Author's Note
This story has an incredibly stupid idea, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to do it.
I’ve fallen in love with several random JRPG tropes recently, and a few JRPGs in general. So, I decided to make a story that was literally meant to be read like it was a JRPG. The main goal of this story is to, well, be a JRPG. However, I also want to take at least a little bit of piss out of some of the tropes along the way.
The stupid idea comes when I wrote this to be down to the detail JRPG, including a damn party composition, actual fights, and a full-blown fantasy theme inspired by Dragon Quest. It was hard, and I had to spend an unnecessarily long period of time making everything slightly more realistic in the context of the show. However, I’ve written it now.
Is it good? Well, probably not, I could see people complaining about a wide variety of things, but I like it enough to post it on the site. So, I have.
Just a little small bit of detail in this AU: the ponies you’re used to are going to be a bit different, starting with Twilight being a unicorn. I feel like I need to clarify that because the setting here isn’t too different from actual MLP.
Constructive criticism is allowed and encouraged!
Chapter 1
It was a perfectly normal day in Ponyville. Twilight woke up surrounded by the fresh scent of books, the best thing to smell after a long rest. Twilight got out of her bed and witnessed the bustling world of Ponyville outside her window. Ponies were visiting shops, saying hello to their kin, and all in all, enjoying the morning.
“So, Twilight, were you up too late reading books again?” Twilight heard a familiar voice ask. She turned to find Spike walking up to her with a plate of food.
Er, well, perhaps everypony was enjoying the afternoon.
“I can’t help it Spike, the magical theses of Starswirl are just too good to pass up! I can’t wait to read into them deeper! I can’t wait to learn how the spells work!”
Spike chuckled.”You know ponies call you the Book Princess for a reason, right?”
Twilight blushed and gave a sheepish smile. “That’s— that’s not the point Spike!” she jokingly pouted.
“May I remind you that that’s exactly why Celestia sent you down here to watch the library, and also, I’m going to go collect some food so you don’t forget to do that because you’re so invested in a book.”
“Yes, Spike, I know. You’ve told me, several times.” Twilight said with an unamused tone. Twilight had been sent from Canterlot five or so years ago by Celestia because the Ponyville library had been recently established and Celestia thought that Twilight would be absolutely perfect for the job.
So, Twilight got to read all the books she wanted, and also help the occasional pony when they wanted a book. Twilight did have to say that it was a pretty peaceful job. There weren’t any outside monsters bothering her, for one, which despite the size of the Royal Guard, they weren’t the best at defending against. Ponyville was just not big enough of a town for monsters to bother.
Twilight organized all of her books she’d carelessly strewn about while Spike left her brunch on the nightstand besides her bed. After that task was finished, along with her brunch, Twilight moved downstairs to find that the library business was rather slow today. Either there hadn’t been any pony visitors, or they’d seen she wasn’t at her post and left because of it. Whatever the case, she took her position behind the desk and waited for any business at all.
After a while, she got her first customer. She was an Earth Pony mare with a pinkish coat, and a bunch of grapes and a strawberry as a cutie mark.
“Why, hello there, Berry Punch!” Twilight stated happily. “What can I do for you?”
“Well,” Berry Punch began, “I’d like that book on mixing cocktails if you have it in at the moment.”
“Would you like Mixing Cocktails for Beginners, Creating the Perfect Punch, or Cider and Things You Can Do With It?”
Berry Punch thought on that one for a moment. “I’ll take Creating the Perfect Punch, please.”
Twilight graciously levitated Berry Punch the book she asked for. Berry Punch thanked her, and trotted out of the library. It wasn’t long at all before Twilight saw another pony entering.
Except, it wasn’t a pony, and they were rushing in like their tail was on fire.
“Oh, hey, Spike, I didn’t expect to see you back this early” Twilight said, a little concerned for what had gotten Spike so worried.
“Celestia… sent… you… a… message…” Spike said, very obviously out of breath. In his claws was a scroll that was clearly marked with the Canterlot royal seal.
Twilight took the scroll in her magic. When she opened it, she examined what was written on the scroll very carefully. It read:
Dear Twilight Sparkle;
There has been recent talk about a massive threat to the Equestrian balance of peace. It is unknown where this threat came from, and we’re too busy to find out. This threat is a massive dragon known as The Everlasting. He’s been around for many, many years, but has just now started to violate Equestria’s peaceful balance.
It’s very probable that The Everlasting is behind the recent heightened monster activity, and that’s why I want to meet up with you Twilight, in Canterlot. We need to take down The Everlasting and I think you’re the mare to do it.
Sincerely; Princess Celestia
Twilight reread the scroll a few more times before she even ventured to open her mouth. When she did, the first words to come out were, “It doesn’t make sense.”
“What does the letter say, Twilight?” Spike asked.
“For some reason, there’s a dragon that has been around for a long time, presumably longer than Celestia, and hasn’t made any strides until this very moment? Suddenly, Celestia wants me specifically without even knowing the origin of this creature? What’s she thinking? Her thought process is full of holes! It just doesn’t make sense,” Twilight ranted.
“Maybe Celestia wants an excuse to hang out with you on ‘royal business’?” Spike asked.
“If so,” Twilight responded, “I’m not going to turn it down! I’ll get to hang out with Princess Celestia! I can’t wait! Spike, get my Starswirl costume, it isn’t much padding, but if I’m travelling in the open roads, some clothing is better than no clothing.”
Spike rushed off. While he was gone, Twilight took a bag that she had specifically engineered to have a bottomless spell on, and waited by the door.
When Spike came back with Twilight’s Starswirl costume, Twilight immediately put it on. “Thanks Spike,” she said. “Speaking of which, while I’m gone, could you perhaps look after the library while I’m gone? I’m counting on you.”
Spike didn’t have much of a choice, but he nodded anyways. “Gladly!” he replied.
Twilight waved Spike goodbye, and set out on the road to Canterlot.
Twilight had just left Ponyville. She had said her goodbyes, and announced to a select few ponies that Spike was taking over as the librarian until further notice. Now, donning her costume, she took a look at the majesty of Canterlot’s castle looming in the distance. Twilight squealed in excitement. Celestia wanted to hang out with her!
Knowing this, the lavender unicorn picked up her pace to a brisk trot. She was heading north to where she knew Canterlot would be. There was a path to lead her there, but still, she already knew this path. She knew it might take a while, after all, she couldn’t fly.
Twilight didn’t leave town much, but when she did, it was marvelous. Rolling hills were around her, and the distant mountain lines really emphasized Canterlot Castle. Patches of forests were visible to her left. It was all green, and it looked incredibly beautiful.
Twilight was so distracted by the beauty that the next thing she knew, she was tripping over something tiny and very woody.
She looked behind her, and found that three small timberwolves had formed behind her and were looking for a fight. Their teeth were bared and they looked about ready to tear her apart.
“I’m just passing through, timberwolves, don’t hurt me,” Twilight nervously said. In response, one of them leaped at her and bit her.
Before she knew it, the other two bit her, too. Twilight was hurting a little, but she couldn’t run away now, they’d just follow her.
Attempting to attack back, Twilight swung her hoof in a hook at the center timberwolf who promptly collapsed to pieces. Panting, Twilight stepped back, prepared for the onslaught of attacks again. She’d have to wait a little before attacking again.
As expected, the two remaining timberwolves growled and bit her again, Twilight groaned in pain, but she was still holding on! She had to make it to Celestia. What’d happen if she died at the hands of some small timberwolves? Twilight didn’t want to find out.
Recovering her breath, Twilight swung at another timberwolf, who also broke into pieces. The final timberwolf growled bark, and leapt at the mare who’d just killed its kin. Twilight certainly felt the burn, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle.
One final hook at the creature, and three piles of wood and leaves were at Twilight’s feet, and had left a very tired mare behind.
“I’m not used to those monsters,” Twilight panted to herself. “I think I’ll just call them Tiny Timberwolves. Usually, all you see around here are Sunflappers and Crows, those aren’t anything like the monsters I’m used to.”
Twilight was now in a very painful position. She was hurting all over, but she didn’t know anything but utility spells, really. That included any wound-fixing spells, and offensive spells, she just hadn’t had the need for them. She knew the basics, levitation, object teleportation, and their various permutations, as well as the bottomless bag spell, but she didn’t know much else.
Exhausted, the unicorn looked at the piles of sticks and leaves in front of her, and she noticed something very particular.
“Of course!” Twilight shouted to nobody. “Those leaves! Timberwolves sometimes are made up of leaves that heal a pony, due to having an absolutely insane amount of Vitamin K, resulting in blood clotting faster!”
Twilight looked at the piles, in them she found two of the healing leaves, and about 25 bits split between the three, no doubt spoils from travellers they’d already killed. Twilight ate one of the healing leaves to recover her strength, but noticed that her Starswirl costume was undamaged.
“Interesting,” Twilight mused. “Perhaps I applied a quality of life spell that made it so that my clothes didn’t tear? Whatever the case, I’ll have to look at it closer in the safety of Canterlot.”
She continued her trot to Canterlot.
A little while later, Twilight found herself near a field of sunflowers. She realized that she had to be incredibly careful, because Sunflappers had fantastic camouflage and used that to prey on fellow travellers often. They were practically indistinguishable from sunflowers, but when they were disturbed, they rooted themselves out of the ground and started attacking travellers for prey.
Twilight, however, conceded that the sunflowers were a beautiful piece of work. The sun reflected perfectly off of them, creating a rich hue of yellow that intensified the natural beauty of the sunflower. Twilight wanted to look at them closer, but she had to be weary, because of those Sunflappers.
Twilight noticed a Crow hanging out on one of the sunflowers. It seemed like it didn’t want any trouble, and Twilight didn’t want any trouble either. However, if she walked too close to one of those Crows—
Caw!
The Crow took off and dived at Twilight, which prompted the unicorn in question to let out an unholy scream. This also prompted a Sunflapper to root itself up and join the Crow.
Twilight had to think fast. She knew that they were both flying, and she could slam them into the ground without much worry. But first, the crow pecked Twilight three times in the forehead, causing a little blood to rush over her eye.
Twilight growled, and lit her horn, slamming the crow into the ground with her magic. The Crow let out a pained caw. The black feathered bird laboriously took flight again.
Twilight wiped the blood out of her eyes just in time to see the Sunflapper flying with its… stems? Equestrian biology didn’t make much sense sometimes, and Twilight decided not to question it.
The most worrying feature was that the sunflower lookalike had grown a set of teeth. Sunflappers tended to feast on travellers, though they usually let them be unless they were pissed off in some capacity.
The Sunflapper fired a seed at Twilight, which bounced harmlessly off of her Starswirl costume, and Twilight used the resulting opening to slam the Sunflapper into the ground too. The Crow, however, not to be put down, once again dived onto Twilight and gave her three pecks in the head.
Twilight growled and wiped the blood away, but the Sunflapper took the opportunity to get in close and give Twilight a big bite in the side.
“Ouch!” the unicorn shouted. She could feel the wet liquid flowing down behind her Starswirl costume. Twilight decided to take the Sunflapper’s close proximity to give the ferocious flora a hook in the bud, which caused the Sunflapper to crumple down, presumably dead.
The crow once again gave Twilight three pecks in the forehead, I can’t take much more the mare thought. But, she still had energy left in her, so she used the energy to slam the crow into the ground. There was sickening crushing noise, and the Crow lay motionless on the ground.
Twilight sighed, and took what she could scrounge up from the bodies, a few bits and another healing leaf.
That was a tough fight, but I survived, I’m sure I can take some tougher fights. Twilight thought to herself, and realized that she could remember some of the books she’d read in the castle. All she needed to do was to envision the spell and cast it, right?
The lavender unicorn remembered a particular phrase in her books, ‘Envision a small fireball coming from your horn, you can choose to launch a fireball at anything within firing distance. This is a basic Flame spell.
Twilight tried it, and sure enough, it worked as it said it did. Keeping that in her repertoire of spells for later, she continued on her way to Canterlot.
Canterlot Castle was magnificent. It towered above the rest of Canterlot, and Twilight was giddy just looking at it. There was so much knowledge encased in those walls! So many legendary tomes of magic, and Celestia herself.
First, however, Twilight had to get past the guards.
“State your name,” the left one said. They were both black ponies in a suit of gold armor.
“I’m Twilight Sparkle, my parents live in Canterlot city. I got a message from Celestia herself saying that she wanted to see me. So, I came to Canterlot on her request.”
The guards discussed something among themselves before turning to Twilight again.
“Celestia did say she was expecting you, come on in.”
The guards stepped aside, and Twilight Sparkle walked through the golden gates to witness the majesty of Canterlot first-hand, again.