Chapter Fifteen Rainy Day

Sunset

Rainy days can make you feel many things. They can make you feel lonely, make you feel distant, and to some they can bring happiness. Those people though might just relate to the weather, having a storm inside their soul. Some might have a calm patter of raindrops and some might have a raging storm. I feel like I fall under both of those. My soul always feels like its changing. At first when me and Twilight had arrived I felt like a wind was blowing within me threatening to blow out my fire. As I grew to understand this place though it felt like that fire grew and my inner rain turned to a storm. So I guess you could say I feel like I'm going at full throttle.

When we had found the dead Elder Dragon and Twilight unconscious the storm inside me changed. It felt like a storm above an icy sea. There was no hope and no mercy to the small ship I called my heart. Today though that ship felt like a full fleet and as I looked to our newly appointed leader I couldn't help but feel like I could take on the entire world. Any fight that our future held I would stand tall next to her, she was like a beacon in the storm so to speak, letting me understand my path.

To be truthful after I was defeated I didn't ever feel like I truly belonged with the rest of the girls. They were all so tight nit and upbeat. Living in that light, as edgy as it might sound, just wasn't for me. I chose to be a villain and it was by no means an accident. The happy go lucky life that Equestria had was almost nauseating. I was an orphan and saw the true colors that that rainbow like land was made of. No sympathy came to those that did not live brightly. Anypony that was different or scary was shunned. The orphanage was no different. Less then living was the best way to describe how it felt, the adoption rate was so small that most kids moved out on their own without ever knowing a true home. When I showed a strong affiliation for magic I was taken in by the Princess. 'The strong will succeed' I had thought. So when I learned about the chance of gaining more power I tried to rush it. I wanted to change things. The rest that led up to my downfall was no delusion to be honest. I just didn't want to say that though, I might loose the only life I had left. Now I had a new life and it didn't matter anymore. I will save this world but if given the choice to return.. well... I'd like to stay right where I am. Thinking of a future traveling with Twilight and the others, slaying monsters and adventuring around this amazing place. It made me giddy! I laughed softly to myself as the rain came down washing away my cares and making me feel renewed.

Applebloom

The thunder rolled far in the distance, the clouds having set in that morning. Lookin' round the only thing I could see was a grey haze. Rain only just started falli'n a bit ago. We trudged through the muck, hoping to find some cover before the storm got here. The mountain we were on had a pretty steep drop and I didn't wanna think about being here when the winds picked up.

"Guys look!" Silver called out from her post.

Everyone had to squint to see what she was looking at but whatever it was was flying around. Far in front of us in the sky looked to be a some kind of large monster. It was flying around in circles and sometimes scarily enough looked to be getting closer. I saw Twilight bring out her own spyglass. Having forgot bout' my own I took mine out and the others did the same. What I saw amazed and frightened me. It's body was almost coated with wind, its milk white body had weird spines going down it and it had fierce feelin 'bout it.

"Is that a sea horse?" Sombra asked to no one specifically.

"Oh no." Twilight tore through her pack pulling out a book that had some weird emblem written on the cover. After a quick search she almost looked pale. "This is just are luck." She muttered angrily shoving her book back into her pack.

"What is it?" Diamond asked looking nervous, but even I had to give her props. She had her big ol' gun at the ready. Even if she was scared she was willing to fight.

"Its an Amastu, an Elder Dragon and one so powerful its probably the reason that storm is coming." She responded pointing at the weather. I looked through my spyglass again getting a close look at the creature.

White boney spines went from its pony like head to its fish like tail. The spines bunched more around the head like coral and it had clustered right on its back. Two fins came down from its body kinda like a dolphins. It swayed around kinda like a kite in the wind to, it coulda almost have been pretty if it weren't for how terrifying that feelin it was given off was.

"We have to find shelter and hope it goes away. There's no way we could hope to fight it as we stand right now, and the terrain in not in are favor either." Twilight ordered and we all agreed. Rushing down the path trying to stay out of it's site we eventually found an alcove at the top of one ridge. It was almost perfect, higher up so we wouldn't have ta deal with the rain wash and deep enough that the rain was missing us. It went bout a hundred feet in I'd reckon. We put the caravan between us and the entrance as a way to buffer the wind and we settled in for who know's how long. Making a small fire with a smokeless type of wood from a weirdly named plant.

Sweetie Belle

"This is kinda fun." I said out loud to no one in particular.

"And how exactly is being stuck in a cave wet and dreary fun?" Diamond said sarcastically, she definitely had calmed down since coming here but her old ways including her harsh tone and mean look were still kinda there.

"Well I mean isn't kinda like a camping trip?" At her questioning look I decided to continue. "We'll just like near the lake were all near a fire and roughing it. Why can't we make it fun? There were plenty of stories I've read about a group of adventurers around a camp fire telling stories and singing songs."

"That's all good and well but does anyone here know any stories to top Sombra's from the other night?" Diamond said back chuckling to herself. It hadn't have come out meanly so she was probably trying to actually make a joke. It threw me off a little that she didn't keep the back and forth up like normal until we ended up in some kinda group brawl.

"We'll I don't know about any stories but Sweetie can sing super good!" Scoots chimed in making me blush.

"I can't sing in front of this many people Scootaloo you know that!" I bopped her on the snout in defiance but she just laughed back giving me a have hearted 'sorry' as she smiled. The fire flickered and everyone had gone quite, right up until Twilight jumped up excitedly.

"I got it!" She exclaimed. Everyone patiently waiting for her to elaborate. "Ahem, well I happen to have read a couple good stories and tales while researching and stuff so I think I might have a good story!"

Everyone seemed to get exited at the idea of a monster world story so we gave her the floor so to speak. Soon she started.

A Warning to The Wise

Across the furthest ocean, crossing the largest desert, walking across the coldest tundra, cutting through the densest jungle, and finally climbing the highest mountain. There you will find it. No one will ever believe you if you do. For no one has ever made the journey, if they have no one has ever known. Or maybe, just maybe, they never returned. To make this venture you must steady your heart, because I warn you. Each step you take brings you one step closer to death. It is not glory that waits you upon that peak. Not a prize worth taking have you. A god sits upon that throne. If you ever find yourself wanting to find them, reconsider. You are not prepared. Through any means head my warning. I write this for your own sake. You may be strong, you may be courageous, you may have even conquered the world. But the world may still conquer you...... and for any reason none of these words mean a damn to you and you seek to ignore me like a child. Remember to look him in the eyes when you shit your pants.

Twilight

...........

"What the fuck was that ending?" Scootaloo exclaimed right as I burst out laughing.

"Yeah Twilight where in blazes did you find a story like that?" Applebloom asked looking very confused. The room was full of different reactions. Sombra looked amused. Sweetie was giggling. Bloom and Scoots were both baffled, obviously both at the ending, Silver and Diamond were simply enjoying the expressions the other girls were giving. Sunset simply looked contemplative. Like she was trying to figure out why someone wrote it in the first place. I couldn't agree with her more since I had a similar reaction at first.

"Well I found it in a book called 'Legends of A Drunken Hunter'" I reached in my bag and pulled out a copy. "Look I even bought it!"

"But why?" Asked Silver.

"Well the stories in here might be outlandish but most of them sound realistic..... almost, this story as well as several others in this book sound way to crazy to just put down, I mean it's just completely baffling and entertaining. Then when you get to the end the writer says one last thing to get in your head." I flipped to the last page pointing to it and reading aloud. "To those who have read through this crap, thank you for reading. Maybe you've gotten a good laugh. Could be you're just bored. Who knows what would bring you to finish such an awful book. Just whoever you are, please believe me when I say that every single word of this book, every tale it holds, they are all truth. I am reaching the end of my years and have no regrets. I drank and I traveled. I laid with the most beautiful girls from around the world. Fought monsters that have never even been discovered. I saw things no one would ever believe. So as a last gift, to the crazy, the mad, the adventurers that don't give a damn, seek glory! I left hints within these pages to find the wonders of this already wondrous world. The start to your fun lies across the furthest ocean. They say it's impossible to cross. No boat can make it without being destroyed, no air ship can fly far enough to reach the other side. No land connects to it, but trust me. There IS land, all you must do, ride the lightning."

"What could that mean?" Sunset asked looking over my shoulder.

"Who know? But one line of the book spoke of the place were going to. I think that maybe it's connected." Looking down at the cover I kept my eyes on the several symbols. "Look here. There are many symbols, the four at the center belonging to The Four Swords of the Guild, The north means 'respect for nature' the west 'life as a community' south for 'crafting from nature' and east means 'prosperity from nature' which are the ideologies that the guild follow because of the Ancient Dragon War, but here you can clearly see many more almost burned away. Like her put them there then got rid of them. Based on the condition it probably is a one of kind copy that just got swept up in a book shop. I just got lucky and was the one to come across it. I can't stop wondering though, what could the other symbols possibly have been?"

With no answers and to many questions, I put the book away. We spent the rest of the night chatting and planning. Waiting for the next morning in hopes that the storm would have passed.

Author's Note

Un edited because fuck it, and sometimes my best writing comes before I go and judge my own ideas!