//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Years? // Story: Kurai the Forsaken // by Seth Typofather //------------------------------// “Now are you sure that you’ll be alright alone, sugar cube? I have to go to Canterlot with Twilight and the girls.” Applejack asked her little sister for the umpteenth time, though she was used to Applejacks constant questions, with how she treated Kurai before her patience was wavering thin. Turning to her older sister with a near cold glare feigning her usual joyful nature. “Yes, Applejack. I’ll be fine, you know I’ve been through worse.” Slamming the door, sighing with relief at now having her down private time. Closing the curtains for good measure Applebloom inspected the contents of her bag, untying a long stick that was connected to the bag due to its size. “I hope he won’t mind I borrowed this.” She spoke to herself, bringing out a book she borrowed from Twilights library at that. Flicking through the pages patiently for the right section, apparently there were many incantations for one transformation spell. Ever since she met him, she had grown close to how he treated her. Not like she was some helpless child but as somepony mature enough for the world outside Ponyville. But looking as she is now, there is no way he would even consider her to be his marefriend or even wife. She was desperate as she could be to at least see him again, taking out a few pieces of clothing obviously taken from Kurais pouch as he never seemed to use it at all (Shadow Set) in case she succeeds. Slapping her forehead with a hoof she realised her biggest mistake, her age. She was too young for him, in fact it would be the equivalent of Pinkie Pie dating Discord. Gritting her teeth she thought of a way, Twilight! She was the only one who knows an ageing spell but the problem was her keeping quiet, it looks like Applebloom will have to put her faith into the catalyst that lay before her. If it was as powerful as it looked from the constant light it gave off, it was better than nothing. Grabbing it with her mouth she raised the catalyst, mumbling the incantation. Nothing happened. Of course, the thing had some sentience it couldn’t hear a word she was saying while she was holding it like Winona holds a stick. Rolling her eyes she held it in her left hoof and repeated the incantation, hoping for the best to happen. Light suddenly surrounded her figure, it was cold yet comforting. Appleblooms body began to change, her legs straightened and began to bend forwards at the knees. Her hooves shrunk and grew 5 appendages on each, while her torso straightened into a slimmer figure while her hind hooves shaped into flat longer versions of her transformed front hooves with 5 appendages though shorter. Her head slowly transformed into a head similar to a humans, with a satisfied grin she walked to the door and froze once looking down at herself. Blushing she ran to the clothing that lay on the floor and frantically put it on, she was too short. “Darn it! Wait, if I can change how I look with this thing…of course!” Picking up the book again she flicked through the pages for a specific spell that would help, thankfully this book was as thick as the tree she had this clubhouse built upon. “The hay is that?” She looked closer at the description and read it aloud. “Keyword age spell, speak a word in the place of the symbol for the incantation that will be your keyword, say it once to activate the spell and say it three times in a row to cancel the spell.” Her grin was wider now she was a few steps closer to living her dream which unbeknownst to her, Kurai and Luna witnessed. Lifting the book and the catalyst, she held the catalyst above her head with the book in one hand. “Here and now, by the power invested in my word and the ancients secrets of the universe give me the age I so desire. My words of power shall be…zap apple jam. Repeat it thrice my spell shall retire!” In that instant the catalyst began to glow once more, covering her body in a green light. This one was slightly more painful than the last, her body was on fire as she grew into the armour. Resisting the temptation to scream she grit her teeth, whimpering at the thought of the spell going wrong as this is only the second time she used magic. The pain suddenly stopped as the light dissipated into small sparks, she felt taller and stronger. Appleblooms mane grew to a significant length with her tail too, she felt like she was as old as her sister. Though the clothing was a bit tighter, she ignored it as it served its function. “Look out Equestria! Applebloom's finally going up in life!” She declared, leaping out the door and running into the distance at top speed. ----------------------------- “So let me get this straight, you two know each other? meine Güte, dass ist seltsam…” Ratchet mumbled. “Indeed we do! I have no regrets on meeting him!” The sun bearing warrior declared proudly, his cheerfulness still shining through the muffled voice. “Anyway, its been years since we fought Gwyn, where were you?” Solaire asked Kurai, his voice solemn now. “Years? I just woke up in this crazy world not one week ago.” Kurai replied, clearly confused and annoyed. “And somehow in that one week I managed to get hunted down for threatening a wench, taught a book obsessed unicorn and pegasus crossbreed how to use our magic, fought a dragon with those creatures called ponies and now I think a farmland teenager is hellbent on trying to make me her husband!” Solaire and Ratchet sat there staring at him as if he were crazy. “So how am I here after you have been here for years!? It makes no sense!” Solaire calmly stood and laid a hand on Kurais shoulder, ushering him to sit. Reluctantly he complied and sat, taking a large bite out of the sandwich on his plate. “The process of how you got here is a mystery in its own.” Ratchet explained. “But if I were to have a theory on how, it would be that the time loop you were in collapsed and to protect the timeline with those present it had to send you two into the void. Solaire was the first to escape it, landing just outside my house. I treated him and repaired his things, he was here quite a while until I introduced him to the nearby town. Naturally, everypony was scared but they warmed up to his cheerful personality.” “Wait wait!” Kurai interrupted. “If it was only those present, how come a gaping dragon got into this world?” “I’m getting to that!” She retorted, clearing her throat. “Now, if i do remember correctly your source of currency and power is souls. The souls you obtained through your adventure has gotten trapped in the loop as well, dispersing around Equestria. Lately there have been emergencies on new species being introduced to the food chain, which worries me that I will have to move if it gets out of hand. But with Solaire and now you, we don’t have to worry.” Solaire cautiously hovered an arm to the dessert on the coffee table before having it slapped by Ratchet, this promptly got a laugh out of Kurai. “Ow! Aww come on, I finished my sandwich…” “Nein, not until you actually eat the cucumbers that were inside it.” She tilted her head to under Solaires plate which was soaking under from the cucumber waters with a knowing smile. “Now eat up.” He lifted the plate and started chewing on the cucumber slices with a grumpy grimace, eyes still on the dessert which were jam and chocolate covered biscuits with white powder on the top. “Now, you said something about a farmland teenager trying to date you? Or, planning to? Oh! Was she an Apple?” Kurai nodded in response. “Well, I see no problem with that.” She replied, taking a drink of water from a cup. “Interspecies relationships are allowed on the grounds they are between changelings, ponies, gryphons, magical beasts, dragons and the list goes on for any creature that comes from a species that can speak. I know a stallion who married a changeling and a mare who is currently dating a dragon, it’s not that odd. But humans, they will take getting used to. I know I have gotten used to it!” She smiled as the sandwich in Kurais hand dropped to the plate as he stared at Solaire with wide eyes. The sun warrior scratched the back of his neck with an awkward grin. “What can I say? Years in this world can do things to you.” He let out a hearty laugh at that while his friend sat there still with that frozen expression of shock. “You ok sunbro?” Snapping out of it he took a deep breath and sat back, calming himself and choosing wisely of what to ask. “Firstly, congratulations… i guess… and secondly, how long?” Using his fingers to count it up Solaire thought for an answer but he seems to have lost track, Ratchet rolls her eyes and nudges him. “About 7 months now, my father attended the ceremony. He’s a genius inventor like myself! The great Sprocket! He was a bit… uncomfortable at first but he lightened up after a drink or so from the punch bowl and a talk with Solaire.” “I think I have heard enough of that.” Kurai interrupted. “Sorry but it just seems odd, everything is.” He then remembers her mentioning a town close to her house. “Did you say there was a town nearby? Please don’t tell me it’s Ponyville.” “Ja I did didn’t I? The town is called Alloy, it was named as such for the rare metals mined in it. To which how my father and I earned our cutie marks by making things out of it, good fun until the grand council of Canterlot decided it was too valuable for ‘peasantry’. The nerve! It’s hard to believe the princesses would let this slip under their noses!” Her rage was slowly building as she explained in clear detail how their town was ‘liberated’ of their valuable material to what made the town as it is. “Peasantry, hah! If it was not for us the royal guard would be defenceless and they would have been slaughtered by the final changeling attack before the peace treaty!” As soon as Ratchet was about to scream in frustration Solaire held her hoof. “Calm down dear, I think we have something better than iron and steel now that Kurai is here.” Looking to Kurai who then realised what he was talking about. “Titanite.” “Titanite?” She replied with confusion and curiosity. “Is it any good? Because there have been many weapons and such with much more durable material than iron and steel.” This was followed up by Kurai taking out a greatsword made with iron and tempered with titanite. Knowing what was coming, the sun warrior stood and picked up a piece of shrapnel the length of his arm. It was the strongest material Ratchet currently had thus far. Holding it like a staff on its side Solaire gave the nod for Kurai to swing at it. With a single swipe the greatsword cut through the shrapnel like it was butter, no sign of tearaway from force, just a clean and straight cut. Needless to say, Ratchet was more than impressed with her jaw nearly slamming the floor. But her silent joy didn’t last long with a knock on the door, nodding to Solaire who lead Kurai to the other room. Forcing herself to put on a smile she opened the door, to which stood three stallions clad in royal guard armour with an insignia on the chest plate. Patrol soldiers for the town ever since the grand council sold the town to a duke. “Can I help you, sirs?” The first one stepped forward, his name was Spotlight, a pegasus. His two peers behind him, a unicorn and an earth pony stood idly by in the back for his order. “We’re on patrol, I heard someponys been making toys.” The two behind snickered at the snide insult. “You know the drill, either pay the tax or we will have to take other forms of payment.” He smirked, aware completely she has no money left after the last tax. “You of all ponies should know you taxed the town dry! There is nothing left, so go back to your duke and tell him he’s rich enough!” Ratcher shouted. “First you armoured cowards humiliate my father by sabotaging his invention then you do this!” She added. That promptly resulted in her getting slapped in the face by Spotlights hoof, landing on the floor with a thump. Listening to all this Kurai noticed Solaire tightening his fists, naturally he was mild mannered about such things but this was his wife out there risking her life for their safety. “Ugh, I got peasant on my hoof.” The pegasus spoke wiping it off on the door before turning to the two behind him, pointing inside. “Ransack the place, anything valuable you find bring it to me.” Grinning malevolently they entered the room, destroying anything they can find. Stumbling to her hooves Ratchet balanced herself on a table, her cheek bruised and the corner of her mouth bleeding. “Stop! Please!” She screamed as her lifes work is being decimated by the unicorns magic before her eyes, both laughing with glee. “No!!!” Running to stop the unicorn from destroying mark three, before she even got within his line of sight she was bucked in the other cheek by the earth pony which sent her flying into the other wall. Gritting his teeth Solaire had enough of hearing this. “Kurai… I want you to take a breather, I will handle this scum.” This was the first time hearing him so close to rage, yet he spoke in such a monotone voice him screaming would be the equivalent of a child laughing compared to this. Bursting into the room he caught the threes attention, upon seeing Ratchet lying in a heap of twisted steel had the sun warriors blood boiling. Raising his sword he called out. “Pure scum you be! I have no choice! A warrior of the sun will not just sit and take it!” Running with full force at the earth pony closest to him, giving a good punch into the side, denting the armour easily. “Who the hell is this?! You! Blast him with everything you got for assaulting an officer!” Spotlight yelled out to the unicorn, who was already charging an explosive beam spell. “Fire!” Turning away holding his ears and closing his eyes before the explosion would erupt, but nothing. Turning around Spotlight was met with the sight of Solaire holding his soldier around the neck in a headlock before tearing off the still glowing horn. Turning his attention to Spotlight he dropped the unconscious unicorn, slowly stepping closer to the cowering pegasus. “You break into homes, you steal, you pillage and plunder. I heard stories of knaves roaming their towns and hiding behind authority like slugs being protected from each other by salt. You tax and take what you can, even at one point kidnapping a filly from her family to be sold off as a slave to your duke!” Backhanding Spotlight. “And that’s just the tip of it all, well listen here. Go and tell your pathetic duke that Solaire of Astora will not sit idly by, this town was shown me kindness before you came. I will repay that favour by delivering justice upon you!” Kicking spotlight and aiming his sword at him. “Go tell your leader I’m coming for him, and take your filthy knaves with you!” Tossing the unconscious bodies at him, how he wished he could simply slaughter them but he did promise to not kill at some point to Ratchet. Limping out the door spotlight carried his comrades upon his back, moving as fast as he could before Solaire changed his mind. Turning to Ratchet lying on the ground, his temper lowered as Kurai stood in the doorway trying to comprehend solaires brutality. Running over to her he knelt, inspecting her injuries. Getting an idea he looked into his pouch and brought out a scroll. “Solaire, this will be useful.” Handing it over, as Solaire opened it he gave a sigh of relief. Great heal, a high level healing spell. Considering the warriors of sunlight use miracles as their weapon they always carry talismans and swift swords, it was no surprise Solaire always carried his. “I hope it works, since coming here my estus flasks are empty. Now that I think about it, injuries heal although slowly in this world without magic. I’m just glad I can be here to help, old friend.” Nodding in acknowledgement to his words, Solaire lifted the talisman letting off a warm light which created a small circle surrounding him and Ratchet. Releasing the power of the talisman the brilliant light of the healing miracle repaired her wounds almost instantly, sadly the spell did not erase pain so she should expect a headache when waking up. “I’ll take her to the bedroom to rest. You make sure none of them come back, alright?” Kurai lifts his greatshield in response, under his helmet Solaire smiled. “Thank you.” ----------------------------- Sitting at a table in the main hall of a fancy building surrounded by drunk stallions and mares cheering sat the duke of Alloy, a porky fellow. His fur was a crimson hue with his mane and tail a bright blonde covered by a dukes hat, his eyes are a dark green. Clearly amused by the sight before him of mares and stallions engaging in obscene acts before his wandering eyes, he waves a hoof to the servant for another mug of apple cider. She approaches cautiously with the mug on a platter, she looks no younger than ten years of age. “Well? Give it here!” He shouts, causing her to jump a bit resulting in the mug tipping with the contents spilling all over him. Narrowing his eyes at the filly he prepares to call the guard for her imprisonment before the doors opened. “Hm? The taxes have arrived?” His mood calming before dismissing the frightened filly from the room. What greeted him instead caused the room to go silent, so silent you can hear the slow dripping of blood coming from the unicorns head laying on Spotlights back. “Duke Cash Bags! We have a new problem, Ratchet has two bodyguards assisting her. One of them did this to my best men!” He explained, dropping his still unconscious comrades on the table before the duke. He stared at their limp bodies in terror, especially at the unicorn with his torn off horn. “Cash?” Cash Bags slammed his hooves on the table, a new record for how quickly his temper had been lost this week. “Sir! It wasn’t our fault he-“ Holding a hoof up Cash Bags silenced the stammering pegasus. “What did I tell you about failure? Failure leads to wasted time, time is money and money is power. And you just made my power look pathetic in front of these lords and ladies you halfwit!” He noticed Spotlight trying to say something in the middle of his rant. “What is it now?!” He bellowed. Taking a deep breath Spotlight has one chance to calm down the duke or his neck will be up for the gallows. “W-we have a name of the assailant…” To his relief Cash Bags had sat back with a calmer expression. “I’m listneing.” “Well, while he was attacking he said his name was, uhm. Solaire of Astora I think…” He managed to blurt out, hoping that the guards behind him won’t escort him to the jail cells at the dukes subtle signal. Stroking his chin with a hoof Cash Bags grinned at an idea, if Solaire was protecting Ratchet. Then she was the key to having Solaire and maybe the other on their knees, but with her under their protection it will be a challenge to capture her. However, there was one way to lure her out. Chuckling sinisterly at his idea he waved Spotlight off with an order. “Bring me Sprocket.”