Redux: Life In A New World

Chapters

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight

Chapter One

Huddling tightly I tried to ward off the cold of the streets. One was never truly warm on the streets during winter. As if the cold night sucked out so much heat from you that you had a deficit to pay back when you did finally find a place warm to stay during the day. For me that was the library and I found books to be my most precious of companions. I could bring them with and read when I could find light enough to even if it was too cold to sleep. Still it was about time I wandered off to find food. I could expect meals here and there from generous people but often I had to steal to find the food I needed. Today was one of those second times. I had time before the library opened.

The grocery store was six blocks from the library which was about four times as much time as I needed to plan a run through the place. Even if it was necessary I always liked to plan a route through it to have maximum chance of not being caught. Five dollars wasn’t much to most who lived in the city but to me that was as much money as I would see in a week frequently and so one sandwich proved prohibitive. Still I only felt the slightest hint of dread as I walked into the grocery store. I kept to my route picking up a sandwich then swinging by the soda isle for a drink. I knew it wasn’t as healthy but calories were calories even if they were empty ones. Besides I often reused the bottle for water. On the way to the exit I was spotted. One of the employees was following me and I decided it was worth darting for the door. I didn’t want to be caught. There were always other grocery stores but a couple of nights in jail wouldn’t do well for my health.

Being trans made certain things less than safe even when really they should have been. Did I choose the bathroom that I got yelled at in or the one where the men thought I wanted a fuck. I sure as hell didn’t want to find one who was surprised by what was in my pants. I’d lost a friend that way already. She bled to death on the bathroom floor, other men walking over her as I sat there crying her head in my lap. Prison didn’t strike me as much safer.

A man behind me shouted stop but I kept running as I sprinted towards the door. Cops were outside and I ducked as they all drew their guns on me. There was no way the six cop cars were for me and I turned down the side of the building. I ran as one officer chased me but the rest watched the door as a squad car came up. I hated places with only one public entrance it lead to being trapped. Here I was being chased by a cop who had his gun drawn. I could hear his shouts but not make out the words over my headphones but I didn’t have the wherewithal to take them off. I turned down the alley way and immediately tripped over something. I fell but the ground never caught me instead I kept falling through the ground and away from everything I had ever known.

Panic over came me as I fell through a dark void. Was I dead? Had the cop shot me? I could still feel my body and move around though it did little than send me twisting more. Despite the spinning it was my panic that really stirred up my stomach. I couldn’t think straight anymore and I couldn’t breathe. No how much I sucked in I could find anything to grasp. Yet my head didn’t grow fuzzy and heated. In that moment of death I floated for what seemed like forever.

Then a light pierced the darkness and I tumbled through a series of strange things Each seemed like a wall of energy that washed over me fusing with my form and twisting it into odd shapes. By the fourth one I didn’t feel anymore and what I could see of my body was unrecognizable. A terrible pain spread through my mind as I passed through seven more barriers. Then it stopped and I came bursting out into a cool air.

I could barely think let alone keep track of where I was falling but the fear of the ground quickly cleared the jumbled mess of my brain. I needn’t worry as when I hit the ground I only threw up a large cloud of dust. My head still spun and I realized that while I could feel that which touched my now spherical mass I couldn’t see nor hear anything.

Time passed though I could not tell how much had. Something breathed against me as I felt the warm air it pushed onto my side. I must have smelled decent as a wet tongue scrapped across my glassy surface. Something happened in that moment just before the tongue would have left my surface a jolt of energy ran between the two of us and I felt the creature get sucked into my form. It twisted and struggled for a moment before everything stopped. I felt the deer for what it was a simple creature looking for salt and I could feel the two of us become one. Her memories faint though they were flooded into me as I consumed her being too complex for her mind to survive. I could feel a form shit and change as the area around was eaten to power my transformation. The mass of the ground and the plants that had somehow already started growing in the pit I had made with my landing became part of me and I felt whole for the first time in forever.

My form was not like either of my prior parts had been while I had four feet I also had two hands. I could feel how I should walk like this but I was strangely top heavy and the horns on my head seemed too big for me to carry. I could feel an energy around me as I touched on the spirit of the plants and animals who had come to watch. Even large wooden creatures of hate and wrath stayed back though and I found some peace on the ground as I tried to gather my senses. It was odd having eyes once more. I suddenly felt like it had been a great deal of time since I had last been able to tell the passage of time and all my senses felt foreign except for touch. The hate beasts wouldn’t stay their hunger long and I knew I couldn’t fight them like this. No they were best avoided and ran from said the part of me that had lived in this twisted forest for all her life. I stumbled to my feet letting primal instincts tell me how to walk and I ran from the monsters that eyed me hungrily.

It was all the indication they needed to chase me. My legs were not used to my weight and they didn’t jump as far as my amalgamation of memories said they should and so the tree wolves filled with spite gained on me. I had but one choice hide at the stone place of horror. Even the wrath wolves wouldn’t follow me. I needed a better name for them but language had long since left me and I only for that moment had my instinct. I passed the bridge just in time to avoid being pounced on and soon I was inside the stony ruins of a castle.

The place did give me the chills but less because of the ambient energy that had once scared me away but from the magnificent of it all. Despite being obviously old the castle had worn the test of time better than it had any right to. It had a elegant design to it and tapestries covered the walls. Most were still in good condition and I found upper torso shivering in the chilly halls. I pulled a smaller one off the walls and wrapped it around my torso.

I felt female and whole again. The cloth around me helped me feel safe and yet it was my form that somehow kept me the most safe feeling out of it all. Like something had clicked into place that had never fit before and it dawned on me as I searched my old memories of steel jungles that I had not always been so equipped. At least one good thing had come of it all.

The run had worn me out and I found a small place to sleep for the time being. It was nearing night and I remembered the cold of that so I pulled down another tapestry and snuggled in it though finding a proper position proved hard. Soon I was on my side buried under cloth. My dreams were odd and strange and a pony visited it. She was clad in blue and looked strange to me but only just so. She only watched as I floated on dreams of the abyss that I had traveled through.

I woke to find the pony standing above me her horn was lit and for the briefest moments I could see the intricate lines that made up that glow like a thousand little layers of a spell. Her face softened though as she looked at me and I lifted myself up. She spoke but the words felt foreign and not like the language I once spoke. Yet I knew it to be the tongue of the ponykind. It was musical and soft as she spoke. She switched through a few tongues but I didn’t know any of them. Still it was interesting to hear the range by which she could make noises.

I tried to call on my memories from eons ago when I walked the streets of the Iron and rock jungle. They were a jumbled mess of things and much of it bleed into each other in ways that felt wrong and off. I remember that it was harsh and hard life but more than that I couldn’t place anything. I got to my feet standing at eye height to the dark pony. I pulled on the strongest happiest memories of worlds I wasn’t certain weren’t real and I pulled a name from them. It would be my name as it had lost all meaning in the mess of my head.

“Persephone,” I said. I pointed at myself. “Persephone.”

“Luna,” said the pony mimicking my motions. She then pointed at me with her hoof. “Persephone.”

I nodded and smiled. It felt like I had accomplished a lot and I felt drowsy for some strange reason. I stumbled to my knees no longer able to hold myself up as the weight of the last forever crashed down on me. The pony lifted me in her magic and said my name once more along with some more words of her language and then my stomach was ripped out of my body. When I came to from the lurch I found myself in tack though down what little had been in my belly. My two hearts beat violently in both of my rib cages. I was struck for a moment how weird my body was but I pushed that away for another time. I was lifted once more as throwing up had sapped any energy left in my body yet something prevented me from passing out. We had appeared in a stony room similar to the place we had just left yet more cleanly and of different style. If it weren’t made of stone the two places would not be alike at all and yet I felt like thy were made by the same people.

I watched as we passed through the castle going left, right, left, left up a set of stairs, and to the right once more, to the base of a tower. It was wide enough that Luna just flew straight up the middle of it. The rush of air felt good on my form the tapestry long lost at the bottom of the flight of spiral stairs that ran up the length of the tower. Every so often doors would open at various intervals but the top opened up to a large hallway. We twisted and turn again but I found the exact route easy enough to memorize. Luna was large, as I now had seen others and she finally stopped in an area with lots of guards. She spoke something to them then entered a room.

The night had been pulled from the sky and used as a ceiling and it seemed to almost not be there though I could see the seems in the stone dome. A large circular bed with white sheets dominated the center and book shelves the walls. We only briefly paused in the room as we entered another smaller one. A large tub took much the space in this one and Luna set about making a bath. As soon as the water was warm I was plopped down in it and Luna hopped in with me. She held me upright as my body lacked the strength to do so and she gentle bathed me. I wondered why someone so important as to her with all her guards and castle would be the one to wash me but I didn’t dwell on it for long. Her magic was soft to the touch and she slowly worked out all the grim and crap that had somehow acclimated onto my form. I hadn’t realized how dirty I had been till she had to redraw the bath water for fresh unsoiled water. My lower half had a sheen of white fur and my hair which I had barely noticed came white as well. The horns she carefully trimmed the ends to make them blunt but other wise left the obsidian colored horns alone. With the grim off my upper half it was far easier to see how pale my skin was and I looked albino to myself. Not that I knew what that would look as my memories of others like that were a mess.

After our bath as Luna had also washed herself of the grime of the forest and that which had clung to her from my own body, she put me on her bed and crawled up onto it as well. There she started to talk though I couldn’t understand. After a moment her horn lit up and I felt drawn into another realm. It felt like falling through one of the dimensional barriers once more but this time didn’t sear my flesh or alter me. Instead I found myself swimming in a warm misty place. Some of the mist coalesced into Luna and she started to talk to me. Her words had more impact on my mind and soon I could follow parts of it. I didn’t know how but I was learning to speak again.

Chapter Two

The starry mane of Luna billowed over me as I woke in her bed. Somehow I had in my sleep wrapped around her and now I felt trapped by her weight on my arm. If it weren’t for the growing weakness in it I would have sat there content to leave it be but instead I hastily pulled myself free. Light gently filtered in through a window and some how I had not managed to wake Luna so instead of sitting there waiting till I somehow did I scrambled off the bed and to the balcony that I had somehow missed the night prior.

My head felt so much more clear this morning than it had but new questions came from that. Yesterday I had used Persephone as my name but I knew that hadn’t been the one yet I couldn’t remember my actual name. The lesser half of me had never had a deer save for as Miss Deer. I wished those simple memories weren’t clearer than the memories of the steel and concrete city of my other’s birth. My head started to ache as I delved deeper into my memories trying to right them by assigning names to everything organizing them. The strain proved too much and I collapsed on to the floor of the balcony. Surges of the other worlds that I passed through started to run through my head though the one stood above the rest. A fiery place of nightmares and I felt its heat pulse through me again as if I was passing through once more. It had been the one to melt my form into the shapeless orb that it had been and I knew I was lucky if that was all it had done. The warmth spread up my head and into my horns which a glow started to emanate.

“Help,” I screamed as another pulse of heat wracked me with pain. “Luna.”

She woke immediately and jolted up. Still sleep clung to her as she looked around the room and I knew she was too late. A final burst of heat erupted through me and out of my horns as a ball of mana. It grew till it was larger than even my form when it started to take shape. Luna no longer stood struck by sleepiness and instead charged at us. The ball of fiery mana coalesced into a large goat as it turned green and a horrid laugh rang through the air. My hearts stopped as the bleating laugh echoed in my ears and I felt every muscle in my body tighten to the point of ripping. Luna shook the sound off and fired a bolt of energy at the beast but a wave of energy pouring out of the beasts horns blocked the blast. With a flash of energy the goat was gone and Luna rushed up to me. My heart started beating again but another burst of heat came forth pushing another burst out of me. This time the pain caused me to scream and but thankfully it was briefer than the previous one. The orb was smaller and Luna surrounded the thing in a bubble while she did some strange magic on me. A cleansing cool ran through my form just as another pulse of heat started up but Luna’s magic held the pulse at bay. I panted as my body screamed in pain from the excursion.

The bubbled orb started to shift and change form into a small child like form. It reminded me of my days from my more jumbled half as it had bare skin but that is where the similarities ended. The red of its skin made way to two leathery wings and long wispy hair that fell past the creatures small cloven hooves. Two pair of yellow eyes opened on the small ones face as it took the shape of a babe no older than four. Terror was all I saw in the eyes and I tried to push myself up to the poor frightened creature. Luna’s magic however held me down preventing me from tearing my muscles further. Her bubble popped by her will and she engulfed the child in her magic. The little demon seemed all the more frightened and started to wail though none of the vile energy that had come with the goats bleating poured off of it. Luna’s horn brightened to the point of being blinding to look at and soon faded with her face relaxing. She pulled the beast from the air and into my arms where she levitated the two of us to her bed. The child took up much of my torso but she clung to me tightly.

“Stay and rest,” said Luna. “I must go make sure that the Goat’s roar didn’t take the life of my guards. I shall return in a moment.”

Luna hurried out of the room to tend to the guards who were struggling to their feet just outside the door. My limbs couldn’t move but I rested my head against the small child's brow letting my warmth comfort her. She nuzzled closer taking my lead as invitation and soon the child was gently snoring while wrapped around me. She was warmer than I was and my flesh started to sweat where we were pressed together but I didn’t mind. Not for the strange being born of that flare. Somehow I knew the child had no past.

Luna returned after several minutes with another larger pony in tow. The second was her opposite in all things yet the two clung to each other like family. There was an aura of calm that projected of the white mare and her pastel rainbow hair. She lit her horn sending a pulse of magic over both the child and I and I felt the pain in my limbs ease as it healed me.

“You are right the child is no threat but this Goat sounds like Grogar. I banished him during your time away, sister,” said the new white mare. “If he has managed to use this strange creature as a medium for his return then we have grave times a head of us indeed. Please sister I must go prepare the elements and their bearers for this new threat.”

“I will stay and watch these two guests. Send Captain Armor if you see him. I need help finding them boarding. He knows this castle as well as you do,” said Luna. “I want somewhere secure but quiet for the two of them. I don’t know of Persephone is up to being a mother but the child needs one now and she has the right to it first.”

“I will do my best though I don’t know how,” I said. “I feel connected to her. My little Pandora.”

The name came from the same memories as my name and it felt right considering her origin. Still I couldn’t help but wonder why those memories were the clear ones left from that time in the steel jungle. Stories of a mountain and the strange folks who lived on it seemed to be all I had with any clarity. Still it gave me something to work with.

“We will support you as best we are able,” said the white mare. “I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. I welcome you to our land and hope that you may find some semblance of home here. Sister, I shall send Captain Armor and his wife your way as soon as I am able. I think Cadence may be of help here and she has been complaining about her lack of official duties. Babysitting has always in the past kept her busy, I’m sure she would gladly pass those skills on.”

“Thank you sister. I will watch the dreamscape for any intrusions by this Grogar,” said Luna. “Please the sooner we banish this creature again the better. No more should die at his hoof.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” said Celestia. “Stay safe and if you see anything do not hesitate to summon me via magic.”
“I shall,” said Luna.

Celestia headed out of the room leaving the three of us alone while a group of new solders rushed the old guard away and replaced them. Luna closed the doors of the room and got on the bed with us. I was more able to move and I shifted to lean against her which she returned the gesture by draping her wing over my lower torso. I felt so protected with her there and soon I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

I awoke later to the door opening and two ponies half the size of Luna walking in. One was a white furred blue maned stallion and the other a pink and purple winged mare. The both had horns though the pink one had a much larger horn. There was something wonderful about the pink one that I couldn’t place but I knew she was radiating energy like Luna and Celestia did. There was something about the Alicorns that stuck out to me. Though that may have been sheer coincidence as three wasn’t much of a sample size.

“Auntie,” said the pink one as she came up to us. Luna stretched her neck out to touch their noses together and then bowed their heads to each other. “It is so good to see you. Sorry I haven’t made the time to see you since our return from our honey moon but I’ve been rather busy.”

“It is understandable, though I do hope you have the time to help me out,” said Luna. “I have a new mother here strange as the circumstances are and I can’t think of anyone better to help her play catch up on preparations that under better circumstances would have been done ages ago. Please don’t be frightened by her or little Pandora they are from another world and now are a part of ours.”

“The visitor you mentioned last night before you left the castle?” asked the other. He was wearing armor like the rest of the guard and I felt a strong sense of control from the way he moved. It was both like water and ridged like ice. Still his eyes had as much love in them as the pink mare’s did. “Strange indeed but that isn’t a problem to a true Equestrian. Princess Celestia mentioned needing quarters set up and proper security?”

“Ah yes. Straight to work as always,” said Luna. “I think they should stay in the castle for the time being but I would prefer them to have something away from more prying eyes where they can take their time in getting used to this world and our customs. Somewhere safe.”

“No where is safer than the castle,” said the stallion. “But there is a set of quarters that are recently open. With me moving in with Cadence, my old quarters would be secure and private enough for the two of them though the furniture may need updating. I don’t know what the small red one needs in bedding but my old bed would be too small for our larger guest.”

“Can you make sure that gets taken care of and maybe any other things that Cadence thinks would be of use for a new mother and a toddler,” said Luna. “May I introduce Persephone and her daughter Pandora. Sadly I have pressing issues to deal with at the moment and I must focus my energies in the dreamscape. You are welcome to stay here if you are quiet but I must concentrate. Sorry to dump this on you so suddenly.”

I shifted to my feet and stumbled off the soft bed laying Pandora down on the bed while I took my raggedy tapestry and tied it around my upper torso. I wasn’t about to go walking around without it and I wrapped Pandora up in the second one. Cadence came and leaned over my arms to get a close look at Pandora before leading us out of the room. Luna had closed her eyes though her horn was lit with a strong magic. I could see some of the details in the spell but I didn’t comprehend any of them.

Whence we stepped out of the closed door Cadence said, “Forgive our manners, I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza or Cadence for short, and my stoic husband here is Prince Shinning Armor, Captain of the Day Guard. We live in one of the towers of the Castle though it is more of a apartment than a tower. Lets go head to Shinning’s old quarters. The thing is only a one bedroom but you could if you want convert the office into another bedroom.”

I nodded and tried to keep pace with them. They were both quicker than I was with Pandora and I was starting to tire from her weight. Whatever healing Celestia had done hadn’t given me any fortitude back with it. The other two noticed my slowing pace and stopped for me to catch up before slowing their pace to met mine. Cadence lifted Pandora out of my arms with her magic and carried the heavy child for me for a while. We finally came to the door way though I hadn’t been paying attention to how we had gotten here. The quarters was sparsely filled with a table and kitchenette that looked pristine and unused but the door to the office had tell tale signs of having been slammed one to many times as it hung limply on its frame. Shining Armor was right I wouldn’t fit on the bed but Pandora fit more than well enough for the moment and I propped her up in the bed. I would have to find blankets that would work well for her in this world so much colder than she was but for now this would work. Her little tale poked out of the bundle of tapestry and twitched in her dreams. I kissed her forehead and walked back to the kitchen living room combo.

“Strange in form maybe but she seems so peaceful. I can tell you two are already very connected to each other,” said Cadence. “I think the two of you will be fine additions to Equestria in time. I hope you come to love it as much as I have.”

“Where are you from?” asked Shining Armor.

“I don’t rightly know the name of it,” I said. “My memories are all jumbled but I remember legends from there of a place called Olympus and the creatures that ruled that land. Of a God of the Sky who flung lightning when he raged and of a God of spring stolen away by her love for half the year while her mother wept bringing winter. A legend where my name comes from but were they legend or reality I don’t know. I know I came through many places to get here but none lasted long enough for me to tell you of them but then I also am from here as well or at least half of me is. I am the fused form of a deer of your world and a thing from another that had its shape stolen by forces I can’t imagine even after seeing them first hand.”

“That is above my pay grade,” said Shining Armor. “Probably should tell anyone except for the Princesses about that. Might make someponies freak out.”

“Not that there is a problem with your origin, just that we aren’t used to such strange journeys to our land,” said Cadence. “Either way welcome to Equestria.”

Author's Note

So here is Chapter 2 which is intended for the February release of this book but it is early. I am trying for one chapter, at least, a month though that will vary with my interest in this project. Partially I am trying to train myself to multitask better so that I don't cease work on all of my prior projects when I start a new one. Oh and this was all spur of the moment and hasn't really been edited though I did spellcheck it twice so yeah. Still probably full of mistakes.

Chapter Three

In two hours Cadence had somehow made the drab military room into a place that felt lived in. She had guards running to get all sorts of things from all over the city and castle apparently but I was more surprised by how personal it felt. I wasn’t certain I would keep all the things she added but some of the things had been genius. Toys had been a given but she got books for Pandora as well and books for me to touch up what little I could read. What ever Luna had done the night prior had imparted some reading skills onto me but I struggled with it more than I felt I should. Further she added two big dressers which apparently had once been Celestia’s. The castle never threw out anything of hers as somepony or another would always fight often to the point of violence for the trash. Instead there was a large room with her former worn out furniture. The dressers were from a period where clothes had been more in style than they were now apparently and I was thankful for them nonetheless. Even if them being Celestia’s was lost on me in some part.

All of this kindness felt so unreal and I sat in the room where Pandora slept trying to sort my mind out on things. I felt so indebted to them and all I had done for them is unleash, if unwittingly, an evil onto their world. How was I supposed to know that fiery hell two was where they banished some demonic goat? Or for that mater avoid the place as I went screaming across the dimensions? I wasn’t and yet I felt a strange guilt. There was at least one pony dead because of that and here they were giving me more gifts than I could ever repay them, all of which I took with a grin and thanks as what else was I supposed to do? Say no when I had to take care of a child I knew nothing about? No this was the only way I was going to get on my feet, it just made me feel uncomfortable and a bit dissociated. I had passed through several hells to get here but I had landed in a heaven.

“Are you feeling alright?” came a soft voice from the door. Cadence had poked her head in and she looked at me with her big expressive eyes and I could tell I was hurting her. I tried to put the mask on again but it took more will than I had to do so and instead all pretenses faded from me. “Hey now, it’s fine. Everything is fine. Why the tears?”

She came and wrapped a hoof around my back and rubbed up and down my spine. It was strangely soft even through the layer of tapestry that I had kept tied around me. The warmth of her touch though only brought the storm on more as I felt so unworthy. I had done nothing for to deserve this and yet it was handed freely. I pulled her close letting my tears out. A soft small hand fell on my arm and little Pandora had made her way over to us. She got pulled into the hug where she snuggled her head into my chest. It seemed too good to be true.

“Sorry, just drained I think is all,” I said. “I don’t deserve this treatment. How am I ever going to repay you all?”

“We don’t do nice things hoping for a reward. Well at least the only reward I expect is to see a happy pony or person in your case,” said Cadence. “Equestria has always stood for generosity and harmony. This is just us showing that our values always come first especially for those in need. I don’t really understand your feelings but I don’t need to what is important that I’ll be here to help you through this. Chin up you have a little one to look after.”

I nodded and pulled Pandora up in my arms and kissed her forehead. I had to be strong for her now and so I pushed my worries to the side as best I could. At least those worries. Other ones popped up in my head instead. Food seemed most pressing. I hadn’t eaten this entire time and I was starting to feel it. It was nearly lunch and I didn’t even know what I could eat let alone what Pandora needed in her diet.

“Food,” I said. “Food then clothes. The both of us need something to cover us. My lower half is fine I guess but I would like a shirt at least but Pandora needs something more covering. The creatures that looked similar to her from my world wore clothes all the time in part for decency but also to protect against the environment.”

“I know just the tailor for that,” said Cadence. “She should be here sometime tonight though I wager she will be rather busy till tomorrow. I’ll order food to be brought to us for now.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Just one thing though, I don’t know what I can eat. What little I remember of my older more complex half’s life leads me to believe that the fare my deer half ate isn’t going to cut it. I’m concerned considering your peoples nature that the food here may be incompatible.”

“What sort of eaters were your people?” asked Cadence. “We have plenty on hand for omnivores if that is your concern. We even deal with carnivores on occasion. Mind you the castle staff are probably the only ponies that know how to cook meat but it could be done if that is what you think you need.”

“Can you order some of everything?” I asked. “I think the best will be for me to test what I can and can’t eat but even a taste test can only tell me so much.”

“Hmm,” said Cadence. “Can you do magic?”

“I don’t know why?”

“I know a spell that lets the user know if anything is poisonous to it. It works off the users biology so it will show allergens and things too if you could cast that at least you would know what not to eat.”

“I don’t know if I can cast magic though. There were stories from the world I grew up on about magic but I think they may have just been that. I no nothing of this body. I could die in a week because I don’t have the right organs for all I know. I hope not mind you.”

“We could get a doctor to come look you over. Probably best either way. Not that he will know any better but at least it is a start. No wonder you are so worried. Well you two just sit here for a moment and I’ll go get working on all of that.”
I nodded and watched her leave the room. My bed had been placed in the room a short while ago and so I climbed up on that with Pandora. She had watched me talk for a while and I smiled at her cute though somewhat sinister face. She had small fangs in her mouth and the four eyes was an odd experience for me still her short scruffy hair was soft to the touch as was the small amount that grew right above her hooves. She had four instead of five fingers on each hand and her little tail wrapped around my wrist like a monkeys. Even her wings were slightly furred with a layer of peach like fuzz. She giggled at my probing of her wings and reached out to touch me. There was no malice in her and I snuggled her tighter. I wouldn’t have guess I ever would have called a demon my daughter but here I was.

I hadn’t realized I had fallen asleep till Pandora woke me with her giggles. She was playing with the tapestry that I had wrapped her in and it looked like she was trying to mimic me by holding the thing up around her. Her little wings which were much to small for her to fly with flapped happily as she shouted and giggled. I shook the sleep from my head and went to help her. The thing was big enough that if I tore a hole in the center she could use it as a poncho. After doing so and putting it on her there was a simple problem of her wings being in the way but I wasn’t a tailor. I had no way of fixing the thing any better than that and I was just happy to have been able to rip the thing in the first place. I could tear it more but I was worried I would over do it.

Cadence was talking to Shining in the dining area and I picked up Pandora and walked over to the area. For her part she didn’t fight me and instead played with the tapestry more. She had a cute little smile and I felt my heart melting. She was still warm to the touch and I worried if she was ill or if that was her natural. My heart couldn’t take much more of this anxiety. Especially my lower heart which beating particularly fast.

“The stress is getting to me and I need to eat soon. Did any food get here while I napped?” I asked. “I’m sorry to leave both of you alone with Pandora though like that.”

“It was fine,” said Cadence. “Shining is good with children and we had each other. As for food there is some in the fridge. Would you like to try some tea?”

“Yes and awesome,” I said. I walked over to the fridge opening it to find a couple of apples some carrots and some greens I didn’t recognize. I pulled the apple at and shrugged. Biting into it felt right and both my prior forms had eaten this. The risk paid off as the tart apple exploded with juice in my mouth. I couldn’t help as a small moan escaped me as I savored the fruit. I held it out to Pandora who took a bite as well she lit up with surprise and greedily took another bite. I grabbed the second apple and let Pandora chew on the first one. Hopefully she wouldn’t choke or have an allergic reaction to the thing especially since she seemed to like it. “This is good. We, as in the two parts of me prior ate these so I should Babel to do this now.”

“Pandora seems to like apples as well. Now now, take smaller bites Pandora. Smaller,” said Cadence. She mimed a smaller bite and Pandora just stared at her blankly. “This may take some time. Do you think she will let you cut the thing up for her?”

“No idea,” I said. “Worth a try”

I took the apple from Pandora and immediately she started to whine. A magenta glow surrounded the apple before it magically popped into pieces small enough for bites for Pandora. One piece floated down to her waiting grasp and I looked to see Shinning armor’s horn lit up with the same glow. A plate floated over to us from a cupboard and put the rest of the apple on it while the core floated to the trash.

“Impressive,” I said. “Or at least I think it is. Is it?”

“Fairly impressive if he weren’t Captain of the Day Guard. For him and his rank that is fairly normal amounts of magic,” said Cadence. “Still it was good timing. I’d hate to see Pandora choke. Pan or Dora for short?”

“Pan I think,” I said. “What do you think, Pan?”

Pandora twisted her head towards me and smiled showing a mouth full of partially chewed apple. I kissed her forehead and turned to my apple. For a moment I focused on the apple and tried to imagine myself cutting the thing in two. Something in me ignited similar to what had brought Pandora forth but it didn’t hurt. No it felt natural even to the part of me from a world devoid of magic. It built along my spine and then my horns and I felt a tingling in my hand as faint amber aura appeared around the apple. Everyone including Pandora stared at me as I concentrated on the apple and pushed this new feeling, my magic I assumed, further trying to split the apple. The faint aura grew in contrast.

“Loose…” said Shinning Armor as the apple exploded in my grip sending paste every where. “…en up. Too late. Sorry.”

“Thanks for trying,” said Cadence. Her horn lit up and she stood perfectly still as a towel wiped her face off. She passed it to Shinning Armor. “At least we know you can do magic now.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Sorry. I guess I over did it.”

Pandora just giggled and licked some of the apple off my face. I wiped her face first then mine and looked around the room noticing how the apple was pretty evenly on everything. I sighed and set Pandora on a chair and started to wipe the table down. A pink glow stopped me and took the towel from me.

“I got clean up. It will take me a minute or two with magic. By hoof that will take you the better part of an hour,” said Cadence. “Relax. It was an accident but there isn’t any need to wear yourself out fixing it.”

I nodded and went to the fridge grabbing a carrot. I washed it off before taking a bite of it. It tasted wonderful as well though not as much as the apple had. Still I ate the whole thing quickly and still wanted more. I looked at the rest of the mostly fresh fruit and vegetables in the fridge and wondered if I could cook anything from all of that. There wasn’t any butter to be seen but I found a small thing of oil in one of the cupboards that looked usable.

“Can I cook something? Does the oven work?” I asked. “Some of the stuff looks like things I think were fried back on my other world and that sounds real nice right now.”

“Stove works fine,” said Shining Armor.

“How would you know you have never cooked in this room,” said Cadence. “He can do all these wonderful things with his magic but he can’t cook to save his life.”

“I boiled water on it plenty of times. For tea,” said Shinning.

I laughed and Pandora laughed with me. I was pretty certain she didn’t know what was funny but it was a cute laugh nonetheless. I pulled out a pan and a knife. They would need a better place as I noticed Pandora watching my every move. The place wasn’t quite toddler safe yet. I set to chopping up some of the carrots and onions and soon had a vegetable saute going. The oil was thankfully still good and soon my stomach was grumbling as I waited for the onions to caramelize slightly. I was concerned that Pandora might not eat them otherwise. A box of salt floated over to me and I sprinkled it on not knowing which one had helped me. Soon my food was ready and I dished a plate for everyone. It wasn’t a fancy meal but it was warm and my mouth watered for it. Thankfully Pandora seemed to enjoy the onions and she ate the food rather quickly. I wasn’t certain how much to feed her yet so I let her eat till she wouldn’t eat any more. Even if that meant letting her pick at my plate. Still I tried to get her to use the fork as best I could. They clearly were meant for unicorns as the handles were smaller than I thought they should have been that or ponies had a different grip which made sense.
Knock. Knock. I moved to the door to find a shorter dark mare with a stethoscope around her neck. She jumped when she saw me and nearly screamed if it weren’t for Shinning Armor’s magic that appeared around her muzzle. He released her as he motioned her into the room.

“This is the guest that we wanted you to check out,” said Shining Armor. “They are from another world and it is too confusing to me to explain so I am going to let someone else explain. Suffice to say that they are friendly and just want a quick check up to see if you think anything might be wrong with them.”

“Ah,” said the doctor. She bowed to me and came into the room. “Is that a demon? Eating carrots?”

“Maybe?” I said. “I don’t rightly know. Your guess is as good as mine. But what I do know is that her name is Pandora and she is a sweet little girl who could use a check up as well. Kinda important as it is her birthday. Not that I know what day it is.”

“First of February,” said Shinning Armor. “So yeah too much to explain. I’m just gonna go eat my food.”

“Of course, sir,” said the doctor. She walked over to me and started to peer at me from other angles. “I’ve read documents talking about centaurs but outside of general shape I would say you don’t seem to be one but then again the account I read may not be accurate. Supposedly Centaurs are furred all the way up their upper torso but you are bare. Is that normal for you?”

“I think so,” I said. “I know I am not a centaur of this world at least. I came from another world got warped by the trip and then fused together with a deer of this world. At this point what is normal is not something I can tell you. I can’t even tell you what species I used to be in this other world. I can tell you about the deer’s life and how maybe the back leg might have some problems because she got it caught in a branch for a day once and that I don’t think she ate the best but I guess I don’t remember.”

“That is a lot and some of it well above my pay grade. Still I will do my best. Do you want to go somewhere private? Preferable somewhere where you can lay down.”

“Yeah the room will work,” I said. “Can you watch Pandora for me, please?”

“Of course,” said Cadence.
The two of us went into the bedroom and the doctor closed the door behind me. I stepped up onto the bed and then laid down. She came up to me her bag in her aura as she took out a few instruments. They were ones beyond my knowledge and seemed to light up with her magic. I couldn’t help the tension that built in my body.

“Relax this is just to test your magical field strength. Everypony or well everybody has one and it is important to check that. Probably the only thing I’ll be able to trust the results from. All I have to do is stick this in your mouth and hold it there for twenty seconds. Then we can tell if you are magically healthy.”

I opened my mouth and she put the small crystal in. A strange sensation spread through my mouth though it wasn’t unpleasant just unusual. After twenty seconds the doctor pulled the crystal out and held it up by its handle. The crystal was glowing a pair of colors and I wondered what that meant.

“Your magical field is a bit unstable right now. Take it easy for a few days and I want to check again then. Otherwise it looks healthy if a bit strong. If you can cast magic try a few simple exercises a day to see if that helps,” said the doctor. “If you feel suddenly exhausted for no reason that is a bad sign and you need to call for me right away.”

I nodded. At least I had some decent news but the exam was just starting. The doctor raised the stethoscope next and hovered it over to my chest. I breathed evenly not having been told otherwise and the doctor didn’t seem to care as she listened to something in my body.

“Two hearts is weird but I bet normal for you. The two pair of lungs as far as I can tell is also a bit odd. You seem to have doubled up on organs at least as far as I can tell without scanning you,” said the doctor. “I think a full scan is probably necessary but your hearts sound regular I think. Bit hard to tell with the way they beat in unison. Still there wasn’t any unusual beat so probably good there. Now I’m gonna listen to your lower torso for breath. It seems to be moving more so yeah.”

I nodded. I took a deep breathe as she listened hoping everything was alright but I had no idea what that would sound like. I knew I had two sets of lungs and the whole thing was a bit odd but I hoped nothing was wrong. I hadn’t felt my breathe limit me even when I had run so I hoped this was well as well.

“Shallower than a ponies but I think you are fine here,” said the Doctor. “So from here what we test is up to you. I can perform a full body scan but that is pretty invasive for a check up. There are also things that I am trained to check that may not be as pleasant for you.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“I’m the princesses gynecologist,” said the doctor. I winced at that and felt my small tail clamp itself over my rear. “A bit of touchy subject but it is important.”

The next few minutes were awkward but thankfully as far as she could tell I was in working order. Still the exam brought forth stirrings of things I hadn’t thought of before. Miss Deer had been young and had no children running the forest yet. She hadn’t even had her first heat and yet I knew that was coming. I wondered if I would be like her or those from my old world where such things were constant and lesser drive. I didn’t really want to spend too much thought on it as I was probably incompatible anyway. I had Pandora do worry about as it was. That would keep me plenty busy.
The full body scan sent a strange sensation through out my body and I was acutely aware of every inch of my body as she seemingly infused her magic into every single pore and follicle of me. The scan seemed to go on forever and the doctor was busy taking notes on her note pad with her hooves at least it proved ponies could somehow grab things with their hooves. Finally the thing was over and I had to stretch every bit of me I could.

“I’d watch out for spinal injuries there is some damage that has healed poorly in your fourth vertebra down. Your back leg does look a bit off as well the bone seems to be twisted slightly like a fracture healed oddly. You seem to have all the organs you would need most in duplicate but I would try to not over tax your liver you only seem to have one of those,” said the doctor. “I think you are in working order just careful for your back. Now you said you didn’t used to be like this, how much has changed?”

“Everything. I used to be two beings, a deer from here in Equestria I think and a creature that walked on two legs back on my old world. My top half seems similar to that minus the horns and my ears are larger and more pronounced than they were I think. I have foggy memories of it but I am much paler than either of us used to be. Like all my color was drained from me. The magic is new as well for both of my parts.”

“So you have little idea on how to take care of yourself do you?” asked the doctor. “I am going to want to see you weekly for scans to make sure things are doing well for a while. At least till I have a good baseline written up for you. Don’t hesitate to call if you need me.”

I nodded and rose from the bed. Next was Pandora and I sat in on that as well. Surprisingly the doctor seemed more knowledgeable with her than with me. It didn’t surprise me too much. Pandora was given the same prognosis of good health as I was and for weekly visits for now. She behaved well and afterwords I tried to play with her for a while. Things seemed to be going well but a slight dread kept nagging me.

Author's Note

Here is bonus chapter 1 for the month. I just decided to write pony fic instead of Original so here is an extra chapter, a long one at that. So yeah things aren't going anywhere all that quickly. Hence the slice of life tag. The adventure part is coming though. Oh and I should introduce Twilight and the gang next chapter. I think maybe.

Chapter Four

The dark goat, Grogar, came out of his teleport. His touch drained the ground of life as he ate the energies around him. If that strange creature hadn’t have been so attuned he never would have had the energy to avoid that Alicorn. He wasn’t prepared for such a fight. Still such things were a concern for later. Now his focus had to be on feeding. The sounds of an idyllic town just nearby would be all the food he needed. Further still after consuming their souls their bodies would be put to good use as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A knock at the door stirred me from my nap. I hadn’t realized I had fallen asleep and again I felt so at odds with having left Pandora to Cadence’s hooves. She was more than capable which wasn’t my concern but more that I wasn’t able to keep up with all of this. I stumbled into the main room where Pandora jumped me as the door swung open. She eyed the door suspiciously and I tried to comfort her. There wasn’t anyone to be afraid of here.

The purple unicorn on the other side had an intense aura to her. Much like that of Cadence I could feel a new feel in the air just from her presence. Somehow the air felt charged with energy and magic and I felt more awake suddenly.

“Twilight,” said Cadence in a happy high voice. “Come in come in. This is Persephone and Pandora. I’m sure Aunty filled you in as to them, right?”

“Actually no,” said Twilight. She walked deliberately up to us though with a smile on her face. “Still a new person met is a new friend. I’m Twilight Sparkle. Nice to met you.”

“Persephone,” I said. “Likewise. This little one is Pandora. She seems to be a bit shy.”

Pandora had buried her head in my shoulder and was pulling at my tapestry trying to hide her face. It wasn’t helped by the other unicorn with Twilight who shrieked when she saw us two. Her face wasn’t filled with fear though but disgust and she conjured a fainting couch to land on.

“My overly dramatic friend here is Rarity,” said Twilight. “Rarity you are scaring the baby, or well I think they are a baby.”

“Toddler, I think,” I said. “Yeah can we keep the screeching to a minimum.”

“Forgive me but darling your attire is truly dreadful. Princess Celestia said you were in need of my talents but I wasn’t made aware of how badly,” said Rarity. “Now I’m sure you did your best but lets see if we can give you something better than tattered tapestries as cover. Do you wear something all the time or just some of the time?”

“All the time,” I said. “Um, I don’t have any money to pay you.”

“Oh dear the experience will be more than enough,” said Rarity. “I’ve been thinking of starting a line for Minotaurs and you two would be great practice for that and I would never leave you in such a state regardless. No it is my pleasure to help out.”

“Again thank you,” I said. I had tears welling up and I felt them spill out onto my checks. Memories of cold nights and of going hungry popped into my head more clear than they had been a while ago. Still pain followed them and I stumbled to my knees. “Sorry. Just a bit of a head ache is all. My head is still a bit fuzzy.”

“Is there anything we can do to help dear?” asked Rarity. “Why don’t you go lay down and I can work on clothes for Pandora. The four of us surely can keep up with the tike.”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Just a head ache is all. I am capable of this. I have to be capable of this.”

Cadence came up to me and put a hoof on my right arm. She said, “You need to rest. Your mind has been through a lot in the last two days and of course it is straining to keep up. We don’t even know how much your fusion has affected your mental facilities. We can watch Pandora. She needs some play time and I am more that skilled enough to give her some while Rarity works on clothes for the both of you. Please don’t push yourself too much.”

“I’ll rest a bit,” I said. I felt so useless and helpless in that moment but I didn’t know what else to do. I left the door open when I went to lay down finding the pillow enough to keep my head even as I laid. Sleep didn’t come easy but Pandora didn’t bother me for a while and all I could hear was small giggling and some talking from the room over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grogar pulled the soul out of a screaming child. He always loved the more innocent ones but this one would not be used as fuel. No he needed a spy and what better to use than a small child. If Celestia was anything like her old self they would refuse to destroy the poor sod. Still the filly would prove invaluable. He set up the ritual and transformed the soul into a ghost under his control. He layered a simple command spell into the ghost and then teleported the massless thing back to Canterlot. The ghost knew its orders and couldn’t disobey. Their sensory link would give Grogar all the information he needed. Better yet they couldn’t track him through the link even if they tried. No this would give him all the info he needed to kill the alicorn once and for all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fire and brimstone seared my flesh and the very smoke seemed to eat at my lungs. I felt I was melting away into nothingness. There just besides me was a tall four eyed behemoth. The creature seemed to be feeding off my pain and yet I could do nothing. I was simply a body with no real mind to speak of left. A purple light shone through my dream and the brimstone turned into flowers and soon I sat in a meadow. Luna came to sit next to me as she watched me for a moment not speaking.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring evil into your world.”

“And you didn’t. The creature in your dreams is not Pandora and she will never be like that. The magic of harmony infuses our world. It infuses her as well. You don’t have to fear what she will become,” said Luna. “No I fear we must deal with your mind. These memories are too painful and it is causing too much strain on your mind.”

“I saw a doctor,” I said. “She said I looked to be in good health.”

“She can not see into your mind like I can now,” said Luna. “I see the cracks running through your mind. If we don’t do something you will break. I’m afraid of what that will mean. I have two things that we can do. I can either seal away your memories from before this world. You will loose a part of yourself permanently or we can attempt to more subtly heal your mind. The problem is that the subtle way is much more risky. If you were to break before then I don’t know if I could help you.”

“What will be better for Pandora?” I asked. “I think you should seal them away.”

“What is better for you is more important. Pandora will be well taken care of either way, I promise you that,” said Luna. “No I don’t want to steal your past from you. I suggest we try a simpler subtler healing first then if that fails I can seal away the cracks in your mind.”

“How do we do that?” I asked.

“I will have to be in contact with you again. My magic works on this distance but it is slow. Time is not something we have the essence of. I will enchant you to sleep till I come for you. It will be dreamless,” said Luna. “Then when I can connect to your mana more directly I shall delve with you into those cracks in your mind. We will attempt to deal with them at the core but know this method is less damaging than the other it does come with risks. We will spread the cracks before we find their source. I don’t know if you will come out unscathed.”

“No just cut out the infection. I don’t care how much I loose of me,” I said. “I’ve already lost it. Just let me be safe for her, please.”

“We shall have this talk face to face. For now sleep.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stirred from my sleep feeling unrested and groggy. Pandora was shaking me and crying and I tried to calm her but my mind wasn’t working right. I felt trapped still by the spell and I barely noticed Pandora’s hands lit up with a amber glow. A pair of hooves scooped her up away from me and I tried to get up but I lacked the strength. There was a flash of light and Luna appeared out of nowhere in my room. She scanned the room and I felt another surge of power running through me burning through some barrier that I hadn’t noticed. It at at me and I screamed in pain as it burst forth. Flames ate at the room and Pandora screamed with me. I could feel her pain and I had to control this burst. I willed the energy out of me in controlled bursts. Luna’s horn hit my forehead and a clarity spread through me. I could shape the magic surging out of me if I wanted to or another demon would appear. I cut the flow in two and let one escape while the other I pushed into me and suffused it with myself. My body screamed in agony as I watched the escaped orb start to take shape. I imagined a smaller Pandora appearing a true infant and I pushed my magic into the orb as it formed. A small little thing formed out of the orb and into a pale skinned creature. The infant lacked the wings that Pandora had but instead had two small horns and a longer tail. The babies feet seemed to match Pandora’s though and soon the glow faded as the four bright blue eyes opened. I gulped at another child and then something sent a large burst of pain through my head. I felt my world growing dark as Luna caught me. Her magic flowed into me and soon I wasn’t amongst the waking anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came to in a dark misty space. I floated in it as Luna worked on me pulling out pins here and placing new ones in there. Each time she moved one a new wave of pain washed over me. Still I tried to hold in my whimpers. Luna paused for a moment letting me gather my awareness.

“I’m sorry but Pandora has forced the issue. She tried to wake you and somehow managed to weaken my spells on you. The surge of energy came from the same realm as Pandora is from. She didn’t mean to harm you but the damage is done,” said Luna. “I’m not certain what I can salvage of your memories. Even those of the half of you from Equestria are damaged. I have isolated some undamaged parts but the rest of you is in shambles.”

I nodded not being able to speak. Luna started her work again and I felt wave after wave of pain. I couldn’t rightly tell how long we worked or how much time passed but Luna was exhausted by the end of her work. I felt empty and missing so very much. I had lost most of my memories and yet I felt more stable. I could only remember the last two days and a small snip bits of time as a deer. They were distorted though by something else but I couldn’t tell what it was just that it hurt to dwell on those memories. Instead I focused on Pandora.

“You should wake now,” said Luna. “Take your time with moving you have lost much of your instincts as well. I salvaged what I could of your spiritual mind but it took new deeper magic to mend that tear so you are fragile now.”

I nodded and then felt myself fall from this world back into my aching brain. Slowly the pain woke me from a strange stupor that had taken me. I couldn’t see well as the room was pitch black save for a glowing horn near my head. Luna’s eyes shone back some of the light but otherwise she was in the dark as well. Slowly she intensified the light and I shakily tried to push myself up on the bed. The door swung open a crack and I blinked as the brightness of the other room hurt my eyes.

“Cadence, can you bring little Pandora here?” asked Luna. “And the new little one.”

“Of course,” said Cadence quietly. She entered the room and I could see that Pandora had been balling for a while now and her head laid across Cadence’s neck where she clung to Cadence. “See look she is up and feeling better now.”

“Ma,” said Pandora as she tried desperately to get out of Cadence’s grip. “Ma?”

“You may let her come,” said Luna. “She can do no more harm. Gentle little one, your mother is weak right now but she will recover. In time.”

Pandora seemed to understand and she crawled up to me and wrapped herself around my lower torso. She was warm as always and I worried how much I had scared her. How much had I lost and did it matter? I shook the thought from my head and pulled her up in my arms letting her quick heart beat match mine. She still cried and clung to me like I was going to disappear again. The door way darkened as Twilight came in with the other little one. Luna’s horn light up further showering the the room in the light of a full moon. Just enough to see where one was walking and little else.

“This little one wants to met the one who brought them to life,” said Twilight. “I feel weird calling you a mother but Pandora sees you that way and I’m sure in time so will this one.”

I took the infant with my spare arm that wasn’t comforting Pandora. She seemed to be startled by the new child and buried her head into my shoulder. I couldn’t blame her. She had to share me now. I sighed and tried to center myself. Slowly my emotions calmed. The small one was wrapped in a small blanket though I didn’t know where it had come from.

“Summon the doctor. I want all three of them checked again,” said Luna. “Especially Persephone. It may have been an unusual birthing but it has left her weak nonetheless.”

Cadence nodded and walked out to the other room. I could just barely hear her talking to someone in the room. I assumed Shinning Armor. I turned back to the blue eyed baby in front of me. Her skin was a paler color than Pandora’s and reminded me of ash from a fire. I couldn’t recall where I had seen it but I didn’t dwell on that. I tried to search for a name and yet none of them came to me. I had lost all of that other world.

“I don’t have a name for her,” I said. “I can’t remember anything. It should fit but I can’t remember anything.”

“What about some form of Olympus?” asked Cadence. “You mentioned that was where your name came from. That way you still stick to the running theme. What about Olympia?”

“Better than nothing,” I said. “Well little Oly what do you think?”

The baby just stared at me blinking from time to time. I wondered what sort of adventures this one would cause. Still she seemed all the sweet little girl and I tried to get Pandora to look at her. Pandora seemed frightened of her and I waited till the two of them calmed down to say anything more.

“Met your little sister, Olympia,” I said quietly to Pandora. “Say Sister? Can you say Sister?”

“Sisser,” said Pandora. She smiled at me as I nuzzled her head. “Sisser.”

“Close and good job,” I said. “Yep your sister.”

“Smart little one,” said Shining Armor. “She knew you were in pain before. I think she may be empathetic as she has been noticing the change in guard.”

“Other demon’s have had such abilities,” said Luna. “I remember a strange beast who used it to feel the fear of that which it stalked. I suspect that Pandora will put the ability to better use.”

“I can’t imagine Pandora stalking anything,” said Cadence. “She is far to sweet for something as ghastly as that.”

“We have guards?” I asked. “Is it necessary?”

“They are stationed here normally,” said Luna. This part of the castle sees a lot of traffic by the guards so there are always a senior guard and a recruit in the hall so as to relay orders and help the recruit with an easy watch station.”

“Easy my ass,” said Shinning. Cadence smacked him. “Sorry for the language. That position you get run ragged as the recruit. It is good for them though. Keeps them sharp.”
~~~~~~~~~~

The ghostly filly slunk through the halls of the castle. No pony could see or hear her sadly. What ever spell she was under stopped her from disobeying orders but it hadn’t sapped her of all her will. She wasn’t going to let that mean goat get away with what he had done to her mother. Not if she could help it. Now if only one of this guards could hear her screams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a screaming sound from the hallway. I jumped up but no one else seemed to notice the sound. I was about to lay back down when another called out. I couldn’t make the words but they sounded like a some little girl. My hair stood on end on my lower torso and I struggled to my feet. What ever it was Olympia was hearing it too as she grew fussy.

“Can you hear that?” I asked. “What is going on out there?”

“I don’t hear anything,” said Shinning Armor. “What are you hearing?”

“A screaming girl of sorts,” I said. “Or at least I think so. It is difficult to make out.”

“There is no such noise,” said Luna. “There may have been more damage to her than I had feared.”

“No really please lets just go check it out. It sounds close,” I said. Another wail rang out and I slid off the bed. A bit of magic steadied me as I almost dropped Olympia. “Look at the children they can hear it too.”

Sure enough Pandora was covering her ears and Olympia looked about to cry. I tried to push myself to the door but I was shaky on my feet and I had issues walking. There was something else wrong with me and yet I felt dragged to the door.

“Little girl,” I yelled. “Come here. I’ll help you.”

A ball of light floated through the wall and another wail of sound filled the room. It felt pained and draining as I flinched in pain. Thankfully someone caught me with their magic. The orb floated up to me and touched me sending a shiver through me. Something was wrong. I tried to shield Olympia from the orb but she had started thrashing about in my arms.

“Please what ever it is it is right here,” I said. I turned to Luna whose magic held me. I felt her pull me into the air and onto the bed separating Olympia from me. “Please can’t you see that orb there?”

“Ma,” screamed Pandora as the orb touched her. I could see her arms turn frosty from the touch and I tried to struggle out of Luna’s grip. I had to do something. I felt my mana flare up in me and I tried to grab the orb with it.

Light filled the room as Cadence’s horn lit up. A pulse ran outward from her and coalesced around the orb. Slowly the orb seemed to morph into a small filly who looked as scared as any of us. Luna’s horn lit up too and the poor ghostly child started to cry. Waves of pain came off of her and I grabbed Pandora trying to shield her with my body. A bubble popped up around the creature and the wailing was cut off.

“A ghost?” asked Cadence. “I never thought that spell would come in use. Poor filly why would someone so young as her be in so much pain as to form a ghost?”

“I doubt that it was her that willingly transformed herself. No this is the work of Grogar,” said Luna. “Child I ask that you cease your wailing for you are hurting those around you.”

The bubble popped and the ghost flew over to Luna. I could see tears falling from the ghost and splattered on the floor only to evaporate a second later.

“Please make this stop,” said the small ghost. “I don’t want him to know about all of this but he is seeing through me. I can see him killing them. He is eating them. Please make it go away. I don’t want any of this.”

“Where is he child?” asked Luna.

“I think not,” said a deep voice from the child’s form. “I hadn’t expected you to detect my spy so quickly but the next one shall be more hidden. Know that I will come for you Alicorn and when I do I shall eat your very soul.”

“We will stop you Grogar,” said Twilight. “We will find you and stop you.”

“Not if you can’t find me,” said Grogar. The ghost’s form started to glow brightly and I braced for what felt like a coming explosion. Another barrier popped up around the ghost though and blocked the blast. Leaving only a splatter of ectoplasm behind that slowly evaporated.

“What in high Celestia’s name was that?” said Rarity from the door. “I heard such a horrid wailing and then I seem to have fainted.”

“Well at least we know someone else can hear them,” said Shining Armor. “Is there anything I can do to ward against ghosts, Princess?”

“Place a anti teleportation ward on the castle that should stop him from depositing his spies inside of our castle but sadly other than that none that I know of,” said Luna. “Perhaps my sister is more knowledgeable in that area. Let us retreat from this room to somewhere less contaminated. Have a paladin class guard purify this room. No one is to enter until then.”

Shinning Armor nodded before rushing off. I was lifted by Luna’s magic and ushered out of my bedroom. The place had a strange smell to it and I was happy to be free of it. Luna was looking over both Pandora and Olympia who seemed shaken by the ghost still. I hugged Pandora then took back Olympia as I was set on the floor.

“I shall ward this room later but for now I must return to my search of the dream realms for Grogar. That is at least three citizens he has killed in his escape. I hope we can limit it to that.”

“I have a feeling this isn’t over yet, Aunty,” said Cadence.

Author's Note

Well this is where the adventure starts to peak it's head in. but still only the littlest bit. I wanted to make sure it was obvious that Grogar is a threat and one that will need to be dealt with sooner than later. Still I hope you don't mind this oddly paced mix of slice of life and Adventure. I'll try to keep the chapters more consistent in the pacing of them but let's be fair I suck at that so yeah.

I am working on this a lot more than I thought I would be and so as for when it next updates is a "I have no idea" thing. So sorry for that. Also kinda don't edit anything ever so yeah. Hopefully spellcheck is good enough. If any of you want to edit or pre-read let me know cause it isn't a hard thing for me to set up. Also this is the last mcguffin, cough cough, character introduced for a while. Still we have the obligatory introduce the rest of the Main six at this point but yea.

Oh and because she sort of disappears, Twilight left during Persephone's rest and did not in fact get forgotten by the author. Nope that is not what happened at all.

Chapter Five

I woke in the bed the three of us had slept in for the night. It had been an ambassador’s bed but he was back in his homeland. The Minotaur had offered us the spot via scrying communication and offered any help that his people could provide in the hunt for Grogar. I hadn’t paid much attention to the details as I had been to exhausted the night prior. The doctor had ordered me on bed rest so I tried to get back to sleep as I snuggled closer to my two girls. Olympia and Pandora had bonded over their shared scare and Pandora slept with her little sister pulled snugly into a hug. I just sat there listening to them breath and waiting as the darkness ticked by. Someone would come by eventually.

I hadn’t fallen back to sleep when Pandora started to stir. I gently pulled Olympia from her grip and let the little one slowly rub the sleep from her eyes. They glowed in the dark and I smiled at her hoping she could see my eyes. Still Olympia slept through all of the movement. Pandora laid down next to me and leaned against me as she played with a bit of the blanket. It had a big poof attached to it and she had some fun flicking the thing. At least she was easily entertained.

Olympia woke with a fuse and soon was crying. Twisting to sit upwards I rocked her gently but I wasn’t certain I could give her what she wanted. Not without some help. I stumbled off the bed just barely catching myself and tried to find my way to the door. I couldn’t however without knocking something over that sent a crashing sound through out the room. I sighed and tried to light up my horns with magic hoping that something would go well from that. Slowly the slight glow sputtered to life and I could see slightly better for it. The aura though was weak and sputtering and I simply focused on the door knob and pulled. It sent the door nob flying across the room and sending another thunderous crash. Try two was shaking the now handle-less door till someone opened it. I shook it till I was exhausted and finally the door opened. A maid stuck her head in and nearly screamed as ten pair of eyes stared at her.

“Help please,” I said. “Pandora stay where you are till we clean up what ever I broke. I don’t want you hurt honey. Please understand what I am saying. Hey you, um maid person please flip the light on please?”

The form in the lit hallway nodded though I couldn’t see any details till the light sprung to life searing several eyes in the room. Pandora cried out and bawled. I felt my hearts pick pace and I nearly crumbled there in spot. Instead I managed to gracefully lay down and yet I couldn’t stop my tears from flowing down my cheeks. Pandora had walked over to me and she patted my back as my tears dried. I pulled her and Olympia into a hug.

“Sorry Mommy has just had a hard couple of days. Lets see if we can get this nice pony to help us okay?” I said.

Pandora nodded and looked over at the pony who seemed stunned. She had no horn nor wings to show but she was well built. Her brown hair and white fur looked off with her little outfit but her emblem fit the maid’s apron well. It was of a feather duster and a note pad. I waited where I was hoping she would go get help or spring into action but she seemed frozen by our appearance I assumed.

“Please go get help or ask for Princess Cadence or Shinning Armor. Or anybody really,” I said. “I am overwhelmed at the moment and I need to get both of these two fed before too long and I’d probably best eat too.”

The mare finally worked up the nerve to nod and she ran out of the room after that. I didn’t hear her screaming for a guard so I assumed I was in the clear. I pulled myself to my hooves and walked away from the shattered mess of the floor lamp. I had destroyed a mirror with the door nob and so the whole room seemed unsafe for the children. Olympia still would grumble from time to time. I had the breasts for a reason and I held her up to one of them. She clamped on almost instantly and I could feel her suck something from me. Thankfully no one else was in the area so I wouldn’t have to be embarrassed when she cried do to not getting anything from me. To my surprise she didn’t give up and I assumed I must have been putting out. It felt all weird though somewhat painful as her little mouth pulled harder on my nipple than I was used to.

Pandora watched excitedly and I tried to even out her poncho so it covered her more evenly. I hoped Rarity would have something for us today. I couldn’t really remember why I thought clothes were necessary but the feeling remained. My mind felt empty devoid of things that used to be there and it ached slightly to think of that. Like a sore leg after it had been hurt. I focused on Pandora again and sat by the door waiting for someone to show up.

A guard trotted over to us and saluted. He looked like every other guard I had seen except for Shinning Armor except that his emblem was different. It was of a sword over a flower. He said, “I was told you need assistance. How can I render that?”

“Can you go get Captain Shinning Armor or Princess Cadence? Or I guess Princess Luna or Princess Celestia?” I asked. “I need some help with well everything right now and ow.”

Olympia had bitten down on my flesh sending a surge of pain through me. I had apparently ran dry and I felt a surge of shame at that. I couldn’t even do that right. I switched sides and she went back to feeding. I didn’t know how much she needed or if I would have enough for later but at least she would stop biting me now.

“Sorry the little one is hungry and I may not have enough. Please just go get any of those four,” I said.

“Captain Armor has already been summoned and should be here soon, Ma’am. I was told you may need more immediate help?” said the guard.

“I don’t think you are the right person to ask but if you could pick up the glass that I sort of broke all over the room that would be grand so I don’t have to sit out here with a toddler that should not be walking off like that. Pandora come back here please?”

“I can do that,” said the guard. He pushed through the ajar door and I lost track of him as I motioned Pandora over to me. “Have an accident in here?”

“Yeah sorry,” I said loudly through the door. “I don’t know how to use my magic well yet and so I sort of ripped the handle from the door. And the lamp was because I bumped it in the dark.”

“It happens. A mage will fix them both later,” said the guard. “I put the shards in the two waste baskets. I’ll leave those out here.”

He had walked out of the room and I struggled back up to my feet. At least I could hide from all of this for a bit. He helped me up with his magic and I graciously took his help. Olympia was still busy sucking away and I felt awkward and exposed feeding her like this. My own stomach was grumbling and it dawned on me that I hadn’t eaten in a long while as well.

“Could you go get some apples or have them brought up?” I asked. “None of us have eaten in a while except well for Olympia but I am running low and I think I may need to eat for her to have enough.”

“Oh of course ma’am,” he said and he rushed off with a hurry in his step.

I made my way to the bed when another bit of pain ran through my form as Olympia bit down on me again. It was gentler this time but I assumed I had run dry. I pulled her away from my chest and covered up as much as I could. I swore they were bigger today than they had been the day prior and I fit under the tapestry less well. I leaned her up against my neck and she threw up onto my shoulder. Great even less food in her stomach now. I pulled the tapestry off of me and used it to wipe off what puke had not fallen on it.

There was a knock on the door and Shinning Armor walked in looking apologetic. He surveyed the room though as if he was expecting a fire or something before he said anything. He said, “Sorry. I forgot to have guard detail on your room. Did the recruit help you with what you needed?”

“He was fine,” I said. “Cleaned up the glass that I broke with out a word about how much of a klutz I am and is off finding me apples now. I need help with some form of clothes now that Olympia decided to throw up half her meal back onto me.”

“What did you feed her?” he asked. I motioned to my chest yet he stared at me blankly. “What?”

“I’m a woman,” I said. “I did as nature intended.”

“Oh,” said Shinning Armor. “Sorry. Uh so what do you need help with?”

“With baby stuff? I don’t know what I am doing. Do you have any idea how hard this is? I’ve been bit twice today in area’s that are very sensitive,” I said. “Pandora probably needs to go to the bathroom before long and we really need diapers before someone poops on me.”

“Oh yeah,” said Shinning Armor. “I’ll go get some supplies then and find Cadence. I’m not hopeless at this but she is much better.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll be here hoping that I don’t get peed on.”

Despite my concern I held Olympia close and Pandora laid on top of me. She looked very unhappy and I tried to cheer her up while we waited. I wasn’t certain what else to do at this point. No one would mind if we found food ourselves probably and yet I hesitated. I didn’t want to drag her out unclothed like I was. Hopefully Shinning Armor would be quick in his return.

A blue head poked through the door and Luna walked in. She looked exhausted and she collapsed on the bed next to us. Pandora played with her hair and thankfully she couldn’t grab the translucent mane as it billowed with unfelt wind.

“How was your night?” asked Luna. “Scouring the dreamscape for Grogar has pr oven both tiresome and ineffective.”

“I’m sorry about that,” I said. “I slept well but the morning has been one disaster after another. I have two ponies running errands for me but I still might get peed on before the day is over.”

“I’ve never had the joy of motherhood but you sell it so well,” said Luna. “Here let me take a load off of you. Our land doesn’t often have single parents but I know that everypony will step up to help you.”

“I’m sorry it is just so much right now,” I said. “I feel so exhausted and yet I can’t stop. What ever you did to my head left a headache that doesn’t seem to go away and I need to eat but I only know I can eat your onions, apples, and carrots. I have no idea what sort of things else I need but obviously I need it because this little one didn’t get enough food this morning or maybe got too much. And here I am just complaining to you. You have a nation security risk to be dealing with and I am complaining that I can’t just sleep all day.”

“Your problems are no less real,” said Luna. “I am used to dealing with threats like Grogar. You however are new to being a mother. I’ll see about getting you a more full time helper.”

“Cadence and Shinning Armor are doing well,” I said. “Though I don’t need to be taking up the time of a princess.”

“Oh Cadence may not want to admit it but she loves the job of taking care of children. Hopefully she will be the first Alicorn to conceive child,” said Luna. “I’m hungry. I can cast a spell on you so that you can tell what would be poisonous to you and we can check the food. Come little one let us go for a walk.”

I wrapped the sheets around my top and tied it off making a make shift robe. Rarity would probably have a bit of a fit at that but I didn’t have much other option at the moment. Luna’s horn lit up and she cut the sheets to fit better before making a tunic out of the pieces and sliding it over Pandora, who was riding on Luna’s back. The four of us got up and headed for the door. The halls were quiet this morning and the salutes we got as we walked past quickly grew tiresome as I almost jumped at each one. On the way we ran into Shinning armor who had a saddle bag filled with baby supplies. The largest of the diapers fit Olympia and Pandora would have to wait. I doubted she was potty trained as she sat gabbing away in a gibberish to Luna. I strapped the bag to my back and the three of us headed to the kitchen.

Small chat was made between Shinning Armor and Luna but I was distracted. My headache was growing as we walked along the halls. A pulse of pain made me stumble and the two magical beings with me caught me in their magic.

“What ails you?” asked Luna. “You need to speak up if something is the matter.”

“Just a bad headache,” I said quietly. “I feel so very heavy too.”

“When did you last eat?” asked Luna. “Or had water?”

“It was yesterday before the first doctor visit,” said Shinning Armor. “So probably twelve hours ago, give or take a bit.”

“I am assigning you a caretaker,” said Luna. “You need to speak up. It is a wonder that little Pandora here isn’t crying for food.”

“Pandora ate dinner,” said Shinning Armor. “Had a wheat based pasta with us late last night. Persephone had already fallen asleep at that point.”

“At least I can count on Cadence to make sure her wards are well fed,” said Luna. Her magic intensified around me and I hovered down the hall after her. “We are almost to the kitchen and then we are going to stuff you full of food.”

“I can walk,” I said. “I am not a child.”

“Technically I could call you a minor. I was the one to go through your memories. Both of your past selves were juveniles. Sixteen years of age is the best I could pull from your memories which I understand is much older to your people than it would be to mine but I am only letting you keep these two children because I think I would cause more damage separating you three,” said Luna. “If you continue to neglect your health I will put you under a guardianship.”

“I didn’t mean to,” I said defensively. “Look it has been a bad couple of days for all of us. Lets not pull out threats like that please.”

“Everyone is a child to my sister and I,” said Luna. “I have less concerns than my sister about treating you as such. Now Shinning Armor where is your dear wife at?”

“I have no idea,” said Shinning Armor. “Probably back at the Ambassador’s room wondering where we are.”

“Can you go retrieve her and Miss Rarity. We shall not leave the dining hall till you come,” said Luna. “I intend to make sure this one has a balanced meal and drink before the hour is over.”

Shinning Armor turned around and headed away. He didn’t even pause to acknowledge the order. We however went through a pair of double doors into a busy kitchen. The whole place froze when the looked up at Luna and myself. A couple dropped into a bow but most were too busy with food prep to do so.

“Carry on,” said Luna. “I need Master Chef Appetite for a while.”

“Of course your highness,” said a tall unicorn he was busy chopping away at some vegetables as he came over to us masterfully cutting them without looking via magic. “What can I do for you, Princess?”

“I need a full spread of all the foods you have on stock. It can be a tour of your pantry,” said Luna. “I have visitors from another world who are uncertain what they can eat of our food. I have a spell to clear that up but I want to get this over with quickly. While you are at it can I get two apples to tide them over till you can prepare them a full course meal?”

“Of course,” said the Brown Unicorn. He paused his cutting and lead us to a large pantry. “Right this way.”

Luna’s horn lit up and I felt a small amount of her mana flow into me. Soon the food in the area lit up in three colors. Green, yellow, and red. Most of the hall was green and I pointed out those that weren’t. Luna had conjured a pad of paper and was listing down the ingredients. We moved on to the refrigerator and did the same. Meat lit up green for me and Luna was doing the same for Pandora somehow. We both found the fish to be appetizing. With our tour done, Chef Appetite got to work frying a fish for the two of us along with some other side dishes. He promised the first course in a few minutes. I couldn’t help but salivate as I ate the half of apple that I had been offered.

We walked through a second door into a small dining room. Luna set us down on the chair and continued to feed Pandora apple chunks. Olympia needed feeding again and I did so as discretely as possible. I hoped I was giving her all that she needed. We were different species but I had no idea if I was capable of giving her the food she needed to grow strong. She didn’t fuss much after feeding though and she only burped on me this time.

The first course came as a small amount of salad with a dressing on the side. It all still glowed green and I fed some to Pandora. She seemed to like it but she still didn’t seem to understand chewing her food so throughly so I had to keep telling her to chew more. She ate as much as I did of the salad and I worried she wouldn’t eat any of the rest of the food. The fish came next and Luna part took in a slice as well. I was surprised to see her eat it but I didn’t care. The thing was done perfectly and I almost didn’t want to share with Pandora.

“Hey,” said Cadence as she walked into the room. “Finally found you. Shinning says you had an eventful morning so far.”

“Yeah,” I said. “The headache is fading though. Are you hungry I’m sure that we can get you some as well.”

“Oh no I already ate,” said Cadence.

“See someone takes care of herself,” said Luna. She was glaring daggers in my direction. “Unlike some little mother I know.”

“I am trying okay,” I said. “This is all new to me.”

“I can only imagine how trying this has been for you,” said Cadence. “I’m here to help you as best I can. Your apartment has been purified and we only need to cast a seal on it now. Nothing like that should happen again.”

“Thank you. I need to learn how to control my magic,” I said. “I could have killed Pandora this morning on accident. I shot the door handle across the room. I need to have control over this.”

“It is going to take time,” said Luna. “Some thing you have plenty of. But we can work on your control. It doesn’t help that you have a depth greater than one would expect for a pony of your age. Twilight should be able to help you learn control. She has had to deal with similar problems all her life.”

“Isn’t she busy trying to track down Grogar?” I asked.

“No she is our last resort against his power but I look to end this threat myself. This goat will not harm more of my citizens if I could only find him. Soon we will have the pieces but villages going dark takes a while to get word to the capital. We have the Army out looking though,” Said Luna. “That however is not your problem. No the goat’s escape is my fault not yours and I shall be the one to worry about that. For now you need to worry about yourself and this two little angels.”

I nodded but I couldn’t help the guilt that ate at me. Whether or not it had been my fault, I was instrumental in Grogar’s escape. How many had died because of my involvement? I pushed the guilt to the side and focused on the small one in my arms. She was sleeping and I felt warm and fuzzy inside watching her. Even if she had four eyes.

Twilight and Rarity walked into the room. They both smiled at me and Rarity pulled out a few things from her bag. Both of them seemed like close friends and I watched as they came close to each other in a near hug. Rarity pulled a couple of deep colored gowns from her saddle bags.

“I brought some prototypes. They aren’t as well done as I would like but they should do until I can work on something better. I only had this color so I hope you don’t mind matching outfits,” said Rarity. “I hope you like them.”

“Thank you Rarity,” I said. “This means a lot to me. The dark colors will be good for the young ones. Will hide the stains they will most definitely put on them more.”

“I did put stain resistant charms on them so they shouldn’t stain to easily,” said Rarity. “Here try this on when you have the moment.”

I took the shirt from her and handed Olympia to Cadence. I pulled it over my head and it slipped on from there. Untying the sheet from me proved harder but the thing worked well enough. I would need something to cover up my chest with as I was already leaking slightly. I sighed. Why my body had adapted so quickly to a child was beyond me but I felt a strange joy about that nonetheless. At least something was working out well.

“Rarity could you make something padded for around my chest. I’m going to be leaking a lot for the next while,” I said. “Olympia will make sure of that. I don’t even know how long I’m going to have to feed her like this or be able to.”

“Is that something other nursing mothers need?” asked Rarity.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I can’t remember anything anymore.”

“I’m sorry dear,” said Rarity. “I didn’t mean to bring up something painful. Here lets see how this fits Pandora. I’m sure it will work well I have some pants like you suggested as well. I figured Olympia wouldn’t need as much though.”
I nodded and lifted the make shift shirt from Pandora’s form. She didn’t fight me until I pulled the much tighter fitting shirt over her head. Getting her arms through the sleeves was the worst of it but she seemed fine enough afterwords. Pants were harder to get her into but soon she was at least well covered. The concept of underwear would have to come later. I felt worlds better with something on and Pandora looked quite cute in her little outfit.

Another set of plates came out somehow the chef having accounted for the increasing number of people and a pasta and Alfredo with zucchini and yellow squash came out. I loved the squash but Pandora refused any more after one bite of the squash. I giggled and ate the rest without sharing. I was beginning to feel full when the final tray of a chocolate brownie over ice cream came out and I threw any thought of that out the window. Something about the desert felt familiar and yet I couldn’t place it. I didn’t dwell on that though as I savored every bite that didn’t go to Pandora. She seemed to love the chocolate and now I had a treat for her to have at times.

“Cadence do you have any suggestions from the castle staff to assign to Persephone as a full time helper?” asked Luna. “While I know that you will want to help out I think having someone from the staff that is there for her in the mornings and when you are not able to be would be beneficial.”

“I don’t need more pampering,” I said. “You have done more than enough for me.”

“I brought you to this castle and as I still consider you a minor, even if I am conceding to let you stay as primary guardian of Olympia and Pandora, which makes you my charge. I am not pampering you but giving you everything that you need to thrive,” said Luna. “As Princess I am allowed such decisions. So no more modesty from you now.”

“I had a caretaker after I came to live at the castle full time,” said Twilight. “I wish I had paid more attention to her. We could have been friends. Still she or he would be your go to for help from castle staff. Is Lunar Crescent still working for the castle?”

“No she retired a year ago,” said Shinning Armor. “I have a few recruits that might make good full time guides but I doubt they signed up for the guard to be a nanny. Still they would not complain to any of us if we were to ask.”

“I’d rather not pull from the guard unless you think there is one who is too soft for the guard but has a good heart,” said Luna.

“What about Recruit Silver Crest?” asked Cadence. “You were just complaining to me about him.”

“He is a wash up that I am surprised made it through screening,” said Shining Armor. “I can’t tell if he is lazy or if he has something else off about him. The Silver Family has always been guards and yet this poor sod can barely get his armor on right.”

“Why haven’t you dismissed him yet then?” said Luna. “Surely if he weren’t fit for the armor then it would be best to weed him out.”

“I plan on doing so but he has only been in for six weeks. We give recruits two months to shape up,” said Shinning Armor. “I can tell he is trying but he just doesn’t have the spirit for it.”

“Why not give him a chance at this?” asked Twilight. “I doubt he is lazy you have to go through so much to apply for the guard. I’m sure he just feels pressured by his parents into the guard. Besides I think you are too hard on your recruits Shinning.”

“I would push them harder,” said Luna. “I have been forbidden from the council to have anything to do with the military though. Not that I am the most experienced general living to this day. No that would make me good at that job.”

“Aunty, you know that is only for a few more years now,” said Cadence. “Still I think that Twilight is right. We should let Sliver Crest have a chance at the job if he wants it. I have met the stallion and he is so gentle. He would be perfect with Pandora and Olympia.”

“He is a blank flank,” said Shining Armor. “I’ve never met somepony as old as he is at twenty four without one. How do you go through life like that?”

“He hasn't gotten his Cutie Mark?” asked Twilight. “He is younger than I am but still that is awfully old to not have one.”

“I agree. Have you had him tested for any pox or something?” asked Luna.

“He came back healthy. The poor sod just hasn’t found his talent,” said Shinning Armor. “I can’t blame him for being such a mess for it but he isn’t guard material.”

“I want to give him a chance,” I said.

“Well, fine,” said Luna. “Shinning go summon him so we may met this recruit ourself.”

Chapter Six

Silver Crest stood nervously at the far end of the table trying to stay at attention. I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he stood with his helmet under his arm. Without the enchantment from the helm he had soft gray fur and a dark black mane. He looked like the most plain pony I had seen yet and there was something about him that drew me towards him. I walked closer to him as Luna and Shinning Armor Talked. He paid me no heed but I knew that was from his training. I could see him shake slightly as I came closer and I wondered if I scared him. Olympia snoozed in my arms and I towered over him.

“Do I make you afraid?” I asked.

“No,” said Silver. “The princess makes me nervous is all.”

“What ever you have heard, she is really nice,” I said. “I’m who they want you to help. I need help with my girls and I need to know if you are going to be nice to them. Even though we are a bit different than what you are used to.”

“It would sully the name of our very country to do so,” said Silver. “I’d rather die than do that.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” I said. “Why are you trying to be a guard? You seem nice to me. Why not find some other line of work?”

“I have to,” said Silver. “My family has always been guards. Even my mother for a while. I have too. It just isn’t a thing I can not do.”

“I don’t know if they will keep you in the guard if you take this spot,” I said. “I think you would be castle staff then. Do you think that would be good enough for them?”

“I don’t know,” said Silver. “I just have to be a guard.”

“Well maybe we can keep you in title or something,” I said. “Now have you dealt with diapers before and really any answer is good because I am not looking forward to that in a bit?”

“I haven’t,” said Silver.

“Cool we have that in common,” I said. “Or at least I think so. Kinda have some amnesia.”

“Okay,” said Silver. “How do you have a toddler then?”

“That is a surprisingly long story,” I said. “So apparently I am connected to a number of realms and one of them keeps spewing energy through me and that apparently turns into children.”

“Okay…” said Silver.

“I know kinda…crazy,” I said. “It is the truth I think that or someone is kicking babies through a portal that goes through me. Luna closed the connect but it can be reopened. Some little tyke decided to force the issue so now I have two children. Which is why I need your help?”

“Okay,” said Silver. “But why me?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Cadence thinks you should be given the chance. Why don’t you tell me?”

“If we could interject,” said Luna as she walked over to us. “Normally we give recruits two months to show improvement before discharge. However after reviewing your results I think that a wait of two more weeks would be pointless. Silver Crest, I hearby discharge you from service of the guard.”

“Wait,” said Silver. “Please don’t. I have to do this. My father will…please.”

“My desicion is final,” said Luna. “I ask you for your service with Duchess Persephone. Surely your father will find personal assitant to a Duchess as more than prestigious enough.”

“If there is no way to change your desicion then I don’t see I have much choice, your highness,” said Silver. “A letter explaining my position would smooth things over at home. When do you want me to start?”

“Now,” I said. “I want to see how Pandora acts around you. She gets a bit shy at times.”

Silver just nodded he looked crushed but when presented Pandora he brightened up. I could tell he was hiding his pain for her but she wasn’t having any of it and she pet his head gently and hugged him tightly. A few tears ran down his checks as he hugged her back and then he perked up.

“You have a very special little filly here,” said Silver. “What sort of creature is she?”

“Demon, we think,” I said. “But I don’t rightly know. All that matters is she is my little ball of sunshine.”

“Ma?” asked Pandora. She was still griping Silver tightly but her bright yellow eyes stared my direction.

“Can you say Silver?” I asked her. “Silver.”

“Sisser?” Pandora asked.
“No Silver.

“Si-silver,” said Pandora. “Silver.”

There was a bright light that came from Silver Crest’s flank that filled the room and we all looked to see a smiling heart had formed on his flank. Pandora giggled with suprised as everyone in the room looked happy except for Silver himself. He fell on his rump and I caught Pandora as she tripped backwards. He reacted to her falling as well but slowly. Still he hadn’t meant to knock her over and I didn’t worry. Falls were bound to happen. Still I couldn’t help as my sense of worry boiled to the top. Why was Silver reacting so poorly to the emblem on his flank and why had it appeared like this?

“I say we have made a fine choice in this today,” said Luna. “Why are you so shocked young one?”

“I…I…nothing it is fine,” said Silver. He shook his head and a fake smile forced its way across his face.

“No,” said Pandora. “No. No.”

She hugged him tighter and I couldn’t help but wonder what storm was brewing in his heart. I only saw his facade breaking and I watched as tears started to roll down his cheeks. Soon he was sobbing into Pandora’s shoulder who cried with him. Even Olympia seemed disturbed by his emotions and I gently rocked her as she softly whined. I sat down next to Silver and leaned against him his strong form holding me up easily enough. Even being so much taller than him he had more bulk than I did and I felt my own worries boiling to my surface. I didn’t notice till Olympia brushed her hand against my cheek that I was crying as well.

Luna sat with us and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking about. It was clear that she was as she looked at the four of us sitting in a pile. Her eyes were glued on Silver and I knew she was as worried as I felt. I couldn’t keep the shakes from taking over me and I wasn’t certain why I felt so drawn to Silver but there was something connecting us already. Something unspoken but there.

“Is your father abusive, Silver?” asked Luna. “I promise you that I shall not let any harm come to you further. One doesn’t normally break down when they receive their cutie mark like this. Something must be the matter?”

“I…I…Please it isn’t his fault,” said Silver. “I am just worthless. I can’t do anything right. I even got a feminine mark. He is going to be so mad at me. I can’t do anything right.”

“Silver I will visit your dreams and find the truth one way or another,” said Luna. “Please I need to know if I must take action.”

“Please, he just has some issues with his anger is all,” said Silver. “I just am not the son he wanted is all. It is my fault really. If I was just a normal colt.”

“We should talk more later,” said Luna. “I have enough for a formal investigation. If you will excuse me I have a number of things to attend to and now that you have an assistant I feel comfortable leaving you to your devices. Silver Crest you have all the authority of a Seneshal to acquire anything that Duchess Persephone Lunaris may need. Oh and before I forget, Persephone as I have adopted you as my ward that places you as a Duchess of Equestria and my heir should the worst happen. Such things are exceedingly unlikely to occur and this really just gives you the political clout to live in the Castle. Tia said we may need something like that as soon as word gets out you are mother of demons. Have a good day.”

Luna disappeared in a pop of light and I was left staring at Cadence and Shinning Armor. I was a duchess now? What did that mean? Was I expected to help out with the running of this nation I knew nothing about? I held Olympia tight to my chest and my eyes bounced between the remaining ponies in the room.

“Oh don’t worry,” said Cadence. “Really just a formality is all. That and the Council is not as gungho about Luna as they should be.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked. “What is this council?”

“Princess Celestia set up the Governing Council three years after the Lunar Rebelion,” said Cadence. “The Council is meant as representation and governece of Equestria while Princess Celestia is more of a guiding factor anymore. The council is a bit concerned with Luna as she was missing for the Invasion of Canterlot a couple weeks back and so things are more rocky than they should be right now. Still nothing you have to worry about. The council can’t do anything to you without directly attacking Luna and they won’t be so bold. Even if they may have some political clout to do so.”

“So politics are as weird here as well,” I said. “Cool. Good to know. So on less me related issues, Silver are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” said Silver. “I’m sorry. I just…”

“It is fine,” I said. “But hey lets go have a good rest of the day. I’m sure that there is plenty to be done to have fun with a small little one around here?”

“The gardens are open to us,” said Silver.

“I love to go read there,” said Twilight. “Sadly I won’t be able to join you for long. I have to go do some research on anti necromantic spells.”

“Dear I don’t mean to pry but I found you in the library this morning and I know you didn’t sleep last night,” said Rarity. “Shouldn’t you get some rest the books can wait? We don’t even know if we will be sent out to deal with Grogar at all.”

“I just want to be prepared. I don’t want it to be another event like the Invasion,” said Twilight.

“It won’t be,” said Shining Armor. “As your big brother I have to insist that Rarity is right. You need to take a break, Sis.”

“Fine,” said Twilight.

“Besides, someone needs to teach Persephone how to contorl her magic,” said Cadence. “I’m sure you will have loads of fun with that. I need to be off though. I’m attending a meeting with Fancy Pants in a few to keep up appearences. Sorry to dash.”

“The Fancy Pants?” asked Rarity who followed Cadence out of the room.

I turned to Silver and motioned that we should go. A bit in the gardens sounded wonderful to me. I looked at little Olympia and switched arms as my arm was growing tired. I needed a baby carrier. Rarity had her work cut out for her but I didn’t fret. For now sunshine called.

Author's Note

So yeah I don't like waiting very much to post these things so here is two chapters in a day as I get wrapped up in writing pony fic again...Hurray...I mean who am I kidding I love writing and this is writing.

Chapter Seven

Grogar sat on a make shift throne. The map of the local region he had found had proven useful. He felt more powerful than he had in ages and yet the meager army of a thousand bodies and souls under his command was not enough to bring down the Alicorns. He had learned there were three of them now. Multiplying like flies. Still it wouldn’t matter soon. Another town would soon be in his grasp as the undead marched forward. He could have teleported there but that left his army behind. Sooner or later he would run into the forces of the Alicorns and he needed them properly distracted as he laid his trap. It was time to expend some of his resources to keep them on their toes. Besides as far as he could tell the being he had hijacked to escape his imprisonment had potential use. This required a personal touch though. After this town he would have the power to pull off his master stroke. After all what city had more souls than Canterlot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last soul was drained from the screaming youth. A griffon seemed out of place amongst the once peaceful village but it would be a fine addition to his army. He savored the gamy flavor of the soul as it was torn into its baser elements by his gut. He felt a power that had long passed him. Sadly after he finished his plans he would have to be more restrained in feeding. After all if he culled the herd he would have nothing to eat anymore. Maybe though he would no longer be hungry.
Grogar brought the corpse back to motion with a spark of necrotic energy and ordered it to the rest of them. He needed some time to prepare the ritual. Today he would attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sun felt nice on my fur and I watched as a revitalized Silver played with Pandora. I wished I could be the one out there but still I wasn’t to be exerting myself yet. Twilight sat next to me rattling on about magical theory that I found to dull to listen to. It was odd but magic was somehow too dull when Twilight spoke it. There wasn’t a cloud in sight and it seemed like a perfect day.

A small green dot appeared in the sky and I could feel his energy immediately. I had never felt terror like this before and I scooped up Olympia and bolted towards Pandora. I didn’t even know how I knew but he was here. Twilight stared at me for a moment till she felt it too and a bubble erected around the bead of energy. The bead though was growing and stretching the bubble already. It wouldn’t hold for long. Silver had gotten Pandora on his back when the bubble burst and the bead swelled in size many times over. Some thirty feet up in the air a portal opened and out swarmed flying undead. They looked mostly alive and yet I could smell the rot from here. Olympia was crying in my arms as we raced for the castle door. Twilight blocked my path with her shield as a pair of griffons crashed into the ground in front of us.

“Bring the strange one to me,” said Grogar’s voice through the portal. “Come my treasure. I shall make use of you today.”

A guard came running out of the castle and started attacking the undead. Out of nowhere he had summoned a sword and was hacking away at the rotting flesh of one of the griffons but it seemed pointless as the undead beast ignored his actions and staggered towards us nonetheless. Twilight’s horn was glowing a bright purple as she worked her magic but the shield wouldn’t hold for long. Not at this rate.

Grogar ,himself, stood at the edge of the portal and shot the shield with a small sickly ray shattering it instantly and knocking Twilight to the ground. More undead was pouring out of the portal next to him and our eyes met for a moment. He wanted me alone and I bolted over the top of the undead who came at us running as fast as I could. The horde followed me and at least Pandora was relatively safe for the moment. The goat teleported in front of me and I felt his horrid magic engulfing me and I bucked and kicked as he lifted the three of us into the air. I wouldn’t let him hurt Olympia and I willed my magic outward. It picked up anything I could feel in range and threw them at Grogar. He deflected the rocks with a simple shield and then I felt the most gut wrenching feeling as we teleported to the portal. I was had and I tried to pull myself free from his grasp with my magic pulling on the castle. Stone started shaking and then a golden blur erupted out of the castle far from us. I could feel the heat coming from Celestia as she sped towards us flying faster than anything had any right to and yet the portal was closing in around us as Grogar laughed. A single feather fell to the ground next to me as the portal closed. Grogar now had me for some reason.

“Hello child,” said Grogar. His voice was old and hoarce and seemed like it hadn’t been used in centuries. “I need you to make me a beast to hold off the Alicorn’s while I consume their subjects. Now be a dear and do so before I have to hurt that little whelp in your arms. Summon forth more fiendish energies. Now.”

I didn’t know what to do. Undead surrounded me and I tried to pull on my connection to the other realms but it remained firmly stuck. Luna had sealed it better this time and I worried what he would do to Olympia if I didn’t do as he said. I charged my magic and tried to use it to erect a barrier between us but he stepped through the field like it wasn’t there. I pushed against him and all I managed to do was slide myself away from him. Still he advanced and his grin was all the information I needed.

“Can’t or won’t, Child?” asked Grogar as he came up to me a few feet from my head.

“Can’t,” I said. “Luna sealed the connection. It can’t be done. Now leave me alone.”

I pushed against him with as much will as I could and while the wall of zombies stopped me from sliding further I did manage to push him a bit.

“You are strong child,” said Grogar. “I’ll grant you that but unskilled. If you had been trained I would have to worry about your magic. As it is you are nothing to me.”

His magic pulled me a couple of inches from his face. I could feel it worming its way into me and the seal that had held the other realm away from me broke. He urged out a surge of energy and I couldn’t control it this time it flowed endlessly out of me. The pain made me black out before long and I didn’t notice the building sized orb of magic that sat above us.

Author's Note

Oh look at this that I stumbled on. Another chapter. Where ever did this come from? I just don't know...less sarcastically I figured that might as well put this out so here it is. I have no impulse control. None what so ever.

Chapter Eight

I woke to Olympia’s cries. She sat next to me in the room we found ourselves in. I couldn’t remember how we had ended up here but I quickly picked Olympia up and cradled her next to me. She was covered in dirt and even with my attempts to comfort her she still cried. It took feeding her to get her cries to die down. I felt sore everywhere and I couldn’t help the shakes that held my form and made holding Olympia hard and terrifying at the same time.

The room was a mess as almost everything had been torn out of the place. The door to the place had even been ripped from its hinges and in its place was a large stallion who from the smell of it was rotting. I couldn’t see any wounds on the zombie though and worry built in me as I fed Olympia as best I could. At least she could have one more meal from me. I waited watching the door and windows for Grogar to show up and demand another beast. What had he done to my third child the one I hadn’t seen yet? I felt broken and battered everywhere and I couldn’t help but scream when the zombie stallion guarding the door turned to look at me. I threw up not being able to stomach the sight of his rotten face. I turned away from the door but couldn’t get away from my own vomit.

Despite the smell I eventually faded into sleep. Nightmares plagued me but only for a moment as Luna quickly dispersed them but left my dream in tack I could feel her magic pouring through me. It only took her a moment before she disappeared from my dream and I felt the nightmares eating away at her protection. Of the face and of Grogar. I couldn’t escape them. Then something shook me awake.

The whole world shook as something slammed into the ground. The zombie guard didn’t seem to notice but Olympia started to cry again as loud sounds of battle filled the air. I didn’t know what to do and so I just sat hearing the sounds of magic and crashes coming nearer. I still couldn’t find the energy to move and but my magic was there. I pulled on it as heavily as I was able and smashed a small bit of wood into the zombies head separating it from the rotting corpse. I no longer was trapped yet I could barely stand. I pushed with my magic on my own limbs forcing them to work. It was jerky and painful but I stomached it as best I could. I wasn’t going to let Grogar use me again.

The village was a mess of roars and beams of light. A large demon creature fought someone I couldn’t rightly see and I stared for a moment until I noticed my fur standing on edge. A small chuckle escaped Grogar’s lips and sent spasms through me. I only just managed to cushion Olympia from my own fall as Grogar walked up to us. He was smiling at me and I pushed myself away from him with my magic, ignoring the cuts that I was causing in my flesh. His magic caught me and pulled me to him.

“You can’t escape me. Now I need one more from you,” said Grogar. “Then I shall eat your soul.”

“No,” I screamed as his magic ate into me pulling out another pulse of magic. It burned so much. I couldn’t help the scream that escaped my mouth.

I had to counter balance the energies and a thought accrued to me. It would hurt possibly kill me but he wouldn’t get what he wanted. I reached for the other realms that I had passed through to the land of water and life and pulled on that connection. It sprung forward like a soothing breathe of fresh air but the fiery energy still poured out as well. I Felt the strain on my body increase as I doubled the out put and I felt my horns heat to the point of shattering as the orb above me grew to immense size. I willed it to concentrate to be smaller and stronger. The orb shrunk significantly with my will and Grogar looked on in awe. Even he didn’t know what he had unleashed. His magic reached out to me and tried to snuff the flow out but I fought against him and somehow won.

“No, you whelp,” said Grogar. “You won’t win. This will kill you and I will have a new minion all the same. I will make you pay though before I watch you die. That infant you clutch so desperately. I shall enjoy tearing its limbs off one by one.”

Olympia was plucked from me by Grogar’s magic and I saw her being pulled on by the forces I didn’t understand. I had to stop him as she screamed in pain. I had to.

A beam of light blasted Grogar as another a fiery Alicorn joined the fight. A shield erected around me and Olympia and she fell to harmlessly onto me. I didn’t have the strength to cradle her and the two of us instead just laid there in a crumpled pile. Celestia crashed into Grogar a sword of flames in her magical grip. She fought the demonic goat but he was able to deflect her shots. He laughed as he teleported his bell away. I didn’t understand as he started to glow in energy.

“Luna we have to end this now,” shouted Celestia. “He seeks to escape again.”

“I’m busy Sister,” shouted Luna some distant away. “There’s a demon that I am fighting.”

Celestia cut Grogar’s head from his body with one fell stroke and an explosion of green sickly energy burst from his body. Celestia’s shield around myself and Olympia held by burning away the green gas. Celestia though looked sick and I worried for Luna as well. The gas was cleared though as Celestia lit up like a bonfire. She grew so bright that it hurt to look in her direction. I focused on the orb of mana that was still forming above. I pulled on my connection to it trying to get it to come to safety but the orb instead pulled more and more mana from me. I felt the connection to the other realms waver inside of me and then they snapped and I felt something in me break.

“Luna quickly there is another creature forming. This one hopefully will be free of Grogar’s influence but I don’t know if I can deal with this one without you,” shouted Celestia.

“Some help would be nice,” shouted Luna back. I could see in the distance as she fought the enormous red beast that it healed as each wound she inflicted on the beast. “Then I will help you deal with this new one.”
Celestia launched herself into the air and hovered for a moment above Luna and the monster. Then a beam of light flew out of her and towards the sun high in the afternoon air. The beam connected and she smirked at the beast. A blast of solar energy ran back down the beam towards Celestia and rushed past her into the ground. The dust kicked up barely made it so my eyes didn’t burn out of their sockets from the light of the blast. When it finally ended I could barely see as everything seemed to go dark.

“There I helped,” said Celestia.

“Maybe a tad too much there, sister,” said Luna as she came to stand next to the bubble with wisps of smoke flowing off her scorched hide. “Persephone see if you can split the orb into smaller ones. Make twins or triplets if you are able.”

I couldn’t nod but I would have if I had been able. I pulled on the orb of dense mana splitting the thing in two then again into four. I ran out of strength an the orbs started to form into bodies I couldn’t shape them any more. One of them formed into a quadruped body but the other three orbs hardened and became egg like. I watched as the glow dissipated from all four of them and Luna caught them with her magic. The quadruped started to shift and elongate as it turned into something like my form. Two pairs of eyes opened and glowed through my hazy view. The looked much more like me than my other two children had and yet this one was still much smaller than me. I worried what I was going to do with a fourth child now that Grogar had stolen my third. My mind however had reached its limit and I faded from the world quickly.

Author's Note

Hey look what is back. I have the next chapter about half way finished. Don't worry that isn't the last we have seen of Grogar.