The Fellowship of the Bracelet
Chapter 1
Roseluck was sitting in a meadow reading whereupon she heard singing of a fellow she used to know. The tune was jovial. Roseluck leapt up from where she was lying prone and rushed to the source of the humming. A smile crept across her face as she recognized the voice.
Rushing to the trail that leads into Ponyville she stopped on a ledge and hailed the old friend.
“You’re late,” Roseluck accused.
An old unicorn sat on a cart pulled by useless earth ponies. He wore grey robes and a wide brimmed wizard’s hat. A pipe hanging from his mouth let off a little smoke. The back of the cart held strangely colored tubes and sticks. Roseluck wondered if they were some of Gum-drops fabled fireworks.
“A unicorn is never late,” Gum-drop the Greyish said, “he arrives precisely when he means to, Roseluck.”
The moment was tense between the two, each gazing at the other with intense concentration. Gum-drop was the first to break the silence with his raucous laughter.
“It’s wonderful to see you, Gum-drop,” Roseluck exclaimed as she leapt into his cart. She embraced the old unicorn.
Gum-drop pulled away from the hugging and looked at Roseluck. “You didn’t think I’d forget Daisy’s birthday did you?” Gum-drop pulled his cart forward into Ponyville.
The country-side passed by slowly as the two reminisced about what happened while the other was away. Pony’s worked the fields as the merry couple passed.
“I hear the party’s going to be of special magnificence,” Gum-drop chided Roseluck.
Roseluck sighed a little. Daisy had become increasingly chipper as the years wore by. In fact, she didn’t seem like a pony that was turning one hundred and eleven. “You know Daisy, she’s got the whole place in an uproar.”
Gum-drop chuckled, “Well that should please her.”
“Half of Ponyville’s been invited,” Roseluck chimed in, “and the rest of them are turning up anyways.” The two laughed.
As the two finally passed into town, Roseluck spoke quietly, “Daisy’s been acting queer lately. She’s been pouring over old books and maps when she thinks I’m not looking. She’s up to something.”
Gum-drop stayed silent; he let the smoke of his pipe flow.
“Fine then, keep your secrets, but I know you have something to do with it. Before you came along, we were very well
thought of.”
“Indeed?” Gum-drop asked.
“Never had any adventures, stayed to the gardens.”
“If you are referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved,” Gum-drop said. “All I did was give your aunt a little nudge out of the door.”
“Whatever you’ve done, you been officially labeled a ‘disturber of the peace’.”
Gum-drop looked at Rose, a worried look on his face. As the two passed Cheerilee’s classroom, foals ran up to the cart. Gum-drop looked happy once more.
Cries of “Gum-drop” followed the cart as it travelled. The old unicorn’s horn lit up and a shower of a sparks and lights flew from the back of the cart. Cheering foals followed the two as they continued their way.
Roseluck took a stand on the cart, “Gum-drop,” she said, “I’m glad you’re back.” The rosy pony jumped from the cart and trotted off.
“So am I,” the unicorn muttered, “so am I.”
ooo000ooo
Daisy’s party was in full swing now. Daisy has spared no expense in this endeavor. Great tents filled the Ponyville commons. Huge barrels of cider made just for this night have been rolling on from Applejack’s farm all day. Celestia had lowered the sun and everyone pony in Ponyville was gathered to celebrate the lucky mare’s birthday. Roseluck and Twilight were watching a handsome colt dance.
“Go on, Twilight. Ask him for a dance,” Rose insisted.
Twilight shook her off, and apologized for spilling another mare’s drink. “I can’t Roseluck,” Twilight mumbled. She got up
off the bench, “I think I’ll just have another cider.”
Roseluck got up too. “Oh no you don’t,” she said as she shoved Twilight to the colt.
The colt smiled as he spun with Twilight in a dance.
Overhead, Gum-drop released more fire-works. Loud explosions coursed through the sky, filling the night with sparks and embers, and just a little bit of magic.
A mare crashed into Roseluck. “Excuse me?” she asked.
A familiar face looked back at rose. The unmistakable pink coat and yellow mane was her good aunt, Daisy. She looked almost worried.
“Daisy, what’s the matter?” Rose asked.
Daisy helped the rosy mare up. “Appleoosa-Tulips,” she whispered as she dragged Roseluck underneath a tent.
Shortly after a stallion and mare passed the tent looking very flustered. Daisy did her best to shield her face from them. The pair trotted along.
Daisy let her breath out, “Rose, my girl, you’re a good girl, Rose.” She was looking sternly at Rose. “I’m very selfish you know.”
Rose opened her mouth to tell Daisy off, but Daisy continued. “Yes, I am, very selfish. I don’t know why I took you after your mother and father died but it wasn’t out of charity. I think it was because out of all my numerous relations, you were the one Flower with real spirit.”
“Daisy, have you been at Big Mac’s homebrew?” Rose asked.
“No,” Daisy replied, “Well yes. B-but that’s not the point, the point is, Roseluck… you’ll be alright.” Daisy turned away and sipped from her cup.
Outside the party ambience gave way to a rocket’s flare the group gasping. Above the party a huge explosion was tearing across the sky sending sparks and shimmers to the guests’ amusement. Arcing through the sky the firework began to head back to the party as if growing.
Wings sprouted and a dragons head formed as it raced towards town.
“Daisy,” Roseluck cried as she leapt to the stricken mare. The crowd was in uproar as the pseudo dragon raced towards them. “Look out for the dragon!”
“Nonsense, there hasn’t been a dragon in these part for ages,” Daisy countered, squirming under Roseluck. The roar of the pseudo dragon reached fervent levels as is passed overhead. Its shape melting into gaping jaws as it exploded off in the distance. Brilliant explosions lighting the countryside for miles, even up to Canterlot. The guests began to cheer and Roseluck once again helped Daisy onto her feet.
The next event was dinner. Ponies were never late for dinner. Daisy had spared no expense on this part either. Exotic fruits had been coming in for days, even from as far away as the zebra lands.
After every pony had gotten their fill, and it had taken awhile, Daisy was called to the stage as the crowd, particularly Roseluck, called for a speech. Daisy mounted the stage to uproarious applause.
“My dear Flowers and Cakes,” she began, “Sparkles and Gems, Pies, Dashes.” Each name got an cheer from the respective family. “Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday! The last eleventy-one years have been too short to live among such admirable ponies. I don’t know half of you half as well as I like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”
The crowd was silent, figuring out whether or not to be delighted or offended.
Daisy took the somber moment to begin again, “I, uh…” she trailed off, looking into the crowd. She was reaching a hoof into one of her saddlebags. “I have things to do…” she said as she put that hoof behind her back.
“I’ve put this off for far too long,” she spoke barely above a whisper.
“I regret to announce this is the end. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell.” Guests glanced at each other nervously. Rose’s eyes never left Daisy. “Goodbye.” Daisy was gone.
Chapter II
Daisy’s disappearance had come as a surprise to all guests. Roseluck was left alone to deal with everyone’s questions, and it was her who led the party down through the night. Only after all the guests had left did the poor mare have time to return to her house.
Roseluck shared a house with her aunt Daisy, who had taken her in when she was young. It was a modest two story building. The first floor was used as a flower shop they ran together. Above that was the living space.
When Roseluck at last climbed the stairs into the apartment she found Gum-drop kindling a fire in the living room. He sat in one of the few chairs smoking his pipe. As Roseluck took another step in her hoof knocked against something on the floor. It looked like a golden bracelet. Roseluck picked it up and examined it. She’d never seen something like this before.
She looked to Gum-drop, “She’s gone hasn’t she?”
Gum-drop said nothing, only letting the smoke roll from his mouth.
“He talked for so long about leaving,” Rose continued walking towards Gum-drop, “I didn’t think he’d really do it.”
Rose stood next to the old unicorn, waiting for him to reply. When he did not she called his name, “Gum-drop?”
The wizard turned to the young filly and saw the bracelet. “Daisy’s bracelet,” he said and smiled. “She’s gone to stay with the elf ponies, and she’s left you the shop.” Gum-drop held an envelope open to Roseluck. Warily she put the bracelet inside. He sealed it quickly, “Along with all her possessions.”
Gum-drop sealed the letter with wax. “The bracelet is yours now.” He passed it back to Roseluck, “keep it somewhere out of sight.” As soon as she grabbed it the wizard began to hobble to the door.
“Where are you going,” Rose called after him.
“There are things that I must see to,” he called back.
Rose followed him, “What things?”
The unicorn levitated his staff to him, “questions. Questions that need answering.”
“You’ve only just arrived,” Roseluck cried, “I don’t understand.”
Gum-drop stopped and straightened up. He stared longingly at Roseluck, “Neither do I.” He paused, “keep it secret, keep it safe.” With that being said Gum-drop hurried out the door, closing it with his magic.
Roseluck felt more alone that ever in that moment.
oooOOOooo
It had been months since Gum-drop last showed up in Ponyville. Roseluck had was heading home from a night at a local tavern with her good friend Twilight Sparkle, as well as Rarity and Pinkie Pie.
The bracelet had all but slipped her mind since she had hidden it away. Rose waved goodbye to Twilight and unlocked the door to her home. Almost all the lights were out when she crept upstairs. As she walked into the apartment, it felt odd. Open windows commanded a breeze which had blown papers across the floor.
Roseluck took a few tentative steps into the room. The dim moonlight barely illuminated the mare’s home. The wood creaked as she took small step after step. She felt a hoof fall on her back.
She turned around with a gasp as Gum-drop came into view.
“Is it secret? Is it safe?” he asked.
The rosy pony ran to grab the envelop which held the bracelet. As she pulled it free Gum-drop grabbed for it and ran to the fire place and threw the envelop into the blaze.
“What are you doing?” asked Roseluck as the paper caught fire, smoldering around the metal circlet. As the paper around the bracelet disintegrated the unicorn used his magic to levitate the bracelet out of the fire.
“Hold out your hoof, Roseluck,” commanded Gum-drop.
Roseluck placed her hoof out and the unicorn dropped it onto her hoof. She drew it back ever so slightly. The metal was cool to the touch still. Roseluck couldn’t help but gaze at it.
“What can you see?” asked Gum-drop, “can you see anything?”
Roseluck looked the bracelet up and down, but its golden metal surface remained unchanged. “Nothing,” she told the old stallion.
Gum-drop seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Wait,” Roseluck began. Before her very eyes across the metal band red letters began to appear. “There are markings. It’s some form of elf ponyish. I can’t read it.”
“There are few who can,” Gum-drop commented. “The language is that of mare-dor which I will not utter here.” He turned back to face Roseluck.
“Mare-dor?” she asked.
Gum-drop straightened up. “I can tell you what it says, but it’s not that important. But that bracelet is very powerful, Roseluck.”
The two ponies retreated into the kitchen. Roseluck placed the bracelet on the table. Gum-drop began to smoke from his pipe.
“This is the one bracelet forged by the dark lord Sour-on,” Gum-drop spoke casually. Roseluck filled two cups of tea. “It was forged in the fires of Mt. Rainbow. Taken by Starswirl the Bearded from the hand of Sour-on himself.”
Roseluck could barely look away from Gum-drop. “And Daisy found it?” she stuttered, “In Fluttershy’s cave.” The mare sipped her tea slowly, needing something warm.
“For sixty years the bracelet lay quiet and prolonged her life, delaying old age, but no longer Roseluck. Evil is stirring in Mare-dor. The Bracelet has awoken.” Gum-drop looked at the young mare carefully. “It’s heard its master’s call.”
“But he was destroyed;” Roseluck said quickly, “Sour-on was destroyed.” She took a quick glance at the bracelet.
“No, Roseluck” he said, “his spirit endured, his life force is bound to the bracelet. The bracelet survived, I shouldn’t have to explain this. But his orcs have multiplied, his fortresses grow. Sour-on needs only his bracelet to cover Equestria in darkness.”
Roseluck’s gaze stayed glued to the bracelet. It looked so innocent on the table. Gum-drop puffed smoke once more.
“The bracelet and the dark lord are one, Roseluck. He must never find it,” Gum-drop said.
Roseluck grabbed the bracelet and walked into the living area. “Then we put it away, we keep it hidden and we never speak of it again. No one knows it’s here, do they?”
The old wizard followed her into the room. Gum-drop stayed silent. “Do they, Gum-drop?”
Slowly he replied, “There is one other who knew that Daisy has the bracelet. I looked everywhere for the creature, Fluttershy, but the Enemy found her first. They gave her the cruelest punishment known to pony-kind, tea without any sort of accompanied biscuit of scone. She did not last long under that kind of scrutiny.”
“Ponyville… Flower? But that would lead them here!” Roseluck expertly put together. Roseluck thrust the bracelet at Gum-drop. “Take it, Gum-drop! Take it!”
He backed away, “No Roseluck.”
“You must take it,” she continued.
“You cannot offer me this bracelet.”
“I’m giving it to you,” she offered.
“Don’t tempt me, Roseluck,” Gum-drop broke. Roseluck lowered the bracelet. “I dare not take it. I would use it for good, but through me, it would wield a power to great and terrible to imagine.”
“But it can’t stay in Ponyville,” Roseluck cried.
“No,” Gum-drop agreed, “No it can’t.” The unicorn advanced on the frightened mare. The two stared at each other. Roseluck fondled the bracelet somehow.
“What must I do?” she asked finally.
“You must leave and leave quickly,” He told her.
“Where must I go?” She asked. Roseluck ran to a closet and grabbed for her saddlebags.
Gum-drop grabbed some cloaks and passed them to the frantic mare. “Leave for Dodge Junction.”
“Dodge,” Roseluck repeated. “What you about?” she asked as she ran in the kitchen.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” Gum-drop replied, following close behind. “At the inn called the Prancing Pony.”
Roseluck stuffed a few apples in her bag. “And the bracelet will be safe there?”
“I don’t know, Roseluck. I don’t have any answers.” He waited as Roseluck put cheese and bread into the saddlebags as well. “You’ll have to leave your name behind you. That name is not safe outside of Ponyville. Travel only by day and stay off the road.”
At last Roseluck slipped the bracelet into her bag. “I can cut across country easily enough.”
“My dear, Roseluck,” Gum-drop sighed as he looked at the nervous mare. “Earth Ponies really are amazing creatures.”
A twig snapped outside of her window.
“Get down,” Gum-drop whispered. Slowly he crept to the open second floor window. His magic threw his staff into the tree which grew next to the house. Next he levitated in a squirming Twilight Sparkle.
“What are you doing here, Twilight?” he asked.
“I’m not really sure, Gum-drop. I was just, uh, reading,” she answered hastily.
“A little late for reading, don’t you think?”
“Well I heard raised voices,” she said.
“What did you hear?” Gum-drop asked, his voice raising.
“Just a bit about a dark bracelet and mare-dor and an evil lord.” Twilight looked at Roseluck. “This really seems like my kind of adventure.”
Gum-drop looked slyly at Rose.
“I know what to do with you.”
oooOOOooo
Gum-drop led the two ponies to the edge of the Everfree Forest.
“Is it safe?” he asked Rose.
She hovered a hoof over her bags. Gum-drop nodded.
“Never put it on, it will call to his servants.” With that, Gum-drop ran to the west. Twilight Sparkle trotted up to Roseluck.
“Where to now?” she asked.
“To Dodge,” Roseluck answered and the pair began to walk south.
