The Harmony Scrolls V: Manerimby PianoPony1ChaptersChapter 1: AsleepChapter 2: CapturedChapter 4: EscapeChapter 5: RiverwoodChapter 6: WhitetrotChapter 7: Bare Hooves BarrowChapter 8: MirmulnirChapter 9 : CrystalvaleChapter 9 And 3 Quarters, Flutterstalker!Chapter 3: AttackChapter 1: Asleep( Author's Note. I do not own any part of Hasbro or Bethesda Game Studios. Enjoy. ) Alex was playing Skyrim again, one of his favorite games. It was set in the land of Skyrim, on the continent of Tamriel. It was a very great game made by the famous game developers, Bethesda Game Studios. Alex yawned and looked at his phone. 2 am. Better get some sleep. He saved his progress and turned off his Playstation 3 game console. It shut off with a soft, high pitched "beep". The light on the TV winked out. He walked over to his bed and climbed in. He pulled the blue, soft, warm covers over him and fell fast asleep, a slight smile on his face. Chapter 2: CapturedThe sound of hooves awoke Alex. It was cold, and the wind was blowing, making it even colder. Tall pine trees passed by, a dark green that almost reminded him of something. He couldn't quite grasp what. Snow covered the ground in patches, melting from the early morning sun. He saw that he was in a cart, his hands bound with a piece of rough cloth. He looked up in the sky, it was a light blue, and cloudless. It was a pristine environment. Where was he? He looked across from him. Startled, he almost jumped in a combination of shock and amazement. It was a horse. No, it was too small to be a horse. A pony maybe? It was cyan colored, with a rainbow mane. Ponies? Who would tie up a pony? What the fuck is going here? He thought to himself, wondering why a rainbow pony was tied up across him him. It had wings too, which were also tied up. Pegasi? The rainbow colored pony looked over at him. "Hey, you're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Celestian ambush, same as us. And that thief over there." Alex was utterly speechless. He couldn't even comprehend that a rainbow colored Pegasus had spoken English to him. "By the way, what are you? I've never seen you before." The Pegasus asked. Alex opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find any words. He just sat there with his mouth agape, his mind trying desperately to comprehend the situation. He decided to just take it slow. "I'm uh...I'm a Human. F-from the planet Earth. My n-name is uh...Alex." He spoke slowly and hesitantly. The Pegasus nodded. "A human, eh? I've never heard of...your kind before. By the way, my name is Rainbow Dash. I'm a Pegasus if you couldn't tell. I'm a Lunarian. I fight for Princess Luna, leader of the Lunarians. She seeks to drive out the Celestians from our homeland, Manerim." Alex looked to his right and saw a midnight colored pony wearing a black and blue crown. She had a long horn protruding from her head. Alex also noticed the pair of majestic wings on her back, which were bound to keep her from flying away. Her hooves were also tied up, and her mouth was shut, a gag over her mouth. The Lunarian Leader was an Alicorn. Clearly this...Princess Luna was a good leader and meant well for her people, but the "Celestians" saw her as a threat. The thief pony spoke up. "Damn you Lunarians, Equestria was just fine until you started causing trouble. I could have galloped all the way to Hooferfell if it wasn't for you!" The angry thief said, a frown on his face. "Be quiet back there, were almost into Helgen." Barked a guard in white and yellow armor, pulling the cart with another guard clad in the same armor. Alex almost fell over in shock. Okay, I'm in a cart with blue and rainbow colored English speaking ponies, I just heard the word "Helgen", the village at the start of Skyrim, I'm in a place called Manerim, and It's engaged in a civil war very similar to Skyrim's. Dear god, I hope I am not the Dragonborn. He thought nervously. The cart came to a halt in a small village, probably Helgen. Many guard towers stood high above the small cottages of the town, decorated with white and yellow banners with a sun on them. Oh yeah. This village was under heavy Celestian Influence. "Why are we stopping?" The thief asked nervously. Rainbow Dash face-palmed. Or rather, face-hoofed. "Why do you think? End of the line." The pegasus replied glumly. All the color on Alex's face drained instantly. End of the line, huh? Well, at least you got to meet English speaking ponies. He smiled at the thought, despite the situation he was in. The thief stepped down from the cart first, then Luna, and then Dash. "You Celestians can't do this! We're not with the Lunarians!" Thief said. Rainbow Dash snorted. "Stallion up and face your execution with courage." Suddenly, a distant roar echoed across the sky. "Oh shit..." Alex said quietly. "Dragons." Chapter 4: EscapeAlduin shouted and the sky turned blood red, black meteors raining down from the sky. Yep. Definitely using the Thu'um. Alex was shouted off the execution block and landed face down in the dirt. Alex heard shouting from the civilians and the soldiers. "Guards, get the townsponies to safety!" Mass chaos erupted. Archers and mages were flinging arrows and spells toward Alduin. He shrugged them off like it was nothing. Lunarian soldiers started running towards safety, away from the Celestians and Alduin. Civilians panicked in the chaos, running around the town searching for a hiding spot. "Hey! Human get up! The gods won't give us another chance! Follow me!" Alex opened his eyes to see Rainbow Dash standing over him. Dash ran towards a guard towe r with Alex following close behind. They ran inside and slammed the door shut. Princess Luna and two of her soldiers were huddled together in the corner. "Luna! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Dash asked, nervously. Luna shook her head. "Legends don't burn down villages." Alex spoke up. "That was a dragon. I've seen...him, before. His name is Alduin.He-" Alex's talking was cut short due to Alduin roaring again. "We can talk later. We need to keep going." Rainbow Dash galloped up the stairs with Alex close behind. Two Lunarian soldiers were trying to clear some rubble out of the way. "We just need to-" Alduin's wing punched through the brittle and old stone of the tower. "Get back!" Rainbow Dash yelled, before a torrent of orange flames burst through the hole, lighting up the surrounding area. Alduin flew away, the sound of his huge black wings flapping drowning out all other sounds. Rainbow looked out of the hole Alduin had made and pointed her hoof at a burning building below. "See that inn on the other side? Jump down there and keep going!" Alex nodded, and jumped. He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on the situation he was in. He landed on the second floor of the inn through a hole in the roof, becoming increasingly bigger with each second due to the spreading fire. Unfortunately, he landed on his left arm, and heard a crack. Alex cried out in pain. Well, he wouldn't be using any two-handed weapons any time soon. If ponies even had two-handed weapons. Fuck, they didn't even hands. They had hooves. He slowly picked himself up off the ground. He felt his hand throb in time with his heartbeat. I hope ponies have restoration magic. He thought to himself. He ran towards a hole in the floor and jumped through, landing hard on his feet. Alex ran out the door, well, what was left of it. Alduin was sitting in the street, breathing fire at civilians and soldiers alike. A young boy, or colt, was more like it, was out in the street, petrified. "Hamming, get over here." Twilight called out to the young colt. "Ata boy, you're doing great. Stay here." "Dawn Light, I have to go find General Hoofson and join their defense." Twilight said, her horn glowing with magic. Instead of a lavender aura, it was glowing red. Clearly a destruction spell of some sort. Twilight noticed Alex standing behind her. "Still alive human? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way." Twilight ran off towards a burning building, Alex close behind. "Stay close to the wall!" Twilight yelled, the red aura of her horn glowing redder. Alduin landed on the wall they were hugging, and his wing dropped down. It was as dark as the void and bigger than a full grown human. Twilight ran up a charred path way and into a destroyed house. They ran towards the main keep, an orb of fire now in Twilight's hoof. "Rainbow, you damned traitor! Out of my bucking way!" Twilight shouted at Rainbow. "We're escaping Twilight. You can't stop us." Rainbow said, a rainbow colored axe in her hoof. "Fine, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" "C'mon human, into the keep!" Rainbow ran into the keep decorated with Celestian banners. Alex followed suit. Rainbow was breathing heavily and sweating. "Luna's Mane! That thing was a Dragon, no doubt. The harbinger's of the end times." She walked over to a fallen comrade. "We'll meet again in Saddlegarde, sister. Hey Alex, why don't you take that axe? But first, lets get those bindings off. Come here." Rainbow held up a little dagger, worn and dull. Alex placed his bindings on the worn blade. A quick cut snipped the bindings and he was free. Alex picked up the axe. It was a little bigger than his hand, but he would manage. Then he heard shouting. "It's the Celestians! Hide!" Rainbow Dash said, crouching down behind a table. The Celestians came through a door on the other side, swords drawn and armor gleaming in the dim light. Alex wasn't so comfortable with killing ponies. But, it was kill or be killed. Especially in this situation. The Celestians came through the door and started swinging their swords at Alex and Dash, grunting with each swing. The Captain, swung at Alex with a slim but sharp sword, cutting the soft skin on his face open. Blood poured from the gash. Alex swung his heavy axe back at the pony and landed a hit on her arm. Blood appeared and started staining her fur. She held the cut with her hoof, buying Alex time to land another hit, this time a killing blow. With the pony distracted, Alex aimed his axe at the pony's neck and cut. Blood poured like a waterfall from the cut. The pony fell over with a thud. Alex felt sick to his stomach. "Good job! Maybe one day you'll be as good as me." Rainbow commented, a grin on her face. Alex looked at the body and noticed a key on the belt. "Hey, a key!" He picked it off the belt as well as a sword. "Set? Lets go." Dash said, unlocking the door. Chapter 5: RiverwoodAs Rainbow and Alex exited the cave, the sun shone brightly on the snow, making it glow. The trees seemed to sway rythmicly in the breeze. Alex exited the cave first. "We need to go to Riverwood." Dash eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know about Riverwood?" "It's in Skyrim. Nice little village. Can wait to venture into that damned barrow and retrieve that claw. I swear, I stole it right back after I returned it to him." He laughed as he said that last bit. Dash pulled her axe out of her belt and jumped on Alex and pinned him to the ground with her powerful legs. "Woah, woah!" "Alright, Celestian spy, start talking before I have to gut you like a horker." Dash barked, an angry look on her face. "Woah, they have horkers here too? Nice!" He said, grinning. This only made Dash press down harder. "Alright, Alright! I'll tell you, damn..." Dash frowned and removed her legs from his arms. He stood up and dusted his dirty clothes off. "God, its damn cold here...I can imagine how cold it is in Winterhold. Anyway, I know about Riverwood and horkers from this video game called 'Skryim'. I am the Dragonborn, or Dovahkiin, and I am supposed to save Skyrim. Or in this case, Manerim. I'm valuable to you, and all the people of Equestria, whatever or wherever that is." Rainbow rubbed her chin thoughtfully with her hoof. "I have no idea what a video game is, but that sounds pretty solid to me. Sorry I jumped on you." The pegasus said, looking at the ground. "C'mon, you crazy pegasus, lets go to Riverwood." Alex said, playfully shoving the light blue pony. They set off at a steady pace down the worn cobble stoned road. Rainbow Dash sighed in frustration. "What's wrong?" Alex asked. "It's just that...All I wanted peace, and for everything to be twenty percent cooler, but instead we fight a war. Ponies are supposed to be peace loving creatures." "It's okay. You guys will work something out." Alex said, stroking Rainbow's wing. She breathed in quickly. "Don't do that!" She barked, making him snatch his hand away and flinch. "Why not?" Rainbow looked away from his face. "Well...That's considered a private area for pegasus ponies. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'd be lying if I said that didn't feel good though." She said, blushing. "Oh, um, I'm really sorry." He said, blushing also. She shook her head. "No, it's okay. Just remember to not do that anymore, alright?" Alex nodded and stayed silent. The two walked merrily down the road discussing the war and Skyrim. "So what's it like around here?" Alex asked. "Well, you've played that game, right? You should know. But I guess I should tell you. Gerdur runs the mill and makes a decent living. I fight for Luna. There's Lucan and Camilla who run the general store. There's a blacksmith. Not much else to tell about Riverwood. Let me tell you about the land marks around here though. There's Bare Hooves Barrow, an ancient ruin of the Rim Ponies. There's also a shrine for standing stones around here, along this road. There, you can see it." She pointed towards three upright stones, ancient and weathered constellations etched into them. "Wow...They look amazing. They're three different arch types: Warrior, Mage, Sneak. I never really chose one. I did all three." He said and his eyes widened in excitement. "Maybe...Maybe It'll work for me! It has to." He walked up to the Warrior stone, and pressed his hands against it. The lines drawing the constellation lit up, a light blue color shining from the deep etchings. A beam of the same color shone down from the sky into the stone, this was making it light up. Alex felt his muscles tighten up, then relax, as if he was lifted by magic. The light died down, and he was set back down on the ground. He was a warrior now. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose. "I feel...powerful." He said, flexing his biceps. "I feel great." Rainbow Dash nodded and yawned. "Yup, magic will do that somepony. C'mon, Riverwood is just down the road." She ran ahead of Alex, who was still basking in his new found strength. He soon realized that Rainbow ran ahead. "Hey, wait up!" He yelled, running after her. When Alex caught up with the blue pegasus, she was already walking through the town. "Follow me, Gerdur is probably down at the mill. But of course, you probably know that." Rainbow led him across a small but sturdy bridge, a majestic river flowing underneath. Rainbow approached a dark green pony with a brown mane, with an image of an axe and log on her behind. "What the hell is that? Tattoo?" Alex asked. Gerdur gasped and turned around. "Rainbow, what in Equestria are you doing here? And what is that thing beside you?" "Gerdur, don't worry. Everything is ok. Now, at least." "What do you mean, now? Did something happen?" She asked, worry layering her voice. "Gerdur, I'm fine. We were on a routine mission in Dark Water crossing, when the Celestians ambushed us from the forest. Luna and the rest of us were captured. We were then escorted to Helgen, where we were to be executed. Then out of no where, a dragon attacked and destroyed Helgen. We were able to escape, but without my friend here, there's a good chance you would have never seen me again. It sounds crazy, but if it weren't for that dragon we would've just been killed. And this 'thing' is a human, from a place called Earth." Rainbow explained. "And to answer your question, Alex, that 'tattoo' as you call it is called a Cutie Mark. It's what everyone gets when they discover their special talent." He nodded in disbelief. "Right. Cutie Mark." "A dragon, you say? You need to get this information to Jarl Saddlegruuf in Whitetrot immediately. Riverwood is a sitting duck out here. Take the road north and you can't miss it." She said. "Alright, off to Whitetrot then. Rainbow, would you like to come with me?" Alex said, smiling. "Sure." She said. The pair headed down the north road to the bustling city of Whitetrot. Chapter 6: Whitetrot"So, we're off to Whitetrot. This should be interesting." Alex said, walking ahead of Dash, admiring the scenery. He still couldn't get over how amazing Manerim looked. Skyrim looked good, but this looked so real. When he got home he doubted he would be able to play it the same way again. "Yep, Whitetrot. Quite a peaceful place. Some people consider it the Celestial City of Manerim, only quieter and smaller. It's smack dab in the middle of Manerim. Trading center, too. Only problem with it is that the Jarl hasn't picked a side in the war. But if he's a true Rim Pony, he'll pick the Lunarians for sure." Dash explained, trotting back up to Alex. Alex and Rainbow Dash walked side by side for a while admiring the scenery when Alex saw a robed pony standing by the road. The mysterious pony was wearing an orange robe with a stitched on hood. The really strange thing about the pony though, was that it had paws instead of hooves. "No fuckin' way. Is that M'aiq The Liar?" Alex said, pointing to the strange pony. "I have no idea. I don't know much about Khajiit Ponies. Looks like one of them though." Dash said, sitting on a rock inspecting her sword. Alex walked up to who he thought was M'aiq, the informative Khajiit of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. "Of course you're here. You had to be here. This Manerim is Skyrim, just filled with pony stuff." Alex said, looking into M'aiq's eyes in wonderment and realization. "M'aiq knows not of this Skyrim. M'aiq knows Manerim, that is all." M'aiq said, looking past Alex down the road, towards Whitetrot. Alex looked down the north road too, and saw Whitetrot towering above the empty plains. "Whiter- er, Whitetrot." Alex said, correcting himself. "Well, M'aiq knows that Whitetrot is closed. Dragons in the sky, they say." The mysterious Khajiit Pony said, looking up in the sky nervously. "We'll keep that in mind." "Rainbow, lets go. I'd like to see the Jarl before dark." Alex said, looking over his sword for any imperfections. "Yeah, hold on." Dash said nervously. Her mind was in a trance, hey eyes fixed on a dragon soaring through the sky with such intensity you'd think she was trying to read it's mind. "Dash?" Alex said with a hint of concern in his voice. Dash kept her eyes fixed on the dragon, not moving a millimeter. Alex rubbed her wing. She didn't even moan, she just got a wing-boner and kept staring at the dragon. "Jesus..." Alex said in amazement. Finally the entrancing dragon flew away and Dash snapped back to reality. She rubbed her burning, rose colored eyes. "Damn...How long was I in a daze for?" Dash said wearily, rubbing her eyes some more. "About 5 minutes, Dash. I hope you're alright." Alex said, comforting her. "Yeah...I'll be fine." Dash said , still in a daze. The pair began walking down the north once again towards Whitetrot. About 10 minutes later, they stood in front of the huge gates of Whitetrot. The high stone walls guarding surrounding the city were cracked, weak, and covered in moss and vines in some areas. A guard clad in a yellow tunic over chain mail trotted up to the pair. "Halt, travelers. City's clo-" The guard was cut off. "Yeah, yeah, Closed with the dragons about, official business only. Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid." Alex finished. "Alright, but I'll be keeping an eye on you two. Especially you, thing." The guard said, pointing at Alex. The guard pulled a large key out of his pocket and stuck it into the key-slot in the door. He turned the key and it clicked. The guard pushed the gate open. The smell of smoke from the nearby forge filled Alex's nostrils. Foals playing in the street. A light brown mare dressed in a worn red dress and apron, soot in her mane, her fore hooves covered in ash, scars, and grime. Clearly she is the blacksmith. She was arguing with a pale white stallion protected by light, white and yellow armor. "We must have more swords for the Celestian soldiers!" The soldier argued. The smith shook her head. "I just don't know if I'm capable of filling in an order that big. Why not swallow that stubborn pride of yours and ask Eurland Grey-Mane for help?" She suggested. "Pfft. I'd sooner bend my knee to Princess Luna." The soldier said, then walked off. The smith went back to work at her anvil, shaping a piece of molten metal into a shortsword. Alex looked around, silently, in awe. "Ever been here before?" Alex asked. "Plenty of times. But that was a while ago. Before the war, I hunted for the family, Gerdur chopped wood, and every week I would take the wood to Whitetrot to trade." Now, I mostly stay with Luna." Dash said, watching the smith shape the sword. Alex leaned up against a wall and Rainbow sat down on her haunches. Their eyes met, Alex staring into Dash's bright, rose colored eyes, the pegasus staring into Alex's. They broke the staring, and stayed silent for about a minute or two, when Alex abruptly broke the silence. "Well, I think we should get to the Jarl." Alex stretched his arms, and yawned. "The Jarl is up in Dragonsreach." Alex said, pointing the towering structure, it's weathered face looked down on the streets of Whitetrot. "Lets go then." Alex and Rainbow Dash walked up the central road towards the trading circle, where stands were set up with merchants and customers. "Hey, want to have a race?" Dash asked, grinning like a crazy person. Or pony. "Sure. Meet you in Dragonsreach?" Alex replied. "You bet." Dash said, and flew away like a bullet. He ran up the steps and into the cloud district, shoes making no sound on the smooth stone. He ran up the next set up steps, his heart beating like a war drum, his face hot and red. He made it to the top of the steps, and stepped slowly across the wooded walkway. He eased open the great double doors of Dragonsreach. High windows and candles let in light, illuminating the huge building. It must have taken ages to build this place. Rainbow Dash leaned against a beam supporting the high ceiling. "Shh." She held her hoof to her muzzle. The place was quiet, except for the crackling fire before the Jarl. Dash slowly trotted up the steps before the fire, Alex by her side. "Halt! What is the meaning of this interruption? The Jarl is not taking visitors at this time." Irileth, a Dark Pony, with pointed ears and dark purple fur, the Jarl's protector, stepped in front of the pair, firmly stopping them. She held a sword in her hoof, ready to strike at a moments notice. "We are messengers, sent by Riverwood. Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid. They're worried about the Dragons." Alex said, holding his hands up as if he was surrendering to Irileth. "Calm down Irileth, lets see what they have to say." Saddlegruuf said. Irileth sheathed her sword and stepped back to the Jarl's side. "So, you have news from Riverwood?" The Jarl asked. "Yes. Helgen was destroyed by a Dragon. My friend and I escaped to Riverwood. Riverwood was worried they would get hit also, so they sent us here to ask for your aid." Saddlegruuf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Riverwood will receive a group of soldiers..." He began. Alex and Dash bro-hoofed for a job well done. "But you must complete a task for my court wizard, Zecora. The pair groaned like a couple of foals when given a grueling homework assignment. "Come, I will take you to Zecora." The Jarl stepped down from his throne and led the pair into a small room, with a roughly drawn map of Manerim, several magical stones, and a few books laying around on a simple wooden table. A zebra stepped out of a closet with another book in it's mouth. The exotic creature set the book down on the table and began speaking . "Ah, I am Zecora, I am a mage, I've learned many-a-spell from many-a-page. I need you pair to delve into a most dangerous tomb, what you must find, is an ancient dragon heirloom." Zecora rhymed. Alex thought for a minute. "So, we need to go to Bare Hooves Barrow and retrieve the Dragonstone. Seems legit." "Yes, I shall have a reward for you both when you complete this task. You two should really head to the Bannered Mare to sleep. It's getting late." Saddlegruuf suggested. "Thank you for having us, Jarl." Alex said. The pair left the room and headed down the steps towards the wide double doors. They pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool Manerim air. "C'mon, Dash. The Bannered Mare is just down in the circle." Alex led her down the steps and into the wide trading circle. He pushed open the door to the Mare and held it for Dash. "Ladies first." Alex fell in behind her after walking inside casually walked up to the inn keeper. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I'd like a room with 2 beds, for one night." "Ok, that will be 30 bits." The keeper said. Hmm. I remember picking up some gold in the cave... He thought to himself as he searched his pockets. "Here it is..." He muttered to himself as he found his fingers closing around a sack of coins. He quickly counted out the money and handed it over to the keeper. "Your room is the one upstairs, on the right. Have a nice stay." The keeper said as Alex walked off. "C'mon Dash. I got us a room." Alex walked up the wooden stairs with Dash behind. He opened the door and the pair stepped inside. Dash wrinkled her nose. "It needs to be about twenty percent cooler." She said, jumping into a bed. "Man, I wish this was a cloud bed. Much better than a mattress." Alex began to take his shirt off when he asked Dash a question. "Um...Dash? Do you mind If I sleep naked in my bed?" Alex said, blushing. "Everyone sleeps naked, silly. I don't know if humans sleep naked but ponies do. It's fine with me if you want." Alex then took the rest of his clothes off, and jumped into bed. "Night Dash." He said. "Night Alex." Dash said. And then they slept. Chapter 7: Bare Hooves BarrowThe morning sun shone through the windows, bathing the room in it's warmth and light. Eventually, the sound of ponies talking, walking, and singing in the Bar area downstairs woke Alex from his slumber. Quietly, he sat up in bed, barely rustling the rough deer-hide sheets. He closed his eyes tightly, and yawned, stretching out his arms wide. He looked over to Rainbow Dash's bed and saw the beautiful pegasus sleeping soundly. His heart warmed and he smiled in joy of having such an awesome and attractive companion. Not only was she attractive and awesome, she was willing to travel all throughout Manerim to help him defeat the dragons, and she was also very loyal. He pulled his blankets off and climbed out of the rough bed. Realizing he was naked, he scooped up his clothes from off the wooden floor and hastily threw them on. He figured he must've looked pretty ugly, with his tattered, blood stained and ash covered shirt, ripped and muddy jeans. He tried not to think about how his face must've looked. Alex softly stepped over to Dash's bed and began speaking in a gentle voice. "Rainbow Dash, it's morning. I thought you might like breakfast before trekking to the barrow." The sound of Alex's voice made the sleeping pegasus stir. "Mhm...what?" She said, half conscious, half in dream world. "Yeah...breakfast sounds nice." She said, still sleeping. Alex opened the door and walked down the stairs, quietly. He walked over to the keeper's counter and ordered breakfast for Rainbow Dash and himself. "I'd like an apple or two, with some water. For my friend, well, what do ponies eat?" Alex asked curiously. "Um, well, what I usually eat is hay, water, some apples and carrots. Maybe some vegetables... maybe a sugarcube or two if I feel like eating something sweet." "I'd like that for my friend. Some hay, an apple or two, a few carrots, and some sugarcubes, and a glass of water." "Alright sir, that will be 15 bits, someone will bring you your food in a minute." Alex slipped his hand into his pocket and his fingers closed around his coin purse. Pulling it out his pocket, he began counting out the bits and handed it over. "Thank you." He said. At the same time, Rainbow came down the stairs, yawning. She sat down at a table, and Alex joined her. They waited and ate their breakfast in silence. Alex went upstairs and returned with Rainbow's sword in his left hand, and gripping his own sword in his right. "You ready?" Rainbow Dash snatched her sword out of Alex's left hand and looked over it. "Yup." The wind was chilly as it whistled through the rocky and snowy hills, tousling Dash's mane and Alex's hair. It was foolish of the two not to bring a source of heat, or light. They both regretted that. The journey to the barrow was uneventful, besides the unrelenting snow and the burning cold on the way up the steep mountain. The wind whistled in their ears, placing fear in their hearts. The ancient stone pillars towered high above them , cold and unforgiving. Alex looked upon the gargantuan carved doors of the ancient stone structure. The exterior was lightly protected, a few ponies on lookout. Clearly, something in there was worth protecting if they were out in this unbearable cold. "Should we fight them, or stealth around them?" Alex asked, steam rolling from his mouth as he whispered to the shivering pegasus beside him. "Fighting them would be foolish. We need to move quickly and quietly. Observe their movements, and move when they aren't in your direct path. Fight them only if you need to." Dash whispered, and moved towards a wall, out of sight for the few bandits on watch. "Follow me." She said, head peaking around the edge of the wall, her eyes fixed on a bandit posted at the top of the steep staircase, fiddling with the string on his simple wooden bow. The heavily falling snow offered a thin veil of protection from the sight of the look-outs. Dash crept along the bottom of the stairs, not daring to breath. She barely made a sound, but her rainbow colored coat was almost out of place in the white snow. She finally made it to the other side of the stairs, and sighed a breath of relief. Now it was Alex's turn. He held his breath and crept along the staircase. He heard the faint 'crunch' of the snow beneath his feet. Then his heart stopped when he heard a look-out yell, "Hey!" Alex looked in the direction of the pony that yelled and drew his sword. He locked eyes with the pegasus that had caught him and said, "Come at me, bro." The pegasus charged forward with a huge orcish sword in his hoof, the dull green material dripping with fresh blood. The pony was fast. He slashed and sliced, and Alex could barely dodge the strikes, but his mind went into a different mode--analyzing patterns, learning the pegasi's style, which was all offense, no defense. The pegasus growled and thrust his sword at Alex. He jumped backwards and landed in the snow, and felt the icy liquid seep through his shirt. When he jumped back, he had thrown his sword a yard or two away, completely out of reach. The menacing pegasus stood over him now, sword in hoof, raising it above his head to bring down on Alex. Then out of nowhere, Rainbow Dash came up behind the pegasi with her sword and thrust it into his back. The sword drove through his flesh and through his stomach. He let out a cry of agony as the sharp sword skewered him, and Alex saw the snow turn a bright crimson as blood poured from the wound. Rainbow yanked her sword out of the dead pegasi and he fell over, lifeless, as more blood seeped through the wound in his stomach. Alex stood up and brushed the remaining snow off his shirt. "Thanks." Rainbow tossed him his sword and he caught it in mid air, looking it over to make sure it was still in tip top shape. He pointed towards the door of the barrow, where 2 ponies were sitting at fire, the dwindling flickering across their faces. "I guess they didn't hear us." Alex said. "Lets make them." Dash grinned and ran towards the ponies, sword in hoof. After Dash and Alex mopped up the two remaining bandits at the door, they headed inside. The place was barely lit. A faint beam of dim light shone through a jagged hole in the ceiling. A dying fire at the opposite side of the room gave off a weak orange glow. Rubble lay everywhere on the floor, crumbling into pieces. Their steps echoed throughout the empty place, only adding to the creepy feeling. Cobwebs decorated every dark corner, venomous spiders dangling from the thin silk material. Alex picked up a burnt out torch from a sconce on the wall and stuck the tip over the fire. The flames caught quick, and within seconds he had a torch. Dash nodded in approval. "Good thinking." They entered a stone hallway, the torch illuminating the empty place. They came upon a lit room, a single pony with a torch in hand inside. He placed the torch on a slab of stone and pulled a lever in the middle of the room. Arrows shot out of holes in the walls, piercing his body in multiple places. He cried out, but was cut off by an arrow that landed in his throat. Dead. He fell over, arrows sticking out of his corpse. "Ooh. Painful" Dash's face contorted in disgust and turned away. Alex's gaze turned to Dash's. "I'm going to have a look around in there. Sit tight." Alex looked away and entered the room. Three stone pillars, each with a different carving , stood in a line on the left side of the room. The first pillar had a carving of an eagle on it, the middle a snake, and the last one, a whale. He glanced to the wall above the pillars and saw 3 carvings of a snake, each one the same. He knew this from Skyrim. He placed his hands on the first pillar, and turned it to the right, twice. Surprisingly, it turned as if it weighed nothing, and the carving of an eagle disappeared, in it's place a snake, same as all the others. He went to the last pillar with the whale on it and turned it to the left, once. The snake appeared in it's place. "Right." He turned around on his heel and walked towards the lever. He gripped the pole with his both of his hands, and flipped it to the opposite direction it was in. An iron gate to another room slid up into the ceiling, and Alex sighed with relief. "C'mon, Dash." Alex ran into the other room, Dash close behind. Alex and Rainbow Dash entered a hallway with an unusually large amount of spider webs. The next room they entered, though, was even worse. The sticky stuff was everywhere. On the floor, on the walls, every surface possible. "Dash," Alex breathed. "We're about to battle a giant fucking spider." Then, as if on cue, a spider the size of a house dropped from a huge hole, hanging by a thread. They both drew their swords, and stood side by side. "We're a team. We can do this." Dash reassured Alex. The spider crawled towards them, it's ugly black eyes cold and unforgiving, a void. Dash and Alex charged in, hacking and slashing at the creature's legs. It gave out what Alex assumed to be a cry of pain, and the creature started kicking the two of them with it's hairy legs, each one almost the length of a full grown man. "Back away from it!" Dash yelled, and ran at the spider head on. She rammed her sword into the spider's eyes, blinding the atrocious thing. She stabbed it for several times, just to make sure. Blood dripped from her sword. It was dead. A lot of things were dead now because of them "Hey," Dash began, sweating and breathing heavily. "Yeah?" Alex asked. "I don't think the author is giving us enough dialogue. You?" She asked. "Yeah." "Help, help!" A voice called. "Woah," Alex readied he sword. "Who is that?" "I'm over here, caught in the webs! Cut me down!" Alex looked around the room and saw a Dark Pony caught in a web, struggling to get free from his bindings. Alex and Dash cautiously walked over and began questioning him. "Who are you?" Dash asked, squinting. "I'm Sti-" He was cut off by Alex. "Yeah, you have the golden claw, the nor-- er, the Rim Ponies, have a secret hidden there." He finished. The Dark Pony's mouth was agape in surprise. "Damn, you're a mind-reader." The pony muttered. "No, I'm not. Now, if I cut you down, I'm going to have to kill you, because you will run away. Sorry bro, but it's for the good of Pony-kind." Alex said. "No, no, no, wait! I'll give you the claw, just don't kill me." The pony pleaded. For some reason, Alex agreed. "Fine." Dash punched Alex in the shoulder, half serious, half playful. "Alex, you can't listen to him! Kill the pony." "I will, just hold on." Alex whispered in her ear. "Alright bro-ham, let me cut you down." The pony looked relieved. "But, I'm gonna have to kill you first." He didn't give the Dark Pony a chance to object, as his sword was already in the his throat. He pulled the bloody sword and wiped the blood from the it with his hand. He cut up the webs with his sword and found a corridor behind it all. He knelt down and felt around the pony's saddlebag, and pulled out a claw made of solid gold. He took the pack off of his back and gently placed the claw down in the bottom of the bottom of the bag. "We'll need this." The two were worn out. They had encountered their first few Draugr, or "Nateuzek" in Manerim. Most of them were pegasi, though some were Unicorns or Earth Ponies. Their eyes were an icy blue, their fur white or brown. They wore ancient pieces of iron armor, most of it rusted and broken. "So, why do the Nateuzek exist?" Alex asked, curious of their origin. "The ancient Rim Ponies used to worship the dragons. Alduin, especially. Now as punishment for their treachery, they have been cursed with immortality. They shall never die unless slain." Dash explained. They came upon an unopened set of double doors. "I'll open it." Dash said. She moved toward the doors, and eased them open. They creaked horribly, the doors ready to fall off from it's neglect of nearly 2000 years. The door opened into a lengthy hallway, carvings decorating the walls. "Woah..." "The hall of stories..." Alex ran his hand over the ancient carvings, in awe of the place. Dash did the same, admiring the ancient stonework. "Alex, hand me the bag. I'm going to use the claw." Alex slipped the straps off and handed Dash the bag. She rummaged around inside and pulled the claw out. She moved towards the door and observed the bottom of the claw. Three small carvings of a bear, butterfly, and a bird told her what to do. She looked at the door and moved the three rings into place, and stuck the claw in the keyhole. She turned the claw to the left, slightly, and the door shifted. It slid into the floor, disappearing. Alex came up to her side and they bro-hoofed for another job well done. But their job was not done yet. They moved into a cavernous room, a large wall of marks on the opposite side. "Dash, This is the end of the Barrow." They drew their swords and walked towards the wall, cautiously. A single coffin was off to the side, while many others lined the sides of the room. They stood in front of the wall now, which pulled Alex closer with each beat of a chant, he was unable to resist. He rested his hands on the wall, staring into a group of marks. The marks lit up blue, tunneling into his eyes, his soul. Then, it stopped. He had learned his first word of power. He didn't celebrate long, for the coffins along the walls burst open, revealing at least 15 Nateuzek, all hungry for a death. "Don't worry, Dash, just like you said, we're a team. We'll be okay." Alex started to doubt this when the Nateuzek charged forward, swords swinging. Alex and Dash fended off Nateuzek, after Nateuzek, after Natuezek. Blood stained the floor, their swords, and faces. There were 5 left, still swinging their swords. One dead. Two more in one swing. Another. The last one. Alex breathed in heavily, and sweat poured from his face. "Dash...we did it." He expected her to reply to him, but she didn't. He turned around, and saw a huge Natuezek standing over her. His sword was raised over his head, just about to strike, like what had happened Alex earlier, outside. His mind went into overdrive mode. Time seemed to slow down. He ran at the beast, sword in hand, yelling. Just as the Natuezek's sword was about to drive through Rainbow's heart. He tackled the thing, crashing him to the ground. He had his sword in hand, repeatedly stabbing it in the head with his sword, and repeatedly yelling, "NO!" His strength ran out and he couldn't stab the thing anymore. He stood up with what little strength he had left and smiled weakly when he saw Rainbow, safe. He wasn't expecting it. Rainbow leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was long, and drawn out. She pulled away and said, " Thank you for saving me back there." She looked down, then back up. "Well...I guess we should look for the Dragonstone." She turned around and saw a chest. Opening it, she found the stone inside. "Got it. Let's go." She ran to a stairway nearby, and trotted up it. She pulled a lever and part of the wall opened up. Alex was shocked that Rainbow had kissed him. Still, he was ecstatic that it happened. He ran up the stairs after Rainbow and into the falling snow, where Dash was waiting for him. "Lets get back to Whitetrot." Chapter 8: MirmulnirRainbow Dash and Alex arrived at the gates of Whitetrot, weak and tired from their long journey. Alex, Dragonstone in his left land, pushed open the gates to the city and ushered Dash in. He stepped in after her and pushed the heavy wooden door closed behind him with a grunt. "So, to the Jarl, then?" Alex asked, once more, looking over his sword. He noticed it was cracked in some places and the expression on his face said he was appalled. "Man, I thought the armor and weapons in Skyrim never degraded..." He muttered to himself while sheathing it. "Dash, I'm going to get a new sword at the blacksmith. Do you need anything?" "Take my sword and have it repaired. Get yourself some armor while you're at it, I'm sure you'll need it if the Jarl needs us to doing else. I'm going to take the Dragonstone up to Zecora and have her analyze it. I'll meet you back here soon." Alex handed the blue pegasus the carved stone while she simultaneously handed him her sword. "See you in a bit." She said, and flew off to Dragonsreach. Alex headed over to the forge and started chatting up the blacksmith. "Uh, hello. I'm Alex. And, I was wondering if you could maybe repair some things of mine?" He handed both swords to the blacksmith, who stopped her forging, then ran her hoof over the smooth but cracked iron blade of Alex's sword. "I'd love to, but I am swamped with work. Maybe you'd like to buy some better swords? I made some steel ones an hour or two ago, they're still cooling, but I bet they're ready to use..." She said absentmindedly as she went back to hammering at a piece of hot metal on her anvil. "Oh, uh, thanks. I don't have much money though..." He said as he checked his pockets. "Maybe we could work out some sort of deal? I did a job for the Jarl and I am supposed to be paid soon. Or maybe I could do some work for you? I'm sure you need a break." "Sounds like a good offer. I'd shake your hand, but I don't have thumbs. How about a bro-hoof?" She said, extended her front right leg and grinned. "By the way, my name is Ember." -Dragonsreach- Rainbow Dash trotted into Dragonsreach once more, but this time, bearing the Dragonstone. The Jarl was taking a visitor, a very strange pony wearing a white hooded robe, with a red sash around the middle, and a black cape. He spoke with an accent unfamiliar to her, and she had met ponies from all over Equestria. "Maestro, I managed to kill the Templar before he could share his information with his colleagues. The other Assassins will be pleased to hear it." The Jarl nodded and the robed pony trotted away. Dash turned her gaze back to Saddlegruuf "Jarl, we retrieved the Dragonstone from the barrow. May I see Zecora?" Rainbow Dash asked. Saddlegruuf nodded. "Certainly." Rainbow Dash walked into Zecora's room, and saw her staring down at the map of Manerim, muttering rhymes and scribbling messy words onto a piece of parchment. "Zecora, Alex and I retrieved the Dragonstone. Here." She set it down on the table and Zecora looked up from her work. "You've retrieved the Dragonstone, I see. This will prove a great advantage to you, and me. Many thanks, and ask the Jarl for your reward, I'm sure he has something very good, like a new sword." Just then, Irileth came galloping into the room. "Zecora, and you, come quickly." She said, pointing at Rainbow Dash. "The Jarl wishes to speak with both of you." Irileth led them to them into the great hall to the Jarl. "I've been getting reports that a Dragon has been sighted, Rainbow Dash. I want Irileth, you, and Alex to head to the watchtower west of here and see if you can bring it down." Dash closed her eyes and bowed to the Jarl. "We'll do it." A pony came rushing in, a guard, breathing heavily and sweating. "Sir, we spotted it by the tower again. But it came at us this time, though I managed to escape. I've never galloped so fast in my life." "Good job soldier, go to the barracks and get some rest, you've earned it." The Jarl turned his gaze back to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash, if you manage to bring down that monstrosity, you and Alex will both get a fine reward. Now go and serve me well." Rainbow Dash galloped off with Irileth behind her. Alex wiped the sweat off of his forehead and continued hammering down on a piece of molten steel, each time the hammer came down on the metal, it made him flinch. "There you go, you're getting it. Just remember to-" Ember looked away and saw Rainbow Dash and Irileth galloping down the cobblestoned street. Rainbow Dash came trotting up to Alex. "Alex," she said panting. "They've spotted a Dragon by the watchtower west of here, the Jarl wants us to go take it down." Alex set down at his hammer on a table and looked over at Ember and gave her a worried look. She nodded and Alex looked back at Rainbow Dash. "Lets go then. If only my sword wasn't in such disrepair though." He said, looking down at the still cracked blade. Ember took the damaged sword from his hand and gave him a brand new steel sword. "Thank you." Alex said, beaming. "No Problem." She said, smiling. She gave Rainbow Dash a new sword and nodded. "Let's go then, Rainbow, Irileth?" Alex asked. They arrived at the watchtower soon after they left, and saw large chunks of the tower scattered on the ground. A few dead guardsponies were splayed out on the ground. A guard pony came trotting from inside the tower. "No! Get back! Flash and Bolt just got grabbed by that dragon!" The air was shattered by a shrill, earsplitting roar. "Get ready then, guys..." Alex growled, unsheathing his sword, which gleamed in the pale sunlight. The Dragon came soaring over the mountain ridge, it's great, majestic wings flapping in the wind. The Dragon was easily bigger than the inn in Riverwood, which was pretty large on it's own. It circled over the watchtower and roared another air shattering roar. It touched down on the ground and began spitting fire at ponies all around it, some were flinging spells at it, trying to weaken him. Alex ran at it while it was occupied and thrust his blade into the tough dragon hide, and pulled it out, his sword dripping with blood. "Well that didn't really do much..." Alex said, looking for a weak point. He kept stabbing the dragon, but it wasn't doing very much, just bloodying his sword. He decided he might try to take it on directly. He climbed upon the dragon's rough back began inching his way along the thrashing dragon's back toward it's head. "Careful now..." He said, raising his sword above it's head, and thrust it down it's head. It let out a roar of indescribable loudness and began thrashing even wilder. He stabbed it again, and again. Just before the killing blow, the dragon let out a roar that sounded slightly of "Dovahkiin, No!". Alex jumped off of it's head as it began to smoke and eventually catch fire. Alex watched with wonder as the hide dissolved and he absorbed the dragon's very soul, the different shades of blue and red swirling around him. He smiled contentedly as he absorbed the last of it's soul, and all that was left of the Dragon was it's skeleton. "By Starswirl, You're the Dragonborn." Said one guard in awe. "You don't say." Alex said flatly. "Alex, you did it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and grabbed Alex in a great hug. Surprised, Alex returned the hug and Rainbow Dash let go. She smiled at him. "Good Job you two, the Jarl will definitely want to hear of this victory. The other guards and I will stay here and clean up." Irileth said, congratulating them. "Irileth, that human is a Dragonborn!" A guard exclaimed. "What?" Irileth asked, appalled. "Nonsense." "But we saw him absorb it's soul!" Yelled another. "Rubbish. What evidence is there?" She retorted, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "Well, all the Dragonborn can shout. Human, shout at us and we'll know." The guard said to Alex Alex welled up all of his energy in his body and concentrated on the shout and what he wanted to do. He tried to shout, but he couldn't. He knew he could do it, it was just a matter of focusing. "C'mon, Alex, you can do it." Rainbow Dash said reassuringly. He focused his energy and shouted. "FUS!" All the ponies crowded around him stumbled back and stood up in awe. Murmurs came from all the guards around him. "He really is dragonborn.." "By Starswirl, what a shout." "Ouch, my flank..." "Alright then, Rainbow Dash, let's go see the Jarl. I'm sure he'll be more than pleased with our work." Alex said, turning away from the crowd and beginning to walk back with Rainbow Dash. "What kind of reward do you think he has for us?" She asked. "Eh, I don't know, money, weapons." He said, shrugging. "We'll see when we get back. Hey, is it legal here in Manerim for a Human to date a pony?" Rainbow Dash gave him a puzzled look. "I have no clue." "I guess we'll take our chances then." He said, smiling. Alex and Rainbow Dash walked into Whitetrot once more and Alex smiled. "I bet the Grey Beards will summon me any second now." He held up 3 fingers. "3. 2. 1." Alex heard no summon. "Ah well." He said. "DO-VAH-KIIN!" The ground shook as the Greybeards summoned him, and Alex, obviously surprised, corrected himself when they stopped. "I was a little off." Rainbow Dash laughed. "Let's keep going then." "So, the Grey Beards have summoned you and you both managed to kill that Dragon. I think a reward would be appropriate. But take my word of Advice. It is not wise to ignore the summons of the Greybeards. Go, Dragonborn, and they will give you their wisdom. Now, how about that reward? Proventus! Go fetch these two some bits and new weapons!" The steward hurried off and returned quickly with 2 sackfuls of bits being levitated by magic and two brand new, unblemished dwemer swords. "Uh, sir, this is a little bit excessive, but thank you!" Rainbow Dash said, bowing. "Make good use of these gifts. You two will need them, I'm sure. Oh, I'm forgetting the most important detail. The Greybeards reside in Crystalvale, a monastery near the peak of the Throat of the World. To get there, you must travel up the 7000 steps, which begin at the base of the mountain, at the town of Ponyville. Good luck, you two." Alex picked up one of the gleaming dwemer swords and a sack of bits and grinned stupidly. "Rainbow Dash, let's get moving." Chapter 9 : CrystalvaleAuthor's Note: I've had much help from my good friend, The Shadow of Death. Thanks Shadow! :D Alex and Rainbow Dash arrived in Ponyville feeling pretty confident about their trek up the 7,000 steps to Crystalvale. Alex paid the carriage driver who had brought them there with a handful of bits. "Thank you." The driver said, and set off in the opposite direction back to Whitetrot. "Crystalvale is an ancient place, Alex. Old as Hearthland, the land which all ponies migrated from, 5,000 years ago. We have a holiday dedicated to it and the founding of Equestria, Hearth's Warming Eve." Rainbow Dash said, her hooves clopping on the gray flagstones below her. "Every year they celebrate it in the Celestia City, with a play and other Festivities. The city is beautiful at that time of year, the snow falling on the neat and clean streets, the big red bows decorating every door. I wish I could take you to see it, Alex." Alex smiled and looked at Rainbow Dash, his eyes twinkling. "I'd like to go see it myself, Dash. It sounds almost like Christmas, a human holiday." Alex went on to explain the joyous holiday in great detail, from Christmas trees to Santa Clause. "Santa Clause?" Dash exclaimed. "So he just gives gifts to little children?" Alex laughed. "Well, he's a myth, so no. The parents do that." "How long do you think it'll take to get to the monastery, Dash?" Alex said, craning his neck to look up the gargantuan mountain. "I'm not sure, Alex. I've never made my way up the path myself. Very few people are allowed at the monastery. It is a great privilege to be able to speak with the Greybeards. Though quiet, the Mistress there is a well educated scholar on the dragons and their language. Some say she is the daughter of Aruventus, the goddess of wind, air, and animals. She certainly has a way with nature." "Well, once we travel this path, we'll be free to speak with her. 7,000 steps, if I remember correctly." Alex said, recalling his adventures in Skyrim. "We should get moving then. I'd like to get there before nightfall." Alex and Rainbow Dash crossed an arched bridge and started making their way up the path, killing the time by talking. "So, why did you kiss me that other day, Rainbow Dash?" Alex inquired, blushing madly and trying to look away. Rainbow Dash frowned and looked out across the horizon, admiring Celestia's beautiful sun. "I...I honestly don't know myself, Alex. I guess I couldn't think of a better way to thank you at that moment. I'm sorry." She said, also blushing. "It's alright. In fact, that was a great kiss." Alex said, blushing harder. "We should really do it again sometime." Rainbow Dash laughed. "We certainly should, though I think it would be best to reach Crystalvale right now." "We should be getting close by now. We passed the 4th etching an hour back, and the 5th one signals the monastery is near. God, I can't wait to warm up when we get inside. It's f-r-reezing up here..." An hour passed and it got colder as they traveled up the path, and it began to snow heavily. Thankfully, though, when they turned a corner, they could see Crystalvale through the unrelenting snow. "Th-thank Luna..." Alex heard Rainbow Dash say through chattering teeth. Alex opened the door, to let Rainbow Dash in, then quickly shut it behind him. It was warm inside, much to the pair's pleasure. Alex and Rainbow Dash held their hands and hooves over a smoldering fire. "Oh, um, are you the Dragonborn?" Said a timid voice from nearby. Alex and rainbow dash turned to see a pale yellow pegasus pony with wavy pink hair. "Yes, I am. You are the ones that summoned me, correct?" Alex said, staring at the yellow pegasus. "Well, um, yes. My name is Fluttershy..." She said quietly. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you, could you repeat that?" Alex said, smiling. "My name is, um, Fluttershy..." She whispered, trying to look away from Alex. "What?" He said, starting to feel bad. "Uh, I believe her name is Fluttershy, Alex." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I've answered your summons. What do you need of me?" "We learned of your ability to slay dragons and absorb their power. To prove that you are, um, Dragonborn, demonstrate your power to us." Alex inhaled and exhaled, then inhaled once more, and shouted. "FUS!" Fluttershy and the other greybeards stumbled backwards and quickly got back up. "Oh! Your shout hit my wings!" Fluttershy giggled. "Try not to, next time, okay?" She said, still giggling and blushing madly, trying to hide her obvious wing-boner. "Now that you have demonstrated your power to us, you need to learn to focus your shout, I mean, if you don't mind..." She said, looking away again. "Mistress Sun Beam will now teach you the word "Ro", or balance, in the Dragon tongue." Sun Beam stepped forward projected the word of power, Ro, onto the floor. At first Alex only had the vaguest idea of how to read the word, but gradually the intrinsic meaning, the true nature of the word revealed itself to him. He knew, instinctively, how to call upon the word's power just as he had done before. "Good. You learn quickly, Dragonborn. Where it may take others years to learn even the simplest shout, it is in your blood to know the Tongue of the Dovah, allowing you to learn quickly." Fluttershy explained, turning around to walk in the other direction. "Now follow me please, if, um, you don't mind. We'll practice out in the courtyard for the next shout, Whirlwind." Alex and Rainbow Dash followed Fluttershy and the others outside to the snowy courtyard, which by then it had stopped snowing. There was a certain tranquility in the air that made Alex feel at home. "The next shout we are going to be learning is 'Wuld', or Whirlwind. Mistress Sun Beam and Shadow Cloud will demonstrate it for you." Sun Beam trotted over to a large gate, while Shadow cloud stood still, waiting for the gate to open. "BEX!" Sun Beam shouted, which then Shadow Cloud shouted, "WULD!" And flashed forward in the blink of an eye. Immediately after she shouted, the gate closed. "Now, Shadow Cloud will give you her knowledge of the word, 'Wuld'." Fluttershy said, and backed away. Shadow Cloud approached Alex and closed her eyes. He could hear the word being chanted in his ears, over and over again. Blue sparks encircled him, lifting him from the ground. "Excellent. Mistress Sun Beam, over by the gate, um, if you don't mind...." The cream colored unicorn trotted over to the gate happily. "BEX!" She shouted, and the gate opened. Alex inhaled and shouted. "WULD!" He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, and the gate closed behind him just as he stopped. He walked back over to Fluttershy. "Excellent. That's all we'll practice for today. Now, I have special task for you. In Hjalmarch, There is an old Hearthinian ruin known as Ustengrav. Inside, is the horn of Moonflower Wind Walker, founder of the Way of The Voice. Retrieve it, and return it to me. Then we can further your training in the Way of the Voice. When we go back inside, I could give you an enchanted map of Manerim, which can show you where you are and where you want to go." "Thank you, Fluttershy, for assisting me in learning new Words of Power." Alex said, hugging her. Alex heard a 'POMF' and released her. Fluttershy was once again blushing madly with her wings fully erect. "Oh, it's no problem, really...you and Rainbow Dash could sleep here tonight, I mean, if you want." When they got back inside, Fluttershy gave him the specially enchanted map and a few red bottles, which Alex assumed were potions of healing. When Alex was putting the map and potions in his bag, Rainbow Dash approached him. "You know, I think Fluttershy has a crush on you. I've never seen a pegasus get a bigger wing-boner than the one she had when she was around you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Alex stared at her blankly for a minute than continued to pack his bag. He closed the flap, took off his clothes and then got into his bed, thankful that it was warm and comfortable. Rainbow Dash got into the bed adjacent to his and sighed. "Something wrong?" Alex asked, turning over. "Nothing, I was just thinking about Fluttershy, that's all..." She said. "Oh. Good night, then." "Night." Chapter 9 And 3 Quarters, Flutterstalker!Author's Note: This chapter is entirely optional, so feel free to skip it. But, if you like fluttershy stalking Alex, please, read! XD The Shadow Of Death was also an immense help on this chapter, and we had alot of fun producing It. Enjoy! :D Alex opened his eyes, not quite sure what woke him up. It was still very early, with only the pale blue-grey of pre-dawn light creeping in through the windows. Everything was still in shadows. Rainbow dash was snoring lightly nearby, but that wasn't what woke him Alex realized with a start. There was a presence in this room, lurking in a nearby shadowy corner. It squeaked slightly when he stared at it. "Fluttershy, what are you doing?!" Cried Alex, staring back at her, with a severely displeased look on his face. "Oh, uh, nothing Alex, just admiring this floor." She said in her timid voice. Alex frowned at her until she shuffled out, with her head down. Alex got up and started to get dressed quietly so as to not wake Rainbow Dash. "Ummm, would you like some breakfast?" Alex whipped around to look at Fluttershy. She was back in the doorway, head still looking at her hooves and the floor, but Alex thought he saw her sneaking looks around his middle. He suddenly became aware that he had yet to pull up his pants, having stripped nude when he went to bed." He quickly pulled them up and said in clipped tones, "No, not right now thank you." "Rainbow Dash, I caught fluttershy staring at me..." "Wha-what was that?", yawns Rainbow Dash, opening her eyes sleepily. "Fluttershy was staring at my, well, er..." "Was she really?", asks Rainbow Dash, in sly tones, "Well, can't say I blame her but she better cut it out." Alex huffs at Rainbow Dash's attempts to tease him, and he finishes getting dressed while Rainbow Dash pulls on her armor and equips her sword, making sure it's clear in its scabbard. Alex double checks as well with his sword. The two go to the main hall, where the other Greybeards are eating breakfast. "Ummm, please sit. We're having scrambled eggs. You'll need your strength if you're going to go crawling around a dangerous dungeon full of scary things..." Alex pauses for a moment, but decides that breakfast is harmless and Fluttershy wasn't likely to try anything in front of others anyway. She was just too shy. "Alright then," he says eventually. Dash and Alex sit down side by side, across from the Greybeards. Alex takes care to sit at the seat furthest from Fluttershy. Might send a message, thought Alex. Fluttershy gets up and goes to the kitchen to grab a couple more plates of scrambeled eggs for the two guests and when she returns she's balancing the plates on her outstretched wings, one to a wing. She carefully trots over to their side of the table and slides one of the plates in front of Rainbow Dash. She sidles up to Alex and proffers a wing, clearly inviting him to take the plate. "Ummmm, thank you," Alex says, grasping the plate. "Ohhhhhh," moans Fluttershy, barely audible but Alex and Dash both heard her. It seems his fingers brushed her wings as he grabbed the plate. From his close proximity to the yellow Pegasus, it was quite apparent that her wings had twitched and that she wore the slightly vacant face of someone who is in apparant ecstasy, but trying to hide it. Rainbow Dash hissed, and Alex winced slightly. He was starting to regret his decision to stay for breakfast, but so long as he didn't give her cause to come near again nothing else could go wrong, surely? "Alex," hissed a voice. Alex looked around, expecting to find Fluttershy hiding under the table or something, but it was just Dash. "What is it?" he breathed. "Look at the eggs," muttered Dash in obvious irritation, "What do they look like to you?" Alex looked down and at first couldn't make head or tails of what he was looking at, but it dawned on him. If you considered the two curved mounds made of piles of bright yellow scrambled eggs, forming a curved, narrow valley between them and also the general shape the outline formed it look an awful lot like a... "A flank. HER flank," she spat. "This is going way too far." Dash got up, and with obvious effort she screwed a neutral expression on her face. "Thank you for the meal," she said, in a diplomatic tone. She avoided looking at the yellow Pagasus, lest the anger she was disguising boil over, "We must be going however, if we are to recover the horn before nightfall." With that, she turned on her rear hooves and marched out of the room. Alex got up, nodded at the other greybeards but avoided Fluttershy's gaze, and followed the blue pegasus out of the room. He found her some distance away back in their room in an obvious rage. She was pacing and muttering dark threats. "Who does she think she is!" exploded Rainbow Dash suddenly. "I know, I know," sighed Alex, "Let's just get out of here." "I ought to take this sword and ram it down her throat!" exclaimed Dash, glaring out of the doorway back towards the main hall where her target was presumably still eating her meal. "We might find it difficult to get away if you did that", chuckled Alex wryly "Besides, it should be me that does it. I'm the one she's going after." Dash fell into a brooding silence and after a moment Alex asked, "Why are you taking it so personally anyway?" "Well," she replied after a while, her voice now without its former heat, "We're together, we're partners, and...maybe something mo-...Well, she should know better anyway..." Alex went crimson, and for the first time so did Dash, the red glow just visible through her blue coat, contrasting with it to make it stand out quite clearly. "Right," spoke up Alex, breaking the flustered silence, "You're right, we are partners." Dash look up at his face and a grin formed on her own. He knelt down so his own face was level with hers, "And maybe...No, definitely more." He kissed her and it felt like the world around them slipped away, to be replaced with a warmth that glowed and suffused them to their very soul. Tthe sound of hooves on stone rapidly retreating brought the rest of the world rushing back and they broke apart. Alex turned around just in time to see the tip of a pink tail slipping around a distant corner of the hall. "Well," said Alex, a little awkwardly, "Maybe now she'll stop bothering me." Rainbow Dash just grinned up at him. As Alex and Rainbow Dash readied themselves to leave, Fluttershy came trotting up to Alex, who refused to look in the yellow Pegasus' cyan eyes. "A-Alex?" squeaks a timid voice from behind him. "Yes, what is it?", responds Alex, looking a bit cautious. "I...I'm sorry for bothering you...I didn't know you and her were...Together," she blushes "Um, that's ok," he replies, obviously relieved. "Before you leave though, can I ask you something?" inquires Fluttershy, a bit more assertively. "Well, alright then." he says, taken aback at her change in demeanor. "Could you...maybe...shout at me again?" Silence falls and a look of stunned disbelief is evident on Alex's face. "Why?" Alex asked, who then had half a mind to jump off the mountain. "Because...*squeaks*itfeelsgood*/squeaks*" Alex turned around and walked out the door without a word. As the door was about to close behind him, he heard a once again timid voice ask, "Is that a maybe later?" Chapter 3: AttackThe others, captured Lunarian soldiers, Celestian soldiers, and civilians looked up in the sky and listened. A lavender unicorn spoke up. "Did you hear that?" The pony beside her ignored it. "It was nothing Twilight, carry on." Twilight looked back down at a clipboard surrounded by a lavender colored magical aura. "Yes Captain." Twilight started calling out names. "Stallio N. of Saddleston." The unicorn said, plainly and monotone. "You can't do this! I'm not with them! You're not going to kill me!" The thief ran off, but his escape was cut short by an arrow. He fell to the ground. Alex winced. "Anypony else feel like running?" The captain asked, expecting an obvious answer of silence. Twilight started calling the names again. "Rainbow Dash of Ponyville. Princess Luna, Leader of the Lunarians." They stepped forward. "It's been a great honor, Princess." Rainbow said proudly. Uh-oh. He was the only one left. "You there, step forward. Who are you?" Twilight asked, curious. "Well...." Alex began. "I'm a human. From the planet Earth. My name is Alex." Alex explained. Twilight looked down at her list, puzzled. "Captain, what do we do? He's not on the list, he's not even from this planet." The Captain thought for a moment. "Fuck your point Twilight, he goes to the block too." The Captain said, ignorant that the human in front of her would save Equestria. A prisoner in black and blue armor was called to the chopping block first. He put his neck on the block and waited impatiently for his inevitable death. "Come on Celestians, I haven't got all morning." The headsman raised his axe and brought down with a *THWACK* on the prisoners head. The head fell off into a box. Alex tried not to look at the execution. "Next prisoner, the human." Alex gulped. He walked over slowly to block. It's surface was bloody from the last prisoner. It was already starting to blacken. He felt sick to his stomach. "By the way, you were a pain in the flank to tie up." A Celestian guard said as he put his neck on the block. Then the roar came again, only this time, louder. MUCH louder. "What was that?" Asked everpony. "Ignore it. It's nothing." The Captain was wrong. The headsman raised his axe, then a Dragon appeared in the sky. "What in Equestria is that?!" Yelled the Captain. "It's in the clouds! Its a...a..Dragon!" The Dragon landed on a guard tower. It's scales were black as night, spikes and horns everywhere along it's body. This dragon was bigger than a bus. It was definitely Alduin.
Chapter 1: Asleep( Author's Note. I do not own any part of Hasbro or Bethesda Game Studios. Enjoy. ) Alex was playing Skyrim again, one of his favorite games. It was set in the land of Skyrim, on the continent of Tamriel. It was a very great game made by the famous game developers, Bethesda Game Studios. Alex yawned and looked at his phone. 2 am. Better get some sleep. He saved his progress and turned off his Playstation 3 game console. It shut off with a soft, high pitched "beep". The light on the TV winked out. He walked over to his bed and climbed in. He pulled the blue, soft, warm covers over him and fell fast asleep, a slight smile on his face.
Chapter 2: CapturedThe sound of hooves awoke Alex. It was cold, and the wind was blowing, making it even colder. Tall pine trees passed by, a dark green that almost reminded him of something. He couldn't quite grasp what. Snow covered the ground in patches, melting from the early morning sun. He saw that he was in a cart, his hands bound with a piece of rough cloth. He looked up in the sky, it was a light blue, and cloudless. It was a pristine environment. Where was he? He looked across from him. Startled, he almost jumped in a combination of shock and amazement. It was a horse. No, it was too small to be a horse. A pony maybe? It was cyan colored, with a rainbow mane. Ponies? Who would tie up a pony? What the fuck is going here? He thought to himself, wondering why a rainbow pony was tied up across him him. It had wings too, which were also tied up. Pegasi? The rainbow colored pony looked over at him. "Hey, you're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Celestian ambush, same as us. And that thief over there." Alex was utterly speechless. He couldn't even comprehend that a rainbow colored Pegasus had spoken English to him. "By the way, what are you? I've never seen you before." The Pegasus asked. Alex opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find any words. He just sat there with his mouth agape, his mind trying desperately to comprehend the situation. He decided to just take it slow. "I'm uh...I'm a Human. F-from the planet Earth. My n-name is uh...Alex." He spoke slowly and hesitantly. The Pegasus nodded. "A human, eh? I've never heard of...your kind before. By the way, my name is Rainbow Dash. I'm a Pegasus if you couldn't tell. I'm a Lunarian. I fight for Princess Luna, leader of the Lunarians. She seeks to drive out the Celestians from our homeland, Manerim." Alex looked to his right and saw a midnight colored pony wearing a black and blue crown. She had a long horn protruding from her head. Alex also noticed the pair of majestic wings on her back, which were bound to keep her from flying away. Her hooves were also tied up, and her mouth was shut, a gag over her mouth. The Lunarian Leader was an Alicorn. Clearly this...Princess Luna was a good leader and meant well for her people, but the "Celestians" saw her as a threat. The thief pony spoke up. "Damn you Lunarians, Equestria was just fine until you started causing trouble. I could have galloped all the way to Hooferfell if it wasn't for you!" The angry thief said, a frown on his face. "Be quiet back there, were almost into Helgen." Barked a guard in white and yellow armor, pulling the cart with another guard clad in the same armor. Alex almost fell over in shock. Okay, I'm in a cart with blue and rainbow colored English speaking ponies, I just heard the word "Helgen", the village at the start of Skyrim, I'm in a place called Manerim, and It's engaged in a civil war very similar to Skyrim's. Dear god, I hope I am not the Dragonborn. He thought nervously. The cart came to a halt in a small village, probably Helgen. Many guard towers stood high above the small cottages of the town, decorated with white and yellow banners with a sun on them. Oh yeah. This village was under heavy Celestian Influence. "Why are we stopping?" The thief asked nervously. Rainbow Dash face-palmed. Or rather, face-hoofed. "Why do you think? End of the line." The pegasus replied glumly. All the color on Alex's face drained instantly. End of the line, huh? Well, at least you got to meet English speaking ponies. He smiled at the thought, despite the situation he was in. The thief stepped down from the cart first, then Luna, and then Dash. "You Celestians can't do this! We're not with the Lunarians!" Thief said. Rainbow Dash snorted. "Stallion up and face your execution with courage." Suddenly, a distant roar echoed across the sky. "Oh shit..." Alex said quietly. "Dragons."
Chapter 4: EscapeAlduin shouted and the sky turned blood red, black meteors raining down from the sky. Yep. Definitely using the Thu'um. Alex was shouted off the execution block and landed face down in the dirt. Alex heard shouting from the civilians and the soldiers. "Guards, get the townsponies to safety!" Mass chaos erupted. Archers and mages were flinging arrows and spells toward Alduin. He shrugged them off like it was nothing. Lunarian soldiers started running towards safety, away from the Celestians and Alduin. Civilians panicked in the chaos, running around the town searching for a hiding spot. "Hey! Human get up! The gods won't give us another chance! Follow me!" Alex opened his eyes to see Rainbow Dash standing over him. Dash ran towards a guard towe r with Alex following close behind. They ran inside and slammed the door shut. Princess Luna and two of her soldiers were huddled together in the corner. "Luna! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Dash asked, nervously. Luna shook her head. "Legends don't burn down villages." Alex spoke up. "That was a dragon. I've seen...him, before. His name is Alduin.He-" Alex's talking was cut short due to Alduin roaring again. "We can talk later. We need to keep going." Rainbow Dash galloped up the stairs with Alex close behind. Two Lunarian soldiers were trying to clear some rubble out of the way. "We just need to-" Alduin's wing punched through the brittle and old stone of the tower. "Get back!" Rainbow Dash yelled, before a torrent of orange flames burst through the hole, lighting up the surrounding area. Alduin flew away, the sound of his huge black wings flapping drowning out all other sounds. Rainbow looked out of the hole Alduin had made and pointed her hoof at a burning building below. "See that inn on the other side? Jump down there and keep going!" Alex nodded, and jumped. He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on the situation he was in. He landed on the second floor of the inn through a hole in the roof, becoming increasingly bigger with each second due to the spreading fire. Unfortunately, he landed on his left arm, and heard a crack. Alex cried out in pain. Well, he wouldn't be using any two-handed weapons any time soon. If ponies even had two-handed weapons. Fuck, they didn't even hands. They had hooves. He slowly picked himself up off the ground. He felt his hand throb in time with his heartbeat. I hope ponies have restoration magic. He thought to himself. He ran towards a hole in the floor and jumped through, landing hard on his feet. Alex ran out the door, well, what was left of it. Alduin was sitting in the street, breathing fire at civilians and soldiers alike. A young boy, or colt, was more like it, was out in the street, petrified. "Hamming, get over here." Twilight called out to the young colt. "Ata boy, you're doing great. Stay here." "Dawn Light, I have to go find General Hoofson and join their defense." Twilight said, her horn glowing with magic. Instead of a lavender aura, it was glowing red. Clearly a destruction spell of some sort. Twilight noticed Alex standing behind her. "Still alive human? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way." Twilight ran off towards a burning building, Alex close behind. "Stay close to the wall!" Twilight yelled, the red aura of her horn glowing redder. Alduin landed on the wall they were hugging, and his wing dropped down. It was as dark as the void and bigger than a full grown human. Twilight ran up a charred path way and into a destroyed house. They ran towards the main keep, an orb of fire now in Twilight's hoof. "Rainbow, you damned traitor! Out of my bucking way!" Twilight shouted at Rainbow. "We're escaping Twilight. You can't stop us." Rainbow said, a rainbow colored axe in her hoof. "Fine, I hope that dragon takes you all to Sovngarde!" "C'mon human, into the keep!" Rainbow ran into the keep decorated with Celestian banners. Alex followed suit. Rainbow was breathing heavily and sweating. "Luna's Mane! That thing was a Dragon, no doubt. The harbinger's of the end times." She walked over to a fallen comrade. "We'll meet again in Saddlegarde, sister. Hey Alex, why don't you take that axe? But first, lets get those bindings off. Come here." Rainbow held up a little dagger, worn and dull. Alex placed his bindings on the worn blade. A quick cut snipped the bindings and he was free. Alex picked up the axe. It was a little bigger than his hand, but he would manage. Then he heard shouting. "It's the Celestians! Hide!" Rainbow Dash said, crouching down behind a table. The Celestians came through a door on the other side, swords drawn and armor gleaming in the dim light. Alex wasn't so comfortable with killing ponies. But, it was kill or be killed. Especially in this situation. The Celestians came through the door and started swinging their swords at Alex and Dash, grunting with each swing. The Captain, swung at Alex with a slim but sharp sword, cutting the soft skin on his face open. Blood poured from the gash. Alex swung his heavy axe back at the pony and landed a hit on her arm. Blood appeared and started staining her fur. She held the cut with her hoof, buying Alex time to land another hit, this time a killing blow. With the pony distracted, Alex aimed his axe at the pony's neck and cut. Blood poured like a waterfall from the cut. The pony fell over with a thud. Alex felt sick to his stomach. "Good job! Maybe one day you'll be as good as me." Rainbow commented, a grin on her face. Alex looked at the body and noticed a key on the belt. "Hey, a key!" He picked it off the belt as well as a sword. "Set? Lets go." Dash said, unlocking the door.
Chapter 5: RiverwoodAs Rainbow and Alex exited the cave, the sun shone brightly on the snow, making it glow. The trees seemed to sway rythmicly in the breeze. Alex exited the cave first. "We need to go to Riverwood." Dash eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know about Riverwood?" "It's in Skyrim. Nice little village. Can wait to venture into that damned barrow and retrieve that claw. I swear, I stole it right back after I returned it to him." He laughed as he said that last bit. Dash pulled her axe out of her belt and jumped on Alex and pinned him to the ground with her powerful legs. "Woah, woah!" "Alright, Celestian spy, start talking before I have to gut you like a horker." Dash barked, an angry look on her face. "Woah, they have horkers here too? Nice!" He said, grinning. This only made Dash press down harder. "Alright, Alright! I'll tell you, damn..." Dash frowned and removed her legs from his arms. He stood up and dusted his dirty clothes off. "God, its damn cold here...I can imagine how cold it is in Winterhold. Anyway, I know about Riverwood and horkers from this video game called 'Skryim'. I am the Dragonborn, or Dovahkiin, and I am supposed to save Skyrim. Or in this case, Manerim. I'm valuable to you, and all the people of Equestria, whatever or wherever that is." Rainbow rubbed her chin thoughtfully with her hoof. "I have no idea what a video game is, but that sounds pretty solid to me. Sorry I jumped on you." The pegasus said, looking at the ground. "C'mon, you crazy pegasus, lets go to Riverwood." Alex said, playfully shoving the light blue pony. They set off at a steady pace down the worn cobble stoned road. Rainbow Dash sighed in frustration. "What's wrong?" Alex asked. "It's just that...All I wanted peace, and for everything to be twenty percent cooler, but instead we fight a war. Ponies are supposed to be peace loving creatures." "It's okay. You guys will work something out." Alex said, stroking Rainbow's wing. She breathed in quickly. "Don't do that!" She barked, making him snatch his hand away and flinch. "Why not?" Rainbow looked away from his face. "Well...That's considered a private area for pegasus ponies. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'd be lying if I said that didn't feel good though." She said, blushing. "Oh, um, I'm really sorry." He said, blushing also. She shook her head. "No, it's okay. Just remember to not do that anymore, alright?" Alex nodded and stayed silent. The two walked merrily down the road discussing the war and Skyrim. "So what's it like around here?" Alex asked. "Well, you've played that game, right? You should know. But I guess I should tell you. Gerdur runs the mill and makes a decent living. I fight for Luna. There's Lucan and Camilla who run the general store. There's a blacksmith. Not much else to tell about Riverwood. Let me tell you about the land marks around here though. There's Bare Hooves Barrow, an ancient ruin of the Rim Ponies. There's also a shrine for standing stones around here, along this road. There, you can see it." She pointed towards three upright stones, ancient and weathered constellations etched into them. "Wow...They look amazing. They're three different arch types: Warrior, Mage, Sneak. I never really chose one. I did all three." He said and his eyes widened in excitement. "Maybe...Maybe It'll work for me! It has to." He walked up to the Warrior stone, and pressed his hands against it. The lines drawing the constellation lit up, a light blue color shining from the deep etchings. A beam of the same color shone down from the sky into the stone, this was making it light up. Alex felt his muscles tighten up, then relax, as if he was lifted by magic. The light died down, and he was set back down on the ground. He was a warrior now. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose. "I feel...powerful." He said, flexing his biceps. "I feel great." Rainbow Dash nodded and yawned. "Yup, magic will do that somepony. C'mon, Riverwood is just down the road." She ran ahead of Alex, who was still basking in his new found strength. He soon realized that Rainbow ran ahead. "Hey, wait up!" He yelled, running after her. When Alex caught up with the blue pegasus, she was already walking through the town. "Follow me, Gerdur is probably down at the mill. But of course, you probably know that." Rainbow led him across a small but sturdy bridge, a majestic river flowing underneath. Rainbow approached a dark green pony with a brown mane, with an image of an axe and log on her behind. "What the hell is that? Tattoo?" Alex asked. Gerdur gasped and turned around. "Rainbow, what in Equestria are you doing here? And what is that thing beside you?" "Gerdur, don't worry. Everything is ok. Now, at least." "What do you mean, now? Did something happen?" She asked, worry layering her voice. "Gerdur, I'm fine. We were on a routine mission in Dark Water crossing, when the Celestians ambushed us from the forest. Luna and the rest of us were captured. We were then escorted to Helgen, where we were to be executed. Then out of no where, a dragon attacked and destroyed Helgen. We were able to escape, but without my friend here, there's a good chance you would have never seen me again. It sounds crazy, but if it weren't for that dragon we would've just been killed. And this 'thing' is a human, from a place called Earth." Rainbow explained. "And to answer your question, Alex, that 'tattoo' as you call it is called a Cutie Mark. It's what everyone gets when they discover their special talent." He nodded in disbelief. "Right. Cutie Mark." "A dragon, you say? You need to get this information to Jarl Saddlegruuf in Whitetrot immediately. Riverwood is a sitting duck out here. Take the road north and you can't miss it." She said. "Alright, off to Whitetrot then. Rainbow, would you like to come with me?" Alex said, smiling. "Sure." She said. The pair headed down the north road to the bustling city of Whitetrot.
Chapter 6: Whitetrot"So, we're off to Whitetrot. This should be interesting." Alex said, walking ahead of Dash, admiring the scenery. He still couldn't get over how amazing Manerim looked. Skyrim looked good, but this looked so real. When he got home he doubted he would be able to play it the same way again. "Yep, Whitetrot. Quite a peaceful place. Some people consider it the Celestial City of Manerim, only quieter and smaller. It's smack dab in the middle of Manerim. Trading center, too. Only problem with it is that the Jarl hasn't picked a side in the war. But if he's a true Rim Pony, he'll pick the Lunarians for sure." Dash explained, trotting back up to Alex. Alex and Rainbow Dash walked side by side for a while admiring the scenery when Alex saw a robed pony standing by the road. The mysterious pony was wearing an orange robe with a stitched on hood. The really strange thing about the pony though, was that it had paws instead of hooves. "No fuckin' way. Is that M'aiq The Liar?" Alex said, pointing to the strange pony. "I have no idea. I don't know much about Khajiit Ponies. Looks like one of them though." Dash said, sitting on a rock inspecting her sword. Alex walked up to who he thought was M'aiq, the informative Khajiit of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. "Of course you're here. You had to be here. This Manerim is Skyrim, just filled with pony stuff." Alex said, looking into M'aiq's eyes in wonderment and realization. "M'aiq knows not of this Skyrim. M'aiq knows Manerim, that is all." M'aiq said, looking past Alex down the road, towards Whitetrot. Alex looked down the north road too, and saw Whitetrot towering above the empty plains. "Whiter- er, Whitetrot." Alex said, correcting himself. "Well, M'aiq knows that Whitetrot is closed. Dragons in the sky, they say." The mysterious Khajiit Pony said, looking up in the sky nervously. "We'll keep that in mind." "Rainbow, lets go. I'd like to see the Jarl before dark." Alex said, looking over his sword for any imperfections. "Yeah, hold on." Dash said nervously. Her mind was in a trance, hey eyes fixed on a dragon soaring through the sky with such intensity you'd think she was trying to read it's mind. "Dash?" Alex said with a hint of concern in his voice. Dash kept her eyes fixed on the dragon, not moving a millimeter. Alex rubbed her wing. She didn't even moan, she just got a wing-boner and kept staring at the dragon. "Jesus..." Alex said in amazement. Finally the entrancing dragon flew away and Dash snapped back to reality. She rubbed her burning, rose colored eyes. "Damn...How long was I in a daze for?" Dash said wearily, rubbing her eyes some more. "About 5 minutes, Dash. I hope you're alright." Alex said, comforting her. "Yeah...I'll be fine." Dash said , still in a daze. The pair began walking down the north once again towards Whitetrot. About 10 minutes later, they stood in front of the huge gates of Whitetrot. The high stone walls guarding surrounding the city were cracked, weak, and covered in moss and vines in some areas. A guard clad in a yellow tunic over chain mail trotted up to the pair. "Halt, travelers. City's clo-" The guard was cut off. "Yeah, yeah, Closed with the dragons about, official business only. Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid." Alex finished. "Alright, but I'll be keeping an eye on you two. Especially you, thing." The guard said, pointing at Alex. The guard pulled a large key out of his pocket and stuck it into the key-slot in the door. He turned the key and it clicked. The guard pushed the gate open. The smell of smoke from the nearby forge filled Alex's nostrils. Foals playing in the street. A light brown mare dressed in a worn red dress and apron, soot in her mane, her fore hooves covered in ash, scars, and grime. Clearly she is the blacksmith. She was arguing with a pale white stallion protected by light, white and yellow armor. "We must have more swords for the Celestian soldiers!" The soldier argued. The smith shook her head. "I just don't know if I'm capable of filling in an order that big. Why not swallow that stubborn pride of yours and ask Eurland Grey-Mane for help?" She suggested. "Pfft. I'd sooner bend my knee to Princess Luna." The soldier said, then walked off. The smith went back to work at her anvil, shaping a piece of molten metal into a shortsword. Alex looked around, silently, in awe. "Ever been here before?" Alex asked. "Plenty of times. But that was a while ago. Before the war, I hunted for the family, Gerdur chopped wood, and every week I would take the wood to Whitetrot to trade." Now, I mostly stay with Luna." Dash said, watching the smith shape the sword. Alex leaned up against a wall and Rainbow sat down on her haunches. Their eyes met, Alex staring into Dash's bright, rose colored eyes, the pegasus staring into Alex's. They broke the staring, and stayed silent for about a minute or two, when Alex abruptly broke the silence. "Well, I think we should get to the Jarl." Alex stretched his arms, and yawned. "The Jarl is up in Dragonsreach." Alex said, pointing the towering structure, it's weathered face looked down on the streets of Whitetrot. "Lets go then." Alex and Rainbow Dash walked up the central road towards the trading circle, where stands were set up with merchants and customers. "Hey, want to have a race?" Dash asked, grinning like a crazy person. Or pony. "Sure. Meet you in Dragonsreach?" Alex replied. "You bet." Dash said, and flew away like a bullet. He ran up the steps and into the cloud district, shoes making no sound on the smooth stone. He ran up the next set up steps, his heart beating like a war drum, his face hot and red. He made it to the top of the steps, and stepped slowly across the wooded walkway. He eased open the great double doors of Dragonsreach. High windows and candles let in light, illuminating the huge building. It must have taken ages to build this place. Rainbow Dash leaned against a beam supporting the high ceiling. "Shh." She held her hoof to her muzzle. The place was quiet, except for the crackling fire before the Jarl. Dash slowly trotted up the steps before the fire, Alex by her side. "Halt! What is the meaning of this interruption? The Jarl is not taking visitors at this time." Irileth, a Dark Pony, with pointed ears and dark purple fur, the Jarl's protector, stepped in front of the pair, firmly stopping them. She held a sword in her hoof, ready to strike at a moments notice. "We are messengers, sent by Riverwood. Riverwood calls for the Jarl's aid. They're worried about the Dragons." Alex said, holding his hands up as if he was surrendering to Irileth. "Calm down Irileth, lets see what they have to say." Saddlegruuf said. Irileth sheathed her sword and stepped back to the Jarl's side. "So, you have news from Riverwood?" The Jarl asked. "Yes. Helgen was destroyed by a Dragon. My friend and I escaped to Riverwood. Riverwood was worried they would get hit also, so they sent us here to ask for your aid." Saddlegruuf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Riverwood will receive a group of soldiers..." He began. Alex and Dash bro-hoofed for a job well done. "But you must complete a task for my court wizard, Zecora. The pair groaned like a couple of foals when given a grueling homework assignment. "Come, I will take you to Zecora." The Jarl stepped down from his throne and led the pair into a small room, with a roughly drawn map of Manerim, several magical stones, and a few books laying around on a simple wooden table. A zebra stepped out of a closet with another book in it's mouth. The exotic creature set the book down on the table and began speaking . "Ah, I am Zecora, I am a mage, I've learned many-a-spell from many-a-page. I need you pair to delve into a most dangerous tomb, what you must find, is an ancient dragon heirloom." Zecora rhymed. Alex thought for a minute. "So, we need to go to Bare Hooves Barrow and retrieve the Dragonstone. Seems legit." "Yes, I shall have a reward for you both when you complete this task. You two should really head to the Bannered Mare to sleep. It's getting late." Saddlegruuf suggested. "Thank you for having us, Jarl." Alex said. The pair left the room and headed down the steps towards the wide double doors. They pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool Manerim air. "C'mon, Dash. The Bannered Mare is just down in the circle." Alex led her down the steps and into the wide trading circle. He pushed open the door to the Mare and held it for Dash. "Ladies first." Alex fell in behind her after walking inside casually walked up to the inn keeper. "Excuse me, ma'am, but I'd like a room with 2 beds, for one night." "Ok, that will be 30 bits." The keeper said. Hmm. I remember picking up some gold in the cave... He thought to himself as he searched his pockets. "Here it is..." He muttered to himself as he found his fingers closing around a sack of coins. He quickly counted out the money and handed it over to the keeper. "Your room is the one upstairs, on the right. Have a nice stay." The keeper said as Alex walked off. "C'mon Dash. I got us a room." Alex walked up the wooden stairs with Dash behind. He opened the door and the pair stepped inside. Dash wrinkled her nose. "It needs to be about twenty percent cooler." She said, jumping into a bed. "Man, I wish this was a cloud bed. Much better than a mattress." Alex began to take his shirt off when he asked Dash a question. "Um...Dash? Do you mind If I sleep naked in my bed?" Alex said, blushing. "Everyone sleeps naked, silly. I don't know if humans sleep naked but ponies do. It's fine with me if you want." Alex then took the rest of his clothes off, and jumped into bed. "Night Dash." He said. "Night Alex." Dash said. And then they slept.
Chapter 7: Bare Hooves BarrowThe morning sun shone through the windows, bathing the room in it's warmth and light. Eventually, the sound of ponies talking, walking, and singing in the Bar area downstairs woke Alex from his slumber. Quietly, he sat up in bed, barely rustling the rough deer-hide sheets. He closed his eyes tightly, and yawned, stretching out his arms wide. He looked over to Rainbow Dash's bed and saw the beautiful pegasus sleeping soundly. His heart warmed and he smiled in joy of having such an awesome and attractive companion. Not only was she attractive and awesome, she was willing to travel all throughout Manerim to help him defeat the dragons, and she was also very loyal. He pulled his blankets off and climbed out of the rough bed. Realizing he was naked, he scooped up his clothes from off the wooden floor and hastily threw them on. He figured he must've looked pretty ugly, with his tattered, blood stained and ash covered shirt, ripped and muddy jeans. He tried not to think about how his face must've looked. Alex softly stepped over to Dash's bed and began speaking in a gentle voice. "Rainbow Dash, it's morning. I thought you might like breakfast before trekking to the barrow." The sound of Alex's voice made the sleeping pegasus stir. "Mhm...what?" She said, half conscious, half in dream world. "Yeah...breakfast sounds nice." She said, still sleeping. Alex opened the door and walked down the stairs, quietly. He walked over to the keeper's counter and ordered breakfast for Rainbow Dash and himself. "I'd like an apple or two, with some water. For my friend, well, what do ponies eat?" Alex asked curiously. "Um, well, what I usually eat is hay, water, some apples and carrots. Maybe some vegetables... maybe a sugarcube or two if I feel like eating something sweet." "I'd like that for my friend. Some hay, an apple or two, a few carrots, and some sugarcubes, and a glass of water." "Alright sir, that will be 15 bits, someone will bring you your food in a minute." Alex slipped his hand into his pocket and his fingers closed around his coin purse. Pulling it out his pocket, he began counting out the bits and handed it over. "Thank you." He said. At the same time, Rainbow came down the stairs, yawning. She sat down at a table, and Alex joined her. They waited and ate their breakfast in silence. Alex went upstairs and returned with Rainbow's sword in his left hand, and gripping his own sword in his right. "You ready?" Rainbow Dash snatched her sword out of Alex's left hand and looked over it. "Yup." The wind was chilly as it whistled through the rocky and snowy hills, tousling Dash's mane and Alex's hair. It was foolish of the two not to bring a source of heat, or light. They both regretted that. The journey to the barrow was uneventful, besides the unrelenting snow and the burning cold on the way up the steep mountain. The wind whistled in their ears, placing fear in their hearts. The ancient stone pillars towered high above them , cold and unforgiving. Alex looked upon the gargantuan carved doors of the ancient stone structure. The exterior was lightly protected, a few ponies on lookout. Clearly, something in there was worth protecting if they were out in this unbearable cold. "Should we fight them, or stealth around them?" Alex asked, steam rolling from his mouth as he whispered to the shivering pegasus beside him. "Fighting them would be foolish. We need to move quickly and quietly. Observe their movements, and move when they aren't in your direct path. Fight them only if you need to." Dash whispered, and moved towards a wall, out of sight for the few bandits on watch. "Follow me." She said, head peaking around the edge of the wall, her eyes fixed on a bandit posted at the top of the steep staircase, fiddling with the string on his simple wooden bow. The heavily falling snow offered a thin veil of protection from the sight of the look-outs. Dash crept along the bottom of the stairs, not daring to breath. She barely made a sound, but her rainbow colored coat was almost out of place in the white snow. She finally made it to the other side of the stairs, and sighed a breath of relief. Now it was Alex's turn. He held his breath and crept along the staircase. He heard the faint 'crunch' of the snow beneath his feet. Then his heart stopped when he heard a look-out yell, "Hey!" Alex looked in the direction of the pony that yelled and drew his sword. He locked eyes with the pegasus that had caught him and said, "Come at me, bro." The pegasus charged forward with a huge orcish sword in his hoof, the dull green material dripping with fresh blood. The pony was fast. He slashed and sliced, and Alex could barely dodge the strikes, but his mind went into a different mode--analyzing patterns, learning the pegasi's style, which was all offense, no defense. The pegasus growled and thrust his sword at Alex. He jumped backwards and landed in the snow, and felt the icy liquid seep through his shirt. When he jumped back, he had thrown his sword a yard or two away, completely out of reach. The menacing pegasus stood over him now, sword in hoof, raising it above his head to bring down on Alex. Then out of nowhere, Rainbow Dash came up behind the pegasi with her sword and thrust it into his back. The sword drove through his flesh and through his stomach. He let out a cry of agony as the sharp sword skewered him, and Alex saw the snow turn a bright crimson as blood poured from the wound. Rainbow yanked her sword out of the dead pegasi and he fell over, lifeless, as more blood seeped through the wound in his stomach. Alex stood up and brushed the remaining snow off his shirt. "Thanks." Rainbow tossed him his sword and he caught it in mid air, looking it over to make sure it was still in tip top shape. He pointed towards the door of the barrow, where 2 ponies were sitting at fire, the dwindling flickering across their faces. "I guess they didn't hear us." Alex said. "Lets make them." Dash grinned and ran towards the ponies, sword in hoof. After Dash and Alex mopped up the two remaining bandits at the door, they headed inside. The place was barely lit. A faint beam of dim light shone through a jagged hole in the ceiling. A dying fire at the opposite side of the room gave off a weak orange glow. Rubble lay everywhere on the floor, crumbling into pieces. Their steps echoed throughout the empty place, only adding to the creepy feeling. Cobwebs decorated every dark corner, venomous spiders dangling from the thin silk material. Alex picked up a burnt out torch from a sconce on the wall and stuck the tip over the fire. The flames caught quick, and within seconds he had a torch. Dash nodded in approval. "Good thinking." They entered a stone hallway, the torch illuminating the empty place. They came upon a lit room, a single pony with a torch in hand inside. He placed the torch on a slab of stone and pulled a lever in the middle of the room. Arrows shot out of holes in the walls, piercing his body in multiple places. He cried out, but was cut off by an arrow that landed in his throat. Dead. He fell over, arrows sticking out of his corpse. "Ooh. Painful" Dash's face contorted in disgust and turned away. Alex's gaze turned to Dash's. "I'm going to have a look around in there. Sit tight." Alex looked away and entered the room. Three stone pillars, each with a different carving , stood in a line on the left side of the room. The first pillar had a carving of an eagle on it, the middle a snake, and the last one, a whale. He glanced to the wall above the pillars and saw 3 carvings of a snake, each one the same. He knew this from Skyrim. He placed his hands on the first pillar, and turned it to the right, twice. Surprisingly, it turned as if it weighed nothing, and the carving of an eagle disappeared, in it's place a snake, same as all the others. He went to the last pillar with the whale on it and turned it to the left, once. The snake appeared in it's place. "Right." He turned around on his heel and walked towards the lever. He gripped the pole with his both of his hands, and flipped it to the opposite direction it was in. An iron gate to another room slid up into the ceiling, and Alex sighed with relief. "C'mon, Dash." Alex ran into the other room, Dash close behind. Alex and Rainbow Dash entered a hallway with an unusually large amount of spider webs. The next room they entered, though, was even worse. The sticky stuff was everywhere. On the floor, on the walls, every surface possible. "Dash," Alex breathed. "We're about to battle a giant fucking spider." Then, as if on cue, a spider the size of a house dropped from a huge hole, hanging by a thread. They both drew their swords, and stood side by side. "We're a team. We can do this." Dash reassured Alex. The spider crawled towards them, it's ugly black eyes cold and unforgiving, a void. Dash and Alex charged in, hacking and slashing at the creature's legs. It gave out what Alex assumed to be a cry of pain, and the creature started kicking the two of them with it's hairy legs, each one almost the length of a full grown man. "Back away from it!" Dash yelled, and ran at the spider head on. She rammed her sword into the spider's eyes, blinding the atrocious thing. She stabbed it for several times, just to make sure. Blood dripped from her sword. It was dead. A lot of things were dead now because of them "Hey," Dash began, sweating and breathing heavily. "Yeah?" Alex asked. "I don't think the author is giving us enough dialogue. You?" She asked. "Yeah." "Help, help!" A voice called. "Woah," Alex readied he sword. "Who is that?" "I'm over here, caught in the webs! Cut me down!" Alex looked around the room and saw a Dark Pony caught in a web, struggling to get free from his bindings. Alex and Dash cautiously walked over and began questioning him. "Who are you?" Dash asked, squinting. "I'm Sti-" He was cut off by Alex. "Yeah, you have the golden claw, the nor-- er, the Rim Ponies, have a secret hidden there." He finished. The Dark Pony's mouth was agape in surprise. "Damn, you're a mind-reader." The pony muttered. "No, I'm not. Now, if I cut you down, I'm going to have to kill you, because you will run away. Sorry bro, but it's for the good of Pony-kind." Alex said. "No, no, no, wait! I'll give you the claw, just don't kill me." The pony pleaded. For some reason, Alex agreed. "Fine." Dash punched Alex in the shoulder, half serious, half playful. "Alex, you can't listen to him! Kill the pony." "I will, just hold on." Alex whispered in her ear. "Alright bro-ham, let me cut you down." The pony looked relieved. "But, I'm gonna have to kill you first." He didn't give the Dark Pony a chance to object, as his sword was already in the his throat. He pulled the bloody sword and wiped the blood from the it with his hand. He cut up the webs with his sword and found a corridor behind it all. He knelt down and felt around the pony's saddlebag, and pulled out a claw made of solid gold. He took the pack off of his back and gently placed the claw down in the bottom of the bottom of the bag. "We'll need this." The two were worn out. They had encountered their first few Draugr, or "Nateuzek" in Manerim. Most of them were pegasi, though some were Unicorns or Earth Ponies. Their eyes were an icy blue, their fur white or brown. They wore ancient pieces of iron armor, most of it rusted and broken. "So, why do the Nateuzek exist?" Alex asked, curious of their origin. "The ancient Rim Ponies used to worship the dragons. Alduin, especially. Now as punishment for their treachery, they have been cursed with immortality. They shall never die unless slain." Dash explained. They came upon an unopened set of double doors. "I'll open it." Dash said. She moved toward the doors, and eased them open. They creaked horribly, the doors ready to fall off from it's neglect of nearly 2000 years. The door opened into a lengthy hallway, carvings decorating the walls. "Woah..." "The hall of stories..." Alex ran his hand over the ancient carvings, in awe of the place. Dash did the same, admiring the ancient stonework. "Alex, hand me the bag. I'm going to use the claw." Alex slipped the straps off and handed Dash the bag. She rummaged around inside and pulled the claw out. She moved towards the door and observed the bottom of the claw. Three small carvings of a bear, butterfly, and a bird told her what to do. She looked at the door and moved the three rings into place, and stuck the claw in the keyhole. She turned the claw to the left, slightly, and the door shifted. It slid into the floor, disappearing. Alex came up to her side and they bro-hoofed for another job well done. But their job was not done yet. They moved into a cavernous room, a large wall of marks on the opposite side. "Dash, This is the end of the Barrow." They drew their swords and walked towards the wall, cautiously. A single coffin was off to the side, while many others lined the sides of the room. They stood in front of the wall now, which pulled Alex closer with each beat of a chant, he was unable to resist. He rested his hands on the wall, staring into a group of marks. The marks lit up blue, tunneling into his eyes, his soul. Then, it stopped. He had learned his first word of power. He didn't celebrate long, for the coffins along the walls burst open, revealing at least 15 Nateuzek, all hungry for a death. "Don't worry, Dash, just like you said, we're a team. We'll be okay." Alex started to doubt this when the Nateuzek charged forward, swords swinging. Alex and Dash fended off Nateuzek, after Nateuzek, after Natuezek. Blood stained the floor, their swords, and faces. There were 5 left, still swinging their swords. One dead. Two more in one swing. Another. The last one. Alex breathed in heavily, and sweat poured from his face. "Dash...we did it." He expected her to reply to him, but she didn't. He turned around, and saw a huge Natuezek standing over her. His sword was raised over his head, just about to strike, like what had happened Alex earlier, outside. His mind went into overdrive mode. Time seemed to slow down. He ran at the beast, sword in hand, yelling. Just as the Natuezek's sword was about to drive through Rainbow's heart. He tackled the thing, crashing him to the ground. He had his sword in hand, repeatedly stabbing it in the head with his sword, and repeatedly yelling, "NO!" His strength ran out and he couldn't stab the thing anymore. He stood up with what little strength he had left and smiled weakly when he saw Rainbow, safe. He wasn't expecting it. Rainbow leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was long, and drawn out. She pulled away and said, " Thank you for saving me back there." She looked down, then back up. "Well...I guess we should look for the Dragonstone." She turned around and saw a chest. Opening it, she found the stone inside. "Got it. Let's go." She ran to a stairway nearby, and trotted up it. She pulled a lever and part of the wall opened up. Alex was shocked that Rainbow had kissed him. Still, he was ecstatic that it happened. He ran up the stairs after Rainbow and into the falling snow, where Dash was waiting for him. "Lets get back to Whitetrot."
Chapter 8: MirmulnirRainbow Dash and Alex arrived at the gates of Whitetrot, weak and tired from their long journey. Alex, Dragonstone in his left land, pushed open the gates to the city and ushered Dash in. He stepped in after her and pushed the heavy wooden door closed behind him with a grunt. "So, to the Jarl, then?" Alex asked, once more, looking over his sword. He noticed it was cracked in some places and the expression on his face said he was appalled. "Man, I thought the armor and weapons in Skyrim never degraded..." He muttered to himself while sheathing it. "Dash, I'm going to get a new sword at the blacksmith. Do you need anything?" "Take my sword and have it repaired. Get yourself some armor while you're at it, I'm sure you'll need it if the Jarl needs us to doing else. I'm going to take the Dragonstone up to Zecora and have her analyze it. I'll meet you back here soon." Alex handed the blue pegasus the carved stone while she simultaneously handed him her sword. "See you in a bit." She said, and flew off to Dragonsreach. Alex headed over to the forge and started chatting up the blacksmith. "Uh, hello. I'm Alex. And, I was wondering if you could maybe repair some things of mine?" He handed both swords to the blacksmith, who stopped her forging, then ran her hoof over the smooth but cracked iron blade of Alex's sword. "I'd love to, but I am swamped with work. Maybe you'd like to buy some better swords? I made some steel ones an hour or two ago, they're still cooling, but I bet they're ready to use..." She said absentmindedly as she went back to hammering at a piece of hot metal on her anvil. "Oh, uh, thanks. I don't have much money though..." He said as he checked his pockets. "Maybe we could work out some sort of deal? I did a job for the Jarl and I am supposed to be paid soon. Or maybe I could do some work for you? I'm sure you need a break." "Sounds like a good offer. I'd shake your hand, but I don't have thumbs. How about a bro-hoof?" She said, extended her front right leg and grinned. "By the way, my name is Ember." -Dragonsreach- Rainbow Dash trotted into Dragonsreach once more, but this time, bearing the Dragonstone. The Jarl was taking a visitor, a very strange pony wearing a white hooded robe, with a red sash around the middle, and a black cape. He spoke with an accent unfamiliar to her, and she had met ponies from all over Equestria. "Maestro, I managed to kill the Templar before he could share his information with his colleagues. The other Assassins will be pleased to hear it." The Jarl nodded and the robed pony trotted away. Dash turned her gaze back to Saddlegruuf "Jarl, we retrieved the Dragonstone from the barrow. May I see Zecora?" Rainbow Dash asked. Saddlegruuf nodded. "Certainly." Rainbow Dash walked into Zecora's room, and saw her staring down at the map of Manerim, muttering rhymes and scribbling messy words onto a piece of parchment. "Zecora, Alex and I retrieved the Dragonstone. Here." She set it down on the table and Zecora looked up from her work. "You've retrieved the Dragonstone, I see. This will prove a great advantage to you, and me. Many thanks, and ask the Jarl for your reward, I'm sure he has something very good, like a new sword." Just then, Irileth came galloping into the room. "Zecora, and you, come quickly." She said, pointing at Rainbow Dash. "The Jarl wishes to speak with both of you." Irileth led them to them into the great hall to the Jarl. "I've been getting reports that a Dragon has been sighted, Rainbow Dash. I want Irileth, you, and Alex to head to the watchtower west of here and see if you can bring it down." Dash closed her eyes and bowed to the Jarl. "We'll do it." A pony came rushing in, a guard, breathing heavily and sweating. "Sir, we spotted it by the tower again. But it came at us this time, though I managed to escape. I've never galloped so fast in my life." "Good job soldier, go to the barracks and get some rest, you've earned it." The Jarl turned his gaze back to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash, if you manage to bring down that monstrosity, you and Alex will both get a fine reward. Now go and serve me well." Rainbow Dash galloped off with Irileth behind her. Alex wiped the sweat off of his forehead and continued hammering down on a piece of molten steel, each time the hammer came down on the metal, it made him flinch. "There you go, you're getting it. Just remember to-" Ember looked away and saw Rainbow Dash and Irileth galloping down the cobblestoned street. Rainbow Dash came trotting up to Alex. "Alex," she said panting. "They've spotted a Dragon by the watchtower west of here, the Jarl wants us to go take it down." Alex set down at his hammer on a table and looked over at Ember and gave her a worried look. She nodded and Alex looked back at Rainbow Dash. "Lets go then. If only my sword wasn't in such disrepair though." He said, looking down at the still cracked blade. Ember took the damaged sword from his hand and gave him a brand new steel sword. "Thank you." Alex said, beaming. "No Problem." She said, smiling. She gave Rainbow Dash a new sword and nodded. "Let's go then, Rainbow, Irileth?" Alex asked. They arrived at the watchtower soon after they left, and saw large chunks of the tower scattered on the ground. A few dead guardsponies were splayed out on the ground. A guard pony came trotting from inside the tower. "No! Get back! Flash and Bolt just got grabbed by that dragon!" The air was shattered by a shrill, earsplitting roar. "Get ready then, guys..." Alex growled, unsheathing his sword, which gleamed in the pale sunlight. The Dragon came soaring over the mountain ridge, it's great, majestic wings flapping in the wind. The Dragon was easily bigger than the inn in Riverwood, which was pretty large on it's own. It circled over the watchtower and roared another air shattering roar. It touched down on the ground and began spitting fire at ponies all around it, some were flinging spells at it, trying to weaken him. Alex ran at it while it was occupied and thrust his blade into the tough dragon hide, and pulled it out, his sword dripping with blood. "Well that didn't really do much..." Alex said, looking for a weak point. He kept stabbing the dragon, but it wasn't doing very much, just bloodying his sword. He decided he might try to take it on directly. He climbed upon the dragon's rough back began inching his way along the thrashing dragon's back toward it's head. "Careful now..." He said, raising his sword above it's head, and thrust it down it's head. It let out a roar of indescribable loudness and began thrashing even wilder. He stabbed it again, and again. Just before the killing blow, the dragon let out a roar that sounded slightly of "Dovahkiin, No!". Alex jumped off of it's head as it began to smoke and eventually catch fire. Alex watched with wonder as the hide dissolved and he absorbed the dragon's very soul, the different shades of blue and red swirling around him. He smiled contentedly as he absorbed the last of it's soul, and all that was left of the Dragon was it's skeleton. "By Starswirl, You're the Dragonborn." Said one guard in awe. "You don't say." Alex said flatly. "Alex, you did it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and grabbed Alex in a great hug. Surprised, Alex returned the hug and Rainbow Dash let go. She smiled at him. "Good Job you two, the Jarl will definitely want to hear of this victory. The other guards and I will stay here and clean up." Irileth said, congratulating them. "Irileth, that human is a Dragonborn!" A guard exclaimed. "What?" Irileth asked, appalled. "Nonsense." "But we saw him absorb it's soul!" Yelled another. "Rubbish. What evidence is there?" She retorted, a hint of disbelief in her voice. "Well, all the Dragonborn can shout. Human, shout at us and we'll know." The guard said to Alex Alex welled up all of his energy in his body and concentrated on the shout and what he wanted to do. He tried to shout, but he couldn't. He knew he could do it, it was just a matter of focusing. "C'mon, Alex, you can do it." Rainbow Dash said reassuringly. He focused his energy and shouted. "FUS!" All the ponies crowded around him stumbled back and stood up in awe. Murmurs came from all the guards around him. "He really is dragonborn.." "By Starswirl, what a shout." "Ouch, my flank..." "Alright then, Rainbow Dash, let's go see the Jarl. I'm sure he'll be more than pleased with our work." Alex said, turning away from the crowd and beginning to walk back with Rainbow Dash. "What kind of reward do you think he has for us?" She asked. "Eh, I don't know, money, weapons." He said, shrugging. "We'll see when we get back. Hey, is it legal here in Manerim for a Human to date a pony?" Rainbow Dash gave him a puzzled look. "I have no clue." "I guess we'll take our chances then." He said, smiling. Alex and Rainbow Dash walked into Whitetrot once more and Alex smiled. "I bet the Grey Beards will summon me any second now." He held up 3 fingers. "3. 2. 1." Alex heard no summon. "Ah well." He said. "DO-VAH-KIIN!" The ground shook as the Greybeards summoned him, and Alex, obviously surprised, corrected himself when they stopped. "I was a little off." Rainbow Dash laughed. "Let's keep going then." "So, the Grey Beards have summoned you and you both managed to kill that Dragon. I think a reward would be appropriate. But take my word of Advice. It is not wise to ignore the summons of the Greybeards. Go, Dragonborn, and they will give you their wisdom. Now, how about that reward? Proventus! Go fetch these two some bits and new weapons!" The steward hurried off and returned quickly with 2 sackfuls of bits being levitated by magic and two brand new, unblemished dwemer swords. "Uh, sir, this is a little bit excessive, but thank you!" Rainbow Dash said, bowing. "Make good use of these gifts. You two will need them, I'm sure. Oh, I'm forgetting the most important detail. The Greybeards reside in Crystalvale, a monastery near the peak of the Throat of the World. To get there, you must travel up the 7000 steps, which begin at the base of the mountain, at the town of Ponyville. Good luck, you two." Alex picked up one of the gleaming dwemer swords and a sack of bits and grinned stupidly. "Rainbow Dash, let's get moving."
Chapter 9 : CrystalvaleAuthor's Note: I've had much help from my good friend, The Shadow of Death. Thanks Shadow! :D Alex and Rainbow Dash arrived in Ponyville feeling pretty confident about their trek up the 7,000 steps to Crystalvale. Alex paid the carriage driver who had brought them there with a handful of bits. "Thank you." The driver said, and set off in the opposite direction back to Whitetrot. "Crystalvale is an ancient place, Alex. Old as Hearthland, the land which all ponies migrated from, 5,000 years ago. We have a holiday dedicated to it and the founding of Equestria, Hearth's Warming Eve." Rainbow Dash said, her hooves clopping on the gray flagstones below her. "Every year they celebrate it in the Celestia City, with a play and other Festivities. The city is beautiful at that time of year, the snow falling on the neat and clean streets, the big red bows decorating every door. I wish I could take you to see it, Alex." Alex smiled and looked at Rainbow Dash, his eyes twinkling. "I'd like to go see it myself, Dash. It sounds almost like Christmas, a human holiday." Alex went on to explain the joyous holiday in great detail, from Christmas trees to Santa Clause. "Santa Clause?" Dash exclaimed. "So he just gives gifts to little children?" Alex laughed. "Well, he's a myth, so no. The parents do that." "How long do you think it'll take to get to the monastery, Dash?" Alex said, craning his neck to look up the gargantuan mountain. "I'm not sure, Alex. I've never made my way up the path myself. Very few people are allowed at the monastery. It is a great privilege to be able to speak with the Greybeards. Though quiet, the Mistress there is a well educated scholar on the dragons and their language. Some say she is the daughter of Aruventus, the goddess of wind, air, and animals. She certainly has a way with nature." "Well, once we travel this path, we'll be free to speak with her. 7,000 steps, if I remember correctly." Alex said, recalling his adventures in Skyrim. "We should get moving then. I'd like to get there before nightfall." Alex and Rainbow Dash crossed an arched bridge and started making their way up the path, killing the time by talking. "So, why did you kiss me that other day, Rainbow Dash?" Alex inquired, blushing madly and trying to look away. Rainbow Dash frowned and looked out across the horizon, admiring Celestia's beautiful sun. "I...I honestly don't know myself, Alex. I guess I couldn't think of a better way to thank you at that moment. I'm sorry." She said, also blushing. "It's alright. In fact, that was a great kiss." Alex said, blushing harder. "We should really do it again sometime." Rainbow Dash laughed. "We certainly should, though I think it would be best to reach Crystalvale right now." "We should be getting close by now. We passed the 4th etching an hour back, and the 5th one signals the monastery is near. God, I can't wait to warm up when we get inside. It's f-r-reezing up here..." An hour passed and it got colder as they traveled up the path, and it began to snow heavily. Thankfully, though, when they turned a corner, they could see Crystalvale through the unrelenting snow. "Th-thank Luna..." Alex heard Rainbow Dash say through chattering teeth. Alex opened the door, to let Rainbow Dash in, then quickly shut it behind him. It was warm inside, much to the pair's pleasure. Alex and Rainbow Dash held their hands and hooves over a smoldering fire. "Oh, um, are you the Dragonborn?" Said a timid voice from nearby. Alex and rainbow dash turned to see a pale yellow pegasus pony with wavy pink hair. "Yes, I am. You are the ones that summoned me, correct?" Alex said, staring at the yellow pegasus. "Well, um, yes. My name is Fluttershy..." She said quietly. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you, could you repeat that?" Alex said, smiling. "My name is, um, Fluttershy..." She whispered, trying to look away from Alex. "What?" He said, starting to feel bad. "Uh, I believe her name is Fluttershy, Alex." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I've answered your summons. What do you need of me?" "We learned of your ability to slay dragons and absorb their power. To prove that you are, um, Dragonborn, demonstrate your power to us." Alex inhaled and exhaled, then inhaled once more, and shouted. "FUS!" Fluttershy and the other greybeards stumbled backwards and quickly got back up. "Oh! Your shout hit my wings!" Fluttershy giggled. "Try not to, next time, okay?" She said, still giggling and blushing madly, trying to hide her obvious wing-boner. "Now that you have demonstrated your power to us, you need to learn to focus your shout, I mean, if you don't mind..." She said, looking away again. "Mistress Sun Beam will now teach you the word "Ro", or balance, in the Dragon tongue." Sun Beam stepped forward projected the word of power, Ro, onto the floor. At first Alex only had the vaguest idea of how to read the word, but gradually the intrinsic meaning, the true nature of the word revealed itself to him. He knew, instinctively, how to call upon the word's power just as he had done before. "Good. You learn quickly, Dragonborn. Where it may take others years to learn even the simplest shout, it is in your blood to know the Tongue of the Dovah, allowing you to learn quickly." Fluttershy explained, turning around to walk in the other direction. "Now follow me please, if, um, you don't mind. We'll practice out in the courtyard for the next shout, Whirlwind." Alex and Rainbow Dash followed Fluttershy and the others outside to the snowy courtyard, which by then it had stopped snowing. There was a certain tranquility in the air that made Alex feel at home. "The next shout we are going to be learning is 'Wuld', or Whirlwind. Mistress Sun Beam and Shadow Cloud will demonstrate it for you." Sun Beam trotted over to a large gate, while Shadow cloud stood still, waiting for the gate to open. "BEX!" Sun Beam shouted, which then Shadow Cloud shouted, "WULD!" And flashed forward in the blink of an eye. Immediately after she shouted, the gate closed. "Now, Shadow Cloud will give you her knowledge of the word, 'Wuld'." Fluttershy said, and backed away. Shadow Cloud approached Alex and closed her eyes. He could hear the word being chanted in his ears, over and over again. Blue sparks encircled him, lifting him from the ground. "Excellent. Mistress Sun Beam, over by the gate, um, if you don't mind...." The cream colored unicorn trotted over to the gate happily. "BEX!" She shouted, and the gate opened. Alex inhaled and shouted. "WULD!" He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, and the gate closed behind him just as he stopped. He walked back over to Fluttershy. "Excellent. That's all we'll practice for today. Now, I have special task for you. In Hjalmarch, There is an old Hearthinian ruin known as Ustengrav. Inside, is the horn of Moonflower Wind Walker, founder of the Way of The Voice. Retrieve it, and return it to me. Then we can further your training in the Way of the Voice. When we go back inside, I could give you an enchanted map of Manerim, which can show you where you are and where you want to go." "Thank you, Fluttershy, for assisting me in learning new Words of Power." Alex said, hugging her. Alex heard a 'POMF' and released her. Fluttershy was once again blushing madly with her wings fully erect. "Oh, it's no problem, really...you and Rainbow Dash could sleep here tonight, I mean, if you want." When they got back inside, Fluttershy gave him the specially enchanted map and a few red bottles, which Alex assumed were potions of healing. When Alex was putting the map and potions in his bag, Rainbow Dash approached him. "You know, I think Fluttershy has a crush on you. I've never seen a pegasus get a bigger wing-boner than the one she had when she was around you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Alex stared at her blankly for a minute than continued to pack his bag. He closed the flap, took off his clothes and then got into his bed, thankful that it was warm and comfortable. Rainbow Dash got into the bed adjacent to his and sighed. "Something wrong?" Alex asked, turning over. "Nothing, I was just thinking about Fluttershy, that's all..." She said. "Oh. Good night, then." "Night."
Chapter 9 And 3 Quarters, Flutterstalker!Author's Note: This chapter is entirely optional, so feel free to skip it. But, if you like fluttershy stalking Alex, please, read! XD The Shadow Of Death was also an immense help on this chapter, and we had alot of fun producing It. Enjoy! :D Alex opened his eyes, not quite sure what woke him up. It was still very early, with only the pale blue-grey of pre-dawn light creeping in through the windows. Everything was still in shadows. Rainbow dash was snoring lightly nearby, but that wasn't what woke him Alex realized with a start. There was a presence in this room, lurking in a nearby shadowy corner. It squeaked slightly when he stared at it. "Fluttershy, what are you doing?!" Cried Alex, staring back at her, with a severely displeased look on his face. "Oh, uh, nothing Alex, just admiring this floor." She said in her timid voice. Alex frowned at her until she shuffled out, with her head down. Alex got up and started to get dressed quietly so as to not wake Rainbow Dash. "Ummm, would you like some breakfast?" Alex whipped around to look at Fluttershy. She was back in the doorway, head still looking at her hooves and the floor, but Alex thought he saw her sneaking looks around his middle. He suddenly became aware that he had yet to pull up his pants, having stripped nude when he went to bed." He quickly pulled them up and said in clipped tones, "No, not right now thank you." "Rainbow Dash, I caught fluttershy staring at me..." "Wha-what was that?", yawns Rainbow Dash, opening her eyes sleepily. "Fluttershy was staring at my, well, er..." "Was she really?", asks Rainbow Dash, in sly tones, "Well, can't say I blame her but she better cut it out." Alex huffs at Rainbow Dash's attempts to tease him, and he finishes getting dressed while Rainbow Dash pulls on her armor and equips her sword, making sure it's clear in its scabbard. Alex double checks as well with his sword. The two go to the main hall, where the other Greybeards are eating breakfast. "Ummm, please sit. We're having scrambled eggs. You'll need your strength if you're going to go crawling around a dangerous dungeon full of scary things..." Alex pauses for a moment, but decides that breakfast is harmless and Fluttershy wasn't likely to try anything in front of others anyway. She was just too shy. "Alright then," he says eventually. Dash and Alex sit down side by side, across from the Greybeards. Alex takes care to sit at the seat furthest from Fluttershy. Might send a message, thought Alex. Fluttershy gets up and goes to the kitchen to grab a couple more plates of scrambeled eggs for the two guests and when she returns she's balancing the plates on her outstretched wings, one to a wing. She carefully trots over to their side of the table and slides one of the plates in front of Rainbow Dash. She sidles up to Alex and proffers a wing, clearly inviting him to take the plate. "Ummmm, thank you," Alex says, grasping the plate. "Ohhhhhh," moans Fluttershy, barely audible but Alex and Dash both heard her. It seems his fingers brushed her wings as he grabbed the plate. From his close proximity to the yellow Pegasus, it was quite apparent that her wings had twitched and that she wore the slightly vacant face of someone who is in apparant ecstasy, but trying to hide it. Rainbow Dash hissed, and Alex winced slightly. He was starting to regret his decision to stay for breakfast, but so long as he didn't give her cause to come near again nothing else could go wrong, surely? "Alex," hissed a voice. Alex looked around, expecting to find Fluttershy hiding under the table or something, but it was just Dash. "What is it?" he breathed. "Look at the eggs," muttered Dash in obvious irritation, "What do they look like to you?" Alex looked down and at first couldn't make head or tails of what he was looking at, but it dawned on him. If you considered the two curved mounds made of piles of bright yellow scrambled eggs, forming a curved, narrow valley between them and also the general shape the outline formed it look an awful lot like a... "A flank. HER flank," she spat. "This is going way too far." Dash got up, and with obvious effort she screwed a neutral expression on her face. "Thank you for the meal," she said, in a diplomatic tone. She avoided looking at the yellow Pagasus, lest the anger she was disguising boil over, "We must be going however, if we are to recover the horn before nightfall." With that, she turned on her rear hooves and marched out of the room. Alex got up, nodded at the other greybeards but avoided Fluttershy's gaze, and followed the blue pegasus out of the room. He found her some distance away back in their room in an obvious rage. She was pacing and muttering dark threats. "Who does she think she is!" exploded Rainbow Dash suddenly. "I know, I know," sighed Alex, "Let's just get out of here." "I ought to take this sword and ram it down her throat!" exclaimed Dash, glaring out of the doorway back towards the main hall where her target was presumably still eating her meal. "We might find it difficult to get away if you did that", chuckled Alex wryly "Besides, it should be me that does it. I'm the one she's going after." Dash fell into a brooding silence and after a moment Alex asked, "Why are you taking it so personally anyway?" "Well," she replied after a while, her voice now without its former heat, "We're together, we're partners, and...maybe something mo-...Well, she should know better anyway..." Alex went crimson, and for the first time so did Dash, the red glow just visible through her blue coat, contrasting with it to make it stand out quite clearly. "Right," spoke up Alex, breaking the flustered silence, "You're right, we are partners." Dash look up at his face and a grin formed on her own. He knelt down so his own face was level with hers, "And maybe...No, definitely more." He kissed her and it felt like the world around them slipped away, to be replaced with a warmth that glowed and suffused them to their very soul. Tthe sound of hooves on stone rapidly retreating brought the rest of the world rushing back and they broke apart. Alex turned around just in time to see the tip of a pink tail slipping around a distant corner of the hall. "Well," said Alex, a little awkwardly, "Maybe now she'll stop bothering me." Rainbow Dash just grinned up at him. As Alex and Rainbow Dash readied themselves to leave, Fluttershy came trotting up to Alex, who refused to look in the yellow Pegasus' cyan eyes. "A-Alex?" squeaks a timid voice from behind him. "Yes, what is it?", responds Alex, looking a bit cautious. "I...I'm sorry for bothering you...I didn't know you and her were...Together," she blushes "Um, that's ok," he replies, obviously relieved. "Before you leave though, can I ask you something?" inquires Fluttershy, a bit more assertively. "Well, alright then." he says, taken aback at her change in demeanor. "Could you...maybe...shout at me again?" Silence falls and a look of stunned disbelief is evident on Alex's face. "Why?" Alex asked, who then had half a mind to jump off the mountain. "Because...*squeaks*itfeelsgood*/squeaks*" Alex turned around and walked out the door without a word. As the door was about to close behind him, he heard a once again timid voice ask, "Is that a maybe later?"
Chapter 3: AttackThe others, captured Lunarian soldiers, Celestian soldiers, and civilians looked up in the sky and listened. A lavender unicorn spoke up. "Did you hear that?" The pony beside her ignored it. "It was nothing Twilight, carry on." Twilight looked back down at a clipboard surrounded by a lavender colored magical aura. "Yes Captain." Twilight started calling out names. "Stallio N. of Saddleston." The unicorn said, plainly and monotone. "You can't do this! I'm not with them! You're not going to kill me!" The thief ran off, but his escape was cut short by an arrow. He fell to the ground. Alex winced. "Anypony else feel like running?" The captain asked, expecting an obvious answer of silence. Twilight started calling the names again. "Rainbow Dash of Ponyville. Princess Luna, Leader of the Lunarians." They stepped forward. "It's been a great honor, Princess." Rainbow said proudly. Uh-oh. He was the only one left. "You there, step forward. Who are you?" Twilight asked, curious. "Well...." Alex began. "I'm a human. From the planet Earth. My name is Alex." Alex explained. Twilight looked down at her list, puzzled. "Captain, what do we do? He's not on the list, he's not even from this planet." The Captain thought for a moment. "Fuck your point Twilight, he goes to the block too." The Captain said, ignorant that the human in front of her would save Equestria. A prisoner in black and blue armor was called to the chopping block first. He put his neck on the block and waited impatiently for his inevitable death. "Come on Celestians, I haven't got all morning." The headsman raised his axe and brought down with a *THWACK* on the prisoners head. The head fell off into a box. Alex tried not to look at the execution. "Next prisoner, the human." Alex gulped. He walked over slowly to block. It's surface was bloody from the last prisoner. It was already starting to blacken. He felt sick to his stomach. "By the way, you were a pain in the flank to tie up." A Celestian guard said as he put his neck on the block. Then the roar came again, only this time, louder. MUCH louder. "What was that?" Asked everpony. "Ignore it. It's nothing." The Captain was wrong. The headsman raised his axe, then a Dragon appeared in the sky. "What in Equestria is that?!" Yelled the Captain. "It's in the clouds! Its a...a..Dragon!" The Dragon landed on a guard tower. It's scales were black as night, spikes and horns everywhere along it's body. This dragon was bigger than a bus. It was definitely Alduin.
