//------------------------------// // CH06: Checkmate // Story: The Proxy // by Eyesclops //------------------------------// -Ponyville Library- I stood there, wondering what Twilight just said. "You saw... my dream?" I said in slight confusion, "Are you sure? How do you know?" She stood there, "I- I'm not sure, I closed my eyes, and then I saw two people. One with clothes and one without." I blushed as I remembered that I was naked in the beginning. She began to explain what had happened in my dream with extreme clarity, and I looked at her with a disbelieving face. "You... you saw all that?" I stood there, curious as to why she was chosen to see this vision. "Well, I guess its just confirmation I'm not mentally insane I guess." I smiled and laughed. I heard a low rumbling noise coming from my new friend's direction. "You weren't at the party last night, when was the last time you ate?" I smiled, "Because you're stomach is telling me it hasn't been in a while." We both laughed. -Sugarcube Corner- "Heeeeeyyyy!" Pinkie Pie hopped out of Sugarcube corner when we walked towards it. "Hi Pinkie!" I said. Twilight mimicked my greeting. She was bouncing up and down, "So whatcha here for? Cake? Ice Cream?" "I'm not sure quite yet." Twilight responded, "I'm gonna go inside and talk about it for a bit." "Everyone's in there ya know. Rainbow Dash, AppleJack, Fluttershy, and even Rarity!" Pinkie hopped around, "And now you and me and Leon!" I wondered how she had so much energy, she was easily the most energetic pony I had met so far. We walked into Sugarcube corner and sat down. "Hey Twi'!" "Yo Leon!" "Oh... he-hello Leon..." "Twilight, you look absolutely delightful today!" We met the other ponies at a table in a corner of the room. I smiled, these ponies were so good-natured and sociable, it was enviable. I smiled as we sat down and talked. "So what 'appened yesterday? Do ya know?" AppleJack inquired. Everyone else looked at me and Twilight wondering if there was an answer. "We... really aren't sure..." Twilight stated, "Whatever it was, its all better now." "Well, let's hope it doesn't happen again. It is quite troublesome seeing a friend suffer." Rarity smiled. "Yeah, you cut the party short before I could ask you to show me some more of that running you did yesterday." Rainbow Dash crossed her arms in annoyance, "It was pretty awesome." She held her hoof out and we did a high-hoof. I smiled. She was my kind of pony. "Maybe we can hold another party sometime!" Pinkie Pie leaped up in the air. "No more parties," I backed up defensively, "I enjoyed it, but I don't think I can handle any more." "W-well I hope you can spend some time here in P-Ponyville." Fluttershy quietly said. I smiled sincerely, "Don't worry Fluttershy, everybod... everypony here is so nice. It's hard to imagine anyone wanting to leave." Everyone laughed. We spent most of the morning talking about random things, but slowly the group started to break up. "I need ta finish some apple buckin' down at Sweet Apple Acres." AppleJack first said. Rainbow Dash also had to clear some clouds from the sky that morning. (Apparently they control the weather, and the weather doesn't work on its own.) Fluttershy decided to go back to her home to feed some of the creatures near her home, and Rarity had an outfit she apparently could not afford to "dillydally" on any longer. Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and I stayed a bit longer, but then, soon enough, Twilight spoke up, "Leon, you think we should write a letter to princess Celestia saying we are going to go today? I have so many questions, but the books in the library aren't cutting it, I can't find anything on..." She stopped short. She couldn't tell Pinkie Pie. "I can't find anything on that creature." Pinkie Pie hopped around some more, "What creature huh? Whatcha studying this time Twilight?" Twilight paused and looked at me for advice on what to do next. "Humans. She wants to know about them," I said. "Oh, that silly ponytale?" She giggled. A pain struck my heart after remembering the last time I heard that word. Twilight seemed to have a brief flash of irritation across her face that seemed to signify the same thing. Pinkie Pie was oblivious, and it was fortunate she was. I would rather not be pressed with any questions about why what she said would bother us. "Well, we'd better go, or we won't make it to Canterlot today Leon." Twilight said. "Okie Dokey! Have fun!" Pinkie Pie turned around and went into another room. I walked out of the door with Twilight. "Well, I guess we're walking?" I asked her. Twilight smiled, "No way! That's a bit ridiculous. There is a train we can take that is scheduled to leave in a little bit. We'd better head over there." -Train to Canterlot- Twilight and I sat next to each other on the train. "What do you think is gonna happen?" I asked the purple unicorn next to me. She smiled. "I'm not sure, but whatever it is, I'm sure we can overcome it." She smiled. I did too. Then an explosion rocked the train, and it came to a halt. Twilight looked to the front of the train wondering what caused it. Everyone around us began to panic. "Please stay calm! Nobody is in immediate danger. Stay in your seats and please stay quiet!" A female pony with a tan body, blonde mane and tail, and a blue train-worker's uniform tried to hush the murmurs. Nopony listened. Nopony... These ponies are rubbing off on me! I laughed a bit to myself, and Twilight looked over. "Oh, nothing." She looked at me confused while I smiled to myself and got up from the seat. "What are you doing?" Twilight looked at me oddly. "I think I should check on what happened. Maybe I can be of some use." I turned to walk towards the front and noticed she was following me. "It isn't fun sitting around doing nothing is it?" I said as I laughed. We were stopped at the front of the cart. "It would be best if you return to your seat, sir," the female train attendant said. I looked at her and tilted my head questioningly. She seemed preoccupied with something. "What's going on up there anyways? You sure seem like you don't want anyone up there." "Oh... nothing... nothing at all..." She said to me. I looked at her, trying to see what she was hiding. "Let's just return to our seats Leon." Twilight said, about to turn around. I smiled. "That was a huge explosion, and such a quick stop, are you sure nothing is happening, because if I were to experience something like that I would think a lot would be going on." The attendant looked at me. She stared at me. "So you are the boy..." I looked at her funky, as did Twilight. *pow!* Out of nowhere, a hoof struck me across the face and I was immediately on the floor. That lady just hit me! Everyone gasped. Twilight spoke up. "Hey! Sto-" another explosion rocked the train. The tan mare went to strike me again. "Twilight, get to Celestia and the library, we need to know as much as we ca- OOMPH!" I was struck in the gut by the remarkably strong mare. A unicorn somewhere in the crowd must have used her magic, because Twilight went flying against the side of the train and went limp. I tried to move, but even before I had a chance, the tan earth pony used her rear hooves to strike me across the face. Everything went black. -Location Unknown- God had taken his true form, a pitch black winged unicorn with light emitting from the area where he stood. A golden crown with a delicate ornate design that dwarfed that of either of the princesses rested upon his head. His wings were edged with a dark blue. However, most of this was difficult to see, he wore a hooded white robe with gold trim that covered his entire body, even his face. He was standing over the chess board, carefully observing the board. My white pawn was surrounded by several stronger black pieces. He closed his eyes and took a breath. "So they know..." He said to himself, "I hadn't expected them to have found out so quickly about Leon... I had preferred they not notice him..." The pawn that was my piece became the king. It fell over, instantly captured by the surrounding pieces, signifying the end of the chess match. "I lost." The deity took a deep breath and closed his eyes.