//------------------------------// // II - Gravity // Story: Cipher // by Alfoals Trottenbauer //------------------------------// Ace appeared in a forest unknown. He looked around urgently for some sort of landmark. Just then, a water tower walked through the forest, knocking down trees as it went. He galloped toward what seemed a town in shambles. He eventually came upon a creature strange to him, though he had read about it in some ancient history books. This example of the species was wearing a hat with a blue pine tree on it, a blue vest and orange t-shirt. Grey shorts were tattered on his legs. Ace tried to recall what the kind was. Hooman? Human? Whatever it was, 'Human' would work for then. "What is that?" The human pointed to Ace, rather impolitely. "I am an Equestrian, thank you." He stated, rather annoyed. "Well, are you on Bill's side?" The human asked. "Not really, I was forced into a deal with him." Ace answered. "Are you going to fight against him?" He inquired. "I guess." Ace replied. "Well, I'm Dipper Pines, your name?" He greeted. "Ace Sparks. Is that an unusual name for around here?" He asked a half question. "You're a human, right? I thought your kind was dead." Ace asked, not realizing what he had just said. "...No, I don't think we did." Dipper answered awkwardly. A giant floating eyeball flew by, turning someone into stone. "We'd better get away from here." He suggested. Dipper started sprinting away, Ace in a gallop close behind until they finally stopped at a clearing. A giant, fortress-like pyramid towered over the trees in the distance. A beam of blue light shone from the tip of the pyramid into the sky. "There it is. That's what we're against." Dipper remarked. "I have a dumb question." Ace considered. "Who is Bill? Why is he so much of a big deal?" He asked. "Bill is a being who lives in a place called the nightmare realm. He will trick anyone in order to get what he wants. He wants to take over every dimension." Dipper answered. Through the brush, a lavender-coated mare with a black mane and tail emerged. "Ace! I've got the knowledge we need to defeat Bill!" She practically screamed, galloping to them while holding a stack of books resting shakily in her hooves, another stack being levitated by her horn. "Twilig ht! How did you get here?" Ace inquired. "That isn't important." She responded. Twilight made a sudden movement, causing the stack to fall in a pile on the ground. Dipper ran over to them, opening one, squinting his eyes. "What language is this? I can't read it at all!" He seemed to complain. "This is Equestrian. You don't have this as your language?" Twilight asked, confused. "No, I speak English." Dipper clarified. "Well, you seem to be speaking Equestrian." "Nevermind that." Dipper dismissed. "What's important is that we find Bill's weakness." "Yes, it says here that Bill's only weakness is to trap him in somepony- I mean someone's mind. " Twilight agreed, almost forgetting the presence of the human in the process. An eye floated over the three. They galloped out of the way as a beam turned Twilight's books into stone. More floating eyeballs flew overhead. They made for cover under an rusty, old, metal shed. The three closed the shed's door quickly. An eye looked into the window, bobbing upward and down from levitating. It flew away, knowing it couldn't get them yet.