The Elder Scrolls: Equestria

“...a thief believes everypony steals...”

In my career I've come across many unusual and dangerous things. I've seen talismans that turn ponies into frogs, talking house cats (don't ask) and I've cast spells that would make Star Swirl envious. But up until leaving Canterlot with Grover I had never killed anypony, (seen more than a dozen killed by my coworkers, mostly Brutus. but never killed a pony myself.) I never saw a Manticore and I'd never flown. But seeing Applewood burning and being attacked by large insect-like creatures took the cake.

“Changelings!” Grover growled, unsheathed his swords and flew to the village without hesitation. I on the other hoof did hesitate. On one hoof, innocent ponies were being hurt. On the other, this was an excellent opportunity to slip away and let Grover get eaten. But all my thoughts melted away as I heard her.

On the edge of the village, cornered by a rather large changeling, was a little blue coated earth pony filly cowering against the wall. And she was calling for her mommy.

Oh hell no!

“Stay away from her you bastard!” I summoned all the power I could muster and summoned a long, curved blade made entirely out of magical energy. Then I brought it down right into the changeling's spine...er, whatever changelings had in Lou of a spine. The changeling hissed horribly as magical energy melted it's black carapace. In retaliation it turned to bring it's fangs down on me but Grover wasn't having it. The griffon was already covered in what I assumed was changeling blood Typical. as he brought both of his swords down on the back of it's neck, severing it's head.

The blade disappeared as I went to the filly and pulled her away from the dead changeling. I recoiled at the very sight of the monstrosity. It was the size of a pony with a body of black chitin, insect wings, a curved horn and two large fangs sticking out of it's mouth. In all my life I'd never seen anything uglier.

“Are you all right?” I asked her. In response she gave a tentative nod, tears streaming down her face. “Where are your parents?” she pointed down the road leading through town where several changelings and town ponies were still struggling. Grover stood close to us, his eyes darting around wildly for any sign that the creatures were coming closer.

“Go help them,” I said pointing to where the town ponies we fighting off the creatures. “I'll take care of her.” Grover nodded and took the skies without a word. I couldn't help but watch in awe as he drew a half dozen of the creatures away and dispatched them one by one.

He's a fucking killing machine...

There was a tug on my mane that drew me out of my reverie. I looked down to see my hair in the filly's mouth.

“Sorry. Show me where home is.” I followed the filly's directions through the small town. Many of the buildings were burning with bright green flames but a few were intact. There were dozens of bodies throughout the streets. Most were unicorn and earth ponies but there were a few Pegasi and changeling corpses as well. I covered the filly's eyes while she rode on my back, she didn't need to see any of this. I had the deadliest spell I could think of at my horn tip, ready for anything that tried to harm us. But the changelings stayed away. Maybe Grover killed them all already. I wouldn't put it past him.

We reached the house where the filly lived less than a minute later, my chest tightening at the sight of a dead mare and stallion with coats identical to the filly on my back. They looked like their bodies had been drained of any fluid in addition to the two large holes on each of their necks.

“Are they there?” her voice, small and pleading asked me.

“I...” the words stuck in my throat. I had to be sure. “What do your ma and pa look like?” I asked, dreading that I already knew the answer.

“They have my coat, but Mamma's hair is green and Daddy's is grey like mine.” Mother fucking cunt! Dammit!! Son of a cock sucking whore!!! I wrapped my tail protectively around her and quickly trotted away from the house back towards the edge of town. Grover could meet us there once he was done making changeling ka-bobs. “Where are we going, is my mommy and daddy ok?” she asked.

“They weren't there,” I quickly lied. “But we'll find them. Just stay close alright?” Dammit, dammit, dammit.

“Okay. Thank you,” she added, “for saving me from the monster.” she was silent for a moment before saying, “My name is Rose. What's your name?”

“That's a very pretty name. My...” I thought about making a name up but she was damn cute I really couldn't think of anything. What harm could come of telling a little filly? “Silver Scroll. My name is Silver Scroll.” she smiled and pulled my tail away from her eyes.

“Your name is pretty too.” she said sweetly. Daw! No, focus Silver! Focus. There were still changelings everywhere, my spell was making that clear enough. But looking around I couldn't see any. They were all on other streets or towards the center of the village.

We reached the edge of town where I first saw her and the first thing I did was start lighting the dead changelings ablaze. I couldn't do that to the town ponies though. We'll bury them once the changelings are dead. And from what I read in Grover's journals that wouldn't be very long.

Or so I thought.

After putting all the dead changelings in a pile and lighting them on fire my life detection spell showed a mass of creatures coming towards us. Rose was still on my back watching the pyre with a curious expression when Grover, surrounded by over a dozen changelings plummeted from the sky and crashed into the ground. His armor was covered in dents, scratches and green changeling blood. The parts of his body that weren't covered had large bite marks identical to the one's on Rose's parents.

“Filthy creatures!” he yelled, slashing at any changeling that came too close. It was clear from his movements that he was badly injured. His left hindleg wasn't supporting his weight, his wings were covered in bites and gashes and his right foreleg was dangling limply at his side. He was holding both his swords with one set of talons, spinning them like a baton twirler at the changelings.

Despite all this, he was clearly more than a match for any single changeling. My spell told me that these were the last of the changelings in the village. He had already killed the rest. Looking at him in this state, surrounded by the creatures made a candle burst to life in my mind. Idea! They'll either kill him and I can finish the rest with my magic or he'll kill them all and one spell should be all it takes to finish him!

Yes it was perfect. Grover would be killed, Rose and I will make camp away from Applewood. I'll break the news to her about her parents, (gently, of course) I'll spend the next couple days disabling Celestia's tracking spell. Then Rose and I will go live in Prance. Perfect! I would have been so content to just sit and watch the show, if not for Rose.

“The monsters are gonna get him, you have to help!” I looked over my shoulder at the filly, ready to explain why I couldn't (wouldn't) help the psychotic bastard and that we should run, but the look on her face stopped me in my tracks. Her eyes were large and concerned. Tears were streaming down her face, and her lip was quivering. Dammit.

I set Rose gently on the ground, along with my bags and galloped towards Grover. It seemed that the latter of my two plans would have come to fruition. There were only five changelings left and they were keeping just out of range of Grover's weapons. Hissing and taking the occasional swipe with their horns. Unfortunately for them, they were so distracted by the griffon that they didn't notice me. I launched a bolt of lightening at one causing it to spasm horribly and fall to the ground in a charred, twitching heap. The others turned their attention to me just long enough for Grover to decapitate another.

The remaining changelings seeing how quickly the odds turned on them took to the skies and tried to fly away. Grover threw his swords like javelins, impaling one and cutting the wings off the other. I launched three fire balls in quick succession at the third. It even managed to dodge the first two before the third struck home and blasted it to pieces. Okay, rest now. I was exhausted. My horn was throbbing, there was sweat pouring down my face and I was breathing heavily.

Grover was doing far worse. He was bleeding profusely in over a dozen places and it looked like he was on the verge of passing out. Maybe he'll bleed to death and save me the trouble of killing him. Apparently not. Rose came galloping up to him with several of my healing potions in a pouch hanging from her mouth. Hey...not bad, actually. I gotta give the girl credit, she found them quick.

“Here ya go, mister griffon.” she sweetly, giving Grover the potions.

“Thank you, young one.” he said tiredly, dropping onto his haunches and gulping down the potions. Suddenly, the changeling Grover clipped crashed into the ground about twenty feet from us, along with it's dead companion and some charred pieces of chitin. After finishing the last potion Grover's foreleg snapped back into place disturbingly, he stood up and walked to the creature. The changeling panicked and tried to crawl away but Grover seized it by the neck and slammed it against one of the few buildings in Applewood that wasn't on fire.

“Explain yourself foul creature!” he said angrily, fire in his eyes. If I had been the changeling I probably would have pissed myself. And I couldn't help but giggle a little when I saw a trickle of urine running down the wall underneath it. “Why were you here? What could these ponies have possibly done to deserve this!?” I pulled rose behind me. She was shaking terribly at the sight of the creature. Unsurprising really.

The changeling tried to answer but Grover was putting so much pressure on it's throat that it could only making gagging sounds.

“Um...I think it'll answer if you let it breath.” I said sarcastically. Grover's scowl deepened as he released the changeling. It fell to the ground with a hard thump and rubbed it's throat.

“We...we were hungry.” It managed to wheeze. Grover's eyes seemed to turn to fire as he grabbed it again and slammed it back into the wall. This time, to my amazement, the wall actually cracked from the force.

“You were hungry?” he said in a tone of utter contempt. “Hungry? Hungry! There's an apple orchard less than half a mile to the west! You could have eaten to your heart's content!” he drew his claws back and slashed the creature across the face. Leaving four deep gashes.

“We don't eat apples!” it said desperately, it's voice echoing it's pain. “we eat love. We must, Chrysalis says so!” How the hell does that make sense!? They drained them of their fucking body fluids!!!

“Who's Chrysalis?” I asked, taking a step closer. The changeling started to shake terribly. I don't know why it was afraid of me. Grover had it by the throat, it should be scared of him. Which it was, since it was peeing again.

“Sh..she is the queen. Queen of all changelings.” Grover pressed him against the wall harder making it gasp for breath.

“She sent you here?” he asked. His voice low and dangerous. The changeling nodded quickly. “Where is she?” It was silent for a moment but one more petrifying glare from Grover was enough to get it talking.

“She...she's at the city...the cloud city...with the winged ponies...”

“Timbucktu.” Grover said simply. “Thanks” he drew back his claws and stuck them clean through the creatures eyes, while at the same time crushing it's throat. The changeling squirmed against the wall but couldn't free itself from Grover's iron grip. Once it stopped moving Grover spun and through the creature clear into the pyre.

“Holy shit, Grover.” I said, feeling a little nauseous. I'd seen some fucked up shit in my life. The last few days in particular, but seeing that thing's pulped brain leak out of it's head was pretty high on the list. He turned from me without a word and flew low over the town. At first I thought he was looking for more Changelings but after he dove to the ground and flew back to us with his swords in claw I realized what he was doing.

“We'll need to start digging if we hope to bury them by nightfall.” he said, sheathing his blades. “We don't need any monsters coming here for a meal.” I scowled at him and pointed a hoof at Rose. His expression turned from angry to regretful faster than I thought possible. He came closer to me and whispered, “I'm going to start gathering the bodies. Dig a hole with your magic and keep the young one occupied.” he took to the air again and started for the center of town. Fucking...Griffons. I shook my head.

I managed to move enough dirt to bury the majority of the town ponies. My horn felt like it was about to fall off but I had one less spell in mind. Something for Rose's parents.

“Rose, did you ever hear the story of the Sirens?” I asked her, once I'd dug two holes by the town's apple orchard. I covered her eyes as we walked through Applewood. Grover was fast but he hadn't been able to get all the bodies before I was done digging. Rose hadn't asked what the holes were for. She either didn't realize or was too frightened to really care what I was doing.

“No.” she said quietly. She looked sad and still a little scared but there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Gotcha! “What are the Sirens?”

“It all started on a day a very long time ago. The Sirens were three beautiful creatures that could charm ponies with their voices. They sang to any and all who they came across. Bringing joy and light into their lives. At least, that's what they did at first.

“After a while, the Sirens realized they could make their voices stronger if they fed off the negativity of ponies. So they used their magic to make ponies fight each other instead of being happy.” Rose eyes widened and she scowled, her grey mane falling into her eyes.

“That's awful! Just awful, why did they do it?” I smiled and brushed her mane out of her eyes.

“They wanted power. That's almost always what drives ponies to do bad things. But don't worry. They were stopped.” I told her, getting a small smile in return.

“How?” she asked.

“There was one pony who was immune to their magic...” I began, but Rose interrupted.

“It was Celestia huh?” I shook my head, making the filly gasp. “They even tricked Celestia!”

“Yes. Celestia couldn't stop them and neither could her sister, Luna. There was only one pony who stood a chance. And that pony was...” Pause for effect. “Star Swirl the Bearded! Once the Sirens arrived in Canterlot they charmed the whole city into doing they bidding, even the Princesses.” Rose gasped again. Daw!

“Star Swirl challenged them to a musical dual. Believing they were far more powerful than he was they accepted and met him in the city by the palace. They were so confident they would win they even let him sing first. But the words that came out of Star Swirl the Bearded's mouth wasn't a song. It was a spell.

“Using a powerful magic lost to time, Star Swirl opened a portal and banished the Sirens from our world forever, putting an end to their evil plans once and for all.” I smiled as warmly as I could, despite my aching heart. “and that's how Star Swirl stopped the Sirens, saved the Princesses and in turn, all of Equestria.” Just as I finished Grover landed nearby.

“It's done.” He said simply. Rose looked between the two of us, looking confused.

“What?” she asked, perplexed. “Whats done?” Grover looked at me with a tired expression.

“Tell her.” he told me.

“Tell me what?” she asked with a scowl.

“Get her parents, and bring them here,” I whispered in his ear. “They have her coat, mare has green hair, buck has grey.” he nodded and took to the air once more.

“Come on, Rose. We need to talk.” I pulled her away from the graves and into the orchard proper. Once we were a good hundred yards away I sat down under one of the trees and told her to as well.

“What is it?” she asked. I sighed and put my foreleg around her shoulder.

“We...we found your ma and pa, Rose.” she looked around excitedly.

“Are they here? Are they hiding..?” Dammit.

“No...they're not. Rose, I'm so sorry... they're dead.” the excitement left her expression at once. At first it was replaced by confusion which turned to horror.

“But...but...” she stuttered her eyes filling with tears. “you...you said we would find them. You said...we would...” I hugged her close as she wept openly into my breast.

“Shhh, shhh. I'm sorry Rose. I'm so, so sorry.” I didn't know what else to say. How can you make anypony feel better about losing their parents? At least she didn't see them. Nopony should have to see that.

I don't know how long we sat there. Rose crying. Me holding her. I just knew I couldn't let go. Grover came after a while but at the shake of my head he left again. The sun was setting over the orchard when she finally stopped crying. She just stayed where she was, shaking against my chest. Her eyes were extremely puffy and red and she had copious amounts of snot running down her muzzle onto my Guild barding. I pulled a piece of torn shirt from my pockets and held it to her muzzle.

“Here. Blow hard.” she did as she was told, blowing into the dark cloth. “There you go.” I used the dry half of the cloth to wipe her eyes and the rest of her face. “Come on, let's get you some water.” I lifted her onto my back and returned to where I left my bags, being careful to avoid the graves I made  for her parents on the way.

Grover was sitting by my bags when we reached them. His armor was on the ground beside him along with a shovel sticking out of the ground nearby. He watched us approach silently until I reached my bags.

“I did as you said,” he whispered, watching Rose out of the corner of his eye. “I didn't know their names though. There's a large stone at the head of the graves. Maybe you could find out their names and engrave it with your magic?”

“Yeah...” I said absently while I passed my canteen to Rose. “Drink up.” she drank without argument when I floated the canteen to her lips. I need a drink myself. Maybe Grover did too but he wasn't showing it. I opened up the various pockets in search of some ale, but much to my irritation there wasn't any. Are you fucking serious?

“Grover?” he nodded, while beginning to scrub the Changeling blood off his armor pieces. Without his armor on he looked a lot different. His coat was sleek and shiny. He was covered from head to toe in lean...almost supple muscle covered in sweat... Holy shit...if I were a griffon!

“What is it?” he asked with a small scowl.

“When you were in town did you see a tavern?” I said, shaking my head.

“Yeah,” Yes!! “It burned down though.” Dammit! He stood up and whispered, “Maybe instead of trying to find a drink we should show her to the graves? Let her say goodbye.” He was right. Rose finished my water and once again was leaning against my chest tears streaming down her face.

“Come on, Rose” she walked sullenly between us as we made our way to the graves. The fires of Applewood finally burned themselves out just before nightfall. The smoldering remains of the many houses and shops casting a flickering orange light around us. We stopped at the hoof of the grave, and just as I thought Rose burst into tears again.

Returning Rose to my back Grover and I made our way to one of the only houses left standing. Hers. It was a small house with a hay roof like every other in town. Rose was curled up in a ball on my back sobbing quietly as I brought her into what I assumed was her room. There was a small bed with a nightstand and some toys on the floor. I set her down on the bed and tucked her in.

“You're not leaving, are you?” she asked desperately. I smiled reassuringly and rubbed her face with my hoof.

“Of course not. I'll stay right here.”

“Promise?” she asked skeptically.

“Yeah, I promise.” that seemed to calm her down a little. From the other room I heard Grover's talons clicking on the floor and the sound of metal clanging together. Damn, he's putting his armor on. Real shame too. He looked a hell of lot better with it off.

It was hours before Rose finally fell into a fitful sleep. I stayed by her bedside until she did, while Grover stood guard in the living room. He sat like a statue, as stoic as any of the Royal Guard or even more so. I watched him through the door for a while, trying to catch him blink.

I never did.

Maybe it's good I didn't kill him. Who knows what would have happened to Rose if Grover died and I hightailed it to Prance. She wouldn't have stood a chance. Rose would have been just like her parents...

“I don't get you.” Grover said from the doorway, making me jump a little.

“How do you mean?” I asked innocently. Rose rolled over and wrapped her forelegs tightly around my hoof.

“That's how I mean,” he said pointing a talon at at the filly and dropping his voice to a whisper. “How can you light ponies on fire, joke about the deaths of dozens and be so callous to those guards, and then treat this child so...kindly?” Oh. That's how he meant.

“That simple. One; the Nightstalkers were assholes and it's fun to burn assholes then joke about it. Two; those guards were assholes and deserved all the shit I gave them. Three;” I ran my free hoof through Rose's mane as she slept “she...she's just a filly.” I finished lamely.

“You never answered my question,” I added as an after thought, drawing a confused look from the griffon.

“What question is that?” he asked blankly.

“Do you have a mare back home?” just as before Grover blushed furiously at the question. But unlike before, he gave an answer.

“First of all, it's Hen, not mare. Ynd...Yes...” he turned to leave the room but my magic stopped him.

“Oh come on! You gotta give me more than that. What's she like? Is she smart? Or more importantly...is she cute?” Grover scowled at me for a moment but his eyes betrayed him. Gotcha!

“Her name is Sapphire and she is the most beautiful creature I've ever seen,” he said longingly. “she gives me the strength to do what I must every day.”

“What's she look like?” if he was this sweet on her after being in Equestria for two years she had to be special. But instead of telling me what she looked like he removed a folded piece of parchment from his bags and opened it. Inside was a very detailed drawing of a drop dead gorgeous griffon mare er, hen. Her coat and the feathers on her head were the same bright blue, while her talons and beak were ash grey. Her eyes shone like...well, sapphires. Two drinks, three tops and I'd do her.

“How come she isn't helping you?” he blinked rapidly and raised an eyebrow (Feather!?). “Well, think about it. You're the one who came to Equestria to fight a war against a necromatic ram while she's back at Griffonstone doing what exactly? Seems like she could have at least bothered to come here with you since you're trying to 'help your people' and all. At least then you'd have some pussy once in a while. Or maybe even oral?” I wonder how that works with a beak, must pinch a lot. His expression darkened immeasurably and for a moment I believed he would actually kill me. Might have found a nerve there.

“I am going to let that one slide because of the kindness you showed the young one but let me make something clear.” he drew his sword silently and stuck the tip a fraction of an inch from my throat. “Talk about her like that again and I'll kill you.” he sheathed his sword, left the room and returned to sitting like a statue in the main room. Fuck, sensitive much? I turned my attention back to Rose who gave a big yawn and rolled over. She's got the right idea.

I took my bags off and climbed onto the bed with her, giving a big yawn myself.

“Night, Rose.”

                      ------------------------

“Miss Silver?” the small voice of Rose said from beside me. “Miss Silver? Are you awake?” she asked timidly. I was sprawled out on the bed with my right foreleg stuck in between the pegs at the end of the bed. Rose was standing with her forelegs on the mattress and her hindlegs on the floor. There was a plate on the bed by her with a bread roll on it. “I brought you some breakfast.” I couldn't help but smile, even though I was having a fantastic dream that involved Grover mounting me over a billiard table in the tavern in Canterlot. The look on the faces of those Canterlot snobs!

“Thanks. And yeah, I'm up.” Yeah, I'm up now. I ate the bread in two bites and rolled haphazardly off the bed onto the floor. “How you holding up Rose?” I asked, getting off my side and onto my hooves. Her face turned heart breakingly sad and she wiped her muzzle.

“I...I'm okay. Miss Silver?” she asked.

“You can just call me Silver, Rose. None of the Miss stuff.” I told her. Bad memories just hearing somepony call me Miss Silver. Miss Silver turn to page three hundred and twelve...Miss Silver clean out your ink pot...Miss Silver don't make paper birds out of the pages of your textbooks. Blah, blah, blah!

“Oh, okay. Silver...can I come with you and mister Grover?” Oh shit. I hadn't even thought of that. Where was she going to go? Everypony in town's dead so she can't stay but would she be safe with us? I looked over her into the other room where Grover sat at the table sharpening his sword and looking out the window for trouble at the same time.

“Of course you can, Rose!” I said, a gleeful smile spreading across my face. Grover dropped his sword in the other room and looked at me in shock. He must have some really good hearing. I hadn't even said it that loud. Maybe it was a griffon thing?

“Really?” she said brightly, a smile crossing her muzzle as well. Grover opened his mouth to speak but I cut him of.

“Yeah really. We'll be thick as thieves!” I winked at Grover and the griffon facehoofed. Facetaloned?

Rose spent the next ten minutes bouncing around the house on the tips of her hooves collecting her things and saying, “I get to come! I get to come!” she looked so damn happy that Grover didn't tell me what was on his mind until we'd left the house heading towards the graves of Rose's parents. She wanted to say goodbye one last time.

“Bringing her with us is an extreme risk,” he whispered urgently. “we are going on a dangerous mission into hostile territory and that's after we deal with that 'Chrysalis' creature.”

“Isn't following the Princess's instructions are mission?” I asked simply. “Why do we have to deal with some stupid changeling cunt?” his expression turned from concern to one of pure hatred and I once again felt cold fear tingling up my spine. I'd seen what he could do with just his claws, and I didn't want any of that shit.

“As long as that monster is alive she will have her drones kill hundreds of ponies.” he pointed at Rose who was walking a few steps ahead of us. “Or to put it another way; that 'changeling...C-word' is the one who is responsible for the death of her parents.” I didn't know what to focus on more. The fact that he was totally right and I should make that cunt spontaneously con-bust for what her changelings did to Rose and her family, or the fact that he actually said 'C-Word'.

“I'm in.” I told him. “and she is coming with us.” he opened his beak to argue but I silenced him with a hoof. “Between my magic and your...terrifying knack for killing things nothing will be able to get near her. Besides, look at her.” she was walking silently with her eyes looking between her forelegs. She was crying again. “She ponies to help her right now. And those ponies will be us...so to speak.” I added a little lamely.

“Fine,” he said begrudgingly once we reached the graves. “but we'll have to be extra careful. We can't bring her into Imperial territory.”

“Of course not,” I told him, even though we totally could. I just needed to remember that spell that turns ponies invisible.

Idea!!! I'd teach her all the tricks of the trade! I'll show her how to pick locks and pockets. Pockets especially and how to trick idiots into giving her their last Bit. We are going to have some fun!

“What are you smiling about?” Grover asked, concerned. I shook my head and smiled coyly.

“Just imagining killing Chrysalis in all kinds of violent magical ways.” he nodded and stepped to the hoof of the graves where Rose was sitting. Her eyes downcast and pouring tears. I too went to her side and wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder. Grover removed a small scroll from his bags and held it in front of her face.

“I know this can't make up for your loss but...” she pulled the string with her teeth and the scroll unrolled revealing a skillfully illustrated picture of Rose sitting between her mother and father. The two looked healthy and unharmed. After seeing them before they were buried I could even imagine what they looked like before hoof, but Grover used a magic greater than I knew with only his talons and a brush to bring the two of them back to life.

Rose's lip quivered as she hugged the scroll close to her and cried. Grover nervous at first, like he'd upset her but a moment later she jumped and wrapped her forelegs around his neck in a tight hug. Watching her hug the steel clad griffon made me smile and not the 'I'm thinking of ways to rob somepony' smile either.

I'm really glad I didn't kill him.

Level Up! Combat Magic 50 Speech 50

New Perk Added! Filly at Heart. This perk gives you 10% to Persuasions in dialogue with children and gives you unique dialogue options with children.