CHROMEby ChadbaneChapters{Chapter: I}-[ "Aboard the Redemption"]{Chapter: II}-["The Battle of Mareoon V"]{Chapter: III}-[ "Shadows of Tomorrow"]{Chapter: IV}-["Last of the First"]{Chapter: I}-[ "Aboard the Redemption"]The Mysterious Stranger THE INVISIBLE PONY Written by: Chadbane The Mysterious Stranger It was a snowy February night. Besides the weather, everything else was quiet and peaceful. It was a moment to be short lived when you think about it, because this is when a stranger got off the express train and entered the small town of Ponyville. A large brimmed hat and long black coat cover him head to hoof, but they barely protect him from the chilling winds that brush upon him and on the small black saddlebag he is carrying underneath his coat. There are no carriages at the train station, and so this stranger is forced to struggle through the storm on hoof. For several hours the wind sweeps a frost over him, nearly freezing him to the bone. After a long struggle through the storm, he finally arrives at an old inn set just outside of the small village. Flinging open the door of The Prancing Pony, the exhausted pony staggers inside, more dead than alive. Keeping his head down to his chest, the stranger gasps, "A room and a fire! And hurry, please!" "I'm Mrs. Hall, the innkeeper here," says a lovely pink pony coming out from behind the bar. "If you'll just follow me upstairs, sir, I'll show you to a room." The stranger keeps his back to Mrs. Hall as they negotiate a price for his room and meals, and an agreement finally settles upon the two. After a moment, he follows the lovely innkeeper up a set of stairs, and into a cozy room on the second floor. It was only then, after lighting a fire in the fireplace, that Mrs. Hall vanished downstairs to prepare a meal for the stranger. By the time she had returned with a tray of hot food, a blissful fire was burning brightly in the fireplace, making the room warm and comfortable. As she entered the room, a streak of curiosity bolted through her mind as she laid eyes upon the stranger. Taking her first real look upon him, she found him to be very mysterious indeed. The stranger still wore his coat, hat, and gloves as he stood at a window, staring out into the dark, gloomy storm. "The snow from your coat is melting on my carpet, sir," said Mrs. Hall. "May I take it and dry it in the kitchen?" "No!" snapped the pony, finally wheeling to face her. "I prefer to keep it on." At that moment, Mrs. Halls got her first real look upon the front side of the stranger, rather than of his flank. Below the wide brimmed hat that he wore, there were large dark glasses that were set around the front and side of his eyes. A thoroughly wrapped set of bandages came down over his coat collar, completely hiding his cheeks and chin. "Very well," she said, and then left the room. Upon the lovely innkeepers return to the kitchen, she discovered that she had forgotten a condiment for the strangers meal, and so she put it on a tray and headed back upstairs. She knocked once, then immediately opened the door. Her sudden appearance in the room surprised the guest, and so all she saw was a flash of white as the stranger ducked beneath his table. "I suppose I can take these now, sir?" She asked, pointing her hoof to an overcoat and a hat placed on a chair, which happened to be set directly in front of the fire. "The coat, yes, but leave the hat," came a muffled voice as the stranger sat up. Mrs. Hall gasped in shock as his head came into her view. Without the aid of his hat, behind the dark glasses he wore, there were masses of white bandages wrapped around his entire head. Only a little bit of glossy black mane stuck out between his bandages. Just as strange of an event also lie within his hoofs. These were still wrapped firmly in bandages, and they held a large napkin over the lower part of his face, which in return, completely covered his mouth and jaw. His dark brown dressing gown had its high collar turned up and a scarf knotted at the front of it. "Leave the hat," repeated the stranger firmly. "Y-yes, sir," stammered Mrs. Hall as she slowly recovered from her shock. "I didn't know, sir, that--" "Thank you, madam. That will be all." Mrs. Hall quickly nodded and picked up his coat. Then, she quickly hurried out of the room, shivering as she closed the door. "That poor stranger must have had some horrible accident!" She said to herself. "What a scare those bandages gave me! And he must've hurt his mouth too, the way he was talking through that napkin. Bless his poor soul!" She quickly finished up her work and hurried down the stairs. Once the stranger had finished his meal, he settled himself in an armchair near the fire and began bubbling a pipe. Knowing that Mrs. Hall would be returning to pick up his dinner tray, he wrapped his scarf loosely around the lower part of his face, leaving room for the stem of his pipe to reach his mouth. When Mrs. Hall knocked and entered a while later, she found that the food, drink, and warmth had changed the strangers mood completely. Instead of a ruffian of a pirate, his tone had settled into that of a refined gentlecolt. He spoke to her more politely, and much softer than before. "I have some luggage at Ponyville station, Mrs. Hall. How can I have it brought here?" he asked. "My husband will be back later tonight. He can get it for you tomorrow." she replied with an affirming nod. The stranger slowly slunk back into his armchair, and then released a sight of disappointment. "Isn't there anypony who can go tonight?" he asked. "No. Not at the risk of an accident in this weather. You surely know what accidents can do, don't you sir? I mean, I don't mean to pry." the innkeeper replied. The stranger shifted in his chair and displayed a small gesture of annoyance. Even after this, however, he proceeded to answer the question. "Yes, I do. I have had an accident. It left my eyes weak and so I must stay in the darkness. To do this properly, I wear these dark glasses most days." After this was said, a moment of silence lingered between both the stranger and the innkeeper. Finally, after the moment, the innkeeper spoke. "What kind of accident?" she asked. With that question asked, the stranger stood up from his chair and walked silently over to the fireplace. Leaning closer to its warming rays, he replied in a gentle but firm tone. "That is not important, Mrs. Hall. All I can tell you is that I am a scientist working on a very crucial experiment. My baggage contains all my instruments, my chemicals, and the knowledge of magic I keep in my note books." As he watched the fire burn blissfully, Mrs. Hall ran her eyes across his body. He wasn't wearing his hat, but even still, bandages were firmly wrapped over his cranium as well. She was skeptical when she took a closer look upon him, and found him not to be a unicorn. Was it not only unicorns that could wield magic? Then what would a mere earth pony do with a simple knowledge of magic? "Forgive me for asking, but, why would you absorb the knowledge of magic without being a Unicorn?" she asked meekly. The stranger took a glance over his shoulder and slowly arose from his crouching position near the fire. "That is not important. I need to get to my work without further delay. If tomorrow is the earliest I can get my baggage, that will have to do. Goodnight madam." he said. With this said, he extended one of his bandaged hoofs towards the door and took a bow. It was a small gesture he had displayed, showing her the door out of his room. Mrs. Hall was to quick to leave, and as she left the room, she muttered to herself, "Sensitive about accidents, isn't he!" She couldn't wait to get back down to the bar and give her customers a vivid description of her mysterious guest. When she did only a few moments later, most of the ponies showed sympathy for the stranger because of his accident. That is, everypony except a blue unicorn known as, "Trixie." She was a retired magic performer, with a fairly young age for retirement. Because of this, it was always interesting to hear her opinion, because it was rare for anypony at that age to be retired. "Accident? Ha!" snapped Trixie. "He's got to be avoiding the royal guards. Wrapping himself up in all those bandages has to be the best way to hide." "And who's hiding behind the bandages?" came a voice at the door of the inn. "The stranger your wife just rented a room to, Mr. Hall." said Trixie. "I'd take a good look at his luggage when you bring it here from the station tomorrow." With that said, she took another drink and relaxed back into her chair. "You mind your own business, Trixie!" snapped Mrs. Hall. "And you, too, Hall. This is my inn, and I'll run it as I see fit!" But in spite of her strong words, Mrs. Hall had to admit to herself she, too, was suspicious about the stranger. And those suspicions filled her dreams that night. They haunted her in her deepest slumber and she gained little rest. Answers would be given, but when? {Chapter: II}-["The Battle of Mareoon V"]The Experiments Begin The Experiments Begin The next morning when Mr. Hall had pulled up his taxi cart to the inn, he called out for help in unloading the strangers luggage. "By Celestia!" cried his wife as she hurried outside. "I expected a few trunks to be put in his room, but hes got dozens of boxes, six wooden crates, and who knows that else!" "Come along with those things!" called the stranger as he stormed out of the inn. "I've been waiting long enough." His coat collar was turned up, his wide-brimmed hat was pulled down over his face, and his hoofs were covered with heavy dark gloves. He trotted around to the back of the taxi and began unloading his things. Just as he was about to lift one of the smaller crates from the cart, a neighborhood dog ran up to the stranger and sprang at his hoof. Before Mr. Hall could reach into his cart for his stick, the animals teeth let go of the strangers gloved hoof and clamped onto his hind legs instead. The next moment, Mr. Hall had tossed the stick a distance away and it attracted the dog in the opposite direction of the stranger. The stranger gave little notice of this, for he was tending to his torn glove that had now began to slip from his hoof. When Mr. Halls came to take a look, the stranger took off into the inn and up to his bedroom. "I'd better go in and see if he's all right," said Mr. Hall. "Yes, and hurry," suggested his wife. With a nod, Mr. Hall hurried into the inn and galloped up the stairs. Finding the strangers door to be open, Mr. Hall entered the room, prepared to offer his sympathy and any help that the stranger might need. The drapes were closed, making the room dim, and Mr. Hall saw the strangest thing he had ever seen in his life. The foreleg of the strangers coat was shaking at him... but without a hoof! The next moment, Hall was struck hard in the chest, then pushed back out of the room, and then the door slammed in his face. Mr. Hall stood outside the door for a minute, scratching his head in bewilderment. "What did I see in there? Did I see anything?" he asked himself. He turned his attention to the door of the strangers room, and prepared to knock, but then a bolt of fear shot throughout his body. Did he dare to it enter once again? Quickly making up his mind, Mr. Hall made his way down the stairs, still bewildered and quite confused. By now, a crowed had gathered out in front of the inn, as Mrs. Hall argued with the dogs owner, who was holding the dog by the collar with his teeth. Since Mr. Hall still didn't know what he had actually seen in the strangers bedroom, he simply told his wife, "He didn't want any help. I think we'd better get his luggage up to him." "You ought to have a doctor look at his bite." suggested one mare in the crowed. "I didn't see any blood," said another, "or even any skin under his gloves when they tore." "Whatever the matter," added another pony. "Just get somepony to restrain that dog. I hear Fluttershy cares for woodland creatures near the Everfree Forest." Heads nodded in agreement as this was said. Just then, the dog tried to pull away again. With the owner close behind him, the animal pointed his nose towards the inn and began to growl. Quickly restraining the dog, the owner and all the eyes of the crowed turned their attention to the entrance of the inn. "Come along, Hall!" cried an angry voice at the door. It was the stranger, wearing a new coat and waving a fresh pair of gloves. His collar was still turned up, and his big hat was again pulled down over his face."Were you hurt, sir?" asked Mrs. Hall. "Not a bit. He never broke the skin. Now, hurry up with those thing, Mr. Hall." It was then that the crowed began to break away, and the simple excitement in the crowed began to fade. For them, it was back to work, and back to another beautiful day in Ponyville. No sooner had the crates been placed in the strangers room, then the stranger eagerly flung himself down into them and began to unpack. He scattered straw from the crates all over the carpet as he took out assorted instruments and magic written notebooks, along with scores of test tubes and bottles in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some contained powders, others liquids, and still others were labeled, 'Poison.' He set them on cabinets, shelves, bookcases, window ledges, and tables all over the room. It looked more like the village pharmacy than a bedroom. Trunks of clothes and boxes of books were left untouched as the stranger began his experiments. He worked steadily all morning, pouring drops from bottles into test tubes, mixing and swirling them around with powder. He didn't even stop when Mrs. Hall came into the room with his lunch tray. He paid no attention to her, but as she put the tray on his table, she noticed that he wasn't wearing his dark glasses. "By Celestia!" she gasped underneath her breath. "His eye sockets look as if they're empty!" The stranger heard the gasp and quickly put his glasses back on. "I wish you wouldn't come in without knocking!" he snapped. She backed away, sensing his aura of anger building upon him. "I did knock, several times, sir, but you obviously didn't hear me." she protested meekly. The strangers anger lessened as this was said, and he began to turn his concentration back to his experiments. "Yes, perhaps you did." he replied. "But my experiments require my complete concentration. I cannot have any disturbances at all." "I understand. There is a lock on the door. You can use it anytime you wish. Also, these piles of straw from your unpacking will mean extra clean--" "Don't bother me with that. Put an extra charge on my bill. Now leave me to my work." Mrs. Hall didn't appreciate the way the stranger replied, but she respecfully left him to his work. For the next several hours, no sounds came from the strangers room as he worked in silence. Then suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard the smashing of bottles, followed by hoofsteps rapidly stomping around the room. Fearing that something terrible may have happened, she hurried up the stairs and listened at the door. She was afraid to knock, sensing the attitude of the stranger was negative at the moment. "I can't go on like this!" she heard the stranger raving. "I can't go on! I've tried magic, I've tried potions, even magic potions, but nothing works! It may take me the rest of my life to find the answer to this experiment! I don't have the time, I don't have the patience! What am I to do?" {Chapter: III}-[ "Shadows of Tomorrow"]To See Nothing, but Feel Something. To See Nothing, but Feel Something For the next two months, until the end of April, the stranger worked every day and most nights. He stopped occasionally to take walks, but only at twilight. He always kept his face and hoof covered when Mrs. Hall brought him his food or when he went outdoors. He ignored greetings from villagers on those walks and seemed to enjoy frightening the colts and filly's who teased him. On several occasions, he even talked to himself behind locked doors and went into rages, smashing furniture and equipment. When Mrs. Hall complained about her ruined furnishings, he paid her for the damage and always added something extra. Even so, Mr. Hall asked his wife to get rid of the stranger repeatedly, but each time, she reminded him, "This time of year we don't have many paying guests. I'll wait until the summer business starts." During his three months in Ponyville, the stranger became a regular topic of conversation among the villagers. Questions about him were answered by Mrs. Hall with explanations such as, "He's an important scientist working on some very secret experiments for Canterlot," or "He had an accident which scarred his face and hoofs, and since he's a very sensitive gentlecolt, he doesn't care to be seen in public." Many of the townspony, however, preferred Trixie's explanation that the stranger was a criminal trying to hide from the royal guards by wrapping himself up in bandages. Others didn't waste too much time on the stranger and simply decided he was a harmless lunatic. One pony in Ponyville was most curious about the stranger, and his name was John Cuss. He happened to be one of the village doctors. He was intrigued by the stories of the "thousands" of bottles in the strangers room, and he wanted to seem them. When he finally came up with a good reason for calling upon the stranger, which was to request a donation to the Ponyville Nurse Fund, Dr. Cuss made his way to the Prancing Pony Inn. Mrs. Hall led the doctor up the stairs and waited as he knocked upon the door. A low voice muttered something in reply. Assuming that the reply was permission to enter, the doctor opened the door and went inside. Mrs. Hall, however, didn't move from the hallway after Dr. Cuss had closed the door behind him. She was much too curious to leave, so she stood there for ten minutes. But all she heard was the murmur of voices. Suddenly, a cry of surprise made her jump back. It was followed by the rapid shuffling of hoofs and a bark of laughter. The door burst open, and Dr. Cuss came galloping through it, his eyes staring back into the room and his face a deadly white. He almost knocked Mrs. Hall over as he rushed down the stairs and disappeared out the front door. Mrs. Hall heard the stranger laughing wildly as he slammed the bedroom door shut. Meanwhile, Dr. Cuss had fled to the home of Rarity, the village fashion designer. She was a friend of his, and when she came by the hospital, he would often flirt with her. So, in a way, he considered her a close friend. He burst into her shop and gasped, "I think I've lost my mind! Do I look insane?" The startled unicorn looked up from a dress she was sowing and asked, "Insane? What are you raving about, Dr. Cuss? Be a Darling and do explain." "It's that stranger at the inn," said the doctor breathlessly. "I've just had the most frightening experience with him. I went to call on him to get a donation to the Nurse Fund. When I opened the door to his room, he immediately stuck his hoofs into his pockets and slumped down into his chair. All the while I was talking about the Nurse Fund, I kept staring at the bottles and powders and chemicals and test tubes everywhere. Then I asked him, point-blank, 'Are you working on a secret project?' "In between sneezes and sniffles from a nasty cold he got, he snapped at me, 'If you must know, yes! I had searched years and finally found the answer-the formula I needed for--; Never mind what for. All the ingredients were written on a piece of paper on my lab table when all of a sudden a breeze carried it towards the fireplace. As it was being carried up the chimney, I rushed to reach out my foreleg to grab it, like this-' "And he reached out his foreleg as if to show me how he had made a grab for the paper, but there was no hoof; just an empty sleeve! My first thought was he had an artificial foreleg and had taken it off. But then I began to wonder why, if he had no foreleg, what was keeping his sleeve up and open as he showed me how he reached... No, there was nothing in that sleeve. I could look right into it, clear through to the elbow. He saw me staring and-" Dr. Cuss just paused there for a moment and put his hoof to his mouth. "Yes, yes, go on." Rarity asked, rather intrigued with the latest gossip. "That's all. He never said a word. He just glared at me as he put his sleeve back in his pockets and returned to his story of the paper that had blown up the chimney. But I wasn't about to let it go. " 'How can you move an empty sleeve?' I asked him. "With that, he stood up and walked towards me until he was only inches away from my face. I don't mind telling you that having his bandaged face and his eerie glasses so close to my face sent shivers thoughout my body. Then his voice came at me menacingly, 'Did you say it was an empty sleeve?' 'Yes, I did.' I replied. "Then he slowly pulled his sleeve out of his coat and raised it as if he was about to show it to me again. It was a strange feeling, seeing an empty sleeve coming at me like that. Then suddenly, something touched me. It felt like a hoof was pressing against my chest!" Rarity began to laugh as lady-like as she possibly could. "Don't laugh! There was nothing there!" shrieked Dr. Cuss in a panic. "I swear it!" Rarity shook her head sadly as she looked at the doctor and wondered if the young gentlecolt was beginning to imagine things. "Rarity, please believe me!" pleaded Dr. Cuss. "I even swung my foreleg at him and struck his sleeve. It felt like I was hitting a foreleg, but there wasn't anything there! I felt something, but I saw nothing! Nothing, I tell you! Nothing! It was if there was a ghost inside those clothes!" {Chapter: IV}-["Last of the First"]Rarity's Puzzling Robbery Rarity's Puzzling Robbery Some weeks later, near the end of May, a strange robbery occurred at the shop of Rarity, the fashionist. Shortly before dawn one morning, Rarity was having something she called, 'beauty sleep' when she was awakened by the sound of bare hoofs trotting softly outside her bedroom door and down her staircase. That night, Rarity had been watching her sister Sweetybell, a younger, but just a beautiful unicorn as Rarity. When Rarity heard the steps, she assumed it was just Sweetybell getting a glass of water. However, she was shaken awake by her sister who seemed to be a bit frightened. "Wake up, Rarity," Sweetybell whispered to her sleeping sister. "Somepony's here in the shop!" Rarity groaned as lady-like as possible as she stepped out of her bed and slid on all four of her slippers. Placing her bath robes around herself, she was still impaired in the sense that she was doing things quite slowly. That is, until a loud crash down the stairs startled her. "Robbers, in my shop? I'll destroy them!" Rarity exclaimed, now fully awake. She had finally noticed the seriousness of the situation. Arming herself with a certain rod in the corner of the room, Sweetybell and herself crept to their bedroom door and listened for a sound. They heard noises coming from Rarity's sowing room downstairs, followed by a loud sneeze. With Sweetybell closely behind Rarity, they made their way down the stairs. These were dark because it was still dark outside. The silence was broken only by the faint creaking of the stairs and some odd sniffles and the rustling of some papers in the sowing room. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, everything was quiet again. They stood at the half open door and peered inside. The room that had been left in darkness the night before was now lit up by a candle on the desk. Its light revealed an open chest in the corner of the room, but there was no sign of a robber. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the clinking of coins and jewelry. "He's found our supplies drawer," whispered Sweetybell. "Isn't that where you keep your jewels?" This news sent Rarity into action. Clenching the rod firmly between her teeth she rushed into the room, shouting fiercely, "It. Is. On!" However, Rarity stopped so suddenly that Sweetybell, following closely behind Rarity, crashed into her. "Why, the room is empty!" Rarity cried, looking around in astonishment. "But I heard somepony in here," insisted Sweetybell. "I'm certain of it." They stood gasping for a minute, then they began to search the shop. They probed under the desk, behind the curtains, outside the windows, up the chimney, and even in the wastepaper basket and coal scuttle. "How can this be?" cried the bewildered Rarity. "There's nopony here, yet somepony had to have lit this candle!" "And the chest!" cried Sweetybell. "it's open and your jewels are gone!" "AH-CHOO!" came a violent sneeze from the hallway. The sisters rushed out of the sowing room, only to be stopped by the loud slamming of the kitchen door. As soon as they had caught their breath, they hurried towards the kitchen and flung open the door. Dawn was just beginning to break, and its faint light showed only an empty garden outside. "The cellar!" cried Rarity. "Bring the candle darling, and follow me." A thorough search of the cellar and every cabinet and pantry in the kitchen revealed nothing. The sisters then went on to inspect every room in the shop. By the time the candle had burned down in Sweetybells lamp, the sisters were just as confused as when they had first seen it start to burn on the study sowing desk. They had been robbed. Mysteriously.
{Chapter: I}-[ "Aboard the Redemption"]The Mysterious Stranger THE INVISIBLE PONY Written by: Chadbane The Mysterious Stranger It was a snowy February night. Besides the weather, everything else was quiet and peaceful. It was a moment to be short lived when you think about it, because this is when a stranger got off the express train and entered the small town of Ponyville. A large brimmed hat and long black coat cover him head to hoof, but they barely protect him from the chilling winds that brush upon him and on the small black saddlebag he is carrying underneath his coat. There are no carriages at the train station, and so this stranger is forced to struggle through the storm on hoof. For several hours the wind sweeps a frost over him, nearly freezing him to the bone. After a long struggle through the storm, he finally arrives at an old inn set just outside of the small village. Flinging open the door of The Prancing Pony, the exhausted pony staggers inside, more dead than alive. Keeping his head down to his chest, the stranger gasps, "A room and a fire! And hurry, please!" "I'm Mrs. Hall, the innkeeper here," says a lovely pink pony coming out from behind the bar. "If you'll just follow me upstairs, sir, I'll show you to a room." The stranger keeps his back to Mrs. Hall as they negotiate a price for his room and meals, and an agreement finally settles upon the two. After a moment, he follows the lovely innkeeper up a set of stairs, and into a cozy room on the second floor. It was only then, after lighting a fire in the fireplace, that Mrs. Hall vanished downstairs to prepare a meal for the stranger. By the time she had returned with a tray of hot food, a blissful fire was burning brightly in the fireplace, making the room warm and comfortable. As she entered the room, a streak of curiosity bolted through her mind as she laid eyes upon the stranger. Taking her first real look upon him, she found him to be very mysterious indeed. The stranger still wore his coat, hat, and gloves as he stood at a window, staring out into the dark, gloomy storm. "The snow from your coat is melting on my carpet, sir," said Mrs. Hall. "May I take it and dry it in the kitchen?" "No!" snapped the pony, finally wheeling to face her. "I prefer to keep it on." At that moment, Mrs. Halls got her first real look upon the front side of the stranger, rather than of his flank. Below the wide brimmed hat that he wore, there were large dark glasses that were set around the front and side of his eyes. A thoroughly wrapped set of bandages came down over his coat collar, completely hiding his cheeks and chin. "Very well," she said, and then left the room. Upon the lovely innkeepers return to the kitchen, she discovered that she had forgotten a condiment for the strangers meal, and so she put it on a tray and headed back upstairs. She knocked once, then immediately opened the door. Her sudden appearance in the room surprised the guest, and so all she saw was a flash of white as the stranger ducked beneath his table. "I suppose I can take these now, sir?" She asked, pointing her hoof to an overcoat and a hat placed on a chair, which happened to be set directly in front of the fire. "The coat, yes, but leave the hat," came a muffled voice as the stranger sat up. Mrs. Hall gasped in shock as his head came into her view. Without the aid of his hat, behind the dark glasses he wore, there were masses of white bandages wrapped around his entire head. Only a little bit of glossy black mane stuck out between his bandages. Just as strange of an event also lie within his hoofs. These were still wrapped firmly in bandages, and they held a large napkin over the lower part of his face, which in return, completely covered his mouth and jaw. His dark brown dressing gown had its high collar turned up and a scarf knotted at the front of it. "Leave the hat," repeated the stranger firmly. "Y-yes, sir," stammered Mrs. Hall as she slowly recovered from her shock. "I didn't know, sir, that--" "Thank you, madam. That will be all." Mrs. Hall quickly nodded and picked up his coat. Then, she quickly hurried out of the room, shivering as she closed the door. "That poor stranger must have had some horrible accident!" She said to herself. "What a scare those bandages gave me! And he must've hurt his mouth too, the way he was talking through that napkin. Bless his poor soul!" She quickly finished up her work and hurried down the stairs. Once the stranger had finished his meal, he settled himself in an armchair near the fire and began bubbling a pipe. Knowing that Mrs. Hall would be returning to pick up his dinner tray, he wrapped his scarf loosely around the lower part of his face, leaving room for the stem of his pipe to reach his mouth. When Mrs. Hall knocked and entered a while later, she found that the food, drink, and warmth had changed the strangers mood completely. Instead of a ruffian of a pirate, his tone had settled into that of a refined gentlecolt. He spoke to her more politely, and much softer than before. "I have some luggage at Ponyville station, Mrs. Hall. How can I have it brought here?" he asked. "My husband will be back later tonight. He can get it for you tomorrow." she replied with an affirming nod. The stranger slowly slunk back into his armchair, and then released a sight of disappointment. "Isn't there anypony who can go tonight?" he asked. "No. Not at the risk of an accident in this weather. You surely know what accidents can do, don't you sir? I mean, I don't mean to pry." the innkeeper replied. The stranger shifted in his chair and displayed a small gesture of annoyance. Even after this, however, he proceeded to answer the question. "Yes, I do. I have had an accident. It left my eyes weak and so I must stay in the darkness. To do this properly, I wear these dark glasses most days." After this was said, a moment of silence lingered between both the stranger and the innkeeper. Finally, after the moment, the innkeeper spoke. "What kind of accident?" she asked. With that question asked, the stranger stood up from his chair and walked silently over to the fireplace. Leaning closer to its warming rays, he replied in a gentle but firm tone. "That is not important, Mrs. Hall. All I can tell you is that I am a scientist working on a very crucial experiment. My baggage contains all my instruments, my chemicals, and the knowledge of magic I keep in my note books." As he watched the fire burn blissfully, Mrs. Hall ran her eyes across his body. He wasn't wearing his hat, but even still, bandages were firmly wrapped over his cranium as well. She was skeptical when she took a closer look upon him, and found him not to be a unicorn. Was it not only unicorns that could wield magic? Then what would a mere earth pony do with a simple knowledge of magic? "Forgive me for asking, but, why would you absorb the knowledge of magic without being a Unicorn?" she asked meekly. The stranger took a glance over his shoulder and slowly arose from his crouching position near the fire. "That is not important. I need to get to my work without further delay. If tomorrow is the earliest I can get my baggage, that will have to do. Goodnight madam." he said. With this said, he extended one of his bandaged hoofs towards the door and took a bow. It was a small gesture he had displayed, showing her the door out of his room. Mrs. Hall was to quick to leave, and as she left the room, she muttered to herself, "Sensitive about accidents, isn't he!" She couldn't wait to get back down to the bar and give her customers a vivid description of her mysterious guest. When she did only a few moments later, most of the ponies showed sympathy for the stranger because of his accident. That is, everypony except a blue unicorn known as, "Trixie." She was a retired magic performer, with a fairly young age for retirement. Because of this, it was always interesting to hear her opinion, because it was rare for anypony at that age to be retired. "Accident? Ha!" snapped Trixie. "He's got to be avoiding the royal guards. Wrapping himself up in all those bandages has to be the best way to hide." "And who's hiding behind the bandages?" came a voice at the door of the inn. "The stranger your wife just rented a room to, Mr. Hall." said Trixie. "I'd take a good look at his luggage when you bring it here from the station tomorrow." With that said, she took another drink and relaxed back into her chair. "You mind your own business, Trixie!" snapped Mrs. Hall. "And you, too, Hall. This is my inn, and I'll run it as I see fit!" But in spite of her strong words, Mrs. Hall had to admit to herself she, too, was suspicious about the stranger. And those suspicions filled her dreams that night. They haunted her in her deepest slumber and she gained little rest. Answers would be given, but when?
{Chapter: II}-["The Battle of Mareoon V"]The Experiments Begin The Experiments Begin The next morning when Mr. Hall had pulled up his taxi cart to the inn, he called out for help in unloading the strangers luggage. "By Celestia!" cried his wife as she hurried outside. "I expected a few trunks to be put in his room, but hes got dozens of boxes, six wooden crates, and who knows that else!" "Come along with those things!" called the stranger as he stormed out of the inn. "I've been waiting long enough." His coat collar was turned up, his wide-brimmed hat was pulled down over his face, and his hoofs were covered with heavy dark gloves. He trotted around to the back of the taxi and began unloading his things. Just as he was about to lift one of the smaller crates from the cart, a neighborhood dog ran up to the stranger and sprang at his hoof. Before Mr. Hall could reach into his cart for his stick, the animals teeth let go of the strangers gloved hoof and clamped onto his hind legs instead. The next moment, Mr. Hall had tossed the stick a distance away and it attracted the dog in the opposite direction of the stranger. The stranger gave little notice of this, for he was tending to his torn glove that had now began to slip from his hoof. When Mr. Halls came to take a look, the stranger took off into the inn and up to his bedroom. "I'd better go in and see if he's all right," said Mr. Hall. "Yes, and hurry," suggested his wife. With a nod, Mr. Hall hurried into the inn and galloped up the stairs. Finding the strangers door to be open, Mr. Hall entered the room, prepared to offer his sympathy and any help that the stranger might need. The drapes were closed, making the room dim, and Mr. Hall saw the strangest thing he had ever seen in his life. The foreleg of the strangers coat was shaking at him... but without a hoof! The next moment, Hall was struck hard in the chest, then pushed back out of the room, and then the door slammed in his face. Mr. Hall stood outside the door for a minute, scratching his head in bewilderment. "What did I see in there? Did I see anything?" he asked himself. He turned his attention to the door of the strangers room, and prepared to knock, but then a bolt of fear shot throughout his body. Did he dare to it enter once again? Quickly making up his mind, Mr. Hall made his way down the stairs, still bewildered and quite confused. By now, a crowed had gathered out in front of the inn, as Mrs. Hall argued with the dogs owner, who was holding the dog by the collar with his teeth. Since Mr. Hall still didn't know what he had actually seen in the strangers bedroom, he simply told his wife, "He didn't want any help. I think we'd better get his luggage up to him." "You ought to have a doctor look at his bite." suggested one mare in the crowed. "I didn't see any blood," said another, "or even any skin under his gloves when they tore." "Whatever the matter," added another pony. "Just get somepony to restrain that dog. I hear Fluttershy cares for woodland creatures near the Everfree Forest." Heads nodded in agreement as this was said. Just then, the dog tried to pull away again. With the owner close behind him, the animal pointed his nose towards the inn and began to growl. Quickly restraining the dog, the owner and all the eyes of the crowed turned their attention to the entrance of the inn. "Come along, Hall!" cried an angry voice at the door. It was the stranger, wearing a new coat and waving a fresh pair of gloves. His collar was still turned up, and his big hat was again pulled down over his face."Were you hurt, sir?" asked Mrs. Hall. "Not a bit. He never broke the skin. Now, hurry up with those thing, Mr. Hall." It was then that the crowed began to break away, and the simple excitement in the crowed began to fade. For them, it was back to work, and back to another beautiful day in Ponyville. No sooner had the crates been placed in the strangers room, then the stranger eagerly flung himself down into them and began to unpack. He scattered straw from the crates all over the carpet as he took out assorted instruments and magic written notebooks, along with scores of test tubes and bottles in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some contained powders, others liquids, and still others were labeled, 'Poison.' He set them on cabinets, shelves, bookcases, window ledges, and tables all over the room. It looked more like the village pharmacy than a bedroom. Trunks of clothes and boxes of books were left untouched as the stranger began his experiments. He worked steadily all morning, pouring drops from bottles into test tubes, mixing and swirling them around with powder. He didn't even stop when Mrs. Hall came into the room with his lunch tray. He paid no attention to her, but as she put the tray on his table, she noticed that he wasn't wearing his dark glasses. "By Celestia!" she gasped underneath her breath. "His eye sockets look as if they're empty!" The stranger heard the gasp and quickly put his glasses back on. "I wish you wouldn't come in without knocking!" he snapped. She backed away, sensing his aura of anger building upon him. "I did knock, several times, sir, but you obviously didn't hear me." she protested meekly. The strangers anger lessened as this was said, and he began to turn his concentration back to his experiments. "Yes, perhaps you did." he replied. "But my experiments require my complete concentration. I cannot have any disturbances at all." "I understand. There is a lock on the door. You can use it anytime you wish. Also, these piles of straw from your unpacking will mean extra clean--" "Don't bother me with that. Put an extra charge on my bill. Now leave me to my work." Mrs. Hall didn't appreciate the way the stranger replied, but she respecfully left him to his work. For the next several hours, no sounds came from the strangers room as he worked in silence. Then suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard the smashing of bottles, followed by hoofsteps rapidly stomping around the room. Fearing that something terrible may have happened, she hurried up the stairs and listened at the door. She was afraid to knock, sensing the attitude of the stranger was negative at the moment. "I can't go on like this!" she heard the stranger raving. "I can't go on! I've tried magic, I've tried potions, even magic potions, but nothing works! It may take me the rest of my life to find the answer to this experiment! I don't have the time, I don't have the patience! What am I to do?"
{Chapter: III}-[ "Shadows of Tomorrow"]To See Nothing, but Feel Something. To See Nothing, but Feel Something For the next two months, until the end of April, the stranger worked every day and most nights. He stopped occasionally to take walks, but only at twilight. He always kept his face and hoof covered when Mrs. Hall brought him his food or when he went outdoors. He ignored greetings from villagers on those walks and seemed to enjoy frightening the colts and filly's who teased him. On several occasions, he even talked to himself behind locked doors and went into rages, smashing furniture and equipment. When Mrs. Hall complained about her ruined furnishings, he paid her for the damage and always added something extra. Even so, Mr. Hall asked his wife to get rid of the stranger repeatedly, but each time, she reminded him, "This time of year we don't have many paying guests. I'll wait until the summer business starts." During his three months in Ponyville, the stranger became a regular topic of conversation among the villagers. Questions about him were answered by Mrs. Hall with explanations such as, "He's an important scientist working on some very secret experiments for Canterlot," or "He had an accident which scarred his face and hoofs, and since he's a very sensitive gentlecolt, he doesn't care to be seen in public." Many of the townspony, however, preferred Trixie's explanation that the stranger was a criminal trying to hide from the royal guards by wrapping himself up in bandages. Others didn't waste too much time on the stranger and simply decided he was a harmless lunatic. One pony in Ponyville was most curious about the stranger, and his name was John Cuss. He happened to be one of the village doctors. He was intrigued by the stories of the "thousands" of bottles in the strangers room, and he wanted to seem them. When he finally came up with a good reason for calling upon the stranger, which was to request a donation to the Ponyville Nurse Fund, Dr. Cuss made his way to the Prancing Pony Inn. Mrs. Hall led the doctor up the stairs and waited as he knocked upon the door. A low voice muttered something in reply. Assuming that the reply was permission to enter, the doctor opened the door and went inside. Mrs. Hall, however, didn't move from the hallway after Dr. Cuss had closed the door behind him. She was much too curious to leave, so she stood there for ten minutes. But all she heard was the murmur of voices. Suddenly, a cry of surprise made her jump back. It was followed by the rapid shuffling of hoofs and a bark of laughter. The door burst open, and Dr. Cuss came galloping through it, his eyes staring back into the room and his face a deadly white. He almost knocked Mrs. Hall over as he rushed down the stairs and disappeared out the front door. Mrs. Hall heard the stranger laughing wildly as he slammed the bedroom door shut. Meanwhile, Dr. Cuss had fled to the home of Rarity, the village fashion designer. She was a friend of his, and when she came by the hospital, he would often flirt with her. So, in a way, he considered her a close friend. He burst into her shop and gasped, "I think I've lost my mind! Do I look insane?" The startled unicorn looked up from a dress she was sowing and asked, "Insane? What are you raving about, Dr. Cuss? Be a Darling and do explain." "It's that stranger at the inn," said the doctor breathlessly. "I've just had the most frightening experience with him. I went to call on him to get a donation to the Nurse Fund. When I opened the door to his room, he immediately stuck his hoofs into his pockets and slumped down into his chair. All the while I was talking about the Nurse Fund, I kept staring at the bottles and powders and chemicals and test tubes everywhere. Then I asked him, point-blank, 'Are you working on a secret project?' "In between sneezes and sniffles from a nasty cold he got, he snapped at me, 'If you must know, yes! I had searched years and finally found the answer-the formula I needed for--; Never mind what for. All the ingredients were written on a piece of paper on my lab table when all of a sudden a breeze carried it towards the fireplace. As it was being carried up the chimney, I rushed to reach out my foreleg to grab it, like this-' "And he reached out his foreleg as if to show me how he had made a grab for the paper, but there was no hoof; just an empty sleeve! My first thought was he had an artificial foreleg and had taken it off. But then I began to wonder why, if he had no foreleg, what was keeping his sleeve up and open as he showed me how he reached... No, there was nothing in that sleeve. I could look right into it, clear through to the elbow. He saw me staring and-" Dr. Cuss just paused there for a moment and put his hoof to his mouth. "Yes, yes, go on." Rarity asked, rather intrigued with the latest gossip. "That's all. He never said a word. He just glared at me as he put his sleeve back in his pockets and returned to his story of the paper that had blown up the chimney. But I wasn't about to let it go. " 'How can you move an empty sleeve?' I asked him. "With that, he stood up and walked towards me until he was only inches away from my face. I don't mind telling you that having his bandaged face and his eerie glasses so close to my face sent shivers thoughout my body. Then his voice came at me menacingly, 'Did you say it was an empty sleeve?' 'Yes, I did.' I replied. "Then he slowly pulled his sleeve out of his coat and raised it as if he was about to show it to me again. It was a strange feeling, seeing an empty sleeve coming at me like that. Then suddenly, something touched me. It felt like a hoof was pressing against my chest!" Rarity began to laugh as lady-like as she possibly could. "Don't laugh! There was nothing there!" shrieked Dr. Cuss in a panic. "I swear it!" Rarity shook her head sadly as she looked at the doctor and wondered if the young gentlecolt was beginning to imagine things. "Rarity, please believe me!" pleaded Dr. Cuss. "I even swung my foreleg at him and struck his sleeve. It felt like I was hitting a foreleg, but there wasn't anything there! I felt something, but I saw nothing! Nothing, I tell you! Nothing! It was if there was a ghost inside those clothes!"
{Chapter: IV}-["Last of the First"]Rarity's Puzzling Robbery Rarity's Puzzling Robbery Some weeks later, near the end of May, a strange robbery occurred at the shop of Rarity, the fashionist. Shortly before dawn one morning, Rarity was having something she called, 'beauty sleep' when she was awakened by the sound of bare hoofs trotting softly outside her bedroom door and down her staircase. That night, Rarity had been watching her sister Sweetybell, a younger, but just a beautiful unicorn as Rarity. When Rarity heard the steps, she assumed it was just Sweetybell getting a glass of water. However, she was shaken awake by her sister who seemed to be a bit frightened. "Wake up, Rarity," Sweetybell whispered to her sleeping sister. "Somepony's here in the shop!" Rarity groaned as lady-like as possible as she stepped out of her bed and slid on all four of her slippers. Placing her bath robes around herself, she was still impaired in the sense that she was doing things quite slowly. That is, until a loud crash down the stairs startled her. "Robbers, in my shop? I'll destroy them!" Rarity exclaimed, now fully awake. She had finally noticed the seriousness of the situation. Arming herself with a certain rod in the corner of the room, Sweetybell and herself crept to their bedroom door and listened for a sound. They heard noises coming from Rarity's sowing room downstairs, followed by a loud sneeze. With Sweetybell closely behind Rarity, they made their way down the stairs. These were dark because it was still dark outside. The silence was broken only by the faint creaking of the stairs and some odd sniffles and the rustling of some papers in the sowing room. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, everything was quiet again. They stood at the half open door and peered inside. The room that had been left in darkness the night before was now lit up by a candle on the desk. Its light revealed an open chest in the corner of the room, but there was no sign of a robber. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the clinking of coins and jewelry. "He's found our supplies drawer," whispered Sweetybell. "Isn't that where you keep your jewels?" This news sent Rarity into action. Clenching the rod firmly between her teeth she rushed into the room, shouting fiercely, "It. Is. On!" However, Rarity stopped so suddenly that Sweetybell, following closely behind Rarity, crashed into her. "Why, the room is empty!" Rarity cried, looking around in astonishment. "But I heard somepony in here," insisted Sweetybell. "I'm certain of it." They stood gasping for a minute, then they began to search the shop. They probed under the desk, behind the curtains, outside the windows, up the chimney, and even in the wastepaper basket and coal scuttle. "How can this be?" cried the bewildered Rarity. "There's nopony here, yet somepony had to have lit this candle!" "And the chest!" cried Sweetybell. "it's open and your jewels are gone!" "AH-CHOO!" came a violent sneeze from the hallway. The sisters rushed out of the sowing room, only to be stopped by the loud slamming of the kitchen door. As soon as they had caught their breath, they hurried towards the kitchen and flung open the door. Dawn was just beginning to break, and its faint light showed only an empty garden outside. "The cellar!" cried Rarity. "Bring the candle darling, and follow me." A thorough search of the cellar and every cabinet and pantry in the kitchen revealed nothing. The sisters then went on to inspect every room in the shop. By the time the candle had burned down in Sweetybells lamp, the sisters were just as confused as when they had first seen it start to burn on the study sowing desk. They had been robbed. Mysteriously.
