Storm Chasingby urthdiggerChaptersChapter 1: A dream about new beginningsChapter 2: A dream about muffinsChapter 3: A dream about sacrificeChapter 4: A dream about a castleChapter 1: A dream about new beginningsMy name is Derpy Hooves, and I am in love with a thunder cloud. Well, not A thunder cloud, they are all simply part of the Storm... just as I am now. Indeed, love is probably not the best word to describe how I feel about the Storm. How does one describe a relationship with a primal force of nature, something they've become a part of, and without which one's life feels incomplete? Those fleeting moments I spend with the storm, letting its lightning flow through me, are the only times I feel truly alive. Which is why on that fateful day when my journey began, when it had been 2 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, and 4 hours since Ponyville’s last thunderstorm, I rolled out of bed feeling absolutely miserable, even while ponies across town had been rejoicing the "good weather". As with most mornings, I was up before dawn so I could get started on my mail route nice and early. It was usually so I could daydream about the Storm as I went about my duties, without worrying about if it slowed down my route, but this day it was out of habit. Recalling the Storm simply made me realize how long it’d been. I tried to take my mind off the fact by forcing part of my cloud house to rain on me for a cold shower. It worked, up until I brushed my mane in front of the mirror and was reminded of the Storm by my lightning-yellow mane and cloud-grey hide. Grumbling to myself, I stormed out the front door and flew down to the postal office. Two saddlebags almost bursting with mail. This promised to be a long day, and for once I tried to keep a clear head as I went about my route, instead of daydreaming about the Storm like I usually did. It would be nice not to worry about crashing into anything, missing the mail slot, or any of the other things that usually happened when I let my mind wander. At each stop I touched down, closed my blind left eye, grabbed the customer's mail out of their partition in my bag, and carefully fed it into the slot. I made a game of seeing how perfect I could do it, being careful not to bend a single letter upon delivery, and flying as fast as I could between houses. It was fun to take extra pride in my work, and I made a note to try doing this every day. Dawn was breaking as I neared the end of my route at the Books and Branches Library. Despite the owner being the famous Twilight Sparkle, she got surprisingly little mail, which is why she was at the end of the route. Some days I got to skip it completely. Apparently most of her correspondence was done in-person or with her dragon, so all I usually delivered were notices from the mayor or the school board. Not that I ever looked at what my customers are receiving, perish the thought! That would be unprofessional! The element of magic herself was stepping out of the library as I came over with a few letters. “Good morning Derpy. Pleasant weather we’re having,” she beamed. Of course as Celestia's prize student, she'd appreciate the sun. “Only if you like the sun” I replied as I got her mail out of my bag. I did my best to remain my usual jovial self, but I'm certain a little cynicism slipped through. I’d apparently built up some static in my coat, as when I gave the mail to Twilight a spark of lightning arced between us. I was shocked, but Twilight didn’t appear to notice. She just continued to look through her mail as the spark ignited her coat, the flames licking up along her leg “You know, I hear it's not so sunny up north,” was all she said. Her voice was different somehow, the ground rumbling as she spoke. I panicked, and looked around for something to put out the fire eating away at Twilight. A well, a cloud, a lemonade stand, anything! “Go north,” she said, as the fire utterly consumed her, leaving behind only a fine pile of ash. I bolted awake from my bed. It was just a nightmare, a vivid one, but nothing more. I looked out the window and noticed that it was already light out. For the first day ever in my career at the post office, I would be late. Well, on time instead of early, but it worried me all the same. I wasted no time getting ready and instead raced to the post office. It wasn't as if my job needed me to look my best, I went unnoticed as just somepony in the background to most of my customers. Besides, unlike most ponies I had little trouble getting folks to look me in the eye. It was getting them to stop staring that was the problem. Once at the post office, I shoved a hoof into my cubby hole and noticed my bag was missing. I began to search through the returned bags, on the off-chance that my usually busy route had absolutely no customers for once, or that the mail sorter hadn't gotten around to it, but the large muffin clasp (It's usually your cutie mark, but bubbles make a poor clasp so I got that instead) that marked the bag as mine was not on any of the bags. I could hear somepony approaching behind me as I finished my search. “First Class decided to cover your route today. You didn’t come in at your usual time, so we figured you were sick,” said my boss, Herald “In either case, I’ve been meaning to speak with you. Please, come into my office.” I followed him, my breath coming in rapid pants as I began to panic. This was it. I was being fired, just like I was fired from the weather team. I sat down in front of his desk as he began to look through some papers. “Derpy, I’ve been a little concerned. You haven’t been acting yourself lately.” I looked down at the floor, trying not to cry as the inevitable came “I also noticed you’ve shown up for work every day without stop since you started.” This was not what I expected “In fact, you have three weeks of paid vacation saved up. Something's obviously bothering you, so I'd like you to take some time off and make whatever it is your top priority.” I was elated. Sure, I was being asked not to come back in for a while either way, but there was a monumental difference between a vacation and termination. I hugged Herald right there on the spot, and after making sure he didn’t catch on fire, told him “Thank you so much.” He returned the hug, replying "If you need anything at all, feel free to let me know." "I will," I replied, before taking my leave. On my way home, I pondered what exactly I could do. I was happy that my boss cared for me, but I couldn’t think of a way to mend my broken heart. Nothing I knew of could bring the Storm back to Ponyville, last few times I asked the weather team to bring a thunder storm to town, they thought I was nuts. But… as I recalled the dream from the previous night, I realized there was another solution: If the Storm would not come to me, then I would go to the Storm. Three weeks was plenty of time to take a trip, even if the best clue I had to go on were the words of a dream. I grabbed my bags and left to the market for supplies, stopping briefly to pin a note to the door “Gone North. Will come back when I find the Storm.” Chapter 2: A dream about muffinsFirst on my list of supplies to get was food. I'd never travelled far from Ponyville before, but I knew it wouldn't do to be miles from civilization and starving. Some apples, biscuits, a canteen or two of water, I knew to pack healthy and light. Sugar Cube Corner was near my house, so I decided to start there with some biscuits and crackers. "Morning Pinkie!" I declared as I stepped through the front door. "Good morning Miss Hooves!" replied a deeper voice than I expected as Mr. Cake stepped out of the kitchen "I'm afraid Pinkie Pie is up in her room. She's sick with the flu, and totally not simply down with a tummy ache because she gorged herself on pastries. Again. Her words, not mine." I suppressed a giggle as I looked over the display counter. There were some granola bars, some scones, a few brownies... but my eyes lit up as I saw what Mr. Cake had just brought out: A big plate full of muffins. He noticed the look in my eye instantly, and set the plate down. "Looking to buy some muffins today? They're as fresh as can be!" he said with a hint of pride. I shook my head. "No, I'm packing for a long trip, so I think I'll just pick up some granola today, maybe a few scones." "Are you sure?" he pleaded "I know how much you love our muffins, it would be such a shame not to get them while they're warm..." Next thing I knew, I was standing outside the shop with a couple canteens and two bulging saddlebags. One had a single granola bar in it. The other a single scone. The rest was filled with muffins. That conniving pastry pusher had done it again, taking advantage of my addiction to peddle his wares! I took a blueberry muffin out of my bags, figuring I may as well enjoy what I had. Half of it was gone in a single bite, leaving me in pure bliss as the sugary bread practically melted on my tongue, each blueberry an explosion. My wings couldn't help but flare up as I chewed my morsel, in complete and total bliss. For a second, I thought maybe I didn't need to go on this journey: I could just stay here and eat muffins... but this was nowhere near as satisfying as the Storm. Besides, I didn't earn nearly enough to eat nothing but sweets. I finally swallowed, my eyes closed, savoring the last of the flavor replaced by a warmth traveling down my neck and settling in my chest. I repeated with the other half of the muffin, wishing I could just simply savor it all day as I swallowed the rest and opened my eyes. I was suddenly aware that I had attracted a crowd. I wasn't moaning that loudly was I? A mother was leading her child away, trying desperately to cover the little filly's eyes. Maybe I was. A furious blush overtook me as I examined my flared wings, forced them back down, and trotted over to Twilight's library. My remaining supply was knowledge. I'd never ventured further north than Canterlot, and seeing as I could SEE the city from Ponyville and there wasn't a cloud in sight, I knew I had to go further. I gave the front door a few short knocks, and when I didn't receive a reply I let myself in. The main room of the library was a complete and utter mess. Books were stacked up in piles, apparently by subject, and in the middle was Twilight Sparkle, taking books off the shelves and sorting them. "Excuse me, what are you doing?" I asked. "Oh, just sorting the books again," she said, and I noticed her give a slight twitch. "I saw a few books in the wrong spot, and I figured better to be safe than sorry." "That's... nice." I added "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm going on a trip, and I was wondering what sort of places were north of here." "Oh there's lots," said Twilight "Especially if you loop up past the north pole and continue south down the other side. How far north were you going to go?" I paused. Of all the ponies I knew, Twilight Sparkle was one I could trust not to jump to conclusions. She believed in logic and evidence, so if there was one person I could talk to, it was her. "Well, I'll tell you what's going on, but you have to promise not to think I'm crazy." She nodded, and I told her about the Storm, about my dream the previous night, and about my unexpected vacation. Throughout it all, she gave me her full attention. "So... do you think I'm crazy?" I asked. Twilight shook her head "Not in the slightest. If anything, this is the most lucid I've ever seen you! Perhaps your time away from the storm has been a good thing, maybe you should find something else to enjoy and stay clear-headed?" I gritted my teeth, and didn't say anything. She just made a slight mistake is all. "I mean, really, getting electrocuted constantly can't be healthy, even if you enjoy it. It's probably going to kill you someday, you know." She. Knows. Nothing. "Maybe we can find some things that can help you relax. I know some great meditation techniques, maybe have a chat over tea. Oh, maybe we can find you a nice coltfriend..." In an instant I'd tackled Twilight, pinning her to the ground and quivering with fury. "I. Need. This." I said, spitting out each word. Twilight looked absolutely terrified, and after a moment I'd realized just what I'd done. I'd just assaulted the prized pupil of Celestia herself, and one of the elements of harmony! I backed up off the librarian, worried for my fate: Would the element holders turn me to stone? Would Celestia banish me to the moon? Would Luna banish me to the SUN!? "I... I'm so sorry." was all I could say as my fury turned to fear. "It's alright, I probably deserved that. You told me how much the storm means to you, I shouldn't have suggested you just forget about it," admitted Twilight, though she still sounded quite shaken. She looked pensive for a moment "Besides, looking back on your dream, I realized something there: You hurt me there too, didn't you?" I flattened my ears against my head in embarrassment "That was an accident..." "Yes, but afterwards I told you where to go. It's possible that was a premonition." "So, does that mean you're going to help?" I asked. "I dunno, I could still refuse and see what happens if I try to change fate. I'm betting the universe explodes." she said, awfully calmly. "You... you wouldn't." I stammered "I'm just kidding, of course I'll help. Even if Equestria didn't hang in the balance," said Twilight, pulling out an atlas "Now, I know you've been as far as Canterlot, since you were so kind to help us at the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant, so I'll skip over that part." I nodded "Every so often I take mail up there too, so I'm well used to the trip." "Further north of Canterlot is the Wild Woods," continued Twilight. "Much like the Everfree, they're untamed, so be careful going through there. You won't be able to use the weather to your advantage, so if you run into any dangerous animals, my advice would be to just run or fly away." "What sorts of creatures live in those woods?" I asked, with a touch of concern "Oh, the usual. Bears, manticores, hydras, fire breathing dragons..." she rattled off with casual ease. Part of me wished I would never have to deal with these kinds of creatures enough to consider them "the usual". "Now, in the middle of the woods is Lethean Bog. The less said about that place, the better. That place will eat your mind. You'll want to take a detour around it." "...eat my mind?" I asked "You mean like zombies?" "Not eat your brain, eat your mind. That place is full of intoxicating fungi, their spores fill the air and make you see hallucinations. Some are also rumored to affect your behavior. Long story short, you'll go crazy in there. Don't go there." Twilight continued "If you make it all the way out of the forest and still haven't found the Storm, you'll be entering griffon territory. I wish I could tell you more about what to expect there, but we're still on uneasy terms, so there's not a lot of information going back and forth. What is known is that they enact a lot of ridiculous laws up there, and change them frequently. Combine that with the lack of information coming out of there, and the result is that any pony going up there runs a high risk of going to prison." "Crazy laws? You mean like making it illegal to own a muffin?" I asked "Sure. Of course, it's just as likely that they'd make it illegal to NOT own a muffin. Your best bet is probably to avoid the cities entirely if possible. Past that, I'm afraid I can't help you much more. The griffon republic is huge, and I don't have a lot of information outside of border maps and outdated rumors. If you manage to get all the way to the other side, you'll be in the arctic circle, where there's no food or people, and that's as north as it gets." She paused in thought before continuing "I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you come back safe." "I hope so too," I replied "Thank you so much for the advice." I waved goodbye as I left the library. The sun was already approaching noon by the time I set off on the trail. With any luck, I'd be in Canterlot before nightfall. Chapter 3: A dream about sacrificeI hate Canterlot. The trip to Canterlot was, as expected, uneventful. A simple road stretched through the plains between Canterlot and Ponyville, It was well traveled, well patrolled, and utterly barren of savage beasts, fearsome brigands, and other such horrors. No, for a simple mare from Ponyville, all the horrors lay at the end of the trip, inside the town proper. High class citizens who feel it is their civic duty to look down upon those who actually know a hard day's labor, and my "derp" eyes most certainly didn't help matters. Asking around for a cheap hotel, I thought I'd actually managed to find a charitable soul. He led me to the insane asylum, assuming I was an escaped patient. Another stallion said I must be too poor to afford corrective eye surgery, and threw a bit at my head. I've still got a mark on my forehead from that. "Come dear, ignore the retard and she'll go away." "Ugh, I wonder what hick town this tourist crawled out of?" "Sweet Celestia, what on Equestria is that... thing!?" All of these insults and more I could overhear as I made my way down the street. Each time I came, I dared the city to show me one shred of compassion, one ounce of decency. The princess and tourists don't count. As my requests for where I could find a cheap hotel were ignored yet again, I pondered how easy it would be to pay their hospitality back once I'd found the Storm. Surely I'd simply pass back south, and pass over the city once more? A wicked smile curled across my face as I fantasized about frying them to a crisp and burning their homes. As evening turned into twilight turned into night, I was still without a hotel. The few I'd found were completely out of my price range, so I settled for the old pegasus staple of finding the nearest fluffy cloud and going to sleep. I'm standing with a group of other ponies surrounding a stone dais in the middle of a grey field. The sky is overcast, and the thunder booms overhead. It's asking for a sacrifice. I look around at the ponies, and I recognize them: All of them are various ponies that had insulted me over the day, and for a brief moment I considered that any of them would make a fine sacrifice. The thunder speaks again. One by one, it names off the sins of the ponies, and then it comes to me. I am the Innocent, and the choice is mine. It told me to pick one pony, and one alone, to be given to the Storm. I looked over the faces of all those present. They were all afraid. Some wept openly. Their petty crimes and insults made me angry, but I realized what was truly being asked of me: Only one of those gathered would meet the Storm. This included myself. Could I truly abandon my love for something so petty as revenge? No, I could not. With no regrets, I walked up onto the dais, and raised by forehooves to the heavens. A bolt of searing hot lightning flashed down, and I could feel myself burn. As I became the Storm and the Storm became me, I looked around at the rest of those gathered. They could not comprehend me, and they were afraid. As the Storm, I looked down upon my tormentors and had pity on them. They lived in fear and confusion, lashing out at everything because they felt everything was out to get them. How could I possibly wish death on such poor creatures? As the lightning tore me apart, I could only smile at them and hope they found something to love as strongly as I loved the Storm I awoke with a start. Sweat matted my coat, my wings were fully extended, and my breath came in short ragged pants. The dream was so startlingly vivid, and for a moment I'd forgotten where I was. I tried to make sense of the dream in those early hours. The plea to spare the people of Canterlot was an obvious one, but what about the rest? The Storm in the dream had destroyed me, and my survival instinct took it as a sign that maybe Twilight was right: Maybe I should abandon my quest. Still, I could not deny how the storm had made me feel, how I felt at that very moment waking up from it, and the reason for sparing the people of Canterlot: They acted the way they did because they did not know love the way I did. If I gave up my quest, turned to more "sensible" pursuits, would I simply end up like them? I flew north to the woods bordering Canterlot. There were a great many signs here warning travelers not to go into the woods, but I figured I would be perfectly fine: I wouldn't be going into the woods, I'd be going over them! Indeed, as I flew past the treetops, I could hear the sounds of timberwolves, serpents, giant lizards, all sorts of dangerous creatures stuck on the ground as I flew above them. I thought myself invincible, figured the troubles of the woods to be literally beneath me. Such hubris, did I learn nothing from my contempt of the Canterlot upper class? It is a common myth, perpetuated by stories, that a manticore will roar at it's victim before attacking. In the stories, this gives the hero a chance to know his foe, and escape. In real life, manticores hunt down prey on a daily basis to survive, and know the importance of stalking. As such, I did not notice the leathery flap of wings behind me until a scant second before its venomous tail sank into my back. I immediately felt a burning sensation begin to spread through my body, my wings barely able to keep me at a safe speed as I nosedived towards the forest below. I could feel the manticore's warm breath just behind me, and gave a blind buck. Thankfully I hit his nose instead of simply slamming my hooves into his maw. With the slight lead that attack gave me, I plunged into the trees and began trying to lose my pursuer. Unfortunately, dense thornbushes and vines made the woods a bit more restrictive than I would have liked, keeping me to the main trails. I could hear the manticore catching up, and I knew I couldn't keep running for much longer with this poison in my veins. A clearing ahead filled me with hope: Maybe I'd broken through to the other side? My hooves splashed in an algae-filled puddle, and the ground felt less firm as I ran forwards, remembering Twilight's warnings. The Lethean Bog. That's what this clearing was, I could see the air clouded with some kind of gas as I pressed onwards, but I couldn't go back. Not with that beast chasing me. As I plunged deeper into the bog, Twilight's words echoed in my mind. "That place is... intoxicating...toxicating...toxicating..." Chapter 4: A dream about a castleI woke up in a vast jungle. No idea how I got there, no idea where I was going. All I knew was, it wasn't there. I got up and started walking, an endless sea of trees fading in out of the mists as I walked forward. On one of them, I spied an old friend... acquaintance? Enemy? It was familiar in any case, a large white cat with a purple bow. She purred at me as I approached. "Ah, at last the Innocent Princess awakes." I was confused for a second, until I realize she was talking about me. My gown was tattered from the long trip, but I was the Innocent Princess alright "Yes, I'm awake... but I'm afraid I don't know how I got here." "That's just as well. You don't belong here. You seek the Storm right?" For a cat, her diction was impeccable. I could tell the S was capitalized. "Head to the castle of the Red-maned King. You will find answers there." With that, the cat hopped down from the branch and disappeared into the ground. I scraped a hoof against where she vanished, but didn't manage to find anything. I had my one lead to go on... why did that seem so familiar? The path was peaceful and calm, and it was with a little disappointment that I saw the stones of the castle rise out of the mist. I turned to look behind me, but the path had become overgrown with thick briars. My path chosen for me, I pushed open the massive doors and stepped inside. The entry hall of the castle was deathly quiet, and an unshakeable chill hung in the air. Massive statues of ponies lined the hall, and as I got close to one I could see that each had a sarcophagus sitting beneath. It seemed each statue was of the person buried there. One sarcophagus was lying open, and I looked up at the statue over it. It was a mare, her mane as wild as the Storm, a pair of powerful wings on her back, and bubbles for her cutie mark. As I stared up at her mismatched eyes, something about her seemed familiar. I decided to take a look inside the sarcophagus, and found that it was luxuriously padded, warm and inviting. Even though I'd just gotten up, it seemed like it'd be a waste not to crawl inside for a nice long nap. I began to push the lid open further, when I caught something in the left periphery of my vision. It was a servant of the castle, a brown earth pony stallion with a scroll for a cutie mark. He shook his head slowly. "Not yet," he said "Not until you've met the king." "Who are you?" I asked. "I am but a Herald of the Red-maned King. My job is to deliver messages." he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out an envelope. "This message is for you." I accepted the envelope and tore it open. Inside was a tiny figurine made of boxwood. It had a wide circular base with green felt on the underside. The figurine's body tapered sharply up to form a narrow "neck", on top of which rested a simple ball. There was no letter or other explanation to the figurine. I looked up to Herald and asked "Do you have any idea what this means?" He shook his head "I'm sorry. I only deliver the messages, I cannot interpret them. All I can say is it came from the Red-maned King. I honestly wish I could be of more help. If you need anything at all, feel free to let me know." "I will," I replied, before taking my leave. The black and white checkered tiles passed by underneath my hooves as I galloped down the halls. I regretted not pausing to take the Herald up on his offer of help, and ask for a guide. There was something else too, a feeling of familiarity. Turning down the Herald's help had seemed somehow familiar. It was too late now, however. I was well and truly lost within the depths of the labyrinthine hallways. I rested against the side of a statue shaped like a miniature tower, one of many such statues I'd seen throughout the castle. A flash of purple in the left periphery of my vision. Was there someone else wandering these halls? No, not wandering. The door to my left was a library, and inside a unicorn was busy moving books from shelf to shelf. The Librarian, that's who she had to be. "Excuse me, miss?" I said. She stopped her work, finally taking notice of me. A giant grin split her face "My, if it isn't the Innocent Princess! Come, sit, you must be weary from your journey for the Storm." "...How do you know who I am? And why I am here?" I asked, stunned. "My title is the Librarian of the castle. Just as your title is the Innocent Princess," she explained "However, Librarian is not who I am, just as Innocent Princess is not who you are. They are merely roles we are given. Outside of my role, I study the prophecies. I knew of Nightmare Moon. I studied Discord. And I've heard of your quest. That an Innocent Princess should come here, it could mean only one thing. After all, there is no other reason to come here. The Red-maned King is not a benevolent ruler." "Speaking of which..." I said, reaching into my saddlebag "He sent me a message. Inside was this figurine. Do you know what it means?" The unicorn levitated it up, turned it this way and that, and studied it. "It is a piece for a game. One I am quite fond of. It would seem he is saying you are a pawn." I was surprised I hadn't recognized it earlier. "I've heard the term. He wishes to say I am doing someone else's work for them?" The unicorn shook her head "Perhaps. But there are other connotations for a pawn as well. Tell me, are you familiar with the rules to Chess?" I nodded "Yes. A pawn may only move forward, and capture diagonally. It is the most restricted piece in the game, moving only one square at a time except for its first move, and easily blocked by another piece sitting in front of it. Despite this, a pawn's ability to be promoted to any piece, commonly a queen or a knight, makes pawns a vital part of chess endgame." The unicorn nodded "Indeed. He sees you as weak, as something easily destroyed. At the same time, however, you are his biggest threat. However... try to remember one thing. The Innocent Princess is only your role. It is not who you are. Remember this, or you will be destroyed." I nodded "One last thing... I'm a little lost, can you help me reach the king?" The unicorn smiled "You'd be surprised how often librarians help princesses find their way. Come, I have a map over on this shelf..." I never would have found my way to the King's throne room without the Librarian's help. I swear the map and the castle changed position seven times as I traversed the halls, but I finally made it. The throne room of the Red-maned King was the second largest room in the castle, with only the mausoleum at the entrance being larger. Massive pillars in the shape of ponies held up the roof, and a pair of stone ponies held up the throne upon which the King sat. The King himself was monstrous in appearance. His brown pelt barely concealed the powerful muscles lying beneath, and his namesake mane framed a muzzle filled with sharp teeth. A pair of leathery bat-like wings complemented his demonic appearance, and a single glance at his chitinous tail made my entire body ache in remembrance. Remembrance of what? Had I fought him before? "So, you've finally arrived," said the King. Every word was a deep rumble, more like a frightening earthquake than a soothing roll of thunder. "I have come seeking the Storm. I was told I would find answers here," I replied. The Red-maned King laughed "The Storm is not here. Nor do I know where it has gone. Because I like to play with my food before I kill it, you and I are going to play a game. You may try to flee, and I will kill you as you run. Or you may play, and win or lose I will kill you when we are done. Either way, your quest ends here." The Red-maned King reached behind his throne and pulled out a wooden board covered in white and black squares. 31 pieces in boxwood and ebony were set up on either side. There was one empty spot, in front of white's queen's rook. I pulled the pawn out of my saddlebags, and placed it down in the empty spot. The game had begun.
Chapter 1: A dream about new beginningsMy name is Derpy Hooves, and I am in love with a thunder cloud. Well, not A thunder cloud, they are all simply part of the Storm... just as I am now. Indeed, love is probably not the best word to describe how I feel about the Storm. How does one describe a relationship with a primal force of nature, something they've become a part of, and without which one's life feels incomplete? Those fleeting moments I spend with the storm, letting its lightning flow through me, are the only times I feel truly alive. Which is why on that fateful day when my journey began, when it had been 2 months, 3 weeks, 1 day, and 4 hours since Ponyville’s last thunderstorm, I rolled out of bed feeling absolutely miserable, even while ponies across town had been rejoicing the "good weather". As with most mornings, I was up before dawn so I could get started on my mail route nice and early. It was usually so I could daydream about the Storm as I went about my duties, without worrying about if it slowed down my route, but this day it was out of habit. Recalling the Storm simply made me realize how long it’d been. I tried to take my mind off the fact by forcing part of my cloud house to rain on me for a cold shower. It worked, up until I brushed my mane in front of the mirror and was reminded of the Storm by my lightning-yellow mane and cloud-grey hide. Grumbling to myself, I stormed out the front door and flew down to the postal office. Two saddlebags almost bursting with mail. This promised to be a long day, and for once I tried to keep a clear head as I went about my route, instead of daydreaming about the Storm like I usually did. It would be nice not to worry about crashing into anything, missing the mail slot, or any of the other things that usually happened when I let my mind wander. At each stop I touched down, closed my blind left eye, grabbed the customer's mail out of their partition in my bag, and carefully fed it into the slot. I made a game of seeing how perfect I could do it, being careful not to bend a single letter upon delivery, and flying as fast as I could between houses. It was fun to take extra pride in my work, and I made a note to try doing this every day. Dawn was breaking as I neared the end of my route at the Books and Branches Library. Despite the owner being the famous Twilight Sparkle, she got surprisingly little mail, which is why she was at the end of the route. Some days I got to skip it completely. Apparently most of her correspondence was done in-person or with her dragon, so all I usually delivered were notices from the mayor or the school board. Not that I ever looked at what my customers are receiving, perish the thought! That would be unprofessional! The element of magic herself was stepping out of the library as I came over with a few letters. “Good morning Derpy. Pleasant weather we’re having,” she beamed. Of course as Celestia's prize student, she'd appreciate the sun. “Only if you like the sun” I replied as I got her mail out of my bag. I did my best to remain my usual jovial self, but I'm certain a little cynicism slipped through. I’d apparently built up some static in my coat, as when I gave the mail to Twilight a spark of lightning arced between us. I was shocked, but Twilight didn’t appear to notice. She just continued to look through her mail as the spark ignited her coat, the flames licking up along her leg “You know, I hear it's not so sunny up north,” was all she said. Her voice was different somehow, the ground rumbling as she spoke. I panicked, and looked around for something to put out the fire eating away at Twilight. A well, a cloud, a lemonade stand, anything! “Go north,” she said, as the fire utterly consumed her, leaving behind only a fine pile of ash. I bolted awake from my bed. It was just a nightmare, a vivid one, but nothing more. I looked out the window and noticed that it was already light out. For the first day ever in my career at the post office, I would be late. Well, on time instead of early, but it worried me all the same. I wasted no time getting ready and instead raced to the post office. It wasn't as if my job needed me to look my best, I went unnoticed as just somepony in the background to most of my customers. Besides, unlike most ponies I had little trouble getting folks to look me in the eye. It was getting them to stop staring that was the problem. Once at the post office, I shoved a hoof into my cubby hole and noticed my bag was missing. I began to search through the returned bags, on the off-chance that my usually busy route had absolutely no customers for once, or that the mail sorter hadn't gotten around to it, but the large muffin clasp (It's usually your cutie mark, but bubbles make a poor clasp so I got that instead) that marked the bag as mine was not on any of the bags. I could hear somepony approaching behind me as I finished my search. “First Class decided to cover your route today. You didn’t come in at your usual time, so we figured you were sick,” said my boss, Herald “In either case, I’ve been meaning to speak with you. Please, come into my office.” I followed him, my breath coming in rapid pants as I began to panic. This was it. I was being fired, just like I was fired from the weather team. I sat down in front of his desk as he began to look through some papers. “Derpy, I’ve been a little concerned. You haven’t been acting yourself lately.” I looked down at the floor, trying not to cry as the inevitable came “I also noticed you’ve shown up for work every day without stop since you started.” This was not what I expected “In fact, you have three weeks of paid vacation saved up. Something's obviously bothering you, so I'd like you to take some time off and make whatever it is your top priority.” I was elated. Sure, I was being asked not to come back in for a while either way, but there was a monumental difference between a vacation and termination. I hugged Herald right there on the spot, and after making sure he didn’t catch on fire, told him “Thank you so much.” He returned the hug, replying "If you need anything at all, feel free to let me know." "I will," I replied, before taking my leave. On my way home, I pondered what exactly I could do. I was happy that my boss cared for me, but I couldn’t think of a way to mend my broken heart. Nothing I knew of could bring the Storm back to Ponyville, last few times I asked the weather team to bring a thunder storm to town, they thought I was nuts. But… as I recalled the dream from the previous night, I realized there was another solution: If the Storm would not come to me, then I would go to the Storm. Three weeks was plenty of time to take a trip, even if the best clue I had to go on were the words of a dream. I grabbed my bags and left to the market for supplies, stopping briefly to pin a note to the door “Gone North. Will come back when I find the Storm.”
Chapter 2: A dream about muffinsFirst on my list of supplies to get was food. I'd never travelled far from Ponyville before, but I knew it wouldn't do to be miles from civilization and starving. Some apples, biscuits, a canteen or two of water, I knew to pack healthy and light. Sugar Cube Corner was near my house, so I decided to start there with some biscuits and crackers. "Morning Pinkie!" I declared as I stepped through the front door. "Good morning Miss Hooves!" replied a deeper voice than I expected as Mr. Cake stepped out of the kitchen "I'm afraid Pinkie Pie is up in her room. She's sick with the flu, and totally not simply down with a tummy ache because she gorged herself on pastries. Again. Her words, not mine." I suppressed a giggle as I looked over the display counter. There were some granola bars, some scones, a few brownies... but my eyes lit up as I saw what Mr. Cake had just brought out: A big plate full of muffins. He noticed the look in my eye instantly, and set the plate down. "Looking to buy some muffins today? They're as fresh as can be!" he said with a hint of pride. I shook my head. "No, I'm packing for a long trip, so I think I'll just pick up some granola today, maybe a few scones." "Are you sure?" he pleaded "I know how much you love our muffins, it would be such a shame not to get them while they're warm..." Next thing I knew, I was standing outside the shop with a couple canteens and two bulging saddlebags. One had a single granola bar in it. The other a single scone. The rest was filled with muffins. That conniving pastry pusher had done it again, taking advantage of my addiction to peddle his wares! I took a blueberry muffin out of my bags, figuring I may as well enjoy what I had. Half of it was gone in a single bite, leaving me in pure bliss as the sugary bread practically melted on my tongue, each blueberry an explosion. My wings couldn't help but flare up as I chewed my morsel, in complete and total bliss. For a second, I thought maybe I didn't need to go on this journey: I could just stay here and eat muffins... but this was nowhere near as satisfying as the Storm. Besides, I didn't earn nearly enough to eat nothing but sweets. I finally swallowed, my eyes closed, savoring the last of the flavor replaced by a warmth traveling down my neck and settling in my chest. I repeated with the other half of the muffin, wishing I could just simply savor it all day as I swallowed the rest and opened my eyes. I was suddenly aware that I had attracted a crowd. I wasn't moaning that loudly was I? A mother was leading her child away, trying desperately to cover the little filly's eyes. Maybe I was. A furious blush overtook me as I examined my flared wings, forced them back down, and trotted over to Twilight's library. My remaining supply was knowledge. I'd never ventured further north than Canterlot, and seeing as I could SEE the city from Ponyville and there wasn't a cloud in sight, I knew I had to go further. I gave the front door a few short knocks, and when I didn't receive a reply I let myself in. The main room of the library was a complete and utter mess. Books were stacked up in piles, apparently by subject, and in the middle was Twilight Sparkle, taking books off the shelves and sorting them. "Excuse me, what are you doing?" I asked. "Oh, just sorting the books again," she said, and I noticed her give a slight twitch. "I saw a few books in the wrong spot, and I figured better to be safe than sorry." "That's... nice." I added "I was wondering if you could help me. I'm going on a trip, and I was wondering what sort of places were north of here." "Oh there's lots," said Twilight "Especially if you loop up past the north pole and continue south down the other side. How far north were you going to go?" I paused. Of all the ponies I knew, Twilight Sparkle was one I could trust not to jump to conclusions. She believed in logic and evidence, so if there was one person I could talk to, it was her. "Well, I'll tell you what's going on, but you have to promise not to think I'm crazy." She nodded, and I told her about the Storm, about my dream the previous night, and about my unexpected vacation. Throughout it all, she gave me her full attention. "So... do you think I'm crazy?" I asked. Twilight shook her head "Not in the slightest. If anything, this is the most lucid I've ever seen you! Perhaps your time away from the storm has been a good thing, maybe you should find something else to enjoy and stay clear-headed?" I gritted my teeth, and didn't say anything. She just made a slight mistake is all. "I mean, really, getting electrocuted constantly can't be healthy, even if you enjoy it. It's probably going to kill you someday, you know." She. Knows. Nothing. "Maybe we can find some things that can help you relax. I know some great meditation techniques, maybe have a chat over tea. Oh, maybe we can find you a nice coltfriend..." In an instant I'd tackled Twilight, pinning her to the ground and quivering with fury. "I. Need. This." I said, spitting out each word. Twilight looked absolutely terrified, and after a moment I'd realized just what I'd done. I'd just assaulted the prized pupil of Celestia herself, and one of the elements of harmony! I backed up off the librarian, worried for my fate: Would the element holders turn me to stone? Would Celestia banish me to the moon? Would Luna banish me to the SUN!? "I... I'm so sorry." was all I could say as my fury turned to fear. "It's alright, I probably deserved that. You told me how much the storm means to you, I shouldn't have suggested you just forget about it," admitted Twilight, though she still sounded quite shaken. She looked pensive for a moment "Besides, looking back on your dream, I realized something there: You hurt me there too, didn't you?" I flattened my ears against my head in embarrassment "That was an accident..." "Yes, but afterwards I told you where to go. It's possible that was a premonition." "So, does that mean you're going to help?" I asked. "I dunno, I could still refuse and see what happens if I try to change fate. I'm betting the universe explodes." she said, awfully calmly. "You... you wouldn't." I stammered "I'm just kidding, of course I'll help. Even if Equestria didn't hang in the balance," said Twilight, pulling out an atlas "Now, I know you've been as far as Canterlot, since you were so kind to help us at the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant, so I'll skip over that part." I nodded "Every so often I take mail up there too, so I'm well used to the trip." "Further north of Canterlot is the Wild Woods," continued Twilight. "Much like the Everfree, they're untamed, so be careful going through there. You won't be able to use the weather to your advantage, so if you run into any dangerous animals, my advice would be to just run or fly away." "What sorts of creatures live in those woods?" I asked, with a touch of concern "Oh, the usual. Bears, manticores, hydras, fire breathing dragons..." she rattled off with casual ease. Part of me wished I would never have to deal with these kinds of creatures enough to consider them "the usual". "Now, in the middle of the woods is Lethean Bog. The less said about that place, the better. That place will eat your mind. You'll want to take a detour around it." "...eat my mind?" I asked "You mean like zombies?" "Not eat your brain, eat your mind. That place is full of intoxicating fungi, their spores fill the air and make you see hallucinations. Some are also rumored to affect your behavior. Long story short, you'll go crazy in there. Don't go there." Twilight continued "If you make it all the way out of the forest and still haven't found the Storm, you'll be entering griffon territory. I wish I could tell you more about what to expect there, but we're still on uneasy terms, so there's not a lot of information going back and forth. What is known is that they enact a lot of ridiculous laws up there, and change them frequently. Combine that with the lack of information coming out of there, and the result is that any pony going up there runs a high risk of going to prison." "Crazy laws? You mean like making it illegal to own a muffin?" I asked "Sure. Of course, it's just as likely that they'd make it illegal to NOT own a muffin. Your best bet is probably to avoid the cities entirely if possible. Past that, I'm afraid I can't help you much more. The griffon republic is huge, and I don't have a lot of information outside of border maps and outdated rumors. If you manage to get all the way to the other side, you'll be in the arctic circle, where there's no food or people, and that's as north as it gets." She paused in thought before continuing "I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you come back safe." "I hope so too," I replied "Thank you so much for the advice." I waved goodbye as I left the library. The sun was already approaching noon by the time I set off on the trail. With any luck, I'd be in Canterlot before nightfall.
Chapter 3: A dream about sacrificeI hate Canterlot. The trip to Canterlot was, as expected, uneventful. A simple road stretched through the plains between Canterlot and Ponyville, It was well traveled, well patrolled, and utterly barren of savage beasts, fearsome brigands, and other such horrors. No, for a simple mare from Ponyville, all the horrors lay at the end of the trip, inside the town proper. High class citizens who feel it is their civic duty to look down upon those who actually know a hard day's labor, and my "derp" eyes most certainly didn't help matters. Asking around for a cheap hotel, I thought I'd actually managed to find a charitable soul. He led me to the insane asylum, assuming I was an escaped patient. Another stallion said I must be too poor to afford corrective eye surgery, and threw a bit at my head. I've still got a mark on my forehead from that. "Come dear, ignore the retard and she'll go away." "Ugh, I wonder what hick town this tourist crawled out of?" "Sweet Celestia, what on Equestria is that... thing!?" All of these insults and more I could overhear as I made my way down the street. Each time I came, I dared the city to show me one shred of compassion, one ounce of decency. The princess and tourists don't count. As my requests for where I could find a cheap hotel were ignored yet again, I pondered how easy it would be to pay their hospitality back once I'd found the Storm. Surely I'd simply pass back south, and pass over the city once more? A wicked smile curled across my face as I fantasized about frying them to a crisp and burning their homes. As evening turned into twilight turned into night, I was still without a hotel. The few I'd found were completely out of my price range, so I settled for the old pegasus staple of finding the nearest fluffy cloud and going to sleep. I'm standing with a group of other ponies surrounding a stone dais in the middle of a grey field. The sky is overcast, and the thunder booms overhead. It's asking for a sacrifice. I look around at the ponies, and I recognize them: All of them are various ponies that had insulted me over the day, and for a brief moment I considered that any of them would make a fine sacrifice. The thunder speaks again. One by one, it names off the sins of the ponies, and then it comes to me. I am the Innocent, and the choice is mine. It told me to pick one pony, and one alone, to be given to the Storm. I looked over the faces of all those present. They were all afraid. Some wept openly. Their petty crimes and insults made me angry, but I realized what was truly being asked of me: Only one of those gathered would meet the Storm. This included myself. Could I truly abandon my love for something so petty as revenge? No, I could not. With no regrets, I walked up onto the dais, and raised by forehooves to the heavens. A bolt of searing hot lightning flashed down, and I could feel myself burn. As I became the Storm and the Storm became me, I looked around at the rest of those gathered. They could not comprehend me, and they were afraid. As the Storm, I looked down upon my tormentors and had pity on them. They lived in fear and confusion, lashing out at everything because they felt everything was out to get them. How could I possibly wish death on such poor creatures? As the lightning tore me apart, I could only smile at them and hope they found something to love as strongly as I loved the Storm I awoke with a start. Sweat matted my coat, my wings were fully extended, and my breath came in short ragged pants. The dream was so startlingly vivid, and for a moment I'd forgotten where I was. I tried to make sense of the dream in those early hours. The plea to spare the people of Canterlot was an obvious one, but what about the rest? The Storm in the dream had destroyed me, and my survival instinct took it as a sign that maybe Twilight was right: Maybe I should abandon my quest. Still, I could not deny how the storm had made me feel, how I felt at that very moment waking up from it, and the reason for sparing the people of Canterlot: They acted the way they did because they did not know love the way I did. If I gave up my quest, turned to more "sensible" pursuits, would I simply end up like them? I flew north to the woods bordering Canterlot. There were a great many signs here warning travelers not to go into the woods, but I figured I would be perfectly fine: I wouldn't be going into the woods, I'd be going over them! Indeed, as I flew past the treetops, I could hear the sounds of timberwolves, serpents, giant lizards, all sorts of dangerous creatures stuck on the ground as I flew above them. I thought myself invincible, figured the troubles of the woods to be literally beneath me. Such hubris, did I learn nothing from my contempt of the Canterlot upper class? It is a common myth, perpetuated by stories, that a manticore will roar at it's victim before attacking. In the stories, this gives the hero a chance to know his foe, and escape. In real life, manticores hunt down prey on a daily basis to survive, and know the importance of stalking. As such, I did not notice the leathery flap of wings behind me until a scant second before its venomous tail sank into my back. I immediately felt a burning sensation begin to spread through my body, my wings barely able to keep me at a safe speed as I nosedived towards the forest below. I could feel the manticore's warm breath just behind me, and gave a blind buck. Thankfully I hit his nose instead of simply slamming my hooves into his maw. With the slight lead that attack gave me, I plunged into the trees and began trying to lose my pursuer. Unfortunately, dense thornbushes and vines made the woods a bit more restrictive than I would have liked, keeping me to the main trails. I could hear the manticore catching up, and I knew I couldn't keep running for much longer with this poison in my veins. A clearing ahead filled me with hope: Maybe I'd broken through to the other side? My hooves splashed in an algae-filled puddle, and the ground felt less firm as I ran forwards, remembering Twilight's warnings. The Lethean Bog. That's what this clearing was, I could see the air clouded with some kind of gas as I pressed onwards, but I couldn't go back. Not with that beast chasing me. As I plunged deeper into the bog, Twilight's words echoed in my mind. "That place is... intoxicating...toxicating...toxicating..."
Chapter 4: A dream about a castleI woke up in a vast jungle. No idea how I got there, no idea where I was going. All I knew was, it wasn't there. I got up and started walking, an endless sea of trees fading in out of the mists as I walked forward. On one of them, I spied an old friend... acquaintance? Enemy? It was familiar in any case, a large white cat with a purple bow. She purred at me as I approached. "Ah, at last the Innocent Princess awakes." I was confused for a second, until I realize she was talking about me. My gown was tattered from the long trip, but I was the Innocent Princess alright "Yes, I'm awake... but I'm afraid I don't know how I got here." "That's just as well. You don't belong here. You seek the Storm right?" For a cat, her diction was impeccable. I could tell the S was capitalized. "Head to the castle of the Red-maned King. You will find answers there." With that, the cat hopped down from the branch and disappeared into the ground. I scraped a hoof against where she vanished, but didn't manage to find anything. I had my one lead to go on... why did that seem so familiar? The path was peaceful and calm, and it was with a little disappointment that I saw the stones of the castle rise out of the mist. I turned to look behind me, but the path had become overgrown with thick briars. My path chosen for me, I pushed open the massive doors and stepped inside. The entry hall of the castle was deathly quiet, and an unshakeable chill hung in the air. Massive statues of ponies lined the hall, and as I got close to one I could see that each had a sarcophagus sitting beneath. It seemed each statue was of the person buried there. One sarcophagus was lying open, and I looked up at the statue over it. It was a mare, her mane as wild as the Storm, a pair of powerful wings on her back, and bubbles for her cutie mark. As I stared up at her mismatched eyes, something about her seemed familiar. I decided to take a look inside the sarcophagus, and found that it was luxuriously padded, warm and inviting. Even though I'd just gotten up, it seemed like it'd be a waste not to crawl inside for a nice long nap. I began to push the lid open further, when I caught something in the left periphery of my vision. It was a servant of the castle, a brown earth pony stallion with a scroll for a cutie mark. He shook his head slowly. "Not yet," he said "Not until you've met the king." "Who are you?" I asked. "I am but a Herald of the Red-maned King. My job is to deliver messages." he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out an envelope. "This message is for you." I accepted the envelope and tore it open. Inside was a tiny figurine made of boxwood. It had a wide circular base with green felt on the underside. The figurine's body tapered sharply up to form a narrow "neck", on top of which rested a simple ball. There was no letter or other explanation to the figurine. I looked up to Herald and asked "Do you have any idea what this means?" He shook his head "I'm sorry. I only deliver the messages, I cannot interpret them. All I can say is it came from the Red-maned King. I honestly wish I could be of more help. If you need anything at all, feel free to let me know." "I will," I replied, before taking my leave. The black and white checkered tiles passed by underneath my hooves as I galloped down the halls. I regretted not pausing to take the Herald up on his offer of help, and ask for a guide. There was something else too, a feeling of familiarity. Turning down the Herald's help had seemed somehow familiar. It was too late now, however. I was well and truly lost within the depths of the labyrinthine hallways. I rested against the side of a statue shaped like a miniature tower, one of many such statues I'd seen throughout the castle. A flash of purple in the left periphery of my vision. Was there someone else wandering these halls? No, not wandering. The door to my left was a library, and inside a unicorn was busy moving books from shelf to shelf. The Librarian, that's who she had to be. "Excuse me, miss?" I said. She stopped her work, finally taking notice of me. A giant grin split her face "My, if it isn't the Innocent Princess! Come, sit, you must be weary from your journey for the Storm." "...How do you know who I am? And why I am here?" I asked, stunned. "My title is the Librarian of the castle. Just as your title is the Innocent Princess," she explained "However, Librarian is not who I am, just as Innocent Princess is not who you are. They are merely roles we are given. Outside of my role, I study the prophecies. I knew of Nightmare Moon. I studied Discord. And I've heard of your quest. That an Innocent Princess should come here, it could mean only one thing. After all, there is no other reason to come here. The Red-maned King is not a benevolent ruler." "Speaking of which..." I said, reaching into my saddlebag "He sent me a message. Inside was this figurine. Do you know what it means?" The unicorn levitated it up, turned it this way and that, and studied it. "It is a piece for a game. One I am quite fond of. It would seem he is saying you are a pawn." I was surprised I hadn't recognized it earlier. "I've heard the term. He wishes to say I am doing someone else's work for them?" The unicorn shook her head "Perhaps. But there are other connotations for a pawn as well. Tell me, are you familiar with the rules to Chess?" I nodded "Yes. A pawn may only move forward, and capture diagonally. It is the most restricted piece in the game, moving only one square at a time except for its first move, and easily blocked by another piece sitting in front of it. Despite this, a pawn's ability to be promoted to any piece, commonly a queen or a knight, makes pawns a vital part of chess endgame." The unicorn nodded "Indeed. He sees you as weak, as something easily destroyed. At the same time, however, you are his biggest threat. However... try to remember one thing. The Innocent Princess is only your role. It is not who you are. Remember this, or you will be destroyed." I nodded "One last thing... I'm a little lost, can you help me reach the king?" The unicorn smiled "You'd be surprised how often librarians help princesses find their way. Come, I have a map over on this shelf..." I never would have found my way to the King's throne room without the Librarian's help. I swear the map and the castle changed position seven times as I traversed the halls, but I finally made it. The throne room of the Red-maned King was the second largest room in the castle, with only the mausoleum at the entrance being larger. Massive pillars in the shape of ponies held up the roof, and a pair of stone ponies held up the throne upon which the King sat. The King himself was monstrous in appearance. His brown pelt barely concealed the powerful muscles lying beneath, and his namesake mane framed a muzzle filled with sharp teeth. A pair of leathery bat-like wings complemented his demonic appearance, and a single glance at his chitinous tail made my entire body ache in remembrance. Remembrance of what? Had I fought him before? "So, you've finally arrived," said the King. Every word was a deep rumble, more like a frightening earthquake than a soothing roll of thunder. "I have come seeking the Storm. I was told I would find answers here," I replied. The Red-maned King laughed "The Storm is not here. Nor do I know where it has gone. Because I like to play with my food before I kill it, you and I are going to play a game. You may try to flee, and I will kill you as you run. Or you may play, and win or lose I will kill you when we are done. Either way, your quest ends here." The Red-maned King reached behind his throne and pulled out a wooden board covered in white and black squares. 31 pieces in boxwood and ebony were set up on either side. There was one empty spot, in front of white's queen's rook. I pulled the pawn out of my saddlebags, and placed it down in the empty spot. The game had begun.
