Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Waking up the rest

The high morning sun hits against the side of the tent bringing a tan glow to the insides. Preston still sleeps soundly in the bed but Clover stands on the opposite side fully awake, her horn glows a low purple as the folded brown cloak starts to levitate towards her, but the low chiming magic is sheltered from her ears as Preston's loud snoring starts to ring through the tent.

Neither one of the two got any real sleep but in Preston's half sleeping mind feels the empty spot next to him and it’s triggered a deep sleep that he enjoys loudly.

Clover squints her teal eyes at the bellowing creature taking up her bed as the low purple aura on her horn takes a slightly brighter color. The covers around Preston's body begin to glow but the moment is short as the covers are thrown from his body.
"AH!" Preston quickly awakes as the cold rush of air hits against his body and he brings himself up right in the bed.

Clover folds the covers paying no attention to the man until he speaks up, "What was that for huh?"

The mare gives a fake girly laugh as she floats the covers back to the bed, "OH, was that me?"

Preston brings his hands over his eyes as he rubs, "THAT wasn't a dream! OH FUCK!" He rocks himself to the edge of the bed as he gives another loud groan.

But his pointless yells are quickly blocked as Clover throws the covers at him, "Quite yourself, Star Swirl dos...-"

"Hello in there, how long are you going to keep an old pony waiting?" The old sounding voice makes the dark purple mare's eyes shrink a little as she quickly springs herself out of the tent, "Sorry master."

Preston follows behind her as he squints his eyes to the bright world's sun.

The old pony gives a slight chuckle as he floats a large wizard like hat to his white mane. Draped across his cloak covered body is a large night sky colored satchel that brushes against his long beard as he talks, "It's quite alright Clover."

Preston looks over the campsite as he speaks up, "Where'd your tent go Gandalf?"

Swirl squints to the name as he talks, "I'm sorry but you seem to have confused my name, I guess that would be a side affect of world teleporting."

Preston brings his head back to the old pony as he focuses on the words, "Wait, can you send me back?!"

The grey white stallion gives a laugh as he start to trot away, "No no, long range teleporting is almost impossible, I am still pondering how a pony like you could pull it off." He stops his trot as he turns back to Preston with his hoof raised, "I may have to write a book on that...I think i'll call it Star Swirl the Bearded’s book of teleportation...hmmmm" He bobs his head for a moment as his voice talks back, "...You are going to have to explain that spell to me one day." His trot comes back to him as Preston picks up in a sarcastic slightly depressed tone, “Great stuck here longer.”

Preston's following of the stallion is halted as he looks to the tent there leaving, "Wait, you're just going to leave the tent...-"

Before his voice is finished a loud cracking is heard behind him, he turns his head back to the tent as he watches it fold into nothing more than a tiny scroll like paper.

Clover's horn glows a faint purple as she looks at the floating paper and then back to Preston, "Here, make yourself useful and carry this."

The paper is floated to his hand as he takes hold of it, "H-how did y..."

"Come on." The pony starts up in a fast trot to catch up with the old stallion as Preston looks over the paper still in confusion, "Wait, wait where are we going?"

Preston and Clover bring themselves to a stop as they walk next to the old stallion.

"Ah, yes Preston...we seek Feather Peek."

Preston blinks at the name, "What's that like a chicken factory or something?"

The purple mare gives a sigh as she speaks for the old stallion, "Its where young pegasus learn to fly, the winds there are so powerful that at the right moment you can even be brought into their kingdom."

Preston blows at the comment as he places the paper in his pocket, "And why would you want to go there?"

Swirl gives a slight laugh as he ducks his head under a low branch in the path, "Because how else would we get into the kingdom?"

"Whoa! I thought you said that pegasus don't like unicorns?" Preston follows the stallions head ducking motion as he follows behind him.

"I never said that? Besides the last piece we require is there." Swirl gives a little cough as he finishes his statement.

Preston's voice lowers a little as he talks, "Thats for the element thing right?"

Swirl stops as he turns around, "Ah, you are learning, usually in a stressful environment...like a new area, one's mind locks. That magic we used on you must have opened your mind a little hm?"

Preston shakes his head as he lets out a laugh, "Magic? HA! i'm just tripping on fumes back at the abandoned warehouse and i’ll wake up any minute.” He lets out a low moan as he talks, “...And the best part is when I wake up i’ll have a nice big cheeseburger waiting for me...” Preston holds the comment even though he knows in the back of his mind the world around him is real and not some dream.

The old stallion cocks his eyebrow as he gives a little sigh, "Or perhaps your mind is still very locked away....Why is that Press-ton?”

The man gives a laugh as he folds his hands behind his head in a casual stroll through the forest, “Because your a talking pony.”

“Bha.” Star Swirl turns his head away from the path in front of him as he talks, “...You really must learn to accept things for something more, otherwise you will stay a very boring and dull being my friend.”

Clover gives a slight laugh as she listens to the old stallion’s comment.

Preston nods his head with a slightly annoyed smile as he talks back to the old stallion, "ya ya ya, and I slept with a horse last night, so there's that another reason this world is fake."

Swirl slows his path down a little as his voice calls back behind him, "When I said you could lay with my assistant that is not truly what I intended."

"MAster?!"

Clover's voice is cut off as the old stallion gives another coughing laugh.

"Real funny, lets poke fun at the freaking out human right?" Preston drops his casual walking stance as he holds his discontent to his voice thats directed to the stallion.

Swirl turns back with a smile as he stops, "Oh Preston, you should enjoy small joys in life even bad jokes are funny sometimes...let the happiness turn to a magic in you.”

Preston blows to the comment as he swings his head around the forest, "Ya ya ya, how far till we get there?"

The stallion taps his hoof to his mouth as he talks, "Hm, I say not for a good part of the day, unless you have a map of unexplored land that is."

The blond haired man shakes his head as he looks over the stallion.

"Well, than half of this adventure will be the joy of being lost...shall we?" Swirl brings himself back to a trot with a happy old man smile as he pushes through the forest.

Clover squints to the old ponies words as she talks, "But we need to complete this task as soon as possible?"

The stallion ignores her as he walks down the ragged trail in front of him.

Preston nods his head as he looks to the mare, "We’re fucked aren't we?"

Clover looks at Preston with a slight unsure face as she talks, “No, Star Swirl is perfectly capable of leading the way.” They both hold a forced smile to each other as her words ring in the forest.

(The unicorn capital)

The morning sun slowly starts to creep into the lavish royal room of the castle, its bright light shining in from the large crystal clear windows start to pen point Matt's eyes as he stirs a little.

Matt's stomach is full and mind is calm, the bed is not too large but the young kid's short body fits into rather well. With it's the warm silk sheets and light red royal bed covers feeling good against his shirtless body. The oasis free of talking ponies is making him hold onto his pleasant sleep a little longer.

But the sleep doesn't stay as a hoof knocking on the elegantly carved white wood door brings his eyes open a little, the low male voice is unfamiliar but Matt calls back in prerecorded response. Matt's voice is still asleep but its loud enough to echo off the white marble floor and through the door, "Fuck off Preston...."

The stallion's voice calls back as a slightly louder knock hits against the wood, "Sir Matt, the Princess requires your presents."

The young kid is still asleep as he calls back, "Hmmm five more minutes..."

His voice sparks the door to crack a little as the white mare pushes herself into the room, the royal guard behind her try to call out but she cuts them off before they can finish, "Princess Platinum we wil...-"

"I am perfectly capable of waking a prince." She gives them a slightly annoyed glare as her horn glows a light pink and the door closes. Shes dressed in a royal gold cloak similar to the one she had yesterday but instead of purple gems and white trim around the cloak, there are blue gems and dark blue trim. Her green eyes turn to the still asleep Matt as her hooves clap quietly on the marble floor.

"Sit Matt, will you awake?"

"hmmnnobergluga..." Matt's mumble falls short of a sentence and the mare blinks her eyes a little confused at the sound, "I beg your pardon?"

His eyes slowly start to crack open as he looks over the voice coming closer to his head, as he opens his eyes the mare's face and body is only inches from his as she stands near the bed. "Ah."

He jerks his body up in the bed as he looks to the mare, she follows his surprise as she listens to his voice, "W-hy are you in here?"

The mare holds a smile as her horn glowed a faint pink, "I request your presents this day." The glow wraps around the covers as they start to roll back.

Matt quickly grabs at the covers as he talks in a rushed voice, "I-I'll be out in a minute."

She doesn't take his answer very well as her voice picks up a little, "I know that its only your second day here, but surely you understand that you must be introduced properly..." Her magic overpowers his hold as she talks, "...Surely a prince would want a proper welcome in a new land."

His cheeks blush a little red as he tries to cover his boxer wearing body, "Y-ya of course."

Her eyes trace over his almost bare body as she backs away a little, "Oh, i'm sorry, I was not aware humans were furless. You must be cold." She scans her eyes around the room as she locates his clothes, "Ah here you go."

The pink magic that wraps around the clothing is quickly brought over to him as he grabs at it, "Ya, cold."

Platinum squints her eyes to his cheeks as she talks again, "My you must be cold, your face has gotten red?" She pushes her face a little closer to his as she squints at his colored cheeks.

Matt leans his body back a little as he stammers out a few words, "N-no i'm fine I just...need to get dressed."

She leans herself back as she nods her head, "Very well, please hurry we'll be outside."

The mare turns back to the door as she opens it with her pink grasp and leaves.

Matt gives a low sigh as he stands himself from the bed after the awkward wake up, he quickly throws on his grey shirt and blue jeans as he tosses the jacket back to the bed.

"Ok i'm ready..." His loud voice stops as he gives a quick sprint to the door, and stares at the four ponies standing outside of it.

The two stallion's wearing silver armored chest plate and helmets stand at attention as his voice runs past them. Matt blinks his eyes a little confused to their reaction as the larger dark mare next to Platinum speaks up, "Hello Sir Matt, we hope you had a pleasant sleep."
Matt gives the pony a smile as he nods his head, "Yes, I hope you did to."

Before she can speak up the smaller white mare cuts in as she adjust the crown on her head, "Yes, well everypony best get going, we cannot have the others waiting today." She and the two guards start a trot down the stone grey castle hallway as Luna's voice comes back to her.

"Princess Platinum, should we not wait for our sister?"

The white mare's ear flicks a little as she turns herself in a light laugh, "No no, Sir Matt is all we need this day."

Luna's face takes on a little confusion as she talks, "How is this?"

"Trust your Princess." The white mare gives a smile as she turns her head back down to the hallway.

Matt follows after the three ponies in front of him as the dark mare walks beside him.

End of chapter 8