//------------------------------// // The Castle and the Snake(A Problem at sea part 1) // Story: A Lampent's Lament in Equestria // by Iridescence T Wind //------------------------------// “The first glance at the pillow showed me a repulsive sentinel perched upon each end of it--cockroaches as large as peach leaves--fellows with long, quivering antennae and fiery, malignant eyes. They were grating their teeth like tobacco worms, and appeared to be dissatisfied about something. I had often heard that these reptiles were in the habit of eating off sleeping sailors' toe nails down to the quick, and I would not get in the bunk any more. I lay down on the floor. But a rat came and bothered me, and shortly afterward a procession of cockroaches arrived and camped in my hair. In a few moments the rooster was crowing with uncommon spirit and a party of fleas were throwing double somersaults about my person in the wildest disorder, and taking a bite every time they stuck. I was beginning to feel really annoyed. I got up and put my clothes on and went on deck. The above is not overdrawn; it is a truthful sketch of inter-island schooner life.” ― Mark Twain, Roughing It ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- It had taken a while to convince the six terrified ponies but oddly enough it was Fluttershy who had been the first to be drawn out to go meet the herbalist. Under Soul's coaxing soon everypony but Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were talking to the Zebra. After Zecora had explained her profession and why she lived in the Everfree Twilight and Rarity were able to get Rainbow and Pinkie to warm up to her. Hours later most of Ponyville was warmed up to the Zebra as Pinkie pulled an all-out party. He waited for Twilight to free herself from conversation with one of the several Stallions that no doubt held interest in her that wasn't returned before speaking up in a conversational direct mental tone to her in the loud music from a DJ stand nearby, "Hey Twilight can you spare a few minutes? I have a question to ask." "Sure Soul," Twilight shouted over the loud music that was playing, "Though mind if we go somewhere quieter?" "How about the library?" Soul mentally shot her way again. Twilight nodded and they went off, the sound of music fading away into ambient noise several blocks away. Twilight unlocked her library door with a key from under a mat and trotted in. Soul followed quickly after shutting the door quietly behind him before starting the conversation again with a question, "What is the currency system here?" "Bits." Twilight stated surprised, "You mean you don't know?" "Never had to buy anything in the Everfree." he shot back. "Oh, right..."Twilight trailed off before standing perfectly straight, Soul winced as she took up a scientific pose and began in the voice of a teacher, "Bits are coins we ponies use to purchase items. They come in Gold, Silver, and bronze bits. They are worth quite a lot internationally due to the rarity of certain metals. The rate of bits goes one hundred Bronze for a silver, one hundred Silver for a gold, or ten thousand bronze bits for a gold bits all bits look the same as well as not to confuse anyone." "What does a bit look like?" Soul asked intrigued. Vaguely he remembered the Meowth pokemon using Pay day, but it had shot a different currency. Twilight pulled a bit out of a nearby bag and brought it to Soul for his inspection. The markings on it were plain and simple, the Equestrian flag decorated one side and a picture of a unicorn head was on the other side. Vaguely he recalled the various coins Meowth had shot out when attempting to dislodge Lily. His thoughts were interrupted as Twilight spoke up, "Um... Why do you want to know about it suddenly? Do you need to buy something?" Soul would have grinned if he had a mouth, "Want me to show you what I am planning instead?" Twilight raised an eyebrow, something that would require bits and the Everfree, "Yes." she stated. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Twilight stood in disbelief as she walked into the still in construction path towards the ruined castle. Her mouth had hanged open as they arrived at the castle that she and her friends had defeated nightmare moon in. "This would require a small fortune to fix if anypony was willing to even visit here to do reconstruction!" "Small fortune huh?" Soul asked, "Give me a second." Soul floated in and gathered up all the bits scattered around he could see about the place. wrapping the bits up in the remains of a decayed curtain he floated the makeshift bag outside and dropped it at Twilights feet before coming outside again himself. Curiously Twilight undid the curtain and she shouted out, "How the hay did you manage this?!" "Would you believe me if I said a cat pokemon appeared out of nowhere, and shot gunned bits it made from a special ability called pay day at Lily scattering those everywhere three times?" Twilight shook her head in a negative, speechless from the sheer amount of money that was in front of her. She closed her jaw with a hoof before speaking, "A third of this would fix this castle to a state that would envy Canterlot! Why the hay would a cat throw that much money at you?" "usually the winner of the battle automatically gets the rewarded currency from pay day. My guess is that he used it in hopes of winning and getting richer. Sadly he failed and fled with his comrades. Though I am surprised that there are pokemon other than me here in the first place." Soul calmly said with his arms behind him, "would you mind um... contacting somepony to dispel any lingering harmful spells and some Masons and builders for reconstructing the castle?" "Um... I can handle dispelling a few old spells though none should be left after this long. Stone Masons however will take a while. I will... get right on it." "Thank you Twilight. Take what you need. I guess I will figure out what to do with the rest." Soul nodded to her and looked around stating thoughtlessly, "Wonder If I could start a small homestead or something. You know, a place for creatures and ponies alike to gather and live if they have naught else to go..." Twilight beamed at Soul much to his own confusion, "What?" "Oh, nothing. Just glad to see you’re not just planning to live in a castle with just yourself and a select group of friends." "Why would I do that?" "Not you specifically, some kinds of people dislike society enough to do any means to avoid them." "Whatever, but Twilight I do have three requirements for if you want to take this on." "What would that be?" Twilight asked leaning in curiously. "The first thing is to make sure everything is fire-proof and tear resistant when decorating." Soul began, "I dislike accidently setting things on fire from touching them." "That shouldn't be much of a problem, fire-resistance spells are common for castle decor." Twilight stated plainly, "The next two?" "The second is to let me personally decorate my own room rather than the standard of the average castle. While I do not mind letting the mason workers repair the floor, walls, and ceiling. I would prefer to be able to decorate it personally." Twilight nodded a notepad appearing from seemingly nowhere with quill and ink writing both down, "The third?" I would like you personally to restock the library and repair any books that are left of it if any..." Twilight nodded, "No problem, come visit my library in a week, I will have contacted a few ponies by then." Soul nodded, "See you in a week." Both parted ways to do their own tasks, Soul in his own work of finishing the tree clearing and ground smoothing path to Ponyville; Twilight to her studies and writing. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- The next day Lily grabbed his attention as he was cleaning out the castle of rotten furniture, [Boss! Boss! a sea serpent needs your help! He won't take no for an answer. The word sea alone brought shivers throughout soul's body, [Pardon?] he asked hoping that he had simply misheard her. [A sea serpent named Steven Magnet needs your help. From the looks of what he showed me, for good reason too.] [By sea serpent you mean a giant water dwelling lizard that could sink cities with a splash of his body?] [Steven magnet isn't one of those kind.] Lily started, [For one he lives in a river, and he is a complete fashion diva. His problems are within your fire-power to solve. Literally.] [For one I hate water.] soul stated resuming lifting out ruined moth eaten furniture, [And two I hate things that spew water with lethal force. You’re not getting me within thirty feet of him.] [Really now?] Lily replied with a wolfy grin and a wag of her tail. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Two hours and twenty nine feet and ten inches from Steve Magnet later, [How did you get me to agree to do this again?] Soul asked Lily in an annoyed undertone as they stood in front of the very busy fashionist of a sea serpent. [Well I won that bet of twenty questions, told you how Equestria was made, and found the card you buried under the tree. You agreed to do it if I did all of that successfully and I did. Now keep your word.] [Still hate water.] Soul mumbled before coughing loudly to catch Stevens' attention. "Oh I’m absolutely sorry, I must be wasting your time with my movements to and fro! You are Soul aren't you? Word is in the Everfree you’re the guy who repelled those Lions and their strike force!" "Strike force?" "The cat like creature and its strange exotic creatures with supernatural powers." "Oh you mean pokemon." "Whatever they are they certainly have made themselves a pest. They even threw the current problem of mine in my home." he whined, "and they are just awful!" "What are...This 'they' that you speak of?" "The most horrible thing, they look so cute and harmless at first but as they eat and multiply they start showing themselves as the real pest they are!" "Okay? What do they look like?" "Oh I have one captured in a jar for you to look at, dreadful things." Steven Magnet reached in with one of his scrawny arms pulling out gingerly the pest that had plagued him. Soul looked upon the jar wondering what horror would be inside it. What could make a sea serpent run from its home and make it so afraid? Soul and Lily took in its appearance. "You’re kidding right?"