Final Fantasy Equestria: New Beginning

Chapter 10

The Creeping Shadow

(Our Town, Starlight Glimmer’s house)

After a few minutes of walking through town, the group finally arrived at the house of the founder. Double Diamond opened the door for them to enter as they did so while staying cautious. Upon entering, the door behind them closed as Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack.

“Be ready to fight. We don’t know what will come through that door.” She said before turning her attention to the door which was opening. Once it was open, Starlight Glimmer soon walked out of it with a smile on face.

“Welcome! I’m so pleased to have you here.” She said as Rainbow Dash let out a groan of disappointment.

“This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, White Mage, and Twilight Sparkle.” Double Diamond said as Starlight walked over to the alicorn who gave off an embarrassed smile. Starlight continued to look at Twilight carefully. Mainly her horn and wings.

“Forgive my bluntness, but I’m assuming it’s Princess Twilight Sparkle? We don’t get any alicorns around here.”

“Yes, but Twilight is fine.” The Alicorn said still smiling awkwardly.

“So, how did you hear about our little village?”

“It’s kind of a long story. Let’s just say we found it on a map.” She said before Pinkie Pie chimed in on the conversation.

“Technically. It’s a tree chest castle map.” She said before glaring at Starlight and moving away from Twilight and Starlight.

“W-Well however you found us, we’re happy to have you. We’re happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time.”

“Say what?” Applejack said with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yes indeed. That’s what is so unique about our village you see.” Starlight moved over to a picture frame with an equal sign on it as she adjusts it a bit. “Around here we don’t flaunt our special talents because we don’t have any special talents to flaunt.” she said before hearing a chuckle coming from the White Mage. “Is something funny White Mage?”

“Oh, forgive me. I didn’t mean to laugh at you or anything. Please, continue.” White Mage said as Starlight raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before going back to what she was saying.

“....As I was saying. Here in Our Town, we ponies don’t flaunt our special talents or anything that would make somepony better then anypony else. Here we are all equal.” Upon finishing, White Mage began to bust out laughing as it caught the attention of everyone in the room. Starlight’s left eye twitches a bit before looking over at the pegasus with a forced smile on her face. “Is there something you would like to say?”

“Again, I’m sorry. But what you’re saying is utter nonsense.” The white mage said while trying to recover from her laughter.

“Oh? And what’s wrong with having everypony being equal?”

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong with being equal. But from what I’ve been seeing for the past few minutes I’ve been here, it’s nothing more than a town full of brainwashed ponies or ponies you tricked into giving up their cutie marks to join this town.”

“Whoa now sugarcube. Now I know this town is a bit weird, but you shouldn’t be saying stuff like that.” Applejack said as Fluttershy nodded in agreement.

“You shouldn’t judge somepony just because they do things differently then how most ponies act.” Fluttershy added as the White Mage simply stared at the two for a moment before sighing.

“It’s not a state of judgement, it’s a fact.” She said before looking at Starlight who still kept a calm expression on the outside. “You all may be green when it comes to noticing something off, but there is something off about this town. Especially with the founder.”

“I can assure you that this town is normal and peaceful. Look at all the ponies outside smiling and carefree. Do you think that there’s anything off about them if they weren’t smiling?” She asked as White Mage and Pinkie Pie deadpan at her before looking at each other for a moment before looking back at Starlight. “Why don’t you all have a look around town so you can see that nothing is wrong about this place?” The White Mage glared at Starlight for a moment before letting out a sigh of annoyance and started to make her way outside of the house they’re in. Twilight looked over at the White Mage leaving as she gave off an awkward laugh before turning her attention back at Starlight.

“I’m really sorry about her. She’s...um...new around here in Equestria.”

“Oh...that would explain why her clothes look...different...is she related to Fluttershy?”

“I...well-”

“She’s her older sister!” Pinkie Pie yelled which took everyone by surprise from her outburst.

“Y-Yeah, she lived in neighpon for some time and decided to come here to visit for a couple of years or so.” Rainbow Dash added as Starlight stared at them before smiling again.

“Oh, okay. That would explain why she looks so much like your friend Fluttershy...though it’s still kinda weird that she has an odd name. But who am I to judge. I do hope she could be a bit more open minded like you girls. Why don’t you girls have a look around town and enjoy the many things we have to offer.” The mare said as she started to walk back into her office. “If you girls need anything, just let me know and I’ll try to help you out to the best of my ability.”

“We’ll be sure to do that. Thank you very much for letting us into your town Starlight.” Twilight said as she and her friends began to make their way outside and explore the town. As they left, Starlight walked over towards the window to watch Twilight and her friends walk off into town as she smirks.

“Having a princess of friendship here might help boost this town’s population. If she were to join us, then everypony would be willing to follow her and join our town.” She said as she chuckles a bit. “Oh, this is just too good to be true.”

“Indeed. Though it might fail if you don’t play your cards right, Starlight.” said a mysterious voice as Starlight quickly turn around to see where it was coming from. She didn’t see anything for a moment before a portal of darkness appeared in the center of the room. Once it appeared a blacked cloaked figure soon made his way out of the portal before it disappeared. “Starlight Glimmer I assume?”He asked as Starlight backed away from the ascian in both surprise and fear.

“W-Who are you? What are you doing in my home?” Starlight asked as she tried to put up a brave expression, but her voice failed her in doing that as the ascian chuckled.

“You need not worry, nor fear me. I am Lahabrea, and I am here to assist you in making your dream a reality.” The ascian said as he bows to her. “We have been watching you for some time Starlight, and we have chosen you to be the one that we will lend our aid to.”

“F-Forgive me if I’m a bit...hesitant, but what do you mean by we?”

“We are the servants of the one true god, Zordiark. He has told us to help you in making the dream of making everypony equal a reality. Nopony would be special or better than anypony else, save for you of course. After all, you don’t want somepony to lose their best friend like how you did, right?” said Lahabrea which took Starlight by surprise at him knowing the reason behind what she’s doing.

“H-How did you know about that?”

“I told you, we have been watching you for quite some time.” The ascian walked a bit closer to Starlight as the mare’s horn began to glow. “We are not your enemies Starlight. We are here to assist you in anyway possible.”

“You expect me to trust a stranger who looks like he’s the grim reaper?”

“I can see why you would think that, but I guess we’ll have time to talk later on. But for now as a means of trust, I will give you this.” Lahabrea placed a hand forward in front of himself as he summoned a sickly purplish dark crystal in front of Starlight for her to have. “If you need my assistance or if you’re in trouble, send some of your magic into the crystal and it will activate a beacon for me to find you and to help you if need be.”

“How do I know this isn’t some kind of trap?” Starlight asked as she glared at the ascian for a moment before looking at the dark crystal floating in front of her.

“You couldn’t tell by how Twilight and her friends are acting? Sooner or later, they will discover the truth behind this town. And when they do, you can be sure that they will try and stop you. Or worse, they might bring the princesses of Equestria here and stop you. One alicorn is bad enough, but fighting against all three would be too much even for you. Am I right?”

Starlight paused for a moment upon hearing that as she began to think over her options. He wasn’t wrong though. Knowing how this group might be a curious bunch they might start asking around town. Of course she wouldn’t worry so much about it to some degree, but there might be some ponies that might want their cutie marks back if Twilight and her friends change their minds on how she was able to get the ponies in this town to give up their cutie marks. If that does happen, then there might be a riot and her plans on making every pony in Equestria equal will fail.

“....You…might have a point there.” Starlight said as she was about to reach for the crystal, only to stop halfway due to having second thoughts about accepting the ascian’s offer. “Are you sure you and your friends are willing to help?”

“Our goals are the same. Equality for those who lost their friends or family due to having that cursed cutie mark..” he said before making a portal appear. “You need only just summon us and we will assist you.” with that he walked through the portal of darkness and vanished along with the portal. Starlight looked over the crystal for a good minute before taking it, and places it into her saddlebag.

“He better not be tricking me, or else he’ll have his cutie mark removed...At least I’m hoping he does have a cutie mark.”

While Twilight and her friends made their way exploring our town while asking questions about this place, The White Mage was making her way exploring a different part of town. As she was walking, she noticed some of the ponies staring at her with the same expression as they gave her and the others when they entered into the town.Widen eyes, creepy smiles, and waving hi to her as if nothing was wrong. The pegasus shivered upon seeing them before adjusting her hood and continued to make her way through town.

“Stay calm Fluttershy. Everything will be fine. You gave Pinkie that crystal, so they should be safe for when Starlight tries to take their cutie marks away...at least I hope it’ll work. This Starlight might be just the same as the Starlight from my world.” She thought before taking flight and lands on a nearby building’s rooftop. “At least we’re not in garlemald when this happen...I prefer not for them to experience what I’ve been through.” Just when she was about to lose herself in her own thoughts, a familiar voice starts to echoed through her head.

“Fluttershy, you there?”

“Applejack? Is that you?”

“You wish. It is I, the Great and Powerful Trixie! Master of the Black arts, wielder of the most destructive magic-” Before Trixie could finish her sentence, the White Mage heard her getting smacked along with a yelp.

“Quit your bragging for Thal’s sake! Are you in contact with Fluttershy or somepony from our world?”

“Applejack! You’re okay!” Fluttershy said before blinking in confusion. “Wait, how are you able to communicate with me?”

“You do know that you can communicate via echo right?” Trixie said

“Yes, but I thought we couldn’t do that due to how weird the magic in this world is.”

“For the most part yes. But when it comes to being in close proximity of another pony with the echo, then you’ll be able to communicate with somepony else.” Starlight added. “I kinda figured it out when I was saving Trixie from falling into a pit full of snakes.”

“Gotta say that, Ascian fella did a pretty good number on me. Thank the Gods that Trixie and Starlight found me before he finished me off. What about you and the others? You all okay?”

“We’re fine. We made it to the place where the map brought us to...but there’s a problem.”

“What kind of problem?” Starlight asked as a worried expression appeared on the White Mage’s face. “Has the Ascian appeared where you all are? Speaking of, where are you anyway?”

“No the ascion hasn’t appeared yet…it’s the fact that we’re in Our town.” Fluttershy said as there was a moment of silence before Trixie spoke up.

“Trixie suggest you get out of there…as in right now.”

“Would, but can’t. Twilight and the others minus Pinkie don’t seem to see the danger in this place. Or at least acknowledge the danger.”

“I’m not surprised by how well Pinkie can pick up on things like this.” Starlight said as she grimaced at where they are. “Please tell me you gave them something to protect from my...or this world’s Starlight’s spell?”

“I gave Pinkie Pie one of my crystals as a means to protect herself and the others. But you might want to hurry up to where I am as soon as possible. I have a feeling that the Ascian might make his move during the confrontation I might be having with this world’s Starlight.” The White Mage said as she ended the conversation. As she did that, she pulls out a white crystal and hold it up into the air. The crystal began to glow towards the path that lead towards the mountain. The mare sighs as she spread her wings and began to fly over to the mountains.