Potion Mare

Melody awoke to the sound of rummaging. One was foraging through her robe, looking for something and muttering to herself. Melody rolled over, yawning and glancing at her.

“Lose Something?” Melody asked, still trying to wake most of her body up. One turned and squeaked.

“Oh, didn't mean to wake you up.” She said calmly, fully turning herself around. Lily was still frozen in a ball in the corner, Melody trying to look literally anywhere else. One gave a shrug. “Just making sure we have everything before we pack up and go.”

“Alright, our next stop is a small town called Lingale.” Melody groaned as she stumbled to her hooves, opening her robe and retrieving her map. It was a bit wet, but still in good condition. It was around 5 miles away, a small community with only a couple shops and residents.

“So, are we just like a team now or something?” One raised her eyebrow and peeked the map, glancing in the general direction that they would need to walk. Melody sighed and poked Lily to make sure that she was still paralyzed.

“For now. Just don’t stab me to death when my back is turned, please?” Melody said with a chuckle, rolling her eyes. One snickered in response while Melody worked on tying Lily to her back.

“Oh, trust me Melody. I have had more than enough opportunities to lop your head off by now, and guess what? It’s still attached.” One said with a smirk, thumping her head with a hoof as she trotted past. “You ready to go?”

Melody squeaked and finished affixing Lily to her back. “Yeah, I’m ready. If you really aren’t against me, then you’ll be willing to answer a couple questions for me.” Melody prodded as they set off. One gave a quick nervous twitch of her tail, but remained calm.

“Sure, what exactly do you want to know?” One replied, reaching into her robe and beginning to munch on an apple. Melody took a second to ponder that question, and realized she barely knew what she didn’t know.

“If everyone else has failed, like you say I will, why did you help me? Why did you give me the sword? You must have known I would need it, and I did. I’ve been to your little home in between space and time. You must have access to timelines, somehow. How do you do it?” Melody said in an almost pleading tone, studying One’s face. One was silent for a moment, before opening her muzzle, thinking twice, and closing it again.

“I can’t tell you how. But I CAN tell you that you’ll find out in time. If I told you right now it would probably ruin everything you’ve worked for.” One said with a sigh. “I wish I COULD tell you.”

Melody rolled her eyes and said nothing for awhile. “Well, that is just SO helpful of you. On to the next question. I know I can’t kill Lucy in her true form, which I imagine is how I have to finish her off. I know I can kill her hosts, but how do I make her mortal? Everything bleeds somehow.” Melody asked.

One thought for a moment, and wincing at a memory. “You can’t make her mortal. You’ll need to fight her face to face. Inside the amulet, on her home turf. You’d be stupid as hell to attempt to fight her, but that’s the only way to free poor Lily here. Normal weapons won’t harm her, but…” One trailed off, reaching into her robe and grabbing her sword. “You can get an enchantment on this baby that will allow you to harm her. But in reality, your magic will always be your best weapon.”

Melody nodded, suddenly remembering something. “HOW DID YOU USE MAGIC WITHOUT A FOCUS!? That was amazing.” Melody said, blushing slightly. One gave a tiny grin in her direction as they rounded a corner through some trees and made their way toward a dirt path.

“Yeah, that is a pretty sweet ability. Little tip: We specialize in setting shit on fire.” One said with a grin and made a tiny fireball in her hoof. “It’s something you’ll learn to do soon enough. It’s necessary to finish off Lucy, I’ll tell you.” One said and sighed, flicking the fire ball into a patch of snow.

“Are you only going to give me incredibly vague answers? You’re an asshole sometimes.” Melody said with a snorty, One prodding her side.

“Once again, we’re the same pony.”

“Oh my god, just shut up.

When the two arrived at the small town of Lingale, they were met with an interesting sight, to say the least. Blood covered most of the snow, and a single pony stood in the middle. She was a pale green mare with a light orange mane. She widened her eyes and ran up to them, bleeding rapidly from her chest and dripping blood all the way up to them. She collapsed to her knees and looked up with a pleading look in her eyes.

“Please, help me!! Do you have any healing potions on you!? Our town is being terrorized by a mare that is.. She’s..” The mare stopped and hacked up a clot of blood into the snow. “She’s not of pony kind.. She’s in the tower on the far end of town, please… help… me…” She said, before fully collapsing into the snow in front of Melody and One. The two mares exchanged glances and nervously stepped forward and over her, both of them drawing their swords.

As they passed through the town toward the tower, it was clear that what the mare said was completely true. Buildings were smoldering, and blood soaked most of the snow around the houses. As they approached the tower, an all too familiar presence tinted the air with raw hate and evil. Melody and One exchanged glances, nodded, and Melody trotted through the door.

The feeling that Melody felt when she entered the room cannot be described by any words known in the human language currently. What would come closest to the almost indescribable feeling was the french word inquiétude, which means a feeling of utter horror.

A wave of malice swept across Melody from the mare in front of her. She was a pale grey mare with a blue mane. Her head turned a full 180, but the rest of her body did not move. Her eyes had a familiar red tint. One made a gasping whimper sound, and spun to sprint away. The moment that she made it through the door, it slammed behind her. The mare’s mouth cracked a wide grin.

“How NICE of you to join me for ROUND 2.” The mare said, her body no longer her own. Melody started getting flashbacks of their last showdown. “Looks like your backup ran away. And.. you brought a friend!” Lucy grinned, nodding at Lily. Lily’s body quivered as feeling began to return to her. “Although she won’t be a problem. I’ve made sure to take care of her, haven’t I?” Lucy sneered, Melody growling and getting into a fighting stance as she dropped Lily off of her back.

“Let’s just fight and get it over with.” Melody shook her head and readied herself as Lucy trotted toward her. Melody rolled just out of the way of a lunging tackle.

“Why don’t we? No weapons, please. Let’s make this FAIR.” Lucy’s voiced boomed. Melody ducked as Lucy tackled at her again. Melody tossed away her sword and nodded. She grabbed her wand from her robe and gulped.

“Good, let’s go, then.” Melody said, voice quivering as she shot a fireball at Lucy. Lucy ducked and rolled to the side, running forward and kicking Melody’s hooves out from under her. Melody pushed herself back up with a groan, spinning around and delivering a kick to Lucy’s face. Lucy grinned wide and spit out some blood, leaping onto Melody. The two struggled around on the ground.

Lucy pinned Melody and leaned forward, biting at her neck. Melody screamed and kicked Lucy off of her, panting angrily and giving her another hard buck to the face. Lucy growled and peeled herself off the ground, right before Melody slammed another buck into her ribs and sent her flying across the room. Lucy snarled, baring her teeth and raising her host’s hoof. Melody felt herself lifted up into the air by her neck.

She began to choke as Lucy trotted forward slowly, tightening the grip around her throat. “No one to save you now. It’s OVER.” Lucy grinned, snickering and laughing liking a maniac. Melody felt tears drip down her face as for the second time in the last 24 hours, she felt her lungs on fire, her face beginning to grow blue as she desperately gasped for air that refused to reach her lungs. Shadows flooded her vision as she started to go limp, giving in.

Suddenly, as if by divine intervention, the door exploded inward and knocked Lucy across the room. Her magical grip was dropped, and Melody desperately sucked in air as she felt two hooves lift her off the ground and onto her hooves. One stormed forward and leapt into the air, bringing her blade down in a slicing motion, slicing Lucy’s host in half.

Melody simply gasped in as much air as she could get into her lungs, puffing in and out. One stood in silence, blood covered blade in front of her. She trotted back over to the crying Melody and stood over her. She raised her sword… and dropped it next to Melody. One collapsed onto her, pulling her down into a hug. Melody sucked in air through her sobs.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, just seeing Lucy… I couldn’t handle it. I’m sorry. I don’t plan on doing that again.” One sighed and patted Melody’s back. Melody glared at her and shoved her away.

“You’re nothing but another pony who’ll ABANDON ME. I appreciate the help, but you’re a PRICK.” Melody said in disgust as she picked up the writhing Lucyfied Lily and trotted out of the room. One was left alone with her own thoughts as a single tear rolled down her cheek.