Ponycraft: The Maw of Insanity

“Huh? Wha? Another dream? Do I have to fend off the monster again!?” Ruby asked, waking up in another strange place. However, instead of darkness it was pure light. For some reason, Ruby felt warm inside. Safe.

“You are safe with me, mortal.” A voice said. Ruby remembered the voice from a while ago.

“Who just-- hey! You're the voice that told me to go to the forest! Who are you!?”

“No need to be alarmed. I am not your enemy. I am the ultimate being, Algalon, the Observer.” The voice said. Stars fell from the sky and started to form a constellation right in front of Ruby's eyes.

“The observer? What do you exactly observe, then?” Ruby asked.

The being was made out of the stars itself. Algalon spoke when his body  was completely formed. “I observe planets, galaxies, universes, multi-verses. I make sure everything goes perfectly on each planet. However, yours struck me odd. Yogg-Saron is loose here, yes?”

“...Yes. Yes, he is. He's already almost taken over my friend. I almost had to hurt her to free her from his grasp.” Ruby said to the star-shaped being.

“Friend... every time I hear that word, I wonder why. Why is it so important to love and cherish these beings? My heart is a void of no emotion. No empathy. No feeling.”

“That's a horrible way to be! Friends are what make you... alive.” Ruby said to the being.

Algalon shook his holographic head. “I was made this way. Anyways, I have come to warn you.”

Ruby squinted. “About what? Yogg-Saron? I already know too much.”

“No. It's the weapon that your... friend... Berry wields, Shadowmourne.”

Ruby shrugged. “Yeah so she is a little possessive of it and wants for us to see that she's worth while, I don't see much a problem with that.”

“You don't understand. Yogg-Saron crafted that axe. It holds his soul. He has tricked Berry into wielding it through dreams. Your friend is quite gullible.”

Ruby gasped. “Does that mean he's taken over her!?”

“No, but if she continues to wield Shadowmourne in hope for power, she will be consumed by madness. There is but one way to stop it.”

“And what way would that be?”

Algalon paused. “...You must wield it's counterpart.”

Ruby gave Algalon a smug look.  “Wouldn't that drive me to insanity as well?”

“Only if you let it. This blade will lead you to hardships with your friend, I can sense it. But if you wish to save her from insanity, you must go to your old nemesis' blasted base. Frostmourne will be waiting for you there.”

“A blade. I see. Well I'll head out--”

“No. Do not, yet. Only when you feel it is time to pull it shall you pull it. Berry has showed no signs of insanity yet. Tomorrow, for you, it shall be just another normal day.”

Berry nodded. “I see. I shall wait then.”

Algalon put his celestial hand to his chin. “Your will is admirable for such a flawed creature in existence.”

Ruby grew a rather angry face. “Hey! Not everyone is perfect! Sometimes, people don't know everything, which opens up for knowledge, which leads to a life worth living.”

“I could object, however, my statement would mean next to nothing to you. It is time for you to wake up. Carees is not with you this morning. He is out with your newly resurrected friend, teaching her how to use her powers. Go on, wake up. I shall hold meetings with you again in the future.”

_____________________________________________________________________

“Now! Icy Touch!” Carees shouted. A small chill brushed Carees. “Stronger, Fluttershy! Don't be afraid of failure!”

“Squee! I'm sorry...” The young mare lowered her head.

“Don't be sorry. Imagine failure wasn't an option. It was either win or die.... again. You don't want to die AGAIN, do you?”

That got her attention. “N-No! Anything but that! That hurt.”

Carees pushed her further. “Are you going to let your friends down?”

Fluttershy started to sweat. “No!”

“Are you going to let them die? Let them lose?”

Fluttershy's poor heart couldn't take much more. “NO! Anything but that!”

“Then Icy Touch! Do it!”

Suddenly, a giant gust of ice cold wind hit Carees, not only did the cold wind hurt, he was sent flying against a tree.

“Eep! Carees! Are you okay!?” Fluttershy came running.

“E-- Excellent. How impressive! I'll be fine. That hurt, though!”

“It's all my fault!” Fluttershy started to whimper.

“Dear, that's what I hoped for! You can do it if you want to! Don't back away! That's the road to defeat and failure!”

“I... I did good?” Fluttershy looked up.

“Of course, dear! Brilliantly well done, if I do say so! Keep that up, and I'll be giving you a sword to practice with soon!”

Fluttershy gasped. “A... a SWORD?”

Carees looked at her with an expressionless face. “Well you are a Death KNIGHT.”

“I... I don't know... umm... it sounds dangerous.”

Carees face-hoofed. “Well, duh. Everything with a sword is somewhat dangerous. I know you can do it, though! You can be brave! I witnessed it. Here.” Carees handed Fluttershy a rough, small steel blade.

“Just holding this makes me nervous...”

Carees smiled. “Well let's cure that nervousness!” He pulled out a blade similar to Fluttershy's. “Sword practice time!”

“Oh boy... here we go...” Fluttershy said in a fake happy voice.

“Alright, when I come at you overhead, what do you think to do?”  Carees held his sword high up.

“Umm... move?”

Carees sighed. “Augh... what do think to do with your sword?”

Fluttershy slowly held the blade up above her head horizontally.

Carees lifted his eyebrows. “Hmm! Correct! Very good! How'd you know that? Most people back home where I came from hold it up diagonally.”

Fluttershy blushed. “Well, it's only natural to hold it horizontally. It would be harder to repose the opponent if he could just knock your sword to the side.”

Carees' mouth dropped open. He shook his head. “Anyways, how about if come at you from a your left side? What then?”

Fluttershy nervously moved her blade to the left side of her body and tapped Carees' blade. “I... I know how use swords... kinda...”

Carees looked at her funny. “How did you learn?”

“I just... watched... ponies... I'm just guessing really. Rarity used to be a pro-fencer before she got her own fashion store.”

“Try this. I jump at you from above, what do you do? Decide quick!” Carees would never hit her, but lunged at her in the air, ready to swing with all force. Fluttershy cowered and held up her sword, but the force was too weak and she dropped the sword.

“Eeeep! I'm sorry!” Fluttershy cowered.

“It's alright, try again. More grip! Don't be afraid. What if I was a Pigmask coming to capture you again?”

That got her. She picked up the sword with a fierce face and got up. “I'm ready.”

“Alright, here I go! Decide quick!” Carees came at her from the side. Fluttershy quickly parried and hit him with the handle of the sword in the stomach. Ouch.

“Ah! Amazing... amazing job, Fluttershy!” Carees said, clutching his gut.

“Pigmasks... I cringe in fear every time that title is spoken. I get real then. Nobody tells me that a Pigmask hurts me again.”

Carees smiled. “Heh, then I know what to get you as a training target.”

Fluttershy cracked her neck. “Get it and put it down. I'll wreck it.”

Carees put up his hoof. “Now hold on there. We are working on correct actions at the right moment, not just mauling everything. Now that I see you've got swords down, try magic again. Icy touch that little tree over there.

Fluttershy refused. “WHAT!? No! Everything has a right to life, and nopony should end it.”

Carees sighed. “Then as much as I don't want to, Icy Touch me. I've grown to it. Do it!”

Fluttershy was hesitant but agreed. “Well it might hurt... but okay...” Fluttershy started shaking. Suddenly, a frozen wind hit Carees and nearly froze him. Not only was he nearly frozen, the spell slowed him. He was unable to move.

“A-a-a-a-m-m-m-az-z-z-zing-g-g-g-g.” Carees slowly said. “P-p-please... t-t-try bl-bl-blood b-b-b-oil.”

Fluttershy thought hard about heat. “Umm... okay...”

Carees jumped. “OUCH! HOT! HOT HOT HOT!”

Fluttershy backed up. “I'm... I'm sorry...”

Carees calmed down and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Don't be. That was beautiful. I want you to do it again soon. You did fantastic for your first training. You've made me proud. Here, I suspected this might have happened, so I brought you these.”

Fluttershy looked inside the saddlebag. “What did you br-- oh my.”

Carees pulled out two swords. They were identical, and very deadly. They were swords, but the blade looked like a chainsaw. The handle had a skull on it. “Take these. These swords are for you to practice and use. They are the Slayers of the Lifeless. I made them back in Azeroth. You've earned them.”

“They are so... sharp and... edgy... They look like they'd have to... umm... I mean... they look like they need some getting used to.”

“Maybe so. But you're a Death Knight now. You need to protect yourself, and you know how. These are the perfect weapons. I used them for years. I'm going to be heading home now. Put those in a safe place in your cottage. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?”

“Umm... okay. Bye! I'll practice. I promise.”

___________________________________________________________________

“Hello! I'm home!” Carees called as he entered the house. A lovey voice came from upstairs as hoof steps were coming down the stairs.

“Helloooo, sweetheart! Have fun with Fluttershy?” Ruby asked. Wrong question.

“Hey, how did you know I was with Fluttershy?”

Ruby paused. “Well, balls. I blew THAT cover fast.”

“No really how'd you know?”

“I had another dream... but with a different person.” Ruby explained. Carees looked puzzled.

“Another person? Who invaded your dreams now? And why wont anypony just freaking leave you alone?”

“He called himself Algalon the Observer. Seemed like a nice dude. I can't tell you what he wanted me to do yet, though. Top secret.”

Carees eyes opened as his mouth dropped open. He grabbed Ruby's shoulders. “Algalon!? ALGALON!? THE OBSERVER!? You've been visited by a God, Ruby! We have a God on our side!”

Ruby acted only somewhat surprised. “Really? Awesome! He did tell me that he watches all the worlds ever created. Well, this rocks!”

“Hey, where's Berry and Cannon?” Carees asked.

“Out at Punch Cavern. That means... heheh... we got the whooole house to ourselves...” Ruby put a hoof around Carees. Carees made a nervous smile.

“Uhh... Heheh! I... I guess we do!”

“Come on, silly.”

“Where we going?”

Without looking, Ruby simply just said “couch.”

It's pretty obvious what happened next. And they were unaware that Cuddles was watching the whole thing from the corner. That day, Cuddles became an adult raptor.

___________________________________________________________________

“'Ey, me Berry, what be wrong, lassie? Ye look down.” Cannonbolt asked Berry. They were sitting on “The Special Couch” at Punch Cavern. Berry took a sip of strawberry punch.

“It's just me and Ruby. Ever since you and Kreese came to town, I feel like we've drifted further apart. We fight more, and don't interact with each other as much. How do you and Kreese stick together so well?”

Cannonbolt thought for a second. “...It probably be because we've been together fer so long that we know each other completely. I don't know to be ale-sippin' honest. Actually, I remember one thing that really brought us lads together. We had a huge fight.”

Berry looked at Cannon with a weird look. “A fight brought you together? How is that even possible?”

“Aye. Back when we were no more than fourteen years-o'-age, we had an argument over who would get Thunderfury, Blessed Blade o' the Windseeker when they were older, and which one would get Sulfurus, Hand o' Ragnaros. We almost dueled over it, but we had someone to break it up. Our buddy, Aivaleen, she broke it up and made us realize what stupid things we be doin'. I almost dueled me bestest buddy! Over a weapon! Ridiculous, I know. Nearly brought me tuh tears! As we made up, we vowed never to do that again and we agreed to stick together as adventurers until our life's end.” Cannonbolt looked up into space.

“Quite a heartwarming tale, but I don't know if it will work out between me and Ruby... we just don't do stuff together anymore... and when we do... it's not the same.” Berry looked down. “All she wants now is Kreese. All I want now is you. What we forgot about was each other, and I can't find a way to make it up. I tried to show off my new weapon to impress her, but I was a little late to the party... and I just got yelled at while your pet got all the praise.”

“Ye aren't gonna make it up with that attitude, that's fer sure.” Cannonbolt said, taking a huge drink of blueberry punch.

“I just don't know anymore, Cannonbolt.” Berry sighed as she laid back on the couch.

“Aww.” Cannonbolt said as he kissed her on the cheek. “Don't be down! Find a time where you two can have some fun somewhere.”

Berry looked over to him with the same depressed face. “When the hell am I gonna find a time where she ain't makin' out with Carees on the couch at home?”

Cannonbolt put his hoof on Berry's shoulder. “I'll make her find time. I'll take Carees out somewhere and tell him the whole situation. He be a very understanding kind o' guy. You need ta find time to talk with Ruby 'bout it. It's yer problem, and yer the one who's gotta take the precautions to fix 'er up!”

“You're right Cannon. I just... I'll try. Thanks, sweetheart.” Berry hugged her boyfriend with a very warm hug.

“Ain't a problem. 'Ey... dare ye to chug 3 glasses of punch.”

Berry looked up at him. “You're on, pal!”