The Other Side of Nirn

Chapter 11: Ingreadents of a Cure

Rocks. A creation believed to be harmless things by many. However, a true creature of the world knows the dangers of them. Debra, having been the only survivor of the ship’s crash, looked at her reflection in the water. Now, however, it was much more different then she had ever seen. Not only was her ‘hair’ a mess, but she had holes all over her as well.

“Well, there’s a new form,” she said in congratulations to herself. “Now to see if I can get out of it and into an Argonian.” However, much to her dismay, she succeeded turning into only a pegasus. “Well I guess that’ll work,” she said as she looked to what was no doubt land. “Let’s hope that if the Gray Fox is here, I’ll be able to find him.”

And so, she took flight to the mysterious land, hopes that were small in her mind.

Jordan looked at the entrance of the inn as three ponies left it. ‘Now to have my supper,’ he thought as he chuckled to himself and transformed. As he entered the inn, he had not noticed the soft footsteps behind him. “Room 31 please. I lost my key,” he said to the pony to check in to.

“Name please.”

“White Phoenix,” answered Jordan.

“Here’s your key ma’am. Have a nice nap.”

“Will do,” he said with a fake yawn.

He walked up the stairs and down the hallway to the room where he knew Bonde to be. As he opened the door, Bonde was peacefully sleeping. “You were quite foolish to not believe Mare-Do-Well. She’ll learn the price of her interference soon enough either way.”

“I think not Jordan,” said a disguised pony.

“Well well well, speak of the hero. I suggest you not come any closer Mare-Do-Well.” Jordan said as he levitated a knife. “Not the weapon I’d prefer, but a weapon none the less.”

“So I take it that you don’t care if it’s what you’re stabbed with?” Bonde said. “Now, I suggest you show your true form.”

“Rash, I must admit. But I doubt you’d be able to tell whether I’m really Jordan or just a Jordan controlled doll.” That, unfortunately, made Bonde hesitate. “Wrong move,” Jordan said before, with lightning quick reflexes, he knocked Mare-Do-Well down and bit Bonde’s neck. After Jordan had enough blood to sustain himself for a few hours, he quickly teleported away.

“NO!” shouted Mare-Do-Well. “Don’t die on me Bonde, don’t you die now!” she said as she put a piece of cloth on Bonde’s neck. “Don’t do this to me!”

The last sight in Bonde’s mind was a golden fire.

“She’s not dead doctor!” argued Twilight.

“Then what is she miss Sparkle? If not dead, then what?”

“She’s…”

“A ZOMBIE!?” shouted Spike.

“No, worse. A vampire.”

“I beg to differ, but a vampire would be much colder, and would have the wound on a different part of the neck. Plus he only bit hard enough to penetrate a single blood vessel. Not to mention the time it takes for the venom to spread through the vasculatory system. Although, I must say, she is lucky with how long she has left,” said Mare-Do-Well.

“Have you seen this before?” asked the doctor.

“Far too many times. But she doesn’t have long to live. Or at least, as a regular pony. There’s a way to cure her, but it’s dangerous to gain the supplies needed.”

“And what are those?”

“To start, cloves of garlic. Three others are complicated to gather here though.”

“And just how complicated!?” yelled Dylan.

“Not too complicated now that Fire Blade’s here. But the final ingredients are still complicated none the less.

“Me?”

“Yes, for what you are inside. Is it not true you are the one who saved this young colt?”

Although the sentence is cryptic, it’s clear what the meaning is. Sadie was the one who saved Dylan, and Sadie was an Argonian.

“We already know what you’ll say for the next ingredient. Nightshade,” Dylan said.

“Nightshade?” Twilight repeated in question.

“It’s a common plant where these travelers are from. However, around here it is unique and near impossible to find it. That is unless you’re in Canterlot.”

“NO! You know the penalty of stealing!”

“That is, if your caught,” Rikku chirped in.

“No Slip! Whatever it is, it’s bound to lead to trouble!”

“And so is not getting it Slice. You know what Mace would say. Desperate times-”

“-Call for desperate measures?! And you’re not even going to try looking for one in the…”

“Don’t say it son. The name always leads to ill omen,” interrupted Mare-Do-Well.

“And a vampire bite doesn’t?! You don’t know how much Mace means to me!”

“That’s where your wrong son. On so many levels.”

“I’ll sooner fall to a rat then let Slip take the risk of the era!”

“Pardon, but I have a part in this conversation. If it saves Mace from the fate, then I’ll gladly die. But I won’t sit by while she is on the verge of death. Accept it Slice. My mind is made up. Besides, it’s what I do best.”

“But…”

“She’s a grown mare son. Let her make her own decision.”

“But… but… ughh, FINE! Don’t come crying to me when your on the run!”

“You’ll have to excuse him.”

“No worries. You get used to it after a while.”

“How do you know our story so much?”

“It’s my business to know. After all, it was thanks to you he got to Mace.”

“Your clearly not a pony,” Sadie said when both the doctor and Twilight left the room.

“Am I not a pegasus? Are you not a unicorn? Is Slip not a thief? Is Mace not a warrior? I figured after being with Bonde for so long, you’d know that covers mean nothing but extra protection.”

“Who are you?” Rikku asked.

“Your friendly savior Mare-Do-Well,” she said as she flew out the window.

“I’m honestly with Dylan on this one. It’s a risk when you don’t know the punishment.”

“Relax. Besides, it’s not like I’m new to the job.”

“But you are new here.”

“No worries. I just slip in, grab a flower, and slip out unseen all the way.”

“Like I just use magic, alter time, and walk away while an enemy’s trying to kill me.”

“You worry too much. Besides, it’s not like thieves are common here.”

“I hope your right. Just remember, grab the flower and leave.”

‘And remember, thieves are prone to greed,’ Jordan thought as he listened through the door, unseen with his dust. For together, they WILL be victorious. Alone, however, they are only common targets for the Brotherhood.