfway competent'. No more lecturing Luna on hoof care. Time for business. Or at least a segue into it. "So, princess Luna, are you enjoying the spa?" "Very much so. But please, call me Luna. Just Luna." Rarity's brows furrowed behind her cucumber slices, "I'm sorry. I don't intend to say your title. It's an instinct. It's just proper courtesy. And if I'm anything, it's courteous," she paused, "If you don't mind my asking, why do you take exception to it? The title is yours by right, if I understand correctly." The unicorn heard a soft sigh from the other mud bath. "I suppose so. Technically. But I don't see the need for formality. Royal titles are symbols of authority. I'm keenly aware of my power over ponies; I don't need to be reminded." Rarity stirred the mud with a hoof. "Have you ever considered... that it might not be for your benefit that ponies bow to you and call you princess?" Something shifted in the other bath. "What do you mean?" the alicorn asked. The unicorn hesitated. "Did you have... parents?" it was a personal question, but necessary. She just hoped that she wasn't overstepping her bounds. "No. Nothing like that." Rarity's nerves began to return. She knew many religious ponies who would give much to be in her position right now, learning at least a small part of the history of one of their goddesses. Straight from the horse's mouth, as it were. She resolved not to squander the opportunity. "What about princess Celestia? Did she guide you, raise you when you were young?" The princess was silent for a time. Eventually, the reply came, "We were wary of each other, in the beginning. The first time we saw each other, we both turned tail and fled. Something that moved against the laws of flow? Something I could not examine, could not shape, could not bend to my will with magic? It was terrifying. I'm sure she felt the same way. I avoided her; it wasn't difficult. We each preferred our own half of Equestria anyway," The alicorn sighed, "And so I spent my first few hundred million years alone, building monuments in ice and forcing the light of the ever-present stars to dance for my amusement. As for my sister...," mirth entered Luna's voice, "Perhaps she simply spent the millennia swimming in the lava flows of her sun-baked side of the world. I've never asked. So no, she did not raise me. We each grew up on our own, and became very different ponies." Rarity did her best to commit Luna's words to memory precisely as she heard them. To her knowledge, no record of history mentioned any events prior to Nightmare Moon's banishment. Stubborn seclusion or not, Twilight Sparkle would want to know about the account. Still, that wasn't the reason for her question, "I see, your majesty. Then it's no wonder that you don't understand. I suppose it simply requires a mortal perspective. You never had anypony to look up to, to show you the way through a world beyond your understanding, to protect you when you were in danger, and reassure you when you were afraid. The very young have parents and, to their perception, mother and father are giants, able to complete the inconceivable tasks of cooking food and reading books, strong enough to drive away the monsters in the closet. Power in the hooves of those trusted ponies makes a foal feel safe. It's a grim revelation, however necessary, when a filly realizes that her parents are not all-powerful. That they can fail. That they grow tired, that they are not all-knowing, that they are sometimes horribly, horribly wrong." The unicorn paused, and when she continued, her voice trembled, "It is a tragedy of the highest order if a filly finds that her parents, those charged with her care, are working against her. The cri du cœur is beyond description. But even when it's interrupted, by failure or betrayal, the desire for somepony to look up to does not go away; it merely settles on a new object: A celebrity, a character in a book, a teacher...," her voice dropped to a whisper, "...an older sister." The room was silent. Luna waited, and soon enough, Rarity continued, "This world needs heroes, princess. Doers of great deeds and thinkers of great thoughts. Ponies worth looking up to. Ponies held to a higher standard. Ponies that can be relied upon, when the world turns to them for guidance. Who do adults look to when there is uncertainty, crisis, conflict? When there are problems too large for one pony to understand, let alone solve? We look to the leaders. Noblesse oblige; the power of those in positions of authority comes with a responsibility to work for the benefit of all below. There is one who has the more authority than any other. Above all, we look to our ruler. Princess Celestia has done as much good with her mere presence as she has with her policies. I believe that she understands the importance of appearance. Everypony in Equestria knows in their heart that there is a pony in Canterlot, wise and capable beyond mortal bounds, who will make the decisions that need to be made to keep everypony safe and prosperous. They just know that their princess will not fail them, "Whether or not it's true," Rarity added. The unicorn took a deep breath, and released it slowly. "Thanks to princess Celestia, the people of our nation still view the world like foals. We have not experienced the wars of succession of the gryphon monarchy, the tyranny of the zebra khans, the petty greed of the dragon lords. We still believe that our leader could never fail us. It's an innocence worth preserving, even among those of us who know better. And so appearances absolutely must be maintained. Is it necessary to have titles and guards and a throne in a palace in Canterlot? The princess could rule with as much justice and wisdom from the floor of a wooden cabin as she does from her seat in the capital, so why have it? One reason. "Prestige. Prestige is simply essential. The fact that our leader is kind and powerful and reliable means little if nopony believes it so. Everypony does what is expected, pays the proper respect and follows the essential protocol, because appearance is very nearly as important as reality. It is not princess Celestia's power or wisdom or purity that allows many to believe in her, it is the fact that everypony knows that she is powerful and wise and pure. Bowing and titles are a small part of that, but an important part nonetheless. I call you princess not to serve your ego, but to remind myself that there is a princess. That there is somepony I can look up to. Somepony greater than myself. Ceremony instills confidence, and repetition reinforces faith. "And so we arrive at your reason for coming. Fluttershy didn't tell me much, but she did say that you came to her asking for trust and forgiveness; I assume you want the same from me. Well, you have it. It is a gift, freely given in the knowledge that I've seen you do nothing to earn it. Whether you've earned it or not just does not matter. If you deserve it, then there's no reason to withhold it, and wait for proof. If you don't...," She hesitated for a moment, gathering her composure. "My parents...," Rarity paused, "I have a sister...," Again, the unicorn stopped. After a few seconds she sighed and continued, "Just know that I understand what it's like to be looked up to, to be depended on, by a pony with nowhere else to turn. A pony who has been betrayed by authority. Equestria has nowhere else to turn. Even ignoring all the damage that you could do with your magic, princess Celestia has acknowledged you. If you turned on ponykind again, our faith in our ruler would be shattered. It would be an end to innocence, and we would simply not be the same, after. Those sorts of wounds take centuries to heal. "So if you don't deserve my trust, my forgiveness... it just doesn't matter. The possibility that you might work against me is simply too terrible to contemplate. I must have faith, or I will have no hope. C'est tout. Does that answer satisfy you, Luna?" The alicorn responded in a voice far deeper and more resonant than the one she had used just minutes before, "It does, but I would appreciate it if you were to refer to me by title, from now on." Rarity smiled. "As you wish, Your Grace." *** A pony watched as lights danced on the surface of water. Their dim glow did nothing to illuminate the inky blackness beyond the pool's edge; scrying was preformed in the dark. He did not remember whether the darkness was necessary for the spell or merely a choice, but he didn't feel the need to change his routine. Just as he always had, he stirred the liquid with a hoof, and an image began to form. The pony monitored Ponyville closely due to its position between his realm and the capitol. If Celestia were to come for him, he needed forewarning, but he dared not scry Canterlot directly. Any misstep might remind that goddess of his presence, and cause her to act. That outcome was to be avoided at all costs. He contented himself with those happenings of note that occurred a safe distance from the sun palace. On the morning of the Summer Sun Celebration, he'd witnessed quite an impressive event. Luna had returned, the only being that he hated more than her sister. Six representatives of the incomplete breeds of ponies had called on a powerful magic. It was a magic of which he could find no mention, even in the most ancient of his memoirs. Since then, the pony had thrown caution to the wind, scrying every waking hour to learn what he could of these new players on the stage. Indistinct shapes whirled in the water before resolving themselves into an image: a purple unicorn mare, writing a letter. The pony at the pool had taken a special interest in the Element of Magic. Unicorns, pegasi, and Earth ponies seemed almost monolithic in their simpering devotion to Celestia. The other five Elements fit that mold perfectly. The foals all trusted their princess, and so she ruled over them. The pony had been down that road before, and found only sorrow there. Sorrow and lessons to be recorded. But here was none other than a student of one of those accursed goddesses, and she seemed to be teaching herself the lessons, teaching herself to reject the sisters' treachery! The pony smiled. There was promise in that. Perhaps she was worth venturing out for, out beyond his little garden. Yes, it was finally time to pay a visit to his neighbors in Ponyville. Time to emerge from hiding after all these years. It was time that the other ponies remembered the name of.... Hmm, what was it again? It began with an 'H', right? He tapped a hoof in frustration. It was right on the tip of his tongue. Finally, the pony gave up, and simply lifted a leg and examined the scars, looking for one that was legible. "Ah, of course. How could I have forgotten? It's been far too long since I've reminded myself." The pony's horn glowed crimson as he conjured a knife and levitated it slowly toward himself. A glowing white ball appeared before him, its glare casting long shadows on the cave floor; he certainly needed light for this. The pony stretched out a wing and found a spot where the scars were light, nearly faded away after long healing. The knife worked slowly, and the pain was intense. The alicorn wanted it that way; too quick, too painless, and he would just forget again in a couple of years. Blood dripped, creating a puddle onto which fur and feathers fell, all a uniform scarlet in the harsh light. After a few minutes, he was done, and he banished the knife with a wave of his horn. He watched the blood stream from the wound; it reminded him of who he was, and who his enemies were. 'The goddesses do not bleed.' It was the first and last sentence of every book that he'd written. He glanced at the pool. The image of the purple pony remained; she had finished her letter, and was burning it, just as she had the past few nights. Apparently, scrying did work in the light. He'd remember that, for a few years at least. Burning the letter... burning... what did that remind him of? Oh, of course. He conjured flame, and cauterized the wound that he'd made. It was always easiest to read when fresh. On his wing, a new scar was forming, one nearly identical to the hundreds that covered nearly every inch of his body. Each time he had begun to forget their message, he made a new wound. And so, once again, he'd carved his name. A grave name. A name worth remembering by any means necessary. A name with which to defy divinity. He read aloud: "Ever Free."

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-08-17T08:55:05+00:00

2011-08-17T08:55:05+00:00

"Are you sure you don't want help with that?" Luna asked, eyeing the bulging saddlebags slung over Applejack's back, "It wouldn't be any trouble." The Earth pony's reply was muffled, but intelligible; she was busy adjusting the thick leather straps of her burden, "Sure I'm sure! What'd'ya think my kinfolk'd think of me, usin' a princess like a pack mule?" "I could levitate it." The alicorn offered. Applejack snorted, "Oh no, missy. You agreed to do this the Earth pony way, and that means no flyin', no teleportin', and definitely no levitatin'. Now we got a schedule to stick to; let's get crackin'. Gotta be off the farm before Pinkie starts settin' up. She's a right hellion if you get in the way of her most important party rule: no birthday fillies allowed before everythin's ready." And with that, she strode off down the path away from Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville. Morning sun lit a beautiful scene: the narrow road meandered through a large meadow before disappearing behind a small, green hill. Beyond the rise, in the distance, a dark line of rocky mountains loomed. The alicorn smiled in anticipation of a pleasant hike. The farmer's deliberate steps covered ground with surprising speed; after a few seconds, Luna followed, trotting to catch up before slowing to match her companion's pace. "Do we even need all that stuff? We're only going to be up there one night. A tent makes some sense, though it's not going to rain. And some of the food. But a week's worth? There are streams, I checked; we don't need all that water. And a whistle? Really? " Applejack did not meet the other mare's questioning gaze; she kept her eyes on the path ahead, walking in silence for a few moments. Her eventual reply was terse, "It's for emergencies." The princess scoffed, "What could possibly happen that I'd be unable to deal with? I could grow you food in an instant, pull water from the air, summon a cottage if it gets chilly. Dragon attacks? Not likely; they're more afraid of me than I am of them, and for good reason. Land's sakes, Applejack! I can make the mountain grow legs and walk us back to Ponyville if we need it." "Ha! Land's sakes, y'say?" the orange mare barked, "I'll have you talkin' like a farm filly yet." Her expression hardened as she turned to look at her companion, "But that ain't how Earth ponies deal with emergencies." "You're just being stubborn." "No I ain't! I'm bein'...," Applejack paused, "What's a word that means 'stubborn' but doesn't make it sound like I'm bein' stubborn?" "Steadfast?" Luna suggested. "I'm bein' steadfast," The farmer said with a nod. The alicorn sighed. "Fine. But if you get hurt, I'm not going to fiddle around with that first aid kit. You're going find yourself in the hospital before you can say 'Earth ponies don't teleport'." Applejack smiled and turned her head to meet Luna's gaze. "You gonna be steadfast about that, sugar cube?" "Of course," the response came with a grin. "Then I guess I'll just have to appreciate it, won't I?" The Earth pony's eyes returned to the travelers' path. After a moment, her brow furrowed, "But why the hospital? Fluttershy said you put a bird's busted wing back together good as new. Couldn't you just fix me up?" Luna stopped. Applejack continued for a few moments, then looked over her shoulder. "You comin', sugar cube?" The princess closed her eyes for a moment. She took a deep breath, then released it in a rush. She galloped forward to close the gap that had grown between the travelers. When the alicorn reached her companion, she looked away, unable to meet the other pony's eyes. She spoke, "My sister and I agreed long ago not to heal any pony, to any degree, for any reason. No exceptions. I'm sorry, Applejack." "Huh," The Earth pony replied, "That don't sound like the omni-bena-whatever princesses that I know." "We have our reasons," Luna said. "Well?" Applejack prompted, impatient. "Well what?" the other mare replied. "What are the reasons?" The question hung in the air. Eventually, Luna whispered, "It's complicated." The Earth pony tilted her head, "Well, we're gonna be walkin' for the next... hmm... somethin' like twelve hours. I reckon you have time to do some explainin'." "I'm not going to tell you, Applejack." "Don't trust me?" The farmer asked with a smile; Luna couldn't tell whether the jestful tone was genuine, or a cover for concern. "I do trust you, Applejack," the princess insisted, "But I want you to keep trusting me. There are some things that you're better off not knowing, when it comes to my past." They traveled on in silence, the Earth pony seemingly lost in thought, and the alicorn dreading an inevitable question. After a few minutes, it came as Applejack whispered almost to herself, "I already know about Nightmare Moon; what could be worse than that?" "I never killed anypony as Nightmare Moon," Luna replied, doing her best to sound dispassionate, "I couldn't bring myself to do so, even then. I put you Elements in danger, but only danger that I knew would not end your lives. I probably would have even have saved you, if there was any real risk. I did what I safely could to delay you, to deter you, to drive you off. But I never wanted death." Applejack's opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. After a second, the princess continued, "You've seen what I can do. Did you think that the power to stop my sister from raising the sun, the power to banish her from Equestria and prevent her return as long as I willed it so, was insufficient to kill six young ponies before they ever laid eyes on that castle?" "I... reckon not." The Earth pony frowned. After a few seconds she spoke again, "So it was worse than that? Does that mean you..." she gulped, and her voice dropped to a whisper, "Killed somepony?" "There was a tragedy. I tried to fix it with an atrocity." Luna said. "Did it work?" "That's the wrong question, Applejack," the princess replied, eyes distant, "It's more important to ask: 'Was it worth it?'" "And?" The Earth pony asked. The alicorn did not speak. The farmer waited. The path continued, over verdant hills, across crystal clear streams, winding between stands of trees where oak mixed with heath. Bird calls filled the air. The grass lining the path often rustled as creatures unaccustomed to ponykind fled from the travelers, or watched them, curious. It was a beautiful day, and all the living things in Equestria thrived. In time, the dark mare whispered her reply, "Was it worth it? I wish I knew." Applejack's next words were far softer than the princess was used to hearing from the farmer, "Whatever you did, Luna, I forgive you." The alicorn smiled at the Earth pony, looking her in the eyes; Luna saw only trust within the orbs. "You are too quick to forgive, Applejack. It is a most endearing flaw." *** Conversation turned to more trivial things after that: apples and stars and distant cousins. The two ponies laughed loudly and often, their mirth only growing whenever they startled an animal out of its hiding place. Their way grew more strenuous as they climbed the foothills; even with switchbacks, the way was steep. Luna ended up doing most of the talking as Applejack's breath grew more labored. The Earth pony was unaccustomed to the altitude, but her endurance did not fail her. The farmer needed no breaks before they stopped for lunch in the early afternoon. The princess guided them to a quiet glen dominated by enormous trees, red barked evergreens that seemed to touch the sky. Applejack dropped her pack and looked upward, struck dumb by the sight. The verdant crowns of the living towers, high above, swayed gently in the breeze. When her gaze dropped once again to ground level, she saw Luna leaned up against the bark of the largest of the lot, a true behemoth. The barn at Sweet Apple Acres could fit comfortably in the trunk. The farmer called out to the alicorn, "Luna, did you know about these when you planned the trip?" "Of course I did! This is was one of my favorite places to come for solitude, before my banishment. These hills were the nearest forest to my old castle." Luna nodded toward the trunk supporting her, "I planted this one myself, to even out the shade, though all the trees that were around before seem to have died and been replaced. At least this old friend remains," She turned to grin at Applejack, "It's come a long way in three thousand years. As have I." The Earth pony rolled her eyes, "To even out the shade, huh? Just a little gardening?" "Eeyup," the princess replied. Applejack recoiled, "Oh, not you too. Come on now, Luna, I get enough of that from my big brother, you ought to know better." The alicorn just chuckled through a satisfied smile. "Anyway, this was the closest forest? Isn't your castle in the Everfree?" Applejack asked as she began walking toward the princess. Luna shrugged, "It wasn't anywhere nearby when I was banished. It was small, and distant, and it was home to somepony that my sister and I did not want to have to deal with. It did not grow for thousands of years; I can only hope that its expansion came because the master of that place is gone, one way or another." She sighed, eyes downcast, but brightened when Applejack reached her, "But that depressing subject is of no importance. Come, I have something to show you!" And with that, she rushed off, trotting around the gently curving trunk of the ancient tree. Applejack struggled to follow, still worn out from the morning's trek, but she burst with new energy as soon as she saw her companion's destination. It was a mountain stream, deep and wide and crystal clear, and it looked so blessedly refreshing. Luna leapt in with a great splash. The Earth pony hit the water seconds later, and soon found herself fully submerged. The frigid liquid gave her quite a shock, but as the gentle current pressed at her side, the chill across her overworked legs felt incredible. After a few moments, she surfaced with an excited exclamation of, "Yeehaw!" The woods were silent. Applejack didn't see Luna in the water. She glanced at the shores, but there was very little undergrowth in the shadows of the massive trunks. Certainly not enough to hide the princess. She blinked, confused, and tried to spot any sign of her companion. For a few seconds there was nothing, but soon the orange mare spotted movement in the corner of her eye. A little triangle of ripples spread from the night-blue tip of a distinctive unicorn horn, poking just above the waterline. Applejack smiled to herself. She wondered what the alicorn was doing, but not enough to interrupt and find out. The movement got closer, approaching slowly from her side; impressively, the advance was completely silent. The Earth pony just waited. When Luna got within a few feet of the farmer, she burst forth from the stream, wings spread wide and forelegs raised, with a prodigious splash and a loud but unconvincing, "Rar!" Applejack's eyes widened, more surprised by how far out of the water the princess got than by the act itself. The dark mare seemed to hang above her for a full second before crashing down to grab the Earth pony and drag her beneath the ensuing waves. The ponies surfaced laughing. Applejack laughed all the harder when she saw that her hat had ended up hanging on Luna's horn, and had fallen forward to cover the princess's eyes. The alicorn, for her part, turned her head to face an area of the stream far from the Earth pony, and pointed menacingly with a hoof at nothing in particular, "Ha ha! Now you have felt the wrath of Nightmare Stream! I am queen of this place and all that is chilly and flowing! It is customary to bow, but exceptions can be made for those without gills. I demand service of you, newcomer, if you wish to remain in my realm." "What do I -" Applejack suppressed another bout of laughter, "got to do?" Luna flapped her wings, rising to hover above the water. "First, you must wait here while I get apples out of the saddlebags. Then, you will wash the apples in the stream. And finally," the alicorn burst into an over-exaggerated melodramatic cackle before continuing, "We will eat the apples. Nefariously!" "Whatever that means," The Earth pony replied. The princess flew off, managing to avoid running into the trees despite the continued obstruction of her vision. Applejack called out after her, "Make sure you leave my pap- my hat by the saddlebags! I don't wanna lose it!" Nightmare Stream soon returned with apples, and the traveling companions enjoyed their lunch in the shallows. In time, Applejack left the water, rested and ready to continue the journey. *** They ended their journey on top of the world. The air was thin at that altitude, and cold, but there was a sharp freshness to it; it carried none of the scent of farms and bakeries of Ponyville, none of the ozone tinge that lingered in the magicians' playground of Canterlot. It reminded Luna of years long past, before her sister had brought other intelligences into being, when it was just the two of them, playing with a new toy that they now called 'life'. There was precious little of that around: just the occasional stunted evergreen, twisted by storms and harsh climate, and a few sparse tufts of grass. The plants clung tenaciously to cracks in the bare granite. It was stark. It was remote. It was desolate. It was beautiful; a stark beauty, but Luna appreciated it all the same. A depression in the rock held a small lake, and the ever-present wind kicked up ripples in the water, ripples that caught the fiery light of the setting sun and shone like burnished gold. It danced, and the alicorn was compelled to watch. Applejack stood beside her, speechless. In time, the show ended. The sun could no longer reach the heights, and Luna turned, walking to a smooth stretch that overlooked a cliff. She lowered herself, folding her legs beneath her body, and her companion followed, lying just at her side. Together, they watched as the line of sunlight swept down the mountain and over the foothills, racing away to escape the coming night. Luna raised the moon. Her horn did not glow, but the Earth pony did not comment. The princess spoke, for the first time in an hour, "Now, Applejack, you will see my night in all its glory." Hearing no response, the alicorn looked to her companion, then smiled to herself, whispering, "Another time, then." There would be other nights, for that. Applejack's head had fallen forward to rest on her foreleg, and her sides grew and shrank in the slow, steady rhythm of deep sleep. Her hat had fallen off, and laid on the ground in front of her, shifting slightly in the evening breeze. It had been a long day, and the princess knew that the farmer had earned her rest. Luna levitated the farmer's hat, placing it on her own head, its brim resting lightly on her horn; it was precious to Applejack, she couldn't risk it blowing off the cliff. A bit of magic, and the wind parted around the ponies, leaving them in a pocket of warm, still air. It would do for a tent, though the princess suspected that the other mare would object to the arrangement in the morning. It was not, after all, the Earth pony way of camping out. She'd risk it. The princess looked once again to her companion. The farmer looked so peaceful, content. Luna shifted closer, until their bodies touched; she could feel the slow rhythm of Applejack's breath. It was then that the alicorn realized that the wind had come back. The grass was still, Applejack's hair was still, even her own coat was motionless, untouched by the breeze, but the soft tug of moving air remained on Luna's mane and tail. She looked over her shoulder, and softly gasped. Her tail had changed. A stripe of its normal color was flanked by other stripes, blues of ice and midnight; the colors did not mix, even as the sourceless wind caused the hair to slowly sway in a wavy dance. She knew that her mane was now the same. The last time her physical form changed was when she'd become Nightmare Moon, but she could not bring herself to worry. She did not feel the desperate longing that brought that insanity upon her, only peace and joy. It didn't feel dangerous, just somehow right. The alicorn curled around Applejack, resting her head on the other mare's neck. She laid a wing protectively over the Earth pony's sleeping form. Luna, for the first time in all her years of life, went to sleep. She dreamed of apples.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2011-11-05T03:53:22+00:00

2011-11-05T03:53:22+00:00

Rainbow Dash knocked on the library door. She was disappointed, but not surprised, when Spike opened it. The dragonling sighed, shaking his head, "Sorry Dash, same as yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. And-," "I get it," the pegasus interjected, "She's still up there. Did she at least say anything?" The response came in a dejected monotone, "Nope. Nothing. It's like..." Spike paused, turning to look at the stairs to Twilight's room, then stepped outside. He pulled the door closed behind him. "Look Dash, I'm scared. I think something might have happened with the princess. The first night she locked herself up there, I tried to write to the princess about it, but the reply was something like," Spike adopted a faux-regal tone, "'Twilight Sparkle deserves to decide her own fate. I've meddled enough.' And that's all! I sent a few other letters, but I haven't heard from Celestia since." "Do you think Nightmare Moon got princess Celestia?" The pony asked, sounding almost hopeful. The dragon merely pointed a claw at the midday sun, his face set disapprovingly. Rainbow Dash deflated. "I know, I know. But I'd rather fight something that has a face to buck." "Dash...," Spike looked hesitant to continue, but the words came regardless, "The others have been coming too. They told me a lot about what Luna's been doing, how she acts, that stuff. It just... it doesn't seem like she's bad. I don't think she's here for revenge. Maybe... maybe you and Twilight were wrong about her." He winced, awaiting her reply. The pegasus just sighed. "I know, Spike. Luna does seem different. I can't imagine Nightmare Moon going all frou-frou at a spa with Rarity or eating apples on some bumpkin's farm." She paused, then blinked, "Don't tell Applejack I said that. Anyway. Even if that's how it is... I want to trust Twilight. She's the one that saved our rosswursts the last time Luna showed up. I'm just not so sure anymore." "Me too, Dash. I just don't know how to help her." The dragon leaned his head against the door, looking toward the sky, then added in a whisper, "Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night, I can hear her crying up there." Feeling painfully awkward, Rainbow Dash patted Spike on the shoulder with a hoof. It wasn't generally in her nature to be comforting, but she was there, and nopony else was. She just hoped that there wasn't anypony looking. "It'll be okay, little dude. Twilight is a smart mare, and she has good friends looking out for her. Good friends like you and me. She'll get through this. I'll make sure she gets through." "I really hope so, Dash. I really do." * * * Rainbow Dash's body lay under her cloud sheets, on her cloud bed, in her cloud house. Her head? Well, it was also in the clouds. She considered, once again, the upcoming birthday. It was her only hope of breaking Twilight's solitude. Time spent with good friends. The party would help. The party had to help. Just one more day. Luna was not a threat; she owed the alicorn an apology. Rainbow Dash was not a subtle pony, but it constantly surprised her how little attention the ground-based ponies paid to a stray cloud hovering above them. Even Luna rarely looked up, except at night. Two weeks of surveillance, and the princess hadn't done anything more evil than a harmless prank. Applejack was right, as much as she hated admitting it. That sort of thing always hit her right where it hurt most: in the pride. The pegasus would make it up to them! Her friends had spent the past few days on two plans. The first, of course, was for the party, and other was for getting Twilight and her to meet with Luna on civil terms. They hadn't come up with much for that second one, of course. Rainbow Dash couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces when she crashed the party, Twilight in tow, ready to apologize and help convince the unicorn. Priceless! The only problem was getting the librarian to go. She could easily get into the upper floors of the library; what's a window between friends? The convincing, on the other hoof... Rainbow Dash had never been a particularly persuasive pony. She supposed that she could just tell the other mare that she was needed so that they could use the Elements against Luna. That would take advantage of the unicorn's pride. It was a bit of a risk, but that appealed to Rainbow Dash; what's life away from the edge? By that time the next night, their group would be back together. No more having to take sides against one friend or another. Loyalty to one wouldn't feel like betrayal of the rest. They could all stick together. Just one... big... happy.... Rainbow Dash drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. * * * Twilight Sparkle closed her book with a heavy sigh. She stared at the cover of The Journal of Heavens Sparkle; gilding in the shape of a rose shone, dominating the surface. It was as beautiful as the first time she'd laid eyes on it. If she were to flip the tome over, the librarian knew, there would be a five-pointed star of the same smooth gold. She studied the curving lines of the stylized flower; the sensory focus helped her avoid thinking about the next few pages of the Journal, the final section of the work. But it didn't help much. The passage she'd just read, the beginning of the end, had always been a favorite of hers. The first time she'd seen it, she had thought of it as a deep and beautiful metaphor for a meteor shower. It spoke of seeing the shimmering tears of the moon falling, a torrent of profound sorrow. Heavens Sparkle had asked the moon what it mourned, and received no answer. He had concluded that it was a pain too great for him to bear, else the moon would have shared its burden. She'd always found it to be a potent metaphor. Twilight had thought of it as allegory. She'd only come to that conclusion because her father had told her that 'Luna' was what Heavens called the moon. Now she knew better. Taken literally, she would have expected the passage to come from just over a thousand years before, from the alicorn's fall toward Nightmare Moon. That could not be the case; her father considered it a point of pride that the Sparkle line traced its ancestry back five thousand years - to Heavens Sparkle's grandson, the first pony to receive his Journal. She wondered what that could mean; was Luna falling into despair four thousand years before her banishment? She wondered if the journal was younger than it seemed. She wondered if there were any other passages she'd misinterpreted. She wondered... She wondered what that sound was. That tapping. It was coming from the glass doors to the balcony. She hoped that it wasn't Rainbow Dash again; it seemed unlikely, so late at night. She climbed the steps slowly as the noise continued. It had a light, even rhythm. The lantern light did not reach far, so the unicorn could only see a shadowy figure, through the glass. A figure nearly twice her height, with wings and a horn. Her eyes widened, and she dared to hope for a moment. A light appeared above the figure's head, and made clear that it was not Celestia who had come. Twilight could see why she had been confused: the pony was an alicorn that matched the size and rough shape of the elder princess. Unfortunately, that was where the similarities ended. The alicorn's square jaw and bulky frame marked him as male. He was red. Coat, mane, tail, feathers, horn, all the deep red of fresh blood. Where the princess had a long, thick mane that seemed to flow in an unceasing ethereal wind, he had a short-cropped mop, frayed and mundane. His fetlocks were not maintained; they fell almost to the ground, over unshod hooves. His feathers stuck out at all angles, and his coat... His coat was covered with scars, countless old wounds on every surface, from his flank to his face. Most looked very old, and some had almost healed, but there was one on a wing that seemed fresh. It shone with the most vibrant crimson of all. Twilight's first reaction was fear. She spread her front legs, dropping into an instinctive position of defense as her horn's magic charged. The other pony merely stared at her with gold-irised eyes, and once more patiently tapped on the glass. His lips curled into a smirk. It somehow made the scars on his face look slightly less twisted. She watched him and he watched her. Empty moments passed. He raised his hoof again, holding it near the window, and he winked at her. Twilight supposed that he could have just bucked the glass in, if he wanted to do her harm. The unicorn sighed and released her magic into levitation, undoing the clasp and opening the glass door to the balcony. Cold night air rushed in.The alicorn spoke, and his pleasant voice and cheerful demeanor contrasted sharply with his rough appearance, "Good evening, madam. May I enter?" The mare's eyes narrowed, "Why are you here? Who are you?" "A fair question! I am a friend to mortal ponies, and to the truth, and an enemy to those who deceive and betray. And you are Twilight Sparkle," the stallion looked her over. "Well met," he added with a bow. "How do you know my name?" Twilight asked, wondering whether she was in some sort of strange dream. "Ah, yes, well...," The intruder looked away, sheepish. "I must admit that I've been scrying on you." "What!?" The unicorn yelled, indignant at the violation of her privacy. She'd heard of ponies with the power to scry, but such strength and talent was rare. "Why?" The stallion sat on his haunches, the balcony creaking under his shifting weight. He raised a hoof to scratch his chin. "First of all, forgive me my long-winded speech. I don't get out much, so when I can talk to another pony, I relish the opportunity while I yet have it. Still, even in my seclusion, I must keep up to date on news from around Equestria. Thus, I scry. As for how that applies to you.... Well, any powerful magic is of interest to me, so Luna's return from her extended absence and the accompanying theatrics drew my eye. At first I thought that one goddess would replace the other, and this land would have an empire of the night instead of an empire of the day," he said, speaking of both empires with equal disdain in his voice. His countenance brightened as he continued, "But then, what did I witness? Six little incomplete mortals defying a goddess," a grin split the alicorn's face, and his voice filled with manic glee, "I thought you were madmares, but you did it! You cast her down and scoured a part of her being. Six little ponies overpowered one of those immortal, invulnerable, insufferable tyrants." He laughed, quick and sharp and cruel, before speaking again in a more restrained tone, "You couldn't have known that it wouldn't destroy her. You couldn't have known that it would only lead to her returning to her sister's side. No matter! I'm sure, in time, you will find a way to make that princess give back what she took from you." "W-what?" Twilight asked, overwhelmed by the onslaught of speech. Had he called the princesses tyrants? "Make... Celestia... give back what? What did she take from me?" The other pony shook his head, "Not Celestia. Luna. And not from you you, but from all of you. I believe we've strayed from the topic, though it is parallel, parallel. We will return to your birthright in time but if I remember correctly, we were discussing why I was scrying on you. And I was going to apologize for it, however necessary the act was. I watched you because you have a part of the power to overcome the princesses. What's more, you have the will to use it. You know not to trust the princesses; that's good! But you don't know the whole story. Celestia had the records destroyed. But I can teach you the real story of the past of our race. History that only I, among living ponies, know." The unicorn's brow furrowed, "What about Celestia and Luna? Don't they know?" The stallion snorted dismissively. "Oh, they know, better even than I, but don't let their shells fool you. They aren't alive; everything living bleeds. The goddesses do not bleed. Not like you and me." He flexed his wing. The mutilated flesh of the most recent burn cracked, droplets of blood springing forth and running together. Twilight shuddered and closed her eyes as she recoiled from the sight. Still, curiosity drove her on, "And how do you know? And how have I never heard of a third alicorn before?" "You've never heard of me," he hissed, "Because it wouldn't have helped you carry out Celestia's will. I am not a third alicorn. I am one of a once-proud civilization that covered this world before Luna ended our lines on a whim. I don't know how many yet live. And as for how I know?" The stallion chuckled, "Well, I'm a bit of a librarian myself, Twilight Sparkle, but unlike your collection, mine is not Celestia-approved. My records go back five thousand years, and show that those sisters are enemies to you and I, not friends. You've seen how they can manipulate and plot, haven't you?" The unicorn was hesitant. "...Yes. I have." "Then let me educate you. You can learn the truth, if you come visit my library. Together we can show your friends the light, and then we can fight them. End their tyranny once and for all." "How...," Twilight gathered her resolve, "How do I know I can trust you?" The other pony smiled, "You don't know. But I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to listen to me, and then decide for yourself. Come with me, Twilight Sparkle, and we will read of things long forgotten." The cold night air blew through the open window, and the mare thought. The alicorn merely waited; a subtle smile graced his mutilated face. Ancient books, lost knowledge, reassurance. Someone telling her that her course was right, was justified. It tempted Twilight. She tried to resist, a very strong part of her unwilling to betray her mentor even then. In the end, one idea decided her course: perhaps, with this newcomer, she could find a way to hurt Celestia as much as the princess had hurt her. "Wait here for a moment," the unicorn said. She rushed down the stairs, levitating her saddlebags to her and filling it with a few of the books she had been working on and some other essentials. Once the bags were secured, she climbed back up, a piece of paper and quill in tow. Her uninvited guest had wandered inside, and was examining one of her bookshelves. Twilight gasped as she saw, for the first time, the stallion's side. "Your cutie mark!" Where a normal pony would have their identifying mark, the alicorn's flank bore only charred flesh. "Hmm?" He blinked at her, then followed her gaze, "Oh, that. I removed it. The purpose of a cutie mark is to let the goddesses identify you. I... opted out." "What...," Twilight managed, still disturbed by the sight, "What do you mean? A cutie mark is a representation of your special talent." "A unique representation. And that's what a cutie mark is, not its purpose. The purpose is to serve as a crutch for the sisters. One can't remember faces, the other can't remember names, but neither ever forgets a cutie mark. I marred my face and I changed my name and I got rid of their brand," He smiled, "I consider it well worth the price." "And what is your name, now that it's changed?" Twilight asked, somehow dreading the answer. "Ever Free." * * * The early-morning silence of the cloud-home broke with a sudden pop and a green flash. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes just in time to see the falling scroll in the instant before it landed on her face. The mare groaned. It was perhaps the least pleasant wake-up call she'd endured since flight school. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she rolled over onto her knees and began to undo the letter's seal with her teeth. If it wasn't important, somepony was going to pay dearly. Dash spread out the sheets and read from the first: 'RD: URGENT! Twilight is gone! She went to the Everfree Forest. I tried sending a letter to Celestia, but she didn't respond. I think the post to Canterlot might not be working or something. I sent you the note she left. Please bring it to Celestia. Hurry! -Spike' The other page that Spike included merely said: 'Gone with Ever Free' * * * The graceful arch of a rainbow shone over Ponyville, a beautiful sight that brought joy to many. It sprang from one pony's rank desperation. At one end was the library, where Rainbow Dash had reassured Spike that she would find Twilight and bring her back safely. At the other was the Everfree Forest. A hoof-delivery to Celestia would take hours; the unicorn might not have that much time. On her friends' last visit to the forest, they only had to deal with some lame flower curse, but Dash knew that more serious dangers waited in the dark depths of the woods. She wasn't about to let Twilight wander around in there longer than necessary. She was going in after the unicorn. Success was not a certainty; she kept the the librarian's note clutched in her folded foreleg, ready for delivery should her search prove fruitless. A quick scan of the treeline yielded no obvious point of entry. Old game paths entered, but none had seen recent use. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wished she'd studied forests as thoroughly as clouds. Plan A was a bust, but she could still check places her friends had gone before. Only after that would she allow herself to panic. The pegasus dove into the forest. She dodged back and forth, weaving among the trunks along a familiar path. She was sure to go around the patch of inviting blue flowers, this time. Soon, she found herself at Zecora's hut. Rainbow Dash doubted that Twilight had simply stepped out to pay their new zebra acquaintance a visit, but the shaman might know something. Anything. She could hope. Dash knocked on the door with a knee. After a moment, it opened, and Zecora peered out. When the zebra saw her guest, she smiled, "Greetings pony, it's a surprise To have your presence grace my eyes" The pegasus blinked, parsing the rhyme. Why couldn't the other mare just talk normal? "Uh, yeah, hi Zecora. Have you seen Twilight?" The zebra shook her head. "She has not come to visit here I've had no recent guests, I fear, And she did not pass by this way; No one has been around today." Rainbow Dash sighed. "Darn. Well, she should be around here somewhere. She left this note about the forest, see?" She grabbed the edge of the paper with her teeth and showed it to the other mare. Zecora read the message. Her eyes widened and scanned the page again. After a moment, she frowned and moved past the pegasus, looking left and right into the darkness of the forest. Finally, she turned and set her head against the other mare's flank and pushed as she spoke in a low voice, "Inside now; none must hear or see The things that you will learn from me. Of this forest's name, be assured, that Everfree is but one word But on this note you've shown to me It is two words that I can see. This choice is no mere accident She wrote precisely what she meant." The zebra kicked the door closed behind her. She grabbed a long bamboo stalk between her forelegs and balanced awkwardly on her rear hooves. One by one, she closed the curtains of the hut with the implement, plunging the room into ever deeper shadows. "Now you may call me paranoid, But it's a fact I can't avoid That Ever Free, written that way, Is not a prudent thing to say. It's known that he has magic ears so all that's spoken of, he hears And also far flung scrying eyes; He watches all that lives and dies" The room was pitch black; Zecora's voice seemed to come from all around Rainbow Dash, as though the darkness itself were chanting with a fevered rhythm. The pegasus could not bring herself to speak over the whispered words, though countless questions burned within her. "Now this may be just a tall tale But zebras know that without fail In legend, myth, and folk story There are some grains of truth to see And I believe our friend has found truth best left buried in the ground. You need not blindly journey on I think I know where she has gone." There was a loud thunk as bamboo hit wood, and the pegasus blinked as one of the walls of the hut began to glow a sickly green. The light came from some sort of moss, and the zebra had used it to create a makeshift map. A line divided lights shaped like tiny, stylized trees from others shaped like tufts of grass; Rainbow Dash recognized the treeline of the Everfree Forest, as seen from above. Within the woods, symbols were drawn in chalk and charcoal, though the pegasus could not recognize many of them. One that stood out was a simple representation of the ruined castle where the Elements of Harmony had been found. Just beyond the familiar landmark was a drawing of a field of gravestones much larger than the image of the castle itself. Zecora had abandoned the pole and gestured with a hoof to a winding line of blue pigment that met an azure pool at the far edge of the map. Near the junction, surrounded by the harsh charcoal lines of dead woods, she'd drawn a bone-white equine skull. "At mouth of twisted river's flow, A place where only fools will go, Where desecrated woods surround His cavern under barren ground. Beneath gnarled branch and dead wood There is no light or hope or good A twisted master, you will see The winged unicorn, Ever Free! "Your prospects, thus, are very bleak This place's sire you must seek. So do not try to find your friend; In doing so you'll meet your end." Dash scoffed, "Buck that! I'm going after Twilight, and I dare Ever Free to stop me!" Zecora frowned and whispered a harsh reply, "Hush little pony, not so loud! Such volume cannot be allowed. To speak of him is dangerous; To challenge him? preposterous! You could not ever hope to face a pony of the elder race. To do so, Dash, is never wise, For everything he touches, dies. "The myths speak of his blinding speed, More strength than any other steed, Magic we can not understand, A mind where brilliant schemes are planned, But worst of all, his tongue of gold, Makes creatures do as they are told. I will be honest with you, Dash You'd be defeated in a flash." Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed. Her heart pounded in her chest as adrenaline began to flood her system. If Zecora was right, there might be nothing she could do. If she was right.... The pegasus whispered, "How do you know all this? Have you seen this 'Ever -" she stopped, unable to continue her question through the hoof Zecora had thrust into her face. "I think that's enough of his name, Its danger is much of his fame. I must admit, I have not met The master of this forest yet, But all who I have spoken to Have sworn to me these things are true. From weakest creature all the way To those who rule both night and day, Those who cannot be devoured, Beings magically powered, He was here before anyone; He will remain when we are done. So tribute to him all do pay And we must stay out of his way; Yes, solitary or in herds, Even the ursas heed these words! That's enough, Dash, of tempting fate, I wish to live to see a mate, so turn your tail and leave this room, For mere mention may bring our doom!" In one moment, Rainbow Dash was staring at the map as Zecora filled her head with fears and threats. In the next, she was outside, and the hut behind her was dark and silent. The pegasus tried to summon memories of the time between, but had no success. She supposed that there was nothing for it; as much as she would have liked to be the big hero of the day, anything that ursas were afraid of probably outclassed her. Even if only by a little bit. Dash clutched the note and shot up through the canopy. Once she reached sunlight again, she leveled off and flew as hard as she could. There, on the horizon, was her goal: Canterlot. * * * Celestia sat alone in her empty throne room. The beaming midafternoon sun filled the grand hall with warmth as birds sang in the royal gardens below. To the princess, the cheerful tones sounded very far away, and the heat refused to approach. Frost covered the alicorn's seat, a sheen of ice that crawled inch by inch down the dais. No mortal pony remembered why this day was set aside, why no court was held. It did not seem to be a holiday. There was no feast, no festival, no celebration. There had not been for over a thousand years. Celestia wondered whether her sister was enjoying her birthday. There was a brief scuffle outside, a blow to the door followed by raised voices. The alicorn did not pay them any mind. Her guard had standing orders not to interfere with anything more dangerous than an irate petitioner; the policy had saved their lives on many occasions. There was little reason to risk injury protecting a charge that could not be harmed by tooth, claw, or spell. Whatever the altercation might have been, she would receive a report. Even if she didn't particularly care. A half hour later, the doors at the far wall of the room opened, and a pegasus guard walked in. He cut a noble figure in his shining gold armor and pristine white coat, and carried himself with the bearing of a veteran. The princess did not know whether she had ever seen him before. He approached the throne and bowed deeply, a gruff voice ringing out, "Good afternoon, Your Grace." The stallion paused, waiting for acknowledgement. He waited a long time. Eventually, Celestia spoke a curt, "Rise," and the guard returned to his hooves. "I asked not to be disturbed." The pegasus maintained a stance of perfect attention as he spoke, eyes straight ahead. "Yes Princess, you asked but did not order. I have a report that I believe you should hear at once." The alicorn sighed and waved a permissive hoof. "Very well, what is it?" The stallion's throat moved as he swallowed, though no other part of him did. "Well, Your Grace, a petitioner came, and when we told her that court was not in session, she tried to rush past us and get in. She failed to open the door because she pushed instead of pulled, and then she tried to rush away. We apprehended her and held her for questioning." Celestia's brow arched. "And why did you think that I need to know about this?" "I would not have brought it to your attention, Princess, except that the pony we apprehended, one Rainbow Dash, claims that there is a matter requiring your personal attention," he paused and, just for an instant, his eyes flicked up to meet hers, before discipline returned them to their steady course. "A matter regarding the safety of Twilight Sparkle. Her life is in danger." "And why," the princess snapped, "should I be concerned about that? There are many instances where my intervention could save a pony's life. I cannot save them all. I expect my wishes to be ignored when there are major disasters, not petty tragedies. You should not have brought this to my attention." The muscles in the stallion's jaw tensed and his eyes narrowed. After a few seconds he spoke, "May I have permission to speak freely, Your Grace?" Celestia frowned and shifted on her throne. "Very well. Rest." The guard spread his legs, adopting a more comfortable position and looked up. His gaze met hers, and his voice shook as he said, "Princess, I am not nearly as wise as you. I've seen but a handful of years on this world when compared to the centuries you must have seen. For twelve generations, my family has served you in the Guard, and stories have been passed down, and we have learned what we can on our vigils. We know far less than you, but we do know more than nothing. The ponies of this palace are many things, but we are not blind. We have seen the way you've acted since the Summer Sun Celebration. Getting you to go to court and hear petitioners used to be more than half the trouble of this job. Now it's been two weeks since you left this room. It does not take ancient knowledge to see that you are troubled, that something is wrong. "The consensus among the court is that there have been issues between you and your sister. The Guard knows that is not the case; after all, you've only spoken to her a few times, and always quite civilly, since this... irregularity... began. The Guard remembers that you were withdrawn even a few days before the Celebration. "Prin- no. Celestia. Celestia, you underestimate the Royal Guard. We know that the customs and courtesies were designed by you. You prevent us from using names and ranks to hide the fact that you cannot tell us apart. We approve. All of us have served in border units; too many of us know the pain of losing a brother in arms. If we are incapable of protecting you from physical danger, we can at least protect you from that pain. It is well that you never grow close to any of us. "But all of us have grown close to you. "We saw the way you acted around Twilight Sparkle. We know the joy she brought you. But we do not know why she is gone, why you have sent your joy away. And I thought - I thought that you would want to save your joy, to avoid that pain of loss. Why, Celestia, why are you doing this to yourself?" Celestia was silent, for a time. When she replied, it came in a whisper, "I did not know whether any of you suspected. Sometimes, it helps that I can pretend the pegasus telling me the latest joke is the same one who helped my sister play pranks on me three thousand years ago. Other times... other times it feels like I lose all of you at the end of every day. I did not have that motivation when I designed the uniforms, but I could not change it if I tried. Military tradition is sometimes stronger than any magic." She paused, then shook her head. "Tell Rainbow Dash that I will not help her. Send her back to Ponyville. That is my final word on the matter. Do not challenge it. You will only make things more painful. I appreciate what you have done, what you all have done for me, but you cannot save me from my own mistakes, my own misjudgments -" "We can try," the guard cut in without hesitation. The princess smiled, but it was an unsteady, sickly thing. "Go. Go and never mention this again. Lose yourself among the others so that I can delude myself. I want to believe that such loyalty never dies. Dismissed." The stallion bowed. "As you wish, Your Grace." * * * A single blue pegasus streaked toward Ponyville, slowed only slightly by her exhaustion. Most of her day had been flight, but she did not let it weigh too heavily upon her; she had a friend to save. Normally, Rainbow Dash would have been thrilled to meet one of her idols. She would have been even more thrilled to be chased and subsequently tackled by one. Tronenskjold, commander of the Royal Guard, combat veteran and former Wonderbolt, was essentially the height of awesome. The pegasus wished that they could have been introduced on better terms, and she wished that he hadn't hurried her out of the palace so quickly. She wished most of all that his last words to her had been anything other than what they were. His message had been grim. Celestia would not help. He had seemed as disappointed by the news as her. She told him about Ever Free and the location Zecora said to avoid, and he had dispatched a few pegasi to scout. Rainbow Dash hoped that it wouldn't be too little too late. With that, the mare was nearly out of plans. There was only one option, one hope left. As much as she hated to ruin one of Pinkie Pie's parties, it was a necessity. Only Princess Luna could save Twilight Sparkle.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-04-29T02:09:04+00:00

2012-04-29T02:09:04+00:00

The harsh light of the rising sun woke Applejack. Her eyes fluttered open, then clamped shut quickly. The farmer grumbled to herself, cursing the glare, but she trailed off into murmurs as her eyelids became accustomed to the warmth. She frowned slightly as she realized that there was bare rock where her bed was supposed to be, and that she’d have to get a late start on chores if she’d slept through the dawn, but as concern stripped the downy layers of sleep from her brain, her memory returned. The earth pony opened her eyes again and sat up, looking down on the valley arrayed below. With a smile and a sigh, she took in the vibrant greens and blues and the striking greys of the mountainous landscape. “It was always a magnificent view,” Luna said. Applejack looked up at the princess standing beside her, an attempt at wit dying on her lips as she noticed the change in the other mare’s appearance. Luna’s mane billowed and danced in the still morning air, three lines of color running through it. The stripes kept their form and did not bleed together; not even a single hair lost its place. The earth pony turned her head and noted that the alicorn’s tail matched. Finally, Applejack commented on the most important change in her companion’s appearance, “Is that my hat?” “Oh.” Luna’s eyes widened. She smiled sheepishly as she levitated the wide-brimmed hat off of her head and deposited it back in its rightful place atop the farmer’s. “Sorry about that.” The earth pony snorted as she adjusted the fit with a forehoof. “All’s forgiven, sugarcube.” “I’m glad to hear it,” The dark mare stated. She hummed an unfamiliar tune as she watched Applejack stretch, working the stiffness out of muscles unaccustomed to so unyielding a resting place. When the mare finished, they merely looked at each other, the silence growing long and uncomfortable. “So how’d it get all... Celestial... anyhow?” Applejack asked, gesturing at her companion’s mane with a hoof. Her eyes moved nearly imperceptibly as she tried to track a single lock amongst the flowing tangle. Luna’s brows furrowed into a slight frown. “I do not know, actually.” The earth pony snorted. “An’ here I was, thinkin’ you were omnipotent.” “Even if I were all-powerful,” the alicorn stated with a wry half-smile, “that would not make me all-knowing. I believe you were looking for the word ‘omniscient’.” “Potayto, potahto,” the farmer replied, her voice dripping with exaggerated derision. Luna snorted before muttering, “More like apples and oranges.” “Hey!” Applejack shouted, punctuating her displeasure by pounding the rock with a hoof, “Are you comparing magnificent, delicious apples to disgusting, rindy oranges?” The dark mare’s jaw worked as she tried to process an answer. “The entire point is that you can’t compare... ugh, never mind. I’m sorry? I guess?” The other pony looked quite satisfied with her victory. The rising sun had just cleared the horizon. Luna watched it for a moment, then looked to the hills and valleys below the ponys’ perch. She surveyed the parts of the trail that she could see, then turned to look back at her companion, still laying on the warming rock. The orange pony’s half-lidded eyes threatened a nap, and the alicorn was sorely tempted to join the other mare, but she spoke instead. “Come on, sleepyhead, we had better get started on breakfast. I wouldn’t want to be late to my own birthday party.” * * * The afternoon sun hung low in the sky when the ponies reached the top of the final foothill. Before them stretched a sea of grass, broken here and there by forested patches. In the distance, the ordered rows of Sweet Apple Acres waited. As Applejack surveyed the land, smiling, she took a final deep breath of the mountain air. It came out in a silent rush as she noticed another stand of apple trees, just off the path at the base of the hill. The farmer’s eyes widened, and she whispered a curse. “Is something wrong, Applejack?” Luna asked. The earth pony blinked, her gaze still locked on the trees. She whispered, voice hollow, “I forgot.” “Forgot what?” Applejack ignored Luna’s question. She set her teeth, taking a few hissing breaths between them before shouting, “I forgot!” The mare sprang forward, breaking into a downhill gallop. She threw caution to the wind, skipping switchbacks and leaping from rock to rock as she rushed downward. Eventually, she reached her goal and slowed, gasping to catch her breath. Most of the trees stood in pairs, their branches intertwined, but here and there a lone trunk rose. Their placement was precise, separated at even intervals, but gnarled, untrimmed branches weighed many of them down. The bare dirt was littered with fruit that had fallen, unpicked and unbucked. Old, twisted limbs gave way to smooth growth and saplings as Applejack passed through the rows. Unruly tufts of grass were replaced by a lawn of short stalks, recently trimmed. Near the end of the silent orchard, Applejack turned. She strode slowly, her eyes scanning. Beneath each tree, there was a cut stone. On the face of each stone, craftsponies had carved a cutie mark. Finally, the earth pony stopped, looking up at branches that fate had woven together. The pair of trees were young, too young to take a good bucking, but their trunks nearly touched despite their stature. Applejack recognized them; she never forgot a tree she’d helped to plant. The farmer dropped to her knees and looked toward the roots. Two familiar cutie marks, on two familiar stones, under two familiar trees. “Who were they?” Luna whispered from behind Applejack. The orange mare had not heard the alicorn’s approach, but she was not surprised. “My parents,” she replied. “They died seven years ago... seven years ago yesterday. Every year, we come ‘round on the anniversary. Me an’ Big Mac.” She let out a weak shadow of a laugh. “Ain’t no reason to bring Apple Bloom out; she’d scarce remember them anyhow. But this year....” Applejack closed her eyes tightly and set her jaw as the muscles in her face tensed. She revelled in the pressure, almost convincing herself that enough of it could keep everything within her from spilling out. Through gritted teeth, she spat, “I forgot.” “I’m sorry,” Luna said, though her companion could barely hear the words. “‘’T’ain’t your fault, sugar. You’re not all-knowin’. I should’a been keepin’ track. Besides, that every year thing was just... just....” Applejack choked on her words. “Sentimentality.” A breeze shook the branches of the apple trees. The earth pony heard hoofsteps; she looked up to see Luna standing beside her. The alicorn’s eyes were fixed on the headstones. “I didn’t mean you forgetting,” the dark mare said, “I’m sorry about what happened to your parents.” Applejack snorted. “That’s even less your fault, an’ ancient history besides.” She looked back toward the cutie marks, but her eyes refused to focus. The orchard was silent, for a time. “How did they die?” Applejack’s gaze returned to the other mare; Luna was staring down at her. The farmer sighed. “It was a plague, somethin’ the unicorns couldn’t cure. A lot of families were hit. Granny Smith tried takin’ care of ‘em best she could, alone. Wouldn’t let us kids anywhere near ‘em.” She paused. “I never saw the end. Prob’ly for the best.” Luna turned her head, hiding her face. “Then it was my fault.” The earth pony frowned. “What do you mean ‘your fault’?” The alicorn’s ears folded back. Her head lowered. “I meant what I said,” she whispered, “Old age, infection, disease. My fault.” Applejack tilted her head, “How can that be your fault? Old age? That ain’t nobody’s fault, ‘s just the way the world works. Those’re just the rules.” Luna’s gaze fell on the headstones once again. “The rules I made up.” The farmer’s expression darkened. “If this is some kinda joke, sugar cube, I ain’t gettin’ it.” “It’s not a joke. I’m just...,” the alicorn paused. “I’m just trying to be worth trusting.” “So those are the rules you made, and you can’t change them?” Applejack sounded almost hopeful, to her own ears. She was still trying to process the other mare’s words, the statements that didn’t seem quite real to her. “I can change them. It doesn’t have to be so. There wasn’t always age and illness,” Luna replied, “But it’s better this way.” “Better? Better!?” Applejack’s perception reeled, her vision blurring. The mare found that she had scrambled to her hooves, though she could not remember the deed “How can you say that? How could you think that? What happened to my parents is better!? Better than what? Do you know - no, of course you don’t. The only family you have is Celestia.” She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. Her muscles trembled as her limbs tried to decide whether to run from Luna or buck her. The earth pony’s words came in a torrent, heavy with vitriol. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew. If you knew what it was like to lose your family, if you knew what it was like to see them lowered into the ground and buried. Can you imagine there being nothing left of your sister but a tree and a stone and fading memories? My pain is ‘better’? My loss is ‘better’? How can anythin’ be worse?” Applejack opened her eyes and saw Luna staring back at her. She could find no emotion in the alicorn’s face. “What,” the farmer spat, “do you know ‘bout loss, anyhow?” For a moment they simply looked at each other. The only thing that moved was the princess’s hair, billowing in the still air. Luna was first to speak. “I’ll show you.” She blinked. There was no sound, no flash, no feeling of motion. The world simply changed. In one moment, Applejack was standing in an orchard lit by the bright summer sun. Then, in that same moment, she was standing in a field under the dull gray of an overcast sky. She looked around, gaping at the change. They were in a clearing, a huge field surrounded on all sides by the drooping, twisted trees found only in the Everfree forest. On a nearby hill, Applejack could see the crumbling ruins of a castle. Her eyes flicked to the astronomy tower, where Twilight’s spark had awakened the Element of Honesty within her. The clearing was filled with grave markers. Most were worn to unrecognizability; they looked no different than any other stone. A few had been preserved, seemingly untouched by the elements. The ordered rows disappeared into the gloom of the forest proper. There were far more stones than Applejack could have counted, thousands upon thousands of them. The earth pony turned, and saw a few rows of perfectly preserved obelisks, most of them black marble with shining inlaid metal cutie marks. None of them bore signs of wear. The closest one to her was marked with a rose in leaf-of-gold. A bright bouquet of yellow flowers lay at its base. “This is part of my loss,” Luna said, “but far from all of it.” Applejack spun to face the alicorn, who had begun to walk among the small worn stones. The dark mare spoke slowly. “My sister and I built this castle here because it was the location of one of the original alicorn tribes. The graveyard was placed around the burial ground of that tribe. Every pony that died in our castle was buried here. Four thousand years of death in the most populous city in the world at the time. I knew most of them. I know them still. My memory does not fade; I recall where each is buried, headstone or no. The only thing that I have forgotten are their names.” Luna bent down to rest her forehead against a stone worn smooth by rain and age. “This earth pony was the first palace head cook. He loved spicy food; his cutie mark was a pepper. He made my meals with extra heat, and I helped him grow exotic herbs. He died when his heart failed him. It was considered ‘natural causes’. That means that it’s my fault.” The alicorn walked to the next stone and stopped. “This unicorn was our first seneschal. She wrote poetry in her spare time. It was beautiful, but she said that it was better when my voice was the one reciting. Her cutie mark was a blank page. She died of a tumor. Natural causes. My fault.” She continued to the marker after that. “This pegasus was a gardener. We played chess every day. Sometimes I even won. He died in bed, surrounded by his family. It was my fault.” Applejack merely watched the other mare, her mind a blank. Barely an echo of her anger remained. Luna strode past marker after marker, her pace increasing as she spoke, “Unicorn. Invented a spell to make beards grow. She never did get rid of her first try. A long gray beard on a mare! Her lungs filled with fluid, and she drowned in her sleep. My fault. Earth pony. Carved a statue of me, once. Fell down a flight of stairs. Not my fault. Pegasus. He was a royal guard. Plague got him. My fault. Unicorn. The music she played was... haunting. Illness. My fault. Earth pony. Brewed the most delicious mead. My fault.” The alicorn paused, gazing down the line of headstones. She turned and stepped over one, crossing into the next row. The princess locked eyes with Applejack and began to return toward the farmer, her narration confident. Luna did not look down, but she paused at every stone to say a few words. “Unicorn, illness, my fault. Pegasus, age, my fault. Pegasus, heart failure, my fault. Earth pony, seizure, my fault. Pegasus, lightning, not my fault. Unicorn, age, my fault. Unicorn, murder, not my fault. Earth pony, tumor, my fault.” Luna stopped as she reached her companion. “Earth pony. She was too quick to forgive. Probably mortality. Probably my fault.” The alicorn gestured with a hoof, an arc that encompassed the graveyard. “This is what I know of loss, Applejack. Four thousand years of friends. The vast majority of them died because of me. Your loss is to forget; my loss is to remember. Every pony, every cutie mark, every funeral, every death rattle. My memories never fade. Only the names, which I can never learn in the first place.” The farmer tilted her head. “You learned my name.” “Yours is the only one,” Luna whispered. Applejack looked out across the clearing. “Why?” The alicorn’s lip twitched, a hint of a smile that disappeared in an instant. “I am not all-knowing, particularly when it comes to names.” The earth pony shook her head. “No, I mean... why would you let everythin’ turn out this way? You said you could change the rules.” “They are changed,” Luna said. She pointed past Applejack. “Those are the original rules.” The farmer turned. The obelisks formed a graveyard within a graveyard. The princess strode past the other mare, stepping slowly among the spires of stone. “My sister designed the bodies of the alicorns magnificently. No illness, no age, no imperfection. Each one could have lived forever. I still hope that a few will, somewhere out there. It’s probably a vain hope.” She stopped in front of the smallest stone spire, in the center of the field. It was blank. “The first alicorn that died did so before my sister and I started to take an active role in the society of ponies, before we called upon magic to grant cutie marks, before the alicorns taught us about language. We were only watchers, then, but it was clear that they didn’t understand.” Luna fell to her knees and tilted her head back to stare into the slate grey sky. “I remember the tribe gathered around her broken body, trying to wake her up. They didn’t bury her until she started to rot.” Applejack approached the other pony, but stopped short a few paces away. “Why are you telling me this?” The alicorn looked over her shoulder, meeting the earth pony’s gaze. “So that you can see the choice I had to make. So you know who I am, without omission. Because I want to be worthy of your trust.” The earth pony nodded once, slowly. Luna continued. “When a pony dies, it is tragic. The pain of loss is excruciating, and though it dulls, the scar never truly goes away. This is how it is with mortal ponies. For the alicorns, however, it was somehow worse. “It could be the fact that with alicorns, death was never a certainty. They knew that barring violence and accidents, they would live forever. When somepony died, it was a loss of something that could have lasted until the end of time. Perhaps that realization caused alicorns to see their own possible mortality in the death of their fellows. Those theories do not satisfy me.” The princess stood. “They never did. I was and am convinced that the cause of it all, the ever-escalating blood feuds, the murders, the suicides, was the alicorns’ greatest flaw. Memory. Most alicorns lived for thousands of years, but they remembered no more than you do, Applejack. A couple of decades of clear memories and a few scattered fragments of what came before.” The alicorn turned and walked a few steps toward another of the standing stones. She put her hoof against the smooth face and looked at the shadowy reflection in the polished marble. “They enchanted these grave markers to last forever. Even so, they forgot. Their loved ones would die, and in time, in a few short centuries, they would forget. Names, faces, events, personalities, all gone. But the scars never faded, and they felt the need, the primal urge practically etched onto their bones, to mourn. To mourn ponies that they could not remember ever having met. It weighed on them, and as scars built upon scars, one by one the alicorns went mad, and most did so violently. In the tenth millennium after my sister created the first tribe, the problem spiraled out of control. Murders and suicides happened by the scores. Wars were fought over minor slights as the whole race seemed to go mad. For each alicorn born in a day, a dozen were buried. My sister could not find a way to stop it.” Applejack sat on the grass, and ground one of her front hooves into the dirt. Her voice rasped in her throat, but she forced her words out. “And you did?” Luna’s head dropped, and her eyes closed. “I did. And I’ve had to live with it ever since, even though the ponies that I was trying to save, for the most part... they have not.” * * * Applejack pushed the barn door open with a hoof, staring into the darkness within. She frowned. “It was supposed to be in here. D’ya think we’re early?” Luna walked past the other pony. “Nope,” she said with a wink that the orange mare could barely see in the gloom. The farmer let the barn door go with a shrug, the squeal of rusted hinges giving way to a dull boom as it swung closed. The pair stood silent in the darkness for a few moments. “Surprise!” The barn shuddered with the deafening shout of dozens of ponies as the glow of unicorn horns and flash of lighting candles lit the room. Pinkie Pie, literally bouncing with energy, was the closest to Luna among the partygoers, and the others let her take the lead as they rushed to surround the newcomers. “Welcome to your party, Luna!” The pink pony shouted as she hopped in a circle around the princess. “I hope we have enough candles. I brought like a dozen cakes, and some stuff for the guests to eat too. This is going to be the best billiondy-whateverth birthday party ever. Did you like your surprise?” Applejack frowned and tilted her head. “How’s it a surprise, Pinkie? It ain’t like she didn’t know there was gonna to be a party. The whole point of a surprise party is that the birthday filly doesn’t know there’s going to be a party, right?” Pinkie stopped and turned to look at her friend. “That’s a common misconception,” she replied with a self-satisfied nod, “But I could see how you might get confused. See, the most important part is the surprise; it doesn’t matter how it happens. So Luna, you were surprised, weren’t you?” The princess smiled to herself. “I suppose I was. Your mission was successful.” “Hooray!” Pinkie Pie whirled and began to call out directions to the crowd of ponies that filled the barn, conducting their actions with exaggerated waves of her hooves, “Begin the celebration, fire up the big candle, wrangle the balloon animals!” As music and the dull roar of conversation began to fill the room, she turned to Applejack and nodded with satisfaction. “See? Best surprise party ever.” “But she wasn’t surprised by the party,” the farmer objected, “she was surprised by the surprise!” Pinkie Pie giggled and rushed toward the orange pony, stopping just in front of the other mare. “Exactly! That’s the true genius of my nefarious plot. See, a pony would have to be absolutely loopy,” she said, her eyes rolling freely in opposite directions, “to not expect a party on their birthday! So if I try to throw a surprise party, they won’t hear about any party, but they know their friends will throw them one, so they won’t be surprised!” She latched onto Applejack’s shoulders, shaking the orange pony as her voice filled with horror. “They won’t be surprised at all!” Applejack raised an eyebrow, her mouth working, “So you throw a surprise party but tell us it’s gonna be a regular party ‘cause if you didn’t tell us about the party, it would have been a surprise party that wasn’t no surprise, but this party is a surprise because a surprise party that’s supposed to be a regular party is a surprise?” “Now you’re getting it.” The pink pony nodded sagely. “I am?” The farmer asked, incredulous. Luna rubbed her chin with a hoof for a moment before agreeing. “Makes sense to me.” “Eeyup,” a third voice chimed in from amongst the crowd. “Nopony asked you!” Applejack yelled to her brother. Big Macintosh snorted with amusement before wandering off into the swarm of party-goers. The orange pony muttered something about fancy mathematics as she watched him go. Luna managed not to laugh at the exchange. “Now, what is there to do?” Luna questioned idly, “It’s been a long time since I’ve attended a party. I assume ponies still serve....” her eyes darted to meet Pinkie Pie’s. “Refreshments?” Pinkie Pie opened her mouth, but the reply died on her lips. The barn shuddered as the door flew open with a tremendous crash. A light-blue blur of kicking legs and flapping wings hit the floor, rolling to a stop in the center of a crowd that had fallen suddenly silent. Rainbow Dash leapt to her hooves and surveyed the scene, her head and eyes darting from pony to pony. “Where’s Princess Luna!?” she shouted. Applejack stepped forward, putting herself between the pegasus and the alicorn. “Dash! Calm down. You ain’t gotta ruin this party on account of some grudge. Luna isn’t Nightmare Moon. Tryin’ to fight her isn’t gonna help anythin’.” “I’m not here to fight the princess,” Rainbow Dash said, pushing past the earth pony, “I’m here to ask her for help.” The rainbow-maned mare’s eyes met Luna’s. “Twilight’s in danger. She was kidnapped by an alicorn. Celestia won’t do anything about it. If you help save her... well... you’ll have my loyalty. And my forgiveness. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Luna frowned. “That’s not important right now; a pony’s life is. Tell me where I can find the alicorn. I will save your friend.” “Not without us,” Applejack stated as Rarity and Fluttershy emerged from the crowd to stand beside the other Elements of Harmony. The princess opened her mouth to object, then sighed. “Very well. Let’s go.”

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-02-14T12:12:21+00:00

2012-02-14T12:12:21+00:00

The universe skipped a beat, and Rainbow Dash found herself in silent darkness. She blinked and shook her head with vigor. The slight but audible swish of her mane reassured the pegasus that she had not been struck deaf; she sighed, releasing breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Hey!” A shrill voice rang out, shattering the heavy atmosphere, “Where’d the party go? And who put out the lights!?” Dash smiled at Pinkie Pie’s outburst. Light sprang into being, radiating from Luna’s glowing horn. The pegasus squinted as her eyes adjusted, and she tried to take in her surroundings, unnerved by the sudden change in scenery. Her friends stood just where they had in the barn, but everything else, from the other ponies to the structure itself, was gone. In its place stood black trees as far as Rainbow Dash could see. The rainbow-maned mare strained her eyes, fighting to keep the gnarled trunks from blending together into a single dark mass. The dividing lines between them seemed to warp and twist in the edges of her vision; she was almost able to convince herself that it was only her mind playing tricks on her. No starlight was able to pierce the canopy, and it was impossible to tell where the leaves ended and the branches began. Even the bare dirt beneath her hooves was a featureless black. “Sorry for the sudden trip,” Luna said, “But the matter is, after all, urgent.” The princess turned to address the rainbow-maned pegasus, “Were you able to learn where your friend was taken?” “Uh, sorta,” Rainbow Dash replied, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof, “It’s kinda near where a river meets a lake. Or maybe a sea. The one who told me can be sorta hard to understand.” The alicorn’s mouth twisted. “There? I suspected as much.” Her eyes closed, and for a moment the light in her horn flickered out. When it returned, she spoke again, “Follow me. The cave is this way.” With that, she turned and began to weave her way between the unnatural trunks. One by one, the others followed, Applejack springing forward to walk beside the princess while Pinkie Pie bounced along behind them. Rarity glowered at their dismal surroundings, but the twitching of her tail and lack of her characteristic whining betrayed the extent of her disquiet. The weatherpony turned to check on the last member of their group. Fluttershy had collapsed into a cowering, motionless ball of fraidypony. Of course. Dash rolled her eyes. “You know, she’s the only source of light out here. If you don’t come with us, you’ll be alone in the dark.” The yellow pegasus sprang into motion with a squeak, catching up with the princess more quickly than Rainbow Dash would have thought possible. The weatherpony chuckled to herself and flapped her wings, effortlessly circling around to float ahead of her friends. “...Been here before, but not since long before my exile,” Luna explained to Applejack, who stared at the princess in rapt attention. “Still, my sister and I have always known that one of our old creations is what makes this forest so wild. We just thought he was more or less harmless, aside from the monsters.” The farmer snorted. “I’d’a thought monsters would be at least a bit of what goes inta judgin’ harmlessness.” Rainbow Dash waved a dismissive hoof. “Nothin’ I can’t handle.” Luna ignored the pegasus. “They don’t often leave the forest. Besides, there are some good things that came from the forest thousands of years ago, new crops and new animals that get along well outside. Most don’t even know of their questionable origin,” She said before adding with a wry smile, “Admittedly, I can’t say for certain whether anything new has come from here in the last thousand years.” With that, Applejack and the princess launched into a discussion of specific plants and seasons and crop rotations. Their words rapidly became indistinguishable from a toneless drone to Dash’s ears and her mind began to wander. Her body soon followed. The weatherpony flew out into the forest, circling in search of anything different from the unchanging backdrop of black trees. She kept Luna’s light in the corner of her eye, never getting too far before returning. Just before she lost all illumination, the mare heard something. A faint but constant noise, achingly familiar. Then, she placed it. “Hey everypony! I hear water over here,” Rainbow Dash shouted, waving a hoof to catch their attention. As the other ponies rushed toward her, Dash pressed ahead, and with just a few flaps of her wings, she cleared the treeline. The pegasus landed, her hooves pressing into the coarse sand of the riverbank. After the darkness of the forest, the moonlight seemed almost blinding. Rushing water flashed as rapids reflected the illumination. She turned and walked along the shore, following the current downstream, and as soon as she looked up, she saw it. Rainbow Dash knew immediately that the spire before her was their goal. It was too perfect not to be. The rocky crag dominated the shore, blocking her view of the lake that marked the end of the river’s flow. It was too small to be a mountain, too steep to be a hill, and too violent to be natural. Even to the pegasus’ untrained eye, some of the surfaces were clearly carved. Any overall structure, however, had been deliberately disfigured. Large chunks were missing, seemingly broken off. Other sections had melted, freezing forever into wavy lines that were unmistakably those of flowing liquid. The only broken-off piece that she could see in the moonlight was a spike the length of a dozen ponies that stuck out of the sand of the beach. It was carved with a spiral. Dash moved forward to examine the broken megalith. In the near face, at ground level, a jagged gap opened into darkness. The mare’s brow creased as she chewed her lip. The space looked downright claustrophobic, no room for good flying. No good for fighting. She contemplated that fact, and she did so intently enough that when she heard a voice, she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Do we have to --Oh, sorry Dash. Do we have to...,” Fluttershy gulped. “Go inside?” “I don’t like it any more than you do, Fluttershy, dear. There’s probably all sorts of nasty cobwebs and slime and creatures in there.” Rarity shuddered. “Still, we owe it to our friend.” “It’s just like y’said it was, Luna,” Applejack remarked. The alicorn nodded. “I fear it may have changed greatly inside; it’s been over five thousand years since I entered. The surroundings are certainly different.” Rainbow Dash flew to the entrance and peered in, straining to see past where the slightly sloping tunnel disappeared into darkness. “Well,” she whispered to herself, “no turning back now.” * * * The passage twisted and turned, often looping back around to pass under itself, but never branched. As the ponies descended, the walls and floor of the cave grew steadily smoother, appearing less and less natural. Eventually, the path became a perfect rectangular hall before leveling off, and soon the ponies made the final turn, revealing their goal. Luna’s eyebrows rose; her companions gaped in awe. The cave opened up into an enormous room. Harsh white light illuminated the space, though no source was visible. Row after row of bookshelves, each tall enough to dwarf any building in Ponyville, receded into the distance. Racks of scrolls lined the walls. Every surface, every corner, every shelf was filled. Books had been turned sideways and shoved above the neatly placed volumes to take advantage of extra shelf space. Papers had been stuffed into cracks and gaps and any place where there was even a hint of space. Dry parchment cracked as Luna stepped forward; the floor was covered with loose pages. On a nearby shelf, she could see that somepony had written on the spines of the books, the script continuing from one to another as though together they formed a single page. High above, where only the alicorn’s vision could discern it, the ceiling was covered with dense writing carved into the very stone. Just past the entrance, a small pool of clear water sat in a raised basin, and beyond that was a table covered in scrolls, inkwells, stacks of books, and one familiar traveler’s bag. In front of the table, there was a large chair, and upon the chair sat Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn turned to look at her friends as they began to take hesitant steps into the vast library, spreading out as they craned their necks to take in the spectacle. She coughed pointedly, and the other mares turned their attention to her, each looking a bit sheepish, with the exception of Pinkie Pie. The earth pony merely turned her slack-jawed stare from the shelves to Twilight. “Girls!” The librarian hissed quietly, “What are you doing here?” She shot a nasty look at Luna before adding, “With her?” Rainbow Dash stepped forward, looking quite proud of herself, and shouted, “Twilight! We’re here to-” The purple mare raised a hoof to her lips and overpowered the weatherpony’s words with an emphatic “Shhhh!” She frowned and whispered, “Keep your voice down. We’re in a library.” The pegasus blinked at Twilight, then turned and blinked at Applejack as confusion grew more plain on her face. The farmer just shrugged. Dash looked back to the unicorn and spoke in a low voice, “We’re here to rescue you.” Twilight Sparkle tilted her head. “Rescue me?” Rainbow dash spoke slowly, as though trying to explain something obvious, “Yeah, y’know, rescue you from Ever Free.” The others had all converged around Twilight’s chair, though they still took opportunities to study their surroundings with expressions that ranged from wonder to fear. The unicorn scratched her head with a hoof. “Why?” The weatherpony’s jaw dropped. “Land’s sakes, Rainbow, didn’t ya say she was kidnapped?” Applejack asked. “I left a note...,” Twilight said, trailing off as she noted that the others were ignoring her. “He’s a big evil ancient unicorn pegasus thingy!” Rainbow Dash insisted as she frowned at the farmer, “Of course he kidnapped her. He’s probably got her all mind-controlled. He can do that sort of thing” Fluttershy whimpered quietly. Applejack snorted. “And how do you know that, Dash?” “Zecora said so.” “If you look at Zecora and cross your eyes just right,” Pinkie Pie asserted, “You can totally see a boat!” “She’s done right by us, but that don’t mean she’s right ‘bout everythin’, sugar cube,” Applejack said. “Yeah, but--,” Rainbow Dash began. A booming, masculine voice rang out from among the forest of shelves, cutting the pegasus off. “Ah, guests! How grand. I wondered what that commotion was.” Seven mares turned toward the source of the voice, and watched as Ever Free approached, walking swiftly down the central aisle of the library. Fluttershy hid her face behind her hooves and Rarity uttered a cry of disgust as the extent of the alicorn’s self-inflicted deformity became visible. Pinkie Pie twitched as one of her muscles spasmed. Rainbow Dash set her jaw and crouched, her wings tense as she prepared to launch herself forward. Twilight, Applejack, and Luna merely watched the stallion’s progress. The scarlet pony came to a stop when he reached the clear area around the scrying pool. He looked at each mare in turn, his features tightening as his eyes settled on Luna. A momentary frown was quickly replaced by an exaggerated smile as he spoke. “The bearers of the Elements of Harmony! What an honor. You may not know me, but I know you. Have you come to visit Twilight?” “We’ve come to rescue her!” Rainbow Dash shouted, “Let her go or else.” Ever Free tilted his head as he blinked in exaggerated confusion. “Rescue her? From me? That is certainly not necessary. She’s free to leave at any time she pleases.” He turned toward the unicorn in question. “Are you done with your reading, Twilight Sparkle?” The librarian glared pointedly at her rainbow-maned friend as she answered, “Not even close. I’ll be sticking around, if you don’t mind.” “I do hope that settles the matter,” the stallion said. “Nuh-uh,” Pinkie Pie asserted, “How do we know you didn’t do some magic brain-controlly thing on Twilight to turn her book-obsessed. Well, more book-obsessed than before. Or something...,” She trailed off. Ever Free snorted. “Even if I could use ‘brain-controlly’ magic, I wouldn’t stoop to such a thing. Your friend is no more ‘book-obsessed’ than she ever was. Not that a literary streak is a bad thing.” He gestured with a wing, pointing to the seemingly endless line of shelves behind him. “I’m certainly a fan of the medium.” “An’ how do we know you’re not lyin’?” Applejack asked. “He’s not. His magic has not touched Twilight’s mind.” Luna stated. The farmer nodded, satisfied. Her friends’ reassured smiles and sighs of relief echoed the sentiment. The unicorn herself merely rolled her eyes. The scarred stallion bared his teeth, his lip twitching into a snarl as he spoke, “So of course you trust her and not me. She is your beloved princess, after all. Why should it matter that she’s not one of us? Never mind the crimes she’s committed against ponykind. Forget the fact that her lies of omission are the greatest deception in the history of our people. You are young yet; perhaps you will learn your lesson in time.” He paused for a moment, meeting the eyes of each of the bearers in turn. Finally, he looked to the other alicorn and took a step toward her, shouting, “And you! I don’t need you to back me up. You disgust me. I don’t want any of your sort of help. I had hoped to save our discussion for a more private moment, but I simply cannot wait any longer. I may be letting my emotions get the best of me, but we will have words and we will have them now. I know that there is nothing that I can do to compel you. I know that compared to yours, my magic is nothing.” Luna closed her eyes and perked her ears as she let the tirade wash over her. “I loathe the fact that I am powerless before you,” Ever Free continued, “And that the only course available to me is to appeal to any good within your nature. I’m not sure there is any. Still, if you have any feeling of remorse for your deeds, any sense of obligation to your creations, then spare me this infinitesimal fraction of your eternity. I would have you answer for your crimes. Even a monster as cruel and destructive as you should maintain at least that much dignity.” A chorus of objections sounded from the five native residents of Ponyville. Rarity’s shout of, “You can’t speak to the princess that way!” Rang out above the rest. Ever Free stomped a hoof, its impact echoing in the cavernous library. His eyes widened with rage as he ranted, “Be silent! You have no right to lecture me. You have not earned it. You have not seen what I have seen. You have not done what I have done. You have not lost what I have lost. All your experience is not the tiniest sliver compared to mine. I have forgotten a hundred times as many years as any of you could hope to live! All that you think is truth, I know to be lies. All that you think is knowledge, I know to be falsehood. All that you think is wisdom, I know to be folly. You are children, and you will be silent when adults are speaking. If you can’t behave, then I will be forced to ask you to leave.” His tone was threatening in a way that the words were not, and his eyes gleamed feverishly. The mortal ponies fell quiet, but as they watched the master of the forest, the accusations in their eyes spoke volumes. Luna voice, utterly calm, broke the tense silence. “Was it really necessary to be so harsh?” “The truth is often harsh, princess,” Ever Free replied, scowling as he spat the title like an insult. The dark alicorn snorted and stated wryly, “On that, I grant, we are in agreement.” She sighed. “Even so, five thousand years ago you knew what delicacy was, and kindness. I never expected to hear such words from you.” “Oh, you think you know me? How, with my cutie mark gone and my face scarred beyond recognition?” The stallion grimaced, twisting his visage further. “Bluffing, Luna? How very distasteful.” “I don’t need to bluff. Aside from my sister and I, you are the only alicorn capable of creating this forest,” Luna said. She smiled. “It helps that you’re still living in the same library. Do you think that my sister and I are foals?” Ever Free shrugged, his expression softening into a sheepish smile. “Nothing wagered, nothing gained. I did not know that I lived here before my self-imposed exile.” His eyes narrowed. “If your words are true, that is.” “They are. In any case, I certainly don’t need to recognize you to know who you are. Or should I say ‘were’?” The alicorn shook her head and sighed. “You are not the stallion you should be. I remember the pony you once were; he would not approve of what you have become.” “Then you have me at a disadvantage, as you well know,” The stallion replied, “I cannot remember the pony I once was. I only know that I am the pony he made me. He decided what to remember and what to forget. He wrote down only what he knew was worth keeping. He studied those things that were worth remembering. He left behind the parts of himself that were weak, or pitiful, or inferior. This is who he chose to be - who I chose to be. This is what I made of myself!” Ever Free spread his wings wide, throwing forward his chest and raising his chin. He grinned with pride, the expression twisted by the scars on his face. “And it. Is. Glorious.” A hint of sorrow entered Luna’s voice. “Are you so proud of your wounds? Why do you treasure your past self’s pain?” “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” the other alicorn spat. He lowered his wings, wincing as he tucked them tight to his sides. “There has never been weakness in my body,” The princess of the night said, “Yet I have felt agony beyond measure.” The stallion snorted. “I’m not sure you understand the term. Besides, the rules have always been different for your kind. Weighted in your favor. Do not expect me to pity you because your form is eternally perfect.” Luna looked to the ground as she murmured, “Our rules are not as different, I think, as you expect.” “Then why have you never been called to account for crimes that would see a mortal banished or worse?” Ever Free asked. “I was banished!” The princess insisted. “Or have you not been paying attention for the last thousand years?” “Time does fly,” Ever Free said. He chuckled, a harsh, cruel sound that seemed to echo off the shelves. “But enough flippancy. You know what I mean. Or perhaps you don’t. Perhaps it all just blends together for you.” He sneered at the princess. “What is one life among millions you’ve ended before their time, after all?” “I never forget the crimes I’ve committed,” Luna said. “Then you should answer for them. You and that other all-powerful puppetmistress.” The stallion uttered an exclamation of disgust. “Are you aware of what she did to Twilight Sparkle? It’s no wonder the poor little unicorn wants nothing to do with Celestia.” “Hey!” Twilight objected. Ever Free held up a hoof in reassurance as his ever-present glower shifted momentarily into a lopsided grin. “No offense meant, it was merely wordplay.” His tone became hard as he addressed the other alicorn, “In any case, it’s not like Celestia wants anything to do with her. That much is abundantly clear. The ‘princess’ doesn’t give a damn about her protege.” “My sister values all her students, perhaps more than even she understands, and she cares for this one above all others,” Luna insisted, an earnest energy driving her words, “There is nothing more precious to her.” “Oh?” The stallion asked, drawing out the word, seeming to take great pleasure in it, “Then why are you here, and not her? Isn’t this her place? Isn’t this her misguided rescue attempt to make?” Luna’s countenance did not shift, but a sliver of doubt entered her voice. “I cannot speak for her.” “Of course not. Only for all the worthless pawns she created. Very well. If you cannot speak for her, then bring her here,” Ever Free said, gesturing toward the passage to the outside with a hoof, “Let her come and speak for herself. Let her try to convince Twilight Sparkle to return to exile in a backwater farming town. That’s what you came here for, is it not? Well Celestia clearly has more experience manipulating her dear student, so let the mistress show us how it’s done. I would love to see it!” Luna stood still for a moment. She glanced from Ever Free to Twilight Sparkle, then closed her eyes and nodded. “Very well. I will try to convince her. I have only one request.” The stallion’s eyebrows rose. “Oh? Setting conditions?” The princess frowned at him. “It is to your advantage.” She walked slowly over to the basin of water and dipped a hoof in. Its clear surface clouded, then began to glow a brilliant white. “Come, everypony. You should watch.” The ponies gathered around the edge of the pool, shielding their eyes from its glare however they could. Ever Free followed and stopped just behind the other alicorn. He craned his neck to look over her shoulder at the source of the light. An echoing crack sounded from the pool, and Fluttershy reared in fright at the unexpected noise. Luna’s smiled and whispered, “Watch... and listen.” And with that, she was gone. In the center of the scrying pool, a shadowed spot appeared amidst the blinding brightness of metal and marble. * * * Light dazzled Luna, featureless white brilliance momentarily overloading her ability to perceive. With a blink, she adjusted. Features of the throne room began to appear in the washed-out void. The gaps between columns became visible almost immediately, but the faint glow of stars could not overcome the glare; the rectangles of black emptiness took away all sense of scale, giving the impression that the hall floated alone in empty space. Ice covered the floor and crawled up carvings in the marble. Fingers of frost spread web-like between silver stars in the ceiling. Groups of icicles hung like shining stalactites, their facets reflecting an overwhelming brilliance. In the center of the room, the source of the radiance sat on her throne. Celestia’s outline wavered, fading as the distinction between the princess and her light blurred. Her mane had lost its color; it waved in the still air, a featureless white sheet. Only one of the alicorn’s features remained sharp: her eyes. The princess of the night met the other mare’s gaze. Black pupils in the shape of vertical slits stared back, surrounded by blue irises as pale as death. Luna shuddered; her sister’s eyes held all the warmth of winter sun on freshly fallen snow. Celestia’s voice rang out across the chamber, though she remained motionless, jaw clenched, lips still. “Good evening, Luna.” “Sister,” the dark alicorn murmured in disbelief before raising her voice, “What is going on here?” The reply came without emotion or urgency, utterly flat. “Nothing of import; court is out of session today. I am simply waiting for tomorrow’s session to begin.” Luna raised a hoof, breaking off a coating of ice that had begun to spread upward from the floor. She frowned at it. “How are you going to hold court in here? All the petitioners would end up blind and frozen.” “I don’t know what you mean.” The smaller sister stomped and a spiderweb of cracks spread from the point of impact. “Sister, I thought you were above this. Didn’t you learn from my example?” A momentary hint of anger touched Celestia’s sourceless voice. “I am not Nightmare Moon.” Luna snorted. “And yet you know exactly what I was talking about. Even you aren’t oblivious enough to fail to notice your own transformation.” “I do what I must.” The dark mare’s horn flashed, and the ice within a few steps her disappeared with a deafening hiss. “And what ‘must’ you do, sister? Give up? Give in to the worst parts of yourself? Turn into something twisted and destructive? No good can come from this. Suppress these urges. Your favored student needs your guidance now. Without it, she may lose her way forever. And, from what I see, you may lose yours.” “Twilight Sparkle...,” Celestia paused. “Is nothing to me.” The night princess took a step toward the throne, and the light of the hall dimmed nearly imperceptibly. “That’s the most blatant lie I’ve ever heard from you, sister. You told me about what you’ve done for her, the education and guidance. It seems a good bit more than nothing to my eye.” “I accepted her into my school only because she was a potential Element of Magic.” The ice retreated in the face of Luna’s advance, melting into puddles that disappeared in puffs of steam whenever the alicorn stepped into them. “And yet you adopted her as your personal student, when you could just as easily have watched her from afar.” “I needed her close, to guide her progress.” Drops of water began to fall from the ceiling. When one hit the smaller sister’s waving mane, it sizzled away in an instant. “And yet when living in Ponyville was the best thing for her welfare, you let her stay, knowing that she would grow more mature on her own, and possibly grow out of your control.” “You are back. She has outlived her usefulness.” The dripping became a light rain and trickling streams ran down the columns, following the curves in the stonework. “And yet the first full conversation we had, before we left Ponyville, was little more than you praising her. You spoke with almost glowing pride. I think it was very nearly the first genuine emotion I’d ever heard in your voice.” As the light’s intensity diminished further, the moon became visible through one of the gaps in the line of columns, no longer too strongly outshone to be seen. “I was proud of my accomplishment in guiding her, as I would be in the design of any tool that had ably served its purpose.” A sheet of ice dropped from the ceiling and shattered with a crash, but Luna spoke over the noise. “And yet you asked her to send you reports on friendship. Has she sent any? Have you read them?” “She sent a few, before she stopped sending letters. I read them.” “And?” Luna asked. Celestia’s flat voice changed just a bit as she spoke. “They are much like the lessons I myself learned, five hundred years ago.” The other alicorn could not place the emotion the words carried. Amusement? Nostalgia? Pride? Stars began to appear, slowly filling the space between the columns. “Why is it important that she learn those lessons?” “It is not.” Celestia’s voice hardened. “She means nothing to me.” Luna whispered, but her voice carried over the noise of the streams released by the melting ice. “Sister, think of the time we spent together. Think of the things we’ve accomplished together. Think of where you would still be without me. You owe me the truth. You can never harden your heart enough to deny that. Tell me: who are you trying to convince with these lies?” She continued to advance, step by slow step, toward her sister. The princess was silent for a time. When she spoke she was as stationary as ever, but her cold detachment was gone. Resignation took its pace. “Myself.” The dark alicorn nodded grimly. “What do you hope to accomplish?” “I don’t want to care anymore.” Luna sighed. “I have been in your place, sister. I have wanted to throw off the weight of my actions. I tried. I failed. The deeds I’ve done will never leave me. We must both bear our pain, sister. You ought to know that. What brought you to this desperation? What weighs so heavy upon you? Share your burden with me, sister; I can help you bear it.” She came to the base of the dais upon which the other alicorn’s throne rested. The dark mare put a hoof on the first step. Celestia’s disembodied voice shook. “Regret, Luna. I manipulated the pony who believed in me most. She trusted me, and I used her. Logically, it seemed like the right thing to do. I needed you back. It wouldn’t hurt her. She would be better off. I know best, don’t I? Isn’t that right? It feels wrong. So wrong.” The words began to spill forth faster and faster as the ancient alicorn nearly babbled, “I have you back, and it should be good, I should feel justified, like it was a price worth paying, but I don’t. I just can’t stop thinking about how I could have told her everything, and maybe she would have failed you, but I wouldn’t have failed her. Twilight’s innocence could not have lasted forever, but I didn’t have to break it. But then I think about what you would be going through if I hadn’t set her on that course. And I think about how I would have felt about this before I learned how to feel for my creations.” The princess laughed, a short and bitter bark, and the room shook. “Why is it that you always cared for them, but it is only recently that I learned how? And why... why didn’t you warn me how much it hurts? How it can hurt this much to lose just one of them?” The white alicorn’s body still glowed in purest white, but her outline once again clearly defined. Hints of ghostly color began to creep back into the edges of her bone-white mane. The night princess looked away from her sister. The hall was mostly dark, and the last of the ice was melting away, but the other mare’s eyes had not thawed; they yet held a piercing chill, and Luna could not face it any longer. “Why are we different? I don’t know. Why didn’t I warn you? Because I don’t think you could have understood. I don’t think it’s possible to understand suffering until you’ve felt it. But your pain... you know I can relate. To save the race of ponies from extinction, I sentenced every one of its members to death. Was it the right thing to do? I don’t know. Even if it was, it still haunts me. I feel guilt for having done it and I know I would feel guilt if I had stayed my hoof and refrained. Would they be better or worse off without me? Does it even matter? Perhaps neither option was wrong. Perhaps they are both unforgivable. Sister, I know what it’s like to feel so much and be sure of so little.” The other princess responded in a voice twisted with self-deprecation, “Ah, grand, a problem that both of us can share.” Luna climbed another step up the dais. “Not just us, sister. Everypony. I’ve watched them fail, and make mistakes, but so many of them keep going, never giving up. They feel the pain, but they don’t let it stop them. Even the six ponies who wield the Elements live with pain. I think that it has made them stronger, but I still know so little. I have not truly felt their suffering. Perhaps I never will. I don’t know whether or not to celebrate that fact. I do know that trying to ignore pain, in myself or in others, does not make it go away.” For a moment, the hall was silent. Even the water paused in its flow. “It was so much easier,” Celestia said, “when I didn’t care.” For the first time since Luna had come into the room, the white alicorn moved; she closed her eyes. “I don’t know why it matters so much to me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself. I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me. I think that’s what hurts the most.” The princess of the night leapt forward with a flap of her wings and wrapped her forehooves around her sister, hugging the other alicorn close. Luna’s grip slipped on a cold, hard surface, but after a heartbeat she felt the icy shell covering Celestia begin to crack, and then it was gone. She smiled as she felt her fellow princess return the hug. She whispered, “I felt the same for so long, and I’ve only just realized that what’s done is done. If you’ve wronged somepony, there’s nothing you can do to change that fact. All you can do is try to be the best pony you can to them, and work to make up for what you’ve done, even if that’s impossible. Even if it still hurts. We both may be beyond redemption, but there’s always hope. You may still be able to reconcile with your most faithful student. Ponies can be strange and wonderful, and there are some that will forgive the unforgivable just to see you smile.” Celestia spoke, her mouth finally moving to form the sounds. “Perhaps you’re right, Luna. At the very least, I can try. I owe Twilight that much. There was a report earlier that her life was in danger. Is she safe?” “Yes, sister,” Luna replied as she broke the long embrace, “But she has been convinced to turn against you by one of the remaining alicorns. The one that rules over the forest around our old home, in fact.” The regent of the day nodded. Her countenance was still hard, but it no longer looked cruel, and her eyes were warm again. “Then let us go. My students need me.” The alicorns disappeared, and the throne room was left dark and silent in the warm air of a gentle summer night.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-03-25T07:07:57+00:00

2012-03-25T07:07:57+00:00

As soon as Luna and Celestia disappeared from the image in the pool, it faded. Twilight Sparkle blinked at the clear water as the sudden silence weighed on her. She did not remember having fallen to her haunches, but the mare found that she was sitting on the loose pages that carpeted most of Ever Free’s library. Her mentor’s words echoed in her mind, and something deep inside of her threatened to claw its way out. She clenched her throat and held it in; she did not know whether it would have emerged as a laugh or a scream. The librarian flinched at the impact of a hoof on stone behind her. It was followed by another strike, then more in slow and even rhythm as Ever Free broke into a grim applause that echoed through the cavern. His voice dripped with a droll venom as he spoke, “Oh, good show. The crocodile tears of immortal tyrants are always so very moving.” “What reason do you have to doubt our sincerity?” Luna asked from her place on the other side of the scrying pool. The princess of the night stood next to her sister, who had regained the warm glory to which Twilight Sparkle was accustomed. A ghost of a smile crossed the unicorn’s lips as she gazed at the waving rainbow of Celestia’s mane. Ever Free allowed his hoof to drop a final time, grinding it into the floor as he sneered at the new arrivals. “What reason do I have to believe you? I trusted you in the past, and it brought only grief. You won’t pull the wool over my eyes so easily now. You only act for your own benefit; your appeals to virtue are hollow.” He gestured to the five from Ponyville with a wing as he glared across the pool at the sisters. “Loyalty, to you. Generosity, to those who have served you. Kindness, to those you favor. Laughter, at those who oppose you. Honesty, when it suits you. You twist these blessings to suit your own ends. I pity the bearers of your tools.” Ever Free ignored the pointed glares and hurt looks of the mortal ponies. His twisted face softened as his smile became genuine. “But” he continued, “I do not believe that Twilight Sparkle is as easily manipulated as most of these sycophants. Am I right, little one? Do you accept their royal lies at face value? Are you like your poor friends here?” Twilight glanced over her shoulder at Ever Free, meeting his gaze for a moment before looking across the pool. The intent curiosity in Luna’s eyes was familiar; the librarian had often seen it in the mirror. Celestia’s visage held only the same hopeful pride that had always filled it. The mare could not bear to look at her friends. She did not know whether she was failing them or they were failing her, but the doubts remained all the same. Her eyes dropped to her hooves and she studied them intently as she answered, “I... I don’t know.” “What I showed you,” Luna called out, “was not a trick! The image was true, the words were true, and I felt the sincerity of my sister’s answers. She cares for you, not as a means to an end, but as a pony. You are very dear to her, oh Bearer of Magic,” her eyes swept across the mortal ponies, lingering for a moment on Applejack as she continued, “and you are all very dear to me.” Twilight Sparkle forced herself to meet her mentor’s eyes. They held the same joy and pride that always filled them when the alicorn looked at her. Celestia opened her mouth as if to speak, but no sound came. The princess merely nodded once, slowly. For the first time in weeks, she felt a spark of hope. “You are a pawn to her, Twilight,” Ever Free hissed. “Never forget that. She used you and she would use any of us. We are just her creations, toys built to serve her purpose.” For the first time in Twilight Sparkle’s memory, princess Celestia raised her voice. Indignation filled the shouted words, “Not anymore! Much has changed since you took your leave of the world; I am not as I was. I care for the race of ponies as a mother cares for her children.” Ever Free reared and neighed, drawing all eyes as his own rolled in rage. With a powerful beat of his wings, he leaped over the six mares from ponyville and landed in the middle of the scrying pool. The splash shattered the serenity of the water, but the shallow basin barely wet the stallion’s matted fetlocks. He began to take a step toward the princesses, who watched his rage impassively, but he stopped, trembling. He put his hoof down and spoke, his voice building from a whisper to a roar as his words spilled forth, “You dare? You dare speak to me of children? After what your sister did to us... you dare!?” Celestia dropped her gaze, but her eyes flicked to Twilight before they settled on the ground. “I am not proud of it. Never think that, whatever else you believe of us, my little pony. It was my failure and my fault, and I’m sorry.” Luna placed a hoof on her sister’s side, looking up at the other mare as she spoke words of comfort, “You did the best you could. Falling short of perfection is not failure, sister.” The princess of the day smiled down at the other alicorn. “In this, Luna, I believe that it is. My imperfection caused them so much suffering.” She sighed. “I cannot shrug off that blame so easily.” “Nor,” the dark mare countered with a frown, “should you take the blame upon yourself for something that you could not have foreseen.” Ever Free snorted. “And so the fault disappears entirely in this divine cup game? Do you think that a few switches and some slight of hoof can make atrocities disappear like so many grifters’ tokens? Whatever fault Celestia bears, yours is far greater, tyrant of the night. Whatever else I may forget, I will not forget that it was you that dealt the deathblow to my race. You are the one that turned our children into these...,” the stallion gestured to the mortal mares behind him with a dismissive hoof, “beings. You took their strength, their grace, and their magic, and left them with a feeble shadow of one of their three birthrights. Worst of all, you took their immortality, as limited as it was in the hooves of my race. You made us watch our children die. A generation born feeble, that passed on so quickly. Is it any wonder that we finally collapsed? I have scryed, Luna. The few alicorns that remain are not in so fine a state as I have managed to keep myself.” He took a final look over his shoulder at the assemblage of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies that were the bearers of the Elements of Harmony and shook his head in silence. “I am sorry,” Luna replied, “What more can I say? My intervention was not all that I had hoped. I erred in judgement; I did not know your kind as well as I thought I did. In hindsight, I see many of the mistakes I made. Still, I had to do what I could to save the alicorns, when the research my sister was doing with-,” she cut herself off as Celestia shot her a warning glance. The dark alicorn nodded up at the other princess and continued, “When my sister’s research failed.” Ever Free turned and began to pace in the basin, each step sending ripples through the water with an audible splash. “Why? Why did you take it upon yourselves to attempt to ‘save’ us? Do you think we would not have seen our doom approaching? Do you think we would not have acted on our own until the last of us was dead?” The stallion looked from Luna to Celestia and back. “Why didn’t you just leave well enough alone?” “The plight of the alicorns was my fault,” Celestia said. “I could not ‘leave well enough alone’ as you say. I anticipated the extinction of your race due to a flaw in design. As your designer, I felt as though it was my problem to fix.” Ever Free turned to the mortal ponies and threw a hoof toward the princess of the day. “There it is, my little ponies. There is the unbridled arrogance that is the essence of our goddesses. They flaunt the power they have over us. In their eyes, we are not worthy of true consideration. They care for us not as equals, but as a project, a hobby. Their concerns are above our own, and our desires are taken into account last, if they are considered at all. You have all been pawns in their petty squabble, Twilight Sparkle most of all. She is not the first nor will she be the last. I have written of it, I have read of it, and now I see it before my very eyes, as I no doubt have many times before.” He stared for a few heavy seconds at the six before spun to face the princesses. Luna and Celestia frowned, but neither spoke. “It was our problem,” the stallion continued. “We were the ones dying. We were the ones that felt every loss. Even if when we could no longer remember their faces. Especially then...” he trailed off, falling silent. “I felt every loss as well,” Luna whispered, “and that is precisely what drove me to act.” “To act like a fool,” Ever Free spat. “We watched our children die because of you.” Celestia took a step into the pool as her eyes filled with compassion. “I have experienced that pain as well, Ever Free. I watch all of my children die.” The stallion snorted. “You watch all of your creations die. It is not the same thing. You have never lost a mate. You have never lost a naturally-born child.” He ran a hoof slowly across the surface of the water, watching the ripples for a moment before shaking his head. “I feel little for the beasts of this forest, but the heartache of two deaths filled this library. These shelves are an epitaph. Read the books and know my pain, if you can, but do not speak as though you understand me until you have.” He turned away from the sisters, and his head drooped as his eyes closed. It was the first time Twilight had seen any emotion other than frothing rage, manic glee, or smug self-satisfaction on that face. Celestia spoke, her voice soft, “The lines on a page can never be more than the faintest echo of what true feeling is. All the pain of all the words in all the libraries in the world add up to far less than a single broken heart.” She sighed, long and slow. “If you could feel what I feel instead of hearing what I say, and I could do the same for you, then perhaps we would truly understand each other. In any case, you’re wrong. I have lost a mate to Luna’s blessing. Even today, nearly five centuries later, I still feel it. The only thing that truly scares me,” she paused, her eyes flicking to Twilight Sparkle for a fraction of an instant, “is the idea of ever feeling it again.” “If that is so,” Ever Free replied, “then why don’t you want her punished? Have you not also suffered from her actions?” Celestia snorted. “I forgave my sister for that. It is an example you would do well to consider. Even if I were to punish Luna, what would you have me do? What penance would you demand from her that would fit what she has done?” “Demand?” the stallion questioned incredulously, “You ask what I demand? You humor me, but we both know that I am in no position to demand anything from you. There is no higher authority. I have no means by which to resist your wills. Compared to yours, my magic is but a candle against the sun.” He sighed and fell to his haunches with a light splash. He gazed into the clear water before him, his eyes wide. “I’ve waited five thousand years for this confrontation, Celestia. I thought that you would come for me sooner. I thought that I would have more to say when you did, but I know that I cannot make you pay for your crimes. I can only appeal to whatever decency you may have, if there is any within that flawless shell. “Perhaps these witnesses,” he said, tossing his head toward the mares behind him, “are enough to make you pretend that you do. You put on a good show of benevolence for them, princess, even if your true self slips through now and again. I suppose this is the best I could have hoped for, even if it’s a grim chance. What do I demand, Celestia? I have no ground to stand on for demands, but I do ask one thing of your sister. It is the same thing I would ask of you, for your role in all of this. I want you both to do what you should have done a long time ago. I want you to abdicate.” His gaze grew sharp as he met Celestia’s eyes, and his words hardened to match it. “I want you to leave the Equestria, and never return.” “No!” Applejack’s voice rang out, and all eyes turned to her. The farmer adjusted her hat, pulling the brim down as she looked away from the rest of the ponies. She said nothing more, but her outburst seemed to break the spell of magic or psychology that kept her fellows silent. Their voices rose in an unintelligible cacophony, protests jumbling together into a horrified objection. “Enough!” Ever Free roared over his shoulder at them, “did I not tell you that you were to be silent?” “Let them speak,” Luna said, “They have a right to be heard.” “What right?” the stallion asked, “This discussion is beyond their ken. I have lived long enough to learn all they know, and far more.” The dark alicorn snorted. “I could say the same of you, young one. Even if you were as old as me, that would not mean you’d have all my knowledge, nor I yours. I’ve lived as long as my sister, near enough, but we did not learn the same things at the same time.” Luna looked up at Celestia as she continued, “My sister taught me how to manipulate the building blocks of all things and I taught her how to manipulate the space between. Each of us knew one of these things for a longer time than you can fathom before we finally shared that knowledge with each other. If we had never tried to learn from each other, the world would be a very different place, and ponies would not exist. “More to the point,” the mare continued, turning her gaze back to Ever Free, “if she had not created your race, my sister and I would not have the knowledge that we do now. We were ancient when she formed the alicorns, but we learned from them. It was your people that taught us language, for example. There is no reason to speak when only one pony exists to communicate with and limitless time and power with which to show them what you mean. That method was sufficient for millions of years, but our conversations, such as they were, spanned centuries. Language distilled feelings and impressions and doubts and hopes and fears that I could not have expressed in all the eons my sister and I spent together into a simple sound that represented so much more. I cannot describe the joy I felt when I first called this pony ‘sister’.” She nuzzled Celestia and other alicorn beamed and returned the gesture. Ever Free’s mouth twisted in contempt, but he did not speak. Luna favored the scarred alicorn with a nod of respect. “Necessary or not, speech is useful, eloquent, and beautiful. I have your kind to thank for that gift. We never would have come up with it on our own. A difference in perspective, priorities, or experience can yield unique insights.” The princess pointed a hoof across the pool and smiled at the mares from Ponyville. “These ponies are different in so many ways, and there is great value in that. In the last few weeks, they have taught me more than I would have considered possible a thousand years ago. If I can find value in their words,” she said, addressing the stallion, “then you can as well.” Celestia nodded. “Absolutely. I still remember fondly the mortal stallion who taught me so much about ponies, and about myself. You too should try to learn the lessons that these mares can teach.” “Fine,” Ever Free huffed, “but save the vapid objections. There is little to learn from a pony shouting ‘no’ at me. The point remains: you two need to leave.” “Why?” Luna asked, “What purpose does it serve? It would prevent nothing; I have no intention of making the same mistake twice. I will be the first to admit that I should not have taken the fates of all ponies into my hooves so casually, but I have suffered for it and continue to suffer. Why ask for more?” “It would be justice,” the stallion spat. Celestia tilted her head. “Justice for what crimes?” she asked. “The slaying of somepony very dear to me, for one,” he replied, looking from one sister to the other and back. “I accuse you both of the murder of Golden Rose. What do you have to say for yourselves?” Twilight’s eyes widened and a shock passed through her as she heard the too-familiar name. As she had so often in class, she found herself blurting out a correction to a misrepresented point of history. “They didn’t kill Golden Rose, Ever Free! Heavens Sparkle did.” Celestia hung her head, shaking it slowly. Luna just looked on, her brow furrowed in confusion. Ever Free turned just far enough to fix one glaring eye on the librarian “What?” he asked, his voice low. Twilight Sparkle trembled. Something in the stallion’s tone caused her eyes to widen and her vision tunnel. The mare’s heart began to pound in her chest as her breathing quickened. She felt the primal urge to bolt, to run, to put as much distance as she could between herself and the ancient being before her. She found that she could not; his unwavering gaze seemed to pin her in place. She swallowed, pushing her instincts to the back of her mind. She was a rational pony, and she was right about a fact. That was enough. That had always been enough. She looked over her shoulder as her horn began to glow. A matching aura appeared around her bag, which rose from the reading table and deposited itself in front of her. She reached a hoof in and poked around, moving books aside until the telltale glint of gold alerted her to the volume she wanted. The unicorn levitated The Journal of Heavens Sparkle out of its pocket, and turned the gilt-leaf flower on the cover toward the alicorns. “Was... was this her cutie mark?” she asked, flinching slightly despite herself. Luna gasped and raised a hoof to cover her mouth as her eyes widened in horror. Ever Free nodded slowly. “It is.” He frowned. “What book is that and what does it have to do with her?” Twilight Sparkle swallowed and opened the journal, flipping through it as she began to babble, “This is Heavens Sparkle’s journal. He’s... a distant relative of mine who lived a long time ago. Most of the text is about his mentor, his family, and his friends. The last few entries, though, are very dark. His son was born deformed, passed the deformity on to another generation of children, and died young. Heavens Sparkle went mad with grief. He blamed it on his mate, Golden Rose, and killed her. But he was wrong, it wasn’t her. When he learned that, he passed the journal on to his grandson before going into seclusion to keep himself from hurting anypony else.” The librarian looked up and gave Ever Free a hopeful half-smile as the glowing pages continued to turn themselves. “His mate? What do you mean his mate?” the stallion asked, his tone split evenly between confusion and anger. “Golden Rose was my mate!” The librarian and the pages both stopped. Twilight’s eyes widened, then flicked from the book to one of the papers that covered the floor and back as she compared the lines of ink. The hornwriting was identical. The mare’s ears folded back as realization overtook her. She gazed across the pool, and the pity in the eyes of the princesses confirmed her worst fears. “You’re right,” she replied, her voice weak. “Of course I’m right.” He frowned. “So who is Heavens Sparkle?” Twilight shook as she considered whether the alicorn would be more angered by silence or by her response. Celestia sighed. “It’s hard to say this, Ever Free, but you deserve to know. You are Heavens Sparkle,” Celestia replied. “You wrote that journal.” For a few heartbeats, nopony spoke. “Lies,” Ever Free whispered. “This is a trick. I loved Golden Rose. I would never have... I could never have killed her. It was you!” he shouted, jabbing a hoof at the other alicorns, “I know it.” “How do you know?” Luna asked. The stallion drew himself up to his full height. “I wrote it down, so that I could never forget. I read it every day, so the words stay fresh.” “An’ how,” Applejack called out, “do you know you wrote the truth?” Ever Free frowned. “Why would I lie to myself?” “Why wouldn’t you lie, if the truth were so,” Rarity paused, shuddering, “absolutely horrible?” Rainbow Dash scoffed, “It wouldn’t change what he did. What’s the point?” “It must have hurt so much, to know,” Fluttershy said, “I mean, if it were me I might...” As all eyes turned to her, she disappeared behind Applejack with a squeak. Pinkie Pie scratched her head with a hoof. “It’s like a surprise party, but backward. Or maybe sideways or inside out. Hide something bad so you don’t know about it ‘till one day you open the door and it all hits you at once.” Her ears folded back. “I’ve never said this before, but I wish we hadn’t been invited to this party.” “This is foolishness!” Ever Free shouted, “and I will not stand for such defamation. Even if I were this ‘Heavens Sparkle’, that story is just a way for them to frame me for the crimes that they committed.” “Why would they do that?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Well... well,” the stallion stammered, “it’s quite clearly a trick. A way to make it look like my accusations are unfounded. To turn you against me.” “We were already against you,” Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes, “duh.” “It all just seems like so much trouble to go through to deflect only one accusation,” Rarity added, “How did they know that Twilight would bring the book? Or that you would go after Twilight? Or any number of things, for that matter.” “The tyrant of the sun plans so far in advance that you could not possibly imagine the scale,” Ever Free insisted, “She twists every eventuality to her own end, and leaves nothing to chance. I would not be surprised if you all being here now was her plan all along.” Celestia sighed. “I wish I could be as competent as you think I am, Heavens Sparkle. I would not have made so many mistakes, overlooked so much, failed so destructively. Even if I was too familiar with power in the past, my days of heartless manipulation are behind me. I no longer have the desire to be a tyrant. This meeting is your doing, not mine.” “Lies, it is all lies,” the stallion murmured, his eyes wide as he stared at the ground. “You cannot trust anything that she says.” “You are Heavens Sparkle,” Celestia insisted. She took a few steps into the pool and stopped in front of Ever Free as her horn began to glow. “You can deny it, you can run from it, you can hide for thousands of years as you cover yourself with scars to disfigure what lies beneath, but you cannot escape it in the end. You are who you are, Heavens. The things you have done do not go away when you lie to yourself. You have committed an unspeakable crime, but it need not define you. I have seen the good within you, the joy and the life.” She smiled at the stallion, and the white aura around her horn grew. The other alicorn refused to meet her gaze. He clenched and unclenched his jaw as he frowned at the water beneath her. Celestia reached out a hoof and placed it under Ever Free’s chin, raising his muzzle until she could look him in the eyes. “You have shrouded yourself in darkness, putting distance and ground and scars and hatred between yourself and any who could help you. You covered your pain with vitriol and tried to forget the wounds inside of you instead of treating them. It is all buried so deep, but who you truly are never goes away. No matter how black you make your heart, the light inside can still shine through.” The brilliance of Celestia’s magic grew, and Twilight raised a leg to block the glare just before a final flash hit. For a few moments the unicorn was struck blind, but as she blinked her sight began to return. The pair of alicorns in the pool had not moved. The only thing different was Heavens Sparkle’s flanks: a yellow, five-pointed star marked each one. “Even as I speak, the events I showed to you are fading from your memory, Heavens Sparkle,” Celestia said, “but it should be enough to see that what I said was truth; you saw what you did on that day.” The stallion nodded mutely, his eyes wide as he stared past the princess. “Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked hesitantly, “what did you do?” The alicorn turned to smile at her student. “I showed him what happened, all those years ago. I showed him who he was, and he responded.” She glanced at Heavens Sparkle with a quizzical frown. “I did not expect the process to restore his cutie mark, though,” she added. The stallion gave his head a shake as he blinked, seeming to come to his senses. He stood, water dripping from his coat, and a red aura surrounded his horn. With a flash, he dried himself, then turned toward Twilight. The alicorn’s scarlet aura surrounded the Journal of Heavens Sparkle, wrenching it from the librarian’s magic grasp. It floated to Heavens, who gazed longingly at the rose on the cover for a moment. He flipped the tome over and studied the five-pointed star that adorned the back of the tome and matched his cutie mark. “I... have reading to do, and much to think upon.” Celestia smiled at him. “When you are ready to talk about this, old friend, please pay me a visit in Canterlot.” “I don’t know if I will ever be ready. Not for this.” The stallion sighed. “I can’t bear to look at your face. On some level, I still believe you did it, even though I know that’s not true. I was so sure. Talk? To you? Not this century. Maybe I’ll be able to write.” He glanced at the crowd of mortal ponies. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t strong enough.” With a final burst of red light, the alicorn and his journal disappeared. For a heartbeat, the library was silent. “Wahoo!” Rainbow Dash yelled, pounding her hooves into the floor in applause, “Way to go princess!” “Oh, good show indeed your grace, well done,” Rarity added, bringing her hooves together politely to add to her friend’s ovation. “That was just about the best light show ever,” Pinkie Pie raved, “You’re awesome, princess!” Celestia nodded in acknowledgement at the celebrating ponies, a slim smile upon her lips. “So... is it over? Did that put everythin’ to rights?” Applejack asked. “No,” Twilight stated, “I don’t think it did.” She addressed her mentor, “Princess, who was he?” Celestia smiled at her student. “As you saw, he was Heavens Sparkle.” “Not his name,” the unicorn replied, her voice a dull monotone. “Who was he to you? How did you know him?” “He was her research assistant and personal student,” Luna said, and her sister nodded. “How long have you known he lived here?” Twilight asked. “I knew where he disappeared to as soon as he left,” Celestia replied The librarian frowned. “Why didn’t you do that,” she paused, gesturing with a hoof to the space that Heavens had occupied at the center of the pool, “thing before?” “Because I didn’t know that he blamed me for the death of his mate,” the princess answered, her brow furrowing in confusion. “You would have known,” Twilight snapped, “if you had talked to him.” “I suppose...,” Celestia trailed off as she tilted her head. “What are you asking, Twilight?” “But you didn’t talk to him, did you?” the unicorn asked. “Twilight,” Celestia began. “You just didn’t care,” the mare spat, interrupting her mentor. “That’s not true,” Celestia insisted, stomping a hoof in frustration. “Then why didn’t you go and comfort him when he realized what he did, try to help him get better, recover for his madness?” Twilight asked, “Or if you were a tyrant, why didn’t you lock him up?” Her voice fell. “He just didn’t matter one way or another to you, did he? Celestia looked away from her student. “I was different in the past. My priorities with regard to ponies were not what they should have been, were not what they are now.” The unicorn tilted her head. “Then what were you thinking?” “I believed...,” the alicorn hesitated, her eyes running over the forest of bookshelves that filled the cavern, “I believed that he deserved to get the space he wanted.” Twilight snorted and spoke in the sardonic tone that had come so much easier to her before she’d made any friends, “Well it clearly wasn’t what he needed.” Celestia’s face fell. “I could not have known-” “And if your priorities are so far improved now,” the librarian cut in, “then why haven’t you contacted him recently? Reached out to him?” She paused. “Told him about his descendants?” “I’ve been... stubborn.” The princess sighed. “In hindsight, I ought to have acted sooner,” she added with a nod. “Acted!?” Twilight Sparkle shouted, leaping to her hooves as righteous indignation overtook her. “You shouldn’t have acted! You should have talked. How could you think that it’s okay to just appear out of the blue and sweep away five thousand years of bitter feelings and ignoring each other?” She pointed a hoof at her mentor and jabbed it forward to punctuate her points. “He had every reason to distrust you; if he forgot killing his mate and you haven’t seen him since then, then it seems certain he’s forgotten everything he really knew about you. It would have been hard, but you could have talked to him, convinced him. You could have tried! Didn’t he deserve that much, at least, despite what he did? You could have saved your friendship, or built a new one. Isn’t that what’s important? Friendship is new to me, but I know that you can make magic with friendship. I don’t think it works the other way around. You barely let him process what he’d learned before you stepped in and zapped his concerns away. Now he’s gone. Do you know where he is?” She glanced around, an exaggerated expression of vapid ignorance on her face. Her visage hardened as it returned to Celestia. “Because I don’t. Did you think that maybe I’d want to talk to him, now that I know he’s my however-many-times-great grandfather? Did you even think about it?” She snorted in derision. “I guess not. What’s a personal student one way or the other? You’ll always have another one in a generation or two.” Twilight sighed. The look of hurt growing in her mentor’s eyes tormented the unicorn, but it did not stop more words from spilling forth. “Could that have been me? If you can let one personal student rot away alone in a library, stewing in misplaced bitterness, why not another? Would you have simply left me there? If I’d ever gathered enough courage to send you a letter, would you have answered it? He didn’t remember what he’d been to you, but you did. I don’t have the words to express what you are to me, but with your knowledge, you must. Why didn’t you try to remind him? Why didn’t you try to teach me?” She sank to the ground, lying at the edge of the scrying pool, and dipped a hoof in. For a moment, she just watched the ripples spread. “You know me better than I know myself, but I feel like I don’t know you at all. There’s just so much to you that I can’t see it all, and I can’t tell whether I’m looking at part of a face or part of a mask.” When the water stilled, Twilight studied her reflection. She didn’t think that scars would have looked good on her. She wondered if she had any choice in the matter; perhaps they would find her whether or not she sought them out Twilight put a hoof through the image in the pool, banishing it. She spoke again, weary defeat heavy in her words, “How do we know that you did what you said? How do I know you didn’t just cast a spell of obedience or show him something untrue? Would you do the same to me?” Twilight looked up at her mentor and stared at the torque around the alicorn’s neck. She couldn’t force her gaze any higher. ”How can I ever look you in the eyes again?” she whispered. “If I explained myself,” Celestia replied, “would you believe me?” There was no hope in the alicorn’s voice, only resignation. Twilight closed her eyes as her head lowered. “I wish I knew.” The librarian started as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked up to see Luna smiling down at her, and Applejack standing at the alicorn’s side. The others from Ponyville clustered around Twilight, concern plain on all their faces. The princess of the night spoke, her voice low and kind, “Bearer, you have doubts. I understand. We all have doubts; even I have doubts about my sister, as she has doubts about me. We have spent a long time together and have not always been in accord. We have lied to each other, insulted each other, hurt each other. I even betrayed her, becoming a twisted shadow of my true self in the process. I could have ruined all that we worked together to achieve. She knows that I still have the capacity for that sort of act, and after seeing her today, I know that she has that capacity as well. I don’t think either of us will succumb, but neither of us can truly be sure. Even with that knowledge, I trust her.” “Why?” Twilight whispered. Luna looked across the pool at her sister. “A month ago, I wouldn’t have been able to answer that, but now... now I think I can. There are many reasons,” she said, turning toward Rainbow Dash. “I trust her because she is my sister, the only being I can call family, and that bond is worth preserving.” The princess nodded at Rarity, who bowed at the acknowledgement. “I trust her,” the alicorn continued, “because I must. The balance of this world is disrupted when we are at odds, and we cannot accomplish anything for anypony if we cannot work together with confidence.” Pinkie Pie beamed as Luna’s gaze fell on her. “I trust her because I want to. It makes me happy to do so because she makes me happy. We cannot enjoy each others’ company if we cannot trust each other.” Luna smiled at Fluttershy, who averted her gaze, hiding behind a curtain of pink mane. The alicorn giggled. “I trust her because it hurts to be distrusted, and I don’t want her to feel that pain.” Applejack blushed as Luna nuzzled her neck. The princess of the night looked back down at Twilight. “Most of all, I trust her because she is an honest pony. She does not always tell the whole truth. She did not always tell the truth at all. I thought that such things were dishonesty, but a wise mare once told me that honesty isn’t about telling the truth; it’s about being worth trusting. You trusted my sister your whole life. Think of what she gave you, what you learned, how much you enjoyed being her student. Look at what you have now,” Luna said, her hoof pointing to each of her friends in turn. “We’re here for you Twilight, no matter what you decide,” Rainbow Dash insisted with a cocky grin. The other mares nodded, and the librarian felt a pair of hooves wrap gingerly around her neck as Fluttershy pulled her into a hug. Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth, but she was too overcome to say anything; she didn’t know what words could have expressed her appreciation even if she had been able to speak. “The question to ask is not ‘can I trust her?’” Luna said, “the question is: ‘is she worth trusting?’” “What do you say, Twilight Sparkle?” Celestia asked as the other ponies moved aside to let her approach her student. “Will you give me a chance to explain myself? Will you let me try to assuage your doubts?” Twilight smiled up at her mentor and stood. “No,” she said, “I won’t. More words for me to pick apart? I would only see what I wanted to see in them anyway. I’ll trust you, princess. If anypony is worth trusting, it’s you.” Celestia stepped forward and hugged the unicorn, pulling the other mare close as she whispered, “Oh, my most faithful student... I cannot express how much I missed you.” Twilight Sparkle did not doubt that the words were true. She simply smiled, and trusted, and the moment glowed like magic in her heart.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-03-25T03:55:09+00:00

2012-03-25T03:55:09+00:00

“Well. Here I am again, and there you still are.” Heavens Sparkle said. He had never heard his own voice sound so weary. His mouth twisted in distaste. Still, it was better than his old fire and bite, more justified at the very least. He leaned forward, leaning the tip of his horn against the black marble obelisk before him and releasing a long, slow breath. He stood in a place of rest, but such repose was not for him. He couldn’t bring himself to cast off his burdens so easily. Life was a more fitting punishment. A thick curtain of gray fog hid the seemingly endless field of graves that surrounded the alicorn. It did not matter; he had never paid the rest of the cemetery much attention. That much, at least, had not changed since the night before. The stallion only had eyes for the stone front of him, and for the gilding upon it. He had only ever had eyes for her... or so he hoped. That too may have been a lie, but Heavens didn’t think so. “Every day, for thousands of years. I don’t know what I expect. It’s not like you’re going to come out to have a conversation.” He sighed. “Every day. How long has it been since I said I was sorry? How long ago did I decide to forget? Who was I, when you were still alive?” Heavens Sparkle reached out a hoof, and traced the the gleaming stem of the inlaid rose that marked the grave. Her cutie mark was immortalized in gold; it was only fitting. “Would you still be able to love me, as I am today? Could you ignore my scars? Would you forgive me for what I did? Would you want bury it all, to forget, the way I did?” The stallion laughed, a bark of bitterness and self-derision. “If you were here, there would be nothing to forgive! I’m not making any sense, am I?” His conciliatory smile had no impact on the stone. “I suppose you’re surprised, if you have any capacity for it. What happened to the angry ranting? The swearing of vengeance and eternal hatred?” Heavens fell to his haunches and rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. “I don’t suppose I could convince you that I got tired of it? No? It’s the truth, believe it or not, even if it’s not the whole truth. I was tired of it, but I had been so tired for so long that I just didn’t realize it anymore. Admittedly, that doesn’t explain this,” he said as he looked over his shoulder, taking in the sight of the five pointed star on his flank. It was alien to him, but still somehow familiar, like something glimpsed long ago, in a half-forgotten dream. “Does it? “I’ll tell you all about it... eventually. When I’m ready. It’s not like we don’t have the time, is it, my love?” Heavens sighed. He looked around and took in the sight of a world that seemed to fade into a grey obscurity a few hoofsteps away. For once, his perception of space matched his perception of time. The thought amused him, and his lips curled upward. The smile was sickly. It faded almost as soon as it appeared. “I’ve been reading a bit of what I wrote before I... well... you know. Or rather, I know. Now. It’s a journal. I was so happy, then. You’re in it. Well, of course you’re in it.” The stallion closed his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m babbling. You’re just so beautiful, even there on the page, and when I’m reading, it feels like I can almost see you out of the corner of my eye, smiling or laughing or just standing beside me. I can’t remember any of it, but it feels so familiar, like I could almost reach out and touch you.” He extended a hoof, and felt it press against cold, unyielding stone. “But I can’t. I never will, and it hurts to read about when I could. To read about when we were together. When we were happy. It hurts, but it’s a good hurt. A cleansing hurt, like a tension that’s built for so long and is finally, finally breaking. A more merciful pain than I deserve, to be sure.” He clenched his eyes, trying to call forth a vision of the mare he loved. He wracked his memory for any scrap or fragment of a broken image, but came up short. All that he could see was a golden rose on a black stone obelisk, a grave where a mare should have been. “I miss you,” he breathed. Long minutes passed before Heavens Sparkle spoke again. “What else is there to say?” He tapped his chin with a hoof. “I suppose I can bore you with shop talk for a bit. There’s nothing new, really, though I’ve gotten a bit of inspiration for a new project. I think it might be similar to some of my early experiments, but I can’t be sure; a fire destroyed all my notes from that era at some point. I wonder if that was why I invented that fireproofing charm.” The stallion snorted. “I’m just putting it off, aren’t I?” He sighed. “I don’t know why I’m nervous. Maybe when you do something every day for as long as you can remember, and centuries more besides, even the small details become set in place. They become important, hard to change, even if change is an improvement. Yellow roses to match your mane, every day. I hope you liked them, even if you aren’t going to be getting any more.” Heavens Sparkle shot his most winning smile at the stone. It slipped as he remembered that the anger he was trying to defer could never have come. “No more flowers, you may ask? How can this be? Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions, my love. I never said that. No more yellow roses, certainly. You see, my old journal reminded me of something I had forgotten long, long ago. Maybe even before...,” he trailed off and was silent for a few moments. “I am referring, of course,” he continued with forced enthusiasm, “to your favorite color! All these years, I’ve been giving you flowers of the wrong hue. I don’t know how I failed to guess it before.” He glanced at his own coat and stretched a scarlet wing, watching it unfurl. “It does explain why you fell for somepony like me,” he joked. He levitated the bouquet of flowers he’d left at the base of the stone the previous morning. With a crimson flash, they disappeared. “Things are different now. Out with the old, in with the new. Even if it hurts. Even these beauties have their thorns, after all.” He wove a bit of magic and a new bouquet appeared in front of him, twelve roses as red as blood. He laid it at the base of his mate’s gravestone. “There. Roses of your favorite color. Much more fitting. At least some good has come of this. I’ll get out of your mane. I’ve got a lot more reading to do, after all. Maybe even some research.” He smiled, even though he didn’t feel like smiling. “One last thing, before I go. I’ll say it now, and I’ll say it again. I’ll say it every day for the rest of eternity, if I live that long. I’m sorry, Golden Rose. I’m so sorry.” With that, he disappeared. * * * Luna levitated a pebble, studying it through the aura of her magic. The small, lumpy, irregular stone was a uniform and uninteresting grey; the royal gardens had countless paths and beds full of functionally identical bits of rock, all entirely unsuitable for her purposes. The alicorn minded little. She didn’t care about what the pebbles were. It was the things she could do with them that truly mattered. There was destiny in this rock, as there had been destiny in so many lifeless rocks before. She balanced it on a hoof, and set it spinning with a burst of magic, turning the dull mass into a grey blur. She channeled energy into it, and the pebble began to glow red, then orange. When waves of heat radiated from the now brilliantly glowing blur, it began to distort. The stone bulged around its axis, slowly but surely transforming into a smooth, flat disk. When the shape satisfied Luna, she stopped it with a flash from her horn, and it came to a rest on her hoof. The glow stopped and the shimmer in the air disappeared as she cooled her work. She smiled; it was just about perfect. The princess raised her hoof to her mouth and blew a gentle stream of air and magic onto the pebble. Its surface changed slowly from dull grey to brilliant green. She nodded to herself; it was ready. Luna raised her hoof to her eye and squinted as she looked past the stone, to the opposite shore of the pond in front of her. Well, it might have been a bit big to call a pond, but it was certainly too small to call a lake. She had never been too clear on when a body of water stopped being one and started being the other. The mare blinked and shook her head, returning her focus to the pebble and what lay beyond. She took aim again, and with a flash of magic she propelled it toward the other shore. The stone danced across the surface of the water, impacting with a splash at regular intervals before landing on the opposite shore among a pile of other skipping stones. Luna grinned; she was getting better. “Nice shot,” Celestia said from her place behind her sister. The smaller alicorn smiled, but did not turn to face the other mare as she replied, “Hello sister. I am glad you could join me. No court today?” Celestia snorted. “A lunch break, actually,” she replied. Luna could hear the grin in her sister’s words. The other mare’s mirth was infectious, and it crept into her own speech as she asked, “Do they know that you don’t need to eat?” “What they don’t know,” Celestia whispered, “won’t hurt them.” “I suppose,” the other princess replied with a laugh, “but I was enjoying myself before you interrupted. You could have waited until the evening.” “And let you ruin all the good stones? I think not.” A large black bird landed on a nearby branch, knocking loose a shower of leaves and catching the sisters’ attention. The beast’s oily black feathers and red prune of a wrinkled head did little to recommend its appearance. As Luna studied it, the avian began to vibrate, and a loud buzzing emanated from it. She frowned up at it, somewhat concerned. “Don’t worry, little sister. You’ll get used to it,” Celestia said. “It seems that I will have to,” Luna agreed, looking over her shoulder at the other mare. “In any case, what brings you out to the garden on this fine day?” “I could say,” the princess of the day answered as her lips curled into a half-smile, “that I’m just out to enjoy the sunshine, but the true answer is ‘curiosity.’” “Curiosity?” Celestia nodded. “So who is it?” Luna’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who’s who?” “Your...” The white alicorn snickered. “special somepony?” The other mare tilted her head. “What do you mean?” “There’s no point to playing coy, dear Luna. I can tell by your mane and tail,” Celestia said. She continued in a whisper, “The same thing happened to me.” “So this...” Luna gestured to her newly colored mane, which rippled in a wind that wasn’t there. “Means something?” “Oh my,” Celestia said, covering her grin with a hoof, “You don’t know, do you? That’s adorable.” “Sister!” Luna stomped a hoof into the grass as she insisted, “I am not ‘adorable’” “Whatever you say,” Celestia replied, her voice transparently insincere. The dark mare rolled her eyes. “Will you at least tell me what you’re talking about?” “Well,” the other princess replied, drawing the word out, “There’s a pony that you’ve been meeting, talking to, laughing with. A pony whose company you very much enjoy. A pony that you feel a special connection with. When they’re gone, you feel like something is missing, and when you’re with them, you feel complete. They bring you more joy than you ever thought a pony could.” She lowered her voice as she continued, “Most importantly, you know exactly what pony I’m talking about, do you not?” Luna swallowed. For a moment, she had been sure that she could taste apples. “Perhaps. What of it?” “Dear sister, you...,” Celestia paused for a moment, allowing her self-satisfied smile to grow with the tension, “are in love.” The other alicorn gaped at her sister. “Love? What do you mean, ‘love’?” “Exactly what I said. Love. The kind of love that two ponies who raise foals together feel. Love that inspires poems and launches ships. Romantic love, Luna.” “But we... they...,” Luna stammered, “I didn’t think that it was possible for us. Romance is theirs alone. We are not ponies.” Celestia walked forward, stopping just shy of the water’s edge. She looked down, and a regal image on the calm surface stared back up at her. “I used to think that too, sister. I would have agreed that we are different from them, above them, but I relied too much on inconsequential measures.” The princess paused and reached out a hoof, brushing it across the surface. Ripples and waves banished Celestia’s reflection, and she turned away from the water before the dancing fragments of color could resolve themselves once more. “four hooves, two ears, haunches and withers, mane and tail, blood and biology. These things do not a pony make. The essential characteristic of ponykind is not a part of their bodies but a quality of their hearts. The feelings one pony has for another, the pain of loss, the joy of togetherness, those are what matter in their lives, and in our lives too.” She paused, and a fond smile spread slowly across her face as her gaze grew distant. “Love, Luna. Love makes them what they are. I see that you feel love; I too have felt it. We are not something different from them, separate and apart. We are mares, sister. Love makes us so.” “So... you’re saying I love Applejack?” Luna’s eyes widened as the name left her lips. “Oh?” Celestia asked with a knowing smirk, “Applejack is the one? She must be; you can remember her name. Very interesting. I wouldn’t have expected you to go for the muscular type, but to each her own.” The princess of the night felt her jaw drop. She blinked at her sister for a moment before mustering a stammered reply. “That is not a factor in my opinion of Applejack.” Her ears folded back. “And could you please refrain from telling anypony about this? This matter requires... consideration.” She studied the ground intently, hoping fervently that the heat in her cheeks would dissipate if she ignored it. Luna felt the reassuring touch of a hoof on her shoulder as Celestia spoke warmly, “Sister, I would not be at all surprised if she already knew.” The princess paused, and a wry twist distorted her grin. “Though if she returns your feelings, I’ve no idea what she sees in you,” Celestia joked. The dark mare snorted. “You’ve learned much of wit in the last thousand years.” She grinned. “Took you long enough.” The sisters fell silent. A gust of wind rustled the trees and the buzzard flew off with an offended squawk. “You seem much closer to your current personal student than you were with any in the past,” Luna said, her conversational tone quite transparently forced. Her sister nodded. “That is true.” “Just how close are you?” the dark mare asked. “I thought that would be painfully obvious by now, sister.” Celestia paused, then continued in a lower tone, “I’ll admit that I love her, and I know that she feels the same of me.” Luna tilted her head. “Then why is she in Ponyville and not here, with you?” Celestia sighed. “Because it is better for her. She deserves to live her own life, become her own mare. She will find her way back here, once she has learned the lessons that Ponyville has to teach. We will have time enough together.” She smiled, her tone brightening. “Until then, there are always letters. And the occasional visit, of course.” “Of course,” Luna replied. She hesitated a moment before adding, “What about your other student?” “He got what he needed. He will move past his anger, with time. If I know him, he’ll be back to his old research before we know it.,” Celestia said, and added with a decisive nod, “And I do know him.” Luna frowned up at the other alicorn. “How much of this did you foresee, sister? How much did you plan?” Celestia’s gaze grew distant as she looked away from her sister. “Enough of it, Luna. Enough.” Her horn flashed. “Now I must return to court. I hope you enjoy finishing your mural.” With a flap of her wings, she took off. Luna stared across the lake, to where Celestia had rearranged the unordered pile of red and green stones into an outline of three apples, laid out on the grass. She smiled, levitated a fresh pebble, and set to work. * * * As Luna relaxed into the rough comfort of the grass beneath her back, the first star appeared in the night sky. “Well how’s that for timing?” Applejack said, “Moon ain’t even over the horizon yet and we’ve already got somethin’ ta gaze at. Leastways, we do if stargazin’ involves gazin’. I can never tell with you, Luna.” She frowned. “Come to think of it, not with anypony that’s got a horn. Y’all make things so much more complicated than they oughta be. What were we talkin’ about, again?” The alicorn laughed as she looked over at the pony lying beside her. The other mare’s questioning gaze only increased her amusement. “Gazing is pretty much all there is to it,” she assured Applejack. The farmer snorted. “I still don’t know if I’m gonna enjoy this. I don’t think I’d be exaggeratin’ to say I’ve spent my whole life lookin’ at things. Doesn’t seem like stargazin’ is gonna be much of a challenge.” “Don’t speak too soon, Applejack,” the alicorn said, “In an hour or so, you’ll have a lot more to gaze at.” A few seconds passed in silence. “Well, I’m bored.” the earth pony sighed. “Stars have names, right? What’s that first one called?” She pointed a hoof at the light in question. “That,” Luna replied, “is the Evening Star, though next year it will be the Morning Star. That one recently became my favorite.” “Why’s that?” Applejack asked. The alicorn thought for a moment, trying to form words from impressions and assumptions and half-formed insights. When her answer came, she spoke slowly, but was sure of her words. “Because it’s the smallest, and the brightest, and the first, and the last,” she said. “It’s not a true star; it cannot match their size or power. It has precious little luminance of its own. Still, beings see it, and it inspires them. The Evening Star appears in poetry and stories of many cultures: ponies, zebras, dragons, buffalo, and more. It’s a fine example of how the importance of something is not determined solely by its size or radiance.” She paused, smiling as she whispered, “Sometimes, the things that touch our hearts the most are the things that are closest to us.” “Ah,” the farmer replied simply. In time, the two had far more to gaze at. As the Luna stared up at the full moon, she found courage. “Have you ever experienced... romantic love?” When the reply came, the alicorn heard amusement in the other mare’s voice. ‘“And here I thought I was bein’ as obvious as you.” Applejack chuckled softly to herself before continuing, “I hadn’t before a certain princess came and swept this farm filly off her hooves, sugar cube.” Luna smiled up at the star-filled sky.

Ebon Mane

91

Applejack,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Merely a Mare

A tale of regret, redemption, and romance starring Luna, Applejack, Celestia, Twilight, and all their past mistakes.

complete

<p>Luna has returned to Equestria, but she is as cold and distant as the moon that held her captive. Celestia broods on her throne, regretting mistakes made and prices paid. Twilight Sparkle contemplates betrayal, and as her faith drains away, bitterness takes its place. And in the darkness, a relic of an ancient tragedy watches, his life consumed by greivances that he can neither remember nor forget. Betrayed and betrayers all, four ponies in need of a redemption that only one seeks. Will Honesty be enough to save them? Can one hoof, extended in trust and forgiveness, mend four wounded hearts?</p><p>Includes Applejack X Luna and slight Twilight X Celestia shipping.</p><p>With thanks to my editors, peppermint-roo.deviantart.com and sosweetntasty.deviantart.com</p><p>Written prior to season 2, so severely jossed by canon.</p>

teen

2012-03-25T07:07:27+00:00

2012-03-25T07:07:27+00:00

Dear Princess Celestia, Recently, I learned a very important lesson about friendship, and love, and all life. I learned about a treasure that is easy to break, difficult to repair, and infinitely precious. I learned about a gift that most ponies give warily, if at all; nothing else has such power to hurt its giver when rejected or neglected or misused. I learned about trust. Trust is powerful. It can blind a pony to doubts, and allow them to act with absolute clarity of purpose. When a pony puts a piece of their fate in another’s hooves, those two ponies are bound together by a thread both subtle and powerful. The bonds of trust between parents and their children, between rulers and their subjects, between goddesses and their devotees, these are the things that hold societies together. Smaller in scope but no less important is the trust between friends, which lets us share our worries and fears, our hopes and dreams, and the secrets of our innermost selves. With these connections to those we depend on, and to those that depend on us, we do not have to face life alone. A pony that cannot trust is cut off from others in a way that no physical isolation could ever match. Trust is dangerous. It numbs the part of us that doubts: the part that is cautious when a pony is driven to rush in, the part that seeks understanding when a pony only wants to condemn, the part that holds back when a pony prepares to lash out. When I trusted too much in my own assumptions, my own perspective, I lost sight of the larger picture. I judged other ponies and their motives poorly, and I acted because I was afraid of my ignorance when I should have waited until I was assured of my knowledge. When a pony trusts too quickly or unwisely, they build their life on a foundation of sand, and risk it falling to pieces at the first brush with reality. Trust is beautiful. It can quell our fears and make us feel safe. It can silence our doubts, and give us the confidence we need to succeed. It can shatter our suspicion, and leave us with the innocence required for love. Trust can bring two very different ponies together and inspire them to open their hearts to each other. A lack of trust can open an insurmountable gulf between two ponies that love each other very dearly. The deepest of connections can only be made with those we trust. I have learned my lesson. I will be wise with my trust. I will recognize it as a kindness, and give it generously and joyfully. I will be loyal to those I trust, and to those who trust me. Above all, I will be worth trusting, and seek out others who are also worth that confidence. I will be proud to call such ponies my friends. Just as I am proud to call you my friend, princess. -Your once again faithful student, Heavens Sparkle

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2012-04-19T23:53:02+00:00

2013-03-27T22:04:07+00:00

"Twilight Sparkle." The voice carried authority. It was the voice of a pony who had the situation under control, who knew what she was doing at all times, almost laughter in the face of peril. But it was also an honest voice, one of compassion and loyalty, one whose softness came not from weakness, but from kindness. It was a magical voice. Most of all, it was a voice of royalty, and it spoke again. "Twilight Sparkle," said Princess Celestia. "Pray tell, what do you think you are doing?" In the middle of the large chamber, the unicorn pony Twilight Sparkle searched desperately for an exit, but the royal guards had already blocked them all. The question gave her reason to pause, and she wondered what she was doing. She didn't remember how she had gotten here, only that she needed to escape. One of the guards, a blue earth pony named Silver Shield, pressed himself against the wall, trying to hide. You foal, he chastised himself. You should be protecting the princess, not being a coward. Before he could make a move, a gray pegasus pony emerged from the darkness behind the princess. He recognized her as his old friend, Stone Wall. "Stand back, your highness," warned Stone Wall. "Your life is more valuable than that of this traitor." "Nonsense," said Celestia. "Let me speak to her." Twilight grinned. "Your guard is right, Celestia," she said, her scorn clear. "You should listen to them more often. But if we're speaking about lives, then I have a proposition to make." Her horn began to glow with an intense light that forced the guards to close their eyes. Only Celestia looked on, unfazed. A similar light formed around Stone Wall, and the mare discovered that she was leaving the ground. She was pulled across the room until she was hovering directly above Twilight. "Let me go," she said. "Or else I snap her neck." Silver Shield couldn't help himself. "Wally!" he cried, accidentally using her nickname. Celestia remained calm, and Twilight wondered if she was getting through to the stubborn princess at all. "Nopony has to die today, Twilight," said Celestia. "If you would merely return that which you have taken, then perhaps we can resolve this peacefully." Twilight was enraged. "What, so you can hide it away again in some dusty old cellar? Control the ponies' knowledge, keep them pinned down?" She lowered her gaze, and the shame of her past transgressions passed through her. "I know I've done bad things before, your Highness. I don't deserve the power within the Element of Magic. But neither does a tyrant. Better my hooves than yours." Twilight knew she was past the point at which she could escape without any violence. She was preparing to fight her way out when the princess's words shocked her. "Let her pass," she instructed the guard beside her. "No!" cried Stone Wall from her place above Twilight. "If that stone does what you said it does, then we need to protect it. Somepony like her could wreak havoc." "My decision is final, Stone Wall," said Celestia. "Let Twilight go free." Twilight awoke to the sensation of water pouring down her face. She was in the perpetual gloom of the Everfree Forest, her body sunk into the thick mud that coated much of the ground. Dazed, Twilight saw no problem with letting the world spin in circles around her for a little while. After a minute, Twilight's eyes had focused and adjusted to their environment, and she tried to stand on her hooves, but as she did, the world shifted out of focus, up became down, and she found herself lying on her side. Another splash of water hit her flank, and she shivered at the cold. She tried to figure out where it had come from, and she finally concluded that it was raining. The canopy was blocking and gathering most of the water, until the weight became too great and the water would be dumped in a single moment on anything that may have been lying below. See? thought Twilight. At least your brain still works. Instead of trying her seemingly useless body, Twilight instead considered what she could do with her mind. Her first priority was to figure out what she was doing here. She tried to think back to the night before, but found nothing. It was like a dream, with a middle but no beginning. She knew who she was. Her name was Twilight Sparkle. She was Princess Celestia's apprentice. She turned these thoughts over in her head, quickly confirming them before moving on to the more complicated ones. She had been sent to Ponyville to learn friendship, and she had met timid Fluttershy, kind Applejack, brash Rainbow Dash, eccentric Pinkie Pie, and stubborn Rarity. She met Zecora on a trip in the Swayback Mountains. But what then? What was the short term, the events leading up to her strange awakening? Twilight couldn't recall. Feeling a little better, she stood, and while the forest swayed beneath her and threatened to toss her aside, she held her ground and stared down the feeling until it gave up and went away. The one thing Twilight knew was that she wasn't going to get any answers lying in the mud. Picking a random direction, Twilight began to walk, and while she did, she pondered her dream. It didn't feel like most dreams. Her past dreams usually faded after a couple minutes, leaving behind only brief flashes of color and emotion. But this one stuck, almost like it wasn't a dream at all, but a memory that didn't tie in with the rest, and so she had assumed she had dreamed it. She saw it in perfect clarity, the calm in her mentor's voice and the anger of the somehow-familiar pony she had lifted above her head. But it couldn't have been real, of course. Levitating an entire, struggling pony for such an extended period without breaking a sweat was a bit beyond her ability. A loud noise, like the screeching of an owl, echoed from Twilight's left, and she winced in pain. Her head was pounding, and she brought a hoof to her forehead in hopes that it would help her cope. Instead, her hoof came away sticky. She realized now that she needed to find better shelter. The dark dampness of the forest could not possibly be healthy, especially in her potentially concussed state. Maybe she could find Zecora to help her. Except Zecora was where she had come from. She remembered now that she had been returning to Ponyville from Zecora's home when she'd collapsed. But it hadn't been raining, nor had it been this dark. Twilight turned around and began walking back the way she came. Unfortunately, the path looked nothing like where she had been moments ago. Her walk until this point had been completely level, but now the forest seemed to slope downward in front of her, almost inviting her into its depths. Twilight considered stopping and resting, or perhaps calling for help, but before she could make up her mind, her front hoof hit a stump, and she tumbled. She rolled down the hill, the thorns and branches tearing at her as she passed them. The ground finally leveled out by a lakebed, and Twilight slowed to a halt, her head half-submerged in the water. Unable to gather the strength to stand again, she wondered if she was going to die when a four-legged figure appeared on the other side of the lake, silhouetted by the darkness and Twilight's own mind-fog. Zecora? she remembered thinking before the darkness swallowed her up completely. Applejack surveyed the ponies gathered around a simple wooden circular table. "Is everypony accounted for?" she asked, even though it was clear they all were. "Aye, aye, Captain Jack!" shouted Pinkie Pie as she saluted as she lay on her back partially beneath the table, her pet alligator Gummy in her lap. Rarity was a bit preoccupied eying her surroundings with disgust. "Yes, but why did we have to meet here?" They were inside one of the Apple family's barns, and the smell reminded Rarity of one of the "surprises" Opalescence had left after she had eaten one too many outdated treats. Fluttershy, who had until this point said nothing, boldly attempted to answer Rarity's question. She tried to explain that Apple Bloom's treehouse, the original meeting place, was still being rebuilt after the latest attempt by the Cutie Mark Crusaders to find their talents had backfired in an embarrassing and extremely combustible way (an incident Apple Bloom refused to elaborate on, other than to state that it was "a minor miscalculation"), but as she opened her mouth she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash. "Yes, Applejack," she said, irritated. "Everypony's here but Twilight. Now will you please just tell us what this is all about?" "But that's exactly what it's about," said Applejack. The other ponies stared at her, uncomprehending. "Twilight," she clarified. "Don't y'all think she's been acting mighty strange recently?" "Yeah, of course we have," said Rainbow Dash, who actually hadn't noticed at all. "Now that you mention it," mused Rarity, putting a hoof to her mouth in thought. "She's been quite kind to me recently, letting me put her in my dresses to see how they fit." "That's not what Applejack means at all, Rarity," said Pinkie Pie, and her voice echoed across the barn. "Haven't you noticed how she's been behaving these past couple weeks? She's been really really, well, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash shot Pinkie a glare that was a mix of frustration and confusion. "And that's weird, why, exactly?" she asked. Pinkie Pie shook her head. "No, I mean super-duper Twilight. Like, extra Twilighty. You know how she spends a lot of time reading and not wanting to go sky diving or ice cream tasting or skating or skiing or hang gliding or cake decorating or any of the fun stuff? She's even worse about it now. She doesn't even pretend anymore, and when she does, like when she's trying on Rarity's dresses, she gets all funny about it, like she's doing it because she has to, but she wants to be somewhere else. It's like she never learned anything about how fun friends can be." Applejack quieted the rest of them. "What Pinkie Pie and I have been trying to say is, something's funny going on with Twilight. Whatever it is, we need to let her know we're there for her." "Right," said Fluttershy, who hadn't been following the conversation but felt that she should agree anyway. She'd been noticing changes in Twilight too. She never seemed to want to talk anymore. "What do we do?" she asked. Pinkie was the first to answer. "A party, duh," she said, as if the other ponies were stupid for not knowing the obvious. "A good party can wipe a frown like that off of anypony. Even a grim-dark-sadface-pony like Twilight." Dash seemed skeptical. "So Twilight wants to be left alone sometimes," she said. "There's nothing wrong with that, and a party isn't going to change anything." Applejack ignored her. "I'll leave Pinkie Pie in charge of planning the party," she said. "A surprise party at the Sugar Cube Corner. How does that sound? Anypony opposed to the idea, say Neigh." Rainbow Dash sighed in frustration, but nopony said neigh. And so it was decided, and Pinkie Pie set to work preparing Twilight's surprise party. She hung balloons across the store, which she had twisted into the shapes of different foods. After a couple balloon cakes and balloon pineapples, Pinkie realized the difficulty in twisting balloons with hooves and decided to make the rest hot dogs. She prepared a batch of cupcakes filled with chopped up sprinkles she decided, in a spur of the moment decision, to name "Sparkle Bits." By the next day, the Sugar Cube Corner had been transformed into a festive environment. Even Rarity failed to hide her amazement. "Wow," the unicorn pony had said upon seeing all the brightly colored streamers and balloons. "You, er, outdid yourself this time, Pinkie." "The banner was a nice touch," added Applejack, gesturing toward the large banner which read, "Welcome to your surprise party, Twilight Sparkle". "Although the bottom half it looks erased and re-written," she added as an afterthought. "Just making do with what I got," said Pinkie, proud of herself. "It is very pretty," added Fluttershy quietly. "Yup!" said Pinkie Pie. "Only the best for Twilight. I can't wait to see the look on her face when Rainbow Dash brings her back here!" "Actually," said Rainbow Dash, who was now standing in the doorway, a folded paper in her mouth, "she's not home." "What?" screamed Pinkie Pie, and Applejack covered her ears. "She's not home," Rainbow repeated. "Not a big deal, we'll stop by later. And she left a note. See?" She spit out the paper, which fluttered gently to the floor. Rarity levitated the note, shuddering in disgust at the saliva still dripping off of it. "Gone to Zecora's. Be back soon," she read aloud. "That's all it says." She stared at Rainbow Dash. "You could have just told us." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Sorry," she muttered. "No party..." said Pinkie Pie softly, still in a state of shock. Applejack patted Pinkie on her back. "Sorry, sugar," she said. "We'll still party, just tomorrow." Pinkie's face instantly lit up. "Yay!" she shouted, beginning to literally bounce off the walls. She gathered some boxes from a back room and began neatly storing the party decorations. The other ponies, after a brief goodbye, left to return home. As Rarity left, however, she felt a hoof on her shoulder, stopping her. The look of urgency and worry on Applejack's face, told Rarity enough, and she turned and followed her friend as they walked toward the front of the ranch. "Something's not right here," began Applejack, after they were a safe distance away from anypony else. "I can't say why, but it reeks something awful." Rarity nodded. "I didn't believe you until I saw the note. But it just doesn't sound like something Twilight would write." "Exactly," said Applejack. "This is Twilight the egghead we're dealing with. She once wrote me an eight page apology letter because she was too busy to go kelp-fishing with me. A six word note just don't seem her thing at all." "I could check the writing," offered Rarity. "Do it. I knew something fishy was going on with Twilight. And I won't stop until we get to the bottom of it, honest."

uberPhoenix

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2012-04-20T00:16:43+00:00

2013-01-04T05:11:59+00:00

Twilight was wandering through the Swayback Mountains. Somewhere, some part of her knew that this was wrong, that it didn't make sense for her to be here. She knew she was still lost in the Everfree Forest. But these thoughts, if they were real, had no effect on her actions, as she continued her trot toward a stone building set within the mountains themselves. Once inside, the path slanted downward, into the heart of the mountain, and soon it became too dark to see. At this, Twilight stamped her hooves on the ground in rhythm. Two clops, a pause, and then three clops. The lights went on in Twilight Sparkle's laboratory. Machines were set against the wall, lights glowing and gears grinding as they worked. At the moment they were connected to an elliptical dish, processing data gathered from the stars. A large circle was etched on the floor with chalk inside a ring of rubber tubing. Star charts, complete with scribbles and marker-drawn arrows, filled another wall. The large hollow room in the middle of the mountain, most of which Twilight had carved herself, had a disorganized feel when viewed all at once. Even her assistant could never figure out where things were kept, but Twilight knew. She had her own system of organization, even if it wasn't obvious to anypony but her. Twilight refused to let herself get distracted; she had work to do. "Scribe, take a note." she ordered. A quill lying on the table nearby rose of its own accord, dipped its end into a bottle of ink, and began writing the words Twilight dictated. "Geloto the Twelfth, year nine hundred and ninety eight of the reign of Celestia," she began. "First, a thank you to Madame, for generously donating the required materials for our experiments. Work is coming along very nicely, although some more tests need to be done before I can say with complete accuracy that the conclusions I've drawn are the correct ones. Running out of time, of course, so we may have to take some risks and plow ahead with minimal preparations." She levitated the crystal orb out of her satchel and set it on the table. "The Element of Magic is in our possession. One thousand years ago, so the legend goes, Princess Celestia's ancestor used it to defeat Nightmare Moon and seal her inside the moon. What the legend does not say, however, is why. Not is sufficient detail, at least. Nightmare Moon, although that's probably not her true name, so let's call her Suki. Suki was jealous of the Princess. Why? Because the Princess had more power than her? What if Suki was political opposition, and enough of a threat to force the Princess to take action? We don't know, and I refuse to make any assumptions until we find out. "The legends also said that a thousand years later, the stars would aid in her escape, and it's vital the Element be in responsible hooves when that happens. Somepony devoted to the truth. Somepony able to tell right from wrong. And somepony powerful enough to defeat Nightmare Moon, if it comes to that. Somepony like me." She walked over to the star chart, eying it carefully. "Still, information is missing. The mention of the stars in the prophecy has significance, I can feel it. There's just a piece or two missing, waiting to be found. When Nightmare Moon returns, I need to be ready. Because that's the day." She paused, a smirk spreading across her face. "That's the day I become famous." Twilight woke up lost and confused for the second time. She was no longer outside in the cold, but rather in a warm and cozy, if very cramped, room. In the middle of the room a fire burned, and Twilight, feeling a bit too hot on the side facing the fire twisted around, letting the fire reach her in different spots, until she was satisfied and a goofy grin appeared on her. You probably look like Winona right now, she thought, chastising herself. She repositioned herself so that she was sitting neatly, and she looked around. The first thing she noticed was the room's shape. It wasn't rectangular, and its corners were curved, hinting that she was in something that was hollowed out. There were no furnishings of any sort, and the wall was a dirty brown. The room had one exit, a rounded hole in the wall leading to a slightly larger room ringed by various vegetables, pitchers of milk, and medical appliances, all coated with a fine layer of dirt. Twilight's heart skipped a beat when she realized that the syringes and scalpels she saw may not have been cleaned before their last use. Given the general disarray of the home, cleanliness was unlikely. Light came in from the entrance, a tunnel that sloped upward until it opened up on what Twilight could only assume was the surface, but it was still too dark to make out what lay beyond that. Twilight figured that this meant she was underground, that the cave had been carved into the earth. It reminded her a little of the cave in her dream. With nothing else to do, Twilight reflected on the dream. The first dream had worried her, and she had briefly considered that maybe she was seeing things that hadn't happened yet. Was there magic that could do that? Twilight wondered. She didn't think so. It seemed too much in the realm of fantasy, like curses and hexes. Besides, the second dream had disproved that. The dream had a date. Geloto the Twelfth, 998. Two years ago. But that was impossible; Twilight had been studying at Cantorlot two years ago. There was no reason for her to carve out a new home in the Swayback Mountains. Maybe it was just a nightmare, she reasoned, brought about by a poorly timed baked bads incident. Any other alternative was ridiculous. Dreams don't have literal meaning, she reminded herself. Stuff like that is old mare's tales. Besides, thought Twilight, there are more important things to deal with right now. She was in somepony else's home right now, somepony who had potentially saved her life. It only made sense that she should find this pony and thank him or her. But something about the closed space unnerved her, and Twilight realized that if she never found out who had saved her, it wouldn't trouble her in the least. She lifted up a hoof. On one hoof, she didn't want to be a burden. On another, she thought, lifting up a second to represent her options, she really should at least say thanks. On a third hoof, anypony that lived in a hole in the ground couldn't be a pleasant pony. She lifted her fourth hoof and tumbled to the ground, thinking, on the last hoof, Zecora had taught her to have more trust in others. Shouldn't she at least give the stranger a chance? Above her, Twilight heard a crash, followed by screaming. She scurried into the larger room and began climbing the slope to the door as quickly as she could. "Hello?" she called. "Are you all right?" As she emerged from the top, now covered in dirt, what she saw made her freeze: a squirrel riding atop a bright orange earth filly. Neither appeared to be enjoying the ride, as the filly was frantically trying to buck the squirrel off, a frenzied look in her eyes. The squirrel refused to let go, instead hissing into the filly's ear. "Um, hello?" said Twilight nervously. The filly only screamed in response, still trying to dislodge the animal in her fur. Twilight sighed, and levitated the squirrel off. For about a second the squirrel's grip held, and it hung upside down, grasping onto whatever it could reach. But the force of Twilight's magic became too much, and the two newcomers were separated. The filly turned her head upward and shot the squirrel a raspberry, and the squirrel chattered back while throwing rude gestures. "Well, that wasn't very nice of that thing," said the filly. "Don't you think so, miss?" Twilight looked the filly over. Bright blue eyes filled almost her entire face, and a short-cut red mane dangled limply from her head. She was young, younger than Apple Bloom. And certainly too young to be wandering the Everfree Forest alone. Twilight tried to figure out which question to ask first. The filly, bored of the silence, grabbed Twilight's hoof with her own and shook it vigorously. "Name's Pumpkin. Nice ta meetcha." "Hello, Pumpkin," said Twilight, trying to be as friendly as possible. "What are you doing here alone?" Pumpkin squinted at Twilight. "Explorin', duh. What else? But you should be careful, miss. Evil things lurk in these woods." "Right," agreed Twilight. "So we should get you out of here as soon as possible." Pumpkin shrugged off the suggestion. "Nah," she said. "You sound like my mum. I'm brave enough to handle myself. And don't worry. If anything does come after us, I'll protect you." Twilight had to admire the filly's courage, and she wondered if Pumpkin had ever met Rainbow Dash. "There's more to it than courage, Pumpkin," she said. "Have you ever heard of the Ursa?" Pumpkin looked up from a rock she had been sniffing with what Twilight decided was an unnecessary amount of interest. "Nope," she said. "But it doesn't sound that scary." Twilight grinned and raised her forelegs above her head to resemble claws. "It's a giant monster that lives inside this very forest, bigger than Sugar Cube Corner. And it has enormous fangs that can rip a pony in half with a single bite. And they say if you wake it up by wandering too close to its den, it will keep chasing you forever until you leave the forest." Pumpkin stared into Twilight's eyes, and for a moment Twilight believed her plan was working. "Yawn," said Pumpkin at last. "You aren't scared?" asked Twilight. She had considered using magic to make lights and noises in the background, but she worried that they would have been too effective for use on a young filly like Pumpkin. Now she was beginning to wish she had. "Course not," said Pumpkin, laughing. "And course it's bigger than a sugar cube. Nopony would be scared of it otherwise." "Fine," said Twilight, deciding to play along with Pumpkin's game. "I guess I'll accept your help. But stay close to me; I don't want to get lost." "Then it's a good thing you have me," Pumpkin nearly shouted, "Cause I'm an adventurer, and we adventurers never get lost." She began to skip off into the darkness. "Wait!" said Twilight, trying to keep up. Pumpkin stopped and turned, already getting bored with her new companion. "I mean," continued Twilight, "What were you doing when I found you? When you found me, I guess. How did you get here?" "Well," said Pumpkin, "I was explorin', like I told ya. Only I didn't climb out of the ground like you did, and when I got too close to this hole, that squirrel started throwing a big ol' hissy fit. What happened to that thing, anyways?" She looked up to see that the squirrel, having accepted it fate to be free of gravity, was now performing acrobatic twists and turns in midair. Pumpkin looked at Twilight. "We gonna do something 'bout that?" "Oh, right," said Twilight, embarrassed to have completely forgotten about the squirrel. But in that case, she reasoned, shouldn't the squirrel have fallen the moment she stopped thinking about it? Twilight shrugged and lowered the squirrel to eye level. "Are you going to stop bothering Pumpkin if I let you go?" she asked. The squirrel chattered in response, and Twilight realized she didn't understand squirrel-talk. If only Fluttershy was here, she bemoaned. She removed the levitation, and the squirrel fell to the ground. It shouted something that sounded angry and then retreated into the hole Twilight had climbed out of. Well," said Twilight. "Glad that's over with." As she raised her eyes, she looked out into the darkness on the other side of the cave. Two blue eyes stared back at her. "Pumpkin," she said quietly. Pumpkin turned. "Yes?" she called with a volume that made Twilight flinch. "What is it?" "Stand absolutely still," warned Twilight. "Don't make a sound." "Why?" complained Pumpkin. "What's there?" Twilight looked for the eyes again, but they were gone. "Nothing, I guess," she muttered. She could have sworn she saw something there, but whatever it was had vanished. "What if it was Zecora?" Pumpkin asked. Twilight stared at the filly. "What?" "Lots of evil things in these woods, and Zecora's one of them. She's an enchantress who lures young fillies into the darkest parts of the woods and gobbles them up." "I don't think so," said Twilight. "Who told you that?" "My mum," said Pumpkin, offended. "And she's smart about stuff like that." "I don't think that was Zecora," she said, hoping it was. Maybe then they were safe. "Fine," said Pumpkin, grumpy. Then her face lit up. "Maybe it was a manaco." "Pumpkin..." began Twilight. "And I think you mean a mantacore." "Ooh, ooh, I got it this time!" shouted Pumpkin, excited. "It was a Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight froze. "A what?" she asked. She must have just misheard the filly. "Twilight Sparkle! She's an evil sorceress that lives up in the mountains. But sometimes she comes down to the forest to perform her magic rituals. And she doesn't eat fillies. She sucks out their souls with her magic." She looked at Twilight suspiciously. "What? You never heard of a Twilight Sparkle?"

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:07:37+00:00

2013-01-04T05:18:13+00:00

"You were right, Applejack," said Rarity. She was standing over the magnifying sheet she used to inspect jewels. Two pieces of paper lay next to each other on a table. Applejack peered anxiously over her shoulder, curious to see what the other pony had seen, but also desperate to avert her eyes from anything else in the room. There was something about the Carousel Boutique that always put Applejack on edge. As far as the earth pony was concerned, the frilly outfits that decorated the back room were no different than shackles, and just looking at them made Applejack feel trapped. "I don't see it," admitted Applejack. "Both of them look the same." The first slip was the note Twilight had left. The second was a star chart Twilight had left with Rarity for reference during the fashion show incident. Notes were scrawled in the margins, labeling the constellations. "The strokes in the note are more angular," explained Rarity. "You can clearly see where each line begins and ends. And they're a lot darker, like she was pressing into the paper a lot harder." "So?" As far as Applejack was concerned, hoofwriting was hoofwriting. "Their similar, I'll give them that. The letters are mostly drawn the same way. But Twilight has a distinctive style; it's constant everywhere on the chart. Light, elegant curves. Beautiful really, and certainly not the brutish markings on the note. She didn't write it. Somepony else did. Somepony trying to imitate her, perhaps, but not succeeding. In other words, a forgery." Applejack smirked, looking vindictive but slightly surprised at their success. "You sure about this?" she asked. "Not really," Rarity admitted. "We're making quite magnificent assumptions. Have you considered just asking her what's wrong?" Applejack hadn't. "Like that would work," she said quickly, trying to defend herself. "If it was something she wanted us to know, don't you think she would tell us on her own?" At this, something inside Rarity seemed to snap. "And if she doesn't want anypony to know, then why are you prying into her personal space like this? You know, for a pony obsessed with honesty, you can be quite untrusting." Applejack felt like she had attacked. "Are you calling me a bad friend?" she hissed. "At least I care about Twilight enough to notice when something's wrong. And what do you do? Oh, right, you force her into dresses she really doesn't want to wear. You insult my character." "And you insult my dresses," screeched Rarity in response. "I would never make Twilight do anything she's not comfortable with, unlike you. Why do you always have to be in everypony's business, Applejack? Who crowned you leader of Equestria?" Out of breath, Rarity stopped talking and began panting. Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance. "You know what?" shouted Rarity, levitating Twilight's note and tossing it in Applejack's face. "I regret ever helping you with this scheme of yours, and I want no more to do with it. Find your own reasons not to trust Twilight, but I certainly don't need any." She turned her tail to Applejack. "Get out," she said. "I don't want you in my shop anymore." From another room, the two ponies heard a sound like glass shattering. "Oops," came the voice of Apple Bloom. "Think big sis can fix that?" asked Sweetie Belle. "So much for Cutie Mark Crusader Acrobats," muttered Scootaloo grimly. Rarity scowled, trying to keep her breathing normal. "And take the girls with you, alright? If it's not too much trouble. Please?" Then she remembered that when she was angry, she was supposed to say angry things. "I mean, take them with you, Applejack. Out. Now." Applejack turned and started toward the door. "Fine," she said. "I don't need your help. I'll solve this without you, and when I do, you can be the one to tell Twilight you didn't care about her enough to even look up from your silly dress-making to help her." Applejack raised her head, trying and failing to look dignified, and left the room. Rarity hurriedly folded up the map, set it in the corner, and retrieved the dress she had been working on the day before. "Who needs a mess like her," Rarity wondered allowed as she worked. "That nose of hers is going to get her into trouble, one way or the other. And she better not come crying to me afterward, because I won't hear it." As she prepared to begin stitching the dress, she stopped and thought. "Well, maybe I will hear it, just so I can rub it in. She does try to have a good heart, after all." Applejack searched the rooms of the Carousel Boutique until she found the Cutie Mark Crusaders, trying to glue together a shattered ceramic unicorn. "Guess we're not Cutie Mark Crusader Repairponies, either," said Sweetie Belle, pouting. Applejack remembered the unicorn. It was a hideous distorted figure that Rarity rather optimistically referred to as "Art." "That's what you broke?" Applejack asked, amused. Apple Bloom looked up at her big sister with fear in her large eyes. "Ya aren't mad, are ya?" she asked quietly. Unable to control herself, Applejack began laughing. "Of course not," she said. "That's the best thing I've seen all day. Come on girls, you get to hang with auntie Applejack for a while." The crusaders looked at each other nervously, and then, one at a time, a grin broke out on each of their faces. "All right!" shouted Scootaloo as she pumped one of her hooves into the air. Applejack left the Boutique, and the crusaders followed, all four of them giggling. "Yeah," sighed Applejack as they walked. "I'm not mad. But Rarity'll kill you." Sweetie Belle shivered. "Although, nice job helping Rarity and me find the star chart." "It's fine," said Apple Bloom. "We thought we could be Cutie Mark Crusader Treasure Seekers." "I've got a question", said Scootaloo. "If you wanted something Twilight wrote down, why didn't you just search the library? You could swipe one of her journals or something." Applejack stopped walking and looked at Scootaloo critically. "Okay Scoots. First thing, I think you need to spend less time with Rainbow Dash. Second thing, I'm not going to steal stuff from Twilight. It wouldn't be right or honest. 'Sides, Twilight locks the back rooms of the library when she's out. You don't know anypony who can pick locks, can you?" Apple Bloom looked at the ground, shamed. Scootaloo's eyes darted back and forth until they found Sweetie Belle, who was shaking her head. Applejack stared at the trio incredulously. "You fillies are kidding me, right?" she asked. "Well," began Apple Bloom nervously, "Do you really think we'd try something like Cutie Mark Crusader Treasure Seekers if we hadn't already tried all the fun ones?" "We wanted to try being Cutie Mark Crusader Phantom Thieves," said Scootaloo. Applejack sighed. "I guess I shouldn't expect less from the three of you," admitted Applejack. "'Cept maybe Sweetie Belle; she should know better. But I promise to forget you ever said that, so long as you don't remind me." Ahead, Applejack spotted Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds from the sky. Rainbow Dash, noticing the four ponies, took a break from her duties and flew down in front of Applejack. "Hey, slowpoke," she taunted, "enjoying the view from down there?" "Rainbow Dash," shouted Applejack, excited to see her for once. "Tell these ponies that we are not breaking into Twilight's place." "I can't believe we're breaking into Twilight's place," muttered Applejack. "Neither can I," said Rainbow Dash, rubbing her front hooves together. "Man, this is going to be awesome!" They were hiding in the overgrowth behind the Ponyville library, waiting for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to unlock the back door. "This is ridiculous," said Applejack. "I came because I promised I'd look after the girls, and Scoots was dead-set on going with you. But you don't even believe there's anything wrong with Twilight!" "That's what this is about?" said Rainbow Dash. "I thought we were pranking her. I mean, Pinkie Pie was getting a little too miss Uppity Pony with that exploding cake of hers, and now she's going around like she's queen of pranks. Somepony needs to put her in her place with something totally awesome." Applejack was skeptical. "And what 'totally awesome something' were you planning here, exactly?" Rainbow Dash's jaw hung open, as if she couldn't believe she was being questioned. Then she gave up the charade and closed it. "I don't know," she admitted. "But it's going to be something awesome. More awesome than anything you lame ponies would ever think of doing," she said, getting defensive. "And done!" squealed Apple Bloom, descending from a tree branch overhead. "The doors are open!" "I still just don't feel right about this," said Applejack. "Relax," laughed Rainbow Dash. "She's probably asleep by now. So just don't make too much noise." Zecora peered at the face, critical. The face stared back at her silently, it's large empty black eyes chilling her. That was the problem, Zecora decided, and she grabbed the white brush from the pallet, adding a small circle in the middle of each eye. She stepped back to admire her artwork. She had decided to recreate some of the art she remembered owning as a foal, and although she had spent the entire morning hiding away in the back of her home, she'd gotten a lot of work done. Maybe now it won't look so dead, she thought. But it was still a work in progress. The bottom half of the mask hadn't been painted at all yet. But she would get it done, eventually. She had spent the last couple of days stockpiling herbs, and so she had a lot of free time. Stepping back into the main room to check on her cooking, Zecora wished someone had warned her that being self sufficient could be so boring. As she dipped a ladle into the soup, testing its consistency, she heard the door swing open. She released the ladle, regretting the action moments later when it sank beneath the surface of the soup, and turned to face the newcomer. "Twilight Sparkle, my special guest," she said, excited for the company to break the monotony. "Do you need something? I'll do my best." The expression on the unicorns face seemed distant but deadly serious. Zecora quickly grabbed a rug from the corner and laid it out by the fire. "Here, sit," she said. "Zecora?" said Twilight softly. The zebra looked at her friend, worried. Twilight swallowed and continued. "It's me, Zecora." Zecora swore, and Twilight admired her ability to maintain the couplet. "After all this, you still came," she said bitterly. "I know you must think I'm a coward," Twilight told Zecora. "But let's face it. I failed. I have nothing over there, and she had everything. Friends, the sun, how could you blame me?" "In that case," accused Zecora, "who should I blame? Impersonating Twilight Sparkle is not a victimless crime. She has done nothing and is a close friend of mine." "It's not all bad," said Twilight, attempting to quickly cover herself. "If I can only discover how the ponies here defeated Nightmare Moon, then I can go back. We can call this a success. We can save the world." Zecora laughed and stepped toward Twilight, staring her down. "Is that really why you came, to save the day? Or are you just running and hiding away? Do you ever plan to go back home? Or are you too afraid of being alone?" Twilight's breathing became unsteady, but she attempted to maintain a steady voice as she spoke. "And what do you know about being alone?" she said. After the words left her mouth, she knew she had said something wrong. Zecora eyed her in the same manner that she might eye an ant. Twilight suddenly felt small and insignificant. "I know it hurts you, inside," said Zecora. "I couldn't count the tears you've cried. Young Twilight had things you never knew, so you did some things you never thought you'd do. But as you took her place and stole her fate, you left her lost; you left her filled with hate. And so, my friend, one answer, if you dare: If you are here, then Twilight Sparkle is, where?" Twilight didn't answer. Instead, as the tears welled up in her eyes, she fled. She ran out the door and through the underbrush of the Everfree Forest until she saw the lights of Ponyville up ahead. She blindly galloped along the streets until she was finally safe in the library she had made her home. And then, filled with emotions she didn't know how to place, Twilight Sparkle cried. She cried, not knowing why. The fight with Zecora had left her feeling shamed and guilty. Why shouldn't you tell everypony the truth? she asked herself. Because you're not her, a voice answered. You're not the Twilight they know. And as soon as they figure that out, they'll leave you. They don't care about you at all; they care about Twilight. They'll make you tell them what you did with her, and then they'll leave you all alone. Again. Through her blurry vision, Twilight looked up to see Applejack rifling through a bureau drawer.

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:10:26+00:00

2013-01-04T05:27:54+00:00

MOONSIDE The small equestrian figure moved through the growth of the Everfree Forest, her bright blue eyes rising and falling in the darkness with each step she took. Her skin clung close to her ribs; while she was not dangerously malnourished, she had less meat on her body than anypony would want. She carried in her mouth a crude handwoven basket filled partway with any herbs and grasses she could find. As she neared the entrance to her den, loud noises ahead of her prompted her to pause. She set the basket on the ground and cautiously approached a clearing in the thick woods, trying her best to stay hidden and preparing to flee at any time. Near the entrance to her den were a mare and a very young filly. The filly was unfamiliar to her and frightened her, but she recognized the mare's violet fur. She had found the mare unconscious and suffering from a head injury, and she had somehow been persuaded to drag the mare back home with her to treat the wounds. She realized the mare was looking at her, and she ducked her head into the undergrowth, her heart beating quickly. Had she been spotted? She dared to look again and discovered with relief that the mare and the filly were now talking to each other and had left her alone. She backed away slowly, lifting the basket in her jaw. She would come back later, and maybe by then the strangers would be gone. She turned and made her way back into the darkness of the forest but stopped when she heard a cry from the clearing. Daring to look, she saw the mare buckled over on the ground, the filly dancing around her, frantically. She's still hurt, the figure realized. She hasn't healed. She needs help. Leave her, a voice in her head instructed. This was never your problem; she'll be fine. And then the blue-eyed figure saw a spark light up, just for a moment, casting light into the darkness. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the clearing. "Help me carry her," she instructed the filly, and she grabbed the mare's tail between her teeth. The mare was not aware of any of this, as she was already elsewhere. The Summer Sun Celebration was the most celebrated holiday in Canterlot. And by the looks of it, thought Twilight, Ponyville seemed to be taking it pretty seriously too. A large banner had been hung across the village square, proudly announcing, "Welcome, Princess Celestia." Twilight scoffed. "They sure do love their princess, don't they, Madame?" she asked her traveling companion, a well-dressed orange earth pony that Twilight thought looked stunning in her velvet dress. The earth pony looked back at Twilight confused. "I thought you enjoy the Summer Sun Celebration," she said. Twilight shook her head. "I used to," she lied, "but not anymore." Watching the princess raise the sun still took her breath away. It was the most spectacular display of magical talent anypony could witness. As a filly watching the majestic performance, Twilight was filled with wonder and admiration, but Twilight liked to think she had grown since then. She now saw the spell for what it really was: just a spell. A spell anypony could pull off with enough raw power. And hidden in the bag Madame currently had slung over her shoulder was the most powerful artifact to ever grace Equestria. "In a few hours, the sun will rise," remarked Madame. "And this has been a rather uneventful night. I'm beginning to think we came all this way for nothing." "Maybe," Twilight admitted. "I don't know what to want. If we were wrong about Nightmare Moon..." "Suki," corrected Madame playfully. Twilight rolled her eyes. "I never should have told you about that," she said bitterly, with a hint of playfulness. "If we were wrong about Nightmare Moon, then our planning is wasted. On the other hoof, though..." Madame finished for her. "The world won't be destroyed." "Shrouded in darkness, you mean. Although both possibilities are things I'd like to avoid. And thank you, by the way, for your support in all this." Madame smiled as she looked at Twilight, the way a mother might look at a child. "My little protégé, why wouldn't I assist you? We make an excellent team." They passed a table stacked with apple pies being sold by a white unicorn. "You hungry?" Twilight asked Madame. "Not at all," said Madam, even though she was. "And I think I'll stay away from the village slop, anyway." The unicorn looked up and cast a beaming smile at Twilight. "Good morning," she said cheerfully, and then her eyes fell on the earth pony behind Twilight. "Oh," she said flatly. "It's you." Madame tried her best to look indifferent. Twilight looked back and forth between them. "You know each other?" The white unicorn answered. "Madame Orange, the rising entrepreneur of Manehattan? Is there anypony who doesn't recognize that atrocious cutie mark of hers? To what do we owe this pleasure, being graced with your appearance?" Madame laughed, moving so that she was directly in the unicorn's face. "I came for the celebration," she said. "I hope you don't have a problem with that, and there isn't some law against us educated types ruining your quaint little backwards world." The unicorn, while intimidated, didn't flinch. "Enjoy the party," she said with as much scorn as she could fit. Twilight felt the sinking feeling in her stomach even before she knew where she was. The sudden transitions were jarring, and each jump left Twilight feeling tense and panicked. Worse, the dreams had all but destroyed her sense of time. They weren't normal dreams; rather, they felt like things that had happened a long time ago, but she had forgotten about them until now. Each time a memory unlocked, she berated herself for not remembering them before. Twilight knew for certain that somehow, the dreams were real, but she also knew that they couldn't be. It was her gut against her common sense, and like every other time the science-minded pony had to make a decision, common sense won out. There was a logical explanation out there somewhere; Twilight just had to figure out what it was. As the ceiling slowly stopping spinning above her, Twilight recognized the uneven cave walls. She was back in the underground burrow, and Pumpkin was looking down at her, the filly's face scrunched up with worry that quickly became relief when she saw her friend was okay. "You made it!" said Pumpkin excitedly. "I mean, I knew you would, of course, never doubted you, but she said you were hurt, hurt bad, and by the way you shouldn't move, and drink lots of water, and I got you some, but don't drink it too quickly or you'll choke, and you should rest, and she'll be back soon to check on you, and she said to thank chestnuts or something." Pumpkin paused to inhale. "At least, I think that's what she said; it was kind of quiet, and I may have made some of it up." "Did she say anything about not making noise?" asked Twilight, covering her ears with her forehooves. Pumpkin put a hoof on her chin. "Nah," she said, "don't think so. Maybe. Probably." A brown furry mass leaped onto Twilight's stomach from beyond her field of vision and stared down at her, rapidly making high-pitched squeaks. "Oh, yeah," added Pumpkin. "That thing's back." Twilight tried to stand, but her head began pounding, and a sick eruption of feeling in her stomach almost made her vomit. The one leg she had managed to lift gave way, and she resigned herself to lie on her back, staring at Pumpkin, the squirrel, and the ceiling. The squirrel, seeing her attempts to move, put its paws down on her chest and shook its head back and forth, as if it was pantomiming, telling her to stay down. "Am I crazy," Twilight asked Pumpkin, "or is the squirrel trying to communicate with me?" The squirrel nodded vigorously. "Who are you?" she asked the squirrel, and the squirrel leaped off her body and out of sight. Half a minute later, it returned carrying a large seed, which it deposited on the ground next to Twilight. Bending her head to get a better look, Twilight recognized the seed as a chestnut. "Chestnut." She looked up at the squirrel. "Your name is Chestnut. You kind of remind me of another animal back home, but he was a rabbit named Angel." Chestnut glared at Twilight angrily, as if she had crossed some sort of forbidden line. "Sorry," said Twilight. "I guess you don't like rabbits. But Chestnut and Pumpkin. You guys are making me hungry." Pumpkin chuckled. "And speaking of names, miss, what's yours?" "Twi-" began Twilight, before remembering that telling Pumpkin her name probably was a bad idea. She hesitated, trying to think of a cover and hoping Pumpkin hadn't heard her. Pumpkin peered at Twilight expectantly. "Twi..." she said, awaiting the rest of it. Twilight found inspiration as a name rose up to the surface of her mind. "Trixie," she said. "My name is Trixie." It wasn't the most pleasant sounding name, in Twilight's opinion, and it was one she certainly wasn't going to enjoy hearing, but Twilight was in the clear, so long as she remembered her name was Trixie now. "Okay, Trixie," said Pumpkin, who had bought it completely. "Stay there and drink up. She'll be back soon." "She? Who's she?" Twilight tried to say, but she was interrupted by a glass of water that Chestnut had shoved against her lips. Twilight stopped talking long enough to drink the whole thing. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was until now. After she finished, she asked Pumpkin her question. "She's some weird mare who lives out in these parts. She said she found you out by the swamps and dragged you back here." Twilight remembered the figure she had seen before she had fainted and woken up here. Was that the mare that had saved her? The blue eyes in the darkness of the forest flashed through her mind. Was that her rescuer too? "Oh," she said. "We should thank her if she comes back before we leave. Maybe we could write a note." Pumpkin shook her head, and Chestnut mimicked her motions. "Why are you in such a hurry, Trixie?" the filly asked. "We're on an adventure, remember?" Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but instead almost vomited again. As she tried to recover, she thought about Pumpkin's question. How could she explain that she didn't know what day it was, or how she had gotten here? There were holes in her memory, giant blank areas that refused to yield any information. Twilight was confused and lost in the unknown, and it terrified her. She needed familiarity. She needed comfort, and she knew she wasn't going to find either of those things in the Everfree Forest. The feeling of entrapment had been constricting itself around her since she had first awoken, and until she saw her friends, brash Rainbow Dash and sweet Applejack, serene Rarity and timid Fluttershy, exuberant Pinkie Pie and even little Spike, the feeling wasn't going to go away. Instead of explaining these impossible facts, Twilight merely muttered, I need to get home," before the headache returned and made her close her eyes, moaning softly. How had she ended up here, anyway? Twilight tried to think again, hoping that this time the memories would come more easily. Instead of trying to figure out what had happened last, she let her recent experiences flow over her one at a time, looking for one that didn't have a conclusion. She had celebrated Pinkie Pie's birthday party, an event nearly destroyed by Pinkie Pie herself. She'd been preparing to go the Grand Galloping Gala, but she didn't remember going. This narrowed down the possibilities to a span of a couple weeks, and she ran through each of them in her head. What had she done those days, before the Gala. Images flashed briefly. Studying for Academy exams, helping Fluttershy feed the chickens, writing her most recent report on friendship, receiving the letter from Zecora. It was an unusual letter, one that just showed up in her mailbox one morning. No postage. She had asked Ditzy Doo, the local mailpony, about it, but the response she got, as best as she could decipher it, was that Ditzy hadn't delivered it. Twilight finally came to the conclusion that Zecora had dropped it in the box herself, in which case Twilight failed to understand why the zebra didn't just come and talk to her in person. The text was short and simple. "Twilight. Please meet me today, by noon, at the old castle of the Royal Sisters in the Everfree Forest. This is urgent, but please come alone." Twilight was immediately suspicious, particularly of the part about coming alone, so she showed the letter to Rainbow Dash, a decision that turned out to be a huge mistake. Rainbow Dash, overcome by curiosity, insisted that the two of them go together to get to the bottom of the mystery. That was the last thing Twilight remembered before she woke up, hurting and alone. But you're in safe hands, Twilight reminded herself. Relatively, she added, remembering the dirty scalpels. As long as nopony tries to perform surgery on you, she decided, I think you'll be okay. "How is it?" she asked Pumpkin. "Does it look that bad to you?" Pumpkin nodded, slowly, and Twilight realized that she might not be the only pony in the room trying to keep her stomach contents down. "You've got this, gash," said Pumpkin as she traced a line down the side of her face to show Twilight just where it was. "It's not bleeding, but it looks awful. What happened to you?" "You're guess is as good as mine," muttered Twilight softly. Maybe she had a concussion. That would explain the urge to vomit. Could concussions cause strange dreams? she wondered. A clopping sound from the entrance disrupted her thoughts. Pumpkin turned around excitedly. "That's her," she said, and she bounded forward to greet their host. Twilight, still not wanting to risk moving, watched on from a distance and got her first look at her savior. It was the dirtiest mare Twilight had ever seen. She looked like an incredibly frail earth pony. Dirt clung to her coat in such great quantities that Twilight could not even begin to guess what color the coat would be when clean, only that now it was the brown color of rabbit droppings, with a darker brown unkempt mane. The only bright part of the mare was her eyes, which shone a brilliant blue. The mare paused her approach as she spotted Pumpkin and took a few steps back. Something about the mare's behavior seemed oddly familiar to Twilight, and she looked vaguely recognizable in a way that Twilight couldn't place. The mare walked a large circle around Pumpkin and approached Twilight. "You're lucky Chestnut found you," she said, and her voice was sad and grim. "He brought me to you, made me help you. I was scared." She opened her saddlebag and pulled out some bandages with her teeth. "I had to go into town to get some strips for your face," she explained. "I was hoping you'd still be out of it when I got back. You must be in a lot of pain after surviving an attack like that." "Attack?" said Twilight, trying once again to sit up. As she moved, the mare flinched and almost fell over. She's scared of me, Twilight realized, and she politely laid down once again. After a few seconds the mare recovered and continued working. "The shape of the wound, that's a claw mark," said the mare. "You can tell by the shape. But it's not like anything I've seen before. Too big for the little creatures, but too small for most of the predators. Rest now." The mare turned around, and Twilight thought she saw something jagged sticking out of the mare's back. "Okay," the mare called up the entrance. "Come and get your food." A large number of creatures stampeded down the tunnel and immediately began feasting on the piles of lettuce and carrots that had been lying about. One of them, however, put off eating to stare disdainfully at the new ponies, and he hopped over to get a closer look. He was an all-too-familiar white bunny rabbit. Twilight remembered why the mare looked so familiar. It was impossible, of course. But she had to find out. "Fluttershy?" The mare turned around, and Twilight could now make out the pink in the tail, the three butterflies on the flank. There was no mistaking Fluttershy, even under all that grime. "Fluttershy!" she repeated. "But you're, I mean, you don't..." She trailed off, pointing at where Fluttershy's wings were supposed to be. "You're an earth pony," she said at last. This was crazy, thought Twilight. This had to be a dream. Fluttershy looked at where Twilight was pointing, confused. She scowled, as if she was trying to remember something from long ago. "Oh," she said, visibly ashamed. "I really am an earth pony, when you think about it," she said. "I talk to animals, I'm not good at flying. I belong here, in the ground, like earth ponies do. I was never supposed to be a Pegasus. That was all just a mistake." Twilight didn't understand. "But that doesn't explain," she began. And then she once again saw the jagged points sticking out of Fluttershy's side. In the background, the dirty scalpels suddenly seemed to begin shining. Twilight froze in fear, the only part of her moving was her chest, which began heaving faster and faster. A sense of horror spread through her, and her imagination ran wild, showing her images she didn't want to see. "Oh," she said weakly, before the food she had been trying so hard to keep down finally made its way to freedom.

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:09:42+00:00

2011-07-11T01:09:42+00:00

SUNSIDE Fluttershy was exhausted as she returned to her house, the sun setting and painting the world around her a soft and warm russet. She had spent the better part of the afternoon attempting to rebuild a groundhog burrow that had been flooded after the most recent rain. She made a mental note to talk to the Weather Agency at the next chance she got. The rain was important, Fluttershy knew, but there had to be a way to go about it that didn't involve evicting woodland creatures from their homes. A strong breeze whistled through the trees, and the noise seemed louder in the silent twilight hours. There was something off about the weather, thought Fluttershy. Every part of the weather had to serve a purpose. The strong winds would just cause damage and scare little fillies, and there wasn't much reason for the flying crew to let it happen, not when the wind could be redirected to flow around Ponyville. At least, Fluttershy assumed it could; she'd left her weather training after it became clear that she didn't belong there, and she wasn't getting any less accident-prone. Another gust hit, and she closed her wings, which she had left unfurled without thinking. Some days she forgot she even had them until they got caught on something. Fluttershy crossed the threshold, her eyes beginning to droop. As she removed the scarf she had been wearing, she considered what to do about Applejack and Twilight. Nothing, was the obvious answer. Whatever was going on between them would sort itself out in time, and Fluttershy had no desire to be a part of it. She stumbled onto her bed and was soon in a deep enough sleep that she could not to hear the moaning of the wind as it began to gain strength. A rock hit her window. "Hey, Fluttershy!" called a voice, quieted by the walls of the house. After a minute, another rock hit, and the voice repeated itself. Fluttershy, dead to the rest of the world, didn't respond. A few minutes passed, and then Fluttershy felt the warm touch of a hoof disturb her from her sleep. The hoof quickly became an entire equestrian body that wrapped Fluttershy in a suffocating hug. The pegasus pony opened her eyes and stared into a pair of large unmistakably blue eyes. "Pinkie Pie!" she cried, confused and feeling quite violated. Pinkie Pie began rubbing her face in Fluttershy's mane. "I never realized you were so soft," murmured Pinkie Pie happily, and Fluttershy pushed her friend away. "What do you want?" asked Fluttershy. "How on Equestria did you even get in here?" She was fairly certain she had locked the door. Pinkie Pie pounced on top of her friend again and brought her face inches away from Fluttershy's. She brought a hoof to her mouth and forced the air between her teeth, indicating silence. "Listen," she said. Fluttershy tried, but all she could hear was the sound of wind through the trees. "I don't hear anything, Pinkie Pie," she said. "It's just a storm." "No," cried Pinkie Pie. "It's not just a storm. Ever since it started, I've been waiting for my ears to go flat and my tail to frizz, but they haven't!" Fluttershy didn't understand. "So?" she asked. "So that's my Pinkie Sense for huge storms," explained Pinkie Pie. "And even though this one's a doozy, I'm not getting anything." Fluttershy, still exhausted, turned away from Pinkie Pie. "Well your Pinkie Sense can't be going off all the time," she said, trying to spin the conversation in a way that was likely to get Pinkie Pie off of her. Their proximity was making her very uncomfortable. Pinkie Pie shook her head. "But my Pinkie Sense is doing stuff," she said. "Just different stuff. My eyes are twitching and my hooves itch and that means that something really bad is about to happen and you're the only pony who can stop it." Fluttershy tried her best to keep her voice level in the face of Pinkie's ridiculously specific Pinkie Sense. She had never exploded at one of her friends before, and she wanted to keep it that way. After all, if she exploded once, what would stop her from doing it again? "Pinkie Pie, you're so random," Fluttershy began to say, but she was interrupted by the sound of a wooden wheel impacting the side of the house. She quickly pulled herself upright, banging her head into Pinkie Pie's. "The chickens!" she cried, seeming to not notice the collision. "Rainbow Dash was helping me patch up one of the walls in the coop, but we left a giant hole in it." She envisioned the chickens blowing away in the fierce wind. "Help me, Pinkie Pie. Please, I mean, if it's not too much trouble…" Pinkie saluted her friend. "Okie Smokes, Fluttershy!" she said, and the pair ran out into the storm. To Fluttershy's surprise, there was still no rain, but the wind was even stronger than before. The ponies struggled against the wind until they reached the gate surrounding the coop, but as they turned the corner, the new direction of the wind bowled them over. Fluttershy gritted her teeth and stood up, pressing onward. Inside the coop, the chickens were running around crazily, startled by the storm. The pegasus grabbed one by the neck and carried it back into the house with Pinkie Pie following behind her, a second chicken in between her jaws. Pinkie Pie closed the door as they both released their chickens, panting heavily. "Two down, twenty eight to go," breathed Fluttershy. The task took the ponies almost an hour, but when they were finally done, Fluttershy's home was blanketed in the feathers of the thirty chickens that were now running freely throughout the house. Fluttershy watched as one of them leaped off the top of the stairs, descending erratically until it landed on a vase in the corner, knocking it over and smashing it. "Is this it?" Fluttershy asked Pinkie Pie. "Are your Pinkie Senses done now?" The pegasus looked over at her friend and noticed that Pinkie's eyes were twitching painfully, and she was running one of her hooves maddeningly over the carpet. "N-nuh-uh," said Pinkie Pie, and she began to stutter. "I-it's just g-getting w-w-worse," she said. "S-someth-thing really r-really b-b-bad is ab-bout to happen." Fluttershy's wings began to flare in whatever amount of frustration she could manage, but they immediately dropped when she realized how terrified she was. As crazy as her friend was, Fluttershy still trusted Pinkie Pie. If Pinkie said that something bad was about to happen, that was enough to scare Fluttershy speechless. Actually, Fluttershy realized, there were many things that could scare her speechless. But the visible terror in Pinkie's twitching eyes was worse than any of them. "What do we do?" asked Fluttershy with trepidation. Applejack dug through the contents of Twilight's bureau, looking for something, anything that would prove that Twilight was hiding something. After each drawer revealed nothing worthwhile, she carefully closed it and moved on to the next one. If Twilight and Spike were sleeping on the floor above her, Applejack wanted to make sure they didn't wake up. The drawers were mostly empty, containing the clothes Twilight wore on special occasions, allowing Applejack to be able to quickly search through them. The earth pony quickly grew frustrated with the profitless ordeal. Applejack opened the bottom drawer, and her composure changed instantly. She knew she had hit the jackpot. A dress had been thrown on top of a rectangular object in a failed attempt to hide it. Applejack pushed the dress aside and removed the book. It bore no title on its koskin cover, yet its edges hung limp where Applejack was not holding it. The book had seen much use; Applejack didn't hesitate to use it again. The words in the book were written in a neat cursive script that Applejack recognized as Twilight's. This was her diary, Applejack realized. She skimmed through the pages until the dates became more recent. Most of the writing included technical details of Twilight's experiments or mundane personal details that Applejack didn't have much taste for, although she made a mental note to never let a certain stallion learn about a particularly steamy passage around the halfway mark. The passages continued until about a week before the present day, at which point they abruptly stopped. The last passage was as uninteresting as the rest of them, musing about Pinkie Pie's attitudes after their failed surprise party, and no amount of scrutiny by Applejack gave any clues as to what could cause the sudden change in Twilight's behavior. Frustrated, Applejack kicked the book into the corner. She wondered where Rainbow Dash was, hoping the multicolored mare was taking the Cutie Mark Crusaders back to the farm and not getting them into more trouble. Applejack knew that for some reason or another, it wasn't going to be that easy. She turned to look over the rest of the room and discovered a teary eyed Twilight Sparkle staring at her. "Horseapples…" muttered Applejack. Seconds passed, and neither pony spoke. Then, when Applejack realized that for the first time since the fiasco began they were finally alone, she spoke. "Well, Missy," she said. "Ah guess it's just you an' me here." "What are you doing?" Twilight asked, and Applejack heard the hysteria in her voice. "Ah want the truth," said Applejack coldly. "Ah won't take nothin' else, so just fess up, 'cuz nopony's here to judge you but me." As she finished, Rainbow Dash stuck her head through the ceiling. "There's nothing in the floorboards," she announced, before the thin wooden ceiling gave way and she tumbled to the floor. Seconds later, Pinkie Pie kicked open the door leading to the library, and Fluttershy awkwardly stumbled in behind her, her head hung low. "Um, excuse me, sorry," mumbled Fluttershy. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Applejack glared at Fluttershy and bared her teeth. "'Twilight' here's fixin to spill the beans, so back off. I'm not lettin' her get away." Fluttershy squeaked and backed into the corner. "Applejack," said Pinkie, with a cautionary tone, "You'd know what Rarity would say if she were here." "Well she ain't, is she?" snapped Applejack. "And ah'm not gonna to stop until ah get answers. Twilight's been lying to us. In fact, ah don't even believe she's really her. Ah ain't even goin' to call her Twilight no more." She began to advance toward the purple mare threateningly. Rainbow Dash watched the encounter, filled with uncertainty and mixed feelings. Applejack had become a truly frightening force, and Rainbow doubted that a single pony there wasn't completely terrified. Her pulse increased rapidly, and she felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her throat. She looked at Twilight nervously, tears now pooling around the unicorn's eyes. Then came the spark. It was a feeling Rainbow had felt only a couple times before in the past. The room lit up around her, and Twilight was no longer Twilight. In her place sat Fluttershy, or what Fluttershy looked like when she was younger. Applejack had been replaced by one of the jock ponies from Flight School, the brown pegasus with the basketball cutie mark. The image only lasted a second, and when it faded, Rainbow Dash knew exactly what to do. "No," she said sternly, stepping between Applejack and Twilight. "I'm not going to let you hurt her." "Outta the way, Rainbow Dash," said Applejack, the anger in her voice rising. "Ah'm tellin' you, this ain't Twilight." "Prove it." Applejack froze. It was a question she should have known was going to be asked, but it didn't prepare her for when it actually was. "Pardon?" she said, her voice now quieter and much higher. "You heard me," said Rainbow Dash, walking forward until her face was directly in front of Applejack's. "Prove it. Really, Applejack, I don't know what's gotten into you these past few days, but I'm not going to stand back and make Twilight deal with your craziness." Applejack attempted to rush past Rainbow, but the strong pegasus barely managed to hold her back. "Why don't y'all trust me?" screeched Applejack. Pinkie Pie bounded forward, joining Rainbow Dash. "W-why won't you trust Twilight? What's she d-done?" she said, still stuttering a bit. "Well..." Applejack tried to think of an answer. "Applejack," whinnied Pinkie Pie. "You need to listen to your f-friends. Otherwise you can lose them, f-forever." "But that's what ah'm trying to say!" screamed Applejack, frustrated. "No, you're not," said Rainbow Dash. "The only pony you're willing to listen to is yourself." Applejack wanted to protest. She wanted to knock some sense into her friends, literally if she had to. She needed them to see things the way she saw them. But after she opened her mouth, she closed it again. What could she say? Nothing she wanted to say would convince them, but it took her a moment of silence to realize why. It wasn't evidence. Nothing she said, or could say, would ever hold up in a formal argument. She couldn't prove that Twilight was hiding something. It was just something she knew. Now, feeling weighed down by Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash's accusatory stares, Applejack asked a question she hadn't even considered before then. What if she was wrong? What if Twilight was acting strange because she was hurt or upset, and all Applejack was doing was yelling and making things worse? Applejack repeated the encounter in her head, trying to look at things from Twilight's perspective, and suddenly she felt like a monster. She hung her head, trying desperately not to look at anypony. "Ah'm sorry, Dashie" she murmured softly. Rainbow Dash's expression didn't change. "I'm not the pony you need to be apologizing to, Applejack," she said. Applejack knew it. She raised her head and looked across the room at Twilight. The unicorn was heaving quickly, scared out of her mind. Was she really that bad? Applejack wondered. She stood slowly and cautiously approached her friend. "Look here, sugarcube," she said, and Twilight flinched. "I don't mean no harm," she continued. "ah never did. I just want you to know that you've got friends that'll try to help you. And we'll stand by you, no matter what." Twilight looked into Applejack's eyes, suspicious. "No matter what?" she echoed. Applejack nodded. "Yup, no matter what. Ah meant well, sugarcube, but ah guess ah got a little lost along the way. Ah stopped thinking about you. And nopony can decide what's best for her friends, especially if she doesn't even listen to them. And for that ah'm really, truly sorry." The storm that had been fiercely blowing outside calmed a little. Applejack turned away from everypony else in the room, so none of them could see the smirk that had appeared on her face. It was the widest she had smiled all week. "Ah guess ah learned my lesson, Twilight," she said, her voice sounding genuinely remorseful. Then she lifted her head and turned, pretending she had just been struck with a bright idea. "Ya know, you could include this in yer next friendship report!" "See?" squealed Pinkie Pie as she began hopping up and down. "Now we're friends again, like Odysseus and Achilles." "Who?" said Owlowiscious, having awoken from his perch. "That... could be a good idea," said Twilight, struggling to find the right words to say in the aftermath. Applejack stood tall, a proud grin plastered onto her face. "In fact," she suggested, "why don't ya write it right now?" "Is now really a good time?" asked Rainbow Dash skeptically. "You shouldn't push her like that," said Fluttershy, but she was too quiet for any of the other ponies to hear her. Pinkie Pie frowned, beginning to understand what Applejack was getting at. Applejack's behavior left a bad taste in her mouth, but she kept quiet, curious to see what would happen next. Twilight stared blankly at Applejack, and her breathing began to quicken again. Outside, the storm increased in intensity. "Now?" she asked. Applejack nodded. "Of course now," she said. "You should do it while it's still fresh in our minds." She paused and leaned inward. "Unless, of course, ya don't know how."

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:14:47+00:00

2013-01-04T05:42:03+00:00

SUNSIDE "Well?" said Applejack, running out of patience. "Ya gonna write the letter or ain't ya?" "I'll do it," said Twilight, her voice panicked. "I just need a quill and paper, right?" She used her horn to lift a blank parchment and a quill from the desk. "Let's see. 'Today I learned that a true friend will always support you.'" She didn't get a chance to write a second sentence before Applejack pushed the paper away from her. "Now hold on, Twilight," she said. "Don't you need to address it first?" Twilight swallowed. "Address?" she stuttered. "Yeah, you silly filly," interjected Pinkie Pie. "Address means you write the name of the pony you're sending it to." "I know what it means," said Twilight resentfully. She raised the quill to the paper again, but didn't write. She stared at the paper nervously, then at Applejack, then at the paper again. Beginning to sweat, she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of a way out. "Here's a hint," said Applejack, growing tired. "She more or less raised you." Taking a guess, Twilight began writing. "Dear Mom," she said, dictating as she wrote. Applejack grabbed the paper with her teeth and threw it to the ground. "Wrong answer," she said. She pushed her face up against Twilight, forcing the smaller unicorn back. "Who. Are. You?" she asked, saying each word with as much anger as she could muster. "Because you sure as hay ain't Twilight Sparkle." Twilight trembled, but this time Applejack felt little remorse. "Answer me," Applejack ordered. The unicorn looked up into the earth pony's green eyes. "I am Twilight Sparkle," she said, but the voice was lacking resolve, almost uncertain of its own conviction. "I swear to you, I'm Twilight." "Liar," spat Applejack, and behind her a book toppled off the shelf and hit the floor. Nopony save Fluttershy noticed it. "Applejack," Fluttershy cautioned, but she was again unheard. "I'm not her," said Twilight. "But I am Twilight. Just not your Twilight." "And what in tarnation is that supposed to mean?" Outside, lightning flashed. Pinkie Pie felt a light breeze against her fur, and she looked for the open window. "What did you do with the real Twilight?" Rainbow Dash asked, finally convinced. Twilight shook her head. "I think," she began, but she couldn't finish. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed. A burning sensation lit up her gut, a familiar feeling she knew to well. "I think," she said again, struggling to get the words out. "I think you should go away. Please." Applejack shook her head. "That ain't happening. So spill. You still look like Twilight, and I don't want to mess up that familiar face. But I will, for her." "No," Twilight breathed as Applejack and Rainbow Dash forced her into the corner. She felt as if she was suffocating. "Please." "Um... guys?" said Pinkie Pie, as a vase behind her melted into slag. The wind was stronger now, tangling Pinkie Pie's mane into knots. Frames on the wall began to swing violently. "Guys," she shouted, although she only succeeded in catching Fluttershy's attention. "All the doors and windows are closed, so where's the wind from?" Applejack, undeterred, grabbed Twilight on the shoulder. The sharp sound of electric discharge lanced into everypony's ears, and a second later, Applejack was dazed and head-first on the floor on the other side of the room. Twilight began to levitate off of the ground, the wind curling around her, forming a protective sphere that flashed every color of the rainbow. Her horn began to emit a blinding light that rode on the air currents and leaped around the room. Furniture disappeared, or shrunk, or turned into rabbits. Applejack struggled to her hooves. "Twilight, stop that!" she called. Twilight wanted to. It was painful to endure, the magic forcing its way out through every orifice. Her eyes squeezed shut, and when they reopened they glowed an intense violet that brought agony to her eyelids. Applejack tried to approach Twilight again, but was tossed against the back wall the instant she raised a hoof. A sickening crack resounded through the room, and Applejack didn't try to stand again. The other ponies backed up slowly, aided by the harsh wind that was forcing them away from Twilight. Rainbow Dash began to feel incredibly hot underneath her mane. A bolt of lightening leaped from Twilight's horn, striking a doorknob and letting off a shower of sparks. Twilight resigned and hung her head, no longer trying to fight the energy that was rippling across her body. She didn't want this to happen, but there was nothing she could do. The howling wind drowned out every sound, and Twilight felt herself sinking into a murky blackness. Then, one noise managed to break through the maelstrom, and she heard it clearly. "Twilight." She struggled to focus her eyes, to see what was going on around her. To her complete shock, while Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were forced up against the wall, trying to survive the winds that were now beginning to topple bookshelves and fling them in any direction, Fluttershy was anchored. Her body bent forward and her wings folded inward as tightly as they could, Fluttershy was the only static element of the shifting chaos that was once the library. "Twilight," she said again, not shouting but no longer in her usual whimper. "You don't have to do this." Twilight tried to figure out what to do, how to explain that Fluttershy was wrong, that whatever happened was going to happen. She opened her mouth to talk, but the only sounds she made were screams. A change had settled over Fluttershy. Hearing the scream, the pegasus flinched, but she then strengthened her resolve and pushed against the wind. She no longer seemed afraid; her fear had been replaced with a serene calmness. Twilight looked into Fluttershy's eyes and saw the empathy within them. "You can stop this," said Fluttershy, taking another step forward. "If you have enough power to do this, you have enough to turn it off." Twilight scowled, tears streaming down her face. She never understood ponies who would risk themselves for ponies like her. She didn't deserve their compassion. She was worthless, an outcast, a mistake. Everything and everypony she touched turned to ashes, in some cases literally, even when they could have avoided it simply by walking away. Twilight looked at Fluttershy again, seeing another pony within her, the last pony who had flown too close to the sun and gotten burnt. The memory of the other pony, the golden-maned pegasus, burned brightly in her mind, and Twilight knew it would kill her to watch it happen all over again. Fluttershy, having closed the distance, wrapped Twilight in a hug. "You can do this," she said, whispering words of encouragement. "It's okay now. Everything's going to be okay." Twilight could feel Fluttershy's muscles as they tensed and locked up. The electricity was now arcing directly between them, and their pain was shared. Yet Fluttershy refused to let go or make even the quietest sound to show that she was hurting. Instead she only whispered. "I'm here for you. Everything will be okay." Fluttershy wiped a tear off of Twilight's face and smiled. "Feel free to cry on my shoulder, alright?" Twilight buried her muzzle in Fluttershy's mane and cried harder than she ever had in her life. The storm began to die down, and Pinkie stopped shivering. Rainbow Dash approached the embracing ponies, confused and feeling somewhat scornful towards Fluttershy's treacherous behavior. "Fluttershy, what are you..." she began, but she froze when she saw Fluttershy narrow her eyes, the beginning of a stare. "No," said Fluttershy, the assertion in her voice unusual and unsettling for Rainbow Dash to hear. Then it softened. "Can you check on Applejack, please?" Rainbow nodded silently and trotted over to Applejack, who was beginning to moan and lift her head. "What in blazes," muttered Applejack as she tried to understand what had happened to her. She tried to stand, but cried out at a sharp pain in one of her hind legs. "Thank Celestia," Rainbow Dash breathed. "I think she's okay," she called to the rest of the ponies. "Well, all things considered." Pinkie Pie galloped toward Fluttershy before bouncing in circles around her. "You did it!" she cried. "You did it!" "Did what?" asked Applejack, still somewhat dazed. "Fluttershy saved Ponyville!" shouted Pinkie Pie, celebratorily and emphatically. "I was giving Gummy a bath when my eyes started twitching and hooves started itching and I started getting shivery all over, like when I eat to much candy only I hadn't eaten any candy in at least an hour so I went to see Fluttershy because I knew it was my Pinkie Pie sense saying something really bad was about to happen to Ponyville and Fluttershy was the only pony who could stop it in time even though she's not very tough but I told her this and I told her that it was here because I just knew that Twilight would be involved just like she always is whenever my Pinkie Pie sense is tingling and I was right again and Twilight started to go *WHOOSH* and then Fluttershy hugged her because that's what she does and she's so nice to everypony and then everything went back to normal and I was thinking about how maybe I could throw another party to cheer everypony up like the surprise one we were going to do for Twilight- sorry, Twilight- but we couldn't because she wasn't home and we didn't know why but that was okay because I still had leftover cupcakes and streamers and that banner that was for Rainbow Dash until I erased part of it and put Twilight's name in which looks kind of funny because it's longer to write so it didn't really fit on the banner but nopony noticed so I figured it was okay." She paused and inhaled for ten seconds. "And then Fluttershy saved Ponyville!" she shouted. Twilight had stopped following the speech after the first occurrence of the words "Pinkie Pie Sense." "Pinkie Sense?" she asked Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash shrugged. "It's a thing," she said. "But that doesn't..." began Twilight. Rainbow cut her off. "Don't start this again," she muttered. "It was bad enough the first time." Applejack frowned. "Where's Apple Bloom?" she asked Rainbow Dash. "Upstairs, huddled in a little wooden box with her friends. Some ponies don't know how to handle a storm." Applejack smiled, relieved that her sister hadn't been caught in the storm, while Fluttershy stared into Twilight's familiar, alien eyes, trying to figure out what to do next. "You don't have to do this," said Twilight as Fluttershy helped her across the threshold and into the house. "What else could I do?" asked Fluttershy. "I think the others are going to start being a little nicer to you, but having you sleep in Twilight's house was where Applejack drew the line." Twilight didn't blame her. "I mean, I can find some other place to spend the night," she said. "You need to be comfortable," said Fluttershy. "And I think Applejack wants you under a watchful eye." As she spoke, Angel hopped onto the table from his bed, pointing two claws first at his own eyes and then at Twilight's. Twilight tried to laugh, but found she couldn't. The sight of Applejack being so abusive and cruel made Twilight never want to laugh again. It wasn't every day that a pony got attacked by her only friend. Angel hopped onto Twilight's back, but she did nothing to force the rabbit off. "There's only one bed," explained Fluttershy. "Upstairs, on the right. I can sleep on the couch." "No." That was the one service Twilight could give, her one reparation, even though she knew it wouldn't be enough. "I've already stolen one life. I'm not going to start taking yours. I'll take the couch, and that's that." Fluttershy nodded, understanding. She started up the staircase, but stopped when she heard Twilight's voice calling to her. "One question," said Twilight. "Her and Applejack. Were they good friends?" "I guess so," said Fluttershy. "I don't know about Twilight; she was always so private. But Applejack cared about her a lot." Twilight smiled, a small bit of warmth and hope flowing into her. "Good night, then," she said. "Good night," repeated Fluttershy. She entered her bedroom and realized that sleeping in her own bed wasn't going to work, since it was now inhabited by two and a half dozen sleeping chickens. She wandered back out into the hall and saw that Twilight hadn't taken the couch but instead had made a nest on the rug with a sheet. Feeling sorry for the stranger that looked like her friend, Fluttershy descended the stairs and laid down beside her. "I thought you hated me," said Twilight coldly. Fluttershy was shocked for a moment, and heart melted in pity. "Hate is a strong word," she said softly. "No it's not." said Twilight. "If it was, it wouldn't be used so often. Now answer, do you hate me?" Fluttershy was tempted to answer immediately, but she stopped herself. If Twilight wanted an honest, heartfelt answer, she would get one. "I don't know," Fluttershy admitted at last. "You've done some really bad things. I'm scared to think of what you did with Twilight. But I also know that tomorrow we're going to work together to get her back." "Do they hate me?" Twilight asked. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow," said Fluttershy. Twilight, satisfied by this answer, fell asleep. Before Fluttershy joined her, she noticed that the weather outside was calmer than she had ever seen before in Ponyville. The next morning, Rarity was preparing to open up her shop when she heard a knock at her door. Rainbow Dash was waiting anxiously when she opened it. "Everypony's meeting at the library," she explained curtly before she took Rarity around the neck and dragged her out of the shop. "Shop can wait," she said when Rarity tried to protest. Rarity followed her across the Ponyville to the back entrance of the library. As they entered, she saw the mess that had been left by the previous night's encounter. Shelves were overturned and entire tables were on their sides. Fluttershy was comforting an incredibly sobered Twilight while Pinkie Pie adjusted a cast on Applejack's leg. Rarity tried to piece together what had happened, but couldn't. "Goodness, what is this?" she asked Rainbow Dash. Rainbow looked at Rarity. "It's the end of the beginning," she said.

uberPhoenix

92

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2012-11-24T07:26:16+00:00

2013-11-13T06:00:57+00:00

MOONSIDE Pumpkin was waiting for Twilight anxiously when she climbed out of the burrow, struggling beneath the weight of the homemade saddlebag. When the purple unicorn was finally out of the earth, the filly began jumping, impatient and ready to move. "Hold your horses," muttered Twilight. "I told you I would take you home. Leaping around like this isn't going to make it happen any faster." Pumpkin dug her hooves into the earth in irritation. "I know," she groaned. "But we're finally getting a move on, and even then you're slow." Pumpkin had been ready to leave not long after Twilight had met Fluttershy, but Twilight had refused to let Pumpkin go off into the Everfree Forest on her own. Fortunately, Fluttershy had somehow managed to get Pumpkin to stay, as Twilight would have been unable to force the issue herself. "I mean, my mum's probably scared to death," said Pumpkin. "You made me stay a whole day. A whole day! What if she thinks I've been eaten by a manaco or something?" The thought of Pumpkin's poor mother hadn't really occurred to Twilight. "I'll explain everything to her, I promise," said Twilight. "And you're lucky. Fluttershy really wanted me to rest for two days before I left. I managed to convince her I'd be fine with one." Fluttershy. Something was very wrong with her. That much was apparent, even for somepony who didn't know her. But after their first encounter, during their second conversation, Twilight realized just how bad her condition was. "I'm really sorry to bring this up again," Twilight had said when she and Fluttershy were alone in the burrow. "But how long have your wings been, you know?" She didn't want to finish, but what she had said should have been clear enough. "It's fine," was Fluttershy's reply. "It doesn't bother me that much anymore. They don't hurt. But they've been like that as long as I can remember, as long as I've been living here, perhaps." Something about Fluttershy's behavior had unsettled Twilight. The pegasus seemed nervous around her, even though they were good friends. Twilight slowly realized that Fluttershy had never referred to her by name. "Fluttershy," she had asked, scared of the answer. "Do you know who I am?" The silence that followed told Twilight everything she needed. Fluttershy didn't remember her. From the conversation that followed, it became clear that she didn't remember Pinkie Pie either. Or Applejack. It was as if all of her memories had been wiped clean, and none of their adventures together had ever happened. Now, as Twilight and Pumpkin began their journey through the woods, Fluttershy's health was the only thing on Twilight's mind. "We need to get a doctor out here," she told Pumpkin. "First thing when we get back to Ponyville." "Why don't you ask Fluttershy?" asked Pumpkin. "She patched you up nice enough." "I mean, a doctor for Fluttershy," explained Twilight. "She doesn't remember who I am. There's something in her head, like some kind of mad horse disease, and whatever it is that's got her acting like this is making her not remember things she really should know." "Oh," said Pumpkin, and both ponies stopped talking. The only way Twilight could measure time was by evaluating her energy. Each step made her a little more exhausted. After a while, Pumpkin broke the silence. "Are you sure we're going the right way?" she asked. "Of course," said Twilight. "Fluttershy showed me which way to go. Why, don't you trust Fluttershy?" "Not really," said Pumpkin, and Twilight realized that she might agree with the filly's decision. "Why can't you use your adventurer skills to get out of here? Retracing your steps, maybe?" Twilight asked Pumpkin, recalling their first meeting. "'Cuz," said Pumpkin. "Adventures are always going into jungles, to find treasure and stuff like that. You never see an adventurer leaving a jungle, do you?" She looked up at Twilight, who was straining under the weight of the saddlebag. "You positive you don't want any help with that?" she asked. "Nope," said Twilight, determined. "A good part of it is food, anyway. I just don't think Fluttershy wanted us to be completely unprepared. "I helped," said Pumpkin, who was now on Twilight's back and eating salad out of the bag. Twilight glanced over to where the filly had been standing a moment ago, wondering how she could have possibly moved so quickly. Pumpkin sprung off of Twilight's back, and the saddlebag felt noticeably lighter. She begin jumping in circles around Twilight. "Did you eat all of that?" Twilight asked the filly. Pumpkin nodded. "All gone." "Well then, you'd better slow down, or else you're going to get a stomachache, or you'll get all worn out," warned Twilight. Pumpkin was still bouncing when Twilight collapsed, all of her energy gone. "Trixie," moaned Pumpkin, prodding her, and Twilight mentally berated herself for not coming up with a more bearable name to use. "Trixie, we're almost there." "I don't care," said Twilight, who had found the dirt road surprisingly comfortable. Then the words registered. "Really?" she asked, trying to lift her head. The trees had gotten noticeably thinner since they had started, but Twilight hadn't been willing to get her hopes up. "How do you know?" she asked. "Easy. I can see the light." Twilight looked around. "Lights?" she said. "Where?" Pumpkin looked at Twilight sternly. "Now you're just foaling with me," she said. "I don't like bein' foaled. Up there, in the sky." Twilight looked up and saw it. A single bright light hovering above Ponyville. She might have thought it was a star, but it was far too bright. Nothing else in the sky came close to matching it. Then, to her amazement, the light moved. It swung sharply downward beneath the canopy before rising up again, somewhat to the right. "What is it?" asked Twilight, transfixed. Pumpkin rolled her eyes. "It's the Ponyville light. Honestly 'tain't nothing too special. You've never seen it before, though? What are ya, nocturnal?" "Nocturnal?" echoed Twilight. "Yeah. The light only comes out during the day. It's like the sun, but smaller." Twilight was still confused. "This is daytime?" she asked. If they were really close to the edge of the forest, the lighting shouldn't still be pitch-black. "Duh. 'Cuz of the light. That's how you tell the night from day." It took Twilight a few seconds to realize that Pumpkin was probably playing some kind of prank on her. The filly must have seen the light and decided to have fun with it. "Well, you got me," said Twilight, and Pumpkin stared at her, not comprehending. "Maybe we should just take you back to your mom now," she added, trying to give Pumpkin a chance to move past the joke without any embarrassment. Ten minutes of trotting later, a very familiar building came into view on the very fringe of Ponyville. "This is where you live?" asked Twilight, shocked. Pumpkin smiled, proud to be home. "Yup!" she said. "Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres." The barn stood majestically in front of the sprawling fields; there was no mistaking the farm. Yet something put Twilight on edge, something that she couldn't place. Actually, Twilight mused, that feeling of familiarity overlaying a sense of the bizarre was beginning to become a recurring theme in Twilight's struggles. She felt like there was always something in the corner of her eye, something just beyond her comprehension, and it created a sense of dread, a pit in the bottom of her stomach. "You live here?" said Twilight, trying desperately to fit together the pieces of the puzzle. Pumpkin stared at her again. "That's what I said." "But I've never seen you here before." "And I've never seen you before, period," said Pumpkin. "What's your point?" "I thought only Applejack lived here, with Granny Smith and Big Macintosh," said Twilight. Pumpkin shrugged. "Beats me," she said. "There were lots of ponies living on the farm when Gramps and Mum and Dad moved in." She began sprinting down the road toward the large entrance gate without checking to see if Twilight was following her. Twilight followed slowly, her face furrowed into a frown and her eyes looking at the ground. She wondered how long she had been gone. Was Pumpkin some relative of Applejack's? As Twilight examined her surroundings, the differences began to compound. Pumpkin was right; there were many ponies on the farm. Twilight saw mostly glimpses of them, through windows or in the distance, but she could easily count past the four residents of the farm she knew, the fourth being Apple Bloom, whom Twilight had accidentally skipped over in her confusion. Some of the buildings seemed old and worn down, including a shed that Twilight remembered had been rebuilt a couple months ago; she had helped. Twilight tried to figure out why there were so many other ponies working, and according to Pumpkin, living on the farm. The Summer Sun celebration was still a few months away. Was it apple harvesting season? Twilight couldn't remember, so she looked out into the apple orchard and realized what had looked so wrong with the orchard: a distinct lack of trees. There were some apple trees; the fields weren't completely barren. Yet large swaths of grass littered the farm, and some sections were growing other plants, like potatoes and pumpkins. Twilight could only think of one explanation for the sudden changes. A lot of time must have passed since the last time she had seen the farm. She reached up and touched the bandages on her face. Maybe the injuries and concussion had caused some memory loss. That would explain why everything seemed so disjointed, why the day Twilight had gone into the forest with Rainbow Dash seemed so distant. The distorted memories could be her mind trying to repair itself. Twilight wasn't a neurologist, but she decided that this was a possible explanation, and seeing as she couldn't think of a better one, Occam's Razor said it was probably correct. She needed a calendar. She was about to try and catch up to Pumpkin to ask her the date when a shrill voice calling Pumpkin's name interrupted her thoughts and made both ponies freeze. Pumpkin turned and leaped even higher than normal when she saw who was speaking to them. "Rarity!" she cried, and she dashed between Twilight's legs and out of sight. Twilight tried to track Pumpkin as the filly moved but only ended up viewing the now upside-down world between her forelegs. A white earth pony wearing a Stetson looked at Twilight briefly in confusion before turning her attention to the bouncing filly. She bit down on Pumpkin's ear, holding her in place. "Settle down, now," she instructed between clenched teeth. Pumpkin's leaps became smaller until she was vibrating slowly on the ground. The white pony let go and promptly spit onto the ground. "Better," she said. "But you taste terrible. What have you been up to? Your mother is worried sick." Before Pumpkin could answer, the white pony looked back at Twilight. "And who's the mare who looks like she lost a fight to an owl-bear?" Twilight self-consciously rubbed the bandage, wishing she would stop being reminded of it. "Rarity?" she said quietly, trying to wrap her head around this new piece of information. Rarity sighed. "Go take a bath," she told Pumpkin. "I'll let your kin know you're safe." She swatted Pumpkin on the rump with her tail, and Pumpkin took off toward the house. "You. With me," Rarity ordered Twilight, and she complied. "What's your name?" Rarity asked, once the gap had been closed. The voice did sound like Rarity's, thought Twilight. It wasn't something that she would have figured out purely by listening, but since she knew it was supposed to be Rarity, she could see the resemblance. Rather, it sounded like a hybrid between Rarity's normal voice and Applejack's, like a cowpony that chose her words carefully. She had both Rarity's elegance and Applejack's softness and honesty. "Rarity?" Twilight repeated, not knowing what else to do. Rarity shook her head. "No, that's me. I'm asking who you are." Yet the pony standing before her looking intimidating couldn't be Rarity, thought Twilight. She couldn't see the cutie mark from this angle, but this "Rarity" didn't have a horn. Then Twilight remembered Fluttershy, her wings broken off, the stubs standing out at an angle, and Twilight almost threw up again. She forced herself to look up at Rarity, the other pony's blue eyes examining her suspiciously. The dream of Rarity selling apples returned, and Twilight tried to remember if the dream-Rarity had a horn. "You," began Twilight, "Your, you don't, I mean, what happened to your..." Unable to get the words across, she began frantically gesturing to the horn on her own forehead. Rarity rolled her eyes, annoyed by their newest guest. "You mean this?" she asked, pushing up the brim on her Stetson, revealing the horn underneath. Twilight breathed a giant sigh of relief. "Thank Celestia," she breathed. Rarity eyed Twilight no longer with suspicion but with confusion and concern. "Are you all right?" she asked. "You're the first pony that's asked to see my horn before." Realizing what she had just said, her face flushed with embarrassment. "There were probably a dozen better ways to word that," she muttered. Desperate to move on, she asked Twilight, "Would you like to come inside for a moment? Those bandages look atrocious. We should change them out, and you look like you could use something to eat." Twilight nodded eagerly, thankful for Rarity's generosity. She still had many questions running through her, and one of them was more important than the rest. Based on Rarity's behavior, however, Twilight was afraid that she already knew the answer. Do you recognize me? Five minutes later, Twilight was sitting at a small circular table across from Rarity, sipping some cold apple cider. They were in a back room of the main building, a room the farm had decided to use as a combined food storage and tool shed. "So," said Rarity, leaning forward. "Who did you say you were again?" Twilight felt crushed. Rarity didn't remember who she was either. She answered honestly, not wanting to hide anything from her friend, even if the friend didn't know her. "Twilight Sparkle," repeated Rarity slowly, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Well, I guess that explains quite a bit. Except what you were doing with Pumpkin." "I found her in the forest. I wasn't going to eat her soul or anything!" exclaimed Twilight, getting defensive. To her surprise, Rarity began laughing. Twilight sat still dumbfounded. "Darling," laughed Rarity, "you hardly seem like the type to eat anypony's soul. Even if that were possible." "But Pumpkin said..." muttered Twilight, trailing off. "I've been trying to figure you out, Twilight," continued Rarity. "Who you are, that sort of thing. It's easy to figure out what you're not. For example, I know you don't eat souls. But you're clueless enough to listen to a little filly on matters you should already be well-aware of. Namely, yourself. Be honest with me, Twilight. What are you doing here?" Twilight finished the cider. She leaned in to match Rarity. "I think that there's something wrong with me," she confessed. Rarity started laughing again. "Oh, I doubt there's any argument against that," she said. Noticing Twilight's empty cup, she added, "Sorry, darling. I wish I could give you more, but everything here's strictly rationed. They can't notice anything's gone missing." "Rationed?" The word surprised Twilight. "But this is the Sweet Apple Acres. Half the food in Ponyville comes out of here." Rarity sighed again, and her face once again showed worry. "That may have been true, before the Darkness. Now it's all we can do to get enough to eat." "The Darkness?" asked Twilight, who hadn't heard anything after that. Rarity raised an eyebrow. "You really are behind the times, aren't you, Darling? Look outside. It's the middle of the day, if you still believe in telling them apart. The sun doesn't rise anymore. It hasn't, not since the Summer Sun Celebration two years ago. And food doesn't grow without sunlight. The whole extended Apple family's moved here to work together, to make what we can, even if it's barely enough to get through. We've got the Apples, the Melons, and the Pumpkins, all under one roof." Twilight stopped breathing. "That's impossible," she said. "We stopped it. We did. Both of us. Together." Rarity shook her head and looked at Twilight sadly. "I don't know what you're going on about, Twilight. I'd remember something like that, I think. And the two of us have never been acquainted before today." Something Rarity had said before began to bother Twilight, and she figured now would be a good time to ask. "Which one are you?" she asked. Rarity didn't understand. "Excuse me?" she said. "The Apples, the Melons, and the Pumpkins. Which one are you?" "Oh, I'm nothing yet," said Rarity, and a small mischievous smile spread across her lips. "I just work here. And I've started living here too. I'm not a blood relative, but I'm still part of the big family. At least, they treat me like I am, and I like it that way." She picked up Twilight's plate and carried it to a sink. "Now, let's get those bandages replaced." That evening, Rarity was sitting in a rocking chair behind the house, watching Apple Bloom and Scootaloo tussle on the ground over a ball. The game was a sport of Apple Bloom's creation, and she would often force the other fillies on the farm to play it with her when she wasn't trying to find her special talent with her friends. Rarity watched as Apple Bloom gained control of the ball and bucked it toward Pumpkin, who shot it past Sweetie Belle and into the goal. What she wouldn't give to be that young again, without a care, not understanding the hardships she would have to endure to make a living. Today had been a relatively lax day, but tomorrow she would have to start uprooting some of the potato plants to see which ones had become infected with a rather nasty worm. It would be a lot of hard work, and Rarity figured she could manage. She wasn't averse to labor like she had been as a filly, and it paid well. She could feel the muscles in her chest and couldn't imagine what it would be like to live without them. She also couldn't forget the numerous lessons discipline had taught her. She recited the Wayfarer's Creed silently to herself. Never do by horn what can be done by hoof. Patience, endurance, and the value of work can't be taught with magic. It had taken Rarity far too long to realize this, and so she had made the promise with herself. Nopony else was enforcing it but her; maybe that's why she found it so compelling. If she broke it, it would become meaningless, and she had lived by it far too long to risk sacrificing its meaning. After she had changed Twilight's bandages, it had become apparent that the purple unicorn still hadn't recovered enough to be out of bed. She was easily fatigued and had trouble maintaining focus during the procedure, and so she gave up her bed to Twilight. After all, it wasn't like she used it that much now. Pumpkin's mother had approached her soon afterward, anxious to meet the stranger that had rescued her daughter. That would have to happen tomorrow too. Who was Twilight Sparkle? Rarity had heard the legends; so had every pony, but she'd never given them much credit. The real Twilight had turned out to be a confused, disoriented mess, and Rarity had taken pity on her. She only hoped the rest of the farm would react the same way when they learned who their new guest was. Pumpkin bucked the ball again, and this time it went over goalpost, hitting Granny Smith, who nearly toppled over backward. Rarity called out the filly's name, scolding her before going to check that the older mare was unhurt. "Pumpkin Alyssa Pie!"

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A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:18:18+00:00

2013-01-04T06:00:22+00:00

SUNSIDE "You know," said Twilight to Applejack as they trod along the path, leaving Ponyville behind them, "this would be so much easier if you let me lead." Applejack snorted. "And give you the chance to escape?" she said, laughing. "Not a chance. I know the way. I think. I can lead fine," she added before stumbling over the cast on her leg, making the other ponies slow their pace again. From the back of the line, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "This isn't going to be like the time you tried to take us to Zecora's, is it?" "We got out of that okay, didn't we?" asked Spike, who was riding on Rainbow Dash's back. As he spoke, he lost his grip on Rainbow's coat and nearly toppled, and he had to grab onto her mane to avoid from falling off altogether. Rainbow winced from the pain, but said nothing as Spike climbed up her mane and back into position. "Eventually," she said. "After a certain dragon panicked and started sending random sticks over to Celestia. We're lucky she was smart enough to figure it out." Her voice then dropped an octave, and each words emerged from her lips separately and covered in malice. "She summoned the Royal Guard to find us. I've never been more humiliated in my life." "Sure you have," interrupted Fluttershy, who was walking alongside Twilight in the middle. "What about Rarity's botched fashion show? Or that incident back at Flight School in the principal's office?" "Which one?" asked Rainbow, who had visited the principal more times than she could count on her two front hooves. Which was to say, she had been more than twice. "The only one where the principal hadn't called you there. Remember, you made me promise never to tell anypony about it?" "No..." said Rainbow, still trying to narrow down the possibilities. "I think it involved a certain griffin and a can of axle grease, among some other things," recalled Fluttershy. "Right..." moaned Rainbow Dash. "She didn't even go to the same school, you know that? Some snooty private school." Rarity, trotting next to Rainbow Dash, broke her silence. "This nostalgia is nice and all, but it doesn't exactly explain what is going on here." Spike shrugged. "You've got me," he said. "I'm as lost as you are." Pinkie Pie, who had managed to refrain from speaking by hopping in circles around the other six, found an opportunity to join the conversation and seized it. "Twilight's been acting all funny because she's not Twilight," she said. "Yes, yes," muttered Rarity. "You explained that already. But where are we going?" "Sky Mirror Lake," answered Twilight. "I can explain things better once we get there. Trust me." "Not likely," huffed Applejack. "I'd trust ya about as far as I can buck ya. I wouldn't put it past ya to run away." "I can teleport, O-" Twilight paused. "I mean, Applejack," she finished. "If I didn't want to cooperate, I'd already be halfway to Stalliongrad." "Jus' don't talk," ordered Applejack. "The next time you open that muzzle of yours, it better be explaining what the hay's goin' on around here." To Twilight's relief, Sky Mirror Lake existed sunside. Sunside was the word she had used in her notes to describe this world, and it made sense. The side with the sun, even if it wasn't sunny all the time. Now, as the group neared the water's edge, six pairs of eyes turned to her, expectantly. "Okay," she began, her voice shaking. "I want you all to imagine that the world is like this lake." Applejack's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me," she said insincerely, "but what does this have to do with you tellin' us where the real Twilight is, or what you're doin' here lookin' like her." She felt a shove against her shoulder, and she turned to see Rainbow Dash giving a glare. "Let her finish," said Rainbow Dash. "She'll get to it." Twilight shrunk back a little, frightened by the animosity. Fluttershy gave a small nod of encouragement, and Twilight continued. "I told you, I am Twilight, just," She paused, not sure how to say it. She eventually decided to just explain it the way it was. "I'm her from another world." "Horseapples." "Now, as I was saying, imagine this lake is the world. Look into the water, and tell me what you see." The others obeyed and began scanning the water for whatever Twilight was talking about. Fluttershy, noticing a school of fish, became distracted, giggling as they darted about. Applejack begrudgingly complied but didn't say anything. Pinkie Pie, rather than watch anything actually in the water, began making faces, using the lake as a mirror. Rainbow Dash looked over at Pinkie Pie's reflection and began laughing, filled with a sort of giddiness that could only happen around Pinkie Pie, and had to happen around Pinkie Pie. "What do you see?" asked Twilight. Rainbow Dash turned her head forward and examined her own reflection. "Just some kelp," she answered, "and rocks. And one very awesome pony." "Exactly," said Twilight. Rainbow Dash raised her head, confused about what she had done to get the question right. "Your reflections," clarified Twilight. "If the lake is the world, then it has two halves. The part above the surface, where you are, and the part below, where your reflection is." "You're Twilight's reflection," guessed Spike. "And she's mine. In a manner of speaking." Spike looked back at the water. "I guess," he said. "But wait. The reflections are exactly the same as us. Wouldn't that make your world just like ours?" Twilight smiled. "An excellent observation, Spike. Which brings us to point number two: magic." She lifted a rock off of the ground with telekinesis. "Now imagine this rock is a spell. Watch what happens when I 'cast' it." She tossed the rock into the water, where it sunk to the bottom, creating a number of concentric waves at the point of impact. Pinkie Pie watched her reflection as it was distorted by the waves passing over it. Fluttershy leaped away from the water and hid in the grass, while Pinkie Pie continued making faces in the water. "It's like a fun house mirror!" she exclaimed. "Right," said Twilight. "Magic has a measurable 'rippling' effect of sorts on the other side. It's the use of magic that makes the two worlds different." "Nah," said Applejack. "Look. The waves are already gone. They don't last forever." Twilight nodded, trying to stay calm. "Right, Applejack, but remember this is just a model. When it comes to magic, the ripples can last a lot longer before they settle out. The point is, sometime in the past there was very powerful magic. Powerful enough to cause a major divergence between worlds that still hasn't resolved itself. That's why I don't know the things she knows. I'm not her; my life is completely different. That's why I wanted to come here." "How?" asked Rainbow Dash, who now didn't know what to feel about the impostor. "What's so bad about life over there, on the other side?" Twilight looked at the ground. Some part of her had been trying to convince her that the dark and barren world was only in her imagination, and it had taken all of her courage not to give up and believe it. "I never met any of you guys, for starters," she said. "You know the Summer Sun celebration, two years ago? That was the last day the sun rose in Equestria." "Black Snooty?" asked Pinkie Pie. Twilight stared at the pink mare, not comprehending. "Sure," she said at last. "This creature, Nightmare Moon, came to Equestria and covered it in eternal night. I was supposed to stop her. I failed. All across Equestria ponies are starving, and it's all my fault. But that's not important. The important part here is the rock." "What's so special about a rock?" asked Rarity. "Not what it is," corrected Twilight. "Where it is. The rock is on the other side of the water now. In the model, that means it's gone through the barrier between worlds. So, the question we asked ourselves was, if magical potential can travel across worlds, then why can't energy, or matter? What if it was possible to send a pony through to the other side?" "We?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Zecora and me. She was my assistant." "So that's what you did," said Applejack, trying to regain control of the situation. "You couldn't stand to look at the world you created, so you ran away." Rarity shot Applejack a glare. "It wasn't her fault, Darling, it's was Nightmare Moon's." "We couldn't run away. We couldn't figure it out," said Twilight. "Our first experiments were with light. We were able to build mirrors that would subject the photons to a magical field, force them to cross over. It was a way to see into your world, and it worked both ways. That was how we met the other Zecora. It must be a strange experience, meeting yourself. I don't know if I'll ever get to know it, though." "But you did," said Rainbow Dash, staring at the impostor that resembled her friend. "You had to have met yourself. You kidnapped her." "Let me finish," said Twilight. "After that, we started to become a bit more ambitious. We could send small items across, even though it took a lot of energy. We could even control where they landed, to a certain extent. And then I guess we got cocky. Full of ourselves, because we tried it on a pony." "And?" asked Pinkie Pie. Twilight closed her eyes, once again imagining the poor mare's singed flesh and flaming mane. "It was a failure," she explained. "A catastrophic failure. I don't know what went wrong. Maybe we didn't have enough power. But she didn't go through all the way." "What happened?" asked Fluttershy, and the look on Twilight's face, grimacing and about to cry again, told Fluttershy she had struck a tender chord. "We needed two burial sites," answered Twilight, slowly, trying desperately not to relive the memories. "One on each side." "Oh," said Applejack quietly, her calm breaking. "I'm so sorry, darling," counseled Rarity, not sure what else to do. "We gave up after that," said Twilight. "It wasn't worth losing somepony else. We just wanted to ease the suffering, do what we could. We started building a magical greenhouse that could grow food, even without the sun. If we couldn't bring back the sun, we could at least try and solve the hunger problem. I like to think we saved a lot of lives with that." Twilight smiled, knowing that she had done some good, even if it was just reversing damage she had caused. "Twilight," interrupted Applejack. "This still doesn't explain how you came over here. You said you never figured out how to transport a pony." "We didn't," said Twilight. "And Zecora moved on. But I didn't stop thinking about this place. It was an endless temptation. A paradise, just out of reach. If we could only find a way across. But we couldn't, of course. The power required increased drastically with mass. We might be able to manage a filly, but I wouldn't stoop so low as to experiment on somepony that young. We just needed some way to reduce the mass of the transfer. And eventually we did. It was a theory, something untested. But it was a way to cross over purely using things we already knew how to do. It didn't require any matter to be transferred at all. After all, a body is just flesh. It's nothing special. It was the mind we needed to get across." "You mean a brain-switching spell?" asked Pinkie Pie, who had decided to approach the story as a riddle. She'd seen a spell like that in Twilight's library, but had failed to convince her friend to use it to prank Rainbow Dash. "A memory exchange," corrected Twilight. "Not even the whole brain. Memories are information; they have no mass. The only requirement was that the two parties had to be in close physical proximity to each other, even if they were on other sides. I knew where she lived; I followed her enough with a mirror to figure that out. So I wrote a letter, asking her to come to the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters in the Everfree Forest." "I remember that," said Rainbow Dash. "We didn't see anypony there, and then Twilight just collapsed. She woke up all confused and embarrassed, so I took her home. But now that I think about it, right before it happened, I saw something. Like a shimmer in the air, only there was darkness behind it." She looked back at the lake. "It looked like ripples. That was you, wasn't it?" "Girls," interrupted Rarity. "You're missing the important bit. This means that Twilight, our Twilight, is lost somewhere in a world ruled by that... that tyrant Nightmare Moon. Hopefully, if she has an ounce of salt in that new brainpan of hers, she'll be hiding out somewhere safe. We just need to get the other Twilight to switch them back." "It won't be that easy," said Twilight quietly. "And why the hay not?" asked Applejack. "Like I said, we need to be in close proximity to each other. I wouldn't know where to find her." "You could build another mirror," suggested Pinkie Pie. "Actually," said Twilight, biting her lip, "there's another reason it may not work. You see, I didn't mean to come to this world unprepared. I wanted to spend a week or two following her, figuring out how she behaved, how to blend in, but my hand got forced a little early. I was attacked." "Attacked?" echoed Pinkie Pie with a gasp. Twilight nodded. "By what?" asked Pinkie. "I don't know," admitted Twilight. "Whatever it was, it wasn't pony. And it hurt me, pretty badly. Left a giant gash in my face." She traced down the side of her face with a hoof. Rainbow Dash was about to interject and ask why they couldn't even see a scar, but the answer dawned on her. "You mean you put our friend in a wounded body?" Twilight nodded. "The wound was bleeding pretty freely, but I managed to get away from it. But it looked like a hunter, and I figured it was only a matter of time until it found me again. If I wanted to cross over, I had to do it then. It's been a week since then. I don't even know if my old body is still alive. If it received prompt medical attention it might be okay, but it wouldn't since she would have woken up in the middle of the Everfree Forest." Rarity couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You jackanape," she whispered. Applejack looked at Rarity, shocked. "Rarity!" she cried. "That language ain't necessary." "Don't you get it?" shouted Rarity. "Twilight may be dead, and it's all because this pony here was so much of a coward that she threw our Twilight under a metaphorical dragon's nest to save her own flank!" "Hey, now, we'll get her back," said Fluttershy, but none of the other ponies heard her. "Enough!" shouted Applejack. "Now I don't know 'bout the rest of y'all, but I don't plan on leaving a friend of mine out to dry." She approached Twilight, staring her down. "There's a killer after Twi' right now because it thinks she's you. But I ain't gonna let her die. Yer going to find a way to get Twilight back," she said. "I don't care how long it takes you. And if you can't do that, then yer going to find a way to get us over there to save her ourselves." "But without a sufficient power source..." Twilight began to mumble. "No buts. You will save her, y'hear?" "Don't worry," said Fluttershy. "You'll find a way. You do live in a library now, so you have plenty of research material. I believe in you." Twilight sighed, resigning herself to the impossible task before her. "Actually," said Pinkie Pie, "I may be able to help too." Everypony stared at her. "And how do you plan on doing that?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Well, not me helping, exactly," said Pinkie. "But I know a stallion who might be able to help Twilight." "Who?" asked Twilight anxiously. "Exactly!" shouted Pinkie Pie. Then her voice quieted. "Wait, no. Not 'who', but close. You know, he's that brown stallion with the hour glass cutie mark. I call him Whooves."

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

A World Without Rainbows - Act I: The First Breach

The mane 6 are invaded by a world where Rainbow Dash failed her Rainboom and Nightmare Moon rules.

complete

<p>- <b>Act I (You Are Here)</b> - <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">Act II</a> - <a href="/story/5197" rel="nofollow">Act III</a></p><p>Applejack begins to notice suspicious behavior in her friend Twilight. As she presses for the truth, she discovers the truth about their world.</p><p>They are not alone.</p><p>Somewhere, there is another Equestria, another world in which copies of the Element Bearers live different lives, unaware of the destiny that was almost theirs. A world shrouded in darkness.</p><p>As these two worlds begin to collide, six strangers will discover that they must inherit the mantles passed down by their alternate selves and become heroes in a world without rainbows.</p><p>(Very) loosely inspired by the television show Fringe.</p><p>Act II can be found here: <a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow"><a href="/story/96" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96</a></a></p><p>Cover image by Muffinsforever. Show him some love at <a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com" rel="nofollow">http://muffinsforever.deviantart.com</a></a></p>

everyone

2012-08-02T19:07:02+00:00

2012-08-02T19:07:02+00:00

Chapter 9 – The Party Hasn't Begun The world felt hazy around Twilight, as if it wasn't entirely certain what it was supposed to look like. Objects around her seemed wavy and out of focus, and she couldn't look at them without getting a headache. The walls of the cave were almost smooth like oil, and the entire experience felt psychedelic. This was another dream, thought Twilight. It had to be. She realized that this was the first time she was aware she was dreaming. She wondered what would happen if she went crazy and broke character, but she didn't dare disrupt what was already in progress. If these dreams had a meaning, she wouldn't figure it out by turning them into her own playtime. She had to behave and do what the dream asked her to. There were hoofbeats behind her; she wasn't alone. When she turned to look, however, she couldn't make out the faces of her comrades, nor how many there were. If this was a memory, it was a memory from long ago, the details long since washed away. "Zecora?" she called, and her voice echoed back through the darkness. If the zebra had heard her, she didn't respond. "It's... dark," said a voice from behind Twilight. "Yeah," said another. "How about some light?" Twilight laughed. Right. Light would help. She beat her hooves on the floor in rhythm. Two clops, a pause, and then three clops. The lights came on, and Twilight became aware of how much the room had changed since the last time she had seen it. The machines lining the wall were smashed in, and holes in the shape of thick claw marks adorned them on all sides. The damage was irreversible, realized Twilight, crestfallen. Her star map had been torn up. Jars were smashed and quills broken in two. Zecora was nowhere in sight, but two holes in the back led deeper into the mountain. "Stay back," ordered Twilight, and she crossed the room and entered the left hole, which led to Zecora's sleeping quarters. Maybe she was just resting, reasoned Twilight. It was difficult to keep a reliable sleep schedule in a world without daylight, she reasoned. The room was sparse and the walls were bare. A dirty mattress took up most of the space on one side, and the only other features of the room were masks and other trinkets from the zebra homeland. As in the main room, everything was destroyed. Wooden zebra heads, separated from their bodies, almost looked like they were crying over the destruction. Twilight's head turned slowly as she took in the surrounding. There was little lighting in the bedroom; Zecora didn't need it, as she only used the room to sleep, so Twilight had to strain to make out the details, and it took her some time to notice the figure lying on the mattress. "Zecora?" she repeated again, falling back on her haunches to get a closer look. Her horn hummed softly as it provided additional light. The zebra didn't appear to be moving. "No." she whispered softly. She cried the zebra's name one more time and shoved her gently on the shoulder. Before she could do anything else, a large mass collided with her side and send her sprawling across the room. Trying to orient herself, she raised her head and found herself looking at two large glowing eyes. "So you came back," hissed the voice. "Good. I wasn't done with you." Twilight screamed. When morning came, Twilight didn't have the strength to get out of bed. Her entire body ached when she tried to move, and the image of Zecora's broken body wouldn't leave her mind. She buried her head in the pillow and cried softly, not knowing what else to do. She felt lost. Everything was changing around her; she didn't understand it and she had no control over it. It was all a horrible nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. Twilight lost track of how long she lay in bed, trying not to think about anything. Rarity came in briefly to offer her some breakfast, but when she didn't respond to any of Rarity's questions, the white unicorn set the tray of food down and left. When Twilight finally stopped crying, she began to consider her situation rationally. The dreams made a bit more sense now. They were her life, her real life. Any happy memories she had were fake. I really am brain damaged, she thought quietly. Still, brain damaged or not, Twilight knew she couldn't let her fears and confusion rule her. When Rarity returned to check on her eating, she was ready. "I can't eat this," she said, levitating the tray and shoving it back into Rarity's mouth. "It's charity." "Who said anything about charity?" asked Rarity. "I told you, we don't have enough food for ourselves. You'd be earning your keep." Twilight looked at the host of the Element of Generosity. "I'm not staying," she said. "And would you really let a complete stranger just join your family like that?" she asked. "Well, the rest of the clan might have problems with it, but I'd talk some sense into them. Family's important, but it's not everything. I'd remind them how they took me in back before I was family. Which reminds me. Pumpkin's mother wants to talk to you. You're the mare of the hour, apparently." "Really?" asked Twilight as she got out of bed. "I suppose I should get that over with. Can you show me the way?" She managed to get to the door before Rarity cleared her throat to get her attention. "Yes?" Twilight asked, irritated. "Darling, you're not fit to go anywhere until you finish your breakfast. I insist." Twilight returned to the tray, which held two apples. Twilight felt stupid for not predicting the meal, and she devoured them both in a couple of bites. "I'll make this up to you," she told Rarity. "If I can use my magic, I'm sure I can help." "And I'm sure you will help," said Rarity. "But first you have somepony to meet." As Rarity led Twilight through fields and between houses, Twilight got her first detailed look at the real Sweet Apple Acres, and nothing in the atmosphere could betray the overwhelming sense of sorrow and desperation. Sickly thin trees stuck out of the ground at uneven angles, and they reminded Twilight strongly of the skeletal claws of some poor creature that had been buried before its time. The ponies they passed bore grim expressions, resigned faces drained of all energy, the only remaining hope being the hope of seeing their next meal. It reminded Twilight of how she felt on a cloudy day, only multiplied thousandfold. And that was precisely what it was, Twilight realized. The scene before her was what a thousand days without the sun had wrought. "Is it like this everywhere?" she asked Rarity. Rarity stopped walking, and Twilight almost bumped into her from behind. The white unicorn was thinking, trying to decide which words to use that would not betray the bitterness on her tongue. "Only in the small towns," she said. "Most of the big cities, like Manehattan and Canterlot, are actually quite well off. You see, not long after the famine started, this big industrial company up north developed these magical greenhouses that could grow crops just as well as with the sun, if not better. Nopony goes hungry there, especially not if they have the right connections." "Why don't you have any?" asked Twilight, figuring it was the obvious question. Rarity reacted as if she had just been stung. "We'd love to," she explained. "But the company that makes them doesn't sell them. It rents them, and most of the food it makes itself. And they're not even going to notice a place like Ponyville, much less build their greenhouses here. The only option we'd have is to buy food straight from them, and while I'm no economist, I figure that if all of our bits leave Ponyville to get consumables, Ponyville will drown in its own debt. Somepony has to make food locally, and that's us." She started walking again at a slow trot. "Doesn't stop ponies everywhere from leaving for artificially greener pastures, though." Twilight didn't understand why that was so difficult for Rarity to say. There was something her friend was intentionally leaving out, Twilight figured, some vital detail, but she didn't dare press any further and spent the rest of the trip in silence. Pumpkin's family lived in a shack on the edge of the farm. As Rarity and Twilight approached, they noticed a gray earth filly struggling to gnaw a pumpkin off of its stem with her teeth. After ten seconds of furious chewing with little progress, she noticed the arrivals and waved to them, not letting go of the fruit. "Hello, Inkalina," said Rarity. "Is your sister home?" Inkalina released the plant and trotted over to Twilight. "Is this the new girl?" she asked in a timid voice that sounded like Fluttershy. "Um, it's nice to meet you, I guess. She's inside, with Pumpkin." Rarity nodded and nudged Twilight forward. "Go ahead, darling. I need to get working. When you're done, ask Inky here what you can do. I'm sure she could use the help." Twilight started toward the door, and Inkalina followed her. "So, you grow pumpkins?" asked Twilight. Inkalina nodded. "We didn't, before sister got married. Back then, we grew potatoes. None of us liked them, though. Pinkie would joke that they were no better than rocks." She knocked on the door, twice in succession, and shouted. "We got company!" Twilight hadn't heard anything after "Pinkie," and when the door opened and Pumpkin darted out between two pink forelegs, Twilight couldn't help but stare at the mare that now looked back at her with a weary expression. Her mane was flat and clung to her head, lacking its usual perkiness, and her normally lustrously bright coat was dull and muted. She looked nothing like she should, except for the basic coloring, and for a moment Twilight figured she must have simply misheard Inkalina. The pink pony stretched her head through the opening and called Pumpkin's name, but her voice lacked any amount of assertion, and her request sounded more like pleading than an order. Inkalina opened the door fully and swung a hoof around the pink pony's neck. "This here is Pinkamena Pie Custard, but we call her Pinkie Pie," Inkalina said, and Pinkie Pie seemed to shy away from the contact. "Now don't you worry," Inkalina said to her. "I'll take care of Pumpkin," and she trotted down the field after the filly, shouting "Now hold on, Sweetie Pie, yer not clean yet." Pinkie Pie sighed and gestured to Twilight. "Would you like to come in?" she asked timidly, as if she wasn't even sure if she wanted it. Twilight nodded and followed Pinkie into the home. "So, Pinkie Pie," she began, figuring she should get the dreaded conversation over with. Remembering Fluttershy, Twilight could only imagine what horrors the real Pinkie Pie had suffered that she had been spared in the idyllic dream world of Twilight's memories. "Pinkamena," Pinkie Pie interrupted, not looking back. "Excuse me?" "My name is Pinkamena. Don't call me Pinkie." Pinkie began reorganizing a series of pans that had been left on a shelf, avoiding making any eye contact with Twilight. The room was dusty and littered, having long since surrendered the battle against filth. Twilight knew she couldn't blame Pinkie for having higher priorities than making sure her home was well-dusted, but she still couldn't avoid the feeling of light disgust that pushed down on her whenever she was surrounded by anything in desperate need of organization. This, compounded by the stress of being forced into a new and unfamiliar situation with a new and unfamiliar Pinkie Pie, was not helping Twilight think clearly, she knew. "So, Pumpkin?" she said, trying to bring the conversation to something they both knew. "She's my daughter," said Pinkamena, and Twilight saw her crack a smile. "And my life." She looked directly at Twilight for the first time since they'd entered the housing. "Thank you for saving her," she said slowly, and then immediately broke eye contact and grabbed a sponge in her teeth. The way Pinkamena was acting, intentionally avoiding any real communication, disturbed Twilight. She didn't understand the way everypony seemed to be acting. Even Rarity, while the white unicorn hadn't shown any fear, had displayed carefulness mixed with curiosity. "I thought you wanted to talk to me," said Twilight, after another minute had passed with silence. "I wanted to thank you," said Pinkamena, scrubbing one of the pans. "Which I have. I don't know what I'd do without Pumpkin. And so you can leave now." Twilight wasn't satisfied. "So Pumpkin's your daughter," she pressed forward. "How did that happen?" The Pinkie Pie Twilight knew would have used the opportunity to make a joke; Twilight realized after she spoke how the question could have been alternatively interpreted. Instead, Pinkamena stopped scrubbing, irritated. "The usual way," she answered. "I'm married, if that's what you're wondering." "Of course," said Twilight, furiously backpedaling. "I didn't mean to say you weren't." "Good. Please leave, then." Twilight turned toward the door, but then she paused. She still had one more question to ask. "Why are you all afraid of me?" No response. Twilight turned her head to look back at the earth pony. "Please answer me, Pinkie. Why are you scared of me?" Pinkamena cringed when she heard the nickname. "I know I've probably done something bad, because Pumpkin said I eat fillies' souls, and Rarity said my name explained a lot. But whatever I've done, I don't remember it. I need your help, Pinkie. I need your laughter." Pinkamena slowly forced herself to look at Twilight. "You called me Pinkie again," she said. "Why do you keep doing that. Only my family calls me that." "I am your family. Or like a family, at any rate. I know you, Pinkie Pie, even if you don't know me. I remember you. You're the pony with the curliest mane and the brightest smiles and the biggest parties. You're the Element of Laughter, and nothing can ever scare you. But you've changed now, like the old you never even happened. But I still believe she's in there." Pinkamena trotted toward Twilight, and Twilight winced, unsure what the other pony was going to do. Instead, Pinkamena moved past Twilight and closed the door. "I think we should sit down," she said. "And you need to run that by me one more time, because that's a lot for a pony to take in at once." So Twilight recounted her tale to Pinkamena, starting with her first trip to Ponyville, describing their adventures together to defeat Nightmare Moon. Pinkamena listened thoughtfully and didn't interject except to ask questions about the other ponies in the story. "I don't expect you to believe me," said Twilight after she finished. "I do," admitted Pinkamena. "The Pinkie Pie in your story, I can kind of see it. She seems happier than me. And you called her the Element of Laughter." She leaned forward. "Have you ever heard the legend of the Sparks of Creation?" "I don't usually pay attention to legends and mares' tales," said Twilight dryly. "You did once," interjected Pinkamena. "And it paid off." "I got lucky," insisted Twilight. "So, what are the Sparks of Creation?" "An old pony legend. From the moment the first royal sisters were born, they were enemies, so the story goes. They fought each other, violently, and each spell cast, each blow they dealt with their horns shot hundreds of sparks off into the world. As the world was young at the time and not fully formed, most of the sparks weren't caught until they reached the backdrops at the edge of the universe, where they were embedded, becoming the stars. But as the world grew, the sparks became stuck in other things. Things like ponies." "Stars don't work that way," interrupted Twilight. "They're gaseous bodies millions of miles away." "But that part isn't important. What matters is that each pony has a spark. It's a glimmer of their true potential, and it can take many different forms. And I know mine exists because I've seen it." Twilight was confused. "How do you see your spark?" she asked. "Is it like a cutie mark?" "Sort of, but only in the sense that everypony has one. But while a cutie mark says what your talent is, your spark is more personal. And you know what they are because sometimes they ignite. When you need to do something important they flare up, like a bright flash, and then they tell you what to do. Are you curious to know what mine is?" "Sure," said Twilight, trying to sound disinterested, although she was curious. "I discovered it the day Pumpkin was born. It was actually the same day I got my cutie mark." She turned and showed Twilight the picture of three hearts on her hindquarters. "I was a nervous wreck that day. I didn't know how to handle being a mother. But when I saw her, everything started to settle down. Just looking at her made anything seem possible. Have you ever had a child?" Twilight shook her head. "Then I can't explain what it feels like. But it's the most amazing feeling ever. And as we looked into each other's eyes, she suddenly started laughing. And that's when I saw the flash. And I found myself laughing with her. Just looking at her face filled me with the greatest joy I'd ever known. I kept laughing and I never wanted to stop. The doctors probably thought I was deranged, but I just watched the laughter as it glowed and filled up the room. And that's when I knew why I was alive. For her. I loved her. Are you crying?" "No," lied Twilight. "Continue." "My spark was laughter. Laughter for my precious daughter. I never told anypony about the spark, and then you come along and call me the Element of Laughter." "So you believe me?" "That's not the only reason. On my wedding day, five years ago, I met a mare, and she said some of the same things you said, but she was older than you. 'Pinkie Pie'. 'Element of Laughter'. Nopony had called me by either of those names before. And she had a message for me. She said 'Someday, a long time from now, you're going to meet a pony by the name of Twilight Sparkle, and she's going to ask you for help. Do what you can, and pass along this message. The sun's wind can reach where the sun cannot. And what you have will show you what you need. Do either of those make any sense to you?" Twilight shook her head. "I don't know," she said. "Who was she?" Pinkamena shrugged. "I never saw her again after that. Who knows who she was? It's a mystery." "Speaking of mysteries," asked Twilight, "who am I? My memories are clearly wrong, and you and your family seem to have heard about me. I want to know who I am, in your eyes. I want to understand why everypony's afraid of me." Pinkamena thought for a moment. "First off," she said. "Ponyville's founded on earth pony tradition. Magic doesn't sit well with us. Just hearing that a mage had made a home in the mountains was worrisome. The fact that Nightmare Moon appeared the year the Summer Sun Festival was in Ponyville probably didn't help much either. But most of us ignored you until he showed up." "He?" asked Twilight. "I don't remember his name. He was a royal guardspony, still loyal to the missing princess. He believed that you were allied with Nightmare Moon, that you knew where the princess was taken to. He came to Ponyville because he was looking for you. He said you were a thief and a scoundrel, and he said that you killed anypony who got in your way, including foals." "I would never hurt a foal!" exclaimed Twilight, feeling threatened. "Why would he say that?" Some small part of her reminded her that this Twilight wasn't her, that this Twilight was somepony else. Maybe the real Twilight, the Twilight that existed before she hit her head, would kill foals if they got in her way, but Twilight immediately took that notion and tore it to shreds. She would rather live in denial than face that she murdered foals. "I'm not saying it's true," said Pinkamena, trying to defend herself. "I'm just repeating what he told us. And that's really all we know about you, Twilight. He searched the mountains, but I don't think he found you. The mountains are a pretty big place, after all." "I see," said Twilight. She didn't know what to say after that. She had even more to take in than Pinkamena. All her life she had striven to do right by other ponies while she perfected her craft. She would never harm anypony, foals least of all. But now she was learning that the life she thought she had didn't exist and may never have existed. She didn't know anything about her past. But she did know about her future. She knew that whatever monster she had been was gone now. It had no hold over her. And while she didn't know about the past, there was a very easy way to figure it out. "Thank you, Pinkamena, you've been helpful," said Twilight as she stood and headed toward the door. "But I promised Rarity I'd help Inkalina today." Pinkamena nodded. "You should do that. Breaking a promise is the fastest way to lose a friend." "Forever," finished Twilight. "You really are Pinkie Pie, aren't you? And I just have one more question. Is there a library in Ponyville?" "I think so," said Pinkie Pie. "Although it doesn't get used often." Twilight smiled. "Good." It was time for her to go home. END OF ACT I Act II can be found here: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/96/

Rezo

93

Princess Celestia,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Canterlot Conference

complete

<p>There are a lot of ponies, but only so much land. Fortunately, there is a possible solution, but it's on the other side of a moral event horizon. Passing it requires a night spent doing paperwork, drinking fine wines, chatting and listening to soothing music to set things in motion.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T01:18:49+00:00

2011-07-11T01:18:49+00:00

The Canterlot Conference It was midnight, and the pale, full moon shone over Equestria, not a single cloud marring the view. Far in the distance, tiny lights like stars indicated where Ponyville stood, quietly asleep at the edge of the Everfree forest, entirely too content with itself, considering the creatures dwelling there. Then again, they were protected by their benevolent and beloved ruler, Her Majesty, Princess Celestia, which probably made sleeping on the edge of the green hell and its myriad of pony-eating creatures a lot easier. In Canterlot, too, almost everypony was asleep. Only the distant noises of the waterfalls and the occasional call of an owl could be heard... Unless you were located at the top of Canterlot's highest tower, where a hoofull of ponies were busily at work, talking about the future. The bright future of ponykind. And only ponykind. Princess Celestia was resting on a soft curlpad and listening to the soothing, if somewhat disconcertingly deep and strangely saddening melodies produced by Octavia's mastery of the contrabass while looking through a sizable stack of documents filled top to bottom with statistics, estimates, projections, approximations, graphs, analyses, extrapolations, predictions and cutesy little drawings thoroughly ill-suited for the ridiculously over the top acts of violence they depicted, a contrast that made Celestia chuckle every time she looked at them. "The information you've provided seems satisfactory... Although I understand that there've been problems with regards to implementation and propaganda. Is this correct?" She paused for a moment, sipping on a glass of wine, and then looked at the other ponies in the room. "Well, Big Apple?" The earthpony addressed as Big Apple nodded, rather nervously so, briefly looking out of the window and at the moon. A shiver ran down his spine. Why did these conferences always have to occur at night...? "Err... Y... Yes, your Majesty. I'm... I'm afraid that when a relative of mine and my associates, the Oranges, went on a trip to Appleloosa, she and her entourage, um, managed to defuse the brewing conflict with the buffalos, thus setting back our, um, ah... Our plans by approximately a year. However, we're very, ah, confident that our continued expansion into the area, encroaching on the territory of the savage buffalos, will soon create new points of friction with them, not to mention that the ponies of Appleloosa are likely to, uh, get tired of giving away their apple pies to the buffalos for free, in what amounts to being an extortion racket - apple pies in exchange for not being attacked." Princess Celestia nodded, almost absent-mindedly so as she nuzzled Philomena, who was resting next to her, chirping with pleasure. "I do hope so... The moon is lovely to look at, isn't it?" "Err... Yes, your Majesty." "From afar, that is." Celestia smiled. "But it's a very, very cold and lonely place to live on..." "Of... Of course, your Majesty. Although..." Big Apple hesitated, little pearls of sweat appearing on his suddenly very, very pale forehead, each one reflecting the candlelights around them. "Although I note that your favoured student appears to have been a part of my relative's entourage, too..." Celestia frowned, and stopped nuzzling Philomena, who was seemingly annoyed by this most unpleasant turn of events. "Yes... I remember, she's written me about the matter. She's still a young filly, and doesn't quite understand how the world works, yet... I'm trying to protect her from the harsh, unforgiving world we live in, but it seems that she just can't help but get involved. Bless her, it's what you expect from a scholar. I'm sure she had everypony's best interests in mind, but unfortunately she is too young to see the whole picture. This is unfortunate, but I'm sure interferences of this kind won't significantly delay our plans, certainly not beyond the one year delay you've suggested. Or will they?" "Yes, your Majesty," and "Of course not, your Majesty!" everypony else in the room answered, right on cue. Philomena looked immensely happy as she watched the perfect display of sycophancy, if not quite as happy as when Celestia had nuzzled her. "But back to the main purpose of this conference. Prince Blueblood, your estimates?" Prince Blueblood, who'd spent the time until now looking at himself in a pocket mirror, admiring his perfectly groomed mane, looked up and at his Royal Sovereign, momentarily confused. "The main purp- Oh, yes. Yes of course. Yes your Majesty. Thus far, our colonisation efforts in buffalo territory have had limited results - buffalo population is decreasing as we're taking increasing amounts of space from them and turn it from mere pastures into proper farms and cities, bringing civilisation to these desolate lands, with the majority of the buffalo population reduction being attributed to... Let me see..." Prince Blueblood shuffled through his papers, trying to find the right one and, once finding it, reading it out aloud. "To a lack of food resulting in stillborn calves and lower newborn survival rates as the milk produced by their mothers is insufficient to properly feed the buffalo offspring, but it's occurring at a rate of... Um, let me look... Where IS that note... I KNOW I told my secretary to write her research down for me... Aha! There it is." He triumphantly held up one of his many documents, seemingly proud of his achievement. "Of rather less than 1% per annum. Additionally, well-meaning but ultimately counterproductive measures such as the ones caused by Big Apple's naive relatives are improving the nutritional situation of the buffalos-" Big Apple - still rather pale and nervous, but slowly regaining his confidence. He hadn't been sent to the moon quite yet, after all -, who'd glared at Prince Blueblood when his naive relatives had been mentioned, interrupted at this point. "What a nice presentation your staff wrote up for you. I'm surprised you managed to read it all by yourself." He paused for a moment, realising what he'd said... Still not on the moon, though. Not a word about being banished or sent to the dungeons, either. Apparently, Princess Celestia's appreciation of her subjects arguing with each other was more than just gossip. With a sigh of relief, he continued. "Anyway. Needless to say, me and my associates in Manehatten are rather less than happy with a substantial percentage of the apple production we're financing going to the buffalos for no compensation to speak of - the buffalo savages not using a currency with which they could pay -, and it seems highly unlikely that the buffalos can be convinced to engage in regular work unless we're resorting to force. Of course, even if the buffalos were compelled to engage in civilised and profitable activities, they'd most likely be outcompeted by our superior ponies, unless they were forcibly restricted to work at minimal labour costs." "Slavery, in other words," Celestia noted with a smile, before whispering something to her unicorn secretary, who looked first at Prince Blueblood, then at Big Apple, and finally covered her mouth with her hoof, giggling. "Yes, your Majesty." "However, visible signs of slavery would probably distress our little ponies, and I believe that it'd be better for the health and wellbeing of our society if the buffalo problem would be solved as quickly and efficiently as possible, while leaving as few traces as possible," Celestia continued. "Our little ponies don't like being involved in ostensibly evil acts, and we shouldn't burden them with such knowledge. Don't you agree?" "Certainly, your Majesty," Prince Blueblood, who'd started to brush his impressive mane and flaunt it in Big Apple's direction, replied. "We're estimating that, assuming a full-scale campaign against the savage buffalos, somewhere between twenty and thirty percent of the present buffalo population will be a non-issue before its remnants realise the futility of further resistance and surrender, thus limiting our own expenses and casualties in this campaign." Celestia raised her eyebrows. "Isn't it unlikely that they'll surrender when we're aiming for their extinction, Prince Blueblood? Although... I think the shortsighted actions of Big Apple's relative and my own favoured, if unrealistically idealistic student may actually be an advantage here, lulling them into a false sense of security that'd ease their surrender..." "And their herding into labour camps, of course," Prince Blueblood completed the Princess' sentence, taking advantage of his rank to show rather less deference to her than would generally be expected, a dangerous but also titillating habit. "We estimate that..." A few moments passed as he once again looked through the mess papers that'd once been a well organised presentation. "We estimate that hard, forced labour - mostly rock farming and soap production - while being under severe restrictions on food supplies will ensure a minimum of effective resistance, and a consistent buffalo population reduction of approximately 10% per annum, relative to the original population, solving the buffalo problem within a decade while the rocks will enable us to rapidly develop urban centres in the plains." Princess Celestia nodded approvingly. "Most excellent, my dear Prince. This should provide us with the space we need for our expanding pony population, not to mention with new business ventures for Big Apple and his partners." Big Apple beamed, happy to have another pie on his hooves as well as knowing that he was not going to be sent to the moon anytime soon. Prince Blueblood on the other hoof cleared his throat, demanding attention. "Your Majesty... If I may ask, will your sister play a role in this operation? I mean, the plains are windy, and dusty, and dirty, and war is so, well, messy... Bloodstains are incredibly difficult to get out of your mane, you know. And I think a pegasus or part pegasus would be better suited to command from the frontlines, while I keep my eye on everything from Canterlot... It is easier to make decisions from a distance, not distracted by the sound of battle and the threat of actual, real death..." He shuddered. Celestia looked up, mildly surprised, even confused, and - luckily for Prince Blueblood - not really listening to anything her royal relative said after 'Sister'. "My Sis...? Oh, no. She's still... Psychologically unstable. Easily distressed, I'm afraid. I believe it is better not to expose her to the modern world too much - she's having enough trouble just trying to operate her kitchen appliances." She sighed. "I hope she'll get around her issues, but a thousand years on the moon left an impact on her..." "Well, that's very good, I mean bad, your Majesty, but I meant to-" "What Prince Blueblood means to ask is, what are your orders, your Majesty?" Big Apple said, interrupting the Prince once again, smirking. Blueblood's reaction wasn't anywhere near as happy, though he knew better than to express his feelings too openly. Being a Prince meant he could afford more, but not everything. "Oh, of course," Celestia replied, snapping out of it and banishing her thoughts about her sister to her subconsciousness. This was the time for orders, not for feelings of regret. "Make sure we'll look like the victims of buffalo aggression, we do have a few years to set things up properly before the war is to start, if need be. And once the war starts, be swift and efficient, we must not waste time, not allow the scale of this operation to become public. And after a few decades have passed, nobody will even remember there've ever been buffalos on the plains. All that'll be there to find and see will be the bones of long extinct animals." She paused for a few seconds, fully aware of the importance every single word of hers carried in this very moment. "Gentlecolts, you're hereby ordered to proceed with the final solution to the buffalo problem." As the others left the room, Princess Celestia once again nuzzled Philomena, who eagerly returned the favour. Together, they looked at the pale, full moon, admiring its beauty as it shone all over beautiful Equestria. From a distance, the waterfalls could be heard, their soothing noise slowly driving them both to rest for what little time remained until the next morning. Only a single tear was shed this night. It belonged to Octavia, and caused a brief discord in her melody as it struck the strings of her instrument.

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:18:55+00:00

2011-11-17T06:18:55+00:00

A Note from the Author A little bit about this story, and me. This is my first ever Fan Fiction, of any kind. It is also the first time I have ever been able to come up with more than a page of dialogue. That was always my weak point, when writing stories in school. I have a long history of insomnia, and sometimes, when it gets really bad, I go into this kinda trance state. I cant fall asleep, I can still feel the room around me, but yet I dream. Waking dreams. This story happened as a result of one of these dreams. I had been up for 20 hours, watching alotta Pony vids, and reading alotta Fanfics, so the subject was on my mind. I just couldn't fall all the way asleep and get some good ol’ REM Sleep. As an even stranger point of fact, I tend to dream in the third person, and rarely am I even IN my dreams. My dreams, even when fully asleep are like watching TV, or being absorbed in a really good book. In that way, my subconscious wrote this story. I really have no idea where it is going, I was just along for the ride. Over the next few weeks I had other dreams continuing the story, so I am going to try my best to remember and write it down as I saw it. That first night lasted 36 hours btw... Ugh.. then I had to work with this rattling around in my head. The name is a kinda joke. When having a few friends beta the story, the first thing one of them said was ‘Angst much?’. After getting similar responses about other parts of the story, I thought it would make a good title. I suck at naming things anyway, and hadn't thought of one yet. Yea, I got alotta angst, but who doesn't? I just get to write about it now! In regards to the OC, it is, and yet it isn't me. I guess he is mebbe my subconscious version of myself. He thinks alot like me, and has alot of the gifts and quirks, but yet he is alot like a character I have roleplayed in many games in the past. I’m not a big fan of self-insertion, and really get annoyed at the first person ones, but then I didn't consciously write this, so mebbe my dream self does. As I said, I was just along for the ride, and had no idea where the story was going. Sometimes I swear I am seeing someone else’s dreams, but that's another therapy session I suppose. I think part of is is, every story needs a protagonist, all the mane cast are female, and I really can’t bring myself to RP a female pony. Sorry folks, just not a line I'm willing to cross, even in my dreams, apparently. Finally a word of warning. If you don't want to read porn, I suggest skipping chapters 3 and 5. They contain some pretty explicit shipping. I wrote the story in a way that these can be skipped without missing much of the main storyline. I'm not a porn writer, so it’s kept to a minimum. I guess I was really horny that first night, lol. I’m an adult, I have adult dreams, and that's what this is. You have been warned. If I get a good enough response, however, I may go back and write some of the missing scenes, but not until the rest of the story is done. Oh, and I am aware that I start to sound like a wannabe Dr. Phil, but dammit, these Ponies are CRAZY! And I’d like to hope I would be able to help them deal with their problems this well if it ever came to be real. But hey, artistic license and all that... Enjoy!

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:19:27+00:00

2011-11-17T06:19:27+00:00

Chapter 1: The Summons It was getting late, the sun had set, and a purple unicorn was alone in her library. She had sent her assistant out of town on an errand, not wanting him to know the dangerous experiment she was trying to perform tonight. It had taken weeks of study, practice, and searching for the right spells. Even borrowing some books from her zebra friend on foreign magics. Mostly she was reading from a large book, bound with some strange materiel, reeking of age, and just a tinge of evil. Some called it Black Magic, others the Arcane Arts. A modern pony knew better than to fall for such superstitious nonsense. Nothing was truly evil, just misunderstood, maybe a little dangerous, but EVIL? No, in her thirst for knowledge, there was nothing truly forbidden, only powers to be cautious of. She busied herself making the preparations, clearing a space in an alcove. She used chalk to draw marks on the floor, and on the posts bordering the small space. Candles were lit, placed in very specific locations around the runic circle scrawled on the ground. Each rune and symbol was checked and double-checked to be perfectly aligned and placed around the large symbol in the center. It resembled a star of sorts, something her researched called a Pentacle... although some sources referred to it as a Pentagram. If her spell succeeded, she would open a window, however briefly, allowing her to see far off lands. “Just imagine,” muttering to herself, “If this spell works, we will have the ability to see to the far corners of Equestria! Princess Celestia will be so proud of me. She can see anywhere she wants in the land, and then help anypony in need. This will be AWESOME, Spike!” Looking around, she remembered her assistant wasn't there, having been sent off to avoid him seeing what she had been up to. If this didn't work, she didn't want him hurt. Finally, everything was perfect. She rechecked her notes, and locked the door to the Library. She didn't want to be disturbed, and although it was late, the Library was still a semi-public building, and sometimes ponies wandered in unannounced. Levitating a large black tome in front of her she quickly intoned a passage. “ASAROTH METRION SYNTHOS!” Nothing happened. Blinking, she looked at the page again. “Oops, wrong spell...” ‘Where did that come from?’ Flipping a few pages, she found the proper incantation, along with the note the read *inaudible*. ‘Oh yea, she thought, one of those spells you just concentrate on, but don't say...’ Blushing to nopony in particular, knowing she should have remembered that after all the studies she had done. “I better get this done before I am too tired to finish.” Closing her eyes she concentrated on the mantra, her lips moving silently despite herself. Her horn began to glow, faintly at first, but growing steadily brighter. Layer after layer of glow built up as she concentrated on the spell, sweat dripping down her face and pelt. A static hum built up in the room as the spell grew in power, getting louder and louder as it grew. Unseen to the lavender pony, a faint shimmer was growing in the air over the symbols drawn on the floor. Slowly the ripples became stronger and more pronounced, as the air itself seemed to warp, and a tear formed. First the tear was filled with a chaotic void, dark, light, color, all blended and swirled in the fracture. With a surprisingly understated pop, the tear seemed to stabilize momentarily. The image seen was of a dark room, a bed and.. then it all went wrong. A loud thud caused the unicorn to open her eyes, and the sight before her broke her concentration on the spell. With a startled yelp, the spell collapsed, and the backlash struck at her like a buck to the head. She crumpled to the floor, the glow from her horn winking out, and the portal closing with a loud crack, like thunder far, far too close for anypony to not startle at. But she was beyond such startlement, as the magic faded and she collapsed into unconsciousness. The last thing she heard was a loud yelp, and someone saying “What the fuck...?” On the floor, inside the circle of runes, a shape lay stunned. It wasn’t a pony. It had longer limbs, stuck out at straight angles from the body. Devoid of fur except for a short mane on its head. Pale, fur-less, and in a bit of pain, the creature stirred. Standing slowly to the impressive height (by pony standards) of 5’4”, the creature stood shakily, dazed from the brief transition and fall to the floor. Yea, it was a human. Unsure what had just happened, he stood shakily on his feet. The last thing he remembered was laying in bed, trying to fall asleep. It had been the usual night of drinking himself into a stupor, watching Youtube and reading one too many Pony fics. Swearing that this recent damn addiction would drive him insane, if the chronic insomnia didn't first. He looked around, his normally light-sensitive eyes blinking at the sudden bright surroundings. Wondering groggily where his damn glasses went to, he sighed that he was also nekkid, and in a strange place. Well being nude was normal, that's how he slept, but he usually woke up where he went to bed, in his room. Unfortunately, without his glasses, everything was out of focus, and he was cranky to boot at having finally gotten to sleep, and being woken too early. Dammit, he had work in the morning! Looking around, everything seemed more out of focus than normal. He could usually squint a little, and see what was going on. But this seemed.. off. Everything was flatly colored, like he was in a cartoon. Even holding his hand close to his face, he couldn't seem to make out detail, just a flat wash of colors. This was not good. He could normally see so good at close range to see the pores in his skin. Now everything was like a nightmarish Van Gough painting, all bright colors and sharp lines. And the air.. it was wrong. He recalled how most of his life he could feel things others couldn't. Electromagnetic fields were as tangible to him as water. A bit of a gift he was born with, being able to walk through electronic stores, and wade from field to field being projected by TVs and other high powered devices. He seldom told people of this. He knew from an early age he was different, and the fewer things he shared, the better he fit in with the other people around him. Being able to detect even weak electromagnetic fields was one of his gifts. Gifts... yea that was a joke. As much as a curse as anything. Everything made him different. Everything made it harder to blend in with his fellow humans. One more piece of ammo to use against him. But this was different. it felt like he was swimming in warm water. The entire room made his skin tingle with the telltale signs of a strong power field. It was like the time he stood near a field of power transformers. Almost choking him in its grip. After a few moments he noticed some differences. The world came a bit better into view, he was able to discern shapes. it looked like.. bookshelves? Well bookshelves if they were designed by Fred Flintstone, or mebbe Tex Avery. And then there was the power field. It wasn't all over like warm water, it flowed. It seemed to be stronger in one direction, toward a purple shape ahead of him. He stumbled forward, almost tripping on a lit candle. Suddenly the smell of burning beeswax assaulted him s his other senses started to kick in to heir normal hyperactive levels. Yea, of course, everything worked overtime but his eyes. With a sigh, he moved slowly toward the thickening power field. It felt like the time he had worked on an old TV, the CRT giving out a massive electrical charge that he could feel like water on his skin, as the hairs on his arms danced. Slowly he approached the purple shape. It was fuzzy, purple, with different shades fading away from the large spike on top. Carefully he reached out to touched the protruding shape, gingerly making contact with the source of the field. As he touched the unicorn’s horn, he suddenly knew everything. Light blossomed in his head, power flowing into his body like an electric current. His vision snapped into focus, just moments before he was knocked back by a massive static discharge. Groaning, the human gets himself together, slowly getting up off the floor. First thing he notices is he can see. ‘FUCK YEA! I CAN SEE!’ Then he realizes, he’s not in Kansas anymore. The room swims into focus. All cartoon analogies went out the window, as he realized he was seeing everything in detail now. No glasses needed, the room was crystal clear. And whats more, he felt STRONG! He had always been strong of mind, but his body had always failed him. Able to think circles around most people he met, even the most average of bullies had always bested him in physical strength. Not that he was a weakling. He could lift several times his weight with his back and legs, but he was sadly out of shape from years of computer work, and his arms were never that strong. Now he felt like Atlas, able to hold the world on his shoulders, and still flex pretty for the fans. His arms were toned like never before, and his small paunch, a legacy of inactivity and onset diabetes, was now a solid six-pack. And looking down... ‘Well damn,’ he thought to himself, ‘Either I'm having the best fuckin dream ever, or the friggin Lok’Nar has just teleported my ass to another world’. Yea, he looked like DEN from Heavy Metal, but still had hair. And his junk was swinging in the wind. Oh man, if his ex could see him now... Mebbe he was dead? He checked his pulse, still feeling a strong beat. With a slightly insane grin, he intoned “Hell, its about time...”

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:21:15+00:00

2011-11-17T06:21:15+00:00

Chapter 2: Warm Welcome “Hell, it’s about time” The sound of a voice dragged Twilight out of the darkness. She groggily came awake, groaning as pain raced through her entire body. She hadn't felt this bad since Rainbow Dash tried to give her flying lessons. Levitation and magic were just no substitute for real wings and pegasus maneuverability. Her eyes hurt from the light, her body ached like a massive bruise, even her hair seemed to hurt! Again she groaned, trying to get up, and blinking against the light in the room. “Hello, Twilight.” At the sound of a strange voice, her head shot up and her eyes snapped open to reveal a horror before her. There was a creature unlike anything she had seen before. It was pale, almost hairless, as if it had been shaved. Standing on two hind legs, and it’s front legs crossed in front of it, it stared at her with what looked like a smile on its face. A short patch of fur, not even a proper mane, and a patch lower down was the only significant bit of fur. More bizarrely, it seemed to have it’s tail on backwards, hanging in front of it’s body. She quickly scrambled back, knocking over a candle and several books in her panic. “W-w-what are you! Don't h-hurt me! LEAVE ME ALONE!” Shaking his head, the creature began to chuckle softly, “I’m not gonna hurt you Twilight Sparkle”, using her full name to great effect. “And as to what I am, you should know. You seemed to have summoned me after all.” “I didn't summon anything! I-it was a viewing spell. How do you know my name!” the young mare was still panicking. She tried desperately to remember what happened. The spell was perfect, what could have gone wrong? How did this THING get here? Who was he.. it seemed to have a male voice, and how did he know her? “A viewing spell eh? Seems you were trying for a window, and made a door instead. As for how I know your name, that’s kinda... complicated.” He sank to the floor, making an attempt to come down to her level and appear less intimidating. Years of dealing with kids and animals had taught him a thing or two about earning trust, and appearing friendly. “Lets just say, I know alot about you. At least... I think I do. I’m still not sure this isn't just a really fucked up dream. It ain't a flashback, never was one for drugs, but this is just too damn weird to be real.” The purple unicorn stopped shaking, trying to gather her courage to face this strange creature. What he said made a mad kind of sense. What if she HAD opened a door? But a door to where? The spell should have only shown her a far part of Equestria. She sank to her rump with a groan. ‘Dear Celestia, what have I done?’ “Well, if I wake up,” he continued, “then I know it was a dream. Never was a fan of reality, so I may as well enjoy this fantasy while it lasts.” Rubbing his chin in thought, and idea came to him. “Oh I have an idea! Quick, give me an order! Tell me to do something!” “What? Why?” “C’mon, just do it, I wanna test a theory.” “Umm... how about you go away and leave me alone?” Grinning, he replied, “How bout you go fuck yourself, pony! HAH! That kills that theory!” Her hears shot back as she grimaced at the profanity. “That was totally uncalled for, and not very nice.” “I’m sorry, I apologize. You are totally right, but I wanted to test something. Lotsa stories I have read about creatures being summoned say that the summoner gains control over the summoned being. Looks like you don't control me, so it’s a good thing I’m friendly.” Looking around the room at the strange runes, something between Celtic runecraft, and kindergarten pony drawings, he realized that his nearsightedness had also gone, replaced with strong eyes to match his stronger body. “Either you did the spell wrong, or forgot a binding geas or something.” “I told you, it wasn't supposed to be a summoning spell. I was only supposed to have a window to see far away.” She stomped her hoof, earning a jolt of pain from her abused body. “Ugh... I hurt all over.” “Sorry, still trying to figure this all out.” he replied. “Yea, well when you do, please let me know. This is one parasprite damned mess I’ve gotten into.” She laid her head on her hooves, sighing. “Well it could be worse. You could be in another world, naked, and talking to a strange creature from a cartoon.” “A cartoon? What’s a cartoon?” She perked up a bit, always eager for knowledge. “Umm... dunno if you have them here. Let me try to explain. In my world, we have ways of taking lots of drawings, filming them in sequence, and playing them back, like a moving picture. It is called animation, or a Cartoon. I got a zinger of a revelation for ya Miss Sparkle. In my world, you are a creature from a story, and they made one of these cartoons about you. Also Ponyville and all your friends. He rolled his head back, staring at the ceiling. “That is why I think I must be dreaming, because you can’t be real.” “You’re crazy.” “Well, I will give you that.” “B-but, how? How can I be a story in another world? Have you been watching us with your magic? And what ARE you anyway?” The young unicorn was irritated at this. Looking back at the purple pony, the creature stared right into her eyes, giving her a chill. There was an odd intelligence in that gaze, despite the strange appearance and small eyes. They still burned with a light unlike anything she had seen. “Are you sure you really want to know this?” he began slowly. “I will warn you only once. I never lie, for any reason. What I tell you may not be what you want to hear, or want to believe, but it WILL be the truth.” Suddenly smiling softly, “Or at least the truth as best as I know it.” She gulped, suddenly unsure after the dire warning. “Yes. I want to know. I need to know.” “Very well” he began. I am a human. I come from a world we call simply “Earth”. Well most of us do, since there are many different people and cultures, and languages I only know the language I was born into. Seems that whatever brought me here made me able to understand yours as well. We are a race of creatures, that our great minds say evolved from apes, although others don't believe in that. Nobody knows for sure. Anyway, my name is Drax. Well really it’s Draconis Maxmillian, but my friends all call me Drax, since I was a kid. The world I come from has no real magic. Instead we have technology. We harness the powers around us through machines and invented gizmos. One such invention lets us see pictures from far away, and many of us use them for learning and entertainment. Recorded shows and information is sent around the world for others to see. Another device, we call it a computer, is used to store and process vast amounts of information. We have millions of them all over the place, all linked together, sharing information. We use them to communicate, learn, teach, solve problems, and many other things. Well, in my world, there was a group of people that made toys.. They made lots of toys for children. One of them was a line of pony toys, and they called them “My Little Pony”. Then, to sell more toys, they made a story, and animated it about the ponies. It sucked. Lots of little girls liked it, but most boys didn't. Eventually it lost popularity, and they stopped making the show. Many years later though, they made another version of the show. It didn't suck. This time the characters had real personality, and many people loved them. Even boys, and grown men were suddenly watching a show for little girls. Thousands of people around the world watched the show, and fell in love with the ponies. Fans drew art of them, wrote stories about them, even made music. And that show was about you, Twilight. You and your friends. “And now here I am, talking to a pretty little unicorn from a an imaginary story I love to watch and read about. So, tell me, am I crazy? It sure seems that way” Twilight stared, her mind reeling at what she had heard. The story this creature was telling was far to amazing to possibly be true, but she had no way to prove otherwise. Her head swam, she felt dizzy, and then suddenly it all snapped back into focus as what the human had said sunk in. “You.. think I’m pretty?” She blinked, her mouth falling open. “Well, yea. I may not look like much to you, but to me you are a beautiful creature from a dream world in my head. And I’ve learned to admire beauty in many places.” Shaking her head, “I don't understand. You are weird. I’m not even very pretty by pony standards. I’m just a shy bookworm that has some talent at magic.” “Don't sell yourself short Twilight. You are special. That is why you have such great friends, and Princess Celestia cares for you so much. I told you, I never lie. You just need to believe in yourself.” “I dunno, but it still seems weird coming from somepony like you” “Yea, well I AM weird.” he chuckled. “Actually, I wanna know something. Could you.. turn around for me?” Suddenly nervous about taking her eyes off the human, she stood up. “What? Why?” “I just wanna get a good look at you. Just turn in a circle so I can see all of you” He grinned suddenly, adding, “I tell you what, I’ll do the same next so you can get a better look at me. So whaddaya say, you show me yours and I’ll show you mine?” He laughed. Clearly not getting the joke, but not able to think of a reason not to comply, She slowly started to turn, wincing as her body protested the movement. The pain was getting better, but she still felt sore. As the pretty pony turned around, Drax sighed sadly. “Yep, I’m definitely going to hell for this.” He noticed that, dream or not, cartoon or not, the pony was anatomically correct. ‘Damn you evil thoughts! It’s a friggin child’s cartoon, ya weirdo!’ Hearing this, Twilight stopped and faced the human, who was now looking down and covering his eyes, as if in shame. “What? Is something wrong?” “No.” he said sadly. “At least not with you. But there is definitely something wrong with me.” Suddenly worried, she took a few steps forward, but suddenly stopped as he started to get to his feet. He was TALL. For a pony, at least. Almost as tall as Princess Celestia. And.. something was different about him. “Well, I guess it’s my turn.” he said, slowly turning in place. Then she noticed... his tail wasn't hanging anymore. He finished his rotation, and she noticed he definitely didn't have a tail where one was supposed to be. However, the one he had, had gotten larger, and was starting to point outwards. ‘Umm... what is wrong with your tail? And why in Celestia’s name is it in the FRONT?” Laughing loudly, he shook his head. “My dear Twilight, I certainly hope you are not that sheltered. I do not have a tail. I am, for lack of better description, a male of my species. If ya know what I mean. “Oh? OH! OMYGOSH!” As comprehension dawned on her, she turned deep red and turned her head away. “Eew! Why is it hanging out? You’re not.. umm...? Laughing again, “No, trust me. This is normal for my kind. Unfortunately nature was not as kind to us as many other animals, and our.. umm.. junk, is permanently exposed. We usually wear cloths for that reason. You should see the females. Breasts are permanently enlarged, instead of only during pregnancy. Oh how I love me some boobies!” “But.. how do they WALK? I mean, always having them hanging down there?” the confused mare boggled, sneaking a peak back at the human’s member, before glancing quickly away again. ‘Well, for one thing, humans have their mammies on their chest. You may have noticed my nipples up here.” he said, tapping his own chest. She slowly glanced back, trying not to below the waist. “Oh, umm.. Yea, that makes sense, I guess. But, why is your... umm, it’s kinda pointing at me.” Turning completely around to avoid the sight. Dropping back to the floor to hide the offending appendage, he rubbed his neck embarrassed. “Yea. well that's why I am prolly gonna go to hell. And that's why I am weird. And that's also where it gets a bit complicated. But before we go there, could ya help me by finding something to wear? As much as I like to think of myself as a nudist, it’s pretty damn inconvenient to talk to a girl with my weather vane pointing in the wind.” Glad to find a distraction from the uncomfortable subject, the unicorn trotted off to find something. ‘Umm sure, I think I may have a blanket or something you can use.” “That’d be awesome.” She returned shortly with a small green blanket, a spare she kept for Spike, but big enough to wrap around a human frame. Standing, he slowly turned away, and she turned her back, again feeling her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. “Thanks, I think I can make a makeshift kilt from this.” Wrapping the blanket around himself, he managed to secure it tightly, so that it wouldn't fall at the wrong moment. He made a mental note to find some way to secure it more permanently later. Then in a horrible Scottish accent, he drawled, “Och, I be a haalanda noo! Thee kin bee onleh ONE!” Giggling at his oafish antics, Twilight turned back to find him a bit more presentable, the embarrassed flush fading from her muzzle. ‘Yer silly!” “Yea, well I try!” Grinning stupidly. Then sitting back down, making sure that he was covered now, he sighed heavily again. “Ok, here is where I really weird you out, and possibly make you hate me. Don’t feel bad, I get that reaction alot, and I’m used to it.” Sitting on her rump, the mare looked at him quizzically. “It cant be that bad, can it?” “Oh yes it can.” He rolled his eyes. ‘Here goes nuttin!’ “Ya see, I was never very popular growing up. I was always a lil too smart, a lil too slow, a little too .. something, to fit in. I was teased alot. My dad was abusive. I saw alotta things in other humans I didn't like. how they treated me, how they treated each other, how they treated the planet, ect, ect.” “That’s sad. Your parents were cruel to you?” the pony tried to sympathize. It was hard though, she had always had loving parents and caring teachers. She never had many friends until recently, so some of this she understood. “Meh. My parents were average. That wasn't the problem. Even at a young age I noticed I was different, and it took me a long time to accept it. Alotta pain and angst was felt until then. But hey, what kid doesn't have angst, right? But anyway, I finally accepted I wasn't average, and never would be. But in the meantime I had developed a distaste for my own kind. I tried, but girls usually rejected me. Eventually I grew to not care at all. I started to collect art. pictures, drawings, things like that. I found drawings of non-humans, and felt closer to them than my own species. I watched ALOT of cartoons as a kid, and grew up seeing cartoon animals as friends. Intelligent, friendly, and NOT human. He paused to gauge the story so far, but the purple mare was enthralled, staring at him like children often did when he told stories. It was kinda creepy then, and it was kinda creepy now. Mentally he shrugged. ‘Well, kids love me, animals love me, so why not intelligent talking ponies?’ “So anyway... As I got older, I found the internet. That's the network of machines I told you about. It had lots of pictures. I found. err.. racier stuff. Creatures that looked like the cartoons I knew, but with more.. adult features. I found I liked it. Alot. And I found others like me as well. They called themselves ‘Furries’.” Taking a deep breath, he forged on, the mare still staring entranced at him. “ Well it seems alot of them are attracted to the idea of being non-human. They pretended that they were creatures, animals, and other such, but intelligent like humans. Sentient. I liked this idea, and started making friends with them. I even dated a few of them, but it didn't work out. Many of the girls I met were even more broken emotionally than me.” “And then there were the haters. Many people hate anything and anyone that is different than them. They saw Furries as some abomination, thinking that they were people that liked to mate with animals. I’m sure there were some really twisted people that did that sort of thing, but that wasn't what it meant to me. To me it just meant liking someone that was sentient, intelligent, but not a human. Real animals have no say in what is done to them, and that is disgusting and abusive. I wanted to be with a PERSON. He stopped again., thinking, ‘Here comes the hard part. If she didn't get it before, she will now.’ “So, what I am saying is, I find non-humans attractive. I find the ponies of Equestria attractive. And I find YOU attractive. And that is why I popped a boner when I saw yer Plot.” “Wait, my WHAT?!” Startled out of her trance, Twilight Sparkle lurched back in surprise and indignation. Laughing silently as he shook his head, he tried to explain. “Sorry, its kind of an inside joke. Fans of the show joke that they watch it for the plot, when they are actually watching it to stare at cute pony butts.” “EEW?” She looked back over her flank. “That’s just... you were... at my? Eew. That is kinda creepy.” “Told ya you would hate me. But I’m used to it.” Plopping the offending flank on the floor out of sight, she turned back to face him and rolled her eyes. “Well I don't hate you. It’s actually kind of flattering. But it is creepy. And you say lots of your people look at ponies?” “Well yea, but not all of them are like me. Most just like you because you are pretty, have personalities they can relate to, or make them happy. Most of them don't even know why, only that watching ponies makes them feel good for some reason. Only weirdos like me get aroused by it. Sorry...” “Don’t be. Everypony is different. Some ponies like different things. My dragon assistant, Spike, is obsessed with my friend Rarity, and drools at the sight of her. I swear my friend, Rainbow Dash, used to date a Griffin. That's no weirder than you. It takes all kinds, they say.” “That's nice of you.” He smiled. “It’s so refreshing to meet an open mind. There are so few in my world.” “Yea well that's me, Twilight Sparkle, the great free thinker of Equestria!” beaming proudly. Drax stood up, stretching his stiff muscles from sitting on the floor. Twilight stood up as well, but quickly regretted it as her body reminded her of all the pain she was in from earlier. She yelped and winced as her abused body protested the quick movements. “Are you ok? Whats wrong?” Drax leaned close, hovering over the small unicorn with concern. “I-I’m alright. Something happened with the spell. It backlashed, and now my entire body feels bruised. My muscles are all cramped up.” “Oh damn, I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?” he fretted worriedly. “Well, there is a first aide kit in my room, and I could probably use some help getting to my bed. I’m sure I will be fine after I lay down for a bit. Maybe you can help me get up the steps? “Sure thing. In fact, I’m pretty sure I can carry you. You cant weigh half what I do.” he estimated her weight, realizing she came barely up to his chest, and that she was rather lightly built. Even before he came here and started feeling stronger, he would probably be able to carry the young mare without difficulty. ‘No, no. I don't want to trouble you, just help me walk so I don't stumble, and then maybe you can help me get the medicine.” “Nonsense!” he scooped her up, as she yelped in surprise. She really was rather light. He carried her effortlessly up the stairs to her room. “Oh.. thank you. My Hero!” she giggled. She snuggled up to him as he carried her. “Mmm... you actually smell kinda nice...” “What?” he replied, startled. “Oh, nothing. I just... thanks for the help.” She closed her eyes, a calm look on her face. “My pleasure, M’Lady.” He replied smoothly, “I shall escort you to thy chambers for the eve!” grinning foolishly. “Oooh, so gallant!” laughing with him. He lowered her gently to her over-sized bed, then looked around for something resembling a medical kit. He spotted a bright yellow box on a shelf, with a large pink and blue butterfly on it. ‘I’ll be damned, just like the story... That’s gotta be it’ He retrieved the box, which opened with a simple latch, finding basic medical supplies inside. Gauze, splints, rolled bandages, and several bottles with strange markings on them. “So what do you need?” Not sure what to give her. “Umm.. the one with the tree on it. That’s willow bark extract. Tastes horrible, but great for pain. I’m gonna need something to wash it down, I think.” She grimaced at the thought of the foul concoction. Fluttershy had given her the kit, and explained the uses of the different potions, but she also explained that some medicines had to be given with a treat, or her animals would refuse the taste. “There should be a yellow bottle with a bee on it. That's honeyblossom. It will make anything taste sweet like honey. “ Retrieving the requested bottles, the human eased them open and offered them to the aching mare. She took a sip of the second bottle, then the first, still grimacing at the bitterness, masked by the sweet potion. She thanked him with a sigh, as the sweetness overtook the bitter, and the pain started to ebb slightly. “Better?” he said, as he put the supplies away. He noticed something with a picture of a mint leaf on it, and fished it out of the box. “Hmm, what’s this?” “Yea, a lil bit better. It will take awhile to take full effect.” She looked at the small jar. “Oh, I think Fluttershy said that was ointment, for muscles. She makes it for the spa to use on their customers. “Perfect!” he said, grinning. “I have an offer to make, and feel free to decline, but it also comes with a warning.” “Oh? Do tell...” The mare stretched out on the bed, some of her aches starting to feel better. She could smell that scent again. Something about the strange human made her feel so relaxed. She trusted him, and couldn't understand why. He was friendly enough, but the look of him was still a little jarring. But she had to admit, he was growing on her. ‘Hah, like a shaved teddy bear... eew?’ She giggled to herself. “Ok, one of the , err talents I have, is I am good with my hands.” He held them up for her to see. She blinked at the strange appendages, so like a dragon’s claws, but soft and rounded. “I have been told by professionals that I am a natural at giving massages. And I would probably have made a great one, except that... well I really don't like touching people much.” She looked puzzled at him, wondering where this was leading, but knowing already to let him ramble in his own way. Besides, he smelled so.. nice.. ‘Whoa there Twilight! What on Equestria are you thinking! Eew! Hes not even a pony! Although he was a male... ew ew ew ew! Stop it.' “So anyway,” he continued unaware of her internal dialogue, “Hows about I give you a massage? I can help ease some of those cramped muscles and pain you were talking about.” “A massage? I umm... never had a massage before. I- don't even know you. I dunno...” “Well it’s up to you, never had any complaints before, but I do gotta warn you. When I am done, you will either be the most relaxed you have ever felt, and fall asleep, or be hornier than you have ever been in your life.” He laughed at his own joke, knowing from past experience, he actually WAS good at this. ‘Oh Celestia, that sounds so good. And it has been a long time since.. NO! don't go there filly, he’s a human! His hands are probably all creepy.’ The mare considered the offer. Taking her silence as a negative, he gave up, shrugging. He stood to leave. “Well, nevermind. You get some rest, and I am gonna find a couch or something to crash on. I was actually falling aslee...” “Yes.” she interrupted him. “Hmm?” he turned back to the reclining pony. “Yes, I would love a massage.” she said, still uncertain, but still feeling so.. safe, around the strange creature. “Just.. be gentle. I’m still pretty sore.” “Not a problem. Why don't you roll over onto your belly, and I can start on your back and flanks.” He motioned for her to roll over, and opened the small jar. Inhaling, he smelled.. mint.. and menthol. Maybe a hint of something astringent. ‘Mmmm... home made Ben-Gay. Just what I needed.’

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:20:37+00:00

2011-11-17T06:20:37+00:00

Chapter 3: Caress Me Down Warning, Explicit content ahead. Feel free to skip this chapter if you do not want to read adult content, it won't hurt the story if you do. Gathering some of the ointment on his hands, Drax started to rub them together to limber up and start the blood flowing. This caused his hands to warm quickly, as he focused on his breathing. Years of self-taught meditation came to the fore, and he partially closed his eyes and willed his hands to grow warmer. This was always a neat parlor trick to pull on friends on cold days, shocking them with astonishingly warm hands. He wasn't entirely sure how he did it, only that he always could. Gently he knelt beside Twilight, and brushed aside her mane to reveal her neck and shoulders. She gave a little gasp as he touched her hide, less like the fur of an animal, and more like fine purple velvet. He began at the neck, working the shoulders and easing along it’s length. Her neck was alot longer than a human’s, but the muscles and bones were similar enough that he knew instinctively where to apply pressure for maximum effect. He closed his eyes, humming deep in his throat, a kind of human version of a purr. One of the non-human habits he seldom talked about. He slid into a trance, as his mind flowed into his hands, seeing everything he touched as vivid as if his eyes were open. This was the true secret to his skill. After years of being nearsighted, he found that he could see almost as good with his hands as he could with his eyes. The trade off of course was that it took concentration, and the part of his mind that processed sight seemed to shut off. It was a fair trade. In places his hands could go, his eyes were useless anyway. Sometimes he thought he could have been a pickpocket if he had ever the inclination and training. The mare moaned under his ministrations as he worked the shoulders and then down the back a ways. Slowly the muscles and knots started to melt away, and the purple unicorn twitched at the released tension. Next came the foreflanks. He made his way down each foreleg, slowly keeping in one direction to stimulate the blood flow and release the tensions that had build up in the young mare. She was more than just sore, she probably didn't get out and stretch much either. Unused muscles were suddenly flooded with extra blood and the stored toxins flushed away in a flood of calm and relaxation. He finally made his way to the hooves, where he broke out of his trance for a moment. The sensation was too odd not to look. Her hooves weren't like the hard pieces of horn on normal horses. They were almost an extension of the end of her leg, but suddenly the skin seem to get stiff and hard. It felt almost like extremely dense rubber, not as soft as a car tire, but not as hard as a real hoof. ‘They really do have marshmallows for feet.’ he grinned to himself. A giggle brought him back to what he was doing. “Sorry, does that tickle?” “Heh.. a little. But it feels nice. I don’t think anypony has ever touched my hoof like that.” “Oooh, so I’m your first?” chuckling at her lethargic response. “Don’t stop... I have three more hooves left...” wiggling her other limbs enticingly. “Yes M’am, right on it!” He moved to her other side, again traveling down her forelimb to her hoof, and working more ointment into her silky pads there. He then returned to her back, stretching her forelimbs, and then working down her spine with meticulous kneading. Low moans escaped the prostrated filly as she tried not to squirm in pleasure at his touch. ‘Mmmm.. hands sure are useful for things... almost makes me envious.. OH! yes right there!’ she thought as he worked on her lower back. Too many nights hunched over a book had left mounds of tension in that area. Not to mention the stress of letting Spike ride her around town. Finally Drax peeked at his next assignment, sliding her tail aside and grinning stupidly. “Mmmm.. Dat Plot!” “Wha?” she replied sluggishly, feeling almost ready to fall asleep. “Oh, nothing...” he replied, rather sheepishly. “You’re silly...” she giggled, and wiggled her rump at him. Gulping, he began to work on her lower flanks, chanting a mantra to himself, ‘Think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts, think unsexy thoughts!’ But even with his eyes closed, the image of the perky purple booty wiggled in his mind. ‘Damn sexy Twilight...’ Working father away from the distracting area, he made his way down to the hind hooves. He spent extra time on these, gambling that pony nervous system was similar enough to human, and that a hoof massage would drive the unicorn wild. His gamble payed off as Twilight began to twitch and moan at the tender massaging he was giving her sensitive hooves. ‘Well damn. Is it any wonder so many weirdos develop foot fetishes? Lotta nerve endings down here, heh’ Suddenly Twilight pulled her legs away, curling into a ball, then rolling onto her back to sit up. Her eyes were wide, and looked as if she was about to cry. “Oh Celestia, that was AMAZING! Where the heck did you learn to do that?” Grinning proudly, “Well I mostly taught myself. But I did date a girl who’s sister was a professional massage therapist. I picked up a few things from her. Plus I have always had a gift for feeling things. I just know how to bend and flex things to mold or break them, and I love working with my hands. Oh, and practice, lotsa practice, heh.” “Well, whatever it is, you were right. I am more horny than I have ever been since hitting puberty!” She gasped, both hooves flying to her mouth in shock at what she had just said in front of this human. This.. weird creature, who found her attractive. This.. ‘Oh damn, he’s starting to look cute to me! Luna damn these filly hormones, its been so long!’ But the strange creature was smiling softly, almost sadly, despite the emotions playing across her purple muzzle. “I did warn you. But don't worry, I’m not gonna jump you or anything. I am, after all, still a gentleman.” He began to rise, sighing. “You want me to leave, so you can.. uhh.. y’know... take care of yourself? I’m a big boy, and I know what it’s like.” he shrugged. “Wait.” She replied. ‘Oh Celestia, oh Luna, forgive me!’ “Please stay. You said you found me pretty. Have you ever.. you know... with a... “ She gulped. “With anyone not a human?” he shook his head violently. “Never. I told you, I’m not into animals. The only PEOPLE on my world are humans. Ponies like you and other intelligent creatures are only fantasies in my mind. Until I met you, there was never any chance, outside my own dreams.” “Well you have me curious what else those “Hands” of yours can do.” Her voice suddenly turning husky, she leaned back, spreading her hind legs slightly to expose her rather damp nether region. “Mrs. Sparkle, you’re trying to seduce me. Aren't you?” Raising an eyebrow, and smiling slyly. Giggling foalishly she fluttered her eyelashes, just like the fillies in her romance books. “Maybe...” “Well then. In the name of inter-species relations, I accept your offer!” Whipping off his makeshift kilt, he tossed it on the bedpost, and leaped onto the bed with a bound yelling “To boldly go where no man has gone before!” Twilight giggled happily at the foalishness of it all, still not sure if she was doing the right thing, but feeling too warm and comfortable to care. And besides, she REALLY needed a stallion right now! Sliding his way up her belly, rubbing his face against her smooth, velvety hide, the human made his way up her body until he reached her muzzle. He looked into her enormous violet eyes and saw the entire room in her pupils. They were like twin pools of liquid night, ringed by black-lights. He smiled at her blush, and reached his hands up to pull her head toward him. The eyes closed, shutting off the dark windows, and they drew into a kiss. The first kiss was awkward. Pony muzzle and human mouth were not entirely compatible without practice. He tasted the sweetness of the honeyblossom on her lips, and they slid together sloppily. The both pulled back and giggled. “Well that was different.” he chuckled. “You taste nice though.” “Mmm.. you’re not too bad yourself, for a monkey. “ “Hah” he barked. “I admit I’m not the most experienced kisser, but I’m willing to practice some more.” “Yes, this merits further study.” and she leaned in for another kiss. This one was a bit more controlled. They explored each other’s mouths, muzzle on lips. Tasting the strangeness of each other’s breath. Tongues were joined, only slightly, teasing in a breathless dance, before they both broke away, gasping. “Wow! You are a quick learner.” she gasped. “Yes, well us monkeys usually are.” he jibed her back. “So you can use your tongue, and you can use your hands. What else can you do?” “Oh the wonders I will show you, my sweet purple pony. Let’s see what noises I can get you to make!” He started at yer neck, slowly kissing, licking, nibbling. He worked his way down her belly as she leaned back on the bed and moaned. As he reached the nipples on her lower belly, she gave out a squeak and clapped her hind legs shut around him. “Woah there filly! I’m trying to work down here!” Moaning in pleasure, she released the grip on his head. “S-s-ssorry.. ohdontstopSQUEEE!!” She writhed in pleasure as he worked on her sensitive nipples, using hands and mouth to generate waves of pleasure that crashed throughout her small purple frame. She bit down on a forehoof as she felt her body growing hotter by the minute. Finally he lowered himself to her cleft, slowly probing it with tongue and fingers. Her moans grew louder, and amazingly she seemed to get even wetter as he worked around her already sopping crotch. Finally he spread her labia to reveal the pinkness of her ponyflesh. He began going to work, face covered in mare juice as her moans reached a fever pitch. Finally she started to buck, clapping her legs shut again and let out a loud whinny as she climaxed in his face. He pried her legs apart and pulled back, gasping. “Woah, the waters get rough, when yer diving pony muff!” he laughed at his own lame joke. “Oh Celestia, that was wonderful!” she crowed. “I have never climaxed like that before in my life. That was better than described in the 'Filthy Horse' books I read as a filly.” Wiping his face with the kilt, Drax chucked at the ego feast he was receiving. Every man loved it when women said that kinda stuff. ‘It’s especially nice when they arn’t lying about it.’ “Are all humans as good as you?” He felt a chill, as the smile momentarily faded from his face. “I wouldn't know. Not alot of experiences have come my way.” Then he reapplied his smile, and perked up. But we aren't even done yet. Now it’s MY turn!” “Oooh, come get me my big stallion!” she cooed a line from one of her old clop novels she read during long nights in school. He dove back in, sliding up her belly again. This time he stopped with his member at her front door, probing gently at first. He looked into her eyes again, feeling as if he was falling into the darkness within. She hugged him close and nuzzled his ear, whispering huskily, “Service me, Stud...” ‘Oh parasprite, that was corny!’ He thrust in, balls deep, and the pony squealed in pleasure. Starting slowly, he built rhythm, thrusting faster until Twilight started to match him. Together they bucked with wild abandon, letting their bodies take over consciousness, as the world became one of touch and pleasure. Again the warmth spread through her body as she built toward climax. This time it was stronger, and she closed her eyes to concentrate on the growing sensations. Unseen, her horn began to glow of it’s own accord, and she quickened her pacing as the human quickened his. She pulled him down and bit on his shoulder, almost sobbing as she moaned in ecstasy. The glow from her horn grew stronger, and started to envelop her body. A deep purple glow began to layer her body, as the lavender one around her horn intensified. Finally, as the power and pleasure peaked, her eyes flew open and light flooded out. She screamed in climax, and Drax held onto her as he finished his own, and clenched his eyes shut as light filled the room and blazed out of every window in the library. For a moment, it was as if the sun had emerged in the room, and every corner was illuminated. Then just as suddenly, the light winked out, and the mare closed her eyes. The twin glows faded away and both lovers collapsed on the bed with a collective sigh. “Wow..” she said quietly. “I was wrong. I think that one was a new record.” Shaking his head, Drax grinned. “Always the cute nerdy girls that get all freaky in bed. It figures you would have to be a screamer too..” “Are you complaining?” She said, batting him playfully on the head with a hoof. ‘ErrrrNOPE!” he replied happily.

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:23:11+00:00

2011-11-17T06:23:11+00:00

Chapter 4: Water Sports The afterglow of the night’s activities was short lived. Just as the couple was considering bathing options to correct their now sweaty and indecent state, there was a loud pounding on the front door. They both looked at each other in surprise, not sure how to react to an intrusion, or the revelation of their recent activities. “Oh shit, should I hide? I don't wanna be chased outta town as some monster, or something.” Drax said, as he jumped out of the bed and scrambled for the blanket/kilt. Images of ponies with torches and pitchforks came to mind. ‘Urrrrrrgg.. Fire Baaad!’ Twilight, even more panicked, and reconsidering what she had just done, quickly ran down the stairs to stop the visitor from coming in. “Oh Celestia, there couldn't be a worst time for a visitor! Who the hay is about at this hour anyway?” As she neared the door, the pounding continued, and she could make out a familiar voice calling to her. “Twilight? Are you in there? I see the lights on! C’mon Twilight, I gotta know if you are ok! What was all that light? “ The voice of Rainbow Dash sounded worried, and little frantic. Not her usual overconfident self. Opening the door slowly, she was knocked back as a blue blur exploded into the room. The pegasus stopped at the sight of Twilight and dropped to her hooves with a cry. “Twilight! Are you ok? What the hay was all that light? It lit up half of Ponyville and almost made me fall out of a cloud I was sleeping on! “Oh, sorry Rainbow Dash.” The purple pony nervously stammered, “I was up late trying a new spell.. umm.. and I guess it kinda.. umm..." “What smells like mint?” Dash interrupted the flustered mare, sniffing the air. “And.. sex? What the hay are you up to in here and why do you look like you... Ooooohhh!” Her eyes went wide as she realized what she had stumbled into. “So, you been holding out on us eh, Twilight Sparkle? Not as sheltered as we thought. Who you shackin up with in here? Do I know him? Do I know HER?” She put a hoof around the mortified pony’s shoulders and winked knowingly. Shrugging the hoof off, Twilight stepped away indignantly. “Dash! Even if I was 'Shacking Up', I don't see how it would be anypony’s business.” She fumed, and stared the blue pony down. "Aww c’mon Twi, I’m your friend! The loyal one, remember? If you cant trust me, who can you trust?” “Dash, please leave. We can discuss this in the morning. And I would appreciate it if you keep it to yourself in the meantime.” She pointed toward the door, still embarrassed and irate at Dash’s lewd behavior. Suddenly another voice was heard calling down from the upstairs bedroom. “Aww go easy on her Twilight. She has to find out eventually.” Both mares turned to see something strange. For Rainbow Dash, it was half expected. For Twilight, it was a total shock. And it was no less than the night’s previous shocks to her system. She stood with mouth hanging open and eyes wide as a midnight black stallion walked down the steps. He was as tall as Big Macintosh, and his coat was like pure black velvet, which reflected no light, but seemed to eat it up. His mane and tail were a deep indigo purple, almost the same shade as Rarity’s, but not quite as luxurious. And he was still wearing the blanket. “Well hello, tall dark and handsome!” Dash piped up at the sight of the new stallion. “Wow Twilight, you really have been keeping secrets. Who, may I ask, is your coltfriend?” Sputtering, the unicorn snapped out of her shocked daze. “C-c-what? He’s not my coltfriend! He’s, umm. He’s just...” “We aren't dating,” he cut in, before she could finish, “is what she means. We are just friends. Having a little sleepover, is all. My name is Drax. Pleased to meet you Rainbow Dash.” “Squee! He knows my name!” the blue filly flushed. “If you aren't dating him Twilight, would you mind if I took a swing at that? Not many eligible bachelor’s around Ponyville these days.” “No! I mean, yes. I mean.. oh horseapples... I don't know what I mean anymore!” She stamped her hoof in frustration, and glared at the stallion. “How the hay do you look like that? And what is wrong with your WINGS!?” Rainbow Dash blinked. ‘Wings? How the hay did I miss that?’ and noticed that the Stallion DID have wings. The darkness of his coat matched the wings, so that they blended in at first glance. But something was WRONG about them. The stallion looked back, and flexed the wings, and the difference was immediately visible. Where a pegasus had softly feathered wings like a bird, his were large, smooth, and leathery, like a dragon, and the undersides were a rich purple, like his mane. “Oh, yea... “ he muttered. “Well, this is my first try at a transformation. And I have always imagined myself as a Dragon. I thought maybe that I could mix it up a bit, and be a pony, but still have a little dragon. So I went with the Dragon wings, and a Dragon Cutie Mark.” He flipped the blanket up to show them. “What the?” His flank, was blank. The two mares gasped at the sight. A full grown stallion with a blank flank? That was unheard of. Even Twilight, who knew the colt’s true nature was taken aback by the sight. It was almost like looking at a pony who had a disfiguring scar. “Hmm, I don't get it, there should be a purple dragon head with green eyes.” Puzzled, he didn't notice the reaction the other two gave him at first. Then he had and idea. “Hmm.. I guess either I goofed up the spell, or maybe I haven't been here long enough to earn my real mark like other ponies.” “But wait a minute, “ Twilight sputtered, snapped to her senses again at the mention of spells. “How can you even cast a spell? You are clearly not a Unicorn, and you aren't even a real pony!” “What do you mean he’s not a real pony?” Dash cried, her voice cracking a little. The situation was beginning to really freak her out, but she refused to lose her cool. “What kinda weird spells have you been doing in here Twilight? What in Celestia’s name IS he if he isn't a pony?” “Well isn't that an interesting story.” Drax began, “But I really don't feel like telling it here. We both need to clean up, and I would rather we didn't have any other ponies barging in just yet. So I say, you come with us, and we can explain everything.” Dash looked at Twilight, but she just looked at Drax, shaking her head. “What do you mean? Where are we going?” “Well I have an idea I wanna try, but I need a little bit of help. Dash, are there any nice hot springs we could wash up in around here?” Dash shook her head “Not nearby. The nearest ones are about half a day travel to the west of here. It’s the middle of the night, and its not a good area to travel through at in the dark.” “Perfect! Don't worry about travel. Just describe to me as best as you can the location. I want to try something, and if it works we will be alot more comfortable. Rainbow Dash ran her hoof through her mane thinking. “Well... its big. There are alotta rocks around, and the place is fixed up as a spa. Not alotta ponies there this time of year, and usually only other pegasai make the trip out there. There are some..” “Perfect, I got it!” Drax crowed. And then the world went sideways. The three lurched to their hooves shakily. They were outside at night, and the area was lit by pools of light coming from fay lamps around the area. Nearby water could be heard bubbling, and the cool breeze brought the smell of salt and minerals. “WHAT. THE. HAY!” Rainbow yelled. “What the hay just happened?” Twilight, used to teleporting herself, realized what had happen, but was stunned, not understanding HOW. “That shouldn't be possible.. that JUST ISN'T POSSIBLE!” Drax, turning around to face the startled ponies, replied “I’m sorry, but nopony ever told me. I’m still new to this magic thing, so until I get the rulebook, I guess I’mma have to write my own rules.” “But you teleported, without a horn, without seeing your target, and brought TWO of us WITH YOU! That is unheard of in magic. I studied for YEARS before I could move myself even a few inches. You did it in only a few HOURS!” He shrugged. “Well maybe I have my own magic here. I am just making this up as I go along, but I am used to just knowing things, and not knowing how I know. And as for knowing where to go, Rainbow Dash showed me.” Clearly shaken, the blue pegasus stepped back, her wings braced for flight. “Woah dude, did you read my mind? That is NOT COOL!” Shaking his head, the stallion tried to explain. “No, no, I can’t read minds. Or at least I don't know how... yet. But I had you broadcast the image to me by having you describe it. It was like you were yelling it at me, and I couldn’t help but hear it. But I cant read thoughts or anything. Emotions mebbe, sometimes, but not thoughts.” “Soo.. you got the image from Rainbow Dash, and used it to pull both of us here?” Twilight was still stunned. She didn't even know if Princess Celestia could do that. Teleportation was a rare ability, and never seen outside of Unicorns. “Yea, pretty much. I dunno, I just got the idea in my head, and I had to see if it would work. I had to make Dash concentrate really hard to get anything at all.” “Well that’s no surprise. She’s known for her speed, not her smarts.” Twilight chuckled. “Hey, Buck You, Twilight! We cant all be eggheads!” Dash cried out, but then laughed at her friend’s jibe. The stallion smiled at the interplay between friends. “Well so far I am just making thing up as I go along. I keep getting hunches and ideas, and all I can do is try them to see if they work. So far I have been able to do most things that pop into my head. Although the cutie mark thing has me a bit confused. Mebbe it’s one of the rules I can’t bend or make up myself.” “I think we may need to ask Princess Celestia about it.” Twilight replied. “If anypony would know it would be her.” “I dunno if that is such a good idea yet.” Shaking his mane worriedly. “If she is as old and powerful as they say, she may know exactly what I am, and where I come from. And she may not be happy about having me in her realm. My kind don't exactly have the best reputation for being peaceful and kind. Even I have my dark side, although I have spent my entire life trying to hide and control it.” “Hmm.. you may be right, but we will have to tell her eventually.” Looking more and more confused, Rainbow Dash looked back and forth at the interplay. “Are you two gonna tell me what you are talking about? My head is starting to hurt.” The stallion perked up. “Oh yes, it’s time to explain I guess. But first let’s get in the hot spring and relax. It’s a bit of a strange story, and I’m feeling a bit filthy right now.” Drax and Twilight got into the nearest pool. It was lit from below by submerged lights, so that even at night the area was well lit, if deserted. Dash, however had other plans. “Cannonbaaaaalll!!” She cried, flying up and dropping like a rock, her body compressed into a ball. She hit the water with devastating effect, splashing water all over both of her companions, and the surrounding floors. They all laughed as she surfaced, and then screamed when she shook her multicolored main, splashing them with warm water. “Rainbow Dash, you just wouldn't be you if you didn't show off!” Twilight piped. Grinning proudly, “Well when you are the best flier in Equestria, you need to be sure everyone knows it!” They all laughed, and then luxuriated in the warm water of the bath. Drax had discarded his blanket, not really needing it as a pony. Ponies didn't have to worry about things like clothing, and he preferred it that way. Rainbow Dash even showed them a small cart that held shampoo and other grooming supplies, and they used these to wash each other. She even let the stallion scrub her mane for her, as Twilight giggled at the bonding scene before her. “Don’t laugh Twilight, he’s actually pretty good at this.” She sighed as he finished, splashing water to rinse out her mane. “For somepony that claims to not be a pony, you sure are good with your hooves!” “Ahh.. yea, I’m still trying to understand how ponies hold things. It’s like some sorta localized telekinesis, but only on my hooves?” Twilight perked up, finally hearing a subject she understood. “Yes, its a gift that all ponies share. Earth ponies tend to be a bit stronger at it, able to hold heavier objects, but all ponies can touch things with their hooves and move them, but only if they maintain direct contact.” ‘Well that is awfully convenient...” “And pegasus ponies can use the same ability on things that aren't solid.” She continued. “Yea, we can kick clouds an stuff!” Rainbow Dash chimed in. “And walk on em too. That's how we move clouds around to make the weather. Oooh... that feels so good...” she moaned as he massaged the base of her neck and shoulders. Her wings started to unfurl and lift out of the water. Twilight giggled. “You two look like a couple of fillies at a sleepover, so sweet.” Drax just stuck his tongue out at her, blowing a raspberry. She couldn't help but notice it was also purple, an odd color for a pony, most of which had orange tongues. “Yer just jealous because I’m getting the awesome spa treatment.” Dash replied. “You should come over here, and I can wash your mane for you. “I can wash my own mane myself, thank you.” Twilight replied rather primly. “Maybe you should ask him for one of his massages. They are simply amazing!” Dash turned around and eyed the black stallion playfully. “Oh really? Gonna give me the full work-over eh?” “Uhh.. mebbe later.” he mumbled. “Awww...! Yer no fun!” She turned around to face him. “My turn! Turn around so I can wash your mane too!” “Oooh, I never knew you were so fillyish Rainbow.” The unicorn teased. “What’s next, gonna get some makeup from Rarity? “Nuttin wrong with being fillyish if you are a filly. I usually just don't have time for all that frilly froo froo stuff. I’m too busy training and working.” The pegasus replied, defensively. She began to wash the stallion’s hair, and he mutely leaned back to let her access it. He was a bit taller than her, almost as tall as Big Mac, and so he crouched deeper in the water to accommodate her. As she began to lather his mane, she leaned close and breathed deeply. “Mmm... you smell nice...” She whispered in a voice full of longing. “Ahh.. ahem.. yea. I’ve been told that.” he fumbled, suddenly aware of the wet mare pressing up against him. “I think it may be pheromones, or something. Of course I have always had a way with other creatures, and I’m great with kids.“ He began to ramble nervously, “I dunno, I seem to be able to attract and calm everything but women of my own kind.” Pulling away, she managed to lower her wings, and slid across the pool to face the other two, a determined look on her muzzle. “Ok then, spill it. I wanna hear this amazing story you keep hinting at.” Drax sigh. ‘Here we go again. Freak out time.’ He began his story, with Twilight Sparkle filling in some of the gaps. They managed to gloss over the intimate parts. Sometime later, the blue pegasus was simply staring at the other two ponies. It was all too weird to believe. If it wasn't for Twilight’s testimony, she would have thought the large stallion to be completely insane. Even the strange wings and lack of cutie mark was small compared to what they were telling her. “So let me get this straight. Twi, you summoned him, from another dimension. And he’s some sort of super smart monkey thing. But now he’s a pony, with weird wings.” She took a deep breath as Twilight and Drax nodded. “AND YOU MADE OUT?!! Please tell me he was a pony at the time.” “Oh Dash! Don't say it like that! Twilight cried, annoyed at her friend’s reaction. “You make it sound more horrible than it is. He is really a nice and friendly guy, and I feel I am SAFE around him.” “Oh, I know what you mean. I felt it too.” She sighed. “He said something about far-o-whatsits, making creatures like him” “Pheromones.” Drax corrected her. “Whatever. What are they?” “Well, I don't know if ponies have studied it here, but most creatures give off scents that reflect their moods and such. You smell afraid, happy, and other stuff. Most ponies can’t smell them, but they are effected all the same. There are others as well, and some can cause arousal or other emotions. Think of it like aromatherapy candles. That's one theory at least, and would explain why you fillies keep saying I smell nice. He paused sighing. “I like to think I AM a nice and gentle kinda guy, that you can trust and rely on. So, maybe you are picking up on that as well. Then again, I have a hereditary gift with animals, and plants. Kinda a nature freak. Runs in my family.” “You mean like Fluttershy?” Twilight perked up. This was all fascinating stuff! She was learning so much about this creature and how he thought. “She is a yellow pegasus friend of ours that takes care of animals.” “Yes. I think she has the same gift. I am also good with plants.” “Oh wow, I bet Applejack would love to meet somepony gifted with plants.” Twilight replied, thoughtfully. Rainbow Dash wasn’t done yet though. “Ok, ok. I will buy it for now. You are some sorta freaky monster that is all nice and cuddly. You smell nice and ponies like you. You can do weird magic that even our resident egghead unicorn can’t explain. (Twilight shot her murderous glance, which was ignored) But now you look like a pony and a dragon bumped uglies? That I am having trouble with. What do you REALLY look like? Show me!” “You really sure?” Drax grinned, and slowly tilted his head sideways. ‘Oh yea, it’s freak out time for sure!’ The look in his eyes made Rainbow Dash think of the time she found Pinkie Pie alone, talking to rocks and turnips. She gulped nervously, but steeled herself. “Uhh yea! Show me!” Feeling he had creeped her out enough, the stallion snapped his head straight again and mimicked Pinkie Pie’s perky voice. “Okie, Dokie, Loki!” He began to blur. It made the blue pony sick to her stomach, like falling too fast and spinning out of control. She had to look away. When she looked back, something else had taken the place of the handsome stallion. Something... weird. She heard a scream. It took her a moment for her mind to catch up to her body and realise it was her own screaming. She was already in full flight mode, trying to leap into the air to fly away. Unfortunately, wet feathers are not very good at quick flight, and she only managed to splash the water before sinking back into the hot spring. “Well, that was rather dramatic.” Drax drawled. “What the hay are you!” she screamed. The human rolled his eyes at Twilight. “Gee, that is so familiar. Where have I gotten that reaction before?” Twilight giggled at the joke. The sound of her friend’s laughter snapped the panicked pony out of her fright, and she stopped trying to crawl away and out of the water. “It’s not funny! You scared the horseapples outta me!” Rainbow Dash was now panting heavily, and flexing her wings slowly in agitation. A sudden pain let her know she had pulled something in her panicked flight. Now her wing didn't want to close properly. “Ow, dammit!” She cried, “I think I popped a wing.” “Oh damn, Dash, I'm so sorry.” Drax moved toward her. “I tried to warn you I look different, but some ponies just need to learn for themselves.” He reached toward her, but she shrunk back. “Don't touch me! What the hay do you have on your hooves!” “They are called fingers.” He stopped, and wiggled them in front of her. “I know you have seen Spike’s hands. Same thing, just softer.” “Let him look at it, Dash. “ Twilight said, sobering up with a worried frown. I wasn't kidding when I mentioned his massage. He can do some pretty amazing stuff with those hands of his.” “Thanks for that glowing endorsement, my dear Twilight Sparkle. I also know a bit about first aide, if she’s hurt.” Drax advanced again on the pegasus. “N-no, its fine, I’m fine! I just need to relax it a bit.” Dash stammered, worriedly. “Seriously, dude, lemme take a look. I can help. I’m getting another hunch, and I think I can fix your wing.” “You sound like Pinkie Pie, and her twitches... A Hunch huh?” Dash was still wary. “You can take a look. But try anything funny, and I will buck you up good, mister!” “Yea, yea. You say that now, but then you get a headache, and its yer time of the month... blah blah?” he joked. “Huh? What’s he talking about Twilight?” The unicorn rolled her eyes. “Ignore him, he says weird stuff like that alot. I guess on his world it would be funny.” “Actually, most people on my world don't get my jokes either.” He laughed. “I keep telling you, I’m weird, and so is my sense of humor.” Suddenly, Rainbow Dash got the joke, and began laughing. “Hahaha..I get it now..OUCH... damn. It hurts when I laugh.” Gently Drax took the wing in his hands, running his fingers over the soft surface gingerly. He tried not to place any pressure, but just let his senses drift across the muscle and bone. As he reached a joint, he felt something wrong. A slight bit of heat was coming off it, and when he touched the spot, the pony hissed in pain. He stopped a moment, thinking, then motioned for her to lower the wing into the warm water. “Ok, first get the blood flowing. The warm water will help that. Then I need to see if I can use magic to accelerate healing. I don't think anything is broke, but I’m still new at this so need to be extra careful. Most likely it is just a sprained joint, and will heal on it’s own. I am just going to speed things up!” “I know some healing spells, Drax.” Twilight offered. “I can maybe show you and help” “No. I think that I need to do this my way. So far I have been able to make up my rules. If I use your rules, then I may become bound by them.” The purple pony tilted her head and looked at him strangely. “Do you realize, that nothing you just said makes any sense?” “Well that is exactly my point.” He grinned back at her. “Trust me.” “But?” “Trust. Me.” “Ohh.. I want to, but..” “It will be fine. If it doesn't work, you can try to heal her.” “WILL SOMEPONY JUST FIX MY WING!” Rainbow Dash shouted, losing patience. “Yes M’am! Right on it, STAT!” Drax quipped. He closed his eyes again, like before with the massage. He let his mind flow into his hands, enhancing the sensitivity of his touch, but this time, he did more. As he concentrated, again purring to himself, he felt the flow of the energy around him. It was always there, like a giant transformer, sending out a magnetic field to cover him. He concentrated on absorbing it, and channeling it into his outstretched hands. Unseen to him, they began too glow faintly, getting brighter as the magic of Equestria was pulled to him. Suddenly, he thrust his hands into the water, and made contact with the injured wing. The pegasus flinched, but then relaxed as she felt no pain. Instead a soothing warmth spread from his touch, and the pain faded away. In his mind, Drax suddenly saw every detail of the wing structure. It was like watching an episode of CSI, where the camera showed the inner workings of some victim. He saw the stressed joints, and felt the damage. As the glow intensified, he concentrating on fixing the damage, forcing the body to repair itself faster than it normally could. Within moments, the wing was wrenched out of his grasp, as both of them went rigid. “Holy Celestia, you just gave me a friggin wingboner!” Rainbow Dash cried. “That was as good as SEX!” Drax stumbled back, shaking his head, as his mind was wrenched back to reality. “Woah.. that was a hell of a head rush! Made me all dizzy.” “Wow Doc, you did a great job! My wing actually feels stronger!” “Glad to help. You need to be more carefu...” He was cut off as he was suddenly tackled my an athletic blue wall of curves. Both forehooves and wings were wrapped around him, and she planted a sloppy kiss on his face. After a few moments, she let go, and giggled. “Thanks!” Dazed, he just swayed a bit, falling backwards into the pool. “Naprobebb-b-b...” he mumbled as he slipped under the water for a moment. Then suddenly he burst back to his feet, yelling. “Wooo! That was unexpected! Guess yer over my weird looks now eh?” Meanwhile, Twilight was cracking up laughing at the very un-Dashlike display she was seeing. “Are you ok Dash? You are acting a little strange” “Oh, I'm fine. Never better. No, I mean literally. I have never felt better in my life. I feel like.. I could take on all the Wonderbolts at once, and make them look like CHUMPS!” Drax looked back at Twilight, grinning. “Think I overdid it a bit?” Thinking a moment, she replied, “Naa... This is Dash we are talking about. If she wasn't boasting, she would be asleep. And she would still be dreaming about winning.” The both laughed, as the blue flier flexed and postured like a body builder. “No shame in knowing you are the best! No shame at all...”

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:24:03+00:00

2011-11-17T06:24:03+00:00

Into The Blue Warning, Explicit content ahead. Feel free to skip this chapter if you do not want to read adult content, it won't hurt the story if you do. Drax started to climb out of the pool with a groan. “Well I’m starting to get all pruned. We should prolly dry off a bit.” Rainbow Dash however, had other things on her mind. “Wait a minute. You promised me one of those awesome massages. I could really use one now.” He looked over to Twilight to judge her reaction. The last thing he needed was a jealous filly-fight between two friends. And he was kinda tappin dat purple plot... Unofficially at least. Twilight however, seemed to think it was a wonderful idea. Sharing her new friend with her old friend sounded absolutely scandalous, and she was feeling rather generous all of a sudden. She grinned wickedly and urged them on. “Oh I think that would be a great idea. Give her the full works, Drax.” “Oh boy” ‘What have I gotten myself into now... What’s next, a threesome?’ Drax groaned to himself. But Twilight seemed contented to watch, as she used her magic to towel herself dry, then laid her head on her hooves, a wicked gleam in her eye. ‘This is going to be better than those trashy novels!’ She thought to herself. Drax and Rainbow Dash gathered some blankets and towels, making a soft spot to lay down. He instructed the pegasus to lay face down, and most importantly of all, to relax. This wasn't easy for the blue flier, as she was used to only relaxing on clouds or in trees. And she especially wasn't used to having strange creatures TOUCH her while she relaxed. She started to have second thoughts, and was about to get up. “W-wait, I dunno about this now.” Drax leaned his weight on her, forcing her back down. “Oh no, yer not gonna weasel outta this. Just relax, I promise not to bite. Unless you ask me nicely.” Nearby, Twilight laughed at her friend’s sudden loss of bravado. “Stop being such a foal Dash. It’s actually kinda fun.” Rainbow Dash gave in, slumping back to the ground, with her forehooves under her chin. “Oookay. But this better be good!” Drax once again rubbed his hands, warming them. This time it seemed even easier to slip into the trance as he used some of the magic he was sensing to augment his tricks. His hands were practically on fire when he made contact with the blue pony. She yelped at the contact, but immediately sighed and relaxed as the warmth soaked into her body and started to spread. He once again worked the long neck, and the base of the skull, working down to the shoulders. The pony let out little whimpers of pleasure as she felt the melting sensation of her muscles relaxing. A pony who constantly trained as she did rarely lost all tension to their body, as she was always ready for the next physical demand. This was different, however. It was like a drug, slowly seeping through her veins and making her entire hide tingle. He used a bit more force on her legs, as they were much more muscled than Twilight’s. It was all whipcord tight, a lean acrobat’s body. But under his ministrations, even these sinewy cords were soothed and made soft. Her hind legs were next, once again he worked from the buttocks down, eliciting a giggle from the blue pony as he massaged her cutie marks. Nearby, Twilight had started panting herself, as she slipped her hooves down her flanks, and began to massage her own body. She moaned softly to herself as he began to clop at the sight of her two friends in such an intimate position. Drax heard this and glanced at her, getting a grin and a tongue stuck out at him. Beneath him, Rainbow Dash muttered, “Donstop.. feesh gooo...” Grinning, he returned to the job at hand, noticing that her wings were fully extended, and rather stiff looking. ‘Now we cant have that, can we?’ He started at the back, and massaged the joint where the wings met, feeling for each muscle and bone beneath the skin and feathers. In his mind, he mapped out the placement and motion range of each part of her wing. He reached under the wing and started to massage the iron-hard muscle corded there, getting more moans of pleasure from the little pony girl. ‘Forth hole’ he thought to him self. ‘Giggity!’ The blue pony began to writhe under his touch, as her sensitive wings were slowly worked from back to tip, and the rigid muscles rendered flaccid at his touch. Moving to the other wing, he let the first flop, looking lifeless and broken now. ‘One down...’ The moaning from the direction of their audience got louder as she started to really get into it. ‘Oh yess.. much better than reading about it!’ she thought to herself. She was now very wet and rubbing hard at her nipples and crotch. The warmth wasn't as intense as when she was with the human, but it was still building inside her as she worked her tender bits. Meanwhile, Drax was finishing the second wing, and the little pony beneath him was almost totally limp. She whimpered to herself and moaned, panting softly. He leaned down to gently kiss her on the cheek. “Feel better now?” Suddenly his head was in a lock hold, as the pony gripped him close to her. She had tears in her enormous rose-tinted eyes as she pulled him toward her and nuzzled his ear. “P-p-please...” She whispered, “I-I.. I need the stallion..” And then release him from the deathgrip. Shaking off the sudden attack from the horny pegasus, he grinned evilly and muttered, “I always knew you weren’t a lesbian!” “I’ma wha?” she replied somewhat confused. “Nevermind. One Stallion, cumming up!” He paused a moment to look for Twilight’s reaction, still expecting a protest of ownership, or jealousy. The unicorn was far to busy making wet clopping noises between her legs with her hooves, only stopping a moment to complain. “What are you waiting for? Service her, ya big dummy!” Laughing silently to himself, he began to blur again. He appeared to melt into a black smudge, before refocusing into the pitch black stallion, with the violet mane. He was already unsheathed, and looked ready to perform his duties to the blue mare. Rainbow Dash stuck her blue rump in the air and wiggled it back and forth, smacking him teasingly with her multi-colored tail. “C’mon Stud, wanna ride the rainbow?” Without a word, Drax grabbed both of her cutie marks and jammed his muzzle into her waiting sex. He began to lap greedily at the already wet flesh there, and rub the entire area with his muzzle. It was a little different from having hands, but he found his pony lips and tongue were more than up to the task. In response, the blue pony squirmed and moaned loudly, not holding back anything in her excitement. The hot springs echoed with enthusiastic pony noises as she pawed the ground with her hooves. Suddenly she whinnied, and a gush of warm pony juice squirted onto his muzzle. He pulled back and licked his muzzle clean with his long purple tongue. “Mmm.. tastes like Skittles!” Still panting, she just wigged her rump again and moaned, “Finish what you started, already!” The stallion laughed, and slid forward to mount the little mare, positioning himself for entry. First he poked around for the opening, but then suddenly she pushed back and enveloped his horsemeat. He responded with a grunt by finishing the thrust and sinking himself into the blue pony. Rainbow Dash’s eyes grew huge as she gasped, “Ohmygosh! Toobigtoobigtoobig.. Nnnnggh!” Drax continued thrusting slowly at first, as the mare relaxed a little and took his colthood. It got a little easier as she started to match his rhythm, and the over-lubricated ponytunnel did what nature intended. Nearby, Twilight was coming to her own climax as she whinnied loudly and slowed her frantic clopping. She lazily continued massaging herself as she watch her friends go at it with wild abandon. She felt herself getting warm again, and quickly started to work up another lather at the sight. As she finished a second round, she lay on her side panting a few moments, before the show before drew her attention again. She started to creep forward to get a better look. The two ponies were now going full steam, with all four wings splayed straight out like some freakish Chimera. The double wingboners flapped in time with the thrusting, and wet slapping noises filled the area. Rainbow Dash started to chant as her climax built, “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh...” She was getting steadily louder, and chanting faster. “Oohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh” Suddenly her eyes went wide again as she felt Twilight’s head under her flank, starting to nuzzle her teats like a foal. The sensation drove her over the edge as she screamed at the top of her lungs. “OMYGOSH-OHMYGOSH- ... OH SHIT!!” Twilight started to pull back as another gush of ponyjuice dripped down the pegasus’s flanks, and narrowly missed getting a facial when the stallion finished close behind, withdrawing his member, still shooting his seed. “Eeep! You almost got me!” she cried, and plopped onto her rump with a laugh. They all collapsed into a tired heap, laughing at the situation. The randy couple were still panting heavily, and trying to catch their breath, while the unicorn laughed harder at the sight. Soon they were all grinning at each other, and Rainbow Dash stood up, still dripping, to stare at the stallion with an angry gaze. “Look what you did! Now we need another bath!” Then she broke into a huge grin, before launching herself into the pool again. “GERONIMOOOOO!!” The stallion looked at the unicorn, who just shook her head with a grin as they walked much more sedately toward the pool. Soon they were relaxing and smiling, not caring about the strangeness of their relationship, or the unusual situation it created. Suddenly Drax was caught off guard as his shoulder was rocked by a vicious jab from Rainbow Dash. “An who the hay said I was a Lesbian?!” she cried, indignant, but with a sparkle in her eyes. Trying to recover quickly from the sudden attack, Drax stammered. ‘Oh, uhh.. that. Well, umm. Lemme explain.” He thought furiously for a way to explain it. “You see, remember when I told you how in my world, all of this is a story, and there was a show made after you and your friends?” Dash merely nodded, forehooves crossed. She still wasn't convinced of that part. “Well, there are alot of people that have written their own stories, and given their own outlook on how the characters really are. They fill in the blanks left by the stories with what they feel should be the back story. “ He paused for a reaction, but both ponies were still just staring at him, waiting for him to continue. “Umm, the thing is, because you are a bit of a tom-colt, and act sorta masculine...” He paused as the blue pony raised an eyebrow, still not saying anything. “And, ya see.. in my world, humans that prefer mates of the same gender have adopted the rainbow as their official symbol. Soo... all that put together has most folks thinking that you are most likely gay, and only like other fillies.” “WHAT!?” She exploded. “Just because I don't act all filly like Rarity, and have this awesome mane, folks think I’m a filly-fooler? That's just horseapples!” “Yea, I agree. I grew up around lots of tom-colts, and even dated a few. Never found the behavior to mean they were a filly-fooler.” He shrugged, “I mean, some of them were... but usually they were bi, not totally gay.” The pony sighed, “Yea well, I admit I experimented a bit in flight school. But who didn't? I was young, and curious.” Grinning, he replied, “With Gilda?” “What?” Her voice cracked in shock. “How do you know? I’ve never told anypony. Not even my friends here in Ponyville.” “Well, the way she acted around you, was very jealous.” He rolled his eyes again. “And she did seem like a straight up dike. Very Dom, and more than a little butch.” Twilight chimed in with a snicker, “Yea Dash. Everypony in Ponyville could see it. She was all over you like a jealous old flame.” “Oh horsefeathers...” the pegasus sighed, slipping into the water. “No wonder everypony thought I was a filly-fooler then. “ She came back up for air a moment later. “She really was a Dike, only into fillies and hens. I mean it was fun for awhile. We had alot in common, so it was only natural that we, ya’know, shared other things. But she started to get all weird on me. She started getting into all the whips and bondage stuff, and it really freaked me out. If there is one thing a Pegasus cant stand, it’s being tied up! So we split up, and just stayed friends.” Twilight came to her rescue. “Don’t fret about it Rainbow Dash. Like you said, everypony experiments at one time or another. Even I had a fling in magic school when I was a filly. And besides, the Equestrian population IS 80% female...” Rainbow Dash perked up. “Well that explains how you knew right where to nuzzle me. I thought I was gonna explode! Wow girl, you are alot deeper than I ever knew.” “Yea, well you kinda DID explode there Dashie...” She grinned. “I can still taste you on my muzzle.” *FWOOMP!* The pegasus’s wings shot into the air, and she turned deep crimson at her friend’s words. “Aww dammit Twilight... Don't say stuff like that! It’s embarrassing.” They all laughed at this, as the blue pony tried to lower her wings. She finally just sunk into the pool to cover the offending limbs, until the warm water made them relax. Finally they finished rinsing off and stumbled out of the pool to dry. New towels and blankets were found, and the old ones, now rather worse for wear, were buried in the bottom of a waiting hamper. As they settled down for sleep, the two mares took up positions on either side of the dark Stallion. He covered them with his wings, and they nuzzled against him for warmth. Suddenly he grinned. “I gotta say it...” Twilight looked at him puzzled, “Say what?” Still grinning, he replied, “BEST NIGHT EVER!” His response was a punch in the flank from Rainbow Dash. “Shut up and go to sleep!” They all laughed, and snuggled down for the rest of the night.

Drax99

94

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Alternate Universe,Adventure,Comedy,Dark,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Sex

"Angst Much?"

Twilight Summons a human, Cliche story ensues. Film at 11.

complete

<p>Twilight accidentally transports a human into Equestria, where he discovers he has unusual powers. No one knows his purpose, except maybe Derpy.</p>

mature

2011-11-17T06:28:47+00:00

2011-11-17T06:28:47+00:00

Odd-yssey Morning. Drax hated mornings. He always hated the brightness, the noises, the energetic people, all happy and chipper. He was always nocturnal by nature, usually preferring to go to bed as the sun was coming up, and sleeping into the afternoon. Rarely did he get the luxury in a diurnal world. He didn't believe in good mornings either. If he was awake before noon, it was NOT a good morning. But today was different. The light didn't bother his eyes, and the warmth of the rising sun warmed his black hide pleasantly. The sound of the flowing water the the nearby birds was soothing. The feeling of the two mares cuddled up against him wasn't too bad either. He was in a magical world, and he wasn't human. It was like a dream come true. Which meant he hadn’t woken up in his old world. That meant it was probably real. He was still absorbing the fact, when suddenly the rainbow-maned mare next to him exploded. “OHMYGOSH! Omygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” She was yelling frantically, and pounding herself on the head with a hoof, as she fluttered about the area in a panic. “No nononononono! This cant be happening, THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!” Twilight came awake at the outburst, and Drax looked at per puzzlingly. “What the hay are you so upset about?” “My life is OVER! All my dreams are ruined! NO NO NO NO! I cant believe I was so STUPID!” Twilight was on her hooves now, head tilted in confusion. “What do you mean it’s over? What is wrong Dash?” “Dammit, I was such a foal! I’M IN SEASON!” She cried, as she dropped to the ground in a heap, sobbing convulsively. Drax just looked at her. “I know.” Looking up with tear stained eyes, a fire began to grow as her despair turned to rage. “You KNEW!? What do you mean you knew? How can you? How COULD YOU! You ruined my life! I can’t have a foal! I can’t take 11 months off from training! And how can I join the Wonderbolts if I have a foal to take care of? No no no! I can’t be pregnant. Not now, not when I am so close! Sighing deeply, the stallion replied. “I know because I can smell it. Remember what I said about pheromones? I’m one of the few that can consciously smell them. I knew you were in heat the moment I met you. And even if I didn't, your body language gave it away to me. Kinda hard to hide what your wings do. But relax. You are not gonna have a foal” Rainbow Dash launched herself at him, bowling the startled stallion over and landing on his chest. She grabbed his head in her hooves and moved her muzzle inches from his. “WHAT. DO. YOU. MEAN?” Unfazed by her attack, he bucked her off, and got to his hooves. “Calm down. You forgot something very important Dash. The one reason you cannot be pregnant.” He glared at the rainbow maned pony, as she flipped onto her feet and stared challengingly at him. Then he unfurled his large draconic wings, flapping them slowly for effect. “I can’t get you pregnant, because I am not a real pony. I can no more impregnate you than Twilight can.” Blinking in surprise, Rainbow Dash sank to her rump and just stared. “Oh.” Twilight moved over to her, putting a hoof on the stunned pony’s shoulder. “It’s true Dash. Even the three pony tribes cannot interbreed without special spells. And Princess Celestia is one of the few that know the cross-race magics. Even I don't know that spell. That is why pony couples that want to interbreed must travel to Canterlot and ask for Celestia’s blessing.” “Oh...” she replied, quietly. Then looked up, with a wicked grin on her muzzle. “So that means we can... y’know... all we want?” Drax and Twilight both rolled their eyes in unison. Drax sighed and replied, “Yes.. but not today. We have ground to cover, and we really should get back to Ponyville before they send out a search party.” “Awww... Yer no fun!” “On the contrary, “ he replied drolly “I was lots of fun, last night...” With a laugh, the pegasus leaped into the air. “Now who’d bragging?” Grinning, he quipped back, “No shame in knowing you are the best! No shame at all...” They all laughed, and then set out on the journey home. The forest was beautiful. It was like a dream of a fairytale, wrapped in green and brought to life. He always considered himself a bit of a tree hugger, and nature lover, but most of these trees were totally alien to him. Yet it was familiar enough that if he didn't look close, he could be walking through a forest in his old world. At first he stayed quiet, listening to the two fillies chat amongst themselves. He paid no mind to what they actually said, but was lost in the wonder of the forest around him. Other than the path they were on, the land was entirely untouched by any sort of industry. That was rare back home. No sound of planes overhead, no distant rumble of freeways. Not a single sounds of civilization. Only wind and the birds in the trees. He walked blissfully on this way for several hours before he noticed the pair had stopped ahead of him and were looking at something. Looking ahead he saw a grey pegasus pony, with blond hair, and an odd look on her face. As he got closer, he realized it was a rather famous pony he knew from the fandom. “Derpy?” Both Twilight and Dash were unsure how to react. Dash spoke first, “Yea, that's her. I wonder what she is doing out here?” The mail-pony was plopped in the middle of the path, sitting on her rump and staring at nothing at particular. Well, two different nothings actually. Her trademarked eyes were looking at the trees and the path at the same time. Drax approached her slowly, with a smile on his muzzle, but the gray mare made no sign she even noticed him. “Umm.. hello Derpy. What brings you out here?” No response. Her eyes swung randomly around in her head, but refused to focus on anything in particular. He noticed she had her usual mail bag swung over back. He got closer, and then knelt down in front of her to look her in the face. Still nothing. “Hellooo... anypony home? My name is Drax, Pleased to meet ya.” Waving a hoof in front of her face, the eyes still refused to see him, like she was in a trance. he looked back at the other two mares and shrugged. They shrugged back. “Umm, she is usually weird, but I have never known her to ignore anypony like that.” Twilight spoke up. “Is she ok? Maybe she is hurt?” “I dunno.” he replied, then turned back. He started suddenly as both eyes were now directed at him, and the pegasus’s normally happy smile was missing. She was staring directly at him and her expression was totally deadpan. Somehow this was even creepier than her normal wall-eyed state. Suddenly she spoke, and the voice sent shivers down his spine. It was as if she were talking from far away. “He walks the path, Between deliverance and destruction. A Dark Past, and a Bright Future. Only He can choose the path To save us, or to doom us all.” Just as suddenly, she stopped talking again, and her eyes shot in opposite directions, as her normally friendly smile returned. Her voice was back to normal, as she dug in her bag and offered something to him. “Muffin?” Drax looked down, and took the offered treat, bringing it to his nose, he inhaled deeply. His stomach growled, and he remembered it was a long time since he had eaten. Looking back at her face, he saw her still looking at him... and a nearby tree. “Pumpkin, my favorite.” She smiled brighter in response. “You knew I would be here didn't you? You knew I was coming and you were waiting for me.” She nodded happily, replying, “The muffin sees all, but understands little.” Then she stood up, waving to the ponies behind him, and took to the air, quickly flying away. Twilight walked up beside him to see what she had given him. “That was very strange, even for Derpy. Any idea what that was about?” Drax, still looking at the muffin in his hoof, shook his head and replied, “I think she is an Oracle.” “Shes a whatnow?” asked Rainbow Dash, also joining him again. “An oracle. Legends say, in ancient times on my world, some pon..err people were gifted with extra sight. They saw the world differently. And some had the gift of prophecy. They were often treated as holy seers, and sometimes worshipped.” He sighed sadly. “In truth, most of them just have their brain wired differently. Not wrong, merely different. I have a touch of it myself, I think. It explains why I think differently than most ponies.. err, people. On my world, they call it Autism, OCD, Bipolar, and many less polite things. Just because people are different.” Dash was rather subdued, not sure how to respond to that. “Oh. And you think Derpy has the special sight? I mean, of course she sees things differently, what with her eyes and all.. but prophecy?” “Maybe. I don't know. But that was creepy as fuck when she looked at me like that. And that sure sounded like some sort of prophecy.” He looked back at the muffin. “Or mebbe she’s just a friendly mail-pony with funny eyes, and a love of muffins.” “I always wondered where she gets those muffins. She always has one in her bag to give to somepony. “ Twilight looked at the muffin with curiosity. Grinning, the stallion looked back at her. “Ya know Twilight, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't know herself.” Dash looked up with a strange look on her face. “So... is that some sorta magic muffin then?” Laughing at the idea, he replied, “Something like that. Watch this.” and he covered the muffin with his other hoof, both of which began to glow briefly. *Pop* Suddenly there were three muffins. He handed them each one with a smile. “None of us has eaten in awhile, so lets dig in and enjoy breakfast. Courtesy of of friendly neighborhood mail-pony!” The mares both cheered at the prospect of food, realizing how hungry they were after the long night. Muffins were devoured with glee, and then they set off on their trip once more. This time he had alot more to think about than the pretty forest, but the two mares decided to engage him in conversation instead. The meal seemed to have lifted their spirits and made them alot more social. “So what are ya gonna do when you get to Ponyville, Draxy?” The pegasus asked. Wincing at the nickname, he thought a moment then replied, “I think first thing I need to do is find Rarity, and get some proper cloths for when I am human.” “But why do you wanna do that? You look better as a Pony!” Twilight chimed in, “I have to agree. I am used to you now as a human, but it will attract alot less attention if you stay a pony.” “Yea, you may be right. But I don't know the limits of the spell, and I’m not sure I am ready to stay in one form permanently. Besides, it helps to be prepared. I cant be running around nekkid with my gonads in the wind all the time. Ponies will talk!” Rainbow Dash giggled, “Oh so that's what that was! I thought you were born deformed with a tail in the wrong place!” Twilight joined in on the joke, admitting she had thought the same thing at first. “Oh hah, hah. Laugh it up. I didn't hear any complaints last night about my anatomy when you girls wanted to make use of it!” This shut them up for a moment as they both blushed a furious red. But it was short lived as they both looked at each other and busted out laughing. Dash was laughing so hard she fell to the ground and rolled. The stallion sighed and rolled his eyes. “Mares... can’t live with em...” he left the rest unsaid as he shook his mane. He continued on, leaving the two fillies to finish their laughing before catching up to him. Farther along the path, the conversation drifted. Drax was questioned ruthlessly about his world, his people, his past girlfriends, and anything else the inquisitive ponies could think of. He managed to accommodate them as best he could, getting varied reactions to his answers. His kinda being omnivorous brought troubled looks from the both of them, but the description of his past romances were met with equal parts of sympathy and friendly ribbing. They seemed especially interested in things like computers, and television. These were foreign concepts in the land if low-tech and high magic. Stories of the Pony fandom drew their attention the most, as they came to terms with the idea that strangers they had never met somehow idolized them. Although hearing about the shipping, grimdark, and porn drawings made them more than a bit uncomfortable. Suddenly realizing that he did not know what version of the pony reality he was actually in, he started asking them about strange disappearances, or friends acting strangely lately. He was relieved to hear that nothing of the sort had happened to Ponyville. In fact, things were rather dull since the Gala a few weeks earlier. ‘Yes! I am so sick of hearing about that crappy piece of grimdark.’ he thought, with a sigh. Apparently this version of Equestria was alot closer to the show’s canon. ‘Although, Derpy’s behavior was definitely off, even by fan standards.’ He shrugged it off and went back to being grilled about furries. He tried to explain it as best as he could, but even after years around that fandom, he still couldn't make much sense of it. And some of those people frankly SCARED him. Ponies were a much safer topic. A while later they were closer to the outskirts of Ponyville, having made good time. A lemon-yellow blur dropped from the treeline and almost collided with him. The pegasus yelled out to Twilight and Dash, but then realized they weren't alone. Slamming on the brakes as she touched the ground, she meeped and jumped behind a bush. “And that would be the search party I mentioned.” Drax sighed. Rainbow Dash flew forward, trying to coax the frightened mare out of hiding. She came forward slowly, hiding behind her bubblegum mane, and finding something of great interest on the ground in front of her. “C’mon Fluttershy, this is our new friend, Drax.” The other pegasus introduced the new stallion. We are taking him to Ponyville.” “Oh.. ummm.. pleased to meet you, I guess.” She mumbled, still not making eye contact with the dark pony. “I’m .. fushmumble...” Drax just facehoofed. ‘Here we go again. I don't have time for this with every pony I meet.’ he thought, and sighed. ‘At least I look like a pony this time.’ He walked up to her, ignoring her nervous squeak, and lifted her muzzle to face him. She tried to turn away but he was stern and looked her right in the eyes. Putting every ounce of his skill and training into his voice, he began do talk. He knew he could be hypnotizing when he wanted to be, but it was something he tried not to use often. “Fluttershy, I am going to tell you something about yourself. I know alot of things I cannot explain, and you would not understand if I did. But you need to trust me, that everything I tell you is the truth as best as I know it.” She merely blinked, transfixed by his gaze, and soothed by his now gentle voice. The authority in it instinctively made her want to listen. But still, she was frightened, and unused to being addressed so forcefully by a stranger. Drax paused a moment for effect, and closed his eyes to collect his thoughts. ‘How am I going to put this...’ “Fluttershy, you need never be afraid. Not of me, not of anyone, or anything that walks the earth. The power of the green mother flows through you, and with her power you command the love and respect of all creatures that walk, fly or swim on its surface. You are special in this gift, and it will serve to protect you wherever you go. Once, long ago, you would have been known as a Druid, and worshipped as a priestess of the great green earth mother. Your powers come from this, in that you are a mother to all living things. Your STARE is nothing more than the glare of a mother scolding a petulant child, and is strongest when you are protecting those in your care. And anypony that has seen a child threatened knows to fear the wrath of a mother protecting that child.” “In this, you will always be safe. Because of this you should never know fear. All life loves you, as you love all life. Your power over creatures is great, and in time you can learn to have power over plants as well. I know this because the same power flows in my family. I know this because all creatures love you, just as I love you. Never be afraid.” He finished with a kiss to her forehead *FWOOMP!* Suddenly in place of the shy pegasus was a pegasus shaped statue, as her wings shot out rigid, and her eyes grew wide. She froze in place, and her face turned the color of her mane, and it spread across her body. She stared straight ahead, unmoving. Drax stepped back shaking his mane. “I still don't understand how you ponies do that.” “What? A wingboner?” Rainbow dash giggled. “Well when some pegasus ponies get excited...” “No, not that.” He interrupted, “I mean blushing!” He gestured to the still frozen Fluttershy, still not even blinking in her shock. “How the hell do you blush through FUR? Shouldn't it cover the skin so you can’t see it?” It was Twilight that replied. “Well our fur is transparent after all. Haven't you noticed? The color comes from our skin.” The blue pegasus snickered at this. “You had yer hooves all over my flank, and you didn't even see the color of my fur?” Drax rolled his eyes, feeling rather stupid. “Well I wasn't exactly using my eyes. But it makes sense now. Like polar bears, their fur is clear, but skin black. Just their fur is alot longer, so the refracted light makes it look white.” “What’s a polar bear?” replied Twilight, looking confused. “Uhh, its a type of Ursa on my world. Lives in areas far north, with lots of snow.” He turned to look closer at his own flank, and concentrated. His coat began to shimmer faintly, becoming less light-devouring, and taking on more gloss and texture. Now he looked like a black stallion, and not a walking piece of void. Both mares gasped at once, and exclaimed, “Look, your Cutie Mark!” He turned his head and positioned his flank so he could see. There on his rump was a emerald green eye. It was not the eye of a pony or human however, but had the slitted pupil of a reptile. It was clearly a Dragon Eye. “Oh wow. I guess my fur was covering it the whole time. But that’s weird, it’s not the one I tried to give myself. “ “It’s like I keep trying to tell Applebloom, you can’t force a Cutie Mark. It will appear when you are ready, and it will be special.” Twilight replied, still in awe of the sudden appearance of the stallion’s defining trait. “Awesome! Now I look like a real pony!” Rainbow Dash chuckled, “Yea, except for those Crazy Wings!” Drax flexed his wings, stuck his nose in the air and strutted around. “Haters gonna hate...” They all laughed, until they noticed that Fluttershy still hadn't moved. Her flush was gone, but she was still frozen in place. Drax approached her again and put his hoof on her shoulder, looking her in the eye again. “Shy? You gonna be ok? I didn't mean to overdo it like that, but you really did need it.” She snapped awake, and returned his gaze, now looking demure instead of frightened behind her mane. She held his gaze however. “It’s ok. Thank you.” Then looked away. Do you really think that’s true? Am I a druid pony?” “I really do. How else could you command the respect of animals, and even creatures like Dragons? You have a great gift, and in time you will be very powerful.” Suddenly she threw her hooves around him in a hug. “Thank you, thank you so much!” He returned the hug, until she said, “Mmm.. you smell nice.” He broke the hug, and stepped back, as Rainbow Dash burst into a fit of laughter. “M-mebbe you should give her a massage!” Both Drax and Twilight glared daggers at the mirthful trickster pony, and yelled, “Shut up Dash!” Fluttershy looked back and forth between them, confused. “Was it something I said? I’m sorry...“ Turning back to the shy pegasus, Drax sat down in front of her and sighed. “No Fluttershy, don't be. You don't ever need to be sorry or afraid for something somepony else does. I know what it’s like to be shy. Believe it or not, I am shy too.” The rainbow maned-mare blew a raspberry. “Horseapples! You have more balls than even Applejack, and that filly will walk up and talk to ANYPONY! And yer almost as brave as ME!” Fluttershy blushed again at the crudity of the comments. Drax never looked away, but replied, “No, I’m not. I am shy. I spent most of my life not liking people, and finding it hard to get close to anypony. In a crowd, my first instincts are to hide. But I learned to overcome this. I learned that if I wanted to be accepted as a functioning member of society, I had to learn to act. He sighed sadly, still gazing at the buttercup-colored pony, who only had eyes for him. “I learned to wear a mask, a mask of the friendly guy. Somepony that likes people. Somepony that wants to be near people, have fun, party, and all that. Somepony that didn't want to just be left alone. But it was just a mask. Don't get me wrong, I do like friends. I like having fun, and I love helping people. But I am strictly a small-group kinda guy. Crowds, frankly, freak me out.” Twilight chuckled, “Well you better steer clear of Pinkie Pie’s parties. When she gets going, half the town shows up.” Smiling again at Fluttershy, he continued. “It’s ok, I can adapt. I just put on my mask. You can learn to do the same, Shy.” She started to smile and blush again, kicking her hoof at the ground nervously. ‘I just love the way he calls me “Shy”’ she thought to herself. ‘It feels like I’ve known him all my life.’ He was still talking, and she focused on him again, “What? I’m sorry.. say that again?” Still smiling he responded, “I was asking if you thought you could do that? Learn to act brave? Even when you are scared, even when you are feeling shy, you have to put on your mask, and act brave for your friends, just like Pinkie Pie does. They all love you, and it makes them feel bad to see you frightened all the time.” She smiled weakly, and nodded, “I’ll try. Thank you so much.” as she gave him another hug. Suddenly a pink pile of raw energy came bounding into the clearing. “Just like I do what?” asked Pinkie Pie. She was bouncing up and down, and then shot over to the newcomer to get a better look at him. “Oooh, who’s the new guy? My name is Pinkie Pie! Are you new to Ponyville? That's a neat cutie mark. Whats your special talent? I love meeting new ponies, this means I get to throw another party! Iloveparties becauseIamthevery bestatmakingthem andeverypony lovesmyparties sodoyouwannacome? Huh huh huh?!” Waiting for the avalanche of energy to slow long enough for a response, Drax merely blinked at the cotton-candy whirlwind as she bounced back and forth, inspecting every part of him at once and firing off a rapid volley of questions. Finally she paused and blinked at him with her huge blue eyes, blinking and grinning. “Umm, hi Pinkie. My name is Drax. Pleased to meet you finally.” And she was off... “Oh high Draxy! What kinda name is Drax? It sounds funny for a pony name. And why are your wings funny? Saw a dragon once with wings like that once. But you aren't a dragon, you look like a pony to me and... Ooohhh...” She stopped only a moment, staring at him from behind after bouncing around him in a circle. Suddenly she started laughing hysterically. “Hahaha! that's so funny! Your butt is staring at me! HAHAHAAHAHAH!” Turning around, Drax tried to get a look at what she was laughing at. The other ponies started to giggle as well. “What? Did you put something on my tail Dash? That's not funny, man.” Twilight stopped long enough to explain. “It’s your cutie marks. From the back, the two eyes look like an angry dragon face, with a pony tail for a nose. It’s actually kind of neat looking.” Pulling the blanket down over the offending flanks, he rolled his eyes. “Bah, figures it was too good to be true. Something like this always happens and gets me picked on.” Rainbow Dash flew over and put her hoof around his shoulder. “Aww it’s not so bad. We are your friends, and we love ya no matter what your cutie mark looks like.” He started to feel a bit better until she cracked up laughing again, and continued. “And besides.. mebbe Fluttershy can teach you to do THE STARE with your butt!” The 3 mares collapsed into fits of laughter, Rainbow dash falling to the ground again. Fluttershy just smiled weakly, and looked sadly at the distressed stallion. Drax, finally seeing some humor at the situation, had to hold back a smile as he fake-glared indignantly at the laughing fillies. “Yea, that's right, woop it up. I just love being the butt of everypony’s joke.” At the word “Butt”, they all laughed even harder, and even he couldn't hold back a smile and a chuckle. He finally stuck his tongue out at them, stuck his wings and nose in the air again, and repeated, “Haters gonna hate...” and then cracked up finally at his own lame joke. After an abbreviated version of events, the mares all circled around him, and the newcomers asked more questions. Fluttershy was talking openly now, but blushed whenever she talked directly to him. “So, umm.. you are actually, uhh.. not a pony? But you aren’t a dragon either? Oh.. then you are not a stallion then... are you?” Shaking his mane, “No. I made a spell to make me look like a stallion, and I am a male of my species, but I am not really a pony. I can walk and talk like one, but the genetics are different, and I cant breed with a mare, or have foals. I’m not even sure yet if I can eat the same foods. Some things we have in common, but things like grass and hay, I don't know if I can digest.” The yellow pony looked down, appearing disappointed at this news. “Oh.. ok. That's too bad. Umm.. we do, um... needmorestallions” she squeaked out, suffering another full body blush. “Dear lord, why did I get sent to a world of sexually repressed females? It’s all you fillies think of!” He laughed. Pinkie was grinning an impossibly huge grin, and looked ready for her head to explode. “Ohh ohh ohh.. do you know what that means? If he can’t get us pregger weggers, then we can have the most awesomest kinda party ever!” “No, Pinkie” Drax tried to cut her off. “AN ORGY! Because orgies are extra super duper mega fun! We can all make out and do all kinda dirty things, and Rarity can bring her toy collection, and I can have all kinda kinky fun with all my bestest westest most fabulous friends!” “NO, PINKIE!!!” Everypony shouted at once, finally stopping the overcharged pink pony, leaving her blinking. “Awww...” she whined. Then she turned to the side, facing you, and an unseen audience. “Sorry folks, I tried!” and shrugged. Raising an eyebrow, Drax sighed, “Really Pinkie, I don't think it would be appropriate. First of all, I just met you fillies, and I haven't even met your other friends yet. And second, unless you mares are all bisexual, I am pretty damn sure I will not be able to satisfy all of you, and that just wouldn't be much fun would it?” He looked around, noticing that suddenly none of them would look at him. They all were blushing and finding other things to look at. Rainbow Dash was just looking at the sky, but her wings were straight up, and broadcasting her thoughts. “Oh you have got to be shitting me?” He facehoofed. “The Bronies would have a field day with this... And besides! Look at poor Fluttershy! You are embarrassing her to death!” The pony in question was again huddled, her wing covering her face, and her body and mane the same color pink. Pinkie looked at her feet, “Soowwweee... I didn't mean anything by it Fluttershy. I forgot how sensitive you are and all. Maybe we can have a nice quiet dance party instead? I can get DJ Pon-3 to play!” Fluttershy opened her wing again, still looking shaken up. “Um, it’s ok, I didn't mean to, ahh.. I’m sorry. “ Drax put a hoof around her, causing her to squeak. “C’mon Shy, what did we talk about?” She lifted her head again, looking him in the eye, and renewing the blush that was just starting to fade. Then she looked at Pinkie Pie, replying in a level voice. “Ahem.. thank you Pinkie Pie. I would be glad to go to one of your dance parties. I just don't think I am ready yet for a.. a..you know. “ “That’s ok Fluttershy! You are always welcome to any of my parties, and if you don't want to come, you are still one of my bestest friends!” “Thank you.” she replied softly. Sighing and looking around at the others, “Ok, now that that is all settled, can we start moving back to town? I really am getting hungry, and we have a few hours left to travel.” Fluttershy suddenly shot up into the air to hover. “Oh! I forgot, I need to get back now. The animals all need to be fed, and It’s almost time for lunch! I will tell Applejack and Rarity we found you, so they can stop worrying.” Twilight waved farewell, “Thanks Fluttershy! Take care of your critters, then meet us tonight at the library. We can all get together and hear the rest of Drax’s story, so he doesn’t have to keep repeating himself.” Drax groaned, “Yea, that is getting old.” They all waved goodbye as Fluttershy flew off in the direction of her home, still throwing glances over her shoulder at the dark stallion, and blushing furiously. Twilight turned to Pinkie, who was now making faces at Drax’s rump, which he was trying to ignore. “So Pinkie, why is everypony looking for us anyway? We haven't even been gone a day.” “Ohhh... “ She replied, “Well me and Fluttershy went over to see you this morning. Alotta ponies saw a bright light coming from the Library last night, but they thought you were just doin’ Twilight stuff. But when the sun came up, somepony saw your door open, and we found you gone. There were all kinda creepy candles and markings all over the place. We thought somepony may have some in and foalnapped you or something. Rarity had to finish a rush order for Canterlot, so she stayed behind in case you showed up. Me, Applejack and Fluttershy decided to split up and look for you.” Twilight facehoofed at the mention of the front door. “I knew we were forgetting something when we left. But you didn't exactly give us much warning with that stunt you pulled, Drax.” In reply, the stallion gave a lopsided grin, “Oops, sorry. I wasn't exactly thinking about that sorta thing.” “Oh well, it can’t be helped. Let’s get moving. The sooner we get to Ponyville, the sooner we can tell our friends what happened. Snapping a salute, Drax belted out, “Aye, aye, Cap’n! Full Steam ahead!” They all chuckled at this, Pinkie Pie openly laughing just a bit more than it merited. They continued down the path, their number increased by one. As they walked side-by-side, (Except Pinkie, who bounced) Drax began to whistle a tune to himself. Pinkie Pie, always ready for a new song, asked him what it was. “We’re off to see the Wizard!” He replied, with a grin. “Don’t ask...”