Chapters Chapter 1- Impact
“Tell us the story again, Granpa!”
A pair of adorable little girls gazed up at their elderly grandfather tucking them in. Their eyes were aglow from the excitement of hearing their favorite bedtime story. He wasn’t too enthused of course, as it was already very late.
“You’ve heard that ol’ yarn over a hundred times now! Don’t you want to hear something new?”
The younger granddaughter hugged her stuffed animals tighter. “But it’s such a good story though! Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaaasssseeeeeee!”
The grandfather tried to evade her defense-breaking cuteness, but to no avail. He grinned and shook his head. “Heh, you two are lucky that I’m such a softy now. Alright, I’ll tell you the story again, but then lights out.”
He cleared his throat quietly and sat up to retell his tale. “It all started not very long ago on a crisp April evening, much like tonight. In a small town much like this one. That spring, I met someone who turned my life completely upside down. This is the story of how I met Ditzy Doo.”
I’m not old. Just laying that down right now, age is only what you make of it. Reason I bring this up is past reactions. I’m tired of the surprise and questions I get from new acquaintances. That being said, my name is Cecil Evans. I was born literally days before the Great Depression struck. In our small farming family, it thankfully didn’t affect us too much in our patch of Oklahoma. It was the Dust Bowl that crippled us. Needless to say, I knew of hardship at an early age.
My father, emotionless and reserved as he may have been, did everything in his earthly power to sustain us. It proved to be his downfall however, overexerting himself one day and falling prey to a heat stroke that took his life. My mother raised my elder brother and I as best she could along with aid from our nearby extended family. We were humbled, but we grew stronger through the trials.
My brother, Gary, was a hero in every way to me. He not only became my best friend, but he tried so very hard to fill the void of fatherhood in my life. It wasn’t anything major, but it was the small things that made everything so worthwhile. Fishing, camping, working together on the farm. All the while, he always treated me as an equal, never degrading or condescending. It was both my pride and my sorrow when Gary enlisted into the service immediately after Pearl Harbor. His financial support sent to us from the Pacific division eased the burdens Mother and I possessed at home. It was still difficult, but much more manageable.
When VJ Day was declared, we anxiously awaited Gary’s return from the war. Alas, Death was not quite finished with our family. The news was delivered to us on my 16th birthday. He didn’t fall to bullets nor fire nor any means of war. It was disease that took him, a faceless spectre conceived from the jungles of a small island off the Philippines. No triumphant homecoming, no going back to those cherished days. Only a folded flag and a salute from the MPs. My mother’s heart couldn’t handle being broken twice, this time she succumbed to the debt that all pay. The doctors could never explain how she passed on, but I knew it was the immense grief and sorrow she carried. I couldn’t save her.
For most people, this would’ve been a quitting point as well. I’m here to tell you that I’m not most people. Things were different back then and I had been through the refiner’s fire just enough to push me on. I managed the farm until I was deemed by the government as ‘adult’. It was just after this point that another war was on the precipice of commencing. Most my age joined for some sense of patriotism or heroism or just for the fun of it. Frankly, I enlisted because there was nothing left for me at home. Just wishful memories and lingering sorrow.
While the conflicts I took part in are not as high-note as others, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t war. I witnessed more crap to fill several lifetimes; lives lost, barbarians’ cruelty, the hideous side of humanity. Many of my squad members perished, yet I remained for some unseen reason. As some would say, I became married to the military. Opportunities and promotions presented themselves often and I seized each one with gusto. I felt Gary would have done the same thing.
Many years later, while on leave in the Capitol, I met Rose. She was a nurse in the busiest hospital of the district, just as occupied with her career as I was. We bumped into each other at a small diner outside of city limits. Even though we were well into our forties, there was a mutual attraction that was shared. We talked for hours in that podunk restaurant, our individual stories intriguing the other. More and more commons were found thus we started to court. Despite our age, there was a sense of young love. Rose helped me feel so many things I had never experienced before. She was a delicate flower whose care surpassed anyone’s personal barriers (she bragged that I was her greatest accomplishment.) Within a year we married and moved back west to a more quiet life.
Our travels led us to the small town of Montpelier, a new home for both of us. She continued her medical work into the relaxed county hospital. I joined the local police force, which was much too easy-going for my taste, but it served its’ purpose. We settled into a routine and shortly after had a healthy baby boy, Jonathan. The years of his childhood were fairly typical and carefree as every child’s life should be. We had many great memories created as he matured more and more into an adult. Jon moved out to college, Rose and I retired, life continued.
Or so I wish. Once again, someone I held most dear was taken from me. It was another ordinary summer morning that I had awoken to. I eased myself from my sleeping wife to prepare her an unexpected breakfast in bed. When I came back with the tray of steaming food, I finally noticed how pale she was. Rose, my sweet Rose, had passed on ‘due to natural causes’ the doctors reasoned. I cradled her lifeless body and for only the second time in my life, I wept.
That was twenty years ago. It’s now the year 2012, I still reside in Montpelier on my own. Yes, I’m an octogenarian outside of a retirement home, sue me. I am perfectly capable and have remained fit even in these years. Jonathan has a family of his own now, a beautiful wife and two healthy daughters. I’m waiting to join my loved ones beyond this mortal life, but I’m still here for my son and granddaughters. Well, for Christmas when they can make it up here. Jon’s job forced him out east, a sizable distance now separates us. We still keep in touch, but it’s usually just checking in every once in awhile.
No use in complaining of course, just getting you up to speed. Our house is a ways out of town, closer to the majestic mountains that surround the population. I’m not an introvert by any means, I just prefer my privacy and I have only ever related truly with my family. These days I supervise the camping region and maintain Rose’s flower patches. It brings me a sense of peace, like she’s sprucing them up right there with me.
The daily grind can hardly be called that for me anymore. I tend to visit the local diner where Rose and I were regulars. Cup of coffee in the morning, check my post box, usual hellos to the town workers, snag a few groceries, and then back to patrol the base region of the mountain near my home. At this point, I would rather keep my patterns and routines going instead of rash change. It’s the best way to retain the memories of my time with Rose and of raising Jonathan.
The sun was setting on another day. One of the most amazing things about living out in this part of the country is the natural beauty. You haven’t seen a true sunset until you witness the wonder of how much the mountains can change it. This evening’s was no exception, the summit sliced into the sun’s brilliant light. It’s this point when so many different results occur. Oranges, reds, and pinks envelop the sky. Pure beauty.. just like my Rose.
I reclined on the porch swing, gently swaying from the light breeze. The sun slowly descended beyond the peaks, it began to get darker and darker. I remained in my position and watched the night sky become alite with the full moon and the brightening stars. After a few hours simply star-gazing and listening to the crickets chirp, I pushed myself up from the swing and stepped inside. A switch of the lights and a meager midnight snack to bed were my finishing actions for the night. I heard a quiet echo of thunder resonate from outside, but I dismissed it as I relaxed into bed.
KRACK!
The sudden cacophony of thunder disturbed my slumber and I awoke in surprise. Not one to delay in finding out what happened, I eased myself from out of the covers to investigate. The house was dark and scarcely visible at all. However, decades had taught me where everything was and I traversed to the front porch. When I opened the door, my initial vision revealed nothing out of the ordinary. It was that my eyes adjusted to the evening light that I saw dissipating storm cloud.
'What the Sam Hill was that?' I asked myself. There have been storms before in the past, but never as loud. It sounded so close, I wondered if lightning had actually struck my home. Just as strange was the speed of that storm cloud disappearing. It was the only one at that time in the whole sky and now it was completely clear again as if nothing had even happened. The forecast hadn’t called for any bad weather, but I trust weathermen quacks only as far as I can throw them.
I glanced over the front yard as reflex and didn’t expect to see anything. However, a glaringly obvious crater now occupied where one of my shrubs previously resided. To be honest, I hated that bush anyway and wasn’t too strung up on it. It was this new addition that threw me off. I clutched the handrail of my porch and descended its’ steps to look closer. The crater was roughly six feet in diameter, maybe just as deep. I knelt down and peered down into the hole. I don’t know what I expected to see in there. Maybe a meteorite, some broken satellite, or even some idiot kids trying to prank me.
I could barely make out a figure at the bottom of the hole from the moonlight. It appeared to be an animal judging from its’ size and covering hair. Reason kicked in before I tried to reach for it. I didn’t have a clue what exactly it was and it could just as easily attack me. Not wanting to risk an unnecessary trip to the hospital in the middle of the night, I went back inside to grab a lantern. Unfortunately my knee was acting up from that brief kneeling. Luckily, I had just refilled my pain meds at the town pharmacy that morning.
I flipped on the kitchen lights and rifled through the days’ purchases. The search was brief and I was soon unscrewing the cap for the pills. After pouring myself a glass of water, I swallowed a couple of the meds along with a small swig. I grasped the counter end and wondered what other materials I should use to handle the situation. Lost in my thoughts, it wasn’t until the door to the kitchen gently pushed open that I realized there was something else in my home now. I turned to face the intruder, but felt my jaw drop in surprise. There, shivering on the hardwood floor, stood a miniature horse. For a half-second I thought of my granddaughters’ current obsession with ponies, but dismissed the idea from the current matter at hand. Yep, there was a pony in my kitchen.
It’s grey coat was riddled with burrs and dirt, streaks of what appeared to be char marks decorated it as well. The mane and tail were a peculiar color of blonde, also in disarray. Another oddity about this creature was what seemed like a pair of wings on its’ back. However, this pony was nowhere near intimidating. It stared back at me with a similar look of confusion which puzzled me even more. I looked back at the prescription I had just taken and chuckled. “Man, the doc must have given me some good extra strength.”
The night was about to get even stranger. This newfound pony widened its’ eyes and bewilderedly asked, “You speak Equestrian?”
The Red Sox winning the World Series was surprising. How America now had an African American president was surprising. This was borderline insane. I rubbed my eyes and refocused on the sapient pony. Did it really just talk? Its’ voice was strangely feminine, another weird detail I noticed in this backwards evening. “Well, it appears that the doc gave me the wrong prescription. Looks like I’m hallucinating, you’ll have to excuse me,” I flatly joked, waving off this whole night.
“I’m sorry for coming into your house, but it’s really cold outside and I don’t know where I am. Can you please help me?” the pony asked with fear in her eyes. She trotted closer to where I stood and gave me a pleading look.
Allow me to be frank with you. The hour was late, I may or may not have been having a severe reaction to the medication, and there was a talking pony in my kitchen. All sense and logic was out the window. “Listen, pony, this isn’t exactly normal. Animals don’t usually speak, thunderstorms don’t appear and reappear, and my care cup is running on empty. I’m gonna sleep these pills off before Elvis Priestley wanders in here and starts singing the Canadian anthem, good night.”
The pony quickly placed itself between me and the hallway. Its’ golden eyes, once again weird details for a weird night, were tearing up in desperation and exhaustion. “Can I at least stay the night here?”
A hallucination wants to use my home as shelter? Sure, why not. “Whatever you want, pony. You can use the couch, just don’t eat the cushions, heh,” I joked and maneuvered my way around her to my bedroom.
I think it wanted to say something else to me, but it instead sighed and trotted over to the sofa. I retreated back into my bed and settled under the covers. I lay awake for several minutes before curiosity and a twinge of guilt got the best of me. I grabbed a blanket and pillow and returned to the living room where the pony was now trying to relax.
It didn’t bear the normal features of an actual horse, instead very personified. I figured it’d be safe to call it a she, all points lead to that assumption. She looked up at me curiously when I set the blanket over her. “Ya’know, even if this is from the meds or just a weird dream, it’d be pretty rude for me not to be more hospitable. Let me know if you need anything else. Good night,” I said and patted her back.
She smiled slightly at the gesture. I was about to walk away when she asked me another question. “What’s your name?”
“Cecil. Cecil Evans.”
“Cecil..” she replied, sounding it out like it was an alien word. “Thank you, Cecil. My name’s Ditzy Doo.”
I grinned a little. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ditzy. Sleep well.”
Ditzy nodded and placed her head onto the pillow. “Good night.”
A/N: Heartwarming instead of gut-busting comedy?! Yeah, definitely a change from my usual material. I was working on Chapter 5 for ‘Shut Up’, but this idea kept interrupting my train of thought. I’ll try alternating between the two (I’m weird like that) and getcha fine readers the goods you’re looking for. Thanks so much for reading, please comment!
Chapter 2- Questions
I’m not a big fan of dreaming. Don’t get me wrong, you can have all the sweet dreams you want. I’d just rather have a good night’s sleep. That and the fact my subconscious is a haven for horror junkies. The usual nightmares from old memories; funerals, the war, the terrors I wish I could forget. Tonight wasn’t any different.
Rose was out in the garden again. She had planted a new batch of tulips now that it was spring. It was still early morning, the sunlight pierced through the treeline. I descended from the porch and approached her. A ray of light graced Rose’s face, adding to her beauty even more.
Rose looked just like she did the day I met her. She smiled when she saw me walking toward her and reached out. I was about to grasp her hand, but it somehow shattered as if it were fine glass. Her expression remained the same to my shock, just smiling. Slowly, Rose’s body began to reveal cracks as if she were a mirror. A flower petal gently lofted down from the heavens and landed on her forehead. This minor impact enacted a complete implosion of crystalline.
I awoke in a sweat, breathing heavily from the nightmare. Cursed subconscious. I had thought the sound of shattering glass was in my head, but another similar sound echoed from the kitchen. It was still fairly dark, but on the verge of sunrise. I pulled myself out of bed and put on a robe to investigate the noise.
Any suspicions that I may have had about last night being a dream were soon forgotten. The pony that wanted to spend the night.. what was her name again? Ditzy? She was now clutching her head in a nervous wreck over the broken dinnerware.
"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh, I'm so so sorry!" she whimpered. Ditzy lowered her head sadly and tears formed in her eyes. The kitchen was in disarray, smudges of what appeared to be dough decorated the counters. She started speaking even faster "I wanted to make breakfast to thank you for last night, but when I was grabbing some plates they just fell an-"
"Hold on hold on," I replied. I was still trying to process the whole scene before me. I could care less about the mess in the kitchen, no use crying over spilled milk. It was the possibility that I might be going crazy after all.
My renegade brother-in-law probably would have argued that waking up to see a pony in your house was normal. Then again he was the forever bachelor type and spent many of his waking hours at the end of a bottle. I've had to bail his sorry hide on several occasions, each of his stories more unusual than the previous. But I was neither drunk nor was this a normal pony.
I paced around the distraught kitchen, inspecting the damage. Ditzy caught my attention, she looked like she was mere seconds from crying. "I promise to clean it up."
I shook my head and responded, "Listen, I'm not mad about this. It's just that I never thought I would go insane so quick. This doesn't seem real."
Ditzy wiped her eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Well, ponies don't normally speak," I explained.
She chippered up a bit from realizing I really wasn't angry. "I'm not just a pony though, I'm a pegasus pony! But since we're talking about things that don't seem real, I've never met anypony like you before."
I shrugged. "Guess that means we're in the same boat then. If I may.." I paused, but delicately picked a few flakes of flour out of her mane. She was still just as dirty as she was the night before, now added with this morning's mess. Ditzy opened her mouth to say something, but the ding of the oven bell interrupted her.
"Muffins!" she shouted excitedly. Ditzy lifted quickly off the ground with her wings and opened up the oven. The pleasant and delectable aroma of blueberry muffins flooded the kitchen. She grabbed a serving tray with her mouth and eased the muffins onto it. When she plopped them onto a clean counter, they puffed out perfectly enough to showcase on a cooking magazine cover.
Ditzy flapped her wings a few times to cool the breakfast delights down. "Here, try one!" she exclaimed. I walked over to grab one and thought to myself about the whole situation. So far this delusion had probed sight, sound, smell, touch, and was now going to venture into taste. I bit into a muffin half-earnestly. My ho-hum attitude suddenly reversed into one of euphoria, the savory goodness playing across my taste buds.
"I will give you this, even if all this is just an illusion, this muffin is pretty dang good," I replied. Ditzy smiled and gobbled down one as well. I sighed contently. "Tell ya what. As thanks for the wonderful muffin, I'll clean this up while you go take a bath. You look like you need some good relaxation. The bathroom's the first door on the left down that hallway."
Ditzy looked at where I pointed and nodded. "Thanks Cec!" she joyfully said. She trotted towards the room and closed the door quietly behind her.
I was still smiling despite the sinking realization. As I began to clean up the mess, more and more questions started to arise. Is this really happening? How can she speak? Have I gone crazy after all? Where do I go from here? How did she know how to use the oven? Have I been going about this too casually if this is real?
The sound of splashing water echoed from the bathroom. My train of thought derailed from another memory, the last time that I had heard it from outside of that room. Back when Rose.. wait, what day is it? I glanced over at the calendar and remembered that it was that day. Our wedding anniversary.
I made my way over to the bathroom door and knocked. "Hey Ditzy." I beckoned.
"Yeah?" she called back over the noise.
"I gotta go do something real quick, clear my head. You can eat anything in the kitchen, I'll be right back," I explained.
"Okay!" she replied. I could get answers later, right now I had to visit her. I grabbed a jacket and walked out the front door.
"Crazy, isn't it? 40 years ago both of us said "I do." I've said it before and I'll say it again. I think I was the one who got lucky," I joked. The dew of the cool spring morning dampened my knees where I knelt. I placed the tulips I had just cut that morning next to her tombstone. The cemetery was empty as usual, nobody else really had a reason to come. It was a smaller set-up that included the county's ancestors, but that only totaled a few.
"The flowers are in bloom now, I was afraid that late winter was going to mess up their schedule. But here they are, same as always," I continued. "Truth be told, I think I'm the one who's changing now. We always joked that I had a few screws loose, but I'm wondering if that's really coming to be after all. Ya see, there's a po-"
"Cecil?" a voice behind me asked. I turned my head to see an old friend of Rose's, Abigail. We had known each other since we first moved to Montpelier. She was the town veterinarian, a more reserved and quiet one at that.
"Abigail, good to see ya, it's been a while. What brings you here?" I asked. I turned around to face her and noticed the bouquet of flowers she was holding.
"Oh Cecil, you know I go by Abby. I just wanted to visit up with Harold," she explained. Harold had passed away a year ago. Abby had taken it pretty hard at first, but she eventually adjusted with help from the town. "Checking on Rose?"
"Yep, today's our fortieth anniversary," I responded.
"Ohh, I'm so sorry Cecil," she said, lowering her gaze to the ground.
I waved my hand and dismissed the apology. "No need to be, I still have those good memories. How about you though? How have you been?" I questioned.
"I've been better, but today's a good day," she joked. Abby's eyes readjusted past my shoulder and her expression changed to one of surprise. She raised a finger to her lips. "Shhhhh. Cecil, look over at the trees there," she whispered.
I followed her directions and searched for what she was referring to. It took me a while until my attention focused on a small silhouette. Ditzy was watching us.
"You can see her, too? That's a relief, good to hear I'm not crazy yet," I stated.
"Huh?" Abby uttered.
"Just a sec. C'mon over!" I called out, waving my hand. She was apprehensive at first, but cautiously cantered to us. Her wings were folded closely to her back, not particularly visible at all. Abby’s eyes widened.
She knelt down and smiled. “Oh my.. Cecil, she’s adorable, where did you find her?” Abby asked. She raised her hand slowly and rubbed behind Ditzy’s ears. Ditzy leaned into her hand, enjoying the affectionate gesture.
I mimed to Ditzy behind Abby’s back to remain silent just in case. Had to take this one step at a time. “Well, we kinda just found each other,” I replied, not really lying, but not revealing the whole truth. Then again, I still didn’t know what exactly was going on myself.
“You’re very lucky then, she’s amazingly docile,” said Abby. She continued petting Ditzy. “This probably sounds crazy, but I swear I’ve seen this pony before. My granddaughters visit every once in a while and they bring over some pony toys. She looks like one of their favorites, what did they call her again.. Ditzy?"
Ditzy gasped. "You know my name?" she asked. So much for one step at a time.
Abby's jaw dropped, the confusion tying her tongue. "Did she jus- ponies don't- ohhh!" she stuttered before fainting. I was close enough to catch her, luckily, and laid her slowly onto the grass. Ditzy and I exchanged looks. She bit her lip in thought and I scratched my neck.
"Not exactly what I had in my mind, but we can't really change anything about that now," I reasoned.
Ditzy looked back from Abby to me and replied, "I'm sorry, but can you blame me? She knew my name even before I met her, it surprised me. What do we do now?"
I pondered for a moment over the choices. We couldn't just leave her there and hope she would think it was a dream. Even if that did work, it was a larger concern that there would be a different problem at hand with her health. There was really only one thing to do. I gently cradled Abby's weightless form and stood up holding her. "We'll go the cabin for now, it's closer than her home and it won't gather any unwanted attention."
Ditzy nodded and flew alongside us as we traversed back to my home through the woods. It was quiet for much of the journey. I was taking extra care of where I stepped while Ditzy appeared to be thinking about some questions. I glanced over at her. "So this is real, isn't it?"
She narrowed her eyes confusedly. "What do you mean?"
"Everything that's going on. Or moreover, that you're really not just a result of a mental breakdown that I might be having," I responded.
"Nope, I'm as real as the nose on your face! You're not crazy, Abby saw me too."
I contemplated this over and over in my head. I looked further up the path and realized we were within view of the cabin now. "Fair enough. Let's take care of Abby first and then we can talk more. I'm sure you and I both have a lot more questions for each other."
My Friend Ditzy
"Sooo... how long do you think she'll be out?" Ditzy asked.
We had arrived back at my home and I gently set Abby onto the couch. Her frame was very lightweight and easy to carry. I always joked with her husband that she was going to be picked up by the wind some day if he didn't hold onto her. I shrugged back at Ditzy and replied, "Hard to say kiddo, your guess is as good as mine. I've never really been in a situation quite like this."
Ditzy glanced at Abby's sleeping figure and then back at me. "How did she know my name?"
"You'll probably have to ask her that one. Just a sec," I excused myself and walked into the bathroom. In order to answer the questions she would have, I would need to get my own answered first.
I returned back with a damp cloth and placed it on Abby's forehead. "Guess it's the waiting game until she wakes up. Mind if I ask you some questions in the meantime?"
"Okay, what do you want to know?" Ditzy asked while sitting down in a more comfortable position. She happily bit into another muffin that she had cooked up that morning.
I thought for a long time about that question alone. What wasn't on my mind? This all seemed so impossible, a talking pony in my living room. A brief memory of my son's obsession with sci-fi and mythology when he was a child came to mind, but that was years ago and he had long since moved on from it. Besides, there were more pressing matters at hand to attend to. I chuckled a bit, causing Ditzy to tilt her head in confusion.
"What's so funny?"
I shook my head. "I have no idea where to begin. Where you came from, how you can speak, the storm that night you came here, why you like muffins, how you knew how to work the stov-"
"Whoa, hold on!" Ditzy exclaimed and waved a hoof. "Who doesn't like muffins?! That's just silly!"
I opened my mouth to respond, but no coherent thought came to mind. "Heh, I guess you got me there. How 'bout I answer some of your questions first while I gather my thoughts?"
"Alright... if you don't mind me asking... what are you?" she asked, eyeing my probably curious appearance as well as Abby's.
I took a seat on my armchair and leaned back. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me th- sorry, reminiscing again. "The long and short answer of that question is that I'm a human."
"A hu-what-now?"
"A human," I replied with a smile. I glanced at the coffee table and noticed the weekly paper spread over it. On the front page was a picture of a grinning businessman shaking a scientist's hand. He had been in the news a lot recently, funding inventions and becoming a poster-boy of innovation. Might as well use him as an example.
"It would take a long time to explain what humans are completely, but basically... we're adventurers, creators, lovers, fighters, and rational beings that desire to learn more. Some are kind, some not much, but rest assured that you're safe here with us," I explained. Ditzy seemed to accept this answer and nodded. I continued, "Okay, my turn for a question. How do you know how to speak?"
"Oh, that's easy, my parents taught me! Well, they helped at first and then I learned more at school. Good thing we both speak Equestrian!" she joyfully asserted.
There was that word again, Equestrian. Some European country maybe? Probably not, but it's hard to say with how often power has changed hands in the third world. Focus, Cecil, talking pony . "What about the oven and the bathroom? They didn't seem to hinder you at all!"
Ditzy giggled. "That's because everypony has those! I love to make muffins with my oven; blueberry, banana-nut, chocolate chip, all kinds of muffins!"
"Everypony? So, there's quite a few of you where you come from?"
She nodded. "Yep! Pegasi, earth ponies, and unicorns! But then again there must be tons of ponies here too, right? You weren't too surprised about me until I spoke."
"Well, yes and no. There are horses and ponies, but not any pegasi or unicorns like you say. Certainly none that can even speak for that matter either," I explained.
Her brow furrowed. "Wait, where are we exactly then?"
"We are in good ol' Montpelier, 'the gem of the Northwest' as they used to say. This has been my home for quite some time now," I replied and gestured with an open hand around the room.
Ditzy mulled this over for a moment, more questions probably arising from the answer. "Mont-pill-yer," she sounded out. She smiled and her eyes lit up as she questioned, "Isn't that really close to Baltimare and Fillydelphia?"
I chuckled briefly before I realized she was serious. "Baltimare and Fillydelphia? Can't say I've ever heard them pronounced like that. Unfortunately no, to answer your question, Baltimore and Philadelphia are on the other side of the country."
A look of confusion washed over her face. "Then... how far are we from Equestria?"
I frowned slightly and said, "I'm afraid there's nowhere around here with that name. Sorry, but I think you're a long way from home."
"B-b-bu-but-" Ditzy stuttered. Her whole demeanor was quickly changing for the worse as her bottom lip quivered and her wings hung limply at her sides. The sad reality of the situation was sinking in more and more. "What about Ponyville? What about my friends? What about-" she gasped and brought herself up on all fours. "My little Dinky! Who's going to take care of her?! She's all alone! How could this happen?! I have to be there!" Ditzy yelled hysterically, stomping a hoof.
I raised my hands up cautiously. "I-"
"MY DAUGHTER IS ALONE AND I'M STUCK HERE!" she cried out loudly. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she looked up at me. She collapsed back onto the floor and continued to weep. "I just don't know what went wrong," she mournfully whispered.
To hell with it all. Maybe I didn't understand everything that was going on. There are a lot of things that don't make sense to me. But one solid fact that I do know is that no parent should feel what Ditzy was going through right now. Losing a child is unbearable. No. She wasn't going to be alone in this. Somehow, some way, I would get her home.
I slowly knelt down next to her. Despite the fact that her eyes were shut tight and still tearing, she sensed my proximity and embraced me. I was surprised at first, but I returned the gesture as she buried her muzzle into my chest and quietly sobbed. "It's okay... it's okay. We'll get you home. I promise."
I wish that I could say I was able to fully console this poor mother at that time. However, timing is, as it always will be, a fickle maiden.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Abby screamed.
The loud interruption broke our moment of silence and I quickly returned to Abby's side. "Hold on! It's okay, Abby, everything's fine!"
She breathed in rapidly and continued shrieking. "Abby!" I shouted.
Seeing how this was getting nowhere fast, Ditzy promptly placed a muffin into her open mouth. The strange action startled Abby for a moment, but the tasty morsel began to work its magic. She sighed contentedly and grabbed it properly while taking a bite. I raised an eyebrow at Ditzy for the peculiar action, but she shrugged it off. "It worked, didn't it?"
"Mmpfffmpfh-" Abby loudly mumbled, her mouth full of muffin. She swallowed and drew a sharp breath. "Cecil! What on Earth is going on here?! That pony just talked! Again!" she shouted, the memory of earlier returning to her. She pointed an accusatory finger in my direction and asked, "Did you drug me?!"
Now it was Ditzy's turn for confusion. "Huh?"
"Abby, no one's drugged anyone," I stated while rubbing my temples gently. "This is really happening."
"Oh no you don't, Cec, you're playing some elaborate joke on me. You probably called in a favor from your ol' military buddies and set up this fancy trick pony. It's really a robot that they made and all of them are laughing it up in the back!" Abby exclaimed, standing up to poke at my chest repeatedly.
I could only stare in disbelief at her. I mean, who wouldn't? That story sounded like a bad Adam West radio drama. Adam West? You know, that fellow wh- never mind, you're too young to have heard of him.
"Huh?" Ditzy repeated again.
"Abby. Doesn't that sound just a little far-fetched? Why don't you just examine her? You're a veterinarian after all," I reasoned. .
Abby pursed her lips and glared at me suspiciously. She finally conceded and knelt down next to Ditzy. They looked at each other curiously for several minutes. Abby raised her hand slowly and cautiously placed it on the pony's neck. She gingerly touched her mane and traced down to her wings. Abby gently poked a feather, causing Ditzy to giggle. "Sorry, that tickled," she admitted.
"Oh my," Abby whispered. She glanced at me in shock and then back to Ditzy. "But I don't understand. How?"
Ditzy sighed. "I don't know. I was helping the weather patrol during this big storm in Ponyville when this giant, black cloud started making it worse. I tried to kick it into a smaller size, but there was this bright flash when I touched it. The next thing I knew, I landed here."
Abby remained silent. She continued her little examination of Ditzy, feeling her heartbeat and inspecting her hooves. After a short while more, she stood up and looked back at me. Her eyes seemed to ask aloud if this was truly real. I simply nodded. She shook her head and muttered, "I'm sorry, I just need some fresh air right now."
I opened the patio door for her as she walked toward my direction. Ditzy's eyes lit up and she asked, "Fresh air? I can help with that!"
Before either of us could reply, Ditzy charged forward and maneuvered herself between Abby's legs. Somehow her small frame fit onto the pegasus' back as she slipped on. Ditzy galloped out the door and sprung up into the inviting sky. Abby hollered and held on for dear life as Ditzy began flying with relative ease. I lifted a hand in shocked protest, but they were already high into the air before I could utter a word.
Well... I'm sure gonna get an earful when they get back.
A/N:
Thanks and keep on rocking, friends.
(And yes, I totally did screw up that last segment in chapter 2 where Cecil initially said Ditzy's name in front of Abby. Dag nabbit.)
((This muffin is delicious. Also, it totally wasn't just a storm that transported DItzy there, no cop-outs like that here. I promise I'll make it up to all of you, hang in there!))
My Friend Ditzy
Twenty minutes had already passed since Ditzy's take-off with Abby. I was just as surprised as my ol' friend about the sudden flight. After a few moments of straining to see where they went, I ventured back inside. They would make it back eventually, so I might as well have something ready for them. Besides, there was too much cloud cover to keep watch.
I chuckled over the thought of the two flying together. Abby was probably screaming at the top of her lungs. She most certainly was a timid lass, not one for anything drastic. I bet the most exhilarating thing she had ever done was drive one mile faster than the speed limit. Now she's free-flying at high altitudes on a pegasus! Ha!
I opened the fridge and retrieved a small keg from within. High quality, blow off yer britches, one of a kind, delicious apple cider. Fresh made from the town orchard; ya can't go wrong with supporting local. Okay, it wasn't anything hard, but do you think I'm going to go out drinking at my age? Don't answer that, I'm not old.
Just as soon as I poured out three mugs of cider, I heard a loud rustling crash from outside. Three guesses who that was. I stole a glance through the kitchen window and, sure enough, Ditzy and Abby were now entangled in those lousy bushes. They were both safe and unharmed; the same couldn't be said for the bushes. If I was lucky enough, those worthless excuses for plants would be destroyed by the end of the week.
I finally made my exit from the kitchen out onto the porch. "Looks like you two had fun!" I jokingly hollered.
Abby pushed herself up from the foliage and shot a determined glare at me. "You! You insane, foolish old man!" she shouted.
"Hey, I may be two of those things, but you have just as much time on ya as I do. Ditzy was only trying to help. You did say you needed some air," I chortled.
Abby's cheeks reddened; whether from embarrassment or frustration I couldn't tell. Probably the latter, call it a hunch. "The nerve! Why I ought to throw you into the lake!" she retorted and forcefully poked my chest. A dull thud echoed from where Abby touched and she immediately clutched her fingers in pain. Ah, she found the sweet spot.
"Careful young 'un, you're gonna hurt yourself more than me," I joked. She had jammed her fingers on a small, metal plate surgically attached in my chest. Courtesy of an enemy grenade from many years ago. Sure itched like a banshee some days, but it was always a good laugh for security. Poor rookie guards never saw me coming.
"You and your stupid war injuri-" she paused, both of us noticing Ditzy's giggling. "What's so funny?" Abby accusingly asked.
Ditzy kept laughing, but managed to reply, "You two!"
We were both about to question Ditzy further, but her laughter continued even more. Suffice it to say, it was pretty infectious and reminiscent of innocent fun. Just the kind of thing Abby needed as she somehow joined in as well. I followed suit after a while and all of us were chuckling for several minutes. It had been a long time since I had a good laugh like that. It does the body good to experience that every once in a while.
Still chuckling, I placed the mugs on the porch steps and beckoned for the two to sit and partake. Ditzy sniffed, barely catching the faint aroma of the cider. Her happiness seemed to amplify even more as she dashed toward the beverage and took a quick sip. "Mmmm!!! I love cider!" she joyfully announced.
Abby remained where she stood and bit her lip. It was a bit obvious that something else was on her mind. She crossed her arms together, shifting her gaze down at the ground. "Don't tell me you're suddenly allergic to apples," I said with a smile.
"I-" she began, but sighed lightly. "I just can't believe this is really happening. I'm sorry I was impolite; all of it seemed so..."
"Impossible?" Ditzy responded. Her answer surprised both of us. She trotted forward a few steps. "I'm sorry, too. I never meant for any of this to happen and-"
I raised my hand to stop her unnecessary apology. "The one charm of the past is that it's past. What's important is that we're here now, safe and sound," I explained.
"That was rather profound, Cecil," Abby replied somberly.
I chuckled and drank a swig of my remaining cider. "Figures a fortune cookie would finally come in handy."
Abby quietly laughed and grabbed her mug at last. We sat in momentary silence and methodically drank. "So... what happens now?" she asked.
Ditzy glanced over at me and awaited my response as well. I inhaled deeply, taking in the rich scents of the forest. I answered, "We do whatever it takes to get our friend home."
Two weeks had passed since Ditzy's arrival. During that time, we spent many hours researching and reviewing how she had come to our world. Abby and I would alternate trips into town to get food and more books to help our cause. It was decided that it was best that Ditzy stay incognito for her safety. Besides, it was best to get her back to her home as quick as possible with not too many setbacks. Thankfully she didn't question this and simply trusted us.
Unfortunately, none of our efforts were paying off. This should have been expected, though, as there really was nothing to go off of in these circumstances. Definitely would make an interesting "_____ for Dummies" book though. Ditzy didn't seem to mind the delay; her patience was rather astonishing. That could be attributed to the fact that, on her fourth day, she 'had a feeling' that one of her friends was watching her daughter. In the meantime, the cabin was soon dominated completely by the smell of muffins that she cooked. Nothing much else for her to do aside from the occasional, short flight. Abby and I continued in our promise to her, trying everything possible to help.
It was another ordinary morning when there was a knock at the door. The sound disrupted my reading and surprised me as well. Even though Abby had departed earlier for supplies, she would have just entered instead of knocking. This was someone else. I motioned to Ditzy, who was equally confused, to hide upstairs. We had planned ahead in case there was a visitor like this; just to be safe. When I was sure there was nothing visibly suspicious, I opened the front door.
"Mr. Evans," a formally-dressed man addressed me. It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement, as if my name was mud to him. He was accompanied by two large guards behind him, both of them sporting out-of-place, black security vests. They eyed me warily while their boss crossed his arms behind his back. This intruder maintained an emotionless stare at me and waited for my response. His very demeanor emulated despise and cruelty for his fellow man. I wasn't one for judging a book by its cover, but the businessman sure wasn't making a good first impression.
"Who wants to know?" I inquired.
His guards shifted their weight anxiously. He glanced back at them for a brief moment before responding. "My name is Darian Stokes, but we can discuss more of that inside your home. Time is very valuable to me and I'm in a hurry."
This was becoming more and more shady. "I'm not buying anything if that's what you're here for," I replied.
"Believe me, Mr. Evans, I am not selling anything. I've invested a great sum of resources into what you and I both know about," he coolly stated. My answer seemed to irk this Darian character quite a bit. He inhaled deeply and straightened himself. His icy blue eyes revealed that he wasn't in the mood to waste time. "Please let us enter."
I shrugged to feign innocence. "Can't say I know what you're talking about. Now I'd appreciate it if you would kindly vacate yourselves off my porch," I requested. I turned to close the door, but Darian's foot against the doorstop impeded the action.
"I'm asking nicely. Even if you don't allow us in through here, we'll come in forcefully. You don't want that. Now... let us in," he coldly commanded.
Every logical thought I had told me that this was bad. Clearly things would not end well. However, it was beginning to shape up that I didn't have a choice. Better to play along until I could throw in my own screwball. I opened the door for them.
Darian slowly walked across the guest room with his guards in tow. With their backs turned to me, I slipped an audio-recorder into my pocket and followed. Darian sat down on my chair, not aiding his reputation with me again, and swept a hand through his slicked-back, black hair. "Lovely home you have here," he complimented. It came off rather sarcastically, heavy with indifference. "Duncan, be a dear and get us water while Mr. Evans seats himself."
The bulkier guard retreated to the kitchen and proceeded with his task. The other crony stared at me until I sat down on the sofa. While these meat-heads were endowed with plenty of brawn, the same couldn't be said of their intellect. With a bit of patience, I was sure I'd be able to uncover a solution for this predicament.
"I see you're a fan of mine," Darian stated. He picked up a newspaper off the coffee table. The particular article featured a cover story of him and his accomplishments. The same story I had used as an example when explaining humans to Ditzy. "Not hard to see, I am a big deal after all. Some say I'm the greatest humanitarian alive." His voice remained devoid of inflection and emotion.
I shook my head. "Far from it; I wouldn't admire someone who does what they do to gloat. You're more concerned about your time anyway, what do you want?"
"Come now, we won't get anywhere with petty insults. But you are correct, this matter is of urgency. There have been too many failures with this particular branch of research," he said, leaning back into my chair.
"...beg pardon?" I asked curiously.
Mr. Stokes rubbed at his temples. "I won't bother your feeble mind with details. It was supposed to be quick and easy, this project of mine. Alas, I'm surrounded by incompetent fools. One buffoon ruined an academy for writers that I organized, some others desecrated my psychiatric hospital, and this latest expenditure was almost a failure as well. However, my intellect found a solution and lead us here. Quite clever, I must say."
"Jiminy, you're really full of yourself and these boring stories. I thought that was my role with being elderly," I retorted with a chuckle. 'Duncan' snickered at the joke, but a quick glare from Darian silenced him.
Darian leaned forward and turned his glare towards me. "Funny. Like I said before, Mr. Evans, it's in your best interests that you cooperate. You have something of mine and I want it."
"Sorry kid, I believe you're mistaken," I replied with an equal glare.
The businessman continued staring, not blinking even when he snapped his fingers. The smaller guard pulled out a small pistol and placed it in Darian's open hand. Darian pointed the weapon at me. Aw hell no.
"Two weeks ago, I activated a machine that could teleport beings from other dimensions to our world. It was perfect in every way because I designed it. The initial tests were a success and I decided to take the next step further. I won't waste time explaining my brilliant plan on your idle thoughts, so I'll just get to the point. An unforeseeable storm caused a glitch on both ends of the receiver and somehow sent it here," Darian explained.
I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Darian arose from the chair and cocked his pistol. "Where is the pegasus?"
...crap. Figures that this slime-ball brought Ditzy here. God knew for what exactly, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that it wasn't anything good. I had to keep playing stupid for her sake. "A what-now?"
He breathed deeply, turning his back to me. He suddenly whirled back around and pistol-whipped me! Back in the day, the blow wouldn't have even phased me. Unfortunately, Father Time had caught up with me and was merciless in how painful the impact was. An immediate gash formed itself from where he struck my forehead and proceeded to bleed. I reeled back in pain as he towered over my figure.
"WHERE-" he loudly shouted and punched me with his closed fist. "IS-" *thud!* "THE" *thud!* "PEGASUS?!"
His blows ceased for a moment to let me answer. I took the moment to regain my composure and breathing. Ohh, past me would have kicked the tar out of him. Yet, here I was on the receiving end. "You're wasting your time, I'm the only one here."
Darian sneered. "Duncan! Hold him up!" he commanded authoritatively. I felt myself being pulled to my feet and forcefully turned to face my attacker. "Stop lying to me, I know it's here. It's just a wild animal, old man. Are you really willing to die for it?!"
"Her," I defiantly responded. "And yes. She has more heart than you'll ever have. She's a mother, and... she's my friend."
The businessman snarled at me. "Then you really are a fool," he accused. He reared his fist back once more.
"NO!" a terrified shout surprised us. I looked up to see Ditzy near the doorway. She was shaking in fear, much like the first time I saw her. This was the motivation I needed.
"Get it!" Darian yelled. With the distraction in place, I used my new-found surge of adrenaline to my advantage. I quickly lifted my back heel in between Duncan's legs. Poor sap didn't come fully prepared, the kick dropped him to the floor. "RUN DITZY!"
My shout awoke her from her momentary fright and she bolted away. To our dismay, the other guard pounced in time to tackle her. I rushed over to lift him off, but felt a sharp punch near the small of my back. I fell forward onto the floor as Darian walked over me. "Enough, Mr. Evans. You've lost."
"Uhhh, boss? This thing's gray, not blue. It doesn't have a horn either," stated the guard holding Ditzy. She struggled in his grasp while he unsuccessfully tried to place a muzzle on her.
"Very astute observation, dimwit! It doesn't matter! Time is of the essence and we must depart!" Darian exclaimed.
The trio stomped toward the exit. I pushed myself up and ran to stop them. Darian turned in a flash and fired his pistol point-blank. The resulting shot propelled me back into the wall and smacked my head against the hard wood.
"CECIL!" I heard Ditzy cry out, before everything faded into blackness.
Strange, I couldn't remember the cabin ever being this bright. It seemed like there was a mini sun inside the living room. I stood up with a feeling of ease. Almost too easy. I looked down at my body and realized that I was younger. Much, much younger.
"Cecil?" an all-too-familiar voice asked.
I glanced around until my eyes met Rose. She looked exactly like the day I meant her. So full of life and kindness. "Is it really you?" I asked.
Rose approached me slowly and smiled. "I've missed you so much," she said and hastily wrapped her arms around my torso.
I placed my arms around her shoulders and drew her closer. "I missed you, too," I replied. We stood there in embrace for several minutes until I asked, "Am I-?"
"No. That big idiot shot at your spot," she stated and knocked on my small chest plate. I glanced down and saw the small indent from the bullet. "You have to stop him, Cecil. He's done so many cruel things and he won't stop with Ditzy. Her daughter needs her."
I sighed. "How, Rose? We saw how well I stopped him from taking her."
"I think it's time to call in those favors that your squad owes you," Rose suggested. She stared lovingly at me. "You can do it. Save Ditzy."
I was about to respond, but an unclear voice quietly echoed around us. I looked about and then back at her. "Will I see you again?"
"Absolutely," she replied and placed her hand on my cheek. "I'll keep our spot warm."
The voice echoed louder this time, "Cecil?"
"I love you, Rose."
"I love you, Cecil."
The scene began to fade away.
"Cecil?" the voice asked again. I opened my eyes to see Abby leaning over me. "What happened?"
I arose rather quickly, surprising her a bit. "There's not much time to explain; the man responsible for bringing Ditzy here found us and kidnapped her."
Abby gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. "What do we do?"
"I need to make some calls. We're going to find and rescue her," I replied as I walked over to the phone. "And then..." I paused to look back at her.
"I'm gonna kick that punk's ass."
A/N: Ohohohoho, Cecil is my new favorite hero. EVER. I hope you're just as excited as I am to see him throw down. He's got the eye of the tiger! Also, I couldn't resist inserting those subtle details about Darian. The flow in writing this chapter was so much easier than in the previous, everything worked out just swell. Thanks so much for reading and keep on rocking. Be sure to stay tuned for the stunning conclusion!
My Friend Ditzy
“Zero hostiles. Move in,” Sergeant Anders quietly commanded. I quickly followed the rest of the squad into the room. All was going well thus far; a bit too well. There had been no resistance to our entrance into Stokes Innovations. The giant warehouse was completely devoid of any and all living beings. Its' stone-gray walls seemed to close in around us, each room nearly identical to the the other. It was almost deathly silent, but the continual humming of the computers and our own breathing interrupted that. Anders hadn’t said anything about it yet, but I could tell the situation was unnerving him. His dark forehead was tinted with beads of sweat. I reflected over the past hour as the squad spread out of their formation.
Thankfully the whole operation wasn't hinged on my motives alone. It had turned out that several agencies had it out for Darian Stokes. He frequented in some very lucrative dealings both nationally and globally. Ordinarily the white collar division would just detain him, but recent acts of violence from his organization proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. When I had brought news to my former division that he kidnapped a friend of mine, it helped quicken the plans for retaliation. Of course, I couldn't tell the commanding officers everything about Ditzy in order for them to believe me.
However, with several connections to the current higher-ups (and a lot of luck), I was granted access and temporary reinstatement for the mission. They owed me after all; I helped them a great deal back when they were scrawny misfits in basic training. The team that I was paired with took much more convincing though. My information was a bit sketchy, but still was as close to the truth as possible while still remaining sane:
'The daughter of a foreign diplomat was staying at the home of Cecil Evans as a favor he owed to the family. The daughter, who prefers the name 'Ditzi', is very short and has long, blonde hair. Evans will be needed to ID her as she is a heavily protected witness and almost all methods of identification are completely classified. Darian Stokes invaded Evans' home and kidnapped her for unknown reasons a little over twelve hours ago. Before Evans was shot by Stokes, he overheard mention of experimentation on the girl. With that in mind, it will be possible that she might appear different from alterations. It is imperative that "Operation Foreclosure" commence immediately.' This fairly summarized all of the report's notes.
I felt guilty having to omit several details, but Ditzy's life was at stake! I had to do any and everything possible to get the clearance and support required. By some stroke of divine intervention, the team accepted all of the details except for one particular note.
"Care to explain how you're still living, Chief?" one of the subordinates had asked. One glance at him revealed that he was still very much a rookie, wet behind the ears and everything. "You were shot point-blank and yet here you are."
In order to answer his question, I undid my shirt to reveal the indented chest plate. "The fool used some custom pistol. The bullet did diddly squat, but the dang thing packed enough punch to knock me back. This proves that he really isn't that intelligent, but he is reckless enough to cause some unforeseeable trouble. While I got lucky, I was still knocked unconscious and he kidnapped Ditzi. Which is all the more reason to get this operation going now ."
The private began to protest. "Bullsh-"
"That's enough, Private!" Sergeant Anders shouted. "We have had much less information going into past missions. Frankly, it's a darn-well privilege to have General Evans working with us on this. Oh, you didn't recognize the legend standing in front of you?!" he accused, noticing the rookie's shock in realization. "He was saving lives while you were a pathetic sperm cell in your pop's nutsack! Not another squeal of doubt from all of you about this mission, UNDERSTAND?!"
"Yes sir!" the squad loudly replied. The private sunk sheepishly into his chair.
Anders nodded. "Good! We're bugging out in twenty, gear up!"
Another empty room. This was impossible, where was Stokes and all of his goons? I shifted my Kevlar vest once more and examined the rifle assigned to me. Justifiably, I had been tested back at the base to see if I was really up for another field op. Needless to say, I still got it. 'Once a soldier, always a soldier' as they say.
Anders touched his earpiece. "Overlord, no sign of the target nor any resistance. Can you confirm that the target is here?"
"Affirmative, Bravo, no one has come in or out of the building for two hours. Thermal scans have indicated that the target is at your exact position," a calm voice replied in our earpieces. Each squad member looked at each other questioningly.
"Overlord, we believe those scans could be faulty. The machinery is probably what is being shown in your scans," said Anders hastily.
The voice continued. "Negative, Bravo, our equipment is specifically set to human heat signatures. The target is still there."
"Understood, Overlord. Out," Anders replied. He frustratingly sighed and glanced about the room, pondering. "Corporal, lead the squad to investigate other rooms while Evans and I hold position here."
The corporal nodded and silently proceeded out with his team in tow. Anders turned his attention to an array of video monitors in a corner of the room. I kept watch over the back door, still wary of anything that might be in wait. I muttered, "It's too quiet, Sergeant. I don't like this at all."
"You and me both, General," Anders reaffirmed. He typed in a series of commands on the computer and the monitors suddenly listed various times and dates. "Bingo. Got video and audio surveillance of this room."
Finally some good news. "Can you play the most recent?" I asked.
He entered in the latest recording, but an error message popped up. "Bah! It's a log-entry system. Blasted thing only allows playback from a certain point onward."
"Computers make everything easier, huh?" I grimly joked.
Anders nodded, punching in the only option. The monitors reverted to a wide shot of our current room with several men in lab-coats bustling about. The time-code at the bottom revealed that this occurred three weeks ago. The unmistakable figure of Darian entered in.
"Status!" he barked loudly.
A smaller scientist approached hesitantly and handed him a folder. "Everything's going according to plan, sir," the scientist replied. His nasally voice betrayed his feelings of fear. "We will be able to activate the device in a month."
"A month?" Darian quietly asked. The other scientists stopped what they were doing and became silent as they watched the scene unfold. Darian inhaled deeply. He reared his arm back and then punched the informant squarely in the jaw. The blow knocked the poor sap onto the floor. "Was I not clear that I wanted this done next week?!"
Another scientist stepped forward to help his fallen colleague. "B-bu-but, sir! We need more time to stabilize everything. Even though we finally have access to this alternate dimension, there must be additional preparation."
"This has to be done sooner! We won't get another opportunity like this. Don't any of you dolts understand my plan?!" Darian angrily questioned.
The injured scientist leaned against his supporter. "Mr. Stokes, there's just so much risk- AAARRRGHGHH!" the scientist howled in pain as Darian brutally kicked in his kneecap.
"There's so much to achieve ! You have all seen the raw power that these beings possess. Every country in the world is in turmoil and now is the time to act," he explained. "The younger of the two is at her most vulnerable and will be easier to control. We will activate the portal in one week."
The video cut out and started loading the next clip. "I'm glad to see that, whatever his nutcase plans were, things didn't work out," Anders stated.
I nodded half-heartedly, knowing that part of his plan did work. The video began playing once more, this time-code matching the night that Ditzy first showed up in my home.
A large crowd of both scientists and guards were circled around the room. Each of them shared grim expressions and shuffled nervously. Darian entered in, an aura of absolute rage radiated from him. "Doctor Cutter!" he yelled.
The same scientist from the first video stepped forward. He immediately bowed his head, but then looked up to face Darian. "The device worked, Mr. Stokes."
"Did it?! Then where is the alicorn?!" Darian asked, a cruel sneer masked over his face.
The scientist started breathing faster. He bit his lip and replied, "Well, the important thing is that we transported one being from another dimension to our own! We've made a scientific breakthrough!"
"A scientific breakthrough, you say? Look at this, Doctor Cutter," the sinister business man commanded as he dragged the scientist to a tall, stand-alone video display. “Do you see that portal? Noticed how there’s nothing there? Care to explain that?!”
“While it may not be here, we know that the transport was a success! Please, Mr. Stokes, it was such a difficulty with that unexpected storm on their end and the other interference. It wasn’t planned for!” Doctor Cutter exclaimed. He looked desperately to his colleagues, but none of them came to his aid.
Darian nodded solemnly. “It’s okay, Cutter, I understand,” he whispered. Darian patted his back and gripped the display tower. “I didn’t plan for this either.”
He then pulled the tower down, effectively crushing Doctor Cutter underneath. The heavy impact immediately killed the scientist and left the witnesses with shocked expressions. Darian glared at each of them. “No. More. Mistakes,” he snarled. “Run our scanners for where the alicorn was transported. And someone clean this mess!”
The video cut out once more and began loading the last log. I studied Anders’ look of confusion, something weighing heavily on his mind. “What on Earth is an alicorn?”
I shrugged in honesty. “I was wondering the same thing, Sergeant. Whatever it is, it doesn’t bode well for anyone if Stokes gets his hands on it.”
Anders opened his mouth to reply, but the final video interrupted him.
The time-code matched today, only a few hours ago. The room was abuzz with scientists again, everyone bustling about. Darian was at the center-most point and glared relentlessly at them. "Move it, ladies! Why hasn't the portal been activated yet?!"
One of his guards piped up, "Mr. Stokes, we'll be ready to bring the target in a few minutes. It is rather dangerous though since it is currently in Ta-"
"Does it look like I care?! If it's really that big of a concern, then everyone go into the chamber!" Darian commanded furiously. When no one made a move, he shouted, "NOW! And bring the mistake!"
Immediately, a heavy-set scientist tapped a panel on the wall. A loud clunk rang in the air and a descending stairwell gradually appeared in the center of the room. Everyone began to proceed downwards into the chamber. Including the guard holding an unconscious Ditzy. Another guard, the one I recognized as Duncan, stopped and faced Darian.
"You know, uh, boss, I don't think she's a mistake. Why are we doing this anyway? They're all innocent.. this doesn't feel right," Duncan stated.
Darian breathed in heavily and furrowed his brow. In one quick motion, he pulled out his handgun and fired squarely at Duncan's forehead. Unfortunately, Darian had finally upgraded his ammo, and the shot obliterated Duncan's skull. His giant corpse collapsed onto the floor while Darian shook his head slowly. "I hate doubters, Duncan."
He stood there motionless for a time, until finally trudging down the stairwell. The video ended.
Anders remained quiet while I prodded the wall in search of the stairwell's activator. I knew he wanted to ask me if I knew more about the situation than I had previously detailed. Before he could voice his opinion, though, the squad returned to our position. "No contact in the whole facility. I really think this is just a wild goose chase, Sarge. We have no idea where he is," the corporal reported.
I continued sweeping my hands across the cold, concrete wall. Whatever Darian was planning, we had to get down there and stop him fast. My thoughts wandered to Ditzy's condition, and I quickened my search. Finally, my fingers skimmed across an indented surface on the wall. Upon pushing against it, the mechanism clicked and the same staircase from the video began to appear. "Now we do," I replied. "Quickly, we have to get down there!"
Almost as soon as the staircase began forming, screams of terror and panic echoed from the opening. The questions that Anders may have had suddenly disappeared as he shouted, "You heard the general, GO!"
All of us booked it down the stairs. The continued screaming unnerved the squad as adrenaline began to kick in. We finally emerged into a dome-like chamber, very spacious and expansive. However, it wasn't the size of the chamber that was most perplexing, but rather the scene of horror before us.
All throughout the precarious catwalks and maze-like machinery, both scientists and guards ran in fear. Numerous hulking, skeletal, red beasts chased after them with frightening speed. The weaker doctors fell easy prey to them while a few of the guards fired careless shots behind them. The beasts continued their onslaught, no signs of ceasing as even more leaped out from a crimson, glowing pillar of energy in the center of the chamber. Two of the beasts stopped their chase when they noticed our entrance and began charging towards us.
"OPEN FIRE!" Anders yelled. Everyone braced themselves and fired precise shots from our assault rifles. As luck would have it, the beasts were not invincible, and therefore perished as our bullets pierced them. "Move in and secure this chamber, we have to find the hostage!"
Bestial roars and gunfire rang out as we proceeded further into the chamber. However, despite all of these loud noises, I somehow heard a familiar sob above me. How I was able to hear this particular sound in the midst of it all is still a mystery. Then again, we were fighting what appeared to be hell-demons, so anything's possible now. I looked up and caught sight of a cage high atop the chaos. Cowering inside, was Ditzy.
A surge of adrenaline coursed through me as I sprinted to the nearest catwalk. The squad continued their offensive position, each of them purely focused with their shots. When I reached the crudely constructed stairs, another beast jumped directly in front of me. Thankfully my old senses kicked in once again, and three rapid shots put it down. I quickly traversed the catwalk and sprinted towards Ditzy's cage. The echo of my steps on the metal grating caused her to look up between her hooves. Her terrified expression immediately changed to joyful relief. "Cecil!" she exclaimed.
"Time to get you out of here! Step back, I'm going to shoot the lock," I replied quickly. Ditzy obliged and the lock broke easily with one shot. She pushed the gate open and embraced me faster than a heartbeat. The pegasus buried her face in my chest and hugged tighter. I patted her back gently and smiled. "It's okay. Let's get you home."
I lifted her off the floor and walked carefully back down. Her face peered over my shoulder and she suddenly gasped. "Behind you!" Ditzy shouted.
The warning caught me off guard and I turned around to witness Darian standing against the cage. His suit was tattered and stained with blood and ash. He glared insanely at us before lunging with unbelievable speed. The surprise left me defenseless as he barreled into me, but not before I could safely move Ditzy out of the way. Darian's tackle knocked both of us over the railing, falling a good twenty feet to the floor.
The impact jostled me, but my armor absorbed most of the blow. I shoved Darian off me immediately and realized we were dangerously close to his portal. It still pulsed brightly of its crimson color and more beasts kept emerging from within. The squad continued eliminating them, but the onslaught brought even more. "Shut it off!" I yelled at the crazed businessman.
"No!" he retorted straight away. "This is perfect! Even if I can't get exactly what I want, these creatures will still carry out my plans just the same!"
I pointed widely to the rest of the chamber and the absolute chaos. "This is perfect?! You insane prick, these things will kill you first before even listening to you! SHUT IT OFF!"
At my uproar, a guttural unearthly growl boomed from the portal. The remaining beasts suddenly cut off their attack and retreated back into whence they came. It was then that an even worse abomination stomped into the chamber. This... thing was the stuff of nightmares. Black fur covered its entire body, splotched with coagulated blood. Two gnarled horns protruded from its head that resembled menacing spears. Even though it moved on four legs, it towered well above all of us. A long, blade-like tail snaked in freakish patterns behind it. Its eyes were black as pitch and seemingly radiated the very thought of death. The monster reared back on its hind legs and loudly bellowed again.
Anders roared, "FIRE!" The mortified squad shook back fear and shot at the beast. Somehow, it absorbed every shot and smashed back down onto the floor. The impact not only knocked the squad off their feet, but sent out a dark wave of energy that set their rifles ablaze. They screamed in pain and writhed on the ground. The beast growled, but paused when Darian started clapping. I could scarcely believe it myself; the fool walked toward it.
"Well, look at you. Just the recruit I need to get my plans in motion. Exactly what I need," he chortled. He pulled out what appeared to be a tranquilizer gun and loaded it with an electronic dart. Darian fired the puny weapon, the dart piercing the beast's leg. "Now... obey."
It looked at the dart with heavy indifference and simply smashed it again the floor. Darian's face paled with dreadful realization that his device wouldn't work on the monster. Its tail struck into his chest and flung him into his own portal. So much for the brilliant genius controlling the situation.
The beast glanced slowly around the room for more prey. Thanks to Darian's tackle, I was now defenseless, since my weapons had fallen onto the catwalk. However, it wasn't me that the beast stalked towards. Instead, it targeted a pegasus paralyzed with fear. "Ditzy!"
My shout did nothing to her, neither did it gain the attention of the monster like I was hoping. She cowered as it moved closer and closer to her. I sprang to my feet and sprinted ahead of the beast. It snarled and quickened its pace. Just as I shoved Ditzy out of the way, I looked to up to see the monster's legs coming down at me.
"ENOUGH!" a voice shouted from nowhere yet everywhere at the same time. An abrupt flash appeared in front of me and knocked the beast back. As my eyes adjusted to this new view, I witnessed the being that saved my life. A majestic, navy-blue colored pony stood with its back to me, facing off against the monster. Was this the 'alicorn' that Darian had sought after? It definitely appeared powerful, its wings extended and horn glowing vividly. Before when I had felt powerless and weak by the very existence of the monster, I now felt a renewed sense of hope and courage from our new ally.
The beast roared furiously and charged toward us again. The alicorn steadied itself and a beam of brilliant energy shot forward from her horn. It connected squarely with the monster and propelled it back into the portal. The energy continued enveloping the crimson pillar until it shrunk into nothingness.
"Princess Luna!" Ditzy cried out. She galloped quickly to our rescuer and bowed before her.
Princess? I guess the title did fit, considering her royal appearance. Her mane somehow flowed with what appeared to be a starry night sky exhibited within. The Princess leaned down and touched her horn against Ditzy. "We've missed you, my little pony. I'm sorry that we could not have come earlier, but it was a lot worse on the other side in Tartaros. I believe you have my thanks for watching over Ditzy, Cecil."
I raised an eyebrow. "How do you know my name?"
"Let's just say that that vile human who brought Ditzy here wasn't the only one who could watch others. It wasn't until he activated that foul contraption again that we were able to finally come here," she replied. "Probably better that I came instead of Celestia. Last time she was here a whole nation ended up worshiping her."
Anders staggered towards me and pointed to our visitors. "Are they-?"
"Yep," I replied quickly.
"Am I-?"
"Nope."
He shook his head and muttered while walking back to his troops, "Hallelujah for classification."
Luna smiled. "Ditzy, your daughter is very anxious to see you, and we need to leave soon."
Ditzy nodded hesitantly. "Can I say goodbye?" she asked. When the princess nodded, Ditzy faced me. "Cecil... I, uh... heh, I'm not very good at this. I just-" she stopped, embracing me instead. "Thank you so much. I'll never forget you."
"Likewise, Ditzy. Take care of your kid and stay out of trouble, alright?" I joked.
She giggled and replied, "I will." She trotted back to Luna and glanced to me one last time. The princess' horn began to glow brightly and soon they were enveloped by the vivid light. After a brilliant flash, the light faded away from where they were. Ditzy was finally home.
I sighed contently and whispered, "Mission..."
"-accomplished," whispered the grandfather. He straightened against his hospital bed and stared out the window. His tale was told once again to his grand-daughters, this time without any of the censors he had when they were younger. They were much older now and deserved to hear the whole story. "That's how I met my friend, Ditzy."
The two teenage girls sat alongside his bed, nurses bustling about the room while they had listened to him. "Thanks for telling us that, Grandpa. It was a great story," said the younger granddaughter.
"Oh, it's not just a story," he replied. "It's much more than that."
The grandfather leaned into his pillow and closed his eyes as his granddaughters stood up to stretch for a moment. The older girl moved toward the window and opened it up for some fresh air. Her sister looked out alongside and whispered, "Do you think it really happened?"
She raised an eyebrow and looked back at their grandfather. He had already fallen back asleep from exhaustion. "Seriously, sis? C'mon, it was fun when we were younger, but you don't believe it, do you?"
The younger sister frowned and looked down at the floor. "I guess not."
They continued watching him sleep until a gust of wind from the open window disturbed their thoughts. "Ugh, got way too chilly now. Caitlin, can you close that window?" the older sister asked.
Caitlin walked back to the window and grabbed the sill, but stopped. "Allie... did you put this here?"
Allie looked questioningly at Caitlin. "Put what?" she asked, walking over to investigate. The find quieted both of them.
There on the windowsill, lay a gray feather, a muffin, and a note. Written on the note, was this message:
To my dear friend, Cecil,
Love,
Ditzy
A/N: Well! Here we are. I feel at ease now that I've finally gotten this up. I should and could have done it sooner, but something just didn't feel right about it. You probably figured out that it was that different genre transition that I wrote in Chapter 4. Truth be told, it was a peculiar and strange idea that I felt obsessed about for the story. I knew I didn't want to do some half-attempt at how Ditzy arrived there, and the notion for a villain such as Darian seemed a bit more original for this type of fic. Granted, maybe not the best idea, but I find it better than the over-used explanations for HiE/PiE fics. Might try my hand at comedy again.
I'm rambling again! Anyway, I really want to thank all of you for reading. It was a true pleasure writing this in the end and I'm glad that you enjoyed it and shared wonderful comments. Thank you so very much!
