Throughout the night, Aquila had been talking in his sleep, mainly about Redik, or something to do with puppies. While Redik had been up practically all night, the burns doing most of their damage over the night, though, the aloe did help... some.
Morning came soon, and it was time to get up. Twilight had already sent her letter to the Princess, telling of how Aquila and Redik were in no condition to go to Canterlot... or move. Though, due to the urgency of the night before, the Princess had agreed to come to Ponyville to talk to them.
Sighing, Twilight taps Aquila on the shoulder. “Aquila...”
He swats his hand back and forth, “Later...”
“Aquila!” she raises her voice, an obvious hint of annoyance in her tone, likely originating from the unicorn getting up rather early...
“Go away Hilda! I don’t have any contracts today!!!” Aquila yells, half asleep.
Twilight thought for a moment. “Aquila, if you don’t get up... I will heal Redik.” she says, rather threateningly... Hence the fact that she could not heal.
“I’m up, I’m up!!!!” he yells, instantly getting up and standing at attention.
The unicorn almost burst out laughing, but she held her laughter back like a cracked dam. “Good! Now, Princess Celestia is on her way to speak with you two.” she sighs.
“That’s good news, I’d go make breakfast if I could move.” Aquila says, containing his pain from his insanely sore body.
Twilight rolls her eyes. “I’ll make you two breakfast after I tell Redik...” she trots upstairs.
‘No don’t leave me! Damn it!’ Aquila yells in his mind, he’s now stuck... standing up.
“Redik.” she walks over to the bed. “Time to wake up, sleepy-head!” she says, smiling at the crispy mage.
“Go away! I don’t want your charity! Or your forks!” Redik says, still in a dream-state.
Once again, the unicorn thought. “Redik, if you don’t wake up...” she thought once again. “... I’ll make sure that you don’t get any aloe for the rest of the day. At all.”
“But mommy, I want more of that happy juice!” he lets out. Still asleep.
“REDIK GET THE ASINO PALLE UP!” they both heard from downstairs.
Redik shot out of bed and instantly screamed, he fell down and hit the wood floor with a thud. “I’M ARRRRGH UP!!!”
Twilight tenses up, trying her best not to laugh...
... But failing miserably.
The unicorn laughs at Redik, though, at the same time, she feels the painful sting of regret...
“Twilight! Come down here! It hurts!” Aquila yells from downstairs.
Almost immediately, Twilight gasps, and zips down the stairs, being at Aquila’s side... in less than 3 seconds... “What?! What’s wrong!?” she asks, checking him for injuries as though her education was on the line.
“In case you hadn’t noticed... I CAN’T MOVE.” he clearly states. He did his best to point his sore arm at the couch. “If you’d be so kind as to nudge me in that direction and cover your ears... I may get loud.”
She nods, and does as she was told, covering her ears with a pair of translucent, purple magic earmuffs.
Aquila falls faceward into the pillow and onto the couch. He yells in pain and screams into the pillow, “Ow! Il mio tutto! Perché quel ragazzo bastardo demone signore venire qui!”
Twilight just winces as she sees his mouth move...
“Why did you have to scare me up?! I just wanted some rest!” he says, adjusting himself in the couch.
“S-sorry...” she responds sheepishly.
“When is the Princess getting here?” he asks.
Twilight began to count with her hoof, looking up to the ceiling, muttering something under her breath as she does so. “Two hours, approximately...”
“By the way, Redik is still on the floor...” Aquila says... he actually felt kind of sorry for Redik.
In the flash of an eye, Twilight was upstairs. “Sweet Celestia, Redik, I-I’m so sorry!” she apologizes, too quick for words.
Redik was still on the floor, grumbling various curses and talking about wanting to crack Aquila over the head with a two-by-four.
Twilight immediately uses her magic to put Redik on the bed, she then began to bombard him with apologies. “I’m so sorry! I completely forgot you were there and Aquila needed help and I-!”
Redik cut her off mid-sentence and says, “Forget about it! It’s fine! It was Aquila’s fault anyways... That man scares me.”
Twilight sighs and thinks for a moment, “Why do you two fight so often?” she asks.
Redik raises a brow, since he can’t move the rest of himself, that was the best he could do. “Now that I think about it... I don’t know... Maybe it’s because he’s a crotchety old man?”
“Well I’m not sure insults are going to get you two anywhere. I mean, what has he ever done to you?” she says.
“Nothing really... In fact he’s saved me more than I can count.” Redik says, starting to feel a little guilt.
“Well maybe now you’ll have the chance to think about it, since you’ll be in bed for a couple of weeks.” she says. She stands up and heads out the door.
Downstairs Aquila was laying on the couch reading a book. Just as Twilight approaches, he interrupts her just as she opens her mouth to speak. “I heard everything, and I don’t want to talk about it. Can I read in peace please? I need time to think.”
“... But how did you-...” Twilight was confused... They were upstairs, how did he hear them?
“As an assassin, I have a trained ear. I listen to every detail all the time.” Aquila explains. Then he returns to his book, signaling that the conversation was over.
“I-... But-…Okay...” Twilight sighs, and heads out to town to go take care of a few errands.
A couple hours had passed, Aquila read his book while Redik was bored out of his mind. Twilight suggested reading to him when he got back, but he told her reading was boring. Maybe that’s why he’s not the best of wizards.
Aquila hears a knock on the front door and yells “Twilight! Someone is at the door!”
“Okay!” Twilight comes down to get the door. Spike had been out doing something with Rarity, so she had to get the door. “Princess Celestia! You’re here!” she exclaims, while moving out of the way to let her teacher in.
“Twilight, my faithful student, it is so good to see you again.” Celestia says heartily, beaming a warm smile at her student. “You as well, Aquila.” she walks inside and looks at Aquila questioningly. “Where is that friend of yours... Redik?”
Aquila puts his book down and says, “He’s upstairs with shining red burns all over his body.”
Celestia raises a brow at his reply. “Oh? Why may this be? If you do not mind my asking.”
“Well that is what you’re here for, so we can explain to you what happened.” Aquila says, while doing his best to sit up.
The alicorn nods. “Of course. Now, if you’d excuse me, I suppose I’ll have a small talk with Redik...” she trots up the stairs, leaving Twilight downstairs with Aquila.
Redik gives her an odd stare, he was picking his nose when she came in but he didn’t take his finger out of his nose. He just froze and says, “Damn it... I fell asleep again!”
Celestia smiles as she enters the room. “Good afternoon, Redik-...” she loses her smile, and raises a brow at the wizard.
“Hello... Princess.” He says seductively, with his finger still up his nose. He’s still slightly shocked.
The alicorn’s smile grew back onto her lips. “Aside from being red all over from burns, how are you feeling?” she asks.
“I’m feeling great since you walked in.” he says while removing his finger from his nose.
Celestia chuckles. “I can’t say that I am not flattered.” she says. “Thank you.”
“Oh, you’re quite welcome.” he says while putting the ‘suave’ look on his face.
Once again, Celestia raises her brow at the wizard. “Redik, is there any particular reason as to why you are looking at me like that?”
“Oh, I think you know why.” Redik says suggestively. And then they hear shouting from downstairs.
“REDIK, YOU’RE NOT DREAMING!” yells Aquila from downstairs.
“NO NO! YOU WILL NOT RUIN MY DREAMS A SECOND TIME YOU ITALIAN PIECE OF SHIT!” Redik yells back.
“Dio! Lei non è cazzo sognare! È idiota!” Aquila shouts.
“Oh shit! I don’t know that gibberish crap! This is real! That means... AAAHHH!” he screams and hides under the covers, ass high in the air.
Celestia lets out a sigh. “Well, I’ll give you a small but helpful piece of advice. Follow your dreams, but make sure that your fantasies are set aside.” she closes her eyes.
“But I like my fantasies!” he says from under the covers. ‘Damn it! I’m a dumbass!’
She holds back a small laughing spree, before replying, “You can like your fantasies, as long as you do not forget that you’re still in reality, Redik. Especially when you wake up, and I am in your presence.” Celestia lets out a small chuckle.
“Oh good, so I can keep-” Redik couldn’t finish.
“Shut up!” they hear downstairs from Aquila.
The Princess sighs. “Unless you two stop arguing, I will not get any answers to my questions...”
“Well old fart butt is always calling me names. It’s a little hard not to.” Redik says while getting out from under the covers.
Celestia narrows her eyes, slightly glaring at him. “If it is hard not to argue, then how do you two get along as friends?”
“Generally, I smack him around until he stops moving and I drag him!” they hear from downstairs.
The Princesses eyes widen. “And that allows you two to get along... How?”
“Because he’s not talking!” Aquila yells from downstairs.
“Shut up!” Redik shouts back.
“Alright, enough out of both of you. I would like to get an answer to my question... What happened?” she asks either of the two.
“Well I don’t remember too much, I was so busy kicking so much ass, I got into the zone.” Redik says.
“Asking him gets you nowhere!” Aquila yells from downstairs.
“Well then, Aquila, if you have all the answers...” Celestia begins to walk to the steps...
“Let me translate what he said to you into proper English. When he said ‘kicking so much ass’, he actually meant getting his ass kicked. When he said ‘getting into the zone’, he meant crying in the corner while I did all the work.” Aquila explains.
The alicorn sighs as she walks over to the couch, now being downstairs. “Though, what exactly happened?” she asks.
“Well we went to investigate. Turns out there was a bunch of zombie labs in the Everfree Forest, we burned them all, only to find out another planeswalker was behind it all. His name was Dargonax, he kicked the crap out of us like a hackeysack and left. Which leaves us in our battered remains we call bodies.” Aquila explains.
Celestia raises a brow at a particular word. “Another planeswalker?... This cannot be good...” she furrows her brow, thinking hard. After a moment, she pulls her head up again. “Twilight, you should go tell Doctor Hooves about this. It is of utmost importance.” she looks to her student.
Twilight nods. “Where was he last seen?” she asks.
The Princess thinks for a quick moment. “On the outskirts of Ponyville, relatively close by.” she says.
“I WANT TO FIND THAT BURNING PIECE OF SHIT AND KICK! HIS! ASS!” Redik yells from upstairs.
“I actually agree... Sort of. I think me and Redik should search for him throughout the worlds. To find him.” Aquila says.
Celestia shakes her head. “It is far too dangerous. You will have to learn more, especially after you’ve recovered.” by now, Twilight was already out of the library.
“I’m plenty recovered.” He stands up, and instantly falls face first onto the wooden floor. “S-see?” he weakly says.
“ME TOO!” then the noises of crashing and banging are heard, and numerous curses, along with something about moose balls. “ARRRGH MY OVARIES!!!” then some silence. “I AM OKAY!” then he takes a step out the door. “AH SHIT!” he yells in pain and falls down the stairs. “I’M NOT OKAY! I’M NOT OKAY!” he yells after he lands. “I NEED AN ADULT!”
Celestia facehoofs. Hard.
“Redik... How are you still alive?” Aquila remarks at his friend’s stupidity.
“By the power of greyskull!” Redik weakly exclaims.
The Princess began to quietly chuckle. “You two...” she says, mid-chuckle, “... Are the best entertainment I’ve had in years.”
“Oh thanks! Laugh at my extreme pain! Some ruler!” Redik snaps.
“Hey, I thought it was hilarious.” Aquila says.
Celestia lets out a long sigh after she stops. “Oh, I apologize... I just... Everything just piled up and I couldn’t hold back any longer. Dear me...” she plucks a tissue from a box with her magic, wiping away laughing tears.
“I love the floor! The floor is my best friend so I’m giving him a long painful HUG!” Redik yells to remind them he’s still on the floor.
She rolls her eyes, and picks the wizard and the assassin up into a magical embrace, setting them both down on the couch. “There.” she smiles. The two were now sitting side-by-side.
“Redik... You smell like ass and sweat.” Aquila says, shuffling as far as he can to the opposite side of the couch from where Redik was.
“Well I haven’t showered for like a week!” Redik retorts in annoyance.
“You took one last night.” Aquila says.
“Well screw you guys! I’m goin’ home.” he snaps, while pointing to the door with both hands. He tries to get up, but Aquila stops him with his foot.
“Your stupidity knows no bounds.” Aquila groans.
“Maybe I should have set you two away from one another...” Celestia raises a brow at the two of them.
“Oh good, then all my dreams would come true.” Aquila remarks with a sharp kick of the sarcasm spice.
The Princess smiles. “Well, I have some time left before I have to leave. Until then, I shall keep you two company.” she sits down between Redik and Aquila.
“I-” Redik manages to let out before Aquila cuts him off.
“Don’t even think about it you pervert.” Aquila says.
“...” Celestia just stays silent.
“Well while we all have fun with awkward time, I’m going to read a book.” Aquila says. He grabs a book and opens it, he begins to read it.
The Princess sighs. “Don’t you two ever try to get along? Haven’t you? Or are you simply ‘partners’?” she asks out of curiosity.
“I tried, and failed.” Aquila says.
“No, you’re just old and an ass.” Redik retorts.
“That’s exactly what disables the ability for you two to get along.” she looks at each of them. “The amount you argue, compared to how much you two actually spend time talking to one another as true friends is immensely unbalanced.” she furrows her brow.
“Why would I want to be friends with a baby who throws up and cries every time he rests his head on a pony’s organs?” Aquila asks.
She sighs again. “You are judging Redik by how he is around you when you two are out on ‘adventures’. You should try to not ‘slap him around until he stops moving’, and actually attempt to make an effort to be his friend. The same should apply to you too, Redik.” she looks to the wizard with a smile.
“I tried, we ended up fighting because Lord Arrogantus over there thought he was a better fighter than I was.” Aquila says.
“Because I am! I went easy on you!” Redik snaps back.
Celestia resists the aching urge to facehoof as she speaks. “Friendship should be something that you two share together, not break apart over silly things such as ‘who is stronger’ or ‘who is the better this, who is the better that’, etcetera.”
“Hey, he asked me to hit him.” Aquila says.
“Because he’s an old fart who hits like a girl!” Redik retorts.
Once again, the Princess barely refrains from facehoofing. “It does not matter if he asked you. The motive behind why he asked you is what matters. And Redik, Aquila, you’re both equivalent. Whether you may think it to be true or not, you are both equivalent, just as everypony in Equestria is to one another. We all want to help one another, ponies are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another.” she sighs once more.
“I recall you said I hit like an elephant.” Aquila says to Redik. “But she is right, I have been rather crude. Perhaps if you’d stop being immature. We could get somewhere.”
“I’m the most mature thing you see in a mile.” Redik snaps back.
Aquila facepalms.
… Celestia joins him by facehoofing.
“Fine fine! I’ll try to be better. Can we just go?!” Redik says.
“In case you didn’t notice. You’re in no condition to stand.” Aquila reminds him.
“... Yeah...” Redik admits.
Aquila gasps in shock, sarcastically. “Finally you say something not stupid!”
“... I seriously do not comprehend how you two have not ended up accidentally killing one another.” Celestia says. As she says this, she holds her head in her hooves.
“Want me to?” he holds up his right hand, and extends the hidden blade in the bracer. “I will NOT hesitate.”
The Princess looks over to him. “No, no. No need for it.” she says. “Aside, it would not be good, since Redik and you have agreed on finding Dargonax.”
“I’m used to hunting my targets alone, and with informants.” Aquila says.
“And I’m used to... Well nothing.” Redik says.
Celestia sighs once again. “Having a partner is having somebody to rely and keep your trust in. Redik and you may not get along so well, but I assume you’ve obviously helped one another when the time came around.” she looks up to both of them, first Redik, and then Aquila.
“He did save me numerous times.” Redik admits.
“I wouldn’t trust him with a spoon.” Aquila says. “He might leave a crater in the middle of town.”
“Well, he is somebody. Somebody is better than nobody, especially if you are working to find a planeswalker that causes destruction. Having a partner is better than being alone.” Celestia replies.
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. His link might as well be made of thin glass.” Aquila says.
“Come now, he is not weak. Your chain is strong, you just haven’t connected it yet.” she says, now smiling.
“If his link is so strong, how come I’ve had to save his life over five times now? He’s only saved me once.” Aquila says.
“All those other times, I was just testing you to see if you knew your stuff. I could’ve gotten out easily of all those situations.” Redik says.
“Oh just like Jackie Lee?” Aquila says.
“That guy was nuts!” Redik snaps back.
“Still just a very small chinese man.” Aquila remarks.
“Even so, Aquila, you two are still partners.” she smirks at the assassin.
“I know, so it’s my duty to save his sorry ass, even if it means costing the mission.” Aquila says.
“Pffft, you’re just along for the ride.” Redik scoffs.
“Yeah, the ride of dumbassery.” Aquila remarks.
“See?! He insults me!” Redik pouts.
“You insult me every second I have to look at you.” Aquila says.
“Enough, both of you. You two are like foals trapped in the body of an adult, almost.” Celestia groans, now having a slight headache. The saying ‘too much of a good thing is a bad thing’ obviously applies here.
“Yes, because I was deprived of a childhood, and he was deprived of a brain. That’s a great combination.” Aquila sighs.
“If Redik was deprived of a brain, he wouldn’t be able to function at all.” Celestia blankly stares at him.
“They say ‘Ignorance is bliss’ well he’s so ignorant, that he doesn’t need a brain to function. Tap his head, it’ll sound like a drum.” Aquila says, knocking his own head lightly to show an example.
“Well-” Celestia gets interrupted, as her student, along with Doctor Hooves, come through the door.
“I came as quick as possible,” the Doctor looks around. “Ah! There you two are!” he exclaims, trotting into the room. “Jolly good to see you... two... again... What the blazes happened to you two?! You both look like you went a round with Big Macintosh!” he looked at them with slight concern.
“Burning planeswalker guy kicked our asses before I could say ‘asses’.” Aquila explains.
Twilight falls over onto her side, panting with the exhaustion from running.
… The Doctor entirely ignores her. “A ‘burning planeswalker’!?!” he exclaims. “...” he begins to think for a second. “... A FIRE LORD!?”
“Yup, that’s the one.” Redik says. “Said his name was Dargonax before he sent Aquila through a wall and smacked me into a food cart.”
“Dargonax...” he begins to pace around. “Dargonax, Dargonax-Dargonax-Dargonax... Wait... DARGONAX!?!?!?”
“I’m pretty sure we already know his name...” Aquila says.
“Oh, quit your babbling, Aquila, this is serious!” he exclaims, slightly annoyed.
“Well going on about how serious it is and screaming his name isn’t going to get us anywhere!” Redik says. “I’m sore! I’m in pain! I’m in the same room with Aquila! And I’m tired! I’m in no mood for shenanigans!”
“Finally you grow some balls.” Aquila scoffs.
“Shush, you.” the Doctor waves his hoof. “Either way, I will allow you two to recover from your tiny injuries, then I shall continue educating you two in the ways of planeswalking!” he shouts, walking out of the library.
By now, Twilight was on her hooves. “I think I’m gonna take a small nap...” she says groggily, trotting with fatigue up the stairs.
“Princess,” a guard pokes his head in.
“I’m sorry, Aquila, Redik, but I need to go.” Celestia says, before she walks out of the library. “You two have a good day.” she nods to the two of them as she leaves.
“I’ll be nicer if you be nicer.” Aquila says.
“Fine.” Redik agrees.
“Fine.” Aquila repeats. Well since Aquila can’t move, he decides to have a bit of entertainment. “You should probably get back to bed.”
“Yeah... “ Redik stands up and instantly from the pain falls face-forward onto the ground. “DAMMIT, AQUILA!”