The Laws of Life.

Chapter 5: Nightlife.

I walk up the small path, with Blitz and Spinner in toe. “I still think this is a bad idea. And I know Spiral will say the same.” I say, looking back at the two. Finally we reach the top of the hill, and I find Spiral resting there. “Hey, Spiral. I’m here. . . And I brought guests.” I give a disgruntled mumble as I look back at the two of them. She stirs awake, and gives a yawn. “Oh! Thanks for coming, Ink. . . And, you two.” She waves at her brother, and Blitz. “Though, I don’t know you.” She points to Blitz. “Blitz.” He says, giving the nicest smile he can.

“Oh. Nice meeting you then.” She smiles, and I turn to the two of them. “You two head down there. I want to talk to Spiral first, and fill her in.” The give a few small nods, and walk down the opposite side. “Where are they going?” Spiral asks, with a hint of nervousness on her voice. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen. I’ll make sure of that.” Even though I put strength behind my words, I can’t help but to watch as they walk down the hill. Blitz wanted Spinner to stay the night in the woods alone, but I wouldn't allow that, so I volunteered to go with him.

“Well, you wanted me to come here and talk . . . So lets talk.” She gives a small smile. “Thanks, again. Well, you see. . . I was wondering if you could tell me. . . Tell me.” She starts speaking, but trails off, her voice fading out. “Tell you what?” I ask, as I step a little closer to her. “That picture you drew. . . It was perfect. I mean, it matched every detail of me. It was really lovely.” She seems to be sidestepping what she wants to say, but, I let her take her time. I shouldn't rush her. “Thanks. I do my best at drawing those. . . It’s what I’m best at.” I give a goofy little grin, causing her to laugh a little. “I can tell. You have a good eye for detail. . “ She looks to the ground, and takes a deep breath. “Anyways, the reason I asked you to come here. . . I was wondering if you could possibly help me. . “ She trails off again.

I give her a big smile. “Sure. . What do you need help with.” She looks up. “Help me start this life. . By. . Umm. . Maybe you could possibly help me by going out with me?” Her last sentence comes out quickly, and jumbled. But I catch every word of it. I notice the large blush on her face. I stand there, in utter shock. Spiral, asking me out? The nurse mentioned something, before I left the hospital.

“Now, be careful with Spiral, she may have lost her memories. . But there is still something in there. Things that seem familiar to her. So, she could possibly act on emotions that she had before, without realizing it. Help her adjust to it slowly. Can you do that for me?”

I had given the nurse my word that I would help her adjust. . But, could Spiral have had feelings for me before? I mean, she always seemed to treat me kind of nicer, compared to every other pony . . Still treated me badly, but not as bad. I look back, towards the town, looking at the roof of Artsy’s house. I think she likes me, and I like her too. I can’t possibly betray me feelings. . Can I? I promised to help though.  “So, I can take that as a no?” I hear Spiral say, in a sigh of depression. “No!”

I shout out to her, and she perks up. “Wait, you mean?” Well. . It looks like I’m stuck now. “Yes. I’ll help you.” I say, as I give her a wide smile. She jump over to me, hugging me tightly. “Oh! Thank you!” With that, she gives me a soft kiss on the check, and starts prancing off down the hill, towards her home. “See you tomorrow, Ink.” She calls out. . . .

Did I just make a mistake? Oh great Faust, what have I done? I let out a sigh, and head down the hill, towards the forest. “What was that about?” I hear both Blitz and Spinner ask at once. “Long story.” I say through a sigh. “It’s going to be a long night, so please, let’s just get it started.” Blitz lets out a groan as he crosses his hooves. “Ink. I really don’t want you going in there. Why can’t we just leave Spinner here. See how he likes being ditched.” I shake my head. “No. I can’t just leave him in good consciousness. I know you can. But I can’t.” Blitz sighs again.

“Fine. But, I swear to Celestia, if he returns without you, He’ll be one sorry colt.” Blitz Glares daggers at Spinner, who only shrinks back. “Nothing will happen. I’ve done this before, haven’t I?” I give a big smirk to Blitz, who only frowns. “Yeah, you have. And almost died.” I laugh. “Well, I didn’t. So, again, no need to worry.” Blitz lets out one more groan, and heads to the top of the hill. “I’ll be right up here.” He calls down to us. Me and Spinner look at each other, and give a solid nod. Stepping into the woods together.

Even though the sun had just been setting, this place makes it seem like it’s already midnight. It’s a scary thought that not even Celestia’s light can penetrate the horrid dark branches of this place. I feel a chill of cold air blast through me. “You gonna be ok?” I ask over to Spinner, who is shivering, hard. “Y-y-yeah. . Just a little nervous to be honest.” I frown at him, shaking my head. “In here you can’t be nervous. It attracts the creatures from deep within.”

He gives a nod, and tries to put a stop to his shivering, failing slightly. “Hey. It’s ok. Nothing will happen as long as we don’t go too far in, and we stay on the path. I know a place we can rest.” He gives me a smile, and I feel his shaking calm down more. After a minute of walking, I hold out my hoof, in a small clearing. “Here we are. Right near the edge so we can run if we need to.” I say as I point towards the open gaps between the trees.

I walk around the small clearing. . I never thought I would be back here. But, I guess it would have had to happen at some point. I walk slowly up to a old, worn tree. I place my hoof against the, now, barely legible words. Words that are still clear in my mind. “What does it say?” I jump, not hearing that Spinner had walked up behind me. We stay silent for a moment, before laughing. “Sorry.” He says between breaths. I shake my head. “It’s ok. . .Anyways, the words wouldn’t matter to you.” He gives me a confused look after his laughing subsides.

“So? I still wanna know.” I give a sigh. “Fine. . It says ‘Ink Blazer lays here.’ “ I feel a pain in my chest as I speak these words. Please, don’t ask too much into it. He only gives me a more confused look. “It was a joke. That night a year ago. When I was dared to sleep in here.” Spinner looks at the ground, feeling guilty again. “Well, it was after the attack. I hurt. . I hur a lot. I thought the pain would never end. So, I decided, if I was going to die. Might as well mark it here.” I say, as I rub the worn out letters. “This is where I was found.” He gives a small nod.

“Anyways, that’s the past. And this is now. Let’s hope we have a safe night.” I take in a big gulp of air, as I look around the ever darkening parts of this forest. “Yeah. I’ll unpack.” With his magic, he swiftly pulls out, and unrolls a couple sleeping bags. As he does this, I slowly turn to look at the tree again. It has been over a year since it happened. It’s weird. To be standing here again, after so long. I wonder what would’ve happened if I never happened upon that young pony. Where would I be now? If I would still be alive at this point, that is.

I shake my head, ridding myself of those thoughts. “Say, Spinner?” He glances up at me. “Yeah, Ink? What is it?” I let out a long sigh. “What would you think of me and Spiral going out?” He just stands there, staring at me. “What?” He says, after that long moment of silence. “She asked me out. . And I said yes.” After another long moment of silence Spinner lets out a long sigh. “I thought she got over that.” He says, with a half chuckle. “She used to crush over you a lot when we were younger. Though, after we got our cutie marks, and started acting. . Acting like idiots, really, I thought she gave up on that.”

“Well, the nurse at the hospital said that she could act on old emotions. . Or something like that.” He gives a shrug. “That would make sense. But, I don’t mind. Just don’t hurt her, ok? I know how you look at that other filly. . Artsy.” I give a sheepish smile. “Yeah. It’s not that  I don’t like you sister. . Just not like how I like Artsy.” We laugh a little. “Well, what about you, Spinner. Do you have a crush on any pony?”

“Well. . .There is this one filly. . We only have one class together at school, but she lives right across the street from me.” I think for a moment, before gasping slightly. “Wait. . You don’t mean?” He gives a sheepish nod. “Yes. I have a crush on Argent.” Argent. . I would’ve never guessed. Spinner having a crush on Blitz’s sister. He lays down across his blue sleeping bag, putting his hoofs to his chin. “She’s just amazing. . Always so nice .And she’s pretty as well. That lovely creamy green coat of hers.” I laugh a little.

“Well, I wish you luck with that.” I tease him slightly. We laugh a little more. But, when we hear a crack, coming from the deeper parts of the forest, we silence instantly. We stay silent, as we hear small, thunderous booms, coming right towards us. Before we have any chance to act, a large, dark mass leaps out at us, wrapping us in darkness. I hear Spinner grunt. “This stuff. . It’s . . It’s magic.” Unicorns have always had a talent at sensing other magic. “W-what kind?” I ask, as I feel it tighten around me.

Though, he doesn’t need to tell me. I already know. This magic is familiar to me. Locum magic. I can feel it. But. why are they this close to the edge? “Look at what we found here, brother.” I hear the raspy, chattery voice of one changeling speak out. “Two small ponies, talking about their, delicious little love.” The other one replies. “The king should be pleased that we have found, at least a small source of food.”

The king. What he said before. “You’ve just lost the ability to hear us, and for us to hear you. But, we can still feel the emotions that flow through you.”  I only want to live a normal life. But, Will I always attract changelings to me? Will I always be a constant threat to the ones I love. “What are you two doing?” I hear another voice ring out. A female changelings voice. One that is vaguely familiar to me. “General Flare. . We. . We were just patrolling the area. We felt a large gathering of emotions in this area. We wanted to bring food.” They scrambling changeling tries to stutter out his sentence, but he is cut short by the larger changeling lady. “This is not how we do things.” Me and Spinner are dropped to the ground, as she uses their magic against them, trapping them with their own snare.

“We do not just attack helpless, young ponies. We do not carelessly come out to take emotions. We are changelings, changing is in our nature. And, we use that nature to blend in, so we can siphon  the overflowing emotions, so that we can live on.” She lets out a long sigh, as she looks between the scouts. “Now. Consider yourselves lucky. This time I will let you off with a warning. But I swear to the High-Queen, if you put even the slightest thought of going cross the border, it will be your last.” Her voice grows darker as she threatens them.

With the end of her lecture, she casts them away, throwing them deep into the woods again. She steps closer to me, and the now passed out Spinner. “Must have been to much for the young one to handle. Poor little colt.” I finally get a good look at her. She stands tall, almost as tall as Genesis. Her mane is long, and flowing. It’s the normal green, but it has red highlights in it. Her black body shimmers with what little light reaches this place. She has, almost caring dark blue eyes as she looks over Spinner,

Her wings are long, just like any changeling in the royal family would have. But, she was just called a General. Many questions run through my mind. I watch her horn light up, as she makes sure he has no serious injuries from the snare.  Many questions run through my mind. I want to ask them. . But, what would she think? And, what if Spinner wakes up while I’m talking to her? “How are you, young one?” Her voice breaks me out of my deep thoughts. Something about her voice still seems familiar. I can’t quite place it though.

“Uh. . I umm.” She smiles at me. “Oh, no need to fear me young one. Here, let me take a form that you would be more used to seeing.” I watch as her magic surrounds me. I watch as a light brown, almost tan, fur spreads over her body as she shrinks down to the size of an average mare. Her eyes blink into a ruby red color. The green in her mane shifts into a lighter color than her fur. Her mane shortens, becoming all wild looking, with red and tan mixing around it. Her tail shifts into the same colors as her mane, becoming as equally as messy. Her cutie mark is just a small flame.

“I’m Flare.” She says, as she steps closer to me. “And, what’s your name, young one?” I glare at her steadily. “Ink Blazer. He’s Spinner.” I motion over to his passed out form. There are still millions of questions running through my mind. The biggest one though, is. “Who are you?” I say out loud. I keep my glare steady on her. “I’m Flare.” I shake my head. “Don’t give me that. You’re not fooling me. Who are you, exactly.” She frowns at me. “I’m Flare, lead General of King Genesis’s army.” I give a solid nod.

Her name, nor face,  brings any familiarity to my mind. I would’ve remembered meeting a high ranking member of the army. But her voice. “But, I doubt you barely understand what a changeling is. I know your pony schools don’t teach much about us. Not that we don’t mind. We prefer the shadows over the light.” She gives a smile. I glance over to Spinner. He’s out cold. I let out a sigh, as I look her in the eyes.

“I know more than you think.” I give a stern look of defiance to her. I keep my glare on her, as she gives a small frown. “What ever you say, young colt. But, I am afraid that you shall not remember this brief meeting. We all have our own secrets to keep. This will only be a nightmare to you soon.” Her horn lights up, and she shifts back into her normal changeling form. I watch as her green magic reaches out, and wraps around Spinner. I watch as it approaches me. I feel electric tingles shoot through me, the moment it touches me. They grow stronger, and stronger, till I feel like I am about to burst from the shear amount of energy rushing through me.

Sparks start to rush out of me, scorching small parts of the ground. Nearly setting a tree or two on fire. “W-what are you!?” I hear Flare shout as she retreats back slightly. I feel all the energy rush out of me quickly, sending a small shockwave out. I stand up, barely keeping my hooves on the ground. Everything seems to be spinning. “Get away from them!” I hear Blitz’s voice ring out from behind us. I fall back to the ground as the world spins, and fades to black before me.