Wind Chaser, Chapter 3
In which the plot is finally formed.
Thank you to everyone who's read so far, that's over a hundred views of this little thing in less than a day from its release... I'm touched (in the head probably, but that's for another time), thank you guys ^^
Now, let's try to make sense of this....
* * *
The sky roiled and spun, darkness slashed by forks of blue and yellow light.
“It is good you have come, Princess, I had thought that the Ponies of Equestria were not being truthful when they said you were still their ruler after thousands of years. It must be a burden.”
“Some centuries are longer than others, Ambassador, I admit.” Celestia smiled. It wasn’t an easy task, considering her conversation partner. Thousands of years of diplomacy with other nations was all that stopped her from using all her magic to seal the borders from this particular species.
“The title of Mikill Úlfur passing down is something of an event amongst my people, and having a visiting dignitary as an officiary is traditional, it prevents calls of bias. The immortal ruler of Equestria is as important a dignitary as we’ve had for many lifetimes.”
“I thank you for inviting me, Ambassador.” Celestia sipped her drink, the ambassador watching every move with quick eyes, the Lupin race didn’t have the same magic as unicorns. “Tell me, is the inclement weather also traditional?”
The yellow eyes blinked slowly, “Not at all, Princess, the weather is from two of our... entourage. They are specialists at working up storms and I find their talents quite arresting to watch. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Arresting, yes,” Celestia, for all her powers, couldn’t help but feel a little at risk out here, and her guards, armour shining in the lightning saturated half-light, were all on edge. “But I can’t help but find myself wanting a little more sunshine in my day.” As much for herself as for her guards, Celestia channelled a little magic and opened up a tiny hole through the clouds that beamed warm afternoon light down onto their camp.
“Marvelous, simply amazing,” their host clapped his paws, finally a reaction, “in fact the contrast between the stormy skies and our tranquil patch of sunshine has to be the most exquisite sight I’ve seen in years. Princess, I must thank you for such a beautiful gift. I have a feeling that the new Mikill Úlfur is going to love you.” he chuckled and gazed around.
His good humour seemed to sour as an aide approached, bearing a scroll. “News, my lord, from the Regent.”
“Yes, yes, bring it here at once.” The ambassador roughly unfurled the paper and zipped through the words. Then he released it, the curl clapping the scroll shut, and let out a bell-toned, baying call to the sky. It was chilling, to say the least.
A flash of lightning answered it and two figures came bounding down out of the clouds, their shoulders decorated with rags that seemed, in some way, to let them run on the very air itself. Such different magics, Celestia thought to herself, with all these things that separate us, no wonder Ponies don’t get on with them very well.
“Fuujin, Raijin, your new orders are here.” The ambassador passed the scroll to the nearest, who opened it so his companion could see too, their eyes, one set brilliantly blue-white, the other a deep amber, flicked through the message.
Lightning sparked over their fur in little arcs, “Understood, ambassador.” One bowed, “We will depart at once.” The other bowed. Their tails flicked sparks as they whisked themselves around and up into the sky with that same peculiar loping gait.
“Such a shame to lose them. Now, where were we, your Highness?” Princess Celestia could only paste on her best diplomatic smile to match the mildly terrifying sight of a wolf grinning with glee.
* * *
This guy’s really hard to read. Kirianna thought to him, He’s either really straightforward, or this pony poker-face is better than a human one.
You’re telling me, Nick agreed. But if this big, red pony, bigger even than himself when he was transformed, wanted to play things silent, then he wasn’t in a position to try and change that.
He’d introduced himself, succinctly, with a simple “Name’s Big Macintosh, yuh’ll want t’come with me.” His voice matched his size.
Now they were heading down to a big american style farmhouse, he could see an old, green coated pony with her hair up in a silver-gray bun snoozing on a rocking chair on the veranda. He was sure she had a title like ‘aunty’ or ‘granny’ just from looking at her.
Just before they got to the door, it burst open and the adorable and terrifying appearance of three tiny ponies (fillies?) suddenly became a whirl of colour, movement and noise.
“Hey big brother! Who’s y’frien’?” A whirl of yellow and red topped by a giant pink ribbon,
“Is he new? Where’d he come from?” White, pink and pale lavender, brushing past the other,
“Where did you get that cutie mark? It’s sweet!” Blurring orange and purple, shouldering both aside... he lost track of which was which as all three just kept talking over each other, inspecting him.
“Ooh, see? I wonder what his special talent is!”
“Wait, weren’ we going t’the clubhouse?”
“Not now, we can see if he’s got a way to find our cutie marks!”
“Are you staying in Ponyville?”
“Do you have family here? Do we know them?”
“Tell us how y’got yer cutie mark!”
Big Macintosh stomped a hoof, hard. The little fillies who’d been circling and leaping all around, and even Nick, were bounced an inch or so off the floor. The three of them looked at their hooves, thoroughly chastened by the red draft-pony’s ‘and what do you have to say for yourselves’ look.
“Sorry big brother, we’ll be goin’. ’Pologies for both’rin’ yuh, mister.”
The look vanished and the deep-chested pony smiled, and bent down to give the little yellow filly an encouraging nudge, smiling to show he wasn’t angry at her.
“Aww, big brother, stop it.” She pushed his muzzle away, embarrassed, “Okay girls, let’s go!”
Nick winced at the volume of their parting shout; “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS GO!” all together.
They watched the fillies zip off in a little red wagon pulled by the orange filly, who... rode a scooter that she pushed by buzzing her tiny wings furiously. Adorable, but kids always were when they weren’t causing chaos.
“Mah sister Apple Bloom, the one’s Scootaloo, and t’other’s Sweetie Belle.” Big Macintosh stated, “C’me on in.”
* * *
Watching from a high tower, Princess Luna regretted again letting her sister leave for a foreign land. If only she had gone in her sister’s place... but no, she couldn’t, Celestia was always the public one, Luna much preferred her time out of diplomatic circles. It gave her more time to focus on the work that she’d taken over since her return. And now... now she had to rule Equestria without her sister, which at one point was a dream. At one point. With the world so changed... with pony customs and expectations so different... ruling without her sister at her side was a challenge she didn’t even want yet, let alone knew if she was capable of.
Then this happened, this... sentient storm. No pony had made it, and from the timing, Luna could suspect where it came from. Acting on it though... might cause her sister’s visit to be cast in a bad light. If she dispelled a storm created by these Úlfur, it could be seen as an insult, or a challenge, or any number of things that their customs would use to make things harder for Celestia and for Equestria.
She sighed as it curled out of sight of her window, the weather workers would have to handle it. Unless it became a direct threat to the pony subjects, she could not interfere.
* * *
Thunder crashed and lightning arced, the clouds began to roil and tumble in close formation. The friction of the clouds charging them even further as they flowed through the sky against the prevailing winds towards the city of Canterlot.
Pegasus ponies, hundreds of them, rose up into the air and began coralling the clouds, punching holes through them and herding away the pieces that were chunked off.
Watching eyes took in the organisation and the swift ease of their actions.
“This was expected.”
“Yet, the Regent still decided to try.”
“A test, only, to gauge if they had the skill. Now we work on dividing them.”
“Let us move on.”
As abruptly as it began its approach, the stormy front reared back and began to flow at a tangent to the capital. Ink pooling from one place to the next, as if by gravity, a well of cloud would move and form up, pulling the remaing clouds after it and leaving behind only what the pegasus weather-workers had already claimed.
* * *
Awkwardness, he did his best not to show it. Speak like a movie character in your mind, you must not. Kirianna teased.
Big Macintosh hadn’t said a word to him since opening the door, just led him to a table and brought out a couple of bottles of what turned out to be amazingly delicious apple juice. He’d only nodded when Nick had commented on how nice it was. The two of them then sat down and waited.
What was weird was that it was obviously waiting, not waiting for Nick to start talking, but waiting... for somebody to arrive. Eventually Nick’s curiosity got the better of him, he had to see if this guy really did make conversation. How to start... You could try introducing yourself. Kirianna offered, And try to fit in, their names don’t seem to follow the same trend as ours, make one up.
He thought about it, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Big Macintosh... Hmm, I’ve always wanted to use this one again, Nick thought to Kirianna, Old ones are the best.
“Wind Chaser.” He offered quietly, Big Macintosh looking at him carefully, but not seeming surprised... P-p-p-p-Pony Face, p-puh Pony Face, Kirianna chanted in his head. “My name’s Wind Chaser.” He elaborated, mostly to shut her up, and playing it as calmly as he could.
Big Macintosh nodded, “Ee-yup. Welcome. This here’s Sweet Apple Acres, I’ll let m’sister AJ do the talkin’.”
Nick couldn’t - Wind Chaser, think of yourself as Wind Chaser, even in here! Kiri interrupted him. Wind Chaser couldn’t read him at all, this was getting to be creepy. He’d always been a good reader of people, even the odd professional liar was relatively easy, it was a gift. But this pony? Not a clue. P-p-p- Shut it, tart.
“Not to be rude, but, you don’t seem upset that I was on your land.” Wind Chaser pointed out.
“Nope.” the bigger pony replied. “Reck’n you’ll be wantin’ to talk to AJ though.”
“Why’s that?” he tentatively queried.
“That bein’ her friend Rainbow Dash y’were a-hidin’ from.”
Chaser shut up. How much did he see? We were so focused on that pegasus, Rainbow Dash Yeah, her... If we’re lucky he just thinks we were hiding from her, he might not have seen the flying and transforming. What am I saying? Knowing our luck he saw everything and knows exactly what’s going on.
“Hey, Big Macintosh! I could use a hoof out here!” That was definitely a girl, and her accent matched the big guy’s so... ‘AJ’
For his part, the draft pony got to his hooves and put the empty bottles in a crate before gesturing with his muzzle for Chaser to follow him. Outside, and around the corner, was a large barn, and in front of it an orange mare wearing a stetson was unloading empty wooden buckets from a cart.
“‘Bout time. And-” She paused, and granted Wind Chaser a big, friendly smile, “Howdy there stranger, welcome t’ Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Uh, AJ, you might wanna talk to Wind Chaser here f’r a bit. Ah’ll handle this.” With his added height, Big Macintosh needed to duck a little to slide the remaining bins from the cart onto his back, heading into the barn.
“Wind Chaser, eh? Pleased t’meetcha, Ah’m Applejack.” Wind Chaser found his hoof being shaken enthusiastically, “We here at the Acres love to make new friends.”
When she let go, he grounded the hoof solidly, still feeling the urge to keep shaking it up and down. “Thanks, I’m not used to such hospitality.” He grinned.
“Now,” Applejack started walking, Chaser keeping pace, “What brings y’here?” A dimensional transporter. Shush! “And why did Big Mac wan’ me t’talk to yuh?”
Do we gamble? Kiri’s voice was speculative, She seems normal enough, and she’s a friend of that pegasus. Explaining to somebody has done you good on missions before.
Good point, Chaser mulled it over a moment, but no, it’s probably safer to keep it to myself and come up with something. We don’t even know if they have technology here, at least until we see what civilisation’s like.
“Well your brother kinda caught me hiding from a pegasus called Rainbow Dash in your orchard.”
“What? Why’d you be hidin’ from her?”
“Because she was chasing me. I think I made her upset, but I don’t know why she would be. I’m new around here.”
“E-heh,” Applejack gave an appreciative laugh, “That filly gets riled up so easily, it’s a wonder anypony can get through a conversation with her in one piece sometimes. Y’probably didn’ do anythin’ wrong. Why don’cha tell me about it, an’ we’ll see what we c’n do t’settle her down. If’n yer new, then y’ll love gettin’ t’know the folk aroun’ here, so it’s best if we clear this up quickly like.”
She’s nice, I like her. Remind me to try talking like that when I get my voice back.
Okay, that clinched it. If Kirianna liked her, this pony was definitely trustworthy. Kiri was a fairy, fairies can see things about people (and ponies it seemed) that most wouldn’t understand. Not that she could define it in any case; she was far too flighty for finding scientific explanations. Her specialty was her sense of who might lie to her, or how much you could ‘trust’ an individual.
So, long story short, Chaser decided to trust Applejack with the truth.
“Well when I say I’m not from around here, I mean it a bit more... seriously than most.” He began.
* * *
Once again lightning flashed and thunder rolled in reply. The coded pattern helped them work, especially when they were dealing with a front this large.
They were up in the mountains, hundreds of miles from the capital and a good flight of a pegasus pony from anywhere else, and they were pumping as much power into their little city-destroyer as they could.
Out here, the weather-workers of Equestria weren’t bothered by the brewing weather, confident in their power to curb it and direct it to where it was needed when it arrived. What this also meant was that they weren’t paying attention to how big it was growing behind the peaks.
Howls played back and forth, thunder and lightning in sequence, to keep the massing on schedule. Soon enough it would be large enough, unstoppable enough, to simply let it roll down on the towns and cities of Equestria. The confusion, the absence of leadership from their rulers gone on ‘diplomatic missions’, the complete overpowering scale of the Úlfur generated storm... many nations now paid tribute to their new rulers thanks to this tactic. All it took was a swift entrance into the heart of their government, an offer to let them live out their lives peacefully, under a tithe to the Mikill Úlfur, or suffer the unquenchable power of the storm.
Of course, most countries didn’t have weather workers quite as capable as the pegasus ponies appeared to be, but even they wouldn’t be able to do much with a storm of this proportion.
A few ponies flew up to investigate, the brothers howled in unison and a great clout of wind drove them back, spinning and stunned, to fall into the trees on the lower slopes.
It would be a few hours before the lighter-than-clouds ponies could gather themselves again, but the Úlfur brothers were confident that they hadn’t hurt any of them. It wouldn’t do to give the ponies a reason to choose fighting the storm over the offer of servitude.
* * *
“Yer from another dimension.”
“Check.”
“Yer here to help us.”
“Absolutely.”
“And y’have super powers that turn y’into a pegasus.”
“Like I showed you.”
Applejack looked a little shell-shocked. The transformation, for one thing, had given her plenty of reason to be. But... she believed him. That was the amazing thing, he could see it. So Big Macintosh really does just have a poker face, this one’s easy as all get-out to read. Honest as the day is long, that’s what it is, couldn’t lie if her life depended on it.
“Shoot, sugarcube, Ah reck’n...” Sugarcube, huh? Don’t pretend you don’t like it. “Ah don’t know what I reck’n. But yer tellin’ the truth, so... Ah guess we need t’talk to Twilight about this. It’s a bit much f’r one pony.”
The afternoon sun shone through the window, they were back in the kitchen again, seated at the table with another bottle of apple juice.
“And... uh... Rainbow Dash?”
Applejack recovered enough to give him a wry, lopsided grin. “Don’t’cha worry none about her, she might talk big, but once y’gain her trust she’ll stick by yuh through anythin’. Ah’ll help smooth things over when y’see ‘er agin. Heck, show ‘er that transformation o’ yers and she’ll think it’s so cool she won’ leave y’in peace for weeks.” The thought made her chuckle, which was a relief after all the serious talk.
Chaser chuckled along with her, “Here’s hoping I don’t have to show her then.” It got a laugh out of her.
“Anyhow, we’d better get goin’.” Applejack stood up, crating the empty bottle, “Otherwise it’ll be dark afore we get t’Twilight’s place.”
* * *
“RAAAAAAAAAH!!” Dash dived on him, at which Chaser stepped nimbly sideways, avoiding the head-on crash. “Slippery little...”
“Dash!” The ponies gathered a little way away were taking turns shouting for her attention. This was her third or fourth attempt.
“HYAAAAAAHHHH!” Another flying leap, Chaser’s knees bent and he settled to the floor comfortably, leaving Dash to skim over his mane, nearly colliding with the fence beside the road, “Why you!”
“DASH!” All five tried together.
“RRRR-AAAAAGH!” This time Chaser rolled fully over, giving his back a scratch on the floor, with the rainbow blur skidding to a stop. “When I... oooh... when I get... my hooves... on you...”
“Urgh! I give up.” The lavender mare with the dark mane sat down and rubbed her forehead with her hoof.
“Hii-” Her next leap cut off mid-yell, Chaser reaching out a hoof and pushing hers down towards the ground as she sprang, stopping her dead. The shock vibrated through her visibly, like a stubbed toe, but the size of her whole leg. She blinked twice, and then fell over, clutching her hoof and hissing ‘ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow’ to herself. Luckily the word ‘ow’ was for when nothing seriously hurt, he knew from experience.
Wind Chaser turned back to the other ponies and gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry, I didn’t know what else to do with her.”
A bubbly froth of pink appeared in front of him, baby-blue, smiling eyes dancing in glee, “That’s alright, Dashie crashes into stuff all the time, one time she crashed right through Twilight’s ladder and couldn’t get her head out, and another time-” A lavender hoof carefully prised her away from the startled Wind Chaser.
“Thankyou Pinkie, but maybe we can get introductions done, and then sort this whole mess out?”
A second later, however, Pinkie bounced straight back, “Of course! We need to get introductions done so we can throw you your super-duper-Pinkie-tastic Welcome to Ponyville party! It’s going to be awesome! We’ll have cakes and balloons and streamers and -”
“Pinkie!” Again the purple one pushed her back, Chaser was now sitting, the smaller pony so energetic in her antics he’d been pushed over without realising it.
“Excuse her, she’s always like this.” She looked embarrassed, Chaser for his part blinked at the big, clear eyes... those were really pretty... before giving his normal smile and getting back up.
“Don’t worry about it, I wish even a tenth of my missions were this friendly.”
“You mean having Rainbow attack you is friendly?” She seemed honestly confused as she raised an eyebrow (ponies did have them; they had the muscles, just not the definition of actual eyebrows, myth confirmed!) at Rainbow, who was shaking the pins-and-needles out of her foreleg.
“Compared to some, yes.” Chaser grinned, lopsidedly.
“Yes, well,” She cleared her throat, “Welcome to Ponyville, I’m Twilight Sparkle.” She inclined her head, “This is Pinkie Pie, and I think you’ve met Rainbow Dash.”
“Wind Chaser, and I’m pleased to be here.” He ducked a quick bow with just his head, to be polite.
“Rarity’s going to like him, he acts the proper gentlecolt, don’ he?” Applejack nudged him in the ribs.
“And this is Kirianna, my partner in adventure.” Chaser introduced the fuzzy green ball that climbed up between his ears.
“p-p-PARASPRITE! I knew I should have brought my tuba!” Pinkie Pie panicked and made to run for it, but Applejack stood on her fluffy tail, bringing her crashing to the floor.
“Hold on there filly, this’un’s not the same as th’others. Kirianna’s no ord’nary parasprite.” Then, in a whisper that Chaser could still actually hear, although it probably wasn’t meant to be, she added “Reck’n he’s got her trained or somethin’.”
Chaser kept his face neutral, but sent the equivalent of a mental smirk over to Kiri. He’d explained Kirianna to Applejack back at the farm, but it seemed that she hadn’t quite got the relationship, or the fact that Kiri was a ‘parasprite’ was more important than he’d thought... probably the latter, considering Pinkie’s reaction. Twilight was looking shocked and even Dash had stopped complaining to just stare at Kirianna like she was a rabid dog.
For her part, the copper-eyed fluff-ball sidled back over his head and hid in his mane again.
“So long as it doesn’t breed like the others, I don’t care.” Rainbow finally stated, crossing her hooves across her chest.
“Same here, as long as she’s not the kind that eats everything and multiplies by the second, then I’m happy.” Twilight agreed, “Okay, Pinkie?”
The bubbly pink mare was in his face again, peering at him, rubbing her chin. “Hmm... Okie dokie lokie.” She pulled away a little, then whipped back, “But I’m watching you buster.” She warned, but then giggled and bounced away happily, circling the group in a kind of world-of-her-own way. I like that one too, she’s random! Kirianna giggled in his head.
Kirianna... giggled? Shut it, tart! I’m a girl! I giggle too, okay? She snapped at him, defensively. Could have fooled me, he thought back.
“Anyway, Twi? It’s gettin’ late, c’n Ah leave Chaser with you? Ah think you two have got a mite to talk about, an’ Ah gotta get back t’ th’farm.”
“Sure thing, Applejack, I’ve got plenty of questions for our new friend.”
“Oh, and Chaser, I trust you, an’ I believe yer story, so if’n any o’the girls don’, jus’ remind ‘em o’ that.” The orange mare tipped her hat and left them with a wave.
“She’s right, it’s getting dark already. At least that storm’s gone for the night, I was worried.” Twilight turned and began to trot the way she’d come. “This way, Wind Chaser, we can talk at the library.”
“And don’t try anything funny,” Dash was in the air again, “I’m watching you.” She attempted menacing, but as it was coming from a flying blue pegasus smaller than he was with a rainbow mane and tail she didn’t quite pull it off.
* * *
Alright readers, I may not update this until after Christmas, thanks for giving this a try for now, I appreciate every view this gets XD
Catch you later,
Thaylien