//-------------------------------------------------------// The Game -by ThunderCracker- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Discovery //-------------------------------------------------------// Discovery "Chris! Chris, what are you doing?!" Twilight shouted as she rummaged through the old storage room of the library. Meanwhile, Chris stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets watching Twilight toss things aside. His response to Twilight's question was a "humph" along with a shrug. Twilight groaned and glared back at him. Chris shrugged again, making Twilight sigh in frustration. "Really? Are you just gonna stand there, or are you going to help?" She asked. "What I don't understand is what you're looking for exactly." Chris responded. "I don't know, anything!" Twilight exclaimed. "Alright, alright, calm down." Chris sighed as he shuffled to the other side of the room. He began throwing things aside looking for something that might be of interest to Twilight. Which was hard for Chris to decide, he didn't have a clue of what Twilight liked. Apart from books and magic anyways. He lifted up another heavy box and noticed a faint glow in the pile. He hummed in interest before setting the box down and tearing through the pile like a dog digging a hole. Finally he saw the source of the glow: a flat, metal board with board game spaces as well as game pieces and a green gem in the middle. Clearly it was a board game, but the gem gave it an ominous feel. A feel which Chris obviously didn't notice "Hey, Twilight, come check this out." He said holding the board out in front of him. Twilight stopped rummaging and walked to Chris' side. She too let out an interested hum as she levitated the board from his hands and in front of her. She dusted it off and set it down before sitting. Chris sat beside her and stared at the gem. It seemed to hypnotize both of them, but Twilight snapped out of it and stood up, bringing the game with her. "What kind of board game is this?" Twilight murmured as she left the room. Chris followed close behind. "I dunno, should we show it to the girls?" He asked. "Sure, it'll give us something to do at least." Twilight answered. "Well, nowadays we always need something to do." Chris sighed. The two left the library and walked around Ponyville to grab the girls. Twilight suddenly gasped as one of her thoughts came back to her. "Ah, I almost forgot! We need to go to Canterlot and meet with Princess Celestia." Twilight said. "Can't we do that tomorrow? I really don't feel like being vaporized. Or dealing with more of her shit..." Chris pouted. "Oh, don't be such a filly." Twilight joked as she tussled Chris' soft, short, brown hair. "Sure you two had some bad times but don't let that effect your relationship with her now. And watch your language please." "Wow, that is probably the most inspirational thing I've ever heard come out of your mouth out of my entire time being in Equestria." "Shaddap." Twilight sighed. "Sure, sure." Chris chuckled.   The rest of the walk was silent between the two. Reason being is because Twilight knows Chris doesn't like talking about his and Celestia's pastime. They finally arrived at the train station and boarded the first train to Canterlot.   Chris was dead-silent the entire train ride. Twilight didn't want to say anything to cheer him up because she knew it'd upset him more, so she decided to let him deal with it. They went up to the front gates of the palace before being stopped by two guards. "State your business." Said the guard on the left. "We're here to speak with Princess Celestia." Twilight responded. The left guard quickly glanced at Chris before looking back at Twilight. "Are you sure you wish to enter with him?" "Of course, the two need to make-up anyways." Both guards nodded and stood aside before opening the doors, allowing the two to enter. They closed the door behind them before glancing at each other. "After last time, I guarantee you he won't step out of these doors." The left guard muttered. "Agreed." The right guard responded.   Chris slowed down to a shuffle as they went down the long hallway to the throne. They both reached it together and bowed. Chris did more of a halfass-bend-over. "Ah hello Twilight." She said before looking at Chris. "Chris..." She muttered. "Good to see you too." He said. "Likewise. If you'll forgive me, I'll have to ask you to leave."   A spark of joy went off in Chris' chest like a firework as he sprinted out of the throne room with his arms in the air. Celestia sighed before looking down at Twilight. The two had a very long discussion before Celestia noticed the board that Twilight had. "Where did you find this?" Celestia asked. "Oh, Chris found it in the storage room at the library."   Celestia sighed at how convenient that was. She examined the board further before giving it back to Twilight. "I must warn you about that game," she began, "it holds a dark and twisted curse, which contains magic that is irreversible unless you finish it. I request that you not play this game and hide it from Chris so that he doesn't do anything foolish with it." "Oh, okay. I will" Twilight responded. Celestia nodded to her and Twilight left the throne room. Celestia frowned at the thought of Chris finding that game. But what was worse than that was the fact that Twilight carried around a potential tool of destruction, that could risk or possibly take their lives. //-------------------------------------------------------// No Turning Back //-------------------------------------------------------// No Turning Back   The train rattled Chris out of his sleep. He looked around while wiping the small bit of drool from his lip. Twilight was still sleeping soundly to his right. Her head was leaned against the window and she snored lightly. Chris smiled softly at the adorable mare. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes again to fall asleep. The train suddenly stopped making Chris fly forward and collide with the seat in front of him. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?" He muttered to himself. He turned turned to his right and shook Twilight awake. "Hmm? Are we there yet?" She asked. "No, the train just suddenly stopped for no apparent reason- of course we're there!" Chris said. "Okay, okay, jeez." Twilight sighed. "So where are we going again?" Chris asked. "We're going to Applejack's to drop of the game then we're going to grab the rest of the girls." She answered. The two stood up and left the train. They made their way to Applejack's orchard. On their trek, a thought popped into Chris' head. "Aw hell, did we leave Spike at the library?" He asked. "No, don't worry. He's at Rarity's helping her with some things." "Oh okay." Chris sighed. The rest of the walk was quiet again. They just walked through town. Twilight greeted all the ponies while Chris stared off into space. Whenever he did this, it was a sign that he was trying to remember how he got here what he did to get here. But he could never remember anything. He would get small fragments every once in a blue moon, but then he'd forget about them in the next few days. No matter how hard he tried to keep them in his mind, it was like something kept pulling those fragment out, then teasing him with another one. Chris was so far out that he didn't notice that Twilight was trying to get his attention until she was practically screaming his name. He shook his head and looked at her. "Still trying?" Twilight asked. Chris let out a heavy sigh before responding, "Yep. But nothin' still." "Don't worry, you have to recall doing something at sometime." Twilight said. "Yeah, but that ain't gonna happen soon. Oh hey, we're here." Twilight and Chris walked up to the farmhouse and knocked on the screen door. It wasn't long before a small, yellow filly opened the door. "Hey there Chris!" Applebloom shouted. "Hey, whats up Applebloom! Is Applejack here?" Chris asked. "Yeah, lemme go get 'er." The little filly replied before running off screaming for her sister. After a little wait the door was opened again. "Howdy there! What 'd ya'll need?" Applejack asked. "Bah, nothing, we just came here to drop off this game then go get the rest of the girls." answered Twilight. "Oh, well give it here, and ah'll take care of it." No doubt about it. The most responsible person *I've** ever met.* Chris thought. A buncha dialogue and other boring stuff happens and we end up back at AJ's! The group; Chris, the Mane Six, Spike, and Applebloom, all sat around the table with the board game in the center. Nobody or nopony had a clue what the rules were. But that didn't stop Chris. "Wait, what're you doing?" Twilight asked. "Well, we don't know the rules, but its a board game, how hard can it be?" He said before tossing the dice across the table. "Wait! Princess Celestia told us to-" Too late, the dice were already skittering  across the table. Snake eyes... lady luck is not on my side today... Chris thought. "Welp, here goes." Chris said before moving his piece two spaces. As soon as it touched the second space a message projected from the gem, causing the table to jump. Chris leaned forward and read the text. "The ground is now steaming hot lava... HAH!" Chris laughed. He continued to laugh at how odd of a phrase that was. That is, until he smelled something burning, and felt a burning sensation in his feet. He looked down to see a pool of dark red lava, steaming underneath his feet. "HOLY MOTHER OF SHIT!" He screamed as he lifted his feet up and onto the chair. Oddly, the pool didn't seem to effect the chair, only the person who rolled that phrase. "Well, uh, that's interesting... anyone else wanna go?" Everypony shook their heads and backed away from the table. All but Twilight and Chris stood there at the table. "Wait, Princess Celestia said that this game has magical effects that are irreversible. So if Chris ever wants to get that lava pool out from beneath him, we have to beat the game." Twilight explained. "Well Chris is gonna have to get over it, cause I ain't going!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Me neither!" Rarity added. "Hell no! If all of you think I'm gonna go on with the rest of my life with a lava pool underneath me, you better call yourselves insane." Chris growled. "I'm going next!" Twilight shouted before tossing the dice. Both added up to eight, and Twilight moved her piece that exact amount. Another message was projected from the gem. The entire table backed about ten feet away from the table before Twilight began reading it. "You will doubt every thought you have... that's not that bad..." She said. "Or is it?" A voice said. Everyone looked in Twilight's direction to see a floating orb next to her. "Oh, you're the doubt." Twilight sighed. "Or am I?" It repeated. "Don't worry, it'll wear off eventually." "Or will I?" "That's seriously annoying the piss outta me already, someone else go before I make you go." Chris grumbled. Applejack was the next to grab the die and toss them. Six. She moved her piece and another text came up. "Life is against you, go back once every turn. What in tarnation?!" AJ shouted. "Don't worry, that may be useful." Fluttershy said. "She's right, that can be useful." Spike chimed. "Well, useful or not, we've already got three turns outta nine, so ya'll better go, because now, there's no turning back..." Chris said gravely.