The Cask of Green Apple cider
Chapter 1; Nightmare Night
The THOUSANDS Of verbal, mental and physical injuries of which Coltunato has given me I CANNOT ignore them any longer, when i thought it was over, He of course had to give me one last push, it's time to get back...
You knowing me, however. Wouldn't guess that such threats would leave me to get my revenge upon Coltunato. I know what will happen to me, and to all those that are included, but I've planned this for such a long time, i couldn't let the opportunity slip, or else it may never be done, even seeing his handicap at the given time.
He had a weak point, Coltunato. Although he was respected and at times feared. He thought he was the best at his line of Connoisseur of the Apple Families greatest ciders. Few pony's have this talent. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to time and place, that way not to impose upon some of the Canterlot ponies, nor Celestia forbid, the Princesses themselves. In paintings and Jewelry, Coltunato was a mastermind, but not as much as his absurd obsession with Ciders.
It was around Dusk, one evening during Nightmare night, that i found him, he came up to me with an excessive warmth, for he had been drinking Much earlier in the day, the Colt wore a suit, that similar to a Jester. And wore tight-fitting checkered, Black, Yellow and red cap and some sort of garment that had been torn. The cap,being surrounded by small bells and he had worn a mask, a pale face with blush on the sides, smiling.
I Said to him; "Coltunato! how lucky we meet tonight. and looking quite... Well, But i have come into a predicament, I've just purchased a Pipe of the Recent Green Apple Cider, Or so it seems."
"How?" He said, "A Pipe? impossible, and in the middle of Nightmare night?"
"I Have my doubts," I said;"I Was foolish enough to pay the full price for it, without consulting you in the matter. But you were nowhere to be found, I Was scared i may loose a bargain."
"Green Apple Cider!"
"Allegedly."
"Green Cider!"
"Perhaps..."
"Green Apple Cider!"
"Yes, but seeing as you are busy, I'm off to Lumaize. If anyone knows much about Cider, it is him."
"You make me laugh, Lumaize could not tell Green Apple Cider from... From pond water!" He retorted.
"And yet the Apples say his skill rivals your own." I Said.
"Come, let us go." He demanded.
"What? Where?"
"To your vaults, where you are keeping the Cider." He grew impatient.
"Oh, Celestia no, i do not want to impose, you are already much, MUCH busy." I said sarcastically.
"My good friend, you do not impose!- 'He stumbled, his mask falling off and him kneeling, catching his breath, coughing while he tries to do so.
-' As for Lumaize, he cannot tell Pond water from Cider." he finished.
Saying that, Coltunato fell forward, i used magic to put his mask, and mine, Back on.
As we walked away from the area a loud voice spoke out.
"RUN! ALL YE WHO SEEK CANDIES! FOR IT IS ME! NIGHTMARE MOON!"
Of course, this was Princess Luna, scaring the small ponies who inhabited the area, for the real Nightmare Moon had been delt with, Hundred upon thousands of years. as we trotted off the sounds of laughing and screams came from behind us, as we approached my manor.
The Cask of Green Apple cider
Chapter 2; The Dim Descent
We approached Maintressor Manor, the Old cracked walls of the outside were stained with bird droppings, and moss.
At this point, everyone has taken their leave. I gave them all specific directions, not to leave the Manor, i will not be back until the morning, so i had known when i had left for the day, everyone would be gone, every single one of them.
We walked Down into the cellar, which then led into the long descent into the Catacombs, I took two ciders from their shelfs, giving one to Coltunato, we went far down, down a spiral staircase, through a mile of the Vacant rooms. We then appeared at the edge of the catacombs, the area being marked by moss, the heavy damp air, and the inhabiting Parasprites.
The Gallop of my friend was uneasy, and unsteady, the bells on his cap Jingled as he trot.
"The pipe," he said.
"It is farther on," I spoke; "but- observe the white web-work which gleams from these catacomb walls."
Turning towards me, he looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs like a fish, that distilled the smell of the cider.
"Para....sprites?" he questioned at length.
"Parasprites," I Replied. " How long have you had that cough?"
He coughed, i was afraid he would have died, he found it hard to reply for many minutes.
"Ugh! ugh! - I.. - ugh!- It's nothing.." he said at last.
"Come, we will go back, you are too sick, and rich. Respected, admired, love. You are happy, as I Was once. You are a Colt to be missed, For me it is no matter, We can go back; you will be dreadfully sick, and i shant be held responsible! Besides... There is Lumazie-"
"Enough!" He interrupted, "These cough's aren't anything, it will not kill me. I Wont die of a cough."
"True, true." I Replied; grinning under my mask."And, yes. I Had no intention of alarming you for no reason, but you should be careful, a terrible thing, that cough..."
"Drink, it will make you feel better." I Said, while giving him a bottle of cider.
He brought the bottle to his lips with a haze, and paused. And nodded to me familiarly, While his cap jingled.
"I Drink," He said." To the buried that decompose around us!"
"And I, to your long life."
After a few moments of him drinking, He took to my side and we continued downwards
"These vaults." he said, breaking the silence, " are extensive."
"The Maintresors were a great and large family." I replied.
"I Forget your Coat."
"A Large hoof d'or, in a feild of azure, The foot is crushing a crazed snake, whose fangs are embedded in the hoof."
"And the Motto?"
" Nemo equo impu."
"Good!
The vines overgrew in the catacombs, i knew we drew closer to the destination, I Gave him a half bottle of cider, and He emptied it in one breath, His eyes flashing with a evil light, He laughed and tossed the bottle upwards and with a gesture that i did not understand.
I Looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement, a grotesque one.
"Don't you understand?" He questioned.
"Not at all.." i answered.
"Then you are not of the Colthood?"
"What?"
"The colthood, of masons?"
"Yes, yes" i said repeating.
"You?! Impossible! A Mason?"
"A Mason, yes."
He seemed utterly confused and a little scared.
" A Sign," He uttered "a sign."
'Well, this!" I Gave him the sign, i drew a trowel from the pockets of my cloak.
"Hah, you make me laugh Maintresor!" he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But.. let us go fowards, the Green Apple Cider."
"Alrighty then." I Said, replacing the tool beneath the cloak, and again. Offering him my side. He leaned upon it heavily as we continued our path, in search of the Green Apple Cider. Us passing a range of low arches, went under and over, through and around pillars. pressing on, then descending yet again. Arriving at a deep crpyt in which the disgusting air caused My horn to emit a dim glow rather then burn brightly.
At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious one, it's walls had been lined with Pony remains, piled to the vault overhead, in a fashion that resembled a puzzel. three sides of the room were still ornamented with the remains. From the fourth side the bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the tiled floor, forming at one point a bulge of some large size. Within the wall there exposed by the displacing of the bones, a small recess in the crypt, In depth, about four hoof's. And in width three. In height six or seven. It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use within itself, but. Formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and wasbacked by one of their circumscribing walls of complete solid granite.
It was in vain that Coltunato, uplifting himself endeavored to pry into the depth of the recess. My horn, the termination of the feeble light did not enable us to see.
"Go on," i said;"There is the Green Apple Cider, As for Luchmaize-"
"He is stupid!" He said with a laugh, he trotted unsteadily forward, while i followed immediately at his rear, In the recess, he had found out he had reached the opposing wall, and no Green Apple Cider was seen, He stood hazily, In the granite wall's surface, were four Iron staples, distant from each other about two Hoof's length. From one of these came a short chain, from the other a large Lock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to lock it. He was much too surprised to resist. Withdrawing the key, I Stepped back.
The Cask of Green Apple cider
"Oh please, let us turn back. I Fear for your health!" I mocked, "don't you want to turn back? no? okay, let us continue."
"The Cider!" Shouted my friend, not yet recovered from his amazement.
"True," I replied; "The cider."
As i said those words i brushed myself among the piles of bones, Of which i have before been to, and throwing them aside, i soon uncovered a quantity of building stone, and mortar. With these materials and with the aid of my trowel, I Began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the recess.
I Had quickly laid the first tier of bricks and mortar, when I discovered that my friend's drunkenness, had worn off, the first clue was that a moaning cry from the darkness of the recess called out. It was not the cry of a drunken colt, there was a long and deadly silence, I Soon finished the second layer, and the third, and then, I heard the furious vibrations of chains, Screaming. The noise lasted for sever minutes, during which, i yelled back to my own satisfaction, I stopped laying the bricks and sat down upon the mossy cold stone, but i gave it no mind, i wanted to hear his screams.
When at last, the clanking of chains stopped, i started walling up again, finishing the fifth row, the sixth, and seventh. The wall was now nearly upon a level above my breast, I again paused, and Helt my head up high, throwing a few pitiful rays of light upon the dark figure within.
A sudden moment of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained colt, seemed to thrust me back, Scared. I Trembled, holding the trowel in defense, but the thought of the wall reassured me. I Placed my hand on the solid walls of the catacomb, and i felt safe. As i approached the new wall I replied to the yells of him. I even copied his words, and surpassed him in volume and in strength, I Did this...
And the yells stopped.
It was now about midnight, and my job was drawing to a new finish, I Had finished every layer, and two bricks are left to place, to my discomfort i was presented with a voice, a voice that made my Maine stand on edge. This voice was recognized as that of the Noble, and great Coltunato. The voice spoke -
"Ha, Ha ha! -He he- A very good joke! Maintresor! indeed!- We will have such a good laugh with our friends , in the park! Hah! hah! Over, our wine! He he hah!"
"The Cider!" I said.
"Hah hah! Yes! the Green Apple Cider! But, is it not getting late? They will be waiting for us at the park, My wife, and the rest. Let us go there!"
"Yes," I Said, " Let us go..."
"For the love of Celestia Maintresor!"
"Yes! for the love of Celestia!" I Yelled.
But those words i screamed in vain. No reply, i grew impatient. I Called aloud-
"Coltunato!"
No answer...
I Shot a small orb of fire through the remaining hole and let it fall within, Hoping there would be rustling to put it out, instead came the jingling of bells. My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it like that. I Quickened my pace, finishing the last brick and plastering it, Against the new masonry I Re-erected old walls of Skulls, and remains. For half of the century no equine has disturbed them...
In pace requiescat!
