//------------------------------// // CH07: The Divine Resignation // Story: The Proxy // by Eyesclops //------------------------------// -Leon's Mind- I was remembering my previous life and how I had changed in two short days. Always the calm and analytical one, I scored fairly well on tests, even if I didn't study for them, though my laziness in school always prevented me getting all A's on his report card. I always tried not to be impulsive, and to think though everything I was going to do before doing it, it made me seem indecisive, but when I finally made a decision, it was almost always correct. I always tried to let logic rule my actions and keep my emotions from taking control... Now, I let my emotions control things I did, not just logic. I acted a few times out of impulse. I even got upset with Twilight that first day. I was afraid to use logic, things in this world worked differently. Nothing I knew was right, and so I found myself to be unpredictable at times here. I was acting differently. I was acting afraid. I still did analyze the situations around me, I still tried to keep emotions from controlling my actions... I... I wasn't as successful as I used to be. I even struck up a deal with god before I knew why he chose me. I didn't even think about that decision at all. I realized, since I had arrived, I was more of a wildcard than I used to be. It wasn't necessarily my fault, the new environment had wiped out the last traces of my security. And I was just starting to get it back. I found I was sticking by the side of Twilight... maybe a bit too much, trying to figure out what was going on. Even after I understood everything... I began to think I was vulnerable without her. She had been that pony I could lean on all of the time I was here. I really needed her. She was the security I had while I was here. She was why I was changing. Why I let my emotions control me at moments over my actions, why I didn't always sit there and think through things all the time. I didn't mind. I remembered the discussion I had with God about choosing a King for my chess game and what I had thought. "The king... The piece you want to protect... What... What do I... want to protect?" I made my decision. I want to protect you, Twilight. -Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Quarters- Princess Celestia paced her quarters, as did her little sister, Princess Luna. Celestia had told her sister what Leon had recited the previous night. They had just been told a train from Ponyville to Canterlot had been stopped by an explosion on the tracks, and that a unicorn had been kidnapped by some other mysterious pony. Nopony in that room needed to ask a name. "Dispatch as much of the royal guard as we can afford to without severely weakening the defenses here. Finding that pony is priority number one." Celestia instantly commanded some of her top soldiers to go find this pony. The guards were confused over her concern, but she refused to explain any further as to his importance. "Damn it!" She paced her room. The passengers had been moved from the train over to a large group of carriages and were due any moment. She had heard Twilight was injured, and had no idea what she could do to help her student. "What are we going to do? This is absolutely ridiculous." Luna spoke up, "Who could it be? I mean, only you, Twilight, and I knew of Leon's secret, why would they, whoever "they" is, go after Leon?" "It certainly is a problem." Neither the Celestia nor Luna recognized this male voice which had come from behind them. "Who are you and how did you enter this room? There are multiple barriers, both physical and magical, that should make it all but impossible to enter here." Princess Celestia looked directly at the person, prepared to defend herself and her sister if need be. The other creature nonchalantly wandered over to a pillow and sat down. Both Luna and Celestia were about to act when they noticed something about the black pony with a blue trim around his wings. He was a winged unicorn and he had a crown more ornate than either of theirs. "I broke too many rules, and here I am doing it again. He's alive, but he surely won't be for long." The Princesses knew who they were talking with now. "God..." Luna bowed, as did her Sister. "Oh stop with that crap! I don't need you bowing, it won't get anything done." Neither sister was used to such coarse language, but neither was going to argue with this supreme being. "Listen, I made a gamble here, that I could place an agent here without anyone realizing I had done so. I screwed up and now they have captured Leon. They're going to end his life before he can change the outcome of Equestria's next major event." The Princesses looked at each other, "So what are we going to do? Do you know where he is?" The black pony lowered his head, "I wish I did, but it's hard to find the location with several... other beings working against you." There was a knock on the door, and the two princesses looked at each other. "Come on in!" Celestia's voice called out, but Celestia hadn't spoken. She glared at the now chuckling stallion. Twilight entered the room in a slight limp, a guard helping her walk. The guard gasped, "I told her she wasn't in any shape to talk with the Princesses, but she insisted that it was urgent. Seeing as she is your student, we brought her up here and..." He stopped short, feeling like something was out of place. However, all he saw were the two Princesses and Twilight. "You know, she's here, she can explain it herself." The guard let the purple unicorn down on a pile of pillows near the door and left. "He didn't notice you." The Princess of the Moon said, looking at this... god. The stallion smiled. "He didn't need to. As for you, Twilight, you probably can guess who I am, you saw me in a dream if I remember correctly. It may not have been your dream, mind you, but it was important you saw it nonetheless." Twilight looked at this being, as did the Princesses. "I was here to tell Princess Celestia about what happened on the train and... does Princess Luna know what's going on as well?" Twilight asked. The blue princess nodded her head confirming Twilight's question. "Go ahead and show us, Twilight, the events on the train." The only male in the room spoke, so Twilight focused, and then made her horn flash a bright light. Soon, the two princesses witnessed the sequence of events up until she was hurt. "I'd listen to his advice, all of you. About reading up as much as you can in the library." God spoke as if he didn't even care that Leon was in mortal peril, "I've lost my bets up until this point, and this is my last gamble. Twilight, that dream you saw of Leon's. I chose for you to see it in case something like this event had occurred. I need you, now more than ever, to become the second agent in this game." he acted as if all hope for Leon was gone and put out. "Why not yourself?" The ruler of the sun spoke as if she were questioning his actions, "You outclass every other pony in Equestria, and could easily defeat any opponent. Why not you?" "Because... I want what's best for Equestria at this point. By appearing to you, I have chosen... I will give up my rule over this domain." All three ponies now looked at him, shocked. "I cannot... be able to help any more after this, as soon as I am found, I will be hunted down by other... gods... as Leon has been. I cannot be the one to save Equestria because of the sheer difficulty that even this causes upon my body. I cannot fight here, because we have little control over our own domains. Gods have rules and seals designed to prevents actions such as this. I have already broken several of both. I cannot save Equestria, because even if I did try, the obstacles would be much greater than they already are for you." This being looked down to the ground, and let his crown fall off of his head. "My rule over this domain has been fun, but all good things must come to an end..." "I have complete faith this game will be played, spectator or not. All I can hope for is that Equestria will be the victor." God smiled solemnly. "Twilight. The chess match that will determine the fate of Equestria rests in the hands of a few select ponies. You, the Princesses... even the now lost Leon..." He turned and looked at the balcony. "Luna, your moon looks very wonderful tonight... This will be the last I view of this land. Goodbye." ...I set up the board... Now play the game... All three ponies stood there, feeling more vulnerable than they had ever been, even though the God had yet to leave their presence. -A Cave, Location Unknown- I regained consciousness and woke in a cave next to two ponies and a small fire. I saw the mouth of the cave, it was snowing outside. There was the tan mare, who had now discarded her train apparel, and there was a male white winged unicorn with a mane that was black, with a light blue mixed into it through the center of the mane and tail. Then I noticed. The tan pony was the same species now as the white one. "You don't belong here. You never did." The mare spoke to me matter-of-factly. I looked directly at him, trying to give no hint as to what my emotions were. I knew fleeing wasn't a feasible option, they had already captured me with extreme ease. Running away would only get me hurt by these ponies even sooner. "Gods are we?" I spoke confidently and raised an eyebrow, hoping to bluff my way out. I knew it was a long shot, but I didn't have any other ideas at the moment. "And you are a mortal, a mortal that belongs somewhere else." The white pony spoke. I looked at them and smiled, "You are quite right. I belong at Canterlot, but some odd mare on the train seems to have thought otherwise. So, who are you two?" "We are the people who have placed Equestria back on the path to its destiny. Unlike the current ruling god here, of course." I saw their cutie marks. The tan mare had an ornate shield on her rear-end, the white mare had a sword equally as elegant. "I was asking for your names..." I tried to keep up the small chat while sizing up my opponents. "I am Ace, and the female here is Aria." I looked at the white pony who had spoken, "And it doesn't matter what you get from us when it comes to talking, you know just as well as I do you are outclassed here in pretty much everything. Period. Escape is a dream that only a fool would hope for." I closed my eyes, knowing Ace was right, "So when have you two decided I am going to die?" "As soon as I choose." Aria spoke, "If you annoy me or try to escape, you die right away. But for now, you'll live. The gods are deciding your fate as we speak, so your afterlife will not come until they decide how to deal with your interference." I sighed, wondering how I would escape. I had to escape. I stared into the fire, and closed my eyes, hoping to reach God. Maybe... just maybe... "You can't reach your God. It's completely impossible for any form of communication between you two with us here." I closed my eyes and focused, trying not to believe what she had said. "Because... I want what's best for Equestria at this point. By appearing to you, I have chosen... I will give up my rule over this domain." It was His voice. It sounded like he was talking to others... but somehow, I knew it meant it for me as well. I sighed, I heard him, but it wasn't exactly what I had hoped to hear. I began thinking through the situation. The God's didn't know everything. They had flaws as well. I knew it. I had just proven these Gods wrong after all. With renewed hope I opened my eyes and stood up and remembered what I had heard from the deity I had pledged my loyalty to. "You know what happens when a pawn reaches the other end of the board?" The two immortal beings looked directly at me, wondering what I was about to do. "What piece you become when you reach the other end of the board... is only decided by you..." I heard God's voice again, this time not from memory, but from a place far, far away. ...I set up the board... Now play the game... I wasn't used to acting on impulse, but that was just what I was planning on doing. I was about to do a whole lot of stupid.