Illua’s eyes fluttered open and blearily looked around. Horus was sitting in a chair beside her, his eyes closed, arms crossed and tail curled around the chair’s legs.
The magus groaned from the dull pain of yesterday's battle, the bruises making themselves known amongst the bandaged wounds. Nyx waved from the mirror once more.
Good morning, Snow White. Feeling better? Nyx asked, using their telepathic connection so as not to wake Horus. Her tone was surprisingly soft, despite her sarcastic words.
I'll be fine, are you alright?
Now that I know you're fine, yes. You got reckless yesterday, what got into you?
I really don't know. Normally I'm holding you back but..
But you instead went with my bloodlust. Angry much?
Maybe.
Illua attempted to stretch, groaning again as her bandages held fast, reminding her of the reopened wounds her ally had treated.
“You shouldn’t move,” Horus’ voice rang out. His eyes remained closed.
"Shouldn't, but Lord Faarquad should be waking up from the sleep spell, and I'm going to let him think I'm immune to his silly poison." Illua retorted, scooting closer to Horus. She retrieved a different shirt from her inventory, this one made of a lighter cloth, dyed a deep blue, resembling a form fitting tunic.
“Your health is more important,” Horus pressed, cracking a crimson eye open to look at her. “Besides, once he outlives his usefulness, he will be butchered like all Caribou.”
"Then get me a front row seat at least." She locked her determined gaze with his, crossing her own arms. "Besides, are we going to have any of the other leaders be witness or not? You need people to verify information."
“They’ve been downstairs waiting for us. I told them I would stay here until you woke,” Horus explained, standing up from his chair.
Illua pushed up from the bed, taking to her feet and taking a few uneasy steps. "I have one last thing I want to do to him. How much meat do the Ponies eat here? They're completely vegetarian back on my Equestria."
Horus quickly moved to her side, supporting her as she walked with a frown on his face. “They eat kibble. Even the dragons and carnivores.”
"Oh." Illua gritted her teeth. "I don’t know about you, but I'm going to be eating some food while we interrogate him, and start getting my strength back. I have enough manticore jerky to share with you and the leaders, at least until we can get people cooking again." Composing herself once more, she leaned on Horus as she moved to the stairs.
“Even with what they’ve been forced to eat, I imagine only Zecora would eat it,” Horus mused as they slowly descended the stairs. “Though I admit I do not know them well enough to be sure.”
Already they could hear the heated debate going on downstairs, shouts and yelling prevalent and ringing throughout the abode.
"They never truly stop arguing, do they?" Illua stifled a giggle.
“They have that luxury thanks to your efforts,” Horus replied back with a small smile.
"Very true. Hopefully they'll stay wise to my method." Illua smiled in return.
They soon reached the bottom floor, and could more clearly make out the voices as they were raised.
“You better fucking speak up, shithead, or I’m just gonna keep shoveling these ashes down your fucking throat!” Starlight roared, having ahold of the Caribou’s antlers with a pile of ashes in her off-hand. Said Caribou was still coughing up the ashes he'd already been fed.
“Starlight, don’t kill him! We need his information and shoveling ash down his throat will just give us a damn timer!” Redheart argued, trying to hold the pink unicorn back.
“Shut up, Redheart! I don’t need your fucking pacifism right now!” Starlight shot back.
“Bon Bon, why are you not doing anything?!” Lyra cried, before gesturing to the scene before them. “They’ve both gone nuts!”
“Because whether you two like it or not, this is a valid form of gathering information,” Bon Bon replied, arms crossed as she watched the scene passively. “Besides, the bucker deserves to have some suffering of his own.”
“Ladies, please, do not-” Zecora noticed the duo. “Oh thank the stars, there our heroes are!”
Illua's eye twitched, but then simply let out a quiet breath. "Starlight, Redheart is correct in this manner. We do need him alive, at least for now. The more valid information he gives us, the longer he lives." Illua’s commanding tone returned, staring down the eager woman.
“After everything he’s done? After everything they’ve done?! Fuck no!” Starlight raged, throwing Redheart off of her and making to shove her fistful of ashes down the Caribou’s throat.
A thunderous slam shook the house, throwing Starlight off balance and onto her rear. All eyes looked to Horus, whose tail had embedded itself in the floor.
“Calm yourselves. This is no time for bickering. We all hold hatred for the Caribou, but letting that rage control us in critical moments like these serves us none,” He looked to Illua, then gently guided her to a free chair that had been prepared, and carefully helped her take her seat.
“But I-!” Starlight began, making to stand.
"Starlight, a book burned provides no information." Illua interrupted her, a sigil hovering above her palm. "I'm prepared to do what I need to, when I need to. But for now, take a seat. Horus can handle this. Watch and learn."
Starlight grit her teeth, looking to Horus, before grunting and standing up, dusting herself off and sitting forcefully in her own chair, Redheart following suit with a modicum of grace.
“Fine,” Starlight conceded.
The Caribou smirked. “As-” A raucous cough came from, along with a wad of blood from his throat. “Full of...impulse and emotion as...any female.” He sneered breathlessly. A calculated swipe saw one branching portion of the Caribou’s right antler cut clean off. “Gah!” He glared at Horus, whose claw was outstretched.
“Do not test your luck, you gutless child. I am not afraid to relieve you of your pride,” the Hellwolf flexed his claws. “And I do not just mean your antlers.”
The Caribou turned his head away at that. “Hah. Do as you wish, beast. I am not so foolish as to reveal state secrets just because of a little pain.”
Horus smiled wickedly. “Oh? And if I said I knew where your son is?”
The Caribou rolled his eyes. “Like you actually-”
“His name is Harold, correct? Harold Brimsgold?”
The Caribou suddenly froze.
Horus’ smile grew. “I know your House well. Even more so it’s insignia. Your son would be Harold XVI at this point, yes?”
“H-How could you possibly-”
“Because I was the one who ended the life of Harold II. I endeavor to remember the names of all those I slay, and have failed to wipe out,” Horus began, walking towards the Caribou’s back.
“Y-Y-You still wouldn’t know where he-”
“If I had to guess, your pride and joy is taking care of things for you with the Council while you came here. Which means he must be in Canterlot,” Horus deduced.
The Caribou visibly paled. “H-How...How could you know-?”
“A hunter is nothing but a beast if they stalk their prey without researching them first, without studying their moves, their way of life,” Horus said in a chilling tone, trailing a singular claw along the Caribou’s neck. The Caribou shivered. “Now...why don’t you tell me a few things, hm? All the more to keep your son alive, yes?”
“I-I-I-I-” The Caribou stuttered, his teeth even chattering.
Horus only chuckled. “Come now, I won’t bite…” He bared his teeth right against the male’s neck. “...Much~.”
The Magus smiled as she began taking notes, listening to the interrogation. She scooted closer to Starlight, if only to show what she was writing. Don’t speak for now. Just read. He's revealing relevant information to him to prove a point. Blackmail, or perhaps a bargain chip is being proposed indirectly.
“Now...what is the situation with those that fled Ponyville recently?” Horus began, standing up straight again.
The Caribou looked up at Horus, eyes wide, before sweeping his gaze across those present. None were ones of sympathy. He gulped, then looked back to Horus. “Y-You won’t-" Another errant cough, followed by blood. "H-harm my boy, r-r-right?”
Horus nodded. “Not even a scratch.”
The Caribou took a breath. “...They’ve been sent to rehabilitation centers.”
The mares all frowned visibly, Starlight and Bon Bon even scowling. Horus hummed, but a slight downward twitch to the side of his mouth was unmistakable. “And what is the Council doing currently? What are they planning in terms of the war? Of this new resistance cell?”
“Th-They’re…” A pause, the Caribou swallowing down another cough.
“Yes?” Horus pressed, placing a full hand on the Caribou’s throat, albeit gently.
“...Th-they’re pouring funds into some...weapons project. T-Tirek has been....pushing hard, and they have little to counter his...brute strength. The Minotaurs have gained...k-knowledge of firearms, so we’ve b-b-been...sending some of their captured females in...to mess with their production lines.”
“And what about the reactions to our resistance?”
“I...don’t know that much. H-His Majesty seemed...suspicious, but otherwise all they’ve done to my knowledge is...send me and my men.”
Horus stroked his chin, then looked to the others.
"So you're telling us that, other than anything directly relevant to us, you're practically useless? God what a waste of time." Nyx was bored, but she knew the actual value of his info.
Horus raised a hand to Illua. “He’s hiding something still.” Horus laid a hand on another antler.
“W-Wait! I swear, I’m not-!” A sickening snap, and one antler was ripped off near the base. “GAAAAH!”
Horus moved a claw to the other antler. “I suggest you tell us, or your son may well be next after you.”
“O-Okay! Okay okay okay okay!” The Caribou thrashed in his bindings. “J-Just let go! Don’t hurt my baby boy!”
Horus let go of the antler. “Good. Now speak.”
The Caribou panted for a short span of time, trying to recover from the pain of having one whole antler torn off. “Th-Th-They did mention...something about marshalling forces f-f-from the strongholds...set up around Canterlot to converge here,” the Caribou explained hurriedly after catching his breath.
“WHAT?!?” the mares in the room shouted.
“They were a-a-arguing about it...saying that the troops there were untrained a-a-and that it’d take...too much time to get them trained up...or to even bring veterans in to q-quash the...resistance instead,” the stag continued.
"Continue. Be as clear and precise as you can. Your son's life depends on you." Illua leaned forward, her fingers idly spinning the crystallized magic circle in her hand. "How long before they send another unit here?" Her gaze lingered on him, fingers at the ready to write.
“A-At least two days by train...five on f-foot, but m-most of them would be inexperienced. All our g-g-good men...are on the frontlines,” the stag informed, coughing once again.
“Two days? TWO DAYS?! That’s barely any time at all!” Starlight shrieked, clutching her head.
“Unless we sabotage the tracks,” Horus proposed.
"Or… we can use the tracks." Illua countered. Horus frowned and grunted, but made no other comment. "We are close to too many hubs for travel, meaning deploying another unit is justifiable. Which means leaving Ponyville may be the best option." Illua ran a hand through her milky hair. "Starlight, do the trains go anywhere besides Canterlot?"
Starlight ran her hands down her eyes and muzzle before groaning deeply. “Literally all over Equestria, even before the Caribou. They even go up to Yakyakistan nowadays, and a bit towards Abyssinia and Griffonstone. Other than that, they connect to basically every major city in Equestria.”
“I vaguely recall hearing some of the Caribou that...used, to be here, talking about taking the train to your old village. Maybe they’ve expanded the trains to smaller towns now too?” Lyra proposed.
“We’ve been living under their bootheels for six years,” Redheart began, crossing her arms. “It’s not unlikely. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
"Hm. Well," Illua opened up her panels once more, pulling a piece of jerky out and gnawing on it, "It's possible we could find a nook of the world to hide in, or we can possibly join up with a larger force, possibly getting training in the process." She swallowed, only to pull some more out. "You think in twenty four hours we could pack that armored train and bail?"
“It’s possible,” Bon Bon said with a nod, seeming to completely ignore what Illua was eating.
“But what do we do with it’s cargo? I would not wish to meddle with those ‘stones’ that glow,” Zecora chimed in, shivering at the thought of the cargo they’d found. She glanced to Ilua’s apparent snack, but otherwise said nothing about it.
“The Gems, you mean?” Horus said, turning his head to the Zebra mare. Zecora nodded. “Hmph. Destroy them, I say. As for the females, do the same for them as you’ve done for all of the others. Help them.”
"I can take the gems." Illua declared. "Not only do I have the ability to transport them, I can probably recycle them."
“Ha! Good luck, whor-” Horus swiftly slammed an open-clawed hand to the stag’s face, knocking the head off with pure force and a spray of blood as a portion of the spinal cord came with it, the head tumbling and rolling across the room.
"Thank you." Illua nodded, only to continue her thought. "The gems themselves aren't the problem, but the enchantment upon them. Given time and magic, I can purify and repurpose them. A little bit of grinding and I could make temporary replacement horns."
The mares' eyes widened collectively, and they all shot their gazes to Illua. “You could?!”
"If you still have any grindstones in town, bring me one and a few of those jewels, and I'll see if I can make a couple before it’s time to leave." Illua stood up and walked to the now deceased indignitary's old gear. "Now, what to do with these? They are enchanted gear…"
“We could actually have magic again!” Lyra squealed, bouncing in her seat.
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Easy, girl.” She looked to Starlight, seeing how her eyes had glazed over with thoughts and ideas. “Same goes for you, Star.”
Starlight blinked. “Huh?” She looked around, then noticed the looks she was receiving. “O-Oh! Sorry!” She shook her head, then looked to Illua, clearing her throat. “If you can really make us temporary horns, we should be able to improve that gear with more versatile enchantments,” Starlight began, before her eyes lit up again. “Oh, the things I could do if I had magic again!” She squealed in delight.
Horus walked over to the set of armored robes. “I have a better idea.” He picked the wargear up, holding it out to Illua. “Take it with you. Having equipment with built-in wards like this will come in handy, I’m sure. All you will have to do is refit it to your size and shape.”
Illua took the armored robe, and smirked. "This is almost like cheating." She donned the robe, closing the clasps that held it in place. It was a little big on her at first, but a faint white glow conformed it to her. A small window opened in front of her, but she dismissed it quickly. "Its surprisingly breathable for its appearance. I’ll probably dye it later…" she mused idly.
Horus blinked. “Odd. Most magic gear in this world does not immediately conform without a specific enchantment.
"Game mechanics. That's all I gotta say."
“...What?” Bon Bon asked, giving Illua a curious look.
“Is it related to those screens or whatever we keep seeing in front of you?” Redheart asked.
Horus looked to Illua.
".... They don't have video games here… do they?" She replied sheepishly, looking back at Horus.
Horus sighed. “Not to my knowledge, no. Though to be fair, I was in stone for many years, and I haven’t bothered to ask.”
“Wait...video games?” Lyra piped up, looking to the magus. “You mean those things that Button Mash used to play before he…” Lyra paused, then shook her head. “...before everything happened?”
"I’m going to say yes, only because I'm pretty sure it's a close comparison. In a nutshell, I have certain capabilities that accelerate my understanding of combat, and assist in certain manners, such as what you have been seeing with the armor and my ability to pull items from 'thin air.'" Illua explained. "As to why I have these abilities? It's just as much a mystery as why some people are good at different things."
The mares all shared a look, before sighing collectively.
“I feel like our best bet is to just chalk that up as another thing we shouldn’t even ask about,” Starlight said, shaking her head.
Zecora stood up slowly. “Much like she whom was taken so soon.” She said solemnly.
They all gained somber looks at that. “Yeah...just like her.” Bon Bon shook her head, standing up herself. “We’re gonna go get things prepared. You two should try and recuperate.” With that, the mares all got up from their chairs and left, leaving Horus and Illua alone in the tree house.
"I'm surprised they took that at face value." Nyx chuckled. "Last time we had this discussion, someone didn't stop asking questions."
“They are still recovering from managing a defense, when previously they had no experience in leading. Not to mention they are all recovering from enslavement,” Horus pointed out, walking towards the corpse of the Caribou which remained in it’s chair.
Illua sighed as she sat back down, unclasping the war robe and removing it, setting it on the back of her chair. "Unfortunately, they're gonna have to learn to lead more, and find solutions without fighting soon."
Horus nodded, before hefting the corpse over his shoulder. “True.” He agreed as he carried it to the front door.
"I’ll be here when you get back. I'll be waiting for those supplies from the ladies." She waved.
“I’m afraid that will not be happening, my dear,” came a voice like Christopher Ayres from behind her.
"Excuse me?" She looked up and behind her, her brow quirked.
Horus snarled as he turned to the voice as well, tail lashing to the side as both of them took in the new arrival’s appearance. It looked to be a man with a suit literally made of playing cards and held together by clasps of gold and platinum, with aviator glasses made from jade with skin as black as night. He idly juggled a deck of cards in his hands, and he also wore a green bowler hat with a set of playing cards in a crown formation around it.
“Dealer,” Horus snarled.
“Hello, my dear boy,” Dealer smiled, before he looked towards Illua. “I’m afraid the time for this particular portion of my deal has ended. So, my darling, you will be heading back home.” Dealer continued to juggle the deck of cards, albeit with more flair now, even doing so behind his back. “Not to worry, though. I managed to get your own Displacer to agree to me transporting those Gems and that robe with you.”
“And we should believe that’s all there is to this?” Horus hissed.
"That would explain that new timer this morning. Huh." Illua muttered to herself. Shrugging the robes on, she stepped to the stairs to acquire her katana and sling it over her shoulder. "I guess I'll see you another time Horus?" Illua was slightly deflated, but it made sense. Summons were always temporary, no matter the game.
Horus frowned, but slowly nodded. “We will.” He shot a glare to Dealer. “Even if it means I must throttle him.”
Dealer shrugged, grabbing one card from his deck and tossing it behind Illua and himself, where it grew to about 10 feet tall, with a portal in it’s center. “You can certainly keep trying, dear boy.” He looked to Illua. His smile was all teeth. “Now, go on, girl. The longer you’re here, the less time you’ll have to help in your own Equestria.”
Illua sighed and stepped into the portal, vanishing into the kaleidoscopic expanse that traversed worlds. The Dealer bowed formally and followed her, an ever mischievous smile plastered on his dark face.
As they left, Horus simply stared after their exit as it disappeared.
Continuing down the corridor, I frowned as the encircled image of Ponyville approached, marking the end of my short adventure. “Hey, Dealer. I know I was summoned there temporarily, but is it possible I could summon Horus sometime?” probing the enigmatic displacer, my curiosity had gotten the better of me.
A wide smile, a flick of the wrist, and a card spun upon his fingertip. “That was part of the deal, so yes.” The card changed between suits with each rotating, as he chuckled. “I’m honestly tickled pink you two have already grown so attached that you’re asking for a second date~.”
My face flushed suddenly, turning away from the teasing planeswalker. “Honestly, I’d like that, and he is definitely cute. She would too, but she’s a bit more... how you say... prudish?” Nyx, somehow separate from me in this between-space, giggled as she laced her arms over my shoulders from behind.
Dealer chuckled more. “The next summoning there will not be a set time limit, so you two can have as much fun as you desire.” He stepped to the side as they arrived at the conjured exit. “Ah, there we are, Equestria No. 165-VG. Always fun to see what your side of the multiverse cooks up, my dear. I’ll be watching with my dear friend; you can count on that~.” With that, Dealer disappeared into the corridor itself, his light chuckles still faintly echoing.
I couldn’t help but smile at the infectious laughter, and stepped back into my own Equestria.
The portal opened in the middle of the crystalline study, depositing the weak magus back into the world proper. Candles had been lit, And the quadrupedal pony Princess of Magic sat at a wide desk, flipping through a set of books, scribbling. "Oh... So, this is your place... Huh." I mused, running my hand over my chin. Nyx was nowhere to be seen, but I could feel her presence within my mind, just where she belonged.
"Illua?... How did you get in here without me knowing?" The pony princess tilted her head, eliciting a quite giggle, and then a groan. "Are you alright? Did the drake get you earlier?... Where did this new armor come from?" She looked out the window at the mid-sky moon. "What took so long too? It's well past midnight."
"I'll tell you later, but for now, I'd really like to go get some rest. Do you happen to have a bed that I can sleep in?" Twilight nodded, spouting off quick directions to a guest room nearby. Waving her a quick good night, I quickly departed before she could prod at me. I could tell she was concerned, but it would be better to tell her in the morning.
Once safely in the room, I disrobed, and laid down once more. The Dealer, Displacers, and Horus.... She pulled out the new item in her box, a pendant made of bone, beads and string, with a pair of long talons framing a small knife. Smiling, I lightly traced the claws. ...A new friend with similar tastes, separated only by a thin veil between worlds? This isn't goodbye, it's just a temporary parting.