Misplaced
It was there, in the great gardens of the capital city of Canterlot, that our story commences. There, with the great castle as witness and the floors of solid stone as the stage that our first act takes place.
In the shadows, in the darkness and hidden shades of the gardens stood a prince. His eyes looked sideways, making sure, making certain that none had followed their master. His ears, they stood at attention like guards guarding their general. His steps were soft and silent, calculated and timed with the noises around him.
Prince Blueblood had sneaked out of the party taking place inside the castle walls, sneaked out to convene with an ally, with a friend. And it was time, the hour had come, for the setting in motion of a plan. A plan that would change the world and the nation, that would fill up coffers upon coffers of gold and jewels, and send enemies tumbling downhill.
Such were their plans, and such was their intent. Of whom am I talking, you ask? Well, Blueblood was a clever politician and a capable noble. But he could not do what he planned on his own. Nay, nary a man nor minotaur strong enough existed that could carry the task by themselves. No gryphon or pegasus was as fast as needed to accomplish it without aid. Wouldn't be the diamond dogs with their tunneling skills that would carry out the mission either. Even a wizard would find himself in trouble.
Blueblood grimaced as he stepped unto the dirt of the gardens, but pressed forward. The one he needed to see was not far from there, and after some minutes of walking with the sound of the party echoing through the walls of the garden, with the moon shining bright o'er his head, Blueblood approached a large fountain surrounded by statues.
"Milord, it is good to see the mud and twigs did not keep you from coming."
Came a voice. Old and raspy. But deep and powerful nevertheless. It sounded of authority, of wisdom and age.
"Wizard. It is good to see you here. How has the road treated you? Not too roughly, I hope." Blueblood did not try to turn and look for the source of the voice. He knew it would be pointless to search for the wizard when he did not wish to be found.
"Thank you prince, it is good to see you as well. As for the road, it did with me as it does with any other. Long walks, restless nights, little food, and plenty of rain."
Blueblood nodded.
"And our 'little problem'? Has he been taken care of?"
The prince felt his eye twitch slightly at the mention, at the image, of 'him'. The Zebra had caused them enough troubles and calamities as the mission progressed, and many a time it was jeopardized by his less than capable skills.
"Our treacherous guide was unfortunate enough to have run into Hammer as he attempted his escape. He will trouble us no more."
The nephew of the goddess herself nodded and smiled. Perhaps fortune would smile upon his plans yet again. Perhaps he would still be able to see the gold and glory be his.
"Good, then the next phase of our quest may continue."
But the world is nary a fair player and it does not choose sides. Blueblood would have to battle against many before his prize could be truly called his.
"Not quite. We are now in need of a new guide, this time also a mapmaker, as there are no modern, accurate maps of our destination."
The voice had begun to grow fainter as the wizard walked away, from where and to where remained a mystery.
Blueblood heard the fading voice and called out before speech became obsolete. Wizards can leave and reappear as they please, and it could be months before he could speak with him again.
"Find a new one! And get me that gem!"
Then he was alone. Alone in the gardens, but not in his plans. Prince Blueblood smiled and corrected a stray hair of his mane.
"It's a matter of time now..."
The prince then returned to the frivolities of Canterlot life.
Two weeks later.
She sighed.
Contently.
Happily.
It was another of those beautiful mornings for Corvette, another one of those beautiful, calm, serene, and gentle mornings. With the rising sun in the sky and the fresh smell of the air about her.
The light blue mare with a mane of orange color, was sitting on her front porch. Sunday it was, and what a magnificent one. Birds chirped and the sun shone, the moist grass of her lawn glistened with morning dew.
Her eyes set in the horizon as it was lit with the sun's barely rising warmth. She enjoyed waking early on sunday mornings, just so she could admire the rising sun without rush, without hurry.
Corvette smiled and set her cup of tea down on the empty seat beside her. Deciding it was time to return to her paperwork, she stood, grabbed the tea tray in her mouth, and walked inside.
'Such a beautiful day...' Went her thoughts as she neared her home's door.
"It is indeed."
She stopped just in front of the entrance, snapped back into the world by the booming voice suddenly making an appearance beside her. Corvette blinked and turned her head sideways, still holding onto the tray.
"Allow me to help you with that." The voice went once more, and a hand shot out to hold the tray.
Good thing too, otherwise the mapmaker would have dropped it as she gasped.
Before her stood a man, bearded and cloaked, holding a metallic staff. The sight was one to never forget, as the man stood twice her height and had his face completely concealed by a hood. The only feature that could be seen of his face was the long, black beard that ran down to his waist.
Corvette gaped at him for a while longer, confused as to how he had come so close without her knowing, as to how he had known her thoughts and made an appearance. A rather rude and intrusive one, she would have added.
"Um... I'm sorry, mister?"
The hooded man ignored her, seemingly content to divert his gaze towards her house.
"It is a rather nice home you have here."
He said, not looking down at her, not answering her question.
"Excuse me sir? I didn't quite catch your name."
Corvette said, trying to be polite, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling the man gave her. After several seconds of silence, he spoke.
"That is to be expected, since I never mentioned it."
Taken aback by the curt reply, Corvette nodded. Not knowing what else to do, she looked at the man in confusion and then at her door, as if expecting a sign that told her to head inside.
"Your house, you did not design it."
She shook her head.
"So you are no architect. But you did choose the location for its foundations."
Corvette felt the uneasiness growing and the tension increasing. He spoke facts about her, spoke as if explaining her to herself. It was unnerving.
"I am a car-"
"Cartographer, yes."
The silence became absolute, dense and unbroken. But a man has his ways, his form of breaking that which cannot be shattered. The hooded man spoke once more.
"Where would you like me to put this tray?"
The voice was strong, even if the man it belonged to seemed old. The voice sounded of power, authority, and wisdom. Corvette had not met many humans before, mainly because their kingdom was a sea away. But she was certain that not all of them were this strange.
"Um... You really shouldn't bother with it."
The man nodded and set the tray on the chair where Corvette had been sitting on a few minutes before.
"You are a very kind pony, very polite."
She smiled warmly, albeit a bit confused, and thanked him.
"But you are foolish."
Corvette blinked and looked at the man as he turned to leave. But before he departed, he said something, something that would change her life forever.
"You spend hours reading and studying many papers and maps, yet you have never dared place them to the test. Take care of any unresolved issues you may have, and make ready."
'Ready for what?' She thought as she attempted to make sense of what was happening.
"For an adventure, of course! Simple equines and their simple..." Whatever it was the man had said, it was lost in the wind as he walked away. Mysterious and shrouded in darkness he left. Moving across the maze of streets until he was out of view.
Frowning and with her mouth slightly open, Corvette walked inside her house, forgetting the tray outside. Too baffled by her strange encounter to remember such trivialities. However, such things would not forget her...
Unbeknownst to the poor mapmaker, a group was gathering. Up in the hills to the north, were the sun shone the brightest. Five figures, stood. Waiting for a signal, waiting for a light. And down in the south, were the great diamond dog tunnels ran deep into the earth. Another group looked on into Ponyville. Three miners wiped the sweat off their brows, and continued their march.
But look weary traveler, tired friend, over to the west! There, emerging from the forest, clothed in tattered garments and wearing worn out boots, another one and his pets out of the woods emerged, hunger in their eyes. Over, you say it is? Nay! Out in the east, forced to walk alongside his friend. Racing on foot, paws and talons against hooves and hands. Heavy armament hanging from their backs as they ran, making haste.
And in the middle? A peaceful mare, that knew nothing of the matter. For it was by the wish of a wizard, and the coin of a prince that such a strange conglomerate was to be gathered.
Corvette closed the door to her house and frowned. 'What a weird meeting, he didn't even give me his name... Never thought humans were so mysterious...'
Corvette, cartographer and studied mare, independent and agile thinker, decided to make ready for a nice day of relaxation. It was sunday after all, and sunday meant, well, sunday! A day on which nothing was meant to be done, no problems were meant to be solved, and nothing was of the matter. She shook her head to shake it clear of thoughts of hooded men and strange chats outside normal porches, and instead decided to sit back in a comfortable chair and have some breakfast.
Her home was warm and well lit, her stove cooking an inviting breakfast over a fire that burned, so quietly, so simply. She was a simple mare, with basic needs and few dreams that had not come true. A warm hearth, a comfortable bed and good looking furniture, all under a roof she could call her own.
The mare sat on an oaken chair and served herself a plateful of food. A smile was allowed to cross her features as the scent of freshly cooked vegetables and eggs reached her muzzle, eliciting a sigh of content. 'It's going to be one of those calm, lazy, delicious days...'
Corvette smiled as she dug her fork into a carrot, keeping the smile as she rose it up to her mouth, slowly, very slowly. Happy to enjoy the warm, delicious scent of it as she-
There was a... A noise, at the door. Too loud to be someone knocking, and too soft to be someone crashing. It was simply odd to hear such things in such a calm town like Ponyville.
Corvette opened her eyes and turned around, a frown of confusion crossing her features as she stood up, and walked towards the door. Leaving her delicious meal behind as she opted to be polite above all else and answer the call of someone who wished to have attention payed to them.
The mare unlocked the entrance to her home and peered outside, half expecting something strange and out of the ordinary to appear, since she had already had quite the extraordinary day.
But there was nothing.
Not a bird, not a sound. Just, nothing.
Or was it nothing? Perhaps it was fate? She did not know, did not think it could be. It must have been the farthest thing from her mind, to even believe that such a thing as 'destiny' would come knocking at her door. And yet...
A shattered cup, her shattered cup, lay before her. Having been thrown at her door and left there, it now had left an obvious scratch on the paint of the entrance to Corvette's home. Her brow was furrowed in confusion and irritation, her mind working through the mist that her earlier encounter had left. Corvette sighed and closed her door, deciding that a paint job and cleaning her front porch would have to be added to her 'to do' list.
The door closed. An adventure had been set on its rails to commence.
All because of a scratch upon a door.
