The Elder Scrolls VI: Equestriaby Aurora GlowChaptersThat Beginning PartExplanation?Whats a Dragonborn?That Beginning PartThe Elder Scrolls VI: Equestria Its so blurry... Did I drop my glasses?... No. I don't have glasses... I must've just had a troubled sleep. I can make somepony out in front of me. But my vision is failing me, and I can barely make out a voice from the figure. I try to move my hooves so that i could push myself to sit up straight but it seems that i'm wearing hoofcuffs or some form of restraint because I can't seem to do that either. As my ears are finally coming around I hear the colt in front of me speak "Finally awake now are we?" he asks. I don't bother responding because I'm trying to take in my surroundings, and to get a general understanding of where I am. Looking around, I'm finding no answers because its too dim in here, wherever here may be. "Where are we?" I respond, giving up on inference to use as a guide. My vision finally reboots itself as he comes into view. He has a pair of hoofcuffs on, as do I. The frown on his face tells me that I'm not in a place I'd like to be in. My senses are returning to me one by one. The vicinity smells like rotting wood or a dusty corner of a room. There're only holes or dots in the wall with light streaming in, barely making it bright enough to see that there are multiple ponies in this crate. Or is it a chariot? No. The conditions of the place are too dirty to be a form of transportation of that quality. It has to be some kind of steerage. The clopping of hooves outside tells me so. I cringe at the soreness of my lower abdomen and shoulders. Irritated, I await his answer. "We're going to be sentenced." he says casually. His face brightens up at having somepony to talk to. How long had I been unconcious? "Sentenced to what, exactly?" I question. I haven't the slightest bit of memory from before I woke up here. I couldn't have done anything saintly, since my body is so achy and i'm in these binds. The clopping from outside stops, and I'm suddenly being jerked to my left as it seems our trip has come to an end. "Well, we'll see soon friend...Its judgement time." he raises his forelegs in binds to a crack of light on the wall which quickly expand from the door being pulled open. The celestial guard's armor looks as bright and gleaming as I've ever seen it, especially from this dark pit I've been thrown into. "Come on. Get out." one of the guards order in the commanding monotone voice that they all seem to have. All of the ponies in the carriage get out. There are more than I anticipated. The stallion who spoke to me gets out as well before I decide to follow. A guard wearing a captain's helmet steps forth with another guard accompanying him with the list of inmates. I look around, taking in the new area. We're in Canterlot Castle courtyard. This isn't the first time I've been here. Well at least not mentally. I've read countless tomes on the structure and seen hundreds of images of this scene but never experienced it for myself. The walls are white and the roofs are golden. The sound of rushing water can be heard somewhere off in the distance. Oh yes there's a waterfall next to the castle. Funny how this is my first time here, and its to be sentenced to some punishment for some crime I must've committed. I finally turn my attention back to the guards as they begin calling the names of the outlaw ponies. All of their names are unfamiliar. I don't pay much attention until they call the name. "Autumn Gale" the guard called. My acquaintance from our trip here steps forward. "That'd be me sir." he replied in his smooth talking, sarcastic tone. I only now start to physically analyze him. His mane is black, and not too long. But it is long enough so that his bangs hide the direction he's looking by covering the majority of his eyes. His coat is pale red. Like an old barnyard whose paint job has faded, and he has no real prominent features about him except his flank. Its blank. Strange. A stallion as old as him should've earned his cutie mark ages ago. "You have been charged with seventy eight accounts of ponyslaughter, one hundred thirty three accounts of attempted ponyslaughter, ninety three accounts of burglary, and the worst, stealing the Elements of Harmony. These offenses match no consequence but public execution, and banishment to the moon. Have you any words in your defense?" the guard's facial expression didn't change as he read from Gale's list of offenses. But I wish I could see my face right now. I should look like I've just seen a ghost. My eyes stay fixed on Gale just waiting for him to give any statement in his defense. "Yep. It was all me. No doubt about it. Don't forget my resistance of arrest." He pauses for a second, then looks at me, winks and turns back to the guard with a sinister grin. "Hey get Celestia out here will ya? Its been a while since I've been sentenced personally by royalty." Gale really needs to watch his mouth. His loud mouthing is just going to get himself killed quicker. That seemed to get the guard riled up. "Say something like that again and I'll execute you myself right now." the guard growls through clenched teeth. Gale doesn't seem to be fazed by this. He just stares right on into the guard's eyes. "Go ahead." Gale taunts. Now he lazily trots over to the nearest inclination in the ground and lays his head on it. "I dare you." the guard is about to comply with Gale's wishes when an orb of blue light comes in between them. Everypony turns toward the direction where the magic orb came from. There standing is the one and only Princess Celestia. The guards all fumble to stand at attention as Celestia makes her way towards Gale. Her facial expression shows her discomfort being around him, but not losing her composure. When she finally reaches Gale, their eyes meet, and she stoops to whisper in his ear. His look turns from casual to excited as she gets back up to her regal height. "Let this one go." Celestia commands in her soft, motherly tone. The captain of the guard makes a face of mixed emotions. Shock being the most obvious one, he ponders on this and then gives Celestia a look that asks if she is being serious. The alicorn nods in response. "You heard the princess. Let him go." the captain says to the other guards in a low, submitting voice. It is the voice of defeat. One of the other guards spread a wing and use it like a blade to cut Gale's hoofcuffs in an instant. Gale's smile only grows larger at this. "It would be greatly appreciated if you let my friend here go as well Celly." he says to Celestia in his smooth talking tone which I am starting to grow used to. "What do we do princess?" the captain of the guard sounds pleading. "This ones not on the list." "If Autumn Gale wishes it so, do as he says." Celestia tells the guard sternly. "The last thing I want is to start a war with a third party." Celestia's voice drops almost to the point of being inaudible. And like that, another guard spreads a wing and cuts my bindings in two in a split second. "Now Autumn Gale. Take this pony and leave before I change my mind." the alicorn begs behind fake anger. "Of course Celly. Anything for you." Gale replies flatly, motioning me to follow him. Slowly, we back away from the gates of Canterlot. Once out, we make a dash for it. It's really windy outside of the castle. The walls must've acted as a barrier from the gusts outside. Though the chilly wind is really keeping me from galloping straight, Gale is having no trouble breaking through the obstacle. I'll bet even a Celestial guard...no...Celestia herself would have trouble flying in this torrent of wind. Hours, or what seem to be hours go by and we finally come to a stop under the ceiling of a small cave Gale found. Panting and sweaty, I manage to come up with words. "You're quite the runner aren't you Gale?" I say in between breaths. He turns to look at me from where he'd begun to build a fire with some dead branches he'd found lying around the cave floor. He's obviously confused at my sudden question. "No. I consider myself to be average athletically." He says after dropping some wood in a pile. "What made you think that?" I'm looking at him, wide eyed now. "You mean to say that the ability to run in a wind storm is average?" I ask, starting to get a little irritated. After pondering for a second leaving the cave awkwardly silent, his face lights up with a sudden realization. "Oh yeah. I forgot." He finally says, looking a little bit embarrassed. "Well you can say that i'm not exactly a normal everyday pony." He adds to his first statement. "Help me build a fire first. Then I'll tell you the whole story." I agree with him simply by nodding my head and searching for more dead branches on the ground. Next time: If there is a next time...Gale's identity is revealed unless you haven't figured it out yet. Explanation?Sorry for taking so long to post these...I'm really busy most of the time. If anypony wants to help me with naming my chapters or working on my story, please offer to do so. And special thanks to my best editor. Wait no, my only editor, and my brother Fluttrick for reading over and correcting any grammar issues and what not. Chapter 2 Luna's radiant crescent moon begins to rise from the horizon. Gale glares blankly into the recently built fire, deep in thought. This is the first time I've seen him serious in the short time we've been together. I stare at him the same way he stares at the flame, waiting for him to begin his story. A couple minutes go by. Feeling that I'm beginning to drift off into sleep, he finally says something. "You know...I wasn't always a pony." Is what I think I hear him say. My ears have fallen into somewhat of a slumber, as did the rest of my body. I rub my eyes and try to wake myself up so i can hear what he has to say. "I used to live in a much more dangerous world than here in Equestria." He continues, his face is showing reminiscence of his old life. "Earth was the name of the world that I was born into. The dominant species there aren't ponies, but two legged creatures called humans." He explains to me as if he were a filly school teacher. "I don't know if you've figured it out yet, but I was once human. Humans have two legs, two other limbs called hands, no coat, and wears a lot of clothing." I think for a moment, trying to take in the fact that the colt i'm looking at isn't, or didn't used to be a pony. "Are they evil?" I ask him after yawning. "Some are. Not all of them. Most humans live exactly the way that ponies do. Just wanting to carry on in life." he says before a sigh. He seems to miss his time as one of these humans. "Anything else interesting about them?" I add to try to get him out of this dark mood he's in. "Well, they're omnivorous. They eat both meat and plants, though they prefer meat." He says with a smirk. I suddenly feel uncomfortable looking at Gale. "They can survive on vegetables alone if needed." he added reassuringly. I let out a breath, and with it the fear of Gale eating me. "These humans don't sound very threatening. So why did princess Celestia seem so scared of you? Does she know you were human? How did you even get to Equestria? Why are you in the form of a pony? Celly?" I find my mouth suddenly covered by a pale red hoof. "Slow down there." He looks taken aback by all my questioning. "Well first off, Celestia or Celly as I like to call her, and I have known each other longer than anypony has known her with the exception of her sister. She wasn't scared of me either. She was doing me and Equestria a favor. Finally, I'm a pony because I asked her to turn me into one. I don't like too much attention, never did, even as a human, and everypony would freak out at the sight of a human." I find myself questioning him even further. "What do you mean you've known her longer than anypony else?" He gets up, stretches, and lays back down. This is gonna be a long story. "There was once a kid living on earth. Kid means foal in the universal earth language. Anyways, this kid was named Brad. He was as normal as normality could get. He went to school, got average grades, and had no real friends but everyone seemed to like him. But he didn't want to live so peacefully. He wanted adventure, and eventually ended up seeking it. He was a big fan of a very certain television series that can tell the past and the future of this world. Oh by the way, a t.v. is short for television which is a device used to display entertainment throughout an entire country or if needed, the entire world. One night, he woke up to his t.v. glowing. And before he knew it, he was in a really bright room in the company of a pony with an everflowing multicolored mane. Princess Celestia. He didn't know this was real. He just thought it was a dream of that t.v. show that he really liked. So he figured out that Celestia had summoned a creature from another dimension to aid in the fabled battle against Nightmare Moon. Brad had instantly agreed to this and decided to help the goddess of the sun. After successfully aiding Celestia in banishing her sister to the moon for a thousand years, with the help of the newly crafted elements of harmony, he took notice that Celestia was not happy with the outcome of the battle. She didn't want the inability to see her sister for a millenia so she requested the boy's aid once again he agreed to tell her how to get her sister back with one condition. That he may be made into an immortal pony himself and experience Equestria's embrace, escaping earth's sorrows forever, and to keep from attracting too much attention from the rest of the pony folk. Celestia agreed to his condition on the spur of the moment and made him into an immortal pony. Finally he was satisfied and told her that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape. And she will bring about night time eternal. Celestia didn't like his answer, asked him to help out with the planning to revert Nightmare Moon back to the lunar matriarch. Judging by how he had all the time in the world, Brad, or Autumn Gale as you now know him, gladly heeded Celestia's words and told her that only the Elements of Harmony along with six bearers of the spirits of harmony would bring back princess Luna. And after a millenia of planning, things are about to unfold." Gale's tale comes to an end. He barely notices that I've all but fallen into deep sleep, barely keeping my eyes open. "Get your rest. We're going Element hunting tomorrow." I manage to hear him say before joining sleep in a deep embrace. Okay. Its been a thousand years, and the Summer Sun Celebration is right around the corner. Gale's plan has gone according to plan so far, so why am I so nervous? This is my only chance to get Luna back so I have to keep my composure. The guards are obviously shocked that I let him go. My paranoid thoughts to myself are cut off as the air in front of me swirls into a green ball of flame. Just as soon as it appeared, the emerald fire disappears and in its' place is a floating scroll. I quickly unroll it with my magic to discover that it is a letter from my most ambitious student. My dearest teacher, My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that something really bad is about to happen. For you see, the mythical Mare in the moon is in fact Nightmare Moon. And she's about to return to Equestria, and bring about eternal night. Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle According to Gale's prophecy, Twilight Sparkle is to be the bearer of the sixth element, magic. Seeing how all of the other bearers live in Ponyville, sending her there will be the only way to bring the bearers together, thus awakening the elements from that old fort in the Everfree forest that Gale placed them in. Its the best way to get my sister back. So I quickly levitate a blank scroll from the nearest desk in my quarters and pen my response to the soon to be Element of magic. My dearest, most faithful student Twilight, You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely, but you simply must stop reading those dusty old books. My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying. So i'm sending you to supervise preparations for the summer sun celebration in this year's location, Ponyville, and I have an even more important task for you to complete. Make some friends. Whats a Dragonborn?My morning begins with a thud. My eyes open to a red blur, probably Gale who is trading blows with somepony in a black cowl and armor. Trying to get a grip of the situation, I back up a bit but get into a defensive position, waiting for my eyes to fully come around. But before I can see clearly, I hear a loud BANG. Or is it a squish? Well anyways, I finally turn around to the scene of Gale standing next to a pegasus lying on the ground with a good cut across his chest. "Oh good morning." He says after putting down a blood coated dagger that he was holding in a strange manner. It's structure is very mysterious. The blade's shape is fashioned in a way I've never seen before with no racial origin that I can recall. Like a crescent moon that's been broken in half, turning one half the to face the opposite direction and reattaching it. After staring at it for a while, I manage to speak. "Who in Equestria is this?!?!" Are my first words of the day. Gale's face is as indifferent and smug as ever. "Oh this poor fellow?" He talks like he was completely oblivious to the fact that he was just attacked. "Judging by the armor and cowl, I'm gonna guess he was a Dark Brotherhood before he and I got into a misunderstanding. But no worries. This isn't the first time that the Black Sacrament was performed to attempt to have me killed. They must have not gotten the message the first time when that other agent didn't return to the sanctuary." He says like he's sympathizing for the stallion he just slaughtered before smiling at me with a blood splashed face. "Nice little dagger you got there." I decide to completely disregard the complexity that is his mind and learn more about his peculiar blade. "What this old thing?" He gestures to it like its nothing special "Its an old blade...A really old blade. I can say its about a thousand one and a half years old. Made it myself you know, and used at first to send Nightmare Moon to where the second part of her name refers. It had an enchantment to bind any being in place which bought Celestia enough time to use her own magic to banish the old mare. But all that magic is gone now. Used it all up a long time ago. Since then i've just kept it as a souvenir from those times. I call it Equilibrium since i've used it for both bad and good deeds." "Did you make it during your time as a human?" I ask thinking about how complicated it would be to hoof craft such a strange shape. "Yes in fact I did." He replies as if he were having some sort of interview. "Sometimes I miss having hands. It was so much easier to do so many other functions with limbs like those." I raise my eyebrow at this. "Whats so special about these hands you speak so highly of?" I ask curious of whats so mind blowing about these human limbs. "Well it enables humans to pick things up without the use of unicorn magic or any of that fancy business." he smirks to give a counter to my brash tone. I divert my attention to the imagination. The thought of being able to pick things up without magic would revolutionize pony technology. I should keep that as a mental note just in case I ever feel like designing a device to do such wonders. "It may seem amazing to you, but it really isn't much to humans." he adds. I pout, envious of his former ownership of hands. He nods in recognition of my envy and decides to change subjects. "We should probably get going soon friend. There is much work ahead of us as i've chosen you to be my sidekick for this journey." he chuckles, only to irritate me more, but I sigh and nod in agreement to his terms. I mean if we were to split apart, there would be nothing left for me in life. I'd forgotten everything prior to waking up in the mobile prison, and I'd probably get arrested again somehow. I felt pretty beat up when I woke up in that box. "And so we're off!" Gale roars before charging out the cave like a soldier in the front lines. "Gale wait up!" I try to call after him but my attempt to do so is in vain. I was trying to call him to my attention so we could investigate a mysterious looking carving in the wall. I approach it slowly, almost sluggishly, hoofsteps not even making a sound. But as I get closer to it, I begin to get a bit dizzy. I can't pull away. My body is on a set course for the wall. I try looking at it again, and the carvings on the walls are glowing. Still with the inability to back off, I move forth, dizziness magnifying intensely. I'm trying desperately not to pass out, barely noticing an aura coming from the one of the carvings on the wall flying at me. As the strange light, and I make contact, everything becomes silent for a second, as if all of Equestria, or even the world has come to a pause. After a few seconds of being frozen in time, or what felt like it from my perspective, I emerge with a new wave of strength while subconsciously galloping out of the cave to meet Gale. Its bright and sunny out of the cave. The intensity of the sun hurting my head a little bit, because I was in the cave for so long with just a small fire to supply illumination. There is no wind outside of the cave this time, so Gale isn't as fast as he was yesterday, but he's still swift without being in his element. I'm already sweating profusely by the time I catch up with him. "Where exactly are we going?" I ask in between pants. This is starting to remind me of yesterday. "Well...I don't know yet." he says after pondering the thought for a moment. "But we're looking for somewhere we can properly fit you to be my sidekick. Probably the closest settlement." Gale answers bluntly. Finally noticing that i'm not grimacing over his continuous sarcasm, I can tell that i'm getting used to him. So we dash forth to the horizon, searching for a sign of civilization. The sun is nearly set now. From the windows of my quarters I can see streaks of fiery orange bleeding through the curtains. The guards aren't as careful as usual. Probably because they have families of their own and are getting ready for the summer sun celebration in three days. Such a short time, but I can't shake this feeling that something will go wrong in Gale's plan...No. Impossible. This took centuries of planning and careful observance of detail. Its completely foolproof. Only three days left Luna. You're almost mine again... Night time is upon us, and we've finally reached a settlement of some sort. No, its only a cottage, but It will have to do. I'm completely exhausted, and even Gale is sweating. "Must have lost a couple pounds on that run." Gale jokingly conjectures. I chuckle a bit, because that one was actually kind of funny. "Let me ask whoever lives here if we could stay the night." I offer to go ahead of Gale. Knowing his sarcasm, he'll probably just anger the owner of this here cottage. I trot up to it as gentlecolt like as I can and give the door five light knocks with my hoof. After a moment or so, the door opens slowly, and just a few inches with lots of creaking. Something squeaks. "Um...M-may I h-help you?" is what I think I hear it ask. "Well yes. I think you may be of assistance to me and my friend here. We've been running all day, and we've gotten sort of lost. Do you think we could stay here for the night just until we can find out where we are?" the door now opens to the most beautiful pegasus I have had the honor to have ever laid my eyes upon. Even Gale is gawking at her sheer grace. "Well...if its only for the night, I-I think I can have you stay here." she backs away, softening her voice even further. She has a light yellow coat, her cutie mark is made of three pink butterflies, and her eyes are a calming aqua green. Her pink mane covering the majority of her face makes her look doubly cute. Even the way she has her wings folded so tightly is attractive. "Thank you very much miss...uh" I trail off. I forgot to ask her name, and I feel my cheeks getting really hot. I'm probably blushing heavily. "My name is Fluttershy." she squeaks in a way that makes me want to break down and just tackle her with a hug, but I know that it would only make her even more scared of us than she already is. However, her name suits her timid attitude and her unlimited cuteness. She backs away into her cottage, which i'm going to guess means to come inside. Gale and I look at each other in a very confused fashion before heading into the cozy looking inside of Fluttershy's home. Finally some real rest after sleeping in a dark cave for a day. Turns out that Fluttershy is fast at preparing for guests, because she has bedrolls out for Gale and I before we even have time to talk to her again. "Thank you Fluttershy." I try putting on my best smile to keep her from backing away again. It works, because she just shyly smiles back before getting a fire started in her fireplace. Gale seems to be having trouble keeping his smirk up. Fluttershy must really be leaving an impression on him. "Well...goodnight. Let me know if you need anything." Fluttershy says before going up the stairs. "She's something else isn't she?" I ask Gale trying to imitate him. He still stares at the stares, infatuated with the pegasus that was standing there only a moment ago. Then out of nowhere, his gaze breaks into a grin that takes up the majority of the lower half of his face. "Gale? You okay?" I'm beginning to feel a bit worried for the poor colt. He must be inexperienced with mares, even though he's spent a thousand years with Princess Celestia. "Okay then...well...we'd better get some rest. I need to get properly suited up to be your partner remember?" he gives a slight nod in vague recognition. We both slip into our bedrolls, and a pleasant slumber. A thud from outside is heard by me. This time, I had a good sleep. So i'm wide awake immediately and go to check out what made the strange rumble. I take a quick look out the window of Fluttershy's home. Outside is Gale battling a dragon with his "hand crafted" dagger. Rushing outside with the sudden realization of the situation, I come to Gale's aid. Of course I can't really be of much help to him, because I don't have a weapon or armor. I take a quick glance around to see if there is anything that could help me and Gale fend off something as big as a dragon. Nothing but a petrified Fluttershy behind a bale of hay and my hooves. Feeling helpless, I decide to leave the situation to Gale. He's immortal, and he has quite the handiwork with his special blade. I hear the dragon say something. It is only for a split second, and it is only one word. "YOL!" and then out from it's mouth comes an inferno. I think for sure that Gale couldn't have survived that. But of course he does. He's immortal. When the flames disappear, his scorched body bubbles, and regenerates in seconds. In the instant of regeneration, the dragon's expression changes from confident, to shocked, giving Gale time to hop onto it's head and stab through it's scalp. As the dragon's life disappears from it's eyes, it's scales begin to burn. Gale backing away, doesn't know what is happening himself. The aura from the burning scales are being pulled into me. And for a second, I think back to the wall in the cave, and I see the carving that was glowing. But instead of being unreadable like the way I saw it yesterday, It says "Force" and I finally get a bit of understanding to what the carvings meant. Before the thought disappears from my head, I find myself inhaling deeply. Taking in more air than I ever have before. Looking straight into the forest ahead, I give a huge shout. "FUS!!!" I hear myself scream. The trees bend in the direction where my voice traveled. "You never told me you were Dragonborn!" Gale's face is wrought with joy and mirth, while he seems completely oblivious to the fact that he was just scorched to an ash and then reborn in no time. "Whats a Dragonborn?" I ask, afraid of my new found power, I have no choice but to ask Gale what just happened since he seems to understand what or even how I did that. My frantic inquiry is interrupted by a nearby squeak. I just noticed that we completely forgot about Fluttershy. Gale and I find her passed out near by. Still behind the hay bale where I saw her when I first came out to the sight of Gale doing battle with a giant winged lizard. "Lets get her inside first. I'll tell you later when she's conscious again." Gale says, sounding worried. I nod in agreement immediately before we both carry her inside her cottage.
That Beginning PartThe Elder Scrolls VI: Equestria Its so blurry... Did I drop my glasses?... No. I don't have glasses... I must've just had a troubled sleep. I can make somepony out in front of me. But my vision is failing me, and I can barely make out a voice from the figure. I try to move my hooves so that i could push myself to sit up straight but it seems that i'm wearing hoofcuffs or some form of restraint because I can't seem to do that either. As my ears are finally coming around I hear the colt in front of me speak "Finally awake now are we?" he asks. I don't bother responding because I'm trying to take in my surroundings, and to get a general understanding of where I am. Looking around, I'm finding no answers because its too dim in here, wherever here may be. "Where are we?" I respond, giving up on inference to use as a guide. My vision finally reboots itself as he comes into view. He has a pair of hoofcuffs on, as do I. The frown on his face tells me that I'm not in a place I'd like to be in. My senses are returning to me one by one. The vicinity smells like rotting wood or a dusty corner of a room. There're only holes or dots in the wall with light streaming in, barely making it bright enough to see that there are multiple ponies in this crate. Or is it a chariot? No. The conditions of the place are too dirty to be a form of transportation of that quality. It has to be some kind of steerage. The clopping of hooves outside tells me so. I cringe at the soreness of my lower abdomen and shoulders. Irritated, I await his answer. "We're going to be sentenced." he says casually. His face brightens up at having somepony to talk to. How long had I been unconcious? "Sentenced to what, exactly?" I question. I haven't the slightest bit of memory from before I woke up here. I couldn't have done anything saintly, since my body is so achy and i'm in these binds. The clopping from outside stops, and I'm suddenly being jerked to my left as it seems our trip has come to an end. "Well, we'll see soon friend...Its judgement time." he raises his forelegs in binds to a crack of light on the wall which quickly expand from the door being pulled open. The celestial guard's armor looks as bright and gleaming as I've ever seen it, especially from this dark pit I've been thrown into. "Come on. Get out." one of the guards order in the commanding monotone voice that they all seem to have. All of the ponies in the carriage get out. There are more than I anticipated. The stallion who spoke to me gets out as well before I decide to follow. A guard wearing a captain's helmet steps forth with another guard accompanying him with the list of inmates. I look around, taking in the new area. We're in Canterlot Castle courtyard. This isn't the first time I've been here. Well at least not mentally. I've read countless tomes on the structure and seen hundreds of images of this scene but never experienced it for myself. The walls are white and the roofs are golden. The sound of rushing water can be heard somewhere off in the distance. Oh yes there's a waterfall next to the castle. Funny how this is my first time here, and its to be sentenced to some punishment for some crime I must've committed. I finally turn my attention back to the guards as they begin calling the names of the outlaw ponies. All of their names are unfamiliar. I don't pay much attention until they call the name. "Autumn Gale" the guard called. My acquaintance from our trip here steps forward. "That'd be me sir." he replied in his smooth talking, sarcastic tone. I only now start to physically analyze him. His mane is black, and not too long. But it is long enough so that his bangs hide the direction he's looking by covering the majority of his eyes. His coat is pale red. Like an old barnyard whose paint job has faded, and he has no real prominent features about him except his flank. Its blank. Strange. A stallion as old as him should've earned his cutie mark ages ago. "You have been charged with seventy eight accounts of ponyslaughter, one hundred thirty three accounts of attempted ponyslaughter, ninety three accounts of burglary, and the worst, stealing the Elements of Harmony. These offenses match no consequence but public execution, and banishment to the moon. Have you any words in your defense?" the guard's facial expression didn't change as he read from Gale's list of offenses. But I wish I could see my face right now. I should look like I've just seen a ghost. My eyes stay fixed on Gale just waiting for him to give any statement in his defense. "Yep. It was all me. No doubt about it. Don't forget my resistance of arrest." He pauses for a second, then looks at me, winks and turns back to the guard with a sinister grin. "Hey get Celestia out here will ya? Its been a while since I've been sentenced personally by royalty." Gale really needs to watch his mouth. His loud mouthing is just going to get himself killed quicker. That seemed to get the guard riled up. "Say something like that again and I'll execute you myself right now." the guard growls through clenched teeth. Gale doesn't seem to be fazed by this. He just stares right on into the guard's eyes. "Go ahead." Gale taunts. Now he lazily trots over to the nearest inclination in the ground and lays his head on it. "I dare you." the guard is about to comply with Gale's wishes when an orb of blue light comes in between them. Everypony turns toward the direction where the magic orb came from. There standing is the one and only Princess Celestia. The guards all fumble to stand at attention as Celestia makes her way towards Gale. Her facial expression shows her discomfort being around him, but not losing her composure. When she finally reaches Gale, their eyes meet, and she stoops to whisper in his ear. His look turns from casual to excited as she gets back up to her regal height. "Let this one go." Celestia commands in her soft, motherly tone. The captain of the guard makes a face of mixed emotions. Shock being the most obvious one, he ponders on this and then gives Celestia a look that asks if she is being serious. The alicorn nods in response. "You heard the princess. Let him go." the captain says to the other guards in a low, submitting voice. It is the voice of defeat. One of the other guards spread a wing and use it like a blade to cut Gale's hoofcuffs in an instant. Gale's smile only grows larger at this. "It would be greatly appreciated if you let my friend here go as well Celly." he says to Celestia in his smooth talking tone which I am starting to grow used to. "What do we do princess?" the captain of the guard sounds pleading. "This ones not on the list." "If Autumn Gale wishes it so, do as he says." Celestia tells the guard sternly. "The last thing I want is to start a war with a third party." Celestia's voice drops almost to the point of being inaudible. And like that, another guard spreads a wing and cuts my bindings in two in a split second. "Now Autumn Gale. Take this pony and leave before I change my mind." the alicorn begs behind fake anger. "Of course Celly. Anything for you." Gale replies flatly, motioning me to follow him. Slowly, we back away from the gates of Canterlot. Once out, we make a dash for it. It's really windy outside of the castle. The walls must've acted as a barrier from the gusts outside. Though the chilly wind is really keeping me from galloping straight, Gale is having no trouble breaking through the obstacle. I'll bet even a Celestial guard...no...Celestia herself would have trouble flying in this torrent of wind. Hours, or what seem to be hours go by and we finally come to a stop under the ceiling of a small cave Gale found. Panting and sweaty, I manage to come up with words. "You're quite the runner aren't you Gale?" I say in between breaths. He turns to look at me from where he'd begun to build a fire with some dead branches he'd found lying around the cave floor. He's obviously confused at my sudden question. "No. I consider myself to be average athletically." He says after dropping some wood in a pile. "What made you think that?" I'm looking at him, wide eyed now. "You mean to say that the ability to run in a wind storm is average?" I ask, starting to get a little irritated. After pondering for a second leaving the cave awkwardly silent, his face lights up with a sudden realization. "Oh yeah. I forgot." He finally says, looking a little bit embarrassed. "Well you can say that i'm not exactly a normal everyday pony." He adds to his first statement. "Help me build a fire first. Then I'll tell you the whole story." I agree with him simply by nodding my head and searching for more dead branches on the ground. Next time: If there is a next time...Gale's identity is revealed unless you haven't figured it out yet.
Explanation?Sorry for taking so long to post these...I'm really busy most of the time. If anypony wants to help me with naming my chapters or working on my story, please offer to do so. And special thanks to my best editor. Wait no, my only editor, and my brother Fluttrick for reading over and correcting any grammar issues and what not. Chapter 2 Luna's radiant crescent moon begins to rise from the horizon. Gale glares blankly into the recently built fire, deep in thought. This is the first time I've seen him serious in the short time we've been together. I stare at him the same way he stares at the flame, waiting for him to begin his story. A couple minutes go by. Feeling that I'm beginning to drift off into sleep, he finally says something. "You know...I wasn't always a pony." Is what I think I hear him say. My ears have fallen into somewhat of a slumber, as did the rest of my body. I rub my eyes and try to wake myself up so i can hear what he has to say. "I used to live in a much more dangerous world than here in Equestria." He continues, his face is showing reminiscence of his old life. "Earth was the name of the world that I was born into. The dominant species there aren't ponies, but two legged creatures called humans." He explains to me as if he were a filly school teacher. "I don't know if you've figured it out yet, but I was once human. Humans have two legs, two other limbs called hands, no coat, and wears a lot of clothing." I think for a moment, trying to take in the fact that the colt i'm looking at isn't, or didn't used to be a pony. "Are they evil?" I ask him after yawning. "Some are. Not all of them. Most humans live exactly the way that ponies do. Just wanting to carry on in life." he says before a sigh. He seems to miss his time as one of these humans. "Anything else interesting about them?" I add to try to get him out of this dark mood he's in. "Well, they're omnivorous. They eat both meat and plants, though they prefer meat." He says with a smirk. I suddenly feel uncomfortable looking at Gale. "They can survive on vegetables alone if needed." he added reassuringly. I let out a breath, and with it the fear of Gale eating me. "These humans don't sound very threatening. So why did princess Celestia seem so scared of you? Does she know you were human? How did you even get to Equestria? Why are you in the form of a pony? Celly?" I find my mouth suddenly covered by a pale red hoof. "Slow down there." He looks taken aback by all my questioning. "Well first off, Celestia or Celly as I like to call her, and I have known each other longer than anypony has known her with the exception of her sister. She wasn't scared of me either. She was doing me and Equestria a favor. Finally, I'm a pony because I asked her to turn me into one. I don't like too much attention, never did, even as a human, and everypony would freak out at the sight of a human." I find myself questioning him even further. "What do you mean you've known her longer than anypony else?" He gets up, stretches, and lays back down. This is gonna be a long story. "There was once a kid living on earth. Kid means foal in the universal earth language. Anyways, this kid was named Brad. He was as normal as normality could get. He went to school, got average grades, and had no real friends but everyone seemed to like him. But he didn't want to live so peacefully. He wanted adventure, and eventually ended up seeking it. He was a big fan of a very certain television series that can tell the past and the future of this world. Oh by the way, a t.v. is short for television which is a device used to display entertainment throughout an entire country or if needed, the entire world. One night, he woke up to his t.v. glowing. And before he knew it, he was in a really bright room in the company of a pony with an everflowing multicolored mane. Princess Celestia. He didn't know this was real. He just thought it was a dream of that t.v. show that he really liked. So he figured out that Celestia had summoned a creature from another dimension to aid in the fabled battle against Nightmare Moon. Brad had instantly agreed to this and decided to help the goddess of the sun. After successfully aiding Celestia in banishing her sister to the moon for a thousand years, with the help of the newly crafted elements of harmony, he took notice that Celestia was not happy with the outcome of the battle. She didn't want the inability to see her sister for a millenia so she requested the boy's aid once again he agreed to tell her how to get her sister back with one condition. That he may be made into an immortal pony himself and experience Equestria's embrace, escaping earth's sorrows forever, and to keep from attracting too much attention from the rest of the pony folk. Celestia agreed to his condition on the spur of the moment and made him into an immortal pony. Finally he was satisfied and told her that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape. And she will bring about night time eternal. Celestia didn't like his answer, asked him to help out with the planning to revert Nightmare Moon back to the lunar matriarch. Judging by how he had all the time in the world, Brad, or Autumn Gale as you now know him, gladly heeded Celestia's words and told her that only the Elements of Harmony along with six bearers of the spirits of harmony would bring back princess Luna. And after a millenia of planning, things are about to unfold." Gale's tale comes to an end. He barely notices that I've all but fallen into deep sleep, barely keeping my eyes open. "Get your rest. We're going Element hunting tomorrow." I manage to hear him say before joining sleep in a deep embrace. Okay. Its been a thousand years, and the Summer Sun Celebration is right around the corner. Gale's plan has gone according to plan so far, so why am I so nervous? This is my only chance to get Luna back so I have to keep my composure. The guards are obviously shocked that I let him go. My paranoid thoughts to myself are cut off as the air in front of me swirls into a green ball of flame. Just as soon as it appeared, the emerald fire disappears and in its' place is a floating scroll. I quickly unroll it with my magic to discover that it is a letter from my most ambitious student. My dearest teacher, My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that something really bad is about to happen. For you see, the mythical Mare in the moon is in fact Nightmare Moon. And she's about to return to Equestria, and bring about eternal night. Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle According to Gale's prophecy, Twilight Sparkle is to be the bearer of the sixth element, magic. Seeing how all of the other bearers live in Ponyville, sending her there will be the only way to bring the bearers together, thus awakening the elements from that old fort in the Everfree forest that Gale placed them in. Its the best way to get my sister back. So I quickly levitate a blank scroll from the nearest desk in my quarters and pen my response to the soon to be Element of magic. My dearest, most faithful student Twilight, You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely, but you simply must stop reading those dusty old books. My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying. So i'm sending you to supervise preparations for the summer sun celebration in this year's location, Ponyville, and I have an even more important task for you to complete. Make some friends.
Whats a Dragonborn?My morning begins with a thud. My eyes open to a red blur, probably Gale who is trading blows with somepony in a black cowl and armor. Trying to get a grip of the situation, I back up a bit but get into a defensive position, waiting for my eyes to fully come around. But before I can see clearly, I hear a loud BANG. Or is it a squish? Well anyways, I finally turn around to the scene of Gale standing next to a pegasus lying on the ground with a good cut across his chest. "Oh good morning." He says after putting down a blood coated dagger that he was holding in a strange manner. It's structure is very mysterious. The blade's shape is fashioned in a way I've never seen before with no racial origin that I can recall. Like a crescent moon that's been broken in half, turning one half the to face the opposite direction and reattaching it. After staring at it for a while, I manage to speak. "Who in Equestria is this?!?!" Are my first words of the day. Gale's face is as indifferent and smug as ever. "Oh this poor fellow?" He talks like he was completely oblivious to the fact that he was just attacked. "Judging by the armor and cowl, I'm gonna guess he was a Dark Brotherhood before he and I got into a misunderstanding. But no worries. This isn't the first time that the Black Sacrament was performed to attempt to have me killed. They must have not gotten the message the first time when that other agent didn't return to the sanctuary." He says like he's sympathizing for the stallion he just slaughtered before smiling at me with a blood splashed face. "Nice little dagger you got there." I decide to completely disregard the complexity that is his mind and learn more about his peculiar blade. "What this old thing?" He gestures to it like its nothing special "Its an old blade...A really old blade. I can say its about a thousand one and a half years old. Made it myself you know, and used at first to send Nightmare Moon to where the second part of her name refers. It had an enchantment to bind any being in place which bought Celestia enough time to use her own magic to banish the old mare. But all that magic is gone now. Used it all up a long time ago. Since then i've just kept it as a souvenir from those times. I call it Equilibrium since i've used it for both bad and good deeds." "Did you make it during your time as a human?" I ask thinking about how complicated it would be to hoof craft such a strange shape. "Yes in fact I did." He replies as if he were having some sort of interview. "Sometimes I miss having hands. It was so much easier to do so many other functions with limbs like those." I raise my eyebrow at this. "Whats so special about these hands you speak so highly of?" I ask curious of whats so mind blowing about these human limbs. "Well it enables humans to pick things up without the use of unicorn magic or any of that fancy business." he smirks to give a counter to my brash tone. I divert my attention to the imagination. The thought of being able to pick things up without magic would revolutionize pony technology. I should keep that as a mental note just in case I ever feel like designing a device to do such wonders. "It may seem amazing to you, but it really isn't much to humans." he adds. I pout, envious of his former ownership of hands. He nods in recognition of my envy and decides to change subjects. "We should probably get going soon friend. There is much work ahead of us as i've chosen you to be my sidekick for this journey." he chuckles, only to irritate me more, but I sigh and nod in agreement to his terms. I mean if we were to split apart, there would be nothing left for me in life. I'd forgotten everything prior to waking up in the mobile prison, and I'd probably get arrested again somehow. I felt pretty beat up when I woke up in that box. "And so we're off!" Gale roars before charging out the cave like a soldier in the front lines. "Gale wait up!" I try to call after him but my attempt to do so is in vain. I was trying to call him to my attention so we could investigate a mysterious looking carving in the wall. I approach it slowly, almost sluggishly, hoofsteps not even making a sound. But as I get closer to it, I begin to get a bit dizzy. I can't pull away. My body is on a set course for the wall. I try looking at it again, and the carvings on the walls are glowing. Still with the inability to back off, I move forth, dizziness magnifying intensely. I'm trying desperately not to pass out, barely noticing an aura coming from the one of the carvings on the wall flying at me. As the strange light, and I make contact, everything becomes silent for a second, as if all of Equestria, or even the world has come to a pause. After a few seconds of being frozen in time, or what felt like it from my perspective, I emerge with a new wave of strength while subconsciously galloping out of the cave to meet Gale. Its bright and sunny out of the cave. The intensity of the sun hurting my head a little bit, because I was in the cave for so long with just a small fire to supply illumination. There is no wind outside of the cave this time, so Gale isn't as fast as he was yesterday, but he's still swift without being in his element. I'm already sweating profusely by the time I catch up with him. "Where exactly are we going?" I ask in between pants. This is starting to remind me of yesterday. "Well...I don't know yet." he says after pondering the thought for a moment. "But we're looking for somewhere we can properly fit you to be my sidekick. Probably the closest settlement." Gale answers bluntly. Finally noticing that i'm not grimacing over his continuous sarcasm, I can tell that i'm getting used to him. So we dash forth to the horizon, searching for a sign of civilization. The sun is nearly set now. From the windows of my quarters I can see streaks of fiery orange bleeding through the curtains. The guards aren't as careful as usual. Probably because they have families of their own and are getting ready for the summer sun celebration in three days. Such a short time, but I can't shake this feeling that something will go wrong in Gale's plan...No. Impossible. This took centuries of planning and careful observance of detail. Its completely foolproof. Only three days left Luna. You're almost mine again... Night time is upon us, and we've finally reached a settlement of some sort. No, its only a cottage, but It will have to do. I'm completely exhausted, and even Gale is sweating. "Must have lost a couple pounds on that run." Gale jokingly conjectures. I chuckle a bit, because that one was actually kind of funny. "Let me ask whoever lives here if we could stay the night." I offer to go ahead of Gale. Knowing his sarcasm, he'll probably just anger the owner of this here cottage. I trot up to it as gentlecolt like as I can and give the door five light knocks with my hoof. After a moment or so, the door opens slowly, and just a few inches with lots of creaking. Something squeaks. "Um...M-may I h-help you?" is what I think I hear it ask. "Well yes. I think you may be of assistance to me and my friend here. We've been running all day, and we've gotten sort of lost. Do you think we could stay here for the night just until we can find out where we are?" the door now opens to the most beautiful pegasus I have had the honor to have ever laid my eyes upon. Even Gale is gawking at her sheer grace. "Well...if its only for the night, I-I think I can have you stay here." she backs away, softening her voice even further. She has a light yellow coat, her cutie mark is made of three pink butterflies, and her eyes are a calming aqua green. Her pink mane covering the majority of her face makes her look doubly cute. Even the way she has her wings folded so tightly is attractive. "Thank you very much miss...uh" I trail off. I forgot to ask her name, and I feel my cheeks getting really hot. I'm probably blushing heavily. "My name is Fluttershy." she squeaks in a way that makes me want to break down and just tackle her with a hug, but I know that it would only make her even more scared of us than she already is. However, her name suits her timid attitude and her unlimited cuteness. She backs away into her cottage, which i'm going to guess means to come inside. Gale and I look at each other in a very confused fashion before heading into the cozy looking inside of Fluttershy's home. Finally some real rest after sleeping in a dark cave for a day. Turns out that Fluttershy is fast at preparing for guests, because she has bedrolls out for Gale and I before we even have time to talk to her again. "Thank you Fluttershy." I try putting on my best smile to keep her from backing away again. It works, because she just shyly smiles back before getting a fire started in her fireplace. Gale seems to be having trouble keeping his smirk up. Fluttershy must really be leaving an impression on him. "Well...goodnight. Let me know if you need anything." Fluttershy says before going up the stairs. "She's something else isn't she?" I ask Gale trying to imitate him. He still stares at the stares, infatuated with the pegasus that was standing there only a moment ago. Then out of nowhere, his gaze breaks into a grin that takes up the majority of the lower half of his face. "Gale? You okay?" I'm beginning to feel a bit worried for the poor colt. He must be inexperienced with mares, even though he's spent a thousand years with Princess Celestia. "Okay then...well...we'd better get some rest. I need to get properly suited up to be your partner remember?" he gives a slight nod in vague recognition. We both slip into our bedrolls, and a pleasant slumber. A thud from outside is heard by me. This time, I had a good sleep. So i'm wide awake immediately and go to check out what made the strange rumble. I take a quick look out the window of Fluttershy's home. Outside is Gale battling a dragon with his "hand crafted" dagger. Rushing outside with the sudden realization of the situation, I come to Gale's aid. Of course I can't really be of much help to him, because I don't have a weapon or armor. I take a quick glance around to see if there is anything that could help me and Gale fend off something as big as a dragon. Nothing but a petrified Fluttershy behind a bale of hay and my hooves. Feeling helpless, I decide to leave the situation to Gale. He's immortal, and he has quite the handiwork with his special blade. I hear the dragon say something. It is only for a split second, and it is only one word. "YOL!" and then out from it's mouth comes an inferno. I think for sure that Gale couldn't have survived that. But of course he does. He's immortal. When the flames disappear, his scorched body bubbles, and regenerates in seconds. In the instant of regeneration, the dragon's expression changes from confident, to shocked, giving Gale time to hop onto it's head and stab through it's scalp. As the dragon's life disappears from it's eyes, it's scales begin to burn. Gale backing away, doesn't know what is happening himself. The aura from the burning scales are being pulled into me. And for a second, I think back to the wall in the cave, and I see the carving that was glowing. But instead of being unreadable like the way I saw it yesterday, It says "Force" and I finally get a bit of understanding to what the carvings meant. Before the thought disappears from my head, I find myself inhaling deeply. Taking in more air than I ever have before. Looking straight into the forest ahead, I give a huge shout. "FUS!!!" I hear myself scream. The trees bend in the direction where my voice traveled. "You never told me you were Dragonborn!" Gale's face is wrought with joy and mirth, while he seems completely oblivious to the fact that he was just scorched to an ash and then reborn in no time. "Whats a Dragonborn?" I ask, afraid of my new found power, I have no choice but to ask Gale what just happened since he seems to understand what or even how I did that. My frantic inquiry is interrupted by a nearby squeak. I just noticed that we completely forgot about Fluttershy. Gale and I find her passed out near by. Still behind the hay bale where I saw her when I first came out to the sight of Gale doing battle with a giant winged lizard. "Lets get her inside first. I'll tell you later when she's conscious again." Gale says, sounding worried. I nod in agreement immediately before we both carry her inside her cottage.
