Chapters As the Over Mare, I spend my day at the office. While I prefer to be addressed as the Mare, I am technically the over mare. My name is Starlight Glimmer, just like the founder who established the little village from all of us are originating.
Like every other Pony in the stable; I have a Pip Buck just over my right fore hoof, where it has been all the back from birth. As opposed to the standard Pip Bock, these can not be taken off and removed. I guess you could take off the entire leg, but it would most likely just grow back, in a very unsettling and utterly gruesome fashion at that. I have not heard about it actually happening, but you don’t take off a leg on a Pony.
As the Over Mare and acting Founder, I hear of everything taking place in my Stable. Not because any pony is actually telling me, it is just the way our original Founder set up the system. I don’t know and I really do not care how she managed any of it. I am merely a coordinator and leader of a stable like any other. I would even go as far as to reprimand and rebuke any Pony even addressing me differently or giving me more credits than I am comfortable with. Does this make me a Tyrant or anything?
If I need to, I can recall every detail, as if it had happened yesterday, even if the memory originated from a previous Over mare, or was just a detail my position required for me to know and be aware of. Creepy, I know, and I rarely think of this. Of course, this means that I never will suffer from bad memory, even in advanced age in the future. Does this make me into a Cyborg? I don’t know or care. This is who and what I am, but it doesn’t set me apart from the heard of mine.
Since my mark is identical to that of the original Founder named Starlight Glimmer; I am her, as if I had been born outside the stable. The same goes for every last Pony, they are the reincarnations of them in the flesh. Just that we do have a few new foals, not carrying any of the original marks. They have no memories of the world above or the life outside the stable.
While I may look like Starlight Glimmer, and recall everything about her; I have no genetic ties to her and I am not of her bloodline, for anyone who does care about such details. Of course, Starlight Glimmer never bothered with the details of genetics or family-ties such as bloodlines. She had her very own brand of Unity. Originally, it was all about emulating a position, in the name of Equality. Now it is about filling the needs of the ponies of the Stable populated by the ponies living under her in the village.
I am no geneticist, just as I am no engineer. I am the Element of the magic and the leader of the ponies; nothing more and nothing less. This is who I am, what the mark on my Pip-Buck ordains for me to be. I can never escape it, but I am also gifted with the tools to make this work. Frightening as this may sound, it has already worked for two Centuries. The Stable is actually working better than the average stable, even the majority of the best stables.
You should consider me lucky. Not just because I am safe, well fed and well clothed, of course. My place is secure, for as long as I live; because the ponies are looking up to me for leadership, because the Founder entrusted the tools for the job on me. There can be no alternatives, and I don’t have to lift a hoof in order to secure anything.
Of course, Starlight Glimmer was indeed great at and with magic, she was also great at leadership and a grand tactician. Much more so, than she could have foreseen. Although she still does owe her place to the war, ravaging Equestria. While she did not know it, just as we never would be the wiser of this; she would have been overthrown and dethroned, had the war never taken place. It was a matter of time, before her village would crumble over her. Harmony could only be denied or stalled for so long, before it had been forced to send its Champion her way.
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I had set the Pip Buck to wake me up, an hour after midnight; when every pony was fast asleep, safe in their very own beds. I had the stable built for them, so that I could ensure their survival and safety; just as I had been promising them, all along.
Now my promise is demanding a sacrifice, of me. I have to leave the stable, in the middle of the night; while every pony is sleeping, so they can know nothing of what I had in mind for them. By tomorrow, when they wake up, the stable will be sealed up tight. None can enter and none can exit the stable. Every pony will be safe in here.
I step out of bed, trot over to the door. I push up the door and step out, before I close the door behind myself; quietly, so that none can know I had ever left my home.
Trotting down the path, to the gate. This is the tricky part. Opening the gate, quietly, stepping out. Closing the gate and performing the spell; duplicating myself.
I open the inner gate, step back in and close the gate; before I am enacting the seal, preventing anyone to enter the stable. I trot back to my home. Opening and closing the door. I go back to my bed and slip in under the quilt and falls asleep.
I open the outer gate, the one with Double Diamond’s mark and step out. I close the gate behind myself and promptly seal the gate behind me. My stable and its inhabitants will be safe.
“No rest, for the wicked! ” I ponder.
The gate is closed, sealed and thus secure. I trot to the bridge towards the village, my village; cross it and continue to the village. Once I am in the safety of what had once been my home, I cast the spell of duplication, once more. Two is always better than one, after all.
“Time to head out, my mission awaits me! ” I ponder.
“If we split up, we should have greater chances to get what we need!” the second duplicate points out.
“Yes, splitting up the attention between the two of us should be a convenient distraction! Best of luck, with your mission!” the first duplicate responds.
While my duplicate is still in my home, I hastily teleport to the train station. Maybe there is a train, waiting for me. Or, maybe there isn’t.
The building is exactly where I had pictured it, just as the tracks. Yet, there is no train waiting, guess I had expected this too.
“Teleporting will tax my magic, but it will take me where I want to go; much faster, than I could go by hoof! ” I ponder.
There is a strange feeling in the air, I feel a chill flowing down the length of my spine, from the base of my scull to the tip of my tail.
“I hope she will reach the destination, so she can take care of her end of the mission! ” I ponder.
I trot about a mile, quietly; before I make the ext teleportation along the rail on which I am trotting. There is no point in articulating my thoughts, some pony or zebra could hear me. Besides, I do not feel as if I have the air to spare for the effort.
For a single unicorn, trotting all the way to Canterlot, is a very long trek. I am most certainly not the athlete, I am a unicorn and rely on magic. I am fluent in magic and its implications. I trust in my power and capability to wield magic.
Am I merely the duplicate, who is to say? I see myself as being the true Starlight Glimmer, just as much as the one in the stable and the one currently on her way to the railway station. At least, she should still be on her way there.
The track is long, sided with forest and only making a turn, every now and then. I am making prime progress, on my way towards the destination I had set before me.
Somewhere, halfway to Ponyville; I had this strange feeling, of something being wrong. Very wrong. I jump off of the track and turn around. For a moment, I wish it was just the sense of a train behind me; but this is not the case. I stay low and off of the track. I feel the ground shudder under my hooves, just a moment I see the light on the sky. I know exactly where the blast had gone off.
I see her teleport away, to the train station as I would assume. I slowly trot after her. The station is after all my best choice. I need to go far, and the train should be the best option.
I manage to trot to the station without any problem, just as I had been expecting. There is no train in, as I arrive; but that had never been expected, I knew the train is sporadic at best. It isn’t as if all that many ponies came to the village in the first place.
On second thought, the rail road would still be the better option; even if I trot there by hoof. I choose to forgo a new duplication; not so much out of the fear of taxing my magic, but there would be four of me already. The process of duplication still does come with consequences.
After about five minutes of waiting and resting; I choose to trot along the railroad track, mainly as a guide to take me, where I am heading.
“If I do not teleport, I have magic to spare on a shield! ” I ponder.
I do have a shield, worthy to mention; one that could stand up, protecting me against most anything I could imagine to face. Of course, I did not know exactly what could jump me along the way. Just as I had no idea as to what could possibly be thrown at me, as I travel to Canterlot on a day like this. It may not be a special day, but I had heard of the war against the zebras. The war is why I am here, and why I established the stable in the first place.
With the shield up, at full strength; I can trot along the track, feeling perfectly secure. Little did I know, exactly what horror was about to befall upon me. How could I have known, even if I did know a war was raging across the nation of Equestria.
This far, the battles had been fierce and bloody; but this had been battles between zebras and ponies. The worst I had to fear, is a zebra with a spear jumping me from beside the track. No mere spear, or bullet could penetrate my shield.
I continue along the track, trotting along slowly; in a good mood, spirit soaring high as the clouds above me. While within the stale, I had failed to hear the latest news. I know nothing of the latest events.
After a few hours of trotting along the track, I make camp, setting up my tent and slip inside. I do not have time for anything more, as I hear the terrible noise of a bale-fire bomb going of. Only thanks to the shield, did I even survive the event. While within the tent, I had not even seen from which direction the attack had come. Not that it made any difference to me.
Since the shield is still up, with the tent inside; I remain inside, but finds myself growing tired. I chance to sleep a few hours, hoping the shield will remain intact.
There is a strange sensation, just as the bomb went off; but thankfully I had managed to put a greater distance between me and the bomd, than my duplicate trotting by hoof.
Even if I had been trotting by hoof, between each and every teleportation; teleporting had given me a great head start of my duplicate.
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Author's Note
Starlight Glimmer's POV
the Duplicate of Starlight Glimmer's POV
At the Gate - the Zebra: settlement
Of course every Pony has a Pip buck on the right fore-leg, just above the hoof. This is exactly what you expect, from Ponies living in a stable. My mother lives in such a stable, and she has one of these too; just like each and every other pony in Starlight’s stable.
What she does not have, is a cutiemark. Starlight Glimmer removed them, from the flank of each Pony before the stable had even been established. The mark is unfair and imposes privileges unfairly, according to her. Maybe she is right, I have no idea.
The mare that is my mother had been quite healthy, just as every other pony in the stable; this had never wavered, at any time throughout the pregnancy. There had never been a reason for her health to be anything less than perfect. Not in Starlight Glimmers stable. No complication occurred at any time, throughout the entire pregnancy.
Just as any other foal, I had turned in her womb and stretched my fore-hooves forwards; just in time for the birth, and it had been a fairly regular birth.
“Iiiih!” the midwife exclaimed, just as my hooves slipped out into the light in the room.
“What?” my mother exclaimed.
“What is it?” the nurse in the room inquired.
“The foal, she is wearing a pip-buck?” the mind-wife responded.
“Preposterous, it is quite impossible. No pony would craft a buck for an unborn foal. The effort of doing it would be an effrontery towards the doctrine of the founder of our community!” the serving doctor pointed out.
“Nonetheless, the buck is clearly on the fore-leg of the foal!” the nurse observed.
“Indeed, the buck is actually there!” the doctor acknowledged, once she had had the chance to see for herself.
Just that one steel grey buck on the fore-leg, and no other anomalies were ever recorded. The doctor wrote a thorough report on the incident and filed it away. The report was clearly linked to my birth certificate, and the greater medical archive of the stable.
My mother was quiet, while the delivery took place, later pointing out just how easy it had been. I have some fragmented recollections of the event, but mainly based on the recording from my buck.
I had ignored the item on my fore-leg throughout the entire pregnancy. First due to the fact that I had not been developed enough, to understand that it was something to pay attention to; later, there still never came a reason to care.
“How does one remove the buck; in case of complications or the need of updates or maintenance?” the nurse inquired, as she was inspecting me and the buck on my fore-leg.
“I do not know, there appears to be no seam, or mechanism with which to unfasten it!” the mid-wife responded.
“The technician will have to see this!” the nurse prompted, as she dialed up the senior pip-buck technician.
“A foal, born with a buck? This I will have to see! ” the senior pip-buck Technician Delicate Circutry pondered, while reading the report and making preparations for the house call.
Several minutes later, the technician arrived at the maternity, only to find the foal by the side of the mother. The filly had managed to have her first meal, now resting comfortably.
“Wait, what? If I had not been told, but I still can’t believe my eyes!” the technician muttered.
DC?” the nurse inquired.
The buck was clearly visible, on the right fore-leg; just as it had been said, and it appears to be fully functional. From time to time, the little screen flickered, as the image changed, or a short text appeared and disappeared.
“What in the name of Starlight Glimmer?” DC exclaimed, reading the texts and looking over the imagery on the screen.
“I will have to take the chance and connect to this buck!” DC exclaimed.
After pulling out the cord and connecting to the new bock, DC flipped between options and examined the results. The buck is indeed fully functional. Had that been the end of, the day would have been little to nothing to write home about. This buck was not merely fully functional, but also quite advanced.
“How do I explain this? ” DC pondered.
“Protocalls downloaded and accepted! ” DC red on the diminutive monitor.
“That is curious!” DC exclaimed; “I never had a hoof-shake this intimate before! ” she pondered.
“Spell matrix loading and initializing! ” DC reads.
“Okay, this is the good part;” DC exclaimed; “or when it goes horribly wrong! ” she continued in a hushed, chilled voice.
A spell matrix is a very delicate component. If it handles the buck correctly, it could be quite helpful, and if it mishandled things, it would be a horror story with no real end. Rumours of misaligned smell matrixes and pip bucks were known and spread around like candy at Nightmare-night parties.
A misaligned matrix could do anything from merely missing objects, to outright kill entire legions in an instant. Most of the times, the issues were fairly innocent. There was no known incident; where any Pony had actually died, confirmed. Even if it had been a popular story; when the first really incidents had been leaked out, into the public domain.
The digital and circuitry is contained. Integration between the living Pony and the mechanical equipment is stable and functional. The flow of energy and magic seems stable and stays within, what is expected to be safe limits. Information is stored properly and handled safely. There is an internal memory and information exchange going on.
“Uh?” the filly exclaimed; after a moment of information being processed, by her buck.
“Now, that is curious! Extraordinary!” DC exclaimed, in shock and surprise.
The speech of the filly had clearly moved her, beyond expectations. Of course, a filly does not speak at this age. This is believed to be mainly, due to the lack of actual understanding of the Ponish language and in smaller part lacking motor control.
The room is still, quiet. Nothing moves and no sound could be heard.
There is a hiccup, disturbing, interrupting the tranquility of the tomb-like feel in the air and the moment.
“Mum!” the filly spoke.
The technician DC promptly collapsed on the floor and thumped, unconscious.
The nurse stirred in the adjacent room, hasting in to investigate the incident. A sound that should not be, and then the one that could not be.
“What!” the nurse breathed, as she entered the room, only to see the technician on the floor.
The filly had taken on a grey coat, with a blue tint to it; almost hiding the buck entirely, had it not been for the glossy screen covering most of its surface.
“Mum, Mum!” the filly repeated.
“Yes!” the mere merely responding, never quite catching up on what happened around her.
“Your filly, just spoke!” the nurse exclaimed, quietly.
The mother just blinked, and remained quite. The little filly did, what she was supposed to; finding the nipple and served herself, suckling in her own pace. What else should she do?
“So energetic, so enthusiastic! ” the mother pondered, quiet, and content.
Of course, her little filly was healthy, nothing else to worry about.
I am Hud, i.e. H.U.D., Heads Up Display if you want to be fancy schmancy and correct? I am the Pony who integrated the HUD into the Buck design in the first place. I am not a Technician, technically speaking. I just develop and maintain this special feature into the larger design.
In the stable, we don’t have any helmets or such fancy gadgets and gear. We wear regular street wear and nothing more. This stable is safe and is maintaining a moderate temperature. We only wear clothes for fun and at work.
The HUD of which I am speaking, is integrated into the circuitry of the Buck and gives every Pony the options to see various aspects of the environment around us. I can choose to see the circuits of the Buck on which I am working; the heat in the room, or whatever I can make the Buck see with the built-in sensors and aided by the spell matrix. Pretty neat and quite useful; but you don’t have to take my word for it, just ask any Pony around or check it out for yourself to know what I mean.
Like the rest of the developers, I live in the developers wing of the facility. I am close to my work space, saving me valuable time. Why spend more time of my day, just to go to and fro work? I have better things to spend my time on. Then again, who doesn’t?
If and when I want to walk, or in general have a nice exercise; I go to the exercise floor, where I can do all the exercises I want until my tongue falls out. I do go there, from time to time, a few times each week, as a matter of fact. I do enjoy staying fit and alert, like every other Pony.
I wear my Starlight Pip-buck on my right fore-leg, just above the hoof. Technically speaking, I do not wear it; since it is integrated in my leg, in the fashion of a cybernetic implant. I was born with it, like every other pony in the stable.
At work, I wear a harness, with capacity to hold all my work gear and tools. I only put that on, as I get to work, then I take it of as I leave.
Considering how this is Starlight’s stable, we really don’t need to wear anything. It is never warm, or cold it never rain and is never dry. I have nothing to hide, more than I have anything else I need to show of. It is all in the principles of the philosophy Starlight, the founder of our village thought out before the war even broke out. She brought everything with us, down here.
One thing changed, in the implementation of the buck; it fused to us, holding everything we are and will ever be within the circuitry. I can remember everything with perfect clarity. I never need to worry about forgetting; because the buck remembers it all for me. It is as if I had a portable library with me everywhere I go.
I made one small improvement upon the device, nothing more. Nothing I take pride or shame in. It is my work and who I am. My contribution to our community. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Okay, I am a Pony; not a tool or something like that. All work, and no fun is not my deal. Our founder; Starlight Glimmer never asked that of me anyway. If she never asked that of me, why would I be foolish enough to strive for it? It is no life for a Pony, never to have a moment to herself.
While I may still love my work, I am still just as happy to slip out of my harness and step out of my work-space. Once my hours at work is over, I am happily trotting home.
I love hanging out with my friends, and even the once not working with the development of the buck. Why limit myself, when I have no reason; good, bad or otherwise?
I enjoy going to sugar Belle’s, and grab myself something sweet and yummy to eat. Of course, most of us enjoy going to her place, chewing down one of her fresh confectioneries.
Every once in a while, there is a party, at which Party Favour is entertaining the crowd; even if the little fillies and colts, may be the once most enjoying this. Sugar Belle will also bake the festivity foods and serve us. Unless it is her we are celebrating.
Something I have found a special joy in, is to explore the caves; while I am using the HUD, to see my environment. I did this even before I had developed the system, but it is so much more fun, with the actual HUD in play. The old Eyes forwards Sparkle is no match for the HUD.
I usually start from the gate, enjoying the sensations of the mark of Double diamond. Even if I have no idea, as to how this looks to the Zebras who will eventually find our village and the cave in which we are now residing.
Zebras, what are those? I have no idea, mainly because I have no need of knowing. Maybe I could ask another pony, who lived in the open before the war. Maybe I could even ask Pinkie Pie? I could, but why bother?
From the entrance, I follow a tunnel to where it will inevitably take me. I am taking virtual notes of everything I see, and if something important is found; I will report it to the Over-mare, leaving it in her capable hooves to deal with it.
Everything is blanc, everything is black; there is absolutely nothing. Well, of course I am breathing.
I feel something, something is entered into the port of my pip buck. I know of it; without knowing what it is why it is or what it does.
Protocals are downloaded, accepted, installed and initiated. I am aware. Things happen around me. I am not alone, my mother is beside me. Isn’t that where she should be?
Voices, I hear voices. I can not recognize them, who they are or what they are saying. I do not understand anything. Of course, everything is recorded and saved. My buck knows and remembers, it recalls it all.
I hear voices, and my buck is given and giving commands. Sounds and voices, but nothing is making any sense to me. I need a frame of reference, and references for anything to have any meaning.
“Uh!” I utter.
That is my first word, if that counts. My buck and brain is processing the information, I am thinking. Does anything of this ever going to make any sense? Am I odd or defect?
Of course, I am the first to be born with the buck, that in and of itself is worth mentioning.
“Mum!” I say.
Okay, that certainly caught the attention. Maybe the reaction was a bit more, than I had hoped for; more so, than I could have anticipated or wanted in the first place. Should I simply blame this on the crowded room, the fact that I am not alone with my mother? I simply ignore, what is taking place around me. None of it is concerning me in person; even if it is a reaction to what I just said.
“Mum, mum!” I repeat.
“Yes!” she responds.
“Your filly just spoke!” I hear the nurse saying.
I promptly ignore the nurse, aside from the fact that she was never addressing me in the first place. I can only hope my mother can deal with it, and do what is best. In my interest, as much as her own. Why should I be bothered?
I take my time, seeking out what I am looking for. Finding that nipple, closer to me and start to suckle and feed. Slowly taking my nourishment offered, drinking my fill. Not a care in the world.
She, my mother seems content. Happy. I am living up to all her expectations of a healthy little filly. I am ready, to grow up to what she had imagined me to become.
Of course, there is the one issue. While I still am just that one little filly, I am going to take my place and much earlier than could have been expected.
The nurse performed her duty, performed her tests and I endured. While I do not understand, I know what I need to do and care little to nothing for what is bothering me. The world is merely there. It is a stage on which to play the theatre. Am I reduced to being the actor?
Little by little, the details are falling into place. Knowing nothing else, I do not permit this to bother me. Why?
All I have, are the protocols the technician known as DC gave me. I had accepted them. Knowing the Poneish language; grammar and dictionary does help. This will save me plenty of time later on.
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View Online
The Overmare: In Memory of the Starlight: 8 (9)
I am at the office of the overmare, sitting comfortably in the share behind the desk. This is proving to be an uneventful day. Why expect anything else? I have never experienced a riot, or had to deal with security issues.
I am the acting overmare, in place of the original founder; Starlight Glimmer.
I am inspecting a few minor excavations to enlarge the stable, or a breakthrough in technology or magic. Otherwise, I am mainly trotting around the stable to maintain the morale. Not very fancy, but it is my place and it needs to be done. Or, at least it is my image.
Alone at the office, I have time to ponder what was. A memory is floating into focus and I am relaxing. This is proving to be very interesting.
I am in Canterlot, trotting along the road to my destination. I spot the address and the door I had been looking for. The building clearly belongs to the Ministry of Arcane Sciences, sporting the mark of Twilight Sparkle.
I approach the humble looking building, putting up a hoof towards the door. There is a flash, and I light up my horn; as my horn lights up, the flash vanishes and the door quietly opens before me. I step right in.
Maybe I should not have, but I am invited and the door had eagerly opened before me.
“This could easily have been a trap, but it is too late to regret entering now! ” I ponder.
As I finally do look down at the ground under my hooves; I notice that the solid stone feels like a magical construct. It is almost, as if I had been walking on cloud like a Pegasus. Is this even possible, but it is Twilight’s Ministry I am visiting.
To the right and left of the stones, I sense the pink ooze floating just a few feet under hoof.
“That is the first trap, I will just have to watch my steps and be very careful!” I ponder.
“Am I imagining it, or do I hear the wail of a Zebra from the depths of that oozing pink cloud? " I ponder.
Since I am already in, there is no point in turning back now. This is the address I had been given, the items I had been promised are stored within this very building.
I continue to trot over the four foot wide bridge of stones, from where I had come and to the other end of the wall. There is a door, magically opened in recognition of my aura. This building certainly is more fanciful, than the outside had it appear.
“What made Twilight rely on this level of trickery? ” I ponder.
I enter the small cubical room, only nine feet at each side; only to notice the door behind me closing. I have one door on each wall. I look at each wall in turn, while I feel the stone floor under my very hooves. Of course, the walls, floor and ceiling are all a single, massive and very physical block of stone.
“Curious! ” I ponder.
Now I am no longer hearing the eerie, soul screeching wail of that unfortunate Zebra. Whatever happened to it; could never have been good, or particularly comfortable. Did the Noxious, obnoxious and necrotic vapour get to it? If that is its fate, I am certainly not envious. The soul and spirit will be trapped within the structure of the building forever. Is it in fact, made into a soul-jar?
I shiver at the mere thought of the fate of this unfortunate soul. Even if it may have been a Zebra and enemy. Since I know little to nothing about the zebra and the people; I still do feel a bit sad for the one in the building. As a Pony, I feel for my fellow equine.
“I will have to trot on, or I will never reach my destination! This place is dangerous, and far too treacherous to just idly sloth about!” I tell myself, under my breath.
The room had been still, quiet; for as long as the shield is up and in place, while the doors are securely sealed shut. The doors will not stay closed forever; though that would have been just as deadly a trap, as anything else within this building.
While the shield is in place, sealing me in, I can’t hear anything from the outside, just as I can’t feel anything other than the floor under my hooves and the pressure of air within the small room. It could have been my tomb, or an elevator to a different level. Who am I to judge, when I have nothing to go on., No references.
I may be an expert at magic, for a young Unicorn, but not even I can penetrate what is taking place beyond this shield.
The door to my left opens, while the shield stays in place. I can see the path leading up to a commemorative plaque on the other side. The floor is slightly pink, due to pink ooze seeping out, like sweat on the back of a pony in the heat of a warm summer’s day. A white Pegasus stallion is trotting up towards the plaque, heedlessly stopping; reading the plaque before him.
While he is standing still, for but a minute; the ooze slowly coats the ground, under his hooves. I can see him twitch and then try to lift his hooves one at the time. He even tries his best to fly away, but the pink ooze has already fused his hooves to the solid stone under his weight. He is stuck, forever helpless.
For some reason, he never even had the notion to raise his voice in alarm; yelling out for help, to warn a friend behind him.
As he is flapping his wings, a pink mist is forming, slowly spreading up and encompassing him. While the mist is so thin, it is not directly hurting him; yet, it is still affecting him as it turns him into a Ghoul. He is forever trapped where he stands. No pony can rescue him, just as no pony is about to step forwards in his defence by any means.
The mist slowly evaporates and the ooze retreats; the door closes and I can no longer see the poor stallion.
The vision is a warning, letting me know just how perilous this place truly is; letting me know, I have to watch my steps very carefully in these halls.
The door to the right of where I had been standing is snapping open, and the shield flickers out with a snapping noise right behind me. I turn around, carefully inspecting the floor beneath my hooves before I am stepping out. I sniff the air and scan the entire room. I am not forgetting this easily, or any time soon. Would I step out of line, I may end up like that unfortunate Pegasus, or the unseen Zebra.
I am not going to stop and read the plaques, not without keeping a watchful eye to the ground.
“I wish I could turn back, now; but at least my stable is safe, after all the preparations I set up for them! ” I ponder.
“Pay heed, take caution; pay heed, take caution!” a voice echoes, over and over in a Zebra’s voice.
“Is that the Zebra I heard earlier+ Is she trying to scare me, or warn me for something that is about to befall upon me? ” I ponder.
The echo remains, shifting in and out, as I continue. It is there, yet it is not. I hear it, one moment; the next it is fading out. It is, as if I had been trying to tune in a radio station; traveling on the train through mountain ranges.
I can’t tune her out, and I can’t tune her in; she is constantly there, even if I can’t clearly hear her.
“I came here for a reason, and by Celestia; I am going to pick up the promised delivery, so help me!” I vow, quietly under my breath.
Whatever is hidden within this building, is bound to be mighty important; considering the effort, put into these traps I have already encountered. Maybe this is built, to look important in the guise of being bland; in the hopes of luring Zebras and Collaborators into the Tartarian trap.
I only hope, I am not part of the plans, of making this into such a devious trap. Whomever it is set to catch, and whatever the reason behind it, I still wish no part of it. I am merely here, in order to pick up an item I had been promised.
While the echoes of the unfortunate zebra is still present, and the bridge is swaying this way and that; there is still the pools of pink ooze seeping out, in the surface.
I continue my perilous trek through the large cavernous room, trotting over the bridge, from one gate to the next.
At the end of the path, I am opposed by a cylindrical tower; reaching towards the ceiling and sky, with a wooden door. I can see the path continuing to the right and left around the tower, a flight of stairs encircling the wall. The perilous path, merely a foot wide. As I approach, I see a window in the door, and bat like creatures within the space behind the door. These are no mare fruit bats, naturally. How they ended up here, or how they became what they are now; not even Celestia knows.
While I guess I could have followed the wall, to the respective openings I can see; but the door into the tower is clearly not an option I am supposed to choose. As a Unicorn, I could maintain my shield for long enough to trot to the next door. I am assuming the ponies of Stable Tech should have known this much of me.
With the options examined, I follow the stairs spiralling up towards the next level, where I incidentally do find a door. The door is open, and the small room is empty.
“Why does it feel, as if I had already been here before? It feels exactly like the room I entered the first time! ” I ponder.
Every detail is identical. The cubical form, the dimensions, the smooth stone surface and the shield. The shield feels exactly the same, as well.
Somehow, I have the strangest feeling of Deja Vu; I have been here, I have done exactly the same thing over and over. This is the exact same room. In a sense, I have been led in circles, over and over.
“I really hope this is the last time, I will have to see this room! ” I ponder.
I cough, suddenly. I had not noticed it, but the room is now bathed in the faintest of a pink haze. The room is slowly filled up with the pink gas. I am inhaling it, there is no avoiding it.
“Cough, cough!” I hear from my own mouth.
Oh, and there it is again, the coughing.
I hastily set up my shield, in the hopes of limiting my exposure.
There is another cough, before the vapour withdraws and I let my shield fall. The air is clear and I can breathe out.
The door before me opens, the shield drops and in steps a fairly lucid Zebra Ghoul. A Canterlot Ghoul, that is.
“Is she a collaborator, for Celestia, Twilight or any of the Ministries? ” I ponder, but does not ask.
The mare is stopping before me, as if on a secret command I could not hear.
“Here, accept this token! Make haste, put it on!” she pronounces.
I accept the gift and slips on the charmed fetish around my neck.
“Thank you!” I respond, but she had already vanished.
“Where did she go?” I ponder; but no response, and no answer is forthcoming.
I trot out of the room in the direction the Zebra had come into the room.
I had been judged? Did I pass whatever test I had been presented? Questions, questions, questions; but now answers forthcoming. I am still trapped within the loop I had been tricked into entering. Yet, I had been given something, I had been approached, by a Ghoul and a Zebra no less.
At the end of the bridge, there is no building or even a door, just a flight of stairs spiraling upwards. As I reach the stairs, I start climbing up, and up, and up. I reach the top of the stairs and continue forwards, towards the next flight of stairs. These stairs continue to take me upwards, towards an endless sky it seems.
Below the next bridge, I could see ponies and or zebras, ghouls or living once milling about. The floor or ground, covered in a pink haze halfway up their legs. Yet, they are not bothered.
I have no time to waste, so I continue along the bridge towards the next door. The door eagerly slams up and remains open, as if to greet me and permit me entrance.
The room inside is not stone, nor a magical construct; it’s stainless steel and grass covers the floor. Green, living grass. On my right side, the wall is lined up with doors, all glimmering in a sickly greenish yellow.
One door opens, just as I am reaching it. I look in, only to see the darkness in the seemingly empty room.
Once I enter the room, there is a bright pink glow, illuminating the small room. In the middle of the three by three foot floor, I see a saddle bag with my mark on it. Whoever placed the bad here, clearly intended for me to find it.
I light up my horn, lifting up the bag onto my back. These bags are heavy, and I feel the contours of its content scraping the sides of my body. I lift up the flap on the right side and pick up an item from inside.
“A Pip-buck!” I breathe.
These are intended for the Ponies of my stable. Naturally. Now I will have to return, and make haste.
As I am examining the small metal item, I notice the screen lighting up. It now sports my mark. The next thing to happen, is the logo of Arcano Tech Systems, the operating system of my buck lighting up.
I had been given my very own buck, but these were made by a conglomerate of major interests of the dying spark of Equestria’s greatness.
Ministry of Arcane Science Spell Matrix. Stable Tech general design. Ministry of Wartime Technology owns the pattern behind the design of the buck. Ministry of Image green lighted the use of this device and permitted me to hold it. Powered by the Ministry of Awesome. Artificial Intelligence (AI) designed and powered by the Ministry of Morale. Intended to fulfill the ideals of the Ministry of Peace. Approved by the Equestrian Board of Education. Celestia’s and Luna’s seal of approval.
“This item has been given attention by a great deal of very important Ponies! ” I realize, awestruck in the instant it hit home.
List of contents; a full compliment of Pip-bucks for a full-size stable.
“A full-size stable, but I have nowhere near enough Ponies for that? ” I ponder.
With the buck fitted just over the hoof of my right foreleg, I leave the empty room. There is nothing more for me, and nothing more to see.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks! ” I read.
“Okay, these are my pip-bucks for the stable!” I ponder; as I continue, further down the hall.
I pass a few more of the doors, then I notice a door swinging open and I enter the room. This room is identical to the one I had just left. On a small table, I see a pink orb on a glossy white silk cushion.
“Pinkie Pie’s orb of memories, for Starlight Glimmer!” the buck on my right fore hoof pronounces.
"Curious, Pinkie Pie prepared a memory orb for me? ” I ponder.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out from the crystal in the fetish
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, one pink orb of memories! ” I read.
The journey had been perilous and the price high, but the content gained is quite priceless.
A third door opens before me, and I step in. There is a table, identical to the one in the previous room. On the table rests a purple orb on a white cushion. This room is identical to the one I left, safe the orb on the pillow. This is Purple, where the previous is Pink.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out from the crystal in the fetish around my neck. The orb floats on the light and soon finds its way into my saddle bag. The light flickers out.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories 3. one purple orb of memories! ” I read.
A fourth door opens before me, and I am stepping right in with expectations painted on my face. There is a table, identical to the one in the previous room. On the table rests a white orb on a glistering, black runner coated leather cushion. This room is identical to the one I left, safe the orb on the cushion. This is white, where the previous is Pink.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out from the crystal in the fetish around my neck. The orb floats on the light and soon finds its way into my saddle bag. The light flickers out.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories! ” I read.
A fifth door opens before me, and I am stepping right in with expectations painted on my face. There is a table, identical to the one in the previous room. On the table rests a white orb on a glistering, black rubber coated leather cushion. This room is identical to the one I left, safe the orb on the cushion. This is white, where the previous once are Pink and Purple.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out fro
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories, 5. one black orb of memories! ” I read.
A sixth door opens before me. There is a table, identical to the one in the previous room. On the table rests a black orb on white cushion. This room is identical to the one I left, safe the orb on the cushion. This is black, where the previous once are Pink, Purple and White.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out from the crystal in the fetish around my neck. The orb floats on the light and soon finds its way into my saddle bag. The light flickers out.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories, 5. one black orb of memories, 6. one ember orb of memories! ” I read.
A seventh door opens before me. There is a table, identical to the one in the previous room. On the table rests an glowing red orb on leafy, green cushion. This room is identical to the one I left, safe the orb on the cushion. This is ember, where the previous once are Pink, Purple, White and Black.
“A virtual repository of memories representing the greatness of Equestria! ” I ponder, in stark realization.
Before I had the time to consider, I can clearly see a beam of magic light reaching out from the crystal in the fetish around my neck. The orb floats on the light and soon finds its way into my saddle bag. The light flickers out.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories, 5. one black orb of memories, 6. one ember orb of memories, 7. one red orb of memories! ” I read.
An eighth door opens before me. This room is identical all the once I have previously been in. There is a dais crafted out of prime apple wood and lacquered a high gloss black. I can see two mannequin heads wearing a necklace in the same style as the elements. Only this time, the symbol is that of radiation and bio hazard, respectively. As I ponder the significance of the gifted items, the charm springs to life. I can see the magic slowly lifting up both necklaces and slipping them into my saddle bag.
“Curious! ” I ponder.
Since I have everything the room had to offer, I turn around and trot out of the room.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories, 5. one black orb of memories, 6. one ember orb of memories, 7. one red orb of memories!” I read. 8. a pair of unification necklaces! ” I read.
A ninth door opens before me. This room is identical all the once I have previously been in. There is a dais crafted out of prime apple wood and lacquered a high gloss black. I can see four mannequin heads; wearing a tiara crown, in the same style as the original element of magic. Only this time, the symbol is that; of a Pony, a Zebra, a Deer and a Giraffe head, respectively. As I ponder the significance of the gifted charms, the charm springs to life. I can see the magic slowly lifting up both items and slipping them into my saddle bag.
“Okay!” I exclaim.
Since I have everything the room had to offer, I turn around and trot out of the room.
“Blip, blip, blip!” the buck says.
“List of content; 1. Full compliment of Starlight Pip-bucks, 2. one pink orb of memories, 3. one purple orb of memories, 4. one white orb of memories, 5. one black orb of memories, 6. one ember orb of memories, 7. one red orb of memories!” I read. 8. a pair of unification necklaces!” I read. 9. a quartet of Chimera familiarity, Tiara charms! ” I read.
A tenth door opens before me.
“While I do appreciate what they are doing for me, and my stable; but this has gone on long enough, I really hope I can return home to my stable now” I mutter under my breath, as I continue towards the next room.
Once I am safely inside the room, the door slams shut behind me with aloud bang.
“Just perfect! ” I ponder, not even bothering to pronounce the words.
Before me, is the gate, out of this rat trap I had found myself in. I see the star-metal frame work. It looks, almost as if it had been a door. Only there is no door, but a glowing field of strangely sparkling blue magic.
“One exit, coming right up!” my buck announces.
As if on command; I notice my necklace charm springing to life and shooting forth an iridescent beam to the mechanism of the gate.
“Step right through, and you will be out of this sticky mess!” the buck instructs me.
“I guess I have nothing to lose, by trying!” I point out, as I step forth.
While I step through, there is a momentary discontinuity, but then I am clearly outside the compound. I am safe and sound, back in Canterlot.
“I suggest you meet up with your other half, she is by the gate of the city proper!” the Buck points out.
I nod, and follows the instruction. Of course, she is there. Just not the way I remember her. Now she is a proper Ghoul, not the Pony she was as she had left the Stable.
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Once More into the Breach: A Filly's Excursion: 9 (10)
”Hello; let me present myself, I’m Breach!” I giggle.
Of course, I am the goddess of Hidey-holes. Thus my name is Breach. I can easily breach any wall, even if it is solid rock.
I have come to realize, that I am the only pony who can handle the breach. While it was convenient in foals games, from time to time, I have learned just how useful it can be in my daily life. Others are requiring my services in critical situation, where I can save time and lives,in a pinch
Even if you could track down a pony with the pip-buck, and talk to them at any and all times; when it’s urgent, you just can’t get there in time. Since we do have proficient Unicorns in the stable,, I am fortunately not requested all that often.
That said, I mostly have a very easy-going life. I have little strain on my time, and am rarely requested to step up.
I am left, with very much free time on my hooves. As a filly, I was never bothered with this; since I could play with the other fillies and colts. Though they excluded me from certain games, due to the way they thought I was cheating.
Of course, you should always close the rift, after yourself; not because I have a limited amolut of rifts, but it can cause a few problems if too many rifts are open in a small place.
I wake up early, eager for a new adventure.
“If nothing happens today, I could as well make a new excursion! ” I ponder.
“Oh, too early for a proper breakfast? Typical!” I point out, to no-one in particular.
My room is empty, I am alone. Of course, I do have all the common items found in a stable home. Starlight Glimmer never permitted any of us to feel poor or lack anything.
“I love Starlight, our Over-Mare! ” I ponder.
I slip out of bed, then make the bed neatly; leaving it ready, for the coming night. I trot out to my kitchen, pick up an apple and chew it down.
“Not a proper breakfast, but at least I have eaten something! ” I ponder, as I trot over to the door.
I open the door, step out and close it behind me.
The hall is empty, the others are most likely sleeping this time of day. We have no dedicated security, under Starlight’s rule. Why bother? The stable is secure, behind the stable-tech door they delivered to us before we sealed the stable.
When I said sealed up the stable, I mean it. The door is not just locked, it’s literally sealed.
I trot along the hall, pondering where I wanted to go, and what I wanted to do. I need this excursion, of course. I can be a bit restless, you know. It is in my blood, my very nature.
While I could have opened up a breach, skipping ahead; I choose to trot all the way, through the hallways. I need to move, and think on my hooves as it were.
Nothing like a cool breeze through the mane, and a brisk trot, to clear the mind, putting a pony at ease.
Being alone, at this time of day rarely bothers me. Only the baker, and a few of the farmers may be awake, at this hour. Like that mare named Peachy; her coat the hue of a deliciously ripe Peach.
“Why does this moment, always bring her to mind? ” I ponder, giggling at myself.
If she likes me that much, maybe she could let me have a bite? I am sure, she will be just as juicy; as the namesake fruit she would be tending, right now. Her mane is the green of peach leaves; and rustle, just like peach leaves too. Now she is making me all hot, just thinking of her.
Sometimes, the trotting has strange effects on me; just trotting up and down the next hall, particularly with no pony around. I know these caverns; like the back of my hoof, as it were. I like these caves, they are my home; just as they are the homes, of all my friends too. I like my home; it is a good home and it is good to me.
I have been trotting around, along the caves; ending up at the entry hall. The gate is closed and sealed, just as I had been expecting. Had it not; I would have been surprised, and utterly shocked. It would not fit in within the world Starlight founded for us down here.
For a moment, I stop and study the gate of our stable; the smooth and hard metal gleaming as much as the day they had been installed. There is the one special mark, on these doors; the double Diamonds of the Stallion known as Double Diamond. How and why, I do not know, but his mark seals the gate and keeps us safe; all I know, and all I need to know.
While I can watch the gate and even prod it with my hooves; but not even I can actually tough it, not with the mark of Double Diamond. I have been here before, but I still do not go close to the gate; not even I approach it. Why? I do not have to.
This room is close to the world outside, technically; but only to me, is that actually true, they can’t open the gate, and they can’t control the breach. I can, and I do. The breach is my specialty. I know; because it is the mark my buck down loaded, for me. Ever since then; I can reach it, control it and open that special door. The next room, is neither here, nor there.
“Maybe I should step out, and have myself some fresh air; sampling life, in the open and free? ” I ponder; knowing full well, that the air is not fresh.
“While she had never directly appointed me onto the post, she never actually told me that I could not go out; as if it had even been possible to go out, for as long as the gate is sealed tight! ” I ponder.
I reach out, and sense the wall before me. I prod it with my right and left hoof, sensing the solid rock. If I tried this, too close to the gate, I would feel a burning sensation and a splitting headache. I do not make the mistake, twice. I know how far I have to go, to stay safe.
Actually, I can even see the field around the gate on the HUD. Kind of curious. The blue tinge, to the air before me. While I can trot through the air, safely as if nothing had been there; I can’t reach out, quite as safely. Though nothing is stopping me, but when I try to probe the wall, or make the door manifest; I have a splitting headache.
Of course, I am the only pony in the stable; who does see the blue tinge, to the air. Maybe, because they do not need to know. I never really bothered to ask, if any pony see this anywhere. Maybe they see it, in a different situation, for a different reason.
I reach out, feeling the wall before me. I feel the cold, dead rock under my hooves. The coarse stone, making no actual resistance.
“There!” I exclaim, under my breath.
A moment later, the surface representing where the door is about to appear; starts glowing, just before the door finally does materialize. I watch the door, for just a moment; step forwards and pull the door up before me. I am fairly certain, I am alone; none saw me, and thus does not know where I am or where I am going.
I observe the dark room before me, the breach. As I had opened the door, the light is off. When I step inside, the light slowly tunes in, so I can see the room. It’s voice; no colour, no structure and no nothing. Just a small room.
“Should I close the door, behind myself; closing out the world at large, so that none can find my breach? ” I ponder, but thinks better of it and leave it in place.
Not that I fear the breach would or even could collapse around me, without the support of at least one door. Maybe, if I am distracted or died? But them, I imagine I could still rely on the pip-buck to maintain it for me.
The room is not exactly square or cubical, it just is. Without guidance, there is no reason for the form to hold. It could as well have been a sphere or just exist.
After a moment, I am opening up a door to the cave outside; pushing the door up and the strange world. There are some very strange creatures, outside in this cave. I do not know if they will be seen, when I step out; but I do know, they are here.
These Chimera are half Pony and half Zebra; but with a few oddities to make them stand out. Giraffe horns, as I recall. Oh, wait; they also have the hooves of a Deer, quite graceful and beautiful.
Maybe my opinion is coloured, by my upbringing? I live in a stable, where I am safe from the monsters in the outside world above. Just as I know; there are no monsters under my bed, I have to fear each night. I can afford to appreciate the beauty and grace in others; where I would otherwise have seen strangeness, and cause to fear.
They always look upon me with puzzlement and curiosity. Why fear once such as they? Maybe the strangest thing about them, is how they give no reason to fear them?
As I scan the room, and look around; I notice the telltale glow of the breach, a door about to faze into existence. The wall is glowing, while the breach is opening. I hear a strange noise, as the door opens and the mare Chimera spils out into the desolate cave.
“Hello!” she says; with her strange chimera voice, not quite Pony, not quite Zebra and not quite a clear blend of the two either.
If it is her special state as a Chimera, or the parts of her that are neither Pony, nor Zebra; I could not say, but I do not know her well enough to chance a guess.
“Hello!” I respond.
“Such a fortunate moment, for a chance meeting, in the cave not quite in the outside, not the inside!” she puts forth, musing the situation.
I had noticed, that she has no pip-buck. Neither had the stallion, or their foal. Yet, it is apparent; they can handle the breach just as well as I can, almost as if they had literally been born to it. Then again, I guess they do live in the breach.
“Maybe they use their odd, curious horns; when they access the breach? ” I ponder.
Just as before, I do not ask.
“Always nice to see you, Miss Che!” I offer, “Though I guess, I could have chosen to avoid her if I had wanted to!” I ponder.
Of course, I do not wish to avoid her; in a sense she is the reason why I am so eager, to venture out of the stable in the first place. Not to say; that the others are anything, but nice.
Such a nice day, to go out and see more.
Starlight must be a strange Pony, for creating a stable such as the one I live in. With all the strangeness trotting about, both inside and outside. What other strange creatures may live in the vicinity of my home?
Reunification, of the Soul: 10 (11)
”That was a nightmare!” I exclaim; as I finally reunite with my other, duplicate self.
“But you did get the items we were promised, I take it!” she responds.
I had stepped out, through the portal or gate; leading out into the street just beside where I had entered. That had been strange enough for the day.
Once outside, I had backtracked my steps, to the outskirts of the city of Canterlot. That is where I spotted her, in the shape she is in.
“Yes, I did indeed catch the promised items, but the price is a bit over the top!” I respond.
“I can see that!” she promptly responds.
“You mean, this little trinket? Well, it does look good; I suppose you could say!” I respond, with a nervous little giggle.
“The trinket is pretty, I have to agree; but, you do not quite look or act like yourself! Did something happen to you, in the city?” she inquire.
“The city happened, that’s what! While I certainly did find what they had promised, the building is a trap!” I point out.
“I did not fair much better, thank you; even through my shield, I had to suffer the blast of a mega spell! Just see what good that did to me?” she exclaims.
“Wait, is that what the marks on these necklaces refers to?” I mumble.
“What was that? Come again, please” she put forth.
This is when my charm comes to life, once more; my saddle bag opens and two of the necklaces comes out.
“These necklaces!” I exclaim!”
“What do the marks mean?” she inquires, while watching the items float towards the neck of its respective pony.
“Radio active, for Ghoul; Biologic hazard, for the Canterlot Ghoul!” my buck enlightens us, in response.
“You mean to say, you picked up one of these pip-bucks?” she inquires, curiously.
“Yes, one for us and one for each of the Ponies in our Stable!” I point out.
The respective necklace is floating through the air, towards us. I find my necklace snapping into place, just as the other is snapping into place around her neck.
For a moment, nothing happens; then each individual charm starts to glow. I am sucked into a void. A moment later, I am once more standing where I had been.
I blink; once, twice thrice. She is gone, she is me and I recall everything she had been and done.
“Now, that was odd!” I mumble, to no pony in particular.
As I look back, I can clearly see the marks over my cutie mark on my right and left flanks. I now carry the united mark of Radio active and Biological hazardous. I am still the free-range part of Starlight Glimmer, though I will never again set hoof in the stable. I can’t enter, but I already knew that.
“Oh, well! ” I ponder; “Then I am alone, and on my own; once more, just as I have been most of my time outside the stable! ” I continue.
“It is time, you need to head back towards the stable!” the bock points out; “You have an errand to run, these items needs to be delivered to your stable!” it continues.
“Yes, of course!” I respond, as I start to trot back towards the rail-way.
“It was strange, to talk to myself; not to be alone, even if there was only me! ” I ponder.
The station was never really far away, so I continue down the track, towards what had once been my home. Only this time, I can’t reunite with the village. Will I ever make another friend?
For now, it is most likely better; if you trot along the track slowly! You need to get reacquainted with yourself and your body!” the buck suggests.
“Yes, I guess you are right!” I respond; “At least, I still have my new pip-buck to talk to! ” I ponder.
I continue along the track, just as I had been told. I have nothing to gain, by hurrying; they will still be there as I return, but the stable is sealed tight.
“Oh, well; I don’t need to worry about radio activity now! ” I ponder.
“I suggest you stop, by the next station!” the buck intones a few minutes later.
“Why do I hear the voice of the Ministry mare? The pink one, known as Pinkie Pie?” I inquire.
“Yes, I am the ministry mare; of the Ministry of morale, the MoM!” the voice returns.
“Why is her ministry sounding as if it had been mother?” I respond.
“Maybe, I could be your mother, if you like? Even if I am nothing more than a mechanical device above your right hoof?” the buck responds, with a curious giggle to its voice.
She was hiding the air of familiarity, behind a strange notion of humility? Pinkie Pie, or technically Pinkamena Diane Pie. The strangest of Ponies, and the strangest of all the Ministry mares.
“What is she up to? How does she know me, and what I am doping right now? ” I ponder.
“I don’t, but I do know what you are doing!” the voice cut in.
While it had been strange enough, to talk to myself as a separate entity; talking to the ghost of a pony, who could be dead by now, for all I know is stranger. Of course, she is the Ministry mare; but how does she know all the things about me, and how I am feeling right now? Not to mention, all the little details around me? What is about to happen.
“Observe everything, observe everything, observe E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.” I hear a voice echoing, in a ghostly manner.
It clearly is not Pinkie Pie, the Minister of Morale, but still.
Most of the time; my pip-buck is speaking with an even, neutral voice devoid of personality. This is clearly Pinkie Pie speaking, even if I have not yet learned to recognize the voice as hers; the AI that was mentioned at the boot-up of the pip-buck. I can hear several other, clearly distinct voices. I could but assume; these are the Ponies responsible, for the buck I am now carrying, above my right fore-hoof. Each of the Ministry mares, and some of their closer associates and assistants.
Only one voice is clearly, distinctly different. That is Spike, the Dragon, even if I don’t know that. Maybe, I never will. Then again, maybe I will even meet him, at some point. I certainly will have the time on my hooves now.
There isn’t much to see, along the track; I have already seen it. I trot along the track, wary of if a train is to force me off of the rail. Since the buck had instructed me to, I am trotting down the track towards the next station. Then again, I have the time to reacquaint myself with who I am now.
“Clip, clop; clip, clop!” is the sound I hear, from my hooves hitting the ground, between the two rails.
This, is the sound of a lonely and lonesome mare on her way towards destiny.
This is the sound of a mare, on a mission; to meet the first of her new friends, on her way home. She may be going home, to the cave that is no longer her home; the stable, to which she can never return. She is no longer the mare who founded this community, both someone and something else and very different.
I trot towards the first mission, on my journey; leading me to a train station, where I had been prophesied to find a new friend. Could I trust the prophet? Is she still the mare, she once was?
A Ministry mare, the head of the Ministry of morale.
A mare, who could swallow an entire cake and not lever a sign of swallowing it, or a single crumb on the table.
A mare, who could single-hoofedly swallow a package of Party Time Mintos, or PTMs. The mare who is apparently spreading the orbs of memories before the four winds; guiding ponies she never met, ponies not even born yet.
I reach the station, but do not stop. I approach the station, and jump up on the platform. No pony greeting me, and no pony awaiting me; for good or for ill. Should I be jubilant or depressed?
I continue towards the door, it is open and certainly not locked. I hear a noise from inside, a pony.
I call out. In the vain hope of the pony actually wants to see me, considering the state I am currently in.
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Clandestine, a Meeting Unexpected and Unprepared: 11 (12)
There is the sound of hooves, trotting in through the door; are these the hooves of a Pony, or the hooves of a Zebra? I do not , and I can not take the chance.
Something is holding me back, and I am hiding; remaining in the shadow, for but one more and final minute.
“Hiya, my dear Zoo Mare; worry not, for this is your opening!” the voice exclaims.
“Is that you, pink Ministry mare?” I inquire.
Maybe I should have held my tongue, but the voice had expertly summoned me, speaking like my mother.
“Ministry of Morale, or the MoM; sounding almost like mum, for mother! ” I ponder.
“Oh, but for the trickery of that one pink maremare! ” I continue
“The ministry mare is with you, through me!” a voice explains.
“Of course, at least; this certainly is no voice, of the malicious Zebra! I can recognize a Pony by the hairs of her tail!” I realize.
“I was told, to find you; to seek you out, and to ask you to follow me!” the mare now points out.
“You were told, by whom? To take me where, exactly?” I promptly inquire; still with apprehension and concern, to my voice.
“Excuse me, I forgot to present myself; I am Starlight Glimmer, the now former Overmare and founder of a stable!” she starts out, presenting herself.
“Pinkie Pie, the mare of the ministry of morale told me; after she predicted you would be here” she then responds.
“Pinkie Pie, the minister of morale? She told you, to find me here?” I respond.
“While she may be widely known, to care about her friends and every pony else; but as a mare of the Ministry, she still has the time to find me?” I then add, pondering.
“Apparently, she predicted that you would be here; indeed, and that you would need a safe place, away from the war!” Starlight responds.
“I have a stable, and it is far out on the fringe of everything! I founded a village there, for the obscurity and privacy the location stood to offer, I believe the offer still stands!” she points out.
“Very well, then; what are we waiting for, lead the way!” I respond.
Just as I follow her out of the building, I notice the charm in her necklace coming to life.
“Just one small detail!” she points out.
The flap on the saddle bag slips ope, a moment before a necklace just like hers floats out. The necklace slowly moves towards me, my neck. Slowly enough, for me to notice it is having my mark where the charm on her necklace would have been.
“She had a necklavce made for me?” I inquire.
“Yes, but of course! She obviously knew you were here, so she had the necklace made for you!” Starlight responds.
“I guess I should have been expecting this, if Pinkie Pie is truly behind this! ” I realize, in stark shock.
I hasten my steps, following her out. Either she knows where she is going, or my life is already forfeit. No point in delaying it now.
“It is kind of odd, for her to rely on the magic of the necklaces charm; when she is a unicorn, with magic all of her own! Is her magic that weak, or is this all the work of the ministry mare behind this? ” I ponder, as it is finally hitting home what I had just witnessed.
“The necklace is indeed looking just right around your neck!” I hear, the AI of Pinkie Pie states; with utter conviction.
“Thank you, Pinkie Pie!” I respond; “It is indeed!” I then add, as if I had been speaking to the Ministry mare herself.
“You are quite welcome, Miss Zoo!” she responds.
“Did I hear an amused giggle, to her voice? ” I ponder.
“I heard that!” Pinkie exclaims.
“Had you been here, I should have been tickling you pink; but then I realize, you are already pink!” I mutter.
“I am right there, with you; even if you can’t see me, or touch me!” she points out.
“Had it brought you here; I could have agreed, to you riding me!” I point out; knowing full well, that would never happen.
“That would have been fun, brings back all the memories; of all the friends, and ponies I have been riding!” she points out; matter of fact, as if she had taken the offer seriously.
“Don’t tell me, you even took that seriously?” I inquire.
At first, I had thought, it is nothing more than a fancy necklace. The fact that it is sporting my mark, changed nothing. It is pretty, and nothing more.
“That necklace is so you, Zoo!” Pinkie chimes in.
“Thank you, Pinkie!” I respond, thinking little more of it.
“I asked Rarity, to help me with the design; ensuring the perfect fit and comfort; while still holding everything I wanted it to contain! I had to ask Twilight, about that part!” she then pointed out, matter of fact.
The matter of fact is scary and threatening, when it comes from Pinkie Pie. She is a master of threats, when she is in that mood. I just had never realized, just how effective she could be.
To make everything worse, the charm of my necklace is starting to glow. Just a faint glow and a weak hum. The pule is slow and steady, but it is reminding me of the ticking of a bomb; as if I had a collar bomb, around my neck.
I can’t take it of, but there is not even a point in trying with Pinkie Pie watching me.
I say nothing, trying my best to ignore it and pretend it is nothing.
“Zoo Maré, you’re safe with me; I would not bother gathering you, just to see you die now!” I hear Pinkie Pie pointing out, with utter finality to her voice.
“No?” I inquire.
“I have great plans for you, and you have a family to meet up with at the end of the road!” she merely points out.
“I had a family, a loving family; they all died, slain by the vile Zebras hooves!” I respond.
“I know, I saw it all; though I was not there, in person!” she points out, making a formal bow, marking the sadness behind the words.
“This rift, must be sealed; I just can’t tell her the future right now, she will simply have to wait and see it unfold! ” Pinkie ponders.
“There simply is no end; to the enigma that is Pinkie Pie, the ministry mare of morale! ” I ponder, as I continue to trot down the track with the united ghoul that is Starlight Glimmer.
I am forfeit, I could as well follow her on this insane ghost-chase? Maybe she did have something for me, at the end of the road? Something I could not see, or imagine at this point.
Then again, I have not gobbled down a tin of PTMs.
You may find it a bit cramped in here, but I find it quite cozy. It is also wet and dark, but this is not bothering me. I have everything I need.
I guess you could say, that I am like a fish in water. I am swimming around in my private ocean. I hear the sound of a heart, my mother of course. The beat is always there, and I can hear it clearly. The noise lets me know she does all right.
If I am looking, I can see the pip-buck just above the right fore-hoof. It is mine, and it has always been there. At least, for as long as I could possibly recall. It is translating most of the noises from the world outside, permitting me to understand what the other ponies are talking about. It is kind of odd, but I never knew anything else.
This is my life, and everything I have ever known.
I love my life, such as it is; no worries, and no dangers to fear. She is looking out for me, out there; in the stable, sealed off from the world above. The world; that is no longer for ponies, such as myself. Of course, there never was a pony, quite the likes of me out there. Maybe there never will be?
Am I strange? I am the daughter of my mother. I may not yet be born, but that time is coming shortly. That is the day, when I choose to enter the world outside, to stand by my mother. I am not regretting it, but am looking forwards to it. My mother once was considered strange, when they found the buck already fastened above her hoof at birth. While I guess I could see the point, but now most ponies have the buck from birth.
This buck is the sign of a life in the stable, it is also the light in the cave that is my home. This is the only home I would have known, if it had not been for the one small detail. I am the Farcry of the stable, and I am Far See.
f my mother is awake, I could choose to see the world through her eyes; it is an interesting, fascinating experience. I do enjoy this often, in part due to not having much else to see in here. I could watch the lights on my pip-buck, of course. But, why do I want to do that?
Sometimes, if I have a dream while she is sleeping; I can see her by my side; we share the dream, seeing one-another. If I had not been so inexperienced, I guess this would have been odd, strange and new to me.
I imagine, this is how she actually looks, from the outside. Or is it, just how she is viewing herself? There is always the possibility; this is just my image of her and it has nothing to do with, what she looks like, or how she is feeling right now.
I am trotting along the sunlit road, with my mother by my side. The birds are singing, and the inserts are buzzing around. This is starting out, like such a lovely day for me.
After a while, there is a wall of clouds swooping in over the sky. I can see the formation approaching before me. The sky had been clear, there is no pony in the air. Not even a dragon. After a few minutes, the clouds start to darken into what seems to be storm-clouds. The clouds, now covering the face of the sun. Celestia’s sun. I know the names, just as I know the takes behind it.
This is a dream, but part of what I know is clearly leaking in from outside. Memories that are clearly not mine. Clearly not for a pony inside a stable. I know the settlers originally lived outside, in the open; yet, this is not accounting for that.
The grass is no longer lively, vibrant and lusciously green. The sky is mate, grey and feels outright smothered, saturated by bad energy and dark magic. How do I know? How do I recognize these things? In the dream, I am not worried, in the dream you know without a doubt.
My mother is still by my side, as we continue along the dreary, grey gravel road. A dead road, leading up to no good.
“I do not like, where we are going! ” I ponder.
“We should turn back, and hurry! Look out for shelter, we may need to take cover!” she yelps out, in sudden and obvious distress.
“Yes!” I respond, turning around and follow her example; “That seems ominous!” I then add, in a whimper.
I trot along, behind my mother; trying to pick up speed and get into a faster gallop. Just that I can’t quite build up the speed, or get into a proper gallop. One of these dreams?
“Oh, no!” she exclaims, and quickly picks me up and places me on her back.
“Thanks!” I respond, trying my best to hold on as she is speeding across the path away from the looming weathers behind us.
When I falter, she is quick to secure my hoofing on her back. She is my mother, even if I am technically not born yet. She cares for me, as if I had been her and protects me, against anything and everything. She is protecting me, with her life. I can’t blame her, I would do the same, when that day comes.
This was the very same path we had enjoyed trotting on, just a moment before, now we’re hasting back; only the path is no longer the same path as we had enjoyed so much mere minutes before.
As luck would have it, the path is turning into stone; blocked by a monumental, menacing iron clad Steel Ranger with a mean, scolding expression on its face.
“If I smother thy mother, you will be no more!” she exclaims, with a roaring laughter.
“Incorrect!” I point out.
“How so, you are not even born yet; so if she is dead, how could you possibly survive?” she inquires, with a steely deadpan.
“While my flesh may be weak, but I am clad in an armour even tougher than yours; one that transcends simple problems, such as pain and death!” I point out.
“Don’t tell me, you count that silly little tin buck over your hoof as an armour+” she tentatively mocks.
“That buck, is a Starlight buck the toughest, most resilient and powerful buck ever to be built!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, through the speaker of my buck.
“Are you, the ministry mare; Pinkie Pie of the Ministry of Morale herself? Is this your witchcraft, behind her?” the Ranger inquires, now visibly shaken.
“It is, indeed; and I will watch you, F.O.R.E.V.E.R.!” Pinkie pronounces with her fierce finality.
“But, but, but!” the Ranger stammers; “You were assassinated!” the ranger points out.
“But of course, I know! I saw it, and I also had a tin of PTMs too many!” Pinkie explains; “Mark my words, Candy Floss; you will regret that and ever crossing me, and you will learn to suffer!” she then add3ed.
“How does a dead mare know the name of a Steel Ranger not even born, before she died?” the Ranger inquires.
“Maybe, because she was looking too deeply into her Crystal Ball, just as I am already reading my pip buck before I have even been born!” I giggle.
“In that case, your foresight would be legendary, even beyond that of the Princesses Celestia and Luna themselves!” Candy Floss suggests.
“Foresight was already my forte, but having the PTMs for candy pushed me through the roof, as the expression had it. Besides, I am still here!” Pinkie points out.
“Candy floss? Wait, you really have an impressive and intimidating name!” I giggle.
“When I die, I will be reborn; a pony will carry my name and recall who I was and what I did!” my mother points out, glaring at the ranger known as Candy Floss.
I look down at my hoof, and my buck; suddenly realizing just who my mother is, she is the filly who was first born with her pip buck. Of course, through the buck; I now know who I am, and my mother. I am not forgetting it, even if I may not have to actively think of it ever again.
With that, the road slowly turns back to the original and grass is green on both sides.
“I do not like that mare!” my mother exclaims.
“We do not have to see her; we live in the safety of the Stable Starlight provided for us!” I point out.
I blink a few times; once, twice thrice. My mother catches up and trots to the nearest mirror. I need to see her face, so I can take face-to-face with her. I like to see her reaction, when I am talking to her.
She nods, then blink.
Yes!” she then says.
As I am looking, I can clearly see her face in the mirror. She is having a buck, identical to my own. Though hers has her mark on it, mine does not. I guess you could call me a blank buck? Just as ponies said blank flank before the war. Some expressions simply have to be changed, to correct for the changing times.
“Mother, you are that one first filly, to be born with your buck?” I inquire, and my voice comes out on the speaker of her pip buck.
She momentarily blushes, then nods.
“Yes, that was me!” she then responds, giggling like a nervous school filly on the first date.
“Thank you!” I respond; “That makes for a very special tail for us to share!” I add.
“Yes, that is a special moment, in my life; something I love to share with you, as you grow up!” she points out, in response.
“I think!” I say; “That we will have plenty of these moments to share, as time ties us together!” I then continue.
By now, the scary moment, with the threatening Steel Ranger has already been forgotten. Even if I can’t say that the memory is truly gone. It is the blessing of the buck, and the curse we pay for the blessing. This will change, and shape me into the pony I will grow into.
Tracking, Friends: 13 (14)
I have picked up a friend, but the train station. While I had not personally planned for it, or knew her before I met her at the station; apparently, Pinkie Pie had known she was going to follow me to the stable. My stable. Even if I had forgotten all about how I can never enter.
Of course, if I can’t enter; neither can she, but that tiny little detail was not bothering Pinkie Pie in the least.
At least, I have company with me; I am no longer alone. My former duplicate would have been little to no comfort. Maybe I could have attempted another duplication, just for the sake of having another pony by my side, yet that would have been quite fruitless and unproductive. Why bother, it’s just another me.
Zoo Maré is not just another me. She is a new friend, whom I can share things with and trust in. I saved her, from the destiny she had just left, of course. Do I expect loyalty and trust, for the service? It is no service I had planned for, Pinkie Pie placed me here to pick her up. Simple and easy.
“She is an Earth Pony, she could never teleport herself anywhere. Maybe I could teleport her with me, just to speed up the process? But no, not right now! ” I ponder
I am trotting down the track, Zoo just a step behind me.
“You are a very unusual pony, Starlight!” she points out.
“Yes, but how so?” I inquire.
“You are kind to me, despite being a Unicorn; how about that?” she responds, giggling nervously.
“Yes, I guess I am! I want you to share what I have; because it is enriching what I have, for all!” I point out.
“Why is Pinkie Pie supporting you, and what is your stable like?” she inquires.
“Pinkie Pie, the mare of the Ministry of morale helps me; because she wants ponies to be happy and safe! Then again, I met her sister, once; she helped me with something!” I point out, in response.
“On second thought, why do you look like a Ghoul?” she inquires; now very nervous, trying to guard her tongue in the hops not to step on a sore hoof.
“It is the price I paid, for the services I picked up in Canterlot!” I respond.
“That is a very steep price, for these gifts? Does that include the pip-bucks and the neck-laces too?” she inquires.
“I guess it is, but it was too late to turn back when I realized it; far too late! These items were included, yes! I want to give my stable the very best, you see!” I respond.
“So you went all the way to Canterlot for these gadgets? Suffering the pain of becoming a Ghoul, just for these ponies?” she suggests.
“Yes, I went all the way to Canterlot for these items; only the very best for my stable, even if it turned me into a ghoul of Canterlot! At least, my ponies are secure!” I point out.
We had been trotting along the track for some time, enjoying the warm conversation. I had answered her questions; even if I could feel, she clearly was anxious and worried. Why not, it cost me nothing. Whatever she thought, or worried about; she had never openly questioned me, or opposed me. Not really.
There is a whistling sound, and the noise of a giggling pony. The earth Pony is Pinkie Pie.
“I have a prediction for you; if you would not mind, stay still and quiet!” she pronounces.
“Pinkie Pie!” Zoo whisper, into the still quiet air before her, and us.
The air is still and quiet. Almost too still for me, but Pinkie Pie had told me to wait.
I hear my heart beat, and the seconds tick by. Nothing seems to happen.
There is a rustle on the leaves, and a deer is stepping into the open. She is looking right and left, as if she had been looking for something. There is a noise on the pip-buck, and she looks our way.
“Oh!” she merely mumbles.
“Hello!” Pinkie Pie’s voice croons, in a greeting of the deer.
She stops, dead still; making huge eyes, now looking curiously right at me.
“Hi!” I add.
“Oh!” she exclaims, now slowly calming down; ”Hi!” she echoes my greeting.
“Would you by chance, want to follow us to my stable?” I inquire.
“No pony ever offered me a place in a stable! No pony ever asked me; to follow her, to a Stable or any place else!” she points out; now slowly growing bolder, in the present company.
“Right now, a Deer would make for a perfect company!” Zoo proposes.
“I though you would say that, Zoo!” Pinkie Pie points out, through the speaker of my pip-buck.
“Is that, the Ministry Mare; Pinkie Pie of the Ministry of Morale?” the deer inquires.
“I am indeed!” the voice responds.
“Well, as much of me; as could be spared!” she then continues.
“A small fraction of you, should manage to slip us safely through this forest!” Zoo offers.
“I would believe so; since I can predict where it is safe, for us to travel!” she responds.
“I guess it is better, for us; if we could slip past any hostility in the region; than be forced into engage in the fight, right now!” I point out.
With that, we quietly trot along the rail, all the way to the next station.
“This does look like a safe stop!” I point out.
“So it would seem, Pinkie has not complained or warned us of anything!” Zoo points out.
“Indeed!” she merely responds, confirming our image of the situation.
I leave the tracks, with my new friends in tow, jumping up onto the platform. Even if I knew Pinkie Pie had predicted it is safe, I take a moment to scan the area around us. I can see nothing on the platform, or inside the building. I sense no Pony or Zebra in the vicinity. Not even as much as a fly is here. At least, as far as I could pick up.
“This is the safest I have felt, for years!” the deer exclaims, in her muted voice.
“You know, you sound like an old friend of mine; otherwise known as Fluttershy, now a Ministry Mare, just like me!” Pinkie Pie points out, with a girlish giggle.
“You refer to Fluttershy, the mare of the ministry of Peace?” she inquires.
“The very same, she was such a timid pony, back in the time I met her. Now she is a Ministry Mare!” Pinkie Pie responds.
“If we enter the building, we should be safe; in there, we could rest for a few minutes!” I point out. “A few minutes of rest would do us good, if we do not take too long!” Zoo responds.
With that, I trot up to the door and pull it open; scanning the interior and continue. The room appears safe, so I signal to my friends, who promptly follows me into the building. I close the door and we sit down on the chairs in the waiting room.
“By the way, I have something for you too!” Pinkie Pie promptly pronounces, while we sit and wait.
The charm of my necklace comes to life; the flap of my saddle bags slip up and the necklace slide through the air towards the Deer.
“Wait, you have a gift for me?” the deer inquires, now startled and nervous.
“It is just a necklace, nothing fancy!” Pinkie Pie points out, matter of fact.
“A friendship necklace, but other than that isn’t fancy!” Zoo interjects.
“I never had or wore a necklace, never-mind a friendship necklace!” the deer points out.
The necklace quietly falls into place and snaps together safely and comfortably. Since a Deer has no mark, there is little point of creating one for this purpose. In place of a mark, the charm is now a fluid cloud like surface the colour of the deer’s hide.
“Friends and freindship is important, and more so than ever; in these challenging times of war, before us!” Zoo points out.
“Which reminds me, of my necklace, the element of Laughter, a balloon!” Pinkie Pie exclaims
While she speaks, a holographic representation is trotting beside us, and a representation of her element is clearly seen around her neck.
“Let us rest, and enjoy the comfort of this room and the shelter it can provide!” Pinkie Pie offers, indicating the comfortable chairs in the room.
The holographic representation trots up to one chair, jumps up and sits down with demonstrative ease and makes herself comfortable. With that, we are all lining up, sitting down in the chairs in the middle of the room.
It is odd, to have a pony with you; who is not really there in body, or spirit. Then again, this is Pinkie Pie. She is strange, and not just for a Pony. She is with me, and my new-found friends; just as she is with untold and unborn numbers of ponies. Pinkie Pie, is Pinkie Pie; the Ministry Mare of Morale, and the leader of a spy net-work no pony even has a clue of. Other than that, she is the deity of parties, and the mistress of baking. Too bad, I never would have the chance to meet her in person.
I did not know, I should have met her in person; just as I was to be furious, because of it. At least, at first. Now, none of that will ever happen.
Now I had been forced into establishing a stable, where my former village stood. Of course, I had ended up, leaving all of them to make it without me. Then again, I am still there; I am their founder and over-mare, all the same. They do not even know I am missing. In time, there will be a new over-mare; in the place of the pony who is their me.
I am bringing them a final gift, even if I am never to enter the stable. Maybe it is for the better, that I do not know this. I can tell my new friends, that I have saved a place for them in my stable; while that is not technically true, the promise will still stand.
Pinkie Pie jumps off of the seat and trots several steps forwards, before she turns around on a bit and faces us.
I watch her, with my new friends; as she trots over the floor and turns to look at me. she just nods.
“It is time, we need to get to the next station; if you come over here, and your friends need to stay by your sides!” Pinkie Pie explains.
I trot over to Pinkie Pie, and she jumps into the buck and seemingly vanishes.
“Oh!” I exclaim.
My friends slowly trot over to me, Zoo on my right, and the deer on my left.
“Now, teleport to the next station on the line!” Pinkie Pie commands, and I scoop up both my friends and teleport to the given destination.
Thankfully, I recall being at the station. The regular Ghoul part of me had been in the building, long enough to memorize the layout. Or it could have become a bumpy and chancy ride. Then again, when we rematerialize; the room is close to identical, to the one we just left. It is just as empty and devoid of Ponies, as well.
“I did not know a Pony could do that, even if you are a Unicorn!” Zoo exclaims.
“While most Unicorns could learn to teleport, but picking several ponies with them, is still a challenge for the common Unicorn!” Pinkie Pie explains.
“Starlight Glimmer here, is an excellent Unicorn; she can perform feats, well beyond what a common Unicorn could even dream of!” Pinkie Pie points out.
“Enough of the hugging; step close!” Pinkie Pie than points out; “Could you take us to the next station?” Pinkie Pie adds.
“Okay!” I respond, as I feel the flanks of my friends pressing up at my sides.
I light up my horn and teleport us to the next station.
Just as expected, the room is devoid of any presence. It is almost, as if this had been a tomb, left to decay by its own devices for a bit too long for my taste.
I quickly gather my magic and teleport to the next station, even before Pinkie Pie asked me, or anyone took the time to complain. Maybe a Pony had died in the room, I never stayed long enough to check out. I had left the station in a haste, last time I had been here.
“You certainly do live up to my expectations; Starlight!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, just as we rematerialize in the station house building.
I have had some good practice and studied my spells meticulously!” I point out, in response.
“Just as I predicted!” Pinkie Pie responds.
"You will live up to my investments, in you; saving the Ponies under your care, even if I guess you will never enter the stable! ” she whispers, to me.
“At least, my stable is safe, under my seal; just as I can save my remaining friends, and deliver my final gift to the stable!” I point out.
“Yes, they are quite safe, and your friends are going to deliver the gift!” she assures me.
“Rest assured, Zoo; you will arrive at her stable; then you will deliver the gift, our lovely Starlight had paid so steep a price for! ” Pinkie Pie whispers to the mare, as she is leaning her head over to her.
“Sorry, Starlight; I had never planned for what you had to face!” she then added, in her regular voice.
“Guess it is too late, to cry over that now?” I suggest.
“I am afraid so, Starlight!” she responds, in an even more somber tone than before.
“Then again, I am picking up a few last-minute friends on my way home!” I point out.
“All aboard!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, in an imitation of the train-conductor.
I manage to catch the drift, as she was picking up on what I had just said. Each of my friends are leaning in towards me, then I hastily but with great care teleport us to the next stop. Of course, the station is empty, as if deserted.
The instant after my horn had lit up, we’re materializing in the next building. This time, the room is just as quiet as before. At least, there is no sense of dread or death. The room is just abandoned, nothing more.
All of a sudden, I notice Pinkie Pie jumping out towards the window with a grand smile plastered all over her face. She is waving frantically, at my next guest and friend.
“Hi, come-on in!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, to the creature outside.
She clearly is neither Pony, nor Zebra or even a more unusual and exotic deer.
“Oh, well; I can welcome one more friend, if Pinkie Pie approves of her! ” I ponder.
“Thanks, Pinkie; I have a few more friendship-necklaces to share!” I then add.
The door opens, as if by the hoof of Pinkie Pie’s; in trots a Giraffe. She does have some issue with the ceiling, with her long neck. Otherwise, she seems fine and pleasant enough, for me.
Pinkie Pie closes the door, behind the new friend she just entered into our midst. The Giraffe clearly is relieved, by the company in which I am surrounding myself. Even if I am imagining, it is the face of Pinkie Pie and her gracious invitation.
“My friend; Starlight glimmer is bearing gifts; she is only too happy to share her friendship with you!” Pinkie Pie points out.
As she speaks, a flap one my saddle bags slips open, then the next neck-lace is sliding up and into the air. Eyes clearly follow the item, as it is floating towards the surprised Giraffe. The neck-lace soon make its home around her neck and lock securely.
“Uh, how did that happen?” the Giraffe inquires.
“Unicorn magic!” Pinkie Pie explains; “Or, more correctly in this case, it is the charm around Starlight Glimmer’s neck that is responsible for this action!” Pinkie Pie then elaborates.
“Hi, I am Starlight Glimmer!” I greet her and present myself, in a single breath.
“Thank you, Starlight!” she responds.
“A Ghoul, leading; a Pony, a Deer and now a Giraffe! I guess it’s something to tell my children if and when I ever have any in these crazy times! ” the Giraffe ponders, in light confusion.
“Don’t worry about that; you are quite safe with us and future foals is most certainly possible!” Pinkie Pie blurts out, as if she had been responding to an unheard question.
“I think I need to rest, even if it feels as if I am about to faint and am in dire need of fresh air right now!” the Giraffe mumbles, to no Pony in particular.
“Unless Pinkie Pie thinks we need to go earlier, I could certainly use a few minutes of rest!” I respond.
“Granted!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, then giggles at herself.
“I think we could grab a whiff of fresh air, a few stops from now!” Pinkie Pie then adds.
“Did she memorize the timetable for this rout?” the Deer inquires, reacting to the obvious certainty in Pinkie’s exclamations.
“She is the Ministry mare of Morale, she has a hoof in everything! Or, in her case, you could as well say, a few dozen hooves! However that works in, her case!?” Zoo points out.
“No Pony, or otherwise; knows the width and depth of her actions, and the knowledge she is possessing!” I point out, hinting at personal experiences.
I lean back, in a fairly comfortable chair; resting, from the effort of several teleportations with increasing numbers of passengers. Teleporting myself, had been a breeze; teleporting a single Pony is still easy, but then I am picking up a Deer and a Giraffe too, it is going to be considerably harder on me. Add to that, the remaining friends, I am yet to pick up on my way. I don’t know when, or where I will find them; just that I still have several friends, yet to pick up on my way to my stable.
“Time to go; if that is not too much strain on you, Starlight!” Pinkie Pie points out, knowing exactly where and when the next passenger will be waiting for our Teleportation train to pick them up.
Even if they do not know they are about to be picked up, to be part of our little group of mishmash and ill-matched creatures. Pinkie Pie is holding the manuscript, and she is not letting anything on before she thinks it is time. Whatever reasons she may or may not have. Or, if it is only her prediction of what will happen. I dare not ask.
“Okay, gather up around me; this will be a bumpy ride, with this many of you!” I point out.
“Besides, I do not want to pick anyone up, twice!” I then add.
They all trot up to me, clinging to my flanks; as if they had been glued to my hide, with wonder-glue. I do not complain, as I light up my horn. The closer to me they are, the easier it is to hold on to them, and deposit them safely on the other end of the trip.
There is a flash, as my horn lights up; as the discontinuity hits home, just before we are safely on the other side.
“That was strange!” the Giraffe mare exclaims, as she once more feel the floorboards under her hooves.
As I look up, I notice her ruff is ruffled a bit. Not much, but just enough for me to pick up on it.
“Of course, a Giraffe does not teleport!” I ponder; “Not used to Ponies, or Pony magic?” I then inquire.
“Ponies, and Pony magic, no! I barely had the time to see Fluttershy, about an injury a few weeks before she left for her Ministry!” she responds.
Fluttershy cares about others than herself, even a Giraffe like you! She is a Pegasus, not a Unicorn like me!” I respond.
“She was gentle and kind, spoke to me in hushed and kind words!” the giraffe points out.
“And now, the war against these Zebras is keeping her from her home and everything she loves!” I added.
“She could not have taken us to the stable as fast as I am; maybe not even in time!” I point out.
“These woods are no longer safe, we do have to make haste; even at the cost of discomfort!” the Deer suggests.
“I do not discriminate, I invite all, who wants to live in harmony!” I explain.
“If it is safe, and I do not need to fear; I am only too happy to join your stable, Starlight!” the Deer exclaims.
“I will permit no harm coming to any in my stable!” I point out, as I am starting to light up my horn.
“I will personally see to that you have food and that you are safe!” I point out, as the glow of my horn is growing in a blinding light.
There is a flash of light, and the room evaporates around us.
The next moment, we’re standing in the station I had intended us to enter.
“I’ll just sit down for a moment, I need to rest!” I explain, as I sit down in the nearest seat.
“We’re heading out, as soon as Starlight has had her rest!” Pinkie Pie announces.
“I guess we are getting that fresh air!” the Deer inquires.
“Exactly! Though I am expecting to pick up a new friend, along the way to the next station!” Pinkie Pie responds.
She is giggling gleefully, in the prospect of a new friend. I guess she just could not help herself; Pinkie Pie, being Pinkie pie after all. She had managed to find a rather impressive army of friends, during her stay in Ponyville. Friends, not just Ponies. Her friends are also Donkeys, cows and several others.
“Okay, I think I am ready to lead you to the next friend!” I announce, as I am feeling rested enough to stand up.
“I’ll lead the way!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, eagerly trotting towards the door.
She pushes the door open, but patiently wait and holds it up for the next in line. Each holding the door up, for the one behind. I find myself last in line, but do not feel bothered by it. We’re on our way towards my stable, my home. I gently let the door close behind me, and us.
After a moment, I notice the Giraffe trotting by Pinkie’s side, so I take the chance to enjoy the company of the Deer beside me. She is gentle and kind, but shy to the point of flighty.
“Don’t worry, I can shield us against most anything that could come before us!” I explain.
“I hope you don’t say that, just to calm me down!” she responds.
“Besides, Pinkie Pie would warn me in time to spirit us all out of harm’s way!” I add.
“Oh!” she merely gasps.
“She predicted where you were, and when; for no particular reason, other than for us to be friends!” I suggest.
“An Earthpony could do that?” she inquires.
“Not just any Earthpony, I guess! Pinkie Pie is not just any Earthpony, aside from being the Minister of Morale and having the entire Equestrian Spy-network under her hoof!” I add.
“Hay, I like friends; as many as I could possibly make!” Pinkie Pie interjects, in indignation” “Besides, I don’t mind sharing; and I wish the same, on any Pony, Deer and Giraffe as well!” she then adds, for emphasis.
“I already have a Pony, a Deer and a Giraffe; something is missing, but I rest assured Pinkie Pie will lead me right to the missing friends! ” I ponder; “Thank you, Pinkie; you are a true friend, the best one could possibly have!” I add, beaming at the holographic projection of the pink mare.
“My pleasure!” she giggles; “.. and you are quite welcome; my dear Over-mare Starlight Glimmer!” she then adds.
“I love being welcome!” I tease; “Just as I love pleasing my friends!” I then add.
I know, I know; I am such a tease, but she was hoofing it to me on a silver-platter. Besides, I am certain, she knew that too. She is not Pinkie Pie, for nothing.
“Interesting, just how lively the forest is here now! ” I ponder, without uttering my quandary.
“Not a sign, of the disturbance; the war use to cause, in the forest!” the Deer points out, quite correctly.
“Almost too cozy, but I guess I take the chance!” the Giraffe responds, as we’re trotting down the track.
“Perfect, for us to trot along the rail-road track to the next station!” Pinkie Pie declares.
“I don’t know, but as long as the forest is not starting to act up; I am enjoying the moment, for as long as it lasts!” the Deer responds.
She even gives of a short, nervous giggle.
Somehow; I find her short, nervous giggle refreshing, as short as it may have been. Sometimes, one has to draw pleasure and joy from the smallest of things. Even if it may seem insignificant and irrelevant; a Pony can still afford herself the luxury of enjoying that one short moment. Even in this time of war. I shoot a meaning glance at Pinkie Pie, the Ministry mare of the Ministry of Morale, as if poking her shoulder and letting her know.
She says nothing, but somehow I know she had picked up on even this small hint.
Pinkie Pie knows.
Is Pinkie Pie alive; so long as I remember her, if I speak her name or think about what she would have said? I remember her, just as she knew me when she arranged for me to have her with me right now.
Pinkie Pie, is Pinkie Pie. She can not die. While her body may lie in smoldering ashes, or in a mangled heap somewhere; forgotten and found by none. Yet, she is here with me right now. Alive, vibrant and beaming with joy; as she is sharing everything, with me.
Pinkie Pie had left me, lost in thought. I trot along the track with all my friends. The stretch is only too short. We reach the next station and we climb up to the building. Pinkie Pie opens the door and holds it open for us. I enter, last. Dead last. I do not care. I have enjoyed the tranquil moment with my friends in the friendly and quiet forest.
Strange, this room is different from all the once we had been in. It is not just that it is fresh and undisturbed. Maybe it is more, in the way this room feels alive. No Pony is in the room, and no Zebra. I am alone with my friends; guarded by Pinkie Pie, and her ominous predictions. She clearly has a plan for me, and my small group of friends. As small as it may be, but it is important. Both to her plan, and to me. To me, in particular.
“Take your time, Starlight; rest, we could all make use of a good rest!” Pinkie Pie points out.
She is smiling, grinning from ear to ear in a manner none other than Pinkie Pie could manage. Not to mention, not to make it creepy in the process. That is not, just because I view her as a friend. It is not; even in the fact that what I see is a holographic projection, from my pip-buck.
I close my eyes, and nothing happens. It is dark, only because my eyelids are blocking out the spares light in the room.
I breath in, the fresh air and the odors I just can not quite put a hoof on.
I breathe, I am alive. Clearly.
I permit the seconds tick away, as I feel my heart beat. I breathe, since I clearly am alive.
It is quiet, but no dead silence.
I hear the little noises from my friends. They are also resting.
I open my eyes and straighten up. I look around, and everything is exactly where it had been before I closed my eyes.
Odd, I had expected them to move and to be impatient or worried by now. Maybe it is the times, with a war raging outside.
I jump down, onto the floor and trot out into the middle of the room. A moment later, I can feel the warmth and presence of my friends.
I light my horn, and teleport us to the next station. I did not have to wait for Pinkie Pie to announce it, or explain where we were going. It had been obvious all along. If not, she would have told me, even before I climbed up onto the chair.
Strange, there are lights beaming down upon me from odd angles. Of course, I do remember this place, this building. Maybe it had merely slipped my mind, it had been in a bit of disrepair?
“Just one moment!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, before she is trotting towards the door.
She manages to push it open, effortlessly. The door quietly opens, as she is pushing her hoof at the hoof-bar.
We soon follow her out, only to be greeted by the sunshine beaming down from a blue sky.
“We are fairly close to my old village!” I say, as I am looking up at the blue sky.
Pinkie pie nods, then moves down to the rail-road track and continue towards the destination.
She stops, several times; sniffing the air and makes funny faces. Then, all of a sudden; she just stops and turns to the right. I can clearly see her trotting off of the track, whistling a merry tune. Just that this is no Pony tune I had ever heard. Or, even heard of.
“Moo!” Pinkie Pie exclaims; in a bovine greeting, she apparently had picked up.
“Moo!” a second voice echoes.
“Pinkie Pie, is Pinkie Pie! ” I ponder, giggling at the obvious circle-reasoning logic.
A Cow is stepping out, into the light and stares at Pinkie Pie in disbelief.
”Yes, Moo-Oonah; it is me, Pinkie Pie!” I hear the Pinkie Pie exclaim, in her usual excited voice.
As if nothing had happened, since she became the Ministry mare of the Ministry of Morale. As if she had indeed still been living in Ponyville, with her friends, as if she still were cheering them all up each and every day.
“Hi, Pinkie!” the Cow responds; now clearly recognize the friend, she had given up all hope on ever seeing again.
“Yes, it is me; or, at least, what is left of me! All that is important, that is!” Pinkie points out.
“So long as you are still in this world, in Equestria; can I live happily, and sleep in the night!” the Cow responds.
“While you can kill a Pony, but you can’t kill the spirit of Laughter!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, with utter certainty only she could muster.
After a moment, maybe a minute or two; I step into the light, the line of sight for the Cow.
“A friend of Pinkie’s, is a friend of mine! Even if that means I am friends with half of Equestria, in the process!” the Cow points out, smiling.
“Hiya, Oonah; and welcome to the gang!” I greet her.
“Oonah; this is Starlight Glimmer, and a Deer, and a Giraffe!” Pinkie Pie explains.
“Trust Pinkie Pie, to make friends with anything and everything in her path!” Moo-Oonah exclaims, now clearly amused.
“Well, given half a chance; I would make friends with even a Changeling!” Pinkie Pie teases the Cow.
“I would not even trust a Zebra to even attempt that; but for Pinkie Pie, it’s all in a day’s work!” the Cow offers, giggling.
“We have to get going, but I don’t foresee anything as exciting as a Changeling in our path!” Pinkie Pie points out.
“I am only too happy, with just a Deer and a Giraffe; on the side of the daily Pony!” Oonah responds, still giggling.
“You’re infectious, Pinkie!” I tease my companion Pinkie.
“I am the element of Laughter, after all!” Pinkie merely responds, grinning at the wit.
“Yes; and we certainly could use some of that, in our darkest hour of need!” I point out.
“It is war, so I guess that makes sense!” Pinkie points out.
She momentarily drops the grin, to make the point stand.
“Between Pinkie Pie’s predictions, and Starlight Glimmer’s telepartations and shield; even I am starting to feel safe!” the Deer points out, now starting to act more assured than any Pony could have been expecting.
As I am leading the way, I have managed to steer us back onto the track and am now keeping a good, steady pace along the rail.
“Yes, it certainly is a war going on; I have seen my share of it, more than I am prepared to experience! T&his is why I moved my villagers and followers into the stable in the cave from the cozy village out in the open! ” I am pondering.
While Pinkie Pie is always grinning at something, but there is a special and knowing grin on her features from the moment the Cow Oonah presented herself. Though I know Pinkie herself had foreseen this, she can’t stop grinning. Maybe the image ignores everything out of sight and is focusing on the hear and now?
The forest is strangely quiet and still, almost as if it is ignoring the war and just goes with Pinkie Pie’s optimistic outlook on the near future in the here and now.
We continue to trot along the rail-road track, quietly and seemingly unnoticed. Of course; eyes are watching us, following our progress along the way towards the next stop by the near-by station.
Whatever it is, following us; Pinkie Pie is seemingly obliviously ignoring it, as if it was not even there or at the very least of no consequence or threat to us. It is no threat to Pinkie Pie, or the Avatar representing her.
“A pet, is a pet!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, after a while; “Which reminds me of an old, dear friend of mine, Fluttershy!”she then adds.
“She herself, almost turned into a bat; once! ” Pinkie ponders.
Of course a Bat is no citizen of Equestria, but is a very fine pet; if you have the taste, and enjoys an avian companion.
Just as I am turning my head, as we are taking the final bend on the way towards the next stop; I notice a black bat, on the back of the Deer. She does not seem bothered, even as a deer. Then again, the bat does not do anything threatening towards the deer.
“Oh!” I merely breath, shooting a meaningful glance towards Pinkie.
“Exactly!” she responds, giggling.
Several minutes later, we reach the station without any incident. I lead my friends up from the rail and towards the building.
Pinkie Pie opens the door and steps into the room. It is large, largely empty and abandoned. There is the one strange detail, there is a bottle of Rad-cola on each of the seats. One for each of us, including Pinkie Pie. Of course, this is Pinkie Pie, even if she is merely here in spirit. She herself is elsewhere, her body very far from where I am sitting and enjoying the beverage offered to me. My friends, sitting to the left and right; enjoying theirs, almost as if I had bought them for them.
Had Pinkie left them there, or arranged for them to be there; unless she had merely predicted them to be there at the right time, for us to enjoy them.
An Episode of a Farcry: 14 (15)
My name is Farcry, and my mother’s name is Cotton Candy. She is a Steel Ranger.
Sorry to break it to you, but I have not yet been born. I just noticed something, I have a pip-buck, a device known to be worn by the Ponies in the Stables built just before the war. The war with the thrice damned Zebras, that is. I know nothing of it, and the war is long gone. Just not quite forgotten, considering what we did to the fair Equestria because of it. I will see this soon enough, trust me.
The buck appeared on my leg, just above my right fore-hoof, just as a Farsee had a dream including my mother. I don’t understand anything of this, and I am not about to pretend I do. I am still not born yet, remember.
What did my mother do to that poor foal, to deserve what is about to come next? I have no idea, and I will never understand how this was even possible. Even for the magic of a Unicorn. Not even a heard of thrice damned Zebras could even dream up the weaving of the spell required.
Then again, there is the pink mare of the Ministry of Morale. Pinkie Pie. Oh, yeah; MoM, or MuM. The cogs are turning, twisting the world even further out of shape. The irony.
Having a pip-buck is fun, when you have nothing better to do in here. I can do little more than move a hoof or turn my head.
The device is quite useful and practical, for a stable pony. Just that I am no stable pony. Well, maybe I am a pony, dwelling in a very different stable. I am alone. I am also bored.
When ponies complain about how small and cramped the space in their stable is, maybe they should have a day in my stable? Or, a stable just like it. Never joke about a small stable, or how restricted you feel; you have not lived in my stable, or my position. At least, I will open the gate, and leave soon. Just a month or two.
I am looking forwards, to the day when I am leaving this place. It is wet, and cramped, to the point of becoming bone crushing. Besides, I am alone, and lonely in here.
Operating a buck by hoof would have been problematic, thankfully it is not an issue for me. How or why, but it seems to react on my mood and thoughts. I can watch images of what is outside. I can also hear the radio, broadcast by any nearby station. Not all that many of them. The music sung by a Sweetie Belle has become a dear favorite of mine. I just hope my mother is not bothered by it.
I think it is time to bust out of here. I have had it, and now it is getting a bit too cramped for me. No idea, how long I have been here, but enough is enough.
I turn around, facing the world; looking for the exit, my exit. The entrance to the world outside. I break the seal, making myself known. She feels it, and is rushed into labour. There is nothing she could do about it, because I am coming out. Now.
There is a sharp, sudden cry, as I am pushing.
“Iiiiih!” she cries.
That was the first, and many more to come. She should have known it, it is how the mare delivers. A mare in labour will have to contend with the pains of pushing the foal out. In this case, me.
Even if I am the one initiating the labour, pushing forwards, to come out.
Minute by minute, I am pushing forwards; pushing myself forwards, outwards.
“Iiiih!” she cries out, each time I am pushing.
She probably had not been prepared for me, expecting me to wait for another week or two? Oh, well; too late for that, here I come.
I push my fore-hooves forwards, feeling myself being compressed as I am pushing forwards and outwards.
There is nothing to do about that, no point in regret. I want out, and I want out now.
Suddenly I feel my hooves slip out. I feel the opening, before I am pushed out. All the way out, all of a sudden.
I do not scream, and she is quiet.
“Oh, oh! That is much better!” I exclaim, in my tiny infant voice.
Strange, she is alone.
While I know every pony must have heard her cries, none had come to her rescue. At least, not yet.
Now, that is too late.
She turns around, looking towards me. I know she can se me, I am not in stealth mode, even if I had had that function for the buck in the first place. I had never been looking for it, why bother? I was already hidden within her womb at the time. Right now, I want her attention and I want her to see me.
While I am still soaking wet, I stand up and face her. I see my mother, looking back at me. I see the look in her eyes, but can’t quite put a hoof to what it is I am seeing. Aside from a mother’s love.
We are together, alone and in her private room. It is all I know, and all I need to know. I am safe, by her side.
“Mum!” I exclaim, feeling her by my side.
“Yes, I am here!” she coos in response.
“Maybe there is nothing more to say? Maybe she had not had the time to prepare anything more. Or, she can’t be expected to speak to me, as an adult Steel Ranger?
I don’t really need, or expect a speech. I just need to hear her voice, and feel she is loving me. I know she will protect me, if need be. As her daughter, and as a fellow Steel Ranger.
Ponies can say what they want, about us; but we stick together, and protect our own. Why should my mother be anything different?
“Wait, what?” she exclaims, taking a second look at me.
“Oh, yes; I guess it was inevitable, you would see my pip-buck?” I respond.
Then I just giggle at the silly in the situation.
“My Farcry, my own little Farcry!” she coos at me.
“You speak? How do you even know what the device is called or used for; let alone, having one above your hoof?” she points out, with scary uncertainty to her voice.
“Okay, how do I put this?” I respond; “I have had this; since it appeared, a while back!” I point out.
“It just appeared, out of nowhere? A pip-buck is far to delicate and precious, to just appear out of nowhere! Besides, they never made them for unborn fillies in the first place!” she points out.
“How I can speak? I am a Pony! Then again, I could but assume the buck has something to do with that!” I respond; pointing at the device, above my right fore-hoof.
“The Elders will go completely crazy, over this; if they were to learn of it!” she exclaims, in a hushed voice.
“Yes, I guess they will!” I point out, in response.
“Since you are not in a stable, protected by the impenetrable stable-tech gate; it is fortunate, that you are my foal and under my care!” she mumbles.
“Mum, your name is Cotton Candy?” I then inquire.
“Yes, that is my name” But, how did you know?” she inquires.
“I heard your name; when they address you! Aside from that my buck identifies you as Cotton Candy!” I respond.
“Does it identify everyone by name?” she inquires.
“Name, and rank!” I point out.
“There is no pony else here; we are alone, which I guess is good!” I offer.
“Then again, it is still the middle of the night!” I add, after a moment’s consideration.
“Smother thy mother! ” I ponder; “I could never do that! ” I continue.
“At least, I was not born in a full ranger’s power armour!” I mumble.
“Why does a pip-buck appear out of nowhere?” she ponders, quietly.
Of course, there is no response; maybe Pinkie Pie, the ministry mare is truly dead and gone? Either that, or she simply never had the time to foresee and post a response?
“On second thought; I don’t think I even want to know, that answer!” she then yelps in a hushed tone.
“While my body may be dead, but I am not gone any time soon!” Pinkie Pie’s voice scolds from the speaker of the Pip-buck.
“Okay, this will be giving me problems for ages to come!” my mother points out, in a very worried voice.
“I think I may be able to help you with that!” the voice responds, with a giggle.
“How is that, if your body is dead and buried?” my mother inquires.
“I was assassinated, but you have my persona in your daughters Pip-buck!” Pinkie’s voice points out, matter of fact.
There is an eerie, creepy air of amusement to the presence of what is passing for Pinkie Pie; the ministry mare who created the Ministry of Morale and so many other things, not known by the common pony or even Luna herself to a degree.
If the mare is dead, how could she then point out that she had been assassinated, at the end of the war? It does not add up, but still makes perfect sense, for the mare known as Pinkie Pie. Maybe this is the most scary part of this part of this story; this far, that is.
“You two need to go to be, you have a fresh and exciting day ahead of you!” Pinkie Pie points out, this time without as much as a hint of a giggle or amusement to her voice.
It’s no deadpan, but a clear and unmistakable order.
My mother manages to find a pile of pillows and a quilt for me to sleep on, lacking a proper bed.
I slowly enter the makeshift bed and slip in under a part of the quilt. As my head lay on the pillow, I fall asleep,
My mother slips into her bed and falls asleep. The day is at an end, for the both of us.
Pinkie Pie is quiet, hiding her presence in the room. Merely guarding the two of us, almost as if she had been our mother.
Then again; she is the ministry mare, the minister of morale. Guarding up, makes for better morale in the room. Every pony likes to know they are safe, when some pony is watching over them.
A Starlight Sleepover 15 (16)
I had slept surprisingly well, considering the circumstances. I guess I should give credits to Starlight’s promise, as well as the predictions and foresight of Pinkie Pie, the Minister of Morale and element of Laughter.
We had managed to arrive at the cave of the Stable late, last night. In the dark of the late hour, and the exhaustion of the long trek; we had chosen to camp in the cave, rather than approaching the gate itself. If it was on purpose, or if by chance; who is to say, I am still not quite ready to judge.
There is a sense of warmth beside me, almost as if I had had a dear companion by my side. Not a Deer, or a Cow, but an Equine. Half by half, I had expected it to be either Starlight Glimmer, or even Pinkie Pie herself. Maybe I am still dreaming? There is always the chance, there is another new member of our small group of travelers; though I could not for my life recall, who or when or even where this could have been.
In the end, it proved a fruitless challenge. The Stallion had either been in the cave as we arrived, or stumbled upon it while we were sleeping. He had not bothered killing or even hurting any of us; but is now comfortably leaning in against my flank. Maybe he was merely enjoying the comforting warmth of a Mare’s body? I guess I could not blame him.
“Trust Pinkie Pie to be fluent in Zebracon! ” I ponder, as I hear Pinkie Pie’s voice, greeting the Stallion by my side.
“Oh, and Starlight has a gift for you!” she then adds, as the Zebra stallion replies to her greeting.
He looks stunned; hearing the mare addressing him in perfect, fluid zebra. There had been little contact between the Zebra and the Ponies before, short of the diplomatic and trade that broke down not too far back.
As if on cue, the flap slips open and the necklace is slipping out. As I am looking, the item is slowly floating through the air as if by magic; approaching the zebra stallion, who is likewise following it with his gaze. Despite the slow motion, the necklace is finding its place around his neck in a mere few minutes; locking around him, holding him in a firm, yet gracefully gentle grip.
“How did you know?” the Stallion inquires, as he is noticing his glyph on the necklace.
“You are the last in line, thus it is yours!” Starlight Glimmer points out.
“I had a vision, of you waking up, in this cave at this time!” Pinkie Pie explains.
That is the cue, and I feel the mark on my necklace starting to glow. Only this is not the usual magic of a regular Unicorn’s spell. Something is wrong, something is off. I feel as if the ground had slipped out from right under my very hooves.
At first, everything looks normal. I can see everyone in the cave, just as before. I am having this strange and queasy sensation, and as if someone had been trotting over my grave.
An undefined moment later, my vision is starting to blur, as I feel my consciousness melting.
“Is this how it feels, when you have your soul ripped out of your body?” I manage to ponder, before my individuality evaporates.
The essence of me is still there, lingering in a limbo-like state; my body evaporating all around me and floats towards the center of the gathered crowd. I feel the essence of my comrades gathering in a pool as a central mass.
While I am in this state; I am blending with the other souls and we slowly, but unavoidably merge into one. For a moment, we remain in a single unity of souls. Disembodied, but free.
The moment passes, and the entity I am part of is splitting into two individuals.
I am still part of them, just as they are part of me. Pony, Zebra, Deer, Cow, Giraffe, and even the Bat.
Once I am once more one, myself; my body is slowly starting to assemble itself from the parts that was the unity I had been accepted into. There is no way around it, I am still a part of the unity. I have all their memories. Yet, I am no apart from them. None of them exists as individuals anymore. They are all lost, so that I can be the Chimera Mare I have become. I have my Stallion, my Companion by my side.
Fortunately, the body of a Pony and the Zebra is so close, one could fuse them together.
My head is further up in the air now, with a longer neck from the Giraffe, as a part of me. I also have her horns on my head, not yet knowing or understanding how this is going to change my life.
I move gracefully, with the hooves of the Deer. She was such a nimble and sensitive friend, the short time I knew her. Now she is part of me, I remember everything she was put through.
I have a Cow’s tail, as a gift from Moo Oonah. How does this change anything? I have no idea.
One side of my body is that of the Pony I once was, but with the Zebra version of what had been my mark; my other side is that of the Zebra, but with the Pony’s cutie mark. Thankfully, the stripes does not change anything for me. I am still myself, as far as the body goes.
On my back, I have a pair of black bat wings. Should I complain? Even if I never fly, I could still enjoy having them. Couldn’t I?
My companion looks like a male twin; just that his body is mirrored, and he has his glyph and mark in place of mine.
“My promise still stands!” Starlight Glimmer points out, with her usual certainty.
“Sorry, Starlight; neither you, nor I can enter the stable! But, your two new friends can; they only need to figure out how this words first! Then they can join the community and move between the cave and the stable at will!” Pinkie Pie now enlightens Starlight.
Incidentally, she is also explaining a great deal to me and my companion. While this may very well have been on purpose on her part all along. Naturally, I expect Starlight to have known this as well; being a Ghoul and all that. She just could not make herself let us know. Could she? How could she, could I have done that if I had been in her Pony shoes? I do not know, and neither do I want to know.
“Che Mare!” I ponder, as I am pondering my position.
“Yes, Che!” Pinkie Pie exclaims, as the form of her body suddenly changes to resemble me.
She is still the same pink Ministry mare, but her body now clearly is purposefully resembling me for a purpose.
“How did you do that, Pinkie?” I ponder, not yet openly questioning what I see vocally.
“Simple, my dear Che; I picked up this form, in order to demonstrate what you need to do!” she points out, with a giggle in place of the lecturing voice.
“Of course, she is a holographic representation of who she used to be! ” I realize in stark shock.
“While I may have been born a common Earthpony, my dear Che!” she is reminding me; “I was never what you should consider normal or regular, by any standard!” she then continues.
“Would Princess Luna ever have chosen you to be a Ministry mare, had you been a regular run of the mill Earthpony? ” I ponder, instantly knowing the answer to my own question.
I may not be like Starlight Glimmer, never mind Pinkie Pie, the obvious is simply obvious.
While it may be a holographic representation, of the mare known as Pinkie Pie; but she still is more Pony than I had ever been, even before I had become the Chimera I am now. While she is an Earthpony and not a Unicorn; she seems to have an instinctive understanding and sense for the Magic and Arcane as if she had been one.
She is looking at me, and it feels as if it had been Pinkie Pie herself looking at me. Had this been any other Pony, than Pinkie Pie herself; I would have been itching to back away and try to hide. Now, this is her; Pinkie Pie.
As I am looking at her, I notice the tips of the horns starting to glow and picks up a radiant glow as if it had been a Unicorn’s horn. Or, in this case, the horns of a Giraffe. I, myself; am part Giraffe. I have the horns, to make the point.
“Now, focus! You can do it! Just picture the door, on the surface of the rock before you!” she now points out.
“How? ” I ponder, considering her words.
As I am focusing on her, I am focusing on her words; my horns starts to glow, just as hers does.
While she is depicting the door on the surface of the rock-face before me, the image in my head is slowly but certainly taking form; and as the image is gaining clarity, the door is also gaining substance on the wall in front of me.
“Now, open the door and enter!” she points out, instructing me to follow the path she had just drawn up the outlines of.
As I reach out, and open the door; I can clearly see an empty, black void before me. A space between the wall, and the cave inside the stable.
“Step right in, but do not forget to close the door behind yourself!” she continues.
“Oh, okay; and, thank you, Pinkie Pie!” I respond, just before I step into the room I had just created.
My companion is following me into the room, before he is closing the door behind himself.
I can no longer see, or sense the cave, behind myself; in which, Starlight Glimmer and Pinkie Pie is still standing in.
While my horns remain aglow, I can see the room in which I am standing; just as clearly as I can still see and hear my companion.
I see his horns, as they start to glow; right before he is opening the door, to the next room.
As he steps in and I follow him; we enter the stable and I close the door behind myself.
While I had not been told, there is one single lone mare standing there and waiting; Starlight Glimmer, the original founder who established the village and the stable within which I am now standing.
“You are one curious looking Pony, if you are indeed even a Pony?” she exclaims, as she sees me and my companion stepping into her stable.
“Yes, and no” I respond.
“Zoo Maré was, but she is still party of us!” my companion adds.
“Those necklaces, my original double sent you as her proxy?” she now suggests.
“I, we carry the promised items! She paid a steep price, for the items she had been promised!” I point out.
“She could not return, or enter the stable; not in the shape, or form in which she had found herself!” my companion adds.
“The ministerial gifts, you have them for us?” she inquire.
“Yes!” I respond.
I open the door, and step right out. Once I closed the door, I trot through what is to be my home. I open the other door, before I step out and pick up the saddle-bag left to us. The bag still contains all the pip-bucks.
Of course the cave is empty, Starlight Glimmer had left while I was entering the stable. I had known it, it had just never quite registered with me. Not until now, that is.
I step into the void between the cave and the stable, before I close the door. I trot back to the door into the stable and close it behind myself. I make the effort of preventing even her to see anything behind that door.
Once I had closed the door behind myself, I open the flap to the saddle-bag and extract the buck intended for her. It already carries her mark, the mark of Starlight Glimmer.
As opposed to any previous and more primitive version of the Pip-buck, this does not require a technician to put it on. The small metallic item slowly fuses to her right fore-leg, just above her hoof.
“Thank you!” she exclaims.
“You are quite welcome!” I point out; “I am merely delivering the gift, paying for my entry!” I then add.
“”I am eternally grateful, for your acceptance into your midst; when one such as I had never expected your graceful acceptance!” my companion points out, in a remnant of his ancestral dialect and, and in the traditional singsong rhymes
“I can not deny my heritage !” he ponders, knowing all too well the truth of it.
Of course; as a Chimera, we both share that heritage now. I am just as much the Zebra in the room, as he is. Or, just as little.
I ask nothing in return, for the favour I had delivered; even despite the price, I had paid along my companion. I can never be a Pony, more than he could be a Zebra. Of course, that goes for all of us; we’re neither Pony, Zebra, Deer, Giraffe, Cow or Bat. Never again. Never again, could either count ourselves as part of the greater community. Our heritage lost, in place we now have this; to be Chimera, and to have a companion. I have one such as myself, one whom I can confide and trust into the bitter end. Whenever that may be.
“I will summon my followers, early in the morning; so that I can share with them, the gift you delivered for me!” Starlight explains, with a wide grin spreading out all over her face.
With the door closed behind me, I am alone; I have none, beside my companion.
The walls are cold, dark and hard. So very hard, and unforgiving.
There is none, on either side of the respective doors, I could as well make them cease to exist. Starlight Glimmer may have been happy, for the delivery I had put before her. I had just done what Pinkie Pie had predicted, for a Pony who can never be a Pony or amongst her own kind. As a Ghoul, she is cursed, to stay alive while everything she ever cared about crumbles in one way or the other.
Maybe I should be grateful, for the one thing I still have; my companion, whom I could spend my dark hours with.
First now, it hit me just how long the day had been. I had gone through a few things I never knew. Now I am alone, shut of from everything I ever knew. I may be alive, but isn’t that a cold comfort; in this desolate, darkness?
I attempt to lie down, and my companion soon share his warmth, for all it is worth.
The room is quiet, save for the twin noises of our breathing. That is everything I have, in the darkness.
While I do not exactly hear it, but I still do sense a double bed materializing out of thin air.
“This is the least I could offer !” I note reads, I find resting comfortably on the pillow in the middle.
“There is a third pillow? ” I ponder.
“We have a home!” I breathe.
“Let us share this one blessing in the cold, dark of the night!” he points out.
I hear the jubilant tone in his voice, even if it barely is a hint.
We climb up and nezzle into the ned. I soon find myself drifting off to sleep; in the warm embrace of the promise, the bed is offering.
Author's Note
Sugar Belle's POV
An Early Morning: 1
I woke up, pretty early in the morning; even if I guess it could have been any time of the day, on the topside. Living in the stable, under a mountain; does this, to all of us.
I am Sugar Belle, according to my Pip Buck. We all have one, I was actually born with it. At my fifth birthday; the buck was up loading the Sugar Belle icon, thus making me the baker of the stable.
According to tradition, I moved to my own room at age five, due to the mark I had been given by my Pip Buck. As an apprentice to the baker, I do bake quite a lot. It is an important position, but doesn’t make me special in any way.
Of course, the bakery is next to the orchard, where the apples grow; safe from the outside and ready to be bucked by the farmer.
Living by the bakery is quite acceptable, why complain? While it is no luxury or status, but it is a home to me. No Pony is homeless here, why should any pony be?
The point of living close to the bakery is that it is my job and my purpose; saving me time to go to and from the work I enjoy performing. Both for myself, and for my fellow Ponies and stable residents.
Of course, as a baker, I had to get up early; so I could make the first batch of baked goods in time for breakfast, to all Ponies of the Stable. I don’t complain, it’s a good job and a good life. It is what Starlight Glimmer envisioned for me and the stable in which I live. She guided us down to safety, as the first sign of the war came before her, or so we are told. Who told her, or how she learned of it, no pony knows.
Since we do have a mighty fine Apple orchard near the bakery, I have plenty of apples to work with. I love my apples, they are good to eat. Apples are good for Ponies. Of course, Apples keeps the Doctor away; not because they smell bad or make you smell, but because they keep you well nourished and happy.
I had been given the Sugar bell mark, so I bake all the juicy and tasty treats; not so much loafing for me, or the heavy bread baking. I couldn’t complain.
Just like any Pip-buck technician would explain; the Buck manages magic, so it can keep me up-to-date with everything I need and manage an assortment of spells, useful in my daily life and line of work. I guess this is why our Founder, starlight Glimmer permitted its use and even went as far as to permit it to hold our mark. Of course, who am I to say, I am just the baker in line. I don’t know the technician in person, I have no real connections. Every Pony in the stable comes by the bakery from time to time.
I have an important job, but I am just a pony like every pony else. I do not mind, I am just happy to manage the bakery. It’s a job, my job; my purpose in life, and the stable. Every pony recognizes me for it, but I don’t need more.
In effect; I am living the dream, Starlight envisioned for us. My life is just as good, as it had been before the war forced us down; making her establish the stable, in place of our old stable. Her vision is keeping me safe, protecting me from the war. A war we never asked for, and the atrocities none of us ever knew was even possible. Not even starlight had the faintest idea, before the war broke out.
I merely produce confectioneries, for regular ponies; it is all I ever wanted, nothing more and nothing less. The life of a pony, a humble baker in a small and nameless village. I don’t need stories or fables, I can recall the life of Sugar Belle, all the way back to the time we entered the stable. Even a few years back, before the war; when I was living a happy life, with friends and fellow ponies.
Getting out of bed, early; is part of the baker’s job, and that is me. Getting up early, is only a few hours earlier than every pony else; but in the stable, where Celestia’s sun never has a chance to guide us. That is no real difference.
I simply slip out of my bed, step out and trot to work; it is not far, because I live close to the bakery. Why should I be living in the other end of the stable, just to that I have to gallop through town for an hour, to get to work? Besides, I love my job.
Once I reach the bakery, I step in and prepare for the day. I produce all the regular, tasty confectioneries.
After about an hour, I take the time to have my breakfast. I have more than enough baked, by then. Besides, very few ponies are in, this early. Short of a few of the farmers.
After breakfast, I continue baking, all the way up until lunch. If not just for the baking, but I also love seeing the smiles on the ponies as they enter our bakery. It is ours, and I merely work her. Just as I did not need a fancy title, I don’t need to own the bakery. This is my job, until I am too old and weak. By then, there will be another pony, taking my place in the bakery.
At the Gate - the Zebra: 4
”A village, but there is no name or activity!” the Scout muttered.
“They abandoned the village?” came the response.
“Not actually abandoned; but why did they remove the name, if everything is left in place?” the Scout pointed out.
“That is curious! While I did not even know they had a village here, but they could try to throw us off with a nameless village!” came the response.
“What in the name of the stars are these Ponies up to?” Inquired the Shaman.
“This is a Pony village, by any and all the signs!” the Scout muttered.
“Industrious Bastards, these Ponies!” came the response.
“It appears, these Ponies are trickier than we had been led to believe!” the Shaman reflected.
Quiet resumed, at the scout outpost overlooking the small village Starlight Glimmer had established.
The Village is quiet, empty. No Pony is there. Nothing move, not even a tumbleweed. While the slight breeze is on the air, as if to prove no foul magic was at work.
Trotting along the one street did not take long. Going into each building and examining the seemingly abandoned building was a breeze. Nothing to see, just the few belongings of each Pony living in the respective buildings.
The stunning fact that there was no sign of a mark for any of the Ponies, each building identical. Just the items of a trade.
Of course, there is the exception, the one building at the end of the road. Was this the home of the Leader, or a Shaman?
Nothing was touched, for the fear of traps and poisoned food items. Even cursed items is a very real possibility, in the eyes of a Zebra.
Hidden in the last building, an underground passage was found.
“Do we dare following this passage, to its destination?” the Scout uttered, in a hush and worried tone of voice.
“Do we have a choice? We have to see where the villagers went and who they are!” the Shaman pointed out.
No traps had been lain, or we had managed to avoid them. From the mouth of the tunnel, the path continued over a stone bridge over to a different tunnel in the mountain on the opposite side.
“A stable door!” the Scout observed, just as he had entered the large cave at the end of the path.
“Wait, hold up? Is that a Talisman, right there on the door?” the Scout exclaimed in alarm.
“No, it has all the feels of a Soul Jar!” the Shaman croaked in shock.
“Is it even possible to make a Soul Jar out of a Talisman?” the Scout whispered in aw.
“What is behind the door has to be mighty important!” the Engineer prompted, in instant realization.
“Stable tech is a mighty foe, but this is not the working of Stable Tech!” the Observer pronounced with utter finality.
“Since this is no work of a Zebra, who constructed this, if it is not Stable Tech?” the engineer inquired.
“Indeed! Not even the accursed once would have built something the likes of this. Yet, the effort placed in the crafting makes this important!” the Shaman proclaimed.
Of course, no Zebra in his or her right mind would have pronounced the name of the Stackatari; the accursed tribe of the Moon.
“While I may not have seen the inside of a functional Stable, but I would give my hooves just to see what is behind that door. It is bound to be something extraordinary, with the protection placed before us!” the Engineer stated, with reverent aw in his voice.
“While I guess any of us could take your hooves off, but not even the combined effort or even a bale-fire bomb could bypass that door!” the Shaman whispered.
“This cave would have been perfect for focusing the wrath and ire of a bale-fire bomb towards the door, though!” the Engineer prompted.
“We could request a few bale-fire bombs from the armory, but I doubt it would be worth the effort! If we get the request approved, would we survive the blast on the other side of their bridge?” the Scout inquired.
There was a moment of still quiet, as the walls to the right and left started to glow. While the glowing spots were little more than a foot wide, it soon expanded outwards.
“Wait, something is wrong.. very wrong!” the Shaman breathed.
“What?” the Observer inquired.
“I do not know.. I just have a strange feeling, a sensation as if something was just walking all over my grave!” the Shaman responded.
“Fan out, and pay attention to anything out of the ordinary!” the Scout prompted.
“Would a door appearing out of nowhere count, as out of the ordinary?” came the response, just a moment later.
“What, doors does not just appear out of nowhere; even you would know that!” the scout snapped back.
“These are ponies, and the leader of the village is bound to be a unicorn of craft and cunning!” the Shaman corrected, sternly.
All zebras hurriedly turns to the door just pointed out. As the door had finished materializing, it no longer glows. There is a momentary silence in the cave, as the zebras are observing the door in obvious fear.
Everything remains still, the zebras shiver; waiting for what is to come, instinctively expecting the worst. A minute later, the door opens and a mare steps out.
“I am Che Mare!” she giggles, as she is scanning the open space and finds the gathered zebras.
“Che Mare? Is she Pony, or Zebra? Does her name mean more than she is letting on? ” the scout ponders.
“Does she claim to be a chimera, of any kind?” one zebra ask another, quietly.
“You mean to say that she is in fact; both a Pony and a Zebra?” the other responds.
“Isn’t that what is a Zony?” the third responds.
“I have seen a few Zonies, but that is the result of something very different than this. This certainly doesn’t look like a loving union of two Equines!” the scout exclaims, in hushed tones.
“Foul Unicorn magic, it has to be!” the Shaman declares.
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