Delaying the Inevitable

Chapter 11

I heard him snore, perfect. I silently walked out of the door back to the outside. The Sun was going down again so I will have to be quick before any of the Everfree creatures could threaten me.

Keep in mind that I still hadn’t slept for hours and I was trying to run back to the fields, with my eyes barely opened. The growling of a beast woke me up. Next to me, there was a large manticore just standing there. I startled, slowed down, took distance from him and slowly walked away. He slowly started moving to me.

I tried to start running again, but every time I sped up, he did too. And when I started running eventually, the manticore was able to grab me by the tail and towed me away to a cave. I was way too tired to simply do something. The only thing I could hope for is that I would be able to escape later on. Once I entered the cave, I heard a familiar voice shouting: ‘now what have you found there?’

It was Navorse, I knew it. I looked up to see him, he looked just as I remembered him, except that his beard was even longer and not well maintained.

‘If it isn’t Omega Flame, that’s a long time no see huh?’ He said to me whilst helping me stand up.

‘What is making you come to here?’

I tried to focus myself as I was really tired.

‘A better question is why did you leave me behind last time?’ I managed to say.

‘Oh yeah,’ he said, ‘I knew I wouldn’t be welcome in Canterlot anymore, so I left you at the staircase to get back to the forest and continue with my expedition. I’ve learned many new things concerning the castle, the ravines and even the animals here, don’t you agree Furball?’

The manticore growled.

‘Furball? Really?’

‘Well I thought it was neat.’

‘Well, I still don’t understand why you just didn’t say you would leave me, but to answer your question, I went back to the forest because I had told my friend about what I had found there, even though they clearly told me not to. He said he wanted to get to the castle himself, so I lead him to there, but it was foolish of me to do so because he will now try to convince everypony about the truth and I am fearing the worst. He is currently sleeping in the castle, but once he’ll wake up, he will notice my absence and return to Canterlot with many of the books from that library.’

‘That doesn’t sound good at all, does it?’

‘No, I don’t even know how to get back into Canterlot, going through the front gate won’t work any longer.’

‘There is a way I’ve once used, you could slip in via the Canterlot Waterfall, just make sure nopony is around to spot you then.’

‘Hm,’ I said, ‘thanks for the help.’

Navorse nodded: ‘there is not much I can do about this, but what I do have to add, is no matter what you do, always stick to the princess’ side, even though she lies to you and all of her other subjects.’

‘Of course I will, I responded, ‘something Comet Shade would never do probably.’

I left his cave without saying anything else.

I arrived at the Equestrian Fields, the Sun came up from the horizon far away, it was noon. I started climbing the hills to the side of the waterfall, it was much steeper than I had expected it to be. I had to watch my hooves as there were many loose rocks below me. To be honest, it was actually pretty dangerous, certainly when I once came very close to the waterfall itself where the rocks were slippery and the splashing water blurred my vision.

Finally, when I got there at the source of the waterfall, I saw there were iron bars where only water could get through, it was way too slim for a pony. I didn’t immediately see any way in until I looked at a certain spot where one iron bar was bent making the passage larger, I suspect Navorse has done that.

Because the water stream was so heavy, I needed to grab two iron bars with my hooves and try to conquer the water stream. Once I finally got behind the iron bars, the water became much calmer and I could easily get on land again. My hooves and belly were completely wet so I tried to dry myself off as good as I could before showing myself to anypony else.

I returned to my own house now to think of what I should be doing next. Should I tell Veral about all what has happened? Maybe better not, I should first try to see what Shade’s plan will be, I’ll better stay inside here for now until he would return.

The next day, I got out of my house to see if he might have returned already. I first went to his house and knocked on the door, but it seemed nopony was inside. I walked to the park to see if he might be there, but he wasn’t. Neither was he at Bourgon’s or any other place; he’s got to be at the Everfree castle still, I can’t imagine him being anywhere else, yet he said he would try and make it a two-day journey? Maybe Navorse halted him? I have no clue. I returned home again so I would not be seen by anypony who might be wondering where Shade would be at.

The following day, I got out of my house again to see if he had returned. I got to his house and knocked on his door, but it seemed he wasn’t there. I returned to the park once again and I saw many ponies gathering for something, so I went to take a look what was going on.

‘And so young filly, what do you think about the Mare in the Moon?’ I heard somepony say. That somepony was Comet Shade, I could immediately identify his majestic voice. I pushed myself through the crowd to see what was going on. He was standing there in the middle, next to him was a filly.

‘My mum told me it was a witch that got banished to the Moon by Princess Celestia,’ the young one spoke.

‘And is that true?’ Comet Shade asked.

‘My daddy and my teacher told me it wasn’t. They said it is just a coincidence and that the pony-looking face has been there since the beginning.’

‘Well then,’ Shade continued, ‘prove your mother right because she was the one closest to the truth!’

The crowd was wondering what has been said, I could hear some ponies say it’s crazy talk.

‘Hush now everypony, I have proof! That mare is not just a wicked monster, she is in fact Celestia’s sister!’

Out of the murmuring crowd, one pony shouted: ‘that’s just nonsense!’ And many ponies agreed with him.

‘Oh yes? Then I would like to give you this book,’ he took a book out of his bag and gave it to the pony.

‘And if you still think I’m bluffing, then I have even more proof to back myself up,’ Shade said.

‘How was Celestia able to master her own sisters then?’ A mare from the crowd shouted.

‘Very good question, ma’am. She used these!’ Comet Shade took out five jewels from the bag.

‘The Elements of Harmony,’ he explained.

I was shocked, how could he have found them? The pony who had received the book began to speak: ‘I do have to say that his story and this book make more sense than what I have learned and read at school. Take for example this here; I always got taught Celestia lived here in Canterlot since the beginning, but that can’t be true because Celestia has been around here in Equestria way before Canterlot even existed.’

‘Aha!’ Comet Shade said immediately: ‘where did she live then?’

‘In the castle of the Everfree Forest it says here,’ the stallion said.

‘You see? Everything you taught are pure lies! This is the reality!’ Comet Shade shouted.

I jumped inside the circle: ‘don’t believe what he is saying! It’s pure nonsense!’

‘Well young foal,’ another colt in the group said, ‘he does have some valid points.’

Comet Shade got closer to me: ‘Omega Flame, how nice of you to leave me behind like that.’

‘I couldn’t hang around with you any longer so I had to.’

‘Of course you did, you prefer to stay at Celestia’s sidem but I believe it’s too late now, isn’t it?’

‘It’s never too late,’ I responded. You could hear at my angered voice that our friendship was as good as over.

‘Who of all of you are still believing in what Celestia told you? Raise your hoof!’

Nopony rose their hoof.

‘You see, I think it’s best that you join us now, don’t you think?’

‘And leave Veral and Celestia behind? Never.’ I walked away.

‘Both these ponies have betrayed us if you still aren’t aware of that!’ He shouted to me.

I ran out of the circle and fled to the university as I had to tell Veral about all of this, it’s time that it is said.