Chaotic Visageby newbieChaptersCh1 - A New LookCh 2 - The Mage's TowerCh 3 - Chess MessCh 4 - NeedlezCh 5 - Words in PracticeCh 6 - FalloutCh 7 - BaitCh 8 - CageCh - interlude -Ch 9 - JourneysCh 10 - Home?Ch 11 - HomeCh 12 - How much will burn?Ch 13 - EverythingCh 14 - ...Even the ashes.Ch 15 - All the way to NowhereCh 16 - New sights in NowhereCh 17 - decaying reason and wavering loyaltyCh 18 - The Past Came Trotting BackCh 19 - Which is Greater, Journey or Destination?Ch 20 - Nearing the Journey's EdgeInterlude 2 - the CastleCh 21 - Destination, StarfallCh22 - CratersCh1 - A New LookAuthor's Note Ok, finally finished this rewrite, Ch2 is up next, and its gonna get converted into a full arc, so new content will be plentiful in that rewrite. I'll try to get the first rewrite chapter out by end of next week, but nothing is set in stone. Ch1 - A New Look Ba-dump … Ba-dump A Noise? Ba-dump Yes, yes… what is it? Ba-dump A heartbeat? Ba-dump My heartbeat? Ba-dump But I died. Everyone died. A fist, a light, a voice… What did it say, what did it want? Ba-dump Rebirth. Renewal. I wasn’t ready. Ba-dump Leaves, I heard leaves. Rustling in the wind. It gave off that wonderful wispy rasp similar to that of paper being rubbed against itself. So smooth. So calm. I opened my eyes and saw… color. Color everywhere. Numerous shades of green filled my sky. Deep browns drew vertical slits across the landscape. A bright light shone through the green canopy and the golden rays reflected off of the grassy floor. Each blade of grass was highlighted in a warm sunny glow. An eagle talon and bear paw helped push me onto my new feet. A goat's hoof and dragon’s claw made balance nearly impossible, but I managed. I flexed my new appendages in awe. Knuckles cracked, joints popped, and a feeling of bliss encompassed my being… Wait, eagle claw, bear paw? I looked down at my new appendages and found that they were indeed different. Confusion filled my fuzzy mind as I tried to make sense of the foreign limbs. I shouldn’t have these, they should be… what should they be? I frowned as I failed to remember. Everything before that immense fist was blurry. I desperately dug through the static that covered my memories. I remembered warmth, happiness, satisfaction, ambition, anger, regret, and so many emotions, but nothing concrete. No faces greeted my search, no events formed in my skull, and no lessons revealed themselves. My breathing quickened as I couldn’t find anything and my surroundings faded to a blurry mess of random colors. My entire world was reduced to the pair of limbs that made no sense. Then, a single line fluttered through my head like a butterfly caught in a passing gust. ‘Make sense? Where’s the fun in making sense?’ Abject joy flooded my mind like a tidal wave of positivity as I felt some of the fog clear. Who said that? Who did they say it to? Why did they say it? What were they? Discord said it, he said it to the heroes to mess with them. He was a draconequus. What’s a draconequus? The image that came forth was one of a chimeric monster with a mismatched form: Discord specifically had an eagle’s claw, a bear paw, a dragon foot, and- Wait… I…he… am I Discord? The memories of him were so vivid. The hilarious chaos, the carefree nature, and the magic all seemed so familiar, so fun. How did I do it again? I fixed an image in my mind before snapping. As the sound was hitting my ears, a glass of chocolate milk dropped into my open paw. I squealed in excitement as I hopped into the air, willing gravity to let go of me. Before, every movement took effort. Every twist of the body, every twitch of the hand, everything had some minuscule bit of difficulty. However, while I floated, my hands moved with perfect ease, my body twisted through the air with no difficulty, and my neck felt less strain as I used it to swivel my gaze. The forest was still surrounding me and the sun had barely moved. Discord’s back in business baby! And this time, no whiny pony is gonna stop me! My malicious grin and ominous chuckle were interrupted by another bout of clarity. As another patch of fuzziness drifted away, my head began to ache and my confusion began to mount once more. In my mind’s eye, I saw faces, furless but not entirely hairless, weird metal boxes that drove by at insane speeds, giant metal birds that flew high above, towers, damper colors, and… and a small magic box that showed Discord’s antics. Not my antics, but Discord’s. I had hands, not a paw and claw. I had hair, not a mane. I had skin, but not fur. Am I Discord? The thought was troubling because if I wasn’t Discord, then who was I? However, each passing moment revealed another memory of these weird hairless things. Humans. They were called humans. Emphasis on the were. I shivered as I remembered the fist and light, the fire and cleansing, the new beginnings and endings. I’m not Discord. More memories came to me, this time of family and friends, but their names still eluded me. But I’m not human anymore. I flexed my new hands. Who can I be? My mind ran through dozens of names, some normal-sounding ones, like ‘Rick’ or ‘Sam’ but they didn’t feel right. They felt… dull, lifeless even. Stranger ones like ‘Sauron’ and ‘Galbitrox’ sounded too ominous. A dozen more names passed before one popped into my head that almost seemed to shine as if it was made of enchanted gold. Typhon, I am Typhon! With a grin, I spun in place. After a moment or two of celebration, I realized something. I have no idea where I am. I spun in the air once more, but to no avail. The trees were completely unfamiliar, the ground an uneven foreign plane of dirt with the occasional bush; even the sky seemed alien. As I looked closer, I noticed that the trees were deciduous and held full heads of green. The air around me felt comfortably warm, but the humidity made the heat feel far closer to sweltering than it should have. I was either in a tropical area or in a humid climate during the summer. Great, I just ruled out the poles, and… where else? What am I even looking for? My eye roll was overridden by a deep frown when I looked up. The sky was such a bright blue that it almost hurt to look at, but oddly enough, the sun was a plain yellow. Sure, the overrated lamp was still bright, but I only needed to squint a little to look at it directly. This was wrong, it should be burning a hole in my vision right now. The sun isn’t supposed to be dim, where the hell am I? A moment passed. What’s Hell? It kinda sounds… like… ok I’m shoving that memory into a box! I shivered at the images of fire and boiling oil before moving on. I hopped into the air before I wove a cloak of invisibility around me. Hopefully, whatever lived around here didn’t have heat vision or something like that. Almost an hour passed as I floated through the quiet woods before I came upon the rear end of what appeared to be a horse. However, the small stature spoke of a pony instead. Curious. As I got within a few yards of it I shifted the magic of my invisibility so the air wouldn’t appear distorted. They appeared to be scanning a patch of flattened grass, searching for something. “Might I be of assistance?” “Eep!” The blue pegacorn…No. No, these things have their own name. What was it, what was it… Oh, yes, alicorn. They’re an alicorn. Anyway, the blue alicorn spun in place, rearing up onto her hind legs and spreading her wings. “Who goes there? I am not in the mood for a game, foul beast!” “My form may be foul but I am far from a beast, alicorn.” “So you have heard of my kind! Then you should know of me as well!” “No, I’m afraid, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting one of you in the flesh… Well, before now that is.” “It matters not. I am Luna, Princess of the Night, and I DEMAND that you show yourself!” Another patch of memories buzzed, but the fog still remained. It felt as thin as a coffee filter. I know that name, but from where? I snapped away from my invisibility as I rubbed my ear. “Sure, and now that you know where I am, could you tone it down a little? I could- ARGH.” I was quite rudely interrupted by a magic bolt to the chest. I felt a tingling sensation when the projectile struck and somersaulted onto the ground. I immediately pulled my feet forward as I raised my upper half. After my majestic leap into the air, I began to hover once more while a scowl adorned my face. “That was very rude of you, ma’am.” My words earned a snort from Luna. “Then you should not have snuck up on me, creature.” My frown deepened before I continued. “Are you sure you’re not a lemon instead of an alicorn? You seem to be sour enough for it.” To punctuate my point I snapped my fingers and Luna was covered in a flash of light. When the magical flash faded, it revealed a yellow-bodied alicorn with a head red as a tomato. My guffaws were tainted by only one coherent thought as I rolled about in the air. I thought I only used yellow. My cackling was interrupted by a blast to my rear. I spun in the air only to be struck in the face. “Do you mi-“ A bolt of magic whizzed past my deer’s antler. “Seriously I’m not he-“ This one struck my nose, causing it to itch something fierce. “QUIT IT!” The last bolt shot between my legs, only narrowly missing whatever I had down there. Before she could continue, the itching in my nose had finished building and I unleashed a mighty sneeze. After I was done wiping my nose I huffed at the snot-covered, wide-eyed, and likely traumatized alicorn. I crossed my arms before turning away from her. “You know what, you seem to have things well in hand. I wish you horrid luck in every future endeavor. Good day.” Before she could send another blue incarnation of her wrath, I teleported away and slipped into another veil of invisibility. Images of the blue alicorn made my mind throb wherever I kept them. Something was so eerily familiar about them, but I couldn’t place my finger- er, talon on it. Maybe they were connected to Discord somehow? I know that ponies thwarted him, but I know it wasn’t her. Gah, who is she, why do I know her?! I shook my head as I started to float again, but jolted at a sudden piercing scream. Spinning in the air in the direction of distress, I began a series of short teleports. It only took me a minute or so to find the source. A white teenage alicorn was cowering before a giant blue bear. Familiar, all of this looks so familiar. The beast of blue raised its right paw, ready to slam it down, but a fishing hook lassoed the appendage before I began to reel it in. Now far above the forest canopy, I planted the fishing pole on the cloud I had occupied. I jumped off with an anvil hovering above me like a parachute. As I drifted passed the terrified bear, I patted it on the head. “Don’t worry buddy. The cloud will sink slowly in about fifteen minutes, you’ll be fine.” The bear whimpered after I passed it completely. I finished my slow descent with grace and a bow before the anvil dropped on my foot. I hopped around on my goat’s hoof as I howled in pain. “I swear that thing was supposed to be light!” It appears I wasn’t specific enough when I willed the anvil to ‘slow my fall as a parachute would’. I heard a girly giggle sound out behind me. I hopped around to face her while still holding my foot. “I apologize for the poor performance, but I swear that the anvil was meant to be weightless.” “Then either you’re a good actor or a poor magician.” Her voice was as smooth as warm butter, and I smiled as I responded. “A little bit of both. The pain was definitely real, but I can put on quite the show. However, I swear that hunk of metal really did pull one over on me.” I scowled at the offending chunk of metal before nudging it with my heel while the alicorn responded. “I’m sure if you keep practicing, you will get to be quite the mage.” A moment of silence passed us by with all the grace of a barge hauling garbage. Fortunately, I was unaware as I had fallen into my thoughts. My mind was a tornado trying to figure out why I knew this alicorn too. She had the same eerie nostalgia that hovered around her like a silvery fog that obscured any true memory. I knew that I knew her, I knew that she was important, and apparently I knew that I liked her in some fashion. “Might I ask what you might be? I’ve never seen anything like you before.” Her words yanked me from my confusion. What am I? Well, I’m a hu- wait no, I figured this out, come on think Typhon think! That’s right, I’m a draconequus! The ghost of an image flashed through my mind, it was disquieting. A white alicorn with a rainbow mane stood in front of a statue that looked like me. Or was it of Discord? How was she related to Discord? Why did she care about him enough to build him a statue? Should I be worried about Discord himself showing up? I shook my head before finally responding to the pony’s question. “Why, I am a draconequus, my dear!” The alicorn’s previous nervousness melted into amusement as she giggled at my enthusiasm while covering her muzzle with a hoof. An awkward silence smothered the air after her laughter subsided. Maybe her name will jog my memory? I bowed as I began again. “My name is Typhon, may I ask yours.” Her warm smile returned. “I am Princess Celestia, Mistress of the Sun and co-ruler of Equestria.” Me, myself, and I all applauded while another duplicate let out a whistle “Very impressive, Princess. Might I know who the other diarch is?” “It’s-LUNA! Oh, you should’ve been here a moment ago, Typhon he-“ “It’s you! Stay away from my sister, monster!” I rolled my eyes at the raging, still yellow, alicorn. “This again? I have a name you know.” Celestia stared at her sister in shock as Luna, who was blasting several aquamarine bolts from her horn, passed her by. “Sister, I shall handle this pathetic beast!” My scowl deepened as I continued to weave my noodle-like body through the air, slithering around attack after attack. “Again, I have a name, it’s Typhon.” Several more blasts, several more misses, and a couple of quips later, this was starting to get old. “Can you please stop? We can talk this over!” After a blast nearly skimmed the top of my head, I was thoroughly done with this. “Ya know what? Screw it. Imma go find someone who’s a little less horn blasty than you.” I scratched my chest where a couple of bolts had landed. “I mean seriously, what's the point of firing itch lasers everywhere? It’s just plain inconvenient, and don’t get me started on how irritating having an itchy rib cage is. Seriously how-” This time, Luna fired a continual beam of dark purple energy into my lower gut. For a moment, I froze in the air before falling to the ground in a fit of roaring laughter. “Stop, stop, stop, I’m ticklish there, please, hahahahaha…” I squirmed on the ground while being forcefully tickled to tears. A few seconds later, I heard a smack and a screech from Luna. “Luna, what possessed you to use black magic on him, have you gone mad?!” Celestia’s eyes had managed to widen even further and it was getting kind of creepy. The neon yellow Luna rubbed her horn as she lowered her head. “I am sorry, sister, but nothing else worked on him.” Her sister’s glare was all the response Luna got. Celestia turned to me after the short display and spoke. “I’m truly sorry for what Luna did, if she caused you any pain then I am willing to-” “Oh, no worries Celestia! No worries at all.” I had to wipe a tear from my eye. “I was never in any pain, though I do admit that Luna has a way of making magic feel weird.” I shuddered before continuing. “I also must admit she has taught me a thing or two.” Celestia tilted her head. “And what might she have taught you?” I grinned back at her before raising a finger. “First, she taught me that itchy rib cages are unpleasant.” Celestia blinked before tilting her head to the other side. “I would assume so but-” I raised another finger as I interrupted her. “Second, she taught me that my liver is especially ticklish.” Celestia blinked again but said nothing so I continued. “And third, neon yellow alicorns look kinda… ugly. You actually remind me of a hairy lemon with wings.” My grin widened as I heard Luna grinding her teeth. “And have the disposition for it too!” Celestia remained silent for almost a minute while she stared at me with emotionless blank eyes, and my smile strained before falling to the relentless assault of Celestia’s profound disappointment. After being thoroughly unnerved by the suddenly silent alicorn, I hopped into the air to hover once more. My grin returned. “I think I’ll rectify my previous error.” Celestia just sighed as Luna growled. “Yes, you will return my coat to its natural color, heathen.” I scowled at Luna again. “You know, I was actually going to do that, but now I really don’t feel like it.” A groan from Celestia preceded a comment. “Both of you, please don’t act like a pair of petty foals.” I turned my scowl on a completely unaffected Celestia. “Well excuse me, Princess, it's not like your sister tried to kill me or anything.” The condescending air of presumed wisdom seemed to vanish as Celestia flinched at the comment. “But you yourself said no harm was done, there is-” I snapped without casting any magic. “It’s about principle, Celestia, I do not enjoy being attacked.” Celestia frowned at me as Luna growled again. “Principle? Principle?! She didn’t do anything to you!” I huffed. “Oh please, she still attacked me with a serious intent to harm, not to mention she apparently even tried ‘black magic’.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she shot a glare at her sister. “Yes, and there will be consequences.” I shrugged. “Sure, sure, just make sure that Moonbutt learns her lesson.” An unholy howl erupted from the yellow alicorn of the night. “I. Will. End you!” The statement was followed by an endless barrage of lasers that flew over, under, to either side of, or collided with my hastily formed shield. I had to shout my message over the warped blasts of magic that dissipated on my guard. “It seems that a timeout is in order for Moonbutt!” With a snap of my talons, Luna’s horn was gone. Her glaring eyes failed to notice a lack of magic death rays for several moments before glancing up. Her shrieks of terror, anger, rage, and demands shook the trees around us. Celestia’s eyes had bulged out again, and her mouth was making fish-like motions. After Luna sat down, gasping, I snapped a tophat into existence and bowed. “While I did enjoy the light show, I really must be going. Ta-Ta!” With that, I snapped myself a thousand feet into the air, far above the clouds. The next snap summoned a flying carpet, and the spell following that returned my invisibility. Celestia was nice, Luna though… probably the most murderous equine I’ve ever seen. Then again I don’t really know much about the ponies from before the show… Eh, just need to stay away from that nightMARE I suppose. Heh… With that thought, I spun my carpet like a top to choose a direction and began my grand journey to find someone suitably friendly to figure out this world with. “Look out world, Typhon’s in business, baby!” My God, this is getting old. I absentmindedly scratched my chest. Why is it always the same? I rolled my eyes at the memories. First screams, then shouting, and finally blasting. I rolled onto my back. Not like it did ‘em any good. I snorted while thinking about the sheer number of spells that just bounced off. I decided to take another look at the land below. Oh, a tower? Haven’t been to one of those yet. Wonder what they’ll be like? A moment later, my carpet dipped into a circling descent, letting me calmly approach the ground. However, I decided to stay around a dozen feet above the forest floor to scout out the place… Huh, a bunch of horn heads here. All kinds of colors, just like the other ponies, and -wait. That one is staring at me. My head tilted seemingly of its own accord before I decided to land in front of the wizened old pony. The tall green hedges surrounding us, along with the distance from the main tower, granted some privacy to my shocked companion and I. Though, the forest’s trees leaned away from the mini clearing, meaning that any passing flier could easily find us. The pony’s wizard hat was blue with stars all over it with bells lining the rim and adorning the tip. He himself was a grayish blue with a pale gray beard. His shadowed eyes stared at me for a few moments before I heard the snoring… I thought that the fading light of dusk was shading the pony’s eyes but it turned out that they were just closed! I’d mistaken the poor guy’s slack jaw for one of wordless fear rather than slumber. I giggled, I snorted, and then I burst out into raucous laughter. The pony’s eyes shot open, then narrowed as they scanned the perimeter of the little hedge circle that surrounded him “Bwuh, who’s there? I swear Clover if you’re sneaking up on me again I’ll- wait, you’re not Clover! Who are you? Reveal yourself!” My voice, quivering with mirth, responded from directly in front of him, making him hop in fright. “Oh, no worries, my friend, I just-I just thought y-you were staring at me for a moment there. Nothing has seen through yet, so I kinda got a little freaked out. How-How was the nap by the way?” The pony glared at the origin of the voice and cast a powerful dispelling wave of magic, ripping away my spell to reveal a floating, laughing, chimeric monstrosity. “What manner of beast are you!?” My weightless rolling in the air stopped immediately as I snapped my gaze to him. I rotated into a standing position, glaring down at the annoyingly generic reaction. “Really? You know that I can talk, right? I can use magic and you have been conversing with me for the last minute or so, yet you have the audacity to call me a beast?” I leaned down. “Do beasts talk? Do they argue? Do they cast spells?” Each question was punctuated by my head dipping closer to the pony. “I swear all of you ponies are so damned ignorant. Every time I enter a town it's: ‘Run it’s a monster!’” or ‘Halt, foul beast!’ or, my absolute favorite, ‘I shall defeat ye, ghastly chimera!’” I snapped upright. “At least the last one had some originality to it.” With my rant over, I was huffing, and the unicorn’s self-righteousness seemed to deflate with every sentence until his head was almost to the ground. I face-clawed as I calmed down with a deep breath. “Sorry bout that, just getting tired of all the screaming, the running, and the eventual fighting is all. Let's have a do-over, sound good?” The unicorn smiled faintly and extended one of his hooves as he rose to a more respectable position. “Yes, let's. My name is Starswirl, what may yours be? Oh, and if it isn’t too offensive, may you tell me what you are?” I grinned as I shook his hoof before floating back a few feet. “The name’s Typhon, and I’m a draconequus. I don’t have anything against people not knowing who or what I am, but I make it a point to show that I’m intelligent so that I can avoid the annoying one-sided conversations that your kind seems to have when fighting a ‘monster.’” Air quotes visibly manifested as small little dot-like clouds when I spoke the last word. Starswirl tilted his head. “What manner of magic was that? The thaumaturgical focal points were too numerous, and the fluctuation frequencies were too far off for any kind of reversed forecast spell.” “I don’t understand any of what you just said.” Starswirl sighed as he shook his head. “The magic felt strange, and I could tell you didn’t levitate or summon those clouds the normal way.” I snapped my fingers again, this time refraining from casting. “Oh, I use chaos magic, and I created them. Popped ‘em right into existence, just a ‘lil twist of reality and voila clouds.” I demonstrated by twisting my talon as I snapped to create a new cloud from nothing. Starswirl’s mouth dropped open for a few moments before he began. “B-b-but, the Manipulatauron principles, th-the super and substructure constant theorems, and the basic laws of Thermodynamics!” I tilted my head. “What?” Starswirl growled. “You can’t create something from nothing, that’s basic, natural physics. Even with the most powerful of spellcrafts, we can’t create a single atom of hydrogen from nothing!” I rolled my eyes. “Sounds like a you problem.” Starswirls eye twitched. “Then how about the structure constant theorems hm?” I shrugged. “What about them?” He blinked once, then twice, then every muscle in his neck contracted at once and I saw veins stand out in some places. “You just cast a spell with no structure, foundation, or even the most basic of webs, and yet it did exactly what you wanted to! Without proper structure and guidance, any spell would just result in an explosion due to loose energy colliding with ambient mana!” I blinked before smiling. “Neat.” Starswirl’s head went from blue to a tomato red before he screeched out his third protestation. “How about one of the basic laws of physics and magic? The Manipulatauron principle demands that a species have a conduit that channels magic for them to be able to cast spells.” I shrugged again. “Maybe my entire body is the conduit?” Starswirl glared at me before his horn flared. I prepared for a barrage of violence but was surprised by a scan instead. The almost physical scrutiny dragged itself across my body from head to toe, causing everything, internal organs included, to itch. I scowled at him. “Do you mind? I just got my ribcage to stop itching an hour ago. The stupid thing just wouldn’t go away and I don’t want to spend the next sixteen or so hours finding creative ways to scratch my skeletal structure.” Starswirl blinked before sighing. “Fine, I can’t tell for certain, but your theory seems correct so far. Organic leylines, natural magic fluctuation, and all the telltale signs of a conduit are present everywhere. Though I fail to see why your intestines need to be capable of casting, though your species has apparently evolved it… somehow.” I shrugged again and considered asking after a massage place to soothe my aching shoulders. I really ought to find another way of dismissing questions. Then Starswirl opened his mouth again and I nearly groaned. What now? “That still doesn’t explain why you don’t have a displacement field.” I tilted my head. “A what now? Starswirl face-hooved while muttering. “Why did they have to name the theory that?” He took a deep breath before continuing. “The Yak-thingy principle.” I immediately burst out laughing as the poor wizard continued. “States that every creature has a magical field that presses on the ambient mana of its surroundings. You don’t have such a field, why?” My laughter died down as I looked at him again. “Perhaps you’re just too close to see it.” Starswirl growled. “What the buck is that supposed to mean? I smiled as I floated closer to him. “Tell me, what does this planet look like?” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “What does that have to do with anything?” “Just humor me.” Starswirl snorted before responding. “Fine, I suppose it would be a mixture of blues, greens, blacks, browns, reds, and oranges in a vaguely spherical shape.” I blinked. “So you’ve managed to observe it directly?” He shook his head. “No, but long-distance scans tell us that the world is spherical and common sense tells me the color.” I smiled. “Ah, well, if you had neither the data from those scans nor extensive knowledge of the world’s colors, would you have been able to form that description?” He snorted again. “Such theory crafting is useless considering I do have said knowledge.” I rolled my eyes. “Eh, screw the metaphor. I think my aura is just too big for you to observe it because you are too close to it.” It was Starswirl’s turn to roll his eyes. “Oh, that is just unreasonable. The power required for an aura that encompasses such a distance would make one just shy of being a deity.” I grinned at him. “Oh, that’s good to know. I mean, if someone were really that powerful, they would be doing the impossible without much issue.” I floated into the air while creating miniature planets to orbit me as I circled Starswirl. “Like possibly, oh, I don’t know, creating something from nothing?” His eyes shot wide at my words. “N-no, you aren’t a deity, you aren’t even an ascended! You’re too stupid for such titles!” I frowned at him but he pressed on. “I mean, you, I. Gah, what manner of creature are you?!” My cheeky smile accompanied my response. “Why, I’m a draconequus, my friend.” Starswirl sputtered, his horn sparked, and his head reddened further as he descended into an inarticulate rage. Then he screamed at me loud enough to blow my beard straight back, freezing it in place as it laid flat against the side of my chin. “Why don’t you make any sense?!” I knew that I shouldn’t copy Discord if I could help it. I knew he was a bad role model, but I couldn’t resist. With a Cheshire grin and a glint of joy in my eyes, I responded. “Make sense? Where’s the fun in making sense?” I chuckled at my own joke before I noticed Starswirl's eye twitching again and his mouth beginning to froth. “Ugh, you alright, Swirly?” “My name’s not Swirly, and no, I’m not bucking ‘alright.’ I just witnessed something break every known law of magic AND physics. Then I watched said rule breaker laugh it off as if it was nothing. Do you have ANY idea what you’ve just done? The sheer number of theories you just tossed into the fire? Why I oughta-” “Isn’t a scientist meant to seek to disprove a theory, not approve it? I kinda thought this place would be something like that.” I gestured towards the nearby tower as I continued. “Ya know, with the whole seclusionary thing, the random spells going off, the numerous wards, and the sheer number of unicorns kinda gave off that lab research center feel. But I guess I was wrong.” Starswirl narrowed his eyes. “No, you are correct. This is Stargate Tower. The pioneers of many cutting edge magics, grand scientists from all over the kingdom, and some from beyond even, put their minds together here to push us into the brightest future possible!” I leaned back to lounge in the air in front of him. “Then I feel that this should excite you if anything. I mean really, how often do you find something that goes against everything that you know?” I turned in the air to face him. “What did you miss the first time? What is there to learn? What new possibilities lie just beyond the small campfire of current knowledge? What are the truerules that govern us all?” I grinned as I rolled over again to lay on my back. “And no I don’t know how many theories I just trashed.” Starswirl’s right eye twitched while he sucked in air through his teeth. After completing his reverse hiss, he glared into my eyes. The red had faded back to his normal coat color and the froth was, thankfully, gone. “You have a point, and since you seem so eager about science, or burning down several branches of it at least, you may have a place among us.” I spun to Starswirl with a grin. “Does that mean I’ll finally get to meet people without all that screaming nonsense?” Starswirl nodded silently as he began walking towards the stony monolith of a tower, and I cackled in joyful excitement. Ch 2 - The Mage's TowerSwirly and I left the little hedge circle through a doorway cut into it and when I passed through, it felt like I had stepped into Wonderland. Of course, I was floating at the time, but the point still stands. Dozens of unicorns of all sorts of colors and shapes were casting spells all over the barren dirt that surrounded the tower. The ground was torn up in some places, mildly disturbed in others, and completely untouched in a select few areas closer to the massive spire. Lightning flashed, arcane fire raged, and waves of ice splashed across the ground. Some ponies were rapidly shifting from one form to another while others were forming wings made of fire or ice. I looked skyward to see a few ponies hopping from cloud to cloud while blasting the air in front of them to bring new platforms into being. The landscape was positively alive with magic, but all of it paled in comparison to the towering… well, tower at the center of it all. The thing must’ve been eight or even nine stories tall and it was topped by a massive crystalline sphere that hovered in place. My face scrunched up in confusion for a moment. “Wait a moment.” I pointed at the aforementioned cloud hoppers. “Weren’t you saying something about how it’s impossible to create something from nothing?” Swirly turned his head to look at them. “Yes, it is, which is why you are confusing. However, they’re using a spell called Reverse Forecast which draws nearby moisture from the air and forms a cloud with it.” He frowned before continuing. “Honestly, of all the things to fixate upon, you choose them?” I shrugged. “Eh, the big shiny rock on top of your tower looks neat I guess, but the cloud hoppers just… jumped out at me.” I snickered as Swirly frowned. “Please refrain from puns in my presence, Typhon.” I rolled my eyes as I responded. “Oh fine, but only cause you said please.” We were halfway to the tower when a bolt of lightning arced directly over me. My eyes shot wide open and I dropped to the ground as I started frantically searching my surroundings for the culprit. “What the hell was that?!” My screech tipped Swirly’s hat off to the side, but he corrected it before responding with a raised eyebrow. “What?” I snapped my gaze to him. “That lightning bolt! Didn’t ya see it?” “Oh, apologies, but we are safe from the outside experiments.” My face contorted into a scowl as I stepped closer to him. “Outside? We are outside!” Swirly maintained a blank expression as he raised a hoof. “Outside the shields; didn’t you notice the corridor of wards?” I cringed back and scratched the back of my head. “Uh.” A quick glance around revealed that there was, in fact, a hallway made entirely out of spell repelling wards. “Heh heh, eh, no.” Swirly rolled his eyes. “Of course, you didn’t.” After that little incident, I decided to walk the rest of the way. It took us a couple of minutes to reach the metal doors and I actually managed to keep my mouth shut while doing so, yay me! The handle sprouted a dark blue aura before the door swung open. “Oh, fancy.” What I assumed was the reception room had an ocean blue carpet with moving images of fish. I stared at the animated creatures for a moment before noticing my companion staring at me. “What’s up Swirly?” Swirly snorted. “My name is not Swirly, but I must admit that your astonishment is undeserved.” I tilted my head. “Why should it be? Ya got a real neat carpet!” He scowled at me before pointing at the wall of very official-looking papers… at least I thought they looked official. “You find a simple illusion more interesting than our accolades and discoveries? Honestly, the ward work of the path we took to get here safely was more difficult than this little trinket.” I blinked at him before pointing at the carpet as I spoke. “You made that?” He sighed. “Yes.” “Neat.” Swirly took a deep breath before continuing. “Let’s get this over with.” Swirly began his no doubt arduous journey to… somewhere upstairs. I shrugged before popping a glass of chocolate milk into existence and followed. For all of two seconds. The quiet clops of Swirly and my dainty slurps were interrupted by an ear-splitting screech. “WHAT?!” I grabbed my ears, took them off, and glared at the source of the noise. I think I said ‘Do you mind?’ But considering the fact I couldn’t hear anything, it’s anybody’s guess. The mare at the desk started speaking again while waving her hooves around. Several moments passed before I judged her quiet enough to put my ears back on. “I mean, really, it's written directly into the fundamental laws of reality!” I shrugged. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I can’t read.” Swirly froze with his hoof hovering over the first step of the staircase. His head, with all the grace of a pair of giant mill stones, turned towards me. “You. Can’t. Read.” His eye was twitching now, and all I could do was shrug before I slithered over to him. “Nope!” He sighed. “Great.” “Guess that means you get to teach me!” My smile grew as I saw the horrified look on his face. “No, just no.” “Well, I’m not letting you study me until I can read what you write! I mean, I can't have you bad mouthing me in your reports after all.” He scowled at me. “I’m not doing that.” He bolted up the stairs while I zipped up after him and shot through the smooth stone corridor to follow. “No no no no, I am not doing that!” He probably thought his muttering was unintelligible but my ears are really good while they’re actually attached to my head. We reached a door with a four-leaf clover and the great pony wizard pounded on the door. A muffled voice called from behind the door. “All right, all right, calm down, I’ll be out in a moment.” A couple of seconds later, during which Swirly continually punched the door, a mare ripped it open with her magic. She was a deep violet and had a deep ocean blue mane. She scowled at Swirly before asking. “Was that really necessary?” To which Swirly responded with a stream of words that melted together as they scrambled out of his mouth. “You teach him how to read and I’ll remove your ban on the pyromancy section, goodbye, and good luck.” After he finished, a pony-shaped cloud of dust replaced him. “Bye, Swirly!” My waving claw went unnoticed as my new friend turned a corner. With a twist, I faced my newest companion. She was staring at me with an eyebrow cocked and a mouth half-open. I stuck a hand out, ready to shake. “Hello, my name’s Typhon! May I ask yours?” She shook her head before reaching a hoof out to meet my paw. “Name’s Clover.” Author's Note sorry for the wait for such low content, but I really couldn't figure out how to get the introductory chapter across. That and I've got a new story in the works that I'm trying to pre write so that it doesn't suffer from a poor upload schedule like Chaotic Visage. Oh and this isn't the entire rewrite. As I've promised, this is going to turn into a whole arc. Ch 3 - Chess MessAuthor's Note aight, this is chapter 2 of the arc replacing old chapter 2... anyway more's comin, if slowly so no worries bout the story. hope you enjoy! Ch 3 - Chess Mess My weightless claw plucked a knight off of the floating checkerboard and placed the piece on a mirrored board directly below it. With a nod, I floated backward, letting me see the rest of the numerous floating boards. Several of my duplicates, both large and small, darted around the various boards over which my current game spanned. Clover swam through the air over the floating configuration of chessboards. Her face was twisted into an expression of supreme concentration as she shifted a rook from a place near the top down to the bottom board. I chuckled as I clapped my hands together. “Well done Clover, well done indeed.” The unicorn smirked at me as she lifted a hoof to her chest. “Well, I am Starswirl’s prized pupil, why wouldn’t I learn fast?” I tapped the edge of one of the boards as my copies zipped around. “You actually managed to instate a bootstrap trap and caught a couple of Queens with it, too.” Her grin deepened as she rubbed her hooves together. “Yep, just a couple more turns and your prime King will be in checkmate.” I raised a claw to respond before the room’s door slammed open. “How far has- stars above, what in bloody Tartarus is going on here?” I turned to face a slack-jawed Swirly standing in the doorway, just outside of the anti-gravity field that I’d set up. I shrugged as I used my tail to move a Queen three boards up and to the right. “5D chess, Swirly.” I cocked an eyebrow as I turned back to witness the stunned face of Clover. “Wasn’t it obvious?” With a snap of my fingers, half of the floating boards went gray and fell to the floor before disintegrating. My smirk reached from ear to ear, literally. “And the Chaos Gambit pulls through.” My eyes followed the glowing dust of the chess boards that floated up in front of Clover’s now crimson face. I raised a claw as my smile strained. “Uh, a-are you alright, Clover?” I saw embers begin to rise from her mane and waved my hands in front of me in a warding gesture. “Woah, woah, there! No need for anything drastic now, is there?” I was sweating from the heat of Clover’s bonfire of a hairdo. I spun in place, snatched Swirly from the ground, and booked it down the hallway. “Put me down right this instant!” We turned a corner and got to bear witness to a geyser of fire spray where we just were. Swirly turned a wide-eyed stare on the angry black scorch mark while I wheezed for a moment before hopping into the air and zipping through the halls. “Yo Swirly, got any fireproof bunkers?” Swirly had a hoof on his hat when he turned to me. “What the buck did you do?!” I shrugged as my flight began to slow. “I won.” Swirly glared at me for a moment before sighing. “Fine, take a right at the second to last door, then a left, go up the stairs, take another left, and put me down in front of the door.” I saluted him with one hand while the other held him up in front of me. “Sir, yes, sir!” With that, I planted one foot on the ground before launching myself forward. I blasted through the hall at a blistering pace and took the turns at breakneck speeds. In a mere couple of seconds, a very twitchy Swirly and I found ourselves in front of a metal door taller than me. There were symbols all over it, a big circle in the center with a pentagram in it, and it all looked so cool on that pitch-black metal! With a grin I reached out to touch the glowing door… wait it wasn’t glowing- Before I could even frown, a bolt of lightning shot through me. The passage of the electricity burned like an angry fire before cooling to a cold static. I couldn’t hear whatever Swirly was yelling at me while the sea of white noise enveloped my mind. I could vaguely feel being pulled through the door while my mind began to fade back into consciousness. My vision refocused as I found a gray hoof poking at my snout. “What in Tartarus were you thinking, touching a ward like that, you blithering idiot!” I grunted before sitting up and smiling at my now angry friend. “Oh Swirly, I didn’t know you cared.” I punctuated the statement by hugging the irate mage. Wait… wrong mage. I instantly teleported a few feet to the side to hug Swirly. “Do not touch Hexane, you oaf!” and “My name’s not Swirly, now let go!” rang out through the room at the same time. I chuckled as I let go of Swirly to float into the air. A moment of silence passed by at the speed of a snail crossing a pit of molasses as I let Hexane’s glare slide off of me and Swirly’s exasperation fade The room Swirly had led me to was chock full of science-y implements. Lines of linked glass bottles held numerous machinations of evaporation, condensation, and a few other processes of that nature. There was a wooden table absolutely covered in mortar and pestles, right next to a strange tub with a hole in the wall above it. So many questions I had to ask! What were they distilling? What was that tub used for? What kind of stuff were they grinding in the mortars? What materials did they use to make the tub? Were they conducting any experiments? Seriously, why was that tub there? My idle musings had consumed my thoughts as I mindlessly floated over to the strange, shiny metal box that hung off the stone brick wall. I examined the tub’s exterior, I touched it, hell, I even licked the thing, tasted like fish, by the way, but I couldn’t figure it out. I pouted as I turned back to my friends. “Ok, I don’t get it, what’s the tub for?” My cocked eyebrow and inquisitive tone were met by the flattest looks a three-dimensional being could possibly muster. I honestly believed that Swirly and Hexane may have gone two-dimensional while staring at me. Hexane turned to Swirly with those dead, huge, disk-like eyes that all these ponies seemed to possess. Honestly, though, a black mane with black irises made her look more like an alien than a unicorn. At least she wasn’t gray or an honest to God green, but a dark blue coat wasn’t that much better. “Is he serious?” Swirly sighed as he rubbed his forehead. “From what I’ve experienced.” He took another deep breath. “Yes.” Another moment of silence passed before Swirly answered my still viable question. “That’s a sink, Typhon, we use it to hold water.” I turned back to it to scrutinize the ‘sink’ once more: it looked nothing like the ones back home. I mean, the ones I knew had a basin that held the water, a drain, and… a… faucet… the hole probably acted as a faucet and I just spotted the drain. Did I really forget what a sink looks like? I rolled my eyes and shook my head before turning back to my companions. “So ya got any neat stuff?” Swirly face-palm-er facehooved as Hexane pointed at something further into the room. A stone pedestal with a glass dome that hovered above shined in the fluorescent light of the arcane fixtures in the ceiling. My face lit up as I hopped onto the pedestal before spinning around, trying to examine every inch of the cool little structure. My exploration was interrupted by a clack that made my teeth vibrate. The muted voice of Swirly pierced the glass dome that now surrounded me. “Just stay in there for a while so that we can siphon some of your mana into containers.” I shouted back while glaring at the two. “Why do you need my mana?” “For further testing later. Now just stay still while Hexane monitors the machine.” I stared at them for a moment longer before purple bolts of lightning began to arc from the top of the glass dome to a pair of tesla coils that hid in the shadowy back corners of the room. I snapped up a chair, a cup, and some coffee. I snorted before I taking a sip. I mean, would it have killed them to at least ask beforehand? Rude. I shook my head. Then again I was really asking for it by jumping right on… whatever, we can chat afterward. The lightning looked cool and I doubted that my friends would try to hurt me. I mean, I’m a draconequus, what’s the worst they could do? Ch 4 - NeedlezAuthor's Note sorry for things being so slow going but I found several things on Royal Road that I love to read and had my ass handed to me by my college class. Ch 4 - Needlez I should never have thought it, it’s the ultimate jinx! ‘What’s the worst they could do?’ The splitting headache that refused the soothing chill of an ice pack decided to answer my question with another particularly strong throb. I really shouldn’t taunt Murphy like that. Another pulse of pain sharpened the ache in my forehead as another thought pierced the curtain of pain. Who’s Murphy? A voice with an odd accent pierced the void I formed by screwing my eyes shut. “I really don’t know what else to tell you, Starswirl. All of ze readingz show normal fluctuationz in power! Ze mana focal pointz are a little bit vonky but othervize everythingz fine!” Swirly’s voice hurt my ears when he shouted back. “He has enough power in him to rip apart a mountain with nothing but levitation spells and you’re telling me that taking three canisters incapacitated him? Are you unaware of how ridiculous that sounds?” I heard a sigh come from my new flamboyantly German companion. “Look, Starswirl, I know it soundz ridiculous, buuuut it’z true.” I finally opened my eyes to see the same gray stone walls that seemed to follow me everywhere in this tower, lined with white cots and covered in medical tools. My gaze passed over dozens of saws, scalpels, and needles, all hung on… hooks? Why is he hanging up each needle individually? I shook my still aching head before looking over to the pair of bickering unicorns. My friend Swirly was arguing with an all-white unicorn with an unusually sharp horn. The image of a needle full of blood stamped on his flank made me roll my eyes. Not ominous at all. I sighed as I felt several vertebrae pop back into place. With a yawn, I floated up into the air, and the fire all over the inside of my skull sputtered. “Well that was a nice nap, could do without the magic hangover though.” I scratched my back while Starswirl scowled at me. “Stay here until Mr. Healthy Needles tells you to go.” I cocked an eyebrow. “But I feel fine, spiffy even!” Swirly sighed as he trotted under me. “Please, for the love of everything good, just do it.” He stopped after opening the wooden door outwards to look back at me from over his shoulder. “Please.” With that, my friend walked out to… wherever he needed to be I suppose. I shrugged before turning to the supposed ‘doctor’ who was now grinning from ear to ear. My smile suddenly felt a lot more shallow as the crazed unicorn stepped forward. “Uhh, I know that Swirly probably said your name and all, but I kinda missed it. Do you mind clarifying?” The manic doctor chuckled. “Oh, my name iz Doctor Healthy Needlez and ve are going to get to know eachozer very vell.” Oh God. My vision shifted as I swear I felt my eyeballs shrink in their sockets. The maniac was now staring at me without blinking like some generic horror movie villain. “Letz go practice some medicine!” He chuckled after finishing, then he laughed, and finally descended into the evilest cackling that I’d ever heard. … Why Swirly? – -- Everything itched. I had several disembodied claws scratching at every square inch that could be reached without breaking skin or any laws of physics. I twitched about in the air, trying to make room for the appendages to satisfy the creeping itch that seemed to burrow into my skin. “And they call you a doctor? I swear it’ll take hours, hours I tell you, for this to go away!” Dr. Needles, or as I like to call him, Doc Itchy just nodded along as he pushed another slide into the holder of a microscope that he had on a table at the far end of the room. “Mmhmm, yez, interesting… vut?” Doc Itchy leaned back for a moment with a frown before peering into the microscope again. Then he stepped away to look at me. Then back to the microscope, but before I could say anything he spoke. “Vhy is your blood red?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Wasn’t it before? He shook his head. “No, it vas some strange mix between yellow and orange.” I blinked. “Ok, and?” He scowled in response before manning the microscope again… or would the term be ‘ponying’?” I shrugged before looking around the room for what must’ve been the dozenth time. The walls were still lined with medical implements, sans a few needles, and the cots were still a mostly sterile white. However, the one that I floated over while Doc Itchy assaulted me with needles, was covered in a rainbow of colors. When I focused on it, the blood turned white. After a moment of staring, I grinned while zooming in on the plate that Doc was focusing on. I was rewarded with an irritated snort that preceded Doc turning away to rub his temple. “You know vut? Zis can vait for tomorrow. Typhon?” A smile spread across my face as I guessed what he wanted. “Yeeeees?” “You may go.” I whooped with excitement before charging straight at the door. Doc raised a hoof and probably said something, but before I could hear, I had already phased through the door like a ghost and had shot down the hallway. Several twists and turns later I rammed into a unicorn. I hunched over in the air as I averted my eyes in shame. Note to self: fly a little bit higher when going fast. A familiar voice called up at me from the floor “Ok, who the buck was that?” I glanced down to find that I had bumped into Clover! A genuine grin infected my visage as I dragged the slightly flat-faced unicorn to her hooves. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry my dear, but I was just so excited to find you and I rushed a little too much through the hallways.” I hunched over while my smile fell and I looked away. “I hope we’re fine.” Clover tilted her head as she stepped closer. She put a hoof on my shoulder to get me to look at her, and she met my gaze with one of confusion. “Calm down Typhon, why’re you so nervous?” I scratched the back of my head as my sight flicked around, struggling to maintain eye contact with Clover. “Well, it’s just you’re my first real friend since waking up in the forest a couple of days ago.” I frowned for a moment before adding. “I think it’s been a few days anyways.” I shook my head. “I know I call basically everybody ‘friend’ and give away nicknames like it’s going out of style.” I focused on keeping my eyes on Clover, if only for a moment. “But I’m not stupid enough to believe that everybody’s gonna be a wonderful paragon of virtue. The only reason I’ve been so trusting is that I’m pretty sure I’m virtually invincible.” I scowled at the wall as I added. “It’s probably not the safest of ways to live life.” I returned my attention to my friend who maintained a solid poker face, but I did notice a crack in the mask; the edges of her mouth were curved up. My scowl faded into a faint frown as I set a talon on her shoulder, mirroring her gesture of comfort. “However, I want you guys to trust me, I want you guys to like me, I want you guys to want me around. But trust is a two-way street, so I need to give a little if I want a little.” My little grin fell as I finished. “I want to feel like I have a home with friends if not family.” Clover’s face twisted into a sly grin. “You want to start a family with me already? Jeez, take a girl out to dinner first. Why dontcha?” My face went redder than a tomato marinated with liquid rock as I sputtered out several incoherent sentences. Fortunately for me, Clover brought me back to a state of cognizant thought with a boop on my snout. “Chill out big guy, it was just a joke.” There was that twisted little grin again. “Or was it?” And so I became a tomato again. “But seriously Typhon, we’re cool. It’ll take way more than that to make me do more than yell at ya.” I coughed a couple of times before floating down the hallway. “Thank you Clover, it means a lot to me.” She grinned again. “The library’s this way ya doofus.” I would say that I reddened at the correction, but I don’t think it would've been possible. Ch 5 - Words in PracticeAuthor's Note New chapters should pick up with my new freedom from college. And don't forget to comment! Ch 5 - Words in Practice My mind swam through a turbulent lake of information. A set of statistics regarding mineral compositions would strike my consciousness before falling away to make room for a slice of logical theory to cut its way through my head with its dense ideas. Pictures referencing anatomy would materialize before melting into magnificent depictions of geometric patterns that chipped away at the edges of reality and pushed or pulled at the strings of causality. I rolled with the mental punches, trying to survive the skull-splitting headache that pounded the inside of my cranium. I gritted my teeth as I barred the information from leaving, funneling the vast reservoir of knowledge through me and into a pit within my mind. I heard a voice call out a message that barely pierced the sounds of crashing waves. However, the ideas behind the words were caught in a swirling pool of contradictory voices that screamed at each other. The circular argument pulled strands of thought from its surroundings, but it was always let go. The voice called out again and it sounded clearer, but again, its message was lost. I felt a pressure on my chest, not a sudden strike, not a crushing weight, just a reminder, a reminder of… something. “The Reverse Thaumawave Theorem postulates that waves of ordered mana are passing through and interfering with each other constantly. This has been blamed falsely for many diseases, but it is almost positively the driving force behind entropy. In this essay…” I shook my head as the voice shouted something. I shouted back. “I can’t hear you!” It responded with an angry screaming message. “I don’t understand!” “Crystalline Structuralism is a, in its current state, untested hypothesis that claims that all societies follow a fractal pattern in their progression in magic as magic itself is a self-policing natural construct that…” “What… on… you… help?” I heard the question, I felt the intent, but it came in patches broken up by the all-consuming white noise of a violent storm. “The Yak Thingy Principle is known as a crude unscientific addition to the scholarly community made by the Yaks. However, thorough testing and minor revisions to the precise wording has made it a cornerstone of aura tracking spells.” “What… going… do… need help?” The voice broke through the maelstrom, and I heard enough to respond. “No, I’m alright, just give me some time.” I felt faint unease in the acknowledging response I received but I grinned as I finally managed to push the tides of ideas back, letting me chew on things at my own pace. I bound the artificial lake with bars of solid will and left the contained sphere of liquid learning, returning to my mind at large. Though, the last dregs of the ‘Yak Thingy’ principle echoed after me, saturating my mind with its final lines. “Therefore, if we should ever find a being with a projected aura, we must immediately seek to contain it. Such abominations are not gods, they are not ‘spirits’ as they sometimes claim, but rather, they are monsters with unequaled potential for mayhem.” I shook my head as I opened my eyes. The echoes of some faint idea whispered a meaningless string of words into my ear, rendering my skinny dip in the pool of knowledge I’d just acquired moot. “Seek out the stones of Fated Harmony, they are your only hope.” I heard but didn’t understand, I knew the words, I knew they meant something while together, but I just couldn’t connect them. Like a bunch of same-pole magnets, the ideas bound together in that language just would not fuse. Before I could begin worrying, Clover tapped my side as she spoke. “Are you alright Typhon? You sort of…” Her face scrunched up as she finished. “Collapsed.” I blinked a couple of times before scratching the back of my neck. “Oh dear, how long was I out?” Clover’s lips pulled into a thin line before she responded. “Only for a few seconds. What happened though? Did something go wrong? Did-” I cut her off with a wave of the claw as I rose back into my usual position in the air. “Oh no, everything went perfectly, I just didn’t expect the information dump to be that…” I paused with a frown to find the right word. “Overwhelming, I suppose.” I shook my head as I continued. “I got bits and pieces so far, but I’m going to need some time to assimilate all of that.” I clenched my fists to force out nigh inaudible pops and I smiled as I twisted in the air to lounge. Clover cocked an eyebrow, and her worried expression hadn’t completely faded when she began to speak again. “What do you mean ‘assimilated’?” She shook her head. “And Typhon, please please please give me some warning next time if you’re gonna pull something like that!” I bowed my head as I responded. “Alright, I’ll let you know next time.” My concession was rewarded with a relieved smile, but I continued on. “As for what I meant by ‘assimilation’.” I scratched my chin for a moment before continuing. “I took a lot of knowledge that was just floating around in here and some of the stuff trapped in those books wadded it up and stuffed it into my head.” I pursed my lips. “Of course, now I believe that may have not been the best of ideas.” My casual comment set off a series of twitches in Clover’s right eye. “How the buck did you just grab the knowledge and stuff it in your head?! Do you have any idea how many unicorns would kill to be able to do that?” I shrugged at the quickly frazzling Clover. “Nope, what’s the big deal? I just manifested a metaphysical concept. You unicorns do that all the time.” I punctuated the statement as I waved at a unicorn who had frozen with a book beside him in the air. The stallion’s eyes were wide and glued on me but the scholar in him still managed to keep the text hovering in place. Clover snorted and narrowed her eyes at me as I went on. “I mean that guy is manifesting the metaphysical concept of force to hold a book while gawking at me and I don’t see you all staring at him as if he was a giant pile of bits!” I shot several looks around the library at various unicorns who had their gaze locked on me. Thankfully, meeting my eyes usually got them back to minding their own business. Clover just sighed as she brought both hooves to cover her eyes. “Typhon, Levitation is just a manipulation of basic thaumafields, no manifestation, no big complex equations, not even any foundations, it’s basically hardwired into unicorn biology for crying out loud!” Her voice took on a distinct whine at the end of her statement but I just shrugged it off before moving on. “Eh, I got what I need, I can just sift through the stuff later.” Clover sighed again as she walked back out the large wooden door from which we came. “Fine, let's go outside and try some stuff out.” I nodded before floating after her: pulling the door shut as I passed it by. … It took us a few minutes to traverse the strangely winding corridors of the tower before we finally reached the bottom. I tapped Clover on the shoulder and gestured towards the staircase that we just descended. “How do you ponies fit so much corridor into so little room? I swear we were walking for almost half an hour, and we weren’t even anywhere near the top!” Clover rolled her eyes. “Something something, folding space, something something, nonorganic thaumaturgical foci, something something. It kinda went over my head when Starswirl gave me a multi-hour lecture about it when I asked.” I flinched at the mention of such a long lesson. I raised a claw to speak but was cut off by Clover before I could respond to her awful experience. “Can we just get out of here, please? I’m itching to try out some pyromancy now that Starswirl lifted the ban on it.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Swirly banned pyromancy? I might be full of it, but I feel like that would be a very common school of magic.” Clover nodded as she pursed her lips before responding. “It is, he just banned me from doing it.” I chuckled. “Dare I ask?” Clover’s deadpan could have killed a whole kitchen of cooking utensils with such intensity. “No, you don’t.” I shrugged before pushing the large metal doors of the front entrance out of the way. I flinched as a blue bolt bounced off of an invisible barrier just feet in front of me, but I was back in the air and looking around in moments. Dozens of unicorns were lined up off to our right; firing off various beams of magic that showed off effects ranging from a fresh-looking mustache sprouting from the target’s face to turning a patch of grass blue and rigid. I swiveled to the left and almost tried to duck a lightning bolt the size of my entire body. However, I resisted the temptation and watched with interest as the line of electricity fizzled out before even striking the ward structure. I shook my head before turning to Clover. “Alright, so where to?” It barely took a minute for us to find ourselves on a barren circle of rock. Gravel crunched beneath my toes and my eyes scanned the ring of stones that surrounded us. It looked like a desert expanded a million feet in every direction from our arena. Though, visible distortions in the air and nigh invisible lines of light spoke of the illusion that hid our true surroundings. “You ready?” I shifted my stance as I focused on Clover and responded with a nod. I was met by a grin as her horn began to glow. I stared at the glow surrounding it: lines were fading into reality and forming intricate geometric patterns. The cage of magic cables solidified before sparks of fire flew outwards. In a split second, the sparks became a flame, and the flame became an inferno. The conflagration grew and grew as it spread out. The ocean of fire washed across the sands, licking angrily at the air as it closed in on me. A smile was plastered across my lips as I brought my hand up in this place of slowed time and clenched it into a fist. As the fire was about to reach me, it froze. The flames whipped against an invisible barrier, and I grinned as I watched Clover’s expression transition from smug to confused. The fires spent what felt like minutes raging against the vacuum I created. No air, no fire. The unicorn shook her head, and I got a good view of each strand of her mane flicking in the breeze. Sweat glistened in the sunlight but my attention was pulled back to her horn as she began casting again. This time the air gained a misty quality around her, and fractals formed over her horn. I cocked an eyebrow before tilting my fist and shaking it. I watched the air in front of me contort beneath the pressure and I swear I saw sparks begin to fly. By the time her spikes the size of my head had formed, my heat shield was ready. Her triumphant smile melted just as quickly as her icicles. Rage burned bright on her face as sparks of electricity arced around her horn. Ozone invaded my nostrils as I snapped my fingers. She frowned as I grasped the metal pole for a moment before I pulled away. While confident, Clover remained wary as she stared at my pole and me for a moment. However, in my world, that moment took an eternity. She sent one last glare at the steel rod before refocusing on me and unleashing a bolt of electricity. The explosion of power was almost a foot thick and crossed the distance between us before even I could perceive its flight. Fortunately for me, it decided that my metal rod was the more appealing target. The world sped up as Clover huffed. “I can’t even touch you!” I shook my head as I responded. “Nope! Not even close.” She scowled at me before snarling. “Then why don’t you take a shot? Maybe I could learn a thing or two.” I stroked my beard before shaking my head again. “I would either just blast you with more power or use concepts that you unicorns have no ability to abuse with magic.” I smiled at her as I finished. “Besides, I don’t want to hurt you by accident.” She snorted as she began walking toward me. I raised an eyebrow as she got near but before I could open my mouth, she spoke. “Look buddy, just because you’re a weird-looking guy with more power than intelligence doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself!” My eyebrow remained where it was as I stepped back from the seething unicorn. I raised my hand and snapped. For a moment Clover froze and brought a shield up. She gave me a quizzical look before I shrugged. “Oops,” I said with a smile, and for a moment there was quiet. Then the world darkened in anticipation, and the air clenched in fear. Every unicorn on the field bore witness to a second sun burst into reality above. For the briefest of moments, the world went white before a roaring thunder struck the earth with the force of a falling mountain. Everyone but me was thrown from their hooves and I grinned at Clover's face of frozen shock. “I missed.” Ch 6 - FalloutAuthor's Note This was supposed to be out yesterday but I fell asleep. Plan on tryna get another one out today, but no promises. Ch 6 - Fallout I felt grains digging into my eyes as I rubbed them with bare knuckles. My talons clicked and my hoof clopped as I trudged down the hallway. I scanned the blank gray stone walls of the passage while I shifted to scraping at my other eye. Miniscule lines were the only signs that the rock around me was a building rather than a tunnel, but the cracks widened and webbed out in certain areas as I went deeper. Seconds became minutes and the minutes melted together, causing me to miss the passing of the hour. What was I thinking? I turned a corner as I felt a patch of skin fall off of my arm. I sighed as I passed a hand over the wound to seal it before wiping my face. Hours, hours wasted cleaning up that crap! I shook my head as the corridors seemed to stretch out before me. Each step making less progress than the previous. With a snort, I hopped into the air but before I could move forward, I dropped like a rock. I scowled as I got up and reattached the horn that fell off. ‘How bout I show off a little?’ He thought. ‘I’m a draconequus, I’m invincible, so I should be fine.’ He lied. I growled as I finally swung open the door to my room. Bare stone walls, a low bed with white sheets, and an empty desk with a wooden chair greeted me. At least no one got hurt… I winced at the memories of the screams and crying. Unicorns were scattered all over the ground and the fields were torn up. The grass was scoured from the ground, the few trees scattered around the testing areas were flattened, and the tower itself had cracked. …permanently. Fortunately, Healthy Needles was very good at his job and I was able to keep the tower up while Swirly patched up the load-bearing walls. We’re both going to need to be there to fix up the foundation but everyone decided that it could wait till tomorrow. I fell into my bed and lay there for a time before my mind began to drift. “... theorem discussed the possibility of nigh-infinitesimally small particles that make up every other known thing in our small world. It is theorized that breaking apart said particles would result in an immense amount of energy being released. However, the conditions necessary for this to occur are not known, so further study has been determined futile. However, the particle…” The unbidden knowledge meandered into my conscious thoughts as I began falling. My eyes grew heavier and heavier while my mind remained active. “The Civil Development Postulate is the leading counterpoint to the Crystalline Structuralism argument, and it hinges on the idea…” My dreams were filled with cotton candy, chocolate milk, and fire. I dipped in and out of lucidity, forcing myself to absorb more knowledge every time I managed to listen. However, one thought dominated my mind, covering every other idea, and smothering any passing tendrils of laziness. I can’t make the same mistake again. My jaw flew open, as if of its own volition, and I stretched my limbs in every direction I could, feeling the joints pop as bones shifted in place. I rolled out of bed and stood up but when I finally managed to pry my eyes open… nothing. I blinked, then screwed them shut and pried them open again in case I got it wrong the first time. A couple moments of deep thought revealed the issue at hand. I shook my head as I snapped a lightbulb into existence. The electric light buzzed as I sent it to hover above my head with a wave. Another moment passed before I decided to walk out into the hallway. Only to find that it was also pitch black. Wasn’t this all lit yesterday? With a raised eyebrow I floated along the hallway… for all of fifteen seconds before bumping into a wall that blinked into view inches from my face. With a snort, I snapped my fingers and hissed as blazing sunlight stabbed my eyes with lances of pain. When those spears of fire were about to reach my brain I heard Swirly call out from behind me. “Finally up, are you? Well, welcome to the land of the living then.” After rubbing the rest of the spots out of my eyes I shot a glare at Swirly. “Well, I’m sorry but I didn’t exactly get a wake-up call.” Swirly snorted. “Of course you didn’t, your alarm clock got cut off just like all of the other amenities in there.” I frowned while scanning my friend. His mane and beard were ruffled with locks of hair branching out in every direction like some messed-up tree. His cloak was wrinkled all over and I could definitely make out a new crease in his hat. “Are you alright, Swirly?” The bags under his eyes seemed to evolve into mattresses at my comment. “My name’s not ‘Swirly,’ and no Typhon, I am not ’alright.’” He sighed as his hoof rubbed circles into his forehead before continuing. “The foundation is cracked, the ward work for the yard got shredded, the structural integrity enchantments at the base of the tower are loose…” He continued for a couple of minutes, trailing issues that ranged from “needs new batteries” to “basically unable to function anymore” in severity. I cringed at a few related to the plumbing and bit my lip at the bits about walls needing repairing. “... and finally, the main crystal is out of alignment. It will take weeks to get it back in line with the leylines.” Leylines? I know I heard about that in the lectures. It took a few moments of chin scratching but my face lit up when I found the answer. “Oh, that’s right! Leylines are central conduits for thaumaturgical power, right?” Swirly scowled at me. “Yes, thank you, it’s not as if unicorns learn that as foals.” I continued on as if he hadn’t opened his mouth. “And you power your tower with it right?” Swirly growled in frustration. “Yes, you idiot, and I’ve been telling you that for the past ten minutes!” I rolled my eyes before finishing my idea. “So why not plug me in for a bit? I mean all the crystal is doing is funneling the leyline's power into whatever magical circuit you have going on. It shouldn’t be too hard to stand in for that overpriced rock for a moment.” My wide, toothy grin was faced by one of the grimmest, stormy scowls that I’d ever seen. Thankfully, I resisted the urge to hang a pair of rain clouds above his head to complete the look. But some lightning would really add to the drama… I shook the thought away as Swirly finally responded. “That ‘overpriced rock,’ as you called it, has kept our tower running since I founded our organization. It has more than paid dividends with what it has done for us.” He poked my chest with a hoof. “And I dare say, that if you had not shown up, then none of this would have happened!” His scowl had descended into a snarl. My eyes stung but I knew he was right, so I kept myself together. I blinked back before letting my expression go flat. “Why do you think I helped you when the tower almost fell over? Why do you think I’m willing to continue to do so?” I rose into the air further to hover over the irate archmage. “It’s definitely not for your hospitality, Starswirl.” I let my face contort into a frown. “It’s also not for the food.” I began to circle him in the air. “And I really have no further use for your library.” I landed on all fours in front of Starswirl, still towering head and shoulders above him. “The only reason I’m still here is because I’m the one who caused this mess.” I gestured at the churned fields of rock. And because Clover’s my friend. I left the last thought unspoken as I glared into Starswirl’s grim face and leaned forward to speak in a tone barely above a whisper. “I don’t need you, Starswirl. I don’t need your tower. I don’t need any of you ponies. I just so happen to have a conscience.” With that, I hopped into the air and snapped. A wave of power covered the field in a glowing white sheen. The landscape melted from jagged spikes and uneven turf into a flat plain full of swaying grass. Another snap preceded several pieces of land vibrating until it was reduced to loose dirt. Yet another snap ground those circles of dirt into sand. I turned my attention to the tower. Hundreds of cracks ran from the top to the bottom, spider webbing all over the hexagonal structure. Chunks of rock were missing from the sides, windows were shattered, and the top had crumpled in on itself. The gem that hovered over the top was tilted and slightly off-centered as well. A snap made lost chunks of the tower float from their new resting places to fill in the holes they’d left on departure, cracks pulled closed, and like a broken tent being pulled into its proper state, the top of the structure unfolded. I stared at the huge glowing gem for a moment, but shook my head instead of snapping again. No, I don’t want to mess things up any more than I already have. With a sigh, I turned back to Starswirl and raised an eyebrow. “See?” He gulped before nodding, and I took that as my cue to leave. A flash accompanied my departure, but Starswirl's last words followed me to my destination. “Maybe that principle was right…” What? I shook my head before looking around. There were groups of unicorns running between piles of equipment, some holding papers, and others tools. As I watched I saw several structures rise from piles of scrap and witnessed smoke begin to rise from a couple with chimneys. I tilted my head at the new buildings but smiled when I saw a particular unicorn leaning against a cart full of books. What if she’s scared? Suddenly, my smile lost a lot of its strength. I mean, I couldn’t blame her. I did essentially flatten the landscape. I considered just leaving her be but a few seconds of thought had me deciding to just get it over with. I tried to make my grin seem genuine as I strolled over to a drooping Clover. Though I suspect one could easily see through the lie. “Hey Clove-” Her glare cut me off. “Do you realize?” She sucked in air through her nose before letting it out in a long, slow breath. “How much work.” I could almost feel the weight of mountains just looking at her eyelids. “You made for me.” My eyes flicked to and fro as my smile strained against her mood. “Uh, huh, well.” I scratched the back of my neck before continuing. “You did say ‘I can handle myself’ so…” A quick glance revealed her twitching eye before I squeaked out. “No hard feelings?” She snorted. “If you could make it so that I had two more hours of sleep last night-” I cut off any further comment with a snap that brought a cup of steaming brown liquid in front of Clover. My grin gained more confidence as, with a flourish, cream, milk, and a spoon of sugar all fell in. “It may not be quite as good as sleep, but coffee can still do wonders for mornings!” My ears flattened against my head for a moment. “But do mind the taste, the stuff is more bitter than a teacher grading late work!” Clover eyed me as she grabbed the cup with her magic. Her glare turned on the liquid before she took a sip. One second passed. She licked her lips. “Not too bad.” Another second. She looked at the cup with a half-faced smile. And on the death of the third second Clover brightened up. The bags under her eyes vanished, and her grayish coat filled in with color as she straightened up with a smile. “Wow, this stuff is stronger than that fancy Saddle Arabian tea they serve in the cafeteria!” I nodded with a smile. “Well, that’s good to hear.” She took another sip as she turned around to walk away. “Sorry Typhon, but I gotta go. I wasn’t joking about the work. See ya later!” I waved a few times as she left. Well, she seemed… as spirited as ever. I suppose that’s a good thing. With a smile, I turned to go find something else to do while I waited for Starswirl to get over himself and just ask for help with the crystal. I scratched my chin as I scanned my surroundings again. Several groups of unicorns had huddled together in groups that reminded me of classical color wheels. I grinned as I floated up to one of the circles of ponies, but my ears flattened when I heard what they were talking about. “Weeks Sapphire! Weeks of work down the drain because of that idiot! Why I oughta-” His friend shushed him as she looked around. Unfortunately for her, I had already ripped a cloak of invisibility over myself. “He could be anywhere, it’s best to just not talk about him.” The rest of the pony troupe nodded in agreement before moving on to other topics. Oh… I floated to another group next to what appeared to be a make-shift bakery. I think I can remember some recipes from home… But do they have vanilla extract? I shook my head while smiling as I drew near. Or better yet, how well do they handle salt… I frowned for a moment but shook it away as the ponies’ voices bled into audibility I really should ask about it. “Please tell me he’s just passing by us!” The yellow mare was hiding under a table within the tent that covered the temporary oven. I puzzled at the mare’s distress as I walked in. I jumped when something smacked against a board with a loud crack. I spun to see a unicorn mare that was as tall as me when walking on all fours. “If he ain’t then you’ll bake the pieces ah’ll leave behind!” I blinked a few times before deciding that dealing with a madmare as big as a small wagon wasn’t a very fun idea. I tiptoed out of that striped pavilion as fast as my feet would let me. After I was out, I hopped into the air and zipped to another group, hoping to find someone somewhere that needed some help. I touched down near a slapdash forge. The bricks making up the forge itself were loose in their sockets and passing examination revealed that there wasn’t even any mortar holding the blocks together. Some of the pieces were cracked and others were beginning to slide out of place. Even if the weight from their fellows kept the loose bricks in place at the moment, it was obvious to me that it wouldn’t be long before a serious accident could occur. I shrugged before snapping and loose bricks slotted back into place while cracks pulled themselves closed. A whiny, high-pitched stallion called out. “What was that?” “Nothing important, boy. Now get those bars in order, we have a job to do. I stuck my head around a corner of the forge. Several posts held up a square, red and white striped cloth above a pair of unicorns that stood next to a stone table holding bars of silvery metal. The hunks of metal called to me, pulling my gaze from the ponies for a moment, but I shook off the weird feeling so that I could refocus on the conversation. “I don’t know why you’re insisting on this. I mean come on, the tower just rebuilt itself a couple minutes ago and even the ground got fixed!” The smaller blue unicorn was pleading to a gray stallion that was almost as big as the crazy baker. The big guy shook his head before his deep voice rumbled back. “The tower still isn’t whole, Steel Ring. The power’s still out and Hexane needs all of those extra plates for some fancy project.” The teenager groaned. “She made that order like a minute ago! Couldn’t it wait until we get back into the tower?” The big guy shook his head before turning from Steel Ring to pick up a couple of the bars. “No, for all we know the top mages might need these plates to realign the central crystal.” Steel Ring sighed. “Fine, but does it really have to be runic steel? That stuff is a pain to work with!” The massive smith glared back at the apprentice. “Look boy, I’ve been patient because I agree with most of what you’re saying.” He stepped towards Steel Ring, towering over the now sweating teenager. “But we got a job to do. You will learn this now, the easy way, or you’re going to find out later the hard way.” He leaned down, glare still at full strength. “In this world, if you don’t work, you don’t eat, and if those in charge don’t think you’re good enough, they’ll replace you.” The big smith sighed before straightening. He looked towards the forge before flinging a couple of bars into the now roaring flames. For a moment, I began sweating as his eyes passed over me, but he didn’t even pause to look at me. Oh, invisible, right. I grinned nervously as the smith looked back to Steel Ring. “I want those bars prepped for shaping by the end of the hour, now get to work.” The smith turned towards another table, this one covered in various hammers and chisels, while Steel Ring rushed to the forge with a glowing horn. I stepped forward, ready to lend a hand, but before I could drop my veil, I heard the giant unicorn muttering. “If I ever see that moronic noodle again, I’ll use his head to hammer myself a new anvil.” With that lovely promise, I decided that the big guy had things under control and skipped out to go find someone less… murderous. So I flew onto the next tent. Only to find a similar situation. It was the same in the next group. And in the next one. And the next one… Eventually, I took the hint and floated towards the wood’s edge, and with one last look at the tower, I dove in. I’ll be back, they just need some… time. With that thought, I settled onto a tree branch to watch the local wildlife. A couple birds swooped through the air with the noisy beat of flapping wings. Squirrels scampered through the trees with soft pitter-patters marking their passage. Rabbits bounced by on nervous feet that thumped against the earth. … At least, that’s the hope. Nature seemed… undisturbed by me. It was nice. I smiled as I let the muscles in my back relax and closed my eyes while listening to the wind whistling a tuneless melody. Ch 7 - Bait“… Therefore, if we should ever find a being with a projected aura, we must immediately seek to contain it...” I woke up with a scream as I fell off of my sleeping branch. The world became a blur of greens and browns as I fell through the air. My landing made a dull thump when I hit the grassy floor. I didn’t feel anything break, hell, I barely felt the fall at all. “Such abominations are not gods, they are not ‘spirits’ as they sometimes claim, but rather, they are monsters…” I shook my head as I clambered to my feet. My breathing had quickened and was growing more and more shallow. The world was darkening as I felt my eyes begin to ache. Abomination? Monster? No no no no, I am not a monster! I clenched my eyes shut as I took deep breaths to slow down my heartbeat and leaned against a nearby tree. The rugged bark felt warm to the touch. It was odd, it felt like a hug from a grandparent on Christmas. Like a bright and sunny summer day smiling down upon me. But it didn’t stop the dread, oh no, it still remained and I could feel it taking my mind within its frigid grip when the last line fell into place “… with unequaled capacity for mayhem.” I felt cold. Not the icy stabbing of frostbite, not the creeping panic of being trapped in icy water, no. I felt the emptiness of a blizzard, the bleak skies of Winter, I felt the gnawing hunger of the frozen north. No, I am not a monster! The pretentious pricks who made the principle are probably just like Starswirl: too full of themselves to see others as more than tools. I gritted my teeth as I pushed off the tree, staggering for a moment before leaping into the air. I felt my stomach clench while I weaved between the trees. The towering monarchs of the forest passed me by in blurs of brown and the undergrowth reduced everything below me into a solid carpet of green. I dodged branches and flew over shrubs. My ear twitched at howls in the distance as the sun pierced the canopy above. Minutes sprinted by, and seconds crawled to a halt. The light flared and the world darkened. Anger boiled in my heart while hate froze my mind, but hope wormed its way into both. Across the miniature town made of pavilions and tents, on a hill in front of the mage tower, was a trio of ponies. One of pristine white, another of sickly yellow, and a third of dull gray. I wound up to shoot right over but a memory stopped me. “Maybe that principle was right…” I shook my head with a grimace. He could have been referring to any number of ‘principles!’” I shot another look at the ponies Then again… I set my jaw as I pondered the situation. I could eavesdrop a little I suppose, maybe even teleport back over here to make it seem inconspicuous. I scratched my head as I twisted my lips. But they might spot me. My frown deepened at the thought. Invisibility perhaps? It worked the last time we met. Almost as if on command, a line of words paraded through my consciousness before looping back to my personal pit of knowledge. “Structural fractals rebound off of any sort of surface, visible to the naked eye or otherwise. All spells radiate said fractals in various quantities, the most potent of these being spells that…” I grimaced at the thought. Great, can’t just walk up to them. I looked up to gauge the possibility of just flying over, but an open sky dashed such hopes. Not from above, not in plain sight… I tapped my hoof while I brainstormed up more options. Portals have the same problem as invisibility. Increasing senses would just muddle up the conversation because of the noise from the camp. My tapping came to a stop as I looked downward. But how about from below? I was nodding now while I paced in circles. I could just tunnel over there, drill a hole in the ground nearby, and stick my ear near the conversation! With my plan now set, I snapped a hand drill as large as me into existence. A grin infected my face while I started spinning the hand crank on the side of the cartoonish device and began my underground quest! Dirt sprayed my face, rocks bounced off my head, and I would occasionally run into something too strong for my drill. However, I made progress, and over the course of a few minutes, I judged myself close enough. I stuck my tongue out and snapped a tiny version of my drill to tunnel up to the surface. Another few seconds of waiting had me grimacing at the taste but a hole now ran from my little tunnel all the way up to the surface. I brought my fingers together for one final snap to bring a pair of cans attached by string into being. I planted one can in the hole and punched it. The coils of string rapidly disappeared into the tunnel as the can neared the surface. I took a couple of deep breaths before putting my ear to my end of the makeshift telephone. “I’m telling ya Girder, steel might be stronger but iron is easier to work with! We don’t need these things to last all that long either, just until…” I flicked my ear as I tried focusing on another set of voices. “And then he gave me the mug of, uh, I think he called it ‘coffee’? Anyway, that’s the first time I’ve ever had somebody actually try to help with that sort of thing…” I shook my head with a smile as I tried to find the right conversation. For a moment I worried that I surfaced too early. I know I didn't overshoot because my targets were the closest to the tower and I was quite sure that I hadn’t run into that giant hunk of rock. “…and Hexane has made great strides in discovering some of the deeper mechanics behind magic. Specifically, how intent and close observation affects the outcomes of a spell.” However, my concerns were dashed upon the rocks when I heard Starswirl’s voice. A hoof scuffed the ground before Luna spoke. “I appreciate the thorough report, Starswirl, but I-“ Luna’s voice was cut off by Celestia’s correction. “‘We,’ Luna, remember the royal ‘We.’” I could almost hear Luna’s eye roll through the cans. “Is that truly necessary? What’s next, ‘We’ revert to the patterns of speaking from several hundred years ago like the more pretentious of the nobles?” I heard Celestia sigh before responding. “We may well have to, Luna, but enough of this. Were you not the one who was in a big hurry to travel here?” Luna snorted as she went back to addressing Starswirl. “We would rather get to the point.” Starswirl's sigh preceded a voice filled with dread. “I hate to ask this of you, Princesses, but I need help reinstating the tower wards.” Celestia was the first to respond. “I don’t know why you’re so hesitant, Starswirl, my sister and I would be more than happy to help. Now, which ones are giving you trouble?” Nervousness was laced through Starswirl’s weak chuckle. He cleared his throat. “Pretty much all of them.” I pursed my lips as I kicked at the dirt beneath me with a talon. Both alicorns took in a sharp breath before Celestia’s far more strained voice ended the silence. “Might I ask why they need repairing?” Another bout of quiet bumbled through the conversation and only died off when Starswirl spoke through gritted teeth. “Typhon.” My ears flattened against my head while Celestia asked what he meant by that. Starswirl growled while he tried to answer. “He, well he, ugh.” The mounting rage in his voice deflated when he sighed. “If I’m being honest Princess, I have no bucking clue.” A faint thump interrupted his sentence but he continued on in a haggard tone. “One moment he was fending off my student’s offensive strikes.” No pride, no satisfaction, not even a drop of acknowledgment for that whirlwind of fire, ice, and stone was spent on that statement. However, before I could ponder his apathy, Starswirl continued “The next, a second sun just pops into existence around four miles above our tower.” He snorted before adding. “The bloody thing shredded all of the yard wards, cracked the tower badly, and even knocked the damned central crystal out of alignment!” A long sigh fell out of Starswirl’s muzzle, resembling a waterfall of absolute fatigue. “After the crystal got struck, the defensive wards, the structure augments, and even the foundation webs broke.” I was forced to listen to the background white noise of the camp while I waited for one of the Princesses to start talking. Luna’s voice pierced the backdrop first. “Sister, I told you so.” “Not now Luna. Starswirl, do you have any idea what Typhon did?” Starswirl’s voice replied with a big fat ‘no’ before adding. “And all I could get out of the monstrosity was that the explosion made a sort of mess that nopony could see.” He snorted, continuing by saying. “And I don’t doubt it. By the time he finally came down, patches of skin were literally sliding off of him.” Starswirl paused, probably to shudder, before finishing. “I even had to remind that madman to put his eyes back in place! How the buck does one simply forget that their eyes are melting?” A sigh preceded Celestia’s question. “Ok, do you have any way of containing him? The Yak Thingy principle suggests a sort of Fairway cage.” Starswirl snorted. “Yes, that simple electric construct was a base for our design. However, we had to tighten the mesh and add tubes to account for the unstructured spells he seems to favor…” The unicorn began to weave in and out of complex jargon that would’ve required a quick dip into the library in my head. The pair of pony Princesses just stood quietly, waiting for the great wizard to finish. “…In short, yes we have a containment field that should be able to hold him. It would probably be best to drain some of his power first though.” A moment passed before Starswirl threw an idea into the open air. A horrid, despicable, conniving idea that would rankle any idealist's sensibilities. “I could have my apprentice lure him into a trap. Yes, it shouldn’t even be that hard. Just set up the containment, fake a tea party or something, and close the door when he’s inside.” Luna called out a seemingly glaring flaw in this wonderful plan that I was listening to. “Wouldn’t that risk the lives of Clover and anypony else caught in the trap with the beast?” “So?” Silence hung over the trio, strangling the conversation. Then Luna’s voice exploded at Starswirl, she snarled and her words were shouted with growling undertones. “So? So? That’s all you have to say about risking the lives of other ponies? Have you no empathy?” Starswirl’s calm voice retained a sense of serenity, of cold logic. “Of course I do, but it’s a matter of costs. Either somepony leads Typhon into the cage or we run the risk of an immortal child with enough power to bury both of you going on a rampage! And if I judge correctly, he seems close to it already.” Luna seemed to have missed the last sentence, judging by her response “Bettering the lives of our subjects, Starswirl, that’s the charge of a royal. My sister and I cannot afford to sacrifice ponies because of some hunch you-” Celestia’s voice cut through Luna’s message like a knife through butter. However, little deviations in pitch, a choppy tone that broke up the sentence, and the fake force behind the statement, all pointed to a hidden strain for… something. “Yes Luna, protecting our ponies is our first duty.” She swallowed before continuing. “To that end, I believe that Starswirl’s idea holds some merit.” Luna snorted without any further response so Celestia added. “However, Starswirl, are you sure that Typhon would be likely to attack soon, if so, why, and is it truly necessary for us to risk lives in the manner that you have suggested?” Starswirl sighed before an answer came, though the weariness behind the words gave the message all the more weight. “Yes Princess, I do believe that Typhon is close to snapping. At least, that’s what our latest interactions have indicated.” Starswirl seemed to crack as he talked. “There’s also the matter of that explosion that nearly flattened our entire operation. Oh, I almost forgot that he stuffed our entire library into his head!” He forced a pair of short, diseased chuckles before wheezing. “That was so fun to hear, you know. One moment, I was minding my own business, looking over the latest deep-scans of our leyline, and I get some panicked colt bursting into my study while shrieking about the freak collapsing in the library.” He took a deep breath before hissing out his next line. “By the time I got the full story out of him, another pony trots in and calmly lets me know that Typhon manifested a metaphorical concept. Apparently, he thinks that’s what we do with levitation!” The mage groaned “As for why we need bait, he’s sensitive to magical imbalances. The first time we took samples of his mana, he passed out after just two canisters. The poison from the explosion we talked about a minute ago was not visible to the eye, to any sort of magic scans, buck, the majority of our equipment just picks up nothing but static in the mana waves from his spell. Yet he could sniff it out like a bloodhound would a rabbit.” Starswirl blew out a breath before finishing. “So, yes he’s dangerous, yes he’s unstable, and yes, we need bait.” Someone took a deep breath and Celestia spoke. “Then we will prepare. Starswirl, prepare the trap. Luna and I can distract him with…” The rest of her words faded away into the echoes of the can when I pulled back. I glared at the silvery metal while thinking. Though those ideas were far too dark to remain in the light of conscious thought. Instead, they broiled in the depths of my emotions, steeping in the extremes that spoke to me. Anger shrieked for me to burn the sky and singe the earth with a hurricane of fire. Sadness wept a river of words, each telling me to run, to hide, to no longer burden the ponies with the dangers of my presence. Disgust told me to leave, that this trash should be left behind. Hope’s muted voice attempted to reason with me saying, ‘it could be a misunderstanding. Maybe they really didn’t mean it.’ I didn’t believe that. In the center of this whirlpool of emotion, I stood. My thoughts were blank, my emotions outside of me, and I felt cold. So very cold. Snowflakes danced around me, falling from a pitch black sky. My breaths began to mist as my body shivered from the drop in temperature. The vibrant fiery red of my anger faded to the dull gray of ash. The deep blue from my sadness faded while the pool of worries swirled and twirled before calming itself. The creeping dark green of my disgust wilted as the jungle that represented it died all at once. All that was left was that perfect black sky, those serene falling flecks of white, and an endless sea of gray. It was calming. It was quiet. It was cold. Ch 8 - CageMy teeth ached and my face felt strained, but I kept grinning. Starswirl stared at me as Luna glared and Celestia smiled. However, the edges of her facsimile of happiness were marked by creases. Our gazes met. Her white ears twitched, her pristine wings shifted, and her fluffy chest quivered now and again. Her face may be calm, but the rest of her revealed that lie for what it was. They want you in a cage. My own voice whispered that traitorous notion in the depths of my mind. The words danced around the edges of conscious thought. It both was and wasn’t me. A small piece of the whole that saw the truth for what it was The only question is ‘what bars will they use?’ I floated above the traitorous trio, faking excitement at their presence. It only had only taken a snap for a bright light to whisk me away to the edge of the forest. Happiness was an easy mask to put on but hard to maintain. I tilted my head as Celestia spoke, and my gaze narrowed when Luna stepped closer to her sister. Luna’s horn glowed a deep midnight blue, in contrast to her yellow coat, but I paid that no mind. Instead, I focused on Celestia’s words. “Hello Typhon, it is good to see you again.” My brain seemed to push against the walls of my skull and my jaw clenched, trying to hold the lie in. However, I was determined. I had to know, had to see, had to be absolutely certain of their choice, so my smile remained as I responded. “Likewise, Princess. What brings you to this little corner of the world?” Celestia giggled before responding. “It’s next to the center of the country, Typhon. This isn’t the corner of anywhere.” I let a frown flash across my face before forcing the mask back on. “Well, that still doesn’t answer my question.” My animated gestures and happy-faced façade must have reassured Celestia, despite the hurricane of whispered accusations thundering through my head. Her wings settled and her ears calmed. Celestia’s smile widened as she spoke. “Oh, we just got word of trouble brewing at one of our research towers. Apparently, the wards need to be replaced.” Her grin twisted in amusement as she added. “You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?” I chuckled as I waved a dismissive hand toward her. “Oh, it wasn’t anything all that bad. I just broke some of the basic building blocks of reality. Turns out reality didn’t appreciate it very much. Made quite the light show.” A wink accompanied my shrug while I finished. “Then again, who doesn’t like showing off every now and again?” Starswirl choked at the casual mentions of me playing god. Luna stared at me and her glittery yellow mane began to whip in the wind. However, she held her peace as Celestia overcame a brief look of shock. “Well… that does sound fun, but could you please avoid it in the future? I would rather not come here every week or so to fix wards.” More requests, more demands, more excuses to lock you up when you fail to comply. I snorted while waving my claw again. A cloud of green smoke trailed after it and I glared into the sickly smog as I began. “Yeah, that won’t be a problem. Such… activities create quite a mess that is really hard to track. Well, at first anyway. Even I have issues cleaning up after such events so I won’t be making it a habit.” Oh, don’t lie to yourself! It was fun, it was worth it, and it will happen again. Celestia’s entire form drooped in relief before stiffening again at my next comment. “It was enjoyable though, making a second sun, I mean. I might have to find a nice little sandbox so I can have a little bit of nuclear fun every once in a while.” Luna spared Celestia the fate of trying to tackle all of the implications behind that statement by giving her dear sister a whole new source of high blood pressure. “Enough dancing around the subject! Return my coat to its natural state, beast!” They see an animal, remember that. I frowned at her before shrugging. “Alright.” Luna harrumphed in grumpy triumph, but her banana-colored face scrunched into a scowl when I continued. “On one condition.” Luna’s objection was broken by Celestia’s sigh and before the lemon-hued alicorn could begin again, Celestia asked. “What is it?” My grin grew three sizes at that comment before I twisted into a lounging position. “Two words, space lice.” Luna turned her nose up at that. “And what in Tartarus is that supposed to mean?” Laughter preceded my response. “Just what the name implies, Luna.” I twirled in the sky before dropping to the ground in front of the angry yellow alicorn. I loomed over her with a grin that glittered in the shadow cast by my body. Luna grimaced while she looked me in the eye, and I just smiled. The silence began to squeeze the air between us as a pit settled into my stomach. Eventually, Luna took in a deep breath, growled, and then spoke with defeat infecting her tone. “Fine, whatever you suggest, it cannot be worse than…” She gestured to herself. “...this.” My chuckle echoed off of nothing as I snapped. A blinding flash of light burned away the yellow dye and left behind a rotten gift in her mane. I grinned at Luna as the spots left my eyes and revealed a dark blue alicorn standing before me. “Deal fulfilled, congratulations on the new look, Luna. Though, you could have just shaved and let the hair grow back. All I did was use an especially stubborn dye.” Luna’s head shook from the tension in her neck tugging in every direction at once. Every muscle in her face tried to pull into a snarl but she managed to hold a mostly neutral, flat-lipped expression. I smiled as Luna’s stilted show of gratitude forced its way out before she teleported away. I turned towards a poker-faced Celestia with a wide smile. “Well, I suppose that’s that, anything else?” Celestia sighed while shaking her head. “Why must you antagonize my sister like that, Typhon? Can you not try to be nicer, please?” I shrugged “Well, I could…” But she wants to kill you. I scratched my chin as I leaped into the air. After hovering for a moment or two, I continued. “However, she is the one antagonizing me. So until she apologizes, she gets what she gives.” I closed my eyes while adding. “At least one princess has the sense not to start a fight with a demigod.” I snorted. “I mean, really, how stupid would one have to be to give me a reason to be their enemy.” I opened an eye to peer at a now sweating Celestia. “It’s good to know that I have one such friend, right?” Celestia coughed into her hoof before stuttering out a response. “Y-yes, that is a good thing… wait, Starswirl, are you alright?” I spared a glance for Starswirl and blinked in shock. The haggard unicorn was curled up and stroking his tail while muttering something about ‘breaking the law Quantum Tension’. He twitched every few seconds and avoided eye contact with me. I flicked my tail at him. Just another reason for them to chain you. “I guess I am simply too much for him to comprehend.” I chuckled as the ground beneath me began moving. “I do have places to be, Princess. See you next time!” I got no response as I passed from the light of the sun into the shaded maw of the tower. The stones that held up the doorway seemed to bear down on me as I passed, but I paid them no mind. The animated rug in the lobby curled beneath me, the images ran, and the fabric seemed to shrink away whenever possible, and I ignored it. The tower's magic seemed to circle me like a starving wolf… or more of a determined guard dog, but it was unimportant. I had other things to worry about. The library had the peculiar scent of old books. The stale sourness wafted through the room like a fog rolling over a town at dawn. Aged ink tainted the purity of the smell with a tinge of faint copper that made me think of blood. Lamps shone pure white light throughout the room, banishing the shadows from worlds both physical and mental. I smiled as I flipped through the yellowed pages of a volume held in my magic. I crossed my arms and hummed while the paper crinkled as it moved. “... therefore, to create a double, however useful it may seem, would simply be impractical in combat situations. However, fearful mages of the higher calibers could still…” The blank-faced brown book was buried somewhere deep in my mind and I could have read it from the comfort of my dreamscape. However, learning while asleep left me tired in the mornings. I yawned before moving on to the next passage. “In conclusion, such spells are best reserved for avoiding direct confrontation rather than adding another front on which your opponent must fight.” My magic dug beneath the page, ready to flip to another, but the satisfying crunch of paper was cut off by Clover’s voice. “Hello Typhon, uh, you wanna go have some tea later?” I tilted my head as I turned to look at my friend. Her smile was wide, too wide, her mane was mostly straight but I could see the odd strand sticking out at an angle, and her eyes only ever met mine briefly. Please just be nervous, please don’t be a traitor, we can be friends, I promise. My words bounced off of the borders of my mind and twisted to the point of unrecognition. They were my words, I spoke them, but they didn’t match what I thought I said. Watch for the cage, it is coming. Despite the pit in my stomach, despite the ache in my heart, I smiled. I had to fight back a tear and choke off an unwise question as I responded. “Sure, Clover. When?” She waved a hoof and stuttered out. “Oh, uh, in a couple of hours maybe?” My face brightened as my mind darkened. “Yeah, that sounds fine to me.” My weary tone fell on deaf ears as my ‘friend’ scampered off to wherever those backstabbing traitors were. All of a sudden, the ever-present lamps that hung from the ceiling barely pierced the shade. I let my smile fall, closed the book, and let out a long, deep sigh. The only forms of company I had were the piles of books stacked upon the tables around me. I wanted to beg for reality, God, anything to prove my suspicions false. However, whenever I started, my voice would begin to echo through my head in long peels of laughter. My talons clicked on the stone floor as I strolled down the hallway. My face was stuck in a neutral position, with no emotion escaping the mask. I turned a corner as I called out. “Clover, where are you?” I heard my own voice repeat the question over and over. I waited for the echoes to die before calling out again… no response. I sighed while my eyes dropped and my tail dragged on the ground. Eventually, my voice stopped repeating. I opened my mouth, ready to try again, but before I could, Clover’s voice struck me like a hammer. “Over here, Typhon!” My head swiveled and in a moment, I turned towards my ‘friend’ before smiling. However, as the clopping of her hooves neared, my grin wilted. Only a ghost of my happiness remained: replaced by a facsimile that seemed to fool Clover. Her head hung close to the ground, her limbs trembled, and her breath heaved in and out in quick gasps. She gave me a weak smile before asking. “Why are ya all the way out here? The place was on the other side of the castle.” I chuckled as I started in the direction she came from. “Well, how was I supposed to know?” Her answer bled uncertainty.. “I... told… you.” I cocked an eyebrow before replying. “Really now, are you sure?” A grin spread across my face when a look of realization appeared on hers. I even managed a few guffaws when she brought a hoof to her face while apologizing. Several moments passed before the quiet became stifling. I held my peace, ready to wait for the trap, but Clover broke the static. “So, uh, how’s your day been? I can't remember the last time I asked so-“ She’s growing a conscience about this? No, she’s just afraid of you. Remember, to them, you are nothing but an animal to be feared. I cut off any further rambling with a wave of the paw and sent a wave of anger through my mind to silence the voice. “It’s quite alright. Though, wouldn’t it be better to save the conversation for tea? I mean, it should only take a minute or so to get there.” Clover’s head twitched while she nodded, and her agreement came out in a stuttering, rushed manner. “S-sure.” My throat clenched at the fear in her voice. I mean, who could really blame her for being afraid? If I was doing this I- The treasonous piece of my mind shattered the chains that I shackled it with, and the whispers returned to speak the truth of the situation. Forget the sympathy, she’s getting ready to backstab you, you naïve child! My shoulders slumped as the gravity of what I feared settled in once more. Clover made no comment. Seconds stretched into minutes, and those few minutes seemed to sap hours of my life away. The stones on the walls elongated as my vision narrowed, and a door came into view. It was a simple door that hid the maw of the trap I imagined. I could almost see lines of metal stretch from floor to ceiling around the entrance to my cage. Come in, come in, the cage is fine. So said the treacherous equine. I shook my head as the door opened with a flick of my magic and forced a smile while glancing at Clover. “Mares first.” Into the jaws. She took a deep breath before smiling back at me and stepping through. I paused in the doorway when I spotted bars of metal stuck in the wall. How did they manage this so quickly? I only heard them planning this a few hours ago! I shook my head before strolling to one of a few wooden chairs around a circular table. The walls were bare rock, the ceiling a perfectly smooth stone slab, and my talon clicked on the white tiles making up the floor. I spotted a window that gave me a view of the landscape outside the tower. There were still a few tents out there with smoke puffing out of the cloth ceilings. Literally the first window I’ve seen in this place. Not suspicious at all. The chair creaked beneath me and I stared down at the table’s surface. It was polished to the point that it could act like a mirror. My smile weakened as I drew a claw down the reflective surface, admiring the new lines at the corners of my eyes. I waited for a few moments but the clopping of hooves never stopped. A second of thought led my eyes to the doorway where Clover had frozen in place. Her eye twitched as she lowered her head, all while maintaining eye contact. “Uh, I forgot the tea. I’ll be back in a minute!” I chuckled before I waved the door closed with a flick of my wrist. The wood plank slammed shut and a click followed soon after. When the opening had shut, I felt my strength begin to drain away. Every breath, every blink, every moment left me weaker than before. Clover yelped when the door struck her rear before pressing backward again. “Oh, no need for that, I can just whip some up right here and now.” A bright light flashed on the table when I snapped and a plain white tea set was left behind. The ceramics clicked as I shifted them around the table. Clover tentatively crept around the table to sit down in the chair opposite me. The clicking of plates and cups continued as I formed three more sets, arranging them in place next to Clover. Two larger sets landed to her right and a smaller one on her left. She was glancing at the china while I turned towards the window. With a snap, a brick floated out of its place in the wall before rocketing through the glass. The sparkling shards of the one-way mirror burst inwards and showered a trio of ponies in sparkling glitter. Their eyes were wide but the princesses fell into a combative stance in a mere moment. Though a web of wire and wards still glowed between us. My eyes began to droop when I waved a claw at the newly revealed ponies. “I do believe that it is more fun to drink tea rather than watch other people do so.” Celestia flicked her gaze to Clover and back to me before she responded. “I apologize but we cannot join you, Typhon.” I smiled as I chuckled, even slapping a knee to sell the act. “Oh ho ho, I’m sure you can, Princess. If it’s a time constraint, I’m sure I could help you with it!” The smile hurt as the muscles in my face strained to keep up the façade. Celestia sighed as she straightened. “Typhon, I am sorry, but for the good of Equestria, you must be sealed.” I let the smile drop as a flash consumed the tea set I had created. The mana used in the constructs flowed back into me to beat back my fatigue. I stared at Celestia for a moment before turning to Luna. “Thoughts? Regrets? Any sort of remorse?” The blue alicorn looked down her snout at me before turning around and walking away to a door behind the traitorous trio. I snorted before glancing at Starswirl. “How bout you ol’ buddy ol’ pal? Anything ya got to say to me?” Starswirl’s face scrunched up in disgust before he joined Luna. The world was already darkening and my skin felt thin. Every gust that resulted from shifting air pierced my hide while chills began to seep into my bones. I turned to Clover. My voice was weak and my doubts voiced themselves. She doesn’t care, she’s like the rest. "And you?" And my heart sank at her words. “I-I’m sorry, Typhon. It was their idea!” Tears stained my face as I watched the unicorn back away. All I could do was whisper a question, a simple question with an insidious answer. “Why?” Clover froze in her tracks before gritting her teeth and screwing her eyes shut. “They said that you could snap at any moment, that if you did, then a lot of ponies would get hurt.” She swallowed hard before opening her eyes to glare at mine. “They said that I was the only one who could lead you into this. I’m sorry but this was necessary.” A weak smile crawled onto her face before she finished. “I-I promise to visit you if the Princesses let me.” I raised my clenched fist just in time for it to vanish completely. I whispered to Clover with a frown on my face and venom on my tongue. “Doubtful.” Clover gasped while going bug-eyed. Someone behind the window followed suit and a glance told me that Celestia was the source. I swung to face her before strolling up to the barrier. Patches of my skin were fading to nothing, and my imbalanced head tilted further off-kilter as a horn disappeared. My paw poked through a few holes in the mesh. It slowed the drain but not by much. “Please, Celestia, you don’t have to do this.” My eyes were getting heavier and I could feel my legs beginning to evaporate. My tired gaze stared into Celestia’s, begging for mercy. Her eyebrows rose in shock, then twisted concern before her horn began to glow. My heart jumped into my throat at the site. Maybe she was truly sorry. Maybe she was going to free me. Maybe- Maybe she’s just going to put you to sleep so she doesn’t have to listen to your pleading. I shook away the thought as hope flooded my amazed smile. Then another voice crushed my fantasy like a steamroller would a can. “Do not listen to him, Sister. You have seen what he can do by accident. Imagine the devastation that would occur if he was trying to hurt others?” I wanted to glare at Luna, but my lower half chose that moment to disappear. The ground flew up into my face and my remaining arm completed its deletion before I could brace against the impact. My disembodied head rolled to a stop before a horrified Clover. Her eyes were wide, her jaw was slack, and her ears were flat against her head. Her face of frozen shock was the last thing I saw. … Ba-dump’ A noise, an important noise, the first noise I heard in this colorful house of lies that I now call my world. Ba-dump’ It greeted me once more in the void. A perfect blackness flooded my eyes and my mouth filled with the taste of iron mixed with bile. See? To them, you are only an animal for them to fear. My voice became the second thing that I heard in this void. Only the sound of my heart and the shadowy echoes of my own thoughts accompanied me on my voyage. I was only gone for a split second, a fragment of a moment, but that void took something from me. I don’t know what it took, my memories seemed intact, my power was not diminished, and my true body remained the same. However, something died with that copy and all I could do was move on. I shook my head as I sat up in my bed. The covers were still white. I glanced around the bare room while considering my options. I could lecture them all about how wrong they were to do what they did and move on. I mean, nothing permanent actually occurred, right? Except something did happen, something did change, and they are to blame. After telling them off, I could just forgive them and pretend that this never happened! They tried to kill you, Typhon. Clover would be smiling, Celestia would apologize, and Starswirl would go back to curling up in a ball. They want you dead, Typhon. I mean, it couldn’t end just yet, I haven’t even gotten used to everything about this place! I can’t make too much of a fuss. Who knows, maybe there was more to it and- THEY MURDERED YOU. My vision was darkened by my hands covering my face. My breaths came in a quick, jittery cadence. They stabbed you in the back and when you didn’t go down instantly, they left the knife in. But I- No ‘buts’ Typhon. They tried to kill you! You need to make them pay. That’s not right. I would never do that. It is right, it is justice, and it is necessary. No! Before the voice in my head could speak again, I snapped. The white light faded to reveal an open sky above me and a tower below. Another snap saw me removed from visibility, and a third brought me a floating carpet. I latched onto it and willed the magic square of cloth forward. Every moment that I could think, the voice told me to go back. It would whisper, it would speak, it would yell. Every word reverberated through my consciousness, seeping into my soul and making my head throb to an unheard beat. They will try again, it said. You need to end them before they can threaten you, it reasoned It is justice, it declared. I only ever had one answer, and when my voice was drowned out by the shouts of the other, I screamed my rejection to the heavens. “NO!” Ch - interlude -Clover felt the cold stone beneath her. It was a solid sort of cold; the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and grasps at the core of your being. That icy chill was the only sane thing left in her world. The room's window was really just a strange screen of lies, but now, it lay shattered all over the ones who told the falsehood. The tea and the ceramics associated with it had vanished as if they never existed in the first place. The walls themselves were only recently shifted to where they now were, and they hid numerous bars of runed metal that stretched to the ceiling, perhaps beyond. The window, the tea, the walls, her loyalty, were all lies. She was his friend, friends were supposed to stand up for each other! Yet, at the first opportunity she had, she stabbed him right in the back. No, she didn’t, she couldn’t have! In reality, she told her friend, she warned him. She was still his friend. Typhon still smiled at her. Her world blurred as something got in her eyes, and when it dripped into her slack jaw, it tasted salty. She couldn’t see the table, she couldn’t see the broken glass, she couldn’t see the ashes, and Clover was fine with that. None of it was real, none of it could be real. If only she could see what really happened, then maybe her friend would be laughing with her about something over a cup of tea. Maybe it would be about one of Starswirl’s long-winded lectures? Perhaps some off-color joke about smiths and their hammers? Whatever tall tale Typhon was telling right now, Clover hoped that he would repeat it to her when she woke up. And dismiss the memory of those wide, hurt, yellow eyes. Celestia’s eyes were growing heavy. The ashes that lay just beyond the black mesh constantly refreshed the memory of what had just occurred. The day had started out fine. Just some issues with wards in the tower. Just a quick visit to realign the tower's main crystal because some apprentice got overly zealous. Just a small errand that she could attend to while being out and about. Then Starswirl came running to tell her of Typhon. Then came the realization that she had a national threat running around a research tower like a puppy. However, unlike a puppy, she couldn’t get Typhon into a kennel. Celestia sighed as her wings folded against her back before she straightened. There was work to do, ponies to see, and plans to set into motion. However, when she turned to leave she saw Starswirl frozen in place, staring at the pile of dust that was once Typhon. She cleared her throat. “Starswirl, are you alright?” The gray unicorn remained stuck, causing Celestia to frown in concern. “Starswirl?” Then she heard the muttering and noticed that his mouth was actually moving, if only slightly. Starswirl’s whispered words barely reached Celestia’s ears, and when they did, all meaning was lost to the alicorn. However, he would occasionally twitch and a phrase would jump out at Celestia. “Dead… logic is safe… is he?... no?... yes?...yes… please.” Every word teased out another piece of his message, and every few twitches Starswirl would blink before going silent. Only for him to begin again moments later. Celestia’s eyes froze on the wizened wizard. She had never seen him like this, not when the sirens came, not when Tirek roamed the lands, and not even when he took the empire with him. After a few more repeats, Celestia shook her head to clear away the last dredges of shock before walking over to Starswirl's side. A blast of magic cleared shards of glittering glass away from their hooves and Celestia gently nudged Starswirl with her wing. Eventually, the unicorn took the hint and collapsed into a ball of twitching muscles. A few seconds passed with Celestia’s wing over Starswirl before a thought pierced the cloud of worry Where is Luna? However, Celestia dismissed the thought when Starswirl shifted and concerns for her sister vanished when the crazed mage began laughing. Luna trotted down the halls with a grin covering her face. Her coat was back to its natural blue color, the beast that made a fool of her was dead, and her friend was jovial. Her friend was there when the chimera made her yellow. Her friend was there when nopony else took her side. Her friend was there when nopony else bothered. Her sister seemed to like the beast, and the staff back home were always wearing those false masks of loyalty whenever they spoke around her. It was painfully obvious that her sister was behind the idiocy when lines like ‘wow the constellations are very nice tonight’ or ‘I wonder if the spoon of Tauros will be out’ reached her ears at the leading edge of dusk. Why would any comment upon the stars while the sun still glared down at them from the sky above? Luna loved her glittering children of the night but even she knew they had a time and place. As for the Spoon of Tauros… she had ripped that pathetic image asunder a century ago when Minos fell! Luna’s face darkened at the thought of Minos, but a comment from her friend lifted the shade. After all, why should she let the past bog her down in the present? Her plans were ahead of schedule, she could afford a diversion like this. Things were going well, she should be happy! Yet a cold pit ate away at a hole in her stomach. Luna shook her head to clear away the hesitation and set her jaw. She had work to do. They had work to do. Where should they strike next? Ch 9 - Journeysthe whole back of my spine popped in multiple places every time I shifted. Each shifting bone sent its own fragment of suffering, burning through each joint. A deep stabbing ache cut through my eyes. My breath rasped, searing the insides of my raw throat with barely noticeable pain. It had been days since I’d stopped. My gaze was fixed on the horizon and only moved to avoid singeing my irises with bright lances of sunlight. Heedless of the lush forest below, I floated onward. Onward I stared. Onward lay my goals, my focus unwavering. A ringing in my ears drowned out any thought not related to that distant horizon. It grew louder, more intense, to the point it felt like a spear had been jammed into one ear and came out the other. They’re after you. I shook my head. The princesses probably thought I was dead because of that stunt I pulled. However, that wasn’t a guarantee so I kept flying west. The carpet bunched beneath my fingers as I gripped it You can’t keep running Except I could. I could run, I could hide, I could leave them in the dust for the rest of my life if I wanted to. They will always catch up. They- Tearing my focus away from the horizon, I pulled my mind together and stuffed the nagging voice in a far-away corner of my mind. I trapped the nuisance beneath my pool of knowledge and sealed the pool with a block of obstinance. When I finished, my headache receded, leaving me to sigh in relief as I turned to stare at a passing village. Maybe later. I don’t really feel like dealing with any more nonsense for a while. I turned away, ready to float towards my goal once more, a scowl adorning my face. The mental haze began to return but before I lost myself to it again, my eyes shot open. Now grinning, I started towards the village with a new thought shattering my melancholy. They’re scared because I look like a monster, not because I am one! I began to experiment with different possible pony forms. My body flashed several times, flickering between earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn forms, dozens of possibilities realized and discarded in mere moments. Eventually, I settled on a gray unicorn with a map as a cutie mark. I pointed one hoof skywards as a grin grew on my face. “And my name shall be Path Finder!” I directed my carpet downwards into the forest. The graceful square of red fabric slipped past the forest tree canopy and I hopped off of it onto the soft grassy ground. I poofed a pair of saddlebags onto my back and began to make my way to the village. The odors struck me first. Freshly baked bread, and roasting vegetables, among less… pleasant things. As I got closer I also began picking out noises coming from the village. The clopping of dozens of hooves, the drone of a crowd, and metallic dings that rang above the rest. The clopping of my hooves alerted a pair of wall guards to my presence. I saw them peak over the edge of their fortification. “Halt, who goes there?” I flattened my expression as I replied: “Just a traveler looking for a shortstop.” “A stop? Where would you go from here? Other than the mines, there’s nothing of value anywhere near here.” “I’m off to explore mysterious lands, and this is my last rest spot before I hit uncharted territory… on my maps at least.” I slipped a couple of recently fabricated maps out of my bag to punctuate the point. The guard stallion squinted at the papers that floated up to him before he shrugged. “Very well, we’ll run a quick search and you should be good to go.” I nodded. “Alright. Uh, what does that entail exactly?” The unicorn’s horn began to dimly glow a midnight blue. “Just stay still for a moment.” Tingling sensations slithered across me in slow, methodical passes, making me shiver. The itching beneath my skin intensified as the magic passed over my horn. After the magic had taken its course, the unicorn guard nodded at his fellow. “He’s clear. No corruption, no illegal magics, and no illegal substances. He did feel a little weird though.” The presumed leader of the duo squinted at me as I smiled nervously back at him. Eventually, he shrugged. “He doesn’t look off. Maybe you’re just overthinking things again, like yesterday.” The unicorn visibly cringed. “I swear they were acting suspicious!” The first guard snorted. “We’ll discuss it later.” “Lift the Bar!” The stallion craned his neck backward and shouted. My poker face fell into a wide smile as I passed through a pair of wooden doors. A cobbled road marked the threshold dividing town from country. The street shot straight ahead into a corridor walled by many kinds of buildings and speckled by stalls of various sorts. There were dozens of ponies occupying the street. Some were standing in front of stalls, others were talking in jovial groups, and some were just trotting by. As I walked, new smells assaulted my nostrils. The bread from before was even more prominent now, but I could also pick out the sweet scents of various pastries. The odor of roasted vegetables filled the air as I passed a food stand. The drone of the crowd grew louder as I went deeper in. The stalls that only dotted the road before now formed a full-on wall of commerce, each standing only feet away from the front door of one building or another. The smells that previously dominated my senses were quickly whisked away by a whirlwind of new odors. Spices drifted up my nose one moment, cheeses the next, and occasionally I got a whiff of… Gragh. Yugh. I had to stifle a gag, but I managed to keep my lunch down. They have magic. Why do they put up with having that everyyywheerre… My thoughts petered off as I realized that a sewer cover had been left open, but before I could close it, a pair of tiny putrid ponies climbed out… And they were children? An adult stallion walked up to the fair of filthy fillies with a small bag in hoof, glaring as he gave them the clinking bag of coins. “You better have done it right. If I get any complaints from the unicorn sector I’ll-.” One of the fillies rolled her eyes. “Sir, we haven’t got it wrong yet.” The earth pony's glare hardened further before he sighed. “Fine. Now scram! I got more important things to be doin’.” The pair of children galloped away with the bag in one of their mouths. I tilted my head as I passed the spectacle. My eyebrows drifted downwards in thought. Couldn’t they just clean it out with magic? I shook my head as I noticed the market thinning out. I looked back and found that I had passed the town square entirely. Once more, I turned forwards, now in search of an inn. There were a few buildings that lined the street, but only one had a sign hung above its door which said Tabherd Inn in plain lettering. It was entirely wooden, had simple windows, and lacked any other decorations. The worn wooden door swung inwards on well-oiled hinges to reveal a warm room beyond. Circular wooden tables were scattered across the room with several chairs at each and occupants filling a few. One in the corner held a pair of quiet, hooded earth ponies. Another, in the center of the chamber, had a quartet of stallions: two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus. They all had half-empty mugs before them and their conversation charged the air with enthusiasm. “I’m telling ya, Brickhead, rebels got 'em! They’ve never been this late, and the rumors are getting more common.” “Look, Stopper, I like you, I really do, but that’s hogwash. Why the hell would anyone rebel? Celestia’s brought in more trade, cut taxes, and we got better medicine nowadays.” The first speaker shrugged. “eh-I don’t know Brickhead. What I do know is that ponies are talkin’, and they’re talkin’ bout rebellions.” Opposite the door, a bar counter stood. A gigantic earth pony mare sat behind the counter absent-mindedly wiping out a glass. “Bah, ponies always talk. I mean just last week everypony was on ‘bout…” I wove between the tables and tried to tune out the talkative stallions. The bartender looked up from her work before she set the clean mug below the counter. The mare greeted me in a raspy voice. “Hello sir, what can I getcha?” I put my hoof under my chin to appear to consider my options. “Hmm. A room perhaps? I’ll probably only be here for a day or two.” The bartender smiled. “Can do sir, seven bits a night. That’ll get ya a room, breakfast, and dinner. Though seconds’ll still cost extra.” I dropped fourteen bits onto the counter, and the mare tossed me a key. She nodded at me before pulling up the same mug from before along with a cleaning rag. I trotted up the stairs located to the right of the bar counter and headed towards my room. Bed, check. Covers, check. Nightstand, check… Bedpan, ew. After finishing my room check I trotted back down to the ground floor. As I reached the bottom step, one of the quartet shouted. “Can ya Just. Shut. Up. You’ve been on bout rebels for the past hour! Brickhead doesn’t believe ya, Cloud Striker doesn’t believe ya, and yes. I. Don’t. Believe. Ya. Either!” The angry unicorn took a deep breath before continuing in a normal speaking voice. “So get that stupid idea outta your head, and just accept that Belle’s caravan is just late. Or maybe goin’ a different direction. Besides, her lot are clothing focused, why in Tartarus would any rebellion kidnap her?” Cloud Striker snorted. “Armies need clothes dolt. I don’t think that the Belle caravan got kidnapped, but that doesn’t mean they’d be useless to a rebellion. Winter gear, under armor padding, flags, hell even cleaning rags. An army needs seamstresses as much as it needs cartographers, fletchers, and cooks.” The unicorn was about to butt in again, but I chose to duck out before he could. My gaze passed over several different stalls and buildings. An orange stall, a vegetable stall, an apple stall, a flower shop, and so many more stretched down the street all the way to the town’s entrance. I meandered towards the town square and lost myself to the market. The orchestra of rhythmic clangs sounded out from a forge just out of view and provided an almost steady beat to the crowd’s droning melody. Minty spices slashed through the haze of pastry odors only to be buried under a mountain of fresh foods. Apples, oranges, leeks, spices, cabbage heads, carrots, and so much more. Every stall held its own unique merchandise with some in baskets and others on counters. The bakery’s scent grew stronger as I neared an intersection. Off to my right, I saw a hole in the line of carts that left a door and display window unobstructed. Pastries, loaves of bread, and cakes all could be found with more promised just past the door. Almost without thought, I found my hooves carrying me towards it. I reached for the door, and… SLAM “Get back here ya gremlins! Those aren’t yours!” A pair of fillies had sprinted out the door and tried to brush past me with loaves of bread in their mouths. However, before they could scoot around me, I yanked them into the air with my magic. The little brown earth pony thrashed about while the ocean blue pegasus tried to flap her way out. Neither succeeded of course, but their efforts were still commendable. More crashing emitted from the store as I heard the owner roar “I said get back here! I’m gonna tan yer worthless hides for this!” The two children suddenly stopped and whipped their heads towards me. They used their ultimate weapons, a trump card without peer. The dreaded puppy eyes. Their massive eyes gazed into my own as their gargantuan shiny pupils started to water. The pegasus whimpered while the earth pony’s mouth quivered. “P-please, sir. L-let us go. We’re good lil fillies. We promise.” I smiled back at them. “I’m sure you are, so, like ‘good lil fillies, you’re going to apologize to the-” “You better be miles away ya worthless rabble or I swear I’m gonna-oh.” The earth pony stallion blinked as he saw the two thieves restrained in the air. “Uh. Thank you, sir. Ya’ mind handin’ em over? Or take 'em to the guard? Either is fine by me.” I looked back to the fillies, then the baker, and back before I quirked an eyebrow. “Why did you two steal?” The earth pony spoke out while the pegasus curled up. “We were hungry.” “So why not buy it? A lot less dangerous if you ask me.” The earth pony snapped at me. “We can’t you idiot! Who would steal bread from him if they got money? Nopony! Especially not us!” I frowned at the sudden shift in tone. “Where are your parents?” The little filly sneered at me and scowled more furiously than I thought possible for one so young. “Try one three two arrowhead lane.” The baker snorted. “Don’t give him lip like that you worthless little-” I cocked an eyebrow at the baker. “What’s wrong? It sounds like a real address, and I saw Arrowhead lane on the way here.” “That mongrel just gave ya the graveyard’s address!” Lines of anger disappeared from my face, my flint-like gaze softened, and my voice lowered. “How much?” “Wha-?” “How much for what they stole?” “Yer gonna pay for them? Are ye insane?” “Less complaining, more answering questions.” The baker huffed. “Three bits for the two loaves. Still don’t know why you’d pay for-” A trio of bits clicked on the street before the baker as I walked away. I pulled the two fillies closer but kept my magic on them. “Where do you two live?” “As if I would ever-” “I assume you two belong to an orphanage, so either you tell me where to find it or I spend all day getting directions from others.” The earth pony continued to scowl at me before the pegasus whimpered. Then the poor feathery thing mumbled something. “Apologies, I didn’t quite catch that. Do you mind repeating yourself?” “Thirty-two seventh street.” The earth pony filly opened her mouth while she glared at her accomplice. However, before a word could pass her lips, I clamped them shut with magic. “Thank you little one, we’ll be there in no time.” It took some time, but I did end up finding 7th street. For whatever God-forsaken reason they put the thing between 9th and 10th street. How?… Why?... Never mind, questioning this is probably bad for my sanity. I shook my head as I entered the alley-like street. The buildings closed in on either side and only left just enough room for the fillies to float beside me. The sun hung just over the horizon, leaving the whole road in shadow. No lights lit the street and no ponies clopped around the road. The buildings here held only faint, faded colors. Some doors were boarded over and vines sprawled over the sides of several buildings. Eventually, the three of us stopped in front of the address. This building was slightly taller than the others, but the colors were still faded and the windows were still glassless. Green creepers hung from the slanted roof but stopped before they got close to the door. Several boards on the upper half of the building stuck out slightly, but no large holes made themselves obvious. I examined the building as I spoke. “So this is it huh?” The earth pony snorted. “What? It’s an orphanage. The buck you expect?” “Language, young lady.” “Yes, I’m using language, thanks for noticing you moronic hornhead.” I sighed as I started forward. The earth pony filly kept slinging insults while the pegasus was curling up tighter. The dim light of the sun darkened even further as we entered, but a couple of lit candles stood at the corners of a reception counter. Nobody manned the desk, so I rang the bell. ‘Ching’ I waited for a moment. ‘Ching’ ‘Ching’ I went to go for another round, but the earth pony filly spoke up. “Maybe, just maybe. Ringing that bell again isn’t going to help because get this: she might be busy. Ever thought o’ that big boy? Gonna keep ringing that bell like an idiot?” I shot her a look so flat that I may have gone two-dimensional. Then I tilted my head. “What’s your name? It’s getting very tiresome calling you ‘earth pony filly,’ and your friend ‘pegasus filly’ in my head.” The pegasus whimpered before speaking. “Cloud Feather.” The earth pony filly snorted as she rolled her eyes. “Sugar Plum.” Before I could question them further, I heard the clopping of hooves. I turned towards the door adjacent to the desk and saw a dull golden earth pony trot through. Her eyes shot wide open when she saw the two fillies hovering in the air. “There you two are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Where have you two been?!” Sugar Plum opened her mouth, but I cut in before she could make an excuse. “I caught them stealing bread from a bakery.” The adult earth pony blinked at me before she turned a sharp glare on the two little ones. “What?! You are both grounded!” The fillies both drooped in my magic “For a week!” Sugar Plum opened her mouth again to argue, but the matronly yellow pony raised a hoof to the filly’s face. “Now listen here, young ladies, if this fine gentle colt hadn’t gotten to you first, you may have been foalnapped, or maybe even sent to the guard! Jail is no place for a filly like you. Now, what do we say?” Sugar Plum ground her teeth while Cloud Feather avoided eye contact. However, they both managed to choke out their false thank you's. The adult nodded before stepping forward. “Thank you, sir. Now would you please let them down?” I floated them onto the ground and the two fillies rushed away through the door. I trotted out the entrance while the matron bade me farewell. My hooves clicked on the cobbled street as I trotted back towards the alley entrance. One look back, the shaded alley looked slightly drab, but I could still pick out the candle lights shining from around window sills. Boards stuck out and vines swung from the roofs, but it still had that warm homey feel that all true homes radiate. A smile crossed my lips as I turned the corner. The sun hung just over the horizon, glazing the cobbled street in a warm orange glow. The golden light capped each stone on the road, letting the slate-gray rocks show their true colors in the shade. The trot back to my room wasn’t very eventful as noone-pony. Nopony stopped me for any reason. Phew, glad that I wasn’t talking there. Can’t afford Freudian slips like that. Wait, who’s Freud and why is he slipping? With a shake of my head, I crossed the inn’s tavern. A couple of quiet stallions huddled together with the bartender over a few mugs. The group and I nodded at each other as I walked to the stairs. One blink and I reached the top and another revealed my door open before me. One more moment left me in my bed, up to my neck in sheets and blankets. I sighed as I let warm thoughts of the little orphanage dance across my semi-conscious mind. Little ponderings like who else lives there, are they doing alright, do they need help? Questions, little concerns, nothing too big. I’ll deal with it tomorrow. With that thought, I slipped past the veil of wakefulness, and into the land of dreams. Author's Note I'M BACK BICHES Heavy editing from DarthBall - Fimfiction UnamusedWaffle - Fimfiction thx for the help Guys!... ...oh also 0fficerZ0mbie - Fimfiction helped a bit to I guess... Ch 10 - Home?Author's Note And so, Typhon has returned! I do not know if I will be able to manage it, but I'm gonna try to get another chapter out next week. No promises though! await your comments with maddened glee! Ch 10 - Home? The sun’s harsh glare pierced my curtains and violently stabbed my closed eyelids which, of course, decided that opening would be a fantastic idea. However, the ensuing flood of retina-searing light quickly disproved that theory. With a mighty groan, I rolled off the bed and got to my fee-hooves. I got to my hooves. I went through my morning routine of popping my back, my neck, and my fingers. Fingers? Crap! I was halfway through cracking the knuckles in my right claw before I’d realized that some of my natural features came back. However, with a snap, the illusion righted itself. I sighed in relief and started towards my door. Glad no one saw that! My hooves clopped on the wooden floor as I trotted through the hallway and down the stairs. The first-floor tavern was, just like last night, only occupied by a couple of stallions and the barkeep. However, after a moment of staring at the trio of ponies, I realized that they were the same ones as the night before, except they all had bags under their eyes. One of the stallions moaned while rubbing his head. “Gooooood morning! Might I know what’s for breakfast?” The three ponies all cringed at my shouting. The stallions glared at me while the giant mare sighed before speaking. “Could ya keep it down, please? I’m havin’ a killer headache right now.” I nodded before she continued. “Alright, so whaddya want?” “Breakfast.” The innkeeper sighed as she rubbed her forehead. “Yes, whaddya want fer breakfast?” “Well, what do you have?” She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. “Ya know what, I don’ really know.” Another thunderous sigh before she trudged through a doorway behind the bar counter. A couple of minutes later, she came back out. “Ok, we got-” She stopped for a moment to yawn. “-pancakes, waffles, fried hay, and some leftover stew from yesterday.” I sat down on one of the stools at the edge of the table. The smooth wood felt soft under my hooves. I felt something pop in my back as I sat down and a smile crossed my face as I began. “I think I’ll have some pancakes.” The bartender nodded. “Fer drinks we got cider, water, regular ol’ juice, and beer.” “Water, please.” The two other sweaty stallions muttered their orders to the barkeep before going back to slumping on the counter. I shook my head at the display before turning in my seat to watch the door. The wooden door’s smooth plane was highlighted with the bright light of morning. The hinges shone, the wood itself glowed, and even the floor next to the door had bright spots speckling it. I turned towards one of the stallions when I heard him moan. “You alright?” He worked his jaw for a moment before yawning. “Yeah, me and Dirk o’er there just had a wild night.” I tilted my head. “Oh? Do tell.” Before he could respond, the barkeep returned with several plates balanced on her back. The ceramic circles held precious cargo that made everypony’s mouth water. The dull-sweet odor filled my nose and I licked my lips in anticipation. In my careful observation of breakfast, I missed the giant mare’s glare. “Yes, dear Hotshot, do tell.” I barely maintained a curious face while I held back my laughter at the resulting stallion’s stuttering. Oh someone’s in trouble! After a moment he managed to compose himself. “Ye-yeah had a small break-in!” I tilted my head. “Well, that’d explain the yelling.” Twitchy nods were his response, but I wasn’t done yet. I made a show of looking around the room and examining the entrance. “But if there was a break-in, why aren’t there any signs? No broken tables or chairs, no cracks on the door, not even any hoofprints on the floor.” I leaned down to fake a close examination of the floorboards. Dirk responded. “Well, we all cleaned up. Do you think we’d just leave a mess for the lady all on her lonesome?” The barkeep shifted her glare to Dirk. “Aye, that ya did. Ye forgot to scrub out the milk.” The stallion’s ears folded back to their skulls as they both looked away. I couldn’t help the smile that I flashed for a moment, but I managed to flatten my expression before anypony could notice. “Well, if you were fixing the door, then that would explain the thudding going on down here. Though, next time could you wait till morning? You kept me up a good portion of the night.” With that, I began breakfast. While I munched away I heard the red-cheeked stallions sigh and the Barkeep snort. Past that, all was silent. After finishing, I teleported my saddlebags onto my back and bade everyone farewell before trotting out the door. The crisp, clean air bit at my nostrils as I traversed the open road. A few ponies trotted here and there but the market hadn’t set up yet. The buildings, once hidden by endless carts, ranged from white to red to deep blues and even, (sickeningly) hot pink. I snorted at the oddly colored house. They must love pink a bit too much, be the gayest stallion around, or maybe they think that ‘salmon’ isn’t pink. A few minutes later I arrived at the mouth of the familiar alley. As I trotted down the streets I made note of vines, creepers, and other assorted plants that spiderwebbed all over the walls or roofs of houses. Moments later, I found myself in front of the orphanage and I noticed a slight change that seemed to have occurred overnight. Am I crazy or was that tree trunk of a vine not there yesterday? I tilted my head and furrowed my brows as I examined the thing. And why does it have spikes the size of my leg? My thoughtful pondering was interrupted by a shrill voice that yelled out from the orphanage. “Ms. Heart! The stupid hornhead is baaaack!” A much more mature voice answered. “Sugarplum! What have I said about that word?” I couldn’t make out what they were saying after that so I went back to interrogating the vine with my eyes. I tugged at the thing lightly with my magic, but nothing happened. Next, I tried getting a hold of it but the vine kept slipping out of my magic like a super smooth bar of soap. “Hello sir, might I ask why you’re back?” I glanced at Ms. Heart before shrugging and returning to my evaluations of the offending vine. “I felt like it.” Ms. Heart blinked at me for a few moments. “You, felt like it?” “Yep.” She shook her head before turning around to go back inside. She looked back at me. “You’re welcome to come inside if you’re interested in adoption.” The smile that she shone at me may have melted my heart. If I was looking at her, that is. “Yuh-huh, real quick question. Was that vine there yesterday? I can’t tell if I’m losing my vision or my mind at the moment, because I swear that I didn’t see that thing yesterday.” Ms. Heart cocked an eyebrow at me before she turned to see what my hoof pointed at and screamed. It felt like a needle was driven in through both my ears. “Yeash, it’s just a plant. Not like it’s gonna grow legs and chase you down.” Then she began hyperventilating What the hell? It’s just a damned vine. I rolled my eyes at the display. “The vine doesn’t look great but I don’t see how it warrants that kind of reaction. Worst case scenario, you just grab some clippers and cut the thing off.” Ms. Heart glared at me before she screeched. “Those are plundervines, you idiot! They would lash me like a sentient whip if I tried that!” Great, aggressive greenery, what’s next? Flying geckos? Wait, dragons are a thing… FUUUU Sugarplum called out from the orphanage again. “I told you, Ms. Heart, he’s an idiot. I told you!” Ms. Heart glared at a window on the second story. “One more word young lady and you’ll have to skip breakfast!” Magic resistance, magic resistance, magic resistance… Wait, you might be magic resistant, but is the air around you the same? Ms. Heart managed to calm down and started to mutter to herself. “It’ll-It’ll be fine, we just need to find a new place to stay, just another building, just another home.” She buried her muzzle in her hooves. “Oh Celestia, oh Celestia help me.” I exhaled as I took one more look at the violent vine. Instead of grabbing the plant directly, I compressed the air around it and yanked backward. The snapping shrubbery protested its punishment, but the worrisome weed was ripped from its perch regardless. Instead of bringing the hovering vine to the ground, I ignited the air around it. However, I had to make sure that the embers stayed away from the nearby buildings. Only after the remains finished smoldering, did I let the ashes fall to the ground with a smug grin on my face. “Heh, magic resistance is overrated.” Ms. Heart was staring at me with a slack jaw and wide eyes. “H-how? It takes a full team of exterminators to deal with a vine like that in a week!” “Well, I suppose it’s so hard to remove because of its magic resistance, correct?” Ms. Heart nodded so I continued. “That’s all well and good for the vine if I was just slinging spells at the thing. However, the air around said vine is, in fact, not magic resistant.” Her eyes widened again. “So instead of futilely tugging at the plant like an idiot, I tugged at the air around it.” Ms. Heart frowned. “How did you grab onto the air?” My eyebrows raised as I looked from side to side, making a show of checking the surroundings. I leaned in. “It’s a secret, buuut.” More conspiratorial examination of the area, more leaning in, and I whispered directly into Ms. Heart’s ear. “Magic.” I pulled back with a broad grin while the mare just stared at me with a flat look. “Really, that’s it?” I nodded while maintaining my stupid grin. Then Ms. Heart turned her glare on the building again. “Not. A. Word.” The low grumbling of a child was the only response. Ms. Heart sighed and glanced at me. “The offer still stands.” I nodded as I began to follow her. Just past the door, the reception room was just the same as before; a dull brown reception desk, bare floorboards, but it was far brighter than last night. Before I could notice anything else, I smelled smoke. “Something’s burning.” Ms. Heart yelped and scrambled through the doorway, following the trail of dark smoke. I began to follow but a moment later she called back to me. “I was going to offer breakfast, but, well…” Her voice petered off as I turned the corner into the orphanage’s kitchen. Steam hung over everything like smog in a city. Most of the various counters, sinks, and stoves were clean. However, Ms. Heart stood, with a sheepish smile next, to what appeared to be the aftermath of an oatmeal volcano. Bits of light brown gruel splattered the stove, the outside of the pot, the counters around it, some on the wall, and… How the hell did it get on the ceiling? Ms. Heart furiously wiped away the overcooked and undercooked breakfast off the counter as I marveled at the mosaic of breakfast food. It’s like a whole platoon of toddlers got their hooves on a tub of white silly putty. Occasionally the appalling ceiling painting would drip and, unfortunately for Ms. Heart, a huge, viscous glob decided to plummet just as she passed underneath. With a loud wet slap, the putrid projectile slammed into the top of her head. With a tired sigh, Ms. Heart wiped the mess off of her mane. “I really am sorry.” I shook my head. “No worries, not entirely your fault.” “But I’m the one who left it unattended!” Before I could respond, a yellow earthpony scampered in through the hall and tackle-hugged Ms. Heart. “Not your fault Mith. Heart!” The orange mare cooed to the little filly and smiled. “Thank you, Sweetiedrop.” “Ms. Heart, is that stupid stallion go-” I put on my widest grin as I leaned down to Sugarplum’s eye-level. With a peppy voice and malicious intent I spoke. “Nope, right here Plummy. Don’t plan on leaving for a little bit either!” ‘Plummy’ growled as she glared at me. “My name’s not ‘Plummy’ you brickheaded bum.” “Ooh, alliterative insults? I barely brae at any poor pariah’s obvious obloquy. However, harrowing tales of tongue-twisting indignant insults are all cantankerously common. And furthermore-” “Shut up!” I rolled my eyes as I turned away from the annoying filly and towards the catastrophe that was supposed to be breakfast. I swept my gaze across the recently cleaned counter, the empty stove top, and the still bubbling oatmeal that clung to the space between hotspots. As I pondered my next move, I felt something tap my shoulder. I swung my head around but found no one near enough to touch me. I turned back and felt the tap again. I looked back to find the same scene as before; Ms. Heart hugging Sweetiedrop while scolding Sugarplum. I faked going back to my thoughts but snapped my head back just in time to be hit on the snout by a stray glob of oatmeal. I sighed as I teleported all of the remaining gruel away from the ceiling, and the stove, and the wall, and the floor. Ms. Heart tilted her head as she glanced at me. “Where did the oatmeal go?” “I teleported it.” “To where?” “The second dimension.” “What?” “The second dimension.” Ms. Heart furrowed her eyebrows. “Where’s that?” I just shrugged. Ms. Heart sighed before she let go of Sweetiedrop. “I better get started on breakfast.” She sharply inhaled. “Again.” I gave her a lopsided grin as I walked past her. “Perhaps, I may be of assistance.” “No-no, I can do it myself. You’re a guest after all, and you just helped us out tremendously. You don-” My saddlebags made the kitchen counter creak when I set them down. I flipped open a flap and stuck my entire leg into it. The small bag shouldn’t have been able to take more than half my leg, but I got all the way up to my shoulder before pulling out a wooden spoon. With a frown, I tossed the utensil behind me before diving into the bag… literally. A few minutes later I grabbed the edges of the saddle bag and climbed out of the confined space. “Okay, note to self, organize that damn bag.” A flick of my magic brought out an assortment of different spices, vegetables, fruits, and a couple of cheeses. I pointed at each as I listed what I had returned with. “Ok, we got some gouda, cheddar, and swiss cheese. Some rosemary, thyme…” It took a minute or two, but I eventually managed to articulate the full list of floating foods that conga'd out my magic saddlebag. “...and a pineapple! So, whatcha gonna make?” Ms. Heart blinked a couple times. “You’re…” She tilted her head. “Offering me ingredients?” She furrowed her brows. “Why?” “Well, what would you make if I didn’t?” Ms. Heart’s cheeks reddened as she rubbed the back of her head. “Oatmeal.” I flicked my eyes from her to the stove, to her, and back to the stove. “Then yes, I’m offering ingredients.” Oatmeal Pompei does not need a sequel. Sugarplum glared at me while mouthing something at me. However, I can’t read lips, so I ignored her. Sweetiedrop was hopping in place as she giggled. “Yay! Mith. Heart ith making thomething new!” I leaned close to Ms. Heart while keeping my sight on Sweetiedrop and whispered. “What did she say?” Ms. Heart sighed before nodding to Sugarplum, who grinned at me with narrow eyes. “You’re the dumbest stallion this side of Equestria, Mister perceptive.” I scoffed with mock indignation. “I’ll have you know my name is Pathfinder! Perceptive perspective was my uncle.” I paused for a moment to look down in thought. “I think.” Ms. Heart shook her head while Sugarplum gave me a look so deadpan that a graveyard of kitchen implements may have popped into existence, just to punctuate her point. I rolled my eyes as I trotted out the doorway. I stopped when I reached the entrance to the orphanage. Ok, what now? That’s the moment that the universe decided that a tiny griffon would dive at my face. The feathery thing was only slightly larger than its target, the target being my head. After colliding with my cranium, the miniature menace started gnawing at one of my ears. For anypony else, I suspect that act would cause quite a bit of pain, but for me, it just tickled. I snorted a couple of times before pulling at the griffon with my magic. “Get off me you little rascal. Off me, off I say you fiend!” I grinned as I managed to detach my assailant from my ear. The little griffon giggled at me as I held them up in my magic. The hatchling-toddler griffon had a white feathered head, black fur on the lion parts, and bright red eyes. I heard light thumping on the bare floorboards and saw an albino… I want to say batpony, but that could easily be derogatory. The leather-winged pony scampered up to me. “Pwease don’t hurt her mister, she’s just playing!” The white, thestral I think they’re called, made use of one of her most powerful abilities: the puppy dog eyes. However, unlike Sugarplum’s, this set of large, watery orbs actually seemed sincere in its innocence. I chuckled at the frightened filly. “Oh-ho-ho no worries little one. I can tell that this little demon…” The baby griffon giggled when I gestured to her. “... meant no harm. Anyways, might I ask your names?” The white filly bounced up and down as she fluttered her wings. I let the griffon down and smiled at the pair. “I’m Distorted Gale, and that’s Helga!” Before I could say anything further, I smelled a mixture of spices pervading the air. Then Ms. Heart yelled from the kitchen. “Everyone come to the kitchen, breakfast is ready!” That fast? How? I sighed as I repeated the mantra that I recently devoted myself to. Don’t question it, just don’t question it. The two children scampered past me while I followed the wafting odors at a more sedate pace. When I entered the kitchen I smiled at the scene. Little fillies and colts swarmed Ms. Heart at the stove like the popular aunt at a large family gathering. The smallest even stood on the backs of older children to get closer. I picked out around a dozen different kids trying to get close to Ms. Heart at the same time. However, the only flier that seemed to have made use of their advantage was the little griffon who was circling around Ms. Heart’s head. I chuckled as I neared the technicolor blob of ponies that surrounded a very flustered Ms. Heart who was futilely trying to get them to organize. “Now-now children, there’s plenty for everypony. Just line up and-” The giggling little griffon landed on Ms. Heart’s back. “AGH. Helga, what have I said about talons?” The griffon shrunk into herself at the adult’s withering glare, leaving me to smile again and flick my magic across the room. In a flash of light, all of the children were teleported into a line. A few tried to run back to Ms. Heart but I pulled them into place whenever they did. “You should listen to Ms. Heart.” The orphanage matron flashed me a quick smile before grabbing bowls for the kids. She efficiently ladled stew into each bowl before handing-no hoofing it over? I hate syntax. Like a factory worker, she served the whole line of hungry orphans in only a minute or two. I got a bowl too, but instead of joining the sure disaster that would be breakfast, I decided to go eat in the lobby. Ms. Heart sighed at my intentions but was quickly pulled into some little kid drama. Somebody stole someone else’s seat or some nonsense like that. As I walked through the hall towards the exit, I noticed something. The trim between the wall and floor was warped in several places. I pushed the wood into place and a touch of chaos helped fix the issue. I continued but stopped again once I heard something snap. I looked down to see nothing wrong, though I knew something happened. I took a breath before moving on. I can worry about that later, breakfast NOW. More snaps like the mystery crack before, some more warped trimming, and even a loose floorboard made my eyes twitch. Nothing big, just small, little, itsy bitsy problems that would take residence in my head, like that one stoner cousin everyone has that would surf your couch for weeks on end. No matter how hard I tried to ignore them, the problems would keep building and building like water behind a dam. By the time I sat down I had acquired an eye tic and my head would twitch one way or the other as I ate. I chewed like a marionette and my magic would instinctively reach out towards an issue before I would rip the tendril of power back. I think the stew was good, spicy, and sweet at the same time, with a creamy texture that would occasionally be punctuated by a sharp crunch. However, the twitching kept ripping my focus from the meal. Ok, just calm down. You can fix all that later. Just get breakfast over with. Another breath and I managed to refocus on the most glorious meal of the day! Then the board I was sitting on cracked. I began whipping my head around the room, spotting no one. With the coast clear, I tapped the side of my jaw and opened wide. With a vacuum noise, I inhaled the rest of breakfast, the bowl, a little dust, and I think I got a splinter in my gums. A loud groan echoed through the building as I heard one of the ancient walls protest its continued employment. A quick slap of chaos ended that complaint but I could almost feel the rest of the orphanage rally its most decrepit parts, like a cloud of beetles, or a gang of teenage Walmart employees! No! That accursed place must remain in the past… Never, again. I shuddered at distant memories of the Walmartians, the darkest of which being on the d-day of retail. Black Friday. With a calming breath, I began working. I flattened trimming, reset floorboards, strengthened walls, and filled in cracks. Nails and magic were my tools, pinning renewed wood into place. Sometimes one of the kids would come by and ask to help. I would say ‘sure’ and conjure something for them to do. However, as kids want to do, they all scampered off after a couple of minutes of ‘aid.’ I would always answer with a light chuckle before moving on. When I neared the kitchen, I felt a pair of eyes boring into my shoulder. “Why?” I jerked my head in Sugarplum’s direction as I cocked an eyebrow. “Why what?” “Why did you fix everything? Why do you care? Why…” Tears began to fill her eyes and her lips started quivering. A cold numbness spread out from my heart as I felt each beat throb in my skull. The muscle desperately tried to hammer away at invisible walls in my mind. “Why don’t you hate us?” I blinked a couple of times as I felt a warmth banish the numbness around my heart and a sharp cold creep up my back “I care because somepony needs to. I care because others are obviously too blind to see your troubles, caught up in their own lives as they are. I care because it feels right to do so.” Sugarplum sniffled as she continued to glare at me, but I saw something, a spark, a minuscule flash of white crossed her pupils. I pushed on. “And why should I hate you? Have you done big evil things, have you ruined the lives of others, have you done something to me? I doubt you have done any of that, so why should I hate you?” She screwed her eyes shut as she whined at me. “Because I’m a foul-mouthed filly that can’t behave, because I can’t find anything that I enjoy doing, because not even my own, Celestia damned parents, wanted me!” My ears twitched at the sobbing and I felt my soul lose something. Like an infinitesimally small sliver of light falling off of a bright star. The world lost just a touch of color, outlines sharpened, and the shadows seemed to grow. “And yet.” Sugarplum looked up at me through misty eyes and gritted teeth. “All I see is a little pony who needs a little help.” She crouched and stepped back. “N-no. No. You don’t mean that, you can’t mean that!” I stepped forwards a couple times but she maintained a fixed distance, so I sat down with a soft smile. “I can’t mean that? Might I ask why?” She sobbed before shrieking at me. “Because no one did before!” I frowned at her. “Doesn’t Ms. Heart care?” “She cares about everypony, it’s just in her nature! She doesn’t care about me, she cares about a little orphan filly that she wants to behave!” “Does the difference matter?” Silence reigned for an instant. “If it doesn’t, and Ms. Heart, in fact, does care, then why can’t I?” She sprinted into me before wrapping my leg in a tight hug. I felt trails of liquid drip onto my fur as she buried her little head in the side of my knee, and the shadows receded, if only slightly. A grin spread across my face as I spoke with a voice full of energy. “And I fixed everything because the house was whining at me too much!” She frowned at me for a moment before letting it melt into a smile. “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” “Yep!” She let go of me and I finished pushing the last bit of trim into place. “That should be everything.” I turned to go but stopped mid-step and turned my head towards a retreating Sugarplum. “Say where did Ms. Heart go? I thought I’d see her around but she kinda vanished.” Sugarplum smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I scowled in mock offense. “And here I thought we made a connection!” Sugarplum rolled her eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. She just went out shopping for new bowls! Apparently one disappeared and while she went looking for it, while she was gone Helga tried to clean the dishes. Apparently, she thought that washing dishes was just sticking a bunch of soap on your hooves and rubbing a rag all over.” The sadistic little mare giggled before continuing. “I bet Ms. Heart shrieked like with the plundervine when she saw holes in everything!” I chuckled before beginning to leave again but I called out over my shoulder before reaching the door. “Try not to get into any trouble!” “No promises!” I shook my head as I trotted out onto the streets. The royal purple hue of dusk shone down onto the cobbled streets. Though, it did feel a bit more… hollow than before. With a shrug, I made my way back to my room. I trotted through the mostly empty bar and nodded at the barkeep while doing so. She nodded back while the pair of stallions from the morning just kept their heads down. The stairs didn’t creak. Thank God. The door didn’t groan. Magnificent! And my bed squeaked just the right amount as I flopped onto it. Perfect! It took only a moment to slow my unending whirlwind of thought to a standstill and only a moment more to drop into the calm, cold void of sleep. One last thought echoed through my empty mind as I slipped into the dark. It was wordless, it was silent, but it boomed in my head and stuck to my heart. Satisfaction. Ch 11 - HomeHome. Thoughts, too many thoughts, swirling, endless in nature; they swarmed my mind like flies around a carcass. I could feel grains of something stuck in the corners of my eyes and a dry stinging pricked at my whites. I groaned as I rolled over in bed before falling off. I stumbled to my hooves and noted the fact that my disguise had held. I sighed as I felt vertebrae loosen and pop as I stretched my back. My neck followed suit and granted me sweeping panoramas of my room as I twisted away my stiffness. The once empty nightstand now had a few special little rocks that lined the top. Some were mottled, others were plain, green, brown, gray, but all of them were precious. Why? Well, I honestly couldn’t say, but the children always insisted that “This one is so cool!” or that “you just have to keep this one, you just have to!” Among the little collection of stones, I picked out the single true gem of the lot. A small prism of quartz that jutted from a flat-bottomed rock. Sugarplum hadn’t stolen it, I’d made sure. However, I couldn’t fathom where she’d found it! After two weeks of grilling her, the other children, Ms. Heart, and even the surrounding landscape, I couldn’t figure it out! My eye twitched as I glared at the wonderful enigma of precious stone before I just sighed the logical inconsistencies away. Just don’t question it, just don’t question it. After all, I’ve been here for a month and I still don’t know why they have Seventh street between Ninth and Tenth street. I guess it’s just another one of this colorful world’s inconsistencies. I turned from the rock collection to gaze at the walls of my room. Before, the wood was plain and bare; it was effective but bland. However, pictures now hung haphazardly all over, pinned in place with minute needles of magic. Some were barely more than a scribble, others mere doodles, but a few managed to actually capture an image or two. Sure, proportions were off and the shading was lacking but I could see the effort. I sighed as I prepared to face the day and with a wide smile, pushed through my bedroom door. The hall was bare of ponies, the stairs were empty, but the bar had a couple of stallions sitting at the counter. The same two that have been here almost every day since I got here. The one closer to me rose a hoof as he smiled. “G’morning Pathfinder, ya look a ‘lil rough ‘round the edges, somethin’ on ya mind?” I shook my head as I plodded up to the seat beside Hotshot and sighed as I plopped myself down. “No, I’m fine, just had a rough time getting to sleep.” Hotshot cocked an eyebrow. “I ain’t a fool, Path. Somethin’s wrong, what is it?” I sighed as I rested my chin on the wood of the counter. “Twisted Twisters got out again, the little liar just wanders around the town at ridiculous times.” My breath hissed as I inhaled. “Sometimes, she’ll disappear for a day, sometimes two, but never more than that.” Hotshot frowned at me before his brows shot up when I continued. “And today’s day four of her latest disappearance. Heart is in a panic, some of the kids wanna go looking for her while others are just worried, and I’m getting so bucking tired.” With my rant over, I finally completely slumped forward. Hotshot stared at me for another moment before facing forward. “That’s rough buddy.” Before I could respond, the barkeep stormed through the kitchen entrance. “Alrighty then, which one of ya bleedin’ idiots got inta the kitchen?” I frowned while Hotshot snickered. “Dirk thought his cutiemark also covered washing utensils cause knives were utensils! Still, how the buck did he manage to mess up dishwashing.” The rest of his sentence was cut off by his own raucous laughter, followed by a growl from the barkeep. I really ought to learn her name sometime… Eh, I’ll get around to it eventually. My stomach rumbled at a volume that even the barkeep could hear. I coughed into a hoof before I adopted a sheepish smile. “Is breakfast soon or…?” The barkeep gave me a blank stare before she sighed. “Did ya not hear wha’ I said ‘bout the dishes?” I simply stared and she glared back before continuing. “No, breakfast won’t be soon.” I shrugged before I got up. “Then I gotta go, got breakfast to eat, a filly to find, and some plundervines to maim!” A cheery smile masked my fatigue as I walked out, and it immediately dropped when I closed the door. I took a deep breath, and another, and another. After I almost fell asleep standing, I decided that deep breaths wouldn’t help and began trotting to the nearest bakery. The market had its usual swirl of colors and smells that dominated my senses. However, something was off, the air felt charged in a way as if a bolt of lightning was about to strike. A quick (literal) rain check revealed that there was not a cloud in the sky. I huffed as I dismissed my worries to continue towards breakfast, though the electric feeling in the air remained. A pit in my stomach continued to grow as I felt my chest tighten. However, that might’ve just been a product of being tired and hungry. I shook the odd feeling out of my head as I finally turned the corner and trotted into the store. The familiar sweet scents of freshly baked cakes, bread, and other foods assaulted my nose as I walked up to the glass display case. A quick look presented me with a myriad of choices, only one caught my eye though. After I ordered, I took my precious donut from the baker to eat outside. Both the table and stool were made of wood, though the seat was far more wobbly than the table. I got comfortable before I took a bite. The wonderfully muted flavor of chocolate served to accent the sharp tart sweetness of the cherry jelly. As I chewed, I watched the road to keep an eye out for the troublesome little filly that had eluded me thus far. There were far fewer people walking the streets. Usually, there were numerous ponies trotting to and fro, rushing to their work or dealing with an errand. However, Main Street only had a few pedestrians walking the road at the moment. I shook my head as I finished before I got up. Another deep breath later, and I started forward. I walked the whole length of Main Street, looked into the various alleys that served as tributaries for the market-lined road, and asked the ponies I did see if my quarry had been spotted. Unfortunately, nopony had seen either heads or tails of Twisted Twister. Eventually, I traversed the whole road and found myself before the guard gate. With no better options, I called out to the guards on the wall. “Hello good sirs, have you by chance seen a white batpony pass by the gate recently?” One of the guards twitched to glance at me before returning his gaze to whatever lay beyond the wall. “No.” The other guard cocked an eyebrow at his compatriot before speaking. “Actually, we have, I don’t know why he keeps denying it.” The denier growled at his buddy before glaring at me. “Batponies don’t come in white, we were probably tired and were seeing things, it was close to midnight.” I sighed as I rubbed my muzzle with a hoof. “Which way did she go?” The more reasonable of the two pointed at something over a wall. My blank stare helped the stallion realize his mistake. “I think they went into the forest over there.” I nodded. “Thank you, do you mind opening the door for me? I kinda need to take her home.” The white-batpony-disbeliever scowled at me. “Why do you need to go there?” I rolled my eyes. “Oh, I just need some milk and the forest just so happens to have a milk shop at the center. I’ll probably grab a carrot cake on the way, and if I’m lucky, might even find the secret to immortality on the way back. No, I’m going to look for the filly, the buck you think?” The angry guard snorted and opened his mouth but the friendly guard smacked the back of the first one’s head. “Yeah, go right ahead, we’ll let you back in.” I sighed. “Thanks for being reasonable.” The friendly guy smiled. “No problem.” My hooves beat a quick and steady rhythm as I walked the outskirts of the forest. My search lasted a few minutes before I noticed a line of broken branches. None of them were very large but a twig here and a bundle of leaves there are the telltale signs of a small flier. With a frown I stepped into the woods, trying to watch my step while I kept the trail in sight. Why the hell is she out here? She’s never been this adventurous before… Is she hiding something? After almost ten minutes of this, my thoughts were broken by the sounds of hushed conversation. However, the voices were just below the range of audibility. With a flick of my magic, I drew a cloak of invisibility around myself and lifted myself up into the air. It was slow going with how much foliage I had to avoid but I did end up in hearing range eventually. A grown mare’s voice cut through the ambient noise of the forest. “Look, all I’m saying is that this place is a prime target! The town guard is lazy, they have mines, they have good smiths, and they’re so far away from the capitol that the princesses would never send reinforcements.” That voice sounds familiar. I got a little closer and figured out that the voices were coming from behind a wall of bushes. A low voice rumbled through the greenery. “Yes yes, I’ve heard your spiel a hundred times now False Wind, and guess what, I don’t care. We don’t need another mining town, we don’t need another small backwater, and we sure as Tartarus don’t need another place that might revolt under us.” False Wind… is that an alias? That sounds a lot like… “Fine, just don’t come crying to me when you run low on arrows again.” The other pony growled. “That was never a metal issue, our fletchers just weren’t able to produce fast enough!” I neared the top as the mare snorted. “Yeah, and half of us are still waiting on chainmail! The supply lines are a joke, we can’t armor our ponies, we can’t arm them, and we can barely feed them. This whole shtick is gonna fail and when it-” “Stop, I don’t need to hear this from you, get out of here and go back to doing your job, you ungrateful subpar spook.” When I peeked over the edge of the shrubbery, I had to suppress a gasp. The only two ponies in the clearing ahead were a fully-grown gray thestral and a very familiar white one. The big one nodded. “You are dismissed, False Wind.” The little white mare grumbled as she flew towards my hiding spot. I had to flail my head around for a moment to find a suitable place to relocate to but I managed it just in time. I let out my quietest sigh when I saw Distorted Gale or was it Twisted Twisters or... Gah, how can one pony keep track of all those names? The ‘filly’ missed the exhale, but her compatriot certainly didn’t. He snapped his head to exactly where I floated and called to me. “Come on out, I don’t bite.” The calm tone and tired inflection only lowered my guard a smidgen when I floated to the ground in front of him. I dismissed my invisibility in a wave of magic that dramatically revealed me as a smiling gray unicorn. The thestral rolled his eyes. “Neat trick but I know that’s all it is. How much did you hear?” I shrugged. “Oh, I heard enough.” My teeth began to show in my smile as I let my eyes flash red. “Though, I really don’t care about your resistance, revolt, or whatever else you decide to call your insurrection.” I raised a hoof to cut off his retort of no-doubt propaganda fueled bull that he’d spew at any possible recruit. “I don’t like the royal sisters but I don’t hate them enough to go looking for a fight. Just stay away from Sunshine Smiles, the town orphanage, and I’ll be just fine with keeping quiet about your connections here.” The thestral glared at me. “What makes you think that you have the leverage to threaten us?” “I really don’t.” He stared at me for a moment before I clarified. “I just want to stay out of your business and for you to stay out of mine. You do that and you have one less enemy.” He seemed unconvinced with the way his muscles coiled to strike like a lunging cobra so I locked his entire body with my magic. I strolled up and got within inches of his face before I smiled again. This time my teeth were sharp as a dragon's, my eyes gained a yellow tinge, and my current horn disappeared in favor of a goat’s horn accompanied by a deer antler. The thestral twitched against his bonds but failed to escape as he saw both versions of me, what I really was and what I pretended to be, at the same time. However, I doubt he truly knew which was the lie and which was the truth. “I don’t care about your little rebellion and I suggest you don’t give me a reason to.” He tried to glare at me, but the way his eyes were shaped didn’t show anger, they showed fear. His twitching torso and legs weren’t going for my throat, they were retreating from me as if I was a venomous snake ready to strike. When I let him go, the thestral dove through the forest lining the clearing and dashed off into the wilderness. Meanwhile, I rewove my disguise and floated homewards with a dark scowl. How many names can one pony have? How many names? Author's Note here's a new one, I should have another chapter to post next week. Been feelin it recently Might have something Wednesday, but it's unlikely. Don't forget to comment, it's my favorite statistic to watch go up! Ch 12 - How much will burn?The cold numbness in my chest failed to dissipate as I traveled and the colors around me had begun to dull. Crickets chirped, birds sang, and leaves rustled but all of it was drowned out by a violent ringing that drilled into my skull. What the hell am I supposed to do, tell the guard? Oh, that’s gonna just go swell. ‘Oh hey guys, I found the filly, turns out she’s a rebel spy!’ Bah, at least they didn’t seem interested in this little town. I dropped to the ground when I reached the forest’s edge and lowered my veil of invisibility while I walked back to the gates. I barely acknowledged the guards on the walls as I passed through the gates. Though, the belligerent one from earlier seemed nervous, with shifty eyes, intense stares, and all that. However, I decided to not worry about it. With a sigh, I plodded towards the orphanage. The trip barely registered in my mind as I deliberated. My thoughts were wordless, my head a swirling pot of emotion and attempts at logic. I managed to come to a conclusion as I arrived. I might as well leave it be, not like it changes anything. This is just another strange thing, just another one of those little inconsistencies, just another anomaly… I’m getting so tired of this. I punctuated the thought with a sigh. The once dilapidated building had cleaned up nicely. No boards stuck out along the wall, the roof didn’t sag anymore, no vines, no loose nails, and a paint job to top it all off. All in all, I believed we had the best building on the street! Then again, that’s not a high bar to clear. When I trotted inside I found Ms. Heart scolding a very ashamed-looking little batpony. Of course, those watery eyes, trembling legs, and god-awful names were all fake. All of it, everything she’s ever done culminated to form one big lie. I had to suppress a glare as I felt the cold numbness turn to white-hot anger but I still managed to speak in a calm voice. “I’m back and I suppose I picked the perfect time to check in, eh?” False Gale er, Twisted Twisters eh, oh forget it, she’s just ‘little liar’ now. Little Liar glanced at me while she tried to hide her anxiety. She didn’t bury it like an amateur, instead, she made sure to look at Ms. Heart more than me, to cringe in ways that bespoke shame rather than fear, she tried to convince me that she feared punishment rather than the possibility of me knowing something. She failed. I grinned as Ms. Heart looked at me. “Yes, you did. I don’t need you for anything else but lunch is in a couple of hours.” My smile remained. “Alright, then I suppose that I should get back to work, eh? The Cakes are probably getting agitated with how long it’s taking me.” Ms. Heart nodded. “Probably.” “Then I shall go to rectify the situation!” With that, I left the orphanage to go to work but my mask of faux cheeriness fell the moment I turned the corner out of the alley. The rest of the day was spent going about my business of ripping up plundervines. Apparently, it’s difficult and time-consuming for even experienced exterminators to get rid of the damn weeds without tons of collateral damage. My niche may be obscure, but apparently, there’s been a recent surge of the weed in the area. It also didn’t hurt that I didn’t limit myself to plundervines so I managed to carve out a decent place for myself in this little town. The familiarity of the process should’ve calmed me; removing plundervines is supposed to be my stress relief. However, the pit in my stomach had solidified and the fiery anger had burned its course, leaving only the frigid ashes of dread. I tried to zone further into my work, to rip the worries from my mind like I ripped these weeds from the homes of my clients. Just focus on the air, focus on the air, focus on the air. My mantra kept my magic steady as I compressed the air around my target to a ridiculous degree. The vine had crept from the back of the home and stretched all the way over the roof, only getting noticed when the thing draped itself over a window. The damned plant had dug its roots deep into the ground and begun to invade the home as well. It had taken me almost an hour to separate the plundervine from the house. It took another hour to uproot the thing and with how close together the buildings were around here, it will probably take half an hour to burn this thing without starting a town-wide fire. I gritted my teeth as I continued reducing the vile plant to ashes but was interrupted by my client. “How’s the weeding going, sir?” I grunted. “Almost finished, just have to burn this thing and I’ll be done.” The unicorn cocked an eyebrow. “Might I ask why? The putrid thing is already uprooted and a fire could easily start if you burn it.” I rolled my eyes. “Because the thing isn’t really dead, just uprooted. If I set the vine down it will probably just reroot and begin creeping up your house all over again.” My client nodded. “Very well, sir, but I do suggest you hurry up.” He scrambled to explain himself before I could fully glare at him. “I don’t mean to rush you or be impolite, It’s just that there’s a storm front coming in and I don’t want you to get caught out in the gale.” I looked at where he pointed and saw a mountain of clouds looming over the horizon. I could see the monstrosity growing as I watched. Distant puffs of mist rolled off of the beast-like dense fog. Oh god, oh dear god, is that…? I turned my head back to my work and intensified the flames. “Thank you for the warning sir, I should be fine.” His duty done, the unicorn trotted back into his dwelling. However, he seemed to miss the newfound warbling panic that had crept into the edges of my voice. After finishing with my weed burning I hurried over to the edge of town nearest to the storm. A quick twist of reality left me on the wall staring at the horizon. The floating behemoth had drawn closer and would arrive in a few hours by my estimation. I’m out of time. It can’t be, this place is too small, too insignificant. That stallion said it himself, they didn’t need this place! Why, why? Lies and misdirection are the basis of all warfare. Of course, they wouldn’t tell a simple spy everything! Gah, I'm an idiot! … Oh, how Sugar Plum would laugh if she heard me say that. I spent a minute or two staring at the oncoming storm before I heard an angry voice shout. “Who are you and why are you on the wall?” I kept my eyes on the storm. “Staring trouble in the face, sir.” “The buck does that mean?” “Means trouble’s coming.” What can I do? What can I do? Nothing, nothing! Another voice broke up my growing bout of panic. “Who the buck are you and why’re ya on my wall?” I heaved a trembling sigh. “Staring trouble in the face, sir.” “Then you should be looking at me if that’s what you’re after, citizen. You should not be on this wall!” I can warn them, I can warn them. Please listen. I cut off further shouting by pointing at the storm front ahead of us. “Do you know what that is, sir?” A moment of silence was followed by the confused voice of the second guard. “It's a storm ya idiot, ya needed my input on that? Bah, you’re coming with me, civilians are not allow-” That’s not all, there’s so much more to it. “Not just any storm, sir. That’s a war storm, an old pegasi tactic.” Silence hung over the trio of us as the two guards probably stared at each other before together they asked. “The buck is a war storm?” Please listen, please understand. My eyelids drooped and I shook my head as I managed to answer in a flat tone. “As I said, an old pegasi tactic. They would gather a bunch of clouds to make an artificial lightning storm. Then they would push it over their intended target and bombard the location with lightning. It was used to counter earthpony artillery emplacements, heavy anti-air fortifications, and even to sometimes ground an enemy pegasi army in some situations. I paused for a moment. But not this one, we have none of those things. Only reason to pull together a storm like this would be for camouflage. “This one’s probably just meant to hide some sort of assault.” The two guards paused again before one asked. “Assuming you’re correct, which you probably aren’t…” They’re doomed. “...how can ya tell it’s a war storm?” Because it’s a war storm you idiot, do none of you get trained to watch for this kind of stuff? Useless sentries. “Normally, a natural storm front looks like a giant puff of cotton that unrolls over the sky like a massive blanket.” “I don’t see how-” Shut up, moron! “Hush, let me finish. Anyways, that’s what a normal storm looks like. If you look at this one, it has some sort of spike jutting out the bottom. That’s usually a good indicator of a war storm because those spikes make it easier to drive the clouds forwards and downwards.” Like a knife through butter. “Even if it didn’t have that little flat protrusion, then the patchwork appearance should give it away. I can almost see lines delineating the borders between one cloud or another and right now I’m seeing hundreds of those faint divisions.” A chimeric abomination, a probable waste of resources, and no doubt a last resort. “That could easily cause problems for both sides as obvious borders like that mean much more random lightning and such a sloppy job suggests desperation.” I sighed before finishing. “Whelp, it looks like you’re going to be dealing with an army soon and a rabid one at that.” I had laid out the facts. I told them and warned them of what was coming. There’s not much more to be done for this doomed wall. These idiots aren’t going to be trained in an hour, I can’t use too much of my magic without getting found out by the sisters, and I have no interest in becoming a butcher. They have been warned, they can handle themselves. But the children need me. Before the two guards could bombard me with any more questions I disappeared, no flash, no pop, just there one moment and gone the next. Ch 13 - EverythingI raced to the forest while my hooves beat a frantic rhythm to keep pace with the drums of war that rumbled through my head. I knew the beat, I felt the rhythm, I felt the melody painfully pound the inside of my skull. It was coming, but no one else seemed to realize it! Once I was hidden in the foliage, I threw up invisibility and dropped my disguise. My noodly body popped, cracked, and stretched as I got used to my old visage again. But I had no time to readjust, so I levitated upwards with my magic. Only a moment passed before I found myself hovering over an ocean of swaying green. I glanced at the oncoming hurricane before scanning the horizon opposite it, I saw a hill in the distance. ‘Pop’ I found myself over the hill and looked back to the doomed town. My home, my new home, not of towers that scraped the sky, but of squat wooden houses that huddled together against the terrors surrounding it. It almost seemed to cower before the mountainous weapon of war that hovered above it. Too close. ‘Pop’ Now I was even further away on a hill that was miles from the rebel target. Too exposed, they need to hide, they need to be safe. I scanned the rough green carpet below me for openings. A few minutes of search revealed a divot that I knew would open into a small clearing below. I dove in. I landed in a clearing surrounded by a thick wall of trees. Their branches were woven together into a palisade and their leaves all but covered the sky above. I twisted reality to form a bunker. The rocky brick of a building was partially buried and its walls were several feet thick. A gray metal door with a lock the size of my head marked the entrance. I turned to leave but a nagging feeling pulled me back. It’s missing something… Supplies! Bandages, food, water, medicine, and anything else that I could think of were stuffed into the bunker with a familiar ‘pop’. What if that storm doesn’t stop at the town? Outside I planted several lightning rods. Those rebels have to have mages, there’s no way they wouldn’t. Placing the defensive wards took longer. I had to start with a solid foundation of magic webs so that the enchantments would stick. Every inch cost me a few precious seconds. Forget-me spells, notice-me-nots, anti-fires, anti kinetics, basic shields, a basic scrying shield, an advanced scrying shield, a selective teleportation membrane, and so many more were woven together into a desperate patchwork defense. Every spell had to be linked to the rest so functions didn’t clash and start a miniature war within the wards. A fire shield would use cold to counter heat and an ice shield would do the opposite. A scrying ward could mess with detection enchantments. Every little piece of the armor had to link up in specific ways that kept such opposites apart, otherwise, the whole web of magic would collapse in on itself. Nothing short of an anti-magic nuke or a full-on null zone would pierce the defenses, I’d made sure. I looked up and saw that the sun had moved closer to the horizon. Two hours, I spent two hours on that? Not good, not good! I frantically scratched out a beacon spell before I began portal hopping home. In my rush to scramble home, I almost forgot to pull on my disguise. However, I didn’t forget. I couldn’t forget. I popped into existence in the middle of the town square and it was pouring. Rain pelted the roofs of homes all around me, sounding like a horde of scampering mice in the process. The water tapped away at my skull and when I looked up, the light gray clouds greeted me with brief flashes of lightning followed by the muted rumble of thunder. I’m not too late! If I looked closely I could probably pick out the forms of pegasi flitting from cloud to cloud in preparation for the assault. The smell of ozone pervaded my nostrils and a metallic taste invaded my mouth as I bit my cheek. I have to hurry, I have to be there, I can’t fail them! With that thought, I set my jaw and broke out into a dead sprint for the orphanage. The houses around me blurred into grayish streaks and my hooves clopped against the cobbled road. I arrived at the front entrance in barely a minute but that didn’t matter to me as I flung the door open. Ms. Heart was staring at me with wide eyes before she spoke. “Please shut the door Pathfinder, I don’t want anything flying in while it’s open.” I obliged before walking past her. “We have to leave, I’ll make a portal in the common room.” She blinked. “Wha- wher- Why?” “We’re leaving, we’re going to a safe house I set up, and we’re leaving because the town’s about to be attacked.” Before she could recover, I turned the corner and trotted to the common room. The place was just a couple of couches with a carpet between them. However, the most prominent feature of the room soon became the portal that ripped open in the middle of it. The disk was black as pitch and streams of white spiraled from the edges to meet in its center. However, instead of directly going to the middle, the lines dove backward into the void between places. I spun from the magical opening before shouting loud enough to make the floor tremble. “Everyone come to the common room, we need to go!” I tapped a hoof on the wooden ground as I watched fillies and colts file in while pelting me with questions. Ms. Heart eventually joined us as well but her head was lowered while her eyes darted around. “Pathfinder, why did you call the children here, it’s just a storm, right?” I sighed before I answered. “It is a storm, but it’s a war storm, we really don’t have the time for me to explain at the moment. On the other side of this portal is a gray stone building. We should be safe there.” I turned to go through but stopped when Ms. Heart cried out. “Stop! Why are we leaving, where are you sending us, are you sure the portal’s safe, w-” “I already told you, the town is going to be-” The screams of several hundred pegasi thundered through the air outside and one punched through the ceiling of the top floor before he screamed. “For order, for freedom, for justice!” “-is being attacked.” Ms. Heart began rapidly sucking in deep breaths at a frantic pace. “We’ll be fine, I have a safe house set up far far away from here, so as long as we have everybody we should be-” She cut me off while tears began to streak down her face. “Sugar Plum and Helga are both out, we have to go fi-” “No, I will go find them. You will take the children that are here to my bunker. They will be safe there, it has food, shelter, and more wards than the royal vault. Now go, everything will be fine.” A lie, a white lie, a comforting lie, but no matter what I call it, a lie is still a lie. I popped a key out of my mane. “This should open the front door.” I tossed it to Ms. Heart before addressing the dozen or so kids. “I want all of you to go to the bunker while I go get Helga and Sugar Plum.” Some of the children tried to speak, some looked at the hallway behind us, and some stared at the ceiling in horror as they heard smashing glass, but they all ended up nodding before streaming into the portal. Ms. Heart hesitated for a moment before following suit. Once everyone was through, I sowed the portal closed. I spun on my hind legs and galloped out of the orphanage, or at least, I tried to but a pegasus twice my size was crouching in the door frame. “Where ya think yer goin’ ya dirty little loyalist?” “I resent that comment, I am neither little nor a loyalist. You’re just huge and unobservant.” He stood up and blinked at me. “Wha-” I cut him off by sending him about thirty seconds forward in time. Normally I’d worry about possible butterfly effects, panic about snowballing events, and such, but really I don’t think that going forward in time really changes anything as long as you don’t get sent back. I sprinted through the streets while calling out for Helga and Sugar Plum. I rocketed through the main street, dashed through alleys, and zigzagged through open areas to dodge plummeting pegasi. I heard war cries bellowed in fury. I heard the faint clashing of steel coming from the distant wall. I heard screams of terror. I heard… Children? No, no, no! I grimaced in anger as I charged towards the shrill sounds of a screaming child. I turned the corner and saw a unicorn holding a crying Helga with a knife to her throat. Little Liar stood in front of the assailant to shout at him. I noticed Sugar Plum off to the side, huddling into the shadows of the alley walls to the best of her ability. The rain soaked my mane and the water trickled down my face, giving the impression of tears. Thunder roared, steel clanged, and my ears rang, I saw Little Liar's mouth moving but didn’t hear her words. The edges of my vision faded away as all of my focus was put onto the stallion. The thunder became even more muted, the clanging steel faded, and the raindrops slowed mid-air. I can kill him, but I need time. There’s no time! He’d kill Helga before I could even cast a spell. Time, time, time, I’m supposed to be immortal but I still beg for time! Lightning? No, might kill Helga. Fire is right out. A mental break would take too long. Time, time, time. Time… I could stop time! I felt my face begin to stretch into a grin as I began casting. Then time sped up Then the stallion glanced at me and saw a smiling unicorn with a glowing horn. Then the knife flashed. My eyes went wide, my jaw went slack, and my throat went dry. Red, such an ugly red, splattered the cobbled street. I glanced down at the hideous color, then my gaze settled on the breathing corpse of the monster who just murdered a child. My breathing slowed and I set my jaw. My head emptied of thought as I reached for the strings that held reality itself together. I didn’t hear Little Liar scream, I didn’t hear Sugar Plum whimper, I only heard the scoff of the unicorn I was about to unmake. The unicorn lowered his glowing blue horn, the spirals lit up a brilliant white as a midnight blue surrounded the protrusion. I could see his eyes fixed upon me, his own face twisted into a grimace of rage. He showed no fear, he showed no regret, only anger. I glared into his hateful eyes and saw that this idiot didn’t deserve the air he breathed, that he shouldn’t have been blessed with the very matter that made up his body. A thousand evils stretched out behind him, both large and small, to culminate in this one horrific act. I pulled, twisted, shifted reality, and watched as the unicorn disappeared. There was no flash, there was no sound, just the infinitesimally small, silent shard of time where something became nothing. I stared at the empty space as my mind scrambled to restart but what came back was a mess of errors. I just killed someone. I killed him. He’s more dead than anything that has died before. Helga’s dead and I killed her murderer. My chest felt hollow and cold, but my heart smoldered. A freezing chill spread from that warm core to cover every inch of my body. I killed him. I could barely breathe as the houses seemed to close in around me. I smelled ozone. I smelled rain. I smelled blood. But she’s dead. I heard whimpering, was I whimpering? No, my jaw isn’t moving. Who’s whimpering? I killed him. The pitiful noise grew closer and I felt something warm and furry latch onto my leg. She’s dead. I looked down to see a teary-eyed Sugar Plum staring up at me. “I killed him.” Sugar Plum flinched at my words but gripped my foreleg tighter. I shook my head as I gritted my teeth. He deserved it. I flicked my magic to tear open a portal that led to the bunker; to safety. Before Sugar Plum could react, I threw her through the portal where I knew she would end up fine. Then I zipped up the opening with a grim scowl. Another trio of shrill screams pitched above the fighting, so I spun towards the distress and charged. A unicorn, a pegasus, and an earthpony were all huddled together, cowering before a shouting armored rebel. “Stay away from that smithy you little pieces of-” I’d seen the kids before, gave them some advice even, but that metal-coated monster of a pony was completely unfamiliar. I felt that I should know him, that I should recognize him. However, the steel mask that clung to his face and the armor covering his mark prevented that. I called out. “Stop, you don’t have to do this, the children have done nothing to you or your cause!” He snorted. “No, they haven’t, yet. They could easily become spies, miniature saboteurs, or do some other sort of dirty work for you loyalists.” I grimaced. “They’re children, why would you harm children?” I could see his eyes roll behind the mask. “I’m not gonna kill ‘em or anything, just gotta make sure that they understand that they can’t be messing with our stuff. Which is what they were trying to do in the smithy!” He punctuated his sentence with a kick to the chest of one of the trio. I bellowed at the rebel. “Why did you do that?” His eyes squinted. “Didn’t you hear me? These kids need to be taught a lesson.” Monster. He didn’t even get a chance to blink before I teleported his head outside of town. Without his body. Chills raced down my spine and nausea began to worm its way into my stomach, but another scream pierced the air. I cut off the dread before rushing to the next scene. When I turned a corner into an alley I saw a cowering mare with a shield for a cutiemark. “Please stop, I’m not fighting, see? I'm not resisting, please don’t hurt me!” The mare’s pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears as the pegasus raised a sharp blade. The victim raised her hooves in front of her face as she cringed backward, but she was too slow. The wingblade slashed down and the metal flashed while a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. No, no more knives, no more innocent blood! I didn’t know her name, I didn’t remember her face, I didn’t remember the face of the pony I murdered. No more knives. Then I killed to protect a smith who was pinned to the ground in the streets. They were about to cuff him but a blast fried his attackers. No more prisoners. My mind descended into a red haze as I killed. A griffon talon appeared where my left foreleg should be. Easier to grasp their throats. I killed. One of my hind legs transformed into a dragon’s foot. To rend the cowards who would stab me in the back! And killed. The overcast sky lit up as I perceived a change in my vision. To find those monsters! My teeth began to poke at my gums and a salty metallic flavor invaded my mouth. To rend, to rip, to tear! For hours I sprinted from one place to the next, slaughtering rebels, and protecting civilians. I ripped pegasi apart, I blasted earthponies into smoking craters, and I unmade the unicorns. I killed pairs, dozens, hundreds, but they just kept coming! For every pegasus that I left in pieces, three more would plummet from above. For every earthpony I fried, two more would sprint from the gates of the wall. The unicorns ran from me though, they screamed in terror for they knew their fate. Every time I saw one of those horn-headed bastards, I would smile and hunt. Eventually, my hunts led me to the walls. The guards there were barely holding on, only a dozen of ours for every hundred of theirs. They came in heavy waves of bodies and I heard horns blaring out a call to charge as one. But I was there. Huge swaths of the enemy force withered under my scrutiny in the most literal sense possible. Pegasi, earthponies, and unicorns were all reduced to skeletons. The corpses piled as high as the wall wherever I looked. You deserve this! I smiled. I laughed. I cried. They screamed. They ran. They died. You were warned! After what felt like hours of that butchery, I found myself standing atop a mountain of corpses at the town gates. I grinned as I panted. They earned it, I warned them. I. I. I failed. All went black as I felt tears run new tracks down my face. My fake face; my lie. I failed in many ways. I failed to tell the truth, I failed to save Helga, I failed to avoid the butchery, I failed to comfort Sugar Plum, I failed and failed and failed… I even failed to notice my disguise dissipate completely by the end. Author's Note Alrighty boi's. Almost through the end of this arc! After this I'm probably gonna rewrite ch2 into a full arc (it probably won't take very long) Then we'll see about wrapping up this fic. Remember, as always, please leave a comment, I love to see your thoughts on the story! Thank you for reading and have a nice day. Ch 14 - ...Even the ashes.Author's Note Ch3’s beginning shall be fixed, then I’ll get this chapter in order. Should be posting new content this Sunday Ch 14 - ...Even the ashes. Five hundred faces flashed through my head, each twisted into an ugly expression of fear or rage. A dark blue pegasus, a grinning orange unicorn, a screaming green earthpony, they were all living beings, living beings that I melted down like candle wax and withered away without a care in the world. I remembered ripping wings off of their backs, I remembered boiling their blood, I remembered reducing them to nothing. Why? Even in my head my voice croaked and rasped. My mental landscape was a desert of cracks that spiderwebbed across the ground. A dried riverbed ran through the center of the landscape and disappeared between the ashy gray mountains in the distance. Even the sky was infected with gray smoke that swirled like an angry whirlpool. I thirsted for happiness, for comfort, for blood. No. My teeth ached as I remembered the satisfying give of flesh that I tore from their hides. No! I salivated at the thought of the crunch of snapped bones. “I am not a monster!” My words yanked me from the empty wasteland of my mind and threw me back into reality, on a mountain of corpses. My snout felt sticky and I could see that my fur was matted. New lines of wetness began to streak down my cheek as I whispered. “I’m not a monster.” Every muscle in my back blazed with a searing pain that seeped all the way through my body to stab at the inside of my chest. My legs clenched and unclenched in spams that made the muscles shiver. My skull was stung by five hundred different tiny pinpricks while a frosty chill froze my brain solid. But who laughs at slaughter? My breathing quickened and I screwed my eyes shut. What kind of person smiles at the butchering of people? I clenched my fists as I jammed my head into what I thought was the ground. Why would anyone consider this good? My nostrils were invaded by the salty sweetness of blood and I recoiled. Only monsters want this. I glanced around the pile that I sat in. Only monsters seek this out. I saw the glassy eyes of my victims and felt a friendly warmth that tried to grow in my mind, to tell me that this killing was right, that this was fine, that this was good. Only monsters enjoy this. My thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from above me. I could sense their shock turn to fear as the tension in the air shifted. Then they screamed. I sighed as I heaved myself into the air with a burst of magic. I saw a pegasus dashing away from me at speeds that reduced her to a blur to my eyes. I landed at the bottom of the pile and began to cast the illusion again, to don the mask of Pathfinder once more. I’m tired. As I worked, my shoulders loosened, my legs stopped aching, and my back stopped burning. However, the weighted blanket covering my mind remained. My eyes drooped as I began my descent from the top of the mountain of skeletal corpses. Who to confront first, the angry town, or the children? I began walking towards the town gate. It was far, far enough to make the ponies around it look like ants, far enough that the copious amounts of red were barely noticeable, far enough for the scene to appear peaceful were it not for the distant wails that rode the wind. I saw the edges of my vision fade to an angry orange as I smelled imaginary fire and heard the screams of pain turn to shouts of anger. Do I face the pitchfork? I stopped for a moment to jam my eyes closed in a desperate attempt to get rid of a new image, an image of cowering children. Or the eyes? I continued my trek with my eyes closed for several moments, but when I neared the town I let them slide open again to see the carnage around me. There was no red, no blood, no gore, just the green of grass and the white of bones. Skeletons littered the grassy field and I had to tread carefully to avoid stepping on one corpse or another. I felt the mental blanket and the false warmth of madness return. ‘You should feel pride.’ It whispered ‘Is it not right to defend one’s home?’ It reasoned. ‘And defend it you did, you are a hero.’ It lied However, I knew that those thoughts were false. Pride is a double-edged sword, it can lead to people striving to do amazing, wonderful things, or it can lead to them doing monumentally stupid and horrible things. It is fine to defend one’s home but this wasn’t defense, this wasn’t me shielding the populace from violence, this was butchery plain and simple. I did not defend, I was not a hero. I was in front of the gate now, staring past the broken doors, past the blood-splattered walls, and up into the tired eyes of a guard. She stared back with blank gray eyes, eyes with lines that probably weren’t there yesterday, eyes that just wanted to close. I spoke. “May I enter?” Suddenly her pupils gained a new spark and she scanned me with a sudden burst of consciousness. “Who are you?” “Pathfinder.” She squinted at me. “I don’t remember seeing you round town.” “How in Tartarus haven’t you? I’ve been exterminating the plundervines for months!” She cocked an eyebrow. “Doesn’t change the fact that I-” The guard was cut off by one of her colleagues. “Shut it, Rose, I know em.” Wait, is that…? Hotshot’s head popped out from over the wall’s top. “How’s it goin?” I forced a smile. “Terribly, but better than what I assume you had to deal with.” He smiled back at me but I could see the lines of strain that ran from the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, the whole lot of us would be dead if some damnable force o’ nature hadn’t come through and chewed through the enemy faster than Dirk chewed through…” Hotshot’s smile dropped. “Ya know what I mean. Here, I’ll let ya in.” So they didn’t notice… Should I try to keep the lie going? He turned around. “Open what’s left of the gates, it’s a friend on the other side.” Wait, where’s Dirk? I called up to Hotshot. “You looked… off when you mentioned Dirk, did something happen?” Hotshot turned towards me again. “Oh something happened alright, the traitorous low-life went turncoat on us! Damn near cost us the fight. I’m glad that somepony thought it a good idea to take his head off his shoulders… Though I admit carrying the thing all the way outta town was a bit strange.” He shook his head before turning back to the inside of the town “What’s taking so long?” A squealing grinding sound emitted from something behind the wall but the doors didn’t budge. A voice called from inside. “Sorry Hotshot, Gate’s done.” My friend sighed. “Go get a rope then we’ll-” “There’s no need, I can just teleport in. I just come in through the gate because it’s polite.” When I finished speaking, I disappeared in a flash of light before reappearing on the other side of the wall. The guard that was standing by the opening mechanism stumbled back at my sudden appearance before eyeing me. “Hey, you look familiar…” I forced another smile. “W-well I’ve been getting around recently, I’m the local plundervine exterminator.” The guard just squinted at me before I decided to move on. I trotted through the surprisingly clean streets, there was still some blood that stained the cobblestones but the bodies were gone. A few ponies traveled the wide cobbled road while casting glances in every direction. Some trotted, some stalked, some flitted from shadow to shadow. However, no pegasi flew through the skies. While I traversed the streets I began to hear the echoes of laughter, the faint drone of a crowd, the happy conversation of friends. I looked around and saw only memories, the ghosts of ponies that used to walk through the streets with confidence. I saw the false images of carts selling wares, of vendors advertising their stock, of ponies rushing to anything they deemed a good price. I found myself in front of the transparent visage of Carrot Top, the local mare for anything carrot-related. I went to touch the cart, to see if it was real in a vain hope for normalcy, and my delusions blew away in a passing gust. Every little ghost blinked out of existence, their essence smeared into the background of reality by a spectral wind. I let my eyes droop before continuing. A draft of air wafted the smell of old blood into my nose and I began to salivate. No, I’m not a monster! The thought of eating a sapient being made my gut clench and almost drove me to vomit. I’m not a monster! I’m not a monster. I’m not a monster. I kept repeating that mantra in my head as my eyes watered from the stinging reminders that bored through my skull. Faces, memories, and regrets, all flashed through my head as the recent horrifying events replayed over and over in my head. I’m not a monster! They melted so easily. Unwanted thoughts pierced through my shielding mantra and warred with my assertions. I’m not a monster. Their flesh was so easy to tear. My headache worsened as I could almost feel my brain split in two. I’m not a monster. Too easy. However, I managed to banish the madness with a final mental shout as I arrived at the orphanage. I killed the monsters, there’s none left! I took a moment to slow my heart rate and catch my breath before I assessed the damage. The windows were shattered, the door flattened, and the insides were no doubt a mess. I sighed as I stepped in. The floor was the only thing that was left alone. There were numerous holes punched through the hallway walls, making them resemble a corridor of a changeling hive. In every room that I passed through the furniture was shattered or torn apart before being spread around the room like butter. The kitchen’s cabinets were ripped out of their holdings, the utensils were bent, and the sink was missing. I stopped to admire the dedication. Holy hell that pegasus was angry. Then I walked upstairs, or I would have if they weren’t reduced to a vaguely wedge-shaped pile of splinters. I was forced to teleport up before continuing. The hallway was much the same as the one below except the odd scrap of paper could be found, the only reminder of the art the children had made. The communal colt’s bunkroom had a floor covered in scrap wood, nails, and glass from the window. The filly’s room was a mirror of the colt’s but with pink walls instead of blue. Lastly, I found both the kitchen and bathroom sink stuck inside the toilet which now lay on its side. At least it was a purely magical thing so I didn’t have to worry about water damage or the like. Why would he do this? I can understand being angry, but this is ridiculous. I stood still for a time. The laughter of children rang through the hall until I turned to see the wreckage that remained. I burst into laughter with tears running down the sides of my face. This can’t be real! But it is. It’s just too different, too out of the blue. But it happened. I’m Typhon, I’m Pathfinder and I’m no monster Lies. I laughed as long as I could, only stopping when my lungs felt like lead and my throat felt raw. I dropped to the floor as I panted. With a maddened grin, I let chaos flow through the air. The toilet was righted, the kitchen sink unmade, and the bathroom sink returned. Smashed glass floated back into place before fusing into the mirror that hung over the recently repaired sink. I trotted through the hall and let a tidal wave of magic sweep through, fixing holes, uncrumpling paper, and removing stray splinters. The children’s rooms were fixed when clouds of wood, fabric, and nails came together to form furniture. The planks of the stairs reformed before jamming themselves into place once more. The pieces of the railing flew back to where they belonged and were fused to the stairs. The second hallway’s walls had their holes filled in as I passed through. The living room's furniture was restored as I glanced inside. I unbent the kitchen utensils as chaos reinstalled the cabinets and sink. There, nothing changed, nothing changed at all. Everything’s fine. I’m fine! The voice that hated me, my voice, hadn’t chimed in. The warmth had spread from my chest to my head. Everything was so warm, so fuzzy, so perfect. I was alive, the important people were alive, the rebels were dead! Everything's perfect, nothing’s wrong at all! But Helga’s dead. My voice had returned, my logic, my reason, my enemy. Yes, but she wasn’t important. Really, then why are you crying? I am not! Then what is that running down our cheeks? I popped a mirror into existence and looked myself in the face. It’s water, water I tell you! That’s a lie. No, no it’s not! Stop shouting, I can hear you just fine. Get out of my head! My madness froze before slowly sliding from my head. The warmth sunk through my throat and settled in my gut. I gasped while I sat down for a moment. The hardwood of the kitchen floor was a solid sensation, something tangible that I could rest my sanity on. I focused on the grainy feeling of the wood and let the rest of my surroundings fade away. This is real. I am sane. I’m… I paused before giving up on the thought. I shook my head before trotting back to the living room and stared into empty space for a time. Do I want to face them yet? A few seconds of contemplation later and I ripped open a portal to the safe house. Another few seconds passed before a tiny hoof poked out from the portal followed by a foal tumbling through. I smiled while I picked up the giggling miniature pony. The little colt smiled as I let him float through the air in circles around my head. A few moments later another came, but before anymore crossed the portal Ms. Heart stepped through. Her hair had strands sticking out in every direction, bloodshot eyes, and several new nervous tics that made her twitch in various places. She scanned the room for a moment before her gaze snapped onto me. Her eyes went wide before she lunged. “You’re safe, you’re safe, you're safe! Thank Celestia, you're safe!” Her bone-crushing hug was cutting off my oxygen but I managed to respond. “Yes, I’m fine, but please stop crushing my windpipe.” She gave me one last squeeze that actually cracked a rib before backing off while tears ran down her face. “I was so worried!” She glanced around before she frowned. “Where’s Helga? You said that you’d find her.” I sat down and my shoulders sagged. I felt my eyes start to tingle again. “Sugarplum didn’t tell you?” “Tell me, tell me what?” I sighed. “She’s…” I trailed off. “She’s what?” Ms. Hearts' worry was bleeding into her voice. “She’s d-” The words caught in my throat and Ms. Heart screamed at me. “She’s what?” I managed to force the message out in a quiet croak. “Dead.” “What?” “Dead, she’s dead, Helga’s dead because some stupid fucking unicorn purist killed her!.” My shout sent Ms. Heart stumbling back and the children all froze to stare at me. “W-what, dead? No, she can’t be dead, she can’t be!” I looked at the ground as I began to cry again. “Yet she is.” Ms. Heart snarled while fresh tears ran down her face as well. “What. Happened.” “A damned unicorn purist. You know the type, they don’t care about anybody but other ponies. Griffons? Evil. Dragons? Monsters. Kirins? Horrid abominations that shouldn’t have ever existed.” Venom dripped from my voice as I ranted. Ms. Heart growled. “Where is that bucker! I’m going to rip his throat out, I’m going to tear his horn from his head, I’ll-” I clamped her mouth shut with my magic while pointing at the children around us before addressing them. I saw several children, including Sugar Plum staring at us with wide eyes and gaping mouths. “Please ignore what she just said, she is very angry right now. Now, I want all of you to go to your rooms, and try to find something to do while Ms. Heart and I have a nice chat.” My smile was faker than the illusion that I wore and even the children could see through it. My gaze followed them out the door as even the most curious of the bunch streamed towards the familiarity of their rooms. I cast a series of privacy spells just to be sure. “Who killed Helga?” Ms. Heart’s face was twisted into a murderous scowl. “Do you believe in an afterlife, Ms. Heart?” She tilted her head. “What the buck does that have to do with my question?” I looked down. “Just answer it please.” Her scowl deepened. “Yes, the Elysium fields. Helga’s probably flying around there already and so is the monster that killed her. Everyone is forgiven, everyone is allowed in.” She snarled again. “No matter how evil the pony was while alive.” I stared into her eyes. “What if one were denied that?” “What, did he do that to Helga? I’ll-” “Never have to make good on that threat.” Ms. Heart froze. “What?” “I didn’t kill the one who murdered her…” She glared at me. “I unmade him.” “What?” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I destroyed him, annihilated him, unmade him. His body, mind, and soul are all nothing now. He once existed, now he doesn’t.” Her eyes were wide now. “In short, that monster is not in any afterlife, is not in the clutches of some necromancer, or even a ghost. He’s gone, completely, forever.” A moment of dead silence passed before Ms. Heart pounced on me to deliver another hug. She clung to me, or rather, she clung to Pathfinder, a disguise, a mask, a lie. I’m tired of lying. I coughed as I shut my eyes again. So very tired. I opened them to look into Ms. Heart’s Besides I opened my mouth, ready to speak the truth. How much longer can this last? “Ms. Heart I-” My voice caught. “I…” Ms. Heart stepped forward. “Are you alright? Maybe you should go to bed, Pathfinder.” I cringed at the mention of my false name. Here goes nothing. “My name isn’t really Pathfinder.” Ms. Heart froze for a moment before giggling behind a hoof. “Oh how silly of you Pathfinder, so funny, so funny, now stop joking around, you need to go to bed Path-” I cut her off. “No, my name isn't Pathfinder.” I felt confidence build in my voice as the truth gained momentum. “My name isn’t Pathfinder, it’s Typhon.” My old name slid off my tongue like a stick of butter and I chuckled before continuing. “I’m not even a pony.” Ms. Heart took a few jittery breaths before stepping closer with a shaking hoof. “What have you done with Pathfinder then?” “Pathfinder never existed, only me.” She glared at me. “This isn’t funny Pathfinder, stop trying to make this stupid joke work!” I frowned at her for a moment. Then I dispelled my disguise before standing on my hind legs. I had to hunch over so that my horns didn’t gouge at the ceiling. Yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and mismatched body. Ms. Heart cringed away from me before speaking. “No, you’re not Pathfinder, you’re just a bad dream. He-” “The day we met, I had to drag Sugar Plum back here because I caught her stealing bread from a bakery.” I smiled as I felt comfort radiate from my core. “The next day I came over to visit and I stayed for a meal, can’t remember which.” I closed my eyes as I let the happier memories flow, flashes of smiling children, faint echoes of innocent laughter, numerous times where how I perceived this world changed. This colorful world was still full of vibrance but the cartoony lines disappeared, the one-note colors faded into far more complex blends, and my misconceptions had been torn from me one by one. And it all started with that night that Sugar Plum and I... “I ended up ripping out the plundervine and fixing pretty much everything in the building.” Ms. Heart was crying again. “So you lied to me, to the children, to everypony since you got here? How much did you lie about? Did you really care about the kids? Did you just let Helga die because you-” “I did not let her die, she was murdered before I could save her! So, please, don’t blame me for that.” My shouting pushed Ms. Heart closer to the floor. I stared at her for a moment before sitting. “Look, I’m sorry for yelling, but I really di-” A high-pitched squeal rang through the room and before I could stop her, the little filly that saw me had already disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of dust in her wake. I rushed up the stairs to try to catch her before panic could set in. I failed. It took Ms. Heart and I a few minutes to corral over a dozen foals back into one room. Though, Ms. Heart kept throwing nervous glances in my direction. Almost as if I was… No, stop it, no time for those thoughts right now. Eventually, the two of us managed to get all of the children in the living room and into a sitting position. Tension filled the air, making the whole ordeal feel like a hostage situation. I took a deep breath, then another, then another, and finally stepped in front of the crowd of kids. “Hello, little ones.” They all cringed and I sagged. “You have all known me as Pathfinder for as long as I’ve been here. My real name is Typhon and, as you can see, I’m not really a pony.” Some cast glances at their friends, some appeared curious, some of the younger ones cowered, and some stared at me with mixed expressions. “My name and body are the only lies I’ve worn, I’m still me, I’m still the fun-loving, friendly, and helpful guy you knew before. I just don’t look exactly like you.” One of them called out in a shrill voice. “Do you eat ponies?” The question made me flinch but I turned to the colt anyhow. “No, Cloud Kicker, I do not eat ponies. Stars, I don’t even eat meat! You have no reason to fear me.” “Why do you have two horns?” “Why are you so tall?” “Can you look like anything? Can you look like a princess?” The tension drained the air as I answered question after harmless question. My smile grew to be more and more genuine the longer we went. My heart soared when I spotted Sugar Plum strolling up to me. Ms. Heart had a hoof to her muzzle but I just leaned towards Sugar Plum. “It’s good to see you again, Sugar Plum.” She stood perfectly still in front of me and I got down to her eye level. “Is there something you need Sugar-” My sentence was interrupted by a swift buck to the face. Sugar Plum spun back around to face me. “Why did you leave me? You promised you cared! You promised to not leave us- me behind! Why?!” Her voice was rising in pitch and volume by the moment. “But, But I…” “You lied, that’s what you did!” Some of the kids were jabbering at each other, and a couple of the foals began to cry. “I was afraid that you wouldn’t accept me. Every other pony town rejected me on sight, some screamed, some ran, some attacked. The crying had gotten louder, more frantic, but I pushed on anyway. “The only time I didn't get immediately chased off was when some mage tower wanted me as a lab rat!” “You still threw me away when things got tough, you, you stupid monster!” I straightened while my eyes shot wide open. “I’m not a monster!” Sugar Plum screamed her last accusation before sprinting behind Ms. Heart while my eyes tracked her. “Then why didn’t you care like you said you would?!” Every single muscle in my face contracted at once, both of my legs locked up, and my chest tightened. Monster. No, no, no! A couple fillies pushed out of the crowd and got in Sugar Plum’s face to sling insults, but she gave as good as she got. Well, until Ms. Heart broke it up a moment later. Even she’s saying it now, you’re a monster. No! My breathing quickened as my vision narrowed, the edges fading to black. Ms. Heart stepped forward to wrap me in a hug. “You won’t hurt her!” I cringed again as I felt a fire burn through my chest at Ms. Heart’s words. A familiar voice echoed up from the depths of my mind, a thousand whispers surrounding it with unwanted knowledge. However two words cut through the static. Monster. No! I learned a hundred new things ranging from the proper time to change seasons to earth pony pike formations. Though I forgot all of it except one tidbit, one tiny piece of information that got through the whirlpool of words. However, I rejected it. I rejected its truth. You’re a monster, me. Accept it already and move on. A couple little pegasi ran up to me. One of them was Feather Duster. I remember her from the bakery. She was a cute little shy thing. Now however, she stared into my eyes without an ounce of fear, just… hope? I’m not a monster, I never was and never will be! Five hundred faces, five hundred lives, five hundred ponies, all withered away in the span of an hour. It was so easy, so satisfying, so right. Ms. Heart had to shout over the wails of weeping children “Go away monster, can’t you see that you’re not wanted?” Now she was staring up at me too, tears in her eyes, and her hooves were still around me, maintaining an iron grip. Her mouth was moving but I didn’t hear anything more from her. More kids had bundled up next to us, Sweetie Drop, Banana Peel, Applesauce, and Feather Duster had actually stretched her little wings to fly up to my face level. Monster. The fire climbed my throat. “You only make things worse!” I turned back to Heart to find that she wasn’t saying that. It looked like she was saying ‘Please stay,’ but no matter how much my eyes refuted the message, my ears rang with the truth. “But I fixed the-” “The what, the building? How about you fix Helga, or the town!” The world was blurring and everything began to take on a slight tinge of red. Or even fix the lives you took? “Just go, stop making everything worse!” Hope filled her eyes when she looked into mine, not fear, not determination, hope. Why did she feel hope if I was a monster? Why was she hugging me? Feather Duster was crying as well, her body heaved with every sob. It seemed like she was trying to squeeze my snout in a hug, but kept slipping off. It didn’t make sense, nothing made sense! The imagined flames reached my head as I saw white cracks pierce the black void at the edges of my vision. A second passed before everything disappeared in a blinding white flash. But what fun is there in making sense? Ms. Heart fell to the floor as her anchor blinked off to stars know where. She stared at the empty space in front of her, hyperventilating as she brought her hooves to the side of her head. Pathfinder, no, Typhon was gone! She asked, begged even, for him to stay. Why did he leave? Did Sugarplum really shake him up that bad? She just called him a name! Granted, It was different this time but he took every other insult in stride! Where did he go? Was he alright? Did he need help? How could she help? Was he angry? Was he sad? What did she do? What happened? No matter how many questions Heart asked, no answers came. Eventually, the cries of children, her children, pulled her from the panic, but one thought stuck in her head, rattling around like a set of dice. What now? Heart shook her head before forcing a smile to try to calm the children. Though, she wished that she weren't the only one here to do so. Maybe if she did something different, maybe if she squeezed tighter, maybe if she smiled wider, maybe… maybe he’d have stayed. Whatever the case, she had work to do. Ch 15 - All the way to NowhereMy breaths came out in long jagged gasps. Each inhale cut at the back of my throat, and the air in front of me was tinted a milky white every time I exhaled. My body shivered. We’re a monster, Typhon. Nothing existed beyond the edges of my mist. No color, no sounds, no shapes. Just a perfectly blank and black void filled my vision. They hate us, Typhon. I looked deeper, listened harder, and tried to perceive anything, anything at all. No smells greeted me, no heat struck me, and the mist remained. My heart was silent. Do we really have one, or was its beat as fake as Pathfinder? The emptiness before me was absolute. Is it really empty, or are you blind? After all, you didn’t see the signs. My breathing quickened as I screwed my eyes shut and clenched my ears with my hands. It was so obvious too. I curled up, trying to shut the voice out. The joints on my claw were turning white and my ears were burning. So many hints, and you just let those wastes of air waltz in to take everything from you. I could feel lines of wetness crawl down my face. I was weak, not a monster, just weak. Monsters are strong, monsters do what is necessary. I am not good, I am not bad, I just… am. Some monsters are selfish, and some can be powerful. However, all monsters are evil, all are decisive. We are selfish. Images of the tower strolled through my head. Pictures of the destruction that I caused followed soon after. The false memories of the consequences I never suffered because I ran… they sat still, smiling at my cowardice as if even my own thoughts wished to mock me. We are powerful. The second sun that I ignited above the tower blinded me with its brilliance. The ludicrous feat of absorbing the concept of knowledge made itself known through drips of understnading from my personal pool of information. We are evil. Towers of skeletons sprouted from the earth wherever I gazed. Salty sweet blood dripped into my mouth. Five hundred faces screamed at me and fled my vision on the necks of withering bodies. Yet you flounder with every decision you make and end up accomplishing nothing that you want to. Am I justified, or am I a monster? Why wouldn’t this voice leave me alone? Why can’t I just decide already? Time could have rushed by like a raging river, sat still like a boulder, or even swirled around me like sand in the wind. Whatever time did, I was frozen and would have remained so, if I hadn’t asked a simple question. ‘If it’s so easy, then why don’t you do it?’ The voice went quiet for a moment. For that brief respite, my mind was silent, empty. However, my peace was just that: brief, momentary, so the return of the voice was inevitable. Because I’ve never been given the chance. Before the voice whispered, it shouted, it laughed, but everything it said was done in complete confidence. However, this... this sounded tired. Not the haggard choppiness resulting from exhertion, nor the slurring of sleepiness, but rather, the defeated airiness of bone-deep exhaustion. You have had so many chances to make a change but refuse to do so. You have such an abundance of possibilities and get twisted up over one. You hold one of the greatest gifts of all, yet you do not use it. The voice died for a second, but renewed spite seemed to push its last words to the surface of my mind. All I can do is watch, Typhon. Do you know what it feels like to have no control, no choice? I went quiet as I closed my eyes. Just another person that I failed. I failed Helga, Sugarplum, Heart, and now I’ve failed this voice too. Is that all I could do? Despite all the power in the world, could I only lose? An eternity passed in the dark with nothing, not even my heart accompanying me on my voyage to nowhere. Where was I going? Was I going anywhere? Would I ever open my eyes to the light again? … Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. It's peaceful here. No ponies to hunt me down with pitchforks and magic. None here to lie to me just so they could stab me in the back at the first opportunity. Maybe that other world had too much light. Maybe the sun was so bright that instead of revealing the lies, it blinded me? Maybe when none can see me, I can walk freely. … No, for one time, for at least one person, I will not fail. I will not give up. I will not give in! Maybe every action before and after this will reveal itself to be a mistake. Hell, maybe even this one will be, but it will be a mistake borne of success. A grin split my face as giggles jabbed their way out of my throat. Tears still stained my cheeks as I began to chuckle through clenched teeth. Finally, I laughed and laughed and laughed. The cold vanished beneath a bonfire in my chest. The warmth spread from the center of my body, to my neck, and soon overtook my head. My brain practically vibrated while my consciousness shifted in its socket within my mind. What are you doing? Alarm infected the voice, and panic seeped into its words. However, my response sent him whirling into a state of shock. “I am giving you a chance!” Before he could respond, I finished the spell and the world went white once more. Clover trotted down a cobbled road. Her hooves clopped on the stone beneath her. Her pace was neither quick nor slow, but it was unwavering. New muscles bunched and coiled as she went, acquired on a long journey that she hoped would soon come to an end. Clover smiled as she glanced around. Bushes lined the road. They weren’t tall enough to hide an attacker, but they still broke through the sea of grass to add some variety to the forest floor. The trees remained steady while a gentle breeze ruffled their canopies. Swaying branches creaked, and shifting leaves crinkled in the wind. The sun just barely peaked over the eastward horizon, casting golden rays through the grainy haze of a morning mist. The world was at peace. Then Clover raised her head to sniff the air. The faint aroma of grass graced her nose. The sweet smell of distant pastries waltzed through her nostrils and danced on her tongue, but only for a moment. One last scent wafted about Clover, whisking away the pleasant odor of sweets, but try as she might, she couldn’t quite put her hoof on what it was. The smell reminded Clover of grilled carrots on a warm summer day, of the bitter smell emitted from bubbling tea… of fire, wild and uncontrolled. She frowned as she crested a hill. The town before her should have been at peace. The ponies within should be bustling in the streets behind the wall. She should hear wisps of a buzzing crowd carried to her on the wings of passing gusts. The odor of freshly baked bread should be invading her nostrils and forcing her mouth to water. Instead, there was silence. Instead, the roads were empty. Instead, she smelled smoke. Ch 16 - New sights in NowhereAuthor's Note Chapter structure has been redone, because of confusing formatting. Ch 16 - New sights in Nowhere The void rushed back in around me when the light died and I was forced to my knees by a bout of exhaustion. I couldn’t tell if my vision blurred or not, given the lack of things to see, and my heart was still silent. However, a voice, similar to mine, cut through the buzzing in my ears. “W-what happened?” I tried to answer but my words kept breaking into gasps before any meaningful string of them could form. A draconequus entered my view and leaned down to look me in the eyes. His brows were drawn down into a scowl. “What. Did. You. Do?” I wheezed a few more times before dragging myself to my feet. A deep ache was starting to set in around the center of my body but I could tell I was stabilizing. Despite the pain in my chest, the fatigue that drained every part of me, and the pressure crushing my skull, I smiled. “I gave you a chance.” My doppelgänger’s brows rose as he stepped back. His mouth fell open and his eyes were open wide. My heavy breathing was the only sound between us for a moment before he began to laugh. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” His claw had moved to cover his eyes and a smile had cut across his face. His mad grin gave me pause but I responded anyway. “I failed so many times. I wanted to do one thing right. I wanted to succeed for once.” My double returned his gaze to me before collapsing into a heap as he guffawed. His fists struck the ground of the void and his legs flailed. Eventually, he climbed to his feet while wiping a tear from his eye. “You really don’t get it, do you?” I raised an eyebrow at the statement, so he continued. “You grasped a piece of your own mind, held it in the palm of your magic, and ripped it out to give it its own body. You could have died, should have died, but somehow I’m here. It just doesn’t make any sense!” With that, the new draconequus fell to the ground once more to roll around and laugh. I snorted before shaking my head. “You need a name.” He stopped cackling to stare at me with a crooked smile. “Alright, I’ll bite. What do you have in mind?” I matched his beaming face as I waved a claw at him. “Discord.” My smile widened when Discord raised an eyebrow. I continued. “The name has a history behind it. One that I can barely remember, mind you, but history nonetheless.” “Didn’t you reject that name yourself? Why would you give it to me?” I shrugged. “You fit the name better than I would have.” Discord remained silent for a moment but his next words let me relax. “I like it.” With the name issue finished, I glanced around the void. Not much of note, just cold and empty like before… It doesn’t have to be though. With a snap of the fingers, a wave of light crashed across the blackness and was followed by a cascade of madness. Purple grass pushed up from the darkness to form a floor because why would I make it something so bland as green? Solid blocks of string cheese sprouted from the ground before peeling apart into bushes. No one would go hungry here if I had anything to say about it! Masses of writhing tentacles erupted from neon yellow earth and wrapped each other in a warm spiraling embrace. Everyone needs somebody to lean on, right? The resulting lumps of red limbs grew eyes on the sides of the trunks and their branches were wreathed in tendrils of gold. For they would know, they would see, and they would witness my triumph. I turned to see my companion stare at the skyless landscape with a slack jaw and chuckled while spinning back to my work. Discord whispered something about how none of this made sense, how it had to be a dream. Though, when I glanced over my shoulder, I could see the kinship in our thoughts. I could tell that we both had the same line stuck in our heads, it was written in his eyes, and no doubt in mine as well. So we let the wisdom remain unsaid as I wove a new world for us in this kingdom in Nowhere. Getting past the gate guards was a simple matter of flashing royal seals for Clover. Her initial worry was compounded when she saw the glass-eyed stares of the guards. Though, she had to admit that the sudden intensity was more unsettling. It made Clover think of a pair of statues coming to life. A quick head shake dislodged the thoughts of the gate and Clover continued down Main Street. Carts lined the road but many were empty and in various states of disrepair. The ones tended to by vendors seemed to be mostly alright minus the occasional broken wheel. Some of the abandoned stands were missing their canopies, others suffered broken axles, and a few were reduced to splinters. She traveled the road several times, admiring the wares as she went. Clover spotted baskets of beats, bowls of celery, and a cart for carrots. She smiled at the mare behind the counter but couldn’t quite make out the face because of a shadow. Clover blinked before stepping forward. As she got closer, previously faded lines sharpened, and the smell of roasted carrots flooded her nose, but the mare’s face remained a blank slate. Clover glared at the colorless facsimile of a pony. However, the drone of a crowd flooded in around her, interrupting whatever thoughts she had about the fake. Ponies talked, wagons rumbled, wings flapped, and children laughed. Clover spun on her hooves to find a street filled with blank fakes. Some had smiles, some frowned, some yelled, some laughed, but they all moved, all lived. Something seemed to pull at the center of Clover’s chest and a tear rolled down her cheek. For a moment she could see, she could feel, she could know that everything was fine, that life would continue no matter what. Then a child's scream cut through the din of the crowd and the shining light bled into a deep crimson. The fakes reared in place before sprinting in every direction at once as dark silhouettes plunged from the skies. The invaders cut down the peaceful blanks with hardened wings and sharp teeth. Clover stared on as the shades rampaged through the square. However, just as she pulled enough of her mind together to begin casting, a newcomer stormed in. One moment it was a pony, the next a griffon, then a dragon, and each time the shadow shifted, its form grew more twisted. It ripped, it tore, it consumed the invaders in droves. The shades were dark but this thing was black as pitch. The shades had teeth but the thing brandished a mouth full of fangs. The shades were monstrous but it was their king. At first, they fought, some in duels others ganged up on it. They all fell. Then they ran and hid, but they were neither fast nor stealthy enough to escape the monster. It always caught the runners, pulling their legs off before moving onto the head. Where the shades blended with the shadows of evening, the monster dove into and hopped between them as if the pools of darkness were lily pads on a pool of light. Eventually, it finished and no more shades walked the street. The lithe form twisted about to look at Clover and she spotted a familiar pair of yellow eyes. Just as she raised a hoof to speak, the images blew away in a passing gust. All Clover could do was stare down the mostly empty street with wide eyes and a slack jaw. “You alright?” Clover shook her head before turning towards the voice. “Y-yes, I’m fine.” The owner of the voice stared at her with a small smile. He remained silent for a moment, but before Clover could continue, he spoke. “Don’t worry ‘bout whatever ya saw too much, that stuff is nothing more than a bad memory now.” He winced when he glanced behind Clover and added. “Well, mostly anyhow.” Clover followed his quick look and gasped. The wooden cart was barely more than a heap of sawdust. However, the worst part was the splotch of dried blood that seemed to leak out from beneath the scrap. She spun to stare at the stallion with wide eyes. “W-what happened? Why is there blood? Why is the mess just left out? Why-“ The stallion cut her off with a tired voice. “I’ll answer your questions, but only one at a time.” Clover looked him in the eye and spotted lines etched there, far too many lines for how old he looked. She nodded before asking. “What’s your name?” “Hotshot.” Ch 17 - decaying reason and wavering loyaltyA splotch of blue here. A splatter of red there. It was all coming together nicely. With a snap of my fingers, a dash of green blasted upward and exploded into a hundred different variations. One more stroke upon my work of art. From horizon to horizon, color plastered the sky. Yellows trailed into the jungles of green like the veins of an otherworldly creature. Browns creeped out from the edges of black voids that peaked through the canvas above. Purples radiated from oceans of blue, only to bleed into searing shades of scarlet. It was raining too, raining from that beautiful crimson stain on my sky. So sweet, so salty, so perfect. I won. I found a home. No, better, I made one! I made a place where I belong. I made a place where I could be happy, where none would judge me! I am home, I am fine. Funny, I thought the rain stopped a minute ago… Bah, there are more important things to worry about than rain! I turned from my work and began walking. My talon clicked on the gray bricks making up my road, but my hoof remained silent, no hooves here, they don’t exist, they don’t– One of the red and gold tentacle trees flinched but it, being the adorable thing that it is, still sent me a full-body wave. I paused for a moment to wave back, but I had places to be so I continued on. Purple grass moved with the non-existent wind, and I grinned at the bushes made of cheese. Looked like the things were spreading, damn near invasive if they’re this far out from the initial blast. I considered removing them, but that would be controlling chaos what a stupid idea that would be! I shook the thought from my head as I crested a hill. There were a couple more sceneries to pass through if I wanted to arrive by foot, but my hoof was aching from not existing so hard! With a hop, a skip, and a jump, I was there! Where? Nowhere of course! Though if I had to choose where Nowhere should be, it might as well be in a chair next to Discord. “Gah, can’t you ever give me some warning?” “That would establish a schedule Discord, an expectation, and I refuse to deal with anything of the sort!” He grumbled under his mutters, which themselves were under his breath while snapping away his bathtub! “Discord, are you complaining to me twice at the same time? My, you must really be getting the hang of your magic!” “Uh, thank you I suppose.” I spun out of my seat to float above Discord. “So, Discord, what have you been up to? It has been a minute, no?” He sighed. “You asked that like an hour ago.” “Yes, but that was then, this is now. Come on, I know you’re up to something, so spill the beans.” I conjured a jar of beans, guessing at what he wanted, and Discord frowned before chucking it at me. They, of course, splattered all over my face as the metal disappeared on contact. “Happy? But seriously Typhon, I’m still just getting used to the magic, it’s… being finicky.” I snorted. “finicky? Please, all you have to do is tell your magic what you want, and if you’re feeling picky, how to do it.” “Well, I do that but it doesn’t work.” “Because you don’t believe. Trust me, as corny and stupid as it sounds, our magic is based on us believing it’ll work. Heck, the only reason I worked it out so quickly was that I thought it was a dream!” I frowned before continuing. “Wait, no, not a dream, I thought I was someone else with the same powers that we have.” I shrugged and Discord sighed again. Maybe he should go see a doctor? Sighing that much cannot be good for him… or am I mixing that up with coughing? “Typhon, I really really don’t know what to tell you, I just need a bit of time to understand it better.” I rolled my eyes. I mean really, understanding chaos? People have tried before, but they’re all dead now, I think, and even they really only thought of chaos as entropy. No, chaos, true chaos, in this world is more an element of change, of unpredictability itself. I conjured a book of pony magic and dropped it on Discord’s head. “If you want to understand.” I shivered at the vile word but pushed on. “What you’re doing, then you might as well give up on chaos and just do what the ponies do. All orderly and the like. I keep telling you, chaos doesn’t need to be understood, but no, you–” “Ok ok, I got it, order bad chaos good. Seriously, you need to calm down, this obsession is getting unhealthy.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Like my obsession with being a monster?” “Yes! Exactly!” “Bah, I already solved that one, it was causing actual problems, this one just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” I hugged myself and let the buzz get louder, too bad yet another one of Discord’s sighs cut through it. Is he able to do anything else? Perhaps I need to teach him to switch things up a bit. “That’s not much better, but please tell me, what do you mean by saying that you ‘solved’ your previous obsession?” I perked up. “Oh, simple really, I stopped thinking of monsters as evil!” “Ok, I suppose that’s one way of going about it.” “Yep, monsters are just different, operating on unusual and exotic moral parameters!” “That’s… a bit of a fancy explanation coming from you, but sure, it makes some sense.” I waved a claw at him. “Pshaw, pshaw I say! These simple shards of my lexicon are hardly opulent compared to the more obfuscated and derelict pieces of my menagerie of words!” “I don’t think you used half the words in that sentence correctly.” “Bah, you understood what I was trying to say, that’s all that matters in the end.” Discord shook his head. “Whatever you say, Typhon, whatever you say.” I let the conversation die, content to let the warmth continue hugging my brain as I wove a cloud made of snakes into a sweater. Though a couple grunts of effort drew my attention back to Discord. He had his eyes fixed on his hand as he gritted his teeth and forced some sparks out with a snap. Trying to force chaos, when will he learn? It’s just belief. “Discord, you want something to drink?” He looked up at me with a tilt to his head, suspicion clouding his eyes, but nodded anyway. “Well, what are you waiting for? There's a whole case behind you, it’s your favorite.” He shot me a grin before reaching behind himself and grabbing a bottle from nothing. “Fanta? Oh ho, you do have some sense left after all! Wait, this wasn’t here a moment ago, when did you summon this?” I grinned right back. “I didn’t, you conjured it yourself.” His eyes went wide. “But you said–” “So I lied, what’s the big deal?” “Well, I don’t like being lied to.” “Understandable, counterpoint, you just used chaos magic.” He blinked once, twice, three times, can we get a fourth? Nope, he stopped blinking, please start blinking again, it’s getting creepy. “What?” “You did hear me, right? You–” “Yes yes I heard, but how? When? Why?”. I chuckled before answering. “Because you believed! Just now. And because you believed!” I spread my arms apart, revealing a rainbow, except mine had blackjack and– “Gah, Typhon, put that away!” “But it’s my rainbow! It has–” “Yes, I can see, now put it away!” “Fine.” With a flip of the paw and a swipe of the claw, the beautiful, improved rainbow vanished without a trace. Ok, that’s a lie, the goat was still yodeling in the distance somewhere, but it was mostly without a trace! Silence crept back into the conversation as Discord tried to replicate his earlier achievement. Two more bottles of Fanta, to his excitement, were drawn from behind himself. Hopefully, he moves on soon, I don’t know how much longer I can go on without real company! Well, besides Discord that is. You can only talk so much with one guy before all conversation points start getting repetitive. Especially when you have most of each other’s memories. But I’m not going to leave him all alone, I’m not a pony. I sighed as I settled onto an invisible hammock. Woe is me, nothing to do! I mean, it’s not like I can create puzzles, lay traps, or invent things. Nope, absolutely nothing to do. I snorted at the thought, letting the threads of bent space dig into my skin a bit. For some reason, my ribcage was beginning to itch. Oh well, hopefully, it goes away soon. I closed my eyes, ready to fall into the comforting void of sleep, but a strange sound rang through my ears. “What was that?” Discord glanced up at me. “What?” “That ‘ping.’ sound, like one of those customer service bells when you smack it.” Discord rolled his eyes before going back to fiddling with his pop. I made to tap him on the shoulder to remind him that ignoring people is rude. But then another ‘ping’ rang through my head. Once was strange, but twice though… It was still strange, wonder what could- ‘Ping’ Ok, I get it, I need to go check on something. As if I needed any- ‘PING’ “OK, I’M COMING. Seriously when did I install…” A low murmur droned through the tavern, causing Clover to frown. Was it really necessary to meet up here of all places? The place was cleaner than she thought it would be at first glance, and the kitchen smelled of well-made stew and fresh bread. But it was still too loud. She flicked her ears a few times to clear out some of the ringing. “...five-hundred, I’m tellin' ya the count was five-hundred!...” Clover tried to tune out the background conversations, it was rude to eavesdrop, but a few snippets still reached her here and there. “...I heard that Sourdough opened up the bakery again…” It was annoying, to say the least, but some of what was said. “I-I’m tellin' ya Brick, that damned monster wiped 'em all out. P-please, I know I talk too much sometimes, but…” disturbed her. Clover took a deep breath and focused on the wood grain of the table in front of her. It was a simple chestnut brown, the creases went perpendicular to the lines on the floor, and— “Shadup! Just shadup! I don’t wanna talk ‘bout that damn monster no more!” Clover thought about trying to zone in on some of these talks, but she wasn’t a spy! “...Hey, hey bro, ya know the barkeep? Yeah her, well I heard that…” Why was Hotshot taking so long? His rounds should’ve been over by now He’d said that he would answer her questions after he finished, and apparently, even a royal medallion couldn’t get him to end his patrol early, even just a bit. She scanned the crowd for the stallion. Something about ‘after what’s happened recently, best for me to just keep on as I have been. Ponies might get worried if I up and disappear on them.’ “...You think there’ll be another wave?...” Clover had to concede that something had set the town on edge. The glassy-eyed guards, the nervous ponies, this tavern talk, and the… vision were all proof of that. But she still couldn’t get a good answer out of anypony. Every time she would try to ask directly, the pony would clam up! She snorted in frustration, but before she decided to get up to go order something, Hotshot strolled in through the door. Finally, some answers. She waved a hoof and after a moment of searching, Hotshot spotted her. “...No, that thing killed too many. We wouldn’t be worth a second try. I hope…” He wove between the tables full of muttering ponies, stopping a time or two to have a word with somepony, but he always moved on before he could get dragged into whatever conversation was going on. He sighed when he plopped into a chair at Clover’s otherwise empty table. Clover tapped her hooves on the wooden surface with a smile while staring at Hotshot. The guard eyed her for a moment. “Well, have at it.” Clover took a deep breath to calm herself. “Alright, first, what happened?” “What?” “Why is this town so on edge? The gate guards were acting strange, the market was almost empty, and I didn’t see a single pegasus flying on my way here! Not to mention the bits and pieces I’ve been hearing in this place!” “Nopony tell ya?” Clover’s smile strained, and she had to force herself to answer through gritted teeth. “Nope.” He sighed. “Rebels came. Don’t rightly know exactly what happened, but one moment we had wave after wave of pegasi droppin’ on us like hail.” He paused, looking down at the table. “The next, they were dead. Little more than a pile o’ bones. Stacked up real nice too.” “What do you mean ‘then they were dead,’ what killed them? How did it kill them?” “Dunno, it was just a black splotch whenever I looked at it, and if I stared for too long, I’d start feeling sick. Something was off with whatever killed those ponies.” He narrowed his eyes at Clover. “Though I don’t know what, and I don’t really wanna know.” Clover pulled back with a snort. “Alright, then what do you know?” He cocked an eyebrow “Didn’t I just tell ya?” Clover took a deep breath. “Yes, but do you know anything more helpful? ‘Something came, killed a lot of ponies, and then left' doesn’t really tell me where to look.” “Well, the local orphanage has been complainin’ about strange feelings and reported a few more of those visions…” “And?” Hotshot frowned. “And that’s about it. I’ve been a bit busy with helping keep what’s left of the town together after this whole disaster. Every guard with any heart left is.” He went to get up but paused before adding. “Probably need to tell ya that you can find the orphanage down Seventh street, it’s the cleanest building there. Should also probably let ya know that Seventh is between ninth and tenth street.” “Alright, I guess I’ll- wait, what? Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be-” “After Sixth street, I know. Nopony has any clue why it’s there, ok?” Clover shook her head before nodding. “Alright, thank you for your time, Mr. Hotshot. I have to go now.” “Good luck.” Clover trotted through the tavern and out the door, trying to maintain a sedate pace, but she caught one last bit of gossip on the way out. “...Damn visions near the ol’ carrot stand, things are spread—” The words really didn’t register to Clover, she was more focused on the weight on her back and the path ahead. Once she set hoof on the street, Clover pulled a bundle of cloth from her saddlebag. The golden medallion glowed brighter than a torch in the night when she pulled away it's wrapping. Should I report? The few ponies trotting through the street didn’t spare her a glance, but Clover still felt a bit exposed out in the open. I’ll do it later. With a short sigh, Clover stuffed the medallion back into her pack and trotted down the street. 2nd street, 3rd street, 4th street… The occasional clang of metal being forged rang through the streets, and the muted voices of distant conversations reached her ears. 6th street, 8th street… Clover stopped in front of a small wooden sign that hung off the corner of a building, marking the glorified alley as ‘7th street.’ She snorted as a look ahead and behind confirmed the stupidity of the street’s location. Whatever, I have more important things to do. With that, she began walking down the alleyway. Cracked building after dilapidated house passed by as she went, but eventually, she came across a multistoried home that almost shone in the evening light. Maybe. Clover ripped the medallion from its hiding place and had to squint against the glaring golden light coming from it. With a hiss, she thrust it back to where it was. Yep, he was here. She stepped up to the door and knocked. But nobody came. She knocked again. The door remained shut. Oh, for the love of-! She raised her hoof to try a third time, but the door swung inward to reveal an orange earthpony. The bags under her eyes stared unblinkingly at Clover and the poor mare’s mane was horribly tangled. What happened? The mare broke the awkward silence. “What do you want?” Clover let her hoof fall as she brought a royal seal out of the bag with a flick of magic. “I’m here on royal business and request entry into this… establishment.” The orange mare stared at her for a moment before spinning to walk back into the building. Clover followed soon after. The door shut with a thunk and the mare sat down behind a counter. “Alright, what do you need help with ma’am.” Clover forced a smile to match the fake pep in the mare’s voice. “I don’t really need any help, I just need to check a few things and go.” The mare tilted her head, confusion written on her face. “Are you sure?” “Very, you can go back to whatever you were doing before and I’ll be gone in a moment.” The mare sighed in relief before nodding at Clover and trotting through a doorway off to the side. Clover took a deep breath as she brought out the medallion again. Here goes nothing. She touched the hunk of magic metal with her horn… And gasped in shock and pain. What the buck is that? A jagged tear, in reality, seemed to glare angrily back at her, but when Clover pulled away from the medallion, it vanished. Several walls stood between her and the monstrous rip in space. I-I don’t know anypony else who could do that. Sh-should I call in? Clover sat down, mouth hanging from the creeping anxiety tickling her mind. The Princess asked me to, I should report, I should- An image of Typhon’s head rolling across the floor flashed through her mind. She-she’s my ruler, I c-can’t ignore her. A memory jabbed into Clover’s mind, piercing her loyalty like an arrow through paper. A white alicorn towered over her, looking down at Clover like a mother would a child. “I am sorry, but this was necessary. Please understand that, while it wasn’t my intention, this outcome may very well have been the best one possible. Typhon would hate being caged like an animal, and Equestria cannot afford his antics at the moment.” In Clover’s eyes, Celestia looked regal, daunting, and cold, like a mountain’s peak or a horizon-spanning glacier. Clover shook her head and marched towards the hole in reality. I can message her later, this comes first. She came to a stop in some sort of living room. It was mostly empty save for a couch, a carpet, and the chaotic residue of some supremely powerful spell. Clover glared at the scar hanging in the air, resembling a nigh-invisible set of white stitches woven through an unseen cloth. Her legs twitched and her magic coiled. I…I hope he listens. She tenderly slid a thread of mana through the seams of the spatial wound. He was a good guy, he’ll probably listen. He’s got to! The thought was made with conviction, with purpose, with confidence! …and yet, it did nothing to ease the tension in her chest. Author's Note Hey guys! Long time no see, I've had a minor case of College Kicking My Teeth in Syndrome, finals and the like. Im over it now though, and hope to make the best of this short reprieve. Hope ya enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment! Ch 18 - The Past Came Trotting BackI scowled as I flew through Nowhere. The ‘ping’s rang through my head over and over like some sort of alarm clock. Clouds made of snakes hissed at me as I passed and drops of colored rain pelted me. I was tempted to snap it all away, but this was my home and I’m a perfectly reasonable adult. Throwing a tantrum over little things like these wouldn’t do anyone any good. I snorted in annoyance as I reached the seeming source of the nuisance. A small rip in the fabric of Nowhere pulsed a sickly green, as if it were an infected wound upon space itself. My brows descended further as I landed on a hill next to it. I thought I patched this hole up a while ago! I mean, I’m all for chaos and whatnot, but leaving a mess is still not acceptable! I glanced around, a few trees made of pretzels creaked as they twisted to look at me with red gumdrop eyes. Hardened, stale licorice grass cracked and popped as a passing breeze blew a few over. What in the world is making the racket? Discord and I should be the only non-plants in here! ‘Ping’ I glared at the green hole in Nowhere… and spotted a tiny thread of magic. Every mote of magic that entered melted away as the sheer amount of chaos in the environment destabilized it. What is going on? Who the hell is trying to get into my home?! I stepped up to the opening, grabbed the edges of it, and ripped it open like a pair of old curtains. On the other side lay a living room. A carpet, a couple chairs, a couch, and… and a pony. A familiar one at that. A very familiar one. “Um hi?” Their voice didn’t quite register to me, too many memories were blazing a warpath through my mind. “I-I have a few things to say, i-if you don’t mind listening?” My face was flat, my ears were deaf, and my head burned. “I made a few mistakes, a few terrible terrible mistakes, and I hope you can forgive me, given time…” Remorse? They expect me to buy that they feel remorse? Hah hah, I should laugh. I should be cackling in fits of laughter at this nonsense! I mean, really, really, you think I will actually do that? Forgive you? Their voice gained strength as the apology continued “…and I’m willing to wait! I understand what I did, and how much it probably hurt…” Do you? Do you really? “That day, the day I- I betrayed you. It haunts me.it haunts me every night when I close my eyes.” Yes, my head rolling down the floor must have been so traumatizing for you. “And, I know you’ll never forget, but could you give me another chance? Please? I promise to do better this time!” Second chance? The second chance was in the maw of the trap, all you had to do was say something, anything against what they were doing. And you failed. Clover, Starswirl’s apprentice, my best friend, and betrayer, looked up at me with hope-filled eyes. That expression, is that how I looked back then, so happy, naive, gullible? No wonder the Princesses treated me like a child. So I smiled. It hurt, hurt in places I didn’t know I had, but I smiled anyway. “Yes, Clover, I forgive you, now come along, we have a bit of catching up to do!” She tilted her head in confusion. “That’s it? No, trials, no proof, nothing?” I scoffed and waved a paw. “Oh please! If you weren’t sincere, I would’ve known. It’s fine. Now let’s go have a nice long chat over a spot of tea. It has been a while, right?” She grinned at me. Clover the Gullible grinned at me. Oh yes, I know you’re “sincere.” Sincere in your own self-centered hogwash. You have no idea what the incident at the Tower really felt like, but you will, Clover. Oh, you most certainly will. The world twisted and refocused as I warped Clover and me to a better location. The Core Plains are a fun place to visit every once in a while, but I wanted something a bit more atmospheric. The ground spun in an infinite spiraling pattern upwards, turning my psychedelic sky into a whirlpool of earth. Meanwhile, ribbons of living sand danced in the air, hopping from strip to strip of sky-bound ground. See? Atmosphere! Tea isn’t the same when you drink it just anywhere. “W-what is this place? Typhon, what’s going on?” I waved a paw and shot her a grin. “Oh, don’t worry about it too much. I just brought us to a more interesting location. The Core Plains are a bit bland for my taste.” “Bland? You call that insane place ‘bland’?” I rolled my eyes. “Yes I do, what of it?” Clover decided to simply remain quiet at that. Rude, I asked a question! Bah, whatever, it’s not like it’s the worst thing she’s done to me. With a snap of the fingers, a table stood up from the dirt, shook itself clean, and trotted up to us. A pair of chairs unfolded from nothing stuck themselves into the ground. “Go ahead, take a seat. Might I ask what kind of tea you prefer? Chamomile, jasmine, veggidog?” Clover opened her mouth to answer, but choked on her words before eventually spitting out. “-veggidog?… is that really a kind of tea?” I smiled at her, for once it was genuine. “Well, why wouldn’t it be? Isn’t tea just any herbal water?” Clover's face screwed up while she sat down. “Well… I mean yes, but there’s more to it. For instance, you boil veggiedogs and steep tea!” I snapped up a cup of coffee and set it down in front of Clover. “Well, by that logic, certain chili’s that I know of would also be considered tea!” Clover’s frown deepened, so I let out a sigh and added. “Let’s just agree that tea is subjective and leave it at that. It’s probably for the best.” “I guess… that isn’t veggiedog tea is it?” I waved a claw while grasping a mug of fizzy liquid. “Oh heavens no! Coffee for you and a little something from far away for me.” She gave me a confused glance but decided to turn to her own cup instead. “So…” I raised an eyebrow in response, and after a moment of quiet, she continued. “I should probably tell you that…” She trailed off, not quite able to force the words out “That…” Again she tried, and again she failed, I suppose 'third time's the charm'. “… that I’m working for Celestia.” She flinched at my snort but eased into confusion when I began to laugh. Really? You betrayed me once, then come crawling back while in the service of my murderer, and then tell me about it? Are all ponies this stupid, or is this part of the ‘proving your remorse’ crap? “I thought you’d like to know. I lied about it last time so I. I wanted to be a bit more open this time.” She shone a bright, brittle at me, the edges of her mouth quivering in place. It only made me laugh harder. What a joke. “Haha, I appreciate it, Clover, I really do.” I wiped a tear from my eye before continuing. “But a word of the wise, maybe don’t risk your life by revealing secrets, hmm? I mean, I like honesty and all, but there’s a fine line between being open and sticking out your neck.” I had my suspicions, but this made it seem far too easy. Well, maybe there’s more to it. Maybe it’s her showing her hand to bring my guard down? Maybe she’s being tracked and doesn’t want me to be surprised. Or is she trying to draw attention away from that possibility with an equally appalling alternative? It doesn’t matter in the end, I’ll just tell Discord to keep an eye on things. Oh wait, Discord… he’d probably appreciate a heads-up. “Are you alright Typhon?” “Hm?” I looked up from my mug to see Clover’s worried face mere inches from mine. I flinched, I mean, I wasn’t scared or anything, but personal space, Clover! “I asked if you were alright.” “Yes I’m perfectly fine, why do you ask?” She paused for a moment but pushed onwards despite her obvious apprehension. “Well, you just went quiet. So…” I rolled my eyes again. “I’m just trying to remember if I left my stove on or not.” She raised a hoof, probably getting ready to ask if I really had a stove. However, she set it back down without a word. I spun up a clone out of view and sent him off to inform Discord about this development while the conversation lulled. “Do. Do you really forgive me? I. It can’t have been easy, I-“ I waved her off. “Yes, yes, I forgave you. I didn’t forget, mind you, but holding onto grudges isn’t exactly productive.” It really isn’t, but it’s not like I’m doing anything else anyway. Clover seemed to relax a bit at that, sagging in her chair and some tension leaving her shoulders. “Though, I am curious about how you managed to find me. I don’t exactly live in a hub of civilization and I don’t remember leaving much of a trail behind.” Clover stiffened again and gave a nervous chuckle. “About that, I, well, you see…” “Oh, calm down and spit it out already.” She froze in place, but a moment later she brought a strange medallion out of her saddle bag. The damnable hunk of metal shone like the noonday sun, and I hissed while covering my eyes. “Gah, my eyes!” The light disappeared but left behind several blank circles on my vision. “Oh great, give me a moment.” I popped my eyes out, rubbed them with a towel I conjured up, and tossed them back into their sockets so I could more effectively glare at Clover. “Was there a point to that, or is blinding people with your participation medals just a hobby?” Clover pawed the ground with a sheepish smile. “Uh, that medallion glows whenever it’s exposed to your magic, I didn’t think it would get that bright.” If my eyes didn’t ache like an ancient man’s kneecaps, they would be violently rolling, possibly even towards Clover to strangle her for their plight. “Nice, kindly leave that thing wherever you put it. Believe it or not, I can still feel pain.” Clover cringed further downward before nodding. Seriously, are all ponies really this stupid? The fact that I keep asking that question probably answers it. I sighed while grasping the bridge of my snout. “So you said that it glows when near my magic, care to elaborate?” She perked up before responding. “Oh yeah, that. Everypony leaves behind a sort of manatrail, sort of like hoofprints but with magic, so Celestia just keyed it to your mana signature…” Celestia… is her case more betrayal or simply attempted murder? I mean, it’s not like she pretended to be my friend, she just acted friendly in general… Is there a difference? Does it matter? Food for thought I suppose. I didn’t voice my concerns so Clover continued. “… and I just followed the path. I mean, it’s not an actual path or trail or whatever, but I could still figure out which way you went by seeing which areas have the older mana trails.” “Interesting, is there anything else I should know about that fancy little medal?” I scratched my chin as she looked away. “It, uh, lets me talk to Celestia directly. It’s a sending stone of sorts.” Wow from mere apprentice to spy that reports directly to the Princess! My, betraying your friends and morals does wonders for your career path around here! I grinned at the thought. Too bad I never betrayed mine, no, I just redefined them. I took another sip of my drink and let the conversation die. We spent a few minutes like that, drinking in silence before I spoke up, dropping the mask of false happiness. “Do they remember me?” Clover almost jumped out of her own skin but recovered quickly. “I’m sorry, what?” “Do they remember me? The people at the Tower?” Clover stared blankly at me for a moment before making an ‘o’ sound and answering. “Some do, but no one really talks about you. Starswirl, well, he went a bit nuts after you left. He got so paranoid and creepy.” Her voice began to waver. “He was talking about using the last of your magic to try rewriting reality itself, just to erase you from memory entirely.” She shuddered. “Thankfully, the Princess stepped in to put a stop to it before he got somepony hurt. I hope he’s alright.” Yes, I hope so too, I hope he got a promotion to become Celestia’s court wizard or something like that. Because I just got a wonderful idea. “Say, Clover, do you think Celestia felt bad for her actions?” Again, Clover paused, and her answer took nearly a minute to reach me. “I don’t know. She put on the royal mask around me, but I’m sure she’s a good pony so she probably does regret it. Maybe. I think?” She looked up at me with a face full of apprehension. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry, I wanted to bludgeon this moron with a hammer. I did none of that and instead said. “Maybe she just needs a little reminder. Do you think she’d be willing to apologize? If so, I just might find it in me to forgive her.” Clover’s face lit up with joy. “You mean that? You really mean that?!” I chuckled and flashed a fake smile. “Of course, Clover, of course, I do.” Maybe Celestia does feel remorse, maybe she will apologize. Maybe, heh heh, maybe she’ll even get on her knees and beg. It won’t matter, none of it will. It didn’t matter when I tried, so why should it with them? My smile gained strength and I began to laugh and laugh and laugh. All of these thoughts, these plans, they made me feel so warm. And that can’t be a bad thing… Right? Discord was fiddling with a fountain of Fanta. The thing kept spraying way too far up and he just couldn’t get the pressure right! It wasn’t a complicated affair or anything, it was all just magic, but he still couldn’t get it quite right. Discord sighed as the latest iteration exploded, covering him in the drink. How many tries will it take? With a snap of the fingers, the mess was gone and a new fountain floated in front of him. Maybe- “Hello, Discord, how are you doing?” Discord rolled his eyes at the sound of the familiar voice. “Pretty alright, got this project I’m working on, but don’t you have anything better to do? I thought you left just an hour or two ago!” Seriously, didn’t Typhon have anything better to do? This better be good. Typhon chuckled. It seemed pretty normal to Discord, but it felt… off, fake even, as if the words were being spoken through a phone of sorts. “Yes, actually, I just sent this clone to fill you in. I don’t want you walking in unawares, and leaving you in the dark seems far too pony-like for me” Another round of ethereal chuckles graced Discord’s ears. “Well, what is it then? I, for once, am a bit busy.” The clone of Typhon smiled, every single tooth shining a glittering white. “We got a visitor.” And so, they talked. At first, Discord was skeptical. All the previous times Typhon got involved with ponies, things went poorly. But then, he heard the plan. The simple, deliciously satisfying plan. The clone began to laugh, and Discord along with him. They cackled, guffawed, and giggled too because the ponies would finally understand. Author's Note aight, I've already announced it on my profile and in a blog, but for those of you who've missed those. I made a discord server! https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4 Join and get the @reader role to ask me questions about the story and what not. I'll be using it for any of my active stories, but this one is the only story I'm actively working on at the moment, so no worries about useless spam. Ch 19 - Which is Greater, Journey or Destination?“Are you sure you won’t come with me, Typh- Pathfinder? I mean, you’ve been around a bit so you should-“ I glossed over her slip-up with the wave of a hoof. “Oh no, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Clover gave me a skeptical look before sighing. “Fine, just meet me up again at the north side gate.” I made sure to put on my widest smile. “See you then!” And promptly trotted in the opposite direction. I passed a few ponies as I went. A few stood behind food stands, some in front of them, and a couple were even daring enough to be walking down the street. They all walk the same damnable path every damnable day. All smiles and ‘friendship’ and ‘harmony,’ right up until you’re different. I passed a familiar stand. I didn’t necessarily stop there often, but it was still a nice place for carrots when the craving struck me. Too bad it was little more than a pile of splinters now. What happened, do ponies really not know how to clean up after themselves? I gave the flattest of looks at the mess, and it turned to a glare when I spotted the blood. Seriously, what the hell happened? “Uhm, sir, might I ask what you’re lookin' at?” I turned to see a guardspony unicorn wearing poor-fitting armor with a too-big sword strapped to his shoulder. “Oh, nothing much, just a mess that nopony bothered cleaning up. Might I ask why there’s blood under the… debris.” The guard’s head tilted and his voice asked a question his words failed to ask. “Uh, ya weren’t here for the attack?” He shook his head before continuing. “I guess we do still have ponies driftin' in. There was a military assault on the town a couple weeks back. That cart, well, anypony who comes near it sees… visions. Memories. Some even say scars.” I rolled my eyes before turning back to the pile of wood scrap that was once a cart. “What a load of nonsense.” I left behind a cloud of smoke, a shocked guard, and a clean spot on the road. Who knew ashes smelled so nice? I didn’t spot any more messes that required my attention, but something still felt… off. There was still the faint ding of metal being forged. Conversations still reached my ears on passing winds. The smell of bread still wafted to my nose. But the metal rang hollow. The talks were hushed. And the bread’s smell was tainted with a metallic sweetness. It was like a piece of the town’s soul was missing. As if ripped out by a clawed hand. So I continued drifting down Mane street. I nodded at a few ponies, some ignored me, a few nodded back. Not to me, Typhon, but to the mask, Pathfinder. It was so easy, slipping back into the lie. Far too easy. Like simply putting on a familiar jacket. There might be a tear or two, but it was still functional, and that was all that mattered. Eventually, I felt a rumble in my fake stomach, so I veered off to the side where the bakery was. I had a donut, a jelly-filled affair with a light glazing. After finishing my snack, I found myself in front of a quite familiar inn. I wonder if my room is still as it was? Nah, I've been gone for too long. The door creaked slightly as it swung inward, revealing a packed room. I strolled through the maze of tables, tuning out the idle buzz along the way, and found a seat at the end of the counter. The rest were filled by a group of stallions roaring with laughter. I think I heard something about “oatmeal, are you crazy?!” But honestly, it wasn’t all that important. “Well, I’ll be a wee pile of scurvy bats, yer actually back?” I smiled at the familiar accent of the barkeep. Barkeep… never really caught her name, did I? “Yes ma’am, only for a short while though, I’m heading out of town quite soon. Just… taking a short trip down memory lane before I go.” I looked up to see a raised eyebrow on the large mare. “Aye, I can understand that, but didn’t ya blow in only like a month ago though? A bit short of a time to be so attached.” I shook my head at that. “Yeah, it’s not much time, but I kinda started a business, found a semi-permanent home, met a few friends, and a hobby before the…” I trailed off, letting her figure it out herself. “Aye, that’d do it.” “Hey barkeep, me an’ the guys all want another round. Put it on my tab, I got the bits tonight!” There was a round of cheers and table-stomping applause as the barkeep slid off the counter to do her job. She tried to come back a couple times but was pulled away by one group of drinkers or another. I waved her off, and simply sat to listen. Not to the words being thrown around by the unreasonable number of drunks, but to the emotions around me. I heard flimsy bravado and forced cheer from the group of off-duty guards to my side. I saw anxiety radiating from a quartet of stallions at a nearby table. I felt a blank emptiness when making passing eye contact with ponies in a booth across the room. There were more ponies here than I’d ever seen before, more words being used, and there was an annoying drone in the air that wasn’t present before. Yet it felt emptier all the same, like this place was a lamp for a thousand lost moths searching for a moon, only to be disappointed by a paltry flame. They sought comfort, didn’t they… Well, all they’ll find are pretty, white lies. That’s all I ever got, no matter who I pretended to be. I let a snort voice my opinion of these fools, but before I could stand to leave, a familiar voice called out. “Leavin so soon, Pathfinder?” I turned a grin on a tired-looking Hotshot. “Well I was, but then somepony gave me a reason not to! Tell me, how’s it been since we talked last time?” He smiled back, sitting down on a vacant seat next to me. Strange, I thought there was a guard- oh there he is… yeah, probably made a pass at the barkeep. “Well, things have been goin’ that’s for sure.” He slumped a little with a sigh. “Not goin’ much of anywhere but it’s goin’.” I nodded at that. “Oh, I’ve been there before, friend. Granted, probably not to the same extent, but still.” He chuckled at the words, though any semblance of humor was distinctly absent. “Yeah, ya don’t know the half of it.” He got a cider, I stuck with water, and we let the low buzz of the inn fill our ears. “…Brick please…” “…like I said yesterday, the count was…” “…I dunno, feels like the thing is…” It was getting harder to tune out the meaningless chatter. “Pathfinder?” “Yes?” “Ya lookin’ for a job?” “Uh, no, why do you ask?” Hotshot sent me a sideways glance. “Cause the town guard needs more ponies, especially ones that stand their ground.” I wonder just how desperate they are if the guard’s trying to find recruits like this. “No, not interested.” He raised an eyebrow. “That was a mighty quick answer.” I shook my head. “I’m heading out of town today, I just won’t be here for any kind of job pretty soon!” I forced another smile, and judging how Hotshot’s eyes narrowed, I didn’t do a good job. Not every lie can stick I suppose. “Are ya alright, Path?” I bobbed my head from side to side for a moment before responding. “Kind of am, kind of not, I’m a bit in between where I want to be and where I am.” Wonder what kind of useless platitude he’s going to spout off this time. Maybe ‘don’t worry, it’ll get better,’ or the ‘I’ve been where you’re at’ nonsense? He turned to face me completely. “Are ya in trouble? Can I help in any way? If it’s the---“ “No! No, I’m not in any trouble, just a bit lost is all.” His face softened at that and he turned back to his drink. “Alright, I can get that, I didn’t really know where I wanted to be when I joined the guard…” Called it. He added. “… but that don’t mean it’s for everypony. I hope ya find what you’re lookin’ for out on the road.” I- what do I even respond with? Hotshot pushed on despite my silence. “Though, I gotta ask, who hurt ya?” I froze. I could lie, I mean they do it all the time, they do it with repercussions, they… I’m not ‘them,’ I’m nothing like ‘them.’ My voice sounded so grand before in Nowhere, full of presence in one way or another. But now, it just felt small. It felt like I was speaking through a straw filled with gravel and dead souls. “Somepony that I trusted.” He nodded at that. “I don’t know how it felt, and I don’t think ya’d care for the sayin’s, but I’m here if ya ever want help anyhow.” The warmth and buzz that ruled my head seemed to dim at that. I think I took one too many steps down memory lane. It’s time to move on. I took a deep breath before standing up and tossing a few bits next to my empty mug. “Sorry, Hotshot, but I have to go. See you next time.” Hotshot just nodded. I wove between the tables again, and let the creaky door drift shut behind me. The sun glared down at me from its position at high noon. I could almost feel each individual ray of its light as its radiant gaze tried to pierce me. Why did it burn? Where did the warmth go? Why is everything so clear? I shook my head in confusion as I stumbled down the street. I was given a few odd looks, but the intense experience of being totally aware of each sensation individually was far more concerning. Why is it so cold? It felt like I’d just woken up from a long dream, from a nightmare, and that my body was trying to regain its full functionality. I found myself in front of a very familiar street. One that I walked down a hundred times… I’ve already gone too far, what’s one more stop on this little trip? I gathered my senses and stepped forward. As I passed out of sight of the street ponies, I wove a cloak of invisibility around myself. For some reason, most ponies didn’t seem to recognize me. Perhaps they were too absorbed in their own little worlds to notice Pathfinder in the first place. Perhaps not… Whatever the case may be, they would remember me. They would come out and ask where I’ve been, they would lie again. I’m tired of the lies. I trudged onward, keeping the magic strong, and stopped in front of a specific building. It was multiple stories in height, had glass windows filled with light, and I could just barely hear the sounds of children laughing without a plight. The sign above the front door read Sunshine Smiles. How many times did I stand here? How many times did I look at this place from this exact spot? A dozen? A hundred perhaps? I could feel the sides of divots that I dug into the gravel–a reminder of the mark I left upon this place. Every day, I’d trot my happy little rear right up to this exact spot and admire the view. I’d see the cracks in the walls, the empty windows, and dim lights, and smile as I made them all disappear beneath this humble facade. It pretended to be better than those around it. It pretended that it was different. It wasn't, it really really wasn’t. I mended the boards that held it up, I installed the glass in those windows, I pieced it back together from the splinters the invaders reduced it to. And yet, when the lies stopped, they screamed, they ran, they cast me out. It seems that I never fixed the deepest problem after all. I felt a fire ignite in the pit of my stomach, burning with blissful rage. Yet my mind felt frigid. I did so much for them, I gave them everything they could’ve wanted! And in return? I got tears and regret. Why is my face wet? Is there rain? I didn’t see any clouds. I shook my head as I let my thoughts blunder onward. Memory after memory surfaced from the ocean of my mind. Each attempted to drag me back into the depths of complacency. They tried to get me to go back. I grit my teeth at the thought, that idiotic, foolish thought. And felt the fire in my gut rise as the ice in my head fell. Go back? Why would I ever go back? What do I owe these ponies? Every damned time I try to get close, I get burned. First the damned towns, then the tower, and this time, this time… Why do I bother? Why do I care? What draws me to them? I can’t fathom it anymore… Was it hope? Was it a memory from before all this? Was I just an idiot? Why am I doing any of this? My chest burned and froze at the same time as a blizzard of hate met an inferno of anger. I felt my jaw tense and my teeth grind as the stream of questions continued, but the sound of an opening door cut them off. A little white batpony trotted forward. Her small head swung from side to side as she went on, coming straight towards me. She came to a stop right next to me and turned back to the orphanage ahead of us. Why is she here, how did she know, can batponies just see through invisibility or- “The hoofprints gave you away.” Oh. She continued. “It’s been a while.” I remained silent. “It’s been going well back here since you left.” I didn’t respond, I refused to. “Sweetie finally got over her lisp, Crimson got his cutie mark in pyromancy, and we got a new set of plates as donations.” The swirling spirals of heat and cold mixed together to form a familiar warmth in the core of my being. And that warmth began to climb. What was the point of this? “…they miss you.” What? “Ms. Heart, Sweetie Drop, Crimson, heck even Sugarplum, everypony misses you.” Nonsense, absolutely moronic nonsense! “It’s true, I don’t know how I can prove it but-“ “When do the lies end?” My voice croaked beneath the weight of emotion, but I still forced the words out. “Because I never saw it, I never saw the end of the lies. Why would I believe you, the epitome of the reason I despise you ponies?” I forced my mouth closed with an audible click. It took her a moment to respond, she went to speak but sighed before doing so. “I don’t know. I do know that they miss you, that I miss you, that we all wished you’d come back, and that they worry.” “They can ‘miss’ me all they want, the lies never ended…” I trailed off. What was there left to say? To do? This all felt so pointless. Little Liar opened her mouth, doubtless so that she could spout off more lies, more falsehoods, but the door to Sunshine Smiles swung open on well-oiled hinges. “Distorted Gale, what are you doing out here? Get back inside!” Little Liar glanced at me one last time before running up to Ms. Heart. I felt the urge to say something, anything, to ask ‘why?’ But I didn’t. Instead, I let the warmth envelope my head once more. The warmth didn’t lie, the warmth didn’t make me hurt, it just felt… good, it made me feel comfortable. It was like I was standing in front of a hearth, huddled beneath a pile of blankets. The buzz returned and I barely heard the door slam shut. I wandered some more through the town, admiring the scenery from a new point of view. It wasn’t empty, oh no, this place wasn’t missing anything. It simply gained something instead. Something wonderful, something they deserved. They gained perspective, perspective on what a monster could truly do. I smiled beneath my magic, smiled so deeply that it hurt. The world around me blurred as the gate to the outside appeared seemingly from nowhere. I spotted Clover frantically swinging her head around, probably in search of me. I could leave here and now, I could disappear without a trace. I know her trick, I know the secret. If I simply jump through space and clean up my signature behind me… They would never find me again, I would be left alone. But then they would go on, believing that they were right, thinking that they were above the consequences of their actions. That what they did to me was justified or unimportant. No, I could leave, I could vanish, but I won’t. Not until they learn. So, with a head full of comfort and a smile wide as the horizon, I stepped close to Clover and whispered. “Just tell them to let you out, I’ll go through as you do.” Clover froze and nodded before turning to the gate guard. “Alright, I guess he’s not coming, just open up and I’ll be on my way.” The unicorn’s horn glowed for a moment as a scan ran across Clover and the large doors creaked open. She stepped through and I followed while my magic concealed me. And we were out, just like that. The gravel road crunched beneath us as we trotted along. I remember this path, it was the one I chased the invaders out on. I wonder how many bones are hidden in the road? I shook my head as we passed a sign. It was made of wood and the words on it were all smudged up, as if they were made of gray paint that got violently scraped by an indignant artist. Strangely, the warmth grew more intense when I glanced at them. Probably best to simply leave well enough alone. Curiosity hadn’t been my friend so far… Then again, it’d been a far better companion than many. Clover and I reached the edge of the forest, so I dropped my invisibility and my disguise. My more chaotic form popped and clicked as bones settled back into their correct places. “Ugh, can you be a bit quieter about that? It’s, eugh.” She dry heaved at a particularly meaty wet crack that emanated from my spine. “Yes, actually, getting all of my bones in order is quite important to me. So while I understand it might be a tad off-putting, it is very necessary.” I shrugged, continuing by saying, “If you really can’t handle it, then why don’t you go off into the forest a bit and make your report to your Princess? I remember you being a bit antsy about the whole situation.” Clover gasped before making to go. “Yeah, I completely forgot! Thanks for the reminder, I’ll be right back.” “Oh, and please keep the fact that I’m coming back with you to yourself.” She froze in place, hoof raised mid-stride. “What?” I chuckled. “Oh, I just want it to be a surprise is all! Besides, if they knew I’m coming, they might get all twisted up over everything and overthink things.” I twisted my neck, several more pops cracking out as I did so, to look at Clover. “I mean, the last time their plans involved me… well it’s best to not have a repeat, right?” Clover looked down and pawed at the ground as she responded. “Y-yeah, probably, but what will I tell them?” I waved a paw as I scoffed. “Oh, don’t get all worked up about it, just say that you found somepony who knows more. That you found a lead. It’s not exactly a lie, is it?” Well, it is actually. I’m not a pony. They’ve made that abundantly clear to me. Clover nodded. “Ok, I guess I can do that. You promise to back me up after we get there though? I don’t think they’ll be happy with me.” I laughed as I hopped into the air and floated next to her. “Of course, of course! Friends always look out for one another, right?” She smiled at that and nodded before walking away. I scowled at her turned back. Yes, friends always look out for each other… I looked around as I continued settling into my old form. Trees twice as tall as me surrounded us, minus the space the path took. A few bushes dotted the open ground between them, but lacked any sort of grass. Then, I turned back to the sign. It was a ways down the road and outside the tree line, but I could still see the smeared words. It felt off and the buzz in my head got louder the longer I stared at it. What did it say? Did it mean something important? Probably not, but curiosity cares little for probabilities, and more for possibilities. Clover strode back into the clearing and called out. “Alright, I’m done, how about you?” “Yes yes, I’m finished.” I pointed a finger at the mysterious wooden sign. “Would you mind telling me what that sign is for?” She tilted her head at that. “It’s just the town name, can’t you read it? I mean you should be able to it-“ Oh, the name… “Yes, I am perfectly capable of reading. I was just unaware of its purpose. Let’s move on.” Clover shook her head before trotting onward, down the road. I followed, keeping pace above her by swimming through the air like an eel through water. People talk a lot about adventure. Some find the most meaning at the beginning, some at the destination, and quite a few constantly mewl about how “the journey is everything.” Many can draw whatever conclusions they want from an adventure. At the end of the day, its core is getting from point A to point B. For those who are on a grand quest, it can be exciting. For those on a warpath, it can be nerve-wracking. For me? It was tedious. Oh sure, there are plenty of sights to see: trees, trees, a few more trees, a river with a broken bridge that we simply teleported across, and did I mention trees? I mean, I did find the time to teach a few acorns to fly and gave some aggressive blue flowers the power to play practical jokes on people. But those were small things, insignificant compared to the wonderful world I wove myself in Nowhere. Eventually, we did have to stop and set up camp. Well, Clover did, I just stuck around to be polite. She really insisted on passing through “Hoovesdale” for some reason or another. I think it was about some pastry shop, “Pyra’s Pure Pyramid of Possibility” I believe? Bah, it’s not like it matters. I told her that I shouldn’t come with her, that it would just end with a gigantic fuss. But no, I “seriously have to experience it for myself.” What a load of nonsense. She’d see, I’d get to say “I told you so,” and we’d move on in something like a day. It will be idiotic and pointless, but that seems to be a trend with these ponies. Oh, when we crest that final hill, when I finally get to show those Princesses the consequences of their stupidity… Hopefully, the rest will see and learn. Author's Note There be one chapter, and one interlude between us and the reckoning. Such a short time left before we finally see Typhon enact his own justice... remember to leave a comment, maybe join my Discord while you're here... https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4 and stay tuned Ch 20 - Nearing the Journey's EdgeWe crested a hill. To be honest, I’d rate it a five out of ten experience. The grass was lush, and the sun shone perfectly upon the road, tinting everything slightly orange, but the town on the other side somewhat ruined it for me. Don’t get me wrong, this “Hoovesdale” I believe Clover called it—was quite picturesque in most aspects. The road up to it and the streets within appeared clean, the buildings weren’t run down, and the surrounding land seemed almost untouched by civilization. It was as if a group of pixies decided to build a town on a field of grass in the middle of a giant forest. That is, if pixies were incredibly racist, quadrupedal, and equine in nature. For all the good things Hoovesdale had going for it, it was still a pony town, still a cesspit of racism. “I really don’t get why this is such a big deal, Typhon. We’re just going into town for some donuts.” I snorted. “The ‘big deal’ is that this will end poorly. I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again. Ponies generally—not always but generally—get nervous around me. It’s caused issues before and I don’t see how this time will be any different.” Clover shook her head. “Look, I’m sure you’ve just had a string of bad luck before. I’ll show them that you aren’t anything to worry about and it’ll all turn out alright.” I think Clover tried to reassure me with her smile, but it came off as more smug than anything else. I’ve done this same song and dance half a dozen times. Why can’t she just trust me on this? I sighed as I let the conversation die and let the warmth settle in my mind further. I had to push it back every once in a while. Otherwise, thinking could become difficult. Now though, I think comfort is worth the sacrifice. I can’t afford to educate these particular fools, not yet anyhow. I shook my head at the thought as we neared the town. I slithered through the air, staying above Clover as I examined the buildings. The first line of houses was mostly made of brick. Some were gray, some were brownish red, and there was even a blue one. Not the worst of color palettes in my opinion, but it could use some more flair. I got a whiff of bread on a passing gust. It smelled fresh. I wonder if the bakery here is as good as the one in… what was its name again? I shook the question off and continued looking ahead. The road we were on seemed to run straight through the entire town without making any turns. Ponies dotted the street as well. They didn’t congregate in crowds or stream about like a river in perpetual motion. Instead they simply… drifted from one place to the next, neither in a hurry nor overly slow. Like they all had a place to be, but that place wasn’t going anywhere so why worry? It was quiet. The wind didn’t seem to catch conversation quite as well as before. Or maybe people here simply keep to themselves more? No matter. This place was… quaint I suppose, homey even. The perfect picture of a medium-sized town. If I had to guess, they probably didn’t see an incredible amount of traffic but weren’t exactly isolationist either. Not a city, not a village, perfectly in between. Then I felt the eyes. Not just a pair, not just a few, no, I felt dozens of them turn their gazes on me. Ponies turned from whatever they were doing to stare at the oddity floating over one of their own. Some whispered to each other through the sides of their mouths, some stared blankly at me, and a few even tried to gesture at Clover to look up. I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous display. With a voice pitched to carry to the majority of the peanut gallery, I asked Clover. “It might just be a thing from my culture, so correct me if I’m wrong. But isn’t staring considered rude?” I made a point to glare at the crowd as Clover responded. “Uhm, yes?” “I thought so.” Most of them went back to what they were doing. Though a few still shot me glares whenever glancing in our direction. Eh, at least they’re upfront with their stupidity. Clover trotted at a calm pace as she scanned the street signs—muttering all the while. “Was it eighth avenue or ninth?” As Clover tried to pick out our path, I scanned the wall of buildings to our right. Most were houses, but we passed a coffee shop, an inn, and a tailor's shop as well… I think. There was a lot of cloth and several carpets hung around the entrance, so it could be anything from a seer to a spice merchant for all I knew. Not that it mattered. That strange establishment was mysteriously closed for the ten seconds we were in front of it, just like the others we passed. “Ugh, why can’t these places ever make sense? We passed eighth avenue, we passed eleventh avenue, where the buck is ninth?!” I rolled over to look down at Clover by craning my neck. “We could always just step into an alley while you pull out a map, no shame in it.” The quicker she figures out where we need to go, the quicker we find this damnable pastry shop, and the quicker we can move on to New Unicornia. She shot me a sheepish smile before ducking into a random alley. There was an old pony rocking in a chair on a porch further down the alley but was otherwise empty. Clover was glaring at a map when I glanced at her. Hopefully, we’ll move on soon. … … I wonder what Discord’s up to? Probably nothing too important. There isn’t much to do in Nowhere besides making stuff up, and—not to be judgemental—but Discord isn’t the most creative of people. Maybe he’d appreciate a show? I tapped my ear and sent a string of magic into a crease in reality. It poked through and stopped with a twitch. ‘Bvvvvv’ Does- does he have me on vibrate? ‘Bvvvvv’ Why I oughtta… “Hello, this is Discord, with whom am I speaking?” I shook my head at the odd sensation tingling in my brain. “Really, Discord, just how many people could call you like this?” “Fair point, but I figured that you never really know, so I err on the side of caution.” I rolled my eyes at that. “Yes, I’m sure you do.” Clover’s head shot up. “Really? Ugh, apparently we missed the turn, I got it now though. Let’s go, Typhon.” I nodded and followed her out of the alley. “Might I ask why you called me?” I felt eyes on me again, but I still responded. “I figured you might’ve gotten bored. Not much to do in Nowhere.” He chuckled at that. “Is that what you call this place? Personally, I’ve been calling it ‘Possibility’.” Clover took a sudden right turn and I almost crashed into a sign when I tried to follow. “Well yes, I got there by telling my magic to take me away, it asked ‘where’ and I failed to answer. I didn’t want to be anywhere at all, so it took me Nowhere.” Discord went silent so I focused on my surroundings again. There weren’t as many ponies on this side street, just a few moving from one store to the next. Likely, they were on grocery runs—judging from the bags of food they carried. And for once, there wasn’t anyone staring at me. This place wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the towns I visited before the Tower. Those ponies tended to scream and run. Or get violent, the responses varied. Maybe it was the fact that they were little more than hamlets. Maybe it was just the temperament of the locals. Maybe this town is so docile, because of Clover accompanying me. Maybe this, maybe that. So many maybe’s. Whatever the case, I’d take a bit of staring over violence any day. “Finally, found it!” I shook my head before following Clover’s hoof. In the middle of this small town that sat on the edge between everywhere and nowhere in particular, was a building made of sandstone. How in the world did they afford— Don’t think about it, Typhon, just don’t think about it. “So we have.” Ignoring my comment, Clover trotted up to the glass door and knocked three times before entering. I thought nothing of it as I tried to follow her in. However, a scratchy voice shouted at me. “Knock before you come in, you mangy son of dog!” I froze. What? “You heard me, you walking rolled up rug!” I blinked a few times before knocking on the open glass door. “Now, come in! Come in!” I landed before walking in—don’t want my horns getting stuck—and looked around. The walls were made out of sandstone bricks, the floors and ceilings were wooden, and tables littered the sides of the room. The arrangement left a clear aisle leading up to the counter. There was a glass case thing with pastries on display—probably had a drop-down back for easy access. The oddest part was the upright cat person behind the counter. The cat person called out in the same scratchy voice as before and put her paws on her hips. “What, see something nice?” I shook my head at her smug grin. “Apologies, I’m afraid I haven’t met any of your kind before.” Clover walked up to the display while the cat lady and I had our exchange. “Yes, that is understandable. I am far from my Abyssinia, and few of my people leave our sandy home.” I nodded as I strolled up beside Clover. “Oh, I suppose I can understand the feeling.” We browsed the menu for a bit, there were bagels, donuts, danishes, cookies, dough balls, and dozens more that I didn’t remember the name of. And all of them looked absolutely delicious. I spotted a donut glazed yellow and decorated with banana patterns made of frosting, an ocean blue bagel with sprinkles that glittered, and a cookie that was actually modeled after a galactic disk—stars and all. So many choices! Clover decided first. “I think I’ll have a ‘Desert Dessert Delight,’ please.” I followed up with: “And I believe I’ll have a set of star cookies, thank you.” The cat woman beamed at us. “Excellent choices, both of you! So many idiot ponies walk in here and ask for ‘sugar cookies.’ I mean really, all cookies have sugar!” I chuckled as she dove beneath our line of sight and rummaged around. After a moment, she popped back up with a sparkly orange danish that was decorated to resemble an oasis and a trio of galaxy cookies. “That will be forty bits, thank you!” Her smile was almost as wide as Clover’s face was pale. “Oh, um, I don’t have enough—“ The cat lady’s smile immediately fell, but I wanted those cookies dammit! So with a snap of my fingers, a brick of gold the size of Clover’s head crashed into the counter. A tiny thread of my magic was needed to keep the counter from shattering. “I’ve come this far for these pastries, Clover, I’m not going to let some small issue like money get in the way.” With that, I swept up our purchases and strode over to one of the many empty chairs. The other two stared at the gold, failing to pick their jaws up off the floor. I play jump rope with physics and this is what breaks Clover? It’s just some basic transmutation. “This too much, my food good but not this good. Please, pick few more, I feel bad if—“ “Bah, I can drop enough gold to drown an elephant if I need to. Just take it.” I waved a claw as I said that before biting into my cookie. And it was like I got a taste of Heaven. The perfect level of sweetness, the crumbly yet soft texture, and the faintest hint of salt all made my mouth melt in pleasure. “Wow, that good?” I flinched at the sudden voice in my head but recovered quickly. “Yes, and we are definitely stopping by here again.” I made a mental note to save one of my cookies for Discord. Clover was right, this is worth whatever trouble is going to find us before we leave. I nodded at Clover as she sat down across from me. Clover had almost finished her pastry when my reverie was cut short by the cat lady’s shout. “Hey, knock before you come in you candy-sniffing sour grapes!” There was a sigh and a series of knocks before I heard the clopping of several sets of hooves. Here comes the real ‘price.’ A calm stallion called out. “Greetings, chimera, I apologize but you are under arrest, please stand up so we may properly detain you.” Well, at least they’re quite polite about their racism here. I stood up and turned to face them. Just a trio of guards in slate-gray armor: a pair of unicorns and a glaring scarred earthpony. “Might I ask why?” The white unicorn snorted and answered in a posh accent. “Because you are a beast without a leash that is waltzing around our respectable neighborhood. If you were at all intelligent, you would’ve never come here!” He was right, oh so right, but it’s too late now, it’s been too late for that wisdom for a long while. Flakes of red burned themselves into the edges of my vision. It is far too late. “Leave! They are paying customers! You overgrown bucket heads are not welcome here!” The earthpony glared at me as the calmer unicorn walked over to the counter. “Look ma’am, I understand the frustration, I really do, but…” I tuned out the rest of his worthless words and focused on the other guards. I can’t afford this, I can’t let go. Not yet. My teeth gritted as I stepped towards the guards, who immediately shifted–ready for a fight. As if they stood a chance. How cute. I stood several feet taller than them and they saw every inch of that height when I leaned over them. “I am so, so tired of ponies like you.” I heard Clover finally get off her rear to come help but I pushed her back to where she was with a light tug of magic. She could probably solve this with that fancy little medallion of hers. She could probably end this peacefully. I stared at the two before me, with a mind full of ash, and thoughts made of smoke. She could do this, she could do that, but her solutions are temporary, I can fix this forever. I couldn’t afford to teach them, but we all have our vices, our guilty little pleasures. With a snap of my fingers, they were gone. “Wait, why was I yelling again? I… I thought idiot ponies were here but there aren’t… Oh, I am sorry, but could you two leave, please? I think I am seeing things. I need to go lay down.” Clover stared blankly at the cat lady for a moment. “Uh, yeah, sure.” She got up and walked towards the door. Her eyes seemed glazed, and her gait was slightly askew–not enough to make her stumble, but stiff beyond what is reasonable. Like a marionette just given life. I nodded toward the cat lady and got up to do the same. “No need to fret, we both enjoyed our stay.” I turned and followed Clover, but called out one more thing before I let the door swing closed behind me. “I’ll make sure to tell all my friends about this place!” Outside I paused for a moment, then began walking. No destination in particular, just wanted to move. Clover followed, though it did take her a moment to get going. We just walked and walked, until we were outside the town premises. It was quiet despite the crowd. Or maybe that buzzing is just really loud. Who knows? “Typhon?” “Yes?” “Do you think that cat person is alright? I mean, she was just talking to thin air.” I smiled, smiled so wide that it hurt. “Oh, she’ll be fine, I’m sure of it.” I wasn’t looking at Clover, but I didn’t need to see her to know she was frowning, probably worried. But what I couldn’t find was a reason to care. The stars sparkled in the night sky, like a thousand diamonds twinkling in the dark. Clover had just gone to bed, but the fire I started earlier still crackled and popped with life. I needed some external warmth, the kind in my head, it doesn’t solve every problem. I can’t rely on it too heavily. Otherwise, I’d go crazy! I chuckled at the thought. Yes, that warmth can help me stay calm, but it’s still just a simple tool—it can’t solve everything. I sighed as I leaned back, closing my eyes as I did so. Just like every other night on the road, I asked myself a very simple question. Did I want to continue? Would this be worth it? The answers were yes and no respectively. I wanted–no, needed to do this. Yet, I know that it will feel empty at the end of it all. It is necessary, it is justice. I glared into the fire, watching the embers swirl upwards. What if they guessed that I escaped, what if Clover gives me away? Maybe not on purpose this time, but it is still possible. What would they do? Memories of shattered glass, my withering body, and blurring perceptions flashed through my mind as if brought by a messenger from outside of myself. A cage, if it worked once, why not again? After all, it did work in their eyes. They just had the wrong target. Or so they likely thought. They’d be watching for my last trick. I won’t be pulling a disappearing act. At least, I won’t be the one disappearing this time. With a grin and a snap, tiny flakes of molten metal ripped themselves from deep beneath the earth. I had to pull upon hundreds of mineral deposits, possibly thousands for what I needed. The slivers of metal swirled and fused, forging themselves into a large rod that towered over twice my height. And then, I squeezed, forcing it to shrink to half the size that it was. The rod of metal glowed with angry orange, highlighted by a glaring white. With a flick of the wrist, it shot up thousands of feet into the air, and I only pulled it to a stop when I felt the grip of gravity loosen. Would one be enough? No, but three should do. I smiled as a trio of false stars winked into being. They were my personal choir of guardian angels. I smiled, smiled so wide that it hurt. And my heart raced in anticipation for the moment that I’d let my angels sing. Author's Note aight, this is today, but I've got an interlude going up on Sunday. Interlude 2 - the CastleStraight Shot liked his job. Sure there were stressful parts to being a palace guard, but that’s for the ponies who needed life to be interesting. Sign up for all the most boring posts in the castle and everypony loves you while letting you stand around doing nothing all day. Free drinks on the nights off, calm work with little to no interaction with civilians, and decent pay? He couldn’t sign up quick enough. Straight Shot sighed as he twisted his neck. Yep, life was good. Then the clopping of hooves began to echo from down the stone hallway, so he straightened. Just like any other guard, he had to keep up an image… at least, when the higher-ups were around. He squinted into the shadowed passage to his right, trying to make out who was coming. He didn’t want to get written up for using the wrong salute again. Seriously, why do Night Sentinels and Solar Centurions need to be so picky? Straight Shot suppressed a snort at the pointless thoughts and began to make out both a horn and wings. Given the height it was probably Luna, so he bowed while keeping his eyes on her. He still didn’t know why Princess Luna insisted on a different kind of bow, but she was the one that ran palace logistics, and Straight Shot liked being paid at the end of the week. The Princess maintained her sedate pace, passing him by while making all the noise of a living shadow. Princess of the Night indeed, she was darn creepy– A metallic clang rang out in the obscure hall and the weak torches flickered as a line of magic passed them by. Celestia smiled at the pony standing before her. She had to look down at pretty much anypony as is, but the golden throne she sat upon exacerbated the difference. At least the cushion was nice. The unicorn opened his mouth for one last remark, hopefully. “...Which is why I implore you to change our standard measurement systems to a ten-point decimal system.” She’d been planning on doing so for years now, since the very beginning of her rule in fact. However, it was always a pain to get society to change such an integral part of itself. At least the scientists and scholars adapted it quickly. Celestia nodded before answering his plea. “The Crown has made use of such a measurement system for years now. As have the mage towers and other such scholarly institutions.” She paused, letting the ruffled unicorn noble have a moment of joy. “However, until the wider education system can be remedied and all instructors are informed–which may be another few years yet–private sectors are likely to continue using the archaic ways of measurement.” She granted him a sad smile before dismissing him. Celestia truly did understand his frustration, but society simply moved at its own pace. Whether or not anypony liked it mattered little. Thankfully, he left without raising any issue, and the guards stationed at the door ushered in the next petitioner. Celestia barely suppressed a sigh. A gray pegasus with bubbles for a cutiemark smiled at her. She was pleasant enough, but some of what that pegasus said simply confounded Celestia. Seriously, how does somepony simply “get lost” in the castle and show up in the throne room at a mysteriously convenient time when another noble couldn’t make their appointment for one reason or another? Multiple times. Without lying. At least she found this strange, empty-headed pony to be good company. Luna smiled. And why shouldn’t she? The plan was almost complete! Celestia would finally see the truth! Luna couldn’t resist letting out a chuckle, and her friend joined her. Her friend wasn’t the sort that anypony else could see, and both Luna and her friend were fine with that. It made scheming all the easier. Luna turned a corner and continued down the hall, making sure to keep the unconscious guard suspended in the air with magic. It seemed that her Sentinels had missed one, but they were mere mortals, Luna can forgive them for being less than perfect. This time. She spent a full minute walking on stone floors, passing through minor wards, and entering doors. Eventually, she arrived at a solid black-oak door that reached twice her sister’s height. Luna spent another minute going through the necessary procedures to open the door properly without setting off one of the hundred or so active warning spells on it. Of course, she could just shatter the impotent obstacle, but then the door wouldn’t lead to where she wanted to go. She wondered, not for the first time if dealing with all this pointless paranoia was worth the boons he provided but… With a yank, the door finally pulled open, revealing rows upon rows of engraved crystals, lines of power arcing between them. …Starswirl was the Court Wizard for a reason. Keen was a simple pony with simple wants, like most others she assumed. Short work days, good pay, and low stress made for the perfect place to work. Sure, managing the royal audience list could become distressing during Hearths Warming, but that was one week of incredible intensity out of a year otherwise full of nobles making simple suggestions. The fact that there weren’t any big-power players in the game of politics besides the Princesses anymore probably contributed to that fact. But no matter how calm and nice a job is, it’s still work, a duty, something to take pride in. Which is why Keen was glaring at the schedule for two days from now. She could’ve sworn that it was Lord Mineral March that was scheduled first that day, something about a potential gem mine on Mount Canterhorn. Instead, the inked name “Plane Shift” stared right back at her from its place in the time block. However, no matter how many security scans she ran on the paper, no matter how many guards she questioned about ponies entering her office, she found nothing. It was as if a clone of her walked in and– “No, remember what the captain said the last time you panicked, the simplest answer is likely the right one. I probably just forgot about a scheduling shift or something.” Keen sighed as she flipped the small schedule book closed, and slipped it into a locked drawer in her desk. She stood up and left, letting the door swing shut of its own accord. She was sure that the sheer number of wards would keep out anypony looking to mess with it. …She hoped so at least. Every other time Clover and I spot a town or village, it’s after we crest a hill. Probably because of the vantage points such a position grants, but I digress. This time it was refreshingly different, you see, instead of cresting a hill, we climbed out of a pond! Clover shook herself dry and I let a wave of chaos burn the water off of me. Not evaporate, burn, a very significant distinction I believe. “Now do you see the issue with blind teleportation, Clover? I warned you this would happen.” She just glared at me before trudging towards the walled town, and I followed with a wide grin. I glanced over my shoulder, making sure my new pony disguise was in order. A simple gray-coated unicorn with a funky four-dimensional object for a cutiemark. Hopefully, the headaches it induced would get people to stop staring for once. Clover’s voice broke through the clopping of our hooves. “So, what’s the plan? I mean, I could just bring you up and–” “No no no, I already have an audience scheduled as Plane Shift. You can come with me if you’d like, but I’ll be fine on my own.” We were silent for the rest of the walk up to the gates to New Unicornia. I smiled, thinking of my little choir of angels that twinkled just out of sight. And soon, they will sing. Author's Note so here's that interlude I promised. As it turns out, the next chapter is already drafted, so it's pretty much guaranteed that I'll be able to get it out by the coming Sunday. If ya got something to say, feel free to leave a comment, they're always nice to see. see ya next Sunday. Ch 21 - Destination, StarfallI felt warm. Not the shallow heat of fire, nor the ethereal feeling of rage, but rather, a soul-deep warmth that reached my very core. It was like my mind was submerged in molasses. I watched as building after building passed me by in a blur as my body moved forward almost of its own accord. Some were tall, some were squat, some were colorful, some were dull. At some point, they all began blurring together, forming a continuous mosaic of pony architecture. The drone and chatter of the crowd almost drowned out the buzzing in my skull but failed to block Clover’s words. “Typh—Plane Shift, how did you manage to get an audience with the Princess so quickly? We only just got here!” Her worried voice made me feel joyful, ecstatic even, but why? Eh, it doesn’t matter. I managed to keep my words from slurring. “I have my ways.” Why must I be crisp and clear when all of these buildings could get away with just being big smudges? Seems a bit unfair if you ask me. Clover spoke up again. “Are you alright? You seem… not entirely here.” I snorted at that. I was all the way here thank you very much! If I wasn’t, then you wouldn’t be talking to me, or maybe you would. I don’t judge. I finally answered in a hushed tone, pitching it to barely reach Clover’s ears despite the crowd. “I’m fine, stop asking.” She frowned at me but let the subject drop. Signs swung overhead as we continued, advertising silly names like The Golden Gala Gallery or Rosemary Rarities. The frivolous gilded planks almost drew my attention away from the eyes. Crowds didn’t form or disperse, waves of eyes didn’t turn on me all at once, but a passing earthpony would glare at me with thinly veiled hate, a pegasus would ruffle their wings as they brush past me, or a unicorn would look down their snout at me. As if absolutely everyone thought that the entire world centered on them and that those around them should be grateful to be allowed anywhere near this world’s true protagonist. It was sickening. I am going to enjoy watching them run and scream. How dare they treat each other like this, how dare they act like this at all? It’s like I’m surrounded by overgrown children! My smile faltered at the thought. No, that would be insulting the children I knew. Sunshine Smiles may have turned me away, but they did not hate, just feared. Right? Why do I remember so much red when I think back? I didn’t hurt anyone there did– My thoughts were cut off by a series of squawks coming from a nearby alley and I froze. A knife, a flash, so much ugly red. My head snapped to the noise and I spotted a trio of ponies ganging up on a smaller griffin. The poor catbird looked like a teenager judging by his size, definitely not enough to threaten the three adult ponies. I glanced around, trying to see if anyone else noticed. Not one stopped, they all seemed too engrossed with whatever was directly in front of them. Out of sight, out of mind, right? With a small twist of magic, the noise stopped, leaving a confused griffon devoid of the knowledge of his situation. Just another few hunks of trash tossed out of this world. “You alright Typhon? You’re looking distant again.” I shook out of my stupor, zoned in, and continued walking. “Yes, Clover, I’m fine.” She gave me another sidelong glance but didn’t push the matter. A sad truth struck me. I had to let go of the warmth, it was too dangerous to rely on at the moment. I couldn’t afford to give in to my impulses, not when I was so damned close. With a sigh, I forced the warmth out with a wave of icy hate. Hate for the filth that surrounded me, hate for the injustice that I had dealt with, and that so many others definitely suffered. Those others couldn’t fight back, they simply lacked the strength. I am different. With a deep breath, my focus sharpened even further, making the colors of the world brighten and the edges sharpen. A dull mind only sees dull edges and dull colors, blocking out the colder truths that surround it. But in turn, it dulls logic as a price. It was comfortable, blissful even, but a little bit of realism is worth suffering for my plan. I was just too close to do otherwise. My smile flattened as I kept my eyes ahead, trying to blend in with the crowd. I checked on my connection to the false stars in the sky. It was stable. Good, I can’t let them drop, not yet anyhow. The shorter squatter buildings that surrounded us quickly gave way to multistoried wooden affairs, which themselves melted into towering marble behemoths. By the time we’d reached the palace, nigh solid walls of white stone filled our vision. Ponies absolutely filled the wide paved street, but no pegasi flew overhead. A law against it, perhaps? It wouldn’t surprise me if “Unicornia” would favor policies that put down the “feather heads” and “mud ponies” as I’ve heard the snobs call them. Eventually, we came to a white gate, guarded by a pair of tall guardsponies clad in glittering golden armor. Toy soldiers if I’d ever seen any. Even the enchantments I felt on them boiled down to making them all look the same. Their spears were held ramrod straight, as if they served to protect those around them, as if they commanded true respect. Clover and I passed them by without issue alongside a dozen other ponies. A few waves of magic passed over me as I entered. No doubt a few alarm spells or security scans to dismiss illusions and the like. Good thing I twist reality instead of casting spells. Otherwise, their preparations might’ve actually mattered. I could hear the hesitation in Clover’s hoof steps. The little jitter at the end of the clop gave it away. I committed the red carpet, the elegant drapes, and the beautiful pillars to memory. I absorbed the fanciful patterns woven into fabrics and the elaborate mosaics carved into the stone walls. Those carvings depicted dozens of different conflicts, ranging from pony infighting to battles against grand tyrants and monsters beyond horrible. So much history drenched this brightly lit hall. I wonder if they have backup histories. Probably. I hope they do anyway, for their sake. The group of ponies we were in trotted through the winding passages that twisted and turned at seemingly random intervals. Were we not escorted by a pair of unicorn guards, we would’ve doubtless been hopelessly lost in this maze of marble and velvet. So much effort to keep the undesirables out. Yet, they let me right in. How wasteful. We came to a stop before a pair of massive golden doors, engraved with the likeness of the two Princesses standing beneath their respective celestial bodies. Though, I noticed a few nicks on Celestia’s face and…a broken ward? Curious. I shook my head before stepping forward. “I do believe that I am first in the queue, good sirs.” The guards stood aside and a mare with an inkwell cutiemark strolled out from an unseen door. She looked at me and asked in a tired voice “Are you Plane Shift of the Stargate tower?” I nodded, and she responded by tapping the big doors. They glided open soundlessly. What kind of oil do they use on those monsters for them to be so—magic, stop being stupid, Typhon. I smiled as I trotted forward with Clover in tow. “I’m sorry ma’am but you’re not—“ Clover cut her off with a quick flash of the glowing medallion. The secretary shut her mouth and about-faced with a worried expression. Just how much pull did that hunk of metal have? Bah, it doesn’t matter. The carpet I walked on went all the way up to a small red circle right in front of the throne. Thick stone pillars dotted the sides, breaking up my vision of the room. As I went, I spotted glass panes on the walls, depicting what appeared to be victories over great evils. A large-looking ram, a red centaur faced by a gargoyle, and a dark-looking unicorn tyrant, all captured in colored glass in their moment of defeat. I took it all in, letting the sights burn themselves into my very soul. After all, I won’t be getting another chance to do so. My calm stroll down this mini hall of history ended before the throne. I was probably too close given the glares from the guards and Celestia’s frown. I felt cold, not the chill of water, nor the bite of brisk air. No, I felt the icy inferno of hate fogging my mind with its poison. I heard Clover come to a stop a ways back. Celestia cocked an eyebrow, waiting for my question. I sighed, letting tension slide off of me. I’ve waited enough for this, no need for games. “I’ve come a long way, Celestia, a very long way to give you a chance.” The guards stiffened and Celestia’s face scrunched in confusion. “A chance for what, Subject? We have not spoken, have we?” I smiled, letting the false form melt away like wax, and stood to my full, monstrous height. She recoiled, and I saw new lines etch themselves into her eyes. Good. The guards charged me, but a quick snap had them elsewhere. They were unharmed of course, I couldn’t blame them for doing their job. That shook Celestia from her shock, and she had the gall to scowl at me. “What did you do with my guards?” I waved a paw, feeling several joints pop in the process. “Oh, I just sent them somewhere safe. I’m not so ignorant as to be unable to see things from another’s perspective. It’s not like I’m an animal or anything, right?” My smile hurt, hurt in ways I didn’t know were possible. The ache creeped its way to my core like a tangle of poisonous vines and just kept reaching deeper. Celestia flinched at that. “I—yes, no.” She took a breath before continuing in a more calm tone. “I apologize for what occurred at the time, and am truly sorry that–” As if she felt remorse. Please, like I’m that gullible anymore. “Cut the crap, we both know that’s a lie.” My smile fell into a sneer. I wanted to say more, wanted to rant, wanted to make her understand. Instead, I felt rage glue my mouth shut, and my fists clench. Why, why did they not see? How can they not know? What is it that they want from me?! I just wanted a home and all I got was this! The edges of my vision trembled. My face was wet. Why? It's not raining. “T-Typhon, you said you’d give her a chance. She’s trying to apologize. Can’t you just let her?” I turned to Clover. Her legs were sturdy and her head was steady, but I could see the sparkle of fear in the corners of her eyes, could hear her heart seemingly vibrate in her chest. In the storm of my mind, an icy spear rose and stabbed outwards in the form of calm words. A mere jab at her walls of justifications, meant to maneuver her guard. “Clover, tell me, what exactly do you think she did?” She stared for a moment, jaw flapping uselessly before she shook her head, and met my eyes with new courage flickering in place of fear. “She ordered you imprisoned and failed to act when it looked like you got hurt. But she’s remorseful, can’t you see it?” No, no I could not. The only thing she’s sorry for is not making sure that I was dead the first time. I opened my mouth to mount a verbal assault but Celestia cut me off before I could start. “I, I know that you care not for apologies, so maybe the true reasons will be better.” Excuses, all you can offer are useless excuses. Celestia leveled a steady gaze at me, maintaining eye contact with me. “Equestria was, is, and will be unstable for a long time. My sister and I have yet to truly consolidate our power, so other factions within our kingdom could still threaten our position. We feared that one group or another might try to manipulate, or even goad you into bouts of wanton destruction.” Yes, because that makes it so much better. She gulped before continuing. “I know that we were wrong, I understand that we shouldn’t have gone through with the plan, but please, understand. We only did this so that our little ponies could live peacefully, without having to worry about an immensely powerful entity that they do not understand.” Her eyes pleaded, begged even, for mercy. I opened my jaw, ready to dismiss it, but nothing came out. She harmed me to protect her own, was that not my logic at Sunshine Smiles? That I would bury thousands for the ones I cared for? Damn this cold hate, damn this reason, damn it, damn it, damn it all, this was meant to be justice, not a trial! No, we’re not the same. I fought to protect, and she lashed out in fear. My teeth ground as silence reigned for a moment, and I saw hope twinkle in Celestia’s eyes once more. “No.” One word. One simple, whispered word, brought a wave of sorrow across the Princess’ face. And perhaps, a twinge of fear? “I, I understand, Typhon, but if you cannot forgive us, then please go, before more of our ponies draw your ire.” Her head dipped and she closed her eyes. I snarled at the dismissal. “Do you honestly think that you’re above consequences? Do you truly believe that–” My words were cut off by the crash of heavy metal on stone, and a lance of pain the size of a mountain peak that jabbed my brain. My connection to the false stars shuddered, and I worried that my grip would fail. The time wasn’t right yet. But I managed to grasp the fading wisps of the tether before it could die completely. Barely. I heard a bout of laughter and spun to see Luna striding through the golden doors. “I told you, Sister! This beast is relentless.” She strolled around the cage, ignoring my glare, and came to a stop beside Celestia. The arrogant moron turned to me with a smug grin. “And now, it is caged, just as you wanted.” You will regret that. Celestia grimaced, making to speak, but Luna continued. “I checked for that pesky clone spell, and scanned for several other possible tricks, but no, the foolish creature really came clad only in illusions! I–” Because I found a better option. “ENOUGH!” Celestia’s voice thundered through the courtroom, starting an annoying ringing in my ears. The ringing faded in a moment, and Luna turned her manic grin on Celestia. “Oh, and why is that, dear Sister? Was this not your goal? Have I not accomplished what you failed to do?” Her grin faded as she surged on with venom dripping from her words. “Just as I did when Tauros fell?” Her face bled into an angry sneer, lines tracing themselves across her muzzle. “Just as I did when the Nightmare came?” Luna faced me, still addressing her sister. “How many times must I save you, Sister? How many times must the fate of this country be mine to carry before you finally accept it!” Celestia held her ground, not even flinching at her sister’s rage, and asked in an even voice “Accept what, Luna?” “That I am your equal, that I deserve the same respect you have weaseled from our ponies, that my night has the right to shine as bright as your day!” Celestia’s shoulders slumped and her eyes softened. “Luna, I’ve always thought of you as an equal, but we can’t demand respect from our subjects. If we do, we would only ever get false loyalty, and I doubt you want that.” Luna’s previous passion seemed gone now, evidenced by the ice in her words. “Section seventeen of the New Crown Bill.” “I—“ “Section twenty-two of the First Great Reform.” “But—“ “The Twilight Court Laws.” I had enough. And my whispered words rang with the weight of worlds. “Be silent.” Luna’s head snapped in my direction. “You will be dealt with later, beast!” I went to answer, but Luna turned on her sister and blasted Celestia through the wall. “I will finally get what I deserve, sister! Do you hear me, I—“ The rest of her words were lost to me as she dove out through the hole she made. I reached out with a trembling hand and gripped the bars of the cage. Well, at least she tried to listen, at least she made the attempt. If only her words meant something. If only they weren’t lies. If only hypocrisy didn’t rule them. I hate hypocrites. I tightened my grip on the bars, and looked back at Clover. She stood stock still, as if she was frozen in place by a powerful spell. Nothing, she did nothing. No one does anymore, nobody tries to act, to help others around them. Why am I the only one trying anymore? Why am I supposed to be the only one that cares? At the Tower, I made my mistakes, but I cleaned up my mess as well. On the road, I may have frightened a few, but I wasn’t out for blood. At the town, I saved them, I staved off the rebels like a hunter would a pack of wolves. And here, here I gave them a chance. I didn’t expect anything, I predicted nearly exactly what would happen, but yet I held onto the faint insane hope that they would learn. I’m tired of caring, I’m so very tired of all of this. Why should I be the only one to bear this weight? Because I can’t see a single damned reason anymore. So, I let go. I let go of the stress, I let go of the hate, let go of the anger, let go of the expectations, the worries, the stars above. And smiled, I smiled as relief flooded me, leaving me in a violent bliss. I felt warm. 30… A pop sounded out from behind us and a familiar voice rasped. “I knew it, I knew it, you were alive all along!” 29… I looked over my shoulder and found Starswirl standing in the doorway, the hall behind him was empty. How peculiar. I yawned. “Hey, Starswirl.” 28… I should be angry at him, I suppose, but I just let go of all my anger, and I don’t really feel up to going back to grab it again. It’s not like I have enough time to do so anyway. 27… Starswirl stared at me with bloodshot eyes and stalked forward in a decidedly un-equine manner. It was like he was more of a cat than a pony. “I have been waiting for you, Enigma. Oh, how I waited, but the wait is over now, and it was worth it!” 26… His smile widened even further, reaching past the normal limit. “S-Starswirl, are you alright?” Clover’s voice was laced with concern. Probably because of Starswirl’s disheveled look. Or maybe it’s the slight curve to his horn? Or are the glowing crystal orbs hanging from his saddlebags setting her off? 25… Eh, it doesn’t really matter in the end, it’s too late already. Too late for all of them. Clover stepped closer to the wizened mage, but Starswirl flung her back with a flick of his magic. “Stay away from me you traitor. You led that walking disaster right here without trying to warn anypony!” 24… “However, we are all fortunate enough that the Princess and I predicted such a possibility.” Clover groaned as she got up, but managed to force out a question while doing so. “How d-did you know?” 23… Starswirl scoffed at Clover’s quivering voice. “An army disappeared in a region you just so happened to be traveling towards after Celestia gave you that medallion?” Can’t these two shut up? It’s not like there’s anything important left to say! 22… “And before you ask, I’m the one who made the bloody thing. Of course I would know its purpose!” Starswirl stepped closer, brandishing one of the orbs at me, and it crackled with energy. One moment, the orbs were red and shrouded in mist. The next, it was a cloak of blue lightning, then a sheet of leaves, yellow flowers, orange fire…so many colors. I feel fuzzy, is that normal? I, I don’t think so? 21… “Do you see this, Enigma? Do you witness your bane, you overgrown mistake?” He brought one of the orbs right up to the bars, and strange gridlike lightning began to arc all over the cage. I could barely make out the strange sphere from the blurred background anymore. 20… Who were these two again? I-I’m supposed to hate them right? The younger one yelled at the bearded one. She seems nice, better than that other guy. 19… They’re yelling more now. Why are they yelling? What does “solidified order” have to do with anything? Can’t we just be friends? It’s a lot easier than fighting and life is short, especially with those angels on the way. 18… More yelling, and the young one just smacked the bearded one over the head with one of those sour circles. 17… It’s quiet now, so very quiet. 16… I feel faint, what were those things? 15… 14… Ugly red trickled down the floor 13… 12… Oh, thank you for kicking the orb away, younger unicorn person. It was quite the bother. I think I smiled, right? Yeah, I got it right. 11… 10… The unicorn, she—I think it’s a she—has been saying stuff, a bunch of stuff. 9… I think she’s saying “sorry” now? I don’t know why though, she wasn’t the one who fogged up my eyes. 8… Aww, she looks sad. Don’t worry little one, I’ll take you along if you want. 7… Yep, just gotta let those angels break me out first. 6… There’s the whistling! They’re getting close! 5… 4… Oh, stop panicking, I’ll get us out before the music gets too loud. 3… I wound up what little power I had left, locking onto the place I wanted to go. 2… Next, I grasped her and myself in my magic. I could only barely touch her though. I wonder why. 1… Thunder clapped, stone shattered, and steel groaned. And my world. Went. White. Author's Note we're nearing the end guys, I hope you enjoy this, feel free to leave a comment below. I always love seeing your thoughts. also, feel free to join my discord if you want to ask me more direct questions https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4 Ch22 - CratersMy head throbbed with a dull ache as I stared at the burning city. Debris still dropped from the sky, forming a rocky hail every now and again. No more running, no more hiding what I am, and no more worrying about the royals. A glowing red stone crashed to the earth a dozen feet away, kicking dirt up. I can finally just live as I please. I blocked the spray with a flick of magic. I mean, I could have before, but there would always be that nagging fear of the guard showing up and forcing my hand… I sighed as I sat with my back against one of the rocks that dotted the clearing, letting the tension drain from my shoulders. But no more, I am free of them, I am free of all that nonsense. I looked out past the precipice, admiring the towering flames that sprung up from numerous places in the city. It resembled a bonfire. It had a wild element that hearths lacked, it was angry, vengeful even as if its sole purpose was to settle a vendetta. I shook my head at the idea and closed my eyes, ready to doze off for an hour or two. Clover was out cold, but otherwise fine. The castle was in ruin, and the few people not distracted by that development were probably more worried about the fires or the dueling alicorns. No one was coming for me anymore. No one was searching. No one was hunting. A series of booms rang out from where Celestia and Luna fought in the sky. I cracked an eye open to watch. Luna dove at Celestia, slinging bolts of pure mana and flashes of lightning. Celestia deflected with angled shields and blasts of her own neutralizing magic. Then, Celestia retaliated with brilliant lances of light, followed by arcing trails of fire. That Luna simply dodged with quick jerks to the side or by teleporting out of the way. It was fitting in my opinion. The alicorn of the sun would stand her ground, radiating power and light. While the alicorn of the moon would flit around and strike from places unseen. The blinding fortress against the agile shadow. They clashed over and over, each collision resulting in a shockwave that I could feel shake the air from miles away. It was… disappointing. Disappointing that they wielded such power, yet only chose to lash out with it like powerful toddlers beating around their toys. I frowned at the thought. I’m a killer, a prolific one even… Five hundred faces, screaming, withering, running. …but I try to make it quick, it’s not a game. I felt another magic quake before one of Celestia’s fire bolts was thrown off course. It angled high, and after a few moments, I realized that it was headed toward me. I could hear it sizzle like grease in a pan, it was like the magic within it was licking its lips before a meal. Disgusting. With a flex of magic, I strangled the ball of flame, letting it vanish in a shower of harmless sparks that flickered and danced, like a swarm of fireflies. I stared at the royals. I felt a faint bubbling heat deep in my chest, a coiling pressure in my gut, and tension at the edges of my vision. They could have been so much better than this, they should’ve been. The memories, memories from before Equestria… they showed me a statue of Discord that stood in front of Celestia. She had a small frown on her face with regret pinching at the edges of her eyes. There was more to that story, I’m sure, but that’s all it ever was; a story. Maybe in another life, they were friends. Maybe in another life, we could’ve been friends. ‘Maybe’ a lot of things. For one last moment, I stared, drinking in the details of their final moments. Rocks froze mid-air, the wind stilled, and the two pseudo-deities came into focus as time slowed to a crawl A black-coated Luna was charging Celestia with a fanged grin. Her slit pupils danced with a horrid combination of sadistic glee and pure hatred. Celestia was warding off her demonic sibling with a ray of blistering light. Her face was frozen into a mixture of horror and determination. Sparks flew from her armor, swirling around her like embers would a fire. Two polar opposites colliding in a climactic showdown. With a sigh, I snapped. The rumble of distant thunder ceased. The hiss of liquid fire silenced. The wail of clashing mana beams faded away like a ghostly whisper on the breeze. Only faint screams of panic from the city below remained. I closed my eye again and drifted into the space between sleep and wakefulness. I remained like that for a time—not sure how long I was out. However, like all good things, it came to an end. Quiet sobbing pierced the darkness and I begrudgingly began clawing my way to alertness. I blinked away my drowsiness as I sat up with a yawn. And froze when I realized who was crying. I watched Clover as her curled-up form shivered on the grass. Where did this come from? It’s not like—oh. I teleported over and sat down beside her, patting her exposed shoulder. I didn’t really have anything to say. What was done is done, and words rarely mean much in the face of that. I could probably repair what was destroyed. Would that help? Maybe I could– “I k-killed him. I r-really killed him.” I tilted my head at that. “Hm?” Clover’s self-accusations bled into a series of whimpers. I scratched my head. What is she talking about? What happened? I sifted through my memories, but those orbs made all of my memories before the rods struck so fuzzy. It was like I was trying to eat pudding with a fork. After a few moments, I spotted it. Blurry shapes collided, leaving an ugly red. I may not remember the specifics, but I can put two and two together. I patted her shoulder again as I turned my gaze to the forest, contemplating a possible solution. Maybe I could fix this… but… I’ve done many things, some bad, some good, but I refuse to disturb the dead. Let them rest wherever they end up. I sighed as I felt her scoot closer while staying balled up. Clover went quiet after the first ten minutes or so, but we sat like that for about an hour. Clover broke the silence with a quivering voice. “C-could you fix him? Please?” She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. All I could do was lower my head. Clover waited a moment before her expression crumbled. We both watched the city burn, but now there were some groups trying to douse the flames. Some were even mildly successful, with a section of a market being completely cleared. It seemed to me they would survive this. They might even claw their way back to where they were before. I heard soft thumps on the grass and turned to see Clover walking away, head held low. I cast one last glance back at New Unicornia before following. We walked for hours on end, weaving between the trees as we went in a near-straight line. We crossed clearings, thickets, creeks, and roads. Clover’s head was low the whole time and her eyes were glossy. Sometimes she’d bump into a tree or ignore a series of branches that would rake at her sides. I stayed by her, trying to nudge her toward civilization, but my words fell on deaf ears. Eventually, her legs gave out. She lay there without making a sound for a while. I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it when I saw that her eyes were closed. With a sigh, I began yanking branches off of nearby trees to build a fire and plopped a few rocks in a circle to make the pit. With a flick of the wrist, an ember fell on kindling, the spark spreading across the wood like a series of creeping red vines. I scowled at the fire as it crackled in front of me, drowning out the forest ambiance around me. What am I supposed to do about this? My fists clenched as I leaned closer, smelling the smoke, remembering the ashes. I can’t let her stay like this, but what the Hell can I do to change it? I can fix the city, right? Pull the bricks back into their places, extinguish the fires, erase everyone’s memories of the disaster. I could wipe all traces of the rods falling from history… My face scrunched up in anger. …but ponies still died, they’re still dead, and they’ll remain dead. I won’t change that. I refuse to. And if I erased all of the memories related to the event, everyone will be left behind feeling as if they’re missing something. No, if I do that, I not only murdered thousands of innocents in the city but all meaning that their lives held, all lasting impacts of their decisions. A knife flashes, the sky cracks, an ugly, ugly red. Some deserve that, but not everyone. But what else? What else can help? If I can’t undo what hurt her… My jaw worked. She’s my friend, I can’t leave her like this! There has to be something. ‘Bzzz’ What? ‘Bzzz’ Oh, it’s Discord. I heard a yawn over the connection. “How’d it go, Typhon?” I let the pressure go with a breath. “I did what I needed to.” “Not well then.” I paused for a moment before responding. “They’re dead.” “Good.” I stared into the fire, letting the dancing flames absorb me. “Yoo hoo, Typhon, you there, buddy?” I shook my head. “Yes, sorry about that. What were you saying?” “Not much, just wanted to know what else happened.” Should I tell him? I know he won’t appreciate it. Eh, he’ll find out anyway. Better to just get this over with. I grimaced as I said. “I forgave her.” “You WHAT?!” “She–” Discord cut me off with a scoff. “Let me guess, she said ‘sorry’ extra hard and really meant it this time. Give me a break!” I ground my teeth and replied. “She actually did something.” Discord’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Yeah yeah, I’m sure she–” I scowled as I shouted my thoughts through the connection. “She saved my skin!” Discord growled before saying. “Explain.” “Starswirl put together some sort of weapon, something made of solidified order—whatever that means.” I could practically feel Discord’s eyes rolling when he responded. “I can see where this is going, but go ahead, surprise me.” “Shut up, Discord.” “Why should I? Do I need to remind you of Sunshine Smiles or the Tower?” My fists squeezed tighter as I glared into the fire. “It’s like you’ve gone mad, Typhon. Seriously, what happened? I’m here, I can listen.” “I told you, Discord, she saved me. My mind was going fuzzy and the rods were getting close.” I shuddered as I said. “We’re tough, probably immortal even, but who knows what could’ve happened with those chunks of order in play.” Discord’s voice began to take a desperate edge. “That still doesn’t excuse what she did! Words mean nothing, Typhon, their apologies are lies!” I yelled again with balled fists and a deep scowl. “But she did what she promised to do, more even! She backed up her words with actions! Do actions mean nothing as well? Or are you just hanging onto needless paranoia, Discord?!” “They hurt you, SHE hurt you. Why are you just letting her get away with that?” “I executed her rulers, wreaked havoc on the capital of her country, and she killed Starswirl, her mentor, to protect me!” Discord went silent. “She’s learned. Discord, she chose to stand by me when it mattered. She. Is. My. Friend.” Discord sighed. “Fine, but don’t come crying to me when you get burned again.” The nerve, where was he when my mind was fading, where was he when–no, shut up, there’s no reason to say that tripe. I told him I had it handled, he trusted me to know my limits, I don’t need someone looking over my shoulder all the time. I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. “Discord?” “What?” There was an edge to Discord’s voice, but I continued anyway. “I need help.” “Right after–why should I–bah, fine, what do you need?” I paused for a moment, eyes darting toward Clover’s sleeping form. “Clover’s having… issues.” “And what’s that supposed to mean?” “She’s been moping around for almost a day now, and nothing I’ve said has gotten through to her. You have any ideas?” Discord’s voice took on a mocking tone. “Hah, sounds like you when you visited Nowhere the first time!” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, yes, I was very angsty, but that really doesn’t tell me how to help.” “Yeah, but what happened after, should. C’mon Typhon, what pulled you out of your funk?” I scratched the side of my head. “Creating you?” “Nope.” “But–” “Making me gave you a new trajectory, but you still weren’t aiming for anything.” I suppressed a groan at his antics. Doesn’t he know how bad we are at being all coy with answers? “Then, how about decorating Nowhere?” “Almost, but not quite, what happened after that? “I went on my trip, what of it?” Discord gave a laugh before responding. “Why?” “Because I wanted to.” “Why?” “Because they deserved it. Is there a point to this?” I snorted as Discord sighed. “You really aren’t getting it.” “What is there to get? Seriously, what–” “Think, Typhon, WHY did you think it was YOUR job to go out and dole out the punishment. What made you think that YOU had to do it?” I paused at that and thought about it for a moment. Why did I do it? Was I just that angry? Maybe at the start, but that wasn’t the whole reason. Self-righteousness perhaps? Not entirely, though I definitely had plenty of it, there was something more. Was it revenge? Warmth, deep and inviting. No, no it wasn’t. I never thought that revenge would solve everything. Sweet salty metal dripping down my tongue. No, I did it… An icy inferno, burned like a furnace, driving the wheel forward. I did it because… “Because someone had to.” Discord chuckled at my answer before saying. “Typhon, you found a purpose, you found a reason to move forward. That is what got you going again.” Purpose? I mean, that wasn’t really what pushed me forward. It was. It was… Warmth. It doesn’t matter what got me moving, Discord was still wrong. But his idea still had some merit. It’s not like I had anything better to go on. “Thank you, Discord.” “No problem. Could you stop by that pastry shop again, though? That cookie was delightful! Just the right amount of sweetness, the perfect level of crumbliness, and–” I waved a paw out of habit. “Sure, sure, I’ll make sure to get something.” “Alrighty! Anything else?” I looked over at Clover. “No, I think that’s all.” “See ya around then!” I nodded. “Yes, see–” The connection snapped closed with a ‘click.’ I shook my head as I laid back and closed my eyes. She needs a purpose, something to drive her forward, a reason… I opened my eyes and was greeted by a purple sky with stars that barely twinkled. Wasn’t it dusk when we left? Come to think of it, the shadows hadn’t moved either. What’s going on? I glanced at the sleeping form of Clover before flying upward. After I broke through the canopy, I looked east and west. Both the moon and sun hung just above their respective pieces of the horizon, frozen in place. What in the—why are they just sitting there? I sent a pulse of magic at both celestial objects and found loose strands of power hanging down from each, like strings of torn spider silk. What happened? I stared at those strands, trying to find what they were supposed to be linked to. But no matter how much I stared, no answers came. I tried dipping into my pool of liquid knowledge, having to uncork it in the back of my head. “The Societal Fractalism theory has…” No. “Structuring a spell’s foundation is the most…” False. “… and by her grace, the sun doth rise in the east…” I'm sorry, what? I glanced at the source. Reverent History by Rosey Tint. I ripped more information from it, and what was determined as ‘history’ sent my head spinning. It was impossible, completely nonsensical, and would fit this world perfectly. I set the liquid knowledge back in its place and forced the block back over the opening. Though the last passage of the book kept echoing in my head. …and so, the sun and moon both guide us through their respective avatars. Long live Celestia Sol. Long live Luna Nox. I sighed as I sat up and looked back to the two celestial bodies that dominated the sky. Why did those two fools have to be so important? Why couldn’t they leave me in peace even after they were gone? I stared at the strands of magic that dangled from the sun and moon. They were cut clean through, not frayed or torn, cut. It looked fresh, too, with mana still bleeding out of the ending. Maybe I could connect them to something else, but then they’d also have that power, that responsibility. I can’t, it’s not my duty, it’s… My jaw clenched as I flicked my gaze around me. The bushes and grass didn’t shine as they should. Everything felt so dull. Dusk was meant to be a time between times, not a permanent fixture. It made the world around me feel lifeless, even if the odd bird song would break the silence. I made this mess, I should clean it up. I reached for the strings, ready to erase them completely, and set the sun and moon into a self-perpetuating orbit. But an idea struck me. With a twist of the wrist, a clock popped into being. It just had a hand and a line splitting it into two halves. One side of the face was black and had a picture of the moon emblazoned on it. The other was metallic gold with a picture of the sun. I wrapped the strings around the clock’s hand and welded the magic to my device using a touch of chaos. After the sun and moon were firmly connected to the clock, I began setting up a few more functions, restrictions, and more. Several hours passed as I worked. Discord checked in on me with a quick call around four hours into my project, but I waved him off. I was fine. Perfectly fine. Fantastic even! I grinned as I set my magic clock down. I’d changed the hand to a dial and added a few little bells and whistles to the insides. A couple—like those damned temporal shields—might need a bit of tweaking, but I could deal with that later. As I was examining the clock for obvious problems, I heard Clover’s snores cut off with a series of coughs. I turned to her and hid a smile. “Good to see you’re finally awake. How do you feel?” She gave me a flat look. “Tired, hungry, my hooves ache, and, oh yeah, I may or may not have kinda sorta murdered somepony who taught me everything I know about magic. I might have killed the pony who helped me cast my first fireball. I. I.” Her grimace bled into a tired sad frown. I nodded before sitting down next to her. We sat like that for a while, leaving the ambient sounds of the forest uninterrupted. A pair of birds flew by, singing as they did. A rabbit poked its head into our clearing but darted away when we noticed it. “So, what now, Clover?” Her eyes fell. “I don’t know.” “No plans?” She shook her head before saying. “Before we got there, I thought things would just go back to the way they were before. But I brought you right to the capital, I murdered Starswirl, and now the city is wrecked…” I saw her begin to tear up as she continued. “I didn’t think that would happen. It all went so wrong so fast.” It did, didn’t it? It took barely a minute to go from me lecturing Celestia to Luna dropping the cage. And even less time for her to strike at Celestia. Clover lowered her head into her hooves. “And now the princesses will want my head! I—you were right to be angry, they even tried to kill you again, but I committed treason. I still murdered Starswirl.” Treason? Probably but it doesn’t really matter at this point, does it? “There’s one small issue with that line of thinking, Clover.” She turned to me and asked. “What? But–but I killed the court wizard, and I disobeyed their orders! How would that not be treason?” I smiled at her before saying. “Can’t commit treason against the crown if there’s no one to wear the crown.” “But—“ “They’re dead, Clover and dead ponies don’t hunt down traitors.” I patted her on the shoulder. “Besides, you're my friend, and friends always have each other’s back.” Clover froze up. “D-dead.” “I did say that, yes.” “How?!” I flinched and rubbed an ear. “I’m right next to you, no need to shout.” Clover repeated her question, only slightly quieter this time. I shook my head before saying. “I killed them.” She stared at me before giggling. “H-ha ha, very funny, now please–” “It’s not a joke.” She went silent and birdsong filled our ears. Clover sighed as she slouched. I could feel the dull ache of fatigue in my chest as well. I guess we were both worn out from all of this. “Why?” I frowned at Clover’s question, unsure of what she was referring to, but I caught on after a moment of thought. “Because it needed to be done. Because they didn’t deserve another chance.” “So that’s it then? They’re both dead and gone?” I nodded. There wasn’t much more to say about it. Clover sat down, saying. “You’re not joking.” It was more a statement than a question, but I nodded anyway. “Stars above.” I chuckled. “Yes, the stars are above.” Clover scowled at me before glancing up, and freezing in place. “How long was I asleep for, Typhon?” I scratched my chin before answering. “Oh, I’d say about six, maybe eight hours. Not quite sure, I was busy.” “Why is it still dusk then?” She was staring up at the sky with wide eyes. “I killed the royals, remember?” She nodded. “Yep, still processing that.” She hunched over, hyperventilating as she started to shake. I set a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry.” “Why?” I tilted my head. “Hmm?” “Why did this all happen? Why the buck did everypony act so stupid!” I sighed before saying. “Fear.” Her head snapped towards me. “Fear?” She laughed. I could almost feel a familiar warmth radiate from her. “Fear? They were afraid? We were afraid? W—“ I cut her off. “Yes, fear. Celestia feared what I might do if I ever lost control. Starswirl feared the implications of my existence and abilities. Normal townsponies feared me for being different.” “And Luna?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. It could be that she wasn’t afraid. It could be that she was just so hateful that it overrode all of her reason.” I leaned forward, letting my empty gaze settle on the ashes of the fire pit. I continued. “Or it could be that she was afraid of losing what little she had. It could be that me making her feel so weak was just the final straw, one of many.” I snorted before adding. “I don’t dislike her any less for it though. She was still not fit for rule. She needed to be removed.” Clover turned a tired look on me. “If that’s all you wanted, you could’ve just taken her wings and horn.” “Yes, that’s true.” She stared at me for a moment before dropping her gaze. Welp, enough moping around. I reached down and plucked the clock from the ground. “I’m sorry for all the grief I caused you, but I do have to ask a favor.” Clover sighed. “What is it?” “The sun and moon need to keep moving. No telling what leaving them as is would do.” “You can’t do it?” I shook my head. “Nope, the magic associated with it doesn't like me.” Clover took a deep breath. “Magic doesn’t have a brain, it can’t think, like, or dislike, but sure, let’s go with that.” “Believe me, I know the feeling.” She shot me an annoyed glare. “Really? How? You can break the suggestions of physics and magic whenever the buck you feel like it! It’s like you couldn’t care less about what should be possible or not!“ I nodded as I waved a claw. “Yes, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to logic. I’ve seen several things that throw me for a loop.” Clover rolled her eyes, crossing her forelegs. “Like what?” “Like Ninth, Seventh, and Tenth Street, why they were ordered that way, I’ll never know.” I grinned at her groan. “What were the planners thinking? Why did it never get fixed?” I patted her on the head. “Just don’t think about it, that’s my wisdom, just don’t think about it.” I shook my head before continuing. “Back to the favor.” I held out my hand with the clock. “This thing will let you move the sun and moon without any issues. You just need to twist the dial with magic.” Clover cocked an eyebrow. “Why can’t you hook it up to a machine?” “Because the dial is a representation of a magical fulcrum, mechanical stuff doesn’t work on it.” Which was a load of steaming bull. It took me nearly an hour to set that unnecessary restriction. I gave her a tilted smile as I motioned for her to take it. “Why me? Why should I?” Her voice sounded empty, cold. I know that feeling. “Why you? Because you’re the only pony I trust, and this kind of magic only plays nice with ponies.” Yet another lie, I’m sure anyone with reasonable talent could work the thing before I choked it up with restrictions. “And why should you?” I lowered myself, getting my eyes even with hers. “Because someone has to.” She sat motionless for a whole minute, letting the ambient background noise come into focus, before slowly lifting the clock with her magic. She spun it to examine the different parts before letting it come to a stop. I smiled when I saw determination dominate her expression and had to suppress a laugh of relief when she gave me a nod. When the sun rose, I felt oddly… cool For the good of all. It feels right. Because someone had to. Everyone has a reason for their reason. I have mine. You have yours. I was stupid, I’ve made mistakes, and sometimes I didn’t even have a reason for them. In the end, all we can do is try to figure out what we want, make our mistakes, and accept the consequences. I just wanted to be left alone so I ran. My home was attacked so I fought. The alicorns were foolish so they died. Actions have consequences. Some are large, and some are small. However, you just gotta keep going. The sun will rise, the wind will blow, and we will learn from our mistakes. That’s all that we can do. … Oh, and yes, I did stop by the pastry shop. I got a donut and cookies to go. —excerpt from Reason Drowned by Typhon Muta Author's Note I know that I said that I was gonna post it Sunday, but I didn't wanna chicken out again. It was quite the ride guys, sorry for taking so long to get it over with though. I hope to see most of you guys in my other stories, when they come out that is. I'll be answering questions about lore when I can in the comments, story's officially over so no point in trying to be all cryptic and shit about it. Every now and again I might come back to toss in a bonus chapter if I'm feeling the inspiration, but the green status is right, story done, lights out. Anywho, my next course is to fix up and finish my story A Fatal Error Has Occured so be on the lookout for when I start updating that thing again. Until next time Orderly Disassembly
Ch1 - A New LookAuthor's Note Ok, finally finished this rewrite, Ch2 is up next, and its gonna get converted into a full arc, so new content will be plentiful in that rewrite. I'll try to get the first rewrite chapter out by end of next week, but nothing is set in stone. Ch1 - A New Look Ba-dump … Ba-dump A Noise? Ba-dump Yes, yes… what is it? Ba-dump A heartbeat? Ba-dump My heartbeat? Ba-dump But I died. Everyone died. A fist, a light, a voice… What did it say, what did it want? Ba-dump Rebirth. Renewal. I wasn’t ready. Ba-dump Leaves, I heard leaves. Rustling in the wind. It gave off that wonderful wispy rasp similar to that of paper being rubbed against itself. So smooth. So calm. I opened my eyes and saw… color. Color everywhere. Numerous shades of green filled my sky. Deep browns drew vertical slits across the landscape. A bright light shone through the green canopy and the golden rays reflected off of the grassy floor. Each blade of grass was highlighted in a warm sunny glow. An eagle talon and bear paw helped push me onto my new feet. A goat's hoof and dragon’s claw made balance nearly impossible, but I managed. I flexed my new appendages in awe. Knuckles cracked, joints popped, and a feeling of bliss encompassed my being… Wait, eagle claw, bear paw? I looked down at my new appendages and found that they were indeed different. Confusion filled my fuzzy mind as I tried to make sense of the foreign limbs. I shouldn’t have these, they should be… what should they be? I frowned as I failed to remember. Everything before that immense fist was blurry. I desperately dug through the static that covered my memories. I remembered warmth, happiness, satisfaction, ambition, anger, regret, and so many emotions, but nothing concrete. No faces greeted my search, no events formed in my skull, and no lessons revealed themselves. My breathing quickened as I couldn’t find anything and my surroundings faded to a blurry mess of random colors. My entire world was reduced to the pair of limbs that made no sense. Then, a single line fluttered through my head like a butterfly caught in a passing gust. ‘Make sense? Where’s the fun in making sense?’ Abject joy flooded my mind like a tidal wave of positivity as I felt some of the fog clear. Who said that? Who did they say it to? Why did they say it? What were they? Discord said it, he said it to the heroes to mess with them. He was a draconequus. What’s a draconequus? The image that came forth was one of a chimeric monster with a mismatched form: Discord specifically had an eagle’s claw, a bear paw, a dragon foot, and- Wait… I…he… am I Discord? The memories of him were so vivid. The hilarious chaos, the carefree nature, and the magic all seemed so familiar, so fun. How did I do it again? I fixed an image in my mind before snapping. As the sound was hitting my ears, a glass of chocolate milk dropped into my open paw. I squealed in excitement as I hopped into the air, willing gravity to let go of me. Before, every movement took effort. Every twist of the body, every twitch of the hand, everything had some minuscule bit of difficulty. However, while I floated, my hands moved with perfect ease, my body twisted through the air with no difficulty, and my neck felt less strain as I used it to swivel my gaze. The forest was still surrounding me and the sun had barely moved. Discord’s back in business baby! And this time, no whiny pony is gonna stop me! My malicious grin and ominous chuckle were interrupted by another bout of clarity. As another patch of fuzziness drifted away, my head began to ache and my confusion began to mount once more. In my mind’s eye, I saw faces, furless but not entirely hairless, weird metal boxes that drove by at insane speeds, giant metal birds that flew high above, towers, damper colors, and… and a small magic box that showed Discord’s antics. Not my antics, but Discord’s. I had hands, not a paw and claw. I had hair, not a mane. I had skin, but not fur. Am I Discord? The thought was troubling because if I wasn’t Discord, then who was I? However, each passing moment revealed another memory of these weird hairless things. Humans. They were called humans. Emphasis on the were. I shivered as I remembered the fist and light, the fire and cleansing, the new beginnings and endings. I’m not Discord. More memories came to me, this time of family and friends, but their names still eluded me. But I’m not human anymore. I flexed my new hands. Who can I be? My mind ran through dozens of names, some normal-sounding ones, like ‘Rick’ or ‘Sam’ but they didn’t feel right. They felt… dull, lifeless even. Stranger ones like ‘Sauron’ and ‘Galbitrox’ sounded too ominous. A dozen more names passed before one popped into my head that almost seemed to shine as if it was made of enchanted gold. Typhon, I am Typhon! With a grin, I spun in place. After a moment or two of celebration, I realized something. I have no idea where I am. I spun in the air once more, but to no avail. The trees were completely unfamiliar, the ground an uneven foreign plane of dirt with the occasional bush; even the sky seemed alien. As I looked closer, I noticed that the trees were deciduous and held full heads of green. The air around me felt comfortably warm, but the humidity made the heat feel far closer to sweltering than it should have. I was either in a tropical area or in a humid climate during the summer. Great, I just ruled out the poles, and… where else? What am I even looking for? My eye roll was overridden by a deep frown when I looked up. The sky was such a bright blue that it almost hurt to look at, but oddly enough, the sun was a plain yellow. Sure, the overrated lamp was still bright, but I only needed to squint a little to look at it directly. This was wrong, it should be burning a hole in my vision right now. The sun isn’t supposed to be dim, where the hell am I? A moment passed. What’s Hell? It kinda sounds… like… ok I’m shoving that memory into a box! I shivered at the images of fire and boiling oil before moving on. I hopped into the air before I wove a cloak of invisibility around me. Hopefully, whatever lived around here didn’t have heat vision or something like that. Almost an hour passed as I floated through the quiet woods before I came upon the rear end of what appeared to be a horse. However, the small stature spoke of a pony instead. Curious. As I got within a few yards of it I shifted the magic of my invisibility so the air wouldn’t appear distorted. They appeared to be scanning a patch of flattened grass, searching for something. “Might I be of assistance?” “Eep!” The blue pegacorn…No. No, these things have their own name. What was it, what was it… Oh, yes, alicorn. They’re an alicorn. Anyway, the blue alicorn spun in place, rearing up onto her hind legs and spreading her wings. “Who goes there? I am not in the mood for a game, foul beast!” “My form may be foul but I am far from a beast, alicorn.” “So you have heard of my kind! Then you should know of me as well!” “No, I’m afraid, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting one of you in the flesh… Well, before now that is.” “It matters not. I am Luna, Princess of the Night, and I DEMAND that you show yourself!” Another patch of memories buzzed, but the fog still remained. It felt as thin as a coffee filter. I know that name, but from where? I snapped away from my invisibility as I rubbed my ear. “Sure, and now that you know where I am, could you tone it down a little? I could- ARGH.” I was quite rudely interrupted by a magic bolt to the chest. I felt a tingling sensation when the projectile struck and somersaulted onto the ground. I immediately pulled my feet forward as I raised my upper half. After my majestic leap into the air, I began to hover once more while a scowl adorned my face. “That was very rude of you, ma’am.” My words earned a snort from Luna. “Then you should not have snuck up on me, creature.” My frown deepened before I continued. “Are you sure you’re not a lemon instead of an alicorn? You seem to be sour enough for it.” To punctuate my point I snapped my fingers and Luna was covered in a flash of light. When the magical flash faded, it revealed a yellow-bodied alicorn with a head red as a tomato. My guffaws were tainted by only one coherent thought as I rolled about in the air. I thought I only used yellow. My cackling was interrupted by a blast to my rear. I spun in the air only to be struck in the face. “Do you mi-“ A bolt of magic whizzed past my deer’s antler. “Seriously I’m not he-“ This one struck my nose, causing it to itch something fierce. “QUIT IT!” The last bolt shot between my legs, only narrowly missing whatever I had down there. Before she could continue, the itching in my nose had finished building and I unleashed a mighty sneeze. After I was done wiping my nose I huffed at the snot-covered, wide-eyed, and likely traumatized alicorn. I crossed my arms before turning away from her. “You know what, you seem to have things well in hand. I wish you horrid luck in every future endeavor. Good day.” Before she could send another blue incarnation of her wrath, I teleported away and slipped into another veil of invisibility. Images of the blue alicorn made my mind throb wherever I kept them. Something was so eerily familiar about them, but I couldn’t place my finger- er, talon on it. Maybe they were connected to Discord somehow? I know that ponies thwarted him, but I know it wasn’t her. Gah, who is she, why do I know her?! I shook my head as I started to float again, but jolted at a sudden piercing scream. Spinning in the air in the direction of distress, I began a series of short teleports. It only took me a minute or so to find the source. A white teenage alicorn was cowering before a giant blue bear. Familiar, all of this looks so familiar. The beast of blue raised its right paw, ready to slam it down, but a fishing hook lassoed the appendage before I began to reel it in. Now far above the forest canopy, I planted the fishing pole on the cloud I had occupied. I jumped off with an anvil hovering above me like a parachute. As I drifted passed the terrified bear, I patted it on the head. “Don’t worry buddy. The cloud will sink slowly in about fifteen minutes, you’ll be fine.” The bear whimpered after I passed it completely. I finished my slow descent with grace and a bow before the anvil dropped on my foot. I hopped around on my goat’s hoof as I howled in pain. “I swear that thing was supposed to be light!” It appears I wasn’t specific enough when I willed the anvil to ‘slow my fall as a parachute would’. I heard a girly giggle sound out behind me. I hopped around to face her while still holding my foot. “I apologize for the poor performance, but I swear that the anvil was meant to be weightless.” “Then either you’re a good actor or a poor magician.” Her voice was as smooth as warm butter, and I smiled as I responded. “A little bit of both. The pain was definitely real, but I can put on quite the show. However, I swear that hunk of metal really did pull one over on me.” I scowled at the offending chunk of metal before nudging it with my heel while the alicorn responded. “I’m sure if you keep practicing, you will get to be quite the mage.” A moment of silence passed us by with all the grace of a barge hauling garbage. Fortunately, I was unaware as I had fallen into my thoughts. My mind was a tornado trying to figure out why I knew this alicorn too. She had the same eerie nostalgia that hovered around her like a silvery fog that obscured any true memory. I knew that I knew her, I knew that she was important, and apparently I knew that I liked her in some fashion. “Might I ask what you might be? I’ve never seen anything like you before.” Her words yanked me from my confusion. What am I? Well, I’m a hu- wait no, I figured this out, come on think Typhon think! That’s right, I’m a draconequus! The ghost of an image flashed through my mind, it was disquieting. A white alicorn with a rainbow mane stood in front of a statue that looked like me. Or was it of Discord? How was she related to Discord? Why did she care about him enough to build him a statue? Should I be worried about Discord himself showing up? I shook my head before finally responding to the pony’s question. “Why, I am a draconequus, my dear!” The alicorn’s previous nervousness melted into amusement as she giggled at my enthusiasm while covering her muzzle with a hoof. An awkward silence smothered the air after her laughter subsided. Maybe her name will jog my memory? I bowed as I began again. “My name is Typhon, may I ask yours.” Her warm smile returned. “I am Princess Celestia, Mistress of the Sun and co-ruler of Equestria.” Me, myself, and I all applauded while another duplicate let out a whistle “Very impressive, Princess. Might I know who the other diarch is?” “It’s-LUNA! Oh, you should’ve been here a moment ago, Typhon he-“ “It’s you! Stay away from my sister, monster!” I rolled my eyes at the raging, still yellow, alicorn. “This again? I have a name you know.” Celestia stared at her sister in shock as Luna, who was blasting several aquamarine bolts from her horn, passed her by. “Sister, I shall handle this pathetic beast!” My scowl deepened as I continued to weave my noodle-like body through the air, slithering around attack after attack. “Again, I have a name, it’s Typhon.” Several more blasts, several more misses, and a couple of quips later, this was starting to get old. “Can you please stop? We can talk this over!” After a blast nearly skimmed the top of my head, I was thoroughly done with this. “Ya know what? Screw it. Imma go find someone who’s a little less horn blasty than you.” I scratched my chest where a couple of bolts had landed. “I mean seriously, what's the point of firing itch lasers everywhere? It’s just plain inconvenient, and don’t get me started on how irritating having an itchy rib cage is. Seriously how-” This time, Luna fired a continual beam of dark purple energy into my lower gut. For a moment, I froze in the air before falling to the ground in a fit of roaring laughter. “Stop, stop, stop, I’m ticklish there, please, hahahahaha…” I squirmed on the ground while being forcefully tickled to tears. A few seconds later, I heard a smack and a screech from Luna. “Luna, what possessed you to use black magic on him, have you gone mad?!” Celestia’s eyes had managed to widen even further and it was getting kind of creepy. The neon yellow Luna rubbed her horn as she lowered her head. “I am sorry, sister, but nothing else worked on him.” Her sister’s glare was all the response Luna got. Celestia turned to me after the short display and spoke. “I’m truly sorry for what Luna did, if she caused you any pain then I am willing to-” “Oh, no worries Celestia! No worries at all.” I had to wipe a tear from my eye. “I was never in any pain, though I do admit that Luna has a way of making magic feel weird.” I shuddered before continuing. “I also must admit she has taught me a thing or two.” Celestia tilted her head. “And what might she have taught you?” I grinned back at her before raising a finger. “First, she taught me that itchy rib cages are unpleasant.” Celestia blinked before tilting her head to the other side. “I would assume so but-” I raised another finger as I interrupted her. “Second, she taught me that my liver is especially ticklish.” Celestia blinked again but said nothing so I continued. “And third, neon yellow alicorns look kinda… ugly. You actually remind me of a hairy lemon with wings.” My grin widened as I heard Luna grinding her teeth. “And have the disposition for it too!” Celestia remained silent for almost a minute while she stared at me with emotionless blank eyes, and my smile strained before falling to the relentless assault of Celestia’s profound disappointment. After being thoroughly unnerved by the suddenly silent alicorn, I hopped into the air to hover once more. My grin returned. “I think I’ll rectify my previous error.” Celestia just sighed as Luna growled. “Yes, you will return my coat to its natural color, heathen.” I scowled at Luna again. “You know, I was actually going to do that, but now I really don’t feel like it.” A groan from Celestia preceded a comment. “Both of you, please don’t act like a pair of petty foals.” I turned my scowl on a completely unaffected Celestia. “Well excuse me, Princess, it's not like your sister tried to kill me or anything.” The condescending air of presumed wisdom seemed to vanish as Celestia flinched at the comment. “But you yourself said no harm was done, there is-” I snapped without casting any magic. “It’s about principle, Celestia, I do not enjoy being attacked.” Celestia frowned at me as Luna growled again. “Principle? Principle?! She didn’t do anything to you!” I huffed. “Oh please, she still attacked me with a serious intent to harm, not to mention she apparently even tried ‘black magic’.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed as she shot a glare at her sister. “Yes, and there will be consequences.” I shrugged. “Sure, sure, just make sure that Moonbutt learns her lesson.” An unholy howl erupted from the yellow alicorn of the night. “I. Will. End you!” The statement was followed by an endless barrage of lasers that flew over, under, to either side of, or collided with my hastily formed shield. I had to shout my message over the warped blasts of magic that dissipated on my guard. “It seems that a timeout is in order for Moonbutt!” With a snap of my talons, Luna’s horn was gone. Her glaring eyes failed to notice a lack of magic death rays for several moments before glancing up. Her shrieks of terror, anger, rage, and demands shook the trees around us. Celestia’s eyes had bulged out again, and her mouth was making fish-like motions. After Luna sat down, gasping, I snapped a tophat into existence and bowed. “While I did enjoy the light show, I really must be going. Ta-Ta!” With that, I snapped myself a thousand feet into the air, far above the clouds. The next snap summoned a flying carpet, and the spell following that returned my invisibility. Celestia was nice, Luna though… probably the most murderous equine I’ve ever seen. Then again I don’t really know much about the ponies from before the show… Eh, just need to stay away from that nightMARE I suppose. Heh… With that thought, I spun my carpet like a top to choose a direction and began my grand journey to find someone suitably friendly to figure out this world with. “Look out world, Typhon’s in business, baby!” My God, this is getting old. I absentmindedly scratched my chest. Why is it always the same? I rolled my eyes at the memories. First screams, then shouting, and finally blasting. I rolled onto my back. Not like it did ‘em any good. I snorted while thinking about the sheer number of spells that just bounced off. I decided to take another look at the land below. Oh, a tower? Haven’t been to one of those yet. Wonder what they’ll be like? A moment later, my carpet dipped into a circling descent, letting me calmly approach the ground. However, I decided to stay around a dozen feet above the forest floor to scout out the place… Huh, a bunch of horn heads here. All kinds of colors, just like the other ponies, and -wait. That one is staring at me. My head tilted seemingly of its own accord before I decided to land in front of the wizened old pony. The tall green hedges surrounding us, along with the distance from the main tower, granted some privacy to my shocked companion and I. Though, the forest’s trees leaned away from the mini clearing, meaning that any passing flier could easily find us. The pony’s wizard hat was blue with stars all over it with bells lining the rim and adorning the tip. He himself was a grayish blue with a pale gray beard. His shadowed eyes stared at me for a few moments before I heard the snoring… I thought that the fading light of dusk was shading the pony’s eyes but it turned out that they were just closed! I’d mistaken the poor guy’s slack jaw for one of wordless fear rather than slumber. I giggled, I snorted, and then I burst out into raucous laughter. The pony’s eyes shot open, then narrowed as they scanned the perimeter of the little hedge circle that surrounded him “Bwuh, who’s there? I swear Clover if you’re sneaking up on me again I’ll- wait, you’re not Clover! Who are you? Reveal yourself!” My voice, quivering with mirth, responded from directly in front of him, making him hop in fright. “Oh, no worries, my friend, I just-I just thought y-you were staring at me for a moment there. Nothing has seen through yet, so I kinda got a little freaked out. How-How was the nap by the way?” The pony glared at the origin of the voice and cast a powerful dispelling wave of magic, ripping away my spell to reveal a floating, laughing, chimeric monstrosity. “What manner of beast are you!?” My weightless rolling in the air stopped immediately as I snapped my gaze to him. I rotated into a standing position, glaring down at the annoyingly generic reaction. “Really? You know that I can talk, right? I can use magic and you have been conversing with me for the last minute or so, yet you have the audacity to call me a beast?” I leaned down. “Do beasts talk? Do they argue? Do they cast spells?” Each question was punctuated by my head dipping closer to the pony. “I swear all of you ponies are so damned ignorant. Every time I enter a town it's: ‘Run it’s a monster!’” or ‘Halt, foul beast!’ or, my absolute favorite, ‘I shall defeat ye, ghastly chimera!’” I snapped upright. “At least the last one had some originality to it.” With my rant over, I was huffing, and the unicorn’s self-righteousness seemed to deflate with every sentence until his head was almost to the ground. I face-clawed as I calmed down with a deep breath. “Sorry bout that, just getting tired of all the screaming, the running, and the eventual fighting is all. Let's have a do-over, sound good?” The unicorn smiled faintly and extended one of his hooves as he rose to a more respectable position. “Yes, let's. My name is Starswirl, what may yours be? Oh, and if it isn’t too offensive, may you tell me what you are?” I grinned as I shook his hoof before floating back a few feet. “The name’s Typhon, and I’m a draconequus. I don’t have anything against people not knowing who or what I am, but I make it a point to show that I’m intelligent so that I can avoid the annoying one-sided conversations that your kind seems to have when fighting a ‘monster.’” Air quotes visibly manifested as small little dot-like clouds when I spoke the last word. Starswirl tilted his head. “What manner of magic was that? The thaumaturgical focal points were too numerous, and the fluctuation frequencies were too far off for any kind of reversed forecast spell.” “I don’t understand any of what you just said.” Starswirl sighed as he shook his head. “The magic felt strange, and I could tell you didn’t levitate or summon those clouds the normal way.” I snapped my fingers again, this time refraining from casting. “Oh, I use chaos magic, and I created them. Popped ‘em right into existence, just a ‘lil twist of reality and voila clouds.” I demonstrated by twisting my talon as I snapped to create a new cloud from nothing. Starswirl’s mouth dropped open for a few moments before he began. “B-b-but, the Manipulatauron principles, th-the super and substructure constant theorems, and the basic laws of Thermodynamics!” I tilted my head. “What?” Starswirl growled. “You can’t create something from nothing, that’s basic, natural physics. Even with the most powerful of spellcrafts, we can’t create a single atom of hydrogen from nothing!” I rolled my eyes. “Sounds like a you problem.” Starswirls eye twitched. “Then how about the structure constant theorems hm?” I shrugged. “What about them?” He blinked once, then twice, then every muscle in his neck contracted at once and I saw veins stand out in some places. “You just cast a spell with no structure, foundation, or even the most basic of webs, and yet it did exactly what you wanted to! Without proper structure and guidance, any spell would just result in an explosion due to loose energy colliding with ambient mana!” I blinked before smiling. “Neat.” Starswirl’s head went from blue to a tomato red before he screeched out his third protestation. “How about one of the basic laws of physics and magic? The Manipulatauron principle demands that a species have a conduit that channels magic for them to be able to cast spells.” I shrugged again. “Maybe my entire body is the conduit?” Starswirl glared at me before his horn flared. I prepared for a barrage of violence but was surprised by a scan instead. The almost physical scrutiny dragged itself across my body from head to toe, causing everything, internal organs included, to itch. I scowled at him. “Do you mind? I just got my ribcage to stop itching an hour ago. The stupid thing just wouldn’t go away and I don’t want to spend the next sixteen or so hours finding creative ways to scratch my skeletal structure.” Starswirl blinked before sighing. “Fine, I can’t tell for certain, but your theory seems correct so far. Organic leylines, natural magic fluctuation, and all the telltale signs of a conduit are present everywhere. Though I fail to see why your intestines need to be capable of casting, though your species has apparently evolved it… somehow.” I shrugged again and considered asking after a massage place to soothe my aching shoulders. I really ought to find another way of dismissing questions. Then Starswirl opened his mouth again and I nearly groaned. What now? “That still doesn’t explain why you don’t have a displacement field.” I tilted my head. “A what now? Starswirl face-hooved while muttering. “Why did they have to name the theory that?” He took a deep breath before continuing. “The Yak-thingy principle.” I immediately burst out laughing as the poor wizard continued. “States that every creature has a magical field that presses on the ambient mana of its surroundings. You don’t have such a field, why?” My laughter died down as I looked at him again. “Perhaps you’re just too close to see it.” Starswirl growled. “What the buck is that supposed to mean? I smiled as I floated closer to him. “Tell me, what does this planet look like?” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “What does that have to do with anything?” “Just humor me.” Starswirl snorted before responding. “Fine, I suppose it would be a mixture of blues, greens, blacks, browns, reds, and oranges in a vaguely spherical shape.” I blinked. “So you’ve managed to observe it directly?” He shook his head. “No, but long-distance scans tell us that the world is spherical and common sense tells me the color.” I smiled. “Ah, well, if you had neither the data from those scans nor extensive knowledge of the world’s colors, would you have been able to form that description?” He snorted again. “Such theory crafting is useless considering I do have said knowledge.” I rolled my eyes. “Eh, screw the metaphor. I think my aura is just too big for you to observe it because you are too close to it.” It was Starswirl’s turn to roll his eyes. “Oh, that is just unreasonable. The power required for an aura that encompasses such a distance would make one just shy of being a deity.” I grinned at him. “Oh, that’s good to know. I mean, if someone were really that powerful, they would be doing the impossible without much issue.” I floated into the air while creating miniature planets to orbit me as I circled Starswirl. “Like possibly, oh, I don’t know, creating something from nothing?” His eyes shot wide at my words. “N-no, you aren’t a deity, you aren’t even an ascended! You’re too stupid for such titles!” I frowned at him but he pressed on. “I mean, you, I. Gah, what manner of creature are you?!” My cheeky smile accompanied my response. “Why, I’m a draconequus, my friend.” Starswirl sputtered, his horn sparked, and his head reddened further as he descended into an inarticulate rage. Then he screamed at me loud enough to blow my beard straight back, freezing it in place as it laid flat against the side of my chin. “Why don’t you make any sense?!” I knew that I shouldn’t copy Discord if I could help it. I knew he was a bad role model, but I couldn’t resist. With a Cheshire grin and a glint of joy in my eyes, I responded. “Make sense? Where’s the fun in making sense?” I chuckled at my own joke before I noticed Starswirl's eye twitching again and his mouth beginning to froth. “Ugh, you alright, Swirly?” “My name’s not Swirly, and no, I’m not bucking ‘alright.’ I just witnessed something break every known law of magic AND physics. Then I watched said rule breaker laugh it off as if it was nothing. Do you have ANY idea what you’ve just done? The sheer number of theories you just tossed into the fire? Why I oughta-” “Isn’t a scientist meant to seek to disprove a theory, not approve it? I kinda thought this place would be something like that.” I gestured towards the nearby tower as I continued. “Ya know, with the whole seclusionary thing, the random spells going off, the numerous wards, and the sheer number of unicorns kinda gave off that lab research center feel. But I guess I was wrong.” Starswirl narrowed his eyes. “No, you are correct. This is Stargate Tower. The pioneers of many cutting edge magics, grand scientists from all over the kingdom, and some from beyond even, put their minds together here to push us into the brightest future possible!” I leaned back to lounge in the air in front of him. “Then I feel that this should excite you if anything. I mean really, how often do you find something that goes against everything that you know?” I turned in the air to face him. “What did you miss the first time? What is there to learn? What new possibilities lie just beyond the small campfire of current knowledge? What are the truerules that govern us all?” I grinned as I rolled over again to lay on my back. “And no I don’t know how many theories I just trashed.” Starswirl’s right eye twitched while he sucked in air through his teeth. After completing his reverse hiss, he glared into my eyes. The red had faded back to his normal coat color and the froth was, thankfully, gone. “You have a point, and since you seem so eager about science, or burning down several branches of it at least, you may have a place among us.” I spun to Starswirl with a grin. “Does that mean I’ll finally get to meet people without all that screaming nonsense?” Starswirl nodded silently as he began walking towards the stony monolith of a tower, and I cackled in joyful excitement.
Ch 2 - The Mage's TowerSwirly and I left the little hedge circle through a doorway cut into it and when I passed through, it felt like I had stepped into Wonderland. Of course, I was floating at the time, but the point still stands. Dozens of unicorns of all sorts of colors and shapes were casting spells all over the barren dirt that surrounded the tower. The ground was torn up in some places, mildly disturbed in others, and completely untouched in a select few areas closer to the massive spire. Lightning flashed, arcane fire raged, and waves of ice splashed across the ground. Some ponies were rapidly shifting from one form to another while others were forming wings made of fire or ice. I looked skyward to see a few ponies hopping from cloud to cloud while blasting the air in front of them to bring new platforms into being. The landscape was positively alive with magic, but all of it paled in comparison to the towering… well, tower at the center of it all. The thing must’ve been eight or even nine stories tall and it was topped by a massive crystalline sphere that hovered in place. My face scrunched up in confusion for a moment. “Wait a moment.” I pointed at the aforementioned cloud hoppers. “Weren’t you saying something about how it’s impossible to create something from nothing?” Swirly turned his head to look at them. “Yes, it is, which is why you are confusing. However, they’re using a spell called Reverse Forecast which draws nearby moisture from the air and forms a cloud with it.” He frowned before continuing. “Honestly, of all the things to fixate upon, you choose them?” I shrugged. “Eh, the big shiny rock on top of your tower looks neat I guess, but the cloud hoppers just… jumped out at me.” I snickered as Swirly frowned. “Please refrain from puns in my presence, Typhon.” I rolled my eyes as I responded. “Oh fine, but only cause you said please.” We were halfway to the tower when a bolt of lightning arced directly over me. My eyes shot wide open and I dropped to the ground as I started frantically searching my surroundings for the culprit. “What the hell was that?!” My screech tipped Swirly’s hat off to the side, but he corrected it before responding with a raised eyebrow. “What?” I snapped my gaze to him. “That lightning bolt! Didn’t ya see it?” “Oh, apologies, but we are safe from the outside experiments.” My face contorted into a scowl as I stepped closer to him. “Outside? We are outside!” Swirly maintained a blank expression as he raised a hoof. “Outside the shields; didn’t you notice the corridor of wards?” I cringed back and scratched the back of my head. “Uh.” A quick glance around revealed that there was, in fact, a hallway made entirely out of spell repelling wards. “Heh heh, eh, no.” Swirly rolled his eyes. “Of course, you didn’t.” After that little incident, I decided to walk the rest of the way. It took us a couple of minutes to reach the metal doors and I actually managed to keep my mouth shut while doing so, yay me! The handle sprouted a dark blue aura before the door swung open. “Oh, fancy.” What I assumed was the reception room had an ocean blue carpet with moving images of fish. I stared at the animated creatures for a moment before noticing my companion staring at me. “What’s up Swirly?” Swirly snorted. “My name is not Swirly, but I must admit that your astonishment is undeserved.” I tilted my head. “Why should it be? Ya got a real neat carpet!” He scowled at me before pointing at the wall of very official-looking papers… at least I thought they looked official. “You find a simple illusion more interesting than our accolades and discoveries? Honestly, the ward work of the path we took to get here safely was more difficult than this little trinket.” I blinked at him before pointing at the carpet as I spoke. “You made that?” He sighed. “Yes.” “Neat.” Swirly took a deep breath before continuing. “Let’s get this over with.” Swirly began his no doubt arduous journey to… somewhere upstairs. I shrugged before popping a glass of chocolate milk into existence and followed. For all of two seconds. The quiet clops of Swirly and my dainty slurps were interrupted by an ear-splitting screech. “WHAT?!” I grabbed my ears, took them off, and glared at the source of the noise. I think I said ‘Do you mind?’ But considering the fact I couldn’t hear anything, it’s anybody’s guess. The mare at the desk started speaking again while waving her hooves around. Several moments passed before I judged her quiet enough to put my ears back on. “I mean, really, it's written directly into the fundamental laws of reality!” I shrugged. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I can’t read.” Swirly froze with his hoof hovering over the first step of the staircase. His head, with all the grace of a pair of giant mill stones, turned towards me. “You. Can’t. Read.” His eye was twitching now, and all I could do was shrug before I slithered over to him. “Nope!” He sighed. “Great.” “Guess that means you get to teach me!” My smile grew as I saw the horrified look on his face. “No, just no.” “Well, I’m not letting you study me until I can read what you write! I mean, I can't have you bad mouthing me in your reports after all.” He scowled at me. “I’m not doing that.” He bolted up the stairs while I zipped up after him and shot through the smooth stone corridor to follow. “No no no no, I am not doing that!” He probably thought his muttering was unintelligible but my ears are really good while they’re actually attached to my head. We reached a door with a four-leaf clover and the great pony wizard pounded on the door. A muffled voice called from behind the door. “All right, all right, calm down, I’ll be out in a moment.” A couple of seconds later, during which Swirly continually punched the door, a mare ripped it open with her magic. She was a deep violet and had a deep ocean blue mane. She scowled at Swirly before asking. “Was that really necessary?” To which Swirly responded with a stream of words that melted together as they scrambled out of his mouth. “You teach him how to read and I’ll remove your ban on the pyromancy section, goodbye, and good luck.” After he finished, a pony-shaped cloud of dust replaced him. “Bye, Swirly!” My waving claw went unnoticed as my new friend turned a corner. With a twist, I faced my newest companion. She was staring at me with an eyebrow cocked and a mouth half-open. I stuck a hand out, ready to shake. “Hello, my name’s Typhon! May I ask yours?” She shook her head before reaching a hoof out to meet my paw. “Name’s Clover.” Author's Note sorry for the wait for such low content, but I really couldn't figure out how to get the introductory chapter across. That and I've got a new story in the works that I'm trying to pre write so that it doesn't suffer from a poor upload schedule like Chaotic Visage. Oh and this isn't the entire rewrite. As I've promised, this is going to turn into a whole arc.
Ch 3 - Chess MessAuthor's Note aight, this is chapter 2 of the arc replacing old chapter 2... anyway more's comin, if slowly so no worries bout the story. hope you enjoy! Ch 3 - Chess Mess My weightless claw plucked a knight off of the floating checkerboard and placed the piece on a mirrored board directly below it. With a nod, I floated backward, letting me see the rest of the numerous floating boards. Several of my duplicates, both large and small, darted around the various boards over which my current game spanned. Clover swam through the air over the floating configuration of chessboards. Her face was twisted into an expression of supreme concentration as she shifted a rook from a place near the top down to the bottom board. I chuckled as I clapped my hands together. “Well done Clover, well done indeed.” The unicorn smirked at me as she lifted a hoof to her chest. “Well, I am Starswirl’s prized pupil, why wouldn’t I learn fast?” I tapped the edge of one of the boards as my copies zipped around. “You actually managed to instate a bootstrap trap and caught a couple of Queens with it, too.” Her grin deepened as she rubbed her hooves together. “Yep, just a couple more turns and your prime King will be in checkmate.” I raised a claw to respond before the room’s door slammed open. “How far has- stars above, what in bloody Tartarus is going on here?” I turned to face a slack-jawed Swirly standing in the doorway, just outside of the anti-gravity field that I’d set up. I shrugged as I used my tail to move a Queen three boards up and to the right. “5D chess, Swirly.” I cocked an eyebrow as I turned back to witness the stunned face of Clover. “Wasn’t it obvious?” With a snap of my fingers, half of the floating boards went gray and fell to the floor before disintegrating. My smirk reached from ear to ear, literally. “And the Chaos Gambit pulls through.” My eyes followed the glowing dust of the chess boards that floated up in front of Clover’s now crimson face. I raised a claw as my smile strained. “Uh, a-are you alright, Clover?” I saw embers begin to rise from her mane and waved my hands in front of me in a warding gesture. “Woah, woah, there! No need for anything drastic now, is there?” I was sweating from the heat of Clover’s bonfire of a hairdo. I spun in place, snatched Swirly from the ground, and booked it down the hallway. “Put me down right this instant!” We turned a corner and got to bear witness to a geyser of fire spray where we just were. Swirly turned a wide-eyed stare on the angry black scorch mark while I wheezed for a moment before hopping into the air and zipping through the halls. “Yo Swirly, got any fireproof bunkers?” Swirly had a hoof on his hat when he turned to me. “What the buck did you do?!” I shrugged as my flight began to slow. “I won.” Swirly glared at me for a moment before sighing. “Fine, take a right at the second to last door, then a left, go up the stairs, take another left, and put me down in front of the door.” I saluted him with one hand while the other held him up in front of me. “Sir, yes, sir!” With that, I planted one foot on the ground before launching myself forward. I blasted through the hall at a blistering pace and took the turns at breakneck speeds. In a mere couple of seconds, a very twitchy Swirly and I found ourselves in front of a metal door taller than me. There were symbols all over it, a big circle in the center with a pentagram in it, and it all looked so cool on that pitch-black metal! With a grin I reached out to touch the glowing door… wait it wasn’t glowing- Before I could even frown, a bolt of lightning shot through me. The passage of the electricity burned like an angry fire before cooling to a cold static. I couldn’t hear whatever Swirly was yelling at me while the sea of white noise enveloped my mind. I could vaguely feel being pulled through the door while my mind began to fade back into consciousness. My vision refocused as I found a gray hoof poking at my snout. “What in Tartarus were you thinking, touching a ward like that, you blithering idiot!” I grunted before sitting up and smiling at my now angry friend. “Oh Swirly, I didn’t know you cared.” I punctuated the statement by hugging the irate mage. Wait… wrong mage. I instantly teleported a few feet to the side to hug Swirly. “Do not touch Hexane, you oaf!” and “My name’s not Swirly, now let go!” rang out through the room at the same time. I chuckled as I let go of Swirly to float into the air. A moment of silence passed by at the speed of a snail crossing a pit of molasses as I let Hexane’s glare slide off of me and Swirly’s exasperation fade The room Swirly had led me to was chock full of science-y implements. Lines of linked glass bottles held numerous machinations of evaporation, condensation, and a few other processes of that nature. There was a wooden table absolutely covered in mortar and pestles, right next to a strange tub with a hole in the wall above it. So many questions I had to ask! What were they distilling? What was that tub used for? What kind of stuff were they grinding in the mortars? What materials did they use to make the tub? Were they conducting any experiments? Seriously, why was that tub there? My idle musings had consumed my thoughts as I mindlessly floated over to the strange, shiny metal box that hung off the stone brick wall. I examined the tub’s exterior, I touched it, hell, I even licked the thing, tasted like fish, by the way, but I couldn’t figure it out. I pouted as I turned back to my friends. “Ok, I don’t get it, what’s the tub for?” My cocked eyebrow and inquisitive tone were met by the flattest looks a three-dimensional being could possibly muster. I honestly believed that Swirly and Hexane may have gone two-dimensional while staring at me. Hexane turned to Swirly with those dead, huge, disk-like eyes that all these ponies seemed to possess. Honestly, though, a black mane with black irises made her look more like an alien than a unicorn. At least she wasn’t gray or an honest to God green, but a dark blue coat wasn’t that much better. “Is he serious?” Swirly sighed as he rubbed his forehead. “From what I’ve experienced.” He took another deep breath. “Yes.” Another moment of silence passed before Swirly answered my still viable question. “That’s a sink, Typhon, we use it to hold water.” I turned back to it to scrutinize the ‘sink’ once more: it looked nothing like the ones back home. I mean, the ones I knew had a basin that held the water, a drain, and… a… faucet… the hole probably acted as a faucet and I just spotted the drain. Did I really forget what a sink looks like? I rolled my eyes and shook my head before turning back to my companions. “So ya got any neat stuff?” Swirly face-palm-er facehooved as Hexane pointed at something further into the room. A stone pedestal with a glass dome that hovered above shined in the fluorescent light of the arcane fixtures in the ceiling. My face lit up as I hopped onto the pedestal before spinning around, trying to examine every inch of the cool little structure. My exploration was interrupted by a clack that made my teeth vibrate. The muted voice of Swirly pierced the glass dome that now surrounded me. “Just stay in there for a while so that we can siphon some of your mana into containers.” I shouted back while glaring at the two. “Why do you need my mana?” “For further testing later. Now just stay still while Hexane monitors the machine.” I stared at them for a moment longer before purple bolts of lightning began to arc from the top of the glass dome to a pair of tesla coils that hid in the shadowy back corners of the room. I snapped up a chair, a cup, and some coffee. I snorted before I taking a sip. I mean, would it have killed them to at least ask beforehand? Rude. I shook my head. Then again I was really asking for it by jumping right on… whatever, we can chat afterward. The lightning looked cool and I doubted that my friends would try to hurt me. I mean, I’m a draconequus, what’s the worst they could do?
Ch 4 - NeedlezAuthor's Note sorry for things being so slow going but I found several things on Royal Road that I love to read and had my ass handed to me by my college class. Ch 4 - Needlez I should never have thought it, it’s the ultimate jinx! ‘What’s the worst they could do?’ The splitting headache that refused the soothing chill of an ice pack decided to answer my question with another particularly strong throb. I really shouldn’t taunt Murphy like that. Another pulse of pain sharpened the ache in my forehead as another thought pierced the curtain of pain. Who’s Murphy? A voice with an odd accent pierced the void I formed by screwing my eyes shut. “I really don’t know what else to tell you, Starswirl. All of ze readingz show normal fluctuationz in power! Ze mana focal pointz are a little bit vonky but othervize everythingz fine!” Swirly’s voice hurt my ears when he shouted back. “He has enough power in him to rip apart a mountain with nothing but levitation spells and you’re telling me that taking three canisters incapacitated him? Are you unaware of how ridiculous that sounds?” I heard a sigh come from my new flamboyantly German companion. “Look, Starswirl, I know it soundz ridiculous, buuuut it’z true.” I finally opened my eyes to see the same gray stone walls that seemed to follow me everywhere in this tower, lined with white cots and covered in medical tools. My gaze passed over dozens of saws, scalpels, and needles, all hung on… hooks? Why is he hanging up each needle individually? I shook my still aching head before looking over to the pair of bickering unicorns. My friend Swirly was arguing with an all-white unicorn with an unusually sharp horn. The image of a needle full of blood stamped on his flank made me roll my eyes. Not ominous at all. I sighed as I felt several vertebrae pop back into place. With a yawn, I floated up into the air, and the fire all over the inside of my skull sputtered. “Well that was a nice nap, could do without the magic hangover though.” I scratched my back while Starswirl scowled at me. “Stay here until Mr. Healthy Needles tells you to go.” I cocked an eyebrow. “But I feel fine, spiffy even!” Swirly sighed as he trotted under me. “Please, for the love of everything good, just do it.” He stopped after opening the wooden door outwards to look back at me from over his shoulder. “Please.” With that, my friend walked out to… wherever he needed to be I suppose. I shrugged before turning to the supposed ‘doctor’ who was now grinning from ear to ear. My smile suddenly felt a lot more shallow as the crazed unicorn stepped forward. “Uhh, I know that Swirly probably said your name and all, but I kinda missed it. Do you mind clarifying?” The manic doctor chuckled. “Oh, my name iz Doctor Healthy Needlez and ve are going to get to know eachozer very vell.” Oh God. My vision shifted as I swear I felt my eyeballs shrink in their sockets. The maniac was now staring at me without blinking like some generic horror movie villain. “Letz go practice some medicine!” He chuckled after finishing, then he laughed, and finally descended into the evilest cackling that I’d ever heard. … Why Swirly? – -- Everything itched. I had several disembodied claws scratching at every square inch that could be reached without breaking skin or any laws of physics. I twitched about in the air, trying to make room for the appendages to satisfy the creeping itch that seemed to burrow into my skin. “And they call you a doctor? I swear it’ll take hours, hours I tell you, for this to go away!” Dr. Needles, or as I like to call him, Doc Itchy just nodded along as he pushed another slide into the holder of a microscope that he had on a table at the far end of the room. “Mmhmm, yez, interesting… vut?” Doc Itchy leaned back for a moment with a frown before peering into the microscope again. Then he stepped away to look at me. Then back to the microscope, but before I could say anything he spoke. “Vhy is your blood red?” I cocked an eyebrow. “Wasn’t it before? He shook his head. “No, it vas some strange mix between yellow and orange.” I blinked. “Ok, and?” He scowled in response before manning the microscope again… or would the term be ‘ponying’?” I shrugged before looking around the room for what must’ve been the dozenth time. The walls were still lined with medical implements, sans a few needles, and the cots were still a mostly sterile white. However, the one that I floated over while Doc Itchy assaulted me with needles, was covered in a rainbow of colors. When I focused on it, the blood turned white. After a moment of staring, I grinned while zooming in on the plate that Doc was focusing on. I was rewarded with an irritated snort that preceded Doc turning away to rub his temple. “You know vut? Zis can vait for tomorrow. Typhon?” A smile spread across my face as I guessed what he wanted. “Yeeeees?” “You may go.” I whooped with excitement before charging straight at the door. Doc raised a hoof and probably said something, but before I could hear, I had already phased through the door like a ghost and had shot down the hallway. Several twists and turns later I rammed into a unicorn. I hunched over in the air as I averted my eyes in shame. Note to self: fly a little bit higher when going fast. A familiar voice called up at me from the floor “Ok, who the buck was that?” I glanced down to find that I had bumped into Clover! A genuine grin infected my visage as I dragged the slightly flat-faced unicorn to her hooves. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry my dear, but I was just so excited to find you and I rushed a little too much through the hallways.” I hunched over while my smile fell and I looked away. “I hope we’re fine.” Clover tilted her head as she stepped closer. She put a hoof on my shoulder to get me to look at her, and she met my gaze with one of confusion. “Calm down Typhon, why’re you so nervous?” I scratched the back of my head as my sight flicked around, struggling to maintain eye contact with Clover. “Well, it’s just you’re my first real friend since waking up in the forest a couple of days ago.” I frowned for a moment before adding. “I think it’s been a few days anyways.” I shook my head. “I know I call basically everybody ‘friend’ and give away nicknames like it’s going out of style.” I focused on keeping my eyes on Clover, if only for a moment. “But I’m not stupid enough to believe that everybody’s gonna be a wonderful paragon of virtue. The only reason I’ve been so trusting is that I’m pretty sure I’m virtually invincible.” I scowled at the wall as I added. “It’s probably not the safest of ways to live life.” I returned my attention to my friend who maintained a solid poker face, but I did notice a crack in the mask; the edges of her mouth were curved up. My scowl faded into a faint frown as I set a talon on her shoulder, mirroring her gesture of comfort. “However, I want you guys to trust me, I want you guys to like me, I want you guys to want me around. But trust is a two-way street, so I need to give a little if I want a little.” My little grin fell as I finished. “I want to feel like I have a home with friends if not family.” Clover’s face twisted into a sly grin. “You want to start a family with me already? Jeez, take a girl out to dinner first. Why dontcha?” My face went redder than a tomato marinated with liquid rock as I sputtered out several incoherent sentences. Fortunately for me, Clover brought me back to a state of cognizant thought with a boop on my snout. “Chill out big guy, it was just a joke.” There was that twisted little grin again. “Or was it?” And so I became a tomato again. “But seriously Typhon, we’re cool. It’ll take way more than that to make me do more than yell at ya.” I coughed a couple of times before floating down the hallway. “Thank you Clover, it means a lot to me.” She grinned again. “The library’s this way ya doofus.” I would say that I reddened at the correction, but I don’t think it would've been possible.
Ch 5 - Words in PracticeAuthor's Note New chapters should pick up with my new freedom from college. And don't forget to comment! Ch 5 - Words in Practice My mind swam through a turbulent lake of information. A set of statistics regarding mineral compositions would strike my consciousness before falling away to make room for a slice of logical theory to cut its way through my head with its dense ideas. Pictures referencing anatomy would materialize before melting into magnificent depictions of geometric patterns that chipped away at the edges of reality and pushed or pulled at the strings of causality. I rolled with the mental punches, trying to survive the skull-splitting headache that pounded the inside of my cranium. I gritted my teeth as I barred the information from leaving, funneling the vast reservoir of knowledge through me and into a pit within my mind. I heard a voice call out a message that barely pierced the sounds of crashing waves. However, the ideas behind the words were caught in a swirling pool of contradictory voices that screamed at each other. The circular argument pulled strands of thought from its surroundings, but it was always let go. The voice called out again and it sounded clearer, but again, its message was lost. I felt a pressure on my chest, not a sudden strike, not a crushing weight, just a reminder, a reminder of… something. “The Reverse Thaumawave Theorem postulates that waves of ordered mana are passing through and interfering with each other constantly. This has been blamed falsely for many diseases, but it is almost positively the driving force behind entropy. In this essay…” I shook my head as the voice shouted something. I shouted back. “I can’t hear you!” It responded with an angry screaming message. “I don’t understand!” “Crystalline Structuralism is a, in its current state, untested hypothesis that claims that all societies follow a fractal pattern in their progression in magic as magic itself is a self-policing natural construct that…” “What… on… you… help?” I heard the question, I felt the intent, but it came in patches broken up by the all-consuming white noise of a violent storm. “The Yak Thingy Principle is known as a crude unscientific addition to the scholarly community made by the Yaks. However, thorough testing and minor revisions to the precise wording has made it a cornerstone of aura tracking spells.” “What… going… do… need help?” The voice broke through the maelstrom, and I heard enough to respond. “No, I’m alright, just give me some time.” I felt faint unease in the acknowledging response I received but I grinned as I finally managed to push the tides of ideas back, letting me chew on things at my own pace. I bound the artificial lake with bars of solid will and left the contained sphere of liquid learning, returning to my mind at large. Though, the last dregs of the ‘Yak Thingy’ principle echoed after me, saturating my mind with its final lines. “Therefore, if we should ever find a being with a projected aura, we must immediately seek to contain it. Such abominations are not gods, they are not ‘spirits’ as they sometimes claim, but rather, they are monsters with unequaled potential for mayhem.” I shook my head as I opened my eyes. The echoes of some faint idea whispered a meaningless string of words into my ear, rendering my skinny dip in the pool of knowledge I’d just acquired moot. “Seek out the stones of Fated Harmony, they are your only hope.” I heard but didn’t understand, I knew the words, I knew they meant something while together, but I just couldn’t connect them. Like a bunch of same-pole magnets, the ideas bound together in that language just would not fuse. Before I could begin worrying, Clover tapped my side as she spoke. “Are you alright Typhon? You sort of…” Her face scrunched up as she finished. “Collapsed.” I blinked a couple of times before scratching the back of my neck. “Oh dear, how long was I out?” Clover’s lips pulled into a thin line before she responded. “Only for a few seconds. What happened though? Did something go wrong? Did-” I cut her off with a wave of the claw as I rose back into my usual position in the air. “Oh no, everything went perfectly, I just didn’t expect the information dump to be that…” I paused with a frown to find the right word. “Overwhelming, I suppose.” I shook my head as I continued. “I got bits and pieces so far, but I’m going to need some time to assimilate all of that.” I clenched my fists to force out nigh inaudible pops and I smiled as I twisted in the air to lounge. Clover cocked an eyebrow, and her worried expression hadn’t completely faded when she began to speak again. “What do you mean ‘assimilated’?” She shook her head. “And Typhon, please please please give me some warning next time if you’re gonna pull something like that!” I bowed my head as I responded. “Alright, I’ll let you know next time.” My concession was rewarded with a relieved smile, but I continued on. “As for what I meant by ‘assimilation’.” I scratched my chin for a moment before continuing. “I took a lot of knowledge that was just floating around in here and some of the stuff trapped in those books wadded it up and stuffed it into my head.” I pursed my lips. “Of course, now I believe that may have not been the best of ideas.” My casual comment set off a series of twitches in Clover’s right eye. “How the buck did you just grab the knowledge and stuff it in your head?! Do you have any idea how many unicorns would kill to be able to do that?” I shrugged at the quickly frazzling Clover. “Nope, what’s the big deal? I just manifested a metaphysical concept. You unicorns do that all the time.” I punctuated the statement as I waved at a unicorn who had frozen with a book beside him in the air. The stallion’s eyes were wide and glued on me but the scholar in him still managed to keep the text hovering in place. Clover snorted and narrowed her eyes at me as I went on. “I mean that guy is manifesting the metaphysical concept of force to hold a book while gawking at me and I don’t see you all staring at him as if he was a giant pile of bits!” I shot several looks around the library at various unicorns who had their gaze locked on me. Thankfully, meeting my eyes usually got them back to minding their own business. Clover just sighed as she brought both hooves to cover her eyes. “Typhon, Levitation is just a manipulation of basic thaumafields, no manifestation, no big complex equations, not even any foundations, it’s basically hardwired into unicorn biology for crying out loud!” Her voice took on a distinct whine at the end of her statement but I just shrugged it off before moving on. “Eh, I got what I need, I can just sift through the stuff later.” Clover sighed again as she walked back out the large wooden door from which we came. “Fine, let's go outside and try some stuff out.” I nodded before floating after her: pulling the door shut as I passed it by. … It took us a few minutes to traverse the strangely winding corridors of the tower before we finally reached the bottom. I tapped Clover on the shoulder and gestured towards the staircase that we just descended. “How do you ponies fit so much corridor into so little room? I swear we were walking for almost half an hour, and we weren’t even anywhere near the top!” Clover rolled her eyes. “Something something, folding space, something something, nonorganic thaumaturgical foci, something something. It kinda went over my head when Starswirl gave me a multi-hour lecture about it when I asked.” I flinched at the mention of such a long lesson. I raised a claw to speak but was cut off by Clover before I could respond to her awful experience. “Can we just get out of here, please? I’m itching to try out some pyromancy now that Starswirl lifted the ban on it.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Swirly banned pyromancy? I might be full of it, but I feel like that would be a very common school of magic.” Clover nodded as she pursed her lips before responding. “It is, he just banned me from doing it.” I chuckled. “Dare I ask?” Clover’s deadpan could have killed a whole kitchen of cooking utensils with such intensity. “No, you don’t.” I shrugged before pushing the large metal doors of the front entrance out of the way. I flinched as a blue bolt bounced off of an invisible barrier just feet in front of me, but I was back in the air and looking around in moments. Dozens of unicorns were lined up off to our right; firing off various beams of magic that showed off effects ranging from a fresh-looking mustache sprouting from the target’s face to turning a patch of grass blue and rigid. I swiveled to the left and almost tried to duck a lightning bolt the size of my entire body. However, I resisted the temptation and watched with interest as the line of electricity fizzled out before even striking the ward structure. I shook my head before turning to Clover. “Alright, so where to?” It barely took a minute for us to find ourselves on a barren circle of rock. Gravel crunched beneath my toes and my eyes scanned the ring of stones that surrounded us. It looked like a desert expanded a million feet in every direction from our arena. Though, visible distortions in the air and nigh invisible lines of light spoke of the illusion that hid our true surroundings. “You ready?” I shifted my stance as I focused on Clover and responded with a nod. I was met by a grin as her horn began to glow. I stared at the glow surrounding it: lines were fading into reality and forming intricate geometric patterns. The cage of magic cables solidified before sparks of fire flew outwards. In a split second, the sparks became a flame, and the flame became an inferno. The conflagration grew and grew as it spread out. The ocean of fire washed across the sands, licking angrily at the air as it closed in on me. A smile was plastered across my lips as I brought my hand up in this place of slowed time and clenched it into a fist. As the fire was about to reach me, it froze. The flames whipped against an invisible barrier, and I grinned as I watched Clover’s expression transition from smug to confused. The fires spent what felt like minutes raging against the vacuum I created. No air, no fire. The unicorn shook her head, and I got a good view of each strand of her mane flicking in the breeze. Sweat glistened in the sunlight but my attention was pulled back to her horn as she began casting again. This time the air gained a misty quality around her, and fractals formed over her horn. I cocked an eyebrow before tilting my fist and shaking it. I watched the air in front of me contort beneath the pressure and I swear I saw sparks begin to fly. By the time her spikes the size of my head had formed, my heat shield was ready. Her triumphant smile melted just as quickly as her icicles. Rage burned bright on her face as sparks of electricity arced around her horn. Ozone invaded my nostrils as I snapped my fingers. She frowned as I grasped the metal pole for a moment before I pulled away. While confident, Clover remained wary as she stared at my pole and me for a moment. However, in my world, that moment took an eternity. She sent one last glare at the steel rod before refocusing on me and unleashing a bolt of electricity. The explosion of power was almost a foot thick and crossed the distance between us before even I could perceive its flight. Fortunately for me, it decided that my metal rod was the more appealing target. The world sped up as Clover huffed. “I can’t even touch you!” I shook my head as I responded. “Nope! Not even close.” She scowled at me before snarling. “Then why don’t you take a shot? Maybe I could learn a thing or two.” I stroked my beard before shaking my head again. “I would either just blast you with more power or use concepts that you unicorns have no ability to abuse with magic.” I smiled at her as I finished. “Besides, I don’t want to hurt you by accident.” She snorted as she began walking toward me. I raised an eyebrow as she got near but before I could open my mouth, she spoke. “Look buddy, just because you’re a weird-looking guy with more power than intelligence doesn’t mean I can’t handle myself!” My eyebrow remained where it was as I stepped back from the seething unicorn. I raised my hand and snapped. For a moment Clover froze and brought a shield up. She gave me a quizzical look before I shrugged. “Oops,” I said with a smile, and for a moment there was quiet. Then the world darkened in anticipation, and the air clenched in fear. Every unicorn on the field bore witness to a second sun burst into reality above. For the briefest of moments, the world went white before a roaring thunder struck the earth with the force of a falling mountain. Everyone but me was thrown from their hooves and I grinned at Clover's face of frozen shock. “I missed.”
Ch 6 - FalloutAuthor's Note This was supposed to be out yesterday but I fell asleep. Plan on tryna get another one out today, but no promises. Ch 6 - Fallout I felt grains digging into my eyes as I rubbed them with bare knuckles. My talons clicked and my hoof clopped as I trudged down the hallway. I scanned the blank gray stone walls of the passage while I shifted to scraping at my other eye. Miniscule lines were the only signs that the rock around me was a building rather than a tunnel, but the cracks widened and webbed out in certain areas as I went deeper. Seconds became minutes and the minutes melted together, causing me to miss the passing of the hour. What was I thinking? I turned a corner as I felt a patch of skin fall off of my arm. I sighed as I passed a hand over the wound to seal it before wiping my face. Hours, hours wasted cleaning up that crap! I shook my head as the corridors seemed to stretch out before me. Each step making less progress than the previous. With a snort, I hopped into the air but before I could move forward, I dropped like a rock. I scowled as I got up and reattached the horn that fell off. ‘How bout I show off a little?’ He thought. ‘I’m a draconequus, I’m invincible, so I should be fine.’ He lied. I growled as I finally swung open the door to my room. Bare stone walls, a low bed with white sheets, and an empty desk with a wooden chair greeted me. At least no one got hurt… I winced at the memories of the screams and crying. Unicorns were scattered all over the ground and the fields were torn up. The grass was scoured from the ground, the few trees scattered around the testing areas were flattened, and the tower itself had cracked. …permanently. Fortunately, Healthy Needles was very good at his job and I was able to keep the tower up while Swirly patched up the load-bearing walls. We’re both going to need to be there to fix up the foundation but everyone decided that it could wait till tomorrow. I fell into my bed and lay there for a time before my mind began to drift. “... theorem discussed the possibility of nigh-infinitesimally small particles that make up every other known thing in our small world. It is theorized that breaking apart said particles would result in an immense amount of energy being released. However, the conditions necessary for this to occur are not known, so further study has been determined futile. However, the particle…” The unbidden knowledge meandered into my conscious thoughts as I began falling. My eyes grew heavier and heavier while my mind remained active. “The Civil Development Postulate is the leading counterpoint to the Crystalline Structuralism argument, and it hinges on the idea…” My dreams were filled with cotton candy, chocolate milk, and fire. I dipped in and out of lucidity, forcing myself to absorb more knowledge every time I managed to listen. However, one thought dominated my mind, covering every other idea, and smothering any passing tendrils of laziness. I can’t make the same mistake again. My jaw flew open, as if of its own volition, and I stretched my limbs in every direction I could, feeling the joints pop as bones shifted in place. I rolled out of bed and stood up but when I finally managed to pry my eyes open… nothing. I blinked, then screwed them shut and pried them open again in case I got it wrong the first time. A couple moments of deep thought revealed the issue at hand. I shook my head as I snapped a lightbulb into existence. The electric light buzzed as I sent it to hover above my head with a wave. Another moment passed before I decided to walk out into the hallway. Only to find that it was also pitch black. Wasn’t this all lit yesterday? With a raised eyebrow I floated along the hallway… for all of fifteen seconds before bumping into a wall that blinked into view inches from my face. With a snort, I snapped my fingers and hissed as blazing sunlight stabbed my eyes with lances of pain. When those spears of fire were about to reach my brain I heard Swirly call out from behind me. “Finally up, are you? Well, welcome to the land of the living then.” After rubbing the rest of the spots out of my eyes I shot a glare at Swirly. “Well, I’m sorry but I didn’t exactly get a wake-up call.” Swirly snorted. “Of course you didn’t, your alarm clock got cut off just like all of the other amenities in there.” I frowned while scanning my friend. His mane and beard were ruffled with locks of hair branching out in every direction like some messed-up tree. His cloak was wrinkled all over and I could definitely make out a new crease in his hat. “Are you alright, Swirly?” The bags under his eyes seemed to evolve into mattresses at my comment. “My name’s not ‘Swirly,’ and no Typhon, I am not ’alright.’” He sighed as his hoof rubbed circles into his forehead before continuing. “The foundation is cracked, the ward work for the yard got shredded, the structural integrity enchantments at the base of the tower are loose…” He continued for a couple of minutes, trailing issues that ranged from “needs new batteries” to “basically unable to function anymore” in severity. I cringed at a few related to the plumbing and bit my lip at the bits about walls needing repairing. “... and finally, the main crystal is out of alignment. It will take weeks to get it back in line with the leylines.” Leylines? I know I heard about that in the lectures. It took a few moments of chin scratching but my face lit up when I found the answer. “Oh, that’s right! Leylines are central conduits for thaumaturgical power, right?” Swirly scowled at me. “Yes, thank you, it’s not as if unicorns learn that as foals.” I continued on as if he hadn’t opened his mouth. “And you power your tower with it right?” Swirly growled in frustration. “Yes, you idiot, and I’ve been telling you that for the past ten minutes!” I rolled my eyes before finishing my idea. “So why not plug me in for a bit? I mean all the crystal is doing is funneling the leyline's power into whatever magical circuit you have going on. It shouldn’t be too hard to stand in for that overpriced rock for a moment.” My wide, toothy grin was faced by one of the grimmest, stormy scowls that I’d ever seen. Thankfully, I resisted the urge to hang a pair of rain clouds above his head to complete the look. But some lightning would really add to the drama… I shook the thought away as Swirly finally responded. “That ‘overpriced rock,’ as you called it, has kept our tower running since I founded our organization. It has more than paid dividends with what it has done for us.” He poked my chest with a hoof. “And I dare say, that if you had not shown up, then none of this would have happened!” His scowl had descended into a snarl. My eyes stung but I knew he was right, so I kept myself together. I blinked back before letting my expression go flat. “Why do you think I helped you when the tower almost fell over? Why do you think I’m willing to continue to do so?” I rose into the air further to hover over the irate archmage. “It’s definitely not for your hospitality, Starswirl.” I let my face contort into a frown. “It’s also not for the food.” I began to circle him in the air. “And I really have no further use for your library.” I landed on all fours in front of Starswirl, still towering head and shoulders above him. “The only reason I’m still here is because I’m the one who caused this mess.” I gestured at the churned fields of rock. And because Clover’s my friend. I left the last thought unspoken as I glared into Starswirl’s grim face and leaned forward to speak in a tone barely above a whisper. “I don’t need you, Starswirl. I don’t need your tower. I don’t need any of you ponies. I just so happen to have a conscience.” With that, I hopped into the air and snapped. A wave of power covered the field in a glowing white sheen. The landscape melted from jagged spikes and uneven turf into a flat plain full of swaying grass. Another snap preceded several pieces of land vibrating until it was reduced to loose dirt. Yet another snap ground those circles of dirt into sand. I turned my attention to the tower. Hundreds of cracks ran from the top to the bottom, spider webbing all over the hexagonal structure. Chunks of rock were missing from the sides, windows were shattered, and the top had crumpled in on itself. The gem that hovered over the top was tilted and slightly off-centered as well. A snap made lost chunks of the tower float from their new resting places to fill in the holes they’d left on departure, cracks pulled closed, and like a broken tent being pulled into its proper state, the top of the structure unfolded. I stared at the huge glowing gem for a moment, but shook my head instead of snapping again. No, I don’t want to mess things up any more than I already have. With a sigh, I turned back to Starswirl and raised an eyebrow. “See?” He gulped before nodding, and I took that as my cue to leave. A flash accompanied my departure, but Starswirl's last words followed me to my destination. “Maybe that principle was right…” What? I shook my head before looking around. There were groups of unicorns running between piles of equipment, some holding papers, and others tools. As I watched I saw several structures rise from piles of scrap and witnessed smoke begin to rise from a couple with chimneys. I tilted my head at the new buildings but smiled when I saw a particular unicorn leaning against a cart full of books. What if she’s scared? Suddenly, my smile lost a lot of its strength. I mean, I couldn’t blame her. I did essentially flatten the landscape. I considered just leaving her be but a few seconds of thought had me deciding to just get it over with. I tried to make my grin seem genuine as I strolled over to a drooping Clover. Though I suspect one could easily see through the lie. “Hey Clove-” Her glare cut me off. “Do you realize?” She sucked in air through her nose before letting it out in a long, slow breath. “How much work.” I could almost feel the weight of mountains just looking at her eyelids. “You made for me.” My eyes flicked to and fro as my smile strained against her mood. “Uh, huh, well.” I scratched the back of my neck before continuing. “You did say ‘I can handle myself’ so…” A quick glance revealed her twitching eye before I squeaked out. “No hard feelings?” She snorted. “If you could make it so that I had two more hours of sleep last night-” I cut off any further comment with a snap that brought a cup of steaming brown liquid in front of Clover. My grin gained more confidence as, with a flourish, cream, milk, and a spoon of sugar all fell in. “It may not be quite as good as sleep, but coffee can still do wonders for mornings!” My ears flattened against my head for a moment. “But do mind the taste, the stuff is more bitter than a teacher grading late work!” Clover eyed me as she grabbed the cup with her magic. Her glare turned on the liquid before she took a sip. One second passed. She licked her lips. “Not too bad.” Another second. She looked at the cup with a half-faced smile. And on the death of the third second Clover brightened up. The bags under her eyes vanished, and her grayish coat filled in with color as she straightened up with a smile. “Wow, this stuff is stronger than that fancy Saddle Arabian tea they serve in the cafeteria!” I nodded with a smile. “Well, that’s good to hear.” She took another sip as she turned around to walk away. “Sorry Typhon, but I gotta go. I wasn’t joking about the work. See ya later!” I waved a few times as she left. Well, she seemed… as spirited as ever. I suppose that’s a good thing. With a smile, I turned to go find something else to do while I waited for Starswirl to get over himself and just ask for help with the crystal. I scratched my chin as I scanned my surroundings again. Several groups of unicorns had huddled together in groups that reminded me of classical color wheels. I grinned as I floated up to one of the circles of ponies, but my ears flattened when I heard what they were talking about. “Weeks Sapphire! Weeks of work down the drain because of that idiot! Why I oughta-” His friend shushed him as she looked around. Unfortunately for her, I had already ripped a cloak of invisibility over myself. “He could be anywhere, it’s best to just not talk about him.” The rest of the pony troupe nodded in agreement before moving on to other topics. Oh… I floated to another group next to what appeared to be a make-shift bakery. I think I can remember some recipes from home… But do they have vanilla extract? I shook my head while smiling as I drew near. Or better yet, how well do they handle salt… I frowned for a moment but shook it away as the ponies’ voices bled into audibility I really should ask about it. “Please tell me he’s just passing by us!” The yellow mare was hiding under a table within the tent that covered the temporary oven. I puzzled at the mare’s distress as I walked in. I jumped when something smacked against a board with a loud crack. I spun to see a unicorn mare that was as tall as me when walking on all fours. “If he ain’t then you’ll bake the pieces ah’ll leave behind!” I blinked a few times before deciding that dealing with a madmare as big as a small wagon wasn’t a very fun idea. I tiptoed out of that striped pavilion as fast as my feet would let me. After I was out, I hopped into the air and zipped to another group, hoping to find someone somewhere that needed some help. I touched down near a slapdash forge. The bricks making up the forge itself were loose in their sockets and passing examination revealed that there wasn’t even any mortar holding the blocks together. Some of the pieces were cracked and others were beginning to slide out of place. Even if the weight from their fellows kept the loose bricks in place at the moment, it was obvious to me that it wouldn’t be long before a serious accident could occur. I shrugged before snapping and loose bricks slotted back into place while cracks pulled themselves closed. A whiny, high-pitched stallion called out. “What was that?” “Nothing important, boy. Now get those bars in order, we have a job to do. I stuck my head around a corner of the forge. Several posts held up a square, red and white striped cloth above a pair of unicorns that stood next to a stone table holding bars of silvery metal. The hunks of metal called to me, pulling my gaze from the ponies for a moment, but I shook off the weird feeling so that I could refocus on the conversation. “I don’t know why you’re insisting on this. I mean come on, the tower just rebuilt itself a couple minutes ago and even the ground got fixed!” The smaller blue unicorn was pleading to a gray stallion that was almost as big as the crazy baker. The big guy shook his head before his deep voice rumbled back. “The tower still isn’t whole, Steel Ring. The power’s still out and Hexane needs all of those extra plates for some fancy project.” The teenager groaned. “She made that order like a minute ago! Couldn’t it wait until we get back into the tower?” The big guy shook his head before turning from Steel Ring to pick up a couple of the bars. “No, for all we know the top mages might need these plates to realign the central crystal.” Steel Ring sighed. “Fine, but does it really have to be runic steel? That stuff is a pain to work with!” The massive smith glared back at the apprentice. “Look boy, I’ve been patient because I agree with most of what you’re saying.” He stepped towards Steel Ring, towering over the now sweating teenager. “But we got a job to do. You will learn this now, the easy way, or you’re going to find out later the hard way.” He leaned down, glare still at full strength. “In this world, if you don’t work, you don’t eat, and if those in charge don’t think you’re good enough, they’ll replace you.” The big smith sighed before straightening. He looked towards the forge before flinging a couple of bars into the now roaring flames. For a moment, I began sweating as his eyes passed over me, but he didn’t even pause to look at me. Oh, invisible, right. I grinned nervously as the smith looked back to Steel Ring. “I want those bars prepped for shaping by the end of the hour, now get to work.” The smith turned towards another table, this one covered in various hammers and chisels, while Steel Ring rushed to the forge with a glowing horn. I stepped forward, ready to lend a hand, but before I could drop my veil, I heard the giant unicorn muttering. “If I ever see that moronic noodle again, I’ll use his head to hammer myself a new anvil.” With that lovely promise, I decided that the big guy had things under control and skipped out to go find someone less… murderous. So I flew onto the next tent. Only to find a similar situation. It was the same in the next group. And in the next one. And the next one… Eventually, I took the hint and floated towards the wood’s edge, and with one last look at the tower, I dove in. I’ll be back, they just need some… time. With that thought, I settled onto a tree branch to watch the local wildlife. A couple birds swooped through the air with the noisy beat of flapping wings. Squirrels scampered through the trees with soft pitter-patters marking their passage. Rabbits bounced by on nervous feet that thumped against the earth. … At least, that’s the hope. Nature seemed… undisturbed by me. It was nice. I smiled as I let the muscles in my back relax and closed my eyes while listening to the wind whistling a tuneless melody.
Ch 7 - Bait“… Therefore, if we should ever find a being with a projected aura, we must immediately seek to contain it...” I woke up with a scream as I fell off of my sleeping branch. The world became a blur of greens and browns as I fell through the air. My landing made a dull thump when I hit the grassy floor. I didn’t feel anything break, hell, I barely felt the fall at all. “Such abominations are not gods, they are not ‘spirits’ as they sometimes claim, but rather, they are monsters…” I shook my head as I clambered to my feet. My breathing had quickened and was growing more and more shallow. The world was darkening as I felt my eyes begin to ache. Abomination? Monster? No no no no, I am not a monster! I clenched my eyes shut as I took deep breaths to slow down my heartbeat and leaned against a nearby tree. The rugged bark felt warm to the touch. It was odd, it felt like a hug from a grandparent on Christmas. Like a bright and sunny summer day smiling down upon me. But it didn’t stop the dread, oh no, it still remained and I could feel it taking my mind within its frigid grip when the last line fell into place “… with unequaled capacity for mayhem.” I felt cold. Not the icy stabbing of frostbite, not the creeping panic of being trapped in icy water, no. I felt the emptiness of a blizzard, the bleak skies of Winter, I felt the gnawing hunger of the frozen north. No, I am not a monster! The pretentious pricks who made the principle are probably just like Starswirl: too full of themselves to see others as more than tools. I gritted my teeth as I pushed off the tree, staggering for a moment before leaping into the air. I felt my stomach clench while I weaved between the trees. The towering monarchs of the forest passed me by in blurs of brown and the undergrowth reduced everything below me into a solid carpet of green. I dodged branches and flew over shrubs. My ear twitched at howls in the distance as the sun pierced the canopy above. Minutes sprinted by, and seconds crawled to a halt. The light flared and the world darkened. Anger boiled in my heart while hate froze my mind, but hope wormed its way into both. Across the miniature town made of pavilions and tents, on a hill in front of the mage tower, was a trio of ponies. One of pristine white, another of sickly yellow, and a third of dull gray. I wound up to shoot right over but a memory stopped me. “Maybe that principle was right…” I shook my head with a grimace. He could have been referring to any number of ‘principles!’” I shot another look at the ponies Then again… I set my jaw as I pondered the situation. I could eavesdrop a little I suppose, maybe even teleport back over here to make it seem inconspicuous. I scratched my head as I twisted my lips. But they might spot me. My frown deepened at the thought. Invisibility perhaps? It worked the last time we met. Almost as if on command, a line of words paraded through my consciousness before looping back to my personal pit of knowledge. “Structural fractals rebound off of any sort of surface, visible to the naked eye or otherwise. All spells radiate said fractals in various quantities, the most potent of these being spells that…” I grimaced at the thought. Great, can’t just walk up to them. I looked up to gauge the possibility of just flying over, but an open sky dashed such hopes. Not from above, not in plain sight… I tapped my hoof while I brainstormed up more options. Portals have the same problem as invisibility. Increasing senses would just muddle up the conversation because of the noise from the camp. My tapping came to a stop as I looked downward. But how about from below? I was nodding now while I paced in circles. I could just tunnel over there, drill a hole in the ground nearby, and stick my ear near the conversation! With my plan now set, I snapped a hand drill as large as me into existence. A grin infected my face while I started spinning the hand crank on the side of the cartoonish device and began my underground quest! Dirt sprayed my face, rocks bounced off my head, and I would occasionally run into something too strong for my drill. However, I made progress, and over the course of a few minutes, I judged myself close enough. I stuck my tongue out and snapped a tiny version of my drill to tunnel up to the surface. Another few seconds of waiting had me grimacing at the taste but a hole now ran from my little tunnel all the way up to the surface. I brought my fingers together for one final snap to bring a pair of cans attached by string into being. I planted one can in the hole and punched it. The coils of string rapidly disappeared into the tunnel as the can neared the surface. I took a couple of deep breaths before putting my ear to my end of the makeshift telephone. “I’m telling ya Girder, steel might be stronger but iron is easier to work with! We don’t need these things to last all that long either, just until…” I flicked my ear as I tried focusing on another set of voices. “And then he gave me the mug of, uh, I think he called it ‘coffee’? Anyway, that’s the first time I’ve ever had somebody actually try to help with that sort of thing…” I shook my head with a smile as I tried to find the right conversation. For a moment I worried that I surfaced too early. I know I didn't overshoot because my targets were the closest to the tower and I was quite sure that I hadn’t run into that giant hunk of rock. “…and Hexane has made great strides in discovering some of the deeper mechanics behind magic. Specifically, how intent and close observation affects the outcomes of a spell.” However, my concerns were dashed upon the rocks when I heard Starswirl’s voice. A hoof scuffed the ground before Luna spoke. “I appreciate the thorough report, Starswirl, but I-“ Luna’s voice was cut off by Celestia’s correction. “‘We,’ Luna, remember the royal ‘We.’” I could almost hear Luna’s eye roll through the cans. “Is that truly necessary? What’s next, ‘We’ revert to the patterns of speaking from several hundred years ago like the more pretentious of the nobles?” I heard Celestia sigh before responding. “We may well have to, Luna, but enough of this. Were you not the one who was in a big hurry to travel here?” Luna snorted as she went back to addressing Starswirl. “We would rather get to the point.” Starswirl's sigh preceded a voice filled with dread. “I hate to ask this of you, Princesses, but I need help reinstating the tower wards.” Celestia was the first to respond. “I don’t know why you’re so hesitant, Starswirl, my sister and I would be more than happy to help. Now, which ones are giving you trouble?” Nervousness was laced through Starswirl’s weak chuckle. He cleared his throat. “Pretty much all of them.” I pursed my lips as I kicked at the dirt beneath me with a talon. Both alicorns took in a sharp breath before Celestia’s far more strained voice ended the silence. “Might I ask why they need repairing?” Another bout of quiet bumbled through the conversation and only died off when Starswirl spoke through gritted teeth. “Typhon.” My ears flattened against my head while Celestia asked what he meant by that. Starswirl growled while he tried to answer. “He, well he, ugh.” The mounting rage in his voice deflated when he sighed. “If I’m being honest Princess, I have no bucking clue.” A faint thump interrupted his sentence but he continued on in a haggard tone. “One moment he was fending off my student’s offensive strikes.” No pride, no satisfaction, not even a drop of acknowledgment for that whirlwind of fire, ice, and stone was spent on that statement. However, before I could ponder his apathy, Starswirl continued “The next, a second sun just pops into existence around four miles above our tower.” He snorted before adding. “The bloody thing shredded all of the yard wards, cracked the tower badly, and even knocked the damned central crystal out of alignment!” A long sigh fell out of Starswirl’s muzzle, resembling a waterfall of absolute fatigue. “After the crystal got struck, the defensive wards, the structure augments, and even the foundation webs broke.” I was forced to listen to the background white noise of the camp while I waited for one of the Princesses to start talking. Luna’s voice pierced the backdrop first. “Sister, I told you so.” “Not now Luna. Starswirl, do you have any idea what Typhon did?” Starswirl’s voice replied with a big fat ‘no’ before adding. “And all I could get out of the monstrosity was that the explosion made a sort of mess that nopony could see.” He snorted, continuing by saying. “And I don’t doubt it. By the time he finally came down, patches of skin were literally sliding off of him.” Starswirl paused, probably to shudder, before finishing. “I even had to remind that madman to put his eyes back in place! How the buck does one simply forget that their eyes are melting?” A sigh preceded Celestia’s question. “Ok, do you have any way of containing him? The Yak Thingy principle suggests a sort of Fairway cage.” Starswirl snorted. “Yes, that simple electric construct was a base for our design. However, we had to tighten the mesh and add tubes to account for the unstructured spells he seems to favor…” The unicorn began to weave in and out of complex jargon that would’ve required a quick dip into the library in my head. The pair of pony Princesses just stood quietly, waiting for the great wizard to finish. “…In short, yes we have a containment field that should be able to hold him. It would probably be best to drain some of his power first though.” A moment passed before Starswirl threw an idea into the open air. A horrid, despicable, conniving idea that would rankle any idealist's sensibilities. “I could have my apprentice lure him into a trap. Yes, it shouldn’t even be that hard. Just set up the containment, fake a tea party or something, and close the door when he’s inside.” Luna called out a seemingly glaring flaw in this wonderful plan that I was listening to. “Wouldn’t that risk the lives of Clover and anypony else caught in the trap with the beast?” “So?” Silence hung over the trio, strangling the conversation. Then Luna’s voice exploded at Starswirl, she snarled and her words were shouted with growling undertones. “So? So? That’s all you have to say about risking the lives of other ponies? Have you no empathy?” Starswirl’s calm voice retained a sense of serenity, of cold logic. “Of course I do, but it’s a matter of costs. Either somepony leads Typhon into the cage or we run the risk of an immortal child with enough power to bury both of you going on a rampage! And if I judge correctly, he seems close to it already.” Luna seemed to have missed the last sentence, judging by her response “Bettering the lives of our subjects, Starswirl, that’s the charge of a royal. My sister and I cannot afford to sacrifice ponies because of some hunch you-” Celestia’s voice cut through Luna’s message like a knife through butter. However, little deviations in pitch, a choppy tone that broke up the sentence, and the fake force behind the statement, all pointed to a hidden strain for… something. “Yes Luna, protecting our ponies is our first duty.” She swallowed before continuing. “To that end, I believe that Starswirl’s idea holds some merit.” Luna snorted without any further response so Celestia added. “However, Starswirl, are you sure that Typhon would be likely to attack soon, if so, why, and is it truly necessary for us to risk lives in the manner that you have suggested?” Starswirl sighed before an answer came, though the weariness behind the words gave the message all the more weight. “Yes Princess, I do believe that Typhon is close to snapping. At least, that’s what our latest interactions have indicated.” Starswirl seemed to crack as he talked. “There’s also the matter of that explosion that nearly flattened our entire operation. Oh, I almost forgot that he stuffed our entire library into his head!” He forced a pair of short, diseased chuckles before wheezing. “That was so fun to hear, you know. One moment, I was minding my own business, looking over the latest deep-scans of our leyline, and I get some panicked colt bursting into my study while shrieking about the freak collapsing in the library.” He took a deep breath before hissing out his next line. “By the time I got the full story out of him, another pony trots in and calmly lets me know that Typhon manifested a metaphorical concept. Apparently, he thinks that’s what we do with levitation!” The mage groaned “As for why we need bait, he’s sensitive to magical imbalances. The first time we took samples of his mana, he passed out after just two canisters. The poison from the explosion we talked about a minute ago was not visible to the eye, to any sort of magic scans, buck, the majority of our equipment just picks up nothing but static in the mana waves from his spell. Yet he could sniff it out like a bloodhound would a rabbit.” Starswirl blew out a breath before finishing. “So, yes he’s dangerous, yes he’s unstable, and yes, we need bait.” Someone took a deep breath and Celestia spoke. “Then we will prepare. Starswirl, prepare the trap. Luna and I can distract him with…” The rest of her words faded away into the echoes of the can when I pulled back. I glared at the silvery metal while thinking. Though those ideas were far too dark to remain in the light of conscious thought. Instead, they broiled in the depths of my emotions, steeping in the extremes that spoke to me. Anger shrieked for me to burn the sky and singe the earth with a hurricane of fire. Sadness wept a river of words, each telling me to run, to hide, to no longer burden the ponies with the dangers of my presence. Disgust told me to leave, that this trash should be left behind. Hope’s muted voice attempted to reason with me saying, ‘it could be a misunderstanding. Maybe they really didn’t mean it.’ I didn’t believe that. In the center of this whirlpool of emotion, I stood. My thoughts were blank, my emotions outside of me, and I felt cold. So very cold. Snowflakes danced around me, falling from a pitch black sky. My breaths began to mist as my body shivered from the drop in temperature. The vibrant fiery red of my anger faded to the dull gray of ash. The deep blue from my sadness faded while the pool of worries swirled and twirled before calming itself. The creeping dark green of my disgust wilted as the jungle that represented it died all at once. All that was left was that perfect black sky, those serene falling flecks of white, and an endless sea of gray. It was calming. It was quiet. It was cold.
Ch 8 - CageMy teeth ached and my face felt strained, but I kept grinning. Starswirl stared at me as Luna glared and Celestia smiled. However, the edges of her facsimile of happiness were marked by creases. Our gazes met. Her white ears twitched, her pristine wings shifted, and her fluffy chest quivered now and again. Her face may be calm, but the rest of her revealed that lie for what it was. They want you in a cage. My own voice whispered that traitorous notion in the depths of my mind. The words danced around the edges of conscious thought. It both was and wasn’t me. A small piece of the whole that saw the truth for what it was The only question is ‘what bars will they use?’ I floated above the traitorous trio, faking excitement at their presence. It only had only taken a snap for a bright light to whisk me away to the edge of the forest. Happiness was an easy mask to put on but hard to maintain. I tilted my head as Celestia spoke, and my gaze narrowed when Luna stepped closer to her sister. Luna’s horn glowed a deep midnight blue, in contrast to her yellow coat, but I paid that no mind. Instead, I focused on Celestia’s words. “Hello Typhon, it is good to see you again.” My brain seemed to push against the walls of my skull and my jaw clenched, trying to hold the lie in. However, I was determined. I had to know, had to see, had to be absolutely certain of their choice, so my smile remained as I responded. “Likewise, Princess. What brings you to this little corner of the world?” Celestia giggled before responding. “It’s next to the center of the country, Typhon. This isn’t the corner of anywhere.” I let a frown flash across my face before forcing the mask back on. “Well, that still doesn’t answer my question.” My animated gestures and happy-faced façade must have reassured Celestia, despite the hurricane of whispered accusations thundering through my head. Her wings settled and her ears calmed. Celestia’s smile widened as she spoke. “Oh, we just got word of trouble brewing at one of our research towers. Apparently, the wards need to be replaced.” Her grin twisted in amusement as she added. “You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?” I chuckled as I waved a dismissive hand toward her. “Oh, it wasn’t anything all that bad. I just broke some of the basic building blocks of reality. Turns out reality didn’t appreciate it very much. Made quite the light show.” A wink accompanied my shrug while I finished. “Then again, who doesn’t like showing off every now and again?” Starswirl choked at the casual mentions of me playing god. Luna stared at me and her glittery yellow mane began to whip in the wind. However, she held her peace as Celestia overcame a brief look of shock. “Well… that does sound fun, but could you please avoid it in the future? I would rather not come here every week or so to fix wards.” More requests, more demands, more excuses to lock you up when you fail to comply. I snorted while waving my claw again. A cloud of green smoke trailed after it and I glared into the sickly smog as I began. “Yeah, that won’t be a problem. Such… activities create quite a mess that is really hard to track. Well, at first anyway. Even I have issues cleaning up after such events so I won’t be making it a habit.” Oh, don’t lie to yourself! It was fun, it was worth it, and it will happen again. Celestia’s entire form drooped in relief before stiffening again at my next comment. “It was enjoyable though, making a second sun, I mean. I might have to find a nice little sandbox so I can have a little bit of nuclear fun every once in a while.” Luna spared Celestia the fate of trying to tackle all of the implications behind that statement by giving her dear sister a whole new source of high blood pressure. “Enough dancing around the subject! Return my coat to its natural state, beast!” They see an animal, remember that. I frowned at her before shrugging. “Alright.” Luna harrumphed in grumpy triumph, but her banana-colored face scrunched into a scowl when I continued. “On one condition.” Luna’s objection was broken by Celestia’s sigh and before the lemon-hued alicorn could begin again, Celestia asked. “What is it?” My grin grew three sizes at that comment before I twisted into a lounging position. “Two words, space lice.” Luna turned her nose up at that. “And what in Tartarus is that supposed to mean?” Laughter preceded my response. “Just what the name implies, Luna.” I twirled in the sky before dropping to the ground in front of the angry yellow alicorn. I loomed over her with a grin that glittered in the shadow cast by my body. Luna grimaced while she looked me in the eye, and I just smiled. The silence began to squeeze the air between us as a pit settled into my stomach. Eventually, Luna took in a deep breath, growled, and then spoke with defeat infecting her tone. “Fine, whatever you suggest, it cannot be worse than…” She gestured to herself. “...this.” My chuckle echoed off of nothing as I snapped. A blinding flash of light burned away the yellow dye and left behind a rotten gift in her mane. I grinned at Luna as the spots left my eyes and revealed a dark blue alicorn standing before me. “Deal fulfilled, congratulations on the new look, Luna. Though, you could have just shaved and let the hair grow back. All I did was use an especially stubborn dye.” Luna’s head shook from the tension in her neck tugging in every direction at once. Every muscle in her face tried to pull into a snarl but she managed to hold a mostly neutral, flat-lipped expression. I smiled as Luna’s stilted show of gratitude forced its way out before she teleported away. I turned towards a poker-faced Celestia with a wide smile. “Well, I suppose that’s that, anything else?” Celestia sighed while shaking her head. “Why must you antagonize my sister like that, Typhon? Can you not try to be nicer, please?” I shrugged “Well, I could…” But she wants to kill you. I scratched my chin as I leaped into the air. After hovering for a moment or two, I continued. “However, she is the one antagonizing me. So until she apologizes, she gets what she gives.” I closed my eyes while adding. “At least one princess has the sense not to start a fight with a demigod.” I snorted. “I mean, really, how stupid would one have to be to give me a reason to be their enemy.” I opened an eye to peer at a now sweating Celestia. “It’s good to know that I have one such friend, right?” Celestia coughed into her hoof before stuttering out a response. “Y-yes, that is a good thing… wait, Starswirl, are you alright?” I spared a glance for Starswirl and blinked in shock. The haggard unicorn was curled up and stroking his tail while muttering something about ‘breaking the law Quantum Tension’. He twitched every few seconds and avoided eye contact with me. I flicked my tail at him. Just another reason for them to chain you. “I guess I am simply too much for him to comprehend.” I chuckled as the ground beneath me began moving. “I do have places to be, Princess. See you next time!” I got no response as I passed from the light of the sun into the shaded maw of the tower. The stones that held up the doorway seemed to bear down on me as I passed, but I paid them no mind. The animated rug in the lobby curled beneath me, the images ran, and the fabric seemed to shrink away whenever possible, and I ignored it. The tower's magic seemed to circle me like a starving wolf… or more of a determined guard dog, but it was unimportant. I had other things to worry about. The library had the peculiar scent of old books. The stale sourness wafted through the room like a fog rolling over a town at dawn. Aged ink tainted the purity of the smell with a tinge of faint copper that made me think of blood. Lamps shone pure white light throughout the room, banishing the shadows from worlds both physical and mental. I smiled as I flipped through the yellowed pages of a volume held in my magic. I crossed my arms and hummed while the paper crinkled as it moved. “... therefore, to create a double, however useful it may seem, would simply be impractical in combat situations. However, fearful mages of the higher calibers could still…” The blank-faced brown book was buried somewhere deep in my mind and I could have read it from the comfort of my dreamscape. However, learning while asleep left me tired in the mornings. I yawned before moving on to the next passage. “In conclusion, such spells are best reserved for avoiding direct confrontation rather than adding another front on which your opponent must fight.” My magic dug beneath the page, ready to flip to another, but the satisfying crunch of paper was cut off by Clover’s voice. “Hello Typhon, uh, you wanna go have some tea later?” I tilted my head as I turned to look at my friend. Her smile was wide, too wide, her mane was mostly straight but I could see the odd strand sticking out at an angle, and her eyes only ever met mine briefly. Please just be nervous, please don’t be a traitor, we can be friends, I promise. My words bounced off of the borders of my mind and twisted to the point of unrecognition. They were my words, I spoke them, but they didn’t match what I thought I said. Watch for the cage, it is coming. Despite the pit in my stomach, despite the ache in my heart, I smiled. I had to fight back a tear and choke off an unwise question as I responded. “Sure, Clover. When?” She waved a hoof and stuttered out. “Oh, uh, in a couple of hours maybe?” My face brightened as my mind darkened. “Yeah, that sounds fine to me.” My weary tone fell on deaf ears as my ‘friend’ scampered off to wherever those backstabbing traitors were. All of a sudden, the ever-present lamps that hung from the ceiling barely pierced the shade. I let my smile fall, closed the book, and let out a long, deep sigh. The only forms of company I had were the piles of books stacked upon the tables around me. I wanted to beg for reality, God, anything to prove my suspicions false. However, whenever I started, my voice would begin to echo through my head in long peels of laughter. My talons clicked on the stone floor as I strolled down the hallway. My face was stuck in a neutral position, with no emotion escaping the mask. I turned a corner as I called out. “Clover, where are you?” I heard my own voice repeat the question over and over. I waited for the echoes to die before calling out again… no response. I sighed while my eyes dropped and my tail dragged on the ground. Eventually, my voice stopped repeating. I opened my mouth, ready to try again, but before I could, Clover’s voice struck me like a hammer. “Over here, Typhon!” My head swiveled and in a moment, I turned towards my ‘friend’ before smiling. However, as the clopping of her hooves neared, my grin wilted. Only a ghost of my happiness remained: replaced by a facsimile that seemed to fool Clover. Her head hung close to the ground, her limbs trembled, and her breath heaved in and out in quick gasps. She gave me a weak smile before asking. “Why are ya all the way out here? The place was on the other side of the castle.” I chuckled as I started in the direction she came from. “Well, how was I supposed to know?” Her answer bled uncertainty.. “I... told… you.” I cocked an eyebrow before replying. “Really now, are you sure?” A grin spread across my face when a look of realization appeared on hers. I even managed a few guffaws when she brought a hoof to her face while apologizing. Several moments passed before the quiet became stifling. I held my peace, ready to wait for the trap, but Clover broke the static. “So, uh, how’s your day been? I can't remember the last time I asked so-“ She’s growing a conscience about this? No, she’s just afraid of you. Remember, to them, you are nothing but an animal to be feared. I cut off any further rambling with a wave of the paw and sent a wave of anger through my mind to silence the voice. “It’s quite alright. Though, wouldn’t it be better to save the conversation for tea? I mean, it should only take a minute or so to get there.” Clover’s head twitched while she nodded, and her agreement came out in a stuttering, rushed manner. “S-sure.” My throat clenched at the fear in her voice. I mean, who could really blame her for being afraid? If I was doing this I- The treasonous piece of my mind shattered the chains that I shackled it with, and the whispers returned to speak the truth of the situation. Forget the sympathy, she’s getting ready to backstab you, you naïve child! My shoulders slumped as the gravity of what I feared settled in once more. Clover made no comment. Seconds stretched into minutes, and those few minutes seemed to sap hours of my life away. The stones on the walls elongated as my vision narrowed, and a door came into view. It was a simple door that hid the maw of the trap I imagined. I could almost see lines of metal stretch from floor to ceiling around the entrance to my cage. Come in, come in, the cage is fine. So said the treacherous equine. I shook my head as the door opened with a flick of my magic and forced a smile while glancing at Clover. “Mares first.” Into the jaws. She took a deep breath before smiling back at me and stepping through. I paused in the doorway when I spotted bars of metal stuck in the wall. How did they manage this so quickly? I only heard them planning this a few hours ago! I shook my head before strolling to one of a few wooden chairs around a circular table. The walls were bare rock, the ceiling a perfectly smooth stone slab, and my talon clicked on the white tiles making up the floor. I spotted a window that gave me a view of the landscape outside the tower. There were still a few tents out there with smoke puffing out of the cloth ceilings. Literally the first window I’ve seen in this place. Not suspicious at all. The chair creaked beneath me and I stared down at the table’s surface. It was polished to the point that it could act like a mirror. My smile weakened as I drew a claw down the reflective surface, admiring the new lines at the corners of my eyes. I waited for a few moments but the clopping of hooves never stopped. A second of thought led my eyes to the doorway where Clover had frozen in place. Her eye twitched as she lowered her head, all while maintaining eye contact. “Uh, I forgot the tea. I’ll be back in a minute!” I chuckled before I waved the door closed with a flick of my wrist. The wood plank slammed shut and a click followed soon after. When the opening had shut, I felt my strength begin to drain away. Every breath, every blink, every moment left me weaker than before. Clover yelped when the door struck her rear before pressing backward again. “Oh, no need for that, I can just whip some up right here and now.” A bright light flashed on the table when I snapped and a plain white tea set was left behind. The ceramics clicked as I shifted them around the table. Clover tentatively crept around the table to sit down in the chair opposite me. The clicking of plates and cups continued as I formed three more sets, arranging them in place next to Clover. Two larger sets landed to her right and a smaller one on her left. She was glancing at the china while I turned towards the window. With a snap, a brick floated out of its place in the wall before rocketing through the glass. The sparkling shards of the one-way mirror burst inwards and showered a trio of ponies in sparkling glitter. Their eyes were wide but the princesses fell into a combative stance in a mere moment. Though a web of wire and wards still glowed between us. My eyes began to droop when I waved a claw at the newly revealed ponies. “I do believe that it is more fun to drink tea rather than watch other people do so.” Celestia flicked her gaze to Clover and back to me before she responded. “I apologize but we cannot join you, Typhon.” I smiled as I chuckled, even slapping a knee to sell the act. “Oh ho ho, I’m sure you can, Princess. If it’s a time constraint, I’m sure I could help you with it!” The smile hurt as the muscles in my face strained to keep up the façade. Celestia sighed as she straightened. “Typhon, I am sorry, but for the good of Equestria, you must be sealed.” I let the smile drop as a flash consumed the tea set I had created. The mana used in the constructs flowed back into me to beat back my fatigue. I stared at Celestia for a moment before turning to Luna. “Thoughts? Regrets? Any sort of remorse?” The blue alicorn looked down her snout at me before turning around and walking away to a door behind the traitorous trio. I snorted before glancing at Starswirl. “How bout you ol’ buddy ol’ pal? Anything ya got to say to me?” Starswirl’s face scrunched up in disgust before he joined Luna. The world was already darkening and my skin felt thin. Every gust that resulted from shifting air pierced my hide while chills began to seep into my bones. I turned to Clover. My voice was weak and my doubts voiced themselves. She doesn’t care, she’s like the rest. "And you?" And my heart sank at her words. “I-I’m sorry, Typhon. It was their idea!” Tears stained my face as I watched the unicorn back away. All I could do was whisper a question, a simple question with an insidious answer. “Why?” Clover froze in her tracks before gritting her teeth and screwing her eyes shut. “They said that you could snap at any moment, that if you did, then a lot of ponies would get hurt.” She swallowed hard before opening her eyes to glare at mine. “They said that I was the only one who could lead you into this. I’m sorry but this was necessary.” A weak smile crawled onto her face before she finished. “I-I promise to visit you if the Princesses let me.” I raised my clenched fist just in time for it to vanish completely. I whispered to Clover with a frown on my face and venom on my tongue. “Doubtful.” Clover gasped while going bug-eyed. Someone behind the window followed suit and a glance told me that Celestia was the source. I swung to face her before strolling up to the barrier. Patches of my skin were fading to nothing, and my imbalanced head tilted further off-kilter as a horn disappeared. My paw poked through a few holes in the mesh. It slowed the drain but not by much. “Please, Celestia, you don’t have to do this.” My eyes were getting heavier and I could feel my legs beginning to evaporate. My tired gaze stared into Celestia’s, begging for mercy. Her eyebrows rose in shock, then twisted concern before her horn began to glow. My heart jumped into my throat at the site. Maybe she was truly sorry. Maybe she was going to free me. Maybe- Maybe she’s just going to put you to sleep so she doesn’t have to listen to your pleading. I shook away the thought as hope flooded my amazed smile. Then another voice crushed my fantasy like a steamroller would a can. “Do not listen to him, Sister. You have seen what he can do by accident. Imagine the devastation that would occur if he was trying to hurt others?” I wanted to glare at Luna, but my lower half chose that moment to disappear. The ground flew up into my face and my remaining arm completed its deletion before I could brace against the impact. My disembodied head rolled to a stop before a horrified Clover. Her eyes were wide, her jaw was slack, and her ears were flat against her head. Her face of frozen shock was the last thing I saw. … Ba-dump’ A noise, an important noise, the first noise I heard in this colorful house of lies that I now call my world. Ba-dump’ It greeted me once more in the void. A perfect blackness flooded my eyes and my mouth filled with the taste of iron mixed with bile. See? To them, you are only an animal for them to fear. My voice became the second thing that I heard in this void. Only the sound of my heart and the shadowy echoes of my own thoughts accompanied me on my voyage. I was only gone for a split second, a fragment of a moment, but that void took something from me. I don’t know what it took, my memories seemed intact, my power was not diminished, and my true body remained the same. However, something died with that copy and all I could do was move on. I shook my head as I sat up in my bed. The covers were still white. I glanced around the bare room while considering my options. I could lecture them all about how wrong they were to do what they did and move on. I mean, nothing permanent actually occurred, right? Except something did happen, something did change, and they are to blame. After telling them off, I could just forgive them and pretend that this never happened! They tried to kill you, Typhon. Clover would be smiling, Celestia would apologize, and Starswirl would go back to curling up in a ball. They want you dead, Typhon. I mean, it couldn’t end just yet, I haven’t even gotten used to everything about this place! I can’t make too much of a fuss. Who knows, maybe there was more to it and- THEY MURDERED YOU. My vision was darkened by my hands covering my face. My breaths came in a quick, jittery cadence. They stabbed you in the back and when you didn’t go down instantly, they left the knife in. But I- No ‘buts’ Typhon. They tried to kill you! You need to make them pay. That’s not right. I would never do that. It is right, it is justice, and it is necessary. No! Before the voice in my head could speak again, I snapped. The white light faded to reveal an open sky above me and a tower below. Another snap saw me removed from visibility, and a third brought me a floating carpet. I latched onto it and willed the magic square of cloth forward. Every moment that I could think, the voice told me to go back. It would whisper, it would speak, it would yell. Every word reverberated through my consciousness, seeping into my soul and making my head throb to an unheard beat. They will try again, it said. You need to end them before they can threaten you, it reasoned It is justice, it declared. I only ever had one answer, and when my voice was drowned out by the shouts of the other, I screamed my rejection to the heavens. “NO!”
Ch - interlude -Clover felt the cold stone beneath her. It was a solid sort of cold; the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and grasps at the core of your being. That icy chill was the only sane thing left in her world. The room's window was really just a strange screen of lies, but now, it lay shattered all over the ones who told the falsehood. The tea and the ceramics associated with it had vanished as if they never existed in the first place. The walls themselves were only recently shifted to where they now were, and they hid numerous bars of runed metal that stretched to the ceiling, perhaps beyond. The window, the tea, the walls, her loyalty, were all lies. She was his friend, friends were supposed to stand up for each other! Yet, at the first opportunity she had, she stabbed him right in the back. No, she didn’t, she couldn’t have! In reality, she told her friend, she warned him. She was still his friend. Typhon still smiled at her. Her world blurred as something got in her eyes, and when it dripped into her slack jaw, it tasted salty. She couldn’t see the table, she couldn’t see the broken glass, she couldn’t see the ashes, and Clover was fine with that. None of it was real, none of it could be real. If only she could see what really happened, then maybe her friend would be laughing with her about something over a cup of tea. Maybe it would be about one of Starswirl’s long-winded lectures? Perhaps some off-color joke about smiths and their hammers? Whatever tall tale Typhon was telling right now, Clover hoped that he would repeat it to her when she woke up. And dismiss the memory of those wide, hurt, yellow eyes. Celestia’s eyes were growing heavy. The ashes that lay just beyond the black mesh constantly refreshed the memory of what had just occurred. The day had started out fine. Just some issues with wards in the tower. Just a quick visit to realign the tower's main crystal because some apprentice got overly zealous. Just a small errand that she could attend to while being out and about. Then Starswirl came running to tell her of Typhon. Then came the realization that she had a national threat running around a research tower like a puppy. However, unlike a puppy, she couldn’t get Typhon into a kennel. Celestia sighed as her wings folded against her back before she straightened. There was work to do, ponies to see, and plans to set into motion. However, when she turned to leave she saw Starswirl frozen in place, staring at the pile of dust that was once Typhon. She cleared her throat. “Starswirl, are you alright?” The gray unicorn remained stuck, causing Celestia to frown in concern. “Starswirl?” Then she heard the muttering and noticed that his mouth was actually moving, if only slightly. Starswirl’s whispered words barely reached Celestia’s ears, and when they did, all meaning was lost to the alicorn. However, he would occasionally twitch and a phrase would jump out at Celestia. “Dead… logic is safe… is he?... no?... yes?...yes… please.” Every word teased out another piece of his message, and every few twitches Starswirl would blink before going silent. Only for him to begin again moments later. Celestia’s eyes froze on the wizened wizard. She had never seen him like this, not when the sirens came, not when Tirek roamed the lands, and not even when he took the empire with him. After a few more repeats, Celestia shook her head to clear away the last dredges of shock before walking over to Starswirl's side. A blast of magic cleared shards of glittering glass away from their hooves and Celestia gently nudged Starswirl with her wing. Eventually, the unicorn took the hint and collapsed into a ball of twitching muscles. A few seconds passed with Celestia’s wing over Starswirl before a thought pierced the cloud of worry Where is Luna? However, Celestia dismissed the thought when Starswirl shifted and concerns for her sister vanished when the crazed mage began laughing. Luna trotted down the halls with a grin covering her face. Her coat was back to its natural blue color, the beast that made a fool of her was dead, and her friend was jovial. Her friend was there when the chimera made her yellow. Her friend was there when nopony else took her side. Her friend was there when nopony else bothered. Her sister seemed to like the beast, and the staff back home were always wearing those false masks of loyalty whenever they spoke around her. It was painfully obvious that her sister was behind the idiocy when lines like ‘wow the constellations are very nice tonight’ or ‘I wonder if the spoon of Tauros will be out’ reached her ears at the leading edge of dusk. Why would any comment upon the stars while the sun still glared down at them from the sky above? Luna loved her glittering children of the night but even she knew they had a time and place. As for the Spoon of Tauros… she had ripped that pathetic image asunder a century ago when Minos fell! Luna’s face darkened at the thought of Minos, but a comment from her friend lifted the shade. After all, why should she let the past bog her down in the present? Her plans were ahead of schedule, she could afford a diversion like this. Things were going well, she should be happy! Yet a cold pit ate away at a hole in her stomach. Luna shook her head to clear away the hesitation and set her jaw. She had work to do. They had work to do. Where should they strike next?
Ch 9 - Journeysthe whole back of my spine popped in multiple places every time I shifted. Each shifting bone sent its own fragment of suffering, burning through each joint. A deep stabbing ache cut through my eyes. My breath rasped, searing the insides of my raw throat with barely noticeable pain. It had been days since I’d stopped. My gaze was fixed on the horizon and only moved to avoid singeing my irises with bright lances of sunlight. Heedless of the lush forest below, I floated onward. Onward I stared. Onward lay my goals, my focus unwavering. A ringing in my ears drowned out any thought not related to that distant horizon. It grew louder, more intense, to the point it felt like a spear had been jammed into one ear and came out the other. They’re after you. I shook my head. The princesses probably thought I was dead because of that stunt I pulled. However, that wasn’t a guarantee so I kept flying west. The carpet bunched beneath my fingers as I gripped it You can’t keep running Except I could. I could run, I could hide, I could leave them in the dust for the rest of my life if I wanted to. They will always catch up. They- Tearing my focus away from the horizon, I pulled my mind together and stuffed the nagging voice in a far-away corner of my mind. I trapped the nuisance beneath my pool of knowledge and sealed the pool with a block of obstinance. When I finished, my headache receded, leaving me to sigh in relief as I turned to stare at a passing village. Maybe later. I don’t really feel like dealing with any more nonsense for a while. I turned away, ready to float towards my goal once more, a scowl adorning my face. The mental haze began to return but before I lost myself to it again, my eyes shot open. Now grinning, I started towards the village with a new thought shattering my melancholy. They’re scared because I look like a monster, not because I am one! I began to experiment with different possible pony forms. My body flashed several times, flickering between earth pony, pegasus, and unicorn forms, dozens of possibilities realized and discarded in mere moments. Eventually, I settled on a gray unicorn with a map as a cutie mark. I pointed one hoof skywards as a grin grew on my face. “And my name shall be Path Finder!” I directed my carpet downwards into the forest. The graceful square of red fabric slipped past the forest tree canopy and I hopped off of it onto the soft grassy ground. I poofed a pair of saddlebags onto my back and began to make my way to the village. The odors struck me first. Freshly baked bread, and roasting vegetables, among less… pleasant things. As I got closer I also began picking out noises coming from the village. The clopping of dozens of hooves, the drone of a crowd, and metallic dings that rang above the rest. The clopping of my hooves alerted a pair of wall guards to my presence. I saw them peak over the edge of their fortification. “Halt, who goes there?” I flattened my expression as I replied: “Just a traveler looking for a shortstop.” “A stop? Where would you go from here? Other than the mines, there’s nothing of value anywhere near here.” “I’m off to explore mysterious lands, and this is my last rest spot before I hit uncharted territory… on my maps at least.” I slipped a couple of recently fabricated maps out of my bag to punctuate the point. The guard stallion squinted at the papers that floated up to him before he shrugged. “Very well, we’ll run a quick search and you should be good to go.” I nodded. “Alright. Uh, what does that entail exactly?” The unicorn’s horn began to dimly glow a midnight blue. “Just stay still for a moment.” Tingling sensations slithered across me in slow, methodical passes, making me shiver. The itching beneath my skin intensified as the magic passed over my horn. After the magic had taken its course, the unicorn guard nodded at his fellow. “He’s clear. No corruption, no illegal magics, and no illegal substances. He did feel a little weird though.” The presumed leader of the duo squinted at me as I smiled nervously back at him. Eventually, he shrugged. “He doesn’t look off. Maybe you’re just overthinking things again, like yesterday.” The unicorn visibly cringed. “I swear they were acting suspicious!” The first guard snorted. “We’ll discuss it later.” “Lift the Bar!” The stallion craned his neck backward and shouted. My poker face fell into a wide smile as I passed through a pair of wooden doors. A cobbled road marked the threshold dividing town from country. The street shot straight ahead into a corridor walled by many kinds of buildings and speckled by stalls of various sorts. There were dozens of ponies occupying the street. Some were standing in front of stalls, others were talking in jovial groups, and some were just trotting by. As I walked, new smells assaulted my nostrils. The bread from before was even more prominent now, but I could also pick out the sweet scents of various pastries. The odor of roasted vegetables filled the air as I passed a food stand. The drone of the crowd grew louder as I went deeper in. The stalls that only dotted the road before now formed a full-on wall of commerce, each standing only feet away from the front door of one building or another. The smells that previously dominated my senses were quickly whisked away by a whirlwind of new odors. Spices drifted up my nose one moment, cheeses the next, and occasionally I got a whiff of… Gragh. Yugh. I had to stifle a gag, but I managed to keep my lunch down. They have magic. Why do they put up with having that everyyywheerre… My thoughts petered off as I realized that a sewer cover had been left open, but before I could close it, a pair of tiny putrid ponies climbed out… And they were children? An adult stallion walked up to the fair of filthy fillies with a small bag in hoof, glaring as he gave them the clinking bag of coins. “You better have done it right. If I get any complaints from the unicorn sector I’ll-.” One of the fillies rolled her eyes. “Sir, we haven’t got it wrong yet.” The earth pony's glare hardened further before he sighed. “Fine. Now scram! I got more important things to be doin’.” The pair of children galloped away with the bag in one of their mouths. I tilted my head as I passed the spectacle. My eyebrows drifted downwards in thought. Couldn’t they just clean it out with magic? I shook my head as I noticed the market thinning out. I looked back and found that I had passed the town square entirely. Once more, I turned forwards, now in search of an inn. There were a few buildings that lined the street, but only one had a sign hung above its door which said Tabherd Inn in plain lettering. It was entirely wooden, had simple windows, and lacked any other decorations. The worn wooden door swung inwards on well-oiled hinges to reveal a warm room beyond. Circular wooden tables were scattered across the room with several chairs at each and occupants filling a few. One in the corner held a pair of quiet, hooded earth ponies. Another, in the center of the chamber, had a quartet of stallions: two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus. They all had half-empty mugs before them and their conversation charged the air with enthusiasm. “I’m telling ya, Brickhead, rebels got 'em! They’ve never been this late, and the rumors are getting more common.” “Look, Stopper, I like you, I really do, but that’s hogwash. Why the hell would anyone rebel? Celestia’s brought in more trade, cut taxes, and we got better medicine nowadays.” The first speaker shrugged. “eh-I don’t know Brickhead. What I do know is that ponies are talkin’, and they’re talkin’ bout rebellions.” Opposite the door, a bar counter stood. A gigantic earth pony mare sat behind the counter absent-mindedly wiping out a glass. “Bah, ponies always talk. I mean just last week everypony was on ‘bout…” I wove between the tables and tried to tune out the talkative stallions. The bartender looked up from her work before she set the clean mug below the counter. The mare greeted me in a raspy voice. “Hello sir, what can I getcha?” I put my hoof under my chin to appear to consider my options. “Hmm. A room perhaps? I’ll probably only be here for a day or two.” The bartender smiled. “Can do sir, seven bits a night. That’ll get ya a room, breakfast, and dinner. Though seconds’ll still cost extra.” I dropped fourteen bits onto the counter, and the mare tossed me a key. She nodded at me before pulling up the same mug from before along with a cleaning rag. I trotted up the stairs located to the right of the bar counter and headed towards my room. Bed, check. Covers, check. Nightstand, check… Bedpan, ew. After finishing my room check I trotted back down to the ground floor. As I reached the bottom step, one of the quartet shouted. “Can ya Just. Shut. Up. You’ve been on bout rebels for the past hour! Brickhead doesn’t believe ya, Cloud Striker doesn’t believe ya, and yes. I. Don’t. Believe. Ya. Either!” The angry unicorn took a deep breath before continuing in a normal speaking voice. “So get that stupid idea outta your head, and just accept that Belle’s caravan is just late. Or maybe goin’ a different direction. Besides, her lot are clothing focused, why in Tartarus would any rebellion kidnap her?” Cloud Striker snorted. “Armies need clothes dolt. I don’t think that the Belle caravan got kidnapped, but that doesn’t mean they’d be useless to a rebellion. Winter gear, under armor padding, flags, hell even cleaning rags. An army needs seamstresses as much as it needs cartographers, fletchers, and cooks.” The unicorn was about to butt in again, but I chose to duck out before he could. My gaze passed over several different stalls and buildings. An orange stall, a vegetable stall, an apple stall, a flower shop, and so many more stretched down the street all the way to the town’s entrance. I meandered towards the town square and lost myself to the market. The orchestra of rhythmic clangs sounded out from a forge just out of view and provided an almost steady beat to the crowd’s droning melody. Minty spices slashed through the haze of pastry odors only to be buried under a mountain of fresh foods. Apples, oranges, leeks, spices, cabbage heads, carrots, and so much more. Every stall held its own unique merchandise with some in baskets and others on counters. The bakery’s scent grew stronger as I neared an intersection. Off to my right, I saw a hole in the line of carts that left a door and display window unobstructed. Pastries, loaves of bread, and cakes all could be found with more promised just past the door. Almost without thought, I found my hooves carrying me towards it. I reached for the door, and… SLAM “Get back here ya gremlins! Those aren’t yours!” A pair of fillies had sprinted out the door and tried to brush past me with loaves of bread in their mouths. However, before they could scoot around me, I yanked them into the air with my magic. The little brown earth pony thrashed about while the ocean blue pegasus tried to flap her way out. Neither succeeded of course, but their efforts were still commendable. More crashing emitted from the store as I heard the owner roar “I said get back here! I’m gonna tan yer worthless hides for this!” The two children suddenly stopped and whipped their heads towards me. They used their ultimate weapons, a trump card without peer. The dreaded puppy eyes. Their massive eyes gazed into my own as their gargantuan shiny pupils started to water. The pegasus whimpered while the earth pony’s mouth quivered. “P-please, sir. L-let us go. We’re good lil fillies. We promise.” I smiled back at them. “I’m sure you are, so, like ‘good lil fillies, you’re going to apologize to the-” “You better be miles away ya worthless rabble or I swear I’m gonna-oh.” The earth pony stallion blinked as he saw the two thieves restrained in the air. “Uh. Thank you, sir. Ya’ mind handin’ em over? Or take 'em to the guard? Either is fine by me.” I looked back to the fillies, then the baker, and back before I quirked an eyebrow. “Why did you two steal?” The earth pony spoke out while the pegasus curled up. “We were hungry.” “So why not buy it? A lot less dangerous if you ask me.” The earth pony snapped at me. “We can’t you idiot! Who would steal bread from him if they got money? Nopony! Especially not us!” I frowned at the sudden shift in tone. “Where are your parents?” The little filly sneered at me and scowled more furiously than I thought possible for one so young. “Try one three two arrowhead lane.” The baker snorted. “Don’t give him lip like that you worthless little-” I cocked an eyebrow at the baker. “What’s wrong? It sounds like a real address, and I saw Arrowhead lane on the way here.” “That mongrel just gave ya the graveyard’s address!” Lines of anger disappeared from my face, my flint-like gaze softened, and my voice lowered. “How much?” “Wha-?” “How much for what they stole?” “Yer gonna pay for them? Are ye insane?” “Less complaining, more answering questions.” The baker huffed. “Three bits for the two loaves. Still don’t know why you’d pay for-” A trio of bits clicked on the street before the baker as I walked away. I pulled the two fillies closer but kept my magic on them. “Where do you two live?” “As if I would ever-” “I assume you two belong to an orphanage, so either you tell me where to find it or I spend all day getting directions from others.” The earth pony continued to scowl at me before the pegasus whimpered. Then the poor feathery thing mumbled something. “Apologies, I didn’t quite catch that. Do you mind repeating yourself?” “Thirty-two seventh street.” The earth pony filly opened her mouth while she glared at her accomplice. However, before a word could pass her lips, I clamped them shut with magic. “Thank you little one, we’ll be there in no time.” It took some time, but I did end up finding 7th street. For whatever God-forsaken reason they put the thing between 9th and 10th street. How?… Why?... Never mind, questioning this is probably bad for my sanity. I shook my head as I entered the alley-like street. The buildings closed in on either side and only left just enough room for the fillies to float beside me. The sun hung just over the horizon, leaving the whole road in shadow. No lights lit the street and no ponies clopped around the road. The buildings here held only faint, faded colors. Some doors were boarded over and vines sprawled over the sides of several buildings. Eventually, the three of us stopped in front of the address. This building was slightly taller than the others, but the colors were still faded and the windows were still glassless. Green creepers hung from the slanted roof but stopped before they got close to the door. Several boards on the upper half of the building stuck out slightly, but no large holes made themselves obvious. I examined the building as I spoke. “So this is it huh?” The earth pony snorted. “What? It’s an orphanage. The buck you expect?” “Language, young lady.” “Yes, I’m using language, thanks for noticing you moronic hornhead.” I sighed as I started forward. The earth pony filly kept slinging insults while the pegasus was curling up tighter. The dim light of the sun darkened even further as we entered, but a couple of lit candles stood at the corners of a reception counter. Nobody manned the desk, so I rang the bell. ‘Ching’ I waited for a moment. ‘Ching’ ‘Ching’ I went to go for another round, but the earth pony filly spoke up. “Maybe, just maybe. Ringing that bell again isn’t going to help because get this: she might be busy. Ever thought o’ that big boy? Gonna keep ringing that bell like an idiot?” I shot her a look so flat that I may have gone two-dimensional. Then I tilted my head. “What’s your name? It’s getting very tiresome calling you ‘earth pony filly,’ and your friend ‘pegasus filly’ in my head.” The pegasus whimpered before speaking. “Cloud Feather.” The earth pony filly snorted as she rolled her eyes. “Sugar Plum.” Before I could question them further, I heard the clopping of hooves. I turned towards the door adjacent to the desk and saw a dull golden earth pony trot through. Her eyes shot wide open when she saw the two fillies hovering in the air. “There you two are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Where have you two been?!” Sugar Plum opened her mouth, but I cut in before she could make an excuse. “I caught them stealing bread from a bakery.” The adult earth pony blinked at me before she turned a sharp glare on the two little ones. “What?! You are both grounded!” The fillies both drooped in my magic “For a week!” Sugar Plum opened her mouth again to argue, but the matronly yellow pony raised a hoof to the filly’s face. “Now listen here, young ladies, if this fine gentle colt hadn’t gotten to you first, you may have been foalnapped, or maybe even sent to the guard! Jail is no place for a filly like you. Now, what do we say?” Sugar Plum ground her teeth while Cloud Feather avoided eye contact. However, they both managed to choke out their false thank you's. The adult nodded before stepping forward. “Thank you, sir. Now would you please let them down?” I floated them onto the ground and the two fillies rushed away through the door. I trotted out the entrance while the matron bade me farewell. My hooves clicked on the cobbled street as I trotted back towards the alley entrance. One look back, the shaded alley looked slightly drab, but I could still pick out the candle lights shining from around window sills. Boards stuck out and vines swung from the roofs, but it still had that warm homey feel that all true homes radiate. A smile crossed my lips as I turned the corner. The sun hung just over the horizon, glazing the cobbled street in a warm orange glow. The golden light capped each stone on the road, letting the slate-gray rocks show their true colors in the shade. The trot back to my room wasn’t very eventful as noone-pony. Nopony stopped me for any reason. Phew, glad that I wasn’t talking there. Can’t afford Freudian slips like that. Wait, who’s Freud and why is he slipping? With a shake of my head, I crossed the inn’s tavern. A couple of quiet stallions huddled together with the bartender over a few mugs. The group and I nodded at each other as I walked to the stairs. One blink and I reached the top and another revealed my door open before me. One more moment left me in my bed, up to my neck in sheets and blankets. I sighed as I let warm thoughts of the little orphanage dance across my semi-conscious mind. Little ponderings like who else lives there, are they doing alright, do they need help? Questions, little concerns, nothing too big. I’ll deal with it tomorrow. With that thought, I slipped past the veil of wakefulness, and into the land of dreams. Author's Note I'M BACK BICHES Heavy editing from DarthBall - Fimfiction UnamusedWaffle - Fimfiction thx for the help Guys!... ...oh also 0fficerZ0mbie - Fimfiction helped a bit to I guess...
Ch 10 - Home?Author's Note And so, Typhon has returned! I do not know if I will be able to manage it, but I'm gonna try to get another chapter out next week. No promises though! await your comments with maddened glee! Ch 10 - Home? The sun’s harsh glare pierced my curtains and violently stabbed my closed eyelids which, of course, decided that opening would be a fantastic idea. However, the ensuing flood of retina-searing light quickly disproved that theory. With a mighty groan, I rolled off the bed and got to my fee-hooves. I got to my hooves. I went through my morning routine of popping my back, my neck, and my fingers. Fingers? Crap! I was halfway through cracking the knuckles in my right claw before I’d realized that some of my natural features came back. However, with a snap, the illusion righted itself. I sighed in relief and started towards my door. Glad no one saw that! My hooves clopped on the wooden floor as I trotted through the hallway and down the stairs. The first-floor tavern was, just like last night, only occupied by a couple of stallions and the barkeep. However, after a moment of staring at the trio of ponies, I realized that they were the same ones as the night before, except they all had bags under their eyes. One of the stallions moaned while rubbing his head. “Gooooood morning! Might I know what’s for breakfast?” The three ponies all cringed at my shouting. The stallions glared at me while the giant mare sighed before speaking. “Could ya keep it down, please? I’m havin’ a killer headache right now.” I nodded before she continued. “Alright, so whaddya want?” “Breakfast.” The innkeeper sighed as she rubbed her forehead. “Yes, whaddya want fer breakfast?” “Well, what do you have?” She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. “Ya know what, I don’ really know.” Another thunderous sigh before she trudged through a doorway behind the bar counter. A couple of minutes later, she came back out. “Ok, we got-” She stopped for a moment to yawn. “-pancakes, waffles, fried hay, and some leftover stew from yesterday.” I sat down on one of the stools at the edge of the table. The smooth wood felt soft under my hooves. I felt something pop in my back as I sat down and a smile crossed my face as I began. “I think I’ll have some pancakes.” The bartender nodded. “Fer drinks we got cider, water, regular ol’ juice, and beer.” “Water, please.” The two other sweaty stallions muttered their orders to the barkeep before going back to slumping on the counter. I shook my head at the display before turning in my seat to watch the door. The wooden door’s smooth plane was highlighted with the bright light of morning. The hinges shone, the wood itself glowed, and even the floor next to the door had bright spots speckling it. I turned towards one of the stallions when I heard him moan. “You alright?” He worked his jaw for a moment before yawning. “Yeah, me and Dirk o’er there just had a wild night.” I tilted my head. “Oh? Do tell.” Before he could respond, the barkeep returned with several plates balanced on her back. The ceramic circles held precious cargo that made everypony’s mouth water. The dull-sweet odor filled my nose and I licked my lips in anticipation. In my careful observation of breakfast, I missed the giant mare’s glare. “Yes, dear Hotshot, do tell.” I barely maintained a curious face while I held back my laughter at the resulting stallion’s stuttering. Oh someone’s in trouble! After a moment he managed to compose himself. “Ye-yeah had a small break-in!” I tilted my head. “Well, that’d explain the yelling.” Twitchy nods were his response, but I wasn’t done yet. I made a show of looking around the room and examining the entrance. “But if there was a break-in, why aren’t there any signs? No broken tables or chairs, no cracks on the door, not even any hoofprints on the floor.” I leaned down to fake a close examination of the floorboards. Dirk responded. “Well, we all cleaned up. Do you think we’d just leave a mess for the lady all on her lonesome?” The barkeep shifted her glare to Dirk. “Aye, that ya did. Ye forgot to scrub out the milk.” The stallion’s ears folded back to their skulls as they both looked away. I couldn’t help the smile that I flashed for a moment, but I managed to flatten my expression before anypony could notice. “Well, if you were fixing the door, then that would explain the thudding going on down here. Though, next time could you wait till morning? You kept me up a good portion of the night.” With that, I began breakfast. While I munched away I heard the red-cheeked stallions sigh and the Barkeep snort. Past that, all was silent. After finishing, I teleported my saddlebags onto my back and bade everyone farewell before trotting out the door. The crisp, clean air bit at my nostrils as I traversed the open road. A few ponies trotted here and there but the market hadn’t set up yet. The buildings, once hidden by endless carts, ranged from white to red to deep blues and even, (sickeningly) hot pink. I snorted at the oddly colored house. They must love pink a bit too much, be the gayest stallion around, or maybe they think that ‘salmon’ isn’t pink. A few minutes later I arrived at the mouth of the familiar alley. As I trotted down the streets I made note of vines, creepers, and other assorted plants that spiderwebbed all over the walls or roofs of houses. Moments later, I found myself in front of the orphanage and I noticed a slight change that seemed to have occurred overnight. Am I crazy or was that tree trunk of a vine not there yesterday? I tilted my head and furrowed my brows as I examined the thing. And why does it have spikes the size of my leg? My thoughtful pondering was interrupted by a shrill voice that yelled out from the orphanage. “Ms. Heart! The stupid hornhead is baaaack!” A much more mature voice answered. “Sugarplum! What have I said about that word?” I couldn’t make out what they were saying after that so I went back to interrogating the vine with my eyes. I tugged at the thing lightly with my magic, but nothing happened. Next, I tried getting a hold of it but the vine kept slipping out of my magic like a super smooth bar of soap. “Hello sir, might I ask why you’re back?” I glanced at Ms. Heart before shrugging and returning to my evaluations of the offending vine. “I felt like it.” Ms. Heart blinked at me for a few moments. “You, felt like it?” “Yep.” She shook her head before turning around to go back inside. She looked back at me. “You’re welcome to come inside if you’re interested in adoption.” The smile that she shone at me may have melted my heart. If I was looking at her, that is. “Yuh-huh, real quick question. Was that vine there yesterday? I can’t tell if I’m losing my vision or my mind at the moment, because I swear that I didn’t see that thing yesterday.” Ms. Heart cocked an eyebrow at me before she turned to see what my hoof pointed at and screamed. It felt like a needle was driven in through both my ears. “Yeash, it’s just a plant. Not like it’s gonna grow legs and chase you down.” Then she began hyperventilating What the hell? It’s just a damned vine. I rolled my eyes at the display. “The vine doesn’t look great but I don’t see how it warrants that kind of reaction. Worst case scenario, you just grab some clippers and cut the thing off.” Ms. Heart glared at me before she screeched. “Those are plundervines, you idiot! They would lash me like a sentient whip if I tried that!” Great, aggressive greenery, what’s next? Flying geckos? Wait, dragons are a thing… FUUUU Sugarplum called out from the orphanage again. “I told you, Ms. Heart, he’s an idiot. I told you!” Ms. Heart glared at a window on the second story. “One more word young lady and you’ll have to skip breakfast!” Magic resistance, magic resistance, magic resistance… Wait, you might be magic resistant, but is the air around you the same? Ms. Heart managed to calm down and started to mutter to herself. “It’ll-It’ll be fine, we just need to find a new place to stay, just another building, just another home.” She buried her muzzle in her hooves. “Oh Celestia, oh Celestia help me.” I exhaled as I took one more look at the violent vine. Instead of grabbing the plant directly, I compressed the air around it and yanked backward. The snapping shrubbery protested its punishment, but the worrisome weed was ripped from its perch regardless. Instead of bringing the hovering vine to the ground, I ignited the air around it. However, I had to make sure that the embers stayed away from the nearby buildings. Only after the remains finished smoldering, did I let the ashes fall to the ground with a smug grin on my face. “Heh, magic resistance is overrated.” Ms. Heart was staring at me with a slack jaw and wide eyes. “H-how? It takes a full team of exterminators to deal with a vine like that in a week!” “Well, I suppose it’s so hard to remove because of its magic resistance, correct?” Ms. Heart nodded so I continued. “That’s all well and good for the vine if I was just slinging spells at the thing. However, the air around said vine is, in fact, not magic resistant.” Her eyes widened again. “So instead of futilely tugging at the plant like an idiot, I tugged at the air around it.” Ms. Heart frowned. “How did you grab onto the air?” My eyebrows raised as I looked from side to side, making a show of checking the surroundings. I leaned in. “It’s a secret, buuut.” More conspiratorial examination of the area, more leaning in, and I whispered directly into Ms. Heart’s ear. “Magic.” I pulled back with a broad grin while the mare just stared at me with a flat look. “Really, that’s it?” I nodded while maintaining my stupid grin. Then Ms. Heart turned her glare on the building again. “Not. A. Word.” The low grumbling of a child was the only response. Ms. Heart sighed and glanced at me. “The offer still stands.” I nodded as I began to follow her. Just past the door, the reception room was just the same as before; a dull brown reception desk, bare floorboards, but it was far brighter than last night. Before I could notice anything else, I smelled smoke. “Something’s burning.” Ms. Heart yelped and scrambled through the doorway, following the trail of dark smoke. I began to follow but a moment later she called back to me. “I was going to offer breakfast, but, well…” Her voice petered off as I turned the corner into the orphanage’s kitchen. Steam hung over everything like smog in a city. Most of the various counters, sinks, and stoves were clean. However, Ms. Heart stood, with a sheepish smile next, to what appeared to be the aftermath of an oatmeal volcano. Bits of light brown gruel splattered the stove, the outside of the pot, the counters around it, some on the wall, and… How the hell did it get on the ceiling? Ms. Heart furiously wiped away the overcooked and undercooked breakfast off the counter as I marveled at the mosaic of breakfast food. It’s like a whole platoon of toddlers got their hooves on a tub of white silly putty. Occasionally the appalling ceiling painting would drip and, unfortunately for Ms. Heart, a huge, viscous glob decided to plummet just as she passed underneath. With a loud wet slap, the putrid projectile slammed into the top of her head. With a tired sigh, Ms. Heart wiped the mess off of her mane. “I really am sorry.” I shook my head. “No worries, not entirely your fault.” “But I’m the one who left it unattended!” Before I could respond, a yellow earthpony scampered in through the hall and tackle-hugged Ms. Heart. “Not your fault Mith. Heart!” The orange mare cooed to the little filly and smiled. “Thank you, Sweetiedrop.” “Ms. Heart, is that stupid stallion go-” I put on my widest grin as I leaned down to Sugarplum’s eye-level. With a peppy voice and malicious intent I spoke. “Nope, right here Plummy. Don’t plan on leaving for a little bit either!” ‘Plummy’ growled as she glared at me. “My name’s not ‘Plummy’ you brickheaded bum.” “Ooh, alliterative insults? I barely brae at any poor pariah’s obvious obloquy. However, harrowing tales of tongue-twisting indignant insults are all cantankerously common. And furthermore-” “Shut up!” I rolled my eyes as I turned away from the annoying filly and towards the catastrophe that was supposed to be breakfast. I swept my gaze across the recently cleaned counter, the empty stove top, and the still bubbling oatmeal that clung to the space between hotspots. As I pondered my next move, I felt something tap my shoulder. I swung my head around but found no one near enough to touch me. I turned back and felt the tap again. I looked back to find the same scene as before; Ms. Heart hugging Sweetiedrop while scolding Sugarplum. I faked going back to my thoughts but snapped my head back just in time to be hit on the snout by a stray glob of oatmeal. I sighed as I teleported all of the remaining gruel away from the ceiling, and the stove, and the wall, and the floor. Ms. Heart tilted her head as she glanced at me. “Where did the oatmeal go?” “I teleported it.” “To where?” “The second dimension.” “What?” “The second dimension.” Ms. Heart furrowed her eyebrows. “Where’s that?” I just shrugged. Ms. Heart sighed before she let go of Sweetiedrop. “I better get started on breakfast.” She sharply inhaled. “Again.” I gave her a lopsided grin as I walked past her. “Perhaps, I may be of assistance.” “No-no, I can do it myself. You’re a guest after all, and you just helped us out tremendously. You don-” My saddlebags made the kitchen counter creak when I set them down. I flipped open a flap and stuck my entire leg into it. The small bag shouldn’t have been able to take more than half my leg, but I got all the way up to my shoulder before pulling out a wooden spoon. With a frown, I tossed the utensil behind me before diving into the bag… literally. A few minutes later I grabbed the edges of the saddle bag and climbed out of the confined space. “Okay, note to self, organize that damn bag.” A flick of my magic brought out an assortment of different spices, vegetables, fruits, and a couple of cheeses. I pointed at each as I listed what I had returned with. “Ok, we got some gouda, cheddar, and swiss cheese. Some rosemary, thyme…” It took a minute or two, but I eventually managed to articulate the full list of floating foods that conga'd out my magic saddlebag. “...and a pineapple! So, whatcha gonna make?” Ms. Heart blinked a couple times. “You’re…” She tilted her head. “Offering me ingredients?” She furrowed her brows. “Why?” “Well, what would you make if I didn’t?” Ms. Heart’s cheeks reddened as she rubbed the back of her head. “Oatmeal.” I flicked my eyes from her to the stove, to her, and back to the stove. “Then yes, I’m offering ingredients.” Oatmeal Pompei does not need a sequel. Sugarplum glared at me while mouthing something at me. However, I can’t read lips, so I ignored her. Sweetiedrop was hopping in place as she giggled. “Yay! Mith. Heart ith making thomething new!” I leaned close to Ms. Heart while keeping my sight on Sweetiedrop and whispered. “What did she say?” Ms. Heart sighed before nodding to Sugarplum, who grinned at me with narrow eyes. “You’re the dumbest stallion this side of Equestria, Mister perceptive.” I scoffed with mock indignation. “I’ll have you know my name is Pathfinder! Perceptive perspective was my uncle.” I paused for a moment to look down in thought. “I think.” Ms. Heart shook her head while Sugarplum gave me a look so deadpan that a graveyard of kitchen implements may have popped into existence, just to punctuate her point. I rolled my eyes as I trotted out the doorway. I stopped when I reached the entrance to the orphanage. Ok, what now? That’s the moment that the universe decided that a tiny griffon would dive at my face. The feathery thing was only slightly larger than its target, the target being my head. After colliding with my cranium, the miniature menace started gnawing at one of my ears. For anypony else, I suspect that act would cause quite a bit of pain, but for me, it just tickled. I snorted a couple of times before pulling at the griffon with my magic. “Get off me you little rascal. Off me, off I say you fiend!” I grinned as I managed to detach my assailant from my ear. The little griffon giggled at me as I held them up in my magic. The hatchling-toddler griffon had a white feathered head, black fur on the lion parts, and bright red eyes. I heard light thumping on the bare floorboards and saw an albino… I want to say batpony, but that could easily be derogatory. The leather-winged pony scampered up to me. “Pwease don’t hurt her mister, she’s just playing!” The white, thestral I think they’re called, made use of one of her most powerful abilities: the puppy dog eyes. However, unlike Sugarplum’s, this set of large, watery orbs actually seemed sincere in its innocence. I chuckled at the frightened filly. “Oh-ho-ho no worries little one. I can tell that this little demon…” The baby griffon giggled when I gestured to her. “... meant no harm. Anyways, might I ask your names?” The white filly bounced up and down as she fluttered her wings. I let the griffon down and smiled at the pair. “I’m Distorted Gale, and that’s Helga!” Before I could say anything further, I smelled a mixture of spices pervading the air. Then Ms. Heart yelled from the kitchen. “Everyone come to the kitchen, breakfast is ready!” That fast? How? I sighed as I repeated the mantra that I recently devoted myself to. Don’t question it, just don’t question it. The two children scampered past me while I followed the wafting odors at a more sedate pace. When I entered the kitchen I smiled at the scene. Little fillies and colts swarmed Ms. Heart at the stove like the popular aunt at a large family gathering. The smallest even stood on the backs of older children to get closer. I picked out around a dozen different kids trying to get close to Ms. Heart at the same time. However, the only flier that seemed to have made use of their advantage was the little griffon who was circling around Ms. Heart’s head. I chuckled as I neared the technicolor blob of ponies that surrounded a very flustered Ms. Heart who was futilely trying to get them to organize. “Now-now children, there’s plenty for everypony. Just line up and-” The giggling little griffon landed on Ms. Heart’s back. “AGH. Helga, what have I said about talons?” The griffon shrunk into herself at the adult’s withering glare, leaving me to smile again and flick my magic across the room. In a flash of light, all of the children were teleported into a line. A few tried to run back to Ms. Heart but I pulled them into place whenever they did. “You should listen to Ms. Heart.” The orphanage matron flashed me a quick smile before grabbing bowls for the kids. She efficiently ladled stew into each bowl before handing-no hoofing it over? I hate syntax. Like a factory worker, she served the whole line of hungry orphans in only a minute or two. I got a bowl too, but instead of joining the sure disaster that would be breakfast, I decided to go eat in the lobby. Ms. Heart sighed at my intentions but was quickly pulled into some little kid drama. Somebody stole someone else’s seat or some nonsense like that. As I walked through the hall towards the exit, I noticed something. The trim between the wall and floor was warped in several places. I pushed the wood into place and a touch of chaos helped fix the issue. I continued but stopped again once I heard something snap. I looked down to see nothing wrong, though I knew something happened. I took a breath before moving on. I can worry about that later, breakfast NOW. More snaps like the mystery crack before, some more warped trimming, and even a loose floorboard made my eyes twitch. Nothing big, just small, little, itsy bitsy problems that would take residence in my head, like that one stoner cousin everyone has that would surf your couch for weeks on end. No matter how hard I tried to ignore them, the problems would keep building and building like water behind a dam. By the time I sat down I had acquired an eye tic and my head would twitch one way or the other as I ate. I chewed like a marionette and my magic would instinctively reach out towards an issue before I would rip the tendril of power back. I think the stew was good, spicy, and sweet at the same time, with a creamy texture that would occasionally be punctuated by a sharp crunch. However, the twitching kept ripping my focus from the meal. Ok, just calm down. You can fix all that later. Just get breakfast over with. Another breath and I managed to refocus on the most glorious meal of the day! Then the board I was sitting on cracked. I began whipping my head around the room, spotting no one. With the coast clear, I tapped the side of my jaw and opened wide. With a vacuum noise, I inhaled the rest of breakfast, the bowl, a little dust, and I think I got a splinter in my gums. A loud groan echoed through the building as I heard one of the ancient walls protest its continued employment. A quick slap of chaos ended that complaint but I could almost feel the rest of the orphanage rally its most decrepit parts, like a cloud of beetles, or a gang of teenage Walmart employees! No! That accursed place must remain in the past… Never, again. I shuddered at distant memories of the Walmartians, the darkest of which being on the d-day of retail. Black Friday. With a calming breath, I began working. I flattened trimming, reset floorboards, strengthened walls, and filled in cracks. Nails and magic were my tools, pinning renewed wood into place. Sometimes one of the kids would come by and ask to help. I would say ‘sure’ and conjure something for them to do. However, as kids want to do, they all scampered off after a couple of minutes of ‘aid.’ I would always answer with a light chuckle before moving on. When I neared the kitchen, I felt a pair of eyes boring into my shoulder. “Why?” I jerked my head in Sugarplum’s direction as I cocked an eyebrow. “Why what?” “Why did you fix everything? Why do you care? Why…” Tears began to fill her eyes and her lips started quivering. A cold numbness spread out from my heart as I felt each beat throb in my skull. The muscle desperately tried to hammer away at invisible walls in my mind. “Why don’t you hate us?” I blinked a couple of times as I felt a warmth banish the numbness around my heart and a sharp cold creep up my back “I care because somepony needs to. I care because others are obviously too blind to see your troubles, caught up in their own lives as they are. I care because it feels right to do so.” Sugarplum sniffled as she continued to glare at me, but I saw something, a spark, a minuscule flash of white crossed her pupils. I pushed on. “And why should I hate you? Have you done big evil things, have you ruined the lives of others, have you done something to me? I doubt you have done any of that, so why should I hate you?” She screwed her eyes shut as she whined at me. “Because I’m a foul-mouthed filly that can’t behave, because I can’t find anything that I enjoy doing, because not even my own, Celestia damned parents, wanted me!” My ears twitched at the sobbing and I felt my soul lose something. Like an infinitesimally small sliver of light falling off of a bright star. The world lost just a touch of color, outlines sharpened, and the shadows seemed to grow. “And yet.” Sugarplum looked up at me through misty eyes and gritted teeth. “All I see is a little pony who needs a little help.” She crouched and stepped back. “N-no. No. You don’t mean that, you can’t mean that!” I stepped forwards a couple times but she maintained a fixed distance, so I sat down with a soft smile. “I can’t mean that? Might I ask why?” She sobbed before shrieking at me. “Because no one did before!” I frowned at her. “Doesn’t Ms. Heart care?” “She cares about everypony, it’s just in her nature! She doesn’t care about me, she cares about a little orphan filly that she wants to behave!” “Does the difference matter?” Silence reigned for an instant. “If it doesn’t, and Ms. Heart, in fact, does care, then why can’t I?” She sprinted into me before wrapping my leg in a tight hug. I felt trails of liquid drip onto my fur as she buried her little head in the side of my knee, and the shadows receded, if only slightly. A grin spread across my face as I spoke with a voice full of energy. “And I fixed everything because the house was whining at me too much!” She frowned at me for a moment before letting it melt into a smile. “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” “Yep!” She let go of me and I finished pushing the last bit of trim into place. “That should be everything.” I turned to go but stopped mid-step and turned my head towards a retreating Sugarplum. “Say where did Ms. Heart go? I thought I’d see her around but she kinda vanished.” Sugarplum smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I scowled in mock offense. “And here I thought we made a connection!” Sugarplum rolled her eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. She just went out shopping for new bowls! Apparently one disappeared and while she went looking for it, while she was gone Helga tried to clean the dishes. Apparently, she thought that washing dishes was just sticking a bunch of soap on your hooves and rubbing a rag all over.” The sadistic little mare giggled before continuing. “I bet Ms. Heart shrieked like with the plundervine when she saw holes in everything!” I chuckled before beginning to leave again but I called out over my shoulder before reaching the door. “Try not to get into any trouble!” “No promises!” I shook my head as I trotted out onto the streets. The royal purple hue of dusk shone down onto the cobbled streets. Though, it did feel a bit more… hollow than before. With a shrug, I made my way back to my room. I trotted through the mostly empty bar and nodded at the barkeep while doing so. She nodded back while the pair of stallions from the morning just kept their heads down. The stairs didn’t creak. Thank God. The door didn’t groan. Magnificent! And my bed squeaked just the right amount as I flopped onto it. Perfect! It took only a moment to slow my unending whirlwind of thought to a standstill and only a moment more to drop into the calm, cold void of sleep. One last thought echoed through my empty mind as I slipped into the dark. It was wordless, it was silent, but it boomed in my head and stuck to my heart. Satisfaction.
Ch 11 - HomeHome. Thoughts, too many thoughts, swirling, endless in nature; they swarmed my mind like flies around a carcass. I could feel grains of something stuck in the corners of my eyes and a dry stinging pricked at my whites. I groaned as I rolled over in bed before falling off. I stumbled to my hooves and noted the fact that my disguise had held. I sighed as I felt vertebrae loosen and pop as I stretched my back. My neck followed suit and granted me sweeping panoramas of my room as I twisted away my stiffness. The once empty nightstand now had a few special little rocks that lined the top. Some were mottled, others were plain, green, brown, gray, but all of them were precious. Why? Well, I honestly couldn’t say, but the children always insisted that “This one is so cool!” or that “you just have to keep this one, you just have to!” Among the little collection of stones, I picked out the single true gem of the lot. A small prism of quartz that jutted from a flat-bottomed rock. Sugarplum hadn’t stolen it, I’d made sure. However, I couldn’t fathom where she’d found it! After two weeks of grilling her, the other children, Ms. Heart, and even the surrounding landscape, I couldn’t figure it out! My eye twitched as I glared at the wonderful enigma of precious stone before I just sighed the logical inconsistencies away. Just don’t question it, just don’t question it. After all, I’ve been here for a month and I still don’t know why they have Seventh street between Ninth and Tenth street. I guess it’s just another one of this colorful world’s inconsistencies. I turned from the rock collection to gaze at the walls of my room. Before, the wood was plain and bare; it was effective but bland. However, pictures now hung haphazardly all over, pinned in place with minute needles of magic. Some were barely more than a scribble, others mere doodles, but a few managed to actually capture an image or two. Sure, proportions were off and the shading was lacking but I could see the effort. I sighed as I prepared to face the day and with a wide smile, pushed through my bedroom door. The hall was bare of ponies, the stairs were empty, but the bar had a couple of stallions sitting at the counter. The same two that have been here almost every day since I got here. The one closer to me rose a hoof as he smiled. “G’morning Pathfinder, ya look a ‘lil rough ‘round the edges, somethin’ on ya mind?” I shook my head as I plodded up to the seat beside Hotshot and sighed as I plopped myself down. “No, I’m fine, just had a rough time getting to sleep.” Hotshot cocked an eyebrow. “I ain’t a fool, Path. Somethin’s wrong, what is it?” I sighed as I rested my chin on the wood of the counter. “Twisted Twisters got out again, the little liar just wanders around the town at ridiculous times.” My breath hissed as I inhaled. “Sometimes, she’ll disappear for a day, sometimes two, but never more than that.” Hotshot frowned at me before his brows shot up when I continued. “And today’s day four of her latest disappearance. Heart is in a panic, some of the kids wanna go looking for her while others are just worried, and I’m getting so bucking tired.” With my rant over, I finally completely slumped forward. Hotshot stared at me for another moment before facing forward. “That’s rough buddy.” Before I could respond, the barkeep stormed through the kitchen entrance. “Alrighty then, which one of ya bleedin’ idiots got inta the kitchen?” I frowned while Hotshot snickered. “Dirk thought his cutiemark also covered washing utensils cause knives were utensils! Still, how the buck did he manage to mess up dishwashing.” The rest of his sentence was cut off by his own raucous laughter, followed by a growl from the barkeep. I really ought to learn her name sometime… Eh, I’ll get around to it eventually. My stomach rumbled at a volume that even the barkeep could hear. I coughed into a hoof before I adopted a sheepish smile. “Is breakfast soon or…?” The barkeep gave me a blank stare before she sighed. “Did ya not hear wha’ I said ‘bout the dishes?” I simply stared and she glared back before continuing. “No, breakfast won’t be soon.” I shrugged before I got up. “Then I gotta go, got breakfast to eat, a filly to find, and some plundervines to maim!” A cheery smile masked my fatigue as I walked out, and it immediately dropped when I closed the door. I took a deep breath, and another, and another. After I almost fell asleep standing, I decided that deep breaths wouldn’t help and began trotting to the nearest bakery. The market had its usual swirl of colors and smells that dominated my senses. However, something was off, the air felt charged in a way as if a bolt of lightning was about to strike. A quick (literal) rain check revealed that there was not a cloud in the sky. I huffed as I dismissed my worries to continue towards breakfast, though the electric feeling in the air remained. A pit in my stomach continued to grow as I felt my chest tighten. However, that might’ve just been a product of being tired and hungry. I shook the odd feeling out of my head as I finally turned the corner and trotted into the store. The familiar sweet scents of freshly baked cakes, bread, and other foods assaulted my nose as I walked up to the glass display case. A quick look presented me with a myriad of choices, only one caught my eye though. After I ordered, I took my precious donut from the baker to eat outside. Both the table and stool were made of wood, though the seat was far more wobbly than the table. I got comfortable before I took a bite. The wonderfully muted flavor of chocolate served to accent the sharp tart sweetness of the cherry jelly. As I chewed, I watched the road to keep an eye out for the troublesome little filly that had eluded me thus far. There were far fewer people walking the streets. Usually, there were numerous ponies trotting to and fro, rushing to their work or dealing with an errand. However, Main Street only had a few pedestrians walking the road at the moment. I shook my head as I finished before I got up. Another deep breath later, and I started forward. I walked the whole length of Main Street, looked into the various alleys that served as tributaries for the market-lined road, and asked the ponies I did see if my quarry had been spotted. Unfortunately, nopony had seen either heads or tails of Twisted Twister. Eventually, I traversed the whole road and found myself before the guard gate. With no better options, I called out to the guards on the wall. “Hello good sirs, have you by chance seen a white batpony pass by the gate recently?” One of the guards twitched to glance at me before returning his gaze to whatever lay beyond the wall. “No.” The other guard cocked an eyebrow at his compatriot before speaking. “Actually, we have, I don’t know why he keeps denying it.” The denier growled at his buddy before glaring at me. “Batponies don’t come in white, we were probably tired and were seeing things, it was close to midnight.” I sighed as I rubbed my muzzle with a hoof. “Which way did she go?” The more reasonable of the two pointed at something over a wall. My blank stare helped the stallion realize his mistake. “I think they went into the forest over there.” I nodded. “Thank you, do you mind opening the door for me? I kinda need to take her home.” The white-batpony-disbeliever scowled at me. “Why do you need to go there?” I rolled my eyes. “Oh, I just need some milk and the forest just so happens to have a milk shop at the center. I’ll probably grab a carrot cake on the way, and if I’m lucky, might even find the secret to immortality on the way back. No, I’m going to look for the filly, the buck you think?” The angry guard snorted and opened his mouth but the friendly guard smacked the back of the first one’s head. “Yeah, go right ahead, we’ll let you back in.” I sighed. “Thanks for being reasonable.” The friendly guy smiled. “No problem.” My hooves beat a quick and steady rhythm as I walked the outskirts of the forest. My search lasted a few minutes before I noticed a line of broken branches. None of them were very large but a twig here and a bundle of leaves there are the telltale signs of a small flier. With a frown I stepped into the woods, trying to watch my step while I kept the trail in sight. Why the hell is she out here? She’s never been this adventurous before… Is she hiding something? After almost ten minutes of this, my thoughts were broken by the sounds of hushed conversation. However, the voices were just below the range of audibility. With a flick of my magic, I drew a cloak of invisibility around myself and lifted myself up into the air. It was slow going with how much foliage I had to avoid but I did end up in hearing range eventually. A grown mare’s voice cut through the ambient noise of the forest. “Look, all I’m saying is that this place is a prime target! The town guard is lazy, they have mines, they have good smiths, and they’re so far away from the capitol that the princesses would never send reinforcements.” That voice sounds familiar. I got a little closer and figured out that the voices were coming from behind a wall of bushes. A low voice rumbled through the greenery. “Yes yes, I’ve heard your spiel a hundred times now False Wind, and guess what, I don’t care. We don’t need another mining town, we don’t need another small backwater, and we sure as Tartarus don’t need another place that might revolt under us.” False Wind… is that an alias? That sounds a lot like… “Fine, just don’t come crying to me when you run low on arrows again.” The other pony growled. “That was never a metal issue, our fletchers just weren’t able to produce fast enough!” I neared the top as the mare snorted. “Yeah, and half of us are still waiting on chainmail! The supply lines are a joke, we can’t armor our ponies, we can’t arm them, and we can barely feed them. This whole shtick is gonna fail and when it-” “Stop, I don’t need to hear this from you, get out of here and go back to doing your job, you ungrateful subpar spook.” When I peeked over the edge of the shrubbery, I had to suppress a gasp. The only two ponies in the clearing ahead were a fully-grown gray thestral and a very familiar white one. The big one nodded. “You are dismissed, False Wind.” The little white mare grumbled as she flew towards my hiding spot. I had to flail my head around for a moment to find a suitable place to relocate to but I managed it just in time. I let out my quietest sigh when I saw Distorted Gale or was it Twisted Twisters or... Gah, how can one pony keep track of all those names? The ‘filly’ missed the exhale, but her compatriot certainly didn’t. He snapped his head to exactly where I floated and called to me. “Come on out, I don’t bite.” The calm tone and tired inflection only lowered my guard a smidgen when I floated to the ground in front of him. I dismissed my invisibility in a wave of magic that dramatically revealed me as a smiling gray unicorn. The thestral rolled his eyes. “Neat trick but I know that’s all it is. How much did you hear?” I shrugged. “Oh, I heard enough.” My teeth began to show in my smile as I let my eyes flash red. “Though, I really don’t care about your resistance, revolt, or whatever else you decide to call your insurrection.” I raised a hoof to cut off his retort of no-doubt propaganda fueled bull that he’d spew at any possible recruit. “I don’t like the royal sisters but I don’t hate them enough to go looking for a fight. Just stay away from Sunshine Smiles, the town orphanage, and I’ll be just fine with keeping quiet about your connections here.” The thestral glared at me. “What makes you think that you have the leverage to threaten us?” “I really don’t.” He stared at me for a moment before I clarified. “I just want to stay out of your business and for you to stay out of mine. You do that and you have one less enemy.” He seemed unconvinced with the way his muscles coiled to strike like a lunging cobra so I locked his entire body with my magic. I strolled up and got within inches of his face before I smiled again. This time my teeth were sharp as a dragon's, my eyes gained a yellow tinge, and my current horn disappeared in favor of a goat’s horn accompanied by a deer antler. The thestral twitched against his bonds but failed to escape as he saw both versions of me, what I really was and what I pretended to be, at the same time. However, I doubt he truly knew which was the lie and which was the truth. “I don’t care about your little rebellion and I suggest you don’t give me a reason to.” He tried to glare at me, but the way his eyes were shaped didn’t show anger, they showed fear. His twitching torso and legs weren’t going for my throat, they were retreating from me as if I was a venomous snake ready to strike. When I let him go, the thestral dove through the forest lining the clearing and dashed off into the wilderness. Meanwhile, I rewove my disguise and floated homewards with a dark scowl. How many names can one pony have? How many names? Author's Note here's a new one, I should have another chapter to post next week. Been feelin it recently Might have something Wednesday, but it's unlikely. Don't forget to comment, it's my favorite statistic to watch go up!
Ch 12 - How much will burn?The cold numbness in my chest failed to dissipate as I traveled and the colors around me had begun to dull. Crickets chirped, birds sang, and leaves rustled but all of it was drowned out by a violent ringing that drilled into my skull. What the hell am I supposed to do, tell the guard? Oh, that’s gonna just go swell. ‘Oh hey guys, I found the filly, turns out she’s a rebel spy!’ Bah, at least they didn’t seem interested in this little town. I dropped to the ground when I reached the forest’s edge and lowered my veil of invisibility while I walked back to the gates. I barely acknowledged the guards on the walls as I passed through the gates. Though, the belligerent one from earlier seemed nervous, with shifty eyes, intense stares, and all that. However, I decided to not worry about it. With a sigh, I plodded towards the orphanage. The trip barely registered in my mind as I deliberated. My thoughts were wordless, my head a swirling pot of emotion and attempts at logic. I managed to come to a conclusion as I arrived. I might as well leave it be, not like it changes anything. This is just another strange thing, just another one of those little inconsistencies, just another anomaly… I’m getting so tired of this. I punctuated the thought with a sigh. The once dilapidated building had cleaned up nicely. No boards stuck out along the wall, the roof didn’t sag anymore, no vines, no loose nails, and a paint job to top it all off. All in all, I believed we had the best building on the street! Then again, that’s not a high bar to clear. When I trotted inside I found Ms. Heart scolding a very ashamed-looking little batpony. Of course, those watery eyes, trembling legs, and god-awful names were all fake. All of it, everything she’s ever done culminated to form one big lie. I had to suppress a glare as I felt the cold numbness turn to white-hot anger but I still managed to speak in a calm voice. “I’m back and I suppose I picked the perfect time to check in, eh?” False Gale er, Twisted Twisters eh, oh forget it, she’s just ‘little liar’ now. Little Liar glanced at me while she tried to hide her anxiety. She didn’t bury it like an amateur, instead, she made sure to look at Ms. Heart more than me, to cringe in ways that bespoke shame rather than fear, she tried to convince me that she feared punishment rather than the possibility of me knowing something. She failed. I grinned as Ms. Heart looked at me. “Yes, you did. I don’t need you for anything else but lunch is in a couple of hours.” My smile remained. “Alright, then I suppose that I should get back to work, eh? The Cakes are probably getting agitated with how long it’s taking me.” Ms. Heart nodded. “Probably.” “Then I shall go to rectify the situation!” With that, I left the orphanage to go to work but my mask of faux cheeriness fell the moment I turned the corner out of the alley. The rest of the day was spent going about my business of ripping up plundervines. Apparently, it’s difficult and time-consuming for even experienced exterminators to get rid of the damn weeds without tons of collateral damage. My niche may be obscure, but apparently, there’s been a recent surge of the weed in the area. It also didn’t hurt that I didn’t limit myself to plundervines so I managed to carve out a decent place for myself in this little town. The familiarity of the process should’ve calmed me; removing plundervines is supposed to be my stress relief. However, the pit in my stomach had solidified and the fiery anger had burned its course, leaving only the frigid ashes of dread. I tried to zone further into my work, to rip the worries from my mind like I ripped these weeds from the homes of my clients. Just focus on the air, focus on the air, focus on the air. My mantra kept my magic steady as I compressed the air around my target to a ridiculous degree. The vine had crept from the back of the home and stretched all the way over the roof, only getting noticed when the thing draped itself over a window. The damned plant had dug its roots deep into the ground and begun to invade the home as well. It had taken me almost an hour to separate the plundervine from the house. It took another hour to uproot the thing and with how close together the buildings were around here, it will probably take half an hour to burn this thing without starting a town-wide fire. I gritted my teeth as I continued reducing the vile plant to ashes but was interrupted by my client. “How’s the weeding going, sir?” I grunted. “Almost finished, just have to burn this thing and I’ll be done.” The unicorn cocked an eyebrow. “Might I ask why? The putrid thing is already uprooted and a fire could easily start if you burn it.” I rolled my eyes. “Because the thing isn’t really dead, just uprooted. If I set the vine down it will probably just reroot and begin creeping up your house all over again.” My client nodded. “Very well, sir, but I do suggest you hurry up.” He scrambled to explain himself before I could fully glare at him. “I don’t mean to rush you or be impolite, It’s just that there’s a storm front coming in and I don’t want you to get caught out in the gale.” I looked at where he pointed and saw a mountain of clouds looming over the horizon. I could see the monstrosity growing as I watched. Distant puffs of mist rolled off of the beast-like dense fog. Oh god, oh dear god, is that…? I turned my head back to my work and intensified the flames. “Thank you for the warning sir, I should be fine.” His duty done, the unicorn trotted back into his dwelling. However, he seemed to miss the newfound warbling panic that had crept into the edges of my voice. After finishing with my weed burning I hurried over to the edge of town nearest to the storm. A quick twist of reality left me on the wall staring at the horizon. The floating behemoth had drawn closer and would arrive in a few hours by my estimation. I’m out of time. It can’t be, this place is too small, too insignificant. That stallion said it himself, they didn’t need this place! Why, why? Lies and misdirection are the basis of all warfare. Of course, they wouldn’t tell a simple spy everything! Gah, I'm an idiot! … Oh, how Sugar Plum would laugh if she heard me say that. I spent a minute or two staring at the oncoming storm before I heard an angry voice shout. “Who are you and why are you on the wall?” I kept my eyes on the storm. “Staring trouble in the face, sir.” “The buck does that mean?” “Means trouble’s coming.” What can I do? What can I do? Nothing, nothing! Another voice broke up my growing bout of panic. “Who the buck are you and why’re ya on my wall?” I heaved a trembling sigh. “Staring trouble in the face, sir.” “Then you should be looking at me if that’s what you’re after, citizen. You should not be on this wall!” I can warn them, I can warn them. Please listen. I cut off further shouting by pointing at the storm front ahead of us. “Do you know what that is, sir?” A moment of silence was followed by the confused voice of the second guard. “It's a storm ya idiot, ya needed my input on that? Bah, you’re coming with me, civilians are not allow-” That’s not all, there’s so much more to it. “Not just any storm, sir. That’s a war storm, an old pegasi tactic.” Silence hung over the trio of us as the two guards probably stared at each other before together they asked. “The buck is a war storm?” Please listen, please understand. My eyelids drooped and I shook my head as I managed to answer in a flat tone. “As I said, an old pegasi tactic. They would gather a bunch of clouds to make an artificial lightning storm. Then they would push it over their intended target and bombard the location with lightning. It was used to counter earthpony artillery emplacements, heavy anti-air fortifications, and even to sometimes ground an enemy pegasi army in some situations. I paused for a moment. But not this one, we have none of those things. Only reason to pull together a storm like this would be for camouflage. “This one’s probably just meant to hide some sort of assault.” The two guards paused again before one asked. “Assuming you’re correct, which you probably aren’t…” They’re doomed. “...how can ya tell it’s a war storm?” Because it’s a war storm you idiot, do none of you get trained to watch for this kind of stuff? Useless sentries. “Normally, a natural storm front looks like a giant puff of cotton that unrolls over the sky like a massive blanket.” “I don’t see how-” Shut up, moron! “Hush, let me finish. Anyways, that’s what a normal storm looks like. If you look at this one, it has some sort of spike jutting out the bottom. That’s usually a good indicator of a war storm because those spikes make it easier to drive the clouds forwards and downwards.” Like a knife through butter. “Even if it didn’t have that little flat protrusion, then the patchwork appearance should give it away. I can almost see lines delineating the borders between one cloud or another and right now I’m seeing hundreds of those faint divisions.” A chimeric abomination, a probable waste of resources, and no doubt a last resort. “That could easily cause problems for both sides as obvious borders like that mean much more random lightning and such a sloppy job suggests desperation.” I sighed before finishing. “Whelp, it looks like you’re going to be dealing with an army soon and a rabid one at that.” I had laid out the facts. I told them and warned them of what was coming. There’s not much more to be done for this doomed wall. These idiots aren’t going to be trained in an hour, I can’t use too much of my magic without getting found out by the sisters, and I have no interest in becoming a butcher. They have been warned, they can handle themselves. But the children need me. Before the two guards could bombard me with any more questions I disappeared, no flash, no pop, just there one moment and gone the next.
Ch 13 - EverythingI raced to the forest while my hooves beat a frantic rhythm to keep pace with the drums of war that rumbled through my head. I knew the beat, I felt the rhythm, I felt the melody painfully pound the inside of my skull. It was coming, but no one else seemed to realize it! Once I was hidden in the foliage, I threw up invisibility and dropped my disguise. My noodly body popped, cracked, and stretched as I got used to my old visage again. But I had no time to readjust, so I levitated upwards with my magic. Only a moment passed before I found myself hovering over an ocean of swaying green. I glanced at the oncoming hurricane before scanning the horizon opposite it, I saw a hill in the distance. ‘Pop’ I found myself over the hill and looked back to the doomed town. My home, my new home, not of towers that scraped the sky, but of squat wooden houses that huddled together against the terrors surrounding it. It almost seemed to cower before the mountainous weapon of war that hovered above it. Too close. ‘Pop’ Now I was even further away on a hill that was miles from the rebel target. Too exposed, they need to hide, they need to be safe. I scanned the rough green carpet below me for openings. A few minutes of search revealed a divot that I knew would open into a small clearing below. I dove in. I landed in a clearing surrounded by a thick wall of trees. Their branches were woven together into a palisade and their leaves all but covered the sky above. I twisted reality to form a bunker. The rocky brick of a building was partially buried and its walls were several feet thick. A gray metal door with a lock the size of my head marked the entrance. I turned to leave but a nagging feeling pulled me back. It’s missing something… Supplies! Bandages, food, water, medicine, and anything else that I could think of were stuffed into the bunker with a familiar ‘pop’. What if that storm doesn’t stop at the town? Outside I planted several lightning rods. Those rebels have to have mages, there’s no way they wouldn’t. Placing the defensive wards took longer. I had to start with a solid foundation of magic webs so that the enchantments would stick. Every inch cost me a few precious seconds. Forget-me spells, notice-me-nots, anti-fires, anti kinetics, basic shields, a basic scrying shield, an advanced scrying shield, a selective teleportation membrane, and so many more were woven together into a desperate patchwork defense. Every spell had to be linked to the rest so functions didn’t clash and start a miniature war within the wards. A fire shield would use cold to counter heat and an ice shield would do the opposite. A scrying ward could mess with detection enchantments. Every little piece of the armor had to link up in specific ways that kept such opposites apart, otherwise, the whole web of magic would collapse in on itself. Nothing short of an anti-magic nuke or a full-on null zone would pierce the defenses, I’d made sure. I looked up and saw that the sun had moved closer to the horizon. Two hours, I spent two hours on that? Not good, not good! I frantically scratched out a beacon spell before I began portal hopping home. In my rush to scramble home, I almost forgot to pull on my disguise. However, I didn’t forget. I couldn’t forget. I popped into existence in the middle of the town square and it was pouring. Rain pelted the roofs of homes all around me, sounding like a horde of scampering mice in the process. The water tapped away at my skull and when I looked up, the light gray clouds greeted me with brief flashes of lightning followed by the muted rumble of thunder. I’m not too late! If I looked closely I could probably pick out the forms of pegasi flitting from cloud to cloud in preparation for the assault. The smell of ozone pervaded my nostrils and a metallic taste invaded my mouth as I bit my cheek. I have to hurry, I have to be there, I can’t fail them! With that thought, I set my jaw and broke out into a dead sprint for the orphanage. The houses around me blurred into grayish streaks and my hooves clopped against the cobbled road. I arrived at the front entrance in barely a minute but that didn’t matter to me as I flung the door open. Ms. Heart was staring at me with wide eyes before she spoke. “Please shut the door Pathfinder, I don’t want anything flying in while it’s open.” I obliged before walking past her. “We have to leave, I’ll make a portal in the common room.” She blinked. “Wha- wher- Why?” “We’re leaving, we’re going to a safe house I set up, and we’re leaving because the town’s about to be attacked.” Before she could recover, I turned the corner and trotted to the common room. The place was just a couple of couches with a carpet between them. However, the most prominent feature of the room soon became the portal that ripped open in the middle of it. The disk was black as pitch and streams of white spiraled from the edges to meet in its center. However, instead of directly going to the middle, the lines dove backward into the void between places. I spun from the magical opening before shouting loud enough to make the floor tremble. “Everyone come to the common room, we need to go!” I tapped a hoof on the wooden ground as I watched fillies and colts file in while pelting me with questions. Ms. Heart eventually joined us as well but her head was lowered while her eyes darted around. “Pathfinder, why did you call the children here, it’s just a storm, right?” I sighed before I answered. “It is a storm, but it’s a war storm, we really don’t have the time for me to explain at the moment. On the other side of this portal is a gray stone building. We should be safe there.” I turned to go through but stopped when Ms. Heart cried out. “Stop! Why are we leaving, where are you sending us, are you sure the portal’s safe, w-” “I already told you, the town is going to be-” The screams of several hundred pegasi thundered through the air outside and one punched through the ceiling of the top floor before he screamed. “For order, for freedom, for justice!” “-is being attacked.” Ms. Heart began rapidly sucking in deep breaths at a frantic pace. “We’ll be fine, I have a safe house set up far far away from here, so as long as we have everybody we should be-” She cut me off while tears began to streak down her face. “Sugar Plum and Helga are both out, we have to go fi-” “No, I will go find them. You will take the children that are here to my bunker. They will be safe there, it has food, shelter, and more wards than the royal vault. Now go, everything will be fine.” A lie, a white lie, a comforting lie, but no matter what I call it, a lie is still a lie. I popped a key out of my mane. “This should open the front door.” I tossed it to Ms. Heart before addressing the dozen or so kids. “I want all of you to go to the bunker while I go get Helga and Sugar Plum.” Some of the children tried to speak, some looked at the hallway behind us, and some stared at the ceiling in horror as they heard smashing glass, but they all ended up nodding before streaming into the portal. Ms. Heart hesitated for a moment before following suit. Once everyone was through, I sowed the portal closed. I spun on my hind legs and galloped out of the orphanage, or at least, I tried to but a pegasus twice my size was crouching in the door frame. “Where ya think yer goin’ ya dirty little loyalist?” “I resent that comment, I am neither little nor a loyalist. You’re just huge and unobservant.” He stood up and blinked at me. “Wha-” I cut him off by sending him about thirty seconds forward in time. Normally I’d worry about possible butterfly effects, panic about snowballing events, and such, but really I don’t think that going forward in time really changes anything as long as you don’t get sent back. I sprinted through the streets while calling out for Helga and Sugar Plum. I rocketed through the main street, dashed through alleys, and zigzagged through open areas to dodge plummeting pegasi. I heard war cries bellowed in fury. I heard the faint clashing of steel coming from the distant wall. I heard screams of terror. I heard… Children? No, no, no! I grimaced in anger as I charged towards the shrill sounds of a screaming child. I turned the corner and saw a unicorn holding a crying Helga with a knife to her throat. Little Liar stood in front of the assailant to shout at him. I noticed Sugar Plum off to the side, huddling into the shadows of the alley walls to the best of her ability. The rain soaked my mane and the water trickled down my face, giving the impression of tears. Thunder roared, steel clanged, and my ears rang, I saw Little Liar's mouth moving but didn’t hear her words. The edges of my vision faded away as all of my focus was put onto the stallion. The thunder became even more muted, the clanging steel faded, and the raindrops slowed mid-air. I can kill him, but I need time. There’s no time! He’d kill Helga before I could even cast a spell. Time, time, time, I’m supposed to be immortal but I still beg for time! Lightning? No, might kill Helga. Fire is right out. A mental break would take too long. Time, time, time. Time… I could stop time! I felt my face begin to stretch into a grin as I began casting. Then time sped up Then the stallion glanced at me and saw a smiling unicorn with a glowing horn. Then the knife flashed. My eyes went wide, my jaw went slack, and my throat went dry. Red, such an ugly red, splattered the cobbled street. I glanced down at the hideous color, then my gaze settled on the breathing corpse of the monster who just murdered a child. My breathing slowed and I set my jaw. My head emptied of thought as I reached for the strings that held reality itself together. I didn’t hear Little Liar scream, I didn’t hear Sugar Plum whimper, I only heard the scoff of the unicorn I was about to unmake. The unicorn lowered his glowing blue horn, the spirals lit up a brilliant white as a midnight blue surrounded the protrusion. I could see his eyes fixed upon me, his own face twisted into a grimace of rage. He showed no fear, he showed no regret, only anger. I glared into his hateful eyes and saw that this idiot didn’t deserve the air he breathed, that he shouldn’t have been blessed with the very matter that made up his body. A thousand evils stretched out behind him, both large and small, to culminate in this one horrific act. I pulled, twisted, shifted reality, and watched as the unicorn disappeared. There was no flash, there was no sound, just the infinitesimally small, silent shard of time where something became nothing. I stared at the empty space as my mind scrambled to restart but what came back was a mess of errors. I just killed someone. I killed him. He’s more dead than anything that has died before. Helga’s dead and I killed her murderer. My chest felt hollow and cold, but my heart smoldered. A freezing chill spread from that warm core to cover every inch of my body. I killed him. I could barely breathe as the houses seemed to close in around me. I smelled ozone. I smelled rain. I smelled blood. But she’s dead. I heard whimpering, was I whimpering? No, my jaw isn’t moving. Who’s whimpering? I killed him. The pitiful noise grew closer and I felt something warm and furry latch onto my leg. She’s dead. I looked down to see a teary-eyed Sugar Plum staring up at me. “I killed him.” Sugar Plum flinched at my words but gripped my foreleg tighter. I shook my head as I gritted my teeth. He deserved it. I flicked my magic to tear open a portal that led to the bunker; to safety. Before Sugar Plum could react, I threw her through the portal where I knew she would end up fine. Then I zipped up the opening with a grim scowl. Another trio of shrill screams pitched above the fighting, so I spun towards the distress and charged. A unicorn, a pegasus, and an earthpony were all huddled together, cowering before a shouting armored rebel. “Stay away from that smithy you little pieces of-” I’d seen the kids before, gave them some advice even, but that metal-coated monster of a pony was completely unfamiliar. I felt that I should know him, that I should recognize him. However, the steel mask that clung to his face and the armor covering his mark prevented that. I called out. “Stop, you don’t have to do this, the children have done nothing to you or your cause!” He snorted. “No, they haven’t, yet. They could easily become spies, miniature saboteurs, or do some other sort of dirty work for you loyalists.” I grimaced. “They’re children, why would you harm children?” I could see his eyes roll behind the mask. “I’m not gonna kill ‘em or anything, just gotta make sure that they understand that they can’t be messing with our stuff. Which is what they were trying to do in the smithy!” He punctuated his sentence with a kick to the chest of one of the trio. I bellowed at the rebel. “Why did you do that?” His eyes squinted. “Didn’t you hear me? These kids need to be taught a lesson.” Monster. He didn’t even get a chance to blink before I teleported his head outside of town. Without his body. Chills raced down my spine and nausea began to worm its way into my stomach, but another scream pierced the air. I cut off the dread before rushing to the next scene. When I turned a corner into an alley I saw a cowering mare with a shield for a cutiemark. “Please stop, I’m not fighting, see? I'm not resisting, please don’t hurt me!” The mare’s pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears as the pegasus raised a sharp blade. The victim raised her hooves in front of her face as she cringed backward, but she was too slow. The wingblade slashed down and the metal flashed while a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. No, no more knives, no more innocent blood! I didn’t know her name, I didn’t remember her face, I didn’t remember the face of the pony I murdered. No more knives. Then I killed to protect a smith who was pinned to the ground in the streets. They were about to cuff him but a blast fried his attackers. No more prisoners. My mind descended into a red haze as I killed. A griffon talon appeared where my left foreleg should be. Easier to grasp their throats. I killed. One of my hind legs transformed into a dragon’s foot. To rend the cowards who would stab me in the back! And killed. The overcast sky lit up as I perceived a change in my vision. To find those monsters! My teeth began to poke at my gums and a salty metallic flavor invaded my mouth. To rend, to rip, to tear! For hours I sprinted from one place to the next, slaughtering rebels, and protecting civilians. I ripped pegasi apart, I blasted earthponies into smoking craters, and I unmade the unicorns. I killed pairs, dozens, hundreds, but they just kept coming! For every pegasus that I left in pieces, three more would plummet from above. For every earthpony I fried, two more would sprint from the gates of the wall. The unicorns ran from me though, they screamed in terror for they knew their fate. Every time I saw one of those horn-headed bastards, I would smile and hunt. Eventually, my hunts led me to the walls. The guards there were barely holding on, only a dozen of ours for every hundred of theirs. They came in heavy waves of bodies and I heard horns blaring out a call to charge as one. But I was there. Huge swaths of the enemy force withered under my scrutiny in the most literal sense possible. Pegasi, earthponies, and unicorns were all reduced to skeletons. The corpses piled as high as the wall wherever I looked. You deserve this! I smiled. I laughed. I cried. They screamed. They ran. They died. You were warned! After what felt like hours of that butchery, I found myself standing atop a mountain of corpses at the town gates. I grinned as I panted. They earned it, I warned them. I. I. I failed. All went black as I felt tears run new tracks down my face. My fake face; my lie. I failed in many ways. I failed to tell the truth, I failed to save Helga, I failed to avoid the butchery, I failed to comfort Sugar Plum, I failed and failed and failed… I even failed to notice my disguise dissipate completely by the end. Author's Note Alrighty boi's. Almost through the end of this arc! After this I'm probably gonna rewrite ch2 into a full arc (it probably won't take very long) Then we'll see about wrapping up this fic. Remember, as always, please leave a comment, I love to see your thoughts on the story! Thank you for reading and have a nice day.
Ch 14 - ...Even the ashes.Author's Note Ch3’s beginning shall be fixed, then I’ll get this chapter in order. Should be posting new content this Sunday Ch 14 - ...Even the ashes. Five hundred faces flashed through my head, each twisted into an ugly expression of fear or rage. A dark blue pegasus, a grinning orange unicorn, a screaming green earthpony, they were all living beings, living beings that I melted down like candle wax and withered away without a care in the world. I remembered ripping wings off of their backs, I remembered boiling their blood, I remembered reducing them to nothing. Why? Even in my head my voice croaked and rasped. My mental landscape was a desert of cracks that spiderwebbed across the ground. A dried riverbed ran through the center of the landscape and disappeared between the ashy gray mountains in the distance. Even the sky was infected with gray smoke that swirled like an angry whirlpool. I thirsted for happiness, for comfort, for blood. No. My teeth ached as I remembered the satisfying give of flesh that I tore from their hides. No! I salivated at the thought of the crunch of snapped bones. “I am not a monster!” My words yanked me from the empty wasteland of my mind and threw me back into reality, on a mountain of corpses. My snout felt sticky and I could see that my fur was matted. New lines of wetness began to streak down my cheek as I whispered. “I’m not a monster.” Every muscle in my back blazed with a searing pain that seeped all the way through my body to stab at the inside of my chest. My legs clenched and unclenched in spams that made the muscles shiver. My skull was stung by five hundred different tiny pinpricks while a frosty chill froze my brain solid. But who laughs at slaughter? My breathing quickened and I screwed my eyes shut. What kind of person smiles at the butchering of people? I clenched my fists as I jammed my head into what I thought was the ground. Why would anyone consider this good? My nostrils were invaded by the salty sweetness of blood and I recoiled. Only monsters want this. I glanced around the pile that I sat in. Only monsters seek this out. I saw the glassy eyes of my victims and felt a friendly warmth that tried to grow in my mind, to tell me that this killing was right, that this was fine, that this was good. Only monsters enjoy this. My thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from above me. I could sense their shock turn to fear as the tension in the air shifted. Then they screamed. I sighed as I heaved myself into the air with a burst of magic. I saw a pegasus dashing away from me at speeds that reduced her to a blur to my eyes. I landed at the bottom of the pile and began to cast the illusion again, to don the mask of Pathfinder once more. I’m tired. As I worked, my shoulders loosened, my legs stopped aching, and my back stopped burning. However, the weighted blanket covering my mind remained. My eyes drooped as I began my descent from the top of the mountain of skeletal corpses. Who to confront first, the angry town, or the children? I began walking towards the town gate. It was far, far enough to make the ponies around it look like ants, far enough that the copious amounts of red were barely noticeable, far enough for the scene to appear peaceful were it not for the distant wails that rode the wind. I saw the edges of my vision fade to an angry orange as I smelled imaginary fire and heard the screams of pain turn to shouts of anger. Do I face the pitchfork? I stopped for a moment to jam my eyes closed in a desperate attempt to get rid of a new image, an image of cowering children. Or the eyes? I continued my trek with my eyes closed for several moments, but when I neared the town I let them slide open again to see the carnage around me. There was no red, no blood, no gore, just the green of grass and the white of bones. Skeletons littered the grassy field and I had to tread carefully to avoid stepping on one corpse or another. I felt the mental blanket and the false warmth of madness return. ‘You should feel pride.’ It whispered ‘Is it not right to defend one’s home?’ It reasoned. ‘And defend it you did, you are a hero.’ It lied However, I knew that those thoughts were false. Pride is a double-edged sword, it can lead to people striving to do amazing, wonderful things, or it can lead to them doing monumentally stupid and horrible things. It is fine to defend one’s home but this wasn’t defense, this wasn’t me shielding the populace from violence, this was butchery plain and simple. I did not defend, I was not a hero. I was in front of the gate now, staring past the broken doors, past the blood-splattered walls, and up into the tired eyes of a guard. She stared back with blank gray eyes, eyes with lines that probably weren’t there yesterday, eyes that just wanted to close. I spoke. “May I enter?” Suddenly her pupils gained a new spark and she scanned me with a sudden burst of consciousness. “Who are you?” “Pathfinder.” She squinted at me. “I don’t remember seeing you round town.” “How in Tartarus haven’t you? I’ve been exterminating the plundervines for months!” She cocked an eyebrow. “Doesn’t change the fact that I-” The guard was cut off by one of her colleagues. “Shut it, Rose, I know em.” Wait, is that…? Hotshot’s head popped out from over the wall’s top. “How’s it goin?” I forced a smile. “Terribly, but better than what I assume you had to deal with.” He smiled back at me but I could see the lines of strain that ran from the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, the whole lot of us would be dead if some damnable force o’ nature hadn’t come through and chewed through the enemy faster than Dirk chewed through…” Hotshot’s smile dropped. “Ya know what I mean. Here, I’ll let ya in.” So they didn’t notice… Should I try to keep the lie going? He turned around. “Open what’s left of the gates, it’s a friend on the other side.” Wait, where’s Dirk? I called up to Hotshot. “You looked… off when you mentioned Dirk, did something happen?” Hotshot turned towards me again. “Oh something happened alright, the traitorous low-life went turncoat on us! Damn near cost us the fight. I’m glad that somepony thought it a good idea to take his head off his shoulders… Though I admit carrying the thing all the way outta town was a bit strange.” He shook his head before turning back to the inside of the town “What’s taking so long?” A squealing grinding sound emitted from something behind the wall but the doors didn’t budge. A voice called from inside. “Sorry Hotshot, Gate’s done.” My friend sighed. “Go get a rope then we’ll-” “There’s no need, I can just teleport in. I just come in through the gate because it’s polite.” When I finished speaking, I disappeared in a flash of light before reappearing on the other side of the wall. The guard that was standing by the opening mechanism stumbled back at my sudden appearance before eyeing me. “Hey, you look familiar…” I forced another smile. “W-well I’ve been getting around recently, I’m the local plundervine exterminator.” The guard just squinted at me before I decided to move on. I trotted through the surprisingly clean streets, there was still some blood that stained the cobblestones but the bodies were gone. A few ponies traveled the wide cobbled road while casting glances in every direction. Some trotted, some stalked, some flitted from shadow to shadow. However, no pegasi flew through the skies. While I traversed the streets I began to hear the echoes of laughter, the faint drone of a crowd, the happy conversation of friends. I looked around and saw only memories, the ghosts of ponies that used to walk through the streets with confidence. I saw the false images of carts selling wares, of vendors advertising their stock, of ponies rushing to anything they deemed a good price. I found myself in front of the transparent visage of Carrot Top, the local mare for anything carrot-related. I went to touch the cart, to see if it was real in a vain hope for normalcy, and my delusions blew away in a passing gust. Every little ghost blinked out of existence, their essence smeared into the background of reality by a spectral wind. I let my eyes droop before continuing. A draft of air wafted the smell of old blood into my nose and I began to salivate. No, I’m not a monster! The thought of eating a sapient being made my gut clench and almost drove me to vomit. I’m not a monster! I’m not a monster. I’m not a monster. I kept repeating that mantra in my head as my eyes watered from the stinging reminders that bored through my skull. Faces, memories, and regrets, all flashed through my head as the recent horrifying events replayed over and over in my head. I’m not a monster! They melted so easily. Unwanted thoughts pierced through my shielding mantra and warred with my assertions. I’m not a monster. Their flesh was so easy to tear. My headache worsened as I could almost feel my brain split in two. I’m not a monster. Too easy. However, I managed to banish the madness with a final mental shout as I arrived at the orphanage. I killed the monsters, there’s none left! I took a moment to slow my heart rate and catch my breath before I assessed the damage. The windows were shattered, the door flattened, and the insides were no doubt a mess. I sighed as I stepped in. The floor was the only thing that was left alone. There were numerous holes punched through the hallway walls, making them resemble a corridor of a changeling hive. In every room that I passed through the furniture was shattered or torn apart before being spread around the room like butter. The kitchen’s cabinets were ripped out of their holdings, the utensils were bent, and the sink was missing. I stopped to admire the dedication. Holy hell that pegasus was angry. Then I walked upstairs, or I would have if they weren’t reduced to a vaguely wedge-shaped pile of splinters. I was forced to teleport up before continuing. The hallway was much the same as the one below except the odd scrap of paper could be found, the only reminder of the art the children had made. The communal colt’s bunkroom had a floor covered in scrap wood, nails, and glass from the window. The filly’s room was a mirror of the colt’s but with pink walls instead of blue. Lastly, I found both the kitchen and bathroom sink stuck inside the toilet which now lay on its side. At least it was a purely magical thing so I didn’t have to worry about water damage or the like. Why would he do this? I can understand being angry, but this is ridiculous. I stood still for a time. The laughter of children rang through the hall until I turned to see the wreckage that remained. I burst into laughter with tears running down the sides of my face. This can’t be real! But it is. It’s just too different, too out of the blue. But it happened. I’m Typhon, I’m Pathfinder and I’m no monster Lies. I laughed as long as I could, only stopping when my lungs felt like lead and my throat felt raw. I dropped to the floor as I panted. With a maddened grin, I let chaos flow through the air. The toilet was righted, the kitchen sink unmade, and the bathroom sink returned. Smashed glass floated back into place before fusing into the mirror that hung over the recently repaired sink. I trotted through the hall and let a tidal wave of magic sweep through, fixing holes, uncrumpling paper, and removing stray splinters. The children’s rooms were fixed when clouds of wood, fabric, and nails came together to form furniture. The planks of the stairs reformed before jamming themselves into place once more. The pieces of the railing flew back to where they belonged and were fused to the stairs. The second hallway’s walls had their holes filled in as I passed through. The living room's furniture was restored as I glanced inside. I unbent the kitchen utensils as chaos reinstalled the cabinets and sink. There, nothing changed, nothing changed at all. Everything’s fine. I’m fine! The voice that hated me, my voice, hadn’t chimed in. The warmth had spread from my chest to my head. Everything was so warm, so fuzzy, so perfect. I was alive, the important people were alive, the rebels were dead! Everything's perfect, nothing’s wrong at all! But Helga’s dead. My voice had returned, my logic, my reason, my enemy. Yes, but she wasn’t important. Really, then why are you crying? I am not! Then what is that running down our cheeks? I popped a mirror into existence and looked myself in the face. It’s water, water I tell you! That’s a lie. No, no it’s not! Stop shouting, I can hear you just fine. Get out of my head! My madness froze before slowly sliding from my head. The warmth sunk through my throat and settled in my gut. I gasped while I sat down for a moment. The hardwood of the kitchen floor was a solid sensation, something tangible that I could rest my sanity on. I focused on the grainy feeling of the wood and let the rest of my surroundings fade away. This is real. I am sane. I’m… I paused before giving up on the thought. I shook my head before trotting back to the living room and stared into empty space for a time. Do I want to face them yet? A few seconds of contemplation later and I ripped open a portal to the safe house. Another few seconds passed before a tiny hoof poked out from the portal followed by a foal tumbling through. I smiled while I picked up the giggling miniature pony. The little colt smiled as I let him float through the air in circles around my head. A few moments later another came, but before anymore crossed the portal Ms. Heart stepped through. Her hair had strands sticking out in every direction, bloodshot eyes, and several new nervous tics that made her twitch in various places. She scanned the room for a moment before her gaze snapped onto me. Her eyes went wide before she lunged. “You’re safe, you’re safe, you're safe! Thank Celestia, you're safe!” Her bone-crushing hug was cutting off my oxygen but I managed to respond. “Yes, I’m fine, but please stop crushing my windpipe.” She gave me one last squeeze that actually cracked a rib before backing off while tears ran down her face. “I was so worried!” She glanced around before she frowned. “Where’s Helga? You said that you’d find her.” I sat down and my shoulders sagged. I felt my eyes start to tingle again. “Sugarplum didn’t tell you?” “Tell me, tell me what?” I sighed. “She’s…” I trailed off. “She’s what?” Ms. Hearts' worry was bleeding into her voice. “She’s d-” The words caught in my throat and Ms. Heart screamed at me. “She’s what?” I managed to force the message out in a quiet croak. “Dead.” “What?” “Dead, she’s dead, Helga’s dead because some stupid fucking unicorn purist killed her!.” My shout sent Ms. Heart stumbling back and the children all froze to stare at me. “W-what, dead? No, she can’t be dead, she can’t be!” I looked at the ground as I began to cry again. “Yet she is.” Ms. Heart snarled while fresh tears ran down her face as well. “What. Happened.” “A damned unicorn purist. You know the type, they don’t care about anybody but other ponies. Griffons? Evil. Dragons? Monsters. Kirins? Horrid abominations that shouldn’t have ever existed.” Venom dripped from my voice as I ranted. Ms. Heart growled. “Where is that bucker! I’m going to rip his throat out, I’m going to tear his horn from his head, I’ll-” I clamped her mouth shut with my magic while pointing at the children around us before addressing them. I saw several children, including Sugar Plum staring at us with wide eyes and gaping mouths. “Please ignore what she just said, she is very angry right now. Now, I want all of you to go to your rooms, and try to find something to do while Ms. Heart and I have a nice chat.” My smile was faker than the illusion that I wore and even the children could see through it. My gaze followed them out the door as even the most curious of the bunch streamed towards the familiarity of their rooms. I cast a series of privacy spells just to be sure. “Who killed Helga?” Ms. Heart’s face was twisted into a murderous scowl. “Do you believe in an afterlife, Ms. Heart?” She tilted her head. “What the buck does that have to do with my question?” I looked down. “Just answer it please.” Her scowl deepened. “Yes, the Elysium fields. Helga’s probably flying around there already and so is the monster that killed her. Everyone is forgiven, everyone is allowed in.” She snarled again. “No matter how evil the pony was while alive.” I stared into her eyes. “What if one were denied that?” “What, did he do that to Helga? I’ll-” “Never have to make good on that threat.” Ms. Heart froze. “What?” “I didn’t kill the one who murdered her…” She glared at me. “I unmade him.” “What?” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I destroyed him, annihilated him, unmade him. His body, mind, and soul are all nothing now. He once existed, now he doesn’t.” Her eyes were wide now. “In short, that monster is not in any afterlife, is not in the clutches of some necromancer, or even a ghost. He’s gone, completely, forever.” A moment of dead silence passed before Ms. Heart pounced on me to deliver another hug. She clung to me, or rather, she clung to Pathfinder, a disguise, a mask, a lie. I’m tired of lying. I coughed as I shut my eyes again. So very tired. I opened them to look into Ms. Heart’s Besides I opened my mouth, ready to speak the truth. How much longer can this last? “Ms. Heart I-” My voice caught. “I…” Ms. Heart stepped forward. “Are you alright? Maybe you should go to bed, Pathfinder.” I cringed at the mention of my false name. Here goes nothing. “My name isn’t really Pathfinder.” Ms. Heart froze for a moment before giggling behind a hoof. “Oh how silly of you Pathfinder, so funny, so funny, now stop joking around, you need to go to bed Path-” I cut her off. “No, my name isn't Pathfinder.” I felt confidence build in my voice as the truth gained momentum. “My name isn’t Pathfinder, it’s Typhon.” My old name slid off my tongue like a stick of butter and I chuckled before continuing. “I’m not even a pony.” Ms. Heart took a few jittery breaths before stepping closer with a shaking hoof. “What have you done with Pathfinder then?” “Pathfinder never existed, only me.” She glared at me. “This isn’t funny Pathfinder, stop trying to make this stupid joke work!” I frowned at her for a moment. Then I dispelled my disguise before standing on my hind legs. I had to hunch over so that my horns didn’t gouge at the ceiling. Yellow eyes, sharp teeth, and mismatched body. Ms. Heart cringed away from me before speaking. “No, you’re not Pathfinder, you’re just a bad dream. He-” “The day we met, I had to drag Sugar Plum back here because I caught her stealing bread from a bakery.” I smiled as I felt comfort radiate from my core. “The next day I came over to visit and I stayed for a meal, can’t remember which.” I closed my eyes as I let the happier memories flow, flashes of smiling children, faint echoes of innocent laughter, numerous times where how I perceived this world changed. This colorful world was still full of vibrance but the cartoony lines disappeared, the one-note colors faded into far more complex blends, and my misconceptions had been torn from me one by one. And it all started with that night that Sugar Plum and I... “I ended up ripping out the plundervine and fixing pretty much everything in the building.” Ms. Heart was crying again. “So you lied to me, to the children, to everypony since you got here? How much did you lie about? Did you really care about the kids? Did you just let Helga die because you-” “I did not let her die, she was murdered before I could save her! So, please, don’t blame me for that.” My shouting pushed Ms. Heart closer to the floor. I stared at her for a moment before sitting. “Look, I’m sorry for yelling, but I really di-” A high-pitched squeal rang through the room and before I could stop her, the little filly that saw me had already disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of dust in her wake. I rushed up the stairs to try to catch her before panic could set in. I failed. It took Ms. Heart and I a few minutes to corral over a dozen foals back into one room. Though, Ms. Heart kept throwing nervous glances in my direction. Almost as if I was… No, stop it, no time for those thoughts right now. Eventually, the two of us managed to get all of the children in the living room and into a sitting position. Tension filled the air, making the whole ordeal feel like a hostage situation. I took a deep breath, then another, then another, and finally stepped in front of the crowd of kids. “Hello, little ones.” They all cringed and I sagged. “You have all known me as Pathfinder for as long as I’ve been here. My real name is Typhon and, as you can see, I’m not really a pony.” Some cast glances at their friends, some appeared curious, some of the younger ones cowered, and some stared at me with mixed expressions. “My name and body are the only lies I’ve worn, I’m still me, I’m still the fun-loving, friendly, and helpful guy you knew before. I just don’t look exactly like you.” One of them called out in a shrill voice. “Do you eat ponies?” The question made me flinch but I turned to the colt anyhow. “No, Cloud Kicker, I do not eat ponies. Stars, I don’t even eat meat! You have no reason to fear me.” “Why do you have two horns?” “Why are you so tall?” “Can you look like anything? Can you look like a princess?” The tension drained the air as I answered question after harmless question. My smile grew to be more and more genuine the longer we went. My heart soared when I spotted Sugar Plum strolling up to me. Ms. Heart had a hoof to her muzzle but I just leaned towards Sugar Plum. “It’s good to see you again, Sugar Plum.” She stood perfectly still in front of me and I got down to her eye level. “Is there something you need Sugar-” My sentence was interrupted by a swift buck to the face. Sugar Plum spun back around to face me. “Why did you leave me? You promised you cared! You promised to not leave us- me behind! Why?!” Her voice was rising in pitch and volume by the moment. “But, But I…” “You lied, that’s what you did!” Some of the kids were jabbering at each other, and a couple of the foals began to cry. “I was afraid that you wouldn’t accept me. Every other pony town rejected me on sight, some screamed, some ran, some attacked. The crying had gotten louder, more frantic, but I pushed on anyway. “The only time I didn't get immediately chased off was when some mage tower wanted me as a lab rat!” “You still threw me away when things got tough, you, you stupid monster!” I straightened while my eyes shot wide open. “I’m not a monster!” Sugar Plum screamed her last accusation before sprinting behind Ms. Heart while my eyes tracked her. “Then why didn’t you care like you said you would?!” Every single muscle in my face contracted at once, both of my legs locked up, and my chest tightened. Monster. No, no, no! A couple fillies pushed out of the crowd and got in Sugar Plum’s face to sling insults, but she gave as good as she got. Well, until Ms. Heart broke it up a moment later. Even she’s saying it now, you’re a monster. No! My breathing quickened as my vision narrowed, the edges fading to black. Ms. Heart stepped forward to wrap me in a hug. “You won’t hurt her!” I cringed again as I felt a fire burn through my chest at Ms. Heart’s words. A familiar voice echoed up from the depths of my mind, a thousand whispers surrounding it with unwanted knowledge. However two words cut through the static. Monster. No! I learned a hundred new things ranging from the proper time to change seasons to earth pony pike formations. Though I forgot all of it except one tidbit, one tiny piece of information that got through the whirlpool of words. However, I rejected it. I rejected its truth. You’re a monster, me. Accept it already and move on. A couple little pegasi ran up to me. One of them was Feather Duster. I remember her from the bakery. She was a cute little shy thing. Now however, she stared into my eyes without an ounce of fear, just… hope? I’m not a monster, I never was and never will be! Five hundred faces, five hundred lives, five hundred ponies, all withered away in the span of an hour. It was so easy, so satisfying, so right. Ms. Heart had to shout over the wails of weeping children “Go away monster, can’t you see that you’re not wanted?” Now she was staring up at me too, tears in her eyes, and her hooves were still around me, maintaining an iron grip. Her mouth was moving but I didn’t hear anything more from her. More kids had bundled up next to us, Sweetie Drop, Banana Peel, Applesauce, and Feather Duster had actually stretched her little wings to fly up to my face level. Monster. The fire climbed my throat. “You only make things worse!” I turned back to Heart to find that she wasn’t saying that. It looked like she was saying ‘Please stay,’ but no matter how much my eyes refuted the message, my ears rang with the truth. “But I fixed the-” “The what, the building? How about you fix Helga, or the town!” The world was blurring and everything began to take on a slight tinge of red. Or even fix the lives you took? “Just go, stop making everything worse!” Hope filled her eyes when she looked into mine, not fear, not determination, hope. Why did she feel hope if I was a monster? Why was she hugging me? Feather Duster was crying as well, her body heaved with every sob. It seemed like she was trying to squeeze my snout in a hug, but kept slipping off. It didn’t make sense, nothing made sense! The imagined flames reached my head as I saw white cracks pierce the black void at the edges of my vision. A second passed before everything disappeared in a blinding white flash. But what fun is there in making sense? Ms. Heart fell to the floor as her anchor blinked off to stars know where. She stared at the empty space in front of her, hyperventilating as she brought her hooves to the side of her head. Pathfinder, no, Typhon was gone! She asked, begged even, for him to stay. Why did he leave? Did Sugarplum really shake him up that bad? She just called him a name! Granted, It was different this time but he took every other insult in stride! Where did he go? Was he alright? Did he need help? How could she help? Was he angry? Was he sad? What did she do? What happened? No matter how many questions Heart asked, no answers came. Eventually, the cries of children, her children, pulled her from the panic, but one thought stuck in her head, rattling around like a set of dice. What now? Heart shook her head before forcing a smile to try to calm the children. Though, she wished that she weren't the only one here to do so. Maybe if she did something different, maybe if she squeezed tighter, maybe if she smiled wider, maybe… maybe he’d have stayed. Whatever the case, she had work to do.
Ch 15 - All the way to NowhereMy breaths came out in long jagged gasps. Each inhale cut at the back of my throat, and the air in front of me was tinted a milky white every time I exhaled. My body shivered. We’re a monster, Typhon. Nothing existed beyond the edges of my mist. No color, no sounds, no shapes. Just a perfectly blank and black void filled my vision. They hate us, Typhon. I looked deeper, listened harder, and tried to perceive anything, anything at all. No smells greeted me, no heat struck me, and the mist remained. My heart was silent. Do we really have one, or was its beat as fake as Pathfinder? The emptiness before me was absolute. Is it really empty, or are you blind? After all, you didn’t see the signs. My breathing quickened as I screwed my eyes shut and clenched my ears with my hands. It was so obvious too. I curled up, trying to shut the voice out. The joints on my claw were turning white and my ears were burning. So many hints, and you just let those wastes of air waltz in to take everything from you. I could feel lines of wetness crawl down my face. I was weak, not a monster, just weak. Monsters are strong, monsters do what is necessary. I am not good, I am not bad, I just… am. Some monsters are selfish, and some can be powerful. However, all monsters are evil, all are decisive. We are selfish. Images of the tower strolled through my head. Pictures of the destruction that I caused followed soon after. The false memories of the consequences I never suffered because I ran… they sat still, smiling at my cowardice as if even my own thoughts wished to mock me. We are powerful. The second sun that I ignited above the tower blinded me with its brilliance. The ludicrous feat of absorbing the concept of knowledge made itself known through drips of understnading from my personal pool of information. We are evil. Towers of skeletons sprouted from the earth wherever I gazed. Salty sweet blood dripped into my mouth. Five hundred faces screamed at me and fled my vision on the necks of withering bodies. Yet you flounder with every decision you make and end up accomplishing nothing that you want to. Am I justified, or am I a monster? Why wouldn’t this voice leave me alone? Why can’t I just decide already? Time could have rushed by like a raging river, sat still like a boulder, or even swirled around me like sand in the wind. Whatever time did, I was frozen and would have remained so, if I hadn’t asked a simple question. ‘If it’s so easy, then why don’t you do it?’ The voice went quiet for a moment. For that brief respite, my mind was silent, empty. However, my peace was just that: brief, momentary, so the return of the voice was inevitable. Because I’ve never been given the chance. Before the voice whispered, it shouted, it laughed, but everything it said was done in complete confidence. However, this... this sounded tired. Not the haggard choppiness resulting from exhertion, nor the slurring of sleepiness, but rather, the defeated airiness of bone-deep exhaustion. You have had so many chances to make a change but refuse to do so. You have such an abundance of possibilities and get twisted up over one. You hold one of the greatest gifts of all, yet you do not use it. The voice died for a second, but renewed spite seemed to push its last words to the surface of my mind. All I can do is watch, Typhon. Do you know what it feels like to have no control, no choice? I went quiet as I closed my eyes. Just another person that I failed. I failed Helga, Sugarplum, Heart, and now I’ve failed this voice too. Is that all I could do? Despite all the power in the world, could I only lose? An eternity passed in the dark with nothing, not even my heart accompanying me on my voyage to nowhere. Where was I going? Was I going anywhere? Would I ever open my eyes to the light again? … Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. It's peaceful here. No ponies to hunt me down with pitchforks and magic. None here to lie to me just so they could stab me in the back at the first opportunity. Maybe that other world had too much light. Maybe the sun was so bright that instead of revealing the lies, it blinded me? Maybe when none can see me, I can walk freely. … No, for one time, for at least one person, I will not fail. I will not give up. I will not give in! Maybe every action before and after this will reveal itself to be a mistake. Hell, maybe even this one will be, but it will be a mistake borne of success. A grin split my face as giggles jabbed their way out of my throat. Tears still stained my cheeks as I began to chuckle through clenched teeth. Finally, I laughed and laughed and laughed. The cold vanished beneath a bonfire in my chest. The warmth spread from the center of my body, to my neck, and soon overtook my head. My brain practically vibrated while my consciousness shifted in its socket within my mind. What are you doing? Alarm infected the voice, and panic seeped into its words. However, my response sent him whirling into a state of shock. “I am giving you a chance!” Before he could respond, I finished the spell and the world went white once more. Clover trotted down a cobbled road. Her hooves clopped on the stone beneath her. Her pace was neither quick nor slow, but it was unwavering. New muscles bunched and coiled as she went, acquired on a long journey that she hoped would soon come to an end. Clover smiled as she glanced around. Bushes lined the road. They weren’t tall enough to hide an attacker, but they still broke through the sea of grass to add some variety to the forest floor. The trees remained steady while a gentle breeze ruffled their canopies. Swaying branches creaked, and shifting leaves crinkled in the wind. The sun just barely peaked over the eastward horizon, casting golden rays through the grainy haze of a morning mist. The world was at peace. Then Clover raised her head to sniff the air. The faint aroma of grass graced her nose. The sweet smell of distant pastries waltzed through her nostrils and danced on her tongue, but only for a moment. One last scent wafted about Clover, whisking away the pleasant odor of sweets, but try as she might, she couldn’t quite put her hoof on what it was. The smell reminded Clover of grilled carrots on a warm summer day, of the bitter smell emitted from bubbling tea… of fire, wild and uncontrolled. She frowned as she crested a hill. The town before her should have been at peace. The ponies within should be bustling in the streets behind the wall. She should hear wisps of a buzzing crowd carried to her on the wings of passing gusts. The odor of freshly baked bread should be invading her nostrils and forcing her mouth to water. Instead, there was silence. Instead, the roads were empty. Instead, she smelled smoke.
Ch 16 - New sights in NowhereAuthor's Note Chapter structure has been redone, because of confusing formatting. Ch 16 - New sights in Nowhere The void rushed back in around me when the light died and I was forced to my knees by a bout of exhaustion. I couldn’t tell if my vision blurred or not, given the lack of things to see, and my heart was still silent. However, a voice, similar to mine, cut through the buzzing in my ears. “W-what happened?” I tried to answer but my words kept breaking into gasps before any meaningful string of them could form. A draconequus entered my view and leaned down to look me in the eyes. His brows were drawn down into a scowl. “What. Did. You. Do?” I wheezed a few more times before dragging myself to my feet. A deep ache was starting to set in around the center of my body but I could tell I was stabilizing. Despite the pain in my chest, the fatigue that drained every part of me, and the pressure crushing my skull, I smiled. “I gave you a chance.” My doppelgänger’s brows rose as he stepped back. His mouth fell open and his eyes were open wide. My heavy breathing was the only sound between us for a moment before he began to laugh. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” His claw had moved to cover his eyes and a smile had cut across his face. His mad grin gave me pause but I responded anyway. “I failed so many times. I wanted to do one thing right. I wanted to succeed for once.” My double returned his gaze to me before collapsing into a heap as he guffawed. His fists struck the ground of the void and his legs flailed. Eventually, he climbed to his feet while wiping a tear from his eye. “You really don’t get it, do you?” I raised an eyebrow at the statement, so he continued. “You grasped a piece of your own mind, held it in the palm of your magic, and ripped it out to give it its own body. You could have died, should have died, but somehow I’m here. It just doesn’t make any sense!” With that, the new draconequus fell to the ground once more to roll around and laugh. I snorted before shaking my head. “You need a name.” He stopped cackling to stare at me with a crooked smile. “Alright, I’ll bite. What do you have in mind?” I matched his beaming face as I waved a claw at him. “Discord.” My smile widened when Discord raised an eyebrow. I continued. “The name has a history behind it. One that I can barely remember, mind you, but history nonetheless.” “Didn’t you reject that name yourself? Why would you give it to me?” I shrugged. “You fit the name better than I would have.” Discord remained silent for a moment but his next words let me relax. “I like it.” With the name issue finished, I glanced around the void. Not much of note, just cold and empty like before… It doesn’t have to be though. With a snap of the fingers, a wave of light crashed across the blackness and was followed by a cascade of madness. Purple grass pushed up from the darkness to form a floor because why would I make it something so bland as green? Solid blocks of string cheese sprouted from the ground before peeling apart into bushes. No one would go hungry here if I had anything to say about it! Masses of writhing tentacles erupted from neon yellow earth and wrapped each other in a warm spiraling embrace. Everyone needs somebody to lean on, right? The resulting lumps of red limbs grew eyes on the sides of the trunks and their branches were wreathed in tendrils of gold. For they would know, they would see, and they would witness my triumph. I turned to see my companion stare at the skyless landscape with a slack jaw and chuckled while spinning back to my work. Discord whispered something about how none of this made sense, how it had to be a dream. Though, when I glanced over my shoulder, I could see the kinship in our thoughts. I could tell that we both had the same line stuck in our heads, it was written in his eyes, and no doubt in mine as well. So we let the wisdom remain unsaid as I wove a new world for us in this kingdom in Nowhere. Getting past the gate guards was a simple matter of flashing royal seals for Clover. Her initial worry was compounded when she saw the glass-eyed stares of the guards. Though, she had to admit that the sudden intensity was more unsettling. It made Clover think of a pair of statues coming to life. A quick head shake dislodged the thoughts of the gate and Clover continued down Main Street. Carts lined the road but many were empty and in various states of disrepair. The ones tended to by vendors seemed to be mostly alright minus the occasional broken wheel. Some of the abandoned stands were missing their canopies, others suffered broken axles, and a few were reduced to splinters. She traveled the road several times, admiring the wares as she went. Clover spotted baskets of beats, bowls of celery, and a cart for carrots. She smiled at the mare behind the counter but couldn’t quite make out the face because of a shadow. Clover blinked before stepping forward. As she got closer, previously faded lines sharpened, and the smell of roasted carrots flooded her nose, but the mare’s face remained a blank slate. Clover glared at the colorless facsimile of a pony. However, the drone of a crowd flooded in around her, interrupting whatever thoughts she had about the fake. Ponies talked, wagons rumbled, wings flapped, and children laughed. Clover spun on her hooves to find a street filled with blank fakes. Some had smiles, some frowned, some yelled, some laughed, but they all moved, all lived. Something seemed to pull at the center of Clover’s chest and a tear rolled down her cheek. For a moment she could see, she could feel, she could know that everything was fine, that life would continue no matter what. Then a child's scream cut through the din of the crowd and the shining light bled into a deep crimson. The fakes reared in place before sprinting in every direction at once as dark silhouettes plunged from the skies. The invaders cut down the peaceful blanks with hardened wings and sharp teeth. Clover stared on as the shades rampaged through the square. However, just as she pulled enough of her mind together to begin casting, a newcomer stormed in. One moment it was a pony, the next a griffon, then a dragon, and each time the shadow shifted, its form grew more twisted. It ripped, it tore, it consumed the invaders in droves. The shades were dark but this thing was black as pitch. The shades had teeth but the thing brandished a mouth full of fangs. The shades were monstrous but it was their king. At first, they fought, some in duels others ganged up on it. They all fell. Then they ran and hid, but they were neither fast nor stealthy enough to escape the monster. It always caught the runners, pulling their legs off before moving onto the head. Where the shades blended with the shadows of evening, the monster dove into and hopped between them as if the pools of darkness were lily pads on a pool of light. Eventually, it finished and no more shades walked the street. The lithe form twisted about to look at Clover and she spotted a familiar pair of yellow eyes. Just as she raised a hoof to speak, the images blew away in a passing gust. All Clover could do was stare down the mostly empty street with wide eyes and a slack jaw. “You alright?” Clover shook her head before turning towards the voice. “Y-yes, I’m fine.” The owner of the voice stared at her with a small smile. He remained silent for a moment, but before Clover could continue, he spoke. “Don’t worry ‘bout whatever ya saw too much, that stuff is nothing more than a bad memory now.” He winced when he glanced behind Clover and added. “Well, mostly anyhow.” Clover followed his quick look and gasped. The wooden cart was barely more than a heap of sawdust. However, the worst part was the splotch of dried blood that seemed to leak out from beneath the scrap. She spun to stare at the stallion with wide eyes. “W-what happened? Why is there blood? Why is the mess just left out? Why-“ The stallion cut her off with a tired voice. “I’ll answer your questions, but only one at a time.” Clover looked him in the eye and spotted lines etched there, far too many lines for how old he looked. She nodded before asking. “What’s your name?” “Hotshot.”
Ch 17 - decaying reason and wavering loyaltyA splotch of blue here. A splatter of red there. It was all coming together nicely. With a snap of my fingers, a dash of green blasted upward and exploded into a hundred different variations. One more stroke upon my work of art. From horizon to horizon, color plastered the sky. Yellows trailed into the jungles of green like the veins of an otherworldly creature. Browns creeped out from the edges of black voids that peaked through the canvas above. Purples radiated from oceans of blue, only to bleed into searing shades of scarlet. It was raining too, raining from that beautiful crimson stain on my sky. So sweet, so salty, so perfect. I won. I found a home. No, better, I made one! I made a place where I belong. I made a place where I could be happy, where none would judge me! I am home, I am fine. Funny, I thought the rain stopped a minute ago… Bah, there are more important things to worry about than rain! I turned from my work and began walking. My talon clicked on the gray bricks making up my road, but my hoof remained silent, no hooves here, they don’t exist, they don’t– One of the red and gold tentacle trees flinched but it, being the adorable thing that it is, still sent me a full-body wave. I paused for a moment to wave back, but I had places to be so I continued on. Purple grass moved with the non-existent wind, and I grinned at the bushes made of cheese. Looked like the things were spreading, damn near invasive if they’re this far out from the initial blast. I considered removing them, but that would be controlling chaos what a stupid idea that would be! I shook the thought from my head as I crested a hill. There were a couple more sceneries to pass through if I wanted to arrive by foot, but my hoof was aching from not existing so hard! With a hop, a skip, and a jump, I was there! Where? Nowhere of course! Though if I had to choose where Nowhere should be, it might as well be in a chair next to Discord. “Gah, can’t you ever give me some warning?” “That would establish a schedule Discord, an expectation, and I refuse to deal with anything of the sort!” He grumbled under his mutters, which themselves were under his breath while snapping away his bathtub! “Discord, are you complaining to me twice at the same time? My, you must really be getting the hang of your magic!” “Uh, thank you I suppose.” I spun out of my seat to float above Discord. “So, Discord, what have you been up to? It has been a minute, no?” He sighed. “You asked that like an hour ago.” “Yes, but that was then, this is now. Come on, I know you’re up to something, so spill the beans.” I conjured a jar of beans, guessing at what he wanted, and Discord frowned before chucking it at me. They, of course, splattered all over my face as the metal disappeared on contact. “Happy? But seriously Typhon, I’m still just getting used to the magic, it’s… being finicky.” I snorted. “finicky? Please, all you have to do is tell your magic what you want, and if you’re feeling picky, how to do it.” “Well, I do that but it doesn’t work.” “Because you don’t believe. Trust me, as corny and stupid as it sounds, our magic is based on us believing it’ll work. Heck, the only reason I worked it out so quickly was that I thought it was a dream!” I frowned before continuing. “Wait, no, not a dream, I thought I was someone else with the same powers that we have.” I shrugged and Discord sighed again. Maybe he should go see a doctor? Sighing that much cannot be good for him… or am I mixing that up with coughing? “Typhon, I really really don’t know what to tell you, I just need a bit of time to understand it better.” I rolled my eyes. I mean really, understanding chaos? People have tried before, but they’re all dead now, I think, and even they really only thought of chaos as entropy. No, chaos, true chaos, in this world is more an element of change, of unpredictability itself. I conjured a book of pony magic and dropped it on Discord’s head. “If you want to understand.” I shivered at the vile word but pushed on. “What you’re doing, then you might as well give up on chaos and just do what the ponies do. All orderly and the like. I keep telling you, chaos doesn’t need to be understood, but no, you–” “Ok ok, I got it, order bad chaos good. Seriously, you need to calm down, this obsession is getting unhealthy.” I cocked an eyebrow. “Like my obsession with being a monster?” “Yes! Exactly!” “Bah, I already solved that one, it was causing actual problems, this one just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” I hugged myself and let the buzz get louder, too bad yet another one of Discord’s sighs cut through it. Is he able to do anything else? Perhaps I need to teach him to switch things up a bit. “That’s not much better, but please tell me, what do you mean by saying that you ‘solved’ your previous obsession?” I perked up. “Oh, simple really, I stopped thinking of monsters as evil!” “Ok, I suppose that’s one way of going about it.” “Yep, monsters are just different, operating on unusual and exotic moral parameters!” “That’s… a bit of a fancy explanation coming from you, but sure, it makes some sense.” I waved a claw at him. “Pshaw, pshaw I say! These simple shards of my lexicon are hardly opulent compared to the more obfuscated and derelict pieces of my menagerie of words!” “I don’t think you used half the words in that sentence correctly.” “Bah, you understood what I was trying to say, that’s all that matters in the end.” Discord shook his head. “Whatever you say, Typhon, whatever you say.” I let the conversation die, content to let the warmth continue hugging my brain as I wove a cloud made of snakes into a sweater. Though a couple grunts of effort drew my attention back to Discord. He had his eyes fixed on his hand as he gritted his teeth and forced some sparks out with a snap. Trying to force chaos, when will he learn? It’s just belief. “Discord, you want something to drink?” He looked up at me with a tilt to his head, suspicion clouding his eyes, but nodded anyway. “Well, what are you waiting for? There's a whole case behind you, it’s your favorite.” He shot me a grin before reaching behind himself and grabbing a bottle from nothing. “Fanta? Oh ho, you do have some sense left after all! Wait, this wasn’t here a moment ago, when did you summon this?” I grinned right back. “I didn’t, you conjured it yourself.” His eyes went wide. “But you said–” “So I lied, what’s the big deal?” “Well, I don’t like being lied to.” “Understandable, counterpoint, you just used chaos magic.” He blinked once, twice, three times, can we get a fourth? Nope, he stopped blinking, please start blinking again, it’s getting creepy. “What?” “You did hear me, right? You–” “Yes yes I heard, but how? When? Why?”. I chuckled before answering. “Because you believed! Just now. And because you believed!” I spread my arms apart, revealing a rainbow, except mine had blackjack and– “Gah, Typhon, put that away!” “But it’s my rainbow! It has–” “Yes, I can see, now put it away!” “Fine.” With a flip of the paw and a swipe of the claw, the beautiful, improved rainbow vanished without a trace. Ok, that’s a lie, the goat was still yodeling in the distance somewhere, but it was mostly without a trace! Silence crept back into the conversation as Discord tried to replicate his earlier achievement. Two more bottles of Fanta, to his excitement, were drawn from behind himself. Hopefully, he moves on soon, I don’t know how much longer I can go on without real company! Well, besides Discord that is. You can only talk so much with one guy before all conversation points start getting repetitive. Especially when you have most of each other’s memories. But I’m not going to leave him all alone, I’m not a pony. I sighed as I settled onto an invisible hammock. Woe is me, nothing to do! I mean, it’s not like I can create puzzles, lay traps, or invent things. Nope, absolutely nothing to do. I snorted at the thought, letting the threads of bent space dig into my skin a bit. For some reason, my ribcage was beginning to itch. Oh well, hopefully, it goes away soon. I closed my eyes, ready to fall into the comforting void of sleep, but a strange sound rang through my ears. “What was that?” Discord glanced up at me. “What?” “That ‘ping.’ sound, like one of those customer service bells when you smack it.” Discord rolled his eyes before going back to fiddling with his pop. I made to tap him on the shoulder to remind him that ignoring people is rude. But then another ‘ping’ rang through my head. Once was strange, but twice though… It was still strange, wonder what could- ‘Ping’ Ok, I get it, I need to go check on something. As if I needed any- ‘PING’ “OK, I’M COMING. Seriously when did I install…” A low murmur droned through the tavern, causing Clover to frown. Was it really necessary to meet up here of all places? The place was cleaner than she thought it would be at first glance, and the kitchen smelled of well-made stew and fresh bread. But it was still too loud. She flicked her ears a few times to clear out some of the ringing. “...five-hundred, I’m tellin' ya the count was five-hundred!...” Clover tried to tune out the background conversations, it was rude to eavesdrop, but a few snippets still reached her here and there. “...I heard that Sourdough opened up the bakery again…” It was annoying, to say the least, but some of what was said. “I-I’m tellin' ya Brick, that damned monster wiped 'em all out. P-please, I know I talk too much sometimes, but…” disturbed her. Clover took a deep breath and focused on the wood grain of the table in front of her. It was a simple chestnut brown, the creases went perpendicular to the lines on the floor, and— “Shadup! Just shadup! I don’t wanna talk ‘bout that damn monster no more!” Clover thought about trying to zone in on some of these talks, but she wasn’t a spy! “...Hey, hey bro, ya know the barkeep? Yeah her, well I heard that…” Why was Hotshot taking so long? His rounds should’ve been over by now He’d said that he would answer her questions after he finished, and apparently, even a royal medallion couldn’t get him to end his patrol early, even just a bit. She scanned the crowd for the stallion. Something about ‘after what’s happened recently, best for me to just keep on as I have been. Ponies might get worried if I up and disappear on them.’ “...You think there’ll be another wave?...” Clover had to concede that something had set the town on edge. The glassy-eyed guards, the nervous ponies, this tavern talk, and the… vision were all proof of that. But she still couldn’t get a good answer out of anypony. Every time she would try to ask directly, the pony would clam up! She snorted in frustration, but before she decided to get up to go order something, Hotshot strolled in through the door. Finally, some answers. She waved a hoof and after a moment of searching, Hotshot spotted her. “...No, that thing killed too many. We wouldn’t be worth a second try. I hope…” He wove between the tables full of muttering ponies, stopping a time or two to have a word with somepony, but he always moved on before he could get dragged into whatever conversation was going on. He sighed when he plopped into a chair at Clover’s otherwise empty table. Clover tapped her hooves on the wooden surface with a smile while staring at Hotshot. The guard eyed her for a moment. “Well, have at it.” Clover took a deep breath to calm herself. “Alright, first, what happened?” “What?” “Why is this town so on edge? The gate guards were acting strange, the market was almost empty, and I didn’t see a single pegasus flying on my way here! Not to mention the bits and pieces I’ve been hearing in this place!” “Nopony tell ya?” Clover’s smile strained, and she had to force herself to answer through gritted teeth. “Nope.” He sighed. “Rebels came. Don’t rightly know exactly what happened, but one moment we had wave after wave of pegasi droppin’ on us like hail.” He paused, looking down at the table. “The next, they were dead. Little more than a pile o’ bones. Stacked up real nice too.” “What do you mean ‘then they were dead,’ what killed them? How did it kill them?” “Dunno, it was just a black splotch whenever I looked at it, and if I stared for too long, I’d start feeling sick. Something was off with whatever killed those ponies.” He narrowed his eyes at Clover. “Though I don’t know what, and I don’t really wanna know.” Clover pulled back with a snort. “Alright, then what do you know?” He cocked an eyebrow “Didn’t I just tell ya?” Clover took a deep breath. “Yes, but do you know anything more helpful? ‘Something came, killed a lot of ponies, and then left' doesn’t really tell me where to look.” “Well, the local orphanage has been complainin’ about strange feelings and reported a few more of those visions…” “And?” Hotshot frowned. “And that’s about it. I’ve been a bit busy with helping keep what’s left of the town together after this whole disaster. Every guard with any heart left is.” He went to get up but paused before adding. “Probably need to tell ya that you can find the orphanage down Seventh street, it’s the cleanest building there. Should also probably let ya know that Seventh is between ninth and tenth street.” “Alright, I guess I’ll- wait, what? Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be-” “After Sixth street, I know. Nopony has any clue why it’s there, ok?” Clover shook her head before nodding. “Alright, thank you for your time, Mr. Hotshot. I have to go now.” “Good luck.” Clover trotted through the tavern and out the door, trying to maintain a sedate pace, but she caught one last bit of gossip on the way out. “...Damn visions near the ol’ carrot stand, things are spread—” The words really didn’t register to Clover, she was more focused on the weight on her back and the path ahead. Once she set hoof on the street, Clover pulled a bundle of cloth from her saddlebag. The golden medallion glowed brighter than a torch in the night when she pulled away it's wrapping. Should I report? The few ponies trotting through the street didn’t spare her a glance, but Clover still felt a bit exposed out in the open. I’ll do it later. With a short sigh, Clover stuffed the medallion back into her pack and trotted down the street. 2nd street, 3rd street, 4th street… The occasional clang of metal being forged rang through the streets, and the muted voices of distant conversations reached her ears. 6th street, 8th street… Clover stopped in front of a small wooden sign that hung off the corner of a building, marking the glorified alley as ‘7th street.’ She snorted as a look ahead and behind confirmed the stupidity of the street’s location. Whatever, I have more important things to do. With that, she began walking down the alleyway. Cracked building after dilapidated house passed by as she went, but eventually, she came across a multistoried home that almost shone in the evening light. Maybe. Clover ripped the medallion from its hiding place and had to squint against the glaring golden light coming from it. With a hiss, she thrust it back to where it was. Yep, he was here. She stepped up to the door and knocked. But nobody came. She knocked again. The door remained shut. Oh, for the love of-! She raised her hoof to try a third time, but the door swung inward to reveal an orange earthpony. The bags under her eyes stared unblinkingly at Clover and the poor mare’s mane was horribly tangled. What happened? The mare broke the awkward silence. “What do you want?” Clover let her hoof fall as she brought a royal seal out of the bag with a flick of magic. “I’m here on royal business and request entry into this… establishment.” The orange mare stared at her for a moment before spinning to walk back into the building. Clover followed soon after. The door shut with a thunk and the mare sat down behind a counter. “Alright, what do you need help with ma’am.” Clover forced a smile to match the fake pep in the mare’s voice. “I don’t really need any help, I just need to check a few things and go.” The mare tilted her head, confusion written on her face. “Are you sure?” “Very, you can go back to whatever you were doing before and I’ll be gone in a moment.” The mare sighed in relief before nodding at Clover and trotting through a doorway off to the side. Clover took a deep breath as she brought out the medallion again. Here goes nothing. She touched the hunk of magic metal with her horn… And gasped in shock and pain. What the buck is that? A jagged tear, in reality, seemed to glare angrily back at her, but when Clover pulled away from the medallion, it vanished. Several walls stood between her and the monstrous rip in space. I-I don’t know anypony else who could do that. Sh-should I call in? Clover sat down, mouth hanging from the creeping anxiety tickling her mind. The Princess asked me to, I should report, I should- An image of Typhon’s head rolling across the floor flashed through her mind. She-she’s my ruler, I c-can’t ignore her. A memory jabbed into Clover’s mind, piercing her loyalty like an arrow through paper. A white alicorn towered over her, looking down at Clover like a mother would a child. “I am sorry, but this was necessary. Please understand that, while it wasn’t my intention, this outcome may very well have been the best one possible. Typhon would hate being caged like an animal, and Equestria cannot afford his antics at the moment.” In Clover’s eyes, Celestia looked regal, daunting, and cold, like a mountain’s peak or a horizon-spanning glacier. Clover shook her head and marched towards the hole in reality. I can message her later, this comes first. She came to a stop in some sort of living room. It was mostly empty save for a couch, a carpet, and the chaotic residue of some supremely powerful spell. Clover glared at the scar hanging in the air, resembling a nigh-invisible set of white stitches woven through an unseen cloth. Her legs twitched and her magic coiled. I…I hope he listens. She tenderly slid a thread of mana through the seams of the spatial wound. He was a good guy, he’ll probably listen. He’s got to! The thought was made with conviction, with purpose, with confidence! …and yet, it did nothing to ease the tension in her chest. Author's Note Hey guys! Long time no see, I've had a minor case of College Kicking My Teeth in Syndrome, finals and the like. Im over it now though, and hope to make the best of this short reprieve. Hope ya enjoy, and don't forget to leave a comment!
Ch 18 - The Past Came Trotting BackI scowled as I flew through Nowhere. The ‘ping’s rang through my head over and over like some sort of alarm clock. Clouds made of snakes hissed at me as I passed and drops of colored rain pelted me. I was tempted to snap it all away, but this was my home and I’m a perfectly reasonable adult. Throwing a tantrum over little things like these wouldn’t do anyone any good. I snorted in annoyance as I reached the seeming source of the nuisance. A small rip in the fabric of Nowhere pulsed a sickly green, as if it were an infected wound upon space itself. My brows descended further as I landed on a hill next to it. I thought I patched this hole up a while ago! I mean, I’m all for chaos and whatnot, but leaving a mess is still not acceptable! I glanced around, a few trees made of pretzels creaked as they twisted to look at me with red gumdrop eyes. Hardened, stale licorice grass cracked and popped as a passing breeze blew a few over. What in the world is making the racket? Discord and I should be the only non-plants in here! ‘Ping’ I glared at the green hole in Nowhere… and spotted a tiny thread of magic. Every mote of magic that entered melted away as the sheer amount of chaos in the environment destabilized it. What is going on? Who the hell is trying to get into my home?! I stepped up to the opening, grabbed the edges of it, and ripped it open like a pair of old curtains. On the other side lay a living room. A carpet, a couple chairs, a couch, and… and a pony. A familiar one at that. A very familiar one. “Um hi?” Their voice didn’t quite register to me, too many memories were blazing a warpath through my mind. “I-I have a few things to say, i-if you don’t mind listening?” My face was flat, my ears were deaf, and my head burned. “I made a few mistakes, a few terrible terrible mistakes, and I hope you can forgive me, given time…” Remorse? They expect me to buy that they feel remorse? Hah hah, I should laugh. I should be cackling in fits of laughter at this nonsense! I mean, really, really, you think I will actually do that? Forgive you? Their voice gained strength as the apology continued “…and I’m willing to wait! I understand what I did, and how much it probably hurt…” Do you? Do you really? “That day, the day I- I betrayed you. It haunts me.it haunts me every night when I close my eyes.” Yes, my head rolling down the floor must have been so traumatizing for you. “And, I know you’ll never forget, but could you give me another chance? Please? I promise to do better this time!” Second chance? The second chance was in the maw of the trap, all you had to do was say something, anything against what they were doing. And you failed. Clover, Starswirl’s apprentice, my best friend, and betrayer, looked up at me with hope-filled eyes. That expression, is that how I looked back then, so happy, naive, gullible? No wonder the Princesses treated me like a child. So I smiled. It hurt, hurt in places I didn’t know I had, but I smiled anyway. “Yes, Clover, I forgive you, now come along, we have a bit of catching up to do!” She tilted her head in confusion. “That’s it? No, trials, no proof, nothing?” I scoffed and waved a paw. “Oh please! If you weren’t sincere, I would’ve known. It’s fine. Now let’s go have a nice long chat over a spot of tea. It has been a while, right?” She grinned at me. Clover the Gullible grinned at me. Oh yes, I know you’re “sincere.” Sincere in your own self-centered hogwash. You have no idea what the incident at the Tower really felt like, but you will, Clover. Oh, you most certainly will. The world twisted and refocused as I warped Clover and me to a better location. The Core Plains are a fun place to visit every once in a while, but I wanted something a bit more atmospheric. The ground spun in an infinite spiraling pattern upwards, turning my psychedelic sky into a whirlpool of earth. Meanwhile, ribbons of living sand danced in the air, hopping from strip to strip of sky-bound ground. See? Atmosphere! Tea isn’t the same when you drink it just anywhere. “W-what is this place? Typhon, what’s going on?” I waved a paw and shot her a grin. “Oh, don’t worry about it too much. I just brought us to a more interesting location. The Core Plains are a bit bland for my taste.” “Bland? You call that insane place ‘bland’?” I rolled my eyes. “Yes I do, what of it?” Clover decided to simply remain quiet at that. Rude, I asked a question! Bah, whatever, it’s not like it’s the worst thing she’s done to me. With a snap of the fingers, a table stood up from the dirt, shook itself clean, and trotted up to us. A pair of chairs unfolded from nothing stuck themselves into the ground. “Go ahead, take a seat. Might I ask what kind of tea you prefer? Chamomile, jasmine, veggidog?” Clover opened her mouth to answer, but choked on her words before eventually spitting out. “-veggidog?… is that really a kind of tea?” I smiled at her, for once it was genuine. “Well, why wouldn’t it be? Isn’t tea just any herbal water?” Clover's face screwed up while she sat down. “Well… I mean yes, but there’s more to it. For instance, you boil veggiedogs and steep tea!” I snapped up a cup of coffee and set it down in front of Clover. “Well, by that logic, certain chili’s that I know of would also be considered tea!” Clover’s frown deepened, so I let out a sigh and added. “Let’s just agree that tea is subjective and leave it at that. It’s probably for the best.” “I guess… that isn’t veggiedog tea is it?” I waved a claw while grasping a mug of fizzy liquid. “Oh heavens no! Coffee for you and a little something from far away for me.” She gave me a confused glance but decided to turn to her own cup instead. “So…” I raised an eyebrow in response, and after a moment of quiet, she continued. “I should probably tell you that…” She trailed off, not quite able to force the words out “That…” Again she tried, and again she failed, I suppose 'third time's the charm'. “… that I’m working for Celestia.” She flinched at my snort but eased into confusion when I began to laugh. Really? You betrayed me once, then come crawling back while in the service of my murderer, and then tell me about it? Are all ponies this stupid, or is this part of the ‘proving your remorse’ crap? “I thought you’d like to know. I lied about it last time so I. I wanted to be a bit more open this time.” She shone a bright, brittle at me, the edges of her mouth quivering in place. It only made me laugh harder. What a joke. “Haha, I appreciate it, Clover, I really do.” I wiped a tear from my eye before continuing. “But a word of the wise, maybe don’t risk your life by revealing secrets, hmm? I mean, I like honesty and all, but there’s a fine line between being open and sticking out your neck.” I had my suspicions, but this made it seem far too easy. Well, maybe there’s more to it. Maybe it’s her showing her hand to bring my guard down? Maybe she’s being tracked and doesn’t want me to be surprised. Or is she trying to draw attention away from that possibility with an equally appalling alternative? It doesn’t matter in the end, I’ll just tell Discord to keep an eye on things. Oh wait, Discord… he’d probably appreciate a heads-up. “Are you alright Typhon?” “Hm?” I looked up from my mug to see Clover’s worried face mere inches from mine. I flinched, I mean, I wasn’t scared or anything, but personal space, Clover! “I asked if you were alright.” “Yes I’m perfectly fine, why do you ask?” She paused for a moment but pushed onwards despite her obvious apprehension. “Well, you just went quiet. So…” I rolled my eyes again. “I’m just trying to remember if I left my stove on or not.” She raised a hoof, probably getting ready to ask if I really had a stove. However, she set it back down without a word. I spun up a clone out of view and sent him off to inform Discord about this development while the conversation lulled. “Do. Do you really forgive me? I. It can’t have been easy, I-“ I waved her off. “Yes, yes, I forgave you. I didn’t forget, mind you, but holding onto grudges isn’t exactly productive.” It really isn’t, but it’s not like I’m doing anything else anyway. Clover seemed to relax a bit at that, sagging in her chair and some tension leaving her shoulders. “Though, I am curious about how you managed to find me. I don’t exactly live in a hub of civilization and I don’t remember leaving much of a trail behind.” Clover stiffened again and gave a nervous chuckle. “About that, I, well, you see…” “Oh, calm down and spit it out already.” She froze in place, but a moment later she brought a strange medallion out of her saddle bag. The damnable hunk of metal shone like the noonday sun, and I hissed while covering my eyes. “Gah, my eyes!” The light disappeared but left behind several blank circles on my vision. “Oh great, give me a moment.” I popped my eyes out, rubbed them with a towel I conjured up, and tossed them back into their sockets so I could more effectively glare at Clover. “Was there a point to that, or is blinding people with your participation medals just a hobby?” Clover pawed the ground with a sheepish smile. “Uh, that medallion glows whenever it’s exposed to your magic, I didn’t think it would get that bright.” If my eyes didn’t ache like an ancient man’s kneecaps, they would be violently rolling, possibly even towards Clover to strangle her for their plight. “Nice, kindly leave that thing wherever you put it. Believe it or not, I can still feel pain.” Clover cringed further downward before nodding. Seriously, are all ponies really this stupid? The fact that I keep asking that question probably answers it. I sighed while grasping the bridge of my snout. “So you said that it glows when near my magic, care to elaborate?” She perked up before responding. “Oh yeah, that. Everypony leaves behind a sort of manatrail, sort of like hoofprints but with magic, so Celestia just keyed it to your mana signature…” Celestia… is her case more betrayal or simply attempted murder? I mean, it’s not like she pretended to be my friend, she just acted friendly in general… Is there a difference? Does it matter? Food for thought I suppose. I didn’t voice my concerns so Clover continued. “… and I just followed the path. I mean, it’s not an actual path or trail or whatever, but I could still figure out which way you went by seeing which areas have the older mana trails.” “Interesting, is there anything else I should know about that fancy little medal?” I scratched my chin as she looked away. “It, uh, lets me talk to Celestia directly. It’s a sending stone of sorts.” Wow from mere apprentice to spy that reports directly to the Princess! My, betraying your friends and morals does wonders for your career path around here! I grinned at the thought. Too bad I never betrayed mine, no, I just redefined them. I took another sip of my drink and let the conversation die. We spent a few minutes like that, drinking in silence before I spoke up, dropping the mask of false happiness. “Do they remember me?” Clover almost jumped out of her own skin but recovered quickly. “I’m sorry, what?” “Do they remember me? The people at the Tower?” Clover stared blankly at me for a moment before making an ‘o’ sound and answering. “Some do, but no one really talks about you. Starswirl, well, he went a bit nuts after you left. He got so paranoid and creepy.” Her voice began to waver. “He was talking about using the last of your magic to try rewriting reality itself, just to erase you from memory entirely.” She shuddered. “Thankfully, the Princess stepped in to put a stop to it before he got somepony hurt. I hope he’s alright.” Yes, I hope so too, I hope he got a promotion to become Celestia’s court wizard or something like that. Because I just got a wonderful idea. “Say, Clover, do you think Celestia felt bad for her actions?” Again, Clover paused, and her answer took nearly a minute to reach me. “I don’t know. She put on the royal mask around me, but I’m sure she’s a good pony so she probably does regret it. Maybe. I think?” She looked up at me with a face full of apprehension. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry, I wanted to bludgeon this moron with a hammer. I did none of that and instead said. “Maybe she just needs a little reminder. Do you think she’d be willing to apologize? If so, I just might find it in me to forgive her.” Clover’s face lit up with joy. “You mean that? You really mean that?!” I chuckled and flashed a fake smile. “Of course, Clover, of course, I do.” Maybe Celestia does feel remorse, maybe she will apologize. Maybe, heh heh, maybe she’ll even get on her knees and beg. It won’t matter, none of it will. It didn’t matter when I tried, so why should it with them? My smile gained strength and I began to laugh and laugh and laugh. All of these thoughts, these plans, they made me feel so warm. And that can’t be a bad thing… Right? Discord was fiddling with a fountain of Fanta. The thing kept spraying way too far up and he just couldn’t get the pressure right! It wasn’t a complicated affair or anything, it was all just magic, but he still couldn’t get it quite right. Discord sighed as the latest iteration exploded, covering him in the drink. How many tries will it take? With a snap of the fingers, the mess was gone and a new fountain floated in front of him. Maybe- “Hello, Discord, how are you doing?” Discord rolled his eyes at the sound of the familiar voice. “Pretty alright, got this project I’m working on, but don’t you have anything better to do? I thought you left just an hour or two ago!” Seriously, didn’t Typhon have anything better to do? This better be good. Typhon chuckled. It seemed pretty normal to Discord, but it felt… off, fake even, as if the words were being spoken through a phone of sorts. “Yes, actually, I just sent this clone to fill you in. I don’t want you walking in unawares, and leaving you in the dark seems far too pony-like for me” Another round of ethereal chuckles graced Discord’s ears. “Well, what is it then? I, for once, am a bit busy.” The clone of Typhon smiled, every single tooth shining a glittering white. “We got a visitor.” And so, they talked. At first, Discord was skeptical. All the previous times Typhon got involved with ponies, things went poorly. But then, he heard the plan. The simple, deliciously satisfying plan. The clone began to laugh, and Discord along with him. They cackled, guffawed, and giggled too because the ponies would finally understand. Author's Note aight, I've already announced it on my profile and in a blog, but for those of you who've missed those. I made a discord server! https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4 Join and get the @reader role to ask me questions about the story and what not. I'll be using it for any of my active stories, but this one is the only story I'm actively working on at the moment, so no worries about useless spam.
Ch 19 - Which is Greater, Journey or Destination?“Are you sure you won’t come with me, Typh- Pathfinder? I mean, you’ve been around a bit so you should-“ I glossed over her slip-up with the wave of a hoof. “Oh no, I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Clover gave me a skeptical look before sighing. “Fine, just meet me up again at the north side gate.” I made sure to put on my widest smile. “See you then!” And promptly trotted in the opposite direction. I passed a few ponies as I went. A few stood behind food stands, some in front of them, and a couple were even daring enough to be walking down the street. They all walk the same damnable path every damnable day. All smiles and ‘friendship’ and ‘harmony,’ right up until you’re different. I passed a familiar stand. I didn’t necessarily stop there often, but it was still a nice place for carrots when the craving struck me. Too bad it was little more than a pile of splinters now. What happened, do ponies really not know how to clean up after themselves? I gave the flattest of looks at the mess, and it turned to a glare when I spotted the blood. Seriously, what the hell happened? “Uhm, sir, might I ask what you’re lookin' at?” I turned to see a guardspony unicorn wearing poor-fitting armor with a too-big sword strapped to his shoulder. “Oh, nothing much, just a mess that nopony bothered cleaning up. Might I ask why there’s blood under the… debris.” The guard’s head tilted and his voice asked a question his words failed to ask. “Uh, ya weren’t here for the attack?” He shook his head before continuing. “I guess we do still have ponies driftin' in. There was a military assault on the town a couple weeks back. That cart, well, anypony who comes near it sees… visions. Memories. Some even say scars.” I rolled my eyes before turning back to the pile of wood scrap that was once a cart. “What a load of nonsense.” I left behind a cloud of smoke, a shocked guard, and a clean spot on the road. Who knew ashes smelled so nice? I didn’t spot any more messes that required my attention, but something still felt… off. There was still the faint ding of metal being forged. Conversations still reached my ears on passing winds. The smell of bread still wafted to my nose. But the metal rang hollow. The talks were hushed. And the bread’s smell was tainted with a metallic sweetness. It was like a piece of the town’s soul was missing. As if ripped out by a clawed hand. So I continued drifting down Mane street. I nodded at a few ponies, some ignored me, a few nodded back. Not to me, Typhon, but to the mask, Pathfinder. It was so easy, slipping back into the lie. Far too easy. Like simply putting on a familiar jacket. There might be a tear or two, but it was still functional, and that was all that mattered. Eventually, I felt a rumble in my fake stomach, so I veered off to the side where the bakery was. I had a donut, a jelly-filled affair with a light glazing. After finishing my snack, I found myself in front of a quite familiar inn. I wonder if my room is still as it was? Nah, I've been gone for too long. The door creaked slightly as it swung inward, revealing a packed room. I strolled through the maze of tables, tuning out the idle buzz along the way, and found a seat at the end of the counter. The rest were filled by a group of stallions roaring with laughter. I think I heard something about “oatmeal, are you crazy?!” But honestly, it wasn’t all that important. “Well, I’ll be a wee pile of scurvy bats, yer actually back?” I smiled at the familiar accent of the barkeep. Barkeep… never really caught her name, did I? “Yes ma’am, only for a short while though, I’m heading out of town quite soon. Just… taking a short trip down memory lane before I go.” I looked up to see a raised eyebrow on the large mare. “Aye, I can understand that, but didn’t ya blow in only like a month ago though? A bit short of a time to be so attached.” I shook my head at that. “Yeah, it’s not much time, but I kinda started a business, found a semi-permanent home, met a few friends, and a hobby before the…” I trailed off, letting her figure it out herself. “Aye, that’d do it.” “Hey barkeep, me an’ the guys all want another round. Put it on my tab, I got the bits tonight!” There was a round of cheers and table-stomping applause as the barkeep slid off the counter to do her job. She tried to come back a couple times but was pulled away by one group of drinkers or another. I waved her off, and simply sat to listen. Not to the words being thrown around by the unreasonable number of drunks, but to the emotions around me. I heard flimsy bravado and forced cheer from the group of off-duty guards to my side. I saw anxiety radiating from a quartet of stallions at a nearby table. I felt a blank emptiness when making passing eye contact with ponies in a booth across the room. There were more ponies here than I’d ever seen before, more words being used, and there was an annoying drone in the air that wasn’t present before. Yet it felt emptier all the same, like this place was a lamp for a thousand lost moths searching for a moon, only to be disappointed by a paltry flame. They sought comfort, didn’t they… Well, all they’ll find are pretty, white lies. That’s all I ever got, no matter who I pretended to be. I let a snort voice my opinion of these fools, but before I could stand to leave, a familiar voice called out. “Leavin so soon, Pathfinder?” I turned a grin on a tired-looking Hotshot. “Well I was, but then somepony gave me a reason not to! Tell me, how’s it been since we talked last time?” He smiled back, sitting down on a vacant seat next to me. Strange, I thought there was a guard- oh there he is… yeah, probably made a pass at the barkeep. “Well, things have been goin’ that’s for sure.” He slumped a little with a sigh. “Not goin’ much of anywhere but it’s goin’.” I nodded at that. “Oh, I’ve been there before, friend. Granted, probably not to the same extent, but still.” He chuckled at the words, though any semblance of humor was distinctly absent. “Yeah, ya don’t know the half of it.” He got a cider, I stuck with water, and we let the low buzz of the inn fill our ears. “…Brick please…” “…like I said yesterday, the count was…” “…I dunno, feels like the thing is…” It was getting harder to tune out the meaningless chatter. “Pathfinder?” “Yes?” “Ya lookin’ for a job?” “Uh, no, why do you ask?” Hotshot sent me a sideways glance. “Cause the town guard needs more ponies, especially ones that stand their ground.” I wonder just how desperate they are if the guard’s trying to find recruits like this. “No, not interested.” He raised an eyebrow. “That was a mighty quick answer.” I shook my head. “I’m heading out of town today, I just won’t be here for any kind of job pretty soon!” I forced another smile, and judging how Hotshot’s eyes narrowed, I didn’t do a good job. Not every lie can stick I suppose. “Are ya alright, Path?” I bobbed my head from side to side for a moment before responding. “Kind of am, kind of not, I’m a bit in between where I want to be and where I am.” Wonder what kind of useless platitude he’s going to spout off this time. Maybe ‘don’t worry, it’ll get better,’ or the ‘I’ve been where you’re at’ nonsense? He turned to face me completely. “Are ya in trouble? Can I help in any way? If it’s the---“ “No! No, I’m not in any trouble, just a bit lost is all.” His face softened at that and he turned back to his drink. “Alright, I can get that, I didn’t really know where I wanted to be when I joined the guard…” Called it. He added. “… but that don’t mean it’s for everypony. I hope ya find what you’re lookin’ for out on the road.” I- what do I even respond with? Hotshot pushed on despite my silence. “Though, I gotta ask, who hurt ya?” I froze. I could lie, I mean they do it all the time, they do it with repercussions, they… I’m not ‘them,’ I’m nothing like ‘them.’ My voice sounded so grand before in Nowhere, full of presence in one way or another. But now, it just felt small. It felt like I was speaking through a straw filled with gravel and dead souls. “Somepony that I trusted.” He nodded at that. “I don’t know how it felt, and I don’t think ya’d care for the sayin’s, but I’m here if ya ever want help anyhow.” The warmth and buzz that ruled my head seemed to dim at that. I think I took one too many steps down memory lane. It’s time to move on. I took a deep breath before standing up and tossing a few bits next to my empty mug. “Sorry, Hotshot, but I have to go. See you next time.” Hotshot just nodded. I wove between the tables again, and let the creaky door drift shut behind me. The sun glared down at me from its position at high noon. I could almost feel each individual ray of its light as its radiant gaze tried to pierce me. Why did it burn? Where did the warmth go? Why is everything so clear? I shook my head in confusion as I stumbled down the street. I was given a few odd looks, but the intense experience of being totally aware of each sensation individually was far more concerning. Why is it so cold? It felt like I’d just woken up from a long dream, from a nightmare, and that my body was trying to regain its full functionality. I found myself in front of a very familiar street. One that I walked down a hundred times… I’ve already gone too far, what’s one more stop on this little trip? I gathered my senses and stepped forward. As I passed out of sight of the street ponies, I wove a cloak of invisibility around myself. For some reason, most ponies didn’t seem to recognize me. Perhaps they were too absorbed in their own little worlds to notice Pathfinder in the first place. Perhaps not… Whatever the case may be, they would remember me. They would come out and ask where I’ve been, they would lie again. I’m tired of the lies. I trudged onward, keeping the magic strong, and stopped in front of a specific building. It was multiple stories in height, had glass windows filled with light, and I could just barely hear the sounds of children laughing without a plight. The sign above the front door read Sunshine Smiles. How many times did I stand here? How many times did I look at this place from this exact spot? A dozen? A hundred perhaps? I could feel the sides of divots that I dug into the gravel–a reminder of the mark I left upon this place. Every day, I’d trot my happy little rear right up to this exact spot and admire the view. I’d see the cracks in the walls, the empty windows, and dim lights, and smile as I made them all disappear beneath this humble facade. It pretended to be better than those around it. It pretended that it was different. It wasn't, it really really wasn’t. I mended the boards that held it up, I installed the glass in those windows, I pieced it back together from the splinters the invaders reduced it to. And yet, when the lies stopped, they screamed, they ran, they cast me out. It seems that I never fixed the deepest problem after all. I felt a fire ignite in the pit of my stomach, burning with blissful rage. Yet my mind felt frigid. I did so much for them, I gave them everything they could’ve wanted! And in return? I got tears and regret. Why is my face wet? Is there rain? I didn’t see any clouds. I shook my head as I let my thoughts blunder onward. Memory after memory surfaced from the ocean of my mind. Each attempted to drag me back into the depths of complacency. They tried to get me to go back. I grit my teeth at the thought, that idiotic, foolish thought. And felt the fire in my gut rise as the ice in my head fell. Go back? Why would I ever go back? What do I owe these ponies? Every damned time I try to get close, I get burned. First the damned towns, then the tower, and this time, this time… Why do I bother? Why do I care? What draws me to them? I can’t fathom it anymore… Was it hope? Was it a memory from before all this? Was I just an idiot? Why am I doing any of this? My chest burned and froze at the same time as a blizzard of hate met an inferno of anger. I felt my jaw tense and my teeth grind as the stream of questions continued, but the sound of an opening door cut them off. A little white batpony trotted forward. Her small head swung from side to side as she went on, coming straight towards me. She came to a stop right next to me and turned back to the orphanage ahead of us. Why is she here, how did she know, can batponies just see through invisibility or- “The hoofprints gave you away.” Oh. She continued. “It’s been a while.” I remained silent. “It’s been going well back here since you left.” I didn’t respond, I refused to. “Sweetie finally got over her lisp, Crimson got his cutie mark in pyromancy, and we got a new set of plates as donations.” The swirling spirals of heat and cold mixed together to form a familiar warmth in the core of my being. And that warmth began to climb. What was the point of this? “…they miss you.” What? “Ms. Heart, Sweetie Drop, Crimson, heck even Sugarplum, everypony misses you.” Nonsense, absolutely moronic nonsense! “It’s true, I don’t know how I can prove it but-“ “When do the lies end?” My voice croaked beneath the weight of emotion, but I still forced the words out. “Because I never saw it, I never saw the end of the lies. Why would I believe you, the epitome of the reason I despise you ponies?” I forced my mouth closed with an audible click. It took her a moment to respond, she went to speak but sighed before doing so. “I don’t know. I do know that they miss you, that I miss you, that we all wished you’d come back, and that they worry.” “They can ‘miss’ me all they want, the lies never ended…” I trailed off. What was there left to say? To do? This all felt so pointless. Little Liar opened her mouth, doubtless so that she could spout off more lies, more falsehoods, but the door to Sunshine Smiles swung open on well-oiled hinges. “Distorted Gale, what are you doing out here? Get back inside!” Little Liar glanced at me one last time before running up to Ms. Heart. I felt the urge to say something, anything, to ask ‘why?’ But I didn’t. Instead, I let the warmth envelope my head once more. The warmth didn’t lie, the warmth didn’t make me hurt, it just felt… good, it made me feel comfortable. It was like I was standing in front of a hearth, huddled beneath a pile of blankets. The buzz returned and I barely heard the door slam shut. I wandered some more through the town, admiring the scenery from a new point of view. It wasn’t empty, oh no, this place wasn’t missing anything. It simply gained something instead. Something wonderful, something they deserved. They gained perspective, perspective on what a monster could truly do. I smiled beneath my magic, smiled so deeply that it hurt. The world around me blurred as the gate to the outside appeared seemingly from nowhere. I spotted Clover frantically swinging her head around, probably in search of me. I could leave here and now, I could disappear without a trace. I know her trick, I know the secret. If I simply jump through space and clean up my signature behind me… They would never find me again, I would be left alone. But then they would go on, believing that they were right, thinking that they were above the consequences of their actions. That what they did to me was justified or unimportant. No, I could leave, I could vanish, but I won’t. Not until they learn. So, with a head full of comfort and a smile wide as the horizon, I stepped close to Clover and whispered. “Just tell them to let you out, I’ll go through as you do.” Clover froze and nodded before turning to the gate guard. “Alright, I guess he’s not coming, just open up and I’ll be on my way.” The unicorn’s horn glowed for a moment as a scan ran across Clover and the large doors creaked open. She stepped through and I followed while my magic concealed me. And we were out, just like that. The gravel road crunched beneath us as we trotted along. I remember this path, it was the one I chased the invaders out on. I wonder how many bones are hidden in the road? I shook my head as we passed a sign. It was made of wood and the words on it were all smudged up, as if they were made of gray paint that got violently scraped by an indignant artist. Strangely, the warmth grew more intense when I glanced at them. Probably best to simply leave well enough alone. Curiosity hadn’t been my friend so far… Then again, it’d been a far better companion than many. Clover and I reached the edge of the forest, so I dropped my invisibility and my disguise. My more chaotic form popped and clicked as bones settled back into their correct places. “Ugh, can you be a bit quieter about that? It’s, eugh.” She dry heaved at a particularly meaty wet crack that emanated from my spine. “Yes, actually, getting all of my bones in order is quite important to me. So while I understand it might be a tad off-putting, it is very necessary.” I shrugged, continuing by saying, “If you really can’t handle it, then why don’t you go off into the forest a bit and make your report to your Princess? I remember you being a bit antsy about the whole situation.” Clover gasped before making to go. “Yeah, I completely forgot! Thanks for the reminder, I’ll be right back.” “Oh, and please keep the fact that I’m coming back with you to yourself.” She froze in place, hoof raised mid-stride. “What?” I chuckled. “Oh, I just want it to be a surprise is all! Besides, if they knew I’m coming, they might get all twisted up over everything and overthink things.” I twisted my neck, several more pops cracking out as I did so, to look at Clover. “I mean, the last time their plans involved me… well it’s best to not have a repeat, right?” Clover looked down and pawed at the ground as she responded. “Y-yeah, probably, but what will I tell them?” I waved a paw as I scoffed. “Oh, don’t get all worked up about it, just say that you found somepony who knows more. That you found a lead. It’s not exactly a lie, is it?” Well, it is actually. I’m not a pony. They’ve made that abundantly clear to me. Clover nodded. “Ok, I guess I can do that. You promise to back me up after we get there though? I don’t think they’ll be happy with me.” I laughed as I hopped into the air and floated next to her. “Of course, of course! Friends always look out for one another, right?” She smiled at that and nodded before walking away. I scowled at her turned back. Yes, friends always look out for each other… I looked around as I continued settling into my old form. Trees twice as tall as me surrounded us, minus the space the path took. A few bushes dotted the open ground between them, but lacked any sort of grass. Then, I turned back to the sign. It was a ways down the road and outside the tree line, but I could still see the smeared words. It felt off and the buzz in my head got louder the longer I stared at it. What did it say? Did it mean something important? Probably not, but curiosity cares little for probabilities, and more for possibilities. Clover strode back into the clearing and called out. “Alright, I’m done, how about you?” “Yes yes, I’m finished.” I pointed a finger at the mysterious wooden sign. “Would you mind telling me what that sign is for?” She tilted her head at that. “It’s just the town name, can’t you read it? I mean you should be able to it-“ Oh, the name… “Yes, I am perfectly capable of reading. I was just unaware of its purpose. Let’s move on.” Clover shook her head before trotting onward, down the road. I followed, keeping pace above her by swimming through the air like an eel through water. People talk a lot about adventure. Some find the most meaning at the beginning, some at the destination, and quite a few constantly mewl about how “the journey is everything.” Many can draw whatever conclusions they want from an adventure. At the end of the day, its core is getting from point A to point B. For those who are on a grand quest, it can be exciting. For those on a warpath, it can be nerve-wracking. For me? It was tedious. Oh sure, there are plenty of sights to see: trees, trees, a few more trees, a river with a broken bridge that we simply teleported across, and did I mention trees? I mean, I did find the time to teach a few acorns to fly and gave some aggressive blue flowers the power to play practical jokes on people. But those were small things, insignificant compared to the wonderful world I wove myself in Nowhere. Eventually, we did have to stop and set up camp. Well, Clover did, I just stuck around to be polite. She really insisted on passing through “Hoovesdale” for some reason or another. I think it was about some pastry shop, “Pyra’s Pure Pyramid of Possibility” I believe? Bah, it’s not like it matters. I told her that I shouldn’t come with her, that it would just end with a gigantic fuss. But no, I “seriously have to experience it for myself.” What a load of nonsense. She’d see, I’d get to say “I told you so,” and we’d move on in something like a day. It will be idiotic and pointless, but that seems to be a trend with these ponies. Oh, when we crest that final hill, when I finally get to show those Princesses the consequences of their stupidity… Hopefully, the rest will see and learn. Author's Note There be one chapter, and one interlude between us and the reckoning. Such a short time left before we finally see Typhon enact his own justice... remember to leave a comment, maybe join my Discord while you're here... https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4 and stay tuned
Ch 20 - Nearing the Journey's EdgeWe crested a hill. To be honest, I’d rate it a five out of ten experience. The grass was lush, and the sun shone perfectly upon the road, tinting everything slightly orange, but the town on the other side somewhat ruined it for me. Don’t get me wrong, this “Hoovesdale” I believe Clover called it—was quite picturesque in most aspects. The road up to it and the streets within appeared clean, the buildings weren’t run down, and the surrounding land seemed almost untouched by civilization. It was as if a group of pixies decided to build a town on a field of grass in the middle of a giant forest. That is, if pixies were incredibly racist, quadrupedal, and equine in nature. For all the good things Hoovesdale had going for it, it was still a pony town, still a cesspit of racism. “I really don’t get why this is such a big deal, Typhon. We’re just going into town for some donuts.” I snorted. “The ‘big deal’ is that this will end poorly. I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again. Ponies generally—not always but generally—get nervous around me. It’s caused issues before and I don’t see how this time will be any different.” Clover shook her head. “Look, I’m sure you’ve just had a string of bad luck before. I’ll show them that you aren’t anything to worry about and it’ll all turn out alright.” I think Clover tried to reassure me with her smile, but it came off as more smug than anything else. I’ve done this same song and dance half a dozen times. Why can’t she just trust me on this? I sighed as I let the conversation die and let the warmth settle in my mind further. I had to push it back every once in a while. Otherwise, thinking could become difficult. Now though, I think comfort is worth the sacrifice. I can’t afford to educate these particular fools, not yet anyhow. I shook my head at the thought as we neared the town. I slithered through the air, staying above Clover as I examined the buildings. The first line of houses was mostly made of brick. Some were gray, some were brownish red, and there was even a blue one. Not the worst of color palettes in my opinion, but it could use some more flair. I got a whiff of bread on a passing gust. It smelled fresh. I wonder if the bakery here is as good as the one in… what was its name again? I shook the question off and continued looking ahead. The road we were on seemed to run straight through the entire town without making any turns. Ponies dotted the street as well. They didn’t congregate in crowds or stream about like a river in perpetual motion. Instead they simply… drifted from one place to the next, neither in a hurry nor overly slow. Like they all had a place to be, but that place wasn’t going anywhere so why worry? It was quiet. The wind didn’t seem to catch conversation quite as well as before. Or maybe people here simply keep to themselves more? No matter. This place was… quaint I suppose, homey even. The perfect picture of a medium-sized town. If I had to guess, they probably didn’t see an incredible amount of traffic but weren’t exactly isolationist either. Not a city, not a village, perfectly in between. Then I felt the eyes. Not just a pair, not just a few, no, I felt dozens of them turn their gazes on me. Ponies turned from whatever they were doing to stare at the oddity floating over one of their own. Some whispered to each other through the sides of their mouths, some stared blankly at me, and a few even tried to gesture at Clover to look up. I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous display. With a voice pitched to carry to the majority of the peanut gallery, I asked Clover. “It might just be a thing from my culture, so correct me if I’m wrong. But isn’t staring considered rude?” I made a point to glare at the crowd as Clover responded. “Uhm, yes?” “I thought so.” Most of them went back to what they were doing. Though a few still shot me glares whenever glancing in our direction. Eh, at least they’re upfront with their stupidity. Clover trotted at a calm pace as she scanned the street signs—muttering all the while. “Was it eighth avenue or ninth?” As Clover tried to pick out our path, I scanned the wall of buildings to our right. Most were houses, but we passed a coffee shop, an inn, and a tailor's shop as well… I think. There was a lot of cloth and several carpets hung around the entrance, so it could be anything from a seer to a spice merchant for all I knew. Not that it mattered. That strange establishment was mysteriously closed for the ten seconds we were in front of it, just like the others we passed. “Ugh, why can’t these places ever make sense? We passed eighth avenue, we passed eleventh avenue, where the buck is ninth?!” I rolled over to look down at Clover by craning my neck. “We could always just step into an alley while you pull out a map, no shame in it.” The quicker she figures out where we need to go, the quicker we find this damnable pastry shop, and the quicker we can move on to New Unicornia. She shot me a sheepish smile before ducking into a random alley. There was an old pony rocking in a chair on a porch further down the alley but was otherwise empty. Clover was glaring at a map when I glanced at her. Hopefully, we’ll move on soon. … … I wonder what Discord’s up to? Probably nothing too important. There isn’t much to do in Nowhere besides making stuff up, and—not to be judgemental—but Discord isn’t the most creative of people. Maybe he’d appreciate a show? I tapped my ear and sent a string of magic into a crease in reality. It poked through and stopped with a twitch. ‘Bvvvvv’ Does- does he have me on vibrate? ‘Bvvvvv’ Why I oughtta… “Hello, this is Discord, with whom am I speaking?” I shook my head at the odd sensation tingling in my brain. “Really, Discord, just how many people could call you like this?” “Fair point, but I figured that you never really know, so I err on the side of caution.” I rolled my eyes at that. “Yes, I’m sure you do.” Clover’s head shot up. “Really? Ugh, apparently we missed the turn, I got it now though. Let’s go, Typhon.” I nodded and followed her out of the alley. “Might I ask why you called me?” I felt eyes on me again, but I still responded. “I figured you might’ve gotten bored. Not much to do in Nowhere.” He chuckled at that. “Is that what you call this place? Personally, I’ve been calling it ‘Possibility’.” Clover took a sudden right turn and I almost crashed into a sign when I tried to follow. “Well yes, I got there by telling my magic to take me away, it asked ‘where’ and I failed to answer. I didn’t want to be anywhere at all, so it took me Nowhere.” Discord went silent so I focused on my surroundings again. There weren’t as many ponies on this side street, just a few moving from one store to the next. Likely, they were on grocery runs—judging from the bags of food they carried. And for once, there wasn’t anyone staring at me. This place wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the towns I visited before the Tower. Those ponies tended to scream and run. Or get violent, the responses varied. Maybe it was the fact that they were little more than hamlets. Maybe it was just the temperament of the locals. Maybe this town is so docile, because of Clover accompanying me. Maybe this, maybe that. So many maybe’s. Whatever the case, I’d take a bit of staring over violence any day. “Finally, found it!” I shook my head before following Clover’s hoof. In the middle of this small town that sat on the edge between everywhere and nowhere in particular, was a building made of sandstone. How in the world did they afford— Don’t think about it, Typhon, just don’t think about it. “So we have.” Ignoring my comment, Clover trotted up to the glass door and knocked three times before entering. I thought nothing of it as I tried to follow her in. However, a scratchy voice shouted at me. “Knock before you come in, you mangy son of dog!” I froze. What? “You heard me, you walking rolled up rug!” I blinked a few times before knocking on the open glass door. “Now, come in! Come in!” I landed before walking in—don’t want my horns getting stuck—and looked around. The walls were made out of sandstone bricks, the floors and ceilings were wooden, and tables littered the sides of the room. The arrangement left a clear aisle leading up to the counter. There was a glass case thing with pastries on display—probably had a drop-down back for easy access. The oddest part was the upright cat person behind the counter. The cat person called out in the same scratchy voice as before and put her paws on her hips. “What, see something nice?” I shook my head at her smug grin. “Apologies, I’m afraid I haven’t met any of your kind before.” Clover walked up to the display while the cat lady and I had our exchange. “Yes, that is understandable. I am far from my Abyssinia, and few of my people leave our sandy home.” I nodded as I strolled up beside Clover. “Oh, I suppose I can understand the feeling.” We browsed the menu for a bit, there were bagels, donuts, danishes, cookies, dough balls, and dozens more that I didn’t remember the name of. And all of them looked absolutely delicious. I spotted a donut glazed yellow and decorated with banana patterns made of frosting, an ocean blue bagel with sprinkles that glittered, and a cookie that was actually modeled after a galactic disk—stars and all. So many choices! Clover decided first. “I think I’ll have a ‘Desert Dessert Delight,’ please.” I followed up with: “And I believe I’ll have a set of star cookies, thank you.” The cat woman beamed at us. “Excellent choices, both of you! So many idiot ponies walk in here and ask for ‘sugar cookies.’ I mean really, all cookies have sugar!” I chuckled as she dove beneath our line of sight and rummaged around. After a moment, she popped back up with a sparkly orange danish that was decorated to resemble an oasis and a trio of galaxy cookies. “That will be forty bits, thank you!” Her smile was almost as wide as Clover’s face was pale. “Oh, um, I don’t have enough—“ The cat lady’s smile immediately fell, but I wanted those cookies dammit! So with a snap of my fingers, a brick of gold the size of Clover’s head crashed into the counter. A tiny thread of my magic was needed to keep the counter from shattering. “I’ve come this far for these pastries, Clover, I’m not going to let some small issue like money get in the way.” With that, I swept up our purchases and strode over to one of the many empty chairs. The other two stared at the gold, failing to pick their jaws up off the floor. I play jump rope with physics and this is what breaks Clover? It’s just some basic transmutation. “This too much, my food good but not this good. Please, pick few more, I feel bad if—“ “Bah, I can drop enough gold to drown an elephant if I need to. Just take it.” I waved a claw as I said that before biting into my cookie. And it was like I got a taste of Heaven. The perfect level of sweetness, the crumbly yet soft texture, and the faintest hint of salt all made my mouth melt in pleasure. “Wow, that good?” I flinched at the sudden voice in my head but recovered quickly. “Yes, and we are definitely stopping by here again.” I made a mental note to save one of my cookies for Discord. Clover was right, this is worth whatever trouble is going to find us before we leave. I nodded at Clover as she sat down across from me. Clover had almost finished her pastry when my reverie was cut short by the cat lady’s shout. “Hey, knock before you come in you candy-sniffing sour grapes!” There was a sigh and a series of knocks before I heard the clopping of several sets of hooves. Here comes the real ‘price.’ A calm stallion called out. “Greetings, chimera, I apologize but you are under arrest, please stand up so we may properly detain you.” Well, at least they’re quite polite about their racism here. I stood up and turned to face them. Just a trio of guards in slate-gray armor: a pair of unicorns and a glaring scarred earthpony. “Might I ask why?” The white unicorn snorted and answered in a posh accent. “Because you are a beast without a leash that is waltzing around our respectable neighborhood. If you were at all intelligent, you would’ve never come here!” He was right, oh so right, but it’s too late now, it’s been too late for that wisdom for a long while. Flakes of red burned themselves into the edges of my vision. It is far too late. “Leave! They are paying customers! You overgrown bucket heads are not welcome here!” The earthpony glared at me as the calmer unicorn walked over to the counter. “Look ma’am, I understand the frustration, I really do, but…” I tuned out the rest of his worthless words and focused on the other guards. I can’t afford this, I can’t let go. Not yet. My teeth gritted as I stepped towards the guards, who immediately shifted–ready for a fight. As if they stood a chance. How cute. I stood several feet taller than them and they saw every inch of that height when I leaned over them. “I am so, so tired of ponies like you.” I heard Clover finally get off her rear to come help but I pushed her back to where she was with a light tug of magic. She could probably solve this with that fancy little medallion of hers. She could probably end this peacefully. I stared at the two before me, with a mind full of ash, and thoughts made of smoke. She could do this, she could do that, but her solutions are temporary, I can fix this forever. I couldn’t afford to teach them, but we all have our vices, our guilty little pleasures. With a snap of my fingers, they were gone. “Wait, why was I yelling again? I… I thought idiot ponies were here but there aren’t… Oh, I am sorry, but could you two leave, please? I think I am seeing things. I need to go lay down.” Clover stared blankly at the cat lady for a moment. “Uh, yeah, sure.” She got up and walked towards the door. Her eyes seemed glazed, and her gait was slightly askew–not enough to make her stumble, but stiff beyond what is reasonable. Like a marionette just given life. I nodded toward the cat lady and got up to do the same. “No need to fret, we both enjoyed our stay.” I turned and followed Clover, but called out one more thing before I let the door swing closed behind me. “I’ll make sure to tell all my friends about this place!” Outside I paused for a moment, then began walking. No destination in particular, just wanted to move. Clover followed, though it did take her a moment to get going. We just walked and walked, until we were outside the town premises. It was quiet despite the crowd. Or maybe that buzzing is just really loud. Who knows? “Typhon?” “Yes?” “Do you think that cat person is alright? I mean, she was just talking to thin air.” I smiled, smiled so wide that it hurt. “Oh, she’ll be fine, I’m sure of it.” I wasn’t looking at Clover, but I didn’t need to see her to know she was frowning, probably worried. But what I couldn’t find was a reason to care. The stars sparkled in the night sky, like a thousand diamonds twinkling in the dark. Clover had just gone to bed, but the fire I started earlier still crackled and popped with life. I needed some external warmth, the kind in my head, it doesn’t solve every problem. I can’t rely on it too heavily. Otherwise, I’d go crazy! I chuckled at the thought. Yes, that warmth can help me stay calm, but it’s still just a simple tool—it can’t solve everything. I sighed as I leaned back, closing my eyes as I did so. Just like every other night on the road, I asked myself a very simple question. Did I want to continue? Would this be worth it? The answers were yes and no respectively. I wanted–no, needed to do this. Yet, I know that it will feel empty at the end of it all. It is necessary, it is justice. I glared into the fire, watching the embers swirl upwards. What if they guessed that I escaped, what if Clover gives me away? Maybe not on purpose this time, but it is still possible. What would they do? Memories of shattered glass, my withering body, and blurring perceptions flashed through my mind as if brought by a messenger from outside of myself. A cage, if it worked once, why not again? After all, it did work in their eyes. They just had the wrong target. Or so they likely thought. They’d be watching for my last trick. I won’t be pulling a disappearing act. At least, I won’t be the one disappearing this time. With a grin and a snap, tiny flakes of molten metal ripped themselves from deep beneath the earth. I had to pull upon hundreds of mineral deposits, possibly thousands for what I needed. The slivers of metal swirled and fused, forging themselves into a large rod that towered over twice my height. And then, I squeezed, forcing it to shrink to half the size that it was. The rod of metal glowed with angry orange, highlighted by a glaring white. With a flick of the wrist, it shot up thousands of feet into the air, and I only pulled it to a stop when I felt the grip of gravity loosen. Would one be enough? No, but three should do. I smiled as a trio of false stars winked into being. They were my personal choir of guardian angels. I smiled, smiled so wide that it hurt. And my heart raced in anticipation for the moment that I’d let my angels sing. Author's Note aight, this is today, but I've got an interlude going up on Sunday.
Interlude 2 - the CastleStraight Shot liked his job. Sure there were stressful parts to being a palace guard, but that’s for the ponies who needed life to be interesting. Sign up for all the most boring posts in the castle and everypony loves you while letting you stand around doing nothing all day. Free drinks on the nights off, calm work with little to no interaction with civilians, and decent pay? He couldn’t sign up quick enough. Straight Shot sighed as he twisted his neck. Yep, life was good. Then the clopping of hooves began to echo from down the stone hallway, so he straightened. Just like any other guard, he had to keep up an image… at least, when the higher-ups were around. He squinted into the shadowed passage to his right, trying to make out who was coming. He didn’t want to get written up for using the wrong salute again. Seriously, why do Night Sentinels and Solar Centurions need to be so picky? Straight Shot suppressed a snort at the pointless thoughts and began to make out both a horn and wings. Given the height it was probably Luna, so he bowed while keeping his eyes on her. He still didn’t know why Princess Luna insisted on a different kind of bow, but she was the one that ran palace logistics, and Straight Shot liked being paid at the end of the week. The Princess maintained her sedate pace, passing him by while making all the noise of a living shadow. Princess of the Night indeed, she was darn creepy– A metallic clang rang out in the obscure hall and the weak torches flickered as a line of magic passed them by. Celestia smiled at the pony standing before her. She had to look down at pretty much anypony as is, but the golden throne she sat upon exacerbated the difference. At least the cushion was nice. The unicorn opened his mouth for one last remark, hopefully. “...Which is why I implore you to change our standard measurement systems to a ten-point decimal system.” She’d been planning on doing so for years now, since the very beginning of her rule in fact. However, it was always a pain to get society to change such an integral part of itself. At least the scientists and scholars adapted it quickly. Celestia nodded before answering his plea. “The Crown has made use of such a measurement system for years now. As have the mage towers and other such scholarly institutions.” She paused, letting the ruffled unicorn noble have a moment of joy. “However, until the wider education system can be remedied and all instructors are informed–which may be another few years yet–private sectors are likely to continue using the archaic ways of measurement.” She granted him a sad smile before dismissing him. Celestia truly did understand his frustration, but society simply moved at its own pace. Whether or not anypony liked it mattered little. Thankfully, he left without raising any issue, and the guards stationed at the door ushered in the next petitioner. Celestia barely suppressed a sigh. A gray pegasus with bubbles for a cutiemark smiled at her. She was pleasant enough, but some of what that pegasus said simply confounded Celestia. Seriously, how does somepony simply “get lost” in the castle and show up in the throne room at a mysteriously convenient time when another noble couldn’t make their appointment for one reason or another? Multiple times. Without lying. At least she found this strange, empty-headed pony to be good company. Luna smiled. And why shouldn’t she? The plan was almost complete! Celestia would finally see the truth! Luna couldn’t resist letting out a chuckle, and her friend joined her. Her friend wasn’t the sort that anypony else could see, and both Luna and her friend were fine with that. It made scheming all the easier. Luna turned a corner and continued down the hall, making sure to keep the unconscious guard suspended in the air with magic. It seemed that her Sentinels had missed one, but they were mere mortals, Luna can forgive them for being less than perfect. This time. She spent a full minute walking on stone floors, passing through minor wards, and entering doors. Eventually, she arrived at a solid black-oak door that reached twice her sister’s height. Luna spent another minute going through the necessary procedures to open the door properly without setting off one of the hundred or so active warning spells on it. Of course, she could just shatter the impotent obstacle, but then the door wouldn’t lead to where she wanted to go. She wondered, not for the first time if dealing with all this pointless paranoia was worth the boons he provided but… With a yank, the door finally pulled open, revealing rows upon rows of engraved crystals, lines of power arcing between them. …Starswirl was the Court Wizard for a reason. Keen was a simple pony with simple wants, like most others she assumed. Short work days, good pay, and low stress made for the perfect place to work. Sure, managing the royal audience list could become distressing during Hearths Warming, but that was one week of incredible intensity out of a year otherwise full of nobles making simple suggestions. The fact that there weren’t any big-power players in the game of politics besides the Princesses anymore probably contributed to that fact. But no matter how calm and nice a job is, it’s still work, a duty, something to take pride in. Which is why Keen was glaring at the schedule for two days from now. She could’ve sworn that it was Lord Mineral March that was scheduled first that day, something about a potential gem mine on Mount Canterhorn. Instead, the inked name “Plane Shift” stared right back at her from its place in the time block. However, no matter how many security scans she ran on the paper, no matter how many guards she questioned about ponies entering her office, she found nothing. It was as if a clone of her walked in and– “No, remember what the captain said the last time you panicked, the simplest answer is likely the right one. I probably just forgot about a scheduling shift or something.” Keen sighed as she flipped the small schedule book closed, and slipped it into a locked drawer in her desk. She stood up and left, letting the door swing shut of its own accord. She was sure that the sheer number of wards would keep out anypony looking to mess with it. …She hoped so at least. Every other time Clover and I spot a town or village, it’s after we crest a hill. Probably because of the vantage points such a position grants, but I digress. This time it was refreshingly different, you see, instead of cresting a hill, we climbed out of a pond! Clover shook herself dry and I let a wave of chaos burn the water off of me. Not evaporate, burn, a very significant distinction I believe. “Now do you see the issue with blind teleportation, Clover? I warned you this would happen.” She just glared at me before trudging towards the walled town, and I followed with a wide grin. I glanced over my shoulder, making sure my new pony disguise was in order. A simple gray-coated unicorn with a funky four-dimensional object for a cutiemark. Hopefully, the headaches it induced would get people to stop staring for once. Clover’s voice broke through the clopping of our hooves. “So, what’s the plan? I mean, I could just bring you up and–” “No no no, I already have an audience scheduled as Plane Shift. You can come with me if you’d like, but I’ll be fine on my own.” We were silent for the rest of the walk up to the gates to New Unicornia. I smiled, thinking of my little choir of angels that twinkled just out of sight. And soon, they will sing. Author's Note so here's that interlude I promised. As it turns out, the next chapter is already drafted, so it's pretty much guaranteed that I'll be able to get it out by the coming Sunday. If ya got something to say, feel free to leave a comment, they're always nice to see. see ya next Sunday.
Ch 21 - Destination, StarfallI felt warm. Not the shallow heat of fire, nor the ethereal feeling of rage, but rather, a soul-deep warmth that reached my very core. It was like my mind was submerged in molasses. I watched as building after building passed me by in a blur as my body moved forward almost of its own accord. Some were tall, some were squat, some were colorful, some were dull. At some point, they all began blurring together, forming a continuous mosaic of pony architecture. The drone and chatter of the crowd almost drowned out the buzzing in my skull but failed to block Clover’s words. “Typh—Plane Shift, how did you manage to get an audience with the Princess so quickly? We only just got here!” Her worried voice made me feel joyful, ecstatic even, but why? Eh, it doesn’t matter. I managed to keep my words from slurring. “I have my ways.” Why must I be crisp and clear when all of these buildings could get away with just being big smudges? Seems a bit unfair if you ask me. Clover spoke up again. “Are you alright? You seem… not entirely here.” I snorted at that. I was all the way here thank you very much! If I wasn’t, then you wouldn’t be talking to me, or maybe you would. I don’t judge. I finally answered in a hushed tone, pitching it to barely reach Clover’s ears despite the crowd. “I’m fine, stop asking.” She frowned at me but let the subject drop. Signs swung overhead as we continued, advertising silly names like The Golden Gala Gallery or Rosemary Rarities. The frivolous gilded planks almost drew my attention away from the eyes. Crowds didn’t form or disperse, waves of eyes didn’t turn on me all at once, but a passing earthpony would glare at me with thinly veiled hate, a pegasus would ruffle their wings as they brush past me, or a unicorn would look down their snout at me. As if absolutely everyone thought that the entire world centered on them and that those around them should be grateful to be allowed anywhere near this world’s true protagonist. It was sickening. I am going to enjoy watching them run and scream. How dare they treat each other like this, how dare they act like this at all? It’s like I’m surrounded by overgrown children! My smile faltered at the thought. No, that would be insulting the children I knew. Sunshine Smiles may have turned me away, but they did not hate, just feared. Right? Why do I remember so much red when I think back? I didn’t hurt anyone there did– My thoughts were cut off by a series of squawks coming from a nearby alley and I froze. A knife, a flash, so much ugly red. My head snapped to the noise and I spotted a trio of ponies ganging up on a smaller griffin. The poor catbird looked like a teenager judging by his size, definitely not enough to threaten the three adult ponies. I glanced around, trying to see if anyone else noticed. Not one stopped, they all seemed too engrossed with whatever was directly in front of them. Out of sight, out of mind, right? With a small twist of magic, the noise stopped, leaving a confused griffon devoid of the knowledge of his situation. Just another few hunks of trash tossed out of this world. “You alright Typhon? You’re looking distant again.” I shook out of my stupor, zoned in, and continued walking. “Yes, Clover, I’m fine.” She gave me another sidelong glance but didn’t push the matter. A sad truth struck me. I had to let go of the warmth, it was too dangerous to rely on at the moment. I couldn’t afford to give in to my impulses, not when I was so damned close. With a sigh, I forced the warmth out with a wave of icy hate. Hate for the filth that surrounded me, hate for the injustice that I had dealt with, and that so many others definitely suffered. Those others couldn’t fight back, they simply lacked the strength. I am different. With a deep breath, my focus sharpened even further, making the colors of the world brighten and the edges sharpen. A dull mind only sees dull edges and dull colors, blocking out the colder truths that surround it. But in turn, it dulls logic as a price. It was comfortable, blissful even, but a little bit of realism is worth suffering for my plan. I was just too close to do otherwise. My smile flattened as I kept my eyes ahead, trying to blend in with the crowd. I checked on my connection to the false stars in the sky. It was stable. Good, I can’t let them drop, not yet anyhow. The shorter squatter buildings that surrounded us quickly gave way to multistoried wooden affairs, which themselves melted into towering marble behemoths. By the time we’d reached the palace, nigh solid walls of white stone filled our vision. Ponies absolutely filled the wide paved street, but no pegasi flew overhead. A law against it, perhaps? It wouldn’t surprise me if “Unicornia” would favor policies that put down the “feather heads” and “mud ponies” as I’ve heard the snobs call them. Eventually, we came to a white gate, guarded by a pair of tall guardsponies clad in glittering golden armor. Toy soldiers if I’d ever seen any. Even the enchantments I felt on them boiled down to making them all look the same. Their spears were held ramrod straight, as if they served to protect those around them, as if they commanded true respect. Clover and I passed them by without issue alongside a dozen other ponies. A few waves of magic passed over me as I entered. No doubt a few alarm spells or security scans to dismiss illusions and the like. Good thing I twist reality instead of casting spells. Otherwise, their preparations might’ve actually mattered. I could hear the hesitation in Clover’s hoof steps. The little jitter at the end of the clop gave it away. I committed the red carpet, the elegant drapes, and the beautiful pillars to memory. I absorbed the fanciful patterns woven into fabrics and the elaborate mosaics carved into the stone walls. Those carvings depicted dozens of different conflicts, ranging from pony infighting to battles against grand tyrants and monsters beyond horrible. So much history drenched this brightly lit hall. I wonder if they have backup histories. Probably. I hope they do anyway, for their sake. The group of ponies we were in trotted through the winding passages that twisted and turned at seemingly random intervals. Were we not escorted by a pair of unicorn guards, we would’ve doubtless been hopelessly lost in this maze of marble and velvet. So much effort to keep the undesirables out. Yet, they let me right in. How wasteful. We came to a stop before a pair of massive golden doors, engraved with the likeness of the two Princesses standing beneath their respective celestial bodies. Though, I noticed a few nicks on Celestia’s face and…a broken ward? Curious. I shook my head before stepping forward. “I do believe that I am first in the queue, good sirs.” The guards stood aside and a mare with an inkwell cutiemark strolled out from an unseen door. She looked at me and asked in a tired voice “Are you Plane Shift of the Stargate tower?” I nodded, and she responded by tapping the big doors. They glided open soundlessly. What kind of oil do they use on those monsters for them to be so—magic, stop being stupid, Typhon. I smiled as I trotted forward with Clover in tow. “I’m sorry ma’am but you’re not—“ Clover cut her off with a quick flash of the glowing medallion. The secretary shut her mouth and about-faced with a worried expression. Just how much pull did that hunk of metal have? Bah, it doesn’t matter. The carpet I walked on went all the way up to a small red circle right in front of the throne. Thick stone pillars dotted the sides, breaking up my vision of the room. As I went, I spotted glass panes on the walls, depicting what appeared to be victories over great evils. A large-looking ram, a red centaur faced by a gargoyle, and a dark-looking unicorn tyrant, all captured in colored glass in their moment of defeat. I took it all in, letting the sights burn themselves into my very soul. After all, I won’t be getting another chance to do so. My calm stroll down this mini hall of history ended before the throne. I was probably too close given the glares from the guards and Celestia’s frown. I felt cold, not the chill of water, nor the bite of brisk air. No, I felt the icy inferno of hate fogging my mind with its poison. I heard Clover come to a stop a ways back. Celestia cocked an eyebrow, waiting for my question. I sighed, letting tension slide off of me. I’ve waited enough for this, no need for games. “I’ve come a long way, Celestia, a very long way to give you a chance.” The guards stiffened and Celestia’s face scrunched in confusion. “A chance for what, Subject? We have not spoken, have we?” I smiled, letting the false form melt away like wax, and stood to my full, monstrous height. She recoiled, and I saw new lines etch themselves into her eyes. Good. The guards charged me, but a quick snap had them elsewhere. They were unharmed of course, I couldn’t blame them for doing their job. That shook Celestia from her shock, and she had the gall to scowl at me. “What did you do with my guards?” I waved a paw, feeling several joints pop in the process. “Oh, I just sent them somewhere safe. I’m not so ignorant as to be unable to see things from another’s perspective. It’s not like I’m an animal or anything, right?” My smile hurt, hurt in ways I didn’t know were possible. The ache creeped its way to my core like a tangle of poisonous vines and just kept reaching deeper. Celestia flinched at that. “I—yes, no.” She took a breath before continuing in a more calm tone. “I apologize for what occurred at the time, and am truly sorry that–” As if she felt remorse. Please, like I’m that gullible anymore. “Cut the crap, we both know that’s a lie.” My smile fell into a sneer. I wanted to say more, wanted to rant, wanted to make her understand. Instead, I felt rage glue my mouth shut, and my fists clench. Why, why did they not see? How can they not know? What is it that they want from me?! I just wanted a home and all I got was this! The edges of my vision trembled. My face was wet. Why? It's not raining. “T-Typhon, you said you’d give her a chance. She’s trying to apologize. Can’t you just let her?” I turned to Clover. Her legs were sturdy and her head was steady, but I could see the sparkle of fear in the corners of her eyes, could hear her heart seemingly vibrate in her chest. In the storm of my mind, an icy spear rose and stabbed outwards in the form of calm words. A mere jab at her walls of justifications, meant to maneuver her guard. “Clover, tell me, what exactly do you think she did?” She stared for a moment, jaw flapping uselessly before she shook her head, and met my eyes with new courage flickering in place of fear. “She ordered you imprisoned and failed to act when it looked like you got hurt. But she’s remorseful, can’t you see it?” No, no I could not. The only thing she’s sorry for is not making sure that I was dead the first time. I opened my mouth to mount a verbal assault but Celestia cut me off before I could start. “I, I know that you care not for apologies, so maybe the true reasons will be better.” Excuses, all you can offer are useless excuses. Celestia leveled a steady gaze at me, maintaining eye contact with me. “Equestria was, is, and will be unstable for a long time. My sister and I have yet to truly consolidate our power, so other factions within our kingdom could still threaten our position. We feared that one group or another might try to manipulate, or even goad you into bouts of wanton destruction.” Yes, because that makes it so much better. She gulped before continuing. “I know that we were wrong, I understand that we shouldn’t have gone through with the plan, but please, understand. We only did this so that our little ponies could live peacefully, without having to worry about an immensely powerful entity that they do not understand.” Her eyes pleaded, begged even, for mercy. I opened my jaw, ready to dismiss it, but nothing came out. She harmed me to protect her own, was that not my logic at Sunshine Smiles? That I would bury thousands for the ones I cared for? Damn this cold hate, damn this reason, damn it, damn it, damn it all, this was meant to be justice, not a trial! No, we’re not the same. I fought to protect, and she lashed out in fear. My teeth ground as silence reigned for a moment, and I saw hope twinkle in Celestia’s eyes once more. “No.” One word. One simple, whispered word, brought a wave of sorrow across the Princess’ face. And perhaps, a twinge of fear? “I, I understand, Typhon, but if you cannot forgive us, then please go, before more of our ponies draw your ire.” Her head dipped and she closed her eyes. I snarled at the dismissal. “Do you honestly think that you’re above consequences? Do you truly believe that–” My words were cut off by the crash of heavy metal on stone, and a lance of pain the size of a mountain peak that jabbed my brain. My connection to the false stars shuddered, and I worried that my grip would fail. The time wasn’t right yet. But I managed to grasp the fading wisps of the tether before it could die completely. Barely. I heard a bout of laughter and spun to see Luna striding through the golden doors. “I told you, Sister! This beast is relentless.” She strolled around the cage, ignoring my glare, and came to a stop beside Celestia. The arrogant moron turned to me with a smug grin. “And now, it is caged, just as you wanted.” You will regret that. Celestia grimaced, making to speak, but Luna continued. “I checked for that pesky clone spell, and scanned for several other possible tricks, but no, the foolish creature really came clad only in illusions! I–” Because I found a better option. “ENOUGH!” Celestia’s voice thundered through the courtroom, starting an annoying ringing in my ears. The ringing faded in a moment, and Luna turned her manic grin on Celestia. “Oh, and why is that, dear Sister? Was this not your goal? Have I not accomplished what you failed to do?” Her grin faded as she surged on with venom dripping from her words. “Just as I did when Tauros fell?” Her face bled into an angry sneer, lines tracing themselves across her muzzle. “Just as I did when the Nightmare came?” Luna faced me, still addressing her sister. “How many times must I save you, Sister? How many times must the fate of this country be mine to carry before you finally accept it!” Celestia held her ground, not even flinching at her sister’s rage, and asked in an even voice “Accept what, Luna?” “That I am your equal, that I deserve the same respect you have weaseled from our ponies, that my night has the right to shine as bright as your day!” Celestia’s shoulders slumped and her eyes softened. “Luna, I’ve always thought of you as an equal, but we can’t demand respect from our subjects. If we do, we would only ever get false loyalty, and I doubt you want that.” Luna’s previous passion seemed gone now, evidenced by the ice in her words. “Section seventeen of the New Crown Bill.” “I—“ “Section twenty-two of the First Great Reform.” “But—“ “The Twilight Court Laws.” I had enough. And my whispered words rang with the weight of worlds. “Be silent.” Luna’s head snapped in my direction. “You will be dealt with later, beast!” I went to answer, but Luna turned on her sister and blasted Celestia through the wall. “I will finally get what I deserve, sister! Do you hear me, I—“ The rest of her words were lost to me as she dove out through the hole she made. I reached out with a trembling hand and gripped the bars of the cage. Well, at least she tried to listen, at least she made the attempt. If only her words meant something. If only they weren’t lies. If only hypocrisy didn’t rule them. I hate hypocrites. I tightened my grip on the bars, and looked back at Clover. She stood stock still, as if she was frozen in place by a powerful spell. Nothing, she did nothing. No one does anymore, nobody tries to act, to help others around them. Why am I the only one trying anymore? Why am I supposed to be the only one that cares? At the Tower, I made my mistakes, but I cleaned up my mess as well. On the road, I may have frightened a few, but I wasn’t out for blood. At the town, I saved them, I staved off the rebels like a hunter would a pack of wolves. And here, here I gave them a chance. I didn’t expect anything, I predicted nearly exactly what would happen, but yet I held onto the faint insane hope that they would learn. I’m tired of caring, I’m so very tired of all of this. Why should I be the only one to bear this weight? Because I can’t see a single damned reason anymore. So, I let go. I let go of the stress, I let go of the hate, let go of the anger, let go of the expectations, the worries, the stars above. And smiled, I smiled as relief flooded me, leaving me in a violent bliss. I felt warm. 30… A pop sounded out from behind us and a familiar voice rasped. “I knew it, I knew it, you were alive all along!” 29… I looked over my shoulder and found Starswirl standing in the doorway, the hall behind him was empty. How peculiar. I yawned. “Hey, Starswirl.” 28… I should be angry at him, I suppose, but I just let go of all my anger, and I don’t really feel up to going back to grab it again. It’s not like I have enough time to do so anyway. 27… Starswirl stared at me with bloodshot eyes and stalked forward in a decidedly un-equine manner. It was like he was more of a cat than a pony. “I have been waiting for you, Enigma. Oh, how I waited, but the wait is over now, and it was worth it!” 26… His smile widened even further, reaching past the normal limit. “S-Starswirl, are you alright?” Clover’s voice was laced with concern. Probably because of Starswirl’s disheveled look. Or maybe it’s the slight curve to his horn? Or are the glowing crystal orbs hanging from his saddlebags setting her off? 25… Eh, it doesn’t really matter in the end, it’s too late already. Too late for all of them. Clover stepped closer to the wizened mage, but Starswirl flung her back with a flick of his magic. “Stay away from me you traitor. You led that walking disaster right here without trying to warn anypony!” 24… “However, we are all fortunate enough that the Princess and I predicted such a possibility.” Clover groaned as she got up, but managed to force out a question while doing so. “How d-did you know?” 23… Starswirl scoffed at Clover’s quivering voice. “An army disappeared in a region you just so happened to be traveling towards after Celestia gave you that medallion?” Can’t these two shut up? It’s not like there’s anything important left to say! 22… “And before you ask, I’m the one who made the bloody thing. Of course I would know its purpose!” Starswirl stepped closer, brandishing one of the orbs at me, and it crackled with energy. One moment, the orbs were red and shrouded in mist. The next, it was a cloak of blue lightning, then a sheet of leaves, yellow flowers, orange fire…so many colors. I feel fuzzy, is that normal? I, I don’t think so? 21… “Do you see this, Enigma? Do you witness your bane, you overgrown mistake?” He brought one of the orbs right up to the bars, and strange gridlike lightning began to arc all over the cage. I could barely make out the strange sphere from the blurred background anymore. 20… Who were these two again? I-I’m supposed to hate them right? The younger one yelled at the bearded one. She seems nice, better than that other guy. 19… They’re yelling more now. Why are they yelling? What does “solidified order” have to do with anything? Can’t we just be friends? It’s a lot easier than fighting and life is short, especially with those angels on the way. 18… More yelling, and the young one just smacked the bearded one over the head with one of those sour circles. 17… It’s quiet now, so very quiet. 16… I feel faint, what were those things? 15… 14… Ugly red trickled down the floor 13… 12… Oh, thank you for kicking the orb away, younger unicorn person. It was quite the bother. I think I smiled, right? Yeah, I got it right. 11… 10… The unicorn, she—I think it’s a she—has been saying stuff, a bunch of stuff. 9… I think she’s saying “sorry” now? I don’t know why though, she wasn’t the one who fogged up my eyes. 8… Aww, she looks sad. Don’t worry little one, I’ll take you along if you want. 7… Yep, just gotta let those angels break me out first. 6… There’s the whistling! They’re getting close! 5… 4… Oh, stop panicking, I’ll get us out before the music gets too loud. 3… I wound up what little power I had left, locking onto the place I wanted to go. 2… Next, I grasped her and myself in my magic. I could only barely touch her though. I wonder why. 1… Thunder clapped, stone shattered, and steel groaned. And my world. Went. White. Author's Note we're nearing the end guys, I hope you enjoy this, feel free to leave a comment below. I always love seeing your thoughts. also, feel free to join my discord if you want to ask me more direct questions https://discord.gg/kSdwbw5fb4
Ch22 - CratersMy head throbbed with a dull ache as I stared at the burning city. Debris still dropped from the sky, forming a rocky hail every now and again. No more running, no more hiding what I am, and no more worrying about the royals. A glowing red stone crashed to the earth a dozen feet away, kicking dirt up. I can finally just live as I please. I blocked the spray with a flick of magic. I mean, I could have before, but there would always be that nagging fear of the guard showing up and forcing my hand… I sighed as I sat with my back against one of the rocks that dotted the clearing, letting the tension drain from my shoulders. But no more, I am free of them, I am free of all that nonsense. I looked out past the precipice, admiring the towering flames that sprung up from numerous places in the city. It resembled a bonfire. It had a wild element that hearths lacked, it was angry, vengeful even as if its sole purpose was to settle a vendetta. I shook my head at the idea and closed my eyes, ready to doze off for an hour or two. Clover was out cold, but otherwise fine. The castle was in ruin, and the few people not distracted by that development were probably more worried about the fires or the dueling alicorns. No one was coming for me anymore. No one was searching. No one was hunting. A series of booms rang out from where Celestia and Luna fought in the sky. I cracked an eye open to watch. Luna dove at Celestia, slinging bolts of pure mana and flashes of lightning. Celestia deflected with angled shields and blasts of her own neutralizing magic. Then, Celestia retaliated with brilliant lances of light, followed by arcing trails of fire. That Luna simply dodged with quick jerks to the side or by teleporting out of the way. It was fitting in my opinion. The alicorn of the sun would stand her ground, radiating power and light. While the alicorn of the moon would flit around and strike from places unseen. The blinding fortress against the agile shadow. They clashed over and over, each collision resulting in a shockwave that I could feel shake the air from miles away. It was… disappointing. Disappointing that they wielded such power, yet only chose to lash out with it like powerful toddlers beating around their toys. I frowned at the thought. I’m a killer, a prolific one even… Five hundred faces, screaming, withering, running. …but I try to make it quick, it’s not a game. I felt another magic quake before one of Celestia’s fire bolts was thrown off course. It angled high, and after a few moments, I realized that it was headed toward me. I could hear it sizzle like grease in a pan, it was like the magic within it was licking its lips before a meal. Disgusting. With a flex of magic, I strangled the ball of flame, letting it vanish in a shower of harmless sparks that flickered and danced, like a swarm of fireflies. I stared at the royals. I felt a faint bubbling heat deep in my chest, a coiling pressure in my gut, and tension at the edges of my vision. They could have been so much better than this, they should’ve been. The memories, memories from before Equestria… they showed me a statue of Discord that stood in front of Celestia. She had a small frown on her face with regret pinching at the edges of her eyes. There was more to that story, I’m sure, but that’s all it ever was; a story. Maybe in another life, they were friends. Maybe in another life, we could’ve been friends. ‘Maybe’ a lot of things. For one last moment, I stared, drinking in the details of their final moments. Rocks froze mid-air, the wind stilled, and the two pseudo-deities came into focus as time slowed to a crawl A black-coated Luna was charging Celestia with a fanged grin. Her slit pupils danced with a horrid combination of sadistic glee and pure hatred. Celestia was warding off her demonic sibling with a ray of blistering light. Her face was frozen into a mixture of horror and determination. Sparks flew from her armor, swirling around her like embers would a fire. Two polar opposites colliding in a climactic showdown. With a sigh, I snapped. The rumble of distant thunder ceased. The hiss of liquid fire silenced. The wail of clashing mana beams faded away like a ghostly whisper on the breeze. Only faint screams of panic from the city below remained. I closed my eye again and drifted into the space between sleep and wakefulness. I remained like that for a time—not sure how long I was out. However, like all good things, it came to an end. Quiet sobbing pierced the darkness and I begrudgingly began clawing my way to alertness. I blinked away my drowsiness as I sat up with a yawn. And froze when I realized who was crying. I watched Clover as her curled-up form shivered on the grass. Where did this come from? It’s not like—oh. I teleported over and sat down beside her, patting her exposed shoulder. I didn’t really have anything to say. What was done is done, and words rarely mean much in the face of that. I could probably repair what was destroyed. Would that help? Maybe I could– “I k-killed him. I r-really killed him.” I tilted my head at that. “Hm?” Clover’s self-accusations bled into a series of whimpers. I scratched my head. What is she talking about? What happened? I sifted through my memories, but those orbs made all of my memories before the rods struck so fuzzy. It was like I was trying to eat pudding with a fork. After a few moments, I spotted it. Blurry shapes collided, leaving an ugly red. I may not remember the specifics, but I can put two and two together. I patted her shoulder again as I turned my gaze to the forest, contemplating a possible solution. Maybe I could fix this… but… I’ve done many things, some bad, some good, but I refuse to disturb the dead. Let them rest wherever they end up. I sighed as I felt her scoot closer while staying balled up. Clover went quiet after the first ten minutes or so, but we sat like that for about an hour. Clover broke the silence with a quivering voice. “C-could you fix him? Please?” She looked up at me with tear-filled eyes. All I could do was lower my head. Clover waited a moment before her expression crumbled. We both watched the city burn, but now there were some groups trying to douse the flames. Some were even mildly successful, with a section of a market being completely cleared. It seemed to me they would survive this. They might even claw their way back to where they were before. I heard soft thumps on the grass and turned to see Clover walking away, head held low. I cast one last glance back at New Unicornia before following. We walked for hours on end, weaving between the trees as we went in a near-straight line. We crossed clearings, thickets, creeks, and roads. Clover’s head was low the whole time and her eyes were glossy. Sometimes she’d bump into a tree or ignore a series of branches that would rake at her sides. I stayed by her, trying to nudge her toward civilization, but my words fell on deaf ears. Eventually, her legs gave out. She lay there without making a sound for a while. I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it when I saw that her eyes were closed. With a sigh, I began yanking branches off of nearby trees to build a fire and plopped a few rocks in a circle to make the pit. With a flick of the wrist, an ember fell on kindling, the spark spreading across the wood like a series of creeping red vines. I scowled at the fire as it crackled in front of me, drowning out the forest ambiance around me. What am I supposed to do about this? My fists clenched as I leaned closer, smelling the smoke, remembering the ashes. I can’t let her stay like this, but what the Hell can I do to change it? I can fix the city, right? Pull the bricks back into their places, extinguish the fires, erase everyone’s memories of the disaster. I could wipe all traces of the rods falling from history… My face scrunched up in anger. …but ponies still died, they’re still dead, and they’ll remain dead. I won’t change that. I refuse to. And if I erased all of the memories related to the event, everyone will be left behind feeling as if they’re missing something. No, if I do that, I not only murdered thousands of innocents in the city but all meaning that their lives held, all lasting impacts of their decisions. A knife flashes, the sky cracks, an ugly, ugly red. Some deserve that, but not everyone. But what else? What else can help? If I can’t undo what hurt her… My jaw worked. She’s my friend, I can’t leave her like this! There has to be something. ‘Bzzz’ What? ‘Bzzz’ Oh, it’s Discord. I heard a yawn over the connection. “How’d it go, Typhon?” I let the pressure go with a breath. “I did what I needed to.” “Not well then.” I paused for a moment before responding. “They’re dead.” “Good.” I stared into the fire, letting the dancing flames absorb me. “Yoo hoo, Typhon, you there, buddy?” I shook my head. “Yes, sorry about that. What were you saying?” “Not much, just wanted to know what else happened.” Should I tell him? I know he won’t appreciate it. Eh, he’ll find out anyway. Better to just get this over with. I grimaced as I said. “I forgave her.” “You WHAT?!” “She–” Discord cut me off with a scoff. “Let me guess, she said ‘sorry’ extra hard and really meant it this time. Give me a break!” I ground my teeth and replied. “She actually did something.” Discord’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Yeah yeah, I’m sure she–” I scowled as I shouted my thoughts through the connection. “She saved my skin!” Discord growled before saying. “Explain.” “Starswirl put together some sort of weapon, something made of solidified order—whatever that means.” I could practically feel Discord’s eyes rolling when he responded. “I can see where this is going, but go ahead, surprise me.” “Shut up, Discord.” “Why should I? Do I need to remind you of Sunshine Smiles or the Tower?” My fists squeezed tighter as I glared into the fire. “It’s like you’ve gone mad, Typhon. Seriously, what happened? I’m here, I can listen.” “I told you, Discord, she saved me. My mind was going fuzzy and the rods were getting close.” I shuddered as I said. “We’re tough, probably immortal even, but who knows what could’ve happened with those chunks of order in play.” Discord’s voice began to take a desperate edge. “That still doesn’t excuse what she did! Words mean nothing, Typhon, their apologies are lies!” I yelled again with balled fists and a deep scowl. “But she did what she promised to do, more even! She backed up her words with actions! Do actions mean nothing as well? Or are you just hanging onto needless paranoia, Discord?!” “They hurt you, SHE hurt you. Why are you just letting her get away with that?” “I executed her rulers, wreaked havoc on the capital of her country, and she killed Starswirl, her mentor, to protect me!” Discord went silent. “She’s learned. Discord, she chose to stand by me when it mattered. She. Is. My. Friend.” Discord sighed. “Fine, but don’t come crying to me when you get burned again.” The nerve, where was he when my mind was fading, where was he when–no, shut up, there’s no reason to say that tripe. I told him I had it handled, he trusted me to know my limits, I don’t need someone looking over my shoulder all the time. I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. “Discord?” “What?” There was an edge to Discord’s voice, but I continued anyway. “I need help.” “Right after–why should I–bah, fine, what do you need?” I paused for a moment, eyes darting toward Clover’s sleeping form. “Clover’s having… issues.” “And what’s that supposed to mean?” “She’s been moping around for almost a day now, and nothing I’ve said has gotten through to her. You have any ideas?” Discord’s voice took on a mocking tone. “Hah, sounds like you when you visited Nowhere the first time!” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, yes, I was very angsty, but that really doesn’t tell me how to help.” “Yeah, but what happened after, should. C’mon Typhon, what pulled you out of your funk?” I scratched the side of my head. “Creating you?” “Nope.” “But–” “Making me gave you a new trajectory, but you still weren’t aiming for anything.” I suppressed a groan at his antics. Doesn’t he know how bad we are at being all coy with answers? “Then, how about decorating Nowhere?” “Almost, but not quite, what happened after that? “I went on my trip, what of it?” Discord gave a laugh before responding. “Why?” “Because I wanted to.” “Why?” “Because they deserved it. Is there a point to this?” I snorted as Discord sighed. “You really aren’t getting it.” “What is there to get? Seriously, what–” “Think, Typhon, WHY did you think it was YOUR job to go out and dole out the punishment. What made you think that YOU had to do it?” I paused at that and thought about it for a moment. Why did I do it? Was I just that angry? Maybe at the start, but that wasn’t the whole reason. Self-righteousness perhaps? Not entirely, though I definitely had plenty of it, there was something more. Was it revenge? Warmth, deep and inviting. No, no it wasn’t. I never thought that revenge would solve everything. Sweet salty metal dripping down my tongue. No, I did it… An icy inferno, burned like a furnace, driving the wheel forward. I did it because… “Because someone had to.” Discord chuckled at my answer before saying. “Typhon, you found a purpose, you found a reason to move forward. That is what got you going again.” Purpose? I mean, that wasn’t really what pushed me forward. It was. It was… Warmth. It doesn’t matter what got me moving, Discord was still wrong. But his idea still had some merit. It’s not like I had anything better to go on. “Thank you, Discord.” “No problem. Could you stop by that pastry shop again, though? That cookie was delightful! Just the right amount of sweetness, the perfect level of crumbliness, and–” I waved a paw out of habit. “Sure, sure, I’ll make sure to get something.” “Alrighty! Anything else?” I looked over at Clover. “No, I think that’s all.” “See ya around then!” I nodded. “Yes, see–” The connection snapped closed with a ‘click.’ I shook my head as I laid back and closed my eyes. She needs a purpose, something to drive her forward, a reason… I opened my eyes and was greeted by a purple sky with stars that barely twinkled. Wasn’t it dusk when we left? Come to think of it, the shadows hadn’t moved either. What’s going on? I glanced at the sleeping form of Clover before flying upward. After I broke through the canopy, I looked east and west. Both the moon and sun hung just above their respective pieces of the horizon, frozen in place. What in the—why are they just sitting there? I sent a pulse of magic at both celestial objects and found loose strands of power hanging down from each, like strings of torn spider silk. What happened? I stared at those strands, trying to find what they were supposed to be linked to. But no matter how much I stared, no answers came. I tried dipping into my pool of liquid knowledge, having to uncork it in the back of my head. “The Societal Fractalism theory has…” No. “Structuring a spell’s foundation is the most…” False. “… and by her grace, the sun doth rise in the east…” I'm sorry, what? I glanced at the source. Reverent History by Rosey Tint. I ripped more information from it, and what was determined as ‘history’ sent my head spinning. It was impossible, completely nonsensical, and would fit this world perfectly. I set the liquid knowledge back in its place and forced the block back over the opening. Though the last passage of the book kept echoing in my head. …and so, the sun and moon both guide us through their respective avatars. Long live Celestia Sol. Long live Luna Nox. I sighed as I sat up and looked back to the two celestial bodies that dominated the sky. Why did those two fools have to be so important? Why couldn’t they leave me in peace even after they were gone? I stared at the strands of magic that dangled from the sun and moon. They were cut clean through, not frayed or torn, cut. It looked fresh, too, with mana still bleeding out of the ending. Maybe I could connect them to something else, but then they’d also have that power, that responsibility. I can’t, it’s not my duty, it’s… My jaw clenched as I flicked my gaze around me. The bushes and grass didn’t shine as they should. Everything felt so dull. Dusk was meant to be a time between times, not a permanent fixture. It made the world around me feel lifeless, even if the odd bird song would break the silence. I made this mess, I should clean it up. I reached for the strings, ready to erase them completely, and set the sun and moon into a self-perpetuating orbit. But an idea struck me. With a twist of the wrist, a clock popped into being. It just had a hand and a line splitting it into two halves. One side of the face was black and had a picture of the moon emblazoned on it. The other was metallic gold with a picture of the sun. I wrapped the strings around the clock’s hand and welded the magic to my device using a touch of chaos. After the sun and moon were firmly connected to the clock, I began setting up a few more functions, restrictions, and more. Several hours passed as I worked. Discord checked in on me with a quick call around four hours into my project, but I waved him off. I was fine. Perfectly fine. Fantastic even! I grinned as I set my magic clock down. I’d changed the hand to a dial and added a few little bells and whistles to the insides. A couple—like those damned temporal shields—might need a bit of tweaking, but I could deal with that later. As I was examining the clock for obvious problems, I heard Clover’s snores cut off with a series of coughs. I turned to her and hid a smile. “Good to see you’re finally awake. How do you feel?” She gave me a flat look. “Tired, hungry, my hooves ache, and, oh yeah, I may or may not have kinda sorta murdered somepony who taught me everything I know about magic. I might have killed the pony who helped me cast my first fireball. I. I.” Her grimace bled into a tired sad frown. I nodded before sitting down next to her. We sat like that for a while, leaving the ambient sounds of the forest uninterrupted. A pair of birds flew by, singing as they did. A rabbit poked its head into our clearing but darted away when we noticed it. “So, what now, Clover?” Her eyes fell. “I don’t know.” “No plans?” She shook her head before saying. “Before we got there, I thought things would just go back to the way they were before. But I brought you right to the capital, I murdered Starswirl, and now the city is wrecked…” I saw her begin to tear up as she continued. “I didn’t think that would happen. It all went so wrong so fast.” It did, didn’t it? It took barely a minute to go from me lecturing Celestia to Luna dropping the cage. And even less time for her to strike at Celestia. Clover lowered her head into her hooves. “And now the princesses will want my head! I—you were right to be angry, they even tried to kill you again, but I committed treason. I still murdered Starswirl.” Treason? Probably but it doesn’t really matter at this point, does it? “There’s one small issue with that line of thinking, Clover.” She turned to me and asked. “What? But–but I killed the court wizard, and I disobeyed their orders! How would that not be treason?” I smiled at her before saying. “Can’t commit treason against the crown if there’s no one to wear the crown.” “But—“ “They’re dead, Clover and dead ponies don’t hunt down traitors.” I patted her on the shoulder. “Besides, you're my friend, and friends always have each other’s back.” Clover froze up. “D-dead.” “I did say that, yes.” “How?!” I flinched and rubbed an ear. “I’m right next to you, no need to shout.” Clover repeated her question, only slightly quieter this time. I shook my head before saying. “I killed them.” She stared at me before giggling. “H-ha ha, very funny, now please–” “It’s not a joke.” She went silent and birdsong filled our ears. Clover sighed as she slouched. I could feel the dull ache of fatigue in my chest as well. I guess we were both worn out from all of this. “Why?” I frowned at Clover’s question, unsure of what she was referring to, but I caught on after a moment of thought. “Because it needed to be done. Because they didn’t deserve another chance.” “So that’s it then? They’re both dead and gone?” I nodded. There wasn’t much more to say about it. Clover sat down, saying. “You’re not joking.” It was more a statement than a question, but I nodded anyway. “Stars above.” I chuckled. “Yes, the stars are above.” Clover scowled at me before glancing up, and freezing in place. “How long was I asleep for, Typhon?” I scratched my chin before answering. “Oh, I’d say about six, maybe eight hours. Not quite sure, I was busy.” “Why is it still dusk then?” She was staring up at the sky with wide eyes. “I killed the royals, remember?” She nodded. “Yep, still processing that.” She hunched over, hyperventilating as she started to shake. I set a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry.” “Why?” I tilted my head. “Hmm?” “Why did this all happen? Why the buck did everypony act so stupid!” I sighed before saying. “Fear.” Her head snapped towards me. “Fear?” She laughed. I could almost feel a familiar warmth radiate from her. “Fear? They were afraid? We were afraid? W—“ I cut her off. “Yes, fear. Celestia feared what I might do if I ever lost control. Starswirl feared the implications of my existence and abilities. Normal townsponies feared me for being different.” “And Luna?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. It could be that she wasn’t afraid. It could be that she was just so hateful that it overrode all of her reason.” I leaned forward, letting my empty gaze settle on the ashes of the fire pit. I continued. “Or it could be that she was afraid of losing what little she had. It could be that me making her feel so weak was just the final straw, one of many.” I snorted before adding. “I don’t dislike her any less for it though. She was still not fit for rule. She needed to be removed.” Clover turned a tired look on me. “If that’s all you wanted, you could’ve just taken her wings and horn.” “Yes, that’s true.” She stared at me for a moment before dropping her gaze. Welp, enough moping around. I reached down and plucked the clock from the ground. “I’m sorry for all the grief I caused you, but I do have to ask a favor.” Clover sighed. “What is it?” “The sun and moon need to keep moving. No telling what leaving them as is would do.” “You can’t do it?” I shook my head. “Nope, the magic associated with it doesn't like me.” Clover took a deep breath. “Magic doesn’t have a brain, it can’t think, like, or dislike, but sure, let’s go with that.” “Believe me, I know the feeling.” She shot me an annoyed glare. “Really? How? You can break the suggestions of physics and magic whenever the buck you feel like it! It’s like you couldn’t care less about what should be possible or not!“ I nodded as I waved a claw. “Yes, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean I’m immune to logic. I’ve seen several things that throw me for a loop.” Clover rolled her eyes, crossing her forelegs. “Like what?” “Like Ninth, Seventh, and Tenth Street, why they were ordered that way, I’ll never know.” I grinned at her groan. “What were the planners thinking? Why did it never get fixed?” I patted her on the head. “Just don’t think about it, that’s my wisdom, just don’t think about it.” I shook my head before continuing. “Back to the favor.” I held out my hand with the clock. “This thing will let you move the sun and moon without any issues. You just need to twist the dial with magic.” Clover cocked an eyebrow. “Why can’t you hook it up to a machine?” “Because the dial is a representation of a magical fulcrum, mechanical stuff doesn’t work on it.” Which was a load of steaming bull. It took me nearly an hour to set that unnecessary restriction. I gave her a tilted smile as I motioned for her to take it. “Why me? Why should I?” Her voice sounded empty, cold. I know that feeling. “Why you? Because you’re the only pony I trust, and this kind of magic only plays nice with ponies.” Yet another lie, I’m sure anyone with reasonable talent could work the thing before I choked it up with restrictions. “And why should you?” I lowered myself, getting my eyes even with hers. “Because someone has to.” She sat motionless for a whole minute, letting the ambient background noise come into focus, before slowly lifting the clock with her magic. She spun it to examine the different parts before letting it come to a stop. I smiled when I saw determination dominate her expression and had to suppress a laugh of relief when she gave me a nod. When the sun rose, I felt oddly… cool For the good of all. It feels right. Because someone had to. Everyone has a reason for their reason. I have mine. You have yours. I was stupid, I’ve made mistakes, and sometimes I didn’t even have a reason for them. In the end, all we can do is try to figure out what we want, make our mistakes, and accept the consequences. I just wanted to be left alone so I ran. My home was attacked so I fought. The alicorns were foolish so they died. Actions have consequences. Some are large, and some are small. However, you just gotta keep going. The sun will rise, the wind will blow, and we will learn from our mistakes. That’s all that we can do. … Oh, and yes, I did stop by the pastry shop. I got a donut and cookies to go. —excerpt from Reason Drowned by Typhon Muta Author's Note I know that I said that I was gonna post it Sunday, but I didn't wanna chicken out again. It was quite the ride guys, sorry for taking so long to get it over with though. I hope to see most of you guys in my other stories, when they come out that is. I'll be answering questions about lore when I can in the comments, story's officially over so no point in trying to be all cryptic and shit about it. Every now and again I might come back to toss in a bonus chapter if I'm feeling the inspiration, but the green status is right, story done, lights out. Anywho, my next course is to fix up and finish my story A Fatal Error Has Occured so be on the lookout for when I start updating that thing again. Until next time Orderly Disassembly
