This is my first story that I've posted on FIMFiction so, as the typical routine goes, I'm open to anything you, the readers, say, comment, and point out. Thanks for your time and enjoy!
After shaking everyones hand you finally make it to your room on the top floor of the Hound Pit's Pub. 'Why did they put your room on the top floor?' you though to yourself. Oh yeah, you're an assassin. First you were a bodyguard to the Empress then, after she was assassinated, you got thrown in the Coldridge Prison for six months and here you are. Killing the people who set you up for her murder. But, these people no, these friends helped you escape and seek your vengance upon those men. Your friends risked everything to help you escape and help with their cause. Thinking back on those memories made your head pulse with pain.
With each step the pulse in your head progressively worsens. Once you make it to your room your head feels like Piero's drill is going through your skull. With what strength you have left you trudge your way to your bed. Unfortionately you only make it to the threshold of your room. With your bed within your sight you muster the slightest strength, again, and head towards your bed. It was a futile attempt, once you got within a foot of your bed you land on the worn wooden floor, hard. Trying to figure out what's happening you see out of the corners of your eyes is darkness slowly crawling its way over your vision. You can't fight anymore. You're tired and weakened so, you just let the darkness swallow you up.
"Is he dead?" Huh? Is someone there?
"Yeah he's dead, the fool drank all of the poisoned liquor we gave him. Isn't that right, Sam."
Wait! Sam did this to me!?
"Yes sir, I poured the poison into his drink before handing it to him." Sam the Boatman, I venge that once I recover from this I will find you and ring out your scrawny, wrinkled, old neck.
"Thankyou Sam now, I want you to take his corspe and dump it in the Flooded Districts. So that noone will find his body."
You hear them all say 'agreed' in unison. Trying to listen in on more of the conversation you creep back into unconsciousness, again.
You awake, not fully but you are able to see albiet everything being fuzzy. Over your unresponsive body you see a shadowed figure crouched over your body.
"I'm terribly sorry about poisoning you Corvo." Oh, look who it is! It's Sam the Hagfish!
"They... They forced me to do it! But, luckily for you I only put in half of the poison. You're a tough man Corvo, you won't let poison take you over without a fight. I'm still going to drop you off in the Flooded Districts though. If I didn't Havelock would have my hide. I'm going to put you in a tiny boat and send you down the river. The current should take you there. Please, please Corvo forgive my actions."
Ok Sam, you're forgiven alittle but, you're still a Hagfish.
But he was forced to do it Corvo. Yeah, and you were a real heart. I was real at one point Corvo. You were going to argue with the Tell-Tale Heart but, the poison soon gains dominice over your body and forces you to blackout.
In the river there is a tiny raft floating lazily with the current, heading in no general direction. Little waves here and there rock the raft in sleep enducing motions. In the raft is it's only passanger, a man that has been used by his most trusted friends. He now is traveling down the river saved by one of his closest friends. This is the thought that keeps this mans sanity. The rivers current is slowly speeding up while the rocking is becoming more violent. Ahead of the unwary man there is a raging, billowing whirlpool. The only audience of this mans death is a mysterious being floating overhead.
"My, my. Nature wants to end your life Corvo. Death is calling your name but, I have another use for you. A different world is in need of your assistance, this world is unlike here. I will place some of my offerings over this world Corvo, these will either help or hurt you. It just depends on how you use them."The dark being slowly retreats into a dark purplish void.
"I am the Outsider and this is my gift to you Corvo, use them well."
In another world two mares are walking with eachother enjoying the day that Celestia gave them.
"Celestia always knows how to make a day bright. Don't you think Fluttershy?" asks Twilight to her timid friend. Fluttershy just nods while admiring all of the woodland creatures surrounding both Twilight and her. Twilight decides to stop in her tracks making Fluttershy accidentally bump into her friend. Scared at what she did Fluttershy hides behind her mane and starts to back away slowly.
"Umm, Fluttershy?". Fluttershy's ears lift up as she hears her name being called.
"Y-yes Twilight?". "Are you seeing this?". Not knowing what Twilight is seeing Fluttershy decides to take a peep around her friends torso.
Right before her very eyes she sees this creature that seems to be hurt.
"Oh my!" are the words she says in a concerned tone of voice. Before Twilight can ask what it is Fluttershy is already at the creatures side, checking to see if it's ok.
"Fluttershy!" yells Twilight while running towards her friend. "You don't know if it's dangerous or not. What were you thinking?"
"I-I thought that h-he was hurt". Fluttershy prepares herself for Twilight's speech for not going up to random creatures but, soon realizes that her friend is baffled.
"How can you tell that it's a he?"
"Oh! Umm... Well he looks l-like a monkey and, in monkeys the males are normally broad shouldered compaired to the females."
"Well... Is he hurt?" asks Twilight.
"It looks like somepony poisoned the poor thing." Fluttershy's head forms an idea. "Twilight. C-can you help me move him to my cottage? If t-that's ok..."
Twilight thinks for a second and simply nods. "Sure, as long as I can ask him questions later. And if he can talk to us."
Fluttershy clops her hooves together in delight to know that she'll be helping a strange yet interesting creature. "Alright Twilight, can you lift him up in the air?"
"Sure thing Fluttershy.". Twilight focuses enough energy in her horn so that she can lift the creature. A loud and pain filled moan escapes the creature's maw.
"Oh my! He must be hurt more than I thought! Twilight come on we need to hurry."
Through the shroud of darkness there is a glimmer of hope. Not now Heart. And why not? It hurts, it hurts so bad. You're the lucky one Corvo, all I feel is pain. If I'm going to die please, let me die in peace. But you're not dead Corvo, wake up.
Slowly, but surely, the darkness that enveloped your sight slowly recedes back into your skull. You slowly sit up from where you were laying down. Then you notice something.
Someone decided to drag your body into their house and wrap you up in a soft and fuzzy blanket. Sadly it only covered your chest and hip. Peeling the blanket away you stand up so that you can strech your body. Well... Lets say that the ceiling is about a foot short of you being able to stand up properly.
And you found that out the hard way by smashing your head off of it.
"Damnit!" you mutter while rubbing the spot you hurt.
In the next room you hear the crashing noise of pots and pans hitting the floor. You get startled but, you soon regain your composure and ready yourself for what made that noise. You go and grab for your sword.... Sword?
You look for your sword on your hip but it's not there. Neither are your clothes. Thank the Outsider that they left on my undergarments on atleast.
Ok so, you don't have your sword and you're almost naked. Yeah you feel real intimidating right now.
A light sounding squeek draws your attention from your thoughts. You look at the offender and you jaw just drops. Right in front of you is a yellow colored equine creature.
Huh?" is the first word that comes to mind. It squeeks again and hides behind the doorway. Standing there dumbstruck it pokes its head from the doorway, cocking its head in curiosity.
"Umm... D-did you j-just t-talk?" mumbles the equine.
"Yeah, and so did you." you comment with a finger pointing at the equine.
With your brain trying to figure out what's going on you take a seat on the floor. From the corner of your eyes you see the equine slowly approach you with a face that's filled with curiosity. It stops about halfway and opens its mouth.
"A-are you o-ok?" Letting out a sigh you answer it.
"Yes, I'm fine. Did you heal me?"
It shakes its head. "Oh yes! When I found you I-I didn't know what you were. When I walked closer to your body I seen that you were hurt. So I had my one friend help me bring you here so I could heal you."
Wow, in the Isles noone would even stop to see if you'd be ok, or even breathing.
"Well then, I must owe you and your friend thanks... Umm, I didn't catch your name."
Upon hearing this its ears perk up. "My name is F-Fluttershy. What's yours?"
You extend your hand towards her (atleast from the voice) and introdeuce yourself.
"My name is Corvo Attano. Ex-bodyguard of the late Empress Jessamine." Your tone went soft at the mention of the Empress. Fluttershy takes notice of this walks closer to you.
`"This Empress was special to you wasn't she?" You nod in slience while trying to calm yourself.
After some time you make small talk with Fluttershy. Apparently she's a Pegasus and cares for many animals. She has six best friends in town. The one called Twilight helped Fluttershy carry you to her home. You make a mental note to thank this, Twilight.
Once the conversation died down you decide to ask the obvious question.
"Umm, Fluttershy?" She turns her head to see you.
"Hmm?"
"Where are my clothes?" Upon realising this her face becomes overwhelm with the color red.
"Oh! U-umm.... I-I decided t-to wash them f-for you. They looked k-kinda dirty" she said while turning away. "I'll go and get t-them for you Corvo."
And once she finishes that sentance she swiftly flies out of the room. You just sit there dumbfounded of what just happened right infront of you. You give up on even trying to think why and just wrap yourself in the blanket from earlier. The warmth envelopes your body which, in turn, causes you to learn back onto the pillow and fall asleep.
After a decent nap you wake up. Taking a look around you're still in Fluttershy's cottage. But, something feels off. You can't quite put your finger on it. Oh well. You better see if Fluttershy got your clothes yet. While you're standing up the blanket that was just around you starts to float.
"Huh?"
You go over to the blanket and poke it. Once you touch it the blanket's direction is changed. You're beyond confused, you're starting to laugh uncontrollably. While laughing you take a closer look at everything. While looking everything seemed to change into a weird purplish-blue hue.
"Oh no."
You finally figured out what's happening. The Outsider wants a friendily chat with you. You sigh loudly. Why can't he just meet me outside of the Void?
Knowing that you have to talk to the Outsider you stand and head into Fluttershy's kitchen. It's even worse than the living room. Pots and pans float lazily around while some random stool just bumps into your side. You've never liked coming here.
Why? Well, everything floats and that confusing color hue to the Void. Before your head starts spinning you decide to head off.
Luckily enough for you the exit was the kitchens back door. Opening the door reveals the true Void. Huge masses of random chuncks of earth, Lanterns attached to objects at weird angles and a staircase to the top of a mountain. Taking that as your cue you walk up the staircase.
At the very top of the staircase was a shrine for the Outsider. You've seen too many of them and their sad stories that they tell.
One man found one of the Outsiders relics and decided to keep it. After awhile the man started to hear voices in his head. The poor man didn't know what was causing the voices to appear. His brother visited him one day since he didn't bother showing his face. The brother was slain once he tried to touch the rellic. Out of guilt the man killed himself because of this.
And I could decifer this story all from a few notes laying around the room, the two bodies, all of the caked blood on the walls and the relic shrine. That story will stay with you forever. You shake your head to disapate the thoughts and head towards the shrine.
As you approach the shrine you see a portal of purplish-blue appear right above the shrine. A worn leather boot steps through the portal. Soon after the owner of that boot appears and the portal closes.
"Hello, Corvo." greets the Outsider.
"Hello, Outsider. What's you're reason for contacting me?"
The Outsider chuckles at your question. "Oh, Corvo. Somepony from this world decided that they need my help. Since I cannot interfere with mortal business I decided to bring you here to help that pony out."
'So I'm here because someone wanted the Outsider to help them?' you think to yourself. "Who is it? And where are they?" you ask in a colective tone.
"Corvo, in due time you shall meet them. All in due time.". That answer does not sit well with you. As a result you sigh in disapointment, to which the Outsider notices. "Don't worry, Corvo. Throughout this world I've places many Bone Charms. They will help or hurt your cause. It all depends on how you use them."
You knew that he was going to say that last part. "Thankyou Outsider. Now if you may, return me back to my body please.". He nods and within seconds he's engulfed with purplish-blue flames. Once he completely disappears The Void slowly becomes out-of focus.
You awake to the sight of Fluttershy peering over your body. "Umm... Fluttershy? Do you have a reason to be watching me in my sleep?" She takes a few steps back and stares at the floorboards of her home. "Oh, umm... I-I thought that y-you were having a nightmare. Y-you started to thrash around in your sleep so, I thought that I should see if you would snap out of it if I tried to wake you."
Giving her a quizical look your eyes find an iron bucket laying besides her. She follows your gaze and realise what your staring at. "I-I'm so sorry, Corvo. I-I thought that spashing water on you would work. But, it didn't work out so well..." Her gaze once again falls upon her floorboards and starts to back away not knowing what you will do to her.
"Just go and get me a towel and I'll forget all about that." For a moment she looks back up and smiles before realising something.
"Oh! A-and your clothes are done. I'll go and fetch them too." She then zooms out of the room before you could thank her for everything she's done for you.
It's strange really. This mare? Was that what they called the females? Anyway, this mare just saved your life and is now fetching your clothes for you. Is she the embodiement of kindness? Mabey but, if this were to happen back in Dunwall you'd been stripped of everything of value. What was the reason for saving you? And who was the person, er, pony who requested help?
While deep in thought you don't even notice that Fluttershy has returned with your clothes in her mouth. She places your clothes gently on her sofa and walks up to you. "Umm... Corvo? I-I have your clothes on the couch."
"Hmm? Oh! Why thankyou Fluttershy. That was kind of you to wash my clothes for me."
The yellow Pegasus beems with satisfaction and takes her leave for Corvo to change into his clothes in peace.
After a few moments you mamage to slip back into your outfit. And you take notice right away to the feel of them. They're a lot more relaxed than normal. Normally they give off a slight squeek but with you bending back and forth it doesn't emmit the squeek at all.
"Fluttershy? Did you do something to my clothes?" You ask with curiosity in your voice
"Well... Y-yes I did. D-do you like it?" She asks with a slight tremble
"Like it? I love it!"
The pegasus shrinks down with the volume of your voice but smiles none the less
"Again thankyou Fluttershy for washing my clothes." You say while attaching your two Bone Charms that you had on you
"Your welcome Corvo but, can you tell me where you're going?"
Should you tell her about the Outsider? Or should you just lie? It seems to be impossible to lie right infront of her face. Mabey you can just irk the sentance. Yeah! That'll work.
Turning around you face her and tell her that you are going to find somethings that a friend of yours lost. She seems to buy it, for now. You give one last thankyou and head off.
But, you made a promise to her while you were changing behind a curtain. She would allow you to go out as long as you made it back to her cottage before nightfall. To you those were fair rules. So it'd be best to find atleast one Charm.
Closing the door behind you and walking abit away you pull out your mask from a pouch on your belt. You flip it over to the red, velvet interior and attach it to your face with an audible click. You allow the lens' to focus in and begin testing the magnifying add-on that Piero put in for you.
To you Piero was a great guy but, he was always trying to improve something or making some sort of chemical compound that would cure the plague. That idea was a good laugh but in all honesty his inventions were amazing. While pushing the idea of home in the back of your head you pull out the Tell-Tale Heart.
"Heart? You there?"
Yes Corvo?
"Could you tell me where the closest Charm is?"
I suppose so, just hold on... Got it
"Great job now, which direction?"
It's about 120 Meters in from the edge of that forest to your left
"Thankyou"
You pocket the Heart and begin your treck to a new Bone Charm in this colorfull world.
After cutting through a briar patch here and there you start to feel the Heart's mechanical pulse. Knowing that you're close you pull out the Heart and start turning around slowly. After a few turns you find out that the Charm is to your east. Placing the Heart to it's respective place you head off.
With each step the Heart's beat is increased faster, and faster, and faster until it's thumping sound is almost a soild hum. Taking a quick glance around you notice a black, bubbly aura on a tree branch right above you. The limb is too high for you to jump and climbing would take too long. So, you do the last thing to do.
Clenching your left hand into a fist you calm your mind with your eyes open. Once you achieve mental clarity a weird cyan circle appears on top of the branch. Putting a little bit of energy into the end point you quickly find yourself on said branch with the Bone Charm staring at you.
"Found you." You say out loud to noone in particular.
Picking up Charm and placing it in a pouch you jump down onto the soft, mossy ground below. But, before you can take a single step, a low growl penetrates the mostly quite atmosphere. Turning around you notice a shadow that belongs to, what looks like, a wolf. Upon closer inspection you are correct on the wolf shape but the creature itself... By the late Empress.
The creature had eyes of pure green mist that would sometimes gather in the sewers. It's body and legs looked like twisted branches of thorn and briar. It's head looked like a solid piece of a log with stake-like teeth protruding in painfully opposite directions in it's maw.
It looked like a creature that the Outsider tried to finish but stopped halfway. Before you could say what it emits another loud howl. After a moment of you staring down the wooden wolf two more emerge from out of nowhere with a look of which brothers-in-arms would wear if their brother was in a bind.
"Now, this fight should be interesting." You comment while getting in a fighting stance with your blade.
The first wolf lets out snarl and quickly launches itself towards you, with the intent to kill. Within its mid air jump you launch yourself towards the branched beast. Once it gets about armsreach you drop to your knees, letting the beast soar right over your body.
With its underbelly right over your head you slam your blade into the wolf's belly and bring the blade with you, tearing open the beast's chest and spilling out it's guts over the forest's floor. The body lands behind you with a thud but, that attack didn't end the animal's life, it let out a whimper even though you could clearly see it's lungs hanging out of it's chest. Feeling pity for the beast you pull out your crossbow and fire a bolt into it's head, ending it's pain and suffering.
The other two wolves just stood there shocked by that fact that this creature just took out their brother so easily. The one on the left managed to snap out of it's state and begins to charge towards you. Learnng from it's brother's mistake this one decides to try and make you fall by attacking your legs. Crouching low, you thrust yourself into the air and fire a bolt into the back of it's skull. Landing on the ground you look back to see if the wolf will come back up but, alas it does not.
Looking at the last wolf you can see the fear and agony that is filling the wolf's eyes. Retracting the blade back into it's handle you look at the wolf dead in the eyes.
"Do not suffer the fate of which your brothers have faced. You may flee, and I will not think differently of you."
The wolf looks at you and slowly nods. Taking a backwards step the wolf dissappears into the darkness.
After taking a few moments to make sure that the wolf did flee, you turn back to the two fallen wolves. These wolves were a strange creature to behold but, taking an up close look at the body it seems that a series of vines were connected to each limb as in the way a muscle is attached to bone.
'What a strange atanomy these creatures hold.'
You thought to youself snatching a bolt out of the wolf's head. Once you did retrieve the bolt a greenish gold liquid started pouring out of the wound. With curiosity rising, you place a finger upon the mysterious liquid and rub it between your fingers.
'Is this... Sap?'
The liquid is as sticky and thick like tree sap but, it wants to slide out of your grip. Still looking at the 'blood' that is escaping your finger you head towards the other body to retrieve the other bolt. Once you get to the other you notice another weird trait that these creatures hold.
Those vines that were holding the limbs seemed to have died and dried out. Poking at the hind leg with your finger the vines seem to disintegrate at your touch. Before you can indulge into this, a loud and deep roar rips through the forest's air. Not wanting to see what made that noise you retreat back towards Fluttershy's cottage.
Atleast you go what you came here for...
