The New Steed

      In a long, expanding and endless void, two figures sat. The First One let out a sigh as his shapeless form tapped the piece he had been holding for what seemed like forever now onto the board's face. It appeared like he was going to finally place the piece down, but then quickly lifted it back up again, letting another long sigh come from his area. He then heard a voice being cleared, and he looked over at his opponent who was standing there patiently. She was a tall, elegant looking mare. Her coat was a fine light purple that even in this matterless place, seemed to shimmer with a light that could not be seen. Her mane and tail were long and flowing, simple wavy patterns coursing through out. Her most striking feature were those two oval shaped golden eyes that stared at him unrelentingly, though some of the thick locks of her mane had fallen to cover one up.

   "Want some advice?" D asked with a mocking giggle.

   "I am fine thank you," The First One said as he finally placed the piece down to the board. It quickly changed it's shape, causing several other pieces to form beside it, as the board's swirling lines of color brightened for a moment, then died down.

   "Oh? That was the move that you took so long to make?" D sighed out with a tone that would suggest she was disappointed.

   "And just what was wrong with it?" The First One demanded.

   "Hmm, nothing really. I just thought you were going to do something that was, you know, challenging." With that, her horn started to glow, and her piece swooped down to the board where it took hold to the face of it with a loud clank. The piece that The First One had just played suddenly changed its color, and many of the other pieces on his side simply turned to dust, and fell away. The board then came to life, changing its shape and colors as many new pieces presented themselves. "Heh," D taunted while leaning back a little to look over in The First One's direction.

   "It was to be expected," The First One said, trying very hard to hide the frustration of seeing all his planning, and strategy get wiped away so quickly.

   "Uh huh, I would say that to if I had lost like that," D laughed out. This made The First One chuckle briefly before making a quick move on the board.

   "You are harsh, cold, and merciless Mistress D," he said as she quickly countered his move with one of her own.

   "Hmm, perhaps you are just getting old," she said with a smile, but doing little to hide the serious tone.

   "Gunning for my job eh?" he asked, playing along with her sense of humor.

   "Perhaps," she answered, now letting out another giggle that betrayed her serious voice. "I do have some nice ideas that would make things run much smoother."

   "I am sure you do, I am sure you do indeed. But, you know, before you go and start turning all of Creation into your play thing. Perhaps you should learn to watch your defenses." One of The First One's pieces quickly raced itself across the board, placing itself next to D's pieces. Some of her pieces changed their shape dramatically, other's changed color. A couple even caught on fire, and were removed from the board entirely.

   "Hey!" the mare shouted as she leaned forward to look over what had just happened.

   "What?" The First One asked in a tone that would suggest he was being accused of something.

   "You cheated!"

   "I most certainly did not!"

   "Yes you did! You made the blue thingy race over and take out this red thingy that made that color line turn yellow. You can't do that unless you have four or more of the other purple thingys on your side!" The First One started to laugh at what she was doing, as it was a tactic she had used ever since she was a child. More often than not, she would make up rules, simplifying the board to a mere party game that had a very specific way to be played. It was something that he did not like to admit actually worked more than once, but he was quick to catch it this time.

   "Yeah well, deal with it missy," he sighed out. This made her take in a shocked gasp, her horn coming to life in a bright flare.

   "Well I never!" she scoffed as now several of her pieces grew in size, and surrounded the piece he had just placed. After her moved finished, the two couldn't help but share a laugh with each other at the playful competitive antics. Each made a few more moves in silence, before D stepped away from the board.

   "It's that time I guess?" The First One asked as she just started to walk away into the never ending darkness of the void around them.

   "Yeah," she said in response. "I'll be back later though."

   "Take your time," he said as he looked over, and watched her vanish away.

*****

      The gryphon doctor who sat at the bedside slowly stroked her beak. She then leaned back, and placed the stethoscope back in her traveling bag before placing her claw on the old pony's head that lay in the bed. The ancient looking mare gave her doctor a long smile, simply nodding at her, letting her know that it was all right to leave now.

   "Is great Grandma Derpy going to be okay Doctor?" a small light grey filly asked the gryphon as she gathered her things.

   "She is very old little one." The Doctor replied, looking over to the fillies parents who both had a steady flow of tears coming from their eyes.

   "Very old?" Derpy said in a strained voice. "I'm so old Princess Celestia has to call me ma'am." The old pegasus let out a single laugh, one that turned into a violent cough.

   "Hush now Grandma!" The mare standing next to the filly demanded with a sad smile. "You have to conserve your strength as much as you can."

   "Can't conserve what you don't have. Now can you?" This was supposed to be a joke on Derpy's part, but her attempt to lighten the mood just seemed to make the ones in her room get sadder. "Meh, you kids today don't know what's funny anyhow."

   "Do you need anything Mom?" An older looking stallion said as he walked up to the bedside, taking his mother's hoof into his own, and giving it a light squeeze.

   "You can take these no laughing stone faces down to the kitchen and teach them how to make some decent tea." Derpy said as she waved her other hoof that wasn't being held.

   "You sure?" the stallion asked, making Derpy just wave harder. With that, the elder son of Derpy gathered his daughter, her husband, and their filly. He then proceeded to hustle them out the door, each one giving one last look before they vanished into the hallway.

   "You too Doctor." Derpy said at the gryphon. "I'm tired of giving you my bits anyhow." The doctor just gave a smile and a quick laugh while swallowing down the emotional response she wanted to give. With a deep inhale, she nodded her head at her long time patient, then raced out the door before she completely lost the losing battle with the tears in her eyes.

   Derpy was alone now, her head rolled from side to side, looking at all the items that adorned her room's shelves and walls. Countless pictures, knick knacks and other things she had sentimental value for. It was a calendar on the wall that made her stop looking however. It showed the month that they were in, and on it, just two weeks prior, was a red circled date that marked her very last birthday. "Two hundred, and fifty two years," the pegasus said to herself.

   "That's a long time," D said, standing next to Derpy's bed. Hearing this voice just made Derpy close her eyes, and let a smile cross over her aged muzzle.

   "It is that my dear," the elder Pony said as she slowly rolled her head to look at the purple mare standing before her now. "Oh, look how beautiful you are Dinky. You've grown so much." D couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her mother's doting. "Did you see your brother?" Derpy asked as she reached up and started to stroke her daughter's face.

   "I saw him yes," D responded, pushing her face a little harder to her mother's touch. "I do not think I will be able to say hi though. Busy you know. Plus, he has kinda never met me."

   "Oh that don't mean nothing," Derpy scolded lightly. "Besides, I have told him all about you." Derpy then got a serious look on her wrinkled face. "Dinky, listen to me. Now I know why you are here, and I am glad you have come. But when I am gone, I want you to remember you still have family here. Don't you ever forget who you are, where you came from. I know that fellow from way back when called you D, and I know you like it and all, But your name is Dinky Hooves. Don't you ever forget that name."

   "I promise Mother," D said with a smile.

   "Good, now you come down here, and give your old mommy a hug," Derpy held up both her front legs, and motioned with her hooves for D to come closer. D was only to happy to oblige as she leaned down, and let her mother wrap her hooves around her neck.

   A sound of a cart could be heard being pushed down the hall. Derpy's son came into the door way maneuvering the cart so that it came into the room. "Okay so I brought you some of that honey you liked. Do you want sugar Mom?" The lack of an answer made him turn to look at his mother's bed, where he saw her laying as still as possible, her eyes were still open, but unmoving, and unblinking, as a long, and happy looking smile was stretched over her muzzle.

*****

       A group of three larger colts surrounded a much smaller one. The singled out one had a deep dirty brown coat, and a long black mane that accented his reddish eyes. "Come on Rocky!" the larger of the group said as he took a step forward. "Hand over the bits!"

   "I don't have any bits!" the one called Rocky said as he too stepped towards the bigger colt. "And even if I did. I sure wouldn't give them to you anyway! And don't call me Rocky, only my mom got to call me that."

   "Yeah well your mom isn't here is she?" one of the other colts said with a loud snicker.

   "Shut up!" Rocky cried out as he made a flinching move towards the one that just spoke.

   "Hey, what about this thing?" the last of the colts said as he reached over and snagged a small globe from Rocky's worn out looking saddle bag. "I bet this is worth some bits."

   "Hey give it back!" Rocky shouted as he tried to make a quick grab at his stolen possession. His attempt was blocked however, as the colt holding it tossed it over to his buddy, making Rocky change his direction to try once more to get the globe back. Once again the learning toy was tossed into the air to the larger of the three, who stood up on his hind legs, with the globe being held high over his head. Rocky tried his best to jump up and grab the globe, but his small stature made it very much impossible to do so. "I said give it back!" Rocky screamed as now instead of jumping, he thrust his front hoof deep into the bullies stomach.

   The larger colt let out a pained gasp as he doubled over, the globe however was let loose, and came crashing to the ground, shattering into several pieces as it hit. Rocky stopped paying attention to the three colts, and just looked at the still rolling pieces on the ground with a both saddened, and enraged look on his face. He then felt himself being pulled by his tail, as the larger of the three had recovered, and used his size and strength to put the smaller Earth Pony up against the wall.

   "You're going to pay for that!" The largest of the three said as he raised his hoof into the air with intentions of punching Rocky square in the jaw. Something made them stop however, and Rocky got a confused look on his face as he saw all three of the colts faces contort from ones of malice and anger, to ones of absolute, and unknowable fear.

   "Oh lookie, some tasty little Ponies to snack on," a low, and growling voice said. Rocky spun around to see what had made such a horrible threat to see that there was a large, long shadow now on the wall, one that did not belong to any of them. The shadow then started to remove itself from the wall, prying itself away as it started to become an oily, cloaked figure that moved in the most unnatural ways as it reached towards the group with long, broken, and gnarled claws.

   "Let's get out of here!" one of the colts screamed as he took off, knocking Rocky down to the ground as he sped by. The other two were quick behind their bolting friend, and soon, they were nothing more but frantically screaming colts running down the street, getting odd looks from every Pony that saw them.

   "Yeah you better run!" D called out as the shadow surrounding her dissipated into thin air. "It's alright though. I will see you later on tonight. I'll be the thing in your closet! Or under your bed, you won't know!" She made a quick silly face as her tongue quickly popped out from the side of her mouth while she made a quick 'heh' sound. "I love that gag," she said to herself, quickly spinning around on her hooves to look at the cowering colt. "Well hi there Rock Bed!" she sang out in a very whimsical, and friendly voice.

   "W-who a-are you?" Rock Bed asked as his mind was trying to determine how the mortifying shadow monster just turned into this stunningly beautiful mare before him. "You're n-n-not going to eat me are you? And how d-d-did you know my name?"

   "Eat you? Nah, I wouldn't do that, to greasy. And I know everyponys name. It's just a little trick I can do." she then looked down at the broken pieces of the globe, and got a frown on her muzzle. "Aww, your little thingy got broken."

   "It's fine," Rock Bed said as he pulled himself up off the ground. "It wasn't important anyway."

   "Well when it broke you didn't look to happy. Was it a gift?"

   "Yeah, it was from my mom. She gave it to me before." He gave a small shrug instead of finishing what he was going to say. "It doesn't matter. You can't bring back what's gone anyway." He just looked down at the broken pieces, and let out a sigh.

   "Well that's a very mature way to look at things I would say," D said as she walked over and sat down beside the young colt. "So umm, what was it anyway?"

   "It was just a globe of the known world. My mom got it for me for one of my birthdays." he said as he picked up one of the larger pieces and looked at the torn printing. "It's just, I like to learn about things. I want to someday know as much as I can about all the world around us, and even maybe worlds beyond this one. There is so much to learn out there. You have to get started young. At least, that's what my Mom, and even Princess Twilight said."

   "Well you are right about that," as D was talking, Rock Bed just got up, and started to walk away. "Hey! Where are you going?

   "Oh, thanks for helping me. I have to get back to the home soon. I will get into trouble if I am late," Rock Bed said as he gave D a quick smile then started to walk again.

   "Whoa whoa whoa," D said rapidly while running up in front of him. "I guess I didn't make as a large of an impression as I thought I did. See, I just don't show up for anypony that is in trouble. You see, you and I were destined to meet! You see, you like to learn about things, and I just love to teach things."

   "Y-you do?" Rock Bed said as a slow smile started to come over his lips.

   "You bet!" D sang out, reaching down to ruffle the top of his mane with her hoof. "As a matter of fact, here very soon, I am going to give you the opportunity to learn about, everything." She gave him a rather devious smile as her golden eyes seemed to light up as she spoke. He just looked up at her and gave a quick nod then joined her at her side and followed as the pair started to walk down the road together.

The

End